An experiment with spiral wound reverse osmosis membranes for the Desalination of seawater

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.N.A. Hawlader Hawlader,

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In the research, the performance characteristics of Reverse Osmosis (RO Spiral Wound (SW membrane are evaluated. The effects of feed water concentration, temperature, pressure and flow rate on the performance of this membrane are investigated. The product recovery ( of SW membrane is found to increase with feed water temperature and pressure, but decrease with increasing feed water concentration and flow rate. Salt passage (SP increases with feed water temperature and concentration, but decreases with increasing feed pressure and flow rate. Under the tested feed water conditions, of SW varies from 6% - 18% and permeate salinity is approximately 130ppm. In addition, validity of the Complete Mixing Model is verified and successfully extended to the derivation of water and salt transport parameters of SW membrane. Plots of I/SR' versus l/Jw display linear relationships, as predicted in the model.

Biofouling in capillary and spiral wound membranes facilitated by marine algal bloom

KAUST Repository

Villacorte, L.O.

2017-10-11

Algal-derived organic matter (AOM), particularly transparent exopolymer particles, has been suspected to facilitate biofilm development in membrane systems (e.g., seawater reverse osmosis). This study demonstrates the possible role of AOM on biofouling in membrane systems affected by marine algal blooms. The tendency of AOM from bloom-forming marine algae to adhere to membranes and its ability to enhance biofilm growth were measured using atomic force microscopy, flow cytometry, liquid chromatography and accelerated membrane biofouling experiments. Adhesion force measurements indicate that AOM tends to adhere to clean membranes and even more strongly to AOM-fouled membranes. Batch growth tests illustrate that the capacity of seawater to support bacterial growth can significantly increase with AOM concentration. Biofouling experiments with spiral wound and capillary membranes illustrate that when nutrients availability are not limited in the feed water, a high concentration of AOM – whether in suspension or attached to the membrane – can substantially accelerates biofouling. A significantly lower biofouling rate was observed on membranes exposed to feed water spiked only with AOM or easily biodegradable nutrients. The abovementioned findings indicate that AOM facilitates the onset of membrane biofouling primarily as a conditioning platform and to some extent as a nutrient source for biofilm-forming bacteria.

Biofouling in capillary and spiral wound membranes facilitated by marine algal bloom

KAUST Repository

Villacorte, L.O.; Ekowati, Y.; Calix-Ponce, H.N.; Kisielius, V.; Kleijn, J.M.; Vrouwenvelder, Johannes S.; Schippers, J.C.; Kennedy, M.D.

2017-01-01

Algal-derived organic matter (AOM), particularly transparent exopolymer particles, has been suspected to facilitate biofilm development in membrane systems (e.g., seawater reverse osmosis). This study demonstrates the possible role of AOM on biofouling in membrane systems affected by marine algal blooms. The tendency of AOM from bloom-forming marine algae to adhere to membranes and its ability to enhance biofilm growth were measured using atomic force microscopy, flow cytometry, liquid chromatography and accelerated membrane biofouling experiments. Adhesion force measurements indicate that AOM tends to adhere to clean membranes and even more strongly to AOM-fouled membranes. Batch growth tests illustrate that the capacity of seawater to support bacterial growth can significantly increase with AOM concentration. Biofouling experiments with spiral wound and capillary membranes illustrate that when nutrients availability are not limited in the feed water, a high concentration of AOM – whether in suspension or attached to the membrane – can substantially accelerates biofouling. A significantly lower biofouling rate was observed on membranes exposed to feed water spiked only with AOM or easily biodegradable nutrients. The abovementioned findings indicate that AOM facilitates the onset of membrane biofouling primarily as a conditioning platform and to some extent as a nutrient source for biofilm-forming bacteria.

Production efficiency of micellar casein concentrate using polymeric spiral-wound microfiltration membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Beckman, S L; Zulewska, J; Newbold, M; Barbano, D M

2010-10-01

Most current research has focused on using ceramic microfiltration (MF) membranes for micellar casein concentrate production, but little research has focused on the use of polymeric spiral-wound (SW) MF membranes. A method for the production of a serum protein (SP)-reduced micellar casein concentrate using SW MF was compared with a ceramic MF membrane. Pasteurized (79°C, 18s) skim milk (1,100 kg) was microfiltered at 50°C [about 3 × concentration] using a 0.3-μm polyvinylidene fluoride spiral-wound membrane, bleed-and-feed, 3-stage process, using 2 diafiltration stages, where the retentate was diluted 1:2 with reverse osmosis water. Skim milk, permeate, and retentate were analyzed for SP content, and the reduction of SP from skim milk was determined. Theoretically, 68% of the SP content of skim milk can be removed using a single-stage 3× MF. If 2 subsequent water diafiltration stages are used, an additional 22% and 7% of the SP can be removed, respectively, giving a total SP removal of 97%. Removal of SP greater than 95% has been achieved using a 0.1-μm pore size ceramic uniform transmembrane pressure (UTP) MF membrane after a 3-stage MF with diafiltration process. One stage of MF plus 2 stages of diafiltration of 50°C skim milk using a polyvinylidene fluoride polymeric SW 0.3-μm membrane yielded a total SP reduction of only 70.3% (stages 1, 2, and 3: 38.6, 20.8, and 10.9%, respectively). The SP removal rate for the polymeric SW MF membrane was lower in all 3 stages of processing (stages 1, 2, and 3: 0.05, 0.04, and 0.03 kg/m(2) per hour, respectively) than that of the comparable ceramic UTP MF membrane (stages 1, 2, and 3: 0.30, 0.11, and 0.06 kg/m(2) per hour, respectively), indicating that SW MF is less efficient at removing SP from 50°C skim milk than the ceramic UTP system. To estimate the number of steps required for the SW system to reach 95% SP removal, the third-stage SP removal rate (27.4% of the starting material SP content) was used to

Hydrolysis of whey lactose by immobilized β-galactosidase in a bioreactor with a spirally wound membrane.

Science.gov (United States)

Vasileva, Nastya; Ivanov, Yavor; Damyanova, Stanka; Kostova, Iliana; Godjevargova, Tzonka

2016-01-01

The β-galactosidase was covalently immobilized onto a modified polypropylene membrane, using glutaraldehyde. The optimal conditions for hydrolysis of lactose (4.7%) by immobilized β-galactosidase in a batch process were determined 13.6 U enzyme activity, 40°C, pH 6.8 and 10h. The obtained degree of hydrolysis was compared with results received by a free enzyme. It was found, that the lactose hydrolysis by an immobilized enzyme was 1.6 times more effective than the lactose hydrolysis by a free enzyme. It was determined that the stability of the immobilized enzyme was 2 times higher in comparison with the stability of free enzyme. The obtained immobilized system β-galactosidase/polypropylene membrane was applied to produce glucose-galactose syrup from waste whey. The whey characteristics and the different preliminary treatments of the whey were investigated. Then the whey lactose hydrolysis in a bioreactor by an immobilized enzyme on a spirally wound membrane was performed. The optimal membrane surface and the optimal flow rate of the whey through the membrane module were determined, respectively 100 cm(2) and 1.0 mL min(-1). After 10h, the degree of lactose hydrolysis was increased to 91%. The operation stability was studied. After 20th cycle the yield of bioreactor was 69.7%. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reclamation of the wastewater from an industrial park using hollow-fibre and spiral-wound membranes: 50 m3 d(-1) pilot testing and cost evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, C P; Jiaoa, S R; Hung, J M; Lu, C J; Chung, Y J

2009-08-01

The feasibility of reclaiming effluent from industrial park wastewater treatment plants through a membrane process was evaluated in three phases. In phase 1 we selected nine wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), each with a design capacity exceeding 10,000 m3 d(-1), and analyzed the corresponding effluent composition. 'Potential recycling percentage', R, ranged from 50% to 80% for the industrial park WWTPs, indicating a high feasibility for the reuse of effluent. In phase 2, a 50 m3 d(-1) pilot plant was installed in one of the selected WWTPs and underwent testing for one year. The quality of the reclaimed water was suitable for general-purpose industrial use. In the two ultrafiltration (UF) modules tested, the hydrophilic polyethersulfone hollow-fibre module was more tolerant to variable properties, and had higher recycling percentages than those of backwashable hydrophobic polyvinylidene difluoride spiral-wound module. Using the spiral-wound UF module helped reduce the cost for producing 1 m3 of reclaimed water (US$0.80) compared with a hollow-fibre module (US$0.88). In phase 3, we evaluated the negative effects of refluxing the reverse osmosis retentate, containing high total dissolved solids and non-biodegradable organics, with the biological treatment unit of the upstream WWTP. Biological compactibility tests showed that the refluxed retentate ratio should be reduced to maintain the conductivity of mixed liquor in the aeration tank at less than 110% of the original value.

Development and characterization of 3D-printed feed spacers for spiral wound membrane systems

KAUST Repository

Siddiqui, Amber

2016-01-02

Feed spacers are important for the impact of biofouling on the performance of spiral-wound reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membrane systems. The objective of this study was to propose a strategy for developing, characterizing, and testing of feed spacers by numerical modeling, three-dimensional (3D) printing of feed spacers and experimental membrane fouling simulator (MFS) studies. The results of numerical modeling on the hydraulic behavior of various feed spacer geometries suggested that the impact of spacers on hydraulics and biofouling can be improved. A good agreement was found for the modeled and measured relationship between linear flow velocity and pressure drop for feed spacers with the same geometry, indicating that modeling can serve as first step in spacer characterization. An experimental comparison study of a feed spacer currently applied in practice and a 3D printed feed spacer with the same geometry showed (i) similar hydraulic behavior, (ii) similar pressure drop development with time and (iii) similar biomass accumulation during MFS biofouling studies, indicating that 3D printing technology is an alternative strategy for development of thin feed spacers with a complex geometry. Based on the numerical modeling results, a modified feed spacer with low pressure drop was selected for 3D printing. The comparison study of the feed spacer from practice and the modified geometry 3D printed feed spacer established that the 3D printed spacer had (i) a lower pressure drop during hydraulic testing, (ii) a lower pressure drop increase in time with the same accumulated biomass amount, indicating that modifying feed spacer geometries can reduce the impact of accumulated biomass on membrane performance. The combination of numerical modeling of feed spacers and experimental testing of 3D printed feed spacers is a promising strategy (rapid, low cost and representative) to develop advanced feed spacers aiming to reduce the impact of biofilm formation on

Porosity of spacer-filled channels in spiral-wound membrane systems: Quantification methods and impact on hydraulic characterization

KAUST Repository

Siddiqui, Amber

2017-04-13

The porosity of spacer-filled feed channels influences the hydrodynamics of spiral-wound membrane systems and impacts the overall performance of the system. Therefore, an exact measurement and a detailed understanding of the impact of the feed channel porosity is required to understand and improve the hydrodynamics of spiral-wound membrane systems applied for desalination and wastewater reuse. The objectives of this study were to assess the accuracy of porosity measurement techniques for feed spacers differing in geometry and thickness and the consequences of using an inaccurate method on hydrodynamic predictions, which may affect permeate production. Six techniques were applied to measure the porosity namely, three volumetric calculations based on spacer strand count together with cuboidal (SC), cylindrical (VCC) and ellipsoidal volume calculation (VCE) and three independent techniques based on volume displacement (VD), weight and density (WD) and computed tomography scanning (CT). The CT method was introduced as an alternative for the other five already existing and applied methods in practice.Six feed spacers used for the porosity measurement differed in filament thickness, angle between the filaments and mesh-size. The results of the studies showed differences between the porosities, measured by the six methods. The results of the microscopic techniques SC, VCC and VCE deviated significantly from measurements by VD, WD and CT, which showed similar porosity values for all spacer types.Depending on the maximum deviation of the porosity measurement techniques from –6% to +6%, (i) the linear velocity deviations were −5.6% and +6.4% respectively and (ii) the pressure drop deviations were –31% and +43% respectively, illustrating the importance of an accurate porosity measurement. Because of the accuracy and standard deviation, the VD and WD method should be applied for the porosity determination of spacer-filled channels, while the CT method is recommended for

CO2 Removal from Multi-component Gas Mixtures Utilizing Spiral-Wound Asymmetric Membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Said, W.B.; Fahmy, M.F.M.; Gad, F.K.; EI-Aleem, G.A.

2004-01-01

A systematic procedure and a computer program have been developed for simulating the performance of a spiral-wound gas permeate for the CO 2 removal from natural gas and other hydrocarbon streams. The simulation program is based on the approximate multi-component model derived by Qi and Henson(l), in addition to the membrane parameters achieved from the binary simulation program(2) (permeability and selectivity). Applying the multi-component program on the same data used by Qi and Henson to evaluate the deviation of the approximate model from the basic transport model, showing results more accurate than those of the approximate model, and are very close to those of the basic transport model, while requiring significantly less than 1 % of the computation time. The program was successfully applied on the data of Salam gas plant membrane unit at Khalda Petroleum Company, Egypt, for the separation of CO 2 from hydrocarbons in an eight-component mixture to estimate the stage cut, residue, and permeate compositions, and gave results matched with the actual Gas Chromatography Analysis measured by the lab

Process efficiency of casein separation from milk using polymeric spiral-wound microfiltration membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Mercier-Bouchard, D; Benoit, S; Doyen, A; Britten, M; Pouliot, Y

2017-11-01

Microfiltration is largely used to separate casein micelles from milk serum proteins (SP) to produce a casein-enriched retentate for cheese making and a permeate enriched in native SP. Skim milk microfiltration is typically performed with ceramic membranes and little information is available about the efficiency of spiral-wound (SW) membranes. We determined the effect of SW membrane pore size (0.1 and 0.2 µm) on milk protein separation in total recirculation mode with a transmembrane pressure gradient to evaluate the separation efficiency of milk proteins and energy consumption after repeated concentration and diafiltration (DF). Results obtained in total recirculation mode demonstrated that pore size diameter had no effect on the permeate flux, but a drastic loss of casein was observed in permeate for the 0.2-µm SW membrane. Concentration-DF experiments (concentration factor of 3.0× with 2 sequential DF) were performed with the optimal 0.1-µm SW membrane. We compared these results to previous data we generated with the 0.1-µm graded permeability (GP) membrane. Whereas casein rejection was similar for both membranes, SP rejection was higher for the 0.1-µm SW membrane (rejection coefficient of 0.75 to 0.79 for the 0.1-µm SW membrane versus 0.46 to 0.49 for the GP membrane). The 0.1-µm SW membrane consumed less energy (0.015-0.024 kWh/kg of permeate collected) than the GP membrane (0.077-0.143 kWh/kg of permeate collected). A techno-economic evaluation led us to conclude that the 0.1-µm SW membranes may represent a better option to concentrate casein for cheese milk; however, the GP membrane has greater permeability and its longer lifetime (about 10 yr) potentially makes it an interesting option. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

One Step Membrane Filtration : A fundamental study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haidari, A.H.

2017-01-01

This study focuses on spiral-wound membrane (SWM) modules, which are the most common commercially available membrane modules for reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF). While RO membranes can remove almost all kinds of substances from the feed water, they are usually equipped with pretreatment

Modulation of Wound Healing and Scar Formation by MG53 Protein-mediated Cell Membrane Repair*

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Haichang; Duann, Pu; Lin, Pei-Hui; Zhao, Li; Fan, Zhaobo; Tan, Tao; Zhou, Xinyu; Sun, Mingzhai; Fu, Minghuan; Orange, Matthew; Sermersheim, Matthew; Ma, Hanley; He, Duofen; Steinberg, Steven M.; Higgins, Robert; Zhu, Hua; John, Elizabeth; Zeng, Chunyu; Guan, Jianjun; Ma, Jianjie

2015-01-01

Cell membrane repair is an important aspect of physiology, and disruption of this process can result in pathophysiology in a number of different tissues, including wound healing, chronic ulcer and scarring. We have previously identified a novel tripartite motif family protein, MG53, as an essential component of the cell membrane repair machinery. Here we report the functional role of MG53 in the modulation of wound healing and scarring. Although MG53 is absent from keratinocytes and fibroblasts, remarkable defects in skin architecture and collagen overproduction are observed in mg53−/− mice, and these animals display delayed wound healing and abnormal scarring. Recombinant human MG53 (rhMG53) protein, encapsulated in a hydrogel formulation, facilitates wound healing and prevents scarring in rodent models of dermal injuries. An in vitro study shows that rhMG53 protects against acute injury to keratinocytes and facilitates the migration of fibroblasts in response to scratch wounding. During fibrotic remodeling, rhMG53 interferes with TGF-β-dependent activation of myofibroblast differentiation. The resulting down-regulation of α smooth muscle actin and extracellular matrix proteins contributes to reduced scarring. Overall, these studies establish a trifunctional role for MG53 as a facilitator of rapid injury repair, a mediator of cell migration, and a modulator of myofibroblast differentiation during wound healing. Targeting the functional interaction between MG53 and TGF-β signaling may present a potentially effective means for promoting scarless wound healing. PMID:26306047

Modulation of wound healing and scar formation by MG53 protein-mediated cell membrane repair.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Haichang; Duann, Pu; Lin, Pei-Hui; Zhao, Li; Fan, Zhaobo; Tan, Tao; Zhou, Xinyu; Sun, Mingzhai; Fu, Minghuan; Orange, Matthew; Sermersheim, Matthew; Ma, Hanley; He, Duofen; Steinberg, Steven M; Higgins, Robert; Zhu, Hua; John, Elizabeth; Zeng, Chunyu; Guan, Jianjun; Ma, Jianjie

2015-10-02

Cell membrane repair is an important aspect of physiology, and disruption of this process can result in pathophysiology in a number of different tissues, including wound healing, chronic ulcer and scarring. We have previously identified a novel tripartite motif family protein, MG53, as an essential component of the cell membrane repair machinery. Here we report the functional role of MG53 in the modulation of wound healing and scarring. Although MG53 is absent from keratinocytes and fibroblasts, remarkable defects in skin architecture and collagen overproduction are observed in mg53(-/-) mice, and these animals display delayed wound healing and abnormal scarring. Recombinant human MG53 (rhMG53) protein, encapsulated in a hydrogel formulation, facilitates wound healing and prevents scarring in rodent models of dermal injuries. An in vitro study shows that rhMG53 protects against acute injury to keratinocytes and facilitates the migration of fibroblasts in response to scratch wounding. During fibrotic remodeling, rhMG53 interferes with TGF-β-dependent activation of myofibroblast differentiation. The resulting down-regulation of α smooth muscle actin and extracellular matrix proteins contributes to reduced scarring. Overall, these studies establish a trifunctional role for MG53 as a facilitator of rapid injury repair, a mediator of cell migration, and a modulator of myofibroblast differentiation during wound healing. Targeting the functional interaction between MG53 and TGF-β signaling may present a potentially effective means for promoting scarless wound healing. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Application of DBNPA dosage for biofouling control in spiral wound membrane systems

KAUST Repository

Siddiqui, Amber

2017-05-30

Biocides may be used to control biofouling in spiral-wound reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) systems. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of biocide 2,2-dibromo-3-ni-trilopropionamide (DBNPA) dosage on biofouling control. Preventive biofouling control was studied applying a continuous dosage of substrate (0.5 mg/L) and DBNPA (1 mg/L). Curative biofouling control was studied on pre-grown biofilms, once again applying a continuous dosage of substrate (0.5 mg acetate C/L) and DBNPA (1 and 20 mg/L). Biofouling studies were performed in membrane fouling simulators (MFSs) supplied with biodegradable substrate and DBNPA. The pressure drop was monitored in time and at the end of the study, the accumulated biomass in MFS was quantified by adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and total organic carbon (TOC) analysis. Continuous dosage of DBNPA (1 mg/L) prevented pressure drop increase and biofilm accumulation in the MFSs during a run time of 7 d, showing that biofouling can be managed by preventive DBNPA dosage. For biofouled systems, continuous dosage of DBNPA (1 and 20 mg/L) inactivated the accumulated biomass but did not restore the original pressure drop and did not remove the accumulated inactive cells and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), indicating DBNPA dosage is not suitable for curative biofouling control.

Spatial heterogeneity of biofouling under different cross-flow velocities in reverse osmosis membrane systems

KAUST Repository

Farhat, Nadia

2016-09-06

The spatially heterogeneous distribution of biofouling in spiral wound membrane systems restricts (i) the water distribution over the membrane surface and therefore (ii) the membrane-based water treatment. The objective of the study was to assess the spatial heterogeneity of biofilm development over the membrane fouling simulator (MFS) length (inlet and outlet part) at three different cross-flow velocities (0.08, 0.12 and 0.16 m/s). The MFS contained sheets of membrane and feed spacer and simulated the first 0.20 m of spiral-wound membrane modules where biofouling accumulates the most in practice. In-situ non-destructive oxygen imaging using planar optodes was applied to determine the biofilm spatially resolved activity and heterogeneity.

Biofouling Control in Spiral-Wound Membrane Systems: Impact of Feed Spacer Modification and Biocides

KAUST Repository

Siddiqui, Amber

2016-01-01

was developed. The combination of modeling and experimental testing of 3D printed spacers is a promising strategy to develop advanced spacers aiming to reduce the impact of biofilm formation on membrane performance and to improve the cleanability of spiral

Predicting the impact of feed spacer modification on biofouling by hydraulic characterization and biofouling studies in membrane fouling simulators

KAUST Repository

Siddiqui, Amber; Lehmann, S.; Bucs, Szilard; Fresquet, M.; Fel, L.; Prest, E.I.E.C.; Ogier, J.; Schellenberg, C.; van Loosdrecht, M.C.M.; Kruithof, J.C.; Vrouwenvelder, Johannes S.

2016-01-01

Feed spacers are an essential part of spiral-wound reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membrane modules. Geometric modification of feed spacers is a potential option to reduce the impact of biofouling on the performance of membrane systems

Hydrogel-coated feed spacers in two-phase flow cleaning in spiral wound membrane elements: a novel platform for eco-friendly biofouling mitigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wibisono, Yusuf; Yandi, Wetra; Golabi, Mohsen; Nugraha, Roni; Cornelissen, Emile R; Kemperman, Antoine J B; Ederth, Thomas; Nijmeijer, Kitty

2015-03-15

Biofouling is still a major challenge in the application of nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes. Here we present a platform approach for environmentally friendly biofouling control using a combination of a hydrogel-coated feed spacer and two-phase flow cleaning. Neutral (polyHEMA-co-PEG10MA), cationic (polyDMAEMA) and anionic (polySPMA) hydrogels have been successfully grafted onto polypropylene (PP) feed spacers via plasma-mediated UV-polymerization. These coatings maintained their chemical stability after 7 days incubation in neutral (pH 7), acidic (pH 5) and basic (pH 9) environments. Anti-biofouling properties of these coatings were evaluated by Escherichia coli attachment assay and nanofiltration experiments at a TMP of 600 kPag using tap water with additional nutrients as feed and by using optical coherence tomography. Especially the anionic polySPMA-coated PP feed spacer shows reduced attachment of E. coli and biofouling in the spacer-filled narrow channels resulting in delayed biofilm growth. Employing this highly hydrophilic coating during removal of biofouling by two-phase flow cleaning also showed enhanced cleaning efficiency, feed channel pressure drop and flux recoveries. The strong hydrophilic nature and the presence of negative charge on polySPMA are most probably responsible for the improved antifouling behavior. A combination of polySPMA-coated PP feed spacers and two-phase flow cleaning therefore is promising and an environmentally friendly approach to control biofouling in NF/RO systems employing spiral-wound membrane modules. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neurotensin-loaded PLGA/CNC composite nanofiber membranes accelerate diabetic wound healing.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Zhifang; Liu, Yishu; Huang, Wenhua; Mo, Yunfei; Lan, Yong; Guo, Rui; Cheng, Biao

2018-04-13

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a threat to human health and can lead to amputation and even death. Recently neurotensin (NT), an inflammatory modulator in wound healing, was found to be beneficial for diabetic wound healing. As we demonstrated previously, polylactide-polyglycolide (PLGA) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) (PLGA/CNC) nanofiber membranes show good cytocompatibility and facilitate fibroblast adhesion, spreading and proliferation. PLGA/CNC nanofiber membranes are novel materials that have not been used previously as NT carriers in diabetic wounds. This study aims to explore the therapeutic efficacy and possible mechanisms of NT-loaded PLGA/CNC nanofiber membranes in full-thickness skin wounds in spontaneously diabetic mice. The results showed that NT could be sustained released from NT-loaded PLGA/CNC composite nanofiber membranes for 2 weeks. NT-loaded PLGA/CNC composite nanofiber membranes induced more rapid healing than other control groups. After NT exposure, the histological scores of the epidermal and dermal regeneration and the ratios of the fibrotic area to the whole area were increased. NT-loaded PLGA/CNC composite nanofiber membranes also decreased the expressions of the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6. These results suggest that NT-loaded PLGA/CNC composite nanofiber membranes for sustained delivery of NT should effectively promote tissue regeneration for the treatment of DFUs.

Liquid radwaste processing with crossflow microfiltration and spiral wound reverse osmosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, S.K. Sen; Slade, J.A.; Tulk, W.S.

1995-02-01

The useful lifetime of thin-film composite (TFC) polyamide membranes used for the processing of variable aqueous waste at Chalk River Labs (CRL) by spiral wound reverse osmosis (SWRO) is about 3000 hours. This service lifetime is achievable through regular cleaning cycles which range between 70 to 200 m 3 of waste treated. After 3000 hours of service the SWRO membranes deteriorate rapidly, and more frequent shutdowns are required for chemical cleaning cycles. The overall rejection efficiency of the SWRO membranes at an operating pH of about 6, and a volumetric recovery of 85%, decreased from about 99.5% with 3000 hours of service, to 95% after 4000 hours. Rapid increases in pressure drop due to increased deposition of foulants in deteriorated membrane areas were noted after 3000 hours of field service. Presently the crossflow microfiltration system is operated at pH 7 and removes 45% of the gross β/γ contaminants and 70% of the α radioactivity. Iron concentrations are reduced to below 1 mg/L from 50 mg/L, which minimizes fouling due to ferric hydroxide precipitates on the TFC membranes. About 60% of β/γ in the permeate stream is present as 137 Cs radioactivity. The combined removal efficiencies for critical contaminants employing both microfiltration and reverse osmosis operations are as follows: α : 99.9%; β/γ : 99.6%; PO 4 3- : 99.1%. (author). 8 refs., 1 tab., 4 figs

Influence of casein on flux and passage of serum proteins during microfiltration using polymeric spiral-wound membranes at 50°C.

Science.gov (United States)

Zulewska, Justyna; Barbano, David M

2013-04-01

Raw milk (approximately 1,800 kg) was separated at 4°C, pasteurized (at 72°C for 16s), and split into 2 batches. One batch (620 kg) was microfiltered (MF) using pilot-scale ceramic uniform transmembrane pressure Membralox membranes (model EP1940GL0.1 μA, 0.1-μm alumina; Pall Corp., East Hills, NY) to produce retentate and permeate. The permeate from the MF uniform transmembrane pressure was casein-free skim milk (CFSM). The CFSM was MF using polymeric spiral-wound (SW) membranes (model FG7838-OS0x-S, 0.3 μm; Parker-Hannifin Corp., Process Advanced Filtration Division, Tell City, IN) at a concentration factor of 3× and temperature of 50°C. Following the processing of CFSM, the second batch of skim milk (1,105 kg) was processed using the same polymeric membranes to determine how casein content in the feed material for MF with polymeric membranes affects the performance of the system. There was little resistance to passage of milk serum proteins (SP) through a 0.3-μm polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) SW membrane at 50°C and no detectable increase in hydraulic resistance of the membrane when processing CFSM. Therefore, milk SP contributed little, if any, to fouling of the PVDF membrane. In contrast, when processing skim milk containing a normal concentration of casein, the flux was much lower than when processing CFSM (17.2 vs. 80.2 kg/m(2) per hour, respectively) and the removal of SP from skim milk with a single-pass 3× bleed-and-feed MF system was also much lower than from CFSM (35.2 vs. 59.5% removal, respectively). Thus, when processing skim milk with a PVDF SW membrane, casein was the major protein foulant that increased hydraulic resistance and reduced passage of SP through the membrane. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The influence of hydrodynamic factors, membrane surface properties and channel geometries on membrane performance and fouling mechanisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pervov Alexey

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Modern theoretical understanding of colloidal and suspended matter membrane fouling mechanisms are presented and discussed. State-of-the-art simulation models of concentration polarization calculations for different channel conditions are described and influence of the fouling layers on the flux and rejection decrease are evaluated. Results of experimental investigations are presented that suggest a quantitative evaluation of fouling rates and membrane flux prognosis due to colloidal fouling with time. The influence of channel geometry on fouling is demonstrated and discussed. The main disadvantage of spiral wounded membrane modules which is attributed to the presence of a separation spacer mesh in the feed channel is discussed.

Mini-review: novel non-destructivein situbiofilm characterization techniques in membrane systems

KAUST Repository

Valladares Linares, Rodrigo; Fortunato, Luca; Farhat, Nadia; Bucs, Szilard; Staal, M.; Fridjonsson, E.O.; Johns, M.L.; Vrouwenvelder, Johannes S.; Leiknes, TorOve

2016-01-01

Membrane systems are commonly used in the water industry to produce potable water and for advanced wastewater treatment. One of the major drawbacks of membrane systems is biofilm formation (biofouling), which results in an unacceptable decline in membrane performance. Three novel in situ biofouling characterization techniques were assessed: (i) optical coherence tomography (OCT), (ii) planar optodes, and (iii) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The first two techniques were assessed using a biofilm grown on the surface of nanofiltration (NF) membranes using a transparent membrane fouling simulator that accurately simulates spiral wound modules, modified for in situ biofilm imaging. For the NMR study, a spiral wound reverse osmosis membrane module was used. Results show that these techniques can provide information to reconstruct the biofilm accurately, either with 2-D (OCT, planar optodes and NMR), or 3-D (OCT and NMR) scans. These non-destructive tools can elucidate the interaction of hydrodynamics and mass transport on biofilm accumulation in membrane systems. Oxygen distribution in the biofilm can be mapped and linked to water flow and substrate characteristics; insights on the effect of crossflow velocity, flow stagnation, and feed spacer presence can be obtained, and in situ information on biofilm structure, thickness, and spatial distribution can be quantitatively assessed. The combination of these novel non-destructive in situ biofilm characterization techniques can provide real-time observation of biofilm formation at the mesoscale. The information obtained with these tools could potentially be used for further improvement in the design of membrane systems and operational parameters to reduce impact of biofouling on membrane performance. © 2016 Balaban Desalination Publications. All rights reserved.

Mini-review: novel non-destructivein situbiofilm characterization techniques in membrane systems

KAUST Repository

Valladares Linares, R.

2016-05-12

Membrane systems are commonly used in the water industry to produce potable water and for advanced wastewater treatment. One of the major drawbacks of membrane systems is biofilm formation (biofouling), which results in an unacceptable decline in membrane performance. Three novel in situ biofouling characterization techniques were assessed: (i) optical coherence tomography (OCT), (ii) planar optodes, and (iii) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The first two techniques were assessed using a biofilm grown on the surface of nanofiltration (NF) membranes using a transparent membrane fouling simulator that accurately simulates spiral wound modules, modified for in situ biofilm imaging. For the NMR study, a spiral wound reverse osmosis membrane module was used. Results show that these techniques can provide information to reconstruct the biofilm accurately, either with 2-D (OCT, planar optodes and NMR), or 3-D (OCT and NMR) scans. These non-destructive tools can elucidate the interaction of hydrodynamics and mass transport on biofilm accumulation in membrane systems. Oxygen distribution in the biofilm can be mapped and linked to water flow and substrate characteristics; insights on the effect of crossflow velocity, flow stagnation, and feed spacer presence can be obtained, and in situ information on biofilm structure, thickness, and spatial distribution can be quantitatively assessed. The combination of these novel non-destructive in situ biofilm characterization techniques can provide real-time observation of biofilm formation at the mesoscale. The information obtained with these tools could potentially be used for further improvement in the design of membrane systems and operational parameters to reduce impact of biofouling on membrane performance. © 2016 Balaban Desalination Publications. All rights reserved.

Auditory Mechanics of the Tectorial Membrane and the Cochlear Spiral

Science.gov (United States)

Gavara, Núria; Manoussaki, Daphne; Chadwick, Richard S.

2012-01-01

Purpose of review This review is timely and relevant since new experimental and theoretical findings suggest that cochlear mechanics from the nanoscale to the macroscale are affected by mechanical properties of the tectorial membrane and the spiral shape. Recent findings Main tectorial membrane themes covered are i) composition and morphology, ii) nanoscale mechanical interactions with the outer hair cell bundle, iii) macroscale longitudinal coupling, iv) fluid interaction with inner hair cell bundles, v) macroscale dynamics and waves. Main cochlear spiral themes are macroscale low-frequency energy focusing and microscale organ of Corti shear gain. Implications Findings from new experimental and theoretical models reveal exquisite sensitivity of cochlear mechanical performance to tectorial membrane structural organization, mechanics, and its positioning with respect to hair bundles. The cochlear spiral geometry is a major determinant of low frequency hearing. Suggestions are made for future research directions. PMID:21785353

In vivo performance of chitosan/soy-based membranes as wound-dressing devices for acute skin wounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Tírcia C; Höring, Bernhard; Reise, Kathrin; Marques, Alexandra P; Silva, Simone S; Oliveira, Joaquim M; Mano, João F; Castro, António G; Reis, Rui L; van Griensven, Martijn

2013-04-01

Wound management represents a major clinical challenge on what concerns healing enhancement and pain control. The selection of an appropriate dressing plays an important role in both recovery and esthetic appearance of the regenerated tissue. Despite the wide range of available dressings, the progress in the wound care market relies on the increasing interest in using natural-based biomedical products. Herein, a rat wound-dressing model of partial-thickness skin wounds was used to study newly developed chitosan/soy (cht/soy)-based membranes as wound-dressing materials. Healing and repair of nondressed, cht/soy membrane-dressed, and Epigard(®)-dressed wounds were followed macroscopically and histologically for 1 and 2 weeks. cht/soy membranes performed better than the controls, promoting a faster wound repair. Re-epithelialization, observed 1 week after wounding, was followed by cornification of the outermost epidermal layer at the second week of dressing, indicating repair of the wounded tissue. The use of this rodent model, although in impaired healing conditions, may enclose some drawbacks regarding the inevitable wound contraction. Moreover, being the main purpose the evaluation of cht/soy-based membranes' performance in the absence of growth factors, the choice of a clinically relevant positive control was limited to a polymeric mesh, without any growth factor influencing skin healing/repair, Epigard. These new cht/soy membranes possess the desired features regarding healing/repair stimulation, ease of handling, and final esthetic appearance-thus, valuable properties for wound dressings.

Foulant analysis of hollow fine fiber (HFF) membranes in Red Sea SWRO plants using membrane punch autopsy (MPA)

KAUST Repository

Green, Troy N.

2017-06-12

Membrane punch autopsy (MPA) is a procedure for quantitative foulant analysis of hollow fine fiber (HFF) permeators. In the past, quantitative autopsies of membranes were restricted to spiral wound. This procedure was developed at SWCC laboratories and tested on permeators of two commercial Red Sea reverse osmosis plants. For membrane autopsies, stainless steel hollow bore picks were penetrated to membrane cores and fibers extracted for foulant analysis. Quantitative analysis of extracted materials contained inorganic and organic foulants including bacteria. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed the presence of organic fouling functional groups and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy in the presence of diatoms and silica most likely not from particulate sand. API analysis revealed the presence of Shewanella and two Vibrio microbial species confirmed by 16S rDNA sequence library. It was observed that fouling content of HFF cellulose triacetate (CTA) membranes were more than 800 times than polyamide spiral wound membranes.

A tale of two charges: zwitterionic polyelectrolyte multilayer membranes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Grooth, Joris

2015-01-01

In this thesis, the development of selective membranes for water treatment facilities to cope with the aforementioned issues is covered. By using hollow fiber membranes, the water purification process can be simplified compared to using spiral wound membranes, a significant advantage for

Using Amniotic Membrane as Wound Covering After Cesarean Section Operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manjas, Menkher; Helmi, Helfial

2002-01-01

Early mobilization and good wound operation healing are the other aim of all treatment for cesarean section operation. Especially for wound healing we can use amniotic membrane which is soft, easy to shape wound surface, satisfactory adhesive properties, good elasticity and sufficient transparency which allows wound control without secondary redressing. From July 1999 until December 1999 total of 196 patients undergoing cesarean section with amnion as would covering were evaluated for injection of amnion, sign of wound injection, and duration of wound healing. Amniotic membrane gives best results in wound healing, no sing of rejection and there is no different results between emergency operation and elective operation, clean and dirty operation

Novel Inorganic/Polymer Composite Membranes for CO₂ Capture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ho, W.S. Winston [The Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States). Depts. of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Chemistry, and Materials Science and Engineering; Dutta, Prabir K. [The Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States). Depts. of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Chemistry, and Materials Science and Engineering; Schmit, Steve J. [Gradient Technology, Elk River, MN (United States)

2016-10-01

The objective of this project is to develop a cost-effective design and manufacturing process for new membrane modules that capture CO₂ from flue gas in coal-fired power plants. The membrane consisted of a thin selective layer including inorganic (zeolite) embedded in a polymer structure so that it can be made in a continuous manufacturing process. The membrane was incorporated in spiral-wound modules for the field test with actual flue gas at the National Carbon Capture Center (NCCC) in Wilsonville, AL and bench scale tests with simulated flue gas at the Ohio State University (OSU). Using the modules for post-combustion CO₂ capture is expected to achieve the DOE target of $40/tonne CO₂ captured (in 2007 dollar) for 2025. Membranes with the amine-containing polymer cover layer on zeolite-Y (ZY) nanoparticles deposited on the polyethersulfone (PES) substrate were successfully synthesized. The membranes showed a high CO₂ permeance of about 1100 GPU (gas permeation unit, 1 GPU = 10^-6 cm³ (STP)/(cm² • s • cm Hg), 3000 GPU = 10-6 mol/(m² • s • Pa)) with a high CO₂/N₂ selectivity of > 200 at the typical flue gas conditions at 57°C (about 17% water vapor in feed gas) and > 1400 GPU CO₂ permeance with > 500 CO₂/N₂ selectivity at 102°C (~ 80% water vapor). The synthesis of ZY nanoparticles was successfully scaled up, and the pilot-scale membranes were also successfully fabricated using the continuous membrane machine at OSU. The transport performance of the pilot-scale membranes agreed reasonably well with the lab-scale membranes. The results from both the lab-scale and scale-up membranes were used for the techno-economic analysis. The scale-up membranes were fabricated into prototype spiral-wound membrane modules for continuous testing with simulated or real flue gas. For real flue gas testing, we worked with NCCC, in

Evaluation of spiral wound reverse osmosis for four radioactive waste processing applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sen Gupta, S.K.

1997-01-01

A pilot-scale spiral wound reverse osmosis rig was used to treat four significantly different radioactive waste streams, three of which were generated at the Chalk River Laboratories at AECL. These streams included: 1. A chemical decontamination (CD/DC) waste stream which is routinely treated by the plant-scale membrane system at CRL; 2. Reactor waste which is a dilute radioactive waste stream (containing primarily tritium and organic acids), and it an effluent from the operating reactors at AECL; 3. An ion exchange regenerant waste stream which contains a mixture of stream (1) (CD/DC), blended with secondary waste from ion exchange regeneration; 4. Boric acid simulated waste which is a by-product waste of the PWR reactors. This was the only stream treated that was not generated as a waste liquid at AECL. For the first three streams specified above, reverse osmosis was used to remove chemical and radiochemical impurities from the water with efficiencies usually exceeding 99%. In these three cases the 'permeate' or clean water was the product of the process. In the case of stream 4, reverse osmosis was used in a recovery application for the purpose of recycling boric acid back to the reactor, with the concentrate being the 'product'. Reverse osmosis technology was successfully demonstrated for the treatment of all four streams. Prefiltration and oxidation (with photocatalytic continuous oxidation technology) were evaluated as pretreatment alternatives for streams 1, 2, and 3. The results indicated that the effective crossflow velocity through and membrane vessel was more important in determining the extent of membrane fouling than the specific pretreatment strategy employed. (author)

Development of Improved Membranes for ROWPU Spiral-Wound Elements

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Riley, R

2001-01-01

.... They are: poor lack of chemical stability to oxidants such as chlorine, high fouling rates due to membrane surface roughness and high bacterial attachment counts on the membrane surface leading to biofouling...

Flux flow and cleaning enhancement in a spiral membrane element ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The effect of backpulsing, into the permeate space of a 2.5 inch spiral wrap membrane, on the prevention of fouling (flux enhancement) was investigated experimentally. These experiments were performed using a 500 mg∙ℓ-1 dextrin solution and a 100 000 MCWO polypropylene membrane, with a feed pressure of 100 kPa ...

Effect of DS Concentration on the PRO Performance Using a 5-Inch Scale Cellulose Triacetate-Based Hollow Fiber Membrane Module

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masahiro Yasukawa

2018-05-01

Full Text Available In this study, pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO performance of a 5-inch scale cellulose triacetate (CTA-based hollow fiber (HF membrane module was evaluated under a wide range of operating conditions (0.0–6.0 MPa of applied pressure, 0.5–2.0 L/min feed solution (FS inlet flow rate, 1.0–6.0 L/min DS inlet flow rate and 0.1–0.9 M draw solution (DS concentration by using a PRO/reverse osmosis (RO hybrid system. The subsequent RO system for DS regeneration enabled the evaluation of the steady-stated module performance. In the case of pilot-scale module operation, since the DS dilution and the feed solution (FS up-concentration had occurred and was not negligible, unlike the lab-scale experiment, PRO performance strongly depended on operating conditions such as inlet flow rates of both the DS and FS concentration. To compare the module performance with different configurations, we proposed a converted parameter in which a difference of the packing density between the spiral wound (SW and the HF module was fairly considered. In the case of HF configuration, because of high packing density, volumetric-based performance was higher than that of SW module, that is, the required number of the module would be less than that of SW module in a full-scale PRO plant.

Removal of the basement membrane enhances corneal wound healing.

Science.gov (United States)

Pal-Ghosh, Sonali; Pajoohesh-Ganji, Ahdeah; Tadvalkar, Gauri; Stepp, Mary Ann

2011-12-01

Recurrent corneal erosions are painful and put patients' vision at risk. Treatment typically begins with debridement of the area around the erosion site followed by more aggressive treatments. An in vivo mouse model has been developed that reproducibly induces recurrent epithelial erosions in wild-type mice spontaneously within two weeks after a single 1.5 mm corneal debridement wound created using a dulled-blade. This study was conducted to determine whether 1) inhibiting MMP9 function during healing after dulled-blade wounding impacts erosion development and 2) wounds made with a rotating-burr heal without erosions. Oral or topical inhibition of MMPs after dulled-blade wounding does not improve healing. Wounds made by rotating-burr heal with significantly fewer erosions than dulled-blade wounds. The localization of MMP9, β4 integrin and basement membrane proteins (LN332 and type VII collagen), immune cell influx, and reinnervation of the corneal nerves were compared after both wound types. Rotating-burr wounds remove the anterior basement membrane centrally but not at the periphery near the wound margin, induce more apoptosis of corneal stromal cells, and damage more stromal nerve fibers. Despite the fact that rotating-burr wounds do more damage to the cornea, fewer immune cells are recruited and significantly more wounds resolve completely. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High-Tc Superconducting Thick-Film Spiral Magnet: Development and Characterization of a Single Spiral Module

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

McGinnis, W

1997-01-01

The objective of this project was to make characterized and numerically model prototype modules of a new type of superconducting electromagnet based on stacked spirals of superconducting thick films...

Biofouling patterns in spacer filled channels: High resolution imaging for characterization of heterogeneous biofilms

KAUST Repository

Staal, Marc; Siddiqui, Amber; van Loosdrecht, Mark; Vrouwenvelder, Johannes S.

2017-01-01

reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membrane filtration systems used for desalination and wastewater reuse to produce high quality (drinking) water. These spiral wound membrane modules contain mesh-like spacer structures used to create

A review on polymeric hydrogel membranes for wound dressing applications: PVA-based hydrogel dressings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elbadawy A. Kamoun

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This review presents the past and current efforts with a brief description on the featured properties of hydrogel membranes fabricated from biopolymers and synthetic ones for wound dressing applications. Many endeavors have been exerted during past ten years for developing new artificial polymeric membranes, which fulfill the demanded conditions for the treatment of skin wounds. This review mainly focuses on representing specifications of ideal polymeric wound dressing membranes, such as crosslinked hydrogels compatible with wound dressing purposes. But as the hydrogels with single component have low mechanical strength, recent trends have offered composite or hybrid hydrogel membranes to achieve the typical wound dressing requirements.

Destruction of Spiral Wave Using External Electric Field Modulated by Logistic Map

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Jun; Chen Yong; Jin Wuyin

2007-01-01

Evolution of spiral wave generated from the excitable media within the Barkley model is investigated. The external gradient electric field modulated by the logistic map is imposed on the media (along x- and y-axis). Drift and break up of spiral wave are observed when the amplitude of the electric field is modulated by the chaotic signal from the logistic map, and the whole system could become homogeneous finally and the relevant results are compared when the gradient electric field is modulated by the Lorenz or Roessler chaotic signal.

Gas separation membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Schell, William J.

1979-01-01

A dry, fabric supported, polymeric gas separation membrane, such as cellulose acetate, is prepared by casting a solution of the polymer onto a shrinkable fabric preferably formed of synthetic polymers such as polyester or polyamide filaments before washing, stretching or calendering (so called griege goods). The supported membrane is then subjected to gelling, annealing, and drying by solvent exchange. During the processing steps, both the fabric support and the membrane shrink a preselected, controlled amount which prevents curling, wrinkling or cracking of the membrane in flat form or when spirally wound into a gas separation element.

Comparison of M33 and NGC7793: stochastic models of spiral galaxies modulated by density waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, G.; Elmegreen, B.G.; Elmegreen, D.M.

1984-01-01

Two late-type spiral galaxies with similar kinematic and photometric properties but different spiral arm structures, M33 and NGC7793, are compared to model galaxies with stochastic self-propagating star formation. The spontaneous probability, Psub(sp), representing the rate of primary star formation, is modulated by a smooth, density wave-like spiral pattern in the models of M33. When propagating star formation is included, these models show no age gradients in the underlying spiral arms. Models which have no imposed spiral modulation to Psub(sp) resemble the observed structure of NGC7793. (author)

Review of nuclear and non-nuclear applications of membrane processes - present problems and future R and D work

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gutman, R.G.; Knibbs, R.H.

1989-01-01

This paper describes membrane processes that are of industrial significance in the fluid phase separations. The review covers pressure driven, cross-flow processes (reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration and microfiltration) and electrically driven membrane processes (electro-dialysis and electro-osmosis). A brief description of the mechanism of each of the different types of membrane process is given. The most common types of module design, spiral wound, hollow fibre and tubular are illustrated and compared and the operating limitations of temperature, pressure and pH are discussed. A review of membrane processes already finding large scale industrial applications is given and the paper concludes with a brief discussion of possible avenues of future R and D that might help to alleviate the problems of concentration polarisation and fouling of membranes. (author)

Single cell wound generates electric current circuit and cell membrane potential variations that requires calcium influx.

Science.gov (United States)

Luxardi, Guillaume; Reid, Brian; Maillard, Pauline; Zhao, Min

2014-07-24

Breaching of the cell membrane is one of the earliest and most common causes of cell injury, tissue damage, and disease. If the compromise in cell membrane is not repaired quickly, irreversible cell damage, cell death and defective organ functions will result. It is therefore fundamentally important to efficiently repair damage to the cell membrane. While the molecular aspects of single cell wound healing are starting to be deciphered, its bio-physical counterpart has been poorly investigated. Using Xenopus laevis oocytes as a model for single cell wound healing, we describe the temporal and spatial dynamics of the wound electric current circuitry and the temporal dynamics of cell membrane potential variation. In addition, we show the role of calcium influx in controlling electric current circuitry and cell membrane potential variations. (i) Upon wounding a single cell: an inward electric current appears at the wound center while an outward electric current is observed at its sides, illustrating the wound electric current circuitry; the cell membrane is depolarized; calcium flows into the cell. (ii) During cell membrane re-sealing: the wound center current density is maintained for a few minutes before decreasing; the cell membrane gradually re-polarizes; calcium flow into the cell drops. (iii) In conclusion, calcium influx is required for the formation and maintenance of the wound electric current circuitry, for cell membrane re-polarization and for wound healing.

Effects of Aloe Vera and Chitosan Nanoparticle Thin-Film Membranes on Wound Healing in Full Thickness Infected Wounds with Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Ranjbar, Reza; Yousefi, Alireza

2018-01-01

To assess effect of Aleo vera with chitosan nanoparticle biofilm on wound healing in full thickness infected wounds with antibiotic resistant gram positive bacteria. Thirty rats were randomized into five groups of six rats each. Group I: Animals with uninfected wounds treated with 0.9% saline solution. Group II: Animals with infected wounds treated with saline. Group III: Animals with infected wounds were dressed with chitosan nanoparticle thin-film membranes. Group IV: Animals with infected wounds were treated topically with Aloe vera and Group V: Animals with infected wounds were treated topically with Aloe vera and dressed with chitosan nanoparticle thin-film membranes. Wound size was measured on 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 and 21days after surgery. Microbiology, reduction in wound area and hydroxyproline contents indicated that there was significant difference ( p vera with chitosan nanoparticle thin-film membranes had a reproducible wound healing potential and hereby justified its use in practice.

Spiral-wave dynamics in excitable medium with excitability modulated by rectangle wave

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan Guo-Yong

2011-01-01

We numerically study the dynamics of spiral waves in the excitable system with the excitability modulated by a rectangle wave. The tip trajectories and their variations with the modulation period T are explained by the corresponding spectrum analysis. For a large T, the external modulation leads to the occurrence of more frequency peaks and these frequencies change with the modulation period according to their specific rules, respectively. Some of the frequencies and a primary frequency f 1 determine the corresponding curvature periods, which are locked into rational multiplies of the modulation period. These frequency-locking behaviours and the limited life-span of the frequencies in their variations with the modulation period constitute many resonant entrainment bands in the T axis. In the main bands, which follow the relation T/T 12 = m/n, the size variable R x of the tip trajectory is a monotonic increasing function of T. The rest of the frequencies are linear combinations of the two ones. Due to the complex dynamics, many unique tip trajectories appear at some certain T. We find also that spiral waves are eliminated when T is chosen from the end of the main resonant bands. This offers a useful method of controling the spiral wave. (general)

Biodegradable polymer nanofiber membrane for the repair of cutaneous wounds in dogs - two case reports

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lívia Gomes Amaral

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The study of wound healing and its treatment is extremely important in veterinary medicine due to the high frequency of wounds and the difficulty in treating wounds by second intention. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the use of a nanofiber membrane made of biodegradable polymers as a method of wound treatment in dogs. This study comprised two dogs with bite wounds. Debridement and cleaning was performed followed by the application of the membrane. In one dog, the wound was in the left proximal calcaneal region with clinical signs of infection, necrotic tissue, and muscle and the gastrocnemius tendon were exposed. The wound displayed rapid formation of granulation tissue which became excessive, so it was necessary to debride several times. However, with the suspension of the use of the membrane, formation of this tissue was not observed, and the wound evolved to epithelialization and fast contraction. In the second dog, there was a deep wound on the medial aspect of the proximal right hind limb, with clinical signs of infection, with muscle exposure. Once the membrane was placed, granulation tissue formed, and the membrane was used until the level of this tissue reached the skin. The wound underwent rapid epithelialization and contraction, without developing exuberant granulation tissue. Efficient wound repair was observed and the dogs exhibited greater comfort during application and use of the membrane. More studies should be conducted in dogs focusing on the application of this membrane until the appearance of healthy granulation tissue, as continued use seems to stimulate the formation of exuberant granulation tissue.

Wound healing properties of PVA/starch/chitosan hydrogel membranes with nano Zinc oxide as antibacterial wound dressing material.

Science.gov (United States)

Baghaie, Shaghayegh; Khorasani, Mohammad T; Zarrabi, Ali; Moshtaghian, Jamal

2017-12-01

In this work, hydrogel membranes were developed based on poly vinyl alcohol (PVA), starch (St), and chitosan (Cs) hydrogels with nano Zinc oxide (nZnO). PVA/St/Cs/nZnO hydrogel membranes were prepared by freezing-thawing cycles, and the aqueous PVA/St solutions were prepared by dissolving PVA in distilled water. After the dissolution of PVA, starch was mixed, and the mixture was stirred. Then, chitosan powder was added into acetic acid, and the mixture was stirred to form a chitosan solution. Subsequently, Cs, St and PVA solutions were blended together to form a homogeneous PVA/St/Cs ternary blend solution. Measurement of Equilibrium Swelling Ratio (ESR), Water Vapor Transmission Test (WVTR), mechanical properties, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), MTT [3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide] assay, antibacterial studies, in vivo wound healing effect and histopathology of the hydrogel membranes were then performed. The examination revealed that the hydrogel membranes were more effective as a wound dressing in the early stages of wound healing and that the gel could be used in topic applications requiring a large spectrum of antibacterial activity; namely, as a bandage for wound dressing.

Membrane technologies for liquid radioactive waste treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chmielewski, A.G.; Harasimowicz, M.; Zakrzewska-Trznadel, G.

1998-01-01

At Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology (INCT) the membrane method for purification of radioactive wastes applied such processes as ultrafiltration (UF), 'seeded' ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis (RO) was developed. On the basis of the results obtained in laboratory experiments the pilot plant for radioactive effluents treatment was built. The plant was composed of UF unit (AMICON H 26P30 capillary module) and two RO units (NITTO NTR 739 HF S-4 spiral wound LPRO modules). The capacity of the pilot plant was up to 200 L/h and the specific activity of wastes purified in the system - below 10 4 Bq/L. Decontamination factor for entire system is higher than 5 x10 3 . Another possibility for radioactive wastes treatment is membrane distillation (MD), non-isothermal process employing hydrophobic polymer membrane, which is developed at INCT now. Preliminary tests with liquid radwaste were carried out on laboratory unit with permeation test-cell holding flat sheet membrane. As a hydrophobic barrier membranes made of two polymers were used: polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polypropylene (PP). The process was arranged in direct contact membrane distillation configuration. The permeate condensed directly in the cold stream (distilled water) and retentate was enriched in radionuclides. The further experiments carried out with capillary module BFMF 06-30-33 (Euro-Sep Ltd.) with polypropylene capillaries, diameter 0.33 mm and cut off 0.6 μm proved previous results. A pilot plant employing GORE-TEX membrane distillation was constructed. The plant can clean the low-level radioactive wastes from nuclear centre, at a throughput about 0.05 m 3 /h

"Chemistry in a spinneret" to fabricate hollow fibers for organic solvent filtration

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dutczak, S.M.; Tanardi, Cheryl; Kopec, K.K.; Wessling, Matthias; Stamatialis, Dimitrios

2012-01-01

Organic solvent filtration (OSF) is a very efficient separation technique with high potential in many branches of industry. Currently the choice of the commercial membranes is limited only to a few flat sheet membranes and spiral wound modules. It is generally known that a membrane in hollow fiber

Clinical studies on using lyophilised radiation sterilised amnion membranes as dressing for leprosy wound

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tarusarraya, P.; Basril, A.; Hilmy, N.

1999-01-01

Leprosy is a chronic disease caused by a bacillus Mycobacterium leprae and characterised by the formation of nodules or of macules that enlarge and spread accompanied by loss of sensation with eventual paralysis and production of deformities and mutilation. The wound of the disease can be treated by using conventional method such as Zinc Oxide (ZnO) Ointment with sterile gauze. Human amnion membranes have been used as a biological burn dressing with good results for several decades. A comparison study on using that conventional dressings and radiation sterilised lyophilised amnion membranes has been done at Sitanala Leprosarium to observe the effectiveness of using amnion membranes as leprosy wound dressing. Number of patients observed were 85, age from 12 to 60 years old. The locations of the wounds observed were at the leg and arm, with two types of wound i.e. reaction and simple ulcer. Parameter observed was the length of the healing time of the wounds. Results show that the average length of the healing time of the wound can be reduced from 64 days to 30 days when using amnion membranes compared to using the conventional wound dressing. The length of the healing time of the simple ulcer is longer that those of reaction wound using both of the dressings

Evaluation of effective material properties of spiral wound gasket through homogenization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mathan, G.; Siva Prasad, N.

2010-01-01

In this paper, a homogenization methodology is proposed to determine the material properties of spiral wound gaskets (SWGs) using finite element analysis through representative volume elements (RVE) of the gaskets. The constituents of this RVE are described by elasto-plastic material properties. The RVE are subjected to six load cases and the volume averaged responses are analyzed simultaneously to predict the anisotropic properties. The mechanical behaviour is simplified to an orthotropic material model with Hill's plasticity model and the properties are verified with micro-mechanical simulation and experimental results available in the literature. Reasonable agreement is obtained between the results. Formulae for elastic properties are also derived by a simplified analytical method based on lamination theory and compared with those obtained from homogenization.

Evaluation of effective material properties of spiral wound gasket through homogenization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mathan, G. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036 (India); Siva Prasad, N., E-mail: siva@iitm.ac.i [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036 (India)

2010-12-15

In this paper, a homogenization methodology is proposed to determine the material properties of spiral wound gaskets (SWGs) using finite element analysis through representative volume elements (RVE) of the gaskets. The constituents of this RVE are described by elasto-plastic material properties. The RVE are subjected to six load cases and the volume averaged responses are analyzed simultaneously to predict the anisotropic properties. The mechanical behaviour is simplified to an orthotropic material model with Hill's plasticity model and the properties are verified with micro-mechanical simulation and experimental results available in the literature. Reasonable agreement is obtained between the results. Formulae for elastic properties are also derived by a simplified analytical method based on lamination theory and compared with those obtained from homogenization.

Solid-state membrane module

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, John Howard [Salt Lake City, UT; Taylor, Dale M [Murray, UT

2011-06-07

Solid-state membrane modules comprising at least one membrane unit, where the membrane unit has a dense mixed conducting oxide layer, and at least one conduit or manifold wherein the conduit or manifold comprises a dense layer and at least one of a porous layer and a slotted layer contiguous with the dense layer. The solid-state membrane modules may be used to carry out a variety of processes including the separating of any ionizable component from a feedstream wherein such ionizable component is capable of being transported through a dense mixed conducting oxide layer of the membrane units making up the membrane modules. For ease of construction, the membrane units may be planar.

The treatment of radioactive waste with reverse osmosis membrane

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hendro

1997-01-01

The study of liquid waste characteristic and performance of reverse osmosis for treatment of liquid radioactive waste had been taken. Waste simulation was used to contain of 100 ppm strontium, 100 ppm cesium, pH between 5 and 6, and dry extract of 0.11 g/l, with operating condition of feed solution pressure 100 psi, temperature 25 o C, spiral wound composite membrane modules and area of membrane was 0,3042 m 2 . Results of the experiment indicated that the decontamination factor obtained between 9.3 and 15.4 for strontium, and 7,3 and 7,9 for cesium. From the beginning until one hour of operation decontamination factor increased to 53,8% for strontium and 4,1% for cesium, and permeate flux decreased at operating time more than 12 hours. Decontamination factor of process can be increased by using the series of osmosis unit (author)

Purification of natural gas using membrane - the current status and research trends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farooq Ahmad; Mukhtar, H.; Man, Z.; Dutta, B. K.

2006-01-01

Separation of acid gases and lower hydrocarbon from raw natural gas has been a challenging problem in a gas processing unit. Despite the availability of chemical and cryogenic routes, search for a better alternative has been on for the last several decades. Considerable success has been achieved in the recent years by use of polymeric membrane and many units are operating using hollow fiber and spirally wound modules. The initial success notwithstanding the quest for better membrane and strategically designed modules has gained more momentum in the recent years. While research inputs to modify rubbery membranes or to develop new glassy membranes are continuing, inorganic membrane have attracted a lot of attention because of a number of reasons such as thermal and chemical stability, mechanical strength and the advantage of engineered pores. In the above perspective it appears necessary to make a review of the present status of research as well as applications in relation to both polymeric and inorganic membranes for raw natural gas processing. The present paper is an attempt in this direction. Experimental findings reported in the literature together with novel theories that will eventually help in tailoring membranes both chemically and physically have been critically analyzed and the trends in the future direction of research have been identified. A survey of application of membrane technology for acid gas separation in industries world wide has been made

Evaluation of tri-steps modified styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer membrane for wound dressing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Jen Ming; Huang, Huei Tsz

2012-01-01

Tri-steps modified styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer (SBS) membrane was prepared with epoxidation, ring opening reaction with maleated ionomer and layer-by-layer assembled polyelectrolyte technique. The tri-steps modified SBS membrane was characterized by infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS). The structures of the modified SBS membranes were identified with methylene blue and azocarmine G. The content of amino group on the surface of the modified membrane was calculated from uptake of an acid dye. The values of the contact angle, water absorption, water vapor transmission rate and the adsorption of fibronectin on the membranes were determined. To evaluate the biocompatibility of the tri-steps modified SBS membrane, the cytotoxicity, antibacterial and growth profile of the cell culture of 3T3 fibroblasts on the membrane were evaluated. The bactericidal activity was found on the modified SBS. From the cell culture of 3T3 fibroblasts on the membrane, it revealed that the cells not only remained viable but also proliferated on the surface of the tri-steps modified SBS membranes. As the membranes are sterile semipermeable with bactericidal activity and transparent allowing wound checks, they can be considered for shallow wound with low exudates. - Highlights: ► Styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer (SBS) was modified with tri-steps. ► The tri-steps are epoxidation, ring opening reaction and layer-by-layer assembly. ► Modified SBS membrane for wound dressing is evaluated. ► Membranes are sterile semipermeable with bactericidal activity and transparent. ► Membranes can be considered for shallow wound with low exudates.

Biofouling in capillary and spiral wound membranes facilitated by marine algal bloom

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Villacorte, L.O.; Ekowati, Y.; Calix-Ponce, H.N.

2017-01-01

blooms. The tendency of AOM from bloom-forming marine algae to adhere to membranes and its ability to enhance biofilm growth were measured using atomic force microscopy, flow cytometry, liquid chromatography and accelerated membrane biofouling experiments. Adhesion force measurements indicate that AOM......Algal-derived organic matter (AOM), particularly transparent exopolymer particles, has been suspected to facilitate biofilm development in membrane systems (e.g., seawater reverse osmosis). This study demonstrates the possible role of AOM on biofouling in membrane systems affected by marine algal...... biodegradable nutrients. The abovementioned findings indicate that AOM facilitates the onset of membrane biofouling primarily as a conditioning platform and to some extent as a nutrient source for biofilm-forming bacteria....

Evaluation of tri-steps modified styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer membrane for wound dressing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Jen Ming, E-mail: jmyang@mail.cgu.edu.tw; Huang, Huei Tsz

2012-08-01

Tri-steps modified styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer (SBS) membrane was prepared with epoxidation, ring opening reaction with maleated ionomer and layer-by-layer assembled polyelectrolyte technique. The tri-steps modified SBS membrane was characterized by infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS). The structures of the modified SBS membranes were identified with methylene blue and azocarmine G. The content of amino group on the surface of the modified membrane was calculated from uptake of an acid dye. The values of the contact angle, water absorption, water vapor transmission rate and the adsorption of fibronectin on the membranes were determined. To evaluate the biocompatibility of the tri-steps modified SBS membrane, the cytotoxicity, antibacterial and growth profile of the cell culture of 3T3 fibroblasts on the membrane were evaluated. The bactericidal activity was found on the modified SBS. From the cell culture of 3T3 fibroblasts on the membrane, it revealed that the cells not only remained viable but also proliferated on the surface of the tri-steps modified SBS membranes. As the membranes are sterile semipermeable with bactericidal activity and transparent allowing wound checks, they can be considered for shallow wound with low exudates. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer (SBS) was modified with tri-steps. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The tri-steps are epoxidation, ring opening reaction and layer-by-layer assembly. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Modified SBS membrane for wound dressing is evaluated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Membranes are sterile semipermeable with bactericidal activity and transparent. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Membranes can be considered for shallow wound with low exudates.

Bio-Conjugated Polycaprolactone Membranes: A Novel Wound Dressing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elijah Zhengyang Cai

2014-11-01

Full Text Available BackgroundThe combination of polycaprolactone and hyaluronic acid creates an ideal environment for wound healing. Hyaluronic acid maintains a moist wound environment and accelerates the in-growth of granulation tissue. Polycaprolactone has excellent mechanical strength, limits inflammation and is biocompatible. This study evaluates the safety and efficacy of bio-conjugated polycaprolactone membranes (BPM as a wound dressing.Methods16 New Zealand white rabbits were sedated and local anaesthesia was administered. Two 3.0×3.0 cm full-thickness wounds were created on the dorsum of each rabbit, between the lowest rib and the pelvic bone. The wounds were dressed with either BPM (n=12 or Mepitel (n=12 (control, a polyamide-silicon wound dressing. These were evaluated macroscopically on the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th postoperative days for granulation, re-epithelialization, infection, and wound size, and histologically for epidermal and dermal regeneration.ResultsBoth groups showed a comparable extent of granulation and re-epithelialization. No signs of infection were observed. There was no significant difference (P>0.05 in wound size between the two groups. BPM (n=6: 8.33 cm2, 4.90 cm2, 3.12 cm2, 1.84 cm2; Mepitel (n=6: 10.29 cm2, 5.53 cm2, 3.63 cm2, 2.02 cm2; at the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th postoperative days. The extents of epidermal and dermal regeneration were comparable between the two groups.ConclusionsBPM is comparable to Mepitel as a safe and efficacious wound dressing.

Enantiomeric switching of chiral metamaterial for terahertz polarization modulation employing vertically deformable MEMS spirals

Science.gov (United States)

Kan, Tetsuo; Isozaki, Akihiro; Kanda, Natsuki; Nemoto, Natsuki; Konishi, Kuniaki; Takahashi, Hidetoshi; Kuwata-Gonokami, Makoto; Matsumoto, Kiyoshi; Shimoyama, Isao

2015-10-01

Active modulation of the polarization states of terahertz light is indispensable for polarization-sensitive spectroscopy, having important applications such as non-contact Hall measurements, vibrational circular dichroism measurements and anisotropy imaging. In the terahertz region, the lack of a polarization modulator similar to a photoelastic modulator in the visible range hampers expansion of such spectroscopy. A terahertz chiral metamaterial has a huge optical activity unavailable in nature; nevertheless, its modulation is still challenging. Here we demonstrate a handedness-switchable chiral metamaterial for polarization modulation employing vertically deformable Micro Electro Mechanical Systems. Vertical deformation of a planar spiral by a pneumatic force creates a three-dimensional spiral. Enantiomeric switching is realized by selecting the deformation direction, where the polarity of the optical activity is altered while maintaining the spectral shape. A polarization rotation as high as 28° is experimentally observed, thus providing a practical and compact polarization modulator for the terahertz range.

Are Elias 2-27's Spiral Arms Driven by Self-gravity, or by a Companion? A Comparative Spiral Morphology Study

Science.gov (United States)

Forgan, Duncan H.; Ilee, John D.; Meru, Farzana

2018-06-01

The spiral waves detected in the protostellar disk surrounding Elias 2-27 have been suggested as evidence of the disk being gravitationally unstable. However, previous work has shown that a massive, stable disk undergoing an encounter with a massive companion are also consistent with the observations. We compare the spiral morphology of smoothed particle hydrodynamic simulations modeling both cases. The gravitationally unstable disk produces symmetric, tightly wound spiral arms with constant pitch angle, as predicted by the literature. The companion disk’s arms are asymmetric, with pitch angles that increase with radius. However, these arms are not well-fitted by standard analytic expressions, due to the high disk mass and relatively low companion mass. We note that differences (or indeed similarities) in morphology between pairs of spirals is a crucial discriminant between scenarios for Elias 2-27, and hence future studies must fit spiral arms individually. If Elias 2-27 continues to show symmetric tightly wound spiral arms in future observations, then we posit that it is the first observed example of a gravitationally unstable protostellar disk.

The dynamics of the spiral galaxy M81

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Visser, H.C.D.

1978-01-01

A detailed comparison of the observations of the spiral galaxy M81 with the density-wave theory for tightly-wound spirals is presented. In particular, hydrogen-line observations are compared with the nonlinear density-wave theory for the gas with the aim of constructing a density-wave model for the spiral galaxy M81

Biofouling in capillary and spiral wound membranes facilitated by marine algal bloom

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Villacorte, L.O.; Ekowati, Y.; Calix-Ponce, H.N.; Kisielius, V.; Kleijn, J.M.; Vrouwenvelder, J.S.; Schippers, J.C.; Kennedy, M.D.

2017-01-01

Algal-derived organic matter (AOM), particularly transparent exopolymer particles, has been suspected to facilitate biofilm development in membrane systems (e.g., seawater reverse osmosis). This study demonstrates the possible role of AOM on biofouling in membrane systems affected by marine algal

Shunt impedance of spiral loaded resonant rf cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peebles, P.Z. Jr.; Parvarandeh, M.

1975-01-01

Based upon a treatment of the spiral loaded resonant radio frequency cavity as a shorted quarter-wave transmission line, a model for shunt impedance is developed. The model is applicable to loosely wound spirals in large diameter containers. Theoretical shunt impedance is given for spirals wound from tubing of circular or rectangular cross section. The former produces higher shunt impedance. Measurements made at Oak Ridge National Laboratory on 17 copper cavities are described which support the theoretical results. Theoretical results are also compared to data from twenty-three additional cavities measured at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. It is shown that the theoretical function forms a useful means of interpreting the quality of constructed cavities. (author)

Plasma membrane wounding and repair in pulmonary diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Cong, Xiaofei; Hubmayr, Rolf D; Li, Changgong; Zhao, Xiaoli

2017-03-01

Various pathophysiological conditions such as surfactant dysfunction, mechanical ventilation, inflammation, pathogen products, environmental exposures, and gastric acid aspiration stress lung cells, and the compromise of plasma membranes occurs as a result. The mechanisms necessary for cells to repair plasma membrane defects have been extensively investigated in the last two decades, and some of these key repair mechanisms are also shown to occur following lung cell injury. Because it was theorized that lung wounding and repair are involved in the pathogenesis of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), in this review, we summarized the experimental evidence of lung cell injury in these two devastating syndromes and discuss relevant genetic, physical, and biological injury mechanisms, as well as mechanisms used by lung cells for cell survival and membrane repair. Finally, we discuss relevant signaling pathways that may be activated by chronic or repeated lung cell injury as an extension of our cell injury and repair focus in this review. We hope that a holistic view of injurious stimuli relevant for ARDS and IPF could lead to updated experimental models. In addition, parallel discussion of membrane repair mechanisms in lung cells and injury-activated signaling pathways would encourage research to bridge gaps in current knowledge. Indeed, deep understanding of lung cell wounding and repair, and discovery of relevant repair moieties for lung cells, should inspire the development of new therapies that are likely preventive and broadly effective for targeting injurious pulmonary diseases. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Thermoresponsive polyurethane/siloxane membrane for wound dressing and cell sheet transplantation: In-vitro and in-vivo studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rezapour-Lactoee, Alireza [Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Advanced Medical Technologies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 14177-55469 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Yeganeh, Hamid, E-mail: h.yeganeh@ippi.ac.ir [Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, P.O. Box: 14965/115, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ostad, Seyed Nasser, E-mail: ostadnas@sina.tums.ac.ir [Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Advanced Medical Technologies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 14177-55469 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 16 Azar St, Enqelab Sq, Tehran 1417614411 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Gharibi, Reza [Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Advanced Medical Technologies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 14177-55469 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mazaheri, Zohreh [Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ai, Jafar [Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Advanced Medical Technologies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 14177-55469 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2016-12-01

Polyurethane/siloxane based wound dressing for transferring fibroblast cell sheet to wounded skin and ability to provide an optimum condition for cellular activity at damaged tissue was prepared in this research. The dressing was made thermoresponsive, via the introduction of a poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) copolymer into the backbone of dressing. The ability of membrane for adhesion, growth, and proliferation of fibroblast cells was improved via surface modification with gelatin. The optimized dressing exhibited appropriate tensile strength (4.5 MPa) and elongation at break (80%) to protect wound against physical forces. Due to controlled equilibrium water absorption of about 89% and water vapor transmission rate of 2040 g/m{sup 2} day, the dressing could maintain the favorable moist environment over moderate to high exuding wounds. The grown cell sheet on dressing membrane could easily roll up from the surface just with lowering the temperature. The in vivo study of the wound dressed with cell loaded membrane confirmed the accelerated healing and production of tissue with complete re-epithelization, enhanced vascularization, and increased collagen deposition on the damaged area. - Highlights: • Versatile polymerization procedure to prepare wound dressing membranes • Improved cytocompatibility to support growth and proliferation of seeded fibroblasts • Utilizing thermoresponsive characteristic to transfer cell sheet to damaged tissue • Excellent physicomechanical properties of dressings to protect wound bed • Excellent fluid handling to provide moist environment over wounded tissue.

Predicting the impact of feed spacer modification on biofouling by hydraulic characterization and biofouling studies in membrane fouling simulators

KAUST Repository

Siddiqui, Amber

2016-12-22

Feed spacers are an essential part of spiral-wound reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membrane modules. Geometric modification of feed spacers is a potential option to reduce the impact of biofouling on the performance of membrane systems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the biofouling potential of two commercially available reference feed spacers and four modified feed spacers. The spacers were compared on hydraulic characterization and in biofouling studies with membrane fouling simulators (MFSs). The virgin feed spacer was characterized hydraulically by their resistance, measured in terms of feed channel pressure drop, performed by operating MFSs at varying feed water flow rates. Short-term (9 days) biofouling studies were carried out with nutrient dosage to the MFS feed water to accelerate the biofouling rate. Long-term (96 days) biofouling studies were done without nutrient dosage to the MFS feed water. Feed channel pressure drop was monitored and accumulation of active biomass was quantified by adenosine tri phosphate (ATP) determination. The six feed spacers were ranked on pressure drop (hydraulic characterization) and on biofouling impact (biofouling studies). Significantly different trends in hydraulic resistance and biofouling impact for the six feed spacers were observed. The same ranking for biofouling impact on the feed spacers was found for the (i) short-term biofouling study with nutrient dosage and the (ii) long-term biofouling study without nutrient dosage. The ranking for hydraulic resistance for six virgin feed spacers differed significantly from the ranking of the biofouling impact, indicating that hydraulic resistance of clean feed spacers does not predict the hydraulic resistance of biofouled feed spacers. Better geometric design of feed spacers can be a suitable approach to minimize impact of biofouling in spiral wound membrane systems.

Nuclear Spiral Shocks and Induced Gas Inflows in Weak Oval Potentials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Woong-Tae [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Elmegreen, Bruce G., E-mail: wkim@astro.snu.ac.kr, E-mail: bge@us.ibm.com [IBM T. J. Watson Research Center, 1101 Kitchawan Road, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 (United States)

2017-05-20

Nuclear spirals are ubiquitous in galaxy centers. They exist not only in strong barred galaxies but also in galaxies without noticeable bars. We use high-resolution hydrodynamic simulations to study the properties of nuclear gas spirals driven by weak bar-like and oval potentials. The amplitude of the spirals increases toward the center by a geometric effect, readily developing into shocks at small radii even for very weak potentials. The shape of the spirals and shocks depends rather sensitively on the background shear. When shear is low, the nuclear spirals are loosely wound and the shocks are almost straight, resulting in large mass inflows toward the center. When shear is high, on the other hand, the spirals are tightly wound and the shocks are oblique, forming a circumnuclear disk through which gas flows inward at a relatively lower rate. The induced mass inflow rates are enough to power black hole accretion in various types of Seyfert galaxies as well as to drive supersonic turbulence at small radii.

Preparation and characterisation of Punica granatum pericarp aqueous extract loaded chitosan-collagen-starch membrane: role in wound healing process.

Science.gov (United States)

Amal, B; Veena, B; Jayachandran, V P; Shilpa, Joy

2015-05-01

Engineered scaffolds made from natural biomaterials are crucial elements in tissue engineering strategies. In this study, biological scaffold like chitosan-collagen-starch membrane (CCSM) loaded with the antibacterial agent, Punica granatum pericarp aqueous extract was explored for enhanced regeneration of epithelial tissue during wound healing. Collagen was extracted from Rachycentron canadum fish skin. Membranous scaffold was prepared by mixing collagen, starch and chitosan in a fixed proportion, loaded with aqueous extract of P. granatum and its anti-pseudomonal activity was studied. Morphological characterization by SEM and mechanical property like tensile strength of the membrane were studied. Excision wound of 2 cm(2) size was induced in Guinea pig and the effect of P. granatum extract loaded CCSM in wound healing was studied. The SEM image showed deep pores in the membrane and also possessed good tensile strength. Wound surface area was reduced prominently in the experimental group with P. granatum extract loaded CCSM when compared to the group with unloaded membrane and the one with no membrane. Punica granatum extract loaded CCSM has antipseudomonal property and supported enhanced epithelial cell proliferation without leaving a scar after wound healing. This has significant therapeutic application in membranous scaffold mediated skin repair and regeneration.

Preparation and characterization of novel antibacterial castor oil-based polyurethane membranes for wound dressing application.

Science.gov (United States)

Yari, Abbas; Yeganeh, Hamid; Bakhshi, Hadi; Gharibi, Reza

2014-01-01

Preparation of novel antibacterial and cytocompatible polyurethane membranes as occlusive dressing, which can provide moist and sterile environment over mild exudative wounds is considered in this work. In this regard, an epoxy-terminated polyurethane (EPU) prepolymer based on castor oil and glycidyltriethylammonium chloride (GTEAC) as a reactive bactericidal agent were synthesized. Polyurethane membranes were prepared through cocuring of EPU and different content of GTEAC with 1,4-butane diamine. The physical and mechanical properties, as well as cytocompatibility and antibacterial performance of prepared membranes were studied. Depending on their chemical formulations, the equilibrium water absorption and water vapor transmission rate values of the membranes were in ranges of 3-85% and 53-154g m(-2) day(-1), respectively. Therefore, these transparent membranes can maintain for a long period the moist environment over the wounds with low exudates. Detailed cytotoxicity analysis of samples against mouse L929 fibroblast and MCA-3D keratinocyte cells showed good level of cytocompatibility of membranes after purification via extraction of residual unreacted GTEAC moieties. The antibacterial activity of the membranes against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria was also studied. The membrane containing 50% GTEAC exhibited an effective antibacterial activity, while showed acceptable cytocompatibility and therefore, can be applied as an antibacterial occlusive wound dressing. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., a Wiley Company.

An electro-thermal model and its application on a spiral-wound lithium ion battery with porous current collectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye, Yonghuang; Shi, Yixiang; Saw, Lip Huat; Tay, Andrew A.O.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A local electro-thermal model is developed to verify the validity of a lump electro-thermal model. • Comparisons on edge effect of batteries with porous current collectors and batteries normal current collector foil. • Investigation on thermal performance of novel battery with porous current collector sheets. - Abstract: A local electro-thermal model for a spiral-wound lithium ion battery is developed to provide detailed and local insights of electrochemistry, transport phenomenon and heat transfer processes in spiral-wound geometries. The discharging potential, bulk heat generation rate, battery surface temperature and the temperature distribution within battery predicted by the model are used to verify a lumped electro-thermal model. The results show good agreement between the lumped electro-thermal model and the local electro-thermal model. The edge effect is investigated using the local electro-thermal model. And the results indicate that a novel battery with porous current collector sheets has a higher utilization rate of porous electrode materials than a commercial battery with normal current collector foils. The novel battery with porous current collector sheets is also investigated using the local electro-thermal model, simulation results show smaller liquid phase potential gradient and smaller liquid concentration gradient in the novel battery. The increased electrical resistance has minor effect on the overall heat generation within the battery when the porous current collector is employed, while it reduces the discharging potential of the battery

Pulsed infrared radiation excites cultured neonatal spiral and vestibular ganglion neurons by modulating mitochondrial calcium cycling.

Science.gov (United States)

Lumbreras, Vicente; Bas, Esperanza; Gupta, Chhavi; Rajguru, Suhrud M

2014-09-15

Cochlear implants are currently the most effective solution for profound sensorineural hearing loss, and vestibular prostheses are under development to treat bilateral vestibulopathies. Electrical current spread in these neuroprostheses limits channel independence and, in some cases, may impair their performance. In comparison, optical stimuli that are spatially confined may result in a significant functional improvement. Pulsed infrared radiation (IR) has previously been shown to elicit responses in neurons. This study analyzes the response of neonatal rat spiral and vestibular ganglion neurons in vitro to IR (wavelength = 1,863 nm) using Ca(2+) imaging. Both types of neurons responded consistently with robust intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)]i) transients that matched the low-frequency IR pulses applied (4 ms, 0.25-1 pps). Radiant exposures of ∼637 mJ/cm(2) resulted in continual neuronal activation. Temperature or [Ca(2+)] variations in the media did not alter the IR-evoked transients, ruling out extracellular Ca(2+) involvement or primary mediation by thermal effects on the plasma membrane. While blockage of Na(+), K(+), and Ca(2+) plasma membrane channels did not alter the IR-evoked response, blocking of mitochondrial Ca(2+) cycling with CGP-37157 or ruthenium red reversibly inhibited the IR-evoked [Ca(2+)]i transients. Additionally, the magnitude of the IR-evoked transients was dependent on ryanodine and cyclopiazonic acid-dependent Ca(2+) release. These results suggest that IR modulation of intracellular calcium cycling contributes to stimulation of spiral and vestibular ganglion neurons. As a whole, the results suggest selective excitation of neurons in the IR beam path and the potential of IR stimulation in future auditory and vestibular prostheses. Copyright © 2014 the American Physiological Society.

Poly (vinyl alcohol-alginate physically crosslinked hydrogel membranes for wound dressing applications: Characterization and bio-evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elbadawy A. Kamoun

2015-01-01

Full Text Available PVA-sodium alginate (SA hydrogel membranes containing sodium ampicillin as a topical antibiotic were developed using the freeze–thawing method for wound dressing application. Aqueous solution of sodium alginate has been blended in a certain ratio with PVA, followed by the crosslinking method has been conducted by freeze–thawing method as physical crosslinking instead of the use of traditional chemical crosslinking to avoid riskiness of chemical reagents and crosslinkers. The physicochemical properties of PVA-SA membranes e.g. gel fraction and water uptake % have been performed. Increased SA content with PVA decreased gel fraction, elasticity, and elongation to break of PVA-SA membranes. However, it resulted in an increase in swelling degree, protein adsorption, and roughness of membrane surface. High SA content in PVA membranes had apparently an impact on surface morphology structure of hydrogel membranes. Pore size and pore area distribution have been observed with addition of high SA concentration. However, high SA content had an insignificant effect on the release of ampicillin. The hydrolytic degradation of PVA-SA membranes has prominently increased with increasing SA content. Furthermore, hemolysis (% and in vitro inhibition (% for both Gram positive and negative bacteria have been sharply affected by addition of SA into PVA, indicating the improved blood hemocompatibility. Thus, PVA-SA hydrogel membrane based wound dressing system containing ampicillin could be a good polymeric membrane candidate in wound care.

Dendritic cells modulate burn wound healing by enhancing early proliferation.

Science.gov (United States)

Vinish, Monika; Cui, Weihua; Stafford, Eboni; Bae, Leon; Hawkins, Hal; Cox, Robert; Toliver-Kinsky, Tracy

2016-01-01

Adequate wound healing is vital for burn patients to reduce the risk of infections and prolonged hospitalization. Dendritic cells (DCs) are antigen presenting cells that release cytokines and are central for the activation of innate and acquired immune responses. Studies have showed their presence in human burn wounds; however, their role in burn wound healing remains to be determined. This study investigated the role of DCs in modulating healing responses within the burn wound. A murine model of full-thickness contact burns was used to study wound healing in the absence of DCs (CD11c promoter-driven diphtheria toxin receptor transgenic mice) and in a DC-rich environment (using fms-like tyrosine kinase-3 ligand, FL- a DC growth factor). Wound closure was significantly delayed in DC-deficient mice and was associated with significant suppression of early cellular proliferation, granulation tissue formation, wound levels of TGFβ1 and formation of CD31+ vessels in healing wounds. In contrast, DC enhancement significantly accelerated early wound closure, associated with increased and accelerated cellular proliferation, granulation tissue formation, and increased TGFβ1 levels and CD31+ vessels in healing wounds. We conclude that DCs play an important role in the acceleration of early wound healing events, likely by secreting factors that trigger the proliferation of cells that mediate wound healing. Therefore, pharmacological enhancement of DCs may provide a therapeutic intervention to facilitate healing of burn wounds. © 2016 by the Wound Healing Society.

distributed parameter model of spiral-wound sepralator for treatment of uranyl nitrate effluents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Bialy, S.H; Elsherbiny, A.E.

2004-01-01

in this paper, mathematical formulation of spiral-wound sepralator was derived and applied for the treatment of effluent stream which is produced during nuclear fuel processing stage. the concentration of the stream has a value up to 200 ppm . cross-flow characteristic of both feed and permeate streams was taken into account and their mutual effects on the values of system variables were investigated. of course, such a flow pattern leads to a heterogeneous system which leads-in turn-to six partial differential equations, beside a set of algebraic equations. those were solved numerically and the results were used to estimate the average values of both permeate flux and percent solute rejection. then, these were compared with both experimental data in addition to the results of lumped parameter model. the study showed that distributed parameter model gives better results than lumped parameter one compared with experimental data

Electrospun Gelatin/poly(Glycerol Sebacate Membrane with Controlled Release of Antibiotics for Wound Dressing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parisa Shirazaki

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The most important risk that threatens the skin wounds is infections. Therefore, fabrication of a membrane as a wound dressing with the ability of antibiotic delivery in a proper delivery rate is especially important. Materials and Methods: Poly(glycerol sebacate (PGS was prepared from sebacic acid and glycerol with 1:1 ratio; then, it was added to gelatin in the 1:3 ratio and was dissolved in 80% (v/v acetic acid, and finally, ciprofloxacin was added in 10% (w/v of polymer solution. The gelatin/PGS membrane was fabricated using an electrospinning method. The membrane was cross-linked using ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl carbodiimide ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropylcarbodiim (EDC and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS in different time periods to achieve a proper drug release rate. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR spectroscopy was being used to manifest the peaks of polymers and drug in the membrane. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM was used to evaluate the morphology, fibers diameter, pore size, and porosity before and after crosslinking process. Ultraviolet (UV-visible spectrophotometry was used to show the ciprofloxacin release from the cross-linked membrane. Results: FTIR analysis showed the characteristic peaks of gelatin, PGS, and ciprofloxacin without any added peaks after the crosslinking process. SEM images revealed that nanofibers' size increased during the crosslinking process and porosity was higher than 80% before and after crosslinking process. UV-visible spectrophotometry showed the proper rate of ciprofloxacin release occurred from cross-linked membrane that remaining in EDC/NHS ethanol solution for 120 min. Conclusion: The obtained results suggest that this recently developed gelatin/PGS membrane with controlled release of ciprofloxacin could be a promising biodegradable membrane for wound dressing.

Amniotic Membrane Modifies the Genetic Program Induced by TGFß, Stimulating Keratinocyte Proliferation and Migration in Chronic Wounds.

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Antonia Alcaraz

Full Text Available Post-traumatic large-surface or deep wounds often cannot progress to reepithelialisation because they become irresponsive in the inflammatory stage, so intervention is necessary to provide the final sealing epidermis. Previously we have shown that Amniotic Membrane (AM induced a robust epithelialisation in deep traumatic wounds.To better understand this phenomenon, we used keratinocytes to investigate the effect of AM on chronic wounds. Using keratinocytes, we saw that AM treatment is able to exert an attenuating effect upon Smad2 and Smad3 TGFß-induced phosphorylation while triggering the activation of several MAPK signalling pathways, including ERK and JNK1, 2. This also has a consequence for TGFß-induced regulation on cell cycle control key players CDK1A (p21 and CDK2B (p15. The study of a wider set of TGFß regulated genes showed that the effect of AM was not wide but very concrete for some genes. TGFß exerted a powerful cell cycle arrest; the presence of AM however prevented TGFß-induced cell cycle arrest. Moreover, AM induced a powerful cell migration response that correlates well with the expression of c-Jun protein at the border of the healing assay. Consistently, the treatment with AM of human chronic wounds induced a robust expression of c-Jun at the wound border.The effect of AM on the modulation of TGFß responses in keratinocytes that favours proliferation together with AM-induced keratinocyte migration is the perfect match that allows chronic wounds to move on from their non-healing state and progress into epithelialization. Our results may explain why the application of AM on chronic wounds is able to promote epithelialisation.

: Nuclear Spirals and Mass Accretion to Supermassive Black Holes in Weakly-Barred Galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Woong-Tae; Elmegreen, Bruce

2018-01-01

Disk galaxies, especially barred-spiral galaxies, abound with rings and spirals in their nuclear regions. Nuclear spirals existing even in weakly barred galaxies are thought to channel gas inflows to supermassive black holes residing at the centers. We use high-resolution hydrodynamic simulations to study the properties of nuclear gas spirals driven by weak bar-like or oval potentials. The amplitude of the spirals increases toward the center by a geometric effect, readily developing into shocks at small radii even for very weak potentials. The shape of the spirals and shocks depends rather sensitively on the background shear. When shear is low, the nuclear spirals are loosely wound and the shocks are almost straight, resulting in large mass inflows toward the center. When shear is high, on the other hand, the spirals are tightly wound and the shocks are oblique, forming a circumnuclear disk through which gas flows inward at a relatively lower rate. The induced mass inflow rates are enough to power black hole accretion in various types of Seyfert galaxies.

Modulation of hyaluronan synthase activity in cellular membrane fractions.

Science.gov (United States)

Vigetti, Davide; Genasetti, Anna; Karousou, Evgenia; Viola, Manuela; Clerici, Moira; Bartolini, Barbara; Moretto, Paola; De Luca, Giancarlo; Hascall, Vincent C; Passi, Alberto

2009-10-30

Hyaluronan (HA), the only non-sulfated glycosaminoglycan, is involved in morphogenesis, wound healing, inflammation, angiogenesis, and cancer. In mammals, HA is synthesized by three homologous HA synthases, HAS1, HAS2, and HAS3, that polymerize the HA chain using UDP-glucuronic acid and UDP-N-acetylglucosamine as precursors. Since the amount of HA is critical in several pathophysiological conditions, we developed a non-radioactive assay for measuring the activity of HA synthases (HASs) in eukaryotic cells and addressed the question of HAS activity during intracellular protein trafficking. We prepared three cellular fractions: plasma membrane, cytosol (containing membrane proteins mainly from the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi), and nuclei. After incubation with UDP-sugar precursors, newly synthesized HA was quantified by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of fluorophore-labeled saccharides and high performance liquid chromatography. This new method measured HAS activity not only in the plasma membrane fraction but also in the cytosolic membranes. This new technique was used to evaluate the effects of 4-methylumbeliferone, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, interleukin 1beta, platelet-derived growth factor BB, and tunicamycin on HAS activities. We found that HAS activity can be modulated by post-translational modification, such as phosphorylation and N-glycosylation. Interestingly, we detected a significant increase in HAS activity in the cytosolic membrane fraction after tunicamycin treatment. Since this compound is known to induce HA cable structures, this result links HAS activity alteration with the capability of the cell to promote HA cable formation.

Cross-flow filtration of yeast extract with multi-tubular membrane module and rotating-disk membrane module; Makukaitengata heibanmaku module to tankanjomaku module ni yoru kobo hasaieki no cross flow roka

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsushita, K.; Shimizu, Y.; Watanabe, a. [Toto Ltd., Kitakyushu (Japan)

1994-09-15

A membrane separation experiment was made with multi-tubular membrane module and rotating-disk membrane module to study the cross-flow filtration of yeast extract. The membrane was an alumina precision filtration membrane with 0.15 micron m diameter pores. A multi-tubular membrane which was 19 in number of channels and 0.113{sup 2} in effective membrane area was fitted to the multi-tubular membrane module. A rotating-disk membrane which was 0.071m{sup 2} in effective membrane area was fitted to the rotating-disk membrane module. Judging from the concentration speed and factor, the rotating-disk type is more advantageous in concentrating the suspension than the multi-tubular type. The soluble high-molecular component was more easily filtrated through the rotating-disk type, which is judged attributable to its possible operation at a high flow rate on the membrane surface without necessitating a high-flow rate circulation pump. As compared with the conventional cross-filtration type, the rotating-disk type gives a high permeate flux even at a high concentration factor. 11 refs., 5 figs.

Guanidine hydrochloride embedded polyurethanes as antimicrobial and absorptive wound dressing membranes with promising cytocompatibility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sahraro, Maryam; Yeganeh, Hamid, E-mail: h.yeganeh@ippi.ac.ir; Sorayya, Marziyeh

2016-02-01

Preparation and assessments of novel absorptive wound dressing materials with efficient antimicrobial activity as well as very good cytocompatibility were described in this work. An amine terminated poly(hexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride) was prepared and used as curing agent of different epoxy-terminated polyurethane prepolymers. The structures of prepared materials were elucidated by evaluation of their {sup 1}H NMR and FTIR spectra. The recorded tensile strength of membranes confirmed the excellent dimensional stability of the film type dressings even at fully hydrated conditions. Therefore, these dressings could protect the wound bed from external forces during the healing period. The structurally optimized dressing membranes could preserve the desired moist environment over the wounded area, as a result of their balanced equilibrium, water absorption and water vapor transmission rate. Therefore, a very good condition for stimulation of self-healing of wound bed was attained. Also, owing to the presence of guanidine hydrochloride moieties embedded into the structure of dressings, efficient antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans were detected. In vitro cytotoxicity assay of the prepared dressings revealed cytocompatibility of these materials against fibroblast cells. Therefore, they could support cell growth and proliferation at the wounded area. - Highlights: • New polyurethane wound dressings with guanidine hydrochloride based antimicrobials • Maintaining moist and warm wound environment for accelerating healing • Proper tensile strength of dressings even at fully hydrated state • Excellent biocompatibility index due to proper selection of starting materials.

Porous CS based membranes with improved antimicrobial properties for the treatment of infected wound in veterinary applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tonda-Turo, C.; Ruini, F.; Argentati, M.; Di Girolamo, N.; Robino, P.; Nebbia, P.; Ciardelli, G.

2016-01-01

Recently, much attention has been given to the use of innovative solution for the treatment of infected wounds in animals. Current applied treatments are often un-effective leading to infection propagation and animal death. Novel engineered membranes based on chitosan (CS) can be prepared to combine local antimicrobial effect, high flexibility and easy manipulation. In this work, CS crosslinked porous membranes with improved antimicrobial properties were prepared via freeze-drying technique to promote wound healing and to reduce the bacterial proliferation in infected injuries. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and gentamicin sulfate (GS) were incorporated into the CS matrices to impart antibacterial properties on a wild range of strains. CS based porous membranes were tested for their physicochemical, thermal, mechanical as well as swelling and degradation behavior at physiological condition. Additionally, GS release profile was investigated, showing a moderate burst effect in the first days followed by a decreasing release rate which it was maintained for at least 56 days. Moreover, porous membranes loaded with GS or AgNPs showed good bactericidal activity against both of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The bacterial strains used in this work were collected in chelonians after carapace injuries to better mimic the environment after trauma. - Highlights: • Innovative scaffolds for wound healing in veterinary applications • Novel engineered membranes based on chitosan with improved antibacterial properties • Highly flexible and versatile membranes for infected wounds

Porous CS based membranes with improved antimicrobial properties for the treatment of infected wound in veterinary applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tonda-Turo, C., E-mail: chiara.tondaturo@polito.it [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129, Turin (Italy); Ruini, F. [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129, Turin (Italy); Argentati, M. [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129, Turin (Italy); Clinic for Exotic Animals, CVS, Via Sandro Giovannini 53, 00137 Rome (Italy); Di Girolamo, N. [Clinic for Exotic Animals, CVS, Via Sandro Giovannini 53, 00137 Rome (Italy); Robino, P.; Nebbia, P. [Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Turin (Italy); Ciardelli, G. [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129, Turin (Italy)

2016-03-01

Recently, much attention has been given to the use of innovative solution for the treatment of infected wounds in animals. Current applied treatments are often un-effective leading to infection propagation and animal death. Novel engineered membranes based on chitosan (CS) can be prepared to combine local antimicrobial effect, high flexibility and easy manipulation. In this work, CS crosslinked porous membranes with improved antimicrobial properties were prepared via freeze-drying technique to promote wound healing and to reduce the bacterial proliferation in infected injuries. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and gentamicin sulfate (GS) were incorporated into the CS matrices to impart antibacterial properties on a wild range of strains. CS based porous membranes were tested for their physicochemical, thermal, mechanical as well as swelling and degradation behavior at physiological condition. Additionally, GS release profile was investigated, showing a moderate burst effect in the first days followed by a decreasing release rate which it was maintained for at least 56 days. Moreover, porous membranes loaded with GS or AgNPs showed good bactericidal activity against both of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The bacterial strains used in this work were collected in chelonians after carapace injuries to better mimic the environment after trauma. - Highlights: • Innovative scaffolds for wound healing in veterinary applications • Novel engineered membranes based on chitosan with improved antibacterial properties • Highly flexible and versatile membranes for infected wounds.

Wound induces changes in nitric oxide related biologies putatively modulating tuber healing

Science.gov (United States)

Wound-related losses in harvested potatoes and cut seed are a serious and costly problem (losses > $320 m/yr). Our understanding of the regulation and modulation of the processes involved in wound healing (WH) are advancing and showing promise in the development of new approaches and technologies t...

Hydroxypropyltrimethyl Ammonium Chloride Chitosan Functionalized-PLGA Electrospun Fibrous Membranes as Antibacterial Wound Dressing: In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shengbing Yang

2017-12-01

Full Text Available A novel poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA-hydroxypropyltrimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan (HACC composite nanofiber wound dressing was prepared through electrospinning and the entrapment-graft technique as an antibacterial dressing for cutaneous wound healing. HACC with 30% degrees of substitution (DS was immobilized onto the surface of PLGA membranes via the reaction between carboxyl groups in PLGA after alkali treatment and the reactive groups (–NH2 in HACC molecules. The naked PLGA and chitosan graft PLGA (PLGA-CS membranes served as controls. The surface immobilization was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM, atomic force microscopy (AFM, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX. The morphology studies showed that the membranes remain uniform after the immobilization process. The effects of the surface modification by HACC and CS on the biological properties of the membranes were also investigated. Compared with PLGA and PLGA-CS, PLGA-HACC exhibited more effective antibacterial activity towards both Gram-positive (S. aureus and Gram-negative (P. aeruginosa bacteria. The newly developed fibrous membranes were evaluated in vitro for their cytotoxicity using human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs and human keratinocytes (HaCaTs and in vivo using a wound healing mice model. It was revealed that PLGA-HACC fibrous membranes exhibited favorable cytocompatibility and significantly stimulated adhesion, spreading and proliferation of HDFs and HaCaTs. PLGA-HACC exhibited excellent wound healing efficacy, which was confirmed using a full thickness excision wound model in S. aureus-infected mice. The experimental results in this work suggest that PLGA-HACC is a strong candidate for use as a therapeutic biomaterial in the treatment of infected wounds.

Bioinspired porous membranes containing polymer nanoparticles for wound healing.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferreira, Ana M; Mattu, Clara; Ranzato, Elia; Ciardelli, Gianluca

2014-12-01

Skin damages covering a surface larger than 4 cm(2) require a regenerative strategy based on the use of appropriate wound dressing supports to facilitate the rapid tissue replacement and efficient self-healing of the lost or damaged tissue. In the present work, A novel biomimetic approach is proposed for the design of a therapeutic porous construct made of poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) fabricated by thermally induced phase separation (TIPS). Biomimicry of ECM was achieved by immobilization of type I collagen through a two-step plasma treatment for wound healing. Anti-inflammatory (indomethacin)-containing polymeric nanoparticles (nps) were loaded within the porous membranes in order to minimize undesired cell response caused by post-operative inflammation. The biological response to the scaffold was analyzed by using human keratinocytes cell cultures. In this work, a promising biomimetic construct for wound healing and soft tissue regeneration with drug-release properties was fabricated since it shows (i) proper porosity, pore size, and mechanical properties, (ii) biomimicry of ECM, and (iii) therapeutic potential. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Novel biodegradable sandwich-structured nanofibrous drug-eluting membranes for repair of infected wounds: an in vitro and in vivo study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chan EC

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Dave Wei-Chih Chen1,2, Jun-Yi Liao3, Shih-Jung Liu2, Err-Cheng Chan41Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 2Department of Mechanical Engineering, 3Graduate Institute of Medical Mechatronics, 4School of Medical Technology, Chang Gung University, Kwei-San, Tao-Yuan, TaiwanBackground: The purpose of this study was to develop novel sandwich-structured nanofibrous membranes to provide sustained-release delivery of vancomycin, gentamicin, and lidocaine for repair of infected wounds.Methods: To prepare the biodegradable membranes, poly(D, L-lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA, collagen, and various pharmaceuticals, including vancomycin, gentamicin, and lidocaine, were first dissolved in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol. They were electrospun into sandwich-structured membranes with PLGA/collagen as the surface layers and PLGA/drugs as the core. An elution method and a high-pressure liquid chromatography assay were used to characterize in vivo and in vitro drug release from the membranes. In addition, repair of infected wounds in rats was studied. Histological examination of epithelialization and granulation at the wound site was also performed.Results: The biodegradable nanofibrous membranes released large amounts of vancomycin and gentamicin (well above the minimum inhibition concentration and lidocaine in vivo for more than 3 weeks. A bacterial inhibition test was carried out to determine the relative activity of the antibiotics released. The bioactivity ranged from 40% to 100%. The nanofibrous membranes were functionally active in treating infected wounds, and were very effective as accelerators in early-stage wound healing.Conclusion: Using the electrospinning technique, we will be able to manufacture biodegradable, biomimetic, nanofibrous, extracellular membranes for long-term delivery of various drugs.Keywords: nanofibrous, sandwich-structured, drug-eluting membranes, electrospinning, release characteristics, repair, wound

Human Amniotic Membrane Dressing: an Excellent Method for Outpatient Management of Burn Wounds

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Ali Akbar Mohammadi

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Burns are among the most common traumas indeveloping countries, which consume large amounts of medicalresources. It is important to find an appropriate materialfor dressing of burn wounds that improves healing and is readilyavailable, easily applicable, and economical.Methods: In a single-blind randomized controlled clinicaltrial from March to October 2006, 211 patients with less than20% burn were enrolled into two groups. The first group contained104 patients with average burn of 11.90± 3.80% of totalbody surface area (TBSA for whom amnion dressing wasused. The second group composed of 107 patients with averageburn of 12.30± 4.14% of TBSA treated with routine silversulfadiazine dressing.Results: Amniotic membrane usage was accompanied by accelerationin wound healing, less need for skin graft, and lesspain. The mean healing time in superficial parts of burnwounds in the amnion group was significantly shorter than thecontrol group (9.50±2.13 v 14.30±2.60 days; P value < 0.01.The extent of the wound with granulation tissue which neededskin graft was less in the amnion group (2.10 ± 2.21% v 4.20±1.44%; P value < 0.01.Conclusion: Widespread use of amniotic membrane dressingis recommended for limited burn wound management.

Development of Novel active transport membrane devices. Phase I. Final report, 31 October 1988--31 January 1994

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laciak, D.V.; Quinn, R.; Choe, G.S.; Cook, P.J.; Tsai, Fu-Jya

1994-08-01

The main objective of this program was to identify and develop a technique for fabricating Active Transport Materials (ATM) into lab-scale membrane devices. Air Products met this objective by applying thin film, multilayer fabrication techniques to support the AT material on a substrate membrane. In Phase IA, spiral-wound hollow fiber membrane modules were fabricated and evaluated. These nonoptimized devices were used to demonstrate the AT-based separation of carbon dioxide from methane, hydrogen sulfide from methane, and ammonia from hydrogen. It was determined that a need exists for a more cost efficient and less energy intensive process for upgrading subquality natural gas. Air Products estimated the effectiveness of ATM for this application and concluded that an optimized ATM system could compete effectively with both conventional acid gas scrubbing technology and current membrane technology. In addition, the optimized ATM system would have lower methane loss and consume less energy than current alternative processes. Air Products made significant progress toward the ultimate goal of commercializing an advanced membrane for upgrading subquality natural gas. The laboratory program focused on developing a high performance hollow fiber substrate and fabricating and evaluating ATM-coated lab-scale hollow fiber membrane modules. Selection criteria for hollow fiber composite membrane supports were developed and used to evaluate candidate polymer compositions. A poly(amide-imide), PAI, was identified for further study. Conditions were identified which produced microporous PAI support membrane with tunable surface porosity in the range 100-1000{Angstrom}. The support fibers exhibited good hydrocarbon resistance and acceptable tensile strength though a higher elongation may ultimately be desirable. ATM materials were coated onto commercial and PAI substrate fiber. Modules containing 1-50 fibers were evaluated for permselectivity, pressure stability, and lifetime.

An aligned porous electrospun fibrous membrane with controlled drug delivery - An efficient strategy to accelerate diabetic wound healing with improved angiogenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Xiaozhi; Han, Yiming; Wang, Jie; Jiang, Yuqi; Yi, Zhengfang; Xu, He; Ke, Qinfei

2018-04-01

A chronic wound in diabetic patients is usually characterized by poor angiogenesis and delayed wound closure. The exploration of efficient strategy to significantly improve angiogenesis in the diabetic wound bed and thereby accelerate wound healing is still a significant challenge. Herein, we reported a kind of aligned porous poly (l-lactic acid) (PlLA) electrospun fibrous membranes containing dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG)-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles (DS) for diabetic wound healing. The PlLA electrospun fibers aligned in a single direction and there were ellipse-shaped nano-pores in situ generated onto the surface of fibers, while the DS were well distributed in the fibers and the DMOG as well as Si ion could be controlled released from the nanopores on the fibers. The in vitro results revealed that the aligned porous composite membranes (DS-PL) could stimulate the proliferation, migration and angiogenesis-related gene expression of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) compared with the pure PlLA membranes. The in vivo study further demonstrated that the prepared DS-PL membranes significantly improved neo-vascularization, re-epithelialization and collagen formation as well as inhibited inflammatory reaction in the diabetic wound bed, which eventually stimulated the healing of the diabetic wound. Collectively, these results suggest that the combination of hierarchical structures (nanopores on the aligned fibers) with the controllable released DMOG drugs as well as Si ions from the membranes, which could create a synergetic effect on the rapid stimulation of angiogenesis in the diabetic wound bed, is a potential novel therapeutic strategy for highly efficient diabetic wound healing. A chronic wound in diabetic patients is usually characterized by the poor angiogenesis and the delayed wound closure. The main innovation of this study is to design a new kind of skin tissue engineered scaffold, aligned porous poly (l-lactic acid) (PlLA) electrospun

A simple route to develop transparent doxorubicin-loaded nanodiamonds/cellulose nanocomposite membranes as potential wound dressings.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Xiaogang; Zhang, Hao; Cao, Zhenni; Cai, Ning; Xue, Yanan; Yu, Faquan

2016-06-05

The objective of this study is to develop transparent porous nanodiamonds/cellulose nanocomposite membranes with controlled release of doxorubicin for potential applications as wound dressings, which were fabricated by tape casting method from dispersing carboxylated nanodiamonds and dissolving cellulose homogeneously in 7 wt% NaOH/12 wt% urea aqueous solution. By adjusting the carboxylated nanodiamonds content, various nanocomposite membranes were obtained. The structure and properties of these membranes have been investigated by light transmittance measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), tensile tests, water loss analyses, etc. The drug loading and release was investigated using doxorubicin hydrochloride as a model drug. In vitro cytotoxicity assay of the membranes was also studied. This work presented a proof-of-concept utility of these membranes for loading and release of bioactive compounds to be employed as a candidate for wound dressing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

THE UTILIZATION OF ACHATINA FULICA MUCUS IN ALGINATE MEMBRANE AS WOUND HEALING ACCELERATOR AND ANTI- INFECTION MATERIAL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatkhunisa Rahmawati

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Wound should be covered with bandage that is called wound dressing. Most people use synthetic materials such as gauze dressing. Gauze has high absorption of NaCl, which is often used to cleanse the wound. However, discomfort and pain arise since the gauze becomes sticky on the wound. Therefore, we need other alternatives instead of gauze to cover wound. One such alternative is the alginate membrane. This study used alginate membrane with mixture of mucous of the snail Achatina fulica, which contain proteins such as proline, serine asparagine, glycosaminoglycan, hydroxylysine, trionin and so forth, to activate the growth factor. Alginate powder and carboxymethl cellulose (CMC was dissolved in distilled water mixed with mucus of the snail Achatina fulica in four variations (4:0; 4:1, 4:2, 4:3 through a magnetic stirrer, and casted on a baking sheet covered with sterile gauze. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC test showed that the glycosaminoglycan content was found on the mucous of Achatina fulica. This was indicated by the appearance of peak at 325–350 second. The most optimum alginate and mucus composition was in ratio of 4:2. This ratio resulted in a wound dressing that was still able to absorb the exudate and optimally accelerated wound healing.

Non-linear analysis of a closure manway using spiral wound gasket with metal-metal contact and a new geometry approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jesus Miranda, C.A. de.

1992-01-01

The results of a PWR pressurizer closure manway analysis are presented. The manway geometry is slightly different from the conventional solution with the goal to reduce the bending stresses in the bolts when the system is pressurized. So the salt stresses value will also be reduced. The viability of the proposed solution will be confirmed by: verification of the stresses in the bolts connecting the blind flange to the nozzle by ASME III, subsection NB and level of the tightness reached in the spiral wound (type SG) gasket based in the criteria defined in the references. (author)

Spiral 2 Week

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2007-07-01

The main goal of this meeting is to present and discuss the current status of the Spiral-2 project at GANIL in front of a large community of scientists and engineers. Different issues have been tackled particularly the equipment around Spiral-2 like injectors, cryo-modules or beam diagnostics, a workshop was devoted to other facilities dedicated to radioactive ion beam production. This document gathers only the slides of the presentations.

Spiral 2 Week

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

The main goal of this meeting is to present and discuss the current status of the Spiral-2 project at GANIL in front of a large community of scientists and engineers. Different issues have been tackled particularly the equipment around Spiral-2 like injectors, cryo-modules or beam diagnostics, a workshop was devoted to other facilities dedicated to radioactive ion beam production. This document gathers only the slides of the presentations

Biofouling patterns in spacer filled channels: High resolution imaging for characterization of heterogeneous biofilms

KAUST Repository

Staal, Marc

2017-08-15

Biofilms develop in heterogeneous patterns at a µm scale up to a cm scale, and patterns become more pronounced when biofilms develop under complex hydrodynamic flow regimes. Spatially heterogeneous biofilms are especially known in spiral wound reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membrane filtration systems used for desalination and wastewater reuse to produce high quality (drinking) water. These spiral wound membrane modules contain mesh-like spacer structures used to create an intermembrane space and improve water mixing. Spacers create inhomogeneous water flow patterns resulting in zones favouring biofilm growth, possibly leading to biofouling thus hampering water production. Oxygen sensing planar optodes were used to visualize variations in oxygen decrease rates (ODR). ODR is an indication of biofilm activity. In this study, ODR images of multiple repetitive spacer areas in a membrane fouling simulator were averaged to produce high resolution, low noise ODR images. Averaging 40 individual spacer areas improved the ODR distribution image significantly and allowed comparison of biofilm patterning over a spacer structure at different positions in an RO filter. This method clearly showed that most active biofilm accumulated on and in direct vicinity of the spacer. The averaging method was also used to calculate the deviation of ODR patterning from individual spacer areas to the average ODR pattern, proposing a new approach to determine biofilm spatial heterogeneity. This study showed that the averaging method can be applied and that the improved, averaged ODR images can be used as an analytical, in-situ, non-destructive method to assess and quantify the effect of membrane installation operational parameters or different spacer geometries on biofilm development in spiral wound membrane systems characterized by complex hydrodynamic conditions.

Treatment of radioactive liquid effluents by reverse osmosis membranes: From lab-scale to pilot-scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Combernoux, Nicolas; Schrive, Luc; Labed, Véronique; Wyart, Yvan; Carretier, Emilie; Moulin, Philippe

2017-10-15

The recent use of the reverse osmosis (RO) process at the damaged Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant generated a growing interest in the application of this process for decontamination purposes. This study focused on the development of a robust RO process for decontamination of two kinds of liquid effluents: a contaminated groundwater after a nuclear disaster and a contaminated seawater during a nuclear accident. The SW30 HR membrane was selected among other in this study due to higher retentions (96% for Cs and 98% for Sr) in a true groundwater. Significant fouling and scaling phenomenon, attributed to calcium and strontium precipitation, were evidenced in this work: this underscored the importance of the lab scale experiment in the process. Validation of the separation performances on trace radionuclides concentration was performed with similar retention around 96% between surrogates Cs (inactive) and 137 Cs (radioactive). The scale up to a 2.6 m 2 spiral wound membrane led to equivalent retentions (around 96% for Cs and 99% for Sr) but lower flux values: this underlined that the hydrodynamic parameters (flowrate/cross-flow velocity) should be optimized. This methodology was also applied on the reconstituted seawater effluent: retentions were slightly lower than for the groundwater and the same hydrodynamic effects were observed on the pilot scale. Then, ageing of the membrane through irradiation experiments were performed. Results showed that the membrane active layer composition influenced the membrane resistance towards γ irradiation: the SW30 HR membrane performances (retention and permeability) were better than the Osmonics SE at 1 MGy. Finally, to supplement the scale up approach, the irradiation of a spiral wound membrane revealed a limited effect on the permeability and retention. This indicated that irradiation conditions need to be controlled for a further development of the process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Deciphering the BAR code of membrane modulators.

Science.gov (United States)

Salzer, Ulrich; Kostan, Julius; Djinović-Carugo, Kristina

2017-07-01

The BAR domain is the eponymous domain of the "BAR-domain protein superfamily", a large and diverse set of mostly multi-domain proteins that play eminent roles at the membrane cytoskeleton interface. BAR domain homodimers are the functional units that peripherally associate with lipid membranes and are involved in membrane sculpting activities. Differences in their intrinsic curvatures and lipid-binding properties account for a large variety in membrane modulating properties. Membrane activities of BAR domains are further modified and regulated by intramolecular or inter-subunit domains, by intermolecular protein interactions, and by posttranslational modifications. Rather than providing detailed cell biological information on single members of this superfamily, this review focuses on biochemical, biophysical, and structural aspects and on recent findings that paradigmatically promote our understanding of processes driven and modulated by BAR domains.

Modulation of ROS levels in fibroblasts by altering mitochondria regulates the process of wound healing.

Science.gov (United States)

Janda, Jaroslav; Nfonsam, Valentine; Calienes, Fernanda; Sligh, James E; Jandova, Jana

2016-05-01

Mitochondria are the major source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in fibroblasts which are thought to be crucial regulators of wound healing with a potential to affect the expression of nuclear genes involved in this process. ROS generated by mitochondria are involved in all stages of tissue repair process but the regulation of ROS-generating system in fibroblasts still remains poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to better understand molecular mechanisms of how the regulation of ROS levels generated by mitochondria may influence the process of wound repair. Cybrid model system of mtDNA variations was used to study the functional consequences of altered ROS levels on wound healing responses in a uniform nuclear background of cultured ρ(0) fibroblasts. Mitochondrial ROS in cybrids were modulated by antioxidants that quench ROS to examine their ability to close the wound. Real-time PCR arrays were used to investigate whether ROS generated by specific mtDNA variants have the ability to alter expression of some key nuclear-encoded genes central to the wound healing response and oxidative stress. Our data suggest levels of mitochondrial ROS affect expression of some nuclear encoded genes central to wound healing response and oxidative stress and modulation of mitochondrial ROS by antioxidants positively affects in vitro process of wound closure. Thus, regulation of mitochondrial ROS-generating system in fibroblasts can be used as effective natural redox-based strategy to help treat non-healing wounds.

Evaluation of Human Amniotic Membrane as a Wound Dressing for Split-Thickness Skin-Graft Donor Sites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denys J. Loeffelbein

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Human amniotic membrane (HAM has been used as a biomaterial in various surgical procedures and exceeds some qualities of common materials. We evaluated HAM as wound dressing for split-thickness skin-graft (STSG donor sites in a swine model (Part A and a clinical trial (Part B. Part A: STSG donor sites in 4 piglets were treated with HAM or a clinically used conventional polyurethane (PU foil (n=8 each. Biopsies were taken on days 5, 7, 10, 20, 40, and 60 and investigated immunohistochemically for alpha-smooth muscle actin (αSMA: wound contraction marker, von Willebrand factor (vWF: angiogenesis, Ki-67 (cell proliferation, and laminin (basement membrane integrity. Part B: STSG donor sites in 45 adult patients (16 female/29 male were treated with HAM covered by PU foam, solely by PU foam, or PU foil/paraffin gauze (n=15 each. Part A revealed no difference in the rate of wound closure between groups. HAM showed improved esthetic results and inhibitory effects on cicatrization. Angioneogenesis was reduced, and basement membrane formation was accelerated in HAM group. Part B: no difference in re-epithelialization/infection rate was found. HAM caused less ichor exudation and less pruritus. HAM has no relevant advantage over conventional dressings but might be a cost-effective alternative.

Formation of virtual isthmus: A new scenario of spiral wave death after a decrease in excitability

Science.gov (United States)

Erofeev, I. S.; Agladze, K. I.

2015-11-01

Termination of rotating (spiral) waves or reentry is crucial when fighting with the most dangerous cardiac tachyarrhythmia. To increase the efficiency of the antiarrhythmic drugs as well as finding new prospective ones it is decisive to know the mechanisms how they act and influence the reentry dynamics. The most popular view on the mode of action of the contemporary antiarrhythmic drugs is that they increase the core of the rotating wave (reentry) to that extent that it is not enough space in the real heart for the reentry to exist. Since the excitation in cardiac cells is essentially change of the membrane potential, it relies on the functioning of the membrane ion channels. Thus, membrane ion channels serve as primary targets for the substances, which may serve as antiarrhythmics. At least, the entire group of antiarrhythmics class I (modulating activity of sodium channels) and partially class IV (modulating activity of calcium channels) are believed to destabilize and terminate reentry by decreasing the excitability of cardiac tissue. We developed an experimental model employing cardiac tissue culture and photosensitizer (AzoTAB) to study the process of the rotating wave termination while decreasing the excitability of the tissue. A new scenario of spiral wave cessation was observed: an asymmetric growth of the rotating wave core and subsequent formation of a virtual isthmus, which eventually caused a conduction block and the termination of the reentry.

Nanocoatings for Chronic Wound Repair—Modulation of Microbial Colonization and Biofilm Formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mara Mădălina Mihai

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Wound healing involves a complex interaction between immunity and other natural host processes, and to succeed it requires a well-defined cascade of events. Chronic wound infections can be mono- or polymicrobial but their major characteristic is their ability to develop a biofilm. A biofilm reduces the effectiveness of treatment and increases resistance. A biofilm is an ecosystem on its own, enabling the bacteria and the host to establish different social interactions, such as competition or cooperation. With an increasing incidence of chronic wounds and, implicitly, of chronic biofilm infections, there is a need for alternative therapeutic agents. Nanotechnology shows promising openings, either by the intrinsic antimicrobial properties of nanoparticles or their function as drug carriers. Nanoparticles and nanostructured coatings can be active at low concentrations toward a large variety of infectious agents; thus, they are unlikely to elicit emergence of resistance. Nanoparticles might contribute to the modulation of microbial colonization and biofilm formation in wounds. This comprehensive review comprises the pathogenesis of chronic wounds, the role of chronic wound colonization and infection in the healing process, the conventional and alternative topical therapeutic approaches designed to combat infection and stimulate healing, as well as revolutionizing therapies such as nanotechnology-based wound healing approaches.

Substance P promotes wound healing in diabetes by modulating inflammation and macrophage phenotype.

Science.gov (United States)

Leal, Ermelindo C; Carvalho, Eugénia; Tellechea, Ana; Kafanas, Antonios; Tecilazich, Francesco; Kearney, Cathal; Kuchibhotla, Sarada; Auster, Michael E; Kokkotou, Efi; Mooney, David J; LoGerfo, Frank W; Pradhan-Nabzdyk, Leena; Veves, Aristidis

2015-06-01

Diabetic foot ulceration is a major complication of diabetes. Substance P (SP) is involved in wound healing, but its effect in diabetic skin wounds is unclear. We examined the effect of exogenous SP delivery on diabetic mouse and rabbit wounds. We also studied the impact of deficiency in SP or its receptor, neurokinin-1 receptor, on wound healing in mouse models. SP treatment improved wound healing in mice and rabbits, whereas the absence of SP or its receptor impaired wound progression in mice. Moreover, SP bioavailability in diabetic skin was reduced as SP gene expression was decreased, whereas the gene expression and protein levels of the enzyme that degrades SP, neutral endopeptidase, were increased. Diabetes and SP deficiency were associated with absence of an acute inflammatory response important for wound healing progression and instead revealed a persistent inflammation throughout the healing process. SP treatment induced an acute inflammatory response, which enabled the progression to the proliferative phase and modulated macrophage activation toward the M2 phenotype that promotes wound healing. In conclusion, SP treatment reverses the chronic proinflammatory state in diabetic skin and promotes healing of diabetic wounds. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gas separation membrane module assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Wynn, Nicholas P [Palo Alto, CA; Fulton, Donald A [Fairfield, CA

2009-03-31

A gas-separation membrane module assembly and a gas-separation process using the assembly. The assembly includes a set of tubes, each containing gas-separation membranes, arranged within a housing. The housing contains a tube sheet that divides the space within the housing into two gas-tight spaces. A permeate collection system within the housing gathers permeate gas from the tubes for discharge from the housing.

Four-port gas separation membrane module assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Wynn, Nicholas P.; Fulton, Donald A.; Lokhandwala, Kaaeid A.; Kaschemekat, Jurgen

2010-07-20

A gas-separation membrane assembly, and a gas-separation process using the assembly. The assembly incorporates multiple gas-separation membranes in an array within a single vessel or housing, and is equipped with two permeate ports, enabling permeate gas to be withdrawn from both ends of the membrane module permeate pipes.

Beta-Glucan induced immune modulation of wound healing in common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

OpenAIRE

Jiménez, Natalia Ivonne Vera; Nielsen, Michael Engelbrecht; Lindenstrøm, Thomas

2012-01-01

Immune modulators are compounds capable to interact with the immune system and to modify the host response. This interaction enhances non-specific defense mechanisms, improving health and promoting survival. β-glucans are glucose polysaccharides present in sea weed, bacteria, fungi and cereal but not in animals. β-glucans are commonly used as immune modulators, but the mechanisms through which the modulation is achieved remains to be understood. Wound healing and tissue regeneration are essen...

INFLUENCE AT DIFFERENT OPERATION CONDITIONS ON THE ACEROLA JUICE CONCENTRATION BY REVERSE OSMOSIS, USING SPIRAL MEMBRANE OF COMPOSITE FILM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. R.S. GOMES

2009-03-01

Full Text Available

The concentration of acerola juice, involves removal of water with the objective of reducing packing, storage and transport costs. The reverse osmosis (RO is a process of increasing interest in food industry and among the advantages they stand out: the low consumption of energy and the minimum thermal damages is caused to the products. The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of different operation conditions in relation to the permeate flux, in the concentration process of the acerola juice by RO. All the RO experiments were carried out with retentate recycling. The concentration by RO, were carried on the transmembrane pressures of 20, 30 and 40 bar and at 23ºC and 40ºC, being used a membrane of composite film in spiral module (99% NaCl rejection. The acerola pulp was defrosted and treated with Citrozym Ultra L enzyme (100 ppm, 45ºC ,1 hour, then it was ultrafiltrated at 3 bar at the same temperature, in 0.1 µm ceramic membrane, and so it was concentrated by RO. It was verified that the pressure and the temperature influenced the concentration and the permeate flux obtained in the RO process. The flux decreased along the processing, once the feeding becomes more concentrate, increasing the viscosity, osmotic pressure and retained sugar. KEYWORDS: Acerola juice concentration; reverse osmosis; membrane of composite film.

Membrane technology applied to acid mine drainage from copper mining.

Science.gov (United States)

Ambiado, K; Bustos, C; Schwarz, A; Bórquez, R

2017-02-01

The objective of this study is to evaluate the treatment of high-strength acid mine drainage (AMD) from copper mining by nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) at pilot scale. The performances of two commercial spiral-wound membranes - NF99 and RO98pHt, both from Alfa Laval - were compared. The effects of pressure and feed flow on ion rejection and permeate flux were evaluated. The results showed high ion removal under optimum pressure conditions, which reached 92% for the NF99 membrane and 98% for the RO98pHt membrane. Sulfate removal reached 97% and 99% for NF99 and RO98pHt, respectively. In the case of copper, aluminum, iron and manganese, the removal percentage surpassed 95% in both membranes. Although concentration polarization limited NF performance at higher pressures, permeate fluxes observed in NF were five times greater than those obtained by RO, with only slightly lower divalent ion rejection rates, making it a promising option for the treatment of AMD.

Unmasking of spiral ganglion neuron firing dynamics by membrane potential and neurotrophin-3.

Science.gov (United States)

Crozier, Robert A; Davis, Robin L

2014-07-16

Type I spiral ganglion neurons have a unique role relative to other sensory afferents because, as a single population, they must convey the richness, complexity, and precision of auditory information as they shape signals transmitted to the brain. To understand better the sophistication of spiral ganglion response properties, we compared somatic whole-cell current-clamp recordings from basal and apical neurons obtained during the first 2 postnatal weeks from CBA/CaJ mice. We found that during this developmental time period neuron response properties changed from uniformly excitable to differentially plastic. Low-frequency, apical and high-frequency basal neurons at postnatal day 1 (P1)-P3 were predominantly slowly accommodating (SA), firing at low thresholds with little alteration in accommodation response mode induced by changes in resting membrane potential (RMP) or added neurotrophin-3 (NT-3). In contrast, P10-P14 apical and basal neurons were predominately rapidly accommodating (RA), had higher firing thresholds, and responded to elevation of RMP and added NT-3 by transitioning to the SA category without affecting the instantaneous firing rate. Therefore, older neurons appeared to be uniformly less excitable under baseline conditions yet displayed a previously unrecognized capacity to change response modes dynamically within a remarkably stable accommodation framework. Because the soma is interposed in the signal conduction pathway, these specializations can potentially lead to shaping and filtering of the transmitted signal. These results suggest that spiral ganglion neurons possess electrophysiological mechanisms that enable them to adapt their response properties to the characteristics of incoming stimuli and thus have the capacity to encode a wide spectrum of auditory information. Copyright © 2014 the authors 0270-6474/14/349688-15$15.00/0.

The Membrane Modulates Internal Proton Transfer in Cytochrome c Oxidase

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Öjemyr, Linda Nasvik; Ballmoos, Christoph von; Faxén, Kristina

2012-01-01

The functionality of membrane proteins is often modulated by the surrounding membrane. Here, we investigated the effect of membrane reconstitution of purified cytochrome c oxidase (CytcO) on the kinetics and thermodynamics of internal electron and proton-transfer reactions during O-2 reduction...... DOPC lipids. In conclusion, the data show that the membrane significantly modulates internal charge-transfer reactions and thereby the function of the membrane-bound enzyme.......-glycerol) (DOPG). In addition, a small Change in the internal Cu-A-heme a electron equilibrium constant was observed. This effect was lipid-dependent and explained in terms of a lower electrostatic potential within the membrane-spanning part of the protein with the anionic DOPG lipids than with the zwitterionic...

Bilirubin modulated cytokines, growth factors and angiogenesis to improve cutaneous wound healing process in diabetic rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Ram, Mahendra; Singh, Vishakha; Kumawat, Sanjay; Kant, Vinay; Tandan, Surendra Kumar; Kumar, Dinesh

2016-01-01

Bilirubin has shown cutaneous wound healing potential in some preliminary studies. Here we hypothesize that bilirubin facilitates wound healing in diabetic rats by modulating important healing factors/candidates and antioxidant parameters in a time-dependent manner. Diabetes was induced in male Wistar rats by streptozotocin. In all diabetic rats wounds were created under pentobarbitone anesthesia. All the rats were divided into two groups, of which one (control) was treated with ointment base and other with bilirubin ointment (0.3%). Wound closer measurement and tissue collection were done on days 3, 7, 14 and 19 post-wounding. The relative expressions of hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), stromal cell-derived factor-1 alpha (SDF-1α), transforming growth factor- beta1 (TGF-β1()), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interlukin-10 (IL-10) mRNA and proteins and the mRNA of interlukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and matrix metalloprteinase-9 (MMP-9) were determined in the wound tissues. CD-31 staining and collagen content were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and picrosirius red staining, respectively. Histopathological changes were assessed by H&E staining. The per cent wound closer was significantly higher from day 7 onwards in bilirubin-treated rats. HIF-1α, VEGF, SDF-1α, TGF-β1, IL-10 mRNA and protein levels were significantly higher on days 3, 7 and 14 in bilirubin-treated rats. The mRNA expression and protein level of TNF-α and the mRNA of IL-1β and MMP-9 were progressively and markedly reduced in bilirubin-treated rats. The collagen deposition and formation of blood vessels were greater in bilirubin-treated rats. Bilirubin markedly facilitated cutaneous wound healing in diabetic rats by modulating growth factors, cytokines, neovasculogenesis and collagen contents to the wound site. Topical application of bilirubin ointment might be of great use in cutaneous wound healing in diabetic patients. Copyright © 2015

Fabrication techniques of X-ray spiral zone plates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Nan; Zhu Xiaoli; Li Hailiang; Xie Changqing

2010-01-01

The techniques to make X-ray spiral zone plates using electron beam and X-ray lithography were studied. A master mask was fabricated on polyimide membrane by E-beam lithography and micro-electroplating. Spiral zone plates were efficiently replicated by X-ray lithography and micro-electroplating. By combining the techniques, spiral zone plates at 1 keV were successfully fabricate. With an outermost zone width of the 200 nm, and the gold absorbers thickness of 700 nm, the high quality zone plates can be used for X-ray phase contrast microscopy.(authors)

Evaluation of optimal reuse system for hydrofluoric acid wastewater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Won, Chan-Hee [Department of Environmental Engineering, Chonbuk National University, 567 Bakje-daero, Deokjin-Gu, Jeonju, Jeollabuk-Do, 561-756 (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Jeongyun [R and D Center, Samsung Engineering Co. Ltd., 415-10 Woncheon-Dong, Youngtong-Gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-Do, 443-823 (Korea, Republic of); Chung, Jinwook, E-mail: jin-wook.chung@samsung.com [R and D Center, Samsung Engineering Co. Ltd., 415-10 Woncheon-Dong, Youngtong-Gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-Do, 443-823 (Korea, Republic of)

2012-11-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Coagulation and ion exchange technologies were ineffective in removing fluoride. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Polyamide RO was more efficacious than cellulose RO due to its high flux and rejection. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Spiral wound RO system was more preferential to disc tube RO system for reusing raw hydrofluoric acid wastewater. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Combined coagulation and RO technology can be applied to reuse raw hydrofluoric acid wastewater. - Abstract: The treatment of hydrofluoric acid (HF) wastewater has been an important environmental issue in recent years due to the extensive use of hydrofluoric acid in the chemical and electronics industries, such as semiconductor manufacturers. Coagulation/precipitation and ion exchange technologies have been used to treat HF wastewater, but these conventional methods are ineffective in removing organics, salts, and fluorides, limiting its reuse for water quality and economic feasibility. One promising alternative is reverse osmosis (RO) after lime treatment. Based on pilot-scale experiment using real HF wastewater discharged from semiconductor facility, the spiral wound module equipped with polyamide membranes has shown excellent flux and chemical cleaning cycles. Our results suggest that coagulation/precipitation and spiral wound RO constitute the optimal combination to reuse HF wastewater.

Fetal membrane healing after spontaneous and iatrogenic membrane rupture: A review of current evidence

OpenAIRE

Devlieger, R.; Millar, L. K.; Bryant-Greenwood, G.; Lewi, L.; Deprest, J. A.

2006-01-01

In view of the important protective role of the fetal membranes, wound sealing, tissue regeneration, or wound healing could be life saving in cases of preterm premature rupture of the membranes. Although many investigators are studying the causes of preterm premature rupture of membranes, the emphasis has not been on the wound healing capacity of the fetal membranes. In this review, the relevant literature on the pathophysiologic condition that leads to preterm premature rupture of membranes ...

Roles of secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor amniotic membrane in oral wound healing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elly Munadziroh

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Secretory Leukocyte Protease Inhibitor (SLPI is serine protease inhibitor. Secretory Leukocyte Protease Inhibitor is a protein found in secretions such as whole saliva, seminal fluid, cervical mucus, synovial fluid, breast milk, tears, and cerebral spinal fluid, as in secretions from the nose and bronchi, amniotic fluid and amniotic membrane etc. These findings demonstrate that SLPI function as a potent anti protease, anti inflammatory, bactericidal, antifungal, tissue repair, extra cellular synthesis. Impaired healing states are characterized by excessive proteolysis and often bacterial infection, leading to the hypothesis that SLPI may have a role in the process. The objectives of this article are to investigate the role of SLPI in oral inflammation and how it contributes to tissue repair in oral mucosa. The oral wound healing responses are impaired in the SLPI sufficient mice and matrix synthesis and collagen deposition are delayed. This study indicated that SLPI is a povital factor necessary for optimal wound healing.

Agar/collagen membrane as skin dressing for wounds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bao Lei; Yang Wei; Mao Xuan; Mou Shansong; Tang Shunqing [Biomedical Engineering Institute, Jinan University, Guangzhou (China)], E-mail: tshunqt@jnu.edu.cn, E-mail: tmuss@jnu.edu.cn

2008-12-15

Agar, a highly hydrophilic polymer, has a special gel property and favorable biocompatibility, but moderate intension strength in an aqueous condition and a low degradation rate. In order to tailor both properties of mechanical intension and degradation, type I collagen was composited with agar in a certain ratio by drying at 50 {sup 0}C or by a freeze-dry process. Glutaraldehyde was chosen as a crosslinking agent, and the most favorable condition for crosslinking was that the weight ratio of agar to glutaraldehyde was 66.7 and the pH value about 5. Dynamic mechanical analysis results showed that the single agar membrane had a modulus value between 640 MPa and 1064 MPa, but it was between 340 MPa and 819 MPa after being composited with type I collagen. It was discovered under an optical microscope that the pores were interconnected in the composite scaffolds instead of the honeycomb-like pores in a single type I collagen scaffold or the laminated gaps in a single agar scaffold. The results of an acute toxicity test disclosed that the composites were not toxic to mice although the composites were crosslinked with a certain concentration of glutaraldehyde. The results of gross examinations showed that when the composite membranes or scaffolds were applied to a repair rabbit skin lesion, the composites had a good repair effect without infection, liquid exudation or visible scar in the lesion covered with them. But in the control group, the autologous skin showed necrosis and there were a lot of scar tissues in the lesion site. H and E staining results showed that the repair tissue was similar to the normal one and very few scaffolds or membranes were left without degradation after 2 or 3 weeks. In conclusion, it is proved that type I collagen increases the toughness of the agar membrane, and the agar/type I collagen composites are promising biomaterials as wound dressings for healing burns or ulcers.

Agar/collagen membrane as skin dressing for wounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bao Lei; Yang Wei; Mao Xuan; Mou Shansong; Tang Shunqing

2008-01-01

Agar, a highly hydrophilic polymer, has a special gel property and favorable biocompatibility, but moderate intension strength in an aqueous condition and a low degradation rate. In order to tailor both properties of mechanical intension and degradation, type I collagen was composited with agar in a certain ratio by drying at 50 0 C or by a freeze-dry process. Glutaraldehyde was chosen as a crosslinking agent, and the most favorable condition for crosslinking was that the weight ratio of agar to glutaraldehyde was 66.7 and the pH value about 5. Dynamic mechanical analysis results showed that the single agar membrane had a modulus value between 640 MPa and 1064 MPa, but it was between 340 MPa and 819 MPa after being composited with type I collagen. It was discovered under an optical microscope that the pores were interconnected in the composite scaffolds instead of the honeycomb-like pores in a single type I collagen scaffold or the laminated gaps in a single agar scaffold. The results of an acute toxicity test disclosed that the composites were not toxic to mice although the composites were crosslinked with a certain concentration of glutaraldehyde. The results of gross examinations showed that when the composite membranes or scaffolds were applied to a repair rabbit skin lesion, the composites had a good repair effect without infection, liquid exudation or visible scar in the lesion covered with them. But in the control group, the autologous skin showed necrosis and there were a lot of scar tissues in the lesion site. H and E staining results showed that the repair tissue was similar to the normal one and very few scaffolds or membranes were left without degradation after 2 or 3 weeks. In conclusion, it is proved that type I collagen increases the toughness of the agar membrane, and the agar/type I collagen composites are promising biomaterials as wound dressings for healing burns or ulcers.

Spiral Wave in Small-World Networks of Hodgkin-Huxley Neurons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Jun; Zhang Cairong; Yang Lijian; Wu Ying

2010-01-01

The effect of small-world connection and noise on the formation and transition of spiral wave in the networks of Hodgkin-Huxley neurons are investigated in detail. Some interesting results are found in our numerical studies. i) The quiescent neurons are activated to propagate electric signal to others by generating and developing spiral wave from spiral seed in small area. ii) A statistical factor is defined to describe the collective properties and phase transition induced by the topology of networks and noise. iii) Stable rotating spiral wave can be generated and keeps robust when the rewiring probability is below certain threshold, otherwise, spiral wave can not be developed from the spiral seed and spiral wave breakup occurs for a stable rotating spiral wave. iv) Gaussian white noise is introduced on the membrane of neurons to study the noise-induced phase transition on spiral wave in small-world networks of neurons. It is confirmed that Gaussian white noise plays active role in supporting and developing spiral wave in the networks of neurons, and appearance of smaller factor of synchronization indicates high possibility to induce spiral wave. (interdisciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

Dose reduction in subsecond multislice spiral CT examination of children by online tube current modulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greess, H.; Lutze, J.; Noemayr, A.; Bautz, W.; Wolf, H.; Hothorn, T.; Kalender, W.A.

2004-01-01

The potential of online tube current modulation in subsecond multislice spiral CT (MSCT) examinations of children to reduce the dose without a loss in image quality is investigated in a controlled patient study. The dose can be reduced for oval patient sectional view without an increase in noise if the tube current is reduced where the patient diameter and, consequently, attenuation are small. We investigated a product version of an online control for tube current in a SOMATOM Sensation 4 (Siemens, Forchheim). We evaluated image quality, noise and dose reduction for examinations with online tube current modulation in 30 MSCT of thorax/abdomen and abdomen and compared mA s for tube current modulation to the mA s in standard weight-adapted children protocols. Image quality was rated as ''very good,'' ''good,'' ''diagnostic'' and ''poor'' in a consensus by three radiologists. Noise was assessed in comparison to 24 MSCT examinations without tube current modulation measured as SD in ROIs. The dose was reduced from 26 to 43% (mean 36%), depending on the patient's geometry and weight. (orig.)

Entropy generation analysis of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) with a fermat spiral as a flow distributor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rangel-Hernandez, V.H.; Damian-Ascencio, C.; Juarez-Robles, D.; Gallegos-Munoz, A.; Zaleta-Aguilar, A.; Plascencia-Mora, H.

2011-01-01

The present paper aims at investigating the main sources of irreversibility in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) using a Fermat spiral as flow distributor and also to direct possible improvements in its design. The numerical analysis is based on a finite volume technique with a SIMPLE algorithm as numerical procedure. In order to have a more complete and rigorous analysis a new dimensionless parameter is proposed here. The parameter represents the ratio of the entropy generation due to mass transfer to the total entropy generation is proposed here. Results demonstrate that the main sources of irreversibility in a fuel cell are the concentration losses for the most part of the operational domain, whereas the heat transfer effect is not dominant. -- Highlights: → PEM Fuel Cell with Fermat Spiral as distributor. → Causes of irreversibilities. → A new dimensionless parameter to determine contribution of mass transfer in entropy generation.

Theoretical and experimental studies of reverse osmosis separation of inorganic salts in aqueous solutions; Estudio teorico y experimental de parametros de transporte a traves de membranas de osmosis inversa : Efecto de varios tipos de sales

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khavet, M.; Mengual, J. I.

2004-07-01

Theoretical and experimental studies of reverse osmosis separation of inorganic salts in aqueous solutions have been carried out. In this study, a polyamide thin film composite membrane in spiral wound configuration was used. The free energy of different inorganic monovalent (LiCl, NaCl, KCl, NaBr, NaI, LiBr, KBr) and divalent (MgCl2, MnCl2, CaCl2, MgBr2) salts has been calculated. The solute transport parameters were related to the free energy of the corresponding cations and anions. The mass transfer coefficient at the high pressure feed side of the spiral wound module was determined for each type of salt. The obtained theoretical values were compared to the experimental ones. The good agreements observed between the experimental and theoretical results confirm the validity of the theoretical procedure, which may be applied in modelling solar reverse osmosis plants for the prediction of the separation factor of various types of inorganic salts. (Author)

Instability and Death of Spiral Wave in a Two-Dimensional Array of Hindmarsh-Rose Neurons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Chunni; Ma Jun; Li Yanlong; Tang Jun

2010-01-01

Spiral wave could be observed in the excitable media, the neurons are often excitable within appropriate parameters. The appearance and formation of spiral wave in the cardiac tissue is linked to monomorphic ventricular tachycardia that can denervate into polymorphic tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. The neuronal system often consists of a large number of neurons with complex connections. In this paper, we theoretically study the transition from spiral wave to spiral turbulence and homogeneous state (death of spiral wave) in two-dimensional array of the Hindmarsh-Rose neuron with completely nearest-neighbor connections. In our numerical studies, a stable rotating spiral wave is developed and selected as the initial state, then the bifurcation parameters are changed to different values to observe the transition from spiral wave to homogeneous state, breakup of spiral wave and weak change of spiral wave, respectively. A statistical factor of synchronization is defined with the mean field theory to analyze the transition from spiral wave to other spatial states, and the snapshots of the membrane potentials of all neurons and time series of mean membrane potentials of all neurons are also plotted to discuss the change of spiral wave. It is found that the sharp changing points in the curve for factor of synchronization vs. bifurcation parameter indicate sudden transition from spiral wave to other states. And the results are independent of the number of neurons we used. (interdisciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

Microfiltration of soy sauce sediment with rotating disk membrane module; Kaitengata enbanmaku module ni yoru shoyuori no roka

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsushita, K.; Kanekuni, N.; Nogaki, H.; Itakura, I.; Shimizu, Y.; Watanabe, A. [TOTO Ltd., Kitakyushu (Japan)

1995-01-15

Soy sauce sediment is formed in pasteurization of raw soy sauce. It is treated as industrial waste, though its main component is soy sauce, because of difficulty in perfect clarification of the suspension. In this paper, we decided a suitable range of pore size of microfiltration and a cut-off level of ultrafiltration to clarify soy sauce sediment and we developed a rotating disk membrane module (RD Module) and compared performance with conventional a multi-tubular membrane module (MT Module). The optimum range to obtain soy sauce of quality was less than a pore size of O.2{mu}m for microfiltration, while ultrafiltration was not suitable for soy sauce sediment. Ultrafiltration was restricted by rejection of colors and nucleic acids and related compounds in soy sauce sediment, rather than rejection of bacteria and ethanol. An RD Module could recover soy sauce of quality and was superior to an MT Module for concentration ratio, but the permeate fluxes of the RD Module decreased under conditions of high revolution as centrifugal forces were exerted on the permeate in the disk membrane. The power consumption of the RD Module was proportional to the cube of number of revolutions and to the fifth power of the radius, so it was found that one of methods for the scale up is to increase the number of disk membranes than increase the radius. 15 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab.

Liquid radwaste processing with spiral wound reverse osmosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sengupta, S.K.; Buckley, L.P.; Rimpelainen, S.; Tremblay, A.Y.

1996-05-01

Two different reverse osmosis systems were investigated. The first was a 50-element plant-scale system that is used to treat 2200 m 3 of AECL liquid radwastes annually.It uses thin-film composite (TFC) membranes and operates at an applied pressure of 2760 kPa, with a fixed crossflow of about 40 L/min. The other system uses the same thin-film composite membranes for waste processing but is a two-element pilot-scale system. It is operated at pressures m ranging between 1500 and 7000 kPa, at a fixed crossflow of 55 L/min. The average lifetime of the thin-film composite membranes in the plant-scale processing application at AECL is about 3000 h. After this service life has expired the rejection efficiency declines rapidly from 99.5% to about 95% as the membranes become impaired from chemical cleaning procedures that are required after each 100 m 3 of waste is treated. The permeation flux for the plant-scale system decreases from about 2.2 L/min/element to below 0.5 L/min/element at the end of the membrane's useful service life. The plant-scale membrane elements, fouled by an assortment of chemicals including calcium phosphate and various organics, were successfully regenerated by exposing them to a threestep chemical cleaning procedure, using detergent, HCI, and an alkaline-based cleaning with EDTA. The three-step procedure was successful in elevating the flux from 0.5 L/min for the spent membrane to 1.2 L/min after cleaning. The 1.2-L/min postcleaning flux could be maintained provided that the crossflow velocity remained high. The decontamination factor (DF) for cesium for the plant-scale system, decreased from about 100 when the membranes were new, to about 30 after they were replaced. The strontium DF was unaffected by the applied pressure. 9 refs., 1 tab., 6 figs

Synthesis and characterization of poly(vinyl alcohol) membranes with quaternary ammonium groups for wound dressing.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Kuo-Yu; Lin, Yu-Sheng; Yao, Chun-Hsu; Li, Ming-Hsien; Lin, Jui-Che

2010-01-01

2-[(acryloyloxy)ethyl]Trimethylammonium chloride (AETMAC) was grafted onto poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) using ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) as a redox initiator. A series of graft co-polymer (PVA-g-PAETMAC) membranes with different contents of AETMAC were prepared with a casting method. The incorporation of AETMAC into PVA chains was confirmed by element analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The effects of grafting on the thermal properties, water take, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), contact angle, antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity of PVA-g-PAETMAC membranes were investigated. The experiment results showed that PVA-g-PAETMAC membrane has a higher equilibrium swelling ratio, surface hydrophilicity and WVTR than pure PVA membrane. Moreover, the higher the content of AETMAC, the higher were equilibrium swelling ratio, surface hydrophilicity and WVTR. In vitro bacterial adhesion study demonstrated a significantly reduced number of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli on PVA-g-PAETMAC surfaces when compared to PVA surface. In addition, no significant difference in the in vitro cytotoxicity was observed between PVA and PVA-g-PAETMAC membranes. The presence of quaternary ammonium groups did not reduce L929 cell growth. Therefore, the PVA-g-PAETMAC membranes have the potential for wound-dressing application.

Numerical Study on Flow Characteristics of Hollow Fiber Membrane Module for Water Recovery Cooling Tower

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Chang Cheol; Shin, Weon Gyu [Chungnam Nat’l Univ., Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Park, Hyun Seol; Lee, Hyung Keun [Korea Institute of Energy Research, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2017-08-15

The purpose of this study is to analyze the flow characteristics when a staggered hollow fiber membrane module is modeled as a porous medium. The pressure-velocity equation was used for modeling the porous medium, using pressure drop data. In terms of flow characteristics, we compared the case of the 'porous medium' when the membrane module was modeled as a porous medium with the case of the 'membrane module' when considering the original shape of the membrane module. The difference in pressure drop between the 'porous medium' and 'membrane module' was less than 0.6%. However, the maximum flow velocity and mean turbulent kinetic energy of the 'porous medium' were 2.5 and 95 times larger than those of the 'membrane module,' respectively. Our results indicate that modeling the hollow fiber module as a porous medium is useful for predicting pressure drop, but not sufficient for predicting the maximum flow velocity and mean turbulent kinetic energy.

Innate defense regulator peptide 1018 in wound healing and wound infection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lars Steinstraesser

Full Text Available Innate defense regulators (IDRs are synthetic immunomodulatory versions of natural host defense peptides (HDP. IDRs mediate protection against bacterial challenge in the absence of direct antimicrobial activity, representing a novel approach to anti-infective and anti-inflammatory therapy. Previously, we reported that IDR-1018 selectively induced chemokine responses and suppressed pro-inflammatory responses. As there has been an increasing appreciation for the ability of HDPs to modulate complex immune processes, including wound healing, we characterized the wound healing activities of IDR-1018 in vitro. Further, we investigated the efficacy of IDR-1018 in diabetic and non-diabetic wound healing models. In all experiments, IDR-1018 was compared to the human HDP LL-37 and HDP-derived wound healing peptide HB-107. IDR-1018 was significantly less cytotoxic in vitro as compared to either LL-37 or HB-107. Furthermore, administration of IDR-1018 resulted in a dose-dependent increase in fibroblast cellular respiration. In vivo, IDR-1018 demonstrated significantly accelerated wound healing in S. aureus infected porcine and non-diabetic but not in diabetic murine wounds. However, no significant differences in bacterial colonization were observed. Our investigation demonstrates that in addition to previously reported immunomodulatory activities IDR-1018 promotes wound healing independent of direct antibacterial activity. Interestingly, these effects were not observed in diabetic wounds. It is anticipated that the wound healing activities of IDR-1018 can be attributed to modulation of host immune pathways that are suppressed in diabetic wounds and provide further evidence of the multiple immunomodulatory activities of IDR-1018.

Design of wireless data transmission system for spiral CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Jue; Wang Fuquan; Liu Huaili

2010-01-01

A new wireless data transmission scheme based on UWB was proposed after studying the structure and character of spiral CT transmission system, the system was designed and validated. Using UWB device as wireless module to realize wireless data transmission. Using FPGA as main controller to meet the requirement of timing control for system module. Using two pieces of SDRAM in pingpang operation to realize large capacity storage mechanism. Using USB 2.0 interface to realize high-speed connection with UWB module. The results show that the transmission speed of the system arrival at 16.87 M bit ps within 3 meters, and the precision is 100%, it can be used for line-array spiral CT. (authors)

Impact of organic nutrient load on biomass accumulation, feed channel pressure drop increase and permeate flux decline in membrane systems

KAUST Repository

Bucs, Szilard

2014-12-01

The influence of organic nutrient load on biomass accumulation (biofouling) and pressure drop development in membrane filtration systems was investigated. Nutrient load is the product of nutrient concentration and linear flow velocity. Biofouling - excessive growth of microbial biomass in membrane systems - hampers membrane performance. The influence of biodegradable organic nutrient load on biofouling was investigated at varying (i) crossflow velocity, (ii) nutrient concentration, (iii) shear, and (iv) feed spacer thickness. Experimental studies were performed with membrane fouling simulators (MFSs) containing a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane and a 31 mil thick feed spacer, commonly applied in practice in RO and nanofiltration (NF) spiral-wound membrane modules. Numerical modeling studies were done with identical feed spacer geometry differing in thickness (28, 31 and 34 mil). Additionally, experiments were done applying a forward osmosis (FO) membrane with varying spacer thickness (28, 31 and 34 mil), addressing the permeate flux decline and biofilm development. Assessed were the development of feed channel pressure drop (MFS studies), permeate flux (FO studies) and accumulated biomass amount measured by adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and total organic carbon (TOC).Our studies showed that the organic nutrient load determined the accumulated amount of biomass. The same amount of accumulated biomass was found at constant nutrient load irrespective of linear flow velocity, shear, and/or feed spacer thickness. The impact of the same amount of accumulated biomass on feed channel pressure drop and permeate flux was influenced by membrane process design and operational conditions. Reducing the nutrient load by pretreatment slowed-down the biofilm formation. The impact of accumulated biomass on membrane performance was reduced by applying a lower crossflow velocity and/or a thicker and/or a modified geometry feed spacer. The results indicate that cleanings can be delayed

Dose reduction in spiral CT angiography of thoracic outlet syndrome by anatomically adapted tube current modulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mastora, I.; Remy-Jardin, M.; Remy, J.; Suess, C.; Scherf, C.; Guillot, J.P.

2001-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate dose reduction in spiral CT angiography of the thoracic outlet by on-line tube-current control. Prospectively, 114 patients undergoing spiral CT angiography of the subclavian artery for thoracic outlet arterial syndromes were evaluated with and without tube-current modulation at the same session (scanning parameters for the two successive angiograms, one in the neutral position and one after the postural maneuver): 140 kV; 206 mA; scan time 0.75 s; collimation 3 mm; pitch = (1). The dose reduction system was applied in the neutral position in the first 92 consecutive patients and after postural maneuver in the remaining 22 consecutive patients. Dose reduction and image quality were analyzed in the overall study group (group 1; n = 114). The influence of the arm position was assessed in 44 of the 114 patients (group 2), matched by the transverse diameter of the upper thorax. The mean dose reduction was 33 % in group 1 (range 22-40 %) and 34 % in group 2 (range 26-40 %). In group 2 the only difference in image quality was a significantly higher frequency of graininess on low-dose scans compared with reference scans whatever the patient's arm position, graded as minimal in 38 of the 44 patients (86 %). When the low-dose technique was applied after postural maneuver in group 2: (a) the mean dose reduction was significantly higher (35 vs 32 % in the neutral position; p = 0.006); (b) graininess was less frequent (82 vs 91 % in the neutral position); and (c) the percentage of graininess graded as minimal was significantly higher (83 vs 70 % in the neutral position; p = 0.2027). On-line tube-current modulation enables dose reduction on high-quality, diagnostic spiral CT angiograms of the thoracic outlet and should be applied during data acquisition in the neutral position and after postural maneuver for optimal use. (orig.)

Dose reduction in spiral CT angiography of thoracic outlet syndrome by anatomically adapted tube current modulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mastora, I.; Remy-Jardin, M.; Remy, J. [Dept. of Radiology, University Center Hospital Calmette, Lille (France); Medical Research Group, Lille (France); Suess, C.; Scherf, C. [Siemens Medical Systems, Forcheim (Germany); Guillot, J.P. [Dept. of Radiology, University Center Hospital Calmette, Lille (France)

2001-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate dose reduction in spiral CT angiography of the thoracic outlet by on-line tube-current control. Prospectively, 114 patients undergoing spiral CT angiography of the subclavian artery for thoracic outlet arterial syndromes were evaluated with and without tube-current modulation at the same session (scanning parameters for the two successive angiograms, one in the neutral position and one after the postural maneuver): 140 kV; 206 mA; scan time 0.75 s; collimation 3 mm; pitch = (1). The dose reduction system was applied in the neutral position in the first 92 consecutive patients and after postural maneuver in the remaining 22 consecutive patients. Dose reduction and image quality were analyzed in the overall study group (group 1; n = 114). The influence of the arm position was assessed in 44 of the 114 patients (group 2), matched by the transverse diameter of the upper thorax. The mean dose reduction was 33 % in group 1 (range 22-40 %) and 34 % in group 2 (range 26-40 %). In group 2 the only difference in image quality was a significantly higher frequency of graininess on low-dose scans compared with reference scans whatever the patient's arm position, graded as minimal in 38 of the 44 patients (86 %). When the low-dose technique was applied after postural maneuver in group 2: (a) the mean dose reduction was significantly higher (35 vs 32 % in the neutral position; p = 0.006); (b) graininess was less frequent (82 vs 91 % in the neutral position); and (c) the percentage of graininess graded as minimal was significantly higher (83 vs 70 % in the neutral position; p = 0.2027). On-line tube-current modulation enables dose reduction on high-quality, diagnostic spiral CT angiograms of the thoracic outlet and should be applied during data acquisition in the neutral position and after postural maneuver for optimal use. (orig.)

Performance Investigation of O-Ring Vacuum Membrane Distillation Module for Water Desalination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adnan Alhathal Alanezi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available A new O-ring flat sheet membrane module design was used to investigate the performance of Vacuum Membrane Distillation (VMD for water desalination using two commercial polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF flat sheet hydrophobic membranes. The design of the membrane module proved its applicability for achieving a high heat transfer coefficient of the order of 103 (W/m2 K and a high Reynolds number (Re. VMD experiments were conducted to measure the heat and mass transfer coefficients within the membrane module. The effects of the process parameters, such as the feed temperature, feed flow rate, vacuum degree, and feed concentration, on the permeate flux have been investigated. The feed temperature, feed flow rate, and vacuum degree play an important role in enhancing the performance of the VMD process; therefore, optimizing all of these parameters is the best way to achieve a high permeate flux. The PTFE membrane showed better performance than the PVDF membrane in VMD desalination. The obtained water flux is relatively high compared to that reported in the literature, reaching 43.8 and 52.6 (kg/m2 h for PVDF and PTFE, respectively. The salt rejection of NaCl was higher than 99% for both membranes.

A high-flux polyimide hollow fiber membrane to minimize footprint and energy penalty for CO2 recovery from flue gas

KAUST Repository

Lively, Ryan P.

2012-12-01

Using a process-guided approach, a new 6FDA-based polyimide - 6FDA-DAM:DABA(4:1) - has been developed in the form of hollow fiber membranes for CO 2 recovery from post-combustion flue gas streams. Dense film studies on this polymer reveal a CO 2 permeability of 224 Barrers at 40°C at a CO 2 feed pressure of 10psia. The dense films exhibit an ideal CO 2/N 2 permselectivity of 20 at 40°C, which permits their use in a two-step counter-flow/sweep membrane process. Dry-jet, wet-quench, non-solvent-induced phase inversion spinning was used to create defect-free hollow fibers from 6FDA-DAM:DABA(4:1). Membranes with defect-free skin layers, approximately 415nm thick, were obtained with a pure CO 2 permeance of 520GPU at 30°C and an ideal CO 2/N 2 permselectivity of 24. Mixed gas permeation and wet gas permeation are presented for the fibers. The CO 2 permeance in the fibers was reduced by approximately a factor of 2 in feeds with 80% humidity. As a proof-of-concept path forward to increase CO 2 flux, we incorporated microporous ZIF-8 fillers into 6FDA-DAM:DABA(4:1) dense films. Our 6FDA-DAM:DABA(4:1)/ZIF-8 dense film composites (20wt% ZIF-8) had a CO 2 permeability of 550 Barrers and a CO 2/N 2 selectivity of 19 at 35°C. Good adhesion between the ZIF and the 6FDA-DAM:DABA(4:1) matrix was observed. CO 2 capture costs of $27/ton of CO 2 using the current, "non-optimized" membrane are estimated using a custom counterflow membrane model. Hollow fiber membrane modules were estimated to have order-of-magnitude reductions in system footprint relative to spiral-wound modules, thereby making them attractive in current space-constrained coal-fired power stations. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Stationary spiral flow in polytropic stellar models

Science.gov (United States)

Pekeris, C. L.

1980-01-01

It is shown that, in addition to the static Emden solution, a self-gravitating polytropic gas has a dynamic option in which there is stationary flow along spiral trajectories wound around the surfaces of concentric tori. The motion is obtained as a solution of a partial differential equation which is satisfied by the meridional stream function, coupled with Poisson's equation and a Bernoulli-type equation for the pressure (density). The pressure is affected by the whole of the Bernoulli term rather than by the centrifugal part only, which acts for a rotating model, and it may be reduced down to zero at the center. The spiral type of flow is illustrated for an incompressible fluid (n = 0), for which an exact solution is obtained. The features of the dynamic constant-density model are discussed as a basis for future comparison with the solution for compressible models. PMID:16592825

Food industrial wastewater reuse by membrane bio-reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patthanant Natpinit

2007-11-01

Full Text Available The objective of this investigation was to study the possibility and performance of treating food industrial wastewater by Membrane BioReactor (MBR. In addition, the effluent of MBR was treated by Reverse Osmosis system (RO to reuse in boiler or cooling tower. The membranes of hollow fiber type were filled in the aerobic tank with aerobe bacteria. The total area of membrane 6 units was 630 m2 so the flux of the operation was 0.25 m/d or 150 m3/d. The spiral wound RO was operated at 100 m3/d of influent and received 72 m3/d of permeate. The sludge volume (MLSS of MBR was maintained at 8,000-10,000 mg/l. The average COD and SS of MBR influent were 600 mg/l and 300 mg/l respectively. After treating by MBR, COD and SS of effluent were maintained at less than 100 mg/l and less than 10 mg/l respectively. In the same way, COD and SS of RO permeate were less than 10 mg/l and less than 5 mg/l respectively.

Transient response simulation of gas separation membrane module for an atmosphere detritiation system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugiyama, Takahiko; Tanaka, Masahiro; Munakata, Kenzo; Yamamoto, Ichiro

2012-01-01

Transient response of a gas separation membrane module for the atmosphere detritiation system was numerically simulated with a mass transfer model. The module contains thousands of hollow fiber type polyimide membranes. The simulation model took into account permeation of water vapor through the dense layer of the membrane, diffusive transfer through the porous support layer and adsorption/desorption of water vapor into the matrix of the porous layer. The slow responses of the water vapor concentration in the retentate and the permeation rate were well reproduced by the present simulation, and transient changes in a follow fiber membrane were investigated in detail. The inventory and the mean residence time of water vapor at 303 K were estimated for the commercial membrane module (UMS-B2, Ube industries, Ltd.) as 5.7 × 10 −3 mol and 380 s, respectively.

Organizing membrane-curving proteins: the emerging dynamical picture.

Science.gov (United States)

Simunovic, Mijo; Bassereau, Patricia; Voth, Gregory A

2018-03-30

Lipid membranes play key roles in cells, such as in trafficking, division, infection, remodeling of organelles, among others. The key step in all these processes is creating membrane curvature, typically under the control of many anchored, adhered or included proteins. However, it has become clear that the membrane itself can mediate the interactions among proteins to produce highly ordered assemblies. Computer simulations are ideally suited to investigate protein organization and the dynamics of membrane remodeling at near-micron scales, something that is extremely challenging to tackle experimentally. We review recent computational efforts in modeling protein-caused membrane deformation mechanisms, specifically focusing on coarse-grained simulations. We highlight work that exposed the membrane-mediated ordering of proteins into lines, meshwork, spirals and other assemblies, in what seems to be a very generic mechanism driven by a combination of short and long-ranged forces. Modulating the mechanical properties of membranes is an underexplored signaling mechanism in various processes deserving of more attention in the near future. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

RETENTION OF HUMIC ACID FROM WATER BY NANOFILTRATION MEMBRANE AND INFLUENCE OF SOLUTION CHEMISTRY ON MEMBRANE PERFORMANCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. A. Zazouli, S. Nasseri, A. H. Mahvi, M. Gholami, A. R. Mesdaghinia, M. Younesian

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The objectives of this research were to investigate the rejection efficiency of salt and hydrophobic fraction of natural organic matter, to study the flux decline behavior with a spiral wound nanofiltration membrane, and also to survey the influence of water chemistry on membrane performance. Experiments were conducted using a cross flow pilot-scale membrane unit with a full circulation mode. Humic acid was used as hydrophobic organic matter and NaCl as background electrolyte. Results showed that flux reduction increased with increasing ionic strength and humic acid concentration, and with lower pH. The rejection efficiency of organic and salt decreased with the decrease in pH and increase in ionic strength, because of osmotic pressure increase, leading to permeate flux decline and decrease in salt rejection. In addition, the improved salt rejection was likely due to Donnan exclusion by humic material close to membrane surfaces. The average rejection efficiency of humic acid and salt ranged between 91.2%-95.25% and 63.6%-80%, respectively. Dissolved organic carbon concentration was less than 0.57mg/L in permeate for all experiments. With increasing organic concentration, the charge of the membrane surface has become more negative due to the adsorption of organic foulants on the membrane surface, and thus increased the electrostatic repulsion. However, the increasing surface charge had the potential to result in a larger molecular weight cut-off of a fouled membrane due to membrane swelling which can lead to lower rejection solutes. Therefore, results of this study indicated that membrane fouling may significantly affect the rejection of organic and ion solute.

Polymeric membranes modulate human keratinocyte differentiation in specific epidermal layers.

Science.gov (United States)

Salerno, Simona; Morelli, Sabrina; Giordano, Francesca; Gordano, Amalia; Bartolo, Loredana De

2016-10-01

In vitro models of human bioengineered skin substitutes are an alternative to animal experimentation for testing the effects and toxicity of drugs, cosmetics and pollutants. For the first time specific and distinct human epidermal strata were engineered by using membranes and keratinocytes. To this purpose, biodegradable membranes of chitosan (CHT), polycaprolactone (PCL) and a polymeric blend of CHT-PCL were prepared by phase-inversion technique and characterized in order to evaluate their morphological, physico-chemical and mechanical properties. The capability of membranes to modulate keratinocyte differentiation inducing specific interactions in epidermal membrane systems was investigated. The overall results demonstrated that the membrane properties strongly influence the cell morpho-functional behaviour of human keratinocytes, modulating their terminal differentiation, with the creation of specific epidermal strata or a fully proliferative epidermal multilayer system. In particular, human keratinocytes adhered on CHT and CHT-PCL membranes, forming the structure of the epidermal top layers, such as the corneum and granulosum strata, characterized by withdrawal or reduction from the cell cycle and cell proliferation. On the PCL membrane, keratinocytes developed an epidermal basal lamina, with high proliferating cells that stratified and migrated over time to form a complete differentiating epidermal multilayer system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hydroxyethyl cellulose hydrogel for wound dressing: Fabrication, characterization and in vitro evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

El Fawal, Gomaa F; Abu-Serie, Marwa M; Hassan, Mohamed A; Elnouby, Mohamed S

2018-05-01

In this study, new hydrogel membranes were developed based on hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) supplemented with tungsten oxide for further implementing in wound treatment. HEC hydrogel membranes were fabricated and crosslinked using citric acid (CA). Various tests were carried out including FTIR, XRD, porosity measurements, swelling, mechanical properties, gel fraction, and thermal gravimetric analysis to evaluate the efficiency of the prepared membranes as wound dressing material. In addition, wound healing activity of the examined membranes for human dermal fibroblast cell line was investigated employing in vitro scratching model. Furthermore, the potency of the prepared membranes to suppress wound complications was studied via determination of their anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities exploiting MTT, ELISA, and disk agar diffusion methods. The results demonstrated that the HEC hydrogel membranes revealed an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial efficacy. Moreover, HEC improved the safety of tungsten oxide toward normal human cells (white blood cells and dermal fibroblast). Furthermore, HEC membranes loaded with WO 3 revealed the highest activities against Salmonella sp. pursued by P. aeruginosa in compared with the negative HEC hydrogel membrane. The current approach corroborated that HEC amended by tungsten oxide could be applied as a promising safe candidate for wound dressing material. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of Hydrogen Separation Module with Structured Catalyst for Use in Membrane Reformer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isamu Yasuda; Tatsuya Tsuneki; Yoshinori Shirasaki; Toru Shimamori; Hidekazu Shigaki; Hiroyuki Tanaka

2006-01-01

A new type of hydrogen separation module for use in a membrane reformer was proposed and developed. The new module, what we call MOC (Membrane On Catalyst), was designed to have a membrane of palladium-based alloy prepared on the surface of the tubular structured catalyst that has catalytic activity for steam reforming reaction, thermal expansion matching with the membrane material, proper porosity, mechanical strength and thermal conductivity. The best composition of the structured catalyst was identified in the composites of metallic Ni and YSZ (Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia). A hydrogen separation module was manufactured by electroless plating of Pd with thickness of 7 to 15 microns on the surface of porous sintered tube of Ni-YSZ with an approximate size of 9 mm in diameter and 100 mm in length. The hydrogen permeability measurements have shown hydrogen flux of 25 to 35 cc/min at 550 to 600 C, which is higher than the permeability of the conventional modules using rolled Pd film. (authors)

Nonplanar spiral states of the t-J model with classical spins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamada, M.; Shimahara, H.; Mori, H.

1995-01-01

The spiral state in the two-dimensional t-J model is studied by numerical diagonalization of an effective Hamiltonian. We examine all possibilities of the spiral spin states including the nonplanar states. It is found that nonplanar spiral states occur, but the deviations from the planar spiral state in the nonplanar spiral states are small for small hole concentrations where our effective Hamiltonian is valid. The modulation of the spin configuration increases continuously from the antiferromagnetic order as the hole concentration increases, and discontinuously changes at a critical hole concentration. Then the state undergoes the first-order phase transition either to the (π,0) phase or to the ferromagnetic phase, depending on the value of J/t

Development and testing of a transparent membrane biofouling monitor

KAUST Repository

Dreszer, C.; Flemming, Hans Curt; Wexler, Adam D.; Zwijnenburg, Arie; Kruithof, Joop C.; Vrouwenvelder, Johannes S.

2014-01-01

A modified version of the membrane fouling simulator (MFS) was developed for assessment of (i) hydraulic biofilm resistance, (ii) performance parameters feed-channel pressure drop and transmembrane pressure drop, and (iii) in situ spatial visual and optical observations of the biofilm in the transparent monitor, e.g. using optical coherence tomography. The flow channel height equals the feed spacer thickness enabling operation with and without feed spacer. The effective membrane surface area was enlarged from 80 to 200 cm2 by increasing the monitor width compared to the standard MFS, resulting in larger biomass amounts for analysis. By use of a microfiltration membrane (pore size 0.05 μm) in the monitor salt concentration polarization is avoided, allowing operation at low pressures enabling accurate measurement of the intrinsic hydraulic biofilm resistance. Validation tests on e.g. hydrodynamic behavior, flow field distribution, and reproducibility showed that the small-sized monitor was a representative tool for membranes used in practice under the same operating conditions, such as spiral-wound nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes. Monitor studies with and without feed spacer use at a flux of 20 L m-2 h-1 and a cross-flow velocity of 0.1 m s-1 clearly showed the suitability of the monitor to determine hydraulic biofilm resistance and for controlled biofouling studies. © 2013 Balaban Desalination Publications. All rights reserved.

Development and testing of a transparent membrane biofouling monitor

KAUST Repository

Dreszer, C.

2014-01-02

A modified version of the membrane fouling simulator (MFS) was developed for assessment of (i) hydraulic biofilm resistance, (ii) performance parameters feed-channel pressure drop and transmembrane pressure drop, and (iii) in situ spatial visual and optical observations of the biofilm in the transparent monitor, e.g. using optical coherence tomography. The flow channel height equals the feed spacer thickness enabling operation with and without feed spacer. The effective membrane surface area was enlarged from 80 to 200 cm2 by increasing the monitor width compared to the standard MFS, resulting in larger biomass amounts for analysis. By use of a microfiltration membrane (pore size 0.05 μm) in the monitor salt concentration polarization is avoided, allowing operation at low pressures enabling accurate measurement of the intrinsic hydraulic biofilm resistance. Validation tests on e.g. hydrodynamic behavior, flow field distribution, and reproducibility showed that the small-sized monitor was a representative tool for membranes used in practice under the same operating conditions, such as spiral-wound nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes. Monitor studies with and without feed spacer use at a flux of 20 L m-2 h-1 and a cross-flow velocity of 0.1 m s-1 clearly showed the suitability of the monitor to determine hydraulic biofilm resistance and for controlled biofouling studies. © 2013 Balaban Desalination Publications. All rights reserved.

Efficient synthesis of tension modulation in strings and membranes based on energy estimation.

Science.gov (United States)

Avanzini, Federico; Marogna, Riccardo; Bank, Balázs

2012-01-01

String and membrane vibrations cannot be considered as linear above a certain amplitude due to the variation in string or membrane tension. A relevant special case is when the tension is spatially constant and varies in time only in dependence of the overall string length or membrane surface. The most apparent perceptual effect of this tension modulation phenomenon is the exponential decay of pitch in time. Pitch glides due to tension modulation are an important timbral characteristic of several musical instruments, including the electric guitar and tom-tom drum, and many ethnic instruments. This paper presents a unified formulation to the tension modulation problem for one-dimensional (1-D) (string) and two-dimensional (2-D) (membrane) cases. In addition, it shows that the short-time average of the tension variation, which is responsible for pitch glides, is approximately proportional to the system energy. This proportionality allows the efficient physics-based sound synthesis of pitch glides. The proposed models require only slightly more computational resources than linear models as opposed to earlier tension-modulated models of higher complexity. © 2012 Acoustical Society of America.

In-situ Non-destructive Studies on Biofouling Processes in Reverse Osmosis Membrane Systems

KAUST Repository

Farhat, Nadia

2016-12-01

Reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membrane systems are high-pressure membrane filtration processes that can produce high quality drinking water. Biofouling, biofilm formation that exceeds a certain threshold, is a major problem in spiral wound RO and NF membrane systems resulting in a decline in membrane performance, produced water quality, and quantity. In practice, detection of biofouling is typically done indirectly through measurements of performance decline. Existing direct biofouling detection methods are mainly destructive, such as membrane autopsies, where biofilm samples can be contaminated, damaged and resulting in biofilm structural changes. The objective of this study was to test whether transparent luminescent planar oxygen sensing optodes, in combination with a simple imaging system, can be used for in-situ, non-destructive biofouling characterization. Aspects of the study were early detection of biofouling, biofilm spatial patterning in spacer filled channels, and the effect of feed cross-flow velocity, and feed flow temperature. Oxygen sensing optode imaging was found suitable for studying biofilm processes and gave detailed spatial and quantitative biofilm development information enabling better understanding of the biofouling development process. The outcome of this study attests the importance of in-situ, non-destructive imaging in acquiring detailed knowledge on biofilm development in membrane systems contributing to the development of effective biofouling control strategies.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of actin remodeling and endomembrane trafficking in alveolar epithelial type I cell wound healing.

Science.gov (United States)

Godin, Lindsay M; Vergen, Jorge; Prakash, Y S; Pagano, Richard E; Hubmayr, Rolf D

2011-04-01

Alveolar epithelial type I cell (ATI) wounding is prevalent in ventilator-injured lungs and likely contributes to pathogenesis of "barotrauma" and "biotrauma." In experimental models most wounded alveolar cells repair plasma membrane (PM) defects and survive insults. Considering the force balance between edge energy at the PM wound margins and adhesive interactions of the lipid bilayer with the underlying cytoskeleton (CSK), we tested the hypothesis that subcortical actin depolymerization is a key facilitator of PM repair. Using real-time fluorescence imaging of primary rat ATI transfected with a live cell actin-green fluorescent protein construct (Lifeact-GFP) and loaded with N-rhodamine phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), we examined the spatial and temporal coordination between cytoskeletal remodeling and PM repair following micropuncture. Membrane integrity was inferred from the fluorescence intensity profiles of the cytosolic label calcein AM. Wounding led to rapid depolymerization of the actin CSK near the wound site, concurrent with accumulation of endomembrane-derived N-rhodamine PE. Both responses were sustained until PM integrity was reestablished, which typically occurs between ∼10 and 40 s after micropuncture. Only thereafter did the actin CSK near the wound begin to repolymerize, while the rate of endomembrane lipid accumulation decreased. Between 60 and 90 s after successful PM repair, after translocation of the actin nucleation factor cortactin, a dense actin fiber network formed. In cells that did not survive micropuncture injury, actin remodeling did not occur. These novel results highlight the importance of actin remodeling in ATI cell repair and suggest molecular targets for modulating the repair process.

A SQUID gradiometer module with wire-wound pickup antenna and integrated voltage feedback circuit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang Guofeng [State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology (SIMIT), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200050 (China); Peter Gruenberg Institute (PGI-8), Forschungszentrum Juelich (FZJ), D-52425 Juelich (Germany); Joint Research Laboratory on Superconductivity and Bioelectronics, Collaboration between CAS-Shanghai and FZJ, Shanghai 200050 (China); Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Zhang, Yi, E-mail: y.zhang@fz-juelich.de [Peter Gruenberg Institute (PGI-8), Forschungszentrum Juelich (FZJ), D-52425 Juelich (Germany); Joint Research Laboratory on Superconductivity and Bioelectronics, Collaboration between CAS-Shanghai and FZJ, Shanghai 200050 (China); Zhang Shulin [State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology (SIMIT), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200050 (China); Joint Research Laboratory on Superconductivity and Bioelectronics, Collaboration between CAS-Shanghai and FZJ, Shanghai 200050 (China); Krause, Hans-Joachim [Peter Gruenberg Institute (PGI-8), Forschungszentrum Juelich (FZJ), D-52425 Juelich (Germany); Joint Research Laboratory on Superconductivity and Bioelectronics, Collaboration between CAS-Shanghai and FZJ, Shanghai 200050 (China); and others

2012-10-15

The performance of the direct readout schemes for dc SQUID, Additional Positive Feedback (APF), noise cancellation (NC) and SQUID bootstrap circuit (SBC), have been studied in conjunction with planar SQUID magnetometers. In this paper, we examine the NC technique applied to a niobium SQUID gradiometer module with an Nb wire-wound antenna connecting to a dual-loop SQUID chip with an integrated voltage feedback circuit for suppression of the preamplifier noise contribution. The sensitivity of the SQUID gradiometer module is measured to be about 1 fT/(cm {radical}Hz) in the white noise range in a magnetically shielded room. Using such gradiometer, both MCG and MEG signals are recorded.

Jasmonic acid/methyl jasmonate accumulate in wounded soybean hypocotyls and modulate wound gene expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Creelman, R A; Tierney, M L; Mullet, J E

1992-06-01

Jasmonic acid (JA) and its methyl ester, methyl jasmonate (MeJA), are plant lipid derivatives that resemble mammalian eicosanoids in structure and biosynthesis. These compounds are proposed to play a role in plant wound and pathogen responses. Here we report the quantitative determination of JA/MeJA in planta by a procedure based on the use of [13C,2H3]MeJA as an internal standard. Wounded soybean (Glycine max [L] Merr. cv. Williams) stems rapidly accumulated MeJA and JA. Addition of MeJA to soybean suspension cultures also increased mRNA levels for three wound-responsive genes (chalcone synthase, vegetative storage protein, and proline-rich cell wall protein) suggesting a role for MeJA/JA in the mediation of several changes in gene expression associated with the plants' response to wounding.

Membrane Cholesterol Modulates Superwarfarin Toxicity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marangoni, M. Natalia; Martynowycz, Michael W.; Kuzmenko, Ivan; Braun, David; Polak, Paul E.; Weinberg, Guy; Rubinstein, Israel; Gidalevitz, David; Feinstein, Douglas L.

2016-04-26

Superwarfarins are modified analogs of warfarin with additional lipophilic aromatic rings, up to 100-fold greater potency, and longer biological half-lives. We hypothesized that increased hydrophobicity allowed interactions with amphiphilic membranes and modulation of biological responses. We find that superwarfarins brodifacoum and difenacoum increase lactate production and cell death in neuroblastoma cells. In contrast, neither causes changes in glioma cells that have higher cholesterol content. After choleterol depletion, lactate production was increased and cell viability was reduced. Drug-membrane interactions were examined by surface X-ray scattering using Langmuir monolayers of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine and/or cholesterol. Specular X-ray reflectivity data revealed that superwarfarins, but not warfarin, intercalate between dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine molecules, whereas grazing incidence X-ray diffraction demonstrated changes in lateral crystalline order of the film. Neither agent showed significant interactions with monolayers containing >20% cholesterol. These findings demonstrate an affinity of superwarfarins to biomembranes and suggest that cellular responses to these agents are regulated by cholesterol content.

Effects of genistein on early-stage cutaneous wound healing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Eunkyo [Department of Home Economics Education, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Seung Min [Research Institute of Health Sciences, Korea University, Seoul 136-701 (Korea, Republic of); Jung, In-Kyung [Department of Home Economics Education, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756 (Korea, Republic of); Lim, Yunsook [Department of Foods and Nutrition, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jung-Hyun, E-mail: jjhkim@cau.ac.kr [Department of Home Economics Education, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756 (Korea, Republic of)

2011-07-08

Highlights: {yields} We examine the effect of genistein on cutaneous wound healing. {yields} Genistein enhanced wound closure during the early stage of wound healing. {yields} These genistein effects on wound closure were induced by reduction of oxidative stress through increasing antioxidant capacity and modulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. -- Abstract: Wound healing occurs in three sequential phases: hemostasis and inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Inflammation, the earliest phase, is considered a critical period for wound healing because immune cells remove damaged tissues, foreign debris, and remaining dead tissue. Wound healing would be delayed without inflammation, and this phase is affected by antioxidation capacity. Therefore, we hypothesized that genistein, which has an antioxidant effect, might modulate the wound healing process by altering the inflammatory response. After three days of acclimation, mice were divided into three groups: control, 0.025% genistein, and 0.1% genistein. After two weeks of an experimental diet, skin wounds were induced. Wounded skin areas were imaged, and the healing rate calculated. To measure lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzyme expression and activity, and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, skin and liver tissues were harvested at 12, 24, 48, and 72 h. Genistein did not affect body weight. The rate of wound closure in mice fed genistein was significantly faster than in the control group during the early stage of wound healing, especially in first three days. Cu, Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD expression in wound skin tissue in the 0.1% genistein group was lower than in the control group. However, CAT expression did not differ among groups. We also found that genistein modulated NF-{kappa}B and TNF-{alpha} expression during the early stage of wound healing. The genistein group had significantly lower hepatic lipid peroxidation and higher SOD, CAT, and GPx activities than the control group. These results

Ion transport membrane module and vessel system with directed internal gas flow

Science.gov (United States)

Holmes, Michael Jerome; Ohrn, Theodore R.; Chen, Christopher Ming-Poh

2010-02-09

An ion transport membrane system comprising (a) a pressure vessel having an interior, an inlet adapted to introduce gas into the interior of the vessel, an outlet adapted to withdraw gas from the interior of the vessel, and an axis; (b) a plurality of planar ion transport membrane modules disposed in the interior of the pressure vessel and arranged in series, each membrane module comprising mixed metal oxide ceramic material and having an interior region and an exterior region; and (c) one or more gas flow control partitions disposed in the interior of the pressure vessel and adapted to change a direction of gas flow within the vessel.

Grafting with Cryopreserved Amniotic Membrane versus Conservative Wound Care in Treatment of Pressure Ulcers: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Dehghani, Mehdi; Azarpira, Negar; Mohammad Karimi, Vahid; Mossayebi, Hamid; Esfandiari, Elaheh

2017-10-01

To compare the healing process of pressure ulcers treated with cryopreserved human amniotic membrane allograft and routine pressure ulcer care in our hospital. From January 2012 to December 2013, in a prospective randomized clinical trial (IRCT201612041335N2), 24 patients with second and third stage of pressure ulcers were enrolled in this study. All patients needed split-thickness skin grafts for pressure ulcer-wound coverage. Selected patients had symmetric ulcers on both upper and lower extremities. The patients were randomly divided into two groups: amnion and control. In the amnion group, the ulcer was covered with cryopreserved amniotic membrane and in the control group it was treated with local Dilantin powder application. The duration and success rate of complete healing was compared between the two groups. The study group was composed of 24 pressure ulcers in 24 patients (19 males and 5 females) with a mean age of 44±12.70 years. The demographic characteristics, ulcer area, and underlying diseases were similar in both groups. The early sign of response, such as decrease in wound discharge, was detected 12-14 days after biological dressing. Complete pressure ulcer healing occurred only in the amnion group ( p pressure ulcers.

SpArcFiRe: morphological selection effects due to reduced visibility of tightly winding arms in distant spiral galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Tianrui Rae; Edward English, John; Silva, Pedro; Davis, Darren R.; Hayes, Wayne B.

2018-03-01

The Galaxy Zoo project has provided a plethora of valuable morphological data on a large number of galaxies from various surveys, and their team have identified and/or corrected for many biases. Here we study a new bias related to spiral arm pitch angles, which first requires selecting a sample of spiral galaxies that show observable structure. One obvious way is to select galaxies using a threshold in spirality, which we define as the fraction of Galaxy Zoo humans who have reported seeing spiral structure. Using such a threshold, we use the automated tool SpArcFiRe (SPiral ARC FInder and REporter) to measure spiral arm pitch angles. We observe that the mean pitch angle of spiral arms increases linearly with redshift for 0.05 data to provide a spirality for each artificially degraded image. We find that SpARcFiRe's ability to accurately measure pitch angles decreases as the image degrades, but that spirality decreases more quickly in galaxies with tightly wound arms, leading to the selection effect. This new bias means one must be careful in selecting a sample on which to measure spiral structure. Finally, we also include a sensitivity analysis of SpArcFiRe's internal parameters.

Nonlinear Model of Tape Wound Core Transformers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Vahedi

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Recently, tape wound cores due to their excellent magnetic properties, are widely used in different types of transformers. Performance prediction of these transformers needs an accurate model with ability to determine flux distribution within the core and magnetic loss. Spiral structure of tape wound cores affects the flux distribution and always cause complication of analysis. In this paper, a model based on reluctance networks method is presented for analysis of magnetic flux in wound cores. Using this model, distribution of longitudinal and transverse fluxes within the core can be determined. To consider the nonlinearity of the core, a dynamic hysteresis model is included in the presented model. Having flux density in different points of the core, magnetic losses can be calculated. To evaluate the validity of the model, results are compared with 2-D FEM simulations. In addition, a transformer designed for series-resonant converter and simulation results are compared with experimental measurements. Comparisons show accuracy of the model besides simplicity and fast convergence

Molecular gas and star formation in the centers of Virgo spirals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Canzian, B.

1990-01-01

The CO and H alpha flux distributions for a sample of Virgo spirals were mapped out in an attempt to understand the coupling between gas dynamics and star formation in spiral galaxies. A broad range of morphological types were observed (types Sab through Scd) under the hypothesis that the gas dynamics is most influential in determining the overall appearance of a spiral galaxy. Only non-barred spirals were considered so that the well-studied but complicated properties of bars and their role in inducing star formation would not be a factor. All galaxies were chosen from the Virgo cluster to eliminate uncertainties due to distance errors. Since the dynamical seat of a spiral is at its center, it was expected that the dynamics of the central region would influence global properties of the rest of the disk. This could happen through the existence or absence of an inner Lindblad resonance (according to the degree of central concentration of mass) to modulate swing amplification of spiral waves, or the persistence of an oval distortion to initiate an instability which leads to spiral structure

Simulation study of transfer characteristics for spacer-filled membrane distillation desalination modules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Hsuan; Hsu, Jian-An; Chang, Cheng-Liang; Ho, Chii-Dong; Cheng, Tung-Wen

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A 3D CFD model takes in transmembrane heat and mass transfer developed. • DCMD modules using spacer-filled and empty channels for desalination simulated. • Fluid flow, heat transfer and mass transfer profiles revealed. • Correlations of friction factor and Nusselt number developed. - Abstract: Membrane distillation (MD) is an emerging and promising membrane separation process, which can directly utilize renewable thermal energy or low-grade waste heat, for applications in water or wastewater treatment and food industry. However, a major drawback of MD process is its low energy efficiency. Spacer is the most suggested and studied eddy promoter to enhance the heat and mass transfer, which further improves both the separation and the energy utilization performance, of MD processes. This paper presents the results of a 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of DCMD (direct contact membrane distillation) modules using channels with and without spacers for desalination application. The model employs permeable wall boundary condition to take into account the transmembrane heat and mass transfer and simulates the entire module length. The simulation reveals similar fluctuating distributions of temperature polarization coefficient, transmembrane heat and mass fluxes as well as the shear stress on the membrane surface along the entire module length. Correlations have been developed for friction factor and average Nusselt number. These correlations are useful for the analysis and design of DCMD modules. The extent of heat transfer enhancement by spacers depends on the geometry of spacers and the Reynolds number of fluid.

Annexin A4 and A6 induce membrane curvature and constriction during cell membrane repair

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boye, Theresa Louise; Maeda, Kenji; Pezeshkian, Weria

2017-01-01

Efficient cell membrane repair mechanisms are essential for maintaining membrane integrity and thus for cell life. Here we show that the Ca2+- and phospholipid-binding proteins annexin A4 and A6 are involved in plasma membrane repair and needed for rapid closure of micron-size holes. We demonstrate...... that annexin A4 binds to artificial membranes and generates curvature force initiated from free edges, whereas annexin A6 induces constriction force. In cells, plasma membrane injury and Ca2+ influx recruit annexin A4 to the vicinity of membrane wound edges where its homo-trimerization leads to membrane...... that induction of curvature force around wound edges is an early key event in cell membrane repair....

Coating of reverse osmosis membranes with amphiphilic copolymers for biofouling control

KAUST Repository

Bucs, Szilard

2017-05-30

Surface coating of membranes may be a promising option to control biofilm development and biofouling impact on membrane performance of spiral-wound reverse osmosis (RO) systems. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of an amphiphilic copolymer coating on biofilm formation and biofouling control. The coating was composed of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic monomers hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and perfluorodecyl acrylate (PFA), respectively. Commercial RO membranes were coated with HEMA-PFA copolymer film. Long and short term biofouling studies with coated and uncoated membranes and feed spacer were performed using membrane fouling simulators (MFSs) operated in parallel, fed with water containing nutrients. For the long-term studies pressure drop development in time was monitored and after eight days the MFSs were opened and the accumulated biofilm on the membrane and spacer sheets was quantified and characterized. The presence of the membrane coating was determined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Results showed that the amphiphilic coating (i) delayed biofouling (a lower pressure drop increase by a factor of 3 and a lower accumulated active biomass amount by a factor of 6), (ii) influenced the biofilm composition (23% lower polysaccharides and 132% higher protein content) and (iii) was still completely present on the membrane at the end of the biofouling study, showing that the coating was strongly attached to the membrane surface. Using coated membranes and feed spacers in combination with advanced cleaning strategies may be a suitable way to control biofouling.

Coating of reverse osmosis membranes with amphiphilic copolymers for biofouling control

KAUST Repository

Bucs, Szilard; Valladares Linares, Rodrigo; Siddiqui, Amber; Matin, Asif; Khan, Zafarullah; van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M.; Yang, Rong; Wang, Minghui; Gleason, Karen K.; Kruithof, Joop C.; Vrouwenvelder, Johannes S.

2017-01-01

Surface coating of membranes may be a promising option to control biofilm development and biofouling impact on membrane performance of spiral-wound reverse osmosis (RO) systems. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of an amphiphilic copolymer coating on biofilm formation and biofouling control. The coating was composed of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic monomers hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and perfluorodecyl acrylate (PFA), respectively. Commercial RO membranes were coated with HEMA-PFA copolymer film. Long and short term biofouling studies with coated and uncoated membranes and feed spacer were performed using membrane fouling simulators (MFSs) operated in parallel, fed with water containing nutrients. For the long-term studies pressure drop development in time was monitored and after eight days the MFSs were opened and the accumulated biofilm on the membrane and spacer sheets was quantified and characterized. The presence of the membrane coating was determined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Results showed that the amphiphilic coating (i) delayed biofouling (a lower pressure drop increase by a factor of 3 and a lower accumulated active biomass amount by a factor of 6), (ii) influenced the biofilm composition (23% lower polysaccharides and 132% higher protein content) and (iii) was still completely present on the membrane at the end of the biofouling study, showing that the coating was strongly attached to the membrane surface. Using coated membranes and feed spacers in combination with advanced cleaning strategies may be a suitable way to control biofouling.

Membrane proteins bind lipids selectively to modulate their structure and function.

Science.gov (United States)

Laganowsky, Arthur; Reading, Eamonn; Allison, Timothy M; Ulmschneider, Martin B; Degiacomi, Matteo T; Baldwin, Andrew J; Robinson, Carol V

2014-06-05

Previous studies have established that the folding, structure and function of membrane proteins are influenced by their lipid environments and that lipids can bind to specific sites, for example, in potassium channels. Fundamental questions remain however regarding the extent of membrane protein selectivity towards lipids. Here we report a mass spectrometry approach designed to determine the selectivity of lipid binding to membrane protein complexes. We investigate the mechanosensitive channel of large conductance (MscL) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and aquaporin Z (AqpZ) and the ammonia channel (AmtB) from Escherichia coli, using ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS), which reports gas-phase collision cross-sections. We demonstrate that folded conformations of membrane protein complexes can exist in the gas phase. By resolving lipid-bound states, we then rank bound lipids on the basis of their ability to resist gas phase unfolding and thereby stabilize membrane protein structure. Lipids bind non-selectively and with high avidity to MscL, all imparting comparable stability; however, the highest-ranking lipid is phosphatidylinositol phosphate, in line with its proposed functional role in mechanosensation. AqpZ is also stabilized by many lipids, with cardiolipin imparting the most significant resistance to unfolding. Subsequently, through functional assays we show that cardiolipin modulates AqpZ function. Similar experiments identify AmtB as being highly selective for phosphatidylglycerol, prompting us to obtain an X-ray structure in this lipid membrane-like environment. The 2.3 Å resolution structure, when compared with others obtained without lipid bound, reveals distinct conformational changes that re-position AmtB residues to interact with the lipid bilayer. Our results demonstrate that resistance to unfolding correlates with specific lipid-binding events, enabling a distinction to be made between lipids that merely bind from those that modulate membrane

Komodo dragon-inspired synthetic peptide DRGN-1 promotes wound-healing of a mixed-biofilm infected wound.

Science.gov (United States)

M C Chung, Ezra; Dean, Scott N; Propst, Crystal N; Bishop, Barney M; van Hoek, Monique L

2017-01-01

Cationic antimicrobial peptides are multifunctional molecules that have a high potential as therapeutic agents. We have identified a histone H1-derived peptide from the Komodo dragon ( Varanus komodoensis) , called VK25. Using this peptide as inspiration, we designed a synthetic peptide called DRGN-1. We evaluated the antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity of both peptides against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus . DRGN-1, more than VK25, exhibited potent antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity, and permeabilized bacterial membranes. Wound healing was significantly enhanced by DRGN-1 in both uninfected and mixed biofilm ( Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus )-infected murine wounds. In a scratch wound closure assay used to elucidate the wound healing mechanism, the peptide promoted the migration of HEKa keratinocyte cells, which was inhibited by mitomycin C (proliferation inhibitor) and AG1478 (epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor). DRGN-1 also activated the EGFR-STAT1/3 pathway. Thus, DRGN-1 is a candidate for use as a topical wound treatment. Wound infections are a major concern; made increasingly complicated by the emerging, rapid spread of bacterial resistance. The novel synthetic peptide DRGN-1 (inspired by a peptide identified from Komodo dragon) exhibits pathogen-directed and host-directed activities in promoting the clearance and healing of polymicrobial ( Pseudomonas aeruginosa & Staphylococcus aureus ) biofilm infected wounds. The effectiveness of this peptide cannot be attributed solely to its ability to act upon the bacteria and disrupt the biofilm, but also reflects the peptide's ability to promsote keratinocyte migration. When applied in a murine model, infected wounds treated with DRGN-1 healed significantly faster than did untreated wounds, or wounds treated with other peptides. The host-directed mechanism of action was determined to be via the EGFR-STAT1/3 pathway. The pathogen-directed mechanism of action was

Novel Membranes and Processes for Oxygen Enrichment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Haiqing

2011-11-15

The overall goal of this project is to develop a membrane process that produces air containing 25-35% oxygen, at a cost of $25-40/ton of equivalent pure oxygen (EPO2). Oxygen-enriched air at such a low cost will allow existing air-fueled furnaces to be converted economically to oxygen-enriched furnaces, which in turn will improve the economic and energy efficiency of combustion processes significantly, and reduce the cost of CO{sub 2} capture and sequestration from flue gases throughout the U.S. manufacturing industries. During the 12-month Concept Definition project: We identified a series of perfluoropolymers (PFPs) with promising oxygen/nitrogen separation properties, which were successfully made into thin film composite membranes. The membranes showed oxygen permeance as high as 1,200 gpu and oxygen/nitrogen selectivity of 3.0, and the permeance and selectivity were stable over the time period tested (60 days). We successfully scaled up the production of high-flux PFP-based membranes, using MTR's commercial coaters. Two bench-scale spiral-wound modules with countercurrent designs were made and parametric tests were performed to understand the effect of feed flow rate and pressure, permeate pressure and sweep flow rate on the membrane module separation properties. At various operating conditions that modeled potential industrial operating conditions, the module separation properties were similar to the pure-gas separation properties in the membrane stamps. We also identified and synthesized new polymers [including polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) and polyimides] with higher oxygen/nitrogen selectivity (3.5-5.0) than the PFPs, and made these polymers into thin film composite membranes. However, these membranes were susceptible to severe aging; pure-gas permeance decreased nearly six-fold within two weeks, making them impractical for industrial applications of oxygen enrichment. We tested the effect of oxygen-enriched air on NO{sub x} emissions

Impact of biofilm accumulation on transmembrane and feed channel pressure drop: Effects of crossflow velocity, feed spacer and biodegradable nutrient

KAUST Repository

Dreszer, C.

2014-03-01

Biofilm formation causes performance loss in spiral-wound membrane systems. In this study a microfiltration membrane was used in experiments to simulate fouling in spiral-wound reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membrane modules without the influence of concentration polarization. The resistance of a microfiltration membrane is much lower than the intrinsic biofilm resistance, enabling the detection of biofilm accumulation in an early stage. The impact of biofilm accumulation on the transmembrane (biofilm) resistance and feed channel pressure drop as a function of the crossflow velocity (0.05 and 0.20ms-1) and feed spacer presence was studied in transparent membrane biofouling monitors operated at a permeate flux of 20Lm-2h-1. As biodegradable nutrient, acetate was dosed to the feed water (1.0 and 0.25mgL-1 carbon) to enhance biofilm accumulation in the monitors. The studies showed that biofilm formation caused an increased transmembrane resistance and feed channel pressure drop. The effect was strongest at the highest crossflow velocity (0.2ms-1) and in the presence of a feed spacer. Simulating conditions as currently applied in nanofiltration and reverse osmosis installations (crossflow velocity 0.2ms-1 and standard feed spacer) showed that the impact of biofilm formation on performance, in terms of transmembrane and feed channel pressure drop, was strong. This emphasized the importance of hydrodynamics and feed spacer design. Biomass accumulation was related to the nutrient load (nutrient concentration and linear flow velocity). Reducing the nutrient concentration of the feed water enabled the application of higher crossflow velocities. Pretreatment to remove biodegradable nutrient and removal of biomass from the membrane elements played an important part to prevent or restrict biofouling. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Novel nanofibrous dressings containing rhEGF and Aloe vera for wound healing applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia-Orue, Itxaso; Gainza, Garazi; Gutierrez, Franciso Borja; Aguirre, Jose Javier; Evora, Carmen; Pedraz, Jose Luis; Hernandez, Rosa Maria; Delgado, Araceli; Igartua, Manoli

2017-05-25

Nanofibrous membranes produced by electrospinning possess a large surface area-to-volume ratio, which mimics the three-dimensional structure of the extracellular matrix. Thus, nanofibrous dressings are a promising alternative for chronic wound healing, since they can replace the natural ECM until it is repaired. Therefore, in this study we have developed a PLGA nanofibrous membrane that contains recombinant human Epidermal Growth Factor (rhEGF) and Aloe vera (AV) extract. Both of them promote wound healing, as EGF is a wound healing mediator and AV stimulates the proliferation and activity of fibroblast. The obtained membranes were composed of uniform and randomly oriented fibers with an average diameter of 356.03±112.05nm, they presented a porosity of 87.92±11.96% and the amount of rhEGF was 9.76±1.75μg/mg. The in vitro viability assay demonstrated that the membranes containing rhEGF and AV improved fibroblast proliferation, revealing the beneficial effect of the combination. Furthermore, these membranes accelerated significantly wound closure and reepithelisation in an in vivo full thickness wound healing assay carried out in db/db mice. Overall, these findings demonstrated the potential of PLGA nanofibers containing rhEGF and AV for the treatment of chronic wounds. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cell membrane disruption stimulates cAMP and Ca2+ signaling to potentiate cell membrane resealing in neighboring cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tatsuru Togo

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Disruption of cellular plasma membranes is a common event in many animal tissues, and the membranes are usually rapidly resealed. Moreover, repeated membrane disruptions within a single cell reseal faster than the initial wound in a protein kinase A (PKA- and protein kinase C (PKC-dependent manner. In addition to wounded cells, recent studies have demonstrated that wounding of Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK cells potentiates membrane resealing in neighboring cells in the short-term by purinergic signaling, and in the long-term by nitric oxide/protein kinase G signaling. In the present study, real-time imaging showed that cell membrane disruption stimulated cAMP synthesis and Ca2+ mobilization from intracellular stores by purinergic signaling in neighboring MDCK cells. Furthermore, inhibition of PKA and PKC suppressed the ATP-mediated short-term potentiation of membrane resealing in neighboring cells. These results suggest that cell membrane disruption stimulates PKA and PKC via purinergic signaling to potentiate cell membrane resealing in neighboring MDCK cells.

Biofilm Formation on Reverse Osmosis Membranes Is Initiated and Dominated by Sphingomonas spp.▿ †

Science.gov (United States)

Bereschenko, L. A.; Stams, A. J. M.; Euverink, G. J. W.; van Loosdrecht, M. C. M.

2010-01-01

The initial formation and spatiotemporal development of microbial biofilm layers on surfaces of new and clean reverse osmosis (RO) membranes and feed-side spacers were monitored in situ using flow cells placed in parallel with the RO system of a full-scale water treatment plant. The feed water of the RO system had been treated by the sequential application of coagulation, flocculation, sand filtration, ultrafiltration, and cartridge filtration processes. The design of the flow cells permitted the production of permeate under cross-flow conditions similar to those in spiral-wound RO membrane elements of the full-scale system. Membrane autopsies were done after 4, 8, 16, and 32 days of flow-cell operation. A combination of molecular (fluorescence in situ hybridization [FISH], denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis [DGGE], and cloning) and microscopic (field emission scanning electron, epifluorescence, and confocal laser scanning microscopy) techniques was applied to analyze the abundance, composition, architecture, and three-dimensional structure of biofilm communities. The results of the study point out the unique role of Sphingomonas spp. in the initial formation and subsequent maturation of biofilms on the RO membrane and feed-side spacer surfaces. PMID:20190090

Experience of Using Amniotic Membrane After Circumcision

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manjas, Menkher; Ismal; Efmansyah, Dody

2002-01-01

It is compulsory, for boys to undergone circumcision before getting adult in Moslem region. It can be done by General Surgeon, General Practitioner, Nurse, Midwife or Quack. The place to carry out the circumcision can be inside or outside hospital. The utmost problems are injections, point for secondary wound covering and delay of using underpants. To overcome those problem amniotic membranes can be used as wound covering, based on : they are soft, easy to shape wound surface, satisfactory adhesive properties, good elasticity and sufficient, transparency which allows wound control without redressing of the wound. From January until December 1999, 165 boys at an age between 6-10 years, which have been carried out circumcision, were evaluated. Radiation sterilized lyophilized amniotic membranes were used in this work as wound covering Result show that amniotic membrane gave a good result in wound healing. All the patients observed, showed early mobilization as well as early using underpants. There is no different result between circumcision which had been done either inside or out hospital, carried out by surgeon or non-surgeon

Cultural adaptation and validation of the Freiburg Life Quality Assessment - Wound Module to Brazilian Portuguese

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elaine Aparecida Rocha Domingues

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: to adapt the Freiburg Life Quality Assessment - Wound Module to Brazilian Portuguese and to measure its psychometric properties: reliability and validity. Method: the cultural adaptation was undertaken following the stages of translation, synthesis of the translations, back translation, committee of specialists, pre-test and focus group. A total of 200 patients participated in the study. These were recruited in Primary Care Centers, Family Health Strategy Centers, in a philanthropic hospital and in a teaching hospital. Reliability was assessed through internal consistency and stability. Validity was ascertained through the correlation of the instrument's values with those of the domains of the Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index - Wound Version and with the quality of life score of the visual analog scale. Results: the instrument presented adequate internal consistency (Cronbach alpha =0.86 and high stability in the test and retest (0.93. The validity presented correlations of moderate and significant magnitude (-0.24 to -0.48, p<0.0001. Conclusion: the results indicated that the adapted version presented reliable and valid psychometric measurements for the population with chronic wounds in the Brazilian culture.

Possible role of calcium dependent protein phosphorylation in the modulation of wound induced HRGP gene activation in potatoes after gamma irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ussuf, K.K.; Laxmi, N.H.; Nair, P.M.

1996-01-01

Hydroxyproline rich glycoprotein (HRGP) gene is induced in both control and gamma irradiated potato tubers after wounding. The enhanced RNA synthesis in response to wounding correlated well with the accumulation of both HRGP gene transcripts and protein. Initially, the level of HRGP gene expression in gamma irradiated potatoes in response to wounding was 30% more than the corresponding controls. After post irradiation storage of 3-5 weeks, HRGP gene expression in response to wounding was significantly lower than the unirradiated samples. This low level of HRGP gene expression in irradiated potatoes was partially retrieved by 5 mM Ca 2+ treatment. Prior treatment with trifluoperazine, a calcium channel blocker resulted in 35% reduction in wound induced HRGP gene expression in control potatoes, further providing evidence for the involvement of Ca 2+ dependency for HRGP gene activation. A comparative study on in vivo protein phosphorylation induced by wounding in control and irradiated potatoes exhibited significant differences. A good correlation was observed in the modulation of phosphorylation and HRGP gene expression by Ca 2+ in irradiated potatoes. Wound induced signal transduction system and subsequent Ca 2+ dependent protein phosphorylation for the activation of HRGP gene is affected in potatoes after gamma irradiation, thus impairing the wound healing process adversely. (author). 25 refs., 5 figs

Spiral-wave dynamics in ionically realistic mathematical models for human ventricular tissue: the effects of periodic deformation.

Science.gov (United States)

Nayak, Alok R; Pandit, Rahul

2014-01-01

We carry out an extensive numerical study of the dynamics of spiral waves of electrical activation, in the presence of periodic deformation (PD) in two-dimensional simulation domains, in the biophysically realistic mathematical models of human ventricular tissue due to (a) ten-Tusscher and Panfilov (the TP06 model) and (b) ten-Tusscher, Noble, Noble, and Panfilov (the TNNP04 model). We first consider simulations in cable-type domains, in which we calculate the conduction velocity θ and the wavelength λ of a plane wave; we show that PD leads to a periodic, spatial modulation of θ and a temporally periodic modulation of λ; both these modulations depend on the amplitude and frequency of the PD. We then examine three types of initial conditions for both TP06 and TNNP04 models and show that the imposition of PD leads to a rich variety of spatiotemporal patterns in the transmembrane potential including states with a single rotating spiral (RS) wave, a spiral-turbulence (ST) state with a single meandering spiral, an ST state with multiple broken spirals, and a state SA in which all spirals are absorbed at the boundaries of our simulation domain. We find, for both TP06 and TNNP04 models, that spiral-wave dynamics depends sensitively on the amplitude and frequency of PD and the initial condition. We examine how these different types of spiral-wave states can be eliminated in the presence of PD by the application of low-amplitude pulses by square- and rectangular-mesh suppression techniques. We suggest specific experiments that can test the results of our simulations.

Spiral-Wave Dynamics in Ionically Realistic MathematicalModels for Human Ventricular Tissue: The Effects of PeriodicDeformation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alok Ranjan Nayak

2014-06-01

Full Text Available We carry out an extensive numerical study of the dynamics of spiral waves of electrical activation, in the presence of periodic deformation (PD in two-dimensional simulation domains, in the biophysically realistic mathematical models of human ventricular tissue due to (a ten-Tusscher and Panfilov (the TP06 model and (b ten-Tusscher, Noble, Noble, and Panfilov (theTNNP04 model. We first consider simulations in cable-type domains, in which we calculate the conduction velocity $CV$ andthe wavelength $lambda$ of a plane wave; we show that PD leads to a periodic, spatial modulation of $CV$ and a temporallyperiodic modulation of $lambda$; both these modulations depend on the amplitude and frequency of the PD. We then examine three types of initial conditions for both TP06 and TNNP04 models and show that the imposition of PD leads to a rich variety ofspatiotemporal patterns in the transmembrane potential including states with a single rotating spiral (RS wave, a spiral-turbulence (ST state with a single meandering spiral, an ST state with multiple broken spirals, and a state SA in which all spirals are absorbed at the boundaries of our simulation domain. We find, for both TP06 and TNNP04 models, that spiral-wave dynamics depends sensitively on the amplitude and frequency of PD and the initial condition. We examine how these different types of spiral-wave states can be eliminated in the presence of PD by the application of low-amplitude pulses on square and rectangular control meshes. We suggest specific experiments that can test the results of our simulations.

Design of a mixed ionic/electronic conducting oxygen transport membrane pilot module

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pfaff, E.M.; Kaletsch, A.; Broeckmann, C. [RWTH Aachen University, IWM, Aachen (Germany)

2012-03-15

In the last years, a lot of ceramic materials were developed that, at higher temperatures, have a high electrical conductivity and a high conductivity of oxygen ions. Such mixed ionic/electronic conductors can be used to produce high-purity oxygen. This work focuses on the realization of a pilot membrane module, with BSCF (Ba{sub 0.5}Sr{sub 0.5}Co{sub 0.8}Fe{sub 0.2}O{sub 3-{delta}}) perovskite selected as the membrane material. An amount of 500 kg of powder was industrially fabricated, spray-granulized and pressed into tubes. The best operation conditions concerning energy consumption were calculated, and a module reactor was designed operating at 850 C, with an air pressure of 15-20 bar on the feed site and a low vacuum of about 0.8 bar on the permeate site. Special emphasis was placed on joining alternatives for ceramic tubes in metallic bottoms. A first laboratory module was tested with a membrane area of 1 m{sup 2} and then advanced to a pilot module with 570 tubes and a capability of more than 300 000 L of pure oxygen per day. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Spiral density waves in M81. I. Stellar spiral density waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Chien-Chang; Lin, Lien-Hsuan; Wang, Hsiang-Hsu; Taam, Ronald E.

2014-01-01

Aside from the grand-design stellar spirals appearing in the disk of M81, a pair of stellar spiral arms situated well inside the bright bulge of M81 has been recently discovered by Kendall et al. The seemingly unrelated pairs of spirals pose a challenge to the theory of spiral density waves. To address this problem, we have constructed a three-component model for M81, including the contributions from a stellar disk, a bulge, and a dark matter halo subject to observational constraints. Given this basic state for M81, a modal approach is applied to search for the discrete unstable spiral modes that may provide an understanding for the existence of both spiral arms. It is found that the apparently separated inner and outer spirals can be interpreted as a single trailing spiral mode. In particular, these spirals share the same pattern speed 25.5 km s –1 kpc –1 with a corotation radius of 9.03 kpc. In addition to the good agreement between the calculated and the observed spiral pattern, the variation of the spiral amplitude can also be naturally reproduced.

Quantitative Assessment of Ultrastructure and Light Scatter in Mouse Corneal Debridement Wounds

Science.gov (United States)

Boote, Craig; Du, Yiqin; Morgan, Sian; Harris, Jonathan; Kamma-Lorger, Christina S.; Hayes, Sally; Lathrop, Kira L.; Roh, Danny S.; Burrow, Michael K.; Hiller, Jennifer; Terrill, Nicholas J.; Funderburgh, James L.; Meek, Keith M.

2012-01-01

Purpose. The mouse has become an important wound healing model with which to study corneal fibrosis, a frequent complication of refractive surgery. The aim of the current study was to quantify changes in stromal ultrastructure and light scatter that characterize fibrosis in mouse corneal debridement wounds. Methods. Epithelial debridement wounds, with and without removal of basement membrane, were produced in C57BL/6 mice. Corneal opacity was measured using optical coherence tomography, and collagen diameter and matrix order were quantified by x-ray scattering. Electron microscopy was used to visualize proteoglycans. Quantitative PCR (Q-PCR) measured mRNA transcript levels for several quiescent and fibrotic markers. Results. Epithelial debridement without basement membrane disruption produced a significant increase in matrix disorder at 8 weeks, but minimal corneal opacity. In contrast, basement membrane penetration led to increases in light scatter, matrix disorder, and collagen diameter, accompanied by the appearance of abnormally large proteoglycans in the subepithelial stroma. This group also demonstrated upregulation of several quiescent and fibrotic markers 2 to 4 weeks after wounding. Conclusions. Fibrotic corneal wound healing in mice involves extensive changes to collagen and proteoglycan ultrastructure, consistent with deposition of opaque scar tissue. Epithelial basement membrane penetration is a deciding factor determining the degree of ultrastructural changes and resulting opacity. PMID:22467580

Logarithmic Spiral

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Switzerland) even today can see the. Archimedian spiral and the inscription under it on the tombstone of Jacob Bernoulli 1. Logarithmic Spiral in Nature. Apart from logarithmic spiral no other curve seems to have attracted the attention of scientists, ...

Radiosterilization of freeze-dried human amniotic Membrane and its use in the treatment of burn wound. Algerian experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Djefal, A.; Mahlous, M.; Nacer Khodja, A.; Larbi, M.; Larbi Daho Bachir, M.

2001-01-01

The present study evaluates the usefulness of human amniotic membrane as biological dressing and its efficacy in the treatment of burns comparatively to the conventional dressing. We reported the practical methods of preparation, preservation and radiation sterilisation of amnion, and the clinical results of its successful use in the treatment of 80 cases of superficial and intermediate depth dermal burns. The increased rate of healing, pain relief, good adhesion to the bed wound and absence of infection were observed

Annexins are instrumental for efficient plasma membrane repair in cancer cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Lauritzen, Stine Prehn; Boye, Theresa Louise; Nylandsted, Jesper

2015-09-01

Plasma membrane stress can cause damage to the plasma membrane, both when imposed by the extracellular environment and by enhanced oxidative stress. Cells cope with these injuries by rapidly activating their plasma membrane repair system, which is triggered by Ca(2+) influx at the wound site. The repair system is highly dynamic, depends on both lipid and protein components, and include cytoskeletal reorganization, membrane replacements, and membrane fusion events. Cancer cells experience enhanced membrane stress when navigating through dense extracellular matrix, which increases the frequency of membrane injuries. In addition, increased motility and oxidative stress further increase the risk of plasma membrane lesions. Cancer cells compensate by overexpressing Annexin proteins including Annexin A2 (ANXA2). Annexin family members can facilitate membrane fusion events and wound healing by binding to negatively charged phospholipids in the plasma membrane. Plasma membrane repair in cancer cells depends on ANXA2 protein, which is recruited to the wound site and forms a complex with the Ca(2+)-binding EF-hand protein S100A11. Here they regulate actin accumulation around the wound perimeter, which is required for wound closure. In this review, we will discuss the requirement for Annexins, S100 proteins and actin cytoskeleton in the plasma membrane repair response of cancer cells, which reveals a novel avenue for targeting metastatic cancers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Scale-Up Design Analysis and Modelling of Cobalt Oxide Silica Membrane Module for Hydrogen Processing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guozhao Ji

2013-08-01

Full Text Available This work shows the application of a validated mathematical model for gas permeation at high temperatures focusing on demonstrated scale-up design for H2 processing. The model considered the driving force variation with spatial coordinates and the mass transfer across the molecular sieve cobalt oxide silica membrane to predict the separation performance. The model was used to study the process of H2 separation at 500 °C in single and multi-tube membrane modules. Parameters of interest included the H2 purity in the permeate stream, H2 recovery and H2 yield as a function of the membrane length, number of tubes in a membrane module, space velocity and H2 feed molar fraction. For a single tubular membrane, increasing the length of a membrane tube led to higher H2 yield and H2 recovery, owing to the increase of the membrane area. However, the H2 purity decreased as H2 fraction was depleted, thus reducing the driving force for H2 permeation. By keeping the membrane length constant in a multi-tube arrangement, the H2 yield and H2 recovery increase was attributed to the higher membrane area, but the H2 purity was again compromised. Increasing the space velocity avoided the reduction of H2 purity and still delivered higher H2 yield and H2 recovery than in a single membrane arrangement. Essentially, if the membrane surface is too large, the driving force becomes lower at the expense of H2 purity. In this case, the membrane module is over designed. Hence, maintaining a driving force is of utmost importance to deliver the functionality of process separation.

Recovery of flavonoids from orange press liquor by an integrated membrane process.

Science.gov (United States)

Cassano, Alfredo; Conidi, Carmela; Ruby-Figueroa, René

2014-08-11

Orange press liquor is a by-product generated by the citrus processing industry containing huge amounts of natural phenolic compounds with recognized antioxidant activity. In this work, an integrated membrane process for the recovery of flavonoids from orange press liquors was investigated on a laboratory scale. The liquor was previously clarified by ultrafiltration (UF) in selected operating conditions by using hollow fiber polysulfone membranes. Then, the clarified liquor with a total soluble solids (TSS) content of 10 g·100 g-1 was pre-concentrated by nanofiltration (NF) up to 32 g TSS 100 g-1 by using a polyethersulfone spiral-wound membrane. A final concentration step, up to 47 g TSS 100 g-1, was performed by using an osmotic distillation (OD) apparatus equipped with polypropylene hollow fiber membranes. Suspended solids were completely removed in the UF step producing a clarified liquor containing most part of the flavonoids of the original press liquor due to the low rejection of the UF membrane towards these compounds. Flavanones and anthocyanins were highly rejected by the NF membrane, producing a permeate stream with a TSS content of 4.5 g·100 g-1. An increasing of both the flavanones and anthocyanins concentration was observed in the NF retentate by increasing the volume reduction factor (VRF). The final concentration of flavonoids by OD produced a concentrated solution of interest for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications.

Recovery of Flavonoids from Orange Press Liquor by an Integrated Membrane Process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alfredo Cassano

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Orange press liquor is a by-product generated by the citrus processing industry containing huge amounts of natural phenolic compounds with recognized antioxidant activity. In this work, an integrated membrane process for the recovery of flavonoids from orange press liquors was investigated on a laboratory scale. The liquor was previously clarified by ultrafiltration (UF in selected operating conditions by using hollow fiber polysulfone membranes. Then, the clarified liquor with a total soluble solids (TSS content of 10 g·100 g−1 was pre-concentrated by nanofiltration (NF up to 32 g TSS 100 g−1 by using a polyethersulfone spiral-wound membrane. A final concentration step, up to 47 g TSS 100 g−1, was performed by using an osmotic distillation (OD apparatus equipped with polypropylene hollow fiber membranes. Suspended solids were completely removed in the UF step producing a clarified liquor containing most part of the flavonoids of the original press liquor due to the low rejection of the UF membrane towards these compounds. Flavanones and anthocyanins were highly rejected by the NF membrane, producing a permeate stream with a TSS content of 4.5 g·100 g−1. An increasing of both the flavanones and anthocyanins concentration was observed in the NF retentate by increasing the volume reduction factor (VRF. The final concentration of flavonoids by OD produced a concentrated solution of interest for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications.

A Subset of Membrane-Altering Agents and γ-Secretase Modulators Provoke Nonsubstrate Cleavage by Rhomboid Proteases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siniša Urban

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Rhomboid proteases are integral membrane enzymes that regulate cell signaling, adhesion, and organelle homeostasis pathways, making substrate specificity a key feature of their function. Interestingly, we found that perturbing the membrane pharmacologically in living cells had little effect on substrate processing but induced inappropriate cleavage of nonsubstrates by rhomboid proteases. A subclass of drugs known to modulate γ-secretase activity acted on the membrane directly and induced nonsubstrate cleavage by rhomboid proteases but left true substrate cleavage sites unaltered. These observations highlight an active role for the membrane in guiding rhomboid selectivity and caution that membrane-targeted drugs should be evaluated for cross-activity against membrane-resident enzymes that are otherwise unrelated to the intended drug target. Furthermore, some γ-secretase-modulating activity or toxicity could partly result from global membrane effects.

Air gap membrane distillation. 2. Model validation and hollow fibre module performance analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Guijt, C.M.; Meindersma, G.W.; Reith, T.; de Haan, A.B.

2005-01-01

In this paper the experimental results of counter current flow air gap membrane distillation experiments are presented and compared with predictive model calculations. Measurements were carried out with a cylindrical test module containing a single hollow fibre membrane in the centre and a

Effect of gamma radiation on chitin-nanosilver membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Rita; Singh, Durgeshwer

2014-01-01

Antimicrobial wound dressings are indispensable for the effective healing of skin wounds such as burns and ulcers. Various synthetic and natural polymers with good biocompatibility have been used to develop wound dressings. Chitin possesses excellent properties that are advantageous for wound dressing namely biocompatibility, biodegradability and haemostatic activity. Chitin-nanosilver membranes were developed for use as an antimicrobial dressing for wound care. For clinical applications, the wound dressing should be assuredly free of microbial contamination. Gamma irradiation has well appreciated technological advantages and is the most suitable method for the sterilization of biomedical materials. The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of gamma radiation on the chemical and functional characteristics of the chitin-nanosilver membranes

Sex hormones and mucosal wound healing.

Science.gov (United States)

Engeland, Christopher G; Sabzehei, Bahareh; Marucha, Phillip T

2009-07-01

Wound healing studies, which have chiefly examined dermal tissues, have reported a female advantage in healing rates. In contrast, our laboratory recently demonstrated women heal mucosal wounds more slowly than men. We hypothesized sex hormones influence wound healing rates, possibly through their modulating effects on inflammation. This study involved 329 younger subjects aged 18-43 (165 women, 164 men) and 93 older subjects aged 50-88 (60 women, 33 men). A 3.5mm diameter wound was created on the hard oral palate and videographed daily to assess wound closure. Blood collected at the time of wounding was used to assess circulating testosterone, progesterone and estradiol levels, and in vitro cytokine production in response to LPS. No strong associations were observed between healing times and estradiol or progesterone levels. However, in younger subjects, lower testosterone levels related to faster wound closure. Conversely, in older women higher testosterone levels related to (1) lower inflammatory responses; and (2) faster healing times. No such relationships were seen in older men, or in women taking oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy [HRT]. Older women (50-54 years) not yet experiencing menopause healed similarly to younger women and dissimilarly from age-matched post-menopausal women. This suggests that the deleterious effects of aging on wound healing occur secondary to the effects of menopause. Supporting this, there was evidence in post-menopausal women that HRT augmented wound closure. Overall, this study suggests that human mucosal healing rates are modulated by testosterone levels. Based upon when between-group differences were observed, testosterone may impact upon the proliferative phase of healing which involves immune processes such as re-epithelialization and angiogenesis.

Frequency spirals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ottino-Löffler, Bertrand; Strogatz, Steven H.

2016-01-01

We study the dynamics of coupled phase oscillators on a two-dimensional Kuramoto lattice with periodic boundary conditions. For coupling strengths just below the transition to global phase-locking, we find localized spatiotemporal patterns that we call “frequency spirals.” These patterns cannot be seen under time averaging; they become visible only when we examine the spatial variation of the oscillators' instantaneous frequencies, where they manifest themselves as two-armed rotating spirals. In the more familiar phase representation, they appear as wobbly periodic patterns surrounding a phase vortex. Unlike the stationary phase vortices seen in magnetic spin systems, or the rotating spiral waves seen in reaction-diffusion systems, frequency spirals librate: the phases of the oscillators surrounding the central vortex move forward and then backward, executing a periodic motion with zero winding number. We construct the simplest frequency spiral and characterize its properties using analytical and numerical methods. Simulations show that frequency spirals in large lattices behave much like this simple prototype.

Frequency spirals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ottino-Löffler, Bertrand; Strogatz, Steven H., E-mail: strogatz@cornell.edu [Center for Applied Mathematics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 (United States)

2016-09-15

We study the dynamics of coupled phase oscillators on a two-dimensional Kuramoto lattice with periodic boundary conditions. For coupling strengths just below the transition to global phase-locking, we find localized spatiotemporal patterns that we call “frequency spirals.” These patterns cannot be seen under time averaging; they become visible only when we examine the spatial variation of the oscillators' instantaneous frequencies, where they manifest themselves as two-armed rotating spirals. In the more familiar phase representation, they appear as wobbly periodic patterns surrounding a phase vortex. Unlike the stationary phase vortices seen in magnetic spin systems, or the rotating spiral waves seen in reaction-diffusion systems, frequency spirals librate: the phases of the oscillators surrounding the central vortex move forward and then backward, executing a periodic motion with zero winding number. We construct the simplest frequency spiral and characterize its properties using analytical and numerical methods. Simulations show that frequency spirals in large lattices behave much like this simple prototype.

Modulation of inflammatory and catabolic responses in severely burned children by early burn wound excision in the first 24 hours

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Barret, JP; Herndon, DN

Hypothesis: Early burn wound excision modulates the hypermetabolic response in severe pediatric burn injuries. Design: Before-after trial. Setting: A 30-bed burn referral center in a private, university-affiliated hospital. Methods: We studied 35 severely burned children who were divided into 2

Novel type of chimera spiral waves arising from decoupling of a diffusible component

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tang, Xiaodong; Yang, Tao; Liu, Yang; Zhao, Yuemin; Gao, Qingyu, E-mail: epstein@brandeis.edu, E-mail: gaoqy@cumt.edu.cn [College of Chemical Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008 (China); Epstein, Irving R., E-mail: epstein@brandeis.edu, E-mail: gaoqy@cumt.edu.cn [Department of Chemistry and Volen Center for Complex Systems, MS 015, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454-9110 (United States)

2014-07-14

Spiral waves composed of coherent traveling waves surrounding a core containing stochastically distributed stationary areas are found in numerical simulations of a three-variable reaction-diffusion system with one diffusible species. In the spiral core, diffusion of this component (w) mediates transitions between dynamic states of the subsystem formed by the other two components, whose dynamics is more rapid than that of w. Diffusive coupling between adjacent sites can be “on” or “off” depending on the subsystem state. The incoherent structures in the spiral core are produced by this decoupling of the slow diffusive component from the fast non-diffusing subsystem. The phase diagram reveals that the region of incoherent behavior in chimera spirals grows drastically, leading to modulation and breakup of the spirals, in the transition zones between 1{sup n-1} and 1{sup n} local mixed-mode oscillations.

Boundary layer circulation in disk-halo galaxies. III. The dispersion relation for local disturbances and large-scale spiral waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waxman, A.M.

1980-01-01

This paper concerns the geometry and physical properties of waves which arise from a shear-flow (i.e. inflection point) instability of the galactic boundary layer circulation. This circulation was shown to exist in the meridional plane of a model galaxy containing a gaseous disk embedded in a rotating gaseous halo. Previously derived equations describe the local effects of Boussinesq perturbations, in the form of spiral waves with aribitrary pitch angle, on the model disk-halo system. The equations are solved asymptotically for large values of the local Reynolds number. In passing to the limit of inviscid waves, it is possible to derive a locally valid dispersion relation. A perturbation technique is developed whereby the inviscid wave eigenvalues can be corrected for the effects of small but finite viscosity. In this way the roles of the buoyancy force, Coriolis acceleration, viscous stresses, and their interactions can be studied. It is found that, locally, the most unstable inviscid waves are leading and open with large azimuthal wavenumbers. However, these waves display little or no coherence over the face of the disk and so would not emerge as modes in a global analysis.The geometry of the dominant inviscid waves is found to be leading, tightly wound spirals. Viscous corrections shift the dominant wave form to trailing, tightly wound spirals with small azimuthal wavenumbers. These waves grow on a time scale of about 10 7 years. It is suggested that these waves can initiate spiral structure in galaxies during disk formation and that a subsequent transition to a self-gravitating acoustical mode with the same spiral geometry may occur. This transition becomes possible once the contrast in gas densities between the disk and surrounding halo becomes sufficiently large

Spiral symmetry

CERN Document Server

Hargittai, Istvan

1992-01-01

From the tiny twisted biological molecules to the gargantuan curling arms of many galaxies, the physical world contains a startling repetition of spiral patterns. Today, researchers have a keen interest in identifying, measuring, and defining these patterns in scientific terms. Spirals play an important role in the growth processes of many biological forms and organisms. Also, through time, humans have imitated spiral motifs in their art forms, and invented new and unusual spirals which have no counterparts in the natural world. Therefore, one goal of this multiauthored book is to stress the c

Using tracer methods and experimental design approach for examination of hydrodynamic conditions in membrane separation modules

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miskiewicz, Agnieszka, E-mail: a.miskiewicz@ichtj.waw.pl [Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Dorodna 16, 03-195 Warsaw (Poland); Zakrzewska-Trznadel, Grazyna; Dobrowolski, Andrzej; Jaworska-Sobczak, Agnieszka [Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Dorodna 16, 03-195 Warsaw (Poland)

2012-05-15

The possibility of application of fluorescein and radioactive 99mTc as tracers for determination of residence time distribution of liquid phase and for diagnosing hydrodynamic conditions in apparatuses for membrane separation was studied. Two different ultrafiltration systems with diverse arrangement of liquid flow: the apparatus with helical flow generated by the movable element (inner cylinder) and the tubular module with cross flow filtration, were tested by the RTD technique. The tracer studies were supplemented with modelling. The optimal conditions enabling to handle the plug flow-like structure in the helical apparatus were determined. The minimum of dimensionless variance (vard) was obtained at P=0.765 bar, Q{sub R}=121.88 l/h and {Omega}=2887.5 rpm. In spite of higher linear velocities attained in the tubular cross-flow module, the flow structure in the helical apparatus was more similar to the ideal plug flow pattern that was demonstrated by higher Peclet numbers and lower values of the dimensionless variance. Application of movable part and Couette-Taylor flow in the membrane apparatus may balance the advantages coming from high flow rates applied in cross-flow filtration systems minimising formation of the deposit on the membrane surface and reducing membrane fouling. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Application of RTD method with modelling for testing the membrane modules. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The use of generator isotope, as convenient tracer for the membrane modules studies. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Application of RSM with experimental design for testing interactions between parameters. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Assessment of the hydrodynamic conditions in two arrangements of the membrane modules. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Demonstration of the advantage of dynamic filtration over the cross-flow arrangement.

Triangular spiral tilings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sushida, Takamichi; Hizume, Akio; Yamagishi, Yoshikazu

2012-01-01

The topology of spiral tilings is intimately related to phyllotaxis theory and continued fractions. A quadrilateral spiral tiling is determined by a suitable chosen triple (ζ, m, n), where ζ element of D/R, and m and n are relatively prime integers. We give a simple characterization when (ζ, m, n) produce a triangular spiral tiling. When m and n are fixed, the admissible generators ζ form a curve in the unit disk. The family of triangular spiral tilings with opposed parastichy pairs (m, n) is parameterized by the divergence angle arg (ζ), while triangular spiral tilings with non-opposed parastichy pairs are parameterized by the plastochrone ratio 1/|ζ|. The generators for triangular spiral tilings with opposed parastichy pairs are not dense in the complex parameter space, while those with non-opposed parastichy pairs are dense. The proofs will be given in a general setting of spiral multiple tilings. We present paper-folding (origami) sheets that build spiral towers whose top-down views are triangular tilings. (paper)

Electromechanically Actuated Multifunctional Wireless Auxetic Device for Wound Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Mir, Mariam; Ansari, Umar; Ali, Murtaza Najabat; Iftikhar, Muhammad Hassan Ul; Qayyum, Faisal

2017-01-01

The design and fabrication of a wound healing device for chronic wounds, with multiple functions for controlled drug delivery and exudate removal, has been described in this paper. The structural features have been machined and modified through laser cutting in a biocompatible polymer cast. Miniaturized versions of electronically actuated (lead-screw and pulley) mechanisms are used for the specific purpose of controlled drug delivery. These mechanisms have been studied and tested, being controlled through a microcontroller setup. An auxetic polymeric barrier membrane has been used for restricting the drug quantities administered. Drug delivery mechanisms are powered wirelessly, through an external, active RF component; this communicates with a passive component that is buried inside the wound healing device. The exudate removal efficiency of the device has been assessed through several simple tests using simulated wound exudate. It has been found that reasonably precise quantities of drug dosages to be administered to the wound site can be controlled through both drug delivery mechanisms; however, the lead-screw mechanism provides a better control of auxetic barrier membrane actuation and hence controlled drug delivery. We propose that this device can have potential clinical significance in controlled drug delivery and exudate removal in the management of chronic wounds.

Comparative study of the energy potential of cyanide waters using two osmotic membrane modules under dead-end flow

Science.gov (United States)

García-Díaz, Y.; Quiñones-Bolaños, E.; Bustos-Blanco, C.; Vives-Pérez, L.; Bustillo-Lecompte, C.; Saba, M.

2017-12-01

The energy potential of the osmotic pressure gradient of cyanide waters is evaluated using two membrane modules, horizontal and vertical, operated under dead-end flow. The membrane was characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). The membrane is mainly composed of carbon, oxygen, and sulphur. The properties of the membrane were unchanged and had no pore clogging after exposure to the cyanide waters. Potentials of 1.78×10-4 and 6.36×10-5Wm-2 were found for the horizontal and vertical modules, respectively, using the Van’t Hoff equation. Likewise, the permeability coefficient of the membrane was higher in the vertical module. Although the energy potential is low under the studied conditions the vertical configuration has a greater potential due to the action of gravity and the homogenous contact of the fluid with the membrane.

Spiral waves characterization: Implications for an automated cardiodynamic tissue characterization.

Science.gov (United States)

Alagoz, Celal; Cohen, Andrew R; Frisch, Daniel R; Tunç, Birkan; Phatharodom, Saran; Guez, Allon

2018-07-01

Spiral waves are phenomena observed in cardiac tissue especially during fibrillatory activities. Spiral waves are revealed through in-vivo and in-vitro studies using high density mapping that requires special experimental setup. Also, in-silico spiral wave analysis and classification is performed using membrane potentials from entire tissue. In this study, we report a characterization approach that identifies spiral wave behaviors using intracardiac electrogram (EGM) readings obtained with commonly used multipolar diagnostic catheters that perform localized but high-resolution readings. Specifically, the algorithm is designed to distinguish between stationary, meandering, and break-up rotors. The clustering and classification algorithms are tested on simulated data produced using a phenomenological 2D model of cardiac propagation. For EGM measurements, unipolar-bipolar EGM readings from various locations on tissue using two catheter types are modeled. The distance measure between spiral behaviors are assessed using normalized compression distance (NCD), an information theoretical distance. NCD is a universal metric in the sense it is solely based on compressibility of dataset and not requiring feature extraction. We also introduce normalized FFT distance (NFFTD) where compressibility is replaced with a FFT parameter. Overall, outstanding clustering performance was achieved across varying EGM reading configurations. We found that effectiveness in distinguishing was superior in case of NCD than NFFTD. We demonstrated that distinct spiral activity identification on a behaviorally heterogeneous tissue is also possible. This report demonstrates a theoretical validation of clustering and classification approaches that provide an automated mapping from EGM signals to assessment of spiral wave behaviors and hence offers a potential mapping and analysis framework for cardiac tissue wavefront propagation patterns. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pb2+ Modulates Ca2+ Membrane Permeability In Paramecium

Science.gov (United States)

Bernal-Martínez, Juan; Ortega Soto, Arturo

2004-09-01

Intracellular recording experiments in current clamp configuration were done to evaluate whether Pb2+ modulates ionic membrane permeability in the fresh water Paramecium tetraurelia. It was found that Pb2+ triggers in a dose-dependent manner, a burst of spontaneous action potentials followed by a robust and sustained after hyper-polarization. In addition, Pb2+ increased the frequency of firing the spontaneous Ca2+-Action Potential and also, the duration of Ca2+-Action Potential, in a dose and reversibly-dependent manner. These results suggest that Pb2+ increases calcium membrane permeability of Paramecium and probably activates a calcium-dependent-potassium conductance in the ciliate.

Papain incorporated chitin dressings for wound debridement sterilized by gamma radiation

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Durgeshwer; Singh, Rita

2012-11-01

Wound debridement is essential for the removal of necrotic or nonviable tissue from the wound surface to create an environment conducive to healing. Nonsurgical enzymatic debridement is an attractive method due to its effectiveness and ease of use. Papain is a proteolytic enzyme derived from the fruit of Carica papaya and is capable of breaking down a variety of necrotic tissue substrates. The present study was focused on the use of gamma radiation for sterilization of papain dressing with wound debriding activity. Membranes with papain were prepared using 0.5% chitin in lithium chloride/dimethylacetamide solvent and sterilized by gamma radiation. Fluid absorption capacity of chitin-papain membranes without glycerol was 14.30±6.57% in 6 h. Incorporation of glycerol resulted in significant (p<0.001) increase in the absorption capacity. Moisture vapour transmission rate of the membranes was 4285.77±455.61 g/m2/24 h at 24 h. Gamma irradiation at 25 kGy was found suitable for sterilization of the dressings. Infrared (IR) spectral scanning has shown that papain was stable on gamma irradiation at 25-35 kGy. The irradiated chitin-papain membranes were impermeable to different bacterial strains and also exhibited strong bactericidal action against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The fluid handling characteristics and the antimicrobial properties of chitin-papain membranes sterilized by gamma radiation were found suitable for use as wound dressing with debriding activity.

Spiral-wave dynamics in a mathematical model of human ventricular tissue with myocytes and fibroblasts.

Science.gov (United States)

Nayak, Alok Ranjan; Shajahan, T K; Panfilov, A V; Pandit, Rahul

2013-01-01

Cardiac fibroblasts, when coupled functionally with myocytes, can modulate the electrophysiological properties of cardiac tissue. We present systematic numerical studies of such modulation of electrophysiological properties in mathematical models for (a) single myocyte-fibroblast (MF) units and (b) two-dimensional (2D) arrays of such units; our models build on earlier ones and allow for zero-, one-, and two-sided MF couplings. Our studies of MF units elucidate the dependence of the action-potential (AP) morphology on parameters such as [Formula: see text], the fibroblast resting-membrane potential, the fibroblast conductance [Formula: see text], and the MF gap-junctional coupling [Formula: see text]. Furthermore, we find that our MF composite can show autorhythmic and oscillatory behaviors in addition to an excitable response. Our 2D studies use (a) both homogeneous and inhomogeneous distributions of fibroblasts, (b) various ranges for parameters such as [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text], and (c) intercellular couplings that can be zero-sided, one-sided, and two-sided connections of fibroblasts with myocytes. We show, in particular, that the plane-wave conduction velocity [Formula: see text] decreases as a function of [Formula: see text], for zero-sided and one-sided couplings; however, for two-sided coupling, [Formula: see text] decreases initially and then increases as a function of [Formula: see text], and, eventually, we observe that conduction failure occurs for low values of [Formula: see text]. In our homogeneous studies, we find that the rotation speed and stability of a spiral wave can be controlled either by controlling [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text]. Our studies with fibroblast inhomogeneities show that a spiral wave can get anchored to a local fibroblast inhomogeneity. We also study the efficacy of a low-amplitude control scheme, which has been suggested for the control of spiral-wave turbulence in mathematical models for cardiac

A novel electrospun membrane based on moxifloxacin hydrochloride/poly(vinyl alcohol)/sodium alginate for antibacterial wound dressings in practical application.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Ruoqiu; Li, Chenwen; Yu, Caiping; Xie, Hong; Shi, Sanjun; Li, Zhuoheng; Wang, Qing; Lu, Laichun

2016-01-01

This study reports on the performance of sodium alginate (SA)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/moxifloxacin hydrochloride (MH) nanofibrous membranes (NFM) capable of providing antibacterial agent delivery for wound-dressing applications. The aim of this work was to prepare antibacterial NFM with good permeability properties by employing PVA and SA as carriers. A group of 12% PVA/2% SA solutions blended in various ratios (8:2, 7:3, 6:4, 5:5 and 4:6, v/v) and containing 0.5, 1, 2 or 4 wt% MH were studied for electrospinning into nanoscale fibermats. The optimum ratio found to form smooth fibers with uniform fibrous features was 6:4. The drug release behavior of the electrospun, the antibacterial effects on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus and the animal wound dressing capabilities were also investigated. As much as 80% of the MH was released from the electrospun after 10 h of incubation at 37 °C. In addition, the NFM with 0.5 MH exhibited less activity, whereas those with higher concentrations of MH exhibited greater antibacterial effect. Furthermore, the MH-loaded electrospun accelerated the rate of wound dressing compared to other groups. The results of the in vitro and in vivo experiments suggest that MH/PVA/SA nanofibers might be an interesting bioactive wound dressing for clinical applications.

Safety test results of lithium-thionyl chloride wound-type cells

Science.gov (United States)

Vallin, D.; Broussely, M.

1989-05-01

Increase in the use of spirally-wound, lithium-thionyl chloride cells is currently limited because of unsafe incidents which have been reported during the early stage of development of this product. Today, it is believed that these cells are safe over a wide range of operating conditions if properly designed. The paper describes the external and internal SAFT design of Li-SOCl2LSH series cells, as well as the results of safety tests.

Modulation of membrane potential by an acetylcholine-activated potassium current in trout atrial myocytes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Molina, C.E.; Gesser, Hans; Llach, A.

2007-01-01

mV from 4.3 pA/pF to 27 pA/pF with an EC50 of 45 nM in atrial myocytes. Moreover, 3 nM ACh increased the slope conductance of Im fourfold, shifted its reversal potential from -78 ± 3 to -84 ± 3 mV, and stabilized the resting membrane potential at -92 ± 4 mV. ACh also shortened the action potential...... hypothesized that this is at least partly due to a small slope conductance of Im around the resting membrane potential in atrial myocytes. In accordance with this hypothesis, the slope conductance of Im was about sevenfold smaller in atrial than in ventricular myocytes. Interestingly, ACh increased Im at -120...... of an inwardly rectifying K+ current can modulate the membrane potential in the trout atrial myocytes and stabilize the resting membrane potential. teleost heart; IK,ACh; cholinergic modulation; action potential...

Papain incorporated chitin dressings for wound debridement sterilized by gamma radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Durgeshwer; Singh, Rita

2012-01-01

Wound debridement is essential for the removal of necrotic or nonviable tissue from the wound surface to create an environment conducive to healing. Nonsurgical enzymatic debridement is an attractive method due to its effectiveness and ease of use. Papain is a proteolytic enzyme derived from the fruit of Carica papaya and is capable of breaking down a variety of necrotic tissue substrates. The present study was focused on the use of gamma radiation for sterilization of papain dressing with wound debriding activity. Membranes with papain were prepared using 0.5% chitin in lithium chloride/dimethylacetamide solvent and sterilized by gamma radiation. Fluid absorption capacity of chitin–papain membranes without glycerol was 14.30±6.57% in 6 h. Incorporation of glycerol resulted in significant (p 2 /24 h at 24 h. Gamma irradiation at 25 kGy was found suitable for sterilization of the dressings. Infrared (IR) spectral scanning has shown that papain was stable on gamma irradiation at 25–35 kGy. The irradiated chitin–papain membranes were impermeable to different bacterial strains and also exhibited strong bactericidal action against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The fluid handling characteristics and the antimicrobial properties of chitin–papain membranes sterilized by gamma radiation were found suitable for use as wound dressing with debriding activity. - Highlight: ► Use of gamma radiation for sterilization of papain wound dressing was studied. ► Fluid handling and antimicrobial properties of irradiated dressings was evaluated. ► Gamma irradiation at 25 kGy was found suitable for sterilization of the dressings.

Frequency and magnitude of intermittent hypoxia modulate endothelial wound healing in a cell culture model of sleep apnea.

Science.gov (United States)

Campillo, Noelia; Falcones, Bryan; Montserrat, Josep M; Gozal, David; Obeso, Ana; Gallego-Martin, Teresa; Navajas, Daniel; Almendros, Isaac; Farré, Ramon

2017-11-01

Intermittent hypoxia (IH) has been implicated in the cardiovascular consequences of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, the lack of suitable experimental systems has precluded assessment as to whether IH is detrimental, protective, or both for the endothelium. The aim of the work was to determine the effects of frequency and amplitude of IH oxygenation swings on aortic endothelial wound healing. Monolayers of human primary endothelial cells were wounded and subjected to constant oxygenation (1%, 4%, 13%, or 20% O 2 ) or IH at different frequencies (0.6, 6, or 60 cycles/h) and magnitude ranges (13-4% O 2 or 20-1% O 2 ), using a novel well-controlled system, with wound healing being measured after 24 h. Cell monolayer repair was similar at 20% O 2 and 13% O 2 , but was considerably increased (approximately twofold) in constant hypoxia at 4% O 2 The magnitude and frequency of IH considerably modulated wound healing. Cycles ranging 13-4% O 2 at the lowest frequency (0.6 cycles/h) accelerated endothelial wound healing by 102%. However, for IH exposures consisting of 20% to 1% O 2 oscillations, wound closure was reduced compared with oscillation in the 13-4% range (by 74% and 44% at 6 cycles/h and 0.6 cycles/h, respectively). High-frequency IH patterns simulating severe OSA (60 cycles/h) did not significantly modify endothelial wound closure, regardless of the oxygenation cycle amplitude. In conclusion, the frequency and magnitude of hypoxia cycling in IH markedly alter wound healing responses and emerge as key factors determining how cells will respond in OSA. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Intermittent hypoxia (IH) induces cardiovascular consequences in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. However, the vast array of frequencies and severities of IH previously employed in OSA-related experimental studies has led to controversial results on the effects of IH. By employing an optimized IH experimental system here, we provide evidence that the frequency and magnitude of IH

Development of Nanofiller-Modulated Polymeric Oxygen Enrichment Membranes for Reduction of Nitrogen Oxides in Coal Combustion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jianzhong Lou; Shamsuddin Ilias

2010-12-31

North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, North Carolina, has undertaken this project to develop the knowledge and the material to improve the oxygen-enrichment polymer membrane, in order to provide high-grade oxygen-enriched streams for coal combustion and gasification applications. Both experimental and theoretical approaches were used in this project. The membranes evaluated thus far include single-walled carbon nano-tube, nano-fumed silica polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and zeolite-modulated polyimide membranes. To document the nanofiller-modulated polymer, molecular dynamics simulations have been conducted to calculate the theoretical oxygen molecular diffusion coefficient and nitrogen molecular coefficient inside single-walled carbon nano-tube PDMS membranes, in order to predict the effect of the nano-tubes on the gas-separation permeability. The team has performed permeation and diffusion experiments using polymers with nano-silica particles, nano-tubes, and zeolites as fillers; studied the influence of nano-fillers on the self diffusion, free volume, glass transition, oxygen diffusion and solubility, and perm-selectivity of oxygen in polymer membranes; developed molecular models of single-walled carbon nano-tube and nano-fumed silica PDMS membranes, and zeolites-modulated polyimide membranes. This project partially supported three graduate students (two finished degrees and one transferred to other institution). This project has resulted in two journal publications and additional publications will be prepared in the near future.

A pilot-scale forward osmosis membrane system for concentrating low-strength municipal wastewater: performance and implications

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhiwei; Zheng, Junjian; Tang, Jixu; Wang, Xinhua; Wu, Zhichao

2016-02-01

Recovery of nutrients and energy from municipal wastewater has attracted much attention in recent years; however, its efficiency is significantly limited by the low-strength properties of municipal wastewater. Herein, we report a pilot-scale forward osmosis (FO) system using a spiral-wound membrane module to concentrate real municipal wastewater. Under active layer facing feed solution mode, the critical concentration factor (CCF) of this FO system was determined to be 8 with 0.5 M NaCl as draw solution. During long-term operation at a concentration factor of 5, (99.8 ± 0.6)% of chemical oxygen demand and (99.7 ± 0.5)% of total phosphorus rejection rates could be achieved at a flux of 6 L/(m2 h) on average. In comparison, only (48.1 ± 10.5)% and (67.8 ± 7.3)% rejection of ammonium and total nitrogen were observed. Cake enhanced concentration polarization is a major contributor to the decrease of water fluxes. The fouling also led to the occurrence of a cake reduced concentration polarization effect, improving ammonium rejection rate with the increase of operation time in each cycle. This work demonstrates the applicability of using FO process for wastewater concentrating and also limitations in ammonium recovery that need further improvement in future.

Frequency Modulation and Absorption Improvement of THz Micro-bolometer with Micro-bridge Structure by Spiral-Type Antennas.

Science.gov (United States)

Gou, Jun; Niu, Qingchen; Liang, Kai; Wang, Jun; Jiang, Yadong

2018-03-05

Antenna-coupled micro-bridge structure is proven to be a good solution to extend infrared micro-bolometer technology for THz application. Spiral-type antennas are proposed in 25 μm × 25 μm micro-bridge structure with a single separate linear antenna, two separate linear antennas, or two connected linear antennas on the bridge legs, in addition to traditional spiral-type antenna on the support layer. The effects of structural parameters of each antenna on THz absorption of micro-bridge structure are discussed for optimized absorption of 2.52 THz wave radiated by far infrared CO 2 lasers. The design of spiral-type antenna with two separate linear antennas for wide absorption peak and spiral-type antenna with two connected linear antennas for relatively stable absorption are good candidates for high absorption at low absorption frequency with a rotation angle of 360*n (n = 1.6). Spiral-type antenna with extended legs also provides a highly integrated micro-bridge structure with fast response and a highly compatible, process-simplified way to realize the structure. This research demonstrates the design of several spiral-type antenna-coupled micro-bridge structures and provides preferred schemes for potential device applications in room temperature sensing and real-time imaging.

Design of a Multi-Tube Pd-Membrane Module for Tritium Recovery from He in DEMO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Incelli

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Dense self-supported Pd-alloy membranes are used to selectively separate hydrogen and hydrogen isotopes. In particular, deuterium (D and tritium (T are currently identified as the main elements for the sustainability of the nuclear fusion reaction aimed at carbon free power generation. In the fusion nuclear reactors, a breeding blanket produces the tritium that is extracted and purified before being sent to the plasma chamber in order to sustain the fusion reaction. In this work, the application of Pd-alloy membranes has been tested for recovering tritium from a solid breeding blanket through a helium purge stream. Several simulations have been performed in order to optimize the design of a Pd-Ag multi-tube module in terms of geometry, operating parameters, and membrane module configuration (series vs. parallel. The results demonstrate that a pre-concentration stage before the Pd-membrane unit is mandatory because of the very low tritium concentration in the He which leaves the breeding blanket of the fusion reactor. The most suitable operating conditions could be reached by: (i increasing the hydrogen partial pressure in the lumen side and (ii decreasing the shell pressure. The preliminary design of a membrane unit has been carried out for the case of the DEMO fusion reactor: the optimized membrane module consists of an array of 182 Pd-Ag tubes of 500 mm length, 10 mm diameter, and 0.100 mm wall thickness (total active area of 2.85 m2.

Numerical Studies on the Effects of the Channel-Inlet-Pressure Difference in the Pressure-Retarded Osmosis (PRO) Power System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Sung Soo; Ryoo, Won; Chung, Gui Yung; Chun, Myung-Suk

2014-01-01

In the spiral wound module of the pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) system for the salinity gradient power generation, effects of the inlet pressure differences between feed-channel and draw-channel were studied. Fluxes of water and solute through membrane and power were estimated. The water flux through membrane decreased along the x-direction and increased along the y-direction with the increase of inlet pressure differences between two channels. On the other hand, the solute flux through membrane showed the opposite trend. The concentration of flow in the feed-channel increased a lot along the y-direction and that in the draw-channel decreased along the x-direction. In our system, for the inlet pressure differences of 1-11 atm, the flow rate in the feed-channel decreased about 8-13% and that in the draw-channel increased by the same amount. The power density increased and then decreased with the increasing inlet pressure difference

Numerical Studies on the Effects of the Channel-Inlet-Pressure Difference in the Pressure-Retarded Osmosis (PRO) Power System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hong, Sung Soo; Ryoo, Won; Chung, Gui Yung [Hong-Ik University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Chun, Myung-Suk [Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-02-15

In the spiral wound module of the pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) system for the salinity gradient power generation, effects of the inlet pressure differences between feed-channel and draw-channel were studied. Fluxes of water and solute through membrane and power were estimated. The water flux through membrane decreased along the x-direction and increased along the y-direction with the increase of inlet pressure differences between two channels. On the other hand, the solute flux through membrane showed the opposite trend. The concentration of flow in the feed-channel increased a lot along the y-direction and that in the draw-channel decreased along the x-direction. In our system, for the inlet pressure differences of 1-11 atm, the flow rate in the feed-channel decreased about 8-13% and that in the draw-channel increased by the same amount. The power density increased and then decreased with the increasing inlet pressure difference.

Safety test results of lithium-thionyl chloride wound-type cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vallin, D.; Broussely, M. (British Columbia Univ., Vancouver (Canada))

1989-05-01

Increase in the use of spirally-wound, lithium-thionyl chloride cells is currently limited because of unsafe incidents which have been reported during the early stage of development of this product. Today, it is believed that these cells are safe over a wide range of operating conditions if properly designed. The paper describes the external and internal SAFT design of Li-SOCl2LSH series cells, as well as the results of safety tests. 6 refs.

Incidence and risk factors for caesarean wound infection in Lagos Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gab-Okafor Chidinma V

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Post caesarean wound infection is not only a leading cause of prolonged hospital stay but a major cause of the widespread aversion to caesarean delivery in developing countries. In order to control and prevent post caesarean wound infection in our environment there is the need to access the relative contribution of each aetiologic factor. Though some studies in our environment have identified factors associated with post caesarean wound infection, none was specifically designed to address these issues prospectively or assess the relative contribution of each of the risk factors. Findings Prospective multicentre study over a period of 56 months in Lagos Nigeria. All consecutive and consenting women scheduled for caesarean section and meeting the inclusion criteria were enrolled into the study. Cases were all subjects with post caesarean wound infection. Those without wound infection served as controls. Data entry and analysis were performed using EPI-Info programme version 6 and SPSS for windows version 10.0. Eight hundred and seventeen women were enrolled into the study. Seventy six (9.3% of these cases were complicated with wound infection. The proportion of subjects with body mass index greater than 25 was significantly higher among the subjects with wound infection (51.3% than in the subjects without wound infection (33.9% p = 0.011. There were also significantly higher proportions of subjects with prolonged rupture of membrane (p = 0.02, prolonged operation time (p = 0.001, anaemia (p = 0.031 and multiple vaginal examinations during labour (0.021 among the women that had wound infection compared to the women that did not have wound infection. After adjustment for confounders only prolonged rupture of membrane (OR = 4.45, prolonged operation time (OR = 2.87 and body max index > 25 (2.34 retained their association with post caesarean wound infection. Conclusion Effort should be geared towards the prevention of prolonged

Vacuumed gap membrane distillation (vagmed) module, multi-stage vagmed systems, and vagmed processes

KAUST Repository

Ghaffour, Noreddine

2016-06-30

Vacuumed gap membrane distillation (VAGMED) modules, and multi-stage VAGMED systems and processes using the modules are provided. In an embodiment, the membrane distillation modules (10) can comprise: a) a condenser (12) including a condensation surface (15); b) a first passageway (13) having an inlet for receiving a first feed stream (14) and an outlet through which the first stream can pass out of the first passageway, the first passageway configured to bring the first feed stream into thermal communication with the condensation surface; c) an evaporator (17) including a permeable evaporation surface allowing condensable gas to pass there through; d) a second passageway (18) having an inlet for receiving a second feed stream (19) and an outlet through which the second feed stream can pass out of the second passageway, the second passageway configured to bring the second feed stream into communication with the permeable evaporation surface; and e) an enclosure (24) providing a vacuum compartment within which the condenser, the evaporator and the first and second passageways of the module are contained.

Vacuumed gap membrane distillation (vagmed) module, multi-stage vagmed systems, and vagmed processes

KAUST Repository

Ghaffour, NorEddine; Alsaadi, Ahmad Salem; Francis, Lijo

2016-01-01

Vacuumed gap membrane distillation (VAGMED) modules, and multi-stage VAGMED systems and processes using the modules are provided. In an embodiment, the membrane distillation modules (10) can comprise: a) a condenser (12) including a condensation surface (15); b) a first passageway (13) having an inlet for receiving a first feed stream (14) and an outlet through which the first stream can pass out of the first passageway, the first passageway configured to bring the first feed stream into thermal communication with the condensation surface; c) an evaporator (17) including a permeable evaporation surface allowing condensable gas to pass there through; d) a second passageway (18) having an inlet for receiving a second feed stream (19) and an outlet through which the second feed stream can pass out of the second passageway, the second passageway configured to bring the second feed stream into communication with the permeable evaporation surface; and e) an enclosure (24) providing a vacuum compartment within which the condenser, the evaporator and the first and second passageways of the module are contained.

Bacterial Contribution in Chronicity of Wounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahim, Kashif; Saleha, Shamim; Zhu, Xudong; Huo, Liang; Basit, Abdul; Franco, Octavio Luiz

2017-04-01

A wound is damage of a tissue usually caused by laceration of a membrane, generally the skin. Wound healing is accomplished in three stages in healthy individuals, including inflammatory, proliferative, and remodeling stages. Healing of wounds normally starts from the inflammatory phase and ends up in the remodeling phase, but chronic wounds remain in an inflammatory stage and do not show progression due to some specific reasons. Chronic wounds are classified in different categories, such as diabetic foot ulcer (DFU), venous leg ulcers (VLU) and pressure ulcer (PU), surgical site infection (SSI), abscess, or trauma ulcers. Globally, the incidence rate of DFU is 1-4 % and prevalence rate is 5.3-10.5 %. However, colonization of pathogenic bacteria at the wound site is associated with wound chronicity. Most chronic wounds contain more than one bacterial species and produce a synergetic effect that results in previously non-virulent bacterial species becoming virulent and causing damage to the host. While investigating bacterial diversity in chronic wounds, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, Peptoniphilus, Enterobacter, Stenotrophomonas, Finegoldia, and Serratia were found most frequently in chronic wounds. Recently, it has been observed that bacteria in chronic wounds develop biofilms that contribute to a delay in healing. In a mature biofilm, bacteria grow slowly due to deficiency of nutrients that results in the resistance of bacteria to antibiotics. The present review reflects the reasons why acute wounds become chronic. Interesting findings include the bacterial load, which forms biofilms and shows high-level resistance toward antibiotics, which is a threat to human health in general and particularly to some patients who have acute wounds.

Spiral Countercurrent Chromatography

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, Yoichiro; Knight, Martha; Finn, Thomas M.

2013-01-01

For many years, high-speed countercurrent chromatography conducted in open tubing coils has been widely used for the separation of natural and synthetic compounds. In this method, the retention of the stationary phase is solely provided by the Archimedean screw effect by rotating the coiled column in the centrifugal force field. However, the system fails to retain enough of the stationary phase for polar solvent systems such as the aqueous–aqueous polymer phase systems. To address this problem, the geometry of the coiled channel was modified to a spiral configuration so that the system could utilize the radially acting centrifugal force. This successfully improved the retention of the stationary phase. Two different types of spiral columns were fabricated: the spiral disk assembly, made by stacking multiple plastic disks with single or four interwoven spiral channels connected in series, and the spiral tube assembly, made by inserting the tetrafluoroethylene tubing into a spiral frame (spiral tube support). The capabilities of these column assemblies were successfully demonstrated by separations of peptides and proteins with polar two-phase solvent systems whose stationary phases had not been well retained in the earlier multilayer coil separation column for high-speed countercurrent chromatography. PMID:23833207

Fabrication and characterization of an asymmetric polyurethane membrane for use as a wound dressing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hinrichs, W.L.J.; Hinrichs, W.L.J.; Lommen, E.J.C.M.P.; Wildevuur, C.R.H.; Feijen, Jan

1993-01-01

To prevent wound dehydration and bacterial penetration, a wound dressing should be occlusive, but on the other hand it should also be permeable for wound exudate to prevent bullae formation. To meet these requirements a new type of polyurethane wound dressing which consists of a microporous top

FABRICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF AN ASYMMETRIC POLYURETHANE MEMBRANE FOR USE AS A WOUND DRESSING

NARCIS (Netherlands)

HINRICHS, WLJ; LOMMEN, EJCMP; WILDEVUUR, CRH; FEIJEN, J

1992-01-01

To prevent wound dehydration and bacterial penetration, a wound dressing should be occlusive, but on the other hand it should also be permeable for wound exudate to prevent bullae formation. To meet these requirements a new type of polyurethane wound dressing which consists of a microporous top

Intra-individual diagnostic image quality and organ-specific-radiation dose comparison between spiral cCT with iterative image reconstruction and z-axis automated tube current modulation and sequential cCT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wenz, Holger; Maros, Máté E.; Meyer, Mathias; Gawlitza, Joshua; Förster, Alex; Haubenreisser, Holger; Kurth, Stefan; Schoenberg, Stefan O.; Groden, Christoph; Henzler, Thomas

2016-01-01

•Superiority of spiral versus sequential cCT in image quality and organ-specific-radiation dose.•Spiral cCT: lower organ-specific-radiation-dose in eye lense compared to tilted sequential cCT.•State-of-the-art IR spiral cCT techniques has significant advantages over sequential cCT techniques. Superiority of spiral versus sequential cCT in image quality and organ-specific-radiation dose. Spiral cCT: lower organ-specific-radiation-dose in eye lense compared to tilted sequential cCT. State-of-the-art IR spiral cCT techniques has significant advantages over sequential cCT techniques. To prospectively evaluate image quality and organ-specific-radiation dose of spiral cranial CT (cCT) combined with automated tube current modulation (ATCM) and iterative image reconstruction (IR) in comparison to sequential tilted cCT reconstructed with filtered back projection (FBP) without ATCM. 31 patients with a previous performed tilted non-contrast enhanced sequential cCT aquisition on a 4-slice CT system with only FBP reconstruction and no ATCM were prospectively enrolled in this study for a clinical indicated cCT scan. All spiral cCT examinations were performed on a 3rd generation dual-source CT system using ATCM in z-axis direction. Images were reconstructed using both, FBP and IR (level 1–5). A Monte-Carlo-simulation-based analysis was used to compare organ-specific-radiation dose. Subjective image quality for various anatomic structures was evaluated using a 4-point Likert-scale and objective image quality was evaluated by comparing signal-to-noise ratios (SNR). Spiral cCT led to a significantly lower (p < 0.05) organ-specific-radiation dose in all targets including eye lense. Subjective image quality of spiral cCT datasets with an IR reconstruction level 5 was rated significantly higher compared to the sequential cCT acquisitions (p < 0.0001). Consecutive mean SNR was significantly higher in all spiral datasets (FBP, IR 1–5) when compared to sequential cCT with a mean

Ion activation energy delivered to wounds by atmospheric pressure dielectric-barrier discharges: sputtering of lipid-like surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Babaeva, Natalia Yu; Kushner, Mark J; Ning Ning; Graves, David B

2012-01-01

The application of atmospheric pressure plasmas to human tissue has been shown to have therapeutic effects for wound healing and in treatment of skin diseases. These effects are attributed to production of UV photon fluxes, electric fields and beneficial radicals which intersect with biological reaction chains, and to energetic ions bombarding the surface. In this paper we report on results from a computational investigation of the ion energy and angular distributions (IEADs) in a dielectric-barrier discharge sustained in air incident directly on cell membranes for small dry and wet wounds in human skin. We found that ion energies in excess of 20-30 eV can be delivered onto cell membranes of dry wounds, and up to 60 eV onto the liquid interface of the wet wound. The details of the IEADs depend on the orientation of the cell membrane and on the relative location of the plasma streamer to the wound. Using results from a molecular dynamics simulation of ion sputter probabilities of typical lipid-like material, we show that prolonged exposure of the cell membrane to such IEADs can produce significant carbon removal. (paper)

Ion activation energy delivered to wounds by atmospheric pressure dielectric-barrier discharges: sputtering of lipid-like surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Babaeva, Natalia Yu; Ning, Ning; Graves, David B.; Kushner, Mark J.

2012-03-01

The application of atmospheric pressure plasmas to human tissue has been shown to have therapeutic effects for wound healing and in treatment of skin diseases. These effects are attributed to production of UV photon fluxes, electric fields and beneficial radicals which intersect with biological reaction chains, and to energetic ions bombarding the surface. In this paper we report on results from a computational investigation of the ion energy and angular distributions (IEADs) in a dielectric-barrier discharge sustained in air incident directly on cell membranes for small dry and wet wounds in human skin. We found that ion energies in excess of 20-30 eV can be delivered onto cell membranes of dry wounds, and up to 60 eV onto the liquid interface of the wet wound. The details of the IEADs depend on the orientation of the cell membrane and on the relative location of the plasma streamer to the wound. Using results from a molecular dynamics simulation of ion sputter probabilities of typical lipid-like material, we show that prolonged exposure of the cell membrane to such IEADs can produce significant carbon removal.

Modulation of myometrium mitochondrial membrane potential by calmodulin antagonists

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. G. Shlykov

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Influence of calmodulin antagonists on mitochondrial membrane potential was investigated using­ a flow cytometry method, confocal microscopy and fluorescent potential-sensitive probes TMRM and MTG. Influence of different concentrations of calmodulin antagonists on mitochondrial membrane potential was studied using flow cytometry method and a fraction of myometrium mitochondria of unpregnant rats. It was shown that 1-10 µМ calmidazolium gradually reduced mitochondria membrane potential. At the same time 10-100 µМ trifluope­razine influenced as follows: 10 µМ – increased polarization, while 100 µМ – caused almost complete depolarization of mitochondrial membranes. In experiments which were conducted with the use of confocal microscopy method and myometrium cells it was shown, that MTG addition to the incubation medium­ led to the appearance of fluorescence signal in a green range. Addition of the second probe (ТМRM resulted in the appearance of fluorescent signal in a red range. Mitochondrial membrane depolarization by 1µМ СССР or 10 mМ NaN3 was accompanied by the decline of “red” fluo­rescence intensity, “green” fluorescence was kept. The 10-15 minute incubation of myometrium cells in the presen­ce 10 µМ calmidazolium or 100 µМ trifluoperazine was accompanied by almost complete decrease of the TMRM fluorescent signal. Thus, with the use of potential-sensitive fluorescent probes TMRM and MTG it was shown, that calmodulin antagonists modulate mitochondrial membrane potential of myometrium cells.

Suppression of Spiral Waves by Voltage Clamp Techniques in a Conductance-Based Cardiac Tissue Model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lian-Chun, Yu; Guo-Yong, Zhang; Yong, Chen; Jun, Ma

2008-01-01

A new control method is proposed to control the spatio-temporal dynamics in excitable media, which is described by the Morris–Lecar cells model. It is confirmed that successful suppression of spiral waves can be obtained by spatially clamping the membrane voltage of the excitable cells. The low voltage clamping induces breakup of spiral waves and the fragments are soon absorbed by low voltage obstacles, whereas the high voltage clamping generates travel waves that annihilate spiral waves through collision with them. However, each method has its shortcomings. Furthermore, a two-step method that combines both low and high voltage clamp techniques is then presented as a possible way of out this predicament. (cross-disciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

Beta-Glucan induced immune modulation of wound healing in common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jiménez, Natalia Ivonne Vera

by hydrogen peroxide. To determine the effect of hydrogen peroxide release in fibroblast proliferation during wound healing, scratch-wounded CCB fibroblasts were stimulated with different doses of hydrogen peroxide and the wound closure was followed by image analysis. Fibroblast stimulation with low doses...... suitable for tissue regeneration or oxidative stress. To conclude, β-glucan treatment enhanced wound closure in carp, probably due to the enhancement of a localized inflammatory response. The wound healing modulatory effect of β-glucan seems to be orchestrated by the immune system, since no direct effect...

Electromechanics of graphene spirals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Korhonen, Topi; Koskinen, Pekka, E-mail: pekka.koskinen@iki.fi [NanoScience Center, Department of Physics, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä (Finland)

2014-12-15

Among the most fascinating nanostructure morphologies are spirals, hybrids of somewhat obscure topology and dimensionality with technologically attractive properties. Here, we investigate mechanical and electromechanical properties of graphene spirals upon elongation by using density-functional tight-binding, continuum elasticity theory, and classical force field molecular dynamics. It turns out that electronic properties are governed by interlayer interactions as opposed to strain effects. The structural behavior is governed by van der Waals interaction: in its absence spirals unfold with equidistant layer spacings, ripple formation at spiral perimeter, and steadily increasing axial force; in its presence, on the contrary, spirals unfold via smooth local peeling, complex geometries, and nearly constant axial force. These electromechanical trends ought to provide useful guidelines not only for additional theoretical investigations but also for forthcoming experiments on graphene spirals.

Chitosan/polyanion surface modification of styrene–butadiene–styrene block copolymer membrane for wound dressing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Jen Ming, E-mail: jmyang@mail.cgu.edu.tw [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Chang Gung University, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan (China); Yang, Jhe-Hao [Department of Electronic Engineering, Chang Gung University, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan (China); Huang, Huei Tsz [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Chang Gung University, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan (China)

2014-01-01

these [CS/polyanion] membranes was also conducted. No bacterial transport was found. - Highlights: • Styrene–butadiene–styrene copolymer was modified with chitosan and polyanions. • Three [chitosan/polyanion] systems, [CS/Alg], [CS/PGA] and [CS/PAsp], are prepared. • Characterization and performance of the [chitosan/polyanion] systems are evaluated. • [CS/Alg], [CS/PGA] and [CS/PAsp] are sterile semipermeable with bactericidal activity. • [CS/Alg], [CS/PGA] and [CS/PAsp] can be considered for wound dressing.

The VRLA modular wound design for 42 V mild hybrid systems

Science.gov (United States)

Trinidad, F.; Gimeno, C.; Gutiérrez, J.; Ruiz, R.; Sainz, J.; Valenciano, J.

Mild hybrid vehicles with 42 V electrical systems require advanced batteries with low cost, very high reliability and peak power performance. Valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries could provide better performance/cost ratio than any other electrochemical couples, by improving their cycle life performance at partial state-of-charge (SoC), charge acceptance of the negative plate and thermal management under power assist conditions. Modular wound designs are being developed for this application, because they can combine the best attributes of the high power VRLA designs (low resistance and high compression) with a more efficient thermal management and could improve reliability by reducing the potential cell failures in manufacturing (better quality control could be assured for individual 3-cell modules than for complete 18-cell block batteries). Thermal management is an important issue for VRLA batteries in a power assist cycling profile. Although water cooling is very efficient, it is not economical and increases the weight of the complete storage system. The modular VRLA design allows air circulation around the external walls of every cell in order to maintain the temperature around 40 °C, even at very high power cycling profiles. In order to increase the life at higher depth-of-discharge (DoD) and consequently to optimise the weight of the complete battery systems, a new 6 V module has been designed with improved thermal management features. Cycle life performance under partial-SoC conditions (around 60% SoC) has been tested in both 6 and 12 V modules. The basic power assist profile as specified by the European car manufacturers is composed of a high power discharge (boost) period followed by a rest (cruise) and recharge in three steps (regenerative braking). Very good results have been obtained for 12 V VRLA spiral wound batteries under power assist profile (more than 200,000 cycles at 1.25% DoD, equivalent to 2500 times the nominal capacity), but smaller 6

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells

CERN Document Server

Qi, Zhigang

2013-01-01

Preface Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel CellsFuel CellsTypes of Fuel CellsAdvantages of Fuel CellsProton Exchange Membrane Fuel CellsMembraneCatalystCatalyst LayerGas Diffusion MediumMicroporous LayerMembrane Electrode AssemblyPlateSingle CellStackSystemCell Voltage Monitoring Module (CVM)Fuel Supply Module (FSM)Air Supply Module (ASM)Exhaust Management Module (EMM)Heat Management Module (HMM)Water Management Module (WMM)Internal Power Supply Module (IPM)Power Conditioning Module (PCM)Communications Module (COM)Controls Module (CM)SummaryThermodynamics and KineticsTheoretical EfficiencyVoltagePo

Non-linear Membrane Properties in Entorhinal Cortical Stellate Cells Reduce Modulation of Input-Output Responses by Voltage Fluctuations

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez, Fernando R.; Malerba, Paola; White, John A.

2015-01-01

The presence of voltage fluctuations arising from synaptic activity is a critical component in models of gain control, neuronal output gating, and spike rate coding. The degree to which individual neuronal input-output functions are modulated by voltage fluctuations, however, is not well established across different cortical areas. Additionally, the extent and mechanisms of input-output modulation through fluctuations have been explored largely in simplified models of spike generation, and with limited consideration for the role of non-linear and voltage-dependent membrane properties. To address these issues, we studied fluctuation-based modulation of input-output responses in medial entorhinal cortical (MEC) stellate cells of rats, which express strong sub-threshold non-linear membrane properties. Using in vitro recordings, dynamic clamp and modeling, we show that the modulation of input-output responses by random voltage fluctuations in stellate cells is significantly limited. In stellate cells, a voltage-dependent increase in membrane resistance at sub-threshold voltages mediated by Na+ conductance activation limits the ability of fluctuations to elicit spikes. Similarly, in exponential leaky integrate-and-fire models using a shallow voltage-dependence for the exponential term that matches stellate cell membrane properties, a low degree of fluctuation-based modulation of input-output responses can be attained. These results demonstrate that fluctuation-based modulation of input-output responses is not a universal feature of neurons and can be significantly limited by subthreshold voltage-gated conductances. PMID:25909971

Impedance spectroscopy applied to the fast wounding dynamics of an electrical wound-healing assay in mammalian cells

Science.gov (United States)

Bellotti, Mariela I.; Giana, Fabián E.; Bonetto, Fabián J.

2015-08-01

Electrical wound-healing assays are often used as a means to study in vitro cell migration and proliferation. In such analysis, a cell monolayer that sits on a small electrode is electrically wounded and its spectral impedance is then continuously measured in order to monitor the healing process. The relatively slow dynamics of the cell healing have been extensively studied, while those of the much faster wounding phase have not yet been investigated. An analysis of the electrical properties of a particular cell type during this phase could give extra information about the changes in the cell membrane due to the application of the wounding current, and could also be useful to optimize the wounding regime for different cell types. The main issue when trying to register information about these dynamics is that the traditional measurement scheme employed in typical wound-healing assays doesn’t allow the simultaneous application of the wounding signal and measurement of the system’s impedance. In this paper, we overcome this limitation by implementing a measurement strategy consisting of cycles of fast alternating low- and high-voltage signals applied on electrodes covered with mammalian cells. This approach is capable of registering the fast impedance changes during the transient regime corresponding to the cell wounding process. Furthermore, these quasi-simultaneous high- and low-voltage measurements can be compared in order to obtain an empirical correlation between both quantities.

Impedance spectroscopy applied to the fast wounding dynamics of an electrical wound-healing assay in mammalian cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellotti, Mariela I; Giana, Fabián E; Bonetto, Fabián J

2015-01-01

Electrical wound-healing assays are often used as a means to study in vitro cell migration and proliferation. In such analysis, a cell monolayer that sits on a small electrode is electrically wounded and its spectral impedance is then continuously measured in order to monitor the healing process. The relatively slow dynamics of the cell healing have been extensively studied, while those of the much faster wounding phase have not yet been investigated. An analysis of the electrical properties of a particular cell type during this phase could give extra information about the changes in the cell membrane due to the application of the wounding current, and could also be useful to optimize the wounding regime for different cell types. The main issue when trying to register information about these dynamics is that the traditional measurement scheme employed in typical wound-healing assays doesn’t allow the simultaneous application of the wounding signal and measurement of the system’s impedance. In this paper, we overcome this limitation by implementing a measurement strategy consisting of cycles of fast alternating low- and high-voltage signals applied on electrodes covered with mammalian cells. This approach is capable of registering the fast impedance changes during the transient regime corresponding to the cell wounding process. Furthermore, these quasi-simultaneous high- and low-voltage measurements can be compared in order to obtain an empirical correlation between both quantities. (paper)

The Novelty in Fabrication of Poly Vinyl Alcohol/κ-Carrageenan Hydrogel with Lactobacillus bulgaricus Extract as Anti-inflammatory Wound Dressing Agent.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Fawal, Gomaa F; Yassin, Abdelrahman M; El-Deeb, Nehal M

2017-07-01

Material barrier properties to microbes are an important issue in many pharmaceutical applications like wound dressings. A wide range of biomaterials has been used to manage the chronic inflamed wounds. Eight hydrogel membranes of poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) with κ-carrageenan (KC) and Lactobacillus bulgaricus extract (LAB) have been prepared by using freeze-thawing technique. To evaluate the membranes efficiency as wound dressing agents, various tests have been done like gel fraction, swelling behavior, mechanical properties, etc. The antibacterial activities of the prepared membranes were tested against the antibiotic-resistant bacterial isolates. In addition, the safety usage of the prepared hydrogel was checked on human dermal fibroblast cells. The anti-inflammatory properties of the prepared hydrogel on LPS-PBMC cell inflammatory model were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The analysis data of TGA, SEM, gel fraction, and swelling behavior showed changes in properties of prepared PVA\\KC\\LAB hydrogel membrane than pure PVA hydrogel membrane. The antibacterial activities of the prepared membranes augmented in LAB extract-prepared membranes. Out of the eight used hydrogel membranes, the PVAKC4 hydrogel membrane is the safest one on fibroblast cellular proliferation with a maximum proliferation percentage 97.3%. Also, all the used hydrogel membrane showed abilities to reduce the concentration of IL-2 and IL-8 compared with both negative and positive control. In addition, almost all the prepared hydrogel membrane showed variable abilities to downregulate the expression of TNF-α gene with superior effect of hydrogel membrane KC1. PVA/KC/LAB extract hydrogel membrane may be a promising material for wound dressing application and could accelerate the healing process of the chronic wound because of its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Correcting the wavefront aberration of membrane mirror based on liquid crystal spatial light modulator

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Bin; Wei, Yin; Chen, Xinhua; Tang, Minxue

2014-11-01

Membrane mirror with flexible polymer film substrate is a new-concept ultra lightweight mirror for space applications. Compared with traditional mirrors, membrane mirror has the advantages of lightweight, folding and deployable, low cost and etc. Due to the surface shape of flexible membrane mirror is easy to deviate from the design surface shape, it will bring wavefront aberration to the optical system. In order to solve this problem, a method of membrane mirror wavefront aberration correction based on the liquid crystal spatial light modulator (LCSLM) will be studied in this paper. The wavefront aberration correction principle of LCSLM is described and the phase modulation property of a LCSLM is measured and analyzed firstly. Then the membrane mirror wavefront aberration correction system is designed and established according to the optical properties of a membrane mirror. The LCSLM and a Hartmann-Shack sensor are used as a wavefront corrector and a wavefront detector, respectively. The detected wavefront aberration is calculated and converted into voltage value on LCSLM for the mirror wavefront aberration correction by programming in Matlab. When in experiment, the wavefront aberration of a glass plane mirror with a diameter of 70 mm is measured and corrected for verifying the feasibility of the experiment system and the correctness of the program. The PV value and RMS value of distorted wavefront are reduced and near diffraction limited optical performance is achieved. On this basis, the wavefront aberration of the aperture center Φ25 mm in a membrane mirror with a diameter of 200 mm is corrected and the errors are analyzed. It provides a means of correcting the wavefront aberration of membrane mirror.

Observations of barred spirals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elmegreen, D.M.

1990-01-01

Observations of barred spiral galaxies are discussed which show that the presence of a bar increases the likelihood for grand design spiral structure only in early Hubble types. This result is contrary to the more common notion that grand design spiral structure generally accompanies bars in galaxies. Enhanced deprojected color images are shown which reveal that a secondary set of spiral arms commonly occurs in barred galaxies and also occasionally in ovally distorted galaxies. 6 refs

Analisa Kekuatan Spiral Bevel Gear Dengan Variasi Sudut Spiral Menggunakan Metode Elemen Hingga

OpenAIRE

Deta Rachmat Andika; Agus Sigit Pramono

2017-01-01

Seiring perkembangan zaman,  teknologi roda gigi dituntut untuk mampu mentransmisikan daya yang besar dengan efisiensi yang besar pula. Pada jenis intersecting shaft gear, tipe roda gigi payung spiral (spiral bevel gear)  merupakan perkembangan dari roda gigi payung bergigi lurus (straight bevel gear). Kelebihan dari spiral bevel gear antara  lain adalah kemampuan transmisi daya dan efisiensi yang lebih besar pada geometri yang sama serta tidak terlalu berisik. Akan tetapi spiral bevel gear j...

Barred spiral structure of galaxies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Z.; Weng, s.; Xu, M.

1982-01-01

Observational data indicate the grand design of spiral or barred spiral structure in disk galaxies. The problem of spiral structure has been thoroughly investigated by C. C. Lin and his collaborators, but yet the problem of barred spiral structure has not been investigated systematically, although much work has been done, such as in Ref. 3--7. Using the gasdynamic model for galaxies and a method of integral transform presented in Ref. 1, we investigated the barred spiral structure and obtained an analytical solution. It gives the large-scale pattern of barred-spirals, which is in fairly good agreement with observational data

Spiral branches and star formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zasov, A.V.

1974-01-01

Origin of spiral branches of galaxies and formation of stars in them are considered from the point of view of the theory of the gravitational gas condensation, one of comparatively young theories. Arguments are presented in favour of the stellar condensation theory. The concept of the star formation of gas is no longer a speculative hypothesis. This is a theory which assumes quantitative verification and explains qualitatively many facts observed. And still our knowledge on the nature of spiral branches is very poor. It still remains vague what processes give origin to spiral branches, why some galaxies have spirals and others have none. And shapes of spiral branches are diverse. Some cases are known when spiral branches spread outside boundaries of galaxies themselves. Such spirals arise exclusively in the region where there are two or some interacting galaxies. Only first steps have been made in the explanation of the galaxy spiral branches, and it is necessary to carry out new observations and new theoretical calculations

Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) modulates wound healing through regulation of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Serrano, Isabel; Diez-Marques, Maria L.; Rodriguez-Puyol, Manuel [Department of Physiology, University of Alcala, Alcala de Henares, Madrid (Spain); Red de Investigacion Renal Cooperativa (RedinRen) (Spain); Instituto Reina Sofia de Investigacion Nefrologica (Spain); Herrero-Fresneda, Inmaculada [Nephrology Unit, IDIBELL, Hospital de Bellvitge, Barcelona (Spain); Red de Investigacion Renal Cooperativa (RedinRen) (Spain); Garcia del Moral, Raimundo [Department of Pathology, University of Granada (Spain); Red de Investigacion Renal Cooperativa (RedinRen) (Spain); Dedhar, Shoukat [Department of Integrative Oncology, BC Cancer Research Center, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Ruiz-Torres, Maria P., E-mail: mpiedad.ruiz@uah.es [Department of Physiology, University of Alcala, Alcala de Henares, Madrid (Spain); Red de Investigacion Renal Cooperativa (RedinRen) (Spain); Instituto Reina Sofia de Investigacion Nefrologica (Spain); Rodriguez-Puyol, Diego [Nephrology Unit, Hospital Universitario Principe de Asturias, Alcala de Henares, Madrid (Spain); Red de Investigacion Renal Cooperativa (RedinRen) (Spain); Instituto Reina Sofia de Investigacion Nefrologica (Spain)

2012-11-15

Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is an intracellular effector of cell-matrix interactions and regulates many cellular processes, including growth, proliferation, survival, differentiation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis. The present work analyzes the role of ILK in wound healing in adult animals using a conditional knock-out of the ILK gene generated with the tamoxifen-inducible Cre-lox system (CRE-LOX mice). Results show that ILK deficiency leads to retarded wound closure in skin. Intracellular mechanisms involved in this process were analyzed in cultured mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) isolated from CRE-LOX mice and revealed that wounding promotes rapid activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and ILK. Knockdown of ILK resulted in a retarded wound closure due to a decrease in cellular proliferation and loss of HGF protein expression during the healing process, in vitro and in vivo. Alterations in cell proliferation and wound closure in ILK-deficient MEF or mice could be rescued by exogenous administration of human HGF. These data demonstrate, for the first time, that the activation of PI3K and ILK after skin wounding are critical for HGF-dependent tissue repair and wound healing. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer ILK deletion results in decreased HGF expression and delayed scratch wound repair. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer PI3K/ILK/AKT pathway signals through HGF to regulate wound healing. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer An ILK-dependent increase in HGF expression is responsible for wound healing in vivo. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer ILK-KO mice are used to confirm the requirement for ILK function in wound healing. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Human HGF treatment restores delayed wound closure in vitro and in vivo.

The Role of Macrophages in Acute and Chronic Wound Healing and Interventions to Promote Pro-wound Healing Phenotypes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulina Krzyszczyk

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Macrophages play key roles in all phases of adult wound healing, which are inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. As wounds heal, the local macrophage population transitions from predominantly pro-inflammatory (M1-like phenotypes to anti-inflammatory (M2-like phenotypes. Non-healing chronic wounds, such as pressure, arterial, venous, and diabetic ulcers indefinitely remain in inflammation—the first stage of wound healing. Thus, local macrophages retain pro-inflammatory characteristics. This review discusses the physiology of monocytes and macrophages in acute wound healing and the different phenotypes described in the literature for both in vitro and in vivo models. We also discuss aberrations that occur in macrophage populations in chronic wounds, and attempts to restore macrophage function by therapeutic approaches. These include endogenous M1 attenuation, exogenous M2 supplementation and endogenous macrophage modulation/M2 promotion via mesenchymal stem cells, growth factors, biomaterials, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1 expression, and oxygen therapy. We recognize the challenges and controversies that exist in this field, such as standardization of macrophage phenotype nomenclature, definition of their distinct roles and understanding which phenotype is optimal in order to promote healing in chronic wounds.

The Role of Macrophages in Acute and Chronic Wound Healing and Interventions to Promote Pro-wound Healing Phenotypes

Science.gov (United States)

Krzyszczyk, Paulina; Schloss, Rene; Palmer, Andre; Berthiaume, François

2018-01-01

Macrophages play key roles in all phases of adult wound healing, which are inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. As wounds heal, the local macrophage population transitions from predominantly pro-inflammatory (M1-like phenotypes) to anti-inflammatory (M2-like phenotypes). Non-healing chronic wounds, such as pressure, arterial, venous, and diabetic ulcers indefinitely remain in inflammation—the first stage of wound healing. Thus, local macrophages retain pro-inflammatory characteristics. This review discusses the physiology of monocytes and macrophages in acute wound healing and the different phenotypes described in the literature for both in vitro and in vivo models. We also discuss aberrations that occur in macrophage populations in chronic wounds, and attempts to restore macrophage function by therapeutic approaches. These include endogenous M1 attenuation, exogenous M2 supplementation and endogenous macrophage modulation/M2 promotion via mesenchymal stem cells, growth factors, biomaterials, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression, and oxygen therapy. We recognize the challenges and controversies that exist in this field, such as standardization of macrophage phenotype nomenclature, definition of their distinct roles and understanding which phenotype is optimal in order to promote healing in chronic wounds. PMID:29765329

Plasma Generator Using Spiral Conductors

Science.gov (United States)

Szatkowski, George N. (Inventor); Dudley, Kenneth L. (Inventor); Ticatch, Larry A. (Inventor); Smith, Laura J. (Inventor); Koppen, Sandra V. (Inventor); Nguyen, Truong X. (Inventor); Ely, Jay J. (Inventor)

2016-01-01

A plasma generator includes a pair of identical spiraled electrical conductors separated by dielectric material. Both spiraled conductors have inductance and capacitance wherein, in the presence of a time-varying electromagnetic field, the spiraled conductors resonate to generate a harmonic electromagnetic field response. The spiraled conductors lie in parallel planes and partially overlap one another in a direction perpendicular to the parallel planes. The geometric centers of the spiraled conductors define endpoints of a line that is non-perpendicular with respect to the parallel planes. A voltage source coupled across the spiraled conductors applies a voltage sufficient to generate a plasma in at least a portion of the dielectric material.

Delayed wound healing in aged skin rat models after thermal injury is associated with an increased MMP-9, K6 and CD44 expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Simonetti, Oriana; Oriana, Simonetti; Lucarini, Guendalina; Guendalina, Lucarini; Cirioni, Oscar; Oscar, Cirioni; Zizzi, Antonio; Antonio, Zizzi; Orlando, Fiorenza; Fiorenza, Orlando; Provinciali, Mauro; Mauro, Provinciali; Di Primio, Roberto; Roberto, Di Primio; Giacometti, Andrea; Andrea, Giacometti; Offidani, Annamaria; Annamaria, Offidani

2013-06-01

Age-related differences in wound healing have been documented but little is known about the wound healing mechanism after burns. Our aim was to compare histological features and immunohistochemical expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), collagen IV, K6 and CD44 in the burn wound healing process in aged and young rats. Following burns the appearance of the wound bed in aged rats had progressed but slowly, resulting in a delayed healing process compared to the young rats. At 21 days after injury, epithelial K6, MMP-9 and CD44 expression was significantly increased in aged rats with respect to young rats; moreover, in the aged rat group we observed a not fully reconstituted basement membrane. K6, MMP-9 and CD44 expression was significantly increased in wounded skin compared to unwounded skin both in young and aged rats. We hypothesise that delayed burn skin wound healing process in the aged rats may represent an age dependent response to injury where K6, MMP-9 and CD44 play a key role. It is therefore possible to suggest that these factors contribute to the delayed wound healing in aged skin and that modulation could lead to a better and faster recovery of skin damage in elderly. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of wound healing activity of atranorin, a lichen secondary metabolite, on rodents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosana S. S. Barreto

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the wound healing activity of atranorin cream (Patent requested on excision wounds. Seventy-two male rats were anesthetized and an excisional wound was performed. Then the rats were randomly assigned into three groups: untreated control group; atranorin 1 (group treated with 1% AT ointment; and atranorin 5 (group treated with 5% AT ointment. Six animals of each group were euthanized 3, 7, 14 or 21 days after surgical procedures and the wounded areas were analyzed and removed. Serial histological sections were obtained and stained by histochemical techniques (Hematoxilin-Eosin-HEand Sirius red and immunohistochemical techniques. Topical application of atranorin reduced wound areas, induced earlier granulation tissue formation, increased cell proliferation, improved collagenization and modulated the myofibroblasts differentiation when compared to control animals. It is suggested that atranorin modulates the wound healing process. These data suggest that this formulation based on atranorin extracted from Cladina kalbii AHTI may be a new biotechnological product for wound healing clinical applications.

PLGA nanoparticles loaded with host defense peptide LL37 promote wound healing.

Science.gov (United States)

Chereddy, Kiran Kumar; Her, Charles-Henry; Comune, Michela; Moia, Claudia; Lopes, Alessandra; Porporato, Paolo E; Vanacker, Julie; Lam, Martin C; Steinstraesser, Lars; Sonveaux, Pierre; Zhu, Huijun; Ferreira, Lino S; Vandermeulen, Gaëlle; Préat, Véronique

2014-11-28

Wound treatment remains one of the most prevalent and economically burdensome healthcare issues in the world. Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) supplies lactate that accelerates neovascularization and promotes wound healing. LL37 is an endogenous human host defense peptide that modulates wound healing and angiogenesis and fights infection. Hence, we hypothesized that the administration of LL37 encapsulated in PLGA nanoparticles (PLGA-LL37 NP) promotes wound closure due to the sustained release of both LL37 and lactate. In full thickness excisional wounds, the treatment with PLGA-LL37 NP significantly accelerated wound healing compared to PLGA or LL37 administration alone. PLGA-LL37 NP-treated wounds displayed advanced granulation tissue formation by significant higher collagen deposition, re-epithelialized and neovascularized composition. PLGA-LL37 NP improved angiogenesis, significantly up-regulated IL-6 and VEGFa expression, and modulated the inflammatory wound response. In vitro, PLGA-LL37 NP induced enhanced cell migration but had no effect on the metabolism and proliferation of keratinocytes. It displayed antimicrobial activity on Escherichia coli. In conclusion, we developed a biodegradable drug delivery system that accelerated healing processes due to the combined effects of lactate and LL37 released from the nanoparticles. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biofouling investigation in membrane filtration systems using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)

KAUST Repository

Fortunato, Luca

2017-10-01

representative conditions for a spiral-wound membrane element was performed. Biomass accumulation was stronger on the feed spacer during the early stage, impacting the feed channel pressure drop more than the permeate flux. OCT biofilm thickness map was presented as new tool to evaluate the biofouling development in membrane filtration systems through the use of a false color scale.

Nonlinear QR code based optical image encryption using spiral phase transform, equal modulus decomposition and singular value decomposition

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Ravi; Bhaduri, Basanta; Nishchal, Naveen K.

2018-01-01

In this study, we propose a quick response (QR) code based nonlinear optical image encryption technique using spiral phase transform (SPT), equal modulus decomposition (EMD) and singular value decomposition (SVD). First, the primary image is converted into a QR code and then multiplied with a spiral phase mask (SPM). Next, the product is spiral phase transformed with particular spiral phase function, and further, the EMD is performed on the output of SPT, which results into two complex images, Z 1 and Z 2. Among these, Z 1 is further Fresnel propagated with distance d, and Z 2 is reserved as a decryption key. Afterwards, SVD is performed on Fresnel propagated output to get three decomposed matrices i.e. one diagonal matrix and two unitary matrices. The two unitary matrices are modulated with two different SPMs and then, the inverse SVD is performed using the diagonal matrix and modulated unitary matrices to get the final encrypted image. Numerical simulation results confirm the validity and effectiveness of the proposed technique. The proposed technique is robust against noise attack, specific attack, and brutal force attack. Simulation results are presented in support of the proposed idea.

Tracking Target and Spiral Waves

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Flemming G.; Sporring, Jon; Nielsen, Mads

2002-01-01

A new algorithm for analyzing the evolution of patterns of spiral and target waves in large aspect ratio chemical systems is introduced. The algorithm does not depend on finding the spiral tip but locates the center of the pattern by a new concept, called the spiral focus, which is defined...... by the evolutes of the actual spiral or target wave. With the use of Gaussian smoothing, a robust method is developed that permits the identification of targets and spirals foci independently of the wave profile. Examples of an analysis of long image sequences from experiments with the Belousov......–Zhabotinsky reaction catalyzed by ruthenium-tris-bipyridyl are presented. Moving target and spiral foci are found, and the speed and direction of movement of single as well as double spiral foci are investigated. For the experiments analyzed in this paper it is found that the movement of a focus correlates with foci...

Spiral CT for evaluation of chest trauma; Spiral-CT beim Thoraxtrauma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roehnert, W. [Universitaetsklinikum Dresden (Germany). Inst. und Poliklinik fuer Radiologische Diagnostik; Weise, R. [Universitaetsklinikum Dresden (Germany). Inst. und Poliklinik fuer Radiologische Diagnostik

1997-07-01

After implementation of spiral CT in our department, we carried out an analysis for determining anew the value of CT as a modality of chest trauma diagnosis in the emergency department. The retrospective study covers a period of 10 months and all emergency patients with chest trauma exmined by spiral CT. The major lesions of varying seriousness covered by this study are: pneumothorax, hematothorax, pulmonary contusion or laceration, mediastinal hematoma, rupture of a vessel, injury of the heart and pericardium. The various fractures are not included in this study. In many cases, spiral CT within relatively short time yields significant diagnostic findings, frequently saving additional angiography. A rigid diagnostic procedure cannot be formulated. Plain-film chest radiography still remains a diagnostic modality of high value. (Orig.) [Deutsch] Nach Einfuehrung der Spiral-CT in unserer Einrichtung versuchten wir, den Stellenwert der Computertomographie in der Notfalldiagnostik des Thoraxtraumas neu zu bestimmen. Dazu wurden retrospektiv ueber einen Zeitraum von 10 Monaten alle mittels Spiral-CT untersuchten Notfallpatienten mit Thoraxverletzungen ausgewertet. Im Vordergrund standen folgende Befunde unterschiedlichen Schweregrades: Pneumothorax, Haematothorax, Lungenkontusion/-lazeration, Mediastinalhaematom, Gefaessruptur, Herz- und Herzbeutelverletzung. Auf die unterschiedlichen Frakturen wird bewusst nicht naeher eingegangen. In vielen Faellen liefert die Spiral-CT mit relativ geringem Zeitaufwand wesentliche diagnostische Aussagen. Haeufig kann auf eine Angiographie verzichtet werden. Ein starres diagnostisches Stufenschema laesst sich nicht definieren. Die Thoraxuebersichtsaufnahme besitzt einen unveraendert hohen Stellenwert. (orig.)

Quantifying the Attractive Force Exerted on the Pinned Calcium Spiral Waves by Using the Adventive Field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu Kang; Tang Jun; Luo Jin-Ming; Ma Jun

2013-01-01

The cytosolic calcium system is inhomogenous because of the discrete and random distribution of ion channels on the ER membrane. It is well known that the spiral tip can be pinned by the heterogenous area, and the field can detach the spiral from the heterogeneity. We use the adventive field to counteract the attractive force exerting on the calcium spiral wave by the heterogeneity, then the strength of the adventive field is used to quantify the attractive force indirectly. Two factors determining the attractive force are studied. It is found that: (1) the attractive force sharply increases with size of the heterogeneity for small-size heterogeneity, whereas the force increases to a saturated value for large-size heterogeneity; (2) for large-size heterogeneity, the force almost remains constant unless the level of the heterogeneity vanishes, the force decreases to zero linearly and sharply, and for small-size heterogeneity, the force decreases successively with the level of the heterogeneity. Furthermore, it is found that the forces exist only when the spiral tip is very close to the heterogenous area. Our study may shed some light on the control or suppression of the calcium spiral wave

Lumican as a multivalent effector in wound healing.

Science.gov (United States)

Karamanou, Konstantina; Perrot, Gwenn; Maquart, Francois-Xavier; Brézillon, Stéphane

2018-03-01

Wound healing, a complex physiological process, is responsible for tissue repair after exposure to destructive stimuli, without resulting in complete functional regeneration. Injuries can be stromal or epithelial, and most cases of wound repair have been studied in the skin and cornea. Lumican, a small leucine-rich proteoglycan, is expressed in the extracellular matrices of several tissues, such as the cornea, cartilage, and skin. This molecule has been shown to regulate collagen fibrillogenesis, keratinocyte phenotypes, and corneal transparency modulation. Lumican is also involved in the extravasation of inflammatory cells and angiogenesis, which are both critical in stromal wound healing. Lumican is the only member of the small leucine-rich proteoglycan family expressed by the epithelia during wound healing. This review summarizes the importance of lumican in wound healing and potential methods of lumican drug delivery to target wound repair are discussed. The involvement of lumican in corneal wound healing is described based on in vitro and in vivo models, with critical emphasis on its underlying mechanisms of action. Similarly, the expression and role of lumican in the healing of other tissues are presented, with emphasis on skin wound healing. Overall, lumican promotes normal wound repair and broadens new therapeutic perspectives for impaired wound healing. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

High assurance SPIRAL

Science.gov (United States)

Franchetti, Franz; Sandryhaila, Aliaksei; Johnson, Jeremy R.

2014-06-01

In this paper we introduce High Assurance SPIRAL to solve the last mile problem for the synthesis of high assurance implementations of controllers for vehicular systems that are executed in today's and future embedded and high performance embedded system processors. High Assurance SPIRAL is a scalable methodology to translate a high level specification of a high assurance controller into a highly resource-efficient, platform-adapted, verified control software implementation for a given platform in a language like C or C++. High Assurance SPIRAL proves that the implementation is equivalent to the specification written in the control engineer's domain language. Our approach scales to problems involving floating-point calculations and provides highly optimized synthesized code. It is possible to estimate the available headroom to enable assurance/performance trade-offs under real-time constraints, and enables the synthesis of multiple implementation variants to make attacks harder. At the core of High Assurance SPIRAL is the Hybrid Control Operator Language (HCOL) that leverages advanced mathematical constructs expressing the controller specification to provide high quality translation capabilities. Combined with a verified/certified compiler, High Assurance SPIRAL provides a comprehensive complete solution to the efficient synthesis of verifiable high assurance controllers. We demonstrate High Assurance SPIRALs capability by co-synthesizing proofs and implementations for attack detection and sensor spoofing algorithms and deploy the code as ROS nodes on the Landshark unmanned ground vehicle and on a Synthetic Car in a real-time simulator.

In situ deposition of a personalized nanofibrous dressing via a handy electrospinning device for skin wound care

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Rui-Hua; Jia, Yue-Xiao; Qin, Chong-Chong; Zhan, Lu; Yan, Xu; Cui, Lin; Zhou, Yu; Jiang, Xingyu; Long, Yun-Ze

2016-02-01

Current strategies for wound care provide limited relief to millions of patients who suffer from burns, chronic skin ulcers or surgical-related wounds. The goal of this work is to develop an in situ deposition of a personalized nanofibrous dressing via a handy electrospinning (e-spinning) device and evaluate its properties related to skin wound care. MCM-41 type mesoporous silica nanoparticles decorated with silver nanoparticles (Ag-MSNs) were prepared by a facile and environmentally friendly approach, which possessed long-term antibacterial activity and low cytotoxicity. Poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) incorporated with Ag-MSNs was successfully electrospun (e-spun) into nanofibrous membranes. These in situ e-spun nanofibrous membranes allowed the continuous release of Ag ions and showed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against two common types of pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. In addition, the in vivo studies revealed that these antibacterial nanofibrous membranes could reduce the inflammatory response and accelerate wound healing in Wistar rats. The above results strongly demonstrate that such patient-specific dressings could be broadly applied in emergency medical transport, hospitals, clinics and at the patients' home in the near future.Current strategies for wound care provide limited relief to millions of patients who suffer from burns, chronic skin ulcers or surgical-related wounds. The goal of this work is to develop an in situ deposition of a personalized nanofibrous dressing via a handy electrospinning (e-spinning) device and evaluate its properties related to skin wound care. MCM-41 type mesoporous silica nanoparticles decorated with silver nanoparticles (Ag-MSNs) were prepared by a facile and environmentally friendly approach, which possessed long-term antibacterial activity and low cytotoxicity. Poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) incorporated with Ag-MSNs was successfully electrospun (e-spun) into nanofibrous membranes. These in situ e

Osmolality, temperature, and membrane lipid composition modulate the activity of betaine transporter BetP in Corynebacterium glutamicum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ozcan, Nuran; Ejsing, Christer S.; Shevchenko, Andrej

2007-01-01

The gram-positive soil bacterium Corynebacterium glutamicum, a major amino acid-producing microorganism in biotechnology, is equipped with several osmoregulated uptake systems for compatible solutes, which is relevant for the physiological response to osmotic stress. The most significant carrier......P activity. We further correlated the change in BetP regulation properties in cells grown at different temperatures to changes in the lipid composition of the plasma membrane. For this purpose, the glycerophospholipidome of C. glutamicum grown at different temperatures was analyzed by mass spectrometry using...... quantitative multiple precursor ion scanning. The molecular composition of glycerophospholipids was strongly affected by the growth temperature. The modulating influence of membrane lipid composition on BetP function was further corroborated by studying the influence of artificial modulation of membrane...

Hydrogel-coated feed spacers in two-phase flow cleaning in spiral wound membrane elements: A novel platform for eco-friendly biofouling mitigation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wibisono, Y.; Yandi, Wetra; Golabi, Mohsen; Nugraha, Roni; Cornelissen, Emile R.; Kemperman, Antonius J.B.; Ederth, Thomas; Nijmeijer, Dorothea C.

2015-01-01

Biofouling is still a major challenge in the application of nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes. Here we present a platform approach for environmentally friendly biofouling control using a combination of a hydrogel-coated feed spacer and two-phase flow cleaning. Neutral

In vitro and in vivo investigation of bacterial cellulose dressing containing uniform silver sulfadiazine nanoparticles for burn wound healing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoxiao Wen

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Silver sulfadiazine (SSD particles in homogeneous dispersion state were prepared by an ultrasonic method and then nano- and microparticles were separated using centrifugation. SSD particles with narrow size distribution were impregnated with bacterial cellulose (BC to produce BC–SSD composite membrane used as burn wound dressing. A scanning electron microscope (SEM was used to examine the surface morphology of BC–SSD membranes. The incorporation of SSD in BC–SSD was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD. Antimicrobial tests in vitro indicated that BC–SSD showed excellent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. The effects of BC–SSD on burn wound healing were assessed by rat models. The comparative study confirmed that the wound treated with BC–SSD showed high healing rate. The bacteria count in BC–SSD group was far less than control group. Histological analysis showed that epithelialization progressed better in wound treated with BC–SSD. These values demonstrated that the BC–SSD composite membrane could be a promising wound dressing for burn.

Simulations of the flocculent spiral M33: what drives the spiral structure?

Science.gov (United States)

Dobbs, C. L.; Pettitt, A. R.; Corbelli, E.; Pringle, J. E.

2018-05-01

We perform simulations of isolated galaxies in order to investigate the likely origin of the spiral structure in M33. In our models, we find that gravitational instabilities in the stars and gas are able to reproduce the observed spiral pattern and velocity field of M33, as seen in HI, and no interaction is required. We also find that the optimum models have high levels of stellar feedback which create large holes similar to those observed in M33, whilst lower levels of feedback tend to produce a large amount of small scale structure, and undisturbed long filaments of high surface density gas, hardly detected in the M33 disc. The gas component appears to have a significant role in producing the structure, so if there is little feedback, both the gas and stars organise into clear spiral arms, likely due to a lower combined Q (using gas and stars), and the ready ability of cold gas to undergo spiral shocks. By contrast models with higher feedback have weaker spiral structure, especially in the stellar component, compared to grand design galaxies. We did not see a large difference in the behaviour of Qstars with most of these models, however, because Qstars stayed relatively constant unless the disc was more strongly unstable. Our models suggest that although the stars produce some underlying spiral structure, this is relatively weak, and the gas physics has a considerable role in producing the large scale structure of the ISM in flocculent spirals.

Drug delivery systems and materials for wound healing applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Saghazadeh, Saghi; Rinoldi, Chiara; Schot, Maik; Kashaf, Sara Saheb; Sharifi, Fatemeh; Jalilian, Elmira; Nuutila, Kristo; Giatsidis, Giorgio; Mostafalu, Pooria; Derakhshandeh, Hossein; Yue, Kan; Swieszkowski, Wojciech; Memic, Adnan; Tamayol, Ali; Khademhosseini, Ali

2018-04-05

Chronic, non-healing wounds place a significant burden on patients and healthcare systems, resulting in impaired mobility, limb amputation, or even death. Chronic wounds result from a disruption in the highly orchestrated cascade of events involved in wound closure. Significant advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of chronic wounds have resulted in the development of drugs designed to target different aspects of the impaired processes. However, the hostility of the wound environment rich in degradative enzymes and its elevated pH, combined with differences in the time scales of different physiological processes involved in tissue regeneration require the use of effective drug delivery systems. In this review, we will first discuss the pathophysiology of chronic wounds and then the materials used for engineering drug delivery systems. Different passive and active drug delivery systems used in wound care will be reviewed. In addition, the architecture of the delivery platform and its ability to modulate drug delivery are discussed. Emerging technologies and the opportunities for engineering more effective wound care devices are also highlighted. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Burn wound: Pathophysiology and its management by herbal plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dhirender Kaushik

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In human body, wound healing is a normal biological phenomenon. Burns may be acute or chronic depending upon the source and its time of exposure. Burn wounds may be superficial, partial or full thickness wounds. When skin comes in contact with higher temperature, protein denaturation takes place due to which the plasma membrane integrity is lost. When skin is burned, a number of inflammatory mediators and releasing agents such as histamine, nitric oxide, oxygen free radicals, eicosanoid products, tumor necrosis factors, and interleukins etc., are released at the site. For wound healing mechanism, the keratinocytes has to move from uninjured site to the burned area. For deeper burns this process takes a long time. By some unknown mechanisms, burn wounds may convert from one form to another form. So burn wound depth must be accurately measured before starting the treatment to prevent the complications. Burns can be induced in experimental animals by using different models. Many treatments such as herbal drugs, topical agents, gene therapy, volume therapy, and rehabilitation can be employed. This review article mainly deals with the theoretical and practical aspects of burn wound healing. Some burn wound healing plants with their chemical constituents, plant part used, uses and animal models are described here.

Stem Cell Therapy in Wound Healing and Tissue Regeneration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Meiliana

2016-08-01

a novel approach to many diseases. SUMMARY: Wound healing therapies continue to rapidly evolve, with advances in basic science and engineering research heralding the development of new therapies, as well as ways to modify existing treatments. Stem cell-based therapy is one of the most promising therapeutic concepts for wound healing. Advances in stem cell biology have enabled researchers and clinicians alike with access to cells capable of actively modulating the healing response.  KEYWORDS: wound healing, tissue regeneration, stem cells therapy

Fouling Resilient Perforated Feed Spacers for Membrane Filtration

KAUST Repository

Kerdi, Sarah

2018-04-24

The improvement of feed spacers with optimal geometry remains a key challenge for spiral-wound membrane systems in water treatment due to their impact on the hydrodynamic performance and fouling development. In this work, novel spacer designs are proposed by intrinsically modifying cylindrical filaments through perforations. Three symmetric perforated spacers (1-Hole, 2-Hole, and 3-Hole) were in-house 3D-printed and experimentally evaluated in terms of permeate flux, feed channel pressure drop and membrane fouling. Spacer performance is characterized and compared with standard no perforated (0-Hole) design under constant feed pressure and constant feed flow rate. Perforations in the spacer filaments resulted in significantly lowering the net pressure drop across the spacer filled channel. The 3-Hole spacer was found to have the lowest pressure drop (50% - 61%) compared to 0-Hole spacer for various average flow velocities. Regarding permeate flux production, the 0-Hole spacer produced 5.7 L.m-2.h-1 and 6.6 L.m-2.h-1 steady state flux for constant pressure and constant feed flow rate, respectively. The 1-Hole spacer was found to be the most efficient among the perforated spacers with 75% and 23% increase in permeate production at constant pressure and constant feed flow, respectively. Furthermore, membrane surface of 1-Hole spacer was found to be cleanest in terms of fouling, contributing to maintain higher permeate flux production. Hydrodynamic understanding of these perforated spacers is also quantified by performing Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS). The performance enhancement of these perforated spacers is attributed to the formation of micro-jets in the spacer cell that aided in producing enough unsteadiness/turbulence to clean the membrane surface and mitigate fouling phenomena. In the case of 1-Hole spacer, the unsteadiness intensity at the outlet of micro-jets and the shear stress fluctuations created inside the cells are higher than those observed with

Fouling resilient perforated feed spacers for membrane filtration.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerdi, Sarah; Qamar, Adnan; Vrouwenvelder, Johannes S; Ghaffour, Noreddine

2018-04-24

The improvement of feed spacers with optimal geometry remains a key challenge for spiral-wound membrane systems in water treatment due to their impact on the hydrodynamic performance and fouling development. In this work, novel spacer designs are proposed by intrinsically modifying cylindrical filaments through perforations. Three symmetric perforated spacers (1-Hole, 2-Hole, and 3-Hole) were in-house 3D-printed and experimentally evaluated in terms of permeate flux, feed channel pressure drop and membrane fouling. Spacer performance is characterized and compared with standard no perforated (0-Hole) design under constant feed pressure and constant feed flow rate. Perforations in the spacer filaments resulted in significantly lowering the net pressure drop across the spacer filled channel. The 3-Hole spacer was found to have the lowest pressure drop (50%-61%) compared to 0-Hole spacer for various average flow velocities. Regarding permeate flux production, the 0-Hole spacer produced 5.7 L m -2 .h -1 and 6.6 L m -2 .h -1 steady state flux for constant pressure and constant feed flow rate, respectively. The 1-Hole spacer was found to be the most efficient among the perforated spacers with 75% and 23% increase in permeate production at constant pressure and constant feed flow, respectively. Furthermore, membrane surface of 1-Hole spacer was found to be cleanest in terms of fouling, contributing to maintain higher permeate flux production. Hydrodynamic understanding of these perforated spacers is also quantified by performing Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS). The performance enhancement of these perforated spacers is attributed to the formation of micro-jets in the spacer cell that aided in producing enough unsteadiness/turbulence to clean the membrane surface and mitigate fouling phenomena. In the case of 1-Hole spacer, the unsteadiness intensity at the outlet of micro-jets and the shear stress fluctuations created inside the cells are higher than those

Comparison of Polytetrafluoroethylene Flat-Sheet Membranes with Different Pore Sizes in Application to Submerged Membrane Bioreactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manabu Motoori

2012-06-01

Full Text Available This study focused on phase separation of activated sludge mixed liquor by flat-sheet membranes of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE. A 20 liter working volume lab-scale MBR incorporating immersed PTFE flat-sheet membrane modules with different pore sizes (0.3, 0.5 and 1.0 μm was operated for 19 days treating a synthetic wastewater. The experiment was interrupted twice at days 5 and 13 when the modules were removed and cleaned physically and chemically in sequence. The pure water permeate flux of each membrane module was measured before and after each cleaning step to calculate membrane resistances. Results showed that fouling of membrane modules with 0.3 μm pore size was more rapid than other membrane modules with different pore sizes (0.5 and 1.0 μm. On the other hand, it was not clear whether fouling of the 0.5 μm membrane module was more severe than that of the 1.0 μm membrane module. This was partly because of the membrane condition after chemical cleaning, which seemed to determine the fouling of those modules over the next period. When irreversible resistance (R_i i.e., differences in membrane resistance before use and after chemical cleaning was high, the transmembrane pressure increased quickly during the next period irrespective of membrane pore size.

Hydrogel-coated feed spacers in two-phase flow cleaning in spiral wound membrane elements: A novel platform for eco-friendly biofouling mitigation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wibisono, Yusuf; Yandi, Wetra; Golabi, Mohsen; Nugraha, Roni; Cornelissen, Emile; Kemperman, A.J.B.; Ederth, Thomas; Nijmeijer, Kitty

2015-01-01

ng is still a major challenge in the application of nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes. Here we present a platform approach for environmentally friendly biofouling control using a combination of a Hydrogel-coated feed spacer and two-phase flow cleaning. Neutral (polyHEMA-co-PEG10MA),

The impact of chemical cleaning on separation efficiency and properties of reverse osmosis membrane

KAUST Repository

Baatiyyah, Hani

2018-04-01

One of most major concerns from both cost-effective and technical point of view in membrane process industry is membrane cleaning. The aim of the project was to investigate the variations in membrane surface properties and separation efficiency of reverse osmosis membrane. Compativtive analysis have to be performed on four RO membrane before and after exposing the virgin membrane into chemical cleaning to identify and analysis the impact of the chemical cleaning on the performance of RO membrane. Commerical chemical cleaning used in this project were caustic and acidic cleaning agent. The project’s aim is the investigation of simulation software’s precision for the four membranes performance projection at different conditions of the feed water. The assessment of the membranes performance was done in the Innovation Cluster at pilot plant that was industrial in size. The main commercial elements used were the thin-film composite membranes with a spiral-wound of 8-inch polyamide. Ultrafiltration (UF) and seawater RO membrane pretreatment process was done for the red sea sourced feed water. A pressure vessel dimensioned at 8-inch was operated in conjunction with an individual element at 8 -20 m3/hr feed flow rate, with an 8 to 12 % recovery and an average 35,000-42,000 mg/L of total dissolved solids (TDS) composition for the feed water. To achieve the project’s aim in assessing the membranes, three phase experimental stages were completed. The membranes performance was assessed in terms of their water flux, salt rejection, boron rejection, bicarbonate rejection and permeate quality. In addition, the membrane surfaces were characterized after exposing the fresh membranes with a chemical cleaning reagent. The experimental results showed an increase in both permeate flow and salt passage for all studied elements. The changes in the membranes performance were systematically explained based on the changes in the charge density and chemical structure of the membranes

Multiple mechanisms quench passive spiral galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Fraser-McKelvie, Amelia; Brown, Michael J. I.; Pimbblet, Kevin; Dolley, Tim; Bonne, Nicolas J.

2018-02-01

We examine the properties of a sample of 35 nearby passive spiral galaxies in order to determine their dominant quenching mechanism(s). All five low-mass (M⋆ environments. We postulate that cluster-scale gas stripping and heating mechanisms operating only in rich clusters are required to quench low-mass passive spirals, and ram-pressure stripping and strangulation are obvious candidates. For higher mass passive spirals, while trends are present, the story is less clear. The passive spiral bar fraction is high: 74 ± 15 per cent, compared with 36 ± 5 per cent for a mass, redshift and T-type matched comparison sample of star-forming spiral galaxies. The high mass passive spirals occur mostly, but not exclusively, in groups, and can be central or satellite galaxies. The passive spiral group fraction of 74 ± 15 per cent is similar to that of the comparison sample of star-forming galaxies at 61 ± 7 per cent. We find evidence for both quenching via internal structure and environment in our passive spiral sample, though some galaxies have evidence of neither. From this, we conclude no one mechanism is responsible for quenching star formation in passive spiral galaxies - rather, a mixture of mechanisms is required to produce the passive spiral distribution we see today.

Amniotic membrane for burn trauma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jamaluddin Zainol; Hasim Mohammad

1999-01-01

Amniotic membranes are derived from human placentae at birth. They have two layers mainly the amniotic and the chorionic surfaces which are separated by a thin layer of connective tissues. The two layers are separated during procurement, the placenta and the chorionic side are discarded and the amnion membranes are then further processed. Amnion membranes are normally procured from placentae which are normally free of infections, i.e; the mothers are antenatally screened for sexually transmitted diseases or AlDs related diseases. Intrapartum the mother should not be having chorioamnionitis or jaundice. Sometimes the amniotic membranes are acquired from fresh elective caeserian sections. After processing, the amniotic membranes are packed in two layers of polypropylene and radiated with cobalt 60 at a dose of about 25 kGy. The amniotic membranes are clinically used to cover burn surfaces especially effective for superficial or partial thickness burns. The thin membranes adhered well to the trauma areas and peeled off automatically by the second week. No change of dressing were necessary during these times because of the close adherence, there were less chance of external contamination or infections of these wounds. Due to their flexibility they are very useful to cover difference contours of the human body for example the face, body, elbows or knees. However our experience revealed that amniotic membranes are not useful for third degree bums because the membranes dissolves by the enzymes present in the wounds

Nanoporous Aluminum Oxide Membranes Coated with Atomic Layer Deposition-Grown Titanium Dioxide for Biomedical Applications: An In Vitro Evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Petrochenko, Peter E; Kumar, Girish; Fu, Wujun; Zhang, Qin; Zheng, Jiwen; Liang, Chengdu; Goering, Peter L; Narayan, Roger J

2015-12-01

The surface topographies of nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) membranes have been shown to modulate cell response in orthopedic and skin wound repair applications. In this study, we: (1) demonstrate an improved atomic layer deposition (ALD) method for coating the porous structures of 20, 100, and 200 nm pore diameter AAO with nanometer-thick layers of TiO2 and (2) evaluate the effects of uncoated AAO and TiO2-coated AAO on cellular responses. The TiO2 coatings were deposited on the AAO membranes without compromising the openings of the nanoscale pores. The 20 nm TiO2-coated membranes showed the highest amount of initial protein adsorption via the micro bicinchoninic acid (micro-BCA) assay; all of the TiO2-coated membranes showed slightly higher protein adsorption than the uncoated control materials. Cell viability, proliferation, and inflammatory responses on the TiO2-coated AAO membranes showed no adverse outcomes. For all of the tested surfaces, normal increases in proliferation (DNA content) of L929 fibroblasts were observed over from 4 hours to 72 hours. No increases in TNF-alpha production were seen in RAW 264.7 macrophages grown on TiO2-coated AAO membranes compared to uncoated AAO membranes and tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) surfaces. Both uncoated AAO membranes and TiO2-coated AAO membranes showed no significant effects on cell growth and inflammatory responses. The results suggest that TiO2-coated AAO may serve as a reasonable prototype material for the development of nanostructured wound repair devices and orthopedic implants.

Intratympanic steroid prevents long-term spiral ganglion neuron loss in experimental meningitis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Worsøe, Lise Lotte; Brandt, C.T.; Lund, S.P.

2010-01-01

Hypothesis: Intratympanic steroid treatment prevents hearing loss and cochlear damage in a rat model of pneumococcal meningitis. Background: Sensorineural hearing loss is a long-term complication of meningitis affecting up to a third of survivors. Streptococcus pneumoniae is the bacterial species...... for 3 days. Hearing loss and cochlear damage were assessed by distortion product otoacoustic emissions, auditory brainstem response at 16 kHz, and spiral ganglion neuron density. Results: Fifty-six days after infection, auditory brainstem response showed no significant differences between groups...... in the spiral ganglion compared with both intratympanic and systemic saline (p = 0.0082 and p = 0.0089; Mann-Whitney test). Histology revealed fibrosis of the tympanic membrane and cavity in steroid-treated animals, which plausibly caused the low-frequency hearing loss. Conclusion: Intratympanic betamethasone...

Are spiral galaxies heavy smokers?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davies, J.; Disney, M.; Phillipps, S

1990-01-01

The dustiness of spiral galaxies is discussed. Starburst galaxies and the shortage of truly bright spiral galaxies is cited as evidence that spiral galaxies are far dustier than has been thought. The possibility is considered that the dust may be hiding missing mass

Tailoring mechanical and antibacterial properties of chitosan/gelatin nanofiber membranes with Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles for potential wound dressing application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cai, Ning; Li, Chao; Han, Chao; Luo, Xiaogang [Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education & Hubei Key Laboratory of Novel Reactor & Green Chemical Technology, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430073 (China); Shen, Liang [Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005 (China); Xue, Yanan [Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education & Hubei Key Laboratory of Novel Reactor & Green Chemical Technology, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430073 (China); Yu, Faquan, E-mail: fyuwucn@gmail.com [Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education & Hubei Key Laboratory of Novel Reactor & Green Chemical Technology, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430073 (China)

2016-04-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles/chitosan (CS)/gelatin (GE) nanofibers were electrospun facilely. • Introducing Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} enhanced mechanical and antibacterial properties of CS/GE nanofibers. • Mechanical enhancement relied on good filler dispersion and filler-matrix adhesion. • Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/CS/GE nanofiber membranes are promising candidates as wound dressings. - Abstract: In this work, magnetic Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles (NPs) were utilized to improve the mechanical and antibacterial properties of chitosan (CS)/gelatin (GE) composite nanofiber membranes. Homogeneous Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/CS/GE nanofibers were electrospun successfully. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images confirmed the presence of well-dispersed Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} NPs in the composite nanofibers. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra revealed the effective interactions of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} NPs to the composite matrix through hydrogen bonding. The improvement on the thermal stability of the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/CS/GE was observed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), which is tightly correlated to strong filler-matrix adhesion. The incorporation of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} NPs resulted in a substantial enhancement of mechanical properties. The optimum mechanical performance was demonstrated on 1 wt% Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/CS/GE nanofiber membranes, achieving 155% augment of Young's modulus, 128% increase of tensile strength, and 100% boost of toughness from CS/GE. The excellent mechanical enhancement can be explained by the effective dispersion of fillers and the filler-matrix interactions, which ensures the efficient load transfer from CS/GE matrix to Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanofillers. Moreover, zones of inhibition for Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus expanded markedly with the supplement of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} NPs. In all, nanofiber

Stability and structure of the membrane protein transporter Ffh is modulated by substrates and lipids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reinau, Marika Ejby; Otzen, Daniel

2009-01-01

the apoprotein. Escherichia coli lipid and DOPG (and to a smaller extent DOPC) increase Ffh's α-helical content, possibly related to Ffh's role in guiding membrane proteins to the membrane. Binding is largely mediated by electrostatic interactions but does not protect Ffh against trypsinolysis. We conclude...... that Ffh is a structurally flexible and dynamic protein whose stability is significantly modulated by the environment. © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved....

Spiral silicon drift detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rehak, P.; Gatti, E.; Longoni, A.; Sampietro, M.; Holl, P.; Lutz, G.; Kemmer, J.; Prechtel, U.; Ziemann, T.

1988-01-01

An advanced large area silicon photodiode (and x-ray detector), called Spiral Drift Detector, was designed, produced and tested. The Spiral Detector belongs to the family of silicon drift detectors and is an improvement of the well known Cylindrical Drift Detector. In both detectors, signal electrons created in silicon by fast charged particles or photons are drifting toward a practically point-like collection anode. The capacitance of the anode is therefore kept at the minimum (0.1pF). The concentric rings of the cylindrical detector are replaced by a continuous spiral in the new detector. The spiral geometry detector design leads to a decrease of the detector leakage current. In the spiral detector all electrons generated at the silicon-silicon oxide interface are collected on a guard sink rather than contributing to the detector leakage current. The decrease of the leakage current reduces the parallel noise of the detector. This decrease of the leakage current and the very small capacities of the detector anode with a capacitively matched preamplifier may improve the energy resolution of Spiral Drift Detectors operating at room temperature down to about 50 electrons rms. This resolution is in the range attainable at present only by cooled semiconductor detectors. 5 refs., 10 figs

Systematic review of the use of honey as a wound dressing

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Owen A; Smith, Lesley A; Campbell, Fiona; Seers, Kate; McQuay, Henry J; Moore, R Andrew

2001-01-01

Objective To investigate topical honey in superficial burns and wounds though a systematic review of randomised controlled trials. Data sources Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, reference lists and databases were used to seek randomised controlled trials. Seven randomised trials involved superficial burns, partial thickness burns, moderate to severe burns that included full thickness injury, and infected postoperative wounds. Review methods Studies were randomised trials using honey, published papers, with a comparator. Main outcomes were relative benefit and number-needed-to-treat to prevent an outcome relating to wound healing time or infection rate. Results One study in infected postoperative wounds compared honey with antiseptics plus systemic antibiotics. The number needed to treat with honey for good wound healing compared with antiseptic was 2.9 (95% confidence interval 1.7 to 9.7). Five studies in patients with partial thickness or superficial burns involved less than 40% of the body surface. Comparators were polyurethane film, amniotic membrane, potato peel and silver sulphadiazine. The number needed to treat for seven days with honey to produce one patient with a healed burn was 2.6 (2.1 to 3.4) compared with any other treatment and 2.7 (2.0 to 4.1) compared with potato and amniotic membrane. For some or all outcomes honey was superior to all these treatments. Time for healing was significantly shorter for honey than all these treatments. The quality of studies was low. Conclusion Confidence in a conclusion that honey is a useful treatment for superficial wounds or burns is low. There is biological plausibility. PMID:11405898

Systematic review of the use of honey as a wound dressing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

McQuay Henry J

2001-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective To investigate topical honey in superficial burns and wounds though a systematic review of randomised controlled trials. Data sources Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, reference lists and databases were used to seek randomised controlled trials. Seven randomised trials involved superficial burns, partial thickness burns, moderate to severe burns that included full thickness injury, and infected postoperative wounds. Review methods Studies were randomised trials using honey, published papers, with a comparator. Main outcomes were relative benefit and number-needed-to-treat to prevent an outcome relating to wound healing time or infection rate. Results One study in infected postoperative wounds compared honey with antiseptics plus systemic antibiotics. The number needed to treat with honey for good wound healing compared with antiseptic was 2.9 (95% confidence interval 1.7 to 9.7. Five studies in patients with partial thickness or superficial burns involved less than 40% of the body surface. Comparators were polyurethane film, amniotic membrane, potato peel and silver sulphadiazine. The number needed to treat for seven days with honey to produce one patient with a healed burn was 2.6 (2.1 to 3.4 compared with any other treatment and 2.7 (2.0 to 4.1 compared with potato and amniotic membrane. For some or all outcomes honey was superior to all these treatments. Time for healing was significantly shorter for honey than all these treatments. The quality of studies was low. Conclusion Confidence in a conclusion that honey is a useful treatment for superficial wounds or burns is low. There is biological plausibility.

Gas separation performance of a hollow-filament type polyimide membrane module for a compact tritium removal system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayashi, Takumi; Yamada, Masayuki; Suzuki, Takumi; Matsuda, Yuji; Okuno, Kenji

1995-01-01

A new tritium removal system using gas separation membranes has been studied to develop more compact and cost-effective system for a fusion reactor. To obtain necessary parameters, which are directly scalable to the ITER Atmospheric Detritiation System, the basic tritium recovery performance was investigated with a scaled polyimide membrane module (hollow-filament type : 10 m 3 /hr) loop. The result shows that the H 2 recovery ratio from N 2 or air was more than 99% or about 97%, respectively, at flow rate ratio of permeated/feed = 0.1, feed ampersand permeated side pressures = 2580 ampersand 80 torr, and module temp. = 293 K. Tritium (HT) recovery function was almost the same as H 2 recovery, even though the total hydrogen concentration was a few ppm in the feed of module. H 2 O recovery performance was better than hydrogen recovery. These recovery functions were improved effectively decreasing the pressure ratio of permeated/feed of module. 5 refs., 11 figs

Field test of methane fermentation incorporating with membrane module for sewage sludge. Bunrimaku wo fukugoshita gesui odei no methane hakko

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kiriyama, K.; Tanaka, Y. (Ebara Corp., Tokyo (Japan)); Adachi, T. (Nitto Denko Corp., Osaka (Japan))

1993-02-01

Field test results of methane fermentation incorporating with a membrane module were reported for sewage sludge. The methane fermentation was conducted at 25[degree]C using only raw sludge charged from a suspended solid (SS) separating device until the mid-stage of experiments and adding gradually concentrated backwash of a biological aerated filter after the mid-stage. As a result, the reduction rate of volatile SS (VSS) charged into the reactor increased from 76.8% to 84.8% until the mid-stage, while from 52% to 70% even after the mid-stage giving the effect of the membrane module. Stable operation of the membrane module was achieved at 20,000-25,000 mg/l in SS concentration at its inlet and 0.6 m/s in membrane linear velocity, together with the easy recovery of flux by back washing. The power consumption in membrane separation at 23,000 mg/l in SS concentration was estimated to be 2.15 kWh per m[sup 3] of permeant at both motor and pump efficiencies of 1.0, suggesting possible energy saving. 3 refs., 9 figs., 2 tabs.

A Neutrophil Proteomic Signature in Surgical Trauma Wounds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sander Bekeschus

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Non-healing wounds continue to be a clinical challenge for patients and medical staff. These wounds have a heterogeneous etiology, including diabetes and surgical trauma wounds. It is therefore important to decipher molecular signatures that reflect the macroscopic process of wound healing. To this end, we collected wound sponge dressings routinely used in vacuum assisted therapy after surgical trauma to generate wound-derived protein profiles via global mass spectrometry. We confidently identified 311 proteins in exudates. Among them were expected targets belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily, complement, and skin-derived proteins, such as keratins. Next to several S100 proteins, chaperones, heat shock proteins, and immune modulators, the exudates presented a number of redox proteins as well as a discrete neutrophil proteomic signature, including for example cathepsin G, elastase, myeloperoxidase, CD66c, and lipocalin 2. We mapped over 200 post-translational modifications (PTMs; cysteine/methionine oxidation, tyrosine nitration, cysteine trioxidation to the proteomic profile, for example, in peroxiredoxin 1. Investigating manually collected exudates, we confirmed presence of neutrophils and their products, such as microparticles and fragments containing myeloperoxidase and DNA. These data confirmed known and identified less known wound proteins and their PTMs, which may serve as resource for future studies on human wound healing.

Modulation and interactions of charged biomimetic membranes with bivalent ions

Science.gov (United States)

Kazadi Badiambile, Adolphe

biomolecules in a dynamic environment and the lack of appropriate physical and biochemical tools. In contrast, biomimetic membrane models that rely on the amphiphilic properties of phospholipids are powerful tools that enable the study of these molecules in vitro. By having control over the different experimental parameters such as temperature and pH, reliable and repeatable experimental conditions can be created. One of the key questions I investigated in this thesis is related to the clustering mechanism of PtdIns(4, 5)P2 into pools or aggregates that enable independent cellular control of this species by geometric separation. The lateral aggregation of PtdIns(4, 5)P2 and its underlying physical causes is still a matter of debate. In the first part of this thesis I introduce the general information on lipid membranes with a special focus on the PtdIns family and their associated signaling events. In addition, I explain the Langmuir-Blodgett film balance (LB) system as tool to study lipid membranes and lipid interactions. In the second chapter, I describe my work on the lateral compressibility of PtdIns(4, 5)P2, PtdIns and DOPG monolayers and its modulation by bivalent ions using Langmuir monolayers. In addition, a theoretical framework of compressibility that depends on a surface potential induced by a planar layer of charged molecules and ions in the bulk was provided. In the third part, I present my work on the excess Gibbs free energy of the lipid systems PtdIns(4, 5)P2 --POPC, PtdIns(4, 5)P2, and POPC as they are modulated by bivalent ions. In the fourth part, I report on my foray in engineering a light-based system that relies on different dye properties to simulate calcium induced calcium release (CICR) that occurs in many cell types. In the final chapter, I provide a general conclusion and present directions for future research that would build on my findings.

Nature of galaxy spiral arms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Efremov, Yu.N.

1984-01-01

The nature of galaxy spiral arms is discussed in a popular form. Two approaches in the theory of spiral arms are considered; they are related to the problem of differential galaxy rotation and the spiral structure wave theory. The example of Galaxy M31 is considered to compare the structural peculiarity of its spiral arms with the wave theory predictions. The situation in the central and south-eastern part of arm S4 in Galaxy M31 noted to be completely explained by the wave theory and modern concepts on the origin of massive stars

Three phase spiral liver Scanning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanyanja, T.A.

2006-01-01

The ability to perform rapid back-to-back spiral acquisitions is an important recent technical advantage of spiral CT. this allows imaging of the upper abdomen (liver) during peak arterial enhancement (arterial phase) and during peak hepatic parenchymal enhancement (portal venous phase). Breatheld spiral CT has completely replaced dynamic incremental CT for evaluation of the liver. in selected patients with hyper vascular metastasis (hepatoma, neuroendocrine tumors, renal cell carcinoma, etc.) a biphasic examination is performed with one spiral acquisition obtained during the hepatic arterial phase and a second acquisition during the portal venous phase

Osmotically and thermally isolated forward osmosis-membrane distillation (fo-md) integrated module for water treatment applications

KAUST Repository

Ghaffour, Noreddine

2016-09-01

An integrated forward osmosis-membrane distillation (FO-MD) module and systems and methods incorporating the module is disclosed providing higher efficiencies and using less energy. The FO-MD module is osmotically and thermally isolated. The isolation can prevent mixing of FO draw solution/FO permeate and MD feed, and minimize dilution of FO draw solution and cooling of MD feed. The module provides MD feed solution and FO draw solution streams that flow in the same module but are separated by an isolation barrier. The osmotically and thermally isolated FO-MD integrated module, systems and methods offer higher driving forces of both FO and MD processes, higher recovery, and wider application than previously proposed hybrid FO- MD systems.

Osmotically and thermally isolated forward osmosis-membrane distillation (fo-md) integrated module for water treatment applications

KAUST Repository

Ghaffour, NorEddine; Francis, Lijo; Li, Zhenyu; Valladares, Rodrigo; Alsaadi, Ahmad S.; Ghdaib, Muhannad Abu; Amy, Gary L.

2016-01-01

An integrated forward osmosis-membrane distillation (FO-MD) module and systems and methods incorporating the module is disclosed providing higher efficiencies and using less energy. The FO-MD module is osmotically and thermally isolated. The isolation can prevent mixing of FO draw solution/FO permeate and MD feed, and minimize dilution of FO draw solution and cooling of MD feed. The module provides MD feed solution and FO draw solution streams that flow in the same module but are separated by an isolation barrier. The osmotically and thermally isolated FO-MD integrated module, systems and methods offer higher driving forces of both FO and MD processes, higher recovery, and wider application than previously proposed hybrid FO- MD systems.

Membrane shape modulates transmembrane protein distribution.

Science.gov (United States)

Aimon, Sophie; Callan-Jones, Andrew; Berthaud, Alice; Pinot, Mathieu; Toombes, Gilman E S; Bassereau, Patricia

2014-01-27

Although membrane shape varies greatly throughout the cell, the contribution of membrane curvature to transmembrane protein targeting is unknown because of the numerous sorting mechanisms that take place concurrently in cells. To isolate the effect of membrane shape, we used cell-sized giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) containing either the potassium channel KvAP or the water channel AQP0 to form membrane nanotubes with controlled radii. Whereas the AQP0 concentrations in flat and curved membranes were indistinguishable, KvAP was enriched in the tubes, with greater enrichment in more highly curved membranes. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching measurements showed that both proteins could freely diffuse through the neck between the tube and GUV, and the effect of each protein on membrane shape and stiffness was characterized using a thermodynamic sorting model. This study establishes the importance of membrane shape for targeting transmembrane proteins and provides a method for determining the effective shape and flexibility of membrane proteins. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The perfect shape spiral stories

CERN Document Server

Hammer, Øyvind

2016-01-01

This book uses the spiral shape as a key to a multitude of strange and seemingly disparate stories about art, nature, science, mathematics, and the human endeavour. In a way, the book is itself organized as a spiral, with almost disconnected chapters circling around and closing in on the common theme. A particular strength of the book is its extremely cross-disciplinary nature - everything is fun, and everything is connected! At the same time, the author puts great emphasis on mathematical and scientific correctness, in contrast, perhaps, with some earlier books on spirals. Subjects include the mathematical properties of spirals, sea shells, sun flowers, Greek architecture, air ships, the history of mathematics, spiral galaxies, the anatomy of the human hand, the art of prehistoric Europe, Alfred Hitchcock, and spider webs, to name a few.

Band-notched spiral antenna

Science.gov (United States)

Jeon, Jae; Chang, John

2018-03-13

A band-notched spiral antenna having one or more spiral arms extending from a radially inner end to a radially outer end for transmitting or receiving electromagnetic radiation over a frequency range, and one or more resonance structures positioned adjacent one or more segments of the spiral arm associated with a notch frequency band or bands of the frequency range so as to resonate and suppress the transmission or reception of electromagnetic radiation over said notch frequency band or bands.

Complex interplay between the P-glycoprotein multidrug efflux pump and the membrane: its role in modulating protein function

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frances Jane Sharom

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Multidrug resistance in cancer is linked to expression of the P-glycoprotein multidrug transporter (Pgp, ABCB1, which exports many structurally diverse compounds from cells. Substrates first partition into the bilayer and then interact with a large flexible binding pocket within the transporter’s transmembrane regions. Pgp has been described as a hydrophobic vacuum cleaner or an outwardly-directed drug/lipid flippase. Recent X-ray crystal structures have shed some light on the nature of the drug-binding pocket and suggested routes by which substrates can enter it from the membrane. Detergents have profound effects on Pgp function, and several appear to be substrates. Biochemical and biophysical studies in vitro, some using purified reconstituted protein, have explored the effects of the membrane environment. They have demonstrated that Pgp is involved in a complex relationship with its lipid environment, which modulates the behaviour of its substrates, as well as various functions of the protein, including ATP hydrolysis, drug binding and drug transport. Membrane lipid composition and fluidity, phospholipid headgroup and acyl chain length all influence Pgp function. Recent studies focusing on thermodynamics and kinetics have revealed some important principles governing Pgp-lipid and substrate-lipid interactions, and how these affect drug binding and transport. In some cells, Pgp is associated with cholesterol-rich microdomains which may modulate its functions. The relationship between Pgp and cholesterol remains an open question; however it clearly affects several aspects of its function in addition to substrate-membrane partitioning. The action of Pgp modulators appears to depend on their membrane permeability, and membrane fluidizers and surfactants reverse drug resistance, likely via an indirect mechanism. A detailed understanding of how the membrane affects Pgp substrates and Pgp’s catalytic cycle may lead to new strategies to combat

High-Assurance Spiral

Science.gov (United States)

2017-11-01

HIGH-ASSURANCE SPIRAL CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY NOVEMBER 2017 FINAL TECHNICAL REPORT APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED STINFO...MU 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Carnegie Mellon University 5000 Forbes Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15217 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION...Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited. Carnegie Mellon Carnegie Mellon HA SPIRAL Code Synthesis KeYmaera X Hybrid Theorem Prover

In-situ biofilm characterization in membrane systems using Optical Coherence Tomography: Formation, structure, detachment and impact of flux change

KAUST Repository

Dreszer, C.; Wexler, Adam D.; Drusová , S.; Overdijk, T.; Zwijnenburg, Arie; Flemming, Hans Curt; Kruithof, Joop C.; Vrouwenvelder, Johannes S.

2014-01-01

Biofouling causes performance loss in spiral wound nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membrane operation for process and drinking water production. The development of biofilm formation, structure and detachment was studied in-situ, non-destructively with Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) in direct relation with the hydraulic biofilm resistance and membrane performance parameters: transmembrane pressure drop (TMP) and feed-channel pressure drop (FCP). The objective was to evaluate the suitability of OCT for biofouling studies, applying a membrane biofouling test cell operated at constant crossflow velocity (0.1 m s-1) and permeate flux (20 L m-2h-1).In time, the biofilm thickness on the membrane increased continuously causing a decline in membrane performance. Local biofilm detachment was observed at the biofilm-membrane interface. A mature biofilm was subjected to permeate flux variation (20 to 60 to 20 L m-2h-1). An increase in permeate flux caused a decrease in biofilm thickness and an increase in biofilm resistance, indicating biofilm compaction. Restoring the original permeate flux did not completely restore the original biofilm parameters: After elevated flux operation the biofilm thickness was reduced to 75% and the hydraulic resistance increased to 116% of the original values. Therefore, after a temporarily permeate flux increase the impact of the biofilm on membrane performance was stronger. OCT imaging of the biofilm with increased permeate flux revealed that the biofilm became compacted, lost internal voids, and became more dense. Therefore, membrane performance losses were not only related to biofilm thickness but also to the internal biofilm structure, e.g. caused by changes in pressure.Optical Coherence Tomography proved to be a suitable tool for quantitative in-situ biofilm thickness and morphology studies which can be carried out non-destructively and in real-time in transparent membrane biofouling monitors.

In-situ biofilm characterization in membrane systems using Optical Coherence Tomography: Formation, structure, detachment and impact of flux change

KAUST Repository

Dreszer, C.

2014-12-01

Biofouling causes performance loss in spiral wound nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membrane operation for process and drinking water production. The development of biofilm formation, structure and detachment was studied in-situ, non-destructively with Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) in direct relation with the hydraulic biofilm resistance and membrane performance parameters: transmembrane pressure drop (TMP) and feed-channel pressure drop (FCP). The objective was to evaluate the suitability of OCT for biofouling studies, applying a membrane biofouling test cell operated at constant crossflow velocity (0.1 m s-1) and permeate flux (20 L m-2h-1).In time, the biofilm thickness on the membrane increased continuously causing a decline in membrane performance. Local biofilm detachment was observed at the biofilm-membrane interface. A mature biofilm was subjected to permeate flux variation (20 to 60 to 20 L m-2h-1). An increase in permeate flux caused a decrease in biofilm thickness and an increase in biofilm resistance, indicating biofilm compaction. Restoring the original permeate flux did not completely restore the original biofilm parameters: After elevated flux operation the biofilm thickness was reduced to 75% and the hydraulic resistance increased to 116% of the original values. Therefore, after a temporarily permeate flux increase the impact of the biofilm on membrane performance was stronger. OCT imaging of the biofilm with increased permeate flux revealed that the biofilm became compacted, lost internal voids, and became more dense. Therefore, membrane performance losses were not only related to biofilm thickness but also to the internal biofilm structure, e.g. caused by changes in pressure.Optical Coherence Tomography proved to be a suitable tool for quantitative in-situ biofilm thickness and morphology studies which can be carried out non-destructively and in real-time in transparent membrane biofouling monitors.

Cleaning of liquid LLW from decontamination processes using semipermeable membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dulama, M.; Deneanu, N.; Pavelescu, M.

2003-01-01

Of the three processes, which have been used extensively for liquid radioactive waste purification, evaporation and ion exchange are costly and flocculation gives a low degree of purification. By comparison to that, reverse osmosis offers intermediate purification at reasonable cost. Present research is examining the potential of using a membrane filtration system for the removal of dissolved radionuclides, but chemical treatment showed as necessary to convert soluble radionuclides, organic traces and metals to insoluble, filterable species. Liquid wastes within a CANDU station are segregated into normal and low-activity waste streams. The normal-activity waste includes wastes from the laboratories, laundries, some service-building drains, upgrade drains, and decontamination center. The drains from the reactor building, the heavy-water area, the spent-fuel pool, and the resin storage area are also directed to this normal activity wastes from showers and building drains in areas of the service building that would not normally be contaminated. The aqueous liquid wastes from the decontamination center and the other collected wastes from the chemical drain system are currently treated by the membrane plant. Generally, the liquid waste streams are effectively volume-reduced by a combination of continuous crossflow microfiltration (MF), spiral wound reverse osmosis (SWRO) and tubular reverse osmosis membrane technologies. Backwash chemical cleaning wastes from the membrane plant are further volume-reduced by evaporation. The concentrate from the membrane plant is ultimately immobilized with bitumen. The ability of the MF/SWRO technology to remove impurities non-selectively makes it suitable for the treatment of radioactive effluents from operating nuclear plants, with proper membrane selection, feed characterization, system configuration and system chemistry control. The choice of polysulfonate material for membrane was based on the high flow rates achievable with this

Measuring nutrient spiralling in streams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Newbold, J D; Elwood, J W; O' Neill, R V; Van Winkle, W

1981-01-01

Nutrient cycling in streams involves some downstream transport before the cycle is completed. Thus, the path traveled by a nutrient atom in passing through the cycle can be visualized as a spiral. As an index of the spiralling process, we introduce spiralling length, defined as the average distance associated with one complete cycle of a nutrient atom. This index provides a measure of the utilization of nutrients relative to the available supply from upstream. Using /sup 32/p as a tracer, we estimated a spiralling length of 193 m for phosphorus in a small woodland stream.

TESTING THEORIES IN BARRED-SPIRAL GALAXIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martínez-García, Eric E.

2012-01-01

According to one version of the recently proposed 'manifold' theory that explains the origin of spirals and rings in relation to chaotic orbits, galaxies with stronger bars should have a higher spiral arms pitch angle when compared to galaxies with weaker bars. A subsample of barred-spiral galaxies in the Ohio State University Bright Galaxy Survey was used to analyze the spiral arms pitch angle. These were compared with bar strengths taken from the literature. It was found that the galaxies in which the spiral arms maintain a logarithmic shape for more than 70° seem to corroborate the predicted trend.

Amphipaths Differentially Modulate Membrane Surface Deformation in Rat Peritoneal Mast Cells During Exocytosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Itsuro Kazama

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims: Salicylate and chlorpromazine exert differential effects on the chemokine release from mast cells. Since these drugs are amphiphilic and preferentially partitioned into the lipid bilayers of the plasma membranes, they would induce some morphological changes in mast cells and thus affect the process of exocytosis. Methods: Employing the standard patch-clamp whole-cell recording technique, we examined the effects of salicylate and chlorpromazine on the membrane capacitance (Cm during exocytosis in rat peritoneal mast cells. Using confocal imaging of a water-soluble fluorescent dye, lucifer yellow, we also examined their effects on plasma membrane deformation of the cells. Results: Salicylate dramatically accelerated the GTP-γ-S-induced increase in the Cm immediately after its application, whereas chlorpromazine significantly suppressed the increase. Treatment with salicylate increased the trapping of the dye on the cell surface, while treatment with chlorpromazine completely washed it out, indicating that both drugs induced membrane surface deformation in mast cells. Conclusion: This study demonstrated for the first time that membrane amphipaths, such as salicylate and chlorpromazine, may oppositely modulate the process of exocytosis in mast cells, as detected by the changes in the Cm. The plasma membrane deformation induced by the drugs was thought to be responsible for their differential effects.

Development of highly porous flat sheet polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes for membrane distillation

KAUST Repository

Alsaery, Salim A.

2017-05-01

With the increase of population every year, fresh water scarcity has rapidly increased and it is reaching a risky level, particularly in Africa and the Middle East. Desalination of seawater is an essential process for fresh water generation. One of the methods for desalination is membrane distillation (MD). MD process separates an aqueous liquid feed across a porous hydrophobic membrane to produce pure water via evaporation. Polyvinlidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes reinforced with a polyester fabric were fabricated as potential candidates for MD. Non-solvent induced phase separation coupled with steam treatment was used to prepare the PVDF membranes. A portion of the prepared membrane was coated with Teflon (AF2400) to increase its hydrophobicity. In the first study, the fabricated membranes were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and other techniques, and they were evaluated using direct contact MD (DCMD). The fabricated membranes showed a porous sponge-like structure with some macrovoids. The macrovoid formation and the spongy structure in the membrane cross-sections contributed significantly to a high permeate flux as they provide a large space for vapor water transport. The modified PVDF membranes with steaming and coating exhibited a permeate flux of around 40 L/h m2 (i.e. 27-30% increase to the control PVDF membrane) at temperatures of 60 °C (feed) and 20 °C (permeate). This increase in the permeate flux for the modified membranes was mainly attributed to its larger pore size on the bottom surface. In the second study, the control PVDF membrane was tested in two different module designs (i.e. semi-circular pipe and rectangular duct module designs). The semi-circular module design (turbulent regime) exhibited a higher permeate flux, 3-fold higher than that of the rectangular duct module design (laminar regime) at feed temperature of 60 °C. Furthermore, a heat energy balance was performed for each module design to determine the temperature

Collective excitations in itinerant spiral magnets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kampf, A.P.

1996-01-01

We investigate the coupled charge and spin collective excitations in the spiral phases of the two-dimensional Hubbard model using a generalized random-phase approximation. Already for small doping the spin-wave excitations are strongly renormalized due to low-energy particle-hole excitations. Besides the three Goldstone modes of the spiral state the dynamical susceptibility reveals an extra zero mode for low doping and strong coupling values signaling an intrinsic instability of the homogeneous spiral state. In addition, near-zero modes are found in the vicinity of the spiral pitch wave number for out-of-plane spin fluctuations. Their origin is found to be the near degeneracy with staggered noncoplanar spiral states which, however, are not the lowest energy Hartree-Fock solutions among the homogeneous spiral states. copyright 1996 The American Physical Society

Silver nanoparticle/bacterial cellulose gel membranes for antibacterial wound dressing: investigation in vitro and in vivo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Jian; Zheng, Yudong; Wen, Xiaoxiao; Lin, Qinghua; Chen, Xiaohua; Wu, Zhigu

2014-01-01

Bacterial cellulose (BC) has attracted increasing attention as a novel wound dressing material, but its antimicrobial activity, which is one of the critical skin-barrier functions in wound healing, is not sufficient for use in practical applications. To overcome such a deficiency, silver nanoparticles were generated and self-assembled on the surface of BC nanofibers, forming a stable and evenly distributed Ag nanoparticle coated BC nanofiber (AgNP-BC). The performance of AgNP-BC was systematically studied in terms of antibacterial activities, cytocompatibility and effects on wound healing. The results showed that AgNP-BC exhibited significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Moreover, AgNP-BC allowed attachment, and growth of rat fibroblasts with low cytotoxicity emerged. Based on these advantages, AgNP-BC samples were applied in a second-degree rat wound model. Wound flora showed a significant reduction during the healing. The fresh epidermal and dermis thicknesses with AgNP-BC samples were 111 and 855 µm respectively, higher than 74 and 619 µm for BC groups and 57 and 473 µm for untreated control wounds. The results demonstrated that AgNP-BC could reduce inflammation and promote scald wound healing. (paper)

Hydrogen purifier module with membrane support

Science.gov (United States)

A hydrogen purifier utilizing a hydrogen-permeable membrane to purify hydrogen from mixed gases containing hydrogen is disclosed. Improved mechanical support for the permeable membrane is described, enabling forward or reverse differential pressurization of the membrane, which further stabilizes the membrane from wrinkling upon hydrogen uptake.

2012-07-24

A hydrogen purifier utilizing a hydrogen-permeable membrane to purify hydrogen from mixed gases containing hydrogen is disclosed. Improved mechanical support for the permeable membrane is described, enabling forward or reverse differential pressurization of the membrane, which further stabilizes the membrane from wrinkling upon hydrogen uptake.

Membrane cholesterol regulates lysosome-plasma membrane fusion events and modulates Trypanosoma cruzi invasion of host cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bárbara Hissa

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi are able to invade several types of non-phagocytic cells through a lysosomal dependent mechanism. It has been shown that, during invasion, parasites trigger host cell lysosome exocytosis, which initially occurs at the parasite-host contact site. Acid sphingomyelinase released from lysosomes then induces endocytosis and parasite internalization. Lysosomes continue to fuse with the newly formed parasitophorous vacuole until the parasite is completely enclosed by lysosomal membrane, a process indispensable for a stable infection. Previous work has shown that host membrane cholesterol is also important for the T. cruzi invasion process in both professional (macrophages and non-professional (epithelial phagocytic cells. However, the mechanism by which cholesterol-enriched microdomains participate in this process has remained unclear. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDING: In the present work we show that cardiomyocytes treated with MβCD, a drug able to sequester cholesterol from cell membranes, leads to a 50% reduction in invasion by T. cruzi trypomastigotes, as well as a decrease in the number of recently internalized parasites co-localizing with lysosomal markers. Cholesterol depletion from host membranes was accompanied by a decrease in the labeling of host membrane lipid rafts, as well as excessive lysosome exocytic events during the earlier stages of treatment. Precocious lysosomal exocytosis in MβCD treated cells led to a change in lysosomal distribution, with a reduction in the number of these organelles at the cell periphery, and probably compromises the intracellular pool of lysosomes necessary for T. cruzi invasion. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Based on these results, we propose that cholesterol depletion leads to unregulated exocytic events, reducing lysosome availability at the cell cortex and consequently compromise T. cruzi entry into host cells. The results also suggest that two different pools of

Chiral Magnetic Spirals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basar, Goekce; Dunne, Gerald V.; Kharzeev, Dmitri E.

2010-01-01

We argue that the presence of a very strong magnetic field in the chirally broken phase induces inhomogeneous expectation values, of a spiral nature along the magnetic field axis, for the currents of charge and chirality, when there is finite baryon density or an imbalance between left and right chiralities. This 'chiral magnetic spiral' is a gapless excitation transporting the currents of (i) charge (at finite chirality), and (ii) chirality (at finite baryon density) along the direction of the magnetic field. In both cases it also induces in the transverse directions oscillating currents of charge and chirality. In heavy ion collisions, the chiral magnetic spiral possibly provides contributions both to the out-of-plane and the in-plane dynamical charge fluctuations recently observed at BNL RHIC.

Regeneration of the epidermis and basement membrane of the planarian Dugesia japonica after total-body x irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hori, I.

1979-03-01

Fresh-water planarians were studied to examine effects of x rays on regeneration of the epidermis and basement membrane. During early stages of regeneration, free rhabdite-forming cells were associated with the wound epidermis and recruited it. In later stages, however, a gradual degeneration occurred in the epidermis and cells undergoing epithelization decreased in number. Eventually epidermal cells on the wound surface appeared necrotic as evidenced by pyknotic nuclei and vacuolized dense cytoplasm. The entire basement membrane could not be reconstituted in any stage after wounding though its precursor-like material was secreted in the interspace between epidermis and parenchyma. Morphological changes in extracellular products and in the cells surrounding the products suggest that epidermal cells which have covered the wound surface synthesize precursors of the basement membrane. Possible factors of a characteristic perturbation in epithelization and basement membrane formation after total-body irradiation are discussed.

Regeneration of the epidermis and basement membrane of the planarian Dugesia japonica after total-body x irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hori, I.

1979-01-01

Fresh-water planarians were studied to examine effects of x rays on regeneration of the epidermis and basement membrane. During early stages of regeneration, free rhabdite-forming cells were associated with the wound epidermis and recruited it. In later stages, however, a gradual degeneration occurred in the epidermis and cells undergoing epithelization decreased in number. Eventually epidermal cells on the wound surface appeared necrotic as evidenced by pyknotic nuclei and vacuolized dense cytoplasm. The entire basement membrane could not be reconstituted in any stage after wounding though its precursor-like material was secreted in the interspace between epidermis and parenchyma. Morphological changes in extracellular products and in the cells surrounding the products suggest that epidermal cells which have covered the wound surface synthesize precursors of the basement membrane. Possible factors of a characteristic perturbation in epithelization and basement membrane formation after total-body irradiation are discussed

Effect of different commercial feed spacers on biofouling of reverse osmosis membrane systems: A numerical study

KAUST Repository

Bucs, Szilard

2014-06-01

Feed spacers and hydrodynamics have been found relevant for the impact of biofouling on performance in reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membrane systems.The objectives of this study on biofouling development were to determine the impact of (i) linear flow velocity and bacterial cell load, (ii) biomass location and (iii) various feed spacer geometries as applied in practice as well as a modified geometry spacer.A three-dimensional mathematical model for biofouling of feed spacer channels including hydrodynamics, solute mass transport and biofilm formation was developed in COMSOL Multiphysics and MATLAB software.Results of this study indicate that the feed channel pressure drop increase caused by biofilm formation can be reduced by using thicker and/or modified feed spacer geometry and/or a lower flow rate in the feed channel. The increase of feed channel pressure drop by biomass accumulation is shown to be strongly influenced by the location of biomass. Results of numerical simulations are in satisfactory agreement with experimental data, indicating that this micro-scale mechanistic model is representative for practice. The developed model can help to understand better the biofouling process of spiral-wound RO and NF membrane systems and to develop strategies to reduce and control biofouling. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Effect of different commercial feed spacers on biofouling of reverse osmosis membrane systems: A numerical study

KAUST Repository

Bucs, Szilard; Radu, Andrea I.; Lavric, Vasile; Vrouwenvelder, Johannes S.; Picioreanu, Cristian

2014-01-01

Feed spacers and hydrodynamics have been found relevant for the impact of biofouling on performance in reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membrane systems.The objectives of this study on biofouling development were to determine the impact of (i) linear flow velocity and bacterial cell load, (ii) biomass location and (iii) various feed spacer geometries as applied in practice as well as a modified geometry spacer.A three-dimensional mathematical model for biofouling of feed spacer channels including hydrodynamics, solute mass transport and biofilm formation was developed in COMSOL Multiphysics and MATLAB software.Results of this study indicate that the feed channel pressure drop increase caused by biofilm formation can be reduced by using thicker and/or modified feed spacer geometry and/or a lower flow rate in the feed channel. The increase of feed channel pressure drop by biomass accumulation is shown to be strongly influenced by the location of biomass. Results of numerical simulations are in satisfactory agreement with experimental data, indicating that this micro-scale mechanistic model is representative for practice. The developed model can help to understand better the biofouling process of spiral-wound RO and NF membrane systems and to develop strategies to reduce and control biofouling. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Topical application of omega-3-, omega-6-, and omega-9-rich oil emulsions for cutaneous wound healing in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishak, Wan Maznah Wan; Katas, Haliza; Yuen, Ng Pei; Abdullah, Maizaton Atmadini; Zulfakar, Mohd Hanif

2018-04-17

Wound healing is a physiological event that generates reconstitution and restoration of granulation tissue that ends with scar formation. As omega fatty acids are part of membrane phospholipids and participate in the inflammatory response, we investigated the effects of omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids in the form of oils on wound healing. Linseed (LO), evening primrose (EPO), and olive oils (OO) rich in omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids were formulated into emulsions and were topically applied on rats with excision wounds. All omega-3-, omega-6-, and omega-9-rich oil formulations were found to accelerate wound closure compared to untreated, with significant improvement (p < 0.05) being observed at day 14. EPO induced early deposition of collagen as evaluated by Masson trichrome staining that correlated well with the hydroxyproline content assay, with the highest level at days 3 and 7. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) showed greater amount of new microvasculature formed in the EPO-treated group, while moderate improvement occurs in the LO and OO groups. EPO increased both the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and growth factors in the early stage of healing and declined at the later stage of healing. LO modulates the proinflammatory cytokines and chemokine but did not affect the growth factors. In contrast, OO induced the expression of growth factors rather than proinflammatory cytokines. These data suggest that LO, EPO, and OO emulsions promote wound healing but they accomplish this by different mechanisms.

Hyperosmotic nanoemulsions: Development and application of a new antimicrobial treatment for wound care

Science.gov (United States)

Connell, Sean

Wound healing is the intricate process that restores function to damaged skin. The process consists of the inflammatory, proliferative and remodeling phases that orchestrate dynamic cellular responses to regenerate the cutaneous barrier. However, microbial contamination of the wound site stimulates a deleterious inflammatory response with the production of endotoxins, exotoxins and proteases that result in secondary injury. The end result is delayed healing, protracted debilitation and increased health care costs. Controlling contamination is critical for proper wound management and reduced burden on the healthcare system. Based on this concern, we developed and applied a new antimicrobial therapeutic that relies on hyperosmotic nanoemulsions (HNE). The biomechanical process consists of a high-energy nanoemulsion component that permeates the protective microbial membrane and a (ii) nonionic hyperosmoticum that facilitates intracellular water extraction to critically dehydrate the pathogen. HNE was shown to be effective against a multitude of pathogens including bacteria, antibiotic-resistant variants, fungi and viruses. Reported non-clinical studies demonstrate that the membrane disrupting nanoemulsion and hyperosmotic component act synergistically to enhance microbicidal activity. Further, results illustrate that pathogen inactivation was rapid as determined by ion and macromolecule leakage assays. Application of HNE in a pre-clinical animal model of wound healing demonstrated the treatment actively promoted healing to reduce treatment times. HNE mitigated wound infection to reduce the inflammatory response and mechanically debrided the wound to facilitate wound closure. Recent work further enhanced the stability of the nanoemulsion component with the addition of surfactant stabilizers using a low-energy spontaneous emulsification process. The refined nanoemulsion composition was stable against physical stressors and long-term storage without disrupting the

Forming Spirals From Shadows

Science.gov (United States)

Kohler, Susanna

2016-07-01

What causes the large-scale spiral structures found in some protoplanetary disks? Most models assume theyre created by newly-forming planets, but a new study suggests that planets might have nothing to do with it.Perturbations from Planets?In some transition disks protoplanetary disks with gaps in their inner regions weve directly imaged large-scale spiral arms. Many theories currently attribute the formation of these structures to young planets: either the direct perturbations of a planet embedded in the disk cause the spirals, or theyre indirectly caused by the orbit of a planetary body outside of the arms.Another example of spiral arms detected in a protoplanetary disk, MWC 758. [NASA/ESA/ESO/M. Benisty et al.]But what if you could get spirals without any planets? A team of scientists led by Matas Montesinos (University of Chile) have recently published a study in which they examine what happens to a shadowed protoplanetary disk.Casting Shadows with WarpsIn the teams setup, they envision a protoplanetary disk that is warped: the inner region is slightly tilted relative to the outer region. As the central star casts light out over its protoplanetary disk, this disk warping would cause some regions of the disk to be shaded in a way that isnt axially symmetric with potentially interesting implications.Montesinos and collaborators ran 2D hydrodynamics simulations to determine what happens to the motion of particles within the disk when they pass in and out of the shadowed regions. Since the shadowed regions are significantly colder than the illuminated disk, the pressure in these regions is much lower. Particles are therefore accelerated and decelerated as they pass through these regions, and the lack of axial symmetry causes spiral density waves to form in the disk as a result.Initial profile for the stellar heating rate per unit area for one of the authors simulations. The regions shadowed as a result of the disk warp subtend 0.5 radians each (shown on the left

Spirals on the sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Walter Munk

2001-12-01

Full Text Available Spiral eddies were first seen in the sun glitter on the Apollo Mission 30 years ago; they have since been recorded on SAR missions and in the infrared. The spirals are globally distributed, 10-25 km in size and overwhelmingly cyclonic. They have not been explained. Under light winds favorable to visualization, linear surface features with high surfactant density and low surface roughness are of common occurrence. We have proposed that frontal formations concentrate the ambient shear and prevailing surfactants. Horizontal shear instabilities ensue when the shear becomes comparable to the coriolis frequency. The resulting vortices wind the liner features into spirals. The hypothesis needs to be tested by prolonged measurements and surface truth. Spiral eddies are a manifestation of a sub-mesoscale oceanography associated with upper ocean stirring; dimensional considerations suggest a horizontal diffusivity of order 103 m2 s-1.

Quasicrystallography on the spiral of Archimedes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bursill, L.A.

1990-01-01

The concept of a spiral lattice is discussed. Some examples of known mineral structures, namely clino asbestos, halloysite and cylindrite, are then interpreted in terms of this structural principle. An example of a synthetic sulphide catalyst spiral structure having atomic dimensions is also described. All of these inorganic spiral structures are based on the sprial of Archimedes. The principles for a new type of crystallography, based on the Archimedian spiral, are then presented. 45 refs., 8 figs

Wound healing in porcine skin following low-output carbon dioxide laser irradiation of the incision

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robinson, J.K.; Garden, J.M.; Taute, P.M.; Leibovich, S.J.; Lautenschlager, E.P.; Hartz, R.S.

1987-06-01

Wound healing of scalpel incisions to the depth of adipose tissue closed with conventional methods was compared with closure by low-output carbon dioxide laser irradiation. In 3 Pitman-Moore minipigs wound healing was evaluated at intervals from 1 to 90 days by the following methods: clinical variables of wound healing; formation of the basement membrane components bullous pemphigoid antigen, laminin, and fibronectin; and histological evaluation of the regeneration of the epidermis, neovascularization, and elastin and collagen formation. There was no significant difference in healing between wounds closed by the various conventional methods and by the low-output carbon dioxide laser.

Embracing the Spiral

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Mao

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Critical research demands that we interrogate our own positionality and social location. Critical reflexivity is a form of researcher critical consciousness that is constant and dynamic in a complex spiral-like process starting within our own experiences as racialized, gendered, and classed beings embedded in particular sociopolitical contexts. Across diverse critical methodologies, a group of graduate students and their supervisor explored their own conceptualization of the reflexivity spiral by reflecting on how their research motivations and methodologies emerged from their racializing, colonizing, language-learning, parenting, and identity negotiating experiences. In this article, they present a spiral model of the critical reflexivity process, review the literature on reflexivity, and conclude with a description of critical reflexivity as a social practice within a supportive and collaborative graduate school experience.

A novel multi-stage direct contact membrane distillation module: Design, experimental and theoretical approaches

KAUST Repository

Lee, Jung Gil

2016-10-24

An economic desalination system with a small scale and footprint for remote areas, which have a limited and inadequate water supply, insufficient water treatment and low infrastructure, is strongly demanded in the desalination markets. Here, a direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) process has the simplest configuration and potentially the highest permeate flux among all of the possible MD processes. This process can also be easily instituted in a multi-stage manner for enhanced compactness, productivity, versatility and cost-effectiveness. In this study, an innovative, multi-stage, DCMD module under countercurrent-flow configuration is first designed and then investigate both theoretically and experimentally to identify its feasibility and operability for desalination application. Model predictions and measured data for mean permeate flux are compared and shown to be in good agreement. The effect of the number of module stages on the mean permeate flux, performance ratio and daily water production of the MDCMD system has been theoretically identified at inlet feed and permeate flow rates of 1.5 l/min and inlet feed and permeate temperatures of 70 °C and 25 °C, respectively. The daily water production of a three-stage DCMD module with a membrane area of 0.01 m2 at each stage is found to be 21.5 kg.

The potential of standard and modified feed spacers for biofouling control

KAUST Repository

Araú jo, Paula A.; Kruithof, Joop C.; van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M.; Vrouwenvelder, Johannes S.

2012-01-01

The impact of feed spacers on initial feed channel pressure (FCP) drop, FCP increase and biomass accumulation has been studied in membrane fouling simulators using feed spacers applied in commercially available nanofiltration and reverse osmosis spiral wound membrane modules. All spacers had a similar geometry.Our studies showed that biofouling was not prevented by (i) variation of spacer thickness, (ii) feed spacer orientation, (iii) feed spacer coating with silver, copper or gold and (iv) using a biostatic feed spacer. At constant feed flow, a lower FCP and FCP increase were observed for a thicker feed spacer. At constant linear flow velocity, roughly the same FCP development and biomass accumulation were found irrespective of the feed spacer thickness: hydrodynamics and substrate load were more important for development and impact of biofouling than the thickness of currently applied spacers. Use of biostatic and metal coated spacers were not effective for biofouling control. The same small reduction of biofouling rate was observed with copper and silver coated spacers as well as uncoated 45° rotated spacers.The studied modified spacers were not effective for biofouling prevention and control. The impact of biofouling on FCP increase was reduced significantly by a lower linear flow velocity, while spacer orientation and spacer thickness in membrane modules had a smaller but still significant effect. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

The potential of standard and modified feed spacers for biofouling control

KAUST Repository

Araújo, Paula A.

2012-06-01

The impact of feed spacers on initial feed channel pressure (FCP) drop, FCP increase and biomass accumulation has been studied in membrane fouling simulators using feed spacers applied in commercially available nanofiltration and reverse osmosis spiral wound membrane modules. All spacers had a similar geometry.Our studies showed that biofouling was not prevented by (i) variation of spacer thickness, (ii) feed spacer orientation, (iii) feed spacer coating with silver, copper or gold and (iv) using a biostatic feed spacer. At constant feed flow, a lower FCP and FCP increase were observed for a thicker feed spacer. At constant linear flow velocity, roughly the same FCP development and biomass accumulation were found irrespective of the feed spacer thickness: hydrodynamics and substrate load were more important for development and impact of biofouling than the thickness of currently applied spacers. Use of biostatic and metal coated spacers were not effective for biofouling control. The same small reduction of biofouling rate was observed with copper and silver coated spacers as well as uncoated 45° rotated spacers.The studied modified spacers were not effective for biofouling prevention and control. The impact of biofouling on FCP increase was reduced significantly by a lower linear flow velocity, while spacer orientation and spacer thickness in membrane modules had a smaller but still significant effect. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Scar-free cutaneous wound healing in the leopard gecko, Eublepharis macularius.

Science.gov (United States)

Peacock, Hanna M; Gilbert, Emily A B; Vickaryous, Matthew K

2015-11-01

Cutaneous wounds heal with two possible outcomes: scarification or near-perfect integumentary restoration. Whereas scar formation has been intensively investigated, less is known about the tissue-level events characterising wounds that spontaneously heal scar-free, particularly in non-foetal amniotes. Here, a spatiotemporal investigation of scar-free cutaneous wound healing following full-thickness excisional biopsies to the tail and body of leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) is provided. All injuries healed without scarring. Cutaneous repair involves the development of a cell-rich aggregate within the wound bed, similar to scarring wounds. Unlike scar formation, scar-free healing involves a more rapid closure of the wound epithelium, and a delay in blood vessel development and collagen deposition within the wound bed. It was found that, while granulation tissue of scarring wounds is hypervascular, scar-free wound healing conspicuously does not involve a period of exuberant blood vessel formation. In addition, during scar-free wound healing the newly formed blood vessels are typically perivascular cell-supported. Immunohistochemistry revealed widespread expression of both the pro-angiogenic factor vascular endothelial growth factor A and the anti-angiogenic factor thrombospondin-1 within the healing wound. It was found that scar-free wound healing is an intrinsic property of leopard gecko integument, and involves a modulation of the cutaneous scar repair program. This proportional revascularisation is an important factor in scar-free wound healing. © 2015 Anatomical Society.

Continuous Fuel Level Sensor Based on Spiral Side-Emitting Optical Fiber

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chengrui Zhao

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A continuous fuel level sensor using a side-emitting optical fiber is introduced in this paper. This sensor operates on the modulation of the light intensity in fiber, which is caused by the cladding’s acceptance angle change when it is immersed in fuel. The fiber is bent as a spiral shape to increase the sensor’s sensitivity by increasing the attenuation coefficient and fiber’s submerged length compared to liquid level. The attenuation coefficients of fiber with different bent radiuses in the air and water are acquired through experiments. The fiber is designed as a spiral shape with a steadily changing slope, and its response to water level is simulated. The experimental results taken in water and aviation kerosene demonstrate a performance of 0.9 m range and 10 mm resolution.

Non-isochronous spiral orbit particle accelerator and fixed frequency closed orbit particle accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujisawa, Takashi; Hattori, Toshiyuki

2006-01-01

One of the present inventions provides a spiral orbit charged particle accelerator in which the magnetic field increases as the radius increases more rapidly than an isochronous magnetic field distribution, and the distribution of fixed-frequency accelerating RF voltage is formed so that a harmonic number changes in integer for every particle revolution. The other invention realizes to make the closed orbit charged particle accelerator having a fixed frequency amplitude modulator that is able to modulate amplitude of the RF voltage so that a harmonic number decreases in integer in an every particle revolution. (author)

Membrane modules for building ventilation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kistler, K.R.; Cussler, E.L.

2002-01-01

Hollow fibre and flat sheet membranes with an interfacially polymerized coating of polyamide have a permeance for water vapour of about 0.16 m sec{sup -1}. These membranes can serve as a basis for building ventilation which provides fresh air while recovering about 70% of the specific heat and 60% of the latent heat. Because these membranes are selective for water vapour, the air is exhausted with internal pollutants like carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and radon. The expense of the ventilator should be recovered in reduced heating costs in about three years. (Author)

Wave-particle dualism of spiral waves dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Biktasheva, I V; Biktashev, V N

2003-02-01

We demonstrate and explain a wave-particle dualism of such classical macroscopic phenomena as spiral waves in active media. That means although spiral waves appear as nonlocal processes involving the whole medium, they respond to small perturbations as effectively localized entities. The dualism appears as an emergent property of a nonlinear field and is mathematically expressed in terms of the spiral waves response functions, which are essentially nonzero only in the vicinity of the spiral wave core. Knowledge of the response functions allows quantitatively accurate prediction of the spiral wave drift due to small perturbations of any nature, which makes them as fundamental characteristics for spiral waves as mass is for the condensed matter.

Spiral-arm instability: giant clump formation via fragmentation of a galactic spiral arm

Science.gov (United States)

Inoue, Shigeki; Yoshida, Naoki

2018-03-01

Fragmentation of a spiral arm is thought to drive the formation of giant clumps in galaxies. Using linear perturbation analysis for self-gravitating spiral arms, we derive an instability parameter and define the conditions for clump formation. We extend our analysis to multicomponent systems that consist of gas and stars in an external potential. We then perform numerical simulations of isolated disc galaxies with isothermal gas, and compare the results with the prediction of our analytic model. Our model describes accurately the evolution of the spiral arms in our simulations, even when spiral arms dynamically interact with one another. We show that most of the giant clumps formed in the simulated disc galaxies satisfy the instability condition. The clump masses predicted by our model are in agreement with the simulation results, but the growth time-scale of unstable perturbations is overestimated by a factor of a few. We also apply our instability analysis to derive scaling relations of clump properties. The expected scaling relation between the clump size, velocity dispersion, and circular velocity is slightly different from that given by the Toomre instability analyses, but neither is inconsistent with currently available observations. We argue that the spiral-arm instability is a viable formation mechanism of giant clumps in gas-rich disc galaxies.

Development and use of thin film composite based positively charged nanofiltration membranes in separation of aqueous streams and nuclear effluents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dey, T.K.; Bindal, R.C.; Prabhakar, S.; Tewari, P.K.

2010-01-01

A new, positively charged, thin film composite (TFC) type nanofiltration membrane has been developed and studied for its use in various aqueous stream separations. The membrane, containing fixed quaternary ammonium moieties, was developed by insitu interfacial polymerization of a functionalized amine (polyethyleneimine) and terephthaloyl chloride on a suitable base membrane. The nature of the charge on the membrane was established by ATR FT IR spectroscopy and was estimated by determination of its ion exchange capacity. The membrane was tested for its performance in single solute feed systems containing salts of various combinations of univalent and bivalent ions (NaCl, Na 2 SO 4 , CaCl 2 and MgSO 4 ) in test cell as well as in 2512 spiral modules. The membrane gave differential separation profile for these solutes with high rejection for CaCl 2 and low rejection for Na 2 SO 4 due to positive charge on the membrane and the type of charge constituting the salts. The membrane was also used for separation of simulated effluent solution containing uranyl nitrate in combination with ammonium nitrate which is a common effluent generated in nuclear industry. Here also the membrane gave differential separation profile for uranyl nitrate and ammonium nitrate in their mixture by concentrating the former salt and passing the later. This helped separation of these two solutes in the mixture into two different streams. (author)

The Role of Matrix Metalloproteinases in Diabetic Wound Healing in relation to Photobiomodulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayuk, Sandra Matabi; Abrahamse, Heidi; Houreld, Nicolette Nadene

2016-01-01

The integration of several cellular responses initiates the process of wound healing. Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an integral role in wound healing. Their main function is degradation, by removal of damaged extracellular matrix (ECM) during the inflammatory phase, breakdown of the capillary basement membrane for angiogenesis and cell migration during the proliferation phase, and contraction and remodelling of tissue in the remodelling phase. For effective healing to occur, all wounds require a certain amount of these enzymes, which on the contrary could be very damaging at high concentrations causing excessive degradation and impaired wound healing. The imbalance in MMPs may increase the chronicity of a wound, a familiar problem seen in diabetic patients. The association of diabetes with impaired wound healing and other vascular complications is a serious public health issue. These may eventually lead to chronic foot ulcers and amputation. Low intensity laser irradiation (LILI) or photobiomodulation (PBM) is known to stimulate several wound healing processes; however, its role in matrix proteins and diabetic wound healing has not been fully investigated. This review focuses on the role of MMPs in diabetic wound healing and their interaction in PBM.

The Role of Matrix Metalloproteinases in Diabetic Wound Healing in relation to Photobiomodulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandra Matabi Ayuk

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The integration of several cellular responses initiates the process of wound healing. Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs play an integral role in wound healing. Their main function is degradation, by removal of damaged extracellular matrix (ECM during the inflammatory phase, breakdown of the capillary basement membrane for angiogenesis and cell migration during the proliferation phase, and contraction and remodelling of tissue in the remodelling phase. For effective healing to occur, all wounds require a certain amount of these enzymes, which on the contrary could be very damaging at high concentrations causing excessive degradation and impaired wound healing. The imbalance in MMPs may increase the chronicity of a wound, a familiar problem seen in diabetic patients. The association of diabetes with impaired wound healing and other vascular complications is a serious public health issue. These may eventually lead to chronic foot ulcers and amputation. Low intensity laser irradiation (LILI or photobiomodulation (PBM is known to stimulate several wound healing processes; however, its role in matrix proteins and diabetic wound healing has not been fully investigated. This review focuses on the role of MMPs in diabetic wound healing and their interaction in PBM.

Loss of the Desmosomal Component Perp Impairs Wound Healing In Vivo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veronica G. Beaudry

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Epithelial wound closure is a complex biological process that relies on the concerted action of activated keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts to resurface and close the exposed wound. Modulation of cell-cell adhesion junctions is thought to facilitate cellular proliferation and migration of keratinocytes across the wound. In particular, desmosomes, adhesion complexes critical for maintaining epithelial integrity, are downregulated at the wound edge. It is unclear, however, how compromised desmosomal adhesion would affect wound reepithelialization, given the need for a delicate balance between downmodulating adhesive strength to permit changes in cellular morphology and maintaining adhesion to allow coordinated migration of keratinocyte sheets. Here, we explore the contribution of desmosomal adhesion to wound healing using mice deficient for the desmosomal component Perp. We find that Perp conditional knockout mice display delayed wound healing relative to controls. Furthermore, we determine that while loss of Perp compromises cell-cell adhesion, it does not impair keratinocyte proliferation and actually enhances keratinocyte migration in in vitro assays. Thus, Perp's role in promoting cell adhesion is essential for wound closure. Together, these studies suggest a role for desmosomal adhesion in efficient wound healing.

Flow dynamics and concentration polarisation in spacer-filled channels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lipnizki, Jens; Jonsson, Gunnar Eigil

2002-01-01

The key to developing highly efficient spiral-wound modules is the improvement of the mass transfer mechanisms. In this study a study of the mass transfer has been carried out using a flat test cell with six permeate outlets and a rectangular feed channel. Using this experimental set-up, it has b...

Thermal-Hydraulic Performance of Cross-Shaped Spiral Fuel in High-Power-Density BWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conboy, Thomas; Hejzlar, Pavel

2006-01-01

Power up-rating of existing nuclear reactors promises to be an area of great study for years to come. One of the major approaches to efficiently increasing power density is by way of advanced fuel design, and cross-shaped spiral-fuel has shown such potential in previous studies. Our work aims to model the thermal-hydraulic consequences of filling a BWR core with these spiral-shaped pins. The helically-wound pins have a cross-section resembling a 4-petaled flower. They fill an assembly in a tight bundle, their dimensions chosen carefully such that the petals of neighboring pins contact each other at their outer-most extent in a self-supporting lattice, absent of grid spacers. Potential advantages of this design raise much optimism from a thermal-hydraulic perspective. These spiral rods possess about 40% larger surface area than traditional rods, resulting in increased cooling and a proportional reduction in average surface heat flux. The thin petal-like extensions help by lowering thermal resistance between the hot central region of the pin and the bulk coolant flow, decreasing the maximum fuel temperature by 200 deg. C according to Finite Element (COSMOS) models. However, COSMOS models also predict a potential problem area at the 'elbow' region of two adjoining petals, where heat flux peaking is twice that along the extensions. Preliminary VIPRE models, which account only for the surface area increase, predict a 22% increase in critical power. It is also anticipated that the spiral twist would provide the flowing coolant with an additional radial velocity component, and likely promote turbulence and mixing within an assembly. These factors are expected to provide further margin for increased power density, and are currently being incorporated into the VIPRE model. The reduction in pressure drop inherent in any core without grid-spacers is also expected to be significant in aiding core stability, though this has not yet been quantified. Spiral-fuel seems to be a

Solvable model of spiral wave chimeras.

Science.gov (United States)

Martens, Erik A; Laing, Carlo R; Strogatz, Steven H

2010-01-29

Spiral waves are ubiquitous in two-dimensional systems of chemical or biological oscillators coupled locally by diffusion. At the center of such spirals is a phase singularity, a topological defect where the oscillator amplitude drops to zero. But if the coupling is nonlocal, a new kind of spiral can occur, with a circular core consisting of desynchronized oscillators running at full amplitude. Here, we provide the first analytical description of such a spiral wave chimera and use perturbation theory to calculate its rotation speed and the size of its incoherent core.

Solvable Model of Spiral Wave Chimeras

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martens, Erik Andreas; Laing, Carlo R.; Strogatz, Steven H.

2010-01-01

Spiral waves are ubiquitous in two-dimensional systems of chemical or biological oscillators coupled locally by diffusion. At the center of such spirals is a phase singularity, a topological defect where the oscillator amplitude drops to zero. But if the coupling is nonlocal, a new kind of spiral...... can occur, with a circular core consisting of desynchronized oscillators running at full amplitude. Here, we provide the first analytical description of such a spiral wave chimera and use perturbation theory to calculate its rotation speed and the size of its incoherent core....

Interaction of multiarmed spirals in bistable media.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Ya-feng; Ai, Bao-quan; Liu, Fu-cheng

2013-05-01

We study the interaction of both dense and sparse multiarmed spirals in bistable media modeled by equations of the FitzHugh-Nagumo type. A dense one-armed spiral is characterized by its fixed tip. For dense multiarmed spirals, when the initial distance between tips is less than a critical value, the arms collide, connect, and disconnect continuously as the spirals rotate. The continuous reconstruction between the front and the back drives the tips to corotate along a rough circle and to meander zigzaggedly. The rotation frequency of tip, the frequency of zigzagged displacement, the frequency of spiral, the oscillation frequency of media, and the number of arms satisfy certain relations as long as the control parameters of the model are fixed. When the initial distance between tips is larger than the critical value, the behaviors of individual arms within either dense or sparse multiarmed spirals are identical to that of corresponding one-armed spirals.

The Reparative Abilities of Menstrual Stem Cells Modulate the Wound Matrix Signals and Improve Cutaneous Regeneration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jimena Cuenca

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Considerable advances have been made toward understanding the cellular and molecular mechanism of wound healing, however, treatments for chronic wounds remain elusive. Emerging concepts utilizing mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs from umbilical cord, adipose tissue and bone marrow have shown therapeutical advantages for wound healing. Based on this positive outcome, efforts to determine the optimal sources for MSCs are required in order to improve their migratory, angiogenic, immunomodulatory, and reparative abilities. An alternative source suitable for repetitive, non-invasive collection of MSCs is from the menstrual fluid (MenSCs, displaying a major practical advantage over other sources. This study aims to compare the biological functions and the transcriptomic pattern of MenSCs with umbilical cord MSCs in conditions resembling the wound microenvironment. Consequently, we correlate the specific gene expression signature from MenSCs with changes of the wound matrix signals in vivo. The direct comparison revealed a superior clonogenic and migratory potential of MenSCs as well as a beneficial effect of their secretome on human dermal fibroblast migration in vitro. Furthermore, MenSCs showed increased immunomodulatory properties, inhibiting T-cell proliferation in co-culture. We further, investigated the expression of selected genes involved in wound repair (growth factors, cytokines, chemokines, AMPs, MMPs and found considerably higher expression levels in MenSCs (ANGPT1 1.5-fold; PDGFA 1.8-fold; PDGFB 791-fold; MMP3 21.6-fold; ELN 13.4-fold; and MMP10 9.2-fold. This difference became more pronounced under a pro-inflammatory stimulation, resembling wound bed conditions. Locally applied in a murine excisional wound splinting model, MenSCs showed a significantly improved wound closure after 14 days, as well as enhanced neovascularization, compared to the untreated group. Interestingly, analysis of excised wound tissue revealed a significantly higher

Chemically Stable Covalent Organic Framework (COF)-Polybenzimidazole Hybrid Membranes: Enhanced Gas Separation through Pore Modulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Biswal, Bishnu P; Chaudhari, Harshal D; Banerjee, Rahul; Kharul, Ulhas K

2016-03-24

Highly flexible, TpPa-1@PBI-BuI and TpBD@PBI-BuI hybrid membranes based on chemically stable covalent organic frameworks (COFs) could be obtained with the polymer. The loading obtained was substantially higher (50 %) than generally observed with MOFs. These hybrid membranes show an exciting enhancement in permeability (about sevenfold) with appreciable separation factors for CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4. Further, we found that with COF pore modulation, the gas permeability can be systematically enhanced. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Use of cold microfiltration retentates produced with polymeric membranes for standardization of milks for manufacture of pizza cheese.

Science.gov (United States)

Govindasamy-Lucey, S; Jaeggi, J J; Johnson, M E; Wang, T; Lucey, J A

2007-10-01

Pizza cheese was manufactured with milk (12.1% total solids, 3.1% casein, 3.1% fat) standardized with microfiltered (MF) and diafiltered retentates. Polymeric, spiral-wound MF membranes were used to process cold (pizza. Nitrogen recoveries were significantly higher in MF standardized cheeses. Fat recoveries were higher in the pH6.3MF cheese than the control or pH6.4MF cheese. Moisture-adjusted cheese yield was significantly higher in the 2 MF-fortified cheeses compared with the control cheese. Maximum loss tangent (LT(max)) values were not significantly different among the 3 cheeses, suggesting that these cheeses had similar meltability. The LT(max) values increased during ripening. The temperature at which the LT(max) was observed was highest in control cheese and was lower in the pH6.3MF cheese than in the pH6.4MF cheese. The temperature of the LT(max) decreased with age for all 3 cheeses. Values of 12% trichloroacetic acid soluble nitrogen levels were similar in all cheeses. Performance on pizza was similar for all cheeses. The use of MF retentates derived with polymeric membranes was successful in increasing cheese yield, and cheese quality was similar in the control and MF standardized cheeses.

Antiangiogenic, wound healing and antioxidant activity of Cladosporium cladosporioides (Endophytic Fungus isolated from seaweed (Sargassum wightii

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manjunath M. Hulikere

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Endophytic fungi from marine seaweeds are the less studied group of organisms with vast medical applications. The aim of the present study was to evaluate antioxidant, antiangiogenic as well as wound healing potential of the endophytic fungus isolated from the seaweed Sargassum wightii. The morphological characters and the rDNA internal transcribed spacer sequence analysis (BLAST search in Gen Bank database was used for the identification of endophytic fungus. The antioxidant potential of the ethyl acetate extract of endophytic fungus was assessed by, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl radical scavenging method. The fungal extract was also analysed for reducing power, total phenolic and flavonoid content. Antiangiogenic activity of the fungal extract was studied in vitro by inhibition of wound healing scratch assay and in vivo by Chick chorioallantoic membrane assay. The endophytic fungus was identified as Cladosporium cladosporioides (Gen Bank ID – KT384175. The ethyl acetate extract of C. cladosporioides showed a significant antioxidant and angiosuppressive activity. The ESI-LC-MS analysis of the extract revealed the presence of wide range of secondary metabolites. Results suggest that C. cladosporioides extract could be exploited as a potential source for angiogenic modulators.

Transitions between Taylor vortices and spirals via wavy Taylor vortices and wavy spirals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffmann, Ch; Altmeyer, S; Pinter, A; Luecke, M

2009-01-01

We present numerical simulations of closed wavy Taylor vortices and of helicoidal wavy spirals in the Taylor-Couette system. These wavy structures appearing via a secondary bifurcation out of Taylor vortex flow and out of spiral vortex flow, respectively, mediate transitions between Taylor and spiral vortices and vice versa. Structure, dynamics, stability and bifurcation behaviour are investigated in quantitative detail as a function of Reynolds numbers and wave numbers for counter-rotating as well as corotating cylinders. These results are obtained by solving the Navier-Stokes equations subject to axial periodicity for a radius ratio η=0.5 with a combination of a finite differences method and a Galerkin method.

SIGNATURES OF LONG-LIVED SPIRAL PATTERNS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martínez-García, Eric E.; González-Lópezlira, Rosa A.

2013-01-01

Azimuthal age/color gradients across spiral arms are a signature of long-lived spirals. From a sample of 19 normal (or weakly barred) spirals where we have previously found azimuthal age/color gradient candidates, 13 objects were further selected if a two-armed grand-design pattern survived in a surface density stellar mass map. Mass maps were obtained from optical and near-infrared imaging, by comparison with a Monte Carlo library of stellar population synthesis models that allowed us to obtain the mass-to-light ratio in the J band, (M/L) J , as a function of (g – i) versus (i – J) color. The selected spirals were analyzed with Fourier methods in search of other signatures of long-lived modes related to the gradients, such as the gradient divergence toward corotation, and the behavior of the phase angle of the two-armed spiral in different wavebands, as expected from theory. The results show additional signatures of long-lived spirals in at least 50% of the objects.

Impregnation of silver sulfadiazine into bacterial cellulose for antimicrobial and biocompatible wound dressing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luan, Jiabin; Wu, Jian; Zheng, Yudong; Wang, Guojie; Guo, Jia; Ding, Xun; Song, Wenhui

2012-01-01

Silver sulfadiazine (SSD) is a useful antimicrobial agent for wound treatment. However, recent findings indicate that conventional SSD cream has several drawbacks for use in treatments. Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a promising material for wound dressing due to its outstanding properties of holding water, strength and degradability. Unfortunately, BC itself exhibits no antimicrobial activity. A combination of SSD and BC is envisaged to form a new class of wound dressing with both antimicrobial activity and biocompatibility, which has not been reported to date. To achieve antimicrobial activity, SSD particles were impregnated into BC by immersing BC into SSD suspension after ultrasonication, namely SSD–BC. Parameters influencing SSD–BC impregnation were systematically studied. Optimized conditions of sonication time for no less than 90 min and the proper pH value between 6.6 and 9.0 were suggested. The absorption of SSD onto the BC nanofibrous network was revealed by XRD and SEM analyses. The SSD–BC membranes exhibited significant antimicrobial activities against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus evaluated by the disc diffusion method. In addition, the favorable biocompatibility of SSD–BC was verified by MTT colorimetry, epidermal cell counting method and optical microscopy. The results demonstrate the potential of SSD–BC membranes as a new class of antimicrobial and biocompatible wound dressing. (paper)

Modulation of the tissue regenerative process in fish by ß-glucans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Michael Engelbrecht; Jiménez, Natalia Ivonne Vera; Przybylska, Dominika Alicja

the importance of fibroblasts, macrophages, reactive oxygen species (especially hydrogen peroxide) and certain cytokines during wound healing processes. In fish however, only a few studies have been devoted tissue regeneration and modulation of cell proliferation during wound healing, even though mechanical...... the immune response towards pathogen eradication or tissue repair....... but not in animals. are commonly used as immune modulators, but the mechanisms through which the modulation is achieved remains to be understood. Wound healing and tissue regeneration are essential mechanisms to ensure the survival and health of any organism. Studies from the mammalian systems have shown...

Development and pilot testing of full-scale membrane distillation modules for deployment of waste heat

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, A.E.; Assink, J.W.; Hanemaaijer, J.H.; Medevoort, J. van; Sonsbeek, E. van

2013-01-01

Membrane distillation is an attractive technology for extracting fresh water from seawater. Newly developed modules have been used in pilot tests and bench scale tests to demonstrate the potential of producing excellent product water quality in a single step, little need for water pretreatment and a

Scaling effects in spiral capsule robots.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Liang; Hu, Rong; Chen, Bai; Tang, Yong; Xu, Yan

2017-04-01

Spiral capsule robots can be applied to human gastrointestinal tracts and blood vessels. Because of significant variations in the sizes of the inner diameters of the intestines as well as blood vessels, this research has been unable to meet the requirements for medical applications. By applying the fluid dynamic equations, using the computational fluid dynamics method, to a robot axial length ranging from 10 -5 to 10 -2  m, the operational performance indicators (axial driving force, load torque, and maximum fluid pressure on the pipe wall) of the spiral capsule robot and the fluid turbulent intensity around the robot spiral surfaces was numerically calculated in a straight rigid pipe filled with fluid. The reasonableness and validity of the calculation method adopted in this study were verified by the consistency of the calculated values by the computational fluid dynamics method and the experimental values from a relevant literature. The results show that the greater the fluid turbulent intensity, the greater the impact of the fluid turbulence on the driving performance of the spiral capsule robot and the higher the energy consumption of the robot. For the same level of size of the robot, the axial driving force, the load torque, and the maximum fluid pressure on the pipe wall of the outer spiral robot were larger than those of the inner spiral robot. For different requirements of the operating environment, we can choose a certain kind of spiral capsule robot. This study provides a theoretical foundation for spiral capsule robots.

Echo-Interleaved-Spiral MR Imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenthal, Shirrie; Azhari, Haim; Montag, Avram

1998-01-01

Interleaved-Spiral imaging is an efficient method for MRI fast scans. However, images suffer from blurring and artifacts due to field inhomogeneities and the long readout times. In this paper, we combine interleaved-spirals with spin-echo for 3D scans. The refocusing RF-pulses (echoes) refocus off-resonance spins, thus allowing longer acquisition times per excitation, by limiting inhomogeneity effects. The total number of excitations for a 3D scan is reduced by half. The 3D Fourier transform of an object is divided into pairs of slices, one slice is scanned in an outgoing interleaved-spiral, initiated after a 90 degree pulse has been applied. The second slice is scanned in an ingoing interleaved-spiral, after a 180 degree pulse has been applied, thus reaching the slice origin at the echo time. (authors)

Novel asymmetric chitosan/PVP/nanocellulose wound dressing: In vitro and in vivo evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Poonguzhali, R; Khaleel Basha, S; Sugantha Kumari, V

2018-06-01

The present study was to develop a novel chitosan based symmetric and asymmetric bionanocomposite for potential wound dressing application. Chitosan (C)/Poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) (P)/nanocellulose (NC) membrane were fabricated by salt leaching method with the addition of 3% and 5% wt of nanocellulose. To obtain asymmetric material one side of the membrane was coated by stearic acid (S) which could form hydrophobic surface and another side acts as a hydrophilic surface. Nanocellulose of size 2-10nm was synthesized and characterized by TEM analysis. SEM showed the hydrophilic surface of asymmetric bionanocomposite consists of porous structure and hydrophobic surface is smooth and homogeneous. The results revealed that the Chitosan/PVP/Nanocellulose 3%-Stearic acid (CPNC3%-S) had a moderate swelling ratio, porosity, barrier and mechanical properties. Incorporation of nanocellulose into chitosan/PVP matrix could enhance the antibacterial activity. The hydrophobic surface of the CPNC3%-S bionanocomposite shows water repellent and antiadhesion properties towards E. coli bacteria and also the hydrophilic surface exhibit excellent antibacterial property and cytotoxicity towards bacterial pathogens. In vivo wound healing test shows better re-epithelialization and wound contraction compared with control and Chitosan/PVP-stearic acid (CP-S) bionanocomposite. Asymmetric bionanocomposite Chitosan/PVP/Nanocellulose coated with 3%-Stearic acid (CPNC3%-S) exhibited very good invitro cytocompatibility and enabled a faster wound healing than symmetric dressing, hence showing great potential to be applied as wound dressings. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A novel multi-stage direct contact membrane distillation module: Design, experimental and theoretical approaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jung-Gil; Kim, Woo-Seung; Choi, June-Seok; Ghaffour, Noreddine; Kim, Young-Deuk

2016-12-15

An economic desalination system with a small scale and footprint for remote areas, which have a limited and inadequate water supply, insufficient water treatment and low infrastructure, is strongly demanded in the desalination markets. Here, a direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) process has the simplest configuration and potentially the highest permeate flux among all of the possible MD processes. This process can also be easily instituted in a multi-stage manner for enhanced compactness, productivity, versatility and cost-effectiveness. In this study, an innovative, multi-stage, DCMD module under countercurrent-flow configuration is first designed and then investigate both theoretically and experimentally to identify its feasibility and operability for desalination application. Model predictions and measured data for mean permeate flux are compared and shown to be in good agreement. The effect of the number of module stages on the mean permeate flux, performance ratio and daily water production of the MDCMD system has been theoretically identified at inlet feed and permeate flow rates of 1.5 l/min and inlet feed and permeate temperatures of 70 °C and 25 °C, respectively. The daily water production of a three-stage DCMD module with a membrane area of 0.01 m 2  at each stage is found to be 21.5 kg. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Spiral of Euroscepticism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Galpin, Charlotte; Trenz, Hans-Jörg

2017-01-01

of Euroscepticism’, taking media autonomy seriously to understand how media logics and selective devices contribute to the shaping of public discourse about the EU. We review the literature on the media and EU legitimacy to show how media frames and their amplification on social media can account for the salience......Media scholars have increasingly examined the effects of a negativity bias that applies to political news. In the ‘spiral of cynicism’, journalist preferences for negative news correspond to public demands for sensational news. We argue that this spiral of cynicism in EU news results in a ‘spiral...... of Eurosceptic opinions in the public sphere that then push parties to contest the EU in predominantly negative terms....

Arabidopsis SNAREs SYP61 and SYP121 coordinate the trafficking of plasma membrane aquaporin PIP2;7 to modulate the cell membrane water permeability.

Science.gov (United States)

Hachez, Charles; Laloux, Timothée; Reinhardt, Hagen; Cavez, Damien; Degand, Hervé; Grefen, Christopher; De Rycke, Riet; Inzé, Dirk; Blatt, Michael R; Russinova, Eugenia; Chaumont, François

2014-07-01

Plant plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs) are aquaporins that facilitate the passive movement of water and small neutral solutes through biological membranes. Here, we report that post-Golgi trafficking of PIP2;7 in Arabidopsis thaliana involves specific interactions with two syntaxin proteins, namely, the Qc-SNARE SYP61 and the Qa-SNARE SYP121, that the proper delivery of PIP2;7 to the plasma membrane depends on the activity of the two SNAREs, and that the SNAREs colocalize and physically interact. These findings are indicative of an important role for SYP61 and SYP121, possibly forming a SNARE complex. Our data support a model in which direct interactions between specific SNARE proteins and PIP aquaporins modulate their post-Golgi trafficking and thus contribute to the fine-tuning of the water permeability of the plasma membrane. © 2014 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved.

Surface characterisation and photocatalytic performance of N-doped TiO{sub 2} thin films deposited onto 200 nm pore size alumina membranes by sol–gel methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grilli, R., E-mail: r.grilli@surrey.ac.uk [The Surface Analysis Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH (United Kingdom); Di Camillo, D.; Lozzi, L. [Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche e Chimiche, Università degli Studi dell' Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67010 Coppito, L' Aquila (Italy); Horovitz, I.; Mamane, H.; Avisar, D. [School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978 (Israel); Baker, M.A. [The Surface Analysis Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH (United Kingdom)

2015-06-01

Membrane filtration is employed for water treatment and wastewater reclamation purposes, but membranes alone are unable to remove pollutant molecules and certain pathogens. Photocatalytically active N-doped TiO{sub 2} coatings have been deposited by sol–gel onto 200 nm pore size alumina membranes for water treatment applications using two different methods, via pipette droplets or spiral bar applicator. The uncoated and coated membranes were characterised by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX). Both coatings showed the presence of N-doped anatase, with a surface coverage between 84 and 92%, and nitrogen concentration (predominantly interstitial) of 0.9 at.%. The spiral bar applicator deposited coatings exhibit a thicker mud-cracked surface layer with limited penetration of the porous membrane, whilst the pipette deposited coatings have mostly penetrated into the bulk of the membrane and a thinner layer is present at the surface. The photocatalytic activity (PCA), measured through the degradation of carbamazepine (CBZ), under irradiation of a solar simulator was 58.6% for the pipette coating and 63.3% for the spiral bar coating. These photocatalytically active N-doped sol–gel coated membranes offer strong potential in forming the fundamental basis of a sunlight based water treatment system. - Highlights: • Sol gel N-doped TiO{sub 2} thin films were deposited on 200 nm pore size Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} membranes. • Two sol–gel methods have been compared – pipette drop and spiral bar deposition. • The coatings showed a similar microstructure and composition but different morphology. • The PCA (degradation of carbamazepine) was ∼60% for both sol–gel coatings. • The coated membranes are promising for use in a membrane based water treatment system.

Echo-Interleaved-Spiral MR Imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rosenthal, Shirrie; Azhari, Haim [Department of Biomedical Engineering, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000 (Israel); Montag, Avram [Elscint Ltd., MRI division, Haifa (Israel)

1999-12-31

Interleaved-Spiral imaging is an efficient method for MRI fast scans. However, images suffer from blurring and artifacts due to field inhomogeneities and the long readout times. In this paper, we combine interleaved-spirals with spin-echo for 3D scans. The refocusing RF-pulses (echoes) refocus off-resonance spins, thus allowing longer acquisition times per excitation, by limiting inhomogeneity effects. The total number of excitations for a 3D scan is reduced by half. The 3D Fourier transform of an object is divided into pairs of slices, one slice is scanned in an outgoing interleaved-spiral, initiated after a 90 degree pulse has been applied. The second slice is scanned in an ingoing interleaved-spiral, after a 180 degree pulse has been applied, thus reaching the slice origin at the echo time. (authors) 4 refs., 3 figs.

Natural and synthetic polymers for wounds and burns dressing.

Science.gov (United States)

Mogoşanu, George Dan; Grumezescu, Alexandru Mihai

2014-03-25

In the last years, health care professionals faced with an increasing number of patients suffering from wounds and burns difficult to treat and heal. During the wound healing process, the dressing protects the injury and contributes to the recovery of dermal and epidermal tissues. Because their biocompatibility, biodegradability and similarity to macromolecules recognized by the human body, some natural polymers such as polysaccharides (alginates, chitin, chitosan, heparin, chondroitin), proteoglycans and proteins (collagen, gelatin, fibrin, keratin, silk fibroin, eggshell membrane) are extensively used in wounds and burns management. Obtained by electrospinning technique, some synthetic polymers like biomimetic extracellular matrix micro/nanoscale fibers based on polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid, polyacrylic acid, poly-ɛ-caprolactone, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, exhibit in vivo and in vitro wound healing properties and enhance re-epithelialization. They provide an optimal microenvironment for cell proliferation, migration and differentiation, due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, peculiar structure and good mechanical properties. Thus, synthetic polymers are used also in regenerative medicine for cartilage, bone, vascular, nerve and ligament repair and restoration. Biocompatible with fibroblasts and keratinocytes, tissue engineered skin is indicated for regeneration and remodeling of human epidermis and wound healing improving the treatment of severe skin defects or partial-thickness burn injuries. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Protein matrices for wound dressings =

Science.gov (United States)

Vasconcelos, Andreia Joana Costa

studied by evaluating the physical-chemical properties of the resulting films. It was shown that SF and K are able to establish intermolecular interactions when mixed and, that the mechanical properties and the biological degradation can be tuned by the blend composition. In Chapter IV, SF/K films were further used to serve as a platform for the release of HNE inhibitors peptides. Bowman-Birk inhibitor (BBI) based peptide was incorporated onto the SF/K films that were consequently incubated with porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) as a model for HNE, to monitor the decrease in activity. The results indicated that swelling properties, degradation and release rates are dependent on the amount of keratin present in the blend. Furthermore, no cytotoxicity was observed in the presence of mouse fibroblasts, which makes these SF/K films suitable candidates for interactive wound dressings with a specific goal - controlling high levels of HNE. The next step of the work, Chapter V, reports for the first time blends of silk fibroin with elastin (SF/EL) for the production of scaffolds. These were prepared by lyophilization technique and crosslinked with a natural and low toxic agent, genipin. The crosslink allows the control of the scaffolds morphology, such as pore size and porosity, which in turns, modulates the ex vivo degradation rates, by a human chronic wound exudate, and the release rates of model compounds. In addition, no cytotoxicity was observed for SF/EL samples, with and without genipin, by human skin fibroblasts. Thus, the high porosity observed for SF/EL scaffolds, allowing the growth and cellular attachment, together with their biocompatibility provide fitting characteristics for wound dressings. Chapter VI, describes the design of two elastase inhibitors peptides based on the reactive site-loop of the BBI protein in order to control the high levels HNE. To a known peptide sequence, modifications were made at both N- and C-terminal. Inhibition kinetics analysis

Investigation of logarithmic spiral nanoantennas at optical frequencies

Science.gov (United States)

Verma, Anamika; Pandey, Awanish; Mishra, Vigyanshu; Singh, Ten; Alam, Aftab; Dinesh Kumar, V.

2013-12-01

The first study is reported of a logarithmic spiral antenna in the optical frequency range. Using the finite integration technique, we investigated the spectral and radiation properties of a logarithmic spiral nanoantenna and a complementary structure made of thin gold film. A comparison is made with results for an Archimedean spiral nanoantenna. Such nanoantennas can exhibit broadband behavior that is independent of polarization. Two prominent features of logarithmic spiral nanoantennas are highly directional far field emission and perfectly circularly polarized radiation when excited by a linearly polarized source. The logarithmic spiral nanoantenna promises potential advantages over Archimedean spirals and could be harnessed for several applications in nanophotonics and allied areas.

Tissue repair genes: the TiRe database and its implication for skin wound healing

OpenAIRE

Yanai, Hagai; Budovsky, Arie; Tacutu, Robi; Barzilay, Thomer; Abramovich, Amir; Ziesche, Rolf; Fraifeld, Vadim E.

2016-01-01

Wound healing is an inherent feature of any multicellular organism and recent years have brought about a huge amount of data regarding regular and abnormal tissue repair. Despite the accumulated knowledge, modulation of wound healing is still a major biomedical challenge, especially in advanced ages. In order to collect and systematically organize what we know about the key players in wound healing, we created the TiRe (Tissue Repair) database, an online collection of genes and proteins that ...

How does a planet excite multiple spiral arms?

Science.gov (United States)

Bae, Jaehan; Zhu, Zhaohuan

2018-01-01

Protoplanetary disk simulations show that a single planet excites multiple spiral arms in the background disk, potentially supported by the multi-armed spirals revealed with recent high-resolution observations in some disks. The existence of multiple spiral arms is of importance in many aspects. It is empirically found that the arm-to-arm separation increases as a function of the planetary mass, so one can use the morphology of observed spiral arms to infer the mass of unseen planets. In addition, a spiral arm opens a radial gap as it steepens into a shock, so when a planet excites multiple spiral arms it can open multiple gaps in the disk. Despite the important implications, however, the formation mechanism of multiple spiral arms has not been fully understood by far.In this talk, we explain how a planet excites multiple spiral arms. The gravitational potential of a planet can be decomposed into a Fourier series, a sum of individual azimuthal modes having different azimuthal wavenumbers. Using a linear wave theory, we first demonstrate that appropriate sets of Fourier decomposed waves can be in phase, raising a possibility that constructive interference among the waves can produce coherent structures - spiral arms. More than one spiral arm can form since such constructive interference can occur at different positions in the disk for different sets of waves. We then verify this hypothesis using a suite of two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations. Finally, we present non-linear behavior in the formation of multiple spiral arms.

Wavelength conversion of QAM signals in a low loss CMOS compatible spiral waveguide

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Da Ros, Francesco; Porto da Silva, Edson; Zibar, Darko

2017-01-01

We demonstrate wavelength conversion of quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) signals, including 32-GBd quadrature phase-shift keying and 10-GBd 16-QAM, in a 50-cm long high index doped glass spiral waveguide. The quality of the generated idlers for up to 20 nm of wavelength shift is sufficient...... to achieve a BER performance below the hard decision forward error correction threshold BER performance (...

Injury-activated glial cells promote wound healing of the adult skin in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Parfejevs, Vadims; Debbache, Julien; Shakhova, Olga; Schaefer, Simon M; Glausch, Mareen; Wegner, Michael; Suter, Ueli; Riekstina, Una; Werner, Sabine; Sommer, Lukas

2018-01-16

Cutaneous wound healing is a complex process that aims to re-establish the original structure of the skin and its functions. Among other disorders, peripheral neuropathies are known to severely impair wound healing capabilities of the skin, revealing the importance of skin innervation for proper repair. Here, we report that peripheral glia are crucially involved in this process. Using a mouse model of wound healing, combined with in vivo fate mapping, we show that injury activates peripheral glia by promoting de-differentiation, cell-cycle re-entry and dissemination of the cells into the wound bed. Moreover, injury-activated glia upregulate the expression of many secreted factors previously associated with wound healing and promote myofibroblast differentiation by paracrine modulation of TGF-β signalling. Accordingly, depletion of these cells impairs epithelial proliferation and wound closure through contraction, while their expansion promotes myofibroblast formation. Thus, injury-activated glia and/or their secretome might have therapeutic potential in human wound healing disorders.

Origins of galactic spiral structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piddington, J.H.

1978-01-01

Theories of galactic structure are reviewed briefly before comparing them with recent observations. Also reviewed is the evidence for an intergalactic magnetic field and its possible effects on gas concentrations and patterns of star creation, including spiral arms. It is then shown that normal spiral galaxies may be divided into the M51-type and others. The rare M51-type have H I gas arms coincident with unusually filamentary and luminous optical arms; they also have a companion galaxy. The remaining great majority of spirals have no well-defined gas arms and their optical arms are irregular, broader and less luminous; they have no companion galaxy. It appears that without exception the half-dozen or so galaxies whose structures appear to support the density-wave theory show one or more of the characteristics of the rare type of spiral, and that 'the three principal confirmations of the spiral-wave idea' (M51, M81, M101) have companions which may account for their arms. Toomre has rejected this idea on the grounds that his models do not agree with the observed structures. It is shown that these models are inadequate in two major respects, and when replaced by magneto-tidal models using non-uniform gas disks one might expect agreement. The original hydromagnetic model of spiral arms is now reserved for non-interacting galaxies, of which M33 might be taken as a prototype. The model predicts broad or 'massive' optical arms and no corresponding arms of neutral hydrogen, as observed. (Auth.)

Percutaneous clamping of spiral and oblique fractures of the tibial shaft: a safe and effective reduction aid during intramedullary nailing.

Science.gov (United States)

Collinge, Cory A; Beltran, Michael J; Dollahite, Henry A; Huber, Florian G

2015-06-01

The reduction of tibial shaft fractures during intramedullary nailing is important if limb alignment is to be restored and successful clinical outcomes are expected. We have used a percutaneously applied (or open) clamp or clamps to achieve and maintain reduction during nailing of all amendable tibial shaft fractures. In this article, we describe the technique and preliminary results comparing closed, simple spiral and oblique tibial shaft fractures (OTA 42-A1 and A2) managed with percutaneous clamp-assisted nailing (CAN) versus nailing using manual reduction (MRN) held by the surgical team. In the MRN group, there were an increased fracture gap (P = 0.04) and trends toward malalignment (P = 0.07) and healing time (P = 0.06) compared with the CAN group. There were also trends in clinical; no wound complications occurred in either group. We have found that percutaneous CAN of closed, simple spiral and oblique tibial shaft fractures seems safe and allows for early predictable union with reproducible alignment compared with nailing using MRN.

Flocculent and grand design spiral galaxies in groups: time scales for the persistence of grand design spiral structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elmegreen, B.G.; Elmegreen, D.M.

1983-01-01

Spiral arm classifications were made for 261 low-inclination galaxies in groups listed by Huchra and Geller. The fractional occurrence of grand design spiral structure in nonbarred galaxies was found to increase from approx.0.1 to approx.0.6 and then level off as the group crossing rate or galaxy collision rate in a group increases. A simple model is discussed where the random encounters between galaxies of any type and flocculent galaxies induce transient grand design spirals in the flocculent galaxies. If this grand-design stimulation occurs for binary collisions with impact parameters less than αR 25 , were R 25 is the galactic radius at 25 mag arcsec - 2 , and if the induced grand design spirals persist for an average time equal to #betta# galactic rotations, then the quantity α 2 #betta# equals approximately 3 x 10 4 . If binary collisions are responsible for grand design spirals, then this result implies either that the induced spirals last for many galactic rotations (#betta#>15), or that they can be stimulated by very remote encounters (α>45.) Alternatively, grand design spirals may be stimulated by multiple galaxy encounters, which would be the case for such large α, or by interactions with the potential well of the associated group, rather than by simple binary encounters. Weak correlations between the grand design fraction and the galaxy size, or between this fraction and the total number of galaxies in a group, were also found. Spiral structures of barred galaxies show no correlations with group environment

Numerical simulation of the nonlinear dynamics of packets of spiral density waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korchagin, V.I.

1987-01-01

In a numerical experiment, the behavior of nonlinear packets of spiral density waves in a gas disk has been investigated for different initial wave amplitudes. If the amplitude of the density perturbations is small (<5%), the wave packet is drawn toward the center or toward the periphery of the disk in accordance with the linear theory. The behavior of linear packets of waves with wavelength comparable to the disk radius (R/sub d//lambda = 4) exhibits good agreement with the conclusions of the linear theory of tightly wound spiral waves. The dynamics of wave packets with initial density amplitudes 16, 30, 50% demonstrates the nonlinear nature of the behavior. THe behavior is governed by whether or not the nonlinear effects of higher than third order in the wave amplitude play a part. If the wave packet dynamics is determined by the cubic nonlinearity, the results of the numerical experiment are in qualitative and quantitative agreement with the nonlinear theory of short waves, although the characteristic scale of the packet and the wavelength are of the order of the disk radius. In the cases when the nonlinear effects of higher orders in the amplitude play an important part, the behavior of a packet does not differ qualitatively from the behavior predicted by the theory of cubic nonlinearity, but the nonlinear spreading of the packet takes place more rapidly

Synchronization modulation increases transepithelial potentials in MDCK monolayers through Na/K pumps.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vu Tran

Full Text Available Transepithelial potential (TEP is the voltage across a polarized epithelium. In epithelia that have active transport functions, the force for transmembrane flux of an ion is dictated by the electrochemical gradient in which TEP plays an essential role. In epithelial injury, disruption of the epithelial barrier collapses the TEP at the wound edge, resulting in the establishment of an endogenous wound electric field (∼100 mV/mm that is directed towards the center of the wound. This endogenous electric field is implicated to enhance wound healing by guiding cell migration. We thus seek techniques to enhance the TEP, which may increase the wound electric fields and enhance wound healing. We report a novel technique, termed synchronization modulation (SM using a train of electric pulses to synchronize the Na/K pump activity, and then modulating the pumping cycles to increase the efficiency of the Na/K pumps. Kidney epithelial monolayers (MDCK cells maintain a stable TEP and transepithelial resistance (TER. SM significantly increased TEP over four fold. Either ouabain or digoxin, which block Na/K pump, abolished SM-induced TEP increases. In addition to the pump activity, basolateral distribution of Na/K pumps is essential for an increase in TEP. Our study for the first time developed an electrical approach to significantly increase the TEP. This technique targeting the Na/K pump may be used to modulate TEP, and may have implication in wound healing and in diseases where TEP needs to be modulated.

Global extinction in spiral galaxies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tully, RB; Pierce, MJ; Saunders, W; Verheijen, MAW; Witchalls, PL

Magnitude-limited samples of spiral galaxies drawn from the Ursa Major and Pisces Clusters are used to determine their extinction properties as a function of inclination. Imaging photometry is available for 87 spirals in the B, R, I, and K' bands. Extinction causes systematic scatter in

Transient response of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell subjected to time-varying modulating conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Noorani, S.; Shamim, T. [Michigan-Dearborn Univ., Dearborn, MI (United States). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

2009-07-01

In order for fuel cells to compete with internal combustion engines, they must have significant advantages in terms of overall efficiency, weight, packaging, safety and cost. A key requirement is its ability to operate under highly transient conditions during start-up, acceleration, and deceleration with stable performance. Therefore, a better understanding of fuel cell dynamic behaviour is needed along with better water management and distributions inside the cell. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of transient conditions on water distribution inside a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) cell. A macroscopic single-fuel cell based, one-dimensional, isothermal mathematical model was used to study the effect of modulating cell voltage on the water distribution of anode, cathode, catalyst layers, and membrane. Compared to other existing models, this model did not rely on the non-physical assumption of the uptake curve equilibrium between the pore vapour and ionomer water in the catalyst layers. Instead, the transition between the two phases was modeled as a finite-rate equilibration process. The modulating conditions were simulated by forcing the temporal variations in fuel cell voltage. The results revealed that cell voltage modulations cause a departure in the cell behaviour from its steady behaviour, and the finite-rate equilibration between the catalyst vapour and liquid water can be a factor in determining the cell response. The cell response is also affected by the modulating frequency and amplitude. The peak cell response was observed at low frequencies. Keywords: fuel cell, water transport, dynamic behaviour, numerical simulations. 9 refs., 1 tab., 5 figs.

A study of spiral galaxies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wevers, B.M.H.R.

1984-01-01

Attempts have been made to look for possible correlations between integral properties of spiral galaxies as a function of morphological type. To investigate this problem, one needs the detailed distribution of both the gaseous and the stellar components for a well-defined sample of spiral galaxies. A sample of about 20 spiral galaxies was therefore defined; these galaxies were observed in the 21 cm neutral hydrogen line with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope and in three broad-band optical colours with the 48-inch Palomar Smidt Telescope. First, an atlas of the combined radio and optical observations of 16 nearby northern-hemisphere spiral galaxies is presented. Luminosity profiles are discussed and the scale lengths of the exponential disks and extrapolated central surface brightnesses are derived, as well as radial color distributions; azimuthal surface brightness distributions and rotation curves. Possible correlations with optical features are investigated. It is found that 20 to 50 per cent of the total mass is in the disk. (Auth.)

Modulators of Stomatal Lineage Signal Transduction Alter Membrane Contact Sites and Reveal Specialization among ERECTA Kinases.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Chin-Min Kimmy; Paciorek, Tomasz; Abrash, Emily; Bergmann, Dominique C

2016-08-22

Signal transduction from a cell's surface to its interior requires dedicated signaling elements and a cellular environment conducive to signal propagation. Plant development, defense, and homeostasis rely on plasma membrane receptor-like kinases to perceive endogenous and environmental signals, but little is known about their immediate downstream targets and signaling modifiers. Using genetics, biochemistry, and live-cell imaging, we show that the VAP-RELATED SUPPRESSOR OF TMM (VST) family is required for ERECTA-mediated signaling in growth and cell-fate determination and reveal a role for ERECTA-LIKE2 in modulating signaling by its sister kinases. We show that VSTs are peripheral plasma membrane proteins that can form complexes with integral ER-membrane proteins, thereby potentially influencing the organization of the membrane milieu to promote efficient and differential signaling from the ERECTA-family members to their downstream intracellular targets. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Application of DBNPA dosage for biofouling control in spiral wound membrane systems

KAUST Repository

Siddiqui, Amber; Pinel, I.; Prest, E.I.; Bucs, Szilard; van Loosdrecht, M.C.M.; Kruithof, J.C.; Vrouwenvelder, Johannes S.

2017-01-01

in MFS was quantified by adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and total organic carbon (TOC) analysis. Continuous dosage of DBNPA (1 mg/L) prevented pressure drop increase and biofilm accumulation in the MFSs during a run time of 7 d, showing that biofouling can

Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm hampers murine central wound healing by suppression of vascular epithelial growth factor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trøstrup, Hannah; Lerche, Christian J; Christophersen, Lars J

2018-01-01

-wounded, infection-susceptible BALB/c mice, which display delayed wound closure compared to C3H/HeN mice. Wounds were evaluated histopathologically 4, 7 or 10 days post-infection. Photoplanimetry evaluated necrotic areas. P. aeruginosa biofilm suppressed vascular endothelial growth factor levels centrally in BALB....../c wounds but increased peripheral levels 4-7 days post-infection. Central zones of the burn wound displayed lower levels of central vascular endothelial growth factor as observed 4 and 7 days post-infection in BALB/c mice compared to their C3H/HeN counterparts. Biofilm suppressed early, centrally located S......100A8/A9 in BALB/c and centrally and peripherally later on in C3H/HeN wounds as compared to uninfected mice. Peripheral polymorphonuclear-dominated inflammation and larger necrosis were observed in BALB/c wounds. In conclusion, P. aeruginosa biofilm modulates wounds by suppressing central...

Imaging of head and neck tumors -- methods: CT, spiral-CT, multislice-spiral-CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baum, Ulrich; Greess, Holger; Lell, Michael; Noemayr, Anton; Lenz, Martin

2000-01-01

Spiral-CT is standard for imaging neck tumors. In correspondence with other groups we routinely use spiral-CT with thin slices (3 mm), a pitch of 1.3-1.5 and an overlapping reconstruction increment (2-3 mm). In patients with dental fillings a short additional spiral parallel to the corpus of the mandible reduces artifacts behind the dental arches and improves the diagnostic value of CT. For the assessment of the base of the skull, the orbital floor, the palate and paranasal sinuses an additional examination in the coronal plane is helpful. Secondary coronal reconstructions of axial scans are helpful in the evaluation of the crossing of the midline by small tumors of the tongue base or palate. For an optimal vascular or tissue contrast a sufficient volume of contrast medium and a start delay greater than 70-80 s are necessary. In our opinion the best results can be achieved with a volume of 150 ml, a flow of 2.5 ml/s and a start delay of 80 s. Dynamic enhanced CT is only necessary in some special cases. There is clear indication for dynamic enhanced CT where a glomus tumor is suspected. Additional functional CT imaging during i-phonation and/or Valsalva's maneuver are of great importance to prove vocal cords mobility. Therefore, imaging during i-phonation is an elemental part of every thorough examination of the hypopharynx and larynx region. Multislice-spiral-CT allows almost isotropic imaging of the head and neck region and improves the assessment of tumor spread and lymph node metastases in arbitrary oblique planes. Thin structures (the base of the skull, the orbital floor, the hard palate) as well as the floor of the mouth can be evaluated sufficiently with multiplanar reformations. Usually, additional coronal scanning is not necessary with multislice-spiral-CT. Multislice-spiral-CT is especially advantageous in defining the critical relationships of tumor and lymph node metastases and for functional imaging of the hypopharynx and larynx not only in the

Hypoperfusion and Wound Healing: Another Dimension of Wound Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Smollock, Wendy; Montenegro, Paul; Czenis, Amy; He, Yuan

2018-02-01

To examine the correlation between mean arterial pressure (MAP) and wound healing indices and describe an analytical process that can be used accurately and prospectively when evaluating all types of skin ulcerations. A correlational study in a long-term-care facility.Participants (N = 230) were adults residing in a long-term-care facility with an average age of 77.8 years (range, 35-105). Assessment through both an index of wound healing and wound surface area. Signs of wound healing included a reduction of surface area and surface necrosis and increased granulation or epithelialization. Aggregate analyses for all wound locations revealed a positive correlation between the MAP and index of wound healing (r = 0.86, n = 501, P wound healing was noted for all wound locations in this data set when MAP values were 80 mm Hg or less (r = 0.95, n = 141, P wounds and MAP of less than 80 mm Hg yielded a very strong positive correlation. The data indicated that as perfusion decreased, wounds within the sample population declined (r = 0.93, n = 102, P wound healing or worsened wounds. A predictability of wounds stalling or declining related to the MAP was observed, regardless of topical treatment or standard-of-care interventions. Therefore, the data also suggest that remediating states of low perfusion should take precedence in making treatment decisions.

Galaxy Zoo: dust in spiral galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Masters, Karen L.; Nichol, Robert; Bamford, Steven; Mosleh, Moein; Lintott, Chris J.; Andreescu, Dan; Edmondson, Edward M.; Keel, William C.; Murray, Phil; Raddick, M. Jordan; Schawinski, Kevin; Slosar, Anže; Szalay, Alexander S.; Thomas, Daniel; Vandenberg, Jan

2010-05-01

We investigate the effect of dust on spiral galaxies by measuring the inclination dependence of optical colours for 24276 well-resolved Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) galaxies visually classified via the Galaxy Zoo project. We find clear trends of reddening with inclination which imply a total extinction from face-on to edge-on of 0.7, 0.6, 0.5 and 0.4mag for the ugri passbands (estimating 0.3mag of extinction in z band). We split the sample into `bulgy' (early-type) and `discy' (late-type) spirals using the SDSS fracdeV (or fDeV) parameter and show that the average face-on colour of `bulgy' spirals is redder than the average edge-on colour of `discy' spirals. This shows that the observed optical colour of a spiral galaxy is determined almost equally by the spiral type (via the bulge-disc ratio and stellar populations), and reddening due to dust. We find that both luminosity and spiral type affect the total amount of extinction, with discy spirals at Mr ~ -21.5mag having the most reddening - more than twice as much as both the lowest luminosity and most massive, bulge-dominated spirals. An increase in dust content is well known for more luminous galaxies, but the decrease of the trend for the most luminous has not been observed before and may be related to their lower levels of recent star formation. We compare our results with the latest dust attenuation models of Tuffs et al. We find that the model reproduces the observed trends reasonably well but overpredicts the amount of u-band attenuation in edge-on galaxies. This could be an inadequacy in the Milky Way extinction law (when applied to external galaxies), but more likely indicates the need for a wider range of dust-star geometries. We end by discussing the effects of dust on large galaxy surveys and emphasize that these effects will become important as we push to higher precision measurements of galaxy properties and their clustering. This publication has been made possible by the participation of more than

The use of Amniotic membrane in the treatment of Burns in Children: a clinical trial at the university Teaching Hospital, Lusaka

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katebe, K.R.C

1995-01-01

This is a clinical trial which was carried out at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka from the 1st of July to the 31st December, 1994. It involved treatment of burns in forty children using gamma irradiated amniotic membrane produced at the hospital. The results showed that it is feasible to produce Gamma irradiated biological dressings from amniotic membrane at this hospital. The amniotic membrane was easy to apply on burns and the treatment was acceptable to the majority of parents with burnt children. The use of amniotic membrane was non inflammatory to the wounds in all forty patients (100%), reduced wound infection in thirty three patients (82.5%), increased the rate of wound healing in thirty nine patients (97.5%), and resulted in good quality wound healing in thirty one patients (77.5%). Therefore, the treatment offers a good alternative in the treatment of burns in children at the hospital

Wound care centers

Science.gov (United States)

Pressure ulcer - wound care center; Decubitus ulcer - wound care center; Diabetic ulcer - wound care center; Surgical wound - wound ... Common types of non-healing wounds include: Pressure sores Surgical ... flow, or swollen legs Certain wounds may not heal well due to: ...

Experiences on sea water reverse osmosis plant at Anuvijay township, Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balasubramanian, M.R.; Selvavinayagam, P.; Singaravelan, S.; Ramdoss, R.; Sundar, R.S.

2007-01-01

Sea water reverse Osmosis plant SWRO of KKNPP is located at Anuvijay township, Chettikulam, Tirunelveli District, Tamilnadu. The objective of SWRO is to produce 2400 M 3 of potable quality water per day. This plant consists of four streams, each having a capacity of 25 M 3 /hr. Each stream is having 9 pressure tube in parallel and each pressure tube has 6 polyamide spiral wound membrane in series. (author)

Polarization study of spiral galaxies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ward-Thompson, D

1987-01-01

Optical polarimetry results are presented for four spiral galaxies: NGC 5194 (M51), NGC 1068, NGC 4565 and NGC 4594 (M104). M51 and NGC 1068 show spiral polarization patterns interpreted as indicating a spiral magnetic field in each case. NGC 4565 and M104 show polarizations in their dust lanes which are parallel to their galactic planes, and which are interpreted in terms of a magnetic field in the plane of each. It is hypothesized that the observed magnetic fields may be linked to galactic shocks. A discussion of the origin of galactic magnetic fields concludes that there is not evidence that necessitates a primordial magnetic field.

Spiral phases of doped antiferromagnets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shraiman, B.I.; Siggia, E.D.

1990-01-01

The dipole density field describing the holls in a doped antiferromagnet is considered for law hole density in the semiclassical limit. This yields a phase in which the order parameter is planar and spirals round a fixed direction. The single spiral state breaks the continuous spin rotational symmetry and exhibits long-range order at zero temperature. In it there is a global spin direction as rotation axis. The double spiral state, in which there are two perpendicular directions, is isotropic in both spin and real space. Several results of microscopic calculations, carried out to understand the electronic states, quantum fluctuations, lattice effects and normal mode dynamics, are recapitulated. 8 refs

Properties of spiral resonators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haeuser, J.

1989-10-01

The present thesis deals with the calculation and the study of the application possibilities of single and double spiral resonators. The main aim was the development and the construction of reliable and effective high-power spiral resonators for the UNILAC of the GSI in Darmstadt and the H - -injector for the storage ring HERA of DESY in Hamburg. After the presentation of the construction and the properties of spiral resonators and their description by oscillating-circuit models the theoretical foundations of the bunching are presented and some examples of a rebuncher and debuncher and their influence on the longitudinal particle dynamics are shown. After the description of the characteristic accelerator quantities by means of an oscillating-circuit model and the theory of an inhomogeneous λ/4 line it is shown, how the resonance frequency and the efficiency of single and double spiral resonators can be calculated from the geometrical quantities of the structure. In the following the dependence of the maximal reachable resonator voltage in dependence on the gap width and the surface of the drift tubes is studied. Furthermore the high-power resonators are presented, which were built for the different applications for the GSI in Darmstadt, DESY in Hamburg, and for the FOM Institute in Amsterdam. (orig./HSI) [de

Comparison of Colorimetric Assays with Quantitative Amino Acid Analysis for Protein Quantification of Generalized Modules for Membrane Antigens (GMMA)

OpenAIRE

Rossi, Omar; Maggiore, Luana; Necchi, Francesca; Koeberling, Oliver; MacLennan, Calman A.; Saul, Allan; Gerke, Christiane

2014-01-01

Genetically induced outer membrane particles from Gram-negative bacteria, called Generalized Modules for Membrane Antigens (GMMA), are being investigated as vaccines. Rapid methods are required for estimating the protein content for in-process assays during production. Since GMMA are complex biological structures containing lipid and polysaccharide as well as protein, protein determinations are not necessarily straightforward. We compared protein quantification by Bradford, Lowry, and Non-Int...

LIONS: a new set of Fortran90 codes for the SPIRAL project at GANIL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bertrand, P.

1995-01-01

In this paper a set of new computer programs developed at GANIL is presented. These codes are used to study different parts of the SPIRAL project, in particular the dynamics in the CIME cyclotron and the new extraction system of the ECR ion sources. Three important modules are described: CHA3D for the evaluation of 3D electric fields with or without space charge effects, LIONS for the motion of ions and EXTRACT for the ECRIS extraction. These modules are written in Fortran90 in a ''data parallel scheme''. They work either on UNIX workstations or parallel and vectorial computers. (orig.)

Progress in corneal wound healing

Science.gov (United States)

Ljubimov, Alexander V.; Saghizadeh, Mehrnoosh

2015-01-01

Corneal wound healing is a complex process involving cell death, migration, proliferation, differentiation, and extracellular matrix remodeling. Many similarities are observed in the healing processes of corneal epithelial, stromal and endothelial cells, as well as cell-specific differences. Corneal epithelial healing largely depends on limbal stem cells and remodeling of the basement membrane. During stromal healing, keratocytes get transformed to motile and contractile myofibroblasts largely due to activation of transforming growth factor-β system. Endothelial cells heal mostly by migration and spreading, with cell proliferation playing a secondary role. In the last decade, many aspects of wound healing process in different parts of the cornea have been elucidated, and some new therapeutic approaches have emerged. The concept of limbal stem cells received rigorous experimental corroboration, with new markers uncovered and new treatment options including gene and microRNA therapy tested in experimental systems. Transplantation of limbal stem cell-enriched cultures for efficient re-epithelialization in stem cell deficiency and corneal injuries has become reality in clinical setting. Mediators and course of events during stromal healing have been detailed, and new treatment regimens including gene (decorin) and stem cell therapy for excessive healing have been designed. This is a very important advance given the popularity of various refractive surgeries entailing stromal wound healing. Successful surgical ways of replacing the diseased endothelium have been clinically tested, and new approaches to accelerate endothelial healing and suppress endothelial-mesenchymal transformation have been proposed including Rho kinase (ROCK) inhibitor eye drops and gene therapy to activate TGF-β inhibitor SMAD7. Promising new technologies with potential for corneal wound healing manipulation including microRNA, induced pluripotent stem cells to generate corneal epithelium, and

Orientation decoding: Sense in spirals?

Science.gov (United States)

Clifford, Colin W G; Mannion, Damien J

2015-04-15

The orientation of a visual stimulus can be successfully decoded from the multivariate pattern of fMRI activity in human visual cortex. Whether this capacity requires coarse-scale orientation biases is controversial. We and others have advocated the use of spiral stimuli to eliminate a potential coarse-scale bias-the radial bias toward local orientations that are collinear with the centre of gaze-and hence narrow down the potential coarse-scale biases that could contribute to orientation decoding. The usefulness of this strategy is challenged by the computational simulations of Carlson (2014), who reported the ability to successfully decode spirals of opposite sense (opening clockwise or counter-clockwise) from the pooled output of purportedly unbiased orientation filters. Here, we elaborate the mathematical relationship between spirals of opposite sense to confirm that they cannot be discriminated on the basis of the pooled output of unbiased or radially biased orientation filters. We then demonstrate that Carlson's (2014) reported decoding ability is consistent with the presence of inadvertent biases in the set of orientation filters; biases introduced by their digital implementation and unrelated to the brain's processing of orientation. These analyses demonstrate that spirals must be processed with an orientation bias other than the radial bias for successful decoding of spiral sense. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neuronal Differentiation Modulated by Polymeric Membrane Properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Morelli, Sabrina; Piscioneri, Antonella; Drioli, Enrico; De Bartolo, Loredana

2017-01-01

In this study, different collagen-blend membranes were successfully constructed by blending collagen with chitosan (CHT) or poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) to enhance their properties and thus create new biofunctional materials with great potential use for neuronal tissue engineering and regeneration. Collagen blending strongly affected membrane properties in the following ways: (i) it improved the surface hydrophilicity of both pure CHT and PLGA membranes, (ii) it reduced the stiffness of CHT membranes, but (iii) it did not modify the good mechanical properties of PLGA membranes. Then, we investigated the effect of the different collagen concentrations on the neuronal behavior of the membranes developed. Morphological observations, immunocytochemistry, and morphometric measures demonstrated that the membranes developed, especially CHT/Col30, PLGA, and PLGA/Col1, provided suitable microenvironments for neuronal growth owing to their enhanced properties. The most consistent neuronal differentiation was obtained in neurons cultured on PLGA-based membranes, where a well-developed neuronal network was achieved due to their improved mechanical properties. Our findings suggest that tensile strength and elongation at break are key material parameters that have potential influence on both axonal elongation and neuronal structure and organization, which are of fundamental importance for the maintenance of efficient neuronal growth. Hence, our study has provided new insights regarding the effects of membrane mechanical properties on neuronal behavior, and thus it may help to design and improve novel instructive biomaterials for neuronal tissue engineering. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

EFFICIENCY OF DOMESTIC REVERSE OSMOSIS IN REMOVAL OF TRIHALOMETHANES FROM DRINKING WATER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Mazloomi ، R. Nabizadeh ، S. Nasseri ، K. Naddafi ، S. Nazmara ، A. H. Mahvi

2009-10-01

Full Text Available The reaction of disinfectants with natural organic matters existing in water lead to the formation of Disinfection By-Products. Potentially hazardous and carcinogenic characteristics of trihalomethanes (THMs are recognized. Thus removal of THMs or its precursors are necessary for human health. The aim of this study was to study the efficiency of domestic reverse osmosis (RO in removal of trihalomethanes from drinking water. A pilot scale of RO system with Polyamide membrane as Spiral-Wound, Tape wrapping module was used. Feed solution was made by using of pure chloroform. The samples containing chloroform were analyzed using a gas chromatograph equipped with a flame ionization detector. By increasing the flow, the removal rate of chloroform decreased and with declining removal of EC, the removal of chloroform declined too. In this research, at the worst condition, the efficiency of the pilot scale reverse osmosis reached to 80 % removal of chloroform.

Membrane curvature enables N-Ras lipid anchor sorting to liquid-ordered membrane phases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Jannik Bruun; Jensen, Martin Borch; Bhatia, Vikram Kjøller

2015-01-01

Trafficking and sorting of membrane-anchored Ras GTPases are regulated by partitioning between distinct membrane domains. Here, in vitro experiments and microscopic molecular theory reveal membrane curvature as a new modulator of N-Ras lipid anchor and palmitoyl chain partitioning. Membrane...

Diagnosis of pancreatic tumors by spiral angio CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miura, Kohi; Nakao, Norio; Takayasu, Yukio; Okawa, Tomohisa

1995-01-01

Spiral angio were performed with injection of 30 ml of contrast material at a rate of 1 ml/sec with a scan delay of 6 sec through catheter into the celiac artery while the blood flow of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) was occluded by the inflated balloon catheter. Spiral CT scans were obtained using Somatom Plus (Siemens). Parameter for spiral CT were 24-sec acquisition time, 5 mm collimation, 5 mm/sec table incrementation. Reconstructions were performed every 5 mm. Pancreatic cancers were characteristically depicted with spiral angio CT as hypodensity relative to normal enhanced pancreatic parenchyma. On dynamic angio CT studies performed in pancreatic cancers, the area of cancer and normal parenchyma had maximum level of enhancement at 10-15 sec after injection of contrast material via catheter into the celiac, and there was no difference in enhancement between tumor and normal parenchyma. On the other hand, the lesions of cancer were revealed as hypodensity with spiral angio CT. In case of chronic pancreatitis, the enhancement of the entire pancreas obtained with spiral angio CT was homogeneous. Insulinoma in the tail of pancreas was detected by spiral angio CT but was not detected by both selective angiography and conventional CT. Three-dimensional (3-D) rendering spiral angio CT data shows the extent of vascular involvement by pancreatic cancer and provides useful information for surgical planning. Spiral angio CT is the most useful procedure for diagnosis of pancreatic tumor. (author)