About the productivity of shaft air heater located along the perimeter of pithead

In the existing shaft air heaters that heat the air for air suppliers in the cold season heater channel is used. Part of the air from heater goes to the channel, another one is sucked through pithead by general shaft pressure drawdown formed by main ventilation installation. Wherein, mix of two air flow leads to shaft heat regime violation that could break the pressurization of intertubular sealers. Moreover, heater channel design is associated with additional expenditures. Paper describes the air heater, located in the pithead. The location of a heater in one line along pithead perimeter is the key feature. In this case there is no need to design heater channel, thus, there is no problem with mix of cold and heated air flows. Air processing it the heater located on the perimeter of pithead and mix of cold and heated air flows in the supplier from the channel was modeled in the software Soldworks flow simulation. The comparative analysis of both types of heater proved efficiency of proposed design of installation, smooth propagation of heat field along the all cross-section of air supplier, decrease of consumption of electric power for air processing and installation operation by transformation negative natural common excavation traction to positive

Long-term imaging of calcium dynamics using genetically encoded calcium indicators and automatic tracking of cultured cells

© 2018 Future Science. All rights reserved. Calcium dynamics is crucial for many signaling pathways and cell functions. Understanding how calcium regulates cell function often requires long-term imaging of calcium dynamics. Here we report a methodological approach of long-term (5–10 h) imaging of calcium dynamics in cultured cells. The approach links calcium imaging using genetically encoded calcium indicators and semi-automatic tracking of individual cells. It can be used in a large variety of situations, ranging from the role of calcium in biological processes to cell heterogeneity and screening of drugs modifying signaling pathways

Results of modelling of mine ventilation with air curtain installed into downcast and upcast shafts

Existing mine air heaters (MAH) that heat the air supplied into downcast shafts during the cold period are equipped with a heat channel. A part of the air from a MAH goes through a heat channel. Another part is sucked through a pit head by general depression created by a shaft main fan. That raises a problem of mixing of two air streams, which disturbs thermal regime in the shafts and could lead to violation of safety rules, in particular, create a breach of sealing of intertubular seals. Besides, there is a concern of energy saving during ventilation at underground mining enterprises. One of the reasons for energy efficiency reduce during air supply to a mine are external leaks appeared during ventilation by a suck method. The article presents proposed solution for both problems using air curtain. During air preparation in the cold period, it is proposed to place air curtain in an air downcast shafts above the junction of a heat channel and a shaft. That is done in order to prevent air infiltration (sucking) through a pit head. According to the paper air curtain should be used in the ventilation shaft to decrease outside air leakage in order to increase energy efficiency of a main fan performance. It is determined during mathematical modelling (in SolidWorks Flow Simulation software) of ventilation and air preparation that air curtain can increase efficiency of MAH and decrease energy consumption on ventilation

Real-time laser speckle contrast imaging measurement during normothermic machine perfusion in pretransplant kidney assessment

Objectives: Normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) provides a platform for pre-transplant kidney quality assessment that is essential for the use of marginal donor kidneys. Laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) presents distinct advantages as a real-time and noncontact imaging technique for measuring microcirculation. In this study, we aimed to assess the value of LSCI in visualizing renal cortical perfusion and investigate the additional value of dual-side LSCI measurements compared to single aspect measurement during NMP. Methods: Porcine kidneys were obtained from a slaughterhouse and then underwent NMP. LSCI was used to measure one-sided cortical perfusion in the first 100 min of NMP. Thereafter, the inferior renal artery branch was occluded to induce partial ischemia and LSCI measurements on both ventral and dorsal sides were performed. Results: LSCI fluxes correlated linearly with the renal blood flow (R2 = 0.90, p < 0.001). After renal artery branch occlusion, absence of renal cortical perfusion could be visualized and semiquantified by LSCI. The overall ischemic area percentage of the ventral and dorsal sides was comparable (median interquartile range [IQR], 38 [24−43]% vs. 29 [17−46]%, p = 0.43), but heterogenous patterns between the two aspects were observed. There was a significant difference in oxygen consumption (mean ± standard deviation [SD], 2.57 ± 0.63 vs. 1.83 ± 0.49 mLO2/min/100 g, p < 0.001), urine output (median [IQR], 1.3 [1.1−1.7] vs. 0.8 [0.6−1.3] mL/min, p < 0.05), lactate dehydrogenase (mean ± SD, 768 ± 370 vs. 905 ± 401 U/L, p < 0.05) and AST (mean ± SD, 352 ± 285 vs. 462 ± 383 U/L, p < 0.01) before and after renal artery occlusion, while no significant difference was found in creatinine clearance, fractional excretion of sodium, total sodium reabsorption and histological damage. Conclusions: LSCI fluxes correlated linearly with renal blood flow during NMP. Renal cortical microcirculation and absent perfusion can be visualized and semiquantified by LSCI. It provides a relative understanding of perfusion levels, allowing for a qualitative comparison between regions in the kidney. Dual-side LSCI measurements are of added value compared to single aspect measurement and renal function markers.Medical Instruments & Bio-Inspired Technolog