An innovative lattice Boltzmann model for simulating Michaelis–Menten-based diffusion–advection kinetics and its application within a cartilage cell bioreactor

Lattice Boltzmann models (LBM) are rapidly showing their ability to simulate a lot of fluid dynamics problems that previously required very complex approaches. This study presents a LBM for simulating diffusion–advection transport of substrate in a 2-D laminar flow. The model considers the substrate influx into a set of active cells placed inside the flow field. A new innovative method was used to simulate the cells activity using the LBM by means of Michaelis–Menten kinetics. The model is validated with some numerical benchmark problems and proved highly accurate results. After validation the model was used to simulate the transport of oxygen substrates that diffuse in water to feed a set of active cartilage cells inside a new designed bioreactor.     

The polysaccharides of mango seeds (mangifera indica,var. bullock's heart)

Mangoes (Mangifera indica) are grown in many warm regions of the world; for example, in Australia, Brazil, India, South America, and the United States (California and Florida), and along the shores of the Mediterranean sea (Egypt, Italy, and Spain). In Egypt, many varieties yielding delicious fruits are grown in large quantities (50,000 tons annually). Mango kernels are used for feeding mammals and chickens. Starch has been isolated from mango and its physical properties studied.The aim of the present work was to study the polysaccharides present in mango kernels.     

The effect of sodium chlorate and nitrapyrin on the nitrification mediated nitrosation process in soils

Summary The influence of total nitrification to nitrate or partial nitrification to nitrite on the soil organic nitrogen status was examined. NH ₄ ⁺ –¹⁵N was added to the soil in the absence and the presence of NaClO₃, respectively nitrapyrin. The first chemical inhibits only nitrate formation, the second inhibits total nitrification. The accumulation of nitrite nitrogen in the soil at levels up to 5 mg kg^–1 increased the loss of nitrogen. Yet, it did not increase the binding of mineral nitrogen into soil organic matter, relative to the control soil. The data suggest that the biochemistry of the nitrite formation process, rather than the levels of nitrite ions formed, are of primary importance in the role of nitrification mediated nitrosation of soil organic matter.     

The effects of dispersal limitation and topographic heterogeneity on beta diversity and phylobetadiversity in a subtropical forest

We assessed the effects of topographic heterogeneity and stem density on species composition between grains of different sizes (20 × 20, 50 × 50, and 100 × 100 m), based on partial Mantel tests. Similarity in species composition was measured by the abundance-based Jaccard index (C_J) and by an index that incorporates phylogenetic information into C_J (pC_J). Plants were divided into five groups, arbor, subarbor, and shrub according to life form and two other groups: species that produce dry fruits (PDF) and that produce fleshy fruits (PFF). C_J and pC_J between any two grains at each grain size were calculated separately for these groups and for all species combined. In order to examine what influences C_J and pC_J, we analyzed their correlations with topographic heterogeneity variables and two dispersal limitation-related variables (stem and topographic resistance). Our data indicate that at all three grain sizes, C_J and pC_J decrease with increasing distance for all plant groups. Dispersal limitation and topographic heterogeneity were both important at 20 × 20 and 50 × 50 m grain sizes for C_J and pC_J of all plant groups; and at 100 × 100 m grain size, topographic heterogeneity dominates over dispersal limitation for some plant groups. C_J and pC_J of PDFs are less negatively correlated with stem resistance than those of PFFs. We conclude that both beta diversity and phylobetadiversity are dependent on plant groups and grain sizes.     

Genome‐wide scans to detect positive selection in Large White and Tongcheng pigs

Due to the direction, intensity, duration and consistency of genetic selection, especially recent artificial selection, the production performance of domestic pigs has been greatly changed. Therefore, we reasoned that there must be footprints or selection signatures that had been left during domestication. In this study, with porcine 60K BeadChip genotyping data from both commercial Large White and local Chinese Tongcheng pigs, we calculated the extended haplotype homozygosity values of the two breeds using the long‐range haplotype method to detect selection signatures. We found 34 candidate regions, including 61 known genes, from Large White pigs and 25 regions comprising 57 known genes from Tongcheng pigs. Many selection signatures were found on SSC1, SSC4, SSC7 and SSC14 regions in both populations. According to quantitative trait loci and network pathway analyses, most of the regions and genes were linked to growth, reproduction and immune responses. In addition, the average genetic differentiation coefficient F_ST was 0.254, which means that there had already been a significant differentiation between the breeds. The findings from this study can contribute to further research on molecular mechanisms of pig evolution and domestication and also provide valuable references for improvement of their breeding and cultivation.     

The recovery of ovarian function during breast-feeding

The pattern of breast-feeding was daily recorded and the serum concentrations of prolactin (PRL), FSH, LH, estradiol (E2) and progesterone (prog) were measured at weekly intervals in 26 breast-feeding mothers from the time of delivery and up to the resumption of regular ovulation or to the end of the first postpartum year. Twelve postpartum non-breast-feeding women were similarly studied as controls. An algorithm was used to characterize ovulatory events into three types: the first, with evidence highly suggestive of normal ovulation (EHSO), the second, with evidence of probable ovulation (EPO) and the third with evidence indicating questionable ovulation or deficient corpus luteum function (QO/DCT). Pregnancy preceded the first menstruation in one woman in each of the breast-feeding and control groups. Of the 19 breast-feeding women who started to menstruate during the first postpartum year, five had EHSO, one had EPO, 5 had EQO/DCL and 7 had anovulatory (AO) menstruation. The corresponding figures in the 11 controls were 6, 2, 3 and 0. Pregnancy occurred before a second menstruation in one woman in both the study group and the controls. In 18 breast-feeding women observed, the second menstruation was preceded by EHSO in 7, by EPO in 3, by EQO/DCL in one and AO in 7. In 10 controls the corresponding figures were 7, 3, 0 and 0. Out of a total of 79 menstruations observed during breast-feeding the incidence of AO was 30% and of QO/DCL was 15%. In actively breast-feeding mothers, hyperprolactinemia persisted for more than 1 yr. However, menstruation and ovulation occasionally occurred before the drop of PRL to concentrations seen during the normal menstrual cycle. In the majority of women, low E2 levels were present during lactational amenorrhea, but with occasional spikes in some. A few women maintained somewhat high values of E2 for several weeks before the resumption of menstruation. The implications of these hormonal findings to the attempts to improve on the contraceptive effect of breast-feeding are discussed.     

Hidden smectic properties of a chiral side-chain co-oligomer

We recently showed that a side-chain industrial co-oligosiloxane presents a quenchable enlarged blue phase behaviour at the cholesteric-isotropic phase transition. In this paper, we present the results of a structural study based on X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and optical measurements. In particular, the smectic A organisation is demonstrated in the lower temperature domain, which was hitherto understood as a cholesteric phase. A structural model for this phase is proposed on the basis of the analysis of the anisotropic scattering of stretched fibers. Our results also suggest that the observed glass transition is indeed a rather complex phenomenon, which seems to involve not only the freezing of the main chains, but also smectic correlations at the side-chain level. Moreover, the calorimetric study indicates that, notwithstanding the conservation of the processed film's optical properties, low kinetic reorganisations occur at room temperature.     

Nitrification and organic nitrogen formation in soils

Summary The formation of mineral nitrogen species and of organic nitrogen was studied in three different types of soils in relation to the application of the nitrification inhibitor nitrapyrin. The results indicate that nitrification brings about a deficit in total mineral nitrogen and a concomitant surplus in non biomass organic nitrogen. This phenomenon increases with increasing levels of applied ammonium nitrogen and soil organic matter. The phenomenon is considered to be due to the reaction of the transient nitrite formed with soil phenolic compounds and appears to be of significance in all soils in which nitrification occurs, even neutral to alkaline and low carbon soils.     

Pachypteria sinaitica n. sp. - eine aufgewachsene,austernähnliche muschel aus dem unterkarbon Ägyptens

A pseudomonotide pelecypod-Pachypteria sinaitica n. sp. - is described from Abu Durba Formation (Visé) of southwest Sinai. The new species forms a link with rather similar populations in the Lower Carboniferous of Marocco. Like the oysters, but byssate and cemented with its right valve,P. sinaitica n. sp. built up small limestone beds within a marginal marine environment of sedimentation. As regards the isotopie composition, the carbonates of the shell were secreted in a water of approximately 25° C.It follows, that the littoral waters of the southern Tethys were warmer during the Lower Carboniferous than those of present Red Sea.     

云南10个民族红细胞酸性磷酸酶型分布调查

用淀粉凝胶电泳法对云南省汉族及9个少数民族的红细胞酸性磷酸酶(ACP_1)的表型分布进行了调查,检出A、BA和B3种表型,计算得云南汉、彝、白、傣、瑶、佤、哈尼、布朗、基诺和拉祜族ACP_1~A、ACP_1~B的基因频率依次为0.2067、0.7933;0.2406、0.7594;0.2341、0.7659;0.3750、0.6250;0.2300、0.7700;0.2727、0.7273;0.3594、0.6406;0.3036、0.6964;0.2381、0.76119和0.4474、0.5526。未发现ACP_1~C基因及其它稀有基因。研究表明,ACP_1表型的分布存在着一定的种族与民族差异。