cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Crystal structure of a biliverdin IXalpha reductase enzyme-cofactor complex.

Biliverdin reductase (BVR) catalyzes the last step in heme degradation by reducing the g-methene bridge of the open tetrapyrrole, biliverdin IXa, to bilirubin with the concomitant oxidation of a b-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) or b-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) cofactor. Bilirubin is the major bile pigment in mammals and has antioxidant and anticompliment activity. We have determined X-ray crystal structures of apo rat BVR and its complex with NADH at 1.2 A ˚ and 1.5 Aresolution, respectively. In agreement with an independent structure determination of the apo-enzyme, BVR consists of an N-terminal dinucleotide-binding domain (Rossmann-fold) and a C-terminal domain that contains a six-stranded b-sheet that is flanked on one face by several a-helices. The C-terminal and N-terminal domains interact extensively, forming the active site cleft at their interface. The cofactor complex struc- ture reported here reveals that the cofactor nicotinamide ring extends into the active site cleft, where it is adjacent to conserved amino acid residues and, consistent with the known stereochemistry of the reaction catalyzed by BVR, the si face of the ring is accessible for hydride transfer. The only titratable side-chain that appears to be suitably positioned to function as a general acid in catalysis is Tyr97. This residue, however, is not essential for catalysis, since the Tyr97Phe mutant protein retains 50% activity. This finding suggests that the dominant role in catalysis may be performed by hydride transfer from the cofactor, a process that may be promoted by proximity of the invariant residues Glu96, Glu123, and Glu126, to the nicotinamide ring. q 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved
The design and detection of signature sequences in time-frequency selective channel

In a slot-synchronized wireless communication system, a set of signature sequences can be derived by circularly shifting a base sequence with good auto correlation properties. In a time-dispersive channel, the sequences with different circular time shifts can be uniquely identified as long as their minimum separation in time is greater than the channelpsilas maximum delay spread. In this paper, we extend this approach further to the Doppler domain by introducing an additional circular frequency offset to the delay shifted sequences. When the base sequence is carefully designed through applying some delay-Doppler radar signal design principles, the results of this two-dimensional generalization are a much larger set of sequences with better correlation properties than some existing designs. Moreover, the new design is also suitable in channels that are both time and frequency selective as long as the minimum Doppler separation of the sequences is greater than the channelpsilas maximum Doppler spread. The detection of the sequences essentially consists of correlating the received signal with all valid hypotheses, and can be carried out efficiently if the base sequence is properly designed. Simulation results show that given a sequence length that is large enough, exact number of multiple devices can be accurately detected in very challenging conditions with a single threshold test.
Fast and efficient interconnect modelling using finite element method and model order reduction

As printed circuit conductors are popularly used, the modelling of the electrical behaviour of these interconnect is getting attention. The authors present a method by which SPICE compatible lumped equivalent circuit can be extracted from two-dimensional FEM simulation of transmission line interconnects in a fast and efficient manner. The lumped parameters of the transmission line are obtained by applying a certain type of moment matching to the FEM results. It will also be pointed out that the impedance has only stable poles even though there are unstable poles in both the inductance and the resistance.
Advanced Process Control

This chapter explores both run-by-run and supervisory process control strategies. Such advanced process control techniques are required more and more for increasingly sophisticated modern semiconductor manufacturing applications. The chapter addresses control in two main categories. In this first, we deal with controllers that utilize polynomial process models, but limit their adaptation to the constant term of the model. Afterwards, we discuss controllers that can adapt the entire model.
Increased expression of CC chemokine ligand 18 in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps

Background Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is associated with T H 2-dominant inflammation, including eosinophilia, which is in contrast to chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) without nasal polyps (NPs). CC chemokine ligand 18 (CCL18)/pulmonary and activation-regulated chemokine is known to recruit naive T cells, B cells, and immature dendritic cells, as well as to activate fibroblasts. CCL18 is thought to be involved in T H 2-related inflammatory diseases, including asthma and atopic dermatitis. Objective The objective of this study was to investigate the expression of CCL18 in patients with CRS. Methods Using NP tissue and uncinate tissue (UT) from control subjects and patients with CRS, we examined the expression of CCL18 mRNA using real-time PCR and measured CCL18 protein using ELISA, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence. Results Compared with UT tissue from control subjects, CCL18 mRNA levels were significantly increased in NPs ( P P + cell numbers were significantly increased in NPs. Immunofluorescence data showed colocalization of CCL18 in CD68 + /CD163 + /macrophage mannose receptor–positive M2 macrophages and tryptase-positive mast cells in NPs. Levels of CCL18 correlated with markers of M2 macrophages but not with tryptase levels, suggesting that M2 macrophages are major CCL18-producing cells in NPs. Conclusion Overproduction of CCL18 might contribute to the pathogenesis of CRSwNP through its known activities, which include recruitment of lymphocytes and dendritic cells, activation of fibroblasts, and initiation of local inflammation.
Ideal spatial adaptation by wavelet shrinkage

SUMMARY With ideal spatial adaptation, an oracle furnishes information about how best to adapt a spatially variable estimator, whether piecewise constant, piecewise polynomial, variable knot spline, or variable bandwidth kernel, to the unknown function. Estimation with the aid of an oracle offers dramatic advantages over traditional linear estimation by nonadaptive kernels; however, it is a priori unclear whether such performance can be obtained by a procedure relying on the data alone. We describe a new principle for spatially-adaptive estimation: selective wavelet reconstruction. We show that variable-knot spline fits and piecewise-polynomial fits, when equipped with an oracle to select the knots, are not dramatically more powerful than selective wavelet reconstruction with an oracle. We develop a practical spatially adaptive method, RiskShrink, which works by shrinkage of empirical wavelet coefficients. RiskShrink mimics the performance of an oracle for selective wavelet reconstruction as well as it is possible to do so. A new inequality in multivariate normal decision theory which we call the oracle inequality shows that attained performance differs from ideal performance by at most a factor of approximately 2 log n, where n is the sample size. Moreover no estimator can give a better guarantee than this. Within the class of spatially adaptive procedures, RiskShrink is essentially optimal. Relying only on the data, it comes within a factor log 2 n of the performance of piecewise polynomial and variableknot spline methods equipped with an oracle. In contrast, it is unknown how or if piecewise polynomial methods could be made to function this well when denied access to an oracle and forced to rely on data alone.
Projection-based multiuser receiver over frequency selective channels

In multiuser communication, the receiver's performance is degraded by multiuser interference (MUI) as well as multipath distortions. This paper aims at elimination of these side effects. By projecting the received data onto the orthogonal code space of interfering users, equivalent single user and MUI free data vectors are obtained. Since the projection matrix consists of orthonormal bases, the whiteness of original additive Gaussian noise is still preserved after projection operation. Therefore various detection techniques, e.g., constant modulus algorithm (CMA), subspace, iterative least squares with projection (ILSP), etc. can be successfully applied to estimate transmitted symbols and the multipath channel of the desired user but with reduced complexity and asymptotically optimal performance. The proposed receiver is simulated by ILSP method and its performance compared with the RAKE receiver and the decorrelating receiver. Much lower bit error probability is achieved for a wide range of signal to noise ratios.
Development of Anticandidal Delivery Systems: (II) Mucoadhesive Devices for Prolonged Drug Delivery in the Oral Cavity

AbstractConventional dosage forms designed for drug delivery in the oral cavity suffer from the disadvantage of an initial burst of activity followed by a rapid decrease in concentration to subtherapeutic levels. To counter this effect, two prolonged-release dosage forms were devised for the treatment of oral candidiasis. These devices were to contain the antifungals, chlorhexidine and clotrimazole, for therapy against Candida albicans, and also benzocaine and hydrocortisone to combat the pain and inflammation secondaly to a candidal infection. Release studies demonstrated that only chlorhexidine and clotrimazole could be delivered in a controlled manner from the mucoadhesive patches. On the other hand, release of all four drugs could be controlled from the mucoadhesive tablets, with optimum release of the drugs in 24 hr achieved using sodium carboxymethylcellulose and polyethylene oxide (85:15) combination tablets.
New Regional Magnetic and Gravity Maps of Central and Western Gulf of Mexico: ABSTRACT

As part of the regional synthesis phase of the proposed Ocean Margin Drilling Project, magnetic and gravity anomaly maps of the central and western Gulf of Mexico have been prepared from existing data, many of which have not been previously processed or interpreted. Magnetic anomalies, derived by removal of the modified 1975.5 IGRF and average diurnal variation, are of relatively small amplitude, generally ±50 to 100 gammas, with wavelengths on the order of 50 to 200 km. Free air gravity anomalies have typical amplitudes of ±30 milligals and wavelengths of 50 to 200 km. Distinctive linear magnetic and gravity anomalies parallel the northwest (Texas) Gulf Coast and the northwest margin of Campeche Bank. Such anomalies are poorly developed along the margins of the Bay of Campeche. Over the central Gulf, low-amplitude linear magnetic anomalies are present. These anomalies are consistent both in trend and apparent offset with predictions based on hypothetical formation of the Gulf by sea-floor spreading synchronous with early opening of the central North Atlantic. Modeling of these anomalies and calculation of magnetic depth-to-source are in progress and should provide better insight into the origin of the Gulf of Mexico. End_of_Article - Last_Page 627------------
4-Methoxy-α-PVP: in silico prediction, metabolic stability, and metabolite identification by human hepatocyte incubation and high-resolution mass spectrometry

Novel psychoactive substances are continuously developed to circumvent legislative and regulatory efforts. A new synthetic cathinone, 4-methoxy-α-PVP, was identified for the first time in illegal products; however, the metabolism of this compound is not known. Complete metabolic profiles are needed for these novel psychoactive substances to enable identification of their intake and to link adverse effects to the causative agent. This study assessed 4-methoxy-α-PVP metabolic stability with human liver microsomes (HLMs) and identified its metabolites after HLM and hepatocyte incubations followed by high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). A Thermo QExactive high-resolution mass spectrometer (HRMS) was used with full scan data-dependent mass spectrometry, with (1) and without (2) an inclusion list of predicted metabolite, and with full scan and all-ion fragmentation (3) to identify potential unexpected metabolites. In silico predictions were performed and compared to in vitro results. Scans were thoroughly mined with different data processing algorithms using WebMetabase (Molecular Discovery). 4-Methoxy-α-PVP exhibited a long half-life of 79.7 min in HLM, with an intrinsic clearance of 8.7 µL min−1 mg−1. In addition, this compound is predicted to be a low-clearance drug with an estimated human hepatic clearance of 8.2 mL min−1 kg−1. Eleven 4-methoxy-α-PVP metabolites were identified, generated by O-demethylation, hydroxylation, oxidation, ketone reduction, N-dealkylation, and glucuronidation. The most dominant metabolite in HLM and human hepatocyte samples was 4-hydroxy-α-PVP, also predicted as the #1 in silico metabolite, and is suggested to be a suitable analytical target in addition to the parent compound.
Revision of the Apogon erythrinus Complex (Teleostei: Apogonidae)

Abstract Two phenetic complexes are recognized among the small (usually less than 46 mm SL), semitranslucent, red species of the subgenus Apogon lacking stripes, bars, or black edges on scales on body sides, with six spines in first part of dorsal fin and one spine and 8–9 (almost always 9) rays in second part, two anal fin spines and 7–8 (almost always 8) rays, 12–15 pectoral fin rays, and a total of 16 or fewer gillrakers. The Apogon coccineus complex has one large full scale, and often one small scale, between the lateral line and the third spine of the first part of the dorsal fin and a free edge of skin near the anterior nasal opening. Members of the Apogon erythrinus complex have two large full scales, and often a small scale, between the lateral line and dorsal fin and no free edge of skin near the anterior nasal opening. Four species are recognized in the A. erythrinus complex: A. erythrinus, endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and Johnson Island; Apogon marquesensis n. sp., endemic to the Marquesas I...
Recent Progress in Four-Wave Mixing Spectroscopy in Crystals

The general framework for describing the large variety of nonlinear optical phenomena caused by an electric polarization cubic in the electric field amplitudes $${{P}_{i}}\left( {{\omega }_{4}},\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{r}\right)=\frac{1}{2}X_{ijk\ell}^{\left(3\right)}\left(-{{\omega}_{4}},{{\omega}_{1}},-{{\omega}_{2}},{{\omega}_{3}}\right){{E}_{j}}\left({{\omega}_{1}}\right)E_{k}^{*}\left({{\omega}_{2}}\right){{E}_{\ell}}\left({{\omega}_{3}}\right)\exp\left[i\left({{{\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{k}}}_{1}}-{{{\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{k}}}_{2}}+{{{\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{k}}}_{3}}\right)\centerdot\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{r}-i{{\omega}_{4}}t\right]+c.c.$$ (1)
Health Care Providers and the Public Fisc: Paradigms of Government Harm Under the Civil False Claims Act

In addition to numerous program-specific penalties for failure to comply with the laws and regulations governing federal health care programs, health care providers also face the possibility of multi-million dollar liability under the Civil False Claims Act (FCA). The recent focus on fraud in federal health care programs has resulted in this basic Civil War-era statute being applied to situations that are increasingly far removed from traditional types of government fraud. This Article argues that the FCA has not been applied to the health care industry consistent with either the law's own jurisprudence or with current health care regulatory policy. This inconsistency, in turn, has important implications for the future of health care fraud enforcement. If the health care industry comes to believe that the law is being applied unfairly, the industry may question the legitimacy of the government's anti-fraud efforts - a crucial determinant of the law's ability to influence conduct through normative (rather than coercive) measures. Doubt as to the legitimacy of the government's efforts could lead to further noncompliance, requiring the use of increasingly coercive enforcement mechanisms. The result will be a contentious enforcement environment that is unlikely to advance the goal of providing cost-effective, quality health care services to patients. The Author argues that an appreciation of these issues is critical to the anti-fraud endeavor, and requires the development of practical strategies for rebuilding the relationship between government and industry.
X-Ray Lithography and Microscopy

X-rays have considerably shorter wavelengths than visible light and offer, therefore, the potential of drastically improved resolution. However, due to the fact that all materials are absorbing and that all refractive indices are very close to one in the x-ray region, conventional lenses cannot be fabricated for x-rays and magnification and demagnification cannot be obtained by refraction of x-rays. The oldest x-ray microscopy technique is the x-ray contact microscopy introduced by Goby.1 Goby produced an x-ray shadowgraph of an object by bringing it into contact with a photographic film and irradiating it with x-rays. He viewed the developed unmagnified image with an optical microscope. Despite the fact that the resolution of this method cannot be better than that of the optical microscope, the technique has been widely used in biology and medicine, mostly for the differences in contrast and resolution compared to optical microscopy. A detailed discussion of the method can be found in several books and review articles.2–4 There have also been several attempts to improve the resolution of the method, either by producing a magnified image by projection5 or by the use of grain-free recording media coupled with an electron microscope for magnified viewing.6,7 Drastically improved resolution close to the diffraction limit has been obtained recently.8,9 In this case an organic x-ray resist has been used as the recording medium for the x-ray image and a scanning electron microscope provided the magnification. Organic resist materials are the radiation sensitive materials used in the fabrication of semiconductor devices. They are chemically modified by radiation in such a way that they, for example, can be dissolved in the areas that have been exposed, leaving the unexposed areas of a device wafer covered with a protection film which resists all the subsequent processing steps used for the fabrication of a device. Nearly all electronic microcircuits produced today are fabricated by photolithography (exposure by light) and have smallest linewidths around 2.5μm. It is expected that in the future, when linewidths around or below 1μm will be used, optical lithography will be replaced by electron beam or (and) x-ray lithography. X-ray lithography as it is used today in many laboratories is a 1:1 magnification shadowgraph technique like Goby’s contact microscopy.
Guest Editors' Introduction: Community Literacy and Digital Technologies

This special issue of the Community Literacy Journal assembles articles by scholars from around the country involved in fostering community literacy relationships through digital media. These authors and activists have served in a variety of research, scholarly, and volunteer roles, often merging all three. Their words advocate for and give voice to new university-community partnerships for community literacy that extend opportunities on both sides. While the authors recount and reflect on their community literacy work in different ways, they all see value in the formation of productive and mutually beneficial relationships. Unique to this special issue is the lens through which authors read their community literacy work.
Amino acid excesses for young pigs: effects of excess methionine, tryptophan, threonine or leucine.

Five experiments involving 359 weanling (8 kg) pigs were conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary excesses of DL-methionine (Met), L-tryptophan (Trp), L-threonine (Thr) or L-leucine (Leu) when added to a 20% crude protein corn-soybean meal (C-SBM) diet. Experiments involved supplementing the basal diet with 0, .5, 1.0, 2.0 or 4.0% excesses of Met, Trp or Thr, or in the case of Leu, a 0, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 or 6.0% excess. Levels of .5 and 1.0% excess Met did not depress feed intake (FI), weight gain (G) or gain/feed (G/F); 2.0 and 4.0% additions, however, depressed both FI and G but not G/F. Free Met in blood plasma increased linearly as dietary Met level increased, reaching over a 100-fold elevation at the highest Met level fed. Plasma Thr and serine (Ser) increased, and glycine (Gly) decreased, with each added increment of Met. With Trp, only the 4.0% addition depressed FI and G (but not G/F). None of the levels of excess Thr depressed performance. Excess Thr, in fact, tended to increase G/F. Free Thr, Ser and Gly in plasma increased linearly as graded increments of excess Thr were added to the diet. With Leu, a 6% addition depressed weight gain and food intake (but not G/F) but 1, 2 or 4% excesses were without effect. Plasma free Leu increased linearly while free isoleucine and valine decreased as graded increments of Leu were added to the diet. These results suggest that pigs can tolerate considerable excesses of Met, Trp, Thr and Leu without experiencing decreased voluntary feed intake or weight gain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Amphetamine toxicity in isolated and aggregated mice. Influence of aggregation with non-amphetamine treated, sedated mice.

The phenomenon of increased amphetamine toxicity in aggregated mice was studied by placing one mouse treated with amphetamine among either 9 untreated (1 A+9 U) or 9 sedated (1 A+9 S) mice. Mortalities were recorded at the fifth and twentieth hour following intraperitoneal injection of dl-amphetamine in doses ranging from 15 to 125 mg/kg. The mortality in these two groups were compared with the mortality in two other groups where one amphetaminetreated mouse was isolated (1 A) and where 10 amphetamine-treated mice were grouped together (10 A). The highest mortality occurred when all the mice in the aggregate received amphetamine (10 A), whereas, the lowest mortality occurred in mice (1 A) isolated after amphetamine injection. The mortality curves for mice placed among untreated (A + 9 U) or sedated (1 A + 9 S) mice were similar and lay in between those for the isolated (1 A) and aggregated (10 A) mice. A biphasic pattern was noted in the dose-mortality curves for the three different aggregated groups.
Nitrite reactivity with magnetite.

Under Fe3+-reducing conditions, soil Fe2+ oxidation has been shown to be coupled with nitrate (NO3–) reduction. One possible secondary reaction is the involvement of NO3– and nitrite (NO2–) with magnetite, a mixed valence Fe2+/Fe3+ mineral found in many natural environments. Currently, little information exists on NO3– and NO2– reactivity with magnetite. This study investigates NO3– and NO2– reactivity with magnetite under anoxic conditions using batch kinetic experiments across a range of pH values (5.5–7.5) and in the presence of added dissolved Fe2+. Solid phase products were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Mossbauer spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Nitrate removal by magnetite was much slower when compared with NO2–. There was a pH-dependence in the reduction of NO2– by magnetite; the initial rate of NO2– removal was two times faster at pH 5.5 than at pH 7.5. The influence of pH was explained by the binding of NO2– to positively charged sites on magnetite (≡S–OH2+) an...
LOW DOSE TPA IMPROVES REPERFUSION EFFICACY OF MICROVASCULAR OBSTRUCTION USING ULTRASOUND WITH MICROBUBBLES

Thrombotic microvascular obstruction (MVO) remains an important obstacle for reperfusion following PCI. We have previously shown that ultrasound (US) and microbubble (MB) therapy (termed “sonoreperfusion”, or “SRP”) restores perfusion during MVO in both in-vitro and in-vivo models. In this
Replication and tissue tropisms of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus in experimentally infected adult Hyalomma truncatum (Acari: Ixodidae).

Adult Hyalomma truncatum Koch ticks were inoculated intracoelomically with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus to examine tissue tropisms of this virus in ticks. Virus was recovered from all 185 ticks examined between 2 and 42 d after inoculation with CCHF virus. Titers or virus recovered from unfed male and female ticks were essentially the same (means, 10(2.4) and 10(2.5) plaque-forming units [PFU] per tick, respectively). Infection rates and titers recovered per gland for both salivary glands and reproductive tissues (ovaries and testes) were positively associated with blood feeding; average titers were 10-fold greater in organs from fed compared with those from unfed individuals. In contrast, neither the tick's sex nor feeding status (unfed or engorged) affected the titer of virus recovered from hemolymph (mean, 10(1.6) PFU/microliters). Although virus was recovered from Malpighian tubules, midgut, muscle, and nervous tissues from nearly all of the ticks tested, viral titers were consistently low. The increase in viral titer associated with blood feeding by ticks appeared to be due primarily to proliferation of tissue (e.g., salivary gland and reproductive tissues), rather than to increased replication in tissue already present.
Taxonomies of Engineering Design

We have now defined, at least tentatively, what we mean by design, and we have described several views of the process of design. In so doing, we have identified some of the ways that problem-solving strategies could be employed in the design process. Now we turn to the task of trying to outline an organizational structure or taxonomy for design. According to the dictionary, a taxonomy is the result of the “study of the general principles of scientific classification” and a classification , at least in the natural sciences, is the “orderly classification of plants and animals according to their presumed natural relationships.” Similarly here, a taxonomy of design might (1) allow us to classify design problems according to certain characteristics; and (2) facilitate the organization of the knowledge, representation, and reasoning schemes that would be useful in modeling different kinds of design. Are such taxonomies important? Why? One viewpoint is that a scientific theory of design cannot be developed without such a taxonomy. Another is that such taxonomies allow us to compare design methods and design tools – especially those reflecting the newer computer-aided technologies the ideas of which are reflected in this discussion. Our own viewpoint is stated somewhat differently in that we would stress any increase in our ability to understand and model the thought processes involved in design as being the best reason for developing such taxonomies. As we work toward this objective, we will simultaneously increase our abilities to compare various design tools and to develop and explore new design methods. We note also that, as with our characterizations of the design process, various taxonomies and classifications have been proposed, and there is certainly some overlap of ideas among them. After we review these various taxonomies, in an order roughly corresponding to their chronological development, we will try to analyze in a principled way what we have learned from so describing the thought processes of design.
A Worksheet Summary System for Clinical Laboratory Management

This article describes a simple method for summarizing total activity from the worksheets used at each workstation in a clinical laboratory. Monthly reports display day-to-day trends in total workload, as well as changes in the ratio between charged and total tests. Cumulative summaries of the monthly reports display month-to-month trends of total workload, as well as the ratio between charged and total tests. These reports also provide: (1) a simple method to calculate "lost revenue" (difference between total "chargeable" work and credited revenue); (2) more rapid and more uniform calculation of CAP workload units. In the author's laboratory, time required to maintain this data base and calculate CAP workload units has been less than the time previously required for calculation of CAP workload units alone.
A Treatment Approach for Patients With Chronic Systolic Heart Failure

The treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection (HFrEF) is changing rapidly. Advances over the past several decades have focused on blocking the adverse effects of neurohormonal activation. This approach has resulted in marked improvement in outcomes in the HFrEF population. Despite these advances, however, mortality and morbidity remain high and HFrEF patients have poor quality of life. New approaches to therapy now offer additional benefits. Combined neprilysin inhibition and angiotensin receptor blockade using sacubitril-valsartan (LCZ696) has been shown to be superior to an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor in HFrEF patients. Compared with enalapril, treatment with LCZ696 was associated with significant reductions in the composite of cardiovascular mortality and heart failure hospitalization, both components of this composite endpoint and all-cause mortality. Another approach that has been shown to be effective is the use of ivabradine, an agent that blocks If channels in the sinus node to reduce heart rate. When added to standard therapy (that included a β-blocker in 89% of patients) in symptomatic HFrEF patients who were in sinus rhythm, ivabradine significantly reduced combined cardiovascular mortality and heart failure hospitalizations. Death from heart failure, all-cause hospitalization, and heart failure hospitalization were also significantly reduced when ivabradine was added to the medical regimen. Thus, both LCZ696 and ivabradine represent significant advances in the therapy of HFrEF. Utilization of these drugs in the growing HFrEF population will benefit millions of patients around the world.
Difficulties and recommendations for more accurately predicting the performance of solar energy systems during the snow season

The advent of modern solar energy technologies can improve the costs of energy consumption on a global, national, and regional level, ultimately spanning stakeholders from governmental entities, to utility companies, corporations, and residential homeowners. In each case the question of if and when the investor will recoup their initial investment is an important barrier to be considered. Current solar energy performance estimation models have several limitations, especially with respect to cold and snowy climates. While the models commonly include a discount to account for shade or soil, the factor is assumed to be constant and devoid of seasonal or monthly changes, such as snow fall. This paper provides validation for the need to modify current solar energy performance models to better estimate the influence of snow on solar panels. Furthermore, a new method is proposed in an attempt to allow model designers, and ultimately users, the opportunity to better understand the return on investment for solar energy systems located in snowy environments.
Biologic Therapies for Immunoglobulin E-mediated Food Allergy and Eosinophilic Esophagitis.

Immunoglobulin (Ig) E-mediated food allergy and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) are chronic, allergen-mediated disorders characterized by an aberrant TH2 immune response. The development and investigation of biologics for the treatment of IgE-mediated food allergy and eosinophilic esophagitis have provided further insight into the pathophysiology and management of these disorders. This article provides an overview of biologic therapies that are being investigated or have potential as treatments for IgE-mediated food allergy and eosinophilic esophagitis. Identification of EoE phenotypes that are responsive to biologics and investigation of biologics combined with other therapies may help elucidate a role for biologics in EoE.
The suitability of common compressibility equations for characterizing plasticity of diverse powders

The analysis of powder compressibility data yields useful information for characterizing compaction behavior and mechanical properties of powders, especially plasticity. Among the many compressibility equations proposed in powder compaction research, the Heckel equation and the Kawakita equation are the most commonly used, despite their known limitations. Systematic evaluation of the performance in analyzing compressibility data suggested the Kuentz-Leuenberger equation is superior to both the Heckel equation and the Kawakita equation for characterizing plasticity of powders exhibiting a wide range of mechanical properties.
Switchable Surfactants for the Preparation of Monodisperse, Supported Nanoparticle Catalysts.

Synthesis methods for the preparation of monodisperse, supported nanoparticles remain problematic. Traditional synthesis methods require calcination following nanoparticle deposition to remove bound ligands and expose catalytic active sites. Calcination leads to significant and unpredictable growth of the nanoparticles resulting in polydisperse size populations. This undesired increase in nanoparticle size leads to a decrease in catalytic activity due to a loss of total surface area. In this work, we present the use of silylamines, a class of switchable solvents, for the preparation of monodisperse, supported nanoparticles. Silylamines are switchable molecules that convert between molecular and ionic forms by reaction with CO2. Upon addition of an alkane, the switchable solvent behaves as a switchable surfactant (SwiS). The SwiS is used to template nanoparticles to aid in synthesis and subsequently used to release nanoparticles for deposition onto a support material. The use of SwiS allowed for the preser...
Expanding the concept of birthparent loss to orphans: Exploratory findings from adolescents in institutional care in South Korea

Abstract Conservative estimates of the number of orphaned and abandoned children suggest there are approximately 132 million worldwide, of whom the majority reside in Asia followed by Sub-Saharan Africa. Research on alternative care for children in need of parental protection have largely been siloed by care setting (i.e. institutional care, adoption, foster care) without consideration of risk factors across care types. One factor specific to alternative care that occurs for all children across care settings is disruption and disconnection of birth parents as a consequence of out-of-home placement. Thus, the purpose of this cross-sectional study of 170 adolescents in institutional care in South Korea was to explore whether a common risk factor specific to the experience of family removal and placement in alternative care, cognitive appraisal of birth parent loss, was present and was a risk factor for more mental health and behavior problems. Findings affirmed the majority of adolescents in institutional care had thoughts about birth parents, but most did not express negative emotions towards birth parents. A more negative appraisal of birth parent loss was found to be a significant predictor of more depressive symptoms, PTSD symptoms, and internalizing behavior problems, but not more externalizing behavior problems. Findings suggest cognitive appraisal of birth parent loss may be a risk factor for more mental health and internal behavior problems for youth in institutional care and that systems of alternative care need to assist youth in having information about their birth parents regardless of contact.
Detection of hemagglutinins in dried saliva stains and their potential use in blood typing

Since 1928, hemagglutinins have been known to exist in saliva; however, they have not been utilized as evidence in criminal investigations because in the past, techniques for measuring them have not been sufficiently sensitive. In this paper we describe improved techniques for detecting salivary hemagglutinins and report initial results obtained with these methods. The stability of salivary hemagglutinins at several different temperatures was examined in liquid samples and in dried stains on filter paper, cigarette butts, and envelope flaps. Our observations indicate that salivary hemagglutinins may be sufficiently stable, over periods of one to several days at ambient room temperatures, to be of value to forensic science investigators. The results of the hemagglutinin assay are not affected by the age or sex of the sample donor. Because salivary hemagglutinins can be used to determine ABO blood type, analyses of this kind can serve as an important confirmatory test which the forensic serologist can use in conjunction with salivary agglutinogen determinations.
Lateral Recess Stenosis of Lumbar Spine Foraminoplasty

In 1900, Sachs and Fraenkel (1) described the diagnosis and treatment of lateral recess stenosis as an entity. Epstein et al. (2) further clarified it as a distinct clinical entity. The availability of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging in recent years has facilitated visualization of the content of the lateral recess and diagnosis of this pathological condition (Xi146-1|Fig.1)
Diferenciales de progreso tecnologico y diferenciales de inflacion : un comentario

This note presents in a simple framework the Balassa (1964) argument. It is shown that if technical progress is faster in the nontraded goods sector, their relative price will tend to rise through time. It is also shown that this increase in relative pric
The gender conformity conundrum: The effects of irrelevant gender norms on public conformity

The purpose of this experiment was to examine influences of gender norms on gender-role conformity. This series of two studies tests whether females or males are more likely to conform to public no...
Integrating Volterra Series Model and Deep Neural Networks to Equalize Nonlinear Power Amplifiers

The nonlinearity of power amplifiers (PAs) has been one of the severe constraints to the performance of modern wireless transceivers. This problem is even more challenging for the fifth generation (5G) cellular system since 5G signals have extremely high peak to average power ratio. This paper develops nonlinear equalizers that exploit both deep neural networks (DNNs) and Volterra series models to mitigate PA nonlinear distortions. The DNN equalizer architecture consists of multiple one-dimension convolutional layers. The input features are designed according to the Volterra series model of nonlinear PAs. This enables the DNN equalizer to mitigate nonlinear PA distortions more effectively while avoiding over-fitting under limited training data. Experiments are conducted with both simulated data based on a Doherty nonlinear PA model and real measurement data obtained from a highly nonlinear cable TV PA. The results demonstrate that the proposed DNN equalizer has superior performance over conventional nonlinear equalization approaches.
Optimization Bounds from the Branching Dual

We present a general method for obtaining strong bounds for discrete optimization problems that is based on a concept of branching duality. It can be applied when no useful integer programming mode...
Epidemiology and Pathogenesis of Anal Cancer

Anal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a relatively rare malignancy that in most cases is related to chronic infection from the human papillomavirus (HPV). The association with HPV infection places certain groups at high risk of developing precursor anal intraepithelial lesions and invasive cancer, including patients with chronic immunosuppression from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or other etiologies. The introductions of highly active antiretroviral therapy for HIV patients and of the HPV vaccine for adolescents have had a strong influence on the incidence of anal SCC over the past three decades, and this is likely to continue into the future as the full effect of HPV vaccines alters rates of HPV infection. While the rarity of anal SCC precludes screening the population at large, groups at high risk for anal dysplasia and progression to invasive disease may derive benefit from focused screening programs, though the data supporting this are still evolving. Finally, for those patients who are found to have high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, there are multiple topical and local ablative options for treatment. This chapter will discuss the incidence of anal SCC and how it has changed over time, risk factors for the development of invasive cancer, the pathogenesis of anal SCC, and the screening programs and treatment modalities available for anal dysplasia.
Multiple sleep dimensions and type 2 diabetes risk among women in the Sister Study: differences by race/ethnicity.

Objective Poor sleep has been associated with type 2 diabetes. Since racial/ethnic minorities experience a disproportionately high prevalence of poor sleep and type 2 diabetes, we sought to determine the relationships between multiple sleep dimensions and incident type 2 diabetes and to investigate if these relationships vary by race/ethnicity. Research design and methods Prospective data were analyzed from the Sister Study, which enrolled 50 884 women from 2003 to 2009. Participants self-reported sleep duration, sleep latency, night awakenings, and napping at baseline, and a physician’s diagnosis of type 2 diabetes at follow-up. Multivariable-adjusted HRs and 95% CIs were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. Results Among the 39 071 eligible participants, 87% self-identified as white, 8% black and 5% Hispanic/Latina. The mean follow-up period was 8.5±2.1 years and 1785 type 2 diabetes cases were reported. The incidence rate per 1000 person-years was 5.4 for whites, 13.3 for blacks and 11.6 for Hispanics/Latinas. There was a positive but non-significant increased risk of type 2 diabetes among women who reported short sleep, latency >30 min and frequent night awakenings. In fully-adjusted models, frequent napping was associated with a 19% (HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.37) higher type 2 diabetes risk in the overall sample. Poor sleep among racial/ethnic minorities ranged from a 1.4-fold to a 3.2-fold higher type 2 diabetes risk than whites with recommended sleep. Conclusions Frequent napping was associated with higher type 2 diabetes risk. Racial/ethnic minorities with poor sleep had a higher type 2 diabetes risk than whites with recommended sleep.
Development and characterization of monoclonal antibodies specific for chicken interleukin-13 and their neutralizing effects in chicken primary monocytes

Abstract Compared with mammals, the functionality of chicken cytokines is not well understood because of the unavailability of immune reagents. Mammalian interleukin (IL)-13 is an important Th2 type cytokine with well-known biological functions through its 2 receptors, IL-13 receptor (IL-13R)-α1 and IL-13Rα2. In the present study, we developed mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAb) against chIL-13 and further investigated their specificity in detecting endogenously produced chIL-13. Upon characterization of mAb using indirect ELISA and Western blot, the capture ELISA was developed for detecting chIL-13. Neutralizing effects were tested by measuring nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in primary chicken monocytes stimulated with chIL-13, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), chIL-13+LPS, or chIL-13+LPS+mAb. In addition, gene expression of chIL-13Rα1, chIL-13Rα2, and TGF-β1 was tested in chicken monocytes treated with chIL-13 or chIL-13+mAb. Based on indirect ELISA, 5 mAb that detected recombinant chIL-13 were identified, and all of them specifically detected recombinant chIL-13 protein by Western blotting. An optimal signal was obtained with 2 mAb (#9B11 and #10A2) in a pairing assay, and these 2 mAb were used in a capture assay. A neutralization assay further revealed that chIL-13 reduced LPS-stimulated NO production and iNOS expression in monocytes and macrophage cells, and the 2 mAb (#9B11 and #10A2) abrogated these effects. In addition, chIL-13–induced expressions of chIL-13Rα2 and TGF-β1 were neutralized by the 2 mAb. In summary, the present study showed that chIL-13 may be involved in the alternative activation of primary monocytes in chickens and that chIL-13 signaling may be regulated through chIL-13Rα2 binding and TGF-β1 secretion. Importantly, the newly developed anti–chIL-13 mAb will serve as valuable immune reagents for future studies on the biological activity of chIL-13 and its receptors.
Metabolites and Hypertension: Insights into Hypertension as a Metabolic Disorder: 2019 Harriet Dustan Award.

For over 100 years, essential hypertension has been researched from different perspectives ranging from genetics, physiology, and immunology to more recent ones encompassing microbiology (microbiot...
Mathematical practices, in theory and practice

Descriptions of mathematical thinking have an extended lineage. Sometimes accurate and sometimes not, sometimes misinterpreted and sometimes not, characterizations of mathematical thought processes have inspired and at times misled people interested in designing or framing mathematics instruction. Challenges the field faces in conceptualizing mathematics instruction include: What can be warranted as legitimate mathematical practices? Which aspects of mathematical practices are relevant and appropriate for K-16 instruction? What kinds of support are necessary? What is viable at scale? This paper provides a description of relevant history from the Western literature, bringing readers up to the present. It then addresses two key issues related to contemporary curricula: the framing of the mathematical enterprise as being fundamentally inquiry-oriented and the need for curricula and instruction to reflect such mathematical values; and the characteristics of mathematical classrooms that support students’ development as powerful mathematical thinkers. An emphasis is on problem solving, a major component of “thinking mathematically.” The paper concludes with a description of practices that are currently under-emphasized in instruction and that would profit from greater attention.
Immigrant nationality and human capital formation in Brazil

Abstract This paper investigates the impact of the mass migration episode of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century (1888–1920) on human capital creation in Brazil. We argue that the presence of immigrants at the turn of the twentieth century has had a positive impact on current measures of human capital and that the effect is heterogeneous. Demand for education depends on an immigrants’ experiences with public education, on their religious background, and on their migration objectives and demographics. The supply of education is contingent on social capital and size of immigrant community. Further, we indicate that this effect persisted over time and remained localized due to high mobility costs and network effects. We find a positive relationship between German, Japanese and Italian presence in 1920 and current human capital, while Portuguese and Spanish presence are not associated with human capital increases.