Prime Mode Research Articles

Genome-wide identification of kiwifruit K+ channel Shaker family members and their response to low-K+ stress

Background‘Hongyang’ kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis cv ‘Hongyang’) is a high-quality variety of A. chinensis with the advantages of high yield, early ripening, and high stress tolerance. Studies have confirmed that the Shaker K+ genes family is involved in plant uptake and distribution of potassium (K+).ResultsTwenty-eight Shaker genes were identified and analyzed from the ‘Hongyang’ kiwifruit (A. chinensis cv ‘Hongyang’) genome. Subcellular localization results showed that more than one-third of the AcShaker genes were on the cell membrane. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the AcShaker genes were divided into six subfamilies (I-VI). Conservative model, gene structure, and structural domain analyses showed that AcShaker genes of the same subfamily have similar sequence features and structure. The promoter cis-elements of the AcShaker genes were classified into hormone-associated cis-elements and environmentally stress-associated cis-elements. The results of chromosomal localization and duplicated gene analysis demonstrated that AcShaker genes were distributed on 18 chromosomes, and segmental duplication was the prime mode of gene duplication in the AcShaker family. GO enrichment analysis manifested that the ion-conducting pathway of the AcShaker family plays a crucial role in regulating plant growth and development and adversity stress. Compared with the transcriptome data of the control group, all AcShaker genes were expressed under low-K+stress, and the expression differences of three genes (AcShaker15, AcShaker17, and AcShaker22) were highly significant. The qRT-PCR results showed a high correlation with the transcriptome data, which indicated that these three differentially expressed genes could regulate low-K+ stress and reduce K+ damage in kiwifruit plants, thus improving the resistance to low-K+ stress. Comparison between the salt stress and control transcriptomic data revealed that the expression of AcShaker11 and AcShaker18 genes was significantly different and lower under salt stress, indicating that both genes could be involved in salt stress resistance in kiwifruit.ConclusionThe results showed that 28 AcShaker genes were identified and all expressed under low K+ stress, among which AcShaker22 was differentially and significantly upregulated. The AcShaker22 gene can be used as a candidate gene to cultivate new varieties of kiwifruit resistant to low K+ and provide a reference for exploring more properties and functions of the AcShaker genes.

Exploring the passengers’ socio-economic structure and its impact on the perception of railway infrastructures and services in Tripura, India

The railway is a cost-efficient transport system that ensures economic development, social well-being, environmental sustainability and regional cooperation. As a prime mode of public transportation, it provides significant passenger service throughout the world. It is necessary to understand what passengers think about railway infrastructures and services to enhance passenger satisfaction, increase ridership and reduce the railway policy gap. Many socio-economic factors like education, income and occupation may influence the epistemological thought process of passengers about railway infrastructure and service quality. This study was conducted in Tripura, North-eastern India, to examine the effect of a passenger’s socio-economic structure on their perception of railway infrastructures and services. About 735 samples were collected from all 27 railway stations of Tripura through stratified random sampling. To understand passenger perceptions about railway infrastructure, a 5-Point Likert Scale has been used. A Modified Satisfaction Index (MSI) has been proposed to analyse the degree of passenger satisfaction by modifying an existing method. The Kuppuswamy socio-economic scale has been used to identify the association of social class on passenger perception to address the policy gap and provide alternative technical solutions by formulating effective strategies for enhancing service quality. The contribution of the study is to provide insights into the importance of considering socio-economic factors in enhancing service quality and improving passenger satisfaction. Additionally, the proposed MSI can offer a reliable and practical tool for measuring passenger satisfaction with railway services.

When Laws Collide With Responsible Patient Care

When Laws Collide With Responsible Patient Care

Endometrial Cancer and Molecular Methods: A Case Study of MSI Heterogeneity based on Metastatic Location with IdyllaTM

Abstract Introduction/Objective MMR deficiency (dMMR) and Microsatellite Instability (MSI) are hallmarks of not only Lynch Syndrome and Colorectal Cancer (CRC), but Endometrial cancer. Endometrial cancer is the most common female gynecological cancer, yet molecular tests for MSI often focus solely on CRC validation. MSI in Endometrial cancer correlates with higher staging and more aggressive pathology, resulting in a need for reliable testing methods. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining is the current standard for MSI detection, due to the known association between dMMR and MSI-H. Direct detection of MSI requires molecular methods, however, there is a lack of standardization of protocol between labs. Idylla™ (Biocartis, Jersey City, NJ), an automated cartridge-based PCR assay, could help eliminate this ambiguity. Methods/Case Report To determine whether the Idylla™ MSI assay can be reliably used to detect MSI in Endometrial cancers, both primary and metastatic sites for two known MSI-H patients were examined using the Idylla ™ MSI assay and an IHC MMR panel (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2). Results (if a Case Study enter NA) The results showed MSI-H for both patients uterine primary sites on the Idylla™. Examination of the Idylla™ results for metastatic sites found they contradicted the IHC panel results for some sites. Idylla™ produced expected results for the omentum and intestinal metastases in patient IN-20-1. The Idylla™ results for the ovarian and abdominal metastatic lesions in patient IN-15/17-2 directly contradicted the MMR findings and the MSI-H result provided for the uterine primary site. Conclusion This discrepancy between primary and metastatic site results is likely due to MSI heterogeneity in these metastatic lesions than test errors. At this time, it is not recommended to use the Idylla™ MSI test for Endometrial cancers, particularly those with abdominal or ovarian metastasis. Further testing will be needed to verify if intestinal metastatic sites are consistently MSI-H. IHC should remain the prime mode of detection for possible dMMR MSI-H Endometrial tumors until an assay catered specifically towards Endometrial cancers is made.

Knowledge and Perception of COVID-19 pandemic among General Population of Pakistan - (Single species responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic is “us”)

The Coronavirus outbreak that has killed millions and turned the world upside down comes from the animal world. It is a human activity that enabled the virus to jump to people and experts are warning that if nothing changes many other pandemics of this kind will follow. This study aimed to have a clear understanding of the knowledge and perception of COVID-19 among the general population of Pakistan. A cross-sectional, web-based study was conducted among the general population of Pakistan to check the knowledge and perception of the COVID-19 pandemic. This descriptive study demonstrates research design, a depiction of the site, sample, and population, data collection, management & analysis, and limitation of the study. The results of this study show that 67.8% of respondents were aware of COVID-19.56.5% got the information from social media. 74.1% of participants answered that precautions are the only measure to reduce the spread of this disease and 86.2% of participants were strongly agreed to quarantine which is a precautionary measure that must be followed. The prime mode of transmission of COVID-19 is from human to human. So, all types of gatherings and celebrations in groups are unsafe for this pandemic. Practice physical distancing by staying away from enormous gatherings of individuals and unnecessarily travel. Stay home if somebody feels sick. Follow public health preventive procedures that include: better to stay home when unwell; covering mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue when coughing or sneezing. Protect yourself and others from getting sick. We have to make policies regarding COVID-19 awareness & prevention so that the maximum population could learn about it more as there is no current treatment available to cure it.

Literature Review on Fatigue Life Analysis of Railway Track Incorporating Effect of Load Sequence

Abstract: As the railways are the prime mode of transportation, it is extensive to concentrate on railways which increase the economic growth of the country. Considering that the railway traffic system has an enormous influence on the people, the strength reliability of those components is a very important matter related to the safety and safety of the people. As for the strength reliability, one amongst the important study themes is that the strength or fatigue characteristic of every railway component that's subject to repeated loads during use. The reason why it is necessary to consider the fatigue characteristic carefully is that fatigue is a microscopic fracture caused by the initiation and propagation of a crack due to a cyclic slip deformation of the scale of single grain, that fatigue occurs even under a stress smaller than the strength characteristic under a static load (e.g., tensile strength), which it can suddenly result in a fatal fracture without causing any macroscopic plastic deformation and also causes derailment. The literature survey carried out talks about the ideal model for studying dynamic response of railway track, linear and non-linear approaches to find the fatigue life of railway track, crack initiation and propagation, inspection interval for cracks. The literature survey carried out in this paper gives a fair idea about the research gap and thus motivates researchers to carry out future research on the gap found. Keywords: Fatigue life, shear springs, dampers, literature survey, Rain-flow counting method, non-linear damage accumulation, linear mechanics approach, head checks crack and squat crack.

Investigation of Injury patterns in Heavy-duty Single Vehicle crashes based on real-world accident data in Tamilnadu, India

According to the reports of NITI (National Institute of Transforming India) Aayog Freight 2018, Road freight is the prime mode (59%) of transport in India with the highest per ton-mile cost than rail or water freight (NITI Aayog, 2018). This road freight usually uses heavy-duty vehicles to transmit voluminous goods and services to the destination in time. Due to this, the heavy-duty vehicle population increased on the Indian roads. Heavy-duty vehicle crashes cause a substantial economic burden to the nation and result in more severity to the involved because of differences in weight, speed, and size. Among heavy-duty vehicle crashes, a significant proportion of crashes are heavy-duty single-vehicle crashes. Single-vehicle crashes are those crashes where the vehicle drivers either involve in self-skidding or hit a stationary object (like a tree). The purpose of this study is to investigate the injury pattern in heavy-duty single vehicle crashes. For this study, the data is extracted from the RADMS (Road Accident Database Management System) database and linked with hospital data. This data includes demographic information, road, environmental and injury characteristics. Later, descriptive statistics performed on the dataset to analyse all heavy-duty single-vehicle crashes between January 2013 and December 2018. Overall, 4704 single heavy-duty vehicle crashes occurred during this period, among which 1244 were fatal crashes. Results show that male drivers aged 26 to 64 years old suffered more fatalities (88%), followed by the 18-25 age group (8%). Examination of injury information found that heavy-duty vehicle drivers mostly sustained multiple injuries (9.05%), head injuries (5.05%), followed by leg injuries (4.29%). The results showed that specific road and environmental factors increase the chance of fatal crashes among heavy-duty vehicle drivers. Furthermore, the proposed study gives insight into the injury characteristics and key contributing factors causing heavy-duty single-vehicle crashes. Finally, this study provides appropriate countermeasures and techniques that can mitigate heavy-duty single-vehicle collisions.

SPERMIDINE MAINTAINS TELOMERE LENGTH AND DELAYS AGING

Spermidine, a natural polyamine, has been noticed for its anti-aging properties. Supplementation of this drug prolongs lifespan and diminishes the incidence of age-related pathology. In the human population, spermidine levels decrease as aging progresses, and a potential link between diminished endogenous spermidine levels and age-related declination has been studied. At the cellular level, autophagy is the prime mode of action of spermidine known to decline with the progress of aging, similarly contributing to the accretion of impaired macromolecules and organelles through aging. Epidemiological statistics support the concept, suggesting that elevated uptake of polyamine delays aging. Here, we overview the effect of autophagy on cellular processes and age-associated diseases, emphasizing the importance of these events to the hallmarks of aging.
 There are numerous factors like shortening telomere, oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and impaired intracellular calcium signaling, which are influenced by the aging process. We hypothesize that spermidine supplements in the diet increase the telomere length. The proposed hypothesis also brings to light the differentially regulated genes involved in telomere maintenance and aging after spermidine treatment. Knowing the role of spermidine in telomere maintenance would help us understand the molecular mechanism of spermidine's effect on aging.

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Resistance-Spot-Welded AISI-1008 Steel Lap Joints Using Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes as an Interlayer

The present study deals with the microstructural analysis and mechanical properties of resistance-spot-welded AISI-1008 steel joints utilizing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as an interlayer. A thin layer of approximately 50 µm thickness of MWCNTs coating is used as an interlayer between the mating surfaces of the lap joints. The microstructural investigation of the weld nugget was accomplished by light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. An enhancement of ~45% in weld strength at one of the welding parameters is obtained in lap-shear tensile tests due to the MWCNT interlayer. The shear dimple fracture is the prime mode of failure as has been confirmed by fractography. At lower and higher welding energies, interfacial and button pull-out modes of failure were observed to occur, respectively. Microhardness studies along the nugget cross section revealed a marginal increase in hardness owing to the presence of MWCNTs and also the interplay of various strengthening mechanisms.

Empirical assessment of rockfall and debris flow risk along the Karakoram Highway, Pakistan

The Karakoram Highway links north Pakistan with southwest China. It passes through unique geomorphological, geological and tectonic setting. This study focused 200-km-long section of the highway starting from Besham until Chilas. Landslides are frequent and are mostly triggered by torrential rain during Monsoon and Westerlies, leading to highway blockade. Rockfall and debris flow are prime mode of slope failures. Regional to site-specific approach was implemented to assess risk associated with these two modes. Remote sensing-based techniques were used to identify potential hazardous sites, which were further investigated for risk assessment. Modified Pierson’s rockfall hazard rating system (RHRS) rated potential rockfalls, whereas semi-quantitative technique was employed to assess debris flows. Normalized scores of each site shaped the final map, further classified into four zones: very high, high, intermediate and low risk.

Thermo-magneto-convection and mechanism of multiple eddy formation due to applied magnetic field in a lid-driven cavity

Magnetohydrodynamic study of eddy formation and heat transfer in a bottom heated two-dimensional lid-driven cavity with the insulated sidewall is reported in this paper. We consider the classic problem of a two-dimensional lid driven cavity in the presence of an applied external magnetic field. In the standard nonlinear Navier–Stokes equation and the energy equation, appropriate terms are added to model the applied magnetic field and thermo-magnetic convection. And we have derived a higher-order numerical scheme that can provide solutions that are fourth-order accurate. The scheme is implemented with suitable fourth-order accurate boundary conditions. The square LDC enclosure is filled with a fluid of Pr = 6.2. The top lid of the cavity is kept moving with constant velocity. The effect of magnetic field on heat transfer and eddy formation is discussed for 0 ≤ Ha ≤ 250, and 103 ≤ Gr ≤ 104 and the results are presented in terms of contour plots of streamlines, isotherms, Lorentz force, and the kinetic energy. The physical mechanism for forming multiple recirculation zones is understood and attributed to two opposite forces acting in the fluid about the center-line of the cavity, which acts like a couple (and hence rotational flow). This is discovered by computing the Lorentz force acting in the entire domain of fluid flow. Similarly, from the computation of kinetic energy of the fluid at all the grid points in the fluid region, it is revealed that conduction is the dominant heat transfer mechanism at higher magnetic fields. At the same time, convection is the prime mode at low magnetic fields. It is ascertained that with an increase in magnetic field intensity, velocity profiles are suppressed, and heat transfer stabilizes, giving rise to the formation of recirculation zones in the cavity.

Information management in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThis paper aims to review the information management aspects of the early months of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) coronavirus 19 outbreak. It shows that the transition from epidemic to the pandemic was caused partly by poor management of information that was publicly available in January 2020.Design/methodology/approachThe approach combines public domain epidemic data with economic, demographic, health, social and political data and investigates how information was managed by governments. It includes case studies of early-stage information management, from countries with high and low coronavirus disease 2019 impacts (as measured by deaths per million).FindingsThe reasons why the information was not acted upon appropriately include “dark side” information behaviours (Stone et al., 2019). Many errors and misjudgements could have been avoided by using learnings from previous epidemics, particularly the 1918-1919 flu epidemic when international travel (mainly of troops in First World War) was a prime mode of spreading. It concludes that if similar outbreaks are not to turn into pandemics, much earlier action is needed, mainly closing borders and locking-down.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is based on what was known at the time of writing, when the pandemic’s exact origin was uncertain, when some statistics about actions and results were unavailable and when final results were unknown.Practical implicationsGovernments faced with early warning signs or pandemics must act much faster.Social implicationsIf the next virus is as infectious as SARS-CoV-2 but much more fatal, the world faces disastrous consequences if most governments act as slowly as this time.Originality/valueThis is one of the first analyses of information management practices relating to the pandemic’s early stages.

Representing Silence in Politics

Democratic representation focuses onvoice: it conceives voice as that which is represented and as the prime mode of representing. This article argues that this focus is problematic and turns instead tosilenceto ask a fundamental question: Can representation empower citizens from their silent positions? I approach the question in three parts. First, I offer a new conceptualization of silence, arguing that silence is best understood as the site of a potential or actualpresence.Second, I use criteria of domination and displaced involvement to assess attempts to enfranchise silence within the transmission-belt model of representation. Third, I critically engage and strengthen constructivist views of representation by developing these criteria to assess the legitimacy of claims to represent—speakaboutandfor—silent constituencies—namely, the claim to represent an (alleged) silent majority.

A Novel Biocompatible Titanium-Gadolinium Quantum Dot as a Bacterial Detecting Agent with High Antibacterial Activity.

In this study, the titanium–gadolinium quantum dots (TGQDs) were novel, first of its type to be synthesized, and fully characterized to date. Multiple physical characterization includes scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scanning electrochemical microscope (SCEM), x-ray fluorescence, spectrophotometry, and dynamic light scattering were carried out. The obtained results confirmed appropriate size and shape distributions in addition to processing optical features with high quantum yield. The synthesized TGQD was used as a fluorescent dye for bacterial detection and imaging by fluorescent microscopy and spectrophotometry, where TGQD stained only bacterial cells, but not human cells. The significant antibacterial activities of the TGQDs were found against a highly pathogenic bacterium (Staphylococcus aureus) and its antibiotic resistant strains (vancomycin and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) using growth curve analysis and determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) analysis. Live/dead cell imaging assay using phase-contrast microscope was performed for further confirmation of the antibacterial activity. Cell wall disruption and release of cell content was observed to be the prime mode of action with the reduction of cellular oxygen demand (OD).

Molecular mechanisms of apoptosis induction in K562 and KG1a leukemia cells by a water-soluble copper(II) thiosemicarbazone complex

Thiosemicarbazones (TSCs) and their metal complexes exhibit pronounced and selective cytotoxic potential against a broad span of cancers. Here, we assessed the anti-cancer activity of a water-soluble copper(II) complex of thiosemicarbazone (Cu-TSC) against two cancer cell lines of human leukemia. Our analysis revealed that Cu-TSC treatment results in a time and dose-dependent growth inhibition in K562 and KG1a cells while sparing normal human fibroblast (HFF2) cells. The IC50 values for the Cu-TSC treatment were measured to be 21.7 ± 1.5µM and 50.25 ± 2.5µM for K562 and KG1a cells, respectively. Cell cycle analysis indicated that Cu-TSC induces the accumulation of cells in the sub-G1 fraction as well as the reversible arrest in G0/G1 and G2/M phases in K562 and KG1a cells, respectively. Furthermore, the occurrence of apoptosis as the prime mode of cell death was verified through apoptotic body formation, phosphatidylserine externalization, and caspase-3 activation. Additionally, the real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed that Cu-TSC triggers apoptosis in both cell lines via the upregulation of caspases-8, -9, and the changing of Bax/Bcl2 ratio. Finally, flow cytometric analysis confirmed that Cu-TSC treatment causes the enhancement of reactive oxygen species formation in both K562 and KG1a cells. Altogether, these findings suggest that Cu-TSC is a promising inducer of apoptosis in leukemia cells and carries potential as an anti-cancer compound.

Eurycoma longifolia, A Potential Phytomedicine for the Treatment of Cancer: Evidence of p53-mediated Apoptosis in Cancerous Cells.

Eurycoma longifolia is a well-documented herbal medicine that has gained widespread recognition due to its versatile pharmacological activities including anticancer, antimalarial, antimicrobial, antioxidant, aphrodisiac, anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, anti-diabetic, antirheumatism and anti-ulcer. Plethora of in vitro and in vivo studies evidenced their excellent antiproliferative and anticancer efficacy against various types of human cancers. This review was aimed to critically analyze the therapeutic viability and anticancer efficacy of Eurycoma longifolia in the treatment of cancer and also to propose its molecular and translational mechanism of cytotoxicity against cancerous cells. Among a range of medicinally active compounds isolated from various parts (roots, stem, bark and leaves) of Eurycoma longifolia, 16 compounds have shown promising anti-proliferative and anticancer efficacies. Eurycomanone, one of the most active medicinal compounds of Eurycoma longifolia, displayed a strong dose-dependent anticancer efficacy against lung carcinoma (A-549 cells) and breast cancer (MCF-7 cells); however, showed moderate efficacy against gastric (MGC-803 cells) and intestinal carcinomas (HT-29 cells). The prime mode of cytotoxicity of Eurycoma longifolia and its medicinal compounds is the induction of apoptosis (programmed cell death) via the up-regulation of the expression of p53 (tumor suppressor protein) and pro-apoptotic protein (Bax) and downregulation of the expression of anti-apoptotic protein (Bcl-2). A remarkable alleviation in the mRNA expression of various cancer-associated biomarkers including heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP), prohibitin (PHB), annexin-1 (ANX1) and endoplasmic reticulum protein-28 (ERp28) has also been evidenced. Eurycoma longifolia and its medicinal constituents exhibit promising anticancer efficacy and thus can be considered as potential complementary therapy for the treatment of various types of human cancers.

Efaverinz and nano-gold-loaded mannosylated niosomes: a host cell-targeted topical HIV-1 prophylaxis via thermogel system

Sexual dissemination of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) is the prime mode of its spread. Topical microbicidal approach has gained much attention, but no real success is observed till date, either due to toxicity or resistance of active moieties and the lack of efficient drug delivery approaches. In this research protocol, a unique combination approach of a standard drug moiety, that is, Efaverinz (EFV) and a nanometal, that is, gold nanoparticles (GNPs) was tried. Both these candidates were delivered through a mannosylated niosomal system, to exploit protein (lectins present on HIV host cells) – carbohydrate (oligosaccharides such as mannan present on HIV gp-120 receptor) interaction. GNPs (10.4 nm average size) were entrapped inside the aqueous core, whereas lipophilic EFV was loaded in the bilayer membrane. Results demonstrated a significant increase in antiviral activity when EFV was fired with GNPs. Delivery of this combination via mannosylated niosomes proved to be a perfect approach with exceedingly well potential compared to non liganded niosomal system. A thermosensitive gel vehicle was prepared and the loaded niosomes were dispersed in it to have a nanogel system. The optimized formulation was evaluated for its prophylactic activity and the results showed completely inhibited viral dissemination at folds dilution levels.

A novel hypothermic machine perfusion system using a LifePort Kidney Transporter for the preservation of rat liver.

The protective mechanisms for liver preservation associated with hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) remain unclear. However, the lack of a common and portable HMP system for rat livers limits the study of HMP. The present study aimed to develop a novel, modified HMP system using a LifePort Kidney Transporter for preserving rat livers. A simple ‘Y’ shunt combined with a pressoreceptor for flow and pressure regulation was adapted to perfuse rat livers via the portal vein continuously using a LifePort Kidney Transporter under its ‘prime mode’ setting. An electronic scale was installed under the liver container to calculate the portal inflow according to the association with weight, density and volume of the perfusate. A total of 10 rat livers underwent 6 h of HMP using histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate solution enriched with acridine orange (AO) and propidium iodide (PI). The perfusion status of HMP was assessed by comparison of AO+PI-positive cell count in core region (CR) and peripheral region (PR) of rat liver under fluorescence microscopy. The dynamics (inflow, pressure and intrahepatic resistance of perfusion) were assessed to identify whether this system met the demands for HMP of rat livers. Biochemical [alanine transaminase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and endothelin levels] and histological parameters (sinusoidal dilatation, endothelial cell detachment and vacuolization) were measured to determine cellular damage associated with HMP. No significant difference was observed between the CR and PR according to the comparison of the AO+PI-positive cell count, which indicated that complete perfusion was achieved. Intrahepatic resistance significantly decreased during the initial 3 h of HMP (P<0.01), but remained stable during the final 3 h. ALT and LDH levels significantly increased over the 6 h HMP duration: ALT (0 h, 42.67±5.81 U/l; 3 h, 90.67±6.74 U/l; 6 h, 164.33±7.31 U/l; P<0.01) and LDH (0 h, 492.90±90.20 U/l; 3 h, 973.53±97.4; 6 h, 1,843.40±85.78 U/l; P<0.01) However, the levels of endothelin and oxygen consumption were constant throughout HMP. Furthermore, histological analysis indicated sinusoidal dilation was significantly increased in the post-HMP group compared with the pre-HMP group (P<0.01); however, no other significant differences were observed. Combined with the results of ATP test (640.64±29.46 nmol/l) and bile production (4.88±0.69 µl/h/g of liver) at the end of HMP, the present results demonstrated minimal cellular injury associated with HMP while retaining the dependability and portability of the LifePort Kidney Transporter, which suggests the modified HMP system met the demands required and may be suitable for rat liver preservation.

Experimental study on the attrition and size distribution of bed material in a recirculating fluidized bed

ABSTRACTAn experimental study was performed on the attrition of the bed materials in a recirculating fluidized bed (RCFB) using Indian standard (IS) grade I sand (size between 2.0 and 1.0 mm) at ambient conditions. Experiments were performed with superficial air velocity ranging from 7.13 to 9.16 m/s, bed inventory of 7–10 kg, and a spacing of 0.085 m between the jet top and draft tube bottom. The main objective of the study was to investigate the effects of operation time on the attrition and size distribution of sand particles in a RCFB. It was noticed that the prime mode of attrition of bed materials was abrasion, not fragmentation. Reduction in the downcomer bed height was observed with increasing operation time. It indicates that attrition was significant and fines were elutriated out with the fluidizing air. Furthermore, variations in the shape, size, and harmonic diameter of particles were studied with increasing operation time. It has been observed that the coefficient of uniformity and coefficient of curvature showed increasing patterns. It specifies that particles of different size ranges and fines were formed due to attrition of particles. At the end of the operation, it was found that a significant amount of fines was elutriated with fluidizing air from the reactor.

Stimulating Vibration in Magnetoelastic Beams by the Circumferential Fields of Conducted Currents

A means to cause continuous vibratory deflection of a flexurally stressed beam of ferromagnetic, non-zero magnetostriction material, by a longitudinally conducted time varying current is described. The deflection of a horizontal cantilever beam, caused by a weight attached at its free end, is due to a difference in strains between those regions under tensile stress and those under compressive stress, in which these strains have both mechanical and magnetoelastic components. The circumferential uniformity of the field from the current acts to reduce the magnetoelastic strain inequality, hence also a small portion of the beam's deflection. Alternating between current on and current off thus acts to raise and lower the weight. Cycling the applied current at a frequency that matches the prime mode frequency will produce vibratory deflection. Round wire beams, 20-85 mm long, ~1 mm diameter, of three different materials, with attached weights ranging from 60 to 600 mN were made to vibrate at their specific natural frequency (8-80 Hz) with peak strokes up to >10 mm by currents alternating between 0 and up to 9 A.