Series–series (SS) topology and series–parallel (SP) topology of the electric-field coupling wireless power transfer system are widely utilised for practical applications. However, selecting the ...appropriate circuit topology, which maximise the output power by design optimisation, is often difficult, because these circuit topologies are generally analysed using different circuit models. This difficulty by analysing novel equivalent circuits for SS and SP topologies is addressed. As a result, the output power of SP topology is found to be approximated by that in SS topology with transformed load impedance. This result can offer a simple strategy for topology selection as well as design optimisation.
Coral reefs have been threatened by various human and natural environmental disturbances, especially by widespread water temperature increases in 1997/1998. To understand the recovery of coral ...communities and shifts in their species compositions, long-term monitoring at the same location is important. Previously, we reported changes in the dominant taxa in a coral community before and after bleaching in 1998 at Shiraho Reef in the southern Ryukyus, Japan. In the present study, we continued monitoring the site for 15 yr to quantify how the coral community changed temporally and spatially. We used transect surveys and time-series aerial photographs and analysed the data with reference to seawater temperature and typhoon records. Net coral area along the transect lines increased from 1998 to 2003, but then decreased by 2008 mostly due to a decline in branching Montipora spp. The resulting net coral area was lower in 2012 than it was before the 1998 bleaching event. Aerial photographs also showed that the coral area at Shiraho Reef was similar between 1995 and 2000, but declined afterward. This decrease resulted from multiple disturbances, including bleaching events in 1998 and 2007, physical damage by 5 consecutive strong typhoons and likely inputs of sediments from heavy rain. Coral taxa reacted differently to the environmental stresses. The main change observed was a shift in the dominant taxa from branching Montipora and Acropora to Heliopora coerulea and massive and branching Porites. Those species have persisted due to high recruitment rates in H. coerulea and/or their tolerance to disturbances such as high thermal stresses, sedimentation and physical damage by typhoons.
Summary
Background
External low‐frequency ultrasound (USD) in combination with microbubbles has been reported to recanalize thrombotically occluded arteries in animal models.
Objective
The purpose of ...this study was to examine the enhancing effect of thrombus‐targeted bubble liposomes (BLs) developed for fresh thrombus imaging during ultrasonic thrombolysis.
Methods
In vitro: after the administration of thrombus‐targeted BLs or non‐targeted BLs, the clot was exposed to low‐frequency (27 kHz) USD for 5 min. In vivo: Rabbit iliofemoral arteries were thrombotically occluded, and an intravenous injection of either targeted BLs (n = 22) or non‐targeted BLs (n = 22) was delivered. External low‐frequency USD (low intensity, 1.4 W cm−2, to 12 arteries, and high intensity, 4.0 W cm−2, to 10 arteries, for both the targeted BL group and the non‐targeted BL group) was applied to the thrombotically occluded arteries for 60 min. In another 10 rabbits, recombinant tissue‐type plasminogen activator (rt‐PA) was intravenously administered.
Results
In vitro: the weight reduction rate of the clot with targeted BLs was significantly higher than that of the clot with non‐targeted BLs. In vivo: TIMI grade 3 flow was present in a significantly higher number of rabbits with USD and targeted BLs than rabbits with USD and non‐targeted BLs, or with rt‐PA monotherapy. High‐intensity USD exposure with targeted BLs achieved arterial recanalization in 90% of arteries, and the time to reperfusion was shorter than with rt‐PA treatment (targeted BLs, 16.7 ± 5.0 min; rt‐PA, 41.3 ± 14.4 min).
Conclusions
Thrombus‐targeted BLs developed for USD thrombus imaging enhance ultrasonic disruption of thrombus both in vitro and in vivo.
In patients with severe hemorrhage, complications such as shock or death may occur if the patient is not treated appropriately and expeditiously. To create a hemostat kit for severe hemorrhage, ...ultraviolet light irradiation was applied to photocrosslinkable chitosan hydrogel and calcium alginate. As a hemorrhage model, the femoral arteries and veins of anesthetized rats were cut. Hemodynamics and hematological parameters including red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, white blood cell (WBC) count, and platelet count, and serum parameters including aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were measured as a marker of hemostasis. In rats for which no procedure was used, death occurred within 30 min. By using the hydrogel hemostat, the survival rate rose to 75% or more. RBC count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet levels were not significantly changed for 3 days. WBC count increased 1 day after hemostasis. AST and ALT increased 1 day after hemostasis, but it decreased 3 days later. The photocrosslinkable chitosan hydrogel and calcium alginate were biodegraded at 3 and 28 days, respectively, by neutrophils and keratinocyte chemoattractant.
The systemic inflammatory response observed during acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is driven by proinflammatory cytokines, a 'cytokine storm'. The function of plasmin in regulating the ...inflammatory response is not fully understood, and its role in the development of aGVHD remains unresolved. Here we show that plasmin is activated during the early phase of aGVHD in mice, and its activation correlated with aGVHD severity in humans. Pharmacological plasmin inhibition protected against aGVHD-associated lethality in mice. Mechanistically, plasmin inhibition impaired the infiltration of inflammatory cells, the release of membrane-associated proinflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and Fas-ligand directly, or indirectly via matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and alters monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) signaling. We propose that plasmin and potentially MMP-9 inhibition offers a novel therapeutic strategy to control the deadly cytokine storm in patients with aGVHD, thereby preventing tissue destruction.
Background and purpose
In patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the serum C‐reactive protein (CRP) level is associated with ischaemic cerebrovascular disease (iCVD). Acute iCVD patients with RA ...were investigated, assessing changes of clinical characteristics and CRP with progress in RA treatment.
Methods
Patients hospitalized for acute iCVD from August 2002 to February 2018 were divided into two groups at February 2010. Patients with RA were retrospectively identified. The incidence of RA, the occurrence of acute exacerbation of inflammation due to causes other than synovitis preceding iCVD (non‐synovitis AEI) and serum CRP were compared.
Results
In the first and second periods, 23/1203 patients (1.9%) and 22/1094 patients (2.0%) respectively had acute iCVD with RA. Non‐synovitis AEI was significantly less frequent in the second period (5%, n = 1) than in the first period (35%, n = 8) (P < 0.05). CRP was significantly lower at iCVD onset in the second period median and interquartile range 2.72 (0.89–4.5) mg/dl vs. 0.34 (0.12–1.19) mg/dl, P < 0.01. Excluding nine patients with non‐synovitis AEI, CRP was still lower in the second period 1.21 (0.47–2.72) mg/dl vs. 0.33 (0.11–0.98) mg/dl, P < 0.01. CRP levels before both iCVD and non‐synovitis AEI tended to be lower in the second period 1.53 (0.3–2.78) mg/dl vs. 0.69 (0.06–1.28) mg/dl, P = 0.059. Two patients using tocilizumab developed iCVD despite persistently low CRP levels.
Conclusions
With progress in treatment, RA‐related inflammation was better suppressed and CRP decreased, but the prevalence of RA amongst acute iCVD patients was unchanged. Strategies for tighter control of inflammation are needed, and a new biomarker may be required in patients using tocilizumab.
Adsorption and photodegradation of rhodamine B by ZIF-8 nanocrystals were studied using spectroscopic techniques coupled with density functional theory (DFT) cluster calculations. A fast adsorption ...rate was observed in the dark, but upon exposure to visible light or UV irradiation the adsorption rate noticeably increased. Although several studies previously reported this phenomenon involving bulk ZIF-8 powder, this is the first mechanistic study to our knowledge that demonstrates adsorption and degradation of rhodamine B by nanosized ZIF-8 under various light conditions. The combined study of N
sorption pore analysis and surface-sensitive X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the surface adsorption was mainly due to the open metal sites and surface groups of nanoporous ZIF-8. The fluorescence studies suggested ZIF-8 nanocrystals were able to generate hydroxyl radicals in water but only under UV illumination. The work presented here provides an insight into understanding nanoscale metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in the removal of organic molecules from wastewater.
The effect of inhalation of hydrogen-containing gas (1.3% hydrogen + 20.8% oxygen + 77.9% nitrogen) (HCG) on radiation-induced dermatitis and on the healing of healing-impaired skin wounds in rats ...was examined using a rat model of radiation-induced skin injury. An X-ray dose of 20 Gy was irradiated onto the lower part of the back through two holes in a lead shield. Irradiation was performed before or after inhalation of HCG for 2 h. Inhalation of HCG significantly reduced the severity of radiodermatitis and accelerated healing-impaired wound repair. Staining with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) and 8-hydroxy-2(')-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) showed that the proportion of apoptotic keratinocytes and the level of staining in the X-irradiated skin of rats that pre-inhaled HCG were significantly lower than that of rats which did not pre-inhale HCG. Cutaneous full-thickness wounds were then created in the X-irradiated area to examine the time-course of wound healing. X-irradiation significantly increased the time required for wound healing, but the inhalation of HCG prior to the irradiation significantly decreased the delay in wound healing compared with the control and post-inhalation of HCG groups. Therefore, radiation-induced skin injury can potentially be alleviated by the pre-inhalation of HCG.
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