The flow inside an idealised form of the human extra-thoracic airway

The mean and RMS axial velocity field in the central sagittal plane of an idealized representation of the human extrathoracic airway (ETA) during steady inspiration was studied experimentally using single and X-hot-wire anemometry (HWA). Complementary flow-visualization results illustrate the complex nature of this flow, which includes several regions of separated, secondary, and recirculating flow. Hot-wire experiments attest to this complexity, with several regions of high localized turbulence intensity measured distal to the oropharynx. Physiologically accurate flow rates of 10, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 l/min are considered. These flow rates encompass a wide range of respiratory patterns, from normal breathing to the rapid inhalation typically encountered during the use of pharmaceutical aerosol inhalation devices.

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Investigation on inter-modulation products (IMPs) for IM-DD SCM optical links

The implementation of the subcarrier multiplexing (SCM) as the signaling format has been extensively researched in various analog and digital lightwave based broadband applications because of its promising versatility, cost effectiveness, convenient and simple offerings. However performance degradation is a matter of serious concern in such multi-channel intensity modulation-direct detection (IM-DD) systems caused by inter-modulation distortion (IMD) mechanism. In this paper the impact of key operational and physical parameters of a laser source on an IMD dominated two-tone IM-DD SCM system has been investigated which can thereby be exploited favorably to develop a reasonably IMD immune optical link.     

Cytotoxic cholic acid type sterones from a marine soft coral <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paraminabea</Emphasis> sp.

Chemical investigation of an Okinawan marine soft coral resulted in the isolation of one new compound (1) and five known cholic acid type keto-steroids 2–6 possessing enone or dienone A-rings and desmosterol (7). The structures of all compounds were elucidated from spectral data, mainly by 1D and 2D NMR techniques, mass spectra, comparison of NMR data with those of reported compounds, and by chemical transformations. Compounds 1–7 showed potent cytotoxic activity.     

Microwave-assisted,one-pot reaction of 7-azaindoles and aldehydes: a facile route to novel di-7-azaindolylmethanes

A novel and highly efficient synthetic method leveraging microwave-assisted organic synthesis (MAOS) to yield di-7-azaindolylmethanes (DAIMs) is reported. Under MAOS conditions, reaction of 7-azaindole with aldehydes resulted predominantly in DAIMs, as opposed to the expected 7-azaindole addition products that form at ambient temperature. Based upon studies of different indoles and azaindoles with various aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes, we herein propose a mechanism where rapid and efficient microwave heating promotes nucleophilicity of 7-azaindoles toward the corresponding alkylidene–azaindolene intermediate to form the DAIM. This sequence provides a versatile approach to efficiently synthesize novel DAIMs that may be useful pharmaceuticals.     

Deuteron-induced activation cross-sections on natural copper up to 24 MeV

Activation cross-sections of ^natCu(d,x)^62,65Zn,⁶⁴Cu,^60g+mCo,⁵⁹Fe reactions were measured using a stacked foil activation technique combined with HPGe gamma-ray spectrometry up to the deuteron energy of 24 MeV. Measured data were critically compared with the available literature data and theoretical data extracted from the TENDL-2012 library, and found only partial agreements among them. Cross-sections of ^natCu(d,x)⁵⁹Fe reactions are reported here for the first time in the energy region of 19–23 MeV. Measured cross-sections of the long-lived ⁶⁵Zn, ^60gCo and ⁵⁹Fe radionuclides are significant for understanding the activation behaviour of copper, an essential structural material used in accelerator and nuclear industry.     

Isolation and characterization of novel antibacterial compound from an untapped plant,Stereospermum fimbriatum

Abstract

Stereospermum fimbriatum or locally known as “Chicha” is traditionally used for itchy skin, earache, stomachache and postpartum treatments. This study was designed to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of S. fimbriatum’s stem bark against 11 pathogens and isolate its bioactive compound. Successive soxhlet extraction was conducted using n-hexane, dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol. Disc diffusion, minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentration (MIC & MBC) assays were done to examine the antimicrobial activity. Bioassay-guided isolation was conducted on S. fimbriatum’s extract. The DCM extract of stem bark (DS) was the most potent extract followed by n-hexane extract of the stem bark (NS). A novel compound was isolated and coded as C1 which demonstrated potent antibacterial effects with the MIC values as low as 3.13?µg/mL to 6.25?µg/mL, against S. epidermidis, MRSA and S. aureus. Thus, S. fimbriatum could be a potential source of antimicrobial agents for the treatment of skin infections, specifically, MRSA.     

Analytical Characterization of Fatty Acids Composition of Bioactive Stem Oil of Maytenus royleanus by Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry

The significant inhibition and selectivity for human solid tumor cell by oily fraction of Maytenus royleanus, was subjected to GC‐MS analysis for determination of its chemical constituents. GC‐MS profile of methyl ester derivatives of fatty acids, showed that Palmitic acid (35.41%), Oleic acid (10.91%), Stearic acid (5.31%), Margaric acid (5.13%), Behenic acid (5.18%) and Hexanoic acid (4.97%) were the major components in the isolated oily fraction, while rest of the other fatty acids were present in minor concentration. The literature revealed that no such work has been done for the determination of fatty acids in M. royleanus stem oil.     

Controlling the mechanical properties of poly(L‐lactide– ε‐caprolactone) monofilament sutures by an acetone/water treatment

For monofilament biodegradable sutures fabricated from the L ‐lactide–ε‐caprolactone (75/25) copolymer [P(LLA/CL)], there have been some concerns regarding their mechanical properties, such as the knot‐pull strength and stiffness. This article demonstrates the further potentiality of these sutures through improvements in those properties. With the aim of diminishing the molecular orientation, particularly in the suture surface region, we adopted an expedient method to treat P(LLA/CL) sutures with an acetone/water mixture, using different times and time patterns. The changes in the molecular orientation distributions across the suture cross sections were characterized by the specific index of birefringence measured with an interference microscope. The crystal orientations, knot‐pull strengths, tensile strengths, and bending rigidity were measured. The conformational changes in suture breaking during knot‐pull tests were analyzed with high‐speed‐video observations. Morphological analyses of the fractural surfaces were performed with scanning electron microscopy. The knot‐pull strength tended to rise, in comparison with that of untreated samples, up to a certain treatment time and was accompanied by a minimal decrement of the tensile strength. The knot‐pull strength did not show an increasing trend with further treatment, whereas the tensile strength declined remarkably. The birefringence, crystal orientation, bending rigidity, fractured surface analysis, and high‐speed‐video observations revealed molecular disorientation mainly in the filament outer layers for that particular treatment causing the sutures to be considerably softer. The suture softness played a role in changing the deformation behavior of the knot when a load was applied and caused the knot‐pull strength to rise. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 2449–2462, 2002     

Cosmic string in the NUT-Kerr-Newman spacetime

We study the equilibrium configurations of a cosmic string described by the Nambu action in the NUT-Kerr-Newman spacetime which includes as special cases the Kerr-Newman black hole spacetime as well as the NUT spacetime which is considered as a cosmological model. In this study it is interesting to note that one can obtain parallel results for the Kerr-Newman black hole as well as the NUT spacetime.