Unsteady axisymmetric stagnation flow on a circular cylinder

Unsteady, axisymmetric stagnation flow about a circular cylinderis examined when the far-field flow is a periodic function oftime with a fixed time average and an oscillatory part of prescribedamplitude and frequency. Solutions are computed for arbitraryvalues of the Reynolds number, quantifying the effects of surfacecurvature, and a frequency parameter based on the period ofthe far-field flow. It is found that solutions remain regularand periodic provided that the far-field amplitude lies belowa critical value. Above this value, solutions terminate in afinite-time singularity. The blow-up time is delayed by increasingthe curvature of the surface. These results are corroboratedby asymptotic predictions valid in the limits of small and largeamplitude and frequency. For large Reynolds number, the problemreduces to the two-dimensional stagnation-point flow againsta plane wall studied by previous authors.     

Quantitative analysis of bilobalide and ginkgolides from Ginkgo biloba leaves and Ginkgo products using (1)H-NMR

1H-NMR spectrometry was applied to the quantitative analysis of the bilobalide, ginkgolides A, B, and C in Ginkgo biloba leaves and six kinds of commercial Ginkgo products without any chromatographic purification. The experiment was performed by the analysis of each singlet H-12, which were well separated in the range of delta 6.0-7.0 in the (1)H-NMR spectrum. However, the H-12 protons of bilobalide and ginkgolides may have overlapped with H-6 or H-8 protons of the Ginkgo flavonoids. Therefore, the optimum (1)H-NMR solvent for the analysis of the compound was selected through the evaluation of solvent effects on the resolution of these signals from the compounds. Acetone-d(6)-benzene-d(6) (50 : 50) was found to be the best one among the solvents evaluated. The quantity of the compounds was calculated by the relative ratio of the intensity of each compound to the known amount of internal standard (25 microgram), phloroglucinol. This method allows rapid and simple quantitation of underivatized bilobalide and ginkgolides in 5 min without any pre-purification steps.     

Polyethylene glycol matrix reduces the rates of photochemical and thermal release of nitric oxide from S-nitroso-N-acetylcysteine

S -nitrosothiols have many biological activities and may act as nitric oxide (NO) carriers and donors, prolonging NO half-life in vivo. In spite of their great potential as therapeutic agents, most S -nitrosothiols are too unstable to isolate. We have shown that the S -nitroso adduct of N -acetylcysteine (SNAC) can be synthesized directly in aqueous and polyethylene glycol (PEG) 400 matrix by using a reactive gaseous (NO/O₂) mixture. Spectral monitoring of the S–N bond cleavage showed that SNAC, synthesized by this method, is relatively stable in nonbuf-fered aqueous solution at 25°C in the dark and that its stability is greatly increased in PEG matrix, resulting in a 28-fold decrease in its initial rate of thermal decomposition. Irradiation with UV light (λ= 333 nm) accelerated the rate of decomposition of SNAC to NO in both matrices, indicating that SNAC may find use for the photogeneration of NO. The quantum yield for SNAC decomposition decreased from 0.65 ± 0.15 in aqueous solution to 0.047 ± 0.005 in PEG 400 matrix. This increased stability in PEG matrix was assigned to a cage effect promoted by the PEG microenvironment that increases the rate of geminated radical pair recombination in the homolytic S–N bond cleavage process. This effect allowed for the storage of SNAC in PEG at −20°C in the dark for more than 10 weeks with negligible decomposition. Such stabilization may represent a viable option for the synthesis, storage and handling of S -nitrosothiol solutions for biomedical applications.     

Spin echo MRI in the evaluation of hearts with a double outlet right ventricle: usefulness and limitations

The surgical approach to a double outlet right ventricle (DORV) is dependent on the spatial relationship of the semilunar valves, outflow tracts and ventricular septal defect (VSD). The purpose of the study was to assess the value of MRI for the evaluation of cardiovascular anatomy in patients before and after surgery for DORV. Spin echo MRI was performed in 12 patients with DORV (eight preoperative and four postoperative patients). Thin-section MRI was performed in three orthogonal planes and selected angulated views were obtained. Conventional imaging by color Doppler echocardiography and cine-angiocardiography and surgical findings, when present, served as the reference standards. The results found that the spatial relationship between semilunar valves and VSD was accurately assessed by MRI in eight out of eight preoperative patients. In the four postoperative cases MRI depicted the morphology of both outflow tracts and provided adequate information on their patency. Of the eight preoperative patients, five have undergone corrective surgery and the MRI findings were confirmed. MRI provided additional information to conventional imaging preoperatively in three cases in which the VSD opened into the outlet portion of the DORV, without there being a direct relation to a semilunar valve. In two preoperative cases in which the VSD was directly committed to the aorta, conventional imaging was conclusive. MRI was unable to depict aberrant chordae tendineae in four out of four cases. We conclude that MRI provides accurate additional anatomic information in patients with DORV, which is helpful in presurgical planning as well as during follow-up. Spin echo MRI does not visualize aberrant chordae tendineae.     

Carotene location in processed food samples measured by cryo In-SEM Raman

Cryo In-SEM Raman has been used for the first time to localise carotene compounds in a food matrix. Raman spectra of lycopene and β-carotene have been obtained from sampling oil droplets and plant cell structures visualised with cryo-SEM in tomato and carrot based emulsions containing 5% oil. It was possible to identify the carotenoids in both the oil droplets and the cell walls. Furthermore our results gave some indication that the carotenoids were in the non-crystalline state. It has been suggested that a higher amount of carotenes solubilised into the oil phase of the food matrix would lead to a higher bioaccessibility, thus understanding the effect of processing conditions on micronutrients distribution in a food matrix might help the design of plant based food products with a better nutritional quality. This shows improved structural characterisation of the cryo-SEM with the molecular sensitivity of Raman spectroscopy as a promising approach for complex biological problems.     

广义Bethe树上奇偶马尔可夫链场上的若干极限性质

通过构造两个非负鞅证明了一个强极限定理,然后把它应用到本文所定义的广义Bethe树上的奇偶马尔可夫链场上,从而获得了此马氏链场上的一类强极限定理.     

Quantitative analysis of cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa using 1H-NMR

A (1)H-NMR method has been developed for the quantitative analysis of pure cannabinoids and for cannabinoids present in Cannabis sativa plant material without any chromatographic purification. The experiment was performed by the analysis of singlets in the range of delta 4.0-7.0 in the (1)H-NMR spectrum, in which distinguishable signals of each cannabinoid are shown. Quantitation was performed by calculating the relative ratio of the peak area of selected proton signals of the target compounds to the known amount of the internal standard, anthracene. For this method no reference compounds are needed. It allows rapid and simple quantitation of cannabinoids with a final analysis time of only 5 min without the need for a pre-purification step.     

Suppression of plasma turbulence during optimized shear configurations in JET

Correlation of density turbulence suppression and reduced plasma transport is observed in the internal transport barrier (ITB) region of JET tokamak discharges with optimized magnetic shear. The suppression occurs in two stages. First, low frequency turbulence and ion transport are reduced across the plasma core by a toroidal velocity shear generated by intense auxiliary heating. Then with the ITB formation, high frequency turbulence and electron transport are reduced locally within the steep pressure gradient region of the ITB.     

Straightforward preparation of organic colloidal particles by harnessing spontaneous non-covalent interactions of active molecules from natural origin

We demonstrate a straightforward method to prepare organic colloidal particles based on the spontaneous molecular interactions between small molecular weight actives of natural origin. Representative reactive natural actives from three of the most researched classes of phytochemicals including berberine (isoquinoline alkaloid), tannic acid (polyphenol) and glycyrrhizin (olenane type saponin) were chosen for the study. Binding parameters (association constant, binding enthalpy and entropy) obtained from isothermal titration calorimetry indicated that berberine strongly interacted with tannic acid to form insoluble colloidal complex which could be stabilised in the presence of glycyrrhizin (due to its interaction with both berberine and tannic acid and also due to its amphiphilic nature). Working on this principle, the mutual interactions of these three natural actives were exploited to obtain stable spherical particles with a mean diameter of less than 100 nm (77 nm) simply by mixing the aqueous solutions of berberine:tannic acid:glycyrrhizin at molar ratio of 2:1:1. The involvement of aromatic chromophore (π-π*) system and charged N atom of berberine in the spontaneous interaction between berberine and tannic acid was confirmed from spectral analysis. X-ray diffraction study suggested formation of amorphous organic colloidal particles, and the spherical shape of colloidal particles was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy.