bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE CITY AS AN URBANISTIC ENVIRONMENT IN THE LANDSCAPES OF N.D. GRITSIUK
Authors:   Novosibirsk State University of Architecture, Design and Arts (Novosibirsk, Russian Federation), Chimitov Vyacheslav N.
Published: February 2021

The article explores the urban landscape developed by a Novosibirsk artist N.D. Gritsiuk (1922–1976). The methodological tool we use is the typology of the urban landscape of the 1960s–1970s developed by researchers G.K. Cerlinca and L.I. Nekhvyadovich: the city as a historical and cultural unit; the city as a monument of architecture; the city as a sphere of human life; the city as an urbanistically industrial environment. The main part of the article analyses three thematic areas of Gritsiuk's urban landscape which include different interpretations. 1. Through analyzing the imagery, style, and semantics of the watercolors Homes Are Being Built (1960) and Novosibirsk. Kamensky Houses (1960) from the series Novosibirsk, it is established that Gritsiuk treats the city as a space in which there occur intense urbanization and industrial processes aimed both at improving the lives of townspeople and at the total displacement of the established provincial way of life (the city as an urbanistically industrial environment). 2. In the work A Moscow Tune (1966) there is a distinct harmonious interaction between gloomy, monolithic buildings and festive Kremlin based on the contrasts generated using color, texture, and collage. Thus in the landscape of a modern city, the ancient architecture and the standard modern buildings are not contrasted by the artist, but rather harmoniously interact (the city as a historical and cultural unit). 3. Gritsiuk creates a decorative, expressive urban landscape in Blue City (1962) which captures the active lives of townspeople (the city as a sphere of human life). Formal techniques acquire self-contained, meaningful value; exacerbate the decorative conventionality of the composition; and give it a distinctive, emotional, psychological quality. Dark, cold colors of the composition, cramped movement of cars and crowds, a jumble of buildings – all this underscores the dynamics of the rapid processes in the modern city. The man in this cold alienated urban environment is presented as a lonely ghostly being forced to dissolve into a meaningless chaotic movement of the big city. The article expresses the view that in Gritsiuk’s development of the image of the modern city, there are two nominal stages: 1) the romantic interpretation of the city (the late 1950s – early 1960s), conditioned on the trends in the postwar official Soviet painting; 2) the dramatic tones in the image of the city (the 1960s), revealing the downside of the industrial and urbanization processes focused on the unwitting destruction of nature and the displacement of well-established traditional way of life in the provinces. Changes in Gritsiuk’s imagery are due not only to the evolution of his artistic style, but also to external factors: political and social change in the Soviet society, new artistic trends, a general tendency towards isolation and self-absorbtion, and non-conformism.
BURIAL CHAPELS IN 19TH CENTURY RUSSIA
Authors:   Lipetsk State Technical University (Lipetsk, Russian Federation), Budiukin Dmitri A.
Published: February 2021

Religious burial structures as places of family memory and religious commemorative practices in interfaith families are of great research interest in the modern science, and it makes the topic of the research actual. The aim of the research is to review the phenomenon of building the glasshouse burial chapels and to find regularities connected to it. The research is based upon the study of sources such as descriptions and images of architectural objects, memoirs and journal articles. The research methods of ethnology and anthropology are implied to the material. There are two glasshouse burial chapels known in 19th century Russia – of Princes of Oldenburg in Holy Trinity-St. Sergius monastery near St. Petersburg and of Counts Keller in Sennitsy manor of Moscow province. Both aristocratic families were of Lutheran origins and became interfaith due to conversion of some their members to Orthodoxy. In both cases the construction of the chapels is connected with the burials of young girls. The buildings seemed to cause no contemporaries’ astonishment. The analysis shows that creation of such burial places is unique because of combination of traditional conceptions connecting tree and burial with prestigious burial inside a chapel, enabling to surmount confessional borders and bounds of dynastic status. All the other examples of burials connected with plants closer than the generic presence of plants in cemeteries, are somehow opposed to Christianity.
LOZUM HUM: VALERIY N. CHERNETSOV AS A PHENOMENON IN THE FIELD ETHNOGRAPHY OF THE 1930S
Authors:   Tomsk State University (Tomsk, Russian Federation), Ryndina Olga M. , Barsukov Evgeniy V. ,   Tomsk State University (Tomsk, Russian Federation)
Published: February 2021

The article explores the archives of an outstanding Russian specialist in Ugric Studies, Valeriy N. Chernetsov. It aims to reconstruct the researcher’s work and the context of his expeditions, and is a continuation of the previous publication by the authors dedicated to the researcher’s work in the 1920s*. Chernetsov’s research efforts intensified in the 1930s, with his focus at the time being mainly on the northern group of Mansi living on the river Severnaia Sos'va (Northern Sosva). His work reveals continuity in his humanistic orientation, the use of empathy and in-depth interviewing as central field research methods, and his special attention to the study of the Mansi language. His ability to empathize was such that in the 1930s he was no longer seen as an outsider by the Mansi – they called him ‘Lozum hum’, that is, ‘the Lozva Man’. He came to be one of them and was widely known, which allowed him to gain access to the innermost spheres of the Mansi culture and acquire knowledge thereof. As a field researcher, Chernetsov thus became a phenomenon famous for his ability to immerse himself in a culture and explore it from within. It is concluded that during his expedition from 1933 to 1934, Chernetsov was already able to write down long texts in Mansi – such was his knowledge of the language. Thanks to this, his research focus shifted to include the study of Mansi folklore and rituals, including ritual folklore. The main object of his study then was the Bear Feast – the dominant ritual element in the Mansi culture. Most informative in this regard was the expedition that lasted from 1936 to 1937, on the rivers Severnaia Sos'va and Ob'. The article analyzes the social and political context of the 1930s and Chernetsov’s attitude towards the ethno-social processes among the Mansi at the time. His view of these was ambivalent. On the one hand, he was enthusiastic about and actively engaged in developing written Mansi and teaching the language in schools, yet, on the other, he was worried about the transformation of the traditional culture of the Mansi initiated and sustained as a state policy, which concerned, first and foremost, the Mansi youth. A part of Chernetsov’s archives that remains unknown to the wider research community is made up by his drawings, sketches, and photographs – 36 files and 1,239 items, in total. The article explores these materials’ themes, with most informative of them being on fine arts, the Bear Feast, and Mansi clothing. It also provides a general description of the materials filmed by Chernetsov, which include a second version of his film, with episodes that had initially been left out, and some of the film footage from the original version. These materials show the Mansi everyday life and celebration of the Bear Feast by the Mansi on the river Gornaia Ob' and by the northern Mansi on the Kazym River.
THE BASIC ACTIVITY MODES OF THE DOMINANT COGNITIVE-PRAGMATIC PROGRAMME AND THE INDIVIDUAL POLITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS (A CASE STUDY OF “THE COLD SUMMER OF 1953” FILM CONSTRUCT)
Authors:   Institute of Russian studies, Xi'an International Studies University (Xi'an, PRC), Ivanov Dmitry I.
Published: February 2021

The purpose of the article is to study the conceptual-semantic core of the film construct “The Cold Summer of 1953” carried out as part of the author's metadisciplinary methodology – the theory of modeling cognitive-pragmatic programs (CPP). CPP is a supporting system of cognitive-pragmatic sets that can have both a personal and a superpersonal character. The article solves the problems of deciphering the multidimensional impact of the dominant “superpersonal” CPP on the consciousness and behavior of its carriers, since the basic party-ideological CPP is deeply rooted in the minds of both government officials and political prisoners; moreover, the power system also turns the representatives of criminal environment into the carriers of a specific criminal projection of the basic CPP. The main results of the study: film construct unfolds before us a panorama of the mythological recoding of the consciousness of CPP carriers, while the ethical category of duty, which is fundamental for self-identification of a person, suffers the most profound recoding. “The Duty” here is a destructive and manipulative instrument for controlling the CPP over the consciousness of its carriers. Confident that he decides by himself who he is (level of self-identification), what is his goal (level of goal-setting) and what is the path to it (level of modeling of an instrumental-operational strategy), the CPP carrier does not / fully does not recognize the substitution. In fact, the CPP controls it: a) the goal of the program is identified with the goal of the CPP carrier; b) the CPP carrier does not think of itself separately from the program; c) the destructive strategy of the CPP is perceived by the subject as its own. Studying the three basic regimes of the destructive activity of the ideological CPP, we come to the following conclusions: 1) In the “conditional passivity” mode of the CPP, its carrier retains a significant degree of internal freedom, not allowing the program to exercise full control. 2) The “Active-passive” mode of the CPP makes a substitution: the program carrier, being in the full sense of his personal freedom, becomes a “machine of generation” of senseless pseudo-ideologized conflict situations and a “machine of reproduction” of “alien” automated, reflex-impulse reactions. 3) Under the conditions of the “active-destructive” CPP regime, the “pseudodialogue” is no longer entered by “living” people, but by different options (“tools”, “mechanisms”) of the dominant program. That is why the “dialogue” of programs turns into an endless, automated, one-sided, impersonal process of “exchanging” orders.
REGIONAL IDENTITY: FAMOUS STORIES AND NEW DISCOURSES
Authors:   Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “South Ural State Agrarian University”, Kazakova Galina M.
Published: February 2021

The significance of the theoretical study of regional identity for understanding the formation and functioning of regions is determined primarily by the fact that it is the cultural basis of the region, a tool for recreating specific collective sociality, sets the norm of anthropological imagination and is a product of collective memory. The identification process is interesting because it serves as a basis for studying the behavior of the masses of people and the person-person. Territoriality as one of the system-forming principles of identity has been studied for a long time within the framework of the sociology of space, but gradually the exhaustiveness of this topic began to grow, as sociologists began to give preference to the temporal structure of people's daily life rather than to the spatial one. The regional focus of cultural studies proves its heuristic potential for understanding large-scale phenomena and processes of regional identity research. Although this phenomenon often eludes traditional methods of scientific analysis, the concept of “identity” continues to be conceptualized through new discourses in science, often intersubject. The article analyzes the principles of studying regional identity from the perspective of complementarity of ontological and constructivist approaches, as well as modern theories of “social engineering” and quasi-Corporation as a multi-project practice of promoting unique socio-cultural characteristics of regions. Looking at the region as a quasi-Corporation suggests that the region has certain similarities with a large corporate structure that implements its own socio-cultural projects, pursues its own economic interests, and has unique competitive advantages. This approach allows us to consider the region in a broader context of interaction and mutual influence of the internal environment of the region and the world society, the global world. Within the framework of the“ project approach”, regional identity is understood in terms of “region-building”, “network concept”, “reterritorialization”, “decentralization”, “new regionalism”, etc. The constructed regional identity becomes an instrument of socio-political mobilization of the population, a kind of “social engineering”. The task of “reconciliation” of discourses is implemented by a cultural approach based on the principles of complementarity of seemingly oppositional paradigms. The culturological approach allows us to consider identity and regional identity, in particular, as a cultureworking part of the human essence, subject to evolutionary structural-functional, essential, genus-species, activity, etc. changes depending on cultural epochs and times.
24 PRELUDES FOR PIANO BY K. LAKIN
Authors:   Tomsk College of Music named after E.V. Denisov, Mazepina Olga
Published: February 2021

The article discusses in detail the cycle of the contemporary Tomsk composer K. Lakin "24 Preludes for piano". A number of aspects of the composition that are relevant for the pianist-performer are considered. At the same time, you should know that one of the first performers of this cycle was the author of the article. Each piece has been studied separately, from the perspective of technical difficulties for a young pianist and from the point of view of the integrity of the figurative series.
Protein-A and Protein-LG Sandwich ELISA v1
Authors: A Justiz-Vaillant Angel
Published: February 2021

This ELISA was used to study the interactions between Staphylococcal protein-A (SpA) and protein-LG (SpLG) with different immunoglobulin preparations from mammalian and avian species.
Critical Reflection on Own Beliefs for Cultural Competence in Medical Education: an Analysis of Tutors’ Reflective Narratives
Authors: Constantinou Costas S , Andreou Panayiota , Papageorgiou Alexia , McCrorie Peter
Published: February 2021

Critical reflection on own beliefs, within the context of cultural competence, has been acknowledged as an important skill doctors and medical students should have in order to enhance the quality of health care regardless of patients’ social and cultural background. Yet the guidelines for teaching students critical reflection on their own cultural beliefs are lacking. Based on the method of investigating short reflective narratives and Gibbs’ reflective cycle for development, this paper explores the experience of clinical communication tutors’ in examining cultural competence in OSCEs, how they felt, analyzed and concluded, and examines their account on how to construct a training model for dealing with such challenge in medical education.
From the Minds of Adolescents: What Has Worked for Them in an Education Intervention in the Slums of Nairobi
Authors: Abuya Benta A. , Muhia Nelson
Published: February 2021

This paper highlights findings from the, ‘Advancing learning outcomes for transformational change (A LOT-Change), whose goal was to increase efforts towards securing the future of children living in urban informal settlements.  The intervention was implemented in Korogocho and Site 2 respectively. This paper looks at the narratives from girls, boys and their parents and seeks to answer the question, “From the minds of adolescents: What has worked for them in an education intervention in the slums of Nairobi. Qualitative data comes from the qualitative component of the endline evaluation study that was collected in July and August 2018, by the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC). Findings from this study done by APHRC show that: scores in numeracy skills and literacy skills improved, improved self-confidence, which enabled girls to model the way in their schools and communities. Aspirations for school and higher education improved as girls and boys wanted to go beyond primary school. Communication improved across the board girls and boys, together with their parents. Girls and boys gained the confidence to speak up due to the knowledge gained out of the motivational talks within the leadership component. Overall, this paper reinforces the importance of young people having a voice to speak up on programs that affect their lives.
Challenges in Distance Education During the (Covid-19) Pandemic Period
Authors: Sari Tamer , Nayır Funda
Published: February 2021

The purpose of this study is to reveal the perceptions of the teachers, administrators, and academics who had to continue distance education during COVID-19 epidemic disease period, about the problems they experienced and the strategies to cope with the challenges. The working group of the current study consists of 65 teachers. The data were collected via an open-endedwritten interview. Content analysis was applied for analysis of the data gathered. Various important results regarding the use of distance education were obtained during the pandemic period and yielded significant findings. The first and the most important finding is that theachers have difficulties in internet access and lack of infrastructure, classroom management and human resources. Another challenge that participants reported was about teachers’ and students’ behaviours. The last theme stated by the participants is the distance education process itself. The findings reveal that the participants determined their strategies to deal with these problems with new arrangements regarding the classroom management, getting help from colleagues, family members and experts and communicating with students and parents. It can be certainly suggested that the participants are not ready for the distance education process and there is a lack of application in this regard; such as technology support and distance education training, and moreover, the participants do not have sufficient knowledge and experience about distance education.
Life Stories on the Social Image of Disability. An Educational Outlook
Authors: Mañas Olmo Moisés , Cortés González Pablo , Celada Beatriz Margarita
Published: February 2021

This paper forms part of the results of the ongoing doctoral thesis with the title Resilience and intellectual disability in residential environments using life stories. From a narrative and inclusive biographical approach, we delve deeper into the life history of four people who have been diagnosed with intellectual disability and who live in a residential environment in the city of Malaga (Spain). The field work was carried out using semi-structured and in-depth biographical interviews. The analysis reveals one of the conceptions that is a priority in this paper: the “social image” of disability, structured in three main areas for the purposes of this article: “the image of disability from social culture and identity”, “the image of disability from close contexts” and, lastly, “subversive experiences to the image of disability from inside”. In conclusion, there is a commitment to continue generating another social image of disability based on a more social and inclusive paradigm.
Justiça criminal e direitos indígenas: potencialidades da Resolução 287/2019 do Conselho Nacional de Justiça para a redução da vulnerabilização indígena no sistema penal e prisional brasileiro
Authors: Almeida Bruno Rotta , Sallet Bruna Hoisler
Published: February 2021

Resumo: O artigo estuda a potencialidade da Resolução 287/2019 do Conselho Nacional de Justiça (CNJ) para a redução de vulnerabilização indígena no sistema penal e prisional brasileiro. Por meio de revisão bibliográfica, pesquisa documental e método dedutivo, busca verificar em que medida a Resolução 287 do CNJ pode contribuir com uma política criminal humano-dignificante em respeito aos direitos indígenas. A primeira seção apresenta o contexto penal e prisional em relação às pessoas indígenas no país. A segunda seção mostra os direitos específicos destinados aos povos indígenas, tanto em âmbito nacional quanto internacional, os quais deram sustentação para a formulação da Resolução. Por fim, a terceira seção analisa as recomendações da Resolução e a sua contribuição na proteção de direitos e redução dos níveis de vulnerabilização indígena na conjectura penal e prisional brasileiro. Conclui que a Resolução tem, a partir do caráter descarcerizador e multiculturalista, potencialidade de transformar a velha práxis de negação de direitos em uma realidade de respeito e reconhecimento aos direitos e às diversidades culturais dos povos indígenas.Palavras-chave: justiça criminal, indígenas, direitos, vulnerabilização, sistema penal.Abstract: The article studies the potential of Resolution 287/2019 of the National Council of Justice to reduce indigenous vulnerability in the Brazilian penal and prison system. Through bibliographic review, documentary research and deductive method, it seeks to verify to what extent Resolution 287 of the National Council of Justice can contribute to a human-dignified criminal policy with respect for indigenous rights. The first section presents the penal and prison context in relation to indigenous people in the country. The second section shows the specific rights for indigenous peoples, at national and international levels, which supported the formulation of the Resolution. Finally, the third section analyzes the recommendations of the Resolution and its contribution to the protection of rights and reduction of the levels of indigenous vulnerability in the Brazilian penal and prison context. It concludes that the Resolution has, from the decarcerizing and multiculturalist character, the potential to transform the old praxis of denial of rights into a reality of respect and recognition of the rights and cultural diversity of indigenous peoples.Keywords: criminal justice, indigenous people, rights, vulnerability, penal system.
ANALYSIS OF A HYBRID CASCADED LATENT/SENSIBLE STORAGE SYSTEM FOR PARABOLIC-TROUGH SOLAR THERMAL PLANTS
Authors: MUHAMMED Mubarak D. , BADR Ossama
Published: February 2021

The molten-salt two-tank system is the state-of-the-art thermal storage technology employed in the more mature parabolic-trough solar thermal power generation using synthetic oil as the heat-transfer fluid (HTF). This storage technology requires high storage-material inventory, making it very expensive. The use of latent-heat storage (LHS) system offers smaller storage size and material inventory. However, such a storage system faces two challenges: there are limited number of commercially-available phase-change materials (PCMs) are suitable in the operating temperature range; and these materials have very low thermal conductivities. The use of finned tubes, nevertheless, can overcome the later shortcoming. In this study, the analysis of a hybrid storage system, consisting of a three cascaded finned-tube LHS stages and a sensible concrete tube register stage, was carried out through modelling and simulation. A procedure for the design of the finned-tube cascaded LHS stages was developed. For a typical 50 MW parabolic-trough solar thermal power plant, the dimensions of a storage system with 6 hours of operation at full load were obtained. The three-stage cascaded LHS sub-system provides 45.5% of the total storage capacity of the entire system and has a volumetric specific capacity of 54% greater than that of the two-tank system. The volumetric specific capacity of the entire storage system is 9.3% greater than that of the two-tank system.
PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF VARIABLE FLUID PROPERTIES ON GASEOUS SLIP-FLOW THROUGH A MICRO-CHANNEL HEAT SINK
Authors: KUMAR Rajan
Published: February 2021

Physical effects induced in micro-convective gaseous slip-flow due to variation in fluid properties are numerically examined in this paper. The problem is particularly simulated for slip-flow through a micro-channel heat sink (MCHS) having constant heat flux supplied from the wall under hydrodynamically and thermally fully developed flow (FDF) conditions. It is observed that the Nusselt number (Nu) for slip-flow is significantly higher than the no-slip-flow condition and Nu is significantly affected due to variable fluid properties (VFP). Four different cases of VFP are studied in order to investigate their effects individually. Pressure and temperature dependent density (ρ(p, T)) variation flattens the axial velocity profile in radial direction (u(r)) profile which promotes faster-moving particles close to the wall which considerably enhances Nu. The incorporation of temperature-dependent viscosity (μ(T)) variation marginally enhances Nu along the flow. Incorporation of temperature-dependent thermal conductivity (k(T)) variation highly augments Nu due to higher ρ and higher k fluid near to the wall and the incorporation of temperature-dependent specific heat at constant pressure (Cp(T)) variation reduces Nu due to lower k fluid near to the wall. The investigation also shows that the pressure drop significantly deviates from no-slip to slip condition. Furthermore, the effects of VFP on the gauge static pressure drop (Δpg) and slip velocity are also examined. The incorporation of μ(T) and k(T) variations trivially affects the Δpg and slip velocity. However, the incorporation of Cp(T) variation significantly affects the Δpg and slip velocity.
LRG1 promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition of retinal pigment epithelium cells by activating NOX4
Authors:   Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China, Zhou Li , Chu Wen-Juan ,   Qingdao Eye Hospital, Shandong Eye Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China, Yang Ling-Ling ,   State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Shandong Eye Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China, Xu Hai-Feng ,   State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Shandong Eye Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China
Published: February 2021

AIM: To investigate the effect of leucine-rich-alpha-2-glycoprotein 1 (LRG1) on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, and to explore the role of NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4).
METHODS: RPE cells (ARPE-19 cell line) were treated with transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) to induce EMT. Changes of the mRNA and protein expression levels of LRG1 were tested in the TGF-β1 treated cells. The recombinant human LRG1 protein (rLRG1) and siRNA of LRG1 were used to establish accumulation of exogenous LRG1 model and the down-regulation of LRG1 model in ARPE-19 cells respectively, and to detect EMT-related markers including fibronectin, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1). The mRNA and protein expression level of NOX4 were measured according to the above treatments. VAS2870 was used as a NOX4 inhibitor in rLRG1-treated cells. EMT-related markers were detected to verify the effect of NOX4 in the process of EMT.
RESULTS: TGF-β1 promoted the expression of LRG1 at both the mRNA and protein levels during the process of EMT which showed the up-regulation of fibronectin and α-SMA, as well as the down-regulation of ZO-1. Furthermore, the rLRG1 promoted EMT of ARPE-19 cells, which manifested high levels of fibronectin and α-SMA and low level of ZO-1, whereas knockdown of LRG1 prevented EMT by decreasing the expressions of fibronectin and α-SMA and increasing the expression of ZO-1 in ARPE-19 cells. Besides, the rLRG1 activated and LRG1 siRNA suppressed NOX4 expression. EMT was inhibited when VAS2870 was used in the rLRG1-treated cells.
CONCLUSION: These results for the first time demonstrate that LRG1 promotes EMT of RPE cells by activating NOX4, which may provide a novel direction to explore the mechanisms of subretinal fibrosis.
Efficacy of wet-lab training versus surgical-simulator training on performance of ophthalmology residents during chopping in cataract surgery
Authors:   Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China, Hu Ya-Guang , Gao Ning ,   Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China, Wu Chang-Rui ,   Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China, Zhang Jian ,   Department of Ophthalmology, Shaanxi People’s Hospital, Xi’an 710068, Shaanxi Province, China, Qin Li ,   Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China, Li Jing-Ming ,   Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China
Published: February 2021

AIM: To analyze whether wet-lab training (WLT) or surgical-simulator training (SST) is better for ophthalmology residents to master the chopping technique.
METHODS: Sixty ophthalmology residents (in their second year) and three cataract surgeons participated in the study. The residents were randomly separated into two groups, WLT group and SST group. The residents in WLT group were asked to perform 10 trials of chopping using pig eyes and scored by the surgeons, and then they performed and scored using simulator for one time. The residents in SST group underwent 10 trials of chopping using simulator, and the simulator scored each trail. Then, this group were asked to perform the chopping using pig eyes and scored by the surgeons. At last, we investigated the residents' satisfaction about the training.
RESULTS: The demographic characteristics had no significant differences between the two groups. Recorded by the simulator, the residents in SST group got significantly higher overall score (83.90±1.31) than WLT group (78.73±1.92, P=0.03). And the residents in SST group got less corner area injured, and they spend less time than WLT group (P<0.05). Moreover, the residents in WLT group used more ultrasonic energy value than SST group (P=0.03). However, scored by the surgeons, the residents in two groups got nearly the same overall score. The residents in WLT group performed better on the frequencies of posterior capsule torn and incisional stress (P=0.03, 0.008, respectively). In the survey, the residents in two groups held the same opinion that the training was helpful and they strongly recommended this training. And all of them enjoyed the training, and enjoyed being randomized in their own group. However, with respect to the realistic character, the residents thought that WLT was better than SST (P<0.001).
CONCLUSION: Both of the Eyesi surgical-stimulator and the wet-lab improve the residents' chopping ability and each has its own advantages. The combination of the two training ways could be considered to be a part of the training curriculum for new residents.
Visual quality after implantation of trifocal intraocular lenses in highly myopic eyes with different axial lengths
Authors:   Department of Ophthalmology, Chengdu Aier Eye Hospital, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China, Liu Hui , Xia Hai-Jun ,   Department of Ophthalmology, Chengdu Aier Eye Hospital, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China, Zhou Jin ,   Department of Ophthalmology, Chengdu Aier Eye Hospital, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Aier School of Ophthalmology, Central South University, Changsha 410012, Hunan Province, China
Published: February 2021

AIM: To analyze postoperative clinical results after implantation of trifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) in highly myopic eyes with different axial lengths (ALs).
METHODS: This retrospective study describes 61 eyes of 44 patients that were implanted with trifocal diffractive IOLs (AT LISA tri 839MP). Twenty-one eyes (15 patients) were included in the AL<26 mm group, 19 eyes (13 patients) in the AL≥26 mm and <28 mm group, and 21 eyes (16 patients) in the AL≥28 mm group. Postoperative outcomes, including corrected and uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), intermediate and near visual acuity at 167 cd/m2 luminance, depth of focus at 85 cd/m2 luminance, and objective optical quality parameters assessed using the Optical Quality Analysis System (OQAS), were compared among the groups at 3mo.
RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the mean UDVA, uncorrected intermediate visual acuity, uncorrected near visual acuity, corrected distance visual acuity, distance-corrected intermediate visual acuity, and distance-corrected near visual acuity (DCNVA) among the three groups (P>0.05). Better near and intermediate visual acuity (from -1.5 D to -3.0 D) were noted on the defocus curve of the AL<26 mm group (P<0.01 vs AL≥28 mm group). Significantly higher objective scatter index (OSI) values and lower modulation transfer function (MTF) cut-off values, Strehl ratio (SR), and OQAS values (OVs) were observed in the AL≥28 mm group (P<0.01 vs AL<26 mm group). All OQAS parameters had statistically significant correlations with DCNVA and visual acuity at the vergence of -2.5 D (P<0.05 to P<0.01).
CONCLUSION: Implantation of trifocal IOLs provides good short-term visual and refractive outcomes in highly myopic eyes with different ALs. However, the near vision decreases in the extremely myopic eyes at lower luminance, which is associated with the lower objective optical quality in these eyes.
Comparative evaluation of rotational stability of toric IOLs with four-eyelet vs two-eyelet capsular tension rings in eyes with high myopia
Authors:   Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, Anhui Province, China, Jiang Hui-Min , Tao Li-Ming ,   Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, Anhui Province, China
Published: February 2021

AIM: To compare the rotational stability of Toric intraocular lens (IOLs) implantation combined with four-eyelet or two-eyelet capsular tension rings (CTRs) in eyes with high myopia and cataract.
METHODS: This prospective randomized controlled interventional study included 33 eyes which had preoperative corneal astigmatism ≥1.5 D and ocular axial length ≥25.5 mm. These eyes were randomly divided into two groups to undergo phacoemulsification and toric IOL implantation with either four-eyelet CTR implantation (group A, n=16) or two-eyelet CTR implantation (group B, n=17). Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), phoropter examination results, and toric IOL rotation degrees were tested 6mo after the surgery.
RESULTS: In both groups, the toric IOL was in the capsular sac 6mo after surgery. The difference between the two groups in terms of visual outcome was not found to be statistically significant (P>0.05) at a follow-up of 6mo. The mean residual astigmatism values were 0.56±0.22 D and 0.92±0.24 D in A and B groups, respectively (P<0.001). The mean rotation degree of IOL was 1.00°±0.73° in group A and 3.53°±1.46° in group B (P<0.001).
CONCLUSION: In cataract patients with high myopia and astigmatism, four-eyelet CTR can effectively increase the rotation stability of toric IOLs, achieving the desired goal of correcting corneal astigmatism.
Micropulse laser trabeculoplasty under maximal tolerable glaucoma eyedrops: treatment effectiveness and impact of surgical expertise
Authors:   Department of Ophthalmology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-8621, Japan, Kakihara Shinji , Imai Akira ,   Department of Ophthalmology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-8621, Japan, Kurenuma Taihei ,   Department of Ophthalmology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-8621, Japan, Chiku Yoshiaki ,   Department of Ophthalmology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-8621, Japan, Murata Toshinori ,   Department of Ophthalmology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-8621, Japan
Published: February 2021

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of micropulse laser trabeculoplasty (MLT) for eyes with open angle glaucoma (OAG) under maximal tolerable glaucoma eyedrops and to assess the effect of expertise performing MLT on its clinical effectiveness.
METHODS: Medical records of 42 consecutive eyes of 34 patients diagnosed with OAG who underwent MLT were retrospectively reviewed. The effectiveness was determined using the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Failure was defined as an intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction of <20% from baseline, an IOP >21 mm Hg during two consecutive follow-up visits, or surgical intervention for OAG. To determine the impact of MLT surgical expertise on clinical effectiveness, the eyes were divided into two groups according to whether the procedure was conducted by an experienced specialist (defined as a glaucoma specialist who had conducted at least ten MLT procedures) or a less experienced glaucoma specialist. The difference in expertise was determined using a log-rank test.
RESULTS: MLT was conducted by three glaucoma specialists. The overall survival rates were 0.76, 0.48, and 0.44 at 1, 3, and 6mo, respectively. The survival rates for MLT performed by a less experienced glaucoma specialist were 0.62, 0.31, and 0.25 (n=21 eyes) at 1, 3, and 6mo, respectively, whereas the survival rates for MLT performed by an experienced glaucoma specialist were 0.90, 0.64, and 0.64 (n=21 eyes) at 1, 3, and 6mo, respectively. The log-rank test showed a significant difference in the survival curves of the two groups (P=0.0061).
CONCLUSION: The 6-month effectiveness of MLT for controlling IOP is relatively limited in eyes with OAG using maximal tolerable glaucoma eyedrops. However, its effectiveness may be improved if performed by a glaucoma specialist with sufficient MLT experience.
High interpretable machine learning classifier for early glaucoma diagnosis
Authors:   Ophthalmology Department, Hospital de Fuenlabrada,  Madrid 28942, Spain; Doctorate Program in Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcon 28922, Madrid, Spain, Escamez Carlos Salvador Fernandez , Martinez Susana Perucho ,   Ophthalmology Department, Hospital de Fuenlabrada,  Madrid 28942, Spain, Fernandez Nicolas Toledano ,   Ophthalmology Department, Hospital de Fuenlabrada,  Madrid 28942, Spain
Published: February 2021

AIM: To develop a classifier for differentiating between healthy and early stage glaucoma eyes based on peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thicknesses measured with optical coherence tomography (OCT), using machine learning algorithms with a high interpretability.
METHODS: Ninety patients with early glaucoma and 85 healthy eyes were included. Early glaucoma eyes showed a visual field (VF) defect with mean deviation >-6.00 dB and characteristic glaucomatous morphology. RNFL thickness in every quadrant, clock-hour and average thickness were used to feed machine learning algorithms. Cluster analysis was conducted to detect and exclude outliers. Tree gradient boosting algorithms were used to calculate the importance of parameters on the classifier and to check the relation between their values and its impact on the classifier. Parameters with the lowest importance were excluded and a weighted decision tree analysis was applied to obtain an interpretable classifier. Area under the ROC curve (AUC), accuracy and generalization ability of the model were estimated using cross validation techniques.
RESULTS: Average and 7 clock-hour RNFL thicknesses were the parameters with the highest importance. Correlation between parameter values and impact on classification displayed a stepped pattern for average thickness. Decision tree model revealed that average thickness lower than 82 µm was a high predictor for early glaucoma. Model scores had AUC of 0.953 (95%CI: 0.903- 0998), with an accuracy of 89%.
CONCLUSION: Gradient boosting methods provide accurate and highly interpretable classifiers to discriminate between early glaucoma and healthy eyes. Average and 7-hour RNFL thicknesses have the best discriminant power.
Comparing posture induced intraocular pressure variations in normal subjects and glaucoma patients
Authors:   Department of Ophthalmology, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State 48028, Nigeria, Ireka Onyekachi Jane , Arinze Obinna C ,   Department of Ophthalmology, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State 48028, Nigeria, Ogbu Nneka ,   Department of Ophthalmology, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State 48028, Nigeria, Chuka-Okosa Chimdi M ,   Department of Ophthalmology, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku Ozalla, Enugu 01129, Nigeria
Published: February 2021

AIM: To compare the posture-induced variations in intraocular pressure (IOP) between the primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and non-glaucomatous eyes.
METHODS: A case-controlled age matched study was conducted in 55 successive newly diagnosed POAG and 56 non-glaucomatous patients seen in glaucoma clinic and general outpatient eye clinic in the Alex Ekwueme University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki. The IOPs of eligible correspondents were measured with Perkin's hand-held tonometer in the sitting, supine flat and supine with pillow positions respectively. Measurement of IOP in each position was done after 15min of assuming such posture.
RESULTS: The IOP difference between the sitting and supine flat position was significantly higher in the POAG than non-glaucoma subjects (7.68±2.08 vs 4.03±0.13 mm Hg, P<0.001). The IOP difference between the sitting and supine with pillow positions was 2.61±1.49 mm Hg for POAG and 1.44±0.70 mm Hg in non-glaucoma (P<0.001), while difference between supine flat and supine with pillow positions was 5.07±2.24 mm Hg in POAG and 2.59±0.66 mm Hg in non-glaucomatous patients (P<0.001).
CONCLUSION: Greater variations in posture induced IOP occurred in POAG patients than non-glaucomatous. The posture induced IOP variation is lowest in the sitting position and highest in the supine flat position. Evaluation of posture induced IOP changes may be an important tool in the management of glaucoma.
Optimization of microwave-assisted hydrothermal pretreatment and its effect on pyrolytic oil quality obtained by an auger reactor
Authors: Álvarez-Chávez Brenda J. , Godbout Stéphane , Raghavan Vijaya
Published: February 2021

Microwave-assisted hydrothermal (MHT) treatment of biomass has received significant attention owing to energy efficiency during internal energy transfer and the additional benefits to the hydrochar produced in terms of physicochemical composition. Therefore, this study proposes the combination of MHT pretreatment with the fast pyrolysis process, to evaluate and optimize the effect of this treatment on the quality of the hydrochar and, consequently, on the quality of the bio-oil. The optimization of MHT treatment using black spruce was carried out, followed by fast pyrolysis of the hydrochar produced under optimal conditions in an auger reactor at 550 °C to obtain a high-quality bio-oil. As a result, the pretreated biomass showed on the one hand a significant decrease in the ash content by 58% and 43% in the content of the extractives. While on the other hand, the obtained hydrochar showed an increase in the availability of cellulose by 18.5% as a consequence of the reduction in the content of hemicellulose. Accordingly, hydrochar showed an increase in thermal stability during pyrolysis and it produced a higher total bio-oil yield, increasing by 24%. Most importantly, the oil obtained showed a 35% reduction in moisture content. Chemical composition of the oil was qualitatively examined through GC-MS analysis. It was observed that the bio-oil showed a dramatic increase in the relative content of levoglucosan, by 127%. A bio-oil with the characteristics obtained would be a suitable candidate for use in boilers for heating purposes or chemical extraction.
Systematic metabolome profiling and multi-omics analysis of the nitrogen-limited non-model oleaginous algae for biorefining
Authors: Rai Vineeta , Patel Sandip Kumar , Muthuraj Muthusivaramapandian , Gandhi Mayuri N. , Das Debasish , Srivastava Sanjeeva
Published: February 2021

Oleaginous microalga Chlorella is a promising microbial cell factory for producing lipids, transesterifiable to biodiesel, and phytochemical, high-value molecules (HVMs). To better understand the stress-induced oleaginous mechanism of Chlorella sp. FC2 IITG that closely matches with Chlorella sorokiniana based on 18s rRNA gene sequence, we performed 'Algomics' by systematically integrating metabolomics and proteomics data in response to time-resolved nitrogen-limitation: 40 h (mild), 88 h (moderate), and 120 h (severe). Ten HVMs belonging to four biological classes: triacylglycerol (TAG), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), phytosterols, and terpenoids were annotated using untargeted metabolomics and MS/MS fragmentation pattern match to the spectral library. In particular, the study evidenced 4× and 6× increased accumulation of two different PUFA: 9(S)HpOTrE and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid, respectively, in nitrogen-limitation conditions. Co-extraction of TAG and PUFA could lower the biodiesel production cost for feasible commercialization. The investigation found a maximum accumulation of TAG 59:10 at 40 h, while that for TAG 54:4 was recorded at 88 h, which suggests different TAG species could be induced by regulating nitrogen-limitation severity. Elevated ꞵ-oxidation, glycolysis, and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle identified in proteomics analysis could provide the substrates, phosphoenolpyruvate, pyruvate, and acetyl CoA, for different phytochemical accumulation in response to nitrogen limitation. The multiomics data unraveled a metabolic tug-of-war ongoing between biomass and storage lipid (TAG) accumulation during nitrogen-limitation, which involved multiple processes including hindered CO2 fixation, the supply of energy, reductants, and carbon reallocation from proteins and membrane lipids. These ﬁndings provide distinct oleaginous mechanisms in non-model microalgae, Chlorella sp. FC2 IITG, and engineerable targets for microalgal trait improvements.