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Study question The performance and efficiency of the LensHooke® R10 test kit were evaluated by the clinical examination for precision, accuracy, and time. Summary answer The LensHooke® R10 based on sperm chromatin dispersion test offers not only quick testing for sperm DNA fragmentation but also reliable and accurate test results. What is known already Sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) test, one of the most commonly used testing for sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF), can be conducted promptly and without the need for expensive laboratory instruments. However, the main disadvantage of the SCD test is inter-observer variability in categorizing the size of characteristics halos surrounding the core of sperm. Moreover, it takes more than one hour to accomplish whole assay procedures making this testing an inefficient diagnostic tool. These may hinder its broad availability among andrology laboratories or prevent it from being routinely used for the evaluation of male infertility. Study design, size, duration A total of 108 participants was included in this prospective study. Data was collected from the reproductive medicine center between June and December 2020. Participants/materials, setting, methods This study included 108 consecutive male partners of couples attending for assisted reproductive treatment. SDF was simultaneously tested by using LensHooke® R10 (R10) and Halosperm® G2 (G2) respectively. We evaluated the correlation and agreement between two SCD-based test kits. The repeatability and reproducibility of the SCD kits were assessed by intra-and inter-observer agreement experiments. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value for the R10 was determined by receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curve analysis. Main results and the role of chance The R10 produced more clear sperm core and dispersed chromatin, therefore highly recognizable images can be easily and accurately categorized when scoring of SDF. It took 50% less time for SDF testing by the R10 compared to the G2 (38.26 ± 9.85 minutes vs. 76.52 ± 19.7 minutes, P 0.9 showed a strong agreement between two observers on the testing of SDF using the R10. ICC >0.9 showed a high intra-observer agreement within 4 repeated testing on SDF using the R10. The R10 showed an intra-observer’s precision of coefficient variation, CV Limitations, reasons for caution The sample size of 4 semen specimens used to evaluate the intra-and inter-observer agreement was a limitation. Besides, evaluating the relationship between the SDF and clinical outcome of ART is necessary for further study. Wider implications of the findings: The new in vitro diagnostics reagent, LensHooke® R10, is a simple and quick test kit that offers reliable and accurate test results of sperm DNA fragmentation, can be routinely used in male infertility evaluation. Trial registration number CS2–20012

Background Exome sequencing has recently become more readily available, and more information about incidental findings has been disclosed. However, data from East Asia are scarce. We studied the application of exome sequencing to the identification of pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in the ACMG 59 gene list and the frequency of these variants in the Taiwanese population. Methods This study screened 161 Taiwanese exomes for variants from the ACMG 59 gene list. The identified variants were reviewed based on information from different databases and the available literature and classified according to the ACMG standard guidelines. Results We identified seven pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in eight individuals, with five participants with autosomal recessive variants in one allele and three participants with autosomal dominant variants. Approximately 1.86% (3/161) of the Taiwanese individuals had a reportable pathogenic/likely pathogenic variant as determined by whole‐exome sequencing (WES), which was comparable to the proportions published previously in other countries. We further investigated the high carrier rate of rare variants in the ATP7B gene, which might indicate a founder effect in our population. Conclusion This study was the first to provide Taiwanese population data of incidental findings and emphasized a high carrier rate of candidate pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in the ATP7B gene., This study was the first to study the frequency of reportable pathogenic/likely pathogenic variant in Taiwan, which was 1.86% in 161 individuals. In addition, a high carrier rate of candidate pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in the ATP7B gene in Taiwan was also investigated in this study.

OBJECTIVES Cytokeratins (CKs) are mainly expressed in epithelial carcinomas and are valuable for making diagnoses and identifying metastatic status. Changes in the expression of individual CKs in certain carcinoma may be relevant to establishing a prognosis. However, the prognostic significance of CKs in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains elusive. Herein, we investigated the diverse and unique expression patterns of Cytokeratin 13 (CK13) and Cytokeratin 17 (CK17) and assessed the role of CK17 as a predictor for HNSCC metastasis and prognosis. METHODS CK13 and CK17 expressions were evaluated using immunohistochemical tissue microarray (TMA) analysis with 106 patients of HNSCC. To clarify the characterisation of CK17 expression with respect to its ability in predicting metastatic disease, an in vitro study of cells migration/invasion assays was conducted. Furthermore, the correlation of CK17 expression to clinicopathologic variables and prognosis was analyzed using a serial statistical method. RESULTS CK13 was predominately expressed in non-cancerous tissues and was lost in HNSCC. Decreasing expression of CK17 correlated with cancerous cell migration and invasion (P

Critical illnesses caused by undiagnosed genetic conditions are challenging in PICUs. Whole-exome sequencing is a powerful diagnostic tool but usually costly and often fail to arrive at a final diagnosis in a short period. We assessed the feasibility of our whole-exome sequencing as a tool to improve the efficacy of rare diseases diagnosis for pediatric patients with severe illness.Observational analysis.We employed a fast but standard whole-exome sequencing platform together with text mining-assisted variant prioritization in PICU setting over a 1-year period.A tertiary referral Children's Hospital in Taiwan.Critically ill PICU patients suspected of having a genetic disease and newborns who were suspected of having a serious genetic disease after newborn screening were enrolled.None.Around 50,000 to 100,000 variants were obtained for each of the 40 patients in 5 days after blood sampling. Eleven patients were immediately found be affected by previously reported mutations after searching mutation databases. Another seven patients had a diagnosis among the top five in a list ranked by text mining. As a whole, 21 patients (52.5%) obtained a diagnosis in 6.2 ± 1.1 working days (range, 4.3-9 d). Most of the diagnoses were first recognized in Taiwan. Specific medications were recommended for 10 patients (10/21, 47.6%), transplantation was advised for five, and hospice care was suggested for two patients. Overall, clinical management was altered in time for 81.0% of patients who had a molecular diagnosis.The current whole-exome sequencing algorithm, balanced in cost and speed, uncovers genetic conditions in infants and children in PICU, which helps their managements in time and promotes better utilization of PICU resources.

Background Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations are abnormal direct connections between the pulmonary artery and pulmonary vein which result in a right-to-left shunt. They are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality mainly from the effects of paradoxical emboli. Potential complications include stroke, cerebral abscess, pulmonary haemorrhage and hypoxaemia. Embolisation is an endovascular intervention based on the occlusion of the feeding arteries the pulmonary arteriovenous malformations thus eliminating the abnormal right-to-left-shunting. This is an update of a previously published review. Objectives To determine the efficacy and safety of embolisation in patients with pulmonary arteriovenous malformations including a comparison with surgical resection and different embolisation devices. Search methods We searched the Cystic Fibrosis and Genetic Disorders Group's Trials Register; date of last search: 10 April 2017.We also searched the following databases: the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry; ClinicalTrials.gov; International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register; International Clinical Trials Registry Platform Search Portal (last searched 27 August 2017). to be updatedWe checked cross-references and searched references from review articles. Selection criteria Trials in which individuals with pulmonary arteriovenous malformations were randomly allocated to embolisation compared to no treatment, surgical resection or embolisation using a different embolisation device. Data collection and analysis Studies identified for potential inclusion were independently assessed for eligibility by two authors, with excluded studies further checked by a third author. No trials were identified for inclusion in the review and hence no analysis was performed. Main results There were no randomised controlled trials included in the review; one ongoing trial has been identified which may be eligible for inclusion in the future. Authors' conclusions There is no evidence from randomised controlled trials for embolisation of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations. However, randomised controlled trials are not always feasible on ethical grounds. Accumulated data from observational studies suggest that embolisation is a safe procedure which reduces morbidity and mortality. A standardised approach to reporting with long-term follow-up through registry studies can help to strengthen the evidence for embolisation in the absence of randomised controlled trials.

This paper proposes an innovative transformer management system (TMS) for energy control of customer loads and photovoltaic (PV) systems to solve the problems of transformer overloading and over voltage due to power injection by PV renewable energy. The operation status of distribution transformers is monitored by transformer terminal unit (TTU) and reported to the control master station via the hybrid communication system. The demand response of customer load control is activated to reduce the loading level of transformers for mitigation of overloading problem. For the residential customers with installation of roof top PV system, the TTU is applied to perform the power factor control of smart inverter to prevent the over voltage problem. The hybrid communication system consisting of power line carrier, radio frequency and optical fiber is used to provide two-way communication for data collection and controls of customer loads and PV system. According to the field testing of the proposed TMS in Taipower, the adaptive energy control of customer loads according to the over loading level of distribution transformer is executed to support the demand response for peak load shaving effectively. The over voltage problem due to PV power injection has also been solved by TTU for control of PV smart inverters to perform the proper reactive power compensation.

Recent work using radioactive tracer indicates that activation of imidazoline I 2 receptor (I 2 R) by guanidinium derivatives may increase the glucose uptake in the skeletal muscle. However, the effect of I 2 R activation on nonradioactive glucose uptake is still unknown. The ability of glucose uptake in cultured L6 cells is then determined using 2-[ N -(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino]-2-deoxyglucose (2-NBDG) as a fluorescence indicator. The changes in 5′-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) expression were also identified by Western blot analysis. In the present study, 2-(2-benzofuranyl)-2-imidazoline (2-BFI) is used to stimulate I 2 R while 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β- d -ribofuranoside (AICAR) is applied to activate AMPK directly. Both compounds can increase 2-NBDG in L6 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Meanwhile, compound C at concentrations sufficient to inhibit AMPK blocked this increase of glucose uptake by 2-BFI or AICAR. However, only 2-BFI-induced glucose uptake action was dose-dependently blocked by BU224, a specific I 2 R antagonist, in L6 cells. Moreover, AMPK phosphorylation was markedly increased by 2-BFI or AICAR in L6 cells. Similarly, only the effect of 2-BFI was attenuated by BU224 in L6 cells. Thus, we suggest that AMPK is mediated in I 2 R activation for increase of glucose uptake in the skeletal muscle cell and I 2 R will be a new target for diabetic therapy.

This study develops a renewable energy management system (REMS) for the control of photovoltaic (PV) smart inverters to mitigate the voltage violation of distribution systems with high penetration of PV installation. The impact analysis of distribution feeders due to real power generation of PV system and reactive power compensation by smart inverters has been embedded in REMS to solve the voltage level at the PV connection point to enable the decision making of Watt-Power factor control method for the inverters. To verify the effectiveness of smart inverters for the control of system voltage, a PV system installed in a distribution feeder of Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) has been selected for field testing. The real power, reactive power and voltage of PV system have been collected. The impact analysis of PV integration is performed to solve the mitigation of voltage variation by smart inverters using the actual change of PV power generation after the proposed control of smart inverters. It is found that the voltage variation at the test PV system is very consistent to the field test results. Computer simulation of a distribution feeder with a large PV farm has been executed to illustrate that the control of smart inverters can reduce the curtailment of renewable power generation dramatically for a distribution system with high penetration of PV systems.

Allantoin is known as the agonist of imidazoline receptor, especially the I₂ subtype. Effect of allantoin on imidazoline I₁ receptor (I₁R) relating to reduction of blood pressure and its merit in steatosis are still obscure. Also, farnesoid X receptor (FXR) plays an important role in lipid homeostasis related to I₁R activation. Thus, we administered allantoin into high fat diet (HFD)-fed mice showing hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia. Allantoin significantly improved hyperlipidemia in HFD mice after 4 weeks of administration. Pretreatment with efaroxan, at a dose sufficient to inhibit I₁R activation, attenuated the action of allantoin. In addition, in cultured HepG2 cells, allantoin increased the expression of farnesoid X receptor (FXR). The allantoin-induced FXR expression was blocked by efaroxan. Similar changes were observed in the expressions of FXR-targeted genes. Otherwise, allantoin also lowered systolic blood pressure (SBP) in HFD mice that can be blocked by efaroxan. Taken together, allantoin has an ability to activate I₁R for improvement of metabolic disorders.

The 9th Asian Symposium on Visualization (9ASV) was successfully held in Hong Kong from 4th to 8th June 2007. The total number of 191 participants from 14 countries/regions attended the Symposium, of which 174 were foreign participants worldwide outside Hong Kong. There were 138 papers covering a broad range of topics presented at the Symposium in 3 parallel × 8 sessions, including 6 keynote and 12 invited papers.

The effect of (1) the molecular ratio Na2CO3/CuSO4, (2) concentration of the reacting solutions, (3) mode of agitation during precipitation, and (4) ageing of the precipitate on the chemical composition and physical properties of the products from mixing aqueous solutions of copper sulphate and sodium carbonate was investigated. For products of definite chemical composition and desirable physical properties, the recommended precipitation conditions are: molecular ratio Na2CO3/CuSO4, 1.1:1; concentration of reacting solutions, approximately 1.0 molar; mild stirring; and sufficient time must be allowed for the precipitate to transform from blue gelatinous to green crystalline form. The CuO/CO2 ratio in the precipitates thus obtained correspond with that of malachite.

This paper presents the dispatch of reactive power compensation and real power curtailment of PV systems to prevent the over voltage violation when load transfer between distribution feeders is executed. The voltage sensitivity factors of reactive power injection at all PV buses are derived according to the configuration of distribution network. The Advanced Distribution Automation System (ADAS) issues the control command to each PV inverter for adjustment of PV power generation according to the sensitivity coefficients and PV installation capacity so that the ancillary service of voltage support can be provided by all PV systems in a fairer manner. The practical Taipower distribution feeders are selected for computer simulation to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control method to mitigate the voltage violation problem for the operation of load transfer between distribution feeders with high penetration of PV installation.

A submerged, vertical, turbulent plane jet impinging onto a free water surface will be self-excited into a flapping oscillation when the jet velocity, exiting the jet orifice, exceeds a critical value. The dependence of the critical velocity W0c and the flapping frequency f0 on the water depth H and the jet orifice width d was investigated in detail in this study. The jet flapping motion was visualized by a laser induced fluorescence technique and measured with a laser Doppler velocimeter; a supplemental measurement of the displacement of water surface by a surface wave gauge was made. The jet flapping characteristics are interpreted in terms of the effective water depth given by He = H-z0, where z0 is the virtual origin of the jet. The critical jet exit velocity was found to increase linearly with the effective water depth and to decrease with the square root of the jet orifice width. The flapping frequency decreased with the root square of the effective water depth and independent of the jet orifice width. These results led to a critical condition for the onset of instability as St = 0.929((H 2 z0)/d) 23/2 , where St is the critical Strouhal number defined by St = f 0 d/W0c.

A novel structure for phase-Doppler anemometry (PDA) is proposed in order to eliminate the measurement-volume effect (MVE). This new PDA system consists of four receiving detectors in an optimized optical orientation. The method for the determination of the optimized optical orientation angle is introduced. In this method the vector sum of refractive and reflective rays is taken into consideration in describing a dual-mechanism-scattering model caused by a nonuniformly illuminated PDA measurement volume. The constraint of the single-mechanism-scattering model in the conventional PDA is removed. As a result the error caused by MVE, which consists of a Gaussian beam defect and a slit effect, can be eliminated. Analytical and experimental studies were conducted to investigate the accuracy of particle sizing using this new system. Both the experimental results and the simulation based on the generalized Lorenz-Mie theory show that the new method can provide a high-accuracy PDA system free of the MVE.

A marked decrease of klotho expression was observed in the kidney of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (STZ rats) showing diabetic nephropathy. It has been documented that klotho is the target gene of PPARγ. However, the effect of PPARγ agonist on klotho expression in kidney of STZ rats remains obscure. Thus, we used rosiglitazone (TZD) as PPARγ agonist to investigate the effect on renal dysfunction in STZ rats. Treatment of TZD reversed the lower levels of PPARγ, klotho, and FGFR1 expressions in kidneys of STZ rats without the correction of hyperglycemia. Also, renal functions and structural defeats were improved by TZD treatment. Taken together, oral administration of TZD may improve STZ-induced diabetic nephropathy due to restoration of the expression of klotho axis through an increase in PPARγ expression without changing blood glucose in rats.

To assess the validity of surgical versus procedural interventions for CPPE or pleural empyema.

Fibrosis is the final disorder of end-stage renal disease. Activation of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 23-klotho axis could suppress renal fibrosis in mice. Also, a marked decrease of klotho expression was observed in the kidney of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (STZ rats). However, relation of FGF in renal fibrosis remained unclear. This study was aimed to screen the effect of hyperglycemia on FGF receptor (FGFR) and fibrosis in kidney of rats with diabetic nephropathy and investigate this potential mechanism in cultured Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) epithelial cells. STZ rats were used to treat with insulin or phloridzin at the dose sufficient to correct hyperglycemia for understanding the changes of renal dysfunction. The cultured MDCK cells were also used to treat with high glucose, hydrogen peroxide, or tiron in addition to transfection of siRNA to silence the klotho. Both insulin and phloridzin reversed fibrosis and FGFR expressions in kidney of STZ rats. It was confirmed in high glucose-exposed MDCK cells. However, klotho failed to modify the level of FGFR in MDCK cells. Meanwhile, FGFR was restored by tiron in MDCK cells and in diabetic rats without changing blood glucose. In conclusion, interstitial fibrosis and decreased FGFR expression are observed in the kidney of diabetic rats. This change is reversed by tiron without the correction of blood glucose. Also, klotho has no effect on expression of FGFR. Thus, decrease of oxidative stress is useful for the recovery of FGFR expression and improvement of renal fibrosis in type-1 like diabetic rats.

The PV penetration level of a distribution system is often limited by the violation of voltage variation introduced by large intermittent power generation. This study investigates the control of PV inverters. To achieve better control of PV inverters, the Advanced Distribution Automation System is proposed in this paper to monitor the system voltage variation due to large ramping rate of real power injection by PV systems. The ADAS system is also considered to support the fault detection, isolation and service restoration (FDIR) for enhancement of system reliability. In reactive power compensation for system voltage control during peak solar irradiation in order to increase the PV installation capacity of a distribution feeder without causing voltage violation problem.

H-mode theory (Shaing and Crume Jr 1989 Phys. Rev. Lett. 63 2369) is extended to include realistic effects such as charge-exchange momentum loss and the magnetic stresses. Local critical plasma parameters for the onset of the bifurcation are obtained and can be compared quantitatively with experimental measurements. It is concluded that local critical parameters are more meaningful in quantifying H-mode transition than the global power threshold scaling law.

An approximate analytic expression for plasma viscosity in finite aspect ratio tokamaks is constructed from all the asymptotic limits. The resultant viscosity coefficient is compared with the numerical results of the solution of the linearized drift kinetic equation. Neoclassical fluxes are reformulated in terms of the viscosity and friction coefficients. These fluxes can be employed to study the omnigeneous property of high‐beta small, or large aspect ratio tokamaks.

Almost all plants have the experience of ACB's overcurrent relay (OCR) unexpectedly trip event. Each accident will cause a huge production loss. But manufacturers of OCR can't afford the cost-effective solution of problem. The most used solution is to install an additional relay (ex. ABB Relay B) to replace the function of the ACB's OCR or to adopt a new ACB to replace the old one. These two uneconomical solutions are not only high cost but also time consumption on annual PM. Thus, authors proposed a novel solution by interlocking the main ACB's relay and the feeder ACB's OCR function to prevent the ACB tripped by OCR false tripping signal. This method does not require additional relay and current transformer. Therefore, it is a cost-effective and time saving solution.

Background: Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations are abnormal direct connections between the pulmonary artery and pulmonary vein which result in a right-to-left shunt. They are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality mainly from the effects of paradoxical emboli. Potential complications include stroke, cerebral abscess, pulmonary haemorrhage and hypoxaemia. Embolisation is an endovascular intervention based on the occlusion of the feeding arteries the pulmonary arteriovenous malformations thus eliminating the abnormal right-to-left-shunting. Objectives: To determine the efficacy and safety of embolisation in patients with pulmonary arteriovenous malformations including a comparison with surgical resection and different embolisation devices. Search methods: We searched the Cystic Fibrosis and Genetic Disorders Group's Trials Register; date of last search: 31 March 2014. We also searched the following databases: the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry; ClinicalTrials.gov; International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register; International Clinical Trials Registry Platform Search Portal (last searched 1 July 2014). We checked cross-references and searched references from review articles. Selection criteria: Trials in which individuals with pulmonary arteriovenous malformations were randomly allocated to embolisation compared to no treatment, surgical resection or embolisation using a different embolisation device. Data collection and analysis: Studies identified for potential inclusion were independently assessed for eligibility by two authors, with excluded studies further checked by a third author. No trials were identified for inclusion in the review and hence no analysis was performed. Main results: There were no randomised controlled trials included in the review; one ongoing trial has been identified which may be eligible for inclusion in the future. Authors' conclusions: There is no evidence from randomised controlled trials for embolisation of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations. However, randomised controlled trials are not always feasible on ethical grounds. Accumulated data from observational studies suggest that embolisation reduces morbidity. A standardised approach to reporting with long-term follow-up through registry studies can help to strengthen the evidence for embolisation in the absence of randomised controlled trials.

Allantoin is known as the agonist of imidazoline receptor, especially the I₂ subtype. Effect of allantoin on imidazoline I₁ receptor (I₁R) relating to reduction of blood pressure and its merit in steatosis are still obscure. Also, farnesoid X receptor (FXR) plays an important role in lipid homeostasis related to I₁R activation. Thus, we administered allantoin into high fat diet (HFD)-fed mice showing hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia. Allantoin significantly improved hyperlipidemia in HFD mice after 4 weeks of administration. Pretreatment with efaroxan, at a dose sufficient to inhibit I₁R activation, attenuated the action of allantoin. In addition, in cultured HepG2 cells, allantoin increased the expression of farnesoid X receptor (FXR). The allantoin-induced FXR expression was blocked by efaroxan. Similar changes were observed in the expressions of FXR-targeted genes. Otherwise, allantoin also lowered systolic blood pressure (SBP) in HFD mice that can be blocked by efaroxan. Taken together, allantoin has an ability to activate I₁R for improvement of metabolic disorders.

It is shown, by solving the drift kinetic equation, that the asymptotic values of the poloidal mass flow and the bootstrap current in the banana regime of large‐aspect‐ratio tokamak plasmas are not affected by orbit squeezing. However, because the definition of ion collisionality υ*i is reduced by a factor S−3/2, with S=1−(ρpid ln Er/dr) (cEr/Bpνti), the values of both the poloidal mass flow and the bootstrap current at the banana–plateau transition are different from those of the conventional neoclassical theory. Here, ρpi is the ion poloidal gyroradius, Er is the radial electric field, c is the speed of light, Bp is the poloidal magnetic strength, νti is the ion thermal speed, and r is the local radius. The implications for the experimental observations of poloidal rotation speeds in high mode (H mode) are discussed.

H-mode theory is extended to include realistic effects such as charge-exchange momentum loss associated with neutral particles, and the magnetic stresses induced by the magnetic islands. Local critical plasma parameters for the on-set of the bifurcation are obtained and can be compared quantatively with experimental measurements. It can be concluded from the extended theory that local critical parameters are more meaningful in quantifying H-mode transition than global power threshold scaling law.

Parallel viscosity in the banana regime in a poloidally (E×B) rotating tokamak plasma is calculated to include the effects of orbit squeezing and to allow the poloidal E×B Mach number Mp to have a value of order unity. Here, E is the electric field and B is the magnetic field. The effects of orbit squeezing not only modify the size of the particle orbit, but also change the fraction of poloidally trapped particles. Resonance between the particle parallel (to B) speed u and the poloidal component of the E×B velocity can only occur for those particles with energy (v/vt)2≳M2p (with v the particle speed and vt the thermal speed). Thus, the resonance parallel plasma viscosity in the banana regime decreases exponentially with M2p when M2p≥1, and has a local maximum of M2p∼1.

Hamiltonian systems describing particle motion in a wave with time-dependent (chirped) frequency are studied. The wave is found to form a single-node separatrix ([ital bucket]) moving in the phase space at a rate proportional to that of the frequency change. Particles trapped inside the bucket undergo convection, while untrapped particles colliding with the bucket get a resonant kick, in phase space. In toroidal systems, these effects can result in a large radial convective flux roughly proportional to the size of the bucket and the frequency chirping. Possible applications of this novel mechanism to tokamak plasmas are discussed.

Time dependent ion parallel viscous force in the banana regime with arbitrary inverse aspect ratio e is calculated using the eigenfunction approach. The flux surface averaged viscosity is then used to study the relaxation process of the poloidal rotation which leads to oscillatory relaxation behavior. The relaxation rate νp is found approximately proportional to νii/e (where νii is the ion collision frequency and e is the inverse aspect ratio).

This paper is to study the enhancement of power system quality for distribution feeders with wind generator (WG) by applying the static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) to provide the voltage support during fault contingency. The critical clearing time for circuit breaker tripping to isolate the fault is derived by considering the low voltage ride through capability of WG and the reactive power compensation by STATCOM system. To restore the stable operation of the microgrid after the fault transient disturbance, an adaptive load shedding scheme is proposed to disconnect proper amount of nonessential loads according to the feeder loading and wind speed so that the tripping of WG due to under frequency constraint can be prevented. A Taipower distribution system has been selected for computer simulation to verify the effectiveness of the proposed strategy to determine the setting feeder CB tripping and load shedding to improve the power system stability of distribution feeder with wind generator.

When the poloidal ion diamagnetic flow is of the order of the E×B drift velocity, it significantly affects the shock formation in a poloidally rotating tokamak plasma. (Here, E is the electric field and B is the magnetic field.) The poloidal density variation in both linear and shock regimes can be weakened if the poloidal ion diamagnetic flow tends to cancel the poloidal E×B flow. The magnitude of the density variation is not symmetric with respect to the direction of the E×B poloidal rotation. The resonant condition at which strong shock occurs is also modified dramatically by the diamagnetic flow. For some cases, the poloidal density variation inside the bifurcated electric field layer in the L–H transition [Phys. Rev. Lett. 42, 1408 (1982)] may not be large enough to significantly modify the plasma viscosity obtained by neglecting the compressibility effects.

Convective momentum transport associated with V⋅∇V in the momentum equation is calculated for arbitrary values of the poloidal E×B Mach number Mp. Here, V is the plasma flow velocity. The physics origin of the convective momentum transport is associated with the coupling of the poloidal variation of the viscosity‐driven flux to that of the flow velocity in the magnetic surface. When the radial gradient scale length of the plasma velocity is of the order of the ion poloidal gyroradius, ρpi, the convective momentum transport becomes comparable to the ion viscosity. At Mp≂1, the ion viscosity associated with shock—the shock viscosity—approximately balances the convective momentum transport to maintain the lowest‐order ambipolarity. The implications of the effects of shock and convective momentum transport for the previous L–H transition bifurcation theory [K. C. Shaing and E. C. Crume, Jr., Phys. Rev. Lett. 63, 2369 (1989)] are discussed, and an extended bifurcation theory including these effects is presente...

The differential diagnosis for what may seem an inguinal hernia may be complex, as lateral pain may be of many types of origin. We report the case of a 48-year-old female patient who presented with a history of painful, progressively protruding soft bulging masses over the bilateral inguinal area and a 20-year history of head cancer and hepatitis B virus. Pathological analysis, gynecological ultrasound and abdominal computed tomography scan were required to make final determination. Final diagnosis was Stage IV ovarian carcinomatosis, which responded to chemotherapy. Initial diagnosis of inguinal hernia should not rule out other potential diagnoses, particularly in complex cases with other risk factors.

Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations are abnormal direct connections between the pulmonary artery and pulmonary vein which result in a right-to-left shunt. They are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality mainly from the effects of paradoxical emboli. Potential complications include stroke, cerebral abscess, pulmonary haemorrhage and hypoxaemia. Embolisation therapy is a form of treatment based on the occlusion of the feeding arteries to a pulmonary arteriovenous malformation and can prevent many of these debilitating and life-threatening complications.To determine the efficacy and safety of embolisation therapy in people with pulmonary arteriovenous malformations including a comparison with surgical resection and different embolisation devices.We searched the Cystic Fibrosis and Genetic Disorders Group's Trials Registers (last searched 07 September 2009). We also searched the following databases: the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry; ClinicalTrials.gov; International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register; International Clinical Trials Registry Platform Search Portal (last searched 22 November 2009). We checked cross-references and searched references from review articles. Finally, we contacted manufacturers and specialised centres for unpublished and ongoing trials.Trials in which individuals with pulmonary arteriovenous malformations were randomly allocated to embolisation therapy compared to no treatment, surgical resection or a different embolisation device. Studies identified for potential inclusion were independently assessed for eligibility by two authors, with excluded studies further checked by a third author.No trials were identified. As this was the case, no analysis was performed.There were no randomised controlled trials identified.Currently there are no randomised controlled trials to support or refute embolisation therapy for treatment of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations. However, randomised controlled trials are not always feasible on ethical grounds. Observational studies suggest that embolisation therapy reduces mortality and morbidity compared to no treatment in patients. A standardised approach to reporting with long-term follow up through registry studies can help to strengthen the evidence base for embolisation therapy in the absence of randomised controlled trials. Future viable randomised controlled trials may compare different embolisation devices against each other.

Background Pulmonary: arteriovenous malformations are abnormal direct connections between the pulmonary artery and pulmonary vein which result in a right-to-left shunt. They are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality mainly from the effects of paradoxical emboli. Potential complications include stroke, cerebral abscess, pulmonary haemorrhage and hypoxaemia. Embolisation therapy is a form of treatment based on the occlusion of the feeding arteries to a pulmonary arteriovenous malformation and can prevent many of these debilitating and life-threatening complications. Objectives: To determine the efficacy and safety of embolisation therapy in people with pulmonary arteriovenous malformations including a comparison with surgical resection and different embolisation devices. Search strategy: We searched the Cystic Fibrosis and Genetic Disorders Group's Trials Registers (last searched 07 September 2009). We also searched the following databases: the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry; ClinicalTrials.gov; International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register; International Clinical Trials Registry Platform Search Portal (last searched 22 November 2009). We checked cross-references and searched references from review articles. Finally, we contacted manufacturers and specialised centres for unpublished and ongoing trials. Selection criteria: Trials in which individuals with pulmonary arteriovenous malformations were randomly allocated to embolisation therapy compared to no treatment, surgical resection or a different embolisation device. Studies identified for potential inclusion were independently assessed for eligibility by two authors, with excluded studies further checked by a third author. Data collection and analysis: No trials were identified. As this was the case, no analysis was performed. Main results: There were no randomised controlled trials identified. Authors' conclusions: Currently there are no randomised controlled trials to support or refute embolisation therapy for treatment of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations. However, randomised controlled trials are not always feasible on ethical grounds. Observational studies suggest that embolisation therapy reduces mortality and morbidity compared to no treatment in patients. A standardised approach to reporting with long-term follow up through registry studies can help to strengthen the evidence base for embolisation therapy in the absence of randomised controlled trials. Future viable randomised controlled trials may compare different embolisation devices against each other.