Undulations on the surface of elongated bubbles in confined gas-liquid flows

© 2017 American Physical Society. A systematic analysis is presented of the undulations appearing on the surface of long bubbles in confined gas-liquid flows. CFD simulations of the flow are performed with a self-improved version of the open-source solver ESI OpenFOAM (release 2.3.1), for Ca=0.002-0.1 and Re=0.1-1000, where Ca=μU/σ and Re=2ρUR/μ, with μ and ρ being, respectively, the viscosity and density of the liquid, σ the surface tension, U the bubble velocity, and R the tube radius. A model, based on an extension of the classical axisymmetric Bretherton theory, accounting for inertia and for the curvature of the tube's wall, is adopted to better understand the CFD results. The thickness of the liquid film, and the wavelength and decay rate of the undulations extracted from the CFD simulations, agree well with those obtained with the theoretical model. Inertial effects appear when the Weber number of the flow We=CaRe=O(10-1) and are manifest by a larger number of undulation crests that become evident on the surface of the rear meniscus of the bubble. This study demonstrates that the necessary bubble length for a flat liquid film region to exist between the rear and front menisci rapidly increases above 10R when Ca>0.01 and the value of the Reynolds number approaches 1000

Signaling Cascade Involved in Rapid Stimulation of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) by Dexamethasone

Impairment of mucociliary clearance with reduced airway fluid secretion leads to chronically inflamed airways. Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is crucially involved in airway fluid secretion and dexamethasone (dexa) has previously been shown to elevate CFTR activity in airway epithelial cells. However, the pathway by which dexa increases CFTR activity is largely unknown. We aimed to determine whether the increase of CFTR activity by dexa is achieved by non-genomic signaling and hypothesized that the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway is involved in CFTR stimulation. Primary rat airway epithelial cells and human bronchial submucosal gland-derived Calu-3 cells were analyzed in Ussing chambers and kinase activation was determined byWestern blots. Results demonstrated a critical involvement of PI3K and protein kinase B (AKT) signaling in the dexa-induced increase of CFTR activity, while serum and glucocorticoid dependent kinase 1 (SGK1) activity was not essential. We further demonstrated a reduced neural precursor cell expressed, developmentally downregulated 4-like (NEDD4L) ubiquitin E3 ligase activity induced by dexa, possibly responsible for the elevated CFTR activity. Finally, increases of CFTR activity by dexa were demonstrated within 30 min accompanied by rapid activation of AKT. In conclusion, dexa induces a rapid stimulation of CFTR activity which depends on PI3K/AKT signaling in airway epithelial cells. Glucocorticoids might thus represent, in addition to their immunomodulatory actions, a therapeutic strategy to rapidly increase airway fluid secretion

Glucocorticoids Equally Stimulate Epithelial Na+ Transport in Male and Female Fetal Alveolar Cells

Preterm infants frequently suffer from respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), possibly due to lower expression of epithelial Na+ channels (ENaC). RDS incidence is sex-specific, affecting males almost twice as often. Despite the use of antenatal glucocorticoids (GCs), the sex difference persists. It is still controversial whether both sexes benefit equally from GCs. We previously showed that Na+ transport is higher in female compared with male fetal distal lung epithelial (FDLE) cells. Since GCs increase Na+ transport, we hypothesized that their stimulating effect might be sex-specific. We analyzed FDLE cells with Ussing chambers and RT-qPCR in the presence or absence of fetal serum. In serum-free medium, GCs increased the ENaC activity and mRNA expression, independent of sex. In contrast, GCs did not increase the Na+ transport in serum-supplemented media and abolished the otherwise observed sex difference. Inhibition of the GC receptor in the presence of serum did not equalize Na+ transport between male and female cells. The GC-induced surfactant protein mRNA expression was concentration and sex-specific. In conclusion, female and male FDLE cells exhibit no sex difference in response to GCs with regard to Na+ transport, and GR activity does not contribute to the higher Na+ transport in females

Development and Functional Characterization of Fetal Lung Organoids

Preterminfants frequently suffer frompulmonary complications due to a physiological and structural lung immaturity resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Novel in vitro and in vivo models are required to study the underlying mechanisms of late lung maturation and to facilitate the development of new therapeutic strategies. Organoids recapitulate essential aspects of structural organization and possibly organ function, and can be used to model developmental and disease processes. We aimed at generating fetal lung organoids (LOs) and to functionally characterize this in vitro model in comparison to primary lung epithelial cells and lung explants ex vivo. LOs were generated with alveolar and endothelial cells from fetal rat lung tissue, using a Matrigel-gradient and air-liquid-interface culture conditions. Immunocytochemical analysis showed that the LOs consisted of polarized epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM)-positive cells with the apical membrane compartment facing the organoid lumen. Expression of the alveolar type 2 cell marker, RT2-70, and the Club cell marker, CC-10, were observed. Na+ transporter and surfactant protein mRNA expression were detected in the LOs. First time patch clamp analyses demonstrated the presence of several ion channels with specific electrophysiological properties, comparable to vital lung slices. Furthermore, the responsiveness of LOs to glucocorticoids was demonstrated. Finally, maturation of LOs induced by mesenchymal stem cells confirmed the convenience of the model to test and establish novel therapeutic strategies. The results showed that fetal LOs replicate key biological lung functions essential for lung maturation and therefore constitute a suitable in vitro model system to study lung development and related diseases

A model of non-perturbative gluon emission in an initial state parton shower

We consider a model of transverse momentum production in which non-perturbative smearing takes place throughout the perturbative evolution, by a simple modification to an initial state parton shower algorithm. Using this as the important non-perturbative ingredient, we get a good fit to data over a wide range of energy. Combining it with the non-perturbative masses and cutoffs that are a feature of conventional parton showers also leads to a reasonable fit. We discuss the extrapolation to the LHC.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures; version accepted by JHE

Aquilegia, Vol. 29 No. 3, May-July 2005: Newsletter of the Colorado Native Plant Society

https://epublications.regis.edu/aquilegia/1105/thumbnail.jp

Dynamics of long gas bubbles rising in a vertical tube in a cocurrent liquid flow

© 2019 American Physical Society. When a confined long gas bubble rises in a vertical tube in a cocurrent liquid flow, its translational velocity is the result of both buoyancy and mean motion of the liquid. A thin film of liquid is formed on the tube wall and its thickness is determined by the interplay of viscous, inertial, capillary and buoyancy effects, as defined by the values of the Bond number (Bo≡ρgR2/σ with ρ being the liquid density, g the gravitational acceleration, R the tube radius, and σ the surface tension), capillary number (Cab≡μUb/σ with Ub being the bubble velocity and μ the liquid dynamic viscosity), and Reynolds number (Reb≡2ρUbR/μ). We perform experiments and numerical simulations to investigate systematically the effect of buoyancy (Bo=0-5) on the shape and velocity of the bubble and on the thickness of the liquid film for Cab=10-3-10-1 and Reb=10-2-103. A theoretical model, based on an extension of Bretherton's lubrication theory, is developed and utilized for parametric analyses; its predictions compare well with the experimental and numerical data. This study shows that buoyancy effects on bubbles rising in a cocurrent liquid flow make the liquid film thicker and the bubble rise faster, when compared to the negligible gravity case. In particular, gravitational forces impact considerably the bubble dynamics already when B

Uncertainties on Central Exclusive Scalar Luminosities from the unintegrated gluon distributions

In a previous report we used the Linked Dipole Chain model unintegrated gluon densities to investigate the uncertainties in the predictions for central exclusive production of scalars at hadron colliders. Here we expand this investigation by also looking at other parameterizations of the unintegrated gluon density, and look in more detail on the behavior of these at small k_T. We confirm our conclusions that the luminosity function for central exclusive production is very sensitive to this behavior. However, we also conclude that the available densities based on the CCFM and LDC evolutions are not constrained enough to give reliable predictions even for inclusive Higgs production at the LHC

The Newly Active R Coronae Borealis Star, V2552 Oph

In 2001, V2552 Oph (CD -22 12017, HadV98) quickly faded by several magnitudes in a manner typical of the R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars. Photometry of V2552 Oph obtained over 70 years previous to 2001 shows no indication of variability. Optical spectra of this star subsequently confirmed that V2552 Oph is a member of the hydrogen deficient, carbon-rich RCB class of variables. It resembles the warm (T$_{eff}\sim$ 7000 K) RCB stars such as R Coronae Borealis itself. Other RCB stars, such as XX Cam and Y Mus, have experienced similar periods of inactivity, going decades without significant dust formation. Further observations of V2552 Oph will be of great interest since there is an opportunity to monitor an RCB star that may be moving from prolonged inactivity into an active phase of dust production.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, PASP in pres