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This work investigates the impact of temperature on the fatigue life All Aluminum Alloy Conductors (AAAC) made of 6201‐T81. A heating chamber was developed to simulate thermal effects induced by electric current passage. Wöhler fatigue curves were generated under isothermal conditions at 75 and 150°C and later compared with the one at 20°C. The conductor exhibited similar fatigue life at 20 and 75°C; however, a significant increase of life was observed for tests at 150°C. Hardness tests and failure analysis of wire breakages were carried out on samples extracted from the conductor coil and on artificially aged samples maintained at controlled temperatures. The analyses revealed that at a temperature of 150°C, there is formation of small precipitates of magnesium and silicon within the aluminum matrix, which impeded the propagation of discontinuities, increasing the material's hardness and fatigue resistance. Highlights: The designed heating chamber simulates thermal effects during fatigue tests on conductors.S‐N curves at 20, 75, and 150°C reveal enhanced conductor life at higher temps.Failure analysis present similar patterns across all temperature fatigue failures.Samples' hardness on conductor wires shows a temperature‐induced mechanical changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the welfare effects of the interaction of a rule of indirect tax harmonization under the destination principle and the provision of public goods that are global in nature. It stresses the role of international transfers between governments set in order to equalize the social (i.e., worldwide) marginal cost of public funds across countries. Under this condition, it is shown how the combination of the tax and expenditure side of such a "harmonizing fiscal policy" can give rise to a potential Pareto improvement. This requires considering aggregate revenue effects (and the ensuing effects on the provision of public goods) of the fiscal reform jointly with under/over provision of public goods in the (first‐best) Samuelson sense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that Pareto improvements based on harmonizing tax reforms expressed in terms of the divergence between actual and optimal tax structures and over/under provision of public goods require the use of 'pseudo‐optimal' taxes instead of optimal ones. 'Pseudo‐optimal' taxes are defined as those obtained using the optimal tax formulas but evaluated at any arbitrary initial tax structure. Within this context the paper reconfirms existing results showing that tax harmonization emerges as a strong policy instrument in achieving a potential Pareto‐improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is common in women with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but objective markers of depression have not yet been explored in such patients. We hypothesized that inflammation and antioxidant biomarkers may be associated with depression in a cohort of OSA women. We conducted a multicentre, cross‐sectional study in 247 women diagnosed with moderate‐to‐severe OSA. Depression was assessed by the depression subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Questionnaire (HAD‐D) and defined as a score ≥11. Associations between tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα), interleukin 6 (IL‐6), C‐reactive protein (CRP), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM‐1), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plasma levels and depression were assessed. The women had a median (25th‐75th percentiles) age of 58 (51–65) years, body mass index (BMI) of 33.5 (29.0–38.3) Kg/m2, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score of 10 (6–13) and apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) of 33.3 (22.8–49.3). Logistic regression analyses revealed that only IL6 levels were associated with the presence of depression (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08–1.34), whereas linear regression further confirmed that IL6 levels were significantly associated with HAD‐D scores (β =.154; 95% CI, 0.03–0.30). Multivariate regression analysis showed that IL6 (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.09–1.36), ESS (OR, 1.10; 95% CI 1.02–1.19) and physical activity <30 min/day (OR, 2.51; 95% CI, 1.25–5.05) were independent predictors of depression. Thus, we conclude that in a cohort of women with moderate‐to‐severe OSA, IL6 levels are independently associated with the presence of depression and correlate with depression scores. Low physical activity and higher ESS scores are also independent indicators of risk of depression in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Introduction: Lung damage related to tuberculosis is a major contributor to the etiology of bronchiectasis in China. It is unknown whether bronchiectasis severity score systems are applicable in these cases. Objectives: To evaluate the clinical characteristics and validation of bronchiectasis severity score systems for post‐tuberculosis bronchiectasis. Methods: The study enrolled 596 bronchiectasis patients in Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital between January 2011 and December 2012. The data for calculating FACED and bronchiectasis severity index (BSI) scores along with mortality, readmission, and exacerbation outcomes were collected and analyzed within a follow‐up period with a median length of 48 months (interquartile range 43‐54 months). Results: The study enrolled 101 post‐tuberculosis bronchiectasis patients and 495 non‐tuberculosis bronchiectasis patients. Compared with non‐post‐tuberculosis bronchiectasis, post‐tuberculosis bronchiectasis patients experienced less bilateral bronchiectasis (P = .004), a higher frequency of right upper lobe involvement (P < .001) and showed the cylindrical type more often (P < .001). Follow‐up data indicated that both scoring systems were able to predict 48(43–54) month mortality in post‐tuberculosis patients as assessed by the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) (FACED AUC = 0.81, BSI AUC = 0.70), but they did not predict readmission (FACED and BSI = 0.56) or exacerbation (FACED and BSI = 0.52) well. Conclusions: There are apparent differences on radiologic features between bronchiectasis patients with and without history of pulmonary tuberculosis. Both FACED and BSI can predict mortality in post‐tuberculosis bronchiectasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of a shape-memory acrylamide-DNA hydrogel that includes two internal memories is introduced. The hydrogel is stabilized, at pH 7.0, by two different pH-responsive oligonucleotide crosslinking units. At pH 10.0, one of the T-A⋅T triplex DNA bridging units is dissociated, resulting in the dissociation of the hydrogel into a shapeless quasi-liquid state that includes the other oligonucleotide bridges as internal memory. Similarly, at pH 5.0, the second type of bridges is separated, through the formation of C-G⋅C+ triplex units to yield the shapeless quasi-liquid state that includes the other oligonucleotide bridges as internal memory. By reversible pH triggering of the hydrogel between the values 10.0⇔7.0⇔5.0, the two internal memories cycle the material across shaped hydrogel and shapeless quasi-liquid states. The two memories enable the pH-dictated formation of two different hydrogel structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shape memory acrylamide/DNA hydrogels include two different crosslinkers as stabilizing elements. The triggered dissociation of one of the crosslinking elements transforms the shaped hydrogel into an arbitrarily shaped (or shapeless) quasi-liquid state. The remaining crosslinking element, present in the quasi-liquid, provides an internal memory that restores the original shaped hydrogel upon the stimulus-triggered regeneration of the second crosslinking element. Two pH-sensitive shape memory hydrogels, forming Hoogsten-type triplex DNA structures, are described. In one system, the shaped hydrogel is stabilized at pH = 7.0 by two different duplex crosslinkers, and the transition of the hydrogel into the shapeless quasi-liquid proceeds at pH = 5.0 by separating one of the crosslinking units into a protonated cytosine-guanine-cytosine (C-G·C+ ) triplex. The second shaped hydrogel is stabilized at pH = 7.0, by cooperative duplex and thymine-adenine-thymine triplex (T-A·T) bridges. At pH = 10.0, the triplex units separate, leading to the dissociation of the hydrogel into the quasi-liquid state. The cyclic, pH-stimulated transitions of the two systems between shaped hydrogels and shapeless states are demonstrated. Integrating the two hydrogels into a shaped 'two-arrowhead' hybrid structure allows the pH-stimulated cyclic transitions of addressable domains of the hybrid between shaped and quasi-liquid states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNAzyme-capped mesoporous SiO2 nanoparticles (MP SiO2 NPs) are applied as stimuli-responsive containers for programmed synthesis. Three types of MP SiO2 NPs are prepared by loading the NPs with Cy3-DBCO (DBCO=dibenzocyclooctyl), Cy5-N3, and Cy7-N3, and capping the NP containers with the Mg2+, Zn2+, and histidine-dependent DNAzyme sequences, respectively. In the presence of Mg2+ and Zn2+ ions as triggers, the respective DNAzyme-capped NPs are unlocked, leading to the 'click' reaction product Cy3-Cy5. In turn, in the presence of Mg2+ ions and histidine as triggers the second set of DNAzyme-capped NPs is unlocked leading to the Cy3-Cy7 conjugated product. The unloading of the respective NPs and the time-dependent formation of the products are followed by fluorescence spectroscopy (FRET). A detailed kinetic model for the formation of the different products is formulated and it correlates nicely with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Programmed nucleic acid sequences undergo K+ ion-induced self-assembly into G-quadruplexes and separation of the supramolecular structures by the elimination of K+ ions by crown ether or cryptand ion-receptors. This process allows the switchable formation and dissociation of the respective G-quadruplexes. The different G-quadruplex structures bind hemin, and the resulting hemin-G-quadruplex structures reveal horseradish peroxidase DNAzyme catalytic activities. The following K+ ion/receptor switchable systems are described: 1) The K+-induced self-assembly of the Mg2+-dependent DNAzyme subunits into a catalytic nanostructure using the assembly of G-quadruplexes as bridging unit. 2) The K+-induced stabilization of the anti-thrombin G-quadruplex nanostructure that inhibits the hydrolytic functions of thrombin. 3) The K+-induced opening of DNA tweezers through the stabilization of G-quadruplexes on the 'tweezers' arms" and the release of a strand bridging the tweezers into a closed structure. In all of the systems reversible, switchable, functions are demonstrated. For all systems two different signals are used to follow the switchable functions (fluorescence and the catalytic functions of the derived hemin-G-quadruplex DNAzyme). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we explore the consequences for optimality of a social planner adopting two different welfare criteria. The framework of analysis is an overlapping generations model with physical and human capital. We first show that, when the social welfare function is a discounted sum of individual utilities defined over consumption per unit of natural labor, the precise cardinalization of the individual utility function becomes crucial for both the characterization of the social optimum and the policies that support it. Also, decentralizing the social optimum requires an education subsidy that is definitely positive, but its size depends in a determinant way on the aforementioned cardinalization. In contrast, when the social welfare function is a discounted sum of individual utilities defined over consumption per unit of efficient labor, the precise cardinalization of preferences becomes irrelevant. More strikingly, along the optimal growth path, the education subsidy is negative, i.e., the planner should tax rather than subsidize investments in human capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bipolar microtubule attachment is central to genome stability. Here, we investigate the mitotic role of the fission yeast EB1 homologue Mal3. Mal3 shows dynamic inward movement along the spindle, initial emergence at the spindle pole body (SPB) and translocation towards the equatorial plane, followed by sudden disappearance. Deletion of Mal3 results in early mitotic delay, which is dependent on the Bub1, but not the Mad2, spindle checkpoint. Consistently, Bub1, but not Mad2, shows prolonged kinetochore localization. Double mutants between mal3 and a subset of checkpoint mutants, including bub1, bub3, mad3 and mph1, but not mad1 or mad2, show massive chromosome mis-segregation defects. In mal3bub1 mutants, both sister centromeres tend to remain in close proximity to one of the separating SPBs. Further analysis indicates that mis-segregated centromeres are exclusively associated with the mother SPB. Mal3, therefore, has a role in preventing monopolar attachment in cooperation with the Bub1/Bub3/Mad3/Mph1-dependent checkpoint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fission yeast KIp5 and Klp6 belong to the microtubule-destabilizing Kin I family. In klp5 mutants, spindle checkpoint proteins Mad2 and Bub1 are recruited to mitotic kinetochores for a prolonged duration, indicating that these kinetochores are unattached. Further analysis shows that there are kinetochores to which only Bub1, but not Mad2, localizes. These kinetochores are likely to have been captured, yet tack tension. Thus Klp5 and Klp6 play a rote in a spindle- kinetochore interaction at dual steps, capture and generation of tension. The TOG/XMAP215 family, A1p14 and Dis1 are known to stabilize microtubutes and be required for the bivalent attachment of the kinetochore to the spindle. Despite apparent opposing activities towards microtubule stability, Klp5/Klp6 and A1p14/Dis1 share an essential function, as either dis1klp or alp14klp mutants are synthetically lethal, like alp14dis1. Defective phenotypes are similar to each other, characteristic of attachment defects and chromosome mis-segregation. Furthermore A1p14 is of significance for kinetochore localization of KIp5. We propose that Klp5/Klp6 and A1p14/Dis1 play a collaborative rote in bipolar spindle formation during prometaphase through producing spindle dynamism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The TOG/XMAP215-related proteins play a role in microtubule dynamics at its plus end. Fission yeast Alp14, a newly identified TOG/XMAP215 family protein, is essential for proper chromosome segregation in concert with a second homologue Dis1. We show that the alp14 mutant fails to progress towards normal bipolar spindle formation. Intriguingly, A1p14 itself is a component of the Mad2-dependent spindle checkpoint cascade, as upon addition of microtubule- destabilizing drugs the alp14 mutant is incapable of maintaining high Hi kinase activity, which results in securin destruction and premature chromosome separation. Live imaging of Alp14-green fluorescent protein shows that during mitosis, A1p14 is associated with the peripheral region of the kinetochores as welt as with the spindle poles. This is supported by ChIP (chromatin immunoprecipitation) and overlapping localization with the kinetochore marker Mis6. An intact spindle is required for A1p14 localization to the kinetochore periphery, but not to the poles. These results indicate that the TOG/XMAP215 family may play a central rote as a bridge between the kinetochores and the plus end of pole to chromosome microtubules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented about the survival of nonagenarian patients who are in need of a cardiac pacemaker admitted to the intensive care unit due to symptomatic cardiac rhythm disturbance.

Although adequate adherence is paramount in achieving the beneficial effects of continuous positive airway pressure therapy in patients with obstructive sleep apnea, long‐term adherence and the variables involved in continuous positive airway pressure compliance in patients with resistant hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea are yet unknown. We conducted a prospective, multicentre, observational study in 177 patients recruited from hypertensive units with resistant hypertension confirmed by means of 24‐hr blood pressure monitoring (blood pressure ≥ 130 and/or ≥ 80 mmHg, despite taking at least three antihypertensive drugs or < 130/80 mmHg with > 3 drugs) and obstructive sleep apnea (apnea–hypopnea index ≥ 5 in a respiratory polygraph) who were prescribed continuous positive airway pressure treatment. Good adherence was defined as an average cumulative continuous positive airway pressure use of ≥ 4 hr per night at the end of the follow‐up. A multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of continuous positive airway pressure adherence. Patients were followed for a median of 57.6 (42–72) months after initiating continuous positive airway pressure therapy. At the end of the follow‐up, the median continuous positive airway pressure use was 5.7 (inter‐quartile range 3.9–6.6) hr per night, and 132 patients (74.5%) showed good continuous positive airway pressure adherence. The only baseline variable associated with poor adherence was the presence of previous stroke (hazard ratio 4.00, 95% confidence interval 1.92–8.31). Adequate adherence at 1 month also predicted good adherence at the end of the follow‐up (hazard ratio 14.4, 95% confidence interval 4.94–56). Both variables also predicted adherence at a threshold of 6 hr per night. Our results show that good continuous positive airway pressure adherence is an achievable and feasible goal in patients with resistant hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea. Previous stroke and short‐term adherence predicted long‐term adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]