CFD Analysis of flowfield around a high-rise building using various revised k-ε models

The flowfield around a high-rise building model placed within the surface boundary-layer was analyzed using various revised k-ε models, and these results were compared with the result of DSM and the experimental data. The standard k-ε model could not reproduce the reverse flow on the roof. This drawback was corrected by all revised k-ε models and DSM tested here. However the revised k-ε models except for the model proposed by Durbin overestimated the reattachment length behind the building in comparison with the standard k-ε model. Among the computations using various turbulence models compared here, the result with the Durbin’s revised k-ε model showed the best agreement with the experiment

アーチェリーにおける標的の視覚的補助がエイミングの注視運動に及ぼす影響

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of an assisting mark, The a cross (a vertical line and a horizon line), which was put on the target to stabilize aiming in archery. Subjects in this study were nine male and one female university archers. They were required to aim at the center of the target for 5 sec. as in archery competition. Dependent valuables were frequency, angle of eye movement and eye fixation time. This study assumed that the presense of a cross on the target makes it easier to aim than under normal conditions. Hypotheses were as follows : (1) Frequency of eye movement for the cross condition is less than that for normal condition in aiming. (2) Eye fixation time for the cross condition is longer than that for normal condition in aiming. (3) Angle of eye movement on cross line condition is smaller than that for normal condition in aiming. The results of analysis indicated that the three hypothesizes were supported and that subjects focused attention on the center of the target when the cross was present on the target

Effects of dietary gelatin hydrolysates on bone mineral density in magnesium-deficient rats

Abstract Background The major types of commercially available gelatin hydrolysates are prepared from mammals or fish. Dietary gelatin hydrolysates from mammals were reported to improve bone mineral density (BMD) in some animal models. In contrast, there is limited study showing the effects of dietary gelatin hydrolysates from fish on BMD. The quantity and structure of peptides in the plasma after oral administration of gelatin hydrolysates depend on the gelatin source, which suggests that the biological activity of gelatin hydrolysates depend on the gelatin source. This study examined the effects of fish-derived gelatin hydrolysate (FGH) or porcine-derived gelatin hydrolysate (PGH) intake on BMD and intrinsic biomechanical properties in magnesium (Mg)-deficient rats as a model showing the decrease in both BMD and intrinsic biomechanical properties. Methods Four-week-old male Wistar rats were assigned into four groups: a normal group was fed a normal diet (48 mg Mg/100 g diet), a Mg-deficient (MgD) group was fed a MgD diet (7 mg Mg/100 g diet), a FGH group was fed a MgD + FGH diet (5% FGH), and a PGH group was fed a MgD + PGH diet (5% PGH) for 8 weeks. At the end of the study, BMD and intrinsic biomechanical properties of the femur were measured. Results The MgD group showed significantly lower Young’s modulus, an intrinsic biomechanical property, and trabecular BMD of the femur than the normal group; however, the MgD diet did not affect cortical BMD and cortical thickness. Both the FGH and the PGH groups showed significantly higher cortical thickness and ultimate displacement of the femur than the normal group, but neither type of gelatin hydrolysate affected Young’s modulus. Furthermore, the FGH group, but not the PGH group, showed significantly higher trabecular BMD than the MgD group. Conclusions This study indicates that FGH and PGH increase cortical thickness but only FGH prevents the decrease in trabecular BMD seen in Mg-deficient rats, while neither type of gelatin hydrolysate affect intrinsic biomechanical properties

STOP1 Regulates Multiple Genes That Protect Arabidopsis from Proton and Aluminum Toxicities1[C][W][OA]

The Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mutant stop1 (for sensitive to proton rhizotoxicity1) carries a missense mutation at an essential domain of the histidine-2-cysteine-2 zinc finger protein STOP1. Transcriptome analyses revealed that various genes were down-regulated in the mutant, indicating that STOP1 is involved in signal transduction pathways regulating aluminum (Al)- and H+-responsive gene expression. The Al hypersensitivity of the mutant could be caused by down-regulation of AtALMT1 (for Arabidopsis ALUMINUM-ACTIVATED MALATE TRANSPORTER1) and ALS3 (ALUMINUM-SENSITIVE3). This hypothesis was supported by comparison of Al tolerance among T-DNA insertion lines and a transgenic stop mutant carrying cauliflower mosaic virus 35S∷AtALMT1. All T-DNA insertion lines of STOP1, AtALMT1, and ALS3 were sensitive to Al, but introduction of cauliflower mosaic virus 35S∷AtALMT1 did not completely restore the Al tolerance of the stop1 mutant. Down-regulation of various genes involved in ion homeostasis and pH-regulating metabolism in the mutant was also identified by microarray analyses. CBL-INTERACTING PROTEIN KINASE23, regulating a major K+ transporter, and a sulfate transporter, SULT3;5, were down-regulated in the mutant. In addition, integral profiling of the metabolites and transcripts revealed that pH-regulating metabolic pathways, such as the γ-aminobutyric acid shunt and biochemical pH stat pathways, are down-regulated in the mutant. These changes could explain the H+ hypersensitivity of the mutant and would make the mutant more susceptible in acid soil stress than other Al-hypersensitive T-DNA insertion lines. Finally, we showed that STOP1 is localized to the nucleus, suggesting that the protein regulates the expression of multiple genes that protect Arabidopsis from Al and H+ toxicities, possibly as a transcription factor