cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protein hydrolysate reduces the gastrointestinal transit time in preterm infants - a controlled randomised trial

Background: Small preterm infants often develop constipation when fed formula. Hypothesis: Gastrointestinal transit time (GTT) is at least 2 h shorter when protein hydrolysate formula is fed compared with standard formula. Subjects: 15 Preterm infants (gestational age 29(24-32) weeks, birth weight 1241 (660-1900) g, postnatal age 18 (5-54) days) on full enteral feeds (>150 ml/kg/day) were enrolled .Intervention: Randomised allocation to formula with cow's milk protein or protein hydrolysate. Study design: Formula A contained hydrolysed cow's milk protein, formula B native cow's milk protein. The osmolarity was equal. A cross over design was chosen. Adaptive interim analysis was performed when the data of 15 infants had been obtained (two sided Mann-Whitney U test). Results: At the interim analysis median GTT was 12 h shorter with hydrolysate feeding (p=0.0022).Conclusion: Hydrolysed cow's milk protein improved gastrointestinal passage, but randomised trials are required to investigate whether hydrolysate formulas enable a more rapid establishment of full enteral feeding in preterm infants.
Dissolved Organic Carbon Fluxes from Hydropedologic Units in Alaskan Coastal Temperate Rainforest Watersheds

Dissolved organic C (DOC) transfer from the landscape to coastal margins is a key component of regional C cycles. Hydropedology provides a conceptual and observational framework for linking soil hydrologic function to landscape C cycling. We used hydropedology to quantify the export of DOC from the terrestrial landscape and understand how soil temperature and water table fluctuations regulate DOC losses in the C-rich, perhumid coastal temperate rainforest (PCTR) of Alaska. Land cover in the region is dominated by three major hydropedologic units: poor fen, forested wetland, and upland. We instrumented soils and streams in nine hydropedologic units to quantify DOC fluxes. Stream-water DOC concentrations varied from 5.7 to 16.7 mg C L−1. Mean area-weighted DOC fluxes were 24.8, 29.9, and 10.5 g C m−2 yr−1 from the poor fens, forested wetlands, and uplands, respectively. We found that increased soil temperature and frequent fluctuations of soil water tables promoted the export of large quantities of DOC from poor fen and forested wetland units and relatively high amounts of DOC from upland units. The DOC export from the hydropedologic units in the PCTR is among the highest in the world and highlights the importance of terrestrial to aquatic fluxes of DOC as a pathway for C loss in the region.
Structural integrity and thermal stability of TiN/CoSi2 used as local interconnect in a self-aligned CoSi2 process

Abstract The Tin/CoSi 2 /Si structure is of interest for local interconnect applications on Si integrated circuits. The thermal stability of this structure at 850°C is explored for the case where the TiN layer is formed by reactive ion sputtering or by thermal nitridation of a deposited Ti layer. The stability of a Ti/CoSi 2 /Si structure at 850°C also is investigated. AES, thin-film XRD, and cross-sectional TEM are employed to identify the nitridation and interface reaction products, their structure and composition, phase sequence and layer morphology. It is found that un-nitrided Ti reacts with both the CoSi 2 and the underlying Si. The XRD data suggest the formation of TiSi 2 and the interletallic Co 2 Ti compound.
Microbial activity and soil respiration under nitrogen addition in Alaskan boreal forest

Climate warming could increase rates of soil organic matter turnover and nutrient mineralization, particularly in northern high-latitude ecosystems. However, the effects of increasing nutrient availability on microbial processes in these ecosystems are poorly understood. To determine how soil microbes respond to nutrient enrichment, we measured microbial biomass, extracellular enzyme activities, soil respiration, and the community composition of active fungi in nitrogen (N) fertilized soils of a boreal forest in central Alaska. We predicted that N addition would suppress fungal activity relative to bacteria, but stimulate carbon (C)-degrading enzyme activities and soil respiration. Instead, we found no evidence for a suppression of fungal activity, although fungal sporocarp production declined significantly, and the relative abundance of two fungal taxa changed dramatically with N fertilization. Microbial biomass as measured by chloroform fumigation did not respond to fertilization, nor did the ratio of fungi : bacteria as measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. However, microbial biomass C : N ratios narrowed significantly from 16.0 ± 1.4 to 5.2 ± 0.3 with fertilization. N fertilization significantly increased the activity of a cellulose-degrading enzyme and suppressed the activities of protein- and chitin-degrading enzymes but had no effect on soil respiration rates or 14C signatures. These results indicate that N fertilization alters microbial community composition and allocation to extracellular enzyme production without affecting soil respiration. Thus, our results do not provide evidence for strong microbial feedbacks to the boreal C cycle under climate warming or N addition. However, organic N cycling may decline due to a reduction in the activity of enzymes that target nitrogenous compounds.
Thallium(I) bis(mercaptoimidazolyl)borates

Thallium(I) bis(mercaptoimidazolyl)borates Tl(Bm R ) (R = Me, Bz, Bu', p-Tol) have been conveniently obtained in a one-pot reaction by metathesis of thallium(I) acetate and the corresponding sodium derivatives Na(Bm R ), in turn generated in high yield from NaBH 4 and the appropriate 2-mercapto-1-alkylimidazoles. In contrast to polymeric Tl(Bm M e ), the tert-butyl-substituted complex Tl(Bm t B u ) consists of discrete dimeric molecules in the solid state, as determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and is highly soluble in aromatic hydrocarbons.
Conceptual precursors to language

Because human languages vary in sound and meaning, children must learn which distinctions their language uses. For speech perception, this learning is selective: initially infants are sensitive to most acoustic distinctions used in any language, and this sensitivity reflects basic properties of the auditory system rather than mechanisms specific to language; however, infants' sensitivity to non-native sound distinctions declines over the course of the first year. Here we ask whether a similar process governs learning of word meanings. We investigated the sensitivity of 5-month-old infants in an English-speaking environment to a conceptual distinction that is marked in Korean but not English; that is, the distinction between 'tight' and 'loose' fit of one object to another. Like adult Korean speakers but unlike adult English speakers, these infants detected this distinction and divided a continuum of motion-into-contact actions into tight- and loose-fit categories. Infants' sensitivity to this distinction is linked to representations of object mechanics that are shared by non-human animals. Language learning therefore seems to develop by linking linguistic forms to universal, pre-existing representations of sound and meaning.
Counselor Competence With Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients: Differences Among Practice Settings

Counselors from school and community practice, counseling students, and counselor educators (N= 468) participated in this study of competence to serve lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients. Participants reported high LGB-affirmative attitudes but lower knowledge and skills. School counselors reported significantly lower LGB competence than did counselors in other settings. Implications include the importance of graduate and postgraduate training to improve LGB knowledge and skills and the hope that LGB-affirmative attitudes suggest receptivity toward such growth. Consejeros que trabajan en practicas escolares y de comunidad, estudiantes de consejeria y educadores de consejeria (N= 468) participaron en este estudio sobre la competencia para servir a clientes lesbianas, gays y bisexuales (LGB). Los participantes comunicaron un nivel elevado de actitudes afirmativas hacia LGB, pero menores conocimientos y habilidades. Los consejeros escolares indicaron niveles de competencia en LGB significativamente menores que los consejeros en otros escenarios. Las implicaciones incluyen la importancia de la formacion de estudiantes de grado y posgrado para mejorar sus conocimientos y habilidades sobre LGB y la esperanza de que las actitudes afirmativas hacia LGB sugieren receptividad hacia dicha formacion.
Market-Based Generation and Transmission Planning With Uncertainties

This paper presents a stochastic coordination of generation and transmission expansion planning model in a competitive electricity market. The Monte Carlo simulation method is applied to consider random outages of generating units and transmission lines as well as inaccuracies in the long-term load forecasting. The scenario reduction technique is introduced for reducing the computational burden of a large number of planning scenarios. The proposed model assumes a capacity payment mechanism and a joint energy and transmission market for investors' costs recovery. The proposed approach simulates the decision making behavior of individual market participants and the ISO. It is an iterative process for simulating the interactions among GENCOs, TRANSCOs and ISO. The iterative process might be terminated by the ISO based on a pre-specified stopping criterion. The case studies illustrate the applications of proposed stochastic method in a coordinated generation and transmission planning problem when considering uncertainties.
Electrochemical studies of lithium intercalation in titanium and tantalum dichalcogenides

Abstract Electrochemical intercalation studies of lithium in TayTi1-yS2 and 2H-TaS2 reveal two phase formation in the tantalum-rich materials. These results supply evidence for the collective distortion of the host and guest and provide an explanation for the observance of very narrow voltage-composition relations in some intercalation cathodes. The Li/2H-TaS2 couple is an example of both two-phase and single phase product formation in a single intercalation compound.
Use of a Novel Receptor-Targeted (CD206) Radiotracer, 99mTc-Tilmanocept, and SPECT/CT for Sentinel Lymph Node Detection in Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Initial Institutional Report in an Ongoing Phase 3 Study

Importance: Sentinel lymph node biopsy has been proposed as an alternative to up-front elective neck dissection (END) for determination of pathologic nodal status in patients undergoing surgical treatment for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) with clinically negative neck (cN0). Sentinel lymph node biopsy using current standard tracer agents and imaging adjuncts such as radiolabeled sulfur-colloid and planar lymphoscintigraphy (LS), however, is associated with several drawbacks. Objective: To assess the preliminary utility of technetium Tc 99m (99mTc)-tilmanocept, a novel molecular imaging agent for sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping, in OSCC. Design, setting, and participants: Prospective, nonrandomized, single-arm, part of an ongoing phase 3 clinical trial. Patients had previously untreated, clinically and radiographically node-negative OSCC (T1-4aN0M0) at an academic tertiary referral center. Interventions: Patients received a single dose of 50 µg 99mTc-tilmanocept injected peritumorally followed by dynamic planar LS and fused single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) prior to surgery. Surgical intervention consisted of excision of the primary tumor and radioguided SLN dissection followed by planned END. The excised lymph nodes (SLNs and non-SLNs) underwent histopathologic evaluation for presence of metastatic disease. Main outcomes and measures: False-negative rate and negative predictive value of SLNB using 99mTc-tilmanocept and comparison of planar LS with SPECT/CT in SLN localization. Results: Twelve of 20 patients (60%) had metastatic neck disease on pathologic examination. All 12 had at least 1 SLN positive for metastases. No patients had a positive END node who did not have at least 1 positive SLN. These data yield a false-negative rate of 0% and negative predictive value of 100% using 99mTc-tilmanocept in this setting. Dynamic planar LS and SPECT/CT revealed a mean (range) number of hot spots per patient of 2.9 (1-7) and 3.7 (1-12), respectively. Compared with planar LS, SPECT/CT identified additional putative SLNs in 11 of 20 cases (55%). Conclusions and relevance: The high negative predictive value and low false-negative rate in identification of occult metastases shows 99mTc-tilmanocept to be a promising agent in SLN identification in patients with OSCC. Use of SPECT/CT improves preoperative SLN localization including delineation of SLN locations near the primary tumor when compared with planar LS imaging. Trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00911326.
A hands-on course on wireless and mobile systems design

While we cannot make every student an expert on all topics from the wireless channel to mobile application design, we can provide students with a critical understanding of the context for their work in different aspects of wireless systems. We describe the design and development of a hands-on course on wireless and mobile systems design offered at Virginia Tech, integrating topics in wireless networking and mobile computing. Students conduct laboratory experiments and design projects that cover a broad spectrum of issues (from cochannel interference and medium access to routing and addressing, middleware support and mobile application design) that directly affect mobile computing. We describe the structure of the course, outline lecture topics and hands-on exercises, and summarize student feedback to the first offering of the course.
Time synchronization for Wireless Sensor Networks operating in extreme temperature conditions

This paper presents an implementation of a new time synchronization scheme for energy efficient Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN). This scheme, called Sliding Clock Synchronization (SCS) is able to compensate for static and dynamic drifts in the frequencies of crystals used in the WSN nodes. As power is a very scarce and critical resource in most WSN, a tight synchronization scheme can drastically reduce power consumption thereby increasing the life of a WSN. Moreover, an accurate and reliable synchronization scheme enables the WSN to be used in applications that require tight synchronization for precise event and data correlation. While the SCS scheme can be used under any conditions, special attention in this paper is given to the performance of the SCS when employed in WSN operating in an environment with extreme environmental variations.
Field Training for Rural Public Health Nurses

With the expansion of public health nursing beyond cities into rural areas, leaders in nursing education early on recognized the need for additional training to prepare nurses for the rural experience. To this end, nursing faculty at Teachers College, Columbia University developed a pilot program designed to prepare nurses for work in rural areas. These leaders recognized the unique conditions confronting the rural public health nurse in her daily work, including distances to be covered, isolation, and the dearth of facilities for health work. The pilot program discussed in this reprint, published in The Public Health Nurse in 1925, describes the genesis of this project, and the collaborative relationship that was developed with Dutchess County, a rural county about 2 hours north of New York City, to provide practical experiences for students. The project included a series of lectures on rural health issues and rural nursing, as well as field work that included school nursing, and nursing care of special populations such as tuberculosis and maternal and child health, as well as experiences in population-based nursing akin to what we think of as community development today.
The Better I Teach The Less My Students Learn

Student evaluations are widely used to judge how well a professor is teaching. However, because students have little prior knowledge of the subject matter, their view of “good teaching” may be more tied to how well they like the teacher. Therefore, this paper suggests that the relationship between teaching and learning may actually be negative. By teaching “well”, do we rob our students of the opportunity to learn?
Developing large-scale field-programmable analog arrays

Summary form only given. Field-programmable analog arrays (FPAAs) provide a method for rapidly prototyping analog systems. Currently available commercial and academic FPAAs are typically based on operational amplifiers (or other similar analog primitives) with only a few computational elements per chip. While their specific architectures vary, their small sizes and often restrictive interconnect designs leave current FPAAs limited in functionality, flexibility, and usefulness. We explore the use of floating-gate devices as the core programmable element in a large-scale FPAA with applications in signal processing emphasized. An FPAA architecture is presented that offers increased functionality and flexibility in realizing analog signal processing systems, and experimental data from a testbed FPAA is shown. In addition, mainstream signal processing systems are discussed that can be effectively implemented on large-scale reconfigurable analog devices thereby realizing dramatic savings in power over traditional digital solutions and improved time-to-market over traditional analog designs.
Plant senescence: A mechanism for nutrient release in temperate agricultural wetlands

The beneficial uptake of nutrients by wetland plants is countered to some extent by nutrient release back into the aquatic environment due to vegetative die-back. This current study examined whether Leersia oryzoides, a common wetland plant, exhibits luxury uptake of nutrients from simulated farm runoff. The study also tested whether with subsequent decomposition, these nutrients are released back into the water column. When exposed to elevated (>2 mg/L N and P) runoff, L. oryzoides assimilated significantly higher concentrations of nitrogen ( p < 0.001) and phosphorus ( p < 0.001) in above-ground biomass as compared to non-enriched treatments (<0.05 mg/L N and P). Subsequently, senescence of enriched above-ground biomass yielded significantly higher concentrations of phosphorus (2.19 � 0.84 mg P/L). Using L. oryzoides as our model, this study demonstrates nitrogen and phosphorus sequestration during the growing season and release of phosphorus in the winter. 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Detection of plasmid-mediated class C β-lactamases

Plasmid-mediated class C β-lactamases are reported from Enterobacteriaceae with increasing frequency. They likely originate from chromosomal AmpC of certain Gram-negative bacterial species and subsequently are mobilized onto transmissible plasmids. There are reports of unfavorable clinical outcomes in patients infected with these organisms and treated with broad-spectrum cephalosporins. However, unlike class A extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), no screening and confirmatory tests have been uniformly established for strains that produce class C β-lactamases. Reduced susceptibility to cefoxitin is a sensitive but not specific indicator of class C β-lactamase production. Simple confirmatory tests including tests using boronic acid compounds as specific class C β-lactamase inhibitors have recently been developed. Their utilization will enable clinical microbiology laboratories to report those strains producing plasmid-mediated class C β-lactamases as being resistant to all broad-spectrum cephalosporins, thus allowing physicians to prescribe appropriate antimicrobial therapy.
Potential of glyburide to reduce intracerebral edema in brain metastases

Metastatic disease to the brain results in significant morbidity because of edema in the central nervous system. Current anti-edema therapies are either expensive or result in unwanted long-term side effects. Sulfonylurea receptor 1 (Sur1) is a transmembrane protein that, when activated in the central nervous system, allows for unregulated sodium influx into cells, a process that has been linked to cytotoxic edema formation in ischemic stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and, most recently, brain metastases. In this focused review, we explore preclinical data linking Sur1 channel formation to development of edema and reference evidence suggesting that the antidiabetic sulfonylurea drug glyburide (a Sur1 inhibitor) is an inexpensive and well-tolerated agent that can be clinically tested to reduce or prevent malignancy and/or treatment-associated edema.
Flocculation of illite/kaolinite and illite/montmorillonite mixtures as affected by sodium adsorption ratio and pH

The effect of electrolyte concentration, exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), sodium ad- sorption ratio (SAR), and pH on the flocculation-dispersion behavior of 50/50 mixtures of reference illite with reference kaolinite or reference montmorillonite was investigated. The clays were Na- or Ca-saturated and freeze-dried before use. Critical coagulation concentrations (CCCs) were investigated in the range of pH 5.9 to 9.6, percent Na-clay 0, 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 and SAR 0, 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, and co. CCC values increased with increasing ESP, increasing SAR, and increasing pH. The pH dependence of illite/kaolinite was greater than that ofillite/montmorillonite especially at high ESP and SAR. The presence of illite did not play a dominant role in determining flocculation-dispersion behavior of the 50/50 clay mixtures. The CCCs of illite/kaolinite resembled reference illite more than reference kaolinite for SAR 0 to SAR 60. Illite/montmorillonite exhibited CCCs more similar to reference illite than reference mont- morillonite at SAR 40 and SAR 60. At the agriculturally desirable ESP and SAR values of 0 to 15, all the 2:1 clays and 2:1 clay mixtures demonstrated similar CCC values.
Set variational inequalities

In this paper, we formulate variational inequality problems defined by point to set mappings (SVI). Constructive and nonconstructive proofs for the existence of the solutions of the SVI are discussed. Moreover, we show how the well known Circumscribed Ellipsoid Method can be used to find approximate solutions to the SVI defined by monotone mappings. Thereby, we would like to mention that at each iteration we do not need to find subgradients to construct planes which do not cut off the solution. We study also the connection between the SVI and saddle point problems. Finally, a method for solving nonmonotone variational inequality problems will be considered.
Autoscaling software JPEG decoder for embedded systems

This paper presents an autoscaling software JPEG decoder with very small memory footprint. An efficient Huffman table processing and fast IDCT calculations make it suitable for embedded systems. Decoding is achieved by processing one MCU at a time and storing it immediately in frame buffer, instead of processing full image strip. There are three modes of downscaling, where 1/8 is extremely fast since it completely bypasses time-consuming decoding operations. Decoder is implemented on microcontroller ARM Cortex M4 using some SIMD instructions for fixed point operations.
A Comparative Study of Legislative Investigations: England, France, and Weimar Germany

In practically every country the right of the legislature to conduci investigations has been challenged. The legal power to compel wit nesses to testify and to punish them for contempt has been assailed as a violation of civil liberties and the right to privacy and th( administration has usually contended that it had the right to with hold information in the public interest. Against these contentiomn the legislature has usually argued that investigations are necessary to accumulate information so as to make it possible for the parliament to legislate intelligently, to keep the administration sensitive to pub. lic opinion, and to discover and present the facts so that the electorate can pass judgment upon the government and its policies. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of legislative investigations in England, France, and Weimar Germany, and to compare the experiences in these countries with those of the United States.
Magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of iron substituted holmium chromite and dysprosium chromite

In this work, HoCrO3 and Fe substituted HoCrO3 and DyCrO3 (i.e. HoCr0.7Fe0.3O3 and DyCr0.7Fe0.3O3) powder samples were synthesized via a solution route. The structural properties of the samples were examined by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques, which were further confirmed using the first-principle calculations. The dc magnetic measurements indicate that the Cr3+ ordering temperatures for the HoCrO3, HoCr0.7Fe0.3O3, and DyCr0.7Fe0.3O3 samples were 140 K, 174 K, and 160 K, respectively. The ac magnetic measurements not only confirmed the Cr3+ ordering transitions in these samples (obtained using dc magnetic measurements), but also clearly showed the Ho3+ ordering at ∼10 K in the present HoCrO3 and HoCr0.7Fe0.3O3 samples, which to our knowledge, is the first ac magnetic evidence of Ho3+ ordering in this system. The effective magnetic moments were determined to be 11.67μB, 11.30μB, and 11.27μB for the HoCrO3, HoCr0.7Fe0.3O3, and DyCr0.7Fe0.3O3 samples, respectively. For the first time, the magnetocaloric properties of HoCrO3 and HoCr0.7Fe0.3O3 were studied here, showing their potential for applications in magnetic refrigeration. In an applied dc magnetic field of 7 T, the maximum values of magnetic entropy change were determined to be 7.2 (at 20 K), 6.83 (at 20 K), and 13.08 J kg−1 K−1 (at 5 K) and the relative cooling power were 408, 387, and 500 J kg−1 for the HoCrO3, HoCr0.7Fe0.3O3, and DyCr0.7Fe0.3O3 samples, respectively.
Semantic Voids, New Testament Translation, and Anachronism

This essay addresses the problem of theologically-inflected English translation choices of the New Testament, and how those translations come to bear in theologically disinterested scholarship on Christian beginnings. As a case study I examine the ubiquitous rendering of ekklesia as “church” in Paul’s letters. I argue that Paul was not referring to Christian churches, but to the “day of the ekklesia” in the Septuagint, when God’s people gathered at Sinai/Horeb. Paul is not making Christians out of pagans; he is making quasi-Judeans out of gentiles. Rendering ekklesia as “church” inscribes Christian essentialism into Paul’s letters, and masks what Paul is actually doing with this word. The bridging of Greek-to-English semantic voids on the part of translators and New Testament scholars is a consistent problem that frustrates advancements in Pauline studies, and in studies of the religions of the Roman Empire more generally.
Ovarian Cystadenoma in a Trafficked Patient.

The topic of child sex trafficking is receiving increased attention both in the lay press and in research articles. Recently, a number of physician organizations have issued policy statements calling for the education and involvement of physicians in combating this form of “modern-day slavery.” Primary care and emergency medicine physicians have led these efforts, but a number of these victims may present to surgeons. Surgeons are in a unique position to identify trafficked patients; during the process of undraping, intubation, and surgical preparation, signs of trafficking such as tattoos, scars, dental injuries, and bruising may be evident. In addition, these patients may have specific needs in terms of anesthesia and postoperative care due to substance abuse. Here, we report the case of an 18-year-old girl with a history of sexual exploitation who presents for cystadenoma excision. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a sex-trafficked pediatric patient presenting for surgery.
METHOD FOR PREDICTION OF BAR FORMATION AND MIGRATION

A computational model based on sediment conservation and transport equations is presented. The bottom shear stress associated with breaking waves is the primary forcing function for the model. A breaking wave model is used to calculate distributions of wave height and mean water level setup across the surf zone and the profile elevations are updated at the end of every time step for each grid across the profile. Examples of the model prediction using large wave tank data are presented. The results of the tests are encouraging for the prediction of bar formation and migration.
Follow-up of sublingual desensitization therapy in children with asthma

Aim:To analyze the effects and duration time of dust mite-specific sublingual immunotherapy in children with asthma.Methods:Two hundred asthma children with positive skin brick tests of dust mite from Jan.2007 to Jun.2008 were chosen and divided into two groups:desensitization group(dust mite-specific sublingual desensitization based on the routine treatment)and control group(only routine treatment).The 2 groups were followed up for twenty-eight months in order to assess the effect of the desensitization.Results:Compared with control group,the response rate of desensitization group treated by desensitization for 1.5 to 2 years was higher.There was significant difference between the two groups(χ2 were 23.595 and 41.512,P0.001).The response rate for the desensitization group had no significantly statistical difference between 1.5 years and 2 years therapy(χ2=2.253,P=0.133).Conclusion:The sublingual dust mite desensitization therapy is safe and reliable in the prevention and treatment of the asthma in children who are allergic to dust mite,and the latest duration time should be 1.5 years.
Medium voltage (≥ 2.3 kV) high frequency three-phase two-level converter design and demonstration using 10 kV SiC MOSFETs for high speed motor drive applications

High speed variable frequency motor drives are required for marine applications, compressors for oil and gas industries, wind energy generation systems etc. Traditionally, low voltage high speed motor drives are used in such applications. This results in large currents at high power levels leading to large copper loss in the motor winding. Therefore, medium voltage (MV) drives are being considered. The silicon (Si) based MV drives need gears to increase the speed due to low switching frequency operation of Si devices in the converter. Gears reduce both efficiency and power density. With the development of 10 kV SiC MOSFET, high switching frequency at MV is possible, which has enabled the scope of high power density MV direct drive variable speed controlled motors. In this paper, the design of a three-phase, 2-level, ≥ 2.3 kV MV, high frequency converter based on 10 kV SiC MOSEFT is explained. Performance analysis is presented along with experimental demonstration.
Educating American Citizens

When Benjamin Rush called in 1786 for an American education that would transform young men into “republican machines,” he articulated both a Utopian vision and an actual intellectual project.1 A 1760 graduate of the College of New Jersey, Rush was a statesman, physician, and professor of medicine in Philadelphia until his death in 1813. He also served as a friend, mentor, correspondent, and conscience to many of his former classmates, colleagues, and students. Few issues of his day escaped his attention. Yet none engaged him more thoroughly and consistently than the need to create a unified system of republican education in America.2
The proposed use of cervical spinal cord stimulation for the treatment and prevention of cognitive decline in dementias and neurodegenerative disorders

Cervical spinal cord stimulation is a well-established treatment for intractable neuropathic upper extremity pain. More than 20years ago it was demonstrated that cervical spinal cord stimulation could engender an increase in cerebral blood flow. Cerebral blood flow has been shown to be decreased in many patients with dementia and in various neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, there is evidence that reduced cerebral blood flow worsens neurodegenerative disease and may also predict which patients progress from mild cognitive impairment to full blown Alzheimer's disease. Thus, the identification of decreased cerebral blood flow in patients with early cognitive problems may offer clinicians a window of opportunity to intervene and prevent further brain damage. Further evidence that supports augmenting cerebral blood flow as an effective strategy for preventing and treating cognitive brain dysfunction comes from experimental studies with omental transposition. The author proposes cervical spinal cord stimulation as a titratable, programmable extracranial neuromodulation technique to increase cerebral blood flow for the purposes of improving cognitive function and preventing cognitive deterioration in patients with dementias and neurodegenerative disorders.
The Link between Continuous and Pulsed Signals—Sampling and Digitization

We usually think of two distinct sorts of transmission: the transmission of continuous signals such as ssb, am, or fm signals, and the transmission of discrete, successive pulses.
PAXX promotes KU accumulation at DNA breaks and is essential for end-joining in XLF-deficient mice.

Non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) is the most prominent DNA double strand break (DSB) repair pathway in mammalian cells. PAXX is the newest NHEJ factor, which shares structural similarity with known NHEJ factors—XRCC4 and XLF. Here we report that PAXX is dispensable for physiological NHEJ in otherwise wild-type mice. Yet Paxx−/− mice require XLF and Xlf−/− mice require PAXX for end-ligation. As such, Xlf−/−Paxx−/− mice display severe genomic instability and neuronal apoptosis, which eventually lead to embryonic lethality. Despite their structural similarities, only Xlf−/− cells, but not Paxx−/− cells require ATM/DNA-PK kinase activity for end-ligation. Mechanistically, PAXX promotes the accumulation of KU at DSBs, while XLF enhances LIG4 recruitment without affecting KU dynamics at DNA breaks in vivo. Together these findings identify the molecular functions of PAXX in KU accumulation at DNA ends and reveal distinct, yet critically complementary functions of PAXX and XLF during NHEJ. Non-homologous end-joining is the key pathway for repairing double-stranded DNA breaks in mammalian cells. Here the authors show that PAXX promotes the accumulation of KU at DNA breaks and is essential for end-joining in cells lacking XLF.
Dietary and physical activity behaviors of adults with developmental disabilities and their direct support professional providers.

Abstract Background People with developmental disabilities lead more sedentary lifestyles, consume poorer diets, as well as have higher rates of chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease when compared to members of the general population. Direct support professionals play a large social role in the lives of their clients with developmental disabilities, and thus have the ability to influence the health behaviors of their clients. Objectives The overall purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the dietary and physical activity behaviors of direct support professionals and their clients with developmental disabilities, as well as to assess how direct support professionals facilitate the health behaviors of their clients. Methods A statewide random sample of direct support professionals (n = 398) completed an online survey about their own dietary/physical activity behaviors and these same health behaviors of their adult clients with developmental disabilities. Pearson/Spearman correlations were used to examine the relationship between the health behaviors of direct support professionals and their clients with developmental disabilities. Results Small-to-moderate correlations (ρ or r = 0.127–0.333) between direct support professionals' and clients' behaviors existed for all dietary and physical activity health behaviors except for participation in some sort of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each week (ρ = 0.098, p = 0.06). Conclusions Direct support professionals appear to play a role in the dietary/physical activity behaviors of their clients; however, future research on this topic should also include other key members of the social networks of adults with developmental disabilities such as family members, roommates, and day-habilitation providers.
Ocular Manifestations of Child Abuse

Ophthalmic manifestations of child abuse can be seen in the form of physical abuse, neglect and noncompliance, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse. This chapter reviews these forms of abuse and their ocular manifestations. Ophthalmologists are a key component of the multidisciplinary team and may be the first to recognize abuse and neglect or act as consultants describing the ocular findings and their forensic significance.
Agricultural water allocation efficiency in a developing country canal irrigation system

There is ample evidence that canal systems often fail to reach their design capacity. This study argues that inefficient allocation of water within canals is one cause. This study collects precise measures of farm-level water withdrawals using flow meters in a canal in Pakistan. These data reveal that farmers near the head of the canal get more canal water than farmers near the tail, even accounting for conveyance efficiency. The results suggest that improvements in canal water management would yield efficiency gains for the canal.
Supracondylar Humeral Nonunions

Nonunions of the distal humerus often lead to pain and stiffness of the forearm, elbow, and shoulder and are at times difficult to treat. A thorough assessment of the patient and of the local environment must be carried out in an effort to identify and reverse contributing factors. The assessment of the nonunion itself should include a detailed physical examination of the limb, radiographic imaging of the elbow and humerus (plain radiographs, and, on occasion, computed tomography scan) and laboratory investigations to determine whether or not an infection is present (complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein). Occasionally, nuclear labeled scanning of the area is indicated, particularly if there is evidence of an infection. The use of magnetic resonance imaging has not been shown to help in the assessment and treatment of supracondylar nonunions. Treatment of supracondylar humeral nonunions should follow the development of an all-encompassing preoperative plan. This plan should anticipate the need for careful removal of often failed implants; freshening of the nonunion surfaces; reduction with re-establishment of limb length, alignment, and rotation; and stable internal fixation with or without the addition of autogenous bone graft or other osteoconductive or osteoinductive materials based upon the nature of the nonunion and the adequacy of the surrounding soft tissues. If an infection is present, then definitive treatment should be carried out in at least two stages and include prolonged administration of bacterial-specific systemic antibiotics. Additionally, residual stiffness of the elbow, forearm, and shoulder should be addressed at the time of definitive fixation.
Incorporation of a Ligand Peptide for Immune Inhibitory Receptor LAIR‐1 on Biomaterial Surfaces Inhibits Macrophage Inflammatory Responses

Leukocyte-associated immunoglobulin-like receptor-1 (LAIR-1) is an inhibitory receptor broadly expressed on immune cells, with its ligands residing within the extracellular matrix protein collagen. In this study, surfaces are modified with a LAIR-1 ligand peptide (LP), and it is observed that macrophages cultured on LAIR-1 LP-conjugated surfaces exhibit significantly reduced secretion of inflammatory cytokines in response to proinflammatory stimuli that reflect an injured environment. These downregulated mediators include TNF-α, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, MIP-2, RANTES, and MIG. Knockdown of LAIR-1 using siRNA abrogates this inhibition of cytokine secretion, supporting the specificity of the inhibitory effect to this receptor. These results are the first to demonstrate that integration of LAIR-1 ligands with biomaterials could suppress inflammatory responses.
Predictors of Endometrial Ablation Failure

Heavy menstrual bleeding is well defined as regular, cyclic, ovulatory bleeding that is excessive enough for a woman to disrupt her quality of life. In 2011, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) revised the classification system of reasons for abnormal uterine bleeding, including heavy menses. The acronym used is PALM-COEIN (Table 47.1) [1]. An annual prevalence rate of 53 per 1000 women for abnormal uterine bleeding has been reported by a US population-based study of women aged 18–50 years [2]. This high prevalence can lead to a burden in women’s health and quality of life along with health care costs if the appropriate therapeutic modality is not chosen.
Single-Visit Surgery Offers Added Convenience and Excellent Family Satisfaction.

Abstract Background The traditional model for elective ambulatory surgical care includes three separate visits to the surgeon: an initial consultation, a second for outpatient surgery, and a third for postoperative follow-up. Single-Visit Surgery (SVS) is an alternative model of ambulatory surgical care that consolidates care into a single appointment where patients with straightforward surgical problems are evaluated in the morning and undergo a surgical procedure later that same afternoon. In April 2016, SVS was introduced at a tertiary-care freestanding children's hospital. Our objective for this study was to evaluate our early experience and conduct a survey of our patient's caregivers to evaluate their satisfaction with SVS. Materials and methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients that were seen as part of SVS from April 2016 through December 2016. Data collected included demographics, diagnoses, procedures performed, clinical outcomes, and distance traveled to the hospital. In addition, adult caregivers of SVS patients were asked to participate in a telephone survey. Results There were 43 patients seen through SVS during the study period. The median age was 7 y. Of the 43 patients evaluated through SVS, 40 (93%) of them underwent surgery. Of the 40 patients that had surgery, 27 (68%) of the families participated in the telephone survey. Of those responding, 93% were strongly satisfied, and 7% were satisfied with the care through SVS. All families said they would recommend the SVS program to a friend. Conclusions SVS is an alternative model of ambulatory surgical care that adds convenience to the patient experience and results in excellent family satisfaction.
TSH-Secreting Pituitary Tumors

TSH-secreting pituitary tumors represent one major group of the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of TSH (1). This syndrome is defined as inappropriately measurable or elevated concentrations of TSH in the presence of increased total and free serum thyroid hormones, and is comprised of both neoplastic and non-neoplastic variants. Neoplastic TSH production by a pituitary tumor may occur in the setting of either a microadenoma or macroadenoma and may be associated with the production of other hormones, particularly growth hormone and prolactin. Because of increased awareness of physicians, these tumors are being recognized with increasing frequency. Currently, over 40 cases have been reported in the literature, and we have seen or are aware of several additional unreported cases.
Injury Prevention Education in the Waiting Room of an Underserved Pediatric Primary Care Clinic.

Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of childhood mortality in the United States. Study aims included educating families about injury prevention and improving satisfaction with the waiting ...
Exploiting Spatial Signatures of Power ENF Signal for Measurement Source Authentication

Electric Network Frequency (ENF) signals are the signatures of power systems that are either directly recorded from the power outlets or extracted from multimedia recordings near the electrical activities. Variations of ENF signals collected at different locations possess local environmental characteristics, which can be used as a potential fingerprint for authenticating measurements’ source information. Within this paper is proposed a computational intelligence-based framework to recognize the source locations of power ENF signals within a distribution network in the US. To be more specific, a set of informative location-sensitive signatures from ENF measurements are initially extract with such measurements representative of local grid characteristics. Then these distinctive location-dependent signatures are further fed into a data mining algorithm yielding the “source-of-origin” of ENF measurements. Experimental results using ENF data at multiple intra-grid locations have validated the proposed methodology.
Neoliberal Threats to Local Governance in South Sudan

This piece examines how neoliberal projects in the international development sector are effecting community and local governance in South Sudan. Neoliberal policies, when applied to development at the community level, often removes the national government as a key stakeholder at the decision-making table, or at the very least minimizes its role and responsibilities. The literature on neoliberalism within international development in South Sudan is severely lacking, which is problematic given the significant amount of money being invested in the country by private companies, NGOs, the United Nations and donor countries. The increasing dependency on international stakeholders for social and economic development, as well as the creation of governance institutions, is presenting a neoliberal threat to the stake of South Sudan’s communities in their country’s governance at the local level. I discuss two key examples in South Sudan: the World Bank Local Service Delivery Project and the Girls Education South Sudan (GESS) program. I end by discussing the implications of leaving this phenomenon unaddressed in research and policy.
Mate poaching strategies are differentially associated with pathological personality traits and risk-taking in men and women

Abstract Prior research has evaluated which personality traits predict mate poaching behavior (i.e., attempts to attract an individual known to be in a relationship with another person) by soliciting retrospective reports of mate poaching success. Here we investigate differences in personality among those who are presently within poached versus non-poached relationships. Furthermore, we distinguish relationships wherein the poacher was physically intimate with versus romantically interested in their partner when they were in a relationship with another person. Men within poached relationships scored higher on detachment, negative affectivity, disinhibition, antagonism, and psychoticism compared to non-poacher men. Furthermore, men who had been physically intimate with their partner while their partner was in a relationship with someone else scored higher on ethical risk-taking compared to non-poacher men. Women within poached relationships had higher scores on antagonism, detachment, and ethical risk-taking compared to non-poachers, although female poachers scored similarly to non-poacher men on all measures. These results suggest that individuals may use distinct mate poaching strategies associated with varying degrees of risk, and that men and women may employ these strategies differently.