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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]

Background: With the development of big health and big data, cohort research has become a medical research hotspot. As an important repository of human genetic resources, biobanks must adapt to the requirements of large-scale and efficient operation. Thus, biobanks urgently need to design and build a legal, convenient, and efficient information management system. Methods: This study applies the concept of "quality by design" to build a comprehensive biobank information management system based on the analysis of user requirements, legal and regulatory risks, and industry-standard requirements. The system integrates the management of scientific research projects, biological specimens, clinical information, quality control, and multi-dimensional information query and development. After 10 months of its operation, the comprehensive management system was evaluated through statistical analysis of the efficiency of the construction of the pregnancy–birth cohort and the quality of genetic resources. Results: Since the system's launch, the statistics on cohort construction efficiency show that the enrollment rate of eligible pregnant women has increased, and the rate of missing volunteers has dropped. The time needed to establish a 1000-person cohort (with complete biological samples and clinical information in early, middle, and late pregnancy) was reduced, and the effective tracking rate of the samples was 77.42%. The error rate of the deep cryogenic refrigerator decreased, with a clinical information integrity rate of 96.47%. Conclusions: The comprehensive biobank information management system constructed with the "quality by design" concept is well suited to meet the requirements of medical research. This study provides a solution for designing a comprehensive information system for medical institutions' biobanks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study integrated COVID-19 and creativity into the literature through knowledge mapping visualization, to promote existing academic results and provide a reference value for subsequent research. Accordingly, we analyzed the distribution of the literature on COVID-19 and creativity, research hotspots, and representative groups of authors. We found that the topic of COVID-19 and creativity has sparked interdisciplinary research, leading to cross-disciplinary and cross-national collaborations. Creativity can be used to cope with the challenges and social complexity brought about by COVID-19. The law of theme development in the existing literature was divided into three stages: exploratory (2020), active (2021), and stable (2022). Our findings indicate that the upsurge of research on COVID-19 and creativity may slow down, but that models, intention, energy, life, benefits, space, and music are likely to be themes for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser welding is a feasible process for joining the additive manufactured (AMed) parts to meet the manufacturing demand of specific large-scale components. Microstructure and property evolution as well as weldability of the laser welding of wire arc additive manufactured (WAAMed) Al-Cu alloy are investigated. Results indicate that the WAAMed Al-Cu alloy has excellent laser weldability and the joint is nearly free of defect. The width of the heat-affected-zone (HAZ) and equiaxed crystal zone (EQZ) as well as the grain size of the fusion zone (FZ) will increase with higher laser power and heat input. The joint with laser power of 3500 W has the highest tensile strength and elongation, reaching 203.48 MPa and 4.13%. The result from electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) test indicates that the texture intensity will affect tensile properties. The tensile strength and elongation of the laser welded WAAM sample perpendicular to the deposition direction are higher than that parallel to the deposition direction. The microhardness value of HAZ is higher than that of FZ and BM due to 163 HV. The feasibility of laser welding of WAAMed samples is validated, and process parameters are found for hybrid manufacturing of large-scale components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipopolysaccharides from Bacteroides vulgatus represent interesting targets for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases. However, efficient access to long, branched and complex lipopolysaccharides remains challenging. Herein, we report the modular synthesis of a tridecasaccharide from Bacteroides vulgates through an orthogonal one‐pot glycosylation strategy based on glycosyl ortho‐(1‐phenylvinyl)benzoates, which avoids the issues of thioglycoside‐based one‐pot synthesis. Our approach also features: 1) 5,7‐O‐di‐tert‐butylsilylene‐directed glycosylation for stereoselective construction of the α‐Kdo linkage; 2) hydrogen‐bond‐mediated aglycone delivery for the stereoselective formation of β‐mannosidic bonds; 3) remote anchimeric assistance for stereoselective assembly of the α‐fucosyl linkage; 4) several orthogonal one‐pot synthetic steps and strategic use of orthogonal protecting groups to streamline oligosaccharide assembly; 5) convergent [1+6+6] one‐pot synthesis of the target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipopolysaccharides from Bacteroides vulgatus represent interesting targets for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases. However, efficient access to long, branched and complex lipopolysaccharides remains challenging. Herein, we report the modular synthesis of a tridecasaccharide from Bacteroides vulgates through an orthogonal one‐pot glycosylation strategy based on glycosyl ortho‐(1‐phenylvinyl)benzoates, which avoids the issues of thioglycoside‐based one‐pot synthesis. Our approach also features: 1) 5,7‐O‐di‐tert‐butylsilylene‐directed glycosylation for stereoselective construction of the α‐Kdo linkage; 2) hydrogen‐bond‐mediated aglycone delivery for the stereoselective formation of β‐mannosidic bonds; 3) remote anchimeric assistance for stereoselective assembly of the α‐fucosyl linkage; 4) several orthogonal one‐pot synthetic steps and strategic use of orthogonal protecting groups to streamline oligosaccharide assembly; 5) convergent [1+6+6] one‐pot synthesis of the target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total synthesis of nonasaccharide repeating units and shorter sequences from Phellinus ribis glycans with strong immunostimulating activities was achieved by an orthogonal one-pot glycosylation strategy based on an N -phenyltrifluoroacetimidate glycosylation, a Yu glycosylation, and an ortho -(1-phenylvinyl)benzoate glycosylation. The issues inherent to thioglycosides-based orthogonal one-pot glycosylations, such as aglycone transfer, are eliminated by this one-pot glycosylation strategy, which streamlines the chemical synthesis of glycans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periodontitis as a highly prevalent chronic infection/inflammatory disease can eventually lead to tooth loss and masticatory dysfunction. It also has a negative impact on general health and largely impairs quality of life. The tissue destruction during periodontitis is mainly caused by the excessive immune–inflammatory response; hence, how to modulate the host's reaction is of profound importance for effective periodontal treatment and tissue protection. Melatonin, as an endogenous hormone exhibiting multiple biological functions such as circadian rhythm regulation, antioxidant, and anti-inflammation, has been widely used in general healthcare. Notably, the past few years have witnessed increasing evidence for the application of melatonin as an adjunctive approach in the treatment of periodontitis and periodontitis-related systemic comorbidities. The detailed underlying mechanisms and more verification from clinical practice are still lacking, however, and further investigations are highly required. Importantly, it is essential to establish standard guidelines in the near future for the clinical administration of melatonin for periodontal health and general wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extractive document summarization is a fundamental task in natural language processing (NLP). Recently, several Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) are proposed for this task. However, most existing GNN-based models can neither effectively encode semantic nodes of multiple granularity level apart from sentences nor substantially capture different cross-sentence meta-paths. To address these issues, we propose MHgatSum , a novel M ulti-granularity H eterogeneous G raph AT tention networks for extractive document SUM marization. Specifically, we first build a multi-granularity heterogeneous graph (HetG) for each document, which is better to represent the semantic meaning of the document. The HetG contains not only sentence nodes but also multiple other granularity effective semantic units with different semantic levels, including keyphrases and topics. These additional nodes act as the intermediary between sentences to build the meta-paths involved in sentence node (i.e., Sentence-Keyphrase-Sentence and Sentence-Topic-Sentence). Then, we propose a heterogeneous graph attention networks to embed the constructed HetG for extractive summarization, which enjoys multi-granularity semantic representations. The model is based on a hierarchical attention mechanism, including node-level and semantic-level attentions. The node-level attention can learn the importance between a node and its meta-path based neighbors, while the semantic-level attention is able to learn the importance of different meta-paths. Moreover, to better integrate sentence global knowledge, we further incorporate sentence node global importance in local node-level attention. We conduct empirical experiments on two benchmark datasets, which demonstrates the superiority of MHgatSum over previous SOTA models on the task of extractive summarization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China can effectively promote urban-rural integration and economic and social modernization through new urbanization, which also serves as a strong driver and supporter of the growth of rural tourism. This paper examines the new urbanization and the growth of the rural tourism industry based on the rural revitalization strategy. It does so by using the techniques of literature research, field investigation, information technology retrieval, and excavation. We list the accomplishments of the rural tourism sector at its current stage of development and identify the issues and factors that will affect the sector's future growth. In addition, a coordinated development evaluation index system is built based on a theoretical analysis of rural revitalization strategies and new urbanization, and the corresponding comprehensive score is obtained using the entropy method for research. The index weight of the subsystem for rural revitalization in province A is computed using the entropy weight method. According to the findings, the wealth of life has the smallest weight (0.1117), followed by the prosperity of industry (0.2618), which is the largest on a criterion level. The effective weight of governance is the largest, at 0.2801. This study can serve as a useful resource for fostering rural tourism and advancing rural business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The PM2.5 and O3 pollution situation in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region is increasingly complex. Existing coordinated prevention and control programs are demarcated according to administrative regions, making fine-scale pollution control difficult. This study proposed a method for delineating regional control and pollution types based on the analysis of PM2.5 and O3 pollution characteristics. Four key indicators were used to comprehensively evaluate regional pollution trends: PM2.5 concentration ρ(PM2.5), O3 concentration ρ(O3), and the rates of change r(PM2.5) and r(O3). Our results demonstrate that from 2015 to 2020, cities in the YRD show a transition in the main pollution type from PM2.5 to O3. By 2020, the main types of pollution in the YRD region are co-pollution (ρ(PM2.5) > 35 µg/m3 and ρ(O3) > 100 µg/m3), O3 pollution (ρ(PM2.5) < 35 µg/m3 and ρ(O3) > 100 µg/m3), and low pollution (ρ(PM2.5) < 35 µg/m3 and ρ(O3) < 100 µg/m3), accounting for 41.9%, 26.3%, and 30% of the study area, respectively, which is roughly consistent with the remote sensing results (40.4%, 25.6%, and 33.7%, respectively). The proposed method can predict future trends in pollution and assist in decision-making for the coordinated prevention and control of PM2.5 and O3 pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve accuracy of the MobileNet network, a new lightweight deep neural network is designed based on the MobileNetV2 network. Firstly, it modifies the network depth of MobileNetV2 to balance the image resolution, network width and depth to keep the gradient stable, which reduces the generation of gradient vanishing or gradient exploding. Secondly, it proposes an improved Bottleneck module by introducing channel attention mechanism. It assigns different weights for different channels according to the degree of relevance between the object features and channels. Therefore, the network can extract more effective features from a complex background. In the end, a new usage strategy of the improved Bottleneck is proposed. It uses the improved Bottleneck module in the second, fourth and fifth stages of MobileNetV2, and uses the original Bottleneck module in other states. Compared with MobileNetV2, MobileNetV3, ShuffleNetV2, GhostNet and HBONetmethods, the proposed method has the highest classification accuracy on the ImageNet-1K dataset, CIFAR-10 and CIFAR-100. Compared with YOLOV4-Lite methods based on these lightweight network networks, YOLOV4-Lite based on our proposed network also has the highest detection accuracy on the PASCAL VOC07+12 dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: When the supercritical CO2 power cycle is employed in confined spaces, such as nuclear‐powered ships and spacecraft, its size should be given priority. To estimate the component size, the one‐dimensional heat exchanger model developed in this study is used in a recompression supercritical CO2 cycle integrated on a small‐scale lead‐cooled fast reactor. A parameter analysis was performed to study the influence of several key parameters on the levelized cost of electricity, thermal efficiency, and system size. Moreover, four types of multi‐objective optimizations were conducted to provide optimization schemes for different scenarios. Results indicated that the increased turbine inlet temperature improved the thermoeconomic but augmented the system volume. The size of the low‐temperature recuperator was observably enlarged near the optimal flow split ratio, thereby increasing the system volume. Pareto optimal solution of bi‐objective optimization based on the levelized cost of electricity and system size reached the lowest system volume of 3.71 m3. Additionally, the best trade‐off result of three‐objective optimization was a thermal efficiency of 42.14%, a levelized cost of electricity of 56.30 $∙MWh−1, and a system volume of 4.43 m3. Meanwhile, maximal and minimal pressure drops of CO2 appeared in the cooler and intermediate heat exchanger, respectively. [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]

Background: Previous studies have implicated childhood trauma and abnormal brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Here, we explored whether brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and psychopathological symptoms in patients with first-episode schizophrenia. Methods: Patients with first-episode schizophrenia (n = 192) and healthy controls (n = 136) were enrolled. Childhood traumatic experiences and psychopathology were assessed by Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, respectively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to quantify brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. Results: The patients with first-episode schizophrenia experienced more severe childhood trauma and had lower serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels than healthy controls. Emotional abuse and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire total score showed positive correlation with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale positive, general psychopathological subscore and total score. Emotional neglect showed positive correlation with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale positive subscore. Physical neglect was positively associated with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale negative subscore. Emotional neglect and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire total score were negatively correlated with serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. The serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels mediated the relationship between both Childhood Trauma Questionnaire total score and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale total score and negative symptoms in the patients. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels also mediated the relationship between emotional neglect and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale total score in the patients. Conclusion: Childhood trauma might contribute to the clinical symptoms of schizophrenia by affecting brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. Perhaps we can prevent schizophrenia by reducing childhood traumatic experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Quercetin has been reported to have antitumor activity of a wide range of cancers, including breast, lung, colon, prostate. Here, we investigated the protective role of quercetin in glioblastoma (GBM), which causes a higher risk of morbidity and mortality, and explored the antitumor effects of quercetin on GBM using the U87MG and T98G cells and GBM mouse models. Methods: Cell viability and colony formation assays were performed by CCK-8 and clone-formation assays. GBM xenograft mouse model was established to evaluate the tumor burden of mice treated with or without quercetin. To investigate spontaneous locomotor activity and survival rate of mice, orthotopic transplantation was performed through brain stereotaxic injection of U87 cells. Seahorse and Western blot were performed to examine the alteration of glycolytic metabolism GBM. Results: We found that quercetin administration inhibited GBM cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis in vitro. Quercetin suppressed GBM growth, restored spontaneous locomotor activity, and improved survival rate without toxicity to peripheral organs in vivo. Moreover, quercetin inhibited glycolytic metabolism in tumor tissue. Discussion/Conclusion: Mechanistically, quercetin inhibited proliferation and angiogenesis, promoted cancer cell apoptosis, and finally improved locomotor activity and survival by inhibiting the glycolytic metabolism in GBM tissues, suggesting that quercetin is a potential drug for the treatment of GBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer represents a large group of diseases accounting for nearly 10 million deaths each year. Various treatment strategies, including surgical resection combined with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy, have been applied for cancer treatment. However, the outcomes remain largely unsatisfying. Melatonin, as an endogenous hormone, is associated with the circadian rhythm moderation. Many physiological functions of melatonin besides sleep–wake cycle control have been identified, such as antioxidant, immunomodulation, and anti-inflammation. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have described the anticancer effects of melatonin. This has drawn our attention to the potential usage of melatonin for cancer treatment in the clinical setting, although huge obstacles still exist before its wide clinical administration is accepted. The exact mechanisms behind its anticancer effects remain unclear, and the specific characters impede its in vivo investigation. In this review, we will summarize the latest advances in melatonin studies, including its chemical properties, the possible mechanisms for its anticancer effects, and the ongoing clinical trials. Importantly, challenges for the clinical application of melatonin will be discussed, accompanied with our perspectives on its future development. Finally, obstacles and perspectives of using melatonin for cancer treatment will be proposed. The present article will provide a comprehensive foundation for applying melatonin as a preventive and therapeutic agent for cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a new refractory high entropy alloy (RHEA) AlNbTiVZr is fabricated by laser direct energy deposition (LDED), and an investigation is conducted to explore the hot deformation. The body-centered cubic (BCC) phase structure and a small number of close-packed hexagonal Laves intermetallic phases of RHEA are predicted by combining XRD with the calculation of empirical parameters. Compression tests are carried out at different temperatures, and the results show that no fracture occurs when the strain reaches 50% at any of the temperatures tested while exhibiting a high yield stress. The dynamic softening effect is enhanced as the temperature increases and the yield stress decreases significantly. A slight hardening trend is observed during the steady-state flow stage of the stress-strain curve. The softening of RHEA is mainly caused by dynamic reversion (DRV) and assisted dynamic recrystallization (DRX), where the atomic mobility at the grain boundaries increases with temperature, promoting the creation of recrystallized grains. • LDED manufactured Al-Nb-Ti-V-Zr RHEA refractory high-entropy alloy with excellent ductility and strength. • Investigated the high-temperature deformation behavior of ALNBTI refractory high-entropy alloy. • Revealed the mechanisms of dynamic recrystallization and dynamic recovery under high-temperature conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic lead (Pb) exposure causes neurodysfunction and contributes to the development of neurodegenerative disease. However, the mechanism of Pb-induced neurological dysfunction have yet to be fully elucidated. This study determined the role pyroptosis plays in Pb-induced neurodysfunction in neurons. We used both in vitro and in vivo approaches to explore whether Pb exposure induces caspase-1-mediated pyroptosis in neurons and its relationship to Pb-induced neurological disorders. Our findings showed that caspase-1-mediated pyroptosis in Pb-exposed neurons activated glycogen synthase kinase 3 protease activity by disrupting Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II/cAMP-response element binding protein pathway, leading to neurological disorders. Moreover, the caspase-1 inhibition VX-765 or the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug sodium para-aminosalicylic acid (PAS-Na) attenuated the Pb-induced neurological disorders by alleviating caspase-1 mediated neuronal pyroptosis. Our novel studies suggest that caspase-1-mediated pyroptosis in neurons represents a potential mechanism for Pb-induced neurodysfunction, identifying a putative target for attenuating the neurodegenerative effects induced by this metal. [Display omitted] • Pb induces pyroptosis in neurons. • Caspase-1 mediates neuronal pyroptosis. [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]

Nitrogen is an important factor that influences the yield and quality of wheat grain. However, little is known about its effect on the different positions of the grain in spikelets. Compared with the control group, nitrogen application increased the weight, starch content, and protein content of grains in each position considerably. In particular, the protein content in high grain positions of Yangmai 13 (YM 13) under nitrogen treatment are similar to those positions in Yannong 19 (YN 19) under normal levels. Nitrogen application substantially increased the volume proportion of small starch granules and the average degree of polymerization (DP) but reduced the apparent amylose content (AAC), and the breakdown values (BV) of the first grain (G1) and the second grain (G2) in YN19. Nitrogen application considerably increased AAC, the volume proportion of small starch granules, and the ordered structure of starch surface of G1 and AAC, BV, and DP of G2 in YM13. These results demonstrated that a medium nitrogen level is conducive to increase the agronomic traits in high‐position grains and a better pasting properties of starch in low‐position grains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To characterize the novel subclass B1 MBL AFM-1, encoded by a blaIMP-45-bearing megaplasmid from a carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) clinical isolate.Methods: CRPA HS17-127 and its transconjugant were discovered to carry blaAFM-1 in our previous study. blaAFM-1 and blaNDM-1 were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli TOP10 and P. aeruginosa PAO1, respectively, to test the resistance phenotype. Kinetic studies were performed to elucidate the biochemical characteristics of the AFM-1 enzyme. Comparative genomic analysis was applied to investigate the genetic context of blaAFM-1.Results: PAO1 transconjugant TcHS17-127 exhibited carbapenem resistance with an imipenem MIC of 64 mg/L. E. coli transformants with cloned blaAFM-1 or blaNDM-1 had increased MICs of all β-lactams tested (except aztreonam) and imipenem MICs of 4-8 mg/L. Kinetic studies showed that AFM-1 had greater catalytic efficiency against cephalosporins than carbapenems. blaAFM-1 was located on a 486 963 bp IncP-2 plasmid, pHS17-127, containing a 57.3 kb MDR Tn1403-derivative transposon, Tn6485e, which is genetically closest to the blaIMP-45-bearing Tn6485 transposon but has acquired an extra ISCR27n3-blaAFM-1 module. Multicentre surveillance of 605 P. aeruginosa clinical isolates identified three blaAFM carriers from different STs. Two of them co-carried blaAFM-1 and blaIMP-45. A BLAST search against the NCBI database showed six blaAFM carriers on various plasmids and the chromosomes of different Gram-negative species.Conclusions: The blaAFM-1 gene confers carbapenem resistance and has been captured in distinct species of non-fermenters. Co-carriage of blaAFM-1 and blaIMP-45 in an MDR transposon on a conjugative plasmid can be expected to promote further dissemination of blaMBLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Berberine suppresses advanced glycation end products-associated diabetic retinopathy in hyperglycemic mice To determine whether the inhibitory effect of BBR on VEGF production was mediated by its inhibition of STAT3, we transfected a plasmid encoding constitutively activated STAT3 mutant (STAT3C) into BBR-treated HRECs. The cytotoxicity of BBR on HREC cells was measured by MTT assay and the inhibitory concentration (IC)20 of BBR was calculated as 25.11 M. Doses of BBR lower than the IC20 were considered non-toxic to HREC cells. The formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and AGEs-related signalling pathway activation in the retina leads to the initiation of retinopathy in diabetic patients.1 In this study, we identified the natural compound berberine (BBR) as a potent AGEs inhibitor that significantly suppressed AGEs formation and its related TLR4/STAT3/VEGF signalling pathway in the retina endothelial cells, thus contributing to its therapeutic effect on diabetic retinopathy (DR). [Extracted from the article]

Current clinical agents for autoimmunity disorders treatment often cause substantial adverse effects and safety concerns, owing to non-specific immune modulation. Due to the prominent contribution of effector T cells in pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and preferential location of co-stimulatory receptor-ligand pair OX40-OX40L at the inflamed sites, selectively targeting autoaggressive T cells by blockade OX40-OX40L, might represent an alternative strategy. Herein, we developed a new strategy to antagonize OX40-OX40L interaction by engineering a cell membrane derived nanovesicles (NVs) expressing OX40 receptors (OX40 NVs), and explored their potential for autoimmune disorders therapy. OX40 NVs showed specific binding capability to inflamed HUVECs in vitro, it also possessed distinct arthritic-targeting capacity in RA inflamed joints, and preferential accumulation in IBD inflamed colon. OX40 NVs efficiently suppressed the progression of both RA and IBD diseases through reducing CD4+OX40+ T cells population, and proinflammatory cytokines (i.e. , TNF-α and IL-1β), while reinforcing Tregs immune-suppressive effect, with superior therapeutic efficacy than anti-OX40L. Additionally, dexamethasone (DEX) loading can further enhance the potential of OX40 NVs for RA treatment. Owing to their preferential localization to inflamed sites, and potent immune-suppression ability, targeting OX40-OX40L blockade by OX40 NVs for autoimmune therapy is highly promising. [Display omitted] • Selectively targeting autoaggressive T cells through blockade co-stimulatory OX40-OX40L pair was developed for autoimmune diseases therapy. • OX40 NVs showed distinct arthritic-targeting capacity in RA joints and preferential accumulation in IBD colon. • OX40 NVs treatment alleviated cytokines production, reduced CD4+OX40+ T cells population and reinforced Tregs immune-suppressive effect. • OX40 NVs could also service as vehicles to delivery therapeutics into RA sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A manganese-catalyzed radical relay strategy for the remote trifluoromethylation–peroxidation of unactivated alkenes is disclosed. The electrophilic CF3 group was added to the C＝C double bonds to afford remote C-centered radicals upon 1,5-HAT, which could be efficiently trapped by Mnn+1OOBu-t species to deliver 1,6-difunctionalized products selectively under mild conditions. t-BuOOH serves as both the oxidant and the peroxy precursor in this transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β-Alanine (3-aminopropionic acid) is the only naturally occurring β-type amino acid. Although it is not incorporated into proteins, it has important physiological functions in the metabolism of animals, plants and microorganisms. Furthermore, it has attracted great interest due to its wide usage as a precursor of many significant industrial chemicals for medicine, feed, food, environmental applications and other fields. With the depletion of fossil fuels and concerns regarding environmental issues, biological production of β-alanine has attracted more attention relative to chemical methods. In this review, we first summarize the pathways through which natural microorganisms synthesize β-alanine. Then, the current research progress in the biological synthesis of β-alanine is also elaborated. Finally, we discuss the main problems and challenges in optimizing the biological pathways, offering perspectives on promising new biological approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The irreconcilable contradiction between high performance of photocatalysis and reclamation difficulty of micro/nano photocatalysts is still a barrier for the wide application of photocatalytic technology. In order to increase the efficiency of light utilization and facilitate recycling, visible-light photocatalysts ZnIn 2 S 4 (ZIS) grafted on floating hollow glass microspheres (HGMs) were prepared through a controllable hydrothermal method. The hollow structural composite microspheres were prepared by depositing a layer of ZIS nano-film onto the surface of the coarsening hydroxyl/amino-functionalized HGMs via a chemical self-assembly process. The different pretreatment methods of HGMs resulted in the change in the structure pattern, morphology and photocatalytic activities of the as-prepared ZIS@HGMs composite microspheres. In addition, the possible growth mechanism of the formation process of ZIS@HGMs composite microspheres was proposed. Finally, the as-prepared ZIS@HGMs composite microspheres exhibited an enhanced degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B (RhB) versus ZIS powder under visible light irradiation. The as prepared floating photocatalysts have good dispersibility and could be recycled by simple filtration. The present study provided a promising approach to keep the high performance of photocatalysis as well as efficient recycling of micro/nano photocatalysts. Image 1 • Floating photocatalysts for high light utilization efficiency. • Facile pretreatment of hollow glass microspheres for better grafting of ZnIn 2 S 4. • Uniform coating of ZnIn 2 S 4 nano-sheets with a petal-like structure. • Such products have the properties of lightweight, good dispersibility, easy reclamation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy sharing among different intelligent buildings can improve renewable energy consumption and reduce carbon emission. However, the evaluation of the low carbon value of energy sharing is insufficient. Considering the different percentage of generated power of energy production units on the energy supply side during different periods, this study is the first to use time-of-use carbon emission evaluation factor to calculate the carbon emissions generated by buildings purchasing energy from upper-level networks. Then, an incentive-based carbon reward and punishment model is proposed based on the evaluation model. Meanwhile, operation decision models for different types of intelligent buildings are proposed. The optimal strategies for peer-to-peer energy sharing for intelligent buildings are obtained by the distributed algorithm. Results show that (1) The time-of-use carbon emission evaluation factor can facilitate the change of equipment output and energy consumption plans in buildings, and further improve the benefits of multi-energy sharing. (2) The proposed incentive-based carbon reward and punishment method shows greater advantages in reducing carbon emissions of high carbon emission buildings compared to the traditional carbon reward and punishment method. Although the benefits of some low carbon emission buildings with the proposed method may be sacrificed, CO2 emissions reduce by 7% for the entire building cluster. • It is the first time to propose the energy time-of-use carbon emission evaluation model. • The carbon reward and punishment model can better motivate users to reduce carbon emissions. • The operation decision-making models are formulated for different types of buildings. • A distributed algorithm is proposed to achieve pricing of different types of shared energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accumulating evidence has converged to suggest that childhood trauma may contribute to bipolar disorder (BD). This study aimed to investigate the patterns of childhood trauma among patients with bipolar I (BD-I) and bipolar II (BD-II) disorders, according to DSM-IV and in contrast with healthy volunteers. We also explored whether the relationship between childhood trauma and onset of bipolar disorder is mediated by immature defense mechanisms.Methods: Participants were patients with BD-I (n=44) and BD-II (n = 42), and healthy controls (HCs, n = 43). Childhood traumatic experiences and defense mechanisms were assessed by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ), respectively.Results: BD patients experienced more severe childhood trauma than HCs. Physical neglect sub-score and total score of the CTQ had both direct and indirect effects on the diagnosis of BD-I, and an immature defense style mediated the indirect effects. The diagnosis of BD-II was mainly related to the physical neglect and emotional abuse subs-core and total score of the CTQ, as mediated by the immature defense mechanisms. BD-I and BD-II significantly differed in the emotional abuse sub-score of the CTQ.Conclusions: Physical neglect sub-score and total score of the CTQ were associated with the diagnosis of BD (both BD-I and BD-II), as mediated by an immature defense style. Furthermore, emotional abuse might be an important risk factor for BD-II compared to BD-I. These findings may inform risk reduction and psychosocial intervention strategies to prevent and treat patients with bipolar disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, with the rapid development of urbanization, the ecological and environmental problems of the city have become increasingly serious and have become the focus of the world. The most important issue facing the majority of ecological workers is how to apply the theory of ecology to solve today's problems. The various environmental problems faced in urban life and the sustainable development of the city's ecological civilization. How ecological planning is used to coordinate the relationship between people and the natural environment and natural resources is increasingly gaining attention and expanding the range and scope of its applications. However, as an ecological suitability analysis based on ecological planning, many analytical methods and systems are still being explored and developed due to the geographical complexity and factor diversity involved. In recent years, with the rapid development of computer hardware and software technology, pattern recognition has received more and more attention, pattern recognition and image processing technology has become more and more perfect, and has been successfully applied in more and more fields. This thesis begins to focus on the urban ecological suitability content based on pattern recognition technology and image processing. The main contents of this thesis include: introducing the background of urban ecological suitability and the status quo of ecological suitability analysis and existing research methods. According to the structure of the urban ecosystem and the national standards for the construction of ecological systems and ecological cities, an indicator system for ecological suitability evaluation is established. A pattern recognition system and common pattern recognition and image processing methods are introduced. Based on some common evaluation methods and models, the pattern recognition technology theory and image processing technology are introduced into the urban ecological suitability analysis. Based on the image system theory and vector projection principle, the ecological suitability analysis is established. Associated projection model. The model considers the evaluation sample and the quality standards at each level as vectors, and respectively projects the same vector ideal. Based on establishing the ecological suitability evaluation index system and standards, the ecological suitability was evaluated by using the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of different nitrogen levels (0, 150, and 300 kg hm−2) at booting stage on storage protein biosynthesis and processing quality of wheat was investigated using microstructural and ultrastructural observation, RNA sequencing, and quality analysis in this study. The results showed that the storage protein genes encoding ω- and γ-gliadin and low molecular weight glutenin subunit were upregulated at N150, and the genes encoding α- or β-gliadin and avenin-like protein were upregulated at N300. Two nitrogen levels induced expression of some interesting regulating genes, such as USE1, STX1B_2_3, SEC23, SEC24, SEC61A, HSP A1_8, HSP20, and HSP90B/TRA1. These regulatory genes were enriched in the KEGG pathway protein export, SNARE interactions in vesicular transport, and protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum. The amount, morphology, and accumulation pattern of protein body in four different endosperm regions in developing caryopsis show different response to N150 and N300, of which N300 had greater influence than N150. N150 and N300 both enhanced the contents of protein components, endosperm fullness, grain hardness, and parameters of processing quality, with the latter showing a greater degree of influence. Contrary to the accumulation pattern of protein body, N300 reduced the ratio of the amount of starch granules to the area ratio of protein body to starch granule. Results suggested that the difference of different nitrogen levels affecting storage protein biosynthesis might be through affecting the expression of the encoding and regulating gene of storage protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emission of fine particles from coal-fired power plants could cause many environmental issues. To promote the fine particle removal in coal-fired flue gas, a process involving a double-tower cascade wet flue gas desulfurization system based on heterogeneous water vapor condensation via flue gas temperature reduction between two desulfurization towers is proposed. In the established supersaturated water vapor environment, fine particles could develop into lager condensational-droplets, and then be efficiently removed in the subsequent secondary tower. The results of numerical analysis for this proposed process indicated that it was feasible under most scenarios, and the experimental results showed that the removal efficiency of fine particles in all size ranges could be promoted. Furthermore, the effects of some key operating parameters were also studied, and the results indicated that the total removal efficiency would be promoted by 15–20% and the fine particle emission could be reduced by 30–40% in most cases. Unlabelled Image • An innovative process to promote fine particle removal is proposed. • Supersaturated vapor environment was established between two desulfurization towers. • The promotion of fine particle removal was mainly occurred in secondary desulfurization tower. • Fine particles removal efficiency is influenced by several parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To study the effects of Baishao (White Peony Root, Radix Paeoniae Alba) on liver yin deficiency pattern in mice with alcoholic liver injury and mechanism. Methods ICR mice were randomly divided into blank group, model group, Yiguan Jian ( Effective Integration Decoction, YGJ) group and Baishao group, with 10 mice in each group. Mice models of alcoholic liver injury with liver yin deficiency pattern were established by intragastric administration of Lieber-DeCarli alcohol diet plus thyroid hormone. Meanwhile, the blank group and the model group were given physiological saline by gavage, the YGJ group was given YGJ (9. 07 g/kg, 20 mL/kg) by gavage, and the Baishao group baishao exact (4. 3 g/kg, 20 mL/kg) by gavage. After 28 days, the state of mice in each group was observed, and their body weight, body temperature and heart rate were measured. Levels of transaminase activities, cytokine, enzyme activities related to ethanol and fat metabolism and antioxidant enzyme activities of the serum and liver tissue were detected. Frozen liver sections were examined with Oil Red 0 staining and liver biopsies with H&E staining. Results Compared with the blank group, the weight of the mice in the model group was significantly reduced, the body temperature increased, the heart rate increased, accompanied with symptoms like lusterless hair, tiredness, sleepiness and irritability. The levels of serum ALT, AST, TG, TC and cAMP and levels of liver MDA, CYP2E1, TNF-a, IL-1 (3 and IL-6 in the model group were significantly increased. The serum levels of cGMP and liver tissue levels of SOD, CAT, ADH, ALDH2, IL-10 and IL-1Ra were significantly reduced. In addition, lipid deposition ad hepatocyte necrosis occurred in the liver. Compared with the model group, serum levels of ALT, AST, TG, TC and cAMP in the Baishao group were significantly lowered (P <0. 05), and cGMP levels were significantly increased (P <0. 05). The liver levels of CYP2E1, TNF-a, IL-1 (3 and IL-6 were significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the levels of SOD, CAT, ADH, ALDH2, IL-10 and IL-1 Ra were significantly increased (P <0. 05). Also, the lipid content of the liver tissue was significantly decreased (P <0. 01), and hepatocyte necrosis was reduced. Conclusion Baishao has obvious curative effect on liver yin deficiency pattern caused by alcoholic liver injury. Its mechanism is related to the regulation of cAMP/cGMP levels and cytokine levels, the restoration of normal hepatocyte function and metabolism, enhanced activities of key enzymes and antioxidant enzymes of ethanol metabolism in liver tissue, inhibition of lipid peroxidation and reduction in lipid deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ge–As–Se chalcogenide glasses were prepared and the surface damage characteristics under femtosecond laser irradiation were experimentally investigated. Femtosecond laser beams with different power intensities, focusing depths, pulse repetition rates, and pulse numbers were employed to determine the damage thresholds of the samples. The surface morphologies and feature sizes of the damage craters were studied with regard to laser energy density to evaluate the damage circumstances of the glasses. The generation of the surface damage was also recorded by using different numbers of pulses. Results showed that the damage area increased monotonically with the laser power at low energy density and tended to saturation when reaching a critical value. According to the linear circumstances of laser energy density on the damage crater area, the average damage thresholds of the Ge–As–Se glasses with different repetition rates and pulse numbers were obtained. Results showed that the damage threshold decreased with the increase in pulse repetition rate and number of pulse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Findings: What is the central question of this study?The aim was to investigate the role of μ‐opioid receptors in acute respiratory distress syndrome and whether their protective effect is mediated via the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway.What is the main finding and its importance?Our findings show that activation of μ‐opioid receptors ameliorates lung injury, and the effects are reversed by the PI3K inhibitor, wortmannin. The main pathology of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the accumulation of inflammatory cells in the lung and increased permeability of vascular endothelial cells. The μ‐opioid receptor (MOR) is a G‐protein‐coupled receptor, which stimulates angiogenesis and vascular endothelial cell proliferation. In addition, the MOR inhibits cell apoptosis via the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway. In this study, we aimed to explore the contribution of the MOR in ARDS and whether its effects are mediated via PI3K/Akt signalling. An ARDS model was established by intratracheal instillation of 5 mg kg−1 lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Lung injury was confirmed by Haematoxylin and Eosin staining, lung wet/dry weight ratio, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid protein concentrations, myeloperoxidase activity and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 expression. Lung inflammation was determined by assessment of interleukin‐1β and tumour necrosis factor‐α concentrations. The protein level of p‐Akt was detected by western blot. Endomorphin‐1‐activated MORs attenuated LPS‐induced lung injury, lung wet/dry weight ratio, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid protein concentrations, myeloperoxidase activity, interleukin‐1β and tumour necrosis factor‐α levels and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 expression, and elevated LPS‐induced decreased p‐Akt expression. However, the protective effect of MOR activation on lung injury was reversed by the PI3K inhibitor, wortmannin. In conclusion, MOR involvement in LPS‐induced ARDS is via the PI3K/Akt pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The effect on Ti-6Al-4V alloy grain evolution and mechanical properties of the LMD-WAAM process and laser powers have been studied. • The texture intensity of the α phase gradually increased from RZ to the top-LMD zone and from the WAAM zone to HAZ along the deposition direction. • The tensile fracture of LMD-WAAM samples (1000 W and 1200 W) occurs in the Interface zone, exhibiting apparent ductile fracture characteristics with a small amount of cleavage fracture and pore defects. • In the 1500 W LMD-WAAM sample, the tensile strength of the LMD-WAAM sample (906 MPa) is higher than LMD (897 MPa) but lower than the WAAM sample (920 MPa). Laser melting deposition (LMD) and Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) are representative metal additive manufacturing (AM) technologies. To explore the feasibility of using the LMD-WAAM hybrid process to fabricate large and complex components, a preliminary investigation of Ti6Al4V was conducted. In this study, a WAAMed sample was used as a substrate for the LMD process at different laser powers. The effects of laser power on the grain evolution and mechanical properties of the Ti6Al4V alloy were studied. The results indicated that different thermal histories formed a graded microstructure from the LMD to the WAAM zones. The Electron backscatter diffraction texture intensity of the α phase gradually increased from the remelting zone (RZ) to the top-LMD zone and from the WAAM zone to the heat-affected zone. In the LMD zone, the length of the acicular α decreased and the lamellar α content increased with increasing laser power. Ductile fracture characteristics were apparent with few cleavage fractures and pore defects, which led to different fracture locations. Further, the microhardness of the interface zone exhibited a peak because the microstructure of the RZ was fine, leading to a higher microhardness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thanks to the explosive evolution of 6G, Artificial intelligence, Blockchain, Cloud computing, Data, and Edge computing (6G+ABCDE), it is possible to make Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) more autonomous, intelligent, and efficient. Conventional ITS technologies have been applied and deployed worldwide, and autonomous vehicles have also made a qualitative leap. The revolution of ITS magnitude is on the horizon, and the singularity may happen in the 6G Autonomous Intelligent Transportation Systems (6G-AITS). We indicate that the human-centric transportation system will still be the key to 6G-AITS. The 6G-AITS is a three-dimensional intelligent system, which is driven by data and intelligence, and characterized by sharing and collaboration, thereby achieving the service-oriented demand response. To support this vision, we explore the 6G-AITS changes in terms of system architecture, communication, and resource allocation, as well as its key features. We elaborate on the mechanism and three applications of 6G-AITS. Furthermore, we explore the challenges of 6G-AITS and consider some issues that go beyond technologies that could affect the development of 6G-AITS. Key objective of this work is to provide an exploration of the imperative requirements to develop 6G-AITS and guidance for the research and development of 6G-AITS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ground transportation systems have been applied and deployed worldwide. However, the growing urbanization and vehicular numbers are overwhelming the ground transportation systems. Pushing urban mobility into the third dimension with the potential to build a faster, safer, cleaner, and more comprehensive transportation system. Therefore, we believe that a solution will be found for the future of transportation from the three-dimensional perspective - the sky - which will revolutionize the way we perceive urban transportation - Urban Air Mobility (UAM). Owing to the features of UAM, such as autonomous maneuverability, convenience, mobility and communication, processing, and storage capabilities, that irreplaceability inevitably makes the UAM a key component of the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS). We state that human-centric remains the foundation of UAM. Key objective of this work is to provide an exploration of the imperative requirements to develop UAM and guidance for the research and development of UAM. In this context, we explore the mechanism of UAM in terms of definition, structure, reality, feasibility and key features and present the applications of UAM. Besides, we provide a systematic analysis of the challenges faced by UAM. Finally, we explore beyond technical issues that may hamper the research and deployment of UAM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Oxidative cyclization of 1,6-enynes and arylsulfonylhydrazides. • I 2 O 5 -mediated tandem reaction. • Metal-free and mild condition. • A radical process. A simple I 2 O 5 -mediated method for the construction of sulfonylated benzofurans has been developed under metal-free conditions. The present reaction can be efficiently achieved through the oxidative cyclization of 1,6-enynes and arylsulfonylhydrazides, which provides an attractive approach to a series of sulfonylated benzofurans in moderate to good yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile and efficient visible-light-driven method has been developed to construct sulfoxides via oxidative coupling of aryldiazo sulfones with thiols using the O2 in air as the oxidant. This reaction could be performed at room temperature under catalyst- and additive-free conditions. The present methodology offers a mild and environmentally benign approach to obtain a library of sulfoxides in good yields with favorable functional group tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Preeclampsia (PE) is a leading cause of maternal and perinatal death. Accumulated evidence suggests that many long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are abnormally expressed in placentas from PE patients, and they may play functional roles in the development of PE. The present study aimed to investigate the functional role TUG1 in PE and explore the potential molecular mechanisms. Clinically, the expression of TUG1 in placental tissues from PE and normal controls was determined. In vitro, human trophoblast HTR‐8/SVneo and JAR cells were employed for loss or gain‐of‐function assays. Our results demonstrate that TUG1 was downregulated in PE placental tissues compared with normal controls. Moreover, downregulation of TUG1 inhibited the migration and invasion of trophoblast‐like cells. Bioinformatics analysis and functional assays showed that TUG1 interacted with miR‐204‐5p and negatively regulated the expression and function of miR‐204‐5p in trophoblast cells. Furthermore, TUG1‐mediated migration and invasion of trophoblast cells was regulated by miR‐204‐5p. Together, our results suggested that TUG1 regulates trophoblast migration and invasion partly through sponging miR‐204‐5p, and the TUG1/miR‐204‐5p axis could be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) features advantages such as low cost and high disposition rate, and thus WAAM is a feasible additive manufacturing process. Although some characteristics of WAAM have been documented in the literature, the process stability, structural integrity, component morphology, microstructure, and mechanical properties during WAAM under different arc modes are not comprehensively demonstrated and understood. Here, we performed WAAM experiments with 316L stainless steel under different arc modes and a constant deposition rate, and then we discussed the mechanism and impact of the arc mode on the manufacturing process stability, structural integrity, microstructures, and mechanical properties. The results indicate that the SpeedPulse and SpeedArc additive manufacturing processes are relatively stable, significantly efficient, and structurally sound. Although the deposition rate and scanning speed of SpeedPulse WAAM and SpeedArc WAAM are the same, SpeedArc WAAM has a lower heat input and a higher cooling rate. Therefore, SpeedArc WAAM produces a finer solidification structure than SpeedPulse WAAM. The ultimate tensile strengths of the SpeedPulse and SpeedArc additive manufactured specimens along the horizontal direction are greater than 540 MPa and slightly greater than previously reported results. Due to the lower heat input and finer solidification structure, a component produced by SpeedArc WAAM has greater tensile strength and hardness than a component produced by SpeedPulse WAAM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leakage power of decaps occupies a large portion of total chip leakage power. In this paper we propose an approximate approach to estimate the amount of the required "on" capacitance of each decap at runtime to achieve runtime decap modulation in multicore chips, and further develop two techniques (incremental calculation and sparsification) to improve the approximate approach. Results on a set of benchmarks show that our approach can achieve about 45% saving in decap leakage on average, and the approximate approach can further reduce the computation cost by up to 22× with accuracy loss of less than 1%. • We propose an approximate approach to estimate the demand capacitance of each decap at runtime. • We achieve runtime decap modulation by the idea of Gated decap, which can turn off part of each decap to save leakage power. • We did experiments to show the decap leakage saving and the efficiency of the improvement techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Coupling reaction of haloquinolines with sulfonyl chlorides in water. • Excellent regioselectivity and scale-up synthesis. • Base-, extra activator- and organic solvent-free conditions. • In situ generated zinc bis-sulphinate as sulfone reagent and activator. Abstract A simple and efficient method has been developed for construction of sulfonylated quinolines via coupling of haloquinolines and sulfonyl chlorides in water. The present methodology provides an attractive approach to various sulfonylated quinolines in moderate to good yields with favorable functional group tolerance, which has the advantages of operation simplicity, readily available starting materials, excellent regioselectivity, scale-up synthesis, and organic solvent-free conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]