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Intention: Immunosuppressive therapy is the major treatment approach for patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV). Due to impaired cellular immunological function and the use of glucocorticoids and immunosuppressants, AAV patients are predisposed to opportunistic infections, including tuberculosis (TB). This retrospective study aims to analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with AAV and TB and explore suitable glucocorticoid regimens for them. So as to provide a basis for future clinical guidelines and have important value for guiding clinical treatment. Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed 58 AAV patients (18–80 years old) with TB admitted to Changsha Central Hospital Affiliated with the University of South China from 2016.1 to 2023.4 Patients were divided into standard-dose and reduced-dose glucocorticoid groups before retrospectively analyzing their medical records. Results: A total of 58 AAV patients with TB were enrolled, with 15 dying throughout the monitoring period. Through analysis data, compared with the standard-dose group, the reduced group had less proteinuria and hematuria. In survival analysis, the reduced-dose glucocorticoid group had lower mortality than the standard-dose group (P = 0.03); however, no significant difference was noted in the use of immunoglobulin (P = 0.39), tuberculosis activity (P = 0.64), and age stratification (P = 0.40). The BVAS score before treatment and 6 months post-treatment suggest that the two regimens cause the same risk of ESKD (P > 0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, the reduced glucocorticoid dose group can achieve the same curative effect as the standard dose group and has less damage to the kidney in hematuria and proteinuria. Therefore, the reduced glucocorticoid dose treatment regimen may be more suitable for AAV patients with TB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Round bamboo is easy to be bent at high temperature. However, there's a dearth research on bending properties of round bamboo in heating state. In order to investigate the optimal bending parameters in thermal treatment of round bamboo, this study assessed the influence of heating temperature, duration, and moisture content on the bending properties of round bamboo by examining the modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR), and displacements. The findings indicated that the temperature of 160 °C could be considered as a priority, as it resulted in a 67.7% decrease in MOE, a 50.8% decrease in MOR, a 134% increase in elastic displacement (De), and a 160% increase in plastic displacement (Dp) compared to the control. Heating durations ranging from 5 to 15 min may be suitable for balancing cost and efficiency. Moreover, a moisture content (MC) exceeding 10% was found effectively to enhance the bendability of round bamboo. Specifically, when MC increased from 0 to 45%, the MOE decreased by 85.6%, the MOR decreased by 68.3%, Dp increased by 8.3%, and De increased by 110.3%. Based on these results, it can be inferred that round bamboo with MC above 10%, heated at 160 °C for a duration of 5 min to 15 min, can be easily bent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tunability of interfacial effects between two-dimensional (2D) crystals is crucial not only for understanding the intrinsic properties of each system, but also for designing electronic devices based on ultra-thin heterostructures. A prerequisite of such heterostructure engineering is the availability of 2D crystals with different degrees of interfacial interactions. In this work, we report a controlled epitaxial growth of monolayer TaSe2 with different structural phases, 1H and 1 T, on a bilayer graphene (BLG) substrate using molecular beam epitaxy, and its impact on the electronic properties of the heterostructures using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. 1H-TaSe2 exhibits significant charge transfer and band hybridization at the interface, whereas 1 T-TaSe2 shows weak interactions with the substrate. The distinct interfacial interactions are attributed to the dual effects from the differences of the work functions as well as the relative interlayer distance between TaSe2 films and BLG substrate. The method demonstrated here provides a viable route towards interface engineering in a variety of transition-metal dichalcogenides that can be applied to future nano-devices with designed electronic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antigen-specific regulatory T cells (Tregs) suppress pathogenic autoreactivity and are potential therapeutic candidates for autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Lupus nephritis is associated with autoreactivity to the Smith (Sm) autoantigen and the human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-DR15 haplotype; hence, we investigated the potential of Sm-specific Tregs (Sm-Tregs) to suppress disease. Here we identify a HLA-DR15 restricted immunodominant Sm T cell epitope using biophysical affinity binding assays, then identify high-affinity Sm-specific T cell receptors (TCRs) using high-throughput single-cell sequencing. Using lentiviral vectors, we transduce our lead Sm-specific TCR into Tregs derived from patients with SLE who are anti-Sm and HLA-DR15 positive. Compared with polyclonal mock-transduced Tregs, Sm-Tregs potently suppress Sm-specific pro-inflammatory responses in vitro and suppress disease progression in a humanized mouse model of lupus nephritis. These results show that Sm-Tregs are a promising therapy for SLE. Antigen specific regulatory T cells (Treg) play key roles in the peripheral tolerance to suppress autoreactive immune cells and represent potential avenue for therapeutic intervention. Here the authors identify Smith specific Treg and engineer Treg based cell therapy showing suppression of inflammation in a murine model of lupus nephritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)–associated vasculitis (AAV) patients with dual positivity for proteinase 3-ANCA (PR3-ANCA) and myeloperoxidase-ANCA (MPO-ANCA) are uncommon. We aimed to investigate these idiopathic double-positive AAV patients’ clinical features, histological characteristics, and prognosis. We reviewed all the electronic medical records of patients diagnosed with AAV to obtain clinical data and renal histological information from January 2010 to December 2020 in a large center in China. Patients were assigned to the MPO-AAV group or PR3-AAV group or idiopathic double-positive AAV group by ANCA specificity. We explored features of idiopathic double-positive AAV. Of the 340 patients who fulfilled the study inclusion criteria, 159 (46.76%) were female, with a mean age of 58.41 years at the time of AAV diagnosis. Similar to MPO-AAV, idiopathic double-positive AAV patients were older and had more severe anemia, lower Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, less ear, nose, and throat (ENT) involvement, higher initial serum creatinine and a lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) when compared with PR3-AAV (P < 0.05). The proportion of normal glomeruli of idiopathic double-positive AAV was the lowest among the three groups (P < 0.05). The idiopathic double-positive AAV patients had the worst remission rate (58.8%) among the three groups (P < 0.05). The relapse rate of double-positive AAV (40.0%) was comparable with PR3-AAV (44.8%) (P > 0.05). Although there was a trend toward a higher relapse rate of idiopathic double-positive AAV (40.0%) compared with MPO-AAV (23.5%), this did not reach statistical significance (P > 0.05). The proportion of patients who progressed to ESRD was 47.1% and 44.4% in the idiopathic double-positive AAV group and MPO-AAV group respectively, without statistical significance. Long-term patient survival also varied among the three groups (P < 0.05). Idiopathic double-positive AAV is a rare clinical entity with hybrid features of MPO-AAV and PR3-AAV. MPO-AAV is the “dominant” phenotype in idiopathic double-positive AAV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxic amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaque and harmful inflammation are two leading symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, precise AD therapy is unrealizable due to the lack of dual-targeting therapy function, poor BBB penetration, and low imaging sensitivity. Here, we design a near-infrared-II aggregation-induced emission (AIE) nanotheranostic for precise AD therapy. The anti-quenching emission at 1350 nm accurately monitors the in vivo BBB penetration and specifically binding of nanotheranostic with plaques. Triggered by reactive oxygen species (ROS), two encapsulated therapeutic-type AIE molecules are controllably released to activate a self-enhanced therapy program. One specifically inhibits the Aβ fibrils formation, degrades Aβ fibrils, and prevents the reaggregation via multi-competitive interactions that are verified by computational analysis, which further alleviates the inflammation. Another effectively scavenges ROS and inflammation to remodel the cerebral redox balance and enhances the therapy effect, together reversing the neurotoxicity and achieving effective behavioral and cognitive improvements in the female AD mice model. Toxic amyloid-beta plaque and harmful inflammation are two leading hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and precise AD therapy is elusive due to the lack of dual-targeting therapy function, limited blood-brain barrier penetration, and low imaging sensitivity. Here, the authors address these issues by designing a near-infrared-II aggregation-induced emission nanotheranostic for precise AD therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a highly heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental disorders caused by complex interaction between various genes and environmental factors. As the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex are involved in social recognition, they are the regions of the brain implicated in autism. The effects of prenatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA) can induce an ASD phenotype in both humans and rats; this tool is commonly used to model the complexity of ASD symptoms in the laboratory. However, researchers rarely undertake epigenetic regulation of the brain regions using this model. The present study has addressed this gap by examining gene expression abnormalities in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex in the VPA rat model of ASD. mRNA and miRNA sequencing was performed on samples from the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of the VPA model of autism. According to the analysis, 3000 mRNAs in the hippocampus and 2187 mRNAs in the prefrontal cortex showed a significant difference in expression between the VPA and saline groups. In addition, there were 115 DE miRNAs in the hippocampus and 14 DE miRNAs in the prefrontal cortex. Further, the predicted and validated target mRNA of DE miRNA enriched pathways involved neurotransmitter uptake, long-term synaptic depression, and AMPA receptor complex (anti-GluA2-b) in the hippocampus; as well as the neuroactive ligand–receptor interaction and regulation of postsynaptic membrane potential in the prefrontal cortex. This revealed the negative regulation network of miRNAs–mRNAs in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, while filtering out key genes (miR-10a-5p and Grm3). Finally, the significant variable miR-10a-5p and its negative regulated genes (Grm3) were verified in both brain regions by QPCR. Importantly, the fact that miR-10a-5p downregulated Grm3 in both the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex may play a potentially significant role in the occurrence and development of autism. This study suggests that the VPA model has the potential to reproduce ASD-related hippocampus and prefrontal cortex abnormalities, at the epigenetic and transcriptional levels. Furthermore, the network of miRNAs–mRNAs was confirmed; this negative regulatory relationship may play a key role in determining the occurrence and development of autism. The study of this topic help better understand the pathogenesis of ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are a few studies that reported sex disparities in clinical features, pathological features and outcomes among ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) patients, but studies focusing on sex-specific differences of myeloperoxidase (MPO)-AAV patients are scarce. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze sex differences in clinicopathological features and outcomes of MPO-AAV. Patients diagnosed with MPO-AAV in Xiangya Hospital from January 2010 to June 2021 were included in the study and separated into female and male groups. The differences in clinical manifestations, laboratory parameters, pathological features and prognosis between the two groups were retrospectively analyzed. Three hundred and sixty-six patients were included and divided into female group (n = 176) and male group (n = 190). The age of the male group was 62.41 ± 10.49 years, significantly higher than that of the female group (58.69 ± 16.39, p = 0.011). Compared with the female group, the male group had a shorter duration of disease, higher levels of hemoglobin, eosinophil count, proteinuria, serum C4, and lower levels of serum globulin, serum IgG and serum IgM (p < 0.05). No significant differences in kidney pathological features were observed between the two groups. During a median follow-up of 37.6 months, there was no significant difference in renal survival and patient survival between the two groups, but male patients had a worse composite outcome of renal and patient survival compared with the female patients (p = 0.044). This study found that male patients with MPO-AAV had a higher age of onset, shorter duration of disease, higher levels of hemoglobin, eosinophil count, proteinuria, serum C4, and lower levels of serum globulin, serum IgG and serum IgM. Male patients fared worse than female patients in terms of the composite outcome of renal and patient survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct dehydrogenation with high selectivity and oxidative dehydrogenation with low thermal limit has been regarded as promising methods to solve the increasing demands of light olefins and styrene. Metal-based catalysts have shown remarkable performance for these reactions, such as Pt, CrOx, Co, ZrOx, Zn and V. Compared with metal-based catalysts, carbon materials with stable structure, rich pore texture and large surface area, are ideal platforms as the catalysts and the supports for dehydrogenation reactions. In this review, carbon materials applied in direct dehydrogenation and oxidative dehydrogenation reactions including ordered mesoporous carbon, carbon nanodiamond, carbon nanotubes, graphene and activated carbon, are summarized. A general introduction to the dehydrogenation mechanism and active sites of carbon catalysts is briefly presented to provide a deep understanding of the carbon-based materials used in dehydrogenation reactions. The unique structure of each carbon material is presented, and the diversified synthesis methods of carbon catalysts are clarified. The approaches for promoting the catalytic activity of carbon catalysts are elaborated with respect to preparation method optimization, suitable structure design and heteroatom doping. The regeneration mechanism of carbon-based catalysts is discussed for providing guidance on catalytic performance enhancement. In addition, carbon materials as the support of metal-based catalysts contribute to exploiting the excellent catalytic performance of catalysts due to superior structural characteristics. In the end, the challenges in current research and strategies for future improvements are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the complexity of electron transfer pathways, the sluggish oxygen evolution reaction process is defined as the bottleneck for the practical application of Zn-air batteries. In this effort, metal nanoparticles (Co, Ni, Fe, etc.) encapsulated within nitrogen-doped carbon materials with abundant edge sites were synthesized by one-step pyrolysis treatment using cigarette butts as raw materials, which can drastically accelerate the overall rate of oxygen evolution reaction by facilitating the adsorption of oxygenated intermediates by the edge-induced topological defects. The prepared catalyst of nitrogen-doped carbon porous nanosheets loaded with Co nanoparticles (Co@NC-500) exhibits enhanced catalytic activity toward oxygen evolution reaction, with a low overpotential of 350 mV at the current density of 10 mA·cm−2. Furthermore, the Zn-air battery assembled with Co@NC-500 catalyst demonstrates a desirable performance affording an open-circuit potential of 1.336 V and power density of 33.6 mW·cm−2, indicating considerable practical application potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, organic photocatalyst under visible-light absorption has shown significant potential for solving environmental problems. However, it is still a great challenge for constructing a highly active organic photo-catalyst due to the low separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers. Herein, an effective and robust photocatalyst perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diamide/boron nitride quantum dots (PDI/BNQDs), consisting of self-assemble PDI with π–π stacking structure and BNQDs, has been constructed and researched under visible light irradiation. The PDI/BNQDs composite gradually increases organic pollutant photodegradation with the loading amount of BNQDs. With 10 mL of BNQDs solution added (PDI/BNQDs-10), the organic pollutant photodegradation performance reaches a maximum, about 6.16 times higher with methylene blue and 1.68 times higher with ciprofloxacin than that of pure PDI supra-molecular. The enhancement is attributed to improved separation of photogenerated carriers from self-assembled PDI by BNQDs due to their preeminent ability to extract holes. This work is significant for the supplement of PDI supramolecular composite materials. We believe that this photocatalytic design is capable of expanding organic semiconductors' potential for their applications in photocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Conventional supine emergence and prone extubation from general endotracheal anesthesia (GEA) are associated with extubation-related adverse events (ERAEs). Given the minimally invasive nature of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) as well as the improved ventilation/perfusion matching and easier airway opening in the prone position, we aimed to assess the safety of prone emergence and extubation in patients undergoing ERCP under GEA. Methods: Totally, 242 eligible patients were recruited and randomized into the supine extubation group (n = 121; supine group) and the prone extubation group (n = 121; prone group). The primary endpoint was the incidence of ERAEs during emergence, including hemodynamic fluctuations, coughing, stridor, and hypoxemia requiring airway maneuvers. The secondary endpoints included the incidence of monitoring disconnections, extubation time, recovery time, room exit time, and post-procedure sore throat. Results: The incidence of ERAEs was significantly lower in the prone group compared with the supine group (8.3% vs 34.7%, OR = 0.17, 95% CI 0.18–0.56; P < 0.001). Moreover, the prone group demonstrated no monitoring disconnections, shorter extubation time and room exit time, faster recovery, and, lower frequency and milder sore throat after the procedure. Conclusions: For patients undergoing ERCP under GEA, compared with supine, prone emergence, and extubation had remarkably lower rates of EAREs and better recovery, and can maintain continuous monitoring and improve efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnetism has been proliferating over the past few years, with ongoing interests in basic science and potential applications in spintronic technology. However, a high-resolution spectroscopic study of the 2D ferromagnet is still lacking due to the small size and air sensitivity of the exfoliated nanoflakes. Here, we report a thickness-dependent ferromagnetism in epitaxially grown Cr2Te3 thin films and investigate the evolution of the underlying electronic structure by synergistic angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, x-ray absorption spectroscopy, and first-principle calculations. A conspicuous ferromagnetic transition from Stoner to Heisenberg-type is directly observed in the atomically thin limit, indicating that dimensionality is a powerful tuning knob to manipulate the novel properties of 2D magnetism. Monolayer Cr2Te3 retains robust ferromagnetism, but with a suppressed Curie temperature, due to the drastic drop in the density of states near the Fermi level. Our results establish atomically thin Cr2Te3 as an excellent platform to explore the dual nature of localized and itinerant ferromagnetism in 2D magnets. Over the last few years, several van der Waals materials have been found that retain magnetic ordering down to monolayer thickness. These materials provide a simple platform for studying the magnetism in reduced dimensions. Here, Zhong et al study the thickness dependence of magnetic ordering in Cr2Te3, and find a crossover from Stoner to Heisenberg-type magnetism as thicknesses are reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Ultrathin P and Fe co-doped NiSe2 nanosheets supported on modified Ni foam are synthesized, which shows desirable bifunctional electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER)/hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR) performance in hydrazine-assisted water electrolysis and Zn-Hz battery. The coexistence of P and Fe heteroatoms induces an accelerated "2 + 2" reaction mechanism with a two-step HER process and a two-step HzOR step. Hydrazine-assisted water electrolysis is a promising energy conversion technology for highly efficient hydrogen production. Rational design of bifunctional electrocatalysts, which can simultaneously accelerate hydrogen evolution reaction (HER)/hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR) kinetics, is the key step. Herein, we demonstrate the development of ultrathin P/Fe co-doped NiSe2 nanosheets supported on modified Ni foam (P/Fe-NiSe2) synthesized through a facile electrodeposition process and subsequent heat treatment. Based on electrochemical measurements, characterizations, and density functional theory calculations, a favorable "2 + 2" reaction mechanism with a two-step HER process and a two-step HzOR step was fully proved and the specific effect of P doping on HzOR kinetics was investigated. P/Fe-NiSe2 thus yields an impressive electrocatalytic performance, delivering a high current density of 100 mA cm−2 with potentials of − 168 and 200 mV for HER and HzOR, respectively. Additionally, P/Fe-NiSe2 can work efficiently for hydrazine-assisted water electrolysis and Zn-Hydrazine (Zn-Hz) battery, making it promising for practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a consensus that maintenance therapy should be used to prevent relapse of myeloperoxidase-anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (MPO-AAV), but there is a debate about the optimal duration of maintenance therapy. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine whether discontinuation of maintenance therapy in MPO-AAV patients who were in long-term stable remission affects relapse, renal survival and patient survival. Seventy-nine patients with MPO-AAV diagnosed at Xiangya hospital from June 2010 to June 2019 who were in stable remission for at least 18 months following maintenance therapy were included. Patient records were retrospectively reviewed, and based on whether patients discontinued maintenance therapy 18 months after commencing maintenance therapy, patients were assigned into either the withdrawal group (n = 26) or maintenance group (n = 53). The endpoint was the percentage of relapse, relapse-free survival, renal survival and patient survival during follow-up. Ten relapses (38.5%) occurred in the withdrawal group (n = 26) and 8 relapses (15.1%) occurred in the maintenance group (n = 53) (p = 0.020). Compared to the withdrawal group, the maintenance group had similar relapse-free survival (log-rank test p = 0.099). But maintenance group had a better renal survival (p = 0.035), with no difference in patient survival or adverse events. This study suggests that discontinuing maintenance therapy at 18 months following induction of sustained remission leads to a significant increase in the percentage of relapse, and decreases renal survival in patients with MPO-AAV, but does not decrease relapse-free survival or patient survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-occurrence of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) and IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is extremely uncommon. To date, only a few case reports have described such patients. Here, we describe the clinical presentation, pathologic features, treatment response, and outcome data of five patients with the rare form of co-existing AAV and IgAN and compared the characteristics of these patients to AAV patients with pauci-immune glomerulonephritis (n = 10) and IgAN patients (n = 10) that were selected as controls by stratified random sampling. In addition, we summarize all the previously reported cases of AAV and IgAN. In total, including the current study, 16 AAV/IgAN overlap cases were reported. Our five patients with the coexistence of AAV and IgAN were younger than the ten AAV patients with pauci-immune glomerulonephritis (22.6 ± 8.2 years versus 48.9 ± 15.7 years, respectively, P = 0.004). Histologically, they had a significantly lower percentage of glomeruli with fibrous crescents compared with AAV patients (0.0% versus 4.0%, P = 0.038). Compared with ten IgAN patients, our five AAV/IgAN patients had higher levels of ESR (P = 0.032) and CRP (P = 0.031). After accepting treatment with a combination of steroid and immunosuppressants, all patients showed a positive response to therapy, except for one patient in our cohort and another previously reported patient. We described the clinical presentation, pathologic features, treatment response, and outcome data of five patients with overlapping AAV and IgAN. They had mild glomerular pathological lesions and a positive response to aggressive immunosuppressive therapy. They were quite similar to pauci-immune AAV patients in clinical features, except for younger age. They had a lower percentage of glomeruli with fibrous crescents compared with AAV patients. In contrast to IgAN patients, they had higher levels of ESR and CRP. The mechanism of the coexistence of IgAN and AAV needs further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet of Things (IoT) is an emerging paradigm that offers remarkable opportunities for data mining and analysis. IoT envisions a world where all smartphones, vehicles, public services facilities, and home appliances that can be connected to the internet act as data sources. Even today, a significant portion of electronic devices, including watches, emergency alarms, parking doors, and many appliances can be linked to IoT systems and remotely controlled. Big data analysis and data mining methods can be utilized to improve the performance of IoT systems and address their challenges in the area of data storage, processing, and analysis. Extensive studies on IoT with big data can make it possible to accumulate tremendous data and transform it into valuable knowledge using data mining techniques. With this background, this paper provides a systematic survey of the literature on the use of big data analytics and data mining methods in IoT. This review aims to identify the lines of research that should receive more attention in future works. To achieve this goal, the articles published between 2010 and 2021 on the subjects of IoT-based big data and IoT-based data mining (60 articles) have been reviewed. These articles fall into four general categories in terms of focus: architecture/platform, framework, applications, and security. The paper provides a summary of the methods used in IoT-based big data analysis and IoT-based data mining in these four categories to highlight the promising avenues of research for future works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) offers a promising alternative to conventional cancer treatment. However, the limited acidity and H2O2 concentration in tumor microenvironment (TME) severely impair the anticancer effects of CDT. In this study, we report a microemulsion-assisted coassembly method to prepare iron(III) tetraphenylporphyrin (FeTPP) and magnetic (Fe3O4) nanocomposite material (FeTPP@Fe3O4), using photoactive FeTPP and Fe3O4 nanocrystals as building blocks. The self-assembling nature of FeTPP results in disordered aggregation and fluorescence quenching, leading to a high light-to-heat conversion efficiency. Continuously, the photo-thermal effect enhances the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the Fenton reaction on Fe3O4 nanocrystals to generate highly toxic hydroxyl radicals (·OH) to destroy cancer cells. This cascade reaction produces a synergistic therapeutic effect between CDT and photothermal therapy (PTT), which significantly amplifies the therapeutic effect and enhances the treatment outcome of cancer patients. The highly efficient tumor catalytic therapy in vivo results confirmed that this nanomedicine treatment is an excellent biocompatible catalytic nanomedicine therapy achieved through a photo-enhanced Fenton reaction activity approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, with the advance of Artificial Intelligence, automatic music composition has been demonstrated. However, there are many music genres and music instruments. For a same piece of music, different music instruments would produce different effects. Invented some 2500 years ago, Guzheng is one of the oldest music instruments in China and the world. It has distinct timbres and patterns that cannot be duplicated by other music instruments. Therefore, it is interesting to see whether AI can compose Guzheng music or alike. In this paper we present a method that can automatically compose and play Guzheng music. First, we collect a number of existing Guzheng music pieces and convert them into Music Instrument Digital Interface format. Second, we use these data to train a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network and use the trained network to generate new Guzheng music pieces. Next, we use the Reinforcement Learning to optimize the LSTM network by adding special Guzheng playing techniques. Comparing to the existing AI methods, such as LSTM and Generative Adversary Network, our new method is more effective in capturing the characteristics of Guzheng music. According to the evaluations from skilled Guzheng players and general audiences, our Guzheng music is very close to the real Guzheng music. The presented method can also be used to automatically compose the music of other Chinese music instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reduced levels of retinal dopamine, a key regulator of eye development, are associated with experimental myopia in various species, but are not seen in the myopic eyes of C57BL/6 mice, which are deficient in melatonin, a neurohormone having extensive interactions with dopamine. Here, we examined the relationship between form-deprivation myopia (FDM) and retinal dopamine levels in melatonin-proficient CBA/CaJ mice. We found that these mice exhibited a myopic refractive shift in form-deprived eyes, which was accompanied by altered retinal dopamine levels. When melatonin receptors were pharmacologically blocked, FDM could still be induced, but its magnitude was reduced, and retinal dopamine levels were no longer altered in FDM animals, indicating that melatonin-related changes in retinal dopamine levels contribute to FDM. Thus, FDM is mediated by both dopamine level-independent and melatonin-related dopamine level-dependent mechanisms in CBA/CaJ mice. The previously reported unaltered retinal dopamine levels in myopic C57BL/6 mice may be attributed to melatonin deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is vital to reveal the effect of microstructure features on the corrosion behavior of pure aluminum anode in alkaline electrolyte for Al-air batteries. In this paper, we extensively studied the influence of mechanical deformation on the corrosion microstructure and then corrosion features of pure aluminum anode. The results demonstrate that the cold-rolling deformation could facilitate the grain size refinement of pure aluminum. Surprisingly, the aluminum anodes with smaller grain sizes and larger grain boundary areas could effectively improve the corrosion resistance. The further characterization of the microstructure indicates that the deformation is capable of causing the fracture of the cathodic secondary phase precipitate clusters thus weakening the galvanic corrosion effects. The results of this paper could gain insights into the design and processing of pure aluminum for Al-air battery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data on anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) are limited in children. This study is to determine the clinical features and outcomes of childhood-onset AAV. A retrospective study was performed on patients who were diagnosed with AAV before 18 years old in Xiangya Hospital. Their medical records were analyzed by retrospective review. Sixteen patients were diagnosed with AAV before 18 years old in the past 9 years, with an average age of 13.3 ± 3.3 years and 13 of them were female. There were 15 patients with microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) and 1 with Wegener's granulomatosis. The interval between onset of disease and diagnosis of AAV was 2 (1.5–3) months. Most patients (15/16, 93.8%) had multi-organ involvement, and all patients had renal involvement with 7 (43.8%) patients requiring dialysis at presentation. Eleven patients underwent a renal biopsy, of which mixed class and sclerotic class were the most two common histological types. All patients received immunosuppressive therapy for induction therapy including intravenous administrations of methylprednisolone (MP) pulse therapy for 8 patients. 8 patients (50%) achieved remission after induction therapy. After a median follow-up of 46.3 ± 36.1 months, nine (56.3%) patients progressed to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and 5 (31.3%) patients died. Childhood-onset AAV showed similar clinical and pathological features compared to those of adults, except that it usually occurs in girls. The most commonly involved organ was the kidney, and it had a high risk of progression to ESRD. Early diagnosis and initiation of appropriate immunomodulatory therapy would be important to improve outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To elucidate the potential role of genetic polymorphisms of apolipoprotein E (APOE) in nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) and the association between APOE and NAION-induced ocular impairments. Methods: A total of 73 NAION patients and 73 sex- and age-matched healthy controls were recruited for the study. Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood samples. The alleles and genotypes of APOE were explored. The interaction between APOE and medical comorbidities was assessed by the multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) method. Among 81 affected eyes of NAION patients, an additional association study of APOE isoforms with visual impairments was carried out. Results: The allele and genotype frequencies for APOE showed significant differences when comparing NAION cases and controls. Multivariate analysis adjusted for age, sex, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and cerebrovascular disease revealed that the ε3/ε4 genotype (OR = 3.86, 95% CI = 1.13–13.25, p = 0.032) and ε4 allele (OR = 3.55, 95% CI = 1.05–11.99, p = 0.041) were strong independent risk factors for NAION. Compared to eyes with the ε3/ε3 + ε2/ε4 genotype, individuals with the ε4/ε4 + ε3/ε4 genotype had worse visual field defects (VFDs) and thinner macular ganglion cell complex (mGCC) thicknesses with larger focal loss of volume (FLV) and general loss of volume (GLV). Compared to ε4 noncarriers, ε4 carriers also tended to have more serious VFD and mGCC loss. Conclusions: APOE polymorphisms conferred a significant risk of NAION and were significantly related to ocular impairments caused by NAION. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to design an eye model that can simulate the fundus for teaching direct ophthalmoscopy and to evaluate its effectiveness. Methods: We first used 3D printing materials to make an eye model and then randomly assigned 92 undergraduates into group A (model-assisted training group) and group B (traditional training group) to test our model. After the same training time, real patients were used to test the students, with 120 s as the examination time limit. We recorded the students' ability to clearly see the optic disk, the time to determine the cup-to-disk ratio, and whether they were correct. Results: Forty-three students in group A (93.48%) successfully saw the fundus, while 21 in group B (45.65%) succeeded. The difference between the two groups was 47.83% (95% confidence interval, 29.59–66.07%, P < 0.0001). The median time to see the fundus was 29s (95% confidence interval 23–45 s) in group A, while an estimated minimum time in group B was 80 s, indicating that group A was significantly faster than group B (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: This 3D-printed eye model significantly improved the students' study interest, study efficiency, and study results and is worthy of being promoted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designs of robotic fishes are becoming more and more diversified, from totally rigid to soft, or rigid-soft coupling. Currently, most of the dynamic modeling approaches for robotic fishes have an assumption that the midline body curve follows a specific flapping pattern. Nevertheless, the soft or rigid-soft coupling biomimetic robotic fish is an under-actuated system. Due to the complicated interactions with the surrounding aquatic environments, the midline body curve is not guaranteed to follow the given pattern. This paper presents the modeling method for a novel kind of rigid-soft coupling biomimetic robotic fish, and studies how the hydrodynamic force influences motions of the robotic fish, especially its flapping pattern. The biomimetic robotic fish is characterized with a rigid head, a wire-driven active body, and a soft tail. To begin with, dynamics of the robot’s rigid head is formulated by using Kirchhoff’s equation from conventional marine vessel technologies. Then, by using the Pseudo-Rigid-Body Model (PRBM) theory, the soft tail can be modeled as pseudo-rigid links connected serially via torsional springs. Together with the wire-driven active body, the whole propeller, is a serial-link mechanism, motion of which can be calculated by Lagrangian method. Finally, experiments are carried out to verify this modeling method in terms of midline body curves. Overall, this paper offers a feasible and pragmatic method for modeling the rigid-soft coupling biomimetic robotic fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is expressed in retinal neurons, but its role in the retina is largely unknown. Here, we demonstrated that GLP-1 or the GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R; a G protein-coupled receptor) agonist exendin-4 suppressed γ-aminobutyric acid receptor (GABAR)-mediated currents through GLP-1Rs in isolated rat retinal ganglion cells (GCs). Pre-incubation with the stimulatory G protein (Gs) inhibitor NF 449 abolished the exendin-4 effect. The exendin-4-induced suppression was mimicked by perfusion with 8-Br-cAMP (a cAMP analog), but was eliminated by the protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor Rp-cAMP/KT-5720. The exendin-4 effect was accompanied by an increase in [Ca2+]i of GCs through the IP3-sensitive pathway and was blocked in Ca2+-free solution. Furthermore, when the activity of calmodulin (CaM) and CaM-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) was inhibited, the exendin-4 effect was eliminated. Consistent with this, exendin-4 suppressed GABAR-mediated light-evoked inhibitory postsynaptic currents in GCs in rat retinal slices. These results suggest that exendin-4-induced suppression may be mediated by a distinct Gs/cAMP-PKA/IP3/Ca2+/CaM/CaMKII signaling pathway, following the activation of GLP-1Rs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Halyomorpha halys has been recognized as a global cross-border pest species. Along with well-established pheromone trapping approaches, there have been many attempts to utilize botanical odorant baits for field monitoring. Due to sensitivity, ecological friendliness, and cost-effectiveness for large-scale implementation, the selection of botanical volatiles as luring ingredients and/or synergists for H. halys is needed. In the current work, botanical volatiles were tested by olfactometer and electrophysiological tests. Results showed that linalool oxide was a potential candidate for application as a behavioral modifying chemical. It drove remarkable attractiveness toward H. halys adults in Y-tube assays, as well as eliciting robust electroantennographic responsiveness towards antennae. A computational pipeline was carried out to screen olfactory proteins related to the reception of linalool oxide. Simulated docking activities of four H. halys odorant receptors and two odorant binding proteins to linalool oxide and nerolidol were performed. Results showed that all tested olfactory genes were likely to be involved in plant volatile-sensing pathways, and they tuned broadly to tested components. The current work provides insights into the later development of field demonstration strategies using linalool oxide and its molecular targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perpendicular to grain compression behavior of wood is critical in designing timber structures. The finite element method has been widely utilized to investigate the behavior of wood. However, until now there is no suitable constitutive model of wood that can reasonably describe the behavior of the super-large deformation, volumetric compaction and the anisotropy of wood under perpendicular to grain compression. In this study, perpendicular to grain compression test on Masson pine wood was performed to investigate the structural behavior in three different stress states, namely uniaxial, lateral restrained, and circumferentially restrained. Further, a constitutive model considering the anisotropy of wood was developed where the governing functions are separately defined in longitudinal and transverse directions. The porosity of wood in the transverse plane was simulated by considering the volumetric compaction, whereupon the corresponding failure criteria, flow rules, and hardening rules were proposed and the equations were derived. The developed model was verified by comparing the predicted data with the test results. The developed model can simulate the super-large perpendicular to grain deformation and the anisotropy of wood simultaneously which is useful for the numerical analysis of wood members, connections, and structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, mountain destinations offer more opportunities for vacation than beaches and springs, with a larger national coverage, richer landscapes and various diverse folk cultures. Hunan Province, for example, serves as a typical mountain tourism destination. Our research aims to assess the potential suitability and component pattern of holidaymaking in Hunan Province to support for scientific endeavors and sustainable use of mountain resources in Hunan. An approach for mapping potential suitability was constructed based on Weighted Linear Combination (WLC) of six primary factors including terrain, climate suitability period, biology and environment, human activity culture, hydrological landscape, and road infrastructure, which is calculated on the base of eleven secondary factors used as suitability criteria. Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and geographic information system (GIS) were also integrated into the evaluation models to prepare six single and complex factor suitability maps for mountain vacation. Multivariate clustering was used to clarify the component pattern of single factor combinations in each mountain vacation suitability index (MVSI) class. The results have shown that: 1) Regions with high suitability are distributed with characteristics of significant dispersion and limited aggregation; 2) 15.89% of the sample mountains are highly suitable, 30.78% are moderately suitable, 42.61% are marginally suitable and 10.72% are poorly suitable; 3) The complexity of index combination corresponding to each level is different; 4) Different combinations emphasize different destination needs. The study reveals the suitability class, characteristics, and limiting factors of mountain vacation in different geographical locations on the provincial scale. These elements play an instructive role in scientific decision-making and orderly exploitation of resources among Hunan's Mountain destinations. Furthermore, the study can also be used as a basis for the suitability evaluation of mountain vacation in other areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monolayers of two-dimensional van der Waals materials exhibit novel electronic phases distinct from their bulk due to the symmetry breaking and reduced screening in the absence of the interlayer coupling. In this work, we combine angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy to demonstrate the emergence of a unique insulating 2 × 1 dimer ground state in monolayer 1T-IrTe2 that has a large band gap in contrast to the metallic bilayer-to-bulk forms of this material. First-principles calculations reveal that phonon and charge instabilities as well as local bond formation collectively enhance and stabilize a charge-ordered ground state. Our findings provide important insights into the subtle balance of interactions having similar energy scales that occurs in the absence of strong interlayer coupling, which offers new opportunities to engineer the properties of 2D monolayers. The interplay between reduced dimensionality and interactions in monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides has been of great research interest. Here the authors report an insulating dimer ground state in 1T-IrTe2, driven by the combined effect of the charge density wave instability and local atomic bond formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In comparison to pure water, seawater is widely accepted as an unlimited resource. The direct seawater splitting is economical and eco-friendly, but the key challenges in seawater, especially the chlorine-related competing reactions at the anode, seriously hamper its practical application. The development of earth-abundant electrocatalysts toward direct seawater splitting has emerged as a promising strategy. Highly efficient electrocatalysts with improved selectivity and stability are of significance in preventing the interference of side reactions and resisting various impurities. This review first discusses the macroscopic understanding of direct seawater electrolysis and then focuses on the strategies for rational design of electrocatalysts toward direct seawater splitting. The perspectives of improved electrocatalysts to solve emerging challenges and further development of direct seawater splitting are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low cost and highly efficient construction of electrocatalysts has attracted significant attention owing to the use of clean and sustainable energy technologies. In this work, cobalt nanoparticle decorated N-doped carbons (Co@NC) are synthesized by the pyrolysis of a cobalt covalent organic framework under an inert atmosphere. The Co@NC demonstrates improved electrocatalytic capabilities compared to N-doped carbon without the addition of Co nanoparticles, indicating the important role of cobalt. The well-dispersed active sites (Co-Nx) and the synergistic effect between the carbon matrix and Co nanoparticles greatly enhance the electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction. In addition, the Co content has a significant effect on the catalytic activity. The resulting Co@NC-0.86 exhibits a superb electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction in an alkaline electrolyte in terms of the onset potential (0.90 V), half-wave potential (0.80 V) and the limiting current density (4.84 mA·cm−2), and a high selectivity, as well as a strong methanol tolerance and superior durability, these results are comparable to those of the Pt/C catalyst. Furthermore, the superior bifunctional activity of Co@NC-0.86 was also confirmed in a home-built Zn-air battery, signifying the possibility for application in electrode materials and in current energy conversion and storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the problem that the traditional learning service recommendation does not fully consider the distinct differences between individuals, it is easy to lead to the contradiction between unchanging learning resources and learners' personalized learning needs that are constantly improving, so an adaptive learning service recommendation improvement algorithm based on big data is proposed. Idea is based on adaptive learning platform and function modules. We consider the individual differences between students, to students as the center, collect students' personalized learning demand data, and according to the data information to build student demand model. On the basis of using data mining methods for clustering recommendation service resources in learning, the adaptive recommend according to students' individual need is proposed. The experimental results show that the adaptive learning service recommendation algorithm based on big data has high recommendation accuracy, coverage rate and recall rate, which is of great significance in the actual learning service recommendation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we compute the derivations of the positive part of the two-parameter quantum group of type G2 by embedding it into a quantum torus. We also show that the first Hochschild cohomology group of this algebra is a two-dimensional vector space over the complex field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) is predominantly a disease of the elderly, and the incidence increases with age. However, there are few data focusing on the clinical features in elderly onset AAV, especially in very elderly onset AAV in China. The aim of this study was to explore whether elderly onset AAV shows any specific clinical features and outcomes in Chinese patients. Methods: We performed a retrospective study in Xiangya Hospital, a mixed tertiary medical center in south China. A total of 177 patients presenting with AAV were included between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2017. Patients were divided into younger group (age < 65 years) and older group (age ≥ 65 years) which was sub-divided into elderly group (age 65–74 years) and very elderly group (age ≥ 75 years). And their medical records were analyzed by retrospective review. Results: We found patients in the very elderly group had more chest and cardiovascular involvement (P = 0.033 and P = 0.017). Older AAV patients had less renal involvement and lower serum C4 level (P = 0.013 and P = 0.003). Very elderly AAV patients had lower platelet counts. Patients in the younger group had a higher level of BVAS among three groups (P < 0.05 younger group vs. very elderly group; P < 0.05 younger group vs. elderly group). There were no significant difference in the proportion of ESRD patients among the three groups (P = 0.473). Patients in the very elderly group had the poorest patient survival (P = 0.002). Conclusion: Older AAV patients had less renal involvement, lower serum C4 level and BVAS. The very elderly group got the most chest and cardiovascular involvement and had lower platelet counts. Older age is associated with higher mortality in AAV patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate fundus and optical coherence tomography angiography (angio-OCT) manifestations in carotid cavernous fistula (CCF) patients. Methods: Nine eyes of 7 CCF patients diagnosed with digital subtraction angiography (DSA) were included in this study. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), slit lamp, fundus, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), and optical coherence tomography angiography (angio-OCT) examination in the CCF patients and 10 normal controls were conducted. Subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and macular vascular density (VD) were measured and compared with the control group. SFCT and VD were also compared before and after embolization therapy. Results: Two male and 5 female CCF patients were included. The average age was 59.7 ±10.0 (years). Embolization therapy was conducted in 3 patients. Fundus manifestations included disc oedema and exudation, retinal venular dilation, and retinal haemorrhage. B-scan OCT examination revealed retinal and choroidal undulations, retinal-choroidal thickness, retinal cystoid oedema, and subretinal fluid. The SFCT of the affected eyes was thicker than that of the control group (412.3 ± 123.7 μm vs. 272.9 ± 62.9 μm; P = 0.006). Macular superficial capillary plexus (SCP) VD in affected eyes was lower than that in the control eyes (50.1 ±2.3 % vs. 52.7 ± 1.7 % ; P = 0.014). The SFCT was reduced, and the vessel density in the SCP was increased after embolization therapy. Conclusion: We demonstrated decreased VD in CCF patients with specific fundus and OCT manifestations. The pathological changes were immediately reduced after embolization therapy. This preliminary observation provides a supplemental method for the diagnosis and pathophysiological examination of CCF patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we compute the derivations of the positive part of the two-parameter quantum group of type G2 by embedding it into a quantum torus. We also show that the first Hochschild cohomology group of this algebra is a two-dimensional vector space over the complex field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrochemical production of green and low-cost ammonia requests the development of high-performance electrocatalysts. In this work, the ampoule method was applied to modulate the surface of the zinc electrode by implanting defects and low-valent active sites. The N-doped ZnS electrocatalyst was thus generated by sulfurization with thiourea and applied for electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (ENRR). Given the rich sulfur vacancies and abundant Zn-N active sites on the surface, excellent catalytic activity and selectivity were obtained, with an NH3 yield rate of 2.42 × 10–10 mol s−1 cm−2 and a Faradaic efficiency of 7.92% at − 0.6 V vs. RHE in 0.1 M KOH solution. Moreover, the as-synthesized zinc electrode exhibits high stability after five recycling tests and a 24 h potentiostatic test. The comparison with Zn foil, non-doping ZnS/Zn and recent metal sulfide electrocatalysts further demonstrated advanced catalytic performance of N@ZnS/Zn for ENRR. By simple synthesis, S vacancies, and N-doping defects, this promising electrocatalyst would represent a good addition to the arena of transition-metal-based catalysts with superior performance in ENRR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer-derived porous carbon was used as a support of iron and nickel species with an objective to obtain an efficient oxygen reduction reaction (OER) catalyst. The surface features were extensively characterized using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. On FeNi-modified carbon the overpotential for OER was very low (280 mV) and comparable to that on noble metal catalyst IrO2. The electrochemical properties have been investigated to reveal the difference between the binary alloy- and single metal-doped carbons. This work demonstrates a significant step for the development of low-cost, environmentally-friendly and highly-efficient OER catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the Internet rapidly develops, the types and quantity of malware continue to diversify and increase, and the technology of evading security software is becoming more and more advanced. This paper proposes a malware detection method based on deep learning, which combines malware visualization technology with convolutional neural network. The structure of neural network is based on VGG16 network. This paper proposes the hybrid visualization of malware, combining static and dynamic analysis. In hybrid visualization, we use the Cuckoo Sandbox to carry out dynamic analysis on the samples, convert the dynamic analysis results into a visualization image according to a designed algorithm, and train the neural network on static and hybrid visualization images. Finally, we test the performance of the malware detection method we propose, evaluating its effectiveness on detecting unknown malware. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the eyes has been studied to detect and monitor sellar masses, there is no recommendation for selecting the most effective measurement of OCT in clinical practice. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis to examine the efficacy of OCT in sellar mass lesions. Methods: We conducted a literature search in PubMed and EMBASE through April 26, 2020. The primary outcomes were the thickness of the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) and the macular ganglion cell complex (mGCC). The secondary outcomes included the thickness of the macular ganglion cell and inner plexiform layer (mGCIPL) and macular thickness. Random-effects models were used in all meta-analyses. Additionally, we conducted meta-regressions and subgroup analyses. Results: We included 22 studies, involving 1347 eyes of patients and 1198 eyes of controls. When compared with the control group, the reductions in pRNFL, mGCC and macular thickness in the patient group were significantly different, whereas significant thinning of the mGCIPL was restricted to the nasal hemiretina. Furthermore, we found that before visual field (VF) defects occurred, significant thinning of the pRNFL and mGCC thickness could be detected by OCT. The change in OCT parameters also showed different patterns in different types of pituitary adenomas. Conclusions: Sellar mass lesions were associated with the changes in OCT measurements. The characteristic patterns of the OCT parameters may refine the diagnostic accuracy. Moreover, the alterations of OCT metrics before VF defects indicate the efficacy of OCT in early detection. Different types of pituitary adenomas may vary in OCT measurements, and their specific features warrant further research efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic instability (e.g., Lüders band and PLC band) is a phenomenon frequently observed in cold-rolled medium Mn steels. In this study, through a number of quasi-static uniaxial tensile tests with digital image correlation (DIC) measurement of the strain rate field, we found the medium Mn steel (Fe-0.14C-7.14Mn-0.23Si wt. pct with approximately 33 vol pct of retained austenite and 67 vol pct of ferrite) exhibited distinct competition/coordination between the Lüders band and the PLC band at different deformation temperatures: (1) at 25 °C and 55 °C, a Lüders band was followed by several PLC bands; (2) at 100 °C, fracture occurred right after the Lüders band formation, without the presence of a PLC band; (3) at 250 °C, only PLC bands were observed. We propose that these macroscopic behaviors can be explained by the temperature-dependent conditions for the formation/appearance and propagation of Lüders bands and PLC bands. The propagation of Lüders bands becomes difficult when the temperature increases as less hardening is provided by martensitic transformation. In contrast, the appearance and propagation of PLC bands become easier when the temperature increases and/or the plastic strain becomes large (16.5 and 18.9 pct in this material at the deformation temperatures of 25 °C and 55 °C, respectively), as the difference in the average velocities of solute atom diffusion and dislocation gliding is reduced. Either condition for Lüders bands or for PLC bands will be satisfied at different deformation temperatures or plastic strains, thus leading to the competition/coordination between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]