U-shaped association between residential greenness and keratoconus.

Keratoconus is a blinding corneal disorder influenced by genetic factors. Whether environmental factors influence it remains unclear. Here, we observed a U-shaped association between residential greenness and keratoconus, with increased odds ratios (ORs) at low and high greenness levels.

In vivo lacrimal gland imaging artefact assessment based on swept-source optical coherence tomography for dry eye disease.

Background: This study aimed to characterise imaging artefacts in the lacrimal gland using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) in patients with dry eye disease (DED) and healthy participants and identify risk factors for these artefacts.

Methods: In total, 151 eyes, including 104 from patients with DED and 47 from non-DED participants, were analysed. Demographic data collection, comprehensive ocular examinations and SS-OCT imaging of the palpebral lobe of the lacrimal gland were performed.

Delayed diagnosis of ocular graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Purpose: To investigate the delayed diagnosis of chronic ocular graft-versus-host disease (coGVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHCT), and further analyze potential confounding factors.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 118 patients newly diagnosed as coGVHD after alloHCT at Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University. All participants finished the flow path of medical history taking, detailed ophthalmological examination and questionnaire-based survey.

Production of -tagatose, bioethanol, and microbial protein from the dairy industry by-product whey powder using an integrated bioprocess.

We designed and constructed a green and sustainable bioprocess to efficiently coproduce -tagatose, bioethanol, and microbial protein from whey powder. First, a one-pot biosynthesis process involving lactose hydrolysis and -galactose redox reactions for -tagatose production was established in vitro via a three-enzyme cascade. Second, a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-dependent galactitol dehydrogenase mutant, D36A/I37R, based on the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent polyol dehydrogenase from Paracoccus denitrificans was created through rational design and screening.

Role of Pmk1, Mpk1, or Hog1 in the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway of Aspergillus cristatus.

Aspergillus cristatus is a probiotic fungus known for its safety and abundant secondary metabolites, making it a promising candidate for various applications. However, limited progress has been made in researching A. cristatus due to challenges in genetic manipulation.

Macular Choroidal Thickness and the Risk of Referable Diabetic Retinopathy in Type 2 Diabetes: A 2-Year Longitudinal Study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations between choroidal thickness (CT) and the 2-year incidence of referable diabetic retinopathy (RDR).

Methods: This was a prospective cohort study. Patients with type 2 diabetes in Guangzhou, China, aged 30 to 80 years underwent comprehensive examinations, including standard 7-field fundus photography.

Visual Impairment and Risk of Dementia: The UK Biobank Study.

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between visual impairment (VI) and dementia in the UK Biobank Study.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Methods: A total of 117,187 volunteers (aged 40-69 years) deemed free of dementia at baseline were included.

Improving deep convolutional neural networks with mixed maxout units.

Motivated by insights from the maxout-units-based deep Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) that "non-maximal features are unable to deliver" and "feature mapping subspace pooling is insufficient," we present a novel mixed variant of the recently introduced maxout unit called a mixout unit. Specifically, we do so by calculating the exponential probabilities of feature mappings gained by applying different convolutional transformations over the same input and then calculating the expected values according to their exponential probabilities. Moreover, we introduce the Bernoulli distribution to balance the maximum values with the expected values of the feature mappings subspace.