Search

As part of a long-range study of vortex rings, their dynamics, interactions with boundaries and with each other, we present the results of experiments on thin core rings generated by a piston gun in water. We characterize the dynamics of these rings by means of the traditional equations for such rings in an inviscid fluid suitably modifying them to be applicable to a viscous fluid. We develop expressions for the radius, core size, circulation and bubble dimensions of these rings. We report the direct measurement of the impulse of a vortex ring by means of a physical pendulum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Introduction  Oral mucositis is recognised as one of the most debilitating complications of high-dose cytostatic chemotherapy used to prepare for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), but very little is known about oesophageal mucositis, as endoscopy is not routinely performed. Materials and methods  We incorporate the computed tomography (CT) scan in the diagnostic workup of fever during neutropenia to detect evidence of pulmonary complications. This allowed us to evaluate whether mucosal barrier injury to the oesophagus can be determined. We selected 46 patients without oesophageal cancer or immune suppression (controls), who had a normal oesophagus, and measured the mucosal thickness at the upper part (UP), middle part (MP) and lower part (LP) of the oesophagus. Next, we selected 30 patients having a CT scan done for diagnostic purposes within 14 days after HSCT and measured mucosal thickness at the same levels. We also scored oral mucositis and gut toxicity. Results  The mucosal thickness of the UP, MP and LP, respectively, for the controls (mean � SD) was 4.1 mm (�1.1), 4.2 mm (�1.2) and 4.8 mm (�1.3), and the corresponding values for the subjects were 5.9 mm (�2.2), 5.9 mm (�2.0) and 7.7 mm (�3.0). Analysis of variance showed statistically significant differences between subjects and controls at all oesophageal levels. All patients suffered from severe oral mucositis at the time. Conclusion  Hence, mucosal barrier injury to the oesophagus can be objectively measured using CT scan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We conducted a prospective, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled pilot study of parenteral nutrition (PN) supplemented with 0.57 g/kg glutamine-dipeptide in a homogeneous group of 32 allogeneic stem cell transplant (SCT) recipients to determine its effect on mucosal barrier injury (MBI). All patients had been prepared with idarubicin, cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation. PN (by continuous infusion) started on SCT day −6 for a median of 19 days. MBI measured by sugar permeability tests, daily mucositis score, daily gut score, and citrulline concentrations was not reduced by glutamine-dipeptide. However, the daily gut score was significantly lower for the glutamine group on SCT +7 (p=0.001) whilst citrulline was lower (p=0.03) for the placebo group on SCT day +21. Albumin was significantly lower in the placebo group on SCT day +21 (32±4 versus 37±3, p=0.001) whilst CRP was higher (74±48 versus 34±38, p=0.003). Other transplant-related complications (infections, acute graft-versus-host disease) were less common although this did not reach statistical significance nor translate into a reduced length of hospital stay or lower mortality. These results indicate that it would be worthwhile conducting a larger trial to see whether or not giving glutamine-dipeptide reduces the 100-day allogeneic transplant-related complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rsum Le chteau dEdimbourg est lun des plus importants sites historiques dEcosse. Il fut construit sur une structure glaciaire particulire, constitue dun verrou glaciaire model dans des basaltes en colonnades et dune accumulation aval de sdiments protgs de lrosion glaciaire par le verrou. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract It has been suggested that the presence of religious images and scenes in secular buildings of sixteenth-century date can be viewed as an expression of resistance by the native Irish to English colonial activity in the aftermath of the Munster Plantation (J. A. Delle, 1999, International Journal of Historical Archaeology3: 1135). Such images, however, may merely represent a continuation into the early modern period of a Medieval tradition of adorning secular houses with devotional images. If a religious symbol of native Catholic resistance to English colonization and Protestantism in Munster is to be sought then perhaps a more appropriate image would be the I.H.S. monograma symbol associated with the Counter Reformation and the Jesuits. The paper presents an example of the monogram located within a tower house at Gortnetubbrid in County Limerick, Ireland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Friction factor data from two recent pipe flow experiments are combined to provide a comprehensive picture of the friction factor variation for Reynolds numbers from 10 to 36,000,000. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeology has demonstrated that it can provide added insight into the study of early modern Ireland, although there has been a notable tendency for research to concentrate on secular aspects of society. Investigations into the period, however, would benefit from a greater awareness of contemporary religion, since this was a factor that played a major role in political, social, and economic life. An example of this is the introduction of Penal legislation by the Protestant-dominated Irish parliament in the early eighteenth century, directed at those whose religious outlook did not correspond to that of the Established Church. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of vortex rings has been pursued for decades and is a particularly difficult subject. However, the discovery of quantized vortex rings in superfluid helium has greatly increased interest in vortex rings with very thin cores. While rapid progress has been made in the simulation of quantized vortex rings, there has not been comparable progress in laboratory studies of vortex rings in a viscous fluid such as water. This article overviews the history and current frontiers of classical and quantum vortex rings. After introducing the classical results, this review discusses thin-cored vortex rings in superfluid helium in section 2, and recent progress in understanding vortex rings of very thin cores propagating in water in section 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]