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BACKGROUND Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lactate concentrations increase after seizure activity in many human patients independent of the underlying disease process. The effect of seizure activity on CSF lactate concentration in dogs is unknown. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES Cerebrospinal fluid lactate concentration is unaffected by seizure activity in dogs and is more dependent on the underlying disease process causing the seizures. ANIMALS One-hundred eighteen client-owned dogs with seizure disorders. METHODS Case series. Cerebrospinal fluid lactate concentration was determined using a commercially available lactate monitor. Seizure semiology, time from last seizure to CSF collection, number of seizures within the 72 hours preceding CSF collection, and clinical diagnosis were recorded. RESULTS Dogs with focal seizures had higher CSF lactate concentrations than did those with generalized seizures (P = .03). No differences in lactate concentrations were found among dogs with single seizures, cluster seizures or status epilepticus (P = .12), among dogs with CSF collection at different time points after the last seizure activity (P = .39) or among dogs having different numbers of seizures within the 72 hours preceding CSF collection (P = .42). A significant difference (P = .001) was found in CSF lactate concentrations among diagnostic groups, and dogs with inflammatory and neoplastic disease had higher concentrations than did dogs with idiopathic or unknown epilepsy. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Cerebrospinal fluid lactate concentration is minimally affected by seizure activity in dogs and increased concentrations are more likely associated with the underlying disease process.

The purpose of study was to explore the role of glutamine-dependent anaplerosis in cell fate determination (proliferation and senescence) and the potential associated mechanism by employing a pharmacological inhibitor of glutamine-dependent anaplerosis, amino-oxyacetate (AOA). Using the WI38 normal human embryonic fibroblast cell line, we found that exposure to AOA induced mTORC1 inactivation−mTORC2 activation (within day 1), cell cycle arrest (day 2–6) and cellular senescence (day 4–6). These AOA effects were blocked by concomitantly providing anaplerotic factors [α-ketoglutarate (αKG), pyruvate or oxaloacetate], and not affected by ROS scavenger N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). Moreover, AOA-induced cellular senescence in WI38 cells is associated with elevated protein levels of p53, p21CIP1 and p16INK4A and decreased Rb protein level, which was blocked by αKG supplementation. In p16INK4A-deficient U2OS human osteosarcoma cells and p16INK4A-knockdown WI38 cells, AOA exposure also induced similar effects on cell proliferation, and protein level of P-Rb-S807/811 and Rb. Interestingly, no AOA induction of cellular senescence was observed in U2OS cells, yet was still seen in p16INK4A-knockdown WI38 cells accompanied by the presence of p16 antibody-reactive p12. In summary, we disclose that glutamine-dependent anaplerosis is essential to cell growth and closely associated with mTORC1 activation and mTORC2 inactivation, and impedes cellular senescence particularly associated with p16INK4A., Summary: Glutamine-dependent anaplerosis is essential to cell growth and closely associated with mTORC1 activation and mTORC2 inactivation, and impedes cellular senescence particularly associated with p16INK4A.

Little published information is available to guide therapy for canine and feline patients with Coccidioides infections involving the central nervous system (CNS). The purpose of this cross-sectional retrospective study was to describe magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features and outcome for a group of dogs and cats with solitary CNS Coccidiodes granulomas. Nine canine and two feline cases met inclusion criteria; four diagnosed and treated with surgery and fluconazole and seven diagnosed by serology or cytology and treated medically. Three cases had left Coccidioides endemic areas long before developing neurological disease. The MRI lesions shared many features with neoplastic masses. The extra-axial granulomas often had a lack of a distinct border between the mass and neural parenchyma. Four cases were extra-axial and seven were intra-axial, but distinguishing between extra-axial and intra-axial locations was sometimes challenging. The surgical cases had good outcomes and histology allowed definitive diagnosis. Medically managed patients also had generally good outcomes, with resolution of clinical signs in most cases. Findings indicated that distinction between neoplasia and focal Coccidioides granulomas based on MRI features is likely to be imprecise. Demonstration of the organism by cytology or histology is required for definitive diagnosis. The role of surgery for improving the outcome of brain or spinal coccidioidomycosis granulomas warrants further study.

Due to the plate movement is considerably slow, the human history record is too short to register landscape change for such a long time scale. However, longitudinal river profile can display watershed landscape characteristics. Therefore, this paper applies a quantitative analysis of geomorphic indices coupled with some mathematical models for the Choushui River and its six tributaries, including the gradient index and slope–area relationship. The abnormally high SL and SL/k values indicated that a decreasing trend from lower- to mid-stream areas and south Lishan fault was higher than north Lishan fault on the upstream areas, and the result of slope–area relationship also indicated that the regression line of the upper and lower steam exhibit an obvious right-shift nearby Lishan fault, could be explained by geodynamic models of active deformation in Taiwan area. This study also found that the abnormally high values of SL/k were affected by river and fault intersecting to form a high angle or perpendicular and the abnormally low values of SL/k were affected by river along with a fault or form a low angle, but the channel of Junda River along with Lishan fault is opposite. Based on quantitative results of these geomorphology indices, this study suggests that the important factor influencing landscape of the Choushui River watershed is tectonic uplift.

Little published information is available to guide therapy for canine and feline patients with Coccidioides infections involving the central nervous system (CNS). The purpose of this cross-sectional retrospective study was to describe magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features and outcome for a group of dogs and cats with solitary CNS Coccidiodes granulomas. Nine canine and two feline cases met inclusion criteria; four diagnosed and treated with surgery and fluconazole and seven diagnosed by serology or cytology and treated medically. Three cases had left Coccidioides endemic areas long before developing neurological disease. The MRI lesions shared many features with neoplastic masses. The extra-axial granulomas often had a lack of a distinct border between the mass and neural parenchyma. Four cases were extra-axial and seven were intra-axial, but distinguishing between extra-axial and intra-axial locations was sometimes challenging. The surgical cases had good outcomes and histology allowed definitive diagnosis. Medically managed patients also had generally good outcomes, with resolution of clinical signs in most cases. Findings indicated that distinction between neoplasia and focal Coccidioides granulomas based on MRI features is likely to be imprecise. Demonstration of the organism by cytology or histology is required for definitive diagnosis. The role of surgery for improving the outcome of brain or spinal coccidioidomycosis granulomas warrants further study.

A combined theoretical and experimental investigation of conjugated rod-coil block copolymer brushes is reported. The theoretical study for the surface structures of rod-coil block copolymer brushes was established based on the simulation method of dissipative particle dynamics. The effects of solvent stimuli, grafting density, and rod-coil block ratio of the polymer brushes on the surface structures were examined. The rod blocks of polymer brushes were found to be well-dispersed on the surface in their good solvents. On the other hand, aggregative domains of the rod blocks were formed in their poor solvents with the conformations of isolated islands or worm-like structures depending on the grafting density of the polymer brushes. The aggregative domains tend to stay on top of the coil blocks for small rod-to-coil block ratio. However, the submergence of the aggregative domains into the coil blocks is thermodynamically preferred for large enough rod-to-coil block ratio. New multifunctional amphiphilic rod-coil block copolymers, poly-[2,7-(9,9-di-n-hexylfluorene)]-block-poly-[poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate]-block-poly-[3(tripropoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate] (PF-b-PPEGMA-b-PPOPS), with two different block ratios were synthesized and used to prepare the corresponding polymer brushes via the grafting- method. The effects of stimuli factors on the surface structures characterized by the atomic force microscopy images were consistent with the theoretical results. Furthermore, the photophysical properties of PF-b-PPEGMA-b-PPOPS brushes were significantly varied by the solvent stimuli. The emission peaks originated from the aggregation and/or excimer formation of PF blocks were observed after methanol treatment. The photoluminescence intensity and its efficiency were well correlated to the surface structure and the methanol content in mixed solvents. Our study demonstrates how the surface structures and photophysical properties of rod-coil block copolymer brushes response to environmental stimuli.

A robust 10 Gbps data transmission per channel using EO-PCB with 50 mum multimode planar waveguide circuit (PLC) is demonstrated. The configuration indicates that we can drive VCSEL-based 850 nm LD in optical links with 231-1 PRBS signal.

With the drastic data traffic requirements of Internet, the demand of high bandwidth optical communication for local-area-network (LAN) and storage-area-network (SAN) are increasing. A novel design of Z-axis pluggable 4x10Gb/s fiber-optic transceiver module, which owns the advantages of high port density, low cost, thermal stability and compact size is studied in this paper. The Xenpak-like transceiver modules with 4 channels LC type connectors are designed in the Xenpak mechanical dimension specified in Xenpak Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) to accomplish signal transmission. The Xenpak-like 850nm transceiver modules make use of the 70-way two-row electrical connector, which is originally designed for 10Gigabit Extended Attachment Unit Interface (XAUI), to transmit and receive the 4x10G/bs signal. A signal compensated circuit would be not only implemented to solve and overcome the loss and distortion of the connector interface but to improve signal integrity of 10Gb/s data transmitted over 100mm distance with standard FR4 printed circuit board. Moreover, in order to improve the performance of high-density printed circuit, the effects of electromagnetic interference (EMI) will also consider and discuss in this study. The optical performance of each lane of transceiver module is evaluated to pass the requirements of 10Gigabit Ethernet, respectively. The transmit eye diagram of each lane in the Xenpak-like transceiver modules is tested compliant with 10GE eye mask. And the extinction ratio of each transmitter is also evaluated above 3.5dB, averagely. Besides, the receiver sensitivity of each lane is demonstrated below -11dBm. To fulfill the future traffic demand of Ethernet, the authors have provided an alternative and novel design of 4x10Gb/s transceiver module for LAN/SAN applications.

With the drastic expansion of internet usage, the demand of 10Gbps transmission optoelectronic devices for local-area-network (LAN) and storage-area-network (SAN) are increasing. The key issues of these applications are to improve cost, manufacturability and reliability of optoelectronic devices in high speed transmission. The authors have demonstrated highly manufacturable and reliable optical front end and trasneiver module for 10Gbps Ethernet applications in this paper. TO-Can package is a way to reduce cost of 10Gbps optical assembly. However, the signal integrity of high speed transmitter optical sub-assembly (TOSA) and receiver optical sub-assembly (ROSA) are limited due to the mismatched characteristic impedance, parasitic inductance and spread capacitance of conventional TO-Can package. In this paper, high performance and high sensitivity of 10Gbps TOSA and ROSA with TO-Can package are discussed and demonstrated to overcome the critical issues mentioned, respectively. In order to improve the signal integrity and manufacturability of 10Gbps OSA in 10Gigabit Ethernet small form factor transceiver module assembly. The authors also integrate high speed flex board and OSA package to extend the signal path, and to minimize the effect of crosstalk in module. The high speed transceiver modules with TO-Can package embedded compliant with XFP multi-source agreement (MSA) are also demonstrated in this paper. The performance of temperature-stabilized transceiver module over awide case temperature range is tested. The optical eye diagram of 10Gbps transmitter developed in this study shows an excellent quality passing the 10Gbps Ethernet mask test between 0 degrees Centigrade and to 70 degrees Centigrade. Finally, the reliability tests regulated by Telcordia GR-468-CORE and MIL-STD-883 are also performed and certified to pave the ways of highly manufacturable and reliable XFP transceiver modules for 10Gbps Ethernet applications.