Microcirculation and Macrocirculation in Hypertension: A Dangerous Cross-Link?

Microcirculation and macrocirculation are tightly interconnected into a dangerous cross-link in hypertension. Small artery damage includes functional (vasoconstriction, impaired vasodilatation) and structural abnormalities (mostly inward eutrophic remodeling). These abnormalities are major determinants of the increase in total peripheral resistance and mean blood pressure (BP) in primary hypertension, which in the long term induces large artery stiffening. In turn, large artery stiffening increases central systolic and pulse pressures, which are further augmented by wave reflection in response to the structural alterations in small resistance arteries. Finally, transmission of high BP and flow pulsatility to small resistance arteries further induces functional and structural abnormalities, thus leading to increased total peripheral resistance and mean BP, thus perpetuating the vicious circle. Hyperpulsatility, in addition to higher mean BP, exaggerates cardiac, brain, and kidney damages and leads to cardiovascular, cerebral, and renal complications. The dangerous cross-link between micro and macrocirculation can be reversed into a virtuous one by ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors, sartans, and calcium channel blockers. These three pharmacological classes are more potent than β-blockers and diuretics for reducing arterial stiffness and small artery remodeling. The same ranking was observed for their effectiveness at reducing left ventricular hypertrophy, preserving glomerular filtration rate, and preventing dementia, suggesting that they can act beyond brachial BP reduction, by breaking the micro/macrocirculation vicious circle.

Method of Locating Ground Fault in Low Resistance Grounding Distribution Network by Grounding Wire Current

Three-core cables are increasingly used in urban distribution networks. The shielding layer, armor layer of the three-core cable and the earthing electrode constitute the earth-electrode network. When a ground fault occurs, a regular ground wire current distribution is formed in the network. This paper analyzes the distribution law of ground current, and according to the distribution law, puts forward a kind of grounding fault location method of neutral point small resistance grounding grid, and finally designs and implements the grounding fault location system.

NADPH oxidase 4 has a crucial impact on the microcirculation of hypercholesteremic LDL receptor deficient mice

Introduction NADPH oxidase (NOX) 4-generated H2O2 has anti-atherosclerotic properties in conduit arteries like the aorta and carotids. However, the role of NOX4 on vascular function of small resistance arteries and blood pressure in a mouse model of familial hypercholesterolemia is unknown. Purpose We evaluated whether NOX4-generated H2O2 might play a role in perivascular adipose tissue of the thoracic aorta (tPVAT) and small resistance arteries on vascular function in a mouse model of familial hypercholesterolemia. Methods Aortic segments and mesenteric arteries from 26-week-old Ldlr−/− and Nox4−/− / Ldlr−/− mice were analysed by Mulvany myograph. In addition, vascular contraction and relaxation was analysed in the presence of L-NAME and catalase. Analysis of mRNA expression was performed in murine and human tissue by quantitative real-time PCR. Blood pressure was detected by tail cuff method in conscious, trained mice. Results Loss of NOX4 led to severe endothelial dysfunction in mesenteric arteries of Ldlr−/− mice. Blocking of NO synthases with L-NAME led to decreased endothelial relaxation in Ldlr−/− mice at the level of Nox4−/− / Ldlr−/− mice. However, incubation with L-NAME did not worsen the established endothelial dysfunction of the mesenteric arteries from Nox4−/− / Ldlr−/− mice. These results are strikingly different from the aorta, where inhibition of NO synthases led to a similarly impaired endothelial relaxation in both mouse strains. We detected a similar eNOS expression in the aorta of Ldlr−/− and Nox4−/− / Ldlr−/−, but a reduced eNOS expression in the mesenteric arteries of Nox4−/− / Ldlr−/− mice. H2O2 can induce eNOS expression. Therefore, we analysed the vascular function after catalase incubation and again found a significant reduction of endothelial function in the mesenteric arteries of Ldlr−/− mice. Finally, we analysed blood pressure of these mice and did not observe differences in systolic blood pressure, despite significant differences in endothelial function of resistant arteries. Conclusion NOX4 protects against severe endothelial dysfunction in the mesenteric artery in a model of hypercholesterolemia. FUNDunding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Other. Main funding source(s): Ghanaian-German postgraduate training scholarship program (DAAD)

Simulation and Experiment Analysis of 10 kV Flexible Grounding Device

The traditional 10 kV distribution network grounding system has some disadvantages, such as small grounding current and poor arc extinguishing effect, thus, hindering the detection of high-resistance grounding fault. Therefore, this paper studied the flexible grounding system consisting of small-resistance and active inverter in parallel. The control system comprises the compensation current calculation module, the fault detection module, and line protection strategy. During a single-phase grounding fault, the device is designed to inject a current of a given amplitude and phase into the neutral point to effectively suppress fault-point voltage and current and, meanwhile, quickly identifying the fault line or the busbar fault and then systematically protecting the distribution line. In addition, a large number of simulations have performed based on three grounding faults (metal, low-resistance, and high-resistance) and two modes (ungrounded and small-resistance grounding). The device can all be functional. Finally, a 400 V-level experimental prototype was built, and the experimental results are consistent with the simulation results, which can verify the effectiveness and feasibility of the flexible grounding device.

Analytical study of auto-balancing within the framework of the flat model of a rotor and an auto-balancer with a single cargo

This paper reports the analytically established conditions for the onset of auto-balancing for the case of a flat rotor model on isotropic elastic-viscous supports and an auto-balancer with a single load. The rotor is statically unbalanced, the rotation axis is vertical. The auto-balancer has a single cargo – a pendulum, a ball, or a roller. The balancing capacity of the cargo is equal to the rotor imbalance. The physical-mathematical model of the system is described. The differential equations of motion are recorded in dimensionless form relative to the coordinate system that rotates synchronously with the rotor. The so-called main movement has been found; in it, the cargo synchronously rotates with the rotor and balances it. The differential equations of motion are linearized in the neighborhood of the main movement. A characteristic equation has been constructed. It helped investigate the stability of the main movement (an auto-balancing mode) for the cases of the absence and presence of resistance forces in the system. It was established that in the absence of resistance forces in the system: – the rotor has three characteristic rotational speeds, and the first always coincides with the resonance frequency; – auto-balancing occurs when the rotor rotates at speeds between the first and second ones, and above the third characteristic speed; – the value of the second and third characteristic speeds is significantly influenced by the ratio of weight to the mass of the system; – the second and third characteristic speeds monotonously increase with an increase in the ratio of cargo weight to the mass of the system. Resistance forces significantly affect both the values of the second and third characteristic speeds and the conditions of their existence. Small resistance forces do not change the quality behavior of the system. With high resistance forces, the number of characteristic speeds decreases to one. The paper reports the results applicable to an auto-balancer with many cargoes when it balances the imbalance that equals the balancing capacity of the auto-balancer

Two-Capacitor Direct Interface Circuit for Resistive Sensor Measurements

Direct interface circuits (DICs) avoid the need for signal conditioning circuits and analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) to obtain digital measurements of resistive sensors using only a few passive elements. However, such simple hardware can lead to quantization errors when measuring small resistance values as well as high measurement times and uncertainties for high resistances. Different solutions to some of these problems have been presented in the literature over recent years, although the increased uncertainty in measurements at higher resistance values is a problem that has remained unaddressed. This article presents an economical hardware solution that only requires an extra capacitor to reduce this problem. The circuit is implemented with a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) as a programmable digital device. The new proposal significantly reduces the uncertainty in the time measurements. As a result, the high resistance errors decreased by up to 90%. The circuit requires three capacitor discharge cycles, as is needed in a classic DIC. Therefore, the time to estimate resistance increases slightly, between 2.7% and 4.6%.

Evidence for metastable photo-induced superconductivity in K3C60

Excitation of high-Tc cuprates and certain organic superconductors with intense far-infrared optical pulses has been shown to create non-equilibrium states with optical properties that are consistent with transient high-temperature superconductivity. These non-equilibrium phases have been generated using femtosecond drives, and have been observed to disappear immediately after excitation, which is evidence of states that lack intrinsic rigidity. Here we make use of a new optical device to drive metallic K3C60 with mid-infrared pulses of tunable duration, ranging between one picosecond and one nanosecond. The same superconducting-like optical properties observed over short time windows for femtosecond excitation are shown here to become metastable under sustained optical driving, with lifetimes in excess of ten nanoseconds. Direct electrical probing, which becomes possible at these timescales, yields a vanishingly small resistance with the same relaxation time as that estimated by terahertz conductivity. We provide a theoretical description of the dynamics after excitation, and justify the observed slow relaxation by considering randomization of the order-parameter phase as the rate-limiting process that determines the decay of the light-induced superconductor.

Polarized Proteins in Endothelium and Their Contribution to Function

Protein localization in endothelial cells is tightly regulated to create distinct signaling domains within their tight spatial restrictions including luminal membranes, abluminal membranes, and interendothelial junctions, as well as caveolae and calcium signaling domains. Protein localization in endothelial cells is also determined in part by the vascular bed, with differences between arteries and veins and between large and small arteries. Specific protein polarity and localization is essential for endothelial cells in responding to various extracellular stimuli. In this review, we examine protein localization in the endothelium of resistance arteries, with occasional references to other vessels for contrast, and how that polarization contributes to endothelial function and ultimately whole organism physiology. We highlight the protein localization on the luminal surface, discussing important physiological receptors and the glycocalyx. The protein polarization to the abluminal membrane is especially unique in small resistance arteries with the presence of the myoendothelial junction, a signaling microdomain that regulates vasodilation, feedback to smooth muscle cells, and ultimately total peripheral resistance. We also discuss the interendothelial junction, where tight junctions, adherens junctions, and gap junctions all convene and regulate endothelial function. Finally, we address planar cell polarity, or axial polarity, and how this is regulated by mechanosensory signals like blood flow.