Ultrafast giant magnetic cooling effect in ferromagnetic Co/Pt multilayers

The magnetic cooling effect originates from a large change in entropy by the forced magnetization alignment, which has long been considered to be utilized as an alternative environment-friendly cooling technology compared to conventional refrigeration. However, an ultimate timescale of the magnetic cooling effect has never been studied yet. Here, we report that a giant magnetic cooling (up to 200 K) phenomenon exists in the Co/Pt nanomultilayers on a femtosecond timescale during the photoinduced demagnetization and remagnetization, where the disordered spins are more rapidly aligned, and thus magnetically cooled, by the external magnetic field via the lattice-spin interaction in the multilayer system. These findings were obtained by the extensive analysis of time-resolved magneto-optical responses with systematic variation of laser fluence as well as external field strength and direction. Ultrafast giant magnetic cooling observed in the present study can enable a new avenue to the realization of ultrafast magnetic devices.111Ysciescopu

Facile synthesis of nano-Li4 Ti5O12 for high-rate Li-ion battery anodes

One of the most promising anode materials for Li-ion batteries, Li4Ti5O12, has attracted attention because it is a zero-strain Li insertion host having a stable insertion potential. In this study, we suggest two different synthetic processes to prepare Li4Ti5O12 using anatase TiO2 nanoprecursors. TiO2 powders, which have extraordinarily large surface areas of more than 250 m2 g-1, were initially prepared through the urea-forced hydrolysis/precipitation route below 100°C. For the synthesis of Li4Ti5O12, LiOH and Li2CO3 were added to TiO2 solutions prepared in water and ethanol media, respectively. The powders were subsequently dried and calcined at various temperatures. The phase and morphological transitions from TiO2 to Li4Ti5O12 were characterized using X-ray powder diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The electrochemical performance of nanosized Li4Ti5O12 was evaluated in detail by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic cycling. Furthermore, the high-rate performance and long-term cycle stability of Li4Ti5O12 anodes for use in Li-ion batteries were discussed

Association of Plasma Retinol-Binding Protein 4, Adiponectin, and High Molecular Weight Adiponectin with Insulin Resistance in Non-Diabetic Hypertensive Patients

∙The authors have no financial conflicts of interest. Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4), adiponectin and high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin are associated with insulin resistance (IR) and metabolic parameters in non-diabetic hypertensive patients. Also, we sought to compare the predictive values of these adipocytokines for IR in non-diabetic hypertensive patients. Materials and Methods: Analyses of RBP4, adiponectin, and HMW adiponectin were performed on 308 non-diabetic hypertensives (148 males, age 58 ± 10 years, 189 non-metabolic syndrome and 119 metabolic syndrome). The homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index for IR, lipid profiles, and anthropometric measure-ments were assessed. Results: There was no significant difference in RBP4 levels according to the presence of metabolic syndrome, although adiponectin and HMW adiponectin were significantly lower in metabolic syndrome. Correlation analysis of log RBP4 with IR and metabolic indices revealed that there was no significant correlation of RBP4 with wais

Precise stacking of decellularized extracellular matrix based 3D cell-laden constructs by a 3D cell printing system equipped with heating modules

Three-dimensional (3D) cell printing systems allow the controlled and precise deposition of multiple cells in 3D constructs. Hydrogel materials have been used extensively as printable bioinks owing to their ability to safely encapsulate living cells. However, hydrogel-based bioinks have drawbacks for cell printing, e.g. inappropriate crosslinking and liquid-like rheological properties, which hinder precise 3D shaping. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the influence of various factors (e.g. bioink concentration, viscosity, and extent of crosslinking) on cell printing and established a new 3D cell printing system equipped with heating modules for the precise stacking of decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM)-based 3D cell-laden constructs. Because the pH-adjusted bioink isolated from native tissue is safely gelled at 37 degrees C, our heating system facilitated the precise stacking of dECM bioinks by enabling simultaneous gelation during printing. We observed greater printability compared with that of a non-heating system. These results were confirmed by mechanical testing and 3D construct stacking analyses. We also confirmed that our heating system did not elicit negative effects, such as cell death, in the printed cells. Conclusively, these results hold promise for the application of 3D bioprinting to tissue engineering and drug development.119Ysciescopu

A Systematic Review of Benefit of Silicone Intubation in Endoscopic Dacryocystorhinostomy

Objectives Insertion of a silicone stent during endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) is the most common procedure to prevent rhinostomy closure. It has been claimed that silicone intubation improves the surgical outcomes of endoscopic DCR. However, many reports have documented an equally high success rate for surgery without silicone intubation. Accordingly, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to clarify the outcomes of endoscopic DCR with and without silicone intubation and determine whether silicone intubation is actually beneficial for patients. Methods PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched to identify relevant controlled trials evaluating endoscopic DCR with and without silicone intubation. The search was restricted to English articles published between January 2007 and December 2016. Relevant articles were reviewed to obtain information pertaining to interventions and outcomes. We also performed a meta-analysis of the relevant literature. Results In total, 1,216 patients included in 12 randomized controlled trials were pooled. A total of 1,239 endoscopic DCR procedures were performed, and silicone stents were used in 533 procedures. The overall success rate for endoscopic DCR was 91.9% (1,139/1,239), while the success rates with and without silicone intubation were 92.9% (495/533) and 91.2% (644/706), respectively. There was no statistically significant heterogeneity among the included studies. A meta-analysis using a fixed-effects models showed no significant difference in the success rate between endoscopic DCR with silicone intubation and that without silicone intubation (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 0.89 to 2.12; P=0.148; z=1.45). Furthermore, there were no significant differences with regard to surgical complications such as synechia, granulation, and postoperative bleeding. Conclusion The findings of our meta-analysis suggest that the success rate and postoperative complication rate for endoscopic DCR is not influenced by the use of silicone intubation during the procedure

A Guidance and Control Law Design for Precision Automatic Take-off and Landing of Fixed-Wing UAVs

This paper presents an automatic take-off and landing control system (ATOLS) for fixed-wing UAVs. We propose a guidance and control system to satisfy the requirement for high-precision landing using arresting wires. For trajectory tracking, Line-of-Sight (LOS)-based longitudinal and lateral guidance laws are derived. For the design of inner loop controllers, linear models are identified directly from the flight data. In order to maintain the consistency of the control performance in the presence of flight regime changes during take-off and landing, the linear baseline controller is augmented with a compensator designed using L 1 adaptive control theory, which eliminates the need for conventional gain scheduling. The proposed control system is implemented on a scale Cessna UAV with an arresting hook for validation. The proposed take-off and landing system demonstrated a consistent performance in a series of test flight on a full-scale carrier model

Evaluation of 28 Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines for Use as Unrelated Donors in Stem Cell Therapy: Implications of HLA and ABO Genotypes

For human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to be used clinically, it is imperative that immune responses evoked by hESCs and their derivates after transplantation should be prevented. Human leukocyte antigens (HLA) and ABO blood group antigens are important histocompatibility factors in graft rejection. HLA matching between recipient and unrelated donors, in particular, is important in improving outcomes in hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). We have established and successfully maintained 29 hESC lines and analyzed the HLA and ABO genotypes of these lines. HLA-A, -B, -C and -DR (DRB1) genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) sequence-based typing and ABO genotyping was carried out by PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism methods. To determine what proportion of the Korean population would be covered by these cell lines in organ transplantation, 27 cell lines with HLA-A, -B, and -DR data were evaluated for HCT (cord blood) donors and 28 cell lines with HLA-DR and ABO data were evaluated for solid organ (kidney) transplantation donors, and then compared the data with those from 6,740 donated cord bloods. When <= 2 HLA mismatches are allowed for HCT, as currently accepted for cord blood transplantation, it was estimated that about 16% and 25% of the possible recipients can find one or more donor cell lines with mismatches at A, B, DRB1 allele level and at A, B antigen/DRB1 allele level, respectively. When HLA-DR antigen level matching and ABO compatibility was considered for solid organ (kidney) transplantation, it was estimated that about 29% and 96% of the possible recipients can find one or more ABO-compatible donor cell lines with 0 and 1 DR mismatches, respectively. We provided the first report on the HLA and ABO genotypes of hESC lines, and estimated the degree of HLA and ABO matching in organ transplantation for the Korean population.Yu JY, 2009, SCIENCE, V324, P797, DOI 10.1126/science.1172482Kaji K, 2009, NATURE, V458, P771, DOI 10.1038/nature07864Lee JY, 2010, FERTIL STERIL, V93, P976, DOI 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.10.017Holdsworth R, 2009, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V73, P95, DOI 10.1111/j.1399-0039.2008.01183.xLehec SC, 2009, CELL TRANSPLANT, V18, P941, DOI 10.3727/096368909X471323Oishi K, 2009, CELL TRANSPLANT, V18, P581Molne J, 2008, TRANSPLANTATION, V86, P1407, DOI 10.1097/TP.0b013e31818a6805Fernandes AM, 2010, CELL TRANSPLANT, V19, P509, DOI 10.3727/096368909X485067Stadtfeld M, 2008, SCIENCE, V322, P945, DOI 10.1126/science.1162494Wang GW, 2005, BIOCHEM BIOPH RES CO, V330, P934, DOI 10.1016/j.bbrc.2005.03.058Hoffman LM, 2005, NAT BIOTECHNOL, V23, P699, DOI 10.1038/nbt1102Li Y, 2005, BIOTECHNOL BIOENG, V91, P688, DOI 10.1002/bit.20536Vallier L, 2005, J CELL SCI, V118, P4495, DOI 10.1242/jcs.02553Taylor CJ, 2005, LANCET, V366, P2019Boyd AS, 2005, ADV DRUG DELIVER REV, V57, P1944, DOI 10.1016/j.addr.2005.08.004Ludwig TE, 2006, NAT BIOTECHNOL, V24, P185, DOI 10.1038/nbt1177Drukker M, 2006, STEM CELLS, V24, P221, DOI 10.1634/stemcells.2005-0188Priddle H, 2006, STEM CELLS, V24, P815, DOI 10.1634/stemcells.2005-0356Reubinoff BE, 2000, NAT BIOTECHNOL, V18, P399Amit M, 2000, DEV BIOL, V227, P271Xu CH, 2001, NAT BIOTECHNOL, V19, P971Drukker M, 2002, P NATL ACAD SCI USA, V99, P9864, DOI 10.1073/pnas.142298299Richards M, 2002, NAT BIOTECHNOL, V20, P933, DOI 10.1038/nbt726Bradley JA, 2002, NAT REV IMMUNOL, V2, P859, DOI 10.1038/nri934Amit M, 2003, BIOL REPROD, V68, P2150, DOI 10.1095/biolreprod.102.012583Li L, 2004, STEM CELLS, V22, P448Drukker M, 2004, TRENDS BIOTECHNOL, V22, P136, DOI 10.1016/j.tibtech.2004.01.003Thomson JA, 1998, SCIENCE, V282, P1145Petersdorf EW, 1999, CURR OPIN IMMUNOL, V11, P521Bodnar MS, 2004, STEM CELLS DEV, V13, P243Koivisto H, 2004, REPROD BIOMED ONLINE, V9, P330Rocha V, 2004, NEW ENGL J MED, V351, P2276Laughlin MJ, 2004, NEW ENGL J MED, V351, P2265Lee JB, 2005, BIOL REPROD, V72, P42, DOI 10.1095/biolrepod.104.033480Xu RH, 2005, NAT METHODS, V2, P185, DOI 10.1038/NMETH744Beattie GM, 2005, STEM CELLS, V23, P489, DOI 10.1634/stemcells.2004-0279Genbacev O, 2005, FERTIL STERIL, V83, P1517, DOI 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2005.01.086Oh SKW, 2006, CLIN EXP PHARMACOL P, V33, P489Skottman H, 2006, FEBS LETT, V580, P2875, DOI 10.1016/j.febslet.2006.03.083Xiao L, 2006, STEM CELLS, V24, P1476, DOI 10.1634/stemcells.2005-0299Stussi G, 2006, TRANSFUS APHER SCI, V35, P59, DOI 10.1016/j.transci.2006.05.009Takahashi K, 2006, CELL, V126, P663Guhr A, 2006, STEM CELLS, V24, P2187, DOI 10.1634/stemcells.2006-0053Klumpp TR, 2006, BONE MARROW TRANSPL, V38, P615, DOI 10.1038/sj.bmt.1705496Nakajima F, 2007, STEM CELLS, V25, P983, DOI 10.1634/stemcells.2006-0566Huangfu DW, 2008, NAT BIOTECHNOL, V26, P1269, DOI 10.1038/nbt.1502Petersdorf EW, 2008, CURR OPIN IMMUNOL, V20, P588, DOI 10.1016/j.coi.2008.06.014Chen YT, 2008, STEM CELLS DEV, V17, P853, DOI 10.1089/scd.2007.0226Park IH, 2008, CELL, V134, P877, DOI 10.1016/j.cell.2008.07.041Swijnenburg RJ, 2008, P NATL ACAD SCI USA, V105, P12991, DOI 10.1073/pnas.0805802105Unger C, 2008, HUM MOL GENET, V17, pR48, DOI 10.1093/hmg/ddn079Drukker M, 2008, SEMIN IMMUNOL, V20, P123, DOI 10.1016/j.smim.2007.11.002Revazova ES, 2008, CLONING STEM CELLS, V10, P11, DOI 10.1089/clo.2007.0063Mountford JC, 2008, TRANSFUSION MED, V18, P1, DOI 10.1111/j.1365-3148.2007.00807.xPark IH, 2008, NATURE, V451, P141, DOI 10.1038/nature06534Nakagawa M, 2008, NAT BIOTECHNOL, V26, P101, DOI 10.1038/nbt1374Buzzeo MP, 2008, CELL TRANSPLANT, V17, P489Kamani N, 2008, BIOL BLOOD MARROW TR, V14, P1, DOI 10.1016/j.bbmt.2007.11.003Saric T, 2008, CELLS TISSUES ORGANS, V188, P78, DOI 10.1159/000118784Navarro-Alvarez N, 2008, CELL TRANSPLANT, V17, P27KASTENBERG ZJ, 2008, TRANSPLANT REV ORLAN, V22, P215Lee SJ, 2007, BLOOD, V110, P4576, DOI 10.1182/blood-2007-06-097386Shaw BE, 2007, BLOOD, V110, P4560, DOI 10.1182/blood-2007-06-095265Strom S, 2007, HUM REPROD, V22, P3051, DOI 10.1093/humep/dem35Lin G, 2007, CELL RES, V17, P999, DOI 10.1038/cr.2007.97Crook JM, 2007, CELL STEM CELL, V1, P490Helming AM, 2007, PEDIATR BLOOD CANCER, V49, P313, DOI 10.1002/pbc.21025Cabrera CM, 2007, CELL BIOL INT, V31, P1072, DOI 10.1016/j.cellbi.2007.03.015Lei T, 2007, CELL RES, V17, P682, DOI 10.1038/cr.2007.61Okita K, 2007, NATURE, V448, P313, DOI 10.1038/nature05934Wernig M, 2007, NATURE, V448, P318, DOI 10.1038/nature05944Maherali N, 2007, CELL STEM CELL, V1, P55, DOI 10.1016/j.stem.2007.05.014Eapen M, 2007, LANCET, V369, P1947