The motion of kelp blades and the surface renewal model

We consider how the flapping of kelp blades may enhance the flux of nutrients to a blade, by stripping away the diffusive sub-layer and renewing the fluid at the blade surface. The surface renewal model explains the degree of flux enhancement observed in previous studies under different flow and flapping conditions. We measured the motion of real kelp blades of Laminaria saccharina, Macrocystis pyrifera, and Nereocystis luetkeana under uni-directional current in a laboratory flume. Observed flapping frequencies coupled with the renewal model, suggest that the flapping of blades in the field has the potential to significantly enhance flux to the blade surface at low current speed, but has little effect on flux at high current speeds.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Ocean Sciences Division, No. 0751358

Interactions between currents and the spatial structure of aquatic vegetation

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2009.Includes bibliographical references (p. 79-85).Vegetation is present in nearly all aquatic environments, ranging from meandering streams to constructed channels and rivers, as well as in lakes and coastal zones. This vegetation grows in a wide range of flow environments as well, from stagnant water to highly turbulent flows dominated by waves and currents. Feedbacks between the dominant currents and the vegetation not only significantly alter the velocity structure of the flow, but play a large role in determining the spatial structure of the vegetation as well. This thesis examines these interactions through field experiments, review of existing literature and theoretical and analytical models. The first study describes a set of experiments in which vegetation was added to the point bar of a stream meander during base flow. During the next flood event, this vegetation proved to be destabilizing as a portion of the vegetation scoured away and the cross section of the open channel showed clear patterns of erosion. The secondary circulation present in the meander was significantly altered as well. In the second study, the relationship between tidal currents and the spatial distribution of seagrass meadows is examined. Seagrass beds range in their coverage from continuous meadows, to spotty swaths dominated by discrete patches. The relationship between this area coverage and tidal currents, explained by the principles of percolation theory, helps describe why certain distributions of seagrass within a meadow are more stable than others.(cont.) Drawing on the principles and examples established in the first two sections, the final section describes an analytical model for predicting vegetation coverage in a rectangular open channel. The model can allow for fixed banks, such as those in a concrete-lined channel, or can allow erosion of the boundaries, as is possible in natural streams. These two versions of the model show notably different results. Ultimately, this thesis presents multiple cases of the interactions between currents and aquatic vegetation and showcases an important example of a multi-disciplinary research approach in fluid mechanics.by Jeffrey T. Rominger.S.M

Effects of Added Vegetation on Sand Bar Stability and Stream Hydrodynamics

Vegetation was added to a fully developed sandy point bar in the meander of a constructed stream. Significant changes in the flow structure and bed topography were observed. As expected, the addition of vegetative resistance decreased the depth-averaged streamwise velocity over the bar and increased it in the open region. In addition, the secondary circulation increased in strength but became confined to the deepest section of the channel. Over the point bar, the secondary flow was entirely outward, i.e., toward the outer bank. The changes in flow led to changes in bar shape. Although the region of the bar closest to the inner bank accumulated sediment, erosion of the bar and the removal of plants by scouring were observed at the interface between the planted bar and the open channel.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant No. EAR 0738352

Predicting Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome and Renal Replacement Therapy in Shiga Toxin-producing Escherichia coli-infected Children.

BACKGROUND: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections are leading causes of pediatric acute renal failure. Identifying hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) risk factors is needed to guide care. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, historical cohort study to identify features associated with development of HUS (primary outcome) and need for renal replacement therapy (RRT) (secondary outcome) in STEC-infected children without HUS at initial presentation. Children agedeligible. RESULTS: Of 927 STEC-infected children, 41 (4.4%) had HUS at presentation; of the remaining 886, 126 (14.2%) developed HUS. Predictors (all shown as odds ratio [OR] with 95% confidence interval [CI]) of HUS included younger age (0.77 [.69-.85] per year), leukocyte count ≥13.0 × 103/μL (2.54 [1.42-4.54]), higher hematocrit (1.83 [1.21-2.77] per 5% increase) and serum creatinine (10.82 [1.49-78.69] per 1 mg/dL increase), platelet count \u3c250 \u3e× 103/μL (1.92 [1.02-3.60]), lower serum sodium (1.12 [1.02-1.23 per 1 mmol/L decrease), and intravenous fluid administration initiated ≥4 days following diarrhea onset (2.50 [1.14-5.46]). A longer interval from diarrhea onset to index visit was associated with reduced HUS risk (OR, 0.70 [95% CI, .54-.90]). RRT predictors (all shown as OR [95% CI]) included female sex (2.27 [1.14-4.50]), younger age (0.83 [.74-.92] per year), lower serum sodium (1.15 [1.04-1.27] per mmol/L decrease), higher leukocyte count ≥13.0 × 103/μL (2.35 [1.17-4.72]) and creatinine (7.75 [1.20-50.16] per 1 mg/dL increase) concentrations, and initial intravenous fluid administration ≥4 days following diarrhea onset (2.71 [1.18-6.21]). CONCLUSIONS: The complex nature of STEC infection renders predicting its course a challenge. Risk factors we identified highlight the importance of avoiding dehydration and performing close clinical and laboratory monitoring

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

Hydrodynamic and transport phenomena at the interface between flow and aquatic vegetation : from the forest to the blade scale

Thesis: Ph. D. in Environmental Fluid Mechanics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2014.116Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (pages 227-235).From the canopy scale to the blade scale, interactions between fluid motion and kelp produce a wide array of hydrodynamic and scalar transport phenomena. At the kilometer scale of the kelp forest, coastal currents transport nutrients, microorganisms and spores. But, kelp forests exert a drag force on currents, causing the flow to decelerate and divert as it encounters the canopy, affecting the fate of species transported by the current. We identify a dimensionless flow-blockage parameter, based on canopy width and density, that controls both the length of the flow deceleration region and the total flow in the canopy. We further find that shear layers at the canopy edges can interact across the canopy, providing additional exchange between the canopy and the surrounding water. At the sub-meter scale, kelp blades are the photosynthetic engines of kelp forests, but are also responsible for the majority of the fluid drag force on the plants and for acquiring nutrients directly from the surrounding water. These blades are highly flexible structures which move in response to the local fluid forcing. Recent studies documenting changes in blade flexural rigidity in response to changes in flow demonstrate a need for understanding the role blade flexural rigidity plays in setting both drag forces, and nutrient flux at the blade surface. We create a model physical system in which we investigate the role of blade rigidity in setting blade forces and rates of scalar exchange in a vortex street. Using a combination of experimental and theoretical investigations, we find that, broadly, forces are higher for more flexible blades, countering the adage that "going with the flow" is beneficial. Below a critical value of the dimensionless blade rigidity, inertial forces from the rapidly deforming blade become significant, increasing the likelihood of blade failure. Nutrient transport is also affected by blade rigidity. As blades deform, they alter the relative fluid motion at the blade surface, affecting nutrient fluxes. We develop a novel experimental method that simulates nutrient uptake to a blade using the transport of a tracer into polyethylene. Through these experiments and modeling, we demonstrate that increased blade flexibility leads to increased scalar transport. Ultimately, blade flexural rigidity affects both mass and momentum flux.by Jeffrey Tsaros Rominger.Ph. D. in Environmental Fluid Mechanic

Flow adjustment and interior flow associated with a rectangular porous obstruction

The flow at the leading edge and in the interior of a rectangular porous obstruction is described through experiments and scaling. The porous obstruction consists of an emergent, rectangular array of cylinders in shallow flow, a configuration that mimics aquatic vegetation. The main features of the flow depend upon the non-dimensional canopy flow-blockage, which is a function of the obstruction width and porosity. For the ranges of canopy flow-blockage tested in this paper, the fluid decelerates upstream of the obstruction over a length scale proportional to the array width. For high flow-blockage, the interior adjustment length within the porous obstruction is set by the array width. For low flow-blockage, the array's frontal area per unit volume sets the interior adjustment length. Downstream of the adjustment regions, the interior velocity is governed by a balance between the lateral divergence of the turbulent stress and canopy drag, or by a balance between the pressure gradient and canopy drag, depending on the lateral penetration into the array of Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) vortices, which is set by the non-dimensional canopy flow-blockage. For a porous obstruction with two stream-parallel edges, the KH vortex streets along the two edges are in communication across the width of the array: a phenomenon that results in cross-array vortex organization, which significantly enhances the vortex strength and creates significant lateral transport within the porous obstruction.National Science Foundation (U.S.). (Grant number EAR 0738352

Interaction between flow, transport and vegetation spatial structure

This paper summarizes recent advances in vegetation hydrodynamics and uses the new concepts to explore not only how vegetation impacts flow and transport, but also how flow feedbacks can influence vegetation spatial structure. Sparse and dense submerged canopies are defined based on the relative contribution of turbulent stress and canopy drag to the momentum balance. In sparse canopies turbulent stress remains elevated within the canopy and suspended sediment concentration is comparable to that in unvegetated regions. In dense canopies turbulent stress is reduced by canopy drag and suspended sediment concentration is also reduced. Further, for dense canopies, the length-scale of turbulence penetration into the canopy, δ e , is shown to predict both the roughness height and the displacement height of the overflow profile. In a second case study, the relation between flow speed and spatial structure of a seagrass meadow gives insight into the stability of different spatial structures, defined by the area fraction covered by vegetation. In the last case study, a momentum balance suggests that in natural channels the total resistance is set predominantly by the area fraction occupied by vegetation, called the blockage factor, with little direct dependence on the specific canopy morphology.National Science Foundation (U.S.). (Grant No. EAR 0738352

Applications of positron emission tomography in animal models of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders

Positron emission tomography (PET) provides dynamic images of the biodistribution of radioactive tracers in the brain. Through application of the principles of compartmental analysis, tracer uptake can be quantified in terms of specific physiological processes such as cerebral blood flow, cerebral metabolic rate, and the availability of receptors in brain. Whereas early PET studies in animal models of brain diseases were hampered by the limited spatial resolution of PET instruments, dedicated small-animal instruments now provide molecular images of rodent brain with resolution approaching 1 mm, the theoretic limit of the method. Major applications of PET for brain research have consisted of studies of animal models of neurological disorders, notably Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Huntington's disease (HD), stroke, epilepsy and traumatic brain injury; these studies have particularly benefited from selective neurochemical lesion models (PD), and also transgenic rodent models (AD, HD). Due to their complex and uncertain pathophysiologies, corresponding models of neuropsychiatric disorders have proven more difficult to establish. Historically, there has been an emphasis on PET studies of dopamine transmission, as assessed with a range of tracers targeting dopamine synthesis, plasma membrane transporters, and receptor binding sites. However, notable recent breakthroughs in molecular imaging include the development of greatly improved tracers for subtypes of serotonin, cannabinoid, and metabotropic glutamate receptors, as well as noradrenaline transporters, amyloid-β and neuroinflammatory changes. This article reviews the considerable recent progress in preclinical PET and discusses applications relevant to a number of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders in humans