The prevalence of mild cognitive impairment in diverse geographical and ethnocultural regions: The COSMIC Collaboration

Background Changes in criteria and differences in populations studied and methodology have produced a wide range of prevalence estimates for mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods Uniform criteria were applied to harmonized data from 11 studies from USA, Europe, Asia and Australia, and MCI prevalence estimates determined using three separate definitions of cognitive impairment. Results The published range of MCI prevalence estimates was 5.0%-36.7%. This was reduced with all cognitive impairment definitions: performance in the bottom 6.681% (3.2%-10.8%); Clinical Dementia Rating of 0.5 (1.8%-14.9%); Mini-Mental State Examination score of 24-27 (2.1%-20.7%). Prevalences using the first definition were 5.9% overall, and increased with age (P < .001) but were unaffected by sex or the main races/ethnicities investigated (Whites and Chinese). Not completing high school increased the likelihood of MCI (P = .01). Conclusion Applying uniform criteria to harmonized data greatly reduced the variation in MCI prevalence internationally

Essential role for Pbx1 in corneal morphogenesis.

The Pbx TALE (three-amino-acid loop extension) homeodomain proteins interact with class 1 Hox proteins, which are master regulators of cell fate decisions. This study was performed to elucidate the role of the Pbx1 TALE protein in the corneal epithelium of mice. Pbx1(f/f) mice were crossed with mice containing Cre recombinase under the control of the K14 promoter. Subsequently, the eyes of these mice were dissected and prepared for histologic or molecular analysis. Tissue-specific deletion of Pbx1 in the corneal epithelium of mice resulted in corneal dystrophy and clouding that was apparent in newborns and progressively worsened with age. Thickening of the cornea epithelium was accompanied by stromal infiltration with atypical basal cells, severe disorganization of stromal collagen matrix, and loss of corneal barrier function. High epithelial cell turnover was associated with perturbed expression of developmental regulators and aberrant differentiation, suggesting an important function for Pbx1 in determining corneal identity. These studies establish an essential role of the Pbx1 proto-oncogene in corneal morphogenesis

Structural fatigue life assessment and sustainment implications for a New Class of US Coast Guard Cutters

This paper presents an overview of the US Coast Guard’s Fatigue Life Assessment Project (FLAP) and the application of the results in hull structure lifecycle management of the National Security Cutter class. One of the key measurements of the FLAP instrumentation included a radar based wave data measuring system. These measurements were used to determine the operational profile and wave statistics the Cutter encountered for the first five years of service. This information was compared to the design assumptions to understand the differences between design, actual operations, and impact on the long term fatigue damage forecasts. The influence of the operator is discussed. The model tests, dedicated trials and long term monitoring provided valuable insights into the limitations of analysis and predictions. A reliability based fatigue life prediction approach is discussed, along with how they may be used to evaluate options for life cycle management of fatigue and the Return on Investment (ROI) for considering fatigue early in the design. Finally, conclusions and recommendations are provided for the advancement of the spectral fatigue approaches for cost effectively managing fatigue in ship structure.Marine and Transport TechnologyMechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineerin