Closed-Form Green's Function Representations for Mutual Coupling Calculations Between Apertures on a Perfect Electric Conductor Circular Cylinder Covered with Dielectric Layers

Cataloged from PDF version of article.Closed-form Green’s function (CFGF) representations are developed for tangential magnetic current sources to calculate the mutual coupling between apertures on perfectly conducting circular cylinders covered with dielectric layers. The new representations are obtained by first rewriting the corresponding spectral domain Green’s function representations in a different form (so that accurate results for electrically large cylinders, and along the axial line of a cylinder can be obtained). Then, the summation over the cylindrical eigenmodes is calculated efficiently. Finally, the resulting expressions are transformed to the spatial domain using a modified two-level generalized pencil of function method. Numerical results are presented showing good agreement when compared to CST Microwave Studio results

Lean manufacturing as a high-performance work system: The case of Cochlear

© 2014 Taylor and Francis. This paper addresses the Special Issue call for Australian examples of innovative management systems that enable the production of successful products by drawing on a single case study: medical device manufacturer Cochlear. Through qualitative case study methodology, we examine the human resource management practices that complemented the implementation of lean manufacturing principles. We argue that in their implementation, Cochlears management team enriched the traditional understanding of lean and its focus on waste reduction, low cost and quality assurance by adopting people management practices as an integrated component of the overall management capability which allowed their people to grow and develop. The combination of lean and HR practices transformed Cochlear to a high-performance work system and positively impacted production processes and output. By examining a medical device manufacturer, an under-researched sector, our paper expands existing literature on lean manufacturing and provides implications for practitioners

Analysis of cylindrically conformal antennas using closed-form Green's function representations

Probe-fed microstrip patch antennas and slotted sectoral waveguide array antennas embedded in cylindrically stratified media are analyzed with a hybrid Method of Moments/Green's function technique, where closed-form Green's function representations for electric and magnetic current sources are used as the kernel of the associated integral equations. Various patch and slot antennas are analyzed using the proposed method. Numerical results in the form of input impedance, S-parameters, and radiation patterns are presented and compared to the results obtained from CST Microwave Studio™ and HFSS™. © 2015 EurAAP

Pathological changes of the spleen in mice infected with influenza against the background of the use of saponin tauroside Sx1

Background. It is well known that viral infections are able to cause an imbalance of the interferon system and inhibition of cellular and phagocytic reactions of the body. One of the possible solutions of the flu treatment problem may be the application of immunomodulators of native plant origin since the influenza virus possesses a suppressive effect on cellular immunity and the interferon system.The aim. To evaluate the effect of saponin tauroside Sx1 obtained from Crimean ivy leaves on histological changes in the spleen of mice infected with influenza A/WSN/1/33(H1N1) virus.Material and methods. We used 78 male BALB/c mice weighing 16–18 g which were divided into the groups: control (K; n = 12); healthy animals treated with saponin (KS; n = 22); animals infected with influenza virus A/WSN/1/33(H1N1) (V; n = 22); infected animals treated with saponin tauroside Sx1 twice a day for 3 days (SV; n = 22). Histological studies of the spleen were performed on the 4th (subgroups V, SV, KS) and 14th day (2V, 2SV, 2KS).Results. The spleen tissue of the KS subgroup demonstrated hyperplasia of the white pulp in the form of lymphoid nodules expansion. On the 4th day in the KS subgroup a statistically significant increase in the total area of the lymphoid nodules by 3.9 times compared to the K subgroup was observed. In subgroup V, there was a sharp decrease in the area of white pulp and in 2V the lymphoid nodules zones were practically indistinguishable. Applied correction in the SV and 2SV subgroups significantly ceased the damaging effect of the virus: the lymphoid nodules area increased by 2.7 times in the 2SV subgroup compared to 2V.Conclusion. Infection with the H1N1 influenza virus leads to compensatory activation of the immune response, however, on the 14th day, a pronounced depletion of the splenic white pulp occurred. The introduction of saponin tauroside Sx1 enhanced the functional activity of the spleen due to an increase of the white pulp area

Interstitial cystitis: a rare manifestation of primary Sjögren’s syndrome, successfully treated with low dose cyclosporine

Chronic interstitial cystitis (IC), mostly affecting middle-aged women, is a very rare manifestation of primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS). Hereby, we report a 42-year-old woman with pSS, presenting with dysuria, urinary frequency, and suprapubic pain. She was diagnosed to have chronic IC, based upon the cystoscopic biopsy finding of chronic inflammation in the bladder wall. Systemic corticosteroid and azathioprine treatments together with local intravesical therapies were not effective. Therefore, cyclosporine (CSA) therapy was initiated. Initial low dose of CSA (1.5 mg/kg/d) improved the symptoms of the patient, with no requirement for dose increment. After 4 months of therapy, control cystoscopic biopsy showed that bladder inflammation regressed and IC improved. This case suggests that even low doses of CSA may be beneficial for treating chronic IC associated with pSS syndrome

Mamld1 Knockdown Reduces Testosterone Production and Cyp17a1 Expression in Mouse Leydig Tumor Cells

MAMLD1 is known to be a causative gene for hypospadias. Although previous studies have indicated that MAMLD1 mutations result in hypospadias primarily because of compromised testosterone production around the critical period for fetal sex development, the underlying mechanism(s) remains to be clarified. Furthermore, although functional studies have indicated a transactivation function of MAMLD1 for the non-canonical Notch target Hes3, its relevance to testosterone production remains unknown. To examine these matters, we performed Mamld1 knockdown experiments.Mamld1 knockdown was performed with two siRNAs, using mouse Leydig tumor cells (MLTCs). Mamld1 knockdown did not influence the concentrations of pregnenolone and progesterone but significantly reduced those of 17-OH pregnenolone, 17-OH progesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, androstenedione, and testosterone in the culture media. Furthermore, Mamld1 knockdown significantly decreased Cyp17a1 expression, but did not affect expressions of other genes involved in testosterone biosynthesis as well as in insulin-like 3 production. Hes3 expression was not significantly altered. In addition, while 47 genes were significantly up-regulated (fold change >2.0×) and 38 genes were significantly down-regulated (fold change <0.5×), none of them was known to be involved in testosterone production. Cell proliferation analysis revealed no evidence for compromised proliferation of siRNA-transfected MLTCs.The results, in conjunction with the previous data, imply that Mamld1 enhances Cyp17a1 expression primarily in Leydig cells and permit to produce a sufficient amount of testosterone for male sex development, independently of the Hes3-related non-canonical Notch signaling

Idiopathic central precocious puberty in girls: presentation factors

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It is sometimes difficult to distinguish between premature thelarche and precocious puberty in girls who develop breasts before the age of 8 years. We evaluated the frequencies of the signs associated with breast development and the factors influencing the presentation of girls with idiopathic central precocious puberty (CPP).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>353 girls monitored 0.9 ± 0.7 year after the onset of CPP.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The age at CPP was < 3 years in 2%, 3–7 years in 38% and 7–8 years in 60% of cases. Pubic hair was present in 67%, growth rate greater than 2 SDS in 46% and bone age advance greater than 2 years in 33% of cases. Breast development was clinically isolated in 70 (20%) cases. However, only 31 of these (8.8% of the population) had a prepubertal length uterus and gonadotropin responses to gonadotropin releasing hormone and plasma estradiol. The clinical picture of CPP became complete during the year following the initial evaluation.</p> <p>25% of cases were obese. The increase in weight during the previous year (3.7 ± 1.4 kg) and body mass index were positively correlated with the statural growth and bone age advance (P < 0.0001).</p> <p>There was no relationship between the clinical-biological presentation and the age at puberty, the interval between the onset of puberty and evaluation, or the presence of familial CPP.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The variation in presentation of girls with CPP does not depend on their age, interval between the onset and evaluation, or familial factors. This suggests that there are degrees of hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian activation that are not explained by these factors.</p

Erythropoietin Receptor Signaling Is Membrane Raft Dependent

Upon erythropoietin (Epo) engagement, Epo-receptor (R) homodimerizes to activate JAK2 and Lyn, which phosphorylate STAT5. Although recent investigations have identified key negative regulators of Epo-R signaling, little is known about the role of membrane localization in controlling receptor signal fidelity. Here we show a critical role for membrane raft (MR) microdomains in creation of discrete signaling platforms essential for Epo-R signaling. Treatment of UT7 cells with Epo induced MR assembly and coalescence. Confocal microscopy showed that raft aggregates significantly increased after Epo stimulation (mean, 4.3±1.4(SE) vs. 25.6±3.2 aggregates/cell; p≤0.001), accompanied by a >3-fold increase in cluster size (p≤0.001). Raft fraction immunoblotting showed Epo-R translocation to MR after Epo stimulation and was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy in Epo stimulated UT7 cells and primary erythroid bursts. Receptor recruitment into MR was accompanied by incorporation of JAK2, Lyn, and STAT5 and their activated forms. Raft disruption by cholesterol depletion extinguished Epo induced Jak2, STAT5, Akt and MAPK phosphorylation in UT7 cells and erythroid progenitors. Furthermore, inhibition of the Rho GTPases Rac1 or RhoA blocked receptor recruitment into raft fractions, indicating a role for these GTPases in receptor trafficking. These data establish a critical role for MR in recruitment and assembly of Epo-R and signal intermediates into discrete membrane signaling units