Tun formation is not a prerequisite for desiccation tolerance in the marine tidal tardigrade Echiniscoides sigismundi

The so-called ‘tun’ state is best known from limno-terrestrial tardigrades and rotifers that rely on this compact body shape for anhydrobiotic survival. Little is known of tun formation in marine species and the evolutionary origin of the state is presently unknown. Here, we investigate desiccation tolerance and tun formation in the marine tidal echiniscoidean tardigrade, Echiniscoides sigismundi (M. Schultze, 1865). Groups of approximately 20 E. sigismundi sampled from Lynæs (Denmark) were dehydrated on filter paper from seawater as well as ultrapurified water and kept for 48 h at 5 °C, after which they were rehydrated in seawater. The activity and behaviour of the tardigrades was examined under a light microscope, whereas scanning electron microscopy was used for high-resolution three-dimensional imaging. When dehydrated from seawater, E. sigismundi enters a tun, however, when exposed to ultrapurified water, the tardigrade swells and becomes incapable of movement, and thus incapable of tun formation. Nonetheless, E. sigismundi tolerates being dehydrated from ultrapurified water, revealing an exceptional and unparalleled resilience towards losing structural integrity. Our results confirm previous investigations, which suggest that tun formation relies on a functional musculature. They further suggest that tun formation may have evolved as a response to elevated external pressure rather than desiccation per se

The Brussels deal to save the Euro confounded its Anglo-Saxon doubters. The British press once again underestimated how integrated Europe really is.

Treaty change looms as the Eurozone edges closer towards greater fiscal union. Roger Liddle looks at what this might mean for the future of the European Union and Britain’s place within it.

A Framework for Program Development Based on Schematic Proof

Often, calculi for manipulating and reasoning about programs can be recast as calculi for synthesizing programs. The difference involves often only a slight shift of perspective: admitting metavariables into proofs. We propose that such calculi should be implemented in logical frameworks that support this kind of proof construction and that such an implementation can unify program verification and synthesis. Our proposal is illustrated with a worked example developed in Paulson's Isabelle system. We also give examples of existent calculi that are closely related to the methodology we are proposing and others that can be profitably recast using our approach

Living Donor Liver Transplantation for Caroli's Disease: A Report of Two Cases

Caroli's disease (CD) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by intrahepatic cystic dilatation of the bile ducts. Patients with bilobar or progressive disease may require orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). In the MELD era, living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) raised as the ultimate treatment option for these patients, once their MELD score is usually low. Herein, we describe 2 cases of patients (a 2-year-old girl and a 19-year-old teenager) that successfully underwent LDLT as a treatment for diffuse CD. The good postoperative courses of the two cases indicate that LDLT is a feasible option in the treatment of this disorder, even in complicated or early age patients

Inflammatory Pseudotumor of the Liver Complicated by Lung Necrosis and Pleural Empyema: A Case Report

Inflammatory pseudotumor of the liver (IPTL) is a rare condition, but an important differential diagnosis of hepatic space-occupying lesions. It may regress spontaneously and mimic other liver tumors. Complications are usually intrahepatic. Herein, we present a case of IPTL which developed pleural empyema and lung necrosis as an uncommon complication

Control of threshold voltage in E-mode and D-mode GaN-on-Si metal-insulator-semiconductor heterostructure field effect transistors by in-situ fluorine doping of atomic layer deposition Al2O3 gate dielectrics

We report the modification and control of threshold voltage in enhancement and depletion mode AlGaN/GaN metal-insulator-semiconductor heterostructure field effect transistors through the use of in-situ fluorine doping of atomic layer deposition Al2O3. Uniform distribution of F ions throughout the oxide thickness are achievable, with a doping level of up to 5.5 × 1019 cm−3 as quantified by secondary ion mass spectrometry. This fluorine doping level reduces capacitive hysteretic effects when exploited in GaN metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors. The fluorine doping and forming gas anneal also induces an average positive threshold voltage shift of between 0.75 and 1.36 V in both enhancement mode and depletion mode GaN-based transistors compared with the undoped gate oxide via a reduction of positive fixed charge in the gate oxide from +4.67 × 1012 cm−2 to −6.60 × 1012 cm−2. The application of this process in GaN based power transistors advances the realisation of normally off, high power, high speed devices

Development of A Self-efficacy Scale for Rheumatoid Arthritis

本研究の目的は, 慢性関節リウマチ患者の自己効力感の強さを測定する尺度を作成し, その信頼性と妥当性を検証することである.リウマチ患者からの質的なデータを基盤として質問項目を作成し, 先行研究を参考に修正・洗練し20項目からなる質問紙原案を作成した.専門家による内容妥当性を確認の上, リウマチ患者を対象に予備調査を行い表面妥当性を確認した.さらに信頼性と妥当性を検証するために237名の同意の得られた慢性関節リウマチ患者を対象に調査を実施した.有効回答率は84.0%(n=199)であった.項目分析の結果, 5項目が削除された.15項目による因子分析の結果, 「日常生活に対する自己効力感」, 「痔痛に対する自己効力感」の2因子が抽出された.下位尺度の信頼性は, α係数0.86,0.85と高く, 信頼性が検証された.妥当性は, 疼痛度とうつ尺度に, 有意な相関があることで証明された.本尺度は2因子15項目で成立し信頼性・妥当性は許容できるレベルの尺度であることが示された.The purpose of this study was to construct a scale for measuring self-efficacy of rheumatoid arthritis patient validity. One hundred and ninety-nine subject responded to a questionnaire. Fifteen items were selected for scale through item analysis. The scale showed two-factors structure, which were named \u27daily life control self-efficacy\u27 and \u27pain control self-efficacy\u27 Reliability of client was 0.91,and validity of this scale identified this distress scale was correlated with the scores of pain scale and depression scale

Characteristics of silicon etching by silicon chloride ions

Tomoko Ito and Kazuhiro Karahashi, Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A 31, 031301 (2013) https://doi.org/10.1116/1.479342

Intermediate-Term Risk of Stroke Following Cardiac Procedures in a Nationally Representative Data Set.

BACKGROUND: Studies on stroke risk following cardiac procedures addressed only perioperative and long-term risk following limited higher-risk procedures, were poorly generalizable, and often failed to stratify by stroke type. We calculated stroke risk in the intermediate risk period following cardiac procedures compared with common noncardiac surgeries and medical admissions. METHODS AND RESULTS: The Nationwide Readmissions Database contains readmission data for 49% of US admissions in 2013. We compared age-adjusted stroke readmission rates up to 90 days postdischarge. We used Cox regression to calculate hazard ratios, up to 1 year, of stroke risk comparing transcatheter aortic valve replacement versus surgical aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass graft versus percutaneous coronary intervention. Procedures and diagnoses were identified by International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. After cardiac procedures, 90-day ischemic stroke readmission rate was highest after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (2.05%); 90-day hemorrhagic stroke rate was highest after left ventricular assist device placement (0.09%). The hazard ratio for ischemic stroke after transcatheter aortic valve replacement, compared with surgical aortic valve replacement, in fully adjusted Cox models was 1.86 (95% confidence interval, 1.12-3.08; P=0.016) and 6.17 (95% confidence interval, 1.97-19.33; P=0.0018) for hemorrhagic stroke. There was no difference between coronary artery bypass graft and percutaneous coronary intervention. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated elevated readmission rates for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke in the intermediate 30-, 60-, and 90-day risk periods following common cardiac procedures. Furthermore, we found an elevated risk of stroke after transcatheter aortic valve replacement compared with surgical aortic valve replacement up to 1 year