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Language difficulties exert profound negative effects on the cognitive and social development of autistic children. Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) is a promising intervention for improving social communication in autistic children, but there is a lack of a comprehensive examination of language functions. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of PRT in promoting the primary language functions (requesting, labeling, repeating, responding) defined by (Skinner, B. F. (1957). Verbal behavior. Martino Publishing.) theory of verbal behavior in autistic children. Thirty autistic children were randomly divided into the PRT group (Mage = 6.20, SDage = 1.21) and control group (Mage = 6.07, SDage = 1.49). The PRT group were provided with an 8-week training of the PRT motivation component in addition to treatment as usual (TAU) in their schools, whereas the control group only received TAU. Parents of the PRT group were also trained to practice the PRT motivation procedures at home. The PRT group demonstrated greater improvements in all four measured language functions compared to the control group. The improvement in language functions in the PRT group was generalized and maintained at the follow-up assessment. In addition, the PRT intervention enhanced untargeted social and communicative functioning, cognition, motor skills, imitation, and adaptive behaviors in the autistic children. In conclusion, language intervention using the motivation component of PRT is effective in promoting language functions as well as widespread untargeted cognitive and social functions in autistic children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: VyPUB21 plays a key role during the defense against powdery mildew in grapes. Ubiquitin-ligating enzyme (E3), a type of protein widely found in plants, plays a key role in their resistance to disease. Yet how E3 participates in the disease-resistant response of Chinese wild grapevine (Vitis yeshanensis) remains unclear. Here we isolated and identified a U-box type E3 ubiquitin ligase, VyPUB21, from V. yeshanensis. This gene’s expression level rose rapidly after induction by exogenous salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), and ethylene (ETH) and powdery mildew. In vitro ubiquitination assay results revealed VyPUB21 could produce ubiquitination bands after co-incubation with ubiquitin, ubiquitin-activating enzyme (E1), and ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (E2); further, mutation of the conserved amino acid site in the U-box can inhibit the ubiquitination. Transgenic VyPUB21 Arabidopsis had low susceptibility to powdery mildew, and significantly fewer conidiophores and spores on its leaves. Expression levels of disease resistance-related genes were also augmented in transgenic Arabidopsis, and its SA concentration also significantly increased. VyPUB21 interacts with VyNIMIN and targets VyNIMIN protein hydrolysis through the 26S proteasome system. Thus, the repressive effect of the NIMIN–NPR complex on the late systemic acquired resistance (SAR) gene was attenuated, resulting in enhanced resistance to powdery mildew. These results indicate that VyPUB21 encoding ubiquitin ligase U-box E3 activates the SA signaling pathway, and VyPUB21 promotes the expression of late SAR gene by degrading the important protein VyNIMIN of SA signaling pathway, thus enhancing grape resistance to powdery mildew. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The mode of delivery for twins born before 32 weeks of gestation remains controversial. Our purpose is to conduct a meta-analysis of twin pregnancies less than 32 weeks or twin weight less than 1500 g, so as to find a suitable delivery mode. Methods: We searched PubMed database, Cochrane Library database, and EMBASE database through December 2022. This protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023386946) prior to initiation. Studies that compared vaginal delivery to cesarean section for newborns less than 32 weeks of gestation or birthweight under 1500 g were included. The primary result was neonatal mortality rate. Secondary result was neonatal morbidity. The quality of literatures included in the research was evaluated in accordance with Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) literature quality evaluation scale. We use odds ratio (OR) as the effect index for binary variables. Point estimates and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. P < 0. 05 indicated statistically significant difference. Results: Our search generated 5310 articles, and a total of 8 articles comprising a total of 14,703 newborns were included in the analysis. The odds ratios of neonatal mortality rate were for twins delivered by vaginal delivery compared to cesarean section were 0.84 (95% CI 0.57–1.24, P = 0.38). The 5-min Apgar score < 7 (95% CI 0.44–1.75, P = 0.72), necrotizing enterocolitis (95% CI 0.81–1.19, P = 0.82), intraventricular hemorrhage (95% CI 0.41–1.86, P = 0.71), periventricular leukomalacia (95% CI 0.16–4.52, P = 0.84), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (95% CI 0.88–1.36, P = 0.42), and respiratory distress syndrome (95% CI 0.23–2.01, P = 0.48) were not statistically significant between the two groups. Conclusion: We have observed that vaginal delivery does not confer an increased risk of neonatal morbidity and mortality in twins born before 32 weeks of gestation. However, the current results are affected by substantial heterogeneity and confounding factors. We still need high-quality randomized-controlled studies require to address this important question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stress plays an important role in the etiology of schizophrenia. However, the mechanisms by which chronic physiological stress and perceived stress relate to the clinical features of schizophrenia may differ. We aimed to elucidate the relationships among chronic physiological stress indexed by allostatic load (AL), perceived stress, and clinical symptoms in individuals with first-episode schizophrenia (FES). Individuals with FES (n = 90, mean age = 28.26years old, 49%female) and healthy controls (111, 28.88, 51%) were recruited. We collected data of 13 biological indicators to calculate the AL index, assessed subjective stress with the Perceived Stress Scale-14 (PSS-14), and compared AL and perceived stress between groups. Patients with FES were also evaluated with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS). Individuals with FES had higher AL and PSS score than healthy controls. There were no significant correlations between AL and PSS score in either patients or controls. Among individuals with FES, the AL index was associated with the severity of positive symptoms, while the PSS score was positively associated with CDSS score. Both elevated AL and PSS were correlated with the occurrence of schizophrenia. Physiological stress, as reflected by AL, may be more related to positive symptoms, while perceived stress appear to be associated with depressive symptoms in individuals with FES. Longitudinal studies are necessary to explore the relationships between interventions for different stressor types and specific clinical outcomes in FES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser melting deposition (LMD) is an advanced repairing and remanufacturing technology that involves complex thermodynamic and kinetic characteristics in a molten pool. A thorough understanding of the thermal-fluid dynamic behavior of molten metal is crucial for investigating the distribution of reinforced particles and the characterization of solidification. This study proposes a three-dimensional transient thermal-fluid coupling model for describing thermal-fluid dynamic behavior and particle migration behavior within a molten pool during LMD. The simulated morphology of the deposition layer and temperature agree well with the experiments. The simulation results indicate that Marangoni convection induced by temperature gradient dominates the convection mode. The fluid velocity distribution along the scanning direction of the molten metal is showing M shape. Meanwhile, the dimension of molten pool increases slightly, and the Marangoni convection becomes more vigorous with higher heat input. The Marangoni motion tends to drive the TiC particle migration from the center to both lateral sides, resulting in a more uniformly distributed of TiC particle in deposition layer. Furthermore, the solidification parameters at solid–liquid interface are calculated, which used to assess the solidification microstructure in deposition layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: With the rapid advancement in the automotive industry, the friction coefficient (FC), wear rate (WR) and weight loss (WL) have emerged as crucial parameters to measure the performance of automotive braking systems, so the FC, WR and WL of friction material are predicted and analyzed in this work, with an aim of achieving accurate prediction of friction material properties. Design/methodology/approach: Genetic algorithm support vector machine (GA-SVM) model is obtained by applying GA to optimize the SVM in this work, thus establishing a prediction model for friction material properties and achieving the predictive and comparative analysis of friction material properties. The process parameters are analyzed by using response surface methodology (RSM) and GA-RSM to determine them for optimal friction performance. Findings: The results indicate that the GA-SVM prediction model has the smallest error for FC, WR and WL, showing that it owns excellent prediction accuracy. The predicted values obtained by response surface analysis are closed to those of GA-SVM model, providing further evidence of the validity and the rationality of the established prediction model. Originality/value: The relevant results can serve as a valuable theoretical foundation for the preparation of friction material in engineering practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the problem of uneven distribution of air conditioning temperature and air velocity in the ward, it is easy to produce the uncomfortable feeling of cold and hot and wind blowing. Taking the standard double room general ward of a newly built hospital as the research object, a mathematical model was established, and CFD software was used to numerically simulate the temperature field and velocity field of the air in the ward, optimize the location of the air outlet, and put forward the suggestion of the optimal installation location of the hospital bed. The results show that when the fan coiler air supply outlet is close to the west wall and the fresh air outlet is far away from the west wall, the inhomogeneity of the distribution of the temperature field and velocity field in the ward is reduced, and at this time, the temperature and velocity distribution of the air in the ward is more uniform, so that the patients' overall feeling in the ward is more comfortable, and at this time, the installation position of the air outlet is more reasonable; and it is determined that the optimal placement of the beds in the room is at the locations of x = 2 m, y = 2.5 m and x = 2 m, y = 4.5 m, and at this time the two beds are at the same time, which is more reasonable. When y = 4.5 m, the temperature difference between the two beds is less than 0.5 K, the wind speed difference is not more than 0.08 m/s, and the velocity gradient direction is the same. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa (KPC-PA) emerges. • A ST16 KPC-PA clone has not previously been reported. • Three-day levofloxacin treatment yielded resistance to imipenem-relebactam in KPC-PA. • Levofloxacin selected for a mexS mutation leading to cross resistance. Imipenem-relebactam (IMR), a novel β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combination, is recommended for infections caused by difficult-to-treat Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This study aimed to investigate the evolution trajectory of IMR resistance under the selection of levofloxacin in P. aeruginosa. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, complete genome sequencing and gene manipulation experiments were performed. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR for specific genes and porin levels were detected. Evolution trajectory was simulated in vitro by induction assay. P. aeruginosa HS347 and HS355 were isolated from abdominal drainage of two neighbouring patients (S and Z) undergoing surgery of colon carcinoma in Shanghai, China, with the latter patient having received levofloxacin. They were closely related ST16 strains, and both carried bla KPC-2 plasmids highly similar to those of P. aeruginosa endemic clones from Zhejiang province, where patient Z had received enteroscopy before this admission. Acquisition of resistance was observed for both IMR and fluoroquinolones in HS355, likely prompted by treatment with levofloxacin. The T274I substitution in MexS (putative oxidoreductase), upregulated efflux pump operon mexEF-oprN and decreased production of porin OprD leading to cross-resistance to fluoroquinolones and IMR, which was also verified by in vitro mutant selection under levofloxacin selection. The emergence of a rare bla KPC-2 -plasmid-bearing ST16 clone implies the horizonal spread and inter-regional dissemination of a high-risk plasmid-clone combination, representing a public health challenge. Levofloxacin exposure can select for mexS inactivating mutation, which in turn leads to IMR resistance phenotype, implicating the role of an unrelated, widely used antimicrobial agent in insidiously triggering the development of cross resistance to a latest β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combination. Graphical abstract [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal/ceramic functionally graded materials (FGMs) have attracted significant attention due to their ability to combine the unique mechanical properties of metals with the high-temperature resistance of ceramics while mitigating the thermal stresses arising from the differences in their thermal expansion coefficients. In this study, the directed energy deposition (DED) technology is applied to manufacturing TiC/Ti6Al4V FGMs with TiC contenting up to 50 wt%. However, the variations in composition gradients and the complex thermal cycling processes lead to difficulties in the microstructure evolution and control. Therefore, a combined approach involving finite element (FE) simulations and experiments was employed to investigate the mechanisms underlying microstructural transformations under various gradient thermal cycles. The results showed that the morphology of TiC in the FGM from top to bottom is as follows: coarse dendritic TiC + unmelted TiC, granular primary TiC + underdeveloped dendritic TiC, chain-like eutectic TiC + granular eutectic TiC. Meanwhile, both α-Ti and β-Ti exhibited equiaxed transformation, with their sizes decreasing continuously with the gradient. This is due to the strong orientation relationship between TiC particles and the titanium matrix, allowing α-Ti and β-Ti to form non-uniform nucleation within the TiC phase. In addition, the chain-like eutectic TiC and dendritic primary TiC showed a certain degree of fragmentation and granulation after undergoing thermal cycling. The microstructural evolution mechanism in different gradient regions during the DED process under the coupling effect of thermal cycling and ceramic composition was clarified by combining the FE simulation results. The specimen at the bottom of FGMs exhibits strong and ductile (tensile strength: 1296 MPa, elongation: 7.17 %), which are mainly attributed to the Hall Petch strength and solid solution strengthening. The brittle phase of dendritic TiC and unmelted TiC under high gradients leads to decreased tensile properties. • Directed energy deposition technology can successfully prepare TiC/Ti6Al4V FGMs with TiC. • The influential mechanism of the TiC phase on the morphology of α-Ti and β-Ti is revealed. • The microhardness of the TiC/Ti6Al4V FGM shows a progressive increase, rising from 379.77 HV to 736.71 HV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In this study, the effects of different levels of wheat inclusion on growth performance and intestinal homeostasis in broilers were evaluated. We first analyzed the effects of dietary wheat ratio on liver function, serum glycolipid profile, and bone turnover, and showed that the dose of wheat in the diets of broilers had no deleterious effects on animal health. We also found that replacing corn with 55% wheat in the diet of broilers increased body weight and feed consumption, with improved intestinal morphology and cecal microbiota composition. These data indicated that the replacement of corn with 55% wheat in the diet promoted the growth performance of 21-day-old broilers via improving intestinal morphology and cecal microbiota. Replacing corn with different levels of wheat in the iso-energy and -protein diet of broilers and the impacts on growth performance and intestinal homeostasis of broilers under the condition of supplying the multienzyme complex were evaluated in this study. A total of 480 10-day-old male broilers were assigned randomly to the low-level wheat group (15% wheat and 35.18% corn), the medium-level wheat group (30% and 22.27%), and the high-level wheat group (55.77% wheat without corn) until 21 d. The different levels of wheat supplementation did not affect hepatic function, serum glycolipid profile, or bone turnover. The replacement of corn with 55% wheat in the diet of broilers increased the body weight at 21 d and feed intake during 10 to 21 d (both p < 0.05), with a comparable feed conversion ratio. Compared with the low-wheat group, the dietary addition of medium or high wheat levels notably increased the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the duodenum (p < 0.05) and the ileal villus height (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the supplementation of medium and high wheat in the diet increased the proportion of Bacteroidetes, and a diet with high wheat proportion elevated the content of Firmicutes when compared to the low-level wheat group (both p < 0.05). In addition, the diet containing 30–55% wheat enhanced the anti-inflammatory capability in both the ileum and the serum. These findings suggest that the replacement of corn with 55% wheat in the diet improved the growth performance of 21-day-old broilers, which might be linked to the alteration in intestinal morphology and cecal microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facile and sensitive methods for detecting neonicotinoids (NEOs) in aquatic environments are crucial because they are found in extremely low concentrations in complex matrices. Herein, nitrogen-based magnetic conjugated microporous polymers (Fe3O4@N-CMP) with quaternary ammonium groups were synthesized for efficient magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) of NEOs from tap water, rainwater, and lake water. Fe3O4@N-CMP possessed a suitable specific surface area, extended π-conjugated system, and numerous cationic groups. These properties endow Fe3O4@N-CMP with superior extraction efficiency toward NEOs. The excellent adsorption capacity of Fe3O4@N-CMP toward NEOs was attributed to its π–π stacking, Lewis acid–base, and electrostatic interactions. The proposed MSPE-HPLC-DAD approach based on Fe3O4@N-CMP exhibited a wide linear range (0.1–200 µg/L), low detection limits (0.3–0.5 µg/L), satisfactory precision, and acceptable reproducibility under optimal conditions. In addition, the established method was effectively utilized for the analysis of NEOs in tap water, rainwater, and lake water. Excellent recoveries of NEOs at three spiked levels were in the range of 70.4 to 122.7%, with RSDs less than 10%. This study provides a reliable pretreatment method for monitoring NEOs in environmental water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical parameters of existing building walls are relatively stable, making it difficult to meet the thermal requirements under different seasons. In this study, phase change materials (PCMs) with different thermal conductivities and melting points were adopted to form a breathable heterogeneous phase change material (B&H-PCM) wall to achieve the year-round heating and cooling load reduction. The effects of operation parameters on B&H-PCM and ventilated block (VB) wall were experimentally analyzed. As the hot air inlet temperature rose from 30 to 80 °C in winter, the heat storage capacity and liquefaction ratio continuously increased. The PCM heat storage rate was maximized at 50 °C with 26.7 %, and the liquefaction ratio of internal PCM was 100 % at 60 °C. As the air inlet velocity went up in winter/summer, the heat storage/dissipation capacity increased and the heat storage/dissipation rate changed oppositely. The maximum heat storage rate was 36 % at 0.5 m/s in winter, and the maximum heat dissipation rate was 58.7 % at 3 m/s in summer. The external/internal heat capacity and thermal resistance of B&H-PCM wall were 5.9/7.2 and 1.1/0.8 times of VB wall respectively, indicating that B&H-PCM wall had a better heat storage and resistance capacity both in winter and summer. • A breathable heterogeneous phase change material (B&H-PCM) wall was proposed. • The year-round wall thermal performance was experimentally analyzed and compared. • The wall external/internal heat capacity was improved by 5.9/7.2 times. • The wall external/internal thermal resistance was improved by 1.1/0.8 times. • B&H-PCM wall had better heat storage and resistance capacity in different seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The uneven microstructure and element distribution between the inner-layer zone (INZ) and the inter-layer zone (ITZ) resulting from the thermal cycling effect during the directed energy deposition process with the electric arc energy source (DED-Arc) can lead to inferior mechanical properties. In order to address this problem, the ultrasonic treatment of the 2319 Al-Cu alloy during the DED-Arc process is investigated to control the multi-regional microstructure quantitatively. Therefore, the effect of ultrasonic vibration during the DED-Arc process on grain morphology, distribution of precipitates and mechanical properties in different regions are explored in detail. The formation mechanism of differential microstructure is elucidated by using an ultrasonic-heat-flow coupling simulation model for the DED-Arc process. The results indicate that ultrasonic vibration refines the average grain size, leading to 16% and 40% reductions at the molten pool center (MPC) and boundary (MPB), respectively. However, the grains in the semi-melting zone (SMZ) experience coarsening due to the reduced temperature gradient after ultrasonic treatment. The enhanced melt flow rate is considered responsible for both the homogenization of Cu and the fragmentation of the θ-Al 2 Cu phase. The higher subgrain boundary density in the ITZ leads to an average microhardness of approximately 60 HV, which is lower than that found in the INZ (72.3 HV). Meanwhile, ultrasonic treatment increases the average strength and elongation by 38.1% and 17.5%, respectively, mainly through precipitation strengthening, which results in a strength increment of 91.6 MPa. The slip directions tend to be consistent after ultrasonic vibration, which is conducive to crystal sliding and displays excellent ductility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the mirror image symmetry of laser mirror welding heat sources, the post-weld deformation is observably lower than that of conventional welding methods. However, the mechanism of gravitational effects on the coupled keyhole molten pool at different welding positions is still unclear, which results in the tough control of welding defects, hindering the application of laser mirror welding in precision manufacturing of aerospace structural parts. In this study, the gravity effects on keyhole behaviors in laser mirror welding of 2219 aluminum alloy were investigated by establishing a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. The keyhole morphology, coupling characteristics, and its dynamic evolution as well as force conditions were analyzed at length by employing the calibrated model. The results showed that gravity prominently affects the fluid velocity in the molten pool, which determines the keyhole characteristics. The keyhole surface flow, which enlarges the keyhole diameter, is impeded by gravity, resulting in weak keyhole coupling. The keyhole area on the weld cross-section before coupling is less than 2 mm2 and is negatively correlated with the gravitational component on this section. The keyhole area after coupling is tightly relevant to the keyhole diameter. The increase or decrease in the keyhole diameter is contingent on the resultant direction of gravity, fluid pressure, and vapor recoil pressure. Additionally, the keyhole coupling and dynamic behaviors in the welding direction are primarily affected by the surface tension gradient, while slightly affected by gravity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)-associated athanogene (BAG) family is a relatively conserved and multifunctional co-chaperones in animals and plants, which can flexibly interact with a variety of proteins and regulate various processes from growth and development to stress response. However, compared with animals, the function of BAG family in plant remains largely unknown, especially in response to cold stress. In this study, we have found that the expression of BAG8 was significantly induced in tomato under cold stress. Results showed that bag8 mutants exhibit significantly reduced tolerance towards cold stress, while BAG8 overexpressing lines were relatively resistant as reflected by the phenotype and membrane peroxidation. Measuring of gas exchange parameters, photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII) of tomato leaves under cold stress further revealed that BAG8 mitigated cold-induced damage in photosynthetic system. Additionally, bag8 mutants exhibited more cold-induced reactive oxygen species, which were substantially normalized in BAG8 overexpressing plants. Nevertheless, the activities of antioxidant enzymes which were compromised in bag8 mutants were improved in BAG8 overexpressing plants facing cold stress. Additionally, BAG8 interacted with heat shock protein Hsp70 and protein phosphatase PP2A both in vitro and in vivo. Our results demonstrate that BAG8 plays a positive role in cold tolerance in tomato probably by the improvement of photosystems and antioxidant systems, and by interacting with Hsp70 involved in photosynthesis and PP2A involved in stomatal development. [Display omitted] • The expression of BAG8 is significantly induced in tomato under cold stress. • BAG8 positively regulates tomato cold tolerance as reflected by the phenotype and membrane peroxidation. • BAG8 mitigates cold-induced damage in photosynthetic system. • BAG8 can reduce oxidative damage by increasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes in plants facing cold stress. • BAG8 interactes with heat shock protein Hsp70 and protein phosphatase PP2A both in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A numerical method is proposed to evaluate the effect of non‐Gaussian roughness on point contact elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL). A mixed EHL model of point contact, considering non‐Gaussian roughness, is developed. The oil film pressure in the model was controlled by the Reynolds equation of average flow, and the contact pressure of asperity was obtained by the rough surface micro‐contact model. The influence of non‐Gaussian roughness parameters on contact pressure distribution, film thickness profile and the ratio of asperity pressure to contact load (asperity load ratio) are investigated based on the mixed EHL model. The results show that the asperity pressure increases as root mean square (RMS) roughness increases, skewness and kurtosis. The film thickness also increases with RMS roughness and skewness, but is not sensitive to kurtosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural language understanding (NLU) has two core tasks: intent classification and slot filling. The success of pre-training language models resulted in a significant breakthrough in the two tasks. The architecture based on autoencoding (BERT-based model) can optimize the two tasks jointly. However, we note that BERT-based models convert each complex token into multiple sub-tokens by the Wordpiece algorithm, which generates an out-of-alignment between the length of the tokens and the labels. This leads to BERT-based models not performing well in label prediction, limiting model performance improvement. Many existing models can address this issue, but some hidden semantic information is discarded during fine-tuning. We addressed the problem by introducing a novel joint method on top of BERT. This method explicitly models multiple sub-token features after the Wordpiece tokenization, contributing to both tasks. Our proposed method effectively extracts contextual features from complex tokens using the Sub-words Attention Adapter (SAA), preserving overall utterance information. Additionally, we propose an Intent Attention Adapter (IAA) to acquire comprehensive sentence features, assisting users in predicting intent. Experimental results confirm that our proposed model exhibits significant improvements on two public benchmark datasets. Specifically, the slot-filling F1 score improves from 96.5 to 98.2 (an absolute increase of 1.7%) on the Airline Travel Information Systems (ATIS) dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the unique soil structure and the temperature rise effect of seawater’s electrical and thermal parameters, accurately simulating the grounding characteristics of marine DC grounding electrodes is the basis for ensuring the safe and stable operation of offshore wind power grid-connected DC projects. The paper proposes a dynamic finite element model of ocean grounding electrode characteristics based on the coupling of circuits and electrical–thermal fields. In the finite element model, soil parameters can be controlled by the time-varying temperature distribution, and the dynamic process of the coupling of soil electrical and thermal fields in the process of direct flow can be accurately simulated. A time-varying equivalent circuit model for controlling the electric–thermal field can be implemented to accurately simulate the dynamic process of the shunt coefficient for each conductor segment in a composite DC grounding electrode with multiple injection points. The effectiveness is verified by comparing with the experimental data. Finally, the dynamic flow process, temperature rise process and their mutual influence are quantitatively analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The immune-inflammatory response system (IRS) and kynurenine pathway (KP) have been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Studies have shown inflammation-related effects on KP metabolism in patients with schizophrenia. This study investigated the relationship between KP metabolites, IRS, and the compensatory immune-regulatory reflex system (CIRS) in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS). Patients with (n = 53) and without TRS (n = 47), and healthy controls (HCs, n = 49) were enrolled. We quantified plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-2, IL-6, soluble(s)IL-6 receptor, IL-8, IL-12, IL-17, IL-18, interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor[TNF]-α) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1 receptor antagonist, IL-4, IL-10, tumor growth factor [TGF]-β1, TGF-β2, soluble (s) IL-2 receptor subunit α, sIL-2 receptor subunit β, and sTNF-α receptor 1) and calculated the IRS/CIRS ratio. We also tested serum metabolites of the KP, including kynurenine (KYN), kynurenic acid (KYNA), and quinolinic acid (QUIN), along with the QUIN/KYNA ratio. Patients with TRS had significantly higher IRS/CIRS ratio than non-TRS patients (p = 0.002) and HCs (p = 0.007), and significantly lower KYN (p = 0.001) and KYNA (p = 0.01) levels than HCs. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that a younger age at illness onset (odds ratio [ OR ] = 0.91, p = 0.02) and a higher IRS/CIRS ratio (OR = 1.22; p = 0.007) were risk factors for patients with TRS. After further adjusted for age of onset, the QUIN/KYNA ratio (β = 0.97; p = 0.02) significantly moderated the relationship between IRS/CIRS and TRS, showing that in the higher QUIN/KYNA condition, higher IRS/CIRS ratio were significantly and more likely to be associated with patients with TRS (β = 0.12, z = 3.19, p = 0.001), whereas in the low QUIN/KYNA condition, the association between IRS/CIRS ratio and TRS was weak and insignificant. The peripheral immune response was imbalanced in TRS and was preferentially directed towards the IRS compared to patients without TRS and healthy controls, which is likely to play a role in neurotoxicity. Additionally, peripheral KP activation was also imbalanced, as evidenced by significantly reduced KYN and KYNA levels in patients with TRS compared to healthy controls, but none of KP metabolisms were significantly difference in non-TRS patients compared to healthy controls. QUIN/KYNA ratio involving to the degree of activation of NMDA receptors, indicated the neurotoxic level of the KP activation. The interaction between IRS/CIRS and QUIN/KYNA ratio was significant in predicting TRS, and our findings suggest a potential role for the immune-kynurenine pathway in TRS pathogenesis. • Patients with TRS showed significantly higher IRS/CIRS ratio than that in non-TRS patients and health controls. • The TRS group had a significant reduction in KYN and KYNA levels compared to healthy controls. • The IRS/CIRS ratio was a risk factor for TRS, while the age at onset of schizophrenia was a protective factor. • Controlling for the age of onset, elevated IRS/CIRS ratio was more likely to contribute to TRS in high QUIN/KYNA conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Ag-CuO@IL was used as an electrocatalyst for efficient HMFOR. • The nanosheet-assembled spherical clusters with more active sites was induced by IL. • Doped N, B and F derived from ILs regulated electron transfer. • IL-induced dispersion of Ag reduced the adsorption energy of HMF and OH– by DFT. • HMF conversion (98.5%), FDCA yield (97.1%) and FE (92.2%) were achieved. The electrocatalytic 5-hydroxymethylfurfural oxidation reaction (HMFOR) has received increasing attention due to its carbon–neutral and value-added chemical properties, and the development of electrocatalyst with highly active and selective is crucial. Highly dispersing metal atoms throughout the catalyst can maximize the catalytic efficiency. Here, we synthesized a 3D hierarchical CuO nanostructure induced by ionic liquid with heteroatoms doping and Ag dispersing (Ag-CuO@IL), and this self-supported catalyst can reach 10 mA cm−2 at only 1.33 V vs RHE and achieved HMF conversion of 98.5 %, FDCA yield of 97.1 % and Faraday efficiency of 92.2 %. The excellent catalytic performance of Ag-CuO@IL for HMFOR is attributed to the doped heteroatoms derived from ILs to promote electron redistribution and the generated oxygen vacancies induced by IL anions to highly disperse Ag. Also, the catalyst was the nanosheet-assembled spherical clusters with 3D nanostructure, which exposed a large number of active sites. Density functional theory calculations showed that Ag-CuO@IL possessed moderate adsorption strengths of HMF and OH–, thus facilitating the desorption of the products in the reaction process. The design that induced by ionic liquid dopant not only provides an effective and green mean for HMFOR, but also has the large potential to guide the synthesis of other catalysts with improved performances in various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A total of 177 (0.6%) women with SCA-positive results were recruited from 27,941 NIPS patients. • Copy number variation sequencing (CNV-seq) was performed on maternal white blood cells (WBCs) from the TP and FP groups with fetal SCAs detected by NIPS. • Maternal monosomy X mosaicism and trisomy X respectively played an important role in the discordance of 45, X and 47, XXX revealed by NIPS. • The incidence rate of maternal sex chromosome abnormalities was positively correlated with the Z-score of ChrX. • When the Z-score of ChrX ≥ 15, more than 50 % of pregnant women were found to be maternal sex chromosome abnormalities, and when Z-score ≥ 30, the incidence rate was as high as 100 %. To explore the impact of maternal factors on the false-positive fetal sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs) results obtained through noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS). We retrospectively analyzed pregnant women with high-risk SCAs as revealed using NIPS between January 2017 and December 2022. Clinical data such as results of invasive prenatal diagnoses, copy number variation sequencing (CNV-seq) and pregnancy outcomes were analysed. Overall, 177 (0.6 %) women with SCA-positive results were collected from 27,941 patients who had undergone NIPS. Among them, 110 (62.2 %) pregnant women chose prenatal diagnosis and 39 (35.5 %) cases were confirmed. For the women with monosomy X false-positive results from the NIPS, 53.1 % (17/32) were found to be maternal mosaicism monosomy X. In cases with 47, XXX false-positive results, 60 % (6/10) of them were maternal 47,XXX (5 cases) or maternal mosaicism 47,XXX (1 case). One (1/6, 16.7 %) case of maternal mosaicism monosomy X was detected in the false positive results of 47, XXY/47, XYY revealed. The incidence rate of maternal sex chromosome abnormalities was positively correlated with the Z-score of ChrX. When the Z-score of ChrX ≥ 15, more than 50 % of pregnant women were found to be maternal sex chromosome abnormalities, and when Z-score ≥ 30, the incidence rate was as high as 100 %. Maternal monosomy X mosaicism and trisomy X respectively played an important role in the discordance of 45, X and 47, XXX revealed by NIPS. CNV-seq was recommended for the pregnant women at risk of maternal sex chromosome abnormalities, which could help clinicians to provide more accurate and efficient advice during genetic counseling and to guide appropriate prenatal diagnosis strategy for the next pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 83 rare autosomal trisomies (RATs) were identified in 23,321 non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS) results at our center. • Prenatal diagnosis was conducted for 55 patients, and no case was confirmed, with a positive predictive value (PPV) of zero. • Fifteen of them (15/83, 18.07 %) had adverse pregnancy outcomes. • The incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes in Z ≥ 15 group was significantly higher than that in low-risk group (p < 0.01). • No significant difference was observed between the control group and Z < 15 group (p > 0.01). • A literature review was conducted to explore the relationship between adverse pregnancy outcomes and subtypes of RATs. This study aimed to combine Z-scores to evaluate the effects of rare autosomal trisomies (RATs) in non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS) on pregnancy outcomes at a single center. We retrospectively collected the clinical data of women with high-risk RATs results using NIPS at a single center between January 2017 and December 2021. NIPS-positive results were separated into three groups based on the Z-value of RATs (Group1: 6 ≤ Z < 10; Group2: 10 ≤ Z < 15; Group 3: Z ≥ 15). Pregnancy outcomes of women with RATs were compared with the low-risk NIPS group. Overall, 83 RATs were identified in 23,321 NIPS results at our center. Prenatal diagnosis was conducted for 55 patients, and no case was confirmed, with a positive predictive value (PPV) of zero. Fifteen of these patients had adverse pregnancy outcomes, including delivered preterm and/or birth weight (9/15, 60.0 %), structural abnormalities (4/15, 26.7 %), miscarriage (1/15, 6.7 %), and intrauterine death (1/15, 6.7 %). There were 8 (8/22, 36.4 %) adverse pregnancy outcomes in Group 3, which was significantly higher than that in the low-risk NIPS group (p < 0.01). No significant difference was observed between the control group and Group 1 and Group 2 (p > 0.01). Clinicians should pay more attention to the RATs results when the Z-score is ≥ 15. The data are available for clinicians to guide the prenatal diagnosis of RATs and pregnancy management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tight oil extraction and offshore oil spills generate large amounts of oil–water emulsions, causing serious soil and marine pollution. In such oil–water emulsions, the resin molecules are bound by π–π stacking and bind to interfacial water molecules via hydrogen bonds, which impede the aggregation between water droplets and thereby the separation of the emulsion. In this study, strongly electronegative oxygen atoms (in ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, esters, and hydroxyl groups) were introduced through poly(propylene glycol)-block-polyether and esterification with acrylic acid to attract negative charges in order to form electron-rich regions and enhance interfacial hydrogen bond recombination. The potential distribution in the demulsifier molecules and their space occupancy were regulated by the polymerization reaction to destroy the π–π stacking interaction between resin molecules. The results show that the binding energies (binding free energy and hydrogen bonding energy) of oxygen-containing demulsifier molecules with water molecules were higher than those of resin molecules with water molecules, resulting in the fission of the hydrogen bonds between resin and water molecules. The introduction of demulsifier molecules that occupied large interfacial space reduced the binding energy between resin molecules from −2176.06 to −110.00 kJ·mol−1. Noteworthy, the binding energy between demulsifier molecules and resin molecules was −1076.36 kJ·mol−1 lower than that between resin molecules (−110.00 kJ·mol−1), indicating the adsorption of the surrounding interfacial resin molecules by the demulsifier molecules and destruction of the π–π stacking between them, thus favoring the collapse of the interfacial structure of the oil–water emulsion and achieving its separation. This study provides important theoretical support for the treatment of oil-contaminated soil and offshore oil spill pollution. [Display omitted] • Introducing Strongly electronegative O atoms enhance electron offset. • Electron offset enhances interfacial water molecules hydrogen bond recombination. • Hydrogen bond recombination destroys resin interfacial adsorption. • High space occupancy destroys π-π stacking of resin molecules. • Demulsifier-resin adsorption enhances water molecular mass transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]