499,137 research outputs found
Leukocyte margination in alveolar capillaries: Interrelationship with functional capillary geometry and microhemodynamics
The pulmonary capillary microvasculature harbors a large pool of intravascularly marginated leukocytes. In this study, we investigated the interrelationship of leukocyte margination with characteristics of functional capillary geometry and microhemodynamics in alveolar capillary networks. In 22 anesthetized rabbits we assessed functional capillary density, average capillary length, red blood cell velocity and leukocyte kinetics in alveolar capillary networks in vivo by intravital fluorescence microscopy. In alveolar wall areas of 12,800 +/- 1,800 mu m(2), we detected 3.6 +/- 0.5 sticking leukocytes and 21.0 +/- 1.9 functional capillary segments with an average capillary length of 35.7 +/- 2.1 mu m. We calculated that approximately 15% of functional capillary segments are blocked by marginated leukocytes. Leukocyte margination was predominantly observed in capillary networks characterized by a high functional capillary density, short capillary segments and low red blood cell velocities. The multitude of interconnected capillary channels in these networks may allow alveolar blood flow to bypass marginated leukocytes. Hence, this interrelationship may be relevant for maintenance of adequate alveolar perfusion and low capillary network resistance despite excessive leukocyte margination in the pulmonary microvasculature. Local microhemodynamic factors may play a regulatory role in the spatial distribution of leukocyte margination
Geometry-induced phase transition in fluids: capillary prewetting
We report a new first-order phase transition preceding capillary condensation
and corresponding to the discontinuous formation of a curved liquid meniscus.
Using a mean-field microscopic approach based on the density functional theory
we compute the complete phase diagram of a prototypical two-dimensional system
exhibiting capillary condensation, namely that of a fluid with long-ranged
dispersion intermolecular forces which is spatially confined by a substrate
forming a semi-infinite rectangular pore exerting long-ranged dispersion forces
on the fluid. In the T-mu plane the phase line of the new transition is
tangential to the capillary condensation line at the capillary wetting
temperature, Tcw. The surface phase behavior of the system maps to planar
wetting with the phase line of the new transition, termed capillary prewetting,
mapping to the planar prewetting line. If capillary condensation is approached
isothermally with T>Tcw, the meniscus forms at the capping wall and unbinds
continuously, making capillary condensation a second-order phenomenon. We
compute the corresponding critical exponent for the divergence of adsorption.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, 5 movie
Laser-heater assisted plasma channel formation in capillary discharge waveguides
A method of creating plasma channels with controllable depth and transverse
profile for the guiding of short, high power laser pulses for efficient
electron acceleration is proposed. The plasma channel produced by the
hydrogen-filled capillary discharge waveguide is modified by a ns-scale laser
pulse, which heats the electrons near the capillary axis. This interaction
creates a deeper plasma channel within the capillary discharge that evolves on
a ns-time scale, allowing laser beams with smaller spot sizes than would
otherwise be possible in the unmodified capillary discharge.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
Spontaneous Formation of Stable Capillary Bridges for Firming Compact Colloidal Microstructures in Phase Separating Liquids: A Computational Study
Computer modeling and simulations are performed to investigate capillary
bridges spontaneously formed between closely packed colloidal particles in
phase separating liquids. The simulations reveal a self-stabilization mechanism
that operates through diffusive equilibrium of two-phase liquid morphologies.
Such mechanism renders desired microstructural stability and uniformity to the
capillary bridges that are spontaneously formed during liquid solution phase
separation. This self-stabilization behavior is in contrast to conventional
coarsening processes during phase separation. The volume fraction limit of the
separated liquid phases as well as the adhesion strength and thermodynamic
stability of the capillary bridges are discussed. Capillary bridge formations
in various compact colloid assemblies are considered. The study sheds light on
a promising route to in-situ (in-liquid) firming of fragile colloidal crystals
and other compact colloidal microstructures via capillary bridges
High-frequency capillary waves excited by oscillating microbubbles
This fluid dynamics video shows high-frequency capillary waves excited by the
volumetric oscillations of microbubbles near a free surface. The frequency of
the capillary waves is controlled by the oscillation frequency of the
microbubbles, which are driven by an ultrasound field. Radial capillary waves
produced by single bubbles and interference patterns generated by the
superposition of capillary waves from multiple bubbles are shown.Comment: This video is an entry for the 2013 Gallery of Fluid Motion. A
high-resolution and a low-resolution video are included as ancillary file
Optical-resolution photoacoustic imaging through thick tissue with a thin capillary as a dual optical-in acoustic-out waveguide
We demonstrate the ability to guide high-frequency photoacoustic waves
through thick tissue with a water-filled silica-capillary (150 \mu m inner
diameter and 30 mm long). An optical-resolution photoacoustic image of a 30 \mu
m diameter absorbing nylon thread was obtained by guiding the acoustic waves in
the capillary through a 3 cm thick fat layer. The transmission loss through the
capillary was about -20 dB, much lower than the -120 dB acoustic attenuation
through the fat layer. The overwhelming acoustic attenuation of high-frequency
acoustic waves by biological tissue can therefore be avoided by the use of a
small footprint capillary acoustic waveguide for remote detection. We finally
demonstrate that the capillary can be used as a dual optical-in acoustic-out
waveguide, paving the way for the development of minimally invasive
optical-resolution photoacoustic endoscopes free of any acoustic or optical
elements at their imaging tip
Molecular Dynamics Study of the Nematic-Isotropic Interface
We present large-scale molecular dynamics simulations of a nematic-isotropic
interface in a system of repulsive ellipsoidal molecules, focusing in
particular on the capillary wave fluctuations of the interfacial position. The
interface anchors the nematic phase in a planar way, i.e., the director aligns
parallel to the interface. Capillary waves in the direction parallel and
perpendicular to the director are considered separately. We find that the
spectrum is anisotropic, the amplitudes of capillary waves being larger in the
direction perpendicular to the director. In the long wavelength limit, however,
the spectrum becomes isotropic and compares well with the predictions of a
simple capillary wave theory.Comment: to appear in Phys. Rev.
Asymptotic behavior of two-phase flows in heterogeneous porous media for capillarity depending only on space. I. Convergence to the optimal entropy solution
We consider an immiscible two-phase flow in a heterogeneous one-dimensional
porous medium. We suppose particularly that the capillary pressure field is
discontinuous with respect to the space variable. The dependence of the
capillary pressure with respect to the oil saturation is supposed to be weak,
at least for saturations which are not too close to 0 or 1. We study the
asymptotic behavior when the capillary pressure tends to a function which does
not depend on the saturation. In this paper, we show that if the capillary
forces at the spacial discontinuities are oriented in the same direction that
the gravity forces, or if the two phases move in the same direction, then the
saturation profile with capillary diffusion converges toward the unique optimal
entropy solution to the hyperbolic scalar conservation law with discontinuous
flux functions
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