bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cuproptosis-Related LncRNA-Based Prediction of the Prognosis and Immunotherapy Response in Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Pang Yipeng , Wang Yushi , Zhou Xinyu , Ni Zhu , Chen Wenjing , Liu Yi , Du Wenlong
Published: January 2023

Cuproptosis, a new cell death pattern, is promising as an intervention target to treat tumors. Abnormal long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) expression is closely associated with the occurrence and development of papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC). However, cuproptosis-related lncRNAs (CRLs) remain largely unknown as prognostic markers for pRCC. We aimed to forecast the prognosis of pRCC patients by constructing models according to CRLs and to examine the correlation between the signatures and the inflammatory microenvironment. From the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), RNA sequencing, genomic mutations and clinical data of TCGA-KIRP (Kidney renal papillary cell carcinoma) were analyzed. Randomly selected pRCC patients were allotted to the training and testing sets. To determine the independent prognostic impact of the training characteristic, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm was utilized, together with univariate and multivariate Cox regression models. Further validation was performed in the testing and whole cohorts. External datasets were utilized to verify the prognostic value of CRLs as well. The CRLs prognostic features in pRCC were established based on the five CRLs (AC244033.2, LINC00886, AP000866.1, MRPS9-AS1 and CKMT2-AS1). The utility of CRLs was evaluated and validated in training, testing and all sets on the basis of the Kaplan–Meier (KM) survival analysis. The risk score could be a robust prognostic factor to forecast clinical outcomes for pRCC patients by the LASSO algorithm and univariate and multivariate Cox regression. Analysis of Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) data demonstrated that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) are primarily important for immune responses and the PI3K-Akt pathway. Arachidonic acid metabolism was enriched in the high-risk set by Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). In addition, Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) analysis suggested that there was a high risk of immune escape in the high-risk cohort. The immune functions of the low- and high-risk sets differed significantly based on immune microenvironment analysis. Finally, four drugs were screened with a higher sensitivity to the high-risk set. Taken together, a novel model according to five CRLs was set up to forecast the prognosis of pRCC patients, which provides a potential strategy to treat pRCC by a combination of cuproptosis and immunotherapy.
Superfast Capture of Iodine from Air, Water, and Organic Solvent by Potential Dithiocarbamate-Based Organic Polymer
Authors: Thurakkal Liya , Cheekatla Subba Rao , Porel Mintu
Published: January 2023

Organic polymers are widely explored due to their high stability, scalability, and more facile modification properties. We developed cost-effective dithiocarbamate-based organic polymers synthesized using diamides, carbon disulfide, and diamines to apply for environmental remediation. The sequestration of radioiodine is a serious concern to tackle when dealing with nuclear power for energy requirements. However, many of the current sorbents have the problem of slower adsorption for removing iodine. In this report, we discuss the utilization of an electron-rich dithiocarbamate-based organic polymer for the removal of iodine in a very short time and with high uptake. Our material showed 2.8 g/g uptake of vapor iodine in 1 h, 915.19 mg/g uptake of iodine from cyclohexane within 5 s, 93% removal of saturated iodine from water in 1 min, and 1250 mg/g uptake of triiodide ions from water within 30 s. To the best of our knowledge, the iodine capture was faster than previously observed for any existing material. The material was fully recyclable when applied for up to four cycles. Hence, this dithiocarbamate-based polymer can be a promising system for the fast removal of various forms of iodine and, thus, enhance environmental security.
How an Immune-Factor-Based Formulation of Micro-Immunotherapy Could Interfere with the Physiological Processes Involved in the Atopic March
Authors: Jacques Camille , Floris Ilaria
Published: January 2023

Allergic diseases consist of improper inflammatory reactions to antigens and are currently an important healthcare concern, especially considering their increasing worldwide development in recent decades. The “atopic march” defines the paradigm of allergic diseases occurring in chronological order and displaying specific spatial manifestations, as they usually start as atopic dermatitis (AD) and food allergies during infancy and progressively evolve into allergic asthma (AA) and allergic rhinitis (AR) or rhino-conjunctivitis in childhood. Many immune cell subtypes and inflammatory factors are involved in these hypersensitivity reactions. In particular, the T helpers 2 (Th2) subset, through its cytokine signatures made of interleukins (ILs), such as IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13, as well as mast cells and their related histamine pathways, contribute greatly to the perpetuation and evolution of the atopic march. By providing low doses (LD) and ultra-low doses (ULD) of ILs and immune factors to the body, micro-immunotherapy (MI) constitutes an interesting therapeutic strategy for the management of the atopic march and its symptoms. One of the aims of this review is to shed light on the current concept of the atopic march and the underlying immune reactions occurring during the IgE-mediated responses. Moreover, the different classes of traditional and innovative treatments employed in allergic diseases will also be discussed, with a special emphasis on the potential benefits of the MI medicine 2LALERG® formulation in this context.
Multiomics Based Association Mapping in Wheat Reveals Genetic Architecture of Quality and Allergenic Related Proteins
Authors: El Hassouni Khaoula , Afzal Muhammad , Steige Kim A. , Sielaff Malte , Curella Valentina , Neerukonda Manjusha , Tenzer Stefan , Schuppan Detlef , Longin Carl Friedrich Horst , Thorwarth Patrick
Published: January 2023

Wheat is an important staple crop since its proteins contribute to human and animal nutrition and are important for its end-use quality. However, wheat proteins can also cause adverse human reactions for a large number of people. We performed a genome wide association study (GWAS) on 114 proteins quantified by LC-MS-based proteomics and expressed in an environmentally stable manner in 148 wheat cultivars with a heritability > 0.6. For 54 proteins, we detected quantitative trait loci (QTL) that exceeded the Bonferroni-corrected significance threshold and explained 17.3–84.5% of the genotypic variance. Proteins in the same family often clustered at a very close chromosomal position or the potential homeolog. Major QTLs were found for four well-known glutenin and gliadin subunits, and the QTL segregation pattern in the protein encoding the high molecular weight glutenin subunit Dx5 could be confirmed by SDS gel-electrophoresis. For nine potential allergenic proteins, large QTLs could be identified, and their measured allele frequencies open the possibility to select for low protein abundance by markers as long as their relevance for human health has been conclusively demonstrated. A potential allergen was introduced in the beginning of 1980s that may be linked to the cluster of resistance genes introgressed on chromosome 2AS from Triticum ventricosum. The reported sequence information for the 54 major QTLs can be used to design efficient markers for future wheat breeding.
New Monoterpenoid Indole Alkaloids from Tabernaemontana crassa Inhibit β-Amyloid42 Production and Phospho-Tau (Thr217)
Authors: Li Sheng , Han Ling-Ling , Huang Ke-Pu , Ma Ye-Han , Guo Ling-Li , Guo Yarong , Ran Xiaoqian , Yao Yong-Gang , Hao Xiao-Jiang , Luo Rongcan , Zhang Yu
Published: January 2023

Eleven monoterpenoid indole alkaloids, including three new ones, tabercrassines A–C (1–3), were isolated from the seeds of Tabernaemontana crassa. Tabercrassine A (1) is an ibogan–ibogan-type bisindole alkaloid which is formed by the polymerization of two classic ibogan-type monomers through a C3 unit aliphatic chain. Their structures were established by extensive analysis of HRESIMS, NMR, and ECD spectra. Cellular assays showed that alkaloids 1–3 all reduce Aβ42 production and inhibit phospho-tau (Thr217), a new biomarker of Alzheimer’s disease [AD] associated with BACE1-, NCSTN-, GSK3β-, and CDK5-mediated pathways, suggesting these alkaloids’ potential against AD.
The Effects of Fisetin on Cyclosporine-Treated Dry Eye Disease in Dogs
Authors: Krajčíková Kristína , Balicka Agnieszka , Lapšanská Mária , Trbolová Alexandra , Guľašová Zuzana , Kondrakhova Daria , Komanický Vladimír , Rašiová Adriana , Tomečková Vladimíra
Published: January 2023

Dry eye disease (DED) is a chronic debilitating ophthalmological disease with the current therapeutic options focused on the suppression of the symptoms. Among the possibilities of how to improve DED therapy, polyphenols have shown an enormous capacity to counteract DED functional changes. The study aimed to specifically target pathophysiological mechanisms by the addition of fisetin to the cyclosporine treatment protocol. We examined dog patients with DED on cyclosporine treatment that were administered 0.1% fisetin or fisetin-free eye drops. For the assessment of fisetin effects, tear film production and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) were studied in the tear film. Tear production was not recovered after 7 or 14 days (9.40 mm ± 6.02 mm, p = 0.47; 9.80 mm ± 6.83 mm, p = 0.53, respectively). MMP-9 levels significantly increased after 7 days and then dropped after 14 days (775.44 ng/mL ± 527.52 ng/mL, p = 0.05; 328.49 ng/mL ± 376.29 ng/mL, p = 1.00, respectively). Fisetin addition to cyclosporine DED treatment was not able to restore tear fluid production but influenced molecular pathological events through MMP-9.
Effect of Enriching Gingerbread Cookies with Elder (Sambucus nigra L.) Products on Their Phenolic Composition, Antioxidant and Anti-Glycation Properties, and Sensory Acceptance
Authors: Topka Patrycja , Poliński Szymon , Sawicki Tomasz , Szydłowska-Czerniak Aleksandra , Tańska Małgorzata
Published: January 2023

Elder products are still underutilized sources of phytochemicals, mainly polyphenols, with extensive pharmacological effects on the human body. In this study, gingerbread cookies covered in chocolate (GC) were enriched with elderflower dry extract (EF) and juice concentrate (EB). The cookies (GC, GCEF, and GCEFEB) and the additives (EF and EB) were analyzed for total phenolic content (TPC), phenolic compound profile, antioxidant capacity (AC), and advanced glycation end products’ (AGEs) formation in both the free and bound phenolic fractions. Sensory analysis of the cookies was performed using an effective acceptance test (9-point hedonic scale), and purchase intent was evaluated using a 5-point scale. It was found that the flavonoid content was significantly increased (20–60%) when EF and EB were added to the cookies. Moreover, the EF addition to chocolate-covered GCs enhanced the content of phenolic acids (up to 28%) in the bound phenolic fraction. An increase in the AC values of enriched cookies was found, and the free phenolic fraction differed significantly in this regard. However, inhibition of AGEs by elder products was only observed in the bound phenolic fraction. In addition, EF and EB improved the overall acceptance of the cookies, mostly their taste and texture. Thus, elder products appear to be valuable additives to gingerbread cookies, providing good sensory quality and functional food characteristics.
Changes in Lipidomics, Metabolomics, and the Gut Microbiota in CDAA-Induced NAFLD Mice after Polyene Phosphatidylcholine Treatment
Authors: Zhang Jiayuan , Zang Xiaoling , Lv Jinxiao , Zhang Yicong , Lv Zhihua , Yu Mingming
Published: January 2023

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease in most parts of the world. Although there is no first-line drug approved for the treatment of NAFLD, polyene phosphatidylcholine (PPC) is used by clinicians to treat NAFLD patients. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of PPC on a mice model of NAFLD, and to study the PPC’s mechanism of action. The mice were fed a choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined (CDAA) diet to induce NAFLD and were subsequently treated with PPC. The treatment effects were evaluated by the liver index, histopathological examination, and routine blood chemistry analyses. Lipidomics and metabolomics analyses of 54 samples were carried out using ultraperformance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled to a mass spectrometer to select for changes in metabolites associated with CDAA diet-induced NAFLD and the effects of PPC treatment. The intestinal flora of mice were extracted for gene sequencing to find differences before and after the induction of NAFLD and PPC treatment. PPC significantly improved the CDAA diet-induced NAFLD condition in mice. A total of 19 metabolites including 5 polar metabolites and 14 lipids showed marked changes. In addition, significant differences in the abundance of Lactobacillus were associated with NAFLD. We inferred that the protective therapeutic effect of PPC on the liver was related to the supplement of phosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylcholine, and sphingomyelin (PC, LPC, and SM, resectively) and acylcarnitine metabolism. This study developed a methodology for exploring the pathogenesis of NAFLD and can be extended to other therapeutic agents for treating NAFLD.
Rejuvenating the Activity of Usual Antibiotics on Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria: Recent Issues and Perspectives
Authors: Tabcheh Jinane , Vergalli Julia , Davin-Régli Anne , Ghanem Noha , Pages Jean-Marie , Al-Bayssari Charbel , Brunel Jean Michel
Published: January 2023

Antibiotic resistance continues to evolve and spread beyond all boundaries, resulting in an increase in morbidity and mortality for non-curable infectious diseases. Due to the failure of conventional antimicrobial therapy and the lack of introduction of a novel class of antibiotics, novel strategies have recently emerged to combat these multidrug-resistant infectious microorganisms. In this review, we highlight the development of effective antibiotic combinations and of antibiotics with non-antibiotic activity-enhancing compounds to address the widespread emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains.
Mechanical Chaotic Duffing System with Magnetic Springs
Authors: Karimov Artur , Rybin Vyacheslav , Dautov Albert , Karimov Timur , Bobrova Yulia , Butusov Denis
Published: January 2023

Mechanical systems with inherent chaotic behavior are of notable practical interest due to their applicability in many fields of technology, from industrial mills and concrete mixers to microscopic micromechanical random bit generators. One of the most generic mathematical models for designing chaotic mechanical systems is the Duffing oscillator, which demonstrates chaotic motion under periodic excitation. The mechanical implementation of Duffing oscillator requires nonlinear springs, which can be implemented using different physical principles. In the current study, we propose the mechanical Duffing oscillator with magnetic springs as a low-wear, robust and easy-to-implement solution. We show by simulation and experimentation that the developed mechanical system performs chaotic oscillations in a wide range of parameters. The proposed design can be revised in a problem-specific manner and achieve many practical applications.
Microstructural Analysis of the Transverse and Shear Behavior of Additively Manufactured CFRP Composite RVEs Based on the Phase-Field Fracture Theory
Authors: Gljušćić Matej , Lanc Domagoj , Franulović Marina , Žerovnik Andrej
Published: January 2023

Due to the versatility of its implementation, additive manufacturing has become the enabling technology in the research and development of innovative engineering components. However, many experimental studies have shown inconsistent results and have highlighted multiple defects in the materials’ structure thus bringing the adoption of the additive manufacturing method in practical engineering applications into question, yet limited work has been carried out in the material modelling of such cases. In order to account for the effects of the accumulated defects, a micromechanical analysis based on the representative volume element has been considered, and phase-field modelling has been adopted to model the effects of inter-fiber cracking. The 3D models of representative volume elements were developed in the Abaqus environment based on the fiber dimensions and content acquired using machine learning algorithms, while fulfilling both geometric and material periodicity. Furthermore, the periodic boundary conditions were assumed for each of the representative volume elements in transversal and in-plane shear test cases,. The analysis was conducted by adopting an open-source UMAT subroutine, where the phase-field balance equation was related to the readily available heat transfer equation from Abaqus, avoiding the necessity for a dedicated user-defined element thus enabling the adoption of the standard elements and features available in the Abaqus CAE environment. The model was tested on three representative volume element sizes and the interface properties were calibrated according to the experimentally acquired results for continuous carbon-fiber-reinforced composites subjected to transverse tensile and shear loads. This investigation confirmed the consistency between the experimental results and the numerical solutions acquired using a phase-field fracture approach for the transverse tensile and shear behavior of additively manufactured continuous-fiber-reinforced composites, while showing dependence on the representative volume element type for distinctive load cases.
Immune Responses of the Black Soldier Fly Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) Reared on Catering Waste
Authors: Candian Valentina , Meneguz Marco , Tedeschi Rosemarie
Published: January 2023

The black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), has a great bioconversion potential and ability to develop on diverse substrates. Although the use of catering waste and food by-products containing meat and fish would reduce the footprint of the insect sector, to date, in Europe, their use is still facing legal obstacles for insects as food and feed. Since a major request from the EU insect sector is to diversify the spectrum of allowed substrates, and considering that variations in diet composition could influence insect immune responses, we evaluated the impact of different catering wastes on BSF prepupae immunity. Insects were reared on five diets: one based on feed for laying hens and four based on catering waste containing (i) fruits and vegetables; (ii) fruits, vegetables and bread; (iii) fruit, vegetables, bread and dairy products; (iv) fruits, vegetables, bread, meat and fish. The gene expression of two antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), one defensin and one cecropin, was assessed. Moreover, the hemolymph inhibitory activity against Escherichia coli DH5α and Micrococcus yunnanensis HI55 was evaluated using diffusion assays in solid media. The up-regulation of both AMPs’ encoding genes was observed in insects fed a bread-added and dairy product-added diet. All hemolymph samples showed inhibitory activity against both bacteria, affecting the colony size and number. The obtained results show how catering waste positively influences the H. illucens immune system. The possibility of modulating AMP expression levels through the diet opens up new perspectives in the management of insect health in mass rearings.
The NLRP3 Inflammasome in Age-Related Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Manifestations: Untying the Innate Immune Response Connection
Authors: Che Mohd Nassir Che Mohd Nasril , Damodaran Thenmoly , Ismail Nurul Iman , Hashim Sabarisah , Jaffer Usman , Hamid Hafizah Abdul , Mehat Muhammad Zulfadli , Norazit Anwar , Mustapha Muzaimi
Published: January 2023

In this narrative review, we present the evidence on nucleotide-binding and oligomerization (NOD) domain-like receptor (NLR) family pyrin domain (PYD)-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation for its putative roles in the elusive pathomechanism of aging-related cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). Although NLRP3 inflammasome-interleukin (IL)-1β has been implicated in the pathophysiology of coronary artery disease, its roles in cerebral arteriothrombotic micro-circulation disease such as CSVD remains unexplored. Here, we elaborate on the current manifestations of CSVD and its’ complex pathogenesis and relate the array of activators and aberrant activation involving NLRP3 inflammasome with this condition. These neuroinflammatory insights would expand on our current understanding of CSVD clinical (and subclinical) heterogenous manifestations whilst highlighting plausible NLRP3-linked therapeutic targets.
Energetic Neutral Atom Imaging of the Earth’s Ring Current and Some Results from the Chinese Double Star Program
Authors: Chen Zhiqing , Shen Chao , Wu Qiong , Lu Li , Zhang Xianguo , Yu Qinglong
Published: January 2023

The ring current region in the Earth’s magnetosphere contains energetic charged particles, which are injected from the magnetotail, get trapped in the inner magnetosphere, and finally drift around the Earth. The current, essentially carried by ions, is caused by the differences between the drift of the positively charged ions and that of negatively charged electrons. The charge exchange that occurs between ring current ions and geocoronal atoms determines the distribution and evolution of the ring current and lays the basis for remote detection techniques. By measuring the energetic neutral atoms produced by the charge-exchange process, the ring current can be remotely detected via energetic neutral atom imaging. The Chinese Double Star Program operated the NeUtral Atom Detector Unit (NUADU) onboard one of its two satellites for more than four years. A variety of studies were conducted using multiple methods applied to observations, such as intuitive image inspection, forward modeling, and inversion. Energetic neutral atom imaging was established as a promising technique for future imaging projects.
The First Case of Infectious Spondylitis Caused by Gemella bergeri
Authors: Lim Kyoung Ree , Son Jun Seong , Moon Soo-youn
Published: January 2023

Gemella bergeri, a member of the genus Gemella, is a facultatively anaerobic, Gram-positive cocci. G. bergeri is a component of normal oral flora; however, it can become pathogenic and cause infections in patients with poor oral hygiene. A 78-year-old man was admitted to a hospital with a complaint of increasing posterior neck pain and lower back pain for 2 weeks. MRI was suggestive of infectious spondylitis at the C3-C4 level with prevertebral abscess formation, anterior epidural abscess formation. We identified Gemella bergeri in closed pus obtained during the surgery. Herein, we describe the first case of infective spondylitis caused by G. bergeri.
Low-Cost Predictors for Liver Function and Clinical Outcomes after Sustained Virological Response in Patients with HCV-Related Cirrhosis and Thrombocytopenia
Authors: Omer Secil , Iftime Adrian , Constantinescu Ileana , Dina Ion
Published: January 2023

Background and Objectives: To find low-cost markers that can identify the hepatitis C virus cirrhotic patients that are at risk for long-term severe adverse liver effects (ascites, ascites or upper gastrointestinal bleeding, hepatocellular carcinoma), after treatment. There is established evidence for the benefits of treating hepatitis C virus cirrhotic patients, but there is still some need for clarification concerning the real impact on the long-term evolution after achieving sustained virological response; there is no general consensus in the literature about identifying the patients that do not improve post-treatment. Materials and Methods: Our retrospective analysis investigated the long-term (2 years) evolution of 46 patients with cirrhosis with thrombocytopenia, previously infected with VHC, treated and who obtained an SVR after DAA treatment. Results: Despite the overall improvement, 8.7% patients developed hepatocellular carcinoma and 6.5% patients ascites/upper GI bleeding. We found that FIB-4, MELD and AFP changes at 1 year were the most significant predictors for these outcomes. Additionally, a drop in leukocyte count after 1 year seemed to indicate a risk for hepatocellular carcinoma, but this was not consistent. Conclusions: It might be beneficial to intensify the surveillance for post-treatment adverse liver effects for the patients with these marker changes at 1 year.
Metastatic Adrenal PEComa: Case Report and Short Review of the Literature
Authors: Battistella Enrico , Pomba Luca , Mirabella Marica , Gregianin Michele , Scapinello Antonio , Volante Marco , Toniato Antonio
Published: January 2023

PEComa has become a widely accepted entity, and increased recognition has led to descriptions of this tumor in a wide variety of anatomic sites, including the adrenal gland. PEComa (perivascular epithelioid cell tumor) is a mesenchymal tumor composed of perivascular cells, and the most frequent sites of PEComas are the uterus and retroperitoneum. The incidence is <1 per 1,000,000 people. We report a case of adrenal metastatic PEComa in a 63-year-old man discovered by a spontaneous hematoma of the rectus abdominis. In our case, PEComa of the adrenal gland was a significant diagnostic dilemma as the morphologic and immunophenotypic features of this neoplasm may easily be confused with those of other more commonly encountered lesions.
Asymptomatic Esophageal Necrosis in a Patient with Recent COVID-19: The First Case Diagnosed through Autopsy
Authors: Jeican Ionuț Isaia , Inișca Patricia , Gheban Bogdan Alexandru , Anton Vlad , Siserman Costel Vasile , Rebeleanu Codrin , Aluaș Maria , Crivii Carmen Bianca , Albu Silviu , Trombitaș Veronica
Published: January 2023

Acute esophageal necrosis is a rare condition, characterized by a distinctive endoscopic/necropsic image–circumferential black area of the esophagus. This paper presents a case of a 78-year-old patient with recent history of a severe form of COVID-19 (2 months previously), with multiple comorbidities, which presents sudden death in hospital. Anatomic-pathological autopsy showed extensive esophageal necrosis, pulmonary thromboses, and coronarian and aortic atherosclerosis. The histopathological examination revealed necrosis of the esophageal mucosa and phlegmonous inflammation extended to the mediastinum, chronic pneumonia with pulmonary fibrosis, viral myocarditis, papillary muscle necrosis, and pericoronary neuritis. Thromboses and necroses were identified also in the liver, pancreas, and adrenal glands. Post-COVID-19 thromboses can manifest late, affecting various vascular territories, including esophageal ones. Their clinical picture may be diminished or absent in elderly and/or diabetic patients.
Evaluating Cataract Surgical Rate through Smart Partnership between Ministry of Health, Malaysia and Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council
Authors: Ngah Nor Fariza , Muhamad Nor Asiah , Aziz Roslin Azni Abdul , Hussein Elias , Salowi Mohammad Aziz , Kamarudin Zabri , Abdullah Noor Hisham , Aris Tahir
Published: January 2023

Introduction. Cataract is the leading cause of blindness. About 90% of cataract blindness occurs in low- and middle-income countries. The prevalence of blindness and low vision in any country depends on the socioeconomic status, the availability of medical and healthcare facilities, and the literacy of the population. Aim: This paper aims to estimate the cataract surgery rate (CSR) at Pusat Pembedahan Katarak, MAIWP-Hospital Selayang (Cataract Operation Centre), and provide descriptive assessments of the patients who received eye treatments in the center. Methods: The data were retrieved from the clinical database from 2013 to 2016. Information on the patient’s sociodemographic and clinical and treatment history was collected. Results: The cataract surgery rate for 2013 was about 27 and increased to 37.3 in 2014. However, it declined to 25 in 2015 before it resumed to 36 in 2016. For female patients who received eye treatments at Pusat Pembedahan Katarak, MAIWP-Hospital Selayang, the rate was higher (53.7%) compared to male patients (46.3%). The mean duration of cataract surgery from 2013 to 2016 was 21.25 ± 11.071 min. Conclusion: The increased cataract surgery rate for MAIWP-HS through smart partnerships for day care cataract surgery proved that better accessibility makes the short- and long-term strategies for the reduction and prevention of blindness in Malaysia possible to achieve.
Acknowledgment to the Reviewers of Optics in 2022
Authors:   Optics Editorial Office
Published: January 2023

High-quality academic publishing is built on rigorous peer review [...]
Acknowledgment to the Reviewers of Quantum Beam Science in 2022
Authors:   Quantum Beam Science Editorial Office
Published: January 2023

High-quality academic publishing is built on rigorous peer review [...]
Continuing Transformation: Śrī Nāth, His Gurus and His Devotees in a Timeless World
Authors: van der Velde Paul
Published: January 2023

Śrī Nāth is one of the most important images of Krishna being worshipped at the temple of Nathdwara in Rajasthan. His devotees consider him to be a living god, he appears in their dreams, and according to their sayings they are in direct contact with him. Śrī Nāth, originally a local deity, is equated with the major Hindu god Krishna. However, while Krishna may be one of the most important gods in India, he is also ambiguous through his acts and words, if not bluntly unreliable. This double nature of Krishna is reflected in the cult of Śrī Nāth. There is an interesting interaction between Śrī Nāth (implying Krishna himself), the main gurus of his cult, i.e., Vallabha (Vallabhācārya) and the latter’s son and main successor Viṭṭhalnāth and his devoted disciples. At times, Śrī Nāth feels the need to stick to the official Brahmanical cult of the temple rituals, on other occasions, there is no problem in transgressing any given official rule. The same is true for the primary teachers, who are often put on par with Krishna himself or one of the celestials closely connected to him. Additionally, the disciples can apparently do anything in their frenzies. All of this reinforces the idea that this entire cult belongs to another world (alaukik). It is part of the everyday world (laukik) of Hindu India, but meanwhile, each and every rule can be ignored if the supernatural breaks through. Even the distinction between Hinduism and Islam at times simply does not seem to be of importance anymore. Muslims can become addicted to the passionate love for Krishna through the form of Śrī Nāth, so it is sometimes stated. Each and every partaker in the cult may share the visions of the initiated devotee, at times even without proper initiation. This all adds to the experience of the supermundane and supernatural in this particular cult.
A Novel Algorithm of Haze Identification Based on FY3D/MERSI-II Remote Sensing Data
Authors: Si Yidan , Chen Lin , Zheng Zhaojun , Yang Leiku , Wang Fu , Xu Na , Zhang Xingying
Published: January 2023

Since 2013, frequent haze pollution events in China have been attracting public attention, generating a demand to identify the haze areas using satellite observations. Many studies of haze recognition algorithms are based on observations from space-borne imagers, such as the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and the Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI). Since the haze pixels are frequently misidentified as clouds in the official cloud detection products, these algorithms mainly focus on recovering them from clouds. There are just a few studies that provide a more precise distinction between haze and clear pixels. The Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer II (MERSI-II), the imager aboard the FY-3D satellite, has similar bands to those of MODIS, hence, it appears to have equivalent application potential. This study proposes a novel MERSI haze mask (MHAM) algorithm to directly categorize haze pixels in addition to cloudy and clear ones. This algorithm is based on the fact that cloudy and clear pixels exhibit opposing visible channel reflectance and infrared channel brightness temperature characteristics, and clear pixels are relative brighter, and as well as this, there is a positive difference between their apparent reflectance values, at 0.865 μm and 1.64 μm, respectively, over bright surfaces. Compared with the Aqua/MODIS and MERSI-II official cloud detection products, these two datasets treat the dense aerosol loadings as certain clouds, possible clouds and possible clear pixels, and they treat distinguished light or moderate haze as possible clouds, possible clear pixels and certainly clear pixels, while the novel algorithm is capable of demonstrating the haze region’s boundary in a manner that is more substantially consistent with the true color image. Using the PM2.5 (particle matter with a diameter that is less than 2.5 μm) data monitored by the national air quality monitoring stations as the test source, the results indicated that when the ground-based PM2.5 ≥ 35 μg/cm3 is considered to be haze days, the samples with the recognition rate that is higher than 85% accounted for 72.22% of the total samples. When PM2.5 ≥ 50 μg/cm3 is considered as haze days, 83.33% of the samples had an identification rate that was higher than 85%. A cross-comparison with similar research methods showed that the method proposed in this study had better sensitivity to bright surface clear and haze areas. This study will provide a haze mask for subsequent quantitative inversion of aerosol characteristics, and it will further exert the application benefits of MERSI-II instrument aboard on FY3D satellite.
Inclinometer and Improved SBAS Methods with a Random Forest for Monitoring Landslides and Anchor Degradation in Otoyo Town, Japan
Authors: Medhat Noha Ismail , Yamamoto Masa-Yuki , Ichihashi Yoshiharu
Published: January 2023

Kochi Prefecture is located in an active zone of Japan that is frequently subjected to landslides due to heavy precipitation in typhoon seasons. Slow-moving landslides have been reported by both the local prefectural authorities and the National Government of Japan. We observed landslide movements in Otoyo Town by using ground- and satellite-based tools. Despite the high cost of establishing a borehole inclinometer survey to obtain accurate ground-based measurements, no previous InSAR study has been conducted in Otoyo Town, and the capacity for regional discrimination between active and inactive slow-moving landslides when using these tools remains unclear. We found that the horizontal velocity component was dominant at a rate of 21.4 mm/year across the whole of Otoyo Town. Satellite-based monitoring of ground-anchor efficiency may be possible in combination with ground-based inclinometer surveys. Three types of land cover are present in the study area—urban, field, and forests—and we selected a random forest (RF) model to extract low-coherence pixels by using optical and radar satellite sensors to identify important features and precisely remove pixels causing decorrelation. Long-term monitoring results from ground-based surveys, including inclinometer (boreholes) and anchor tension distribution data, were compared with the results of synthetic radar by using coherence-based small baseline subset (CB-SBAS) measurements. Generally, landslide occurrence was investigated across the whole of Otoyo Town, and we specifically evaluated the reliability of InSAR measurements in the Kawai landslide as a study site scale. The activity of the Kawai landslide channel was evaluated with borehole inclinometer displacement measurements (15.46 mm) and an anchor pressure survey (736 kN) from 2016 to 2019, as well as the steady state of the area (1.7 mm for the borehole inclinometer and 175 kN for the anchor pressure measurements), although a high cumulative precipitation of 3520 mm was reached during 2020 due to the ground anchor efficiency, which showed a consistent tendency with respect to the InSAR displacement measurements (14 mm during 2018 and 2019 and 0.7 mm during 2020). This comparison showed a consistent time-series displacement correlation, which was strengthened after introducing the RF mask into the analysis procedure, as the RF model correction reduced the standard deviation from the line-of-sight (LoS) average velocity estimation by 1.9 mm/year. Our research will help mitigate landslide impacts in Otoyo Town and its surroundings.
An Attention-Based 3D Convolutional Autoencoder for Few-Shot Hyperspectral Unmixing and Classification
Authors: Li Chunyu , Cai Rong , Yu Junchuan
Published: January 2023

Few-shot hyperspectral classification is a challenging problem that involves obtaining effective spatial–spectral features in an unsupervised or semi-supervised manner. In recent years, as a result of the development of computer vision, deep learning techniques have demonstrated their superiority in tackling the problems of hyperspectral unmixing (HU) and classification. In this paper, we present a new semi-supervised pipeline for few-shot hyperspectral classification, where endmember abundance maps obtained by HU are treated as latent features for classification. A cube-based attention 3D convolutional autoencoder network (CACAE), is applied to extract spectral–spatial features. In addition, an attention approach is used to improve the accuracy of abundance estimation by extracting the diagnostic spectral features associated with the given endmember more effectively. The endmember abundance estimated by the proposed model outperforms other convolutional neural networks (CNNs) with respect to the root mean square error (RMSE) and abundance spectral angle distance (ASAD). Classification experiments are performed on real hyperspectral datasets and compared to several supervised and semi-supervised models. The experimental findings demonstrate that the proposed approach has promising potential for hyperspectral feature extraction and has better performance relative to CNN-based supervised classification under small-sample conditions.
Drought Propagation in Brazilian Biomes Revealed by Remote Sensing
Authors: Rossi Júlia Brusso , Ruhoff Anderson , Fleischmann Ayan Santos , Laipelt Leonardo
Published: January 2023

Drought events have been reported in all Brazilian regions every year, evolving slowly over time and large areas, and largely impacting agriculture, hydropower production, and water supplies. In the last two decades, major drought events have occurred over the country, such as the 2010 and 2015 events in the Amazon, the 2012 event in the Pampa, and the 2014 event in the Cerrado biome. This research aimed to understand drought propagation and patterns over these biomes through joint analysis of hydrological, climatic, and vegetation indices based on remote sensing data. To understand the drought cascade propagation patterns, we assessed precipitation, evapotranspiration, soil moisture (at surface and sub-surface), terrestrial water storage, land surface temperature, enhanced vegetation index, and gross primary productivity. Similar drought patterns were observed in the 2015 Amazon and 2012 Pampa droughts, with meteorological and agricultural droughts followed by a hydrological drought, while the 2014 event in the Cerrado was more associated with a hydrological drought. Moreover, the 2015 Amazon drought showed a different pattern than that of 2010, with higher anomalies in precipitation and lower anomalies in evapotranspiration. Thus, drought propagation behaves differently in distinct Brazilian biomes. Our results highlight that terrestrial water storage anomalies were able to represent the hydrological drought patterns over the country. Our findings reveal important aspects of drought propagation using remote sensing in a heterogenous country largely affected by such events.
An Acoustic Camera for Use on UAVs
Authors: Salom Iva , Dimić Goran , Čelebić Vladimir , Spasenović Marko , Raičković Milica , Mihajlović Mirjana , Todorović Dejan
Published: January 2023

Airborne acoustic surveillance would enable and ease several applications, including security surveillance, urban and industrial noise monitoring, rescue missions, and wildlife monitoring. Airborne surveillance with an acoustic camera mounted on an airship would provide the deployment flexibility and utility required by these applications. Nevertheless, and problematically for these applications, there is not a single acoustic camera mounted on an airship yet. We make significant advances towards solving this problem by designing and constructing an acoustic camera for direct mounting on the hull of a UAV airship. The camera consists of 64 microphones, a central processing unit, and software for data acquisition and processing dedicatedly developed for far-field low-level acoustic signal detection. We demonstrate a large-aperture mock-up camera operation on the ground, although all preparations have been made to integrate the camera onto an airship. The camera has an aperture of 2 m and has been designed for surveillance from a height up to 300 m, with a spatial resolution of 12 m.
Occupational Risk Assessment in Landfills: Research Outcomes from Italy
Authors: Lombardi Mara , Mauro Francesca , Fargnoli Mario , Napoleoni Quintilio , Berardi Davide , Berardi Simona
Published: January 2023

Industrial production has brought increased wellbeing in the last years, but the amount of solid waste has undoubtedly increased. Thus, open dumpsites and landfills have been created throughout the world, with serious impacts on the environment and public health. In such a context, occupational health and safety (OHS) issues related to workers that have to deal with landfill characterization or management have not been considered sufficiently. To reduce such a research gap, in 2019 a research project started in Italy on OHS risk assessment in landfills. In fact, in such facilities, workers can be subjected to direct contact with the polluted environment and might not be completely aware of the entity and type of pollution (e.g., in open dumpsites). Starting with the analysis of INAIL data on accidents at work which occurred in Italy during the period 2008–2019, a specific risk analysis was carried out with the goal of defining risk determinants and profiles by means of K-means cluster analysis. Such an analysis allowed us to recognize the use of work equipment and the work environment as the main determinants of the accidents on the one hand, and the “driver of the excavator” as the most risky activity on the other. The achieved results take a step forward towards the characterization of occupational health and safety issues in landfills. Accordingly, the research outcomes represent a basis on which to address further research work in this field.
Educational Mechatronics Training System Based on Computer Vision for Mobile Robots
Authors: Guerrero-Osuna Héctor A. , Nava-Pintor Jesús Antonio , Olvera-Olvera Carlos Alberto , Ibarra-Pérez Teodoro , Carrasco-Navarro Rocío , Luque-Vega Luis F.
Published: January 2023

Boosting by the world’s context, several efforts have been maiden toward the digital transformation of Education. Technology-based active learning has become pivotal in pursuing a more flexible education system. This work presents the development of an Educational Mechatronics (EM) training system based on computer vision that performs as a positioning system for mobile robots in the 2D plane. The results show that the obtained precision, exactitude, and resolution of the EM training system are suitable for robotics applications comprising position, velocity, and acceleration variables. Moreover, an instructional design aligned with the EM conceptual framework, using the EM training system and a LEGO mobile robot, is presented to construct the mechatronic concept: line segment.
Smart Diagnosis of Adenocarcinoma Using Convolution Neural Networks and Support Vector Machines
Authors: Ananthakrishnan Balasundaram , Shaik Ayesha , Chakrabarti Shubhadip , Shukla Vaishnavi , Paul Dewanshi , Kavitha Muthu Subash
Published: January 2023

Adenocarcinoma is a type of cancer that develops in the glands present on the lining of the organs in the human body. It is found that histopathological images, obtained as a result of biopsy, are the most definitive way of diagnosing cancer. The main objective of this work is to use deep learning techniques for the detection and classification of adenocarcinoma using histopathological images of lung and colon tissues with minimal preprocessing. Two approaches have been utilized. The first method entails creating two CNN architectures: CNN with a Softmax classifier (AdenoCanNet) and CNN with an SVM classifier (AdenoCanSVM). The second approach corresponds to training some of the prominent existing architecture such as VGG16, VGG19, LeNet, and ResNet50. The study aims at understanding the performance of various architectures in diagnosing using histopathological images with cases taken separately and taken together, with a full dataset and a subset of the dataset. The LC25000 dataset used consists of 25,000 histopathological images, having both cancerous and normal images from both the lung and colon regions of the human body. The accuracy metric was taken as the defining parameter for determining and comparing the performance of various architectures undertaken during the study. A comparison between the several models used in the study is presented and discussed.
Developing a Sustainable Business Model of Ecotourism in Ethnic-Minority Regions Guided by the Green Economy Concept
Authors: Chen Wuxiang
Published: January 2023

China as a relatively large group of ethnic minorities in a country, the existence of ethnic minorities on the development of society had a great impact. At present, mass tourism in minority areas has brought many positive benefits, but also produced negative effects such as environmental pollution, local culture extinction and over-commercialization, which affected the business model of sustainable development of tourism in minority areas. Therefore, this paper aims at optimizing the environment, culture, commercialization and other issues of tourism in ethnic minority areas, and promoting the sustainable development of tourism in ethnic minority areas. Using principal component analysis and high-order confirmatory factor analysis model, this paper discusses the basic situation of tourism environment in minority areas from the perspective of tourists’ cognition. Taking the 4A-level scenic spots in three emerging areas of China as a case study, this paper provides a reference for the future tourism development of emerging areas, and considers the impact of COVID-19 epidemic. Firstly, it introduces the current tourism development in emerging areas. Then, the scale is designed by high-order factor analysis. Six first-order factors and 31 s-order factors are used to analyze the perceived quality of tourists in ethnic areas. Finally, this paper evaluates the tourism development in minority areas through the above design. In this paper, a total of 863 random tourists are investigated. It is found that the perceived quality of tourists in emerging market areas is the inclusive perception and evaluation of tourists. It involves the supply of tourism enterprises, the service of tourism staff, infrastructure and public management, the life of community residents and personal tourism experience. This paper comprehensively evaluated the tourism development of emerging areas from the above six aspects, and provided reference for the future green sustainable development of tourism in emerging areas through factor analysis. The research results provide a reference for optimizing the basic mode of tourism environment, culture and commercialization in emerging areas. Meanwhile, it also contributes to optimizing the research methods of tourism development and user perception in emerging market areas.