Ajith Rajapaksha^1,2, Michael Fink¹, Brian A. Todd¹

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.12, No.3, pp. 215-230, 2015, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2015.012.215

Abstract Delivery of therapeutic agents to the eye requires efficient transport through cellular and extracellular barriers. We evaluated the rate of diffusive transport in excised porcine corneal stroma using fluorescently labeled dextran molecules with hydrodynamic radii ranging from 1.3 to 34 nm. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) was used to measure diffusion coefficients of dextran molecules in the excised porcine corneal stroma. The preferential sensitivity of FCS to diffusion along two dimensions was used to differentially probe diffusion along the directions parallel to and perpendicular to the collagen lamellae of the corneal stroma. In order to develop… More >

Amnart Boonloi^*

Frontiers in Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol.5, pp. 1-12, 2014, DOI:10.5098/hmt.5.8

Abstract A mathematical analysis of the heat transfer enhancement, thermal performance and flow configurations in a heat exchanger square duct with diagonal inserted plate vortex generators is presented. The 30o V–shaped baffles are modified and placed on the double sides of the thin plate or frame (with no plate) which inserted diagonally in the square duct. The effects of blockage ratio (b/H, BR), the pitch ratio (p/H, PR), flow direction (V–Downstream and V–Upstream) and configuration of inserting plate are investigated for Reynolds number based on the hydraulic diameter of the square duct, D_h, Re = 100 –… More >

Guoqing Yang¹, Baotong Li^2,3, Yang Wang², Jun Hong²

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.103, No.4, pp. 251-279, 2014, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2014.103.251

Abstract Mechanical behaviors arising at the contact interface largely depend on its surface topographies, particularly when it comes to rough surfaces. A numerical simulation based on an appropriate characterization of rough surfaces especially in terms of three dimensional can be of great significance when it comes to capturing the deformation patterns of micro-scale contacts. In this paper, a simple and practical scheme is developed to generate 3D rough surfaces and to analyze and evaluate the contact characteristics. Firstly amplitude and spatial statistical characterizations of asperities are introduced to avert from the redundancy of topography data caused… More >

D. Benmouhoub¹, A. Mataoui¹

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.10, No.2, pp. 241-260, 2014, DOI:10.3970/fdmp.2014.010.241

Abstract The present work is devoted to the numerical study of the interaction of an inclined plane turbulent jet with a moving horizontal isothermal hot wall. The inclination of the jet allows the control of the stagnation point location. Numerical predictions based on statistical modeling are obtained using a second order Reynolds stress turbulence model coupled to an enhanced wall treatment. For a given impinging distance H (H =8e), the considered problem parameters are: (a) jet exit Reynolds number (Re, based on the thickness "e" of the nozzle) in the range from 10000 to 25000, (b)… More >

Ewa Robak¹, Lilianna Kulczycka-Siennicka¹, Zofia Gerlicz¹, Monika Kierstan¹, Anna Korycka-Wolowiec², Anna Sysa-Jedrzejowska¹

European Cytokine Network, Vol.24, No.1, pp. 60-68, 2013, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2013.0330

Abstract Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease of multifactorial pathoaetiology. Different organs and blood vessels may be affected by chronic inflammation. A direct cause of the disease has not yet been found, so research is being carried out to this effect. The role of the recently identified helper T lymphocyte CD4+, described as Th17, and its dependent cytokines have been of particular interest. The aim of the study was to evaluate IL-17A, IL-17B, IL-17F and IL-23 in 60 SLE patients and 26 age-matched, healthy volunteers and also to investigate the correlation between levels of… More >

Afsaneh Morteza¹, Manouchehr Nakhjavani¹, Firuzeh Asgarani¹, Azam Ghaneei², Alireza Esteghamati¹, Hossein Mirmiranpour

European Cytokine Network, Vol.24, No.1, pp. 53-59, 2013, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2013.0329

Abstract C reactive protein (CRP) is an inflammatory marker believed to be of value in the early prediction of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Recent studies have shown a positive correlation between leptin and CRP levels. Here, we aimed to study the correlation between leptin and CRP in patients with T2DM. We also studied the effect of metformin therapy on the CRP-leptin correlation in patients with newly diagnosed diabetes. We performed a follow-up study on three groups of participants defined as 1: patients with newly diagnosed T2DM, 2: patients with long-standing T2DM, and 3: healthy controls. Patients… More >

A. Likhith Reddy¹, Shirleen Charles¹, C. Bharathi Priya², G.V. Rama Rao², N. Gopalakrishnan^3,4 , A. Rama Mohan Rao³

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.9, No.4, pp. 325-347, 2013, DOI:10.32604/sdhm.2013.009.325

Abstract Details of the investigations on an unexplored application of Electro Mechanical Impedance (EMI) technique using smart piezoelectric (PZT) sensors for damage detection of concrete shear wall structures under crack opening and closing is presented in this paper. The behavior and the ability of this method to detect damages, in a heterogeneous quasi-brittle material is studied for its effective utilization in structural health monitoring. The paper discusses the experimental investigations conducted on a concrete shear wall using PZT patches. Conductance data is acquired at different applied lateral displacements of shear wall. Damage index is calculated using More >

Ioana Berindan-Neagoe^1,2, Roxana Chiorean³, Cornelia Braicu¹, Ioan Stefan Florian^2,4, Daniel Leucuta², Doinita Crisan², Adriana Cocis³, Ovidiu Balacescu¹, Alexandru Irimie^1,2

European Cytokine Network, Vol.23, No.2, pp. 45-55, 2012, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2012.0302

Abstract Glioblastoma multiforme is a very aggressive brain tumor. Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones, is a process that plays an essential role in cancer development. The evolution of this process depends upon several proangiogenic factors as well as inhibitors of angiogenesis. Coagulation and inflammation also play an important role in tumorigenesis. Their expression is controlled by over- or under-expression of certain genes. The objective of our study was to evaluate the expression, in tissue samples, of a set of six genes involved in tumoral angiogenesis. The study concerned a group of… More >

L. Solazzi^1,2, C. Petrogalli¹, M. Lancini¹

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.8, No.4, pp. 329-340, 2012, DOI:10.32604/sdhm.2012.008.329

Abstract A study on vibrations related to rolling contact fatigue test bench and a possible way to correlate this mechanical behavior and damage of the specimens is presented. In particular it has been evaluated the possibility to detect and quantify, thanks to vibration analysis, the damage on two discs subjected to rolling contact fatigue in different working conditions. Paper is divided in two parts. In the first part there is a description of test bench and results of its static and modal analyses. Then, some tests were carried out changing working conditions and specimens' parameters and More >

S. Guenoun¹, A. Baïri¹, N. Laraqi^1,2, J.M. García de María³, J.G. Bauzin¹, A. Hocine¹

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.8, No.2, pp. 197-214, 2012, DOI:10.3970/fdmp.2012.008.197

Abstract Roller bearings are used in mechanical setups to reduce rubbing. In some applications, the thermal dissipation involved mostly due to friction between rollers and rings is important. Correct operation of the roller is possible only if local thermal phenomena are controlled. In this work, the resulting dynamical and thermal fields within the enclosures limited by rollers and rings in cylindrical bearings are obtained through numerical modelling. Convective heat transfer is quantified by Nu-Re-Pr correlations for various dynamical and thermal configurations of the bearing. Two specific shape factors of the cavity and common fluids of engineering More >