Links between Immune Cells from the Periphery and the Brain in the Pathogenesis of Epilepsy: A Narrative Review

Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that the pathogenesis of epilepsy is linked to neuroinflammation and cerebrovascular dysfunction. Peripheral immune cell invasion into the brain, along with these responses, is implicitly involved in epilepsy. This review explored the current literature on the association between the peripheral and central nervous systems in the pathogenesis of epilepsy, and highlights novel research directions for therapeutic interventions targeting these reactions. Previous experimental and human studies have demonstrated the activation of the innate and adaptive immune responses in the brain. The time required for monocytes (responsible for innate immunity) and T cells (involved in acquired immunity) to invade the central nervous system after a seizure varies. Moreover, the time between the leakage associated with blood–brain barrier (BBB) failure and the infiltration of these cells varies. This suggests that cell infiltration is not merely a secondary disruptive event associated with BBB failure, but also a non-disruptive event facilitated by various mediators produced by the neurovascular unit consisting of neurons, perivascular astrocytes, microglia, pericytes, and endothelial cells. Moreover, genetic manipulation has enabled the differentiation between peripheral monocytes and resident microglia, which was previously considered difficult. Thus, the evidence suggests that peripheral monocytes may contribute to the pathogenesis of seizures.     

Integration of 3-D shape construction and assembly to realize micro systems

In order to make micro 3-D structures, we are designing a table-sized factory, namely Nano Manufacturing World (NMW). In NMW, we challenged to use a new process fused by semiconductor process for preciseness and machine process for 3-dimensionality. In order to realize the new process, we designed three new mechanisms in this paper: multi-face shape making beam, co-focus rotational robot and micro mechanical tools. Through an evaluation to actually make a micro Gojunoto with the mechanisms, we confirmed their validities for functions of integration of 3-D shape construction and assembly.     

Mid-Gap State Formed Inside Mott Gap of 1T-TaS2 Single Crystals and Metal-Insulator Transition

We have measured electrical resistivity, Hall coefficient, thermoelectric power, and magnetization for charge-density wave (CDW) material 1T-TaS₂ single crystals grown by varying the excess sulfur content x _es. We have revealed that a small mid-gap state is formed inside the Mott gap and that anomalous low temperature transport is not governed by the Mott gap state itself but by the mid-gap state. The electric properties of the mid-gap state are modified by increasing x _es (or hole doping), and we have found the insulator-metal transition occurs by hole doping below 60K.     

Development of new‐type outdoor termination using composite insulator with SF6 gas: Commercial use for 77‐kV transmission lines and development for 154‐kV XLPE cable

Recently, composite insulators have been increasingly employed mainly for economic reasons. We have developed a new type of outdoor termination using a composite insulator, which can be installed horizontally on a steel tower in order to reduce the construction cost. In this outdoor termination, SF₆ gas is filled in the composite insulator and a cold shrinkable premolded rubber unit is applied instead of the combined use of a rubber‐molded stress relief cone, epoxy resin insulator and spring unit. The application of the composite insulator, SF₆ gas and cold shrinkable premolded rubber unit reduces the total weight and makes it possible to install the termination horizontally on the tower. The new‐type outdoor termination for 77‐kV XLPE cable has already been applied in commercial use and enabled a reduction of the construction costs for power transmission lines. A 154‐kV new‐type outdoor termination has been developed and its initial electrical tests were successfully completed. This paper describes the design and performance of both 77‐kV and 154‐kV new‐type outdoor termination, and a follow‐up survey of the 77‐kV new termination in a commercial use. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 159(4): 18– 26, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20511     

Selective formation of CH3OH in the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 with H2O on titanium oxides highly dispersed within zeolites and mesoporous molecular sieves

Highly dispersed titanium oxide catalysts have been prepared within zeolite cavities as well as in the zeolite framework and utilized as photocatalysts for the reduction of CO₂ with H₂O to produce CH₄ and CH₃OH at 328 K. In situ photoluminescence, ESR, diffuse reflectance absorption and XAFS investigations indicate that the titanium oxide species are highly dispersed within the zeolite cavities and framework and exist in tetrahedral coordination. The charge transfer excited state of the highly dispersed titanium oxide species play a significant role in the reduction of CO₂ with H₂O with a high selectivity for the formation of CH₃OH, while the catalysts involving the aggregated octahedrally coordinated titanium oxide species show a high selectivity to produce CH₄, being similar to reactions on the powdered TiO₂ catalysts. Ti-mesoporous molecular sieves exhibit high photocatalytic reactivity for the formation of CH₃OH, its reactivity being much higher than the powdered TiO₂ catalysts. The addition of Pt onto the highly dispersed titanium oxide catalysts promotes the charge separation which leads to an increase in the formation of CH₄ in place of CH₃OH formation.     

Enhanced heat transfer during oscillatory flow in annular channels

Heat transfer during oscillatory flow in a circular straight tube with a solid‐core tube inserted in its center was numerically simulated. The purpose of the solid‐core tube is to enhance axial heat transfer by increasing the lateral heat transfer effect for high frequency of the oscillatory flow. Simulation results showed that (a) axial heat transfer increases with the increasing diameter of the solid‐core tube, (b) the material of the solid‐core tube does not significantly affect axial heat transfer, and (c) efficiency based on the ratio of heat transfer to the work done is higher than that in a bundle of circular capillary tubes. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res, 35(1): 61–74, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/htj.20094     

Numerical investigation of loss generation mechanisms of flow in turbomachinery by using curved square duct

The secondary flow within a passage of turbomachinery exhibits a complex flow pattern by the effect of the centrifugal and the Coriolis forces. The passage vortex in this secondary flow generates a major part of the losses. However, the mechanism of the loss generation has not been fully clarified yet. In this point of view, the passage vortex is closely examined by the computational method using the two-dimensional curved square ducts as fundamental models. The inlet boundary layer thickness and the inlet velocity distortion are considered to be the major parameters affecting the generation of passage vortex in the present study. The computed results revealed that the passage vortex gave the predominant effects for the generation of loss not only in the breakdown process but also in the development process.     

Thermomagnetic Effects in High-Mobility PbTe Films

The narrow-gap compound semiconductor PbTe has high Hall mobility. The Fermi surface at the L-point in the Brillouin zone has large anisotropy. In this work, we measured thermomagnetic effects in PbTe thin films to confirm anisotropy of the Nernst coefficient A _Ne and show Nernst mobility from the ratio of A _Ne and the Seebeck coefficient S: μ _Ne = A _Ne/S. Angular dependences of the Nernst voltage show that A _Ne is independent of the angle between the temperature gradient and the magnetic field, because of the high L-point symmetry. The calculated Nernst mobility was compared with the Hall mobility. Because the former is smaller, the Mott equation cannot explain the Seebeck coefficient at room temperature.     

Polymorphism of POP and SOS. II. kinetics of melt crystallization

Melt crystallization of the polymorphs of SOS, α,γ, pseudo-β′, β₂ and β₁. and of POP, α,γ, pseudo-β′₂ pseudo-β ₁, β₂andβ ₁was examined using pure samples (99.9%). Induction time τ for newly occurring crystals in the melt phase was measured with a polarizing microscope equipped with a temperature-controlled growth cell. Rate of crystallization, 1/τ, was obtained for each polymorph of POP and SOS whose identification was done with X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Two modes of crystallization, melt-cooling and melt-mediation, yielded approximately the same results for POP and SOS: (a) The rates of crystallization were always higher in less stable than in more stable forms,β ₂only crystallized via a γ-melt mediation, butβ ₁did not occur by the melt crystallization; (b) the rate of meltmediated crystallization was always higher than the simple melt-cooling as examined at the same crystallization temperature; (c) the occurrence behavior of the polymorphs differed between the simple-cooling and meltmediation. The results were related to the solidification behavior of the polymorphs of cocoa butter. Presented at the AOCS Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona in May 1988.     

Seeding effects on solidification behavior of cocoa butter and dark chocolate. I. Kinetics of solidification

Effects of seeding of fat crystals on the crystallization kinetics of cocoa butter and dark chocolate were examined with a rotational viscometer. The seed crystals employed were cocoa butter, 1,3-distearoyl-2-oleoylglycerol (SOS), 1,3-dibehenoyl-2-oleoylglycerol (BOB) and 1,2,3-tristearoylglycerol (SSS). The seed powders were prepared by pulverization below —50°C, the dimensions being in a range from 20–70 μm. Particular attention was paid to the influence of polymorphism of the seed crystal. We found that all of the above seed materials accelerated the crystallization, the degree of acceleration being in a following order; SOS (β ₁) > cocoa butter (Form V) > SOS (a mixture ofβ’ andβ ₂) > BOB (β ₂) > BOB (pseudo-β’) > SSS (β). Precise measurements of the crystallization kinetics showed that the most influential factors in the seeding effects are the physical properties of the seed materials—above all, thermodynamic stability, and similarity in the crystal structure to cocoa butter are the most determinative.