Educing coherent eddy structures in air curtain systems

The work reported here comes within a broader research program dealing with ambiance separation or confining by means of air curtains (plane air jets). The process is studied experimentally by Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). In this paper, the emphasis is put on the flow structure in the impingement region of such jet systems insofar as it is where transfers occur preferentially. More precisely, a vortex eduction method was implemented under the Matlab environment enabling both the automatic detection of 2D coherent patterns embedded in PIV velocity vector maps, and a statistical analysis of the topological and energy features of these structures. First, the approach is explained in detail. The second part of this paper is devoted to its application in the case of plane turbulent impinging simple- and twin-jets for various jet exit velocities. Results about the size, the shape, the spatial distribution and the energy content of the detected vortices are provided. Although many questions still remain open, new insights into the fashion these structures might form, organize and evolve are given providing an original picture of the plane turbulent impinging jet

Investigations on long distance transportation of fish. 4. A comparative study of the performance of expanded polystyrene slabs and multi-layer gunny (jute) fabric as insulants

A comparative study of the insulation efficiencies of expanded polystyrene slabs and multi-layer gunny fabric in long distance transportation of fresh iced fish was made. Used plywood boxes (second hand tea chests) were employed as containers and the experiments conducted between Kakinada and Calcutta. All the three insulants tried, namely, 25.4 mm thick expanded polystyrene slab, four and two layer gunny (jute) fabric, all sealed in 150 gauge polythene sheets, showed comparable insulation efficiencies, considering total bacterial counts, organoleptic qualities and TMA and TVN values of the transported fish as parameters

Automatic eduction and statistical analysis of coherent structures in the wall region of a confine plane

This paper describes a vortex detection algorithm used to expose and statistically characterize the coherent flow patterns observable in the velocity vector fields measured by Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) in the impingement region of air curtains. The philosophy and the architecture of this algorithm are presented. Its strengths and weaknesses are discussed. The results of a parametrical analysis performed to assess the variability of the response of our algorithm to the 3 user-specified parameters in our eduction scheme are reviewed. The technique is illustrated in the case of a plane turbulent impinging twin-jet with an opening ratio of 10. The corresponding jet Reynolds number, based on the initial mean flow velocity U0 and the jet width e, is 14000. The results of a statistical analysis of the size, shape, spatial distribution and energetic content of the coherent eddy structures detected in the impingement region of this test flow are provided. Although many questions remain open, new insights into the way these structures might form, organize and evolve are given. Relevant results provide an original picture of the plane turbulent impinging jet

Positive allosteric modulation of CD11b as a novel therapeutic strategy against lung cancer

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the United States. A major hurdle for improved therapies is immune suppression mediated by the tumor and its microenvironment. The lung tumor microenvironment (TME) contains large numbers of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which suppress the adaptive immune response, increase neo-vascularization of the tumor, and provide pro-tumor factors to promote tumor growth. CD11b is highly expressed on myeloid cells, including TAMs, where it forms a heterodimeric integrin receptor with CD18 (known as CD11b/CD18, Mac-1, CR3, and αMβ2), and plays an important role in recruitment and biological functions of these cells, and is a validated therapeutic target. Here, we describe our pre-clinical studies targeting CD11b in the context of lung cancer, using pharmacologic and genetic approaches that work via positive allosteric modulation of CD11b function. GB1275 is a novel small molecule modulator of CD11b that is currently in Phase 1/2 clinical development. We assess GB1275 treatment effects on tumor growth and immune infiltrates in the murine Lewis Lung Carcinoma (LLC) syngeneic tumor model. Additionally, as an orthogonal approach to determine mechanisms of action, we utilize our recently developed novel CD11b knock-in (KI) mouse that constitutively expresses CD11b containing an activating isoleucine to glycine substitution at residue 332 in the ligand binding CD11b A-domain (I332G) that acts as a positive allosteric modulator of CD11b activity. We report that pharmacologic modulation of CD11b with GB1275 significantly reduces LLC tumor growth. CD11b KI mice similarly show significant reduction in both the size and rate of LLC tumor growth, as compared to WT mice, mimicking our observed treatment effects with GB1275. Tumor profiling revealed a significant reduction in TAM infiltration in GB1275-treated and in CD11b KI mice, increase in the ratio of M1/M2-like TAMs, and concomitant increase in cytotoxic T cells. The profiling also showed a significant decrease in CCL2 levels and a concomitant reduction in Ly6

Fe and N self-diffusion in amorphous FeN: A SIMS and neutron reflectivity study

Simultaneous measurement of self-diffusion of iron and nitrogen in amorphous iron nitride (Fe86N14) using secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) technique has been done. In addition neutron reflectivity (NR) technique was employed to study the Fe diffusion in the same compound. The broadening of a tracer layer of 57Fe8615N14 sandwiched between Fe86N14 layers was observed after isothermal vacuum annealing of the films at different temperatures in SIMS measurements. And a decay of the Bragg peak intensity after isothermal annealing was observed in [Fe86N14/57Fe86N14]10 multilayers in NR. Strong structural relaxation of diffusion coefficient was observed below the crystallization temperature of the amorphous phase in both measurements. It was observed from the SIMS measurements that Fe diffusion was about 2 orders of magnitude smaller compared to nitrogen at a given temperature. The NR measurements reveal that the mechanism of Fe self-diffusion is very similar to that in metal-metal type metallic glasses. The structural relaxation time for Fe and N diffusion was found comparable indicating that the obtained relaxation time essentially pertain to the structural relaxation of the amorphous phase.Comment: 10 pages 12 figure

Adaptation to multifocal and monovision contact lens correction

Purpose. To compare visual performance with the Biofinity multifocal (MF) contact lens with monovision (MV) with the Biofinity single-vision contact lens. Methods. A crossover study of 20 presbyopic patients was conducted. Patients were randomized first into either an MF or an MV lens for 15 days for each modality, with a washout period between each lens type. Measurements included monocular and binocular high- and low-contrast logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution visual acuity (VA) at distance and near visions, binocular distance contrast sensitivity function, and near stereoacuity. Results. At 15 days, patients lost fewer than two letters (half a line of VA) of binocular distance and near VA, with the MF and MV lens under high- and low-contrast conditions (P 9 0.05 for both comparisons). No statistically significant differences were seen in binocular VA at near or distance with either lens. However, the monocular distance VA improved significantly in the nondominant eye, with the MF lens by one line over the 15-day period under high-contrast (P = 0.023) and lowcontrast (P = 0.035) conditions; this effect was not seen with the MV lens. Contrast sensitivity function was within the normal limits with both lenses. The stereoacuity was significantly (P G 0.01) better with MF than with MV. Conclusions. Multifocal contact lens correction provided satisfactory levels of VA comparable with MV without compromising stereoacuity in this crossover study. The near vision significantly improved in the dominant eye, and the distance vision improved in the nondominant eye from 1 to 15 days with the MF lens, suggesting that patients adapted to the multifocality overtime, whereas this was not true for MV. (Optom Vis Sci 2013;90:228Y235)The authors declare that they do not have any proprietary or financial interest in any of the materials mentioned in this article. This study has been funded by projects PTDC/SAU-BEB/098392/2008 and PTDC/SAU-BEB/098391/2008 funded by the Portuguese Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia through the European Social Fund. This study has been partly supported by an unrestricted grant from CooperVision

Randomized crossover trial of silicone hydrogel presbyopic contact lenses

PURPOSE: To assess the performance of four commercially available silicone hydrogel multifocal monthly contact lens designs against monovision. METHODS: A double-masked randomized crossover trial of Air Optix Aqua multifocal, PureVision 2 for Presbyopia, Acuvue OASYS for Presbyopia, Biofinity multifocal, and monovision with Biofinity contact lenses was conducted on 35 presbyopes (54.3 ± 6.2 years). After 4 weeks of wear, visual performance was quantified by high- and low-contrast visual acuity under photopic and mesopic conditions, reading speed, defocus curves, stereopsis, halometry, aberrometry, Near Activity Visual Questionnaire rating, and subjective quality of vision scoring. Bulbar, limbal, and palpebral hyperemia and corneal staining were graded to monitor the impact of each contact lens on ocular physiology. RESULTS: High-contrast photopic visual acuity (p = 0.102), reading speed (F = 1.082, p = 0.368), and aberrometry (F = 0.855, p = 0.493) were not significantly different between presbyopic lens options. Defocus curve profiles (p <0.001), stereopsis (p <0.001), halometry (F = 4.101, p = 0.004), Near Activity Visual Questionnaire (F = 3.730, p = 0.007), quality of vision (p = 0.002), bulbar hyperemia (p = 0.020), and palpebral hyperemia (p = 0.012) differed significantly between lens types, with the Biofinity multifocal lens design principal (center-distance lens was fitted to the dominant eye and a center-near lens to the nondominant eye) typically outperforming the other lenses. CONCLUSIONS: Although ocular aberration variation between individuals largely masks the differences in optics between current multifocal contact lens designs, certain design strategies can outperform monovision, even in early presbyopes

From Moscow with love

One of the less researched aspects of postcolonial India’s “progressive” culture is its Soviet connection. Starting in the 1950s and consolidating in the 1960s, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics invested in building up “committed” networks amongst writers, directors, actors, and other theater- and film-practitioners across India. Thus, an entire generation of cultural professionals was initiated into the anticolonial solidarity of emerging Afro-Asian nations that were seen, and portrayed, by the Soviets as being victims of “Western” imperialism. The aspirational figure of the New Soviet Man was celebrated through the rise of a new form of “transactional sociality” (Westlund 2003). This paper looks at selected cases of cultural diplomacy—through the lens of cultural history—between the USSR and India for two decades after India’s Independence, exploring the possibility of theorizing it from the perspective of an anticolonial cultural solidarity that allowed agency to Indian interlocutors