Effects of noble-metal loading and ultraviolet-light irradiation on gas-sensing properties of porous indium oxide films at room temperature

Fundamental gas-sensing properties of porous (pr-)In2O3 powders loaded with and without 0.5 mass % noble metal (pr-0.5N/In2O3 and pr-In2O3, respectively, N: noble metal (Au or Pd)) to NO2, H2, and ethanol balanced with dry air were investigated at 30 °C under UV-light irradiation (main wavelength: 365 nm). The spherical pr-0.5N/In2O3 and pr-In2O3 powders were prepared by ultrasonic-spray pyrolysis employing polymethylmethacrylate microspheres with a diameter of ca. 70 nm, which were synthesized by ultrasonic-assisted emulsion polymerization. The Au loading largely improved the NO2 response of the pr-In2O3 sensor, a ratio of the resistance in NO2 to that in air, especially under weak UV-light irradiation, because of the relatively large resistance in air. On the other hand, the Pd loading efficiently increased the difference in the conductance of the pr-In2O3 sensor between in NO2 and in air under the whole UV-light irradiation range. The UV-light irradiation is effective in improving the NO2-sensing properties of these sensors at room temperature, but the sensing performance was a little inferior to that operated at elevated temperatures under no UV-light irradiation. These sensors also responded to reducing gases, H2 and ethanol, under UV-light irradiation, and the responses to ethanol were much larger than those to H2. However, the responses to both the gases were much smaller than that to NO2

Exogenous Magnesium Chloride Reduces the Activated Partial Thromboplastin Times of Lupus Anticoagulant-Positive Patients.

The activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) assay is a basic hemostatic assay based on the time it takes for clots to form in plasma samples after the addition of calcium chloride. It is used to screen for various coagulation disorders. Several previous reports have suggested that magnesium (Mg) might contribute to coagulation reactions by binding to specific coagulation proteins. We investigated the effects of Mg on the APTT. In healthy controls, the APTT was significantly prolonged in proportion to the increase in the concentration of magnesium chloride in the range from 2.1 to 16.7 mmol/L. Among eight samples from patients with various disorders that exhibited prolonged APTT, two samples demonstrated shorter APTT when Mg was added, both of which were from patients that were positive for lupus anticoagulant. When we examined 206 clinical APTT samples, we found that Mg shortened the APTT of two samples. These two samples were also from lupus anticoagulant-positive patients (p-value: <0.003). Our findings regarding the unique effects of exogenous Mg on the APTT of lupus anticoagulant-positive patients might shed light on the role of Mg in APTT assays and lead to the development of a novel screening method for lupus anticoagulant

Assessment of various parameters using simple non-invasive tests in patients with cardiovascular diseases with or without cardiac rehabilitation

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) improves cardiac function and exercise capacity in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Simpler techniques are needed for use by physicians in the examination room to assess the usefulness of CR. We enrolled 46 consecutive CVD patients in a CR program (CR group) and prospectively followed them for 3 months. We compared them to 18 age-, gender- and body mass index-matched CVD patients without CR (non-CR group). Various parameters were measured at baseline and after 3 months using 3 simple non-invasive tests: severity of atherosclerosis [arterial velocity pulse index and arterial pressure volume index (API)] were determined using PASESA®, an autonomic nerve total activity amount index and a coefficient of variation of the R–R interval (CVRR) were determined using eHEART®, and peripheral resistance index, pressure rate product, stroke volume and cardiac index were determined using nico®]. There were no significant differences in patient characteristics including percentages (%) of ischemic heart disease and heart failure between the non-CR and CR groups. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic BP, heart rate and API at baseline significantly decreased and CVRR at baseline significantly increased after 3 months in the CR group, but not in the non-CR group. In addition, ΔAPI (Δ = the value after 3 months minus the value at baseline) was positively associated with ΔSBP in the CR group. In conclusion, CR significantly decreased BP and improved atherosclerosis and sympathetic nerve activity. These findings suggest that simple non-invasive tests may be useful for assessing the effects of CR

Assessment of various parameters using simple non-invasive tests in patients with cardiovascular diseases with or without cardiac rehabilitation

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) improves cardiac function and exercise capacity in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Simpler techniques are needed for use by physicians in the examination room to assess the usefulness of CR. We enrolled 46 consecutive CVD patients in a CR program (CR group) and prospectively followed them for 3 months. We compared them to 18 age-, gender- and body mass index-matched CVD patients without CR (non-CR group). Various parameters were measured at baseline and after 3 months using 3 simple non-invasive tests: severity of atherosclerosis [arterial velocity pulse index and arterial pressure volume index (API)] were determined using PASESA®, an autonomic nerve total activity amount index and a coefficient of variation of the R–R interval (CVRR) were determined using eHEART®, and peripheral resistance index, pressure rate product, stroke volume and cardiac index were determined using nico®]. There were no significant differences in patient characteristics including percentages (%) of ischemic heart disease and heart failure between the non-CR and CR groups. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic BP, heart rate and API at baseline significantly decreased and CVRR at baseline significantly increased after 3 months in the CR group, but not in the non-CR group. In addition, ΔAPI (Δ = the value after 3 months minus the value at baseline) was positively associated with ΔSBP in the CR group. In conclusion, CR significantly decreased BP and improved atherosclerosis and sympathetic nerve activity. These findings suggest that simple non-invasive tests may be useful for assessing the effects of CR

Effects of Mg²⁺ on the APTT of normal subjects.

<p>* indicates a <i>p</i>-value of <0.05</p

Effects of Mg²⁺ on the APTT of patients with prolonged APTT.

<p>The unique patient numbers (UPN) correspond to those shown in the table.</p