Orthogonal Projections Based on Hyperbolic and Spherical n-Simplex

In this paper, orthogonal projection along a geodesic to the chosen k-plane is introduced using edge and Gram matrix of an n-simplex in hyperbolic or spherical n-space. The distance from a point to k-plane is obtained by the orthogonal projection. It is also given the perpendicular foots from a point to k-plane of hyperbolic and spherical n-space.Comment: 13 page

A Binary-Ordered Probit Model of Cigarette Demand

This study analyzes the demand for cigarettes fitting observed zero outcomes with a trivariate model consisting of an equation for the starting smoking decision, an equation for the quitting decision, and an equation that models the level of cigarettes consumed. Five competing specifications are considered to explain level, with the ordered probit, which accommodates pile-ups of counts in the dependent variable, providing the best fit. Marginal effects of explanatory variables are calculated providing strong evidence of race and gender differences in consumption patterns. The estimated marginal effects are robust to alternative categorizations of the level of cigarettes.Demand and Price Analysis,

An intrinsic Proper Generalized Decomposition for parametric symmetric elliptic problems

We introduce in this paper a technique for the reduced order approximation of parametric symmetric elliptic partial differential equations. For any given dimension, we prove the existence of an optimal subspace of at most that dimension which realizes the best approximation in mean of the error with respect to the parameter in the quadratic norm associated to the elliptic operator, between the exact solution and the Galerkin solution calculated on the subspace. This is analogous to the best approximation property of the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) subspaces, excepting that in our case the norm is parameter-depending, and then the POD optimal sub-spaces cannot be characterized by means of a spectral problem. We apply a deflation technique to build a series of approximating solutions on finite-dimensional optimal subspaces, directly in the on-line step. We prove that the partial sums converge to the continuous solutions, in mean quadratic elliptic norm.Comment: 18 page

The attractiveness of countries for FDI. A fuzzy approach

This paper presents a new method for measuring the attractiveness of countries for FDI. A ranking is built using a fuzzy expert system whereby the function producing the final evaluation is not necessarily linear and the weights of the variables, usually defined numerically, are replaced by linguistic rules. More precisely, weights derive from expert opinions and from econometric tests on the determinants of countries’ FDI. As a second step, the view-point of investors from two different investing economies, the UK and Italy, are taken into account. Country-specific factors, such as the geographic, cultural and institutional distances existing between the investing and the partner economies are included in the analysis. This shows how the base ranking changes with the investor’s perspective

Is there an immigrant-gender gap in education? An empirical investigation based on PISA data from Italy.

Gender and origin background are widely accepted in the economics of education literature as factors that highly correlate with educational outcomes. However, little attention has been devoted so far to the interaction of these two dimensions. We use Italian data from PISA 2015 to investigate potential immigrant-gender gaps in education. We find that, as expected, girls outperform boys in reading and are outperformed by them in math and science. In addition, immigrant students\u2019 scores are persistently below those of natives. However, interestingly, we find that being immigrant and female does not imply a double disadvantage in math and science. On the contrary, immigrant girls slightly compensate for the immigrant gap in all disciplines. Moreover, the wider gap we find is that of immigrant boys in reading: it ranges from to 0.66 to 2 school years with respect to native boys. Language spoken at home is one of the main cofactors affecting immigrant boy\u2019s scores. Targeted policies should therefore be implemented

Simple methanesulfonates are hydrolyzed by the sulfatase carbonic anhydrase activity.

This study was financed by Turkish Republic Prime Ministry State Planning Organization (DPT), (Project no: 2010K120440) for (MS). Work from Supuran lab was financed by an FP 7 EU grant (Metoxia project)

Two pion mediated scalar isoscalar NN interaction in the nuclear medium

We study the modification of the nucleon nucleon interaction in a nuclear medium in the scalar isoscalar channel, mediated by the exchange of two correlated ($\sigma$ channel) or uncorrelated pions. For this purpose we use a standard approach for the renormalization of pions in nuclei. The corrections obtained for the $NN$ interaction in the medium in this channel are of the order of 20% of the free one in average, and the consideration of short range correlations plays an important role in providing these moderate changes. Yet, the corrections are sizable enough to suggest further studies of the stability and properties of nuclear matter.Comment: 27 page

Interaction of anions with a newly characterized alpha carbonic anhydrase from Halomonas sp

The inhibition and characterization of the α-class carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) from the Halomonas sp. are reported for the first time. The enzyme was purified 91-fold with a yield of 39%, and a specific activity of 600 U/mg proteins was obtained. It has an optimum pH at 7.5, an optimum ionic strength at 20 mM and an optimum temperature at 20 °C. The following anions, SCN(-), Br(-), Cl(-), I(-), [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] showed inhibitory effects on the hydratase activity of the enzyme. Sulfate, sulfide, azide, nitrate, nitrite and iodide exhibited the strongest inhibitory activity, in the micromolar range (KI-s of 5.5-15.5 µM). SCN(-), Br(-), Cl(-), [Formula: see text] were moderate inhibitors, whereas other anions showed only weak activities. Our findings indicate that these anions inhibit the Halomonas sp. CA (HmCA) enzyme in a similar manner to other α-CAs from mammals investigated earlier, but the susceptibility to various anions differs significantly between the Halomonas sp. and other organism CAs

Ocular surface epithelia contain ABCG2-dependent side population cells exhibiting features associated with stem cells.

When cell populations are incubated with the DNA-binding dye Hoechst 33342 and subjected to flow cytometry analysis for Hoechst 33342 emissions, active efflux of the dye by the ABCG2/BCRP1 transporter causes certain cells to appear as a segregated cohort, known as a side population (SP). Stem cells from several tissues have been shown to possess the SP phenotype. As the lack of specific surface markers has hindered the isolation and subsequent biochemical characterization of epithelial stem cells this study sought to determine the existence of SP cells and expression of ABCG2 in the epithelia of the ocular surface and evaluate whether such SP cells had features associated with epithelial stem cells. Human and rabbit limbal-corneal and conjunctival epithelial cells were incubated with Hoechst 33342, and analyzed and sorted by flow cytometry. Sorted cells were subjected to several tests to determine whether the isolated SP cells displayed features consistent with the stem cell phenotype. Side populations amounting to \u3c1% of total cells, which were sensitive to the ABCG2-inhibitor fumitremorgin C, were found in the conjunctival and limbal epithelia, but were absent from the stem cell-free corneal epithelium. Immunohistochemistry was used to establish the spatial expression pattern of ABCG2. The antigen was detected in clusters of conjunctival and limbal epithelia basal cells but was not present in the corneal epithelium. SP cells were characterized by extremely low light side scattering and contained a high percentage of cells that: showed slow cycling prior to tissue collection; exhibited an initial delay in proliferation after culturing; and displayed clonogenic capacity and resistance to phorbol-induced differentiation; all features that are consistent with a stem cell phenotype

The β-blocker Nebivolol Is a GRK/β-arrestin Biased Agonist

Nebivolol, a third generation β-adrenoceptor (β-AR) antagonist (β-blocker), causes vasodilation by inducing nitric oxide (NO) production. The mechanism via which nebivolol induces NO production remains unknown, resulting in the genesis of much of the controversy regarding the pharmacological action of nebivolol. Carvedilol is another β-blocker that induces NO production. A prominent pharmacological mechanism of carvedilol is biased agonism that is independent of Gαs and involves G protein-coupled receptor kinase (GRK)/β-arrestin signaling with downstream activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Due to the pharmacological similarities between nebivolol and carvedilol, we hypothesized that nebivolol is also a GRK/β-arrestin biased agonist. We tested this hypothesis utilizing mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) that solely express β2-ARs, and HL-1 cardiac myocytes that express β1- and β2-ARs and no detectable β3-ARs. We confirmed previous reports that nebivolol does not significantly alter cAMP levels and thus is not a classical agonist. Moreover, in both cell types, nebivolol induced rapid internalization of β-ARs indicating that nebivolol is also not a classical β-blocker. Furthermore, nebivolol treatment resulted in a time-dependent phosphorylation of ERK that was indistinguishable from carvedilol and similar in duration, but not amplitude, to isoproterenol. Nebivolol-mediated phosphorylation of ERK was sensitive to propranolol (non-selective β-AR-blocker), AG1478 (EGFR inhibitor), indicating that the signaling emanates from β-ARs and involves the EGFR. Furthermore, in MEFs, nebivolol-mediated phosphorylation of ERK was sensitive to pharmacological inhibition of GRK2 as well as siRNA knockdown of β-arrestin 1/2. Additionally, nebivolol induced redistribution of β-arrestin 2 from a diffuse staining pattern into more intense punctate spots. We conclude that nebivolol is a β2-AR, and likely β1-AR, GRK/β-arrestin biased agonist, which suggests that some of the unique clinically beneficial effects of nebivolol may be due to biased agonism at β1- and/or β2-ARs. © 2013 Erickson et al