Inorganic nitrate and nitrite from endogenous or dietary sources are metabolized in vivo to nitric oxide (NO) and other bioactive nitrogen oxides. The nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway is emerging as an important mediator of blood flow regulation, cell signaling, energetics and tissue responses to hypoxia. The latest advances in our understanding of the biochemistry, physiology and therapeutics of nitrate, nitrite and NO were discussed during a recent two-day meeting at the Nobel Forum, Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm.

No abstract

In this paper we are concerned with a linear problem of hydroelastic instability in a turbulent boundary layer over a compliant coating of a ribbon-like material. A dispersion relation for hydroelastic waves is written in terms of complex stiffness coefficients that characterize the deformation of the compliant surface and the turbulent flow response to the wavy surface flexure. A membrane-type approximation is proposed for the stiffness coefficient of solid coating at sufficiently low frequencies. In order to evaluate the turbulent flow response, the eddy-viscosity model in a curvilinear coordinate system is employed. The quasipotential approximation for the description of flow stiffness is confirmed on the basis of the computations. The critical flow speed and the parameters of the hydroelastic waves at the instability threshold are determined both within general definitions for the stiffness coefficients and for their approximations. The computational results are compared with available experimental observations.

This paper continues a series of reports considering nitric oxide (NO) and its cyclic conversions in mammals. Numerous facts are summarized with the goal of developing a general concept that would allow the statement of the multiple effects of NO on various systems of living organisms in the form of a short and comprehensive law. The current state of biological aspects of NO research is analyzed in term of elucidation of possible role of these studies in the system of biological sciences. The general concept is based on a notion on cyclic conversions of NO and its metabolites. NO cycles in living organisms and nitrogen turnover in the biosphere and also the Bethe nitrogen-carbon cycle in star matter are considered. A hypothesis that the cyclic organization of processes in living organisms and the biosphere reflects the evolution of life is proposed: the development of physiological functions and metabolism are suggested to be closely related to space and evolution of the Earth as a planet of the Solar System.

No abstract