cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A case report of a congenital left subcostal hernia in a neonate.

We present an unusual case of a congenital left subcostal hernia in a female born at 39 weeks by caesarean delivery to a 39 year-old gravida2para1-2abortus0 mother. The pregnancy was complicated by gestational diabetes, although she had normal prenatal imaging. After an uneventful caesarean delivery, the patient's initial physical examination was normal although subsequently was found to have a left subcostal hernia. During surgical evaluation, a reducible hernia was found along with left renal agenesis and no underlying masses. At 4 weeks of age, the patient's hernia was successfully repaired with no sequela. We present the first reported case of a congenital subcostal hernia, evaluation, and treatment.
Expression of Extracellular Calcium-Sensing Receptor by Human Lens Epithelial Cells

Abstract The extracellular calcium-sensing receptor (CaR) confers the capacity to sense small changes in the extracellular Ca2+concentration (Ca02+) not only upon cells involved in maintaining systemic Ca2+homeostasis but also upon those not directly involved in this process. Since high Ca02+is known to affect various physiological processes in lens epithelium both in health and in disease states (e.g., the formation of cataracts in hypocalcemic states), we investigated the expression and function of the CaR in these cells. By RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry the CaR is expressed in human lens epithelial cells in culture. In addition, the open state probability of a Ca2+-activated potassium (K+) channel with a conductance of 82 +/− 3 pS is significantly increased by elevating Ca02+to 3.0 mM or by application of 100 μM neomycin, both effective CaR agonists. Therefore, our data suggest that human lens epithelial cells express the CaR, which may be functionally linked to Ca2+-activated K+channels and, perhaps, to other ion channels involved in ionic homeostasis in the lens.
Simulated Wave-Induced Erosion of the Mississippi River–Gulf Outlet Levees during Hurricane Katrina

This case study on the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet earthen berm/spoil bank (EBSB) illustrates a method to quantitatively analyze wave-induced lateral erosion and breaching through the flood side of coastal flood protection levees with grass armor prior to overtopping. Lateral wave-induced erosion was evaluated based on a three-step process: (1) velocity profiles were generated using a general purpose transient dynamic finite element program; (2) resistance to wave-induced erosion as a result of grass cover (turf) on the flood face of the EBSB was estimated and no wave-induced erosion was applied until the grass cover protection failed; and (3) estimated soil erodibility characteristics were used, in combination with the estimated wave-induced flood face velocities, to estimate the magnitude of lateral erosion. This case study identified that soil erodibility characteristics directly impact coastal flood protection levee performance, grass/turf armoring provides erosion protection for a limited duration,...
Modeling Ribavirin‐Induced Anemia in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Virus

Ribavirin remains an important component of hepatitis C treatment in certain clinical scenarios, but it causes hemolytic anemia. A quantitative understanding of the ribavirin exposure-anemia relationship is important in dose individualization/optimization. We developed a model relating ribavirin triphosphate (RTP) exposure in red blood cells (RBCs), RBC lifespan, feedback regulation of RBC production when anemia occurs, and the resulting hemoglobin decline. Inosine triphosphatase (ITPA) and interleukin 28B (IL28B) genetics were found to be significant covariates. Clinical trial simulations predicted that anemia is least severe in IL28B non-CC (rs12979860, CT or TT), ITPA variant subjects, followed by IL28B non-CC, ITPA wild-type, IL28B CC, ITPA variant, and IL28B CC, ITPA wild-type subjects (most severe). Reducing the ribavirin dose from 1,200/1,000 mg to 800/600 mg could reduce the proportions of grade 2 anemia by about half. The resulting model framework will aid the development of dosing strategies that minimize the incidence of anemia in treatment regimens that include ribavirin.
Laboratory diagnosis of first case of human infection with H7N9 avian influenza in Huizhou

Objective To analyze pathogenic and epidemiological characteristics of first case of human infection withavian influenza(H7N9)virus in Huizhou City so as to provide evidence for future prevention and control. Methods Viral RNAwas extracted from patients and detected by real-time RT-PCR. HA and NA gene segments were amplified and sequenced. Byexpanding surveillance on the suspected cases in adults, samples from close contacts, the live poultry markets and the livepoultry breeding plants were detected to analyze the pathogenic characteristics. Results The specimens of influenza type A,subtype H7 and subtype N9 were all detected positive. The results of sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis ofhemagglutinin and neuraminidase revealed high homology with that of currently epidemic H7N9 subtype viruses in Chinesemainland. No infections were detected from the 96 close contacts. By expanding surveillance on 274 SARI cases, 4 cases werefound to be positive for H7N9 virus. However, 3 specimens from external environment of live poultry market and bird feceswere detected to be negative for H7N9 positive. Conclusion The gene sequence of HA and NA of first case of H7N9 avianinfluenza virus had high homology with the currently epidemic virus in Chinese mainland. There was no evidence ofinterpersonal transmission of H7N9 infections. The viruses were found from bird and external environmental pollution.Epidemiological investigation and pathogenic monitoring be adopted to reveal the epidemic characteristics and transmissionroutes.
Results of detection of brucellosis in a clinic in Pingdingshan City of Henan province

Objectives To analyze the results of detection of human brucellosis in Pingdingshan city. Methods Serological detection of suspected brucellosis case in an outpatients department in Pingdingshan City was conducted and the results were analyzed. Results Totally 505 suspected cases of brucellosis were detected and 166 positives were found with the positive rate of 32.87%;Significant seasonal indence peaks were observed during April to July;There no significant differences were noticed between genders(χ2=1.21,P0.05). Highest positive rate was observed in 60～70 age group(43.69%, 45/103);The positive arte was the highest in the farmers(35.83%129/166). The positive rates in;Lushan and Shilongqu were the highest,being(44.87%,35/78),and(42.86%,6/14),respectively. Conclusions At present brucellosis epidemic in Pingdingshan City is stable in several previous years and effective measures be taken to control the prevalence of brucellosis.
Synthetic Studies in Carbohydrates. Part 44. A Synthesis of Methyl 3-O-α-D-Mannopyranosyl-α-D-mannopyranoside and Related Disaccharides.

The key intermediates (IVa) and (IVb) are synthesized from the protected mannosides (I) as outlined in the reaction scheme.
Complete photonic bandgaps in self-assembled square bilayer structures

The photonic bandgap properties of colloidal photonic crystals assembled under confinement are simulated. Confinement self-assembly provides a rich diversity of phases for anisotropic particles as a function of confinement height due to incommensurate gap height and layer number. In particular, we investigate the square bilayer phase of cut spheres, which displays high Brillouin zone isotropy and a complex basis. These features are known to open complete photonic bandgaps. Here, a wide range of structures with complete bandgaps is obtained as a function of the dielectric contrast, dielectric filling fraction, and slab height. A large, complete bandgap (gap-to-midgap ratio, 10.2%) is found between the tenth and eleventh bands in the direct structure at a dielectric contrast of 12. In the inverted structure, two smaller bandgaps between the fourth and fifth and the eighth and ninth bands are found. The electric displacement field density shows that the bandgaps arise due to shifts in the mode field concentration to complementary high dielectric regions. Such bandgaps are often associated with Mie scattering; however, the particle basis is tangent, promoting a strong Bragg scattering component. An equifrequency contour analysis is also performed to demonstrate the potential of the square bilayer slab for negative refraction. Right-handed negative refraction is predicted in the second band for the direct structure.
Teaching from The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: Student perspectives on health disparities and medical ethics

Objective:The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot is an award-winning biography engaging its readers on important topics ranging from race, science and ethics to the social determina...
Valproate (VPA)-Associated Hepatotoxicity

The metabolic pattern of VPA in 170 epileptic patients without symptoms or signs of hepatic side effects was compared to that in 11 patients with early symptoms and signs of hepatotoxicity and in 5 children with fulminant liver failure.
The Benefits and Risks of Feminist Practice as Early Career Scholars in Social Psychology

Feminist theory has informed how psychologists and other social scientists think about doing science, in terms of epistemology and methodology. While there are many sources for understanding how feminist theory can inform theory and methods in psychological science, there are few reflections on what it looks like “on the ground” to try to incorporate feminist approaches into one’s professional academic life. This chapter examines the real world implications of feminist practices in the context of conducting research, mentoring, and working on institutional change. Drawing on examples from our own experiences, we discuss practical decisions informed by feminist commitments as well as some of their consequences. We also argue that feminist practices are sometimes (though not always) at odds with professional norms and expectations, particularly for early career scholars, who face enormous pressures to publish quickly and prolifically. Throughout, we offer specific suggestions for individual scholars, as well as the field, in order to make our science both more rigorous and inclusive, and our careers as feminist scholars more successful.
Treatment Using Membrane Bioreactors

Membrane bioreactors were developed as a hybrid treatment technology combining a membrane filtration unit with an activated sludge bioreactor. The membrane unit serves to separate and retain biomass in the activated sludge process instead of a secondary clarifier and also achieves solids separation through micro- and ultrafiltration processes. Membrane bioreactors are capable of producing tertiary quality effluents with disinfection to enable surface discharge and water reuse applications. This chapter describes the principles and processes that are involved in membrane filtration processes and the design and implementation of membrane bioreactors.
Informational campaign effects of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) of 1990 on diet

This study examines consumer response to a mass-media educational campaign undertaken as part of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) of 1990, employing media content analysis. Time and ...
Attenuation of Hypertension and Heart Hypertrophy by Recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus Delivering Angiotensinogen Antisense (rAAV-AGT-AS)

P199 Introduction: We have previously shown that injection of antisense oligonucleotides (AS-ODNs) or plasmid producing antisense directed against angiotensinogen (AGT) mRNA, lowers BP in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The effects with ODNs, however, last ∼7 days. For more prolonged effects we have developed a recombinant adeno-associated viral vector (rAAV) to deliver AS-DNA targeted to AGT. Methods: Since captopril has been shown to inhibit development of hypertension in SHR, we hypothesized that AGT inhibition would prevent hypertension. Five day old SHR were injected with a single dose of 10 9 ipf (25 μl), intra-cardiacly, with AGT-AS-DNA (n=10) or control sense-AGT-DNA (n=6). Systolic BP was measured weekly from 6 and 26 weeks of age. At 14 weeks and 7 months, tissue DNA was analyzed for presence of the transgene. At 26 weeks, the left ventricle of the heart was dissected, weighed and compared to body weight, to determine the degree of hypertrophy (n=5/group). Every three weeks plasma was sampled for RIA of AGT. Results: The rats injected with rAAV-AGT-AS had lower BP than the control group from 10 weeks of age. The difference was significant at 10,11,12 and 13 weeks of age (p
IKKβ Activation in the Fetal Lung Mesenchyme Alters Lung Vascular Development but Not Airway Morphogenesis

In the immature lung, inflammation and injury disrupt the epithelial–mesenchymal interactions required for normal development. Innate immune signaling and NF-κB activation disrupt the normal expression of multiple mesenchymal genes that play a key role in airway branching and alveolar formation. To test the role of the NF-κB pathway specifically in lung mesenchyme, we utilized the mesenchymal Twist2-Cre to drive expression of a constitutively active inhibitor of NF-κB kinase subunit β (IKKβca) mutant in developing mice. Embryonic Twist2-IKKβca mice were generated in expected numbers and appeared grossly normal. Airway branching also appeared normal in Twist2-IKKβca embryos, with airway morphometry, elastin staining, and saccular branching similar to those in control littermates. While Twist2-IKKβca lungs did not contain increased levels of Il1b , we did measure an increased expression of the chemokine-encoding gene Ccl2 . Twist2-IKKβca lungs had increased staining for the vascular marker platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1. In addition, type I alveolar epithelial differentiation appeared to be diminished in Twist2-IKKβca lungs. The normal airway branching and lack of Il1b expression may have been due to the inability of the Twist2-IKKβca transgene to induce inflammasome activity. While Twist2-IKKβca lungs had an increased number of macrophages, inflammasome expression remained restricted to macrophages without evidence of spontaneous inflammasome activity. These results emphasize the importance of cellular niche in considering how inflammatory signaling influences fetal lung development.
Tremor, Confusion, and Autonomic Dysfunction in Down Syndrome

(1992). Tremor, Confusion, and Autonomic Dysfunction in Down Syndrome. Hospital Practice: Vol. 27, No. 8, pp. 215-216.
The Combustion Chamber: Energy Generation by Gravitational Accretion

Bondi accretion theory is excellent for estimating the general properties of accreting black holes, particularly their accretion rate, luminosity, and long-term variability (e.g., over weeks and months for X-ray binaries and several millions of years for quasars). However, it cannot tell us about the spectral properties and short-term variability.
Splenic marginal zone lymphoma masquerading as cirrhotic hypersplenism for seven years.

Splenic marginal zone lymphoma (also known as splenic marginal zone B-cell lymphoma) is one of a family of indolent B-cell lymphomas that remain incompletely characterized. These lymphomas can be globally classified into mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue (MALT) lymphoma, also known as extranodal marginal zone lymphoma, and the nonmucosa-associated lymphatic tissue (non-MALT) marginal zone lymphomas, of which there are two: nodal marginal zone lymphoma (NMZL) and splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) (1,2). While MALT lymphoma has been well described at the molecular and clinical levels, NMZLs and SMZLs are poorly characterized at the molecular level, but remain clinically distinct. NMZL presents with disseminated nodal involvement, but SMZL is often isolated to the spleen and presents with massive splenomegaly (2,3). The author has previously reported a 39% incidence of primary splenic lymphoma in patients with idiopathic splenomegaly (3). SMZL is rare, and a high index of suspicion is necessary to make the diagnosis in a timely manner.
Gender, Race and Slavery in the Mamluk Households of Eighteenth-Century Egypt

Much of the historiography about Mamluk Egypt has focused on the male Mamluks while women’s role and participation were neglected as subjects of serious inquiry. However, the household’s power and stability were in part due to the creation of alliances with other households that constructed a kinship system that was part real and part fictive. Thus, women’s participation as marriage partners, their role in arranging marriages of household members and the importance of their own patronage networks of former slaves were crucial. Race played a major role in the construction of kinship. The Mamluk system was race-based and privileged white slaves—women and men—from Georgia and Circassia. It is nevertheless important to recognize that Islam constructed a legal system as well as the social and cultural context for forms of household slavery that turned slaves into kin and mitigated the harshest aspects of chattel slavery as it existed in the Americas during the same period.
Zweistufige Kompression mit Zwischendampfentnahme

Um die Leistungsfahigkeit des Kompressionskaltevorganges zu erhohen, kann man die Kompression in zwei Stufen ausfuhren nach dem in Abb. 28 dargestellten Schema. Der im Kondensator K flussig gewordene Kaltetrager wird im Regulierventil R1 auf den Zwischendruck p0 (t0) vermindert und in den Ausscheider A geleitet, von wo der im Drosselventil R1 gebildete Dampf zum Hochdruckzylinder fliest, wahrend die Flussigkeitdas Regulierventil R2 durchstromt und von da in den Verdampfer V gelangt. Der Niederdruckzylinder ND fordert den entstandenen Dampf durch den Zwischenkuhler Z zum HD-Zylinder.
Snapback repellers and semiconjugacy for iterated entire mappings

A theorem of Poincare guarantees existence of the local conjugacy of an entire analytic mapping with an hyperbolically unstable fixed point to the linearized mapping. Since the local conjugacy can be extended to a global conjugacy, it is a valuable tool for the global study of dynamics. Especially we focus on snapback repellers which are defined as entire orbits which tend to an unstable fixed point in the past and snap back to the same fixed point. Snapback repellers correspond to the zeros of the semiconjugacy. It turns out that in general there exist infinitely many snapback points and for each one of them there exist infinitely many snapback repellers. The exceptional classes of functions with a different behavior are characterized. The proof exploits the Theorem of Picard about the range of values that an analytic function assumes near an essential singularity. Furtheron, we related the multiplicity of the zeros of the semiconjugacy to the occurrence of critical points in the corresponding snapback repeller. For quadratic mappings and their iterates, the zeros of the semiconjugacy have at most multiplicity two.
Optimization of delignification from Douglas fir sawdust by alkaline pretreatment with sodium hydroxide and its effect on structural and chemical properties of lignin and pyrolysis products

Abstract The extraction of softwood lignin from Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) through alkaline pretreatment was optimized at moderate treatment conditions. A central composition experimental design (CCD) was used to investigate the effect of three extraction factors: extraction temperature (63.2–96.8 °C), sodium hydroxide loading (0.10–0.60 g/g feedstock) and heating time (2.6–9.4 h). Response surface methodology indicates the interactive effects of sodium hydroxide loading and extraction temperature on enhancing the recovery of solid alkaline lignin at intermediate conditions. Optimization analysis of alkaline lignin extraction was performed with the emphasis on product yield and process economy, respectively. Extracted alkaline lignins were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, UV–vis spectrometry, elemental analysis, and pyrolysis product analysis. The diversity of functional groups was retained and removal of methoxyl groups was significantly impacted by alkali loading. Extraction condition of alkaline lignin affected product yield and chemical compound distribution in bio-oil from lignin pyrolysis.
Integrated human pseudoislet system and microfluidic platform demonstrate differences in GPCR signaling in islet cells

Pancreatic islets secrete insulin from β cells and glucagon from α cells, and dysregulated secretion of these hormones is a central component of diabetes. Thus, an improved understanding of the pathways governing coordinated β and α cell hormone secretion will provide insight into islet dysfunction in diabetes. However, the 3D multicellular islet architecture, essential for coordinated islet function, presents experimental challenges for mechanistic studies of intracellular signaling pathways in primary islet cells. Here, we developed an integrated approach to study the function of primary human islet cells using genetically modified pseudoislets that resemble native islets across multiple parameters. Further, we developed a microperifusion system that allowed synchronous acquisition of GCaMP6f biosensor signal and hormone secretory profiles. We demonstrate the utility of this experimental approach by studying the effects of Gi and Gq GPCR pathways on insulin and glucagon secretion by expressing the designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) hM4Di or hM3Dq. Activation of Gi signaling reduced insulin and glucagon secretion, while activation of Gq signaling stimulated glucagon secretion but had both stimulatory and inhibitory effects on insulin secretion, which occur through changes in intracellular Ca2+. The experimental approach of combining pseudoislets with a microfluidic system allowed the coregistration of intracellular signaling dynamics and hormone secretion and demonstrated differences in GPCR signaling pathways between human β and α cells.
Family Perceptions of Quality of End-of-Life Care in Stroke.

Background: Most end-of-life decisions after stroke are made by a surrogate decision maker, yet there has been limited study of surrogate assessment of the quality of end-of-life stroke care. Objective: To assess surrogate perceptions of quality of end-of-life care (QEOLC) in stroke and explore factors associated with quality. Design: Cross-sectional analysis of interviewer-administered survey. Settings/subjects: Surrogate decision makers for deceased stroke patients in a population-based study. Measurements: The primary outcome was the validated 10-item family version of the QEOLC scale. The univariate association between prespecified patient and surrogate factors and dichotomized QEOLC score (high: 8-10, low: 0-7) was explored with logistic regression fit using generalized estimating equations. Results: Seventy-nine surrogates for 66 deceased stroke cases were enrolled (median patient age: 76, female patient: 53%, Mexican American patient: 59%, median time from stroke to death: seven days, median surrogate age: 59, and female surrogate: 72%). The overall QEOLC was generally high (median 8.3, quartiles 6.1, 9.6) although several individual items had a high proportion (∼30%-50%) of surrogates who felt that the questions did not apply to the patient's situation. No hypothesized factors were associated with QEOLC score, including demographics, stroke type, location/timing of death, advance directives, health literacy, or understanding of patient wishes. Conclusions: Surrogates reported generally high QEOLC. Although this finding is encouraging, modifications to the QEOLC may be needed in stroke as some surrogates were unable to provide a valid response for certain items.
Molecular beam epitaxial growth of scandium nitride on hexagonal SiC, GaN, and AlN

RF plasma assisted MBE growth of scandium nitride (ScN) thin films on Ga-polar GaN (0001)/SiC, Al-polar AlN (0001)/Al2O3, and Si-face 6H-SiC (0001) hexagonal substrates is found to lead to a face centered cubic (rock salt) crystal structure with (111) out-of-plane orientation instead of hexagonal orientation. Cubic (111) twinned patterns in ScN are observed by in situ electron diffraction during epitaxy, and the twin domains in ScN are detected by electron backscattered diffraction and further corroborated by X-ray diffraction. The epitaxial ScN films display very smooth, subnanometer surface roughness at a growth temperature of 750 °C. Temperature-dependent Hall-effect measurements indicate a constant high n-type carrier concentration of ∼1 × 1020/cm3 and an electron mobility of ∼20 cm2/V s.
Thirty‐day complication rates do not differ by race among patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Background and objectives Black patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are less likely to receive multimodality treatment and have worse survival compared to White patients. However, little is known regarding racial differences in postoperative outcomes. The primary aim of this study was to determine if 30-day complication rates following pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) differ by race. Methods A retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent PD for PDAC from 2014 to 2016 within the ACS-NSQIP pancreatectomy-specific data set was performed. Primary outcomes were 30-day pancreas-specific and overall major complications. Results A total of 6936 patients were identified, including 91.4% (N = 6337) White and 8.6% (N = 599) Black. Pathologic stage and rates of neoadjuvant therapy were similar among Whites and Blacks. Rates of pancreas-specific (23.9% vs. 23.1%, p = .88) and major postoperative complications (39.2% vs. 39.9%, p = .55) were similar between Whites and Blacks. By multivariable regression analysis, there was no association between race and odds of pancreas-specific complications (odds ratio [OR] 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.89-1.37) or overall major complications (OR 1.13, 95% CI 0.95-1.36). Conclusions Among patients undergoing PD for PDAC, Black race is not associated with increased pancreas-specific or overall 30-day postoperative complications. Short-term postoperative outcomes do not appear to explain the increase in pancreatic cancer mortality among Black patients.
Separate But Equal: Miranda's Right to Silence and Counsel

Three decades ago, the Supreme Court created a dubious distinction between the rights accorded to suspects in custody who invoke their right to silence and who invoke their right to counsel. This distinction significantly disadvantages those who do not have the good sense or good fortune to specify they want an attorney when they invoke their right to remain silent. This article argues that this distinction was flawed at its genesis and that it has led to judicial decisions that are inconsistent, make little sense, and permit police behavior that substantially diminishes the right to silence as described in Miranda v. Arizona. The article does so by demonstrating that the distinction is unsupportable either theoretically or pragmatically. It then shows that two recent holdings of the Court have paved the way for abolishing the distinction and developing an approach that both reflects the reality of custodial interrogation and is consistent with the principles behind the Fifth Amendment and the holding in Miranda.
Lipidomics of aging

Abstract Aging is regarded as a complex, multifactorial process where diverse deleterious changes accumulate in cells and tissues with advancing age that are responsible for the increased risk of disease and death and are driven by both intrinsic (genetic) and extrinsic (environmental) factors. This chapter focuses on the role of lipids in aging, a field of study that is still at relatively incipient stages. We aim to summarize the different lines of research on animal models and humans that have consistently associated alterations of specific lipid classes with aging. Specifically, we focus on aging-related accumulation of ceramide and other lipotoxic species, cardiolipin remodeling, as well as sulfatide and plasmalogen deficiencies. The spread use of lipidomics in concert with genetic and mechanistic studies is likely to reveal major roles for lipids in the regulation of longevity and increase our understanding of the complex relationship between lipids and aging.
Coaxial horizontal axis hydrokinetic turbine system: Numerical modeling and performance optimization

Hydrokinetic turbines extract energy from free-flowing water, such as river streams and marine currents. For river applications, the typical deployment location is highly space-constrained due to both the nature of the river (i.e., its natural width and depth) and the other usages of the river. Therefore, a modified design of a conversion device is desired to accommodate these space limitations. The objective of this work is to derive optimum design criteria for a coaxial horizontal axis hydrokinetic turbine system utilizing both numerical and experimental approaches. Single-turbine systems configured with different sizes of untwisted untapered blades were numerically studied to obtain the optimum solidity and to examine the blockage effects on the various-solidity rotors. The numerical modeling was, then, extended to analyze the performance of the coaxial multi-turbine system (equipped with optimum-solidity rotors) and characterize its ambient flow. The numerically predicted power outputs were validated against those measured with torque and rotational speed sensors in a water tunnel for both single-turbine and multi-turbine systems. Particle image velocimetry was also utilized to evaluate the wake structure and validate the numerical results of the flow characteristics. The optimum-solidity for the single-turbine system was found to be 0.222 48. An optimum-solidity three-turbine axial system can increase power output by 47% when compared to an optimum-solidity single-turbine system. Increasing the number of rotors from three to five only enhanced efficiency by about 4%. The study of wake structures behind a three-turbine system showed that the highest velocity deficit occurs behind the second rotor rather than the third rotor.
Embedding Aggregation for Far-Field Speaker Verification with Distributed Microphone Arrays

With the successful application of deep speaker embedding networks, the performance of speaker verification systems has significantly improved under clean and close-talking settings; however, unsatisfactory performance persists under noisy and far-field environments. This study aims at improving the performance of far-field speaker verification systems with distributed microphone arrays in the smart home scenario. The proposed learning framework consists of two modules: a deep speaker embedding module and an aggregation module. The former extracts a speaker embedding for each recording. The latter, based on either averaged pooling or attentive pooling, aggregates speaker embeddings and learns a unified representation for all recordings captured by distributed microphone arrays. The two modules are trained in an end-to-end manner. To evaluate this framework, we conduct experiments on the real text-dependent far-field datasets Hi Mia. Results show that our framework outperforms the naive averaged aggregation methods by 20% in terms of equal error rate (EER) with six distributed microphone arrays. Also, we find that the attention-based aggregation advocates high-quality recordings and repels low-quality ones.
IP Nationalism: Addressing the COVID Crisis and Beyond

This Article coins and explains the phenomena of IP nationalism. Just as some nations engage in vaccine nationalism by hoarding limited COVID vaccines, so, too, some nations are hoarding critical knowledge and technology by resisting modification of usual IP rules during the pandemic, such as a proposed waiver of international IP obligations. Countries that are home to IP-owning pharmaceutical companies often benefit from strong global IP rights, since that usually improves domestic GDP for IP-intensive products such as drugs. Even nations without strong IP exports may embrace IP nationalism because current international laws provide economic benefits to these countries in terms of increased trade for non-IP goods. As this Article explains, countries that embrace IP nationalism raise incomplete, or affirmatively false arguments asserting that barriers to accessing medicines are primarily caused by non-IP issues, which hides how IP and IP nationalism are nonetheless creating barriers to access. IP nationalism is harmful. Failure to modify traditional IP rights has contributed to inadequate supply of COVID vaccines, which will likely result in more variants that threaten global health and suppress global economic recovery due to disruption of global supply chains. Even outside a pandemic, where IP nationalism could economically benefit countries with IP-intensive exports, it still creates other harms. For example, IP nationalism results in strong global IP rights that often make necessary goods, such as life-saving medicines, unaffordable to many people worldwide. Furthermore, these rights primarily promote innovation that is most profitable, rather than what is most socially desirable. For example, companies are incentivized to pursue and market treatments of questionable utility, such as the newly approved Alzheimer’s drug that may not even be effective, simply because they generate substantial profits. In contrast, vaccines beyond COVID and antibiotics, though desperately needed by all, are generally not pursued due to low profitability. This Article argues that IP for essential treatments such as COVID vaccines should be considered “global public goods” available to all, contrary to beliefs held by supporters of IP nationalism. This would be an admittedly radical, yet necessary change from current norms. First, this could encourage countries to embrace the proposed waiver of international IP rules for COVID treatments. Although waiving traditional IP rights will not immediately increase vaccine supply, it would permit available and interested companies to expand vaccine capacity and create competition that would likely increase supply and lower costs, allowing poorer countries greater access to the vaccine. In addition, recognition of IP covering pandemic treatments as global public goods would help avoid replicating the current vaccine apartheid in subsequent pandemics and begin to counteract well-documented racial and ethnic disparities regarding access to medicines.
An Update on the Management of Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep-related breathing disorder characterized by episodes of upper airway collapse during sleep. The severity of OSA is categorized according to the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) found on polysomnogram. Pediatric OSA is classified as mild (AHI 1–5), moderate (AHI 5–10), or severe (AHI > 10). While the exact pathophysiology of OSA is still being investigated; adenotonsillar hypertrophy is the most common cause of obstruction in children. Thus, adenotonsillectomy is the mainstay of treatment for moderate to severe OSA. Patients at high risk for perioperative respiratory complications, including those less than 3 years of age and those with significant co-morbid medical conditions like Trisomy 21, should be monitored overnight following surgery. The management of patients with mild OSA is still evolving. Treatment options for children with mild OSA include watchful waiting, leukotriene inhibitors and/or inhaled nasal corticosteroids, and adenotonsillectomy. Treatment decisions should be made after a frank discussion of the risk and benefits of therapies between the patient, caregivers, and physician. Children with poor quality of life and school performance are candidates for adenotonsillectomy. Close clinical follow-up is necessary for children managed conservatively since a small number of patients, especially those who are obese, can develop more significant obstruction over time. Obese children and those patients with severe disease are at risk for persistent OSA following primary treatment with adenotonsillectomy. Historically, positive airway pressure (PAP) was the mainstay of treatment for persistent disease after adenotonsillectomy. While PAP can be effective in treating children with OSA, adherence is often poor. The utilization of drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) has allowed for surgeons to identify and target additional sites of obstruction. Based on DISE findings, children with residual OSA may be candidates for surgical procedures such as lingual tonsillectomy, pharyngoplasty, supraglottoplasty, or tongue base reduction.
Oscillating actin polymerization/depolymerization responses in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Leukotriene B4 and platelet-activating factor induced a rapidly oscillating actin polymerization/depolymerization response in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. N-Formylpeptides were deficient in the ability to induce these oscillations. Flow cytometric analysis of filamentous actin verified that all cells were synchronously responding in this cyclic manner. The hypothesis was tested that these oscillations were analogous to chemical oscillations, i.e. oscillations of intermediate species in chemical systems that are far from equilibrium (Epstein, I. R., Kustin, K., DeKepper, P., and Orban, M. (1983) Sci. Am. 248, 112). Actin polymerization/depolymerization cycles were terminated by adding receptor antagonist a few seconds after initiation of the response by agonists. Thus the oscillations did not represent chemical oscillations that hypothetically could result from a rapid jump of the intracellular milieu to a state far from equilibrium. Rather, continued occupancy of receptors and/or occupancy of new receptors was required to sustain the oscillations. This suggested that the oscillations resulted from regulated polymerization and depolymerization pathways. In simultaneous measurements of actin-associated right angle light scatter and intracellular calcium, no calcium oscillations were detected. Thus, cycles of actin polymerization/depolymerization were not regulated by calcium oscillations.
The Advanced Composition Explorer

The Advanced Composition Explorer was launched August 25, 1997 carrying six high-resolution spectrometers that measure the elemental, isotopic, and ionic charge-state composition of nuclei from H to Ni (1≤Z≤28) from solar wind energies (∼1 keV nucl−1) to galactic cosmic-ray energies (∼500 MeV nucl−1). Data from these instruments is being used to measure and compare the elemental and isotopic composition of the solar corona, the nearby interstellar medium, and the Galaxy, and to study particle acceleration processes that occur in a wide range of environments. ACE also carries three instruments that provide the heliospheric context for ion composition studies by monitoring the state of the interplanetary medium. From its orbit about the Sun-Earth libration point ∼1.5 million km sunward of Earth, ACE also provides real-time solar wind measurements to NOAA for use in forecasting space weather. This paper provides an introduction to the ACE mission, including overviews of the scientific goals and objectives, the instrument payload, and the spacecraft and ground systems.
Incidence of breast-feeding in a low socioeconomic group of mothers in the United States: ethnic patterns.

Breast-feeding has been shown to have increased in incidence during recent years in the United States. However, this increase is not particularly evident in lower socioeconomic groups. Factors associated with the decision to breast-feed or not were investigated in a population of 379 mothers. Self-completed questionnaires were obtained from 94.5% of these mothers. Data with respect to demographics, reproductive history, prenatal care, and education were collected. Only 27.2% of the study population indicated that they intended to breastfeed. Using the x2 test for equality of proportions, marital status, head of household, maternal and paternal ethnicity, maternal education, income, and number of pregnancy were found to be the most important variables associated with breast-feeding. The effect of ethnicity predominated over that of the other demographic variables when they were examined jointly within ethnic groups. The effect of ethnicity was apparent when the number of each ethnic group in the study population was compared with the percent of that group that intended to breast-feed: 145 Anglo-Americans, 43.5% breast-feeding; 131 black Americans, 9.2%; 62 Mexican Americans, 22.6%; 19 others, 42.1%. The importance of ethnicity in the decision to breast-feed has probably been underestimated. Efforts to increase breast-feeding in the United States ought to be designed with full consideration of this factor.
Increased IFN-α–Producing Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells (pDCs) in Human Th1-Mediated Type 1 Diabetes: pDCs Augment Th1 Responses through IFN-α Production

Increasing evidence suggests that type 1 IFN (IFN-αβ) is associated with pathogenesis of Th1-mediated type 1 diabetes (T1D). A major source of IFN-αβ is plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs). In this study, we analyzed peripheral blood pDC numbers and functions in at-risk, new-onset, and established T1D patients and controls. We found that subjects at risk for T1D and new-onset and established T1D subjects possessed significantly increased pDCs but similar number of myeloid DCs when compared with controls. pDC numbers were not affected by age in T1D subjects but declined with increasing age in control subjects. It was demonstrated that IFN-α production by PBMCs stimulated with influenza viruses was significantly higher in T1D subjects than in controls, and IFN-α production was correlated with pDC numbers in PBMCs. Of interest, only T1D-associated Coxsackievirus serotype B4 but not B3 induced majority of T1D PBMCs to produce IFN-α, which was confirmed to be secreted by pDCs. Finally, in vitro studies demonstrated IFN-α produced by pDCs augmented Th1 responses, with significantly greater IFN-γ-producing CD4(+) T cells from T1D subjects. These findings indicate that increased pDCs and their IFN-αβ production may be associated with this Th1-mediated autoimmune disease, especially under certain viral infections linked to T1D pathogenesis.
Fundamental aspects of ripple correlation control of electric machinery

Ripple correlation control (RCC) has been established as a cost function minimization strategy for problems ranging from source impedance matching to static VAR compensators and more recently to electric machinery. The dynamics of machines often makes direct application of RCC not possible or not practical. This paper addresses the fundamental challenges associated with implementation of RCC optimization in electric machinery. Specifically, the paper presents a steady state error analysis of several practical RCC control laws, develops a systematic approach to observer design to cast the optimization of a dynamic process into a static framework, and presents the benefits of an alternative RCC control law for use in electric machinery controllers.
Methoxychlor-Induced Ovarian Follicle Toxicity in Mice: Dose and Exposure Duration-Dependent Effects

BACKGROUND Methoxychlor (MXC) is specifically known to target ovarian antral follicles, increasing atresia (death via apoptosis) in them. This is of concern because females are born with a finite pool of ovarian follicles. Only limited studies have explored the phenomenon of a reduced fertility threshold for effect based on the percentage of antral follicle atresia. METHODS: In this article, we report on adult female CD-1 mice exposed intraperitoneally to various doses of MXC for 5, 10, 20, and 30 days. In the 20-day treatment, mice were dosed with either the vehicle or MXC at 64 or 96 mg/kg/day, whereas in the 30-day treatment, mice were dosed with vehicle or MXC at 48, 64, or 96 mg/kg/day. The mice that were dosed with MXC for 30 days were also mated with untreated males for a determination of overall fertility. RESULTS A significantly increased percentage (50%) of atretic antral follicles was observed only after 20 and 30 days of treatment. Specifically, mice treated with MXC64 for 20 and 30 days had an increased percentage of atretic antral follicles compared with vehicle-treated mice. Interestingly, mice dosed with MXC96 had an increased percentage of atretic antral follicles after 30 days, but not after 20 days of treatment compared with vehicle-treated mice. Overall fertility of the mice was not different compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that as much as a 50% increase in atretic antral follicles does not affect the immediate fertility of the mice. Birth Defects Res (Part B) 00:1–6, 2012. Published 2012 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A NEW BREED OF NURSES NEEDS TO BRIND NURSING BACK TO THE BEDSIDE

What are we offered today by the aggressive new breed of leaders and educators in nursing? An angry, dwindling profession, failing with increasing frequency to meet the needs of patients and physicians and in the process making themselves and everyone else miserable. The idealistic young people who come into the profession to actually nurse patients are sometimes made to feel like Aunt Jemiinas, become discouraged and leave, or, if they remain, are denied status, promotions and raises. The "new model" nursing leaders and educators pursue higher status, higher incomes, more respect and recognition—as indeed most of us do. There9s nothing wrong with that. What is damaging is the mode of attack. By striving to capture some independent middle ground between classical nursing and medical practice, nursing leaders threaten to make of their professionals neither nurses nor physicians, fit only to cause trouble: trouble for people who really want to nurse, trouble for physicians and administrators who can9t get the help they need and, most of all, trouble for patients, who often cannot get timely medicines and competent ministrations without hiring a private-duty nurse. And even then competence is far from assured. Many nursing leaders and educators seem intent on abandoning a badly needed profession in the search for a new category of health-care professional that no one has asked for and hardly anyone needs. They have not merely neglected and downgraded classical, basic nursing; they have also sought to restrict entry into the profession by raising the standards of accreditation of schools of nursing and of licensure of individuals in many instances beyond what is necessary for the basic skills that are in such short supply.
A study of passive potassium efflux from human red blood cells using ion-specific electrodes.

Using ion-specific electrodes, the potassium leakage induced by ouabain in human erythrocytes can be measured continuously and precisely near physiological conditions. Upon small additions of isotonic sucrose solution to a suspension of red cells in physiological saline the passive potassium efflux increases proportionally to the chloride ratio. The same result is obtained upon addition of hypertonic sucrose solution, suggesting that neither osmolarity nor intracellular concentrations have any influence on the passive potassium efflux. The independence of the potassium efflux and osmolarity can be verified by addition of a penetrating substance like glucose to the cell suspension. Adding water or hypertonic sodium chloride solution shows that the potassium efflux increases slightly in more concentrated salt solutions. Inasmuch as it can be interpreted as a pure ionic strength effect, this result supports the hypothesis of independence of potassium efflux and intracellular concentrations. The results of this investigation together with other studies show that the passive permeability of the human red blood cell to potassium depends uniquely on the membrane potential near physiological conditions, while it depends on parameters such as pH or concentrations for large membrane potentials. This suggests that two different mechanisms of transport might be involved: one would control the permeability under normal conditions; the other would represent a leak through the route normally used by anions and become important only under extreme conditions.