Search

Background Objectives Methods Results Conclusions Abrocitinib, a selective JAK 1 inhibitor, was recently approved in Europe. Despite its approval, real‐world data on its efficacy and safety in treating moderate‐to‐severe atopic dermatitis (AD) remains limited.This study aimed to evaluate the short‐term effectiveness and safety of abrocitinib in a real‐life setting for patients with moderate‐to‐severe AD.We conducted a retrospective multicenter study involving adult patients with moderate‐to‐severe AD who started abrocitinib treatment between May 1, 2023, and September 30, 2023, in 15 Spanish hospitals. Treatment doses were 100 or 200 mg daily, based on clinical assessment. Data collection included patient demographics, AD history, comorbidities, previous treatments, and disease severity indicators such as SCORing atopic dermatitis (SCORAD), Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI), body surface area, and Peak Pruritus NRS scores at baseline, 4, 12, and 24 weeks. Quality of life was measured using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and safety was assessed by monitoring adverse reactions and various biochemical parameters.The cohort comprised 76 patients with an average age of 33.93 years; 57.89% were male. Before abrocitinib, 36.84% were naïve to advanced therapies. The baseline mean scores were SCORAD 47.04, EASI 21.79, and DLQI 15.01. At Week 24, there were significant improvements: EASI was reduced to 2.81, and 70.58% of the patients achieved EASI 75. However, 18.42% discontinued treatment mainly due to inefficacy or adverse effects. The safety profile was favorable, with 22.37% reporting mild adverse events (AEs) and one serious case of cutaneous lymphoma.This first Spanish series assessing abrocitinib in real‐world conditions reveals a significant improvement in AD symptoms and quality of life in a range of severity and prior treatment failures. Abrocitinib was well‐tolerated, with few serious AEs, highlighting its potential as an effective treatment option for AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using compactifications in the logarithmic cotangent bundle, we obtain a formula for the Chern classes of the pushforward of Lagrangian cycles under an open embedding with normal crossing complement. This generalizes earlier results of Aluffi and Wu‐Zhou. The first application of our formula is a geometric description of Chern‐Mather classes of an arbitrary very affine variety, generalizing earlier results of Huh which held under the smooth and schön assumptions. As the second application, we prove an involution formula relating sectional maximum likelihood (ML) degrees and ML bidegrees, which was conjectured by Huh and Sturmfels in 2013. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a cardiovascular disease with high mortality rate. Current guidelines propose initiation and escalation of PAHtargeted treatment based on a goal-directed approach targeting hemodynamic, functional, and biochemical variables. This approach has been successfully validated in large Caucasian cohorts. However, given the low number of Hispanic patients enrolled in large PAH trials and registries, it is unknown if the same prognostic tools can be applied to this patient population. We analyzed a single-center outpatient cohort that consisted of 135 Hispanic patients diagnosed with PAH. Baseline characteristics were calculated based on COMPERA, COMPERA 2.0 and REVEAL 2.0 risk scores before the initiation of PAH-targeted therapies. The survival rate at 1 year after diagnosis was 88% for the entire cohort. The three established risk scores to predict PAH outcomes yielded similar results with reasonable discrimination of mortality in the different risk strata (all p < 0.001). Hispanic patients with PAH have a high mortality rate. Our analysis suggests that guideline proposed risk assessment at baseline yields important prognostic information in this patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of an elliptical–cylindrical cavity for microwave thermal processing of materials at high electric field strengths is reported. The design methodology based on numerical modeling is validated by experimental measurements. The system can create high‐power densities in the heated phases, excellent treatment uniformity, and stable operation without degenerated modes or polarization rotation as suffered by other commonly used circular resonator cavities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Raman Laser Spectrometer (RLS) is one of three key analytical instruments incorporated within the body of the ExoMars 2022 rover. The rover will collect samples from different sites on the Oxia Planum plain, using a drill capable of penetrating the near subsurface and rocky outcrops to a depth of 2 m. Samples are passed to the Analytical Laboratory Drawer (ALD) in the heart of the rover vehicle, where the Sample Preparation and Distribution System (SPDS) processes and transports the crushed material into a refillable container (RC), which is then presented to the analytical instruments for exobiology and geological investigation. The final sample grain distribution of the powder sample following the crushing and flattening processes is a critical aspect of the RLS instrument that has a direct impact on its overall performance, related to its mineral identification and operational capabilities. This paper provides a comparative overview of the performance of a set of Raman instruments, the RLS micro‐Raman Laboratory Equipment, the RLS ExoMars Simulator, and the RLS Engineering and Qualification Model (EQM) using Martian representative crushed samples, along with an evaluation of instrument performance as a function of the operational scenario. The results from the work performed by the RLS team confirm the capability of the RLS instrument performances, by acquiring good‐quality spectra from crushed samples provided by the SPDS, whose science return can be further optimized when improving the RLS instrument operation sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article argues that oral health is an integral component of age-friendly geriatric care. It recommends enlisting oral health providers in the process of caring for older adults to mitigate the impact of chronic illness such as periodontal and heart disease. Emphasis is given on the importance of paying attention to oral health considerations for mentation of older patients, identifying therapeutic options for older adults at high risk of falling and for overall quality of life.

The spawning grounds of the Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) are traditionally considered to be the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of Mexico) and the Mediterranean Sea (Mediterranean Sea). However, for the western Atlantic, unequivocal evidence of bluefin spawning outside the Gulf of Mexico has been shown. In this study we present the first records of genetically confirmed bluefin larvae in the southern Bay of Biscay (eastern Atlantic). These findings provide evidence of bluefin spawning activity outside the Mediterranean Sea, in the north‐eastern Atlantic. However, our results suggest that the bluefin spawning in the Bay of Biscay is a sporadic phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited data exist regarding patients with continuous‐flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support who require long‐term inotropes. Our primary objective was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and all‐cause mortality of LVAD recipients with prolonged inotrope use (PIU). Secondary endpoints were to compare predictors of PIU, mortality, risk of late re‐initiation of inotropes, time to gastrointestinal bleed (GIB), infection, and arrhythmias. Retrospective cohort study was conducted on adult patients with primary continuous‐flow LVADs implanted from January 2008 to February 2017 and the patients were followed up through February 2018. We defined PIU as ≥14 days of inotrope support. Kaplan–Meier method, competing risk models and Cox proportional hazard models were used. Final analytic sample was 203 patients, 58% required PIU, and 10% were discharged on inotropes. There was no difference in preimplant characteristics. One‐year survival rate was 87% if no PIU required, 74% if PIU required, and 72% if discharged on inotropes. PIU was associated with longer length of stay and higher incidence of GIB. We found no association between PIU and late re‐initiation of inotropes, infection or arrhythmias. Adjusted hazard risk of death was increased in patients with PIU (HR = 1.66, P =.046), older age (HR = 1.28, P =.031), and higher creatinine levels (HR = 1.60, P =.007). Prolonged inotrope use is frequently encountered following LVAD implantation and is associated with adverse prognosis but remains a therapeutic option. Inability to wean inotropes prior to hospital discharge is a marker of patients at particularly higher risk of mortality following LVAD implantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Data on bloodstream infection (BSI) due to enteric organisms are scarce. Methods: This retrospective study (1/2009‐5/2017) was aimed to evaluate the incidence of BSI episodes due to enteric organisms during the first 6 months after intestinal transplant (ITx). Differences between the first (2009‐2012) and second period (2013‐2017) were evaluated as they differed from each other in the perioperative fungal prophylaxis and immunosuppressive regimen. Results: Fifty‐five adult patients were analyzed. Twenty‐eight (51%) patients developed a total of 51 episodes of BSI. Mean time from transplant to BSI was 85.5 ± 58.8 days. The most common organisms were Klebsiella pneumoniae (33%), Enterococcus spp (31%), and Candida spp (18%). Twenty‐three (45%) were multidrug resistant. The most common sources were gut translocation (35%), central line infection (20%), and intra‐abdominal abscess (14%). Biopsy‐proven rejection was associated with 16 (31%) of the BSI episodes. Patients during the first period were more likely to develop BSI (79% vs 41%, P = 0.03). There were more episodes of rejection associated with BSI in the first period (45% vs 14%, P = 0.03). The rate of reoperation into the abdominal cavity within 2 weeks after ITx was higher and the transplant hospital stay was longer among those who developed BSI (P = 0.04 for both). Conclusions: Half of our patients developed BSI (typically during the first 3 months). Gut translocation was the most common source of BSI. Patients with rejection and/or enteritis should be monitored closely for BSI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contents: Flow cytometry is increasingly used in research and also in clinical andrology. Recent developments in instrumentation, availability of probes and bioinformatics expand the possibilities of flow cytometry well beyond the classical two parametric analyses in use. In this paper, an overview of recent developments in flow cytometry will be presented under the perspective of the authors; aspects such a multicolor assays and computational cytometry will be discussed as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tungsten carbide (WC) displays a Pt‐like behavior in catalysis, applied in hydrogenation processes. Numerous theoretical studies have modeled the behavior and use of adsorbed hydrogen without obtaining a general picture, missing basic links between H2 dissociation and generation of high surface coverage (ΘH>0.5 ML). Here, the capability of C‐ and W‐terminations of the α‐WC(0001) surface is analyzed to dissociate several H2 molecules to produce coverages, ΘH, ranging from low to very high values (0.13<ΘH<2.00 ML). Density functional theory and an ab initio atomistic thermodynamic were used to achieve the conditions for H2 dissociation. The WC−C surface has higher capacity to dissociate H2 molecules than WC−W. However, both surfaces can reach full surface coverage, ΘH=1 ML, at mild ambient conditions, T=300 K and P=1 atm, and even up to 500 K at low and high pressures. The H‐adatoms on WC−W are more labile than on WC−C. The binding of adsorbates is hindered at high ΘH, implying a need to modulate ΘH according to the application. The results give the basis to understand the capabilities of WC‐based catalysts in hydrogenation‐related reactions, with the advantage of WC being a hydrogen reservoir at mild practical catalytic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postinfectious bronchiolitis obliterans ( PIBO) is an infrequent chronic lung that causes irreversible obstruction and, or, obliteration of the smaller airways. This review particularly focuses on more than 30 studies from South America. Conclusion The initial PIBO event occurs in the early years of life and is strongly associated with adenovirus infection and the need for mechanical ventilator support. Treatment requires a multidisciplinary strategy. Multicentre studies are needed to determine progression, optimal management and long-term follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To evaluate the effectiveness of chest physiotherapy ( CPT), which provides slow and long expiratory flow and assisted cough techniques, in infants receiving outpatient care for acute wheezing episodes. Methods Forty-eight infants with moderate acute wheezing episodes were randomised to receive either salbutamol MDI with CPT (n = 25) or without CPT (n = 23). The clinical score and SpO2 levels were recorded, before and after treatment, in a blinded design. The primary outcome was discharge after the first hour of treatment: clinical score ≤5/12 and SpO2 ≥ 93%. Secondary outcomes were the number of admissions to hospital after the second hour, use of oral corticosteroid bursts and admissions to hospital on day seven. Results There were no differences between children with and without CPT in discharge rate (92% vs. 87%), clinical score (median [ IQR]: 2.8 [2.2-3.3] vs. 3.4 [2.8-4.1]) and SpO2= (96.4 [95.7-97.1] vs. 96.0 [94.9-96.5]) after the first hour of treatment or in the number of hospital admissions after the second hour. No differences were observed at days seven and 28 following treatment. Conclusion There was no evidence of clinical benefits from these specific CPT techniques for infants receiving outpatient care for acute wheezing episodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coherent diffraction imaging (CDI) is high-resolution lensless microscopy that has been applied to image a wide range of specimens using synchrotron radiation, X-ray free-electron lasers, high harmonic generation, soft X-ray lasers and electrons. Despite recent rapid advances, it remains a challenge to reconstruct fine features in weakly scattering objects such as biological specimens from noisy data. Here an effective iterative algorithm, termed oversampling smoothness (OSS), for phase retrieval of noisy diffraction intensities is presented. OSS exploits the correlation information among the pixels or voxels in the region outside of a support in real space. By properly applying spatial frequency filters to the pixels or voxels outside the support at different stages of the iterative process ( i.e. a smoothness constraint), OSS finds a balance between the hybrid input-output (HIO) and error reduction (ER) algorithms to search for a global minimum in solution space, while reducing the oscillations in the reconstruction. Both numerical simulations with Poisson noise and experimental data from a biological cell indicate that OSS consistently outperforms the HIO, ER-HIO and noise robust (NR)-HIO algorithms at all noise levels in terms of accuracy and consistency of the reconstructions. It is expected that OSS will find application in the rapidly growing CDI field, as well as other disciplines where phase retrieval from noisy Fourier magnitudes is needed. The MATLAB (The MathWorks Inc., Natick, MA, USA) source code of the OSS algorithm is freely available from http://www.physics.ucla.edu/research/imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Activation of adrenergic receptors (AR) has been reported to enhance the growth and invasion of various malignancies. The effects of AR agonists on malignant hepatocyte proliferation and migration have yet to be determined. Methods: PLC/PRF/5 (PLC) and Huh-7 cells were exposed to a wide range of concentrations of the AR agonists noradrenaline (NA) and isoprenaline. Cell proliferation, migration, intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), protein kinase A (PKA) and C (PKC), matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2, -3, -7 and -9, and α1-, β1- and β2-AR expression were documented in both cell lines. Results: Cell proliferative activity was unaltered following exposure to physiological and stress-related concentrations of AR agonists but migration was accelerated, an effect that was inhibited by the nonselective β-AR antagonist labetalol. cAMP, PKA, PKC or MMP expression remained unchanged. Although α1- and β1-AR expressions were abundant, β2-AR expression was limited in both cell lines. Conclusion: Unlike other malignancies studied to date, in this study, the proliferative activity of malignant hepatocytes was not increased by exposure to AR agonists, a finding that could be explained by downregulation of β2-AR expression. The increase in malignant hepatocyte migration observed remains unexplained but does not appear to involve adenyl cyclase or MMP signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mantle cell lymphoma has been considered an incurable disease with current chemotherapy regimens. Recent intense chemoimmunotherapy induction regimens with or without consolidation with autologous stem cell transplantation procedures are showing a potential for cure in a sizable fraction of patients. Similarly, in the salvage setting, preliminary experience with non-myeloablative allogeneic transplant may cure some patients even after multiple therapeutic failures. However, the recent knowledge of the three basic biologic derangements that are integrated in the disease may change the therapeutic approach of the disease in the near future. In fact, new drugs that target more specifically the major molecular alterations of the disease are being progressively incorporated into the therapeutic armamentarium of the disease. In the near future, more individualized approaches that will take into account not only risk factors present at diagnosis but also biomarkers representative of the molecular alterations present in the disease are foreseen. In this review, we are going to discuss the current therapeutic approaches and the main new drugs that target more specifically the major molecular pathways alterations of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

J Oral Pathol Med (2010) 39: 667-671 Background: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral tongue is well known to be an aggressive disease with early metastatic spread in early stage tumors. It is also established that locoregional recurrences are the main causes of treatment failure. Thus, the identification of histopathological factors possessing a predictive value remains important for the management of the disease. The aim of the present study was to define histopathological parameters of the tumor and to compare with the follow-up and status in primary SCCs of the mobile tongue. Methods: Histopathological parameters such as mitotic index, the presence of vascular emboli or perineural invasion, the thickness of the tumor, the histological grade, the tumor shape as well as chronic stromal inflammatory infiltration were assessed in 52 patients with SCC of the mobile tongue and compared with the follow-up and status in patients treated initially by surgery. Results: Tumor shape was significantly associated with the presence of perineural invasion. Well-defined shaped tumors displayed almost half the incidence of perineural invasion when compared with ill-defined shaped tumors. In addition, the high density of the chronic inflammatory infiltration of the stroma exhibited significant correlation with the survival of the patients. Finally, the intense chronic inflammatory infiltration of the stroma was associated with well-defined shaped tumors. Conclusion: Tumor shape and stromal chronic inflammatory infiltration should be considered in the planning of the management of patients with SCC of the mobile tongue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyrophyllite is a raw material of significant interest due to its large number of applications. Most of these applications require a thermal transformation of pyrophyllite; this thermal transformation implies the release of structural OH groups and the formation of new phases. In this paper, we report on the dehydroxylation of pyrophyllite and the reversibility of the process. A value of 224±16 kJ/mol for the dehydroxylation of pyrophyllite was obtained. In addition, it was observed that the partially or totally dehydroxylated pyrophyllite suffered a partial reversible rehydroxylation when cooled to room temperature. This rehydroxylation was substantiated by thermogravimetric measurements, while infrared spectroscopic studies showed that, during the rehydroxylation, the intensity of the OH band at 3675 cm−1 increased as two new bands at 3690 and 3702 cm−1 appeared. This rehydroxylation process was heavily influenced by the particle size of the pyrophyllite. Thus, smaller particles (<1 μm) showed a larger rehydroxylation percentage (about 12%), while the larger ones (20–40 μm) showed a smaller percentage (about 1.6%). The extent of rehydroxylation also depended on the dehydroxylation temperature and reached a maximum value at 750°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the use of bronchodilators in patients with acute bronchiolitis. It explains the difference between the 2006 and 2014 guidelines issued by professional organisation American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for bronchiolitis. Also discussed are the use of nebuliser or metered-dose inhaler and valve holding chamber, as well as the barriers to adherence.

Survivin plays separate roles during different phases of the cell cycle. In mitosis, Survivin is a key regulator of cell division, while in interphase, Survivin is able to protect cells from apoptosis. Survivin shuttles between nucleus and cytoplasm under the influence of one or more nuclear export signals (NESs). Paradoxically, our data show that Survivin poorly binds CRM1 in vitro because hydrophobic residues of the NES are occupied in homodimer contacts. We show that NES-preserving dimerization mutants behave as monomers in solution, show dramatically increased CRM1 binding and are more efficiently exported in vivo than wild-type Survivin. These data indicate that Survivin contains a monomer-specific NES and that dimerization modulates cytoplasmic access of the protein. Our findings have implications for both the mitotic and interphase roles of survivin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A new structure of an asymmetrical switched‐capacitor‐based multilevel inverter topology is proposed. The circuit is capable of generating 17‐level boosted output utilizing 11 switches and two DC sources in the ratio of 1:2, having a voltage gain of 2.6 times the input voltage. The boosting capacitors were properly charge‐discharged during one complete cycle without requiring any complex control circuit for voltage balancing. The simulation model of the proposed circuit is developed in MATLAB, and the performance of the circuit is experimentally validated. The thermal modeling using PLECS software for power loss evolution is performed, and the maximum efficiency of 97.70% is achieved by implanting a low switching frequency scheme. The comparison with the other similar topologies shows the proposed topology is better than the other compared topologies in many parameters. The boosted output voltage utilizing reduced components makes the proposed topology feasible for various applications, including solar PV system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deadbeat model predictive control is known as a precise control method in motor control applications. Recently, finite set deadbeat control is applied to power electronics applications. A voltage‐based cost function is used to select the closest voltage vector to the reference vector by examining all possible states in the cost function. This method needs a high amount of computation when it is applied to multilevel inverters or virtual voltage vectors due to a considerable increase in the number of candidates. Some studies have been done to reduce the number of candidate voltage vectors and computation burden. The methodology in these methods is based on finding the adjacent area and applying the vertex vectors to the cost function. So, these strategies are multi‐step and complex. The hexagonal zoning deadbeat model predictive control is proposed and introduced. The basic idea of the proposed method is that each zone should contain only one vector. In this way, the area identification is equal to finding the optimum voltage selection. Hexagonal zoning is used, which simplifies the process of identifying the area. A simple area identification method is developed based on the reference voltage phase angle. The proposed method can be applied to different inverters with different spatial vector diagrams. Furthermore, the synthesis of the virtual vector is manipulated to reduce the torque and flux ripple. The proposed method is experimentally evaluated by applications to the virtual voltage switching of a two‐level inverter for the induction motor drive in this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensity of sperm competition is often measured wing the gonado-somatic index (testes/body weight). But sperm competition could be mediated more by size of the epididymis than by size of the testicles, and little information is available on the relationship between testicular and epididymal size. We found that both organs were positively correlated in size among male rhesus macaques. Body weight accounted far over 70% of variance in testicle size and valumetric estimates of testicle size accurately reflected testicle weight. We conclude that methods for ascertaining tide size are accurate, but the covariation in size between testicles epididymis will hamper understanding of the physiological mechanisms revolved in sperm competition in primates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monoclonal antibodies against purified glycoprotein IIIa (GPIIIa) of human platelet membranes have been obtained. These antibodies, except one, are able to bind to intact platelets; the exception is M108/p98 antibody which recognizes a new epitope, unmasked after proteolysis of GPIIIa in vitro. Several antigenic areas can be delineated on the molecule, by testing the ability of different antibodies to compete in their simultaneous binding to GPIIIa. One of the monoclonal antibodies inhibits ADP-induced platelet aggregation while others do not have an effect or induce agglutination of platelets independent of ADP. Conventional antiserum raised against purified GPIIIa also blocks the aggregation induced by ADP. These results favour the hypothesis that GPIIIa plays a direct role in the mechanism of plalelet aggregation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyse mortality rate trends in Spain for oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer (OCOPC) from 1979 to 2018, evaluating differences between oral cavity cancer (OCC) and oropharyngeal cancer (OPC). Materials and Methods: Death certificates and mid‐year population data were collected from the Spanish National Statistics Institute. Age‐standardized mortality rates were calculated using the direct method. Joinpoint regressions were used to identify significant changes in mortality trends. Independent effects of age, period and cohort (APC) were estimated. Results: A total of 52,057 deaths were registered from OCOPC, 38,988 from OCC and 13,069 from OPC between 1979 and 2018. While OCC mortality rates declined, OCOPC rates increased slightly and OPC significantly. OCC and OPC mortality reached their highest values between 1979 and 1992, when OCC rates began to decrease in males and OPC levelled off until 2018. Lip cancer suffered the highest drop. APC models showed a mortality increase in males and females from 40 to 45 and 50 to 55 years of age, respectively. Conclusions: Favourable OCC mortality trends was plausibly influenced by decreased tobacco/alcohol consumption, while OPC rise was probably associated with increased human papillomavirus infection. The importance of closely monitoring these cancers by age group, sex and location, and continuing with preventive measures against known risk factors, is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypocretin (orexin) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels have been previously found normal or decreased in Dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson disease, two synucleinopathies commonly associated with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). We evaluated CSF hypocretin-1 levels in 15 patients with moderately severe multiple system atrophy (MSA), another synucleinopathy where sleep disorders occur frequently and EDS has been reported, performing additional electrophysiological studies in 5 of them to assess the presence of EDS and sleep onset REM (SOREM) periods. Despite relatively low sleep efficiencies in nocturnal sleep, mean sleep latencies in the Multiple Sleep Latency Test were normal with no SOREM periods. All patients had CSF hypocretin-1 levels in the normal range (>200 pg/mL) suggesting that the hypocretin system is not altered in MSA, at least in patients with a moderately severe disease. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patient‐specific flanged acetabular components are utilized to treat failed total hip arthroplasties with large acetabular defects. Previous clinical studies from our institution showed that these implants tend to lateralize the acetabular center of rotation. However, the clinical impact of lateralization on implant survivorship is debated. Our goal was to develop a finite element model to quantify how lateralization of the native hip center affects periprosthetic strain and implant‐bone micromotion distributions in a static level gait loading condition. To build the model, we computationally created a superomedial acetabular defect in a computed tomography 3D reconstruction of a native pelvis and designed a flanged acetabular implant to address this simulated bone defect. We modeled two implants, one with ~1 cm and a second with ~2 cm of hip center lateralization. We applied the maximum hip contact force and corresponding abductor force observed during level gait. The resulting strains were compared to bone fatigue strength (0.3% strain) and the micromotions were compared to the threshold for bone ingrowth (20 µm). Overall, the model demonstrated that the additional lateralization only slightly increased the area of bone at risk of failure and decreased the areas compatible with bone ingrowth. This computational study of patient‐specific acetabular implants establishes the utility of our modeling approach. Further refinement will yield a model that can explore a multitude of variables and could be used to develop a biomechanically‐based acetabular bone loss classification system to guide the development of patient‐specific implants in the treatment of large acetabular bone defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macromolecular crystallography generally requires the recovery of missing phase information from diffraction data to reconstruct an electron‐density map of the crystallized molecule. Most recent structures have been solved using molecular replacement as a phasing method, requiring an a priori structure that is closely related to the target protein to serve as a search model; when no such search model exists, molecular replacement is not possible. New advances in computational machine‐learning methods, however, have resulted in major advances in protein structure predictions from sequence information. Methods that generate predicted structural models of sufficient accuracy provide a powerful approach to molecular replacement. Taking advantage of these advances, AlphaFold predictions were applied to enable structure determination of a bacterial protein of unknown function (UniProtKB Q63NT7, NCBI locus BPSS0212) based on diffraction data that had evaded phasing attempts using MIR and anomalous scattering methods. Using both X‐ray and micro‐electron (microED) diffraction data, it was possible to solve the structure of the main fragment of the protein using a predicted model of that domain as a starting point. The use of predicted structural models importantly expands the promise of electron diffraction, where structure determination relies critically on molecular replacement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring is a major component of asthma management in children. Regular monitoring allows for diagnosis confirmation, treatment optimization, and natural history review. Numerous factors that may affect disease activity and patient well‐being need to be monitored: response and adherence to treatment, disease control, disease progression, comorbidities, quality of life, medication side‐effects, allergen and irritant exposures, diet and more. However, the prioritization of such factors and the selection of relevant assessment tools is an unmet need. Furthermore, rapidly developing technologies promise new opportunities for closer, or even "real‐time," monitoring between visits. Following an approach that included needs assessment, evidence appraisal, and Delphi consensus, the PeARL Think Tank, in collaboration with major international professional and patient organizations, has developed a set of 24 recommendations on pediatric asthma monitoring, to support healthcare professionals in decision‐making and care pathway design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to discrete nature of power converters, finite control set model predictive control (FCS‐MPC) is considered as an attractive choice for these systems. Since this control technique provides advantages like improved dynamic performance and inclusion of several control objectives in a single cost function, it is especially appropriate for topologies like modular multilevel converters (MMCs), where multiple control goals, that is, output and circulating currents control, and cells' capacitor voltage balancing should be satisfied. Despite these advantages, huge computational burden and weighting factor selection are two serious obstacles. In this work, a simple two‐stage weighting factor selection scheme is suggested for FCS‐MPC applied to MMCs. At the first stage, some offline tests are conducted for different weighting factors; and a pre‐optimal value is selected, based on minimizing the total harmonic distortion (THD) of output current and root mean square (RMS) value of the circulating current. However, since optimal performance at different operating conditions is achieved by different weighting factors, the pre‐optimal value will be updated at the second stage by a simple online algorithm. Moreover, a technique is suggested for effectively decreasing the computational burden. Finally, by conducting several simulation and experimental tests, the satisfactory performance of proposed controller is validated, compared to fixed weighting factor FCS‐MPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the efficacy of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (AlloBMT) in eight patients who had chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) in Richter's transformation. Five patients were in resistant relapse and three others were in sensitive or untreated relapse. Three out of eight patients (38%) were alive and in remission at 14 months, 47 months and 67 months respectively. Two of these three patients, including one with an unrelated-donor transplant and a prior, unsuccessful autologous transplantation, received a non-myeloablative preparative regimen. These data suggest that, compared with conventional chemotherapy, AlloBMT improves the prognosis for patients with Richter's syndrome. Further study of a larger number of patients is needed to confirm these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic iodine in the presence of water acts indirectly as a source of Brønsted acid and, concurrently, generates iodonium ion and hydrogen peroxide, which mediate the final oxidative aromatization step in the multicomponent cyclocondensation of an aromatic amine and two aliphatic aldehyde compounds. The oxidative cycle in this and related iodine‐catalyzed reactions is seldom discussed, generally unoptimized, and rarely investigated in detail. This work establishes that two independent catalytic cycles (H+ and I−/I+) drive such multicomponent cyclocondensation/ oxidation reactions, provided that the oxidant is generated in sufficient concentration to inhibit oxidation of the dihydroquinoline by the intermediate iminium cation. The complementary dual catalytic cycles, when optimized, act in concert to suppress side product formation, which simplifies isolation and purification of the self‐aggregating products, and increases the efficiency and scope of the Wang‐Kozlov multicomponent reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of iron complexes featuring the pyridine dipyrrolide (PDP) pincer ligand [Cl2PhPDPPh]2-, obtained via deprotonation of 2,6-bis(5-(2,6-dichlorophenyl)-3-phenyl-1H-pyrrol-2-yl)pyridine, H2 Cl2PhPDPPh, is reported and structurally and spectroscopically characterized. While the bis-pyridine adduct (Cl2PhPDPPh)Fe(py)2 exhibits nearly identical features as previously reported (MesPDPPh)Fe(py)2 (H2 MesPDPPh=2,6-bis(5-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-3-phenyl-1H-pyrrol-2-yl)pyridine), the diethyl ether and tetrahydrofuran adducts (Cl2PhPDPPh)Fe(OEt2) and (Cl2PhPDPPh)Fe(thf) show additional weak Fe-Cl interactions that impact the overall coordination geometries and result in strong deviations from planar coordination environments. The reaction of (Cl2PhPDPPh) Fe(thf) with 1-adamantyl azide provided the isolable iron imido complex (Cl2PhPDPPh)Fe(N1Ad), highlighting the improved stability of [Cl2PhPDPPh]2- towards intramolecular nitrene group transfer from the high-valent iron-imido unit. The electronic structure of (Cl2PhPDPPh)Fe(N1Ad) was investigated by density functional theory (DFT) and complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) calculations. These computational studies suggest energetically close-lying diamagnetic and paramagnetic states and help to conceptualize the unusual magnetic properties of the complex observed by variable-temperature 1H NMR spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our current understanding of semiarid ecosystems is that they tend to display higher vegetation greenness on polar‐facing slopes (PFS) than on equatorial‐facing slopes (EFS). However, recent studies have argued that higher vegetation greenness can occur on EFS during part of the year. To assess whether this seasonal reversal of aspect‐driven vegetation is a common occurrence, we conducted a global‐scale analysis of vegetation greenness on a monthly time scale over an 18‐year period (2000–2017). We examined the influence of climate seasonality on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values of PFS and EFS at 60 different catchments with aspect‐controlled vegetation located across all continents except Antarctica. Our results show that an overwhelming majority of sites (70%) display seasonal reversal, associated with transitions from water‐limited to energy‐limited conditions during wet winters. These findings highlight the need to consider seasonal variations of aspect‐driven vegetation patterns in ecohydrology, geomorphology, and Earth system models. Plain Language Summary: Sunny (equatorial‐facing) slopes receive more solar radiation than shady (polar‐facing) slopes. A common assumption in water‐limited semiarid ecosystems is that this difference in solar radiation results in shady slopes being greener than sunny slopes, because they lose less water to the atmosphere due to evapotranspiration. Some studies have suggested seasonal changes to this pattern, but the lack of a global‐scale analysis has prevented a clear understanding of the extent of this phenomenon and its causes. Here, we used an 18‐year record of remotely sensed monthly data to compare vegetation activity on opposing slopes in 60 semiarid catchments with different climates from all over the world. Our results show three different patterns: (1) always greener shady slopes; (2) greener shady slopes in summer but greener sunny slopes in winter; and (3) no discernible difference between slopes. Contrary to the common belief that shady slopes are always greener in semiarid landscapes, the majority of the studied sites show a seasonal reversal of this patterns in vegetation greenness. We attribute this contrasting behavior to the timing of precipitation and different growth responses of vegetation types on opposing slopes. At sites having wet winters, sunny slopes benefit more from solar radiation; hence, their vegetation grows more rapidly than that of shady slopes. These findings underline the importance of considering the seasonal variations of vegetation pattern on opposing slopes in ecohydrological, geomorphological, and Earth system models. Key Points: Hillslope aspect controls vegetation greenness in semiarid ecosystemsPolar‐facing slopes do not always have higher NDVI than equatorial‐facing slopesThe change in NDVI patterns is attributed to vegetation phenology and climate seasonality [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editor discusses the steps involved in the collection and processing of data from thin crystals by three-dimensional electron crystallography method called MicroED.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Chest physiotherapy for acute wheezing: an inappropriate protocol in a misdiagnosed group of patients," by J. Vilaro, R. Torres-Castro, and G. Postiaux in the April 29, 2014 issue.

Rationale, aims, and objectives: The aim of the present study was to determine the cost‐effectiveness of the utilization of "good practice" according to a bronchiolitis clinical practice guideline (CPG) in a population of infants hospitalized for acute bronchiolitis. Method: A decision‐analysis model was developed in order to estimate the cost‐effectiveness of the utilization of "good practice" compared with the lack of use of "good practice" according to a bronchiolitis evidence‐based CPG. The effectiveness parameters and costs of the model were obtained from electronic medical records. The main outcome was the readmission of the patients within 10 days of post discharge. Results: Compared with lack of "good practice," the utilization of "good practice" in the diagnosis and management of patients with bronchiolitis was associated with both fewer patients readmitted within 10 days of post discharge (0.88 vs 0.99 on average per patient) and lower costs (US$1529.3 versus $1709.1 average cost per patient), thus leading to dominance. Results were robust to deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: Compared with lack of "good practice," the utilization of "good practice" in the diagnosis and management of acute bronchiolitis according to a bronchiolitis CPG is a dominant strategy because it involves both fewer patients readmitted within 10 days of post discharge and lower costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Review: 82 refs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study in which a 36-year-old nan with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) and no structural heart disease received a third catheter ablation procedure that was performed in sinus rhythm. The usefulness of adenosine's proarrhythmic effect during AF catheter ablation is mentioned.

Review: 75 refs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Virus-induced wheezing in infants aged 12-24 months and bronchiolitis in infants under 6 months are different clinical entities" by M. Korppi in a 2015 issue.

A personal narrative is presented which explores the author's experience in attending patients at the community health clinic in the U.S.

Presents a letter to the editor about treatment with alemtuzumab in a case of refractory primary cutaneous CD30-negative CD8-positive cytotoxic large T-cell lymphoma.

A sampling error‐based finite‐set predictive current control (FS‐PCC) is proposed in this article for the open‐end winding induction motor (OEWIM) drive. The proposed scheme controls the zero‐sequence current (ZSC) alongside the stator currents. In a model‐free approach, this method predicts the future of ZSC and stator current components by the stator current and voltage sampling errors. In this way, the parameters of the OEWIM are not utilised in the prediction algorithm of the FS‐PCC. So, the proposed method is robust against the variation of the parameter. Moreover, this article presents a simple vector selection technique for the FS‐PCC of the OEWIM. The proposed technique has two cost functions and a simple algebraic equation to put the voltage vectors (VVs) in the prediction algorithm. The first cost function uses VVs that do not have the zero‐sequence voltage component. Then, the algebraic equation determines VVs that must be utilised in the second cost function. Finally, the optimum VV is selected by the second cost function. In the proposed scheme, the prediction algorithm is iterated 14 times instead of 27 iterations of the conventional predictive algorithm. So, besides establishing a novel model‐free prediction algorithm, the proposed method has almost 50% fewer calculations. The validity of the proposed sampling error‐based FS‐PCC and the simplified vector selection technique has been verified through experimental tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Review: 50 refs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The protective effects of egg white protein (EWP) and isomalto‐oligosaccharide (IMO) mixture (EWP/IMO, 1:1, m/m) on Culter alburnus myofibrillar proteins (Mfp) during long‐term frozen storage were systemically evaluated by comparing Mfp samples treated with EWP/IMO, IMO or EWP alone, using sample without any of them as blank control. After long‐term frozen storage, 1% IMO and 1% EWP/IMO were more effective than 1% EWP in reducing oxidative denaturation‐induced changes in functional groups and conformational sites of Mfp. Additionally, after frozen storage for 60 days, Mfp emulsion activity index (EAI) and emulsion stability index (ESI) were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in 1% IMO (20.68 m2 g−1 vs. 56.54%) and 1% EWP/IMO (18.47 m2 g−1 vs. 53.09%) than in 1% EWP (16.73 m2 g−1 vs. 45.98%) and blank control (15.16 m2 g−1 vs. 40.13%). Furthermore, Mfp gel strength was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in 1% EWP/IMO (7.14 g cm−1) than in IMO (6.33 g cm−1), EWP (5.34 g cm−1) and blank control (4.58 g cm−1). Moreover, rheological test and LF‐NMR results showed that adding EWP/IMO could more effectively improve Mfp gel viscoelasticity and three‐dimensional gel network than adding EWP or IMO alone. This study provides a new theoretical perspective for applying EWP/IMO as a potential low‐temperature protective agent in protein‐based gel products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Review: 102 refs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mild, efficient, and safe method for the iodination of indoles and azaindoles is developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Review: 4 refs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]