Y.F. Nie¹, S. Chang¹, X.K. Fan¹

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.19, No.2, pp. 135-144, 2007, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2007.019.135

Abstract A new parallel mechanism for Node-based Seamless Finite Element Method was proposed in this paper, which possessed the following three prominent points: realizing the workload balance for the parallel processes naturally, achieving synchronization of all the schedules under complex parallel environment, and filling up the gap between pre-processing and main processing. To support the scheme, three specific solutions of the parallel mechanism were proposed in this paper, all of which achieved the highly efficient parallel seamless connection between the FEM mesh generation process and structure analysis process. Two of the three schemes, i.e. dynamic scheme More >

K. Han ¹, Y. T. Feng ¹, D. R. J. Owen¹

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.18, No.2, pp. 87-100, 2007, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2007.018.087

Abstract Numerical procedures are introduced for simulations of irregular particle transport in turbulent flows using the coupled lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) and the discrete element method (DEM). The fluid field is solved by the extended LBM with the incorporation of the Smagorinsky turbulence approach, while particle interaction is modeled by the DEM. The hydrodynamic interactions between fluid and particles are realised through an immersed boundary condition, which gives rise to a coupled solution strategy to model the fluid-particle system under consideration. Main computational aspects comprise the lattice Boltzmann formulation for the solution of fluid flows; the More >

R. Amirante¹, L.A. Catalano², A. Dadone¹, V.S.E. Daloiso¹

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.18, No.1, pp. 17-30, 2007, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2007.018.017

Abstract This paper proposes a gradient-based progressive optimization technique, which can be efficiently combined with black-box simulation codes. Its efficiency relies on the simultaneous convergence of the flow solution, of the gradient evaluation, and of the design update, as well as on the use of progressively finer grids. The developed numerical technique has general validity and is here applied to the fluid-dynamic design optimization of the intake of a small-size turbojet engine, at high load and zero flight speed. Two simplified design criteria are proposed, which avoid simulating the flow in any turbojet components other than… More >

H. Nguyen-Van¹, N. Mai Duy², T. Tran-Cong ³

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.6, No.3, pp. 159-176, 2007, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2007.006.159

Abstract This paper reports the development of a simple but efficient and accurate four-node quadrilateral element for models of laminated, anisotropic plate behaviour within the framework of the first-order shear deformation theory. The approach incorporates the strain smoothing method for mesh-free conforming nodal integration into the conventional finite element techniques. The membrane-bending part of the element stiffness matrix is calculated by the line integral on the boundaries of the smoothing elements while the shear part is performed using an independent interpolation field in the natural co-ordinate system. Numerical results show that the element offered here is More >

A. J. C. Crespo¹, M. Gómez-Gesteira¹, R. A. Dalrymple²

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.5, No.3, pp. 173-184, 2007, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2007.005.173

Abstract Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics is a purely Lagrangian method that can be applied to a wide variety of fields. The foundation and properties of the so called dynamic boundary particles (DBPs) are described in this paper. These boundary particles share the same equations of continuity and state as the moving particles placed inside the domain, although their positions and velocities remain unaltered in time or are externally prescribed. Theoretical and numerical calculations were carried out to study the collision between a moving particle and a boundary particle. The boundaries were observed to behave in an elastic More >

European Cytokine Network, Vol.17, Suppl.1, pp. 6-7, 2006

Abstract This article has no abstract. More >

Ewa Lech-Maranda^1,2, Jacques Bienvenu^1,4, Anne-Sophie Michallet³, Roch Houot³, Tadeusz Robak², Bertrand Coiffier^1,3, Gilles Salles^1,3

European Cytokine Network, Vol.17, No.1, pp. 60-66, 2006

Abstract The aim of the study was to confirm whether plasma levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10) correlate with the prognosis in diffuse, large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients. Plasma IL-10 levels were determined at the time of diagnosis in a group of 157 consecutively treated, DLBCL patients. Of those, 122 patients (78%) had IL-10 plasma levels below the detection limit (< 5 pg/mL) and 35 (22%) above this value. The median value for patients with detectable IL-10 levels was 35 pg/mL (range, 5 to 2480 pg/mL). Detectable plasma IL-10 levels were significantly associated with age > 60 years,… More >

Chantal A. A. Van der Graaf^1,2, Mihai G. Netea^1,2, Servaas A. Morré³, Martin Den Heijer⁴, Paul E. Verweij^2,5, Jos W. M. Van der Meer^1,2, Bart Jan Kullberg^1,2

European Cytokine Network, Vol.17, No.1, pp. 29-34, 2006

Abstract Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 is an important pattern recognition receptor for Candida albicans, playing a role in innate host defense. We investigated whether there is an association between the TLR4 Asp299Gly or TLR4 Thr399Ile polymorphism, and the occurrence of Candida bloodstream infection. We performed a case-control study, involving 43 patients with a Candida bloodstream infection and 166 healthy individuals. TLR4 Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile polymorphisms were assessed, as well as cytokine production after stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) with Candida albicans. We observed that the prevalence of TLR4 Asp299Gly polymorphism was found to be higher in patients with Candida… More >

Elena Westphal^1,*, Mona Herzberg^2,*, Ingo Neumann^1,**, Li Beibei¹, Claudia Pilowski¹, Chen Li¹, Karl Werdan¹, Harald Loppnow^1,2

European Cytokine Network, Vol.17, No.1, pp. 19-28, 2006

Abstract Inflammation contributes to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1 (IL-1), may be involved in the local inflammation occurring in the vessel wall. Vascular smooth muscle cells express the unprocessed IL-1β precursor molecule. Invading leukocytes, such as monocytes or polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMN) may activate the IL-1β precursor during atherogenesis. Thus, we investigated the capacity of PMN to process IL-1β and IL-18 precursors. Processing was analyzed using Western blot and bioassay for IL-1-activity was performed. As few as 80 to 400 PMN/mL detectably processed preIL-1β. PMN also cleaved the caspase-1 substrate preIL-18. The preIL-1β and… More >

Carita Eklund¹, Arja Nenonen^2,3,4, Katriina Kukkonen-Harjula³, Patrik Borg³, Mikael Fogelholm^3,5, Seppo Laine⁶, Heini Huhtala⁷, Terho Lehtimäki⁴, Mikko Hurme^1,8

European Cytokine Network, Vol.17, No.2, pp. 131-135, 2006

Abstract Elevated plasma concentration of C-reactive protein has emerged as an important predictor of future cardiovascular diseases and metabolic abnormalities in apparently healthy individuals. Obese individuals tend to have elevated C-reactive protein concentrations. Weight loss induces a change in this protein, and single nucleotide polymorphisms in regulating genes might affect this change, since C-reactive protein concentration is known to be approximately 40-50% heritable. Our aim was to study the association between the IL6 -174(G/C), IL1B +3954(C/T) and CRP +1059(G/C) single nucleotide polymorphisms, and CRP concentrations in obese men during a weight reduction program. We genotyped 72… More >