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One of the important advantages of optical metasurfaces over conventional diffractive optical elements is their capability to efficiently deflect light by large angles. However, metasurfaces are conventionally designed using approaches that are optimal for small deflection angles and their performance for designing high numerical aperture devices is not well quantified. Here we introduce and apply a technique for the estimation of the efficiency of high numerical aperture metasurfaces. The technique is based on a particular coherent averaging of diffraction coefficients of periodic blazed gratings and can be used to compare the performance of different metasurface designs in implementing high numerical aperture devices. Unlike optimization-based methods that rely on full-wave simulations and are only practicable in designing small metasurfaces, the gradient averaging technique allows for the design of arbitrarily large metasurfaces. Using this technique, we identify an unconventional metasurface design and experimentally demonstrate a metalens with a numerical aperture of 0.78 and a measured focusing efficiency of 77%. The grating averaging is a versatile technique applicable to many types of gradient metasurfaces, thus enabling highly efficient metasurface components and systems.The aims of this study were to examine the microvascular network of the retina using the optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) device in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) and to determine whether the OCT-A values could assist in the differential diagnosis of ED. HSP27 inhibitor J2 chemical structure The study design was prospective, observational, and cross-sectional. The vessel densities (VD) of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), and retinal peripapillary capillary plexus (RPCP) were assessed using OCT-A in patients with ED and healthy subjects. All the participants were evaluated and scanned for systemic and hormonal disorders and those with ED also underwent penile Doppler ultrasonography (PDU). After recording the data, the participants were divided into three groups organic ED, psychogenic ED, and healthy control. The relationships between the OCT-A parameters and other clinical findings were analyzed. The right eyes of 80 patients with ED and 40 healthy volunteers were evaluated in this study. Of the ED patients, 46 were included in the organic ED group according to the results of PDU. The VDs of DCP, SCP, and the temporal sector of RPCP were significantly lower in the organic ED group than the psychogenic ED and healthy control groups. The VDs of SCP and DCP were correlated with the peak systolic velocity of both left and right penile cavernous arteries. The VDs of DCP were also correlated with the left and right resistive indexes. In conclusion, the OCT-A data of SCP and especially DCP could be helpful in evaluating ED, and provide reliable information about the origin of the disease along with the other laboratory testing and penile vascular evaluation.OBJECTIVE To explore the worth of a single-donor program for preterm infants through the recipient profile and the impact on donor exposure, red blood cell (RBC) pack waste, storage duration, and transfusion performance. STUDY DESIGN Patients and transfusion characteristics were collected for 3 years (2015-2017) in preterm infants according to single-donor program prescription in a unit not practicing placental transfusion or erythropoietin supplementation. RESULTS Among 1048 eligible preterm infants, 161 met the inclusion criteria, and 51 received single-donor packs. Our single-donor program induced a donor number reduction (34% less than the transfusion number) and an extension of storage duration (median 9 versus 7 days, p  less then  0.0001) without altering the transfusion performance. However, 41% of small packs were not used. CONCLUSION A single-donor program partially reduced donor exposure but led to drastic RBC pack waste. Optimization of transfusion alternatives may increase this phenomenon, calling into question the rationale of this practice.Populations of the common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) are in an impending risk of going extinct in the wild as a consequence of damaging anthropogenic impact on their natural habitat and illegal pet and bushmeat trade. Conservation management programmes for the chimpanzee have been established outside their natural range (ex situ), and chimpanzees from these programmes could potentially be used to supplement future conservation initiatives in the wild (in situ). However, these programmes have often suffered from inadequate information about the geographical origin and subspecies ancestry of the founders. Here, we present a newly designed capture array with ~60,000 ancestry informative markers used to infer ancestry of individual chimpanzees in ex situ populations and determine geographical origin of confiscated sanctuary individuals. From a test panel of 167 chimpanzees with unknown origins or subspecies labels, we identify 90 suitable non-admixed individuals in the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) Ex situ Programme (EEP). Equally important, another 46 individuals have been identified with admixed subspecies ancestries, which therefore over time, should be naturally phased out of the breeding populations. With potential for future re-introduction to the wild, we determine the geographical origin of 31 individuals that were confiscated from the illegal trade and demonstrate the promises of using non-invasive sampling in future conservation action plans. Collectively, our genomic approach provides an exemplar for ex situ management of endangered species and offers an efficient tool in future in situ efforts to combat the illegal wildlife trade.Recently, copying others' behaviour has attracted attention among researchers. It aids individuals in reducing uncertainty about the knowledge of the environment and helps them in acquiring an adaptive behaviour at a lower cost than by learning it by themselves. Among the copying strategies, conformity, which is the copying of behavioural decisions presented by the majority, has been well studied and reported in many animals, including humans. The previous study showed that dogs did not conform to their multiple conspecific individuals; however, dogs have evolved to increase their adaptability while living with humans, and it is plausible that dogs have selected appropriate behaviour according to the behaviour of humans. Therefore, we investigated which factors influenced the choice of dogs in a situation where they have to choose one of two numerically unbalanced human groups. The results showed that the dogs followed the human majority group under certain conditions, depending on the familiarity with the human demonstrators.