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Three-Dimensional Rotating Wall Vessel-Derived Cell Culture Models for Studying Virus-Host Interactions
Gardner, Jameson K.; Herbst-Kralovetz, Melissa M.
The key to better understanding complex virus-host interactions is the utilization of robust three-dimensional (3D) human cell cultures that effectively recapitulate native tissue architecture and model the microenvironment. A lack of physiologically-relevant animal models for many viruses has limited the elucidation of factors that influence viral pathogenesis and of complex host immune mechanisms. Conventional monolayer cell cultures may support viral infection, but are unable to form the tissue structures and complex microenvironments that mimic host physiology and, therefore, limiting their translational utility. The rotating wall vessel (RWV) bioreactor was designed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to model microgravity and was later found to more accurately reproduce features of human tissue in vivo. Cells grown in RWV bioreactors develop in a low fluid-shear environment, which enables cells to form complex 3D tissue-like aggregates. A wide variety of human tissues (from neuronal to vaginal tissue) have been grown in RWV bioreactors and have been shown to support productive viral infection and physiological meaningful host responses. The in vivo-like characteristics and cellular features of the human 3D RWV-derived aggregates make them ideal model systems to effectively recapitulate pathophysiology and host responses necessary to conduct rigorous basic science, preclinical and translational studies. PMID:27834891
A garlic derivative, ajoene, inhibits platelet deposition on severely damaged vessel wall in an in vivo porcine experimental model.
Apitz-Castro, R; Badimon, J J; Badimon, L
Ajoene, (E,Z)-4,5,9-trithiadodeca-1,6,11-triene 9-oxide, is a potent antiplatelet compound isolated from alcoholic extracts of garlic. In vitro, ajoene reversibly inhibits platelet aggregation as well as the release reaction induced by all known agonists. We used a well characterized perfusion chamber to study the in vivo effects of ajoene on platelet deposition onto a highly thrombogenic, severely damaged arterial wall, obtained by stripping off the intimal layer and exposing tunica media. Platelet-vessel wall interaction and the effect of ajoene was studied under flow conditions of high and low local shear rate that mimics laminar blood flow in small and medium size arteries (1690 sec-1 and 212 sec-1). Our results indicate that administration of ajoene to heparinized animals, significantly prevents thrombus formation at local low blood shear rate. Ajoene does not inhibit binding of vWF to GPIb, therefore, it does not affect platelet adhesion. In fact, although ajoene impairs fibrinogen and vWF (less efficient) binding to GPlIb/IIIa, it does not totally inhibits platelet deposition to the substrates at any of the shear rates used in this study. Our present results, under in vivo flow conditions and in the presence of physiological calcium levels, suggest that ajoene may be potentially useful for the acute prevention of thrombus formation induced by severe vascular damage, mainly in arterial sites with local low shear rates.
Role of Arginase in Vessel Wall Remodeling
Durante, William
Arginase metabolizes the semi-essential amino acid l-arginine to l-ornithine and urea. There are two distinct isoforms of arginase, arginase I and II, which are encoded by separate genes and display differences in tissue distribution, subcellular localization, and molecular regulation. Blood vessels express both arginase I and II but their distribution appears to be cell-, vessel-, and species-specific. Both isoforms of arginase are induced by numerous pathologic stimuli and contribute to vascular cell dysfunction and vessel wall remodeling in several diseases. Clinical and experimental studies have documented increases in the expression and/or activity of arginase I or II in blood vessels following arterial injury and in pulmonary and arterial hypertension, aging, and atherosclerosis. Significantly, pharmacological inhibition or genetic ablation of arginase in animals ameliorates abnormalities in vascular cells and normalizes blood vessel architecture and function in all of these pathological states. The detrimental effect of arginase in vascular remodeling is attributable to its ability to stimulate vascular smooth muscle cell and endothelial cell proliferation, and collagen deposition by promoting the synthesis of polyamines and l-proline, respectively. In addition, arginase adversely impacts arterial remodeling by directing macrophages toward an inflammatory phenotype. Moreover, the proliferative, fibrotic, and inflammatory actions of arginase in the vasculature are further amplified by its capacity to inhibit nitric oxide (NO) synthesis by competing with NO synthase for substrate, l-arginine. Pharmacologic or molecular approaches targeting specific isoforms of arginase represent a promising strategy in treating obstructive fibroproliferative vascular disease. PMID:23717309
Welded repairs of punctured thin-walled aluminum pressure vessels
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Jones, D. J.
Punctures in thin-walled aluminum pressure vessels are repaired by plugging the hole with an interference-fit disc and welding the unit. The repaired vessels withstood test pressures in excess of vessel ultimate design values for 2-, 4-, and 6-inch holes in 0.202-inch-thick aluminum alloy parent material.
Hemoglobin alpha in the blood vessel wall
Butcher, Joshua T.; Johnson, Tyler; Beers, Jody; Columbus, Linda; Isakson, Brant E
Hemoglobin has been studied and well haracterized in red blood cells for over one hundred years. However, new work has indicated that the hemoglobin alpha subunit (Hbα) is also found within the blood vessel wall, where it appears to localize at the myoendothelial junction (MEJ) and plays a role in regulating nitric oxide (NO) signaling between endothelium and smooth muscle. This discovery has created a new paradigm for control of endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity, nitric oxide diffusion, and ultimately, control of vascular tone and blood pressure. This review will discuss the current knowledge of hemoglobin's properties as a gas exchange molecule in the blood stream, and extrapolate the properties of Hbα biology to the MEJ signaling domain. Specifically, we propose that Hbα is present at the MEJ to regulate NO release and diffusion in a restricted physical space, which would have powerful implications for the regulation of blood flow in peripheral resistance arteries. PMID:24832680
[Stem and progenitor cells in biostructure of blood vessel walls].
Korta, Krzysztof; Kupczyk, Piotr; Skóra, Jan; Pupka, Artur; Zejler, Paweł; Hołysz, Marcin; Gajda, Mariusz; Nowakowska, Beata; Barć, Piotr; Dorobisz, Andrzej T; Dawiskiba, Tomasz; Szyber, Piotr; Bar, Julia
Development of vascular and hematopoietic systems during organogenesis occurs at the same time. During vasculogenesis, a small part of cells does not undergo complete differentiation but stays on this level, "anchored" in tissue structures described as stem cell niches. The presence of blood vessels within tissue stem cell niches is typical and led to identification of niches and ensures that they are functioning. The three-layer biostructure of vessel walls for artery and vein, tunica: intima, media and adventitia, for a long time was defined as a mechanical barrier between vessel light and the local tissue environment. Recent findings from vascular biology studies indicate that vessel walls are dynamic biostructures, which are equipped with stem and progenitor cells, described as vascular wall-resident stem cells/progenitor cells (VW-SC/PC). Distinct zones for vessel wall harbor heterogeneous subpopulations of VW-SC/PC, which are described as "subendothelial or vasculogenic zones". Recent evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies show that prenatal activity of stem and progenitor cells is not only limited to organogenesis but also exists in postnatal life, where it is responsible for vessel wall homeostasis, remodeling and regeneration. It is believed that VW-SC/PC could be engaged in progression of vascular disorders and development of neointima. We would like to summarize current knowledge about mesenchymal and progenitor stem cell phenotype with special attention to distribution and biological properties of VW-SC/PC in biostructures of intima, media and adventitia niches. It is postulated that in the near future, niches for VW-SC/PC could be a good source of stem and progenitor cells, especially in the context of vessel tissue bioengineering as a new alternative to traditional revascularization therapies.
The Study of Leukocyte Functions in a Rotating Wall Vessel
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Trial, JoAnn
The objective of this study was to investigate the behavior of leukocytes under free-fall conditions in a rotating wall vessel. In such a vessel, the tendency of a cell to fall in response to gravity is opposed by the rotation of the vessel and the culture medium within, keeping the cells in suspension without fluid shear. Previous reports indicated that such functions as lymphocyte migration through collagen matrix or monocyte cytokine secretion are altered under these conditions, and these changes correlate with similar functional defects of cultured cells seen during spaceflight.
Detecting thermal discrepancies in vessel walls
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Casscells, S. Ward (Inventor); Willerson, James T. (Inventor); Bearman, Gregory H. (Inventor); Eastwood, Michael L. (Inventor); Krabach, Timothy N. (Inventor)
An infrared, heat-sensing catheter particularly useful for identifying potentially fatal arterial plaques in patients with disease of the coronary or other arteries and its use are detailed. In one embodiment, an infrared fiberoptic system (with or without ultrasound) is employed at the tip of the catheter to locate inflamed, heat-producing, atherosclerotic plaque, which is at greater risk for rupture, fissure, or ulceration, and consequent thrombosis and occlusion of the artery. In another embodiment, a catheter with an infrared detector (with or without ultrasound) employed at its tip will likewise locate inflamed heat-producing atherosclerotic plaque. The devices and methods of the invention may be used to detect abscesses, infection, and cancerous regions by the heat such regions differentially display over the ambient temperature of immediately adjacent tissues. The methods and devices of the invention may also be used to detect regions of cooler than ambient tissue in a vessel or organ which indicate cell death, thrombosis, cell death, hemorrhage, calcium or cholesterol accumulations, or foreign materials.
Cavitation distribution within large phantom vessel and mechanical damage formed on surrounding vessel wall.
Qiao, Yangzi; Yin, Hui; Li, Zhaopeng; Wan, Mingxi
Blood vessel is one of the most important targets encountered during focused ultrasound (FU) therapy. The lasting high temperature caused by continuous FU can result in structural modification of small vessel. For the vessel with a diameter larger than 2mm, convective cooling can significantly weaken the thermal effect of FU. Meanwhile, the continued presence of ultrasound will cause repetitive cavitation and acoustic microstreaming, making comprehension of continuous wave induced cavitation effect in large vessels necessary. The Sonoluminescence (SL) method, mechanical damage observation and high-speed camera were used in this study to investigate the combination effect of ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) and continuous FU in large phantom vessels with a diameter of 10mm without consideration of thermal effect. When the focus was positioned at the proximal wall, cylindrical hole along the acoustic axis opposite the ultrasound wave propagation direction was observed at the input power equal to or greater than 50 W. When the focus was located at the distal wall, only small tunnels can be found. The place where the cylindrical hole formed was corresponding to where bubbles gathered and emitted brilliant light near the wall. Without UCAs neither such bright SL nor cylindrical hole can be found. However, the UCAs concentration had little influence on the SL distribution and the length of cylindrical hole. The SL intensity near the proximal vessel wall and the length of the cylindrical hole both increased with the input power. It is suggested that these findings need to be considered in the large vessel therapy and UCAs usage.
Optimized suspension culture: the rotating-wall vessel
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Hammond, T. G.; Hammond, J. M.
Suspension culture remains a popular modality, which manipulates mechanical culture conditions to maintain the specialized features of cultured cells. The rotating-wall vessel is a suspension culture vessel optimized to produce laminar flow and minimize the mechanical stresses on cell aggregates in culture. This review summarizes the engineering principles, which allow optimal suspension culture conditions to be established, and the boundary conditions, which limit this process. We suggest that to minimize mechanical damage and optimize differentiation of cultured cells, suspension culture should be performed in a solid-body rotation Couette-flow, zero-headspace culture vessel such as the rotating-wall vessel. This provides fluid dynamic operating principles characterized by 1) solid body rotation about a horizontal axis, characterized by colocalization of cells and aggregates of different sedimentation rates, optimally reduced fluid shear and turbulence, and three-dimensional spatial freedom; and 2) oxygenation by diffusion. Optimization of suspension culture is achieved by applying three tradeoffs. First, terminal velocity should be minimized by choosing microcarrier beads and culture media as close in density as possible. Next, rotation in the rotating-wall vessel induces both Coriolis and centrifugal forces, directly dependent on terminal velocity and minimized as terminal velocity is minimized. Last, mass transport of nutrients to a cell in suspension culture depends on both terminal velocity and diffusion of nutrients. In the transduction of mechanical culture conditions into cellular effects, several lines of evidence support a role for multiple molecular mechanisms. These include effects of shear stress, changes in cell cycle and cell death pathways, and upstream regulation of secondary messengers such as protein kinase C. The discipline of suspension culture needs a systematic analysis of the relationship between mechanical culture conditions and
Three-dimensional ultrasound imaging of vessel wall for evaluating atherosclerosis risk and disease
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Amin, Viren R.; Wang, Bo; Sonka, Milan; Lauer, Ronald M.
This research aims at developing a three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound system for carotid and brachial artery scanning for evaluating vessel wall characteristics. In the long term, we seek to test hypothesis that the artery wall measurements of carotid intima-media-thickness and brachial flow mediated dilatation using 3D ultrasound data provide better repeatability than those derived from conventional 2D ultrasound scans. The approach is to implement a free-hand data acquisition scheme using conventional 2D medical ultrasound scanner, develop data processing algorithms for appropriately registering and displaying the volumetric ultrasound vessel scans, and develop techniques for measuring vessel wall characteristics. The system uses electromagnetic sensor mounted on the transducer to acquire position and orientation of each image slice as the transducer is moved freely to scan the area of interest. These non-parallel images are registered into a 3D dataset for reconstruction, segmentation, and measurements of the vessel wall structure. A simple calibration object is developed using a small stainless-steel sphere in a fixed position to perform coordinate transformations and pixel registration. A commercial 3D ultrasound tissue-mimicking phantom is used for assessment of freehand 3D data acquisition, calibration, registration, and visualization schemes. Early results of experimental carotid artery scans of volunteers are presented.
Method and apparatus for detecting irregularities on or in the wall of a vessel
Bowling, Michael Keith
A method of detecting irregularities on or in the wall of a vessel by detecting localized spatial temperature differentials on the wall surface, comprising scanning the vessel surface with a thermal imaging camera and recording the position of the or each region for which the thermal image from the camera is indicative of such a temperature differential across the region. The spatial temperature differential may be formed by bacterial growth on the vessel surface; alternatively, it may be the result of defects in the vessel wall such as thin regions or pin holes or cracks. The detection of leaks through the vessel wall may be enhanced by applying a pressure differential or a temperature differential across the vessel wall; the testing for leaks may be performed with the vessel full or empty, and from the inside or the outside.
Regulation of Cellular Communication by Signaling Microdomains in the Blood Vessel Wall
Billaud, Marie; Lohman, Alexander W.; Johnstone, Scott R.; Biwer, Lauren A.; Mutchler, Stephanie; Isakson, Brant E.
It has become increasingly clear that the accumulation of proteins in specific regions of the plasma membrane can facilitate cellular communication. These regions, termed signaling microdomains, are found throughout the blood vessel wall where cellular communication, both within and between cell types, must be tightly regulated to maintain proper vascular function. We will define a cellular signaling microdomain and apply this definition to the plethora of means by which cellular communication has been hypothesized to occur in the blood vessel wall. To that end, we make a case for three broad areas of cellular communication where signaling microdomains could play an important role: 1) paracrine release of free radicals and gaseous molecules such as nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species; 2) role of ion channels including gap junctions and potassium channels, especially those associated with the endothelium-derived hyperpolarization mediated signaling, and lastly, 3) mechanism of exocytosis that has considerable oversight by signaling microdomains, especially those associated with the release of von Willebrand factor. When summed, we believe that it is clear that the organization and regulation of signaling microdomains is an essential component to vessel wall function. PMID:24671377
Engineered bone tissue associated with vascularization utilizing a rotating wall vessel bioreactor.
Nishi, Masanori; Matsumoto, Rena; Dong, Jian; Uemura, Toshimasa
Tissue-engineered bone has attracted much attention as an alternative material for bone grafting; however, implantable bone tissue of an appropriate size and shape for clinical use has not yet been developed due to a lack of vascularization, which results in necrosis of the seeded cells in vivo. This is the first report of bone tissue engineering associated with vascularization by co-culturing bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with MSC-derived endothelial cells (ECs) within a porous scaffold using a rotating wall vessel (RWV) bioreactor. MSC-derived ECs were identified by immunofluorescence staining for von Willebrand factor (vWF) and by flow cytometry for CD31 expression. The tissue obtained was histochemically analyzed using toluidin blue, hematoxylin and eosin, anti-osteopontin antibody, anti-osteocalcin antibody, and tomato-lectin stain. Results showed that bone tissue containing vascular-like structures was generated. Three-dimensional culture condition created by medium flow in the RWV vessel and the interaction of MSCs with MSC-derived ECs might provide the cells an advantage in the construction of three-dimensional bone tissue with blood vessels.
Vessel wall-embedded dendritic cells induce T-cell autoreactivity and initiate vascular inflammation.
Han, Ji W; Shimada, Kazunori; Ma-Krupa, Wei; Johnson, Tiffany L; Nerem, Robert M; Goronzy, Jörg J; Weyand, Cornelia M
Human medium-sized and large arteries are targeted by inflammation with innate and adaptive immune responses occurring within the unique microspace of the vessel wall. How 3D spatial arrangements influence immune recognition and cellular response thresholds and which cell populations sense immunoactivating ligands and function as antigen-presenting cells are incompletely understood. To mimic the 3D context of human arteries, bioartificial arteries were engineered from collagen type I matrix, human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), and human endothelial cells and populated with cells implicated in antigen presentation and T-cell stimulation, including monocytes, macrophages, and myeloid dendritic cells (DCs). Responsiveness of wall-embedded antigen-presenting cells was probed with the Toll-like receptor ligand lipopolysaccharide, and inflammation was initiated by adding autologous CD4(+) T cells. DCs colonized the outermost VSMC layer, recapitulating their positioning at the media-adventitia border of normal arteries. Wall-embedded DCs responded to the microbial product lipopolysaccharide by entering the maturation program and upregulating the costimulatory ligand CD86. Activated DCs effectively stimulated autologous CD4 T cells, which produced the proinflammatory cytokine interferon-gamma and infiltrated deeply into the VSMC layer, causing matrix damage. Lipopolysaccharide-triggered macrophages were significantly less efficacious in recruiting T cells and promoting T-cell stimulation. CD14(+) monocytes, even when preactivated, failed to support initial steps of vascular wall inflammation. Innate immune cells, including monocytes, macrophages, and DCs, display differential functions in the vessel wall. DCs are superior in sensing pathogen-derived motifs and are highly efficient in breaking T-cell tolerance, guiding T cells toward proinflammatory and tissue-invasive behavior.
Correlating Hemodynamic Magnetic Resonance Imaging with high-field Intracranial Vessel Wall Imaging in Stroke
Langdon, Weston; Donahue, Manus J.; van der Kolk, Anja G.; Rane, Swati; Strother, Megan K.
Vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging at ultra-high field (7 Tesla) can be used to visualize vascular lesions noninvasively and holds potential for improving stroke-risk assessment in patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease. We present the first multi-modal comparison of such high-field vessel wall imaging with more conventional (i) 3 Tesla hemodynamic magnetic resonance imaging and (ii) digital subtraction angiography in a 69-year-old male with a left temporal ischemic infarct. PMID:25426229
Influence and Modeling of Residual Stresses in Thick Walled Pressure Vessels with Through Holes
Technical Report ARWSB-TR-12003 INFLUENCE AND MODELING OF RESIDUAL STRESSES IN THICK WALLED PRESSURE VESSELS WITH...DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 28/02/2012 2. REPORT TYPE Technical Report 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Influence and Modeling of...Residual Stresses in Thick Walled Pressure Vessels with Through Holes 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT
Optical coherence tomography assessment of vessel wall degradation in aneurysmatic thoracic aortas
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Real, Eusebio; Eguizabal, Alma; Pontón, Alejandro; Val-Bernal, J. Fernando; Mayorga, Marta; Revuelta, José M.; López-Higuera, José; Conde, Olga M.
Optical coherence tomographic images of ascending thoracic human aortas from aneurysms exhibit disorders on the smooth muscle cell structure of the media layer of the aortic vessel as well as elastin degradation. Ex-vivo measurements of human samples provide results that correlate with pathologist diagnosis in aneurysmatic and control aortas. The observed disorders are studied as possible hallmarks for aneurysm diagnosis. To this end, the backscattering profile along the vessel thickness has been evaluated by fitting its decay against two different models, a third order polynomial fitting and an exponential fitting. The discontinuities present on the vessel wall on aneurysmatic aortas are slightly better identified with the exponential approach. Aneurysmatic aortic walls present uneven reflectivity decay when compared with healthy vessels. The fitting error has revealed as the most favorable indicator for aneurysm diagnosis as it provides a measure of how uniform is the decay along the vessel thickness.
Remodeling of blood vessels: responses of diameter and wall thickness to hemodynamic and metabolic stimuli.
Pries, Axel R; Reglin, Bettina; Secomb, Timothy W
Vascular functions, including tissue perfusion and peripheral resistance, reflect continuous structural adaptation (remodeling) of blood vessels in response to several stimuli. Here, a theoretical model is presented that relates the structural and functional properties of microvascular networks to the adaptive responses of individual segments to hemodynamic and metabolic stimuli. All vessels are assumed to respond, according to a common set of adaptation rules, to changes in wall shear stress, circumferential wall stress, and tissue metabolic status (indicated by partial pressure of oxygen). An increase in vessel diameter with increasing wall shear stress and an increase in wall mass with increased circumferential stress are needed to ensure stable vascular adaptation. The model allows quantitative predictions of the effects of changes in systemic hemodynamic conditions or local adaptation characteristics on vessel structure and on peripheral resistance. Predicted effects of driving pressure on the ratio of wall thickness to vessel diameter are consistent with experimental observations. In addition, peripheral resistance increases by approximately 65% for an increase in driving pressure from 50 to 150 mm Hg. Peripheral resistance is predicted to be markedly increased in response to a decrease in vascular sensitivity to wall shear stress, and to be decreased in response to increased tissue metabolic demand. This theoretical approach provides a framework for integrating available information on structural remodeling in the vascular system and predicting responses to changing conditions or altered vascular reactivity, as may occur in hypertension.
Quantification and Statistical Analysis Methods for Vessel Wall Components from Stained Images with Masson's Trichrome
Hernández-Morera, Pablo; Castaño-González, Irene; Travieso-González, Carlos M.; Mompeó-Corredera, Blanca; Ortega-Santana, Francisco
Purpose To develop a digital image processing method to quantify structural components (smooth muscle fibers and extracellular matrix) in the vessel wall stained with Masson's trichrome, and a statistical method suitable for small sample sizes to analyze the results previously obtained. Methods The quantification method comprises two stages. The pre-processing stage improves tissue image appearance and the vessel wall area is delimited. In the feature extraction stage, the vessel wall components are segmented by grouping pixels with a similar color. The area of each component is calculated by normalizing the number of pixels of each group by the vessel wall area. Statistical analyses are implemented by permutation tests, based on resampling without replacement from the set of the observed data to obtain a sampling distribution of an estimator. The implementation can be parallelized on a multicore machine to reduce execution time. Results The methods have been tested on 48 vessel wall samples of the internal saphenous vein stained with Masson's trichrome. The results show that the segmented areas are consistent with the perception of a team of doctors and demonstrate good correlation between the expert judgments and the measured parameters for evaluating vessel wall changes. Conclusion The proposed methodology offers a powerful tool to quantify some components of the vessel wall. It is more objective, sensitive and accurate than the biochemical and qualitative methods traditionally used. The permutation tests are suitable statistical techniques to analyze the numerical measurements obtained when the underlying assumptions of the other statistical techniques are not met. PMID:26761643
Assessing the performance of vessel wall tracking algorithms: the importance of the test phantom
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ramnarine, K. V.; Kanber, B.; Panerai, R. B.
There is widespread clinical interest in assessing the mechanical properties of tissues and vessel walls. This study investigated the importance of the test phantom in providing a realistic assessment of clinical wall tracking performance for a variety of ultrasound modalities. B-mode, colour Doppler and Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI) cineloop images were acquired using a Philips HDI5000 scanner and L12-5 probe. In-vivo longitudinal sections of 30 common carotid arteries and in-vitro images of pulsatile flow of a blood mimicking fluid through walled and wall-less tissue and vessel mimicking flow phantoms were analysed. Vessel wall tracking performance was assessed for our new probabilistic B-mode algorithm (PROBAL), and 3 different techniques implemented by Philips Medical Systems, based on B-mode edge detection (LDOT), colour Doppler (CVIQ) and TDI (TDIAWM). Precision (standard deviation/mean) of the peak systole dilations for respective PROBAL, LDOT, CVIQ and TDIAWM techniques were: 15.4 +/- 8.4%, 23 +/- 12.7%, 10 +/- 10% and 10.3 +/- 8.1% for the common carotid arteries; 6.4%, 22%, 11.6% and 34.5% for the wall-less flow phantom, 5.3%, 9.8%, 23.4% and 2.7% for the C-flex walled phantom and 3.9%, 2.6%, 1% and 3.2% for the latex walled phantom. The test phantom design and construction had a significant effect on the measurement of wall tracking performance.
Segmentation of arterial vessel wall motion to sub-pixel resolution using M-mode ultrasound.
Fancourt, Craig; Azer, Karim; Ramcharan, Sharmilee L; Bunzel, Michelle; Cambell, Barry R; Sachs, Jeffrey R; Walker, Matthew
We describe a method for segmenting arterial vessel wall motion to sub-pixel resolution, using the returns from M-mode ultrasound. The technique involves measuring the spatial offset between all pairs of scans from their cross-correlation, converting the spatial offsets to relative wall motion through a global optimization, and finally translating from relative to absolute wall motion by interpolation over the M-mode image. The resulting detailed wall distension waveform has the potential to enhance existing vascular biomarkers, such as strain and compliance, as well as enable new ones.
Use of a hand-held Doppler to avoid abdominal wall vessels in laparoscopic surgery.
Whiteley, M. S.; Laws, S. A.; Wise, M. H.
Laparoscopy in general surgery is becoming a wide-spread technique. Substantial anterior abdominal wall haemorrhage is a recognised complication of the laparoscopic technique. Ten patients were examined with an 8 MHz hand-held Doppler and the anterior abdominal wall vessels were marked on the skin. Colour flow duplex was used to confirm the presence of vessels found in this way. All 40 epigastric arteries were marked accurately and confirmed; 75 other intramural arteries were identified, although the majority were too small for duplex confirmation. The preoperative use of hand-held Doppler is a quick and non-invasive way to identify the epigastric and larger intramural arteries. Routine use of this technique to mark abdominal wall vessels in the areas of trocar insertion should reduce this complication of laparoscopic surgery. PMID:7661918
Revisiting tumor angiogenesis: vessel co-option, vessel remodeling, and cancer cell-derived vasculature formation.
Qian, Chao-Nan; Tan, Min-Han; Yang, Jun-Ping; Cao, Yun
Tumor growth and metastasis depend on the establishment of tumor vasculature to provide oxygen, nutrients, and other essential factors. The well-known vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling is crucial for sprouting angiogenesis as well as recruitment of circulating progenitor endothelial cells to tumor vasculature, which has become therapeutic targets in clinical practice. However, the survival benefits gained from targeting VEGF signaling have been very limited, with the inevitable development of treatment resistance. In this article, we discuss the most recent findings and understanding on how solid tumors evade VEGF-targeted therapy, with a special focus on vessel co-option, vessel remodeling, and tumor cell-derived vasculature establishment. Vessel co-option may occur in tumors independently of sprouting angiogenesis, and sprouting angiogenesis is not always required for tumor growth. The differences between vessel-like structure and tubule-like structure formed by tumor cells are also introduced. The exploration of the underlying mechanisms of these alternative angiogenic approaches would not only widen our knowledge of tumor angiogenesis but also provide novel therapeutic targets for better controlling cancer growth and metastasis.
Automated Delineation of Vessel Wall and Thrombus Boundaries of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Using Multispectral MR Images
Rodriguez-Vila, B.; Tarjuelo-Gutierrez, J.; Sánchez-González, P.; Verbrugghe, P.; Fourneau, I.; Maleux, G.; Herijgers, P.; Gomez, E. J.
A correct patient-specific identification of the abdominal aortic aneurysm is useful for both diagnosis and treatment stages, as it locates the disease and represents its geometry. The actual thickness and shape of the arterial wall and the intraluminal thrombus are of great importance when predicting the rupture of the abdominal aortic aneurysms. The authors describe a novel method for delineating both the internal and external contours of the aortic wall, which allows distinguishing between vessel wall and intraluminal thrombus. The method is based on active shape model and texture statistical information. The method was validated with eight MR patient studies. There was high correspondence between automatic and manual measurements for the vessel wall area. Resulting segmented images presented a mean Dice coefficient with respect to manual segmentations of 0.88 and a mean modified Hausdorff distance of 1.14 mm for the internal face and 0.86 and 1.33 mm for the external face of the arterial wall. Preliminary results of the segmentation show high correspondence between automatic and manual measurements for the vessel wall and thrombus areas. However, since the dataset is small the conclusions cannot be generalized. PMID:26236390
High-resolution Magnetic Resonance Vessel Wall Imaging for Intracranial Arterial Stenosis
Zhu, Xian-Jin; Wang, Wu; Liu, Zun-Jing
Objective: To discuss the feasibility and clinical value of high-resolution magnetic resonance vessel wall imaging (HRMR VWI) for intracranial arterial stenosis. Date Sources: We retrieved information from PubMed database up to December 2015, using various search terms including vessel wall imaging (VWI), high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging, intracranial arterial stenosis, black blood, and intracranial atherosclerosis. Study Selection: We reviewed peer-reviewed articles printed in English on imaging technique of VWI and characteristic findings of various intracranial vasculopathies on VWI. We organized this data to explain the value of VWI in clinical application. Results: VWI with black blood technique could provide high-quality images with submillimeter voxel size, and display both the vessel wall and lumen of intracranial artery simultaneously. Various intracranial vasculopathies (atherosclerotic or nonatherosclerotic) had differentiating features including pattern of wall thickening, enhancement, and vessel remodeling on VWI. This technique could be used for determining causes of stenosis, identification of stroke mechanism, risk-stratifying patients, and directing therapeutic management in clinical practice. In addition, a new morphological classification based on VWI could be established for predicting the efficacy of endovascular therapy. Conclusions: This review highlights the value of HRMR VWI for discrimination of different intracranial vasculopathies and directing therapeutic management. PMID:27231176
Evaluation of side effects of radiofrequency capacitive hyperthermia with magnetite on the blood vessel walls of tumor metastatic lesion surrounding the abdominal large vessels: an agar phantom study
Background Magnetite used in an 8-MHz radiofrequency (RF) capacitive heating device can increase the temperature of a specific site up to 45°C. When treating a metastatic lesion around large abdominal vessels via hyperthermia with magnetite, heating-induced adverse effects on these vessels need to be considered. Therefore, this study examined hyperthermia-induced damage to blood vessel walls in vitro. Methods A large agar phantom with a circulatory system consisting of a swine artery and vein connected to a peristaltic pump was prepared. The blood vessels were placed on the magnetite-containing agar piece. Heating was continued for 30 min at 45°C. After heating, a histological study for injury to the blood vessels was performed. Results The inner membrane temperature did not reach 45°C due to the cooling effect of the blood flow. In the heated vessels, vascular wall collagen degenerated and smooth muscle cells were narrowed; however, no serious changes were noted in the vascular endothelial cells or vascular wall elastic fibers. The heated vessel wall was not severely damaged; this was attributed to cooling by the blood flow. Conclusions Our findings indicate that RF capacitive heating therapy with magnetite may be used for metastatic lesions without injuring the surrounding large abdominal vessels. PMID:25114787
Protective interior wall and attach8ing means for a fusion reactor vacuum vessel
Phelps, Richard D.; Upham, Gerald A.; Anderson, Paul M.
An array of connected plates mounted on the inside wall of the vacuum vessel of a magnetic confinement reactor in order to provide a protective surface for energy deposition inside the vessel. All fasteners are concealed and protected beneath the plates, while the plates themselves share common mounting points. The entire array is installed with torqued nuts on threaded studs; provision also exists for thermal expansion by mounting each plate with two of its four mounts captured in an oversize grooved spool. A spool-washer mounting hardware allows one edge of a protective plate to be torqued while the other side remains loose, by simply inverting the spool-washer hardware.
Effects of dynamic shear and transmural pressure on wall shear stress sensitivity in collecting lymphatic vessels.
Kornuta, Jeffrey A; Nepiyushchikh, Zhanna; Gasheva, Olga Y; Mukherjee, Anish; Zawieja, David C; Dixon, J Brandon
Given the known mechanosensitivity of the lymphatic vasculature, we sought to investigate the effects of dynamic wall shear stress (WSS) on collecting lymphatic vessels while controlling for transmural pressure. Using a previously developed ex vivo lymphatic perfusion system (ELPS) capable of independently controlling both transaxial pressure gradient and average transmural pressure on an isolated lymphatic vessel, we imposed a multitude of flow conditions on rat thoracic ducts, while controlling for transmural pressure and measuring diameter changes. By gradually increasing the imposed flow through a vessel, we determined the WSS at which the vessel first shows sign of contraction inhibition, defining this point as the shear stress sensitivity of the vessel. The shear stress threshold that triggered a contractile response was significantly greater at a transmural pressure of 5 cmH2O (0.97 dyne/cm(2)) than at 3 cmH2O (0.64 dyne/cm(2)). While contraction frequency was reduced when a steady WSS was applied, this inhibition was reversed when the applied WSS oscillated, even though the mean wall shear stresses between the conditions were not significantly different. When the applied oscillatory WSS was large enough, flow itself synchronized the lymphatic contractions to the exact frequency of the applied waveform. Both transmural pressure and the rate of change of WSS have significant impacts on the contractile response of lymphatic vessels to flow. Specifically, time-varying shear stress can alter the inhibition of phasic contraction frequency and even coordinate contractions, providing evidence that dynamic shear could play an important role in the contractile function of collecting lymphatic vessels.
Effects of dynamic shear and transmural pressure on wall shear stress sensitivity in collecting lymphatic vessels
Kornuta, Jeffrey A.; Nepiyushchikh, Zhanna; Gasheva, Olga Y.; Mukherjee, Anish; Zawieja, David C.
Given the known mechanosensitivity of the lymphatic vasculature, we sought to investigate the effects of dynamic wall shear stress (WSS) on collecting lymphatic vessels while controlling for transmural pressure. Using a previously developed ex vivo lymphatic perfusion system (ELPS) capable of independently controlling both transaxial pressure gradient and average transmural pressure on an isolated lymphatic vessel, we imposed a multitude of flow conditions on rat thoracic ducts, while controlling for transmural pressure and measuring diameter changes. By gradually increasing the imposed flow through a vessel, we determined the WSS at which the vessel first shows sign of contraction inhibition, defining this point as the shear stress sensitivity of the vessel. The shear stress threshold that triggered a contractile response was significantly greater at a transmural pressure of 5 cmH2O (0.97 dyne/cm2) than at 3 cmH2O (0.64 dyne/cm2). While contraction frequency was reduced when a steady WSS was applied, this inhibition was reversed when the applied WSS oscillated, even though the mean wall shear stresses between the conditions were not significantly different. When the applied oscillatory WSS was large enough, flow itself synchronized the lymphatic contractions to the exact frequency of the applied waveform. Both transmural pressure and the rate of change of WSS have significant impacts on the contractile response of lymphatic vessels to flow. Specifically, time-varying shear stress can alter the inhibition of phasic contraction frequency and even coordinate contractions, providing evidence that dynamic shear could play an important role in the contractile function of collecting lymphatic vessels. PMID:26333787
Regional calcium distribution and ultrasound images of the vessel wall in human carotid arteries
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Szikszai, Z.; Kertész, Zs.; Uzonyi, I.; Szíki, G. Á.; Magyar, M. T.; Molnár, S.; Ida, Y.; Csiba, L.
Arterial calcification can take place at two sites in the vessel wall: the intima and the media. Intimal calcification occurs exclusively within atherosclerotic plaques, while medial calcification may develop independently. Extensive calcified plaques in the carotid arteries can be easily detected by B-mode ultrasonic imaging. The calcium content might correlate with the ultrasound reflectance of the vessel wall, and could be a surrogate marker for arteriosclerosis. In this study, segments of human carotid arteries collected at autopsy were examined by ultrasonography in vitro and calcium distributional maps of sections from the same segments were determined by particle induced X-ray emission. Our aim was to make a first step towards investigating the relationship between the calcium distributional maps and the respective ultrasound images.
Vessel wall temperature estimation for novel short term thermal balloon angioplasty: study of thermal environment.
Kaneko, Kenji; Nakatani, Eriko; Futami, Hikaru; Ogawa, Yoshifumi; Arai, Tsunenori; Fukui, Masaru; Shimamura, Satoshi; Kawabata, Takashi
We have been proposing novel thermal balloon angioplasty, photo-thermo dynamic balloon angioplasty (PT-DBA). PTDBA realized <10s short term heating that can prevent surrounding tissue thermal injury and low pressure dilatation that can prevent restenosis in chronic phase. We aim to determine the most efficient heating condition suit to individual symptom with pre-operation thermal simulation. We analyzed the flow dynamics and heat convection inside the balloon, and investigated heat conduction of balloon film to establish the temperature estimation method among vessel wall. Compared with ex vivo temperature measurement experiment, we concluded that the factors need to be considered for the establishment would be the heat conduction of the flow inside PTDB, heat conduction at the balloon film, and contact thermal resistance between the balloon film and vessel wall.
Intracranial vessel wall imaging for evaluation of steno-occlusive diseases and intracranial aneurysms.
Brinjikji, Waleed; Mossa-Basha, Mahmud; Huston, John; Rabinstein, Alejandro A; Lanzino, Giuseppe; Lehman, Vance T
Cerebrovascular diseases have traditionally been classified, diagnosed and managed based on their luminal characteristics. However, over the past several years, several advancements in MRI techniques have ushered in high-resolution vessel wall imaging (HR-VWI), enabling evaluation of intracranial vessel wall pathology. These advancements now allow us to differentiate diseases which have a common angiographic appearance but vastly different natural histories (i.e. moyamoya versus atherosclerosis, reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome versus vasculitis, stable versus unstable intracranial aneurysms). In this review, we detail the anatomical, histopathological and imaging characteristics of various intracranial steno-occlusive diseases and types of intracranial aneurysms and describe the role that HR-VWI can play in diagnosis, risk stratification and treatment.
Nonstenotic Culprit Plaque: The Utility of High-Resolution Vessel Wall MRI of Intracranial Vessels after Ischemic Stroke
de Havenon, Adam; Yuan, Chun; Tirschwell, David; Hatsukami, Thomas; Anzai, Yoshimi; Becker, Kyra; Sultan-Qurraie, Ali; Mossa-Basha, Mahmud
Intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) accounts for 9–15% of ischemic stroke in the United States. Although highly stenotic ICAD accounts for most of the strokes, it is assumed that nonstenotic ICAD (nICAD) can result in stroke, despite being missed on standard luminal imaging modalities. We describe a patient with nICAD who suffered recurrent thromboembolic stroke and TIA but had a negative conventional stroke workup. As a result, they were referred for high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR-MRI) of the arterial vessel wall, which identified a nonstenotic plaque with multiple high-risk features, identifying it as the etiology of the patient's thromboembolic events. The diagnosis resulted in a transition from anticoagulation to antiplatelet therapy, after which the patient's clinical events resolved. HR-MRI is an imaging technique that has the potential to guide medical management for patients with ischemic stroke, particularly in cryptogenic stroke. PMID:26346855
Gadolinium Enhanced MR Coronary Vessel Wall Imaging at 3.0 Tesla.
Kelle, Sebastian; Schlendorf, Kelly; Hirsch, Glenn A; Gerstenblith, Gary; Fleck, Eckart; Weiss, Robert G; Stuber, Matthias
Purpose. We evaluated the influence of the time between low-dose gadolinium (Gd) contrast administration and coronary vessel wall enhancement (LGE) detected by 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in healthy subjects and patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Materials and Methods. Four healthy subjects (4 men, mean age 29 ± 3 years and eleven CAD patients (6 women, mean age 61 ± 10 years) were studied on a commercial 3.0 Tesla (T) whole-body MR imaging system (Achieva 3.0 T; Philips, Best, The Netherlands). T1-weighted inversion-recovery coronary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was repeated up to 75 minutes after administration of low-dose Gadolinium (Gd) (0.1 mmol/kg Gd-DTPA). Results. LGE was seen in none of the healthy subjects, however in all of the CAD patients. In CAD patients, fifty-six of 62 (90.3%) segments showed LGE of the coronary artery vessel wall at time-interval 1 after contrast. At time-interval 2, 34 of 42 (81.0%) and at time-interval 3, 29 of 39 evaluable segments (74.4%) were enhanced. Conclusion. In this work, we demonstrate LGE of the coronary artery vessel wall using 3.0 T MRI after a single, low-dose Gd contrast injection in CAD patients but not in healthy subjects. In the majority of the evaluated coronary segments in CAD patients, LGE of the coronary vessel wall was already detectable 30-45 minutes after administration of the contrast agent.
Arabidopsis NAC Domain Proteins, VND1 to VND5, Are Transcriptional Regulators of Secondary Wall Biosynthesis in Vessels
Zhou, Jianli; Zhong, Ruiqin; Ye, Zheng-Hua
One of the most prominent features of xylem conducting cells is the deposition of secondary walls. In Arabidopsis, secondary wall biosynthesis in the xylem conducting cells, vessels, has been shown to be regulated by two VASCULAR-RELATED NAC-DOMAIN (VND) genes, VND6 and VND7. In this report, we have investigated the roles of five additional Arabidopsis VND genes, VND1 to VND5, in regulating secondary wall biosynthesis in vessels. The VND1 to VND5 genes were shown to be specifically expressed in vessels but not in interfascicular fibers in stems. The expression of VND4 and VND5 was also seen specifically in vessels in the secondary xylem of the root-hypocotyl region. When overexpressed, VND1 to VND5 were able to activate the expression of secondary wall-associated transcription factors and genes involved in secondary wall biosynthesis and programmed cell death. As a result, many normally parenchymatous cells in leaves and stems acquired thickened secondary walls in the VND1 to VND5 overexpressors. In contrast, dominant repression of VND3 function resulted in reduced secondary wall thickening in vessels and a collapsed vessel phenotype. In addition, VND1 to VND5 were shown to be capable of rescuing the secondary wall defects in the fibers of the snd1 nst1 double mutant when expressed under the SND1 promoter. Furthermore, transactivation analysis revealed that VND1 to VND5 could activate expression of the GUS reporter gene driven by the secondary wall NAC binding element (SNBE). Together, these results demonstrate that VND1 to VND5 possess functions similar to that of the SND1 secondary wall NAC and are transcriptional regulators of secondary wall biosynthesis in vessels. PMID:25148240
Vessel wall enhancement in the diagnosis and management of primary angiitis of the central nervous system in children.
Ohno, Koyo; Saito, Yoshiaki; Kurata, Hirofumi; Saiki, Yusuke; Ohtahara, Hiroko; Yoshioka, Hiroki; Yamashita, Eijiro; Fujii, Shinya; Maegaki, Yoshihiro
We describe two cases of primary angiitis of the central nervous system in children (cPACNS) diagnosed by vessel wall contrast enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Both patients developed acute cerebral infarction after fever and malaise. In patient 1, a 7-month-old boy, MRI revealed extensive cerebral infarction in the right middle cerebral artery (MCA) area and stenosis at the M1 portion of the right MCA. Oral glucocorticoid therapy was initiated. Vessel wall enhancement was ameliorated 3months after onset, and stenosis was mostly restored. Patient 2, a 5-year-old boy, suffered from cerebral infarction in the left MCA area, and stenosis was identified in the left internal carotid artery, left MCA, and left posterior cerebral artery. Although vessel wall enhancement was reduced after glucocorticoid therapy, vessel wall enhancement of left MCA re-emerged, accompanied by increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and, decreased cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the affected hemisphere. Intravenous methylprednisolone therapy followed by oral glucocorticoid and mycophenolate mofetil resulted in resolution of these findings. Vessel wall enhancement is a promising finding in the diagnosis of cPACNS. Disease flares occur rarely in medium-to-large vessel cPACNS during dose tapering. Vessel wall enhancement, ESR, and CBF may be useful for the assessment of the activity of angiitis.
Primary Metabolism during Biosynthesis of Secondary Wall Polymers of Protoxylem Vessel Elements1[OPEN
Morisaki, Keiko; Sawada, Yuji; Sano, Ryosuke; Yamamoto, Atsushi; Kurata, Tetsuya; Suzuki, Shiro; Matsuda, Mami; Hasunuma, Tomohisa; Hirai, Masami Yokota
Xylem vessels, the water-conducting cells in vascular plants, undergo characteristic secondary wall deposition and programmed cell death. These processes are regulated by the VASCULAR-RELATED NAC-DOMAIN (VND) transcription factors. Here, to identify changes in metabolism that occur during protoxylem vessel element differentiation, we subjected tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) BY-2 suspension culture cells carrying an inducible VND7 system to liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based wide-target metabolome analysis and transcriptome analysis. Time-course data for 128 metabolites showed dynamic changes in metabolites related to amino acid biosynthesis. The concentration of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate, an important intermediate of the glycolysis pathway, immediately decreased in the initial stages of cell differentiation. As cell differentiation progressed, specific amino acids accumulated, including the shikimate-related amino acids and the translocatable nitrogen-rich amino acid arginine. Transcriptome data indicated that cell differentiation involved the active up-regulation of genes encoding the enzymes catalyzing fructose 6-phosphate biosynthesis from glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate, phosphoenolpyruvate biosynthesis from oxaloacetate, and phenylalanine biosynthesis, which includes shikimate pathway enzymes. Concomitantly, active changes in the amount of fructose 6-phosphate and phosphoenolpyruvate were detected during cell differentiation. Taken together, our results show that protoxylem vessel element differentiation is associated with changes in primary metabolism, which could facilitate the production of polysaccharides and lignin monomers and, thus, promote the formation of the secondary cell wall. Also, these metabolic shifts correlate with the active transcriptional regulation of specific enzyme genes. Therefore, our observations indicate that primary metabolism is actively regulated during protoxylem vessel element differentiation to alter the cell's metabolic
SPR salt wall leaching experiments in lab-scale vessel : data report.
Webb, Stephen Walter; O'Hern, Timothy John; Hartenberger, Joel David
During cavern leaching in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), injected raw water mixes with resident brine and eventually interacts with the cavern salt walls. This report provides a record of data acquired during a series of experiments designed to measure the leaching rate of salt walls in a labscale simulated cavern, as well as discussion of the data. These results should be of value to validate computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models used to simulate leaching applications. Three experiments were run in the transparent 89-cm (35-inch) ID diameter vessel previously used for several related projects. Diagnostics included tracking the salt wall dissolution rate using ultrasonics, an underwater camera to view pre-installed markers, and pre- and post-test weighing and measuring salt blocks that comprise the walls. In addition, profiles of the local brine/water conductivity and temperature were acquired at three locations by traversing conductivity probes to map out the mixing of injected raw water with the surrounding brine. The data are generally as expected, with stronger dissolution when the salt walls were exposed to water with lower salt saturation, and overall reasonable wall shape profiles. However, there are significant block-to-block variations, even between neighboring salt blocks, so the averaged data are considered more useful for model validation. The remedial leach tests clearly showed that less mixing and longer exposure time to unsaturated water led to higher levels of salt wall dissolution. The data for all three tests showed a dividing line between upper and lower regions, roughly above and below the fresh water injection point, with higher salt wall dissolution in all cases, and stronger (for remedial leach cases) or weaker (for standard leach configuration) concentration gradients above the dividing line.
Comparison of viscoelastic properties of walls and functional characteristics of valves in lymphatic and venous vessels.
Ohhashi, T
The principal function of the lymphatic and venous system is to maintain a favorable environment for cells of the body. As a consequence mainly of hydrostatic forces, shifts of fluid usually occur between the vascular system and the extracellular space. To compensate for these shifts the veins are capable of active and passive changes in capacity that serve to modulate the filling pressure of the heart by adjusting the central blood volume. In addition to the venous function, the lymphatic function also contributes to compensate for the fluid shifts by drainage from the interstitial space. Namely, the general function of the lymphatic system is to return fluid and protein which escapes from the blood capillaries to the lymph circulation. To elucidate the mode of venous and lymph transport, therefore, it is of essential importance to obtain basic knowledge of the mechanical characteristics of the walls of the vessels and the functional characteristics of the lymphatic and venous valves dividing two adjacent compartments. In this communication, in order to answer the question, "Are Lymphatics Different From Blood Vessels?", I would like to review a comparison of viscoelastic properties of walls and functional characteristics of valves in lymph and venous vessels by use of our original data obtained with isolated canine veins and thoracic ducts and with isolated bovine mesenteric lymphatics (1-9).
An Ultrasound Simulation Model for the Pulsatile Blood Flow Modulated by the Motion of Stenosed Vessel Wall
Zhou, Yi; Zhang, Kun; Zhang, Kexin; Gao, Lian
This paper presents an ultrasound simulation model for pulsatile blood flow, modulated by the motion of a stenosed vessel wall. It aims at generating more realistic ultrasonic signals to provide an environment for evaluating ultrasound signal processing and imaging and a framework for investigating the behaviors of blood flow field modulated by wall motion. This model takes into account fluid-structure interaction, blood pulsatility, stenosis of the vessel, and arterial wall movement caused by surrounding tissue's motion. The axial and radial velocity distributions of blood and the displacement of vessel wall are calculated by solving coupled Navier-Stokes and wall equations. With these obtained values, we made several different phantoms by treating blood and the vessel wall as a group of point scatterers. Then, ultrasound echoed signals from oscillating wall and blood in the axisymmetric stenotic-carotid arteries were computed by ultrasound simulation software, Field II. The results show better consistency with corresponding theoretical values and clinical data and reflect the influence of wall movement on the flow field. It can serve as an effective tool not only for investigating the behavior of blood flow field modulated by wall motion but also for quantitative or qualitative evaluation of new ultrasound imaging technology and estimation method of blood velocity. PMID:27478840
A completely noninvasive method of dissolved oxygen monitoring in disposable small-scale cell culture vessels based on diffusion through permeable vessel walls.
Gupta, Priyanka A; Ge, Xudong; Kostov, Yordan; Rao, Govind
Disposable cell culture vessels are extensively used at small scales for process optimization and validation, but they lack monitoring capabilities. Optical sensors that can be easily adapted for use in small-scale vessels are commercially available for pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), and dissolved carbon dioxide (DCO2 ). However, their use has been limited due to the contamination and compatibility issues. We have developed a novel solution to these problems for DO monitoring. Oxygen diffusion through permeable vessel wall can be exploited for noninvasive monitoring. An optical oxygen sensor can be placed outside the oxygen permeable vessel wall thereby allowing oxygen diffusing through the vessel wall to be detected by the sensor. This way the sensor stays separate from the cell culture and there are no concerns about contaminants or leachants. Here we implement this method for two cell culture devices: polystyrene-made T-75 tissue culture flask and fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP)-made Vuelife(®) cell culture bag. Additionally, mammalian and microbial cell cultures were performed in Vuelife(®) cell culture bags, proving that a sensor placed outside can be used to track changes in cell cultures. This approach toward noninvasive monitoring will help in integrating cell culture vessels with sensors in a seamless manner.
Fabrication of double-walled section models of the ITER vacuum vessel
Koizumi, K.; Kanamori, N.; Nakahira, M.; Itoh, Y.; Horie, M.; Tada, E.; Shimamoto, S.
Trial fabrication of double-walled section models has been performed at Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) for the construction of ITER vacuum vessel. By employing TIG (Tungsten-arc Inert Gas) welding and EB (Electron Beam) welding, for each model, two full-scaled section models of 7.5 {degree} toroidal sector in the curved section at the bottom of vacuum vessel have been successfully fabricated with the final dimensional error of within {+-}5 mm to the nominal values. The sufficient technical database on the candidate fabrication procedures, welding distortion and dimensional stability of full-scaled models have been obtained through the fabrications. This paper describes the design and fabrication procedures of both full-scaled section models and the major results obtained through the fabrication.
A wall-crawling robot for reactor vessel inspection in advanced reactors
Spelt, P.F.; Crane, C.; Feng, L.; Abidi, M.; Tosunoglu, S.
A consortium of four universities and the Center for Engineering Systems Advanced Research of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory has designed a prototype wall-crawling robot to perform weld inspection in advanced nuclear reactors. Design efforts for the reactor vessel inspection robot (RVIR) concentrated on the Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor because it presents the most demanding environment in which such a robot must operate. The RVIR consists of a chassis containing two sets of suction cups that can alternately grasp the side of the vessel being inspected, providing both locomotion and steering functions. Sensors include three CCD cameras and a weld inspection device based on new shear-wave technology. The restrictions of the inspection environment presented major challenges to the team. These challenges were met in the prototype, which has been tested in a non-radiation, room-temperature mockup of the robot work environment and shown to perform as expected.
General and crevice corrosion study of the in-wall shielding materials for ITER vacuum vessel
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Joshi, K. S.; Pathak, H. A.; Dayal, R. K.; Bafna, V. K.; Kimihiro, Ioki; Barabash, V.
Vacuum vessel In-Wall Shield (IWS) will be inserted between the inner and outer shells of the ITER vacuum vessel. The behaviour of IWS in the vacuum vessel especially concerning the susceptibility to crevice of shielding block assemblies could cause rapid and extensive corrosion attacks. Even galvanic corrosion may be due to different metals in same electrolyte. IWS blocks are not accessible until life of the machine after closing of vacuum vessel. Hence, it is necessary to study the susceptibility of IWS materials to general corrosion and crevice corrosion under operations of ITER vacuum vessel. Corrosion properties of IWS materials were studied by using (i) Immersion technique and (ii) Electro-chemical Polarization techniques. All the sample materials were subjected to a series of examinations before and after immersion test, like Loss/Gain weight measurement, SEM analysis, and Optical stereo microscopy, measurement of surface profile and hardness of materials. After immersion test, SS 304B4 and SS 304B7 showed slight weight gain which indicate oxide layer formation on the surface of coupons. The SS 430 material showed negligible weight loss which indicates mild general corrosion effect. On visual observation with SEM and Metallography, all material showed pitting corrosion attack. All sample materials were subjected to series of measurements like Open Circuit potential, Cyclic polarization, Pitting potential, protection potential, Critical anodic current and SEM examination. All materials show pitting loop in OC2 operating condition. However, its absence in OC1 operating condition clearly indicates the activity of chloride ion to penetrate oxide layer on the sample surface, at higher temperature. The critical pitting temperature of all samples remains between 100° and 200°C.
Some properties of the walls of metaxylem vessels of maize roots, including tests of the wettability of their lumenal wall surfaces
McCully, Margaret; Canny, Martin; Baker, Adam; Miller, Celia
Background and Aims Since the proposal of the cohesion theory there has been a paradox that the lumenal surface of vessels is rich in hydrophobic lignin, while tension in the rising sap requires adhesion to a hydrophilic surface. This study sought to characterize the strength of that adhesion in maize (Zea mays), the wettability of the vessel surface, and to reconcile this with its histochemical and physical nature. Methods Wettability was assessed by emptying the maize root vessels of sap, perfusing them with either water or oil, and examining the adhesion (as revealed by contact angles) of the two liquids to vessel walls by cryo-scanning electron microscopy. The phobicity of the lumenal surface was also assessed histochemically with hydrophilic and hydrophobic probes. Key Results Pit borders in the lumen-facing vessel wall surface were wetted by both sap/water and oil. The attraction for oil was weaker: water could replace oil but not vice versa. Pit apertures repelled oil and were strongly stained by hydrophilic probes. Pit chambers were probably hydrophilic. Oil never entered the pits. When vessels were emptied and cryo-fixed immediately, pit chambers facing away from the vessels were always sap-filled. Pit chambers facing vessel lumens were either sap- or gas-filled. Sap from adjoining tracheary elements entering empty vessels accumulated on the lumenal surface in hemispherical drops, which spread out with decreasing contact angles to fill the lumen. Conclusions The vessel lumenal surface has a dual nature, namely a mosaic of hydrophilic and hydrophobic patches at the micrometre scale, with hydrophilic predominating. A key role is shown, for the first time, of overarching borders of pits in determining the dual nature of the surface. In gas-filled (embolized) vessels they are hydrophobic. When wetted by sap (vessels refilling or full) they are hydrophilic. A hypothesis is proposed to explain the switch between the two states. PMID:24709790
Catheter ultrasound for cross-sectional imaging and drug delivery to vessel wall
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hossack, John A.
Current methods for delivery of an anti-restenosis drug to an arterial vessel wall post-percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stent placement are limited in terms of drug choice, dosing level, and ability to assure drug coverage between the struts of a drug eluting stent. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) provides real-time, radiation-free, imaging and assessment of atherosclerotic disease in terms of anatomical, functional and molecular information. In this presentation, the design of a dual imaging / therapy IVUS catheter is described and results documenting gene and drug delivery reported. Microbubbles and drug / gene (shell associated or co-injected) are dispensed from the catheter tip. Using this approach, it becomes possible to address the need for complete vessel wall coverage and achieve delivery in regions poorly addressed using conventional stent-based approaches. A range of in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo results are presented. Our most recent results involve a demonstration in a pig model of coronary balloon angioplasty that produced a 33% reduction in neointima formation versus a drug plus microbubble, but no ultrasound, control.
Localization and differential regulation of angiotensinogen mRNA expression in the vessel wall.
Naftilan, A J; Zuo, W M; Inglefinger, J; Ryan, T J; Pratt, R E; Dzau, V J
Recent data demonstrate the existence of a vascular renin angiotensin system. In this study we examine the localization of angiotensinogen mRNA in the blood vessel wall of two rat strains, the Wistar and Wistar Kyoto (WKY), as well as the regulation of vascular angiotensinogen mRNA expression by dietary sodium. Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization histochemistry demonstrate that in both strains angiotensinogen mRNA is detected in the aortic medial smooth muscle layer as well as the periaortic fat. In WKY rats fed a 1.6% sodium diet, angiotensinogen mRNA concentration is 2.6-fold higher in the periaortic fat than in the smooth muscle, as analyzed by quantitative slot blot hybridization. Angiotensinogen mRNA expression in the medial smooth muscle layer is sodium regulated. After 5 d of a low (0.02%) sodium diet, smooth muscle angiotensinogen mRNA levels increase 3.2-fold (P less than 0.005) as compared with the 1.6% sodium diet. In contrast, angiotensinogen mRNA level in the periaortic fat is not influenced by sodium diet. In summary, our data demonstrate regional (smooth muscle vs. periaortic fat) differential regulation of angiotensinogen mRNA levels in the blood vessel wall by sodium. This regional differential regulation by sodium may have important physiological implications. Images PMID:2010543
Neuropeptide degradation by large vessel and microvessel-derived endothelial cells in vitro: cell surface catabolism of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH).
Rozental, J M; Kaminska, G; Turner, J; Schwartz, T; Cadahia, V; Brooks, B R
Cell surface ectopeptidase activity of purified, cultured large vessel and microvessel-derived endothelial cells (EC) was studied. Degradation of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH), and production of cyclo-His-Pro was significantly increased (P less than 0.001) in large vessel EC compared with microcapillary EC. Since the rate of catabolism in the microvascular capillary bed is 5 times less than that in the large vessel wall, peptide concentrations are likely maintained longer in close proximity to their site of biosynthesis, where they are presumably most active.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene expression changes during rotating wall vessel suspension culture
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Johanson, Kelly; Allen, Patricia L.; Lewis, Fawn; Cubano, Luis A.; Hyman, Linda E.; Hammond, Timothy G.
This study utilizes Saccharomyces cerevisiae to study genetic responses to suspension culture. The suspension culture system used in this study is the high-aspect-ratio vessel, one type of the rotating wall vessel, that provides a high rate of gas exchange necessary for rapidly dividing cells. Cells were grown in the high-aspect-ratio vessel, and DNA microarray and metabolic analyses were used to determine the resulting changes in yeast gene expression. A significant number of genes were found to be up- or downregulated by at least twofold as a result of rotational growth. By using Gibbs promoter alignment, clusters of genes were examined for promoter elements mediating these genetic changes. Candidate binding motifs similar to the Rap1p binding site and the stress-responsive element were identified in the promoter regions of differentially regulated genes. This study shows that, as in higher order organisms, S. cerevisiae changes gene expression in response to rotational culture and also provides clues for investigations into the signaling pathways involved in gravitational response.
Platelets As Initiators and Mediators of Inflammation at the Vessel Wall
Shi, Guanfang; Morrell, Craig N.
Platelets are dynamic cells with activities that extend beyond thrombosis including an important role in initiating and sustaining vascular inflammation. A role for platelets has been described in many physiologic and pathophysiologic processes such as atherosclerosis, stem cell trafficking, tumor metastasis, and arthritis. Platelet activation at sites of an intact inflamed endothelium contributes to vascular inflammation and vascular wall remodeling. Platelets secrete a wide array of preformed and synthesized inflammatory mediators upon activation that can exert significant local and systemic effects. This review will focus on the role of platelet derived mediators in vascular inflammation and vascular wall remodeling. PMID:21094986
Estimation of the viscoelastic properties of vessel walls using a computational model and Doppler ultrasound
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Balocco, Simone; Basset, Olivier; Courbebaisse, Guy; Boni, Enrico; Frangi, Alejandro F.; Tortoli, Piero; Cachard, Christian
Human arteries affected by atherosclerosis are characterized by altered wall viscoelastic properties. The possibility of noninvasively assessing arterial viscoelasticity in vivo would significantly contribute to the early diagnosis and prevention of this disease. This paper presents a noniterative technique to estimate the viscoelastic parameters of a vascular wall Zener model. The approach requires the simultaneous measurement of flow variations and wall displacements, which can be provided by suitable ultrasound Doppler instruments. Viscoelastic parameters are estimated by fitting the theoretical constitutive equations to the experimental measurements using an ARMA parameter approach. The accuracy and sensitivity of the proposed method are tested using reference data generated by numerical simulations of arterial pulsation in which the physiological conditions and the viscoelastic parameters of the model can be suitably varied. The estimated values quantitatively agree with the reference values, showing that the only parameter affected by changing the physiological conditions is viscosity, whose relative error was about 27% even when a poor signal-to-noise ratio is simulated. Finally, the feasibility of the method is illustrated through three measurements made at different flow regimes on a cylindrical vessel phantom, yielding a parameter mean estimation error of 25%.
Estimation of the viscoelastic properties of vessel walls using a computational model and Doppler ultrasound.
Balocco, Simone; Basset, Olivier; Courbebaisse, Guy; Boni, Enrico; Frangi, Alejandro F; Tortoli, Piero; Cachard, Christian
Human arteries affected by atherosclerosis are characterized by altered wall viscoelastic properties. The possibility of noninvasively assessing arterial viscoelasticity in vivo would significantly contribute to the early diagnosis and prevention of this disease. This paper presents a noniterative technique to estimate the viscoelastic parameters of a vascular wall Zener model. The approach requires the simultaneous measurement of flow variations and wall displacements, which can be provided by suitable ultrasound Doppler instruments. Viscoelastic parameters are estimated by fitting the theoretical constitutive equations to the experimental measurements using an ARMA parameter approach. The accuracy and sensitivity of the proposed method are tested using reference data generated by numerical simulations of arterial pulsation in which the physiological conditions and the viscoelastic parameters of the model can be suitably varied. The estimated values quantitatively agree with the reference values, showing that the only parameter affected by changing the physiological conditions is viscosity, whose relative error was about 27% even when a poor signal-to-noise ratio is simulated. Finally, the feasibility of the method is illustrated through three measurements made at different flow regimes on a cylindrical vessel phantom, yielding a parameter mean estimation error of 25%.
Domain walls and ferroelectric reversal in corundum derivatives
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ye, Meng; Vanderbilt, David
Domain walls are the topological defects that mediate polarization reversal in ferroelectrics, and they may exhibit quite different geometric and electronic structures compared to the bulk. Therefore, a detailed atomic-scale understanding of the static and dynamic properties of domain walls is of pressing interest. In this work, we use first-principles methods to study the structures of 180∘ domain walls, both in their relaxed state and along the ferroelectric reversal pathway, in ferroelectrics belonging to the family of corundum derivatives. Our calculations predict their orientation, formation energy, and migration energy and also identify important couplings between polarization, magnetization, and chirality at the domain walls. Finally, we point out a strong empirical correlation between the height of the domain-wall-mediated polarization reversal barrier and the local bonding environment of the mobile A cations as measured by bond-valence sums. Our results thus provide both theoretical and empirical guidance for future searches for ferroelectric candidates in materials of the corundum derivative family.
Analysis of HRCT-derived xylem network reveals reverse flow in some vessels
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Flow in xylem vessels is modeled based on constructions of three dimensional xylem networks derived from High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) images of grapevine (Vitis vinifera) stems. Flow in 6-14% of the vessels was found to be oriented in the opposite direction to the bulk flow under norma...
Mechanisms of ATP release and signalling in the blood vessel wall
Lohman, Alexander W.; Billaud, Marie; Isakson, Brant E.
The nucleotide adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) has classically been considered the cell's primary energy currency. Importantly, a novel role for ATP as an extracellular autocrine and/or paracrine signalling molecule has evolved over the past century and extensive work has been conducted to characterize the ATP-sensitive purinergic receptors expressed on almost all cell types in the body. Extracellular ATP elicits potent effects on vascular cells to regulate blood vessel tone but can also be involved in vascular pathologies such as atherosclerosis. While the effects of purinergic signalling in the vasculature have been well documented, the mechanism(s) mediating the regulated release of ATP from cells in the blood vessel wall and circulation are now a key target of investigation. The aim of this review is to examine the current proposed mechanisms of ATP release from vascular cells, with a special emphasis on the transporters and channels involved in ATP release from vascular smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells, circulating red blood cells, and perivascular sympathetic nerves, including vesicular exocytosis, plasma membrane F1/F0-ATP synthase, ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, connexin hemichannels, and pannexin channels. PMID:22678409
Retinal vessel extraction by matched filter with first-order derivative of Gaussian.
Zhang, Bob; Zhang, Lin; Zhang, Lei; Karray, Fakhri
Accurate extraction of retinal blood vessels is an important task in computer aided diagnosis of retinopathy. The matched filter (MF) is a simple yet effective method for vessel extraction. However, a MF will respond not only to vessels but also to non-vessel edges. This will lead to frequent false vessel detection. In this paper we propose a novel extension of the MF approach, namely the MF-FDOG, to detect retinal blood vessels. The proposed MF-FDOG is composed of the original MF, which is a zero-mean Gaussian function, and the first-order derivative of Gaussian (FDOG). The vessels are detected by thresholding the retinal image's response to the MF, while the threshold is adjusted by the image's response to the FDOG. The proposed MF-FDOG method is very simple; however, it reduces significantly the false detections produced by the original MF and detects many fine vessels that are missed by the MF. It achieves competitive vessel detection results as compared with those state-of-the-art schemes but with much lower complexity. In addition, it performs well at extracting vessels from pathological retinal images.
Fracture resistance of welded thick-walled high-pressure vessels in power plants. Report No. 1. Statistical analysis of defects and fracture resistance of vessel materials
Gorynin, I.V.; Filatov, V.M.; Ignatov, V.A.; Timofeev, B.T.; Zvezdin, Yu. I.
Data from plant radiographic inspection of reactor vessels and boilers in power plants of 440- and 1000-MW capacity were subjected to statistical analysis. It was found that, given the current technology for making and constructing 440- and 1000-MW power plants, the limiting defect size in the vessels of the plants is no more than 10% of the wall thickness according to the results of statistical analysis. This finding makes it possible to increase the tolerable stresses by a factor of 1.6 compared to the current estimate of resistance to brittle fracture, which presumes the presence of a semielliptical surface crack of a depth corresponding to 25% of the wall thickness. The fracture resistance of steel increase with a decrease in defect size and as a result of the damping capacity of the anticorrosive hardfacing applied.
Rupture Properties of Blood Vessel Walls Measured by Pressure-Imposed Test
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ohashi, Toshiro; Sugita, Syukei; Matsumoto, Takeo; Kumagai, Kiichiro; Akimoto, Hiroji; Tabayashi, Koichi; Sato, Masaaki
It is expected to be clinically useful to know the mechanical properties of human aortic aneurysms in assessing the potential for aneurysm rupture. For this purpose, a newly designed experimental setup was fabricated to measure the rupture properties of blood vessel walls. A square specimen of porcine thoracic aortas is inflated by air pressure at a rate of 10mmHg/s (≈1.3MPa/s) until rupture occurs. Mean breaking stress was 1.8±0.4 MPa (mean±SD) for the specimens proximal to the heart and 2.3±0.8MPa for the distal specimens, which are not significantly different to those values obtained longitudinally from conventional tensile tests. Moreover, the local breaking stretch ratio in the longitudinal direction was significantly higher at the ruptured site (2.7±0.5) than at the unruptured site (2.2±0.4). This testing system for studying the rupture properties of aortic walls is expected to be applicable to aortic aneurysms. Experimental verification of the present technique for the homogeneous, isotropic material is also presented.
Identification of vessel wall degradation in ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms with OCT
Real, Eusebio; Val-Bernal, José Fernando; Revuelta, José M.; Pontón, Alejandro; Díez, Marta Calvo; Mayorga, Marta; López-Higuera, José M.; Conde, Olga M.
Degradation of the wall of human ascending thoracic aorta has been assessed through Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). OCT images of the media layer of the aortic wall exhibit micro-structure degradation in case of diseased aortas from aneurysmal vessels. The OCT indicator of degradation depends on the dimension of areas of the media layer where backscattered reflectivity becomes smaller due to a disorder on the morphology of elastin, collagen and smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Efficient pre-processing of the OCT images is required to accurately extract the dimension of degraded areas after an optimized thresholding procedure. OCT results have been validated against conventional histological analysis. The OCT qualitative assessment has achieved a pair sensitivity-specificity of 100%-91.6% in low-high degradation discrimination when a threshold of 4965.88µm2 is selected. This threshold suggests to have physiological meaning. The OCT quantitative evaluation of degradation achieves a correlation of 0.736 between the OCT indicator and the histological score. This in-vitro study can be transferred to the clinical scenario to provide an intraoperative assessment tool to guide cardiovascular surgeons in open repair interventions. PMID:25426332
Endothelial Expression of Guidance Cues in Vessel Wall Homeostasis: Dysregulation under pro-atherosclerotic conditions
van Gils, Janine M.; Ramkhelawon, Bhama; Fernandes, Luciana; Stewart, Merran C.; Guo, Liang; Seibert, Tara; Menezes, Gustavo B.; Cara, Denise C.; Chow, Camille; Kinane, T. Bernard; Fisher, Edward A.; Balcells, Mercedes; Alvarez-Leite, Jacqueline; Moore, Kathryn J.
Objective Emerging evidence suggests that neuronal guidance cues, typically expressed during development, are involved in both physiological and pathological immune responses. We hypothesized that endothelial expression of such guidance cues may regulate leukocyte trafficking into the vascular wall during atherogenesis. Approach/Results We demonstrate that members of the Netrin, Semaphorin and Ephrin family of guidance molecules are differentially regulated under conditions that promote or protect from atherosclerosis. Netrin-1 and Semaphorin3A are expressed by coronary artery endothelial cells and potently inhibit chemokine-directed migration of human monocytes. Endothelial expression of these negative guidance cues is down-regulated by pro-atherogenic factors, including oscillatory shear stress and pro-inflammatory cytokines associated with monocyte entry into the vessel wall. Furthermore, we show using intravital microscopy that inhibition of Netrin-1 or Semaphorin3A using blocking peptides increases leukocyte adhesion to the endothelium. Unlike Netrin-1 and Semaphorin3A, the guidance cue EphrinB2 is up-regulated under pro-atherosclerotic flow conditions and functions as a chemoattractant, increasing leukocyte migration in the absence of additional chemokines. Conclusions The concurrent regulation of negative and positive guidance cues may facilitate leukocyte infiltration of the endothelium through a balance between chemoattraction and chemorepulsion. These data indicate a previously unappreciated role for axonal guidance cues in maintaining the endothelial barrier and regulating leukocyte trafficking during atherogenesis. PMID:23430612
Combined coronary lumen and vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging with i-T2prep: influence of nitroglycerin.
Hussain, Tarique; Henningsson, Markus; Butzbach, Britta; Lossnitzer, Dirk; Greil, Gerald F; Andia, Marcelo E; Botnar, Rene M
It has been shown that sublingual nitroglycerin (NTG) improves image quality of coronary lumen magnetic resonance angiography. Our aim was to investigate the influence of NTG on coronary lumen and vessel wall image quality using a combined, single sequence approach (i-T2prep), which is able to image both within the known time frame of action of NTG. Ten healthy volunteers underwent right coronary artery lumen and vessel wall imaging using the i-T2prep sequence before and after administration of NTG. Image quality was assessed qualitatively and quantitatively. Diameter, length and wall thickness were also measured using dedicated semi-automatic software. NTG induced coronary vasodilatation (lumen diameter increased from 2.16 ± 0.32 to 2.52 ± 0.59 mm; p = 0.036). As a result, visualized lumen length (9.8 ± 2.6 to 11.4 ± 3.3 cm; p = 0.025) and qualitative lumen image quality (median 3 (interquartile range 2-3.25) vs. median 3 (interquartile range 3-4); p = 0.046) both improved. Vessel wall imaging also demonstrated a significant improvement in vessel wall sharpness after NTG (24.8 vs. 27.3 %; p = 0.036). This study demonstrates the benefits of NTG for coronary lumen and vessel wall imaging using a combined sequence, i-T2prep. The methodology described here has great potential for future pathophysiological studies.
Preservation of quadrature Doppler signals from bidirectional slow blood flow close to the vessel wall using an adaptive decomposition algorithm.
Zhang, Yufeng; Shi, Xinling; Zhang, Kexin; Chen, Jianhua
A novel approach based on the phasing-filter (PF) technique and the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) algorithm is proposed to preserve quadrature Doppler signal components from bidirectional slow blood flow close to the vessel wall. Bidirectional mixed Doppler ultrasound signals, which were echoed from the forward and reverse moving blood and vessel wall, were initially separated to avoid the phase distortion of quadrature Doppler signals (which is induced from direct decomposition by the nonlinear EMD processing). Separated unidirectional mixed Doppler signals were decomposed into intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) using the EMD algorithm and the relevant IMFs that contribute to blood flow components were identified and summed to give the blood flow signals, whereby only the components from the bidirectional slow blood flow close to the vessel wall were retained independently. The complex quadrature Doppler blood flow signal was reconstructed from a combination of the extracted unidirectional Doppler blood flow signals. The proposed approach was applied to simulated and clinical Doppler signals. It is concluded from the experimental results that this approach is practical for the preservation of quadrature Doppler signal components from the bidirectional slow blood flow close to the vessel wall, and may provide more diagnostic information for the diagnosis and treatment of vascular diseases.
Ethacrynic acid rapidly and selectively abolishes blood flow in vessels supplying the lateral wall of the cochlea.
Ding, Dalian; McFadden, Sandra L; Woo, Jenifer M; Salvi, Richard J
The mechanisms underlying the ototoxicity of ethacrynic acid (EA) are not fully understood. Previous studies have focused on morphologic and enzymatic changes in the stria vascularis. The current experiment shows that one of the earliest effects of EA is ischemia, resulting from impaired blood flow in vessels supplying the lateral wall of the cochlea. Inner ear microcirculation, endocochlear potentials, compound action potentials (CAP), cochlear microphonics (CM) and summating potentials (SP) were monitored over time in chinchillas following a single injection of EA (40 mg/kg i.v.). At all times after EA injection, blood vessels supplying the spiral lamina, modiolus, and vestibular end organs appeared normal. In contrast, lateral wall (spiral ligament and stria vascularis) vessels were poorly stained with eosin 2 min after EA injection, and devoid of red blood cells at 30 min post EA. Decline, but not recovery, of CAP, CM and SP followed the microcirculation changes in the lateral wall. Reperfusion was delayed in stria vascularis arterioles relative to other lateral wall vessels. The ischemia-reperfusion caused by EA would be expected to generate large quantities of free radicals, which may trigger or contribute to the cellular, enzymatic, and functional pathologies that have been described in detail previously.
Analysis of HRCT-derived xylem network reveals reverse flow in some vessels.
Lee, Eric F; Matthews, Mark A; McElrone, Andrew J; Phillips, Ronald J; Shackel, Kenneth A; Brodersen, Craig R
Long distance water and nutrient transport in plants is dependent on the proper functioning of xylem networks, a series of interconnected pipe-like cells that are vulnerable to hydraulic dysfunction as a result of drought-induced embolism and/or xylem-dwelling pathogens. Here, flow in xylem vessels was modeled to determine the role of vessel connectivity by using three dimensional xylem networks derived from High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) images of grapevine (Vitis vinifera cv. 'Chardonnay') stems. Flow in 4-27% of the vessel segments (i.e. any section of vessel elements between connection points associated with intervessel pits) was found to be oriented in the direction opposite to the bulk flow under normal transpiration conditions. In order for the flow in a segment to be in the reverse direction, specific requirements were determined for the location of connections, distribution of vessel endings, diameters of the connected vessels, and the conductivity of the connections. Increasing connectivity and decreasing vessel length yielded increasing numbers of reverse flow segments until a maximum value was reached, after which more interconnected networks and smaller average vessel lengths yielded a decrease in the number of reverse flow segments. Xylem vessel relays also encouraged the formation of reverse flow segments. Based on the calculated flow rates in the xylem network, the downward spread of Xylella fastidiosa bacteria in grape stems was modeled, and reverse flow was shown to be an additional mechanism for the movement of bacteria to the trunk of grapevine.
Automated registration of multispectral MR vessel wall images of the carotid artery
Klooster, R. van 't; Staring, M.; Reiber, J. H. C.; Lelieveldt, B. P. F.; Geest, R. J. van der; Klein, S.; Kwee, R. M.; Kooi, M. E.
Purpose: Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of heart disease and stroke. The detailed assessment of atherosclerosis of the carotid artery requires high resolution imaging of the vessel wall using multiple MR sequences with different contrast weightings. These images allow manual or automated classification of plaque components inside the vessel wall. Automated classification requires all sequences to be in alignment, which is hampered by patient motion. In clinical practice, correction of this motion is performed manually. Previous studies applied automated image registration to correct for motion using only nondeformable transformation models and did not perform a detailed quantitative validation. The purpose of this study is to develop an automated accurate 3D registration method, and to extensively validate this method on a large set of patient data. In addition, the authors quantified patient motion during scanning to investigate the need for correction. Methods: MR imaging studies (1.5T, dedicated carotid surface coil, Philips) from 55 TIA/stroke patients with ipsilateral <70% carotid artery stenosis were randomly selected from a larger cohort. Five MR pulse sequences were acquired around the carotid bifurcation, each containing nine transverse slices: T1-weighted turbo field echo, time of flight, T2-weighted turbo spin-echo, and pre- and postcontrast T1-weighted turbo spin-echo images (T1W TSE). The images were manually segmented by delineating the lumen contour in each vessel wall sequence and were manually aligned by applying throughplane and inplane translations to the images. To find the optimal automatic image registration method, different masks, choice of the fixed image, different types of the mutual information image similarity metric, and transformation models including 3D deformable transformation models, were evaluated. Evaluation of the automatic registration results was performed by comparing the lumen segmentations of the fixed image and
On-site implementation of characterization and sizing techniques for outer-wall defects in reactor pressure vessels
Lasserre, F.; Chapuis, N.
Pressurized reactor vessels in France have been examined from the inside with ultrasonic focused transducers since the very first inspection. The developments carried out to solve the problem of oversizing in the case of defects located near the outer surface in the welds or in the wall thickness and presented in the framework of the 10th and 11th conference of NDE in the nuclear and pressure vessels industries, now have applications through SPARTACUS software work. Indications detected during, the systematic inspection of welds and shells, corresponding to outer wall defects, trigger a digital acquisition of data, the scanning being limited to the area of interest. This acquisition is now followed by analysis through the new system CIVAMIS, which includes the main imaging tools of SPARTACUS, but which has been specifically developed to be implemented on site, for outer wall defects. Characteristics of CIVAMIS in relation with the initial structure of SPARTACUS are discussed on actual results.
Bobbin-Tool Friction-Stir Welding of Thick-Walled Aluminum Alloy Pressure Vessels
Dalder, E C; Pastrnak, J W; Engel, J; Forrest, R S; Kokko, E; Ternan, K M; Waldron, D
It was desired to assemble thick-walled Al alloy 2219 pressure vessels by bobbin-tool friction-stir welding. To develop the welding-process, mechanical-property, and fitness-for-service information to support this effort, extensive friction-stir welding-parameter studies were conducted on 2.5 cm. and 3.8 cm. thick 2219 Al alloy plate. Starting conditions of the plate were the fully-heat-treated (-T62) and in the annealed (-O) conditions. The former condition was chosen with the intent of using the welds in either the 'as welded' condition or after a simple low-temperature aging treatment. Since preliminary stress-analyses showed that stresses in and near the welds would probably exceed the yield-strength of both 'as welded' and welded and aged weld-joints, a post-weld solution-treatment, quenching, and aging treatment was also examined. Once a suitable set of welding and post-weld heat-treatment parameters was established, the project divided into two parts. The first part concentrated on developing the necessary process information to be able to make defect-free friction-stir welds in 3.8 cm. thick Al alloy 2219 in the form of circumferential welds that would join two hemispherical forgings with a 102 cm. inside diameter. This necessitated going to a bobbin-tool welding-technique to simplify the tooling needed to react the large forces generated in friction-stir welding. The bobbin-tool technique was demonstrated on both flat-plates and plates that were bent to the curvature of the actual vessel. An additional issue was termination of the weld, i.e. closing out the hole left at the end of the weld by withdrawal of the friction-stir welding tool. This was accomplished by friction-plug welding a slightly-oversized Al alloy 2219 plug into the termination-hole, followed by machining the plug flush with both the inside and outside surfaces of the vessel. The second part of the project involved demonstrating that the welds were fit for the intended service. This
Rotating wall vessel exposure alters protein secretion and global gene expression in Staphylococcus aureus
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Rosado, Helena; O'Neill, Alex J.; Blake, Katy L.; Walther, Meik; Long, Paul F.; Hinds, Jason; Taylor, Peter W.
Staphylococcus aureus is routinely recovered from air and surface samples taken aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and poses a health threat to crew. As bacteria respond to the low shear forces engendered by continuous rotation conditions in a Rotating Wall Vessel (RWV) and the reduced gravitational field of near-Earth flight by altering gene expression, we examined the effect of low-shear RWV growth on protein secretion and gene expression by three S. aureus isolates. When cultured under 1 g, the total amount of protein secreted by these strains varied up to fourfold; under continuous rotation conditions, protein secretion by all three strains was significantly reduced. Concentrations of individual proteins were differentially reduced and no evidence was found for increased lysis. These data suggest that growth under continuous rotation conditions reduces synthesis or secretion of proteins. A limited number of changes in gene expression under continuous rotation conditions were noted: in all isolates vraX, a gene encoding a polypeptide associated with cell wall stress, was down-regulated. A vraX deletion mutant of S. aureus SH1000 was constructed: no differences were found between SH1000 and ΔvraX with respect to colony phenotype, viability, protein export, antibiotic susceptibility, vancomycin kill kinetics, susceptibility to cold or heat and gene modulation. An ab initio protein-ligand docking simulation suggests a major binding site for β-lactam drugs such as imipenem. If such changes to the bacterial phenotype occur during spaceflight, they will compromise the capacity of staphylococci to cause systemic infection and to circumvent antibacterial chemotherapy.
Morphological Differentiation of Colon Carcinoma Cell Lines in Rotating Wall Vessels
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Jessup, J. M.
The objectives of this project were to determine whether (1) microgravity permits unique, three-dimensional cultures of neoplastic human colon tissues and (2) this culture interaction produces novel intestinal growth and differentiation factors. The initial phase of this project tested the efficacy of simulated microgravity for the cultivation and differentiation of human colon carcinoma in rotating wall vessels (RWV's) on microcarrier beads. The RWV's simulate microgravity by randomizing the gravity vector in an aqueous medium under a low shear stress environment in unit gravity. This simulation achieves approximately a one-fifth g environment that allows cells to 'float' and form three-dimensional relationships with less shear stress than in other stirred aqueous medium bioreactors. In the second phase of this project we assessed the ability of human colon carcinoma lines to adhere to various substrates because adhesion is the first event that must occur to create three-dimensional masses. Finally, we tested growth factor production in the last phase of this project.
Cell culture for three-dimensional modeling in rotating-wall vessels: an application of simulated microgravity
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Schwarz, R. P.; Goodwin, T. J.; Wolf, D. A.
High-density, three-dimensional cell cultures are difficult to grow in vitro. The rotating-wall vessel (RWV) described here has cultured BHK-21 cells to a density of 1.1 X 10(7) cells/ml. Cells on microcarriers were observed to grow with enhanced bridging in this batch culture system. The RWV is a horizontally rotated tissue culture vessel with silicon membrane oxygenation. This design results in a low-turbulence, low-shear cell culture environment with abundant oxygenation. The RWV has the potential to culture a wide variety of normal and neoplastic cells.
Numerical Simulation of Impact Damage Induced by Orbital Debris on Shielded Wall of Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Cherniaev, Aleksandr; Telichev, Igor
This paper presents a methodology for numerical simulation of the formation of the front wall damage in composite overwrapped pressure vessels under hypervelocity impact. Both SPH particles and Lagrangian finite elements were employed in combination for numerical simulations. Detailed numerical models implementing two filament winding patterns with different degree of interweaving were developed and used to simulate 2.5 km/s and 5.0 km/s impacts of 5 mm-diameter spherical aluminum-alloy projectile. Obtained results indicate that winding pattern may have a pronounced effect on vessel damage in case of orbital debris impact, influencing propagation of the stress waves in composite material.
Identifying new components participating in the secondary cell wall formation of vessel elements in zinnia and Arabidopsis.
Endo, Satoshi; Pesquet, Edouard; Yamaguchi, Masatoshi; Tashiro, Gen; Sato, Mayuko; Toyooka, Kiminori; Nishikubo, Nobuyuki; Udagawa-Motose, Makiko; Kubo, Minoru; Fukuda, Hiroo; Demura, Taku
Xylem vessel elements are hollow cellular units that assemble end-to-end to form a continuous vessel throughout the plant body; the xylem vessel is strengthened by the xylem elements' reinforced secondary cell walls (SCWs). This work aims to unravel the contribution of unknown actors in xylem vessel differentiation using the model in vitro cell culture system of Zinnia elegans differentiating cell cultures and the model in vivo system of Arabidopsis thaliana plants. Tracheary Element Differentiation-Related6 (TED6) and TED7 were selected based on an RNA interference (RNAi) screen in the Zinnia system. RNAi reduction of TED6 and 7 delayed tracheary element (TE) differentiation and co-overexpression of TED6 and 7 increased TE differentiation in cultured Zinnia cells. Arabidopsis TED6 and 7 were expressed preferentially in differentiating vessel elements in seedlings. Aberrant SCW formation of root vessel elements was induced by transient RNAi of At TED7 alone and enhanced by inhibition of both TED6 and 7. Protein-protein interactions were demonstrated between TED6 and a subunit of the SCW-related cellulose synthase complex. Our strategy has succeeded in finding two novel components in SCW formation and has opened the door for in-depth analysis of their molecular functions.
Identifying New Components Participating in the Secondary Cell Wall Formation of Vessel Elements in Zinnia and Arabidopsis[W
Endo, Satoshi; Pesquet, Edouard; Yamaguchi, Masatoshi; Tashiro, Gen; Sato, Mayuko; Toyooka, Kiminori; Nishikubo, Nobuyuki; Udagawa-Motose, Makiko; Kubo, Minoru; Fukuda, Hiroo; Demura, Taku
Xylem vessel elements are hollow cellular units that assemble end-to-end to form a continuous vessel throughout the plant body; the xylem vessel is strengthened by the xylem elements' reinforced secondary cell walls (SCWs). This work aims to unravel the contribution of unknown actors in xylem vessel differentiation using the model in vitro cell culture system of Zinnia elegans differentiating cell cultures and the model in vivo system of Arabidopsis thaliana plants. Tracheary Element Differentiation-Related6 (TED6) and TED7 were selected based on an RNA interference (RNAi) screen in the Zinnia system. RNAi reduction of TED6 and 7 delayed tracheary element (TE) differentiation and co-overexpression of TED6 and 7 increased TE differentiation in cultured Zinnia cells. Arabidopsis TED6 and 7 were expressed preferentially in differentiating vessel elements in seedlings. Aberrant SCW formation of root vessel elements was induced by transient RNAi of At TED7 alone and enhanced by inhibition of both TED6 and 7. Protein–protein interactions were demonstrated between TED6 and a subunit of the SCW-related cellulose synthase complex. Our strategy has succeeded in finding two novel components in SCW formation and has opened the door for in-depth analysis of their molecular functions. PMID:19383897
Semiautomatic vessel wall detection and quantification of wall thickness in computed tomography images of human abdominal aortic aneurysms
Shum, Judy; DiMartino, Elena S.; Goldhammer, Adam; Goldman, Daniel H.; Acker, Leah C.; Patel, Gopal; Ng, Julie H.; Martufi, Giampaolo; Finol, Ender A.
Purpose: Quantitative measurements of wall thickness in human abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) may lead to more accurate methods for the evaluation of their biomechanical environment. Methods: The authors describe an algorithm for estimating wall thickness in AAAs based on intensity histograms and neural networks involving segmentation of contrast enhanced abdominal computed tomography images. The algorithm was applied to ten ruptured and ten unruptured AAA image data sets. Two vascular surgeons manually segmented the lumen, inner wall, and outer wall of each data set and a reference standard was defined as the average of their segmentations. Reproducibility was determined by comparing the reference standard to lumen contours generated automatically by the algorithm and a commercially available software package. Repeatability was assessed by comparing the lumen, outer wall, and inner wall contours, as well as wall thickness, made by the two surgeons using the algorithm. Results: There was high correspondence between automatic and manual measurements for the lumen area (r=0.978 and r=0.996 for ruptured and unruptured aneurysms, respectively) and between vascular surgeons (r=0.987 and r=0.992 for ruptured and unruptured aneurysms, respectively). The authors' automatic algorithm showed better results when compared to the reference with an average lumen error of 3.69%, which is less than half the error between the commercially available application Simpleware and the reference (7.53%). Wall thickness measurements also showed good agreement between vascular surgeons with average coefficients of variation of 10.59% (ruptured aneurysms) and 13.02% (unruptured aneurysms). Ruptured aneurysms exhibit significantly thicker walls (1.78{+-}0.39 mm) than unruptured ones (1.48{+-}0.22 mm), p=0.044. Conclusions: While further refinement is needed to fully automate the outer wall segmentation algorithm, these preliminary results demonstrate the method's adequate reproducibility
Three-dimensional T2-weighted MRI of the Human Femoral Arterial Vessel Wall at 3.0Tesla
Zhang, Zhuoli; Fan, Zhaoyang; Carroll, Timothy J.; Chung, YiuCho; Weale, Peter; Jerecic, Renate; Li, Debiao
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the potential use of a novel 3D turbo spin-echo (TSE) T2-weighted (T2w) technique for assessing the vessel wall in the superficial femoral artery at 3.0T. BACKGROUND Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used for the noninvasive assessment of atherosclerotic plaque burden in the peripheral circulation. While black-blood 2D TSE techniques have been used for femoral arterial wall imaging, these techniques require prolonged imaging time to cover a large field of view required to cover the leg. Recently, variable-flip-angle 3D TSE T2w (SPACE) has been introduced as a fast vessel wall imaging technique with submillimeter spatial resolution. A systematic investigation of the application of this technique to femoral arterial wall imaging has yet to be performed. METHODS Fifteen healthy volunteers and 3 patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) underwent 3D SPACE imaging of the superficial femoral artery at 3.0T, with the conventional 2D TSE T2w imaging as a reference. Muscle-lumen contrast to noise ratio (CNR) and wall/lumen volumes (WV, LV) were measured at the matched locations on the 3D and 2D image sets. Statistical comparison on a per-subject basis was conducted to determine the difference and agreement between 3D SPACE and the 2D TSE techniques. RESULTS The 3D SPACE data sets enabled vessel visualization from arbitrary orientation through multi-planar reformation (MPR) technique. Muscle-lumen CNR was significantly higher with 3D SPACE than with the 2D TSE (3.12 ± 0.84 vs. 2.17 ± 0.34, p < 0.01). This trend was confirmed when CNR efficiency (CNReff) values were further compared. A similar trend was observed in PAD patients (SPACE vs. 2D TSE T2w: CNR 2.35 ± 0.13 vs. 1.77 ± 0.25; CNReff 15.35 ± 0.61 vs. 3.59 ± 2.62. all p < 0.05). Measurements of WV and LV from the 3D and 2D techniques were highly correlated in volunteers and PAD patients (volunteers, WV: linear regression r2 = 0.98, LV: r2 = 0.98, p < 0.001 for both; patients, WV
Computerized flow and vessel wall analyses of coronary arteries for detection of non-calcified plaques in coronary CT angiography
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wei, Jun; Zhou, Chuan; Chan, Heang-Ping; Chughtai, Aamer; Agarwal, Prachi; Hadjiiski, Lubomir; Kazerooni, Ella
The buildup of non-calcified plaques (NCP) that are vulnerable to rupture in coronary arteries is a risk for myocardial infarction. We are developing a computer-aided detection (CADe) system to assist radiologists in detecting NCPs in cCTA. A major challenge of NCP detection is the large number of false positives (FPs) caused by the small sized coronary arteries, image noise and artifacts. In this study, our purpose is to design new image features to reduce FPs. A data set of 98 cCTA scans was retrospectively collected from patient files. We first used vessel wall analysis, in which topological features were extracted from vessel wall and fused with a support-vector machine, to identify the NCP candidates from the segmented coronary tree. Computerized flow dynamic (CFD) features that characterize the change in blood flow due to the presence of plaques and a vascular cross-sectional (VCS) feature that quantifies the presence of low attenuation region at the vessel wall were designed for FP reduction. Using a leave-one-out resampling method, a support vector machine classifier was trained to merge the features into a NCP likelihood score using the vessel wall features alone or in combination with the new CDF and VCS features. The performance of the new features in classification of true NCPs and FPs was evaluated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC). Without the new CFD and VCS features, the test AUC was 0.84+/-0.01. The AUC was improved to 0.88+/-0.01 with the addition of the new features. The improvement was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The study indicated that the new flow dynamic and vascular cross-sectional features were useful for differentiation of NCPs from FPs in cCTA.
Lymphocyte trafficking and HIV infection of human lymphoid tissue in a rotating wall vessel bioreactor
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Margolis, L. B.; Fitzgerald, W.; Glushakova, S.; Hatfill, S.; Amichay, N.; Baibakov, B.; Zimmerberg, J.
The pathogenesis of HIV infection involves a complex interplay between both the infected and noninfected cells of human lymphoid tissue, the release of free viral particles, the de novo infection of cells, and the recirculatory trafficking of peripheral blood lymphocytes. To develop an in vitro model for studying these various aspects of HIV pathogenesis we have utilized blocks of surgically excised human tonsils and a rotating wall vessel (RWV) cell culture system. Here we show that (1) fragments of the surgically excised human lymphoid tissue remain viable and retain their gross cytoarchitecture for at least 3 weeks when cultured in the RWV system; (2) such lymphoid tissue gradually shows a loss of both T and B cells to the surrounding growth medium; however, this cellular migration is reversible as demonstrated by repopulation of the tissue by labeled cells from the growth medium; (3) this cellular migration may be partially or completely inhibited by embedding the blocks of lymphoid tissue in either a collagen or agarose gel matrix; these embedded tissue blocks retain most of the basic elements of a normal lymphoid cytoarchitecture; and (4) both embedded and nonembedded RWV-cultured blocks of human lymphoid tissue are capable of productive infection by HIV-1 of at least three various strains of different tropism and phenotype, as shown by an increase in both p24 antigen levels and free virus in the culture medium, and by the demonstration of HIV-1 RNA-positive cells inside the tissue identified by in situ hybridization. It is therefore reasonable to suggest that gel-embedded and nonembedded blocks of human lymphoid tissue, cocultured with a suspension of tonsillar lymphocytes in an RWV culture system, constitute a useful model for simulating normal lymphocyte recirculatory traffic and provide a new tool for testing the various aspects of HIV pathogenesis.
PEG-albumin supraplasma expansion is due to increased vessel wall shear stress induced by blood viscosity shear thinning.
Sriram, Krishna; Tsai, Amy G; Cabrales, Pedro; Meng, Fantao; Acharya, Seetharama A; Tartakovsky, Daniel M; Intaglietta, Marcos
We studied the extreme hemodilution to a hematocrit of 11% induced by three plasma expanders: polyethylene glycol (PEG)-conjugated albumin (PEG-Alb), 6% 70-kDa dextran, and 6% 500-kDa dextran. The experimental component of our study relied on microelectrodes and cardiac output to measure both the rheological properties of plasma-expander blood mixtures and nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability in vessel walls. The modeling component consisted of an analysis of the distribution of wall shear stress (WSS) in the microvessels. Our experiments demonstrated that plasma expansion with PEG-Alb caused a state of supraperfusion with cardiac output 40% above baseline, significantly increased NO vessel wall bioavailability, and lowered peripheral vascular resistance. We attributed this behavior to the shear thinning nature of blood and PEG-Alb mixtures. To substantiate this hypothesis, we developed a mathematical model of non-Newtonian blood flow in a vessel. Our model used the Quemada rheological constitutive relationship to express blood viscosity in terms of both hematocrit and shear rate. The model revealed that the net effect of the hemodilution induced by relatively low-viscosity shear thinning PEG-Alb plasma expanders is to reduce overall blood viscosity and to increase the WSS, thus intensifying endothelial NO production. These changes act synergistically, significantly increasing cardiac output and perfusion due to lowered overall peripheral vascular resistance.
Radiation Protection Using Single-Wall Carbon Nanotube Derivatives
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Tour, James M.; Lu, Meng; Lucente-Schultz, Rebecca; Leonard, Ashley; Doyle, Condell Dewayne; Kosynkin, Dimitry V.; Price, Brandi Katherine
This invention is a means of radiation protection, or cellular oxidative stress mitigation, via a sequence of quenching radical species using nano-engineered scaffolds, specifically single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and their derivatives. The material can be used as a means of radiation protection by reducing the number of free radicals within, or nearby, organelles, cells, tissue, organs, or living organisms, thereby reducing the risk of damage to DNA and other cellular components (i.e., RNA, mitochondria, membranes, etc.) that can lead to chronic and/or acute pathologies, including but not limited to cancer, cardiovascular disease, immuno-suppression, and disorders of the central nervous system. In addition, this innovation could be used as a prophylactic or antidote for accidental radiation exposure, during high-altitude or space travel where exposure to radiation is anticipated, or to protect from exposure from deliberate terrorist or wartime use of radiation- containing weapons.
Protective interior wall and attaching means for a fusion reactor vacuum vessel
Phelps, R.D.; Upham, G.A.; Anderson, P.M.
The wall basically consists of an array of small rectangular plates attached to the existing walls with threaded fasteners. The protective wall effectively conceals and protects all mounting hardware beneath the plate array, while providing a substantial surface area that will absorb plasma energy.
Effects of simulated weightlessness on fish otolith growth: Clinostat versus Rotating-Wall Vessel
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Brungs, Sonja; Hauslage, Jens; Hilbig, Reinhard; Hemmersbach, Ruth; Anken, Ralf
Stimulus dependence is a general feature of developing sensory systems. It has been shown earlier that the growth of inner ear heavy stones (otoliths) of late-stage Cichlid fish ( Oreochromis mossambicus) and Zebrafish ( Danio rerio) is slowed down by hypergravity, whereas microgravity during space flight yields an opposite effect, i.e. larger than 1 g otoliths, in Swordtail ( Xiphophorus helleri) and in Cichlid fish late-stage embryos. These and related studies proposed that otolith growth is actively adjusted via a feedback mechanism to produce a test mass of the appropriate physical capacity. Using ground-based techniques to apply simulated weightlessness, long-term clinorotation (CR; exposure on a fast-rotating Clinostat with one axis of rotation) led to larger than 1 g otoliths in late-stage Cichlid fish. Larger than normal otoliths were also found in early-staged Zebrafish embryos after short-term Wall Vessel Rotation (WVR; also regarded as a method to simulate weightlessness). These results are basically in line with the results obtained on Swordtails from space flight. Thus, the growth of fish inner ear otoliths seems to be an appropriate parameter to assess the quality of "simulated weightlessness" provided by a particular simulation device. Since CR and WVR are in worldwide use to simulate weightlessness conditions on ground using small-sized specimens, we were prompted to directly compare the effects of CR and WVR on otolith growth using developing Cichlids as model organism. Animals were simultaneously subjected to CR and WVR from a point of time when otolith primordia had begun to calcify both within the utricle (gravity perception) and the saccule (hearing); the respective otoliths are the lapilli and the sagittae. Three such runs were subsequently carried out, using three different batches of fish. The runs were discontinued when the animals began to hatch. In the course of all three runs performed, CR led to larger than normal lapilli, whereas WVR
Immobilized contrast-enhanced MRI: Gadolinium-based long-term MR contrast enhancement of the vein graft vessel wall.
Mitsouras, Dimitris; Vemula, Praveen Kumar; Yu, Peng; Tao, Ming; Nguyen, Binh T; Campagna, Christina M; Karp, Jeffrey M; Mulkern, Robert V; Ozaki, C Keith; Rybicki, Frank J
An implantable MR contrast agent that can be covalently immobilized on tissue during surgery has been developed. The rationale is that a durable increase in tissue contrast using an implantable contrast agent can enhance postsurgical tissue differentiation using MRI. For small-vessel (e.g., vein graft) MRI, the direct benefit of such permanent "labeling" of the vessel wall by modification of its relaxation properties is to achieve more efficient imaging. This efficiency can be realized as either increased contrast leading to more accurate delineation of vessel wall and lesion tissue boundaries, or, faster imaging without penalizing contrast-to-noise ratio, or a combination thereof. We demonstrate, for the first time, stable long-term MRI enhancement using such an exogenous contrast mechanism based on immobilizing a modified diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid gadolinium(3+) dihydrogen complex on a human vein using a covalent amide bond. Signal enhancement due to the covalently immobilized contrast agent is demonstrated for excised human vein specimens imaged at 3 T, and its long-term stability is demonstrated during a 4-month incubation period.
Nonlinear response of vessel walls due to short-time thermomechanical loading
Pfeiffer, P.A.; Kulak, R.F.
Maintaining structural integrity of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) during a postulated core melt accident is an important safety consideration in the design of the vessel. This study addresses the failure predictions of the vessel due to thermal and pressure loadings fro the molten core debris depositing on the lower head of the vessel. Different loading combinations were considered based on the dead load, yield stress assumptions, material response and internal pressurization. The analyses considered only short term failure (quasi static) modes, long term failure modes were not considered. Short term failure modes include plastic instabilities of the structure and failure due to exceeding the failure strain. Long term failure odes would be caused by creep rupture that leads to plastic instability of the structure. Due to the sort time durations analyzed, creep was not considered in the analyses presented.
Proof test criteria for thin-walled 2219 aluminum pressure vessels. Volume 1: Program summary and data analysis
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Finger, R. W.
This experimental program was undertaken to investigate the crack growth behavior of deep surface flaws in 2219 aluminum. The program included tests of uniaxially loaded surface flaw and center crack panels at temperatures ranging from 20K (-423 F) to ambient. The tests were conducted on both the base metal and as-welded weld metal material. The program was designed to provide data on the mechanisms of failure by ligament penetration, and the residual cyclic life, after proof-testing, of a vessel which has been subjected to incipient penetration by the proof test. The results were compared and analyzed with previously developed data to develop guidelines for the proof testing of thin walled 2219 pressure vessels.
Image-based biomechanical modeling of aortic wall stress and vessel deformation: response to pulsatile arterial pressure simulations
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hazer, Dilana; Bauer, Miriam; Unterhinninghofen, Roland; Dillmann, Rüdiger; Richter, Götz-M.
Image-based modeling of cardiovascular biomechanics may be very helpful for patients with aortic aneurysms to predict the risk of rupture and evaluate the necessity of a surgical intervention. In order to generate a reliable support it is necessary to develop exact patient-specific models that simulate biomechanical parameters and provide individual structural analysis of the state of fatigue and characterize this to the potential of rupture of the aortic wall. The patient-specific geometry used here originates from a CT scan of an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA). The computations are based on the Finite Element Method (FEM) and simulate the wall stress distribution and the vessel deformation. The wall transient boundary conditions are based on real time-dependent pressure simulations obtained from a previous computational fluid dynamics study. The physiological wall material properties consider a nonlinear hyperelastic constitutive model, based on realistic ex-vivo analysis of the aneurismal arterial tissue. The results showed complex deformation and stress distribution on the AAA wall. The maximum stresses occurred at the systole and are found around the aneurismal bulge in regions close to inflection points. Biomechanical modeling based on medical images and coupled with patient-specific hemodynamics allows analysing and quantifying the effects of dilatation of the arterial wall due to the pulsatile aortic pressure. It provides a physical and realistic insight into the wall mechanics and enables predictive simulations of AAA growth and assessment of rupture. Further development integrating endovascular models would help evaluating non-invasively individual treatment strategies for optimal placement and improved device design.
Characterizaton of the Vessel Geometry, Flow Mechanics and Wall Shear Stress in the Great Arteries of Wildtype Prenatal Mouse
Yap, Choon Hwai; Liu, Xiaoqin; Pekkan, Kerem
Introduction Abnormal fluid mechanical environment in the pre-natal cardiovascular system is hypothesized to play a significant role in causing structural heart malformations. It is thus important to improve our understanding of the prenatal cardiovascular fluid mechanical environment at multiple developmental time-points and vascular morphologies. We present such a study on fetal great arteries on the wildtype mouse from embryonic day 14.5 (E14.5) to near-term (E18.5). Methods Ultrasound bio-microscopy (UBM) was used to measure blood velocity of the great arteries. Subsequently, specimens were cryo-embedded and sectioned using episcopic fluorescent image capture (EFIC) to obtain high-resolution 2D serial image stacks, which were used for 3D reconstructions and quantitative measurement of great artery and aortic arch dimensions. EFIC and UBM data were input into subject-specific computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for modeling hemodynamics. Results In normal mouse fetuses between E14.5–18.5, ultrasound imaging showed gradual but statistically significant increase in blood velocity in the aorta, pulmonary trunk (with the ductus arteriosus), and descending aorta. Measurement by EFIC imaging displayed a similar increase in cross sectional area of these vessels. However, CFD modeling showed great artery average wall shear stress and wall shear rate remain relatively constant with age and with vessel size, indicating that hemodynamic shear had a relative constancy over gestational period considered here. Conclusion Our EFIC-UBM-CFD method allowed reasonably detailed characterization of fetal mouse vascular geometry and fluid mechanics. Our results suggest that a homeostatic mechanism for restoring vascular wall shear magnitudes may exist during normal embryonic development. We speculate that this mechanism regulates the growth of the great vessels. PMID:24475188
Development of a sensitive experimental set-up for LIF fuel wall film measurements in a pressure vessel
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Schulz, Florian; Schmidt, Jürgen; Beyrau, Frank
This paper focusses on fundamental investigations of fuel wall films, which are formed when the spray impinges on the piston or cylinder walls. To reproduce the wide range of operating conditions within homogeneously charged gasoline direct-injection engines, it is necessary to use a film thickness measurement method, which can be applied inside a high-pressure, high-temperature vessel. Hence, we developed a method based on laser-induced fluorescence that reaches: a precision better than 1 µm, a geometric resolution of 31 µm and a practical applicability for wall film thicknesses smaller 80 µm. To obtain accurate film thickness results, we provide a detailed description of the selection of the surrogate fuel isooctane with 3-pentanone as fluorescence tracer and the resulting assembly of the excitation source, beam expander, filters, camera and the essential image processing. Furthermore, advantages and disadvantages of other possible solutions are discussed. Earlier publications provide only little information about the accuracy of their calibration and measurement procedures. Therefore, we tested and compared three basic calibration methods to each other and provide an analysis of possible errors, such as the influence of the preferential evaporation of 3-pentanone. Finally, images of resulting wall films are presented, and practical considerations for the execution of the measurements like recording timings are discussed.
Small Diameter Blood Vessels Bioengineered From Human Adipose-derived Stem Cells
Zhou, Renpeng; Zhu, Lei; Fu, Shibo; Qian, Yunliang; Wang, Danru; Wang, Chen
Bioengineering of small-diameter blood vessels offers a promising approach to reduce the morbidity associated with coronary artery and peripheral vascular disease. The aim of this study was to construct a two-layered small-diameter blood vessel using smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and endothelial cells (ECs) differentiated from human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs). The outer layer was constructed with biodegradable polycaprolactone (PCL)-gelatin mesh seeded with SMCs, and this complex was then rolled around a silicone tube under pulsatile stimulation. After incubation for 6 to 8 weeks, the PCL-gelatin degraded and the luminal supporting silicone tube was removed. The smooth muscle layer was subsequently lined with ECs differentiated from hASCs after stimulation with VEGF and BMP4 in combination hypoxia. The phenotype of differentiated SMCs and ECs, and the cytotoxicity of the scaffold and biomechanical assessment were analyzed. Our results demonstrated that the two-layered bioengineered vessels exhibited biomechanical properties similar to normal human saphenous veins (HSV). Therefore, hASCs provide SMCs and ECs for bioengineering of small-diameter blood vessels. PMID:27739487
Target tracking by distributed autonomous vessels using the derivative-free nonlinear Kalman filter
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Rigatos, Gerasimos; Siano, Pierluigi; Raffo, Guilerme
In this paper a distributed control problem for unmanned surface vessels (USVs) is formulated as follows: there are N USVs which pursue another vessel (moving target). At each time instant each USV can obtain measurements of the target's cartesian coordinates. The objective is to make the USVs converge in a synchronized manner towards the target, while avoiding collisions between them and avoiding collisions with obstacles in their motion plane. A distributed control law is developed for the USVs which enables not only convergence of the USVs to the goal position, but also makes possible to maintain the cohesion of the USVs fleet. Moreover, distributed filtering is performed, so as to obtain an estimate of the target vessel's state vector. This provides the desirable state vector to be tracked by each one of the USVs. To this end, a new distributed nonlinear filtering method of improved accuracy and computation speed is introduced. This filtering approach, under the name Derivative-free distributed nonlinear Kalman Filter is based on differential flatness theory and on an exact linearization of the target vessel's dynamic/kinematic model.
Robust Retinal Vessel Segmentation via Locally Adaptive Derivative Frames in Orientation Scores.
Zhang, Jiong; Dashtbozorg, Behdad; Bekkers, Erik; Pluim, Josien P W; Duits, Remco; Ter Haar Romeny, Bart M
This paper presents a robust and fully automatic filter-based approach for retinal vessel segmentation. We propose new filters based on 3D rotating frames in so-called orientation scores, which are functions on the Lie-group domain of positions and orientations [Formula: see text]. By means of a wavelet-type transform, a 2D image is lifted to a 3D orientation score, where elongated structures are disentangled into their corresponding orientation planes. In the lifted domain [Formula: see text], vessels are enhanced by means of multi-scale second-order Gaussian derivatives perpendicular to the line structures. More precisely, we use a left-invariant rotating derivative (LID) frame, and a locally adaptive derivative (LAD) frame. The LAD is adaptive to the local line structures and is found by eigensystem analysis of the left-invariant Hessian matrix (computed with the LID). After multi-scale filtering via the LID or LAD in the orientation score domain, the results are projected back to the 2D image plane giving us the enhanced vessels. Then a binary segmentation is obtained through thresholding. The proposed methods are validated on six retinal image datasets with different image types, on which competitive segmentation performances are achieved. In particular, the proposed algorithm of applying the LAD filter on orientation scores (LAD-OS) outperforms most of the state-of-the-art methods. The LAD-OS is capable of dealing with typically difficult cases like crossings, central arterial reflex, closely parallel and tiny vessels. The high computational speed of the proposed methods allows processing of large datasets in a screening setting.
Optical coherence tomography assessment of vessel wall degradation in thoracic aortic aneurysms
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Real, Eusebio; Eguizabal, Alma; Pontón, Alejandro; Díez, Marta Calvo; Fernando Val-Bernal, José; Mayorga, Marta; Revuelta, José M.; López-Higuera, José M.; Conde, Olga M.
Optical coherence tomography images of human thoracic aorta from aneurysms reveal elastin disorders and smooth muscle cell alterations when visualizing the media layer of the aortic wall. These disorders can be employed as indicators for wall degradation and, therefore, become a hallmark for diagnosis of risk of aneurysm under intraoperative conditions. Two approaches are followed to evaluate this risk: the analysis of the reflectivity decay along the penetration depth and the textural analysis of a two-dimensional spatial distribution of the aortic wall backscattering. Both techniques require preprocessing stages for the identification of the air-sample interface and for the segmentation of the media layer. Results show that the alterations in the media layer of the aortic wall are better highlighted when the textural approach is considered and also agree with a semiquantitative histopathological grading that assesses the degree of wall degradation. The correlation of the co-occurrence matrix attains a sensitivity of 0.906 and specificity of 0.864 when aneurysm automatic diagnosis is evaluated with a receiver operating characteristic curve.
1-Dimensional simulation of thermal annealing in a commercial nuclear power plant reactor pressure vessel wall section
Nakos, J.T.; Rosinski, S.T.; Acton, R.U.
The objective of this work was to provide experimental heat transfer boundary condition and reactor pressure vessel (RPV) section thermal response data that can be used to benchmark computer codes that simulate thermal annealing of RPVS. This specific protect was designed to provide the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) with experimental data that could be used to support the development of a thermal annealing model. A secondary benefit is to provide additional experimental data (e.g., thermal response of concrete reactor cavity wall) that could be of use in an annealing demonstration project. The setup comprised a heater assembly, a 1.2 in {times} 1.2 m {times} 17.1 cm thick [4 ft {times} 4 ft {times} 6.75 in] section of an RPV (A533B ferritic steel with stainless steel cladding), a mockup of the {open_quotes}mirror{close_quotes} insulation between the RPV and the concrete reactor cavity wall, and a 25.4 cm [10 in] thick concrete wall, 2.1 in {times} 2.1 in [10 ft {times} 10 ft] square. Experiments were performed at temperature heat-up/cooldown rates of 7, 14, and 28{degrees}C/hr [12.5, 25, and 50{degrees}F/hr] as measured on the heated face. A peak temperature of 454{degrees}C [850{degrees}F] was maintained on the heated face until the concrete wall temperature reached equilibrium. Results are most representative of those RPV locations where the heat transfer would be 1-dimensional. Temperature was measured at multiple locations on the heated and unheated faces of the RPV section and the concrete wall. Incident heat flux was measured on the heated face, and absorbed heat flux estimates were generated from temperature measurements and an inverse heat conduction code. Through-wall temperature differences, concrete wall temperature response, heat flux absorbed into the RPV surface and incident on the surface are presented. All of these data are useful to modelers developing codes to simulate RPV annealing.
NADPH oxidase-derived ROS and the regulation of pulmonary vessel tone
Frazziano, G.; Champion, H. C.
Pulmonary vessel constriction results from an imbalance between vasodilator and vasoconstrictor factors released by the endothelium including nitric oxide, endothelin, prostanoids, and reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS, generated by a variety of enzymatic sources (such as mitochondria and NADPH oxidases, a.k.a. Nox), appear to play a pivotal role in vascular homeostasis, whereas elevated levels effect vascular disease. The pulmonary circulation is very sensitive to changes in the partial pressure of oxygen and differs from the systemic circulation in its response to this change. In fact, the pulmonary vessels contract in response to low oxygen tension, whereas systemic vessels dilate. Growing evidence suggests that ROS production and ROS-related pathways may be key factors that underlie this differential response to oxygen tension. A major emphasis of our laboratory is the role of Nox isozymes in cardiovascular disease. In this review, we will focus our attention on the role of Nox-derived ROS in the control of pulmonary vascular tone. PMID:22427511
Erythroid cell growth and differentiation in vitro in the simulated microgravity environment of the NASA rotating wall vessel bioreactor
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Sytkowski, A. J.; Davis, K. L.
Prolonged exposure of humans and experimental animals to the altered gravitational conditions of space flight has adverse effects on the lymphoid and erythroid hematopoietic systems. Although some information is available regarding the cellular and molecular changes in lymphocytes exposed to microgravity, little is known about the erythroid cellular changes that may underlie the reduction in erythropoiesis and resultant anemia. We now report a reduction in erythroid growth and a profound inhibition of erythropoietin (Epo)-induced differentiation in a ground-based simulated microgravity model system. Rauscher murine erythroleukemia cells were grown either in tissue culture vessels at 1 x g or in the simulated microgravity environment of the NASA-designed rotating wall vessel (RWV) bioreactor. Logarithmic growth was observed under both conditions; however, the doubling time in simulated microgravity was only one-half of that seen at 1 x g. No difference in apoptosis was detected. Induction with Epo at the initiation of the culture resulted in differentiation of approximately 25% of the cells at 1 x g, consistent with our previous observations. In contrast, induction with Epo at the initiation of simulated microgravity resulted in only one-half of this degree of differentiation. Significantly, the growth of cells in simulated microgravity for 24 h prior to Epo induction inhibited the differentiation almost completely. The results suggest that the NASA RWV bioreactor may serve as a suitable ground-based microgravity simulator to model the cellular and molecular changes in erythroid cells observed in true microgravity.
Measurements of Escaping Fast Ions at the DIII-D Vessel Wall
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pickering, L. D.; Heidbrink, W. W.; Zhu, Y.
The loss of fast ions is detected by two pairs of thin foil Faraday collectors [1] that are installed just behind the graphite first wall in a vacuum port. Collimating apertures select fast ions that have energies >10 keV and that travel either with or against the plasma current. The strong correlation of beam-ion loss detector (BILD) signals with neutral beam modulation shows that, under appropriate conditions, prompt losses from nearly every beam source are detected. Orbit calculations indicate that the correlation occurs when injected neutrals are deposited at a location that "connects" with an orbit observed by the detector; as expected, these correlations depend strongly on plasma current. In addition to these classical effects, enhanced signals sometimes occur during ion cyclotron heating (presumably due to parametric decay instabilities) and during Alfvén activity (due to transport by the instabilities). 6pt[1] F.E. Cecil, et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 74, 1747 (2003).
Mechanisms of Nitrite Reduction to Nitric Oxide in the Heart and Vessel Wall
Zweier, Jay L.; Li, Haitao; Samouilov, Alexandre; Liu, Xiaoping
Nitric oxide (NO) is an important regulator of a variety of biological functions, and also has a role in the pathogenesis of cellular injury. It had been generally accepted that NO is solely generated in biological tissues by specific nitric oxide synthases (NOS) which metabolize arginine to citrulline with the formation of NO. However, over the last 15 years, nitrite-mediated NO production has been shown to be an important mechanism of NO formation in the heart and cardiovascular system. Now numerous studies have demonstrated that nitrite can be an important source rather than simply a product of NO in mammalian cells and tissues and can be a potential vasodilator drug for cardiovascular diseases. There are a variety of mechanisms of nitrite reduction to NO and it is now appreciated that this process, while enhanced under hypoxic conditions, also occurs under normoxia. Several methods, including electron paramagnetic resonance, chemiluminescence NO analyzer, and NO-electrode have been utilized to measure, quantitate, and image nitrite-mediated NO formation. Results reveal that nitrite-dependent NO generation plays critical physiological and pathological roles, and is controlled by oxygen tension, pH, reducing substrates and nitrite levels. In this manuscript, we review the mechanisms of nitrite–mediated NO formation and the effects of oxygen on this process with a focus on how this occurs in the heart and vessels. PMID:20044016
Development of automated welding process for field fabrication of thick walled pressure vessels. Fourth quarter technical progress report for period ending September 28, 1980
Not Available
Progress is reported in research aimed at optimizing an automated welding process for the field fabrication of thick-walled pressure vessels and for evaluating the welded joints. Information is included on the welding equipment, mechanical control of the process, joint design, filler wire optimization, in-process nondestructive testing of welds, and repair techniques. (LCL)
Viscous flow through slowly expanding or contracting porous walls with low seepage Reynolds number: a model for transport of biological fluids through vessels.
Dinarvand, Saeed
In this article, the problem of laminar, isothermal, incompressible and viscous flow in a rectangular domain bounded by two moving porous walls, which enable the fluid to enter or exit during successive expansions or contractions, is investigated. The governing non-linear equations and their associated boundary conditions are transformed into a highly non-linear ordinary differential equation. The series solution of the problem is obtained by utilising the homotopy perturbation method. Graphical results are presented to investigate the influence of the non-dimensional wall dilation rate and seepage Reynolds number (Re) on the velocity, normal pressure distribution and wall shear stress. Since the transport of biological fluids through contracting or expanding vessels is characterised by low seepage Res, the current study focuses on the viscous flow driven by small wall contractions and expansions of two weakly permeable walls.
Connected block and effective conductivity (CONBEC) computer program to predict heat flow through multicomponent refractory lined gasifier vessel walls. Users manual
Whitacre, G.R.; Grinberg, I.M.
CONBEC is a computer programmed model which determines the steady-state heat flow through multicomponent refractory-lined gasifier vessel walls. The model accounts for the effects of lining thickness, porosity, gaps, cracks, refractory composition, physical form, anchor spacing and configuration, gas pressure and composition, and other parameters on heat flow. CONBEC is based on a combination of the CONnected Block and Effective Conductivity techniques. The refractory wall is described as a series of blocks, each with its own effective thermal conductivity. The connected blocks are used to handle nonlinear temperature effects, material difference, and location effects. Parallel heat flow paths through the wall are used to provide for distinct material changes, gaps, conductivity changes, and hot-spot determination. The typical configuration has two parallel heat flow paths. Anchors can be treated as a separate heat flow path or can be left out. The blocks are cross-linked to account for lateral heat flow between the parallel paths. The model is extremely simple to use yet it provides considerable information regarding the importance of material, design, and operational parameters on heat flow in refractory vessel walls and on hot spots. It was developed to be used in the design of material systems for coal gasification vessels and has broad applicability to other refractory linings for furnaces or process vessels.The output results of CONBEC are in good agreement with experimental data obtained for several refractory material systems over a range of wall temperatures, gas compositions, wall thicknesses, crack and gap characteristics, and gas pressures.
Compliant model of a coupled sequential coronary arterial bypass graft: effects of vessel wall elasticity and non-Newtonian rheology on blood flow regime and hemodynamic parameters distribution.
Kabinejadian, Foad; Ghista, Dhanjoo N
We have recently developed a novel design for coronary arterial bypass surgical grafting, consisting of coupled sequential side-to-side and end-to-side anastomoses. This design has been shown to have beneficial blood flow patterns and wall shear stress distributions which may improve the patency of the CABG, as compared to the conventional end-to-side anastomosis. In our preliminary computational simulation of blood flow of this coupled sequential anastomoses design, the graft and the artery were adopted to be rigid vessels and the blood was assumed to be a Newtonian fluid. Therefore, the present study has been carried out in order to (i) investigate the effects of wall compliance and non-Newtonian rheology on the local flow field and hemodynamic parameters distribution, and (ii) verify the advantages of the CABG coupled sequential anastomoses design over the conventional end-to-side configuration in a more realistic bio-mechanical condition. For this purpose, a two-way fluid-structure interaction analysis has been carried out. A finite volume method is applied to solve the three-dimensional, time-dependent, laminar flow of the incompressible, non-Newtonian fluid; the vessel wall is modeled as a linearly elastic, geometrically non-linear shell structure. In an iteratively coupled approach the transient shell equations and the governing fluid equations are solved numerically. The simulation results indicate a diameter variation ratio of up to 4% and 5% in the graft and the coronary artery, respectively. The velocity patterns and qualitative distribution of wall shear stress parameters in the distensible model do not change significantly compared to the rigid-wall model, despite quite large side-wall deformations in the anastomotic regions. However, less flow separation and reversed flow is observed in the distensible models. The wall compliance reduces the time-averaged wall shear stress up to 32% (on the heel of the conventional end-to-side model) and somewhat
T2‐Weighted intracranial vessel wall imaging at 7 Tesla using a DANTE‐prepared variable flip angle turbo spin echo readout (DANTE‐SPACE)
Viessmann, Olivia; Li, Linqing; Benjamin, Philip
Purpose To optimize intracranial vessel wall imaging (VWI) at 7T for sharp wall depiction and high boundary contrast. Methods A variable flip angle turbo spin echo scheme (SPACE) was optimized for VWI. SPACE provides black‐blood contrast, but has less crushing effect on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). However, a delay alternating with nutation for tailored excitation (DANTE) preparation suppresses the signal from slowly moving spins of a few mm per second. Therefore, we optimized a DANTE‐preparation module for 7T. Signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR), and signal ratio for vessel wall, CSF, and lumen were calculated for SPACE and DANTE‐SPACE in 11 volunteers at the middle cerebral artery (MCA). An exemplar MCA stenosis patient was scanned with DANTE‐SPACE. Results The 7T‐optimized SPACE sequence improved the vessel wall point‐spread function by 17%. The CNR between the wall and CSF was doubled (12.2 versus 5.6) for the DANTE‐SPACE scans compared with the unprepared SPACE. This increase was significant in the right hemisphere (P = 0.016), but not in the left (P = 0.090). The CNR between wall and lumen was halved, but remained at a high value (24.9 versus 56.5). Conclusion The optimized SPACE sequence improves VWI at 7T. Additional DANTE preparation increases the contrast between the wall and CSF. Increased outer boundary contrast comes at the cost of reduced inner boundary contrast. Magn Reson Med 77:655–663, 2017. © 2016 The Authors Magnetic Resonance in Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. PMID:26890988
Morphologic differentiation of colon carcinoma cell lines HT-29 and HT-29KM in rotating-wall vessels
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Goodwin, T. J.; Jessup, J. M.; Wolf, D. A.
A new low shear stress microcarrier culture system has been developed at NASA's Johnson Space Center that permits three-dimensional tissue culture. Two established human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines, HT-29, an undifferentiated, and HT-29KM, a stable, moderately differentiated subline of HT-29, were grown in new tissue culture bioreactors called Rotating-Wall Vessels (RWVs). RWVs are used in conjunction with multicellular cocultivation to develop a unique in vitro tissue modeling system. Cells were cultivated on Cytodex-3 microcarrier beads, with and without mixed normal human colonic fibroblasts, which served as the mesenchymal layer. Culture of the tumor lines in the absence of fibroblasts produced spheroidlike growth and minimal differentiation. In contrast, when tumor lines were co-cultivated with normal colonic fibroblasts, initial growth was confined to the fibroblast population until the microcarriers were covered. The tumor cells then commenced proliferation at an accelerated rate, organizing themselves into three-dimensional tissue masses that achieved 1.0- to 1.5-cm diameters. The masses displayed glandular structures, apical and internal glandular microvilli, tight intercellular junctions, desmosomes, cellular polarity, sinusoid development, internalized mucin, and structural organization akin to normal colon crypt development. Differentiated samples were subjected to transmission and scanning electron microscopy and histologic analysis, revealing embryoniclike mesenchymal cells lining the areas around the growth matrices. Necrosis was minimal throughout the tissue masses. These data suggest that the RWV affords a new model for investigation and isolation of growth, regulatory, and structural processes within neoplastic and normal tissue.
The fluid dynamic and shear environment in the NASA/JSC rotating-wall perfused-vessel bioreactor
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Begley, C. M.; Kleis, S. J.
The rotating-wall perfused-vessel (RWPV) bioreactor, used for both microgravity and Earth-based cell science experiments, is characterized in terms of the fluid dynamic and fluid shear stress environment. A numerical model of the flow field is developed and verified with laser Doppler velocimeter measurements. The effects of changes in operating conditions, including rotation rates and fluid perfusion rates, are investigated with the numerical model. The operating conditions typically used for ground-based experiments (equal rotation of the inner and outer cylinders) leads to flow patterns with relatively poor mass distribution characteristics. Approximately 50% of the inlet-perfused fluid bypasses the bulk of the fluid volume and flows to the perfusion exit. For operating conditions typical in microgravity, small differential rotation rates between the inner and outer cylinders lead to greatly improved flow distribution patterns and very low fluid shear stress levels over a large percentage of the fluid volume. Differences in flow patterns for the different operating conditions are explored. Large differences in the hydrodynamic environments for operating conditions typical of true microgravity and ground-based "microgravity simulations" are demonstrated.
Vascular tissue-specific gene expression of xylem sap glycine-rich proteins in root and their localization in the walls of metaxylem vessels in cucumber.
Sakuta, C; Satoh, S
Root-specific cDNAs of glycine-rich protein (cucumber root glycine rich protein-1 and -2; CRGRP-1 and CRGRP-2) were cloned previously by use of an antiserum raised against whole xylem sap of Cucumis sativus. The accumulation of the corresponding mRNA at high levels was detected in the root-hair zone of cucumber tap root [Sakuta et al. (1998) Plant Cell Physiol. 39: 1330]. The RNA gel blot analysis with the CRGRP-1- and -2-specific probes revealed that the CRGRP genes expressed only in root but not at all in aboveground organs. When the localization of these mRNAs were examined by in situ hybridization, CRGRP mRNAs were found only in the parenchyma cells in the central cylinder of young lateral roots and it was most abundant in the cells that surrounded xylem vessels in the root-hair zone of the tap root. In immunoblotting of xylem sap collected from cucumber stem with an antiserum raised against CRGRP-1 that had been produced in an E. coli expression system, the antibodies, which did not cross-react with GRP1.8 of kidney bean, reacted with two proteins, whose mobilities corresponded to those of proteins deduced from the CRGRP-1 and -2 cDNAs. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that the CRGRPs accumulated specifically in the lignified walls of metaxylem vessels in the root, stem and leaf and in the lignified cell walls of perivascular fibers in cucumber stems. Immunostaining was also detected in the walls of metaxylem vessels and in the cell walls of adjacent sclerenchyma in the hypocotyl of kidney bean. These data clearly indicate that the novel glycine-rich proteins were produced in the vascular tissue of the root, transported systemically over a long distance via the xylem sap and immobilized in the walls of metaxylem vessels and sclerechyma cells in aboveground organs.
Bioreactor rotating wall vessel
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
The NASA Bioreactor provides a low turbulence culture environment which promotes the formation of large, three-dimensional cell clusters. Due to their high level of cellular organization and specialization, samples constructed in the bioreactor more closely resemble the original tumor or tissue found in the body. The work is sponsored by NASA's Office of Biological and Physical Research. The bioreactor is managed by the Biotechnology Cell Science Program at NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC). NASA-sponsored bioreactor research has been instrumental in helping scientists to better understand normal and cancerous tissue development. In cooperation with the medical community, the bioreactor design is being used to prepare better models of human colon, prostate, breast and ovarian tumors. Cartilage, bone marrow, heart muscle, skeletal muscle, pancreatic islet cells, liver and kidney are just a few of the normal tissues being cultured in rotating bioreactors by investigators. Cell constructs grown in a rotating bioreactor on Earth (left) eventually become too large to stay suspended in the nutrient media. In the microgravity of orbit, the cells stay suspended. Rotation then is needed for gentle stirring to replenish the media around the cells.
Utility of birefringence changes due to collagen thermal denaturation rate process analysis: vessel wall temperature estimation for new short term heating balloon angioplasty
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kaneko, Kenji; Shimazaki, Natsumi; Gotoh, Maya; Nakatani, Eriko; Arai, Tsunenori
Our photo thermal reaction heating architecture balloon realizes less than 10 s short term heating that can soften vessel wall collagen without damaging surrounding tissue thermally. New thermal balloon angioplasty, photo-thermo dynamic balloon angioplasty (PTDBA) has experimentally shown sufficient opening with 2 atm low pressure dilation and prevention of chronic phase restenosis and acute phase thrombus in vivo. Even though PTDBA has high therapeutic potential, the most efficient heating condition is still under study, because relationship of treatment and thermal dose to vessel wall is not clarified yet. To study and set the most efficient heating condition, we have been working on establishment of temperature history estimation method from our previous experimental results. Heating target of PTDBA, collagen, thermally denatures following rate process. Denaturation is able to be quantified with measured collagen birefringence value. To express the denaturation with equation of rate process, the following ex vivo experiments were performed. Porcine extracted carotid artery was soaked in two different temperature saline baths to enforce constant temperature heating. Higher temperature bath was set to 40 to 80 degree Celsius and soaking duration was 5 to 40 s. Samples were observed by a polarizing microscope and a scanning electron microscope. The birefringence was measured by polarizing microscopic system using Brace-Koehler compensator 1/30 wavelength. The measured birefringence showed temperature dependency and quite fit with the rate process equation. We think vessel wall temperature is able to be estimated using the birefringence changes due to thermal denaturation.
Hair follicle-derived blood vessels vascularize tumors in skin and are inhibited by Doxorubicin.
Amoh, Yasuyuki; Li, Lingna; Yang, Meng; Jiang, Ping; Moossa, Abdool R; Katsuoka, Kensei; Hoffman, Robert M
We have recently shown that the neural-stem cell marker nestin is expressed in hair follicle stem cells and the blood vessel network interconnecting hair follicles in the skin of transgenic mice with nestin regulatory element-driven green fluorescent protein (ND-GFP). The hair follicles were shown to give rise to the nestin-expressing blood vessels in the skin. In the present study, we visualized tumor angiogenesis by dual-color fluorescence imaging in ND-GFP transgenic mice after transplantation of the murine melanoma cell line B16F10 expressing red fluorescent protein. ND-GFP was highly expressed in proliferating endothelial cells and nascent blood vessels in the growing tumor. Results of immunohistochemical staining showed that the blood vessel-specific antigen CD31 was expressed in ND-GFP-expressing nascent blood vessels. ND-GFP expression was diminished in the vessels with increased blood flow. Progressive angiogenesis during tumor growth was readily visualized during tumor growth by GFP expression. Doxorubicin inhibited the nascent tumor angiogenesis as well as tumor growth in the ND-GFP mice transplanted with B16F10-RFP. This model is useful for direct visualization of tumor angiogenesis and evaluation of angiogenic inhibitors.
Dilated Thin-Walled Blood and Lymphatic Vessels in Human Endometrium: A Potential Role for VEGF-D in Progestin-Induced Break-Through Bleeding
Donoghue, Jacqueline F.; McGavigan, C. Jay; Lederman, Fiona L.; Cann, Leonie M.; Fu, Lulu; Dimitriadis, Eva; Girling, Jane E.; Rogers, Peter A. W.
Progestins provide safe, effective and cheap options for contraception as well as the treatment of a variety of gynaecological disorders. Episodes of irregular endometrial bleeding or breakthrough bleeding (BTB) are a major unwanted side effect of progestin treatment, such that BTB is the leading cause for discontinued use of an otherwise effective and popular medication. The cellular mechanisms leading to BTB are poorly understood. In this study, we make the novel finding that the large, dilated, thin walled vessels characteristic of human progestin-treated endometrium include both blood and lymphatic vessels. Increased blood and lymphatic vessel diameter are features of VEGF-D action in other tissues and we show by immunolocalisation and Western blotting that stromal cell decidualisation results in a significant increase in VEGF-D protein production, particularly of the proteolytically processed 21 kD form. Using a NOD/scid mouse model with xenografted human endometrium we were able to show that progestin treatment causes decidualisation, VEGF-D production and endometrial vessel dilation. Our results lead to a novel hypothesis to explain BTB, with stromal cell decidualisation rather than progestin treatment per se being the proposed causative event, and VEGF-D being the proposed effector agent. PMID:22383980
VEGF treatment promotes bone marrow-derived CXCR4+ mesenchymal stromal stem cell differentiation into vessel endothelial cells
Li, Qiming; Xia, Shudong; Fang, Hanyun; Pan, Jiansheng; Jia, Yinfeng; Deng, Gang
Stem/progenitor cells serve an important role in the process of blood vessel repair. However, the mechanism of vascular repair mediated by C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4-positive (CXCR4+) bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) following myocardial infarction remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on vessel endothelial differentiation from BMSCs. CXCR4+ BMSCs were isolated from the femoral bone marrow of 2-month-old mice and the cells were treated with VEGF. Expression of endothelial cell markers and the functional properties were assessed by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, flow cytometry and vascular formation analyses. The results indicated that the CXCR4+ BMSCs from femoral bone marrow cells expressed putative cell surface markers of mesenchymal stem cells. Treatment with VEGF induced platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) and von Willebrand factor (vWF) expression at the transcriptional and translational levels, compared with untreated controls. Moreover, VEGF treatment induced CXCR4+ BMSCs to form hollow tube-like structures on Matrigel, suggesting that the differentiated endothelial cells had the functional properties of blood vessels. The results demonstrate that the CXCR4+ BMSCs were able to differentiate into vessel endothelial cells following VEGF treatment. For cell transplantation in vascular disease, it may be concluded that CXCR4+ BMSCs are a novel source of endothelial progenitor cells with high potential for application in vascular repair. PMID:28352314
Detectability of small blood vessels with high-frequency power Doppler and selection of wall filter cut-off velocity for microvascular imaging.
Pinter, Stephen Z; Lacefield, James C
Power Doppler imaging of physiologic and pathologic angiogenesis is widely used in preclinical studies to track normal development, disease progression and treatment efficacy but can be challenging given the presence of small blood vessels and slow flow velocities. Power Doppler images can be plagued with false-positive color pixels or undetected vessels, thereby complicating the interpretation of vascularity metrics such as color pixel density (CPD). As an initial step toward improved microvascular quantification, flow-phantom experiments were performed to establish relationships between vessel detection and various combinations of vessel size (160, 200, 250, 300 and 360 microm), flow velocity (4, 3, 2, 1 and 0.5 mm/s) and transducer frequency (30 and 40 MHz) while varying the wall filter cut-off velocity. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and areas under ROC curves indicate that good vessel detection performance can be achieved with a 40-MHz transducer for flow velocities > or =2 mm/s and with a 30-MHz transducer for flow velocities > or =1 mm/s. In the second part of the analysis, CPD was plotted as a function of wall filter cut-off velocity for each flow-phantom data set. Three distinct regions were observed: overestimation of CPD at low cut-offs, underestimation of CPD at high cut-offs and a plateau at intermediate cut-offs. The CPD at the plateau closely matched the phantom's vascular volume fraction and the length of the plateau corresponded with the flow-detection performance of the Doppler system assessed using ROC analysis. Color pixel density vs. wall filter cut-off curves from analogous in vivo experiments exhibited the same shape, including a distinct CPD plateau. The similar shape of the flow-phantom and in vivo curves suggests that the presence of a plateau in vivo can be used to identify the best-estimate CPD value that can be treated as a quantitative vascularity metric. The ability to identify the best CPD estimate is expected to
Comparative survival study of glial cells and cells composing walls of blood vessels in crustacean ventral nerve cord after photodynamic treatment
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kolosov, Mikhail S.; Shubina, Elena
Photodynamic therapy is a prospective treatment modality of brain cancers. It is of importance to have information about relative survival rate of different cell types in nerve tissue during photodynamic treatment. Particularly, for development of sparing strategy of the photodynamic therapy of brain tumors, which pursuits both total elimination of malignant cells, which are usually of glial origin, and, at the same time, preservation of normal blood circulation as well as normal glial cells in the brain. The aim of this work was to carry out comparative survival study of glial cells and cells composing walls of blood vessels after photodynamic treatment, using simple model object - ventral nerve cord of crustacean.
Venous-derived angioblasts generate organ-specific vessels during zebrafish embryonic development
Hen, Gideon; Nicenboim, Julian; Mayseless, Oded; Asaf, Lihee; Shin, Masahiro; Busolin, Giorgia; Hofi, Roy; Almog, Gabriella; Tiso, Natascia; Lawson, Nathan D.; Yaniv, Karina
Formation and remodeling of vascular beds are complex processes orchestrated by multiple signaling pathways. Although it is well accepted that vessels of a particular organ display specific features that enable them to fulfill distinct functions, the embryonic origins of tissue-specific vessels and the molecular mechanisms regulating their formation are poorly understood. The subintestinal plexus of the zebrafish embryo comprises vessels that vascularize the gut, liver and pancreas and, as such, represents an ideal model in which to investigate the early steps of organ-specific vessel formation. Here, we show that both arterial and venous components of the subintestinal plexus originate from a pool of specialized angioblasts residing in the floor of the posterior cardinal vein (PCV). Using live imaging of zebrafish embryos, in combination with photoconvertable transgenic reporters, we demonstrate that these angioblasts undergo two phases of migration and differentiation. Initially, a subintestinal vein forms and expands ventrally through a Bone Morphogenetic Protein-dependent step of collective migration. Concomitantly, a Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-dependent shift in the directionality of migration, coupled to the upregulation of arterial markers, is observed, which culminates with the generation of the supraintestinal artery. Together, our results establish the zebrafish subintestinal plexus as an advantageous model for the study of organ-specific vessel development and provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms controlling its formation. More broadly, our findings suggest that PCV-specialized angioblasts contribute not only to the formation of the early trunk vasculature, but also to the establishment of late-forming, tissue-specific vascular beds. PMID:26525671
Dual shell pressure balanced vessel
Fassbender, Alexander G.
A dual-wall pressure balanced vessel for processing high viscosity slurries at high temperatures and pressures having an outer pressure vessel and an inner vessel with an annular space between the vessels pressurized at a pressure slightly less than or equivalent to the pressure within the inner vessel.
Development of automated welding process for field fabrication of thick walled pressure vessels. Fourth quarter, FY 1980
Not Available
Progress is reported in research on the automated welding of heavy steel plate for the fabrication of pressure vessels. Information is included on: torch and shield adaptation; mechanical control of the welding process; welding parameters; joint design; filler wire optimizaton; nondestructive testing of welds; and weld repair. (LCL)
The Deformation Rate of Smooth Muscle Cells in Vessel Walls After Short-Duration Heating Dilatation in a Porcine Model Ex Vivo and In Vivo.
Kunio, Mie; Arai, Tsunenori
We have proposed a novel short-duration thermal angioplasty with uniform temperature distribution. Although the dilatation mechanism of our short-duration heating dilatation was reported in our previous study, the influences on smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are not sufficiently understood. We studied the influences on SMCs in terms of shape change and discussed the relationship between the SMCs' shape change and dilatation mechanism ex vivo and in vivo. We found that the SMCs were fixed in the stretched condition after our short-duration heating dilatation both ex vivo and in vivo. The deformation rate of SMCs' shape, measured by the cells' nuclei, was increased with rising balloon maximum temperature (T(balloon)), and the same tendency was observed for the arterial dilatation rate. We hypothesize that the SMCs were fixed in the stretched condition because the arterial dilatation with our short-duration heating dilatation was performed without any plastic deformations of the vessel wall, causing the vessel wall itself to be stretched. We also prospect that the reasons for the positive correlation between the deformation rate of SMCs' shape and T(balloon) are that (i) the area heated over 60 °C was expanded with rising T(balloon), and (ii) the arterial dilatation rate was also increased with rising T(balloon).
Inner and outer coronary vessel wall segmentation from CCTA using an active contour model with machine learning-based 3D voxel context-aware image force
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sivalingam, Udhayaraj; Wels, Michael; Rempfler, Markus; Grosskopf, Stefan; Suehling, Michael; Menze, Bjoern H.
In this paper, we present a fully automated approach to coronary vessel segmentation, which involves calcification or soft plaque delineation in addition to accurate lumen delineation, from 3D Cardiac Computed Tomography Angiography data. Adequately virtualizing the coronary lumen plays a crucial role for simulating blood ow by means of fluid dynamics while additionally identifying the outer vessel wall in the case of arteriosclerosis is a prerequisite for further plaque compartment analysis. Our method is a hybrid approach complementing Active Contour Model-based segmentation with an external image force that relies on a Random Forest Regression model generated off-line. The regression model provides a strong estimate of the distance to the true vessel surface for every surface candidate point taking into account 3D wavelet-encoded contextual image features, which are aligned with the current surface hypothesis. The associated external image force is integrated in the objective function of the active contour model, such that the overall segmentation approach benefits from the advantages associated with snakes and from the ones associated with machine learning-based regression alike. This yields an integrated approach achieving competitive results on a publicly available benchmark data collection (Rotterdam segmentation challenge).
Reduced capacity of tumour blood vessels to produce endothelium-derived relaxing factor: significance for blood flow modification.
Tozer, G. M.; Prise, V. E.; Bell, K. M.; Dennis, M. F.; Stratford, M. R.; Chaplin, D. J.
The effect of nitric oxide-dependent vasodilators on vascular resistance of tumours and normal tissue was determined with the aim of modifying tumour blood flow for therapeutic benefit. Isolated preparations of the rat P22 tumour and normal rat hindlimb were perfused ex vivo. The effects on tissue vascular resistance of administration of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and the diazeniumdiolate (or NONO-ate) NOC-7, vasodilators which act via direct release of nitric oxide (NO), were compared with the effects of acetylcholine (ACh), a vasodilator which acts primarily via receptor stimulation of endothelial cells to release NO in the form of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF). SNP and NOC-7 effectively dilated tumour blood vessels after preconstriction with phenylephrine (PE) or potassium chloride (KCl) as indicated by a decrease in vascular resistance. SNP also effectively dilated normal rat hindlimb vessels after PE/KCl constriction. Vasodilatation in the tumour preparations was accompanied by a significant rise in nitrite levels measured in the tumour effluent. ACh induced a significant vasodilation in the normal hindlimb but an anomalous vasoconstriction in the tumour. This result suggests that tumours, unlike normal tissues are incapable of releasing NO (EDRF) in response to ACh. Capacity for EDRF production may represent a difference between tumour and normal tissue blood vessels, which could be exploited for selective pharmacological manipulation of tumour blood flow. PMID:8980396
Platelet-derived growth factor over-expression in retinal progenitors results in abnormal retinal vessel formation.
Edqvist, Per-Henrik D; Niklasson, Mia; Vidal-Sanz, Manuel; Hallböök, Finn; Forsberg-Nilsson, Karin
Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) plays an important role in development of the central nervous system, including the retina. Excessive PDGF signaling is associated with proliferative retinal disorders. We reported previously that transgenic mice in which PDGF-B was over-expressed under control of the nestin enhancer, nes/tk-PdgfB-lacZ, exhibited enhanced apoptosis in the developing corpus striatum. These animals display enlarged lateral ventricles after birth as well as behavioral aberrations as adults. Here, we report that in contrast to the relatively mild central nervous system phenotype, development of the retina is severely disturbed in nes/tk-PdgfB-lacZ mice. In transgenic retinas all nuclear layers were disorganized and photoreceptor segments failed to develop properly. Since astrocyte precursor cells did not populate the retina, retinal vascular progenitors could not form a network of vessels. With time, randomly distributed vessels resembling capillaries formed, but there were no large trunk vessels and the intraocular pressure was reduced. In addition, we observed a delayed regression of the hyaloid vasculature. The prolonged presence of this structure may contribute to the other abnormalities observed in the retina, including the defective lamination.
Determining the syringyl/guaiacyl lignin ratio in the vessel and fiber cell walls of transgenic Populus plants
Tolbert, Allison K.; Ma, Tao; Kalluri, Udaya C.; ...
Observation of the spatial lignin distribution throughout the plant cell wall provides insight into the physicochemical characteristics of lignocellulosic biomass. The distribution of syringyl (S) and guaiacyl (G) lignin in cell walls of a genetically modified Populus deltoides and its corresponding empty vector control were analyzed with time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and then mapped to determine the S/G lignin ratio of the sample surface and specific regions of interest (ROIs). The surface characterizations of transgenic cross-sections within 1 cm vertical distance of each other on the stem possess similar S/G lignin ratios. Furthermore, the analysis of the ROIsmore » determined that there was a 50% decrease in the S/G lignin ratio of the transgenic xylem fiber cell walls.« less
A phenomenological model for mechanically mediated growth, remodeling, damage, and plasticity of gel-derived tissue engineered blood vessels.
Raykin, Julia; Rachev, Alexander I; Gleason, Rudolph L
Mechanical stimulation has been shown to dramatically improve mechanical and functional properties of gel-derived tissue engineered blood vessels (TEBVs). Adjusting factors such as cell source, type of extracellular matrix, cross-linking, magnitude, frequency, and time course of mechanical stimuli (among many other factors) make interpretation of experimental results challenging. Interpretation of data from such multifactor experiments requires modeling. We present a modeling framework and simulations for mechanically mediated growth, remodeling, plasticity, and damage of gel-derived TEBVs that merge ideas from classical plasticity, volumetric growth, and continuum damage mechanics. Our results are compared with published data and suggest that this model framework can predict the evolution of geometry and material behavior under common experimental loading scenarios.
Intra-aneurysmal flow with helix and mesh stent placement across side-wall aneurysm pore of a straight parent vessel.
Liou, Tong-Miin; Liou, Shun-Nan; Chu, Kai-Lung
Pulsatile flow fields in a cerebrovascular side-wall aneurysm model with a wide ostium after stenting are presented in terms of particle tracking velocimetry measurements and flow visualization. Among the stent parameters the shape, helix versus mesh, was selected to study its effect on the changes of intraaneurysmal hemodynamics for the reference of minimally invasive endovascular aneurysm treatment. The blocking ratio of the stents was fixed at 30%. The Womersley number was 3.9 and the mean, peak, and minimal Reynolds numbers based on the bulk average velocity and diameter of the parent vessel were 600, 850, and 300, respectively. Four consecutive flow-rate phases were selected to characterize the intra-aneurysmal flow. The results are characterized in terms of velocity vector field, regional average velocity, and intra-aneurysmal vorticity/circulation/wall shear stress. It is found that the hemodynamic features inside the aneurysm alter markedly with the shape of the stent and the size of the orifice. Both stents investigated induce favorable changes in the intra-aneurysmal flow stasis as well as direction and undulation of wall shear stresses. A comparison of the results of the helix to mesh stent shows that the former is more favorable for endovascular treatment.
Derivation of jack movement influence coefficients as a basis for selecting wall contours giving reduced levels of interference in flexible walled test sections
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Goodyer, M. J.
This report covers work done in a transonic wind tunnel towards providing data on the influence of the movement of wall-control jacks on the Mach number perturbations along the test section. The data is derived using an existing streamline-curvature program, and in application is reduced to matrices of influence coefficients.
Effects of Simulated Microgravity on Otolith Growth of Larval Zebrafish using a Rotating-Wall Vessel: Appropriate Rotation Speed and Fish Developmental Stage
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Li, Xiaoyan; Anken, Ralf; Liu, Liyue; Wang, Gaohong; Liu, Yongding
Stimulus dependence is a general feature of developing animal sensory systems. In this respect, it has extensively been shown earlier that fish inner ear otoliths can act as test masses as their growth is strongly affected by altered gravity such as hypergravity obtained using centrifuges, by (real) microgravity achieved during spaceflight or by simulated microgravity using a ground-based facility. Since flight opportunities are scarce, ground-based simulators of microgravity, using a wide variety of physical principles, have been developed to overcome this shortcoming. Not all of them, however, are equally well suited to provide functional weightlessness from the perspective of the biosystem under evaluation. Therefore, the range of applicability of a particular simulator has to be extensively tested. Earlier, we have shown that a Rotating-Wall Vessel (RWV) can be used to provide simulated microgravity for developing Zebrafish regarding the effect of rotation on otolith development. In the present study, we wanted to find the most effective speed of rotation and identify the appropriate developmental stage of Zebrafish, where effects are the largest, in order to provide a methodological basis for future in-depth analyses dedicated to the physiological processes underlying otolith growth at altered gravity. Last not least, we compared data on the effect of simulated microgravity on the size versus the weight of otoliths, since the size usually is measured in related studies due to convenience, but the weight more accurately approximates the physical capacity of an otolith. Maintaining embryos at 10 hours post fertilization for three days in the RWV, we found that 15 revolutions per minute (rpm) yielded the strongest effects on otolith growth. Maintenance of Zebrafish staged at 10 hpf, 1 day post fertilization (dpf), 4 dpf, 7 dpf and 14 dpf for three days at 15 rpm resulted in the most prominent effects in 7 dpf larvae. Weighing versus measuring the size of otoliths
Effects of Simulated Microgravity on Otolith Growth of Larval Zebrafish using a Rotating-Wall Vessel: Appropriate Rotation Speed and Fish Developmental Stage
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Li, Xiaoyan; Anken, Ralf; Liu, Liyue; Wang, Gaohong; Liu, Yongding
Stimulus dependence is a general feature of developing animal sensory systems. In this respect, it has extensively been shown earlier that fish inner ear otoliths can act as test masses as their growth is strongly affected by altered gravity such as hypergravity obtained using centrifuges, by (real) microgravity achieved during spaceflight or by simulated microgravity using a ground-based facility. Since flight opportunities are scarce, ground-based simulators of microgravity, using a wide variety of physical principles, have been developed to overcome this shortcoming. Not all of them, however, are equally well suited to provide functional weightlessness from the perspective of the biosystem under evaluation. Therefore, the range of applicability of a particular simulator has to be extensively tested. Earlier, we have shown that a Rotating-Wall Vessel (RWV) can be used to provide simulated microgravity for developing Zebrafish regarding the effect of rotation on otolith development. In the present study, we wanted to find the most effective speed of rotation and identify the appropriate developmental stage of Zebrafish, where effects are the largest, in order to provide a methodological basis for future in-depth analyses dedicated to the physiological processes underlying otolith growth at altered gravity. Last not least, we compared data on the effect of simulated microgravity on the size versus the weight of otoliths, since the size usually is measured in related studies due to convenience, but the weight more accurately approximates the physical capacity of an otolith. Maintaining embryos at 10 hours post fertilization for three days in the RWV, we found that 15 revolutions per minute (rpm) yielded the strongest effects on otolith growth. Maintenance of Zebrafish staged at 10 hpf, 1 day post fertilization (dpf), 4 dpf, 7 dpf and 14 dpf for three days at 15 rpm resulted in the most prominent effects in 7 dpf larvae. Weighing versus measuring the size of otoliths
Formation of three-dimensional cell/polymer constructs for bone tissue engineering in a spinner flask and a rotating wall vessel bioreactor.
Sikavitsas, Vassilios I; Bancroft, Gregory N; Mikos, Antonios G
The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of the cell culture conditions of three-dimensional polymer scaffolds seeded with rat marrow stromal cells (MSCs) cultured in different bioreactors concerning the ability of these cells to proliferate, differentiate towards the osteoblastic lineage, and generate mineralized extracellular matrix. MSCs harvested from male Sprague-Dawley rats were culture expanded, seeded on three-dimensional porous 75:25 poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) biodegradable scaffolds, and cultured for 21 days under static conditions or in two model bioreactors (a spinner flask and a rotating wall vessel) that enhance mixing of the media and provide better nutrient transport to the seeded cells. The spinner flask culture demonstrated a 60% enhanced proliferation at the end of the first week when compared to static culture. On day 14, all cell/polymer constructs exhibited their maximum alkaline phosphatase activity (AP). Cell/polymer constructs cultured in the spinner flask had 2.4 times higher AP activity than constructs cultured under static conditions on day 14. The total osteocalcin (OC) secretion in the spinner flask culture was 3.5 times higher than the static culture, with a peak OC secretion occurring on day 18. No considerable AP activity and OC secretion were detected in the rotating wall vessel culture throughout the 21-day culture period. The spinner flask culture had the highest calcium content at day 14. On day 21, the calcium deposition in the spinner flask culture was 6.6 times higher than the static cultured constructs and over 30 times higher than the rotating wall vessel culture. Histological sections showed concentration of cells and mineralization at the exterior of the foams at day 21. This phenomenon may arise from the potential existence of nutrient concentration gradients at the interior of the scaffolds. The better mixing provided in the spinner flask, external to the outer surface of the scaffolds, may explain the
Formation of three-dimensional cell/polymer constructs for bone tissue engineering in a spinner flask and a rotating wall vessel bioreactor
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Sikavitsas, Vassilios I.; Bancroft, Gregory N.; Mikos, Antonios G.; McIntire, L. V. (Principal Investigator)
The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of the cell culture conditions of three-dimensional polymer scaffolds seeded with rat marrow stromal cells (MSCs) cultured in different bioreactors concerning the ability of these cells to proliferate, differentiate towards the osteoblastic lineage, and generate mineralized extracellular matrix. MSCs harvested from male Sprague-Dawley rats were culture expanded, seeded on three-dimensional porous 75:25 poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) biodegradable scaffolds, and cultured for 21 days under static conditions or in two model bioreactors (a spinner flask and a rotating wall vessel) that enhance mixing of the media and provide better nutrient transport to the seeded cells. The spinner flask culture demonstrated a 60% enhanced proliferation at the end of the first week when compared to static culture. On day 14, all cell/polymer constructs exhibited their maximum alkaline phosphatase activity (AP). Cell/polymer constructs cultured in the spinner flask had 2.4 times higher AP activity than constructs cultured under static conditions on day 14. The total osteocalcin (OC) secretion in the spinner flask culture was 3.5 times higher than the static culture, with a peak OC secretion occurring on day 18. No considerable AP activity and OC secretion were detected in the rotating wall vessel culture throughout the 21-day culture period. The spinner flask culture had the highest calcium content at day 14. On day 21, the calcium deposition in the spinner flask culture was 6.6 times higher than the static cultured constructs and over 30 times higher than the rotating wall vessel culture. Histological sections showed concentration of cells and mineralization at the exterior of the foams at day 21. This phenomenon may arise from the potential existence of nutrient concentration gradients at the interior of the scaffolds. The better mixing provided in the spinner flask, external to the outer surface of the scaffolds, may explain the
Low-alloy steels for thick-walled pressure vessels. Summary report, February 1, 1980-January 31, 1982
Todd, J.A.; Chung, D.W.; Parker, E.R.
This program aimed to modify existing commercial pressure vessel steels to provide strong, tough, creep resistant materials, with low hydrogen attack and temper embrittlement susceptibilities, which can also be field-fabricated into thick-section vessels for coal conversion systems. Emphasis was placed on determining the effects of Mn, Ni and Cr on the creep rupture and hydrogen attack susceptibilities of Cr-Mo steels. Hydrogen attack studies were also carried out on A533B and model alloy systems to investigate the role of alloy carbides in promoting resistance to hydrogen damage. Creep rupture fracture times were determined at 500, 560 and 600/sup 0/C for periods up to 2000 hours. The effects of cooling rate from the austenitizing temperature and tempering response on the microstructure of 3Cr-1Mo-1Mn-1Ni steel were studied. The carbide structures in all the alloy modifications were carefully characterized. Data were collected from preliminary weld bead-on-plate tests of A387 and temper embrittlement studies of A543 with mischmetal addition. The unloading compliance test technique for J/sub Ic/ measurements was completed for A533B specimens but shortage of material prevented testing of A387. The mechanical property, elevated temperature creep and hydrogen attack data suggested that addition of 0.75 Cr + 0.5 Mn + 1Ni was beneficial in reducing susceptibility to hydrogen damage but was detrimental to creep rupture properties. 44 figures, 14 tables.
Identification of vessel wall anomalies in thoracic aortic aneurysms through optical coherence tomography and gradient-based strategies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Eguizabal, Alma; Real, Eusebio; Pontón, Alejandro; Calvo Diez, Marta; Val-Bernal, J. Fernando; Mayorga, Marta; Revuelta, José M.; López-Higuera, José M.; Conde, Olga M.
Optical Coherence Tomography is a natural candidate for imaging biological structures just under tissue surface. Human thoracic aorta from aneurysms reveal elastin disorders and smooth muscle cell alterations when visualizing the media layer of the aortic wall, which is only some tens of microns in depth from surface. The resulting images require a suitable processing to enhance interesting disorder features and to use them as indicators for wall degradation, converting OCT into a hallmark for diagnosis of risk of aneurysm under intraoperative conditions. This work proposes gradient-based digital image processing approaches to conclude this risk. These techniques are believed to be useful in these applications as aortic wall disorders directly affect the refractive index of the tissue, having an effect on the gradient of the tissue reflectivity that conform the OCT image. Preliminary results show that the direction of the gradient contains information to estimate the tissue abnormality score. The detection of the edges of the OCT image is performed using the Canny algorithm. The edges delineate tissue disorders in the region of interest and isolate the abnormalities. These edges can be quantified to estimate a degradation score. Furthermore, the direction of the gradient seems to be a promising enhancement technique, as it detects areas of homogeneity in the region of interest. Automatic results from gradient-based strategies are finally compared to the histopathological global aortic score, which accounts for each risk factor presence and seriousness.
In-vessel calibration of the imaging diagnostics for the real-time protection of the JET ITER-like wall
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Huber, V.; Huber, A.; Kinna, D.; Balboa, I.; Collins, S.; Conway, N.; Drewelow, P.; Maggi, C. F.; Matthews, G. F.; Meigs, A. G.; Mertens, Ph.; Price, M.; Sergienko, G.; Silburn, S.; Wynn, A.; Zastrow, K.-D.
The in situ absolute calibration of the JET real-time protection imaging system has been performed for the first time by means of radiometric light source placed inside the JET vessel and operated by remote handling. High accuracy of the calibration is confirmed by cross-validation of the near infrared (NIR) cameras against each other, with thermal IR cameras, and with the beryllium evaporator, which lead to successful protection of the JET first wall during the last campaign. The operation temperature ranges of NIR protection cameras for the materials used on JET are Be 650-1600 °C, W coating 600-1320 °C, and W 650-1500 °C.
Reconstitution of hepatic tissue architectures from fetal liver cells obtained from a three-dimensional culture with a rotating wall vessel bioreactor.
Ishikawa, Momotaro; Sekine, Keisuke; Okamura, Ai; Zheng, Yun-wen; Ueno, Yasuharu; Koike, Naoto; Tanaka, Junzo; Taniguchi, Hideki
Reconstitution of tissue architecture in vitro is important because it enables researchers to investigate the interactions and mutual relationships between cells and cellular signals involved in the three-dimensional (3D) construction of tissues. To date, in vitro methods for producing tissues with highly ordered structure and high levels of function have met with limited success although a variety of 3D culture systems have been investigated. In this study, we reconstituted functional hepatic tissue including mature hepatocyte and blood vessel-like structures accompanied with bile duct-like structures from E15.5 fetal liver cells, which contained more hepatic stem/progenitor cells comparing with neonatal liver cells. The culture was performed in a simulated microgravity environment produced by a rotating wall vessel (RWV) bioreactor. The hepatocytes in the reconstituted 3D tissue were found to be capable of producing albumin and storing glycogen. Additionally, bile canaliculi between hepatocytes, characteristics of adult hepatocyte in vivo were also formed. Apart from this, bile duct structure secreting mucin was shown to form complicated tubular branches. Furthermore, gene expression analysis by semi-quantitative RT-PCR revealed the elevated levels of mature hepatocyte markers as well as genes with the hepatic function. With RWV culture system, we could produce functionally reconstituted liver tissue and this might be useful in pharmaceutical industry including drug screening and testing and other applications such as an alternative approach to experimental animals.
Li, Wenling; Kohara, Hiroshi; Uchida, Yutaka; James, Jennifer M.; Soneji, Kosha; Cronshaw, Darran G.; Zou, Yong-Rui; Nagasawa, Takashi; Mukouyama, Yoh-suke
SUMMARY In developing limb skin, peripheral nerves provide a spatial template that controls the branching pattern and differentiation of arteries. Our previous studies indicate that nerve-derived VEGF-A is required for arterial differentiation but not for nerve-vessel alignment. In this study, we demonstrate that nerve-vessel alignment depends on the activity of Cxcl12-Cxcr4 chemokine signaling. Genetic inactivation of Cxcl12-Cxcr4 signaling perturbs nerve-vessel alignment, and abolishes arteriogenesis. Further in vitro assays allow us to uncouple nerve-vessel alignment and arteriogenesis, revealing that nerve-derived Cxcl12 stimulates endothelial cell migration, while nerve-derived VEGF-A is responsible for arterial differentiation. These findings suggest a coordinated sequential action in which nerve-Cxcl12 functions over a distance to recruit vessels to align with nerves and subsequent arterial differentiation presumably requires a local-action of nerve-VEGF-A in the nerve-associated vessels. PMID:23395391
Trans isomeric octadecenoic acids are related inversely to arachidonic acid and DHA and positively related to mead acid in umbilical vessel wall lipids.
Decsi, Tamás; Boehm, Günther; Tjoonk, H M Ria; Molnár, Szilárd; Dijck-Brouwer, D A Janneke; Hadders-Algra, Mijna; Martini, Ingrid A; Muskiet, Frits A J; Boersma, E Rudy
Long-chain PUFA play an important role in early human neurodevelopment. Significant inverse correlations were reported between values of trans isomeric and long-chain PUFA in plasma lipids of preterm infants and children aged 1-15 yr as well as in venous cord blood lipids of full-term infants. Here we report FA compositional data of cord blood vessel wall lipids in 308 healthy, full-term infants (gestational age: 39.7 +/- 1.2 wk, birth weight: 3528 +/- 429 g, mean +/- SD). The median (interquartile range) of the sum of 18-carbon trans FA was 0.22 (0.13) % w/w in umbilical artery and 0.16 (0.10) % w/w in umbilical vein lipids. Nonparametric correlation analysis showed significant inverse correlations between the sum of 18-carbon trans FA and both arachidonic acid and DHA in artery (r = -0.38, P < 0.01, and r = -0.20, P < 0.01) and vein (r = -0.36, P < 0.01, and -0.17, P < 0.01) wall lipids. In addition, the sum of 18-carbon trans FA was significantly positively correlated to Mead acid, a general indicator of EFA deficiency, in both artery (r = +0.35, P < 0.01) and vein (r = +0.31, P< 0.01) wall lipids. The present results obtained in a large group of full-term infants suggest that maternal trans FA intake is inversely associated with long-chain PUFA status of the infant at birth.
Remodeling of the Vessel Wall after Copper-Induced Injury Is Highly Attenuated in Mice with a Total Deficiency of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1
Ploplis, Victoria A.; Cornelissen, Ivo; Sandoval-Cooper, Mayra J.; Weeks, Lisa; Noria, Francisco A.; Castellino, Francis J.
Clinical studies have indicated that high plasma levels of fibrinogen, or decreased fibrinolytic potential, are conducive to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Other investigations have shown that insoluble fibrin promotes atherosclerotic lesion formation by affecting smooth muscle cell proliferation, collagen deposition, and cholesterol accumulation. To directly assess the physiological impact of an imbalanced fibrinolytic system on both early and late stages of this disease, mice deficient for plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1−/−) were used in a model of vascular injury/repair, and the resulting phenotype compared to that of wild-type (WT) mice. A copper-induced arterial injury was found to generate a lesion with characteristics similar to many of the clinical features of atherosclerosis. Fibrin deposition in the injured arterial wall at early (7 days) and late (21 days) times after copper cuff placement was prevalent in WT mice, but was greatly diminished in PAI-1−/− mice. A multilayered neointima with enhanced collagen deposition was evident at day 21 in WT mice. In contrast, only diffuse fibrin was identified in the adventitial compartments of arteries from PAI-1−/− mice, with no evidence of a neointima. Neovascularization was observed in the adventitia and was more extensive in WT arteries, relative to PAI-1−/− arteries. Additionally, enhanced PAI-1 expression and fat deposition were seen only in the arterial walls of WT mice. The results of this study emphasize the involvement of the fibrinolytic system in vascular repair processes after injury and indicate that alterations in the fibrinolytic balance in the vessel wall have a profound effect on the development and progression of vascular lesion formation. PMID:11141484
Formation and differentiation of three-dimensional rat marrow stromal cell culture on microcarriers in a rotating-wall vessel
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Qiu, Q.; Ducheyne, P.; Gao, H.; Ayyaswamy, P.
Using a high aspect ratio vessel (HARV), this study investigated the formation of 3-D rat marrow stromal cell culture on microcarriers and the expression of bone-related biochemical markers under conditions of simulated microgravity. In addition, it calculated the shear stresses imparted on the surface of microcarriers of different densities by the medium fluid in an HARV. Secondary rat marrow stromal cells were cultured on two types of microcarriers, Cytodex-3 beads and modified bioactive glass particles. Examination of cellular morphology by scanning electron microscopy revealed the presence of three-dimensional multicellular aggregates consisting of multiple cell-covered Cytodex-3 microcarriers bridged together. Mineralization was observed in the aggregates. Spherical cell-bead aggregates were observed in an HARV, while cell-bead assemblies were mostly loosely packed in a chain-like or branched structure in a cell bag. The expressions of alkaline phosphatase activity, collagen type I, and osteopontin were shown via the use of histochemical staining, immunolabeling, and confocal scanning electron microscopy. Using a numerical approach, it was found that at a given rotational speed and for a given culture medium, a larger density difference between the microcarrier and the culture medium (e.g., a modified bioactive glass particle) imparted a higher maximum shear stress on the microcarrier.
Acetylcholine releases endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor and EDRF from rat blood vessels.
Chen, G.; Suzuki, H.; Weston, A. H.
1. The effects of haemoglobin and methylene blue on the acetylcholine (ACh)-induced electrical and mechanical responses of smooth muscle cells were investigated in rat aorta and rat main pulmonary artery. 2. When the endothelium was intact, ACh induced a transient hyperpolarization and sustained relaxation of tissues precontracted with noradrenaline. Both hyperpolarization and relaxation were absent in preparations without endothelium. 3. Haemoglobin and methylene blue inhibited the ACh-induced relaxation, but not the transient hyperpolarization. 4. In aorta with an intact endothelium, ACh produced an increase in both the rate of 86Rb efflux and tissue cyclic GMP levels. The changes in ion flux were unaffected by either haemoglobin or methylene blue in concentrations which almost abolished the increase in cyclic GMP concentrations. 5. In arteries with an intact endothelium, indomethacin had no effect on the ACh-induced electrical and mechanical responses or on the increase in 86Rb efflux and tissue cyclic GMP levels. 6. It is concluded that in the rat aorta and rat main pulmonary artery, ACh releases two different substances, an endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) and a hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF), from the endothelial cells. Neither substance appears to be derived from a pathway dependent on cyclo-oxygenase. EDHF seems to play a minor role in the relaxation of noradrenaline-induced contractions. PMID:2851359
Detection of myocardial ischemia by vessel-specific leads derived from the 12-lead electrocardiogram and its subsets.
Horácek, B Milan; Mirmoghisi, Maryam; Warren, James W; Wagner, Galen S; Wang, John J
Currently used electrocardiographic criteria for identifying patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) perform with high specificity but low sensitivity. Our aim was to enhance ischemia-detection ability of conventional STEMI criteria based on 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) by adding new criteria using 3 vessel-specific leads (VSLs) derived from 12-lead ECG. Study data consisted of 12-lead ECGs acquired during 99 ischemic episodes caused by balloon inflation in, respectively, left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD; n = 35), right coronary artery (RCA; n = 47), and left circumflex coronary artery (LCx; n = 17). ST deviation was measured at J point in 12 standard leads, and for 3 VSLs, its value was derived from 12-lead ECG by using 8 independent predictor leads or just a pair of precordial leads combined with a pair of limb leads. Mean values of sensitivity (SE) and specificity (SP) of ischemia detection achieved with conventional STEMI vs VSL criteria were then obtained from bootstrap trials. We found that the detection of ischemic state by conventional criteria achieved the mean SE/SP of 60%/96% in the total set of ischemic episodes, 74%/97% in the LAD subgroup, 60%/94% in the RCA subgroup, and 36%/100% in the LCx subgroup. In comparison, the mean SE/SP values of VSLs derived from 8 independent leads of 12-lead ECG were, at 125-microV threshold, 76%(*)/96% in the total set, 91%(*)/97% in the LAD subgroup, 70%/94% in the RCA subgroup, and 71%(*)/100% in the LCx subgroup (with asterisk denoting a statistically significant increase). The mean SE/SP of VSLs derived from some of the 4-predictor lead sets (namely, those including lead V(3)) matched or exceeded values achieved by VSLs derived from 8 predictors; for instance, with predictor leads I, II, V(3), V(6) derived VSLs attained at 125-microV threshold the mean SE/SP of 80%(*)/95% in the total set, 91%(*)/97% in the LAD subgroup, 74%/92% in the RCA subgroup, and 71%(*)/100% in the LCx
Impact of cardiovascular risk factors on vessel wall inflammation and calcified plaque burden differs across vascular beds: a PET-CT study.
Strobl, Frederik F; Rominger, Axel; Wolpers, Sarah; Rist, Carsten; Bamberg, Fabian; Thierfelder, Kolja M; Nikolaou, Konstantin; Uebleis, Christopher; Hacker, Marcus; Reiser, Maximilian F; Saam, Tobias
To evaluate the effect of age, gender and cardiovascular risk factors on vessel wall inflammation and the calcified plaque burden in different vascular beds as assessed by PET/CT. 315 patients (mean age: 57.8 years, 123 male and 192 female) who underwent whole body 18F-FDG PET/CT examinations were included in the study. Blood pool-corrected standardised uptake value (TBR) and the calcified plaque score (CPS, grade 0-4) were determined in the thoracic and abdominal aorta, both common carotid and both iliac arteries. The following cardiovascular risk factors were documented: Age ≥65 years (n = 114), male gender (n = 123), diabetes (n = 15), hyperlipidemia (n = 62), hypertension (n = 76), body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 (n = 38), current smoker (n = 32). Effects of risk factors on TBR and CPS in different arterial beds were assessed using multivariate regression analysis. In the thoracic aorta TBR was independently associated with age ≥65 years and male gender, CPS was independently associated with age ≥65 years, male gender, hypertension and diabetes. In the abdominal aorta, TBR was independently associated with age ≥65 years and male gender, CPS with age ≥65 years, diabetes and smoking. Independent associations in the carotid arteries were found for age ≥65 years, male gender and BMI ≥ 30 in TBR and for age ≥65 and diabetes in CPS. In the iliac arteries, TBR was independently associated with age ≥65 and CPS with age ≥65, male gender, hypertension, diabetes and smoking. Findings of this PET/CT study demonstrate that the impact of cardiovascular risk factors on vessel wall inflammation and calcified plaque burden differs across vascular territories. Overall, CPS was more closely associated with cardiovascular risk factors compared to TBR.
Investigation of radial shear in the wall-base juncture of a 1:4 scale prestressed concrete containment vessel model
Dameron, R.A.; Rashid, Y.R.; Luk, V.K.; Hessheimer, M.F.
Construction of a prestressed concrete containment vessel (PCCV) model is underway as part of a cooperative containment research program at Sandia National Laboratories. The work is co-sponsored by the Nuclear Power Engineering Corporation (NUPEC) of Japan and US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Preliminary analyses of the Sandia 1:4 Scale PCCV Model have determined axisymmetric global behavior and have estimated the potential for failure in several areas, including the wall-base juncture and near penetrations. Though the liner tearing failure mode has been emphasized, the assumption of a liner tearing failure mode is largely based on experience with reinforced concrete containments. For the PCCV, the potential for shear failure at or near the liner tearing pressure may be considerable and requires detailed investigation. This paper examines the behavior of the PCCV in the region most susceptible to a radial shear failure, the wall-basemat juncture region. Prediction of shear failure in concrete structures is a difficult goal, both experimentally and analytically. As a structure begins to deform under an applied system of forces that produce shear, other deformation modes such as bending and tension/compression begin to influence the response. Analytically, difficulties lie in characterizing the decrease in shear stiffness and shear stress and in predicting the associated transfer of stress to reinforcement as cracks become wider and more extensive. This paper examines existing methods for representing concrete shear response and existing criteria for predicting shear failure, and it discusses application of these methods and criteria to the study of the 1:4 scale PCCV.
3D rotating wall vessel and 2D cell culture of four veterinary virus pathogens: A comparison of virus yields, portions of infectious particles and virus growth curves.
Malenovská, Hana
Only very few comparative studies have been performed that evaluate general trends of virus growth under 3D in comparison with 2D cell culture conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate differences when four animal viruses are cultured in 2D and 3D. Suid herpesvirus 1 (SuHV-1), Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSIV), Bovine adenovirus (BAdV) and Bovine parainfluenza 3 virus (BPIV-3) were cultivated in 3D rotating wall vessels (RWVs) and conventional 2D cultures. The production of virus particles, the portion of infectious particles, and the infectious growth curves were compared. For all viruses, the production of virus particles (related to cell density), including the non-infectious ones, was lower in 3D than in 2D culture. The production of only infectious particles was significantly lower in BAdV and BPIV-3 in 3D cultures in relation to cell density. The two cultivation approaches resulted in significantly different virus particle-to-TCID50 ratios in three of the four viruses: lower in SuHV-1 and BPIV-3 and higher in BAdV in 3D culture. The infectious virus growth rates were not significantly different in all viruses. Although 3D RWV culture resulted in lower production of virus particles compared to 2D systems, the portion of infectious particles was higher for some viruses.
Cuff for Blood-Vessel Pressure Measurements
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Shimizu, M.
Pressure within blood vessel is measured by new cufflike device without penetration of vessel. Device continuously monitors blood pressure for up to 6 months or longer without harming vessel. Is especially useful for vessels smaller than 4 or 5 millimeters in diameter. Invasive methods damage vessel wall, disturb blood flow, and cause clotting. They do not always give reliable pressure measurements over prolonged periods.
Hypoxia Inhibits De Novo Vascular Assembly of Adipose-Derived Stromal/Stem Cell Populations, but Promotes Growth of Preformed Vessels
Hutton, Daphne L.
Vascularization is critical for cell survival within tissue-engineered grafts. Adipose-derived stromal/stem cells (ASCs) are widely used in tissue engineering applications as they are a clinically relevant source of stem cells and endothelial progenitor cells. ASCs have previously been shown to self-assemble into pericyte-stabilized vascular networks in normoxic (20% O2) cultures. This capacity for de novo vascular assembly may accelerate graft vascularization in vivo rather than relying solely on angiogenic ingrowth. However, oxygen depletion within large cell-seeded grafts will be rapid, and it is unclear how this worsening hypoxic environment will impact the vascular assembly of the transplanted cells. The objectives of this study were to determine whether ASC-derived vessels could grow in hypoxia and to assess whether the vessel maturity (i.e., individual cells vs. preformed vessels) influenced this hypoxic response. Utilizing an in vitro vascularization model, ASCs were encapsulated within fibrin gels and cultured in vitro for up to 6 days in either normoxia (20% O2) or hypoxia (0.2% or 2% O2). In a subsequent experiment, vessels were allowed to preform in normoxia for 6 days before an additional 6 days of either normoxia or hypoxia. Viability, vessel growth, pericyte coverage, proliferation, metabolism, and angiogenic factor expression were assessed for each experimental approach. Vessel growth was dramatically inhibited in both moderate and severe hypoxia (47% and 11% total vessel length vs. normoxia, respectively), despite maintaining high cell viability and upregulating endogenous expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in hypoxia. Bromodeoxyuridine labeling indicated significantly reduced proliferation of endothelial cells in hypoxia. In contrast, when vascular networks were allowed to preform for 6 days in normoxia, vessels not only survived but also continued to grow more in hypoxia than those maintained in normoxia. These findings demonstrate
Experimental Investigation of Composite Pressure Vessel Performance and Joint Stiffness for Pyramid and Inverted Pyramid Joints
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Verhage, Joseph M.; Bower, Mark V.; Gilbert, Paul A. (Technical Monitor)
The focus of this study is on the suitability in the application of classical laminate theory analysis tools for filament wound pressure vessels with adhesive laminated joints in particular: pressure vessel wall performance, joint stiffness and failure prediction. Two 18-inch diameter 12-ply filament wound pressure vessels were fabricated. One vessel was fabricated with a 24-ply pyramid laminated adhesive double strap butt joint. The second vessel was fabricated with the same number of plies in an inverted pyramid joint. Results from hydrostatic tests are presented. Experimental results were used as input to the computer programs GENLAM and Laminate, and the output compared to test. By using the axial stress resultant, the classical laminate theory results show a correlation within 1% to the experimental results in predicting the pressure vessel wall pressure performance. The prediction of joint stiffness for the two adhesive joints in the axial direction is within 1% of the experimental results. The calculated hoop direction joint stress resultant is 25% less than the measured resultant for both joint configurations. A correction factor is derived and used in the joint analysis. The correction factor is derived from the hoop stress resultant from the tank wall performance investigation. The vessel with the pyramid joint is determined to have failed in the joint area at a hydrostatic pressure 33% value below predicted failure. The vessel with the inverted pyramid joint failed in the wall acreage at a hydrostatic pressure within 10% of the actual failure pressure.
Flavin-derived self-organization and chirality separation of single-walled carbon nanotubes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ju, Sang-Yong
Formed by rolling up a two-dimensional sheet of one or more layer of graphite, graphene, carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are the marvel materials of modern materials science. They are phenomenally strong and stiff, and have the unusual property of being excellent conductors of heat along the tube's axis, but good thermal insulators across it. But it is their electrical characteristics that excite the most interest. Especially, single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNTs), formed by one layer of cylindrical graphene, has better physical properties over multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) having over two layer of graphene. Depending on the precise way they are rolled up, which is defined by ( n,m) vector, SWNTs can be made into either metals or semiconductors. So far, SWNTs can generally only be fabricated in batches that vary widely, both in the diameter of the individual tubes and in the orientation of their graphene lattice relative to the tube axis, the property known as chirality. Separating out these various conformations is a challenging, but one that must be solved if nanotubes are ever to fulfill their electrifying potential in devices. This thesis presents that flavin-based helical self-assembly can impart multi degrees of SWNTs separation (i.e., metallicity, diameter, chirality, and handedness). As opening chapters for carbon nanotube and flavin derivative, Chapter 1 provide the introduction of carbon nanotubes, especially single-walled tubes, and the current state-of-the-art nanotube separation. Also, Chapter 1 presents a variety of naturally-occurring flavin derivatives, their redox behavior, and their biological utilization as cofactors for various proteins. Motivated by chemoluminescence of flavin mononucleotide (FMN, phosphorylated form of Vitamin B2) with bacterial luciferase, Chapter 2 discuss about the synthesis and covalent attachment of flavin mononucleotide (FMN, phosphorylated form of Vitamin B2) analogue to oxidized SWNTs. Along with nine step synthesis
Podoplanin is a component of extracellular vesicles that reprograms cell-derived exosomal proteins and modulates lymphatic vessel formation
Andrés, Germán; Gopal, Shashi K.; Martín-Villar, Ester; Renart, Jaime; Simpson, Richard J.; Quintanilla, Miguel
Podoplanin (PDPN) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that plays crucial roles in embryonic development, the immune response, and malignant progression. Here, we report that cells ectopically or endogenously expressing PDPN release extracellular vesicles (EVs) that contain PDPN mRNA and protein. PDPN incorporates into membrane shed microvesicles (MVs) and endosomal-derived exosomes (EXOs), where it was found to colocalize with the canonical EV marker CD63 by immunoelectron microscopy. We have previously found that expression of PDPN in MDCK cells induces an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Proteomic profiling of MDCK-PDPN cells compared to control cells shows that PDPN-induced EMT is associated with upregulation of oncogenic proteins and diminished expression of tumor suppressors. Proteomic analysis of exosomes reveals that MDCK-PDPN EXOs were enriched in protein cargos involved in cell adhesion, cytoskeletal remodeling, signal transduction and, importantly, intracellular trafficking and EV biogenesis. Indeed, expression of PDPN in MDCK cells stimulated both EXO and MV production, while knockdown of endogenous PDPN in human HN5 squamous carcinoma cells reduced EXO production and inhibited tumorigenesis. EXOs released from MDCK-PDPN and control cells both stimulated in vitro angiogenesis, but only EXOs containing PDPN were shown to promote lymphatic vessel formation. This effect was mediated by PDPN on the surface of EXOs, as demonstrated by a neutralizing specific monoclonal antibody. These results contribute to our understanding of PDPN-induced EMT in association to tumor progression, and suggest an important role for PDPN in EV biogenesis and/or release and for PDPN-EXOs in modulating lymphangiogenesis. PMID:26893367
Airway Wall Area Derived from 3-Dimensional Computed Tomography Analysis Differs among Lung Lobes in Male Smokers
Tho, Nguyen Van; Trang, Le Thi Huyen; Murakami, Yoshitaka; Ogawa, Emiko; Ryujin, Yasushi; Kanda, Rie; Nakagawa, Hiroaki; Goto, Kenichi; Fukunaga, Kentaro; Higami, Yuichi; Seto, Ruriko; Nagao, Taishi; Oguma, Tetsuya; Yamaguchi, Masafumi; Lan, Le Thi Tuyet; Nakano, Yasutaka
Background It is time-consuming to obtain the square root of airway wall area of the hypothetical airway with an internal perimeter of 10 mm (√Aaw at Pi10), a comparable index of airway dimensions in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), from all airways of the whole lungs using 3-dimensional computed tomography (CT) analysis. We hypothesized that √Aaw at Pi10 differs among the five lung lobes and √Aaw at Pi10 derived from one certain lung lobe has a high level of agreement with that derived from the whole lungs in smokers. Methods Pulmonary function tests and chest volumetric CTs were performed in 157 male smokers (102 COPD, 55 non-COPD). All visible bronchial segments from the 3rd to 5th generations were segmented and measured using commercially available 3-dimensional CT analysis software. √Aaw at Pi10 of each lung lobe was estimated from all measurable bronchial segments of that lobe. Results Using a mixed-effects model, √Aaw at Pi10 differed significantly among the five lung lobes (R2 = 0.78, P<0.0001). The Bland-Altman plots show that √Aaw at Pi10 derived from the right or left upper lobe had a high level of agreement with that derived from the whole lungs, while √Aaw at Pi10 derived from the right or left lower lobe did not. Conclusion In male smokers, CT-derived airway wall area differs among the five lung lobes, and airway wall area derived from the right or left upper lobe is representative of the whole lungs. PMID:24865661
9-Lipoxygenase-Derived Oxylipins Activate Brassinosteroid Signaling to Promote Cell Wall-Based Defense and Limit Pathogen Infection1
Marcos, Ruth; Izquierdo, Yovanny; Vellosillo, Tamara; Kulasekaran, Satish; Cascón, Tomás; Hamberg, Mats; Castresana, Carmen
The oxylipins, a large family of oxygenated lipid derivatives, regulate plant development and immunity. Two members of the 9-lipoxygenase (9-LOX) oxylipin pathway, 9-hydroxyoctadecatrienoic acid and 9-ketooctadecatrienoic acid, control root development and plant defense. Studies in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) using a series of 9-hydroxyoctadecatrienoic acid- and 9-ketooctadecatrienoic acid-insensitive nonresponding to oxylipins (noxy) mutants showed the importance of the cell wall as a 9-LOX-induced defense component and the participation of NOXY proteins in signaling cell wall damage. Here, we examined 9-LOX signaling using the mutants lox1lox5, which lacks 9-LOX activity, and noxy2-2, which shows oxylipin insensitivity and mitochondrial dysfunction. Mutants in brassinosteroids (BRs), a class of plant hormones necessary for normal plant growth and the control of cell wall integrity, were also analyzed. Several lines of evidence indicated that 9-LOX-derived oxylipins induce BR synthesis and signaling to activate cell wall-based responses such as callose deposition and that constitutive activation of BR signaling in bri1-EMS-suppressor 1-D (bes1-D) plants enhances this response. We found that constitutive BR signaling in bes1-D and brassinolide-resistant 1-1D (bzr1-1D) mutants conferred resistance to Pseudomonas syringae. bes1-D and bzr1-1D showed increased resistance to Golovinomyces cichoracearum, an obligate biotrophic fungus that penetrates the cell wall for successful infection, whereas susceptibility was enhanced in lox1lox5 and noxy2-2. Our results indicate a sequential action of 9-LOX and BR signaling in activating cell wall-based defense, and this response prevents pathogen infection. These results show interaction between the 9-LOX and BR pathways and help to clarify their role in modulating plant defense. PMID:26417008
Estimation of PSD Shifts for High-Resolution Metrology of Thickness Micro-Changes with Possible Applications in Vessel Walls and Biological Membrane Characterization
Ramos, Antonio; Bazán, Ivonne; Negreira, Carlos; Brum, Javier; Gómez, Tomás; Calás, Héctor; Ruiz, Abelardo; de la Rosa, José Manuel
Achieving accurate measurements of inflammation levels in tissues or thickness changes in biological membranes (e.g., amniotic sac, parietal pleura) and thin biological walls (e.g., blood vessels) from outside the human body, is a promising research line in the medical area. It would provide a technical basis to study the options for early diagnosis of some serious diseases such as hypertension, atherosclerosis or tuberculosis. Nevertheless, achieving the aim of non-invasive measurement of those scarcely-accessible parameters on patient internal tissues, currently presents many difficulties. The use of high-frequency ultrasonic transducer systems appears to offer a possible solution. Previous studies using conventional ultrasonic imaging have shown this, but the spatial resolution was not sufficient so as to permit a thickness evaluation with clinical significance, which requires an accuracy of a few microns. In this paper a broadband ultrasonic technique, that was recently developed by the authors to address other non-invasive medical detection problems (by integrating a piezoelectric transducer into a spectral measuring system), is extended to our new objective; the aim is its application to the thickness measurement of sub-millimeter membranes or layers made of materials similar to some biological tissues (phantoms). The modeling and design rules of such a transducer system are described, and various methods of estimating overtones location in the power spectral density (PSD) are quantitatively assessed with transducer signals acquired using piezoelectric systems and also generated from a multi-echo model. Their effects on the potential resolution of the proposed thickness measuring tool, and their capability to provide accuracies around the micron are studied in detail. Comparisons are made with typical tools for extracting spatial parameters in laminar samples from echo-waveforms acquired with ultrasonic transducers. Results of this advanced measurement
Longitudinal changes in structural abnormalities using MDCT in COPD: do the CT measurements of airway wall thickness and small pulmonary vessels change in parallel with emphysematous progression?
Takayanagi, Shin; Kawata, Naoko; Tada, Yuji; Ikari, Jun; Matsuura, Yukiko; Matsuoka, Shin; Matsushita, Shoichiro; Yanagawa, Noriyuki; Kasahara, Yasunori; Tatsumi, Koichiro
Background Recent advances in multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) facilitate acquiring important clinical information for managing patients with COPD. MDCT can detect the loss of lung tissue associated with emphysema as a low-attenuation area (LAA) and the thickness of airways as the wall area percentage (WA%). The percentage of small pulmonary vessels <5 mm2 (% cross-sectional area [CSA] <5) has been recently recognized as a parameter for expressing pulmonary perfusion. We aimed to analyze the longitudinal changes in structural abnormalities using these CT parameters and analyze the effect of exacerbation and smoking cessation on structural changes in COPD patients. Methods We performed pulmonary function tests (PFTs), an MDCT, and a COPD assessment test (CAT) in 58 patients with COPD at the time of their enrollment at the hospital and 2 years later. We analyzed the change in clinical parameters including CT indices and examined the effect of exacerbations and smoking cessation on the structural changes. Results The CAT score and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) did not significantly change during the follow-up period. The parameters of emphysematous changes significantly increased. On the other hand, the WA% at the distal airways significantly decreased or tended to decrease, and the %CSA <5 slightly but significantly increased over the same period, especially in ex-smokers. The parameters of emphysematous change were greater in patients with exacerbations and continued to progress even after smoking cessation. In contrast, the WA% and %CSA <5 did not change in proportion to emphysema progression. Conclusion The WA% at the distal bronchi and the %CSA <5 did not change in parallel with parameters of LAA over the same period. We propose that airway disease and vascular remodeling may be reversible to some extent by smoking cessation and appropriate treatment. Optimal management may have a greater effect on pulmonary vascularity and airway disease
Use of the rotating wall vessel technology to study the effect of shear stress on growth behaviour of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA01.
Crabbé, Aurélie; De Boever, Patrick; Van Houdt, Rob; Moors, Hugo; Mergeay, Max; Cornelis, Pierre
The biofilm phenotype of Pseudomonas aeruginosa enables this opportunistic pathogen to develop resistance to the immune system and antimicrobial agents. Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms are generated under varying levels of shear stress, depending on the infection site. In the lung mucus of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, P. aeruginosa forms matrix-enclosed microcolonies which cause chronic infections representing the major cause of mortality in CF patients. The lung mucus of CF patients is probably characterized by low fluid shear as the main shear-causing factor, i.e. mucociliary clearance, is absent. In this study, the influence of fluid shear on the growth behaviour of P. aeruginosa PA01 was investigated using a low-shear suspension culture device, the rotating wall vessel (RWV). Cultivation in low shear induced a self-aggregating phenotype of P. aeruginosa PA01, resulting in the formation of biofilms in suspension similar to what has been described in CF mucus. The addition of a ceramic bead to the culture medium in the RWV created a higher-shear condition which led to the formation of surface-attached rather than suspension biofilms. In low-shear culture conditions, a significant increase of the rhl N-butanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (C(4)-HSL) directed quorum sensing (QS) system, and the psl polysaccharide synthetic locus was demonstrated using gene expression analysis. Accordingly, the low-shear condition induced a higher production of rhamnolipids, which is controlled by the C(4)-HSL QS-system and is known to play a role in CF lung pathology. These results indicate that fluid shear has an impact on the growth phenotype of P. aeruginosa which might play a role in CF lung infections caused by this bacterium.
Simulated Microgravity Regulates Gene Transcript Profiles of 2T3 Preosteoblasts: Comparison of the Random Positioning Machine and the Rotating Wall Vessel Bioreactor
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Patel, Mamta J.; Liu, Wenbin; Sykes, Michelle C.; Ward, Nancy E.; Risin, Semyon A.; Risin, Diana; Hanjoong, Jo
Microgravity of spaceflight induces bone loss due in part to decreased bone formation by osteoblasts. We have previously examined the microgravity-induced changes in gene expression profiles in 2T3 preosteoblasts using the Random Positioning Machine (RPM) to simulate microgravity conditions. Here, we hypothesized that exposure of preosteoblasts to an independent microgravity simulator, the Rotating Wall Vessel (RWV), induces similar changes in differentiation and gene transcript profiles, resulting in a more confined list of gravi-sensitive genes that may play a role in bone formation. In comparison to static 1g controls, exposure of 2T3 cells to RWV for 3 days inhibited alkaline phosphatase activity, a marker of differentiation, and downregulated 61 genes and upregulated 45 genes by more than two-fold as shown by microarray analysis. The microarray results were confirmed with real time PCR for downregulated genes osteomodulin, bone morphogenic protein 4 (BMP4), runx2, and parathyroid hormone receptor 1. Western blot analysis validated the expression of three downregulated genes, BMP4, peroxiredoxin IV, and osteoglycin, and one upregulated gene peroxiredoxin I. Comparison of the microarrays from the RPM and the RWV studies identified 14 gravi-sensitive genes that changed in the same direction in both systems. Further comparison of our results to a published database showing gene transcript profiles of mechanically loaded mouse tibiae revealed 16 genes upregulated by the loading that were shown to be downregulated by RWV and RPM. These mechanosensitive genes identified by the comparative studies may provide novel insights into understanding the mechanisms regulating bone formation and potential targets of countermeasure against decreased bone formation both in astronauts and in general patients with musculoskeletal disorders.
Curved and conformal high-pressure vessel
Croteau, Paul F.; Kuczek, Andrzej E.; Zhao, Wenping
A high-pressure vessel is provided. The high-pressure vessel may comprise a first chamber defined at least partially by a first wall, and a second chamber defined at least partially by the first wall. The first chamber and the second chamber may form a curved contour of the high-pressure vessel. A modular tank assembly is also provided, and may comprise a first mid tube having a convex geometry. The first mid tube may be defined by a first inner wall, a curved wall extending from the first inner wall, and a second inner wall extending from the curved wall. The first inner wall may be disposed at an angle relative to the second inner wall. The first mid tube may further be defined by a short curved wall opposite the curved wall and extending from the second inner wall to the first inner wall.
Growth of Intracranial Aneurysms Arised from Curved Vessels under the Influence of Elevated Wall Shear Stress ─ A Computer Simulation Study
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Feng, Yixiang; Wada, Shigeo; Tsubota, Ken-Ichi; Yamaguchi, Takami
Recent studies have suggested that long standing elevated wall shear stress might degenerate the arterial wall and be involved in the pathogenesis of intracranial aneurysm formation and development. The present study focuses on the interplay between the hemodynamic stresses, arterial wall degeneration and deformation. By constructing a computational model and examining the hypotheses that govern the rules to grow an intracranial aneurysm, we simulate the formation and development of intracranial aneurysms. The high wall shear stress is found to propagate towards the proximal and distal end of the formed aneurysm, which becomes the key factor for the expansion of wall degeneration and aneurysm progression. The development of aneurysm is influenced by the wall shear stress threshold, the Reynolds number and the rate of wall degeneration. Our preliminary results indicate that computer simulation can be used in the study of aneurysm mechanics and yields new insight into the mechanism of aneurysm pathophysiology.
Dissolver vessel bottom assembly
Kilian, Douglas C.
An improved bottom assembly is provided for a nuclear reactor fuel reprocessing dissolver vessel wherein fuel elements are dissolved as the initial step in recovering fissile material from spent fuel rods. A shock-absorbing crash plate with a convex upper surface is disposed at the bottom of the dissolver vessel so as to provide an annular space between the crash plate and the dissolver vessel wall. A sparging ring is disposed within the annular space to enable a fluid discharged from the sparging ring to agitate the solids which deposit on the bottom of the dissolver vessel and accumulate in the annular space. An inlet tangential to the annular space permits a fluid pumped into the annular space through the inlet to flush these solids from the dissolver vessel through tangential outlets oppositely facing the inlet. The sparging ring is protected against damage from the impact of fuel elements being charged to the dissolver vessel by making the crash plate of such a diameter that the width of the annular space between the crash plate and the vessel wall is less than the diameter of the fuel elements.
46 CFR 309.8 - Vessel data forms.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
..., Vessel Data. Copies of this form may be obtained from either the American War Risk Agency, 14 Wall Street... 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590. (b) Modification to vessels. Revised vessel data...
46 CFR 309.8 - Vessel data forms.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
..., Vessel Data. Copies of this form may be obtained from either the American War Risk Agency, 14 Wall Street... 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590. (b) Modification to vessels. Revised vessel data...
46 CFR 309.8 - Vessel data forms.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
..., Vessel Data. Copies of this form may be obtained from either the American War Risk Agency, 14 Wall Street... 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590. (b) Modification to vessels. Revised vessel data...
46 CFR 309.8 - Vessel data forms.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
..., Vessel Data. Copies of this form may be obtained from either the American War Risk Agency, 14 Wall Street... 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590. (b) Modification to vessels. Revised vessel data...
Specific Accumulation of Tumor-Derived Adhesion Factor in Tumor Blood Vessels and in Capillary Tube-Like Structures of Cultured Vascular Endothelial Cells
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Akaogi, Kotaro; Okabe, Yukie; Sato, Junji; Nagashima, Yoji; Yasumitsu, Hidetaro; Sugahara, Kazuyuki; Miyazaki, Kaoru
Tumor-derived adhesion factor (TAF) was previously identified as a cell adhesion molecule secreted by human bladder carcinoma cell line EJ-1. To elucidate the physiological function of TAF, we examined its distribution in human normal and tumor tissues. Immunochemical staining with an anti-TAF monoclonal antibody showed that TAF was specifically accumulated in small blood vessels and capillaries within and adjacent to tumor nests, but not in those in normal tissues. Tumor blood vessel-specific staining of TAF was observed in various human cancers, such as esophagus, brain, lung, and stomach cancers. Double immunofluorescent staining showed apparent colocalization of TAF and type IV collagen in the vascular basement membrane. In vitro experiments demonstrated that TAF preferentially bound to type IV collagen among various extracellular matrix components tested. In cell culture experiments, TAF promoted adhesion of human umbilical vein endothelial cells to type IV collagen substrate and induced their morphological change. Furthermore, when the endothelial cells were induced to form capillary tube-like structures by type I collagen, TAF and type IV collagen were exclusively detected on the tubular structures. The capillary tube formation in vitro was prevented by heparin, which inhibited the binding of TAF to the endothelial cells. These results strongly suggest that TAF contributes to the organization of new capillary vessels in tumor tissues by modulating the interaction of endothelial cells with type IV collagen.
A Real-Time Monitoring System to Assess the Platelet Aggregatory Capacity of Components of a Tissue-Engineered Blood Vessel Wall.
Musa, Faiza Idris; Harper, Alan G S; Yang, Ying
Native blood vessels contain both an antiaggregatory intimal layer, which prevents platelet activation in the intact vessel, and a proaggregatory medial layer, which stimulates platelet aggregation upon vascular damage. Yet, current techniques for assessing the functional properties of tissue-engineered blood vessels may not be able to assess the relative effectiveness of both these pro- and antiaggregatory properties of the vessel construct. In this study, we present a novel technique for quantitatively assessing the pro- and antiaggregatory properties of different three-dimensional blood vessel constructs made using a layered fabrication method. This technique utilizes real-time measurements of cytosolic Ca(2+) signaling to assess platelet activation in fluorescently labeled human platelet suspensions using fluorescence spectrofluorimetry, while also permitting examination of thrombus formation upon the surface of the construct using fluorescent imaging of DiOC6-labeled platelets. Experiments using this method demonstrated that type I collagen hydrogels, commonly used as scaffolds for vascular tissue engineering, were unable to support significant platelet activation, while type I and III neo-collagen secreted from human coronary artery smooth muscle cells cultured within these hydrogels as the medial layer were able to support thrombus formation. The incorporation of an intimal layer consisting of human umbilical vein endothelial cells on top of the medial layer inhibited platelet activation and aggregation. These data demonstrate that the methodology presented here is able to quantitatively compare the capacity of different constructs to trigger or prevent platelet activation. As such, this technique may provide a useful tool for standardizing the assessment of the functional properties of tissue-engineered blood vessel constructs developed using different culturing techniques.
The pro-inflammatory signalling regulator Stat4 promotes vasculogenesis of great vessels derived from endothelial precursors
Meng, Zhao-Zheng; Liu, Wei; Xia, Yu; Yin, Hui-Min; Zhang, Chi-Yuan; Su, Dan; Yan, Li-Feng; Gu, Ai-Hua; Zhou, Yong
Vasculogenic defects of great vessels (GVs) are a major cause of congenital cardiovascular diseases. However, genetic regulators of endothelial precursors in GV vasculogenesis remain largely unknown. Here we show that Stat4, a transcription factor known for its regulatory role of pro-inflammatory signalling, promotes GV vasculogenesis in zebrafish. We find stat4 transcripts highly enriched in nkx2.5+ endothelial precursors in the pharynx and demonstrate that genetic ablation of stat4 causes stenosis of pharyngeal arch arteries (PAAs) by suppressing PAAs 3–6 angioblast development. We further show that stat4 is a downstream target of nkx2.5 and that it autonomously promotes proliferation of endothelial precursors of the mesoderm. Mechanistically, stat4 regulates the emerging PAA angioblasts by inhibiting the expression of hdac3 and counteracting the effect of stat1a. Altogether, our study establishes a role for Stat4 in zebrafish great vessel development, and suggests that Stat4 may serve as a therapeutic target for GV defects. PMID:28256502
Optical properties of fluorescent zigzag graphene quantum dots derived from multi-walled carbon nanotubes
Chen, Wei; Li, Fushan Wu, Chaoxing; Guo, Tailiang
Graphene quantum dots (GQDs), which are edge-bound nanometer-size graphene pieces, have fascinating electronic and optical properties due to their quantum confinement and edge effect. In this paper, GQDs were synthesized by using acid treatment and chemical exfoliation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The structure of the GQDs was investigated by transmission electron microscope. The GQDs have a uniform size distribution, zigzag edge structure and two-dimensional morphology. The results indicated that the GQDs have bright blue emission upon UV excitation. The highly fluorescent GQDs exhibited high water solubility and good stability. It is shown that the acid treatment of MWCNTs leads to the formation of the functional group in zigzag sites, which results in the pH-dependent fluorescence of the GQDs.
Widespread Myocardial Delivery of Heart-Derived Stem Cells by Nonocclusive Triple-Vessel Intracoronary Infusion in Porcine Ischemic Cardiomyopathy: Superior Attenuation of Adverse Remodeling Documented by Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Histology
Tseliou, Eleni; Kanazawa, Hideaki; Dawkins, James; Gallet, Romain; Kreke, Michelle; Smith, Rachel; Middleton, Ryan; Valle, Jackelyn; Marbán, Linda; Kar, Saibal; Makkar, Rajendra; Marbán, Eduardo
Single-vessel, intracoronary infusion of stem cells under stop-flow conditions has proven safe but achieves only limited myocardial coverage. Continuous flow intracoronary delivery to one or more coronary vessels may achieve broader coverage for treating cardiomyopathy, but has not been investigated. Using nonocclusive coronary guiding catheters, we infused allogeneic cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) either in a single vessel or sequentially in all three coronary arteries in porcine ischemic cardiomyopathy and used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess structural and physiological outcomes. Vehicle-infused animals served as controls. Single-vessel stop-flow and continuous-flow intracoronary infusion revealed equivalent effects on scar size and function. Sequential infusion into each of the three major coronary vessels under stop-flow or continuous-flow conditions revealed equal efficacy, but less elevation of necrotic biomarkers with continuous-flow delivery. In addition, multi-vessel delivery resulted in enhanced global and regional tissue function compared to a triple-vessel placebo-treated group. The functional benefits after global cell infusion were accompanied histologically by minimal inflammatory cellular infiltration, attenuated regional fibrosis and enhanced vessel density in the heart. Sequential multi-vessel non-occlusive delivery of CDCs is safe and provides enhanced preservation of left ventricular function and structure. The current findings provide preclinical validation of the delivery method currently undergoing clinical testing in the Dilated cardiomYopathy iNtervention With Allogeneic MyocardIally-regenerative Cells (DYNAMIC) trial of CDCs in heart failure patients. PMID:26784932
An in vivo pilot study of a microporous thin film nitinol-covered stent to assess the effect of porosity and pore geometry on device interaction with the vessel wall.
Chun, Youngjae; Kealey, Colin P; Levi, Daniel S; Rigberg, David A; Chen, Yanfei; Tillman, Bryan W; Mohanchandra, K P; Shayan, Mahdis; Carman, Gregory P
Sputter-deposited thin film nitinol constructs with various micropatterns were fabricated to evaluate their effect on the vessel wall in vivo when used as a covering for commercially available stents. Thin film nitinol constructs were used to cover stents and deployed in non-diseased swine arteries. Swine were sacrificed after approximately four weeks and the thin film nitinol-covered stents were removed for histopathologic evaluation. Histopathology revealed differences in neointimal thickness that correlated with the thin film nitinol micropattern. Devices covered with thin film nitinol with a lateral × vertical length = 20 × 40 µm diamond pattern had minimal neointimal growth with well-organized cell architecture and little evidence of ongoing inflammation. Devices covered with thin film nitinol with smaller fenestrations exhibited a relatively thick neointimal layer with inflammation and larger fenestrations showed migration of inflammatory and smooth muscle cells through the micro fenestrations. This "proof-of-concept" study suggests that there may be an ideal thin film nitinol porosity and pore geometry to encourage endothelialization and incorporation of the device into the vessel wall. Future work will be needed to determine the optimal pore size and geometry to minimize neointimal proliferation and in-stent stenosis.
Intracoronary autologous bone marrow-derived mononuclear cell transplantation improves coronary collateral vessel formation and recruitment capacity in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy: a combined hemodynamic and scintigraphic approach.
Tayyareci, Yelda; Sezer, Murat; Umman, Berrin; Besisik, Sevgi; Mudun, Ayse; Sanli, Yasemin; Oncul, Aytac; Gurses, Nuray; Sargin, Deniz; Meric, Mehmet; Nisanci, Yilmaz
This study investigated the effects of intracoronary autologous bone marrow-derived mononuclear cell (BMC) transplantation on coronary microcirculation. Fifteen patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy were treated by intracoronary infusion of BMCs via the patent infarct-related artery. The thermodilution-derived coronary flow reserve, index of microvascular resistance, pressure-derived collateral flow index, and coronary wedge pressure were measured at baseline and at 6 months. Successive balloon inflations during BMC transplantation were performed to observe the recruitment in pressure-derived collateral flow index and coronary wedge pressure, and the percentage changes between baseline and 6 months were calculated. The mean (SD) coronary flow reserve increased from 1.3 (0.4) to 2.1 (0.5), and the mean (SD) index of microvascular resistance decreased from 44.9 (24.4) to 21.2 (14.1) (P = .001 for both). The mean (SD) improvement in pressure-derived collateral flow index (from 0.14 [0.05] to 0.22 [0.08]) was also statistically significant (P = .001). Similarly, the percentage improvements in pressure-derived collateral flow index and coronary wedge pressure were statistically significant (P = .01 for both). The percentage improvement in perfusion assessed by single-photon emission computed tomography strongly correlated with the percentage changes in pressure-derived collateral flow index (r = 0.88, P = .001) and coronary wedge pressure (r = 0.69, P = .01). These results demonstrate for the first time (to our knowledge) that intracoronary autologous BMC transplantation improves coronary collateral vessel formation and recruitment capacity in human subjects.
The antioxidant activities of six (1→3)-β-d-glucan derivatives prepared from yeast cell wall.
Tang, Qilin; Huang, Gangliang; Zhao, Fengying; Zhou, Lu; Huang, Shiqi; Li, Hui
The alkali-insoluble (1→3)-β-d-glucan (PJ) was extracted from yeast cell wall by acid-base method. The sulfated glucan (S-PJ), carboxymethylated glucan (CM-PJ), phosphorylated glucan (P-PJ), carboxymethylated-phosphorylated glucan (CP-PJ), carboxymethylated-sulfated glucan (CS-PJ), and sulfated-phosphorylated glucan (SP-PJ) were prepared and characterized, respectively. The reduction ability, hydroxyl radical/superoxide anion scavenging activities, and anti-lipid peroxidation effect of above-mentioned derivatives were assayed. It indicated that S-PJ had the significant reduction capacity, P-PJ had the obvious hydroxyl radical/superoxide anion scavenging activities and anti-lipid peroxidation effect.
Use of wastes derived from earthquakes for the production of concrete masonry partition wall blocks
Xiao Zhao; Ling, Tung-Chai; Kou, Shi-Cong; Wang Qingyuan; Poon, Chi-Sun
Highlights: > Solved the scientific and technological challenges impeding use of waste rubble derived from earthquake, by providing an alternative solution of recycling the waste in moulded concrete block products. > Significant requirements for optimum integration on the utilization of the waste aggregates in the production of concrete blocks are investigated. > A thorough understanding of the mechanical properties of concrete blocks made with waste derived from earthquake is reported. - Abstract: Utilization of construction and demolition (C and D) wastes as recycled aggregates in the production of concrete and concrete products have attracted much attention in recent years. However, the presence of large quantities of crushed clay brick in some the C and D waste streams (e.g. waste derived collapsed masonry buildings after an earthquake) renders the recycled aggregates unsuitable for high grade use. One possibility is to make use of the low grade recycled aggregates for concrete block production. In this paper, we report the results of a comprehensive study to assess the feasibility of using crushed clay brick as coarse and fine aggregates in concrete masonry block production. The effects of the content of crushed coarse and fine clay brick aggregates (CBA) on the mechanical properties of non-structural concrete block were quantified. From the experimental test results, it was observed that incorporating the crushed clay brick aggregates had a significant influence on the properties of blocks. The hardened density and drying shrinkage of the block specimens decreased with an increase in CBA content. The use of CBA increased the water absorption of block specimens. The results suggested that the amount of crushed clay brick to be used in concrete masonry blocks should be controlled at less than 25% (coarse aggregate) and within 50-75% for fine aggregates.
Determining the syringyl/guaiacyl lignin ratio in the vessel and fiber cell walls of transgenic Populus plants
Tolbert, Allison K.; Ma, Tao; Kalluri, Udaya C.; Ragauskas, Arthur J.
Observation of the spatial lignin distribution throughout the plant cell wall provides insight into the physicochemical characteristics of lignocellulosic biomass. The distribution of syringyl (S) and guaiacyl (G) lignin in cell walls of a genetically modified Populus deltoides and its corresponding empty vector control were analyzed with time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and then mapped to determine the S/G lignin ratio of the sample surface and specific regions of interest (ROIs). The surface characterizations of transgenic cross-sections within 1 cm vertical distance of each other on the stem possess similar S/G lignin ratios. Furthermore, the analysis of the ROIs determined that there was a 50% decrease in the S/G lignin ratio of the transgenic xylem fiber cell walls.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Berger, S. A.; Jou, L.-D.
The relationship between flow in the arteries, particularly the wall shear stresses, and the sites where atherosclerosis develops has motivated much of the research on arterial flow in recent decades. It is now well accepted that it is sites where shear stresses are low, or change rapidly in time or space, that are most vulnerable. These conditions are likely to prevail at places where the vessel is curved; bifurcates; has a junction, a side branch, or other sudden change in flow geometry; and when the flow is unsteady. These flows, often but not always involving flow separation or secondary motions, are also the most difficult ones in fluid mechanics to analyze or compute. In this article we review the modeling studies and experiments on steady and unsteady, two-and three-dimensional flows in arteries, and in arterial geometries most relevant in the context of atherosclerosis. These include studies of normal vessels -- to identify, on the basis of the fluid mechanics, lesion foci -- and stenotic vessels, to model and measure flow in vessels after the lesions have evolved into plaques sufficiently large to significantly modify the flow. We also discuss recent work that elucidates many of the pathways by which mechanical forces, primarily the wall shear stresses, are transduced to effect changes in the arterial wall at the cellular, subcellular, and genetic level.
Vesicle miR-195 derived from Endothelial Cells Inhibits Expression of Serotonin Transporter in Vessel Smooth Muscle Cells.
Gu, Junzhong; Zhang, Huiyuan; Ji, Bingyang; Jiang, Hui; Zhao, Tao; Jiang, Rongcai; Zhang, Zhiren; Tan, Shengjiang; Ahmed, Asif; Gu, Yuchun
Serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) has been shown to be essential in lots of physiological and pathological processes. It is well known that 5-HT and 5-HT transporter (5-HTT) play important roles in the pulmonary artery in pulmonary hypertension. However, little is known about the function of 5-HTT in other arteries. In this study we found that the expression of 5-HTT was elevated in injured carotid arteries and over-expression of 5-HTT induced proliferation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs); however, this phenotype could be reversed by knocking-down of 5-HTT or endothelial cells conditional medium (EC-CM). A 5-HTT inhibitor, fluoxetine, treated animals also exhibited reduced restenosis after injury. We identified that miR-195 was packaged in the extracellular vesicles from EC-CM. We further confirmed that extracellular vesicles could transfer miR-195 from ECs to SMCs to inhibit the expression of 5-HTT in SMCs and the proliferation of SMCs. These results provide the first evidence that ECs communicate with SMCs via micro-RNA195 in the regulation of the proliferation of SMCs through 5-HTT, which will contribute to a better understanding of communications between ECs and SMCs via micro-RNA. Our findings suggest a potential target for the control of vessel restenosis.
Vesicle miR-195 derived from Endothelial Cells Inhibits Expression of Serotonin Transporter in Vessel Smooth Muscle Cells
Gu, Junzhong; Zhang, Huiyuan; Ji, Bingyang; Jiang, Hui; Zhao, Tao; Jiang, Rongcai; Zhang, Zhiren; Tan, Shengjiang; Ahmed, Asif; Gu, Yuchun
Serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) has been shown to be essential in lots of physiological and pathological processes. It is well known that 5-HT and 5-HT transporter (5-HTT) play important roles in the pulmonary artery in pulmonary hypertension. However, little is known about the function of 5-HTT in other arteries. In this study we found that the expression of 5-HTT was elevated in injured carotid arteries and over-expression of 5-HTT induced proliferation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs); however, this phenotype could be reversed by knocking-down of 5-HTT or endothelial cells conditional medium (EC-CM). A 5-HTT inhibitor, fluoxetine, treated animals also exhibited reduced restenosis after injury. We identified that miR-195 was packaged in the extracellular vesicles from EC-CM. We further confirmed that extracellular vesicles could transfer miR-195 from ECs to SMCs to inhibit the expression of 5-HTT in SMCs and the proliferation of SMCs. These results provide the first evidence that ECs communicate with SMCs via micro-RNA195 in the regulation of the proliferation of SMCs through 5-HTT, which will contribute to a better understanding of communications between ECs and SMCs via micro-RNA. Our findings suggest a potential target for the control of vessel restenosis. PMID:28272473
Fluid-structure interaction analysis on the effect of vessel wall hypertrophy and stiffness on the blood flow in carotid artery bifurcation
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lee, Sang Hoon; Choi, Hyoung Gwon; Yoo, Jung Yul
The effect of artery wall hypertrophy and stiffness on the flow field is investigated using three-dimensional finite element method for simulating the blood flow. To avoid the complexity due to the necessity of additional mechanical constraints, we use the combined formulation which includes both the fluid and structural equations of motion into single coupled variational equation. A P2P1 Galerkin finite element method is used to solve the Navier-Stokes equations for fluid flow and arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian formulation is used to achieve mesh movement. The Newmark method is employed for solving the dynamic equilibrium equations for linear elastic solid mechanics. The pulsatile, incompressible flows of Newtonian fluids constrained in the flexible wall are analyzed with Womersley velocity profile at the inlet and constant pressure at the outlet. The study shows that the stiffness of carotid artery wall affects significantly the flow phenomena during the pulse cycle. Similarly, it is found that the flow field is also strongly influenced by wall hypertrophy. This work was supported by Mid-career Researcher Program and Priority Research Centers Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (2009-0079936 & 2011-0029613).
Use of wastes derived from earthquakes for the production of concrete masonry partition wall blocks.
Xiao, Zhao; Ling, Tung-Chai; Kou, Shi-Cong; Wang, Qingyuan; Poon, Chi-Sun
Utilization of construction and demolition (C&D) wastes as recycled aggregates in the production of concrete and concrete products have attracted much attention in recent years. However, the presence of large quantities of crushed clay brick in some the C&D waste streams (e.g. waste derived collapsed masonry buildings after an earthquake) renders the recycled aggregates unsuitable for high grade use. One possibility is to make use of the low grade recycled aggregates for concrete block production. In this paper, we report the results of a comprehensive study to assess the feasibility of using crushed clay brick as coarse and fine aggregates in concrete masonry block production. The effects of the content of crushed coarse and fine clay brick aggregates (CBA) on the mechanical properties of non-structural concrete block were quantified. From the experimental test results, it was observed that incorporating the crushed clay brick aggregates had a significant influence on the properties of blocks. The hardened density and drying shrinkage of the block specimens decreased with an increase in CBA content. The use of CBA increased the water absorption of block specimens. The results suggested that the amount of crushed clay brick to be used in concrete masonry blocks should be controlled at less than 25% (coarse aggregate) and within 50-75% for fine aggregates.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
In the photo, a medical researcher is using a specially designed laboratory apparatus for measuring blood vessel tension. It was designed by Langley Research Center as a service to researchers of Norfolk General Hospital and Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia. The investigators are studying how vascular smooth muscle-muscle in the walls of blood vessels-reacts to various stimulants, such as coffee, tea, alcohol or drugs. They sought help from Langley Research Center in devising a method of measuring the tension in blood vessel segments subjected to various stimuli. The task was complicated by the extremely small size of the specimens to be tested, blood vessel "loops" resembling small rubber bands, some only half a millimeter in diameter. Langley's Instrumentation Development Section responded with a miniaturized system whose key components are a "micropositioner" for stretching a length of blood vessel and a strain gage for measuring the smooth muscle tension developed. The micropositioner is a two-pronged holder. The loop of Mood vessel is hooked over the prongs and it is stretched by increasing the distance between the prongs in minute increments, fractions of a millimeter. At each increase, the tension developed is carefully measured. In some experiments, the holder and specimen are lowered into the test tubes shown, which contain a saline solution simulating body fluid; the effect of the compound on developed tension is then measured. The device has functioned well and the investigators say it has saved several months research time.
Derivation of factors for estimating the scatter of diagnostic x-rays from walls and ceiling slabs.
Martin, C J; Sutton, D G; Magee, J; McVey, S; Williams, J R; Peet, D
Computed tomography (CT) scanning rooms and interventional x-ray facilities with heavy workloads may require the installation of shielding to protect against radiation scattered from walls or ceiling slabs. This is particularly important for the protection of those operating x-ray equipment from within control cubicles who may be exposed to radiation scattered from the ceiling over the top of the protective barrier and round the side if a cubicle door is not included. Data available on the magnitude of this tertiary scatter from concrete slabs are limited. Moreover, there is no way in which tertiary scatter levels can be estimated easily for specific facilities. There is a need for a suitable method for quantification of tertiary scatter because of the increases in workloads of complex x-ray facilities. In this study diagnostic x-ray air kerma levels scattered from concrete and brick walls have been measured to verify scatter factors. The results have been used in a simulation of tertiary scatter for x-ray facilities involving summation of scatter contributions from elements across concrete ceiling slabs. The majority of the ceiling scatter air kerma to which staff behind a barrier will be exposed arises from the area between the patient/x-ray tube and the staff. The level depends primarily on the heights of the ceiling and protective barrier. A method has been developed to allow tertiary scatter levels to be calculated using a simple equation based on a standard arrangement for rooms with different ceiling and barrier heights. Coefficients have been derived for a CT facility and an interventional suite to predict tertiary scatter levels from the workload, so that consideration can be given to the protection options available.
Endoplasmic reticulum-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) is involved in toxicity of cell wall stress to Candida albicans.
Yu, Qilin; Zhang, Bing; Li, Jianrong; Zhang, Biao; Wang, Honggang; Li, Mingchun
The cell wall is an important cell structure in both fungi and bacteria, and hence becomes a common antimicrobial target. The cell wall-perturbing agents disrupt synthesis and function of cell wall components, leading to cell wall stress and consequent cell death. However, little is known about the detailed mechanisms by which cell wall stress renders fungal cell death. In this study, we found that ROS scavengers drastically attenuated the antifungal effect of cell wall-perturbing agents to the model fungal pathogen Candida albicans, and these agents caused remarkable ROS accumulation and activation of oxidative stress response (OSR) in this fungus. Interestingly, cell wall stress did not cause mitochondrial dysfunction and elevation of mitochondrial superoxide levels. Furthermore, the iron chelator 2,2'-bipyridyl (BIP) and the hydroxyl radical scavengers could not attenuate cell wall stress-caused growth inhibition and ROS accumulation. However, cell wall stress up-regulated expression of unfold protein response (UPR) genes, enhanced protein secretion and promoted protein folding-related oxidation of Ero1, an important source of ROS production. These results indicated that oxidation of Ero1 in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), rather than mitochondrial electron transport and Fenton reaction, contributed to cell wall stress-related ROS accumulation and consequent growth inhibition. Our findings uncover a novel link between cell wall integrity (CWI), ER function and ROS production in fungal cells, and shed novel light on development of strategies promoting the antifungal efficacy of cell wall-perturbing agents against fungal infections.
Wrapped Wire Detects Rupture Of Pressure Vessel
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Hunt, James B.
Simple, inexpensive technique helps protect against damage caused by continuing operation of equipment after rupture or burnout of pressure vessel. Wire wrapped over area on outside of vessel where breakthrough most likely. If wall breaks or burns, so does wire. Current passing through wire ceases, triggering cutoff mechanism stopping flow in vessel to prevent further damage. Applied in other situations in which pipes or vessels fail due to overpressure, overheating, or corrosion.
Semi-automated segmentation of solid and GGO nodules in lung CT images using vessel-likelihood derived from local foreground structure
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yaguchi, Atsushi; Okazaki, Tomoya; Takeguchi, Tomoyuki; Matsumoto, Sumiaki; Ohno, Yoshiharu; Aoyagi, Kota; Yamagata, Hitoshi
Reflecting global interest in lung cancer screening, considerable attention has been paid to automatic segmentation and volumetric measurement of lung nodules on CT. Ground glass opacity (GGO) nodules deserve special consideration in this context, since it has been reported that they are more likely to be malignant than solid nodules. However, due to relatively low contrast and indistinct boundaries of GGO nodules, segmentation is more difficult for GGO nodules compared with solid nodules. To overcome this difficulty, we propose a method for accurately segmenting not only solid nodules but also GGO nodules without prior information about nodule types. First, the histogram of CT values in pre-extracted lung regions is modeled by a Gaussian mixture model and a threshold value for including high-attenuation regions is computed. Second, after setting up a region of interest around the nodule seed point, foreground regions are extracted by using the threshold and quick-shift-based mode seeking. Finally, for separating vessels from the nodule, a vessel-likelihood map derived from elongatedness of foreground regions is computed, and a region growing scheme starting from the seed point is applied to the map with the aid of fast marching method. Experimental results using an anthropomorphic chest phantom showed that our method yielded generally lower volumetric measurement errors for both solid and GGO nodules compared with other methods reported in preceding studies conducted using similar technical settings. Also, our method allowed reasonable segmentation of GGO nodules in low-dose images and could be applied to clinical CT images including part-solid nodules.
Voluntary Consensus Organization Standards for Nondestructive Evaluation of Thin-Walled Metallic Liners and Composite Overwraps in Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Waller, Jess; Saulsberry, Regor
NASA fracture control requirements outlined in NASA-STD-5009 and NASA-STD-5014 are predicated on the availability and use of sensitive nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods that can detect and monitor defects, thereby providing data that can be used to predict failure or reduce the risk of failure in fracture critical components. However, in the case of composite materials and components, including composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs), the effect of defects is poorly understood, the NDE methods used to evaluate locate and size defects are typically at lower technical readiness level than analogous NDE methods used for metals, and demonstration studies to verify the probability of detection (POD) are generally lacking or unavailable. These factors together make failure prediction of fracture critical composite materials and components based on size, quantity, or orientation of defects nearly impossible. Also, when inspecting metal liners in as-manufactured COPVs, sensitivity is lost and only the inner surface of the liner is accessible. Also, NDE of COPVs as applied during manufacturing varies significantly from manufacturer to manufacturer and has not yet been standardized. Although requirements exist to perform NDE immediately after manufacturing to establish initial integrity of the parts, procedural detail for NDE of composites is still nonexistent or under development. For example, in practice, only a visual inspection of COPVs is performed during manufacturing and service, leaving in question whether defects of concern, for example, bridging, overwrap winding anomalies, impact damage below visible threshold, out-of-family strain growth, and liner buckling have been adequately detected and monitored. To address these shortcomings, in 2005 the NASA Nondestructive Evaluation Working Group (NNWG) began funding work to develop and adopt standards for nondestructive evaluation of aerospace composites in collaboration with the American Society for Testing
Relaxation oscillation model of hemodynamic parameters in the cerebral vessels
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Cherevko, A. A.; Mikhaylova, A. V.; Chupakhin, A. P.; Ufimtseva, I. V.; Krivoshapkin, A. L.; Orlov, K. Yu
Simulation of a blood flow under normality as well as under pathology is extremely complex problem of great current interest both from the point of view of fundamental hydrodynamics, and for medical applications. This paper proposes a model of Van der Pol - Duffing nonlinear oscillator equation describing relaxation oscillations of a blood flow in the cerebral vessels. The model is based on the patient-specific clinical experimental data flow obtained during the neurosurgical operations in Meshalkin Novosibirsk Research Institute of Circulation Pathology. The stability of the model is demonstrated through the variations of initial data and coefficients. It is universal and describes pressure and velocity fluctuations in different cerebral vessels (arteries, veins, sinuses), as well as in a laboratory model of carotid bifurcation. Derived equation describes the rheology of the "blood stream - elastic vessel wall gelatinous brain environment" composite system and represents the state equation of this complex environment.
Dimensional analysis of blood vessel images in real time
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Smith, Peter R.; Eustaquio-Martin, Almudena; Thomason, Harry; Bennett, M.; Thurston, H.
The physiology and pathology of dissected blood vessels are studied by perfusion myography combined with video microscopy. Images of the vessels are formed under diffuse white light illumination and contrast is achieved by differential absorption with respect to the vessel wall. To obtain the vessel dimensional information in quasi real time an edge-tracking algorithm is used, allowing the edges to be found by applying common image processing tools to a very small number of pixels rather than the whole image. Employing a low order optical model of the light transmission properties of vessels with circular cross section, a relationship between the positions of edges found by a typical image processing algorithm and actual dimensions is derived. The dimensional analysis is demonstrated on rat mesenteric resistance arteries (internal diameter less than 300 micrometer) mounted in a perfusion arteriograph. Segments of vessels are secured on two glass cannulae using single strands of a nylon braided suture. The artery is perfused with physiological salt solution and the perfusion pressure maintained at 60 mmHg before starting the experiment. Changes in vascular diameter to the vasoconstrictor noradrenaline and the endothelium-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine were then observed.
Plating Repair Of Nickel-Alloy Pressure Vessels
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Ricklefs, Steve K.; Chagnon, Kevin M.
Procedure for localized electrodeposition of nickel enables repair of small damaged nickel-based pressure vessels. Electrodeposition restores weakened areas of vessel wall to at least their former strength.
Synchronized reconstitution of muscle fibers, peripheral nerves and blood vessels by murine skeletal muscle-derived CD34(-)/45 (-) cells.
Tamaki, Tetsuro; Okada, Yoshinori; Uchiyama, Yoshiyasu; Tono, Kayoko; Masuda, Maki; Wada, Mika; Hoshi, Akio; Akatsuka, Akira
In order to establish the practical isolation and usage of skeletal muscle-derived stem cells (MDSCs), we determined reconstitution capacity of CD34(-)/CD45(-) (Sk-DN) cells as a candidate somatic stem cell source for transplantation. Sk-DN cells were enzymatically isolated from GFP transgenic mice (C57/BL6N) skeletal muscle and sorted using fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS), and expanded by collagen gel-based cell culture with bFGF and EGF. The number of Sk-DN cells was small after sorting (2-8 x 10(4)); however, the number increased 10-20 fold (2-16 x 10(5)) after 6 days of expansion culture, and the cells maintained immature state and multipotency, expressing mRNAs for mesodermal and ectodermal cell lineages. Transplantation of expanded Sk-DN cells into the severe muscle damage model (C57/BL6N wild-type) resulted in the synchronized reconstitution of blood vessels, peripheral nerves and muscle fibers following significant recovery of total muscle mass (57%) and contractile function (55%), whereas the non-cell-transplanted control group showed around 20% recovery in both factors. These reconstitution capacities were supported by the intrinsic plasticity of Sk-DN cells that can differentiate into muscular (skeletal muscle), vascular (pericyte, endothelial cell and smooth muscle) and peripheral nerve (Schwann cells and perineurium) cell lineages that was revealed by transplantation to non-muscle tissue (beneath renal capsule) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis.
Novel 3D ultrasound image-based biomarkers based on a feature selection from a 2D standardized vessel wall thickness map: a tool for sensitive assessment of therapies for carotid atherosclerosis
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Chiu, Bernard; Li, Bing; Chow, Tommy W. S.
With the advent of new therapies and management strategies for carotid atherosclerosis, there is a parallel need for measurement tools or biomarkers to evaluate the efficacy of these new strategies. 3D ultrasound has been shown to provide reproducible measurements of plaque area/volume and vessel wall volume. However, since carotid atherosclerosis is a focal disease that predominantly occurs at bifurcations, biomarkers based on local plaque change may be more sensitive than global volumetric measurements in demonstrating efficacy of new therapies. The ultimate goal of this paper is to develop a biomarker that is based on the local distribution of vessel-wall-plus-plaque thickness change (VWT-Change) that has occurred during the course of a clinical study. To allow comparison between different treatment groups, the VWT-Change distribution of each subject must first be mapped to a standardized domain. In this study, we developed a technique to map the 3D VWT-Change distribution to a 2D standardized template. We then applied a feature selection technique to identify regions on the 2D standardized map on which subjects in different treatment groups exhibit greater difference in VWT-Change. The proposed algorithm was applied to analyse the VWT-Change of 20 subjects in a placebo-controlled study of the effect of atorvastatin (Lipitor). The average VWT-Change for each subject was computed (i) over all points in the 2D map and (ii) over feature points only. For the average computed over all points, 97 subjects per group would be required to detect an effect size of 25% that of atorvastatin in a six-month study. The sample size is reduced to 25 subjects if the average were computed over feature points only. The introduction of this sensitive quantification technique for carotid atherosclerosis progression/regression would allow many proof-of-principle studies to be performed before a more costly and longer study involving a larger population is held to confirm the treatment
Di-isodityrosine, a novel tetrametric derivative of tyrosine in plant cell wall proteins: a new potential cross-link.
Brady, J D; Sadler, I H; Fry, S C
A novel amino acid, di-isodityrosine, has been isolated from hydrolysates of cell walls of tomato cell culture. Analysis by UV spectrometry, partial derivatization with 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene and mass and NMR spectrometry show that the compound is composed to two molecules of isodityrosine, joined by a biphenyl linkage. The possible reactions involved in the formation of this molecule in vivo are discussed, as is the possibility that it could form an interpolypeptide linkage between cell wall proteins such as extensin, and hence aid in the insolubilization of the protein in the wall. PMID:8670125
Pectin and Xyloglucan Influence the Attachment of Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes to Bacterial Cellulose-Derived Plant Cell Wall Models
Tan, Michelle S. F.; Rahman, Sadequr
Minimally processed fresh produce has been implicated as a major source of foodborne microbial pathogens globally. These pathogens must attach to the produce in order to be transmitted. Cut surfaces of produce that expose cell walls are particularly vulnerable. Little is known about the roles that different structural components (cellulose, pectin, and xyloglucan) of plant cell walls play in the attachment of foodborne bacterial pathogens. Using bacterial cellulose-derived plant cell wall models, we showed that the presence of pectin alone or xyloglucan alone affected the attachment of three Salmonella enterica strains (Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis ATCC 13076, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium ATCC 14028, and Salmonella enterica subsp. indica M4) and Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 7644. In addition, we showed that this effect was modulated in the presence of both polysaccharides. Assays using pairwise combinations of S. Typhimurium ATCC 14028 and L. monocytogenes ATCC 7644 showed that bacterial attachment to all plant cell wall models was dependent on the characteristics of the individual bacterial strains and was not directly proportional to the initial concentration of the bacterial inoculum. This work showed that bacterial attachment was not determined directly by the plant cell wall model or bacterial physicochemical properties. We suggest that attachment of the Salmonella strains may be influenced by the effects of these polysaccharides on physical and structural properties of the plant cell wall model. Our findings improve the understanding of how Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes attach to plant cell walls, which may facilitate the development of better ways to prevent the attachment of these pathogens to such surfaces. PMID:26567310
Evaluation of in-vessel corium retention through external reactor vessel cooling for integral reactor
Park, R. J.; Lee, J. R.; Kim, S. B.; Jin, Y.; Kim, H. Y.
In-vessel corium retention through external reactor vessel cooling (IVR-ERVC) for a small integral reactor has been evaluated to determine the thermal margin for the prevention of a reactor vessel failure. A thermal load analysis from the corium pool to the outer reactor vessel wall in the lower plenum of the reactor vessel has been performed to determine the heat flux distribution. The critical heat flux (CHF) on the outer reactor vessel wall has been determined to fix the maximum heat removal rate through the external coolant between the outer reactor vessel and the insulation of the reactor vessel. Finally, the thermal margin has been evaluated by comparison of the thermal load with the maximum heat removal rate of the CHF on the outer reactor vessel wall. The maximum heat flux from the corium pool to the outer reactor vessel is estimated at approximately 0.25 MW/m{sup 2} in the metallic layer because of the focusing effect. The CHF of the outer reactor vessel is approximately 1.1 MW/m{sup 2} because of a two phase natural circulation mass flow. Since the thermal margin for the IVR-ERVC is sufficient, the reactor vessel integrity is maintained during a severe accident of a small integral reactor. (authors)
Genotype, development and tissue-derived variation of cell-wall properties in the lignocellulosic energy crop Miscanthus
da Costa, Ricardo M. F.; Lee, Scott J.; Allison, Gordon G.; Hazen, Samuel P.; Winters, Ana; Bosch, Maurice
Background and Aims Species and hybrids of the genus Miscanthus contain attributes that make them front-runners among current selections of dedicated bioenergy crops. A key trait for plant biomass conversion to biofuels and biomaterials is cell-wall quality; however, knowledge of cell-wall composition and biology in Miscanthus species is limited. This study presents data on cell-wall compositional changes as a function of development and tissue type across selected genotypes, and considers implications for the development of miscanthus as a sustainable and renewable bioenergy feedstock. Methods Cell-wall biomass was analysed for 25 genotypes, considering different developmental stages and stem vs. leaf compositional variability, by Fourier transform mid-infrared spectroscopy and lignin determination. In addition, a Clostridium phytofermentans bioassay was used to assess cell-wall digestibility and conversion to ethanol. Key Results Important cell-wall compositional differences between miscanthus stem and leaf samples were found to be predominantly associated with structural carbohydrates. Lignin content increased as plants matured and was higher in stem tissues. Although stem lignin concentration correlated inversely with ethanol production, no such correlation was observed for leaves. Leaf tissue contributed significantly to total above-ground biomass at all stages, although the extent of this contribution was genotype-dependent. Conclusions It is hypothesized that divergent carbohydrate compositions and modifications in stem and leaf tissues are major determinants for observed differences in cell-wall quality. The findings indicate that improvement of lignocellulosic feedstocks should encompass tissue-dependent variation as it affects amenability to biological conversion. For gene–trait associations relating to cell-wall quality, the data support the separate examination of leaf and stem composition, as tissue-specific traits may be masked by considering only
Genotype, development and tissue-derived variation of cell-wall properties in the lignocellulosic energy crop Miscanthus
da Costa, Ricardo M. F.; Lee, Scott J.; Allison, Gordon G.; ...
Species and hybrids of the genus Miscanthus contain attributes that make them front-runners among current selections of dedicated bioenergy crops. A key trait for plant biomass conversion to biofuels and biomaterials is cell-wall quality; however, knowledge of cell-wall composition and biology in Miscanthus species is limited. This study presents data on cell-wall compositional changes as a function of development and tissue type across selected genotypes, and considers implications for the development of miscanthus as a sustainable and renewable bioenergy feedstock. Cell-wall biomass was analysed for 25 genotypes, considering different developmental stages and stem vs. leaf compositional variability, by Fourier transformmore » mid-infrared spectroscopy and lignin determination. In addition, a Clostridium phytofermentans bioassay was used to assess cell-wall digestibility and conversion to ethanol. Important cell-wall compositional differences between miscanthus stem and leaf samples were found to be predominantly associated with structural carbohydrates. Lignin content increased as plants matured and was higher in stem tissues. Although stem lignin concentration correlated inversely with ethanol production, no such correlation was observed for leaves. Leaf tissue contributed significantly to total above-ground biomass at all stages, although the extent of this contribution was genotype-dependent. In conclusion, it is hypothesized that divergent carbohydrate compositions and modifications in stem and leaf tissues are major determinants for observed differences in cell-wall quality. The findings indicate that improvement of lignocellulosic feedstocks should encompass tissue-dependent variation as it affects amenability to biological conversion. For gene-trait associations relating to cell-wall quality, the data support the separate examination of leaf and stem composition, as tissue-specific traits may be masked by considering only total above-ground biomass
Vessel structural support system
Jenko, James X.; Ott, Howard L.; Wilson, Robert M.; Wepfer, Robert M.
Vessel structural support system for laterally and vertically supporting a vessel, such as a nuclear steam generator having an exterior bottom surface and a side surface thereon. The system includes a bracket connected to the bottom surface. A support column is pivotally connected to the bracket for vertically supporting the steam generator. The system also includes a base pad assembly connected pivotally to the support column for supporting the support column and the steam generator. The base pad assembly, which is capable of being brought to a level position by turning leveling nuts, is anchored to a floor. The system further includes a male key member attached to the side surface of the steam generator and a female stop member attached to an adjacent wall. The male key member and the female stop member coact to laterally support the steam generator. Moreover, the system includes a snubber assembly connected to the side surface of the steam generator and also attached to the adjacent wall for dampening lateral movement of the steam generator. In addition, the system includes a restraining member of "flat" attached to the side surface of the steam generator and a bumper attached to the adjacent wall. The flat and the bumper coact to further laterally support the steam generator.
46 CFR 4.03-35 - Nuclear vessel.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... INVESTIGATIONS Definitions § 4.03-35 Nuclear vessel. The term nuclear vessel means any vessel in which power for propulsion, or for any other purpose, is derived from nuclear energy; or any vessel handling or processing... 46 Shipping 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Nuclear vessel. 4.03-35 Section 4.03-35 Shipping...
46 CFR 4.03-35 - Nuclear vessel.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... INVESTIGATIONS Definitions § 4.03-35 Nuclear vessel. The term nuclear vessel means any vessel in which power for propulsion, or for any other purpose, is derived from nuclear energy; or any vessel handling or processing... 46 Shipping 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Nuclear vessel. 4.03-35 Section 4.03-35 Shipping...
46 CFR 4.03-35 - Nuclear vessel.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... INVESTIGATIONS Definitions § 4.03-35 Nuclear vessel. The term nuclear vessel means any vessel in which power for propulsion, or for any other purpose, is derived from nuclear energy; or any vessel handling or processing... 46 Shipping 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Nuclear vessel. 4.03-35 Section 4.03-35 Shipping...
46 CFR 4.03-35 - Nuclear vessel.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... INVESTIGATIONS Definitions § 4.03-35 Nuclear vessel. The term nuclear vessel means any vessel in which power for propulsion, or for any other purpose, is derived from nuclear energy; or any vessel handling or processing... 46 Shipping 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Nuclear vessel. 4.03-35 Section 4.03-35 Shipping...
46 CFR 4.03-35 - Nuclear vessel.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... INVESTIGATIONS Definitions § 4.03-35 Nuclear vessel. The term nuclear vessel means any vessel in which power for propulsion, or for any other purpose, is derived from nuclear energy; or any vessel handling or processing... 46 Shipping 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Nuclear vessel. 4.03-35 Section 4.03-35 Shipping...
Angiogenesis and vasculogenesis: inducing the growth of new blood vessels and wound healing by stimulation of bone marrow-derived progenitor cell mobilization and homing.
Velazquez, Omaida C
During embryonic development, the vasculature is among the first organs to form and is in charge of maintaining metabolic homeostasis by supplying oxygen and nutrients and removing waste products. As one would expect, blood vessels are critical not only for organ growth in the embryo but also for repair of wounded tissue in the adult. An imbalance in angiogenesis (a time-honored term that globally refers to the growth of new blood vessels) contributes to the pathogenesis of numerous malignant, inflammatory, ischemic, infectious, immune, and wound-healing disorders. This review focuses on the central role of the growth of new blood vessels in ischemic and diabetic wound healing and defines the most current nomenclature that describes the neovascularization process in wounds. There are now two well-defined, distinct, yet interrelated processes for the formation of postnatal new blood vessels, angiogenesis, and vasculogenesis. Reviewed are recent new data on vasculogenesis that promise to advance the field of wound healing.
Quantification of pulmonary arterial wall distensibility using parameters extracted from volumetric micro-CT images
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Johnson, Roger H.; Karau, Kelly L.; Molthen, Robert C.; Dawson, Christopher A.
Stiffening, or loss of distensibility, of arterial vessel walls is among the manifestations of a number of vascular diseases including pulmonary arterial hypertension. We are attempting to quantify the mechanical properties of vessel walls of the pulmonary arterial tree using parameters derived from high-resolution volumetric x-ray CT images of rat lungs. The pulmonary arterial trees of the excised lungs are filled with a contrast agent. The lungs are imaged with arterial pressures spanning the physiological range. Vessel segment diameters are measured from the inlet to the periphery, and distensibilities calculated from diameters as a function of pressure. The method shows promise as an adjunct to other morphometric techniques such as histology and corrosion casting. It possesses the advantages of being nondestructive, characterizing the vascular structures while the lungs are imaged rapidly and in a near-physiological state, and providing the ability to associate mechanical properties with vessel location in the intact tree hierarchy.
4D Blood Flow Reconstruction Over the Entire Ventricle From Wall Motion and Blood Velocity Derived From Ultrasound Data.
Gomez, Alberto; de Vecchi, Adelaide; Jantsch, Martin; Shi, Wenzhe; Pushparajah, Kuberan; Simpson, John M; Smith, Nicolas P; Rueckert, Daniel; Schaeffter, Tobias; Penney, Graeme P
We demonstrate a new method to recover 4D blood flow over the entire ventricle from partial blood velocity measurements using multiple 3D+t colour Doppler images and ventricular wall motion estimated using 3D+t BMode images. We apply our approach to realistic simulated data to ascertain the ability of the method to deal with incomplete data, as typically happens in clinical practice. Experiments using synthetic data show that the use of wall motion improves velocity reconstruction, shows more accurate flow patterns and improves mean accuracy particularly when coverage of the ventricle is poor. The method was applied to patient data from 6 congenital cases, producing results consistent with the simulations. The use of wall motion produced more plausible flow patterns and reduced the reconstruction error in all patients.
Isolation and identification of arabinose mycolates of Cell Wall Skeleton (CWS) derived from Mycobacterium bovis BCG Tokyo 172 (SMP-105).
Uenishi, Yuko; Kusunose, Naoto; Yano, Ikuya; Sunagawa, Makoto
A unique hydrolysis method using a two-layer solution, consisting of diluted hydrochloric acid and toluene was developed to isolate whole arabinose mycolates from the cell wall skeleton of Mycobacterium bovis BCG Tokyo 172 (SMP-105) in order to reveal its pivotal role in enhancing immune responses against tumors.
Multiple intra-tube junctions in the inner tube of peapod-derived double walled carbon nanotubes: theoretical study and experimental evidence.
Xu, Ziwei; Li, Hui; Fujisawa, Kazunori; Kim, Yoong Ahm; Endo, Morinobu; Ding, Feng
The coalescence process of fullerenes in the hollow core of single walled carbon nanotubes is systematically explored by the kinetic Monte Carlo method. Two elongation (or growth) modes via the coalescence (i) between an inner tube and fullerenes and (ii) between neighboring inner tubes are identified. It is found that the coalescence of two inner tubes mostly creates a very stable intra-tube junction which is composed of multiple pentagon-heptagon pairs. As a consequence, the study predicts that the inner tube of peapod derived double walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs) must contain many intra-tube junctions. Careful high resolution transmission electron microscopy observation on peapod-grown DWNT sample provides experimental evidence of the presence of the junctions.
Vessel segmentation in screening mammograms
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Mordang, J. J.; Karssemeijer, N.
Blood vessels are a major cause of false positives in computer aided detection systems for the detection of breast cancer. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to construct a framework for the segmentation of blood vessels in screening mammograms. The proposed framework is based on supervised learning using a cascade classifier. This cascade classifier consists of several stages where in each stage a GentleBoost classifier is trained on Haar-like features. A total of 30 cases were included in this study. In each image, vessel pixels were annotated by selecting pixels on the centerline of the vessel, control samples were taken by annotating a region without any visible vascular structures. This resulted in a total of 31,000 pixels marked as vascular and over 4 million control pixels. After training, the classifier assigns a vesselness likelihood to the pixels. The proposed framework was compared to three other vessel enhancing methods, i) a vesselness filter, ii) a gaussian derivative filter, and iii) a tubeness filter. The methods were compared in terms of area under the receiver operating characteristics curves, the Az values. The Az value of the cascade approach is 0:85. This is superior to the vesselness, Gaussian, and tubeness methods, with Az values of 0:77, 0:81, and 0:78, respectively. From these results, it can be concluded that our proposed framework is a promising method for the detection of vessels in screening mammograms.
Regional expression of the platelet-derived growth factor and its receptors in a primate graft model of vessel wall assembly.
Kraiss, L W; Raines, E W; Wilcox, J N; Seifert, R A; Barrett, T B; Kirkman, T R; Hart, C E; Bowen-Pope, D F; Ross, R; Clowes, A W
Healing baboon polytetrafluoroethylene grafts express PDGF mRNA in the neointima. Perfusates of graft segments also contain PDGF-like mitogenic activity. To extend these findings, we studied the expression and regional distribution of the PDGF protein isoforms and their receptors in this prosthetic graft model. By immunohistochemistry, as well as ELISA and Western blot analysis of tissue extracts, both PDGF-A and PDGF-B were identified in macrophages within the interstices of the synthetic material. In contrast, the neointima contained predominantly PDGF-A localized to the endothelial surface and the immediate subjacent smooth muscle cell layers. Tissue extracts of neointima and graft material were mitogenic for baboon aortic smooth muscle cells in culture; nearly all of this proliferative activity was blocked by a neutralizing anti-PDGF antibody. PDGF receptor beta-subunit mRNA and protein were easily detectable in the neointima and graft material. PDGF receptor alpha-subunit mRNA was also observed in the graft matrix and at lower levels in the neointima. This pattern of ligand and receptor expression further implicates locally produced PDGF as a regulator of neointimal smooth muscle cell growth in this model. The coexpression of ligand and receptor in the macrophage-rich matrix also suggests that PDGF may participate in the foreign body response. Images PMID:8326002
The changes in the endothelial expression of cell adhesion molecules and iNOS in the vessel wall after the short-term administration of simvastatin in rabbit model of atherosclerosis.
Nachtigal, Petr; Kopecky, Martin; Solichova, Dagmar; Zdansky, Petr; Semecky, Vladimir
Cell adhesion molecules P-selectin, VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 play an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. High levels of nitric oxide (NO) produced by inducible NO synthase (iNOS) have been associated with atherosclerotic processes. Simvastatin is an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor responsible for many clinical benefits. The aim of this study was to detect and quantify changes in endothelial expression of P-selectin, VCAM-1, ICAM-1 and iNOS in the vessel wall after the shortterm administration of simvastatin in a rabbit model of atherosclerosis. Eighteen New Zealand White rabbits were randomly divided into three groups (n=6). In the cholesterol group, rabbits consumed an atherogenic diet (0.4% cholesterol) for eight weeks. In the simvastatin group, rabbits consumed an atherogenic diet for six weeks and then consumed an atherogenic diet supplemented with simvastatin (10 mg kg(-1)) for two weeks. Biochemical analysis showed that administration of simvastatin led to an almost two-fold lowering of the total serum cholesterol, VLDL, LDL and HDL, but not triglycerides, compared with the cholesterol-fed rabbits only. Stereological analysis of the immunohistochemical staining revealed that administration of simvastatin (10 mg kg(-1) daily) in an atherogenic diet decreased the endothelial expression of P-selectin, ICAM-1 and iNOS in both aortic arch and carotid artery compared with the cholesterol fed-rabbits only. We conclude that simvastatin has beneficial effects on endothelial function by decreasing expression of P-selectin, ICAM-1 and iNOS in endothelial cells in the very early stages of atherogenesis.
Micro-CT image-derived metrics quantify arterial wall distensibility reduction in a rat model of pulmonary hypertension
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Johnson, Roger H.; Karau, Kelly L.; Molthen, Robert C.; Haworth, Steven T.; Dawson, Christopher A.
We developed methods to quantify arterial structural and mechanical properties in excised rat lungs and applied them to investigate the distensibility decrease accompanying chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension. Lungs of control and hypertensive (three weeks 11% O2) animals were excised and a contrast agent introduced before micro-CT imaging with a special purpose scanner. For each lung, four 3D image data sets were obtained, each at a different intra-arterial contrast agent pressure. Vessel segment diameters and lengths were measured at all levels in the arterial tree hierarchy, and these data used to generate features sensitive to distensibility changes. Results indicate that measurements obtained from 3D micro-CT images can be used to quantify vessel biomechanical properties in this rat model of pulmonary hypertension and that distensibility is reduced by exposure to chronic hypoxia. Mechanical properties can be assessed in a localized fashion and quantified in a spatially-resolved way or as a single parameter describing the tree as a whole. Micro-CT is a nondestructive way to rapidly assess structural and mechanical properties of arteries in small animal organs maintained in a physiological state. Quantitative features measured by this method may provide valuable insights into the mechanisms causing the elevated pressures in pulmonary hypertension of differing etiologies and should become increasingly valuable tools in the study of complex phenotypes in small-animal models of important diseases such as hypertension.
Ethambutol-mediated cell wall modification in recombinant Corynebacterium glutamicum increases the biotransformation rates of cyclohexanone derivatives.
Yun, Ji-Yeong; Lee, Jung-Eun; Yang, Kyung-Mi; Cho, Suekyung; Kim, Arim; Kwon, Yong-Uk; Kwon, Yong-Euk; Park, Jin-Byung
The effects of structural modification of cell wall on the biotransformation capability by recombinant Corynebacterium glutamicum cells, expressing the chnB gene encoding cyclohexanone monooxygenase of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus NCIMB 9871, were investigated. Baeyer-Villiger oxygenation of 2-(2'-acetoxyethyl) cyclohexanone (MW 170 Da) into R-7-(2'-acetoxyethyl)-2-oxepanone was used as a model reaction. The whole-cell biotransformation followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The V (max) and K (S) values were estimated as 96.8 U g(-1) of dry cells and 0.98 mM, respectively. The V (max) was comparable with that of cyclohexanone oxygenation, whereas the K (S) was almost eightfold higher. The K (S) value of 2-(2'-acetoxyethyl) cyclohexanone oxygenation was reduced by ca. 30% via altering the cell envelop structure of C. glutamicum with ethambutol, which inhibits arabinosyl transferases involved in the biosynthesis of cell wall arabinogalactan and mycolate layers. The higher whole-cell biotransformation rate was also observed in the oxygenation of ethyl 2-cyclohexanone acetate upon ethambutol treatment of the recombinant C. glutamicum. Therefore, it was assumed that the biotransformation efficiency of C. glutamicum-based biocatalysts, with respect to medium- to large-sized lipophilic organic substrates (MW > ca. 170), can be enhanced by engineering their cell wall outer layers, which are known to function as a formidable barrier to lipophilic molecules.
Tailoring vessel morphology in vivo
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gould, Daniel Joseph
Tissue engineering is a rapidly growing field which seeks to provide alternatives to organ transplantation in order to address the increasing need for transplantable tissues. One huge hurdle in this effort is the provision of thick tissues; this hurdle exists because currently there is no way to provide prevascularized or rapidly vascularizable scaffolds. To design thick, vascularized tissues, scaffolds are needed that can induce vessels which are similar to the microvasculature found in normal tissues. Angiogenic biomaterials are being developed to provide useful scaffolds to address this problem. In this thesis angiogenic and cell signaling and adhesion factors were incorporated into a biomimetic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogel system. The composition of these hydrogels was precisely tuned to induce the formation of differing vessel morphology. To sensitively measure induced microvascular morphology and to compare it to native microvessels in several tissues, this thesis developed an image-based tool for quantification of scale invariant and classical measures of vessel morphology. The tool displayed great utility in the comparison of native vessels and remodeling vessels in normal tissues. To utilize this tool to tune the vessel response in vivo, Flk1::myr-mCherry fluorescently labeled mice were implanted with Platelet Derived Growth Factor-BB (PDGF-BB) and basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF-2) containing PEG-based hydrogels in a modified mouse corneal angiogenesis assay. Resulting vessels were imaged with confocal microscopy, analyzed with the image based tool created in this thesis to compare morphological differences between treatment groups, and used to create a linear relationship between space filling parameters and dose of growth factor release. Morphological parameters of native mouse tissue vessels were then compared to the linear fit to calculate the dose of growth factors needed to induce vessels similar in morphology to native vessels
Angiogenesis & Vasculogenesis: Inducing the growth of new blood vessels and wound healing by stimulation of Bone Marrow Derived Progenitor Cell Mobilization and Homing
Velazquez, Omaida C.
During embryonic development, the vasculature is among the first organs to form and is in charge of maintaining metabolic homeostasis by supplying oxygen and nutrients and removing waste products. As one would expect, blood vessels are critical not only for organ growth in the embryo, but also for repair of wounded tissue in the adult. An imbalance in 'Angiogenesis' (a time-honored term that globally refers to the growth of new blood vessels) contributes to the pathogenesis of numerous malignant, inflammatory, ischemic, infectious, immune, and wound healing disorders. In this review, we will focus on the central role of the growth of new blood vessels in ischemic and diabetic wound healing. We define the most current nomenclature that describes the neovascularization process in wounds. There are now two well defined, distinct, yet interrelated processes for the formation of post-natal new blood vessels, angiogenesis and vasculogenesis. We review recent new data on vasculogenesis that promises to advance the field of wound healing. PMID:17544023
A mixture of peptides and sugars derived from plant cell walls increases plant defense responses to stress and attenuates ageing-associated molecular changes in cultured skin cells.
Apone, Fabio; Tito, Annalisa; Carola, Antonietta; Arciello, Stefania; Tortora, Assunta; Filippini, Lucio; Monoli, Irene; Cucchiara, Mirna; Gibertoni, Simone; Chrispeels, Maarten J; Colucci, Gabriella
Small peptides and aminoacid derivatives have been extensively studied for their effect of inducing plant defense responses, and thus increasing plant tolerance to a wide range of abiotic stresses. Similarly to plants, these compounds can activate different signaling pathways in mammalian skin cells as well, leading to the up-regulation of anti-aging specific genes. This suggests the existence of analogous defense response mechanisms, well conserved both in plants and animal cells. In this article, we describe the preparation of a new mixture of peptides and sugars derived from the chemical and enzymatic digestion of plant cell wall glycoproteins. We investigate the multiple roles of this product as potential "biostimulator" to protect plants from abiotic stresses, and also as potential cosmeceutical. In particular, the molecular effects of the peptide/sugar mixture of inducing plant defense responsive genes and protecting cultured skin cells from oxidative burst damages were deeply evaluated.
Solutions of the Maxwell viscoelastic equations for displacement and stress distributions within the arterial wall
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hodis, S.; Zamir, M.
Mechanical events within the thickness of the vessel wall caused by pulsatile blood flow are considered, with focus on axial dynamics of the wall, driven by the oscillatory drag force exerted by the fluid on the endothelial layer of the wall. It is shown that the focus on the axial direction makes it possible to derive simplified equations of motion which, combined with a viscoelastic model of the wall material, makes it possible in turn to obtain solutions in closed form for the displacement and stress of material elements within the wall. The viscoelastic model allows a study of the dynamics of the wall with different ratios of viscosity to elasticity of the wall material, to mimic changes in the properties of the arterial wall caused by disease or aging. It is found that when the wall is highly viscous the displacements and stresses caused by the flow are confined to a thin layer close to the inner boundary of the wall, while as the wall material becomes less viscous and more rigid the displacements and stresses spread deeper into the thickness of the wall to affect most of its elements.
Qualitative and quantitative analysis of anthraquinone derivatives in rhizomes of tissue culture-raised Rheum emodi Wall. plants.
Malik, Sonia; Sharma, Nandini; Sharma, Upendra K; Singh, Narendra P; Bhushan, Shashi; Sharma, Madhu; Sinha, Arun K; Ahuja, Paramvir S
This paper presents quantification of five anthraquinone derivatives (emodin glycoside, chrysophanol glycoside, emodin, chrysophanol and physcion) in rhizomes of hardened micro-propagated Rheum emodi plants using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Aseptic shoot cultures were raised using rhizome buds. Shoot multiplication occurred in both agar gelled and liquid Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 10.0 microM 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 5.0 microM indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). Rooted plantlets obtained on plant growth regulator (PGR)-free medium were transferred to soil with 92% survival. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of five anthraquinone derivatives: emodin glycoside, chrysophanol glycoside, emodin, chrysophanol and physcion in rhizomes of tissue culture-raised plants. Only emodin glycoside (1) and chrysophanol glycoside (2) were present in 6-month-old hardened tissue cultured plants. In addition, the other three derivatives (emodin (3), chrysophanol (4) and physcion (5)) were also detected after 9 months.
Neutron Assay System for Confinement Vessel Disposition
Frame, Katherine C.; Bourne, Mark M.; Crooks, William J.; Evans, Louise; Mayo, Douglas R.; Miko, David K.; Salazar, William R.; Stange, Sy; Valdez, Jose I.; Vigil, Georgiana M.
Los Alamos National Laboratory has a number of spherical confinement vessels (CVs) remaining from tests involving nuclear materials. These vessels have an inner diameter of 6 feet with 1-inch thick steel walls. The goal of the Confinement Vessel Disposition (CVD) project is to remove debris and reduce contamination inside the CVs. The Confinement Vessel Assay System (CVAS) was developed to measure the amount of special nuclear material (SNM) in CVs before and after cleanout. Prior to cleanout, the system will be used to perform a verification measurement of each vessel. After cleanout, the system will be used to perform safeguards-quality assays of {le}100-g {sup 239}Pu equivalent in a vessel for safeguards termination. The CVAS has been tested and calibrated in preparation for verification and safeguards measurements.
Acrolein generation stimulates hypercontraction in isolated human blood vessels
Conklin, D.J. . E-mail: email@example.com; Bhatnagar, A.; Cowley, H.R.; Johnson, G.H.; Trent, M.B.; Boor, P.J.
Increased risk of vasospasm, a spontaneous hyperconstriction, is associated with atherosclerosis, cigarette smoking, and hypertension-all conditions involving oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, and inflammation. To test the role of the lipid peroxidation- and inflammation-derived aldehyde, acrolein, in human vasospasm, we developed an ex vivo model using human coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) blood vessels and a demonstrated acrolein precursor, allylamine. Allylamine induces hypercontraction in isolated rat coronary artery in a semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase activity (SSAO) dependent manner. Isolated human CABG blood vessels (internal mammary artery, radial artery, saphenous vein) were used to determine: (1) vessel responses and sensitivity to acrolein, allylamine, and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} exposure (1 {mu}M-1 mM), (2) SSAO dependence of allylamine-induced effects using SSAO inhibitors (semicarbazide, 1 mM; MDL 72274-E, active isomer; MDL 72274-Z, inactive isomer; 100 {mu}M), (3) the vasoactive effects of two other SSAO amine substrates, benzylamine and methylamine, and (4) the contribution of extracellular Ca{sup 2+} to hypercontraction. Acrolein or allylamine but not H{sub 2}O{sub 2}, benzylamine, or methylamine stimulated spontaneous and pharmacologically intractable hypercontraction in CABG blood vessels that was similar to clinical vasospasm. Allylamine-induced hypercontraction and blood vessel SSAO activity were abolished by pretreatment with semicarbazide or MDL 72274-E but not by MDL 72274-Z. Allylamine-induced hypercontraction also was significantly attenuated in Ca{sup 2+}-free buffer. In isolated aorta of spontaneously hypertensive rat, allylamine-induced an SSAO-dependent contraction and enhanced norepinephrine sensitivity but not in Sprague-Dawley rat aorta. We conclude that acrolein generation in the blood vessel wall increases human susceptibility to vasospasm, an event that is enhanced in hypertension.
Collapsible Cryogenic Storage Vessel Project
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Fleming, David C.
Collapsible cryogenic storage vessels may be useful for future space exploration missions by providing long-term storage capability using a lightweight system that can be compactly packaged for launch. Previous development efforts have identified an 'inflatable' concept as most promising. In the inflatable tank concept, the cryogen is contained within a flexible pressure wall comprised of a flexible bladder to contain the cryogen and a fabric reinforcement layer for structural strength. A flexible, high-performance insulation jacket surrounds the vessel. The weight of the tank and the cryogen is supported by rigid support structures. This design concept is developed through physical testing of a scaled pressure wall, and through development of tests for a flexible Layered Composite Insulation (LCI) insulation jacket. A demonstration pressure wall is fabricated using Spectra fabric for reinforcement, and burst tested under noncryogenic conditions. An insulation test specimens is prepared to demonstrate the effectiveness of the insulation when subject to folding effects, and to examine the effect of compression of the insulation under compressive loading to simulate the pressure effect in a nonrigid insulation blanket under the action atmospheric pressure, such as would be seen in application on the surface of Mars. Although pressure testing did not meet the design goals, the concept shows promise for the design. The testing program provides direction for future development of the collapsible cryogenic vessel concept.
OCT assessment of aortic wall degradation for surgical guidance
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Real, E.; Val-Bernal, J. F.; Pontón, A.; Calvo Díez, M.; Mayorga, M.; Revuelta, J. M.; López-Higuera, J. M.; Conde, O. M.
The degradation of the wall in large cardiovascular vessels, such as the aorta artery, induces weakness in the vessel that can lead to the formation of aneurysms and the rupture of the vessel. Characterization of the wall integrity is assessed by OCT for future intraoperative assistance in aneurysm graft surgery interventions. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) provides cross sectional images of the wall of the aortic media layer. Wall degradations appear as spatial anomalies in the reflectivity profile through the wall thickness. Wall degradation assessment is proposed by automatic identification and dimensioning of these anomalies within the homogeneous surrounding tissue.
Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey
5. VIEW, LOOKING NORTH, SHOWING REAR WALL, CLEAT AND SINGLE BIT ON STERN DECK OF VESSEL 37 Edward Larrabee, photographer, December 1984 - Shooters Island, Ships Graveyard, Vessel No. 37, Newark Bay, Staten Island (subdivision), Richmond County, NY
Simple benzene derivatives adsorption on defective single-walled carbon nanotubes: a first-principles van der Waals density functional study.
Ganji, Masoud Darvish; Mohseni, Maryam; Bakhshandeh, Anahita
We have investigated the interaction between open-ended zig-zag single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) and a few benzene derivatives using the first-principles van der Waals density functional (vdW-DF) method, involving full geometry optimization. Such sp (2)-like materials are typically investigated using conventional DFT methods, which significantly underestimate non-local dispersion forces (vdW interactions), therefore affecting interactions between respected molecules. Here, we considered the vdW forces for the interacting molecules that originate from the interacting π electrons of the two systems. The -0.54 eV adsorption energy reveals that the interaction of benzene with the side wall of the SWCNT is typical of the strong physisorption and comparable with the experimental value for benzene adsorption onto the graphene sheet. It was found that aromatics are physisorbed on the sidewall of perfect SWCNTs, as well as at the edge site of the defective nanotube. Analysis of the electronic structures shows that no orbital hybridization between aromatics and nanotubes occurs in the adsorption process. The results are relevant in order to identify the potential applications of noncovalent functionalized systems.
A new mechanism for the regulation of stomatal aperture size in intact leaves: Accumulation of mesophyll-derived sucrose in the guard-cell wall of Vicia faba
Lu, Ping; Outlaw, W.H. Jr.; Smith, B.G.; Freed, G.A.
At various times after pulse-labeling broad bean (Vicia faba L.) leaflets with {sup 14}CO{sub 2}, whole-leaf pieces and rinsed epidermal peels were harvested and subsequently processed for histochemical analysis. Cells dissected from whole leaf retained apoplastic contents, whereas those from rinsed peels contained only symplastic contents. Sucrose (Suc)-specific radioactivity peaked (111 GBq mol{sup -1}) in palisade cells at 20 min. In contrast, the {sup 14}C content and Suc-specific radioactivity were very low in guard cells for 20 min, implying little CO, incorporation; both then peaked at 40 min. The guard-cell apoplast had a high maximum Suc-specific radioactivity (204 GBq mol{sup -1}) and a high Suc influx rate (0.05 pmol stoma{sup -1} min{sup -1}). These and other comparisons implied the presence of (a) multiple Suc pools in mesophyll cells, M a localized mesophyll-apoplast region that exchanges with phloem and stomata, and mesophyll-derived Suc in guard-cell walls sufficient to diminish stomatal opening by approximately 3 pm. Factors expected to enhance Suc accumulation in guard-cell walls are (a) high transpiration rate, which closes stomata, and N high apoplastic Suc concentration, which is elevated when mesophyll Suc efflux exceeds translocation. Therefore, multiple physiological factors are integrated in the attenuation of stomatal aperture size by this previously unrecognized mechanism. 50 refs., 9 figs.
VCAM-1 expression on dystrophic muscle vessels has a critical role in the recruitment of human blood-derived CD133+ stem cells after intra-arterial transplantation.
Gavina, Manuela; Belicchi, Marzia; Rossi, Barbara; Ottoboni, Linda; Colombo, Fabio; Meregalli, Mirella; Battistelli, Maurizio; Forzenigo, Laura; Biondetti, Piero; Pisati, Federica; Parolini, Daniele; Farini, Andrea; Issekutz, Andrew C; Bresolin, Nereo; Rustichelli, Franco; Constantin, Gabriela; Torrente, Yvan
Recently our group demonstrated the myogenic capacity of human CD133(+) cells isolated from peripheral blood when delivered in vivo through the arterial circulation into the muscle of dystrophic scid/mdx mice. CD133(+) stem cells express the adhesion molecules CD44, LFA-1, PSGL-1, alpha4-integrins, L-selectin, and chemokine receptor CCR7. Moreover these cells adhere in vitro to VCAM-1 spontaneously and after stimulation with CCL19. Importantly, after muscle exercise, we found that the expression of VCAM-1 is strongly up-regulated in dystrophic muscle vessels, whereas the number of rolling and firmly adhered CD133(+) stem cells significantly increased. Moreover, human dystrophin expression was significantly increased when muscle exercise was performed 24 hours before the intra-arterial injection of human CD133(+) cells. Finally, treatment of exercised dystrophic mice with anti-VCAM-1 antibodies led to a dramatic blockade of CD133(+) stem cell migration into the dystrophic muscle. Our results show for the first time that the expression of VCAM-1 on dystrophic muscle vessels induced by exercise controls muscle homing of human CD133(+) stem cells, opening new perspectives for a potential therapy of muscular dystrophy based on the intra-arterial delivery of CD133(+) stem cells.
40 CFR 63.120 - Storage vessel provisions-procedures to determine compliance.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... uniform probe passes freely (without forcing or binding against the seal) between the seal and the wall of... determined by using probes of various widths to measure accurately the actual distance from the vessel wall... it completely covers the space between the roof edge and the vessel wall except as provided...
Nuclear reactor construction with bottom supported reactor vessel
Sharbaugh, John E.
An improved liquid metal nuclear reactor construction has a reactor core and a generally cylindrical reactor vessel for holding a large pool of low pressure liquid metal coolant and housing the core within the pool. The reactor vessel has an open top end, a closed flat bottom end wall and a continuous cylindrical closed side wall interconnecting the top end and bottom end wall. The reactor also has a generally cylindrical concrete containment structure surrounding the reactor vessel and being formed by a cylindrical side wall spaced outwardly from the reactor vessel side wall and a flat base mat spaced below the reactor vessel bottom end wall. A central support pedestal is anchored to the containment structure base mat and extends upwardly therefrom to the reactor vessel and upwardly therefrom to the reactor core so as to support the bottom end wall of the reactor vessel and the lower end of the reactor core in spaced apart relationship above the containment structure base mat. Also, an annular reinforced support structure is disposed in the reactor vessel on the bottom end wall thereof and extends about the lower end of the core so as to support the periphery thereof. In addition, an annular support ring having a plurality of inward radially extending linear members is disposed between the containment structure base mat and the bottom end of the reactor vessel wall and is connected to and supports the reactor vessel at its bottom end on the containment structure base mat so as to allow the reactor vessel to expand radially but substantially prevent any lateral motions that might be imposed by the occurrence of a seismic event. The reactor construction also includes a bed of insulating material in sand-like granular form, preferably being high density magnesium oxide particles, disposed between the containment structure base mat and the bottom end wall of the reactor vessel and uniformly supporting the reactor vessel at its bottom end wall on the containment
Molten metal containment vessel with rare earth oxysulfide protective coating thereon and method of making same
Krikorian, Oscar H.; Curtis, Paul G.
An improved molten metal containment vessel is disclosed in which wetting of the vessel's inner wall surfaces by molten metal is inhibited by coating at least the inner surfaces of the containment vessel with one or more rare earth oxysulfide or rare earth sulfide compounds to inhibit wetting and or adherence by the molten metal to the surfaces of the containment vessel.
Reactor vessel lower head integrity
Rubin, A.M.
On March 28, 1979, the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) nuclear power plant underwent a prolonged small break loss-of-coolant accident that resulted in severe damage to the reactor core. Post-accident examinations of the TMI-2 reactor core and lower plenum found that approximately 19,000 kg (19 metric tons) of molten material had relocated onto the lower head of the reactor vessel. Results of the OECD TMI-2 Vessel Investigation Project concluded that a localized hot spot of approximately 1 meter diameter had existed on the lower head. The maximum temperature on the inner surface of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) in this region reached 1100{degrees}C and remained at that temperature for approximately 30 minutes before cooling occurred. Even under the combined loads of high temperature and high primary system pressure, the TMI-2 RPV did not fail. (i.e. The pressure varied from about 8.5 to 15 MPa during the four-hour period following the relocation of melt to the lower plenum.) Analyses of RPV failure under these conditions, using state-of-the-art computer codes, predicted that the RPV should have failed via local or global creep rupture. However, the vessel did not fail; and it has been hypothesized that rapid cooling of the debris and the vessel wall by water that was present in the lower plenum played an important role in maintaining RPV integrity during the accident. Although the exact mechanism(s) of how such cooling occurs is not known, it has been speculated that cooling in a small gap between the RPV wall and the crust, and/or in cracks within the debris itself, could result in sufficient cooling to maintain RPV integrity. Experimental data are needed to provide the basis to better understand these phenomena and improve models of RPV failure in severe accident codes.
Nuclear reactor vessel fuel thermal insulating barrier
Keegan, C. Patrick; Scobel, James H.; Wright, Richard F.
The reactor vessel of a nuclear reactor installation which is suspended from the cold leg nozzles in a reactor cavity is provided with a lower thermal insulating barrier spaced from the reactor vessel that has a hemispherical lower section that increases in volume from the center line of the reactor to the outer extent of the diameter of the thermal insulating barrier and smoothly transitions up the side walls of the vessel. The space between the thermal insulating harrier and the reactor vessel forms a chamber which can be flooded with cooling water through passive valving to directly cool the reactor vessel in the event of a severe accident. The passive inlet valve for the cooling water includes a buoyant door that is normally maintained sealed under its own weight and floats open when the cavity is Hooded. Passively opening steam vents are also provided.
Olive, Keith A.; Peloso, Marco; Uzan, Jean-Philippe
We consider the signatures of a domain wall produced in the spontaneous symmetry breaking involving a dilatonlike scalar field coupled to electromagnetism. Domains on either side of the wall exhibit slight differences in their respective values of the fine-structure constant, {alpha}. If such a wall is present within our Hubble volume, absorption spectra at large redshifts may or may not provide a variation in {alpha} relative to the terrestrial value, depending on our relative position with respect to the wall. This wall could resolve the contradiction between claims of a variation of {alpha} based on Keck/Hires data and of the constancy of {alpha} based on Very Large Telescope data. We derive the properties of the wall and the parameters of the underlying microscopic model required to reproduce the possible spatial variation of {alpha}. We discuss the constraints on the existence of the low-energy domain wall and describe its observational implications concerning the variation of the fundamental constants.
The Degree of Nonlinearity and Anisotropy of Blood Vessel Elasticity
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zhou, J.; Fung, Y. C.
Blood vessel elasticity is important to physiology and clinical problems involving surgery, angioplasty, tissue remodeling, and tissue engineering. Nonlinearity in blood vessel elasticity in vivo is important to the formation of solitons in arterial pulse waves. It is well known that the stress-strain relationship of the blood vessel is nonlinear in general, but a controversy exists on how nonlinear it is in the physiological range. Another controversy is whether the vessel wall is biaxially isotropic. New data on canine aorta were obtained from a biaxial testing machine over a large range of finite strains referred to the zero-stress state. A new pseudo strain energy function is used to examine these questions critically. The stress-strain relationship derived from this function represents the sum of a linear stress-strain relationship and a definitely nonlinear relationship. This relationship fits the experimental data very well. With this strain energy function, we can define a parameter called the degree of nonlinearity, which represents the fraction of the nonlinear strain energy in the total strain energy per unit volume. We found that for the canine aorta, the degree of nonlinearity varies from 5% to 30%, depending on the magnitude of the strains in the physiological range. In the case of canine pulmonary artery in the arch region, Debes and Fung [Debes, J. C. & Fung, Y. C.(1995) Am. J. Physiol. 269, H433-H442] have shown that the linear regime of the stress-strain relationship extends from the zero-stress state to the homeostatic state and beyond. Both vessels, however, are anisotropic in both the linear and nonlinear regimes.
Quantification of carotid vessel atherosclerosis
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Chiu, Bernard; Egger, Micaela; Spence, J. D.; Parraga, Grace; Fenster, Aaron
Atherosclerosis is characterized by the development of plaques in the arterial wall, which ultimately leads to heart attacks and stroke. 3D ultrasound (US) has been used to screen patients' carotid arteries. Plaque measurements obtained from these images may aid in the management and monitoring of patients, and in evaluating the effect of new treatment options. Different types of measures for ultrasound phenotypes of atherosclerosis have been proposed. Here, we report on the development and application of a method used to analyze changes in carotid plaque morphology from 3D US images obtained at two different time points. We evaluated our technique using manual segmentations of the wall and lumen of the carotid artery from images acquired in two US scanning sessions. To incorporate the effect of intraobserver variability in our evaluation, manual segmentation was performed five times each for the arterial wall and lumen. From this set of five segmentations, the mean wall and lumen surfaces were reconstructed, with the standard deviation at each point mapped onto the surfaces. A correspondence map between the mean wall and lumen surfaces was then established, and the thickness of the atherosclerotic plaque at each point in the vessel was estimated to be the distance between each correspondence pairs. The two-sample Student's t-test was used to judge whether the difference between the thickness values at each pair corresponding points of the arteries in the two 3D US images was statistically significant.
Acoustic emission testing of composite vessels under sustained loading
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Lark, R. F.; Moorhead, P. E.
Acoustic emissions (AE) generated from Kevlar 49/epoxy composite pressure vessels subjected to sustained load-to-failure tests were studied. Data from two different transducer locations on the vessels were compared. It was found that AE from vessel wall-mounted transducers showed a wide variance from those for identical vessels subjected to the same pressure loading. Emissions from boss-mounted transducers did, however, yield values that were relatively consistent. It appears that the signals from the boss-mounted transducers represent an integrated average of the emissions generated by fibers fracturing during the vessel tests. The AE from boss-mounted transducers were also independent of time for vessel failure. This suggests that a similar number of fiber fractures must occur prior to initiation of vessel failure. These studies indicate a potential for developing an AE test procedure for predicting the residual service life or integrity of composite vessels.
Partitioning of vessel resistivity in three liana species.
Balaz, Milan; Jupa, Radek; Jansen, Steven; Cobb, Alexander; Gloser, Vít
Vessels with simple perforation plates, found in the majority of angiosperms, are considered the evolutionarily most advanced conduits, least impeding the xylem sap flow. Nevertheless, when measured, their hydraulic resistivity (R, i.e., inverse value of hydraulic conductivity) is significantly higher than resistivity predicted using Hagen-Poiseuille equation (RHP). In our study we aimed (i) to quantify two basic components of the total vessel resistivity - vessel lumen resistivity and end wall resistivity, and (ii) to analyze how the variable inner diameter of the vessel along its longitudinal axis affects resistivity. We measured flow rates through progressively shortened stems of hop (Humulus lupulus L.), grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.), and clematis (Clematis vitalba L.) and used elastomer injection for identification of open vessels and for measurement of changing vessel inner diameters along its axis. The relative contribution of end wall resistivity to total vessel resistivity was 0.46 for hop, 0.55 for grapevine, and 0.30 for clematis. Vessel lumen resistivity calculated from our measurements was substantially higher than theoretical resistivity - about 43% for hop, 58% for grapevine, and 52% for clematis. We identified variation in the vessel inner diameter as an important source of vessel resistivity. The coefficient of variation of vessel inner diameter was a good predictor for the increase of the ratio of integral RHP to RHP calculated from the mean value of inner vessel diameter. We discuss the fact that we dealt with the longest vessels in a given stem sample, which may lead to the overestimation of vessel lumen resistivity, which consequently precludes decision whether the variable vessel inner diameter explains fully the difference between vessel lumen resistivity and RHP we observed.
Analysis of the vibration regimes of vascular walls
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kudryashov, A. V.; Rozenblyum, L. A.; Khurlapova, T. V.; Yakhno, V. G.
The theoretical description exposed here can be used for explaining the differences which are sometimes observed between the values of the diastolic pressure derived from direct measurements and those derived from indirect measurements. Nervous and emotional action may alter markedly the mechanical properties of the muscular layer of the wall. In this respect it is important to what side the hysteresis loop in the radiusstress curve will be shifted. If the hysteresis is shifted towards the region of high pressures, then tones will be recorded at higher pi — P l values and, hence, the error in an indirect measurement of the pressure will increase. From this point of view the phenomenon of an "infinite tone" is explained by the dependence of the hysteresis of the radius on the stress on the wall in the pressure range Pdiast
Thermal Spore Exposure Vessels
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Beaudet, Robert A.; Kempf, Michael; Kirschner, Larry
Thermal spore exposure vessels (TSEVs) are laboratory containers designed for use in measuring rates of death or survival of microbial spores at elevated temperatures. A major consideration in the design of a TSEV is minimizing thermal mass in order to minimize heating and cooling times. This is necessary in order to minimize the number of microbes killed before and after exposure at the test temperature, so that the results of the test accurately reflect the effect of the test temperature. A typical prototype TSEV (see figure) includes a flat-bottomed stainless-steel cylinder 4 in. (10.16 cm) long, 0.5 in. (1.27 cm) in diameter, having a wall thickness of 0.010 plus or minus 0.002 in. (0.254 plus or minus 0.051 mm). Microbial spores are deposited in the bottom of the cylinder, then the top of the cylinder is closed with a sterile rubber stopper. Hypodermic needles are used to puncture the rubber stopper to evacuate the inside of the cylinder or to purge the inside of the cylinder with a gas. In a typical application, the inside of the cylinder is purged with dry nitrogen prior to a test. During a test, the lower portion of the cylinder is immersed in a silicone-oil bath that has been preheated to and maintained at the test temperature. Test temperatures up to 220 C have been used. Because the spores are in direct contact with the thin cylinder wall, they quickly become heated to the test temperature.
Vormelker, P
Two high-pressure bioassay vessels failed at the Savannah River Site during a microwave heating process for biosample testing. Improper installation of the thermal shield in the first failure caused the vessel to burst during microwave heating. The second vessel failure is attributed to overpressurization during a test run. Vessel failure appeared to initiate in the mold parting line, the thinnest cross-section of the octagonal vessel. No material flaws were found in the vessel that would impair its structural performance. Content weight should be minimized to reduce operating temperature and pressure. Outer vessel life is dependent on actual temperature exposure. Since thermal aging of the vessels can be detrimental to their performance, it was recommended that the vessels be used for a limited number of cycles to be determined by additional testing.
46 CFR 309.8 - Vessel data forms.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION EMERGENCY OPERATIONS VALUES FOR WAR RISK INSURANCE § 309.8 Vessel data forms. (a) To accompany application for insurance. Each application for war risk insurance..., Vessel Data. Copies of this form may be obtained from either the American War Risk Agency, 14 Wall...
Experimental Study of Interactions Between Sub-oxidized Corium and Reactor Vessel Steel
Bechta, S.V.; Khabensky, V.B.; Granovsky, V.S.; Krushinov, E.V.; Vitol, S.A.; Gusarov, V.V.; Almiashev, V.I.; Bottomley, D.; Fischer, M.; Piluso, P.; Fichoti, F.
One of the critical factors in the analysis of in-vessel melt retention is the vessel strength. It is, in particular, sensitive to the thickness of intact vessel wall, which, in its turn, depends on the thermal conditions and physicochemical interactions with corium. Physicochemical interaction of prototypic UO{sub 2}-ZrO{sub 2}-Zr corium melt and VVER vessel steel was examined during the 2. Phase of the ISTC METCOR Project. Rasplav-3 test facility was used for conducting four tests, in which the Zr oxidation degree and interaction front temperature were varied; in one of the tests, stainless steel was added to the melt. Direct experimental measurements and post-test analyses were used for determining corrosion kinetics and maximum corrosion depth (i.e. the physicochemical impact of corium on the cooled vessel steel specimens), as well as the steel temperature conditions during the interaction, and finally the structure and composition of crystallized ingots, including the interaction zone. The minimum temperature on the interaction front boundary, which determined its final position and maximum corrosion depth was {approx} 1090 deg. C. An empirical correlation for calculation of corrosion kinetics has been derived. (authors)
Probabilistic retinal vessel segmentation
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wu, Chang-Hua; Agam, Gady
Optic fundus assessment is widely used for diagnosing vascular and non-vascular pathology. Inspection of the retinal vasculature may reveal hypertension, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, cardiovascular disease and stroke. Due to various imaging conditions retinal images may be degraded. Consequently, the enhancement of such images and vessels in them is an important task with direct clinical applications. We propose a novel technique for vessel enhancement in retinal images that is capable of enhancing vessel junctions in addition to linear vessel segments. This is an extension of vessel filters we have previously developed for vessel enhancement in thoracic CT scans. The proposed approach is based on probabilistic models which can discern vessels and junctions. Evaluation shows the proposed filter is better than several known techniques and is comparable to the state of the art when evaluated on a standard dataset. A ridge-based vessel tracking process is applied on the enhanced image to demonstrate the effectiveness of the enhancement filter.
Effects of wall distensibility in hemodynamic simulations of an arteriovenous fistula.
McGah, Patrick M; Leotta, Daniel F; Beach, Kirk W; Aliseda, Alberto
Arteriovenous fistulae are created surgically to provide adequate access for dialysis patients suffering from end-stage renal disease. It has long been hypothesized that the rapid blood vessel remodeling occurring after fistula creation is in part a process to restore the mechanical stresses to some preferred level, i.e., mechanical homeostasis. The current study presents fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulations of a patient-specific model of a mature arteriovenous fistula reconstructed from 3D ultrasound scans. The FSI results are compared with previously published data of the same model but with rigid walls. Ultrasound-derived wall motion measurements are also used to validate the FSI simulations of the wall motion. Very large time-averaged shear stresses, 10-15 Pa, are calculated at the fistula anastomosis in the FSI simulations, values which are much larger than what is typically thought to be the normal homeostatic shear stress in the peripheral vasculature. Although this result is systematically lower by as much as 50% compared to the analogous rigid-walled simulations, the inclusion of distensible vessel walls in hemodynamic simulations does not reduce the high anastomotic shear stresses to "normal" values. Therefore, rigid-walled analyses may be acceptable for identifying high shear regions of arteriovenous fistulae.
Effects of Wall Distensibility in Hemodynamic Simulations of an Arteriovenous Fistula
McGah, Patrick M.; Leotta, Daniel F.; Beach, Kirk W.; Aliseda, Alberto
Arteriovenous fistulae are created surgically to provide adequate access for dialysis patients suffering from end-stage renal disease. It has long been hypothesized that the rapid blood vessel remodeling occurring after fistula creation is in part a process to restore the mechanical stresses to some preferred level, i.e. mechanical homeostasis. The current study presents fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulations of a patient-specific model of a mature arteriovenous fistula reconstructed from 3D ultrasound scans. The FSI results are compared with previously published data of the same model but with rigid walls. Ultrasound-derived wall motion measurements are also used to validate the FSI simulations of the wall motion. Very large time-averaged shear stresses, 10–15 Pa, are calculated at the fistula anastomosis in the FSI simulations, values which are much larger than what is typically thought to be the normal homeostatic shear stress in the peripheral vasculature. Although this result is systematically lower by as much as 50% compared to the analogous rigid-walled simulations, the inclusion of distensible vessel walls in hemodynamic simulations does not reduce the high anastomotic shear stresses to "normal" values. Therefore, rigid-walled analyses may be acceptable for identifying high shear regions of arteriovenous fistulae. PMID:24037281
`Sausage string' patterns in blood vessels at high blood pressures
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Alstrøm, Preben; Eguíluz, Victor M.; Gustafsson, Finn; Holstein-Rathlou, Niels-Henrik
A new Rayleigh-type instability is proposed to explain the `sausage-string' pattern of alternating constrictions and dialtations formed in blood vessels at high blood pressure conditions. Our theory involves the nonlinear stress-strain characteristics of the vessel wall, and provides predictions for the conditions under which the normal cylindrical geometry of a blood vessel becomes unstable. The theory explains key features observed experimentally, e.g. the limited occurrence of the sausage-string pattern to small arteries and large arterioles, and only in those with small wall-to-lumen ratios.
A multilayered microfluidic blood vessel-like structure
Hasan, Anwarul; Paul, Arghya; Memic, Adnan; Khademhosseini, Ali
There is an immense need for tissue engineered blood vessels. However, current tissue engineering approaches still lack the ability to build native blood vessel-like perfusable structures with multi-layered vascular walls. This paper demonstrated a new method to fabricate tri-layer biomimetic blood vessel-like structures on a microfluidic platform using photocrosslinkable gelatin hydrogel. The presented method enables fabrication of physiological blood vessel-like structures with mono-, bi- or tri-layer vascular walls. The diameter of the vessels, the total thickness of the vessel wall and the thickness of each individual layer of the wall were independently controlled. The developed fabrication process is a simple and rapid method, allowing the physical fabrication of the vascular structure in minutes, and the formation of a vascular endothelial cell layer inside the vessels in 3–5 days. The fabricated vascular constructs can potentially be used in numerous applications including drug screening, development of in vitro models for cardiovascular diseases and/or cancer metastasis, and study of vascular biology and mechanobiology. PMID:26256481
Do Xylem Fibers Affect Vessel Cavitation Resistance?1
Jacobsen, Anna L.; Ewers, Frank W.; Pratt, R. Brandon; Paddock, William A.; Davis, Stephen D.
Possible mechanical and hydraulic costs to increased cavitation resistance were examined among six co-occurring species of chaparral shrubs in southern California. We measured cavitation resistance (xylem pressure at 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity), seasonal low pressure potential (Pmin), xylem conductive efficiency (specific conductivity), mechanical strength of stems (modulus of elasticity and modulus of rupture), and xylem density. At the cellular level, we measured vessel and fiber wall thickness and lumen diameter, transverse fiber wall and total lumen area, and estimated vessel implosion resistance using (t/b)h2, where t is the thickness of adjoining vessel walls and b is the vessel lumen diameter. Increased cavitation resistance was correlated with increased mechanical strength (r2 = 0.74 and 0.76 for modulus of elasticity and modulus of rupture, respectively), xylem density (r2 = 0.88), and Pmin (r2 = 0.96). In contrast, cavitation resistance and Pmin were not correlated with decreased specific conductivity, suggesting no tradeoff between these traits. At the cellular level, increased cavitation resistance was correlated with increased (t/b)h2 (r2 = 0.95), increased transverse fiber wall area (r2 = 0.89), and decreased fiber lumen area (r2 = 0.76). To our knowledge, the correlation between cavitation resistance and fiber wall area has not been shown previously and suggests a mechanical role for fibers in cavitation resistance. Fiber efficacy in prevention of vessel implosion, defined as inward bending or collapse of vessels, is discussed. PMID:16100359
Inhibition of aortic vessel adenosine diphosphate degradation by cadmium and mercury.
Togna, G; Dolci, N; Caprino, L
The effects of cadmium and mercury on ADP breakdown by vessel walls were investigated. These metals reduce the ADP clearance promoted by arterial tissue. This effect could be attributed to the inhibition of vessel wall ADP-ase enzyme, which plays an important role in the genesis of thrombotic phenomena.
Correlation between the characteristics of acceleration and visco elasticity of artery wall under pulsatile flow conditions (physical meaning of I* as a parameter of progressive behaviors of atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis).
Yokobori, A Toshimitsu; Ohmi, Toshihito; Monma, Ryouhei; Tomono, Yuki; Inoue, Kyousuke; Owa, Michiaki; Ichiki, Masataka; Mochizuki, Noriko; Yamashita, Hidetoshi
Previously, I* parameter has been proposed to diagnose noninvasively the progressive degree of atherosclerosis which is considered to concern the discrimination of the progressive degree of visco elasticity of blood vessel wall. However, the detailed physical meaning of this parameter has not yet been clarified. In this paper, the theoretical analysis and experiments were conducted and the detailed physical meaning of I* parameter was clarified. The following results were obtained. I* parameter was found to well correlate with the progressive degree of visco elasticity of blood vessel wall characterized by the Ith* parameter derived based on the analysis of visco elasticity in this paper. That is, I* was found to have the physical meaning of representing the progressive degree of visco elasticity of blood vessel wall. On the basis of this results, using clinical data, two dimensional representation between the progressive degree of visco elasticity of blood vessel wall by I* and the decrease in the rigidity of blood vessel wall by PWV was found to be useful to conduct much more detailed diagnosis of atherosclerosis.
Dimensional analysis of blood vessels in the pressure myograph
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Crabtree, Vincent P.; Smith, Peter R.
The accuracy of conventional and emerging methods for the dimensional analysis of optically imaged arterial vessels, isolated in a pressure myograph, is investigated. The pressure myograph is a device used to study the structure and function of isolated sections of small resistance arteries, as a function of chemical, mechanical and electrical stimuli. The arterial wall and lumen dimensions are particularly important indicators of anatomy and pathology. The conventional method of dimensional analysis uses edge detection, however the accuracy of this approach is questionable when the vessel is in a contracted state since contrast deteriorates or is lost between lumen and vessel wall. The conventional and emerging methods are examined experimentally with vessel phantoms, to provide known characteristics. A novel algorithm, based on a measurement of the vessel extinction coefficient, is also examined theoretically and experimentally. A discussion centers on the possibility for realistic lumen size measurement when edge detection can not be applied and when the accuracy of edge detection is questionable.
Impact damage on shielded gas-filled vessels
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Schäfer, F.; Schneider, E.; Lambert, M.
This paper gives a summary of the findings from impacts on shielded gas-filled cylindrical aluminium alloy (A12219 T851) and titanium alloy (Ti6A14V) pressure vessels that were performed at the Ernst-Mach-Institute in the frame of an ESA contract. The effect of impacts on shielded vessels with projectiles that have a kinetic energy close to the ballistic limit of the combined system of shield and vessel's front wall was investigated. The shields were single Al-bumper plates, unreinforced MLI and MLI reinforced with 2 layers of Betacloth. The threshold diameters that cause leakage from the vessel's front wall were determined experimentally as a function of shield material and shield spacing. For Al-shielded Al- and Ti-vessels, a safety design factor to avoid leakage is presented based on existing Whipple shield equations.
Instability and ``Sausage-String'' Appearance in Blood Vessels during High Blood Pressure
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Alstrøm, Preben; Eguíluz, Victor M.; Colding-Jørgensen, Morten; Gustafsson, Finn; Holstein-Rathlou, Niels-Henrik
A new Rayleigh-type instability is proposed to explain the ``sausage-string'' pattern of alternating constrictions and dilatations formed in blood vessels under influence of a vasoconstricting agent. Our theory involves the nonlinear elasticity characteristics of the vessel wall, and provides predictions for the conditions under which the cylindrical form of a blood vessel becomes unstable.
Modeling of blood vessel constriction in 2-D case using molecular dynamics method
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
A. S., M. Rendi; Suprijadi, Viridi, S.
Blood vessel constriction is simulated with particle-based method using a molecular dynamics authoring software known as Molecular Workbench (WM). Blood flow and vessel wall, the only components considered in constructing a blood vessel, are all represented in particle form with interaction potentials: Lennard-Jones potential, push-pull spring potential, and bending spring potential. Influence of medium or blood plasma is accommodated in plasma viscosity through Stokes drag force. It has been observed that pressure p is increased as constriction c is increased. Leakage of blood vessel starts at 80% constriction, which shows existence of maximum pressure that can be overcome by vessel wall.
Identifying new lignin bioengineering targets: impact of epicatechin, quercetin glycoside, and gallate derivatives on the lignification and fermentation of maize cell walls
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Apoplastic targeting of secondary metabolites compatible with monolignol polymerization may provide new avenues for designing lignins that are less inhibitory toward fiber fermentation. To identify suitable monolignol substitutes, we artificially lignified maize cell walls with normal monolignols pl...
Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic Imaging-Derived Collagen Content and Maturity Correlates with Stress in the Aortic Wall of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Patients.
Cheheltani, Rabee; Pichamuthu, Joseph E; Rao, Jayashree; Weinbaum, Justin S; Kiani, Mohammad F; Vorp, David A; Pleshko, Nancy
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a degenerative disease of the aorta characterized by severe disruption of the structural integrity of the aortic wall and its major molecular constituents. From the early stages of disease, elastin in the aorta becomes highly degraded and is replaced by collagen. Questions persist as to the contribution of collagen content, quality and maturity to the potential for rupture. Here, using our recently developed Fourier transform infrared imaging spectroscopy (FT-IRIS) method, we quantified collagen content and maturity in the wall of AAA tissues in pairs of specimens with different wall stresses. CT scans of AAAs from 12 patients were used to create finite element models to estimate stress in different regions of tissue. Each patient underwent elective repair of the AAA, and two segments of the AAA tissues from anatomic regions more proximal or distal with different wall stresses were evaluated by histology and FT-IRIS after excision. For each patient, collagen content was generally greater in the tissue location with lower wall stress, which corresponded to the more distal anatomic regions. The wall stress/collagen ratio was greater in the higher stress region compared to the lower stress region (1.01 ± 1.09 vs. 0.55 ± 0.084, p = 0.02). The higher stress region also corresponded to the location with reduced intraluminal thrombus thickness. Further, collagen maturity tended to decrease with increased collagen content (p = 0.068, R = 0.38). Together, these results suggest that an increase in less mature collagen content in AAA patients does not effectively compensate for the loss of elastin in the aortic wall, and results in a reduced capability to endure wall stresses.
Genotype, development and tissue-derived variation of cell-wall properties in the lignocellulosic energy crop Miscanthus
da Costa, Ricardo M. F.; Lee, Scott J.; Allison, Gordon G.; Hazen, Samuel P.; Winters, Ana; Bosch, Maurice
Species and hybrids of the genus Miscanthus contain attributes that make them front-runners among current selections of dedicated bioenergy crops. A key trait for plant biomass conversion to biofuels and biomaterials is cell-wall quality; however, knowledge of cell-wall composition and biology in Miscanthus species is limited. This study presents data on cell-wall compositional changes as a function of development and tissue type across selected genotypes, and considers implications for the development of miscanthus as a sustainable and renewable bioenergy feedstock. Cell-wall biomass was analysed for 25 genotypes, considering different developmental stages and stem vs. leaf compositional variability, by Fourier transform mid-infrared spectroscopy and lignin determination. In addition, a Clostridium phytofermentans bioassay was used to assess cell-wall digestibility and conversion to ethanol. Important cell-wall compositional differences between miscanthus stem and leaf samples were found to be predominantly associated with structural carbohydrates. Lignin content increased as plants matured and was higher in stem tissues. Although stem lignin concentration correlated inversely with ethanol production, no such correlation was observed for leaves. Leaf tissue contributed significantly to total above-ground biomass at all stages, although the extent of this contribution was genotype-dependent. In conclusion, it is hypothesized that divergent carbohydrate compositions and modifications in stem and leaf tissues are major determinants for observed differences in cell-wall quality. The findings indicate that improvement of lignocellulosic feedstocks should encompass tissue-dependent variation as it affects amenability to biological conversion. For gene-trait associations relating to cell-wall quality, the data support the separate examination of leaf and stem composition, as tissue-specific traits may be masked by considering only total above-ground biomass
Resistance to antiangiogenic therapy is directed by vascular phenotype, vessel stabilization, and maturation in malignant melanoma
Scheffrahn, Inka; Bartling, Sönke; Weis, Joachim; von Felbert, Verena; Middleton, Mark; Kato, Masahi; Ergün, Süleyman; Augustin, Hellmut G.
Angiogenesis is not only dependent on endothelial cell invasion and proliferation, it also requires pericyte coverage of vascular sprouts for stabilization of vascular walls. Clinical efficacy of angiogenesis inhibitors targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling pathway is still limited to date. We hypothesized that the level of vessel maturation is critically involved in the response to antiangiogenic therapies. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated the vascular network in spontaneously developing melanomas of MT/ret transgenic mice after using PTK787/ZK222584 for anti-VEGF therapy but also analyzed human melanoma metastases taken at clinical relapse in patients undergoing adjuvant treatment using bevacizumab. Both experimental settings showed that tumor vessels, which are resistant to anti-VEGF therapy, are characterized by enhanced vessel diameter and normalization of the vascular bed by coverage of mature pericytes and immunoreactivity for desmin, NG-2, platelet-derived growth factor receptor β, and the late-stage maturity marker α smooth muscle actin. Our findings emphasize that the level of mural cell differentiation and stabilization of the vascular wall significantly contribute to the response toward antiangiogenic therapy in melanoma. This study may be useful in paving the way toward a more rational development of second generation antiangiogenic combination therapies and in providing, for the first time, a murine model to study this. PMID:20194633
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Wingett, Paul (Inventor)
A mounting assembly for mounting a composite pressure vessel to a vehicle includes a saddle having a curved surface extending between two pillars for receiving the vessel. The saddle also has flanged portions which can be bolted to the vehicle. Each of the pillars has hole in which is mounted the shaft portion of an attachment member. A resilient member is disposed between each of the shaft portions and the holes and loaded by a tightening nut. External to the holes, each of the attachment members has a head portion to which a steel band is attached. The steel band circumscribes the vessel and translates the load on the springs into a clamping force on the vessel. As the vessel expands and contracts, the resilient members expand and contract so that the clamping force applied by the band to the vessel remains constant.
Vessel visualization using curved surface reformation.
Auzinger, Thomas; Mistelbauer, Gabriel; Baclija, Ivan; Schernthaner, Rüdiger; Köchl, Arnold; Wimmer, Michael; Gröller, M Eduard; Bruckner, Stefan
Visualizations of vascular structures are frequently used in radiological investigations to detect and analyze vascular diseases. Obstructions of the blood flow through a vessel are one of the main interests of physicians, and several methods have been proposed to aid the visual assessment of calcifications on vessel walls. Curved Planar Reformation (CPR) is a wide-spread method that is designed for peripheral arteries which exhibit one dominant direction. To analyze the lumen of arbitrarily oriented vessels, Centerline Reformation (CR) has been proposed. Both methods project the vascular structures into 2D image space in order to reconstruct the vessel lumen. In this paper, we propose Curved Surface Reformation (CSR), a technique that computes the vessel lumen fully in 3D. This offers high-quality interactive visualizations of vessel lumina and does not suffer from problems of earlier methods such as ambiguous visibility cues or premature discretization of centerline data. Our method maintains exact visibility information until the final query of the 3D lumina data. We also present feedback from several domain experts.
Confinement Vessel Assay System: Calibration and Certification Report
Frame, Katherine C.; Bourne, Mark M.; Crooks, William J.; Evans, Louise; Gomez, Cipriano; Mayo, Douglas R.; Miko, David K.; Salazar, William R.; Stange, Sy; Vigil, Georgiana M.
Los Alamos National Laboratory has a number of spherical confinement vessels (CVs) remaining from tests involving nuclear materials. These vessels have an inner diameter of 6 feet with 1 to 2 inch thick steel walls. The goal of the Confinement Vessel Disposition (CVD) project is to remove debris and reduce contamination inside the vessels. The Confinement Vessel Assay System (CVAS) was developed to measure the amount of SNM in CVs before and after cleanout. Prior to cleanout, the system will be used to perform a verification measurement of each vessel. After cleanout, the system will be used to perform safeguards-quality assays of {le} 100-g {sup 239}Pu equivalent in a vessel for safeguards termination. The system was calibrated in three different mass regions (low, medium, and high) to cover the entire plutonium mass range that will be assayed. The low mass calibration and medium mass calibration were verified for material positioned in the center of an empty vessel. The systematic uncertainty due to position bias was estimated using an MCNPX model to simulate the response of the system to material localized at various points along the inner surface of the vessel. The background component due to cosmic ray spallation was determined by performing measurements of an empty vessel and comparing to measurements in the same location with no vessel present. The CVAS has been tested and calibrated in preparation for verification and safeguards measurements of CVs before and after cleanout.
Behavior of platelets stained by 5,6-CF-encapsulated PEGylated liposomes after laser irradiation of vessel wall: an in-vivo model for studying site-selective delivery of diagnostic or therapeutic agents
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Mordon, Serge R.; Begu, Sylvie; Buys, Bruno; Tourne-Peteilh, Corine; Devoisselle, Jean-Marie
Vascular endothelium serves as an extensive interface between circulating blood and various tissues and organs of the body. As such, it offers an accessible target for blood-borne pharmacological and genetic manipulations that can mediate both local and systemic effects. Thus, targeting of liposomes to activated vascular endothelial cells may provide a strategy for site-selective delivery in the vascular system with broad therapeutic applicability. This study aimed to evaluate an intravital fluorescence imaging technique to visualize in-situ and in real-time the activation of platelets after staining by 5,6-CF- encapsulated PEGylated liposomes injected intravenously. The study was performed on skin by using a dorsal skin-fold chamber implanted in golden hamsters using intravital microscopy. The skin micro circulation was observed with an intravital microscope (using x25 and x40 magnification) fitted with a Xenon light source and an epi-fluorescence assembly. An ultra-high sensitivity video-camera mounted on the microscope projected the image onto a monitor, and the images were recorded for play-back analysis with a digital video cassette recorder. An inflammatory response was induced by an Argon laser emitting at 514.5nm. The 80micrometers laser beam was focused on a vessel and its position was controlled with the microscope imaging system, it was possible to see individual platelets flowing in blood vessels. As liposomes were labeled with a fluorescent probe which was hydrophilic (located in the aqueous phase), the fluorescence of platelets was due only to the uptake of liposomes. After laser irradiation, platelets activation at sites of vascular injury was obtained. Tethering, translocation of some platelets inside the irradiated zone were clearly seen. At last, detachment and extravasation of platelets were observed. A perivascular fluorescence confirmed that platelets migrated across the basal lamina into the dermal connective tissue. In conclusion, staining of
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Munn, Lance
``Normalization'' of tumor blood vessels has shown promise to improve the efficacy of chemotherapeutics. In theory, anti-angiogenic drugs targeting endothelial VEGF signaling can improve vessel network structure and function, enhancing the transport of subsequent cytotoxic drugs to cancer cells. In practice, the effects are unpredictable, with varying levels of success. The predominant effects of anti-VEGF therapies are decreased vessel leakiness (hydraulic conductivity), decreased vessel diameters and pruning of the immature vessel network. It is thought that each of these can influence perfusion of the vessel network, inducing flow in regions that were previously sluggish or stagnant. Unfortunately, when anti-VEGF therapies affect vessel structure and function, the changes are dynamic and overlapping in time, and it has been difficult to identify a consistent and predictable normalization ``window'' during which perfusion and subsequent drug delivery is optimal. This is largely due to the non-linearity in the system, and the inability to distinguish the effects of decreased vessel leakiness from those due to network structural changes in clinical trials or animal studies. We have developed a mathematical model to calculate blood flow in complex tumor networks imaged by two-photon microscopy. The model incorporates the necessary and sufficient components for addressing the problem of normalization of tumor vasculature: i) lattice-Boltzmann calculations of the full flow field within the vasculature and within the tissue, ii) diffusion and convection of soluble species such as oxygen or drugs within vessels and the tissue domain, iii) distinct and spatially-resolved vessel hydraulic conductivities and permeabilities for each species, iv) erythrocyte particles advecting in the flow and delivering oxygen with real oxygen release kinetics, v) shear stress-mediated vascular remodeling. This model, guided by multi-parameter intravital imaging of tumor vessel structure
Acoustic emission testing of 12-nickel maraging steel pressure vessels
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Dunegan, H. L.
Acoustic emission data were obtained from three point bend fracture toughness specimens of 12-nickel maraging steel, and two pressure vessels of the same material. One of the pressure vessels contained a prefabricated flaw which was extended and sharpened by fatigue cycling. It is shown that the flawed vessel had similar characteristics to the fracture specimens, thereby allowing estimates to be made of its nearness to failure during a proof test. Both the flawed and unflawed pressure vessel survived the proof pressure and 5 cycles to the working pressure, but it was apparent from the acoustic emission response during the proof cycle and the 5 cycles to the working pressure that the flawed vessel was very near failure. The flawed vessel did not survive a second cycle to the proof pressure before failure due to flaw extension through the wall (causing a leak).
Patient-specific models of wall stress in abdominal aortic aneurysm: a comparison between MR and CT
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
de Putter, Sander; Breeuwer, Marcel; van de Vosse, Frans N.; Kose, Ursula; Gerritsen, Frans A.
Finite element method based patient-specific wall stress in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) may provide a more accurate rupture risk predictor than the currently used maximum transverse diameter. In this study, we have investigated the sensitivity of the wall stress in AAA with respect to geometrical variations. We have acquired MR and CT images for four patients with AAA. Three individual users have delineated the AAA vessel wall contours on the image slices. These contours were used to generate synthetic feature images for a deformable model based segmentation method. We investigated the reproducibility and the influence of the user variability on the wall stress. For sufficiently smooth models of the AAA wall, the peak wall stress is reproducible for three out of the four AAA geometries. The 0.99 percentiles of the wall stress show excellent reproducibility for all four AAAs. The variations induced by user variability are larger than the errors caused by the segmentation variability. The influence of the user variability appears to be similar for MR and CT. We conclude that the peak wall stress in AAA is sensitive to small geometrical variations. To increase reproducibility it appears to be best not to allow too much geometrical detail in the simulations. This could be achieved either by using a sufficiently smooth geometry representation or by using a more robust statistical parameter derived from the wall stress distribution.
Method of fabricating a prestressed cast iron vessel
Lampe, Robert F.
A method of fabricating a prestressed cast iron vessel wherein double wall cast iron body segments each have an arcuate inner wall and a spaced apart substantially parallel outer wall with a plurality of radially extending webs interconnecting the inner wall and the outer wall, the bottom surface and the two exposed radial side surfaces of each body segment are machined and eight body segments are formed into a ring. The top surfaces and outer surfaces of the outer walls are machined and keyways are provided across the juncture of adjacent end walls of the body segments. A liner segment complementary in shape to a selected inner wall of one of the body segments is mounted to each of the body segments and again formed into a ring. The liner segments of each ring are welded to form unitary liner rings and thereafter the cast iron body segments are prestressed to complete the ring assembly. Ring assemblies are stacked to form the vessel and adjacent unitary liner rings are welded. A top head covers the top ring assembly to close the vessel and axially extending tendons retain the top and bottom heads in place under pressure.
Soine, T.S.
This patent shows a reusable reaction vessel for such high temperature reactions as the reduction of actinide metal chlorides by calcium metal. The vessel consists of an outer metal shell, an inner container of refractory material such as sintered magnesia, and between these, a bed of loose refractory material impregnated with thermally conductive inorganic salts. (AEC)
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Lohr, Tresa Rae
The author teaches clay vessel construction in the fifth grade, and it is amazing what can be accomplished in one forty-five minute period when the expectations are clarified in the initial lesson. The author introduces clay coil vessels with a discussion of the sources of clay and how clay relates to fifth-grade science curriculum concepts such…
Quantification of disturbed wall shear stress patterns in complex cardiovascular flows
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Arzani, Amirhossein; Shadden, Shawn C.
Wall shear stress (WSS) affects the cardiovascular system in numerous ways, and is thought to play an important role in the pathology of many cardiovascular diseases. The (endothelial) cells lining the inner wall of blood vessels, and perhaps the cells inside the vessel wall, can actively sense WSS and respond both chemically and mechanically. The complexity of WSS in cardiovascular flows extends both spatially and temporally. Furthermore, WSS has magnitude and direction. These facets make simple quantification of WSS in cardiovascular applications difficult. In this study we propose a framework to quantify measures such as WSS angle gradient, WSS magnitude gradient, WSS angle time derivative and WSS magnitude time derivative. We will explain the relation of these parameters to the tensorial WSS gradient and WSS vector time derivative, and propose a new methodology to unify these concepts into a single measure. The correlation between these metrics and more common WSS metrics used in the literature will be demonstrated. For demonstration, these methods will be used for the quantification of complex blood flow inside abdominal aortic aneurysms.
Device for inspecting vessel surfaces
Appel, D. Keith
A portable, remotely-controlled inspection crawler for use along the walls of tanks, vessels, piping and the like. The crawler can be configured to use a vacuum chamber for supporting itself on the inspected surface by suction or a plurality of magnetic wheels for moving the crawler along the inspected surface. The crawler is adapted to be equipped with an ultrasonic probe for mapping the structural integrity or other characteristics of the surface being inspected. Navigation of the crawler is achieved by triangulation techniques between a signal transmitter on the crawler and a pair of microphones attached to a fixed, remote location, such as the crawler's deployment unit. The necessary communications are established between the crawler and computers external to the inspection environment for position control and storage and/or monitoring of data acquisition.
Buffered explosions in steel pressure vessels
Glenn, L.A.
The impulse delivered to the walls of a vessel containing an explosion will increase if material is placed between the walls and the charge. If the impulse application time is small in compared with the eigenperiod of the vessel, the wall stress will increase in direct proportion to the impulse. Conversely, if the application period can be extended beyond half the eigenperiod, the peak stress will be proportional to the ratio of the impulse to the delivery period. With powder or granular buffers, it is possible for the delivery period to increase faster than the impulse as the buffer mass is increased. This is the reason why certain powders, or porous materials, can provide stress reduction even below that observed by evacuating the space between the walls and the explosive. If the buffer material is to serve as an effective mitigator, it must collapse on shock loading to a final density that depends only weakly on pressure; the criterion is that the wave speed in the material that impacts the wall must be small comparison with the impact (particle) speed. This behavior apparently occurs with salt, at least for modest values of the charge parameter, but to a lesser extent with snow under the same conditions. The vermiculite data are comparable to the salt in the charge paramete region where the two overlap; with increasing explosive, however, the vermiculite appears to behave like the snow and its effectiveness as a mitigator rapidly diminishes. It is also clear that once the wave speed criterion is seriously violated, the use of a powder buffer will result in a higher wall stress than if only air filled the space between walls and charge. 5 refs.
Vascular active contour for vessel tree segmentation.
Shang, Yanfeng; Deklerck, Rudi; Nyssen, Edgard; Markova, Aneta; de Mey, Johan; Yang, Xin; Sun, Kun
In this paper, a novel active contour model is proposed for vessel tree segmentation. First, we introduce a region competition-based active contour model exploiting the gaussian mixture model, which mainly segments thick vessels. Second, we define a vascular vector field to evolve the active contour along its center line into the thin and weak vessels. The vector field is derived from the eigenanalysis of the Hessian matrix of the image intensity in a multiscale framework. Finally, a dual curvature strategy, which uses a vesselness measure-dependent function selecting between a minimal principal curvature and a mean curvature criterion, is added to smoothen the surface of the vessel without changing its shape. The developed model is used to extract the liver and lung vessel tree as well as the coronary artery from high-resolution volumetric computed tomography images. Comparisons are made with several classical active contour models and manual extraction. The experiments show that our model is more accurate and robust than these classical models and is, therefore, more suited for automatic vessel tree extraction.
Asymptotic dynamics of monopole walls
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Cross, R.
We determine the asymptotic dynamics of the U(N) doubly periodic BPS monopole in Yang-Mills-Higgs theory, called a monopole wall, by exploring its Higgs curve using the Newton polytope and amoeba. In particular, we show that the monopole wall splits into subwalls when any of its moduli become large. The long-distance gauge and Higgs field interactions of these subwalls are Abelian, allowing us to derive an asymptotic metric for the monopole wall moduli space.
An endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor distinct from NO and prostacyclin is a major endothelium-dependent vasodilator in resistance vessels of wild-type and endothelial NO synthase knockout mice
Brandes, Ralf P.; Schmitz-Winnenthal, Friedrich-Hubertus; Félétou, Michel; Gödecke, Axel; Huang, Paul L.; Vanhoutte, Paul M.; Fleming, Ingrid; Busse, Rudi
In addition to nitric oxide (NO) and prostacyclin (PGI2), the endothelium generates the endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF). We set out to determine whether an EDHF-like response can be detected in wild-type (WT) and endothelial NO synthase knockout mice (eNOS −/−) mice. Vasodilator responses to endothelium-dependent agonists were determined in vivo and in vitro. In vivo, bradykinin induced a pronounced, dose-dependent decrease in mean arterial pressure (MAP) which did not differ between WT and eNOS −/− mice and was unaffected by treatment with Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester and diclofenac. In the saline-perfused hindlimb of WT and eNOS −/− mice, marked Nω-nitro-l-arginine (l-NA, 300 μmol/liter)- and diclofenac-insensitive vasodilations in response to both bradykinin and acetylcholine (ACh) were observed, which were more pronounced than the agonist-induced vasodilation in the hindlimb of WT in the absence of l-NA. This endothelium-dependent, NO/PGI2-independent vasodilatation was sensitive to KCl (40 mM) and to the combination of apamin and charybdotoxin. Gap junction inhibitors (18α-glycyrrhetinic acid, octanol, heptanol) and CB-1 cannabinoid-receptor agonists (Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, HU210) impaired EDHF-mediated vasodilation, whereas inhibition of cytochrome P450 enzymes, soluble guanylyl cyclase, or adenosine receptors had no effect on EDHF-mediated responses. These results demonstrate that in murine resistance vessels the predominant agonist-induced endothelium-dependent vasodilation in vivo and in vitro is not mediated by NO, PGI2, or a cytochrome P450 metabolite, but by an EDHF-like principle that requires functional gap junctions. PMID:10944233
Injection of vessel-derived stem cells prevents dilated cardiomyopathy and promotes angiogenesis and endogenous cardiac stem cell proliferation in mdx/utrn-/- but not aged mdx mouse models for duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Chun, Ju Lan; O'Brien, Robert; Song, Min Ho; Wondrasch, Blake F; Berry, Suzanne E
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common form of muscular dystrophy. DMD patients lack dystrophin protein and develop skeletal muscle pathology and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Approximately 20% succumb to cardiac involvement. We hypothesized that mesoangioblast stem cells (aorta-derived mesoangioblasts [ADMs]) would restore dystrophin and alleviate or prevent DCM in animal models of DMD. ADMs can be induced to express cardiac markers, including Nkx2.5, cardiac tropomyosin, cardiac troponin I, and α-actinin, and adopt cardiomyocyte morphology. Transplantation of ADMs into the heart of mdx/utrn(-/-) mice prior to development of DCM prevented onset of cardiomyopathy, as measured by echocardiography, and resulted in significantly higher CD31 expression, consistent with new vessel formation. Dystrophin-positive cardiomyocytes and increased proliferation of endogenous Nestin(+) cardiac stem cells were detected in ADM-injected heart. Nestin(+) striated cells were also detected in four of five mdx/utrn(-/-) hearts injected with ADMs. In contrast, when ADMs were injected into the heart of aged mdx mice with advanced fibrosis, no functional improvement was detected by echocardiography. Instead, ADMs exacerbated some features of DCM. No dystrophin protein, increase in CD31 expression, or increase in Nestin(+) cell proliferation was detected following ADM injection in aged mdx heart. Dystrophin was observed following transplantation of ADMs into the hearts of young mdx mice, however, suggesting that pathology in aged mdx heart may alter the fate of donor stem cells. In summary, ADMs delay or prevent development of DCM in dystrophin-deficient heart, but timing of stem cell transplantation may be critical for achieving benefit with cell therapy in DMD cardiac muscle.
Absorbed dose calculations to blood and blood vessels for internally deposited radionuclides
Akabani, G.; Poston, J.W. Sr. )
At present, absorbed dose calculations for radionuclides in the human circulatory system used relatively simple models and are restricted in their applications. To determine absorbed doses to the blood and to the surface of the blood vessel wall, EGS4 Monte Carlo calculations were performed. Absorbed doses were calculated for the blood and the blood vessel wall (lumen) for different blood vessels sizes. The radionuclides chosen for this study were those commonly used in nuclear medicine. No penetration of the radionuclide into the blood vessel was assumed nor was cross fire between the vessel assumed. The results are useful in assessing the dose to blood and blood vessel walls for different nuclear medicine procedures.
Absorbed dose calculations to blood and blood vessels for internally deposited radionuclides
Akabani, G. ); Poston, J.W. . Dept. of Nuclear Engineering)
At present, absorbed dose calculations for radionuclides in the human circulatory system used relatively simple models and are restricted in their applications. To determine absorbed doses to the blood and to the surface of the blood vessel wall, EGS4 Monte Carlo calculations were performed. Absorbed doses were calculated for the blood and the blood vessel wall (lumen) for different blood vessels sizes. The radionuclides chosen for this study were those commonly used in nuclear medicine. No diffusion of the radionuclide into the blood vessel was assumed nor cross fire between vessel was assumed. Results are useful in assessing the dose in blood and blood vessel walls for different nuclear medicine procedures. 6 refs., 6 figs., 5 tabs.
Advanced composite fiber/metal pressure vessels for aircraft applications
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Papanicolopoulos, Aleck
Structural Composites Industries has developed, qualified, and delivered a number of high performance carbon epoxy overwrapped/seamless aluminum liner pressure vessels for use in military aircraft where low weight, low cost, high operating pressure and short lead time are the primary considerations. This paper describes product design, development, and qualification for a typical program. The vessel requirements included a munitions insensitivity criterion as evidenced by no fragmentation following impact by a .50 cal tumbling bullet. This was met by the development of a carbon-Spectra hybrid composite overwrap on a thin-walled seamless aluminum liner. The same manufacturing, inspection, and test processes that are used to produce lightweight, thin walled seamless aluminum lined carbon/epoxy overwrapped pressure vessels for satellite and other space applications were used to fabricate this vessel. This report focuses on the results of performance in the qualification testing.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kahn, Jon B. (Inventor)
An airtight, flexible joint is disclosed for the interfacing of two pressure vessels such as between the Space Station docking tunnel and the Space Shuttle Orbiter bulkhead adapter. The joint provides for flexibility while still retaining a structural link between the two vessels required due to the loading created by the internal/external pressure differential. The joint design provides for limiting the axial load carried across the joint to a specific value, a function returned in the Orbiter/Station tunnel interface. The flex joint comprises a floating structural segment which is permanently attached to one of the pressure vessels through the use of an inflatable seal. The geometric configuration of the joint causes the tension between the vessels created by the internal gas pressure to compress the inflatable seal. The inflation pressure of the seal is kept at a value above the internal/external pressure differential of the vessels in order to maintain a controlled distance between the floating segment and pressure vessel. The inflatable seal consists of either a hollow torus-shaped flexible bladder or two rolling convoluted diaphragm seals which may be reinforced by a system of straps or fabric anchored to the hard structures. The joint acts as a flexible link to allow both angular motion and lateral displacement while it still contains the internal pressure and holds the axial tension between the vessels.
Golden, Martin P.; Holley, John C.
A reactor vessel support system includes a support ring at the reactor top supported through a box ring on a ledge of the reactor containment. The box ring includes an annular space in the center of its cross-section to reduce heat flow and is keyed to the support ledge to transmit seismic forces from the reactor vessel to the containment structure. A coolant channel is provided at the outside circumference of the support ring to supply coolant gas through the keyways to channels between the reactor vessel and support ledge into the containment space.
Confinement Vessel Dynamic Analysis
R. Robert Stevens; Stephen P. Rojas
A series of hydrodynamic and structural analyses of a spherical confinement vessel has been performed. The analyses used a hydrodynamic code to estimate the dynamic blast pressures at the vessel's internal surfaces caused by the detonation of a mass of high explosive, then used those blast pressures as applied loads in an explicit finite element model to simulate the vessel's structural response. Numerous load cases were considered. Particular attention was paid to the bolted port connections and the O-ring pressure seals. The analysis methods and results are discussed, and comparisons to experimental results are made.
Vessel disposal general permits are issued by the EPA under the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act. Information is provided for vessel disposal permit applicants and where to dispose a vessel.
Staphylococcus aureus Penicillin-Binding Protein 2 Can Use Depsi-Lipid II Derived from Vancomycin-Resistant Strains for Cell Wall Synthesis.
Nakamura, Jun; Yamashiro, Hidenori; Miya, Hiroto; Nishiguchi, Kenzo; Maki, Hideki; Arimoto, Hirokazu
Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (VRSA) uses depsipeptide-containing modified cell-wall precursors for the biosynthesis of peptidoglycan. Transglycosylase is responsible for the polymerization of the peptidoglycan, and the penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP2) plays a major role in the polymerization among several transglycosylases of wild-type S. aureus. However, it is unclear whether VRSA processes the depsipeptide-containing peptidoglycan precursor by using PBP2. Here, we describe the total synthesis of depsi-lipid I, a cell-wall precursor of VRSA. By using this chemistry, we prepared a depsi-lipid II analogue as substrate for a cell-free transglycosylation system. The reconstituted system revealed that the PBP2 of S. aureus is able to process a depsi-lipid II intermediate as efficiently as its normal substrate. Moreover, the system was successfully used to demonstrate the difference in the mode of action of the two antibiotics moenomycin and vancomycin.
Staphylococcus aureus Penicillin-Binding Protein 2 Can Use Depsi-Lipid II Derived from Vancomycin-Resistant Strains for Cell Wall Synthesis
Nakamura, Jun; Yamashiro, Hidenori; Miya, Hiroto; Nishiguchi, Kenzo; Maki, Hideki; Arimoto, Hirokazu
Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (VRSA) uses depsipeptide-containing modified cell-wall precursors for the biosynthesis of peptidoglycan. Transglycosylase is responsible for the polymerization of the peptidoglycan, and the penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP2) plays a major role in the polymerization among several transglycosylases of wild-type S. aureus. However, it is unclear whether VRSA processes the depsipeptide-containing peptidoglycan precursor by using PBP2. Here, we describe the total synthesis of depsi-lipid I, a cell-wall precursor of VRSA. By using this chemistry, we prepared a depsi-lipid II analogue as substrate for a cell-free transglycosylation system. The reconstituted system revealed that the PBP2 of S. aureus is able to process a depsi-lipid II intermediate as efficiently as its normal substrate. Moreover, the system was successfully used to demonstrate the difference in the mode of action of the two antibiotics moenomycin and vancomycin. PMID:23873669
Vessel discoloration detection in malarial retinopathy
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Agurto, C.; Nemeth, S.; Barriga, S.; Soliz, P.; MacCormick, I.; Taylor, T.; Harding, S.; Lewallen, S.; Joshi, V.
Cerebral malaria (CM) is a life-threatening clinical syndrome associated with malarial infection. It affects approximately 200 million people, mostly sub-Saharan African children under five years of age. Malarial retinopathy (MR) is a condition in which lesions such as whitening and vessel discoloration that are highly specific to CM appear in the retina. Other unrelated diseases can present with symptoms similar to CM, therefore the exact nature of the clinical symptoms must be ascertained in order to avoid misdiagnosis, which can lead to inappropriate treatment and, potentially, death. In this paper we outline the first system to detect the presence of discolored vessels associated with MR as a means to improve the CM diagnosis. We modified and improved our previous vessel segmentation algorithm by incorporating the `a' channel of the CIELab color space and noise reduction. We then divided the segmented vasculature into vessel segments and extracted features at the wall and in the centerline of the segment. Finally, we used a regression classifier to sort the segments into discolored and not-discolored vessel classes. By counting the abnormal vessel segments in each image, we were able to divide the analyzed images into two groups: normal and presence of vessel discoloration due to MR. We achieved an accuracy of 85% with sensitivity of 94% and specificity of 67%. In clinical practice, this algorithm would be combined with other MR retinal pathology detection algorithms. Therefore, a high specificity can be achieved. By choosing a different operating point in the ROC curve, our system achieved sensitivity of 67% with specificity of 100%.
Automated measurement of retinal blood vessel tortuosity
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Joshi, Vinayak; Reinhardt, Joseph M.; Abramoff, Michael D.
Abnormalities in the vascular pattern of the retina are associated with retinal diseases and are also risk factors for systemic diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases. The three-dimensional retinal vascular pattern is mostly formed congenitally, but is then modified over life, in response to aging, vessel wall dystrophies and long term changes in blood flow and pressure. A characteristic of the vascular pattern that is appreciated by clinicians is vascular tortuosity, i.e. how curved or kinked a blood vessel, either vein or artery, appears along its course. We developed a new quantitative metric for vascular tortuosity, based on the vessel's angle of curvature, length of the curved vessel over its chord length (arc to chord ratio), number of curvature sign changes, and combined these into a unidimensional metric, Tortuosity Index (TI). In comparison to other published methods this method can estimate appropriate TI for vessels with constant curvature sign and vessels with equal arc to chord ratios, as well. We applied this method to a dataset of 15 digital fundus images of 8 patients with Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), and to the other publically available dataset of 60 fundus images of normal cases and patients with hypertensive retinopathy, of which the arterial and venous tortuosities have also been graded by masked experts (ophthalmologists). The method produced exactly the same rank-ordered list of vessel tortuosity (TI) values as obtained by averaging the tortuosity grading given by 3 ophthalmologists for FSHD dataset and a list of TI values with high ranking correlation with the ophthalmologist's grading for the other dataset. Our results show that TI has potential to detect and evaluate abnormal retinal vascular structure in early diagnosis and prognosis of retinopathies.
The influence of artery wall curvature on the anatomical assessment of stenosis severity derived from fractional flow reserve: a computational fluid dynamics study.
Govindaraju, Kalimuthu; Viswanathan, Girish N; Badruddin, Irfan Anjum; Kamangar, Sarfaraz; Salman Ahmed, N J; Al-Rashed, Abdullah A A A
This study aims to investigate the influence of artery wall curvature on the anatomical assessment of stenosis severity and to identify a region of misinterpretation in the assessment of per cent area stenosis (AS) for functionally significant stenosis using fractional flow reserve (FFR) as standard. Five artery models of different per cent AS severity (70, 75, 80, 85 and 90%) were considered. For each per cent AS severity, the angle of curvature of the arterial wall varied from straight to an increasingly curved model (0°, 30°, 60°, 90° and 120°). Computational fluid dynamics was performed under transient physiologic hyperemic flow conditions to investigate the influence of artery wall curvature on the pressure drop and the FFR. The findings in this study may be useful in in vitro anatomical assessment of functionally significant stenosis. The FFR decreased with increasing stenosis severity for a given curvature of the artery wall. Moreover, a significant decrease in FFR was found between straight and curved models discussed for a given severity condition. These findings indicate that the curvature effect was included in the FFR assessment in contrast to minimum lumen area (MLA) or per cent AS assessment. The MLA or per cent AS assessment may lead to underestimation of stenosis severity. From this numerical study, an uncertainty region could be evaluated using the clinical FFR cutoff value of 0.8. This value was observed at 81.98 and 79.10% AS for arteries with curvature angles of 0° and 120° respectively. In conclusion, the curvature of the artery should not be neglected in in vitro anatomical assessment.
Physiological Degradation of Pectin in Papaya Cell Walls: Release of Long Chains Galacturonans Derived from Insoluble Fractions during Postharvest Fruit Ripening.
do Prado, Samira B R; Melfi, Paulo R; Castro-Alves, Victor C; Broetto, Sabrina G; Araújo, Elias S; do Nascimento, João R O; Fabi, João P
Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is a fleshy fruit that presents a rapid pulp softening during ripening. However, the timeline on how papaya pectinases act in polysaccharide solubilization and the consequent modification of the cell wall fractions during ripening is still not clear. In this work, the gene expression correlations between, on one hand, 16 enzymes potentially acting during papaya cell wall disassembling and, on the other hand, the monosaccharide composition of cell wall fractions during papaya ripening were evaluated. In order to explain differences in the ripening of papaya samplings, the molecular mass distribution of polysaccharides from water-soluble and oxalate-soluble fractions (WSF and OSF, respectively), as well as the oligosaccharide profiling from the WSF fraction, were evaluated by high performance size exclusion chromatography coupled to a refractive index detector and high performance anion-exchange chromatography coupled to pulse amperometric detection analyses, respectively. Results showed that up-regulated polygalacturonase and β-galactosidase genes were positively correlated with some monosaccharide profiles. In addition, an overall increase in the retention time of high molecular weight (HMW) and low molecular weight (LMW) polysaccharides in WSF and OSF was shown. The apparent disappearance of one HMW peak of the OSF may result from the conversion of pectin that were crosslinked with calcium into more soluble forms through the action of PGs, which would increase the solubilization of polysaccharides by lowering their molecular weight. Thus, the results allowed us to propose a detailed process of papaya cell wall disassembling that would affect sensorial properties and post-harvesting losses of this commercially important fruit.
Physiological Degradation of Pectin in Papaya Cell Walls: Release of Long Chains Galacturonans Derived from Insoluble Fractions during Postharvest Fruit Ripening
do Prado, Samira B. R.; Melfi, Paulo R.; Castro-Alves, Victor C.; Broetto, Sabrina G.; Araújo, Elias S.; do Nascimento, João R. O.; Fabi, João P.
Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is a fleshy fruit that presents a rapid pulp softening during ripening. However, the timeline on how papaya pectinases act in polysaccharide solubilization and the consequent modification of the cell wall fractions during ripening is still not clear. In this work, the gene expression correlations between, on one hand, 16 enzymes potentially acting during papaya cell wall disassembling and, on the other hand, the monosaccharide composition of cell wall fractions during papaya ripening were evaluated. In order to explain differences in the ripening of papaya samplings, the molecular mass distribution of polysaccharides from water-soluble and oxalate-soluble fractions (WSF and OSF, respectively), as well as the oligosaccharide profiling from the WSF fraction, were evaluated by high performance size exclusion chromatography coupled to a refractive index detector and high performance anion-exchange chromatography coupled to pulse amperometric detection analyses, respectively. Results showed that up-regulated polygalacturonase and β-galactosidase genes were positively correlated with some monosaccharide profiles. In addition, an overall increase in the retention time of high molecular weight (HMW) and low molecular weight (LMW) polysaccharides in WSF and OSF was shown. The apparent disappearance of one HMW peak of the OSF may result from the conversion of pectin that were crosslinked with calcium into more soluble forms through the action of PGs, which would increase the solubilization of polysaccharides by lowering their molecular weight. Thus, the results allowed us to propose a detailed process of papaya cell wall disassembling that would affect sensorial properties and post-harvesting losses of this commercially important fruit. PMID:27512402
Automatic detection of plaques with severe stenosis in coronary vessels of CT angiography
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dinesh, M. S.; Devarakota, Pandu; Kumar, Jitendra
Coronary artery disease is the end result of the accumulation of atheromatous plaques within the walls of coronary arteries and is the leading cause of death worldwide. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) has been proved to be very useful for accurate noninvasive diagnosis and quantification of plaques. However, the existing methods to measure the stenosis in the plaques are not accurate enough in mid and distal segments where the vessels become narrower. To alleviate this, we propose a method that consists of three stages namely, automatic extraction of coronary vessels; vessels straightening; lumen extraction and stenosis evaluation. In the first stage, the coronary vessels are segmented using a parametric approach based on circular vessel model at each point on the centerline. It is assumed that centerline information is available in advance. Vessel straightening in the second stage performs multi-planar reformat (MPR) to straighten the curved vessels. MPR view of a vessel helps to visualize and measure the plaques better. On the straightened vessel, lumen and vessel wall are segregated using a nearest neighbor classification. To detect the plaques with severe stenosis in the vessel lumen, we propose a "Diameter Luminal Stenosis" method for analyzing the smaller segments of the vessel. Proposed measurement technique identifies the segments that have plaques and reports the top three severely stenosed segments. Proposed algorithm is applied on 24 coronary vessels belonging to multiple cases acquired from Sensation 64 - slice CT and initial results are promising.
Pressurized Vessel Slurry Pumping
Pound, C.R.
This report summarizes testing of an alternate ''pressurized vessel slurry pumping'' apparatus. The principle is similar to rural domestic water systems and ''acid eggs'' used in chemical laboratories in that material is extruded by displacement with compressed air.
Vessel sewage discharges are regulated under Section 312 of the Clean Water Act, which is jointly implemented by the EPA and Coast Guard. This homepage links to information on marine sanitation devices and no discharge zones.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hanratty, Thomas J.
This paper gives an account of research on the structure of turbulence close to a solid boundary. Included is a method to study the flow close to the wall of a pipe without interferring with it. (Author/JN)
Webber, Nels W.
Los Alamos National Laboratory in J-1 DARHT Operations Group uses 6ft spherical vessels to contain hazardous materials produced in a hydrodynamic experiment. These contaminated vessels must be analyzed by means of a worker entering the vessel to locate, measure, and document every penetration mark on the vessel. If the worker can be replaced by a highly automated robotic system with a high precision scanner, it will eliminate the risks to the worker and provide management with an accurate 3D model of the vessel presenting the existing damage with the flexibility to manipulate the model for better and more in-depth assessment.The project was successful in meeting the primary goal of installing an automated system which scanned a 6ft vessel with an elapsed time of 45 minutes. This robotic system reduces the total time for the original scope of work by 75 minutes and results in excellent data accumulation and transmission to the 3D model imaging program.
Vessel Enhancement and Segmentation of 4D CT Lung Image Using Stick Tensor Voting
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Cong, Tan; Hao, Yang; Jingli, Shi; Xuan, Yang
Vessel enhancement and segmentation plays a significant role in medical image analysis. This paper proposes a novel vessel enhancement and segmentation method for 4D CT lung image using stick tensor voting algorithm, which focuses on addressing the vessel distortion issue of vessel enhancement diffusion (VED) method. Furthermore, the enhanced results are easily segmented using level-set segmentation. In our method, firstly, vessels are filtered using Frangi's filter to reduce intrapulmonary noises and extract rough blood vessels. Secondly, stick tensor voting algorithm is employed to estimate the correct direction along the vessel. Then the estimated direction along the vessel is used as the anisotropic diffusion direction of vessel in VED algorithm, which makes the intensity diffusion of points locating at the vessel wall be consistent with the directions of vessels and enhance the tubular features of vessels. Finally, vessels can be extracted from the enhanced image by applying level-set segmentation method. A number of experiments results show that our method outperforms traditional VED method in vessel enhancement and results in satisfied segmented vessels.
Studies on in-vessel debris coolability in ALPHA program
Maruyama, Yu; Yamano, Norihiro; Moriyama, Kiyofumi
In-vessel debris coolability experiments have been performed in ALPHA Program at JAERI. Aluminum oxide (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) produced by a thermite reaction was applied as a debris simulant. Two scoping experiments using approximately 30 kg or 50 kg of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} were conducted. In addition to post-test observations, temperature histories of the debris simulant and the lower head experimental vessel were evaluated. Rapid temperature reduction observed on the outer surface of the experimental vessel may imply that water penetration into a gap between the solidified debris and the experimental vessel occurred resulting in an effective cooling of once heated vessel wall. Preliminary measurement of a gap width was made with an ultrasonic device. Signals to show the existence of gaps, ranging from 0.7 mm to 1.4 mm, were detected at several locations.
Customizable engineered blood vessels using 3D printed inserts.
Pinnock, Cameron B; Meier, Elizabeth M; Joshi, Neeraj N; Wu, Bin; Lam, Mai T
Current techniques for tissue engineering blood vessels are not customizable for vascular size variation and vessel wall thickness. These critical parameters vary widely between the different arteries in the human body, and the ability to engineer vessels of varying sizes could increase capabilities for disease modeling and treatment options. We present an innovative method for producing customizable, tissue engineered, self-organizing vascular constructs by replicating a major structural component of blood vessels - the smooth muscle layer, or tunica media. We utilize a unique system combining 3D printed plate inserts to control construct size and shape, and cell sheets supported by a temporary fibrin hydrogel to encourage cellular self-organization into a tubular form resembling a natural artery. To form the vascular construct, 3D printed inserts are adhered to tissue culture plates, fibrin hydrogel is deposited around the inserts, and human aortic smooth muscle cells are then seeded atop the fibrin hydrogel. The gel, aided by the innate contractile properties of the smooth muscle cells, aggregates towards the center post insert, creating a tissue ring of smooth muscle cells. These rings are then stacked into the final tubular construct. Our methodology is robust, easily repeatable and allows for customization of cellular composition, vessel wall thickness, and length of the vessel construct merely by varying the size of the 3D printed inserts. This platform has potential for facilitating more accurate modeling of vascular pathology, serving as a drug discovery tool, or for vessel repair in disease treatment.
Role of pathogen-derived cell wall carbohydrates and prostaglandin E2 in immune response and suppression of fish immunity by the oomycete Saprolegnia parasitica.
Belmonte, Rodrigo; Wang, Tiehui; Duncan, Gary J; Skaar, Ida; Mélida, Hugo; Bulone, Vincent; van West, Pieter; Secombes, Christopher J
Saprolegnia parasitica is a freshwater oomycete that is capable of infecting several species of fin fish. Saprolegniosis, the disease caused by this microbe, has a substantial impact on Atlantic salmon aquaculture. No sustainable treatment against saprolegniosis is available, and little is known regarding the host response. In this study, we examined the immune response of Atlantic salmon to S. parasitica infection and to its cell wall carbohydrates. Saprolegnia triggers a strong inflammatory response in its host (i.e., induction of interleukin-1β1 [IL-1β1], IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha), while severely suppressing the expression of genes associated with adaptive immunity in fish, through downregulation of T-helper cell cytokines, antigen presentation machinery, and immunoglobulins. Oomycete cell wall carbohydrates were recognized by fish leukocytes, triggering upregulation of genes involved in the inflammatory response, similar to what is observed during infection. Our data suggest that S. parasitica is capable of producing prostaglandin [corrected] E2 (PGE2) in vitro, a metabolite not previously shown to be produced by oomycetes, and two proteins with homology to vertebrate enzymes known to play a role in prostaglandin biosynthesis have been identified in the oomycete genome. Exogenous PGE2 was shown to increase the inflammatory response in fish leukocytes incubated with cell wall carbohydrates while suppressing genes involved in cellular immunity (gamma interferon [IFN-γ] and the IFN-γ-inducible protein [γ-IP]). Inhibition of S. parasitica zoospore germination and mycelial growth by two cyclooxygenase inhibitors (aspirin and indomethacin) also suggests that prostaglandins may be involved in oomycete development.
Effects of Vessel Compliance on Flow Pattern in Porcine Epicardial Right Coronary Arterial Tree
Huo, Yunlong; Choy, Jenny Susana; Svendsen, Mark; Sinha, Anjan Kumar; Kassab, Ghassan S.
The compliance of the vessel wall affects hemodynamic parameters which may alter the permeability of the vessel wall. Based on experimental measurements, the present study established a finite element (FE) model in the proximal elastic vessel segments of epicardial right coronary arterial (RCA) tree obtained from computed tomography. The motion of elastic vessel wall was measured by an impedance catheter and the inlet boundary condition was measured by an ultrasound flow probe. The Galerkin FE method was used to solve the Navier-Stokes and Continuity equations, where the convective term in the Navier-Stokes equation was changed in the arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) framework to incorporate the motion due to vessel compliance. Various hemodynamic parameters (e.g., wall shear stress-WSS, WSS spatial gradient-WSSG, oscillatory shear index-OSI) were analyzed in the model. The motion due to vessel compliance affects the time-averaged WSSG more strongly than WSS at bifurcations. The decrease of WSSG at flow divider in elastic bifurcations, as compared to rigid bifurcations, implies that the vessel compliance decreases the permeability of vessel wall and may be atheroprotective. The model can be used to predict coronary flow pattern in subject-specific anatomy as determined by noninvasive imaging. PMID:19195659
Direct calculation of wall interferences and wall adaptation for two-dimensional flow in wind tunnels with closed walls
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Amecke, Juergen
A method for the direct calculation of the wall induced interference velocity in two dimensional flow based on Cauchy's integral formula was derived. This one-step method allows the calculation of the residual corrections and the required wall adaptation for interference-free flow starting from the wall pressure distribution without any model representation. Demonstrated applications are given.
Structure of axionic domain walls
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Huang, M. C.; Sikivie, P.
The structure of axionic domain walls is investigated using the low-energy effective theory of axions and pions. We derive the spatial dependence of the phases of the Peccei-Quinn scalar field and the QCD quark-antiquark condensates inside an axionic domain wall. Thence an accurate estimate of the wall surface energy density is obtained. The equations of motion for axions, photons, leptons, and baryons in the neighborhood of axionic domain walls are written down and estimates are given for the wall reflection and transmission coefficients of these particles. Finally, we discuss the energy dissipation by axionic domain walls oscillating in the early universe due to the reflection of particles in the primordial soup.
Nuclear reactor having a polyhedral primary shield and removable vessel insulation
Ekeroth, Douglas E.; Orr, Richard
A nuclear reactor is provided having a generally cylindrical reactor vessel disposed within an opening in a primary shield. The opening in the primary shield is defined by a plurality of generally planar side walls forming a generally polyhedral-shaped opening. The reactor vessel is supported within the opening in the primary shield by reactor vessel supports which are in communication and aligned with central portions of some of the side walls. The reactor vessel is connected to the central portions of the reactor vessel supports. A thermal insulation polyhedron formed from a plurality of slidably insertable and removable generally planar insulation panels substantially surrounds at least a portion of the reactor vessel and is disposed between the reactor vessel and the side walls of the primary shield. The shape of the insulation polyhedron generally corresponds to the shape of the opening in the primary shield. Reactor monitoring instrumentation may be mounted in the corners of the opening in the primary shield between the side walls and the reactor vessel such that insulation is not disposed between the instrumentation and the reactor vessel.
Nuclear reactor having a polyhedral primary shield and removable vessel insulation
Ekeroth, D.E.; Orr, R.
A nuclear reactor is provided having a generally cylindrical reactor vessel disposed within an opening in a primary shield. The opening in the primary shield is defined by a plurality of generally planar side walls forming a generally polyhedral-shaped opening. The reactor vessel is supported within the opening in the primary shield by reactor vessel supports which are in communication and aligned with central portions of some of the side walls. The reactor vessel is connected to the central portions of the reactor vessel supports. A thermal insulation polyhedron formed from a plurality of slidably insertable and removable generally planar insulation panels substantially surrounds at least a portion of the reactor vessel and is disposed between the reactor vessel and the side walls of the primary shield. The shape of the insulation polyhedron generally corresponds to the shape of the opening in the primary shield. Reactor monitoring instrumentation may be mounted in the corners of the opening in the primary shield between the side walls and the reactor vessel such that insulation is not disposed between the instrumentation and the reactor vessel. 5 figures.
Cell wall accumulation of fluorescent proteins derived from a trans-Golgi cisternal membrane marker and paramural bodies in interdigitated Arabidopsis leaf epidermal cells.
Akita, Kae; Kobayashi, Megumi; Sato, Mayuko; Kutsuna, Natsumaro; Ueda, Takashi; Toyooka, Kiminori; Nagata, Noriko; Hasezawa, Seiichiro; Higaki, Takumi
In most dicotyledonous plants, leaf epidermal pavement cells develop jigsaw puzzle-like shapes during cell expansion. The rapid growth and complicated cell shape of pavement cells is suggested to be achieved by targeted exocytosis that is coordinated with cytoskeletal rearrangement to provide plasma membrane and/or cell wall materials for lobe development during their morphogenesis. Therefore, visualization of membrane trafficking in leaf pavement cells should contribute an understanding of the mechanism of plant cell morphogenesis. To reveal membrane trafficking in pavement cells, we observed monomeric red fluorescent protein-tagged rat sialyl transferases, which are markers of trans-Golgi cisternal membranes, in the leaf epidermis of Arabidopsis thaliana. Quantitative fluorescence imaging techniques and immunoelectron microscopic observations revealed that accumulation of the red fluorescent protein occurred mostly in the curved regions of pavement cell borders and guard cell ends during leaf expansion. Transmission electron microscopy observations revealed that apoplastic vesicular membrane structures called paramural bodies were more frequent beneath the curved cell wall regions of interdigitated pavement cells and guard cell ends in young leaf epidermis. In addition, pharmacological studies showed that perturbations in membrane trafficking resulted in simple cell shapes. These results suggested possible heterogeneity of the curved regions of plasma membranes, implying a relationship with pavement cell morphogenesis.
Reactor vessel annealing system
Miller, Phillip E.; Katz, Leonoard R.; Nath, Raymond J.; Blaushild, Ronald M.; Tatch, Michael D.; Kordalski, Frank J.; Wykstra, Donald T.; Kavalkovich, William M.
A system for annealing a vessel (14) in situ by heating the vessel (14) to a defined temperature, composed of: an electrically operated heater assembly (10) insertable into the vessel (14) for heating the vessel (14) to the defined temperature; temperature monitoring components positioned relative to the heater assembly (10) for monitoring the temperature of the vessel (14); a controllable electric power supply unit (32-60) for supplying electric power required by the heater assembly (10); a control unit (80-86) for controlling the power supplied by the power supply unit (32-60); a first vehicle (2) containing the power supply unit (32-60); a second vehicle (4) containing the control unit (80-86); power conductors (18,22) connectable between the power supply unit (32-60) and the heater unit (10) for delivering the power supplied by the power supply unit (32-60) to the heater assembly (10); signal conductors (20,24) connectable between the temperature monitoring components and the control unit (80-86) for delivering temperature indicating signals from the temperature monitoring components to the control unit (80-86); and control conductors (8) connectable between the control unit (80-86) and the power supply unit (32-60) for delivering to the power supply unit (32-60) control signals for controlling the level of power supplied by the power supply unit (32-60) to the heater assembly (10).
Earle, D.; Hahn, R.L.; Boger, J.; Bonvin, E.
The acrylic vessel as constructed is dirty. The dirt includes blue tape, Al tape, grease pencil, gemak, the glue or residue form these tapes, finger prints and dust of an unknown composition but probably mostly acrylic dust. This dirt has to be removed and once removed, the vessel has to be kept clean or at least to be easily cleanable at some future stage when access becomes much more difficult. The authors report on the results of a series of tests designed: (a) to prepare typical dirty samples of acrylic; (b) to remove dirt stuck to the acrylic surface; and (c) to measure the optical quality and Th concentration after cleaning. Specifications of the vessel call for very low levels of Th which could come from tape residues, the grease pencil, or other sources of dirt. This report does not address the concerns of how to keep the vessel clean after an initial cleaning and during the removal of the scaffolding. Alconox is recommended as the cleaner of choice. This acrylic vessel will be used in the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory.
Combined Visualization of Wall Thickness and Wall Shear Stress for the Evaluation of Aneurysms.
Glaßer, Sylvia; Lawonn, Kai; Hoffmann, Thomas; Skalej, Martin; Preim, Bernhard
For an individual rupture risk assessment of aneurysms, the aneurysm's wall morphology and hemodynamics provide valuable information. Hemodynamic information is usually extracted via computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulation on a previously extracted 3D aneurysm surface mesh or directly measured with 4D phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging. In contrast, a noninvasive imaging technique that depicts the aneurysm wall in vivo is still not available. Our approach comprises an experiment, where intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is employed to probe a dissected saccular aneurysm phantom, which we modeled from a porcine kidney artery. Then, we extracted a 3D surface mesh to gain the vessel wall thickness and hemodynamic information from a CFD simulation. Building on this, we developed a framework that depicts the inner and outer aneurysm wall with dedicated information about local thickness via distance ribbons. For both walls, a shading is adapted such that the inner wall as well as its distance to the outer wall is always perceivable. The exploration of the wall is further improved by combining it with hemodynamic information from the CFD simulation. Hence, the visual analysis comprises a brushing and linking concept for individual highlighting of pathologic areas. Also, a surface clustering is integrated to provide an automatic division of different aneurysm parts combined with a risk score depending on wall thickness and hemodynamic information. In general, our approach can be employed for vessel visualization purposes where an inner and outer wall has to be adequately represented.
Bulge-Formed Cooling Channels In A Wall
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Mcaninch, Michael D.; Holbrook, Richard L.; Lacount, Dale F.; Kawashige, Chester M.; Crapuchettes, John M.; Scala, James
Vessels bounded by walls shaped as surfaces of revolution and contain integral cooling channels fabricated by improved method involving combination of welding and bulge forming. Devised to make rocket nozzles; also useful in fabrication of heat exchangers, stationary combustion chambers, and chemical-reactor vessels. Advantages include easier fabrication and greater flexibility of design.
Computational haemodynamics of small vessels using the Moving Particle Semi-implicit (MPS) method
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gambaruto, Alberto M.
The simulation of whole blood stands as a complex multi-body problem. The Moving Particle Semi-implicit method, a Lagrangian particle method to solve the incompressible Navier-Stokes (NS) equations, is developed to perform simulations in complex periodic domains. Red blood cells are modelled using the spring network approach, that act as body force terms in the NS equations. Detailed presentation and derivation of both the MPS method and different spring network models is given. An adaptive time step and an implicit scheme are adopted, improving the stability and overall computational efficiency. The findings from the simulations show evidence that in proximity to the vessel wall, the red blood cells expose a larger surface area by orientation and deformation, due to the presence of a high velocity gradient. The greatest membrane internal stresses occur in the core region of the flow. The intra-cell interaction is driven by a complex flow field that can be visualised in a Lagrangian framework, and highlights vortex structures in the wakes and in between the cells. The stresses the blood exerts on the vessel wall are influenced by this complex flow field and by the presence of red blood cells.
Accurate vessel segmentation with constrained B-snake.
Yuanzhi Cheng; Xin Hu; Ji Wang; Yadong Wang; Tamura, Shinichi
We describe an active contour framework with accurate shape and size constraints on the vessel cross-sectional planes to produce the vessel segmentation. It starts with a multiscale vessel axis tracing in a 3D computed tomography (CT) data, followed by vessel boundary delineation on the cross-sectional planes derived from the extracted axis. The vessel boundary surface is deformed under constrained movements on the cross sections and is voxelized to produce the final vascular segmentation. The novelty of this paper lies in the accurate contour point detection of thin vessels based on the CT scanning model, in the efficient implementation of missing contour points in the problematic regions and in the active contour model with accurate shape and size constraints. The main advantage of our framework is that it avoids disconnected and incomplete segmentation of the vessels in the problematic regions that contain touching vessels (vessels in close proximity to each other), diseased portions (pathologic structure attached to a vessel), and thin vessels. It is particularly suitable for accurate segmentation of thin and low contrast vessels. Our method is evaluated and demonstrated on CT data sets from our partner site, and its results are compared with three related methods. Our method is also tested on two publicly available databases and its results are compared with the recently published method. The applicability of the proposed method to some challenging clinical problems, the segmentation of the vessels in the problematic regions, is demonstrated with good results on both quantitative and qualitative experimentations; our segmentation algorithm can delineate vessel boundaries that have level of variability similar to those obtained manually.
Novel pyrenehexafluoroisopropanol derivative-decorated single-walled carbon nanotubes for detection of nerve agents by strong hydrogen-bonding interaction.
Kong, Lingtao; Wang, Jin; Luo, Tao; Meng, Fanli; Chen, Xing; Li, Mingqiang; Liu, Jinhuai
Fabrication of hybridized single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) device based on novel sensing material N-4-Hexafluoroisopropanolphenyl-1-pyrenebutyramide (HFIPP) via facile approach has been reported for the first time. Considered that strong hydrogen-bonding can be formed between HFIPP and dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) (simulant of nerve agent sarin), the HFIPP-decorated SWNT device has been employed to detect DMMP. The detection limit achieved with our sensor is as low as 50 ppb; moreover, the response and reproducibility can be presented clearly even at very low concentration of DMMP. Excellent sensitivity and selectivity of the hybridized SWNT-HFIPP device suggest that it has great potential application for detecting explosives and nerve agents. In order to investigate sensing mechanism of SWNT-HFIPP for DMMP, control electrical and fluorescent experiments have been carried out and discussed in the present paper.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
This projected mosaic image, taken by the microscopic imager, an instrument located on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity 's instrument deployment device, or 'arm,' shows the partial clotting or cement-like properties of the sand-sized grains within the trench wall. The area in this image measures approximately 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) wide and 5 centimeters (2 inches) tall.(This image also appears as an inset on a separate image from the rover's navigation camera, showing the location of this particular spot within the trench wall.)
Mechanisms of myocardium-coronary vessel interaction
Algranati, Dotan; Kassab, Ghassan S.
The mechanisms by which the contracting myocardium exerts extravascular forces (intramyocardial pressure, IMP) on coronary blood vessels and by which it affects the coronary flow remain incompletely understood. Several myocardium-vessel interaction (MVI) mechanisms have been proposed, but none can account for all the major flow features. In the present study, we hypothesized that only a specific combination of MVI mechanisms can account for all observed coronary flow features. Three basic interaction mechanisms (time-varying elasticity, myocardial shortening-induced intracellular pressure, and ventricular cavity-induced extracellular pressure) and their combinations were analyzed based on physical principles (conservation of mass and force equilibrium) in a realistic data-based vascular network. Mechanical properties of both vessel wall and myocardium were coupled through stress analysis to simulate the response of vessels to internal blood pressure and external (myocardial) mechanical loading. Predictions of transmural dynamic vascular pressure, diameter, and flow velocity were determined under each MVI mechanism and compared with reported data. The results show that none of the three basic mechanisms alone can account for the measured data. Only the combined effect of the cavity-induced extracellular pressure and the shortening-induced intramyocyte pressure provides good agreement with the majority of measurements. These findings have important implications for elucidating the physical basis of IMP and for understanding coronary phasic flow and coronary artery and microcirculatory disease. PMID:19966048
CURVES: curve evolution for vessel segmentation.
Lorigo, L M; Faugeras, O D; Grimson, W E; Keriven, R; Kikinis, R; Nabavi, A; Westin, C F
The vasculature is of utmost importance in neurosurgery. Direct visualization of images acquired with current imaging modalities, however, cannot provide a spatial representation of small vessels. These vessels, and their branches which show considerable variations, are most important in planning and performing neurosurgical procedures. In planning they provide information on where the lesion draws its blood supply and where it drains. During surgery the vessels serve as landmarks and guidelines to the lesion. The more minute the information is, the more precise the navigation and localization of computer guided procedures. Beyond neurosurgery and neurological study, vascular information is also crucial in cardiovascular surgery, diagnosis, and research. This paper addresses the problem of automatic segmentation of complicated curvilinear structures in three-dimensional imagery, with the primary application of segmenting vasculature in magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) images. The method presented is based on recent curve and surface evolution work in the computer vision community which models the object boundary as a manifold that evolves iteratively to minimize an energy criterion. This energy criterion is based both on intensity values in the image and on local smoothness properties of the object boundary, which is the vessel wall in this application. In particular, the method handles curves evolving in 3D, in contrast with previous work that has dealt with curves in 2D and surfaces in 3D. Results are presented on cerebral and aortic MRA data as well as lung computed tomography (CT) data.
Application of morphological bit planes in retinal blood vessel extraction.
Fraz, M M; Basit, A; Barman, S A
The appearance of the retinal blood vessels is an important diagnostic indicator of various clinical disorders of the eye and the body. Retinal blood vessels have been shown to provide evidence in terms of change in diameter, branching angles, or tortuosity, as a result of ophthalmic disease. This paper reports the development for an automated method for segmentation of blood vessels in retinal images. A unique combination of methods for retinal blood vessel skeleton detection and multidirectional morphological bit plane slicing is presented to extract the blood vessels from the color retinal images. The skeleton of main vessels is extracted by the application of directional differential operators and then evaluation of combination of derivative signs and average derivative values. Mathematical morphology has been materialized as a proficient technique for quantifying the retinal vasculature in ocular fundus images. A multidirectional top-hat operator with rotating structuring elements is used to emphasize the vessels in a particular direction, and information is extracted using bit plane slicing. An iterative region growing method is applied to integrate the main skeleton and the images resulting from bit plane slicing of vessel direction-dependent morphological filters. The approach is tested on two publicly available databases DRIVE and STARE. Average accuracy achieved by the proposed method is 0.9423 for both the databases with significant values of sensitivity and specificity also; the algorithm outperforms the second human observer in terms of precision of segmented vessel tree.
Outwater, J.O.
A pressure vessel is provided for observing corrosive fluids at high temperatures and pressures. A transparent Teflon bag contains the corrosive fluid and provides an inert barrier. The Teflon bag is placed within a sapphire tube, which forms a pressure boundary. The tube is received within a pipe including a viewing window. The combination of the Teflon bag, sapphire tube and pipe provides a strong and inert pressure vessel. In an alternative embodiment, tie rods connect together compression fittings at opposite ends of the sapphire tube.
Outwater, John O.
A pressure vessel is provided for observing corrosive fluids at high temperatures and pressures. A transparent Teflon bag contains the corrosive fluid and provides an inert barrier. The Teflon bag is placed within a sapphire tube, which forms a pressure boundary. The tube is received within a pipe including a viewing window. The combination of the Teflon bag, sapphire tube and pipe provides a strong and inert pressure vessel. In an alternative embodiment, tie rods connect together compression fittings at opposite ends of the sapphire tube.
Lousteau, D.C.
The overall programmatic objective, as defined in the ITER Engineering Design Activities (EDA) Agreement, is to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion energy for peaceful purposes. The ITER EDA Phase, due to last until July 1998, will encompass the design of the device and its auxiliary systems and facilities, including the preparation of engineering drawings. The EDA also incorporates validating research and development (R&D) work, including the development and testing of key components. The purpose of this paper is to review the status of the design, as it has been developed so far, emphasizing the design and integration of those components contained within the vacuum vessel of the ITER device. The components included in the in-vessel systems are divertor and first wall; blanket and shield; plasma heating, fueling, and vacuum pumping equipment; and remote handling equipment.
Photoacoustic removal of occlusions from blood vessels
Visuri, Steven R.; Da Silva, Luiz B.; Celliers, Peter M.; London, Richard A.; Maitland, IV, Duncan J.; Esch, Victor C.
Partial or total occlusions of fluid passages within the human body are removed by positioning an array of optical fibers in the passage and directing treatment radiation pulses along the fibers, one at a time, to generate a shock wave and hydrodynamics flows that strike and emulsify the occlusions. A preferred application is the removal of blood clots (thrombin and embolic) from small cerebral vessels to reverse the effects of an ischemic stroke. The operating parameters and techniques are chosen to minimize the amount of heating of the fragile cerebral vessel walls occurring during this photo acoustic treatment. One such technique is the optical monitoring of the existence of hydrodynamics flow generating vapor bubbles when they are expected to occur and stopping the heat generating pulses propagated along an optical fiber that is not generating such bubbles.
Cover for a nuclear reactor pressure vessel
Gross, H.
A pressure vessel, containment or burst shield for a nuclear reactor has a substantially circular cover surmounting the cylindrical part (Shell) of the vessel and is preferably comprised of a plurality of circular or polylateral segments arranged concentrically and stressed inwardly by annular prestressing means. At least the outer polylateral segments and preferably all of the circular segments are provided on the upper surface with upwardly open circular grooves receiving the prestressing arrangement. The latter can comprise an outwardly open channel-shaped (U-section) supporting member receiving the stressing cables and means for transferring the radial stress of the annular stressing arrangement to the ring segment. The latter means may be wedges inserted between the support and a wall of the groove after the stressing arrangement has been placed under stress, E.G. By hydraulic means for spreading the annular stressing arrangement.
On ultrasound-induced microbubble oscillation in a capillary blood vessel and its implications for the blood-brain barrier
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wiedemair, W.; Tuković, Ž.; Jasak, H.; Poulikakos, D.; Kurtcuoglu, V.
The complex interaction between an ultrasound-driven microbubble and an enclosing capillary microvessel is investigated by means of a coupled, multi-domain numerical model using the finite volume formulation. This system is of interest in the study of transient blood-brain barrier disruption (BBBD) for drug delivery applications. The compliant vessel structure is incorporated explicitly as a distinct domain described by a dedicated physical model. Red blood cells (RBCs) are taken into account as elastic solids in the blood plasma. We report the temporal and spatial development of transmural pressure (Ptm) and wall shear stress (WSS) at the luminal endothelial interface, both of which are candidates for the yet unknown mediator of BBBD. The explicit introduction of RBCs shapes the Ptm and WSS distributions and their derivatives markedly. While the peak values of these mechanical wall parameters are not affected considerably by the presence of RBCs, a pronounced increase in their spatial gradients is observed compared to a configuration with blood plasma alone. The novelty of our work lies in the explicit treatment of the vessel wall, and in the modelling of blood as a composite fluid, which we show to be relevant for the mechanical processes at the endothelium.
Severe accident thermal analyses of a PWR with in-vessel radiation/convection and external flooding
Hawkes, G.L.; O`Brien, J.E.
A severe accident thermal analysis has been performed to study the effect of thermal radiation from the upper surface of a relocated molten core to the vessel inner walls and vessel internals. External water flooding has been included as a means of cooling the vessel to prevent thermal failure. A finite element gray body radiation model is used to predict radiant heat transfer from the molten core to the vessel wall, core barrel, reflector shield, and fuel assemblies of a partially melted and partially relocated core with decay heat. Parametric studies have been performed in which variations in the emissivity of the core crust, vessel wall, fuel assemblies, and other vessel internals have been considered. Other parameters considered included the flooding water level, and vessel upper structure radiant temperature. A finite element computational fluid dynamics model of hydrogen turbulent natural convection inside the vessel is included. The effect of a metallic layer overlying the relocated ceramic core has also been considered. Inside vessel wall temperatures were predicted to be excess of the melting point for some cases. These studies show that vessel integrity is mainly dependent upon the height of the flooding water on the vessel exterior.
Severe accident thermal analyses of a PWR with in-vessel radiation/convection and external flooding
Hawkes, G.L.; O'Brien, J.E.
A severe accident thermal analysis has been performed to study the effect of thermal radiation from the upper surface of a relocated molten core to the vessel inner walls and vessel internals. External water flooding has been included as a means of cooling the vessel to prevent thermal failure. A finite element gray body radiation model is used to predict radiant heat transfer from the molten core to the vessel wall, core barrel, reflector shield, and fuel assemblies of a partially melted and partially relocated core with decay heat. Parametric studies have been performed in which variations in the emissivity of the core crust, vessel wall, fuel assemblies, and other vessel internals have been considered. Other parameters considered included the flooding water level, and vessel upper structure radiant temperature. A finite element computational fluid dynamics model of hydrogen turbulent natural convection inside the vessel is included. The effect of a metallic layer overlying the relocated ceramic core has also been considered. Inside vessel wall temperatures were predicted to be excess of the melting point for some cases. These studies show that vessel integrity is mainly dependent upon the height of the flooding water on the vessel exterior.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
McGinley, Connie Q.
The author of this article, an art teacher at Monarch High School in Louisville, Colorado, describes how her experience teaching in a new school presented an exciting visual challenge for an art teacher--monotonous brick walls just waiting for decoration. This school experienced only minimal instances of graffiti, but as an art teacher, she did…
New baking system for the RFX vacuum vessel
Collarin, P.; Luchetta, A.; Sonato, P.; Toigo, V.; Zaccaria, P.; Zollino, G.
A heating system based on eddy currents has been developed for the vacuum vessel of the RFX Reversed Field Pinch device. After a testing phase, carried out at low power, the final power supply system has been designed and installed. It has been used during last year to bake out the vessel and the graphite first wall up to 320{degree}C. Recently the heating system has been completed with a control system that allows for baking sessions with an automatic control of the vacuum vessel temperature and for pulse sessions with a heated first wall. After the description of the preliminary analyses and tests, and of the main characteristics of the power supply and control systems, the experimental results of the baking sessions performed during last year are presented. 6 refs., 7 figs.
Smith, A.E.
An improved seal between the piston and die member of a piston-cylinder type pressure vessel is presented. A layer of gold, of sufficient thickness to provide an interference fit between the piston and die member, is plated on the contacting surface of at least one of the members. (AEC)
Graywater Discharges from Vessels
of members is 55; however, two have holding tanks and discharge shore-side and a third vessel is the car ferry Badger that discharges shore-side...Alaskan waters, and in numerous European ports such as Venice and Oslo ever since 2003. Model Capacitiy Load Installed Power
data. This source provides information on aluminum hydrofoil vessels without the added weight of foil structures. The composite armor around the...to Powerboats. New York: International Marine/Ragged Mountain P, 2002. 8. [Asset/ Hydrofoil Advanced Surface Ship Evaluation Tool Module User Manual
40 CFR 63.120 - Storage vessel provisions-procedures to determine compliance.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... Administrator the opportunity to have an observer present. (6) If the inspection required by paragraph (a)(2)(ii... section. (i) For an external floating roof vessel equipped with primary and secondary seals, measurements... in § 63.119(c)(1)(iv) of this subpart, measurements of gaps between the vessel wall and the...
Lymphatic vessels clean up your arteries.
Fernández-Hernando, Carlos
Reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) is the pathway by which cholesterol accumulated in peripheral tissues, including the artery wall, is transported to the liver for excretion. There is strong evidence suggesting that interventions that increase macrophage cholesterol efflux and RCT would be antiatherogenic. In this issue of the JCI, Martel et al. investigate the contribution of lymphatic vasculature to RCT. Their results support the concept that the lymphatic vessel route is critical for RCT from atherosclerotic plaques. Therefore, strategies to improve lymphatic transport might be useful for treating atherosclerotic vascular disease.
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes induce apoptosis in RAW 264.7 cell-derived osteoclasts through mitochondria-mediated death pathway.
Ye, Shefang; Jiang, Yuanqin; Zhang, Honggang; Wang, Yifang; Wu, Yihui; Hou, Zhenqing; Zhang, Qiqing
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted great interest with respect to biomaterials, particularly for use as an implant material in bone-tissue engineering. Accordingly, the bone-tissue compatibility of CNTs and their influence on new bone formation are important issues. In the present study, we examined the effects of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB ligand (RANKL)-supported osteoclastogenesis using a murine monocytic cell line RAW 264.7. MWCNTs significantly suppressed the differentiation of RAW 264.7 cells into osteoclasts. Treatment with MWCNTs induced apoptosis in osteoclasts as characterized by nuclear condensation, DNA fragmentation, caspase-3 activation and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage, but did not decrease the cell viability of the osteoblast-like cell line MC3T3-E1. MWCNTs also induced loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential (deltapsim) by regulating expression of Bcl-2 family proteins and caused release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to cytosol. MWCNTs-induced apoptosis in osteoclasts was inhibited both by cyclosporin A, a blocker of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore, and by DEVD-CHO, a cell-permeable inhibitor of caspase-3. The present study suggests that MWCNTs suppresse osteoclastogenesis via the inhibition of osteoclast differentiation and the induction of apoptosis in osteoclasts, rendering them promising candidate for the treatment of osteoclast-related diseases.
Synthesis of coal-derived single-walled carbon nanotube from coal by varying the ratio of Zr/Ni as bimetallic catalyst
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kumar, Rajesh; Singh, Rajesh Kumar; Ghosh, A. K.; Sen, Raja; Srivastava, S. K.; Tiwari, R. S.; Srivastava, O. N.
In this paper coal, source has been used in place of graphite for synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with new Zr/Ni bimetallic catalyst. Using coal as starting material to produce the high-value-added SWCNTs is an economically competent route. SWCNTs have been synthesized by the electric arc discharge method using the so-called heterogeneous annealed coal anode filled with Zr and Ni catalyst. SWCNTs have been synthesized using annealed coal rod. The SWCNTs bundles synthesized generally have diameters of 4-10 nm. Most of those produced with Zr/Ni as the catalyst has a diameter ranging from 2.0 to 1.0 nm. The as-synthesized SWCNTs have been characterized employing XRD, HRTEM, EDX, Raman spectroscopy, and FTIR. It has been found that the change of the ratio of Zr and Ni concentration (wt%) in the catalyst affects the yield of SWCNTs. However, the purity of SWCNTs is very sensitive to the concentration of Zr. An optimal range of Zr/Ni compositions for synthesis of SWCNTs with relatively high purity and yield is obtained at specific concentration of 3:1.
Systems Biology of Platelet–Vessel Wall Interactions
Chen, Yolande; Corey, Seth Joel; Kim, Oleg V.; Alber, Mark S.
Platelets are small, anucleated cells that participate in primary hemostasis by forming a hemostatic plug at the site of a blood vessel's breach, preventing blood loss. However, hemostatic events can lead to excessive thrombosis, resulting in life-threatening strokes, emboli, or infarction. Development of multi-scale models coupling processes at several scales and running predictive model simulations on powerful computer clusters can help interdisciplinary groups of researchers to suggest and test new patient-specific treatment strategies. PMID:25480638
Coagulation and the vessel wall in pulmonary embolism
Abstract Venous thromboembolism comprises deep-vein thrombosis, thrombus in transit, acute pulmonary embolism, and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Pulmonary thromboemboli commonly resolve, with restoration of normal pulmonary hemodynamics. When they fail to resorb, permanent occlusion of the deep veins and/or CTEPH are the consequences. Apart from endogenous fibrinolysis, venous thrombi resolve by a process of mechanical fragmentation, through organization of the thromboembolus by invasion of endothelial cells, leukocytes, and fibroblasts leading to recanalization. Recent data utilizing various models have contributed to a better understanding of venous thrombosis and the resolution process that is directed at maintaining vascular patency. This review summarizes the plasmatic and cellular components of venous thrombus formation and resolution. PMID:25006391
Arterial wall tethering as a distant boundary condition
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hodis, S.; Zamir, M.
A standing difficulty in the problem of blood vessel tethering has been that only one of the two required boundary conditions can be fully specified, namely, that at the inner (endothelial) wall surface. The other, at the outer layer of the vessel wall, is not known except in the limiting case where the wall is fully tethered such that its outer layer is prevented from any displacement. In all other cases, where the wall is either free or partially tethered, a direct boundary condition is not available. We present a method of determining this missing boundary condition by considering the limiting case of a semi-infinite wall. The result makes it possible to define the degree of tethering imposed by surrounding tissue more accurately in terms of the displacement of the outer layer of the vessel wall, rather than in terms of equivalent added mass which has been done in the past. This new approach makes it possible for the first time to describe the effect of partial tethering in its full range, from zero to full tethering. The results indicate that high tethering leads to high stresses and low displacements within the vessel wall, while low tethering leads to low stresses and high displacements. Since both extremes would be damaging to wall tissue, particularly elastin, this suggest that moderate tethering would be optimum in the physiological setting.
Differential erosion by different-sized glaciers as reflected in 10Be-derived erosion rates of glacier valley walls, Kichatna Mts., Alaska
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ward, D.; Anderson, R. S.
The Kichatna Mountains, Alaska Range, Alaska comprise a dramatic landscape carved into a small ~65 Ma granitic pluton about 100 km west of Denali, in which kilometer-tall rock walls and "cathedral" spires tower over a radial array of over a dozen individual valley glaciers. The sheer scale of the relief speaks to the relative rates of valley incision by glaciers and rockwall retreat, but absolute rates are difficult to determine. We use cosmogenic 10Be to measure rockwall backwearing rates (and discuss several very important caveats to this use) on timescales of 103-104 yr, with a straightforward sampling strategy that exploits ablation-dominated medial moraines. In simple cases, a medial moraine and its associated englacial debris serve as a conveyor belt that brings supraglacial rockfall debris from the accumulation zone valley wall to a moraine crest in the ablation zone. Our samples come from the largest medial moraine on each of three glaciers. The northeast-flowing Trident glacier is the largest (15 km long, 1.4 km wide) and most deeply incised, and it has the lowest modern snowline in the range (~1200 m). Its primary medial moraine is sourced from west-facing sidewalls. The north-flowing Shadows glacier is slightly smaller (13 km long, 0.8 km wide) and has a large moraine sourced in dominantly east-facing sidewalls. The south-flowing Caldwell glacier is the smallest of the three (7 km long, 0.7 km wide), has a high modern snowline (~1500 m), and is nearly completely covered in debris. Its primary moraine is sourced from all south-facing aspects. These three glaciers share divides in their headwaters, and so are sourced in identical rock. Sidewall relief is similar (~1 km) in all three catchments. Each sample was amalgamated from 25-35 clasts collected over a 1 km longitudinal transect of each moraine. Replicate samples are internally consistent. The lowest 10Be concentrations (8000 at/g), and thus the highest inferred sidewall erosion rates (1.4 mm
Stress intensity factors in a reinforced thick-walled cylinder
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Tang, R.; Erdogan, F.
An elastic thick-walled cylinder containing a radial crack is considered. It is assumed that the cylinder is reinforced by an elastic membrane on its inner surface. The model is intended to simulate pressure vessels with cladding. The formulation of the problem is reduced to a singular integral equation. Various special cases including that of a crack terminating at the cylinder-reinforcement interface are investigated and numerical examples are given. Results indicate that in the case of the crack touching the interface the crack surface displacement derivative is finite and consequently the stress state around the corresponding crack tip is bounded; and generally, for realistic values of the stiffness parameter, the effect of the reinforcement is not very significant.
Optimization of cell-wall skeleton derived from Mycobacterium bovis BCG Tokyo 172 (SMP-105) emulsion in delayed-type hypersensitivity and antitumor models.
Miyauchi, M; Murata, M; Fukushima, A; Sato, T; Nakagawa, M; Fujii, T; Koseki, N; Chiba, N; Kashiwazaki, Y
Cell-wall skeleton prepared from Mycobacterium bovis BCG (BCG-CWS) is known as a potent adjuvant and has been shown to possess antitumor activity in many non-clinical and clinical studies. As there are no approved BCG-CWS formulations for cancer therapy, we investigated the potential for cancer immunotherapy of SMP-105, our originally produced BCG-CWS. For optimizing SMP-105 emulsion, we compared the effects of drakeoland squalane-based SMP-105 emulsions on IFN-γ production in rats and evaluated their ability to induce skin reaction in guinea pigs. Both emulsions had the same activity in both experiments. We selected squalane as base material and produced two types of squalane-based formulations (vialed emulsion and pumped emulsion) that can easily be prepared as oil-in-water emulsions. Although the vialed emulsion showed the same pattern of distribution as a usual homogenized emulsion, the pumped emulsion showed more uniform distribution than the other two emulsions. Whereas both emulsions enhanced strong delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction in a mouse model, the pumped emulsion induced slightly smaller edema. Data on oil droplet size distribution suggest that few micrometer oil droplet size might be appropriate for oil-in-water microemulsion of SMP-105. The antitumor potency of SMP-105 emulsion was stronger than that of some of the launched toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists (Aldara cream, Picibanil, and Immunobladder). Aldara and Picibanil showed limited antitumor effectiveness, while Immunobladder had almost the same effect as SMP-105 at the highest dose, but needed about 10 times the amount of SMP-105. These findings first indicate that SMP-105 has great potential in cancer immunotherapy.
Neumeyer, C; Bryant, L; Chrzanowski, J; Feder, R; Gomez, M; Heitzenroeder, P; Kalish, M; Lipski, A; Mardenfeld, M; Simmons, R; Titus, P; Zatz, I; Daly, E; Martin, A; Nakahira, M; Pillsbury, R; Feng, J; Bohm, T; Sawan, M; Stone, H; Griffiths, I; Schaffer, M
The ITER project is considering the inclusion of two sets of in-vessel coils, one to mitigate the effect of Edge Localized Modes (ELMs) and another to provide vertical stabilization (VS). The in-vessel location (behind the blanket shield modules, mounted to the vacuum vessel inner wall) presents special challenges in terms of nuclear radiation (~3000 MGy) and temperature (100oC vessel during operations, 200oC during bakeout). Mineral insulated conductors are well suited to this environment but are not commercially available in the large cross section required. An R&D program is underway to demonstrate the production of mineral insulated (MgO or Spinel) hollow copper conductor with stainless steel jacketing needed for these coils. A preliminary design based on this conductor technology has been developed and is presented herein.
Attachment Fitting for Pressure Vessel
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Smeltzer, Stanley S., III (Inventor); Carrigan, Robert W. (Inventor)
This invention provides sealed access to the interior of a pressure vessel and consists of a tube. a collar, redundant seals, and a port. The port allows the seals to be pressurized and seated before the pressure vessel becomes pressurized.
An analytical study of 'Poisson conduction shape factors' for two thermally significant vessels in a finite, heated tissue.
Shrivastava, Devashish; Roemer, Robert B
To conveniently and properly account for the vessel to vessel and vessel to tissue heat transfer rates to predict in vivo tissue temperature distributions, this paper analyses two different types of Poisson conduction shape factors (PCSFs) for unheated and/or uniformly heated, non-insulated, finite tissue domains. One is related to the heat transfer rate from one vessel to another (vessel-vessel PCSF (VVPCSF)) and the other is related to the vessel to tissue heat transfer rates (vessel-tissue PCSF (VTPCSF)). Two alternative formulations for the VTPCSFs are studied; one is based on the difference between the vessel wall and tissue boundary temperatures, and the other on the difference between the vessel wall and the average tissue temperatures. The effects of a uniform source term and of the diameters and locations of the two vessels on the PCSFs are studied for two different cases: one, when the vessel wall temperatures are lower than the tissue boundary temperature, i.e., the vessels cool the tissue, and vice versa. Results show that, first, the VVPCSFs are only geometry dependent and they do not depend on the applied source term and the vessel wall and tissue boundary temperatures. Conversely, the VTPCSFs are strong functions of the source term and of the temperatures of the vessel walls and tissue boundary. These results suggest that to account for the vessel to vessel heat transfer rates, the VVPCSFs can be evaluated solely based on the vessel network geometry. However, to account for the vessel to tissue heat transfer rates, the VTPCSFs should be used iteratively while solving for the tissue temperature distributions. Second, unlike the tissue boundary temperature-based VTPCSFs which may become singular only in heated tissues, the average tissue temperature-based VTPCSFs have the potential to become singular in both unheated and heated tissues. These results suggest that caution should be exercised in the use of the VTPCSFs since they may approach singularity
An analytical study of 'Poisson conduction shape factors' for two thermally significant vessels in a finite, heated tissue
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Shrivastava, Devashish; Roemer, Robert B.
To conveniently and properly account for the vessel to vessel and vessel to tissue heat transfer rates to predict in vivo tissue temperature distributions, this paper analyses two different types of Poisson conduction shape factors (PCSFs) for unheated and/or uniformly heated, non-insulated, finite tissue domains. One is related to the heat transfer rate from one vessel to another (vessel-vessel PCSF (VVPCSF)) and the other is related to the vessel to tissue heat transfer rates (vessel-tissue PCSF (VTPCSF)). Two alternative formulations for the VTPCSFs are studied; one is based on the difference between the vessel wall and tissue boundary temperatures, and the other on the difference between the vessel wall and the average tissue temperatures. The effects of a uniform source term and of the diameters and locations of the two vessels on the PCSFs are studied for two different cases: one, when the vessel wall temperatures are lower than the tissue boundary temperature, i.e., the vessels cool the tissue, and vice versa. Results show that, first, the VVPCSFs are only geometry dependent and they do not depend on the applied source term and the vessel wall and tissue boundary temperatures. Conversely, the VTPCSFs are strong functions of the source term and of the temperatures of the vessel walls and tissue boundary. These results suggest that to account for the vessel to vessel heat transfer rates, the VVPCSFs can be evaluated solely based on the vessel network geometry. However, to account for the vessel to tissue heat transfer rates, the VTPCSFs should be used iteratively while solving for the tissue temperature distributions. Second, unlike the tissue boundary temperature-based VTPCSFs which may become singular only in heated tissues, the average tissue temperature-based VTPCSFs have the potential to become singular in both unheated and heated tissues. These results suggest that caution should be exercised in the use of the VTPCSFs since they may approach singularity
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Two "new" ocean-going research vessels operated by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the National Science Foundation (NSF) will soon begin full-time scientific duties off the coast of California and in the Antarctic, respectively. The 37.5-m Scripps vessel, named Robert Gordon Sprout in honor of the ex-president of the University of California, replaces the smaller ship Ellen B. Scripps, which had served the institution since 1965. The new ship is a slightly modified Gulf Coast workboat. Under the name of Midnight Alaskan, it had been used for high-resolution geophysical surveys in American and Latin American waters by such firms as Arco Oil & Gas, Exxon, Pennzoil, and Racal-Decca before its purchase by Scripps from a Lousiana chartering firm last summer.
Moss, D.R.
The first section of the book covers types of loadings, failures, and stress theories, and how they apply to pressure vessels. The book delineates the procedures for designing typical components as well as those for designing large openings in cylindrical shells, ring girders, davits, platforms, bins and elevated tanks. The techniques for designing conical transitions, cone-cylinder intersections, intermediate heads, flat heads, and spherically dished covers are also described. The book covers the design of vessel supports subject to wind and seismic loads and one section is devoted to the five major ways of analyzing loads on shells and heads. Each procedure is detailed enough to size all welds, bolts, and plate thicknesses and to determine actual stresses.
could not be input into the program. Table 4 shows a one-digit weight breakdown of the APV. ARCTIC PATROL VESSEL WEIGHTS SUMMARY SWBS GROUPS... SWBS 100 group, resulting in an increase of 220 tons. 3.7.2. Topside Icing Accounting for topside icing is crucial to gaining an accurate...characteristics, a comprehensive SWBS breakdown, a hullform body plan and a full general arrangement drawing. 21. The team will be encouraged to produce
design with a full load displacement of 6,480 long tons. The vessel was outfitted with a towed sonary array, surface and air radar, and a small...and system complexity. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Arctic patrol, green technology, environment, polution , ship design, CISD, fuel cell 16. SECURITY...was outfitted with a towed sonary array, surface and air radar, and a small interdiction and rescue craft. In anticipation of more stringent
Reactor pressure vessel nozzle
Challberg, Roy C.; Upton, Hubert A.
A nozzle for joining a pool of water to a nuclear reactor pressure vessel includes a tubular body having a proximal end joinable to the pressure vessel and a distal end joinable in flow communication with the pool. The body includes a flow passage therethrough having in serial flow communication a first port at the distal end, a throat spaced axially from the first port, a conical channel extending axially from the throat, and a second port at the proximal end which is joinable in flow communication with the pressure vessel. The inner diameter of the flow passage decreases from the first port to the throat and then increases along the conical channel to the second port. In this way, the conical channel acts as a diverging channel or diffuser in the forward flow direction from the first port to the second port for recovering pressure due to the flow restriction provided by the throat. In the backflow direction from the second port to the first port, the conical channel is a converging channel and with the abrupt increase in flow area from the throat to the first port collectively increase resistance to flow therethrough.
Reactor pressure vessel nozzle
Challberg, R.C.; Upton, H.A.
A nozzle for joining a pool of water to a nuclear reactor pressure vessel includes a tubular body having a proximal end joinable to the pressure vessel and a distal end joinable in flow communication with the pool. The body includes a flow passage therethrough having in serial flow communication a first port at the distal end, a throat spaced axially from the first port, a conical channel extending axially from the throat, and a second port at the proximal end which is joinable in flow communication with the pressure vessel. The inner diameter of the flow passage decreases from the first port to the throat and then increases along the conical channel to the second port. In this way, the conical channel acts as a diverging channel or diffuser in the forward flow direction from the first port to the second port for recovering pressure due to the flow restriction provided by the throat. In the backflow direction from the second port to the first port, the conical channel is a converging channel and with the abrupt increase in flow area from the throat to the first port collectively increase resistance to flow therethrough. 2 figs.
Blood and Lymphatic Vessel Formation
Bautch, Victoria L.; Caron, Kathleen M.
Blood and lymphatic vessels deliver oxygen and nutrients, remove waste and CO2, and regulate interstitial pressure in tissues and organs. These vessels begin life early in embryogenesis using transcription factors and signaling pathways that regulate differentiation, morphogenesis, and proliferation. Here we describe how these vessels develop in the mouse embryo, and the signals that are important to their development. PMID:25731762
Using vessels as artificial reefs is an option for disposal. Artificial reefs serve to benefit the environment. Vessel-to-reef projects can follow the best management practices guidance. Guidance are provided for how to clean up vessels for use as reefs.
Confinement Vessel Assay System: Design and Implementation Report
Frame, Katherine C.; Bourne, Mark M.; Crooks, William J.; Evans, Louise; Mayo, Douglas R.; Gomez, Cipriano D.; Miko, David K.; Salazar, William R.; Stange, Sy; Vigil, Georgiana M.
Los Alamos National Laboratory has a number of spherical confinement vessels remaining from tests involving nuclear materials. These vessels have an inner diameter of 6 feet with 1- to 2-inch thick steel walls. The goal of the Confinement Vessel Disposition (CVD) project is to remove debris and reduce contamination inside the vessels. We have developed a neutron assay system for the purposes of Materials Control and Accountability (MC&A) measurements of the vessel prior to and after cleanout. We present our approach to confronting the challenges in designing, building, and testing such a system. The system was designed to meet a set of functional and operational requirements. A Monte Carlo model was developed to aid in optimizing the detector design as well as to predict the systematic uncertainty associated with confinement vessel measurements. Initial testing was performed to optimize and determine various measurement parameters, and then the system was characterized using {sup 252}Cf placed a various locations throughout the measurement system. Measurements were also performed with a {sup 252}Cf source placed inside of small steel and HDPE shells to study the effect of moderation. These measurements compare favorably with their MCNPX model equivalent, making us confident that we can rely on the Monte Carlo simulation to predict the systematic uncertainty due to variations in response to material that may be localized at different points within a vessel.
Hybrid Inflatable Pressure Vessel
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Raboin, Jasen; Valle, Gerard D.; Edeen, Gregg; DeLaFuente, Horacio M.; Schneider, William C.; Spexarth, Gary R.; Johnson, Christopher J.; Pandya, Shalini
Figure 1 shows a prototype of a large pressure vessel under development for eventual use as a habitable module for long spaceflight (e.g., for transporting humans to Mars). The vessel is a hybrid that comprises an inflatable shell attached to a rigid central structural core. The inflatable shell is, itself, a hybrid that comprises (1) a pressure bladder restrained against expansion by (2) a web of straps made from high-strength polymeric fabrics. On Earth, pressure vessels like this could be used, for example, as portable habitats that could be set up quickly in remote locations, portable hyperbaric chambers for treatment of decompression sickness, or flotation devices for offshore platforms. In addition, some aspects of the design of the fabric straps could be adapted to such other items as lifting straps, parachute straps, and automotive safety belts. Figure 2 depicts selected aspects of the design of a vessel of this type with a toroidal configuration. The bladder serves as an impermeable layer to keep air within the pressure vessel and, for this purpose, is sealed to the central structural core. The web includes longitudinal and circumferential straps. To help maintain the proper shape upon inflation after storage, longitudinal and circumferential straps are indexed together at several of their intersections. Because the web is not required to provide a pressure seal and the bladder is not required to sustain structural loads, the bladder and the web can be optimized for their respective functions. Thus, the bladder can be sealed directly to the rigid core without having to include the web in the seal substructure, and the web can be designed for strength. The ends of the longitudinal straps are attached to the ends of the rigid structural core by means of clevises. Each clevis pin is surrounded by a roller, around which a longitudinal strap is wrapped to form a lap seam with itself. The roller is of a large diameter chosen to reduce bending of the fibers in
Unsteady Flow in Stenotic Blood Vessels
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Rayz, Vitaliy L.; Devi Williamson, Shobha; Berger, Stanley A.; Saloner, David
Recent studies show that many heart attacks and strokes occur from sudden rupture of partially occluding atherosclerotic plaque rather than total vessel occlusion. Our goal is to understand how the mechanical forces induced by blood flow on specific plaque deposits makes them vulnerable to rupture. Models of severely stenotic carotid bifurcations are created from MR images and grids generated for the flow domains. The three-dimensional, unsteady, incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in finite-volume form are solved numerically using physiological boundary conditions. During systole a high velocity jet forms at the stenotic throat in one of the branches, and a long recirculation zone is observed downstream of the plaque. During diastole the flow is more stagnant. The flow is highly three-dimensional and unsteady with chaotic streamlines. Whereas flow in healthy arteries is laminar, irregular geometries and sharp changes in vessel diameter of a severely stenotic artery significantly disrupt the flow, with consequences for shear and normal wall stresses at the wall, and important implications for plaque stability. Supported by NIH Grant HL61823
Human Adipose Tissue Derived Stem Cells as a Source of Smooth Muscle Cells in the Regeneration of Muscular Layer of Urinary Bladder Wall
SALEM, Salah Abood; HWIE, Angela Ng Min; SAIM, Aminuddin; CHEE KONG, Christopher Ho; SAGAP, Ismail; SINGH, Rajesh; YUSOF, Mohd Reusmaazran; MD ZAINUDDIN, Zulkifili; HJ IDRUS, Ruszymah
Background: Adipose tissue provides an abundant source of multipotent cells, which represent a source of cell-based regeneration strategies for urinary bladder smooth muscle repair. Our objective was to confirm that adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) can be differentiated into smooth muscle cells. Methods: In this study, adipose tissue samples were digested with 0.075% collagenase, and the resulting ADSCs were cultured and expanded in vitro. ADSCs at passage two were differentiated by incubation in smooth muscle inductive media (SMIM) consisting of MCDB I31 medium, 1% FBS, and 100 U/mL heparin for three and six weeks. ADSCs in non-inductive media were used as controls. Characterisation was performed by cell morphology and gene and protein expression. Result: The differentiated cells became elongated and spindle shaped, and towards the end of six weeks, sporadic cell aggregation appeared that is typical of smooth muscle cell culture. Smooth muscle markers (i.e. alpha smooth muscle actin (ASMA), calponin, and myosin heavy chain (MHC)) were used to study gene expression. Expression of these genes was detected by PCR after three and six weeks of differentiation. At the protein expression level, ASMA, MHC, and smoothelin were expressed after six weeks of differentiation. However, only ASMA and smoothelin were expressed after three weeks of differentiation. Conclusion: Adipose tissue provides a possible source of smooth muscle precursor cells that possess the potential capability of smooth muscle differentiation. This represents a promising alternative for urinary bladder smooth muscle repair. PMID:24044001
Nosenko, V.I.
Protecting the shells of blast furnaces is being resolved by installing cast iron cooling plates. The cooling plates become non-operational in three to five years. The problem is that defects occur in manufacturing the cooling plates. With increased volume and intensity of work placed on blast furnaces, heat on the cast iron cooling plates reduces their reliability that limits the interim repair period of blast furnaces. Scientists and engineers from the Ukraine studied this problem for several years, developing a new method of cooling the blast furnace shaft called the cooling wall. Traditional cast iron plates were replaced by a screen of steel tubes, with the area between the tubes filled with fireproof concrete. Before placing the newly developed furnace shaft into operation, considerable work was completed such as theoretical calculations, design, research of temperature fields and tension. Continual testing over many years confirms the value of this research in operating blast furnaces. The cooling wall works with water cooling as well as vapor cooling and is operating in 14 blast furnaces in the Ukraine and two in Russia, and has operated for as long as 14 years.
Nondestructive characterization of reactor pressure vessel steels: A feasibility study. Technical note (Final)
McHenry, H.I.; Alers, G.A.
Radiation damage to the walls of reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) causes the steel to become more brittle and less able to withstand the thermal stresses of start-up and shut-down procedures. Current methods of monitoring the degree of embrittlement are based on measurements of the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) of surveillance specimens subjected to severe radiation damage inside the reactor itself. In order to improve on this conservative approach and extend the useful life of vessels that have been in service for many years, NIST undertook a feasibility study to investigate nondestructive techniques for inferring the DBTT of the pressure vessel wall itself. The approach used was based on the hypothesis that the changes in microstructure that accompany embrittlement could be detected by accurate measurements of the physical properties of the steel in the pressure vessel wall.
[Segmentation of retinal blood vessels based on centerline extraction].
Zhou, Lin; Shen, Jianxin; Liao, Wenhe; Wang, Yuliang
The precise estimation of blood vessel centerline and width is a prerequisite condition for the quantitative and visualized diagnosis of blood vessel disease in fundus images. In this paper, a retinal blood vessel segmentation algorithm based on centerline extraction is proposed. According to the characteristics of the fundus image and retinal blood vessels, the image is convoluted with the masks of discrete Gaussian partial derivative kernels. The centerline is determined by differential geometric properties of the blood vessels and the width is also calculated. The precision of our method can reach sub-pixel level with a fast computation speed. The experiments on several kinds of fundus images showed that the method worked quickly and accurately.
Vessel Noise Promotes Hull Fouling.
Stanley, Jenni A; Wilkens, Serena; McDonald, Justin I; Jeffs, Andrew G
Fouling of submerged vessel hulls due to the rapid settlement of algae and invertebrates is a longstanding and costly problem. It is widely thought that the presence of extensive vacant surfaces on vessel hulls is responsible for the rapid attachment and growth of biofouling. We investigated whether noise from vessels in port could also be involved in promoting the settlement and growth of common biofouling organisms on vessel hulls. Three important biofouling species exhibited significantly faster development and settlement and better survival when exposed to vessel noise compared with control species. The extent of these responses appeared to vary in relation to the intensity of the vessel noise and may help to explain differences in biofouling observed on vessel hulls.
Biomechanical Model of the Xylem Vessels in Vascular Plants
• Background and Aims The xylem, or water transport system, in vascular plants adopts different morphologies that appear sequentially during growth phases. This paper proposes an explanation of these morphologies based on engineering design principles. • Methods Using microscopic observations of the different growth stages, an engineering analysis of the xylem vessels as a closed cylinder under internal pressure is carried out adopting pressure vessel design concepts. • Key Results The analysis suggests that the xylem vessel structural morphology follows the 'constant strength' design principle, i.e. all of the material within the wall of the xylem is loaded equally to its maximum allowable stress capacity, and the amount of material used is therefore systematically minimized. The analysis shows that the different structural designs of the xylem vessel walls (annular, helical, reticulate and pitted) all quantitatively follow the constant strength design principle. • Conclusions The results are discussed with respect to growth and differentiation. It is concluded that the morphology of the xylem vessel through the different phases of growth seems to follow optimal engineering design principles. PMID:15802309
Tracking Vessels to Illegal Pollutant Discharges Using Multisource Vessel Information
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Busler, J.; Wehn, H.; Woodhouse, L.
Illegal discharge of bilge waters is a significant source of oil and other environmental pollutants in Canadian and international waters. Imaging satellites are commonly used to monitor large areas to detect oily discharges from vessels, off-shore platforms and other sources. While remotely sensed imagery provides a snap-shot picture useful for detecting a spill or the presence of vessels in the vicinity, it is difficult to directly associate a vessel to an observed spill unless the vessel is observed while the discharge is occurring. The situation then becomes more challenging with increased vessel traffic as multiple vessels may be associated with a spill event. By combining multiple sources of vessel location data, such as Automated Information Systems (AIS), Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) and SAR-based ship detection, with spill detections and drift models we have created a system that associates detected spill events with vessels in the area using a probabilistic model that intersects vessel tracks and spill drift trajectories in both time and space. Working with the Canadian Space Agency and the Canadian Ice Service's Integrated Satellite Tracking of Pollution (ISTOP) program, we use spills observed in Canadian waters to demonstrate the investigative value of augmenting spill detections with temporally sequenced vessel and spill tracking information.
Influence of cerebral blood vessel movements on the position of perivascular synapses
DeFelipe, Javier
Synaptic activity is regulated and limited by blood flow, which is controlled by blood vessel dilation and contraction. Traditionally, the study of neurovascular coupling has mainly focused on energy consumption and oxygen delivery. However, the mechanical changes that blood vessel movements induce in the surrounding tissue have not been considered. We have modeled the mechanical changes that movements of blood vessels cause in neighboring synapses. Our simulations indicate that synaptic densities increase or decrease during vascular dilation and contraction, respectively, near the blood vessel walls. This phenomenon may alter the concentration of neurotransmitters and vasoactive substances in the immediate vicinity of the vessel wall and thus may have an influence on local blood flow. PMID:28199396
Influence of cerebral blood vessel movements on the position of perivascular synapses.
Urrecha, Miguel; Romero, Ignacio; DeFelipe, Javier; Merchán-Pérez, Angel
Synaptic activity is regulated and limited by blood flow, which is controlled by blood vessel dilation and contraction. Traditionally, the study of neurovascular coupling has mainly focused on energy consumption and oxygen delivery. However, the mechanical changes that blood vessel movements induce in the surrounding tissue have not been considered. We have modeled the mechanical changes that movements of blood vessels cause in neighboring synapses. Our simulations indicate that synaptic densities increase or decrease during vascular dilation and contraction, respectively, near the blood vessel walls. This phenomenon may alter the concentration of neurotransmitters and vasoactive substances in the immediate vicinity of the vessel wall and thus may have an influence on local blood flow.
A model of pulsatile flow in a uniform deformable vessel.
Johnson, G A; Borovetz, H S; Anderson, J L
Simulations of blood flow in natural and artificial conduits usually require large computers for numerical solution of the Navier-Stokes equations. Often, physical insight into the fluid dynamics is lost when the solution is purely numerical. An alternative to solving the most general form of the Navier-Stokes equations is described here, wherein a functional form of the solution is assumed in order to simplify the required computations. The assumed forms for the axial pressure gradient and velocity profile are chosen such that conservation of mass is satisfied for fully established pulsatile flow in a straight, deformable vessel. The resulting equations are cast in finite-difference form and solved explicitly. Results for the limiting cases of rigid wall and zero applied pressure are found to be in good agreement with analytical solutions. Comparison with the experimental results of Klanchar et al. [Circ. Res. 66, 1624-1635 (1990]) also shows good agreement. Application of the model to realistic physiological parameter values provides insight as to the influence of the pulsatile nature of the flow field on wall shear development in the presence of a moving wall boundary. Specifically, the model illustrates the dependence of flow rate and shear rate on the amplitude of the vessel wall motion and the phase difference between the applied pressure difference and the oscillations of the vessel radius. The present model can serve as a useful tool for experimentalists interested in quantifying the magnitude and character of velocity profiles and shearing forces in natural and artificial biologic conduits.
Method of non-destructively inspecting a curved wall portion
Fong, James T.
A method of non-destructively inspecting a curved wall portion of a large and thick walled vessel for a defect by computed tomography is provided. A collimated source of radiation is placed adjacent one side of the wall portion and an array of detectors for the radiation is placed on the other side adjacent the source. The radiation from the source passing through the wall portion is then detected with the detectors over a limited angle, dependent upon the curvature of the wall of the vessel, to obtain a dataset. The source and array are then coordinately moved relative to the wall portion in steps and a further dataset is obtained at each step. The plurality of datasets obtained over the limited angle is then processed to produce a tomogram of the wall portion to determine the presence of a defect therein. In a preferred embodiment, the curved wall portion has a center of curvature so that the source and the array are positioned at each step along a respective arc curved about the center. If desired, the detector array and source can be reoriented relative to a new wall portion and an inspection of the new wall portion can be easily obtained. Further, the source and detector array can be indexed in a direction perpendicular to a plane including the limited angle in a plurality of steps so that by repeating the detecting and moving steps at each index step, a three dimensional image can be created of the wall portion.
33 CFR 401.37 - Mooring at tie-up walls.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
...-up walls. (a) Upon arrival at a lock, a vessel awaiting instructions to advance shall moor at the tie-up wall, close up to the designated limit or approach sign or to the ship preceding it, whichever is... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Mooring at tie-up walls....
33 CFR 401.37 - Mooring at tie-up walls.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
...-up walls. (a) Upon arrival at a lock, a vessel awaiting instructions to advance shall moor at the tie-up wall, close up to the designated limit or approach sign or to the ship preceding it, whichever is... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Mooring at tie-up walls....
33 CFR 401.37 - Mooring at tie-up walls.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
...-up walls. (a) Upon arrival at a lock, a vessel awaiting instructions to advance shall moor at the tie-up wall, close up to the designated limit or approach sign or to the ship preceding it, whichever is... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Mooring at tie-up walls....
33 CFR 401.37 - Mooring at tie-up walls.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
...-up walls. (a) Upon arrival at a lock, a vessel awaiting instructions to advance shall moor at the tie-up wall, close up to the designated limit or approach sign or to the ship preceding it, whichever is... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Mooring at tie-up walls....
A More Accurate Solution to the Elastic-Plastic Problem of Pressurized Thick-Walled Cylinders.
PLASTIC PROBLEM OF PRESSURIZED THICK-WALLED CYLINDERS Wt) .0 PETER C. T...34ACT'rowim- -noes Sei Nomee..w snidswitby block numbr) A new method has been developed for solving the partially plastic problems of * thick-walled...34. -.........,..- - -. .. . ..... ,.... . ..... .*...**..*.... ... INTRODUCTION The partially plastic problem of pressurized thick-walled cylinder is of practical importance to pressure vessels and the
Fabrication of toroidal composite pressure vessels. Final report
Dodge, W.G.; Escalona, A.
A method for fabricating composite pressure vessels having toroidal geometry was evaluated. Eight units were fabricated using fibrous graphite material wrapped over a thin-walled aluminum liner. The material was wrapped using a machine designed for wrapping, the graphite material was impregnated with an epoxy resin that was subsequently thermally cured. The units were fabricated using various winding patterns. They were hydrostatically tested to determine their performance. The method of fabrication was demonstrated. However, the improvement in performance to weight ratio over that obtainable by an all metal vessel probably does not justify the extra cost of fabrication.
Conformable pressure vessel for high pressure gas storage
Simmons, Kevin L.; Johnson, Kenneth I.; Lavender, Curt A.; Newhouse, Norman L.; Yeggy, Brian C.
A non-cylindrical pressure vessel storage tank is disclosed. The storage tank includes an internal structure. The internal structure is coupled to at least one wall of the storage tank. The internal structure shapes and internally supports the storage tank. The pressure vessel storage tank has a conformability of about 0.8 to about 1.0. The internal structure can be, but is not limited to, a Schwarz-P structure, an egg-crate shaped structure, or carbon fiber ligament structure.
Vessel enhancing diffusion: a scale space representation of vessel structures.
Manniesing, Rashindra; Viergever, Max A; Niessen, Wiro J
A method is proposed to enhance vascular structures within the framework of scale space theory. We combine a smooth vessel filter which is based on a geometrical analysis of the Hessian's eigensystem, with a non-linear anisotropic diffusion scheme. The amount and orientation of diffusion depend on the local vessel likeliness. Vessel enhancing diffusion (VED) is applied to patient and phantom data and compared to linear, regularized Perona-Malik, edge and coherence enhancing diffusion. The method performs better than most of the existing techniques in visualizing vessels with varying radii and in enhancing vessel appearance. A diameter study on phantom data shows that VED least affects the accuracy of diameter measurements. It is shown that using VED as a preprocessing step improves level set based segmentation of the cerebral vasculature, in particular segmentation of the smaller vessels of the vasculature.
Vesselness-guided Active Contour: A Coronary Vessel Extraction Method
Dehkordi, Maryam Taghizadeh; Jalalat, Morteza; Sadri, Saeed; Doosthoseini, Alimohamad; Ahmadzadeh, Mohammad Reza; Amirfattahi, Rasoul
Vessel extraction is a critical task in clinical practice. In this paper, we propose a new approach for vessel extraction using an active contour model by defining a novel vesselness-based term, based on accurate analysis of the vessel structure in the image. To achieve the novel term, a simple and fast directional filter bank is proposed, which does not employ down sampling and resampling used in earlier versions of directional filter banks. The proposed model not only preserves the performance of the existing models on images with intensity inhomogeneity, but also overcomes their inability both to segment low contrast vessels and to omit non-vessel structures. Experimental results for synthetic images and coronary X-ray angiograms show desirable performance of our model. PMID:24761379
Wall to Wall Optimal Transport
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Chini, Gregory P.; Hassanzadeh, Pedram; Doering, Charles R.
How much heat can be transported between impermeable fixed-temperature walls by incompressible flows with a given amount of kinetic energy or enstrophy? What do the optimal velocity fields look like? We employ variational calculus to address these questions in the context of steady 2D flows. The resulting nonlinear Euler-Lagrange equations are solved numerically, and in some cases analytically, to find the maximum possible Nusselt number Nu as a function of the Péclect number Pe , a measure of the flow's energy or enstrophy. We find that in the fixed-energy problem Nu ~ Pe , while in the fixed-enstrophy problem Nu ~ Pe 10 / 17 . In both cases, the optimal flow consists of an array of convection cells with aspect ratio Γ (Pe) . Interpreting our results in terms of the Rayleigh number Ra for relevant buoyancy-driven problems, we find Nu <= 1 + 0 . 035 Ra and Γ ~ Ra - 1 / 2 for porous medium convection (which occurs with fixed energy), and Nu <= 1 + 0 . 115 Ra 5 / 12 and Γ ~ Ra - 1 / 4 for Rayleigh-Bénard convection (which occurs with fixed enstrophy and for free-slip walls). This work was supported by NSF awards PHY-0855335, DMS-0927587, and PHY-1205219 (CRD) and DMS-0928098 (GPC). Much of this work was completed at the 2012 Geophysical Fluid Dynamics (GFD) Program at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Radiant vessel auxiliary cooling system
Germer, J.H.
This patent describes an improved radiant vessel passive cooling system for liquid-metal poor-type modular nuclear reactors having a reactor vessel and a surrounding containment vessel spaced apart from the reactor vessel to form a first interstitial region containing an inert gas, the improvement comprising: a shell spaced apart from and surrounding the containment vessel to form a second interstitial region comprising a circulatory air passage. The circulatory air passage has an air inlet at a first position and an air outlet at a second position which is vertically higher than the first position. The second interstitial region lies between the shell and the containment vessel; and surface area extension means in the shell is longitudinally disposed from the shell into the second interstitial region towards the containment vessel to receive thermal radiation from the containment vessel. The surface area extension means is spaced apart from the external surface of the containment vessel where heat radiated form the containment vessel is received at the surface extension means for convection, conduction and radiation to air in the circulatory passage.
Large vessel involvement by IgG4-related disease
Perugino, Cory A.; Wallace, Zachary S.; Meyersohn, Nandini; Oliveira, George; Stone, James R.; Stone, John H.
Abstract Objectives: IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is an immune-mediated fibroinflammatory condition that can affect multiple organs and lead to tumefactive, tissue-destructive lesions. Reports have described inflammatory aortitis and periaortitis, the latter in the setting of retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF), but have not distinguished adequately between these 2 manifestations. The frequency, radiologic features, and response of vascular complications to B cell depletion remain poorly defined. We describe the clinical features, radiology findings, and treatment response in a cohort of 36 patients with IgG4-RD affecting large blood vessels. Methods: Clinical records of all patients diagnosed with IgG4-RD in our center were reviewed. All radiologic studies were reviewed. We distinguished between primary large blood vessel inflammation and secondary vascular involvement. Primary involvement was defined as inflammation in the blood vessel wall as a principal focus of disease. Secondary vascular involvement was defined as disease caused by the effects of adjacent inflammation on the blood vessel wall. Results: Of the 160 IgG4-RD patients in this cohort, 36 (22.5%) had large-vessel involvement. The mean age at disease onset of the patients with large-vessel IgG4-RD was 54.6 years. Twenty-eight patients (78%) were male and 8 (22%) were female. Thirteen patients (36%) had primary IgG4-related vasculitis and aortitis with aneurysm formation comprised the most common manifestation. This affected 5.6% of the entire IgG4-RD cohort and was observed in the thoracic aorta in 8 patients, the abdominal aorta in 4, and both the thoracic and abdominal aorta in 3. Three of these aneurysms were complicated by aortic dissection or contained perforation. Periaortitis secondary to RPF accounted for 27 of 29 patients (93%) of secondary vascular involvement by IgG4-RD. Only 5 patients demonstrated evidence of both primary and secondary blood vessel involvement. Of those treated with
Blood flow reprograms lymphatic vessels to blood vessels
Chen, Chiu-Yu; Bertozzi, Cara; Zou, Zhiying; Yuan, Lijun; Lee, John S.; Lu, MinMin; Stachelek, Stan J.; Srinivasan, Sathish; Guo, Lili; Vincente, Andres; Mericko, Patricia; Levy, Robert J.; Makinen, Taija; Oliver, Guillermo; Kahn, Mark L.
Human vascular malformations cause disease as a result of changes in blood flow and vascular hemodynamic forces. Although the genetic mutations that underlie the formation of many human vascular malformations are known, the extent to which abnormal blood flow can subsequently influence the vascular genetic program and natural history is not. Loss of the SH2 domain–containing leukocyte protein of 76 kDa (SLP76) resulted in a vascular malformation that directed blood flow through mesenteric lymphatic vessels after birth in mice. Mesenteric vessels in the position of the congenital lymphatic in mature Slp76-null mice lacked lymphatic identity and expressed a marker of blood vessel identity. Genetic lineage tracing demonstrated that this change in vessel identity was the result of lymphatic endothelial cell reprogramming rather than replacement by blood endothelial cells. Exposure of lymphatic vessels to blood in the absence of significant flow did not alter vessel identity in vivo, but lymphatic endothelial cells exposed to similar levels of shear stress ex vivo rapidly lost expression of PROX1, a lymphatic fate–specifying transcription factor. These findings reveal that blood flow can convert lymphatic vessels to blood vessels, demonstrating that hemodynamic forces may reprogram endothelial and vessel identity in cardiovascular diseases associated with abnormal flow. PMID:22622036
Wall shear stress manifolds and near wall flow topology in aneurysms
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Arzani, Amirhossein; Gambaruto, Alberto M.; Chen, Guoning; Shadden, Shawn C.
Transport of atherogenic and thrombogenic chemicals near the vessel wall highly influences atherosclerosis and thrombosis. The high Schmidt number of these species leads to a thin concentration boundary layer near the wall. The wall shear stress (WSS) vector field can be scaled to obtain the near wall velocity in this region, thus providing first order approximation to near wall transport. In this study, the complex blood flow in patient-specific abdominal aortic aneurysms was considered. Lagrangian tracking of surface-bound tracers representing near wall species was employed to identify Lagrangian coherent structures (LCS) for the WSS surface vector field. The WSS LCS matched the stable and unstable manifolds of saddle type fixed points of the time-average WSS vector field, due to the quasi-steady nature of these near wall transport processes. A WSS exposure time measure is introduced to quantify the concentration of near wall species. The effect of diffusion and normal flow on these structures is investigated. The WSS LCS highly influence the concentration of near wall species, and provide a template for near-wall transport.
Enhanced delineation of degradation in aortic walls through OCT
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Real, Eusebio; Val-Bernal, José Fernando; Revuelta, José M.; Pontón, Alejandro; Calvo Díez, Marta; Mayorga, Marta; López-Higuera, José M.; Conde, Olga M.
Degradation of the wall of human ascending thoracic aorta has been assessed through Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). OCT images of the media layer of the aortic wall exhibit micro-structure degradation in case of diseased aortas from aneurysmal vessels or in aortas prone to aortic dissections. The degeneration in vessel walls appears as low-reflectivity areas due to the invasive appearance of acidic polysaccharides and mucopolysaccharides within a typical ordered microstructure of parallel lamellae of smooth muscle cells, elastin and collagen fibers. An OCT indicator of wall degradation can be generated upon the spatial quantification of the extension of degraded areas in a similar way as conventional histopathology. This proposed OCT marker offers a real-time clinical insight of the vessel status to help cardiovascular surgeons in vessel repair interventions. However, the delineation of degraded areas on the B-scan image from OCT is sometimes difficult due to presence of speckle noise, variable SNR conditions on the measurement process, etc. Degraded areas could be outlined by basic thresholding techniques taking advantage of disorders evidences in B-scan images, but this delineation is not always optimum and requires complex additional processing stages. This work proposes an optimized delineation of degraded spots in vessel walls, robust to noisy environments, based on the analysis of the second order variation of image intensity of backreflection to determine the type of local structure. Results improve the delineation of wall anomalies providing a deeper physiological perception of the vessel wall conditions. Achievements could be also transferred to other clinical scenarios: carotid arteries, aorto-iliac or ilio-femoral sections, intracranial, etc.
Upgrade of the DIII-D vacuum vessel protection system
Hollerbach, M.A.; Lee, R.L.; Smith, J.P.; Taylor, P.L.
An upgrade of the General Atomics DIII-D tokamak armor protection system has been completed. The upgrade consisted of armoring the outer wall and the divertor gas baffle with monolithic graphite tiles and cleaning the existing floor, ceiling, and inner wall tiles to remove any deposited impurity layer from the tile surfaces. The new tiles replace the graphite tiles used as local armor for neutral beam shine through, three graphite poloidal back-up limiter bands, and miscellaneous Inconel protection tiles. The total number of tiles increased from 1636 to 3200 and corresponding vessel coverage from 40% to 90%. A new, graphite armored, toroidally continuous, gas baffle between the outer wall and the biased divertor ring was installed in order to accommodate the cryocondensation pump that was installed in parallel with the outer wall tiles. To eliminate a source of copper in the plasma, GRAFOIL gaskets replaced the copper felt metal gaskets previously used as a compliant heat transfer interface between the inertially cooled tiles and the vessel wall. GRAFOIL, an exfoliated, flexible graphite material from Union Carbide, Inc., was used between each tile and the vessel wall and also between each tile and its hold-down hardware. Testing was performed to determine the mechanical compliance, thermal conductance, and vacuum characteristics of the GRAFOIL material. To further decrease the quantity of high Z materials exposed to the plasma, the 1636 existing graphite tiles were identified, removed, and grit blasted to eliminate a thin layer of deposited metals which included nickel, chromium, and molybdenum. Prior to any processing, a selected set of tiles was tested for radioactivity, including tritium contamination. The tiles were grit blasted in a negative-pressure blasting cabinet using 37 {mu}m boron carbide powder as the blast media and dry nitrogen as the propellant.
Interaction of an ultrasound-activated contrast microbubble with a wall at arbitrary separation distances
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Doinikov, Alexander A.; Bouakaz, Ayache
Both in vitro and in vivo, contrast agent microbubbles move near bounding surfaces, such as the wall of an experimental container or the wall of a blood vessel. This problem inspires interest in theoretical models that predict the effect of a wall on the dynamics of a contrast microbubble. There are models for a bubble at a large distance from a wall and for a bubble adherent to a wall. The aim of the present study is to develop a generalized model that describes the dynamics of a contrast microbubble at arbitrary distances from a wall and thereby make it possible to simulate the acoustic response of the bubble starting from large separation distances up to contact between the bubble and the wall. The wall is assumed to be a plane. Therefore, the developed model applies for in vitro investigations of contrast agents in experimental containers. It can also be used as a first approximation to the case of a contrast microbubble within a large blood vessel. The derivation of the model is based on the multipole expansion of the bubble velocity potential, the image source method, and the Lagrangian formalism. The model consists of two coupled equations, one of which describes the bubble radial oscillation and the second describes the translation of the bubble center. Numerical simulations are performed to determine how the acoustic response of a contrast microbubble depends on the separation distance near walls of different types: rigid, plastic, arterial, etc. The dynamics of the bubble encapsulation is described by the Marmottant shell model. The properties of the plastic wall correspond to OptiCell chambers commonly used in experiments. The results of the simulations show that the bubble resonance frequency near a wall depends on both the separation distance and the wall material properties. In particular, the rigid wall makes the resonance frequency decrease with decreasing separation distance, whereas in the vicinity of the OptiCell wall and the arterial wall, the
Combined Visualization of Vessel Deformation and Hemodynamics in Cerebral Aneurysms.
Meuschke, Monique; Voss, Samuel; Beuing, Oliver; Preim, Bernhard; Lawonn, Kai
We present the first visualization tool that combines patient-specific hemodynamics with information about the vessel wall deformation and wall thickness in cerebral aneurysms. Such aneurysms bear the risk of rupture, whereas their treatment also carries considerable risks for the patient. For the patient-specific rupture risk evaluation and treatment analysis, both morphological and hemodynamic data have to be investigated. Medical researchers emphasize the importance of analyzing correlations between wall properties such as the wall deformation and thickness, and hemodynamic attributes like the Wall Shear Stress and near-wall flow. Our method uses a linked 2.5D and 3D depiction of the aneurysm together with blood flow information that enables the simultaneous exploration of wall characteristics and hemodynamic attributes during the cardiac cycle. We thus offer medical researchers an effective visual exploration tool for aneurysm treatment risk assessment. The 2.5D view serves as an overview that comprises a projection of the vessel surface to a 2D map, providing an occlusion-free surface visualization combined with a glyph-based depiction of the local wall thickness. The 3D view represents the focus upon which the data exploration takes place. To support the time-dependent parameter exploration and expert collaboration, a camera path is calculated automatically, where the user can place landmarks for further exploration of the properties. We developed a GPU-based implementation of our visualizations with a flexible interactive data exploration mechanism. We designed our techniques in collaboration with domain experts, and provide details about the evaluation.
Radial construction of an arterial wall.
Greif, Daniel M; Kumar, Maya; Lighthouse, Janet K; Hum, Justine; An, Andrew; Ding, Ling; Red-Horse, Kristy; Espinoza, F Hernan; Olson, Lorin; Offermanns, Stefan; Krasnow, Mark A
Some of the most serious diseases involve altered size and structure of the arterial wall. Elucidating how arterial walls are built could aid understanding of these diseases, but little is known about how concentric layers of muscle cells and the outer adventitial layer are assembled and patterned around endothelial tubes. Using histochemical, clonal, and genetic analysis in mice, here we show that the pulmonary artery wall is constructed radially, from the inside out, by two separate but coordinated processes. One is sequential induction of successive cell layers from surrounding mesenchyme. The other is controlled invasion of outer layers by inner layer cells through developmentally regulated cell reorientation and radial migration. We propose that a radial signal gradient controls these processes and provide evidence that PDGF-B and at least one other signal contribute. Modulation of such radial signaling pathways may underlie vessel-specific differences and pathological changes in arterial wall size and structure.
Americium behaviour in plastic vessels.
Legarda, F; Herranz, M; Idoeta, R; Abelairas, A
The adsorption of (241)Am dissolved in water in different plastic storage vessels was determined. Three different plastics were investigated with natural and distilled waters and the retention of (241)Am by these plastics was studied. The same was done by varying vessel agitation time, vessel agitation speed, surface/volume ratio of water in the vessels and water pH. Adsorptions were measured to be between 0% and 70%. The adsorption of (241)Am is minimized with no water agitation, with PET or PVC plastics, and by water acidification.
Graphite filament wound pressure vessels
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Feldman, A.; Damico, J. J.
Filament wound NOL rings, 4-inch and 8-inch diameter closed-end vessels involving three epoxy resin systems and three graphite fibers were tested to develop property data and fabrication technology for filament wound graphite/epoxy pressure vessels. Vessels were subjected to single-cycle burst tests at room temperature. Manufacturing parameters were established for tooling, winding, and curing that resulted in the development of a pressure/vessel performance factor (pressure x volume/weight) or more than 900,000 in. for an oblate spheroid specimen.
Apollo experience report: Pressure vessels
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Ecord, G. M.
The Apollo spacecraft pressure vessels, associated problems and resolutions, and related experience in evaluating potential problem areas are discussed. Information is provided that can be used as a guideline in the establishment of baseline criteria for the design and use of lightweight pressure vessels. One of the first practical applications of the use of fracture-mechanics technology to protect against service failures was made on Apollo pressure vessels. Recommendations are made, based on Apollo experience, that are designed to reduce the incidence of failure in pressure-vessel operation and service.
Loo, Billy W.
A vessel system (10) comprises an outer shell (14) of carbon fibers held in a binder, a coolant circulation mechanism (16) and control mechanism (42) and an inner shell (46) comprised of a refractory material and is of light weight and capable of withstanding the extreme temperature and pressure environment of, for example, a coal gasification process. The control mechanism (42) can be computer controlled and can be used to monitor and modulate the coolant which is provided through the circulation mechanism (16) for cooling and protecting the carbon fiber and outer shell (14). The control mechanism (42) is also used to locate any isolated hot spots which may occur through the local disintegration of the inner refractory shell (46).
Highly sensitive voltammetric sensor based on immobilization of bisphosphoramidate-derivative and quantum dots onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes modified gold electrode for the electrocatalytic determination of olanzapine.
Mohammadi-Behzad, Leila; Gholivand, Mohammad Bagher; Shamsipur, Mojtaba; Gholivand, Khodayar; Barati, Ali; Gholami, Akram
In the present paper, a new bisphosphoramidate derivative compound, 1, 4-bis(N-methyl)-benzene-bis(N-phenyl, N-benzoylphosphoramidate) (BMBPBP), was synthesized and used as a mediator for the electrocatalytic oxidation of olanzapine. The electro-oxidation of olanzapine at the surface of the BMBPBP/CdS-quantum dots/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (BMBPBP/CdS-QDs/MWCNTs) modified gold electrode was studied using cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. This sensor showed an excellent electrocatalytic oxidation activity toward olanzapine at less positive potential, pronounced current response, and good sensitivity. The diffusion coefficient and kinetic parameters (such as electron transfer coefficient and the heterogeneous rate constant) were determined for olanzapine oxidation, using the electrochemical approaches. Surface morphology and electrochemical properties of the prepared modified electrode were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. The hydrodynamic amperometry at rotating modified electrode at constant potential versus reference electrode was used for detection of olanzapine. Under optimized conditions, the calibration plot was linear in the concentration range of 20 nM to 100 μM and detection limit was found to be 6 nM. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of olanzapine in pharmaceuticals and human serum samples.
Balloon angioplasty induces heat shock protein 70 in human blood vessels.
Kirby, L B; Mondy, J S; Brophy, C M
Balloon angioplasty produces a mechanically induced injury to the blood vessel wall. Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is a molecular chaperone whose expression can be induced by chemical or thermal stress. Thus, we hypothesized that the mechanical injury associated with balloon angioplasty would lead to increases in the expression of HSP70 in vascular smooth muscle. Segments of popliteal and trifurcation vessels from above-the-knee amputations were subject to transluminal balloon angioplasty, excised, and placed in organ cultures. Neighboring vessel that was not subjected to balloon angioplasty served as controls. Some vessels were treated with sodium arsenite (positive control, known to induce HSP70 expression). The vessels were homogenized and the proteins were separated by gel electrophoresis and transferred to Immobilon. Western blots with an antibody specific for the inducible form of HSP70 were analyzed by densitometry. Our results showed that HSP70 expression can be induced by the mechanical injury associated with balloon angioplasty in human atherosclerotic vessels.
LPT. EBOR reactor vessel in TAN 646. Pressure vessel head ...
Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey
LPT. EBOR reactor vessel in TAN 646. Pressure vessel head being installed in vault. Refueling port extension (right) and control rod nozzles (center). Camera facing northwest. Photographer: Comiskey. Date: January 20, 1965. INEEL negative no. 65-241 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Test Area North, Scoville, Butte County, ID
A Heuristic Framework for Image Filtering and Segmentation: Application to Blood Vessel Immunohistochemistry.
Tsou, Chi-Hsuan; Lu, Yi-Chien; Yuan, Ang; Chang, Yeun-Chung; Chen, Chung-Ming
The blood vessel density in a cancerous tissue sample may represent increased levels of tumor growth. However, identifying blood vessels in the histological (tissue) image is difficult and time-consuming and depends heavily on the observer's experience. To overcome this drawback, computer-aided image analysis frameworks have been investigated in order to boost object identification in histological images. We present a novel algorithm to automatically abstract the salient regions in blood vessel images. Experimental results show that the proposed framework is capable of deriving vessel boundaries that are comparable to those demarcated manually, even for vessel regions with weak contrast between the object boundaries and background clutter.
Noninvasive elasticity imaging in small vessels: validation on tissue-mimicking phantoms
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Maurice, Roch L.; Daronat, Michel; Pivert, Nicolas; Foster, F. S.; Cloutier, Guy
Non-invasive ultrasound elastography (NIVE) was recently introduced to characterize mechanical properties of superficial arteries. In this paper, the feasibility of NIVE for the purpose of studying small vessels in humans and small animals is investigated. The experiments were performed in vitro on vessel-mimicking phantoms of 1.5-mm lumen diameter and 1.5-mm wall thickness. Polyvinyl alcohol cryogel (PVA-C) was used to create double layer vessel walls. The stiffness of the interior portion of the vessels was made softer. The vessels were insonified at 32 MHz with an ultrasound biomicroscope. Radial stress was applied within the lumen of the phantom by applying incremental static pressure steps with a column of a flowing mixture of water-glycerol. The Lagrangian speckle tissue model estimator was used to assess the 2D-strain tensor, and the composite Von Mises elastograms were then computed. The two-layer vessel walls were clearly identifiable. Strain values close to 3% were measured for the interior portion, whereas strains around 1% were noted for the stiffer outside layer. In conclusion, the feasibility of NIVE for small vessel elasticity imaging was demonstrated in vitro.
Effect of vessel size and shape on experimental flammability limits of gases.
Takahashi, Akifumi; Urano, Youkichi; Tokuhashi, Kazuaki; Kondo, Shigeo
The flammability limits of methane and propane have been measured using cylindrical vessels of various sizes and one spherical vessel. An ac discharge ignition method has been employed. For a cylindrical vessel of small diameter with a large height, the flammability limits are primarily determined by the quenching effect of the wall. For cylindrical vessels of smaller heights, the experimental flammability limits are affected by hot gas accumulation at the vessel ceiling, unburned gas heating, self heating of the incipient flame by the reflection both from walls and ceiling, and the quenching effect of the walls. If the vessel size is large enough so that all these effects become negligible, the experimental values of flammability limits may approach to the values that would be obtained in free space. In order to approach this condition for a cylindrical vessel, it is desirable to use a container at least 30 cm in diameter and 60 cm in height. For comparison purpose, the measurement has also been done using ASHRAE type 12l spherical flask.
Optimization of multilayered composite pressure vessels using exact elasticity solution
Adali, S.; Verijenko, V.E.; Tabakov, P.Y.; Walker, M.
An approach for the optimal design of thick laminated cylindrical pressure vessels is given. The maximum burst pressure is computed using an exact elasticity solution and subject to the Tsai-Wu failure criterion. The design method is based on an accurate 3-D stress analysis. Exact elasticity solutions are obtained using the stress function approach where the radial, circumferential and shear stresses are determined taking the closed ends of the cylindrical shell into account. Design optimization of multilayered composite pressure vessels are based on the use of robust multidimensional methods which give fast convergence. Two methods are used to determine the optimum ply angles, namely, iterative and gradient methods. Numerical results are given for optimum fiber orientation of each layer for thick and thin-walled multilayered pressure vessels.
Numerical model study of radio frequency vessel sealing thermodynamics
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pearce, John
Several clinically successful clinical radio frequency vessel-sealing devices are currently available. The dominant thermodynamic principles at work involve tissue water vaporization processes. It is necessary to thermally denature vessel collagen, elastin and their adherent proteins to achieve a successful fusion. Collagens denature at middle temperatures, between about 60 and 90 C depending on heating time and rate. Elastin, and its adherent proteins, are more thermally robust, and require temperatures in excess of the boiling point of water at atmospheric pressure to thermally fuse. Rapid boiling at low apposition pressures leads to steam vacuole formation, brittle tissue remnants and frequently to substantial disruption in the vessel wall, particularly in high elastin-content arteries. High apposition pressures substantially increase the equilibrium boiling point of tissue water and are necessary to ensure a high probability of a successful seal. The FDM numerical models illustrate the beneficial effects of high apposition pressures.
Experimental studies of unsteady flow through compliant vessels
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sturgeon, Victoria; Saloner, David; Savas, Omer
Hemodynamic forces are a significant cause of device failure when stent-grafts are used to treat abdominal aortic aneurysms and even have a strong causative relationship with the very formation and rupture of atherosclerosis. A better comprehension of the forces at play in this environment is highly desirable in furthering the understanding and treatment of aneurysmal diseases. The purpose of this experimental study is to characterize the behavior of physiologically correct pulsatile input flow in a straight compliant vessel as an analog for the behavior in an abdominal aorta. Flow visualization and particle image velocimetry are used to study the flow in simplified geometries replicating healthy and diseased segments of human abdominal aorta. The effects of external pressure are examined to shed light on the interactions between pressure differential across the vessel wall, blood flow, and vessel deformation.
Experimental Studies of Unsteady Flow through Compliant Vessels
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sturgeon, Victoria; Tsai, William; Saloner, David; Savas, Omer
Hemodynamic forces are a significant cause of device failure when stent-grafts are used to treat abdominal aortic aneurysms and even have a causative relationship with the formation and rupture of atherosclerosis. A better comprehension of the forces at play in this environment would help further the understanding and treatment of aneurysmal diseases. In this experimental study, we characterize the behavior of physiologically correct pulsatile input flow in an straight compliant vessel as an analog for the hemodynamic behavior in an abdominal aorta. Flow visualization and particle image velocimetry are used to study the flow in simplified geometries simulating segments of human abdominal aorta in various stages of disease progression. The effects of external pressure are examined to shed light on the interactions between pressure differential across the vessel wall, blood flow, and vessel deformation.
Analysis of Coronary Vessels in Cleared Embryonic Hearts
Ivins, Sarah; Roberts, Catherine; Vernay, Bertrand; Scambler, Peter J.
Whole mount visualization of the embryonic coronary plexus from which the capillary and arterial networks will form is rendered problematic using standard microscopy techniques, due to the scattering of imaging light by the thick heart tissue, as these vessels are localized deep within the walls of the developing heart. As optical clearing of tissues using organic solvents such as BABB (1 part benzyl alcohol to 2 parts benzyl benzoate) has been shown to greatly improve the optical penetration depth that can be achieved, we combined clearance of whole, PECAM1-immunostained hearts, with laser-scanning confocal microscopy, in order to obtain high-resolution images of vessels throughout the entire heart. BABB clearance of embryonic hearts takes place rapidly and also acts to preserve the fluorescent signal for several weeks; in addition, samples can be imaged multiple times without loss of signal. This straightforward method is also applicable to imaging other types of blood vessels in whole embryos. PMID:28060348
Analysis of Coronary Vessels in Cleared Embryonic Hearts.
Ivins, Sarah; Roberts, Catherine; Vernay, Bertrand; Scambler, Peter J
Whole mount visualization of the embryonic coronary plexus from which the capillary and arterial networks will form is rendered problematic using standard microscopy techniques, due to the scattering of imaging light by the thick heart tissue, as these vessels are localized deep within the walls of the developing heart. As optical clearing of tissues using organic solvents such as BABB (1 part benzyl alcohol to 2 parts benzyl benzoate) has been shown to greatly improve the optical penetration depth that can be achieved, we combined clearance of whole, PECAM1-immunostained hearts, with laser-scanning confocal microscopy, in order to obtain high-resolution images of vessels throughout the entire heart. BABB clearance of embryonic hearts takes place rapidly and also acts to preserve the fluorescent signal for several weeks; in addition, samples can be imaged multiple times without loss of signal. This straightforward method is also applicable to imaging other types of blood vessels in whole embryos.
Optimized Baking of the DIII-D Vessel
P.M. Anderson; A.G. Kellman
The DIII-D tokamak vacuum vessel baking system is used to heat the vessel walls and internal hardware to an average temperature of 350 C to allow rapid conditioning of the vacuum surfaces. The system combines inductive heating and a circulating hot air system to provide rapid heating with temperature uniformity required by stress considerations. In recent years, the time to reach 350 C had increased from 9 hrs to 14 hrs. To understand and remedy this sluggish heating rate, an evaluation of the baking system was recently performed. The evaluation indicated that the mass of additional in-vessel hardware (50% increase in mass) was primarily responsible. This paper reports on this analysis and the results of the addition of an electric air heater and procedural changes that have been implemented. Preliminary results indicate that the time to 350 C has been decreased to 4.5 hours and the temperature uniformity has improved.
Apparatus for discharging a reaction vessel
Foresman, J.D.; Muenster, H.F.
An apparatus for receiving material from the lower discharge end of a reaction vessel is described comprising: (a) a larger diameter recessed receiving structure having a side wall and a vertical center line and a floor sloping inwardly from the side wall to the center line, and having an aperture in the floor radially displaced from the vertical center line; (b) a horizontal impeller means positioned in the larger diameter recessed receiving structure and being rotatable about the vertical center line of the larger diameter recessed receiving structure to remove material in the larger diameter recessed receiving structure therefrom through the aperture in the floor of the larger diameter recessed receiving structure; (c) a smaller diameter recessed receiving structure having a vertical center line and a side wall and a floor sloping inwardly from the side wall to the center line, and having an aperture in the floor radially displaced from the center line; (d) screw conveyor means for transporting material discharged from the smaller diameter recessed receiving structure; (d) a second horizontal impeller means positioned in the smaller diameter recessed receiving structure and being rotatable about the center line of the smaller diameter recessed receiving structure to discharge material in the smaller diameter recessed receiving structure therefrom through the aperture in the floor of the smaller diameter receiving structure and into the screw conveyor means; (f) first drive means operatively associated with the larger diameter recessed receiving structure for rotating the horizontal impeller means positioned in the larger diameter recessed receiving structure; and (g) second drive means operatively associated with the smaller diameter recessed receiving structure for rotating the second horizontal impeller means positioned in the smaller diameter recessed receiving structure.
A fasciclin-domain containing gene, ZeFLA11, is expressed exclusively in xylem elements that have reticulate wall thickenings in the stem vascular system of Zinnia elegans cv Envy.
Dahiya, Preeti; Findlay, Kim; Roberts, Keith; McCann, Maureen C
The vascular cylinder of the mature stem of Zinnia elegans cv Envy contains two anatomically distinct sets of vascular bundles, stem bundles and leaf-trace bundles. We isolated a full-length cDNA of ZeFLA11, a fasciclin-domain-containing gene, from a zinnia cDNA library derived from in vitro cultures of mesophyll cells induced to form tracheary elements. Using RNA in situ hybridization, we show that ZeFLA11 is expressed in the differentiating xylem vessels with reticulate type wall thickenings and adjacent parenchyma cells of zinnia stem bundles, but not in the leaf-trace bundles that deposit spiral thickenings. Our results suggest a function for this cell-surface GPI-anchored glycoprotein in secondary wall deposition during differentiation of metaxylem tissue with reticulate vessels.
Multimodal Retinal Vessel Analysis in CADASIL Patients
Ewering, Carina; Osada, Nani; Clemens, Christoph R.; Kadas, Ella M.; Eter, Nicole; Paul, Friedemann; Marziniak, Martin
Purpose To further elucidate retinal findings and retinal vessel changes in Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) patients by means of high resolution retinal imaging. Methods 28 eyes of fourteen CADASIL patients and an equal number of control subjects underwent confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (cSLO), spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) measurements, fluorescein and indocyanine angiography. Three vessel measurement techniques were applied: RNFL thickness, a semiautomatic software tool based on cSLO images and manual vessel outlining based on SD-OCT. Results Mean age of patients was 56.2±11.6 years. Arteriovenous nicking was present in 22 (78.6%) eyes and venous dilation in 24 (85.7%) eyes. Retinal volume and choroidal volume were 8.77±0.46 mm3 and 8.83±2.24 mm3. RNFL measurements showed a global increase of 105.2 µm (Control group: 98.4 µm; p = 0.015). Based on semi-automatic cSLO measurements, maximum diameters of arteries and veins were 102.5 µm (106.0 µm; p = 0.21) and 128.6 µm (124.4 µm; p = 0.27) respectively. Manual SD-OCT measurements revealed significantly increased mean arterial 138.7 µm (125.4 µm; p<0.001) and venous 160.0 µm (146.9; p = 0.003) outer diameters as well as mean arterial 27.4 µm (19.2 µm; p<0.001) and venous 18.3 µm (15.7 µm; p<0.001) wall thicknesses in CADASIL patients. Conclusions The findings reflect current knowledge on pathophysiologic changes in vessel morphology in CADASIL patients. SD-OCT may serve as a complementary tool to diagnose and follow-up patients suffering from cerebral small-vessel diseases. PMID:25372785
Numerical simulation of magnetic nanoparticles targeting in a bifurcation vessel
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Larimi, M. M.; Ramiar, A.; Ranjbar, A. A.
Guiding magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles with the help of an external magnetic field to its target is the principle behind the development of super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) as novel drug delivery vehicles. The present paper is devoted to study on MDT (Magnetic Drug Targeting) technique by particle tracking in the presence of magnetic field in a bifurcation vessel. The blood flow in bifurcation is considered incompressible, unsteady and Newtonian. The flow analysis applies the time dependent, two dimensional, incompressible Navier-Stokes equations for Newtonian fluids. The Lagrangian particle tracking is performed to estimate particle behavior under influence of imposed magnetic field gradients along the bifurcation. According to the results, the magnetic field increased the volume fraction of particle in target region, but in vessels with high Reynolds number, the efficiency of MDT technique is very low. Also the results showed that in the bifurcation vessels with lower angles, wall shear stress is higher and consequently the risk of the vessel wall rupture increases.
A Vessel Active Contour Model for Vascular Segmentation
Chen, Qingli; Wang, Wei; Peng, Yu; Wang, Qingjun; Wu, Zhongke; Zhou, Mingquan
This paper proposes a vessel active contour model based on local intensity weighting and a vessel vector field. Firstly, the energy function we define is evaluated along the evolving curve instead of all image points, and the function value at each point on the curve is based on the interior and exterior weighted means in a local neighborhood of the point, which is good for dealing with the intensity inhomogeneity. Secondly, a vascular vector field derived from a vesselness measure is employed to guide the contour to evolve along the vessel central skeleton into thin and weak vessels. Thirdly, an automatic initialization method that makes the model converge rapidly is developed, and it avoids repeated trails in conventional local region active contour models. Finally, a speed-up strategy is implemented by labeling the steadily evolved points, and it avoids the repeated computation of these points in the subsequent iterations. Experiments using synthetic and real vessel images validate the proposed model. Comparisons with the localized active contour model, local binary fitting model, and vascular active contour model show that the proposed model is more accurate, efficient, and suitable for extraction of the vessel tree from different medical images. PMID:25101262
The determinants of fishing vessel accident severity.
Jin, Di
The study examines the determinants of fishing vessel accident severity in the Northeastern United States using vessel accident data from the U.S. Coast Guard for 2001-2008. Vessel damage and crew injury severity equations were estimated separately utilizing the ordered probit model. The results suggest that fishing vessel accident severity is significantly affected by several types of accidents. Vessel damage severity is positively associated with loss of stability, sinking, daytime wind speed, vessel age, and distance to shore. Vessel damage severity is negatively associated with vessel size and daytime sea level pressure. Crew injury severity is also positively related to the loss of vessel stability and sinking.
Loss of Stability: A New Look at the Physics of Cell Wall Behavior during Plant Cell Growth[W][OA
Wei, Chunfang; Lintilhac, Philip M.
In this article we investigate aspects of turgor-driven plant cell growth within the framework of a model derived from the Eulerian concept of instability. In particular we explore the relationship between cell geometry and cell turgor pressure by extending loss of stability theory to encompass cylindrical cells. Beginning with an analysis of the three-dimensional stress and strain of a cylindrical pressure vessel, we demonstrate that loss of stability is the inevitable result of gradually increasing internal pressure in a cylindrical cell. The turgor pressure predictions based on this model differ from the more traditional viscoelastic or creep-based models in that they incorporate both cell geometry and wall mechanical properties in a single term. To confirm our predicted working turgor pressures, we obtained wall dimensions, elastic moduli, and turgor pressures of sequential internodal cells of intact Chara corallina plants by direct measurement. The results show that turgor pressure predictions based on loss of stability theory fall within the expected physiological range of turgor pressures for this plant. We also studied the effect of varying wall Poisson's ratio ν on extension growth in living cells, showing that while increasing elastic modulus has an understandably negative effect on wall expansion, increasing Poisson's ratio would be expected to accelerate wall expansion. PMID:17905864
Fast blood-flow simulation for large arterial trees containing thousands of vessels.
Muller, Alexandre; Clarke, Richard; Ho, Harvey
Blood flow modelling has previously been successfully carried out in arterial trees to study pulse wave propagation using nonlinear or linear flow solvers. However, the number of vessels used in the simulations seldom grows over a few hundred. The aim of this work is to present a computationally efficient solver coupled with highly detailed arterial trees containing thousands of vessels. The core of the solver is based on a modified transmission line method, which exploits the analogy between electrical current in finite-length conductors and blood flow in vessels. The viscoelastic behaviour of the arterial-wall is taken into account using a complex elastic modulus. The flow is solved vessel by vessel in the frequency domain and the calculated output pressure is then used as an input boundary condition for daughter vessels. The computational results yield pulsatile blood pressure and flow rate for every segment in the tree. This solver is coupled with large arterial trees generated from a three-dimensional constrained constructive optimisation algorithm. The tree contains thousands of blood vessels with radii spanning ~1 mm in the root artery to ~30 μm in leaf vessels. The computation takes seconds to complete for a vasculature of 2048 vessels and less than 2 min for a vasculature of 4096 vessels on a desktop computer.
Vascular wall extracellular matrix proteins and vascular diseases
Xu, Junyan; Shi, Guo-Ping
Extracellular matrix proteins form the basic structure of blood vessels. Along with providing basic structural support to blood vessels, matrix proteins interact with different sets of vascular cells via cell surface integrin or non-integrin receptors. Such interactions induce vascular cell de novo synthesis of new matrix proteins during blood vessel development or remodeling. Under pathological conditions, vascular matrix proteins undergo proteolytic processing, yielding bioactive fragments to influence vascular wall matrix remodeling. Vascular cells also produce alternatively spliced variants that induce vascular cell production of different matrix proteins to interrupt matrix homeostasis, leading to increased blood vessel stiffness; vascular cell migration, proliferation, or death; or vascular wall leakage and rupture. Destruction of vascular matrix proteins leads to vascular cell or blood-borne leukocyte accumulation, proliferation, and neointima formation within the vascular wall; blood vessels prone to uncontrolled enlargement during blood flow diastole; tortuous vein development; and neovascularization from existing pathological tissue microvessels. Here we summarize discoveries related to blood vessel matrix proteins within the past decade from basic and clinical studies in humans and animals — from expression to cross-linking, assembly, and degradation under physiological and vascular pathological conditions, including atherosclerosis, aortic aneurysms, varicose veins, and hypertension. PMID:25045854
Passive Acoustic Vessel Localization
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Suwal, Pasang Sherpa
This thesis investigates the development of a low-cost passive acoustic system for localizing moving vessels to monitor areas where human activities such as fishing, snorkeling and poaching are restricted. The system uses several off-the-shelf sensors with unsynchronized clocks where the Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) or time delay is extracted by cross-correlation of the signal between paired sensors. The cross-correlation function uses phase correlation or Phase Transform (PHAT) which whitens the cross-spectrum in order to de-emphasize dominant frequency components. Using the locations of pairs of sensors as foci, hyperbolic equations can be defined using the time delay between them. With three or more sensors, multiple hyperbolic functions can be calculated which intersect at a unique point: the boat's location. It is also found that increasing separation distances between sensors decreased the correlation between the signals. However larger separation distances have better localization capability than with small distances. Experimental results from the Columbia and Willamette Rivers are presented to demonstrate performance.
Vinson, Dennis
The Heavy Water Component Test Reactor (HWCTR) facility is a pressurized heavy water reactor that was used to test candidate fuel designs for heavy water power reactors. The reactor operated at nominal power of 50 MW{sub th}. The reactor coolant loop operated at 1200 psig and 250 C. Two isolated test loop were designed into the reactor to provide special test conditions. Fig. 1 shows a cut-away view of the reactor. The two loops are contained in four inch diameter stainless steel piping. The HWCTR was operated for only a short duration, from March 1962 to December 1964 in order to test the viability of test fuel elements and other reactor components for use in a heavy water power reactor. The reactor achieved 13,882 MWd of total power while testing 36 different fuel assemblies. In the course of operation, HWCTR experienced the cladding failures of 10 separate test fuel assemblies. In each case, the cladding was breached with some release of fuel core material into the isolated test loop, causing fission product and actinide contamination in the main coolant loop and the liquid and boiling test loops. Despite the contribution of the contamination from the failed fuel, the primary source of radioactivity in the HWCTR vessel and internals is the activation products in the thermal shields, and to a lesser degree, activation products in the reactor vessel walls and liner. A detailed facility characterization report of the HWCTR facility was completed in 1996. Many of the inputs and assumptions in the 1996 characterization report were derived from the HWCTR decommissioning plan published in 1975. The current paper provides an updated assessment of the radioisotopic characteristics of the HWCTR vessel and internals to support decommissioning activities on the facility.
Solitonlike attractor for blood vessel tip density in angiogenesis
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bonilla, L. L.; Carretero, M.; Terragni, F.
Recently, numerical simulations of a stochastic model have shown that the density of vessel tips in tumor-induced angiogenesis adopts a solitonlike profile [Sci. Rep. 6, 31296 (2016), 10.1038/srep31296]. In this work, we derive and solve the equations for the soliton collective coordinates that indicate how the soliton adapts its shape and velocity to varying chemotaxis and diffusion. The vessel tip density can be reconstructed from the soliton formulas. While the stochastic model exhibits large fluctuations, we show that the location of the maximum vessel tip density for different replicas follows closely the soliton peak position calculated either by ensemble averages or by solving an alternative deterministic description of the density. The simple soliton collective coordinate equations may also be used to ascertain the response of the vessel network to changes in the parameters and thus to control it.
Exposure to multi-walled carbon nanotubes results in aggravation of airway inflammation and remodeling and in increased production of epithelium-derived innate cytokines in a mouse model of asthma.
Ronzani, Carole; Casset, Anne; Pons, Françoise
With the development of nanotechnologies, the potential adverse effects of nanomaterials such as multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) on the respiratory tract of asthmatics are questioned. Furthermore, investigations are necessary to understand how these effects might arise. In the present study, we hypothesized that epithelium-derived innate cytokines that are considered as important promoting factors in allergy may contribute to an aggravating effect of MWCNT on asthma. We investigated in the mouse the effect of MWCNT on systemic immune response and airway inflammation and remodeling induced by the most frequent allergen so far associated with asthma, house dust mite (HDM), and we examined the production of the innate cytokines thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), IL-25, IL-33, and GM-CSF. Mice exposed to HDM exhibited specific IgG1 in serum and inflammatory cell infiltration, and increased Th2 cytokine production, mucus hyperproduction, and collagen deposition in the airways when compared to naïve animals. Levels of total IgG1 and HDM-specific IgG1, influx of macrophages, eosinophils and neutrophils, production of collagen, TGF-β1, and mucus, as well as levels of IL-13, eotaxin, and TARC, were dose-dependently increased in mice exposed to HDM and MWCNT compared to HDM alone. These effects were associated with an increased production of TSLP, IL-25, IL-33, and GM-CSF in the airways. Our data demonstrate that MWCNT increase in a dose-dependent manner systemic immune response, as well as airway allergic inflammation and remodeling induced by HDM in the mouse. Our data suggest also a role for airway epithelium and innate cytokines in these effects.
Effects of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells and platelet-rich plasma on bone regeneration for osseointegration of dental implants: preliminary study in canine three-wall intrabony defects.
Yun, Jeong-Ho; Han, Sang-Hyun; Choi, Seong-Ho; Lee, Myung-Hyun; Lee, Sang-Jin; Song, Sun U; Oh, Namsik
Tissue engineering has been applied to overcome the obstacles encountered with bone regeneration for the placement of dental implants. The purpose of this study was to determine the bone formation ability of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) when applied separately or together to the intrabony defect around dental implants with a porous hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffold. Standardized three-wall intrabony defects (4 × 4 × 4 mm) were created at the mesial of each dental implant site in four mongrel dogs. Defects were then grafted with the following materials: HA + BMMSCs (HS group), HA + PRP (HP group), HA + BMMSCs + PRP (HSP group), and HA scaffold alone (HA group). The level of bone formation (bone density) and osseointegration (bone-to-implant contact [BIC]) in bone defects around the implants were evaluated by histological and histometric analysis at 6 and 12 weeks after the placement of implants. HA, HS, HP, and HSP groups generally showed an increase in bone density and BIC between 6 and 12 weeks, except BIC in the HS group. Although no statistically significant differences were found among HA, HS, HP, and HSP groups (p > 0.05), the highest level of bone density and BIC were observed in the HSP group after the 12-week healing period. Furthermore, the level of bone maturation was higher in the HSP group than in the other groups as determined histologically. The findings of this preliminary study suggest that BMMSCs and PRP combined with HA scaffold may provide additional therapeutic effects on bone regeneration and improve osseointegration in bone defects around dental implants.
Numerical Simulation of Bubble Dynamics in Deformable Vessels
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Coralic, Vedran; Colonius, Tim
The growth and collapse of cavitation bubbles has been implicated as a potential damage mechanism leading to the rupture of blood vessels in shock wave lithotripsy (SWL). While this phenomenon has been investigated numerically, the resulting simulations have often assumed some degree of symmetry and have often failed to include a large number of influential physics, such as viscosity, compressibility, surface tension, phase change and fluid-structure interactions. We present here our efforts to explore the role that cavitation bubbles play in the rupture of blood vessels in SWL and to improve upon the current state of the numerical approach. We have developed a three-dimensional, high-order accurate, shock- and interface-capturing, multicomponent flow algorithm that accounts for the effects of viscosity and surface tension. At this time, we omit any effects due to elasticity and instead, as a first step, model tissue as a viscous and stiffened gas. We discuss preliminary results for the Rayleigh and shock-induced collapse of a gas bubble within a blood vessel and characterize the increase in vessel deformation with increasing bubble confinement and proximity to the vessel wall. This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health grant No. 2PO1DK43881.
[Review article: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody in small vessel vasculitis].
Nakano, Hiromasa; Ozaki, Shoichi
The vasculitides are defined by the presence of leukocytes in vessel walls with reactive damage to mural structures. Vasculitis may occur as a primary process or may be secondary to another underlying disease. In general, the affected vessels vary in size, type, and location in association with the specific vasculitic disorder. Classically, vasculitic syndromes have been categorized by the predominant sizes of the blood vessels and types of vessel most commonly affected among patients with the disorder. Currently, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) testing plays a critical role in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and classification of vasculitides. Two types of ANCA assay (indirect immunofluorescence assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)) are in wide use. Two major immunofluorescence patterns are observed, the C-ANCA and P-ANCA patterns. In vasculitis, the two relevant target antigens for ANCA are proteinase 3 (PR3) and myeloperoxidase (MPO). Antibodies with target specificities for PR3 and MPO are called PR3-ANCA and MPO-ANCA, respectively. Vasculitides associated with serum positivity for ANCA that affect small to medium-sized vessels are commonly known as ANCA-associated vasculitis and include Wegener's granulomatosis, microscopic polyangiitis, and Churg-Strauss syndrome. In this article, the pathogenesis of ANCA will be reviewed as well as the pitfalls regarding its clinical application.
[Morphogenesis, structure and properties of lymphatic vessels].
Ratajska, Anna; Jankowska-Steifer, Ewa; Czarnowska, Elżbieta; Flaht, Aleksandra; Radomska-Leśniewska, Dorota
In this paper, we present literature results related to structure and various manners of lymphatic vessel formation during embryonic development and in pathological events, such as tumorigenesis, wound healing, and other diseases. The functions of the lymphatic system include the collection of fluids that enter tissues from the circulation, absorption of lipids and lipid-soluble vitamins from the intestine and their subsequent transport, participation in antigen, dendritic cell, and lymphocyte migration. The lymphatic system is also a route for tumor cell and inflammatory cell transport. Native lymphatic capillaries differ from blood capillaries by having an irregular lumen, a discontinuous basement membrane, absence of pericytes, and a strong anchorage of their endothelial cells to the extracellular matrix via microfibrils built of emilin and fibrillin. Lymphatic endothelial cells express surface antigens such as Lyve-1, podoplanin, VEGFR3 (Flk4) and transcription factor Prox-1, as well as molecules which are common for blood endothelial cells and lymphatic endothelial cells (CD31, CD34, Flk-1, Tie-1, Tie-2, neuropilin 2). Lymphatic vessel formation during embryonic development starts with the occurrence of lymphatic sacs sprouting from systemic jugular veins and/or by co-option of lymphangioblasts or hematopoietic-derived cells. It can also proceed by dedifferentiation of venous endothelial cells after their detachment from the venous system, migration to the target places within the body and assembly in the lymphatic lumen. Mechanisms of lymphatic vessel formation during embryonic development and in pathological conditions, such as tumorigenesis, wound healing, and metastasis, is regulated by a plethora of growth factors and molecules, among which the most important are VEGF-C, VEGF-D, HGF, FGF, retinoic acid, IL-3, and IL-7. Macrophages and cells bearing CD45 phenotype seem to take part in the formation of lymphatics. Macrophages might act as a source of growth
Multilayer Composite Pressure Vessels
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
DeLay, Tom
A method has been devised to enable the fabrication of lightweight pressure vessels from multilayer composite materials. This method is related to, but not the same as, the method described in gMaking a Metal- Lined Composite-Overwrapped Pressure Vessel h (MFS-31814), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 29, No. 3 (March 2005), page 59. The method is flexible in that it poses no major impediment to changes in tank design and is applicable to a wide range of tank sizes. The figure depicts a finished tank fabricated by this method, showing layers added at various stages of the fabrication process. In the first step of the process, a mandrel that defines the size and shape of the interior of the tank is machined from a polyurethane foam or other suitable lightweight tooling material. The mandrel is outfitted with metallic end fittings on a shaft. Each end fitting includes an outer flange that has a small step to accommodate a thin layer of graphite/epoxy or other suitable composite material. The outer surface of the mandrel (but not the fittings) is covered with a suitable release material. The composite material is filament- wound so as to cover the entire surface of the mandrel from the step on one end fitting to the step on the other end fitting. The composite material is then cured in place. The entire workpiece is cut in half in a plane perpendicular to the axis of symmetry at its mid-length point, yielding two composite-material half shells, each containing half of the foam mandrel. The halves of the mandrel are removed from within the composite shells, then the shells are reassembled and bonded together with a belly band of cured composite material. The resulting composite shell becomes a mandrel for the subsequent steps of the fabrication process and remains inside the final tank. The outer surface of the composite shell is covered with a layer of material designed to be impermeable by the pressurized fluid to be contained in the tank. A second step on the outer flange of
Vessels in ferns: structural, ecological, and evolutionary significance.
Carlquist, S; Schneider, E
We have studied macerated xylem of ferns, supplemented by sections, by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in a series of 20 papers, the results of which are summarized and interpreted here. Studies were based mostly on macerations, but also on some sections; these methods should be supplemented by other methods to confirm or modify the findings presented. Guidelines are cited for our interpretations of features of pit membranes. Fern xylem offers many distinctive features: (1) presence of numerous vessels and various numbers of tracheids in most species; (2) presence of vessels in both roots and rhizomes in virtually all species; (3) presence of specialized end walls in vessels of only a few species; (4) multiple end-wall perforation plates in numerous species; (5) lateral-wall perforation plates in numerous species; (6) porose pit membranes associated with perforation plates in all species; and (7) pit dimorphism, yielding wide membrane-free perforations alternating with extremely narrow pits. Multiple end wall perforation plates and lateral wall perforation plates are associated with the packing of tracheary elements in fascicles in ferns: facets of tips of elements contact numerous facets of adjacent elements; all such contacts are potential sites for conduction by means of perforations. This packing differs from that in primary xylem of dicotyledons and monocotyledons. Porosities in pit membranes represent a way of interconnecting vessel elements within a rhizome or root. In addition, these porosities can interconnect rhizome vessel elements with those of roots, a feature of importance because roots are adventitious in ferns as opposed to those of vascular plants with taproots. Fully-formed or incipient (small-to-medium sized porosities in pit membranes) perforation plates are widespread in ferns. These are believed to represent (1) ease of lysis of pit membranes via pectinase and cellulase; (2) numerous potential sites for perforation plate formation
Reactor vessel support system. [LMFBR
Golden, M.P.; Holley, J.C.
A reactor vessel support system includes a support ring at the reactor top supported through a box ring on a ledge of the reactor containment. The box ring includes an annular space in the center of its cross-section to reduce heat flow and is keyed to the support ledge to transmit seismic forces from the reactor vessel to the containment structure. A coolant channel is provided at the outside circumference of the support ring to supply coolant gas through the keyways to channels between the reactor vessel and support ledge into the containment space.
46 CFR 296.11 - Vessel requirements.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... OPERATORS MARITIME SECURITY PROGRAM (MSP) Eligibility § 296.11 Vessel requirements. (a) Eligible Vessel. A... appropriate to allow the maintenance of the economic viability of the vessel and any associated...
CHF Enhancement by Vessel Coating for External Reactor Vessel Cooling
Fan-Bill Cheung; Joy L. Rempe
In-vessel retention (IVR) is a key severe accident management (SAM) strategy that has been adopted by some operating nuclear power plants and advanced light water reactors (ALWRs). One viable means for IVR is the method of external reactor vessel cooling (ERVC) by flooding of the reactor cavity during a severe accident. As part of a joint Korean – United States International Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (K-INERI), an experimental study has been conducted to investigate the viability of using an appropriate vessel coating to enhance the critical heat flux (CHF) limits during ERVC. Toward this end, transient quenching and steady-state boiling experiments were performed in the SBLB (Subscale Boundary Layer Boiling) facility at Penn State using test vessels with micro-porous aluminum coatings. Local boiling curves and CHF limits were obtained in these experiments. When compared to the corresponding data without coatings, substantial enhancement in the local CHF limits for the case with surface coatings was observed. Results of the steady state boiling experiments showed that micro-porous aluminum coatings were very durable. Even after many cycles of steady state boiling, the vessel coatings remained rather intact, with no apparent changes in color or structure. Moreover, the heat transfer performance of the coatings was found to be highly desirable with an appreciable CHF enhancement in all locations on the vessel outer surface but with very little effect of aging.
Combination of Vessel-Targeting Agents and Fractionated Radiation Therapy: The Role of the SDF-1/CXCR4 Pathway
Chen, Fang-Hsin; Fu, Sheng-Yung; Yang, Ying-Chieh; Wang, Chun-Chieh; Chiang, Chi-Shiun; Hong, Ji-Hong
Purpose: To investigate vascular responses during fractionated radiation therapy (F-RT) and the effects of targeting pericytes or bone marrow-derived cells (BMDCs) on the efficacy of F-RT. Methods and Materials: Murine prostate TRAMP-C1 tumors were grown in control mice or mice transplanted with green fluorescent protein-tagged bone marrow (GFP-BM), and irradiated with 60 Gy in 15 fractions. Mice were also treated with gefitinib (an epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor) or AMD3100 (a CXCR4 antagonist) to examine the effects of combination treatment. The responses of tumor vasculatures to these treatments and changes of tumor microenvironment were assessed. Results: After F-RT, the tumor microvascular density (MVD) was reduced; however, the surviving vessels were dilated, incorporated with GFP-positive cells, tightly adhered to pericytes, and well perfused with Hoechst 33342, suggesting a more mature structure formed primarily via vasculogenesis. Although the gefitinib+F-RT combination affected the vascular structure by dissociating pericytes from the vascular wall, it did not further delay tumor growth. These tumors had higher MVD and better vascular perfusion function, leading to less hypoxia and tumor necrosis. By contrast, the AMD3100+F-RT combination significantly enhanced tumor growth delay more than F-RT alone, and these tumors had lower MVD and poorer vascular perfusion function, resulting in increased hypoxia. These tumor vessels were rarely covered by pericytes and free of GFP-positive cells. Conclusions: Vasculogenesis is a major mechanism for tumor vessel survival during F-RT. Complex interactions occur between vessel-targeting agents and F-RT, and a synergistic effect may not always exist. To enhance F-RT, using CXCR4 inhibitor to block BM cell influx and the vasculogenesis process is a better strategy than targeting pericytes by epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor.
Wall shear stress estimates in coronary artery constrictions
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Back, L. H.; Crawford, D. W.
Wall shear stress estimates from laminar boundary layer theory were found to agree fairly well with the magnitude of shear stress levels along coronary artery constrictions obtained from solutions of the Navier Stokes equations for both steady and pulsatile flow. The relatively simple method can be used for in vivo estimates of wall shear stress in constrictions by using a vessel shape function determined from a coronary angiogram, along with a knowledge of the flow rate.
Mullenhoff, D.J.; Johnston, B.C.; Azevedo, S.G.
A report is made on the demonstration of a first-generation Wall Surveyor that is capable of surveying the interior and thickness of a stone, brick, or cement wall. LLNL`s Micropower Impulse Radar is used, based on emitting and detecting very low amplitude and short microwave impulses (MIR rangefinder). Six test walls were used. While the demonstrator MIR Wall Surveyor is not fieldable yet, it has successfully scanned the test walls and produced real-time images identifying the walls. It is planned to optimize and package the evaluation wall surveyor into a hand held unit.
Comprehensive Study of a Sorption-Based Storage Vessel with Thermal Control for Gaseous Fuel
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Vasil'ev, L. L.; Kanonchik, L. E.; Tsitovich, A. P.
The authors have presented a calculation model for a gas storage vessel with a microporous adsorbent and a heat pipe with radial fi nning. The model was verifi ed by experimental data derived during the testing of a methane storage vessel in the regime of complete operating cycle. The authors have given the results of parametric investigation which confi rm the important role of the factor of cooling of the adsorbent layer during the charging of the storage vessel.
Neutron and Gamma Fluxes and dpa Rates for HFIR Vessel Beltline Region (Present and Upgrade Designs)
Blakeman, E.D.
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) is currently undergoing an upgrading program, a part of which is to increase the diameters of two of the four radiation beam tubes (HB-2 and HB-4). This change will cause increased neutron and gamma radiation dose rates at and near locations where the tubes penetrate the vessel wall. Consequently, the rate of radiation damage to the reactor vessel wall at those locations will also increase. This report summarizes calculations of the neutron and gamma flux (particles/cm{sup 2}/s) and the dpa rate (displacements/atom/s) in iron at critical locations in the vessel wall. The calculated dpa rate values have been recently incorporated into statistical damage evaluation codes used in the assessment of radiation induced embrittlement. Calculations were performed using models based on the discrete ordinates methodology and utilizing ORNL two-dimensional and three-dimensional discrete ordinates codes. Models for present and proposed beam tube designs are shown and their results are compared. Results show that for HB-2, the dpa rate in the vessel wall where the tube penetrates the vessel will be increased by {approximately}10 by the proposed enlargement. For HB-4, a smaller increase of {approximately}2.6 is calculated.
Blood flow patterns in an anatomically realistic coronary vessel: influence of three different reconstruction methods.
Berthier, B; Bouzerar, R; Legallais, C
Many clinical studies suggest that local blood flow patterns are involved in the location and development of atherosclerosis. In coronary diseases, this assumption should be corroborated by quantitative information on local hemodynamic parameters such as pressure, velocity or wall shear stress. Nowadays, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) algorithms coupled to realistic 3-D reconstructions of such vessels make these data accessible. Nevertheless, they should be carefully analysed to avoid misinterpretations when the physiological parameters are not all considered. As an example, we propose here to compare the flow patterns calculated in a coronary vessel reconstructed by three different methods. In the three cases, the vessel trajectory respected the physiology. In the simplest reconstruction, the coronary was modelled by a tube of constant diameter while in the most complex one, the cross-sections corresponded to the reality. We showed that local pressures, wall shear rates and velocity profiles were severely affected by the geometrical modifications. In the constant cross-section vessel, the flow resembled to that of Poiseuille in a straight tube. On the contrary, velocity and shear rate exhibited sudden local variations in the more realistic vessels. As an example, velocity could be multiplied by 5 as compared to Poiseuille's flow and area of very low wall shear rates appeared. The results obtained with the most complex model clearly outlined that, in addition to a proper description of the vessel trajectory, the section area changes should be carefully taken into account, confirming assumptions already highlighted before the rise of commercially available and efficient CFD softwares.
Level indicator for pressure vessels
Not Available
A liquid-level monitor for tracking the level of a coal slurry in a high-pressure vessel including a toroidal-shaped float with magnetically permeable bands thereon disposed within the vessel, two pairs of magnetic-field generators and detectors disposed outside the vessel adjacent the top and bottom thereof and magnetically coupled to the magnetically permeable bands on the float, and signal-processing circuitry for combining signals from the top and bottom detectors for generating a monotonically increasing analog control signal which is a function of liquid level. The control signal may be utilized to operate high-pressure control valves associated with processes in which the high-pressure vessel is used.
Regulation of Blood Vessel Sprouting
Chappell, John C; Wiley, David M; Bautch, Victoria L
Blood vessels are essential conduits of nutrients and oxygen throughout the body. The formation of these vessels involves angiogenic sprouting, a complex process entailing highly integrated cell behaviors and signaling pathways. In this review, we discuss how endothelial cells initiate a vessel sprout through interactions with their environment and with one another, particularly through lateral inhibition. We review the composition of the local environment, which contains an initial set of guidance cues to facilitate the proper outward migration of the sprout as it emerges from a parent vessel. The long-range guidance and sprout stability cues provided by soluble molecules, extracellular matrix components, and interactions with other cell types are also discussed. We also examine emerging evidence for mechanisms that govern sprout fusion with its target and lumen formation. PMID:22020130
Reactor vessel seal service fixture
Ritz, W.C.
An apparatus for the preparation of exposed sealing surfaces along the open rim of a nuclear reactor vessel comprised of a motorized mechanism for traveling along the rim and simultaneously brushing the exposed surfaces is described.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Braam, J.; McIntire, L. V. (Principal Investigator)
The plant cell wall is very complex, both in structure and function. The wall components and the mechanical properties of the wall have been implicated in conveying information that is important for morphogenesis. Proteoglycans, fragments of polysaccharides and the structural integrity of the wall may relay signals that influence cellular differentiation and growth control. Furthering our knowledge of cell wall structure and function is likely to have a profound impact on our understanding of how plant cells communicate with the extracellular environment.
Collaborative investigations of in-service irradiated material from the Japan Power Demonstration Reactor pressure vessel
Corwin, W.R.; Broadhead, B.L.; Suzuki, M.; Kohsaka, A.
There is a need to validate the results of irradiation effects research by the examination of material taken directly from the wall of a pressure vessel that has been irradiated during normal service. Just such an evaluation is currently being conducted on material from the wall of the pressure vessel from the Japan Power Demonstration Reactor (JPDR). The research is being jointly performed at the Tokai Research Establishment of the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) and by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)-funded Heavy-Section Steel Irradiation Program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
Regulation of endothelium-derived vasoactive autacoid production by hemodynamic forces.
Busse, Rudi; Fleming, Ingrid
Endothelial cells, which are situated at the interface between blood and the vessel wall, have a crucial role in controlling vascular tone and homeostasis, particularly in determining the expression of pro-atherosclerotic and anti-atherosclerotic genes. Many of these effects are mediated by changes in the generation and release of endothelium-derived autacoids [from the Greek autos (self) and akos (remedy)], which are generally short-lived and locally acting. In vivo, endothelial cells are constantly subjected to mechanical stimulation, which in turn determines the acute production of autacoids and the levels of autacoid-producing enzymes.
Electromagnetic thin-wall model for simulations of plasma wall-touching kink and vertical modes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zakharov, Leonid E.; Atanasiu, Calin V.; Lackner, Karl; Hoelzl, Matthias; Strumberger, Erika
> The understanding of plasma disruptions in tokamaks and predictions of their effects require realistic simulations of electric current excitation in three-dimensional vessel structures by the plasma touching the walls. As discovered at JET in 1996 (Litunovski JET Internal Report contract no. JQ5/11961, 1995; Noll et al., Proceedings of the 19th Symposium on Fusion Technology, Lisbon (ed. C. Varandas & F. Serra), vol. 1, 1996, p. 751. Elsevier) the wall-touching kink modes are frequently excited during vertical displacement events and cause large sideways forces on the vacuum vessel which are difficult to withstand in large tokamaks. In disruptions, the sharing of electric current between the plasma and the wall plays an important role in plasma dynamics and determines the amplitude and localization of the sideways force (Riccardo et al., Nucl. Fusion, vol. 40, 2000, p. 1805; Riccardo & Walker, Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion, vol. 42, 2000, p. 29; Zakharov, Phys. Plasmas, vol. 15, 2008, 062507; Riccardo et al., Nucl. Fusion, vol. 49, 2009, 055012; Bachmann et al., Fusion Engng Des., vol. 86, 2011, pp. 1915-1919). This paper describes a flat triangle representation of the electric circuits of a thin conducting wall of arbitrary three-dimensional geometry. Implemented into the shell simulation code (SHL) and the source sink current code (SSC), this model is suitable for modelling the electric currents excited in the wall inductively and through current sharing with the plasma.
On the Nusselt number in heat transfer between multiple parallel blood vessels.
Cousins, A K
Arrays of two or more parallel blood vessels in a tissue matrix have been studied extensively in the context of bioheat transfer. The average vessel Nusselt number (based on the difference between the mixed-mean blood temperature and the average vessel surface temperature) is a crucial parameter in such studies. Various workers have noted tht in particular cases the average Nusselt number is identical to that for fully developed flow in a single vessel in an infinite medium. In other words, the Nusselt number is unaffected by the presence of other vessels. It is proven here that this surprising result holds true for arbitrary number, size, flow direction, and velocity profile in the blood vessels, and for very general boundary conditions on the outer tissue boundary. A useful corollary is that the average wall temperature in a particular vessel may be found by evaluating the temperature fields due to the other vessels and the tissue boundaries at a single point, the center of the vessels in question.
Engineering secondary cell wall deposition in plants
Yang, Fan; Mitra, Prajakta; Zhang, Ling; Prak, Lina; Verhertbruggen, Yves; Kim, Jin-Sun; Sun, Lan; Zheng, Kejian; Tang, Kexuan; Auer, Manfred; Scheller, Henrik V; Loqué, Dominique
Lignocellulosic biomass was used for thousands of years as animal feed and is now considered a great sugar source for biofuels production. It is composed mostly of secondary cell walls built with polysaccharide polymers that are embedded in lignin to reinforce the cell wall structure and maintain its integrity. Lignin is the primary material responsible for biomass recalcitrance to enzymatic hydrolysis. During plant development, deep reductions of lignin cause growth defects and often correlate with the loss of vessel integrity that adversely affects water and nutrient transport in plants. The work presented here describes a new approach to decrease lignin content while preventing vessel collapse and introduces a new strategy to boost transcription factor expression in native tissues. We used synthetic biology tools in Arabidopsis to rewire the secondary cell network by changing promoter-coding sequence associations. The result was a reduction in lignin and an increase in polysaccharide depositions in fibre cells. The promoter of a key lignin gene, C4H, was replaced by the vessel-specific promoter of transcription factor VND6. This rewired lignin biosynthesis specifically for vessel formation while disconnecting C4H expression from the fibre regulatory network. Secondly, the promoter of the IRX8 gene, secondary cell wall glycosyltransferase, was used to express a new copy of the fibre transcription factor NST1, and as the IRX8 promoter is induced by NST1, this also created an artificial positive feedback loop (APFL). The combination of strategies—lignin rewiring with APFL insertion—enhances polysaccharide deposition in stems without over-lignifying them, resulting in higher sugar yields after enzymatic hydrolysis. PMID:23140549
An improved method for the visualization of conductive vessels in Arabidopsis thaliana inflorescence stems
Jupa, Radek; Didi, Vojtěch; Hejátko, Jan; Gloser, Vít
Dye perfusion is commonly used for the identification of conductive elements important for the study of xylem development as well as precise hydraulic estimations. The tiny size of inflorescence stems, the small amount of vessels in close arrangement, and high hydraulic resistivity delimit the use of the method for quantification of the water conductivity of Arabidopsis thaliana, one of the recently most extensively used plant models. Here, we present an extensive adjustment to the method in order to reliably identify individual functional (conductive) vessels. Segments of inflorescence stems were sealed in silicone tubes to prevent damage and perfused with a dye solution. Our results showed that dyes often used for staining functional xylem elements (safranin, fuchsine, toluidine blue) failed with Arabidopsis. In contrast, Fluorescent Brightener 28 dye solution perfused through segments stained secondary cell walls of functional vessels, which were clearly distinguishable in native cross sections. When compared to identification based on the degree of development of secondary cell walls, identification with the help of dye perfusion revealed a significantly lower number of functional vessels and values of theoretical hydraulic conductivity. We found that lignified but not yet functional vessels form a substantial portion of the xylem in apical and basal segments of Arabidopsis and, thus, significantly affect the analyzed functional parameters of xylem. The presented methodology enables reliable identification of individual functional vessels, allowing thus estimations of hydraulic conductivities to be improved, size distributions and vessel diameters to be refined, and data variability generally to be reduced. PMID:25914701
A prototype vessel compressor helps efficient laser treatment of small leg veins.
Trelles, Mario A; Calderhead, R Glen
The eradication of small leg veins with lasers continue to present problems. Visible light lasers (488 nm approximately 595 nm) are well absorbed in haemoglobin but melanin is also a target, necessitating aggressive skin cooling to prevent damage to the epidermis and adding to the expense of these laser systems. A new generation of much less expensive semiconductor-based lasers operating in the near infrared offers a different approach, with protein as the main target rather than pigment. For visible light lasers, compression of the target vessels is a contraindication, since the target pigment is removed. For near IR diode lasers, however, compression of the vessels is a benefit, as the cooling effect of the blood flow is removed and the highly proteinous vessel walls are coapted which encourages efficient coagulative vessel closure. The prototype of a simple vessel compressor is presented, which first compresses vessels and coapts the walls, and then presents the coapted vessels as a target for a laser of an appropriate wavelength.
Brief account of the effect of overcooling accidents on the integrity of PWR pressure vessels
Cheverton, R.D.
The occurrence in recent years of several (PWR) accident initiating events that could lead to severe thermal shock to the reactor pressure vessel, and the growing awareness that copper and nickel in the vessel material significantly enhance radiation damage in the vessel, have resulted in a reevaluation of pressure-vessel integrity during postulated overcooling accidents. Analyses indicate that the accidents of concern are those involving both thermal shock and pressure loadings, and that an accident similar to that at Rancho Seco in 1978 could, under some circumstances and at a time late in the normal life of the vessel, result in propagation of preexistent flaws in the vessel wall to the extent that they might completely penetrate the wall. More severe accidents have been postulated that would result in even shorter permissible lifetimes. However, the state-of-the-art fracture-mechanics analysis may contain excessive conservatism, and this possibility is being investigated. Furthermore, there are several remedial measures, such as fuel shuffling, to reduce the damage rate, and vessel annealing, to restore favorable material properties, that may be practical and used if necessary. 5 figures.
Automated Method for Identification and Artery-Venous Classification of Vessel Trees in Retinal Vessel Networks
Joshi, Vinayak S.; Reinhardt, Joseph M.; Garvin, Mona K.; Abramoff, Michael D.
The separation of the retinal vessel network into distinct arterial and venous vessel trees is of high interest. We propose an automated method for identification and separation of retinal vessel trees in a retinal color image by converting a vessel segmentation image into a vessel segment map and identifying the individual vessel trees by graph search. Orientation, width, and intensity of each vessel segment are utilized to find the optimal graph of vessel segments. The separated vessel trees are labeled as primary vessel or branches. We utilize the separated vessel trees for arterial-venous (AV) classification, based on the color properties of the vessels in each tree graph. We applied our approach to a dataset of 50 fundus images from 50 subjects. The proposed method resulted in an accuracy of 91.44 correctly classified vessel pixels as either artery or vein. The accuracy of correctly classified major vessel segments was 96.42. PMID:24533066
The Structure of Plant Cell Walls
Burke, David; Kaufman, Peter; McNeil, Michael; Albersheim, Peter
The primary cell walls of six suspension-cultured monocots and of a single suspension-cultured gymnosperm have been investigated with the following results: (a) the compositions of all six monocot cell walls are remarkably similar, despite the fact that the cell cultures were derived from diverse tissues; (b) the cell walls of suspension-cultured monocots differ substantially from those of suspension-cultured dicots and from the suspension-cultured gymnosperm; (c) an arabinoxylan is a major component (40% or more by weight) of monocot primary cell walls; (d) mixed β-1,3; β-1,4-glucans were found only in the cell wall preparations of rye grass endosperm cells, and not in the cell walls of any of the other five monocot cell cultures nor in the walls of suspension-cultured Douglas fir cells; (e) the monocot primary cell walls studied contain from 9 to 14% cellulose, 7 to 18% uronic acids, and 7 to 17% protein; (f) hydroxyproline accounts for less than 0.2% of the cell walls of monocots. Similar data on the soluble extracellular polysaccharides secreted by these cells are included. PMID:16658824
Feeling Wall Tension in an Interactive Demonstration of Laplace's Law
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Letic, Milorad
Laplace's Law plays a major role in explanations of the wall tension of structures like blood vessels, the bladder, the uterus in pregnancy, bronchioles, eyeballs, and the behavior of aneurisms or the enlarged heart. The general relation of Laplace's law, expressing that the product of the radius of curvature (r) and pressure (P) is equal to wall…
Particle Trajectories in Rotating Wall Cell Culture Devices
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Ramachandran N.; Downey, J. P.
Cell cultures are extremely important to the medical community since such cultures provide an opportunity to perform research on human tissue without the concerns inherent in experiments on individual humans. Development of cells in cultures has been found to be greatly influenced by the conditions of the culture. Much work has focused on the effect of the motions of cells in the culture relative to the solution. Recently rotating wall vessels have been used with success in achieving improved cellular cultures. Speculation and limited research have focused on the low shear environment and the ability of rotating vessels to keep cells suspended in solution rather than floating or sedimenting as the primary reasons for the improved cellular cultures using these devices. It is widely believed that the cultures obtained using a rotating wall vessel simulates to some degree the effect of microgravity on cultures. It has also been speculated that the microgravity environment may provide the ideal acceleration environment for culturing of cellular tissues due to the nearly negligible levels of sedimentation and shear possible. This work predicts particle trajectories of cells in rotating wall vessels of cylindrical and annular design consistent with the estimated properties of typical cellular cultures. Estimates of the shear encountered by cells in solution and the interactions with walls are studied. Comparisons of potential experiments in ground and microgravity environments are performed.
46 CFR 182.330 - Pressure vessels.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... 46 Shipping 7 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Pressure vessels. 182.330 Section 182.330 Shipping COAST...) MACHINERY INSTALLATION Auxiliary Machinery § 182.330 Pressure vessels. All unfired pressure vessels must be... unfired pressure vessels must meet the applicable requirements of subchapter F (Marine Engineering)...
46 CFR 182.330 - Pressure vessels.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... 46 Shipping 7 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Pressure vessels. 182.330 Section 182.330 Shipping COAST...) MACHINERY INSTALLATION Auxiliary Machinery § 182.330 Pressure vessels. All unfired pressure vessels must be... unfired pressure vessels must meet the applicable requirements of subchapter F (Marine Engineering)...
46 CFR 169.249 - Pressure vessels.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... 46 Shipping 7 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Pressure vessels. 169.249 Section 169.249 Shipping COAST... and Certification Inspections § 169.249 Pressure vessels. Pressure vessels must meet the requirements of part 54 of this chapter. The inspection procedures for pressure vessels are contained in...
46 CFR 182.330 - Pressure vessels.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... 46 Shipping 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Pressure vessels. 182.330 Section 182.330 Shipping COAST...) MACHINERY INSTALLATION Auxiliary Machinery § 182.330 Pressure vessels. All unfired pressure vessels must be... unfired pressure vessels must meet the applicable requirements of subchapter F (Marine Engineering)...
46 CFR 169.249 - Pressure vessels.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... 46 Shipping 7 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Pressure vessels. 169.249 Section 169.249 Shipping COAST... and Certification Inspections § 169.249 Pressure vessels. Pressure vessels must meet the requirements of part 54 of this chapter. The inspection procedures for pressure vessels are contained in...
46 CFR 169.249 - Pressure vessels.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... 46 Shipping 7 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Pressure vessels. 169.249 Section 169.249 Shipping COAST... and Certification Inspections § 169.249 Pressure vessels. Pressure vessels must meet the requirements of part 54 of this chapter. The inspection procedures for pressure vessels are contained in...
46 CFR 169.249 - Pressure vessels.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... 46 Shipping 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Pressure vessels. 169.249 Section 169.249 Shipping COAST... and Certification Inspections § 169.249 Pressure vessels. Pressure vessels must meet the requirements of part 54 of this chapter. The inspection procedures for pressure vessels are contained in...
46 CFR 182.330 - Pressure vessels.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... 46 Shipping 7 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Pressure vessels. 182.330 Section 182.330 Shipping COAST...) MACHINERY INSTALLATION Auxiliary Machinery § 182.330 Pressure vessels. All unfired pressure vessels must be... unfired pressure vessels must meet the applicable requirements of subchapter F (Marine Engineering)...
46 CFR 169.249 - Pressure vessels.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... 46 Shipping 7 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Pressure vessels. 169.249 Section 169.249 Shipping COAST... and Certification Inspections § 169.249 Pressure vessels. Pressure vessels must meet the requirements of part 54 of this chapter. The inspection procedures for pressure vessels are contained in...
46 CFR 182.330 - Pressure vessels.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... 46 Shipping 7 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Pressure vessels. 182.330 Section 182.330 Shipping COAST...) MACHINERY INSTALLATION Auxiliary Machinery § 182.330 Pressure vessels. All unfired pressure vessels must be... unfired pressure vessels must meet the applicable requirements of subchapter F (Marine Engineering)...
19 CFR 4.5 - Government vessels.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... 19 Customs Duties 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Government vessels. 4.5 Section 4.5 Customs Duties... VESSELS IN FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC TRADES Arrival and Entry of Vessels § 4.5 Government vessels. (a) No... that is the property of, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) will be treated as a Government...
19 CFR 4.5 - Government vessels.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... 19 Customs Duties 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Government vessels. 4.5 Section 4.5 Customs Duties... VESSELS IN FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC TRADES Arrival and Entry of Vessels § 4.5 Government vessels. (a) No... that is the property of, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) will be treated as a Government...
19 CFR 4.5 - Government vessels.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... 19 Customs Duties 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Government vessels. 4.5 Section 4.5 Customs Duties... VESSELS IN FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC TRADES Arrival and Entry of Vessels § 4.5 Government vessels. (a) No... that is the property of, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) will be treated as a Government...
19 CFR 4.5 - Government vessels.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... 19 Customs Duties 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Government vessels. 4.5 Section 4.5 Customs Duties... VESSELS IN FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC TRADES Arrival and Entry of Vessels § 4.5 Government vessels. (a) No... that is the property of, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) will be treated as a Government...
Clay Corner: Recreating Chinese Bronze Vessels.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Gamble, Harriet
Presents a lesson where students make faux Chinese bronze vessels through slab or coil clay construction after they learn about the history, function, and design of these vessels. Utilizes a variety of glaze finishes in order to give the vessels an aged look. Gives detailed guidelines for creating the vessels. (CMK)
Wall conditioning and particle control in Extrap T2
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bergsåker, H.; Larsson, D.; Brunsell, P.; Möller, A.; Tramontin, L.
The Extrap T2 reversed field pinch experiment is operated with the former OHTE vacuum vessel, of dimensions R = 1.24 m and a = 0.18 m and with a complete graphite liner. It is shown that a rudimentary density control can be achieved by means of frequent helium glow discharge conditioning of the wall. The standard He-GDC is well characterized and reproducible. The trapping and release of hydrogen and impurities at the wall surfaces have been studied by mass spectrometry and surface analysis. The shot to shot particle exchange between wall and plasma can be approximately accounted for.
Shock-induced collapse of a bubble inside a deformable vessel
Coralic, Vedran; Colonius, Tim
Shockwave lithotripsy repeatedly focuses shockwaves on kidney stones to induce their fracture, partially through cavitation erosion. A typical side effect of the procedure is hemorrhage, which is potentially the result of the growth and collapse of bubbles inside blood vessels. To identify the mechanisms by which shock-induced collapse could lead to the onset of injury, we study an idealized problem involving a preexisting bubble in a deformable vessel. We utilize a high-order accurate, shock- and interface-capturing, finite-volume scheme and simulate the three-dimensional shock-induced collapse of an air bubble immersed in a cylindrical water column which is embedded in a gelatin/water mixture. The mixture is a soft tissue simulant, 10% gelatin by weight, and is modeled by the stiffened gas equation of state. The bubble dynamics of this model configuration are characterized by the collapse of the bubble and its subsequent jetting in the direction of the propagation of the shockwave. The vessel wall, which is defined by the material interface between the water and gelatin/water mixture, is invaginated by the collapse and distended by the impact of the jet. The present results show that the highest measured pressures and deformations occur when the volumetric confinement of the bubble is strongest, the bubble is nearest the vessel wall and/or the angle of incidence of the shockwave reduces the distance between the jet tip and the nearest vessel surface. For a particular case considered, the 40 MPa shockwave utilized in this study to collapse the bubble generated a vessel wall pressure of almost 450 MPa and produced both an invagination and distention of nearly 50% of the initial vessel radius on a 𝒪(10) ns timescale. These results are indicative of the significant potential of shock-induced collapse to contribute to the injury of blood vessels in shockwave lithotripsy. PMID:24015027
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wenninger, R.; Albanese, R.; Ambrosino, R.; Arbeiter, F.; Aubert, J.; Bachmann, C.; Barbato, L.; Barrett, T.; Beckers, M.; Biel, W.; Boccaccini, L.; Carralero, D.; Coster, D.; Eich, T.; Fasoli, A.; Federici, G.; Firdaouss, M.; Graves, J.; Horacek, J.; Kovari, M.; Lanthaler, S.; Loschiavo, V.; Lowry, C.; Lux, H.; Maddaluno, G.; Maviglia, F.; Mitteau, R.; Neu, R.; Pfefferle, D.; Schmid, K.; Siccinio, M.; Sieglin, B.; Silva, C.; Snicker, A.; Subba, F.; Varje, J.; Zohm, H.
For several reasons the challenge to keep the loads to the first wall within engineering limits is substantially higher in DEMO compared to ITER. Therefore the pre-conceptual design development for DEMO that is currently ongoing in Europe needs to be based on load estimates that are derived employing the most recent plasma edge physics knowledge. An initial assessment of the static wall heat load limit in DEMO infers that the steady state peak heat flux limit on the majority of the DEMO first wall should not be assumed to be higher than 1.0 MW m‑2. This compares to an average wall heat load of 0.29 MW m‑2 for the design {\\tt {EU}}{\\tt {~}}{\\tt {DEMO1}}{\\tt {~2015}} assuming a perfect homogeneous distribution. The main part of this publication concentrates on the development of first DEMO estimates for charged particle, radiation, fast particle (all static) and disruption heat loads. Employing an initial engineering wall design with clear optimization potential in combination with parameters for the flat-top phase (x-point configuration), loads up to 7 MW m‑2 (penalty factor for tolerances etc not applied) have been calculated. Assuming a fraction of power radiated from the x-point region between 1/5 and 1/3, peaks of the total power flux density due to radiation of 0.6–0.8 MW m‑2 are found in the outer baffle region. This first review of wall loads, and the associated limits in DEMO clearly underlines a significant challenge that necessitates substantial engineering efforts as well as a considerable consolidation of the associated physics basis.
Fluid-Structure Simulations of a Ruptured Intracranial Aneurysm: Constant versus Patient-Specific Wall Thickness.
Voß, S; Glaßer, S; Hoffmann, T; Beuing, O; Weigand, S; Jachau, K; Preim, B; Thévenin, D; Janiga, G; Berg, P
Computational Fluid Dynamics is intensively used to deepen the understanding of aneurysm growth and rupture in order to support physicians during therapy planning. However, numerous studies considering only the hemodynamics within the vessel lumen found no satisfactory criteria for rupture risk assessment. To improve available simulation models, the rigid vessel wall assumption has been discarded in this work and patient-specific wall thickness is considered within the simulation. For this purpose, a ruptured intracranial aneurysm was prepared ex vivo, followed by the acquisition of local wall thickness using μCT. The segmented inner and outer vessel surfaces served as solid domain for the fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulation. To compare wall stress distributions within the aneurysm wall and at the rupture site, FSI computations are repeated in a virtual model using a constant wall thickness approach. Although the wall stresses obtained by the two approaches-when averaged over the complete aneurysm sac-are in very good agreement, strong differences occur in their distribution. Accounting for the real wall thickness distribution, the rupture site exhibits much higher stress values compared to the configuration with constant wall thickness. The study reveals the importance of geometry reconstruction and accurate description of wall thickness in FSI simulations.
Fluid-Structure Simulations of a Ruptured Intracranial Aneurysm: Constant versus Patient-Specific Wall Thickness
Hoffmann, T.; Beuing, O.; Jachau, K.; Thévenin, D.; Janiga, G.; Berg, P.
Computational Fluid Dynamics is intensively used to deepen the understanding of aneurysm growth and rupture in order to support physicians during therapy planning. However, numerous studies considering only the hemodynamics within the vessel lumen found no satisfactory criteria for rupture risk assessment. To improve available simulation models, the rigid vessel wall assumption has been discarded in this work and patient-specific wall thickness is considered within the simulation. For this purpose, a ruptured intracranial aneurysm was prepared ex vivo, followed by the acquisition of local wall thickness using μCT. The segmented inner and outer vessel surfaces served as solid domain for the fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulation. To compare wall stress distributions within the aneurysm wall and at the rupture site, FSI computations are repeated in a virtual model using a constant wall thickness approach. Although the wall stresses obtained by the two approaches—when averaged over the complete aneurysm sac—are in very good agreement, strong differences occur in their distribution. Accounting for the real wall thickness distribution, the rupture site exhibits much higher stress values compared to the configuration with constant wall thickness. The study reveals the importance of geometry reconstruction and accurate description of wall thickness in FSI simulations. PMID:27721898
The interaction of transverse domain walls.
Krüger, Benjamin
The interaction between transverse domain walls is calculated analytically using a multipole expansion up to third order. Starting from an analytical expression for the magnetization in the wall, the monopole, dipole, and quadrupole moments are derived and their impact on the interaction is investigated using the surface and volume charges. The surface charges are important for the dipole moment while the volume charges constitute the monopole and quadrupole moments. For domain walls that are situated in different wires it is found that there is a strong deviation from the interaction of two monopoles. This deviation is caused by the interaction of the monopole of the wall in the first wire with the dipole of the wall in the second wire and vice versa. The dipole-dipole and the quadrupole-monopole interactions are found to be also of considerable size and non-negligible. A comparison with micromagnetic simulations shows a good agreement.
Microbubbles and Blood Brain Barrier Opening: A Numerical Study on Acoustic Emissions and Wall Stress Predictions
Goertz, David E.; Hynynen, Kullervo
Focused ultrasound with microbubbles is an emerging technique for blood brain barrier (BBB) opening. Here, a comprehensive theoretical model of a bubble-fluid-vessel system has been developed which accounts for the bubble's non-spherical oscillations inside a microvessel, and its resulting acoustic emissions. Numerical simulations of unbound and confined encapsulated bubbles were performed to evaluate the effect of the vessel wall on acoustic emissions and vessel wall stresses. Using a Marmottant shell model, the normalized second harmonic to fundamental emissions first decreased as a function of pressure (>50 kPa) until reaching a minima ("transition point") at which point they increased. The transition point of unbound compared to confined bubble populations occurred at different pressures and was associated with an accompanying increase in shear and circumferential wall stresses. As the wall stresses depend on the bubble to vessel wall distance, the stresses were evaluated for bubbles with their wall at a constant distance to a flat wall. As a result, the wall stresses were bubble size and frequency dependent and the peak stress values induced by bubbles larger than resonance remained constant versus frequency at a constant mechanical index. PMID:25546853
[Ageing of the arterial wall].
Hanon, O
Several mechanisms are implicated in the arterial wall changes due to ageing: ageing, hypertension and atherosclerosis. Although the changes related to ageing (arteriosclerosis) have many factors in common with those induced by hypertension, they differ from those caused by atherosclerosis although commonly associated. Arteriosclerosis causes a diffuse increase of the rigidity of the large arteries by disease of the media, the main clinical manifestation of which is the increase in pulsed pressure. This arterial "hyperpulsability" contributes to a defect in coupling between the heart and the blood vessels which results in an increase in the pulsatile load of the left ventricle and to left ventricular hypertrophy and decreased coronary perfusion. Atherosclerosis seems more of a localised scarring phenomenon of the arterial wall which is exposed to a series of chronic aggressions characterised by deposits of lipids in the intima and whose main complication is thrombosis. Although these two processes may be associated, or interact one with the other, they are clearly different in nature. Therefore, atherosclerosis is a localised disease resulting in a decrease in arterial lumen, quite different from arteriosclerosis which is a diffuse, physiological condition which leads to an increase in the arterial lumen.
Isolating and defining cells to engineer human blood vessels
Critser, P. J.; Voytik-Harbin, S. L.; Yoder, M. C.
A great deal of attention has been recently focused on understanding the role that bone marrow-derived putative endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) may play in the process of neoangiogenesis. However, recent data indicate that many of the putative EPC populations are comprised of various haematopoietic cell subsets with proangiogenic activity, but these marrow-derived putative EPC fail to display vasculogenic activity. Rather, this property is reserved for a rare population of circulating viable endothelial cells with colony-forming cell (ECFC) ability. Indeed, human ECFC possess clonal proliferative potential, display endothelial and not haematopoietic cell surface antigens, and display in vivo vasculogenic activity when suspended in an extracellular matrix and implanted into immunodeficient mice. Furthermore, human vessels derived became integrated into the murine circulatory system and eventually were remodelled into arterial and venous vessels. Identification of this population now permits determination of optimal type I collagen matrix microenvironment into which the cells should be embedded and delivered to accelerate and even pattern number and size of blood vessels formed, in vivo. Indeed, altering physical properties of ECFC-collagen matrix implants changed numerous parameters of human blood vessel formation, in host mice. These recent discoveries may permit a strategy for patterning vascular beds for eventual tissue and organ regeneration. PMID:21481038
H2S and Blood Vessels: An Overview.
Yang, Guangdong; Wang, Rui
The physiological and biomedical importance of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been fully recognized in the cardiovascular system as well as in the rest of the body. In blood vessels, cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) is a major H2S-producing enzyme expressed in both smooth muscle and endothelium as well as periadventitial adipose tissues. Regulation of H2S production from CSE is controlled by a complex integration of transcriptional, posttranscriptional, and posttranslational mechanisms in blood vessels. In smooth muscle cells, H2S regulates cell apoptosis, phenotypic switch, relaxation and contraction, and calcification. In endothelial cells, H2S controls cell proliferation, cellular senescence, oxidative stress, inflammation, etc. H2S interacts with nitric oxide and acts as an endothelium-derived relaxing factor and an endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor. H2S generated from periadventitial adipose tissues acts as an adipocyte-derived relaxing factor and modulates the vascular tone. Extensive evidence has demonstrated the beneficial roles of the CSE/H2S system in various blood vessel diseases, such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, and aortic aneurysm. The important roles signaling in the cardiovascular system merit further intensive and extensive investigation. H2S-releasing agents and CSE activators will find their great applications in the prevention and treatment of blood vessel-related disorders.
[Microarchitectonics and microtopography of blood vessels of the human rectum].
Krasnyĭ, R Ia
By means of injecting the vessels with 0.2% solution of silver nitrate after Ranvier, solutions of Indian ink and gas soot, impregnation after V.V. Kuprianov, the blood vessels of the rectal wall have been studied. The material has been obtained from 50 corpses of persons of various age, not suffering from any diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The structural organization of the microcirculatory tract has been studied layer-by-layer, at all levels by means of atraumatic lamination of the tunics. Terminal links of the microcirculatory bed form zonal functional complexes of microvessels specific for each part of the rectum. They regularly repeat in a certain tunic and owing to this the whole organization of the microcirculatory bed acquires features of a definite polymeric structure which consists of homonomic complexes of microvessels. Their regularity, as regards their topography and quantity, definitely differs in each tunic and layer of the rectal wall. Precapillary sphincters and arteriolovenular anastomoses are revealed; they perform an active regulation of blood circulation in the organ. Diameters of the microvessels and density of the microcirculatory network have some slight fluctuations (differences) in functionally poorly active tunics of the rectal wall--the serous and submucous, especially in its rectosigmoid part. Differences of these parameters are especially expressed within the limits of the rectal ampule and its mucous and muscular tunics.
Impact of structural design criteria on first wall surface heat flux limit
Majumdar, S.
The irradiation environment experienced by the in-vessel components of fusion reactors presents structural design challenges not envisioned in the development of existing structural design criteria such as the ASME Code or RCC-MR. From the standpoint of design criteria, the most significant issues stem from the irradiation-induced changes in material properties, specifically the reduction of ductility, strain hardening capability, and fracture toughness with neutron irradiation. Recently, Draft 7 of the ITER structural design criteria (ISDC), which provide new rules for guarding against such problems, was released for trial use by the ITER designers. The new rules, which were derived from a simple model based on the concept of elastic follow up factor, provide primary and secondary stress limits as functions of uniform elongation and ductility. The implication of these rules on the allowable surface heat flux on typical first walls made of type 316 stainless steel and vanadium alloys are discussed.
Keiliszewski, M.; Lamport, D. )
The Lamportian Warp-Weft hypothesis suggests a cellulose-extensin interpenetrating network where extensin mechanically couples the load-bearing cellulose microfibrils in a wall matrix that is best described as a microcomposite. This model is based on data gathered from the extensin-rich walls of tomato and sycamore cell suspension culture, wherein extensin precursors are insolubilized into the wall by undefined crosslinks. The authors recent work with cell walls isolated from intact tissue as well as walls from suspension cultured cells of the graminaceous monocots maize and rice, the non-graminaceous monocot asparagus, the primitive herbaceous dicot sugar beet, and the gymnosperm Douglas Fir indicate that although extensins are ubiquitous to all plant species examined, they are not the major structural protein component of most walls examined. Amino acid analyses of intact and HF-treated walls shows a major component neither an HRGP, nor directly comparable to the glycine-rich wall proteins such as those associated with seed coat walls or the 67 mole% glycine-rich proteins cloned from petunia and soybean. Clearly, structural wall protein alternatives to extensin exist and any cell wall model must take that into account. If we assume that extracellular matrices are a priori network structures, then new Hypless' structural proteins in the maize cell wall raise questions about the sort of network these proteins create: the kinds of crosslinks involved; how they are formed; and the roles played by the small amounts of HRGPs.
Halogenation of microcapsule walls
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Davis, T. R.; Schaab, C. K.; Scott, J. C.
Procedure for halogenation of confining walls of both gelatin and gelatin-phenolic resin capsules is similar to that used for microencapsulation. Ten percent halogen content renders capsule wall nonburning; any higher content enhances flame-retardant properties of selected internal phase material. Halogenation decreases permeability of wall material to encapsulated materials.
Transgenic overexpression of macrophage matrix metalloproteinase-9 exacerbates age-related cardiac hypertrophy, vessel rarefaction, inflammation, and fibrosis.
Toba, Hiroe; Cannon, Presley L; Yabluchanskiy, Andriy; Iyer, Rugmani Padmanabhan; D'Armiento, Jeanine; Lindsey, Merry L
Advancing age is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is secreted by macrophages and robustly increases in the left ventricle (LV) with age. The present study investigated the effect of MMP-9 overexpression in macrophages on cardiac aging. We compared 16- to 21-mo-old C57BL/6J wild-type (WT) and transgenic (TG) male and female mice (n = 15-20/group). MMP-9 overexpression amplified the hypertrophic response to aging, as evidenced by increased LV wall thickness and myocyte cross-sectional areas (P < 0.05 for both). MMP-9 overexpression reduced LV expression of the angiogenesis-related factors ICAM-1, integrins α3 and β3, platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1, thrombospondin-1, tenascin-c, and versican (all P < 0.05). Concomitantly, the number of vessels in the TG was lower than WT LV (P < 0.05). This led to a mismatch in the muscle-to-vessel ratio and resulted in increased cardiac inflammation. Out of 84 inflammatory genes analyzed, 16 genes increased in the TG compared with WT (all P < 0.05). Of the elevated genes, 14 were proinflammatory genes. The increase in cardiac inflammation resulted in greater accumulation of interstitial collagen in TG (P < 0.05). Fractional shortening was similar between groups, indicating that global cardiac function was still preserved at this age. In conclusion, overexpression of MMP-9 in macrophages resulted in exacerbated cardiac hypertrophy in the setting of vessel rarefaction, which resulted in enhanced inflammation and fibrosis to augment the cardiac-aging phenotype. Our results provide evidence that macrophage-derived MMP-9 may be a therapeutic target in elderly subjects.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The present study was the first to use mice with transgenic overexpression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in macrophages to examine the effects of macrophage-derived MMP-9 on cardiac aging. We found that an elevation in macrophage-derived MMP-9 induced a greater age
An approach to localize the retinal blood vessels using bit planes and centerline detection.
Fraz, M M; Barman, S A; Remagnino, P; Hoppe, A; Basit, A; Uyyanonvara, B; Rudnicka, A R; Owen, C G
The change in morphology, diameter, branching pattern or tortuosity of retinal blood vessels is an important indicator of various clinical disorders of the eye and the body. This paper reports an automated method for segmentation of blood vessels in retinal images. A unique combination of techniques for vessel centerlines detection and morphological bit plane slicing is presented to extract the blood vessel tree from the retinal images. The centerlines are extracted by using the first order derivative of a Gaussian filter in four orientations and then evaluation of derivative signs and average derivative values is performed. Mathematical morphology has emerged as a proficient technique for quantifying the blood vessels in the retina. The shape and orientation map of blood vessels is obtained by applying a multidirectional morphological top-hat operator with a linear structuring element followed by bit plane slicing of the vessel enhanced grayscale image. The centerlines are combined with these maps to obtain the segmented vessel tree. The methodology is tested on three publicly available databases DRIVE, STARE and MESSIDOR. The results demonstrate that the performance of the proposed algorithm is comparable with state of the art techniques in terms of accuracy, sensitivity and specificity.
Jam proof closure assembly for lidded pressure vessels
Cioletti, Olisse C.
An expendable closure assembly is provided for use (in multiple units) with a lockable pressure vessel cover along its rim, such as of an autoclave. This assembly is suited to variable compressive contact and locking with the vessel lid sealing gasket. The closure assembly consists of a thick walled sleeve insert for retention in the under bores fabricated in the cover periphery and the sleeve is provided with internal threading only. A snap serves as a retainer on the underside of the sleeve, locking it into an under bore retention channel. Finally, a standard elongate externally threaded bolt is sized for mating cooperation with the so positioned sleeve, whereby the location of the bolt shaft in the cover bore hole determines its compressive contact on the underlying gasket.
Electrical-Impedance Tomography for Measuring Material Distributions of Multiphase Flows in Conducting Vessels
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Liter, S. G.; Torczynski, J. R.; Shollenberger, K. A.; Ceccio, S. L.
An implementation of resistive electrical-impedance tomography (EIT) for measuring material distributions of two-phase flows in vessels with electrically conducting walls is presented. A thin nonconducting rod, with N-1 ring electrodes wrapped around its exterior at equally-spaced axial positions, is inserted into the vessel (i.e., into the interior of the flow). The vessel wall is grounded and serves as the N-th electrode. Current is injected from a ring electrode and exits to the vessel wall, and the resulting voltages at all ring electrodes are recorded. Each ring electrode is used in turn for current injection, and the collection of all measured voltages comprises a data set. Multiple data sets are used to numerically reconstruct the time-averaged impedance distribution within the vessel, from which the material distribution is inferred. Design issues, including the size, spacing, and number of the ring electrodes, are considered. An experiment in which the rod is inserted coaxially into a vertical pipe is presented, and bubble-column applications are discussed. *Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.
Larsen, Don H.; Dimmick, R. L.
Don H. Larsen (Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah), and R. L. Dimmick. Attachment and growth of bacteria on surfaces of continuous-culture vessels. J. Bacteriol. 88:1380–1387. 1964.—Initial attempts to induce synchrony in a continuous culture of Serratia marcescens by alternating growth temperatures produced fluctuations in the population of a magnitude and at a density higher than predicted by theory. Without temperature change, the density in the 14-ml volume changed with dilution rate, but the total output of cells per hour remained constant, even at dilution rates greater than critical. When glass wool was added to the culture vessel, the total output per hour increased 30-fold. Nonlethal ultrasonic agitation applied to the vessel reduced the population density in continuous culture under both a static and a cyclic temperature program. The decrease in population density, when the washout rate was momentarily increased about tenfold, was less than theoretically predicted, and the subsequent rapid rise, when flow was terminated, indicated the presence of a reservoir of cells on the walls of the vessel continually discharging their progeny into the medium. Several genera were examined in the latter manner; it is estimated that in some cases as many as 90% (S. marcescens, Escherichia coli), and in others (Bacillus spp.) possibly none, of the cells in suspension arose from wall inhabitants. Growth of bacteria on the walls of continuous-culture vessels can significantly influence the population density and, hence, the kinetics of continuous growth. PMID:14234796
Orientation of endothelial cell division is regulated by VEGF signaling during blood vessel formation
Zeng, Gefei; Taylor, Sarah M.; McColm, Janet R.; Kappas, Nicholas C.; Kearney, Joseph B.; Williams, Lucy H.; Hartnett, Mary E.; Bautch, Victoria L.
New blood vessel formation requires the coordination of endothelial cell division and the morphogenetic movements of vessel expansion, but it is not known how this integration occurs. Here, we show that endothelial cells regulate division orientation during the earliest stages of blood vessel formation, in response to morphogenetic cues. In embryonic stem (ES) cell–derived vessels that do not experience flow, the plane of endothelial cytokinesis was oriented perpendicular to the vessel long axis. We also demonstrated regulated cleavage orientation in vivo, in flow-exposed forming retinal vessels. Daughter nuclei moved away from the cleavage plane after division, suggesting that regulation of endothelial division orientation effectively extends vessel length in these developing vascular beds. A gain-of-function mutation in VEGF signaling increased randomization of endothelial division orientation, and this effect was rescued by a transgene, indicating that regulation of division orientation is a novel mechanism whereby VEGF signaling affects vessel morphogenesis. Thus, our findings show that endothelial cell division and morphogenesis are integrated in developing vessels by flow-independent mechanisms that involve VEGF signaling, and this cross talk is likely to be critical to proper vessel morphogenesis. PMID:17068148
An in situ optical imaging system for measuring lipid uptake, vessel contraction, and lymph flow in small animal lymphatic vessels
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kassis, Timothy; Weiler, Michael J.; Dixon, J. Brandon
All dietary lipids are transported to venous circulation through the lymphatic system, yet the underlying mechanisms that regulate this process remain unclear. Understanding how the lymphatics functionally respond to changes in lipid load is important in the diagnosis and treatment of lipid and lymphatic related diseases such as obesity, hypercholesterolemia, and lymphedema. Therefore, we sought to develop an in situ imaging system to quantify and correlate lymphatic function as it relates to lipid transport. A custom-built optical set-up provides us with the capability of dual-channel imaging of both high-speed bright-field video and fluorescence simultaneously. This is achieved by dividing the light path into two optical bands. Utilizing high-speed and back-illuminated CCD cameras and post-acquisition image processing algorithms, we have the potential quantify correlations between vessel contraction, lymph flow and lipid concentration of mesenteric lymphatic vessels in situ. Local flow velocity is measured through lymphocyte tracking, vessel contraction through measurements of the vessel walls and lipid uptake through fluorescence intensity tracking of a fluorescent long chain fatty acid analogue, Bodipy FL C16. This system will prove to be an invaluable tool for both scientists studying lymphatic function in health and disease, and those investigating strategies for targeting the lymphatic system with orally delivered drugs.
Disruption of hydrogen bonding between plant cell wall polymers by proteins that induce wall extension.
McQueen-Mason, S; Cosgrove, D J
Plant cell enlargement is controlled by the ability of the constraining cell wall to expand. This ability has been postulated to be under the control of polysaccharide hydrolases or transferases that weaken or rearrange the loadbearing polymeric networks in the wall. We recently identified a family of wall proteins, called expansins, that catalyze the extension of isolated plant cell walls. Here we report that these proteins mechanically weaken pure cellulose paper in extension assays and stress relaxation assays, without detectable cellulase activity (exo- or endo- type). Because paper derives its mechanical strength from hydrogen bonding between cellulose microfibrils, we conclude that expansins can disrupt hydrogen bonding between cellulose fibers. This conclusion is further supported by experiments in which expansin-mediated wall extension (i) was increased by 2 M urea (which should weaken hydrogen bonding between wall polymers) and (ii) was decreased by replacement of water with deuterated water, which has a stronger hydrogen bond. The temperature sensitivity of expansin-mediated wall extension suggests that units of 3 or 4 hydrogen bonds are broken by the action of expansins. In the growing cell wall, expansin action is likely to catalyze slippage between cellulose microfibrils and the polysaccharide matrix, and thereby catalyze wall stress relaxation, followed by wall surface expansion and plant cell enlargement. Images PMID:11607483
40 CFR 63.120 - Storage vessel provisions-procedures to determine compliance.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... fabric; or there are visible gaps between the seal and the wall of the storage vessel, the owner or... in the seal or the seal fabric; or the secondary seal has holes, tears, or other openings in the seal or the seal fabric; or the gaskets no longer close off the liquid surface from the atmosphere; or...
40 CFR 63.120 - Storage vessel provisions-procedures to determine compliance.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... fabric; or there are visible gaps between the seal and the wall of the storage vessel, the owner or... in the seal or the seal fabric; or the secondary seal has holes, tears, or other openings in the seal or the seal fabric; or the gaskets no longer close off the liquid surface from the atmosphere; or...
Time-dependent response of filamentary composite spherical pressure vessels
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Dozier, J. D.
A filamentary composite spherical pressure vessel is modeled as a pseudoisotropic (or transversely isotropic) composite shell, with the effects of the liner and fill tubes omitted. Equations of elasticity, macromechanical and micromechanical formulations, and laminate properties are derived for the application of an internally pressured spherical composite vessel. Viscoelastic properties for the composite matrix are used to characterize time-dependent behavior. Using the maximum strain theory of failure, burst pressure and critical strain equations are formulated, solved in the Laplace domain with an associated elastic solution, and inverted back into the time domain using the method of collocation. Viscoelastic properties of HBFR-55 resin are experimentally determined and a Kevlar/HBFR-55 system is evaluated with a FORTRAN program. The computed reduction in burst pressure with respect to time indicates that the analysis employed may be used to predict the time-dependent response of a filamentary composite spherical pressure vessel.
Fluidized wall for protecting fusion chamber walls
Maniscalco, James A.; Meier, Wayne R.
Apparatus for protecting the inner wall of a fusion chamber from microexplosion debris, x-rays, neutrons, etc. produced by deuterium-tritium (DT) targets imploded within the fusion chamber. The apparatus utilizes a fluidized wall similar to a waterfall comprising liquid lithium or solid pellets of lithium-ceramic, the waterfall forming a blanket to prevent damage of the structural materials of the chamber.
Wall contraction in Bloch wall films.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Bartran, D. S.; Bourne, H. C., Jr.
The phenomenon of wall contraction characterized by a peak in the velocity-field relationship and a region of negative differential mobility is observed in uniaxial magnetic thin films of various magnetic properties by careful interrupted-pulse experiments. The observed results agree quite well with the theory for bulk samples when the extensive flux closure of thin film walls is accounted for by a suitable empirical scaling factor.
Ballistic Limit Equation for Single Wall Titanium
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Ratliff, J. M.; Christiansen, Eric L.; Bryant, C.
Hypervelocity impact tests and hydrocode simulations were used to determine the ballistic limit equation (BLE) for perforation of a titanium wall, as a function of wall thickness. Two titanium alloys were considered, and separate BLEs were derived for each. Tested wall thicknesses ranged from 0.5mm to 2.0mm. The single-wall damage equation of Cour-Palais [ref. 1] was used to analyze the Ti wall's shielding effectiveness. It was concluded that the Cour-Palais single-wall equation produced a non-conservative prediction of the ballistic limit for the Ti shield. The inaccurate prediction was not a particularly surprising result; the Cour-Palais single-wall BLE contains shield material properties as parameters, but it was formulated only from tests of different aluminum alloys. Single-wall Ti shield tests were run (thicknesses of 2.0 mm, 1.5 mm, 1.0 mm, and 0.5 mm) on Ti 15-3-3-3 material custom cut from rod stock. Hypervelocity impact (HVI) tests were used to establish the failure threshold empirically, using the additional constraint that the damage scales with impact energy, as was indicated by hydrocode simulations. The criterion for shield failure was defined as no detached spall from the shield back surface during HVI. Based on the test results, which confirmed an approximately energy-dependent shield effectiveness, the Cour-Palais equation was modified.
Effect of heat transfer on rotating electroosmotic flow through a micro-vessel: haemodynamical applications
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sinha, A.; Mondal, A.; Shit, G. C.; Kundu, P. K.
This paper theoretically analyzes the heat transfer characteristics associated with electroosmotic flow of blood through a micro-vessel having permeable walls. The analysis is based on the Debye-Hückel approximation for charge distributions and the Navier-Stokes equations are assumed to represent the flow field in a rotating system. The velocity slip condition at the vessel walls is taken into account. The essential features of the rotating electroosmotic flow of blood and associated heat transfer characteristics through a micro-vessel are clearly highlighted by the variation in the non-dimensional flow velocity, volumetric flow rate and non-dimensional temperature profiles. Moreover, the effect of Joule heating parameter and Prandtl number on the thermal transport characteristics are discussed thoroughly. The study reveals that the flow of blood is appreciably influenced by the elctroosmotic parameter as well as rotating Reynolds number.
33 CFR 83.25 - Sailing vessels underway and vessels under oars (Rule 25).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision. (2) A vessel under oars may exhibit the lights prescribed... collision. (e) Vessels proceeding under sail. A vessel proceeding under sail when also being propelled...
33 CFR 83.25 - Sailing vessels underway and vessels under oars (Rule 25).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision. (2) A vessel under oars may exhibit the lights prescribed... collision. (e) Vessels proceeding under sail. A vessel proceeding under sail when also being propelled...
Pressure vessel having continuous sidewall
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Simon, Xavier D. (Inventor); Barackman, Victor J. (Inventor)
A spacecraft pressure vessel has a tub member. A sidewall member is coupled to the tub member so that a bottom section of the sidewall member extends from an attachment intersection with the tub member and away from the tub member. The bottom section of the sidewall member receives and transfers a load through the sidewall member.
Advanced Expeditionary Support Concept Vessel
33 4.2.1. Screw Propellers...the promising draft and powering characteristics. These vessels rely on air cushions created by pumping air into recesses in the hull or by trapping...offload of equipment to the beach without the need for long causeways or landing craft. The reduction in draft requires pumping compressed air into
Targeting Therapy Resistant Tumor Vessels
other recognition sequences for integrins. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 1996;12:697–715. 34. Parsons-Wingerter P, Kasman IM, Norberg S, et al. Uniform...overexpression and rapid accessibility of a5h1 integrin on blood vessels in tumors. Am J Pathol 2005;167:193–211. 35. Magnussen A, Kasman IM, Norberg S
Seiwerth, Sven; Brcic, Luka; Vuletic, Lovorka Batelja; Kolenc, Danijela; Aralica, Gorana; Misic, Marija; Zenko, Anita; Drmic, Domagoj; Rucman, Rudolf; Sikiric, Predrag
This review focuses on the described effects of BPC 157 on blood vessels after different types of damage, and elucidate by investigating different aspects of vascular response to injury (endothelium damage, clotting, thrombosis, vasoconstriction, vasodilatation, vasculoneogenesis and edema formation) especially in connection to the healing processes. In this respect, BPC 157 was concluded to be the most potent angiomodulatory agent, acting through different vasoactive pathways and systems (e.g. NO, VEGF, FAK) and leading to optimization of the vascular response followed, as it has to be expected, by optimization of the healing process. Formation of new blood vessels involves two main, partly overlapping mechanisms, angiogenesis and vasculogenesis. The additional mechanism of arteriogenesis is involved in the formation of collaterals. In conjunction with blood vessel function, we at least have to consider leakage of fluid/proteins/plasma, resulting in edema/exudate formation as well as thrombogenesis. Blood vessels are also strongly involved in tumor biology. In this aspect, we have neoangiogenesis resulting in pathological vascularization, vascular invasion resulting in release of metastatic cells and the phenomenon of homing resulting in formation of secondary tumors--metastases.
The Disruption of Vessel-Spanning Bubbles with Sloped Fins in Flat-Bottom and 2:1 Elliptical-Bottom Vessels
Gauglitz, Phillip A.; Buchmiller, William C.; Jenks, Jeromy WJ; Chun, Jaehun; Russell, Renee L.; Schmidt, Andrew J.; Mastor, Michael M.
Radioactive sludge was generated in the K-East Basin and K-West Basin fuel storage pools at the Hanford Site while irradiated uranium metal fuel elements from the N Reactor were being stored and packaged. The fuel has been removed from the K Basins, and currently, the sludge resides in the KW Basin in large underwater Engineered Containers. The first phase to the Sludge Treatment Project being led by CH2MHILL Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC) is to retrieve and load the sludge into sludge transport and storage containers (STSCs) and transport the sludge to T Plant for interim storage. The STSCs will be stored inside T Plant cells that are equipped with secondary containment and leak-detection systems. The sludge is composed of a variety of particulate materials and water, including a fraction of reactive uranium metal particles that are a source of hydrogen gas. If a situation occurs where the reactive uranium metal particles settle out at the bottom of a container, previous studies have shown that a vessel-spanning gas layer above the uranium metal particles can develop and can push the overlying layer of sludge upward. The major concern, in addition to the general concern associated with the retention and release of a flammable gas such as hydrogen, is that if a vessel-spanning bubble (VSB) forms in an STSC, it may drive the overlying sludge material to the vents at the top of the container. Then it may be released from the container into the cell's secondary containment system at T Plant. A previous study demonstrated that sloped walls on vessels, both cylindrical coned-shaped vessels and rectangular vessels with rounded ends, provided an effective approach for disrupting a VSB by creating a release path for gas as a VSB began to rise. Based on the success of sloped-wall vessels, a similar concept is investigated here where a sloped fin is placed inside the vessel to create a release path for gas. A key potential advantage of using a sloped fin compared to a
An experimental investigation of flame behavior during cylindrical vessel explosions
Starke, R.; Roth, P.
The propagation of premixed flames centrally ignited at one of the end flanges of a closed cylindrical vessel and the flame-induced fluid flow have been investigated in the present study. Photographic records show that under specific geometrical conditions the flame exhibits a cone form with a backward directed top, called ''tulip'' -shaped. This appears after the flame has lost a main part of its area by side wall quenching. With a laser-Doppler anemometer the instantaneous flow velocity during the short explosion process was measured together with pressure records.
An experimental investigation of flame behavior during cylindrical vessel explosions
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Starke, R.; Roth, P.
The propagation of premixed flames centrally ignited at one of the end flanges of a closed cylindrical vessel and the flame-induced flow have been investigated. Photographic records show that under specific geometrical conditions the flame exhibits a cone form with a backward directed top, called tulip-shaped. This appears after the flame has lost a main part of its area by side wall quenching. The instantaneous flow velocity during the short explosion process was measured, together with pressure records, with an LDV. An analogy to the experiments of Markstein (1964), is shown, and the explanations of several authors for the 'tulip' formation are given.
Fuel conservation for fishing vessels. Final report
Not Available
The fuel monitoring system provided information that was sufficiently precise and generally reliable enough to be of use in making operational decisions. The curve of fuel consumption versus speed for a vessel will vary with changes in draft, trim, and bottom cleanliness. Therefore, although generalized fuel consumption/speed curves would be of value to an operator, maximum fuel savings can only be effected by applying the actual present fuel consumption, as supplied by a fuel monitor, and true ground speed, as derived by a LORAN C system, to the decision making process. The dividing line between maximum profits and minimum fuel consumption may be a fine line requiring information from a fuel monitor to assist the operator in making the proper decision. This study also addressed the relationship of engine maintenance and fuel monitoring systems.
46 CFR 42.05-63 - Ship(s) and vessel(s).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... 46 Shipping 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Ship(s) and vessel(s). 42.05-63 Section 42.05-63... BY SEA Definition of Terms Used in This Subchapter § 42.05-63 Ship(s) and vessel(s). The terms ship(s) and vessel(s) are interchangeable or synonymous words, and include every description of...
Workload of the steering work on a high-speed vessel.
Hisamune, Shuji; Amagai, Kiyoshi; Kimura, Nobuo; Kato, Kazuhiko; Ohashi, Nobuo; Sakamura, Osamu
The higher incidence of accidents occurring on board among the high-speed vessels has motivated this study focusing on the actual operating conditions contributing to the incidence. The working activities and workload of the officers and quartermasters were compared between the conventional and high-speed vessels of regular service ferry, by recording video-pictures and heart rate of the crews during actual navigations. An autopilot equipment was installed in the conventional vessel of over 6000 tons, but not in the high-speed vessel of about 1500 tons. Either on the conventional or high-speed vessel, dominant activities of the officers were lookout and watching radar, which were conducted in standing on the conventional vessel and in sitting on the high-speed vessel. Major works of the quartermasters were lookout and radar watch in standing on the conventional vessel and steering operations with a joystick in sitting on the high-speed vessel. Despite these differences in postural conditions, the mean % heart rate increase in both crews was significantly higher on the high-speed than on the conventional vessel. In the quartermaster, the events requiring steering maneuvers on the high-speed vessel were associated with increase in heart rate. The findings as a whole suggest occurrence of substantial mental strains in the crew on the high-speed vessel. These strains, certainly derived from caring for the safety in the absence of autopilot equipment, must have intensified the workload in the crew. In connection with the workload, the necessity for some fail-safe systems, including the autopilot facilities, and educational systems for techniques of steering high-speed vessels was discussed.
Electrically conductive containment vessel for molten aluminum
Holcombe, C.E.; Scott, D.G.
The present invention is directed to a containment vessel which is particularly useful in melting aluminum. The vessel of the present invention is a multilayered vessel characterized by being electrically conductive, essentially nonwettable by and nonreactive with molten aluminum. The vessel is formed by coating a tantalum substrate of a suitable configuration with a mixture of yttria and particulate metal 10 borides. The yttria in the coating inhibits the wetting of the coating while the boride particulate material provides the electrical conductivity through the vessel. The vessel of the present invention is particularly suitable for use in melting aluminum by ion bombardment.
Electrically conductive containment vessel for molten aluminum
Holcombe, Cressie E.; Scott, Donald G.
The present invention is directed to a containment vessel which is particularly useful in melting aluminum. The vessel of the present invention is a multilayered vessel characterized by being electrically conductive, essentially nonwettable by and nonreactive with molten aluminum. The vessel is formed by coating a tantalum substrate of a suitable configuration with a mixture of yttria and particulate metal borides. The yttria in the coating inhibits the wetting of the coating while the boride particulate material provides the electrical conductivity through the vessel. The vessel of the present invention is particularly suitable for use in melting aluminum by ion bombardment.
Motion of red blood cells near microvessel walls: effects of a porous wall layer
A two-dimensional model is used to simulate the motion and deformation of a single mammalian red blood cell (RBC) flowing close to the wall of a microvessel, taking into account the effects of a porous endothelial surface layer (ESL) lining the vessel wall. Migration of RBCs away from the wall leads to the formation of a cell-depleted layer near the wall, which has a large effect on the resistance to blood flow in microvessels. The objective is to examine the mechanical factors causing this migration, including the effects of the ESL. The vessel is represented as a straight parallel-sided channel. The RBC is represented as a set of interconnected viscoelastic elements, suspended in plasma, a Newtonian fluid. The ESL is represented as a porous medium, and plasma flow in the layer is computed using the Brinkman approximation. It is shown that an initially circular cell positioned close to the ESL in a shear flow is deformed into an asymmetric shape. This breaking of symmetry leads to migration away from the wall. With increasing hydraulic resistivity of the layer, the rate of lateral migration increases. It is concluded that mechanical interactions of RBCs flowing in microvessels with a porous wall layer may reduce the rate of lateral migration and hence reduce the width of the cell-depleted zone external to the ESL, relative to the cell-depleted zone that would be formed if the interface between the ESL and free-flowing plasma were replaced by an impermeable boundary. PMID:23493820
Three-dimensional DNS of turbulent premixed flames in a constant volume vessel
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fukushima, Naoya; Tsunemi, Akihiko; Shimura, Masayasu; Shim, Youngsam; Tanahashi, Mamoru; Miyauchi, Toshio
Clarification of flame behaviors in a vessel is of great importance for high efficiency of combustors, especially in SI engines. Direct numerical simulation of turbulent hydrogen-air premixed flames in a constant volume rectangular vessel at relatively high Reynolds number has been conducted by considering detailed kinetic mechanism. At first, flame ignites and propagates from the ignition kernel. When the flame approaches a wall, the flame displacement speed normal to the wall decreases gradually. After the flame impingement on the wall, the flame propagates along the wall and the flame displacement speed parallel to the wall becomes higher than that of freely propagating flames. The flame is also strongly affected by internal pressure rise in the vessel. Since the pressure increase makes flame thickness thin, heat release rate of each flame element is augmented. The local pressure rise due to dilatation also enhances turbulence and finer scale vortices appear, which makes flame surface more complicated and results in increase of the flame surface area.
Easy Come, Easy Go: Capillary Forces Enable Rapid Refilling of Embolized Primary Xylem Vessels.
Rolland, Vivien; Bergstrom, Dana M; Lenné, Thomas; Bryant, Gary; Chen, Hua; Wolfe, Joe; Holbrook, N Michele; Stanton, Daniel E; Ball, Marilyn C
Protoxylem plays an important role in the hydraulic function of vascular systems of both herbaceous and woody plants, but relatively little is known about the processes underlying the maintenance of protoxylem function in long-lived tissues. In this study, embolism repair was investigated in relation to xylem structure in two cushion plant species, Azorella macquariensis and Colobanthus muscoides, in which vascular water transport depends on protoxylem. Their protoxylem vessels consisted of a primary wall with helical thickenings that effectively formed a pit channel, with the primary wall being the pit channel membrane. Stem protoxylem was organized such that the pit channel membranes connected vessels with paratracheal parenchyma or other protoxylem vessels and were not exposed directly to air spaces. Embolism was experimentally induced in excised vascular tissue and detached shoots by exposing them briefly to air. When water was resupplied, embolized vessels refilled within tens of seconds (excised tissue) to a few minutes (detached shoots) with water sourced from either adjacent parenchyma or water-filled vessels. Refilling occurred in two phases: (1) water refilled xylem pit channels, simplifying bubble shape to a rod with two menisci; and (2) the bubble contracted as the resorption front advanced, dissolving air along the way. Physical properties of the protoxylem vessels (namely pit channel membrane porosity, hydrophilic walls, vessel dimensions, and helical thickenings) promoted rapid refilling of embolized conduits independent of root pressure. These results have implications for the maintenance of vascular function in both herbaceous and woody species, because protoxylem plays a major role in the hydraulic systems of leaves, elongating stems, and roots.
Permeation rates for RTF metal hydride vessels
Klein, J.E.
Contamination rates have been estimated for the RTF nitrogen heating and cooling system (NH and CS) due to tritium permeation through the walls of metal hydride vessels. Tritium contamination of the NH and CS will be seen shortly after start-up of the RTF with the majority of it coming from the TCAP units. Contamination rates of the NH and CS are estimated to exceed 400 Ci/year after three years of operation and will elevate tritium concentrations in the NH and CS above 6 {times} 10{sup {minus}3} {mu}Ci/cc. To reduce tritium activity in the NH and CS, a stripper or ``getter`` bed may need to be installed in the NH and CS. Increasing the purge rate of nitrogen from the NH and CS is shown to be an impractical method for reducing tritium activity due to the high purge rates required. Stripping of the NH and CS nitrogen in the glove box stripper system will give a temporary lowering of tritium activity in the NH and CS, but tritium activity will return to its previous level in approximately two weeks.
Aqueous Solution Vessel Thermal Model Development II
Buechler, Cynthia Eileen
The work presented in this report is a continuation of the work described in the May 2015 report, "Aqueous Solution Vessel Thermal Model Development". This computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model aims to predict the temperature and bubble volume fraction in an aqueous solution of uranium. These values affect the reactivity of the fissile solution, so it is important to be able to calculate them and determine their effects on the reaction. Part A of this report describes some of the parameter comparisons performed on the CFD model using Fluent. Part B describes the coupling of the Fluent model with a Monte-Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) neutron transport model. The fuel tank geometry is the same as it was in the May 2015 report, annular with a thickness-to-height ratio of 0.16. An accelerator-driven neutron source provides the excitation for the reaction, and internal and external water cooling channels remove the heat. The model used in this work incorporates the Eulerian multiphase model with lift, wall lubrication, turbulent dispersion and turbulence interaction. The buoyancy-driven flow is modeled using the Boussinesq approximation, and the flow turbulence is determined using the k-ω Shear-Stress-Transport (SST) model. The dispersed turbulence multiphase model is employed to capture the multiphase turbulence effects.
Ho:YAG laser irradiation in blood vessel as a vasodilator: ex vivo study
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Nakatani, E.; Iwasaki, T.; Kaneko, K.; Shimazaki, N.; Arai, T.
We studied Ho:YAG laser irradiation in blood vessel as a vasodilator ex vivo. We thought that the Ho:YAG laser-induced bubble expansion might be able to dilate the vessel because we found the vessel wall expansion after the Ho:YAG laser irradiation, that is steady deformation, in the vessel ex vivo. There have been many reports regarding to the Ho:YAG laser irradiation in the vessel. Most of studies concentrated on the interaction between Ho:YAG laser irradiation and vessel wall to investigate side effect on Ho:YAG laser angioplasty. We proposed to use the Ho:YAG laser-induced bubble expansion as a vasodilator. We studied vasodilation effect of the Ho:YAG laser-induced bubble ex vivo. The flash lamp excited Ho:YAG laser surgical unit (IH102, NIIC, Japan) (λ=2.1μm) was used. The laser energy was delivered by a silica glass fiber (outer diameter: 1000μm, core diameter: 600μm). The laser-induced bubble was generated in the extracted fresh porcine carotid artery with the warmed saline perfusion. The laser energy at the fiber tip was ranging from 170-1300mJ per pulse. Number of the laser irradiation was ranged from 20pulses to 100pulses. The outer diameter of the vessel was observed. To examine the change in mechanical properties of the vessel wall, the stress-strain curve of the laser-irradiated vessel was measured. Birefringence observation and microscopic observation of staining specimen were performed. When the laser energy was set to 1300mJ per pulse, the outer diameter of the vessel after the laser irradiation was expanded by 1.4 times comparing with that of before the laser irradiation and the dilatation effect was kept even at 10minutes after the irradiation. The elasticity modulus of the artery by collagen was changed by the laser irradiation. In the polarized microscopic observation, the brightness of the intimal side of the vessel is increased comparing with that of the normal. We think this brightness increasing may be attributed to birefringence change
Meier, W R
The key feature of liquid wall chambers is the use of a renewable liquid layer to protect chamber structures from target emissions. Two primary options have been proposed and studied: wetted wall chambers and thick liquid wall (TLW) chambers. With wetted wall designs, a thin layer of liquid shields the structural first wall from short ranged target emissions (x-rays, ions and debris) but not neutrons. Various schemes have been proposed to establish and renew the liquid layer between shots including flow-guiding porous fabrics (e.g., Osiris, HIBALL), porous rigid structures (Prometheus) and thin film flows (KOYO). The thin liquid layer can be the tritium breeding material (e.g., flibe, PbLi, or Li) or another liquid metal such as Pb. TLWs use liquid jets injected by stationary or oscillating nozzles to form a neutronically thick layer (typically with an effective thickness of {approx}50 cm) of liquid between the target and first structural wall. In addition to absorbing short ranged emissions, the thick liquid layer degrades the neutron flux and energy reaching the first wall, typically by {approx}10 x x, so that steel walls can survive for the life of the plant ({approx}30-60 yrs). The thick liquid serves as the primary coolant and tritium breeding material (most recent designs use flibe, but the earliest concepts used Li). In essence, the TLW places the fusion blanket inside the first wall instead of behind the first wall.