DIRECT NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF FLUIDIZED BED WITH IMMERSED BOUNDARY METHOD

The applicability of the immersed boundary (IB) method, which is one of direct numerical simulations (DNS) for multiphase flow analyses, has been examined to simulate a fluidized bed. The volumetric-force type IB method developed by Kajishima et al. (2001) has been applied in the present work. While particle-fluid interaction force is calculated with the surface integral of fluid stress at the interface between particle and fluid in the standard IB method, the volume integral of interaction force is used in the volumetric-force type IB method. In order to validate the present simulation code, drag force and lift force firstly were calculated with IB method. Then calculated drag coefficients were compared with values estimated with Schiller-Nauman and Ergun equations, while calculated lift coefficients were compared with the previous simulated results. The difference of drag was within approximately 1% except in the range of low Reynolds number. Thus, the accuracy of the present simulation code was confirmed. Next, simulation of fluidized bed was carried out. Since DNS requires a large computer capacity, only 400 particles were used. The particle is 1.0mm in diameter and 2650kg/m3 in density. From the simulated results, concentrated upward stream lines from the bottom wall were observed in some regions. This inhomogeneous flow would be attributed to particulate structure

Histopathological diagnosis of Japanese spotted fever using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded skin biopsy specimens Usefulness of immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR analysis

AbstractJapanese spotted fever (JSF) is caused by Rickettsia japonica, and lethal cases are reported yearly in southwest Japan. We thus established the method of diagnosing JSF by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and real-time PCR (RT-PCR) using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded skin biopsy specimens. Two monoclonal antibodies were used for IHC, and the 17k genus common antigen gene served as the target of RT-PCR. We collected skin biopsy (n = 61) and autopsy (n = 1) specimens from 50 patients clinically suspected of JSF. Immunohistochemically, the rickettsial antigens were localized as coarse dots in the cytoplasm of endothelial cells and macrophages. Thirty-one seropositive cases plus one autopsy case (group A) and nine seronegative cases but with positive IHC and/or RT-PCR (group B) were judged as JSF. Nine cases were regarded as non-JSF disorders based on negative serology, IHC and RT-PCR (group C). Of 50 biopsies (eschar 34, eruptions 10, and scabs 6) from groups A and B, IHC and RT-PCR positivities were 94% (32/34) and 62% (21/34) for eschar, 80% (8/10) and 30% (3/10) for eruptions, and 33% (2/6) and 50% (3/6) for scabs. For IHC, eschar was most suitable, and scabs were insufficient. Unexpectedly, 18 biopsies happened to be fixed in 100% formalin, and this lowered the detection rate by RT-PCR, but IHC was tolerant. Sequence analysis using five skin biopsy specimens confirmed a 114 bp DNA stretch homologous to that reported for the target gene of R. japonica. In 26 (84%) of the 31 seropositive patients, the diagnosis was made by IHC and/or RT-PCR earlier than serology

Observations on the Mating rituals of the Anaconda

This is where the abstract of this record would appear. This is only demonstration data