Preliminary characterization of an expanding flow of siloxane vapor MDM

The early experimental results on the characterization of expanding flows of siloxane vapor MDM (C8H24O2Si3, octamethyltrisiloxane) are presented. The measurements were performed on the Test Rig for Organic VApors (TROVA) at the CREA Laboratory of Politecnico di Milano. The TROVA test-rig was built in order to investigate the non-ideal compressible-fluid behavior of typical expanding flows occurring within organic Rankine cycles (ORC) turbine passages. The test rig implements a batch Rankine cycle where a planar converging-diverging nozzle replaces the turbine and represents a test section. Investigations related to both fields of non-ideal compressible-fluid dynamics fundamentals and turbomachinery are allowed. The nozzle can be operated with different working fluids and operating conditions aiming at measuring independently the pressure, the temperature and the velocity field and thus providing data to verify the thermo-fluid dynamic models adopted to predict the behavior of these flows. The limiting values of pressure and temperature are 50 bar and 400 °C respectively. The early measurements are performed along the nozzle axis, where an isentropic process is expected to occur. In particular, the results reported here refer to the nozzle operated in adapted conditions using the siloxane vapor MDM as working fluid in thermodynamic regions where mild to medium non-ideal compressible-fluid effects are present. Both total temperature and total pressure of the nozzle are measured upstream of the test section, while static pressure are measured along the nozzle axis. Schlieren visualizations are also carried out in order to complement the pressure measurement with information about the 2D density gradient field. The Laser Doppler Velocimetry technique is planned to be used in the future for velocity measurements. The measured flow field has also been interpreted by resorting to the quasi-one-dimensional theory and two dimensional CFD viscous calculation. In both cases state-of-the-art thermodynamic models were applied

Experimental evidence of non-ideal compressible effects in expanding flow of a high molecular complexity vapor

Supersonic expansions of a molecularly complex vapor occurring within the non-ideal thermodynamic region in the close proximity of liquid-vapor saturation curve were characterized experimentally for the first time. Results for two planar converging–diverging nozzles in the adapted regime and at different inlet conditions, from highly non-ideal to dilute gas state, are reported. Measurements of upstream total pressure and temperature are performed in the plenum ahead of the nozzle, while static pressure and supersonic Mach number measurements are carried out along the nozzle centerline. The investigated expansions are of interest for both fundamental research on non-ideal compressible flows and industrial applications, especially in the energy field. Siloxane MDM (octamethyltrisiloxane, C8H24O2Si3), a high molecular complexity organic compound, is used. Local pressure ratio P/ PTand Mach number M measurements display a dependence on the inlet total state, a typical non-ideal feature different from dilute gas conditions

Decellularized silk fibroin scaffold primed with adipose mesenchymal stromal cells improves wound healing in diabetic mice

Introduction: Silk fibroin (SF) scaffolds have been shown to be a suitable substrate for tissue engineering and to improve tissue regeneration when cellularized with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). We here demonstrate, for the first time, that electrospun nanofibrous SF patches, cellularized with human adipose-derived MSCs (Ad-MSCs-SF) or decellularized (D-Ad- MSCs-SF) are effective in the treatment of skin wounds, improving skin regeneration in db/db diabetic mice. Methods: The conformational and structural analyses of SF and D-Ad-MSCs-SF patches were performed by scanning electron microscopy, confocal microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. Wounds were performed by a 5mm punch biopsy tool on the mouse\u2019s back. Ad-MSCs-SF and D-Ad-MSCs-SF patches were transplanted and the efficacy of treatments was assessed by measuring the wound closure area, by histological examination and by gene expression profile. We further investigated the in vitro angiogenic properties of Ad-MSCs-SF and D-Ad-MSCs-SF patches by affecting migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), keratinocytes (KCs) and dermal fibroblasts (DFs), through the aortic ring assay and, finally, by evaluating the release of angiogenic factors. Results: We found that Ad-MSCs adhere and grow on SF, maintaining their phenotypic mesenchymal profile and differentiation capacity. Conformational and structural analyses on SF and D-Ad- MSCs-SF samples, showed that sterilization, decellularization, freezing and storing did not affect the SF structure. When grafted in wounds of diabetic mice, both Ad-MSCs-SF and DAd- MSCs-SF significantly improved tissue regeneration, reducing the wound area respectively by 40% and 35%, within three days, completing the process in around 10 days compared to 15-17 days of controls. RT2 gene profile analysis of the wounds treated with Ad- MSCs-SF and D-Ad-MSCs-SF showed an increment of genes involved in angiogenesis and matrix remodelling. Finally, Ad-MSCs-SF and D-Ad-MSCs-SF co-cultured with HUVECs, DFs and KCs, preferentially enhanced the HUVECs\u2019 migration and the release of angiogenic factors stimulating microvessel outgrowth in the aortic ring assay. Conclusions: Our results highlight for the first time that D-Ad-MSCs-SF patches are almost as effective as Ad-MSCs-SF patches in the treatment of diabetic wounds, acting through a complex mechanism that involves stimulation of angiogenesis. Our data suggest a potential use of DAd- MSCs-SF patches in chronic diabetic ulcers in humans

Drug-releasing mesenchymal cells strongly suppress B16 lung metastasis in a syngeneic murine model

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are considered an important therapeutic tool in cancer therapy. They possess intrinsic therapeutic potential and can also be in vitro manipulated and engineered to produce therapeutic molecules that can be delivered to the site of diseases, through their capacity to home pathological tissues. We have recently demonstrated that MSCs, upon in vitro priming with anti-cancer drug, become drug-releasing mesenchymal cells (Dr-MCs) able to strongly inhibit cancer cells growth

Experimental investigation of a non-ideal expansion flow of siloxane vapor MDM

Nozzle flows of siloxane fluid MDM (C8H24O2Si3, octamethyltrisiloxane) expanding to supersonic speeds in non-ideal conditions are observed experimentally for the first time in the Test-Rig for Organic Vapors (TROVA) at Politecnico di Milano. The TROVA is a blow-down facility for investigating non-ideal compressible flows of organic vapors typical of Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) applications. Total conditions in the settling chamber are subcritical and superheated, with total presssure 3.15 bar and total temperature 246 °C. In these conditions, the thermodynamic model predicts a value of the compressibility factor and of the fundamental derivative of gasdynamics equal to Z = 0:884 < 1 and G = 0:885 < 1, respectively. The total pressure and temperature are monitored during the test runs, together with the static pressure at selected stations along the nozzle axis. A double-passage Schlieren is used to visualize the density gradients within the nozzle. The nozzle is a convergent-divergent planar nozzle with a throat area of 16.8 mm (height) × 18.7 mm (width). Differently from dilute gas conditions, for a constant total-To-Ambient expansion ratio, the static-To-Total pressure ratio measured at the geometrical throat is observed to slightly depend on the reservoir conditions

Experimental observation and thermodynamic modeling of non-ideal expanding flows of siloxane MDM vapor for ORC applications

This paper reports extensive experimental results characterizing the supersonic expansion of an organic vapor in non-ideal thermodynamic conditions typical of organic Rankine cycle (ORC) turbines. Data are also employed to assess the accuracy of different thermodynamic models used to describe non-ideal expansions. Experiments were carried out on a converging-diverging nozzle test section, where siloxane vapor MDM expanded in the proximity of the saturation curve, the typical operating region of ORC expanders, thus proving the importance of the present investigation for ORC technology. Indeed, detailed experimental data representative of ORC expansions, useful for design tool assessment, were lacking in the open literature up to date. Two nozzles, featuring exit Mach number of 2.0 and 1.5, were tested from highly non-ideal states to dilute gas conditions. The nozzle flow was characterized by measuring total pressure, total temperature and static pressure along the axis. The Mach number was measured at the centerline through schlieren imaging. Vapor expansion was found to be dependent on inlet conditions, thus proving the flow non-ideality. State-of-the-art thermodynamic models proved their capability of fully describing the flow non-ideality, while simpler and easier to implement equations of state, such as van der Waals, can be acceptable for preliminary expander calculations

Functional assessment of allelic variants in the SLC26A4 gene involved in Pendred syndrome and nonsyndromic EVA

Pendred syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by sensorineural hearing loss, with malformations of the inner ear, ranging from enlarged vestibular aqueduct (EVA) to Mondini malformation, and deficient iodide organification in the thyroid gland. Nonsyndromic EVA (ns-EVA) is a separate type of sensorineural hearing loss showing normal thyroid function. Both Pendred syndrome and ns-EVA seem to be linked to the malfunction of pendrin (SLC26A4), a membrane transporter able to exchange anions between the cytosol and extracellular fluid. In the past, the pathogenicity of SLC26A4 missense mutations were assumed if the mutations fulfilled two criteria: low incidence of the mutation in the control population and substitution of evolutionary conserved amino acids. Here we show that these criteria are insufficient to make meaningful predictions about the effect of these SLC26A4 variants on the pendrin-induced ion transport. Furthermore, we functionally characterized 10 missense mutations within the SLC26A4 ORF, and consistently found that on the protein level, an addition or omission of a proline or a charged amino acid in the SLC26A4 sequence is detrimental to its function. These types of changes may be adequate for predicting SLC26A4 functionality in the absence of direct functional tests