2,108 research outputs found
Fluctuations in viscous fingering
Our experiments on viscous (Saffman-Taylor) fingering in Hele-Shaw channels
reveal finger width fluctuations that were not observed in previous
experiments, which had lower aspect ratios and higher capillary numbers Ca.
These fluctuations intermittently narrow the finger from its expected width.
The magnitude of these fluctuations is described by a power law, Ca^{-0.64},
which holds for all aspect ratios studied up to the onset of tip instabilities.
Further, for large aspect ratios, the mean finger width exhibits a maximum as
Ca is decreased instead of the predicted monotonic increase.Comment: Revised introduction, smoothed transitions in paper body, and added a
few additional minor results. (Figures unchanged.) 4 pages, 3 figures.
Submitted to PRE Rapi
Lack of ILâ6 augments inflammatory response but decreases vascular permeability in bacterial meningitis
Interleukin (IL)â6 is a multifunctional cytokine with diverse actions and has been implicated in the pathophysiology of many neurological and inflammatory disorders. In this study, we investigated the role of ILâ6 in pneumococcal meningitis. Cerebral infection in wildâtype (WT) mice caused an increase in vascular permeability and intracranial pressure (ICP), which were significantly reduced in ILâ6-/- mice. In contrast, meningitis in ILâ6-/- mice was associated with a significant increase in CSF white blood cell count compared with infected WT mice, indicating an enhanced inflammatory response. Analysis of mRNA expression in the brain showed an increase in tumour necrosis factor (TNF)âα, ILâ1ÎČ, and macrophage inflammatory protein 2 (MIPâ2) levels, but decreased expression of granulocyte-macrophage colonyâstimulating factor in infected ILâ6-/- mice compared with infected WT controls. Similar results were obtained when rats challenged with pneumococci were systemically treated with neutralizing antiâILâ6 antibodies, resulting in an increased pleocytosis but at the same time a reduction of vascular permeability, brain oedema formation, and ICP, which was not accompanied by a downregulation of matrix metalloproteinases. Our data indicate that ILâ6 plays an important antiâinflammatory role in bacterial meningitis by reducing leukocyte infiltration but contributes to the rise in intracranial pressure by increasing blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. These findings suggest that the migration of leukocytes across the BBB and the increase in vascular permeability are two independent processes during bacterial meningiti
Reactions at polymer interfaces: A Monte Carlo Simulation
Reactions at a strongly segregated interface of a symmetric binary polymer
blend are investigated via Monte Carlo simulations. End functionalized
homopolymers of different species interact at the interface instantaneously and
irreversibly to form diblock copolymers. The simulations, in the framework of
the bond fluctuation model, determine the time dependence of the copolymer
production in the initial and intermediate time regime for small reactant
concentration . The results are compared to
recent theories and simulation data of a simple reaction diffusion model. For
the reactant concentration accessible in the simulation, no linear growth of
the copolymer density is found in the initial regime, and a -law is
observed in the intermediate stage.Comment: to appear in Macromolecule
Pyrimidinâ6âyl trifluoroborate salts as versatile templates for heterocycle synthesis
We report a novel and general method to access a highly underâstudied privileged scaffold â pyrimidines bearing a trifluoroborate at C4, and highlight the broad utility of these intermediates in a rich array of downstream functionalization reactions. This chemistry is underpinned by the unique features of the trifluoroborate group; its robustness provides an opportunity to carry out chemoselective reactions at other positions on the pyrimidine while providing a pathway for elaboration at the CâB bond when suitably activated
Ecological risk assessment of endocrine disruptors.
The European Centre for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology of Chemicals proposes a tiered approach for the ecological risk assessment of endocrine disruptors, integrating exposure and hazard (effects) characterization. Exposure assessment for endocrine disruptors should direct specific tests for wildlife species, placing hazard data into a risk assessment context. Supplementing the suite of mammalian screens now under Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) validation, high priority should be given to developing a fish screening assay for detecting endocrine activity in oviparous species. Taking into account both exposure characterization and alerts from endocrine screening, higher tier tests are also a priority for defining adverse effects. We propose that in vivo mammalian and fish assays provide a comprehensive screening battery for diverse hormonal functions (including androgen, estrogen, and thyroid hormone), whereas Amphibia should be considered at higher tiers if there are exposure concerns. Higher tier endocrine-disruptor testing should include fish development and fish reproduction tests, whereas a full life-cycle test could be subsequently used to refine aquatic risk assessments when necessary. For avian risk assessment, the new OECD Japanese quail reproduction test guideline provides a valuable basis for developing a test to detecting endocrine-mediated reproductive effects; this species could be used, where necessary, for an avian life-cycle test. For aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, data from existing developmental and reproductive tests remain of high value for ecological risk assessment. High priority should be given to research into comparative endocrine physiology of invertebrates to support data extrapolation to this diverse fauna
Marriage, Duty and Civilization: Keshab Chandra Sen and the Cuch Bihar Controversy in Metropolitan and Colonial Context
Parallel Excluded Volume Tempering for Polymer Melts
We have developed a technique to accelerate the acquisition of effectively
uncorrelated configurations for off-lattice models of dense polymer melts which
makes use of both parallel tempering and large scale Monte Carlo moves. The
method is based upon simulating a set of systems in parallel, each of which has
a slightly different repulsive core potential, such that a thermodynamic path
from full excluded volume to an ideal gas of random walks is generated. While
each system is run with standard stochastic dynamics, resulting in an NVT
ensemble, we implement the parallel tempering through stochastic swaps between
the configurations of adjacent potentials, and the large scale Monte Carlo
moves through attempted pivot and translation moves which reach a realistic
acceptance probability as the limit of the ideal gas of random walks is
approached. Compared to pure stochastic dynamics, this results in an increased
efficiency even for a system of chains as short as monomers, however
at this chain length the large scale Monte Carlo moves were ineffective. For
even longer chains the speedup becomes substantial, as observed from
preliminary data for
Microscopic Selection of Fluid Fingering Pattern
We study the issue of the selection of viscous fingering patterns in the
limit of small surface tension. Through detailed simulations of anisotropic
fingering, we demonstrate conclusively that no selection independent of the
small-scale cutoff (macroscopic selection) occurs in this system. Rather, the
small-scale cutoff completely controls the pattern, even on short time scales,
in accord with the theory of microscopic solvability. We demonstrate that
ordered patterns are dynamically selected only for not too small surface
tensions. For extremely small surface tensions, the system exhibits chaotic
behavior and no regular pattern is realized.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure
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