We open this issue with two articles in the field of vision.  Cyanosis is a blue coloration of the skin and mucous membranes associated with a decrease of oxygen in the blood.  It can be an indication of a medical emergency, and thus its detection is extremely important.  The selection of light sources has been the topic of several articles [including in this journal “A Method for Evaluating the Acceptability of Light Sources for the Clinical Visual Evaluation of Cyanosis,” by Dain, Hood, Montano and Arali 23:4-7, 1998]. Also there have been anecdotal reports of people with color vision deficiencies having difficulty in recognizing cyanosis.  In “Colour Changes in Cyanosis and the Significance of Congenital Dichromasy and Light,” Stephen Dain, using the previously established databases, examines the likelihood for color vision deficient observers to make mistakes about cyanosis and also whether it is possible to select light sources that would help remedy the problem.
    Do men and women experience the appearance of color differently?  In our next article Pedro J. Pardo, A. L. Pérez, and M. I. Suero report on experiments that examine the possibility that men and women have different color appearance interpretations.  Are the differences physiologically based or cognitive, or the combination of the two?  Some researchers have hypothesized that it is genetic.  There are two subtypes of the long-wavelength (or L-) cones whose peak responsea differ by about 4-7 nanometers.  The x chromosome carries this data.  Since men have only one x-chromosome, they have roughly a 50-50 chance of receiving the LA or LS cone.  However, women with two x chromosomes present a more varied distribution.  They can have two of either  LA or LS, or one of each.  Is this the cause of the variation in color appearance responses?  Thus far the psychophysical variations are still disputed, but several hypotheses have been presented.  Therefore, Pardo, Pérez, and Suero designed an experiment to determine the average radiance ratio for men and for women. In their article, “An example of sex-linked color vision differences,” they show that at least at the point in color space that they conducted experiments, men and women can not be considered as forming one homogeneous population.
    As early as the 1920s experts recognized a need for establishing an international photometric system that both provided an estimation of the psychophysical attributes of photometry, and provides a psychological correlate of the photometric attribute.  The CIE1924 V(l) photometric system became standard in response to urgent requests from the lamp industries.  This system met the first requirement, but did not address the second.  In our next article, a “Proposal for an Integrated Photometric System and its Application to Luminous Colors,” Drs. Yoshinobu Nayatani and Hideki Sakai give the whole concept of the newly proposed system, and include the formulas and examples for luminous colors.  Future work is planned to give the formulas and examples for object colors.
    Earlier this year, in the June Issue (#3) of this journal, Kenji Imura introduced a virtual fluorescent standard method for measuring the optical properties of a sample treated with fluorescent whitening agent.  In this issue, Mr. Imura examines the application of this method to the case where an ink sample is printed on optically brightened paper.  Since both the paper and the ink are fluorescent, this case creates a complication.  In “Method for Measuring Optical properties of a Printed Sample On FWA-Treated Paper,” Mr. Imura compares two approaches to this problem: one identified as the orthodox approach, the other identified as an abridged approach. Twenty-eight samples were used to examine the performance of the virtual fluorescent sample method by each approach. The results show that the performances of both approaches are remarkable at least for those samples, and the abridged approach has a performance close to that of the orthodox approach for most of the samples.
    Over 50 years ago, at the Budapest Technical University, a study of color harmony was begun.  While certain results of these studies have been published, our next article is the first part of a series in which Antal Nemcsics presents those parts yet to be published.  “Experimental Determination of the Laws of Color Harmony Part I – Harmony content of different scales with similar hue” deals with the group of experiments testing how much the harmony content of scales found in various locations of the axial sections of the Coloroid system differ from each other.   Nemcsics reports that the extent of the harmony contents of color scales of planes containing the same hue depends on: 1) the angle between the line supporting the scale and the horizontal neutral axis, 2) the hue, saturation, and luminosity of the colors supporting the scale, and 3) the number of harmony intervals between members of the scale.
    From the earliest recorded color in art and communication, color has been used to convey certain images and feelings, and thus has played an important role in general life.  However, the systematic study of color has concentrated for the most part on the physics, perception, design, and production areas.   More recently there is an increased interest in integrating the humanities and sciences, thus in terms of color, looking at color and the color sense conveyed.  It is important for artists and designers who are trying to convey their own image meanings in their work, to relate to the images of the general audience. Wen-Guey Kuo undertook a study to attempt to establish a new color image scale to evaluate the color image meanings of works matching those of the average person.  In “The Feasibility of Establishing New Colour Image Scales Using Magnitude Estimation,” he shows the relationships between the latest color image scales and the color attributes such as lightness, hue and chroma.
    Next Ralph W. Pridmore discusses “Chromatic Luminance, Colorimetric Purity & Optimal Aperture-Color Stimuli.”  In this article Pridmore points out that colorimetric purity, a luminance metric, is different from excitation purity, a chromaticity-diagram metric.  He reminds the reader that the measurement of colorimetric purity has always been problematic for non-spectral hues.  Then he goes on to discuss these terms and their meanings in detail and to propose a solution for the problems.
    For our last article we look at a “Color Study of Mudejar Paintings of the Pond at the Palace of “Reales Alcazares” which are located in Seville in Southern Spain. The analysis of the paintings has shown that there were two reconstructions or renovations of the pool.  It also makes it possible to date these renovations.  But more importantly to the color science studies, Adrián Durán-Benito, Liz. Karen Herrera-Quintero, María Dolores Robador-González, and José Luis Pérez-Rodríguez worked together to characterize the pigments.  This then facilitated the choice of materials and colors used to carry out the renovation of this historic building.
    We also include in this issue, one book review and brief announcements about three CIE publications: CIE Publication 127:2007 Measurement of LEDs; CIE 177:2007 Colour Rendering of White LED Light Sources; and CIE 179:2007 Methods for characterizing tristimulus colorimeters for measuring the colour of light.  Rolf Kuehni reviews the two volume series Progress in Colour Studies, Vols. I and II.  Martin Bide gives a report on the AATCC/ISCC Industrial Color Challenges Symposium held earlier this year.  And finally since this is the last issue of the year, the annual index is included.