Diphylleia Grayi-Inspired Intelligent Temperature-Responsive Transparent Nanofiber Membranes

Nanofiber membranes(NFMs) have become attractive candidates for next-generation flexible transparent materials due to their exceptional flexibility and breathability. However, improving the transmittance of NFMs is a great challenge due to the enormous reflection and incredibly poor transmission generated by the nanofiber-air interface. In this research, we report a general strategy for the preparation of flexible temperature-responsive transparent(TRT) membranes,which achieves a rapid transformation of NFMs from opaque to highly transparent under a narrow temperature window. In this process, the phase change material eicosane is coated on the surface of the polyurethane nanofibers by electrospray technology. When the temperature rises to 37 ℃, eicosane rapidly completes the phase transition and establishes the light transmission path between the nanofibers, preventing light loss from reflection at the nanofiber-air interface. The resulting TRT membrane exhibits high transmittance(> 90%), and fast response(5 s). This study achieves the first TRT transition of NFMs, offering a general strategy for building highly transparent nanofiber materials, shaping the future of next-generation intelligent temperature monitoring, anti-counterfeiting measures, and other high-performance devices.

Ultrafast Infrared Spectroscopic Study of Microscopic Structural Dynamics in pH Stimulus-Responsive Hydrogels

Hydrogels show versatile properties and are of great interest in the fields of bioelectronics and tissue engineering.Understanding the dynamics of the water molecules trapped in the three-dimensional polymeric networks of the hydrogels is crucial to elucidate their mechanical and swelling properties at the molecular level.In this report,the poly(DMAEMA-co-AA)hydrogels were synthesized and characterized by the macroscopic swelling measurements under different pH conditions.Furthermore,the microscopic structural dynamics of pH stimulus-responsive hydrogels were studied using FTIR and ultrafast IR spectroscopies from the viewpoint of the SCN-anionic solute as the local vibrational reporter.Ultrafast IR spectroscopic measurements showed the time constants of the vibrational population decay of SCN-were increased from 14±1 ps to 20±1 ps when the pH of the hydrogels varied from2.0 to 12.0.Rotational anisotropy measurements further revealed that the rotation of SCNanionic probe was restricted by the three-dimensional network formed in the hydrogels and the rotation of SCN-anionic probe cannot decay to zero especially at the pH of 7.0.These results are expected to provide a molecular-level understanding of the microscopic structure of the cross-linked polymeric network in the pH stimulus-responsive hydrogels.

Preparation and Characterization of pH-Responsive Charge Reversal Nanocomposite for miRNA Delivery

pH-responsive charge reversal loaded miRNA nanocomposite was prepared by electrostatic self-assembly.The morphology,particle size and zeta potential of the nanocomposites were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering.The synthesis of the polymer was analyzed by^(1)H-NMR.The zeta-potential changes and cellular uptake effects of the nanocomplexes under different pH environments were investigated.The experimental results show that the surface morphology of the nanocomposite is spherical,and the average particle size is about 135 nm.As the pH value of the solution gradually decreases,the surface charge of the nanocomposite reverses from negative charge to positive charge(from-9.4 to+17.1 mV).Cellular uptake mediated by pH-responsive nanocomposite is selective for tumor cells,and the cellular uptake effect in tumor cells at pH 6.5 was approximately 3 times higher than that at pH 7.4.This pH responsive charge reversal nanocomposite has promising application prospects for gene delivery in the weak acid environment of tumors.

Advancement in CFD and Responsive AI to Examine Cardiovascular Pulsatile Flow in Arteries:A Review

This paper represents a detailed and systematic review of one of the most ongoing applications of computational fluid dynamics(CFD)in biomedical applications.Beyond its various engineering applications,CFD has started to establish a presence in the biomedical field.Cardiac abnormality,a familiar health issue,is an essential point of investigation by research analysts.Diagnostic modalities provide cardiovascular structural information but give insufficient information about the hemodynamics of blood.The study of hemodynamic parameters can be a potential measure for determining cardiovascular abnormalities.Numerous studies have explored the rheological behavior of blood experimentally and numerically.This paper provides insight into how researchers have incorporated the pulsatile nature of the blood experimentally,numerically,or through various simulations over the years.It focuses on how machine learning platforms derive outputs based on mass and momentum conservation to predict the velocity and pressure profile,analyzing various cardiac diseases for clinical applications.This will pave the way toward responsive AI in cardiac healthcare,improving productivity and quality in the healthcare industry.The paper shows how CFD is a vital tool for efficiently studying the flow in arteries.The review indicates this biomedical simulation and its applications in healthcare using machine learning and AI.Developing AI-based CFD models can impact society and foster the advancement towards responsive AI.

Rosmarinic acid improves tracheal smooth muscle responsiveness and lung pathological changes in ovalbumin-sensitized rats

Objective:To evaluate the effect of rosmarinic acid on tracheal smooth muscle responsiveness and lung pathological changes in ovalbumin-sensitized rats.Methods:Rats were randomly divided into six groups:the control group,the asthmatic group,and the asthmatic groups treated with dexamethasone(1 mg/kg;oral gavage)or three doses of rosmarinic acid(0.5,1,and 2 mg/kg;oral gavage).For induction of asthma,rats received intraperitoneal injections and inhalation of ovalbumin.After 21 days,bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung samples were collected for histopathological analyses.Moreover,total and differential white blood cell counts were determined.Results:The rosmarinic acid-treated group had significantly lower tracheal smooth muscle responses to methacholine than the asthmatic group.In addition,rosmarinic acid reduced white blood cell count and the percentages of eosinophils,monocytes,and neutrophils while increasing the percentage of lymphocytes.Ovalbumin-induced lung pathological changes were significantly improved by treatment with rosmarinic acid.Conclusions:Rosmarinic acid improves tracheal smooth muscle responsiveness and lung pathological changes in ovalbumin-sensitized rats.

Biocompatibility of light responsive materials prepared for accommodative intraocular lenses manufacturing

AIM:To investigate the biocompatibility and bacterial adhesion properties of light responsive materials(LRM)and analyze the feasibility and biosafety of employing LRM in the preparation of accommodative intraocular lenses(AIOLs).METHODS:Employing fundamental experimental research techniques,LRM with human lens epithelial cells(hLECs)and human retinal pigment epithelium cells(ARPE-19 cells)were co-cultured.Commercially available intraocular lenses(IOLs)were used as controls to perform cell counting kit-8(CCK-8),cell staining under varying light intensities,cell adhesion and bacterial adhesion experiments.RESULTS:LRM exhibited a stronger inhibitory effect on the proliferation of ARPE19 cells than commercially available IOLs when co-cultured with the undiluted extract for 96h(P<0.05).Under other culturing conditions,the effects on the proliferation of hLECs and ARPE-19 cells were not significantly different between the two materials.Under the influence of light irradiation at intensities of 200 and 300 mW/cm^(2),LRM demonstrated a markedly higher inhibitory effect on the survival of hLECs compared to commercially available IOLs(P<0.0001).They also showed a stronger suppressive effect on the survival rate of ARPE-19 cells,with significant differences observed at 200 mW/cm^(2)(P<0.001)and extremely significant differences at 300 mW/cm^(2)(P<0.0001).Additionally,compared to commercially available IOLs,LRM had a higher number of cells adhering to their surface(P<0.05),as well as a significantly greater number of adherent bacterium(P<0.0001).CONCLUSION:LRM,characterized by their excellent non-contact tunable deformability and low cytotoxicity to ocular tissues,show considerable potential for use in the fabrication of AIOLs.These materials demonstrate strong cell adhesion;however,during photothermal conversion processes involving shape deformation under various light intensities,the resultant temperature rise may harm surrounding cells.These factors suggest that while the material plays a positive role in reducing the incidence of posterior capsule opacification(PCO),it also poses potential risks for retinal damage.Additionally,the strong bacterial adhesion of these materials indicates an increased risk of endophthalmitis.

Demand-Responsive Transportation Vehicle Routing Optimization Based on Two-Stage Method

Demand-responsive transportation(DRT)is a flexible passenger service designed to enhance road efficiency,reduce peak-hour traffic,and boost passenger satisfaction.However,existing optimization methods for initial passenger requests fall short in addressing real-time passenger needs.Consequently,there is a need to develop realtime DRT route optimization methods that integrate both initial and real-time requests.This paper presents a twostage,multi-objective optimization model for DRT vehicle scheduling.The first stage involves an initial scheduling model aimed at minimizing vehicle configuration,and operational,and CO_(2)emission costs while ensuring passenger satisfaction.The second stage develops a real-time scheduling model to minimize additional operational costs,penalties for time window violations,and costs due to rejected passengers,thereby addressing real-time demands.Additionally,an enhanced genetic algorithm based on Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II(NSGA-II)is designed,incorporating multiple crossover points to accelerate convergence and improve solution efficiency.The proposed scheduling model is validated using a real network in Shanghai.Results indicate that realtime scheduling can serve more passengers,and improve vehicle utilization and occupancy rates,with only a minor increase in total operational costs.Compared to the traditional NSGA-II algorithm,the improved version enhances convergence speed by 31.7%and solution speed by 4.8%.The proposed model and algorithm offer both theoretical and practical guidance for real-world DRT scheduling.

Fluorescent Double Network Hydrogels with Ionic Responsiveness and High Mechanical Properties for Visual Detection

We developed a fluorescent double network hydrogel with ionic responsiveness and high mechanical properties for visual detection.The nanocomposite hydrogel of laponite and polyacrylamide serves as the first network,while the ionic cross-linked hydrogel of terbium ions and sodium alginate serves as the second network.The double-network structure,the introduction of nanoparticles and the reversible ionic crosslinked interactions confer high mechanical properties to the hydrogel.Terbium ions are not only used as the ionic cross-linked points,but also used as green emitters to endow hydrogels with fluorescent properties.On the basis of the “antenna effect” of terbium ions and the ion exchange interaction,the fluorescence of the hydrogels can make selective responses to various ions(such as organic acid radical ions,transition metal ions) in aqueous solutions,which enables a convenient strategy for visual detection toward ions.Consequently,the fluorescent double network hydrogel fabricated in this study is promising for use in the field of visual sensor detection.

Silencing of early auxin responsive genes MdGH3-2/12 reduces the resistance to Fusarium solani in apple

Apple replant disease(ARD)has led to severe yield and quality reduction in the apple industry.Fusarium solani(F.solani)has been identified as one of the main microbial pathogens responsible for ARD.Auxin(indole-3-acetic acid,IAA),an endogenous hormone in plants,is involved in almost all plant growth and development processes and plays a role in plant immunity against pathogens.Gretchen Hagen3(GH3)is one of the early/primary auxin response genes.The aim of this study was to evaluate the function of MdGH3-2 and MdGH3-12 in the defense response of F.solani by treating MdGH3-2/12 RNAi plants with F.solani.The results show that under F.solani infection,RNAi of MdGH3-2/12 inhibited plant biomass accumulation and exacerbated root damage.After inoculation with F.solani,MdGH3-2/12 RNAi inhibited the biosynthesis of acid-amido synthetase.This led to the inhibition of free IAA combining with amino acids,resulting in excessive free IAA accumulation.This excessive free IAA altered plant tissue structure,accelerated fungal hyphal invasion,reduced the activity of antioxidant enzymes(SOD,POD and CAT),increased the reactive oxygen species(ROS)level,and reduced total chlorophyll content and photosynthetic ability,while regulating the expression of PR-related genes including PR1,PR4,PR5 and PR8.It also changed the contents of plant hormones and amino acids,and ultimately reduced the resistance to F.solani.In conclusion,these results demonstrate that MdGH3-2 and MdGH3-12 play an important role in apple tolerance to F.solani and ARD.

Incubation temperature induced developmental plasticity of cold responsive physiological phenotypes in Japanese Quails

Embryonic development is a critical period for phenotype formation.Environmental variation during embryonic development can induce changes in postnatal phenotypes of animals.The thyroxine secretion and aerobic metabolic activity of small birds are important phenotypes closely related to their winter survival.In the context of climate change,it is necessary to determine whether temperature variation during incubation in birds leads to developmental plasticity of these cold responsive phenotypes.We incubated Japanese Quail(Coturnix japonica)eggs at 36.8℃,37.8℃,and 38.8℃,and raised the chicks to 35-day old at 22℃with same raising conditions,then all the quails were exposed to gradually temperature dropping environment(from 15℃to 0℃).After cold treatment,serum T3 level,resting metabolic rate,skeletal muscle and liver metabolomes of the birds were measured.The serum T3 levels were significantly lower in the 38.8℃group and significantly higher in the 36.8℃group compared to the 37.8℃group.The metabolic rate in the 38.8℃group was significantly lower compared to the 37.8℃group.Compared with the 37.8℃group,metabolites involved in the tricarboxylic acid cycle in the liver were significantly lower in the 38.8℃group,and metabolites related to lipid oxidation metabolism and fatty acid biosynthesis were significantly lower in the skeletal muscles in the 38.8℃group but significantly higher in the 36.8℃group.These results indicate that incubation temperature variation can lead to developmental plasticity in cold responsive physiological phenotypes.Higher incubation temperature may impair the capacity of birds coping with cold challenge.

Intelligent responsive self-assembled micro-nanocapsules:Used to delay gel gelation time

In the application of polymer gels to profile control and water shutoff,the gelation time will directly determine whether the gel can"go further"in the formation,but the most of the methods for delaying gel gelation time are complicated or have low responsiveness.There is an urgent need for an effective method for delaying gel gelation time with intelligent response.Inspired by the slow-release effect of drug capsules,this paper uses the self-assembly effect of gas-phase hydrophobic SiO_(2) in aqueous solution as a capsule to prepare an intelligent responsive self-assembled micro-nanocapsules.The capsule slowly releases the cross-linking agent under the stimulation of external conditions such as temperature and pH value,thus delaying gel gelation time.When the pH value is 2 and the concentration of gas-phase hydrophobic SiO_(2) particles is 10%,the gelation time of the capsule gel system at 30,60,90,and 120℃is12.5,13.2,15.2,and 21.1 times longer than that of the gel system without containing capsule,respectively.Compared with other methods,the yield stress of the gel without containing capsules was 78 Pa,and the yield stress after the addition of capsules was 322 Pa.The intelligent responsive self-assembled micronanocapsules prepared by gas-phase hydrophobic silica nanoparticles can not only delay the gel gelation time,but also increase the gel strength.The slow release of cross-linking agent from capsule provides an effective method for prolongating the gelation time of polymer gels.

Hydrogen sulfide responsive nanoplatforms: Novel gas responsive drug delivery carriers for biomedical applications

Hydrogen sulfide(H_(2)S)is a toxic,essential gas used in various biological and physical processes and has been the subject of many targeted studies on its role as a new gas transmitter.These studies have mainly focused on the production and pharmacological side effects caused by H_(2)S.Therefore,effective strategies to remove H_(2)S has become a key research topic.Furthermore,the development of novel nanoplatforms has provided new tools for the targeted removal of H_(2)S.This paper was performed to review the association between H_(2)S anddisease,relatedH_(2)S inhibitory drugs,aswell as H_(2)S responsive nanoplatforms(HRNs).This review first analyzed the role of H_(2)S in multiple tissues and conditions.Second,common drugs used to eliminate H_(2)S,as well as their potential for combination with anticancer agents,were summarized.Not only the existing studies on HRNs,but also the inhibition H_(2)S combined with different therapeutic methods were both sorted out in this review.Furthermore,this review provided in-depth analysis of the potential of HRNs about treatment or detection in detail.Finally,potential challenges of HRNs were proposed.This study demonstrates the excellent potential of HRNs for biomedical applications.

Advances in research on responsive feeding and children's eating behaviors

Background:Given that the formation of eating behaviors in childhood is largely dependent on parental feeding,it is necessary to consider eating behaviors along with feeding behaviors when exploring child nutrition.Responsive feeding can not only promote the development of self-regulation ability,prevent overweight and obesity,and develop healthy dietary behaviors but also enhance the psychosocial ability,cognitive ability,and language ability of infants.it is of great significance for the growth and development of infants to identify whether the feeding behavior of caregivers is responsive feeding as early as possible.Methods:The progress of the literature summarizes the relevant concepts,evaluation tools,and the relationship between responsive feeding and dietary behavior.Results:This is a fact that China lacks the unified response feeding definition and responsive feeding evaluation tools suitable for homes in China.The relationship between responsive feeding and dietary behavior is in the stage of infancy,and systematic response feeding and dietary behavior have not been formed.Conclusion:It is time to pay attention to the dietary behavior of Chinese children.Intervening measures such as promoting the application of responsive feeding should be actively carry out,accordingly,childhood obesity can be prevented.

Complete response of gallbladder cancer treated with gemcitabine and cisplatin chemotherapy combined with durvalumab:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Gallbladder cancer(GBC)is the most common and aggressive subtype of biliary tract cancer(BTC)and has a poor prognosis.A newly developed regimen of gemcitabine,cisplatin,and durvalumab shows promise for the treatment of advanced BTC.However,the efficacy of this treatment for GBC remains unclear.CASE SUMMARY In this report,we present a case in which the triple-drug regimen exhibited marked effectiveness in treating locally advanced GBC,thus leading to a long-term survival benefit.A 68-year-old man was diagnosed with locally advanced GBC,which rendered him ineligible for curative surgery.Following three cycles of therapy,a partial response was observed.After one year of combined therapy,a clinical complete response was successfully achieved.Subsequent maintenance therapy with durvalumab monotherapy resulted in a disease-free survival of 9 months for the patient.The patient experienced tolerable toxicities of reversible grade 2 nausea and fatigue.Tolerable adverse events were observed in the patient throughout the entirety of the treatment.CONCLUSION The combination of gemcitabine and cisplatin chemotherapy with durvalumab was proven to be an effective treatment approach for advanced GBC,with manageable adverse events.Further research is warranted to substantiate the effectiveness of the combined regimen in the context of GBC.

An efficient conversion model between acceleration and pseudo-acceleration response spectra considering effects of magnitude,distance,and site class

Both acceleration and pseudo-acceleration response spectra play important roles in structural seismic design.However,only one of them is generally provided in most seismic codes.Therefore,many studies have attempted to develop conversion models between the acceleration response spectrum(SA)and the pseudo-acceleration response spectrum(PSA).Our previous studies found that the relationship between SA and PSA is affected by magnitude,distance,and site class.Subsequently,we developed an SA/PSA model incorporating these effects.However,this model is suitable for cases with small and moderate magnitudes and its accuracy is not good enough for cases with large magnitudes.This paper aims to develop an efficient SA/PSA model by considering influences of magnitude,distance,and site class,which can be applied to cases not only with small or moderate magnitudes but also with large ones.For this purpose,regression analyses were conducted using 16,660 horizontal seismic records with a wider range of magnitude.The magnitude of these seismic records varies from 4 to 9 and the distances vary from 10 to 200 km.These ground motions were recorded at 338 stations covering four site classes.By comparing them with existing models,it was found that the proposed model shows better accuracy for cases with any magnitudes,distances,and site classes considered in this study.

Vibration response of Euler-Bernoulli-damped beam with appendages subjected to a moving mass

This paper addresses the problem of a viscoelastic Euler-Bernoulli beam under the influence of a constant velocity moving mass and different types of appendages.Four types of boundary conditions are considered:pinned-pinned,fixed-pinned,fixed-free(or cantilever),and fixed-fixed.Appendages considered include lumped masses,dampers,and springs.The modal decomposition method is employed to derive the equation of motion of the beam,for which an analytical closed-form expression of the dynamic vibration response is generated.The proposed method enables the study of the effect of a single appendage or a combination of the three types of appendages on the non-dimensional dynamic response of the beam.Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the effects of these appendages and compare them to the reference cases of a beam with no appendages.The results demonstrate the importance of considering these parameters in the design of structures.The proposed method is compared to other techniques in the literature and found to be advantageous due to its direct approach.The method also offers a versatile tool for investigating various configurations,aiding in engineering design and structural analysis for which establishing a precise prediction of beam vibrations is crucial.

Analysis of vibration response characteristics of subway station and superstructure with hard combination

The vibration response and noise caused by subway trains can affect the safety and comfort of superstructures.To study the dynamic response characteristics of subway stations and superstructures under train loads with a hard combination,a numerical model is developed in this study.The indoor model test verified the accuracy of the numerical model.The influence laws of different hard combinations,train operating speeds and modes were studied and evaluated accordingly.The results show that the frequency corresponding to the peak vibration acceleration level of each floor of the superstructure property is concentrated at 10–20 Hz.The vibration response decreases in the high-frequency parts and increases in the lowfrequency parts with increasing distance from the source.Furthermore,the factors,such as train operating speed,operating mode,and hard combination type,will affect the vibration of the superstructure.The vibration response under the reversible operation of the train is greater than that of the unidirectional operation.The operating speed of the train is proportional to its vibration response.The vibration amplification area appears between the middle and the top of the superstructure at a higher train speed.Its vibration acceleration level will exceed the limit value of relevant regulations,and vibration-damping measures are required.Within the scope of application,this study provides some suggestions for constructing subway stations and superstructures.

Comparison of biomechanical indices measured by ocular response analyzer between children and elderly:a systematic review

Biomechanical study of the visual system by ocular response analyzer investigates the inter-structural biological relationships,mechanics,and function of the visual system.This review aimed to investigate the changes in corneal biomechanical parameters with age and sex.The articles published in PubMed between 2000 and 2021 were investigated and critiqued,and valid scientific evidence was collected,reviewed and concluded according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria.Most studies showed that corneal biomechanical changes occur infrequently in children up to the age of 20y,and with increasing age and wider age range,there was a significant decrease in corneal biomechanical indices,especially corneal hysteresis.In children and adults,most studies have shown that these biomechanical indicators,especially corneal resistance factor,were higher in females.Although hormonal changes may contribute to this finding,the role of axial length and other biometric indicators should not be ignored.The axial length,the intraocular pressure,and the corneal thickness are other factors associated with biomechanical parameters that should be taken into account in clinical diagnosis and management especially for patients undergoing refractive surgery as well as keratoconus patients.

Genome-wide identification and characterization of putative effectors in Heterodera schachtii that suppress plant immune response

The sugar beet cyst nematode(Heterodera schachtii) is one of the most destructive pathogens in sugar beet production, which causes serious economic losses every year. Few molecular details of effectors of H. schachtii parasitism are known. We analyzed the genome and transcriptome data of H. schachtii and identified multiple potential predicted proteins. After filtering out predicted proteins with high homology to other plant-parasitic nematodes, we performed functional validation of the remaining effector proteins. 37 putative effectors of H. schachtii were screened based on the Nicotiana benthamiana system for identifying the effectors that inhibit plant immune response, eventually determines 13 candidate effectors could inhibit cell death caused by Bax. Among the 13 effectors, nine have the ability to inhibit GPA2/RBP1-induced cell death. All 13 effectortriggered immunity(ETI) suppressor genes were analyzed by qRT-PCR and confirmed to result in a significant downregulation of one or more defense genes during infection compared to empty vector. For in situ hybridization,13 effectors were specifically expressed and located in esophageal gland cells. These data and functional analysis set the stage for further studies on the interaction of H. schachtii with host and H. schachtii parasitic control.

Visual electrophysiological assessment of children with poor response to treatment for functional amblyopia

AIM:To assess the visual electrophysiological outcomes in children with functional amblyopia who exhibited poor response to conventional treatment.METHODS:Twenty-one children with functional amblyopia,aged 5.7±2.1y(range:4-10y),underwent comprehensive ophthalmic and refractive evaluations.Spectral domain-optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT)and multifocal electroretinography(mfERG)were conducted to analyze the macular retinal thickness and the first-order response P1 ring of the mfERG in the amblyopic eye(AE)compared to the fellow good eye(GE).RESULTS:Initially,visual acuity in the AE ranged from 20/800 to 20/40,while the GE exhibited a range of 20/25 to 20/20(P<0.01).After 6mo of treatment,17 patients demonstrated improved visual acuity in the AE to 20/50 or better,while 4 children showed no improvement.SD-OCT revealed comparable macular and optic disc structures between the AE and GE.Prior to treatment,the mfERG P1 ring amplitude was significantly reduced in the AE compared to GE(P<0.05).The AE/GE ratio of P1 ring amplitude showed significant improvement post-treatment.However,a smaller AE/GE ratio before treatment was associated with poorer improvement post-treatment.CONCLUSION:In the management of functional amblyopia,a thorough assessment of amblyopic eye examinations is crucial.Approximately 20%of amblyopic eyes may not achieve significant improvement in visual acuity,despite the absence of detectable organic retinal abnormalities.mfERG may reveal underlying abnormalities.Integrating mfERG into initial assessments or treatment follow-ups can aid in identifying potential hidden retinal defects and predicting the prognosis of the amblyopic eye.