Sorption Characteristics of Honeycomb-Type Sorption Element Composed of Organic Sorbent

This study deals with the sorption characteristics of a honeycomb-type sorption element composed of a new organic sorbent that was composed of the cross-linked polymer of sodium acrylate. Transient experiments in which moist air was passed into the honeycomb-type sorption element were conducted under various conditions of air velocity, temperature, relative humidity and honeycomb length. As a result, the effective mass transfer coefficient of the organic sorbent adsorbing the water vapor was non-dimensionalized as a function of Reynolds number, modified Stefan number and non-dimensional honeycomb length.</p

Transgenic up-regulation of alpha-CaMKII in forebrain leads to increased anxiety-like behaviors and aggression

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previous studies have demonstrated essential roles for alpha-calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (alpha-CaMKII) in learning, memory and long-term potentiation (LTP). However, previous studies have also shown that alpha-CaMKII (+/-) heterozygous knockout mice display a dramatic decrease in anxiety-like and fearful behaviors, and an increase in defensive aggression. These findings indicated that alpha-CaMKII is important not only for learning and memory but also for emotional behaviors. In this study, to understand the roles of alpha-CaMKII in emotional behavior, we generated transgenic mice overexpressing alpha-CaMKII in the forebrain and analyzed their behavioral phenotypes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We generated transgenic mice overexpressing alpha-CaMKII in the forebrain under the control of the alpha-CaMKII promoter. In contrast to alpha-CaMKII (+/-) heterozygous knockout mice, alpha-CaMKII overexpressing mice display an increase in anxiety-like behaviors in open field, elevated zero maze, light-dark transition and social interaction tests, and a decrease in locomotor activity in their home cages and novel environments; these phenotypes were the opposite to those observed in alpha-CaMKII (+/-) heterozygous knockout mice. In addition, similarly with alpha-CaMKII (+/-) heterozygous knockout mice, alpha-CaMKII overexpressing mice display an increase in aggression. However, in contrast to the increase in defensive aggression observed in alpha-CaMKII (+/-) heterozygous knockout mice, alpha-CaMKII overexpressing mice display an increase in offensive aggression.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Up-regulation of alpha-CaMKII expression in the forebrain leads to an increase in anxiety-like behaviors and offensive aggression. From the comparisons with previous findings, we suggest that the expression levels of alpha-CaMKII are associated with the state of emotion; the expression level of alpha-CaMKII positively correlates with the anxiety state and strongly affects aggressive behavior.</p

Stimulation of G proteincoupled bile acid receptor enhances vascular endothelial barrier function via activation of protein kinase A and Rac1

ABSTRACT Bile acids are end products of cholesterol metabolism, and they constantly exist at high concentrations in the blood. Since vascular endothelial cells express G protein-coupled bile acid receptor (GPBAR), bile acids potentially modulate endothelial function. Here, we investigated whether and how GPBAR agonism affects endothelial barrier function. In bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs), treatment with a GPBAR agonist, taurolithocholic acid (TLCA) increased the transendothelial electrical resistance. In addition, TLCA suppressed the thrombin-induced dextran infiltration through the endothelial monolayer. Knockdown of GPBAR abolished the inhibitory effect of TLCA on hyperpermeability. These results indicate that stimulation of GPBAR enhances endothelial barrier function. TLCA increased intracellular cAMP production in BAECs. Inhibition of protein kinase A (PKA) or Rac1 significantly attenuated the TLCA-induced endothelial barrier protection. TLCA induced cortical actin polymerization, which was attenuated by a Rac1 inhibitor. In vivo, local administration of TLCA into the mouse ear significantly inhibited vascular leakage and edema formation induced by croton oil or vascular endothelial growth factor. These results indicate that stimulation of GPBAR enhances endothelial barrier function by cAMP/PKA/Rac1-dependent cytoskeletal rearrangement

Effects of canagliflozin on NT-proBNP stratified by left ventricular diastolic function in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic heart failure : a sub analysis of the CANDLE trial

Background: Identification of the effective subtypes of treatment for heart failure (HF) is an essential topic for optimizing treatment of the disorder. We hypothesized that the beneficial effect of SGLT2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) on the levels of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) might depend on baseline diastolic function. To elucidate the effects of SGLT2i in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and chronic HF we investigated, as a post-hoc sub-study of the CANDLE trial, the effects of canagliflozin on NT-proBNP levels from baseline to 24 weeks, with the data stratified by left ventricular (LV) diastolic function at baseline. Methods: Patients (n = 233) in the CANDLE trial were assigned randomly to either an add-on canagliflozin (n = 113) or glimepiride treatment groups (n = 120). The primary endpoint was a comparison between the two groups of the changes from baseline to 24 weeks in NT-pro BNP levels, stratified according to baseline ventricular diastolic function. Results: The change in the geometric mean of NT-proBNP level from baseline to 24 weeks was 0.98 (95% CI 0.89–1.08) in the canagliflozin group and 1.07 (95% CI 0.97–1.18) in the glimepiride group. The ratio of change with canagliflozin/glimepiride was 0.93 (95% CI 0.82–1.05). Responder analyses were used to investigate the response of an improvement in NT-proBNP levels. Although the subgroup analyses for septal annular velocity (SEP-e′) showed no marked heterogeneity in treatment effect, the subgroup with an SEP-e′ < 4.7 cm/s indicated there was an association with lower NT-proBNP levels in the canagliflozin group compared with that in the glimepiride group (ratio of change with canagliflozin/glimepiride (0.83, 95% CI 0.66–1.04). Conclusions: In the subgroup with a lower LV diastolic function, canagliflozin showed a trend of reduced NT-pro BNP levels compared to that observed with glimepiride. This study suggests that the beneficial effects of canagliflozin treatment may be different in subgroups classified by the severity of LV diastolic dysfunction

Monitored Anesthesia Care of Two Patients with Highly Elevated Subpulmonic Ventricular Pressure due to Adult Congenital Heart Disease

Procedural sedation and analgesia for patients with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) and highly elevated subpulmonic ventricular pressure require proper anesthesia care to prevent a pulmonary hypertensive crisis. We describe the monitored anesthesia care (MAC) of two patients with ACHD (a complete atrioventricular septal defect and congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries) and highly elevated subpulmonic ventricular pressure. In both patients, preprocedural transthoracic echocardiography was useful for detecting severely elevated subpulmonic ventricular pressure. The MAC involved the infusion of propofol, dexmedetomidine, and fentanyl. Norepinephrine was continuously administered from the preanesthetic period. No hemodynamic instability or respiratory depression was observed during the MAC. Continuous administration of norepinephrine from the preinduction period was helpful for preventing hypotension. We added dexmedetomidine to our MAC regimen of propofol and fentanyl because it exerts both sedative and analgesic effects. Dexmedetomidine does not cause respiratory depression; thus, our MAC regimen is believed to be theoretically safe for patients with ACHD and elevated subpulmonic ventricular pressure. Our findings suggest that safe MAC for patients with ACHD and highly elevated subpulmonic ventricular pressure may require careful consideration of the anesthetic regimen and close observation by adequately trained personnel, which is best provided at regional ACHD centers

Sorption Characteristics of Honeycomb Type Sorption Element Composed of Organic Sorbent

This paper has dealt with the sorption characteristics of honeycomb shape type sorbent element composed of new organic sorbent which was composed of the bridged complex of sodium polya-crylate. The transient experiments in which the moist air was passed into the honeycomb type sorbent element were conducted under various conditions of air velocity, temperature, relative-humidity and honeycomb length. As a result, the effective mass transfer coefficjent of the organic sorbent sorbing the water-vapor was non-dimensionalized as a function of Reynolds number, modified Stefan number and non-dimensional honeycomb length.従来の蒸気圧縮式や吸収式冷凍機を冷熱発生源とする冷熱システムに代わり、環境を考慮した革新的吸着剤等を用いた新しい冷房空調システムの構築への関心が増大している現状にある。吸着剤を用いた代表的なクローズドサイクルとして吸着式冷凍機があり、ゼオライト/水系、シリカゲル/水系や活性炭/アルコール系等に関する実験や数値計算より、それらの吸着特性が明らかにされつつある。一方、これらの吸着剤を用いたオープンサイクルとしてデシカントクーリングや調湿などの研究開発が近年盛んに欧米を中心に行われるようになった。しかしながら、これらの無機系吸着剤を利用した吸着システムでは、その吸脱着の繰り返し操作による吸着剤の劣化に伴う吸着能力の低減や通気抵抗の増大による吸着システム性能の低下が問題とされている。また、吸着剤からの吸着質の脱着に比較的高い温度（80℃程度以上）を必要とすることによる熱源の選択肢が狭いことや無機吸着剤製造コストが高いなども普及を阻害している原因とされている。最近に至り、高分子固体へ蒸気を収着させる新たな収着剤を利用したヒートサイクルが出現している。高分子固体界面へ水蒸気が拘束される現象は、通常の吸着（Adsorption）現象とは呼ばず、収着（Sorption）現象と呼んでいる。この種の収着剤は80℃以下の比較的低温で水蒸気の脱着が可能なことと収着・脱着操作の繰り返しによる収着剤の耐劣化性に優れ、さらに低温での化学反応操作により比較的廉価で収着剤の製造が可能なことから、今後低温排熱の有効利用や環境調和型の調湿や怜熱発生機器への応用が期待されるものである。著者らは、高分子収着剤としてポリアクリル酸ナトリウム架橋体を繊維状に加工した収着剤充填層内に湿り空気を流動した場合の収着・脱着特性に関する基礎研究の結果から、その収着・脱着性能は優れているが、流動抵抗が大きくなる欠点を有することを報告した。本研究は、具体的なデシカント調湿器やデシカントクーリング機器を想定して、ハニカム構造に成形したポリアクリル酸ナトリウム架橋体型収着剤の構造や平衡収着特性そして流動湿り空気との非定常収着特性に影響を及ぼす諸因子の効果を実験的に検討するものである。得られた結果は、収着式の冷凍機などへも活用可能である

Transient Desorption Characteristics of Fibrous Organic Adsorbent

An experimental investigation was performed to determine the transient desorption characteristics of a fibrous type organic adsorbent, which was composed of the bridged complex of sodium polyacrylate as a new kind of adsorbent. The test fibrous adsorbent was packed in a cylindrical vessel, and dry air was passed through it. The experiments were conducted under various conditions of air velocity, temperature, relative humidity and vessel length. As a result, the pressure loss for the packed bed of the test fibrous adsorbent showed a similar tendency to that for the packed bed of spherical particles. The mass transfer data was correlated by the modified Sherwood number, the Reynolds number, the Schmidt number, the ratio of desorbed water vapor mass to fibrous adsorbent mass, the nondimensional temperature and the ratio of vessel length to fiber diameter. Fourier number for the completion times of adsorption processes were also correlated by Reynolds number, and the ratio of desorbed water vapor mass to fibrous adsorbent mass, the nondimensional temperature and the ratio of vessel length to fiber diameter.近年、省エネルギーや環境問題の観点から、フロン系冷媒を用いない低温排熱回収型機器の開発が急務となっている。特に、水（水蒸気）を作動冷媒とする吸着式冷凍機やデシカントクーリングシステムは、環境調和型の省エネルギー機器として注目されている。この種の吸着剤を用いた従来の研究は、ゼオライト/水系、シリカゲル/水系や活性炭/アルコールに関する実験や数値計算による吸着平衡特性や吸着剤充填層の非定常特性に関する研究が報告されている。しかしながら、シリカゲルなど無機系の吸着剤を使用した吸着システムでは、吸着・脱着過程の繰り返しによる吸着剤の劣化（微粒子化現象）による吸着能力の低下や通気抵抗の増大に伴う吸着システム性能の低減が問題とされてきた。著者らは、このような無機系吸着剤であるポリアクリル酸ナトリウム架橋体に着目し、その吸着性に関する基礎研究を行ってきた。前報においては、繊維状有機吸着剤を用いた各種の冷凍・空調システム開発の基礎資料を得る目的より、繊維状有機吸着剤充填層に一定温度・湿度・流速の湿潤空気を通気させた場合の水蒸気吸着特性および流動抵抗について定量的な検討を行った。本研究においては、水蒸気を吸着した繊維状有機吸着剤の再生過程に着目し、繊維状吸着剤充填層に低湿度の空気を通気させた場合の非定常的脱着特性および流動抵抗特性について実験的に検討したものである。特に、この種の有機吸着剤の基本的性質は現在のところあまり知られていないので、前報の吸着特性と本脱着特性の対比を行いながら、マクロな立場で取り上げた吸着剤充填層の特徴を明らかにする

Involvement of Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3β (GSK3β) in Formation of Phosphorylated Tau and Death of Retinal Ganglion Cells of Rats Caused by Optic Nerve Crush

Tauopathy is a neurodegenerative condition associated with oligomeric tau formation through abnormal phosphorylation. We previously showed that tauopathy is involved in death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) after optic nerve crush (ONC). It has been proposed that glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) is involved in the hyperphosphorylation of tau in Alzheimer’s disease. To determine the roles of GSK3β in tauopathy-related death of RGCs, lithium chloride (LiCl), a GSK3β inhibitor, was injected intravitreally just after ONC. The neuroprotective effects of LiCl were determined by counting Tuj-1-stained RGCs on day 7. Changes of phosphorylated (ser 396) tau in the retina were determined by Simple Western analysis (WES) on day 3. Retinal GSK3β levels were determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and an ELISA. There was a 1.9- and 2.1-fold increase in the levels of phosphorylated tau monomers and dimers on day 3 after ONC. LiCl significantly suppressed the increase in the levels of phosphorylated tau induced by ONC. GSK3β was mainly present in somas of RGCs, and ELISA showed that retinal levels increased to 2.0-fold on day 7. IHC showed that the GSK3β expression increased over time and remained in RGCs that were poorly stained by Tuj-1. The GSK3β and tau expression was colocalized in RGCs. The number of RGCs decreased from 1881 ± 188 (sham control) to 1150 ± 192 cells/mm2 on day 7, and LiCl preserved the levels at 1548 ± 173 cells/mm2. Accordingly, GSK3β may be a promising target for some optic nerve injuries

Electrocardiographic characteristics for the prediction of under‐sensing in implantable loop recorders

Abstract Background Under‐sensing (US) in implantable loop recorders (ILRs) interferes with the accurate diagnosis of arrhythmia, but there is little information available on the details of US of ILRs. The aim of this study was to clarify the frequency of US in patients with ILRs and to investigate the predictors of US in ILRs prior to implantation. Methods and Results We studied 46 consecutive patients implanted ILR. During the mean follow‐up period of 499 ± 363 days, 15 events of US were observed in five patients. There were no significant differences in patient characteristics between patients with and without US. In standard 12‐lead electrocardiogram (ECG), QRS complex amplitude in anterolateral chest leads (V2 to V5) were significantly lower in patients with than without US (V2: 0.88 [0.66, 1.22] mV vs. 1.67 [1.23, 2.29] mV, p = .010 V3: 1.25 [1.00, 1.26] mV vs. 1.90 [1.41, 2.29] mV, p = .013; V4: 1.14 [0.96, 1.38] mV vs. 1.93 [1.65, 2.64] mV, p = .023; V5: 0.57 [0.50, 0.75] mV vs. 1.60 [1.20, 1.98] mV, p = .011, respectively). ROC curve analysis showed that cut‐off values of 1.30 mV of QRS complex amplitude in V2, 1.26 mV of that in V3, and 0.75 mV of that in V5 had moderate accuracy for predicting US (V2: sensitivity 68%, specificity 100%, area under the curve [AUC] 0.86; V3: sensitivity 85%, specificity 80%, AUC 0.85; V5: sensitivity 98%, specificity 80%, AUC 0.85, respectively). Conclusions US was observed in 10.9% patients with an ILR. QRS complex amplitude in anterolateral chest leads (V2 to V5) on ECG might be useful for predicting US in patients with ILRs

Water Vapor Sorption Characteristics of Powder Type Organic Sorbent in a Moist Air Fluidized Bed

This paper has dealt with water vapor sorption characteristics of powder type organic sorbent bed by flowing a moist air. The powder type sorbent was fluidized in a rectangular vessel by the moist air flow. The sorption rate of vapor and the variation in temperature in the sorbent bed were measured under various air temperature and humidity conditions. It was found that the volume of the sorbent particles increased with in an increase in the amount of water vapor sorption. Finally, Sherwood number for water vapor mass transfer was expressed in terms of Reynolds number, the modified Stefan number, the ratio of sorbent particle diameter to fluidized bed height and Schmidt number.近年、都市部において冷暖房や給湯機器等からの排熱は、100℃以下の低温排熱として大量に周囲環境へ放出され、ヒートアイランド現象の主要因となっている。これらのエネルギー消費に伴う環境問題を解決する手段の一つとして環境負荷が小さく、同時に低温未利用熱エネルギーの回収利用可能な熱源機器の開発が熱望されている。水蒸気の潜熱回収可能な前熱交換器や水蒸気を作動流体とする吸着式冷凍機は、比較的低温度レベルの排熱を利用して運転可能な熱駆動型機器である。このことから次世代のヒートサイクルとして従来から開発が続けられてきた。しかしながら、現在低温排熱駆動ヒートサイクル用吸着剤として用いられているシリカゲルやゼオライト等の無機系吸着材は吸着・脱着操作の繰り返しにより、その顆粒状吸着剤粒子の微細化現象が起こり、吸着剤充填層内での水蒸気に対する流動抵抗の増大となる。その結果、水蒸気の物質および伝熱性能の低下となり、この種の装置の小型化を阻害している大要因となっている。著者らは、このような無機系吸着剤に代わるものとして、高分子からなる有機系吸着剤（ポリアクリル酸ナトリウム架橋体）の収着量の多さ、その収着剤の柔軟そして加工性の良さに着目し、繊維状に成形した収着剤やハニカム状に加工した収着剤のオープンサイクルにおける水蒸気の収着特性に関する基礎研究を報告してきた。本研究では、粉末状に加工した収着剤を充填した層に湿り空気を吹き込み、その粉末状収着剤充填層を流動層化した場合の粉末状収着剤の流動状態や水蒸気の収着特性に関する実験的検討を行うものである。実験因子としては、収着剤充填層高さ、流動湿り空気の温度や湿度そして流速等を取り上げ、その収着剤の水蒸気および熱移動特性に及ぼすそれらの実験因子の効果を検討するものである