Mechanical and hydrodynamic analyses of helical strake-like ridges in a glass sponge.

From the discovery of functionally graded laminated composites, to near-structurally optimized diagonally reinforced square lattice structures, the skeletal system of the predominantly deep-sea sponge has continued to inspire biologists, materials scientists and mechanical engineers. Building on these previous efforts, in the present study, we develop an integrated finite element and fluid dynamics approach for investigating structure-function relationships in the complex maze-like organization of helical ridges that surround the main skeletal tube of this species. From these investigations, we discover that not only do these ridges provide additional mechanical reinforcement, but perhaps more significantly, provide a critical hydrodynamic benefit by effectively suppressing von Kármán vortex shedding and reducing lift forcing fluctuations over a wide range of biologically relevant flow regimes.

Heating and convection associated with alkaline electrophoresis.

Alkaline version of the single-cell gel electrophoresis (Comet assay) is widely used in toxicological, environmental, and monitoring studies to assess the DNA damage levels in individual cells. The change in the temperature of the electrophoretic solution is one of the reasons leading to interlaboratory variation of Comet assay results. In this work, changes of surface temperature of the solution during electrophoresis were studied using technique of real-time thermal imaging.

DNA damage in blood leukocytes from mice irradiated with accelerated carbon ions with an energy of 450 MeV/nucleon.

Purpose: The objective of the study was to estimate the DNA damage in blood leukocytes at long terms after irradiation of mice with carbon ions (450 MeV/nucleon) both before and in the Bragg peak.

Materials And Methods: White outbred SHK male mice were exposed to whole-body irradiation with carbon ions at doses of 0.1-2 Gy in the spread-out Bragg peak and at a dose of 6 Gy before and in the Bragg peak.

[Effect of the sulfur-containing compounds on the quinoid process of adrenaline autoxidation; potential neuroprotectors].

The superoxide-generating reaction of adrenaline autoxidation in an alkaline medium, used in vitro to identify the antioxidant properties of various compounds, simulates the complex multistep process of quinoid oxidation of catecholamines (CA) in the body. Sulfur-containing cysteine (Cys) and reduced glutathione (GSH), as well as oxidized glutathione (GSSG), have been shown to inhibit this process. The studied substances were considered as inhibitors of quinoid oxidation and are evaluated as antioxidants.

[Standardization and regulation of the rate of the superoxide-generating adrenaline autoxidation reaction used for evaluation of pro/antioxidant properties of various materials].

The superoxide-generating reaction of adrenaline autoxidation is widely used for determination of the activity of superoxide dismutase and pro/antioxidant properties of various materials. There are two variants of the spectrophotometric registration of the products of this reaction. The first is based on registration of adrenochrome, as adrenaline autooxidation product at 347 nm; the second employs nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) and registration of diformazan, a product of NBT reduction at 560 nm.