On a stabilization mechanism for low-velocity detonations

KAUST Repository

Sow, Aliou

2017-03-08

We use numerical simulations of the reactive Lula equations to analyse the nonlinear stability of steady-state one-dimensional solutions for gaseous detonations in the presence of both momentum and heat losses. Our results point to a possible stabilization mechanism for the low-velocity detonations in such systems. The mechanism stems from the existence of a one-parameter family of solutions found in Semenko el al.

Stability and equilibrium in quantum statistical mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kastler, Daniel.

1975-01-01

A derivation of the Gibbs Ansatz, base of the equilibrium statistical mechanics is provided from a stability requirements, in technical connection with the harmonic analysis of non-commutative dynamical systems. By the same token a relation is established between stability and the positivity of Hamiltonian in the zero temperature case [fr

New mechanism of spiral wave initiation in a reaction-diffusion-mechanics system.

Science.gov (United States)

Weise, Louis D; Panfilov, Alexander V

2011-01-01

Spiral wave initiation in the heart muscle is a mechanism for the onset of dangerous cardiac arrhythmias. A standard protocol for spiral wave initiation is the application of a stimulus in the refractory tail of a propagating excitation wave, a region that we call the "classical vulnerable zone." Previous studies of vulnerability to spiral wave initiation did not take the influence of deformation into account, which has been shown to have a substantial effect on the excitation process of cardiomyocytes via the mechano-electrical feedback phenomenon. In this work we study the effect of deformation on the vulnerability of excitable media in a discrete reaction-diffusion-mechanics (dRDM) model. The dRDM model combines FitzHugh-Nagumo type equations for cardiac excitation with a discrete mechanical description of a finite-elastic isotropic material (Seth material) to model cardiac excitation-contraction coupling and stretch activated depolarizing current. We show that deformation alters the "classical," and forms a new vulnerable zone at longer coupling intervals. This mechanically caused vulnerable zone results in a new mechanism of spiral wave initiation, where unidirectional conduction block and rotation directions of the consequently initiated spiral waves are opposite compared to the mechanism of spiral wave initiation due to the "classical vulnerable zone." We show that this new mechanism of spiral wave initiation can naturally occur in situations that involve wave fronts with curvature, and discuss its relation to supernormal excitability of cardiac tissue. The concept of mechanically induced vulnerability may lead to a better understanding about the onset of dangerous heart arrhythmias via mechano-electrical feedback.

Subjective and objective outcome after revision arthroscopic stabilization for recurrent anterior instability versus initial shoulder stabilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Krueger, David; Kraus, Natascha; Pauly, Stephan; Chen, Jianhai; Scheibel, Markus

2011-01-01

The value of arthroscopic revision shoulder stabilization after failed instability repair is still a matter of debate. Arthroscopic revision shoulder stabilization using suture anchors provides equivalent subjective and objective results compared with initial arthroscopic instability repair. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Twenty consecutive patients who underwent arthroscopic revision shoulder stabilization using suture anchors (group 2) were matched for age, gender, and handedness (dominant or nondominant) with 20 patients who had initial arthroscopic instability repair using the same technique (group 1). At the time of follow-up, a complete physical examination of both shoulders and evaluation with the Rowe score, Walch-Duplay score, Melbourne Instability Shoulder Score, Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index, and the Subjective Shoulder Value were performed. In addition, standard radiographs (true AP and axillary views) were taken to evaluate signs of osteoarthritis. After a minimum follow-up of 24 months, no recurrent dislocations were observed in either group. The apprehension sign was positive in 2 cases of revision surgery (0 vs 2; P > .05). No significant differences in the Rowe score (89 vs 81.8 points) were found between groups 1 and 2 (P > .05). However, group 2 revealed significantly lower scores in the Walch-Duplay score (85.3 vs 75.5 points), Melbourne Instability Shoulder Score (90.2 vs 73.7 points), Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index (89.8% vs 68.9%), and Subjective Shoulder Value (91.8% vs 69.2%) (P instability arthropathy were found more often in patients with arthroscopic revision surgery (2 vs 5; P > .05). Arthroscopic revision shoulder stabilization is associated with a lower subjective outcome compared with initial arthroscopic stabilization. The objective results found in this study may overestimate the clinical outcome in this patient population.

New mechanism of spiral wave initiation in a reaction-diffusion-mechanics system.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Louis D Weise

Full Text Available Spiral wave initiation in the heart muscle is a mechanism for the onset of dangerous cardiac arrhythmias. A standard protocol for spiral wave initiation is the application of a stimulus in the refractory tail of a propagating excitation wave, a region that we call the "classical vulnerable zone." Previous studies of vulnerability to spiral wave initiation did not take the influence of deformation into account, which has been shown to have a substantial effect on the excitation process of cardiomyocytes via the mechano-electrical feedback phenomenon. In this work we study the effect of deformation on the vulnerability of excitable media in a discrete reaction-diffusion-mechanics (dRDM model. The dRDM model combines FitzHugh-Nagumo type equations for cardiac excitation with a discrete mechanical description of a finite-elastic isotropic material (Seth material to model cardiac excitation-contraction coupling and stretch activated depolarizing current. We show that deformation alters the "classical," and forms a new vulnerable zone at longer coupling intervals. This mechanically caused vulnerable zone results in a new mechanism of spiral wave initiation, where unidirectional conduction block and rotation directions of the consequently initiated spiral waves are opposite compared to the mechanism of spiral wave initiation due to the "classical vulnerable zone." We show that this new mechanism of spiral wave initiation can naturally occur in situations that involve wave fronts with curvature, and discuss its relation to supernormal excitability of cardiac tissue. The concept of mechanically induced vulnerability may lead to a better understanding about the onset of dangerous heart arrhythmias via mechano-electrical feedback.

C-5 Propynyl Modifications Enhance the Mechanical Stability of DNA.

Science.gov (United States)

Aschenbrenner, Daniela; Baumann, Fabian; Milles, Lukas F; Pippig, Diana A; Gaub, Hermann E

2015-07-20

Increased thermal or mechanical stability of DNA duplexes is desired for many applications in nanotechnology or -medicine where DNA is used as a programmable building block. Modifications of pyrimidine bases are known to enhance thermal stability and have the advantage of standard base-pairing and easy integration during chemical DNA synthesis. Through single-molecule force spectroscopy experiments with atomic force microscopy and the molecular force assay we investigated the effect of pyrimidines harboring C-5 propynyl modifications on the mechanical stability of double-stranded DNA. Utilizing these complementary techniques, we show that propynyl bases significantly increase the mechanical stability if the DNA is annealed at high temperature. In contrast, modified DNA complexes formed at room temperature and short incubation times display the same stability as non-modified DNA duplexes. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fractional Differential Equations in Terms of Comparison Results and Lyapunov Stability with Initial Time Difference

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Coşkun Yakar

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The qualitative behavior of a perturbed fractional-order differential equation with Caputo's derivative that differs in initial position and initial time with respect to the unperturbed fractional-order differential equation with Caputo's derivative has been investigated. We compare the classical notion of stability to the notion of initial time difference stability for fractional-order differential equations in Caputo's sense. We present a comparison result which again gives the null solution a central role in the comparison fractional-order differential equation when establishing initial time difference stability of the perturbed fractional-order differential equation with respect to the unperturbed fractional-order differential equation.

Stabilization and Degradation Mechanisms of Cytoplasmic Ataxin-1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mayumi F. Kohiyama

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Aggregation-prone proteins in neurodegenerative disease disrupt cellular protein stabilization and degradation pathways. The neurodegenerative disease spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1 is caused by a coding polyglutamine expansion in the Ataxin-1 gene ( ATXN1 , which gives rise to the aggregation-prone mutant form of ATXN1 protein. Cerebellar Purkinje neurons, preferentially vulnerable in SCA1, produce ATXN1 protein in both cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments. Cytoplasmic stabilization of ATXN1 by phosphorylation and 14-3-3-mediated mechanisms ultimately drive translocation of the protein to the nucleus where aggregation may occur. However, experimental inhibition of phosphorylation and 14-3-3 binding results in rapid degradation of ATXN1, thus preventing nuclear translocation and cellular toxicity. The exact mechanism of cytoplasmic ATXN1 degradation is currently unknown; further investigation of degradation may provide future therapeutic targets. This review examines the present understanding of cytoplasmic ATXN1 stabilization and potential degradation mechanisms during normal and pathogenic states.

Stability and degradation mechanisms in organic solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ecker, Bernhard

2012-04-26

This thesis deals with stability improvements and the investigation of degradation mechanisms in organic solar cells. Organic solar cells have been in the focus of extensive academic research for over almost two decades and are currently entering the market in small scale applications. For successful large scale applications, next to the improvement of the power conversion efficiency, the stability of organic solar cells has to be increased. This thesis is dedicated to the investigation of novel materials and architectures to study stability-related issues and degradation mechanisms in order to contribute to the basic understanding of the working principles of organic solar cells. Here, impedance spectroscopy, a frequency domain technique, is used to gain information about stability and degradation mechanisms in organic solar cells. In combination with systematic variations in the preparation of solar cells, impedance spectroscopy gives the possibility to differentiate between interface and bulk dominated effects. Additionally, impedance spectroscopy gives access to the dielectric properties of the device, such as capacitance. This offers among other things the opportunity to probe the charge carrier concentration and the density of states. Another powerful way of evaluation is the combination of experimentally obtained impedance spectra with equivalent circuit modelling. The thesis presents results on novel materials and solar cell architectures for efficient hole and electron extraction. This indicates the importance of knowledge over interlayers and interfaces for improving both the efficiency and stability of organic solar cells.

A mechanical energy analysis of gait initiation

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, C. A.; Verstraete, M. C.

1999-01-01

The analysis of gait initiation (the transient state between standing and walking) is an important diagnostic tool to study pathologic gait and to evaluate prosthetic devices. While past studies have quantified mechanical energy of the body during steady-state gait, to date no one has computed the mechanical energy of the body during gait initiation. In this study, gait initiation in seven normal male subjects was studied using a mechanical energy analysis to compute total body energy. The data showed three separate states: quiet standing, gait initiation, and steady-state gait. During gait initiation, the trends in the energy data for the individual segments were similar to those seen during steady-state gait (and in Winter DA, Quanbury AO, Reimer GD. Analysis of instantaneous energy of normal gait. J Biochem 1976;9:253-257), but diminished in amplitude. However, these amplitudes increased to those seen in steady-state during the gait initiation event (GIE), with the greatest increase occurring in the second step due to the push-off of the foundation leg. The baseline level of mechanical energy was due to the potential energy of the individual segments, while the cyclic nature of the data was indicative of the kinetic energy of the particular leg in swing phase during that step. The data presented showed differences in energy trends during gait initiation from those of steady state, thereby demonstrating the importance of this event in the study of locomotion.

The rock mechanical stability of the VLJ repository

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuula, H.; Johansson, E.

1991-03-01

The aim of the study was to determine the rock mechanical stability around the VLJ repository based on the rock mechanical monitoring and rock mechanical modeling. Rock mechanical calculations were made in order to calculate the rock mass displacements and to analyze the stability around the VLJ repository The calculations were performed with three diiferent methods: continuum finite difference code FLAC, distinct element code UDEC and three dimensional distinct element code 3DEC. The first analyses were based on preliminary site investigations. The final modeling was based on investigations and rock mechanical monitoring done during the excavation. Some sensitive analyses were also performed. The modelled rock mass behaviour and the measured behaviour are generally close to each other. Both results show that the VLJ repository is rock mechanically stable. The modelled displacements and stresses were small enough to cause no instability around the rock caverns. The measured values do not indicate any discontinuous deformations like block movements or joint slip. The measured displacements in the extensometers during excavation indicates that the rock mass is even stiffer than anticipated

The Relationship Between Postural and Movement Stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Feldman, Anatol G

2016-01-01

Postural stabilization is provided by stretch reflexes, intermuscular reflexes, and intrinsic muscle properties. Taken together, these posture-stabilizing mechanisms resist deflections from the posture at which balance of muscle and external forces is maintained. Empirical findings suggest that for each muscle, these mechanisms become functional at a specific, spatial threshold-the muscle length or respective joint angle at which motor units begin to be recruited. Empirical data suggest that spinal and supraspinal centers can shift the spatial thresholds for a group of muscles that stabilized the initial posture. As a consequence, the same stabilizing mechanisms, instead of resisting motion from the initial posture, drive the body to another stable posture. In other words by shifting spatial thresholds, the nervous system converts movement resisting to movement-producing mechanisms. It is illustrated that, contrary to conventional view, this control strategy allows the system to transfer body balance to produce locomotion and other actions without loosing stability at any point of them. It also helps orient posture and movement with the direction of gravity. It is concluded that postural and movement stability is provided by a common mechanism.

In situ crosslinking of surface-initiated ring opening metathesis polymerization of polynorbornene for improved stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Fursule, Ishan A; Abtahi, Ashkan; Watkins, Charles B; Graham, Kenneth R; Berron, Brad J

2018-01-15

In situ crosslinking is expected to increase the solvent stability of coatings formed by surface-initiated ring opening metathesis polymerization (SI ROMP). Solvent-associated degradation limits the utility of SI ROMP coatings. SI ROMP coatings have a unique capacity for post-functionalization through reaction of the unsaturated site on the polymer backbone. Any post-reaction scheme which requires a liquid solvent has the potential to degrade the coating and lower the thickness of the resulting film. We designed a macromolecular crosslinking group based on PEG dinorbornene. The PEG length is tailored to the expected mean chain to chain distance during surface-initiated polymerization. This crosslinking macromer is randomly copolymerized with norbornene through SI ROMP on a gold coated substrate. The solvent stability of polynorbornene coatings with and without PEG dinorbornene is quantitatively determined, and the mechanism of degradation is further supported through XPS and AFM analyses. The addition of the 0.25mol% PEG dinorbornene significantly increases the solvent stability of the SI ROMP coatings. The crosslinker presence in the more stable films is supported with observable PEG absorbances by FTIR and an increase in contact angle hysteresis when compared to non-crosslinked coatings. The oxidation of the SI ROMP coatings is supported by the observation of carbonyl oxygen in the polynorbornene coatings. The rapid loss of the non-crosslinked SI ROMP coating corresponds to nanoscale pitting across the surface and micron-scale regions of widespread film loss. The crosslinked coatings have uniform nanoscale pitting, but the crosslinked films show no evidence of micron-scale film damage. In all, the incorporation of minimal crosslinking content is a simple strategy for improving the solvent stability of SI ROMP coatings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mechanical stability of individual austenite grains in TRIP steel studied by synchrotron X-ray diffraction during tensile loading

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blondé, R. [Fundamental Aspects of Materials and Energy, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 15, 2629 JB Delft (Netherlands); Materials Innovation Institute, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD Delft (Netherlands); Jimenez-Melero, E. [Dalton Cumbrian Facility, The University of Manchester, Westlakes Science and Technology Park, Moor Row, Cumbria, CA24 3HA (United Kingdom); Zhao, L. [Materials Innovation Institute, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD Delft (Netherlands); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD Delft (Netherlands); Wright, J.P. [European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 6 Rue Jules Horowitz, BP 220, 38043 Grenoble Cedex (France); Brück, E. [Fundamental Aspects of Materials and Energy, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 15, 2629 JB Delft (Netherlands); Zwaag, S. van der [Novel Aerospace Materials Group, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Kluyverweg 1, 2629 HS, Delft (Netherlands); Dijk, N.H. van, E-mail: N.H.vanDijk@tudelft.nl [Fundamental Aspects of Materials and Energy, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 15, 2629 JB Delft (Netherlands)

2014-11-17

The stability of individual metastable austenite grains in low-alloyed TRIP steels has been studied during tensile loading using high-energy X-ray diffraction. The carbon concentration, grain volume and grain orientation with respect to the loading direction was monitored for a large number of individual grains in the bulk microstructure. Most austenite grains transform into martensite in a single transformation step once a critical load is reached. The orientation-dependent stability of austenite grains was found to depend on their Schmid factor with respect to the loading direction. Under the applied tensile stress the average Schmid factor decreased from an initial value of 0.44 to 0.41 at 243 MPa. The present study reveals the complex interplay of microstructural parameters on the mechanical stability of individual austenite grains, where the largest grains with the lowest carbon content tend to transform first. Under the applied tensile stress the average carbon concentration of the austenite grains increased from an initial value of 0.90 to 1.00 wt% C at 243 MPa, while the average grain volume of the austenite grains decreased from an initial value of 19 to 15 µm{sup 3} at 243 MPa.

Evaluation of stability of k-means cluster ensembles with respect to random initialization.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuncheva, Ludmila I; Vetrov, Dmitry P

2006-11-01

Many clustering algorithms, including cluster ensembles, rely on a random component. Stability of the results across different runs is considered to be an asset of the algorithm. The cluster ensembles considered here are based on k-means clusterers. Each clusterer is assigned a random target number of clusters, k and is started from a random initialization. Here, we use 10 artificial and 10 real data sets to study ensemble stability with respect to random k, and random initialization. The data sets were chosen to have a small number of clusters (two to seven) and a moderate number of data points (up to a few hundred). Pairwise stability is defined as the adjusted Rand index between pairs of clusterers in the ensemble, averaged across all pairs. Nonpairwise stability is defined as the entropy of the consensus matrix of the ensemble. An experimental comparison with the stability of the standard k-means algorithm was carried out for k from 2 to 20. The results revealed that ensembles are generally more stable, markedly so for larger k. To establish whether stability can serve as a cluster validity index, we first looked at the relationship between stability and accuracy with respect to the number of clusters, k. We found that such a relationship strongly depends on the data set, varying from almost perfect positive correlation (0.97, for the glass data) to almost perfect negative correlation (-0.93, for the crabs data). We propose a new combined stability index to be the sum of the pairwise individual and ensemble stabilities. This index was found to correlate better with the ensemble accuracy. Following the hypothesis that a point of stability of a clustering algorithm corresponds to a structure found in the data, we used the stability measures to pick the number of clusters. The combined stability index gave best results.

Factors influencing initial cup stability in total hip arthroplasty.

Science.gov (United States)

Amirouche, Farid; Solitro, Giovanni; Broviak, Stefanie; Gonzalez, Mark; Goldstein, Wayne; Barmada, Riad

2014-12-01

One of the main goals in total hip replacement is to preserve the integrity of the hip kinematics, by well positioning the cup and to make sure its initial stability is congruent and attained. Achieving the latter is not trivial. A finite element model of the cup-bone interface simulating a realistic insertion and analysis of different scenarios of cup penetration, insertion, under-reaming and loading is investigated to determine certain measurable factors sensitivity to stress-strain outcome. The insertion force during hammering and its relation to the cup penetration during implantation is also investigated with the goal of determining the initial stability of the acetabular cup during total hip arthroplasty. The mathematical model was run in various configurations to simulate 1 and 2mm of under-reaming at various imposed insertion distances to mimic hammering and insertion of cup insertion into the pelvis. Surface contact and micromotion at the cup-bone interface were evaluated after simulated cup insertion and post-operative loading conditions. The results suggest a direct correlation between under-reaming and insertion force used to insert the acetabular cup on the micromotion and fixation at the cup-bone interface. While increased under-reaming and insertion force result in an increase amount of stability at the interface, approximately the same percentage of surface contact and micromotion reduction can be achieved with less insertion force. We need to exercise caution to determine the optimal configuration which achieves a good conformity without approaching the yield strength for bone. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Conditional stability in determination of initial data for stochastic parabolic equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Ganghua

2017-01-01

In this paper, we solve two kinds of inverse problems in determination of the initial data for stochastic parabolic equations. One is determination of the initial data by lateral boundary observation on arbitrary portion of the boundary, the second one is determination of the initial data by internal observation in a subregion inside the domain. We obtain conditional stability for the two kinds of inverse problems. To prove the results, we estimate the initial data by a terminal observation near the initial time, then we estimate this terminal observation by lateral boundary observation on arbitrary portion of the boundary or internal observation in a subregion inside the domain. To achieve those goals, we derive several new Carleman estimates for stochastic parabolic equations in this paper. (paper)

Conditional stability in determination of initial data for stochastic parabolic equations

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Ganghua

2017-03-01

In this paper, we solve two kinds of inverse problems in determination of the initial data for stochastic parabolic equations. One is determination of the initial data by lateral boundary observation on arbitrary portion of the boundary, the second one is determination of the initial data by internal observation in a subregion inside the domain. We obtain conditional stability for the two kinds of inverse problems. To prove the results, we estimate the initial data by a terminal observation near the initial time, then we estimate this terminal observation by lateral boundary observation on arbitrary portion of the boundary or internal observation in a subregion inside the domain. To achieve those goals, we derive several new Carleman estimates for stochastic parabolic equations in this paper.

RecQL5 promotes genome stabilization through two parallel mechanisms--interacting with RNA polymerase II and acting as a helicase.

Science.gov (United States)

Islam, M Nurul; Fox, David; Guo, Rong; Enomoto, Takemi; Wang, Weidong

2010-05-01

The RecQL5 helicase is essential for maintaining genome stability and reducing cancer risk. To elucidate its mechanism of action, we purified a RecQL5-associated complex and identified its major component as RNA polymerase II (Pol II). Bioinformatics and structural modeling-guided mutagenesis revealed two conserved regions in RecQL5 as KIX and SRI domains, already known in transcriptional regulators for Pol II. The RecQL5-KIX domain binds both initiation (Pol IIa) and elongation (Pol IIo) forms of the polymerase, whereas the RecQL5-SRI domain interacts only with the elongation form. Fully functional RecQL5 requires both helicase activity and associations with the initiation polymerase, because mutants lacking either activity are partially defective in the suppression of sister chromatid exchange and resistance to camptothecin-induced DNA damage, and mutants lacking both activities are completely defective. We propose that RecQL5 promotes genome stabilization through two parallel mechanisms: by participation in homologous recombination-dependent DNA repair as a RecQ helicase and by regulating the initiation of Pol II to reduce transcription-associated replication impairment and recombination.

Mechanism of crack initiation and crack growth under thermal and mechanical fatigue loading

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Utz, S.; Soppa, E.; Silcher, H.; Kohler, C. [Stuttgart Univ. (Germany). Materials Testing Inst.

2013-07-01

The present contribution is focused on the experimental investigations and numerical simulations of the deformation behaviour and crack development in the austenitic stainless steel X6CrNiNb18-10 under thermal and mechanical cyclic loading in HCF and LCF regimes. The main objective of this research is the understanding of the basic mechanisms of fatigue damage and the development of simulation methods, which can be applied further in safety evaluations of nuclear power plant components. In this context the modelling of crack initiation and crack growth inside the material structure induced by varying thermal or mechanical loads are of particular interest. The mechanisms of crack initiation depend among other things on the type of loading, microstructure, material properties and temperature. The Nb-stabilized austenitic stainless steel in the solution-annealed condition was chosen for the investigations. Experiments with two kinds of cyclic loading - pure thermal and pure mechanical - were carried out and simulated. The fatigue behaviour of the steel X6CrNiNb18-10 under thermal loading was studied within the framework of the joint research project [4]. Interrupted thermal cyclic tests in the temperature range of 150 C to 300 C combined with non-destructive residual stress measurements (XRD) and various microscopic investigations, e.g. in SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope), were used to study the effects of thermal cyclic loading on the material. This thermal cyclic loading leads to thermal induced stresses and strains. As a result intrusions and extrusions appear inside the grains (at the surface), at which microcracks arise and evolve to a dominant crack. Finally, these microcracks cause a continuous and significant decrease of residual stresses. The fatigue behaviour of the steel X6CrNiNb18-10 under mechanical loading at room temperature was studied within the framework of the research project [5], [8]. With a combination of interrupted LCF tests and EBSD

Mechanism of crack initiation and crack growth under thermal and mechanical fatigue loading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Utz, S.; Soppa, E.; Silcher, H.; Kohler, C.

2013-01-01

The present contribution is focused on the experimental investigations and numerical simulations of the deformation behaviour and crack development in the austenitic stainless steel X6CrNiNb18-10 under thermal and mechanical cyclic loading in HCF and LCF regimes. The main objective of this research is the understanding of the basic mechanisms of fatigue damage and the development of simulation methods, which can be applied further in safety evaluations of nuclear power plant components. In this context the modelling of crack initiation and crack growth inside the material structure induced by varying thermal or mechanical loads are of particular interest. The mechanisms of crack initiation depend among other things on the type of loading, microstructure, material properties and temperature. The Nb-stabilized austenitic stainless steel in the solution-annealed condition was chosen for the investigations. Experiments with two kinds of cyclic loading - pure thermal and pure mechanical - were carried out and simulated. The fatigue behaviour of the steel X6CrNiNb18-10 under thermal loading was studied within the framework of the joint research project [4]. Interrupted thermal cyclic tests in the temperature range of 150 C to 300 C combined with non-destructive residual stress measurements (XRD) and various microscopic investigations, e.g. in SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope), were used to study the effects of thermal cyclic loading on the material. This thermal cyclic loading leads to thermal induced stresses and strains. As a result intrusions and extrusions appear inside the grains (at the surface), at which microcracks arise and evolve to a dominant crack. Finally, these microcracks cause a continuous and significant decrease of residual stresses. The fatigue behaviour of the steel X6CrNiNb18-10 under mechanical loading at room temperature was studied within the framework of the research project [5], [8]. With a combination of interrupted LCF tests and EBSD

Stability of vertical posture explored with unexpected mechanical perturbations: synergy indices and motor equivalence.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamagata, Momoko; Falaki, Ali; Latash, Mark L

2018-03-21

We explored the relations between indices of mechanical stability of vertical posture and synergy indices under unexpected perturbations. The main hypotheses predicted higher posture-stabilizing synergy indices and higher mechanical indices of center of pressure stability during perturbations perceived by subjects as less challenging. Healthy subjects stood on a force platform and held in fully extended arms a bar attached to two loads acting downward and upward. One of the loads was unexpectedly released by the experimenter causing a postural perturbations. In different series, subjects either knew or did not know which of the two loads would be released. Forward perturbations were perceived as more challenging and accompanied by co-activation patterns among the main agonist-antagonist pairs. Backward perturbation led to reciprocal muscle activation patterns and was accompanied by indices of mechanical stability and of posture-stabilizing synergy which indicated higher stability. Changes in synergy indices were observed as early as 50-100 ms following the perturbation reflecting involuntary mechanisms. In contrast, predictability of perturbation direction had weak or no effect on mechanical and synergy indices of stability. These observations are interpreted within a hierarchical scheme of synergic control of motor tasks and a hypothesis on the control of movements with shifts of referent coordinates. The findings show direct correspondence between stability indices based on mechanics and on the analysis of multi-muscle synergies. They suggest that involuntary posture-stabilizing mechanisms show synergic organization. They also show that predictability of perturbation direction has strong effects on anticipatory postural adjustment but not corrective adjustments. We offer an interpretation of co-activation patterns that questions their contribution to postural stability.

Effect of EVA on thermal stability, flammability, mechanical properties of HDPE/EVA/Mg(OH)2 composites

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, R.; Deng, Z. L.; Ma, Y. H.; Chen, X. L.

2017-06-01

In this work, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) is introduced to improve the properties of high-density polyethylene (HDPE)/magnesium hydroxide (MH) composites. The thermal stability, flame retardancy and mechanical properties of HDPE/EVA/MH composites are investigated and discussed. With increasing content of EVA, the limiting oxygen index (LOI) of the composites increases. The thermal stability analysis shows that the initial decomposition temperature begins at a low temperature; however, the residues of the composites at 600°C increase when HDPE is replaced by small amounts of EVA. The early degradation absorbs heat, dilute oxygen and residue. During this process, it protects the matrix inside. Compared with the HDPE/MH and EVA/MH composites, the ternary HDPE/EVA/MH composites exhibit better flame retardancy by increasing the LOI values, and reducing the heat release rate (HRR) and total heat release (THR). With increasing content of EVA, the mechanical properties can also be improved, which is attributed to the good affinity between EVA and MH particles.

Aespoe Pillar Stability Experiment. Final coupled 3D thermo-mechanical modeling. Preliminary particle mechanical modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wanne, Toivo; Johansson, Erik; Potyondy, David

2004-02-01

SKB is planning to perform a large-scale pillar stability experiment called APSE (Aespoe Pillar Stability Experiment) at Aespoe HRL. The study is focused on understanding and control of progressive rock failure in hard crystalline rock and damage caused by high stresses. The elastic thermo-mechanical modeling was carried out in three dimensions because of the complex test geometry and in-situ stress tensor by using a finite-difference modeling software FLAC3D. Cracking and damage formation were modeled in the area of interest (pillar between two large scale holes) in two dimensions by using the Particle Flow Code (PFC), which is based on particle mechanics. FLAC and PFC were coupled to minimize the computer resources and the computing time. According to the modeling the initial temperature rises from 15 deg C to about 65 deg C in the pillar area during the heating period of 120 days. The rising temperature due to thermal expansion induces stresses in the pillar area and after 120 days heating the stresses have increased about 33% from the excavation induced maximum stress of 150 MPa to 200 MPa in the end of the heating period. The results from FLAC3D model showed that only regions where the crack initiation stress has exceeded were identified and they extended to about two meters down the hole wall. These could be considered the areas where damage may occur during the in-situ test. When the other hole is pressurized with a 0.8 MPa confining pressure it yields that 5 MPa more stress is needed to damage the rock than without confining pressure. This makes the damaged area in some degree smaller. High compressive stresses in addition to some tensile stresses might induce some AE (acoustic emission) activity in the upper part of the hole from the very beginning of the test and are thus potential areas where AE activities may be detected. Monitoring like acoustic emissions will be measured during the test execution. The 2D coupled PFC-FLAC modeling indicated that

Aespoe Pillar Stability Experiment. Final coupled 3D thermo-mechanical modeling. Preliminary particle mechanical modeling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wanne, Toivo; Johansson, Erik; Potyondy, David [Saanio and Riekkola Oy, Helsinki (Finland)

2004-02-01

SKB is planning to perform a large-scale pillar stability experiment called APSE (Aespoe Pillar Stability Experiment) at Aespoe HRL. The study is focused on understanding and control of progressive rock failure in hard crystalline rock and damage caused by high stresses. The elastic thermo-mechanical modeling was carried out in three dimensions because of the complex test geometry and in-situ stress tensor by using a finite-difference modeling software FLAC3D. Cracking and damage formation were modeled in the area of interest (pillar between two large scale holes) in two dimensions by using the Particle Flow Code (PFC), which is based on particle mechanics. FLAC and PFC were coupled to minimize the computer resources and the computing time. According to the modeling the initial temperature rises from 15 deg C to about 65 deg C in the pillar area during the heating period of 120 days. The rising temperature due to thermal expansion induces stresses in the pillar area and after 120 days heating the stresses have increased about 33% from the excavation induced maximum stress of 150 MPa to 200 MPa in the end of the heating period. The results from FLAC3D model showed that only regions where the crack initiation stress has exceeded were identified and they extended to about two meters down the hole wall. These could be considered the areas where damage may occur during the in-situ test. When the other hole is pressurized with a 0.8 MPa confining pressure it yields that 5 MPa more stress is needed to damage the rock than without confining pressure. This makes the damaged area in some degree smaller. High compressive stresses in addition to some tensile stresses might induce some AE (acoustic emission) activity in the upper part of the hole from the very beginning of the test and are thus potential areas where AE activities may be detected. Monitoring like acoustic emissions will be measured during the test execution. The 2D coupled PFC-FLAC modeling indicated that

The formation of the economic mechanism of stabilization of enterprise’s activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. A. Zaporozhtseva

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The authors bring the research of regularities of enterprise’s economic development; bring the research of change sequence of life cycle stages in the article. There is established that a stage of maturity not always gives way to decline stage and in the next to crisis stage. Life processes of "ageing" of the enterprise can be successfully resisted. It is proved that the stage of maturity of the enterprise is associated with a "crisis of stability". Getting into the stages of recession, growth or maintaining stability becomes the way out of the crisis. The authors prove that there are such zones of staying on the life cycle’s curve in the practice of commercial organizations functioning when it is necessary to use the mechanism of stabilization (at detection of "crisis of stability", at transfer from the stage of maturity to the stage of recession and at diagnostics of hit to the stage of recession. In this regard the authors elaborate an economic mechanism for stabilization of the enterprise’s activity as a system of measures aimed at maintaining the achieved financial balance of the enterprise in a long period, which includes the following blocks: information support of the assessment of financial condition; assessment of the level of payment, business and capital stability of the enterprise; determination of the stage of the enterprise’s life cycle; characteristics of the applicable strategy; the need to use the tools for adjust the strategy to stabilize the enterprise’s activity and evaluate the results. At the same time, it is important to focus on maintaining achievable growth rates through the using of special management decisions, along with monitoring the life cycle and controlling the financial condition of the enterprise. The introduction of the economic stabilization mechanism in the enterprise’s activity jointly with the existing organizational and economic mechanism will correct the elements of the basic mechanism and

The stability mechanism of MJ0305

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Hyundeok; Beck, Thomas

2010-10-01

Methanococcus jannaschii (MJ) is a methane-producing thermophile, which was discovered in a 2600m-deep Pacific Ocean vent in 1983. It has the ability to thrive at high temperatures and high pressures, which are unfavorable for most life forms. There have been some experiments to study its stability under extreme conditions, but still the origin of the stability of MJ is not exactly known. MJ0305 is MJ's chloride channel protein. We have investigated the stability mechanism of MJ0305 by computer simulation. The structure of MJ0305 was built by homology modeling. We compared the stability of MJ0305 with mesophilic Ecoli at 300K, 330K, 360K, and 1atm, 130atm, 260atm by computer simulation to test the effects of both temperature and pressure. Our results show that high temperatures and high pressures significantly affect the salt bridges and hydrogen bonds. High temperatures decreased the average number of hydrogen bonds for Ecoli and MJ0305. However, high pressures at 360K increased the number of salt bridges for Ecoli and MJ0305. The radius of gyration of MJ0305 was decreased at high temperatures. Increased compactness at high temperatures, and Increased salt bridges at high pressures make MJ0305 more stable. This research may have impacts on renewable energy and chemical sensors.

International normalized ratio stabilization in newly initiated warfarin patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Winnie W; Desai, Sunita; Damaraju, C V; Lu, Lang; Fields, Larry E; Wildgoose, Peter; Schein, Jeff R

2014-12-01

Warfarin is effective for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), but international normalized ratio (INR) levels fluctuate and frequent monitoring is necessary. This study used data from a large anticoagulation management service database to analyze the relationship between INR stabilization and warfarin utilization for >1 year in patients with nonvalvular AF (NVAF). Anticoagulation records from a large US electronic database collected from 2006 to 2010 were analyzed. Patients with NVAF and ≥ 3 INR values in the dataset were identified (n = 15,276). INR stabilization was defined as the first three consecutive INR values between 2.0 and 3.0 after warfarin initiation. One quarter of patients (n = 3809) failed to reach INR stabilization. After initial stabilization, 30% of subsequent INR values were out of range. The mean (± standard deviation [SD]) follow-up time from stabilization to the end of study for these patients was 494.2 ± 418.1 days. Age ≥ 75 years (odds ratio [OR] = 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.08-1.27), hypertension (OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.10-1.29), or prior stroke (OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.04-1.61) were positively associated with achieving stabilization; heart failure was negatively associated with stabilization (OR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.70-0.87). Male gender (p < 0.0001) and hypertension were associated with earlier stabilization (p = 0.0013); heart failure was associated with later stabilization (p = 0.0098). Patients who achieved INR stabilization within 1 year were 10 times more likely to remain on warfarin than patients who did not achieve it. Observational data may contain incomplete records. Data on adherence, concurrent medications, vitamin K intake, genotype, reasons for discontinuation of monitoring, and patient outcomes were not available in the dataset. The study findings were generalizable only to patients with AF who were managed by anticoagulation clinics. Given the importance of stroke prevention among

Mechanical stability of titanium and plasma polymer nanoclusters in nanocomposite coatings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palesch, E. [Institute of Materials Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, Brno (Czech Republic); Marek, A. [HVM Plasma, spol. s r.o., Prague (Czech Republic); Solar, P.; Kylian, O. [Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Prague (Czech Republic); Vyskocil, J. [HVM Plasma, spol. s r.o., Prague (Czech Republic); Biederman, H. [Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Prague (Czech Republic); Cech, V., E-mail: cech@fch.vutbr.cz [Institute of Materials Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, Brno (Czech Republic)

2013-10-01

The mechanical stability of nanoclusters embedded in nanocomposite coatings was investigated by scratch and wear tests supported by atomic force microscopy using surface topography mode. Titanium and plasma polymer nanoclusters were deposited on planar substrates (glass, titanium) using a magnetron-based gas aggregation cluster source. The deposited clusters were overcoated with a thin titanium film of different thicknesses to stabilize the position of the clusters in the nanocomposite coating. Nanotribological measurements were carried out to optimize the thickness of the overcoating film for sufficient interfacial adhesion of the cluster/film system. - Highlights: ► Titanium and plasma polymer nanoclusters were overcoated with thin titanium film. ► The mechanical stability of nanoclusters was characterized by nanotribological tests. ► The film thickness was optimized to stabilize the position of the clusters in coating.

Aging effect on step adjustments and stability control in visually perturbed gait initiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Ruopeng; Cui, Chuyi; Shea, John B

2017-10-01

Gait adaptability is essential for fall avoidance during locomotion. It requires the ability to rapidly inhibit original motor planning, select and execute alternative motor commands, while also maintaining the stability of locomotion. This study investigated the aging effect on gait adaptability and dynamic stability control during a visually perturbed gait initiation task. A novel approach was used such that the anticipatory postural adjustment (APA) during gait initiation were used to trigger the unpredictable relocation of a foot-size stepping target. Participants (10 young adults and 10 older adults) completed visually perturbed gait initiation in three adjustment timing conditions (early, intermediate, late; all extracted from the stereotypical APA pattern) and two adjustment direction conditions (medial, lateral). Stepping accuracy, foot rotation at landing, and Margin of Dynamic Stability (MDS) were analyzed and compared across test conditions and groups using a linear mixed model. Stepping accuracy decreased as a function of adjustment timing as well as stepping direction, with older subjects exhibited a significantly greater undershoot in foot placement to late lateral stepping. Late adjustment also elicited a reaching-like movement (i.e. foot rotation prior to landing in order to step on the target), regardless of stepping direction. MDS measures in the medial-lateral and anterior-posterior direction revealed both young and older adults exhibited reduced stability in the adjustment step and subsequent steps. However, young adults returned to stable gait faster than older adults. These findings could be useful for future study of screening deficits in gait adaptability and preventing falls. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING THE AUTOMATIC FISCAL STABILIZERS OPERATING MECHANISM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gondor Mihaela

2012-07-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the role of Automatic Fiscal Stabilizers (AFS for stabilizing the cyclical fluctuations of macroeconomic output as an alternative to discretionary fiscal policy, admitting its huge potential of being an anti crisis solution. The objectives of the study are the identification of the general features of the concept of automatic fiscal stabilizers and the logical assessment of them from economic perspectives. Based on the literature in the field, this paper points out the disadvantages of fiscal discretionary policy and argue the need of using Automatic Fiscal Stabilizers in order to provide a faster decision making process, shielded from political interference, and reduced uncertainty for households and business environment. The paper conclude about the need of using fiscal policy for smoothing the economic cycle, but in a way which includes among its features transparency, responsibility and clear operating mechanisms. Based on the research results the present paper assumes that pro-cyclicality reduces de effectiveness of the Automatic Fiscal Stabilizer and as a result concludes that it is very important to avoid the pro-cyclicality in fiscal rule design. Moreover, by committing in advance to specific fiscal policy action contingent on economic developments, uncertainty about the fiscal policy framework during a recession should be reduced. Being based on logical analysis and not focused on empirical, contextualized one, the paper presents some features of AFS operating mechanism and also identifies and systematizes the factors which provide its importance and national individuality. Reaching common understanding on the Automatic Fiscal Stabilizer concept as a institutional device for smoothing the gap of the economic cycles across different countries, particularly for the European Union Member States, will facilitate efforts to coordinate fiscal policy responses during a crisis, especially in the context of the fiscal

CarD uses a minor groove wedge mechanism to stabilize the RNA polymerase open promoter complex.

Science.gov (United States)

Bae, Brian; Chen, James; Davis, Elizabeth; Leon, Katherine; Darst, Seth A; Campbell, Elizabeth A

2015-09-08

A key point to regulate gene expression is at transcription initiation, and activators play a major role. CarD, an essential activator in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is found in many bacteria, including Thermus species, but absent in Escherichia coli. To delineate the molecular mechanism of CarD, we determined crystal structures of Thermus transcription initiation complexes containing CarD. The structures show CarD interacts with the unique DNA topology presented by the upstream double-stranded/single-stranded DNA junction of the transcription bubble. We confirm that our structures correspond to functional activation complexes, and extend our understanding of the role of a conserved CarD Trp residue that serves as a minor groove wedge, preventing collapse of the transcription bubble to stabilize the transcription initiation complex. Unlike E. coli RNAP, many bacterial RNAPs form unstable promoter complexes, explaining the need for CarD.

Methods of stability analysis in nonlinear mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warnock, R.L.; Ruth, R.D.; Gabella, W.; Ecklund, K.

1989-01-01

We review our recent work on methods to study stability in nonlinear mechanics, especially for the problems of particle accelerators, and compare our ideals to those of other authors. We emphasize methods that (1) show promise as practical design tools, (2) are effective when the nonlinearity is large, and (3) have a strong theoretical basis. 24 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs

Enhanced stability of steep channel beds to mass failure and debris flow initiation

Science.gov (United States)

Prancevic, J.; Lamb, M. P.; Ayoub, F.; Venditti, J. G.

2015-12-01

Debris flows dominate bedrock erosion and sediment transport in very steep mountain channels, and are often initiated from failure of channel-bed alluvium during storms. While several theoretical models exist to predict mass failures, few have been tested because observations of in-channel bed failures are extremely limited. To fill this gap in our understanding, we performed laboratory flume experiments to identify the conditions necessary to initiate bed failures in non-cohesive sediment of different sizes (D = 0.7 mm to 15 mm) on steep channel-bed slopes (S = 0.45 to 0.93) and in the presence of water flow. In beds composed of sand, failures occurred under sub-saturated conditions on steep bed slopes (S > 0.5) and under super-saturated conditions at lower slopes. In beds of gravel, however, failures occurred only under super-saturated conditions at all tested slopes, even those approaching the dry angle of repose. Consistent with theoretical models, mass failures under super-saturated conditions initiated along a failure plane approximately one grain-diameter below the bed surface, whereas the failure plane was located near the base of the bed under sub-saturated conditions. However, all experimental beds were more stable than predicted by 1-D infinite-slope stability models. In partially saturated sand, enhanced stability appears to result from suction stress. Enhanced stability in gravel may result from turbulent energy losses in pores or increased granular friction for failures that are shallow with respect to grain size. These grain-size dependent effects are not currently included in stability models for non-cohesive sediment, and they may help to explain better the timing and location of debris flow occurrence.

Comparative genomic analysis of translation initiation mechanisms for genes lacking the Shine–Dalgarno sequence in prokaryotes

KAUST Repository

Nakagawa, So

2017-02-15

In prokaryotes, translation initiation is believed to occur through an interaction between the 3\\' tail of a 16S rRNA and a corresponding Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence in the 5\\' untranslated region (UTR) of an mRNA. However, some genes lack SD sequences (non-SD genes), and the fraction of non-SD genes in a genome varies depending on the prokaryotic species. To elucidate non-SD translation initiation mechanisms in prokaryotes from an evolutionary perspective, we statistically examined the nucleotide frequencies around the initiation codons in non-SD genes from 260 prokaryotes (235 bacteria and 25 archaea). We identified distinct nucleotide frequency biases upstream of the initiation codon in bacteria and archaea, likely because of the presence of leaderless mRNAs lacking a 5\\' UTR. Moreover, we observed overall similarities in the nucleotide patterns between upstream and downstream regions of the initiation codon in all examined phyla. Symmetric nucleotide frequency biases might facilitate translation initiation by preventing the formation of secondary structures around the initiation codon. These features are more prominent in species\\' genomes that harbor large fractions of non-SD sequences, suggesting that a reduced stability around the initiation codon is important for efficient translation initiation in prokaryotes.

Comparative genomic analysis of translation initiation mechanisms for genes lacking the Shine–Dalgarno sequence in prokaryotes

KAUST Repository

Nakagawa, So; Niimura, Yoshihito; Gojobori, Takashi

2017-01-01

In prokaryotes, translation initiation is believed to occur through an interaction between the 3' tail of a 16S rRNA and a corresponding Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence in the 5' untranslated region (UTR) of an mRNA. However, some genes lack SD sequences (non-SD genes), and the fraction of non-SD genes in a genome varies depending on the prokaryotic species. To elucidate non-SD translation initiation mechanisms in prokaryotes from an evolutionary perspective, we statistically examined the nucleotide frequencies around the initiation codons in non-SD genes from 260 prokaryotes (235 bacteria and 25 archaea). We identified distinct nucleotide frequency biases upstream of the initiation codon in bacteria and archaea, likely because of the presence of leaderless mRNAs lacking a 5' UTR. Moreover, we observed overall similarities in the nucleotide patterns between upstream and downstream regions of the initiation codon in all examined phyla. Symmetric nucleotide frequency biases might facilitate translation initiation by preventing the formation of secondary structures around the initiation codon. These features are more prominent in species' genomes that harbor large fractions of non-SD sequences, suggesting that a reduced stability around the initiation codon is important for efficient translation initiation in prokaryotes.

Chemical cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol/cellulose nanocrystal composite films with high structural stability by spraying Fenton reagent as initiator.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Meili; Yu, Houyong; Gu, Jiping; Ye, Shounuan; Zhou, Yuwei

2018-07-01

Cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composite films with high structural stability were prepared by free radical copolymerization between cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) and maleic anhydride (MAH) modified PVA through spraying Fenton free radical as initiator. The influence of chemical cross-linked and physical network structure on mechanical, thermal and water absorption properties of the composite films were investigated. Compared to PVA and PVA/CNC composite film, significant improvements in the mechanical, thermal and water uptake properties of the cross-linked composite film were found. The tensile strength of the cross-linked composite film was enhanced from 23.1MPa (neat PVA film) and 32.6MPa (PVA/CNC-10%) to 42.5MPa, and the maximum thermal degradation temperature was increased from 266.8°C and 281.2°C to 366.7°C (cross-linked composite film). Besides, the water absorption was reduced from 385.9% and 220.6% to 175.7% for cross-linked composite film. It indicates that compared with physical network structure in PVA/CNC composite film, the multiple cross-linked networks showed excellent thermal stability, resistance of water swelling and structural stability at the same CNC loading level. Thus, the PVA/CNC composite film with the multiple cross-linked network shows greater property reinforcements. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Finite element analysis of mechanical stability of coarsened nanoporous gold

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Hoon-Hwe; Chen-Wiegart, Yu-chen Karen; Dunand, David C.

2016-01-01

The mechanical stability of nanoporous gold (np-Au) at various stages of thermal coarsening is studied via finite element analysis under volumetric compression using np-Au architectures imaged via X-ray nano-tomography. As the np-Au is coarsened thermally over ligament sizes ranging from 185 to 465 nm, the pore volume fraction is determinant for the mechanical stability of the coarsened np-Au, unlike the curvature and surface orientation of the ligaments. The computed Young's modulus and yield strength of the structures are compared with the Gibson–Ashby model. The geometry of the structures determines the locations where stress concentrations occur at the onset of yielding.

Aespoe Pillar Stability Experiment. Final 2D coupled thermo-mechanical modelling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fredriksson, Anders; Staub, Isabelle; Outters, Nils [Golder Associates AB, Uppsala (Sweden)

2004-02-01

A site scale Pillar Stability Experiment is planned in the Aespoe Hard Rock Laboratory. One of the experiment's aims is to demonstrate the possibilities of predicting spalling in the fractured rock mass. In order to investigate the probability and conditions for spalling in the pillar 'prior to experiment' numerical simulations have been undertaken. This report presents the results obtained from 2D coupled thermo-mechanical numerical simulations that have been done with the Finite Element based programme JobFem. The 2D numerical simulations were conducted at two different depth levels, 0.5 and 1.5 m below tunnel floor. The in situ stresses have been confirmed with convergence measurements during the excavation of the tunnel. After updating the mechanical and thermal properties of the rock mass the final simulations have been undertaken. According to the modelling results the temperature in the pillar will increase from the initial 15.2 deg up to 58 deg after 120 days of heating. Based on these numerical simulations and on the thermal induced stresses the total stresses are expected to exceed 210 MPa at the border of the pillar for the level at 0.5 m below tunnel floor and might reach 180-182 MPa for the level at 1.5 m below tunnel floor. The stresses are slightly higher at the border of the confined hole. Upon these results and according to the rock mechanical properties the Crack Initiation Stress is exceeded at the border of the pillar already after the excavation phase. These results also illustrate that the Crack Damage Stress is exceeded only for the level at 0.5 m below tunnel floor and after at least 80 days of heating. The interpretation of the results shows that the required level of stress for spalling can be reached in the pillar.

Evolution of the Stability Work from Classic Retaining Walls to Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anghel Stanciu

2008-01-01

Full Text Available For the consolidation of soil mass and the construction of the stability works for roads infrastructure it was studied the evolution of these kinds of works from classical retaining walls - common concrete retaining walls, to the utilization in our days of the modern and competitive methods - mechanically stabilized earth walls. Like type of execution the variety of the reinforced soil is given by the utilization of different types of reinforcing inclusions (steel strips, geosynthetics, geogrids or facing (precast concrete panels, dry cast modular blocks, metal sheets and plates, gabions, and wrapped sheets of geosynthetics.

[Stabilization of Cadmium Contaminated Soils by Ferric Ion Modified Attapulgite (Fe/ATP)--Characterizations and Stabilization Mechanism].

Science.gov (United States)

Rong, Yang; Li, Rong-bo; Zhou, Yong-li; Chen, Jing; Wang, Lin-ling; Lu, Xiao-hua

2015-08-01

Ferric ion modified attapulgite (Fe/ATP) was prepared by impregnation and its structure and morphology were characterized. The toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) was used to evaluate the effect of Cadmium( Cd) stabilization in soil with the addition of attapulgite (ATP) and Fe/ATP. The stabilization mechanism of Cd was further elucidated by comparing the morphologies and structure of ATP and Fe/ATP before and after Cd adsorption. Fe/ATP exhibited much better adsorption capacity than ATP, suggesting different adsorption mechanisms occurred between ATP and Fe/ATP. The leaching concentrations of Cd in soil decreased by 45% and 91% respectively, with the addition of wt. 20% ATP and Fe/ATP. The former was attributed to the interaction between Cd2 and --OH groups by chemical binding to form inner-sphere complexes in ATP and the attachment between Cd2+ and the defect sites in ATP framework. Whereas Cd stabilization with Fe/ATP was resulted from the fact that the active centers (--OH bonds or O- sites) on ATP could react with Fe3+ giving Fe--O--Cd-- bridges, which helped stabilize Cd in surface soil. What'more, the ferric oxides and metal hydroxides on the surface of ATP could interact with Cd, probably by the formation of cadmium ferrite. In conclusion, Fe/ATP, which can be easily prepared, holds promise as a potential low-cost and environmental friendly stabilizing agent for remediation of soil contaminated with heavy metals.

Vibration Stabilization of a Mechanical Model of a X-Band Linear Collider Final Focus Magnet

CERN Document Server

Frisch, J; Decker, V; Hendrickson, L; Markiewicz, T W; Partridge, R; Seryi, Andrei

2004-01-01

The small beam sizes at the interaction point of a X-band linear collider require mechanical stabilization of the final focus magnets at the nanometer level. While passive systems provide adequate performance at many potential sites, active mechanical stabilization is useful if the natural or cultural ground vibration is higher than expected. A mechanical model of a room temperature linear collider final focus magnet has been constructed and actively stabilized with an accelerometer based system.

Vibration Stabilization of a Mechanical Model of a X-Band Linear Collider Final Focus Magnet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frisch, Josef; Chang, Allison; Decker, Valentin; Doyle, Eric; Eriksson, Leif; Hendrickson, Linda; Himel, Thomas; Markiewicz, Thomas; Partridge, Richard; Seryi, Andrei; SLAC

2006-01-01

The small beam sizes at the interaction point of a X-band linear collider require mechanical stabilization of the final focus magnets at the nanometer level. While passive systems provide adequate performance at many potential sites, active mechanical stabilization is useful if the natural or cultural ground vibration is higher than expected. A mechanical model of a room temperature linear collider final focus magnet has been constructed and actively stabilized with an accelerometer based system

Geared Topological Metamaterials with Tunable Mechanical Stability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne S. Meeussen

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The classification of materials into insulators and conductors has been shaken up by the discovery of topological insulators that conduct robustly at the edge but not in the bulk. In mechanics, designating a material as insulating or conducting amounts to asking if it is rigid or floppy. Although mechanical structures that display topological floppy modes have been proposed, they are all vulnerable to global collapse. Here, we design and build mechanical metamaterials that are stable and yet capable of harboring protected edge and bulk modes, analogous to those in electronic topological insulators and Weyl semimetals. To do so, we exploit gear assemblies that, unlike point masses connected by springs, incorporate both translational and rotational degrees of freedom. Global structural stability is achieved by eliminating geometrical frustration of collective gear rotations extending through the assembly. The topological robustness of the mechanical modes makes them appealing across scales from engineered macrostructures to networks of toothed microrotors of potential use in micromachines.

Structure and Mechanical Properties of Al-Cu-Fe-X Alloys with Excellent Thermal Stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Školáková, Andrea; Novák, Pavel; Mejzlíková, Lucie; Průša, Filip; Salvetr, Pavel; Vojtěch, Dalibor

2017-11-05

In this work, the structure and mechanical properties of innovative Al-Cu-Fe based alloys were studied. We focused on preparation and characterization of rapidly solidified and hot extruded Al-Cu-Fe, Al-Cu-Fe-Ni and Al-Cu-Fe-Cr alloys. The content of transition metals affects mechanical properties and structure. For this reason, microstructure, phase composition, hardness and thermal stability have been investigated in this study. The results showed exceptional thermal stability of these alloys and very good values of mechanical properties. Alloying by chromium ensured the highest thermal stability, while nickel addition refined the structure of the consolidated alloy. High thermal stability of all tested alloys was described in context with the transformation of the quasicrystalline phases to other types of intermetallics.

RecO protein initiates DNA recombination and strand annealing through two alternative DNA binding mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryzhikov, Mikhail; Gupta, Richa; Glickman, Michael; Korolev, Sergey

2014-10-17

Recombination mediator proteins (RMPs) are important for genome stability in all organisms. Several RMPs support two alternative reactions: initiation of homologous recombination and DNA annealing. We examined mechanisms of RMPs in both reactions with Mycobacterium smegmatis RecO (MsRecO) and demonstrated that MsRecO interacts with ssDNA by two distinct mechanisms. Zinc stimulates MsRecO binding to ssDNA during annealing, whereas the recombination function is zinc-independent and is regulated by interaction with MsRecR. Thus, different structural motifs or conformations of MsRecO are responsible for interaction with ssDNA during annealing and recombination. Neither annealing nor recombinase loading depends on MsRecO interaction with the conserved C-terminal tail of single-stranded (ss) DNA-binding protein (SSB), which is known to bind Escherichia coli RecO. However, similarly to E. coli proteins, MsRecO and MsRecOR do not dismiss SSB from ssDNA, suggesting that RMPs form a complex with SSB-ssDNA even in the absence of binding to the major protein interaction motif. We propose that alternative conformations of such complexes define the mechanism by which RMPs initiate the repair of stalled replication and support two different functions during recombinational repair of DNA breaks. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Subsurface crack initiation and propagation mechanisms in gigacycle fatigue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Zhiyong; Wagner, Daniele; Bathias, Claude; Paris, Paul C.

2010-01-01

In the very high cycle regime (N f > 10 7 cycles) cracks can nucleate on inclusions, 'supergrains' and pores, which leads to fish-eye propagation around the defect. The initiation from an inclusion or other defect is almost equal to the total crack growth lifetime, perhaps much more than 99% of this lifetime in many cases. Integration of the Paris law allows one to predict the number of cycles to crack initiation. A cyclic plastic zone around the crack exists, and recording the surface temperature of the sample during the test may allow one to follow crack propagation and determine the number of cycles to crack initiation. A thermo-mechanical model has been developed. In this study several fish-eyes from various materials have been observed by scanning electron microscopy, and the fractographic results analyzed as they related to the mechanical and thermo-mechanical models.

Influence of slope and gradation on rip rap stability and degradation mechanisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lefebvre, G.; Rohan, K.; Belfahdel, M. B.

1997-01-01

A major investigation was undertaken at the La Grande hydroelectric complex with some 220 dikes and dams to study rip rap stability and repair. Degradation mechanisms were also studied under laboratory conditions to verify the main field study conclusions and to test different repair techniques. The result of both laboratory and field observation was that rip rap gradation has only marginal effect on slope stability and degradation mechanisms. On the other hand, the inclusion of even a small fraction of fine blocks (as little as 10 per cent) into the rip rap was shown to be very detrimental to the stability of steep rip rap but only marginally effective on flat slopes. 15 refs., 8 figs

Structure and Mechanical Properties of Al-Cu-Fe-X Alloys with Excellent Thermal Stability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Školáková

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In this work, the structure and mechanical properties of innovative Al-Cu-Fe based alloys were studied. We focused on preparation and characterization of rapidly solidified and hot extruded Al-Cu-Fe, Al-Cu-Fe-Ni and Al-Cu-Fe-Cr alloys. The content of transition metals affects mechanical properties and structure. For this reason, microstructure, phase composition, hardness and thermal stability have been investigated in this study. The results showed exceptional thermal stability of these alloys and very good values of mechanical properties. Alloying by chromium ensured the highest thermal stability, while nickel addition refined the structure of the consolidated alloy. High thermal stability of all tested alloys was described in context with the transformation of the quasicrystalline phases to other types of intermetallics.

Multiple-shock initiation via statistical crack mechanics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dienes, J.K.; Kershner, J.D.

1998-12-31

Statistical Crack Mechanics (SCRAM) is a theoretical approach to the behavior of brittle materials that accounts for the behavior of an ensemble of microcracks, including their opening, shear, growth, and coalescence. Mechanical parameters are based on measured strain-softening behavior. In applications to explosive and propellant sensitivity it is assumed that closed cracks act as hot spots, and that the heating due to interfacial friction initiates reactions which are modeled as one-dimensional heat flow with an Arrhenius source term, and computed in a subscale grid. Post-ignition behavior of hot spots is treated with the burn model of Ward, Son and Brewster. Numerical calculations using SCRAM-HYDROX are compared with the multiple-shock experiments of Mulford et al. in which the particle velocity in PBX 9501 is measured with embedded wires, and reactions are initiated and quenched.

Facile fabrication of a superhydrophobic fabric with mechanical stability and easy-repairability.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Xiaotao; Zhang, Zhaozhu; Yang, Jin; Xu, Xianghui; Men, Xuehu; Zhou, Xiaoyan

2012-08-15

The poor mechanical stability of superhydrophobic fabrics severely hindered their use in practical applications. Herein, to address this problem, we fabricated a superhydrophobic fabric with both mechanical stability and easy-repairability by a simple method. The mechanical durability of the obtained superhydrophobic fabric was evaluated by finger touching and abrasion with sandpaper. The results show that rough surface textures of the fabric were retained, and the fabric surface still exhibited superhydrophobicity after tests. More importantly, when the fabric lost its superhydrophobicity after a long-time abrasion, it can be easily rendered with superhydrophobicity once more by a regeneration process. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mechanical stability of heat-treated nanoporous anodic alumina subjected to repetitive mechanical deformation

Science.gov (United States)

Bankova, A.; Videkov, V.; Tzaneva, B.; Mitov, M.

2018-03-01

We report studies on the mechanical response and deformation behavior of heat-treated nanoporous anodic alumina using a micro-balance test and experimental test equipment especially designed for this purpose. AAO samples were characterized mechanically by a three-point bending test using a micro-analytical balance. The deformation behavior was studied by repetitive mechanical bending of the AAO membranes using an electronically controlled system. The nanoporous AAO structures were prepared electrochemically from Al sheet substrates using a two-step anodizing technique in oxalic acid followed by heat treatment at 700 °C in air. The morphological study of the aluminum oxide layer after the mechanical tests and mechanical deformation was conducted using scanning electron and optical microscopy, respectively. The experimental results showed that the techniques proposed are simple and accurate; they could, therefore, be combined to constitute a method for mechanical stability assessment of nanostructured AAO films, which are important structural components in the design of MEMS devices and sensors.

Method and Mechanisms of Soil Stabilization Using Electric Arc Furnace Dust

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Amoudi, Omar S. Baghabra; Al-Homidy, Abdullah A.; Maslehuddin, Mohammed; Saleh, Tawfik A.

2017-04-01

This paper reports the method and mechanism for improving the strength of marl and desert sand utilizing electric arc furnace dust (EAFD), an industrial by-product, in lieu of cement or lime. EAFD was used in conjunction with a small quantity (2%) of cement. The mechanical properties and durability characteristics of marl and sand mixed with 2% cement plus 5-, 10-, 20- or 30%-EAFD, by weight of the soil, were evaluated. The soil-cement-EAFD mixtures were used to determine their unconfined compressive strength (UCS), soaked California Bearing Ratio (CBR) and durability. The risk of leaching of toxic heavy metals, such as lead and cadmium, from the stabilized soils to the groundwater was also investigated. The mechanisms of stabilization of the selected soils due to the use of EAFD along with a small quantity of cement are also elucidated. The usage of 20 to 30% EAFD with 2% cement was noted to considerably improve the mechanical properties and durability of both marl and sand.

Influence of mechanical and thermal treatments on microstructure and mechanical properties of titanium stabilized austenitic stainless steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sidhom, H.

1983-12-01

Thermal and mechanical treatments for microstructure optimization in titanium stabilized austenitic stainless steels used in nuclear industry are examined. The steels studied Z10CNDT15-15B and Z6CNDT17-13 are of the type 15-15 Ti and 316 Ti. These treatments allow the elimination of casting heterogeneity produced by dendritic solidification, improve mechanical properties particularly creep and the best compromise between grain size solid solution of metal additions is obtained. Secondary precipitation of (TiMo)C on dislocations is improved by a previous strain hardening. The precipitation reinforce the good effect of strain hardening by stabilization of the microstructure producing a better resistance to recrystallization [fr

Cu-based shape memory alloys with enhanced thermal stability and mechanical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, C.Y.; Lam, C.W.H.

1999-01-01

Cu-based shape memory alloys were developed in the 1960s. They show excellent thermoelastic martensitic transformation. However the problems in mechanical properties and thermal instability have inhibited them from becoming promising engineering alloys. A new Cu-Zn-Al-Mn-Zr Cu-based shape memory alloy has been developed. With the addition of Mn and Zr, the martensitic transformation behaviour and the grain size ca be better controlled. The new alloys demonstrates good mechanical properties with ultimate tensile strenght and ductility, being 460 MPa and 9%, respectively. Experimental results revealed that the alloy has better thermal stability, i.e. martensite stabilisation is less serious. In ordinary Cu-Zn-Al alloys, martensite stabilisation usually occurs at room temperature. The new alloy shows better thermal stability even at elevated temperature (∝150 C, >A f =80 C). A limited small amount of martensite stabilisation was observed upon ageing of the direct quenched samples as well as the step quenched samples. This implies that the thermal stability of the new alloy is less dependent on the quenching procedure. Furthermore, such minor martensite stabilisation can be removed by subsequent suitable parent phase ageing. The new alloy is ideal for engineering applications because of its better thermal stability and better mechanical properties. (orig.)

Stability characteristics of compressible boundary layers over thermo-mechanically compliant walls

Science.gov (United States)

Dettenrieder, Fabian; Bodony, Daniel

2017-11-01

Transition prediction at hypersonic flight conditions continues to be a challenge and results in conservative safety factors that increase vehicle weight. The weight and thus cost reduction of the outer skin panels promises significant impact; however, fluid-structure interaction due to unsteady perturbations in the laminar boundary layer regime has not been systematically studied at conditions relevant for reusable, hypersonic flight. In this talk, we develop and apply convective and global stability analyses for compressible boundary layers over thermo-mechanically compliant panels. This compliance is shown to change the convective stability of the boundary layer modes, with both stabilization and destabilization observed. Finite panel lengths are shown to affect the global stability properties of the boundary layer.

Thermal and mechanical stability of zeolitic imidazolate frameworks polymorphs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lila Bouëssel du Bourg

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Theoretical studies on the experimental feasibility of hypothetical Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks (ZIFs have focused so far on relative energy of various polymorphs by energy minimization at the quantum chemical level. We present here a systematic study of stability of 18 ZIFs as a function of temperature and pressure by molecular dynamics simulations. This approach allows us to better understand the limited stability of some experimental structures upon solvent or guest removal. We also find that many of the hypothetical ZIFs proposed in the literature are not stable at room temperature. Mechanical and thermal stability criteria thus need to be considered for the prediction of new MOF structures. Finally, we predict a variety of thermal expansion behavior for ZIFs as a function of framework topology, with some materials showing large negative volume thermal expansion.

THE EUROPEAN MECHANISM FOR FINANCIAL STABILITY AND THE EURO-PLUS PACT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

AUGUSTIN FUEREA

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The economic crisis that has affected countries from all continents has generated, among others, also a strong financial crisis, which in turn, has caused serious imbalances in the economic and financial environment of EU Member States.Under these circumstances, the Council, being in an exceptional situation, “outside the control of Member States”, as it itself states in the Preamble to Regulation No. 407/2010, considered necessary, “the immediate establishment of a stabilization mechanism at EU level in order to maintain the financial stability in the European Union”, mechanism that “would enable the Union to respond in a coordinated, rapid and effective way to the serious difficulties undergone by a certain Member State”

Relationship between mechanical characteristics and thermal shock stability of refractories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volkov-Husovic, T.; Raic, K.

2003-01-01

Thermal stability of the refractory material with the content of 60 % Al 2 O 3 was investigated. Water quench test (JUS.B.D8.319) was applied as experimental method for thermal stability testing. Damage of porous materials is commonly related to a modification of strength that is mostly a reduction. This is linked with characteristics related to pore space. Mechanical characteristics are considered such as compressive strength, dynamic modulus of elasticity and resistance parameters resulting from resonance frequency measurements, as well as ultrasonic velocity. (Original)

Mechanical coupling between transsynaptic N-cadherin adhesions and actin flow stabilizes dendritic spines

Science.gov (United States)

Chazeau, Anaël; Garcia, Mikael; Czöndör, Katalin; Perrais, David; Tessier, Béatrice; Giannone, Grégory; Thoumine, Olivier

2015-01-01

The morphology of neuronal dendritic spines is a critical indicator of synaptic function. It is regulated by several factors, including the intracellular actin/myosin cytoskeleton and transcellular N-cadherin adhesions. To examine the mechanical relationship between these molecular components, we performed quantitative live-imaging experiments in primary hippocampal neurons. We found that actin turnover and structural motility were lower in dendritic spines than in immature filopodia and increased upon expression of a nonadhesive N-cadherin mutant, resulting in an inverse relationship between spine motility and actin enrichment. Furthermore, the pharmacological stimulation of myosin II induced the rearward motion of actin structures in spines, showing that myosin II exerts tension on the actin network. Strikingly, the formation of stable, spine-like structures enriched in actin was induced at contacts between dendritic filopodia and N-cadherin–coated beads or micropatterns. Finally, computer simulations of actin dynamics mimicked various experimental conditions, pointing to the actin flow rate as an important parameter controlling actin enrichment in dendritic spines. Together these data demonstrate that a clutch-like mechanism between N-cadherin adhesions and the actin flow underlies the stabilization of dendritic filopodia into mature spines, a mechanism that may have important implications in synapse initiation, maturation, and plasticity in the developing brain. PMID:25568337

High Frequency Jet Ventilation during Initial Management, Stabilization, and Transport of Newborn Infants with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia: A Case Series

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qianshen Zhang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To review experience of the transport and stabilization of infants with CDH who were treated with high frequency jet ventilation (HFJV. Study Design. Retrospective chart review was performed of infants with antenatal diagnosis of CDH born between 2004 and 2009, at Mount Sinai Hospital Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Detailed information was abstracted from the charts of all infants who received HFJV. Results. Of the 55 infants, 25 were managed with HFJV at some point during resuscitation and stabilization prior to transport. HFJV was the initial ventilation mode in six cases and nineteen infants were placed on HFJV as rescue therapy. Blood gases procured from the umbilical artery before and/or after the initiation of HFJV. There was a significant difference detected for both PaCO2 (P=0.0002 and pH (P<0.0001. The pre- and posttransport vital signs remained stable and no transport related deaths or significant complications occurred. Conclusion. HFJV appears to be safe and effective providing high frequency rescue therapy for infants with CDH failing conventional mechanical ventilation. This paper supports the decision to utilize HFJV as it likely contributed to safe transport of many infants that would not otherwise have tolerated transport to a surgical centre.

Uncovering stability mechanisms in microbial ecosystems - combining microcosm experiments, computational modelling and ecological theory in a multidisciplinary approach

Science.gov (United States)

Worrich, Anja; König, Sara; Banitz, Thomas; Centler, Florian; Frank, Karin; Kästner, Matthias; Miltner, Anja; Thullner, Martin; Wick, Lukas

2015-04-01

Although bacterial degraders in soil are commonly exposed to fluctuating environmental conditions, the functional performance of the biodegradation processes can often be maintained by resistance and resilience mechanisms. However, there is still a gap in the mechanistic understanding of key factors contributing to the stability of such an ecosystem service. Therefore we developed an integrated approach combining microcosm experiments, simulation models and ecological theory to directly make use of the strengths of these disciplines. In a continuous interplay process, data, hypotheses, and central questions are exchanged between disciplines to initiate new experiments and models to ultimately identify buffer mechanisms and factors providing functional stability. We focus on drying and rewetting-cycles in soil ecosystems, which are a major abiotic driver for bacterial activity. Functional recovery of the system was found to depend on different spatial processes in the computational model. In particular, bacterial motility is a prerequisite for biodegradation if either bacteria or substrate are heterogeneously distributed. Hence, laboratory experiments focussing on bacterial dispersal processes were conducted and confirmed this finding also for functional resistance. Obtained results will be incorporated into the model in the next step. Overall, the combination of computational modelling and laboratory experiments identified spatial processes as the main driving force for functional stability in the considered system, and has proved a powerful methodological approach.

Atomistic mechanisms governing structural stability change of zinc antimony thermoelectrics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Xiaolong [Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710054 (China); Lin, Jianping, E-mail: jaredlin@163.com [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xiamen University of Technology, Xiamen 361024 (China); Qiao, Guanjun [State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Wang, Zhao, E-mail: zwangzhao@gmail.com [Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710054 (China); State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China)

2015-01-05

The structural stability of thermoelectric materials is a subject of growing importance for their energy harvesting applications. Here, we study the microscopic mechanisms governing the structural stability change of zinc antimony at its working temperature, using molecular dynamics combined with experimental measurements of the electrical and thermal conductivity. Our results show that the temperature-dependence of the thermal and electrical transport coefficients is strongly correlated with a structural transition. This is found to be associated with a relaxation process, in which a group of Zn atoms migrates between interstitial sites. This atom migration gradually leads to a stabilizing structural transition of the entire crystal framework, and then results in a more stable crystal structure of β–Zn{sub 4}Sb{sub 3} at high temperature.

Features and Mechanisms for Ensuring Social and Political Stability in Contemporary Chinese Society

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Максим Алексеевич Сущенко

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This article discusses the features and mechanisms of ensuring and maintaining social and political stability in China. Analyzes the scientific theoretical foundation in the study of this phenomenon, developed by Russian and Chinese scientists. Political stability in contemporary China is understood as a precondition for effective social and economic development. The paper studied the treatment of leadership in China from different generations to tools approval of social and political stability as a way of implementing the modernization program of the political course. It has been found that maintaining the political stability of the society in modern China made possible by the harmonization of public relations, flexible national policy, economic growth, trends in socio-economic development and the use of ideological tools. The author studied the basic mechanisms of the stability of the political system of China at the present stage. It is concluded that a stable political development in contemporary China strengthens the regime and the preservation of the monopoly of the CCP to political power.

Impact of Reduction Parameters on the Initial Performance and Stability of Ni/(Sc)YSZ Cermet Anodes for SOFCs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ebbehøj, Søren Lyng; Ramos, Tania; Mogensen, Mogens Bjerg

2012-01-01

In-situ reduction of Ni cermet anodes produces the porosity and influences the microstructure, performance and stability of the anodes. The impact on initial performance, stability and microstructure of two different reduction procedures currently in use at DTU Energy Conversion with reduction...

Rotation stability of high speed neutron time-of-flight mechanical chopper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Habib, N.; Adib, M.

1998-01-01

A modified rotation stabilization system has been designed to maintain the stability of a neutron time-of-flight (TOF) mechanical chopper rates from 460 rpm to 16000 rpm. The main principle of the system is based on comparing the chopper's rotation period with the preselected one from a quartz timer. The result of comparison is used to control the current driver of the chopper's motor. A 600 Hz three phase generator controlled by a magnetic amplifier was used as a current driver. The stability of the chopper's rotation rate at 16000 rpm was 0.02%. An improved method precise time scale calibration of the TOF spectrometer is applied

Improving the Mechanical Performance and Thermal Stability of a PVA-Clay Nanocomposite by Electron Beam Irradiation

Science.gov (United States)

Shokuhi Rad, A.; Ebrahimi, D.

2017-07-01

The effects of electron beam irradiation and presence of clay on the mechanical properties and thermal stability of montmorillonite clay-modified polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposites were studied. By using the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the microstructure of the nanocomposites was investigated. The results obtained from TEM and XRD tests showed that montmorillonite clay nanoparticles were located in the polyvinyl alcohol phase. The XRD analysis confirmed the formation of an exfoliated structure in nanocomposites samples. Increasing the amount of clay to 20 wt.% increased the tensile strength and modulus of the nanocomposite. Irradiation up to an absorbed dose of 100 kGy increased its mechanical properties and thermal stability, but at higher irradiation levels, the mechanical strength and thermal stability declined. The sample with 20 wt.% of the nanofiller, exposed to 100 kGy, showed the highest mechanical strength and thermal stability.

Mechanical stability assessment of novel orthodontic mini-implant designs: Part 2.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Christine; Truong, Peter; Song, Ha Na; Wu, Benjamin M; Moon, Won

2011-11-01

To assess the mechanical stability of a newly revised orthodontic mini-implant design (N2) compared with a design introduced in Part 1 of the study (N1) and the most widely-used commercially-available design (CA). To evaluate the mean buccal bone thickness of maxillary and mandibular posterior teeth using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). From the CBCT scans of 20 patients, six tomographic cross-sections were generated for each tooth. Buccal bone thickness was measured from the most convex point on the bone to the root surface. CA (1.5 mm in diameter and 6 mm in length), N1, and N2 (shorter and narrower than N1) were inserted in simulated bone with cortical and trabecular bone layers. Mechanical stability was compared in vitro through torque and lateral displacement tests. The bone thickness ranged from 2.26 to 3.88 mm. Maximum insertion torque was decreased significantly in N2 compared to N1. However, force levels for all displacement distances and torque ratio were the highest in N2, followed by N1 and CA (α = .05). Both torque and lateral displacement tests highlighted the enhanced stability of N2 compared with CA. Design revisions to N1 effectively mitigated N1's high insertion torque and thus potentially reduced microdamage to the surrounding bone. The N2 design is promising as evidenced by enhanced stability and high mechanical efficiency. Moreover, N2 is not limited to placement in interradicular spaces and has the capacity to be placed in the buccal bone superficial to the root surface with diminished risk of endangering nearby anatomic structures during placement and treatment.

Effects of mechanical feedback on the stability of cardiac scroll waves: A bidomain electro-mechanical simulation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Colli Franzone, P; Pavarino, L F; Scacchi, S

2017-09-01

In this work, we investigate the influence of cardiac tissue deformation on re-entrant wave dynamics. We have developed a 3D strongly coupled electro-mechanical Bidomain model posed on an ideal monoventricular geometry, including fiber direction anisotropy and stretch-activated currents (SACs). The cardiac mechanical deformation influences the bioelectrical activity with two main mechanical feedback: (a) the geometric feedback (GEF) due to the presence of the deformation gradient in the diffusion coefficients and in a convective term depending on the deformation rate and (b) the mechano-electric feedback (MEF) due to SACs. Here, we investigate the relative contribution of these two factors with respect to scroll wave stability. We extend the previous works [Keldermann et al., Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. 299, H134-H143 (2010) and Hu et al., PLoS One 8(4), e60287 (2013)] that were based on the Monodomain model and a simple non-selective linear SAC, while here we consider the full Bidomain model and both selective and non-selective components of SACs. Our simulation results show that the stability of cardiac scroll waves is influenced by MEF, which in case of low reversal potential of non-selective SACs might be responsible for the onset of ventricular fibrillation; GEF increases the scroll wave meandering but does not determine the scroll wave stability.

Transport and deposition of carbon at catchment scale: stabilization mechanisms approach

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Mena, María; Almagro, María; Díaz-Pereira, Elvira; García-Franco, Noelia; Boix-Fayos, Carolina

2016-04-01

Terrestrial sedimentation buries large amounts of organic carbon (OC) annually, contributing to the terrestrial carbon sink. The temporal significance of this sink will strongly depend on the attributes of the depositional environment, but also on the characteristics of the OC reaching these sites and its stability upon deposition. The fate of the redistributed OC will ultimately depend on the mechanisms of its physical and chemical protection against decomposition, its turnover rates and the conditions under which the OC is stored in sedimentary settings. This framework is more complex in Mediterranean river basins where sediments are often redistributed under a range of environmental conditions in ephemeral, intermittent and perennial fluvial courses, sometimes within the same catchment. The OC stabilization mechanisms and their relations with aggregation at different transport and sedimentary deposits is under those conditions highly uncertain. The main objective of this work was to characterize the stabilization and mineralization of OC in sediments in transit (suspended load), at a range of depositional settings (alluvial bars, reservoir sediments) and soils from the source areas in a sub-catchment (111 km2) at the headwaters of the Segura catchment in South East Spain. In order to obtain a deeper knowledge on the predominant stabilization mechanism corresponding to each erosional phase, the following organic carbon fractionation method was carried out: Four aggregate size classes were distinguished by sieving (large and small macroaggregates, free microaggregates, and free silt plus clay fraction), and the microaggregates occluded within macroaggregates (SMm) were isolated. As a further step, an oxidation of the OC occluded in silt plus clay fraction and that of the free silt plus clay fraction was performed to estimate the oxidant resistant OC pool. Measured OC in these fractions can be related to three functional pools: active (free particulate organic

Initiation of slug flow

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hanratty, T.J.; Woods, B.D. [Univ. of Illinois, Urbana, IL (United States)

1995-12-31

The initiation of slug flow in a horizontal pipe can be predicted either by considering the stability of a slug or by considering the stability of a stratified flow. Measurements of the shedding rate of slugs are used to define necessary conditions for the existence of a slug. Recent results show that slugs develop from an unstable stratified flow through the evolution of small wavelength waves into large wavelength waves that have the possibility of growing to form a slug. The mechanism appears to be quite different for fluids with viscosities close to water than for fluids with large viscosities (20 centipoise).

Influence of stability of polymer surfactant on oil displacement mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Li; Li, Chengliang; Pi, Yanming; Wu, Di; He, Ying; Geng, Liang

2018-02-01

At present, most of the oilfields of China have entered the late stage of high water-cut development, and three oil recovery technique has become the leading technology for improving oil recovery. With the improvement of three oil recovery techniques, the polymer surfactant flooding technology has been widely promoted in oil fields in recent years. But in the actual field experiment, it has been found that the polymer surfactant has chromatographic separation at the extraction end, which indicates that the property of the polymer surfactant has changed during the displacement process. At present, there was few literature about how the stability of polymer surfactant affects the oil displacement mechanism. This paper used HuaDing-I polymer surfactant to conduct a micro photolithography glass flooding experiment, and then compared the oil displacement law of polymer surfactant before and after static setting. Finally, the influence law of stability of polymer surfactant on the oil displacement mechanism is obtained by comprehensive analysis.

[Stabilization Treatment of Pb and Zn in Contaminated Soils and Mechanism Studies].

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Wei-qiang; Li, Xiao-mingi; Chen, Can; Chen, Xun-feng; Zhong, Yu; Zhong, Zhen-yu; Wan, Yong; Wang, Yan

2015-12-01

In the present work, the combined application of potassium dihydrogen phosphate, quick lime and potassium chloride was used to immobilize the Pb and Zn in contaminated soils. The efficiency of the process was evaluated through leaching tests and Tessier sequential extraction procedure. The mechanism of stabilization was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) to reveal the mechanism of stabilization. The results showed that the stabilizing efficiency of Pb contaminated soils was above 80% and the leaching concentrations of Pb, Zn were far below the threshold when the ratio of exogenous P and soil (mol · mol⁻¹) was 2:1-4: 1, the dosing ratio of CaO was 0.1%-0.5% ( mass fraction) and the dosage of potassium chloride was 0.02-0. 04 mol. Meanwhile, Pb and Zn in soil were transformed from the exchangeable fraction into residual fraction, which implied that the migration of Pb, Zn in soil could be confined by the stabilization treatment. XRD and SEM analysis revealed that Ca-P-Pb precipitation, lead orthophosphate [PbHP0₄, Pb₃ (PO₄)₂], pyromorphite (Pb-PO₄-Cl/OH) and mixed heavy metal deposits (Fe-PO₄- Ca-Pb-Zn-OH) could be formed after solidification/stabilization in which Pb and Zn could be wrapped up to form a solidified composition and to prevent leaching.

Contracts, Vouchers, and Child Care Subsidy Stability: A Preliminary Look at Associations between Subsidy Payment Mechanism and Stability of Subsidy Receipt

Science.gov (United States)

Holod, Aleksandra; Johnson, Anna D.; Martin, Anne; Gardner, Margo; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne

2012-01-01

Background: The federal child care subsidy program, funded through the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), is the nation's largest public investment in early child care. However, little is known about whether and how subsidy payment mechanisms relate to the stability of subsidy receipt or the stability of children's care arrangements.…

Mechanical properties and thermal stability of Al–Fe–Ni alloys prepared by centrifugal atomisation and hot extrusion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Průša, F., E-mail: Filip.Prusa@vscht.cz; Vojtěch, D.; Michalcová, A.; Marek, I.

2014-05-01

In this work, Al–12Fe and Al–7Fe–5Ni (wt%) alloys prepared by a novel technique including centrifugal atomisation and hot extrusion were studied. The microstructures were investigated using light microscopy, electron scanning microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The mechanical properties were determined by Vickers hardness measurements and compressive stress–strain tests. To study the thermal stability, the mechanical properties were also measured after 100 h of annealing at 300 °C and 400 °C. In addition, creep tests at a stress of 120 MPa and a temperature of 300 °C were performed. The investigated materials were composed of fine-grained α-Al and intermetallic phases identified as Al{sub 13}Fe{sub 4} and Al{sub 9}FeNi. The Vickers hardness and compressive yield strength were 68 HV5 and 183 MPa, respectively, for the Al–12Fe alloy and 73 HV5 and 226 MPa, respectively, for the Al–7Fe–5Ni alloy. After long-term annealing, the change in the mechanical properties was negligible, indicating the excellent thermal stability of both materials. The creep tests confirmed the highest thermal stability of the Al–7Fe–5Ni alloy with a total compressive creep strain of 15%. The “thermally stable” casting Al–12Si–1Cu–1Mg–1Ni alloy treated by the T6 regime was used as a reference material. The casting alloy exhibited sufficient mechanical properties (hardness and compressive yield strength) at room temperature. However, annealing remarkably softened and reduced its compressive yield strength to almost 50% of the initial values. Additionally, the total creep strain of the casting reference material was almost three times higher than that of the Al–7Fe–5Ni alloy. It has been proven that centrifugally atomised materials quickly compacted via hot extrusion can compete or even exceed the properties of common casting aluminium alloys that are used in automotive industry.

Mechanical properties and thermal stability of Al–Fe–Ni alloys prepared by centrifugal atomisation and hot extrusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Průša, F.; Vojtěch, D.; Michalcová, A.; Marek, I.

2014-01-01

In this work, Al–12Fe and Al–7Fe–5Ni (wt%) alloys prepared by a novel technique including centrifugal atomisation and hot extrusion were studied. The microstructures were investigated using light microscopy, electron scanning microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The mechanical properties were determined by Vickers hardness measurements and compressive stress–strain tests. To study the thermal stability, the mechanical properties were also measured after 100 h of annealing at 300 °C and 400 °C. In addition, creep tests at a stress of 120 MPa and a temperature of 300 °C were performed. The investigated materials were composed of fine-grained α-Al and intermetallic phases identified as Al 13 Fe 4 and Al 9 FeNi. The Vickers hardness and compressive yield strength were 68 HV5 and 183 MPa, respectively, for the Al–12Fe alloy and 73 HV5 and 226 MPa, respectively, for the Al–7Fe–5Ni alloy. After long-term annealing, the change in the mechanical properties was negligible, indicating the excellent thermal stability of both materials. The creep tests confirmed the highest thermal stability of the Al–7Fe–5Ni alloy with a total compressive creep strain of 15%. The “thermally stable” casting Al–12Si–1Cu–1Mg–1Ni alloy treated by the T6 regime was used as a reference material. The casting alloy exhibited sufficient mechanical properties (hardness and compressive yield strength) at room temperature. However, annealing remarkably softened and reduced its compressive yield strength to almost 50% of the initial values. Additionally, the total creep strain of the casting reference material was almost three times higher than that of the Al–7Fe–5Ni alloy. It has been proven that centrifugally atomised materials quickly compacted via hot extrusion can compete or even exceed the properties of common casting aluminium alloys that are used in automotive industry

Structure and Mechanical Properties of Al-Cu-Fe-X Alloys with Excellent Thermal Stability

OpenAIRE

Školáková, Andrea; Novák, Pavel; Mejzlíková, Lucie; Průša, Filip; Salvetr, Pavel; Vojtěch, Dalibor

2017-01-01

In this work, the structure and mechanical properties of innovative Al-Cu-Fe based alloys were studied. We focused on preparation and characterization of rapidly solidified and hot extruded Al-Cu-Fe, Al-Cu-Fe-Ni and Al-Cu-Fe-Cr alloys. The content of transition metals affects mechanical properties and structure. For this reason, microstructure, phase composition, hardness and thermal stability have been investigated in this study. The results showed exceptional thermal stability of these allo...

Initial processes of radiation effects on genomic stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herve du Penhoat, Marie-Anne; Touati, Alain; Sage, Evelyne; Houee-Levin, Chantal; Lacombe, Sandrine; Politis, Marie-Françoise; Gaigeot, Marie-Pierre; Spezia, Riccardo; Vuilleumier, Rodolphe; Wien, Frank; Fujii, Kentaro; Yokoya, Akinari; Shikazono, Naoya

2014-01-01

We describe the progresses and current status of the REIMEI study on 'Initial processes of radiation effects on genomic stability', which is a new collaborative project between France and Japan. The theoretical study on the fragmentation pattern of doubly ionized deoxyribose has reached a new stage focusing on the effect of water molecules surrounding the deoxyribose molecule. In order to substantiate the theoretical predictions, new devices have been installed in a SPring-8 beamline. To explore the origin of signal transduction of DNA repair processes, a preliminary CD measurement in the far UV region was performed to study histone conformation changes. Based on these results, we will propose a new experimental subject in SOLEIL synchrotron to investigate the conformational changes of phosphorylated histone. Preliminary experiments using mammalian cell free extract have also been performed focusing on the role of DNA polymerases on the mutagenic potential of clustered DNA lesions. (author)

Influence of mechanical scratch on the recorded magnetization stability of perpendicular recording media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagano, Katsumasa; Sasaki, Syota; Futamoto, Masaaki

2010-01-01

Stability of recorded magnetization of hard disk drives (HDDs) is influenced by external environments, such as temperature, magnetic field, etc. Small scratches are frequently formed on HDD medium surface upon contacts with the magnetic head. Influence of temperature and mechanical scratch on the magnetization structure stability of perpendicular recording media was investigated by using a magnetic force microscope. The magnetic bit shape started to change at around 300 0 C for an area with no scratches, whereas for the area near a shallow mechanical scratch it started to change at a lower temperature around 250 0 C. An analysis of magnetization structure under an influence of temperature and mechanical scratch is carried out for the magnetization structure variation and recorded magnetization strength.

Sequential bottom-up assembly of mechanically stabilized synthetic cells by microfluidics

Science.gov (United States)

Weiss, Marian; Frohnmayer, Johannes Patrick; Benk, Lucia Theresa; Haller, Barbara; Janiesch, Jan-Willi; Heitkamp, Thomas; Börsch, Michael; Lira, Rafael B.; Dimova, Rumiana; Lipowsky, Reinhard; Bodenschatz, Eberhard; Baret, Jean-Christophe; Vidakovic-Koch, Tanja; Sundmacher, Kai; Platzman, Ilia; Spatz, Joachim P.

2018-01-01

Compartments for the spatially and temporally controlled assembly of biological processes are essential towards cellular life. Synthetic mimics of cellular compartments based on lipid-based protocells lack the mechanical and chemical stability to allow their manipulation into a complex and fully functional synthetic cell. Here, we present a high-throughput microfluidic method to generate stable, defined sized liposomes termed `droplet-stabilized giant unilamellar vesicles (dsGUVs)’. The enhanced stability of dsGUVs enables the sequential loading of these compartments with biomolecules, namely purified transmembrane and cytoskeleton proteins by microfluidic pico-injection technology. This constitutes an experimental demonstration of a successful bottom-up assembly of a compartment with contents that would not self-assemble to full functionality when simply mixed together. Following assembly, the stabilizing oil phase and droplet shells are removed to release functional self-supporting protocells to an aqueous phase, enabling them to interact with physiologically relevant matrices.

[Evaluation of the influence of humidity and temperature on the drug stability by initial average rate experiment].

Science.gov (United States)

He, Ning; Sun, Hechun; Dai, Miaomiao

2014-05-01

To evaluate the influence of temperature and humidity on the drug stability by initial average rate experiment, and to obtained the kinetic parameters. The effect of concentration error, drug degradation extent, humidity and temperature numbers, humidity and temperature range, and average humidity and temperature on the accuracy and precision of kinetic parameters in the initial average rate experiment was explored. The stability of vitamin C, as a solid state model, was investigated by an initial average rate experiment. Under the same experimental conditions, the kinetic parameters obtained from this proposed method were comparable to those from classical isothermal experiment at constant humidity. The estimates were more accurate and precise by controlling the extent of drug degradation, changing humidity and temperature range, or by setting the average temperature closer to room temperature. Compared with isothermal experiments at constant humidity, our proposed method saves time, labor, and materials.

Kinetics and mechanical stability of the fibril state control fibril formation time of polypeptide chains: A computational study

Science.gov (United States)

Kouza, Maksim; Co, Nguyen Truong; Li, Mai Suan; Kmiecik, Sebastian; Kolinski, Andrzej; Kloczkowski, Andrzej; Buhimschi, Irina Alexandra

2018-06-01

Fibril formation resulting from protein misfolding and aggregation is a hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Despite much progress in the understanding of the protein aggregation process, the factors governing fibril formation rates and fibril stability have not been fully understood. Using lattice models, we have shown that the fibril formation time is controlled by the kinetic stability of the fibril state but not by its energy. Having performed all-atom explicit solvent molecular dynamics simulations with the GROMOS43a1 force field for full-length amyloid beta peptides Aβ40 and Aβ42 and truncated peptides, we demonstrated that kinetic stability can be accessed via mechanical stability in such a way that the higher the mechanical stability or the kinetic stability, the faster the fibril formation. This result opens up a new way for predicting fibril formation rates based on mechanical stability that may be easily estimated by steered molecular dynamics.

Impact of lysozyme on stability mechanism of nanozirconia aqueous suspension

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szewczuk-Karpisz, Katarzyna, E-mail: k.szewczuk-karpisz@wp.pl; Wiśniewska, Małgorzata

2016-08-30

Highlights: • Adsorption and stabilization-destabilization properties of lysozyme (LSZ) in the nanozirconia-biopolymer solution system were determined. • The stability measurements were performed using turbidimetric method. • Lysozyme macromolecules undergo adsorption on the ZrO{sub 2} surface under electrostatic adsorbent-adsorbate attraction, i.e. at pH 6 and 9. • The biopolymer adsorption impact on the zirconia stability varies at different pH values. - Abstract: The effect of lysozyme (LSZ) presence on the zirconium(IV) oxide (ZrO{sub 2}) aqueous suspension stability was examined. The applied zirconia contains mesopores (with a diameter about 30 nm) and its mean particle size is about 100 nm. To determine the stability mechanism of ZrO{sub 2} suspension in the biopolymer presence, the adsorption and electrokinetic (surface charge density and zeta potential) measurements were performed in the pH range 3–10. The lysozyme adsorption on the nanozirconia surface proceeds mainly through electrostatic forces. Under solid-polymer repulsion conditions, there is no adsorption of lysozyme (pH < 6, C{sub NaCl} 0.01 mol/dm{sup 3}). The increase of solution ionic strength to 0.2 mol/dm{sup 3} causes screening of unfavourable forces and biopolymer adsorption becomes possible. The LSZ addition to the ZrO{sub 2} suspension influences its stability. At pH 3, 4.6 and 7.6, slight improvement of the system stability was obtained. In turn, at pH 9 considerable destabilization of nanozirconia particles covered by polymeric layers occurs.

Mechanical and thermal stability of graphene and graphene-based materials

Science.gov (United States)

Galashev, A. E.; Rakhmanova, O. R.

2014-10-01

Graphene has rapidly become one of the most popular materials for technological applications and a test material for new condensed matter ideas. This paper reviews the mechanical properties of graphene and effects related to them that have recently been discovered experimentally or predicted theoretically or by simulation. The topics discussed are of key importance for graphene's use in integrated electronics, thermal materials, and electromechanical devices and include the following: graphene transformation into other sp^2 hybridization forms; stability to stretching and compression; ion-beam-induced structural modifications; how defects and graphene edges affect the electronic properties and thermal stability of graphene and related composites.

Preformulation stability study of the EGFR inhibitor HKI-272 (Neratinib) and mechanism of degradation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Qinghong; Ku, Mannching Sherry

2012-03-01

The stability in solution of HKI-272 (Neratinib) was studied as a function of pH. The drug is most stable from pH 3 to 4, and degradation rate increases rapidly around pH 6 and appears to approach a maximum asymptotic limit in the range of pH 812. Pseudo first-order reaction kinetics was observed at all pH values. The structure of the major degradation product indicates that it is formed by a cascade of reactions within the dimethylamino crotonamide group of HKI-272. It is assumed that the rate-determining step is the initial isomerization from allyl amine to enamine functionality, followed by hydrolysis and subsequent cyclization to a stable lactam. The maximum change in degradation rate as a function of pH occurs at about pH 6, which corresponds closely to the theoretical pKa value of the dimethylamino group of HKI-272 when accounting for solvent/temperature effects. The observed relationship between pH and degradation rate is discussed, and a self-catalyzed mechanism for the allylamine-enamine isomerization reaction is proposed. The relevance of these findings to other allylamine drugs is discussed in terms of the relative stability of the allylic anion intermediate through which, the isomerization occurs.

arXiv Mechanical stability of the CMS strip tracker measured with a laser alignment system

CERN Document Server

Sirunyan, Albert M; Adam, Wolfgang; Aşılar, Ece; Bergauer, Thomas; Brandstetter, Johannes; Brondolin, Erica; Dragicevic, Marko; Erö, Janos; Flechl, Martin; Friedl, Markus; Fruehwirth, Rudolf; Ghete, Vasile Mihai; Hartl, Christian; Hörmann, Natascha; Hrubec, Josef; Jeitler, Manfred; König, Axel; Krätschmer, Ilse; Liko, Dietrich; Matsushita, Takashi; Mikulec, Ivan; Rabady, Dinyar; Rad, Navid; Rahbaran, Babak; Rohringer, Herbert; Schieck, Jochen; Strauss, Josef; Waltenberger, Wolfgang; Wulz, Claudia-Elisabeth; Dvornikov, Oleg; Makarenko, Vladimir; Mossolov, Vladimir; Suarez Gonzalez, Juan; Zykunov, Vladimir; Shumeiko, Nikolai; Alderweireldt, Sara; De Wolf, Eddi A; Janssen, Xavier; Lauwers, Jasper; Van De Klundert, Merijn; Van Haevermaet, Hans; Van Mechelen, Pierre; Van Remortel, Nick; Van Spilbeeck, Alex; Abu Zeid, Shimaa; Blekman, Freya; D'Hondt, Jorgen; Daci, Nadir; De Bruyn, Isabelle; Deroover, Kevin; Lowette, Steven; Moortgat, Seth; Moreels, Lieselotte; Olbrechts, Annik; Python, Quentin; Skovpen, Kirill; Tavernier, Stefaan; Van Doninck, Walter; Van Mulders, Petra; Van Parijs, Isis; Brun, Hugues; Clerbaux, Barbara; De Lentdecker, Gilles; Delannoy, Hugo; Fasanella, Giuseppe; Favart, Laurent; Goldouzian, Reza; Grebenyuk, Anastasia; Karapostoli, Georgia; Lenzi, Thomas; Léonard, Alexandre; Luetic, Jelena; Maerschalk, Thierry; Marinov, Andrey; Randle-conde, Aidan; Seva, Tomislav; Vander Velde, Catherine; Vanlaer, Pascal; Vannerom, David; Yonamine, Ryo; Zenoni, Florian; Zhang, Fengwangdong; Cimmino, Anna; Cornelis, Tom; Dobur, Didar; Fagot, Alexis; Gul, Muhammad; Khvastunov, Illia; Poyraz, Deniz; Salva Diblen, Sinem; Schöfbeck, Robert; Tytgat, Michael; Van Driessche, Ward; Yazgan, Efe; Zaganidis, Nicolas; Bakhshiansohi, Hamed; Beluffi, Camille; Bondu, Olivier; Brochet, Sébastien; Bruno, Giacomo; Caudron, Adrien; De Visscher, Simon; Delaere, Christophe; Delcourt, Martin; Francois, Brieuc; Giammanco, Andrea; Jafari, Abideh; Komm, Matthias; Krintiras, Georgios; Lemaitre, Vincent; Magitteri, Alessio; Mertens, Alexandre; Musich, Marco; Piotrzkowski, Krzysztof; Quertenmont, Loic; Selvaggi, Michele; Vidal Marono, Miguel; Wertz, Sébastien; Beliy, Nikita; Aldá Júnior, Walter Luiz; Alves, Fábio Lúcio; Alves, Gilvan; Brito, Lucas; Hensel, Carsten; Moraes, Arthur; Pol, Maria Elena; Rebello Teles, Patricia; Belchior Batista Das Chagas, Ewerton; Carvalho, Wagner; Chinellato, Jose; Custódio, Analu; Melo Da Costa, Eliza; Da Silveira, Gustavo Gil; De Jesus Damiao, Dilson; De Oliveira Martins, Carley; Fonseca De Souza, Sandro; Huertas Guativa, Lina Milena; Malbouisson, Helena; Matos Figueiredo, Diego; Mora Herrera, Clemencia; Mundim, Luiz; Nogima, Helio; Prado Da Silva, Wanda Lucia; Santoro, Alberto; Sznajder, Andre; Tonelli Manganote, Edmilson José; Torres Da Silva De Araujo, Felipe; Vilela Pereira, Antonio; Ahuja, Sudha; Bernardes, Cesar Augusto; Dogra, Sunil; Tomei, Thiago; De Moraes Gregores, Eduardo; Mercadante, Pedro G; Moon, Chang-Seong; Novaes, Sergio F; Padula, Sandra; Romero Abad, David; Ruiz Vargas, José Cupertino; Aleksandrov, Aleksandar; Hadjiiska, Roumyana; Iaydjiev, Plamen; Rodozov, Mircho; Stoykova, Stefka; Sultanov, Georgi; Vutova, Mariana; Dimitrov, Anton; Glushkov, Ivan; Litov, Leander; Pavlov, Borislav; Petkov, Peicho; Fang, Wenxing; Ahmad, Muhammad; Bian, Jian-Guo; Chen, Guo-Ming; Chen, He-Sheng; Chen, Mingshui; Chen, Ye; Cheng, Tongguang; Jiang, Chun-Hua; Leggat, Duncan; Liu, Zhenan; Romeo, Francesco; Ruan, Manqi; Shaheen, Sarmad Masood; Spiezia, Aniello; Tao, Junquan; Wang, Chunjie; Wang, Zheng; Zhang, Huaqiao; Zhao, Jingzhou; Ban, Yong; Chen, Geng; Li, Qiang; Liu, Shuai; Mao, Yajun; Qian, Si-Jin; Wang, Dayong; Xu, Zijun; Avila, Carlos; Cabrera, Andrés; Chaparro Sierra, Luisa Fernanda; Florez, Carlos; Gomez, Juan Pablo; González Hernández, Carlos Felipe; Ruiz Alvarez, José David; Sanabria, Juan Carlos; Godinovic, Nikola; Lelas, Damir; Puljak, Ivica; Ribeiro Cipriano, Pedro M; Sculac, Toni; Antunovic, Zeljko; Kovac, Marko; Brigljevic, Vuko; Ferencek, Dinko; Kadija, Kreso; Mesic, Benjamin; Susa, Tatjana; Attikis, Alexandros; Mavromanolakis, Georgios; Mousa, Jehad; Nicolaou, Charalambos; Ptochos, Fotios; Razis, Panos A; Rykaczewski, Hans; Tsiakkouri, Demetra; Finger, Miroslav; Finger Jr, Michael; Carrera Jarrin, Edgar; Ellithi Kamel, Ali; Mahmoud, Mohammed; Radi, Amr; Kadastik, Mario; Perrini, Lucia; Raidal, Martti; Tiko, Andres; Veelken, Christian; Eerola, Paula; Pekkanen, Juska; Voutilainen, Mikko; Härkönen, Jaakko; Jarvinen, Terhi; Karimäki, Veikko; Kinnunen, Ritva; Lampén, Tapio; Lassila-Perini, Kati; Lehti, Sami; Lindén, Tomas; Luukka, Panja-Riina; Tuominiemi, Jorma; Tuovinen, Esa; Wendland, Lauri; Talvitie, Joonas; Tuuva, Tuure; Besancon, Marc; Couderc, Fabrice; Dejardin, Marc; Denegri, Daniel; Fabbro, Bernard; Faure, Jean-Louis; Favaro, Carlotta; Ferri, Federico; Ganjour, Serguei; Ghosh, Saranya; Givernaud, Alain; Gras, Philippe; Hamel de Monchenault, Gautier; Jarry, Patrick; Kucher, Inna; Locci, Elizabeth; Machet, Martina; Malcles, Julie; Rander, John; Rosowsky, André; Titov, Maksym; Abdulsalam, Abdulla; Antropov, Iurii; Baffioni, Stephanie; Beaudette, Florian; Busson, Philippe; Cadamuro, Luca; Chapon, Emilien; Charlot, Claude; Davignon, Olivier; Granier de Cassagnac, Raphael; Jo, Mihee; Lisniak, Stanislav; Miné, Philippe; Nguyen, Matthew; Ochando, Christophe; Ortona, Giacomo; Paganini, Pascal; Pigard, Philipp; Regnard, Simon; Salerno, Roberto; Sirois, Yves; Strebler, Thomas; Yilmaz, Yetkin; Zabi, Alexandre; Zghiche, Amina; Agram, Jean-Laurent; Andrea, Jeremy; Aubin, Alexandre; Bloch, Daniel; Brom, Jean-Marie; Buttignol, Michael; Chabert, Eric Christian; Chanon, Nicolas; Collard, Caroline; Conte, Eric; Coubez, Xavier; Fontaine, Jean-Charles; Gelé, Denis; Goerlach, Ulrich; Le Bihan, Anne-Catherine; Van Hove, Pierre; Gadrat, Sébastien; Beauceron, Stephanie; Bernet, Colin; Boudoul, Gaelle; Carrillo Montoya, Camilo Andres; Chierici, Roberto; Contardo, Didier; Courbon, Benoit; Depasse, Pierre; El Mamouni, Houmani; Fay, Jean; Gascon, Susan; Gouzevitch, Maxime; Grenier, Gérald; Ille, Bernard; Lagarde, Francois; Laktineh, Imad Baptiste; Lethuillier, Morgan; Mirabito, Laurent; Pequegnot, Anne-Laure; Perries, Stephane; Popov, Andrey; Sabes, David; Sordini, Viola; Vander Donckt, Muriel; Verdier, Patrice; Viret, Sébastien; Toriashvili, Tengizi; Lomidze, David; Autermann, Christian; Beranek, Sarah; Feld, Lutz; Kiesel, Maximilian Knut; Klein, Katja; Lipinski, Martin; Preuten, Marius; Schomakers, Christian; Schulz, Johannes; Verlage, Tobias; Albert, Andreas; Brodski, Michael; Dietz-Laursonn, Erik; Duchardt, Deborah; Endres, Matthias; Erdmann, Martin; Erdweg, Sören; Esch, Thomas; Fischer, Robert; Güth, Andreas; Hamer, Matthias; Hebbeker, Thomas; Heidemann, Carsten; Hoepfner, Kerstin; Knutzen, Simon; Merschmeyer, Markus; Meyer, Arnd; Millet, Philipp; Mukherjee, Swagata; Olschewski, Mark; Padeken, Klaas; Pook, Tobias; Radziej, Markus; Reithler, Hans; Rieger, Marcel; Scheuch, Florian; Sonnenschein, Lars; Teyssier, Daniel; Thüer, Sebastian; Cherepanov, Vladimir; Flügge, Günter; Kargoll, Bastian; Kress, Thomas; Künsken, Andreas; Lingemann, Joschka; Müller, Thomas; Nehrkorn, Alexander; Nowack, Andreas; Pistone, Claudia; Pooth, Oliver; Stahl, Achim; Aldaya Martin, Maria; Arndt, Till; Asawatangtrakuldee, Chayanit; Beernaert, Kelly; Behnke, Olaf; Behrens, Ulf; Bin Anuar, Afiq Aizuddin; Borras, Kerstin; Campbell, Alan; Connor, Patrick; Contreras-Campana, Christian; Costanza, Francesco; Diez Pardos, Carmen; Dolinska, Ganna; Eckerlin, Guenter; Eckstein, Doris; Eichhorn, Thomas; Eren, Engin; Gallo, Elisabetta; Garay Garcia, Jasone; Geiser, Achim; Gizhko, Andrii; Grados Luyando, Juan Manuel; Grohsjean, Alexander; Gunnellini, Paolo; Harb, Ali; Hauk, Johannes; Hempel, Maria; Jung, Hannes; Kalogeropoulos, Alexis; Karacheban, Olena; Kasemann, Matthias; Keaveney, James; Kleinwort, Claus; Korol, Ievgen; Krücker, Dirk; Lange, Wolfgang; Lelek, Aleksandra; Lenz, Teresa; Leonard, Jessica; Lipka, Katerina; Lobanov, Artur; Lohmann, Wolfgang; Mankel, Rainer; Melzer-Pellmann, Isabell-Alissandra; Meyer, Andreas Bernhard; Mittag, Gregor; Mnich, Joachim; Mussgiller, Andreas; Pitzl, Daniel; Placakyte, Ringaile; Raspereza, Alexei; Roland, Benoit; Sahin, Mehmet Özgür; Saxena, Pooja; Schoerner-Sadenius, Thomas; Spannagel, Simon; Stefaniuk, Nazar; Van Onsem, Gerrit Patrick; Walsh, Roberval; Wissing, Christoph; Blobel, Volker; Centis Vignali, Matteo; Draeger, Arne-Rasmus; Dreyer, Torben; Garutti, Erika; Gonzalez, Daniel; Haller, Johannes; Hoffmann, Malte; Junkes, Alexandra; Klanner, Robert; Kogler, Roman; Kovalchuk, Nataliia; Lapsien, Tobias; Marchesini, Ivan; Marconi, Daniele; Meyer, Mareike; Niedziela, Marek; Nowatschin, Dominik; Pantaleo, Felice; Peiffer, Thomas; Perieanu, Adrian; Poehlsen, Jennifer; Scharf, Christian; Schleper, Peter; Schmidt, Alexander; Schumann, Svenja; Schwandt, Joern; Stadie, Hartmut; Steinbrück, Georg; Stober, Fred-Markus Helmut; Stöver, Marc; Tholen, Heiner; Troendle, Daniel; Usai, Emanuele; Vanelderen, Lukas; Vanhoefer, Annika; Vormwald, Benedikt; Akbiyik, Melike; Barth, Christian; Baur, Sebastian; Baus, Colin; Berger, Joram; Butz, Erik; Caspart, René; Chwalek, Thorsten; Colombo, Fabio; De Boer, Wim; Dierlamm, Alexander; Fink, Simon; Freund, Benedikt; Friese, Raphael; Giffels, Manuel; Gilbert, Andrew; Goldenzweig, Pablo; Haitz, Dominik; Hartmann, Frank; Heindl, Stefan Michael; Husemann, Ulrich; Katkov, Igor; Kudella, Simon; Mildner, Hannes; Mozer, Matthias Ulrich; Müller, Thomas; Plagge, Michael; Quast, Gunter; Rabbertz, Klaus; Röcker, Steffen; Roscher, Frank; Schröder, Matthias; Shvetsov, Ivan; Sieber, Georg; Simonis, Hans-Jürgen; Ulrich, Ralf; Wayand, Stefan; Weber, Marc; Weiler, Thomas; Williamson, Shawn; Wöhrmann, Clemens; Wolf, Roger; Anagnostou, Georgios; Daskalakis, Georgios; Geralis, Theodoros; Giakoumopoulou, Viktoria Athina; Kyriakis, Aristotelis; Loukas, Demetrios; Topsis-Giotis, Iasonas; Kesisoglou, Stilianos; Panagiotou, Apostolos; Saoulidou, Niki; Tziaferi, Eirini; Evangelou, Ioannis; Flouris, Giannis; Foudas, Costas; Kokkas, Panagiotis; Loukas, Nikitas; Manthos, Nikolaos; Papadopoulos, Ioannis; Paradas, Evangelos; Filipovic, Nicolas; Pasztor, Gabriella; Bencze, Gyorgy; Hajdu, Csaba; Horvath, Dezso; Sikler, Ferenc; Veszpremi, Viktor; Vesztergombi, Gyorgy; Zsigmond, Anna Julia; Beni, Noemi; Czellar, Sandor; Karancsi, János; Makovec, Alajos; Molnar, Jozsef; Szillasi, Zoltan; Bartók, Márton; Raics, Peter; Trocsanyi, Zoltan Laszlo; Ujvari, Balazs; Komaragiri, Jyothsna Rani; Bahinipati, Seema; Bhowmik, Sandeep; Choudhury, Somnath; Mal, Prolay; Mandal, Koushik; Nayak, Aruna; Sahoo, Deepak Kumar; Sahoo, Niladribihari; Swain, Sanjay Kumar; Bansal, Sunil; Beri, Suman Bala; Bhatnagar, Vipin; Chawla, Ridhi; Bhawandeep, Bhawandeep; Kalsi, Amandeep Kaur; Kaur, Anterpreet; Kaur, Manjit; Kumar, Ramandeep; Kumari, Priyanka; Mehta, Ankita; Mittal, Monika; Singh, Jasbir; Walia, Genius; Kumar, Ashok; Bhardwaj, Ashutosh; Choudhary, Brajesh C; Garg, Rocky Bala; Keshri, Sumit; Malhotra, Shivali; Naimuddin, Md; Ranjan, Kirti; Sharma, Ramkrishna; Sharma, Varun; Bhattacharya, Rajarshi; Bhattacharya, Satyaki; Chatterjee, Kalyanmoy; Dey, Sourav; Dutt, Suneel; Dutta, Suchandra; Ghosh, Shamik; Majumdar, Nayana; Modak, Atanu; Mondal, Kuntal; Mukhopadhyay, Supratik; Nandan, Saswati; Purohit, Arnab; Roy, Ashim; Roy, Debarati; Roy Chowdhury, Suvankar; Sarkar, Subir; Sharan, Manoj; Thakur, Shalini; Behera, Prafulla Kumar; Chudasama, Ruchi; Dutta, Dipanwita; Jha, Vishwajeet; Kumar, Vineet; Mohanty, Ajit Kumar; Netrakanti, Pawan Kumar; Pant, Lalit Mohan; Shukla, Prashant; Topkar, Anita; Aziz, Tariq; Dugad, Shashikant; Kole, Gouranga; Mahakud, Bibhuprasad; Mitra, Soureek; Mohanty, Gagan Bihari; Parida, Bibhuti; Sur, Nairit; Sutar, Bajrang; Banerjee, Sudeshna; Dewanjee, Ram Krishna; Ganguly, Sanmay; Guchait, Monoranjan; Jain, Sandhya; Kumar, Sanjeev; Maity, Manas; Majumder, Gobinda; Mazumdar, Kajari; Sarkar, Tanmay; Wickramage, Nadeesha; Chauhan, Shubhanshu; Dube, Sourabh; Hegde, Vinay; Kapoor, Anshul; Kothekar, Kunal; Pandey, Shubham; Rane, Aditee; Sharma, Seema; Chenarani, Shirin; Eskandari Tadavani, Esmaeel; Etesami, Seyed Mohsen; Khakzad, Mohsen; Mohammadi Najafabadi, Mojtaba; Naseri, Mohsen; Paktinat Mehdiabadi, Saeid; Rezaei Hosseinabadi, Ferdos; Safarzadeh, Batool; Zeinali, Maryam; Felcini, Marta; Grunewald, Martin; Abbrescia, Marcello; Calabria, Cesare; Caputo, Claudio; Colaleo, Anna; Creanza, Donato; Cristella, Leonardo; De Filippis, Nicola; De Palma, Mauro; Fiore, Luigi; Iaselli, Giuseppe; Maggi, Giorgio; Maggi, Marcello; Miniello, Giorgia; My, Salvatore; Nuzzo, Salvatore; Pompili, Alexis; Pugliese, Gabriella; Radogna, Raffaella; Ranieri, Antonio; Selvaggi, Giovanna; Sharma, Archana; Silvestris, Lucia; Venditti, Rosamaria; Verwilligen, Piet; Abbiendi, Giovanni; Battilana, Carlo; Bonacorsi, Daniele; Braibant-Giacomelli, Sylvie; Brigliadori, Luca; Campanini, Renato; Capiluppi, Paolo; Castro, Andrea; Cavallo, Francesca Romana; Chhibra, Simranjit Singh; Codispoti, Giuseppe; Cuffiani, Marco; Dallavalle, Gaetano-Marco; Fabbri, Fabrizio; Fanfani, Alessandra; Fasanella, Daniele; Giacomelli, Paolo; Grandi, Claudio; Guiducci, Luigi; Marcellini, Stefano; Masetti, Gianni; Montanari, Alessandro; Navarria, Francesco; Perrotta, Andrea; Rossi, Antonio; Rovelli, Tiziano; Siroli, Gian Piero; Tosi, Nicolò; Albergo, Sebastiano; Costa, Salvatore; Di Mattia, Alessandro; Giordano, Ferdinando; Potenza, Renato; Tricomi, Alessia; Tuve, Cristina; Barbagli, Giuseppe; Ciulli, Vitaliano; Civinini, Carlo; D'Alessandro, Raffaello; Focardi, Ettore; Lenzi, Piergiulio; Meschini, Marco; Paoletti, Simone; Russo, Lorenzo; Sguazzoni, Giacomo; Strom, Derek; Viliani, Lorenzo; Benussi, Luigi; Bianco, Stefano; Fabbri, Franco; Piccolo, Davide; Primavera, Federica; Calvelli, Valerio; Ferro, Fabrizio; Monge, Maria Roberta; Robutti, Enrico; Tosi, Silvano; Brianza, Luca; Brivio, Francesco; Ciriolo, Vincenzo; Dinardo, Mauro Emanuele; Fiorendi, Sara; Gennai, Simone; Ghezzi, Alessio; Govoni, Pietro; Malberti, Martina; Malvezzi, Sandra; Manzoni, Riccardo Andrea; Menasce, Dario; Moroni, Luigi; Paganoni, Marco; Pedrini, Daniele; Pigazzini, Simone; Ragazzi, Stefano; Tabarelli de Fatis, Tommaso; Buontempo, Salvatore; Cavallo, Nicola; De Nardo, Guglielmo; Di Guida, Salvatore; Esposito, Marco; Fabozzi, Francesco; Fienga, Francesco; Iorio, Alberto Orso Maria; Lanza, Giuseppe; Lista, Luca; Meola, Sabino; Paolucci, Pierluigi; Sciacca, Crisostomo; Thyssen, Filip; Azzi, Patrizia; Bacchetta, Nicola; Benato, Lisa; Bisello, Dario; Boletti, Alessio; Carlin, Roberto; Checchia, Paolo; Dall'Osso, Martino; De Castro Manzano, Pablo; Dorigo, Tommaso; Dosselli, Umberto; Gasparini, Fabrizio; Lacaprara, Stefano; Margoni, Martino; Maron, Gaetano; Meneguzzo, Anna Teresa; Michelotto, Michele; Montecassiano, Fabio; Pazzini, Jacopo; Pozzobon, Nicola; Ronchese, Paolo; Simonetto, Franco; Torassa, Ezio; Zanetti, Marco; Zotto, Pierluigi; Zumerle, Gianni; Braghieri, Alessandro; Fallavollita, Francesco; Magnani, Alice; Montagna, Paolo; Ratti, Sergio P; Re, Valerio; Riccardi, Cristina; Salvini, Paola; Vai, Ilaria; Vitulo, Paolo; Alunni Solestizi, Luisa; Bilei, Gian Mario; Ciangottini, Diego; Fanò, Livio; Lariccia, Paolo; Leonardi, Roberto; Mantovani, Giancarlo; Menichelli, Mauro; Saha, Anirban; Santocchia, Attilio; Androsov, Konstantin; Azzurri, Paolo; Bagliesi, Giuseppe; Bernardini, Jacopo; Boccali, Tommaso; Castaldi, Rino; Ciocci, Maria Agnese; Dell'Orso, Roberto; Donato, Silvio; Fedi, Giacomo; Giassi, Alessandro; Grippo, Maria Teresa; Ligabue, Franco; Lomtadze, Teimuraz; Martini, Luca; Messineo, Alberto; Palla, Fabrizio; Rizzi, Andrea; Savoy-Navarro, Aurore; Spagnolo, Paolo; Tenchini, Roberto; Tonelli, Guido; Venturi, Andrea; Verdini, Piero Giorgio; Barone, Luciano; Cavallari, Francesca; Cipriani, Marco; Del Re, Daniele; Diemoz, Marcella; Gelli, Simone; Longo, Egidio; Margaroli, Fabrizio; Marzocchi, Badder; Meridiani, Paolo; Organtini, Giovanni; Paramatti, Riccardo; Preiato, Federico; Rahatlou, Shahram; Rovelli, Chiara; Santanastasio, Francesco; Amapane, Nicola; Arcidiacono, Roberta; Argiro, Stefano; Arneodo, Michele; Bartosik, Nazar; Bellan, Riccardo; Biino, Cristina; Cartiglia, Nicolo; Cenna, Francesca; Costa, Marco; Covarelli, Roberto; Degano, Alessandro; Demaria, Natale; Finco, Linda; Kiani, Bilal; Mariotti, Chiara; Maselli, Silvia; Migliore, Ernesto; Monaco, Vincenzo; Monteil, Ennio; Monteno, Marco; Obertino, Maria Margherita; Pacher, Luca; Pastrone, Nadia; Pelliccioni, Mario; Pinna Angioni, Gian Luca; Ravera, Fabio; Romero, Alessandra; Ruspa, Marta; Sacchi, Roberto; Shchelina, Ksenia; Sola, Valentina; Solano, Ada; Staiano, Amedeo; Traczyk, Piotr; Belforte, Stefano; Casarsa, Massimo; Cossutti, Fabio; Della Ricca, Giuseppe; Zanetti, Anna; Kim, Dong Hee; Kim, Gui Nyun; Kim, Min Suk; Lee, Sangeun; Lee, Seh Wook; Oh, Young Do; Sekmen, Sezen; Son, Dong-Chul; Yang, Yu Chul; Lee, Ari; Kim, Hyunchul; Brochero Cifuentes, Javier Andres; Kim, Tae Jeong; Cho, Sungwoong; Choi, Suyong; Go, Yeonju; Gyun, Dooyeon; Ha, Seungkyu; Hong, Byung-Sik; Jo, Youngkwon; Kim, Yongsun; Lee, Kisoo; Lee, Kyong Sei; Lee, Songkyo; Lim, Jaehoon; Park, Sung Keun; Roh, Youn; Almond, John; Kim, Junho; Lee, Haneol; Oh, Sung Bin; Radburn-Smith, Benjamin Charles; Seo, Seon-hee; Yang, Unki; Yoo, Hwi Dong; Yu, Geum Bong; Choi, Minkyoo; Kim, Hyunyong; Kim, Ji Hyun; Lee, Jason Sang Hun; Park, Inkyu; Ryu, Geonmo; Ryu, Min Sang; Choi, Young-Il; Goh, Junghwan; Hwang, Chanwook; Lee, Jongseok; Yu, Intae; Dudenas, Vytautas; Juodagalvis, Andrius; Vaitkus, Juozas; Ahmed, Ijaz; Ibrahim, Zainol Abidin; Md Ali, Mohd Adli Bin; Mohamad Idris, Faridah; Wan Abdullah, Wan Ahmad Tajuddin; Yusli, Mohd Nizam; Zolkapli, Zukhaimira; Castilla-Valdez, Heriberto; De La Cruz-Burelo, Eduard; Heredia-De La Cruz, Ivan; Hernandez-Almada, Alberto; Lopez-Fernandez, Ricardo; Magaña Villalba, Ricardo; Mejia Guisao, Jhovanny; Sánchez Hernández, Alberto; Carrillo Moreno, Salvador; Oropeza Barrera, Cristina; Vazquez Valencia, Fabiola; Carpinteyro, Severiano; Pedraza, Isabel; Salazar Ibarguen, Humberto Antonio; Uribe Estrada, Cecilia; Morelos Pineda, Antonio; Krofcheck, David; Butler, Philip H; Ahmad, Ashfaq; Ahmad, Muhammad; Hassan, Qamar; Hoorani, Hafeez R; Khan, Wajid Ali; Saddique, Asif; Shah, Mehar Ali; Shoaib, Muhammad; Waqas, Muhammad; Bialkowska, Helena; Bluj, Michal; Boimska, Bożena; Frueboes, Tomasz; Górski, Maciej; Kazana, Malgorzata; Nawrocki, Krzysztof; Romanowska-Rybinska, Katarzyna; Szleper, Michal; Zalewski, Piotr; Bunkowski, Karol; Byszuk, Adrian; Doroba, Krzysztof; Kalinowski, Artur; Konecki, Marcin; Krolikowski, Jan; Misiura, Maciej; Olszewski, Michal; Walczak, Marek; Bargassa, Pedrame; Beirão Da Cruz E Silva, Cristóvão; Calpas, Betty; Di Francesco, Agostino; Faccioli, Pietro; Ferreira Parracho, Pedro Guilherme; Gallinaro, Michele; Hollar, Jonathan; Leonardo, Nuno; Lloret Iglesias, Lara; Nemallapudi, Mythra Varun; Rodrigues Antunes, Joao; Seixas, Joao; Toldaiev, Oleksii; Vadruccio, Daniele; Varela, Joao; Vischia, Pietro; Afanasiev, Serguei; Bunin, Pavel; Gavrilenko, Mikhail; Golutvin, Igor; Gorbunov, Ilya; Kamenev, Alexey; Karjavin, Vladimir; Lanev, Alexander; Malakhov, Alexander; Matveev, Viktor; Palichik, Vladimir; Perelygin, Victor; Shmatov, Sergey; Shulha, Siarhei; Skatchkov, Nikolai; Smirnov, Vitaly; Voytishin, Nikolay; Zarubin, Anatoli; Chtchipounov, Leonid; Golovtsov, Victor; Ivanov, Yury; Kim, Victor; Kuznetsova, Ekaterina; Murzin, Victor; Oreshkin, Vadim; Sulimov, Valentin; Vorobyev, Alexey; Andreev, Yuri; Dermenev, Alexander; Gninenko, Sergei; Golubev, Nikolai; Karneyeu, Anton; Kirsanov, Mikhail; Krasnikov, Nikolai; Pashenkov, Anatoli; Tlisov, Danila; Toropin, Alexander; Epshteyn, Vladimir; Gavrilov, Vladimir; Lychkovskaya, Natalia; Popov, Vladimir; Pozdnyakov, Ivan; Safronov, Grigory; Spiridonov, Alexander; Toms, Maria; Vlasov, Evgueni; Zhokin, Alexander; Bylinkin, Alexander; Andreev, Vladimir; Azarkin, Maksim; Dremin, Igor; Kirakosyan, Martin; Leonidov, Andrey; Terkulov, Adel; Baskakov, Alexey; Belyaev, Andrey; Boos, Edouard; Dubinin, Mikhail; Dudko, Lev; Ershov, Alexander; Gribushin, Andrey; Kaminskiy, Alexandre; Klyukhin, Vyacheslav; Kodolova, Olga; Lokhtin, Igor; Miagkov, Igor; Obraztsov, Stepan; Petrushanko, Sergey; Savrin, Viktor; Blinov, Vladimir; Skovpen, Yuri; Shtol, Dmitry; Azhgirey, Igor; Bayshev, Igor; Bitioukov, Sergei; Elumakhov, Dmitry; Kachanov, Vassili; Kalinin, Alexey; Konstantinov, Dmitri; Krychkine, Victor; Petrov, Vladimir; Ryutin, Roman; Sobol, Andrei; Troshin, Sergey; Tyurin, Nikolay; Uzunian, Andrey; Volkov, Alexey; Adzic, Petar; Cirkovic, Predrag; Devetak, Damir; Dordevic, Milos; Milosevic, Jovan; Rekovic, Vladimir; Alcaraz Maestre, Juan; Barrio Luna, Mar; Calvo, Enrique; Cerrada, Marcos; Chamizo Llatas, Maria; Colino, Nicanor; De La Cruz, Begona; Delgado Peris, Antonio; Escalante Del Valle, Alberto; Fernandez Bedoya, Cristina; Fernández Ramos, Juan Pablo; Flix, Jose; Fouz, Maria Cruz; Garcia-Abia, Pablo; Gonzalez Lopez, Oscar; Goy Lopez, Silvia; Hernandez, Jose M; Josa, Maria Isabel; Navarro De Martino, Eduardo; Pérez-Calero Yzquierdo, Antonio María; Puerta Pelayo, Jesus; Quintario Olmeda, Adrián; Redondo, Ignacio; Romero, Luciano; Senghi Soares, Mara; de Trocóniz, Jorge F; Missiroli, Marino; Moran, Dermot; Cuevas, Javier; Fernandez Menendez, Javier; Gonzalez Caballero, Isidro; González Fernández, Juan Rodrigo; Palencia Cortezon, Enrique; Sanchez Cruz, Sergio; Suárez Andrés, Ignacio; Vizan Garcia, Jesus Manuel; Cabrillo, Iban Jose; Calderon, Alicia; Curras, Esteban; Fernandez, Marcos; Garcia-Ferrero, Juan; Gomez, Gervasio; Lopez Virto, Amparo; Marco, Jesus; Martinez Rivero, Celso; Matorras, Francisco; Piedra Gomez, Jonatan; Rodrigo, Teresa; Ruiz-Jimeno, Alberto; Scodellaro, Luca; Trevisani, Nicolò; Vila, Ivan; Vilar Cortabitarte, Rocio; Abbaneo, Duccio; Auffray, Etiennette; Auzinger, Georg; Baillon, Paul; Ball, Austin; Barney, David; Bloch, Philippe; Bocci, Andrea; Botta, Cristina; Camporesi, Tiziano; Castello, Roberto; Cepeda, Maria; Cerminara, Gianluca; Chen, Yi; D'Enterria, David; Dabrowski, Anne; Daponte, Vincenzo; David Tinoco Mendes, Andre; De Gruttola, Michele; De Roeck, Albert; Di Marco, Emanuele; Dobson, Marc; Dorney, Brian; Du Pree, Tristan; Duggan, Daniel; Dünser, Marc; Dupont, Niels; Elliott-Peisert, Anna; Everaerts, Pieter; Fartoukh, Stephane; Franzoni, Giovanni; Fulcher, Jonathan; Funk, Wolfgang; Gigi, Dominique; Gill, Karl; Girone, Maria; Glege, Frank; Gulhan, Doga; Gundacker, Stefan; Guthoff, Moritz; Harris, Philip; Hegeman, Jeroen; Innocente, Vincenzo; Janot, Patrick; Kieseler, Jan; Kirschenmann, Henning; Knünz, Valentin; Kornmayer, Andreas; Kortelainen, Matti J; Kousouris, Konstantinos; Krammer, Manfred; Lange, Clemens; Lecoq, Paul; Lourenco, Carlos; Lucchini, Marco Toliman; Malgeri, Luca; Mannelli, Marcello; Martelli, Arabella; Meijers, Frans; Merlin, Jeremie Alexandre; Mersi, Stefano; Meschi, Emilio; Milenovic, Predrag; Moortgat, Filip; Morovic, Srecko; Mulders, Martijn; Neugebauer, Hannes; Orfanelli, Styliani; Orsini, Luciano; Pape, Luc; Perez, Emmanuel; Peruzzi, Marco; Petrilli, Achille; Petrucciani, Giovanni; Pfeiffer, Andreas; Pierini, Maurizio; Racz, Attila; Reis, Thomas; Rolandi, Gigi; Rovere, Marco; Sakulin, Hannes; Sauvan, Jean-Baptiste; Schäfer, Christoph; Schwick, Christoph; Seidel, Markus; Sharma, Archana; Silva, Pedro; Sphicas, Paraskevas; Steggemann, Jan; Stoye, Markus; Takahashi, Yuta; Tosi, Mia; Treille, Daniel; Triossi, Andrea; Tsirou, Andromachi; Veckalns, Viesturs; Veres, Gabor Istvan; Verweij, Marta; Wardle, Nicholas; Wöhri, Hermine Katharina; Zagoździńska, Agnieszka; Zeuner, Wolfram Dietrich; Bertl, Willi; Deiters, Konrad; Erdmann, Wolfram; Horisberger, Roland; Ingram, Quentin; Kaestli, Hans-Christian; Kotlinski, Danek; Langenegger, Urs; Rohe, Tilman; Bachmair, Felix; Bäni, Lukas; Bianchini, Lorenzo; Casal, Bruno; Dissertori, Günther; Dittmar, Michael; Donegà, Mauro; Grab, Christoph; Heidegger, Constantin; Hits, Dmitry; Hoss, Jan; Kasieczka, Gregor; Lustermann, Werner; Mangano, Boris; Marionneau, Matthieu; Martinez Ruiz del Arbol, Pablo; Masciovecchio, Mario; Meinhard, Maren Tabea; Meister, Daniel; Micheli, Francesco; Musella, Pasquale; Nessi-Tedaldi, Francesca; Pandolfi, Francesco; Pata, Joosep; Pauss, Felicitas; Perrin, Gaël; Perrozzi, Luca; Quittnat, Milena; Rossini, Marco; Schönenberger, Myriam; Starodumov, Andrei; Tavolaro, Vittorio Raoul; Theofilatos, Konstantinos; Wallny, Rainer; Aarrestad, Thea Klaeboe; Amsler, Claude; Caminada, Lea; Canelli, Maria Florencia; De Cosa, Annapaola; Galloni, Camilla; Hinzmann, Andreas; Hreus, Tomas; Kilminster, Benjamin; Ngadiuba, Jennifer; Pinna, Deborah; Rauco, Giorgia; Robmann, Peter; Salerno, Daniel; Seitz, Claudia; Yang, Yong; Zucchetta, Alberto; Candelise, Vieri; Doan, Thi Hien; Jain, Shilpi; Khurana, Raman; Konyushikhin, Maxim; Kuo, Chia-Ming; Lin, Willis; Pozdnyakov, Andrey; Yu, Shin-Shan; Kumar, Arun; Chang, Paoti; Chang, You-Hao; Chao, Yuan; Chen, Kai-Feng; Chen, Po-Hsun; Fiori, Francesco; Hou, George Wei-Shu; Hsiung, Yee; Liu, Yueh-Feng; Lu, Rong-Shyang; Miñano Moya, Mercedes; Paganis, Efstathios; Psallidas, Andreas; Tsai, Jui-fa; Asavapibhop, Burin; Singh, Gurpreet; Srimanobhas, Norraphat; Suwonjandee, Narumon; Adiguzel, Aytul; Cerci, Salim; Damarseckin, Serdal; Demiroglu, Zuhal Seyma; Dozen, Candan; Dumanoglu, Isa; Girgis, Semiray; Gokbulut, Gul; Guler, Yalcin; Hos, Ilknur; Kangal, Evrim Ersin; Kara, Ozgun; Kayis Topaksu, Aysel; Kiminsu, Ugur; Oglakci, Mehmet; Onengut, Gulsen; Ozdemir, Kadri; Sunar Cerci, Deniz; Tali, Bayram; Turkcapar, Semra; Zorbakir, Ibrahim Soner; Zorbilmez, Caglar; Bilin, Bugra; Bilmis, Selcuk; Isildak, Bora; Karapinar, Guler; Yalvac, Metin; Zeyrek, Mehmet; Gülmez, Erhan; Kaya, Mithat; Kaya, Ozlem; Yetkin, Elif Asli; Yetkin, Taylan; Cakir, Altan; Cankocak, Kerem; Sen, Sercan; Grynyov, Boris; Levchuk, Leonid; Sorokin, Pavel; Aggleton, Robin; Ball, Fionn; Beck, Lana; Brooke, James John; Burns, Douglas; Clement, Emyr; Cussans, David; Flacher, Henning; Goldstein, Joel; Grimes, Mark; Heath, Greg P; Heath, Helen F; Jacob, Jeson; Kreczko, Lukasz; Lucas, Chris; Newbold, Dave M; Paramesvaran, Sudarshan; Poll, Anthony; Sakuma, Tai; Seif El Nasr-storey, Sarah; Smith, Dominic; Smith, Vincent J; Bell, Ken W; Belyaev, Alexander; Brew, Christopher; Brown, Robert M; Calligaris, Luigi; Cieri, Davide; Cockerill, David JA; Coughlan, John A; Harder, Kristian; Harper, Sam; Olaiya, Emmanuel; Petyt, David; Shepherd-Themistocleous, Claire; Thea, Alessandro; Tomalin, Ian R; Williams, Thomas; Baber, Mark; Bainbridge, Robert; Buchmuller, Oliver; Bundock, Aaron; Burton, Darren; Casasso, Stefano; Citron, Matthew; Colling, David; Corpe, Louie; Dauncey, Paul; Davies, Gavin; De Wit, Adinda; Della Negra, Michel; Di Maria, Riccardo; Dunne, Patrick; Elwood, Adam; Futyan, David; Haddad, Yacine; Hall, Geoffrey; Iles, Gregory; James, Thomas; Lane, Rebecca; Laner, Christian; Lucas, Robyn; Lyons, Louis; Magnan, Anne-Marie; Malik, Sarah; Mastrolorenzo, Luca; Nash, Jordan; Nikitenko, Alexander; Pela, Joao; Penning, Bjoern; Pesaresi, Mark; Raymond, David Mark; Richards, Alexander; Rose, Andrew; Scott, Edward; Seez, Christopher; Summers, Sioni; Tapper, Alexander; Uchida, Kirika; Vazquez Acosta, Monica; Virdee, Tejinder; Wright, Jack; Zenz, Seth Conrad; Cole, Joanne; Hobson, Peter R; Khan, Akram; Kyberd, Paul; Reid, Ivan; Symonds, Philip; Teodorescu, Liliana; Turner, Mark; Borzou, Ahmad; Call, Kenneth; Dittmann, Jay; Hatakeyama, Kenichi; Liu, Hongxuan; Pastika, Nathaniel; Bartek, Rachel; Dominguez, Aaron; Buccilli, Andrew; Cooper, Seth; Henderson, Conor; Rumerio, Paolo; West, Christopher; Arcaro, Daniel; Avetisyan, Aram; Bose, Tulika; Gastler, Daniel; Rankin, Dylan; Richardson, Clint; Rohlf, James; Sulak, Lawrence; Zou, David; Benelli, Gabriele; Cutts, David; Garabedian, Alex; Hakala, John; Heintz, Ulrich; Hogan, Julie Managan; Jesus, Orduna; Kwok, Ka Hei Martin; Laird, Edward; Landsberg, Greg; Mao, Zaixing; Narain, Meenakshi; Piperov, Stefan; Sagir, Sinan; Spencer, Eric; Syarif, Rizki; Breedon, Richard; Burns, Dustin; Calderon De La Barca Sanchez, Manuel; Chauhan, Sushil; Chertok, Maxwell; Conway, John; Conway, Rylan; Cox, Peter Timothy; Erbacher, Robin; Flores, Chad; Funk, Garrett; Gardner, Michael; Ko, Winston; Lander, Richard; Mclean, Christine; Mulhearn, Michael; Pellett, Dave; Pilot, Justin; Shalhout, Shalhout; Shi, Mengyao; Smith, John; Squires, Michael; Stolp, Dustin; Tos, Kyle; Tripathi, Mani; Bachtis, Michail; Bravo, Cameron; Cousins, Robert; Dasgupta, Abhigyan; Florent, Alice; Hauser, Jay; Ignatenko, Mikhail; Mccoll, Nickolas; Saltzberg, David; Schnaible, Christian; Valuev, Vyacheslav; Weber, Matthias; Bouvier, Elvire; Burt, Kira; Clare, Robert; Ellison, John Anthony; Gary, J William; Ghiasi Shirazi, Seyyed Mohammad Amin; Hanson, Gail; Heilman, Jesse; Jandir, Pawandeep; Kennedy, Elizabeth; Lacroix, Florent; Long, Owen Rosser; Olmedo Negrete, Manuel; Paneva, Mirena Ivova; Shrinivas, Amithabh; Si, Weinan; Wei, Hua; Wimpenny, Stephen; Yates, Brent; Branson, James G; Cerati, Giuseppe Benedetto; Cittolin, Sergio; Derdzinski, Mark; Gerosa, Raffaele; Holzner, André; Klein, Daniel; Krutelyov, Vyacheslav; Letts, James; Macneill, Ian; Olivito, Dominick; Padhi, Sanjay; Pieri, Marco; Sani, Matteo; Sharma, Vivek; Simon, Sean; Tadel, Matevz; Vartak, Adish; Wasserbaech, Steven; Welke, Charles; Wood, John; Würthwein, Frank; Yagil, Avraham; Zevi Della Porta, Giovanni; Amin, Nick; Bhandari, Rohan; Bradmiller-Feld, John; Campagnari, Claudio; Dishaw, Adam; Dutta, Valentina; Franco Sevilla, Manuel; George, Christopher; Golf, Frank; Gouskos, Loukas; Gran, Jason; Heller, Ryan; Incandela, Joe; Mullin, Sam Daniel; Ovcharova, Ana; Qu, Huilin; Richman, Jeffrey; Stuart, David; Suarez, Indara; Yoo, Jaehyeok; Anderson, Dustin; Bendavid, Joshua; Bornheim, Adolf; Bunn, Julian; Duarte, Javier; Lawhorn, Jay Mathew; Mott, Alexander; Newman, Harvey B; Pena, Cristian; Spiropulu, Maria; Vlimant, Jean-Roch; Xie, Si; Zhu, Ren-Yuan; Andrews, Michael Benjamin; Ferguson, Thomas; Paulini, Manfred; Russ, James; Sun, Menglei; Vogel, Helmut; Vorobiev, Igor; Weinberg, Marc; Cumalat, John Perry; Ford, William T; Jensen, Frank; Johnson, Andrew; Krohn, Michael; Leontsinis, Stefanos; Mulholland, Troy; Stenson, Kevin; Wagner, Stephen Robert; Alexander, James; Chaves, Jorge; Chu, Jennifer; Dittmer, Susan; Mcdermott, Kevin; Mirman, Nathan; Nicolas Kaufman, Gala; Patterson, Juliet Ritchie; Rinkevicius, Aurelijus; Ryd, Anders; Skinnari, Louise; Soffi, Livia; Tan, Shao Min; Tao, Zhengcheng; Thom, Julia; Tucker, Jordan; Wittich, Peter; Zientek, Margaret; Winn, Dave; Abdullin, Salavat; Albrow, Michael; Apollinari, Giorgio; Apresyan, Artur; Banerjee, Sunanda; Bauerdick, Lothar AT; Beretvas, Andrew; Berryhill, Jeffrey; Bhat, Pushpalatha C; Bolla, Gino; Burkett, Kevin; Butler, Joel Nathan; Cheung, Harry; Chlebana, Frank; Cihangir, Selcuk; Cremonesi, Matteo; Elvira, Victor Daniel; Fisk, Ian; Freeman, Jim; Gottschalk, Erik; Gray, Lindsey; Green, Dan; Grünendahl, Stefan; Gutsche, Oliver; Hare, Daryl; Harris, Robert M; Hasegawa, Satoshi; Hirschauer, James; Hu, Zhen; Jayatilaka, Bodhitha; Jindariani, Sergo; Johnson, Marvin; Joshi, Umesh; Klima, Boaz; Kreis, Benjamin; Lammel, Stephan; Linacre, Jacob; Lincoln, Don; Lipton, Ron; Liu, Miaoyuan; Liu, Tiehui; Lopes De Sá, Rafael; Lykken, Joseph; Maeshima, Kaori; Magini, Nicolo; Marraffino, John Michael; Maruyama, Sho; Mason, David; McBride, Patricia; Merkel, Petra; Mrenna, Stephen; Nahn, Steve; O'Dell, Vivian; Pedro, Kevin; Prokofyev, Oleg; Rakness, Gregory; Ristori, Luciano; Sexton-Kennedy, Elizabeth; Soha, Aron; Spalding, William J; Spiegel, Leonard; Stoynev, Stoyan; Strait, James; Strobbe, Nadja; Taylor, Lucas; Tkaczyk, Slawek; Tran, Nhan Viet; Uplegger, Lorenzo; Vaandering, Eric Wayne; Vernieri, Caterina; Verzocchi, Marco; Vidal, Richard; Wang, Michael; Weber, Hannsjoerg Artur; Whitbeck, Andrew; Wu, Yujun; Acosta, Darin; Avery, Paul; Bortignon, Pierluigi; Bourilkov, Dimitri; Brinkerhoff, Andrew; Carnes, Andrew; Carver, Matthew; Curry, David; Das, Souvik; Field, Richard D; Furic, Ivan-Kresimir; Konigsberg, Jacobo; Korytov, Andrey; Low, Jia Fu; Ma, Peisen; Matchev, Konstantin; Mei, Hualin; Mitselmakher, Guenakh; Rank, Douglas; Shchutska, Lesya; Sperka, David; Thomas, Laurent; Wang, Jian; Wang, Sean-Jiun; Yelton, John; Linn, Stephan; Markowitz, Pete; Martinez, German; Rodriguez, Jorge Luis; Ackert, Andrew; Adams, Todd; Askew, Andrew; Bein, Samuel; Hagopian, Sharon; Hagopian, Vasken; Johnson, Kurtis F; Prosper, Harrison; Santra, Arka; Yohay, Rachel; Baarmand, Marc M; Bhopatkar, Vallary; Colafranceschi, Stefano; Hohlmann, Marcus; Noonan, Daniel; Roy, Titas; Yumiceva, Francisco; Adams, Mark Raymond; Apanasevich, Leonard; Berry, Douglas; Betts, Russell Richard; Bucinskaite, Inga; Cavanaugh, Richard; Evdokimov, Olga; Gauthier, Lucie; Gerber, Cecilia Elena; Hofman, David Jonathan; Jung, Kurt; Sandoval Gonzalez, Irving Daniel; Varelas, Nikos; Wang, Hui; Wu, Zhenbin; Zakaria, Mohammed; Zhang, Jingyu; Bilki, Burak; Clarida, Warren; Dilsiz, Kamuran; Durgut, Süleyman; Gandrajula, Reddy Pratap; Haytmyradov, Maksat; Khristenko, Viktor; Merlo, Jean-Pierre; Mermerkaya, Hamit; Mestvirishvili, Alexi; Moeller, Anthony; Nachtman, Jane; Ogul, Hasan; Onel, Yasar; Ozok, Ferhat; Penzo, Aldo; Snyder, Christina; Tiras, Emrah; Wetzel, James; Yi, Kai; Anderson, Ian; Blumenfeld, Barry; Cocoros, Alice; Eminizer, Nicholas; Fehling, David; Feng, Lei; Gritsan, Andrei; Maksimovic, Petar; Roskes, Jeffrey; Sarica, Ulascan; Swartz, Morris; Xiao, Meng; Xin, Yongjie; You, Can; Al-bataineh, Ayman; Baringer, Philip; Bean, Alice; Boren, Samuel; Bowen, James; Castle, James; Forthomme, Laurent; Kenny III, Raymond Patrick; Khalil, Sadia; Kropivnitskaya, Anna; Majumder, Devdatta; Mcbrayer, William; Murray, Michael; Sanders, Stephen; Stringer, Robert; Tapia Takaki, Daniel; Wang, Quan; Ivanov, Andrew; Kaadze, Ketino; Maravin, Yurii; Mohammadi, Abdollah; Saini, Lovedeep Kaur; Skhirtladze, Nikoloz; Toda, Sachiko; Rebassoo, Finn; Wright, Douglas; Anelli, Christopher; Baden, Drew; Baron, Owen; Belloni, Alberto; Calvert, Brian; Eno, Sarah Catherine; Ferraioli, Charles; Gomez, Jaime; Hadley, Nicholas John; Jabeen, Shabnam; Jeng, Geng-Yuan; Kellogg, Richard G; Kolberg, Ted; Kunkle, Joshua; Mignerey, Alice; Ricci-Tam, Francesca; Shin, Young Ho; Skuja, Andris; Tonjes, Marguerite; Tonwar, Suresh C; Abercrombie, Daniel; Allen, Brandon; Apyan, Aram; Azzolini, Virginia; Barbieri, Richard; Baty, Austin; Bi, Ran; Bierwagen, Katharina; Brandt, Stephanie; Busza, Wit; Cali, Ivan Amos; D'Alfonso, Mariarosaria; Demiragli, Zeynep; Di Matteo, Leonardo; Gomez Ceballos, Guillelmo; Goncharov, Maxim; Hsu, Dylan; Iiyama, Yutaro; Innocenti, Gian Michele; Klute, Markus; Kovalskyi, Dmytro; Krajczar, Krisztian; Lai, Yue Shi; Lee, Yen-Jie; Levin, Andrew; Luckey, Paul David; Maier, Benedikt; Marini, Andrea Carlo; Mcginn, Christopher; Mironov, Camelia; Narayanan, Siddharth; Niu, Xinmei; Paus, Christoph; Roland, Christof; Roland, Gunther; Salfeld-Nebgen, Jakob; Stephans, George; Tatar, Kaya; Varma, Mukund; Velicanu, Dragos; Veverka, Jan; Wang, Jing; Wang, Ta-Wei; Wyslouch, Bolek; Yang, Mingming; Benvenuti, Alberto; Chatterjee, Rajdeep Mohan; Evans, Andrew; Hansen, Peter; Kalafut, Sean; Kao, Shih-Chuan; Kubota, Yuichi; Lesko, Zachary; Mans, Jeremy; Nourbakhsh, Shervin; Ruckstuhl, Nicole; Rusack, Roger; Tambe, Norbert; Turkewitz, Jared; Acosta, John Gabriel; Oliveros, Sandra; Avdeeva, Ekaterina; Bloom, Kenneth; Claes, Daniel R; Fangmeier, Caleb; Gonzalez Suarez, Rebeca; Kamalieddin, Rami; Kravchenko, Ilya; Malta Rodrigues, Alan; Monroy, Jose; Siado, Joaquin Emilo; Snow, Gregory R; Stieger, Benjamin; Alyari, Maral; Dolen, James; Godshalk, Andrew; Harrington, Charles; Iashvili, Ia; Kaisen, Josh; Nguyen, Duong; Parker, Ashley; Rappoccio, Salvatore; Roozbahani, Bahareh; Alverson, George; Barberis, Emanuela; Hortiangtham, Apichart; Massironi, Andrea; Morse, David Michael; Nash, David; Orimoto, Toyoko; Teixeira De Lima, Rafael; Trocino, Daniele; Wang, Ren-Jie; Wood, Darien; Bhattacharya, Saptaparna; Charaf, Otman; Hahn, Kristan Allan; Kumar, Ajay; Mucia, Nicholas; Odell, Nathaniel; Pollack, Brian; Schmitt, Michael Henry; Sung, Kevin; Trovato, Marco; Velasco, Mayda; Dev, Nabarun; Hildreth, Michael; Hurtado Anampa, Kenyi; Jessop, Colin; Karmgard, Daniel John; Kellams, Nathan; Lannon, Kevin; Marinelli, Nancy; Meng, Fanbo; Mueller, Charles; Musienko, Yuri; Planer, Michael; Reinsvold, Allison; Ruchti, Randy; Rupprecht, Nathaniel; Smith, Geoffrey; Taroni, Silvia; Wayne, Mitchell; Wolf, Matthias; Woodard, Anna; Alimena, Juliette; Antonelli, Louis; Bylsma, Ben; Durkin, Lloyd Stanley; Flowers, Sean; Francis, Brian; Hart, Andrew; Hill, Christopher; Hughes, Richard; Ji, Weifeng; Liu, Bingxuan; Luo, Wuming; Puigh, Darren; Winer, Brian L; Wulsin, Howard Wells; Cooperstein, Stephane; Driga, Olga; Elmer, Peter; Hardenbrook, Joshua; Hebda, Philip; Lange, David; Luo, Jingyu; Marlow, Daniel; Medvedeva, Tatiana; Mei, Kelvin; Ojalvo, Isabel; Olsen, James; Palmer, Christopher; Piroué, Pierre; Stickland, David; Svyatkovskiy, Alexey; Tully, Christopher; Malik, Sudhir; Barker, Anthony; Barnes, Virgil E; Folgueras, Santiago; Gutay, Laszlo; Jha, Manoj; Jones, Matthew; Jung, Andreas Werner; Khatiwada, Ajeeta; Miller, David Harry; Neumeister, Norbert; Schulte, Jan-Frederik; Shi, Xin; Sun, Jian; Wang, Fuqiang; Xie, Wei; Parashar, Neeti; Stupak, John; Adair, Antony; Akgun, Bora; Chen, Zhenyu; Ecklund, Karl Matthew; Geurts, Frank JM; Guilbaud, Maxime; Li, Wei; Michlin, Benjamin; Northup, Michael; Padley, Brian Paul; Roberts, Jay; Rorie, Jamal; Tu, Zhoudunming; Zabel, James; Betchart, Burton; Bodek, Arie; de Barbaro, Pawel; Demina, Regina; Duh, Yi-ting; Ferbel, Thomas; Galanti, Mario; Garcia-Bellido, Aran; Han, Jiyeon; Hindrichs, Otto; Khukhunaishvili, Aleko; Lo, Kin Ho; Tan, Ping; Verzetti, Mauro; Agapitos, Antonis; Chou, John Paul; Gershtein, Yuri; Gómez Espinosa, Tirso Alejandro; Halkiadakis, Eva; Heindl, Maximilian; Hughes, Elliot; Kaplan, Steven; Kunnawalkam Elayavalli, Raghav; Kyriacou, Savvas; Lath, Amitabh; Nash, Kevin; Osherson, Marc; Saka, Halil; Salur, Sevil; Schnetzer, Steve; Sheffield, David; Somalwar, Sunil; Stone, Robert; Thomas, Scott; Thomassen, Peter; Walker, Matthew; Delannoy, Andrés G; Foerster, Mark; Heideman, Joseph; Riley, Grant; Rose, Keith; Spanier, Stefan; Thapa, Krishna; Bouhali, Othmane; Celik, Ali; Dalchenko, Mykhailo; De Mattia, Marco; Delgado, Andrea; Dildick, Sven; Eusebi, Ricardo; Gilmore, Jason; Huang, Tao; Juska, Evaldas; Kamon, Teruki; Mueller, Ryan; Pakhotin, Yuriy; Patel, Rishi; Perloff, Alexx; Perniè, Luca; Rathjens, Denis; Safonov, Alexei; Tatarinov, Aysen; Ulmer, Keith; Akchurin, Nural; Cowden, Christopher; Damgov, Jordan; De Guio, Federico; Dragoiu, Cosmin; Dudero, Phillip Russell; Faulkner, James; Gurpinar, Emine; Kunori, Shuichi; Lamichhane, Kamal; Lee, Sung Won; Libeiro, Terence; Peltola, Timo; Undleeb, Sonaina; Volobouev, Igor; Wang, Zhixing; Greene, Senta; Gurrola, Alfredo; Janjam, Ravi; Johns, Willard; Maguire, Charles; Melo, Andrew; Ni, Hong; Sheldon, Paul; Tuo, Shengquan; Velkovska, Julia; Xu, Qiao; Arenton, Michael Wayne; Barria, Patrizia; Cox, Bradley; Goodell, Joseph; Hirosky, Robert; Ledovskoy, Alexander; Li, Hengne; Neu, Christopher; Sinthuprasith, Tutanon; Sun, Xin; Wang, Yanchu; Wolfe, Evan; Xia, Fan; Clarke, Christopher; Harr, Robert; Karchin, Paul Edmund; Sturdy, Jared; Belknap, Donald; Buchanan, James; Caillol, Cécile; Dasu, Sridhara; Dodd, Laura; Duric, Senka; Gomber, Bhawna; Grothe, Monika; Herndon, Matthew; Hervé, Alain; Klabbers, Pamela; Lanaro, Armando; Levine, Aaron; Long, Kenneth; Loveless, Richard; Perry, Thomas; Pierro, Giuseppe Antonio; Polese, Giovanni; Ruggles, Tyler; Savin, Alexander; Smith, Nicholas; Smith, Wesley H; Taylor, Devin; Woods, Nathaniel

2017-04-21

The CMS tracker consists of 206 m$^2$ of silicon strip sensors assembled on carbon fibre composite structures and is designed for operation in the temperature range from $-25$ to $+25^\\circ$C. The mechanical stability of tracker components during physics operation was monitored with a few $\\mu$m resolution using a dedicated laser alignment system as well as particle tracks from cosmic rays and hadron-hadron collisions. During the LHC operational period of 2011-2013 at stable temperatures, the components of the tracker were observed to experience relative movements of less than 30$ \\mu$m. In addition, temperature variations were found to cause displacements of tracker structures of about 2$\\mu$m/$^\\circ$C, which largely revert to their initial positions when the temperature is restored to its original value.

Degradation mechanism and thermal stability of urea nitrate below the melting point

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Desilets, Sylvain; Brousseau, Patrick; Chamberland, Daniel; Singh, Shanti; Feng, Hongtu; Turcotte, Richard; Anderson, John

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Decomposition mechanism of urea nitrate. → Spectral characterization of the decomposition mechanism. → Thermal stability of urea nitrate at 50, 70 and 100 o C. → Chemical balance of decomposed products released. - Abstract: Aging and degradation of urea nitrate below the melting point, at 100 o C, was studied by using thermal analysis and spectroscopic methods including IR, Raman, 1 H and 13 C NMR techniques. It was found that urea nitrate was completely degraded after 72 h at 100 o C into a mixture of solids (69%) and released gaseous species (31%). The degradation mechanism below the melting point was clearly identified. The remaining solid mixture was composed of ammonium nitrate, urea and biuret while unreacted residual nitric and isocyanic acids as well as traces of ammonia were released as gaseous species at 100 o C. The thermal stability of urea nitrate, under extreme storage conditions (50 o C), was also examined by isothermal nano-calorimetry.

Mechanical and Thermophysical Properties of Cement and/or Paper (Cellulose Stabilized Compressed Clay Bricks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emmanuel OUEDRAOGO

2015-05-01

Full Text Available This article presents an experimental study of the characterization of clay blocks stabilized with cement and/or recycled papers as construction materials. When they are utilized as finish for building envelops, they must have appropriate mechanical strength and water stability. The measurements of the mechanical and thermophysical properties show differences between the properties of four investigated specimens. Mechanical properties such as compression and tensile tresses of clay-cement and clay-cement-paper mixtures are found to be quite similar but are two to three times greater respectively for clay-paper and purely clay blocks. The values of the thermophysical properties of blocks incorporating paper show improvement of their thermo insulation performances.

Effect of Lumbar Stabilization Exercises Versus Kinesiotaping on Chronic Mechanical Low Back Pain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdellatif, M.M.; Kamel, M.R.; Ahmed, H.H.; Diab, H.R.

2016-01-01

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common musculoskeletal problems in modern society. Approximately two third of the adults are affected by mechanical low back pain. Lumbar stabilization exercise is a therapeutic technique that uses a progressive sequence of training in coordination, balance, endurance and strengthening. It helps increasing the range of joint motion and reducing associated pain. Kinesiotape is an adhesive tape which has approximately the same elasticity as skin. The flexibility of the tape will lift the skin to create space between the skin and the muscle, prompting improvement of blood circulation and lymphatic fluids drainage in the taped area, and this will decrease pain, increase Range Of Motion (ROM) and improve Activities of Daily Level (ADL). Purpose: This study was conducted to compare the effect of lumbar stabilization exercises and Kinesiotape in patients with Chronic Mechanical Low Back Pain. Design of the study: Thirty patients were divided randomly into two equal groups. Group A was received lumber stabilization exercises and Infrared Radiation and Group B was received kinesiotape and Infrared Radiation. Method: Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to measure the pain intensity level and Dual Inclinometer was used to measure ROM of the lumbar spine. Results: There was a high significant decrease in pain level in both groups Group A (p < 0.0001) and Group B (p < 0.0001). There was a high significant improvement in Lumbar ROM in both groups A and B where Group A: Flexion (p < 0.0001), extension (p < 0.0001), lateral flexion (p < 0.0001) and rotation (p < 0.0001), Group B: Flexion (p < 0.0001), extension (p < 0.0001), later al flexion (p < 0.0001) and rotation (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: There was no significant difference between the Lumbar Stabilization Exercise and kinesiotaping for the patients with chronic mechanical low back pain in increasing lumbar ROM and pain relief after treatment and during the follow up after

Mechanisms of stability of armored bubbles: FY 1995 progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossen, W.R.; Das, S.K.

1996-04-01

Experimental and theoretical studies of stabilization of liquid films between bubbles were undertaken as part of an effort to model gas release in waste tanks at the Hanford nuclear reservation. Synthetic Hanford waste created here showed solids accumulation at bubble surfaces and some stabilization of bubbles in a froth upon sparging with nitrogen. Dilational interfacial rheological measurements indicate increasing hydrophobicity with increasing EDTA concentration in the wastes. There is greater dilational elasticity of the interface with solid particles present on the interface. Theoretical modeling of a 2D liquid film between bubbles containing one row of solid particles suggests that in 3D such a film would be unstable unless the solids all touch. This hints at a possible mechanism for bubble stabilization, if it can be argued that slowly evolving interfaces, as bubbles grow toward each other in the sludge, have solids closely packed, but that rapid expansion of gas during a rollover event forces the films to expand without additional solids

The ZX-calculus is complete for stabilizer quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Backens, Miriam

2014-01-01

The ZX-calculus is a graphical calculus for reasoning about quantum systems and processes. It is known to be universal for pure state qubit quantum mechanics (QM), meaning any pure state, unitary operation and post-selected pure projective measurement can be expressed in the ZX-calculus. The calculus is also sound, i.e. any equality that can be derived graphically can also be derived using matrix mechanics. Here, we show that the ZX-calculus is complete for pure qubit stabilizer QM, meaning any equality that can be derived using matrices can also be derived pictorially. The proof relies on bringing diagrams into a normal form based on graph states and local Clifford operations. (paper)

Stabilization mechanisms for information stored in magnetic nanowire arrays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cisternas, Eduardo, E-mail: eduardo.cisternas@gmail.com [Departamento de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad de La Frontera, Casilla 54-D, Temuco (Chile); Faúndez, Julián [Departamento de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad de La Frontera, Casilla 54-D, Temuco (Chile); Vogel, Eugenio E. [Departamento de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad de La Frontera, Casilla 54-D, Temuco (Chile); Center for the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CEDENNA), 9170124 Santiago (Chile)

2017-03-15

The durability of the stored information in magnetic systems is one important feature in firmware applications such as security codes, magnetic keys and other similar products. In the present paper we discuss two different ways of preserving patterns in the set of magnetic wires trapped in the porous membranes used to produce them. One of the techniques is the inscription of an opposite magnetic band of about 1/3 the width of the stored pattern which minimizes the repulsive energy among the ferromagnetic cylinders still leaving a potent magnetic signal to be read. The other technique makes use of segmented nanowires which present a competition of repulsive energy of segments within the same layer while the interaction is attractive with the closer segments of the other layer; such a competition can lead to stabilization if the geometrical parameters are properly controlled. The first technique is cheaper and faster to implement, while the second technique needs a more complete fabrication process but can lead to more durable stored information. - Highlights: • Stability of ferromagnetic patterns inscribed on magnetic nanowires arrays. • Information prevalence and stabilization mechanisms. • Applicability to fimware, security codes and magnetic keys.

Carbon stabilization mechanisms in soils in the Andes

Science.gov (United States)

Jansen, Boris; Cammeraat, Erik

2015-04-01

The volcanic ash soils of the Andes contain very large stocks of soil organic matter (SOM) per unit area. Consequently, they constitute significant potential sources or sinks of the greenhouse gas CO2. Climate and/or land use change potentially have a strong effect on these large SOM stocks. To clarify the role of chemical and physical stabilisation mechanisms in volcanic ash soils in the montane tropics, we investigated carbon stocks and stabilization mechanisms in the top- and subsoil along an altitudinal transect in the Ecuadorian Andes. The transect encompassed a sequence of paleosols under forest and grassland (páramo), including a site where vegetation cover changed in the last century. We applied selective extraction techniques, performed X-ray diffraction analyses of the clay fraction and estimated pore size distributions at various depths in the top- and subsoil along the transect. In addition, from several soils the molecular composition of SOM was further characterized with depth in the current soil as well as the entire first and the top of the second paleosol using GC/MS analyses of extractable lipids and Pyrolysis-GC/MS analyses of bulk organic matter. Our results show that organic carbon stocks in the mineral soil under forest a páramo vegetation were roughly twice as large as global averages for volcanic ash soils, regardless of whether the first 30cm, 100cm or 200cm were considered. We found the carbon stabilization mechanisms involved to be: i) direct stabilization of SOM in organo-metallic (Al-OM) complexes; ii) indirect protection of SOM through low soil pH and toxic levels of Al; and iii) physical protection of SOM due to a very high microporosity of the soil (Tonneijck et al., 2010; Jansen et al. 2011). When examining the organic carbon at a molecular level, interestingly we found extensive degradation of lignin in the topsoil while extractable lipids were preferentially preserved in the subsoil (Nierop and Jansen, 2009). Both vegetation

Direct-current cathodic vacuum arc system with magnetic-field mechanism for plasma stabilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, H-S; Komvopoulos, K

2008-07-01

Filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) deposition is characterized by plasma beam directionality, plasma energy adjustment via substrate biasing, macroparticle filtering, and independent substrate temperature control. Between the two modes of FCVA deposition, namely, direct current (dc) and pulsed arc, the dc mode yields higher deposition rates than the pulsed mode. However, maintaining the dc arc discharge is challenging because of its inherent plasma instabilities. A system generating a special configuration of magnetic field that stabilizes the dc arc discharge during film deposition is presented. This magnetic field is also part of the out-of-plane magnetic filter used to focus the plasma beam and prevent macroparticle film contamination. The efficiency of the plasma-stabilizing magnetic-field mechanism is demonstrated by the deposition of amorphous carbon (a-C) films exhibiting significantly high hardness and tetrahedral carbon hybridization (sp3) contents higher than 70%. Such high-quality films cannot be produced by dc arc deposition without the plasma-stabilizing mechanism presented in this study.

Direct-current cathodic vacuum arc system with magnetic-field mechanism for plasma stabilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, H.-S.; Komvopoulos, K.

2008-01-01

Filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) deposition is characterized by plasma beam directionality, plasma energy adjustment via substrate biasing, macroparticle filtering, and independent substrate temperature control. Between the two modes of FCVA deposition, namely, direct current (dc) and pulsed arc, the dc mode yields higher deposition rates than the pulsed mode. However, maintaining the dc arc discharge is challenging because of its inherent plasma instabilities. A system generating a special configuration of magnetic field that stabilizes the dc arc discharge during film deposition is presented. This magnetic field is also part of the out-of-plane magnetic filter used to focus the plasma beam and prevent macroparticle film contamination. The efficiency of the plasma-stabilizing magnetic-field mechanism is demonstrated by the deposition of amorphous carbon (a-C) films exhibiting significantly high hardness and tetrahedral carbon hybridization (sp 3 ) contents higher than 70%. Such high-quality films cannot be produced by dc arc deposition without the plasma-stabilizing mechanism presented in this study

Trajectory Generation and Stability Analysis for Reconfigurable Klann Mechanism Based Walking Robot

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaichandar Kulandaidaasan Sheba

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Reconfigurable legged robots based on one degree of freedom are highly desired because they are effective on rough and irregular terrains and they provide mobility in such terrain with simple control schemes. It is necessary that reconfigurable legged robots should maintain stability during rest and motion, with a minimum number of legs while maintaining their full range of walking patterns resulting from different gait configuration. In this paper we present a method to generate input trajectory for reconfigurable quadruped robots based on Klann mechanism to properly synchronize movement. Six useful gait cycles based on this reconfigurable Klann mechanism for quadruped robots has been clearly shown here. The platform stability for these six useful gait cycles are validated through simulated results which clearly shows the capabilities of reconfigurable design.

Reliably Modeling the Mechanical Stability of Rigid and Flexible Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogge, Sven M J; Waroquier, Michel; Van Speybroeck, Veronique

2018-01-16

Over the past two decades, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have matured from interesting academic peculiarities toward a continuously expanding class of hybrid, nanoporous materials tuned for targeted technological applications such as gas storage and heterogeneous catalysis. These oft-times crystalline materials, composed of inorganic moieties interconnected by organic ligands, can be endowed with desired structural and chemical features by judiciously functionalizing or substituting these building blocks. As a result of this reticular synthesis, MOF research is situated at the intriguing intersection between chemistry and physics, and the building block approach could pave the way toward the construction of an almost infinite number of possible crystalline structures, provided that they exhibit stability under the desired operational conditions. However, this enormous potential is largely untapped to date, as MOFs have not yet found a major breakthrough in technological applications. One of the remaining challenges for this scale-up is the densification of MOF powders, which is generally achieved by subjecting the material to a pressurization step. However, application of an external pressure may substantially alter the chemical and physical properties of the material. A reliable theoretical guidance that can presynthetically identify the most stable materials could help overcome this technological challenge. In this Account, we describe the recent research the progress on computational characterization of the mechanical stability of MOFs. So far, three complementary approaches have been proposed, focusing on different aspects of mechanical stability: (i) the Born stability criteria, (ii) the anisotropy in mechanical moduli such as the Young and shear moduli, and (iii) the pressure-versus-volume equations of state. As these three methods are grounded in distinct computational approaches, it is expected that their accuracy and efficiency will vary. To date

Effects of Freezing and Thawing Cycle on Mechanical Properties and Stability of Soft Rock Slope

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanlong Chen

2017-01-01

Full Text Available To explore the variation laws of mechanical parameters of soft rock and the formed slope stability, an experiment was carried out with collected soft rock material specimens and freezing and thawing cycle was designed. Meanwhile, a computational simulation analysis of the freezing-thawing slope stability was implemented. Key factors that influence the strength of frozen rock specimens were analyzed. Results showed that moisture content and the number of freezing-thawing cycles influenced mechanical parameters of soft rock significantly. With the increase of moisture content, cohesion of frozen soft rock specimens presents a quadratic function decrease and the internal friction angle shows a negative exponential decrease. The stability coefficient of soft rock material slope in seasonal freeze soil area declines continuously. With the increase of freezing and thawing cycle, both cohesion and internal friction angle of soft rock decrease exponentially. The higher the moisture content, the quicker the reduction. Such stability coefficient presents a negative exponential reduction. After three freezing and thawing cycles, the slope stability coefficient only changes slightly. Findings were finally verified by the filed database.

Stabilization of the initial electrochemical potential for a metal-based potentiometric titration study of a biosorption process.

Science.gov (United States)

Naja, Ghinwa; Mustin, Christian; Volesky, Bohumil; Berthelin, Jacques

2006-01-01

An interactive metal-based potentiometric titration method has been developed using an ion selective electrode for studying the sorption of metal cations. The accuracy of this technique was verified by analyzing the metal sorption mechanism for the biomass of Rhizopus arrhizus fungus and diatomite, two dissimilar materials (organic and mineral, strong sorbent and weak sorbent) of a different order of cation exchange capacity. The problem of the initial electrochemical potential was addressed identifying the usefulness of a Na-sulfonic resin as a strong chelating agent applied before the beginning of sorption titration experiments so that the titration curves and the sorption uptake could be quantitatively compared. The resin stabilized the initial electrochemical potential to -405+/-5 mV corresponding to 2 micro gl(-1) of lead concentration in solution. The amounts of lead sorbed by R. arrhizus biomass and diatomite were 0.9 mmol g(-1) (C(e)=5.16 x 10(-2)mM) and 0.052 mmol g(-1) (C(e)=5.97 x 10(-2) mM), respectively. Lead sorption by the fungal biomass was pinpointed to at least two types of chemical active sites. The first type was distinguished by high reactivity and a low number of sites whereas the other was characterized by their higher number and lower reactivity.

Mechanisms and regulation of DNA replication initiation in eukaryotes.

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Matthew W; Botchan, Michael R; Berger, James M

2017-04-01

Cellular DNA replication is initiated through the action of multiprotein complexes that recognize replication start sites in the chromosome (termed origins) and facilitate duplex DNA melting within these regions. In a typical cell cycle, initiation occurs only once per origin and each round of replication is tightly coupled to cell division. To avoid aberrant origin firing and re-replication, eukaryotes tightly regulate two events in the initiation process: loading of the replicative helicase, MCM2-7, onto chromatin by the origin recognition complex (ORC), and subsequent activation of the helicase by its incorporation into a complex known as the CMG. Recent work has begun to reveal the details of an orchestrated and sequential exchange of initiation factors on DNA that give rise to a replication-competent complex, the replisome. Here, we review the molecular mechanisms that underpin eukaryotic DNA replication initiation - from selecting replication start sites to replicative helicase loading and activation - and describe how these events are often distinctly regulated across different eukaryotic model organisms.

Tire Shred Backfill in Mechanically Stabilized Earth Wall Applications

OpenAIRE

Balunaini, Umashankar; Yoon, Sungmin; Prezzi, Monica; Salgado, Rodrigo

2009-01-01

Tire shred-soil mixture backfill for use in mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls has several advantages over traditional backfill materials: 1) good drainage, 2) high shear strength, 3) low compacted unit weight and 4) low lateral pressure exerted on retaining structures. This work presents the results of laboratory tests performed on tire shred-sand mixtures focusing on determining the properties required for their use as backfill in MSE wall applications. Three sizes of tire shreds are...

Mechanical stability of roll-to-roll printed solar cells under cyclic bending and torsion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Finn, Mickey; Martens, Christian James; Zaretski, Aliaksandr V.

2018-01-01

The ability of printed organic solar cells (OSCs) to survive repeated mechanical deformation is critical to large-scale implementation. This paper reports an investigation into the mechanical stability of OSCs through bending and torsion testing of whole printed modules. Two types of modules...

SACM and the RCRA stabilization initiative: Similarities of principles and applicability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-01-01

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the corrective action provisions of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) provide standards for the remediation of environmental media contaminated with hazardous substances or hazardous waste, respectively. In both cases, prior to the US Environmental Protection Agency`s (EPA) development of the two subject reform initiatives, existing formal processes specified the level of site investigation required, the process for reaching a decision on the method of remediation, public participation in the decision process, and enforcement authorities that include orders and schedules of compliance. Traditionally, implementation of these processes has resulted in a great amount of time, effort, and money being expended before actual remediation began. Following criticism from the public and the regulated community, the EPA has proposed streamlining reforms for hazardous waste site cleanup under both CERCLA and RCRA that will begin remediation sooner with lower costs. The purpose of this Information Brief is to discuss the common goals, processes, and strategies of the Superfund Accelerated Cleanup Model (SACM) and the RCRA Stabilization Initiative.

Progress in Understanding Degradation Mechanisms and Improving Stability in Organic Photovoltaics

KAUST Repository

Mateker, William R.

2016-12-23

Understanding the degradation mechanisms of organic photovoltaics is particularly important, as they tend to degrade faster than their inorganic counterparts, such as silicon and cadmium telluride. An overview is provided here of the main degradation mechanisms that researchers have identified so far that cause extrinsic degradation from oxygen and water, intrinsic degradation in the dark, and photo-induced burn-in. In addition, it provides methods for researchers to identify these mechanisms in new materials and device structures to screen them more quickly for promising long-term performance. These general strategies will likely be helpful in other photovoltaic technologies that suffer from insufficient stability, such as perovskite solar cells. Finally, the most promising lifetime results are highlighted and recommendations to improve long-term performance are made. To prevent degradation from oxygen and water for sufficiently long time periods, OPVs will likely need to be encapsulated by barrier materials with lower permeation rates of oxygen and water than typical flexible substrate materials. To improve stability at operating temperatures, materials will likely require glass transition temperatures above 100 °C. Methods to prevent photo-induced burn-in are least understood, but recent research indicates that using pure materials with dense and ordered film morphologies can reduce the burn-in effect.

Progress in Understanding Degradation Mechanisms and Improving Stability in Organic Photovoltaics

KAUST Repository

Mateker, William R.; McGehee, Michael D.

2016-01-01

Understanding the degradation mechanisms of organic photovoltaics is particularly important, as they tend to degrade faster than their inorganic counterparts, such as silicon and cadmium telluride. An overview is provided here of the main degradation mechanisms that researchers have identified so far that cause extrinsic degradation from oxygen and water, intrinsic degradation in the dark, and photo-induced burn-in. In addition, it provides methods for researchers to identify these mechanisms in new materials and device structures to screen them more quickly for promising long-term performance. These general strategies will likely be helpful in other photovoltaic technologies that suffer from insufficient stability, such as perovskite solar cells. Finally, the most promising lifetime results are highlighted and recommendations to improve long-term performance are made. To prevent degradation from oxygen and water for sufficiently long time periods, OPVs will likely need to be encapsulated by barrier materials with lower permeation rates of oxygen and water than typical flexible substrate materials. To improve stability at operating temperatures, materials will likely require glass transition temperatures above 100 °C. Methods to prevent photo-induced burn-in are least understood, but recent research indicates that using pure materials with dense and ordered film morphologies can reduce the burn-in effect.

Long term stability of yttria-stabilized zirconia waste forms. Stability for secular change of partitioned TRU waste composition by disintegration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuramoto, Ken-ichi; Banba, Tsunetaka; Mitamura, Hisayoshi; Sakai, Etsuro; Uno, Masayoshi; Kinoshita, H.; Yamanaka, Shinsuke

1999-01-01

In this study, the stability of YSZ waste forms for secular change of partitioned TRU waste composition by disintegration, one of important terms in long-term stability, is the special concern. Designed amount of waste and YSZ powder were mixed and sintered. These TRU waste forms were submitted to tests of phase stability, chemical durability, mechanical property and compactness. The results were compared with those of another YSZ waste forms, non-radioactive Ce and/or Nd doped YSZ samples, and glass and Synroc waste forms. Experimental results show following: (1) Phase stability of (Np+Am)-, (Np+U)-, and (Np+U+Bi)-doped YSZ waste forms could be maintained of that of the initial Np+Am-doped YSZ waste form permanently even when the composition of partitioned TRU waste were changed by disintegration. (2) Secular change also accelerated volume increase of YSZ waste forms as well as alpha-decay damage. (3) Hv, E and K IC of (Np+U)- and (Np+U+Bi)-doped YSZ waste forms were independent of the secular change of the partitioned TRU waste composition by disintegration. (4) Mechanical properties of YSZ waste forms were more than those of a glass and Synroc waste forms. (5) Compactness of YSZ waste forms was good as waste forms for the partitioned TRU wastes. (J.P.N.)

Modulation of erythrocyte membrane mechanical stability by 2,3-diphosphoglycerate in the neonatal poikilocytosis/elliptocytosis syndrome.

OpenAIRE

Mentzer, W C; Iarocci, T A; Mohandas, N; Lane, P A; Smith, B; Lazerson, J; Hays, T

1987-01-01

To explain the transient anemia and poikilocytosis seen during infancy in hereditary elliptocytosis (HE), we resealed erythrocyte (RBC) ghosts from affected children or their elliptocytic parents with 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) (0-8 mM), a compound that dissociates membrane skeletons, then measured ghost mechanical stability in the ektacytometer. Without added 2,3-DPG, ghost mechanical stability was subnormal in infantile poikilocytosis (IP) and HE but was even more abnormal in hereditary p...

Interaction between drilled shaft and mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall : project summary.

Science.gov (United States)

2015-08-31

Drilled shafts are being constructed within the reinforced zone of mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls (Figure 1). The drilled shafts may be subjected to horizontal loads and push against the front of the wall. Distress of MSE wall panels has b...

Binding energy and mechanical stability of single- and multi-walled carbon nanotube serpentines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Junhua; Lu, Lixin; Rabczuk, Timon

2014-01-01

Recently, Geblinger et al. [Nat. Nanotechnol. 3, 195 (2008)] and Machado et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 105502 (2013)] reported the experimental and molecular dynamics realization of S-like shaped single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs), the so-called CNT serpentines. We reported here results from continuum modeling of the binding energy γ between different single- and multi-walled CNT serpentines and substrates as well as the mechanical stability of the CNT serpentine formation. The critical length for the mechanical stability and adhesion of different CNT serpentines are determined in dependence of E i I i , d, and γ, where E i I i and d are the CNT bending stiffness and distance of the CNT translation period. Our continuum model is validated by comparing its solution to full-atom molecular dynamics calculations. The derived analytical solutions are of great importance for understanding the interaction mechanism between different single- and multi-walled CNT serpentines and substrates

Influence of the initial state of carbon nanotubes on their colloidal stability under natural conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwyzer, Irene; Kaegi, Ralf; Sigg, Laura; Magrez, Arnaud; Nowack, Bernd

2011-01-01

The colloidal stability of dry and suspended carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in the presence of amphiphilic compounds (i.e. natural organic matter or surfactants) at environmentally realistic concentrations was investigated over several days. The suspensions were analyzed for CNT concentration (UV-vis spectroscopy), particle size (nanoparticle tracking analysis), and CNT length and dispersion quality (TEM). When added in dry form, around 1% of the added CNTs remained suspended. Pre-dispersion in organic solvent or anionic detergent stabilized up to 65% of the added CNTs after 20 days of mild shaking and 5 days of settling. The initial state of the CNTs (dry vs. suspended) and the medium composition hence are critical determinants for the partitioning of CNTs between sediment and the water column. TEM analysis revealed that single suspended CNTs were present in all suspensions and that shaking and settling resulted in a fractionation of the CNTs with shorter CNTs remaining predominantly in suspension. - Highlights: → Individually suspended CNTs are present under environment relevant conditions. → The number of suspended CNTs varies depending on the medium composition. → Surfactants at environmental concentrations have no suspending effect on dry CNTs. → Pre-dispersed CNTs are more stable in suspension than dry CNTs. - The colloidal stability of CNTs varies a lot depending on the initial state of the CNTs (dry vs. pre-dispersed), the applied dispersant for pre-suspension, and the composition of the medium.

Effect of stiffness modulation on mechanical stability of stretchable a-IGZO TFTs

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Hyungjin; Cho, Kyoungah; Oh, Hyungon; Kim, Sangsig

2018-05-01

In this study, we fabricate the amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) on a stretchable substrate with a buffer stage and investigate the mechanical stability and electrical characteristics when the length of the substrate is stretched by 1.7 times. The buffer stage is responsible for the stiffness modulation of the stretchable substrate. The mobility, the threshold voltage and the on/off ratio of the stretchable a-IGZO TFT are measured to be 18.1 cm2/V·s, 1 V, and 3 × 107, respectively. Our simulation conducted by a three dimensional finite elements method reveals that the stiffness modulation reduces the stress experienced by the substrate in the stretched state by about one-tenth. In addition, the mechanical stability and electrical characteristics of the a-IGZO TFT are maintained even when the substrate is stretched by 1.7 times.

A new method for determination of most likely landslide initiation points and the evaluation of digital terrain model scale in terrain stability mapping

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Tarolli

2006-01-01

Full Text Available This paper introduces a new approach for determining the most likely initiation points for landslides from potential instability mapped using a terrain stability model. This approach identifies the location with critical stability index from a terrain stability model on each downslope path from ridge to valley. Any measure of terrain stability may be used with this approach, which here is illustrated using results from SINMAP, and from simply taking slope as an index of potential instability. The relative density of most likely landslide initiation points within and outside mapped landslide scars provides a way to evaluate the effectiveness of a terrain stability measure, even when mapped landslide scars include run out zones, rather than just initiation locations. This relative density was used to evaluate the utility of high resolution terrain data derived from airborne laser altimetry (LIDAR for a small basin located in the Northeastern Region of Italy. Digital Terrain Models were derived from the LIDAR data for a range of grid cell sizes (from 2 to 50 m. We found appreciable differences between the density of most likely landslide initiation points within and outside mapped landslides with ratios as large as three or more with the highest ratios for a digital terrain model grid cell size of 10 m. This leads to two conclusions: (1 The relative density from a most likely landslide initiation point approach is useful for quantifying the effectiveness of a terrain stability map when mapped landslides do not or can not differentiate between initiation, runout, and depositional areas; and (2 in this study area, where landslides occurred in complexes that were sometimes more than 100 m wide, a digital terrain model scale of 10 m is optimal. Digital terrain model scales larger than 10 m result in loss of resolution that degrades the results, while for digital terrain model scales smaller than 10 m the physical processes responsible for triggering

Effect Mechanism of Penstock on Stability and Regulation Quality of Turbine Regulating System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wencheng Guo

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper studies the effect mechanism of water inertia and head loss of penstock on stability and regulation quality of turbine regulating system with surge tank or not and proposes the construction method of equivalent model of regulating system. Firstly, the complete linear mathematical model of regulating system is established. Then, the free oscillation equation and time response of the frequency that describe stability and regulation quality, respectively, are obtained. Finally, the effects of penstock are analysed by using stability region and response curves. The results indicate that the stability and regulation quality of system without surge tank are determined by time response of frequency which only depends on water hammer wave in penstock, while, for system with surge tank, the time response of frequency depending on water hammer wave in penstock and water-level fluctuation in surge tank jointly determines the stability and regulation quality. Water inertia of penstock mainly affects the stability and time response of frequency of system without surge tank as well as the stability and head wave of time response of frequency with surge tank. Head loss of penstock mainly affects the stability and tail wave of time response of frequency with surge tank.

Initial stability of a highly porous titanium cup in an acetabular bone defect model.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshimoto, Kensei; Nakashima, Yasuharu; Wakiyama, Miyo; Hara, Daisuke; Nakamura, Akihiro; Iwamoto, Mikio

2018-04-12

The purpose of this study was to quantify the initial stability of a highly porous titanium cup using an acetabular bone defect model. The maximum torque of a highly porous titanium cup, with a pore size of 640 μm and porosity of 60%, was measured using rotational and lever-out torque testing and compared to that of a titanium-sprayed cup. The bone models were prepared using a polyurethane foam block and had three levels of bone coverage: 100, 70, and 50%. The highly porous titanium cup demonstrated significantly higher maximum torque than the titanium-sprayed cups in the three levels of bone defects. On rotational torque testing, it was found to be 1.5, 1.3, and 1.3 times stronger than the titanium-sprayed cups with 100, 70 and 50% bone coverage, respectively. Furthermore, it was found to be 2.2, 2.3, and 1.5 times stronger on lever-out testing than the titanium-sprayed cup. No breakage in the porous layers was noted during the testing. This study provides additional evidence of the initial stability of highly porous titanium cup, even in the presence of acetabular bone defects. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Stability of orbits in nonlinear mechanics for finite but very long times

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warnock, R.L.; Ruth, R.D.

1990-07-01

In various applications of nonlinear mechanics, especially in accelerator design, it would be useful to set bounds on the motion for finite but very long times. Such bounds can be sought with the help of a canonical transformation to new action-angle variables (J, Ψ), such that action J is nearly constant while the angle Ψ advances almost linearly with the time. By examining the change in J during a time T 0 from many initial conditions in the open domain Ω of phase space, one can estimate the change in J during a much larger time T, on any orbit starting in a smaller open domain Ω 0 contained-in Ω. A numerical realization of this idea is described. The canonical transformations, equivalent to close approximations to invariant tori, are constructed by an effective new method in which surfaces are fitted to orbit data. In a first application to a model sextupole lattice in a region of strong nonlinearity, we predict stability of betatron motion in two degrees of freedom for a time comparable to the storage time in a proton storage ring (10 8 turns). 10 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab

Stability of orbits in nonlinear mechanics for finite but very long times

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Warnock, R.L.; Ruth, R.D.

1990-07-01

In various applications of nonlinear mechanics, especially in accelerator design, it would be useful to set bounds on the motion for finite but very long times. Such bounds can be sought with the help of a canonical transformation to new action-angle variables (J, {Psi}), such that action J is nearly constant while the angle {Psi} advances almost linearly with the time. By examining the change in J during a time T{sub 0} from many initial conditions in the open domain {Omega} of phase space, one can estimate the change in J during a much larger time T, on any orbit starting in a smaller open domain {Omega}{sub 0} {contained in} {Omega}. A numerical realization of this idea is described. The canonical transformations, equivalent to close approximations to invariant tori, are constructed by an effective new method in which surfaces are fitted to orbit data. In a first application to a model sextupole lattice in a region of strong nonlinearity, we predict stability of betatron motion in two degrees of freedom for a time comparable to the storage time in a proton storage ring (10{sup 8} turns). 10 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab.

Charge regulation as a stabilization mechanism for shell-like assemblies of polyoxometalates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhoeff, A.A.; Kistler, M.L.; Bhatt, A.; Pigga, J.; Groenewold, J.; Klokkenburg, M.; Veen, S.J.; Roy, S.; Liu, T.; Kegel, W.K.

2007-01-01

We show that the equilibrium size of single-layer shells composed of polyoxometalate macroions is inversely proportional to the dielectric constant of the medium in which they are dispersed. This behavior is consistent with a stabilization mechanism based on Coulomb repulsion combined with charge

Investigating the Thermal and Phase Stability of Nanocrystalline Ni-W Produced by Electrodeposition, Sputtering, and Mechanical Alloying

Science.gov (United States)

Marvel, Christopher Jonathan

The development of nanocrystalline materials has been increasingly pursued over the last few decades. They have been shown to exhibit superior properties compared to their coarse-grain counterparts, and thus present a tremendous opportunity to revolutionize the performance of nanoscale devices or bulk structural materials. However, nanocrystalline materials are highly prone to grain growth, and if the nanocrystalline grains coarsen, the beneficial properties are lost. There is a strong effort to determine the most effective thermal stability mechanisms to avoid grain growth, but the physical nature of nanocrystalline grain growth is still unclear due to a lack of detailed understanding of nanocrystalline microstructures. Furthermore, the influence of contamination has scarcely been explored with advanced transmission electron microscopy techniques, nor has there been a direct comparison of alloys fabricated with different bulk processes. Therefore, this research has applied aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy to characterize nanocrystalline Ni-W on the atomic scale and elucidate the physical grain growth behavior. Three primary objectives were pursued: (1) explore the thermal stability mechanisms of nanocrystalline Ni-W, (2) evaluate the phase stability of Ni-W and link any findings to grain growth behavior, and (3) compare the influences of bulk fabrication processing, including electrodeposition, DC magnetron sputtering, and mechanical alloying, on the thermal stability and phase stability of Ni-W. Several thermal stability mechanisms were identified throughout the course of this research. First and foremost, W-segregation was scarcely observed to grain boundaries, and it is unclear if W-segregation improves thermal stability contrary to most reports in the 2 literature. Long-range Ni4W chemical ordering was observed in alloys with more than 20 at.% W, and it is likely Ni4W domains reduce grain boundary mobility. In addition, lattice

Study on synthesis, application and mechanism of benzophenone/amine initiator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiong Wei; Liu Jinshui; Wen Yinjun; Wan Qizhong; Zhou Xianyan; Xiao Hanling; Yang Jianwen

1999-01-01

Through Michael addition reaction of trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA) with diethylamine (DEA), a new kind of tertiary amine derivative was synthesized and its structure was identified by 'H-NMR. When used in combination with benzophenone, this amine presented excellent curing speed and could be a substitute for initiator Darocur R 1173, which is effective but expensive. If so, the cost of UV-curable coatings can descend apparently. The functioning mechanism of benzophenone/amine bimolecular initiator was studied

Beyond initiation-limited translational bursting: the effects of burst size distributions on the stability of gene expression

KAUST Repository

Kuwahara, Hiroyuki

2015-11-04

A main source of gene expression noise in prokaryotes is translational bursting. It arises from efficient translation of mRNAs with low copy numbers, which makes the production of protein copies highly variable and pulsatile. To obtain analytical solutions, previous models to capture this noise source had to assume translation to be initiation-limited, representing the burst size by a specific type of a long-tail distribution. However, there is increasing evidence suggesting that the initiation is not the rate-limiting step in certain settings, for example, under stress conditions. Here, to overcome the limitations imposed by the initiation-limited assumption, we present a new analytical approach that can evaluate biological consequences of the protein burst size with a general distribution. Since our new model can capture the contribution of other factors to the translational noise, it can be used to analyze the effects of gene expression noise in more general settings. We used this new model to analytically analyze the connection between the burst size and the stability of gene expression processes in various settings. We found that the burst size with different distributions can lead to quantitatively and qualitatively different stability characteristics of protein abundance and can have non-intuitive effects. By allowing analysis of how the stability of gene expression processes changes based on various distributions of translational noise, our analytical approach is expected to enable deeper insights into the control of cell fate decision-making, the evolution of cryptic genetic variations, and fine-tuning of gene circuits.

Global insights into acetic acid resistance mechanisms and genetic stability of Acetobacter pasteurianus strains by comparative genomics

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Bin; Shao, Yanchun; Chen, Tao; Chen, Wanping; Chen, Fusheng

2015-12-01

Acetobacter pasteurianus (Ap) CICC 20001 and CGMCC 1.41 are two acetic acid bacteria strains that, because of their strong abilities to produce and tolerate high concentrations of acetic acid, have been widely used to brew vinegar in China. To globally understand the fermentation characteristics, acid-tolerant mechanisms and genetic stabilities, their genomes were sequenced. Genomic comparisons with 9 other sequenced Ap strains revealed that their chromosomes were evolutionarily conserved, whereas the plasmids were unique compared with other Ap strains. Analysis of the acid-tolerant metabolic pathway at the genomic level indicated that the metabolism of some amino acids and the known mechanisms of acetic acid tolerance, might collaboratively contribute to acetic acid resistance in Ap strains. The balance of instability factors and stability factors in the genomes of Ap CICC 20001 and CGMCC 1.41 strains might be the basis for their genetic stability, consistent with their stable industrial performances. These observations provide important insights into the acid resistance mechanism and the genetic stability of Ap strains and lay a foundation for future genetic manipulation and engineering of these two strains.

Adaptive and freeze-tolerant heteronetwork organohydrogels with enhanced mechanical stability over a wide temperature range

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Hainan; Zhao, Ziguang; Cai, Yudong; Zhou, Jiajia; Hua, Wenda; Chen, Lie; Wang, Li; Zhang, Jianqi; Han, Dong; Liu, Mingjie; Jiang, Lei

2017-06-01

Many biological organisms with exceptional freezing tolerance can resist the damages to cells from extra-/intracellular ice crystals and thus maintain their mechanical stability at subzero temperatures. Inspired by the freezing tolerance mechanisms found in nature, here we report a strategy of combining hydrophilic/oleophilic heteronetworks to produce self-adaptive, freeze-tolerant and mechanically stable organohydrogels. The organohydrogels can simultaneously use water and oil as a dispersion medium, and quickly switch between hydrogel- and organogel-like behaviours in response to the nature of the surrounding phase. Accordingly, their surfaces display unusual adaptive dual superlyophobic in oil/water system (that is, they are superhydrophobic under oil and superoleophobic under water). Moreover, the organogel component can inhibit the ice crystallization of the hydrogel component, thus enhancing the mechanical stability of organohydrogel over a wide temperature range (-78 to 80 °C). The organohydrogels may have promising applications in complex and harsh environments.

Preparation and properties of mesoporous silica/bismaleimide/diallylbisphenol composites with improved thermal stability, mechanical and dielectric properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2011-06-01

Full Text Available New composites with improved thermal stability, mechanical and dielectric properties were developed, which consist of 2,2'-diallylbisphenol A (DBA/4,4'-bismaleimidodiphenylmethane (BDM resin and a new kind of organic/inorganic mesoporous silica (MPSA. Typical properties (curing behavior and mechanism, thermal stability, mechanical and dielectric properties of the composites were systematically investigated, and their origins were discussed. Results show that MPSA/DBA/BDM composites have similar curing temperature as DBA/BDM resin does; however, they have different curing mechanisms, and thus different crosslinked networks. The content of MPSA has close relation with the integrated performance of cured composites. Compared with cured DBA/BDM resin, composites with suitable content of MPSA show obviously improved flexural strength and modulus as well as impact strength; in addition, all composites not only have lower dielectric constant and similar frequency dependence, more interestingly, they also exhibit better stability of frequency on dielectric loss. For thermal stability, the addition of MPSA to DBA/BDM resin significantly decreases the coefficient of thermal expansion, and improves the char yield at high temperature with a slightly reduced glass transition temperature. All these differences in macro-properties are attributed to the different crosslinked networks between MPSA/DBA/BDM composites and DBA/BDM resin.

Study on Roll Instability Mechanism and Stability Index of Articulated Steering Vehicles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuefei Li

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This study examines the roll instability mechanism and stability index of articulated steering vehicles (ASVs by taking wheel loaders as the research object. A seven-degree-of-freedom nonlinear dynamics model of the ASVs is built on the basis of multibody dynamics. A physical prototype model of an ASV is designed and manufactured to validate the dynamic model. Test results reasonably agree with the simulation results, which indicates that the established dynamic model can reasonably describe ASV movements. Detailed analysis of the rollover stability of the wheel loader is performed with the use of the established dynamic model. Analysis results show that rollover will occur when the roll angular velocity exceeds a critical threshold, which is affected by lateral acceleration and slope angle. On this basis, a dynamic stability index applicable to the ASVs is presented.

Mechanisms of sharp wave initiation and ripple generation.

Science.gov (United States)

Schlingloff, Dániel; Káli, Szabolcs; Freund, Tamás F; Hájos, Norbert; Gulyás, Attila I

2014-08-20

Replay of neuronal activity during hippocampal sharp wave-ripples (SWRs) is essential in memory formation. To understand the mechanisms underlying the initiation of irregularly occurring SWRs and the generation of periodic ripples, we selectively manipulated different components of the CA3 network in mouse hippocampal slices. We recorded EPSCs and IPSCs to examine the buildup of neuronal activity preceding SWRs and analyzed the distribution of time intervals between subsequent SWR events. Our results suggest that SWRs are initiated through a combined refractory and stochastic mechanism. SWRs initiate when firing in a set of spontaneously active pyramidal cells triggers a gradual, exponential buildup of activity in the recurrent CA3 network. We showed that this tonic excitatory envelope drives reciprocally connected parvalbumin-positive basket cells, which start ripple-frequency spiking that is phase-locked through reciprocal inhibition. The synchronized GABA(A) receptor-mediated currents give rise to a major component of the ripple-frequency oscillation in the local field potential and organize the phase-locked spiking of pyramidal cells. Optogenetic stimulation of parvalbumin-positive cells evoked full SWRs and EPSC sequences in pyramidal cells. Even with excitation blocked, tonic driving of parvalbumin-positive cells evoked ripple oscillations. Conversely, optogenetic silencing of parvalbumin-positive cells interrupted the SWRs or inhibited their occurrence. Local drug applications and modeling experiments confirmed that the activity of parvalbumin-positive perisomatic inhibitory neurons is both necessary and sufficient for ripple-frequency current and rhythm generation. These interneurons are thus essential in organizing pyramidal cell activity not only during gamma oscillation, but, in a different configuration, during SWRs. Copyright © 2014 the authors 0270-6474/14/3411385-14$15.00/0.

Thermal stability of nafion membranes under mechanical stress

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Quintilii, M; Struis, R [Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland)

1997-06-01

The feasibility of adequately modified fluoro-ionomer membranes (NAFION{sup R}) is demonstrated for the selective separation of methanol synthesis products from the raw reactor gas at temperatures around 200{sup o}C. For an economically relevant application of this concept on a technical scale the Nafion membranes should be thin ({approx_equal}10 {mu}m) and thermally stable over a long period of time (1-2 years). In cooperation with industry (Methanol Casale SA, Lugano (CH)), we test the thermal stability of Nafion hollow fibers and supported Nafion thin sheet membranes at temperatures between 160 and 200{sup o}C under mechanical stress by applying a gas pressure difference over the membrane surface ({Delta}P{<=} 40 bar). Tests with the hollow fibers revealed that Nafion has visco-elastic properties. Tests with 50 {mu}m thin Nafion sheets supported by a porous metal carrier at 200{sup o}C and {Delta}P=39 bar showed no mechanical defects over a period of 92 days. (author) 5 figs., 4 refs.

Methods for improving mechanical properties of partially stabilized zirconia and the resulting product

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aronov, V.A.

1987-01-01

A method for improving mechanical surface properties of a rigid body comprising partially stabilized zirconia as a constituent is described comprising the following steps: (i) providing a rigid body having an exposed surface and an interior volume; (ii) subjecting the exposed surface region of partially stabilized zirconia to external heating to heat the exposed surface region to 1100 0 C-1600 0 C without heating the interior volume above 500 0 C-800 0 C; and (iii) cooling the rigid body to a temperature of less than 500 0 C to cause a portion of the exposed surface region to transform from the tetragonal lattice modification to the monoclinic lattice modification, thereby creating a compressive stress field in the exposed surface region and improving the mechanical surface properties of the exposed surface region. In a ceramic body comprising a first exposed region of a partially stabilized zirconia, and a second region of a partially stabilized zirconia at an interior portion of the ceramic body, the improvement is described comprising the ceramic body having in the first, exposed region a greater percentage of the monoclinic lattice modification than in the second region; having in the first, exposed region 5 percent to 100 percent in the monoclinic lattice modification; and having a molded surface finish in the first, exposed region; the first, exposed region being subjected to a compressive field resulting from the greater percentage of the monoclinic lattice modification

Molecular Mechanism of AHSP-Mediated Stabilization of Alpha-Hemoglobin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng,L.; Gell, D.; Zhou, S.; Gu, L.; Kong, Y.; Li, J.; Hu, M.; Yan, N.; Lee, C.; et al.

2005-01-01

Hemoglobin A (HbA), the oxygen delivery system in humans, comprises two alpha and two beta subunits. Free alpha-hemoglobin (alphaHb) is unstable, and its precipitation contributes to the pathophysiology of beta thalassemia. In erythrocytes, the alpha-hemoglobin stabilizing protein (AHSP) binds alphaHb and inhibits its precipitation. The crystal structure of AHSP bound to Fe(II)-alphaHb reveals that AHSP specifically recognizes the G and H helices of alphaHb through a hydrophobic interface that largely recapitulates the alpha1-beta1 interface of hemoglobin. The AHSP-alphaHb interactions are extensive but suboptimal, explaining why beta-hemoglobin can competitively displace AHSP to form HbA. Remarkably, the Fe(II)-heme group in AHSP bound alphaHb is coordinated by the distal but not the proximal histidine. Importantly, binding to AHSP facilitates the conversion of oxy-alphaHb to a deoxygenated, oxidized [Fe(III)], nonreactive form in which all six coordinate positions are occupied. These observations reveal the molecular mechanisms by which AHSP stabilizes free alphaHb.

Effect of Nb2O5 doping on improving the thermo-mechanical stability of sealing interfaces for solid oxide fuel cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qi; Du, Xinhang; Tan, Shengwei; Tang, Dian; Chen, Kongfa; Zhang, Teng

2017-07-13

Nb 2 O 5 is added to a borosilicate sealing system to improve the thermo-mechanical stability of the sealing interface between the glass and Fe-Cr metallic interconnect (Crofer 22APU) in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The thermo-mechanical stability of the glass/metal interface is evaluated experimentally as well as by using a finite element analysis (FEA) method. The sealing glass doped with 4 mol.% Nb 2 O 5 shows the best thermo-mechanical stability, and the sealing couple of Crofer 22APU/glass/GDC (Gd 0.2 Ce 0.8 O 1.9 ) remains intact after 50 thermal cycles. In addition, all sealing couples show good joining after being held at 750 °C for 1000 h. Moreover, the possible mechanism on the thermo-mechanical stability of sealing interface is investigated in terms of stress-based and energy-based perspectives.

A universal trend of reduced mRNA stability near the translation-initiation site in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wanjun Gu

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Recent studies have suggested that the thermodynamic stability of mRNA secondary structure near the start codon can regulate translation efficiency in Escherichia coli, and that translation is more efficient the less stable the secondary structure. We survey the complete genomes of 340 species for signals of reduced mRNA secondary structure near the start codon. Our analysis includes bacteria, archaea, fungi, plants, insects, fishes, birds, and mammals. We find that nearly all species show evidence for reduced mRNA stability near the start codon. The reduction in stability generally increases with increasing genomic GC content. In prokaryotes, the reduction also increases with decreasing optimal growth temperature. Within genomes, there is variation in the stability among genes, and this variation correlates with gene GC content, codon bias, and gene expression level. For birds and mammals, however, we do not find a genome-wide trend of reduced mRNA stability near the start codon. Yet the most GC rich genes in these organisms do show such a signal. We conclude that reduced stability of the mRNA secondary structure near the start codon is a universal feature of all cellular life. We suggest that the origin of this reduction is selection for efficient recognition of the start codon by initiator-tRNA.

Mechanical synthesis of copper-carbon nanocomposites: Structural changes, strengthening and thermal stabilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nunes, D.; Livramento, V.; Mateus, R.; Correia, J.B.; Alves, L.C.; Vilarigues, M.; Carvalho, P.A.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → The study characterized Cu-nanodiamond (Cu-nD) and Cu-graphite (Cu-G) composites. → Preservation of nD crystalline structure during high-energy milling was demonstrated. → Higher refinement of matrix in Cu-nD comparing to Cu-G is due to a milling mechanism. → Remarkable thermal stability and microhardness have been achieved in Cu-nD and Cu-G. → Strengthening resulted mainly from grain refinement and second-phase reinforcement. - Abstract: Processing of copper-carbon nanocomposites by mechanical synthesis poses specific challenges as carbon phases are prone to amorphization and exhibit an intrinsically difficult bonding with copper. The present work investigates Cu-nanodiamond (Cu-nD) and Cu-graphite (Cu-G) composites produced by mechanical synthesis and subsequent heat treatments. Transmission electron microscopy observations showed homogeneous particle distributions and intimate bonding between the metallic matrix and the carbon phases. Ring diffraction patterns of chemically extracted carbon phases demonstrated that milled nanodiamond preserved crystallinity, while an essentially amorphous nature could be inferred for milled graphite. Raman spectra confirmed that nanodiamond particles remained essentially unaffected by the mechanical synthesis, whereas the bands of milled graphite were significantly changed into the typical amorphous carbon fingerprint. Particle-induced X-ray emission spectroscopy showed that the total contamination originating from the milling media remained below 0.7 wt.%. The Cu-nanodiamond composite exhibited remarkable microhardness and microstructural thermal stability when compared with pure nanostructured copper.

Mechanical synthesis of copper-carbon nanocomposites: Structural changes, strengthening and thermal stabilization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nunes, D., E-mail: daniela.nunes@ist.utl.pt [Associacao Euratom/IST, Instituto de Plasmas e Fusao Nuclear - Laboratorio Associado, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal); LNEG, Estrada do Paco do Lumiar, 1649-038 Lisboa (Portugal); ICEMS, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal); Livramento, V. [Associacao Euratom/IST, Instituto de Plasmas e Fusao Nuclear - Laboratorio Associado, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal); LNEG, Estrada do Paco do Lumiar, 1649-038 Lisboa (Portugal); Mateus, R. [Associacao Euratom/IST, Instituto de Plasmas e Fusao Nuclear - Laboratorio Associado, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal); Correia, J.B. [LNEG, Estrada do Paco do Lumiar, 1649-038 Lisboa (Portugal); Alves, L.C. [ITN, Instituto Tecnologico e Nuclear, Estrada Nacional 10, 2686-953 Sacavem (Portugal); Vilarigues, M. [Departamento de Conservacao e Restauro e R and D Unit Vidro e da Ceramica Para as Artes, FCT-UNL, Quinta da Torre, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Carvalho, P.A. [ICEMS, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal); Departamento de Bioengenharia, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal)

2011-11-15

Highlights: {yields} The study characterized Cu-nanodiamond (Cu-nD) and Cu-graphite (Cu-G) composites. {yields} Preservation of nD crystalline structure during high-energy milling was demonstrated. {yields} Higher refinement of matrix in Cu-nD comparing to Cu-G is due to a milling mechanism. {yields} Remarkable thermal stability and microhardness have been achieved in Cu-nD and Cu-G. {yields} Strengthening resulted mainly from grain refinement and second-phase reinforcement. - Abstract: Processing of copper-carbon nanocomposites by mechanical synthesis poses specific challenges as carbon phases are prone to amorphization and exhibit an intrinsically difficult bonding with copper. The present work investigates Cu-nanodiamond (Cu-nD) and Cu-graphite (Cu-G) composites produced by mechanical synthesis and subsequent heat treatments. Transmission electron microscopy observations showed homogeneous particle distributions and intimate bonding between the metallic matrix and the carbon phases. Ring diffraction patterns of chemically extracted carbon phases demonstrated that milled nanodiamond preserved crystallinity, while an essentially amorphous nature could be inferred for milled graphite. Raman spectra confirmed that nanodiamond particles remained essentially unaffected by the mechanical synthesis, whereas the bands of milled graphite were significantly changed into the typical amorphous carbon fingerprint. Particle-induced X-ray emission spectroscopy showed that the total contamination originating from the milling media remained below 0.7 wt.%. The Cu-nanodiamond composite exhibited remarkable microhardness and microstructural thermal stability when compared with pure nanostructured copper.

On anodic stability and decomposition mechanism of sulfolane in high-voltage lithium ion battery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xing, Lidan; Tu, Wenqiang; Vatamanu, Jenel; Liu, Qifeng; Huang, Wenna; Wang, Yating; Zhou, Hebing; Zeng, Ronghua; Li, Weishan

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Influence of lithium salts on the anodic stability of sulfolane has been investigated. • Oxidation decomposition mechanisms of LiPF 6 /Sulfolane electrolyte have been well understood by theoretical and experimental methods. • Decomposition products of the electrolyte can be found on the electrode surface and in the interfacial electrolyte. - Abstract: In this work, we investigated the anodic stability and decomposition mechanism of sulfolane (SL). The anodic stability of SL-based electrolyte with different lithium salts on Pt and LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 electrodes was found to decrease as follows: LiPF 6 /SL > LiBF 4 /SL > LiClO 4 /SL. The oxidation potential of 1M LiPF 6 /SL electrolyte on both Pt and electrodes is about 5.0V vs Li/Li + . The presence of PF 6 - and another SL solvent dramatically alters the decomposition mechanism of SL. Oxidation decomposition of SL-SL cluster is the most favorable reaction in LiPF 6 /SL electrolyte. The dimer products with S-O-R group were detected by IR spectra on the charged LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 electrode surface and in the electrolyte near the electrode surface, and were found to increase the interfacial reaction resistance of the LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 electrode

Negative feedback mechanism for the long-term stabilization of earth's surface temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walker, J.C.G.; Hays, P.B.; Kasting, J.F.

1981-01-01

We suggest that the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is buffered, over geological time scales, by a negative feedback mechanism in which the rate of weathering of silicate minerals (followed by deposition of carbonate minerals) depends on surface temperature, and surface temperature, in turn, depends on carbon dioxide partial pressure through the green effect. Although the quantitative details of this mechanism are speculative, it appears able partially to stabilize earth's surface temperature against the steady increase of solar luminosity believed to have occured since the origin of the solar system

Influence of different curing systems on the physico-mechanical properties and stability of SBR and NR rubbers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Basfar, A.A. E-mail: abasfar@kacst.edu.sa; Abdel-Aziz, M.M.; Mofti, S

2002-01-01

The physical properties of radiation, sulfur and peroxide-cured styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and natural rubber (NR) were compared. The dependence of the mechanical properties of the radiation-vulcanized SBR and NR on the coagent concentration and radiation dose was studied. The effect of thermal aging on the mechanical properties of the different rubber formulations was discussed. The radiation-cured formulations of SBR have superior mechanical properties and thermal stability compared with those of the chemically vulcanized compounds. Whereas, the radiation-cured formulations of NR have similar mechanical properties but superior thermal stability (based on the % change in E after thermal aging), when compared with those of the sulfur-vulcanized compounds and slightly better than those of the peroxide-vulcanized compounds.

Is there an association between suicide attempt and delay of initiation of mood stabilizers in bipolar I disorder?

Science.gov (United States)

Nery-Fernandes, Fabiana; Quarantini, Lucas C; Guimarães, José L; de Oliveira, Irismar R; Koenen, Karestan C; Kapczinski, Flavio; Miranda-Scippa, Ângela

2012-02-01

Little is known about the extent to which delay of initiation of mood-stabilizing treatment may influence outcomes in bipolar patients (BP). In this study, our aim was to investigate the association between delay of mood stabilizer treatment in bipolar patients and lifetime history of suicide attempts. A consecutive sample of 268 bipolar I outpatients from two teaching hospitals in Brazil was recruited. The assessment included a socio-demographic history form, a clinical interview regarding clinical variables and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Participants were divided into three groups: BP that initiated the first mood stabilizer in the same year of the first episode of the disease (FMS≤1), between 1 and 5 years after the first episode of the disease (15). The mean time from the first episode until the first mood stabilizer medication was 8.6 years (SD 9.8 years). The FMS>5 group, showed a higher lifetime prevalence of suicide attempts than the other two groups (PR=1.75, 95% CI: 1.24-2.47), p=0.001. These results remained significant after adjusting for potential confounders, (PR=1.82, 95% CI: 1.29-2.60), p=0.001. This study evaluated patients retrospectively and does not permit a cause-effect relationship. The present study supports the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention for BP in order to limit the potentially lethal impact of the disease. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gaze stabilization in chronic vestibular-loss and in cerebellar ataxia: interactions of feedforward and sensory feedback mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Sağlam, M; Lehnen, N

2014-01-01

During gaze shifts, humans can use visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive feedback, as well as feedforward mechanisms, for stabilization against active and passive head movements. The contributions of feedforward and sensory feedback control, and the role of the cerebellum, are still under debate. To quantify these contributions, we increased the head moment of inertia in three groups (ten healthy, five chronic vestibular-loss and nine cerebellar-ataxia patients) while they performed large gaze shifts to flashed targets in darkness. This induces undesired head oscillations. Consequently, both active (desired) and passive (undesired) head movements had to be compensated for to stabilize gaze. All groups compensated for active and passive head movements, vestibular-loss patients less than the other groups (P feedforward mechanisms substantially contribute to gaze stabilization. Proprioception alone is not sufficient (gain 0.2). Stabilization against active and passive head movements was not impaired in our cerebellar ataxia patients.

An investigation of the mechanical behavior of initially curved microplates under electrostatic actuation

KAUST Repository

Saghir, Shahid

2018-03-28

In this article, we investigate the mechanical behavior of initially curved microplates under electrostatic actuation. Microplates are essential components of many Micro-Electro-Mechanical System devices; however, they commonly undergo an initial curvature imperfection, due to the microfabrication process. Initial curvature imperfection significantly affects the mechanical behavior of microplates. In this work, we derive a dynamic analogue of the von Kármán governing equation for such plates. These equations are then used to develop a reduced order model based on the Galerkin procedure to simulate the static and dynamic behavior of the microplate. Two profiles of initial curvature commonly encountered in microfabricated structures are considered, where one assumes a variation in shape along one dimension of the plate only (cylindrical bending shape) while the other assumes a variation in shape along both dimensions of the plate. Their effects on both the static and dynamic responses of the microplates are examined and compared. We validate the reduced order model by comparing the calculated static behavior and the fundamental natural frequency with those computed by a finite element model over a range of the initial plate rise. The static behavior of the microplate is investigated when varying the DC voltage. Then, the dynamic behavior of the microplate is examined under the application of a harmonic AC voltage superimposed to a DC voltage.

Getting off on the Wrong Foot: Longitudinal Effects of Hispanic Students' Stability Attributions Following Poor Initial Test Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, Cody B.; Yang, Yan

2012-01-01

Though studies have established that following poor performance, attributions to stable causes affect the performance of minority students, few studies have explored the impact of stability attributions over time. This study explored attributions following initial failure among a predominantly Hispanic student population. We measured students'…

Interaction analysis of back-to-back mechanically stabilized earth walls

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sadok Benmebarek

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Back-to-back mechanically stabilized earth walls (BBMSEWs are encountered in bridge approaches, ramp ways, rockfall protection systems, earth dams, levees and noise barriers. However, available design guidelines for BBMSEWs are limited and not applicable to numerical modeling when back-to-back walls interact with each other. The objective of this paper is to investigate, using PLAXIS code, the effects of the reduction in the distance between BBMSEW, the reinforcement length, the quality of backfill material and the connection of reinforcements in the middle, when the back-to-back walls are close. The results indicate that each of the BBMSEWs behaves independently if the width of the embankment between mechanically stabilized earth walls is greater than that of the active zone. This is in good agreement with the result of FHWA design guideline. However, the results show that the FHWA design guideline underestimates the lateral earth pressure when back-to-back walls interact with each other. Moreover, for closer BBMSEWs, FHWA design guideline strongly overestimates the maximum tensile force in the reinforcement. The investigation of the quality of backfill material shows that the minor increase in embankment cohesion can lead to significant reductions in both the lateral earth pressure and the maximum tensile force in geosynthetic. When the distance between the two earth walls is close to zero, the connection of reinforcement between back-to-back walls significantly improves the factor of safety.

Thermal and mechanical stability of retained austenite in aluminum-containing multiphase TRIP steels

CERN Document Server

Zwaag, S; Kruijver, S O; Sietsma, J

2002-01-01

Stability of retained austenite is the key issue to understand transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) effect. In this work, both thermal stability and mechanical stability are investigated by thermo-magnetic as well as in situ conventional X-ray diffraction and micro synchrotron radiation diffraction measurements. The thermal stability in a 0.20C-1.52Mn-0.25Si-0.96Al (wt%) TRIP steel is studied in the temperature range between 5 and 300 K under a constant magnetic field of 5T. It is found that almost all austenite transforms thermally to martensite upon cooling to 5K and M sub s and M sub f temperatures are analyzed to be 355 and 115 K. Transformation kinetics on the fraction versus temperature relation are well described by a model based on thermodynamics. From the in situ conventional X-ray and synchrotron diffraction measurements in a 0.17C-1.46Mn-0.26Si-1.81Al (wt%) steel, the volume fraction of retained austenite is found to decrease as the strain increases according to Ludwigson and Berger relation. T...

Non-uniform velocity profile mechanism for flame stabilization in a porous radiant burner

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Catapan, R.C.; Costa, M. [Mechanical Engineering Department, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Avenida Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon (Portugal); Oliveira, A.A.M. [Mechanical Engineering Department, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Campus Universitario Professor Joao David Ferreira Lima, 88040-900 Florianopolis, SC (Brazil)

2011-01-15

Industrial processes where the heating of large surfaces is required lead to the possibility of using large surface porous radiant burners. This causes additional temperature uniformity problems, since it is increasingly difficult to evenly distribute the reactant mixture over a large burner surface while retaining its stability and keeping low pollutant emissions. In order to allow for larger surface area burners, a non-uniform velocity profile mechanism for flame stabilization in a porous radiant burner using a single large injection hole is proposed and analyzed for a double-layered burner operating in open and closed hot (laboratory-scale furnace, with temperature-controlled, isothermal walls) environments. In both environments, local mean temperatures within the porous medium have been measured. For lower reactant flow rate and ambient temperature the flame shape is conical and anchored at the rim of the injection hole. As the volumetric flow rate or furnace temperature is raised, the flame undergoes a transition to a plane flame stabilized near the external burner surface. However, the stability range envelope remains the same in both regimes. (author)

Effects of Freezing and Thawing Cycle on Mechanical Properties and Stability of Soft Rock Slope

OpenAIRE

Chen, Yanlong; Wu, Peng; Yu, Qing; Xu, Guang

2017-01-01

To explore the variation laws of mechanical parameters of soft rock and the formed slope stability, an experiment was carried out with collected soft rock material specimens and freezing and thawing cycle was designed. Meanwhile, a computational simulation analysis of the freezing-thawing slope stability was implemented. Key factors that influence the strength of frozen rock specimens were analyzed. Results showed that moisture content and the number of freezing-thawing cycles influenced mech...

Role of CAP350 in centriolar tubule stability and centriole assembly.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mikael Le Clech

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Centrioles are microtubule-based cylindrical structures composed of nine triplet tubules and are required for the formation of the centrosome, flagella and cilia. Despite theirs importance, centriole biogenesis is poorly understood. Centrosome duplication is initiated at the G1/S transition by the sequential recruitment of a set of conserved proteins under the control of the kinase Plk4. Subsequently, the procentriole is assembled by the polymerization of centriolar tubules via an unknown mechanism involving several tubulin paralogs. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here, we developed a cellular assay to study centrosome duplication and procentriole stability based on its sensitivity to the microtubule-depolymerizing drug nocodazole. By using RNA interference experiments, we show that the stability of growing procentrioles is regulated by the microtubule-stabilizing protein CAP350, independently of hSAS-6 and CPAP which initiate procentriole growth. Furthermore, our analysis reveals the critical role of centriolar tubule stability for an efficient procentriole growth. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: CAP350 belongs to a new class of proteins which associate and stabilize centriolar tubules to control centriole duplication.

Ultrasonic, Molecular and Mechanical Testing Diagnostics in Natural Fibre Reinforced, Polymer-Stabilized Earth Blocks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Galán-Marín

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research study was to evaluate the influence of utilising natural polymers as a form of soil stabilization, in order to assess their potential for use in building applications. Mixtures were stabilized with a natural polymer (alginate and reinforced with wool fibres in order to improve the overall compressive and flexural strength of a series of composite materials. Ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV and mechanical strength testing techniques were then used to measure the porous properties of the manufactured natural polymer-soil composites, which were formed into earth blocks. Mechanical tests were carried out for three different clays which showed that the polymer increased the mechanical resistance of the samples to varying degrees, depending on the plasticity index of each soil. Variation in soil grain size distributions and Atterberg limits were assessed and chemical compositions were studied and compared. X-ray diffraction (XRD, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF, and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF techniques were all used in conjunction with qualitative identification of the aggregates. Ultrasonic wave propagation was found to be a useful technique for assisting in the determination of soil shrinkage characteristics and fibre-soil adherence capacity and UPV results correlated well with the measured mechanical properties.

Thermal Degradation Mechanism of a Thermostable Polyester Stabilized with an Open-Cage Oligomeric Silsesquioxane

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Yolanda Bautista

2017-12-01

Full Text Available A polyester composite was prepared through the polymerization of an unsaturated ester resin with styrene and an open-cage oligomeric silsesquioxane with methacrylate groups. The effect of the open-cage oligomeric silsesquioxane on the thermal stability of the thermostable polyester was studied using both thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis. The results showed that the methacryl oligomeric silsesquioxane improved the thermal stability of the polyester. The decomposition mechanism of the polyester/oligomer silsesquioxane composite was proposed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR analysis of the volatiles.

Green synthesis of Au nanoparticles using potato extract: stability and growth mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

Castillo-López, D. N.; Pal, U.

2014-08-01

We report on the synthesis of spherical, well-dispersed colloidal gold nanoparticles of 17.5-23.5 nm average sizes in water using potato extract (PE) both as reducing and stabilizing agent. The effects of PE content and the pH value of the reaction mixture have been studied. Formation and growth dynamics of the Au nanoparticles in the colloids were studied using transmission electron microscopy and UV-Vis optical absorption spectroscopy techniques. While the reductor content and, hence, the nucleation and growth rates of the nanoparticles could be controlled by controlling the PE content in the reaction solution, the stability of the nanoparticles depended strongly on the pH of the reaction mixture. The mechanisms of Au ion reduction and stabilization of Au nanoparticles by potato starch have been discussed. The use of common natural solvent like water and biological reductor like PE in our synthesis process opens up the possibility of synthesizing Au nanoparticles in fully green (environmental friendly) way, and the Au nanoparticles produced in such way should have good biocompatibility.

Balance control during gait initiation: State-of-the-art and research perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Yiou, Eric; Caderby, Teddy; Delafontaine, Arnaud; Fourcade, Paul; Honeine, Jean-Louis

2017-11-18

It is well known that balance control is affected by aging, neurological and orthopedic conditions. Poor balance control during gait and postural maintenance are associated with disability, falls and increased mortality. Gait initiation - the transient period between the quiet standing posture and steady state walking - is a functional task that is classically used in the literature to investigate how the central nervous system (CNS) controls balance during a whole-body movement involving change in the base of support dimensions and center of mass progression. Understanding how the CNS in able-bodied subjects exerts this control during such a challenging task is a pre-requisite to identifying motor disorders in populations with specific impairments of the postural system. It may also provide clinicians with objective measures to assess the efficiency of rehabilitation programs and better target interventions according to individual impairments. The present review thus proposes a state-of-the-art analysis on: (1) the balance control mechanisms in play during gait initiation in able bodied subjects and in the case of some frail populations; and (2) the biomechanical parameters used in the literature to quantify dynamic stability during gait initiation. Balance control mechanisms reviewed in this article included anticipatory postural adjustments, stance leg stiffness, foot placement, lateral ankle strategy, swing foot strike pattern and vertical center of mass braking. Based on this review, the following viewpoints were put forward: (1) dynamic stability during gait initiation may share a principle of homeostatic regulation similar to most physiological variables, where separate mechanisms need to be coordinated to ensure stabilization of vital variables, and consequently; and (2) rehabilitation interventions which focus on separate or isolated components of posture, balance, or gait may limit the effectiveness of current clinical practices.

Novel platinum black electroplating technique improving mechanical stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Raeyoung; Nam, Yoonkey

2013-01-01

Platinum black microelectrodes are widely used as an effective neural signal recording sensor. The simple fabrication process, high quality signal recording and proper biocompatibility are the main advantages of platinum black microelectrodes. When microelectrodes are exposed to actual biological system, various physical stimuli are applied. However, the porous structure of platinum black is vulnerable to external stimuli and destroyed easily. The impedance level of the microelectrode increases when the microelectrodes are damaged resulting in decreased recording performance. In this study, we developed mechanically stable platinum black microelectrodes by adding polydopamine. The polydopamine layer was added between the platinum black structures by electrodeposition method. The initial impedance level of platinum black only microelectrodes and polydopamine added microelectrodes were similar but after applying ultrasonication the impedance value dramatically increased for platinum black only microelectrodes, whereas polydopamine added microelectrodes showed little increase which were nearly retained initial values. Polydopamine added platinum black microelectrodes are expected to extend the availability as neural sensors.

Trimethylamine N-oxide stabilizes proteins via a distinct mechanism compared with betaine and glycine

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Yi-Ting; Manson, Anthony C.; DeLyser, Michael R.; Noid, William G.; Cremer, Paul S.

2017-01-01

We report experimental and computational studies investigating the effects of three osmolytes, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), betaine, and glycine, on the hydrophobic collapse of an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP). All three osmolytes stabilize collapsed conformations of the ELP and reduce the lower critical solution temperature (LSCT) linearly with osmolyte concentration. As expected from conventional preferential solvation arguments, betaine and glycine both increase the surface tension at the air–water interface. TMAO, however, reduces the surface tension. Atomically detailed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations suggest that TMAO also slightly accumulates at the polymer–water interface, whereas glycine and betaine are strongly depleted. To investigate alternative mechanisms for osmolyte effects, we performed FTIR experiments that characterized the impact of each cosolvent on the bulk water structure. These experiments showed that TMAO red-shifts the OH stretch of the IR spectrum via a mechanism that was very sensitive to the protonation state of the NO moiety. Glycine also caused a red shift in the OH stretch region, whereas betaine minimally impacted this region. Thus, the effects of osmolytes on the OH spectrum appear uncorrelated with their effects upon hydrophobic collapse. Similarly, MD simulations suggested that TMAO disrupts the water structure to the least extent, whereas glycine exerts the greatest influence on the water structure. These results suggest that TMAO stabilizes collapsed conformations via a mechanism that is distinct from glycine and betaine. In particular, we propose that TMAO stabilizes proteins by acting as a surfactant for the heterogeneous surfaces of folded proteins. PMID:28228526

Statistical mechanics provides novel insights into microtubule stability and mechanism of shrinkage.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ishutesh Jain

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Microtubules are nano-machines that grow and shrink stochastically, making use of the coupling between chemical kinetics and mechanics of its constituent protofilaments (PFs. We investigate the stability and shrinkage of microtubules taking into account inter-protofilament interactions and bending interactions of intrinsically curved PFs. Computing the free energy as a function of PF tip position, we show that the competition between curvature energy, inter-PF interaction energy and entropy leads to a rich landscape with a series of minima that repeat over a length-scale determined by the intrinsic curvature. Computing Langevin dynamics of the tip through the landscape and accounting for depolymerization, we calculate the average unzippering and shrinkage velocities of GDP protofilaments and compare them with the experimentally known results. Our analysis predicts that the strength of the inter-PF interaction (E(s(m has to be comparable to the strength of the curvature energy (E(b(m such that E(s(m - E(b(m ≈ 1kBT, and questions the prevalent notion that unzippering results from the domination of bending energy of curved GDP PFs. Our work demonstrates how the shape of the free energy landscape is crucial in explaining the mechanism of MT shrinkage where the unzippered PFs will fluctuate in a set of partially peeled off states and subunit dissociation will reduce the length.

Swelling, Mechanics, and Thermal/Chemical Stability of Hydrogels Containing Phenylboronic Acid Side Chains

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Arum Kim

2017-12-01

Full Text Available We report here studies of swelling, mechanics, and thermal stability of hydrogels consisting of 20 mol % methacrylamidophenylboronic acid (MPBA and 80 mol % acrylamide (AAm, lightly crosslinked with methylenebisacrylamide (Bis. Swelling was measured in solutions of fixed ionic strength, but with varying pH values and fructose concentrations. Mechanics was studied by compression and hold. In the absence of sugar or in the presence of fructose, the modulus was mostly maintained during the hold period, while a significant stress relaxation was seen in the presence of glucose, consistent with reversible, dynamic crosslinks provided by glucose, but not fructose. Thermal stability was determined by incubating hydrogels at pH 7.4 at room temperature, and 37, 50, and 65 °C, and monitoring swelling. In PBS (phosphate buffered saline solutions containing 9 mM fructose, swelling remained essentially complete for 50 days at room temperature, but decreased substantially with time at the higher temperatures, with accelerated reduction of swelling with increasing temperature. Controls indicated that over long time periods, both the MPBA and AAm units were experiencing conversion to different species.

Enhanced mechanical behavior of a nanocrystallised stainless steel and its thermal stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roland, T.; Retraint, D.; Lu, K.; Lu, J.

2007-01-01

This paper discusses the mechanical properties of a nanocrystallised stainless steel obtained using surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) and the underlying grain refinement mechanism using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It was shown that grain refinement down to the nanometer range has the potential to significantly improve the mechanical properties of a 316L stainless steel which becomes comparable in strength to titanium alloys. Hence, promising structural applications could be considered for such a material. At the same time, the thermal stability of this nanocrystallised material was studied in the temperature range from 100 to 800 deg. C. The results show that the nanometer scaled microstructure is retained up to 600 deg. C and that a controlled annealing treatment could even lead to enhancement of both strength and ductility of this material. All these results are explained in terms of microstructural investigations, X-ray diffraction measurements, tensile and bending tests as well as microhardness measurements

Enhanced mechanical behavior of a nanocrystallised stainless steel and its thermal stability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roland, T. [ICD, LASMIS, University of Technology of Troyes, 10010 Troyes (France); Retraint, D. [ICD, LASMIS, University of Technology of Troyes, 10010 Troyes (France)]. E-mail: delphine.retraint@utt.fr; Lu, K. [Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110015 (China); Lu, J. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China)

2007-02-15

This paper discusses the mechanical properties of a nanocrystallised stainless steel obtained using surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) and the underlying grain refinement mechanism using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It was shown that grain refinement down to the nanometer range has the potential to significantly improve the mechanical properties of a 316L stainless steel which becomes comparable in strength to titanium alloys. Hence, promising structural applications could be considered for such a material. At the same time, the thermal stability of this nanocrystallised material was studied in the temperature range from 100 to 800 deg. C. The results show that the nanometer scaled microstructure is retained up to 600 deg. C and that a controlled annealing treatment could even lead to enhancement of both strength and ductility of this material. All these results are explained in terms of microstructural investigations, X-ray diffraction measurements, tensile and bending tests as well as microhardness measurements.

Mechanical stability of the cell nucleus: roles played by the cytoskeleton in nuclear deformation and strain recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xian; Liu, Haijiao; Zhu, Min; Cao, Changhong; Xu, Zhensong; Tsatskis, Yonit; Lau, Kimberly; Kuok, Chikin; Filleter, Tobin; McNeill, Helen; Simmons, Craig A; Hopyan, Sevan; Sun, Yu

2018-05-18

Extracellular forces transmitted through the cytoskeleton can deform the cell nucleus. Large nuclear deformation increases the risk of disrupting the nuclear envelope's integrity and causing DNA damage. Mechanical stability of the nucleus defines its capability of maintaining nuclear shape by minimizing nuclear deformation and recovering strain when deformed. Understanding the deformation and recovery behavior of the nucleus requires characterization of nuclear viscoelastic properties. Here, we quantified the decoupled viscoelastic parameters of the cell membrane, cytoskeleton, and the nucleus. The results indicate that the cytoskeleton enhances nuclear mechanical stability by lowering the effective deformability of the nucleus while maintaining nuclear sensitivity to mechanical stimuli. Additionally, the cytoskeleton decreases the strain energy release rate of the nucleus and might thus prevent shape change-induced structural damage to chromatin. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

High beta and second stability region transport and stability analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hughes, M.H.; Phillps, M.W.; Todd, A.M.M.; Krishnaswami, J.; Hartley, R.

1992-09-01

This report describes ideal and resistive studies of high-beta plasmas and of the second stability region. Emphasis is focused on ''supershot'' plasmas in TFIR where MHD instabilities are frequently observed and which spoil their confinement properties. Substantial results are described from the analysis of these high beta poloidal plasmas. During these studies, initial pressure and safety factor profiles were obtained from the TRANSP code, which is used extensively to analyze experimental data. Resistive MBD stability studies of supershot equilibria show that finite pressure stabilization of tearing modes is very strong in these high βp plasmas. This has prompted a detailed re-examination of linear tearing mode theory in which we participated in collaboration with Columbia University and General Atomics. This finite pressure effect is shown to be highly sensitive to small scale details of the pressure profile. Even when an ad hoc method of removing this stabilizing mechanism is implemented, however, it is shown that there is only superficial agreement between resistive MBD stability computation and the experimental data. While the mode structures observed experimentally can be found computationally, there is no convincing correlation with the experimental observations when the computed results are compared with a large set of supershot data. We also describe both the ideal and resistive stability properties of TFIR equilibria near the transition to the second region. It is shown that the highest β plasmas, although stable to infinite-n ideal ballooning modes, can be unstable to the so called ''infernal'' modes associated with small shear. The sensitivity of these results to the assumed pressure and current density profiles is discussed. Finally, we describe results from two collaborative studies with PPPL. The first involves exploratory studies of the role of the 1/1 mode in tokamaks and, secondly, a study of sawtooth stabilization using ICRF

Reversal of DDK-Mediated MCM Phosphorylation by Rif1-PP1 Regulates Replication Initiation and Replisome Stability Independently of ATR/Chk1.

Science.gov (United States)

Alver, Robert C; Chadha, Gaganmeet Singh; Gillespie, Peter J; Blow, J Julian

2017-03-07

Dbf4-dependent kinases (DDKs) are required for the initiation of DNA replication, their essential targets being the MCM2-7 proteins. We show that, in Xenopus laevis egg extracts and human cells, hyper-phosphorylation of DNA-bound Mcm4, but not phosphorylation of Mcm2, correlates with DNA replication. These phosphorylations are differentially affected by the DDK inhibitors PHA-767491 and XL413. We show that DDK-dependent MCM phosphorylation is reversed by protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) targeted to chromatin by Rif1. Loss of Rif1 increased MCM phosphorylation and the rate of replication initiation and also compromised the ability of cells to block initiation when challenged with replication inhibitors. We also provide evidence that Rif1 can mediate MCM dephosphorylation at replication forks and that the stability of dephosphorylated replisomes strongly depends on Chk1 activity. We propose that both replication initiation and replisome stability depend on MCM phosphorylation, which is maintained by a balance of DDK-dependent phosphorylation and Rif1-mediated dephosphorylation. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Initial assessment of the MHD stability of TMX-U

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nexsen, W.E.

1983-01-01

In its operation to date TMX-U has reached values of beta which, for all except the hot electron beta, are close to the proposal values and has not encountered MHD stability problems. The hot electron beta values are presently limited by gyrotron output power and pulse length as well as ion confinement time. Further exploration of stability awaits full thermal barrier operation

Molecular mechanisms underlying the pilsicainide-induced stabilization of hERG proteins in transfected mammalian cells

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Takeshi Onohara, MD

2017-06-01

Conclusions: Pilsicainide penetrates the plasma membrane, stabilizes WT-hERG proteins by acting as a chemical chaperone, and enhances WT-hERG channel currents. This mechanism could also be applicable to modulations of certain mutant-hERG proteins.

Mechanical stability and adhesion of ceramic coatings deposited on steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ignat, M.; Armann, A.; Moberg, L.; Sibieude, F.

1991-01-01

This paper presents the results of two sorts of deformation experiment performed on coating/substrate systems. The coating/substrate systems were constituted by coatings of titanium nitride and chromium carbide, deposited in both cases on steel substrates. The formation experiments were cyclic bending tests on macroscopic samples with chromium carbide coatings, and straining experiments performed in a scanning electron microscope on samples with titanium nitride coatings. By the analysis of our experimental results we develop an attempt to correlate the mechanical stability of the systems with the interfacial adhesion, by taking into account the internal residual stresses as an adhesion parameter. For the samples with chromium carbide coatings, the evolution of internal stresses is detected from X-ray diffractometry and discussed in terms of the observed induced damaging mechanisms, in the cyclic tests. For the samples with titanium nitride coatings, we discussed the adhesion from the microstructural observations and from the critical parameters determined during the in-situ straining experiments. (orig.)

Effect of initial microstructure on the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of Ti during cold rolling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stolyarov, V.V.; Zhu, Y.T.; Raab, G.I.; Zharikov, A.I.; Valiev, R.Z.

2004-01-01

Ultrafine-grained (UFG) Ti rods were produced via cold rolling UFG and coarse-grained (CG) Ti stocks. The initial UFG stock was produced via equal channel angular pressing. It was found that the initial UFG structure had beneficial influence on the mechanical properties of the cold-rolled Ti rods. Compared with Ti rods with initial CG microstructure, the Ti rods with the initial UFG microstructure have both higher strength and higher ductility after being cold rolled to varying strains. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the Ti rods with the initial UFG microstructure had finer, more homogeneous microstructures after cold rolling. This study demonstrates the merit of UFG Ti processed by ECAP for further shaping and forming into structural components with superior mechanical properties

Fabrication of polylactic acid/hydroxyapatite/graphene oxide composite and their thermal stability, hydrophobic and mechanical properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming Gong

2017-06-01

Full Text Available A series of polylactic acid/hydroxyapatite/graphene oxide composite (PLA/HA/GO were fabricated via solution blending and casting method using N,N-dimethyl-formamide (DMF and CH2Cl2 as mutual solvents. The physicochemical properties of the resulting composites were characterized by means of FT-IR, SEM, TEM, Raman spectra, XRD and N2-physisorption. Particularly, the thermal stabilities, hydrophobic and mechanical properties of PLA/HA/GO composites were systematically investigated. The influences of GO content on thermal stabilities, hydrophobic and mechanical properties of the composites were also evaluated. The results showed that the addition of GO and HA not only improved the thermal stability of PLA, but also improved the hydrophobic property of PLA-based composites. By compared with the PLA/HA/GO composite, the tensile strength of pristine PLA is slight high. The tensile strength and hardness of PLA/HA/GO composites increased with the increase of GO content. The obtained PLA/HA/GO composite may be a promising material for load-bearing orthopedic implants.

Phase stability, mechanical properties, hardness, and possible reactive routing of chromium triboride from first-principle investigations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhong, Ming-Min; Kuang, Xiao-Yu; Wang, Zhen-Hua; Shao, Peng; Ding, Li-Ping; Huang, Xiao-Fen

2013-01-01

The first-principles calculations are employed to provide a fundamental understanding of the structural features and relative stability, mechanical and electronic properties, and possible reactive route for chromium triboride. The predicted new phase of CrB 3 belongs to the rhombohedral phase with R-3m symmetry and it transforms into a hexagonal phase with P-6m2 symmetry at 64 GPa. The mechanical and thermodynamic stabilities of CrB 3 are verified by the calculated elastic constants and formation enthalpies. Also, the full phonon dispersion calculations confirm the dynamic stability of predicted CrB 3 . Considering the role of metallic contributions, the calculated hardness values from our semiempirical method for rhombohedral and hexagonal phases are 23.8 GPa and 22.1 GPa, respectively. In addition, the large shear moduli, Young's moduli, low Poisson's ratios, and small B/G ratios indicate that they are potential hard materials. Relative enthalpy calculations with respect to possible constituents are also investigated to assess the prospects for phase formation and an attempt at high-pressure synthesis is suggested to obtain chromium triboride

Modulation of erythrocyte membrane mechanical stability by 2,3-diphosphoglycerate in the neonatal poikilocytosis/elliptocytosis syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Mentzer, W C; Iarocci, T A; Mohandas, N; Lane, P A; Smith, B; Lazerson, J; Hays, T

1987-01-01

To explain the transient anemia and poikilocytosis seen during infancy in hereditary elliptocytosis (HE), we resealed erythrocyte (RBC) ghosts from affected children or their elliptocytic parents with 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) (0-8 mM), a compound that dissociates membrane skeletons, then measured ghost mechanical stability in the ektacytometer. Without added 2,3-DPG, ghost mechanical stability was subnormal in infantile poikilocytosis (IP) and HE but was even more abnormal in hereditary pyropoikilocytosis (HPP). Addition of 2,3-DPG (2.55 mM) to IP or HE ghosts, decreased their stability to that of HPP ghosts (without 2,3-DPG). Nonphysiological 2,3-DPG levels (6-8 mM) were required to elicit a similar effect in normal ghosts. The data suggest that free 2,3-DPG, present in neonatal RBC as a consequence of diminished binding to HbF, may render HE susceptible to in vivo fragmentation. The developmental switch from fetal to adult hemoglobin, by diminishing available free 2,3-DPG, may explain the abatement of poikilocytosis and hemolytic anemia that accompanies maturation. Images PMID:3818955

Curcumin homing to the nucleolus: mechanism for initiation of an apoptotic program.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, Mistuni; Ryan, Robert O

2014-11-01

Curcumin is a plant-derived polyphenol that displays antitumor properties. Incubation of cultured SF-767 glioma cells with curcumin gave rise to intense intranuclear foci of curcumin fluorescence. In vitro studies revealed that nuclear homing by curcumin is not a result of DNA/chromatin binding. On the other hand, curcumin fluorescence colocalized with nucleophosmin, a nucleolus marker protein. To determine the temporal relationship between curcumin-induced apoptosis and nucleolar homing, confocal live cell imaging was performed. The data show that curcumin localization to the nucleolus occurs prior to cell surface exposure of phosphatidylserine. In studies of the mechanism of curcumin-induced apoptosis in SF-767 cells, its effect on the subcellular location of p14(ARF) was determined. Whereas p14(ARF) was confined to the nucleolus in untreated cells, 2 h following incubation with curcumin, it displayed a diffuse nuclear distribution. Given the role of nuclear p14(ARF) in binding the E3 ubiquitin ligase, mouse double minute 2 homolog (MDM2), the effect of curcumin treatment on cellular levels of the tumor suppressor protein, p53, was examined. Between 2 and 4 h following curcumin treatment, p53 levels increased with maximum levels reached by 8 h. Thus, curcumin homing to the nucleolus induces redistribution of p14(ARF) to the nucleoplasm where interaction with MDM2 leads to stabilization of p53, with subsequent initiation of apoptosis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transport mechanism of an initially spherical droplet on a combined hydrophilic/hydrophobic surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Myong, Hyon Kook; Kwon, Young Hoo [Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Kookmin University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2015-11-15

Fluid transport is a key issue in the development of microfluidic systems. Recently, Myong (2014) has proposed a new concept for droplet transport without external power sources, and numerically validated the results for a hypothetical 2D shape, initially having a hemicylindrical droplet shape. Myong and Kwon (2015) have also examined the transport mechanism for an actual water droplet, initially having a 3D hemispherical shape, on a horizontal hydrophilic/hydrophobic surface, based on the numerical results of the time evolution of the droplet shape, as well as the total kinetic, gravitational, pressure and surface free energies inside the droplet. In this study, a 3D numerical analysis of an initially spherical droplet is carried out to establish a new concept for droplet transport. Further, the transport mechanism of an actual water droplet is examined in detail from the viewpoint of the capillarity force imbalance through the numerical results of droplet shape and various energies inside the droplet.

Correlation between mechanical behavior of protein films at the air/water interface and intrinsic stability of protein molecules

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Martin, A.H.; Cohen Stuart, M.A.; Bos, M.A.; Vliet, T. van

2005-01-01

The relation between mechanical film properties of various adsorbed protein layers at the air/water interface and intrinsic stability of the corresponding proteins is discussed. Mechanical film properties were determined by surface deformation in shear and dilation. In shear, fracture stress, σf,

Rock mechanics stability at Olkiluoto, Haestholmen, Kivetty and Romuvaara

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johansson, E.; Rautakorpi, J.

2000-02-01

Posiva Oy is studying the suitability of the Finnish bedrock for the geological disposal of spent nuclear fuel at four sites, Olkiluoto in Eurajoki, Haestholmen in Loviisa, Kivetty in Aeaenekoski and Romuvaara in Kuhmo. To enable the rock properties to be specified in great detail, the site-selection research programme has included rock mechanics investigations such as the measurement of in-situ rock stress and laboratory tests on rock samples. This report presents the results of the rock mechanics analyses performed on the main rock types at the Olkiluoto, Romuvaara, Kivetty and Haestholmen sites. The objective of this study was to assess the near-field stability of the final disposal tunnels and deposition holes at each of the investigation sites. Two empirical methods and a numerical method based on three-dimensional element code (3DEC) were used the analysis tools. A statistical approach was used to select the necessary input data and to specify the cases being analysed. The stability of the KBS-3 and MLH (Medium Long Hole) repository concepts during the pre-closure and post-closure phases was analysed. The repository depths investigated lay between 300 m and 700 m. The empirical methods are based on the study of the ratios between rock strength and the in-situ stress which could result in possible fracturing of the rock mass. Interpretation of the numerical analyses is based on the assumption of an elastic distribution of stress around the disposal tunnel and the deposition hole and the brittle rock strength criterion. The results obtained in this study indicate that in general, the rock mechanics conditions during the pre-closure and post-closure phases at each of the investigated sites remain good and stable between the studied depth levels, especially when the deposition rooms are oriented in a direction parallel to the major in-situ stress. If the disposal tunnels are orientated in a direction perpendicular to the major in-situ stress, the resultant

EFFECTS OF CORE STABILIZATION PROGRAM AND CONVENTIONAL EXERCISES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC MECHANICAL LOW BACK PAIN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suresh Babu Reddy .A

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Conventional back care exercises are advocated to treat the pain and to strengthen the involved muscles. There will be possibility of the pain getting recurred due to disproportionate balance and stability in the muscles. The core stabilization is major trend in rehabilitation, it aims at improving stability during functional activities, balance, flexibility, strength training and effectively manage the pain as well. Objective: To find the efficacy of the concept of core stabilization when compared to conventional back care exercises in patients with chronic mechanical low back pain. Methods: Forty patients with chronic Mechanical Low back pain were selected through purposive sampling and were randomly assigned into control group who received conventional back exercises and SWD (n=20, experimental group who received core stabilization and SWD (n=20. Both the groups received SWD, along with conventional back exercises for one group and core stabilization for the other group three days a week for 6 weeks. The treatment outcome was assessed using visual analogue scale, Rolland Morris Disability Questionnaire and Lumbar range of motion using goniometer. Results: After a 6 weeks training period the core stabilization group scored significantly higher than the conventional group for VAS (p=0.05 RMDQ (p=0.05 whereas ROM improved higher in conventional group (p=0.05. Conclusion: After the treatment sessions Core stabilization group registered a significant improvement when compared to conventional back care exercises in improving function and in relieving pain.

Structural and Mechanical Characterization of Sustainable Composites Based on Recycled and Stabilized Fly Ash

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefano Besco

2014-08-01

Full Text Available This paper reports the results on the use of an innovative inert, based on stabilized fly ash from municipal solid waste incineration as a filler for polypropylene. The starting material, which contains large quantities of leachable Pb and Zn, was stabilized by means of an innovative process using rice husk ash as a waste silica source, together with other fly ashes, such as coal fly ash and flue gas desulfurization residues. The use of all waste materials to obtain a new filler makes the proposed technology extremely sustainable and competitive. The new composites, obtained by using the stabilized material as a filler for polypropylene, were characterized and their mechanical properties were also investigated. A comparison with a traditional polypropylene and calcium carbonate based compound was also done. This research activity was realized in the frame of the COSMOS-RICE project, financed by the EU Commission.

Demonstrating the Effect of Precipitation on the Mechanical Stability of Fine-Grained Austenite in Reversion-Treated 301LN Stainless Steel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antti Järvenpää

2017-09-01

Full Text Available According to recent investigations, a huge difference exists in the mechanical stability of austenite between the grain-refined structure states obtained in reversion annealing at 800–700 °C or at 900 °C, in a 301LN type austenitic stainless steel. Precipitation of chromium nitride occurring at these lower temperatures has been argued to be the factor reducing the stability. To prove this argument, a fine-grained, very stable austenitic structure was created at 900 °C in 1 s, and subsequently annealed at lower temperatures between 850 and 750 °C, up to 1000 s. It was found that the subsequent annealing at 750 and 800 °C resulted in prominent gradual decrease of the mechanical stability under tensile straining, detectable after 10 s annealing duration and continued until 1000 s. Only minimal grain growth occurred, which decreased the stability very marginally. The degree of the stability drop followed the predicted kinetics of the Cr2N precipitation with regards as its dependence on annealing duration and temperature. Further, the tensile yield strength of the fine-grained structure increased slightly due to the annealing. The presence of nano-sized Cr2N particles was verified after 1000 s holding at 750 °C. These observations and predictions yield firm evidence for the imperative contribution of precipitation to the highly reduced mechanical stability of grain-refined austenite in this steel.

Impact of modified graphene and microwave irradiation on thermal stability and degradation mechanism of poly (styrene-co-methyl meth acrylate)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zubair, Mukarram [Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Dammam, 31982 Dammam (Saudi Arabia); Shehzad, Farrukh [Department of Chemical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, 31261 Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, (Saudi Arabia); Al-Harthi, Mamdouh A., E-mail: mamdouh@kfupm.edu.sa [Department of Chemical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, 31261 Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, (Saudi Arabia); Center of Research Excellence in Nanotechnology, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, 31261 Dhahran (Saudi Arabia)

2016-06-10

Highlights: • Modified graphene imparts thermal stability to Poly (styrene-co-methyl methacrylate) [P(st-mma)]. • The thermal stability of P(st-mma) decreased with microwave irradiation. • The thermal stability of P(st-mma)/MG nanocomposites increased with irradiation time up to 10 min and decreased subsequently. • The degradation of P(st-mma) and P(st-mma)/MG is governed by random scission model. - Abstract: Poly (styrene-co-methyl methacrylate) [P(st-mma)] composite containing 0.1 wt% modified graphene (MG) was prepared via melt blending. MG was prepared by oxidation method using nitric acid. The P(st-mma) and P(st-mma)MG composite were irradiated using microwave radiation. The degradation mechanism and thermal stability of the irradiated and un-irradiated samples was analyzed by TGA. P(st-mma)MG showed high thermal stability. The average activation energy of thermal degradation was found to be 200 kJ/mol for P(st-mma), 214 kJ/mol for P(st-mma)MG. The activation energy was highest for 10 min irradiated nanocomposites indicating an improvement in stability. The degradation mechanism was investigated by comparing the master plots constructed using the experimental data with theoretical master plots of various kinetic models. The thermal degradation of P(st-mma) and P(st-mma)MG composite before and after irradiation governs the random scission mechanism. SEM and TEM micrographs showed improved interactions and degradation of composites after 10 min and 20 min irradiation respectively.

Three finned press-fit cup: Does its initial fixation strength provide an adequate stability? Clinical midterm results of 685 implants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rocco Romeo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: One of the major causes of loosening of cementless acetabular cup implants is insufficient initial stability. A technical proposal to decrease the risk of suboptimal first stability is a circumferential finned design of the cup. This design aims to improve periacetabular bone contact and prevent rotational micromotion of the cup when optimal press-fit cannot be obtained. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed a group of 712 consecutive patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty from June 2006 to June 2014. In all patients, a titanium cup, characterized by three anti-rotational circumferential fins at the superior pole, was implanted. Results: Five hundred and ninety-two patients, for a total of 685 hips, were evaluated at a mean follow-up of 58 months (range 12-96 months. At 1-year follow-up, the average score increased to 82.90 (range 100-70 and at the final follow-up (58 months, range 12-96 months, it was 80.12 (range 100-66. In 22 cases (3%, screws to obtain a secure primary stability of the cup were used. Nineteen complications (2.6% needing revision surgery were observed. Survivorship at 10 years was 98.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 98.7-99.7% with revision for aseptic cup loosening as an endpoint and 96.7% (95% CI, 98.3-95.1% with revision for all causes of revision as the second endpoint. Discussion: In our group of patients, we did not observe the cases of very early cup loosening. The only two-cup revision, do to loosening of osteolysis, was observed 26 and 32 months before surgery. Conclusion: Our very low rate of additional screws represents an indirect sign of finned cup first stability. Three-finned cup design clinically confirmed to improve initial cup stability.

Crack initiation criteria for singular stress concentrations Part I: A universal assessment of singular stress concentrations

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Knésl, Zdeněk; Klusák, Jan; Náhlík, Luboš

2007-01-01

Roč. 14, č. 6 (2007), s. 399-408 ISSN 1802-1484 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA101/05/0320; GA ČR GA101/05/0227 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : fracture mechanics * stability criteria * singular stress concentrations * crack initiation * critical stress Subject RIV: JL - Materials Fatigue, Friction Mechanics

Design of a deterministic link initialization mechanism for serial LVDS interconnects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schatral, S; Lemke, F; Bruening, U

2014-01-01

The Compressed Baryonic Matter experiment at FAIR in Darmstadt has special requirements for the Data Acquisition Network. One of them is deterministic latency for all the links from the back-end to the front-end, which enables synchronization in the whole read-out tree. Since the front-end electronics (FEE) contain mixed-signal circuits for processing the raw detector data, special ASICs were developed. DDR LVDS links are used to interconnect the FEEs and readout controllers. An adapted link initialization mechanism ensures determinism for them by balancing cable lengths, adjusting for phase differences, and handling environmental behavior. After re-initialization, timing must be accurate to the bit-clock level

Fabrication of thin SU-8 cantilevers: initial bending, release and time stability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Keller, Stephan Urs; Haefliger, D.; Boisen, Anja

2010-01-01

SU-8 cantilevers with a thickness of 2 mu m were fabricated using a dry release method and two steps of SU-8 photolithography. The processing of the thin SU-8 film defining the cantilevers was experimentally optimized to achieve low initial bending due to residual stress gradients. In parallel......, the rotational deformation at the clamping point allowed a qualitative assessment of the device release from the fluorocarbon-coated substrate. The change of these parameters during several months of storage at ambient temperature was investigated in detail. The introduction of a long hard bake in an oven after...... development of the thin SU-8 film resulted in reduced cantilever bending due to removal of residual stress gradients. Further, improved time-stability of the devices was achieved due to the enhanced cross-linking of the polymer. A post-exposure bake at a temperature T-PEB = 50 degrees C followed by a hard...

Post-cam mechanics and tibiofemoral kinematics: a dynamic in vitro analysis of eight posterior-stabilized total knee designs.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnout, N; Vanlommel, L; Vanlommel, J; Luyckx, J P; Labey, L; Innocenti, B; Victor, J; Bellemans, J

2015-11-01

Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)-substituting total knee arthroplasty (TKA) designs were introduced to avoid paradoxical roll forward of the femur and to optimize knee kinematics. The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate post-cam function and contact mechanics and relate it to knee kinematics during squatting in eight contemporary posterior-stabilized TKA designs. All prostheses were fixed on custom-designed metal fixtures and mounted in a knee rig and five sequential-loaded squats were performed between 30° and 130° of flexion. Contact pressure and contact area were measured using pressure-sensitive Tekscan sensors on the posterior face of the post. Kinematics was recorded with reflective markers and infrared light-capturing cameras. The post-cam mechanisms analyzed in this study are very variable in terms of design features. This leads to large variations in terms of the flexion angle at which the post and cam engage maximal contact force, contact pressure and contact area. We found that more functional post-cam mechanisms, which engage at lower flexion angle and have a similar behavior as normal PCL function, generally show more normal rollback and tibial rotation at the expense of higher contact forces and pressures. All designs show high contact forces. A positive correlation was found between contact force and initial contact angle. Post-cam contact mechanics and kinematics were documented in a standardized setting. Post-cam contact mechanics are correlated with post-cam function. Outcomes of this study can help to develop more functional designs in future. Nevertheless, a compromise will always be made between functional requirements and risk of failure. We assume that more normal knee kinematics leads to more patient satisfaction because of better mobility. Understanding of the post-cam mechanism, and knowing how this system really works, is maybe the clue in further development of new total knee designs.

Using Controlled Landslide Initiation Experiments to Test Limit-Equilibrium Analyses of Slope Stability

Science.gov (United States)

Reid, M. E.; Iverson, R. M.; Brien, D. L.; Iverson, N. R.; Lahusen, R. G.; Logan, M.

2004-12-01

Most studies of landslide initiation employ limit equilibrium analyses of slope stability. Owing to a lack of detailed data, however, few studies have tested limit-equilibrium predictions against physical measurements of slope failure. We have conducted a series of field-scale, highly controlled landslide initiation experiments at the USGS debris-flow flume in Oregon; these experiments provide exceptional data to test limit equilibrium methods. In each of seven experiments, we attempted to induce failure in a 0.65m thick, 2m wide, 6m3 prism of loamy sand placed behind a retaining wall in the 31° sloping flume. We systematically investigated triggering of sliding by groundwater injection, by prolonged moderate-intensity sprinkling, and by bursts of high intensity sprinkling. We also used vibratory compaction to control soil porosity and thereby investigate differences in failure behavior of dense and loose soils. About 50 sensors were monitored at 20 Hz during the experiments, including nests of tiltmeters buried at 7 cm spacing to define subsurface failure geometry, and nests of tensiometers and pore-pressure sensors to define evolving pore-pressure fields. In addition, we performed ancillary laboratory tests to measure soil porosity, shear strength, hydraulic conductivity, and compressibility. In loose soils (porosity of 0.52 to 0.55), abrupt failure typically occurred along the flume bed after substantial soil deformation. In denser soils (porosity of 0.41 to 0.44), gradual failure occurred within the soil prism. All failure surfaces had a maximum length to depth ratio of about 7. In even denser soil (porosity of 0.39), we could not induce failure by sprinkling. The internal friction angle of the soils varied from 28° to 40° with decreasing porosity. We analyzed stability at failure, given the observed pore-pressure conditions just prior to large movement, using a 1-D infinite-slope method and a more complete 2-D Janbu method. Each method provides a static

Rheological and mechanical properties of polyamide 6 modified by electron-beam initiated mediation process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, Boo Young; Kim, Jae Hong

2015-01-01

Polyamide (PA6) has been modified by electron-beam initiated mediator process to improve drawbacks of PA6. Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) was chosen as a reactive mediator for modification process of PA6. The mixture of the PA6 and GMA was prepared by using a twin-screw extruder, and then the mixture was exposed to electron-beam irradiation at various doses at room temperature. The modified PA6 were characterized by observing rheological and mechanical properties and compared virgin PA6. Thermal properties, water absorption, and gel fraction were also investigated. Tight gel was not found even when PA6 was irradiated at 200 kGy. Complex viscosity and storage modulus of PA6 were remarkably increased by electron-beam irradiation with medium of GMA. Maximum increase in complex viscosity was 75 times higher than virgin PA6 at 0.1 rad/s when it was irradiated at 200 kGy with the GMA. Mechanical properties were also improved without scarifying of processability. The reaction mechanisms for the mediation process with the reactive mediator of GMA were estimated to elucidate the cause of significantly enhanced rheological and mechanical properties without loss of thermoplasticity. - Highlights: • PA6 was modified by the electron-beam initiated mediation process. • Maximum increase in complex viscosity of modified PA6 was 75 times higher than virgin PA6 at 0.1 rad/s. • Mechanical properties were improved without scarifying of processability. • The GMA as a mediator played a key role in the electron-beam initiated mediation process

The influence of initial defects on mechanical stress and deformation distribution in oxidized silicon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kulinich O. A.

2008-10-01

Full Text Available The near-surface silicon layers in silicon – dioxide silicon systems with modern methods of research are investigated. It is shown that these layers have compound structure and their parameters depend on oxidation and initial silicon parameters. It is shown the influence of initial defects on mechanical stress and deformation distribution in oxidized silicon.

Non-isothermal Crystallization, Thermal Stability, and Mechanical Performance of Poly(L-lactic acid/Barium Phenylphosphonate Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cai Yan-Hua

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The introduction of a nucleating agent in semi-crystalline polymers is a frequently utilized way to improve the crystallization performance, and the use of a nucleating agent has a very great effect on the performance of the polymer in other areas including thermal stability and mechanical properties. In this investigation, barium phenylphosphonate (BaP was prepared as a crystallization accelerator for Poly(L-lactic acid (PLLA, and the non-isothermal crystallization behavior, thermal stability, and mechanical properties of PLLA modified by BaP were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, X-ray diffraction (XRD, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, and electronic tensile testing. Non-isothermal crystallization analysis showed that the BaP could significantly accelerate the crystallization of PLLA, and the non-isothermal crystallization peak shifted to a higher temperature with increasing concentration of BaP, however, the corresponding crystallization peak became wider. XRD results after non-isothermal crystallization confirmed the non-isothermal crystallization DSC results. Additionally, the addition of BaP did not change the crystal form of PLLA. A comparative study on thermal stability indicated that BaP decreased the onset decomposition temperature of PLLA, resulting from the formation of more tiny and imperfect crystals. Whereas the influence of BaP on the thermal decomposition profile of PLLA was negligible. In terms of mechanical properties, the tensile strength and elastic modulus of PLLA/BaP increased compared to the virgin PLLA, unfortunately, the elongation at break decreased.

Mechanisms of stabilization and blowoff of a premixed flame downstream of a heat-conducting perforated plate

KAUST Repository

Kedia, Kushal S.; Ghoniem, Ahmed F.

2012-01-01

The objective of this work is to investigate the flame stabilization mechanism and the conditions leading to the blowoff of a laminar premixed flame anchored downstream of a heat-conducting perforated-plate/multi-hole burner, with overall nearly

The Hydrolytic Stability and Degradation Mechanism of a Hierarchically Porous Metal Alkylphosphonate Framework

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kai Lv

2018-03-01

Full Text Available To aid the design of a hierarchically porous unconventional metal-phosphonate framework (HP-UMPF for practical radioanalytical separation, a systematic investigation of the hydrolytic stability of bulk phase against acidic corrosion has been carried out for an archetypical HP-UMPF. Bulk dissolution results suggest that aqueous acidity has a more paramount effect on incongruent leaching than the temperature, and the kinetic stability reaches equilibrium by way of an accumulation of a partial leached species on the corrosion conduits. A variation of particle morphology, hierarchical porosity and backbone composition upon corrosion reveals that they are hydrolytically resilient without suffering any great degradation of porous texture, although large aggregates crack into sporadic fractures while the nucleophilic attack of inorganic layers cause the leaching of tin and phosphorus. The remaining selectivity of these HP-UMPFs is dictated by a balance between the elimination of free phosphonate and the exposure of confined phosphonates, thus allowing a real-time tailor of radionuclide sequestration. Moreover, a plausible degradation mechanism has been proposed for the triple progressive dissolution of three-level hierarchical porous structures to elucidate resultant reactivity. These HP-UMPFs are compared with benchmark metal-organic frameworks (MOFs to obtain a rough grading of hydrolytic stability and two feasible approaches are suggested for enhancing their hydrolytic stability that are intended for real-life separation protocols.

Maintaining stability of standalone Micro-Grid by employing electrical and mechanical fault ride through techniques upon fixed speed wind generation systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamel, Rashad M.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • This paper presented two fault ride through techniques for fixed speed wind systems. • The first technique is implemented by inserting a series resistance with the terminals of wind generator. • Second technique is performed by adapting the gear ratio to spill some mechanical power. - Abstract: This study presents two different Fault Ride Through (FRT) techniques to keep and restore stability of Fixed Speed Wind Generation system (FSWGs) installed in standalone Micro-Grid (MG). The first technique is an electrical FRT and is implemented by inserting a series resistance with the terminals of FSWGs during fault to maintain reasonable value of terminal voltage and consequently help stability restoration. The second controller is a mechanical FRT controller and is performed by change the gear ratio of wind generation systems to spill part of extracted mechanical power and consequently improving stability issue. Obtained results proved that each controller able to maintain the stability of FSWGs under the most severe disturbance conditions (400 ms three phase fault at FSWGs terminals). The first controller is faster than the second controller in restoring FSWGs stability. Superior results and performances are obtained when the two FRT techniques are employed simultaneously. Without employing any one of the two FRT techniques, FSWGs is not able to maintain or restore its stability after fault clearing. Consequently, MG will lose one of its micro-sources and cannot keep its stability during the standalone mode, unless load shedding strategy is activated. The two proposed controllers are simple, effective, and economical attractive

Influence of Temperature and Mechanical Scratch on the Recorded Magnetization Stability of Longitudinal and Perpendicular Recording Media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagano, Katsumasa; Tobari, Kousuke; Futamoto, Masaaki

2011-01-01

Stability of recorded magnetization of hard disk drive (HDD) is influenced by external environments, such as temperature and magnetic field. Small scratches are frequently formed on HDD medium surface upon contacts with the magnetic head. The influences of temperature and mechanical scratch on the magnetization structure stability are investigated for longitudinal and perpendicular recording media by using a magnetic force microscope. PMR media remained almost unchanged up to about 300 deg. C for the area with no scratches, whereas the areas near and under mechanical scratches started to change around 250 deg. C. The magnetization structure of LMR media started to change at about 100 degrees lower temperature under mechanical scratches when compared with no scratch areas. A quantitative analysis of magnetization structure variation is carried out by measuring the recorded magnetization strength difference estimated from the MFM images observed for a same sample area before and after exposing the sample to different temperatures.

Porous Lactose-Modified Chitosan Scaffold for Liver Tissue Engineering: Influence of Galactose Moieties on Cell Attachment and Mechanical Stability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Birong Wang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Galactosylated chitosan (CTS has been widely applied in liver tissue engineering as scaffold. However, the influence of degree of substitution (DS of galactose moieties on cell attachment and mechanical stability is not clear. In this study, we synthesized the lactose-modified chitosan (Lact-CTS with various DS of galactose moieties by Schiff base reaction and reducing action of NaBH4, characterized by FTIR. The DS of Lact-CTS-1, Lact-CTS-2, and Lact-CTS-3 was 19.66%, 48.62%, and 66.21% through the method of potentiometric titration. The cell attachment of hepatocytes on the CTS and Lact-CTS films was enhanced accompanied with the increase of galactose moieties on CTS chain because of the galactose ligand-receptor recognition; however, the mechanical stability of Lact-CTS-3 was reduced contributing to the extravagant hydrophilicity, which was proved using the sessile drop method. Then, the three-dimensional Lact-CTS scaffolds were fabricated by freezing-drying technique. The SEM images revealed the homogeneous pore bearing the favorable connectivity and the pore sizes of scaffolds with majority of 100 μm; however, the extract solution of Lact-CTS-3 scaffold significantly damaged red blood cells by hemolysis assay, indicating that exorbitant DS of Lact-CTS-3 decreased the mechanical stability and increased the toxicity. To sum up, the Lact-CTS-2 with 48.62% of galactose moieties could facilitate the cell attachment and possess great biocompatibility and mechanical stability, indicating that Lact-CTS-2 was a promising material for liver tissue engineering.

On the asymptotic stability of nonlinear mechanical switched systems

Science.gov (United States)

Platonov, A. V.

2018-05-01

Some classes of switched mechanical systems with dissipative and potential forces are considered. The case, where either dissipative or potential forces are essentially nonlinear, is studied. It is assumed that the zero equilibrium position of the system is asymptotically stable at least for one operating mode. We will look for sufficient conditions which guarantee the preservation of asymptotic stability of the equilibrium position under the switching of modes. The Lyapunov direct method is used. A Lyapunov function for considered system is constructed, which satisfies the differential inequality of special form for every operating mode. This inequality is nonlinear for the chosen mode with asymptotically stable equilibrium position, and it is linear for the rest modes. The correlations between the intervals of activity of the pointed mode and the intervals of activity of the rest modes are obtained which guarantee the required properties.

Atmospheric Oxidation Mechanism of Furfural Initiated by Hydroxyl Radicals.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Xiaocan; Wang, Liming

2017-05-04

Furfural is emitted into the atmosphere because of its potential applications as an intermediate to alkane fuels from biomass, industrial usages, and biomass burning. The kinetic and mechanistic information on the furfural chemistry is necessary to assess the fate of furfural in the atmosphere and its impact on the air quality. Here we studied the atmospheric oxidation mechanisms of furfural initiated by the OH radicals using quantum chemistry and kinetic calculations. The reaction of OH and furfural was initiated mainly by OH additions to C 2 and C 5 positions, forming R2 and R5 adducts, which could undergo rapid ring-breakage to form R2B and R5B, respectively. Our calculations showed that these intermediate radicals reacted rather slowly with O 2 under the atmospheric conditions because the additions of O 2 to these radicals are only slightly exothermic and highly reversible. Alternatively, these radicals would react directly with O 3 , NO 2 , HO 2 /RO 2 , etc. Namely, the atmospheric oxidation of furfural would unlikely result in ozone formation. Under typical atmospheric conditions, the main products in OH-initiated furfural oxidation include 2-oxo-3-pentene-1,5-dialdehyde, 5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone, 4-oxo-2- butenoic acid, and 2,5-furandione. These compounds will likely stay in the gas phase and are subject to further photo-oxidation.

Redox-initiated poly(methyl methcrylate) emulsion polymerizations stabilized with block copolymers based on poly(ethylene oxide), e-caprolactone and linoleic acid

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tan, B.H.; Nabuurs, Tijs; Feijen, Jan; Grijpma, Dirk W.

2009-01-01

A redox initiating system, consisting of t-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHPO), isoascorbic acid (iAA), and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid ferric-sodium salt (FeEDTA) was employed in emulsion polymerizations of methyl methacrylate (MMA) at high solids contents of 30 wt % in water. The system was stabilized

Phase stability in yttria-stabilized zirconia from first principles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carbogno, Christian; Scheffler, Matthias [Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA (United States); Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Berlin (Germany); Levi, Carlos G.; Van de Walle, Chris G. [Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA (United States)

2012-07-01

Zirconia based ceramics are of pivotal importance for a variety of industrial technologies, e.g., for thermal barrier coatings in gas and airplane turbines. Naturally, the stability of such coatings at elevated temperatures plays a critical role in these applications. It is well known that an aliovalent doping of tetragonal ZrO{sub 2} with yttria, which induces oxygen vacancies due to charge conservation, increases its thermodynamic stability. However, the atomistic mechanisms that determine the phase stability of such yttria-stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) coatings are not yet fully understood. In this work, we use density functional theory calculations to assess the electronic structure of the different YSZ polymorphs at various levels of doping. With the help of population analysis schemes, we are able to unravel the intrinsic mechanisms that govern the interaction in YSZ and that can so explain the relative stabilities of the various polymorphs. We critically compare our results to experimental measurements and discuss the implications of our findings with respect to other oxides.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study on the Binding and Stabilization Mechanism of Antiprion Compounds to the "Hot Spot" Region of PrPC.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Shuangyan; Liu, Xuewei; An, Xiaoli; Yao, Xiaojun; Liu, Huanxiang

2017-11-15

Structural transitions in the prion protein from the cellular form, PrP C , into the pathological isoform, PrP Sc , are regarded as the main cause of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, also known as prion diseases. Hence, discovering and designing effective antiprion drugs that can inhibit PrP C to PrP Sc conversion is regarded as a promising way to cure prion disease. Among several strategies to inhibit PrP C to PrP Sc conversion, stabilizing the native PrP C via specific binding is believed to be one of the valuable approaches and many antiprion compounds have been reported based on this strategy. However, the detailed mechanism to stabilize the native PrP C is still unknown. As such, to unravel the stabilizing mechanism of these compounds to PrP C is valuable for the further design and discovery of antiprion compounds. In this study, by molecular dynamics simulation method, we investigated the stabilizing mechanism of several antiprion compounds on PrP C that were previously reported to have specific binding to the "hot spot" region of PrP C . Our simulation results reveal that the stabilization mechanism of specific binding compounds can be summarized as (I) to stabilize both the flexible C-terminal of α2 and the hydrophobic core, such as BMD42-29 and GN8; (II) to stabilize the hydrophobic core, such as J1 and GJP49; (III) to stabilize the overall structure of PrP C by high binding affinity, as NPR-056. In addition, as indicated by the H-bond analysis and decomposition analysis of binding free energy, the residues N159 and Q160 play an important role in the specific binding of the studied compounds and all these compounds interact with PrP C in a similar way with the key interacting residues L130 in the β1 strand, P158, N159, Q160, etc. in the α1-β2 loop, and H187, T190, T191, etc. in the α2 C-terminus although the compounds have large structural difference. As a whole, our obtained results can provide some insights into the specific binding

Analysis of Äspö Pillar Stability Experiment: Continuous thermo-mechanical model development and calibration

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Blaheta, Radim; Byczanski, Petr; Čermák, M.; Hrtus, Rostislav; Kohut, Roman; Kolcun, Alexej; Malík, Josef; Sysala, Stanislav

2013-01-01

Roč. 5, č. 2 (2013), s. 124-135 ISSN 1674-7755 Institutional support: RVO:68145535 Keywords : in situ pillar stability experiment * model calibration by back analysis * continuous mechanics * damage of granite rocks * Finite element method (FEM) Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674775513000103

Leaching behaviour and mechanical properties of copper flotation waste in stabilized/solidified products.

Science.gov (United States)

Mesci, Başak; Coruh, Semra; Ergun, Osman Nuri

2009-02-01

This research describes the investigation of a cement-based solidification/stabilization process for the safe disposal of copper flotation waste and the effect on cement properties of the addition of copper flotation waste (CW) and clinoptilolite (C). In addition to the reference mixture, 17 different mixtures were prepared using different proportions of CW and C. Physical properties such as setting time, specific surface area and compressive strength were determined and compared to a reference mixture and Turkish standards (TS). Different mixtures with the copper flotation waste portion ranging from 2.5 to 12.5% by weight of the mixture were tested for copper leachability. The results show that as cement replacement materials especially clinoptilolite had clear effects on the mechanical properties. Substitution of 5% copper flotation waste for Portland cement gave a similar strength performance to the reference mixture. Higher copper flotation waste addition such as 12.5% replacement yielded lower strength values. As a result, copper flotation waste and clinoptilolite can be used as cementitious materials, and copper flotation waste also can be safely stabilized/solidified in a cement-based solidification/stabilization system.

Thermo-Mechanical Methodology for Stabilizing Shape Memory Alloy Response

Science.gov (United States)

Padula, Santo

2013-01-01

This innovation is capable of significantly reducing the amount of time required to stabilize the strain-temperature response of a shape memory alloy (SMA). Unlike traditional stabilization processes that take days to weeks to achieve stabilized response, this innovation accomplishes stabilization in a matter of minutes, thus making it highly useful for the successful and practical implementation of SMA-based technologies in real-world applications. The innovation can also be applied to complex geometry components, not just simple geometries like wires or rods.

On fatigue crack growth mechanisms of MMC: Reflection on analysis of 'multi surface initiations'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mkaddem, A.; El Mansori, M.

2009-01-01

This work attempts to examine the mechanisms of fatigue when cracks synergetically initiate in more than one site at the specimen surface. The metal matrix composites (MMC) i.e. silicon carbide particles reinforced aluminium matrix composites (Al/SiC p -MMC), seem to be good candidates to accelerate fatigue failures following multi surface initiations (MSI). Closure effects of MSI mechanisms on the variation of fatigue behaviour are explored for various stress states. Experiments were carried out using non pre-treated and pre-treated specimens. Using an Equivalent Ellipse Method (EEM), it is shown that the aspect of surface finish of specimen plays an important role on crack growth. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) inspections have lead to distinguishing the initiation regions from propagation regions and final separation regions. It is also revealed that the total lifetime of specimens is sensitive to heat treatment. Moreover, it is found that the appearance of MSI in cycled materials is more probable at high level of fatigue loads.

Mechanisms of knowledge flows in bottom-up and top-down cluster initiatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wojciech Dyba

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Knowledge flows are widely believed to be a phenomenon of clusters, and inducing them is one of the chief objectives in establishing and promoting cluster initiatives (CI. However, not many studies discuss how these flows and their effects may differ depending on the mode of CI creation and on the role of public authorities in this process. The main aim of this article is to compare mechanisms of knowledge flows in bottom-up and top-down cluster initiatives. The results of an empirical research involving two case studies in western Poland, obtained through the use of Social Network Analysis (SNA, allowed stating that in bottom-up cluster initiatives firms which were innovation leaders played a prime role in disseminating technological and business knowledge, while in the top-down initiatives the most important were representatives of universities and research centres as well as formal coordinators of cooperation. Policy implications stemming from these results were identified.

Fluid-injection and the mechanics of frictional stability of shale-bearing faults

Science.gov (United States)

Scuderi, Marco Maria; Collettini, Cristiano; Marone, Chris

2017-04-01

Fluid overpressure is one of the primary mechanisms for triggering tectonic fault slip and human-induced seismicity. This mechanism is appealing because fluids lubricate the fault and reduce the effective normal stress that holds the fault in place. However, current models of earthquake nucleation, based on rate- and state- friction, imply that stable sliding is favored by the increase of pore fluid pressure. Despite this apparent dilemma, there are a few studies on the role of fluid pressure in frictional stability under controlled, laboratory conditions. Here, we describe laboratory experiments on shale fault gouge, conducted in the double direct shear configuration in a true-triaxial machine. To characterize frictional stability and hydrological properties we performed three types of experiments: 1) stable sliding shear experiment to determine the material failure envelope resulting in fault strength of µ=0.28 and fault zone permeability (k 10-19m2); 2) velocity step experiments to determine the rate- and state- frictional properties, characterized by a velocity strengthening behavior with a negative rate parameter b, indicative of stable aseismic creep; 3) creep experiment to study fault slip evolution with increasing pore-fluid pressure. In these creep experiments fault slip history can be divided in three main stages: a) for low fluid pressure the fault is locked and undergoes compaction; b) with increasing fluid pressurization, we observe aseismic creep (i.e. v=0.0001 µm/s) associated with fault dilation, with maintained low permeability; c) As fluid pressure is further increased and we approach the failure criteria fault begins to accelerate, the dilation rate increases causing an increase in permeability. Following the first acceleration we document complex fault slip behavior characterized by periodic accelerations and decelerations with slip velocity that remains slow (i.e. v 200 µm/s), never approaching dynamic slip rates. Surprisingly, this complex

Slope Stability Analysis Based on Type, Physical And Mechanical Properties Rock in Teluk Pandan District, East Kutai Regency, East Kalimantan

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Sujiman Kusnadi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Research was located In Teluk Pandan District, East Kutai Regency, East Kalimantan Province.  It’s aimed to determine the lithology in the  research area and to find out how the amount of slope that will be a landslide at that location. The research conducted with the analysis of coring drilling results and then analyzed in the laboratory of rock mechanics to get the characteristic of physical and mechanical properties of the rocks. The data analysis using Hoek and Bray Method. The results showed that in the area study has a sedimentary rock lithology fine to medium detritus, such as claystone, siltstone and sandstone, as well as inserts are coal and shale. Based on the results of laboratory analysis of rock mechanics obtained density between 2,648 to 2,770. While the test results obtained value triaxial cohesion between (6.66 - 9:05 Kg / cm2, friction angle in between (37.19 - 44.08o, cohesion residual (2.72 - 3.10 Kg / cm2, residual friction angle (27.22 - 32.44o. While the direct shear test the cohesion of the summit between (6.66 - 9:05 Kg / cm2, friction angle in the cohesion peak (36.15 - 43.00o, cohesion residual (2:22 to 3:10 Kg / cm2, friction angle in the cohesion residual (37.22 - 33.85o. The simulation results stability of the slope stability Hoek and Bray using rockslide software, the result is that if the slope with a single slope stability, the stability of the slope is 60o, and if the slope with the stability of the slope overall stability of the slope is 48o.

Affection mechanism research of initiation crack pressure of perforation parameters of horizontal well

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hua Tong

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Horizontal wells show better affect and higher success rate in low water ratio cement, complex fracture zone, crevice and heavy oil blocks, it is the main measures to expand control area of a single well. Hydraulic fracturing technology is the most financial way to improve the penetration of the reservoir to increase the production. However, compare with the vertical wells, the fracture of Horizontal wells are more complex, and lead to the initiation crack pressure is much higher than vertical wells. In this paper, defined the crack judging basis, and established the finite element model which could compute the initial crack pressure, to research the affection mechanism of perforation azimuth angle, density, diameter and depth, to provide references of perforation project's design and optimize. The research of this paper has significances on further understanding the affection mechanism of perforation parameters.

Factors influencing the mechanical stability of alginate beads applicable for immunoisolation of mammalian cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhujbal, Swapnil V; Paredes-Juarez, Genaro A; Niclou, Simone P; de Vos, Paul

2014-09-01

Transplantation of microencapsulated cells has been proposed as a cure for many types of endocrine disorders. Alginate-based microcapsules have been used in many of the feasibility studied addressing cure of the endocrine disorders, and different cancer types. Despite years of intensive research it is still not completely understood which factors have to be controlled and documented for achieving adequate mechanical stability. Here we studied the strength and elasticity of microcapsules of different composition with and without cell load. We compared strength (force) versus elasticity (time) required to compress individual microcapsule to 60% deformation. It is demonstrated that the alginate viscosity, the size of the beads, the alginate type, the gelling time, the storage solution and the cell load are dominant factors in determining the final strength of alginate-based microcapsules while the type of gelling ion, the polyamino acid incubation time, the type of polyamino acid and the culturing time determines the elasticity of the alginate-based microcapsules. Our data underpin the essence of documenting the above mentioned factors in studies on encapsulated cells as mechanical stability is an essential factor in the success and failure of encapsulated grafts. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synergistic effect and mechanism of platinum catalyst and nitrogen-containing silane on the thermal stability of silicone rubber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Wanjuan; Zeng, Xingrong; Lai, Xuejun; Li, Hongqiang; Fang, Weizhen; Liu, Tian

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Platinum (Pt) and nitrogen-containing silane (NS) were introduced into silicone rubber. • The thermal stability was improved by Pt/NS both under nitrogen and air atmosphere. • The TG-FTIR of evolved gases during degradation was performed. • The synergistic effect and mechanism of Pt and NS were proposed. - Abstract: Platinum (Pt) catalyst and nitrogen-containing silane (NS) were introduced to improve the thermal stability of silicone rubber. The effects of Pt and NS on thermal stability and degradation mechanism of silicone rubber were investigated by thermogravimetry (TG), thermogravimetry-Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (TG-FTIR), scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDXS) and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR). A significant synergism was found between Pt and NS for improving the thermal stability of silicone rubber. When 6.67 ppm of Pt and 1.4 phr of NS were introduced, the temperature of 10% and 20% weight loss under nitrogen atmosphere were respectively increased by 36 °C and 119 °C. Meanwhile, the residue weight at 900 °C was doubled to 68% in the presence of Pt/NS. The synergistic mechanism might be that the nitrogen atom coordinated with Pt and improved the catalytic efficiency of Pt. Additionally, NS preserved the catalytic activity of Pt under air atmosphere. Hence, Pt/NS efficiently catalyzed thermal crosslinking and suppressed degradation of silicone chains. Moreover, it revealed that the presence of Pt/NS protected silicone chains from oxidation. Thus, the unzipping depolymerization by silanol groups was reduced significantly.

Synergistic effect and mechanism of platinum catalyst and nitrogen-containing silane on the thermal stability of silicone rubber

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Wanjuan; Zeng, Xingrong, E-mail: psxrzeng@gmail.com; Lai, Xuejun; Li, Hongqiang; Fang, Weizhen; Liu, Tian

2016-05-20

Highlights: • Platinum (Pt) and nitrogen-containing silane (NS) were introduced into silicone rubber. • The thermal stability was improved by Pt/NS both under nitrogen and air atmosphere. • The TG-FTIR of evolved gases during degradation was performed. • The synergistic effect and mechanism of Pt and NS were proposed. - Abstract: Platinum (Pt) catalyst and nitrogen-containing silane (NS) were introduced to improve the thermal stability of silicone rubber. The effects of Pt and NS on thermal stability and degradation mechanism of silicone rubber were investigated by thermogravimetry (TG), thermogravimetry-Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (TG-FTIR), scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDXS) and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR). A significant synergism was found between Pt and NS for improving the thermal stability of silicone rubber. When 6.67 ppm of Pt and 1.4 phr of NS were introduced, the temperature of 10% and 20% weight loss under nitrogen atmosphere were respectively increased by 36 °C and 119 °C. Meanwhile, the residue weight at 900 °C was doubled to 68% in the presence of Pt/NS. The synergistic mechanism might be that the nitrogen atom coordinated with Pt and improved the catalytic efficiency of Pt. Additionally, NS preserved the catalytic activity of Pt under air atmosphere. Hence, Pt/NS efficiently catalyzed thermal crosslinking and suppressed degradation of silicone chains. Moreover, it revealed that the presence of Pt/NS protected silicone chains from oxidation. Thus, the unzipping depolymerization by silanol groups was reduced significantly.

Mechanical behavior of embankments overlying on loose subgrade stabilized by deep mixed columns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morteza Esmaeili

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Deep mixed column (DMC is known as one of the effective methods for stabilizing the natural earth beneath road or railway embankments to control stability and settlements under traffic loads. The load distribution mechanism of embankment overlying on loose subgrades stabilized with DMCs considerably depends on the columns' mechanical and geometrical specifications. The present study uses the laboratory investigation to understand the behavior of embankments lying on loose sandy subgrade in three different conditions: (1 subgrade without reinforcement, (2 subgrade reinforced with DMCs in a triangular pattern and horizontal plan, and (3 subgrade reinforced with DMCs in a square pattern and horizontal plan. For this purpose, by adopting the scale factor of 1:10, a reference embankment with 20 cm height, 250 cm length, and 93% maximum dry density achieved in standard Proctor compaction test was constructed over a 70 cm thick loose sandy bed with the relative density of 50% in a loading chamber, and its load-displacement behavior was evaluated until the failure occurred. In the next two tests, DMCs (with 10 cm diameter, 40 cm length, and 25 cm center-to-center spacing were placed in groups in two different patterns (square and triangular in the same sandy bed beneath the embankment and, consequently, the embankments were constructed over the reinforced subgrades and gradually loaded until the failure happened. In all the three tests, the load-displacement behaviors of the embankment and the selected DMCs were instrumented for monitoring purpose. The obtained results implied 64% increase in failure load and 40% decrease in embankment crest settlement when using the square pattern of DMCs compared with those of the reference embankment, while these values were 63% and 12%, respectively, for DMCs in triangular pattern. This confirmed generally better performance of DMCs with a triangular pattern.

Structural stability, electronic structure and mechanical properties of actinide carbides AnC (An = U, Np)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manikandan, M.; Santhosh, M.; Rajeswarapalanichamy, R.

2016-01-01

Ab initio calculations are performed to investigate the structural stability, electronic structure and mechanical properties of actinide carbides AnC (An=U, Np) for three different crystal structures, namely NaCl, CsCl and ZnS. Among the considered structures, NaCl structure is found to be the most stable structure for these carbides at normal pressure. A pressure induced structural phase transition from NaCl to ZnS is observed. The electronic structure reveals that these carbides are metals. The calculated elastic constants indicate that these carbides are mechanically stable at normal pressure.

Electrical properties and mechanical stability of anchoring groups for single-molecule electronics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Riccardo Frisenda

2015-07-01

Full Text Available We report on an experimental investigation of transport through single molecules, trapped between two gold nano-electrodes fabricated with the mechanically controlled break junction (MCBJ technique. The four molecules studied share the same core structure, namely oligo(phenylene ethynylene (OPE3, while having different aurophilic anchoring groups: thiol (SAc, methyl sulfide (SMe, pyridyl (Py and amine (NH2. The focus of this paper is on the combined characterization of the electrical and mechanical properties determined by the anchoring groups. From conductance histograms we find that thiol anchored molecules provide the highest conductance; a single-level model fit to current–voltage characteristics suggests that SAc groups exhibit a higher electronic coupling to the electrodes, together with better level alignment than the other three groups. An analysis of the mechanical stability, recording the lifetime in a self-breaking method, shows that Py and SAc yield the most stable junctions while SMe form short-lived junctions. Density functional theory combined with non-equlibrium Green’s function calculations help in elucidating the experimental findings.

The Effect of Thermal Cycling Treatments on the Thermal Stability and Mechanical Properties of a Ti-Based Bulk Metallic Glass Composite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fan Bu

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The effect of thermal cycling treatments on the thermal stability and mechanical properties of a Ti48Zr20Nb12Cu5Be15 bulk metallic glass composite (BMGC has been investigated. Results show that moderate thermal cycles in a temperature range of −196 °C (cryogenic temperature, CT to 25 °C (room temperature, RT or annealing time at CT has not induced obvious changes of thermal stability and then it decreases slightly over critical thermal parameters. In addition, the dendritic second phases with a bcc structure are homogeneously embedded in the amorphous matrix; no visible changes are detected, which shows structural stability. Excellent mechanical properties as high as 1599 MPa yield strength and 34% plastic strain are obtained, and the yield strength and elastic modulus also increase gradually. The effect on the stability is analyzed quantitatively by crystallization kinetics and plastic-flow models, and indicates that the reduction of structural relaxation enthalpy, which is related to the degradation of spatial heterogeneity, reduces thermal stability but does not imperatively deteriorate the plasticity.

Structural evolution of Cu{sub (1−X)}Y{sub X} alloys prepared by mechanical alloying: Their thermal stability and mechanical properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mula, Suhrit, E-mail: smulafmt@iitr.ernet.in [Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667 (India); Setman, Daria [Physics of Nanostructured Materials, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, A-1090 Wien (Austria); Youssef, Khaled [Department of Materials Science and Technology, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha (Qatar); Scattergood, R.O.; Koch, Carl C [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695 (United States)

2015-04-05

Highlights: • Metastable solid solutions were prepared from Cu–Y nonequilibrium compositions by mechanical alloying. • Gibbs free energy change as per Miedema’s model confirms the formation of metastable alloys. • High Y content alloys showed high thermal stability during extensive annealing at high temperatures. • Stabilized alloys showed very high hardness and improved yield strength. • Mechanisms of high thermal stability and improved mechanical properties were discussed. - Abstract: In the present study, an attempt has been made to synthesize copper based disordered solid solutions by mechanical alloying (MA) of non-equilibrium compositions. The blended compositions of Cu–1% Y, Cu–3% Y, Cu–5% Y and Cu–7.5% Y (at.%) (all the compositions will be addressed as % only hereafter until unless it is mentioned) were ball-milled for 8 h, and then annealed at different temperatures (200–800 °C) for different length of duration (1–5 h) under high purity argon + 2 vol.% H{sub 2} atmosphere. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and Gibbs free energy change calculation confirm the formation of disordered solid solution (up to 7.5%) of Y in Cu after milling at a room temperature for 8 h. The XRD grain size was calculated to be as low as 7 nm for 7.5% Y and 22 nm for 1% Y alloy. The grain size was retained within 35 nm even after annealing for 1 h at 800 °C. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis substantiates the formation of ultra-fine grained nanostructures after milling. Microhardness value of the as-milled samples was quite high (3.0–4.75 GPa) compared to that of pure Cu. The hardness value increased with increasing annealing temperatures up to 400 °C for the alloys containing 3–7.5% Y, and thereafter it showed a decreasing trend. The increase in the hardness after annealing is attributed to the formation of uniformly distributed ultrafine intermetallic phases in the nanocrystalline grains. The stabilization effect is achieved due to

Does Increased Coefficient of Friction of Highly Porous Metal Increase Initial Stability at the Acetabular Interface?

Science.gov (United States)

Goldman, Ashton H; Armstrong, Lucas C; Owen, John R; Wayne, Jennifer S; Jiranek, William A

2016-03-01

Highly porous metal acetabular components illustrate a decreased rate of aseptic loosening in short-term follow-up compared with previous registry data. This study compared the effect of component surface roughness at the bone-implant interface and the quality of the bone on initial pressfit stability. The null hypothesis is that a standard porous coated acetabular cup would show no difference in initial stability as compared with a highly porous acetabular cup when subjected to a bending moment. Second, would bone mineral density (BMD) be a significant variable under these test conditions. In a cadaveric model, acetabular cup micromotion was measured during a 1-time cantilever bending moment applied to 2 generations of pressfit acetabular components. BMD data were also obtained from the femoral necks available for associated specimen. The mean bending moment at 150 μm was not found to be significantly different for Gription (24.6 ± 14.0 N m) cups vs Porocoat (25 ± 10.2 N m; P > .84). The peak bending moment tolerated by Gription cups (33.9 ± 20.3 N m) was not found to be significantly different from Porocoat (33.5 ± 12.2 N m; P > .92). No correlation between BMD and bending moment at 150 μm of displacement could be identified. The coefficient of friction provided by highly porous metal acetabular shells used in this study did not provide better resistance to migration under bending load when compared with a standard porous coated component. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of long-term mechanical stability of near field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takaji, Kazuhiko; Sugino, Hiroyuki; Okutsu, Kazuo; Miura, Kazuhiko; Tabei, Kazuto; Noda, Masaru; Takahashi, Shinichi; Sugie, Shigehiko

1999-11-01

In the near field, as tunnels and pits are excavated, a redistribution of stresses in the surrounding rock will occur. For a long period of time after the emplacement of waste packages various events will take place, such as the swelling of the buffer, sinking of the overpack under its own weight, deformation arising from expansion of overpack corrosion products and the creep deformation of the rock mass. The evaluation of what effects these changes in the stress-state will have on the buffer and rock mass is a major issue from the viewpoint of safety assessment. Therefore, rock creep analysis, overpack corrosion expansion analysis and overpack sinking analysis have been made in order to examine the long-term mechanical stability of the near field and the interaction of various events that may affect the stability of the near field over a long period of time. As the results, rock creep behavior, the variations of the stress-state and the range of the influence zone differ from the rock strength, strength of buffer in the tunnel and side pressure coefficient etc. about the hard rock system and soft rock system established as basic cases. And the magnitude of the stress variations for buffer by the overpack sinking and rock creep deformation is negligible compared with it by the overpack corrosion expansion. Furthermore, though very limited zone of buffer around the overpack is close to the critical state by the overpack corrosion expansion, the engineered barrier system attains a comparatively stable state for a long period of time. (author)

Slope stability probability classification, Waikato Coal Measures, New Zealand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lindsay, P.; Gillard, G.R.; Moore, T.A. [CRL Energy, PO Box 29-415, Christchurch (New Zealand); Campbell, R.N.; Fergusson, D.A. [Solid Energy North, Private Bag 502, Huntly (New Zealand)

2001-01-01

Ferm classified lithological units have been identified and described in the Waikato Coal Measures in open pits in the Waikato coal region. These lithological units have been classified geotechnically by mechanical tests and discontinuity measurements. Using these measurements slope stability probability classifications (SSPC) have been quantified based on an adaptation of Hack's [Slope Stability Probability Classification, ITC Delft Publication, Enschede, Netherlands, vol. 43, 1998, 273 pp.] SSPC system, which places less influence on rock quality designation and unconfined compressive strength than previous slope/rock mass rating systems. The Hack weathering susceptibility rating has been modified by using chemical index of alteration values determined from XRF major element analyses. Slaking is an important parameter in slope stability in the Waikato Coal Measures lithologies and hence, a non-subjective method of assessing slaking in relation to the chemical index of alteration has been introduced. Another major component of this adapted SSPC system is the inclusion of rock moisture content effects on slope stability. The main modifications of Hack's SSPC system are the introduction of rock intact strength derived from the modified Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion, which has been adapted for varying moisture content, weathering state and confining pressure. It is suggested that the subjectivity in assessing intact rock strength within broad bands in the initial SSPC system is a major weakness of the initial system. Initial results indicate a close relationship between rock mass strength values, calculated from rock mass friction angles and rock mass cohesion values derived from two established rock mass classification methods (modified Hoek-Brown failure criteria and MRMR) and the adapted SSPC system. The advantage of the modified SSPC system is that slope stability probabilities based on discontinuity-independent and discontinuity-dependent data and a

Enhancement the Thermal Stability and the Mechanical Properties of Acrylonitrile-Butadiene Copolymer by Grafting Antioxidant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdulaziz Ibrahim Al-Ghonamy

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Monomeric antioxidants are widely used as effective antioxidants to protect polymers against thermal oxidation. Low molecular weight antioxidants are easily lost from polymer through migration, evaporation, and extraction. Physical loss of antioxidants is considered to be major concern in the environmental issues and safety regulation as well as long life time of polymers. The grafting copolymerization of natural rubber and o-aminophenol was carried out by using two-roll mill machine. The prepared natural rubber-graft-o-Aminophenol, NR-graft-o-AP, was analysed by using Infrared and 1H-NMR Spectroscopy techniques. The thermal stability, mechanical properties, and ultrasonic attenuation coefficient were evaluated for NBR vulcanizates containing the commercial antioxidant, N-phenyl--naphthylamine (PBN, the prepared grafted antioxidant, NR-graft-o-AP, and the control vulcanizate. Results of the thermal stability showed that the prepared NR-graft-o-AP can protect NBR vulcanizate against thermal treatment much better than the commercial antioxidant, PBN, and control mix, respectively. The prepared grafted antioxidant improves the mechanical properties of NBR vulcanizate.

Enhancement the Thermal Stability and the Mechanical Properties of Acrylonitrile-Butadiene Copolymer by Grafting Antioxidant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Ghonamy, A.I.; El-Wakil, A.A.; Ramadan, M.; El-Wakil, A.A.; Ramadan, M.

2010-01-01

Monomeric antioxidants are widely used as effective antioxidants to protect polymers against thermal oxidation. Low molecular weight antioxidants are easily lost from polymer through migration, evaporation, and extraction. Physical loss of antioxidants is considered to be major concern in the environmental issues and safety regulation as well as long life time of polymers. The grafting copolymerization of natural rubber and o-aminophenol was carried out by using two-roll mill machine. The prepared natural rubber-graft-o-Aminophenol, NR-graft-o-AP, was analysed by using Infrared and 1H-NMR Spectroscopy techniques. The thermal stability, mechanical properties, and ultrasonic attenuation coefficient were evaluated for NBR vulcanizations containing the commercial antioxidant, N-phenyl-β-naphthylamine (PBN), the prepared grafted antioxidant, NR-graft-o-AP, and the control vulcanization. Results of the thermal stability showed that the prepared NR-graft-o-AP can protect NBR vulcanization against thermal treatment much better than the commercial antioxidant, PBN, and control mix, respectively. The prepared grafted antioxidant improves the mechanical properties of NBR vulcanization.

SCC Initiation Testing of Alloy 600 in High Temperature Water

Science.gov (United States)

Etien, Robert A.; Richey, Edward; Morton, David S.; Eager, Julie

Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) initiation tests have been conducted on Alloy 600 at temperatures from 304 to 367°C. Tests were conducted with in-situ monitored smooth tensile specimens under a constant load in hydrogenated environments. A reversing direct current electric potential drop (EPD) system was used for all of the tests to detect SCC initiation. Tests were conducted to examine the effects of stress (and strain), coolant hydrogen, and temperature on SCC initiation time. The thermal activation energy of SCC initiation was measured as 103 ± 18 kJ/mol in hydrogenated water, which is similar to the thermal activation energy for SCC growth. Results suggest that the fundamental mechanical parameter which controls SCC initiation is plastic strain not stress. SCC initiation was shown to have a different sensitivity than SCC growth to dissolved hydrogen level. Specifically, SCC initiation time appears to be relatively insensitive to hydrogen level in the nickel stability region.

Microscopic mechanism of stability in yttria-doped zirconia

CERN Document Server

Ostanin, S A

2001-01-01

The relaxed configurations of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) between 3 and 10 mol. % Y sub 2 O sub 3 were modeled within the pseudopotential technique. The vibration mode corresponding to the soft phonon in pure c-ZrO sub 2 has been calculated for each Y sub 2 O sub 3 composition. These anharmonic vibrations, associated with stabilization of YSZ, have been investigated within the self-consistent phonon approximation that makes obtainable the fine structure in spectral density. In studying the phonon dynamics, it is proposed to use the displacement probability density which can quantify very accurately the transition temperature needed to stabilize the YSZ cubic phase

Numerical modelling of crack initiation and propagation in concrete structure under hydro-mechanical loading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bian, H.B.; Jia, Y.; Shao, J.F.

2012-01-01

Document available in extended abstract form only. This subject is devoted to numerical analysis of crack initiation and propagation in concrete structures due to hydro-mechanical coupling processes. When the structures subjected to the variation in hydraulic conditions, fractures occur as a consequence of coalescence of diffuse damage. Consequently, the mechanical behaviour of concrete is described by an isotropic damage model. Once the damage reaches a critical value, a macroscopic crack is initiated. In the framework of extended Finite Element Method (XFEM), the propagation of localized crack is studied in this paper. Each crack is then considered as a discontinuity surface of displacement. According to the determination of crack propagation orientations, a tensile stress-based criterion is used. Furthermore, spatial variations of mechanical properties of concrete are also taken into account using the Weibull distribution function. Finally, the proposed model is applied to numerical analysis of a concrete liner in the context of feasibility studies for geological storage of radioactive wastes. The numerical results show that the proposed approach is capable to reproduce correctly the initiation and propagation crack process until the complete failure of concrete structures during hydro-mechanical loading. The concrete is most widely used construction material in many engineering applications. It is generally submitted to various environmental loading: such as the mechanical loading, the variation of relative humidity and the exposure to chemical risk, etc. In order to evaluate the safety and durability of concrete structures, it is necessary to get a good knowledge on the influence of loading path on the concrete behaviour. The objective of this paper is to study numerically the crack propagation in concrete structure under hydro-mechanical loading,.i.e. the mechanical behaviour of concrete subjected to drying process. The drying process leads to desiccation

Thermal Stability, Combustion Behavior, and Mechanical Property in a Flame-Retardant Polypropylene System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lili Wang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In order to comprehensively improve the strength, toughness, flame retardancy, smoke suppression, and thermal stability of polypropylene (PP, layered double hydroxide (LDH Ni0.2Mg2.8Al–LDH was synthesized by a coprecipitation method coupled with the microwave-hydrothermal treatment. The X-ray diffraction (XRD, morphology, mechanical, thermal, and fire properties for PP composites containing 1 wt %–20 wt % Ni0.2Mg2.8Al–LDH were investigated. The cone calorimeter tests confirm that the peak heat release rate (pk–HRR of PP–20%LDH was decreased to 500 kW/m2 from the 1057 kW/m2 of PP. The pk–HRR, average mass loss rate (AMLR and effective heat of combustion (EHC analysis indicates that the condensed phase fire retardant mechanism of Ni0.2Mg2.8Al–LDH in the composites. The production rate and mean release yield of CO for composites gradually decrease as Ni0.2Mg2.8Al–LDH increases in the PP matrix. Thermal analysis indicates that the decomposition temperature for PP–5%LDH and PP–10%LDH is 34 °C higher than that of the pure PP. The mechanical tests reveal that the tensile strength of PP–1%LDH is 7.9 MPa higher than that of the pure PP. Furthermore, the elongation at break of PP–10%LDH is 361% higher than PP. In this work, the synthetic LDH Ni0.2Mg2.8Al–LDH can be used as a flame retardant, smoke suppressant, thermal stabilizer, reinforcing, and toughening agent of PP products.

Preparation of polyvinyl alcohol graphene oxide phosphonate film and research of thermal stability and mechanical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jihui; Song, Yunna; Ma, Zheng; Li, Ning; Niu, Shuai; Li, Yongshen

2018-05-01

In this article, flake graphite, nitric acid, peroxyacetic acid and phosphoric acid are used to prepare graphene oxide phosphonic and phosphinic acids (GOPAs), and GOPAs and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) are used to synthesize polyvinyl alcohol graphene oxide phosphonate and phosphinate (PVAGOPs) in the case of faint acidity and ultrasound irradiation, and PVAGOPs are used to fabricate PVAGOPs film, and the structure and morphology of GOPAs, PVAGOPs and PVAGOPs film are characterized, and the thermal stability and mechanical properties of PVAGOPs film are investigated. Based on these, it has been proved that GOPAs consist of graphene oxide phosphonic acid and graphene oxide phosphinic acid, and there are CP covalent bonds between them, and PVAGOPs are composed of GOPAs and PVA, and there are six-member lactone rings between GOPAs and PVA, and the thermal stability and mechanical properties of PVAGOPs film are improved effectively. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ontogenic timing mechanism initiates the expression of rat intestinal sucrase activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yeh, K.Y.; Holt, P.R.

1986-01-01

Morphologic and enzymic differentiation occurs in rat small intestinal epithelium during 16-20 days of postnatal life. This change is considered to be initiated by an ontogenic timing mechanism and is modulated by extrinsic systemic and luminal factors. The importance of the ontogenic timing was tested directly using a transplantation technique in which jejunal isografts from newborn (day 0) and 5-day-old (day 5) rats were implanted under the skin of newborn (day 0) hosts. Isografts showing cryptvillus architecture were obtained in 44% and 21% of transplants, respectively. Day 0 isografts and host intestine expressed sucrase activity at about 16-18 days of age and showed similar crypt cell labeling and epithelial migration after [3H]thymidine injection. Day 5 isografts expressed sucrase activity when the hosts were 13 days of age, whereas host intestine showed no detectable sucrase activity. Isograft lactase activities in both experimental transplant models were significantly higher than host intestinal lactase up to 28 days of age, suggesting that luminal factors are important in modulating lactase activity during the first 4 wk of postnatal life. It is concluded that (a) no systemic factors at day 13 inhibit the expression of sucrase activity and (b) an ontogenic timing mechanism in the jejunum initiates the expression of sucrase activity

A high-response transparent heater based on a CuS nanosheet film with superior mechanical flexibility and chemical stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Shuyao; Li, Teng; Xu, Zijie; Wang, Yanan; Liu, Xiangyang; Guo, Wenxi

2018-04-05

Transparent heaters are widely used in technologies such as window defrosting/defogging, displays, gas sensing, and medical equipment. Apart from mechanical robustness and electrical and optical reliabilities, outstanding chemical stability is also critical to the application of transparent heaters. In this regard, we first present a highly flexible and large-area CuS transparent heater fabricated by a colloidal crackle pattern method with an optimized sheet resistance (Rs) as low as 21.5 Ω sq-1 at a ∼80% transmittance. The CuS transparent heater exhibits remarkable mechanical robustness during bending tests as well as high chemical stability against acid and alkali environments. In the application as a transparent heater, the CuS heater demonstrates a high thermal resistance of 197 °C W-1 cm2 with a fast switching time (solar panels. These CuS network TCEs with high flexibility, transparency, conductivity, and chemical stability could be widely used in wearable electronic products.

Nuclear Energy Research Initiative. Development of a Stabilized Light Water Reactor Fuel Matrix for Extended Burnup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

BD Hanson; J Abrefah; SC Marschman; SG Prussin

2000-01-01

The main objective of this project is to develop an advanced fuel matrix capable of achieving extended burnup while improving safety margins and reliability for present operations. In the course of this project, the authors improve understanding of the mechanism for high burnup structure (HBS) formation and attempt to design a fuel to minimize its formation. The use of soluble dopants in the UO 2 matrix to stabilize the matrix and minimize fuel-side corrosion of the cladding is the main focus

Elevated-temperature mechanical stability and transformation behavior of retained austenite in a quenching and partitioning steel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Min, Junying, E-mail: junying.min@gmail.com [Chair of Production Systems, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum 44780 (Germany); Hector, Louis G. [General Motors Research & Development, Warren, MI 48095-9055 (United States); Zhang, Ling; Lin, Jianping [School of Mechanical Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804 (China); Carsley, John E. [General Motors Research & Development, Warren, MI 48095-9055 (United States); Sun, Li [General Motors China Science Lab, Shanghai 201206 (China)

2016-09-15

The mechanical stability and transformation behavior of both film and blocky retained austenite (RA) in a quenching and partitioning steel are investigated at 293 K, 423 K and 573 K with X-ray diffraction measurements and transmission electron microscopy. Blocky RA both completely and incompletely transforms to twinned martensite during deformation at 293 K and 423 K, respectively, and completely transforms to lath martensite during deformation at 573 K. At 293 K and 423 K, only the film RA with widths larger than ~70 nm transforms to twinned martensite. However, film RA incompletely transforms to lath martensite at 573 K. Hence, RA transformation is non-monotonic with temperature. Significant carbide formation at 573 K, and therefore less carbon to stabilize RA, overcomes the increase in austenite stability due to the decrease in the temperature-dependent chemical driving force for the martensite transformation.

Redox-Initiated Poly(methyl methacrylate) Emulsion Polymerizations Stabilized with Block Copolymers Based on Methoxy-Poly(ethylene glycol), epsilon-Caprolactone, and Linoleic Acid

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tan, Boonhua; Nabuurs, Tijs; Feijen, Jan; Grijpma, Dirk W.

2009-01-01

A redox initiating system, consisting of t-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHPO), isoascorbic acid (iAA), and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid ferric-sodium salt (FeEDTA) was employed in emulsion polymerizations of methyl methacrylate (MMA) at high solids contents of 30 wt % in water. The system was stabilized

Fabrication of thin SU-8 cantilevers: initial bending, release and time stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keller, Stephan; Boisen, Anja; Haefliger, Daniel

2010-01-01

SU-8 cantilevers with a thickness of 2 µm were fabricated using a dry release method and two steps of SU-8 photolithography. The processing of the thin SU-8 film defining the cantilevers was experimentally optimized to achieve low initial bending due to residual stress gradients. In parallel, the rotational deformation at the clamping point allowed a qualitative assessment of the device release from the fluorocarbon-coated substrate. The change of these parameters during several months of storage at ambient temperature was investigated in detail. The introduction of a long hard bake in an oven after development of the thin SU-8 film resulted in reduced cantilever bending due to removal of residual stress gradients. Further, improved time-stability of the devices was achieved due to the enhanced cross-linking of the polymer. A post-exposure bake at a temperature T PEB = 50 °C followed by a hard bake at T HB = 90 °C proved to be optimal to ensure low cantilever bending and low rotational deformation due to excellent device release and low change of these properties with time. With the optimized process, the reproducible fabrication of arrays with 2 µm thick cantilevers with a length of 500 µm and an initial bending of less than 20 µm was possible. The theoretical spring constant of these cantilevers is k = 4.8 ± 2.5 mN m −1 , which is comparable to the value for Si cantilevers with identical dimensions and a thickness of 500 nm.

In vitro and in vivo mechanical stability of orthodontic mini-implants.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Il-Sik; Kim, Sung-Kyun; Chang, Young-Il; Baek, Seung-Hak

2012-07-01

To compare in vivo and in vitro mechanical stability of orthodontic mini-implants (OMIs) treated with a sandblasted, large-grit, and anodic-oxidation (SLAO) method vs those treated with a sandblasted, large-grit, and acid-etching (SLA) method. Fifty-four titanium OMIs (cylindrical shape, drill-free type; diameter  =  1.45 mm, length  =  8 mm, Biomaterials Korea Inc, Seoul, Korea) were allocated into control, SLA, and SLAO groups (N  =  12 for in vivo and N  =  6 for in vitro studies per group). In vitro study was carried out on a polyurethane foam bone block (Sawbones, Pacific Research Laboratories Inc, Vashon, Wash). In vivo study was performed in the tibias of Beagles (6 males, age  =  1 year, weight  =  10 to 13 kg; OMIs were removed at 8 weeks after installation). For insertion and removal of OMIs, the speed and maximum torque of the surgical engine were set to 30 rpm and 40 Ncm, respectively. Maximum torque (MT), total energy (TE), and near peak energy (NPE) during the insertion and removal procedures were statistically analyzed. In the in vitro study, although the control group had a higher insertion MT value than the SLA and SLAO groups (P < .01), no differences in insertion TE and NPE or in any of the removal variables were noted among the three groups. In the in vivo study, the control group exhibited higher values for all insertion variables compared with the SLA and SLAO groups (MT, P < .001; TE, P < .01; NPE, P < .001). Although no difference in removal TE and removal NPE was noted among the three groups, the SLAO group presented with a higher removal MT than the SLA and control groups (P < .001). SLAO treatment may be an effective tool in reducing insertion damage to surrounding tissue and improving the mechanical stability of OMIs.

The mechanism of suppression of quantum transitions (quantum whirligig)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buts, V.A.

2010-01-01

The mechanism allowing to stabilize of a state of quantum systems is considered. And, the initial condition can correspond both for excited state and for not excited, stationary state. The considered mechanism for the first time was offered for the excited states, and has received the name as quantum whirligig (QWE). In this work the close connection of the considered mechanism with Zeno effect is shown. The considerations are stated, that many experimental results, which are interpreted as observation of Zeno effect, apparently, correspond to QWE.

Study of the mechanical stability of the ATLAS Insertable B-Layer

CERN Document Server

The ATLAS collaboration

2015-01-01

During the commissioning and alignment of the ATLAS Insertable B-Layer (IBL) using cosmic-ray data, a mechanical distortion of the IBL was observed. This distortion is caused by a difference in the coefficients of thermal expansion of the IBL stave components. The results of a preliminary study of the mechanical stability of the IBL are presented in this note. The qualitative properties of the distortion are confirmed using a 3D finite element analysis. Using cosmic-ray data collected in March 2015, the magnitude of the distortion is found to depend linearly on the operating temperature of the IBL, with a gradient of $\\sim10~{\\rm \\mu m/K}$. The peak-to-peak temperature variation of the IBL staves is measured to be less than 0.2 K during the same cosmic-ray run. The expected bias to the transverse impact parameter $(d_{0})$ of charged tracks under a temperature variation of 0.2 K is evaluated to be $\\sim 1~{\\rm \\mu m}$ using $Z\\rightarrow{\\mu^+\\mu^-}$ events from a Mote Carlo simulation of proton-proton collis...

Neural robust stabilization via event-triggering mechanism and adaptive learning technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ding; Liu, Derong

2018-06-01

The robust control synthesis of continuous-time nonlinear systems with uncertain term is investigated via event-triggering mechanism and adaptive critic learning technique. We mainly focus on combining the event-triggering mechanism with adaptive critic designs, so as to solve the nonlinear robust control problem. This can not only make better use of computation and communication resources, but also conduct controller design from the view of intelligent optimization. Through theoretical analysis, the nonlinear robust stabilization can be achieved by obtaining an event-triggered optimal control law of the nominal system with a newly defined cost function and a certain triggering condition. The adaptive critic technique is employed to facilitate the event-triggered control design, where a neural network is introduced as an approximator of the learning phase. The performance of the event-triggered robust control scheme is validated via simulation studies and comparisons. The present method extends the application domain of both event-triggered control and adaptive critic control to nonlinear systems possessing dynamical uncertainties. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The mechanical stability of retained austenite in low-alloyed TRIP steel under shear loading

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blondé, R., E-mail: r.j.p.blonde@tudelft.nl [Fundamental Aspects of Materials and Energy, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 15, 2629 JB Delft (Netherlands); Materials Innovation Institute, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD Delft (Netherlands); Jimenez-Melero, E., E-mail: enrique.jimenez-melero@manchester.ac.uk [Dalton Cumbrian Facility, The University of Manchester, Westlakes Science and Technology Park, Moor Row, Cumbria CA24 3HA (United Kingdom); Zhao, L., E-mail: lie.zhao@tudelft.nl [Materials Innovation Institute, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD Delft (Netherlands); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD Delft (Netherlands); Schell, N., E-mail: norbert.schell@hzg.de [Institute of Materials Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Max Planck Strasse 1, 21502 Geesthacht (Germany); Brück, E., E-mail: e.h.bruck@tudelft.nl [Fundamental Aspects of Materials and Energy, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 15, 2629 JB Delft (Netherlands); Zwaag, S. van der, E-mail: s.vanderzwaag@tudelft.nl [Novel Aerospace Materials Group, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Kluyverweg 1, 2629 HS Delft (Netherlands); Dijk, N.H. van, E-mail: n.h.vandijk@tudelft.nl [Fundamental Aspects of Materials and Energy, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 15, 2629 JB Delft (Netherlands)

2014-01-31

The microstructure evolution during shear loading of a low-alloyed TRIP steel with different amounts of the metastable austenite phase and its equivalent DP grade has been studied by in-situ high-energy X-ray diffraction. A detailed powder diffraction analysis has been performed to probe the austenite-to-martensite transformation by characterizing simultaneously the evolution of the austenite phase fraction and its carbon concentration, the load partitioning between the austenite and the ferritic matrix and the texture evolution of the constituent phases. Our results show that for shear deformation the TRIP effect extends over a significantly wider deformation range than for simple uniaxial loading. A clear increase in average carbon content during the mechanically-induced transformation indicates that austenite grains with a low carbon concentration are least stable during shear loading. The observed texture evolution indicates that under shear loading the orientation dependence of the austenite stability is relatively weak, while it has previously been found that under tensile load the {110}〈001〉 component transforms preferentially. The mechanical stability of retained austenite in TRIP steel is found to be a complex interplay between the interstitial carbon concentration in the austenite, the grain orientation and the load partitioning.

On chaos in quantum mechanics: The two meanings of sensitive dependence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ingraham, R.L.; Luna Acosta, G.A.

1993-08-01

Sensitive dependence on initial conditions, the most important signature of chaos, can mean failure of Lyapunov stability, the primary meaning adopted in dynamical systems theory, or the presence of positive Lyapunov exponents, the meaning favored in physics. These are not equivalent in general. We show that there is sensitive dependence in quantum mechanics in the sense of violation of Lyapunov stability for maps of the state vector like involving unbounded operators A. This is true even for bounded quantum systems, where the corresponding Lyapunov exponents are all zero. Experiments to reveal this sensitive dependence, a definite though unfamiliar prediction of quantum mechanics, should be devised. It may also invalidate the usual assumption of linear response theory in quantum statistical mechanics in some cases. (author) 13 refs

DFT investigations on mechanical stability, electronic structure and magnetism in Co2TaZ (Z = Al, Ga, In) heusler alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Khandy, Shakeel Ahmad; Gupta, Dinesh C.

2017-12-01

Ferromagnetic Heusler compounds have vast and imminent applications for novel devices, smart materials thanks to density functional theory (DFT) based simulations, which have scored out a new approach to study these materials. We forecast the structural stability of Co2TaZ alloys on the basis of total energy calculations and mechanical stability criteria. The elastic constants, robust spin-polarized ferromagnetism and electron densities in these half-metallic alloys are also discussed. The observed structural aspects calculated to predict the stability and equilibrium lattice parameters agree well with the experimental results. The elastic parameters like elastic constants, bulk, Young’s and shear moduli, poison’s and Pugh ratios, melting temperatures, etc have been put together to establish their mechanical properties. The elaborated electronic band structures along with indirect band gaps and spin polarization favour the application of these materials in spintronics and memory device technology.

A dynamical stabilizer in the climate system: a mechanism suggested by a simple model

Science.gov (United States)

Bates, J. R.

1999-05-01

involve inter-zone coupling and have coefficients dependent on the values of the equilibrium fluxes and the sensitivity of the angular momentum transport. Analytical solutions for the perturbations are obtained. These provide criteria for the stability of the equilibrium climate. If the evaporative feedback on SST perturbations is omitted, the equilibrium climate is unstable due to the influence of the water vapour/infrared radiative feedback, which dominates over the effects of the sensible heat and ocean heat transport feedbacks. The inclusion of evaporation gives a negative feedback which is of sufficient strength to stabilize the system. The stabilizing mechanism involves wind and humidity factors in the evaporative fluxes that are of comparable magnitude. Both factors involve the angular momentum transport. In including angular momentum and calculating the surface fluxes explicitly, the model presented here differs from the many simple climate models based on the Budyko Sellers formulation. In that formulation, an atmospheric energy balance equation is used to eliminate surface fluxes in favour of top-of-the-atmosphere radiative fluxes and meridional atmospheric energy transports. In the resulting models, infrared radiation appears as a stabilizing influence on SST perturbations and the dynamical stabilizing mechanism found here cannot be identified.

STUDIES ON THE INITIATION MECHANISM OF ORGANIC PEROXIDE AND N-METHACRYLOYLOXYETHYL-N-METHYL ANILINE IN METHYL METHACRYLATE POLYMERIZATION

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

QIU Kunyuan; GUO Dajie; GUO Xinqiu; FENG Xinde

1990-01-01

The initiation mechanism of methyl methacrylate (MMA) polymerization by organic peroxide and polymerizable aromatic tertiary amine such as N-methacryloyloxyethyl-N-methyi aniline (MEMA) binary system has been studied. The kinetics of polymerization of MMA and the ESR spectra of organic peroxide/MEMA system were determined. Based on the ESR study and the end-group analysis by UV spectra of the polymer formed, the initiation mechanism is proposed.

Mechanisms of stability of armored bubbles: FY 1996 Final Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossen, W.R.; Kam, S.I.

1996-11-01

Theoretical and experimental studies examine how a coating, or open-quotes armor,close quotes of partially wetted solid particles can stabilize tiny bubbles against diffusion of gas into the surrounding liquid, in spite of the high capillary pressures normally associated with such bubbles. Experiments with polymethylmethacrylate (PNMA) beads and carbonated water demonstrate that armored bubbles can persist for weeks in liquid unsaturated with respect to the gas in the bubbles. This question is of concern regarding gas discharges from waste tanks at the Hanford reservation. The stresses on the solid-solid contacts between particles in such cases is large and could drive sintering of the particles into a rigid framework. Stability analysis suggests that a slightly shrunken bubble would not expel a solid particle from its armor to relieve stress and allow the bubble to shrink further. Expulsion of particles from more stressed bubbles at zero capillary pressure is energetically favored in some cases. It is not clear, however, whether this expulsion would proceed spontaneously from a small perturbation or require a large initial disturbance of the bubble. In some cases, it appears that a bubble would expel some particles and shrink, but the bubble would approach a final, stable size rather than disappear completely. This simplified analysis leaves out several factors. For instance, only one perturbation toward expelling a solid from the armor is considered; perhaps other perturbations would be more energetically favored than that tested. Other considerations (particle deformation, surface roughness, contact-angle hysteresis, and adhesion or physical bonding between adjacent particles) would make expelling solids more difficult than indicated by this theoretical study

Demonstration of mechanical connections between integrins, cytoskeletal filaments, and nucleoplasm that stabilize nuclear structure

Science.gov (United States)

Maniotis, A. J.; Chen, C. S.; Ingber, D. E.

1997-01-01

We report here that living cells and nuclei are hard-wired such that a mechanical tug on cell surface receptors can immediately change the organization of molecular assemblies in the cytoplasm and nucleus. When integrins were pulled by micromanipulating bound microbeads or micropipettes, cytoskeletal filaments reoriented, nuclei distorted, and nucleoli redistributed along the axis of the applied tension field. These effects were specific for integrins, independent of cortical membrane distortion, and were mediated by direct linkages between the cytoskeleton and nucleus. Actin microfilaments mediated force transfer to the nucleus at low strain; however, tearing of the actin gel resulted with greater distortion. In contrast, intermediate filaments effectively mediated force transfer to the nucleus under both conditions. These filament systems also acted as molecular guy wires to mechanically stiffen the nucleus and anchor it in place, whereas microtubules acted to hold open the intermediate filament lattice and to stabilize the nucleus against lateral compression. Molecular connections between integrins, cytoskeletal filaments, and nuclear scaffolds may therefore provide a discrete path for mechanical signal transfer through cells as well as a mechanism for producing integrated changes in cell and nuclear structure in response to changes in extracellular matrix adhesivity or mechanics.

Metatranscriptome Analysis of Fig Flowers Provides Insights into Potential Mechanisms for Mutualism Stability and Gall Induction.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ellen O Martinson

Full Text Available A striking property of the mutualism between figs and their pollinating wasps is that wasps consistently oviposit in the inner flowers of the fig syconium, which develop into galls that house developing larvae. Wasps typically do not use the outer ring of flowers, which develop into seeds. To better understand differences between gall and seed flowers, we used a metatranscriptomic approach to analyze eukaryotic gene expression within fig flowers at the time of oviposition choice and early gall development. Consistent with the unbeatable seed hypothesis, we found significant differences in gene expression between gall- and seed flowers in receptive syconia prior to oviposition. In particular, transcripts assigned to flavonoids and carbohydrate metabolism were significantly up-regulated in gall flowers relative to seed flowers. In response to oviposition, gall flowers significantly up-regulated the expression of chalcone synthase, which previously has been connected to gall formation in other plants. We propose several genes encoding proteins with signal peptides or associations with venom of other Hymenoptera as candidate genes for gall initiation or growth. This study simultaneously evaluates the gene expression profile of both mutualistic partners in a plant-insect mutualism and provides insight into a possible stability mechanism in the ancient fig-fig wasp association.

A small RNA activates CFA synthase by isoform-specific mRNA stabilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Fröhlich, Kathrin Sophie; Papenfort, Kai; Fekete, Agnes; Vogel, Jörg

2013-11-13

Small RNAs use a diversity of well-characterized mechanisms to repress mRNAs, but how they activate gene expression at the mRNA level remains not well understood. The predominant activation mechanism of Hfq-associated small RNAs has been translational control whereby base pairing with the target prevents the formation of an intrinsic inhibitory structure in the mRNA and promotes translation initiation. Here, we report a translation-independent mechanism whereby the small RNA RydC selectively activates the longer of two isoforms of cfa mRNA (encoding cyclopropane fatty acid synthase) in Salmonella enterica. Target activation is achieved through seed pairing of the pseudoknot-exposed, conserved 5' end of RydC to an upstream region of the cfa mRNA. The seed pairing stabilizes the messenger, likely by interfering directly with RNase E-mediated decay in the 5' untranslated region. Intriguingly, this mechanism is generic such that the activation is equally achieved by seed pairing of unrelated small RNAs, suggesting that this mechanism may be utilized in the design of RNA-controlled synthetic circuits. Physiologically, RydC is the first small RNA known to regulate membrane stability.

Emergency radiological examination of the externally stabilized pelvis--there is a catch to it: lessons learned from two cases with symphyseal disruption despite initial inconspicuous computed tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Bayer, Jörg; Hammer, Thorsten; Maier, Dirk; Südkamp, Norbert Paul; Hauschild, Oliver

2016-03-12

Preclinical and early clinical external pelvic stabilization using commercially available devices has become common in trauma patient care. Thus, in the emergency department an increasing number of patients will undergo radiographic evaluation of the externally stabilized pelvis to exclude injuries. While reports exist where injuries to the pelvis were elusive to radiological examination due to the pelvic immobilization we elaborate on an algorithm to remove an external pelvic stabilizing device, prevent delayed diagnosis of pelvic disruption and thus increase patient safety. We report on two patients with external pelvic stabilization presenting with an inconspicuous pubic symphysis on initial pelvic computed tomography scans. The first patient was an otherwise healthy 51-year old male being run over by his own car. He received external pelvic stabilization in the emergency department. The second patient was a 36-year old male falling from a ladder. In this patient external pelvic stabilization was performed at the scene. In the first patient no pelvic injury was obvious on computed tomography. In the second patient pelvic fractures were diagnosed, yet the presentation of the pubic symphysis appeared normal. Nevertheless, complete symphyseal disruption was diagnosed in both of them upon removal of the external pelvic stabilization and consequently required internal fixation. Based on our experience we propose an algorithm to "clear the initially immobilized pelvis" in an effort to minimize the risk of missing a serious pelvic injury and increase patient safety. This is of significant importance to orthopedic trauma surgeons and emergency physicians taking care of injured patients.

A review of the chemical and physical mechanisms of the storage stability of fast pyrolysis bio-oils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diebold, J.P.

1999-01-27

Understanding the fundamental chemical and physical aging mechanisms is necessary to learn how to produce a bio-oil that is more stable during shipping and storage. This review provides a basis for this understanding and identifies possible future research paths to produce bio-oils with better storage stability.

The blow-off mechanism of a bluff-body stabilized laminar premixed flame

KAUST Repository

Kedia, Kushal S.

2015-04-01

© 2014 The Combustion Institute. The objective of this work is to investigate the dynamics leading to blow-off of a laminar premixed flame stabilized on a confined bluff-body using high fidelity numerical simulations. We used unsteady, fully resolved, two-dimensional simulations with detailed chemical kinetics and species transport for methane-air combustion. The flame-wall interaction between the hot reactants and the heat conducting bluff-body was accurately captured by incorporating the conjugate heat exchange between them. Simulations showed a shear-layer stabilized flame just downstream of the bluff-body, with a recirculation zone formed by the products of combustion. The flame was negatively stretched along its entire length, primarily dominated by the normal component of the strain. Blow-off was approached by decreasing the mixture equivalence ratio, at a fixed Reynolds number, of the incoming flow. A flame is stable (does not undergo blow-off) when (1) flame displacement speed is equal to the flow speed and (2) the gradient of the flame displacement speed normal to its surface is higher than the gradient of the flow speed along the same direction. As the equivalence ratio is reduced, the difference between the former and the latter shrinks until the dynamic stability condition (2) is violated, leading to blow-off. Blow-off initiates at a location where this is first violated along the flame. Our results showed that this location was far downstream from the flame anchoring zone, near the end of the recirculation zone. Blow-off started by flame pinching separating the flame into an upstream moving (carried within the recirculation zone) and a downstream convecting (detached from the recirculation zone) flame piece. Within the range of operating conditions investigated, the conjugate heat exchange with the bluff-body had no impact on the flame blow-off.

Mechanism of central ion exchange in the neodymium (3) ethylenediamine-tetraacetate-copper (2) and erbium (3) ethylenediaminetetraacetate-copper (2) systems in ageous solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nikitenko, S.I.; Martynenko, L.I.; Pechurova, N.I.; Spitsyn, V.I.

1984-01-01

The spectrophotometry method in the stationary regime and the ''Stopped Flow'' method in the prestationary regime are used to study kinetics and exchange mechanism in NdA - -Cu 2+ and ErA - -Cu 2+ (A=EDTA) systems at pH 4.0-6.0 and initial Cu 2+ concentrations (0.5-6.0)x10 -2 M, Nd 3+ , Er 3 2H+ (0-1.0)x10 -2 M. On the basis of considering the dependence of kinetic exchange characteristics on the value of initial Ln 3+ and Cu 2+ concentrations it is shown that stability constant of appearing intermediate binuclear complex [NdACu 2+ ] correlates with stability constant of copper acetate, i. e. incoming Cu 2+ cation coordinates by EDTA acetogroup at the first stage of reaction. Stability constant of [ErACu + ) correlates with outer spheric association constant, i. e. at the earlier exchange stage in the associative mechanism in the ErA - -Cu 2+ system, formation of outer spheric associate takes place. Considerable difference in exchange mechanisms for light and heavy rare earths is explained by lesser strength in metal-oxygen bond in initial NdA - as compared with ErA - . Bond strengthening in the initial rare earth complexonate prevents the formation of stable intermediate binuclear complexes which causes decrease in the exchange rate according to the associative mechanism in LuAsup(-)-Mnsup(n+) systems

Stability mechanisms of a thermophilic laccase probed by molecular dynamics.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niels J Christensen

Full Text Available Laccases are highly stable, industrially important enzymes capable of oxidizing a large range of substrates. Causes for their stability are, as for other proteins, poorly understood. In this work, multiple-seed molecular dynamics (MD was applied to a Trametes versicolor laccase in response to variable ionic strengths, temperatures, and glycosylation status. Near-physiological conditions provided excellent agreement with the crystal structure (average RMSD ∼0.92 Å and residual agreement with experimental B-factors. The persistence of backbone hydrogen bonds was identified as a key descriptor of structural response to environment, whereas solvent-accessibility, radius of gyration, and fluctuations were only locally relevant. Backbone hydrogen bonds decreased systematically with temperature in all simulations (∼9 per 50 K, probing structural changes associated with enthalpy-entropy compensation. Approaching T opt (∼350 K from 300 K, this change correlated with a beginning "unzipping" of critical β-sheets. 0 M ionic strength triggered partial denucleation of the C-terminal (known experimentally to be sensitive at 400 K, suggesting a general salt stabilization effect. In contrast, F(- (but not Cl(- specifically impaired secondary structure by formation of strong hydrogen bonds with backbone NH, providing a mechanism for experimentally observed small anion destabilization, potentially remedied by site-directed mutagenesis at critical intrusion sites. N-glycosylation was found to support structural integrity by increasing persistent backbone hydrogen bonds by ∼4 across simulations, mainly via prevention of F(- intrusion. Hydrogen-bond loss in distinct loop regions and ends of critical β-sheets suggest potential strategies for laboratory optimization of these industrially important enzymes.

Solid-cryogen-stabilized, cable-in-conduit (CIC) superconducting cables

Science.gov (United States)

Voccio, J. P.; Michael, P. C.; Bromberg, L.; Hahn, S.

2015-12-01

This paper considers the use of a solid cryogen as a means to stabilize, both mechanically and thermally, magnesium diboride (MgB2) superconducting strands within a dual-channel cable-in-conduit (CIC) cable for use in AC applications, such as a generator stator winding. The cable consists of two separate channels; the outer channel contains the superconducting strands and is filled with a fluid (liquid or gas) that becomes solid at the device operating temperature. Several options for fluid will be presented, such as liquid nitrogen, hydrocarbons and other chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that have a range of melting temperatures and volumetric expansions (from solid at operating temperature to fixed volume at room temperature). Implications for quench protection and conductor stability, enhanced through direct contact with the solid cryogen, which has high heat capacity and thermal conductivity (compared with helium gas), will be presented. Depending on the cryogen, the conductor will be filled initially either with liquid at atmospheric conditions or a gas at high pressure (∼100 atm). After cooldown, the cryogen in the stranded-channel will be solid, essentially locking the strands in place, preventing strand motion and degradation due to mechanical deformation while providing enhanced thermal capacity for stability and protection. The effect of cryogen porosity is also considered. The relatively high heat capacity of solid cryogens at these lower temperatures (compared to gaseous helium) enhances the thermal stability of the winding. During operation, coolant flow through the open inner channel will minimize pressure drop.

A comparative study of thermal and mechanical stabilities of gamma irradiated ethylene-ethyl acrylate and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sen, M.; Gueven, O.

1995-01-01

Ethylene-ethyl acrylate and Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers were irradiated in ambient conditions with γ-rays. The influence of the chain scission, crosslinking and relative changes in crystallinity on the thermal and mechanical properties were investigated and a correlation has been tried to find between the thermal and mechanical stabilities of copolymers. For the two copolymers, among various mechanical properties evaluated, the best correlation was found between the toughness (energy to break point) and the time required for 10% weight loss. (Author)

Design of a Single Motor Based Leg Structure with the Consideration of Inherent Mechanical Stability

Science.gov (United States)

Taha Manzoor, Muhammad; Sohail, Umer; Noor-e-Mustafa; Nizami, Muhammad Hamza Asif; Ayaz, Yasar

2017-07-01

The fundamental aspect of designing a legged robot is constructing a leg design that is robust and presents a simple control problem. In this paper, we have successfully designed a robotic leg based on a unique four bar mechanism with only one motor per leg. The leg design parameters used in our platform are extracted from design principles used in biological systems, multiple iterations and previous research findings. These principles guide a robotic leg to have minimal mechanical passive impedance, low leg mass and inertia, a suitable foot trajectory utilizing a practical balance between leg kinematics and robot usage, and the resultant inherent mechanical stability. The designed platform also exhibits the key feature of self-locking. Theoretical tools and software iterations were used to derive these practical features and yield an intuitive sense of the required leg design parameters.

Mechanical Properties and Acoustic Emission Properties of Rocks with Different Transverse Scales

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xi Yan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Since the stability of engineering rock masses has important practical significance to projects like mining, tunneling, and petroleum engineering, it is necessary to study mechanical properties and stability prediction methods for rocks, cementing materials that are composed of minerals in all shapes and sizes. Rocks will generate acoustic emission during damage failure processes, which is deemed as an effective means of monitoring the stability of coal rocks. In the meantime, actual mining and roadway surrounding rocks tend to have transverse effects; namely, the transverse scale is larger than the length scale. Therefore, it is important to explore mechanical properties and acoustic emission properties of rocks under transverse size effects. Considering the transverse scale effects of rocks, this paper employs the microparticle flow software PFC2D to explore the influence of different aspect ratios on damage mechanics and acoustic emission properties of rocks. The results show that (1 the transverse scale affects uniaxial compression strength of rocks. As the aspect ratio increases, uniaxial compression strength of rocks decreases initially and later increases, showing a V-shape structure and (2 although it affects the maximum hit rate and the strain range of acoustic emission, it has little influence on the period of occurrence. As the transverse scale increases, both damage degree and damage rate of rocks decrease initially and later increase.

A COMPARATIVE STUDY TO FIND OUT THE EFFECTIVENESS BETWEEN CORE STABILIZATION VS MCKENZIE EXERCISES IN THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH MECHANICAL LOW BACK PAIN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abhijit Dutta

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Mechanical Low back pain is a leading cause of disability. It occurs in similar proportions in all cultures, interferes with quality of life and work performance. Both male and female populations are affected; however, there is a tendency towards a higher incidence in male patients. Mechanical low back pain is associated with pain and clinical instability in lumbar motion segments. Exercises play an important part in the rehabilitation of low back pain. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness between Core stabilization vs McKenzie exercises in the treatment of patients with mechanical low back pain. Methods: 30 patients were selected between the age groups of 20 yrs to 50 yrs and having a past history of low back pain for one month. 15 patients were allotted to each group of experiment. Group I was given Core stabilization exercises and Group II with McKenzie exercises. Interferential therapy was a common treatment for both the groups. Evaluations of the subjects were done using the Revised Oswestry Disability Index and Dynamic Endurance tests. Results: Data analysis revealed statistically significant difference between both the groups (p<0.05 and proved that Core stabilization exercises is more effective than McKenzie exercises in mechanical low back pain. Conclusion: This study shows that core stabilization exercises possess a greater potential over McKenzie exercises in treating Mechanical Low back pain patients.

Structural and mechanical factors of construction strength and service life

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makhutov, N.A.; Romanov, A.N.

1977-01-01

The methods are considered of solution of strength and long-term stability probems of fabricated structures on the basis of proper mechanical characteristics of materials determined by material composition and structure. The principle equations of structural mechanics, the theories of elasticity, plasticity, creep and strength are used in the analysis of structural strength. The initial parameters of these equations are geometric and service characteristics of structures and the properties of structural materials determined by laboratory specimen testing

Modifications to improve entrance slit thermal stability for grasshopper monochromators

Science.gov (United States)

Wallace, Daniel J.; Rogers, Gregory C.; Crossley, Sherry L.

1994-08-01

As new monochromators are designed for high-flux storage rings, computer modeling and thermal engineering can be done to process increased heat loads and achieve mechanical stability. Several older monochromators, such as the Mark 2 and Mark 5 Grasshopper monochromators, which were designed in 1974, have thermal instabilities in their entrance slit mechanisms. The Grasshoppers operating with narrow slits experience closure of the entrance slit from thermal expansion. In extreme cases, the thermal expansion of the precision components has caused permanent mechanical damage, leaving the slit uncalibrated and/or inoperable. For the Mark 2 and Mark 5 Grasshopper monochromators at the Synchrotron Radiation Center, the original 440 stainless steel entrance slit jaws were retrofitted with an Invar (low expansion Fe, Ni alloy) slit jaw. To transfer the heat from the critical components, two flexible heat straps of Cu were attached. These changes allow safe operation with a 10 μm entrance slit width where the previous limit was 30 μm. After an initial 2 min equilibration, the slit remains stable to 10%, with 100 mA of beam current. Additional improvements in slit thermal stability are planned for a third Grasshopper.

Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

2005-01-01

.... The initial section of the report, "Stability and Security in Iraq," describes trends and progress towards meeting goals for political stability, economic progress, and achieving a stable security environment in Iraq...

High beta and second stability region transport and stability analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

This document describes ideal and resistive MHD studies of high-beta plasmas and of the second stability region. Significant progress is reported on the resistive stability properties of high beta poloidal ''supershot'' discharges. For these studies initial profiles were taken from the TRANSP code which is used extensively to analyze experimental data. When an ad hoc method of removing the finite pressure stabilization of tearing modes is implemented it is shown that there is substantial agreement between MHD stability computation and experiment. In particular, the mode structures observed experimentally are consistent with the predictions of the resistive MHD model. We also report on resistive stability near the transition to the second region in TFTR. Tearing modes associated with a nearby infernal mode may explain the increase in MHD activity seen in high beta supershots and which impede the realization of Q∼1. We also report on a collaborative study with PPPL involving sawtooth stabilization with ICRF

Molecular mechanism of VDE-initiated intein homing in yeast nuclear genome.

Science.gov (United States)

Fukuda, Tomoyuki; Nagai, Yuri; Ohya, Yoshikazu

2004-01-01

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, VMA1 intein encodes a homing endonuclease termed VDE which is produced by an autocatalytic protein splicing reaction. VDE introduces a DSB at its recognition sequence on intein-minus allele, resulting in the lateral transfer of VMA1 intein. In this review, we summarize a decade of in vitro study on VDE and describe our recent study on the in vivo behavior of both VDE and host proteins involved in intein mobility. Meiotic DSBs caused by VDE are repaired in the similar pathway to that working in meiotic recombination induced by Spo11p-mediated DSBs. Meiosis-specific DNA cleavage and homing is shown to be guaranteed by the two distinct mechanisms, the subcellular localization of VDE and a requirement of premeiotic DNA replication. Based on these lines of evidence, we present the whole picture of molecular mechanism of VDE-initiated homing in yeast cells.

Indefinite damping in mechanical systems and gyroscopic stabilization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kliem, Wolfhard; Pommer, Christian

2009-01-01

This paper deals with gyroscopic stabilization of the unstable system Mx + D(x) over dot + K-x = 0, with positive definite mass and stiffness matrices M and K, respectively, and an indefinite damping matrix D. The main question if for which skew-symmetric matrices G the system Mx (D+ G)(x) over dot...... + K-x = 0 can become stable? After investigating special cases we find an appropriat solution of the Lyapunov matrix equation for the general case. Examples show the deviation of the stability limit found by the Lyapunov method from the exact value....

Initial design process of the repository

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osmanlioglu, A.E.

2001-01-01

The concept of the final disposal of high level wastes is to isolate the waste from the biosphere for extremely long periods of time by emplacement of wastes into deep stable geological formations. Several geological formations have been considered as candidate host environments for high level waste disposal and several techniques have been developed for repository design. In this study, interrelationships of main parameters of a general repository design have been defined and effective parameters are shown at each step. Initial design process is based on the long term stability of underground openings as disposal galleries. For this reason, this design process includes two main analyses: mechanical analysis and thermal analysis. Each of the analysis systems is directly related to each other by technical precautions. As a result of this design process, general information about the acceptable depth of the repository, layout and emplacement pattern can be taken. Final design study can be established on the result of initial design process. (author)

Mechanical and Hydrologic Effects of Riparian Vegetation on Critical Conditions for Streambank Stability: Upper Truckee River, California

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, A.; Pollen, N. L.; Langendoen, E. J.

2005-05-01

The Upper Truckee River is the single largest contributor of sediment to Lake Tahoe with a large proportion of the suspended-sediment load coming from eroding streambanks. Recent advances in quantifying streambank processes highlight the combined effects of hydraulic erosion at the bank toe with geotechnical stability of the upper part of the bank and resulted in the development of a deterministic model of bank-toe erosion and streambank stability (Simon et al., 1999). The use of riparian vegetation in schemes of bank stabilization and stream restoration have become popular but are often implemented on a trial and error basis because of a lack of quantifiable information on the mechanical and hydrologic effects of vegetation on bank stability. This study, conducted along an unstable reach of the Upper Truckee River, combines field data with numerical modeling to quantify (1) hydraulic and geotechnical driving and resisting forces that control bank failures, (2) the mechanical and hydrologic effects of vegetation on shear strength, and (3) the critical conditions for bank stability with and without indigenous riparian species. Tests were conducted using three top-bank treatments: bare (control), Lemmon's willow, and young Lodgepole pine. The susceptibility of the bank toe to erosion by hydraulic forces was quantified by conducting submerged jet tests of in situ material to determine the erodibility coefficient (k) and the critical shear stress of the material. Drained, shear-strength parameters (cohesion and friction angle) of the banks were determined from borehole shear tests at various depths. Pore-water pressure and matric suction were monitored at three depths (30, 100, and 150 cm) with digital tensiometers to calculate changes in apparent cohesion for the period (September 2003 - May 2004) and to differentiate between the hydrologic effects of the two species. Root reinforcement of the two species was quantified by determining the relation between root

Solvent dielectric effect and side chain mutation on the structural stability of Burkholderia cepacia lipase active site: a quantum mechanical/molecular mechanics study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tahan, A; Monajjemi, M

2011-12-01

Quantum mechanical and molecular dynamics methods were used to analyze the structure and stability of neutral and zwitterionic configurations of the extracted active site sequence from a Burkholderia cepacia lipase, histidyl-seryl-glutamin (His86-Ser87-Gln88) and its mutated form, histidyl-cysteyl-glutamin (His86-Cys87-Gln88) in vacuum and different solvents. The effects of solvent dielectric constant, explicit and implicit water molecules and side chain mutation on the structure and stability of this sequence in both neutral and zwitterionic forms are represented. The quantum mechanics computations represent that the relative stability of zwitterionic and neutral configurations depends on the solvent structure and its dielectric constant. Therefore, in vacuum and the considered non-polar solvents, the neutral form of the interested sequences is more stable than the zwitterionic form, while their zwitterionic form is more stable than the neutral form in the aqueous solution and the investigated polar solvents in most cases. However, on the potential energy surfaces calculated, there is a barrier to proton transfer from the positively charged ammonium group to the negatively charged carboxylat group or from the ammonium group to the adjacent carbonyl oxygen and or from side chain oxygen and sulfur to negatively charged carboxylat group. Molecular dynamics simulations (MD) were also performed by using periodic boundary conditions for the zwitterionic configuration of the hydrated molecules in a box of water molecules. The obtained results demonstrated that the presence of explicit water molecules provides the more compact structures of the studied molecules. These simulations also indicated that side chain mutation and replacement of sulfur with oxygen leads to reduction of molecular flexibility and packing.

Lead telluride with increased mechanical stability for cylindrical thermoelectric generators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmitz, Andreas

2013-01-01

The aim of this work is to improve the mechanical stability of lead telluride (PbTe), trying to vary its mechanical properties independently from its thermoelectric properties. Thus the influence of material preparation as well as different dopants on the mechanical and thermoelectric properties of lead telluride is being analysed. When using appropriately set process parameters, milling and sintering of lead telluride increases the material's hardness. With sintering temperatures exceeding 300 C stable material of high relative density can be achieved. Milling lead telluride generates lattice defects leading to a reduction of the material's charge carrier density. These defects can be reduced by increased sintering temperatures. Contamination of the powder due to the milling process leads to bloating during thermal cycling and thus reduced density of the sintered material. In addition to that, evaporation of tellurium at elevated temperatures causes instability of the material's thermoelectric properties. Based on the experimental results obtained in this work, the best thermoelectric and mechanical properties can be obtained by sintering coarse powders at around 400 C. Within this work a concept was developed to vary the mechanical properties of lead telluride via synthesis of PbTe with electrically nondoping elements, which thus may keep the thermoelectric properties unchanged. Therefore, the mechanical and thermoelectric properties of Pb 1-x Ca x Te were investigated. Doping pure PbTe with calcium causes a significant increase of the material's hardness while only slightly decreasing the charge carrier density and thus keeping the thermoelectric properties apart from a slight reduction of the electrical conductivity nearly unchanged. The abovementioned concept is proven using sodium doped lead telluride, as it is used for thermoelectric generators: The additional doping with calcium again increases the material's hardness while its thermoelectric properties

The Influence of Irganox 245 on Crystallinity and Mechanics Stability of Polypropylene-Natural Rubber Poly blends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mashuri; Kristiawan Setia; Darminto; Aloma KK; Sudirman

2008-01-01

The influence of irganox 245 on crystallinity and mechanics stability of polyethylene (PP)- Natural Rubber (NR) poly blends exposure by sunlight for 12 weeks has been studied. For optimalization of antioxidant function to reduce oxidation in PP-NR (4:1) poly blends irganox 245 with variation concentration of 4 %, 6 %, 8 % and 10 % vol were added. Poly blends was made by blending method at 170 o C for 10 minutes with form an 30 rpm. The result showed that irganox 245 could not increasing adhesion at the interface between PP-NR, so PP-NR still immiscible blends. The optimal concentrations of irganox 245 as antioxidant on PP-NR poly blends is 8 % vol. PP-NR-irganox 245 8 % vol have decreasing tensile strength up to 6 % and increasing elongation at break up to 50 % in exposure by sunlight at long time 8 weeks but for 12 weeks tensile strength and elongation at break very weaks. Crystallinity and mechanics stability of PP-NR-irganox 245 8 % vol better than PP-NR poly blends, it is showed by slowly defects and decreasing crystallinity up to 9 % for exposure 12 weeks. (author)

Stability of extra dimensions in the inflating early universe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wieck, Clemens

2015-08-01

Cosmic inflation is an attractive paradigm to explain the initial conditions of the universe. It can be conveniently described by the dynamics of a single scalar field within N=1 supergravity. Due to the high energy scale during the inflationary epoch, which is favored by recent observations of the cosmic microwave background radiation, and the flatness of the inflaton potential it is necessary to consider inflation in the context of a UV-complete theory like string theory. To this end, we study the effects of moduli stabilization on inflation models in supergravity, focussing on Kahler moduli in type IIB string theory which govern the size of extra dimensions. For generic models of F-term inflation we calculate back-reaction terms by integrating out the moduli at a high energy scale. When the moduli are stabilized supersymmetrically, all effects decouple in the limit of very heavy moduli. The corrections, however, may be sizeable for realistic moduli masses above the Hubble scale and affect the predicted observables of many models like chaotic inflation and hybrid inflation. If, on the other hand, moduli stabilization entails spontaneous supersymmetry breaking, there are non-decoupling effects like soft mass terms for the inflaton. By the example of chaotic inflation we show that a careful choice of parameters and initial conditions is necessary to reconcile large-field inflation with popular moduli stabilization schemes like KKLT stabilization or the Large Volume Scenario. Furthermore, we study the interplay of moduli stabilization and D-term inflation. If inflation is driven by a constant Fayet-Iliopoulos term, the back-reaction decouples but the gravitino mass in the vacuum is surprisingly constrained. For a field-dependent Fayet-Iliopoulos term associated with an anomalous U(1) symmetry we discuss a number of obstructions to realizing inflation. Moreover, we propose a way to evade them using a new mechanism for supersymmetric moduli stabilization with world

Influence of Zr and nano-Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} additions on thermal stability and improved hardness in mechanically alloyed Fe base ferritic alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kotan, Hasan, E-mail: hkotan@konya.edu.tr [Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, Necmettin Erbakan University, Dere Aşıklar Mah. Demet Sokak, Meram, Konya 42140 (Turkey); Darling, Kris A. [U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Weapons and Materials Research Directorate, RDRL-WMM-F, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005-5069 (United States); Scattergood, Ronald O.; Koch, Carl C. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, NC State University, 911 Partners Way, Room 3078, Raleigh, NC 27695-7907 (United States)

2014-12-05

The motivation of this work was driven to improve the thermal stability in systems where polymorphic transformations can result in an additional driving force, upsetting the expected thermodynamic stability. In this study, Fe{sub 92}Ni{sub 8} alloys with Zr and nano-Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} additions were produced by ball milling and then annealed at high temperatures. Emphasis was placed on understanding the effects of dispersed nano-Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} particle additions and their effect on microstructural stability at and above the bcc-to-fcc transformation occurring at 700 °C in Fe–Ni systems. Results reveal that microstructural stability and hardness can be promoted by a combination of Zr and Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} additions, that being mostly effective for stability before and after phase transition, respectively. The mechanical strength of these alloys is achieved by a unique microstructure comprised a ultra-fine grain Fe base matrix, which contains dispersions of both nano-scale in-situ formed Zr base intermetallics and ex-situ added Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} secondary oxide phases. Both of these were found to be essential for a combination of high thermal stability and high mechanical strength properties. - Highlights: • Polymorphic transformations can limit the processing of nanostructured powders. • It causes a rapid grain growth and impairs the improved mechanical properties. • We aim to improve the hardness and thermal stability above the phase transformation. • Thermal stability is achieved by a combination of Zr and Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} additions. • Hardness is promoted by in-situ formed and ex-situ added secondary nano phases.

Vane coupling rings: a simple technique for stabilizing a four-vane radiofrequency quadrupole structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Howard, D.; Lancaster, H.

1982-11-01

The benefits of stabilized accelerating structures, with regard to the manufacture and operation, have been well documented. The four-vane radiofrequency quadrupoles (RFQ) presently being designed and constructed in many laboratories are not stabilized because of the weak electromagnetic coupling between the quadrant resonators. This paper presents a simple technique developed at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory using vane coupling rings (VCR's) which azimuthally stabilize the RFQ structure and greatly enhance its use as a practical accelerator. In particular, the VCR's: completely eliminate the dipole modes in the frequency range of interest; provide adequate quadrant balance with an initial precision mechanical alignment of the vanes; and enhance axial balance and simplify end tuners. Experimental verification tests on a scale model are discussed

Vane coupling rings: a simple technique for stabilizing a four-vane radiofrequency quadrupole structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Howard, D.; Lancaster, H.

1983-01-01

The benefits of stabilized accelerating structures, with regard to the manufacture and operation, have been well documented. The four-vane radiofrequency quadrupoles (RFQ) presently being designed and constructed in many laboratories are not stabilized because of the weak electromagnetic coupling between the quadrant resonators. This paper presents a simple technique developed at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory using vane coupling rings (VCR's) which azimuthally stabilize the RFQ structure and greatly enhance its use as a practical accelerator. In particular, the VCR's: Completely eliminate the dipole modes in the frequency range of interest; Provide adequate quadrant balance with an initial precision mechanical alignment of the vanes; Enhance axial balance and simplify end tuners. Experimental verification tests on a scale model will be discussed

Laboratory Study of Magnetorotational Instability and Hydrodynamic Stability at Large Reynolds Numbers

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, H.; Burin, M.; Schartman, E.; Goodman, J.; Liu, W.

2006-01-01

Two plausible mechanisms have been proposed to explain rapid angular momentum transport during accretion processes in astrophysical disks: nonlinear hydrodynamic instabilities and magnetorotational instability (MRI). A laboratory experiment in a short Taylor-Couette flow geometry has been constructed in Princeton to study both mechanisms, with novel features for better controls of the boundary-driven secondary flows (Ekman circulation). Initial results on hydrodynamic stability have shown negligible angular momentum transport in Keplerian-like flows with Reynolds numbers approaching one million, casting strong doubt on the viability of nonlinear hydrodynamic instability as a source for accretion disk turbulence.

The effect of relativity on stability of Copernicium phases, their electronic structure and mechanical properties

Science.gov (United States)

Čenčariková, Hana; Legut, Dominik

2018-05-01

The phase stability of the various crystalline structures of the super-heavy element Copernicium was determined based on the first-principles calculations with different levels of the relativistic effects. We utilized the Darwin term, mass-velocity, and spin-orbit interaction with the single electron framework of the density functional theory while treating the exchange and correlation effects using local density approximations. It is found that the spin-orbit coupling is the key component to stabilize the body-centered cubic (bcc) structure over the hexagonal closed packed (hcp) structure, which is in accord with Sol. Stat. Comm. 152 (2012) 530, but in contrast to Atta-Fynn and Ray (2015) [11], Gaston et al. (2007) [10], Papaconstantopoulos (2015) [9]. It seems that the main role here is the correct description of the semi-core relativistic 6p1/2 orbitals. The all other investigated structures, i.e. face-centered cubic (fcc) , simple cubic (sc) as well as rhombohedral (rh) structures are higher in energy. The criteria of mechanical stability were investigated based on the calculated elastic constants, identifying the phase instability of fcc and rh structures, but surprisingly confirm the stability of the energetically higher sc structure. In addition, the pressure-induced structural transition between two stable sc and bcc phases has been detected. The ground-state bcc structure exhibits the highest elastic anisotropy from single elements of the Periodic table. At last, we support the experimental findings that Copernicium is a metal.

Analysis of mechanical behavior of soft rocks and stability control in deep tunnels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hui Zhou

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Due to the weakness in mechanical properties of chlorite schist and the high in situ stress in Jinping II hydropower station, the rock mass surrounding the diversion tunnels located in chlorite schist was observed with extremely large deformations. This may significantly increase the risk of tunnel instability during excavation. In order to assess the stability of the diversion tunnels laboratory tests were carried out in association with the petrophysical properties, mechanical behaviors and water-weakening properties of chlorite schist. The continuous deformation of surrounding rock mass, the destruction of the support structure and a large-scale collapse induced by the weak chlorite schist and high in situ stress were analyzed. The distributions of compressive deformation in the excavation zone with large deformations were also studied. In this regard, two reinforcement schemes for the excavation of diversion tunnel bottom section were proposed accordingly. This study could offer theoretical basis for deep tunnel construction in similar geological conditions.

Polyacrylonitrile nanofibers with added zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIF-7) to enhance mechanical and thermal stability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Min Wook [Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, 842 W. Taylor St., Chicago, Illinois 60607-7022 (United States); An, Seongpil; Song, Kyo Yong; Joshi, Bhavana N.; Jo, Hong Seok; Yoon, Sam S., E-mail: skyoon@korea.ac.kr, E-mail: ayarin@uic.edu [School of Mechanical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 136-713 (Korea, Republic of); Al-Deyab, Salem S. [Department of Chemistry, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451 (Saudi Arabia); Yarin, Alexander L., E-mail: skyoon@korea.ac.kr, E-mail: ayarin@uic.edu [Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, 842 W. Taylor St., Chicago, Illinois 60607-7022 (United States); School of Mechanical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 136-713 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-12-28

Zeolitic imidazolate framework 7/polyacrylonitrile (ZIF-7/PAN) nanofiber mat of high porosity and surface area can be used as a flexible fibrous filtration membrane that is subjected to various modes of mechanical loading resulting in stresses and strains. Therefore, the stress-strain relation of ZIF-7/PAN nanofiber mats in the elastic and plastic regimes of deformation is of significant importance for numerous practical applications, including hydrogen storage, carbon dioxide capture, and molecular sensing. Here, we demonstrated the fabrication of ZIF-7/PAN nanofiber mats via electrospinning and report their mechanical properties measured in tensile tests covering the elastic and plastic domains. The effect of the mat fabrication temperature on the mechanical properties is elucidated. We showed the superior mechanical strength and thermal stability of the compound ZIF-7/PAN nanofiber mats in comparison with that of pure PAN nanofiber mats. Material characterization including scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, tensile tests, differential scanning calorimetry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed the enhanced chemical bonds of the ZIF-7/PAN complex.

Collagen hydrogels incorporated with surface-aminated mesoporous nanobioactive glass: Improvement of physicochemical stability and mechanical properties is effective for hard tissue engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Fiqi, Ahmed; Lee, Jae Ho; Lee, Eun-Jung; Kim, Hae-Won

2013-12-01

Collagen (Col) hydrogels have poor physicochemical and mechanical properties and are susceptible to substantial shrinkage during cell culture, which limits their potential applications in hard tissue engineering. Here, we developed novel nanocomposite hydrogels made of collagen and mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles (mBGns) with surface amination, and addressed the effects of mBGn addition (Col:mBG = 2:1, 1:1 and 1:2) and its surface amination on the physicochemical and mechanical properties of the hydrogels. The amination of mBGn was shown to enable chemical bonding with collagen molecules. As a result, the nanocomposite hydrogels exhibited a significantly improved physicochemical and mechanical stability. The hydrolytic and enzymatic degradation of the Col-mBGn hydrogels were slowed down due to the incorporation of mBGn and its surface amination. The mechanical properties of the hydrogels, specifically the resistance to loading as well as the stiffness, significantly increased with the addition of mBGn and its aminated form, as assessed by a dynamic mechanical analysis. Mesenchymal stem cells cultivated within the Col-mBGn hydrogels were highly viable, with enhanced cytoskeletal extensions, due to the addition of surface aminated mBGn. While the Col hydrogel showed extensive shrinkage (down to ∼20% of initial size) during a few days of culture, the shrinkage of the mBGn-added hydrogel was substantially reduced, and the aminated mBGn-added hydrogel had no observable shrinkage over 21 days. Results demonstrated the effective roles of aminated mBGn in significantly improving the physicochemical and mechanical properties of Col hydrogel, which are ultimately favorable for applications in stem cell culture for bone tissue engineering. Copyright © 2013 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Remark on Dilaton Stabilization

CERN Document Server

Dvali, Gia; Dvali, Gia; Kakushadze, Zurab

1998-01-01

Dilaton stabilization may occur in a theory based on a single asymptotically free gauge group with matter due to an interplay between quantum modification of the moduli space and tree-level superpotential. We present a toy model where such a mechanism is realized. Dilaton stabilization in this mechanism tends to occur at strong coupling values unless some unnatural adjustment of parameters is involved.

[Study on mechanism of SOM stabilization of paddy soils under long-term fertilizations].

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Lu; Zhou, Ping; Tong, Cheng-Li; Shi, Hui; Wu, Jin-Shui; Huang, Tie-Ping

2013-02-01

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was applied to study the structure of soil organic matter (SOM) of paddy soils under long-term different fertilization treatments. The aim was to clarify the different distribution of SOM between different fertilization methods and between topsoil and subsoil, and to explore the stability mechanism of SOM under different fertilization treatments. The results showed that the content of topsoil organic carbon (SOC) was the highest under organic-inorganic fertilizations, with the increment of SOC by 18.5%, 12.9% and 18.4% under high organic manure (HOM), low organic manure (LOM) and straw returning (STW) respectively compared with no fertilization treatment (CK). The long-term fertilizations also changed the chemical structure of SOM. As compared with CK, different fertilization treatments increased the functional group absorbing intensity of chemical resistance compounds (aliphatic, aromaticity), carbohydrate and organo-silicon compounds, which was the most distinctive under treatments of HOM, LOM and STW. For example, the absorbing intensity of alkyl was 0.30, 0.25 and 0.29 under HOM, LOM and STW, respectively. These values were increased by 87% , 56% and 81% as compared with that under CK treatment. The functional group absorbing intensity of SOM in the topsoil was stronger than that in the subsoil, with the most distinctive difference under HOM, LOM and STW treatments. The present research indicated that the enhanced chemical resistance of functional group of SOM may contribute to the high contents of SOC in the paddy soils under long-term organic-inorganic fertilizations, which also suggested a chemical stabilization mechanism of SOM in the paddy soils.

On the common mechanism for initiation of different effects of low doses of ionizing radiations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehjdus, L.Kh.

1996-01-01

Main regularities of different endpoints of ionizing radiation low dose effects (adaptive response, stimulation of proliferation, special radiosensitivity of lymphoid cells, and others) have been examined. It has been shown that these endpoints have a commonness for the dose interval, the shape of the dose-response curve, the reverse effect of dose rate, non-specificity toward initiating agents, and others. An explanation is suggested for the common mechanism of the initiation of all the studied low dose effects, basing on the theory of the non-specific reaction of cell to external influences. It is concluded that initiation of the low dose effects is conditioned by radiation induced damage of functions of plasmic and internal membranes

Impact initiation of explosives and propellants via statistical crack mechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Dienes, J. K.; Zuo, Q. H.; Kershner, J. D.

2006-06-01

A statistical approach has been developed for modeling the dynamic response of brittle materials by superimposing the effects of a myriad of microcracks, including opening, shear, growth and coalescence, taking as a starting point the well-established theory of penny-shaped cracks. This paper discusses the general approach, but in particular an application to the sensitivity of explosives and propellants, which often contain brittle constituents. We examine the hypothesis that the intense heating by frictional sliding between the faces of a closed crack during unstable growth can form a hot spot, causing localized melting, ignition, and fast burn of the reactive material adjacent to the crack. Opening and growth of a closed crack due to the pressure of burned gases inside the crack and interactions of adjacent cracks can lead to violent reaction, with detonation as a possible consequence. This approach was used to model a multiple-shock experiment by Mulford et al. [1993. Initiation of preshocked high explosives PBX-9404, PBX-9502, PBX-9501, monitored with in-material magnetic gauging. In: Proceedings of the 10th International Detonation Symposium, pp. 459-467] involving initiation and subsequent quenching of chemical reactions in a slab of PBX 9501 impacted by a two-material flyer plate. We examine the effects of crack orientation and temperature dependence of viscosity of the melt on the response. Numerical results confirm our theoretical finding [Zuo, Q.H., Dienes, J.K., 2005. On the stability of penny-shaped cracks with friction: the five types of brittle behavior. Int. J. Solids Struct. 42, 1309-1326] that crack orientation has a significant effect on brittle behavior, especially under compressive loading where interfacial friction plays an important role. With a reasonable choice of crack orientation and a temperature-dependent viscosity obtained from molecular dynamics calculations, the calculated particle velocities compare well with those measured using

Long-term stability of Sm2Co17-type magnets for control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) in a nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iida, H.; Imayoshi, S.; Morimoto, K.; Watanabe, M.; Komada, N.; Takeshita, T.

1995-01-01

Control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) is an apparatus that regulates vertical position of control rods in a nuclear reactor by using a driving motor of synchronous type. While CRDM is usually placed outside the reactor vessel to escape from the severe environment inside the vessel, built-in type CRDM, which is now being developed for advanced marine reactors, is placed inside the vessel for making the reactor compact. The driving motor must stand in high-temperature (573--603 K) and high-pressure (approximately 120 atm) water which contains a trace amount of hydrogen. Although the magnet rotor is sealed by corrosion-resistant alloy, the magnets still need to have excellent thermal and chemical stabilities in order to ensure the reliability of the system. For an application of Sm 2 Co 17 -type magnets for a driving motor of control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) placed inside a nuclear reactor vessel, long-term stabilities of Sm(Co 0.61 Fe 0.28 Cu 0.08 Ni 0.01 Zr 0.02 ) 7.3 magnets were evaluated under the severe conditions. Initial magnetic properties of the specimens at room temperature were: B r = 1.03 T, H cJ = 1,400 kA/m and (BH) max = 207 kJ/m 3 . Irreversible losses of open-circuit remanent flux of the specimens exposed for 19,000 hours in 1 atm Ar atmosphere were 5--10% at the temperature (573--603 K) and the operating point (permeance coefficient of 1.7--2.4) of the actual driving motor application. Large fraction of the irreversible loss is attributed to permanent flux loss due to oxidation of the specimen. Losses due to thermal fluctuation aftereffect of these specimens are estimated to be less than 5%. Multilayer coating of Ni, Cu, Ni and Au was found to be effective to protect the magnets from the oxidation. The coated specimens exhibited a small permanent loss value of 0.5% after the exposure to 120 atm water for 2,000 hours at 613 K

Linear stability analysis of a levitated nanomagnet in a static magnetic field: Quantum spin stabilized magnetic levitation

Science.gov (United States)

Rusconi, C. C.; Pöchhacker, V.; Cirac, J. I.; Romero-Isart, O.

2017-10-01

We theoretically study the levitation of a single magnetic domain nanosphere in an external static magnetic field. We show that, apart from the stability provided by the mechanical rotation of the nanomagnet (as in the classical Levitron), the quantum spin origin of its magnetization provides two additional mechanisms to stably levitate the system. Despite the Earnshaw theorem, such stable phases are present even in the absence of mechanical rotation. For large magnetic fields, the Larmor precession of the quantum magnetic moment stabilizes the system in full analogy with magnetic trapping of a neutral atom. For low magnetic fields, the magnetic anisotropy stabilizes the system via the Einstein-de Haas effect. These results are obtained with a linear stability analysis of a single magnetic domain rigid nanosphere with uniaxial anisotropy in a Ioffe-Pritchard magnetic field.

Modelling the initiation of basal sliding

Science.gov (United States)

Mantelli, E.; Schoof, C.

2017-12-01

The initiation of basal sliding is a thermally-controlled process that affects ice speed, englacial heat transport, and melt water production at the bed, and ultimately influences the large-scale dynamics of ice sheets. From a modelling perspective, describing the onset of sliding in thin-film models suitable for ice sheet scale simulations is problematic. In particular, previous work concluded that, under shallow-ice mechanics, the scenario of a hard switch from frozen to molten bed leads to an infinite vertical velocity at the onset, and higher-order mechanical formulations are needed to describe sliding initiation. An alternative view considers the occurrence of subtemperate sliding, which allows for a smooth sliding velocity across the onset. However, the sliding velocity decreases rapidly as temperature drops below the melting point, thus raising the issue of whether a mechanical model that does not resolve the ice sheet thickness scale is ever appropriate to model the onset of sliding. In this study we first present a boundary layer model for the hard switch scenario. Our analysis, which considers a thermo-mechanically coupled Stokes flow near the onset, shows that the abrupt onset of sliding is never possible. In fact, the acceleration of ice flow deflects the flowlines towards the bed, which freezes again immediately downstream to the onset. This leads to the conclusion that the sliding velocity must change smoothly across the onset, thus the temperature dependence of sliding needs to be taken into account. In this context, we examine a limiting case of standard temperature-dependent sliding laws, where sliding onset takes the form of an extended transition region interposed between fully frozen and temperate bed. In the transition region basal temperature is at the melting point, and the sliding velocity varies smoothly as dictated by the energy budget of the bed. As the extent of this region is not small compared to the ice sheet length scale, we couple

The influence of discontinuity and orthotropy of fracture toughness on conditions of fracture initiation in singular stress concentrators

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Klusák, Jan; Profant, T.; Knésl, Zdeněk; Kotoul, M.

2013-01-01

Roč. 110, SEP (2013), s. 438-447 ISSN 0013-7944 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP108/10/2049 Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : Stability criterion of notch es * crack initiation * Singular stress concentrators * bi-material notch Subject RIV: JL - Materials Fatigue, Friction Mechanics Impact factor: 1.662, year: 2013

Stabilization of organic matter and nitrogen immobilization during mechanical-biological treatment and landfilling of residual municipal solid waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heiss-Ziegler, C.

2000-04-01

Synthesis of humic substances and nitrogen immobilization during mechanical-biological treatment of waste and the behavior of biologically stabilized waste under anaerobic landfill conditions were investigated. Samples were taken from a large-scale treatment plant. Anaerobic conditions were simulated in lab scale test cells. Humic substances were analyzed photometrically and gravimetrically. The nitrogen immobilization was investigated by sequential leaching tests and by analyzing the non acid hydrolyzable nitrogen. Humic acids were mainly synthesized during the beginning of the intensive rotting phase. Later on in the process no significant changes occurred. The humic acid content rose up to 6,8 % DS org. It correlated well with the stability parameters respiration activity and accumulated gas production. In the coarse of the treatment the nitrogen load emitted during the consecutive leaching tests dropped from 50 % down to less than 20 % total nitrogen. The non acid hydrolyzable nitrogen rose from 17 up to 42 % Kjeldahl nitrogen content. Nevertheless the mechanical-biological treatment is not significantly shortening the aftercare period of a landfill concerning liquid nitrogen emissions. The reduced nitrogen emission potential is released more slowly. When reactive waste material was exposed to anaerobic conditions, humic and fulvic acids were synthesized up to the point when intensive gas production started and then were remineralized. Stabilized waste materials after treatment of various intensity behaved differently under anaerobic conditions. Steady and decreasing humic acid contents were observed. (author)

The Hydromechanics of Vegetation for Slope Stabilization

Science.gov (United States)

Mulyono, A.; Subardja, A.; Ekasari, I.; Lailati, M.; Sudirja, R.; Ningrum, W.

2018-02-01

Vegetation is one of the alternative technologies in the prevention of shallow landslide prevention that occurs mostly during the rainy season. The application of plant for slope stabilization is known as bioengineering. Knowledge of the vegetative contribution that can be considered in bioengineering was the hydrological and mechanical aspects (hydromechanical). Hydrological effect of the plant on slope stability is to reduce soil water content through transpiration, interception, and evapotranspiration. The mechanical impact of vegetation on slope stability is to stabilize the slope with mechanical reinforcement of soils through roots. Vegetation water consumption varies depending on the age and density, rainfall factors and soil types. Vegetation with high ability to absorb water from the soil and release into the atmosphere through a transpiration process will reduce the pore water stress and increase slope stability, and vegetation with deep root anchoring and strong root binding was potentially more significant to maintain the stability of the slope.

Stability of parallel flows

CERN Document Server

Betchov, R

2012-01-01

Stability of Parallel Flows provides information pertinent to hydrodynamical stability. This book explores the stability problems that occur in various fields, including electronics, mechanics, oceanography, administration, economics, as well as naval and aeronautical engineering. Organized into two parts encompassing 10 chapters, this book starts with an overview of the general equations of a two-dimensional incompressible flow. This text then explores the stability of a laminar boundary layer and presents the equation of the inviscid approximation. Other chapters present the general equation

AFM and SEM-FEG study on fundamental mechanisms leading to fatigue crack initiation

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Man, Jiří; Valtr, M.; Petrenec, Martin; Dluhoš, J.; Kuběna, Ivo; Obrtlík, Karel; Polák, Jaroslav

2015-01-01

Roč. 76, JUL (2015), s. 11-18 ISSN 0142-1123 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP108/10/2371; GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0068; GA ČR(CZ) GA13-23652S Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : fatigue crack initiation * 316L austenitic steel * atomic force microscopy * extrusion * intrusion Subject RIV: JL - Materials Fatigue, Friction Mechanics Impact factor: 2.162, year: 2015

Slope stability probability classification, Waikato Coal Measures, New Zealand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lindsay, P.; Campbell, R.; Fergusson, D.A.; Ferm, J.C.; Gillard, G.R.; Moore, T.A. [CRL Energy Ltd., Christchurch (New Zealand)

1999-07-01

Ferm classified lithological units have been identified and described in the Waikato Coal Measures in open pits in the Waikato coal region. These lithological units have been classified geotechnically with mechanical tests and discontinuity measurements. Using these measurements, slope stability probability classification (SSPC) have been quantified based on an adaption of Hack's SSPC system which places less influence on rock quality designation and unconfined compressive strength than previous rock mass rating systems. An attempt has been made to modify the Hack weathering susceptibility rating by using chemical index of alteration values from XRF major element analysis. Another major component of this adapted SSPC system is the inclusion of rock moisture content effects on slope stability. The paper explains the systematic initial approach of using the adapted SSPC system to classify slope stability in the Waikato open pit coal mines. The XRF major element results obtained for lithologies in the Waikato coal region may be a useful mine management tool to quantify stratigraphic thickness and palaeoweathering from wash drill cuttings. 14 refs., 7 figs., 3 tabs.

Strain localization and fatigue crack initiation in ultrafine-grained copper in high- and giga-cycle region

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kunz, Ludvík; Lukáš, Petr; Navrátilová, L.

2014-01-01

Roč. 58, JAN (2014), s. 202-208 ISSN 0142-1123 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP108/10/2001; GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0068 Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : Fatigue crack initiation * Strain localization * Stability of ultrafine-grained structure * UFG Cu Subject RIV: JL - Materials Fatigue, Friction Mechanics Impact factor: 2.275, year: 2014

Physical and mechanical properties of sand stabilized by cement and natural zeolite

Science.gov (United States)

Salamatpoor, Sina; Jafarian, Yaser; Hajiannia, Alborz

2018-05-01

Loose sands are prone to lose their shear strength when being subjected to static or cyclic loads. To this end, there exist several methods to improve the mechanical properties of sands, but the most crucial and viable approach is the one with the lowest harmful environmental impact both in production and recycling processes. In this regard, zeolite as a natural pozzolanic additive offers an eco-friendly improvement in strength parameters of cemented sandy soils. Thereby, in this study, a series of unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests are conducted to evaluate the mechanical parameters of the zeolite-cemented sand. The results demonstrate a meaningful increase in the UCS of the treated sand samples for replacement of cement by zeolite at an optimum proportion of 40% in specimens with 14 and 28 days curing time. The effectiveness of the improvement process is demonstrated by the strength improvement ratio which was up to be 128% to 209% for the samples with 14 and 28 days curing time, respectively. With regard to the above results, zeolite can be introduced as a promising cement substitute in stabilization of sandy ground including backfills, roadbed, embankments, and other structural filling systems.

Structural stability, electronic, mechanical and superconducting properties of CrC and MoC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kavitha, M.; Sudha Priyanga, G. [Department of Physics, N.M.S.S.V.N College, Madurai 625019, Tamilnadu (India); Rajeswarapalanichamy, R., E-mail: rrpalanichamy@gmail.com [Department of Physics, N.M.S.S.V.N College, Madurai 625019, Tamilnadu (India); Iyakutti, K. [Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, SRM University, Chennai 603203, Tamilnadu (India)

2016-02-01

The structural, electronic, mechanical and superconducting properties of chromium carbide (CrC) and molybdenum carbide (MoC) are investigated using first principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). The computed ground state properties like equilibrium lattice constants and cell volume are in good agreement with available theoretical and experimental data. A pressure induced structural phase transition from tungsten carbide phase (WC) to zinc blende phase (ZB) and then zinc blende phase (ZB) to nickel arsenide phase (NiAs) are observed in both chromium and molybdenum carbides. Electronic structure reveals that these carbides are metallic at ambient condition. All the calculated elastic constants obey the Born–Huang stability criteria, suggesting that they are mechanically stable at normal and high pressure. The super conducting transition temperatures for CrC and MoC in WC phase are found to be 31.12 K and 17.14 K respectively at normal pressure. - Highlights: • Electronic and mechanical properties of CrC and MoC are investigated. • Pressure induced structural phase transition is predicted at high pressure. • Electronic structure reveals that these materials exhibit metallic behaviour. • Debye temperature values are computed for CrC and MoC. • Superconducting transition temperature values are computed.

Synthesis, microstructural, optical and mechanical properties of yttria stabilized zirconia thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amézaga-Madrid, P.; Hurtado-Macías, A.; Antúnez-Flores, W.; Estrada-Ortiz, F.; Pizá-Ruiz, P.; Miki-Yoshida, M.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Thin films of YSZ obtained by AACVD have high quality. ► They are uniform, very transparent, and have high hardness. ► Optical characterization were performed in detail, optical constants and band gap energy were determined as a function of dopant content. - Abstract: Thin films of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) exhibit exceptional properties, such as high thermal, chemical and mechanical stability. Here, we report the synthesis of YSZ thin films by aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition onto borosilicate glass and fused silica substrates. Optimum deposition temperature was 673 ± 5 K. In addition, different Y content was tried to analyse its influence in the microstructure and properties of the films. The films were uniform, transparent and non-light scattering. Surface morphology and cross sectional microstructure were studied by field emission scanning electron microscopy. The microstructure of the films was characterized by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction. Crystallite size and lattice parameter were obtained. Optical properties were analysed from reflectance and transmittance spectra; from these measurements, optical constants and band gap were obtained. Quantum confinement effect, due to the small grain size of the films, was evident in the high band gap energy obtained. Nanoindentation tests were realized at room temperature employing the continuous stiffness measurement method, to determine the hardness and elastic modulus as a function of Y content.

Investigation of excavation stability in a finite repository

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

St John, C.M.; Mitchell, S.J.

1987-05-01

Two-dimensional thermal-mechanical analyses of a hypothetical repository in tuff were performed using a boundary-element computer code, with the objective of investigating the relative stability of several waste emplacement panel access drifts. The drifts were assumed to be located within a central shaft pillar, within a small pillar between adjacent panels, or at the repository perimeter. The results of analyses indicate that matrix failure is unlikely and that the extent of activation of pre-existing joints is influenced by the drift location and the initial state of stress. The results also show that several years after waste emplacement the influence of the initial State of Stress is small compared to the influence of thermally induced stresses. Regions of joint activation are seen to be most extensive around the drifts between adjacent panels. The predicted extent of such activation was small when it was assumed that the joints were vertical or near vertical. More extensive regions of activation of shallow dipping joints were noted. However, joints of such orientation are believed to occur relatively infrequently in the candidate horizon for waste emplacement and the activation of the shallow dipping joints does not necessarily lead to drift stability concerns. 3 refs., 24 figs., 7 tabs

Initial Bacterial Adhesion on Different Yttria-Stabilized Tetragonal Zirconia Implant Surfaces in Vitro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lamprini Karygianni

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Bacterial adhesion to implant biomaterials constitutes a virulence factor leading to biofilm formation, infection and treatment failure. The aim of this study was to examine the initial bacterial adhesion on different implant materials in vitro. Four implant biomaterials were incubated with Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans for 2 h: 3 mol % yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal surface (B1a, B1a with zirconium oxide (ZrO2 coating (B2a, B1a with zirconia-based composite coating (B1b and B1a with zirconia-based composite and ZrO2 coatings (B2b. Bovine enamel slabs (BES served as control. The adherent microorganisms were quantified and visualized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM; DAPI and live/dead staining. The lowest bacterial count of E. faecalis was detected on BES and the highest on B1a. The fewest vital C. albicans strains (42.22% were detected on B2a surfaces, while most E. faecalis and S. aureus strains (approximately 80% were vital overall. Compared to BES; coated and uncoated zirconia substrata exhibited no anti-adhesive properties. Further improvement of the material surface characteristics is essential.

Interaction effects between internal governance mechanisms on the components of initial returns during the IPO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mediha Mezhoud

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Our work provides an analysis of the interaction effects between internal governance mechanisms on the components of initial returns during the listing period. The application of multivariate regressions on a sample of 110 IPO French companies during 2005-2010, has allowed us to conclude that the different interactions between these mechanisms significantly influence the level of under / overpricing. Indeed, the positive relationship between internal governance mechanisms and overpricing reflects a substitutability relationship. In contrast, the complementarity effect comes from the negative relationship characterizing the combination of governance mechanisms and the underpricing. Thus, the interactions effects between institutional ownership, board structure and under / overpricing are not conforming to the existence of a complementarity or substitutability relationship between these variables given the absence of a significant combination between these variables

Triphenylamine - a 'new' stabilizer for nitrocellulose based propellants. Pt. 1: chemical stability studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilker, Stephan; Heeb, Gerhard [WIWEB ASt Heimerzheim, Grosses Cent, 53913 Swisttal (Germany); Vogelsanger, Beat [Nitrochemie Wimmis AG, Niesenstr. 44, 3752 Wimmis (Switzerland); Petrzilek, Jan; Skladal, Jan [Explosia a.s. - Research Institute of Industrial Chemistry (VUPCH), 532 17 Pardubice (Czech Republic)

2007-04-15

Triphenylamine (TPA) was used for the first time in France in 1937 as a stabilizer for propellants. The stability of those samples was described as 'good'. Around 1950 an American group produced TPA stabilized propellants and investigated the decomposition mechanism. Apart from one single experiment in the 1970s no further attempts were made to take TPA as a stabilizer for propellants. With the background of an increasingly critical discussion about nitrosamines in propellants and their declaration of being carcinogenic, TPA revealed a renaissance since the year 2000. To achieve the goal of nitrosamine free propellants several TPA stabilized propellants were produced. Their processability, stability and ballistic properties were investigated. This publication summarizes the most important results of stability tests on more than 30 different TPA stabilized propellants including the decomposition mechanism, the synthesis of the consecutive products and their stabilizing properties. In addition, the internal compatibility of TPA with the most important propellant ingredients is discussed and its relative decomposition rate is compared with that of other stabilizers. In summary TPA is a suitable stabilizer for propellants. It has nevertheless two disadvantages. It is relatively rapidly consumed in double base formulations (which makes it difficult to pass the criteria of AOP-48, Ed. 2) and the stabilizing activity of the two major consecutive products 4-NO{sub 2}-TPA and especially 4,4{sup '}-di-NO{sub 2}-TPA is low. (Abstract Copyright [2007], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Inclusion Mechanism and Heat Stability of the Complex of 4 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The physicochemical properties of the complex were evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and x-ray diffractometry (XRD) while the heat stability of the complex was measured by thermogravimetric/differential scanning calorimetry (TG/DSC). Results: The stability constants of the complexes were ...

Zwitterionization of glycine in water environment: Stabilization mechanism and NMR spectral signatures

Science.gov (United States)

Valverde, Danillo; da Costa Ludwig, Zélia Maria; da Costa, Célia Regina; Ludwig, Valdemir; Georg, Herbert C.

2018-01-01

At physiological conditions, myriads of biomolecules (e.g., amino acids, peptides, and proteins) exist predominantly in the zwitterionic structural form and their biological functions will result in these conditions. However these geometrical structures are inaccessible energetically in the gas phase, and at this point, stabilization of amino-acids in physiological conditions is still under debate. In this paper, the electronic properties of a glycine molecule in the liquid environment were studied by performing a relaxation of the glycine geometry in liquid water using the free energy gradient method combined with a sequential quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics approach. A series of Monte Carlo Metropolis simulations of the glycine molecule embedded in liquid water, followed by only a quantum mechanical calculation in each of them were carried out. Both the local and global liquid environments were emphasized to obtain nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) parameters for the glycine molecule in liquid water. The results of the equilibrium structure in solution and the systematic study of the hydrogen bonds were used to discard the direct proton transfer from the carboxyl group to the ammonium group of the glycine molecule in water solution. The calculations of the Density Functional Theory (DFT) were performed to study the polarization of the solvent in the parameters of nuclear magnetic resonance of the glycine molecule in liquid water. DFT calculations predicted isotropic chemical changes on the H, C, N, and O atoms of glycine in liquid water solution which agree with the available experimental data.

Effects of the 3D bone-to-implant contact and bone stiffness on the initial stability of a dental implant: micro-CT and resonance frequency analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, J T; Huang, H L; Tsai, M T; Wu, A Y J; Tu, M G; Fuh, L J

2013-02-01

This study investigated the effects of bone stiffness (elastic modulus) and three-dimensional (3D) bone-to-implant contact ratio (BIC%) on the primary stabilities of dental implants using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and resonance frequency analyses. Artificial sawbone models with five values of elastic modulus (137, 123, 47.5, 22, and 12.4 MPa) comprising two types of trabecular structure (solid-rigid and cellular-rigid) were investigated for initial implant stability quotient (ISQ), measured using the wireless Osstell resonance frequency analyzer. Bone specimens were attached to 2 mm fibre-filled epoxy sheets mimicking the cortical shell. ISQ was measured after placing a dental implant into the bone specimen. Each bone specimen with an implant was subjected to micro-CT scanning to calculate the 3D BIC% values. The similarity of the cellular type of artificial bone to the trabecular structure might make it more appropriate for obtaining accurate values of primary implant stability than solid-bone blocks. For the cellular-rigid bone models, the ISQ increased with the elastic modulus of cancellous bone. The regression correlation coefficient was 0.96 for correlations of the ISQ with the elasticity of cancellous bone and with the 3D BIC%. The initial implant stability was moderately positively correlated with the elasticity of cancellous bone and with the 3D BIC%. Copyright © 2012 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Argonne program to assess superconducting stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, S.T.; Turner, L.R.; Huang, Y.C.; Dawson, J.W.; Harrang, J.; Hilal, M.A.; Lieberg, M.; Gonczy, J.D.; Kim, S.H.

1978-01-01

To assess superconductor stability, a complete program is developed to obtain basic information on the effects of local mechanical perturbations on the cryostatic stability. An analytical model for computing the transient recovery following the mechanical perturbation is developed. A test program is undertaken to develop data needed to verify the conclusions reached through the analytical studies

PAH growth initiated by propargyl addition: Mechanism development and computational kinetics

KAUST Repository

Raj, Abhijeet Dhayal

2014-04-24

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) growth is known to be the principal pathway to soot formation during fuel combustion, as such, a physical understanding of the PAH growth mechanism is needed to effectively assess, predict, and control soot formation in flames. Although the hydrogen abstraction C2H2 addition (HACA) mechanism is believed to be the main contributor to PAH growth, it has been shown to under-predict some of the experimental data on PAHs and soot concentrations in flames. This article presents a submechanism of PAH growth that is initiated by propargyl (C 3H3) addition onto naphthalene (A2) and the naphthyl radical. C3H3 has been chosen since it is known to be a precursor of benzene in combustion and has appreciable concentrations in flames. This mechanism has been developed up to the formation of pyrene (A4), and the temperature-dependent kinetics of each elementary reaction has been determined using density functional theory (DFT) computations at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory and transition state theory (TST). H-abstraction, H-addition, H-migration, β-scission, and intramolecular addition reactions have been taken into account. The energy barriers of the two main pathways (H-abstraction and H-addition) were found to be relatively small if not negative, whereas the energy barriers of the other pathways were in the range of (6-89 kcal·mol-1). The rates reported in this study may be extrapolated to larger PAH molecules that have a zigzag site similar to that in naphthalene, and the mechanism presented herein may be used as a complement to the HACA mechanism to improve prediction of PAH and soot formation. © 2014 American Chemical Society.

Numerical modelling of levee stability based on coupled mechanical, thermal and hydrogeological processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dwornik Maciej

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The numerical modelling of coupled mechanical, thermal and hydrogeological processes for a soil levee is presented in the paper. The modelling was performed for a real levee that was built in Poland as a part of the ISMOP project. Only four parameters were changed to build different flood waves: the water level, period of water increase, period of water decrease, and period of low water level after the experiment. Results of numerical modelling shows that it is possible and advisable to calculate simultaneously changes of thermal and hydro-mechanical fields. The presented results show that it is also possible to use thermal sensors in place of more expensive pore pressure sensors, with some limitations. The results of stability analysis show that the levee is less stable when the water level decreases, after which factor of safety decreases significantly. For all flooding wave parameters described in the paper, the levee is very stable and factor of safety variations for any particular stage were not very large.

Mechanism of central ion exchange in the neodymium (3) ethylenediamine-tetraacetate-copper (2) and erbium (3) ethylenediaminetetraacetate-copper (2) systems in aqueous solution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nikitenko, S.I.; Martynenko, L.I.; Pechurova, N.I.; Spitsyn, V.I. (Moskovskij Gosudarstvennyj Univ. (USSR))

1984-01-01

The spectrophotometry method in the stationary regime and the ''Stopped Flow'' method in the prestationary regime are used to study kinetics and exchange mechanism in NdA/sup -/-Cu/sup 2 +/ and ErA/sup -/-Cu/sup 2 +/ (A=EDTA) systems at pH 4.0-6.0 and initial Cu/sup 2 +/ concentrations (0.5-6.0) x 10/sup -2/ M, Nd/sup 3 +/, Er/sup 3/2H+ (0-1.0) x 10/sup -2/ M. On the basis of considering the dependence of kinetic exchange characteristics on the value of initial Ln/sup 3 +/ and Cu/sup 2 +/ concentrations it is shown that stability constant of appearing intermediate binuclear complex (NdACu/sup 2 +/) correlates with stability constant of copper acetate, i.e. incoming Cu/sup 2 +/ cation coordinates by EDTA acetogroup at the first stage of reaction. Stability constant of (ErACu/sup +/) correlates with outer spheric association constant, i.e. at the earlier exchange stage in the associative mechanism in the ErA/sup -/-Cu/sup 2 +/ system, formation of outer spheric associate takes place. Considerable difference in exchange mechanisms for light and heavy rare earths is explained by lesser strength in metal-oxygen bond in initial NdA/sup -/ as compared with ErA/sup -/. Bond strengthening in the initial rare earth complexonate prevents the formation of stable intermediate binuclear complexes which causes decrease in the exchange rate according to the associative mechanism in LuAsup(-)-Mnsup(n+) systems.

Influence of oxazolidines and zirconium oxalate crosslinkers on the hydrothermal, enzymatic, and thermo mechanical stability of type 1 collagen fiber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haroun, Mahdi A.; Khirstova, Palmina K.; Gasmelseed, Gurashi A.; Covington, Antony D.

2009-01-01

Stabilization of type I rat tail tendon (RTT) collagen by crosslink agent oxazolidine and zirconium oxalate was studied to understand the effect on the thermal, enzymatic and mechanical stability of collagen. The results show that both oxazolidine and zirconium oxalate imparts thermal stability to collagen, and oxazolidine exhibits a marked increase in the peak temperature and enthalpy changes when compared to both native and zirconium oxalate tanned RTT. There is a decrease in the peak temperature and the enthalpy changes of oxazolidine tanned RTT fibers after treatment with urea, suggesting the possibility of alterations in the secondary structure of collagen after tanning. Oxazolidine, which forms carbocationic intermediates species in solution, have better crosslinking with collagen as seen from viscometry studies and hence provides better enzymatic stability to collagen than zirconium, which largely forms monomeric species in solution. Zirconium does not seem to change the tensile strength of RTT fibers significantly in wet condition as well as oxazolidine

Influence of oxazolidines and zirconium oxalate crosslinkers on the hydrothermal, enzymatic, and thermo mechanical stability of type 1 collagen fiber

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haroun, Mahdi A. [Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang (Malaysia)], E-mail: Mahdiupm@hotmail.com; Khirstova, Palmina K. [People' s Hall 11113, P.O. Box 6272, Khartoum (Sudan); Gasmelseed, Gurashi A. [Juba University, Leather Dept. P.O. Box 12327 Khartoum (Sudan); Covington, Antony D. [Leather Centre, University College Northampton, Northampton (United Kingdom)

2009-02-20

Stabilization of type I rat tail tendon (RTT) collagen by crosslink agent oxazolidine and zirconium oxalate was studied to understand the effect on the thermal, enzymatic and mechanical stability of collagen. The results show that both oxazolidine and zirconium oxalate imparts thermal stability to collagen, and oxazolidine exhibits a marked increase in the peak temperature and enthalpy changes when compared to both native and zirconium oxalate tanned RTT. There is a decrease in the peak temperature and the enthalpy changes of oxazolidine tanned RTT fibers after treatment with urea, suggesting the possibility of alterations in the secondary structure of collagen after tanning. Oxazolidine, which forms carbocationic intermediates species in solution, have better crosslinking with collagen as seen from viscometry studies and hence provides better enzymatic stability to collagen than zirconium, which largely forms monomeric species in solution. Zirconium does not seem to change the tensile strength of RTT fibers significantly in wet condition as well as oxazolidine.

On the mechanical stability of the body-centered cubic phase and the emergence of a metastable cI16 phase in classical hard sphere solids

Science.gov (United States)

Warshavsky, Vadim B.; Ford, David M.; Monson, Peter A.

2018-01-01

The stability of the body-centered cubic (bcc) solid phase of classical hard spheres is of intrinsic interest and is also relevant to the development of perturbation theories for bcc solids of other model systems. Using canonical ensemble Monte Carlo, we simulated systems initialized in a perfect bcc lattice at various densities in the solid region. We observed that the systems rapidly evolved into one of four structures that then persisted for the duration of the simulation. Remarkably, one of these structures was identified as cI16, a cubic crystalline structure with 16 particles in the unit cell, which has recently been observed experimentally in lithium and sodium solids at high pressures. The other three structures do not exhibit crystalline order but are characterized by common patterns in the radial distribution function and bond-orientational order parameter distribution; we refer to them as bcc-di, with i ranging from 1 to 3. We found similar outcomes when employing any of the three single occupancy cell (SOC) restrictions commonly used in the literature. We also ran long constant-pressure simulations with box shape fluctuations initiated from bcc and cI16 initial configurations. At lower pressures, all the systems evolved to defective face-centered cubic (fcc) or hexagonal close-packed (hcp) structures. At higher pressures, most of the systems initiated as bcc evolved to cI16 with some evolving to defective fcc/hcp. High pressure systems initiated from cI16 remained in that structure. We computed the chemical potential of cI16 using the Einstein crystal reference method and found that it is higher than that of fcc by ˜0.5kT-2.5kT over the pressure range studied, with the difference increasing with pressure. We find that the undistorted bcc solid, even with constant-volume and SOC restrictions applied, is so mechanically unstable that it is unsuitable for consideration as a metastable phase or as a reference system for studying bcc phases of other systems

Stability analysis of a pressure-solution surface

Science.gov (United States)

Gal, Doron; Nur, Amos; Aharonov, Einat

We present a linear stability analysis of a dissolution surface subjected to non-hydrostatic stress. A sinusoidal perturbation is imposed on an initially flat solid/fluid interface, and the consequent changes in elastic strain energy and surface energy are calculated. Our results demonstrate that if the far-field lateral stresses are either greater, or much smaller than the fluid pressure, the perturbed configuration has a lower strain energy than the initial one. For wavelengths greater than a critical wavelength this energy decrease may be large enough to offset the increased surface energy. Under these conditions, the perturbation grows unstably. If these conditions are not met, the surface becomes flat. The growth rate and wavelength of the maximally unstable mode depend on the mechanism of matter transport. We conclude that the instability discussed in this paper may account for the formation of stylolites and other pressure-solution phenomena, such as roughening of grain contacts.

Mechanical core coupling and reactors stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suarez Antola, R.

2006-01-01

Structural parts of nuclear reactors are complex mechanical systems, able to vibrate with a set of proper frequencies when suitably excited. Cyclical variations in the strain state of the materials, including density perturbations, are produced. This periodic changes may affect reactor reactivity. But a variation in reactivity affects reactor thermal power, thus modifying the temperature field of the abovementiones materials. If the variation in temperature fields is fast enough, thermal-mechanical coupling may produce fast variations in strain states, and this, at its turn, modifies the reactivity, and so on. This coupling between mechanical vibrations of the structure and the materials of the core, with power oscillations of the reactor, not only may not be excluded a priori, but it seems that it has been present in some stage of the incidents or accidents that happened during the development of nuclear reactor technology. The purpose of the present communication is: (a) To review and generalize some mathematical models that were proposed in order to describe thermal-mechanical coupling in nuclear reactors. (b) To discuss some conditions in which significant instabilities could arise, including large amplitude power oscillations coupled with mechanical vibrations whose amplitudes are too small to be excluded by conventional criteria of mechanical design. Enough Certain aspects of thr physical safety of nuclear power reactors, that are objected by people that opposes to the renaissance of nucleoelectric generation, are discussed in the framework of the mathematical model proposed in this paper [es

Stabilization and control of fractional order systems a sliding mode approach

CERN Document Server

Bandyopadhyay, Bijnan

2015-01-01

In the last two decades fractional differential equations have been used more frequently in physics, signal processing, fluid mechanics, viscoelasticity, mathematical biology, electro chemistry and many others. It opens a new and more realistic way to capture memory dependent phenomena and irregularities inside the systems by using more sophisticated mathematical analysis.This monograph is based on the authors' work on stabilization and control design for continuous and discrete fractional order systems. The initial two chapters and some parts of the third chapter are written in tutorial fashi

Non-canonical transcription initiation: the expanding universe of transcription initiating substrates

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Barvík, I.; Rejman, Dominik; Panova, Natalya; Šanderová, Hana; Krásný, Libor

2017-01-01

Roč. 41, č. 2 (2017), s. 131-138 ISSN 0168-6445 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA15-05228S; GA ČR GA15-11711S Institutional support: RVO:61388963 ; RVO:61388971 Keywords : RNA polymerase * non-canonical transcription initiation * transcription initiating substrate * nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)) * coenzymes * RNA stability Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology; EE - Microbiology, Virology (MBU-M) OBOR OECD: Biochemistry and molecular biology; Microbiology (MBU-M) Impact factor: 12.198, year: 2016

Stability of cascade search

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fomenko, Tatiana N [M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics, Moscow (Russian Federation)

2010-10-22

We find sufficient conditions on a searching multi-cascade for a modification of the set of limit points of the cascade that satisfy an assessing inequality for the distance from each of these points to the initial point to be small, provided that the modifications of the initial point and the initial set-valued functionals or maps used to construct the multi-cascade are small. Using this result, we prove the stability (in the above sense) of the cascade search for the set of common pre-images of a closed subspace under the action of n set-valued maps, n{>=}1 (in particular, for the set of common roots of these maps and for the set of their coincidences). For n=2 we obtain generalizations of some results of A. V. Arutyunov; the very statement of the problem comes from a recent paper of his devoted to the study of the stability of the subset of coincidences of a Lipschitz map and a covering map.

Effect of meniscus replacement fixation technique on restoration of knee contact mechanics and stability.

Science.gov (United States)

D'Lima, D D; Chen, P C; Kessler, O; Hoenecke, H R; Colwell, C W

2011-06-01

success of meniscal replacement. While contact conditions are mainly sensitive to meniscus horn fixation, the stability of the knee under anteroposterior shear loads appeared to be more sensitive to meniscal rim fixation. This model may also be useful in predicting the effect of biomaterial mechanical properties and meniscal replacement shape on knee contact conditions.

Mechanical Properties of a Bainitic Steel Producible by Hot Rolling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rana R.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available A carbide-free bainitic microstructure is suitable for achieving a combination of ultra high strength and high ductility. In this work, a steel containing nominally 0.34C-2Mn-1.5Si-1Cr (wt.% was produced via industrial hot rolling and laboratory heat treatments. The austenitization (900°C, 30 min. and austempering (300-400°C, 3 h treatments were done in salt bath furnaces. The austempering treatments were designed to approximately simulate the coiling step, following hot rolling and run-out-table cooling, when the bainitic transformation would take place and certain amount of austenite would be stabilized due to suppression of carbide precipitation. The microstructures and various mechanical properties (tensile properties, bendability, flangeability, and room and subzero temperature impact toughness relevant for applications were characterized. It was found that the mechanical properties were highly dependent on the stability of the retained austenite, presence of martensite in the microstructure and the size of the microstructural constituents. The highest amount of retained austenite (~ 27 wt.% was obtained in the sample austempered at 375°C but due to lower austenite stability and coarser overall microstructure, the sample exhibited lower tensile ductility, bendability, flangeability and impact toughness. The sample austempered at 400°C also showed poor properties due to the presence of initial martensite and coarse microstructure. The best combination of mechanical properties was achieved for the samples austempered at 325-350°C with a lower amount of retained austenite but with the highest mechanical stability.

The improved stability of enzyme encapsulated in biomimetic titania particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Yanjun; Sun Qianyun; Jiang Zhongyi; Zhang Lei; Li Jian; Li Lin; Sun Xiaohui

2009-01-01

This study demonstrates a novel biomimetic approach for the entrapment of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase (YADH) within titania nanoparticles to improve its stability. Protamine was as the template and catalyst for the condensation of titanium (IV) bis(ammonium lactato) dihydroxide (Ti-BALDH) into titania nanoparticles in which YADH was trapped. The as-prepared titania/protamine/YADH composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The mechanism of YADH encapsulation was tentatively proposed from a series of experimental results. The preliminary investigation showed that encapsulated YADH could retain most of its initial activity. Compared to free YADH, encapsulated YADH exhibited significantly improved thermal, pH and recycling stability. After 5 weeks storage, no substantial loss of catalytic activity for encapsulated YADH was observed

Physico-mechanical properties and thermal stability of thermoset nanocomposites based on styrene-butadiene rubber/phenolic resin blend

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shojaei, Akbar, E-mail: akbar.shojaei@sharif.edu [Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box 11155-9465, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Faghihi, Morteza [Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box 11155-9465, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2010-02-15

Effect of organoclay (OC) on the performance of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR)/phenolic resin (PH) blend prepared by two-roll mill was investigated. The influence of OC content ranging between 2.5 and 30 phr on the performance of SBR/PH was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), interfacial energy analysis, tensile, dynamic mechanical, swelling, cure rheometry and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). It was found that the OC is mainly localized in the SBR phase of SBR/PH blend through the kinetically favored mechanism relevant to rubber chains. The results also demonstrated the positive role of PH on the dispersion of OC. Both PH and OC showed accelerating role on the cure rate of SBR and increased the crosslinking density of the rubber phase. Additionally, the mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties of SBR were influenced by incorporation of both PH and OC. TGA showed that the OC improves thermal stability of SBR vulcanizate, while it exhibits a catalytic role in presence of PH.

Physico-mechanical properties and thermal stability of thermoset nanocomposites based on styrene-butadiene rubber/phenolic resin blend

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shojaei, Akbar; Faghihi, Morteza

2010-01-01

Effect of organoclay (OC) on the performance of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR)/phenolic resin (PH) blend prepared by two-roll mill was investigated. The influence of OC content ranging between 2.5 and 30 phr on the performance of SBR/PH was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), interfacial energy analysis, tensile, dynamic mechanical, swelling, cure rheometry and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). It was found that the OC is mainly localized in the SBR phase of SBR/PH blend through the kinetically favored mechanism relevant to rubber chains. The results also demonstrated the positive role of PH on the dispersion of OC. Both PH and OC showed accelerating role on the cure rate of SBR and increased the crosslinking density of the rubber phase. Additionally, the mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties of SBR were influenced by incorporation of both PH and OC. TGA showed that the OC improves thermal stability of SBR vulcanizate, while it exhibits a catalytic role in presence of PH.

New image-stabilizing system

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yuejin

1996-06-01

In this paper, a new method for image stabilization with a three-axis image- stabilizing reflecting prism assembly is presented, and the principle of image stabilization in this prism assembly, formulae for image stabilization and working formulae with an approximation up to the third power are given in detail. In this image-stabilizing system, a single chip microcomputer is used to calculate value of compensating angles and thus to control the prism assembly. Two gyroscopes act as sensors from which information of angular perturbation is obtained, three stepping motors drive the prism assembly to compensate for the movement of image produced by angular perturbation. The image-stabilizing device so established is a multifold system which involves optics, mechanics, electronics and computer.

Sensitivity analysis on mechanical stability of the underground excavations for an high-level radioactive waste repository

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jeong Hwa; Kwon, Sang Ki; Choi, Jong Won; Kang, Chul Hyung

2001-01-01

For the safe design of an underground nuclear waste repository, it is necessary to investigate the influence of the major parameters on the tunnel stability. In this study, sensitivity analysis was carried out to find the major parameters on the mechanical stability point of view. Fourteen parameters consisted of 10 site parameters and 4 design parameters were included in the FLAC3D. From the numerical analyses employing single parameter variation, it was possible to determine important parameters. In order to investigate the interaction between the parameters, fractional factorial design for the parameters, such as in situ stress ratio, depth, tunnel dimensions, joint spacing, joint stiffness, friction angle, and rock strength, was carried out. And in order to investigate the interaction between design parameters, fractional factorial design for parameters, such as in situ stress, depth, tunnel size, tunnel spacing and borehole spacing, was carried out

Linear Stability Analysis of Laminar Premixed Fuel-Rich Double-Spray Flames

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noam Weinberg

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This paper considers the stability of a double-spray premixed flame formed when both fuel and oxidizer are initially present in the form of sprays of evaporating liquid droplets. To simplify the inherent complexity that characterizes the analytic solution of multi-phase combustion processes, the analysis is restricted to fuel-rich laminar premixed double-spray flames, and assumes a single-step global chemical reaction mechanism. Steady-state solutions are obtained and the sensitivity of the flame temperature and the flame propagating velocity to the initial liquid fuel and/or oxidizer loads are established. The stability analysis revealed an increased proneness to cellular instability induced by the presence of the two sprays, and for the fuel-rich case considered here the influence of the liquid oxidizer was found to be more pronounced than that of the liquid fuel. Similar effects were noted for the neutral pulsating stability boundaries. The impact of unequal latent heats of vaporization is also investigated and found to be in keeping with the destabilizing influence of heat loss due to droplet evaporation. It should be noted that as far as the authors are aware no experimental evidence is available for (at least validation of the predictions. However, they do concur in a general and reasonable fashion with independent experimental evidence in the literature of the behavior of single fuel spray laminar premixed flames.

Angle Stability Analysis for Voltage-Controlled Converters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lin, Hengwei; Jia, Chenxi; Guerrero, Josep M.

2017-01-01

a criterion to analyze the quasi-steady angle stability and the direct current (DC) side stability for VSCs. The operating limit and the angle instability mechanism are revealed, which is generally applicable to the voltage-controlled converters. During the analysis, the influence of the parameters on angle...... stability is studied. Further, the difference on instability mechanism between power electronic converters and synchronous generators are explained in detail. Finally, experiment results with corrective actions verify the analysis....

Biomechanical stability of novel mechanically adapted open-porous titanium scaffolds in metatarsal bone defects of sheep.

Science.gov (United States)

Wieding, Jan; Lindner, Tobias; Bergschmidt, Philipp; Bader, Rainer

2015-04-01

Open-porous titanium scaffolds for large segmental bone defects offer advantages like early weight-bearing and limited risk of implant failure. The objective of this experimental study was to determine the biomechanical behavior of novel open-porous titanium scaffolds with mechanical-adapted properties in vivo. Two types of the custom-made, open-porous scaffolds made of Ti6Al4V (Young's modulus: 6-8 GPa and different pore sizes) were implanted into a 20 mm segmental defect in the mid-diaphysis of the metatarsus of sheep, and were stabilized with an osteosynthesis plate. After 12 and 24 weeks postoperatively, torsional testing was performed on the implanted bone and compared to the contralateral non-treated side. Maximum torque, maximum angle, torsional stiffness, fracture energy, shear modulus and shear stress were investigated. Furthermore, bone mineral density (BMD) of the newly formed bone was determined. Mechanical loading capabilities for both scaffolds were similar and about 50% after 12 weeks (e.g., max. torque of approximately 20 Nm). A further increase after 24 weeks was found for most of the investigated parameters. Results for torsional stiffness and shear modulus as well as bone formation depended on the type of scaffold. Increased BMD after 24 weeks was found for one scaffold type but remained constant for the other one. The present data showed the capability of mechanically adapted open-porous titanium scaffolds to function as bone scaffolds for large segmental defects and the influence of the scaffold's stiffness. A further increase in the biomechanical stability can be assumed for longer observation periods of greater than six months. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Acinar Cage: Basement Membranes Determine Molecule Exchange and Mechanical Stability of Human Breast Cell Acini.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aljona Gaiko-Shcherbak

Full Text Available The biophysical properties of the basement membrane that surrounds human breast glands are poorly understood, but are thought to be decisive for normal organ function and malignancy. Here, we characterize the breast gland basement membrane with a focus on molecule permeation and mechanical stability, both crucial for organ function. We used well-established and nature-mimicking MCF10A acini as 3D cell model for human breast glands, with ether low- or highly-developed basement membrane scaffolds. Semi-quantitative dextran tracer (3 to 40 kDa experiments allowed us to investigate the basement membrane scaffold as a molecule diffusion barrier in human breast acini in vitro. We demonstrated that molecule permeation correlated positively with macromolecule size and intriguingly also with basement membrane development state, revealing a pore size of at least 9 nm. Notably, an intact collagen IV mesh proved to be essential for this permeation function. Furthermore, we performed ultra-sensitive atomic force microscopy to quantify the response of native breast acini and of decellularized basement membrane shells against mechanical indentation. We found a clear correlation between increasing acinar force resistance and basement membrane formation stage. Most important native acini with highly-developed basement membranes as well as cell-free basement membrane shells could both withstand physiologically relevant loads (≤ 20 nN without loss of structural integrity. In contrast, low-developed basement membranes were significantly softer and more fragile. In conclusion, our study emphasizes the key role of the basement membrane as conductor of acinar molecule influx and mechanical stability of human breast glands, which are fundamental for normal organ function.

Polymer depletion-driven cluster aggregation and initial phase separation in charged nanosized colloids

Science.gov (United States)

Gögelein, Christoph; Nägele, Gerhard; Buitenhuis, Johan; Tuinier, Remco; Dhont, Jan K. G.

2009-05-01

We study polymer depletion-driven cluster aggregation and initial phase separation in aqueous dispersions of charge-stabilized silica spheres, where the ionic strength and polymer (dextran) concentration are systematically varied, using dynamic light scattering and visual observation. Without polymers and for increasing salt and colloid content, the dispersions become increasingly unstable against irreversible cluster formation. By adding nonadsorbing polymers, a depletion-driven attraction is induced, which lowers the stabilizing Coulomb barrier and enhances the cluster growth rate. The initial growth rate increases with increasing polymer concentration and decreases with increasing polymer molar mass. These observations can be quantitatively understood by an irreversible dimer formation theory based on the classical Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey, and Overbeek pair potential, with the depletion attraction modeled by the Asakura-Oosawa-Vrij potential. At low colloid concentration, we observe an exponential cluster growth rate for all polymer concentrations considered, indicating a reaction-limited aggregation mechanism. At sufficiently high polymer and colloid concentrations, and lower salt content, a gas-liquidlike demixing is observed initially. Later on, the system separates into a gel and fluidlike phase. The experimental time-dependent state diagram is compared to the theoretical equilibrium phase diagram obtained from a generalized free-volume theory and is discussed in terms of an initial reversible phase separation process in combination with irreversible aggregation at later times.

Canister positioning. Influence of fracture system on deposition hole stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoekmark, Harald

2003-11-01

The study concerns the mechanical behaviour of rock surrounding tunnels and deposition holes in a nuclear waste repository. The mechanical effects of tunnel excavation and deposition hole excavation are investigated by use of a tunnel scale numerical model representing a part of a KBS-3 type repository. The excavation geometry, the initial pre-mining state of stress, and the geometrical features of the fracture system are defined according to conditions that prevail in the TBM tunnel rock mass in Aespoe HRL. Comparisons are made between results obtained without consideration of fractures and results obtained with inclusion of the fracture system. The focus is on the region around the intersection of a tunnel and a deposition hole. A general conclusion is that a fracture system of the type found in the TBM rock mass does not have a decisive influence on the stability of the deposition holes. To estimate the expected extent of spalling, information about other conditions, e.g. the orientation of the initial stresses and the strength properties of the intact rock, is more important than detailed information about the fracture system

Long-term stability of the near-field about high-level radioactive waste repository in thermo-hydro-mechanical coupling action condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Yuemiao; Wang Ju; Ke Dan; Cai Meifeng

2008-01-01

It is a long-term process for the high-level radioactive waste repository, from opening, construction to end of its service. The long-term stability of the near-field is the key issue for the design of HLW repository because the opening and heat generated from the HLW. Through a nationwide investigation, Beishan area, a Gobi desert in Gansu province, is considered as a suitable candidate and GMZ bentonite deposit which located in Xinghe County, Inner Mongolia has been proposed for the supplier of buffer/backfill material for HLW geological repository in China. According to the R and D guide of high-level radioactive waste disposal in China, the 3D model of HLW repository with high-level radioactive waste, canister and buffer/backfill material is established using FLAC3D. To take into account in situ stress, geothermal gradient, groundwater, thermal relief of HLW and swelling pressure of buffer/backfill material, the evolution of temperature, stress and displacement of HLW repository under thermo-mechanical coupling, hydro-mechanical coupling and thermo-hydro-mechanical coupling conditions was analyzed respectively. The long-term stability of HLW repository in Beishan area was studied. (authors)

Pentachlorophenol radical cations generated on Fe(III)-montmorillonite initiate octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin formation in clays: DFT and FTIR studies

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Cheng; Liu, Cun; Johnston, Cliff T.; Teppen, Brian J.; Li, Hui; Boyd, Stephen A.

2011-01-01

Octachlorodibenzodioxin (OCDD) forms spontaneously from pentachlorophenol (PCP) on the surfaces of Fe(III)-saturated smectite clay (1). Here, we used in situ FTIR methods and quantum mechanical calculations to determine the mechanism by which this reaction is initiated. As the clay was dehydrated, vibrational spectra showed new peaks that grew and then reversibly disappeared as the clay rehydrated. First principle DFT calculations of hydrated Fe-PCP clusters reproduced these transient FTIR peaks when inner-sphere complexation and concomitant electron transfer produced Fe(II) and PCP radical cations. Thus, our experimental (FTIR) and theoretical (quantum mechanical) results mutually support the hypothesis that OCDD formation on Fe-smectite surfaces is initiated by the reversible formation of metastable PCP radical cations via single electron transfer from PCP to Fe(III). The negatively charged clay surface apparently selects for this reaction mechanism by stabilizing PCP radical cations. PMID:21254769

Metabolic profiles of flooding-tolerant mechanism in early-stage soybean responding to initial stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xin; Zhu, Wei; Hashiguchi, Akiko; Nishimura, Minoru; Tian, Jingkui; Komatsu, Setsuko

2017-08-01

Metabolomic analysis of flooding-tolerant mutant and abscisic acid-treated soybeans suggests that accumulated fructose might play a role in initial flooding tolerance through regulation of hexokinase and phosphofructokinase. Soybean is sensitive to flooding stress, which markedly reduces plant growth. To explore the mechanism underlying initial-flooding tolerance in soybean, mass spectrometry-based metabolomic analysis was performed using flooding-tolerant mutant and abscisic-acid treated soybeans. Among the commonly-identified metabolites in both flooding-tolerant materials, metabolites involved in carbohydrate and organic acid displayed same profile at initial-flooding stress. Sugar metabolism was highlighted in both flooding-tolerant materials with the decreased and increased accumulation of sucrose and fructose, respectively, compared to flooded soybeans. Gene expression of hexokinase 1 was upregulated in flooded soybean; however, it was downregulated in both flooding-tolerant materials. Metabolites involved in carbohydrate/organic acid and proteins related to glycolysis/tricarboxylic acid cycle were integrated. Increased protein abundance of phosphofructokinase was identified in both flooding-tolerant materials, which was in agreement with its enzyme activity. Furthermore, sugar metabolism was pointed out as the tolerant-responsive process at initial-flooding stress with the integration of metabolomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics. Moreover, application of fructose declined the increased fresh weight of plant induced by flooding stress. These results suggest that fructose might be the critical metabolite through regulation of hexokinase and phosphofructokinase to confer initial-flooding stress in soybean.

Instrumental record of debris flow initiation during natural rainfall: Implications for modeling slope stability

Science.gov (United States)

Montgomery, D.R.; Schmidt, K.M.; Dietrich, W.E.; McKean, J.

2009-01-01

The middle of a hillslope hollow in the Oregon Coast Range failed and mobilized as a debris flow during heavy rainfall in November 1996. Automated pressure transducers recorded high spatial variability of pore water pressure within the area that mobilized as a debris flow, which initiated where local upward flow from bedrock developed into overlying colluvium. Postfailure observations of the bedrock surface exposed in the debris flow scar reveal a strong spatial correspondence between elevated piezometric response and water discharging from bedrock fractures. Measurements of apparent root cohesion on the basal (Cb) and lateral (Cl) scarp demonstrate substantial local variability, with areally weighted values of Cb = 0.1 and Cl = 4.6 kPa. Using measured soil properties and basal root strength, the widely used infinite slope model, employed assuming slope parallel groundwater flow, provides a poor prediction of hydrologie conditions at failure. In contrast, a model including lateral root strength (but neglecting lateral frictional strength) gave a predicted critical value of relative soil saturation that fell within the range defined by the arithmetic and geometric mean values at the time of failure. The 3-D slope stability model CLARA-W, used with locally observed pore water pressure, predicted small areas with lower factors of safety within the overall slide mass at sites consistent with field observations of where the failure initiated. This highly variable and localized nature of small areas of high pore pressure that can trigger slope failure means, however, that substantial uncertainty appears inevitable for estimating hydrologie conditions within incipient debris flows under natural conditions. Copyright 2009 by the American Geophysical Union.

Synthesis, microstructure and mechanical properties of ceria stabilized tetragonal zirconia prepared by spray drying technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, S.C.; Gokhale, N.M.; Dayal, Rajiv; Lazl, Ramji

2002-01-01

Ceria stabilized zirconia powders with ceria concentration varying from 6 to 16 mol% were synthesized using spray drying technique. Powders were characterized for their particle size distribution and specific surface area. The dense sintered ceramics fabricated using these powders were characterized for their microstructure, crystallite size and phase composition. The flexural strength, fracture toughness and micro-hardness of sintered ceramics were measured. High fracture toughness and flexural strength were obtained for sintered bodies with 12 mol% of CeO 2 . Flexural strength and fracture toughness were dependent on CeO 2 concentration, crystallite size and phase composition of sintered bodies. Correlation of data has indicated that the transformable tetragonal phase is the key factor in controlling the fracture toughness and strength of ceramics. It has been demonstrated that the synthesis method is effective to prepare nanocrystalline tetragonal ceria stabilized zirconia powders with improved mechanical properties. Ce-ZrO 2 with 20 wt% alumina was also prepared with flexural strength, 1200 MPa and fracture toughness 9.2 MPa√m. (author)

Effect of calcification on the mechanical stability of plaque based on a three-dimensional carotid bifurcation model

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background This study characterizes the distribution and components of plaque structure by presenting a three-dimensional blood-vessel modelling with the aim of determining mechanical properties due to the effect of lipid core and calcification within a plaque. Numerical simulation has been used to answer how cap thickness and calcium distribution in lipids influence the biomechanical stress on the plaque. Method Modelling atherosclerotic plaque based on structural analysis confirms the rationale for plaque mechanical examination and the feasibility of our simulation model. Meaningful validation of predictions from modelled atherosclerotic plaque model typically requires examination of bona fide atherosclerotic lesions. To analyze a more accurate plaque rupture, fluid-structure interaction is applied to three-dimensional blood-vessel carotid bifurcation modelling. A patient-specific pressure variation is applied onto the plaque to influence its vulnerability. Results Modelling of the human atherosclerotic artery with varying degrees of lipid core elasticity, fibrous cap thickness and calcification gap, which is defined as the distance between the fibrous cap and calcification agglomerate, form the basis of our rupture analysis. Finite element analysis shows that the calcification gap should be conservatively smaller than its threshold to maintain plaque stability. The results add new mechanistic insights and methodologically sound data to investigate plaque rupture mechanics. Conclusion Structural analysis using a three-dimensional calcified model represents a more realistic simulation of late-stage atherosclerotic plaque. We also demonstrate that increases of calcium content that is coupled with a decrease in lipid core volume can stabilize plaque structurally. PMID:22336469

Effect of calcification on the mechanical stability of plaque based on a three-dimensional carotid bifurcation model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wong Kelvin KL

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This study characterizes the distribution and components of plaque structure by presenting a three-dimensional blood-vessel modelling with the aim of determining mechanical properties due to the effect of lipid core and calcification within a plaque. Numerical simulation has been used to answer how cap thickness and calcium distribution in lipids influence the biomechanical stress on the plaque. Method Modelling atherosclerotic plaque based on structural analysis confirms the rationale for plaque mechanical examination and the feasibility of our simulation model. Meaningful validation of predictions from modelled atherosclerotic plaque model typically requires examination of bona fide atherosclerotic lesions. To analyze a more accurate plaque rupture, fluid-structure interaction is applied to three-dimensional blood-vessel carotid bifurcation modelling. A patient-specific pressure variation is applied onto the plaque to influence its vulnerability. Results Modelling of the human atherosclerotic artery with varying degrees of lipid core elasticity, fibrous cap thickness and calcification gap, which is defined as the distance between the fibrous cap and calcification agglomerate, form the basis of our rupture analysis. Finite element analysis shows that the calcification gap should be conservatively smaller than its threshold to maintain plaque stability. The results add new mechanistic insights and methodologically sound data to investigate plaque rupture mechanics. Conclusion Structural analysis using a three-dimensional calcified model represents a more realistic simulation of late-stage atherosclerotic plaque. We also demonstrate that increases of calcium content that is coupled with a decrease in lipid core volume can stabilize plaque structurally.

Stability of biogenic metal(loid) nanomaterials related to the colloidal stabilization theory of chemical nanostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Piacenza, Elena; Presentato, Alessandro; Turner, Raymond J

2018-02-25

In the last 15 years, the exploitation of biological systems (i.e. plants, bacteria, mycelial fungi, yeasts, and algae) to produce metal(loid) (Me)-based nanomaterials has been evaluated as eco-friendly and a cost-effective alternative to the chemical synthesis processes. Although the biological mechanisms of biogenic Me-nanomaterial (Bio-Me-nanomaterials) production are not yet completely elucidated, a key advantage of such bio-nanostructures over those chemically synthesized is related to their natural thermodynamic stability, with several studies ascribed to the presence of an organic layer surrounding these Bio-Me-nanostructures. Different macromolecules (e.g. proteins, peptides, lipids, DNA, and polysaccharides) or secondary metabolites (e.g. flavonoids, terpenoids, glycosides, organic acids, and alkaloids) naturally produced by organisms have been indicated as main contributors to the stabilization of Bio-Me-nanostructures. Nevertheless, the chemical-physical mechanisms behind the ability of these molecules in providing stability to Bio-Me-nanomaterials are unknown. In this context, transposing the stabilization theory of chemically synthesized Me-nanomaterials (Ch-Me-nanomaterials) to biogenic materials can be used towards a better comprehension of macromolecules and secondary metabolites role as stabilizing agents of Bio-Me-nanomaterials. According to this theory, nanomaterials are generally featured by high thermodynamic instability in suspension, due to their high surface area and surface energy. This feature leads to the necessity to stabilize chemical nanostructures, even during or directly after their synthesis, through the development of (i) electrostatic, (ii) steric, or (iii) electrosteric interactions occurring between molecules and nanomaterials in suspension. Based on these three mechanisms, this review is focused on parallels between the stabilization of biogenic or chemical nanomaterials, suggesting which chemical-physical mechanisms may be

Initial deposition mechanism of electroless nickel plating on AZ91D magnesium alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Y.; Shan, D.; Han, E.

2006-01-01

The pretreatment processes and initial deposition mechanism of electroless nickel plating on AZ91D magnesium alloy were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). The results showed that alkaline cleaning could remove the greases and oils from the substrate surface. Acid etching could wipe off the metal chippings and oxides. The hydrofluoric acid activating process which could improve the adhesion of coating to substrate played a key role in the subsequent process of electroless nickel plating. The nickel coating was deposited preferentially on the primary α phase and then spread to the eutectic α phase and β phase. The nickel initially nucleated on the primary α phase by a replacement reaction, then grew depending on the autocatalysis function of nickel. The coating on the β phase displayed better adhesion than that on the α phase due to the nails fixing effect. (author)

Hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha stabilization for regenerative therapy in traumatic brain injury

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mushfiquddin Khan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI, also called concussion, initiates sequelae leading to motor deficits, cognitive impairments and subtly compromised neurobehaviors. While the acute phase of TBI is associated with neuroinflammation and nitroxidative burst, the chronic phase shows a lack of stimulation of the neurorepair process and regeneration. The deficiency of nitric oxide (NO, the consequent disturbed NO metabolome, and imbalanced mechanisms of S-nitrosylation are implicated in blocking the mechanisms of neurorepair processes and functional recovery in the both phases. Hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α, a master regulator of hypoxia/ischemia, stimulates the process of neurorepair and thus aids in functional recovery after brain trauma. The activity of HIF-1α is regulated by NO via the mechanism of S-nitrosylation of HIF-1α. S-nitrosylation is dynamically regulated by NO metabolites such as S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO and peroxynitrite. GSNO stabilizes, and peroxynitrite destabilizes HIF-1α. Exogenously administered GSNO was found not only to stabilize HIF-1α and to induce HIF-1α-dependent genes but also to stimulate the regeneration process and to aid in functional recovery in TBI animals.

Marital stability and repartnering

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martins, Mariana V; Costa, Patrício; Peterson, Brennan D

2014-01-01

a second union have higher initial levels of stress in their original relationship and higher changes in stress levels over the course of treatments. These findings suggest that high infertility-related stress levels before entering fertility treatment can negatively affect the stability of marital......OBJECTIVE: To compare the trajectories of infertility-related stress between patients who remain in the same relationship and patients who repartner. DESIGN: Longitudinal cohort study using latent growth modeling. SETTING: Fertility centers. PATIENT(S): Childless men and women evaluated before...... starting a new cycle of fertility treatment and observed for a 5-year period of unsuccessful treatments. INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Marital stability and infertility-related stress. RESULT(S): The majority of patients (86%) remained with their initial partner, but 14% of participants...

Deterministic estimation of hydrological thresholds for shallow landslide initiation and slope stability models: case study from the Somma-Vesuvius area of southern Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Baum, Rex L.; Godt, Jonathan W.; De Vita, P.; Napolitano, E.

2012-01-01

Rainfall-induced debris flows involving ash-fall pyroclastic deposits that cover steep mountain slopes surrounding the Somma-Vesuvius volcano are natural events and a source of risk for urban settlements located at footslopes in the area. This paper describes experimental methods and modelling results of shallow landslides that occurred on 5–6 May 1998 in selected areas of the Sarno Mountain Range. Stratigraphical surveys carried out in initiation areas show that ash-fall pyroclastic deposits are discontinuously distributed along slopes, with total thicknesses that vary from a maximum value on slopes inclined less than 30° to near zero thickness on slopes inclined greater than 50°. This distribution of cover thickness influences the stratigraphical setting and leads to downward thinning and the pinching out of pyroclastic horizons. Three engineering geological settings were identified, in which most of the initial landslides that triggered debris flows occurred in May 1998 can be classified as (1) knickpoints, characterised by a downward progressive thinning of the pyroclastic mantle; (2) rocky scarps that abruptly interrupt the pyroclastic mantle; and (3) road cuts in the pyroclastic mantle that occur in a critical range of slope angle. Detailed topographic and stratigraphical surveys coupled with field and laboratory tests were conducted to define geometric, hydraulic and mechanical features of pyroclastic soil horizons in the source areas and to carry out hydrological numerical modelling of hillslopes under different rainfall conditions. The slope stability for three representative cases was calculated considering the real sliding surface of the initial landslides and the pore pressures during the infiltration process. The hydrological modelling of hillslopes demonstrated localised increase of pore pressure, up to saturation, where pyroclastic horizons with higher hydraulic conductivity pinch out and the thickness of pyroclastic mantle reduces or is

Chemical composition and oxidative stability of jussara (Euterpe edulis M.) oil extracted by cold and hot mechanical pressing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Da Cunha, A.L.A.; Freitas, S.P.; Godoy, R.L.O.; Cabral, L.M.C.; Tonon, R.V.

2017-01-01

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of mechanical pressing on jussara oil yield, oxidative stability and carotenoid profile with or without heat application. Firstly, jussara pulp was centrifuged for juice extraction, and the resulting cake was dried until reaching 10% moisture content. Then, oil extraction was performed in an expeller press at 25 ºC (cold pressing) and at 50 ºC (hot pressing). The process performance was evaluated by the oil yield, and the crude jussara oil was characterized for fatty acid composition, acid value, carotenoid profile and oxidative stability. Jussara oil contained 74% unsaturated fatty acids, mainly oleic and linoleic acids (48% and 24%, respectively). The oil yield was almost twice as high for the hot process as compared to the cold one. Additionally, hot pressing resulted in 25% higher total carotenoid content as compared to cold pressing, with β-carotene as the most abundant one. Hot and cold pressing showed no difference in oil oxidative stability and fatty acid composition. [es

Influence of filling-drawdown cycles of the Vajont reservoir on Mt. Toc slope stability

Science.gov (United States)

Paronuzzi, Paolo; Rigo, Elia; Bolla, Alberto

2013-06-01

In the present work, the 1963 Vajont landslide has been back-analyzed in detail to examine the influence of reservoir operations (filling and drawdown) on Mt. Toc slope stability. The combined seepage-slope stability analyses carried out show that the main destabilizing factor that favored the 1963 Vajont landslide was the reservoir-induced water table that formed as a consequence of rapid seepage inflow within the submerged toe of the slope — decrease in the factor of safety (FOS) up to 12% compared to the initial slope stability condition, i.e., in the absence of the Vajont reservoir. Rainfall would only have been a decisive factor if the initial stability condition of the Mt. Toc slope had already been very close to failure (decrease in FOS caused by heavy or prolonged rainfall is about 3-4%, for the worst case scenario analyzed). The permeability of the shear zone material occurring at the base of the prehistoric Vajont rockslide has been evaluated at 5 × 10- 4 m/s, and back-calculated values of the friction angles Φ range from 17.5° to 27.5°. When considering mountain reservoirs, slope failures can occur during both filling and drawdown phases. In the Vajont case, owing to the highly permeable materials of the shear zone, slope stability decreased during filling and increased during drawdown. Another displacement-dependent phenomenon of a mechanical nature - progressive failure of the NE landslide constraint - has to be considered to understand the slope collapse that occurred during the last drawdown (26 September-9 October 1963). The results of the combined seepage-slope stability models indicate that permeability of bank-forming material and filling-drawdown rates of reservoirs can strongly influence slope stability. Slow lowering of the reservoir level is a necessary measure to reduce the occurrence of very dangerous transient negative peaks of FOS.

Stabilization of classic and quantum systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buts, V.A.

2012-01-01

It is shown that the mechanism of quantum whirligig can be successfully used for stabilization of classical systems. In particular, the conditions for stabilization of charged particles and radiation fluxes in plasma are found.

Stability and convergence analysis of the quasi-dynamics method for the initial pebble packing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Y.; Ji, W.

2012-01-01

The simulation for the pebble flow recirculation within Pebble Bed Reactors (PBRs) requires an efficient algorithm to generate an initial overlap-free pebble configuration within the reactor core. In the previous work, a dynamics-based approach, the Quasi-Dynamics Method (QDM), has been proposed to generate densely distributed pebbles in PBRs with cylindrical and annular core geometries. However, the stability and the efficiency of the QDM were not fully addressed. In this work, the algorithm is reformulated with two control parameters and the impact of these parameters on the algorithm performance is investigated. Firstly, the theoretical analysis for a 1-D packing system is conducted and the range of the parameter in which the algorithm is convergent is estimated. Then, this estimation is verified numerically for a 3-D packing system. Finally, the algorithm is applied to modeling the PBR fuel loading configuration and the convergence performance at different packing fractions is presented. Results show that the QDM is efficient in packing pebbles within the realistic range of the packing fraction in PBRs, and it is capable in handling cylindrical geometry with packing fractions up to 63.5%. (authors)

Exploiting sequence and stability information for directing nanobody stability engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Kunz, Patrick; Flock, Tilman; Soler, Nicolas; Zaiss, Moritz; Vincke, Cécile; Sterckx, Yann; Kastelic, Damjana; Muyldermans, Serge; Hoheisel, Jörg D

2017-09-01

Variable domains of camelid heavy-chain antibodies, commonly named nanobodies, have high biotechnological potential. In view of their broad range of applications in research, diagnostics and therapy, engineering their stability is of particular interest. One important aspect is the improvement of thermostability, because it can have immediate effects on conformational stability, protease resistance and aggregation propensity of the protein. We analyzed the sequences and thermostabilities of 78 purified nanobody binders. From this data, potentially stabilizing amino acid variations were identified and studied experimentally. Some mutations improved the stability of nanobodies by up to 6.1°C, with an average of 2.3°C across eight modified nanobodies. The stabilizing mechanism involves an improvement of both conformational stability and aggregation behavior, explaining the variable degree of stabilization in individual molecules. In some instances, variations predicted to be stabilizing actually led to thermal destabilization of the proteins. The reasons for this contradiction between prediction and experiment were investigated. The results reveal a mutational strategy to improve the biophysical behavior of nanobody binders and indicate a species-specificity of nanobody architecture. This study illustrates the potential and limitations of engineering nanobody thermostability by merging sequence information with stability data, an aspect that is becoming increasingly important with the recent development of high-throughput biophysical methods. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Physical mechanism of initial breakdown pulses and narrow bipolar events in lightning discharges

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Caitano L.; Pasko, Victor P.

2015-05-01

To date the true nature of initial breakdown pulses (IBPs) and narrow bipolar events (NBEs) in lightning discharges remains a mystery. Recent experimental evidence has correlated IBPs to the initial development of lightning leaders inside the thundercloud. NBE wideband waveforms resemble classic IBPs in both amplitude and duration. Most NBEs are quite peculiar in the sense that very frequently they occur in isolation from other lightning processes. The remaining fraction, 16% of positive polarity NBEs, according to Wu et al. (2014), happens as the first event in an otherwise regular intracloud lightning discharge. These authors point out that the initiator type of NBEs has no difference with other NBEs that did not start lightning, except for the fact that they occur deeper inside the thunderstorm (i.e., at lower altitudes). In this paper, we propose a new physical mechanism to explain the source of both IBPs and NBEs. We propose that IBPs and NBEs are the electromagnetic transients associated with the sudden (i.e., stepwise) elongation of the initial negative leader extremity in the thunderstorm electric field. To demonstrate our hypothesis a novel computational/numerical model of the bidirectional lightning leader tree is developed, consisting of a generalization of electrostatic and transmission line approximations found in the literature. Finally, we show how the IBP and NBE waveform characteristics directly reflect the properties of the bidirectional lightning leader (such as step length, for example) and amplitude of the thunderstorm electric field.

Stability of Hyperthermophilic Proteins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stiefler-Jensen, Daniel

stability by randomly generate mutants and lengthy screening processes to identify the best new mutants. However, with the increase in available genomic sequences of thermophilic or hyperthermophilic organisms a world of enzymes with intrinsic high stability are now available. As these organisms are adapted...... to life at high temperatures so are their enzymes, as a result the high stability is accompanied by low activity at moderate temperatures. Thus, much effort had been put into decoding the mechanisms behind the high stability of the thermophilic enzymes. The hope is to enable scientist to design enzymes...... in the high stability of hyperthermophilic enzymes. The thesis starts with an introduction to the field of protein and enzyme stability with special focus on the thermophilic and hyperthermophilic enzymes and proteins. After the introduction three original research manuscripts present the experimental data...

Simultaneous and continuous stabilization of As and Pb in contaminated solution and soil by a ferrihydrite-gypsum sorbent.

Science.gov (United States)

Kameda, Kentaro; Hashimoto, Yohey; Wang, Shan-Li; Hirai, Yasumasa; Miyahara, Hidetaka

2017-04-05

For the increasing need of stabilization both cationic and anionic metal(loid)s simultaneously, we newly developed a metal sorbent (FIXALL), consisting mainly of ferrihydrite and gypsum. The objectives of this study were to determine the molecular mechanisms of Pb and As stabilization in an aqueous system and to examine a simultaneous and long-term (up to 754days) effect on Pb and As stabilization in an anthropogenically contaminated soil using the FIXALL sorbent. When the solution contained a low concentration of Pb (5mgL -1 ), the mechanisms of Pb removal by FIXALL were based chiefly on the formation of inner-sphere surface complex with ferrihydrite. In the highly concentrated Pb solution (1200mgL -1 ), contrarily, the removal of Pb by FIXALL was the direct consequence of the dissolution of gypsum and subsequent precipitation of PbSO 4 , which strengthens the drawback of low capability of ferrihydrite for Pb removal. Regardless of initial concentrations, the primary mechanism of FIXALL for As stabilization is attributed to the formation of inner-sphere surface complex with ferrihydrite. A contaminated soil study demonstrated that FIXALL could decrease the concentration of water soluble As and Pb simultaneously and continuously for 754days without notable changes in their chemical species and soil pH. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Strain-rate effect on initial crush stress of irregular honeycomb under dynamic loading and its deformation mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Peng; Zheng, Zhijun; Liao, Shenfei; Yu, Jilin

2018-02-01

The seemingly contradictory understandings of the initial crush stress of cellular materials under dynamic loadings exist in the literature, and a comprehensive analysis of this issue is carried out with using direct information of local stress and strain. Local stress/strain calculation methods are applied to determine the initial crush stresses and the strain rates at initial crush from a cell-based finite element model of irregular honeycomb under dynamic loadings. The initial crush stress under constant-velocity compression is identical to the quasi-static one, but less than the one under direct impact, i.e. the initial crush stresses under different dynamic loadings could be very different even though there is no strain-rate effect of matrix material. A power-law relation between the initial crush stress and the strain rate is explored to describe the strain-rate effect on the initial crush stress of irregular honeycomb when the local strain rate exceeds a critical value, below which there is no strain-rate effect of irregular honeycomb. Deformation mechanisms of the initial crush behavior under dynamic loadings are also explored. The deformation modes of the initial crush region in the front of plastic compaction wave are different under different dynamic loadings.

A preliminary study of thermo-mechanical stability of carbon S-phase formed in austenitic stainless steel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Wei; Chiu, Yu Long; Dong, Hanshan, E-mail: wsgddf@hotmail.com [School of Metallurgy and Materials, College of Physical and Engineering Sciences, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham (United Kingdom)

2010-07-01

Carbon S-phase was generated in the surface of AISI316 austenitic stainless steel by plasma carburising at 500°C for 10h in a gas mixture of 1.5%CH4 and 98.5%H{sub 2}. The thermo-mechanical stability of the carbon S-phase was studied by stressing the 'dog-bone' tensile specimens in the range of 0-200MPa at temperatures ranging from 400 to 500°C for 100-150h. Post-test characterisation was conducted using XRD, SEM, TEM and micro-indentation. The experimental results demonstrate that when tested at a fix temperature the thickness of the carbon S-phase layer increased with the stress applied to the tensile specimens during the thermo-mechanical stability tests. This indicates that tensile stress promotes the diffusion of carbon in the carbon-S-phase. When stressed at 400°C the microstructure of the carbon S-phase was not affected by the stress level; however, when stressed at 450 and 500°C for 100MPa or above, the corrosion resistance of the carbon S-phase slightly deteriorated. The application of a tensile stress during annealing of S-phase layer can retard the deduction of its hardness. This is believed to be related to the early stage precipitation of carbides in the S-phase, which could be facilitated by the applied tensile stress during thermal annealing. (author)

Laboratory and 3-D-distinct element analysis of failure mechanism of slope under external surcharge

Science.gov (United States)

Li, N.; Cheng, Y. M.

2014-09-01

Landslide is a major disaster resulting in considerable loss of human lives and property damages in hilly terrain in Hong Kong, China and many other countries. The factor of safety and the critical slip surface for slope stabilization are the main considerations for slope stability analysis in the past, while the detailed post-failure conditions of the slopes have not been considered in sufficient details. There are however increasing interest on the consequences after the initiation of failure which includes the development and propagation of the failure surfaces, the amount of failed mass and runoff and the affected region. To assess the development of slope failure in more details and to consider the potential danger of slopes after failure has initiated, the slope stability problem under external surcharge is analyzed by the distinct element method (DEM) and laboratory model test in the present research. A more refined study about the development of failure, microcosmic failure mechanism and the post-failure mechanism of slope will be carried out. The numerical modeling method and the various findings from the present work can provide an alternate method of analysis of slope failure which can give additional information not available from the classical methods of analysis.

Numerical simulation of head top coal's stability control of fully mechanized longwall mining with sublevel caving face in large dip seam

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, W.; Wan, Z.; Jiang, F.; Jia, P. [Beijing Science and Technology University, Beijing (China)

2008-07-01

Stability control of the head face's top-coal is one of the key techniques of realising high production and high efficiency in coal mining in fully mechanized top-coal caving face. The characteristics of the stress in the overlying strata of the fully mechanized top-coal caving face and the top coal were analysed using FLAC{sup 3D}. The results show that the tip-to-face top-coal generates a large deformation while it is in the stress-relaxed area. The top-coal in the front of the wall appears to be the failure area for the effect of the abutment pressure that spreads over the coal seam. The surrounding rock of the upper face end is the key part strengthened the control of the rib spalling. The first and frequent appearing phenomenon of losing stability of the powered supports is that the back base of the hydraulic power supports in the top of the face slips. Increasing the quality of support and so on can maintain the stability of surrounding rock. 4 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab.

Stability Analysis of a Reaction-Diffusion System Modeling Atherogenesis

KAUST Repository

Ibragimov, Akif

2010-01-01

This paper presents a linear, asymptotic stability analysis for a reaction-diffusionconvection system modeling atherogenesis, the initiation of atherosclerosis, as an inflammatory instability. Motivated by the disease paradigm articulated by Ross, atherogenesis is viewed as an inflammatory spiral with a positive feedback loop involving key cellular and chemical species interacting and reacting within the intimal layer of muscular arteries. The inflammatory spiral is initiated as an instability from a healthy state which is defined to be an equilibrium state devoid of certain key inflammatory markers. Disease initiation is studied through a linear, asymptotic stability analysis of a healthy equilibrium state. Various theorems are proved, giving conditions on system parameters guaranteeing stability of the health state, and a general framework is developed for constructing perturbations from a healthy state that exhibit blow-up, which are interpreted as corresponding to disease initiation. The analysis reveals key features that arterial geometry, antioxidant levels, and the source of inflammatory components (through coupled third-kind boundary conditions or through body sources) play in disease initiation. © 2010 Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

Stability of matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thirring, W.

1985-01-01

Basing on quantum mechanics and the simple Hamiltonian consisting of kinetic energy and Coulomb potential, heuristic arguments and estimates are used to guess the essential stability properties of many-particle systems. In view of applications in astrophysics, gravitation as a second potential and thermodynamic arguments are added. The guesses thus obtained are confronted with known exact results. The connection between the stabilities against explosion and against implosion, and thermodynamic stability is considered. In systems with a particle number larger than approx= 10 54 (corresponding to the Jupiter mass) gravitational energy prevails over the electrostatic energy and determines the history of a star. Negative specific heat accompanies life and death of a star. Finally the role of stability and instability in the universe for life is outlined. (G.Q.)

Mathematics applied to fluid mechanics and stability; Proceedings of the Conference, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, Sept. 9-11, 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drew, D.A.; Flaherty, J.E.

1986-01-01

The mathematical analysis of fluid mechanics and stability and its applications in science and engineering are examined in reviews and reports. Topics addressed include Taylor-vortex flow, isothermal fluid-film lubrication theories, the morphology of spiral galaxies, rotating-fluid problems in ballistics, coupled Lorenz oscillators, the connection between chaos and turbulence, plane-front alloy solidification versus free-surface Benard convection, and the nonlinear stability of spiral flow between rotating cylinders with a small gap. Consideration is given to resonance conditions for forced two-dimensional channel flows, the secondary bifurcation of standing surface waves in rectangular basins, instability in the flow of granular materials, and the supercritical dynamics of baroclinic disturbances

Surfactant-assisted dispersion of carbon nanotubes: mechanism of stabilization and biocompatibility of the surfactant

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Raman Preet; Jain, Sanyog; Ramarao, Poduri

2013-10-01

Nanoparticles (NPs) are thermodynamically unstable system and tend to aggregate to reduce free energy. The aggregation property of NPs results in inhomogeneous exposure of cells to NPs resulting in variable cellular responses. Several types of surfactants are used to stabilize NP dispersions and obtain homogenous dispersions. However, the effects of these surfactants, per se, on cellular responses are not completely known. The present study investigated the application of Pluronic F68 (PF68) for obtaining stable dispersion of NPs using carbon nanotubes as model NPs. PF68-stabilized NP suspensions are stable for long durations and do not show signs of aggregation or settling during storage or after autoclaving. The polyethylene oxide blocks in PF68 provide steric hindrance between adjacent NPs leading to stable NP dispersions. Further, PF68 is biocompatible in nature and does not affect integrity of mitochondria, lysosomes, DNA, and nuclei. Also, PF68 neither induce free radical or cytokine production nor does it interfere with cellular uptake mechanisms. The results of the present study suggest that PF68-assisted dispersion of NPs produced suspensions, which are stable after autoclaving. Further, PF68 does not interfere with normal physiological functions suggesting its application in nanomedicine and nanotoxicity evaluation.

Surfactant-assisted dispersion of carbon nanotubes: mechanism of stabilization and biocompatibility of the surfactant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Raman Preet; Jain, Sanyog; Ramarao, Poduri

2013-01-01

Nanoparticles (NPs) are thermodynamically unstable system and tend to aggregate to reduce free energy. The aggregation property of NPs results in inhomogeneous exposure of cells to NPs resulting in variable cellular responses. Several types of surfactants are used to stabilize NP dispersions and obtain homogenous dispersions. However, the effects of these surfactants, per se, on cellular responses are not completely known. The present study investigated the application of Pluronic F68 (PF68) for obtaining stable dispersion of NPs using carbon nanotubes as model NPs. PF68-stabilized NP suspensions are stable for long durations and do not show signs of aggregation or settling during storage or after autoclaving. The polyethylene oxide blocks in PF68 provide steric hindrance between adjacent NPs leading to stable NP dispersions. Further, PF68 is biocompatible in nature and does not affect integrity of mitochondria, lysosomes, DNA, and nuclei. Also, PF68 neither induce free radical or cytokine production nor does it interfere with cellular uptake mechanisms. The results of the present study suggest that PF68-assisted dispersion of NPs produced suspensions, which are stable after autoclaving. Further, PF68 does not interfere with normal physiological functions suggesting its application in nanomedicine and nanotoxicity evaluation

Surfactant-assisted dispersion of carbon nanotubes: mechanism of stabilization and biocompatibility of the surfactant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Raman Preet, E-mail: ramanpreetsingh@hotmail.com [Evalueserve SEZ (Gurgaon) Pvt. Ltd. (India); Jain, Sanyog [National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Centre for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Department of Pharmaceutics (India); Ramarao, Poduri, E-mail: ramaraop@yahoo.com [Central University of Punjab, School of Basic and Applied Sciences (India)

2013-10-15

Nanoparticles (NPs) are thermodynamically unstable system and tend to aggregate to reduce free energy. The aggregation property of NPs results in inhomogeneous exposure of cells to NPs resulting in variable cellular responses. Several types of surfactants are used to stabilize NP dispersions and obtain homogenous dispersions. However, the effects of these surfactants, per se, on cellular responses are not completely known. The present study investigated the application of Pluronic F68 (PF68) for obtaining stable dispersion of NPs using carbon nanotubes as model NPs. PF68-stabilized NP suspensions are stable for long durations and do not show signs of aggregation or settling during storage or after autoclaving. The polyethylene oxide blocks in PF68 provide steric hindrance between adjacent NPs leading to stable NP dispersions. Further, PF68 is biocompatible in nature and does not affect integrity of mitochondria, lysosomes, DNA, and nuclei. Also, PF68 neither induce free radical or cytokine production nor does it interfere with cellular uptake mechanisms. The results of the present study suggest that PF68-assisted dispersion of NPs produced suspensions, which are stable after autoclaving. Further, PF68 does not interfere with normal physiological functions suggesting its application in nanomedicine and nanotoxicity evaluation.

Experimental and theoretical exploration of mechanical stability of Pt/NbO2 interfaces for thermoelectric applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Music, Denis; Schmidt, Paul; Saksena, Aparna

2017-01-01

Mechanical stability criteria for metallic contacts, namely a minimised thermal stress and an enhanced interfacial strength, have been appraised for sputtered, x-ray amorphous NbO 2 thermoelectric thin films in contact with a polycrystalline Pt electrode utilising experimental and theoretical methods. Thermal stress built at these Pt/NbO 2 interfaces with approximately 50 MPa is minute even at 800 °C, the maximum operation temperature. There are no coordination changes of Pt and its metallic character is only marginally altered upon the interface formation. In addition, Nb–O bonds at the interface sustain their covalent-ionic dioxide bonding nature. Hence, even though there are no considerable modifications in the electronic structure of the individual components at these interfaces, Pt/NbO 2 interfacial bonds of metallic and partly covalent character are strong with a work of separation reaching 2 J m −2 . Based on the synergic experimental and theoretical results, it is therefore expected that these interfaces are mechanically stable during operation of these thermoelectric devices. This strategy is of general importance for designing mechanically stable electrical contacts. (paper)

Fixed-Time Stability Analysis of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors with Novel Adaptive Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maoxing Liu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We firstly investigate the fixed-time stability analysis of uncertain permanent magnet synchronous motors with novel control. Compared with finite-time stability where the convergence rate relies on the initial permanent magnet synchronous motors state, the settling time of fixed-time stability can be adjusted to desired values regardless of initial conditions. Novel adaptive stability control strategy for the permanent magnet synchronous motors is proposed, with which we can stabilize permanent magnet synchronous motors within fixed time based on the Lyapunov stability theory. Finally, some simulation and comparison results are given to illustrate the validity of the theoretical results.

STUDIES ON VINYL POLYMERIZATION WITH INITIATION SYSTEM CONTAINING AMINE DERIVATIVES

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

QIU Kunyuan; ZHANG Jingyi; FENG Xinde(S. T. Voong)

1983-01-01

Two main types of amine-containing initiation systems were studied in this work. In the case of MMA polymerization initiated by BPO-amine (DMT, DHET, DMA) redox systems, it was found that the polymerization rate and colour stability of the polymer for different amine systems were in the following order: DMT≈DHET＞DMA. Accordingly, BPO-DMT and BPO-DHET are effective initiators. In the case of MEMA polymerization by amine (DMT, DHET, DMA) alone, it was found that the polymerization rate and the percentage of conversion for these different amine systems were in the following order: DMT≥DHET＞DMA. The polymerization rate and the percentage of conversion also increased with the increase of DMT concentration. From the kinetic investigation the rate equation of Rp=K [DMT]1/2 [MEMA]3/2 was obtained, and the overall activation energy of polymerization was calculated to be 34.3 KJ/mol (8.2 Kcal/mol). Moreover, the polymerization of MEMA in the presence of DMT was strongly inhibited by hydroquinone, indicating the polymerization being free radical in nature. From these results, the mechanism of MEMA polymerization initiated by amine was proposed.

The Jigsaw Puzzle of mRNA Translation Initiation in Eukaryotes: A Decade of Structures Unraveling the Mechanics of the Process.

Science.gov (United States)

Hashem, Yaser; Frank, Joachim

2018-03-01

Translation initiation in eukaryotes is a highly regulated and rate-limiting process. It results in the assembly and disassembly of numerous transient and intermediate complexes involving over a dozen eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs). This process culminates in the accommodation of a start codon marking the beginning of an open reading frame at the appropriate ribosomal site. Although this process has been extensively studied by hundreds of groups for nearly half a century, it has been only recently, especially during the last decade, that we have gained deeper insight into the mechanics of the eukaryotic translation initiation process. This advance in knowledge is due in part to the contributions of structural biology, which have shed light on the molecular mechanics underlying the different functions of various eukaryotic initiation factors. In this review, we focus exclusively on the contribution of structural biology to the understanding of the eukaryotic initiation process, a long-standing jigsaw puzzle that is just starting to yield the bigger picture. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biophysics Volume 47 is May 20, 2018. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Mechanism of fatigue crack initiation in austenitic stainless steels in light water reactor environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chopra, O.K.; Shack, W.J.; Muscara, J.

2003-01-01

This paper examines the mechanism of fatigue crack initiation in austenitic stainless steels (SSs) in light water reactor (LWR) coolant environments. The effects of key material and loading variables on the fatigue lives of wrought and cast austenitic SSs in air and LWR environments have been evaluated. The influence of reactor coolant environments on the formation and growth of fatigue cracks in polished smooth SS specimens is discussed. The results indicate that the fatigue lives of these steels are decreased primarily by the effects of the environment on the growth of cracks <200 μm and, to a lesser extent, on enhanced growth rates of longer cracks. The fracture morphology in the specimens has been characterized. Exploratory fatigue tests were conducted to study the effects of surface micropits or minor differences in the surface oxide on fatigue crack initiation. (author)

Nonconservative stability problems of modern physics

CERN Document Server

Kirillov, Oleg N

2013-01-01

This work gives a complete overview on the subject of nonconservative stability from the modern point of view. Relevant mathematical concepts are presented, as well as rigorous stability results and numerous classical and contemporary examples from mechanics and physics.The book shall serve to present and prospective specialists providing the current state of knowledge in this actively developing field. The understanding of this theory is vital for many areas of technology, as dissipative effects in rotor dynamics orcelestial mechanics.

Interfacial, mechanical properties of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-NiAl composites respective to long term thermal stability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Song, Jia; Hu, Weiping; Gottstein, Guenter [RWTH Aachen Univ. (Germany). Inst. of Physical Metallurgy and Metal Physics

2010-07-01

The long term thermal stability of NiAl-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} composites was investigated. During annealing of the composites at 973 K and 1373 K for 2000 hours, the NiAl-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} system showed excellent chemical stability. However, grain growth and embrittlement progressed in the polycrystalline NiAl matrix. The interfacial shear strength decreased from 222{+-}50 MPa for the as-fabricated sample to 197{+-}48 MPa and 150{+-}38 MPa for the samples annealed at 973 K and 1373 K, respectively. The microstructure change during annealing at 973K and 1373 K affected the tensile strength differently. The potential causes of microstructure and interface structure change and their impact on mechanical properties are discussed. (orig.)

Mechanical and Thermal Stability Properties of Modified Rice Straw Fiber Blend with Polycaprolactone Composite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roshanak Khandanlou

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of modified rice straw (ORS on the mechanical and thermal properties of modified rice straw/polycaprolactone composites (ORS/PCL-Cs. The composites (Cs of polycaprolactone (PCL with ORS were successfully synthesized using the solution-casting method. The RS modified with octadecylamine (ODA as an organic modifier. The prepared composites were characterized by using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR, and mechanical properties were investigated. Composites of ORS/PCL showed superior mechanical properties due to greater compatibility of ORS with PCL. The XRD results showed that the intensity of the peaks decreased with the increase of ORS content from 1.0 to 7.0 wt.% in comparison with PCL peaks. Tensile measurement showed an increase in tensile modulus but a decrease in tensile strength and elongation at break as the ORS contents are increased from 1.0 to 7.0 wt.%; on the other hand, tensile strength was improved with the addition of 5.0 wt.% of ORS. Thermal stability was decreased with the increase of ORS contents. SEM micrograph indicated good dispersion of ORS into the matrix, and FT-IR spectroscopy showed that the interaction between PCL and ORS is physical interaction.

Grain boundary defects initiation at the outer surface of dissimilar welds: corrosion mechanism studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Bouvier, O.; Yrieix, B.

1995-11-01

Dissimilar welds located on the primary coolant system of the French PWR I plants exhibit grain boundary defects in the true austenitic zones of the first buttering layer. If grain boundaries reach the interface, they can extend to the martensitic band. Those defects are filled with compact oxides. In addition, the ferritic base metal presents some pits along the interface. Nowadays, three mechanisms are proposed to explain the initiation of those defects: stress corrosion cracking, intergranular corrosion and high temperature intergranular oxidation. This paper is dealing with the study of the mechanisms involved in the corrosion phenomenon. Intergranular corrosion tests performed on different materials show that only the first buttering layer, even with some δ ferrite, is sensitized. The results of stress corrosion cracking tests in water solutions show that intergranular cracking is possible on a bulk material representative of the first buttering layer. It is unlikely on actual dissimilar welds where the ferritic base metal protects the first austenitic layer by galvanic coupling. Therefore, the stress corrosion cracking assumption cannot explain the initiation of the defects in aqueous environment. The results of the investigations and of the corrosion studies led to the conclusion that the atmosphere could be the only possible aggressive environment. This conclusion is based on natural atmospheric exposure and accelerated corrosion tests carried out with SO 2 additions in controlled atmosphere. They both induce a severe intergranular corrosion on true sensitized austenitic materials. This corrosion studies cannot conclude definitively on the causes of the defect initiation on field, but they show that the atmospheric corrosion could produce intergranular attacks in the pure austenitic zones of the first buttering layer of the dissimilar welds and that this corrosion is stress assisted. (author). 1 ref., 6 figs., 4 tabs

Mechanism and kinetic properties for the OH-initiated atmospheric oxidation degradation of 9,10-Dichlorophenanthrene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dang, Juan; Shi, Xiangli; Zhang, Qingzhu, E-mail: zqz@sdu.edu.cn; Hu, Jingtian; Wang, Wenxing

2015-02-01

Chlorinated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (ClPAHs) have become a serious environmental concern due to their widespread occurrence and dioxin-like toxicities. In this work, the mechanism of the OH-initiated atmospheric oxidation degradation of 9,10-dichlorophenanthrene (9,10-Cl{sub 2}Phe) was investigated by using high-accuracy quantum chemistry calculations. The rate constants of the crucial elementary reactions were determined by the Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus (RRKM) theory. The theoretical results were compared with the available experimental data. The main oxidation products are a group of ring-retaining and ring-opening compounds including chlorophenanthrols, 9,10-dichlorophenanthrene-3,4-dione, dialdehydes, chlorophenanthrenequinones, nitro-9,10-Cl{sub 2}Phe and epoxides et al. The overall rate constant of the OH addition reaction is 2.35 × 10{sup −12} cm{sup 3} molecule{sup −1} s{sup −1} at 298 K and 1 atm. The atmospheric lifetime of 9,10-Cl{sub 2}Phe determined by OH radicals is about 5.05 days. This study provides a comprehensive investigation of the OH-initiated oxidation degradation of 9,10-Cl{sub 2}Phe and should contribute to clarifying its atmospheric fate. - Highlights: • We studied a comprehensive mechanism of OH-initiated degradation of 9,10-Cl{sub 2}Phe. • The atmospheric lifetime of 9,10-Cl{sub 2}Phe determined by OH radical is about 5.05 d. • The rate constants of the crucial elementary steps were evaluated. • Water plays an important role in the formation of nitro-9,10-Cl{sub 2}Phe.

The difference in thermal and mechanical stabilities of austenite between carbon- and nitrogen-added metastable austenitic stainless steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masumura, Takuro; Nakada, Nobuo; Tsuchiyama, Toshihiro; Takaki, Setsuo; Koyano, Tamotsu; Adachi, Kazuhiko

2015-01-01

In order to evaluate the effects of carbon and nitrogen addition on the stability of austenite, athermal and deformation-induced α′-martensitic transformation behaviors were investigated using type 304-metastable austenitic stainless steels containing 0.1 mass% carbon or nitrogen. The difference in the development of the deformation microstructure in particular is discussed in terms of the stacking-fault energy (SFE). Since carbon-added steel has a lower SFE than that of nitrogen-added steel, deformation twins and ε-martensite were preferentially formed in the carbon-added steel, whereas a dislocation cell structure developed in the nitrogen-added steel. Crystallographic analysis using the electron backscatter diffraction method revealed that the difference in the deformation microstructure has a significant influence on the growth behavior of deformation-induced α′-martensite, that is, the interface of the deformation twins and ε-martensite suppresses the growth of α′-martensite, whereas dislocation cell boundaries are not effective. As a result, the mechanical stability of carbon-added steel is slightly higher than that of nitrogen-added steel, although the thermal stabilization effect of carbon is much lower than that of nitrogen

Quantum mechanics gives stability to a Nash equilibrium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iqbal, A.; Toor, A.H.

2002-01-01

We consider a slightly modified version of the rock-scissors-paper (RSP) game from the point of view of evolutionary stability. In its classical version the game has a mixed Nash equilibrium (NE) not stable against mutants appearing in small numbers. We find a quantized version of the RSP game for which the classical mixed NE becomes stable

Initial mechanical ventilator settings and lung protective ventilation in the ED.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilcox, Susan R; Richards, Jeremy B; Fisher, Daniel F; Sankoff, Jeffrey; Seigel, Todd A

2016-08-01

Mechanical ventilation with low tidal volumes has been shown to improve outcomes for patients both with and without acute respiratory distress syndrome. This study aims to characterize mechanically ventilated patients in the emergency department (ED), describe the initial ED ventilator settings, and assess for associations between lung protective ventilation strategies in the ED and outcomes. This was a multicenter, prospective, observational study of mechanical ventilation at 3 academic EDs. We defined lung protective ventilation as a tidal volume of less than or equal to 8 mL/kg of predicted body weight and compared outcomes for patients ventilated with lung protective vs non-lung protective ventilation, including inhospital mortality, ventilator days, intensive care unit length of stay, and hospital length of stay. Data from 433 patients were analyzed. Altered mental status without respiratory pathology was the most common reason for intubation, followed by trauma and respiratory failure. Two hundred sixty-one patients (60.3%) received lung protective ventilation, but most patients were ventilated with a low positive end-expiratory pressure, high fraction of inspired oxygen strategy. Patients were ventilated in the ED for a mean of 5 hours and 7 minutes but had few ventilator adjustments. Outcomes were not significantly different between patients receiving lung protective vs non-lung protective ventilation. Nearly 40% of ED patients were ventilated with non-lung protective ventilation as well as with low positive end-expiratory pressure and high fraction of inspired oxygen. Despite a mean ED ventilation time of more than 5 hours, few patients had adjustments made to their ventilators. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mechanical stability of cylindrical thin-shell wormholes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharif, M. [University of the Punjab, Department of Mathematics, Lahore (Pakistan); Azam, M. [University of Education, Division of Science and Technology, Lahore (Pakistan)

2013-04-15

In this paper, we apply the cut and paste procedure to the charged black string for the construction of a thin-shell wormhole. We consider the Darmois-Israel formalism to determine the surface stresses of the shell. We take the Chaplygin gas to deal with the matter distribution on shell. The radial perturbation approach (preserving the symmetry) is used to investigate the stability of static solutions. We conclude that stable static solutions exist both for uncharged and charged black string thin-shell wormholes for particular values of the parameters. (orig.)

Stabilization and anomalous hydration of collagen fibril under heating.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sasun G Gevorkian

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Type I collagen is the most common protein among higher vertebrates. It forms the basis of fibrous connective tissues (tendon, chord, skin, bones and ensures mechanical stability and strength of these tissues. It is known, however, that separate triple-helical collagen macromolecules are unstable at physiological temperatures. We want to understand the mechanism of collagen stability at the intermolecular level. To this end, we study the collagen fibril, an intermediate level in the collagen hierarchy between triple-helical macromolecule and tendon. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDING: When heating a native fibril sample, its Young's modulus decreases in temperature range 20-58°C due to partial denaturation of triple-helices, but it is approximately constant at 58-75°C, because of stabilization by inter-molecular interactions. The stabilization temperature range 58-75°C has two further important features: here the fibril absorbs water under heating and the internal friction displays a peak. We relate these experimental findings to restructuring of collagen triple-helices in fibril. A theoretical description of the experimental results is provided via a generalization of the standard Zimm-Bragg model for the helix-coil transition. It takes into account intermolecular interactions of collagen triple-helices in fibril and describes water adsorption via the Langmuir mechanism. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: We uncovered an inter-molecular mechanism that stabilizes the fibril made of unstable collagen macromolecules. This mechanism can be relevant for explaining stability of collagen.

Comparison of heat stability of goat milk subjected to ultra-high temperature and in-container sterilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, B Y; Grandison, A S; Lewis, M J

2012-03-01

Goat milk with and without stabilizing salt was subjected to in-container and UHT sterilization. Heat stability was assessed by measuring the amount of sediment in the milk. Without stabilizing salts, goat milk usually produced less sediment when subjected to in-container sterilization compared with UHT processing. Addition of stabilizing salts up to 12.8mM resulted in a progressive increase in sediment for in-container sterilization. In contrast, adding stabilizing salts at 6.4mM initially reduced sediment formation in UHT-treated milk but addition of stabilizing salts at 12.8mM increased sediment formation. Adding stabilizing salts to goat milk increased pH, decreased ionic calcium, and increased ethanol stability. Adding up to 2mM calcium chloride increased sediment formation more after UHT treatment than after in-container sterilization. These results suggest that no single mechanism or set of reactions causes milk to produce sediment during heating and that the favored pathway is different for UHT and in-container sterilization processes. Poor heat stability could be induced both by increasing ionic calcium and by decreasing it. Ethanol stability is not a good indicator of heat stability for in-container sterilization, but it may be for UHT sterilization, if milk does not enter the region of poor heat stability found at low concentrations of ionic calcium. Copyright © 2012 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

User's manual for the FLORA equilibrium and stability code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freis, R.P.; Cohen, B.I.

1985-01-01

This document provides a user's guide to the content and use of the two-dimensional axisymmetric equilibrium and stability code FLORA. FLORA addresses the low-frequency MHD stability of long-thin axisymmetric tandem mirror systems with finite pressure and finite-larmor-radius effects. FLORA solves an initial-value problem for interchange, rotational, and ballooning stability

Analysis of the thermal fragmentation as a mechanism for the initiation of steam explosion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lamome, J.; Meignen, R.

2007-01-01

We propose a theoretical study of the film behaviour and its stability during the phenomenon of drop thermal fragmentation. We discuss the role of the various possible influences on the film collapse and instability processes. First, we discuss the possibility of simple fuel/coolant contacts as a mechanism for the drop instability. Under this assumption, we then describe and test our model on Nelson and Duda explodability maps, with a particular emphasis on the description of the film evolution. The reasonable agreement obtained allows us to analyse the effect of various parameters as the ambient pressure, subcooling and trigger pulse shape on the film behaviour in Nelson and Duda experiments. The perspectives of this work are then shortly discussed including extrapolation to more prototypic situations and the role of thermal fragmentation itself. (authors)

On the mechanism of high-voltage discharge initiation in high-voltage accelerator accelerating tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheleznikov, F.G.

1983-01-01

Experimental investigation into physical natupe of discharge processes in high-voltage accelerator accelerating tubes in the absence of the accelerated particle beam are conducted. The installation for the study of the mechanism of initiating vacuum isolation conductivity is used in the experiments. The vacuum chamber of the installation is made of steel and sealed with rubber packings. Electrodes 300-360 mm in diameter are made of stainless steel. Two variants of cleaning technology were used before electrode assembling: 1) degreasing by organic solvents; 2) cleaning by fine grinding cloth with successive washing by rectificated alcohol. Analysis of the obtained data shows that forma. tion of background flux of charged particles in interelectrode gap is caused by external photoelectric effect, excited by X radiation, which initiates the formation of intensive internal field in microfilms of non-conducting impurities on the electrode surfaces. The secondary electron emission plays the minor role at that

Study of the hybrid controller electronics for the nano-stabilization of mechanical vibrations of CLIC quadrupoles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carmona, P Fernandez; Artoos, K; Esposito, M; Guinchard, M; Janssens, S; Kuzmin, A; Ballester, R Moron; Collette, C

2011-01-01

In order to achieve the required levels of luminosity in the CLIC linear collider, mechanical stabilization of quadrupoles to the nanometre level is required. The paper describes a design of hybrid electronics combining an analogue controller and digital communication with the main machine controller. The choice of local analogue control ensures the required low latency while still keeping sufficiently low noise level. Furthermore, it reduces the power consumption, rack space and cost. Sensitivity to radiation single events upsets is reduced compared to a digital controller. The digital part is required for fine tuning and real time monitoring via digitization of critical parameters.

Stability and Degradation of Polymer Solar cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Norrman, Kion

The current state-of-the-art allows for roll-to-roll manufacture of polymer solar cells in high volume with stability and efficiency sufficient to grant success in low-energy applications. However, further improvement is needed for the successful application of the devices in real life applications....... This is obtained by detailed knowledge of the degradation mechanisms. Methods to compare and standardize device stability are urgently needed. Methodologies to study failure mechanism that are based on physical processes (e.g. morphological changes) are well-established. However, methodologies to study chemical...... degradation mechanisms are currently scarce. An overview of known degradation mechanisms will be presented and discussed in relation to state-of-the-art methodologies to study failure mechanisms with focus on chemical degradation....

Laboratory and 3-D distinct element analysis of the failure mechanism of a slope under external surcharge

Science.gov (United States)

Li, N.; Cheng, Y. M.

2015-01-01

Landslide is a major disaster resulting in considerable loss of human lives and property damages in hilly terrain in Hong Kong, China and many other countries. The factor of safety and the critical slip surface for slope stabilization are the main considerations for slope stability analysis in the past, while the detailed post-failure conditions of the slopes have not been considered in sufficient detail. There is however increasing interest in the consequences after the initiation of failure that includes the development and propagation of the failure surfaces, the amount of failed mass and runoff and the affected region. To assess the development of slope failure in more detail and to consider the potential danger of slopes after failure has initiated, the slope stability problem under external surcharge is analyzed by the distinct element method (DEM) and a laboratory model test in the present research. A more refined study about the development of failure, microcosmic failure mechanisms and the post-failure mechanisms of slopes will be carried out. The numerical modeling method and the various findings from the present work can provide an alternate method of analysis of slope failure, which can give additional information not available from the classical methods of analysis.

Chitosan nanocomposite films: enhanced electrical conductivity, thermal stability, and mechanical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Marroquin, Jason B; Rhee, K Y; Park, S J

2013-02-15

A novel, high-performance Fe(3)O(4)/MWNT/Chitosan nanocomposite has been prepared by a simple solution evaporation method. A significant synergistic effect of Fe(3)O(4) and MWNT provided enhanced electrical conductivity, mechanical properties, and thermal stability on the nanocomposites. A 5% (wt) loading of Fe(3)O(4)/MWNT in the nanocomposite increased conductivity from 5.34×10(-5) S/m to 1.49×10(-2) S/m compared to 5% (wt) MWNT loadings. The Fe(3)O(4)/MWNT/Chitosan films also exhibited increases in tensile strength and modulus of 70% and 155%, respectively. The integral procedure decomposition temperature (IPDT) was enhanced from 501 °C to 568 °C. These effects resulted from a number of factors: generation of a greater number of conductive channels through interactions between MWNT and Fe(3)O(4) surfaces, a higher relative crystallinity, the antiplasticizing effects of Fe(3)O(4), a restricted mobility and hindrance of depolymerization of the Chitosan chain segments, as well as uniform distribution, improved dispersion, and strong interfacial adhesion between the MWNT and Chitosan matrix. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Functional stability of cerebral circulatory system

Science.gov (United States)

Moskalenko, Y. Y.

1980-01-01

The functional stability of the cerebral circulation system seems to be based on the active mechanisms and on those stemming from specific of the biophysical structure of the system under study. This latter parameter has some relevant criteria for its quantitative estimation. The data obtained suggest that the essential part of the mechanism for active responses of cerebral vessels which maintains the functional stability of this portion of the vascular system, consists of a neurogenic component involving central nervous structures localized, for instance, in the medulla oblongata.

‘Initiative-Decision’ Typology of New Product Launching (NPL into Local Market: Toward Interaction Mechanism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Firmanzah

2009-12-01

Full Text Available New product launching (NPL process in subsidiaries is very complex, expensive and risky. This process is marked by the problem of role partition between headquarter and subsidiaries. This research emphasizes the quality of relation between subsidiaries and headquarter which determines the qualities of NPL process into local market. Typology of initiative-decision during NPL process has been documented. Using cluster analysis, three clusters of ‘initiative-decision’ during NPL are found in this research: ‘headquarters domination’, ‘mix-initiative’ and ‘interaction’. Using ANOVA analysis, this research found that interaction between subsidiary and headquarter managers positively increases the effectiveness of marketing-strategy during NPL process. This finding suggests that interaction mechanism between subsidiary and headquarter is the best solution to launch a new product to the local market.

Very High Cycle Fatigue Crack Initiation Mechanism in Nugget Zone of AA 7075 Friction Stir Welded Joint

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chao He

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Very high cycle fatigue behavior of nugget zone in AA 7075 friction stir welded joint was experimentally investigated using ultrasonic fatigue testing system (20 kHz to clarify the crack initiation mechanism. It was found that the fatigue strength of nugget zone decreased continuously even beyond 107 cycles with no traditional fatigue limits. Fatigue cracks initiated from the welding defects located at the bottom side of the friction stir weld. Moreover, a special semicircular zone could be characterized around the crack initiation site, of which the stress intensity factor approximately equaled the threshold of fatigue crack propagation rate. Finally, a simplified model was proposed to estimate the fatigue life by correlating the welding defect size and applied stress. The predicted results are in good agreement with the experimental results.

Spiral Wave Initiation in Reaction-Diffusion-Mechanics Systems: A Model for the Onset of Reentrant Cardiac Arrhythmia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weise, L.D.

2012-01-01

Heart failure due to cardiac arrhythmias is a major cause of death in the industrialized world. Cardiac arrhythmia is often caused by spi- ral waves of electrical activity in the cardiac muscle. Therefore, it is a major task in cardiology to understand the mechanisms of spiral wave initiation in the

Stability Analysis and Stabilization of Miduk Heap Leaching Structure, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehdi Amini

2013-06-01

Full Text Available To construct copper heap leaching structures, a stepped heap of ore is placed over an isolated sloping surface and then washed with sulphuric acid. The isolated bed of such a heap consists of some natural and geosynthetic layers. Shear strength parameters between these layers are low, so they form the possible sliding surfaces of the heaps. Economic and environmental considerations call for studying such slides. In this study, firstly, results of the laboratory tests carried on the materials of the heap leaching structures bed are presented. Then, the instability mechanisms of such structures are investigated and proper approaches are summarized for their stabilization. Finally, stability of the Miduk copper heap is evaluated as a case history, and appropriate approaches and their effects are discussed for its stabilization.

Potential mechanisms of carbon monoxide and high oxygen packaging in maintaining color stability of different bovine muscles.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chenglong; Zhang, Yimin; Yang, Xiaoyin; Liang, Rongrong; Mao, Yanwei; Hou, Xu; Lu, Xiao; Luo, Xin

2014-06-01

The objectives were to compare the effects of packaging methods on color stability, metmyoglobin-reducing-activity (MRA), total-reducing-activity and NADH concentration of different bovine muscles and to explore potential mechanisms in the enhanced color stability by carbon monoxide modified atmosphere packaging (CO-MAP, 0.4% CO/30% CO2/69.6% N2). Steaks from longissimus lumborum (LL), psoas major (PM) and longissimus thoracis (LT) packaged in CO-MAP, high-oxygen modified atmosphere packaging (HiOx-MAP, 80% O2/20% CO2) or vacuum packaging were stored for 0day, 4days, 9days, and 14days or stored for 9days then displayed in air for 0day, 1day, or 3days. The CO-MAP significantly increased red color stability of all muscles, and especially for PM. The PM and LT were more red than LL in CO-MAP, whereas PM had lowest redness in HiOx-MAP. The content of MetMb in CO-MAP was lower than in HiOx-MAP. Steaks in CO-MAP maintained a higher MRA compared with those in HiOx-MAP during storage. After opening packages, the red color of steaks in CO-MAP deteriorated more slowly compared with that of steaks in HiOx-MAP. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vadose zone process that control landslide initiation and debris flow propagation

Science.gov (United States)

Sidle, Roy C.

2015-04-01

Advances in the areas of geotechnical engineering, hydrology, mineralogy, geomorphology, geology, and biology have individually advanced our understanding of factors affecting slope stability; however, the interactions among these processes and attributes as they affect the initiation and propagation of landslides and debris flows are not well understood. Here the importance of interactive vadose zone processes is emphasized related to the mechanisms, initiation, mode, and timing of rainfall-initiated landslides that are triggered by positive pore water accretion, loss of soil suction and increase in overburden weight, and long-term cumulative rain water infiltration. Both large- and small-scale preferential flow pathways can both contribute to and mitigate instability, by respectively concentrating and dispersing subsurface flow. These mechanisms are influenced by soil structure, lithology, landforms, and biota. Conditions conducive to landslide initiation by infiltration versus exfiltration are discussed relative to bedrock structure and joints. The effects of rhizosphere processes on slope stability are examined, including root reinforcement of soil mantles, evapotranspiration, and how root structures affect preferential flow paths. At a larger scale, the nexus between hillslope landslides and in-channel debris flows is examined with emphasis on understanding the timing of debris flows relative to chronic and episodic infilling processes, as well as the episodic nature of large rainfall and related stormflow generation in headwater streams. The hydrogeomorphic processes and conditions that determine whether or not landslides immediately mobilize into debris flows is important for predicting the timing and extent of devastating debris flow runout in steep terrain. Given the spatial footprint of individual landslides, it is necessary to assess vadose zone processes at appropriate scales to ascertain impacts on mass wasting phenomena. Articulating the appropriate

Spherical nano-SnSb/MCMB/carbon core–shell composite for high stability lithium ion battery anodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Juan; Ru, Qiang; Hu, Shejun; Sun, Dawei; Zhang, Beibei; Hou, Xianhua

2013-01-01

A novel multi-step design of spherical nano-SnSb/MCMB/carbon core–shell composite for high stability and long life lithium battery electrodes has been introduced. The core–shell composite was successfully synthesized via co-precipitation and subsequent pyrolysis. The resultant composite sphere consisted of nanosized SnSb alloy and mesophase carbon microbeads (MCMB, 10 μm) embedded in a carbon matrix pyrolyzed from glucose and petroleum pitch, in which the MCMB was treated to be the inner core to offer mechanical support and efficient electron conducting pathway. The composite material exhibited a unique stability with a retention discharge capacity rate of 83.52% with reversible capacity of 422.5 mAh g −1 after 100 cycles and a high initial coulombic efficiency of 83.53%. The enhanced electrochemical performance is attributed to the structural stability of the composite sphere during the charging–discharging process

Adsorption mechanism of alkyl polyglucoside (APG) on calcite nanoparticles in aqueous medium at varying pH

Science.gov (United States)

Suh, Seokjin; Choi, Kyeong-Ok; Yang, Seung-Chul; Kim, Yeong Eun; Ko, Sanghoon

2017-07-01

In this study, adsorption mechanism of alkyl polyglucoside (APG) on calcium carbonate (CaCO3) nanoparticles (CCNPs) in aqueous medium at varying pH was identified. An initial adsorption of APG on CCNP surface seemed to be occurred due to the van der Waals force. An initial surface charge influenced determination of a major driving force, which resulted in hydrogen bonds (pH 7) and the hydrophobic interaction (pH 10) as a main sources of adsorption of APG on the CCNP surface. Even if the initial surface charge of CCNPs had little effect on a quantitative adsorption of APG on CCNPs, eventually, it influence on the definitive adsorption structure between APG and CCNPs and improvement of dispersion stability of CCNPs in water. In conclusion, it was revealed that 0.39% APG aqueous solution was most appropriate to improve the dispersion stability of CCNPs, which is postulated to be used effectively in food and pharmaceutical fields.

A Simplified Stabilizer ZX-calculus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miriam Backens

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The stabilizer ZX-calculus is a rigorous graphical language for reasoning about quantum mechanics.The language is sound and complete: a stabilizer ZX-diagram can be transformed into another one if and only if these two diagrams represent the same quantum evolution or quantum state. We show that the stabilizer ZX-calculus can be simplified, removing unnecessary equations while keeping only the essential axioms which potentially capture fundamental structures of quantum mechanics. We thus give a significantly smaller set of axioms and prove that meta-rules like 'colour symmetry' and 'upside-down symmetry', which were considered as axioms in previous versions of the language, can in fact be derived. In particular, we show that the additional symbol and one of the rules which had been recently introduced to keep track of scalars (diagrams with no inputs or outputs are not necessary.

Characterization of Initial Parameter Information for Lifetime Prediction of Electronic Devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhigang; Liu, Boying; Yuan, Mengxiong; Zhang, Feifei; Guo, Jiaqiang

2016-01-01

Newly manufactured electronic devices are subject to different levels of potential defects existing among the initial parameter information of the devices. In this study, a characterization of electromagnetic relays that were operated at their optimal performance with appropriate and steady parameter values was performed to estimate the levels of their potential defects and to develop a lifetime prediction model. First, the initial parameter information value and stability were quantified to measure the performance of the electronics. In particular, the values of the initial parameter information were estimated using the probability-weighted average method, whereas the stability of the parameter information was determined by using the difference between the extrema and end points of the fitting curves for the initial parameter information. Second, a lifetime prediction model for small-sized samples was proposed on the basis of both measures. Finally, a model for the relationship of the initial contact resistance and stability over the lifetime of the sampled electromagnetic relays was proposed and verified. A comparison of the actual and predicted lifetimes of the relays revealed a 15.4% relative error, indicating that the lifetime of electronic devices can be predicted based on their initial parameter information.

Characterization of Initial Parameter Information for Lifetime Prediction of Electronic Devices.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhigang Li

Full Text Available Newly manufactured electronic devices are subject to different levels of potential defects existing among the initial parameter information of the devices. In this study, a characterization of electromagnetic relays that were operated at their optimal performance with appropriate and steady parameter values was performed to estimate the levels of their potential defects and to develop a lifetime prediction model. First, the initial parameter information value and stability were quantified to measure the performance of the electronics. In particular, the values of the initial parameter information were estimated using the probability-weighted average method, whereas the stability of the parameter information was determined by using the difference between the extrema and end points of the fitting curves for the initial parameter information. Second, a lifetime prediction model for small-sized samples was proposed on the basis of both measures. Finally, a model for the relationship of the initial contact resistance and stability over the lifetime of the sampled electromagnetic relays was proposed and verified. A comparison of the actual and predicted lifetimes of the relays revealed a 15.4% relative error, indicating that the lifetime of electronic devices can be predicted based on their initial parameter information.

Accelerator and Technical Sector Seminar: Mechanical stabilization and positioning of CLIC quadrupoles with sub-nanometre resolution

CERN Multimedia

2011-01-01

Thursday 24 November 2010 Accelerator and Technical Sector Seminar at 14:15  -  BE Auditorium, bldg. 6 (Meyrin) – please note unusual place Mechanical stabilization and positioning of CLIC quadrupoles with sub-nanometre resolution Stef Janssens /EN-MME Abstract: To reach the required luminosity at the CLIC interaction point, about 4000 quadrupoles are needed to obtain a vertical beam size of 1 nm at the interaction point. The mechanical jitter of the quadrupole magnets will result in an emittance growth. An active vibration isolation system is required to reduce vibrations from the ground and from external forces to about 1.5 nm integrated root mean square (r.m.s.) vertical displacement at 1 Hz. A short overview of vibration damping and isolation strategies will be presented as well as a comparison of existing systems. The unprecedented resolution requirements and the instruments enabling these measurements will be discussed. The vibration sources from which the magnets need to...

Ultrasonic-assisted synthesis of polyvinyl alcohol/phytic acid polymer film and its thermal stability, mechanical properties and surface resistivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jihui; Li, Yongshen; Song, Yunna; Niu, Shuai; Li, Ning

2017-11-01

In this paper, polyvinyl alcohol/phytic acid polymer (PVA/PA polymer) was synthesized through esterification reaction of PVA and PA in the case of acidity and ultrasound irradiation and characterized, and PVA/PA polymer film was prepared by PVA/PA polymer and characterized, and the influence of dosage of PA on the thermal stability, mechanical properties and surface resistivity of PVA/PA polymer film were researched, and the influence of sonication time on the mechanical properties of PVA/PA polymer film was investigated. Based on those, it was concluded that the hydroxyl group on the chain of PVA and the phosphonic group on PA were connected together in the form of phosphonate bond, and the hydroxyl group on the chain of PVA were connected together in the form of ether bond after the intermolecular dehydration; in the meantime, it was also confirmed that PVA/PA polymer film prepared from 1.20mL of PA not only had the high thermal stability and favorable ductility but also the low surface resistivity in comparison with PVA/PA polymer film with 0.00mL of PA, and the ductility of PVA/PA polymer film was very sensitive to the sonication time. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Cue-dependent memory-based smooth-pursuit in normal human subjects: importance of extra-retinal mechanisms for initial pursuit.

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, Norie; Barnes, Graham R; Fukushima, Junko; Fukushima, Kikuro; Warabi, Tateo

2013-08-01

Using a cue-dependent memory-based smooth-pursuit task previously applied to monkeys, we examined the effects of visual motion-memory on smooth-pursuit eye movements in normal human subjects and compared the results with those of the trained monkeys. These results were also compared with those during simple ramp-pursuit that did not require visual motion-memory. During memory-based pursuit, all subjects exhibited virtually no errors in either pursuit-direction or go/no-go selection. Tracking eye movements of humans and monkeys were similar in the two tasks, but tracking eye movements were different between the two tasks; latencies of the pursuit and corrective saccades were prolonged, initial pursuit eye velocity and acceleration were lower, peak velocities were lower, and time to reach peak velocities lengthened during memory-based pursuit. These characteristics were similar to anticipatory pursuit initiated by extra-retinal components during the initial extinction task of Barnes and Collins (J Neurophysiol 100:1135-1146, 2008b). We suggest that the differences between the two tasks reflect differences between the contribution of extra-retinal and retinal components. This interpretation is supported by two further studies: (1) during popping out of the correct spot to enhance retinal image-motion inputs during memory-based pursuit, pursuit eye velocities approached those during simple ramp-pursuit, and (2) during initial blanking of spot motion during memory-based pursuit, pursuit components appeared in the correct direction. Our results showed the importance of extra-retinal mechanisms for initial pursuit during memory-based pursuit, which include priming effects and extra-retinal drive components. Comparison with monkey studies on neuronal responses and model analysis suggested possible pathways for the extra-retinal mechanisms.

Enhanced stability of black phosphorus field-effect transistors with SiO₂ passivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Bensong; Yang, Bingchao; Wang, Yue; Zhang, Junying; Zeng, Zhongming; Liu, Zhongyuan; Wang, Wenhong

2015-10-30

Few-layer black phosphorus (BP) has attracted much attention due to its high mobility and suitable band gap for potential applic5ations in optoelectronics and flexible devices. However, its instability under ambient conditions limits its practical applications. Our investigations indicate that by passivation of the mechanically exfoliated BP flakes with a SiO2 layer, the fabricated BP field-effect transistors (FETs) exhibit greatly enhanced environmental stability. Compared to the unpassivated BP devices, which show a fast drop of on/off current ratio by a factor of 10 after one week of ambient exposure, the SiO2-passivated BP devices display a high retained on/off current ratio of over 600 after one week of exposure, just a little lower than the initial value of 810. Our investigations provide an effective route to passivate the few-layer BPs for enhancement of their environmental stability.

Model Checking a Self-Stabilizing Distributed Clock Synchronization Protocol for Arbitrary Digraphs

Science.gov (United States)

Malekpour, Mahyar R.

2011-01-01

This report presents the mechanical verification of a self-stabilizing distributed clock synchronization protocol for arbitrary digraphs in the absence of faults. This protocol does not rely on assumptions about the initial state of the system, other than the presence of at least one node, and no central clock or a centrally generated signal, pulse, or message is used. The system under study is an arbitrary, non-partitioned digraph ranging from fully connected to 1-connected networks of nodes while allowing for differences in the network elements. Nodes are anonymous, i.e., they do not have unique identities. There is no theoretical limit on the maximum number of participating nodes. The only constraint on the behavior of the node is that the interactions with other nodes are restricted to defined links and interfaces. This protocol deterministically converges within a time bound that is a linear function of the self-stabilization period.

Mechanism for the stabilization/solidification of arsenic-contaminated soils with Portland cement and cement kiln dust.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, In-Ho; Moon, Deok Hyun; Kim, Kyoung-Woong; Lee, Keun-Young; Lee, Ji-Hoon; Kim, Min Gyu

2010-11-01

In this study, the mechanism for the stabilization/solidification (S/S) of arsenic (As)-contaminated soils with Portland cement (PC), and cement kiln dust (CKD) using 1 N HCl extraction fluid, X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy was investigated. The degree of As immobilization after stabilization was assessed using a 1 N HCl extraction on the basis of the Korean Standard Test (KST). After 1 day of curing with 30 wt% PC and 7 days of curing with 50 wt% CKD, the concentration of As leached from the amended soils was less than the Korean countermeasure standard (3 mg L(-1)). The As concentrations in the leachate treated with PC and CKD were significantly decreased at pH > 3, indicating that pH had a prevailing influence on As mobility. XRPD results indicated that calcium arsenite (Ca-As-O) and sodium calcium arsenate hydrate (NaCaAsO(4).7.5H(2)O) were present in the PC- and CKD-treated slurries as the key phases responsible for As(III) and As(V) immobilization, respectively. The XANES spectroscopy confirmed that the As(III) and As(V) oxidation states of the PC and CKD slurry samples were consistent with the speciated forms in the crystals identified by XRPD. EXAFS spectroscopy showed As-Ca bonding in the As(III)-PC and As(III)-CKD slurries. The main mechanism for the immobilization of As-contaminated soils with PC and CKD was strongly associated with the bonding between As(III) or As(V) and Ca. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Numerical Computation of Detonation Stability

KAUST Repository

Kabanov, Dmitry

2018-06-03

Detonation is a supersonic mode of combustion that is modeled by a system of conservation laws of compressible fluid mechanics coupled with the equations describing thermodynamic and chemical properties of the fluid. Mathematically, these governing equations admit steady-state travelling-wave solutions consisting of a leading shock wave followed by a reaction zone. However, such solutions are often unstable to perturbations and rarely observed in laboratory experiments. The goal of this work is to study the stability of travelling-wave solutions of detonation models by the following novel approach. We linearize the governing equations about a base travelling-wave solution and solve the resultant linearized problem using high-order numerical methods. The results of these computations are postprocessed using dynamic mode decomposition to extract growth rates and frequencies of the perturbations and predict stability of travelling-wave solutions to infinitesimal perturbations. We apply this approach to two models based on the reactive Euler equations for perfect gases. For the first model with a one-step reaction mechanism, we find agreement of our results with the results of normal-mode analysis. For the second model with a two-step mechanism, we find that both types of admissible travelling-wave solutions exhibit the same stability spectra. Then we investigate the Fickett’s detonation analogue coupled with a particular reaction-rate expression. In addition to the linear stability analysis of this model, we demonstrate that it exhibits rich nonlinear dynamics with multiple bifurcations and chaotic behavior.

Evaluation of seismic stability of near field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taniguchi, Wataru; Takaji, Kazuhiko; Sugino, Hiroyuki; Mori, Koji

1999-11-01

For the buffer material of geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) in Japan, it is considered to use a compacted bentonite or a compacted sand-mixture bentonite that is one kind of clay. The buffer material is expected to maintain long-term mechanical stability, to hold the waste in designated place, and to avoid the effects on the radionuclides migration. It is considered that the cyclic load due to seismic activities affects long-term mechanical stability in Japan, where many earthquakes have been occurring. In this report, aseismic mechanical stability of engineered barrier of HLW is studied by dynamic analysis based on equation of vibration, mainly in the view point of mechanical stability of the buffer. The analytical computer code that has been developed by JNC in cooperative project with National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention Science and Technology Agency is used in this study. Seismic wave at the disposal depth in the assumed geological environment is established by multiple reflection theory analysis, and then seismic wave at the disposal depth is used for the aseismic mechanical stability analysis. For the aseismic mechanical stability, total stress analyses (single-phase system) with the target field of near field are conducted to evaluate the shear failure of the buffer, the displacement of overpack, and vibrational behavior of the engineered barrier, and then effective stress analyses (two-phase system) with the target field of the engineered barrier are conducted to evaluate excursion in the pore water pressure within the buffer (i. e. liquefaction), concerning the non-linear dynamic properties of the buffer material. From the results, the following conclusions are obtained. (1) From the results of the total stress analyses, it is confirmed that the buffer must not reach a shear failure condition from the stresses caused by an earthquake and the overpack must not move significantly due to the inertial

Non-linear effects of initial melt temperatures on microstructures and mechanical properties during quenching process of liquid Cu{sub 46}Zr{sub 54} alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mo, Yun-Fei [School of Physics and Microelectronics Science, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082 (China); Liu, Rang-Su, E-mail: liurangsu@sina.com [School of Physics and Microelectronics Science, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082 (China); Tian, Ze-An; Liang, Yong-Chao [School of Physics and Microelectronics Science, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082 (China); Zhang, Hai-Tao [School of Physics and Microelectronics Science, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082 (China); Department of Electronic and Communication Engineering, Changsha University, Changsha 410003 (China); Hou, Zhao-Yang [Department of Applied Physics, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710064 (China); Liu, Hai-Rong [College of Materials Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082 (China); Zhang, Ai-long [College of Physics and Electronics, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde 415000 (China); Zhou, Li-Li [Department of Information Engineering, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000 (China); Peng, Ping [College of Materials Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082 (China); Xie, Zhong [School of Physics and Microelectronics Science, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082 (China)

2015-05-15

A MD simulation of liquid Cu{sub 46}Zr{sub 54} alloys has been performed for understanding the effects of initial melt temperatures on the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties during quenching process. By using several microstructural analyzing methods, it is found that the icosahedral and defective icosahedral clusters play a key role in the microstructure transition. All the final solidification structures obtained at different initial melt temperatures are of amorphous structures, and their structural and mechanical properties are non-linearly related to the initial melt temperatures, and fluctuated in a certain range. Especially, there exists a best initial melt temperature, from which the glass configuration possesses the highest packing density, the optimal elastic constants, and the smaller extent of structural softening under deforming.

The Relationship between Nonconservative Schemes and Initial Values of Nonlinear Evolution Equations

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

林万涛

2004-01-01

For the nonconservative schemes of the nonlinear evolution equations, taking the one-dimensional shallow water wave equation as an example, the necessary conditions of computational stability are given.Based on numerical tests, the relationship between the nonlinear computational stability and the construction of difference schemes, as well as the form of initial values, is further discussed. It is proved through both theoretical analysis and numerical tests that if the construction of difference schemes is definite, the computational stability of nonconservative schemes is decided by the form of initial values.

Designing Inter-Organisational Collectivities for Dynamic Fit: Stability, maneuvrability and Application in Disaster Relief Endeavours

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

changed consumer preferences . Hence, static stability limits initial performance deviation (e.g., maintaining desired airplane altitude, maintaining...by changed consumer preferences . Hence, dynamic stability limits the duration of performance deviation (e.g., maintaining desired airplane altitude...altitude from wind gust. Initial resistance to deviation in profit level from change in consumer preferences . Dynamic stability Quickness of a

Mini-trampoline exercise related to mechanisms of dynamic stability improves the ability to regain balance in elderly.

Science.gov (United States)

Aragão, Fernando Amâncio; Karamanidis, Kiros; Vaz, Marco Aurélio; Arampatzis, Adamantios

2011-06-01

Falls have been described by several studies as the major cause of hip and femur fractures among the elderly. Therefore, interventions to reduce fall risks, improve dynamic stability and the falling recovery strategies in the elderly population are highly relevant. This study aimed at investigating the effects of a 14-week mini-trampoline exercise intervention regarding the mechanisms of dynamic stability on elderly balance ability during sudden forward falls. Twenty-two elderly subjects participated on mini-trampoline training and 12 subjects were taken as controls. The subjects of the experimental group were evaluated before and after the 14-week trampoline training (exercised group), whereas control subjects were evaluated twice in the forward fall task with a three-month interval. The applied exercise intervention increased the plantarflexors muscle strength (∼10%) as well as the ability to regain balance during the forward falls (∼35%). The 14-week mini-trampoline training intervention increased elderly abilities to recover balance during forward falls; the improvement was attributed to the higher rate of hip moment generation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Industrial Wastes as Auxiliary Additives to Cement/Lime Stabilization of Soils

OpenAIRE

James, Jijo; Pandian, P. Kasinatha

2016-01-01

Chemical stabilization involves the use of chemical agents for initiating reactions within the soil for modification of its geotechnical properties. Cement and lime stabilization have been the most common stabilization methods adopted for soil treatment. Cement stabilization results in good compressive strengths and is preferred for cohesionless to moderately cohesive soil but loses effectiveness when the soil is highly plastic. Lime stabilization is the most preferred method for plastic clay...

A first principles study of structural stability, electronic structure and mechanical properties of beryllium alanate BeAlH{sub 5}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santhosh, M.; Rajeswarapalanichamy, R., E-mail: rajeswarapalanichamy@gmail.com; Priyanga, G. Sudha; Cinthia, A. Jemmy [Department of physics, N.M.S.S.V.N college, Madurai, Tamilnadu-625019 (India); Kanagaprabha, S. [Department of Physics, Kamaraj College, Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu 628003 (India); Iyakutti, K. [Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, SRM University, Chennai, Tamilnadu-603203 (India)

2015-06-24

Ab initio calculations are performed to investigate the structural stability, electronic structure and mechanical properties of BeAlH{sub 5} for monoclinic crystal structures with two different types of space group namely P2{sub 1} and C{sub 2}/c. Among the considered structures monoclinic (P2{sub 1}) phase is found to be the most stable at ambient condition. The structural phase transition from monoclinic (P2{sub 1}) to monoclinic (C{sub 2}/c) phase is observed in BeAlH{sub 5}. The electronic structure reveals that this compound is insulator. The calculated elastic constants indicate that this material is mechanically stable at ambient condition.

MHD stability of tandem mirrors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poulsen, P.; Molvik, A.; Shearer, J.

1982-01-01

The TMX-Upgrade experiment was described, and the manner in which various plasma parameters could be affected was discussed. The initial analysis of the MHD stability of the tandem mirror was also discussed, with emphasis on the negative tandem configuration

Model Checking A Self-Stabilizing Synchronization Protocol for Arbitrary Digraphs

Science.gov (United States)

Malekpour, Mahyar R.

2012-01-01

This report presents the mechanical verification of a self-stabilizing distributed clock synchronization protocol for arbitrary digraphs in the absence of faults. This protocol does not rely on assumptions about the initial state of the system, other than the presence of at least one node, and no central clock or a centrally generated signal, pulse, or message is used. The system under study is an arbitrary, non-partitioned digraph ranging from fully connected to 1-connected networks of nodes while allowing for differences in the network elements. Nodes are anonymous, i.e., they do not have unique identities. There is no theoretical limit on the maximum number of participating nodes. The only constraint on the behavior of the node is that the interactions with other nodes are restricted to defined links and interfaces. This protocol deterministically converges within a time bound that is a linear function of the self-stabilization period. A bounded model of the protocol is verified using the Symbolic Model Verifier (SMV) for a subset of digraphs. Modeling challenges of the protocol and the system are addressed. The model checking effort is focused on verifying correctness of the bounded model of the protocol as well as confirmation of claims of determinism and linear convergence with respect to the self-stabilization period.

Investigation of Iron-based double perovskite oxides on the magnetic phase stability, mechanical, electronic and optical properties via first-principles calculation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rached, H., E-mail: habib_rached@yahoo.fr [Laboratoire des Matériaux Magnétiques, Faculté des Sciences Exactes, Université Djillali Liabès de Sidi Bel-Abbès, Sidi Bel-Abbès, 22000 (Algeria); Département de Physique, Faculté des Sciences Exactes et Informatique, Université Hassiba BenBouali de Chlef, Chlef, 02000 (Algeria); Bendaoudia, S. [Laboratoire des Matériaux Magnétiques, Faculté des Sciences Exactes, Université Djillali Liabès de Sidi Bel-Abbès, Sidi Bel-Abbès, 22000 (Algeria); Rached, D., E-mail: rachdj@yahoo.fr [Laboratoire des Matériaux Magnétiques, Faculté des Sciences Exactes, Université Djillali Liabès de Sidi Bel-Abbès, Sidi Bel-Abbès, 22000 (Algeria)

2017-06-01

The main goal of the present work is to obtain report on the magnetic phase stability, mechanical, electronic and optical properties of double perovskite oxides Pb{sub 2}FeMO{sub 6} (M = Mo, Re and W) by employing the ab-initio plane-wave method, based on the density functional theory (DFT). The exchange-correlation (XC) energy of electrons was treated using the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof parametrization. The ground-state electronic properties for different magnetic configurations were calculated. The formation enthalpies has been evaluated in order to determinate the stability of our compounds. The independent elastic constants and the related mechanical properties are investigated. The electronic structure calculation reveal the half-metallic ferrimagnets (FiM-HM) for all investigated compounds. The optical constants as the dielectric function, refractive index, optical reflectivity and absorption coefficient were calculated and discussed in detail. Therefore, our compounds are identified as potential candidates for spintronic applications and high performance electronic devices. - Highlights: • Based on the DFT calculation, the Pb{sub 2}FeMO{sub 6} (M = Mo, Re and W) compounds have been investigated. • The ground-state properties are predicted. • The mechanical properties reveals that these compounds are stable against any elastic deformations. • The electronic structures reveals the half-metallic ferrimagnets (FiM-HM) for all investigated compounds.

Dynamic postural stability during advancing pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

McCrory, J L; Chambers, A J; Daftary, A; Redfern, M S

2010-08-26

Pregnant women are at an increased risk of experiencing a fall. Numerous anatomical, physiological, and hormonal alterations occur during pregnancy, but the influence of these factors on dynamic postural stability has not been explored. The purpose of this study was to examine dynamic postural stability in pregnant women during their second and third trimesters as well as in a group of non-pregnant control women. Eighty-one women (41 pregnant, 40 controls) participated stood on a force plate that translated anteroposteriorly at small, medium, and large magnitudes. Reaction time and center of pressure (COP) movement during the translations were analyzed. Trimester, perturbation direction, and perturbation magnitude were the independent variables in a mixed-model analysis of variance on each of the following dependent variables: reaction time, initial sway, total sway, and sway velocity. Reaction time to the perturbation was not significantly different between the groups. Initial sway, total sway, and sway velocity were significantly less during the third trimester than during the second trimester and when compared to the non-pregnant controls (Ppostural stability. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nonlinear physical systems spectral analysis, stability and bifurcations

CERN Document Server

Kirillov, Oleg N

2013-01-01

Bringing together 18 chapters written by leading experts in dynamical systems, operator theory, partial differential equations, and solid and fluid mechanics, this book presents state-of-the-art approaches to a wide spectrum of new and challenging stability problems.Nonlinear Physical Systems: Spectral Analysis, Stability and Bifurcations focuses on problems of spectral analysis, stability and bifurcations arising in the nonlinear partial differential equations of modern physics. Bifurcations and stability of solitary waves, geometrical optics stability analysis in hydro- and magnetohydrodynam

Mechanical stability of the diamond-like carbon film on nitinol vascular stents under cyclic loading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hyun-Jong; Moon, Myoung-Woon; Lee, Kwang-Ryeol; Seok, Hyun-Kwang; Han, Seung-Hee; Ryu, Jae-Woo; Shin, Kyong-Min; Oh, Kyu Hwan

2008-01-01

The mechanical stability of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films coated on nitinol vascular stents was investigated under cyclic loading condition by employing a stent crimping system. DLC films were coated on the vascular stent of a three dimensional structure by using a hybrid ion beam system with rotating jig. The cracking or delamination of the DLC coating occurred dominantly near the hinge connecting the V-shaped segments of the stent where the maximum strain was induced by a cyclic loading of contraction and extension. However the failures were significantly suppressed as the amorphous Si (a-Si) buffer layer thickness increased. Interfacial adhesion strength was estimated from the spalled crack size in the DLC coating for various values of the a-Si buffer layer thickness

Morphological and mechanical properties of polyamide 6/linear low density polyethylene blend compatibilized by electron-beam initiated mediation process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, Boo Young; Han, Do Hung

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to compatibilize immiscible polyamide 6 (PA6)/linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) blend by using electron-beam initiated mediation process. Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) was chosen as a mediator for cross-copolymerization at the interface between PA6 and LLDPE. The exposure process was carried out to initiate cross-copolymerization by the medium of GMA at the interface between PA and LLDPE. The mixture of the PA6/LLDPE/GMA was prepared by using a twin-screw extruder, and then the mixture was exposed to electron-beam radiation at various doses at room temperature. To investigate the results of this compatibilization strategy, the morphological and mechanical properties of the blend were analyzed. Morphology study revealed that the diameters of the dispersion particles decreased and the interfacial adhesion increased with respect to irradiation doses. The elongation at break of the blends increases significantly with increasing irradiation dose up to 100 kGy while the tensile strength and the modulus increased nonlinearly with increasing irradiation dose. The reaction mechanisms of the mediation process with the GMA mediator at the interface between PA6 and LLDPE were estimated. - Highlights: • PA6/LLDPE blend was compatibilized by the electron-beam initiated mediation process. • Interfacial adhesion was significantly enhanced by the radiation initiated cross-copolymerization. • The elongation at break of blend irradiated at 100 kGy was 4 times higher than PA6. • The GMA as a mediator played a key role in the electron-beam initiated mediation process

Clayey landslide initiation and acceleration strongly modulated by soil swelling

Science.gov (United States)

Schulz, William; Smith, Joel B.; Wang, Gonghui; Jiang, Yao; Roering, Joshua J.

2018-01-01

Largely unknown mechanisms restrain motion of clay-rich, slow-moving landslides that are widespread worldwide and rarely accelerate catastrophically. We studied a clayey, slow-moving landslide typical of thousands in northern California, USA, to decipher hydrologic-mechanical interactions that modulate landslide dynamics. Similar to some other studies, observed pore-water pressures correlated poorly with landslide reactivation and speed. In situ and laboratory measurements strongly suggested that variable pressure along the landslide's lateral shear boundaries resulting from seasonal soil expansion and contraction modulated its reactivation and speed. Slope-stability modeling suggested that the landslide's observed behavior could be predicted by including transient swell pressure as a resistance term, whereas modeling considering only transient hydrologic conditions predicted movement 5–6 months prior to when it was observed. All clayey soils swell to some degree; hence, our findings suggest that swell pressure likely modulates motion of many landslides and should be considered to improve forecasts of clayey landslide initiation and mobility.

All-inside, anatomical lateral ankle stabilization for revision and complex primary lateral ankle stabilization: a technique guide.

Science.gov (United States)

Prissel, Mark A; Roukis, Thomas S

2014-12-01

Lateral ankle instability is a common mechanical problem that often requires surgical management when conservative efforts fail. Historically, myriad open surgical approaches have been proposed. Recently, consideration for arthroscopic management of lateral ankle instability has become popular, with promising results. Unfortunately, recurrent inversion ankle injury following lateral ankle stabilization can occur and require revision surgery. To date, arthroscopic management for revision lateral ankle stabilization has not been described. We present a novel arthroscopic technique combining an arthroscopic lateral ankle stabilization kit with a suture anchor ligament augmentation system for revision as well as complex primary lateral ankle stabilization. © 2014 The Author(s).

Mechanisms of stabilization and blowoff of a premixed flame downstream of a heat-conducting perforated plate

KAUST Repository

Kedia, Kushal S.

2012-03-01

The objective of this work is to investigate the flame stabilization mechanism and the conditions leading to the blowoff of a laminar premixed flame anchored downstream of a heat-conducting perforated-plate/multi-hole burner, with overall nearly adiabatic conditions. We use unsteady, fully resolved, two-dimensional simulations with detailed chemical kinetics and species transport for methane-air combustion. Results show a bell-shaped flame stabilizing above the burner plate hole, with a U-shaped section anchored between neighboring holes. The base of the positively curved U-shaped section of the flame is positioned near the stagnation point, at a location where the flame displacement speed is equal to the flow speed. This location is determined by the combined effect of heat loss and flame stretch on the flame displacement speed. As the mass flow rate of the reactants is increased, the flame displacement speed at this location varies non-monotonically. As the inlet velocity is increased, the recirculation zone grows slowly, the flame moves downstream, and the heat loss to the burner decreases, strengthening the flame and increasing its displacement speed. As the inlet velocity is raised, the stagnation point moves downstream, and the flame length grows to accommodate the reactants mass flow. Concomitantly, the radius of curvature of the flame base decreases until it reaches an almost constant value, comparable to the flame thickness. While the heat loss decreases, the higher flame curvature dominates thereby reducing the displacement speed of the flame base. For a stable flame, the gradient of the flame base displacement speed normal to the flame is higher than the gradient of the flow speed along the same direction, leading to dynamic stability. As inlet velocity is raised further, the former decreases while the latter increases until the stability condition is violated, leading to blowoff. The flame speed during blow off is determined by the feedback between the

The anchoring mechanism of a bluff-body stabilized laminar premixed flame

KAUST Repository

Kedia, Kushal S.

2014-09-01

The objective of this work is to investigate the mechanism of the laminar premixed flame anchoring near a heat-conducting bluff-body. We use unsteady, fully resolved, two-dimensional simulations with detailed chemical kinetics and species transport for methane-air combustion. No artificial flame anchoring boundary conditions were imposed. Simulations show a shear-layer stabilized flame just downstream of the bluff-body, with a recirculation zone formed by the products of combustion. A steel bluff-body resulted in a slightly larger recirculation zone than a ceramic bluff-body; the size of which grew as the equivalence ratio was decreased. A significant departure from the conventional two-zone flame-structure is shown in the anchoring region. In this region, the reaction zone is associated with a large negative energy convection (directed from products to reactants) resulting in a negative flame-displacement speed. It is shown that the premixed flame anchors at an immediate downstream location near the bluff-body where favorable ignition conditions are established; a region associated with (1) a sufficiently high temperature impacted by the conjugate heat exchange between the heat-conducting bluff-body and the hot reacting flow and (2) a locally maximum stoichiometry characterized by the preferential diffusion effects. © 2014 The Combustion Institute.

Hydro-mechanically coupled finite-element analysis of the stability of a fractured-rock slope using the equivalent continuum approach: a case study of planned reservoir banks in Blaubeuren, Germany

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Jie; Dong, Mei; Koltuk, Serdar; Hu, Hui; Zhang, Luqing; Azzam, Rafig

2018-05-01

Construction works associated with the building of reservoirs in mountain areas can damage the stability of adjacent valley slopes. Seepage processes caused by the filling and drawdown operations of reservoirs also affect the stability of the reservoir banks over time. The presented study investigates the stability of a fractured-rock slope subjected to seepage forces in the lower basin of a planned pumped-storage hydropower (PSH) plant in Blaubeuren, Germany. The investigation uses a hydro-mechanically coupled finite-element analyses. For this purpose, an equivalent continuum model is developed by using a representative elementary volume (REV) approach. To determine the minimum required REV size, a large number of discrete fracture networks are generated using Monte Carlo simulations. These analyses give a REV size of 28 × 28 m, which is sufficient to represent the equivalent hydraulic and mechanical properties of the investigated fractured-rock mass. The hydro-mechanically coupled analyses performed using this REV size show that the reservoir operations in the examined PSH plant have negligible effect on the adjacent valley slope.

Hydro-mechanically coupled finite-element analysis of the stability of a fractured-rock slope using the equivalent continuum approach: a case study of planned reservoir banks in Blaubeuren, Germany

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Jie; Dong, Mei; Koltuk, Serdar; Hu, Hui; Zhang, Luqing; Azzam, Rafig

2017-12-01

Construction works associated with the building of reservoirs in mountain areas can damage the stability of adjacent valley slopes. Seepage processes caused by the filling and drawdown operations of reservoirs also affect the stability of the reservoir banks over time. The presented study investigates the stability of a fractured-rock slope subjected to seepage forces in the lower basin of a planned pumped-storage hydropower (PSH) plant in Blaubeuren, Germany. The investigation uses a hydro-mechanically coupled finite-element analyses. For this purpose, an equivalent continuum model is developed by using a representative elementary volume (REV) approach. To determine the minimum required REV size, a large number of discrete fracture networks are generated using Monte Carlo simulations. These analyses give a REV size of 28 × 28 m, which is sufficient to represent the equivalent hydraulic and mechanical properties of the investigated fractured-rock mass. The hydro-mechanically coupled analyses performed using this REV size show that the reservoir operations in the examined PSH plant have negligible effect on the adjacent valley slope.

Catecholase activity of dicopper(II)-bispidine complexes: stabilities and structures of intermediates, kinetics and reaction mechanism.

Science.gov (United States)

Born, Karin; Comba, Peter; Daubinet, André; Fuchs, Alexander; Wadepohl, Hubert

2007-01-01

A mechanism for the oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (dtbc) with dioxygen to the corresponding quinone (dtbq), catalyzed by bispidine-dicopper complexes (bispidines are various mono- and dinucleating derivatives of 3,7-diazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane with bis-tertiary-amine-bispyridyl or bis-tertiary-amine-trispyridyl donor sets), is proposed on the basis of (1) the stoichiometry of the reaction as well as the stabilities and structures [X-ray, density functional theory (B3LYP, TZV)] of the bispidine-dicopper(II)-3,4,5,6-tetrachlorcatechol intermediates, (2) formation kinetics and structures (molecular mechanics, MOMEC) of the end-on peroxo-dicopper(II) complexes and (3) kinetics of the stoichiometric (anaerobic) and catalytic (aerobic) copper-complex-assisted oxidation of dtbc. This involves (1) the oxidation of the dicopper(I) complexes with dioxygen to the corresponding end-on peroxo-dicopper(II) complexes, (2) coordination of dtbc as a bridging ligand upon liberation of H(2)O(2) and (3) intramolecular electron transfer to produce dtbq, which is liberated, and the dicopper(I) catalyst. Although the bispidine complexes have reactivities comparable to those of recently published catalysts with macrocyclic ligands, which seem to reproduce the enzyme-catalyzed process in various reaction sequences, a strikingly different oxidation mechanism is derived from the bispidine-dicopper-catalyzed reaction.

Structure-to-property relationships in addition cured polymers. II - Resin Tg and composite initial mechanical properties of norbornenyl cured polyimide resins

Science.gov (United States)

Alston, William B.

1986-01-01

PRM (polymerization of monomeric reactants) methodology was used to prepare thirty different polyimide oligomeric resins. Monomeric composition as well as chain length between sites of crosslinks were varied to examine their effects on glass transition temperature (Tg) of the cured/postcured resins. An almost linear correlation of Tg versus molecular distance between the crosslinks was observed. An attempt was made to correlate Tg with initial mechanical properties (flexural strength and interlaminar shear strength) of unidirectional graphite fiber composites prepared with these resins. However, the scatter in mechanical strength data prevented obtaining as clear a correlation as was observed for the structural modification/crosslink distance versus Tg. Instead, only a range of composite mechanical properties was obtained at the test temperatures studied (room temperature, 288 and 316 C). Perhaps more importantly, what did become apparent during the attempted correlation study was: (1) that PMR methodology could be used to prepare composites from resins that contain a wide variety of monomer modifications, and (2) that these composites almost invariably provided satisfactory initial mechanical properties as long as the resins selected were melt processable.

Determinants of Price Stabilization in IPOs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Gledson de Carvalho

2010-12-01

Full Text Available In the most common mechanism for price stabilization in IPOs, the underwriter distributes stocks in excess of what was contracted (overallotment and eventually covers this short naked position by purchasing stocks in the secondary market (Aftermarket short covering , ASC. This mechanism can be used to avoid price drop or price volatility. This article provides a description of such activity in Brazil. We investigate the determinants of price stabilization in three aspects: amount overallotted, occurrence of ASC and its intensity. Our results indicate that price stabilization is an important activity in Brazilian IPOs and quite similar to that occurring in the US. The three different aspects of price stabilization have different determinants. The amount overallotted depends only on the ex-ante demand conditions. ASC occurs mostly on IPOs characterized by high risk, low ex-ante demand and carried by reputable underwriters. The intensity of the ASC increases with the riskiness and decreases with the ex-ante demand. None of the existing models fully explain these results.

A novel mechanism for antiglycative action of limonene through stabilization of protein conformation.

Science.gov (United States)

Joglekar, Madhav M; Panaskar, Shrimant N; Chougale, Ashok D; Kulkarni, Mahesh J; Arvindekar, Akalpita U

2013-10-01

Inhibition of protein glycation is known to ameliorate secondary complications in diabetes. In the present study antiglycative properties of limonene, a natural product, were evaluated using BSA as a model protein. AMG (aminoguanidine) was used as a positive control. Measurement of total AGEs (Advanced Glycation End-products) and specific AGEs revealed that limonene could inhibit protein glycation to the extent of 56.3% and 75.1% respectively at 50 μM concentration as against 54.4% and 82.2% by AMG at 1 mM. Congo red binding and CD (Circular Dichroism) analysis revealed inhibition of α-helix to β-sheet transition wherein 18.5% β-sheet structures were observed in glycated BSA (bovine serum albumin) as against 4.9% with limonene. Glycation of protein in the presence of urea was enhanced by 18%, while in the presence of limonene it was reduced by 23% revealing the stabilizing effect of limonene. Electrophoretic mobility was similar to the normal control and a zeta potential value of -12.1 mV as against -15.1 mV in diabetic control was observed. Inhibition of glycation in limonene treated samples was confirmed through LC-MS analysis wherein AGEs such as pentosidine, CML (N(ε)-(carboxymethyl)lysine), CEL (N(ε)-(carboxyethyl)lysine), MOLD (methylglyoxal-lysine dimer) and imidazolone observed in glycated samples were absent in limonene treated samples. PatchDock studies revealed that limonene could bind to the major glycation sites IB, IIA and IIB sub domains and AMG to the IIIA sub domain. Thus limonene is a potent protein glycation inhibitor that prevents protein glycation through a novel mechanism of stabilization of protein structure through hydrophobic interactions.

Stabilization of sulfide cations: mechanisms relevant to oxidation of peptides and proteins containing methionine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bobrowski, K.; Hug, G.L.; Pogocki, D.; Horner, G.; Marciniak, B.; Schoneich, C.

2006-01-01

compounds for the study of peptide free radical chemistry. While appearing very small to be models for proteins, they have unique feature of having no terminal groups. This makes them invaluable for studying interactions between side chains and peptide bonds. A small model cyclic dipeptide c-(L-methionyl-L-methionine) was oxidized by . OH radicals generated via pulse radiolysis, and the ensuing reactive intermediates were monitored by time-resolved UV/Vis spectroscopic and conductometric techniques. The picture that emerged from this investigation showed there was an efficient formation of the Met(S N) radicals, in spite of the close proximity of sulfur atoms, located in the side chain of methionine residues, and in spite of the close proximity of sulfur atoms and oxygen atoms, located in the peptide bonds. Moreover, it was observed, for the first time, that formation of Met(S N) radicals involved the hydrogen atom of the peptide bond. In this concerted process, elimination of OH in the form of water involves a simultaneous N-deprotonation from the amide nitrogen, followed by formation of Met(S N) radicals in the form of a thermodynamically favorable five-membered ring. These Met(S N) radicals converted further into intramolecular three-electron bonded Met(S S) + and Met(S O) + radical cations via a pH-dependent mechanism. A preference for Met(S+ ) stabilization in the form of intramolecular three-electron bonded Met(S N) radicals over intermolecular three-electron bonded Met(S S)+ dimeric radical cations was observed in c-(L-Met-D-Met). Lack of intramolecular three-electron bonded Met(S S)+ radical cations illustrates that a close contact between two sulfur atoms is sterically restricted in the D-L enantiomer. Moreover, contrary to c-(L-Met-L-Met), most of Met(S+ ) radicals derived from c-(L-Met-D-Met) undergo efficient deprotonation in the α-position to the sulfur, yielding carbon-centered α-(alkylthio)alkyl radicals. To support the mechanism, quantum mechanical (DFT

The Effects of Various Amendments on Trace Element Stabilization in Acidic, Neutral, and Alkali Soil with Similar Pollution Index.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Min-Suk; Min, Hyun-Gi; Lee, Sang-Hwan; Kim, Jeong-Gyu

2016-01-01

Many studies have examined the application of soil amendments, including pH change-induced immobilizers, adsorbents, and organic materials, for soil remediation. This study evaluated the effects of various amendments on trace element stabilization and phytotoxicity, depending on the initial soil pH in acid, neutral, and alkali conditions. As in all types of soils, Fe and Ca were well stabilized on adsorption sites. There was an effect from pH control or adsorption mechanisms on the stabilization of cationic trace elements from inorganic amendments in acidic and neutral soil. Furthermore, acid mine drainage sludge has shown great potential for stabilizing most trace elements. In a phytotoxicity test, the ratio of the bioavailable fraction to the pseudo-total fraction significantly affected the uptake of trace elements by bok choy. While inorganic amendments efficiently decreased the bioavailability of trace elements, significant effects from organic amendments were not noticeable due to the short-term cultivation period. Therefore, the application of organic amendments for stabilizing trace elements in agricultural soil requires further study.

The Effects of Various Amendments on Trace Element Stabilization in Acidic, Neutral, and Alkali Soil with Similar Pollution Index.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min-Suk Kim

Full Text Available Many studies have examined the application of soil amendments, including pH change-induced immobilizers, adsorbents, and organic materials, for soil remediation. This study evaluated the effects of various amendments on trace element stabilization and phytotoxicity, depending on the initial soil pH in acid, neutral, and alkali conditions. As in all types of soils, Fe and Ca were well stabilized on adsorption sites. There was an effect from pH control or adsorption mechanisms on the stabilization of cationic trace elements from inorganic amendments in acidic and neutral soil. Furthermore, acid mine drainage sludge has shown great potential for stabilizing most trace elements. In a phytotoxicity test, the ratio of the bioavailable fraction to the pseudo-total fraction significantly affected the uptake of trace elements by bok choy. While inorganic amendments efficiently decreased the bioavailability of trace elements, significant effects from organic amendments were not noticeable due to the short-term cultivation period. Therefore, the application of organic amendments for stabilizing trace elements in agricultural soil requires further study.

The Effect of Drying-Wetting Cycle’s Repetition to the Characteristic of Natural and Stabilization Residual Soils Jawa Timur - Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Muntaha, M.

2017-11-01

Indonesia, which located in tropical region, continuously undergoes wetting and drying cycles due to the changeable seasons. An important role in activating the clay minerals on tropical residual soils is the main factor that affects the static and dynamic properties, such as: volume change, soil suction and dynamic modulus. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of drying-wetting cycles repetition on volume change, soil suction and mechanical characteristics of natural and stabilization of residual soils from Jawa Timur - Indonesia. The natural undisturbed and stabilized residual soil sample was naturally and gradually dried up with air to 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100 % of the initial water content. The wetting processes were carried out with the gradual increment water content of 25 %(wsat - wi), 50 %(wsat - wi), 75 %(wsat - wi), up to 100 %(wsat - wi). The Direct Shear test is used to measure the mechanic properties, and Whatman filter paper No. 42 is used to measure the soil suction. The drying-wetting processes were carried out for 1, 2, 4, and 6 cycles. The laboratory test results showed that, the void ratio decreased, the unit weight, cohesion and the internal friction angle were increasing due to stabilization. Drying-wetting cycle repetition reduces void ratio, negative pore-water pressure, cohesion and internal friction angle of natural and stabilized soils. Briefly, the decreased of mechanical soil properties was proven from the physical properties change observation.

Mesoporous templated silicas: stability, pore size engineering and catalytic activation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vansant, Etienne

2003-01-01

structural characterization techniques (XRD and N2-adsorption-desorption) to insure that the crystallinity and the porosity of the structure are still intact. Also the catalytic evaluation of the synthesized materials is an essential part of the characterization. The activity and product selectivity are compared with commercial and conventional catalysts, initially by using a simple probe reaction. Hereby the characteristics of the catalyst, such as leaching, hydrothermal stability, regeneration and mechanical strength are evaluated. Most MTS materials exhibit a rather poor mechanical and hydrothermal stability. The intrinsic stability of these materials can be improved by either optimizing the synthesis conditions, yielding more stable structures, or by introducing a post-synthesis modification step with a stabilizing reagent. This post synthesis modification step consists of silylation procedures, that are either aiming at a thickening of the pore wall (mechanical stability) or at a partial hydrophobization of the surface (improving both mechanical and hydrothermal stability). Hereby, secondary anchoring groups are created which are interesting for catalytic activation. Furthermore, with this treatment the leaching of the active centers (metal oxides) is reduced to almost zero, even in liquid water. Recently, we have developed an entirely new material, called PHMTS (Plugged Hexagonal Mesoporous Templated Silica). The material consists of hexagonally packed cylindrical pores, with large pore widths (6-8 nm) and thick pore walls (3-4 nm). The pore walls themselves are perforated with micropores. Moreover, microporous silica plugs exist inside the mesopores, resulting in a unique nitrogen desorption isotherm and unprecedented possibilities for adsorption (controlled desorption), encapsulation and catalysis. (author)

Hall magnetohydrodynamics: Conservation laws and Lyapunov stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holm, D.D.