粒子网格混合方法模拟液滴夹带起始点

环状流动的特性对反应堆事故工况分析具有重要意义,本研究基于粒子网格混合方法对这一现象中的液滴夹带起始点问题进行了数值分析,利用网格求解流场,利用粒子模拟液膜及液滴的运动,探讨了气水流动大密度比情况下,不同流动方向,不同流体粘度,不同液膜厚度下的液滴夹带所需的临界气相流速,结果同经典关系式进行了对比,吻合良好．这一方法对于反应堆事故中的两相流动研究具有参考意义．     

东方之珠

在香港这个公认的时装枢纽,创新概念百花齐放,为各种各样的霓裳美服提供创意后盾.由香港贸发局主办的香港时装节凭借这个优势,自创办以来规模不断扩大,声誉日隆,成为时装业者不容错过的盛事,同时也反映出了香港在时装市场上的重要地位.     

Increased leukocyte aggregates are associated with atherosclerosis in patients with hemodialysis

Little data are available on the role of blood rheology in atherosclerosis in hemodialysis (HD) patients. This study sought to assess the relationship between leukocytes conjugated with platelets (leukocyte aggregates [LA]) and atherosclerosis in patients with HD. The present study included 118 patients on HD. As surrogate markers of atherosclerosis, aortic stiffness measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) were measured. As an assessment of LA, a method, microchannel array flow analyzer, which makes it possible to directly observe the flow of blood cell elements through the microchannel, was used. We measured a number of LA during 50 μL flow of whole blood through microchannels. In 12 age-matched healthy individuals, a number of LA during 50 μL flow of whole blood was 25.7±5.4, whereas in HD patients it was significantly increased up to 48.2±16.4 (P<0.001). Flow cytometry demonstrated that LA were predominantly monocytes. Leukocyte aggregates were positively associated with plasma levels of fibrinogen (P<0.01), or serum high-sensitive C-reactive protein (P<0.01). Moreover, LA had highly significant associations with brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (P<0.001) and IMT (P<0.001). In conclusion, we demonstrated hemorheologically that monocyte-platelet conjugates play an important role in aortic stiffness and IMT in HD patients.     

Complex wounds tend to develop more rapidly in patients receiving hemodialysis because of diabetes mellitus

The number of patients requiring dialysis because of diabetes mellitus is increasing and such patients often have complex chronic wounds, which are difficult to heal. However, there are few retrospective studies of wounds requiring surgical treatment. We evaluated 14 patients receiving hemodialysis (HD) (8 because of diabetes and 6 because of other diseases) who had extremity wounds and underwent surgical treatment in our unit from 2004 through 2007. We investigated differences in the cause of wounds, and in the interval between the start of HD and wound development. Wounds in patients undergoing HD because of diabetes originated due to ischemia in 2 cases (25%), trauma in 2 cases (25%), and infection in 4 cases (50%). Seven of 8 wounds developed infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Wounds in patients undergoing HD because of other diseases developed due to ischemia in 2 cases (33%) and trauma in 4 cases (67%). Three of 6 wounds developed infection and MRSA were isolated from 2 wounds. The interval between the start of HD and wound development was significantly shorter in patients with diabetes than in patients without diabetes. All patients with infectious wounds required immediate debridement. We conclude that patients receiving HD because of diabetes are likely to have more severe and rapidly developing wounds due to infections. Thus, they usually require immediate debridement before blood access shunt infection occurs.     

High Power Neutral Beam Injection in LHD

The results on high power injection with the ueutral bean, injection （NBI） system for the Large Helical Device （LHD） are reported. The system consists of three beam-lines with two hydrogen negative ion （H^- ion） sources installed in each beam-line. In order to improve the injection power, a new beam accelerator with a multi-slot grounded grid （MSGG） has been developed and applied to one beam-line. Using the accelerator, a maximum power of 5.7 MW was achieved in 2003 and 2004, and the maximum energy of 189 keV was reached. The power and energy exceeded the design values of the individual beam-line for LHD. The other beam-lines also increased their injection power up to about 4 MW, and the total injection power of 13.1 MW was achieved with three beam-llnes in 2003. Although the accelerator had an advantage in high power beam injection, extracted beams expand in the short side direction of the ground-grid slot. The disadvantage has been resolved by modifying the aperture shapes of the steering grid.     

Impact of coronary artery calcification in hemodialysis patients: Risk factors and associations with prognosis

The risk factors of coronary artery calcification (CAC) and the impact of CAC on cardiovascular events, cardiovascular deaths, and all‐cause deaths in hemodialysis (HD) patients have not been fully elucidated. We examined the CAC score (CACS) in 74 HD patients using electron‐beam computed tomography. Fifty‐six patients underwent a second electron‐beam computed tomography after a 15‐month interval to evaluate CAC progression. We evaluated (1) the risk factors for CAC and its progression and (2) the impact of CAC on the prognosis. In the cross‐sectional study, HD vintage and high‐sensitive C‐reactive protein (hsCRP) were the independent risk factors for CAC. In the prospective cohort study, delta CACS (progression of CAC) was significantly correlated with hsCRP, fibrinogen, and serum calcium level in the univariate analysis. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that only hsCRP was the independent risk factor for CAC progression in HD patients. Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis revealed that cardiovascular events (P<0.0001), cardiovascular deaths (P=0.039), and all‐cause deaths (P=0.026) were significantly associated with CACS. In conclusion, CAC had significantly progressed in HD patients during the 15‐month observation period. Microinflammation was the only independent risk factor for CAC progression in HD patients. The advanced CAC was a significant prognostic factor in HD patients, i.e., which was strongly associated with future cardiovascular events, cardiovascular deaths, and all‐cause deaths.     

Free Amino Acids and Related Compounds in Seeds and Sprouts of Winged Bean Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC)

Free amino acids and related compounds in the nonprotein nitrogen (NPN) fraction of winged bean seeds and sprouts were quantitatively determined. The proportion of NPN to total nitrogen was low in the seeds (9%) and in the cotyledons of the sprouts (11%), and relatively high in the epicotyls of the sprouts (54%). About 6% and 40% NPN were attributable to free amino acid nitrogen in the seeds and the sprouts, respectively. The free amino acid profile of seeds was characterized by the presence of sizable amounts of γ-L-glutamyl-L-tyrosine and γ-L-glutamyl-L-phenylalanine, indicating similarities to that of soybean seeds. Accumulation of free amino acids, particularly nonprotein amino acids such as α-aminoadipic acid and γ-aminobutyric acid, were demonstrated in the sprouts. No canavanine was detected in either seeds or sprouts.