Rainbow Fourier Transform

We present a novel technique for remote sensing of cloud droplet size distributions. Polarized reflectances in the scattering angle range between 135deg and 165deg exhibit a sharply defined rainbow structure, the shape of which is determined mostly by single scattering properties of cloud particles, and therefore, can be modeled using the Mie theory. Fitting the observed rainbow with such a model (computed for a parameterized family of particle size distributions) has been used for cloud droplet size retrievals. We discovered that the relationship between the rainbow structures and the corresponding particle size distributions is deeper than it had been commonly understood. In fact, the Mie theory-derived polarized reflectance as a function of reduced scattering angle (in the rainbow angular range) and the (monodisperse) particle radius appears to be a proxy to a kernel of an integral transform (similar to the sine Fourier transform on the positive semi-axis). This approach, called the rainbow Fourier transform (RFT), allows us to accurately retrieve the shape of the droplet size distribution by the application of the corresponding inverse transform to the observed polarized rainbow. While the basis functions of the proxy-transform are not exactly orthogonal in the finite angular range, this procedure needs to be complemented by a simple regression technique, which removes the retrieval artifacts. This non-parametric approach does not require any a priori knowledge of the droplet size distribution functional shape and is computationally fast (no look-up tables, no fitting, computations are the same as for the forward modeling)

Persistent form of bovine viral diarrhea

The review provides an analysis of literature data on the persistent form of Bovine Viral diarrhea/Mucosal disease (BVD) and is focused on virus and host factors, including those related to immune response, that contribute the persistence of the virus. BVD is a cattle disease widespread throughout the world that causes significant economic damage to dairy and beef cattle. The disease is characterized by a variety of clinical signs, including damage to the digestive and respiratory organs, abortions, stillbirths and other failures of reproductive functions

Omecamtiv mecarbil in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, GALACTIC‐HF: baseline characteristics and comparison with contemporary clinical trials

Aims: The safety and efficacy of the novel selective cardiac myosin activator, omecamtiv mecarbil, in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is tested in the Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure (GALACTIC‐HF) trial. Here we describe the baseline characteristics of participants in GALACTIC‐HF and how these compare with other contemporary trials. Methods and Results: Adults with established HFrEF, New York Heart Association functional class (NYHA) ≥ II, EF ≤35%, elevated natriuretic peptides and either current hospitalization for HF or history of hospitalization/ emergency department visit for HF within a year were randomized to either placebo or omecamtiv mecarbil (pharmacokinetic‐guided dosing: 25, 37.5 or 50 mg bid). 8256 patients [male (79%), non‐white (22%), mean age 65 years] were enrolled with a mean EF 27%, ischemic etiology in 54%, NYHA II 53% and III/IV 47%, and median NT‐proBNP 1971 pg/mL. HF therapies at baseline were among the most effectively employed in contemporary HF trials. GALACTIC‐HF randomized patients representative of recent HF registries and trials with substantial numbers of patients also having characteristics understudied in previous trials including more from North America (n = 1386), enrolled as inpatients (n = 2084), systolic blood pressure < 100 mmHg (n = 1127), estimated glomerular filtration rate < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 (n = 528), and treated with sacubitril‐valsartan at baseline (n = 1594). Conclusions: GALACTIC‐HF enrolled a well‐treated, high‐risk population from both inpatient and outpatient settings, which will provide a definitive evaluation of the efficacy and safety of this novel therapy, as well as informing its potential future implementation

Neuron-like dynamics of a phase-locked loop

Dynamics of two coupled phase-controlled generators based on phase-locked loop systems with a high frequency filter in the control loop was studied. It was found that beating modes are synchronized in the systems and shown that different synchronization states form an overlapping structure in parameters space of the coupled systems. Usage of the phase-locked loop as a neuron-like element is proposed

Multistatic Aerosol Cloud Lidar in Space: A Theoretical Perspective

Accurate aerosol and cloud retrievals from space remain quite challenging and typically involve solving a severely ill-posed inverse scattering problem. In this Perspective, we formulate in general terms an aerosol and aerosol-cloud interaction space mission concept intended to provide detailed horizontal and vertical profiles of aerosol physical characteristics as well as identify mutually induced changes in the properties of aerosols and clouds. We argue that a natural and feasible way of addressing the ill-posedness of the inverse scattering problem while having an exquisite vertical-profiling capability is to fly a multistatic (including bistatic) lidar system. We analyze theoretically the capabilities of a formation-flying constellation of a primary satellite equipped with a conventional monostatic (backscattering) lidar and one or more additional platforms each hosting a receiver of the scattered laser light. If successfully implemented, this concept would combine the measurement capabilities of a passive multi-angle multi-spectral polarimeter with the vertical profiling capability of a lidar; address the ill-posedness of the inverse problem caused by the highly limited information content of monostatic lidar measurements; address the ill-posedness of the inverse problem caused by vertical integration and surface reflection in passive photopolarimetric measurements; relax polarization accuracy requirements; eliminate the need for exquisite radiative-transfer modeling of the atmosphere-surface system in data analyses; yield the day-and-night observation capability; provide direct characterization of ground-level aerosols as atmospheric pollutants; and yield direct measurements of polarized bidirectional surface reflectance. We demonstrate, in particular, that supplementing the conventional backscattering lidar with just one additional receiver flown in formation at a scattering angle close to 170deg can dramatically increase the information content of the measurements. Although the specific subject of this Perspective is the multistatic lidar concept, all our conclusions equally apply to a multistatic radar system intended to study from space the global distribution of cloud and precipitation characteristics

Primenenie preparata Namivit v terapii sakharnogo diabeta

Цель. Изучить влияние Намивита на состояние углеводного и липидного обмена, перекисного окисления липидов и антиоксидантной защиты, микроциркуляции у больных СД 2 типа. Материалы и методы. Обследовано 30 больных СД 2 типа (5 мужчин в возрасте 57-71 года и 25 женщин в возрасте 56-72 лет) от впервые выявленного до 14 лет. У всех больных определяли уровень гликемии, глюкозурии, гликированного гемоглобина, ИРИ, уровень общего холестерина, триглицеридов, холестерина, липопротеидов высокой и низкой плотности, а также состояние перекисного окисления липидов и антиоксидантной защиты. Обследование больных проводилось до применения препарата и через 30 дней ежедневного приема по 2 таблетки (0,5 г) 3 раза в день. Намивит назначали дополнительно к проводимой сахароснижающей терапии, которая включала только диету или манинил, диабетон, глюренорм. Результаты. За период исследования отмечены следующие эффекты проводимого лечения: снижение HbA1c, снижение содержания общего холестерина и ЛПНП, увеличение активности системы антиоксидантной защиты, уменьшение степени ожирения. Выводы. Пищевую добавку Намивит целесообразно включать в комплексную терапию СД 2 типа

Analysis of Ly_α Dielectronic Satellites to Characterize Temporal Profile of Intense Femtosecond Laser Pulses

In the paper, an X-ray spectroscopy-based approach on laser pulse temporal profile characterization is described. The structure of dielectronic satellites to H-like Lyα lines strongly depends on a plasma electron density, so it can be applied for diagnostics. These spectral lines are mainly emitted during initial stage of laser plasma expansion. It means that plasma parameters obtained via them characterizes matter conditions in a region surrounding a spot of laser-matter interaction. In the case when a laser contrast is high enough, the radiation interacts with cold matter, which had not been preliminary perturbed by a laser prepulse, and the satellites structure shape corresponding to high densities should be observed. It allows us to consider the satellites as a diagnostic tool for the laser temporal profile quality. In the paper dependencies of the dielectronic satellites structure on electron densities obtained from detailed kinetic calculations in the wide range of plasma parameter for different elements are under discussion. Fundamental theoretical aspects of plasma diagnostic based on the feature of satellite structures shape in hot dense plasma, which led to development of the proposed method, are also explained

Analysis of Lyα dielectronic satellites to characterize temporal profile of intense femtosecond laser pulses

In the paper, an X-ray spectroscopy-based approach on laser pulse temporal profile characterization is described. The structure of dielectronic satellites to H-like Lyα lines strongly depends on a plasma electron density, so it can be applied for diagnostics. These spectral lines are mainly emitted during initial stage of laser plasma expansion. It means that plasma parameters obtained via them characterizes matter conditions in a region surrounding a spot of laser-matter interaction. In the case when a laser contrast is high enough, the radiation interacts with cold matter, which had not been preliminary perturbed by a laser prepulse, and the satellites structure shape corresponding to high densities should be observed. It allows us to consider the satellites as a diagnostic tool for the laser temporal profile quality. In the paper dependencies of the dielectronic satellites structure on electron densities obtained from detailed kinetic calculations in the wide range of plasma parameter for different elements are under discussion. Fundamental theoretical aspects of plasma diagnostic based on the feature of satellite structures shape in hot dense plasma, which led to development of the proposed method, are also explained