LLC resonance power transformers using magnetoplated wire

The use of magneto-plated wire (MPW) allows for reduction of winding loss component from the proximity effect. compared with a copper wire (COW). A MPW is a COW with a circumference that is plated with a magnetic thin film. In this paper, we clarify the basic characteristics and the efficiency characteristics of a transformer using a MPW and a COW. We found that the resistances of a primary coil made of COW and MPW at a frequency f = 500 kHz are 1.56 Omega and 1.12 Omega, respectively, and decreased 28%. The short circuit inductances of the COW and the MPW at a frequency f = 500 kHz are 26 mu H and 29.6 mu H, respectively, and increased 13.8%. The efficiencies of an LLC resonant converter using the COW and the MPW at a frequency f = 500 kHz are 90.2% and 92.2%, respectively, and increased 2%.ArticleINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED ELECTROMAGNETICS AND MECHANICS. 47(3):719-727 (2015)journal articl

Two Case Reports of Successful Withdrawal of Mycofenolate Mofetil After Living Donor Lobar Lung Transplantation

Background: Lung transplantation cases have immunosuppression maintained using a calcineurin inhibitor, anti-metabolites, and steroid. Case Report: We report 2 clinical cases in which anti-metabolites (mycophenolate mofetil) were successfully withdrawn after living donor lobar lung transplantation by monitoring immune function using the ImmuKnow® assay. In the first case, a 43-year-old woman underwent living donor lobar lung transplantation for pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. Two healthy relatives donated a lower lobe each. Immunosuppression was maintained using tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and steroid. Six months posttransplantation, she developed invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. During anti-fungal treatment, we withdrew mycophenolate mofetil and tacrolimus trough levels were kept around 8 ng/mL. Despite the resulting low-level immunosuppression, the ImmuKnow assay showed immune function to be in the moderate range with tacrolimus and steroid alone, encouraging us to maintain this strategy to avoid recurrence of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. In the second case, a 24-year-old man underwent living donor lobar lung transplantation for cystic fibrosis. Two healthy relatives donated a lower lobe each. Immunosuppression was maintained using tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and steroid. Five months posttransplantation, he developed persistent Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia derived from the paranasal sinuses. Under ImmuKnow assay monitoring, mycophenolate mofetil was withdrawn, but immune function was maintained within the moderate range using tacrolimus and steroid alone. Discussion: Respiratory function in both cases was maintained; no findings of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome were noted during this period. To the best of our knowledge, no reports have described successful anti-metabolite withdrawal in lung transplantation with ImmuKnow monitoring. Immune evaluation by ImmuKnow could offer a useful method to monitor and control immune status, particularly among recipients susceptible to infection, revealing that moderate immune function could be maintained using tacrolimus and steroid in living donor lobar lung transplantation

Residual Strain Dependence on Matrix Structure in RHQ-Nb3Al Wires by Neutron Diffraction Measurement

We prepared three types of non-Cu RHQ-Nb3Al wire samples with different matrix structures: an all-Ta matrix,a composite matrix of Nb and Ta with a Ta inter filament, and an all-Nb matrix. Neutron diffraction patterns of the wire samples were measured at room temperature in J-PARC "TAKUMI". To obtain residual strains of materials, we estimated lattice constant a by multi-peak analysis in the wire. Powder sample of each wire was measured, where the powder was considered to be strain-free. The grain size of all the powder samples was below 0.02 mm. For wire sample with the all-Nb matrix, we also obtained lattice spacing d by a single-peak analysis. Residual strains of Nb3Al filament were estimated from the two analysis results and were compared. Result, residual strains obtained from the multi-peak analysis showed a good accuracy with small standard deviation. The multi-peak analysis results for the residual strains of Nb3Al filament in the three samples were all tensile residual strain in the axial direction, they are 0.12%, 0.12%, and 0.05% for the all-Ta matrix, the composite matrix, and the all-Nb matrix, respectively. Difference in the residual strain of Nb3Al filament between the composite and all-Nb matrix samples indicates that type of inter-filament materials show a great effect on the residual strain. In this paper, we report the method of measurement, method of analysis, and results for residual strain in the tree types of non-Cu RHO-Nb3Al wires.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figure

Immune function in a patient with aspergillosis after lung transplantation: Case Report

We report a case that was successfully treated invasive pulmonary aspergillosis after living donor lobar lung transplantationand monitored patients\u27 immune function with ImmuKnow® assay. A 43-year-old woman underwent living donor lobar lungtransplantation for pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. Two healthy her relatives donated each lower lobe. Six months after transplantation,she was diagnosed as invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). During the anti-fungal treatment, one immunosuppressantwas withdrawn and the trough level of calcineurin inhibitor was reduced to the minimum. Despite of such a lowimmunosuppressive status, Immuknow® assay showed that immune function was maintained in the moderate range, whichencouraged us to keep this strategy for IPA. Immune evaluation by Immuknow® is useful method for monitoring and controllingpatients\u27 immune status especially in the infected condition, which revealed moderate immune level could be maintained withonly two immunosuppressant drugs in the patient after recovery from IPA

PRIMARY MALIGNANT LYMPHOMA OF THE BREAST A Case Report and Review of the Japanese Literature

A 26-year-old pregnant woman was admitted to Nagasaki University Hospital complaining rapid enlargement of masses in the bilateral breasts and the right axilla. Biopsy of the right breast revealed malignant lymphoma. Simple mastectomy plus axillary node dissection on the right side (Br+Ax) and excision of the tumor in the left breast were performed. Histologically, the tumor was a diffuse lymphoma of the medium-size cell type according to the LSG classification, originated from B cells. After operation, Vincristine, Adriamycin, and Cyclophosphamide were administrered, but chemotherapy was terminated because of marked leukopenia. The patient has remained asymptomatic for 7 years without any treatment, and there is no evidence of recurrence. We have collected 79 cases of malignant lymphoma of the breast reported in the Japanese literature, including the present case, and examined factors that might affect the prognosis of patients. However, age, size of tumor, axillary lymph node involvement, histological findings, and type of therapy did not exert a significant influence. The most critical factor in a poor prognosis was the extramammary involvement of malignant lymphoma

Characterization of waves of leukocyte recruitment to the lung allograft and the effect of CTLA4-Ig

MHC-mismatched lung allografts are rapidly rejected by the host immune response. We analyzed cells infiltrating the grafted lung tissue using a collagenase-digestion method. The grafted lung was filled with host-derived leukocytes as early as day 1 post transplantation and the majority of the initial infiltrating cells were granulocytes. This initial influx of granulocytes waned rapidly, followed by a steady increase in lymphocytes, particularly T cells, and then by macrophages. The proportion of CD4+ T cells that express CD25 were increased in the graft the majority of which were activated CD4+ cells. We applied cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA4)-Ig treatment in combination with donor-specific blood transfusion to the transplantation of lung allograft, which was significantly prolonged by the treatment. To examine the cellular and molecular basis of the inhibition of the graft rejection, we evaluated number and cytokine mRNA expression of the cells infiltrating in the lung allograft using collagenase-digestion method, although we were unable to detect significant effects of the treatment. Taken together, this study demonstrates that single cell suspensions from cellular infiltrates of lung tissue is useful for phenotypical and functional studies on cells infiltrating lung tissue after graft transplantation