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The ever-increasing demand for wireless communication has led to an incentive to increase the data rate and reduce the size of communication devices, be it antennas or other components of RF front-ends. The emphasis is primarily on increasing data rate, which leads to the use of higher frequency bands and wider bandwidths in modern communication technology research and innovations. However, increasing frequency in many technology areas cannot necessarily be beneficial because of physical constraints. For example, communication under seawater or other RF harsh environment requires very-low-frequency (VLF) or ultra-low-frequency (ULF) signals to penetrate lossy media that block high-frequency signals. Furthermore, recent advances in neuroscience have demonstrated the potential of VLF and ULF electromagnetic (EM) waves for studying brain function and treating neurological conditions. The main challenge is that most VLF and ULF generators are large and power-hungry, making them impractical to use in many applications. As a result, recent approaches using permanent magnets have started to provide groundbreaking solutions that can revolutionize VLF/ULF communication. This work presents a new method for generating low-frequency EM waves for navigation and communication in challenging environments, such as underwater and underground, as well as magnetic stimulation of brain neurons. The key concept is to disturb the magnetic energy stored around a permanent magnet in a time-variant fashion. The magnetic reluctance of the medium around the permanent magnet is modulated to alter the magnetic flux intensity and direction (disturb the stored energy) in order to achieve this goal. The nonlinear properties of the surrounding magnetic material are a critical phenomenon for efficient and effective modulation. Since the proposed method of generating the EM field is not based on a second-order system (resonant structure), the bandwidth of any modulation schema is not limited to the overall system quality factor. A transmitter is prototyped as a proof of concept, and the generated field is measured. Compared to the rotating magnet, the prototyped transmitter can modulate up to 50% of the permanent magnet's stored energy with much lower power consumption. The magnetic equivalent circuit (MEC) approach is also used to analyze the transmitter. Finally, the transmitter is optimized, and the measurement results show a 7 dB improvement in efficiency compared to the primary structure. As a result of promising performance, we propose that this method be used to improve the performance of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) devices. Furthermore, the comparison simulated results back up the validity of the proposed technique, revealing that focality and penetration depth are improved while utilizing much less power than traditional TMS devices. Doctor of Philosophy The growing demand for wireless communication has created an incentive to increase the data rate while decreasing the size of communication devices, whether they are antennas or other radio frequency (RF) components between the antenna and at least one mixing stage of a receiver and/or the power amplifier of the transmitter. The emphasis is primarily on increasing data rate, which leads to the use of higher frequency bands and wider bandwidths in modern communication technology research and innovations. However, increasing frequency in many technology areas may not be beneficial because of physical constraints. For example, communication under seawater or underground requires very-low-frequency (VLF) or ultra-low-frequency (ULF) signals to penetrate lossy media that block high-frequency signals. Furthermore, recent advances in neuroscience have demonstrated the potential of VLF and ULF electromagnetic (EM) waves for studying brain function and treating neurological conditions. The main challenge is that most VLF and ULF generators are large and power-hungry, making them unsuitable for many applications. As a result, recent approaches using permanent magnets have started to provide groundbreaking solutions that can revolutionize VLF/ULF communication. This work presents a new method for generating low-frequency EM waves for navigation and communication in challenging environments, such as underwater and underground, as well as magnetic stimulation of brain neurons. The key idea is to disturb the magnetic energy stored around a permanent magnet in a time-variant fashion. The magnetic reluctance of the medium around the permanent magnet is modulated to change the magnetic flux intensity and direction (disturb the stored energy) in order to achieve this goal. The nonlinear properties of the surrounding magnetic material are a critical factor in achieving efficient and effective modulation. Since the proposed method of generating the EM field does not rely on a second-order system (resonant structure), the bandwidth of any modulation schema is not constrained by the overall system quality factor. As a proof of concept, a transmitter is prototyped, and the generated field is measured. Compared to the rotating magnet, the prototyped transmitter can modulate up to 50% of the permanent magnet's stored energy with much lower power consumption. The magnetic equivalent circuit (MEC) approach is also used to analyze the transmitter. Finally, the transmitter is optimized, and the measurement results show a 7 dB improvement in efficiency compared to the primary structure. As a result of promising performance, we propose that this method be used to improve the performance of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) devices. Furthermore, the comparison simulated results support the validity of the proposed technique, revealing that focality and penetration depth are improved while using much less power than traditional TMS devices.

Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction is often carried out in a solution electrolyte such as KHCO3(aq), which allows for ion conduction between electrodes. Therefore, liquid products that form are in a mixture with the dissolved salts, requiring energy-intensive downstream separation. Here, we report continuous electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 to pure liquid fuel solutions in cells that utilize solid electrolytes, where electrochemically generated cations (such as H+) and anions (such as HCOO−) are combined to form pure product solutions without mixing with other ions. Using a HCOOH-selective (Faradaic efficiencies > 90%) and easily scaled Bi catalyst at the cathode, we demonstrate production of pure HCOOH solutions with concentrations up to 12 M. We also show 100 h continuous and stable generation of 0.1 M HCOOH with negligible degradation in selectivity and activity. Production of other electrolyte-free C2+ liquid oxygenate solutions, including acetic acid, ethanol and n-propanol, are also demonstrated using a Cu catalyst. Finally, we show that our CO2 reduction cell with solid electrolytes can be modified to suit other, more complex practical applications. Liquid products from electrocatalytic CO2 reduction are often mixed with additional solutes in the electrolyte, meaning that downstream separation is required. Here, the authors design cells that use solid electrolytes to generate flows of CO2-derived liquid fuels with high concentrations that are free of extraneous ions.

To investigate the relationship between resting energy expenditure (REE) and body composition in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD).An observational study.University Research Centre.Nine Duchenne children (age range 6-12 y), mean relative weight 128%, agreed to undergo the investigation and all of them completed the study;Assessment of body composition (total body fat and skeletal muscle mass) by magnetic resonance imaging and resting energy expenditure by indirect calorimetry.Fat mass (FM; kg and percentage weight), fat-free mass (FFM; kg and percentage weight), muscle mass (kg and percentage weight), resting energy expenditure (kJ/kg body weight and kJ/kg fat-free mass).: In Duchenne children fat mass averages 32% and total skeletal muscle mass 20% of body weight. Resting energy expenditure per kg of body weight falls within the normal range for children of the same age range, while when expressed per kg of FFM is significantly higher than reference values. No relationship was found between REE and total skeletal muscle mass.Our results do not demonstrate a low REE in DMD boys; on the contrary REE per kg of FFM is higher than normal, probably due to the altered FFM composition. We suggest that the development of obesity in DMD children is not primarily due to a low REE but to other causes such as a reduction in physical activity and or overfeeding.

Transcranial magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) surgery has recently gained favor as a novel, noninvasive alternative to conventional neurosurgery. In contrast to traditional ablative interventions, transcranial MRgFUS surgery is entirely imaging-guided and uses continuous temperature measurements at the target and surrounding tissue taken in real-time. Unlike Gamma Knife radiosurgery, MRgFUS surgery can make a lesion immediately and does not use ionizing radiation. Moreover, since no metallic device is implanted, MR imaging-based diagnosis is not restricted throughout life. An additional strength of transcranial MRgFUS surgery is its ability to focus acoustic energy through the intact skull onto deep-seated targets, while minimizing adjacent tissue damage. Even though the established indications of MRgFUS include bone metastases, uterine fibroids, and breast lesions, several promising preclinical and phase I clinical trials of neuropathic pain, essential tremor, Parkinson's disease (PD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder have demonstrated that the delivery of focused ultrasound energy promises to be a broadly applicable technique. For instance, this technique can be used to generate focal intracranial thermal ablative lesions of brain tumors, or to silence dysfunctional neural circuits and disrupt the blood-brain barrier for targeted drug delivery and the modulation of neural activity. Here we review the general principles of MRgFUS and its current applications, with a special focus on movement disorders such as essential tremor and PD, and discuss controversies and limitations of this technique.

Raf1 kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP) negatively regulates the Raf1/MEK/ERK pathway which is vital for cell growth and differentiation. It is also a biomarker in clinical cancer diagnosis. RKIP binds to the N-terminus of Raf1 kinase but little is known about the structural basis of RKIP binding with Raf1. Here, we demonstrate that the N-terminus of human Raf1 kinase (hRaf11-147aa) binds with human RKIP (hRKIP) at its ligand-binding pocket, loop "127-149", and the C-terminal helix by NMR experiments. D70, D72, E83, Y120, and Y181 were further verified as the key residues participating in the interaction of hRKIP and hRaf11-147aa. G143-R146 fragment was also critical for hRKIP binding with hRaf11-147aa, for its deletion decreased the binding affinity around 300 times, from 154 to 0.46 mM(-1). Our results provide important structural clues for designing the lead compound that disrupts RKIP-Raf1 interaction.

The purpose is to verify experimentally whether application of magnetic fields longitudinal and perpendicular to a proton beam alters the biological effectiveness of the radiation.Proton beams with linear energy transfer of 1.1 and 3.3 keV/μm irradiated human cancer and normal cells under a longitudinal (perpendicular) magnetic field of BL (BP) = 0, 0.3, or 0.6 T. Cell survival curves were constructed to evaluate the effects of the magnetic fields on the biological effectiveness. The ratio of dose that would result in a survival fraction of 10% without the magnetic field Dwo to the dose with the magnetic field Dw, R10 = Dwo/Dw, was determined for each cell line and magnetic field.For cancer cells exposed to the 1.1- (3.3-) keV/μm proton beams, R10s were increased to 1.10 ± 0.07 (1.11 ± 0.07) and 1.11 ± 0.07 (1.12 ± 0.07) by the longitudinal magnetic fields of BL = 0.3 and 0.6 T, respectively. For normal cells, R10s were increased to 1.13 ± 0.06 (1.17 ± 0.06) and 1.17 ± 0.06 (1.30 ± 0.06) by the BLs. In contrast, R10s were not changed significantly from 1 by the perpendicular magnetic fields of BP = 0.3 and 0.6 T for both cancer and normal cells exposed to 1.1- and 3.3-keV/μm proton beams.The biological effectiveness of proton beams was significantly enhanced by longitudinal magnetic fields of BL = 0.3 and 0.6 T, whereas the biological effectiveness was not altered by perpendicular magnetic fields of the same strengths. This enhancement effect should be taken into account in magnetic resonance imaging guided proton therapy with a longitudinal magnetic field.

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) has gained acceptance in the medical field and in the treatment of non-unions and delayed bone healing. ESWT has been used effectively for many years as a noninvasive surgical procedure. The idea of treating Osteochondritis dissecans of knee and talus arose in the middle of the 1990's. OCD is known as a pre-arthritic factor in the long-term and still there is no consistent treatment. In the literature there is still only a small number of publications but international societies for shockwave treatment are convinced that ESWT on OCD shows to be an effective and safe method in the treatment of OCD in the early stages. We want to summarize the actual data on the treatment of OCD by ESWT.

To investigate the clinical therapeutic effects of sacral nerve magnetic stimulation (SNMS) combined with extracorporeal shockwave (ECSW) in the treatment of type-ⅢB chronic prostatitis.This study included 65 cases of type-ⅢB chronic prostatitis treated in Renji Hospital between March 2017 and August 2018. The patients were aged 34.56 + 7.47 years and had an average disease course of 12.95 + 10.73 months. We randomly assigned the patients to an experimental (n = 33) and a control group (n = 32) to be treated by SNMS+ECSW and biofeedback combined with electrical stimulation, respectively, qd alt, 40 minutes once, for a total of 24 times. Before and after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment, we obtained the NIH-CPSI scores, maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), average urinary flow rate (Qavg), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) scores and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) scores of the patients, recorded their adverse reactions and compared the clinical therapeutic effects between the two groups of patients.After treatment, the experimental group showed significant improvement in the pain score, urination score, quality of life (QOL) score and NIH-CPSI total scores in comparison with the baseline (P < 0.05), even more significant after 8 than after 4 weeks of treatment (P < 0.05), and in all the indexes as compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Qmax and Qavg were remarkably improved at 8 weeks (P < 0.05) and so were SDS and SAS scores at 4 and 8 weeks (P < 0.05), even more significantly in the experimental than in the control group (P < 0.05). Among the 33 patients in the experimental group, 25 (75.8%) responded (14 ［42.4%］ cured or with excellent effect), with a significantly higher effectiveness rate than the control group (7［46.9%］， P < 0.01). No obvious adverse events were observed in any of the patients during the treatment.SNMS+ECSW can effectively improve the clinical symptoms and QOL of the patients with type-ⅢB chronic prostatitis, without causing obvious adverse reactions. Its long-term therapeutic effect, however, remains to be further studied.