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The generation of a directed flow on the water surface in channels with sources and resonators of capillary oscillations is detected and investigated. The surface flow is caused by the movement of the liquid through the gaps between the resonators, as well as between the resonator and the channel walls, under a curved surface that is locally deformed by the sources of capillary vibrations, the transfer of energy of the locally curved surface of the liquid by capillary waves, and the transmission of wave momentum to the particles of the liquid surface in one direction. It is shown that capillary waves together with the energy transfer an excess surface, the flux density of which is equal to the flux of the surface deformation. Moving devices with a capillary-wave accelerator of the surface liquid flow are demonstrated.

Abstract Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KH) waves have been broadly shown to affect the growth of hydrometeors within a region of falling precipitation, but formation and growth from KH waves at cloud top needs further attention. Here, we present detailed observations of cloud-top KH waves that produced a snow plume that extended to the surface. Airborne transects of cloud radar aligned with range height indicator scans from ground-based precipitation radar track the progression and intensity of the KH wave kinetics and precipitation. In-situ cloud probes and surface disdrometer measurements are used to quantify the impact of the snow plume on the composition of an underlying supercooled liquid water (SLW) cloud and the snowfall observed at the surface. KH wavelengths of 1.5 km consisted of ~750-m-wide up- and downdrafts. A distinct fluctus region appeared as a wave-breaking cloud top where the fastest updraft was observed to exceed 5 m s−1. Relatively weaker updrafts of 0.5-1.5 m s−1 beneath the fluctus and partially overlapping the dendritic growth zone were associated with steep gradients in reflectivity of −5 to 20 dBZe in as little as 500 m depths due to rapid growth of pristine planar ice crystals. The falling snow removed ~80% of the SLW content from the underlying cloud and led to a twofold increase in surface liquid equivalent snowfall rate from 0.6 to 1.3 mm hr−1. This paper presents the first known study of cloud-top KH waves producing snowfall with observations of increased snowfall rates at the surface.

Objectives: In cystic fibrosis (CF), loss of CFTR-mediated bicarbonate secretion reduces the airway surface liquid (ASL) pH causing airway host defense defects. Aerosolized sodium bicarbonate can reverse these defects, but its effects are short-lived. Aerosolized tromethamine (THAM) also raises the ASL pH but its effects are much longer lasting. In this pilot study, we tested the hypothesis that nasally administered THAM would alter the nasal bacterial composition in adults with and without CF. Methods: Subjects (n = 32 total) received intranasally administered normal saline or THAM followed by a wash out period prior to receiving the other treatment. Nasal bacterial cultures were obtained prior to and after each treatment period. Results: At baseline, nasal swab bacterial counts were similar between non-CF and CF subjects, but CF subjects had reduced microbial diversity. Both nasal saline and THAM were well-tolerated. In non-CF subjects, nasal airway alkalinization decreased both the total bacterial density and the gram-positive bacterial species recovered. In both non-CF and CF subjects, THAM decreased the amount of Corynebacterium accolens detected, but increased the amount of Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum recovered on nasal swabs. A reduction in Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization was also found in subjects who grew C. pseudodiphtheriticum. Conclusions: This study shows that aerosolized THAM is safe and well-tolerated and that nasal airway alkalinization alters the composition of mucosal bacterial communities. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT00928135 ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00928135 ).

Airway secretions contain many signalling molecules and peptides/proteins that are not found in airway surface liquid (ASL) generated by normal human bronchial epithelial cells (NHBE) in vitro. These play a key role in innate defence and mediate communication between the epithelium, immune cells and the external environment. We investigated how culture of NHBE with apically applied secretions from healthy or disease (Cystic Fibrosis, CF) lungs affected epithelial function with a view to providing better in vitro models of the in vivo environment. NHBE from 6-8 different donors were cultured at air-liquid interface (ALI), with apically applied sputum from normal healthy donors (NLS) or CF donors (CFS) for 2-4 hours, 48 hours or with sputum reapplied over 48 hours. Proteomic analysis was carried out on the sputa and on NHBE ASL before and after culture with sputa. Transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), short circuit current (Isc) and changes to ASL height were measured. There were 71 proteins common to both sputa but not ASL. The protease:protease inhibitor balance was increased in CFS compared to NLS and ASL. Culture of NHBE with sputa for 48 hours identified additional factors not present in NLS, CFS or ASL alone. Culture with either NLS or CFS for 48 hours increased CFTR activity, calcium activated chloride channel (CaCC) activity and changed ASL height. These data indicate that culture with healthy or disease sputum changes the proteomic profile of ASL and ion transport properties of NHBE and this may increase physiological relevance when using in vitro airway models.

Patterned ground, defined by the segregation of stones in soil according to size, is one of the most strikingly self-organized characteristics of polar and high-alpine landscapes. The presence of such patterns on Mars has been proposed as evidence for the past presence of surface liquid water. Despite their ubiquity, the dearth of quantitative field data on the patterns and their slow dynamics have hindered fundamental understanding of the pattern formation mechanisms. Here, we use laboratory experiments to show that stone transport is strongly dependent on local stone concentration and the height of ice needles, leading effectively to pattern formation driven by needle ice activity. Through numerical simulations, theory, and experiments, we show that the nonlinear amplification of long wavelength instabilities leads to self-similar dynamics that resemble phase separation patterns in binary alloys, characterized by scaling laws and spatial structure formation. Our results illustrate insights to be gained into patterns in landscapes by viewing the pattern formation through the lens of phase separation. Moreover, they may help interpret spatial structures that arise on diverse planetary landscapes, including ground patterns recently examined using the rover Curiosity on Mars.

Airway surface liquid (ASL) is one of the key factors affecting the respiratory system's physiological function. Abnormal ASL secretion can increase the incidence of various respiratory diseases. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation can damage the airway epithelial barrier, affect the concentration of ASL contents, and down-regulate ion channel expression, which in turn causes abnormal ASL secretion. Naringenin, which exists in many Citrus foods, has the ability to promote airway surface liquid secretion. This work is designed to investigate the regulatory mechanism of naringenin on LPS-induced abnormal ASL secretion. The effects of naringenin and LPS on the viability of Calu-3 cells were measured by CellTiter 96® AQueous One Solution Cell Proliferation Assay (MTS). ASL secretion volume was measured by a micropipette on air–liquid interface cultured cells. The concentration of Cl−, Na+, lysozyme, and total protein in ASL were respectively measured by assay kits. The mRNA expressions were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and proteins were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results indicated that LPS could affect ASL secretion and regulate cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), aquaporin 1 (AQP1) and aquaporin 5 (AQP5) expression. Naringenin had the ability to regulate the ASL secretion by increasing secretion volume, and Cl− and Na+ concentrations, reducing lysozyme and total protein content, and regulating CFTR, AQP1, and AQP5 expression. This study indicated that naringenin had regulating effects to attenuate LPS-induced abnormal ASL secretion.

Lentinula edodes 3565 and Ganoderma lucidum 9621 were compared for their ability to produce lignocellulolytic enzymes in submerged (SM) and surface liquid (SL) fermentation of hydrolysed colza straw lignin waste that remained after the production of furfural and bioethanol (CS lignin). Application of cultivated mushrooms to dispose of pretreated colza straw agricultural waste is an approach to decrease the quantity of residual lignin while simultaneously obtaining active substances, e.g., the ligninolytic enzyme complex from mycelium. The effect of adding CS lignin to culture media on the yield of L. edodes and G. lucidum mycelium and extracellular laccase activity was studied. It was revealed that the mycelial growth of G. lucidum on solid media was significantly improved by adding CS lignin. Laccase activity during SL cultivation of L. edodes on medium with CS lignin gradually increased over the experiment starting on day 21 and peaked at 520 U/mL on day 28. G. lucidum expressed the maximum laccase activity, 540 U/mL, during the first 14 days of mycelium SM cultivation. Extracellular laccase activity was enhanced about 35- to 40-fold at cultivation of L. edodes and about 10- to 15-fold in the case of G. lucidum by supplementing liquid culture media with CS lignin.

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) carriers seem to have a higher risk to develop chronic rhino-sinusitis (CRS), although the full underlying mechanisms are unknown. Ion concentrations in nasal airway surface liquid (ASL) may be influenced by the heterozygosity for CF gene mutation, with possible impacts on the development of CRS. Methods: A cheap and feasible standardized technique was designed to measure the ion levels in nasal ASL. With this purpose we collected, under basal conditions, samples from the nasal cavity of 165 adults: 14 homozygous for CF, 83 carriers and 68 healthy controls. Sodium (Na) and Chlorine (Cl) concentrations were then evaluated among different groups. Results: Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference of Na and Cl values between controls and carriers and between controls and homozygotes. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and derived indicators (Youden‘s index and Area Under the Curve, AUC) were used to further evaluate the diagnostic capability of Na and Cl concentrations to differentiate heterozygotes from controls. ROC curves demonstrated that the optimal diagnostic cut-off value of Na is at 124, and the optimal cut-off value of Cl is at 103,2. Conclusion: ASL sampling can be considered a new diagnostic tool for providing quantitative information on nasal ion composition. According to our findings, Na and Cl concentrations of nasal ASL could represent a useful tool to assess heterozygotes and healthy controls.

: Overwhelming responses are seen at preclinical and clinical levels to understand and combat coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19] pandemic that is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 [SARS-CoV-2]. Encouraging successes are achieved in view of diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive measures including vaccines development. In fact, structural information of SARS-CoV-2 and molecular steps that help this virus to target AECs are appreciably studied. Furthermore, the heterogeneous and complex nature of COVID-19 is extensively revealed at molecular, genetic, and epigenetic and microenvironment levels. In spite of these developments in COVID-19 pathogenesis, reasons behind the targeted infection by SARS-CoV-2 to AECs are poorly understood. In this mini-review, we highlight the roles of pH and temperature of airway surface liquid [ASL] as a key determining factor that may contribute towards enhanced targeted infection by SARS-CoV-2 leading to COVID-19.

The study of planets outside our Solar System may lead to major advances in our understanding of the Earth and may provide insight into the universal set of rules by which planets form and evolve. To achieve these goals requires applying geoscience’s wealth of Earth observations to fill in the blanks left by the necessarily minimal exoplanetary observations. In turn, many of Earth’s one-offs—plate tectonics, surface liquid water, a large moon, and life: long considered as “Which came first?” conundrums for geoscientists—may find resolution in the study of exoplanets that possess only a subset of these phenomena.