Buchbesprechungen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Verbessertes Widerstandsgesetz für Stufendiffusoren

Zusammenfassung Es wird ein allgemeines Widerstandsgesetz für Stufendiffusoren hergeleitet, bei dem die Widerstandszahl den Zusatzverlust gegenüber den Verlusten der bis zum Kontursprung reichenden fiktiven Kanal- bzw. Rohrstr?mungen in der Zu- und Abstr?mung beschreibt. Unter vereinfachenden Annahmen reduziert sich dieses Gesetz auf die bekannte Carnot-Formel. Insbesondere wird dabei der Anteil des Zusatzverlustes, der vom Unterdruck an der Stufe und von der Wandschubspannungs?nderung unmittelbar hinter der Stufe herrührt, vernachl?ssigt. Die Berücksichtigung dieses Anteils führt zu einem gegenüber der Carnot-Formel verbesserten Widerstandsgesetz. Herrn Prof. Dr.-Ing. Martin Fiebig zum 60. Geburtstag     

In vitro and in vivo studies on the cardioprotective action of oligomeric procyanidins in a Crataegus extract of leaves and blooms

Cardioprotective effects of a standardized extract from leaves with flowers of Crataegus (WS-1442; content of oligomeric procyandins [OPC]: 18.75%) have recently been demonstrated in an ischemia-reperfusion model in rats. Further studies were now conducted to clarify the mechanism of action and to identify active constituents involved in these effects of WS-1442. Exhausting partitioning between ethyl acetate/water and successive ultrafiltration of the aqueous layer led to the quantitative recovery of three fractions, which were tested for their in vitro radical scavenging (RS) and human neutrophil elastase (HNE) inhibitory activity. The lipophilic ethylacetate-soluble fraction A, enriched in flavone derivatives and constituting 14.9% of WS-1442, was as active as WS-1442 in inhibiting HNE. However, its RS activity was only about half that of the primary extract. Although 67.9% of WS-1442 was recovered in a water-soluble low molecular weight fraction B, this fraction displayed only weak RS and HNE inhibiting activity. In contrast, the RS and HNE inhibiting potencies of an essentially flavone-free and OPC-rich fraction C (21.3% of WS-1442) were significantly higher (inhibition of lipid peroxidation: IC50 0.3 microgram/ml; inhibition of HNE: IC50 0.84 microgram/ml) as those of WS-1442. The RS and HNE inhibitory activities of the extract and those of its fractions correlated well with their OPC-content but not with their concentration of flavonols. These results demonstrate that OPCs of Crataegus extracts possess stronger radical scavenging activities than flavone derivatives or other constituents. In addition, the oligomeric components are potent inhibitors of HNE. Oral administration of 20 mg/kg/d of the OPC-rich fraction C to rats afforded similar protection against ischemia-reperfusion induced pathologies as treatment with WS-1442 at a dose of 100 mg/kg/d. These observations indicate that radical scavenging and elastase inhibitory activities could indeed be involved in the observed cardioprotective effects of WS-1442, and demonstrate that OPCs are major orally active constituents of WS-1442. Thus, Crataegus extracts used therapeutically for cardiovascular diseases should be analyzed and standardized for their OPC-content.     

Investigation of the Interaction of Sodium Chloride and Two Amino Sulfonic Acids,HEPES and MOPSO,by EMF Measurements

Ionic interactions in the two systems NaCl-HEPES (N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N′-2-ethanesulfonic acid) and NaCl-MOPSO (3-(N-Morpholino)-2-hydroxypropanesulfonic acid) have been studied in terms of their mutual influence on the respective activity coefficients of each component. Activity coefficients for each component of the two systems and for corresponding buffers are calculated from emf measurements of solutions containing NaCl, the aminosulfonic acid, and its conjugate base in a NalSE/solution/AgCl-Ag cell at 5, 15, 25, and 37 °C.     

Automated model generation for performance engineering of building automation networks

Large technical systems need to be designed both reliable and efficient. Specialized design tools offer therefore a simplified, abstract design and extend details autonomously in the background. Analytic and simulation based models could improve the quality by testing and dimensioning the design before implementation, but setting up the necessary models is time-consuming and expensive. Therefore many developers ask for analysis tools which are able to create their models from the available information in the design tools. This paper presents such an automated modeling approach basing on an existing design database at the example of a network analysis for building automation fieldbuses. The process of automated modeling is unfolded, and the potentials and limitations are discussed.     

Planning considerations for domestic replacement satellites

Several domestic satellite systems have been more than 10 years in operation. During this time, the world has experienced a dramatic growth in communication. While the demand for more telephony and data circuits and television channels is still on the rise, new methods of signal transmission and circuit compression have been developed which may balance or reduce the need for more satellite trunk capacity. And while whole national networks are converting to digital transmission, new transmission media like optical fibre, are finding application, and may take over some of the heavy traffic routes previously carried by satellite. On the other side, business data communication between roof-top terminals, thin route traffic to remote users, television distribution by direct satellite broadcasting are becoming more popular and satellite land mobile communication may soon be a reality. Thus the domestic satellite's role appears to be slowly changing towards thin route and mobile traffic and DBS-type distribution and perhaps even radio position determination. System planners are adapting to the new trends in satellite communication and are trying to accommodate the various service payloads on a single satellite. This article discusses some aspects of the emerging multi-purpose domestic satellite, which carries fixed and mobile services, TV direct broadcasting and radio position determination, in view of network digitalization, network expansion, circuit compression, synchronization. The discussion centres on transponder supply and demand, satellite replenishment, K_u-band vs. C-band for TV direct satellite broadcasting, choice of modulation/multiple access for mobile communication, and expected accuracy in radio position determination.     

Cytokine responses of human lung cells (BEAS-2B) treated with micron-sized and nanoparticles of metal oxides compared to soil dusts

Background  

The induction of cytokines by airway cells in vitro has been widely used to assess the effects of ambient and occupational particles. This study measured cytotoxicity and the release of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-8 by human bronchial epithelial cells treated with manufactured nano- and micron-sized particles of Al₂O₃, CeO₂, Fe₂O₃, NiO, SiO₂, and TiO₂, with soil-derived particles from fugitive dust sources, and with the positive controls LPS, TNF-α, and VOSO₄.