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We investigate whether second language (L2) learners of English rely on first language (L1) transfer and atomicity in the acquisition of the count/mass distinction by examining L1-French and L1-Chinese learners of English. Atomicity encodes whether a noun contains 'atoms' or minimal elements that retain the property of the noun. As a semantic universal, atomicity holds across languages. However, the count/mass status of nouns may differ cross-linguistically. Our results, which show difficulty on atomic mass nouns in both learner groups, support an argument that atomicity is used as a semantic universal in the L2. Our results also suggest that both count/mass status in the L1 and word frequency in the L2 impact performance, suggesting roles for both L1 lexical transfer and lexical frequency. In addition, learners had better performance on abstract as opposed to concrete atomic mass nouns, providing evidence consistent with a theory of the accessibility of atoms.

The demand for multifunctional materials with optical and electrical properties in industrial high-temperature applications has witnessed a rapid upsurge. Among ultra-high Curie temperature perovskite-like layered structure piezoelectrics, La2Ti2O7 (LTO) single crystal possesses the highest piezoelectric coefficient, but the lack of luminescence limits its optical applications. In this work, by combining experiments and first-principles calculations, we find that Sm3+ doped LTO single crystals not only create strong orange emission with high-color-purity and high-color-stability under high temperature/pressure, but also achieve higher piezoelectric coefficient of 21.7 pC/N at 298 K and 25.6 pC/N at 773 K, accompanied by polarization enhancement originating from inner TiO6 octahedral twisting. In addition, systematic high-temperature in situ electrical measurements showed that Sm3+ doping also contributes to weakening the adverse effects of ferroelectric–ferroelectric phase transition on piezoelectricity, dielectricity, and conductivity. Our work provides insights into the performance optimization mechanisms of ultra-high Curie temperature piezoelectrics and paves the way for the development of high-performance electro-optic integrated and coupled devices for applications under extreme conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Squid belongs to the cephalopod class of mollusks, with short survival time, fast reproduction speed, comprehensive nutrition, high protein content, low-fat content, and low-calorie content. Squid skin accounts for 8% - 13% of squid processing waste, and full utilization of squid skin can prevent resource waste. This article reviewed the nutritional components, peeling methods, extraction methods of collagen and gelatin from squid skin, as well as the preparation methods of squid skin collagen peptides with antioxidant activity, antihypertension, anti-skin aging, anti-tumor activity, and anti-freezing activity. The application of squid skin collagen products in industries such as food, medicine, cosmetics, and cosmeceuticals was also introduced. This article provided a systematic introduction to the research progress in the processing and utilization of squid skin, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the deep processing of squid skin and promote the sustainable and healthy development of China's aquatic product processing industry. In the future, the research should focus on optimizing the extraction process of squid skin collagen, improving the targeting of its target peptide screening, and conducting active clinical validation studies, to provide reference for the development and high-value utilization of squid skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By considering market demand information, the objective of this study is to measure the bullwhip effect in a two-stage supply chain with one supplier and multiple retailers. First, a model is detailed for measuring the bullwhip effect in which multiple retailers exhibit AR(1) demand processes and the order-up-to inventory level is calculated using market demand information. We find results that the bullwhip effect increases with the market share and lead time and decreases with the contemporaneous correlation and the number of retailers. Second, by comparing the bullwhip effect with or without market information, our model can better control and reduce the bullwhip effect. Third, we calculate the value of market information with the newsvendor model and discover that the value of market information increases with the number of retailers and the contemporaneous correlation and decreases with the market share. In addition, numerical analyses are given to verify the previous results. Moreover, some suggestions are presented to help managers make decisions on the bullwhip effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

De novo germline variants of the SRY‐related HMG‐box 11 gene (SOX11) have been reported to cause Coffin–Siris syndrome‐9 (CSS‐9), a rare congenital disorder associated with multiple organ malformations, including ear anomalies. Previous clinical and animal studies have found that intragenic pathogenic variant or haploinsufficiency in the SOX11 gene could cause inner ear malformation, but no studies to date have documented the external ear malformation caused by SOX11 deficiency. Here, we reported a Chinese male with unilateral microtia and bilateral sensorineural deafness who showed CSS‐like manifestations, including dysmorphic facial features, impaired neurodevelopment, and fingers/toes malformations. Using trio‐based whole‐exome sequencing, a de novo missense variant in SOX11 (NM_003108.4: c.347A>G, p.Y116C) was identified and classified as pathogenic variant as per American College of Medical Genetics guidelines. Moreover, a systematic search of the literature yielded 12 publications that provided data of 55 SOX11 intragenic variants affecting various protein‐coding regions of SOX11 protein. By quantitatively analyzing phenotypic spectrum information related to these 56 SOX11 variants (including our case), we found variants affecting different regions of SOX11 protein (high‐mobility group [HMG] domain and non‐HMG regions) appear to influence the phenotypic spectrum of organ malformations in CSS‐9; variants altering the HMG domain were more likely to cause the widest range of organ anomalies. In summary, this is the first report of CSS with external ear malformation caused by pathogenic variant in SOX11, indicating that the SOX11 gene may be not only essential for the development of the inner ear but also critical for the morphogenesis of the external ear. In addition, thorough clinical examination is recommended for patients who carry pathogenic SOX11 variants that affect the HMG domain, as these variants may cause the widest range of organ anomalies underlying this condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of Kagome lattices by interstitial quasi-atoms (ISQs) in P6/mmm phases provides a platform for exploring interactions between topology and correlation physics. In this study, Li5X (X = Si, Ge, Sn, and Sb) compounds are investigated at pressures of 0, 50, and 100 GPa, and Dirac bands, flat bands, and Van Hove singularities in the energy bands for their stabilized P6/mmm phases are presented. Meantime, the structures of LixSi (x = 1–8) compounds at pressures of 0, 50, 100, and 150 GPa are predicted, and their structural features are discussed in terms of high-coordination and two-dimensional layering. The localized space of ISQs in the Kagome lattice is discussed, which is characterized by a triangular bipyramid and a quadrangular bipyramid. The formation of the Kagome lattice from Li atoms is observed in the predicted Li3Si-P6/mmm. In addition, the superconducting transition temperature of Li5Si-P6/mmm is calculated to be 2.9 K at 50 GPa. At a pressure of 50 GPa and temperatures of 1800 and 1100 K, Li atoms in Li5Si-P6/mmm and Li6Si-C2/m undergo melting and enter the superionic state, indicating superionic electride behavior. Finally, temperature-pressure phase diagrams of Li5Si-P6/mmm, including superconducting, solid, superionic, and liquid states at pressures of 50 and 100 GPa are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Methods Results Conclusion To develop and validate an effective nomogram for predicting poor response to orthokeratology.Myopic children (aged 8–15 years) treated with orthokeratology between February 2018 and January 2022 were screened in four hospitals of different tiers (i.e. municipal and provincial) in China. Potential predictors included 32 baseline clinical variables. Nomogram for the outcome (1‐year axial elongation ≥0.20 mm: poor response; <0.20 mm: good response) was computed from a logistic regression model with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. The data from the First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College were randomly assigned (7:3) to the training and validation cohorts. An external cohort from three independent multicentre was used for the model test. Model performance was assessed by discrimination (the area under curve, AUC), calibration (calibration plots) and utility (decision curve analysis).Between January 2022 and March 2023, 1183 eligible subjects were screened from the First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, then randomly divided into training (n = 831) and validation (n = 352) cohorts. A total of 405 eligible subjects were screened in the external cohort. Predictors included in the nomogram were baseline age, spherical equivalent, axial length, pupil diameter, surface asymmetry index and parental myopia (p < 0.05). This nomogram demonstrated excellent calibration, clinical net benefit and discrimination, with the AUC of 0.871 (95% CI 0.847–0.894), 0.863 (0.826–0.901) and 0.817 (0.777–0.857) in the training, validation and external cohorts, respectively. An online calculator was generated for free access (http://39.96.75.172:8182/#/nomogram).The nomogram provides accurate individual prediction of poor response to overnight orthokeratology in Chinese myopic children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several lines of evidence suggest that exosomal miRNAs are potential biomarkers for cancer monitoring. An urgent need remains for the in situ detection of exosomal miRNAs at low concentrations without destroying the exosome structure. In the present study, a novel sensitive exosomal miR-1246 in situ detection strategy has been developed by integrating the CRISPR/Cas13a system with the formation of hybrids between exosomes and cationic liposomes. The liposomes were loaded with CRISPR/Cas13a, CRISPR RNA (crRNA), and RNA reporter probes. In the presence of exosomes, the liposome–exosome hybrids were formed through electrostatic interactions, and CRISPR/Cas13a was activated to cleave the reporter probes by exosomal miR-1246. The acquired fluorescence signal showed a linear response to the logarithm of MCF-7 exosome concentrations, indicating a quantitative response to exosomal miR-1246. The regression equation is y = 5021 log C − 9976 (R2 = 0.9985) with a limit of detection of 3 × 102 particles per mL. This strategy could not only be used to detect serum exosomal miR-1246 in breast cancer patients but also to distinguish early form advanced disease. This strategy can be exploited in future exosomal miRNA analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Changes in precipitation patterns can significantly alter biological processes and associated ecosystem functions. This study aimed to investigate the impacts of rainfall intensity and timing on the structure of dung beetle assemblage and dung mass loss rate in a Tibetan alpine meadow. The results revealed that exposure to rainfall within a 2 h timeframe, regardless of rainfall intensity, significantly reduced the rate of dung mass loss. However, this decrease was not attributed to the activity of dung beetles. Earlier rainfall tended to decrease species richness of dung beetles, while heavier rainfall significantly decreased beetle abundance. These findings suggest that changes in precipitation patterns can influence both the assemblage of dung beetles and the rate of dung decomposition, but may also decouple their relationship under a certain circumstance. The variability in local biological processes and ecosystem functions deserves greater attention within a global climate change scenario. Changes in precipitation patterns, including rainfall intensity and rainfall timing, have been extensively demonstrated to impact biological processes and associated ecosystem functions. However, less attention has been paid to the effects of rainfall intensity and rainfall timing on the assembly of detritivore communities and the decomposition rate of detritus such as animal dung. In a grazed alpine meadow on the eastern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, we conducted a manipulative experiment involving two levels of rainfall intensity (heavy rainfall, 1000 mL/5 min; light rainfall, 100 mL/5 min) and five levels of rainfall timing (0, 2, 4, 24, and 48 h after yak dung deposition). The aim was to determine the effects of rainfall intensity, timing, and their interaction on the assemblage of dung beetles and dung removal rate during the early stage (i.e., 96 h after yak dung deposition) of dung decomposition. Light rainfall significantly increased species richness in the treatment of 48 h after dung pats were deposited. Heavy rainfall significantly decreased beetle abundance in both the 0 h and 48 h treatments while light rainfall had no effect on beetle abundance. Dung mass loss was significant lower in the 2 h treatment compared to other treatments regardless of rainfall intensity. The structural equation model further revealed that the species richness of dung beetles and dung mass loss were significantly affected by rainfall timing but not by rainfall intensity. However, no significant relationships were observed between any variables examined. These findings suggest that changes in precipitation patterns can influence both the structure of dung beetles and the rate of dung decomposition but may also decouple their relationship under a certain circumstance. Therefore, it is crucial to pay greater attention to fully understand local variability between the biological processes and ecosystem functions within a global climate change scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]