The ac losses of high critical-temperature superconducting (HTS) wires are numerically calculated by means of a finite element method (FEM), which is formulated with a self magnetic field due to an induced current as unknown. The numerical model is straight HTS wires carrying an alternating transport current in an external ac magnetic field perpendicular to the wire axis. In this situation, the electromagnetic field around the wires is given by two-dimensional (2D) Maxwell's equations. It is also assumed that the transport property is represented by either the critical state model or the power-law model, in which the electric field is proportional to the power of the current density. The obtained losses are compared with conventional theoretical curves in several simple geometries.

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Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) can be exacerbated or induced in genetically predisposed individuals by psychological stress, which causes the release of substance P (SP). Therefore, SP may play an etiological role in the mechanisms underlying AD. Methods: Changes in the number of mast cells and SP-containing mast cells in lesional skin, and the serum concentrations of SP and IgE during the development of AD-like disease up to 8 weeks after the start of picryl chloride (PiCl) induction in NC/Nga mice were examined. Results: Clinical signs and symptoms seen in PiCl-treated NC/Nga mice as a model of AD-like disease began with erythema and haemorrhage, followed by oedema, superficial erosion, deep excoriation, scaling and dryness of the skin, as well as retarded growth, and the changes were exacerbated with an increase in the number of PiCl applications. An increase in the number of mast cells and eosinophil infiltration was observed in the lesional skin. The increase in SP-positive mast cells in the dermis in this model was significant from 1 week after the start of induction treatment, compared with intact mice, and SP-positive nerve fibres were observed in the dermis. Conclusion: SP is a crucial mediator of both dermatitis and scratching behaviour in this model.

We have successfully demonstrated the utility and potential of Bi-2223/Ag tapes fabricated by a CT-OP (controlled-overpressure) process. In this paper, we report the Ic–B–T performance of a short tape with stainless steel lamination and energizing-test results of a small layer-winding coil in an external magnetic field ranging from 0 to 12 T and at temperatures ranging from 4.2 to 90 K. The coil is a solenoid layer-winding of a 135 m piece of Bi-2223/Ag tape with stainless steel lamination on both sides. The dimensions of the conductor are 2.7 mm in width and 0.25 mm in thickness, including a 0.02 mm thick stainless steel lamination on both sides. A short sample cut from the same tape has critical currents exceeding 76 A, 307 A and 438 A at 77 K, 30 K and 4.2 K, respectively, in self-field. The winding was performed using a ‘react & wind’ technique and the resultant coil had 597 turns and dimensions of 65 mm (inner diameter), 83 mm (outer diameter) and 60 mm (winding height). In 12 T, 4.2 K, the coil-Ic is 191 A, which adds 1.42 T to the external field. In the present coil, the coil-Ic is controlled by the field component in the coil’s radial direction generated by the coil itself. The Ic values of the coil agree very well with those estimated from the short sample’s performance and field distribution. The results indicate that the homogeneity of the Bi-2223 conductor is very good throughout its whole 135 m length.

[reaction: see text] The first total synthesis of 5,6,11-trideoxytetrodotoxin (1) and its 4-epimer were achieved. The synthesis is characterized by the stereoselective construction of the quaternary amino carbon center at C8a by an asymmetric transferring Strecker synthesis and the highly efficient conversion of cyanohydrin 4 to 1 via intramolecular cyclization reactions.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the renoprotective effect of telmisartan on the advanced stages of nephropathy in rats with 5/6 nephrectomy (5/6 Nx).Telmisartan was orally administered for 12 weeks to rats that previously underwent 5/6 Nx or sham operations. After completion of the administration period, the degree of renal injury was examined histopathologically using indices of glomerulosclerosis and lesions of the renal tubule and interstitium.An immunohistochemical staining for transforming growth factor—beta (TGF-β1) was also performed. The suppression of urinary protein was statistically significant in surviving animals dosed with telmisartan.The enalapril group's urinary protein was also significantly suppressed for these same parameters in surviving animals. Histopathologically, telmisartan significantly decreased the progression of glomerulosclerosis and the interstitial cell infiltration at all doses tested. As assessed by immunohistochemical staining the TGF-β1 reactivity in the glomerular tissue tended to decrease in the telmisartan group when compared to the vehicle group. Thus, the progressive Thus, telmisartan ameliorates the progressive nephropathy in the remaining kidney after 5/6 Nx by non-haemodynamic as well as antihypertensive actions of the drug. pharmacological properties of telmisartan, clinical studies have been conducted to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of telmisartan on diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes. It has been reported that telmisartan arrested progressive renal dysfunction in hypertensive patients with early-stage diabetic nephropathy. Makino et al.8 reported the effectiveness of this drug therapy in suppressing the progression of nephropathy in type 2 diabetic patients with or without hypertension, without serious safety concerns. Remuzzi and Remuzzi9 reviewed the potential protective effects of telmisartan on renal function deterioration and suggested that telmisartan may effectively ameliorate renal dysfunction in patients affected by the metabolic syndrome. In addition, telmisartan also showed renoprotective effects in some animal models: spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), 10 as well as the hypertensive diabetic model that combines SHR with streptozotocininduced diabetes.11 Ohmura et al.12 investigated the mechanism of the renoprotective effect of telmisartan using obese Zucker diabetic rats. Ciclosporin A-induced nephropathy in pigs was attenuated by telmisartan without any reduction of blood pressure (BP).13 This animal data suggested that the suppressive effect on the progression of nephropathy might be due to both haemodynamic and non-haemodynamic action(s) of the drug.

AC losses are analytically and numerically evaluated in thin superconducting wires with cross sections of various shapes for the application of either transport currents or transverse magnetic fields perpendicular to the broadest face. It is assumed that their electromagnetic response is determined by Bean’s critical state model, in which the critical current density is independent of the magnitude of local magnetic field. New theoretical expressions of the AC losses are derived for a rhomboid strip, whose sheet critical current varies from centre to edges linearly, and they are compared with conventional results for rectangular and elliptical strips. The transport current losses of wires with finite thickness are also calculated numerically by evaluating the penetration of magnetic flux into them on the basis of the minimization of magnetic energy in addition to the perpendicular field losses. These obtained results are compared with each other for different shapes of cross sections, and the influence of sheet critical current distribution along the wire width on the AC losses is discussed.