Rotational Stiffness and Damping Coefficients of Fluid Film in a Finite Cylindrical Bearing

The dynamic behavior of flexible rotors supported on fluid-film bearings are studied including the rotational stiffness and damping coefficients of the oil film. The rotational stiffness and damping coefficients have been evaluated for a finite cylindrical fluid-film bearing by solving the appropriate Reynolds equation for the oil film, using finite difference method. The resulting critical speeds and the unbalance response for a single-disk flexible-rotor system modelled by finite element method are compared with those which were obtained using a short bearing approximation.     

Dual Growth Factor Delivery Using Biocompatible Core–Shell Microcapsules for Angiogenesis

An optimized electrodropping system produces homogeneous core–shell microcapsules (C‐S MCs) by using poly(L ‐lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) and alginate. Fluorescence imaging clearly shows the C‐S domain in the MC. For release control, the use of high‐molecular‐weight PLGA (HMW 270 000) restrains the initial burst release of protein compared to that of low‐MW PLGA (LMW 40 000). Layer‐by‐layer (LBL) assembly of chitosan and alginate on MCs is also useful in controlling the release profile of biomolecules. LBL (7‐layer) treatment is effective in suppressing the initial burst release of protein compared to no LBL (0‐layer). The difference of cumulative albumin release between HMW (7‐layer LBL) and LMW (0‐layer LBL) PLGA is determined to be more than 40% on day 5. When dual angiogenic growth factors (GFs), such as platelet‐derived GF (PDGF) and vascular endothelial GF (VEGF), are encapsulated separately in the core and shell domains, respectively, the VEGF release rate is much greater than that of PDGF, and the difference of the cumulative release percentage between the two GFs is about 30% on day 7 with LMW core PLGA and more than 45% with HMW core PLGA. As for the angiogenic potential of MC GFs with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), the fluorescence signal of CD31+ suggests that the angiogenic sprout of ECs is more active in MC‐mediated GF delivery than conventional GF delivery, and this difference is significant, based on the number of capillary branches in the unit area. This study demonstrates that the fabrication of biocompatible C‐S MCs is possible, and that the release control of biomolecules is adjustable. Furthermore, MC‐mediated GFs remain in an active form and can upregulate the angiogenic activity of ECs.     

3D Printing of Microgel-Loaded Modular Microcages as Instructive Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering

Biomaterial scaffolds have served as the foundation of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. However, scaffold systems are often difficult to scale in size or shape in order to fit defect-specific dimensions, and thus provide only limited spatiotemporal control of therapeutic delivery and host tissue responses. Here, a lithography-based 3D printing strategy is used to fabricate a novel miniaturized modular microcage scaffold system, which can be assembled and scaled manually with ease. Scalability is based on an intuitive concept of stacking modules, like conventional toy interlocking plastic blocks, allowing for literally thousands of potential geometric configurations, and without the need for specialized equipment. Moreover, the modular hollow-microcage design allows each unit to be loaded with biologic cargo of different compositions, thus enabling controllable and easy patterning of therapeutics within the material in 3D. In summary, the concept of miniaturized microcage designs with such straight-forward assembly and scalability, as well as controllable loading properties, is a flexible platform that can be extended to a wide range of materials for improved biological performance.     

Inactivation of Escherichia coli K-12 in Apple Juice Using Combination of High-Pressure Homogenization and Chitosan

ABSTRACT:  Apple juice and apple cider were inoculated with Escherichia coli K-12 and processed using a high-pressure homogenizer to study bacterial inactivation. Seven levels of pressure ranging from 50 to 350 MPa were used in the high-pressure homogenizer. Two types of chitosan (regular and water soluble) with 2 levels of concentration 0.01% and 0.1% were investigated for synergistic effect with high-pressure homogenization for the bacterial inactivation. E. coli K-12 inactivation was evaluated as a function of homogenizing pressure at different concentration of 2 types of chitosan in apple juice and cider. High-pressure homogenization (HPH) induced significant inactivation in the range of 100 to 200 MPa, while thermal inactivation was the primary factor for the bacterial inactivation above 250 MPa. Significant ( P < 0.05) 2-way interactions involving pressure and type of substrate or pressure and chitosan concentration were observed during the study. The homogenization pressure and the incremental quantity of chitosan (both types) acted synergistically with the pressure to give higher inactivation. Significantly ( P < 0.05) higher inactivation was observed in apple juice than apple cider at same homogenizing pressure. No effect of type of chitosan was observed on the bacterial inactivation.     

A morphological study on direct polymer cast micro-textured hydrophobic surfaces

The surface microstructures that contribute to the lotus leaf's superhydrophobicity are replicated onto a polymer surface using a two-stage (negative-positive) direct casting method and the replicates' surface morphology is investigated in this study. Vinyl polysiloxane (VPS), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) are used for the replication and the replicates obtained are investigated using confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and contact angle measurements. Geometric texture parameters such as peak height, peak/valley base width and inter-spacing between adjacent peak/valleys are measured for the lotus leaf and its replicates. Of the six combinations of positive and negative replicates attempted, VPS-PMMA and PDMS-PMMA replicates display shorter peak heights and larger base widths. These replicates have contact angles of 132.1° and 129.2° respectively, which are closest to the contact angle of the lotus leaf, 152.9°. Statistical two sample t-test revealed that VPS-PMMA's surface morphological parameters are closest to that of the lotus leaf. Also, theoretical calculations, based on two different methods from literature, using the measured geometric texture parameters show that polymer replicates satisfy criteria for a stable Cassie-Baxter wetting regime.     

Validation of radio-frequency dielectric heating system for destruction of Cronobacter sakazakii and Salmonella species in nonfat dry milk

Cronobacter sakazakii and Salmonella species have been associated with human illnesses from consumption of contaminated nonfat dry milk (NDM), a key ingredient in powdered infant formula and many other foods. Cronobacter sakazakii and Salmonella spp. can survive the spray-drying process if milk is contaminated after pasteurization, and the dried product can be contaminated from environmental sources. Compared with conventional heating, radio-frequency dielectric heating (RFDH) is a faster and more uniform process for heating low-moisture foods. The objective of this study was to design an RFDH process to achieve target destruction (log reductions) of C. sakazakii and Salmonella spp. The thermal destruction (decimal reduction time; D-value) of C. sakazakii and Salmonella spp. in NDM (high-heat, HH; and low-heat, LH) was determined at 75, 80, 85, or 90°C using a thermal-death-time (TDT) disk method, and the z-values (the temperature increase required to obtain a decimal reduction of the D-value) were calculated. Time and temperature requirements to achieve specific destruction of the pathogens were calculated from the thermal destruction parameters, and the efficacy of the RFDH process was validated by heating NDM using RFDH to achieve the target temperatures and holding the product in a convection oven for the required period. Linear regression was used to determine the D-values and z-values. The D-values of C. sakazakii in HH- and LH-NDM were 24.86 and 23.0 min at 75°C, 13.75 and 7.52 min at 80°C, 8.0 and 6.03 min at 85°C, and 5.57 and 5.37 min at 90°C, respectively. The D-values of Salmonella spp. in HH- and LH-NDM were 23.02 and 24.94 min at 75°C, 10.45 and 12.54 min at 80°C, 8.63 and 8.68 min at 85°C, and 5.82 and 4.55 min at 90°C, respectively. The predicted and observed destruction of C. sakazakii and Salmonella spp. were in agreement, indicating that the behavior of the organisms was similar regardless of the heating system (conventional vs. RFDH). Radio-frequency dielectric heating can be used as a faster and more uniform heating method for NDM to achieve target temperatures for a postprocess lethality treatment of NDM before packaging.     

Effect of testosterone and oxandrolone on thrombocyte aggregation and synthesis of prostaglandins in thrombocytes and aorta of atherosclerosis-susceptible pigeons

Effect of intramuscular administration (10 mg/kg/week) of testosterone and oxandrolone on a) thrombocyte aggregation and b) synthesis of prostaglandins from [14C]-arachidonic acid in thrombocytes and aorta of atherosclerosis-susceptible White Carneau pigeon was examined. Neither testosterone nor oxandrolone influenced collagen, ADP and arachidonic acid induced aggregation or the synthesis of prostaglandins in thrombocytes. However, both testosterone and oxandrolone stimulated (p less than 0.05) the synthesis of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha (stable product of prostacyclin) und PGE2 in aorta.     

Summation and routing on a partitioned optical passive stars network with large group size

In a partitioned optical passive stars (POPS) network, n=dg processors are divided into g groups of d processors each, and such a POPS network is denoted by POPS(d,g). There is an optical passive star (OPS) coupler between every pair of groups. Hence, a POPS(d,g) requires g/sup 2/ couplers. It is likely that, in a practical system, the number of couplers will be less than the number of processors, i.e., d>/spl radic/n>g and the number of groups will be smaller than the number of processors in a group. Hence, it is important to design fast algorithms for basic operations on such POPS networks with large group size. We present fast algorithms for data sum, prefix sum, and permutation routing on a POPS(d,g) such that d>/spl radic/n>g. Our data sum and prefix sum algorithms improve upon the best known algorithms for these problems designed by Sahni (2000). Permutation routing can be solved on a POPS network by simulating a hypercube sorting algorithm. Our algorithm for permutation routing is more efficient compared to this simulated hypercube sorting algorithm.     

多通道及多速率高速串行通讯系统的串扰测量技术

由于在高操作频率下并行系统存在一些缺陷(如:偏斜、时序预算及布局限制),许多系统因此转向串行接口传输信息.     

Nature of fecal sterols and intestinal bacterial flora

Sterol excretion in the spontaneously atherosclerosis-susceptible White Carneau (WC) pigeon, the Silver King (SK) pigeon and the Show Racer (SR) pigeon was studied by thin layer chromatography (TLC), argentation TLC and gas liquid chromatography. Unlike man and the chicken, these pigeons excreted no coprostanol or coprostanone derivatives of sterols. Moreover incubation of¹⁴C-labeled cholesterol with pigeon feces indicated that, also unlike man and the chicken, these pigeons are unable to convert it to coprostanol. Bacteriologic examination revealed the absence of gram-negative anaerobic flora and of members of the genusBifidobacterium in both the WC and SR pigeons. On the other hand, one of the two SK pigeons examined showed evidence of the presence of bothBacteroids fragilis andB. bifidum in the upper intestinal tract. Although no qualitative experiments were performed, no unusual characteristics of the aerobic flora were noted in these pigeons. In addition, analysis of human stool specimens indicated a “normal” bowel flora. The flora of the intestinal tract of the chicken is similar to that of the human. Because of this similarity, it appears that differences in environment (living conditions, diets) between the human and the chicken are of little consequence. The results obtained in this study suggest the possibility that the anaerobic gram-negative flora and sponsible, at least in part, for the chemical conversion of cholesterol to coprostanol. Presented in part at the Fourth International Symposium on Drugs Affecting Lipid Metabolism, Philadelphia, September 1971, and at the AOCS Meeting, Los Angeles, April 1972. The following nomenclature has been used for the steroids referred to in this paper: cholesterol, cholest-Δ⁵-en-3β-ol; coprostanol, 5β-cholestan-3β-ol; campesterol, 24-methylcholest-Δ⁵-en-3βol; stigmasterol, 24-ethylcholest-Δ^5,22-dien-3β-ol; β-sitosterol, 24-ethylcholest-Δ⁵-en-3β-ol; coprocampestanol, 24-methyl-5β-cholestan-3β-ol; coprostigmastenol, 24-ethyl-5β-cholest-Δ²²-en-3β-ol; coprostigmastanol, 24-ethyl-5β-cholestan-3β-ol; coprostanone, 5β-cholestan-3-one; campestanone, 24-methyl-5β-cholestan-3-one; stigmastenone, 24-ethyl-5β-cholest-Δ²²-en-3-one; and β-sitostanone, 24-ethyl-5β-cholestan-3-one.