Mathematical Analysis of Single and Two Phase Flow of Blood in Narrow Arteries with Multiple Contrictions

The pulsatile flow of blood in narrow arteries with multiple-stenoses under body acceleration is analyzed mathematically, treating blood as (i) single-phase Herschel-Bulkley fluid model and (ii) two-phase Herschel-Bulkley fluid model. The expressions for various flow quantities obtained by Sankar and Ismail (2010) for single-phase Herschel-Bulkley fluid model and Sankar (2010c) for two-phase Herschel-Bulkley fluid model are used to compute the data for comparing these fluid models in a new flow geometry. It is noted that the plug core radius, wall shear stress and longitudinal impedance to flow are marginally lower for two-phase H-B fluid model than those of the single-phase H-B fluid model. It is found that the velocity decreases significantly with the increase yield stress of the fluid and the reverse behavior is noticed for longitudinal impedance to flow. It is also noticed that the velocity distribution and flow rate are higher for two-phase Herschel-Bulkley fluid model than those of the single-phase Herschel-Bulkley fluid model. It is also recorded that the estimates of the mean velocity increase with the increase of the body acceleration and this behavior is reversed when the stenosis depth increases

Electronic properties of antimony-doped anatase TiO2 thin films prepared by aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition

The electronic properties of antimony-doped anatase (TiO2) thin films deposited via aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition were investigated by a range of spectroscopic techniques. The incorporation of Sb(V) into the TiO2 lattice was characterised by X-ray absorption spectroscopy and resulted in n-type conductivity, with a decrease in sheet resistance by four-orders of magnitude compared to that of undoped TiO2 films. The films with the best electrical properties displayed charge carrier concentrations of ca. 1 × 1020 cm−3 and a specific resistivity as low as 6 × 10−2 Ω cm. Doping also resulted in an orange colouration of the films that became progressively stronger with increasing Sb content. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that substantial segregation of Sb(III) to the surface of the film was associated with the appearance of lone pair surface states lying above the top of the main O 2p valence band. The pronounced visible region absorption in the films is attributed to transitions from the Sb(III) states at surface and grain boundary interfaces into the conduction band. The segregation of Sb leads to p-type surface layers at high doping levels and limits the mobility in this new conducting oxide

Isolation and Characterization of Bacteria from the Gut of Bombyx mori that Degrade Cellulose, Xylan, Pectin and Starch and Their Impact on Digestion

Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) have been domesticated and widely used for silk production. It feeds on mulberry leaves. Mulberry leaves are mainly composed of pectin, xylan, cellulose and starch. Some of the digestive enzymes that degrade these carbohydrates might be produced by gut bacteria. Eleven isolates were obtained from the digestive tract of B. mori, including the Gram positive Bacillus circulans and Gram negative Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Citrobacter freundii, Serratia liquefaciens, Enterobacter sp., Pseudomonas fluorescens, P. aeruginosa, Aeromonas sp., and Erwinia sp.. Three of these isolates, P. vulgaris, K. pneumoniae, C. freundii, were cellulolytic and xylanolytic, P. fluorescens and Erwinia sp., were pectinolytic and K. pneumoniae degraded starch. Aeromonas sp. was able to utilize the CMcellulose and xylan. S. liquefaciens was able to utilize three polysaccharides including CMcellulose, xylan and pectin. B. circulans was able to utilize all four polysaccharides with different efficacy. The gut of B. mori has an alkaline pH and all of the isolated bacterial strains were found to grow and degrade polysaccharides at alkaline pH. The number of cellulolytic bacteria increases with each instar

A comparative evaluation of endemic and non-endemic region of visceral leishmaniasis (Kala-azar) in India with ground survey and space technology

In visceral leishmaniasis, phlebotomine vectors are targets for control measures. Understanding the ecosystem of the vectors is a prerequisite for creating these control measures. This study endeavours to delineate the suitable locations of Phlebotomus argentipes with relation to environmental characteristics between endemic and non-endemic districts in India. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 25 villages in each district. Environmental data were obtained through remote sensing images and vector density was measured using a CDC light trap. Simple linear regression analysis was used to measure the association between climatic parameters and vector density. Using factor analysis, the relationship between land cover classes and P. argentipes density among the villages in both districts was investigated. The results of the regression analysis indicated that indoor temperature and relative humidity are the best predictors for P. argentipes distribution. Factor analysis confirmed breeding preferences for P. argentipes by landscape element. Minimum Normalised Difference Vegetation Index, marshy land and orchard/settlement produced high loading in an endemic region, whereas water bodies and dense forest were preferred in non-endemic sites. Soil properties between the two districts were studied and indicated that soil pH and moisture content is higher in endemic sites compared to non-endemic sites. The present study should be utilised to make critical decisions for vector surveillance and controlling Kala-azar disease vectors

Inhibition of Pediatric Glioblastoma Tumor Growth by the Anti-Cancer Agent OKN-007 in Orthotopic Mouse Xenografts

We thank the Peggy and Charles Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK, for funding, who received an Institutional Development Award (IDeA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under grant number P20 GM103639 for the use of the Histology and Immunohistochemistry Core for providing immunohistochemistry and photographic services. This work was also supported by Oklahoma State University, Center of Veterinary Health Science (Support Grant AE-1-50060 to P.C.S.), the Musella Foundation (R.A.T.), and the Childhood Brain Tumor Foundation (R.A.T.).Pediatric glioblastomas (pGBM), although rare, are one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in children, with tumors essentially refractory to existing treatments. Here, we describe the use of conventional and advanced in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to assess a novel orthotopic xenograft pGBM mouse (IC-3752GBM patient-derived culture) model, and to monitor the effects of the anti-cancer agent OKN-007 as an inhibitor of pGBM tumor growth. Immunohistochemistry support data is also presented for cell proliferation and tumor growth signaling. OKN-007 was found to significantly decrease tumor volumes (p<0.05) and increase animal survival (p<0.05) in all OKN-007-treated mice compared to untreated animals. In a responsive cohort of treated animals, OKN-007 was able to significantly decrease tumor volumes (p<0.0001), increase survival (p<0.001), and increase diffusion (p<0.01) and perfusion rates (p<0.05). OKN-007 also significantly reduced lipid tumor metabolism in responsive animals (Lip1.3 and Lip0.9)-to-creatine ratio (p<0.05), as well as significantly decrease tumor cell proliferation (p<0.05) and microvessel density (p<0.05). Furthermore, in relationship to the PDGFRα pathway, OKN-007 was able to significantly decrease SULF2 (p<0.05) and PDGFR-α (platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α) (p<0.05) immunoexpression, and significantly increase decorin expression (p<0.05) in responsive mice. This study indicates that OKN-007 may be an effective anti-cancer agent for some patients with pGBMs by inhibiting cell proliferation and angiogenesis, possibly via the PDGFRα pathway, and could be considered as an additional therapy for pediatric brain tumor patients.Yeshttp://www.plosone.org/static/editorial#pee