Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy as a Neurocardiogenic Injury after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Hemodynamics and Fluid Management

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is a life-threatening systemic disorder that may occur early after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), but precise hemodynamics and fluid management remain unclear. Although TCM is often regarded as a reversible or self-limited phenomenon, it contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality of SAH patients, especially when it is complicated with other neurogenic injuries such as severe left ventricular dysfunction, pulmonary edema, and pneumonia. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the current practice in intensive hemodynamic monitoring and goal-directed fluid management of post-SAH TCM using advanced hemodynamic devices based on our institutional protocol and the relevant literature and to evaluate their effects on clinical outcomes

Physical and gas transport properties of asymmetric hyperbranched polyimide-silica hybrid membranes

Physical and gas transport properties of the asymmetric hyperbranched polyimide (HBPI) -silica hybrid membranes prepared with a dianhydride, 4,4’-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride (6FDA), and an asymmetric triamine, 2,4,4’-(triaminodiphenyl)ether (TADE), were investigated and compared with those of the symmetric HBPI-silica hybrid membranes prepared with a symmetric triamine, 1,3,5-tris(4-aminophenoxy)benzene (TAPOB). The HBPI-silica hybrid membranes were prepared via sol-gel reaction using hyperbranched polyamic acid of which end groups were modified with silane coupling agents, water and tetramethoxysilane. The thermal mechanical and dynamic mechanical analysis measurements confirmed that the rigidity of asymmetric HBPI was higher than that of symmetric HBPI because of the rigid and asymmetric structure of TADE monomer. In addition, the degree of branching of asymmetric HBPI is lower than that of symmetric HBPI because of the different reactivity of the three amino groups included in TADE. The rigidity and linearity of HBPIs had an effect on the progression of sol-gel reaction, consequently the gas transport properties. The increasing of the gas permeability coefficient of the asymmetric dianhydride(DA)-HBPI-silica hybrid membranes with increasing silica content was smaller than those of symmetric DA- and amine(AM)-HBPI-silica hybrid membranes. In addition, the gas permeability coefficient of the asymmetric AM-HBPI-silica hybrid membranes decreased with increasing silica content. This was due to the fact that the dispersibility of silica in the asymmetric HBPI-silica hybrids, of which polymer chain was more rigid and linear than those of symmetric HBPI-silica hybrid, was not as fine as in the symmetric HBPI-silica hybrids, and that the long and tortuous diffusion path was newly formed by hybridization with silica

Nano-artifact metrics based on random collapse of resist

Artifact metrics is an information security technology that uses the intrinsic characteristics of a physical object for authentication and clone resistance. Here, we demonstrate nano-artifact metrics based on silicon nanostructures formed via an array of resist pillars that randomly collapse when exposed to electron-beam lithography. The proposed technique uses conventional and scalable lithography processes, and because of the random collapse of resist, the resultant structure has extremely fine-scale morphology with a minimum dimension below 10 nm, which is less than the resolution of current lithography capabilities. By evaluating false match, false non-match and clone-resistance rates, we clarify that the nanostructured patterns based on resist collapse satisfy the requirements for high-performance security applications

First Application of Lattice QCD to Pezy-SC Processor

AbstractPezy-SC processor is a novel new architecture developed by Pezy Computing K. K. that has achieved large computational power with low electric power consumption. It works as an accelerator device similarly to GPGPUs. A programming environment that resembles OpenCL is provided. Using a hybrid parallel system “Suiren” installed at KEK, we port and tune a simulation code of lattice QCD, which is computational elementary particle physics based on Monte Carlo method. We offload an iterative solver of a linear equation for a fermion matrix, which is in general the most time consuming part of the lattice QCD simulations. On single and multiple Pezy-SC devices, the sustained performance is measured for the matrix multiplications and a BiCGStab solver. We examine how the data layout affects the performance. The results demonstrate that the Pezy-SC processors provide a feasible environment to perform numerical lattice QCD simulations

Polarization discontinuity induced two-dimensional electron gas at ZnO/Zn(Mg)O interfaces: A first-principles study

The discovery of a high-mobility two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in wurtzite ZnO/Zn(Mg)O heterostructures is promising for applications due to the high mobility of the carriers. In this paper, we study the formation and properties of the 2DEG at ZnO/Zn(Mg)O interfaces using first-principles calculations based on hybrid density functional theory. The 2DEG arises from the polarization discontinuity at the interface between the two materials. The uncompensated bound charge at the interface gives rise to an electric field in the bulk of ZnO which confines free carriers close to the interface. We find that the type of the confined carriers is determined by the interface termination, while the amount of charge and the confinement width could be controlled by the Mg doping and the device dimensions

Two-stage sinus floor augmentation using carbonate apatite

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the efficacy and safety of carbonate apatite (CO3Ap) granules in 2-stage sinus floor augmentation through the radiographic and histomorphometric assessment of bone biopsy specimens. Methods: Two-stage sinus floor augmentation was performed on 13 patients with a total of 17 implants. Radiographic assessment using panoramic radiographs was performed immediately after augmentation and was also performed 2 additional times, at 7±2 months and 18±2 months post-augmentation, respectively. Bone biopsy specimens taken from planned implant placement sites underwent micro-computed tomography, after which histological sections were prepared. Results: Postoperative healing of the sinus floor augmentation was uneventful in all cases. The mean preoperative residual bone height was 3.5±1.3 mm, and this was increased to 13.3±1.7 mm by augmentation with the CO3Ap granules. The mean height of the augmented site had decreased to 10.7±1.9 mm by 7±2 months after augmentation; however, implants with lengths in the range of 6.5 to 11.5 mm could still be placed. The mean height of the augmented site had decreased to 9.6±1.4 mm by 18±2 months post-augmentation. No implant failure or complications were observed. Few inflammatory cells or foreign body giant cells were observed in the bone biopsy specimens. Although there were individual differences in the amount of new bone detected, new bone was observed to be in direct contact with the CO3Ap granules in all cases, without an intermediate layer of fibrous tissue. The amounts of bone and residual CO3Ap were 33.8%±15.1% and 15.3%±11.9%, respectively. Conclusions: In this first demonstration, low-crystalline CO3Ap granules showed excellent biocompatibility, and bone biopsy showed them to be replaced with bone in humans. CO3Ap granules are a useful and safe bone substitute for two-stage sinus floor augmentation

Nanoporous Materials in Atmosphere Revitalization

Atmospheric Revitalization (AR) is the term the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) uses to encompass the engineered systems that maintain a safe, breathable gaseous atmosphere inside a habitable space cabin. An AR subsystem is a key part of the Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) system for habitable space cabins. The ultimate goal for AR subsystem designers is to 'close the loop', that is, to capture gaseous human metabolic products, specifically water vapor (H2O) and Carbon dioxide (CO2), for maximal Oxygen (o2) recovery and to make other useful resources from these products. The AR subsystem also removes trace chemical contaminants from the cabin atmosphere to preserve cabin atmospheric quality, provides O2 and may include instrumentation to monitor cabin atmospheric quality. Long duration crewed space exploration missions require advancements in AR process technologies in order to reduce power consumption and mass and to increase reliability compared to those used for shorter duration missions that are typically limited to Low Earth Orbit. For example, current AR subsystems include separate processors and process air flow loops for removing metabolic CO2 and volatile organic tract contaminants (TCs). Physical adsorbents contained in fixed, packed beds are employed in these processors. Still, isolated pockets of high carbon dioxide have been suggested as a trigger for crew headaches and concern persists about future cabin ammonia (NH3) levels as compared with historical flights. Developers are already focused on certain potential advancements. ECLS systems engineers envision improving the AR subsystem by combining the functions of TC control and CO2 removal into a single regenerable process and moving toward structured sorbents - monoliths - instead of granular material. Monoliths present a lower pressure drop and eliminate particle attrition problems that result from bed containment. New materials and configurations offer promise for lowering cabin levels of CO2 and NH3 as well as reducing power requirements and increasing reliability. This chapter summarizes the challenges faced by ECLS system engineers in pursuing these goals, and the promising materials developments that may be part of the technical solution for challenges of crewed space exploration beyond LEO