Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a face mask, comprising: a frame defining a respiratory chamber, for receiving nose and mouth portions of a user, between a proximal end of the frame for interfacing with a face portion of the user and a distal end of the frame configured for allowing gas exchange with the environment; a vocal guide defined by a sectional portion of the frame, the guide comprising an arched nose ridge portion, side wall portions extending from the nose ridge portion and a base connecting the side wall portions, wherein the guide is configured with an inwardly-projecting contour located at one or more regions of each of the side wall portions so as to alter an output frequency response of sound waves travelling through the frame for improving speech intelligibility of the mask during use.

Abstract: A cement composition includes a cementitious material in an amount of 10 to 40 wt. %, a date palm biochar in an amount of 0.25 to 1.5 wt. %, a fine aggregate (FA) in an amount of 20 to 85 wt. %, a coarse aggregate (CA) in an amount of 0.01 to 60 wt. %, and a plasticizer in an amount of 0.001 to 2 wt. %, each wt. % based on a total weight of the cement composition. Furthermore, the date palm biochar has a particle size in a range of 0.1 to 20 micrometers (?m) and the date palm biochar is at least one of a date palm leaves biochar (BioCl), and a date palm seeds biochar (BioCs).

Abstract: A high-impedance fault positioning method and system based on synchronous Lissajous curve characteristics are provided. The method includes: acquiring a bus zero-sequence differential voltage and a feeder zero-sequence current of a faulty line; constructing a first Lissajous curve in a characteristic frequency band range based on the bus zero-sequence differential voltage and the feeder zero-sequence current; when the proportion of the faulty line is less than a set threshold value and the slope of the first Lissajous curve is negative, determining that high-impedance faults have occurred in the faulty line; constructing a second Lissajous curve based on the bus zero-sequence differential voltage and the section zero-sequence current, performing linear fitting on discrete data points of the second Lissajous curve to obtain a fitted curve; and when the slope of the fitted curve is negative for at least three consecutive periods, determining that high-impedance faults have occurred in the section.

Abstract: The application relates to methods of diagnosis of status epilepticus (SE) or new onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE), as well as determining the likelihood of mortality associated with SE and/or NORSE, based on mammalian gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota. The application further relates to the treatment or prevention of SE and/or NORSE, or mortality associated with these conditions via use of probiotics, prebiotics, compounds and/or compositions for modulating the GI microbiota.

Abstract: Electrified liquid-liquid extraction systems including an alkyl-substituted ferrocene compound as an organic adsorbent are provided herein. Methods of recovering a metal from a leach solution are further provided.

Abstract: There is provided a code generation method. The method comprises extracting columns corresponding to the number of symbols of a codeword from a parity check matrix of an error correction code; generating a shortened parity check matrix for the error correction code on the basis of the columns corresponding to the number of symbols of the codeword; checking whether the shortened parity check matrix includes an independent nonzero syndrome for each of a single symbol error and a double error; and generating a parity check matrix for a correction of the single symbol error corresponding to the number of bits of the shortened parity check matrix and a correction of the double error corresponding to the number of bits of the shortened parity check matrix if the shortened parity check matrix includes the independent nonzero syndrome for each of the single symbol error and the double error.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to vectors, isolated cells, compositions, and methods for the treatment of critical limb ischemia and associated disorders. One aspect of the disclosure relates to a vector comprising a nucleic acid encoding a 165A isoform VEGF protein and a promoter that regulates expression of the nucleic acid encoding the VEGF.

Abstract: A gate-all-around transistor with hybrid conduction mechanism, including a GAA MOSFET, a second source region, and a second drain region. The GAA MOSFET includes a substrate, a first source region, and a first drain region. The first source region, the first drain region and the second drain region are doped with first ions, the second source region is doped with second ions. The second source region is formed between the substrate and the first source region, the second drain region is formed between the substrate and the first drain region. The height of the second source region and the second drain region are not less than the height of the substrate between the first source region and the first drain region. It can realize the hybrid conduction of the gate channel diffusion drift current and the bottom channel band tunneling current to obtain better ultra-steep switching characteristics.

Abstract: The subject invention provides multi-species reference ladders, multiplex PCR kits, and methods for multi-species identification using the multi-species reference ladders and multiplex PCR kits. Advantageously, the multi-species reference ladder and multiplex kit allows for a stream-lined analysis process and rapid species identification in a single test.

Abstract: Terpolymers comprising optionally at least partially substituted styrene repeat units, N-alkylmaleimide repeat units and repeat units selected from the group consisting of maleic anhydride repeat units, maleic acid repeat units or maleic anhydride derivative repeat units and having a narrow molecular weight distribution are provided. The terpolymers may be used to solubilize lipid bilayers to form lipid nanodiscs and isolate membrane proteins.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for treating cellular inflammation induced by AFB1, comprising administering to a patient an agent that increases a content or an expression level of miR-9, wherein the agent that increases the content or the expression level of miR-9 is miR-9 mimics or an expression vector containing miR-9, a nucleotide sequence of the miR-9 mimics is shown in SEQ ID No. 5 and a SEQ ID No. 6, and a nucleotide sequence of the miR-9 is shown in SEQ ID No. 5. The present disclosure increases the content or the expression level of miR-9 to antagonize an upstream signaling, block an occurrence of inflammatory response, and inhibit a pro-inflammatory effect of AFB1 on glomerular podocyte.

Abstract: A conditional calculator includes an input unit configured to receive a first operand, a second operand, and a control value and a calculation unit configured to perform a conditional operation in which a determination is made as to whether a predetermined operation is performed on the first and second operands, depending on the control value. The calculation unit may perform the conditional operation based on an operation of left-shifting an intermediate value of the conditional operation according to the control value or an operation of multiplying the intermediate value of the conditional operation by the control value.

Abstract: In a system for converting digital data into a modulated optical signal, an electrically controllable device, including a modulator having one or more actuating electrodes, provides an analog-modulated optical signal that is modulated in response to output data bits of a digital-to-digital mapping. A digital-to-digital conversion provides the mapping of input data words to the output data bits.

Abstract: An ultrafast wide-field quantum sensing device using a neuromorphic event-based vision sensor includes a laser generating a laser beam; a dichroic mirror directing the laser beam onto a diamond sample and passing the laser beam reflected from the diamond, and an event camera receiving from the dichroic mirror the beam reflected from the diamond. A source of microwave energy applied to the diamond. A pulse generator synchronizes the microwave source and the event camera to create CW-ODMR measurements, wherein trigger pulses from the pulse generator are applied to the camera and microwave source. The optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) resonance frequency is determined based on the CW-ODMR measurements.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions comprising a first lipid-conjugated oligonucleotide comprising a first lipid moiety, a first hybridization region, and a first primer region; a second lipid-conjugated oligonucleotide comprising a second hybridization region and a second lipid moiety, wherein the second hybridization region is the reverse complement of the first hybridization region; and a third oligonucleotide comprising a second primer region, a barcode region, and a capture sequence, wherein the second primer region is the reverse complement of the first primer region; compositions comprising a lipid-conjugated DNA oligonucleotide comprising a lipid moiety, a barcode region, and a capture sequence; and composition comprising a first lipid-conjugated DNA oligonucleotide comprising a lipid moiety and a first primer region; and a second DNA oligonucleotide comprising a second primer region, a barcode region, and a capture sequence, wherein the second primer region is the reverse complement of the first primer region

Abstract: Flushable wet wipes, and methods of making and using the same, are described. The flushable wet wipes include a biopolymer comprising a carrageenan and optionally a monovalent or multivalent salt on a substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of methods for encoding, decoding, and matching patterns in collections of signals. These methods use weighting functions to scale the signals. This scaling enables the use of signals of arbitrary duration, wherein the signals may include discrete sequences and spike trains. In the most general case, the signals can be represented using functionals, which extends the expressive power of the methods. Further disclosed herein are embodiments of a system that performs these methods.

Abstract: Compositions and methods relating to bacterial ribosomes selected to increase the incorporation of at least one glycosylated amino acid into a protein versus a wild-type bacterial ribosome. Selection embodiments include growing bacteria in the presence of a puromycin derivative, wherein a surviving clone has a ribosome that incorporates at least one glycosylated amino acid into a protein.

Abstract: A steam press system and methods of controlling steam generation and recycling steam therein are provided. The steam press system includes a first steam plate and a second steam plate configured to receive and evacuate steam. The steam press system further includes a first pump configured to draw steam from the first steam plate and the second steam plate, a heat exchanger configured to condense the steam into fresh water and heat the fresh water. The steam press system further includes a third pump to pump the heated water into a storage tank. The steam press system further includes a fourth pump configured to pump the heated water from the storage tank to a steam generator. The steam generator is configured to receive the heated water, boil the heated water to generate steam and to deliver the steam to the first steam plate and the second steam plate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), containing KDS2010 as an active ingredient, wherein it has been identified, in a Git1 gene-deficient hetero (+/?) mouse, that the amount of GABA is increased in the striatum of the brain, which is in charge of hyperactivity, and thus the mouse can be used as an animal model of ADHD, and it has been identified that inattention and hyperactivity are alleviated upon the administration of KDS2010 to the Git1 gene-deficient hetero (+/?) mouse, and thus KDS2010 is provided as an agent for treating ADHD.