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Three-dimensional Eulerian-Eulerian transient simulations were conducted to represent the gas-liquid flow of a heterogeneous bubble column. Different drag closures, breakup and coalescence models were evaluated in order to verify their influence on the model prediction. Numerical simulations were compared to experimental data, with industrial conditions of gas superficial velocities: 20cm/s and 40cm/s, in order to select the most suitable models to describe the bubble' dynamics in the heterogeneous flow. The standard k - ε model for both phases was set for turbulence. 12 combinations of breakup and coalescence models were compared and analyzed. In the case of coalescence, Models of Prince and Blanch, and Luo presented similar behavior and good agreement with experimental data, while for breakup, a breakage forming three daughter bubbles appeared to be the best choice. Simulations presented relative errors around 7.7% and 14.0%, for 20cm/s and AOcm/s respectively, for the gas axial velocity, and around 14% and 21.9%, for gas holdup. For drag force, density and viscosity were accounted by an average of the phases, which resulted in an improvement about 7% on model validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Previous studies have demonstrated that both exercise and the consumption of L-arginine can reduce blood pressure, presumably by the common pathway of nitric oxidemediated vasodilation. This study compared the effects of exercise and L-arginine supplementation and their combination on BP in mildly hypertensive patients.Method: Nine patients with mild hypertension performed 4 randomly ordered trials consisting of combinations of the consumption of either double-blind administration of a nutritional supplement containing L-arginine, vitamin E, and vitamin C, or an otherwise identical placebo either with or without a 25min bout of aerobic exercise. BP was measured at baseline and every 30 min for 2 hr. The nutritional supplement was provided following the baseline BP measurement. In exercise trials, 25 min of cycle ergometry were performed following the 30-min BP measurement.Results: There were no significant BP changes in the placebo + rest condition. For all three interventions (nutritional, exercise, nutritional + exercise) there was a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in systolic BP at 90 min (-13, -14, -13 mmHg) and 120 min (-13, -11, -13 mmHg). Diastolic BP decreased significantly at both 90 min and 120 min (-9 mmHg for both) in the combined intervention condition (nutritional + exercise). Mean arterial pressure was decreased at 90 min for all three intervention conditions (-8, -7, -9 mmHg). However, the only significant decrease in mean arterial pressure at 120 min was in the combined intervention condition (-9 mmHg).Conclusion: On the basis of the outcome data at 120 min, it was concluded that the combination of exercise + nutritional supplementation with L-arginine, vitamin E, and vitamin C produce short-term reductions in BP that are significantly greater than no treatment or either intervention alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIMS: To determine the impact of myofascial face pain (MFP) on dietary intake of selected nutrients. METHODS: Sixty-one MFP women meeting the criteria for the myofascial subtype of temporomandibular disorders completed a 4-day daily food intake diary, as well as self-report of pain severity, pain interference with eating, and depressive symptomatology. Nutrient intake for the MFP women was compared with a demographically-equivalent sample of community women participating in the federally-sponsored Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CFSII). Within the MFP sample, multiple linear regression analysis was used to test whether dietary fiber intake reduction was most likely due to pain adaptation, or to depressive symptomatology or associated appetite reduction. RESULTS: Only the subgroup of MFP patients with above-average pain severity showed reduced dietary fiber intake compared with the community sample. MFP patients did not differ from the community sample on other nutrient intake measures (i.e., total calories, protein, fat, carbohydrates and dietary fiber, calcium, and iron). Within the MFP sample, pain severity was significantly associated with reduced dietary fiber intake. This relationship persisted, after controlling for depressive symptomatology, appetite, and total calories. CONCLUSION: Myofascial face pain patients with more severe pain intensity are likely to reduce their intake of dietary fiber. This is likely due to an effort to decrease masticatory activity to avoid exacerbating facial pain. Since low dietary fiber, especially in combination with commonly prescribed medications for MFP, increases the risk of constipation and may exacerbate comorbid medical conditions, clinicians should recommend alternative dietary fiber sources for MFP patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular-level scanning tunneling microscopy is used for showing the supramolecular engineering of complex, regular and long-range ordered periodic networks on a surface atomic lattice using simple linear molecular bricks. The two dimensional organic networks have ranged from a close-packed chevron pattern via a rhombic network to an unobserved supramolecular chiral kagome lattice.