9,863 research outputs found
Interactive computation of radiation view factors
The development of a pair of computer programs to calculate the radiation exchange view factors is described. The surface generation program is based upon current graphics capabilities and includes special provisions which are unique to the radiation problem. The calculational program uses a combination of contour and double area integration to permit consideration of radiation with obstruction surfaces. Examples of the surface generation and the calculation are given
Detection of early osteogenic commitment in primary cells using Raman spectroscopy
Major challenges in the development of novel implant surfaces for artificial joints include osteoblast heterogeneity and the lack of a simple and sensitive in vitro assay to measure early osteogenic responses. Raman spectroscopy is a label-free, non-invasive and non-destructive vibrational fingerprinting optical technique that is increasingly being applied to detect biochemical changes in cells. In this study Raman spectroscopy has been used to obtain bone cell-specific spectral signatures and to identify any changes therein during osteoblast commitment and differentiation of primary cells in culture. Murine calvarial osteoblasts (COBs) were extracted and cultured and studied by Raman spectroscopy over a 14 day culture period. Distinct osteogenic Raman spectra were identified after 3 days of culture with strong bands detected for mineral: phosphate ν3 (1030 cm−1) and B-type carbonate (1072 cm−1), DNA (782 cm−1) and collagen matrix (CH2 deformation at 1450 cm−1) and weaker phosphate bands (948 and 970 cm−1). Early changes were detected by Raman spectroscopy compared to a standard enzymatic alkaline phosphatase (ALP) assay and gene expression analyses over this period. Proliferation of COBs was confirmed by fluorescence intensity measurements using the Picogreen dsDNA reagent. Changes in ALP levels were evident only after 14 days of culture and mRNA expression levels for ALP, Col1a1 and Sclerostin remained constant during the culture period. Sirius red staining for collagen deposition also revealed little change until day 14. In contrast Raman spectroscopy revealed the presence of amorphous calcium phosphate (945–952 cm−1) and carbonated apatite (957–962 cm−1) after only 3 days in culture and octacalcium phosphate (970 cm−1) considered a transient mineral phase, was detected after 5 days of COBs culture. PCA analysis confirmed clear separation between time-points. This study highlights the potential of Raman spectroscopy to be utilised for the early and specific detection of proliferation and differentiation changes in primary cultures of bone cells
Vitamin K catabolite inhibition of ovariectomy-induced bone loss: Structure–activity relationship considerations
The potential benefit of vitamin K as a therapeutic in osteoporosis is controversial and the vitamin K regimen being used clinically (45 mg/day) employs doses that are many times higher than required to ensure maximal gamma‐carboxylation of the vitamin K‐dependent bone proteins. We therefore tested the hypothesis that vitamin K catabolites, 5‐carbon (CAN5C) and 7‐carbon carboxylic acid (CAN7C) aliphatic side‐chain derivatives of the naphthoquinone moiety exert an osteotrophic role consistent with the treatment of osteoporosis
Non-Chern-Simons Topological Mass Generation in (2+1) Dimensions
By dimensional reduction of a massive BF theory, a new topological field
theory is constructed in (2+1) dimensions. Two different topological terms, one
involving a scalar and a Kalb-Ramond fields and another one equivalent to the
four-dimensional BF term, are present. We constructed two actions with these
topological terms and show that a topological mass generation mechanism can be
implemented. Using the non-Chern-Simons topological term, an action is proposed
leading to a classical duality relation between Klein-Gordon and Maxwell
actions. We also have shown that an action in (2+1) dimensions with the
Kalb-Ramond field is related by Buscher's duality transformation to a massive
gauge-invariant Stuckelberg-type theory.Comment: 8 pages, no figures, RevTE
Local origins impart conserved bone type-related differences in human osteoblast behaviour
Osteogenic behaviour of osteoblasts from trabecular, cortical and subchondral bone were examined to determine any bone type-selective differences in samples from both osteoarthritic (OA) and osteoporotic (OP) patients. Cell growth, differentiation; alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) mRNA and activity, Runt-related transcription factor-2 (RUNX2), SP7-transcription factor (SP7), bone sialoprotein-II (BSP-II), osteocalcin/bone gamma-carboxyglutamate (BGLAP), osteoprotegerin (OPG, TNFRSF11B), receptor activator of nuclear factor-κβ ligand (RANKL, TNFSF11) mRNA levels and proangiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) mRNA and protein release were assessed in osteoblasts from paired humeral head samples from age-matched, human OA/OP (n = 5/4) patients. Initial outgrowth and increase in cell number were significantly faster (p < 0.01) in subchondral and cortical than trabecular osteoblasts, in OA and OP, and this bone type-related differences were conserved despite consistently faster growth in OA. RUNX2/SP7 levels and TNAP mRNA and protein activity were, however, greater in trabecular than subchondral and cortical osteoblasts in OA and OP. BSP-II levels were significantly greater in trabecular and lowest in cortical osteoblasts in both OA and OP. In contrast, BGLAP levels showed divergent bone type-selective behaviour; highest in osteoblasts from subchondral origins in OA and trabecular origins in OP. We found virtually identical bone type-related differences, however, in TNFRSF11B:TNFSF11 in OA and OP, consistent with greater potential for paracrine effects on osteoclasts in trabecular osteoblasts. Subchondral osteoblasts (OA) exhibited highest VEGF-A mRNA levels and release. Our data indicate that human osteoblasts in trabecular, subchondral and cortical bone have inherent, programmed diversity, with specific bone type-related differences in growth, differentiation and pro-angiogenic potential in vitro
Fibrillar templates and soft phases in systems with short-range dipolar and long-range interactions
We analyze the thermal fluctuations of particles that have a short-range
dipolar attraction and a long-range repulsion. In an inhomogeneous particle
density region, or "soft phase," filamentary patterns appear which are
destroyed only at very high temperatures. The filaments act as a fluctuating
template for correlated percolation in which low-energy excitations can move
through the stable pattern by local rearrangements. At intermediate
temperatures, dynamically averaged checkerboard states appear. We discuss
possible implications for cuprate superconducting and related materials.Comment: 4 pages, 4 postscript figures. Discussion of implications for
experiment and theory has been expande
Effect of Tunnel Configuration and Testing Technique on Cascade Performance
An investigation has been conducted to determine the influence of aspect ratio, boundary-layer control by means of slots and porous surfaces, Reynolds number, and tunnel end-wall condition upon the performance of airfoils in cascades. A representative compressor-blade section (the NACA 65-(12)(10) of aspect ratios of 1, 2, and 4 has been tested at low speeds in cascades with solid and with porous side walls. Two-dimensional flow was established in porous-wall cascades of each of the three aspect ratios tested; the flow was not two-dimensional in any of the solid-wall cascades. Turbine-blade sections of aspect ratio 0.83 were tested in cascades with solid and porous side walls and blade sections of aspect ratio 3.33 were tested in cascades with solid wall. No particular advantage was observed in the use of porous walls for the turbine cascades tested
Static versus dynamic fluctuations in the one-dimensional extended Hubbard model
The extended Hubbard Hamiltonian is a widely accepted model for uncovering
the effects of strong correlations on the phase diagram of low-dimensional
systems, and a variety of theoretical techniques have been applied to it. In
this paper the world-line quantum Monte Carlo method is used to study spin,
charge, and bond order correlations of the one-dimensional extended Hubbard
model in the presence of coupling to the lattice. A static alternating lattice
distortion (the ionic Hubbard model) leads to enhanced charge density wave
correlations at the expense of antiferromagnetic order. When the lattice
degrees of freedom are dynamic (the Hubbard-Holstein model), we show that a
similar effect occurs even though the charge asymmetry must arise
spontaneously. Although the evolution of the total energy with lattice coupling
is smooth, the individual components exhibit sharp crossovers at the phase
boundaries. Finally, we observe a tendency for bond order in the region between
the charge and spin density wave phases.Comment: Corrected typos. (10 pages, 9 figures
Quantum anisotropic Heisenberg chains with superlattice structure: a DMRG study
Using the density matrix renormalization group technique, we study spin
superlattices composed of a repeated pattern of two spin-1/2 XXZ chains with
different anisotropy parameters. The magnetization curve can exhibit two
plateaus, a non trivial plateau with the magnetization value given by the
relative sizes of the sub-chains and another trivial plateau with zero
magnetization. We find good agreement of the value and the width of the
plateaus with the analytical results obtained previously. In the gapless
regions away from the plateaus, we compare the finite-size spin gap with the
predictions based on bosonization and find reasonable agreement. These results
confirm the validity of the Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid superlattice description
of these systems.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure
Two-dimensional low-speed cascade investigation of NACA compressor blade sections having a systematic variation in mean-line loading
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