A numerical study of an unsteady laminar flow in a doubly constricted 3D vessel

Unsteady flow dynamics in doubly constricted 3D vessels have been investigated under pulsatile flow conditions for a full cycle of period T. The coupled non‐linear partial differential equations governing the mass and momentum of a viscous incompressible fluid has been numerically analyzed by a time accurate Finite Volume Scheme in an implicit Euler time marching setting. Roe's flux difference splitting of non‐linear terms and the pseudo‐compressibility technique employed in the current numerical scheme makes it robust both in space and time. Computational experiments are carried out to assess the influence of Reynolds' number and the spacing between two mild constrictions on the pressure drop across the constrictions. The study reveals that the pressure drop across a series of mild constrictions can get physiologically critical and is also found to be sensitive both to the spacing between the constrictions and the oscillatory nature of the inflow profile. The flow separation zone on the downstream constriction is seen to detach from the diverging wall of the constriction leading to vortex shedding with 3D features earlier than that on the wall in the spacing between the two constrictions. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Yeast cell microfiltration: Flux enhancement in baffled and pulsatile flow systems

The filtration performance of yeast cell harvesting was greatly improved by using an oscillatory flow mixing technique in both tubular and flat sheet membrane systems; flux increases of several fold were achieved. The effects of various operating parameters such as frequency, amplitude and ratio of net forward flow rate to oscillatory flow rate were investigated. A simple alternative to the dual head pump, which involved the use of solenoid valves for producing flow reversal, was developed. The flux was significantly increased using this new operating mode. As the only increase of power consumption was from inertia loss due to change of flow direction the additional power consumption is minimal.     

Amino acid overproduction by analog resistant mutants of the nitrogen fixing cyanobacteriumAnabaena sp 287

Two amino acid analog resistant mutants of the cyanobacteriumAnabaena sp 287 were isolated after MNNG mutagenesis.Anabaena ST 16, a mutant resistant to the alanine analog D-α-aminobutyric acid andAnabaena ST 25, another mutant resistant to the histidine analog l,2,4-triazole-3-alanine, released alanine and histidine, respectively, into the medium upon immobilization in alginic acid during diazotrophic growth in fluidized bed reactors. The rates of amino acid production by the mutants were 4.3 μmol mg chl^-1 h^-1 of D-alanine byAnabaena ST 16 and 16.6 μnol mg chl^-1 h^-1 of L-histidine byAnabaena ST 25. Nitrogen fixation by the mutants was not affected by the extracellular amino acid concentration. While the radioactive carbon flow was followed, the parent strain retained 93% of fixed¹⁴C and released only 7% into the medium. On the other hand,Anabaena ST 16 released 13% andAnabaena ST 25 released 29% into the medium. These mutants are beneficial in the production of radioactive amino acids using diazotrophic photobiotechnology.     

GABA促进小鼠离体胃胃酸分泌活动的机制探讨

为了探讨γ-氨基丁酸(GABA)对小鼠离体胃胃酸分泌(GAS)的调节作用和机制,在体外37℃缓冲溶液中培育小鼠全胃标本,测定灌流液的pH值。结果表明:丙谷胺(2、6×10-7mol/L),可显著地抑制胃酸分泌。GABA(2～10×10-7mol/L)则以一种浓度依赖的方式显著地促进胃酸分泌,若用丙谷胺(6×10-7mol/L)和不同浓度的GABA共同灌流胃,则显著阻断GABA的促进效应,逻辑斯谛曲线(Logisticcurve)显示这种阻断是不完全的。西咪替丁(Cim,10×10-7mol/L)明显抑制胃酸分泌,并不完全阻断GABA对胃酸分泌的促进效应。若用丙谷胺(6×10-7mol/L)和西米替丁(Cim,10×10-7mol/L)与GABA(4～10×10-7mol/L)共同灌流胃,对GABA促进胃酸分泌的效应仍显示不完全阻断作用。结果提示:GABA可能通过G细胞或/和ECL细胞间接促进壁细胞泌酸;GABA也可能直接激活壁细胞,促进胃酸分泌。     

Effect of Calcium on Spontaneous Quantal Transmitter Secretion from ACh-Loaded Myocytes

Introduction Transmitter secretion requires specialized secretory or- ganelles, the synaptic vesicles, for the packaging, stor- age, and exocytotic release of the transmitters[1,2]. The neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) is released at the neuromuscular…     

燕麦分离蛋白消化特性和消化产物对STC-1细胞分泌胆囊收缩素的影响

为研究燕麦分离蛋白的消化特性及其消化产物对肠内分泌细胞分泌胆囊收缩素(CCK)的影响,以燕麦为原料,采用碱提酸沉法得到燕麦分离蛋白,分析燕麦分离蛋白在模拟胃肠道消化过程中的分子质量变化、氮释放规律、消化产物的氨基酸组成,计算氨基酸评分、化学评分和必需氨基酸指数,并以STC-1细胞为肠内分泌细胞模型评价消化产物对STC-1细胞分泌CCK的影响。实验结果表明:燕麦分离蛋白经胃肠消化后,消化产物的分子质量小于10kDa,释放的可溶性氮的比例为90.11%,消化产物可溶性部分中游离氨基酸的比例为22.8%,肽的比例为67.31%,并且肽的分子质量主要在1000Da以下(约74%);燕麦分离蛋白消化产物中必需氨基酸总量占38.75%,必需氨基酸与非必需氨基酸的比值为0.63,且必需氨基酸指数(0.95)大于0.90。燕麦分离蛋白消化产物对STC-1细胞影响的实验结果表明,燕麦分离蛋白消化产物对STC-1细胞生长具有显著的促进作用,且能够增加CCK的合成和分泌。研究结果表明,燕麦分离蛋白作为一种优质的蛋白质原料,不仅具有优良的营养功能,而且具有促进肠内分泌细胞分泌CCK的生物活性,在食品领域具有较大的应用潜力。     

人骨形态发生蛋白6(hBMP6)在毕赤酵母中的分泌表达

以重组质粒pcDNA6A-BMP6为模板PCR扩增hBMP6成熟肽cDNA编码序列,将该序列克隆到酵母分泌表达表达载体pPIC9K中.重组质粒pPIC9K-hBMP6经SacI酶切线性化,电击转化毕赤酵母GS115,PCR法筛选阳性转化子,利用梯度浓度G418筛选到七株高拷贝整合的阳性转化子。用甲醇进行诱导表达,SDSPAGE及Western-blot检测结果表明hBMP6成熟肽以分子量约为34和18 kD两种不同糖基化修饰的单体形式存在,具有良好的免疫原性.     

一种确定均匀动脉壁面切应力的非线性方法

从Ling和Atabek提出的``局部流'理论出发，提出一种利用测量血液黏度、管轴上 的血流速度、压力和管径波形计算均匀动脉管壁切应力的非线性方法. 将这种方法与柳兆荣 等提出的利用测量血液黏度、管轴上的血流速度和平均管径计算切应力的线性方法比较，结 果表明，当管壁脉动幅度较小时，两种方法计算的压力梯度、流速剖面和管壁切应力差别较 小；而当管壁脉动幅度增大时，两种方法计算的压力梯度、流速剖面和管壁切应力差别增大. 对于小幅脉动均匀动脉，用线性方法计算管壁切应力有较高的精度；而对于大变形 均匀动脉，则需要考虑非线性因素对管壁切应力的影响. 由于作为输入量的血液黏度、轴心 血流速度、压力波形和管径波形可在活体上通过无损伤或微损伤的检测方法得到， 所提出的计算切应力的方法为在体或离体研究切应力与动脉重建的关系提供了方法学基础.     

Regulation of Cytokines and Dihydrotestosterone Production in Human Hair Follicle Papilla Cells by Supercritical Extraction-Residues Extract of Ulmus davidiana

This study was conducted to examine the anti-hair loss mechanism of the supercritical fluid extraction-residues extract of Ulmus davidiana by the regulation of cytokine production and hormone function in human dermal follicle papilla cells (HDFPCs). To investigate the modulatory effects on H₂O₂-induced cytokines, we measured transforming growth factor-beta and insulin-like growth factor 1 secreted from HDFPCs. To investigate the regulatory effects of supercritical extraction-residues extract of Ulmus davidiana on dihydrotestosterone hormone production, cells were co-incubated with high concentrations of testosterone. The supercritical extraction-residues extract of Ulmus davidiana significantly inhibited the secretion of transforming growth factor-beta but rescued insulin-like growth factor 1 in a dose-dependent manner. The supercritical extraction-residues extract of Ulmus davidiana markedly reduced dihydrotestosterone production. These results suggest that the supercritical fluid extract residues of Ulmus davidiana and their functional molecules are candidates for preventing human hair loss.     

Secretory Products in Petals of Centaurea cyanus L. Flowers: A Histochemistry,Ultrastructure, and Phytochemical Study of Volatile Compounds

(1) Background: Centaurea cyanus L. is a medicinal plant whose flowers are widely used in herbal medicine. The aim of the study was to localise flower tissues that are responsible for the production of secretory products in petals and to analyse the volatile compounds. The volatile compounds of the flowers of this species have not been investigated to date. (2) Methods: Light, fluorescence, scanning and transmission electron microscopy techniques were used in the study. Lipophilic compounds were localised in the tissues using histochemical assays. Volatile compounds were determined with the use of solid phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). (3) Results: The study showed production of secretion in the petal parenchyma, whose ultrastructure has features of a secretory tissue. The lipophilic secretion was localised in the cells and intercellular spaces of the parenchyma and in the walls and surface of epidermal cells, where it accumulated after release through cuticle microchannels. Sesquiterpenes were found to constitute the main group of volatile compounds, with the highest content of β-caryophyllene (26.17%) and α-humulene (9.77%). (4) Conclusions: Given the presence of some volatile components that are often found in resins (caryophyllene, delta-cadinene) and the abundant secretion residues on the epidermal surface, we suppose that the C. cyanus secretion released by the flowers is a resinaceous mixture (oleoresin), which is frequently found in plants, as shown by literature data. This secretion may play an important role in the therapeutic effects of C. cyanus flowers.