Experimental and simulation characterisation of flexural vibration modes in unimorph ultrasound transducers.

PubMed

Eriksson, T J R; Ramadas, S N; Dixon, S M

2016-02-01

A unimorph flexural transducer design is proposed and tested with regard to mode shapes and frequencies. The transducers consist of a passive metal cap structure, and a thin piezoelectric disc, rigidly bonded to the inside. Extensive finite element (FE) modelling, and experimental 2D, time-resolved displacement measurements were done to characterise the transducers flexural properties, and to compare them to the analytical solutions of thin vibrating plates. Emphasis was put on characterising the passive layer of the unimorph structure, before bonding the piezoelectric element, to understand how the active element affects the behaviour of the flexing plate. A high power Nd:YAG laser was used to actuate the metal plate (non-contact), and the frequency content of the resulting displacement signal was analysed to identify the flexural modes. The non-axisymmetric modes, which are conventionally disregarded because of their unfavourable acoustic properties, were also taken into account. There was excellent agreement between the experimental results and the FE simulation data. There was good agreement with the analytical edge clamped plate model, but with some notable deviations, which have not previously been identified or commented upon. Specifically, the second axisymmetric mode is split into three separate modes, which is not explained by the traditional theory of vibrating plates. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mechanical properties of contemporary composite resins and their interrelations.

PubMed

Thomaidis, Socratis; Kakaboura, Afrodite; Mueller, Wolf Dieter; Zinelis, Spiros

2013-08-01

To characterize a spectrum of mechanical properties of four representative types of modern dental resin composites and to investigate possible interrelations. Four composite resins were used, a microhybrid (Filtek Z-250), a nanofill (Filtek Ultimate), a nanohybrid (Majesty Posterior) and an ormocer (Admira). The mechanical properties investigated were Flexural Modulus and Flexural Strength (three point bending), Brinell Hardness, Impact Strength, mode I and mode II fracture toughness employing SENB and Brazilian tests and Work of Fracture. Fractographic analysis was carried out in an SEM to determine the origin of fracture for specimens subjected to SENB, Brazilian and Impact Strength testing. The results were statistically analyzed employing ANOVA and Tukey post hoc test (a=0.05) while Pearson correlation was applied among the mechanical properties. Significant differences were found between the mechanical properties of materials tested apart from mode I fracture toughness measured by Brazilian test. The latter significantly underestimated the mode I fracture toughness due to analytical limitations and thus its validity is questionable. Fractography revealed that the origin of fracture is located at notches for fracture toughness tests and contact surface with pendulum for Impact Strength testing. Pearson analysis illustrated a strong correlation between modulus of elasticity and hardness (r=0.87) and a weak negative correlation between Work of Fracture and Flexural Modulus (r=-0.46) and Work of Fracture and Hardness (r=-0.44). Weak correlations were also allocated between Flexural Modulus and Flexural Strength (r=0.40), Flexural Strength and Hardness (r=0.39), and Impact Strength and Hardness (r=0.40). Since the four types of dental resin composite tested exhibited large differences among their mechanical properties differences in their clinical performance is also anticipated. Copyright © 2013 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of thermal and mechanical fatigue on the flexural strength of G40-600/PMR-15 cross-ply laminates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberts, G.D.; Ho, B.Ping Hsiao; Wallace, J.F.

1993-02-01

The effects of thermal and mechanical fatigue on the flexural strength of G40-600/PMR-15 cross-ply laminates with ply orientation of (0(2),90(2))2S and (90(2),0(2))2S are examined. The relative importance of shear and tensile stresses is examined by varying the span-to-depth ratios of flexural test specimens from 8 to 45. Acoustic emission signals are measured during the flexural tests in order to monitor the initiation and growth of damage. Optical microscopy is used to examine specimens for resin cracking, delamination, and fiber breaks after testing. Transverse matrix cracks and delaminations occur in all specimens, regardless of ply orientation, span-to-depth ratio, or previous exposuremore » of specimens to thermal and mechanical fatigue. A small amount of fiber tensile fracture occurs in the outer 0 deg ply of specimens with high span-to-depth ratios. Because of the complex failure modes, the flexural test results represent the apparent strengths rather than the true flexural or shear strengths for these cross-ply laminates. Thermal cycling of specimens prior to flexural testing does not reduce the apparent flexural strength or change the mode of failure. However, fewer acoustic events are recorded at all strains during flexural testing of specimens exposed to prior thermal cycling. High temperature thermal cycling (32 to 260 C, 100 cycles) causes a greater reduction in acoustic events than low temperature thermal cycling (-85 to +85 C, 500 cycles). Mechanical cycling (0 to 50 percent of the flexural strength, 100 cycles) has a similar effect, except that acoustic events are reduced only at strains less than the maximum strain applied during flexural fatigue.« less

Effects of thermal and mechanical fatigue on the flexural strength of G40-600/PMR-15 cross-ply laminates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, Gary D.; Ho, Barry Ping Hsiao; Wallace, John F.

1993-01-01

The effects of thermal and mechanical fatigue on the flexural strength of G40-600/PMR-15 cross-ply laminates with ply orientation of (0(2),90(2))2S and (90(2),0(2))2S are examined. The relative importance of shear and tensile stresses is examined by varying the span-to-depth ratios of flexural test specimens from 8 to 45. Acoustic emission signals are measured during the flexural tests in order to monitor the initiation and growth of damage. Optical microscopy is used to examine specimens for resin cracking, delamination, and fiber breaks after testing. Transverse matrix cracks and delaminations occur in all specimens, regardless of ply orientation, span-to-depth ratio, or previous exposure of specimens to thermal and mechanical fatigue. A small amount of fiber tensile fracture occurs in the outer 0 deg ply of specimens with high span-to-depth ratios. Because of the complex failure modes, the flexural test results represent the 'apparent' strengths rather than the true flexural or shear strengths for these cross-ply laminates. Thermal cycling of specimens prior to flexural testing does not reduce the apparent flexural strength or change the mode of failure. However, fewer acoustic events are recorded at all strains during flexural testing of specimens exposed to prior thermal cycling. High temperature thermal cycling (32 to 260 C, 100 cycles) causes a greater reduction in acoustic events than low temperature thermal cycling (-85 to +85 C, 500 cycles). Mechanical cycling (0 to 50 percent of the flexural strength, 100 cycles) has a similar effect, except that acoustic events are reduced only at strains less than the maximum strain applied during flexural fatigue.

The C Terminus of the Histone Chaperone Asf1 Cross-Links to Histone H3 in Yeast and Promotes Interaction with Histones H3 and H4

PubMed Central

Dennehey, Briana K.; Noone, Seth; Liu, Wallace H.; Smith, Luke

2013-01-01

The central histone H3/H4 chaperone Asf1 comprises a highly conserved globular core and a divergent C-terminal tail. While the function and structure of the Asf1 core are well known, the function of the tail is less well understood. Here, we have explored the role of the yeast (yAsf1) and human (hAsf1a and hAsf1b) Asf1 tails in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We show, using a photoreactive, unnatural amino acid, that Asf1 tail residue 210 cross-links to histone H3 in vivo and, further, that loss of C-terminal tail residues 211 to 279 weakens yAsf1-histone binding affinity in vitro nearly 200-fold. Via several yAsf1 C-terminal truncations and yeast-human chimeric proteins, we found that truncations at residue 210 increase transcriptional silencing and that the hAsf1a tail partially substitutes for full-length yAsf1 with respect to silencing but that full-length hAsf1b is a better overall substitute for full-length yAsf1. In addition, we show that the C-terminal tail of Asf1 is phosphorylated at T270 in yeast. Loss of this phosphorylation site does not prevent coimmunoprecipitation of yAsf1 and Rad53 from yeast extracts, whereas amino acid residue substitutions at the Asf1-histone H3/H4 interface do. Finally, we show that residue substitutions in yAsf1 near the CAF-1/HIRA interface also influence yAsf1's function in silencing. PMID:23184661

Flexural phonon limited phonon drag thermopower in bilayer graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ansari, Mohd Meenhaz; Ashraf, SSZ

2018-05-01

We investigate the phonon drag thermopower from flexural phonons as a function of electron temperature and carrier concentration in the Bloch-Gruneisen regime in non-strained bilayer graphene using Boltzmann transport equation approach. The flexural phonons are expected to be the major source of intrinsic scattering mechanism in unstrained bilayer graphene due to their large density. The flexural phonon modes dispersion relation is quadratic so these low energy flexural phonons abound at room temperature and as a result deform the bilayer graphene sheet in the out of plane direction and affects the transport properties. We also produce analytical result for phonon-drag thermopower from flexural phonons and find that phonon-drag thermopower depicts T2 dependence on temperature and n-1 on carrier concentration.

Vibration sensitivity of the scanning near-field optical microscope with a tapered optical fiber probe.

PubMed

Chang, Win-Jin; Fang, Te-Hua; Lee, Haw-Long; Yang, Yu-Ching

2005-01-01

In this paper the Rayleigh-Ritz method was used to study the scanning near-field optical microscope (SNOM) with a tapered optical fiber probe's flexural and axial sensitivity to vibration. Not only the contact stiffness but also the geometric parameters of the probe can influence the flexural and axial sensitivity to vibration. According to the analysis, the lateral and axial contact stiffness had a significant effect on the sensitivity of vibration of the SNOM's probe, each mode had a different level of sensitivity and in the first mode the tapered optical fiber probe was the most acceptive to higher levels of flexural and axial vibration. Generally, when the contact stiffness was lower, the tapered probe was more sensitive to higher levels of both axial and flexural vibration than the uniform probe. However, the situation was reversed when the contact stiffness was larger. Furthermore, the effect that the probe's length and its tapered angle had on the SNOM's probe axial and flexural vibration were significant and these two conditions should be incorporated into the design of new SNOM probes.

EFFECTS OF CYCLIC FLEXURAL FATIGUE ON PORCINE BIOPROSTHETIC HEART VALVE HETEROGRAFT BIOMATERIALS

PubMed Central

Mirnajafi, Ali; Zubiate, Brett; Sacks, Michael S.

2009-01-01

While bioprosthetic heart valves (BHV) remain the primary treatment modality for adult heart valve replacement, continued problems with durability remain. Several studies have implicated flexure as a major damage mode in porcine-derived heterograft biomaterials used in BHV fabrication. While conventional accelerated wear testing can provide valuable insights into BHV damage phenomena, the constituent tissues are subjected to complex, time-varying deformation modes (i.e. tension and flexure), that do not allow for the control of the amount, direction, and location of flexure. Thus, in the present study customized fatigue testing devices were developed to subject circumferentially oriented porcine BHV tissue strips to controlled cyclic flexural loading. By using this approach, we were able to study layer-specific structural damage induced by cyclic flexural tensile and compressive stresses alone. 10×106, 25×106 and 50×106 cycle levels were used, with resulting changes in flexural stiffness and collagen structure assessed. Results indicated that flexural rigidity was markedly reduced after only 10×106 cycles, and progressively decayed at a lower rate with cycle number thereafter. Moreover, the against-curvature fatigue direction induced the most damage, suggesting that the ventricularis and fibrosa layers have low resistance to cyclic flexural compressive and tensile loads, respectively. The histological analyses indicated progressive collagen fiber delamination as early as 10×106 cycles, but otherwise no change in gross collagen orientation. Our results underscore that porcine-derived heterograft biomaterials are very sensitive to flexural fatigue, with delamination of the tissue layers the primary underlying mechanism. This appears to be in contrast to pericardial BHV, wherein high tensile stresses are considered to be the major cause of structural failure. These findings point towards the need for the development of chemical fixation technologies that minimize flexure induced damage to extend porcine heterograft biomaterial durability. PMID:20166221

Propagation of Flexural Mode AE Signals in GR/EP Composite Plates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prosser, W. H.; Gorman, M. R.

1992-01-01

It has been documented that AE signals propagate in thin plates as extensional and flexural plate modes. This was demonstrated using simulated AE sources (pencil lead breaks) by Gorman on thin aluminum and gr/ep composite plates and by Gorman and Prosser on thin aluminum plates. A typical signal from a pencil lead break source which identifies these two modes is shown. AE signals from transverse matrix cracking sources in gr/ep composite plates were also shown to propagate as plate modes by Gorman and Ziola. Smith showed that crack growth events in thin aluminum plates under spectrum fatigue loading produced signals that propagated as plate modes. Additionally, Prosser et al. showed that AE signals propagated as plate modes in a thin walled composite tube.

[Effect of core: dentin thickness ratio on the flexure strength of IPS Empress II heat-pressed all-ceramic restorative material].

PubMed

Liu, Yi-hong; Feng, Hai-lan; Bao, Yi-wang; Qiu, Yan

2007-02-18

To evaluate the effect of core:dentin thickness ratio on the flexure strength, fracture mode and origin of bilayered IPS Empress II ceramic composite specimens. IPS Empress II core ceramic, dentin porcelain and bilayered composite specimens with core:dentin thickness ratio of 2:1 and 1:1 were tested in three-point flexure strength. Mean strengths and standard deviations were determined. The optical microscopy was employed for identification of the fracture mode and origin. The flexure strength of dentin porcelain was the smallest(62.7 MPa), and the strength of bilayered composite specimens was smaller than single-layered core ceramic(190.2 MPa). The core: dentin ratio did not influence the strength of bilayered composite specimens. The frequency of occurrence of bilayered specimen delaminations was higher in the group of core: dentin thickness ratio of 1:1 than in the group of 2:1. IPS Empress II core ceramic was significantly stronger than veneering dentin porcelain. Core:dentin thickness ratio could significantly influence the fracture mode and origin, and bilayered IPS Empress II ceramic composite specimens showed little influence in the fracture strength.

Phylogeny of the Defined Murine Microbiota: Altered Schaedler Flora

PubMed Central

Dewhirst, Floyd E.; Chien, Chih-Ching; Paster, Bruce J.; Ericson, Rebecca L.; Orcutt, Roger P.; Schauer, David B.; Fox, James G.

1999-01-01

The “altered Schaedler flora” (ASF) was developed for colonizing germfree rodents with a standardized microbiota. The purpose of this study was to identify each of the eight ASF strains by 16S rRNA sequence analysis. Three strains were previously identified as Lactobacillus acidophilus (strain ASF 360), Lactobacillus salivarius (strain ASF 361), and Bacteroides distasonis (strain ASF 519) based on phenotypic criteria. 16S rRNA analysis indicated that each of the strains differed from its presumptive identity. The 16S rRNA sequence of strain ASF 361 is essentially identical to the 16S rRNA sequences of the type strains of Lactobacillus murinis and Lactobacillus animalis (both isolated from mice), and all of these strains probably belong to a single species. Strain ASF 360 is a novel lactobacillus that clusters with L. acidophilus and Lactobacillus lactis. Strain ASF 519 falls into an unnamed genus containing [Bacteroides] distasonis, [Bacteroides] merdae, [Bacteroides] forsythus, and CDC group DF-3. This unnamed genus is in the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides phylum and is most closely related to the genus Porphyromonas. The spiral-shaped strain, strain ASF 457, is in the Flexistipes phylum and exhibits sequence identity with rodent isolates of Robertson. The remaining four ASF strains, which are extremely oxygen-sensitive fusiform bacteria, group phylogenetically with the low-G+C-content gram-positive bacteria (Firmicutes, Bacillus-Clostridium group). ASF 356, ASF 492, and ASF 502 fall into Clostridium cluster XIV of Collins et al. Morphologically, ASF 492 resembles members of this cluster, Roseburia cecicola, and Eubacterium plexicaudatum. The 16S rRNA sequence of ASF 492 is identical to that of E. plexicaudatum. Since the type strain and other viable original isolates of E. plexicaudatum have been lost, strain ASF 492 is a candidate for a neotype strain. Strain ASF 500 branches deeply in the low-G+C-content gram-positive phylogenetic tree but is not closely related to any organisms whose 16S rRNA sequences are currently in the GenBank database. The 16S rRNA sequence information determined in the present study should allow rapid identification of ASF strains and should permit detailed analysis of the interactions of ASF organisms during development of intestinal disease in mice that are coinfected with a variety of pathogenic microorganisms. PMID:10427008

Superconductivity induced by flexural modes in non-σh-symmetric Dirac-like two-dimensional materials: A theoretical study for silicene and germanene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischetti, Massimo V.; Polley, Arup

2018-04-01

In two-dimensional crystals that lack symmetry under reflections on the horizontal plane of the lattice (non-σh-symmetric), electrons can couple to flexural modes (ZA phonons) at first order. We show that in materials of this type that also exhibit a Dirac-like electron dispersion, the strong coupling can result in electron pairing mediated by these phonons, as long as the flexural modes are not damped or suppressed by additional interactions with a supporting substrate or gate insulator. We consider several models: The weak-coupling limit, which is applicable only in the case of gapped and parabolic materials, like stanene and HfSe2, thanks to the weak coupling; the full gap-equation, solved using the constant-gap approximation and considering statically screened interactions; its extensions to energy-dependent gap and to dynamic screening. We argue that in the case of silicene and germanene superconductivity mediated by this process can exhibit a critical temperature of a few degrees K, or even a few tens of degrees K when accounting for the effect of a high-dielectric-constant environment. We conclude that the electron/flexural-modes coupling should be included in studies of possible superconductivity in non-σh-symmetric two-dimensional crystals, even if alternative forms of coupling are considered.

Symmetry blockade and its breakdown in energy equipartition of square graphene resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yisen; Zhu, Zhigang; Zhang, Yong; Huang, Liang

2018-03-01

The interaction between flexural modes due to nonlinear potentials is critical to heat conductivity and mechanical vibration of two dimensional materials such as graphene. Much effort has been devoted to understanding the underlying mechanism. In this paper, we examine solely the out-of-plane flexural modes and identify their energy flow pathway during the equipartition process. In particular, the modes are grouped into four classes by their distinct symmetries. The couplings are significantly larger within a class than between classes, forming symmetry blockades. As a result, the energy first flows to the modes in the same symmetry class. Breakdown of the symmetry blockade, i.e., inter-class energy flow, starts when the displacement profile becomes complex and the inter-class couplings bear nonneglectable values. The equipartition time follows the stretched exponential law and survives in the thermodynamic limit. These results bring fundamental understandings to the Fermi-Pasta-Ulam problem in two dimensional systems with complex potentials and reveal clearly the physical picture of dynamical interactions between the flexural modes, which will be crucial to the understanding of their contribution in high thermal conductivity and mechanism of energy dissipation that may intrinsically limit the quality factor of the resonator.

A Novel Method to Reconstruct the Force Curve by Higher Harmonics of the First Two Flexural Modes in Frequency Modulation Atomic Force Microscope (FM-AFM).

PubMed

Zhang, Suoxin; Qian, Jianqiang; Li, Yingzi; Zhang, Yingxu; Wang, Zhenyu

2018-06-04

Atomic force microscope (AFM) is an idealized tool to measure the physical and chemical properties of the sample surfaces by reconstructing the force curve, which is of great significance to materials science, biology, and medicine science. Frequency modulation atomic force microscope (FM-AFM) collects the frequency shift as feedback thus having high force sensitivity and it accomplishes a true noncontact mode, which means great potential in biological sample detection field. However, it is a challenge to establish the relationship between the cantilever properties observed in practice and the tip-sample interaction theoretically. Moreover, there is no existing method to reconstruct the force curve in FM-AFM combining the higher harmonics and the higher flexural modes. This paper proposes a novel method that a full force curve can be reconstructed by any order higher harmonics of the first two flexural modes under any vibration amplitude in FM-AFM. Moreover, in the small amplitude regime, short range forces are reconstructed more accurately by higher harmonics analysis compared with fundamental harmonics using the Sader-Jarvis formula.

Metastable states and energy flow pathway in square graphene resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yisen; Zhu, Zhigang; Zhang, Yong; Huang, Liang

2018-01-01

Nonlinear interaction between flexural modes is critical to heat conductivity and mechanical vibration of two-dimensional materials such as graphene. Much effort has been devoted to understand the underlying mechanism. In this paper, we examine solely the out-of-plane flexural modes and identify their energy flow pathway during thermalization process. The key is the development of a universal scheme that numerically characterizes the strength of nonlinear interactions between normal modes. In particular, for our square graphene system, the modes are grouped into four classes by their distinct symmetries. The couplings are significantly larger within a class than between classes. As a result, the equations for the normal modes in the same class as the initially excited one can be approximated by driven harmonic oscillators, therefore, they get energy almost instantaneously. Because of the hierarchical organization of the mode coupling, the energy distribution among the modes will arrive at a stable profile, where most of the energy is localized on a few modes, leading to the formation of "natural package" and metastable states. The dynamics for modes in other symmetry classes follows a Mathieu type of equation, thus, interclass energy flow, when the initial excitation energy is small, starts typically when there is a mode that lies in the unstable region in the parameter space of Mathieu equation. Due to strong coupling of the modes inside the class, the whole class will get energy and be lifted up by the unstable mode. This characterizes the energy flow pathway of the system. These results bring fundamental understandings to the Fermi-Pasta-Ulam problem in two-dimensional systems with complex potentials, and reveal clearly the physical picture of dynamical interactions between the flexural modes, which will be crucial to the understanding of their abnormal contribution to heat conduction and nonlinear mechanical vibrations.

Experimental Evaluation of Three Designs of Electrodynamic Flexural Transducers

PubMed Central

Eriksson, Tobias J. R.; Laws, Michael; Kang, Lei; Fan, Yichao; Ramadas, Sivaram N.; Dixon, Steve

2016-01-01

Three designs for electrodynamic flexural transducers (EDFT) for air-coupled ultrasonics are presented and compared. An all-metal housing was used for robustness, which makes the designs more suitable for industrial applications. The housing is designed such that there is a thin metal plate at the front, with a fundamental flexural vibration mode at ∼50 kHz. By using a flexural resonance mode, good coupling to the load medium was achieved without the use of matching layers. The front radiating plate is actuated electrodynamically by a spiral coil inside the transducer, which produces an induced magnetic field when an AC current is applied to it. The transducers operate without the use of piezoelectric materials, which can simplify manufacturing and prolong the lifetime of the transducers, as well as open up possibilities for high-temperature applications. The results show that different designs perform best for the generation and reception of ultrasound. All three designs produced large acoustic pressure outputs, with a recorded sound pressure level (SPL) above 120 dB at a 40 cm distance from the highest output transducer. The sensitivity of the transducers was low, however, with single shot signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)≃15 dB in transmit–receive mode, with transmitter and receiver 40 cm apart. PMID:27571075

The African swine fever control zone in South Africa and its current relevance.

PubMed

Magadla, Noluvuyo R; Vosloo, Wilna; Heath, Livio; Gummow, Bruce

2016-05-23

African swine fever (ASF) has been reported in South Africa since the early 20th century. The disease has been controlled and confined to northern South Africa over the past 80 years by means of a well-defined boundary line, with strict control measures and movement restrictions north of this line. In 2012, the first outbreak of ASF outside the ASF control zone since 1996 occurred. The objective of this study was to evaluate the current relevance of the ASF control line as a demarcation line between endemic ASF (north) areas and ASF-free (south) area and to determine whether there was a need to realign its trajectory, given the recent outbreaks of ASF, global climate changes and urban development since the line's inception. A study of ASF determinants was conducted in an area 20 km north and 20 km south of the ASF control line, in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West and Gauteng provinces between May 2008 and September 2012. The study confirmed that warthogs, warthog burrows and the soft tick reservoir, Ornithodoros moubata, are present south of the ASF control line, but no virus or viral DNA was detected in these ticks. There appears to be an increasing trend in the diurnal maximum temperature and a decrease in humidity along the line, but the impact of these changes is uncertain. No discernible changes in minimum temperatures and average rainfall along the disease control line were observed between 1992 and 2014. Even though the reservoirs were found south of the ASF boundary line, the study concluded that there was no need to realign the trajectory of the ASF disease control line, with the exception of Limpopo Province. However, the provincial surveillance programmes for the reservoir, vector and ASF virus south of this line needs to be maintained and intensified as changing farming practices may favour the spread of ASF virus beyond the control line.

Magnetically excited flexural plate wave apparatus

DOEpatents

Martin, Stephen J.; Butler, Michael A.; Frye, Gregory C.; Smith, James H.

1998-01-01

A non-piezoelectric flexural plate wave apparatus having meander-line transducers mounted on a non-piezoelectric membrane. A static magnetic field is directed perpendicularly to the conductive legs of the transducers in the plane of the membrane. Single-port, two-port, resonant, non-resonant, eigenmode, and delay-line modes may be employed.

Finite element analysis of end notch flexure specimen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mall, S.; Kochhar, N. K.

1986-01-01

A finite element analysis of the end notch flexure specimen for mode II interlaminar fracture toughness measurement was conducted. The effect of friction between the crack faces and large deflection on the evaluation of G sub IIc from this specimen were investigated. Results of this study are presented in this paper.

Finite-element analysis of end-notch flexure specimens

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mall, S.; Kochhar, N. K.

1986-01-01

A finite-element analysis of the end-notch flexure specimen for Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness measurement was conducted. The effects of friction between the crack faces and large deflection on the evaluation of G(IIc) from this specimen were investigated. Results of this study are presented in this paper.

ASF1 is required to load histones on the HIRA complex in preparation of paternal chromatin assembly at fertilization.

PubMed

Horard, Béatrice; Sapey-Triomphe, Laure; Bonnefoy, Emilie; Loppin, Benjamin

2018-05-11

Anti-Silencing Factor 1 (ASF1) is a conserved H3-H4 histone chaperone involved in both Replication-Coupled and Replication-Independent (RI) nucleosome assembly pathways. At DNA replication forks, ASF1 plays an important role in regulating the supply of H3.1/2 and H4 to the CAF-1 chromatin assembly complex. ASF1 also provides H3.3-H4 dimers to HIRA and DAXX chaperones for RI nucleosome assembly. The early Drosophila embryo is an attractive system to study chromatin assembly in a developmental context. The formation of a diploid zygote begins with the unique, genome-wide RI assembly of paternal chromatin following sperm protamine eviction. Then, within the same cytoplasm, syncytial embryonic nuclei undergo a series of rapid, synchronous S and M phases to form the blastoderm embryo. Here, we have investigated the implication of ASF1 in these two distinct assembly processes. We show that depletion of the maternal pool of ASF1 with a specific shRNA induces a fully penetrant, maternal effect embryo lethal phenotype. Unexpectedly, despite the depletion of ASF1 protein to undetectable levels, we show that asf1 knocked-down (KD) embryos can develop to various stages, thus demonstrating that ASF1 is not absolutely required for the amplification of cleavage nuclei. Remarkably, we found that ASF1 is required for the formation of the male pronucleus, although ASF1 protein does not reside in the decondensing sperm nucleus. In asf1 KD embryos, HIRA localizes to the male nucleus but is only capable of limited and insufficient chromatin assembly. Finally, we show that the conserved HIRA B domain, which is involved in ASF1-HIRA interaction, is dispensable for female fertility. We conclude that ASF1 is critically required to load H3.3-H4 dimers on the HIRA complex prior to histone deposition on paternal DNA. This separation of tasks could optimize the rapid assembly of paternal chromatin within the gigantic volume of the egg cell. In contrast, ASF1 is surprisingly dispensable for the amplification of cleavage nuclei, although chromatin integrity is likely compromised in KD embryos.

Spatio-temporal modeling of the African swine fever epidemic in the Russian Federation, 2007-2012.

PubMed

Korennoy, F I; Gulenkin, V M; Malone, J B; Mores, C N; Dudnikov, S A; Stevenson, M A

2014-10-01

In 2007 African swine fever (ASF) entered Georgia and in the same year the disease entered the Russian Federation. From 2007 to 2012 ASF spread throughout the southern region of the Russian Federation. At the same time several cases of ASF were detected in the central and northern regions of the Russian Federation, forming a northern cluster of outbreaks in 2011. This northern cluster is of concern because of its proximity to mainland Europe. The aim of this study was to use details of recorded ASF outbreaks and human and swine population details to estimate the spatial distribution of ASF risk in the southern region of the European part of the Russian Federation. Our model of ASF risk was comprised of two components. The first was an estimate of ASF suitability scores calculated using maximum entropy methods. The second was an estimate of ASF risk as a function of Euclidean distance from index cases. An exponential distribution fitted to a frequency histogram of the Euclidean distance between consecutive ASF cases had a mean value of 156 km, a distance greater than the surveillance zone radius of 100-150 km stated in the ASF control regulations for the Russian Federation. We show that the spatial and temporal risk of ASF expansion is related to the suitability of the area of potential expansion, which is in turn a function of socio-economic and geographic variables. We propose that the methodology presented in this paper provides a useful tool to optimize surveillance for ASF in affected areas. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spatio-temporal modeling of the African swine fever epidemic in the Russian Federation, 2007–2012

PubMed Central

Korennoy, F.I.; Gulenkin, V.M.; Malone, J.B.; Mores, C.N.; Dudnikov, S.A.; Stevenson, M.A.

2015-01-01

In 2007 African swine fever (ASF) entered Georgia and in the same year the disease entered the Russian Federation. From 2007 to 2012 ASF spread throughout the southern region of the Russian Federation. At the same time several cases of ASF were detected in the central and northern regions of the Russian Federation, forming a northern cluster of outbreaks in 2011. This northern cluster is of concern because of its proximity to mainland Europe. The aim of this study was to use details of recorded ASF outbreaks and human and swine population details to estimate the spatial distribution of ASF risk in the southern region of the European part of the Russian Federation. Our model of ASF risk was comprised of two components. The first was an estimate of ASF suitability scores calculated using maximum entropy methods. The second was an estimate of ASF risk as a function of Euclidean distance from index cases. An exponential distribution fitted to a frequency histogram of the Euclidean distance between consecutive ASF cases had a mean value of 156 km, a distance greater than the surveillance zone radius of 100–150 km stated in the ASF control regulations for the Russian Federation. We show that the spatial and temporal risk of ASF expansion is related to the suitability of the area of potential expansion, which is in turn a function of socio-economic and geographic variables. We propose that the methodology presented in this paper provides a useful tool to optimize surveillance for ASF in affected areas. PMID:25457602

[The effect of core veneer thickness ratio on the flexural strength of diatomite-based dental ceramic].

PubMed

Jiang, Jie; Zhang, Xin; Gao, Mei-qin; Zhang, Fei-min; Lu, Xiao-li

2015-06-01

To evaluate the effect of different core veneer thickness ratios on the flexural strength and failure mode of bilayered diatomite-based dental ceramics. Diatomite-based dental ceramics blocks (16 mm×5.4 mm×1 mm) were sintered with different thickness of veneer porcelains: 0 mm (group A), 0.6 mm (group B), 0.8 mm (group C) and 1.0 mm (group D). Flexural strength was detected and scanning electron microscope was used to observe the interface microstructure. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 17.0 software package. With the increase of the thickness of the veneer porcelain, flexural strength of group C showed highest flexural strength up to (277.24±5.47) MPa. Different core veneer thickness ratios can significantly influence the flexural strength of bilayered diatomite-based dental ceramics. Supported by Science and Technology Projects of Nantong City (HS2013010).

ASF archive issues: Current status, past history, and questions for the future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goula, Crystal A.; Wales, Carl

1994-01-01

The Alaska SAR Facility (ASF) collects, processes, archives, and distributes data from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites in support of scientific research. ASF has been in operation since 1991 and presently has an archive of over 100 terabytes of data. ASF is performing an analysis of its magnetic tape storage system to ensure long-term preservation of this archive. Future satellite missions have the possibility of doubling to tripling the amounts of data that ASF acquires. ASF is examining the current data systems and the high volume storage, and exploring future concerns and solutions.

CAF-1-induced oligomerization of histones H3/H4 and mutually exclusive interactions with Asf1 guide H3/H4 transitions among histone chaperones and DNA

PubMed Central

Liu, Wallace H.; Roemer, Sarah C.; Port, Alex M.; Churchill, Mair E. A.

2012-01-01

Anti-silencing function 1 (Asf1) and Chromatin Assembly Factor 1 (CAF-1) chaperone histones H3/H4 during the assembly of nucleosomes on newly replicated DNA. To understand the mechanism of histone H3/H4 transfer among Asf1, CAF-1 and DNA from a thermodynamic perspective, we developed and employed biophysical approaches using full-length proteins in the budding yeast system. We find that the C-terminal tail of Asf1 enhances the interaction of Asf1 with CAF-1. Surprisingly, although H3/H4 also enhances the interaction of Asf1 with the CAF-1 subunit Cac2, H3/H4 forms a tight complex with CAF-1 exclusive of Asf1, with an affinity weaker than Asf1–H3/H4 or H3/H4–DNA interactions. Unlike Asf1, monomeric CAF-1 binds to multiple H3/H4 dimers, which ultimately promotes the formation of (H3/H4)2 tetramers on DNA. Thus, transition of H3/H4 from the Asf1-associated dimer to the DNA-associated tetramer is promoted by CAF-1-induced H3/H4 oligomerization. PMID:23034810

Quasi-polaritons in Bose-Einstein condensates induced by Casimir-Polder interaction with graphene.

PubMed

Terças, H; Ribeiro, S; Mendonça, J T

2015-06-03

We consider the mechanical coupling between a two-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensate and a graphene sheet via the vacuum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field which are at the origin of the so-called Casimir-Polder potential. By deriving a self-consistent set of equations governing the dynamics of the condensate and the flexural (out-of-plane) modes of the graphene, we can show the formation of a new type of purely acoustic quasi-particle excitation, a quasi-polariton resulting from the coherent superposition of quanta of flexural and Bogoliubov modes.

Mapping boreal wetlands using ALOS SCANSAR data from the USGRC Datapool at ASF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapman, B. D.; McDonald, K. C.; Moghaddam, M.; Whitcomb, J.

2011-12-01

A NASA funded research task is generating an Earth Science Data Record for global inundated wetlands (IW-ESDR). Wetland extent and dynamics will be characterized using Advanced Land Observing System (ALOS) Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) imagery and other sensors. The IW-ESDR will include wetland products generated from ALOS ScanSAR imagery over major wetland areas. This task is conducted within the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) ALOS Kyoto and Carbon Initiative, which is an international collaborative project led by JAXA Earth Observation Research Center (EORC). For mapping inundation in the boreal wetlands of North America, we are utilizing the extensive data holdings found in the US Government Research Consortium (USGRC) Datapool at the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF). JAXA launched ALOS on January 24, 2006, and operated the satellite until its end of mission in early 2011. During that time, ALOS PALSAR was frequently directed to acquire data while within the ASF station mask and to downlink the data directly to ASF. This simplified operation, which does not require the use of the JAXA Data Relay Test Satellite (DRTS), allowed a rich collection of data to be acquired. For the IW-ESDR task, we will be using the descending ALOS PALSAR SCANSAR data and a subset of other modes obtained within the ASF mask (which extends from the northern border of Alaska to the Canadian/American border, and from the Eastern Russia to central Canada) to characterize both wetland dynamics, and changes in backscatter due to the change in freeze/thaw state. There have been over 20,000 SCANSAR images acquired during the descending ALOS orbit covering Alaska and Canada. SCANSAR data is available from the ASF datapool processed to either level 1.0 (signal data) or the more standard level 1.5 (Multi-look processed images projected onto map coordinates). We will evaluate these two product levels in terms of their usefulness for the development of inundation products. This work is supported under the NASA Making Earth Science Data Records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs) program. This research is undertaken in part within the framework of the ALOS Kyoto & Carbon Initiative. Portions of this work was performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Accurate Simulation of Acoustic Emission Sources in Composite Plates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prosser, W. H.; Gorman, M. R.

1994-01-01

Acoustic emission (AE) signals propagate as the extensional and flexural plate modes in thin composite plates and plate-like geometries such as shells, pipes, and tubes. The relative amplitude of the two modes depends on the directionality of the source motion. For source motions with large out-of-plane components such as delaminations or particle impact, the flexural or bending plate mode dominates the AE signal with only a small extensional mode detected. A signal from such a source is well simulated with the standard pencil lead break (Hsu-Neilsen source) on the surface of the plate. For other sources such as matrix cracking or fiber breakage in which the source motion is primarily in-plane, the resulting AE signal has a large extensional mode component with little or no flexural mode observed. Signals from these type sources can also be simulated with pencil lead breaks. However, the lead must be fractured on the edge of the plate to generate an in-plane source motion rather than on the surface of the plate. In many applications such as testing of pressure vessels and piping or aircraft structures, a free edge is either not available or not in a desired location for simulation of in-plane type sources. In this research, a method was developed which allows the simulation of AE signals with a predominant extensional mode component in composite plates requiring access to only the surface of the plate.

English Pig Farmers' Knowledge and Behaviour towards African Swine Fever Suspicion and Reporting.

PubMed

Guinat, Claire; Wall, Ben; Dixon, Linda; Pfeiffer, Dirk Udo

African swine fever (ASF) is a notifiable, virulent swine disease, and is a major threat to animal health and trade for many European Union (EU) countries. Early detection of the introduction of ASF virus is of paramount importance to be able to limit the potential extent of outbreaks. However, the timely and accurate reporting of ASF primary cases strongly depends on how familiar pig farmers are with the clinical signs, and their motivation to report the disease. Here, an online questionnaire survey was conducted between December 2014 and April 2015 to investigate English pig farmers' knowledge and behaviour towards ASF in terms of clinical suspicion and reporting. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors influencing the two variables of interest: 1) farmers who "would immediately suspect ASF" if they observed clinical signs of fever, lethargy, reduced eating and high mortality on their farm and 2) farmers who "would immediately report ASF" if they suspected ASF on their farm. The questionnaire was completed by 109 pig farmers. Results indicate that pig farmers having poor knowledge about ASF clinical signs and limited concern about ASF compared with other pig diseases are less likely to consider the possibility of an outbreak of ASF on their farm. In addition, pig farmers lacking awareness of outbreaks in other countries, having a perception of the negative impact on them resulting from false positive reporting and the perceived complexity of reporting procedures are less likely to report an ASF suspicion. These findings indicate important areas for educational campaigns targeted at English pig farmers to focus on in an attempt to increase the likelihood of a rapid response in the event of an ASF outbreak.

Nonlinear mode interaction in equal-leg angle struts susceptible to cellular buckling.

PubMed

Bai, L; Wang, F; Wadee, M A; Yang, J

2017-11-01

A variational model that describes the interactive buckling of a thin-walled equal-leg angle strut under pure axial compression is presented. A formulation combining the Rayleigh-Ritz method and continuous displacement functions is used to derive a system of differential and integral equilibrium equations for the structural component. Solving the equations using numerical continuation reveals progressive cellular buckling (or snaking) arising from the nonlinear interaction between the weak-axis flexural buckling mode and the strong-axis flexural-torsional buckling mode for the first time-the resulting behaviour being highly unstable. Physical experiments conducted on 10 cold-formed steel specimens are presented and the results show good agreement with the variational model.

African Swine Fever Virus, Siberia, Russia, 2017.

PubMed

Kolbasov, Denis; Titov, Ilya; Tsybanov, Sodnom; Gogin, Andrey; Malogolovkin, Alexander

2018-04-01

African swine fever (ASF) is arguably the most dangerous and emerging swine disease worldwide. ASF is a serious problem for the swine industry. The first case of ASF in Russia was reported in 2007. We report an outbreak of ASF in Siberia, Russia, in 2017.

Integrated tuned vibration absorbers: a theoretical study.

PubMed

Gardonio, Paolo; Zilletti, Michele

2013-11-01

This article presents a simulation study on two integrated tuned vibration absorbers (TVAs) designed to control the global flexural vibration of lightly damped thin structures subject to broad frequency band disturbances. The first one consists of a single axial switching TVA composed by a seismic mass mounted on variable axial spring and damper elements so that the characteristic damping and natural frequency of the absorber can be switched iteratively to control the resonant response of three flexural modes of the hosting structure. The second one consists of a single three-axes TVA composed by a seismic mass mounted on axial and rotational springs and dampers, which are arranged in such a way that the suspended mass is characterized by uncoupled heave and pitch-rolling vibrations. In this case the three damping and natural frequency parameters of the absorber are tuned separately to control three flexural modes of the hosting structure. The simulation study shows that the proposed single-unit absorbers produce, respectively, 5.3 and 8.7 dB reductions of the global flexural vibration of a rectangular plate between 20 and 120 Hz.

African swine fever (ASF): five years around Europe.

PubMed

Sánchez-Vizcaíno, José Manuel; Mur, Lina; Martínez-López, Beatriz

2013-07-26

Since African swine fever (ASF) was re-introduced into Eastern Europe in April 2007, the disease has spread through five countries, drastically changing the European ASF situation. This re-introduction has significant implications for the affected countries, and it puts the European Union (EU) at serious risk of ASF introduction. Numerous factors are complicating the control of ASF in the Russian Federation and neighboring areas, particularly the absence of a coordinated control program, the abundance of backyard pig units with low or no biosecurity and the traditional use of swill feeding. All these risk factors are driven in turn by socio-economic, political and cultural factors. Moreover, the lack of clear information regarding the current situation of ASF in the Trans-Caucasus countries such as Armenia and Georgia may be increasing the risk of ASF spread into neighboring areas. The ASF situation in Eastern Europe poses a constant risk of ASF entry into the EU, especially via routes that are difficult to control, such as wild boar movements, illegal movement of animals and animal products and movements of contaminated vehicles or other fomites. This paper reviews and discusses current ASF epidemiology in Eastern Europe, the factors that may contribute to disease endemicity in the area, the current challenges for disease control, and the risk of introduction into the EU. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The histone chaperone ASF1 is essential for sexual development in the filamentous fungus Sordaria macrospora.

PubMed

Gesing, Stefan; Schindler, Daniel; Fränzel, Benjamin; Wolters, Dirk; Nowrousian, Minou

2012-05-01

Ascomycetes develop four major types of fruiting bodies that share a common ancestor, and a set of common core genes most likely controls this process. One way to identify such genes is to search for conserved expression patterns. We analysed microarray data of Fusarium graminearum and Sordaria macrospora, identifying 78 genes with similar expression patterns during fruiting body development. One of these genes was asf1 (anti-silencing function 1), encoding a predicted histone chaperone. asf1 expression is also upregulated during development in the distantly related ascomycete Pyronema confluens. To test whether asf1 plays a role in fungal development, we generated an S. macrospora asf1 deletion mutant. The mutant is sterile and can be complemented to fertility by transformation with the wild-type asf1 and its P. confluens homologue. An ASF1-EGFP fusion protein localizes to the nucleus. By tandem-affinity purification/mass spectrometry as well as yeast two-hybrid analysis, we identified histones H3 and H4 as ASF1 interaction partners. Several developmental genes are dependent on asf1 for correct transcriptional expression. Deletion of the histone chaperone genes rtt106 and cac2 did not cause any developmental phenotypes. These data indicate that asf1 of S. macrospora encodes a conserved histone chaperone that is required for fruiting body development. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Structural Basis for the Histone Chaperone Activity of Asf1

PubMed Central

English, Christine M.; Adkins, Melissa W.; Carson, Joshua J.; Churchill, Mair E.A.; Tyler, Jessica K.

2010-01-01

SUMMARY Asf1 is a highly conserved chaperone of histones H3/H4 that assembles or disassembles chromatin during transcription, replication, and repair. The structure of the globular domain of Asf1 bound to H3/H4 determined by X-ray crystallography to a resolution of 1.7 Å shows how Asf1 binds the H3/H4 heterodimer, enveloping the C-terminus of histone H3 and physically blocking formation of the H3/H4 heterotetramer. Unexpectedly, the C-terminus of histone H4 that forms a mini-beta sheet with histone H2A in the nucleosome, undergoes a major conformational change upon binding to Asf1 and adds a beta strand to the Asf1 beta-sheet sandwich. Interactions with both H3 and H4 were required for Asf1 histone chaperone function in vivo and in vitro. The Asf1-H3/H4 structure suggests a “strand-capture” mechanism whereby the H4 tail acts as a lever to facilitate chromatin disassembly / assembly that may be used ubiquitously by histone chaperones. PMID:17081973

Impact of American-style football participation on vascular function.

PubMed

Kim, Jonathan H; Sher, Salman; Wang, Francis; Berkstresser, Brant; Shoop, James L; Galante, Angelo; Al Mheid, Ibhar; Ghasemzadeh, Nima; Hutter, Adolph M; Williams, B Robinson; Sperling, Laurence S; Weiner, Rory B; Quyyumi, Arshed A; Baggish, Aaron L

2015-01-15

Although hypertension is common in American-style football (ASF) players, the presence of concomitant vascular dysfunction has not been previously characterized. We sought to examine the impact of ASF participation on arterial stiffness and to compare metrics of arterial function between collegiate ASF participants and nonathletic collegiate controls. Newly matriculated collegiate athletes were studied longitudinally during a single season of ASF participation and were then compared with healthy undergraduate controls. Arterial stiffness was characterized using applanation tonometry (SphygmoCor). ASF participants (n = 32, 18.4 ± 0.5 years) were evenly comprised of Caucasians (n = 14, 44%) and African-Americans (n = 18, 56%). A single season of ASF participation led to an increase in central aortic pulse pressure (27 ± 4 vs 34 ± 8 mm Hg, p <0.001). Relative to controls (n = 47), pulse wave velocity was increased in ASF participants (5.6 ± 0.7 vs 6.2 ± 0.9 m/s, p = 0.002). After adjusting for height, weight, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure, ASF participation was independently predictive of increased pulse wave velocity (β = 0.33, p = 0.04). In conclusion, ASF participation leads to changes in central hemodynamics and increased arterial stiffness. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Replication-Independent Histone Deposition by the HIR Complex and Asf1

PubMed Central

Green, Erin M.; Antczak, Andrew J.; Bailey, Aaron O.; Franco, Alexa A.; Wu, Kevin J.; Yates, John R.; Kaufman, Paul D.

2010-01-01

Summary The orderly deposition of histones onto DNA is mediated by conserved assembly complexes, including Chromatin Assembly Factor-1 (CAF-1) and the Hir proteins [1–4]. CAF-1 and the Hir proteins operate in distinct but functionally overlapping histone deposition pathways in vivo [5, 6]. The Hir proteins and CAF-1 share a common partner, the highly conserved histone H3/H4-binding protein Asf1, which binds the middle subunit of CAF-1 as well as to Hir proteins [7–11]. Asf1 binds to newly synthesized histones H3/H4 [12] and this complex stimulates histone deposition by CAF-1 [7, 12, 13]. In yeast, Asf1 is required for the contribution of the Hir proteins to gene silencing [7, 14]. Here, we demonstrate that Hir1, Hir2, Hir3 and Hpc2 comprise the HIR complex, which co-purifies with histone deposition protein Asf1. Together, the HIR complex and Asf1 deposit histones onto DNA in a replication-independent manner. Histone deposition by the HIR complex and Asf1 is impaired by a mutation in Asf1 that inhibits HIR binding. These data indicate that the HIR complex and Asf1 proteins function together as a conserved eukaryotic pathway for histone replacement throughout the cell cycle. PMID:16303565

Dispersion characteristics of the flexural wave assessed using low frequency (50-150kHz) point-contact transducers: A feasibility study on bone-mimicking phantoms.

PubMed

Kassou, Koussila; Remram, Youcef; Laugier, Pascal; Minonzio, Jean-Gabriel

2017-11-01

Guided waves-based techniques are currently under development for quantitative cortical bone assessment. However, the signal interpretation is challenging due to multiple mode overlapping. To overcome this limitation, dry point-contact transducers have been used at low frequencies for a selective excitation of the zeroth order anti-symmetric Lamb A0 mode, a mode whose dispersion characteristics can be used to infer the thickness of the waveguide. In this paper, our purpose was to extend the technique by combining a dry point-contact transducers approach to the SVD-enhanced 2-D Fourier transform in order to measure the dispersion characteristics of the flexural mode. The robustness of our approach is assessed on bone-mimicking phantoms covered or not with soft tissue-mimicking layer. Experiments were also performed on a bovine bone. Dispersion characteristics of measured modes were extracted using a SVD-based signal processing technique. The thickness was obtained by fitting a free plate model to experimental data. The results show that, in all studied cases, the estimated thickness values are in good agreement with the actual thickness values. From the results, we speculate that in vivo cortical thickness assessment by measuring the flexural wave using point-contact transducers is feasible. However, this assumption has to be confirmed by further in vivo studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Arabidopsis homologues of the histone chaperone ASF1 are crucial for chromatin replication and cell proliferation in plant development.

PubMed

Zhu, Yan; Weng, Minjie; Yang, Yue; Zhang, Chi; Li, Ziyu; Shen, Wen-Hui; Dong, Aiwu

2011-05-01

Anti-silencing function1 (ASF1) is an evolutionarily conserved histone chaperone. Studies in yeast and animals indicate that ASF1 proteins play important roles in various chromatin-based processes, including gene transcription, DNA replication and repair. While two genes encoding ASF1 homologues, AtASF1A and AtASF1B, are found in the Arabidopsis genome, their function has not been studied. Here we report that both AtASF1A and AtASF1B proteins bind histone H3, and are localized in the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Loss-of-function of either AtASF1A or AtASF1B did not show obvious defects, whereas simultaneous knockdown of both genes in the double mutant Atasf1ab drastically inhibited plant growth and caused abnormal vegetative and reproductive organ development. The Atasf1ab mutant plants exhibit cell number reduction, S-phase delay/arrest, and reduced polyploidy levels. Selective up-regulation of expression of a subset of genes, including those involved in S-phase checkpoints and the CYCB1;1 gene at the G₂-to-M transition, was observed in Atasf1ab. Furthermore, the Atasf1ab-triggered replication fork stalling constitutively activates the DNA damage checkpoint and repair genes, including ATM, ATR, PARP1 and PARP2 as well as several genes of the homologous recombination (HR) pathway but not genes of the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway. In spite of the activation of repair genes, an increased level of DNA damage was detected in Atasf1ab, suggesting that defects in the mutant largely exceed the available capacity of the repair machinery. Taken together, our study establishes crucial roles for the AtASF1A and AtASF1B genes in chromatin replication, maintenance of genome integrity and cell proliferation during plant development. © 2011 The Authors. The Plant Journal © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Contribution of market value chain to the control of African swine fever in Zambia.

PubMed

Siamupa, C; Saasa, N; Phiri, A M

2018-01-01

African swine fever (ASF) is a worldwide disease of pigs endemic in most sub-Saharan African countries. Zambia has been experiencing outbreaks of ASF for many years because the disease is endemic in the eastern part of the country, with incursion into the central part of Lusaka Province. The latest outbreaks of ASF in Lusaka occurred in 2013 with substantial pig mortalities, loss in trade, and cost of control measures and compensation of affected farmers. The aims of the study were to identify market value chain-related factors that were associated with ASF outbreaks and assess why these outbreaks are becoming frequent despite control measures being put in place. Using a mixed-method design, participants involved in the value chain were purposively sampled. Some pig farmers were included using a respondent-driven technique. Farmers came from Lusaka, Chilanga, Kafue, and Chongwe districts. Other participants included district veterinary officers, veterinary assistants, police officers, and veterinary staff manning veterinary checkpoints, abattoir and processing plant managers, meat inspectors, market chairpersons, and traders. Semi-structured questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and direct observations were used to collect data to come up with narrations, tables, and flow charts. In assessing the contribution of the value chain in ASF, aspects of ASF screening, market availability and procedures, knowledge on ASF transmission, occurrence of ASF outbreak, and regulation of pig movement were investigated. Despite government ASF control measures being applied, the following were noted: (1) low awareness levels of ASF transmission among pig farmers and traders; (2) only 50% of farmers had their animals screened for ASF before sale; (3) all the markets did not have the pork inspected; (4) laxity in enforcing livestock movement control because of inadequate police and veterinary staff manning checkpoints; (5) lack of enforcement of meat inspection and food safety regulations at pig markets; and (6) inadequate and bureaucratic ASF screening. Improving biosecurity; sensitizing farmers, traders, and all stakeholders in the pig value chain on ASF prevention and control; reinforcement of staff at checkpoints; and regulation of pig markets are some of the ways in which future outbreaks can be prevented.

Surface Waves and Flow-Induced Oscillations along an Underground Elliptic Cylinder Filled with a Viscous Fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakuraba, A.

2015-12-01

I made a linear analysis of flow-induced oscillations along an underground cylindrical conduit with an elliptical cross section on the basis of the hypothesis that volcanic tremor is a result of magma movement through a conduit. As a first step to understand how the self oscillation occurs because of magma flow, I investigated surface wave propagation and attenuation along an infinitely long fluid-filled elliptic cylinder in an elastic medium. The boundary element method is used to obtain the two-dimensional wave field around the ellipse in the frequency-wavenumber domain. When the major axis is much greater than the minor axis of the ellipse, we obtain the analytic form of the dispersion relation of both the crack-wave mode (Korneev 2008, Lipovsky & Dunham 2015) and the Rayleigh-wave mode with flexural deformation. The crack-wave mode generally has a slower phase speed and a higher attenuation than the Rayleigh-wave mode. In the long-wavelength limit, the crack-wave mode disappears because of fluid viscosity, but the Rayleigh-wave mode exists with a constant Q-value that depends on viscosity. When the aspect ratio of the ellipse is finite, the surface waves can basically be understood as those propagating along a fluid pipe. The flexural mode does exist even when the wavelength is much longer than the major axis, but its phase speed coincides with that of the surrounding S-wave (Randall 1991). As its attenuation is zero in the long-wavelength limit, the flexural mode differs in nature from surface wave. I also obtain a result on linear stability of viscous flow through an elliptic cylinder. In this analysis, I made an assumption that the fluid inertia is so small that the Stokes equation can be used. As suggested by the author's previous study (Sakuraba & Yamauchi 2014), the flexural (Rayleigh-wave) mode is destabilized at a critical flow speed that decreases with the wavelength. However, when the wavelength is much greater than the major axis of the ellipse, the unstable solution does exist, but its linear growth rate in amplitude becomes almost zero. Therefore, the unstable solution effectively disappears in the long-wavelength limit, suggesting that the aspect ratio of the conduit is needed to be sufficiently large if the flow-induced oscillation caused by a moderate magma speed is an origin of volcanic tremor.

A novel constrained H2 optimization algorithm for mechatronics design in flexure-linked biaxial gantry.

PubMed

Ma, Jun; Chen, Si-Lu; Kamaldin, Nazir; Teo, Chek Sing; Tay, Arthur; Mamun, Abdullah Al; Tan, Kok Kiong

2017-11-01

The biaxial gantry is widely used in many industrial processes that require high precision Cartesian motion. The conventional rigid-link version suffers from breaking down of joints if any de-synchronization between the two carriages occurs. To prevent above potential risk, a flexure-linked biaxial gantry is designed to allow a small rotation angle of the cross-arm. Nevertheless, the chattering of control signals and inappropriate design of the flexure joint will possibly induce resonant modes of the end-effector. Thus, in this work, the design requirements in terms of tracking accuracy, biaxial synchronization, and resonant mode suppression are achieved by integrated optimization of the stiffness of flexures and PID controller parameters for a class of point-to-point reference trajectories with same dynamics but different steps. From here, an H 2 optimization problem with defined constraints is formulated, and an efficient iterative solver is proposed by hybridizing direct computation of constrained projection gradient and line search of optimal step. Comparative experimental results obtained on the testbed are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. Copyright © 2017 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Households across all income quintiles, especially the poorest, increased animal source food expenditures substantially during recent Peruvian economic growth.

PubMed

Humphries, Debbie L; Behrman, Jere R; Crookston, Benjamin T; Dearden, Kirk A; Schott, Whitney; Penny, Mary E

2014-01-01

Relative to plant-based foods, animal source foods (ASFs) are richer in accessible protein, iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin B-12 and other nutrients. Because of their nutritional value, particularly for childhood growth and nutrition, it is important to identify factors influencing ASF consumption, especially for poorer households that generally consume less ASFs. To estimate differential responsiveness of ASF consumption to changes in total household expenditures for households with different expenditures in a middle-income country with substantial recent income increases. The Peruvian Young Lives household panel (n = 1750) from 2002, 2006 and 2009 was used to characterize patterns of ASF expenditures. Multivariate models with controls for unobserved household fixed effects and common secular trends were used to examine nonlinear relationships between changes in household expenditures and in ASF expenditures. Households with lower total expenditures dedicated greater percentages of expenditures to food (58.4% vs.17.9% in 2002 and 24.2% vs. 21.5% in 2009 for lowest and highest quintiles respectively) and lower percentages of food expenditures to ASF (22.8% vs. 33.9% in 2002 and 30.3% vs. 37.6% in 2009 for lowest and highest quintiles respectively). Average percentages of overall expenditures spent on food dropped from 47% to 23.2% between 2002 and 2009. Households in the lowest quintiles of expenditures showed greater increases in ASF expenditures relative to total consumption than households in the highest quintiles. Among ASF components, meat and poultry expenditures increased more than proportionately for households in the lowest quintiles, and eggs and fish expenditures increased less than proportionately for all households. Increases in household expenditures were associated with substantial increases in consumption of ASFs for households, particularly households with lower total expenditures. Increases in ASF expenditures for all but the top quintile of households were proportionately greater than increases in total food expenditures, and proportionately less than overall expenditures.

Households across All Income Quintiles, Especially the Poorest, Increased Animal Source Food Expenditures Substantially during Recent Peruvian Economic Growth

PubMed Central

Humphries, Debbie L.; Behrman, Jere R.; Crookston, Benjamin T.; Dearden, Kirk A.; Schott, Whitney; Penny, Mary E.

2014-01-01

Background Relative to plant-based foods, animal source foods (ASFs) are richer in accessible protein, iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin B-12 and other nutrients. Because of their nutritional value, particularly for childhood growth and nutrition, it is important to identify factors influencing ASF consumption, especially for poorer households that generally consume less ASFs. Objective To estimate differential responsiveness of ASF consumption to changes in total household expenditures for households with different expenditures in a middle-income country with substantial recent income increases. Methods The Peruvian Young Lives household panel (n = 1750) from 2002, 2006 and 2009 was used to characterize patterns of ASF expenditures. Multivariate models with controls for unobserved household fixed effects and common secular trends were used to examine nonlinear relationships between changes in household expenditures and in ASF expenditures. Results Households with lower total expenditures dedicated greater percentages of expenditures to food (58.4% vs.17.9% in 2002 and 24.2% vs. 21.5% in 2009 for lowest and highest quintiles respectively) and lower percentages of food expenditures to ASF (22.8% vs. 33.9% in 2002 and 30.3% vs. 37.6% in 2009 for lowest and highest quintiles respectively). Average percentages of overall expenditures spent on food dropped from 47% to 23.2% between 2002 and 2009. Households in the lowest quintiles of expenditures showed greater increases in ASF expenditures relative to total consumption than households in the highest quintiles. Among ASF components, meat and poultry expenditures increased more than proportionately for households in the lowest quintiles, and eggs and fish expenditures increased less than proportionately for all households. Conclusions Increases in household expenditures were associated with substantial increases in consumption of ASFs for households, particularly households with lower total expenditures. Increases in ASF expenditures for all but the top quintile of households were proportionately greater than increases in total food expenditures, and proportionately less than overall expenditures. PMID:25372596

Strength, Fracture Toughness, Fatigue, and Standardization Issues of Free-standing Thermal Barrier Coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sung R.; Zhu, Dong-Ming; Miller, Robert A.

2003-01-01

Strength, fracture toughness and fatigue behavior of free-standing thick thermal barrier coatings of plasma-sprayed ZrO2-8wt % Y2O3 were determined at ambient and elevated temperatures in an attempt to establish a database for design. Strength, in conjunction with deformation (stress-strain behavior), was evaluated in tension (uniaxial and trans-thickness), compression, and uniaxial and biaxial flexure; fracture toughness was determined in various load conditions including mode I, mode II, and mixed modes I and II; fatigue or slow crack growth behavior was estimated in cyclic tension and dynamic flexure loading. Effect of sintering was quantified through approaches using strength, fracture toughness, and modulus (constitutive relations) measurements. Standardization issues on test methodology also was presented with a special regard to material's unique constitutive relations.

Hypolipidemic effect of avocado (Persea americana Mill) seed in a hypercholesterolemic mouse model.

PubMed

Pahua-Ramos, María Elena; Ortiz-Moreno, Alicia; Chamorro-Cevallos, Germán; Hernández-Navarro, María Dolores; Garduño-Siciliano, Leticia; Necoechea-Mondragón, Hugo; Hernández-Ortega, Marcela

2012-03-01

Avocado seed contains elevated levels of phenolic compounds and exhibits antioxidant properties. We investigated the effect of Avocado Seed Flour (ASF) on the lipid levels in mice on a hyperlipidemic diet. The concentration of phenols was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography, antioxidant activity was evaluated using the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity method, and dietary fiber was measured using the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) method. The LD50 of ASF was determined using Lorke's method and hypolipidemic activity was evaluated in a hypercholesterolemic model in mice. Protocatechuic acid was the main phenolic compound found in ASF, followed by kaempferide and vanillic acid. The total phenolic content in the methanolic extract of ASF was 292.00 ± 9.81 mg gallic acid equivalents/g seed dry weight and the antioxidant activity resulted in 173.3 μmol Trolox equivalents/g DW. In addition, a high content of dietary fiber was found (34.8%). The oral LD50 for ASF was 1767 mg/kg body weight, and treatment with ASF significantly reduced the levels of total cholesterol, LDL-C, and prediction of the atherogenic index. Therefore, the antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds and dietary fiber in ASF may be responsible for the hypocholesterolemic activity of ASF in a hyperlipidemic model of mice.

The wavefield of acoustic logging in a cased hole with a single casing—Part II: a dipole tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hua; Fehler, Michael

2018-02-01

The acoustic method, being the most effective method for cement bond evaluation, has been used by industry for more than a half century. However, the methods currently used are almost always focused on the first arrival (especially for sonic logging), which has limitations. We use a 3-D finite-difference method to numerically simulate the wavefields from a dipole source in a single-cased hole with different cement conditions. By using wavefield snapshots and dispersion curves, we interpret the characteristics of the modes in the models. We investigate the effect of source frequency, the thickness and location of fluid columns on different modes. The dipole wavefield in a single-cased hole consists of a leaky P (for frequency >10 kHz) from formation, formation flexural, and also some casing modes. Depending on the mode, their behaviour is sometimes sensitive to the existence of fluid between the cement and formation and sometimes sensitive to the existence of fluid between the casing and cement. The formation S velocity can be obtained from the formation flexural mode at low frequency. However, interference from high-order casing modes makes the leaky P invisible and P velocity determination difficult when the casing is not well cemented. The dispersion curve of the formation flexural mode is sensitive to the fluid thickness when fluid exists only at the interface between casing and cement. The fundamental casing dipole mode is only sensitive to the total fluid thickness in the annulus between casing and formation. Either the arrival time or amplitude of the high-order casing dipole mode is sensitive to the fluid column when the fluid column is next to the casing. We provide a table that summarizes the ability of different modes to detect fluid columns between various layers of casing, cement and formation. Based on the results, we suggest a data processing flow for field application, which will highly improve cement evaluation.

Reliability Analysis of Uniaxially Ground Brittle Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salem, Jonathan A.; Nemeth, Noel N.; Powers, Lynn M.; Choi, Sung R.

1995-01-01

The fast fracture strength distribution of uniaxially ground, alpha silicon carbide was investigated as a function of grinding angle relative to the principal stress direction in flexure. Both as-ground and ground/annealed surfaces were investigated. The resulting flexural strength distributions were used to verify reliability models and predict the strength distribution of larger plate specimens tested in biaxial flexure. Complete fractography was done on the specimens. Failures occurred from agglomerates, machining cracks, or hybrid flaws that consisted of a machining crack located at a processing agglomerate. Annealing eliminated failures due to machining damage. Reliability analyses were performed using two and three parameter Weibull and Batdorf methodologies. The Weibull size effect was demonstrated for machining flaws. Mixed mode reliability models reasonably predicted the strength distributions of uniaxial flexure and biaxial plate specimens.

New Processing of Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C (SIR-C) Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, F. J.; Gracheva, V.; Arko, S. A.; Labelle-Hamer, A. L.

2017-12-01

The Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C (SIR-C) was a radar system, which successfully operated on two separate shuttle missions in April and October 1994. During these two missions, a total of 143 hours of radar data were recorded. SIR-C was the first multifrequency and polarimetric spaceborne radar system, operating in dual frequency (L- and C- band) and with quad-polarization. SIR-C had a variety of different operating modes, which are innovative even from today's point of view. Depending on the mode, it was possible to acquire data with different polarizations and carrier frequency combinations. Additionally, different swaths and bandwidths could be used during the data collection and it was possible to receive data with two antennas in the along-track direction.The United States Geological Survey (USGS) distributes the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images as single-look complex (SLC) and multi-look complex (MLC) products. Unfortunately, since June 2005 the SIR-C processor has been inoperable and not repairable. All acquired SLC and MLC images were processed with a course resolution of 100 m with the goal of generating a quick look. These images are however not well suited for scientific analysis. Only a small percentage of the acquired data has been processed as full resolution SAR images and the unprocessed high resolution data cannot be processed any more at the moment.At the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) a new processor was developed to process binary SIR-C data to full resolution SAR images. ASF is planning to process the entire recoverable SIR-C archive to full resolution SLCs, MLCs and high resolution geocoded image products. ASF will make these products available to the science community through their existing data archiving and distribution system.The final paper will describe the new processor and analyze the challenges of reprocessing the SIR-C data.

Comparison of bio-hydrogen production yield capacity between asynchronous and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation processes from agricultural residue by mixed anaerobic cultures.

PubMed

Li, Yameng; Zhang, Zhiping; Zhu, Shengnan; Zhang, Huan; Zhang, Yang; Zhang, Tian; Zhang, Quanguo

2018-01-01

Taken common agricultural residues as substrate, dark fermentation bio-hydrogen yield capacity from asynchronous saccharification and fermentation (ASF) and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) was investigated. The highest hydrogen yield of 472.75mL was achieved with corncob using ASF. Hydrogen yield from corn straw, rice straw, corncob and sorghum stalk by SSF were 20.54%,10.31%,13.99% and 5.92% higher than ASF, respectively. The experimental data fitted well to the modified Gompertz model. SSF offered a distinct advantage over ASF with respect to reducing overall process time (60h of SSF, 108h of ASF). Meanwhile, SSF performed better than SSF with respect to shortening the lag-stage. The major metabolites of anaerobic fermentation hydrogen production by ASF and SSF were butyric acid and acetic acid. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flexural Fatigue Behavior of an EBC CMC Composite System In Air and Steam at High Temperature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaskowiak, Martha; Bur, Michael; Harder, Bryan; Gorican, Daniel

2017-01-01

Both coated and uncoated SiCSiC ceramic matrix composite (CMC) samples were tested in flexure under sustained peak low cycle fatigue (SPLCF) conditions in air or steam at elevated temperatures. The SiCSiC composites were reinforced with 2-D plies of boron nitride coated Hi-Nicalon Type-S SiC fibers which were woven as 5 harness satin (5HS) cloth. The composites were densified by chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) followed by slurry melt infiltration (SMI). A multilayer barium strontium aluminosilicate (BSAS) coating was applied to the samples by a plasma spray method. Fatigue loading limits were determined from monotonic flexure tests at room temperature and 1200oC. Stress levels under the proportional limit of the composite material were selected for the SPLCF tests. After cyclic testing, the composites were evaluated to determine crack propagation and failure modes in the coated and uncoated composites. Microstructural examination was used to identify coating degradation and failure modes of the EBCCMC system.

Performance Trials of an Integrated Loran/GPS/IMU Navigation System, Part 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-27

differences are used to correct the grid values in the absence of a local ASF monitor station . Performance of the receiver using different ASF grids...United States is served by the North American Loran-C system made up of 29 stations organized into 10 chains (see Figure 1). Loran coverage is...the absence of a local ASF monitor station . Performance of the receiver using different ASF grids and interpolation techniques and corrected using the

African and classical swine fever situation in Ivory-Coast and neighboring countries, 2008-2013.

PubMed

Kouakou, K V; Michaud, V; Biego, H G; Gnabro, H P G; Kouakou, A V; Mossoun, A M; Awuni, J A; Minoungou, G L; Aplogan, G L; Awoumé, F K; Albina, E; Lancelot, R; Couacy-Hymann, E

2017-02-01

This study was conducted from 2008 to 2013 to determine the animal health status of Ivory Coast and neighboring countries (Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo and Benin) for African swine fever (ASF) and classical swine fever (CSF), and to assess the risk factors for ASF introduction in Ivory Coast. Ivory Coast had probably been free from ASF from 1998 to 2014 when it was re-introduced in this country. However, the ASF virus was found in all neighboring countries. In contrast, no evidence of CSF infection was found so far in Ivory Coast and neighboring countries. To assess the risk of ASF reintroduction in Ivory Coast, we surveyed 59 modern pig farms, and 169 pig owners in 19 villages and in two towns. For the village livestock, the major risk factor was the high frequency of pig exchanges with Burkinabe villages. In the commercial sector, many inadequate management practices were observed with respect to ASF. Their identification should enable farmers and other stakeholders to implement a training and prevention program to reduce the introduction risk of ASF in their farms. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of Plate Curvature on Blast Response of Structural Steel Plates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veeredhi, Lakshmi Shireen Banu; Ramana Rao, N. V.; Veeredhi, Vasudeva Rao

2018-04-01

In the present work an attempt is made, through simulation studies, to determine the effect of plate curvature on the blast response of a door structure made of ASTM A515 grade 50 steel plates. A door structure with dimensions of 5.142 m × 2.56 m × 10 mm having six different radii of curvatures is analyzed which is subjected to blast load. The radii of curvature investigated are infinity (flat plate), 16.63, 10.81, 8.26, 6.61 and 5.56 m. In the present study, a stand-off distance of 11 m is considered for all the cases. Results showed that the door structure with smallest radius of curvature experienced least plastic deformation and yielding when compared to a door with larger radius of curvature with same projected area. From the present Investigation, it is observed that, as the radius of curvature of the plate increases, the deformation mode gradually shifts from indentation mode to flexural mode. The plates with infinity and 16.63 m radius of curvature have undergone flexural mode of deformation and plates with 6.61 and 5.56 m radius of curvature undergo indentation mode of deformation. Whereas, mixed mode of deformation that consists of both flexural and indentation mode of deformations are seen in the plates with radius of curvature 10.81 and 8.26 m. As the radius of curvature of the plate decreases the ability of the plate to mitigate the effect the blast loads increased. It is observed that the plate with smaller radius of curvature deflects most of the blast energy and results in least indentation mode of deformation. The most significant observation made in the present investigation is that the strain energy absorbed by the steel plate gets reduced to 1/3 rd when the radius of curvature is approximately equal to the stand-off distance which could be the critical radius of curvature.

Fracture characterization of human cortical bone under mode II loading using the end-notched flexure test.

PubMed

Silva, F G A; de Moura, M F S F; Dourado, N; Xavier, J; Pereira, F A M; Morais, J J L; Dias, M I R; Lourenço, P J; Judas, F M

2017-08-01

Fracture characterization of human cortical bone under mode II loading was analyzed using a miniaturized version of the end-notched flexure test. A data reduction scheme based on crack equivalent concept was employed to overcome uncertainties on crack length monitoring during the test. The crack tip shear displacement was experimentally measured using digital image correlation technique to determine the cohesive law that mimics bone fracture behavior under mode II loading. The developed procedure was validated by finite element analysis using cohesive zone modeling considering a trapezoidal with bilinear softening relationship. Experimental load-displacement curves, resistance curves and crack tip shear displacement versus applied displacement were used to validate the numerical procedure. The excellent agreement observed between the numerical and experimental results reveals the appropriateness of the proposed test and procedure to characterize human cortical bone fracture under mode II loading. The proposed methodology can be viewed as a novel valuable tool to be used in parametric and methodical clinical studies regarding features (e.g., age, diseases, drugs) influencing bone shear fracture under mode II loading.

A high-quality factor of 267 000 micromechanical silicon resonator utilizing TED-free torsional vibration mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakamura, K.; Naito, Y.; Onishi, K.; Kawakatsu, H.

2012-12-01

In industrial applications of a micromechanical silicon resonator as a physical sensor, a high-quality factor Q and a low-temperature coefficient of Q (TCQ) are required for high sensitivity in a wide temperature range. Although the newly developed thin film encapsulation technique enables a beam to operate with low viscous damping in a vacuum cavity, the Q of a flexural vibration mode is limited by thermo-elastic damping (TED). We proposed a torsional beam resonator which features both a high Q and a low TCQ because theoretically the torsional vibration mode does not suffer from TED. From experiments, Q of 267 000 and TCQ of 1.4 for the 20 MHz torsional vibration mode were observed which were superior to those of the flexural mode. The pressure of the residual gas in the cavity of only 20 pl volume, which is one of the energy loss factors limiting the Q, was successfully estimated to be 1-14 Pa. Finally, the possibilities of improving the Q and the difference of the measured TCQ from a theoretical value were discussed.

Flexure-FET biosensor to break the fundamental sensitivity limits of nanobiosensors using nonlinear electromechanical coupling

PubMed Central

Jain, Ankit; Nair, Pradeep R.; Alam, Muhammad A.

2012-01-01

In this article, we propose a Flexure-FET (flexure sensitive field effect transistor) ultrasensitive biosensor that utilizes the nonlinear electromechanical coupling to overcome the fundamental sensitivity limits of classical electrical or mechanical nanoscale biosensors. The stiffness of the suspended gate of Flexure-FET changes with the capture of the target biomolecules, and the corresponding change in the gate shape or deflection is reflected in the drain current of FET. The Flexure-FET is configured to operate such that the gate is biased near pull-in instability, and the FET-channel is biased in the subthreshold regime. In this coupled nonlinear operating mode, the sensitivity (S) of Flexure-FET with respect to the captured molecule density (Ns) is shown to be exponentially higher than that of any other electrical or mechanical biosensor. In other words, while , classical electrical or mechanical biosensors are limited to Sclassical ∼ γ3NS or γ4 ln(NS), where γi are sensor-specific constants. In addition, the proposed sensor can detect both charged and charge-neutral biomolecules, without requiring a reference electrode or any sophisticated instrumentation, making it a potential candidate for various low-cost, point-of-care applications. PMID:22623527

Characterization of mechanical properties of pericardium tissue using planar biaxial tension and flexural deformation.

PubMed

Murdock, Kyle; Martin, Caitlin; Sun, Wei

2018-01-01

Flexure is an important mode of deformation for native and bioprosthetic heart valves. However, mechanical characterization of bioprosthetic leaflet materials has been done primarily through planar tensile testing. In this study, an integrated experimental and computational cantilever beam bending test was performed to characterize the flexural properties of glutaraldehyde-treated bovine and porcine pericardium of different thicknesses. A strain-invariant based structural constitutive model was used to model the pericardial mechanical behavior quantified through the bending tests of this study and the planar biaxial tests previously performed. The model parameters were optimized through an inverse finite element (FE) procedure in order to describe both sets of experimental data. The optimized material properties were implemented in FE simulations of transcatheter aortic valve (TAV) deformation. It was observed that porcine pericardium TAV leaflets experienced significantly more flexure than bovine when subjected to opening pressurization, and that the flexure may be overestimated using a constitutive model derived from purely planar tensile experimental data. Thus, modeling of a combination of flexural and biaxial tensile testing data may be necessary to more accurately describe the mechanical properties of pericardium, and to computationally investigate bioprosthetic leaflet function and design. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measurement of the time-temperature dependent dynamic mechanical properties of boron/aluminum composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dicarlo, J. A.; Maisel, J. E.

1978-01-01

A flexural vibration test and associated equipment were developed to accurately measure the low strain dynamic modulus and damping of composite materials from -200 C to over 500 C. The basic test method involves the forced vibration of composite bars at their resonant free-free flexural modes in a high vacuum cryostat furnace. The accuracy of these expressions and the flexural test was verified by dynamic moduli and damping capacity measurements on 50 fiber volume percent boron/aluminum (B/Al) composites vibrating near 2000 Hz. The phase results were summarized to permit predictions of the B/Al dynamic behavior as a function of frequency, temperature, and fiber volume fraction.

Sero-prevalence and risk factors associated with African swine fever on pig farms in southwest Nigeria.

PubMed

Awosanya, Emmanuel Jolaoluwa; Olugasa, Babasola; Ogundipe, Gabriel; Grohn, Yrjo Tapio

2015-06-12

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the major setbacks to development of the pig industry in Nigeria. It is enzootic in southwest Nigeria. We determined the sero-prevalence and factors associated with ASF among-herd seropositivity in 144 pig farms in six States from southwest Nigeria during the dry and rainy seasons using indirect Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for ASF IgG antibodies. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on demography, environmental and management factors. We performed descriptive statistics, and univariate and multivariable analyses to determine the among-herd sero-prevalence of ASF and its associated factors. The overall herd sero-prevalence of ASF was 28% (95% Confidence interval (95% CI) 21-36); it was significantly higher (P <0.05) in the dry season (54%; 95% CI 37-70) than the rainy season (18%; 95% CI 11-27). In the univariate analysis, having a quarantine/ isolation unit within 100 m radius of a regular pig pen (OR = 3.3; 95% CI 1.3-8.9), external source of replacement stock (OR = 3.2; 95% CI 1.3-8.3) and dry season (OR = 5.3; 95% CI 2.2-12.7) were risk factors for ASF among-herd seropositivity. In the multivariable logistic regression, there was interaction between season and herd size. Our final model included season, source of replacement stock, herd size and interaction between herd size and season. Herds with an external source of replacement always had higher ASF sero-prevalence compared with herds with an internal source. The herd size effect varied between seasons. The ASF herd level sero-prevalence in southwest Nigeria was higher in pig herds with an external source of replacement stock and in the dry season. The effect of season of the year the samples were taken on ASF seropositivity was modified by herd size. We encourage strict compliance with biosecurity measures, especially using an internal source of replacement stock and measures that minimize movement on pig farms in southwest Nigeria, in order to enhance ASF free farms.

Asialoglycoprotein receptor mediates the toxic effects of an asialofetuin-diphtheria toxin fragment A conjugate on cultured rat hepatocytes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cawley, D.B.; Simpson, D.L.; Herschman, H.R.

1981-06-01

We have constructed a toxic hybrid protein that is recognized by asialoglycoprotein (ASGP) receptors of cultured rat hepatocytes. The conjugate consists of fragment A of diphtheria toxin (DTA) linked by a disulfide bond to asialofetuin (ASF). This conjugate is highly toxic, inhibiting protein synthesis in primary rat hepatocytes at concentrations as low as 10 pM. The ASF-DTA conjugate was 600 and 1800 times as toxic as diphtheria toxin and DTA, respectively, on primary rat hepatocytes. The ASGP receptor recognizes galactose-terminated proteins. We tested a series of glycoproteins for their ability to block the action of the ASF-DTA conjugate. Fetuin andmore » orosomucoid, two glycoproteins with terminal sialic acid on their oligosaccharide chains, did not block the action of the conjugate. Their galactose-terminated asialo derivatives, ASF and asialoorosomucoid, as expected, did block the action of the conjugate. The N-acetylglucosaminyl-terminated derivative (asialoagalactoorosomucoid) had no appreciable effect on the activity of the conjugate. We tested the ASF-DTA conjugate on six cell types; except for primary rat hepatocytes, none of them were affected by a high concentration (10 nM) of ASF-DTA conjugate. A fetuin-DTA conjugate was less toxic by a factor of 300 than the ASF-DTA conjugate and exerted its effects primarily through non-receptor-mediated mechanisms. The highly toxic ASF-DTA conjugate is cell-type specific, and its action is mediated by a well-characterized receptor, whose mechanism of receptor-ligand internalization has been extensively investigated.« less

Asialoglycoprotein receptor mediates the toxic effects of an asialofetuin-diphtheria toxin fragment A conjugate on cultured rat hepatocytes.

PubMed Central

Cawley, D B; Simpson, D L; Herschman, H R

1981-01-01

We have constructed a toxic hybrid protein that is recognized by asialoglycoprotein (ASGP) receptors of cultured rat hepatocytes. The conjugate consists of fragment A of diphtheria toxin (DTA) linked by a disulfide bond to asialofetuin (ASF). This conjugate is highly toxic, inhibiting protein synthesis in primary rat hepatocytes at concentrations as low as 10 pM. The ASF-DTA conjugate was 600 and 1800 times as toxic as diphtheria toxin and DTA, respectively, on primary rat hepatocytes. The ASGP receptor recognizes galactose-terminated proteins. We tested a series of glycoproteins for their ability to block the action of the ASF-DTA conjugate. Fetuin and orosomucoid, two glycoproteins with terminal sialic acid on their oligosaccharide chains, did not block the action of the conjugate. Their galactose-terminated asialo derivatives, ASF and asialoorosomucoid, as expected, did block the action of the conjugate. The N-acetylglucosaminyl-terminated derivative (asialogalactoorsomucoid) had no appreciable effect on the activity of the conjugate. We tested the ASF-DTA conjugate on six cell types; except for primary rat hepatocytes, none of them were affected by a high concentration (10 nM) of ASF-DTA conjugate. A fetuin-DTA conjugate was less toxic by a factor of 300 than the ASF-DTA conjugate and exerted its effects primarily through non-receptor-mediated mechanisms. The highly toxic ASF-DTA conjugate is cell-type specific, and its action is mediated by a well-characterized receptor, whose mechanism of receptor-ligand internalization has been extensively investigated. Images PMID:6167984

African swine fever: how can global spread be prevented?

PubMed Central

Costard, Solenne; Wieland, Barbara; de Glanville, William; Jori, Ferran; Rowlands, Rebecca; Vosloo, Wilna; Roger, Francois; Pfeiffer, Dirk U.; Dixon, Linda K.

2009-01-01

African swine fever (ASF) is a devastating haemorrhagic fever of pigs with mortality rates approaching 100 per cent. It causes major economic losses, threatens food security and limits pig production in affected countries. ASF is caused by a large DNA virus, African swine fever virus (ASFV). There is no vaccine against ASFV and this limits the options for disease control. ASF has been confined mainly to sub-Saharan Africa, where it is maintained in a sylvatic cycle and/or among domestic pigs. Wildlife hosts include wild suids and arthropod vectors. The relatively small numbers of incursions to other continents have proven to be very difficult to eradicate. Thus, ASF remained endemic in the Iberian peninsula until the mid-1990s following its introductions in 1957 and 1960 and the disease has remained endemic in Sardinia since its introduction in 1982. ASF has continued to spread within Africa to previously uninfected countries, including recently the Indian Ocean islands of Madagascar and Mauritius. Given the continued occurrence of ASF in sub-Saharan Africa and increasing global movements of people and products, it is not surprising that further transcontinental transmission has occurred. The introduction of ASF to Georgia in the Caucasus in 2007 and dissemination to neighbouring countries emphasizes the global threat posed by ASF and further increases the risks to other countries. We review the mechanisms by which ASFV is maintained within wildlife and domestic pig populations and how it can be transmitted. We then consider the risks for global spread of ASFV and discuss possibilities of how disease can be prevented. PMID:19687038

Reemergence of African Swine Fever in Zimbabwe, 2015.

PubMed

van Heerden, Juanita; Malan, Kerstin; Gadaga, Biko M; Spargo, Reverend M

2017-05-01

Zimbabwe is the only country in southern Africa with no reported African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks during 1993-2014. However, the 2015 discovery of genotype II ASF virus in Zimbabwe indicates the reemergence of ASF in this country and suggests that this viral genotype may be spreading through eastern and southern Africa.

An extensible and lightweight architecture for adaptive server applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gorton, Ian; Liu, Yan; Trivedi, Nihar

2008-07-10

Server applications augmented with behavioral adaptation logic can react to environmental changes, creating self-managing server applications with improved quality of service at runtime. However, developing adaptive server applications is challenging due to the complexity of the underlying server technologies and highly dynamic application environments. This paper presents an architecture framework, the Adaptive Server Framework (ASF), to facilitate the development of adaptive behavior for legacy server applications. ASF provides a clear separation between the implementation of adaptive behavior and the business logic of the server application. This means a server application can be extended with programmable adaptive features through the definitionmore » and implementation of control components defined in ASF. Furthermore, ASF is a lightweight architecture in that it incurs low CPU overhead and memory usage. We demonstrate the effectiveness of ASF through a case study, in which a server application dynamically determines the resolution and quality to scale an image based on the load of the server and network connection speed. The experimental evaluation demonstrates the erformance gains possible by adaptive behavior and the low overhead introduced by ASF.« less

Effectiveness and practicality of control strategies for African swine fever: what do we really know?

PubMed Central

Guinat, C.; Vergne, T.; Jurado-Diaz, C.; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J. M.; Dixon, L.; Pfeiffer, D. U.

2017-01-01

African swine fever (ASF) is a major pig health problem, and the causative virus is moving closer to Western European regions where pig density is high. Stopping or slowing down the spread of ASF requires mitigation strategies that are both effective and practical. Based on the elicitation of ASF expert opinion, this study identified surveillance and intervention strategies for ASF that are perceived as the most effective by providing the best combination between effectiveness and practicality. Among the 20 surveillance strategies that were identified, passive surveillance of wild boar and syndromic surveillance of pig mortality were considered to be the most effective surveillance strategies for controlling ASF virus spread. Among the 22 intervention strategies that were identified, culling of all infected herds and movement bans for neighbouring herds were regarded as the most effective intervention strategies. Active surveillance and carcase removal in wild boar populations were rated as the most effective surveillance and intervention strategies, but were also considered to be the least practical, suggesting that more research is needed to develop more effective methods for controlling ASF in wild boar populations. PMID:27852963

Evidence of hemolysis in pigs infected with highly virulent African swine fever virus

PubMed Central

Karalyan, Zaven; Zakaryan, Hovakim; Arakelova, Elina; Aivazyan, Violeta; Tatoyan, Marina; Kotsinyan, Armen; Izmailyan, Roza; Karalova, Elena

2016-01-01

Aim: The research was conducted to understand more profoundly the pathogenetic aspects of the acute form of the African swine fever (ASF). Materials and Methods: A total of 10 pigs were inoculated with ASF virus (ASFV) (genotype II) in the study of the red blood cells (RBCs), blood and urine biochemistry in the dynamics of disease. Results: The major hematological differences observed in ASFV infected pigs were that the mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and hematocrits were significantly decreased compared to controls, and the levels of erythropoietin were significantly increased. Also were detected the trends of decrease in RBC count at terminal stages of ASF. Analysis of blood biochemistry revealed that during ASF development, besides bilirubinemia significantly elevated levels of lactate dehydrogenase, and aspartate aminotransferase were detected. Analysis of urine biochemistry revealed the presence of bilirubinuria, proteinuria during ASF development. Proteinuria, especially at late stages of the disease reflects a severe kidney damage possible glomerulonefritis. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate the characteristics of developing hemolytic anemia observed in acute ASF (genotype II). PMID:28096614

Active control of flexural vibrations in beams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gerhold, Carl H.

1987-01-01

The feasibility of using piezoelectric actuators to control the flexural oscillations of large structures in space is investigated. Flexural oscillations are excited by impulsive loads. The vibratory response can degrade the pointing accuracy of cameras and antennae, and can cause high stresses at structural node points. Piezoelectric actuators have the advantage of exerting localized bending moments. In this way, vibration is controlled without exciting rigid body modes. The actuators are used in collocated sensor/driver pairs to form a feedback control system. The sensor produces a voltage that is proportional to the dynamic stress at the sensor location, and the driver produces a force that is proportional to the voltage applied to it. The analog control system amplifies and phase shifts the sensor signal to produce the voltage signal that is applied to the driver. The feedback control is demonstrated to increase the first mode damping in a cantilever beam by up to 100 percent, depending on the amplifier gain. The damping efficiency of the control system when the piezoelectrics are not optimally positioned at points of high stress in the beam is evaluated.

Free in-plane vibration of circular arches.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Veletsos, A. S.; Austin, W. J.; Lopes Pereira, C. A.; Wung, S.-J.

1972-01-01

Numerical data are presented for the natural frequencies and modes of vibration of hinged and fixed, uniform, circular arches vibrating in their own plane, and the effects of the various parameters affecting the response are analyzed. It is shown that the vibrational modes may be almost purely flexural, or almost purely extensional, or the extensional and flexural actions may be strongly coupled. The conditions of occurrence of each type of behavior are defined, and simple approximate formulas are derived; using these formulas, the free vibrational characteristics of arches may be estimated to a satisfactory degree of accuracy for most practical applications. The approach used to derive the approximate formulas may also be applied to arches having other boundary conditions, shapes, or distributions of stiffness and mass.

Flexural and compressive mechanical behaviors of the porous titanium materials with entangled wire structure at different sintering conditions for load-bearing biomedical applications.

PubMed

He, Guo; Liu, Ping; Tan, Qingbiao; Jiang, Guofeng

2013-12-01

The entangled titanium materials with various porosities have been investigated in terms of the flexural and compressive mechanical properties and the deformation and failure modes. The effect of the sintering parameters on the mechanical properties and the porosity reduction has been comprehensively studied. The results indicate that both the flexural and compressive mechanical properties increase significantly as the porosity decreases. In the porosity range investigated the flexural elastic modulus is in the range of 0.05-6.33GPa, the flexural strength is in the range of 9.8-324.9MPa, the compressive elastic modulus is in the range of 0.03-2.25GPa, and the compressive plateau stress is in the range of 2.3-147.8MPa. The mechanical properties of the entangled titanium materials can be significantly improved by sintering, which increase remarkably as the sintering temperature and/or the sintering time increases. But on other hand, the sintering process can induce the porosity reduction due to the oxidation on the titanium wire surface. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Occurrence of Toxigenic Fungi and Aflatoxin Potential of Aspergillus spp. Strains Associated with Subsistence Farmed Crops in Haiti.

PubMed

Aristil, Junior; Venturini, Giovanni; Spada, Alberto

2017-04-01

Subsistence farming and poor storage facilities favor toxigenic fungal contamination and mycotoxin accumulation in staple foods from tropical countries such as Haiti. The present preliminary study was designed to evaluate the occurrence of toxigenic fungi in Haitian foodstuffs to define the mycotoxin risk associated with Haitian crops. The objectives of this research were to determine the distribution of toxigenic fungi in the Haitian crops maize, moringa, and peanut seeds and to screen Aspergillus section Flavi (ASF) isolates for production of aflatoxins B 1 and G 1 in vitro. Maize, moringa, and peanut samples were contaminated by potential toxigenic fungal taxa, mainly ASF and Fusarium spp. The isolation frequency of Aspergillus spp. and Fusarium spp. was influenced by locality and thus by farming systems, storage systems, and weather conditions. Particularly for ASF in peanut and maize samples, isolation frequencies were directly related to the growing season length. The present study represents the first report of contamination by toxigenic fungi and aflatoxin in moringa seeds, posing concerns about the safety of these seeds, which people in Haiti commonly consume. Most (80%) of the Haitian ASF strains were capable of producing aflatoxins, indicating that Haitian conditions clearly favor the colonization of toxigenic ASF strains over atoxigenic strains. ASF strains producing both aflatoxins B 1 and G 1 were found. Understanding the distribution of toxigenic ASF in Haitian crops and foodstuffs is important for determining accurate toxicological risks because the toxic profile of ASF is species specific. The occurrence of toxigenic fungi and the profiles of the ASF found in various crops highlight the need to prevent formation of aflatoxins in Haitian crops. This study provides relevant preliminary baseline data for guiding the development of legislation regulating the quality and safety of crops in this low-income country.

Bulk Modulus Relaxation in Partially Molten Dunite?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, I.; Cline, C. J., II

2016-12-01

Synthetic solgel-derived Fo90 olivine was mixed with 3.5 wt % basaltic glass and hot-pressed within Ni/Fe foil to produce a dense aggregate expected to contain a small melt fraction at temperatures ≥ 1100°C. This specimen was precision ground and tested in both torsional and flexural forced oscillation to determine the relaxation behavior of both shear (G) and bulk (K) moduli at seismic frequencies. A recent upgrade of our experimental facility allows such measurements to be made without alteration of the driver/detector geometry, and uses an oscillating bending force rather than a bending moment, as previously described. The torsional and flexural tests were conducted in a gas apparatus at 200 MPa confining pressure, with oscillation periods ranging between 1 and 1000 s, during slow staged-cooling from 1300 to 25°C. Shear modulus and associated dissipation data are consistent with those for melt-bearing olivine specimens previously tested in torsion, with a pronounced dissipation peak superimposed on high-temperature background within the 1-1000 s observational window at temperatures of 1100-1200°C. A filament elongation model relates the observed flexural measurements to the variations along the experimental assembly of the complex Young's modulus (E*), bending moment and diametral moment of inertia. With E* given by 1/E*=1/(3G*) + 1/(9K*), and the complex shear modulus (G*) derived from torsional oscillation, any relaxation of K can be identified. Preliminary modeling shows that the viscoelastic properties in flexure are broadly consistent with those expected from the shear-mode viscoelasticity with anharmonic (real) values of K. However, some discrepancies between modeled results and flexure data at super-solidus temperatures require further investigation of possible differences in shear modulus relaxation between the torsional and flexural modes, and of potential relaxation of the bulk modulus through stress-induced changes in melt redistribution and/or proportions of coexisting crystalline and melt phases.

Composition of M1 Shoe Impregnite

DTIC Science & Technology

1946-12-25

SPRMD 470.72, Rq, ASF, B April 1944, on letter, O-QMG, 2 March 194·4, sub- ject: Study of . Dubbing and Shoe Tmpregnite, to CG, ASF. c. 1st Ind, SPROG...Hq, ASF, 6 September 1945, on letter, SPQRD 438, O-QMG, 7 August 1915, subject: Dubbing protective, to CG, ASF. 2. D.iscussion: B~ Ruferenc,e a...serve both as B. shoe dubbing and as ash De imp reg n it e • B n sed 0 n are p or t 0 f t h (~ res tl 1 t s of this pr~lininary work, Hoadquarters

Effect of airborne-particle abrasion and aqueous storage on flexural properties of fiber-reinforced dowels.

PubMed

Petrie, Cynthia S; Walker, Mary P

2012-06-01

A great range of clinical failures have been observed with fiber-reinforced dowels, often attributed to fracture or bending of the dowels. This study investigated flexural properties of fiber-reinforced dowels, with and without airborne-particle abrasion, after storage in aqueous environments over time. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze the mode of failure of dowels. Two dowel systems (ParaPost Fiber Lux and FibreKor) were evaluated. Ten dowels of each system were randomly assigned to one of six experimental groups: 1--control, dry condition; 2--dowels airborne-particle abraded and then stored dry; 3--dowels stored for 24 hours in aqueous solution at 37°C; 4--dowels airborne-particle abraded followed by 24-hour aqueous storage at 37°C; 5--dowels stored for 30 days in aqueous solution at 37°C; 6--dowels airborne-particle abraded followed by 30-day aqueous storage at 37°C. Flexural strength and flexural modulus were tested for all groups according to American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard D4476. One failed dowel from each group was randomly selected to be evaluated with SEM equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) to characterize the failure pattern. One intact dowel of each system was also analyzed with SEM and EDS for baseline information. Mean flexural modulus and strength of ParaPost Fiber Lux dowels across all conditions were 29.59 ± 2.89 GPa and 789.11 ± 89.88 MPa, respectively. Mean flexural modulus and strength of FibreKor dowels across all conditions were 25.58 ± 1.48 GPa and 742.68 ± 89.81 MPa, respectively. One-way ANOVA and a post hoc Dunnett's t-test showed a statistically significant decrease in flexural strength as compared to the dry control group for all experimental groups stored in water, for both dowel systems (p < 0.05). Flexural modulus for both dowel systems showed a statistically significant decrease only for dowels stored in aqueous solutions for 30 days (p < 0.05). Airborne-particle abrasion did not have an effect on flexural properties for either dowel system (p > 0.05). SEM and EDS analyses revealed differences in composition and failure mode of the two dowel systems. Failed dowels of each system revealed similar failure patterns, irrespective of the experimental group. Aqueous storage had a negative effect on flexural properties of fiber-reinforced dowels, and this negative effect appeared to increase with longer storage times. The fiber/resin matrix interface was the weak structure for the dowel systems tested. © 2012 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Reproductive Ratio for the Local Spread of African Swine Fever in Wild Boars in the Russian Federation.

PubMed

Iglesias, I; Muñoz, M J; Montes, F; Perez, A; Gogin, A; Kolbasov, D; de la Torre, A

2016-12-01

African swine fever (ASF) has caused the swine industry of the Russian Federation substantial economic losses over the last 7 years, and the disease spread from there to a number of neighbouring countries. Wild boar has been involved in the spread of the disease both at local and at transboundary levels. Understanding ASF dynamics in wild boars is prerequisite to preventing the spread and to designing and applying effective surveillance and control plans. The reproductive ratio (R 0 ) is an epidemiological indicator commonly used to quantify the extent of disease spread. Here, it was estimated in nine spatio-temporal clusters of ASF in wild boar cases in the Russian Federation (2007-2013). Clusters were defined by exploring the maximum distance of association of ASF cases using K Ripley analysis and spatio-temporal scan statistics. A maximum spatial association of 133 km in wild boar cases was identified which is within de the conventional radius of surveillance zone (100-150 km). The mean range value of R 0  = 1.58 (1.13-3.77) was lower compared to values previously estimated for ASF transmission within farms but similar to early estimates between farm (R 0  = 2-3), in domestic pigs using notification data in the Russian Federation. Results obtained provide quantitative knowledge on the epidemiology of ASF in wild boars in the Russian Federation. They identify the ASF transmission rate value in affected natural wild populations, for the first time, which could provide basis for modelling ASF transmission and suggest that current surveillance radius should be reviewed to make surveillance in wild nature more targeted and effective. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

African Swine Fever Epidemic, Poland, 2014–2015

PubMed Central

Woźniakowski, Grzegorz; Kozak, Edyta; Niemczuk, Krzysztof; Frączyk, Magdalena; Bocian, Łukasz; Kowalczyk, Andrzej; Pejsak, Zygmunt

2016-01-01

In Poland, African swine fever (ASF) emerged in February 2014; by August 2015, the virus had been detected in >130 wild boar and in pigs in 3 backyard holdings. We evaluated ASF spread in Poland during these 18 months. Phylogenetic analysis indicated repeated incursions of genetically distinct ASF viruses of genotype II; the number of cases positively correlated wild boar density; and disease spread was very slow. More cases were reported during summer than autumn. The 18-month prevalence of ASF in areas under various animal movement restrictions was 18.6% among wild boar found dead or killed by vehicles and only 0.2% in hunted wild boar. Repeated introductions of the virus into the country, the primary role of wild boar in virus maintenance, and the slow spread of the disease indicate a need for enhanced biosecurity at pig holdings and continuous and intensive surveillance for fast detection of ASF. PMID:27314611

The Human Splicing Factor ASF/SF2 can Specifically Recognize Pre-mRNA 5' Splice Sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuo, Ping; Manley, James L.

1994-04-01

ASF/SF2 is a human protein previously shown to function in in vitro pre-mRNA splicing as an essential factor necessary for all splices and also as an alternative splicing factor, capable of switching selection of 5' splice sites. To begin to study the protein's mechanism of action, we have investigated the RNA binding properties of purified recombinant ASF/SF2. Using UV crosslinking and gel shift assays, we demonstrate that the RNA binding region of ASF/SF2 can interact with RNA in a sequence-specific manner, recognizing the 5' splice site in each of two different pre-mRNAs. Point mutations in the 5' splice site consensus can reduce binding by as much as a factor of 100, with the largest effects observed in competition assays. These findings support a model in which ASF/SF2 aids in the recognition of pre-mRNA 5' splice sites.

African Swine Fever Epidemic, Poland, 2014-2015.

PubMed

Śmietanka, Krzysztof; Woźniakowski, Grzegorz; Kozak, Edyta; Niemczuk, Krzysztof; Frączyk, Magdalena; Bocian, Łukasz; Kowalczyk, Andrzej; Pejsak, Zygmunt

2016-07-01

In Poland, African swine fever (ASF) emerged in February 2014; by August 2015, the virus had been detected in >130 wild boar and in pigs in 3 backyard holdings. We evaluated ASF spread in Poland during these 18 months. Phylogenetic analysis indicated repeated incursions of genetically distinct ASF viruses of genotype II; the number of cases positively correlated wild boar density; and disease spread was very slow. More cases were reported during summer than autumn. The 18-month prevalence of ASF in areas under various animal movement restrictions was 18.6% among wild boar found dead or killed by vehicles and only 0.2% in hunted wild boar. Repeated introductions of the virus into the country, the primary role of wild boar in virus maintenance, and the slow spread of the disease indicate a need for enhanced biosecurity at pig holdings and continuous and intensive surveillance for fast detection of ASF.

Improving the performance of auto-parametric pendulum absorbers by means of a flexural beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahmoudkhani, S.

2018-07-01

Auto-parametric pendulum absorbers perform well only in a very limited range of excitation amplitudes, above which their efficiency would be substantially degraded as a consequence of spillover effects or appearance of quasi-periodic and chaotic responses. For improving the performance against this drawback, the rigid pendulum is replaced in the present study with a low-stiffness viscoelastic beam. An additional one-to-three internal resonance between the almost non-flexural rotational and the first flexural modes of the beam is also introduced. With the aid of this internal resonance, the energy that has been transferred to the absorber due to the one-to-two internal resonance would be avoided from being transferred back to the primary system by faster dissipation of vibrations at a higher-frequency mode thereby leading to lower spillover effects. For modeling purpose, the tracking frame with the rigid-body constraint and also the third-order nonlinear beam theory are employed to account for arbitrarily large rotation angles coupled to moderately large elastic deformations. The assumed-mode method is also used to obtain discretized equations of motion. The numerical continuation of periodic solution is performed and the bifurcations with detrimental effects on the performance are determined. Various parametric studies are also conducted which show that by proper setting of the system parameters, higher efficiencies at much wider range of excitation amplitudes could be achieved.

A longitudinal survey of African swine fever in Uganda reveals high apparent disease incidence rates in domestic pigs, but absence of detectable persistent virus infections in blood and serum.

PubMed

Muhangi, Denis; Masembe, Charles; Emanuelson, Ulf; Boqvist, Sofia; Mayega, Lawrence; Ademun, Rose Okurut; Bishop, Richard P; Ocaido, Michael; Berg, Mikael; Ståhl, Karl

2015-05-13

African swine fever (ASF) is a fatal, haemorrhagic disease of domestic pigs, that poses a serious threat to pig farmers and is currently endemic in domestic pigs in most of sub-Saharan Africa. To obtain insight into the factors related to ASF outbreaks at the farm-level, a longitudinal study was performed in one of the major pig producing areas in central Uganda. Potential risk factors associated with outbreaks of ASF were investigated including the possible presence of apparently healthy ASF-virus (ASFV) infected pigs, which could act as long-term carriers of the virus. Blood and serum were sampled from 715 pigs (241 farms) and 649 pigs (233 farms) to investigate presence of ASFV and antibodies, during the periods of June-October 2010 and March-June 2011, respectively. To determine the potential contribution of different risks to ASF spread, a questionnaire-based survey was administered to farmers to assess the association between ASF outbreaks during the study period and the risk factors. Fifty-one (21 %) and 13 (5.6 %) farms reported an ASF outbreak on their farms in the previous one to two years and during the study period, respectively. The incidence rate for ASF prior to the study period was estimated at 14.1 per 100 pig farm-years and 5.6 per 100 pig farm-years during the study. Three pigs tested positive for ASFV using real-time PCR, but none tested positive for ASFV specific antibodies using two different commercial ELISA tests. There was no evidence for existence of pigs that were long-term carriers for the virus based on the analysis of blood and serum as there were no seropositive pigs and the only three ASFV DNA positive pigs were acutely infected and were linked to outbreaks reported by farmers during the study. Potential ASF risk factors were present on both small and medium-scale pig farms, although small scale farms exhibited a higher proportion with multiple potential risk factors (like borrowing boars for sows mating, buying replacement from neighboring farms without ascertaining health status, etc) and did not implement any biosecurity measures. However, no risk factors were significantly associated with ASF reports during the study.

A MEMS Resonant Sensor to Measure Fluid Density and Viscosity under Flexural and Torsional Vibrating Modes

PubMed Central

Zhao, Libo; Hu, Yingjie; Wang, Tongdong; Ding, Jianjun; Liu, Xixiang; Zhao, Yulong; Jiang, Zhuangde

2016-01-01

Methods to calculate fluid density and viscosity using a micro-cantilever and based on the resonance principle were put forward. Their measuring mechanisms were analyzed and the theoretical equations to calculate the density and viscosity were deduced. The fluid-solid coupling simulations were completed for the micro-cantilevers with different shapes. The sensing chips with micro-cantilevers were designed based on the simulation results and fabricated using the micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Finally, the MEMS resonant sensor was packaged with the sensing chip to measure the densities and viscosities of eight different fluids under the flexural and torsional vibrating modes separately. The relative errors of the measured densities from 600 kg/m3 to 900 kg/m3 and viscosities from 200 μPa·s to 1000 μPa·s were calculated and analyzed with different microcantilevers under various vibrating modes. The experimental results showed that the effects of the shape and vibrating mode of micro-cantilever on the measurement accuracies of fluid density and viscosity were analyzed in detail. PMID:27275823

Relevant Measures to Prevent the Spread of African Swine Fever in the European Union Domestic Pig Sector

PubMed Central

Jurado, Cristina; Martínez-Avilés, Marta; De La Torre, Ana; Štukelj, Marina; de Carvalho Ferreira, Helena Cardoso; Cerioli, Monica; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, José Manuel; Bellini, Silvia

2018-01-01

During the past decade, African swine fever (ASF) has spread from the Caucasus region to eastern European Union countries affecting domestic pig and wild boar populations. In order to avert ASF spread, mitigation measures targeting both populations have been established. However, despite these efforts, ASF has been reported in thirteen different countries (Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Moldova, Czech Republic, and Romania). In the absence of an effective vaccine or treatment to ASF, introduction and spread of ASF onto domestic pig farms can only be prevented by strict compliance to control measures. This study systematically reviewed available measures to prevent the spread of ASF in the EU domestic pig sector distinguishing between commercial, non-commercial, and outdoor farms. The search was performed in PubMed and using a common browser. A total of 52 documents were selected for the final review process, which included scientific articles, reports, EU documents and official recommendations, among others. From this literature review, 37 measures were identified as preventive measures for the introduction and spread of ASF. Subsequently, these measures were assessed by ASF experts for their relevance in the mitigation of ASF spread on the three mentioned types of farms. All experts agreed that some of the important preventive measures for all three types of farms were: the identification of animals and farm records; strict enforcement of the ban on swill feeding; and containment of pigs, so as to not allow direct or indirect pig–pig and/or pig–wild boar contacts. Other important preventive measures for all farms were education of farmers, workers, and operators; no contact between farmers and farm staff and external pigs; appropriate removal of carcasses, slaughter residues, and food waste; proper disposal of manure and dead animals, and abstaining from hunting activities during the previous 48 h (allowing a 48 h interval between hunting and being in contact with domestic pigs). Finally, all experts identified that the important preventive measures for non-commercial and outdoor farms is to improve access of those farms to veterinarians and health services. PMID:29713637

Relevant Measures to Prevent the Spread of African Swine Fever in the European Union Domestic Pig Sector.

PubMed

Jurado, Cristina; Martínez-Avilés, Marta; De La Torre, Ana; Štukelj, Marina; de Carvalho Ferreira, Helena Cardoso; Cerioli, Monica; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, José Manuel; Bellini, Silvia

2018-01-01

During the past decade, African swine fever (ASF) has spread from the Caucasus region to eastern European Union countries affecting domestic pig and wild boar populations. In order to avert ASF spread, mitigation measures targeting both populations have been established. However, despite these efforts, ASF has been reported in thirteen different countries (Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Moldova, Czech Republic, and Romania). In the absence of an effective vaccine or treatment to ASF, introduction and spread of ASF onto domestic pig farms can only be prevented by strict compliance to control measures. This study systematically reviewed available measures to prevent the spread of ASF in the EU domestic pig sector distinguishing between commercial, non-commercial, and outdoor farms. The search was performed in PubMed and using a common browser. A total of 52 documents were selected for the final review process, which included scientific articles, reports, EU documents and official recommendations, among others. From this literature review, 37 measures were identified as preventive measures for the introduction and spread of ASF. Subsequently, these measures were assessed by ASF experts for their relevance in the mitigation of ASF spread on the three mentioned types of farms. All experts agreed that some of the important preventive measures for all three types of farms were: the identification of animals and farm records; strict enforcement of the ban on swill feeding; and containment of pigs, so as to not allow direct or indirect pig-pig and/or pig-wild boar contacts. Other important preventive measures for all farms were education of farmers, workers, and operators; no contact between farmers and farm staff and external pigs; appropriate removal of carcasses, slaughter residues, and food waste; proper disposal of manure and dead animals, and abstaining from hunting activities during the previous 48 h (allowing a 48 h interval between hunting and being in contact with domestic pigs). Finally, all experts identified that the important preventive measures for non-commercial and outdoor farms is to improve access of those farms to veterinarians and health services.

Resonance ultrasonic diagnostics of defects in full-size silicon wafers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belyaev, A.; Ostapenko, S.

2001-12-01

A resonance acoustic effect was observed recently in full-size 200 mm Cz-Si wafers and applied to characterize as-grown and process-induced defects. Ultrasonic vibrations can be excited into wafers using an external ultrasonic transducer and their amplitude is recorded using a scanning air-coupled acoustic probe operated in a non-contact mode. By sweeping driving frequency, f, of the transducer, we observed an amplification of a specific acoustic mode referred to as ‘whistle’. In this paper, we performed theoretical modeling of the whistle which allowed in attributing this mode to resonant flexural vibrations in a thin circular plate. We calculated normal frequencies of the flexural vibrations of a circular plate of radius ρ in the case of the free edge. The model gives an excellent fit to experimental data with regard to whistle spatial distribution. The results of calculation allow the evaluation of resonance acoustic effect in wafers of different geometries employed in the industry.

Finite element analysis of the end notched flexure specimen for measuring Mode II fracture toughness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gillespie, J. W., Jr.; Carlsson, L. A.; Pipes, R. B.

1986-01-01

The paper presents a finite element analysis of the end-notched flexure (ENF) test specimen for Mode II interlaminar fracture testing of composite materials. Virtual crack closure and compliance techniques employed to calculate strain energy release rates from linear elastic two-dimensional analysis indicate that the ENF specimen is a pure Mode II fracture test within the constraints of small deflection theory. Furthermore, the ENF fracture specimen is shown to be relatively insensitive to process-induced cracks, offset from the laminate midplane. Frictional effects are investigated by including the contact problem in the finite element model. A parametric study investigating the influence of delamination length, span, thickness, and material properties assessed the accuracy of beam theory expressions for compliance and strain energy release rate, GII. Finite element results indicate that data reduction schemes based upon beam theory underestimate GII by approximately 20-40 percent for typical unidirectional graphite fiber composite test specimen geometries. Consequently, an improved data reduction scheme is proposed.

Research on the Additional Secondary Phase Factor for Automatic Identification System Signals Transmitted over a Rough Sea Surface

PubMed Central

Zhang, Shufang; Sun, Xiaowen

2018-01-01

This paper investigates the Additional Secondary Phase Factor (ASF) characteristics of Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals spreading over a rough sea surface. According to the change of the ASFs for AIS signals in different signal form, the influences of the different propagation conditions on the ASFs are analyzed. The expression, numerical calculation, and simulation analysis of the ASFs of AIS signal are performed in the rough sea surface. The results contribute to the high-accuracy propagation delay measurement of AIS signals spreading over the rough sea surface as, well as providing a reference for reliable communication link design in marine engineering for Very High Frequency (VHF) signals. PMID:29462995

The Additional Secondary Phase Correction System for AIS Signals

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiaoye; Zhang, Shufang; Sun, Xiaowen

2017-01-01

This paper looks at the development and implementation of the additional secondary phase factor (ASF) real-time correction system for the Automatic Identification System (AIS) signal. A large number of test data were collected using the developed ASF correction system and the propagation characteristics of the AIS signal that transmits at sea and the ASF real-time correction algorithm of the AIS signal were analyzed and verified. Accounting for the different hardware of the receivers in the land-based positioning system and the variation of the actual environmental factors, the ASF correction system corrects original measurements of positioning receivers in real time and provides corrected positioning accuracy within 10 m. PMID:28362330

Ultrasonic wrench produces leaktight connections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blaise, H. T.; Maropis, N.

1967-01-01

Ultrasonic wrench system produces leaktight seals in flared tubing connections. It induces a flexural vibration mode in the coupling nut. The system consists of a frequency converter, a junction box, and wrench assembly.

Early childhood caries-related visits to emergency departments and ambulatory surgery facilities and associated charges in New York state.

PubMed

Nagarkar, Sanket R; Kumar, Jayanth V; Moss, Mark E

2012-01-01

The authors assessed the extent of early childhood caries- (ECC-) related visits to emergency departments (EDs) and ambulatory surgery facilities (ASFs) in children younger than 6 years and associated treatment charges in New York state from 2004 through 2008. The authors obtained data from the New York state's Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (Albany) and calculated descriptive statistics and rates according to selected indicators, as well as total and average per-visit treatment charges. From 2004 through 2008, the number of ECC-related visits to EDs and ASFs increased by 349 and 1,039, respectively. Most ECC-related visits were to ASFs. The total annual treatment charges increased from $18.5 million to $31.3 million from 2004 to 2008, and average per-visit charges increased from $4,237 to $5,501 during the same period. ECC-related visits to EDs and ASFs by children younger than 6 years and the associated treatment charges increased substantially from 2004 through 2008 in New York state. Practice Implications. Dental professionals need to determine the reasons parents seek dental care for their children in EDs and ASFs and effective strategies for preventing ECC to avoid the subsequent need for seeking dental care in EDs and ASFs.

Flexural Behavior of GFRP Tubes Filled with Magnetically Driven Concrete

PubMed Central

Xie, Fang; Chen, Ju; Dong, Xinlong; Feng, Bing

2018-01-01

Experimental investigation of GFRP (glass fiber reinforced polymer) tubes that were filled with magnetically driven concrete was carried out to study the flexural behavior of specimens under bending. Specimens having different cross section and lengths were tested. The test specimens were fabricated by filling magnetically driven concrete into the GFRP tubes and the concrete was vibrated using magnetic force. Specimens vibrated using vibrating tube were also tested for comparison. In addition, specimens having steel reinforcing bars and GFRP bars were both tested to study the effect of reinforcing bars on the magnetically driven concrete. The load-displacement curves, load-strain curves, failure mode, and ultimate strengths of test specimens were obtained. Design methods for the flexural stiffness of test specimens were also discussed in this study. PMID:29316732

Flexural Behavior of GFRP Tubes Filled with Magnetically Driven Concrete.

PubMed

Xie, Fang; Chen, Ju; Dong, Xinlong; Feng, Bing

2018-01-08

Experimental investigation of GFRP (glass fiber reinforced polymer) tubes that were filled with magnetically driven concrete was carried out to study the flexural behavior of specimens under bending. Specimens having different cross section and lengths were tested. The test specimens were fabricated by filling magnetically driven concrete into the GFRP tubes and the concrete was vibrated using magnetic force. Specimens vibrated using vibrating tube were also tested for comparison. In addition, specimens having steel reinforcing bars and GFRP bars were both tested to study the effect of reinforcing bars on the magnetically driven concrete. The load-displacement curves, load-strain curves, failure mode, and ultimate strengths of test specimens were obtained. Design methods for the flexural stiffness of test specimens were also discussed in this study.

Simulating the epidemiological and economic effects of an African swine fever epidemic in industrialized swine populations.

PubMed

Halasa, Tariq; Bøtner, Anette; Mortensen, Sten; Christensen, Hanne; Toft, Nils; Boklund, Anette

2016-09-25

African swine fever (ASF) is a notifiable infectious disease with a considerable impact on animal health and is currently one of the most important emerging diseases of domestic pigs. ASF was introduced into Georgia in 2007 and subsequently spread to the Russian Federation and several Eastern European countries. Consequently, there is a non-negligible risk of ASF spread towards Western Europe. Therefore it is important to develop tools to improve our understanding of the spread and control of ASF for contingency planning. A stochastic and dynamic spatial spread model (DTU-DADS) was adjusted to simulate the spread of ASF virus between domestic swine herds exemplified by the Danish swine population. ASF was simulated to spread via animal movement, low- or medium-risk contacts and local spread. Each epidemic was initiated in a randomly selected herd - either in a nucleus herd, a sow herd, a randomly selected herd or in multiple herds simultaneously. A sensitivity analysis was conducted on input parameters. Given the inputs and assumptions of the model, epidemics of ASF in Denmark are predicted to be small, affecting about 14 herds in the worst-case scenario. The duration of an epidemic is predicted to vary from 1 to 76days. Substantial economic damages are predicted, with median direct costs and export losses of €12 and €349 million, respectively, when epidemics were initiated in multiple herds. Each infectious herd resulted in 0 to 2 new infected herds varying from 0 to 5 new infected herds, depending on the index herd type. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

IL-23/IL-17/G-CSF pathway is associated with granulocyte recruitment to the lung during African swine fever.

PubMed

Karalyan, Z; Voskanyan, H; Ter-Pogossyan, Z; Saroyan, D; Karalova, E

2016-10-15

The interleukin (IL)-23/IL-17 pathway plays a crucial role in various forms of inflammation but its function in acute African swine fever (ASF) is not well understood. Thus, in this study, we aimed to find out whether IL-23/IL-17/G-CSF is released in acute ASF and what function it may have. The present study revealed that the production of IL-17 and IL-23 were significantly increased in the sera of ASFV infected pigs. Using ELISA, we found that the serum levels of IL-23 and IL-17 have overexpressed in ASF virus infected pigs compared with healthy controls. The levels of IL-17 and IL-23 increase in the early stages and the levels of G-CSF and C - reactive protein in the later stages of ASF. Simultaneously, with the increase of the levels of IL-23/IL-17 extravasation of granular leukocytes in the tissue (diapedesis) is observed. Diapedesis can explain the neutropenia that we identified previously in the terminal stages of ASF. The increase in serum levels of IL-23/IL-17 is preceded by enhanced migration of neutrophils in tissues, and the last one is preceded by neutropenia. The increase in serum levels of G-CSF has compensatory nature, directed on stimulation of proliferation of granulocytes. Taken together, our results revealed an overexpression of the IL-23/IL-17 axis in the ASF virus infected pigs, suggesting that it may be a crucial pathway in the diapedesis at ASF. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Third wave of African swine fever infection in Armenia: Virus demonstrates the reduction of pathogenicity

PubMed Central

Sargsyan, M. A.; Voskanyan, H. E.; Karalova, E. M.; Hakobyan, L. H.; Karalyan, Z. A.

2018-01-01

Aim: First cases of clinically uncommon African swine fever (ASF), caused by virus genotype II are described in this article. These cases occurred in Armenia, Tavush region, Dilijan municipality in 2011. The aim of this study was to identify and describe the new pathogenic forms of ASF in Armenia. Materials and Methods: The isolation and identification of ASF virus (ASFV) were carried out using conventional techniques. Clinical signs of infection were recorded daily. Gross anatomical pathology characteristics were observed during routine postmortem examinations. Blood and serum were obtained by puncture of the jugular vein using a vacutainer system. Results: The presence of ASFV DNA in the spleens was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. Sequenced sections of p72 showed phylogenetic identity to genotype 2. The pathology exhibits unusual manifestations of the main disease. The unusual form of ASF demonstrates characteristics of a subacute form of the disease, with the possibility of conversion to a chronic form. Decreased lethality, low level of hemorrhages, and absence of severe pancytopenia in smears from spleen, lymph nodes, and blood are common features of the new form of ASF. Unlike severe thrombocytopenia in the typical ASF, the unusual form exhibited moderate or minor decrease of this feature. Despite a moderate decrease in hemadsorption titers, the unusual pattern of the disease was characterized by viremia and the presence of the virus in the visceral organs, including the brain. Conclusion: Our data allow assuming that new nosological form of ASF (genotype II) may present as a transitional form of the disease with the possibility of chronization. PMID:29479149

Experimental Transmission of African Swine Fever (ASF) Low Virulent Isolate NH/P68 by Surviving Pigs.

PubMed

Gallardo, C; Soler, A; Nieto, R; Sánchez, M A; Martins, C; Pelayo, V; Carrascosa, A; Revilla, Y; Simón, A; Briones, V; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J M; Arias, M

2015-12-01

African swine fever (ASF) has persisted in Eastern Europe since 2007, and two endemic zones have been identified in the central and southern parts of the Russian Federation. Moderate- to low-virulent ASF virus isolates are known to circulate in endemic ASF-affected regions. To improve our knowledge of virus transmission in animals recovered from ASF virus infection, an experimental in vivo study was carried out. Four domestic pigs were inoculated with the NH/P68 ASF virus, previously characterized to develop a chronic form of ASF. Two additional in-contact pigs were introduced at 72 days post-inoculation (dpi) in the same box for virus exposure. The inoculated pigs developed a mild form of the disease, and the virus was isolated from tissues in the inoculated pigs up to 99 dpi (pigs were euthanized at 36, 65, 99 and 134 dpi). In-contact pigs showed mild or no clinical signs, but did become seropositive, and a transient viraemia was detected at 28 days post-exposure (dpe), thereby confirming late virus transmission from the inoculated pigs. Virus transmission to in-contact pigs occurred at four weeks post-exposure, over three months after the primary infection. These results highlight the potential role of survivor pigs in disease maintenance and dissemination in areas where moderate- to low-virulent viruses may be circulating undetected. This study will help design better and more effective control programmes to fight against this disease. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Related to African Swine Fever Within Smallholder Pig Production in Northern Uganda.

PubMed

Chenais, E; Boqvist, S; Sternberg-Lewerin, S; Emanuelson, U; Ouma, E; Dione, M; Aliro, T; Crafoord, F; Masembe, C; Ståhl, K

2017-02-01

Uganda is a low-income country with the largest pig population in East Africa. Pig keeping has a large potential, commercially and as a tool for poverty reduction, but African swine fever (ASF) is a major hurdle for development of the sector. The objective of this study was to evaluate knowledge, attitudes and practices related to ASF in the smallholder pig production value chain in northern Uganda. The study included three separate series of participatory rural appraisals (PRA), comprising purposively selected farmers and other actors in the pig production value chain. In the PRAs, various participatory epidemiology tools were used. A total of 49 PRAs and 574 participants, representing 64 different villages, were included. The results indicate that participants were well aware of the clinical signs of ASF, routes for disease spread and measures for disease control. However, awareness of the control measures did not guarantee their implementation. A majority of middlemen and butchers acknowledged having sold live pigs, carcasses or pork they believed infected with ASF. Outbreaks of ASF had a strong negative impact on participants' socio-economic status with loss of revenue and reversal into more severe poverty. In conclusion, lack of knowledge is not what is driving the continuous circulation of ASF virus in this setting. To control ASF and reduce its impact, initiatives that stimulate changes in management are needed. Because the behaviour of all actors in the value chain is largely influenced by the deep rural poverty in the region, this needs to be combined with efforts to reduce rural poverty. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Dyrk1A-ASF-CaMKIIδ Signaling Is Involved in Valsartan Inhibition of Cardiac Hypertrophy in Renovascular Hypertensive Rats.

PubMed

Yao, Jian; Qin, Xiaotong; Zhu, Jianhua; Sheng, Hongzhuan

2016-01-01

It is known that the expression, activity and alternative splicing of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIδ (CaMKIIδ) are dysregulated in the cardiac remodeling process. Recently, we found a further signaling pathway, by which dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1A (Dyrk1A) regulates the alternative splicing of CaMKIIδ via the alternative splicing factor (ASF), i.e., Dyrk1A-ASF-CaMKIIδ. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether Dyrk1A-ASF-CaMKIIδ signaling was involved in valsartan inhibition of cardiac hypertrophy in renovascular hypertensive rats. Rats were subjected to two kidney-one clip (2K1C) surgery and then treated with valsartan (30 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks. Hypertrophic parameter analysis was then performed. Western blot analysis was used to determine the protein expression of Dyrk1A and ASF and RT-PCR was used to analyze the alternative splicing of CaMKIIδ in the left ventricular (LV) sample. Valsartan attenuated cardiac hypertrophy in 2K1C rats but without impairment of cardiac systolic function. Increased protein expression of Dyrk1A and decreased protein expression of ASF were observed in the LV sample of 2K1C rats. Treatment of 2K1C rats with valsartan reversed the changes in Dyrk1A and ASF expression in the LV sample. Valsartan adjusted the 2K1C-induced imbalance in alternative splicing of CaMKIIδ by upregulating the mRNA expression of CaMKIIδC and downregulating the mRNA expression of CaMKIIδA and CaMKIIδB. Valsartan inhibition of cardiac hypertrophy in renovascular hypertensive rats was mediated, at least partly, by Dyrk1A-ASF-CaMKIIδ signaling. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Unusual occurrence of some sedimentary structures and their significance in Jurassic transgressive clastic successions of Northern Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubey, N.; Bheemalingeswara, K.

2009-04-01

Mesozoic sedimentary successions produced by marine transgression and regression of sea in northeastern part of Africa are well preserved in Mekelle basin of Ethiopia. Here, a typical second order sequence is well developed and preserved overlying the Precambrian basement rocks or patchy Palaeozoic sedimentary successions. Initiation of Mesozoic sedimentation in Mekelle basin has started with deposition of Adigrat Sandstone Formation (ASF). It is a retrogradational succession of siliciclastics in coastline/beach environment due to transgression of sea from southeast. ASF is followed by Antallo Limestone Formation (ALF)- an aggradational succession of carbonates in tidal flat environment; Agula Shale/Mudstone Formation (AMF); and Upper/Ambaradom Sandstone Formation (USF)- a progradational succession formed during regression in ascending order (Dubey et al., 2007). AMF is deposited in a lagoonal evaporatic environment whereas USF in a fluvial coastal margin. ASF is an aggregate of cyclically stacked two lithologies ASF1 and ASF2 produced by sea-level rise and fall of a lower order mini-cycle. ASF1 is a thick, multistoried, pink to red, friable, medium to fine grained, cross-bedded sandstone deposited in a high energy environment. ASF2 is a thin, hard and maroon colored iron-rich mudstone (ironstones) deposited in a low energy environment. ASF1 has resulted during regressive phase of the mini-cycle when rate of sedimentation was extremely high due to abundant coarser clastic supply from land to the coastal area. On the other hand, ASF2 has resulted during transgressive phase of the mini-cycle which restricted the supply of the coarser clastic to the coastal area and deposited the muddy ferruginous sediments in low energy offshore part of the basin where sedimentation rate was very low. Apart from these two major lithologies, there are also few other minor lithologies like fine-grained white sandstone, carbonate (as bands), claystone and mudstone present in ASF. ASF is a well developed lithostratigraphic unit of northern Ethiopia and represents the Jurassic transgressive clastic succession of Mekelle basin. The physical and biogenic sedimentary structures reported in this paper are observed from the terminal part of ASF. Their occurrence is unusual, rare, unknown so far and unreported. It includes (i) mud cracks (including their casts filled with overlying lithology) representing subaerial exposure which is unusual during transgressive phase, (ii) vertical traces of Skolithos burrows in ASF2 produced by suspension feeders in high energy environment of deposition (Dubey et al., 2007), (iii) tiny bivalve moulds and casts (external- and internal-moulds) of body fossils, and (iv) elliptical negative epirelief (potato shaped empty depressions - external moulds of eggs or nodules?). Fifty two such randomly oriented external moulds are noticed within 2 m2 area on an upper bedding plane of thin, white and fine- grained sandstone. Their in- fills are missing/removed as they are present on a gently dipping bed. Therefore, it is difficult to ascertain their biogenic (egg) or abiogenic (nodule) origin. Their detail investigation is under progress. Since ASF developed during marine transgression, presence of mud cracks in its terminal part indicates subaerial exposure. This provides suitable sites for nesting eggs (reptile?) in wet sands. Removal of such preserved eggs can provide potato depressions. Though it is difficult to relate these moulds to the eggs because of the missing in-fills, their shape, size and restricted occurrence supports biogenic origin. Reference Dubey, N., Bheemalingeswara, K. and Tadesse, N. (2007). Sedimentology and lithostratigraphy of the Mesozoic successions of Mekelle Basin, Ethiopia, Norteastern Africa. Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol.9, 11471. (SRef-ID: 1607-7962/gra/EGU2007-A-11471).

Modeling and experimental study on near-field acoustic levitation by flexural mode.

PubMed

Liu, Pinkuan; Li, Jin; Ding, Han; Cao, Wenwu

2009-12-01

Near-field acoustic levitation (NFAL) has been used in noncontact handling and transportation of small objects to avoid contamination. We have performed a theoretical analysis based on nonuniform vibrating surface to quantify the levitation force produced by the air film and also conducted experimental tests to verify our model. Modal analysis was performed using ANSYS on the flexural plate radiator to obtain its natural frequency of desired mode, which is used to design the measurement system. Then, the levitation force was calculated as a function of levitation distance based on squeeze gas film theory using measured amplitude and phase distributions on the vibrator surface. Compared with previous fluid-structural analyses using a uniform piston motion, our model based on the nonuniform radiating surface of the vibrator is more realistic and fits better with experimentally measured levitation force.

An Animal-Source Food Supplement Increases Micronutrient Intakes and Iron Status among Reproductive-Age Women in Rural Vietnam.

PubMed

Hall, Andrew G; Ngu, Tu; Nga, Hoang T; Quyen, Phi N; Hong Anh, Pham T; King, Janet C

2017-06-01

Background: Few studies have examined the impact of local animal-source foods (ASFs) on the nutritional status of reproductive-age women in developing countries. Objective: We hypothesized that a midmorning snack of local ASF for 6 mo would reduce dietary micronutrient deficiencies [usual intake less than the estimated average requirement (EAR)] and improve blood biomarkers of iron, zinc, and vitamins A and B-12 status among nonpregnant, reproductive-age women in rural Vietnam. Methods: One hundred seventeen women, 18-30 y old, were randomly assigned to receive either an ASF (mean: 144 kcal, 8.9 mg Fe, 2.7 mg Zn, 1050 μg retinoic acid equivalent vitamin A, and 5.5 μg vitamin B-12) or a control snack (mean: 150 kcal, 2.0 mg Fe, 0.9 mg Zn, 0 μg retinoic acid equivalent vitamin A, and 0 μg vitamin B-12) 5 d/wk for 6 mo. Usual nutrient intakes were estimated by repeated 24-h dietary recalls. Blood samples were collected at baseline and 3 and 6 mo. Because of the relation between nutritional status and inflammation, serum C-reactive protein, α-1-acid-glycoprotein, and urinary tract infections (UTIs) were also monitored. Results: Eighty-nine women (47 in the ASF group and 42 controls) completed the study. In the ASF group, intakes of iron and vitamins A and B-12 below the EAR were eliminated, and the prevalence of a low zinc intake was reduced to 9.6% compared with 64.7% in controls ( P < 0.001). At 6 mo, a modest increase ( P < 0.05) in hemoglobin and iron status occurred in the ASF group compared with the control group, but plasma zinc, retinol, and serum vitamin B-12 concentrations did not differ. UTI relative risk was 3.9 ( P < 0.05) among women assigned to the ASF group who had a low whole-body iron status at baseline. Conclusions: Adding a small amount of locally produced ASF to the diets of reproductive-age Vietnamese women improved micronutrient intakes and iron status. However, the increased UTI incidence in women in the ASF group with initially lower iron stores warrants further investigation. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

Quantitative assessment of social and economic impact of African swine fever outbreaks in northern Uganda.

PubMed

Chenais, Erika; Boqvist, Sofia; Emanuelson, Ulf; von Brömssen, Claudia; Ouma, Emily; Aliro, Tonny; Masembe, Charles; Ståhl, Karl; Sternberg-Lewerin, Susanna

2017-09-01

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most important pig diseases, causing high case fatality rate and trade restrictions upon reported outbreaks. In Uganda, a low-income country with the largest pig population in East Africa, ASF is endemic. Animal disease impact is multidimensional and include social and economic impact along the value chain. In low-income settings, this impact keep people poor and push those that have managed to escape poverty back again. If the diseases can be controlled, their negative consequences can be mitigated. However, to successfully argue for investment in disease control, its cost-benefits need to be demonstrated. One part in the cost-benefit equations is disease impact quantification. The objective of this study was therefore to investigate the socio-economic impact of ASF outbreaks at household level in northern Uganda. In a longitudinal study, structured interviews with two hundred, randomly selected, pig-keeping households were undertaken three times with a six month interval. Questions related to family and pig herd demographics, pig trade and pig business. Associations between ASF outbreaks and economic and social impact variables were evaluated using linear regression models. The study showed that pigs were kept in extreme low-input-low-output farming systems involving only small monetary investments. Yearly incidence of ASF on household level was 19%. Increasing herd size was positively associated with higher economic output. The interaction between ASF outbreaks and the herd size showed that ASF outbreaks were negatively associated with economic output at the second interview occasion and with one out of two economic impact variables at the third interview occasion. No significant associations between the social impact variables included in the study and ASF outbreaks could be established. Trade and consumption of sick and dead pigs were coping strategies used to minimize losses of capital and animal protein. The results indicate that causality of social and economic impact of ASF outbreaks in smallholder systems is complex. Pigs are mostly kept as passive investments rather than active working capital, complicating economic analyses and further disqualifying disease control arguments based only on standard economic models. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

African swine fever: an epidemiological update.

PubMed

Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J M; Mur, L; Martínez-López, B

2012-03-01

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most important swine diseases, mainly because of its significant sanitary and socioeconomic consequences. This review gives an update on the epidemiology of the disease and reviews key issues and strategies to improve control of the disease and promote its eradication. Several characteristics of ASF virus (ASFV) make its control and eradication difficult, including the absence of available vaccines, marked virus resistance in infected material and contaminated animal products, and a complex epidemiology and transmission involving tick reservoir virus interactions. The incidence of ASF has not only increased on the African continent over the last 15 years, so that it now affects West African countries, Mauritius and Madagascar, but it has also reached new areas, such as the Caucasus region in 2007. In fact, the rapid spread of the disease on the European continent and the uncontrolled situation in the Russian Federation places all countries at great risk as a result of intense global trade. The proximity of some affected areas to the European Union (EU) borders (<150 km) has increased concerns about the potential economic consequences of an ASF incursion into the EU pig sector. Establishing effective surveillance, control and eradication programmes that implicate all actors (veterinarians, farmers, and policy makers) is essential for controlling ASF. African swine fever -free countries should be aware of the potential risk of ASF incursion and implement risk reduction measures such as trade controls and other sanitary measures. This review will discuss lessons learnt so far about ASF control, current challenges to its control and future studies needed to support global efforts at prevention and control. © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Diagnostic specificity of the African swine fever virus antibody detection enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in feral and domestic pigs in the United States.

PubMed

Bergeron, H C; Glas, P S; Schumann, K R

2017-12-01

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious haemorrhagic disease of pigs that has the potential to cause mortality nearing 100% in naïve animals. While an outbreak of ASF in the United States' pig population (domestic and feral) has never been reported, an introduction of the disease has the potential to cause devastation to the pork industry and food security. During the recovery phase of an outbreak, an antibody detection diagnostic assay would be required to prove freedom of disease within the previously infected zone and eventually nationwide. Animals surviving an ASF infection would be considered carriers and could be identified through the persistence of ASF viral antibodies. These antibodies would demonstrate exposure to the disease and not vaccination, as there is no ASF vaccine available. A well-established commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detects antibodies against ASF virus (ASFV), but the diagnostic specificity of the assay had not been determined using serum samples from the pig population of the United States. This study describes an evaluation of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)-recommended Ingezim PPA COMPAC ELISA using a comprehensive cohort (n = 1791) of samples collected in the United States. The diagnostic specificity of the assay was determined to be 99.4% (95% confidence interval (CI): [98.9, 99.7]). The result of this study fills a gap in understanding the performance of the Ingezim PPA COMPAC ELISA in the ASF naïve pig population of the United States. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Functional domains of the human splicing factor ASF/SF2.

PubMed Central

Zuo, P; Manley, J L

1993-01-01

The human splicing factor ASF/SF2 displays two predominant activities in in vitro splicing assays: (i) it is an essential factor apparently required for all splices and (ii) it is able to switch utilization of alternative 5' splice sites in a concentration-dependent manner. ASF/SF2 is the prototype of a family of proteins typified by the presence of one or two RNP-type RNA binding domains (RBDs) and a region highly enriched in repeating arginine-serine dipeptides (RS regions). Here we describe a functional analysis of ASF/SF2, which defines several regions essential for one, or both, of its two principal activities, and provides insights into how this type of protein functions in splicing. Two isoforms of the protein, which arise from alternative splicing, are by themselves inactive, but each can block the activity of ASF/SF2, thereby functioning as splicing repressors. Some, but not all, mutations in the RS region prevent ASF/SF2 from functioning as an essential splicing factor. However, the entire RS region can be deleted without reducing splice site switching activity, indicating that it is not absolutely required for interaction with other splicing factors. Experiments with deletion and substitution mutants reveal that the protein contains two related, but highly diverged, RBDs, and that both are essential for activity. Each RBD by itself retains the ability to bind RNA, although optimal binding requires both domains. Images PMID:8223481

Influence of Age and Dose of African Swine Fever Virus Infections on Clinical Outcome and Blood Parameters in Pigs.

PubMed

Post, Jacob; Weesendorp, Eefke; Montoya, Maria; Loeffen, Willie L

African swine fever (ASF) is a fatal disease for domestic pigs, leading to serious economic losses in countries where ASF is endemic. Despite extensive research, efficient vaccines against ASF are lacking. Since peripheral blood cells are important mediators for vaccines, we study the impact of ASF on blood parameters in pigs with different ages and infected with different doses of ASF virus. Four different groups were studied: (1) 12 weeks of age/low virus dose; (2) 12 weeks of age/high virus dose; (3) 18 weeks of age/low virus dose; and (4) 18 weeks of age/high virus dose. By varying in age and/or ASFV inoculation dose, we monitor blood parameters during different degrees of disease. Thirty percent of the pigs survived the infection with a moderately virulent strain of African swine fever virus (ASFV). Animals that did survive infection were generally older, independent from the inoculation dose used. A firm reduction in many different cell types at 3-5 days postinfection (DPI) was accompanied by an increase in body temperature, followed by clinical signs and mortality from day 6 PI. While blood parameters generally normalized in survivors, γδ T cells and IL-10 levels could be related to mortality. These conclusions should be considered in new approaches for protection against ASF.

Relating ocean-atmospheric climate indices with Australian river streamflow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shams, Md Shamim; Faisal Anwar, A. H. M.; Lamb, Kenneth W.; Bari, Mohammed

2018-01-01

The relationship between climate indices with Australian river streamflow (ASF) may provide valuable information for long-lead streamflow forecasting for Australian rivers. The current study examines the correlations between three climate indices (SST, 500 mb meridional wind -U500 and 500 mb geopotential height-Z500) and 135 unimpaired ASF gauges for 1971-2011 using the singular value decomposition (SVD) method. First, SVD method was applied to check the SST-ASF correlated regions of influence and then extended SST-ASF variabilities were used to determine the correlated regions within Z500 and U500 fields. Based on the teleconnection, the most correlated region (150°E to 105°W and 35°S to 5°N) was identified and its persistency was checked by lag analysis up to 2 years from seasonal to yearly time-scale. The results displayed positive correlation for the south and south-eastern part of Australia while negative correlation prevails in the north-eastern region (at 95% significance level). The most correlated region was found situated along the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) axis which may be considered as a probable climate driver for ASF. The persistency of this region was checked by a separate climate indicator (mean vertical velocity-500 mb) and found prominent in dry period than the wet period. This persistent teleconnected region may be potentially useful for long-lead forecasting of ASF.

Quantitative comparison of two independent lateral force calibration techniques for the atomic force microscope.

PubMed

Barkley, Sarice S; Deng, Zhao; Gates, Richard S; Reitsma, Mark G; Cannara, Rachel J

2012-02-01

Two independent lateral-force calibration methods for the atomic force microscope (AFM)--the hammerhead (HH) technique and the diamagnetic lateral force calibrator (D-LFC)--are systematically compared and found to agree to within 5 % or less, but with precision limited to about 15 %, using four different tee-shaped HH reference probes. The limitations of each method, both of which offer independent yet feasible paths toward traceable accuracy, are discussed and investigated. We find that stiff cantilevers may produce inconsistent D-LFC values through the application of excessively high normal loads. In addition, D-LFC results vary when the method is implemented using different modes of AFM feedback control, constant height and constant force modes, where the latter is more consistent with the HH method and closer to typical experimental conditions. Specifically, for the D-LFC apparatus used here, calibration in constant height mode introduced errors up to 14 %. In constant force mode using a relatively stiff cantilever, we observed an ≈ 4 % systematic error per μN of applied load for loads ≤ 1 μN. The issue of excessive load typically emerges for cantilevers whose flexural spring constant is large compared with the normal spring constant of the D-LFC setup (such that relatively small cantilever flexural displacements produce relatively large loads). Overall, the HH method carries a larger uncertainty, which is dominated by uncertainty in measurement of the flexural spring constant of the HH cantilever as well as in the effective length dimension of the cantilever probe. The D-LFC method relies on fewer parameters and thus has fewer uncertainties associated with it. We thus show that it is the preferred method of the two, as long as care is taken to perform the calibration in constant force mode with low applied loads.

The planned Alaska SAR Facility - An overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carsey, Frank; Weeks, Wilford

1987-01-01

The Alaska SAR Facility (ASF) is described in an overview fashion. The facility consists of three major components, a Receiving Ground System, a SAR Processing System and an Analysis and Archiving System; the ASF Program also has a Science Working Team and the requisite management and operations systems. The ASF is now an approved and fully funded activity; detailed requirements and science background are presented for the facility to be implemented for data from the European ERS-1, the Japanese ERS-1 and Radarsat.

The mixed-mode bending method for delamination testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reeder, James R.; Crews, John H., Jr.

1989-01-01

A mixed-mode bending (MMB) test procedure is presented which combines double cantilever beam mode-I loading and end-notch flexure mode II loading on a split, unidirectional laminate. The MMB test has been analyzed by FEM and by beam theory in order to ascertain the mode I and mode II components' respective strain energy release rates, G(I) and G(II); these analyses indicate that a wide range of G(I)/G(II) ratios can be generated by varying the applied load's position on the loading lever. The MMB specimen analysis and test procedures are demonstrated for the case of AS4/PEEK unidirectional laminates.

Mitigating Thermoelastic Dissipation of Flexural Micromechanical Resonators by Decoupling Resonant Frequency from Thermal Relaxation Rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Xin; Xiao, Dingbang; Wu, Xuezhong; Li, Qingsong; Hou, Zhanqiang; He, Kaixuan; Wu, Yulie

2017-12-01

This paper reports an alternative design strategy to reduce thermoelastic dissipation (TED) for isothermal-mode micromechanical resonators. This involves hanging lumped masses on a frame structure to decouple the resonant frequency and the effective beamwidth of the resonators, which enables the separation of the thermal relaxation rate and frequency of vibration. This approach is validated using silicon-based micromechanical disklike resonators engineered to isolate TED. A threefold improvement in the quality factor and a tenfold improvement in the decay-time constant is demonstrated. This work proposes a solution for isothermal-mode (flexural) micromechanical resonators to effectively mitigate TED. Specifically, this approach is ideal for designing high-performance gyroscope resonators based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. It may pave the way for the next generation inertial-grade MEMS gyroscope, which remains a great challenge and is very appealing.

Phonon thermal properties of graphene on h-BN from molecular dynamics simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Ji-Hang; Cao, Bing-Yang

2017-03-01

Phonon thermal properties of graphene on hexagonal boron nitride are investigated by the molecular dynamics simulations combined with lattice dynamics theory. It is found that the dispersion curves have minor changes for supported graphene because the interlayer coupling is too weak to shift the harmonic phonon properties. The ZA and ZO phonon lifetimes are significantly reduced in supported graphene due to the breakdown of the symmetry-based selection rule. The dominant mean free path (MFP) of graphene is reduced from 90-800 nm to 60-500 nm at 300 K. The mode thermal conductivities of free and supported graphene are 3517 W/ (m.K) and 2200 W/ (m.K) at 300 K, respectively. The thermal conductivity of supported graphene decreases by about 37.4% due to the large reduction of flexural phonon lifetimes, and the relative contribution of flexural modes decreases from 35.0% to 16.7%.

Thermal conductance of suspended nanoribbons: interplay between strain and interatomic potential nonlinearity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barreto, Roberto; Florencia Carusela, M.; Monastra, Alejandro G.

2017-10-01

We investigate the role that nonlinearity in the interatomic potential has on the thermal conductance of a suspended nanoribbon when it is subjected to a longitudinal strain. To focus on the first cubic and quartic nonlinear terms of a general potential, we propose an atomic system based on an α-β Fermi-Pasta-Ulam nearest neighbor interaction. We perform classical molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the contribution of longitudinal, transversal and flexural modes to the thermal conductance as a function of the α-β parameters and the applied strain. We compare the cases where atoms are allowed to vibrate only in plane (2D) with the case of vibrations in and out of plane (3D). We find that the dependence of conductance on α and β relies on a crossover phenomenon between linear/nonlinear delocalized/localized flexural and transversal modes, driven by an on/off switch of the strain.

ASF3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

LaBelle-Hamer, Nettie; Newcombe, Ross; Lane, Carel, Jr.; Arko, Scott; Atwood, Donald

2003-01-01

This reporting period marked a change in the funding configuration from a combination of a grant and a contract from two different National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) sections to one single contract. One year of this reporting was under the grant/kontract configuration with the changeover occurring on 1 April 2003. Much of the work duties remained the same with some exception, notably the removal of the RADARSAT Geophysical Processor System and the removal of the commercialization line item from the contract. We chose this reporting period as a transition from the previous reporting period of 1 April to 31 March, to the current reporting period of 18 November to 17 November. The Alaska Synthetic Aperture Facility s (ASF) mission has been updated to carry us forward into the future congruent with our changed relationship with NASA. ASF will continue to evolve, and NASA will remain our primary customer. To compliment our new mission, we have a new name, the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF), deeply rooted in the University environment and focused on satellite data products, services, and science support. We have the opportunity to reshape and rebuild ASF; we will continue to honor our heritage and Serve the science community. Our long-term goals include the commitment to continued first-rate service to our user community. This report contains input from ASF as a whole on the three major components of the NASA Contract, namely tasks devoted to the Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC), the Receiving Ground Station (RGS), and the National Oceanics and Atmospherics Administration (NOAA).

Contextual Modulation is Related to Efficiency in a Spiking Network Model of Visual Cortex.

PubMed

Sharifian, Fariba; Heikkinen, Hanna; Vigário, Ricardo; Vanni, Simo

2015-01-01

In the visual cortex, stimuli outside the classical receptive field (CRF) modulate the neural firing rate, without driving the neuron by themselves. In the primary visual cortex (V1), such contextual modulation can be parametrized with an area summation function (ASF): increasing stimulus size causes first an increase and then a decrease of firing rate before reaching an asymptote. Earlier work has reported increase of sparseness when CRF stimulation is extended to its surroundings. However, there has been no clear connection between the ASF and network efficiency. Here we aimed to investigate possible link between ASF and network efficiency. In this study, we simulated the responses of a biomimetic spiking neural network model of the visual cortex to a set of natural images. We varied the network parameters, and compared the V1 excitatory neuron spike responses to the corresponding responses predicted from earlier single neuron data from primate visual cortex. The network efficiency was quantified with firing rate (which has direct association to neural energy consumption), entropy per spike and population sparseness. All three measures together provided a clear association between the network efficiency and the ASF. The association was clear when varying the horizontal connectivity within V1, which influenced both the efficiency and the distance to ASF, DAS. Given the limitations of our biophysical model, this association is qualitative, but nevertheless suggests that an ASF-like receptive field structure can cause efficient population response.

African swine fever outbreak on a medium-sized farm in Uganda: biosecurity breaches and within-farm virus contamination.

PubMed

Chenais, Erika; Sternberg-Lewerin, Susanna; Boqvist, Sofia; Liu, Lihong; LeBlanc, Neil; Aliro, Tonny; Masembe, Charles; Ståhl, Karl

2017-02-01

In Uganda, a low-income country in east Africa, African swine fever (ASF) is endemic with yearly outbreaks. In the prevailing smallholder subsistence farming systems, farm biosecurity is largely non-existent. Outbreaks of ASF, particularly in smallholder farms, often go unreported, creating significant epidemiological knowledge gaps. The continuous circulation of ASF in smallholder settings also creates biosecurity challenges for larger farms. In this study, an on-going outbreak of ASF in an endemic area was investigated on farm level, including analyses of on-farm environmental virus contamination. The study was carried out on a medium-sized pig farm with 35 adult pigs and 103 piglets or growers at the onset of the outbreak. Within 3 months, all pigs had died or were slaughtered. The study included interviews with farm representatives as well as biological and environmental sampling. ASF was confirmed by the presence of ASF virus (ASFV) genomic material in biological (blood, serum) and environmental (soil, water, feed, manure) samples by real-time PCR. The ASFV-positive biological samples confirmed the clinical assessment and were consistent with known virus characteristics. Most environmental samples were found to be positive. Assessment of farm biosecurity, interviews, and the results from the biological and environmental samples revealed that breaches and non-compliance with biosecurity protocols most likely led to the introduction and within-farm spread of the virus. The information derived from this study provides valuable insight regarding the implementation of biosecurity measures, particularly in endemic areas.

Pig traders' networks on the Kenya-Uganda border highlight potential for mitigation of African swine fever virus transmission and improved ASF disease risk management.

PubMed

Lichoti, Jacqueline Kasiiti; Davies, Jocelyn; Maru, Yiheyis; Kitala, Philip M; Githigia, Samuel M; Okoth, Edward; Bukachi, Salome A; Okuthe, Sam; Bishop, Richard P

2017-05-01

We applied social network analysis to pig trader networks on the Kenya-Uganda border. Social network analysis is a recently developed tool, which is useful for understanding value chains and improving disease control policies. We interviewed a sample of 33 traders about their experiences with trade and African swine fever (ASF), analyzed the networks they generated in purchasing pigs and selling pork and their potential contribution to modulating dissemination of the ASF virus (ASFV). The majority of the traders were aware of clinical signs of ASF and the risk of trade transmitting ASFV. Most said they avoided buying pigs from ASF outbreak villages or sick pigs but their experiences also indicated that inadvertent purchase was relatively common. Traders had early knowledge of outbreaks since they were contacted by farmers who had heard rumours and wanted to sell their pigs to avoid the risk of them dying. Individual traders bought pigs in up to nine villages, and up to six traders operated in a village. Although each trade typically spanned less than 5km, networks of the various traders, comprising movements of pigs from source villages to slaughter slabs/sites and retail outlets, and movement of pork to villages where it was consumed, linked up indirectly across the 100km×50km study area and revealed several trade pathways across the Kenya-Uganda border. ASF could potentially spread across this area and beyond through sequential pig and pork transactions. Regulation of the pig and pork trade was minimal in practice. The risk of ASFV being spread by traders was compounded by their use of poorly constructed slaughter slabs/sites with open drainage, ineffective or non-existent meat inspection services, lack of provision for biosecurity in the value chain, and sales of pork to customers who were unaware of the risks to their own pigs from contact with ASF infected pork. More effective regulation is warranted. However, limitations on government capacity, together with the strong self-interest that established traders have in reducing the disruption and financial losses that outbreaks cause, highlight the importance of governments and traders co-developing an approach to ASF control. Formation of trader organizations or common interest groups warrants government support as an important step in engaging traders in developing and implementing effective approaches to reduce the risk of ASF outbreaks. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Novel method for estimation of the indoor-to-outdoor airborne radioactivity ratio following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

PubMed

Tan, Yanliang; Ishikawa, Tetsuo; Janik, Miroslaw; Tokonami, Shinji; Hosoda, Masahiro; Sorimachi, Atsuyuki; Kearfott, Kimberlee

2015-12-01

The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) in Japan resulted in significant releases of fission products. While substantial data exist concerning outdoor air radioactivity following the accident, the resulting indoor radioactivity remains pure speculation without a proper method for estimating the ratio of the indoor to outdoor airborne radioactivity, termed the airborne sheltering factor (ASF). Lacking a meaningful value of the ASF, it is difficult to assess the inhalation doses to residents and evacuees even when outdoor radionuclide concentrations are available. A simple model was developed and the key parameters needed to estimate the ASF were obtained through data fitting of selected indoor and outdoor airborne radioactivity measurement data obtained following the accident at a single location. Using the new model with values of the air exchange rate, interior air volume, and the inner surface area of the dwellings, the ASF can be estimated for a variety of dwelling types. Assessment of the inhalation dose to individuals readily follows from the value of the ASF, the person's indoor occupancy factor, and the measured outdoor radioactivity concentration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing the Risk of African Swine Fever Introduction into the European Union by Wild Boar.

PubMed

De la Torre, A; Bosch, J; Iglesias, I; Muñoz, M J; Mur, L; Martínez-López, B; Martínez, M; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J M

2015-06-01

The presence of African swine fever (ASF) in the Caucasus region and Russian Federation has increased concerns that wild boars may introduce the ASF virus into the European Union (EU). This study describes a semi-quantitative approach for evaluating the risk of ASF introduction into the EU by wild boar movements based on the following risk estimators: the susceptible population of (1) wild boars and (2) domestic pigs in the country of origin; the outbreak density in (3) wild boars and (4) domestic pigs in the countries of origin, the (5) suitable habitat for wild boars along the EU border; and the distance between the EU border and the nearest ASF outbreak in (6) wild boars or (7) domestic pigs. Sensitivity analysis was performed to identify the most influential risk estimators. The highest risk was found to be concentrated in Finland, Romania, Latvia and Poland, and wild boar habitat and outbreak density were the two most important risk estimators. Animal health authorities in at-risk countries should be aware of these risk estimators and should communicate closely with wild boar hunters and pig farmers to rapidly detect and control ASF. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Low-temperature mechanical properties of glass/epoxy laminates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reed, R. P.; Madhukar, M.; Thaicharoenporn, B.

2014-01-27

Selected mechanical properties of glass/epoxy laminate candidates for use in the electrical turn and ground insulation of the ITER Central solenoid (CS) modules were measured. Short-beam shear and flexural tests have been conducted on various E-glass cloth weaves/epoxy laminates at 295 and 77 K. Types of glass weave include 1581, 7500, 7781, and 38050, which represent both satin and plain weaves. The epoxy, planned for use for vacuum-pressure impregnation of the CS module, consists of an anhydride-cured bisphenol F resin system. Inter-laminar shear strength, flexural elastic modulus, and flexural strength have been measured. The data indicate that these properties aremore » dependent on the volume percent of glass. Short-beam shear strength was measured as a function of the span-to-thickness ratio for all laminates at 77 K. Comprehensive fractography was conducted to obtain the failure mode of each short-beam shear test sample.« less

Low-temperature mechanical properties of glass/epoxy laminates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reed, R. P.; Madhukar, M.; Thaicharoenporn, B.; Martovetsky, N. N.

2014-01-01

Selected mechanical properties of glass/epoxy laminate candidates for use in the electrical turn and ground insulation of the ITER Central solenoid (CS) modules were measured. Short-beam shear and flexural tests have been conducted on various E-glass cloth weaves/epoxy laminates at 295 and 77 K. Types of glass weave include 1581, 7500, 7781, and 38050, which represent both satin and plain weaves. The epoxy, planned for use for vacuum-pressure impregnation of the CS module, consists of an anhydride-cured bisphenol F resin system. Inter-laminar shear strength, flexural elastic modulus, and flexural strength have been measured. The data indicate that these properties are dependent on the volume percent of glass. Short-beam shear strength was measured as a function of the span-to-thickness ratio for all laminates at 77 K. Comprehensive fractography was conducted to obtain the failure mode of each short-beam shear test sample.

Relaxation of the bulk modulus in partially molten dunite?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cline, C. J.; Jackson, I.

2016-11-01

To address the possibility of melt-related bulk modulus relaxation, a forced oscillation experiment was conducted at seismic frequencies on a partially molten synthetic dunite specimen (melt fraction = 0.026) utilizing the enhanced capacity of the Australian National University attenuation apparatus to operate in both torsional and flexural oscillation modes. Shear modulus and dissipation data are consistent with those for melt-bearing olivine specimens previously tested in torsion, with a pronounced dissipation peak superimposed on high-temperature background. Flexural data exhibit a monotonic decrease in complex Young's modulus with increasing temperature under transsolidus temperatures. The observed variation of Young's modulus is well described by the relationship 1/E 1/3G, without requiring relaxation of the bulk modulus. At high homologous temperatures, when shear modulus is low, extensional and flexural oscillation measurements have little resolution of bulk modulus, and thus, only pressure oscillation measurements can definitively constrain bulk properties at these conditions.

Sleep-Disordered Breathing and Cardiovascular Correlates in College Football Players.

PubMed

Kim, Jonathan H; Hollowed, Casey; Irwin-Weyant, Morgan; Patel, Keyur; Hosny, Kareem; Aida, Hiroshi; Gowani, Zaina; Sher, Salman; Gleason, Patrick; Shoop, James L; Galante, Angelo; Clark, Craig; Ko, Yi-An; Quyyumi, Arshed A; Collop, Nancy A; Baggish, Aaron L

2017-10-15

This study sought to determine the cardiovascular physiologic correlates of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in American-style football (ASF) participants using echocardiography, vascular applanation tonometry, and peripheral arterial tonometry. Forty collegiate ASF participants were analyzed at pre- and postseason time points with echocardiography and vascular applanation tonometry. WatchPAT (inclusive of peripheral arterial tonometry) used to assess for SDB was then performed at the postseason time point. Twenty-two of 40 (55%) ASF participants demonstrated SDB with an apnea-hypopnea index (pAHI) ≥5. ASF participants with SDB were larger (109 ± 20 vs 92 ± 14 kg, p = 0.004) and more likely linemen position players (83% vs 50%, p = 0.03). Compared with those without SDB, ASF participants with SDB demonstrated relative impairments in left ventricular diastolic and vascular function as reflected by lower lateral e' (14 ± 3 vs 17 ± 3 cm/s, p = 0.007) and septal e' (11 ± 2 vs 13 ± 2 cm/s, p = 0.009) tissue velocities and higher pulse wave velocity (5.4 ± 0.9 vs 4.8 ± 0.5 m/s, p = 0.02). In the total cohort, there were significant positive correlations between pAHI and pulse wave velocity (r = 0.42, p = 0.008) and inverse correlations between pAHI and the averaged e' tissue velocities (r = -0.42, p = 0.01). In conclusion, SDB is highly prevalent in youthful collegiate ASF participants and associated with relative impairments in cardiac and vascular function. Targeted efforts to identify youthful populations with SDB, including ASF participants, and implement SDB treatment algorithms, represent important future clinical directives. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spatial multi-criteria decision analysis to predict suitability for African swine fever endemicity in Africa

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background African swine fever (ASF) is endemic in several countries of Africa and may pose a risk to all pig producing areas on the continent. Official ASF reporting is often rare and there remains limited awareness of the continent-wide distribution of the disease. In the absence of accurate ASF outbreak data and few quantitative studies on the epidemiology of the disease in Africa, we used spatial multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) to derive predictions of the continental distribution of suitability for ASF persistence in domestic pig populations as part of sylvatic or domestic transmission cycles. In order to incorporate the uncertainty in the relative importance of different criteria in defining suitability, we modelled decisions within the MCDA framework using a stochastic approach. The predictive performance of suitability estimates was assessed via a partial ROC analysis using ASF outbreak data reported to the OIE since 2005. Results Outputs from the spatial MCDA indicate that large areas of sub-Saharan Africa may be suitable for ASF persistence as part of either domestic or sylvatic transmission cycles. Areas with high suitability for pig to pig transmission (‘domestic cycles’) were estimated to occur throughout sub-Saharan Africa, whilst areas with high suitability for introduction from wildlife reservoirs (‘sylvatic cycles’) were found predominantly in East, Central and Southern Africa. Based on average AUC ratios from the partial ROC analysis, the predictive ability of suitability estimates for domestic cycles alone was considerably higher than suitability estimates for sylvatic cycles alone, or domestic and sylvatic cycles in combination. Conclusions This study provides the first standardised estimates of the distribution of suitability for ASF transmission associated with domestic and sylvatic cycles in Africa. We provide further evidence for the utility of knowledge-driven risk mapping in animal health, particularly in data-sparse environments. PMID:24406022

Eight Nucleotide Substitutions Inhibit Splicing to HPV-16 3′-Splice Site SA3358 and Reduce the Efficiency by which HPV-16 Increases the Life Span of Primary Human Keratinocytes

PubMed Central

Li, Xiaoze; Johansson, Cecilia; Cardoso Palacios, Carlos; Mossberg, Anki; Dhanjal, Soniya; Bergvall, Monika; Schwartz, Stefan

2013-01-01

The most commonly used 3′-splice site on the human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) genome named SA3358 is used to produce HPV-16 early mRNAs encoding E4, E5, E6 and E7, and late mRNAs encoding L1 and L2. We have previously shown that SA3358 is suboptimal and is totally dependent on a downstream splicing enhancer containingmultiple potential ASF/SF2 binding sites. Here weshow that only one of the predicted ASF/SF2 sites accounts for the majority of the enhancer activity. We demonstrate that single nucleotide substitutions in this predicted ASF/SF2 site impair enhancer function and that this correlates with less efficient binding to ASF/SF2 in vitro. We provide evidence that HPV-16 mRNAs that arespliced to SA3358 interact with ASF/SF2 in living cells. In addition,mutational inactivation of the ASF/SF2 site weakened the enhancer at SA3358 in episomal forms of the HPV-16 genome, indicating that the enhancer is active in the context of the full HPV-16 genome.This resulted in induction of HPV-16 late gene expression as a result of competition from late splice site SA5639. Furthermore, inactivation of the ASF/SF2 site of the SA3358 splicing enhancer reduced the ability of E6- and E7-encoding HPV-16 plasmids to increase the life span of primary keratinocytes in vitro, demonstrating arequirement for an intact splicing enhancer of SA3358 forefficient production of the E6 and E7 mRNAs. These results link the strength of the HPV-16 SA3358 splicing enhancer to expression of E6 and E7 and to the pathogenic properties of HPV-16. PMID:24039800

Preventive measures aimed at minimizing the risk of African swine fever virus spread in pig farming systems.

PubMed

Bellini, Silvia; Rutili, Domenico; Guberti, Vittorio

2016-11-29

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most severe diseases of pigs; it has a drastic impact on the pig industry, causing serious socio-economic consequences to pig farmers and pork producers. In Europe, there are currently two main clusters of infection; one in Sardinia caused by strains of African swine fever virus (ASFV) belonging to genotype I and another in Eastern Europe caused by strains of ASFV belonging to genotype II. The latter is inducing an acute form of ASF and it represents a serious threat to the pig sector. ASF is a disease for which there is no effective vaccine; therefore, prevention has a pivotal role in the control strategy of the disease. This review describes the main preventive measures to adopt to mitigate the risk of ASF spread in pig farming systems.

Finite difference modelling of dipole acoustic logs in a poroelastic formation with anisotropic permeability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Xiao; Hu, Hengshan; Wang, Xiuming

2013-01-01

Sedimentary rocks can exhibit strong permeability anisotropy due to layering, pre-stresses and the presence of aligned microcracks or fractures. In this paper, we develop a modified cylindrical finite-difference algorithm to simulate the borehole acoustic wavefield in a saturated poroelastic medium with transverse isotropy of permeability and tortuosity. A linear interpolation process is proposed to guarantee the leapfrog finite difference scheme for the generalized dynamic equations and Darcy's law for anisotropic porous media. First, the modified algorithm is validated by comparison against the analytical solution when the borehole axis is parallel to the symmetry axis of the formation. The same algorithm is then used to numerically model the dipole acoustic log in a borehole with its axis being arbitrarily deviated from the symmetry axis of transverse isotropy. The simulation results show that the amplitudes of flexural modes vary with the dipole orientation because the permeability tensor of the formation is dependent on the wellbore azimuth. It is revealed that the attenuation of the flexural wave increases approximately linearly with the radial permeability component in the direction of the transmitting dipole. Particularly, when the borehole axis is perpendicular to the symmetry axis of the formation, it is possible to estimate the anisotropy of permeability by evaluating attenuation of the flexural wave using a cross-dipole sonic logging tool according to the results of sensitivity analyses. Finally, the dipole sonic logs in a deviated borehole surrounded by a stratified porous formation are modelled using the proposed finite difference code. Numerical results show that the arrivals and amplitudes of transmitted flexural modes near the layer interface are sensitive to the wellbore inclination.

Mixed Mode Fracture of Plasma Sprayed Thermal Barrier Coatings: Effects of Anisotropy and Heterogeneity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Choi, Sung R.; Ghosn, Louis L.

2008-01-01

The combined mode I-mode II fracture behavior of anisotropic ZrO2-8wt%Y2O3 thermal barrier coatings was determined in asymmetric flexure loading at both ambient and elevated temperatures. A fracture envelope of KI versus KII was determined for the coating material at ambient and elevated temperatures. Propagation angles of fracture as a function of KI/KII were also determined. The mixed-mode fracture behavior of the microsplat coating material was modeled using Finite Element approach to account for anisotropy and micro cracked structures, and predicted in terms of fracture envelope and propagation angle using mixed-mode fracture theories.

Blood pressure and left ventricular hypertrophy during American-style football participation.

PubMed

Weiner, Rory B; Wang, Francis; Isaacs, Stephanie K; Malhotra, Rajeev; Berkstresser, Brant; Kim, Jonathan H; Hutter, Adolph M; Picard, Michael H; Wang, Thomas J; Baggish, Aaron L

2013-07-30

Hypertension, a strong determinant of cardiovascular disease risk, has been documented among elite, professional American-style football (ASF) players. The risk of increased blood pressure (BP) and early adulthood hypertension among the substantially larger population of collegiate ASF athletes is not known. We conducted a prospective, longitudinal study to examine BP, the incidence of hypertension, and left ventricular remodeling among collegiate ASF athletes. Resting BP and left ventricular structure were assessed before and after a single season of competitive ASF participation in 6 consecutive groups of first-year university athletes (n=113). ASF participation was associated with significant increases in systolic BP (116±8 versus 125±13 mm Hg; P<0.001) and diastolic BP (64±8 mm Hg versus 66±10 mm Hg; P<0.001). At the postseason assessment, the majority of athletes met criteria for Joint National Commission (seventh report) prehypertension (53 of 113, 47%) or stage 1 hypertension (16 of 113, 14%). Among measured characteristics, lineman field position, intraseason weight gain, and family history of hypertension were the strongest independent predictors of postseason BP. Among linemen, there was a significant increase in the prevalence of concentric left ventricular hypertrophy (2 of 64 [3%] versus 20 of 64 [31%]; P<0.001) and change in left ventricular mass correlated with intraseason change in systolic BP (R=0.46, P<0.001). Collegiate ASF athletes may be at risk for clinically relevant increases in BP and the development of hypertension. Enhanced surveillance and carefully selected interventions may represent important opportunities to improve later-life cardiovascular health outcomes in this population.

The Epidemiology of African Swine Fever in "Nonendemic" Regions of Zambia (1989-2015): Implications for Disease Prevention and Control.

PubMed

Simulundu, Edgar; Lubaba, Caesar H; van Heerden, Juanita; Kajihara, Masahiro; Mataa, Liywalii; Chambaro, Herman Moses; Sinkala, Yona; Munjita, Samuel Munalula; Munang'andu, Hetron Mweemba; Nalubamba, King Shimumbo; Samui, Kenny; Pandey, Girja Shanker; Takada, Ayato; Mweene, Aaron S

2017-08-23

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious and deadly viral hemorrhagic disease of swine. In Zambia, ASF was first reported in 1912 in Eastern Province and is currently believed to be endemic in that province only. Strict quarantine measures implemented at the Luangwa River Bridge, the only surface outlet from Eastern Province, appeared to be successful in restricting the disease. However, in 1989, an outbreak occurred for the first time outside the endemic province. Sporadic outbreaks have since occurred almost throughout the country. These events have brought into acute focus our limited understanding of the epidemiology of ASF in Zambia. Here, we review the epidemiology of the disease in areas considered nonendemic from 1989 to 2015. Comprehensive sequence analysis conducted on genetic data of ASF viruses (ASFVs) detected in domestic pigs revealed that p72 genotypes I, II, VIII and XIV have been involved in causing ASF outbreaks in swine during the study period. With the exception of the 1989 outbreak, we found no concrete evidence of dissemination of ASFVs from Eastern Province to other parts of the country. Our analyses revealed a complex epidemiology of the disease with a possibility of sylvatic cycle involvement. Trade and/or movement of pigs and their products, both within and across international borders, appear to have been the major factor in ASFV dissemination. Since ASFVs with the potential to cause countrywide and possibly regional outbreaks, could emerge from "nonendemic regions", the current ASF control policy in Zambia requires a dramatic shift to ensure a more sustainable pig industry.

An in vitro study to compare the transverse strength of thermopressed and conventional compression-molded polymethylmethacrylate polymers.

PubMed

Raut, Anjana; Rao, Polsani Laxman; Vikas, B V J; Ravindranath, T; Paradkar, Archana; Malakondaiah, G

2013-01-01

Acrylic resins have been in the center stage of Prosthodontics for more than half a century. The flexural fatigue failure of denture base materials is the primary mode of clinical failure. Hence there is a need for superior physical and mechanical properties. This in vitro study compared the transverse strength of specimens of thermopressed injection-molded and conventional compression-molded polymethylmethacrylate polymers and examined the morphology and microstructure of fractured acrylic specimens. The following denture base resins were examined: Brecrystal (Thermopressed injection-molded, modified polymethylmethacrylate) and Pyrax (compression molded, control group). Specimens of each material were tested according to the American Society for Testing and Materials standard D790-03 for flexural strength testing of reinforced plastics and subsequently examined under SEM. The data was analyzed with Student unpaired t test. Flexural strength of Brecrystal (82.08 ± 1.27 MPa) was significantly higher than Pyrax (72.76 ± 0.97 MPa). The tested denture base materials fulfilled the requirements regarding flexural strength (>65 MPa). The scanning electron microscopy image of Brecrystal revealed a ductile fracture with crazing. The fracture pattern of control group specimens exhibited poorly defined crystallographic planes with a high degree of disorganization. Flexural strength of Brecrystal was significantly higher than the control group. Brecrystal showed a higher mean transverse strength value of 82.08 ± 1.27 MPa and a more homogenous pattern at microscopic level. Based on flexural strength properties and handling characteristics, Brecrystal may prove to be an useful alternative to conventional denture base resins.

Cryoprotectant-free vitrification of human spermatozoa in new artificial seminal fluid.

PubMed

Agha-Rahimi, A; Khalili, M A; Nottola, S A; Miglietta, S; Moradi, A

2016-11-01

Vitrification is a new method that has been recently introduced in Assisted Reproduction Technique programs. The aim of this study was to design a new medium similar to normal human seminal fluid (SF), formulation artificial seminal fluid (ASF), and to compare the cryoprotective potency of this medium with SF and human tubal fluid (HTF) medium. Thirty normal ejaculates were processed with the swim-up technique and sperm suspensions were divided into four aliquots: (i) fresh sample (control); (ii) vitrification in HTF medium supplemented with 5 mg/mL human serum albumin and 0.25 mol sucrose (Vit HTF); (iii) vitrification with patients' SF (Vit SF); and (iv) vitrification in ASF (Vit ASF). After warming, sperm parameters of motility, viability, and morphology were analyzed using WHO criteria. Also, sperm pellets were fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde and processed for scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy observations. The results showed that progressive motility (46.09 ± 10.33 vs. 36.80 ± 13.75), grade A motility (36.59 ± 11.40 vs. 16.41 ± 11.24), and normal morphology (18.74 ± 8.35 vs. 11.85 ± 5.84) and viability (68.22 ± 10.83 vs. 60.86 ± 11.72) of spermatozoa were significantly higher in Vit ASF than in Vit HTF. All parameters were better in Vit ASF than in Vit SF, but only viability was significantly different (p = 0.006). After cryopreservation, deep invagination in cytoplasm and mechanically weak point sites and folded tail were commonly observed. But, this phenomenon was more significant in Vit HTF and Vit SF than in ASF (p < 0.05). In transmission electron microscopy evaluation, acrosome damage, plasma membrane loss, chromatin vacuolation, and disruption of mitochondria arrangement and structures were observed in all vitrified groups. Adherence of several tail sections together was also seen in all cryo groups. But this was seen more in Vit HTF and Vit SF than in ASF (p < 0.05). In conclusion, vitrification of human spermatozoa with ASF can effectively preserve the quality of sperm motility in comparison with Vit HTF. © 2016 American Society of Andrology and European Academy of Andrology.

Comparison of Mode II and III Monotonic and Fatigue Delamination Onset Behavior for Carbon/Toughened Epoxy Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Jian; OBrien, T. Kevin; Lee, Shaw Ming

1997-01-01

Monotonic and fatigue tests were performed to compare the Mode II and III interlaminar fracture toughness and fatigue delamination onset for Tenax-HTA/R6376 carbon/toughened epoxy composites. The Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness and fatigue delamination onset were characterized using the end-notched flexure (ENF) test while the Mode III interlaminar fracture toughness and fatigue delamination onset were characterized by using the edge crack torsion (ECT) test. Monotonic tests show that the Mode III fracture toughness is higher than the Mode II fracture toughness. Both Mode II and III cyclic loading greatly increases the tendency for a delamination to grow relative to a single monotonically increasing load. Under fatigue loading, the Mode III specimen also has a longer life than the Mode II specimen.

Superconducting fluctuation effect in CaFe0.88Co0.12AsF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, H.; Gao, B.; Ma, Y. H.; Li, X. J.; Mu, G.; Hu, T.

2016-11-01

Out-of-plane angular dependent torque measurements were performed on CaFe0.88Co0.12AsF single crystals. Superconducting fluctuations, featured by magnetic field enhanced and exponential temperature dependent diamagnetism, are observed above the superconducting transition temperature T c, which is similar to that of cuprate superconductors, but less pronounced. In addition, the ratio of T c versus superfluid density follows well the Uemura line of high-T c cuprates, which suggests the exotic nature of the superconductivity in CaFe0.88Co0.12AsF.

Experimental Infection of Domestic Pigs with African Swine Fever Virus Lithuania 2014 Genotype II Field Isolate.

PubMed

Gallardo, C; Soler, A; Nieto, R; Cano, C; Pelayo, V; Sánchez, M A; Pridotkas, G; Fernandez-Pinero, J; Briones, V; Arias, M

2017-02-01

An experimental infection was conducted to evaluate horizontal transmission, clinical, virological and humoral response induced in domestic pigs infected with African swine fever (ASF) genotype II virus circulating in 2014 into the European Union (EU). Ten naive pigs were placed in contact with eight pigs experimentally inoculated with the Lithuanian LT14/1490 ASF virus (ASFV) responsible for the first ASF case detected in wild boar in Lithuania in January 2014. Clinical examination and rectal temperature were recorded each day. Blood sampling from every animal was carried out twice weekly. Blood samples were examined for presence of ASF virus-specific antibodies and for determining the ASFV viral load. From the obtained results, it was concluded that the Lithuanian ASFV induced an acute disease which resulted in 94, 5% mortality. The disease was easily detected by real-time PCR prior to the onset of clinical signs and 33% of the animals seroconverted. All findings were in accordance with observations previously made in domestic pigs and wild boar when infected with ASF genotype II viruses characterized by a high virulence. One in-contact pig remained asymptomatic and survived the infection. The role of such animals in virus transmission would need further investigation. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Toughening of PMR composites by semi-interpenetrating networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tiwari, S. N.; Srinivansan, K.

1991-01-01

Polymerization of monomer reactants (PMR-15) type polyimide and RP46 prepregs were drum wound using IM-7 fibers. Prepregging and processing conditions were optimized to yield good quality laminates with fiber volume fractions of 60 percent (+/- 2 percent). Samples were fabricated and tested to determine comprehensive engineering properties of both systems. These included 0 deg flexure, short beam shear, transverse flexure and tension, 0 deg tension and compression, intralaminar shear, short block compression, mode 1 and 2 fracture toughness, and compression after impact properties. Semi-2-IPN (interpenetrating polymer networks) toughened PMR-15 and RP46 laminates were also fabricated and tested for the same properties.

Focusing guided waves using surface bonded elastic metamaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Xiang; Zhu, Rui; Huang, Guoliang; Yuan, Fuh-Gwo

2013-09-01

Bonding a two-dimensional planar array of small lead discs on an aluminum plate with silicone rubber is shown numerically to focus low-frequency flexural guided waves. The "effective mass density profile" of this type of elastic metamaterials (EMMs), perpendicular to wave propagation direction, is carefully tailored and designed, which allows rays of flexural A0 mode Lamb waves to bend in succession and then focus through a 7 × 9 planar array. Numerical simulations show that Lamb waves can be focused beyond EMMs region with amplified displacement and yet largely retained narrow banded waveform, which may have potential application in structural health monitoring.

Dynamic analysis to evaluate viscoelastic passive damping augmentation for the Space Shuttle Remote Manipulator System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alberts, Thomas E.; Xia, Houchun; Chen, Yung

1992-01-01

The effectiveness of constrained viscoelastic layer damping treatment designs is evaluated separately as passive control measures for low frequency joint dominated modes and higher frequency boom flexure dominated modes using a NASTRAN finite element analysis. Passive damping augmentation is proposed which is based on a constrained viscoelastic layer damping treatment applied to the surface of the manipulators's flexible booms. It is pointed out that even the joint compliance dominated modes can be damped to some degree through appropriate design of the treatment.

Flexural strength and failure modes of layered ceramic structures.

PubMed

Borba, Márcia; de Araújo, Maico D; de Lima, Erick; Yoshimura, Humberto N; Cesar, Paulo F; Griggs, Jason A; Della Bona, Alvaro

2011-12-01

To evaluate the effect of the specimen design on the flexural strength (σ(f)) and failure mode of ceramic structures, testing the hypothesis that the ceramic material under tension controls the mechanical performance of the structure. Three ceramics used as framework materials for fixed partial dentures (YZ--Vita In-Ceram YZ; IZ--Vita In-Ceram Zirconia; AL--Vita In-Ceram AL) and two veneering porcelains (VM7 and VM9) were studied. Bar-shaped specimens were produced in three different designs (n=10): monolithic, two layers (porcelain-framework) and three layers (TRI) (porcelain-framework-porcelain). Specimens were tested for three-point flexural strength at 1MPa/s in 37°C artificial saliva. For bi-layered design, the specimens were tested in both conditions: with porcelain (PT) or framework ceramic (FT) layer under tension. Fracture surfaces were analyzed using stereomicroscope and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Young's modulus (E) and Poisson's ratio (ν) were determined using ultrasonic pulse-echo method. Results were statistically analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis and Student-Newman-Keuls tests. Except for VM7 and VM9, significant differences were observed for E values among the materials. YZ showed the highest ν value followed by IZ and AL. YZ presented the highest σ(f). There was no statistical difference in the σ(f) value between IZ and IZ-FT and between AL and AL-FT. σ(f) values for YZ-PT, IZ-PT, IZ-TRI, AL-PT, AL-TRI were similar to the results obtained for VM7 and VM9. Two types of fracture mode were identified: total and partial failure. The mechanical performance of the specimens was determined by the material under tension during testing, confirming the study hypothesis. Copyright © 2011 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

78 FR 52759 - Expansion of Foreign-Trade Zone 75 Under Alternative Site Framework; Phoenix, Arizona

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-26

..., docketed 12-07-2012) for authority to expand the zone under the ASF to include an additional magnet site...-year ASF sunset provision for magnet sites that would terminate authority for Site 9 if not activated...

Mode 1 and Mode 2 Analysis of Graphite/Epoxy Composites Using Double Cantilever Beam and End-Notched Flexure Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hufnagel, Kathleen P.

1995-01-01

The critical strain energy release rates associated with debonding of the adhesive bondlines in graphite/epoxy IM6/3501-6 interlaminar fracture specimens were investigated. Two panels were manufactured for this investigation; however, panel two was layed-up incorrectly. As a result, data collected from Panel Two serves no real purpose in this investigation. Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) specimens were used to determine the opening Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness, G1(sub c), of uni-directional fiber re-inforced composites. The five specimens tested from Panel One had an average value of 946.42J/sq m for G1(sub c) with an acceptable coefficient of variation. The critical strain energy release rate, G2(sub c), for initiation of delamination under inplane shear loading was investigated using the End-Notched Flexure (ENF) Test. Four specimens were tested from Panel One and an average value of 584.98J/sq m for G2(sub c) was calculated. Calculations from the DCB and ENF test results for Panel One represent typical values of G1(sub c) and G2(sub c) for the adhesive debonding in the material studied in this investigation.

Control of African swine fever epidemics in industrialized swine populations.

PubMed

Halasa, Tariq; Bøtner, Anette; Mortensen, Sten; Christensen, Hanne; Toft, Nils; Boklund, Anette

2016-12-25

African swine fever (ASF) is a notifiable infectious disease with a high impact on swine health. The disease is endemic in certain regions in the Baltic countries and has spread to Poland constituting a risk of ASF spread toward Western Europe. Therefore, as part of contingency planning, it is important to explore strategies that can effectively control an epidemic of ASF. In this study, the epidemiological and economic effects of strategies to control the spread of ASF between domestic swine herds were examined using a published model (DTU-DADS-ASF). The control strategies were the basic EU and national strategy (Basic), the basic strategy plus pre-emptive depopulation of neighboring swine herds, and intensive surveillance of herds in the control zones, including testing live or dead animals. Virus spread via wild boar was not modelled. Under the basic control strategy, the median epidemic duration was predicted to be 21days (5th and 95th percentiles; 1-55days), the median number of infected herds was predicted to be 3 herds (1-8), and the total costs were predicted to be €326 million (€256-€442 million). Adding pre-emptive depopulation or intensive surveillance by testing live animals resulted in marginal improvements to the control of the epidemics. However, adding testing of dead animals in the protection and surveillance zones was predicted to be the optimal control scenario for an ASF epidemic in industrialized swine populations without contact to wild boar. This optimal scenario reduced the epidemic duration to 9days (1-38) and the total costs to €294 million (€257-€392 million). Export losses were the driving force of the total costs of the epidemics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

African swine fever control and market integration in Ugandan peri-urban smallholder pig value chains: An ex-ante impact assessment of interventions and their interaction.

PubMed

Ouma, Emily; Dione, Michel; Birungi, Rosemirta; Lule, Peter; Mayega, Lawrence; Dizyee, Kanar

2018-03-01

Pig production in peri-urban smallholder value chains in Uganda is severely constrained by impact of disease, particularly African swine fever (ASF), and the economic consequences of an inefficient pig value chain. Interventions in the form of biosecurity to control ASF disease outbreaks and pig business hub models to better link smallholder farmers to pig markets have the potential to address the constraints. However, there is a dearth of evidence of the effects of the interventions on performance and distribution of outcomes along the pig value chain. An ex-ante impact assessment utilising System Dynamics model was used to assess the impact of the interventions in peri-urban pig value chains in Masaka district. The results showed that although implementation of biosecurity interventions results in reduction of ASF outbreaks, it also leads to a 6.3% reduction in farmer profit margins per year but more than 7% increase in other value chain actors' margins. The pig business hub intervention alone results in positive margins for all value chain actors but minimal reduction in ASF outbreaks. When biosecurity and the pig business hub interventions are implemented together, the interaction effects of the interventions result in positive outcomes for both the control of ASF and improvement in farmers' margins. Farmers may therefore be unwilling to adopt biosecurity practices if implemented alone to control ASF outbreaks unless there is a corresponding financial incentive to compensate for the high costs. This has implications for policy or developing institutions to facilitate cost sharing arrangement among chain actors and/or third party subsidy to provide incentives for producers to adopt biosecurity measures. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The aggregate site frequency spectrum for comparative population genomic inference.

PubMed

Xue, Alexander T; Hickerson, Michael J

2015-12-01

Understanding how assemblages of species responded to past climate change is a central goal of comparative phylogeography and comparative population genomics, an endeavour that has increasing potential to integrate with community ecology. New sequencing technology now provides the potential to perform complex demographic inference at unprecedented resolution across assemblages of nonmodel species. To this end, we introduce the aggregate site frequency spectrum (aSFS), an expansion of the site frequency spectrum to use single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data sets collected from multiple, co-distributed species for assemblage-level demographic inference. We describe how the aSFS is constructed over an arbitrary number of independent population samples and then demonstrate how the aSFS can differentiate various multispecies demographic histories under a wide range of sampling configurations while allowing effective population sizes and expansion magnitudes to vary independently. We subsequently couple the aSFS with a hierarchical approximate Bayesian computation (hABC) framework to estimate degree of temporal synchronicity in expansion times across taxa, including an empirical demonstration with a data set consisting of five populations of the threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Corroborating what is generally understood about the recent postglacial origins of these populations, the joint aSFS/hABC analysis strongly suggests that the stickleback data are most consistent with synchronous expansion after the Last Glacial Maximum (posterior probability = 0.99). The aSFS will have general application for multilevel statistical frameworks to test models involving assemblages and/or communities, and as large-scale SNP data from nonmodel species become routine, the aSFS expands the potential for powerful next-generation comparative population genomic inference. © 2015 The Authors. Molecular Ecology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Cartographic Tool for Managing African Swine Fever in Eurasia: Mapping Wild Boar Distribution Based on the Quality of Available Habitats.

PubMed

Bosch, J; Iglesias, I; Muñoz, M J; de la Torre, A

2017-12-01

The current African swine fever (ASF) epidemic in Eurasia represents a risk for the swine industry with devastating socio-economic and political consequences. Wild boar appears to be a key factor in maintaining the disease in endemic areas (mainly the Russian Federation) and spreading the disease across borders, including within the European Union. To help predict and interpret the dynamics of ASF infection, we developed a standardized distribution map based on global land cover vegetation (GLOBCOVER) that quantifies the quality of available habitats (QAH) for wild boar across Eurasia as an indirect index for quantifying numbers of wild boar. QAHs were estimated using a seven-level scale based on expert opinion and found to correlate closely with georeferenced presence of wild boar (n = 22 362): the highest wild boar densities (74.47%) were found in areas at the two highest QAH levels, while the lowest densities (5.66%) were found in areas at the lowest QAH levels. Mapping notifications from 2007 to 2016 onto the QAH map showed that in endemic areas, 60% of ASF notifications occurred in domestic pigs, mostly in agricultural landscapes (QAHs 1.75 and 1) containing low-biosecurity domestic pig farms. In the EU, in contrast, 95% of ASF notifications occurred in wild boar, within natural landscapes (QAH 2). These results suggest that the QAH map can be a useful epi-tool for defining risk scenarios and identifying potential travel corridors for ASF. This tool will help inform resource allocation decisions and improve prevention, control and surveillance of ASF and potentially of other diseases affecting swine and wild boar in Eurasia. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Gastric colonisation with a restricted commensal microbiota replicates the promotion of neoplastic lesions by diverse intestinal microbiota in the Helicobacter pylori INS-GAS mouse model of gastric carcinogenesis

PubMed Central

Lertpiriyapong, Kvin; Whary, Mark T.; Muthupalani, Sureshkumar; Lofgren, Jennifer L.; Gamazon, Eric R.; Feng, Yan; Ge, Zhongming; Wang, Timothy C.; Fox, James G.

2014-01-01

Objectives Gastric colonisation with intestinal flora (IF) has been shown to promote Helicobacter pylori (Hp)-associated gastric cancer. However, it is unknown if the mechanism involves colonisation with specific or diverse microbiota secondary to gastric atrophy. Design Gastric colonisation with Altered Schaedler’s flora (ASF) and Hp were correlated with pathology, immune responses and mRNA expression for proinflammatory and cancer-related genes in germ-free (GF), Hp monoassociated (mHp), restricted ASF (rASF; 3 species), and specific pathogen-free (complex IF), hypergastrinemic INS-GAS mice 7 months postinfection. Results Male mice cocolonised with rASFHp or IFHp developed the most severe pathology. IFHp males had the highest inflammatory responses, and 40% developed invasive gastrointestinal intraepithelial neoplasia (GIN). Notably, rASFHp colonisation was highest in males and 23% developed invasive GIN with elevated expression of inflammatory biomarkers. Lesions were less severe in females and none developed GIN. Gastritis in male rASFHp mice was accompanied by decreased Clostridum species ASF356 and Bacteroides species ASF519 colonisation and an overgrowth of Lactobacillus murinus ASF361, supporting that inflammation-driven atrophy alters the gastric niche for GI commensals. Hp colonisation also elevated expression of IL-11 and cancer-related genes, Ptger4 and Tgf-β, further supporting that Hp infection accelerates gastric cancer development in INS-GAS mice. Conclusions rASFHp colonisation was sufficient for GIN development in males, and lower GIN incidence in females was associated with lower inflammatory responses and gastric commensal and Hp colonisation. Colonisation efficiency of commensals appears more important than microbial diversity and lessens the probability that specific gastrointestinal pathogens are contributing to cancer risk. PMID:23812323

The Epidemiology of African Swine Fever in “Nonendemic” Regions of Zambia (1989–2015): Implications for Disease Prevention and Control

PubMed Central

Lubaba, Caesar H.; Kajihara, Masahiro; Mataa, Liywalii; Chambaro, Herman Moses; Sinkala, Yona; Munjita, Samuel Munalula; Nalubamba, King Shimumbo; Samui, Kenny; Pandey, Girja Shanker; Takada, Ayato; Mweene, Aaron S.

2017-01-01

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious and deadly viral hemorrhagic disease of swine. In Zambia, ASF was first reported in 1912 in Eastern Province and is currently believed to be endemic in that province only. Strict quarantine measures implemented at the Luangwa River Bridge, the only surface outlet from Eastern Province, appeared to be successful in restricting the disease. However, in 1989, an outbreak occurred for the first time outside the endemic province. Sporadic outbreaks have since occurred almost throughout the country. These events have brought into acute focus our limited understanding of the epidemiology of ASF in Zambia. Here, we review the epidemiology of the disease in areas considered nonendemic from 1989 to 2015. Comprehensive sequence analysis conducted on genetic data of ASF viruses (ASFVs) detected in domestic pigs revealed that p72 genotypes I, II, VIII and XIV have been involved in causing ASF outbreaks in swine during the study period. With the exception of the 1989 outbreak, we found no concrete evidence of dissemination of ASFVs from Eastern Province to other parts of the country. Our analyses revealed a complex epidemiology of the disease with a possibility of sylvatic cycle involvement. Trade and/or movement of pigs and their products, both within and across international borders, appear to have been the major factor in ASFV dissemination. Since ASFVs with the potential to cause countrywide and possibly regional outbreaks, could emerge from “nonendemic regions”, the current ASF control policy in Zambia requires a dramatic shift to ensure a more sustainable pig industry. PMID:28832525

Scale effects in the response and failure of fiber reinforced composite laminates loaded in tension and in flexure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, Karen E.; Kellas, Sotiris; Morton, John

1992-01-01

The feasibility of using scale model testing for predicting the full-scale behavior of flat composite coupons loaded in tension and beam-columns loaded in flexure is examined. Classical laws of similitude are applied to fabricate and test replica model specimens to identify scaling effects in the load response, strength, and mode of failure. Experiments were performed on graphite-epoxy composite specimens having different laminate stacking sequences and a range of scaled sizes. From the experiments it was deduced that the elastic response of scaled composite specimens was independent of size. However, a significant scale effect in strength was observed. In addition, a transition in failure mode was observed among scaled specimens of certain laminate stacking sequences. A Weibull statistical model and a fracture mechanics based model were applied to predict the strength scale effect since standard failure criteria cannot account for the influence of absolute specimen size on strength.

Exploitation of alfalfa seed (Medicago sativa L.) flour into gluten-free rice cookies: Nutritional, antioxidant and quality characteristics.

PubMed

Giuberti, Gianluca; Rocchetti, Gabriele; Sigolo, Samantha; Fortunati, Paola; Lucini, Luigi; Gallo, Antonio

2018-01-15

In an effort to increase the nutritional value of common gluten-free (GF) cereal-based foods, GF cookies using alfalfa seed flour (ASF), at different substitution levels to common rice flour (0% as control, 15%, 30% and 45% w/w), were produced. Crude protein, total dietary fibre, total polyunsaturated, total n-3 and n-6 fatty acid contents increased linearly (p<0.05) by raising the substitution levels of rice with ASF. The hardness, the total phenolic content, the in vitro antioxidant capacity and the resistant starch increased linearly (p<0.05), whereas the starch hydrolysis index decreased linearly (p<0.05) by raising the substitution levels of rice flour with ASF. Despite the fact that ASF-substituted GF cookies had inferior sensory attributes compared to the control, the score given by the panellists remained at fairly good levels for all tested parameters, showing acceptability of the substituted GF cookies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Challenges for African swine fever vaccine development-"… perhaps the end of the beginning."

PubMed

Rock, D L

2017-07-01

African swine fever (ASF), an acute, viral hemorrhagic disease in domestic swine with mortality rates approaching 100%, is arguably the most significant emerging disease threat for the swine industry worldwide. Devastating ASF outbreaks and continuing epidemic in the Caucasus region and Russia (2007-to date) highlight significance of this disease threat. There is no vaccine for ASF, thus leaving animal slaughter the only effective disease control option. It is clear, however, that vaccination is possible since protection against reinfection with the homologous strain of African swine fever virus (ASFV) has been clearly demonstrated. Vaccine development has been hindered by large gaps in knowledge concerning ASFV infection and immunity, the extent of ASFV strain variation in nature and the identification of viral proteins (protective antigens) responsible for inducing protective immune responses in the pig. This review focuses on the challenges surrounding ASF vaccine design and development, with an emphasis on existing knowledge gaps. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mitigation of multipath effect in GNSS short baseline positioning by the multipath hemispherical map

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, D.; Wang, M.; Chen, W.; Zeng, Z.; Song, L.; Zhang, Q.; Cai, M.; Cheng, Y.; Lv, J.

2016-03-01

Multipath is one major error source in high-accuracy GNSS positioning. Various hardware and software approaches are developed to mitigate the multipath effect. Among them the MHM (multipath hemispherical map) and sidereal filtering (SF)/advanced SF (ASF) approaches utilize the spatiotemporal repeatability of multipath effect under static environment, hence they can be implemented to generate multipath correction model for real-time GNSS data processing. We focus on the spatial-temporal repeatability-based MHM and SF/ASF approaches and compare their performances for multipath reduction. Comparisons indicate that both MHM and ASF approaches perform well with residual variance reduction (50 %) for short span (next 5 days) and maintains roughly 45 % reduction level for longer span (next 6-25 days). The ASF model is more suitable for high frequency multipath reduction, such as high-rate GNSS applications. The MHM model is easier to implement for real-time multipath mitigation when the overall multipath regime is medium to low frequency.

African swine fever: a global view of the current challenge.

PubMed

Gallardo, Ma Carmen; Reoyo, Ana de la Torre; Fernández-Pinero, Jovita; Iglesias, Irene; Muñoz, Ma Jesús; Arias, Ma Luisa

2015-01-01

African Swine Fever (ASF) is an important contagious haemorrhagic viral disease affecting swine whose notification is mandatory due to its high mortality rates and the great sanitary and socioeconomic impact it has on international trade in animal and swine products. This disease only affects porcine species, both wild and domestic, and produces a variety of clinical signs such as fever and functional disorders of the digestive and respiratory systems. Lesions are mainly characterized by congestive-haemorrhagic alterations. ASF epidemiology varies significantly between countries, regions and continents, since it depends on the characteristics of the virus in circulation, the presence of wild hosts and reservoirs, environmental conditions and human social behaviour. Furthermore, a specific host will not necessarily always play the same active role in the spread and maintenance of ASF in a particular area. Currently, ASF is endemic in most sub-Saharan African countries where wild hosts and tick vectors ( Ornithodoros ) play an important role acting as biological reservoirs for the virus. In Europe, the disease has been endemic since 1978 on the island of Sardinia (Italy) and since 2007, when it was first reported in Georgia, in a number of Eastern European countries. It is also endemic in certain regions of the Russia Federation, where domestic pig and wild boar populations are widely affected. By contrast, in the affected eastern European Union (EU) countries where ASF is currently as epidemic, the on-going spread of the disease affects mainly wild boar populations located in restricted areas and, to a much less extent, domestic pigs. Unlike most livestock diseases, no vaccine or specific treatment is currently available for ASF. Therefore, disease control is mainly based on early detection and the application of strict sanitary and biosecurity measures. Epidemiology of ASF is very complex by the existence of different virus circulating, reservoirs and a number of scenarios, and the on-going spread of the disease through Africa and Europe. Survivor pigs can remain persistently infected for months which may contribute to virus transmission and thus the spread and maintenance of the disease, thereby complicating attempts to control it.

Short-term effect of a new mouthrinse formulation on oral malodour after single use in vivo: a comparative, randomized, single-blind, parallel-group clinical study.

PubMed

Wilhelm, D; Gysen, K; Himmelmann, A; Krause, C; Wilhelm, K-P

2010-09-01

This study aimed to compare a new chlorhexidine (CHX)-free mouthrinse containing amine fluoride/stannous fluoride (ASF) against a benchmark containing CHX with respect to their effect on oral malodour after single use. A total of 42 male and female subjects with an intraoral cause of bad breath, each with an organoleptic rating (OR) of at least 2 and a total volatile sulfur compound (VSC) concentration higher than 130 ppb, participated in the study. Subjects were allocated to one of three treatment groups (i.e. CHX-free ASF mouthrinse, CHX benchmark mouthrinse or water) according to a randomization list. Participants received written instructions on precautions to be taken for optimal breath analysis. Eight trained and qualified odour judges assessed the subjects' malodour by OR at baseline and 30 min and 4 h after single use of the mouthrinses. Additionally, VSC levels were measured at baseline and 4 h after using the mouthrinse. Treatment with water alone led already to some reduction in OR with mean differences to baseline of -1.13 at 30 min and -0.64, 4 h after treatment. Both CHX-free ASF product (-1.51) and CHX (-1.48) provided a significantly stronger OR reduction than water at 30 min (p < 0.05). Only CHX-free ASF treatment showed a sustained benefit in terms of significantly better OR reduction after 4 h (-1.17, p < 0.05), whereas CHX (-0.81) was not significantly different from water (-0.64, p = 0.517). Both ASF (-90.9%) and CHX (-81.6%) reduced VSC levels significantly stronger than water (-53.5%; p < 0.001). OR and VSC readings in the group using the CHX mouthrinse did not differ significantly from those in the group using the CHX-free ASF formulation. The newly developed CHX-free ASF mouthrinse significantly reduced oral malodour after single use, both in terms of OR and VSC levels. Efficacy was comparable to that of the CHX benchmark product.

Alaska Satellite Facility: The Quest to Stay Ahead of the Big Data Wave

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Labelle-Hamer, A. L.; Nicoll, J.; Munk, S.

2014-12-01

Big Data is getting bigger. Fast enough is getting faster. The number and type of products produced is growing. The ideas on how to handle the day-to-day management of data and data systems need to scale with the data and the demand. We have seen the effects of rapid growth spurts at the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) and anticipate we are not done yet. Looking back, ASF was conceived in 1982 to be a single-purpose imaging radar receiving station supporting a science team focused on geophysical processes. The primary construction at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) was completed in 1988 and full operational status achieved in 1991. The expected supports were estimated at 10 minutes per day and quickly grew to 70 minutes per day. In 1994, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between NASA and UAF formed the ASF Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) complementing, the existing agreement for ASF. The demand for the use of ASF as a receiving station and as a data center grew as fast as, and at times faster, than the capabilities. Looking forward, as demand drives the system larger just adding on more of the same often complicates rather than simplifies the system. A growing percentage of efforts and resources spent on dealing with problems that originate from a legacy system can creep up on an organization. This in turn limits the ability to keep the overall sustaining costs under control and leads to a crisis. Such growth means more-of-the-same philosophy has to shift into change-or-die philosophy in order to boot strap up to the next level. In this talk, we review how ASF has faced this several times in the past as the volume and demand of data grew along with the technology to acquire and disseminate it. We will look at what is coming for ASF as a data center and what we think are the next steps to stay ahead of the Big Data wave.

The improvement of rechargeable lithium battery electrolyte performance with additives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dominey, L. A.; Goldman, J. L.

1990-01-01

The deliberate introduction of additives like 2-methylfuran (2-MeF) is known to improve Li cycleability in cyclic ether electrolytes. The authors found that the proclivity of 2-MeF to polymerize in the bulk electrolyte or on a TiS2 cathode was inhibited by the addition of reduced oxygen species, such as O2- and OH-. Additionally, the polymerization of tetrahydrofuran and dioxolane and the destructive processes initiated by AsF6- decomposition to AsF5 and AsF3 were inhibited by the introduction of reduced oxygen species, particularly OH- at the 10-ppm to 100-ppm level.

Response of Al-Based Micro- and Nanocomposites to Rapid Fluctuations in Thermal Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dash, K.; Ray, B. C.

2018-05-01

The focus of this work is to highlight the relative response of Al-based micro- and nanocomposites in the form of enhancement in flexural strength via induced thermal stresses at high and cryogenic temperatures in ex situ and in situ atmospheres. In this investigation, we have tried to explore the reliability, matrix-reinforcement interaction and microstructural integrity of these materials in their service period by designing appropriate heat treatment regimes. Al-Al2O3 micro- and nanocomposites had been fabricated by powder processing method. The micro- and nanocomposites were subjected to down-thermal shock (from positive to negative temperature) and up-thermal shock (from negative to positive temperature) with varying thermal gradients. For isothermal conditioning, the composites were exposed to + 80 and - 80 °C for 1 h separately. High-temperature three-point flexural tests were performed at 100 and 250 °C on the composites. All the composites subjected to thermal shock and isothermal conditioning was tested in three-point flexural mode post-treatments. Al-1 vol.% Al2O3 nanocomposite's flexural strength improved to 118 MPa post-thermal shock treatment of gradient of 160 °C. The Al-5 and 10 vol.% Al2O3 microcomposites possessed flexural strength of 200 and 99.8 MPa after thermal shock treatment of gradient of 160 and 80 °C, respectively. The observed improvement in flexural strength of micro- and nanocomposites post-thermal excursions were compared and have been discussed with the support of fractography. The microcomposites showed a higher positive scale of response to the thermal excursions as compared to that of the nanocomposites.

Effects of slag on flexural strength of slurry infiltrated fibrous concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elavarasi, D.; Saravana Raja Mohan, K.; Parthasarathy, P.; Dinesh, T.

2017-07-01

Slurry infiltrated fibrous concrete is one of the new advanced concrete composite which differs from method of fabrication and composition of the matrix. Extensive research is being carried out on alternative binders or supplements to cement aiming to reduce environmental impact. However, little has been published to investigate the structural behaviour of SIFCON incorporating with mineral admixtures, particularly as regards its ultrahigh ductility, which may alter the mode of failure from brittle to the more desirable ductile. An experimental study was carried out to investigate the flexural behavior of SIFCON containing three different percentage of fibre content 6%,8% &10% with incorporation of optimum dosage of blast furnace slag replaced by cement. Strength characteristics such as Compressive strength and splitting tensile strength test were carry out for SIFCON incorporating 10% of fibre content and different percentage of slag (0, 15, 30, 45, 60%&75%) to optimize the replacement level. The test results found that the maximum strengths were attained at 30% of blast furnace slag replaced by cement. To study the flexural behavior of SIFCON beam of size 1.2x0.1x0.2m containing different percentages (6%, 8% & 10%) fibre content incorporating with and without the optimum percentage of slag were cast and tested. Both flexural strength and Load displacement characteristics of the specimens were studied under flexure. The outcomespresentedfromtest resultshave been compared. The test results reveals that the flexural strength, toughness, ductility and stiffness characteristics were significantly improved due to incorporation of optimum dosage of slag enhancing when compared to without mineral admixtures also compared to conventional concrete(RCC). Major conclusions were drawn from the investigations which are presented.

A novel vibration assisted polishing device based on the flexural mechanism driven by the piezoelectric actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Guilian; Zhou, Xiaoqin; Ma, Peiqun; Wang, Rongqi; Meng, Guangwei; Yang, Xu

2018-01-01

The vibration assisted polishing has widely application fields because of higher machining frequency and better polishing quality, especially the polishing with the non-resonant mode that is regarded as a kind of promising polishing method. This paper reports a novel vibration assisted polishing device, consisting of the flexible hinge mechanism driven by the piezoelectric actuators, which is suitable for polishing planes or curve surfaces with slow curvature. Firstly, the generation methods of vibration trajectory are investigated for the same frequency and different frequency signals' inputs, respectively, and then the types of elliptic and Lissajous's vibration trajectories are generated respectively. Secondly, a flexural mechanism consisting of the right circular flexible hinges and the leaf springs is developed to produce two-dimensional vibration trajectory. Statics and dynamics investigating of this flexible mechanism are finished in detail. The analytical models about input and output compliances of the flexural mechanism are established according to the matrix-based compliance modeling, and the dynamic model of the flexural mechanism based on the Euler-Lagrange equation is also presented. The finite element model of the flexural mechanism was established to carry out the numerical simulation in order to testify the rationality of device design. Finally, the polishing experiment is carried out to prove the effectiveness of the vibration device. The experimental results show that this novel vibration assisted polishing device developed in this study can remove more effectively the cutting marks left by last process and obviously reduce the workpiece surface roughness.

Antheraea pernyi silk fibroin for targeted gene delivery of VEGF165-Ang-1 with PEI.

PubMed

Ma, Caili; Lv, Linlin; Liu, Yu; Yu, Yanni; You, Renchuan; Yang, Jicheng; Li, Mingzhong

2014-06-01

Vascularization is a crucial challenge in tissue engineering. One solution for this problem is to implant scaffolds that contain functional genes that promote vascularization by providing angiogenic growth factors via a gene delivery carrier. Poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) is a gene delivery carrier with high transfection efficiency but with cytotoxicity. To solve this problem, we utilized Antheraea pernyi silk fibroin (ASF), which has favorable cytocompatibility and biodegradability, RGD sequences and a negative charge, in conjunction with PEI, as the delivery vector for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) 165-angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) dual gene simultaneous expression plasmid, creating an ASF/PEI/pDNA complex. The results suggested that the zeta potential of the ASF/PEI/pDNA complex was significantly lower than that of the PEI/pDNA complex. Decreased nitrogen and increased oxygen on the surface of the complex demonstrated that the ASF had successfully combined with the surface of the PEI/pDNA. Furthermore, the complexes resisted digestion by nucleic acid enzymes and degradation by serum. L929 cells were cultured and transfected in vitro and improved cytotoxicity was found when the cells were transfected with ASF/PEI/pDNA compared with PEI/pDNA. In addition, the transfection efficiency and VEGF secretion increased. In general, this study provides a novel method for decreasing the cytotoxicity of PEI gene delivery vectors and increasing transfection efficiency of angiogenesis-related genes.

An adaptive surface filter for airborne laser scanning point clouds by means of regularization and bending energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Han; Ding, Yulin; Zhu, Qing; Wu, Bo; Lin, Hui; Du, Zhiqiang; Zhang, Yeting; Zhang, Yunsheng

2014-06-01

The filtering of point clouds is a ubiquitous task in the processing of airborne laser scanning (ALS) data; however, such filtering processes are difficult because of the complex configuration of the terrain features. The classical filtering algorithms rely on the cautious tuning of parameters to handle various landforms. To address the challenge posed by the bundling of different terrain features into a single dataset and to surmount the sensitivity of the parameters, in this study, we propose an adaptive surface filter (ASF) for the classification of ALS point clouds. Based on the principle that the threshold should vary in accordance to the terrain smoothness, the ASF embeds bending energy, which quantitatively depicts the local terrain structure to self-adapt the filter threshold automatically. The ASF employs a step factor to control the data pyramid scheme in which the processing window sizes are reduced progressively, and the ASF gradually interpolates thin plate spline surfaces toward the ground with regularization to handle noise. Using the progressive densification strategy, regularization and self-adaption, both performance improvement and resilience to parameter tuning are achieved. When tested against the benchmark datasets provided by ISPRS, the ASF performs the best in comparison with all other filtering methods, yielding an average total error of 2.85% when optimized and 3.67% when using the same parameter set.

Toxic ligand conjugates as tools in the study of receptor-ligand interactions.

PubMed

Herschman, H R; Simpson, D L; Cawley, D B

1982-01-01

We have constructed hybrid proteins in which the toxic A chains of ricin or diptheria toxin have been linked to either asialofetuin, fetuin, or epidermal growth factor (EGF). Both ASF-RTA and ASF-DTA are potent toxins on cultured rat hepatocytes, cells that display the asialoglycoprotein receptor. Toxicity of these two compounds is restricted to hepatocytes and can be blocked by asialoglycoproteins but not the native glycoproteins or asialoagalactoglycoprotein derivatives, indicating that the toxicity of the conjugates is mediated by the hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor. The EGF-RTA conjugate is an extremely potent toxin on cells that can bind the hormone, but is only poorly effective on cells that are unable to bind EGF. The EGF-DTA conjugate, in contrast, is unable to kill 3T3 cells and is at least two orders of magnitude less effective than EGF-RTA on A431 cells, a cell line with 1-2 X 10(6) EGF receptors per cell. However, when EGF-RTA and EGF-DTA were tested on primary liver hepatocyte cultures, which were susceptible to both ASF-RTA and ASF-DTA, both EGF conjugates were potent toxins. Sensitivity of the hepatocyte cultures to ricin toxicity increases slightly during a 52-hr culture period. In contrast, sensitivity to EGF-RTA and ASF-RTA decline dramatically during this period. Receptors for both ligands remain plentiful on the cell surface during this time.

78 FR 42804 - SST Truck Company, LLC, a Navistar, Inc. Company Including On-Site Leased Workers From Employee...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-17

... Contract Services, Encore, International Business Machines (IBM), Akzo Nobel, US Security, ASF Logistics... Services, Encore, International Business Machines (IBM), Akzo Nobel, US Security, ASF Logistics, LLC... class 4-8 trucks. The company reports that workers leased from Encore, International Business Machines...

Best Practices for Building Web Data Portals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, R. A.; Drew, L.

2013-12-01

With a data archive of more than 1.5 petabytes and a key role as the NASA Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data, the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) has an imperative to develop effective Web data portals. As part of continuous enhancement and expansion of its website, ASF recently created two data portals for distribution of SAR data: one for the archiving and distribution of NASA's MEaSUREs Wetlands project and one for newly digitally processed data from NASA's 1978 Seasat satellite. These case studies informed ASF's development of the following set of best practices for developing Web data portals. 1) Maintain well-organized, quality data. This is fundamental. If data are poorly organized or contain errors, credibility is lost and the data will not be used. 2) Match data to likely data uses. 3) Identify audiences in as much detail as possible. ASF DAAC's Seasat and Wetlands portals target three groups of users: a) scientists already familiar with ASF DAAC's SAR archive and our data download tool, Vertex; b) scientists not familiar with SAR or ASF, but who can use the data for their research of oceans, sea ice, volcanoes, land deformation and other Earth sciences; c) audiences wishing to learn more about SAR and its use in Earth sciences. 4) Identify the heaviest data uses and the terms scientists search for online when trying to find data for those uses. 5) Create search engine optimized (SEO) Web content that corresponds to those searches. Because search engines do not yet search raw data, so Web data portals must include content that ties the data to its likely uses. 6) Create Web designs that best serves data users (user centered design), not for how the organization views itself or its data. Usability testing was conducted for the ASF DAAC Wetlands portal to improve the user experience. 7) Use SEO tips and techniques. The ASF DAAC Seasat portal used numerous SEO techniques, including social media, blogging technology, SEO rich content and more. As a result, it was on the first page of numerous related Google search results within 24 hours of the portal launch. 8) Build in-browser data analysis tools showing scientists how the data can be used in their research. The ASF DAAC Wetlands portal demonstrates that allowing the user to examine the data quickly and graphically online readily enables users to perceive the value of the data and how to use it. 9) Use responsive Web design (RWD) so content and tools can be accessed from a wide range of devices. Wetlands and Seasat can be accessed from smartphones, tablets and desktops. 10) Use Web frameworks to enable rapid building of new portals using consistent design patterns. Seasat and Wetlands both use Django and Twitter Bootstrap. 11) Use load-balanced servers if high demand for the data is anticipated. Using load-balanced servers for the Seasat and Wetlands portals allows ASF to simply add hardware as needed to support increased capacity. 12) Use open-source software when possible. Seasat and Wetlands portal development costs were reduced, and functionality was increased, with the use of open-source software. 13) Use third-party virtual servers (e.g. Amazon EC2 and S3 Services) where applicable. 14) Track visitors using analytic tools. 15) Continually improve design.

An in vitro evaluation of diametral tensile strength and flexural strength of nanocomposite vs hybrid and minifill composites cured with different light sources (QTH vs LED).

PubMed

Garapati, Surendra Nath; Priyadarshini; Raturi, Piyush; Shetty, Dinesh; Srikanth, K Venkata

2013-01-01

Composites always remained the target of discussion due to lot of controversies around it. Mechanical properties are one of them. With the introduction of new technology and emergence of various composites which combine superior strength and polish retention, nanocomposites have led to a new spark in the dentistry. A recent curing unit LED with various curing modes claims to produce higher degree of conversion. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diametral tensile strength and flexural strength of nanocomposite, hybrid and minifill composites cured with different light sources (QTH vs LED). Seventy-two samples were prepared using different specially fabricated teflon molds, 24 samples of each composite were prepared for the diametral tensile strength (ADA specification no. 27) and the flexural strength (ISO 4049) of the 12 samples, six were cured with LED (Soft Start curing profile) and other six with QTH curing light and tested on a universal testing machine. The nanocomposite had highest diametral tensile strength and flexural strength which were equivalent to the hybrid composite and superior than the minifill composite. With the combination of superior esthetics and other optimized physical properties, this novel nanocomposite system would be useful for all posterior and anterior applications.

Effect of stacking angles on mechanical properties and damage propagation of plain woven carbon fiber laminates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhuang, Weimin; Ao, Wenhong

2018-03-01

Damage propagation induced failure is a predominant damage mechanism. This study is aimed at assessing the damage state and damage propagation induced failure with different stacking angles, of woven carbon fiber/epoxy laminates subjected to quasi-static tensile and bending load. Different stages of damage processing and damage behavior under the bending load are investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The woven carbon fiber/epoxy laminates which are stacked at six different angles (0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°) with eight plies have been analyzed: [0]8, [15]8, [30]8, [45]8, [60]8, [75]8. Three-point bending test and quasi-static tensile test are used in validating the woven carbon fiber/epoxy laminates’ mechanical properties. Furthermore, the damage propagation and failure modes observed under flexural loading is correlated with flexural force and load-displacement behaviour respectively for the laminates. The experimental results have indicated that [45]8 laminate exhibits the best flexural performance in terms of energy absorption duo to its pseudo-ductile behaviour but the tensile strength and flexural strength drastically decreased compared to [0]8 laminate. Finally, SEM micrographs of specimens and fracture surfaces are used to reveal the different types of damage of the laminates with different stacking angles.

Unconventional superconductivity in CaFe0.85Co0.15AsF evidenced by torque measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Hong; Li, X. J.; Mu, G.; Hu, T.

Out-of-plane angular dependent torque measurements were performed on CaFe0.85Co0.15AsF single crystals. Abnormal superconducting fluctuation, featured by enhanced diamagnetism with magnetic field, is detected up to about 1.5 times superconducting transition temperature Tc. Compared to cuprate superconductors, the fluctuation effect in iron-based superconductor is less pronounced. Anisotropy parameter γ is obtained from the mixed state torque data and it is found that γ shows both magnetic field and temperature depenence, pointing to multiband superconductivity. The temperature dependence of penetration depth λ (T) suggests unconventional superconductivity in CaFe0.85Co0.15AsF.

African swine fever virus serotype-specific proteins are significant protective antigens for African swine fever

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

African swine fever (ASF) is an emerging disease threat for the swine industry worldwide. No ASF vaccine is available and progress is hindered by lack of knowledge concerning the extent of African swine fever virus (ASFV) strain diversity and the viral antigens conferring type specific protective im...

Uniaxial compression on the superconductivity of β-BDA-TTP salts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, Hiroshi; Ishihara, Tetsuo; Tanaka, Hisaaki; Kuroda, Shin-ichi; Yamada, Jun-ichi

2008-10-01

The β-type BDA-TTP superconductors attract attention due to the high transition temperature Tc at ambient pressure for organic superconductors. In order to get insight into the superconductivity in terms of the dimerized anisotropic triangular lattice model, Tc of β-(BDA-TTP)2X [X = SbF6, X = AsF6] is studied under uniaxial compression by resistivity measurements. Under compression parallel to the donor stack, Tc increases gradually up to 3 (X = SbF6), 5 (X = AsF6) kbar, and decreases under further piston pressure. Under compression perpendicular to the donor stack, Tc decreases gradually up to 2.5 (X = SbF6), 4 (X = AsF6) kbar and then decreases rapidly under further pressure. Only for X = AsF6, a Tc minimum at 3 kbar is found for both direction. These trends in Tc are understood as an interplay between the enhancement of antiferromagnetic spin fluctuation and frustration on the triangular lattice. By the interplane compression, Tc increased by 0.5 K up to 2 kbar for both salts, demonstrating the importance of the interlayer interaction.

Hydrothermal liquefaction of separated dairy manure for production of bio-oils with simultaneous waste treatment.

PubMed

Theegala, Chandra S; Midgett, Jason S

2012-03-01

A bench scale hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) system was tested using dairy manure to explore biooil production and waste treatment potential. Carbon monoxide was used as the process gas and sodium carbonate (Na(2)CO(3)) as catalyst. At a 350°C process temperature, the HTL unit produced 3.45 g (± 0.21) of acetone soluble oil fractions (ASF), with an average Higher Heating Value of 32.16 (± 0.23) MJ kg(-1). A maximum ASF yield of 4.8 g was produced at a process temperature of 350°C and 1g of catalyst. The best ASF yield corresponded to 67.6% of energy contained in the raw manure. GC-MS analysis of ASF indicated that the highest quantities of phenolic compounds were formed when 1g catalyst was used. Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) reduction in the dischargeable slurry was as high as 75%. The results point to an alternative dairy waste treatment technology with a potential to generate transportable biooils. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diagnosis and genotyping of African swine fever viruses from 2015 outbreaks in Zambia.

PubMed

Thoromo, Jonas; Simulundu, Edgar; Chambaro, Herman M; Mataa, Liywalii; Lubaba, Caesar H; Pandey, Girja S; Takada, Ayato; Misinzo, Gerald; Mweene, Aaron S

2016-04-29

In early 2015, a highly fatal haemorrhagic disease of domestic pigs resembling African swine fever (ASF) occurred in North Western, Copperbelt, and Lusaka provinces of Zambia. Molecular diagnosis by polymerase chain reaction targeting specific amplification of p72 (B646L) gene of ASF virus (ASFV) was conducted. Fourteen out of 16 domestic pigs from the affected provinces were found to be positive for ASFV. Phylogenetic analyses based on part of the p72 and the complete p54 (E183L) genes revealed that all the ASFVs detected belonged to genotypes I and Id, respectively. Additionally, epidemiological data suggest that the same ASFV spread from Lusaka to other provinces possibly through uncontrolled and/or illegal pig movements. Although the origin of the ASFV that caused outbreaks in domestic pigs in Zambia could not be ascertained, it appears likely that the virus may have emerged from within the country or region, probably from a sylvatic cycle. It is recommended that surveillance of ASF, strict biosecurity, and quarantine measures be imposed in order to prevent further spread and emergence of new ASF outbreaks in Zambia.

Pig empire under infectious threat: risk of African swine fever introduction into the People's Republic of China.

PubMed

Vergne, Timothée; Chen-Fu, Cao; Li, Shuo; Cappelle, Julien; Edwards, John; Martin, Vincent; Pfeiffer, Dirk Udo; Fusheng, Guo; Roger, Francois Louis

2017-07-29

Pig production and pork consumption are very important to the People's Republic of China for both economic and cultural reasons. The incursion and spread of a disease such as African swine fever (ASF), which emerged in Eastern Europe in 2007, could have devastating socioeconomic consequences for both the Chinese and the global pig industry. The Chinese government consequently attributes a very high priority to ASF and is actively seeking to improve its preparedness. This paper discusses different drivers and pathways of potential emergence of ASF in China in light of the country's specificities, including international movements of people, pigs and pig products, swill feeding practices and wild boar populations. It suggests that effective ASF risk management in China will require a comprehensive and integrated approach linking science and policy and will need to involve all relevant stakeholders to develop realistic policies. © British Veterinary Association (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Combined Mode I and Mode II Fracture of Plasma-Sprayed Thermal Barrier Coatings at Ambient and Elevated Temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sung R.; Zhu, Dongming; Miller, Robert A.

2003-01-01

The mode I, mode II, and combined mode I-mode II fracture behavior of ZrO2 - 8wt%Y2O3 thermal barrier coatings was determined in asymmetric flexure loading at both ambient and elevated temperatures. Precracks were introduced in test specimens using the single-edge-v-notched beam (SEVNB) method incorporated with final diamond polishing to achieve sharp crack tips. A fracture envelope of KI versus KII was determined for the coating material at ambient and elevated temperatures. Propagation angles of fracture as a function of KI/KII were also determined. The mixed-mode fracture behaviors of the coating material were compared with those of monolithic advanced ceramics determined previously. The mixed-mode fracture behavior of the plasma- sprayed thermal barrier coating material was predicted in terms of fracture envelope and propagation angle using mixed-mode fracture theories.

Combined Mode I and Mode II Fracture of Plasma-Sprayed Thermal Barrier Coatings at Ambient and Elevated Temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sung R.; Zhu, Dongming; Miller, Robert A.

2003-01-01

The mode I, mode II, and combined mode I-mode II fracture behavior of ZrO2- 8wt%Y2O3 thermal barrier coatings was determined in asymmetric flexure loading at both ambient and elevated temperatures. Precracks were introduced in test specimens using the single-edge-v-notched beam (SEVNB) method incorporated with final diamond polishing to achieve sharp crack tips. A fracture envelope of KI versus KII was determined for the coating material at ambient and elevated temperatures. Propagation angles of fracture as a function of K(sub I)/K(sub II) were also determined. The mixed-mode fracture behaviors of the coating material were compared with those of monolithic advanced ceramics determined previously. The mixed-mode fracture behavior of the plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coating material was predicted in terms of fracture envelope and propagation angle using mixed-mode fracture theories.

Formation of iron (hydr)oxides during the abiotic oxidation of Fe(II) in the presence of arsenate.

PubMed

Song, Jia; Jia, Shao-Yi; Yu, Bo; Wu, Song-Hai; Han, Xu

2015-08-30

Abiotic oxidation of Fe(II) is a common pathway in the formation of Fe (hydr)oxides under natural conditions, however, little is known regarding the presence of arsenate on this process. In hence, the effect of arsenate on the precipitation of Fe (hydr)oxides during the oxidation of Fe(II) is investigated. Formation of arsenic-containing Fe (hydr)oxides is constrained by pH and molar ratios of As:Fe during the oxidation Fe(II). At pH 6.0, arsenate inhibits the formation of lepidocrocite and goethite, while favors the formation of ferric arsenate with the increasing As:Fe ratio. At pH 7.0, arsenate promotes the formation of hollow-structured Fe (hydr)oxides containing arsenate, as the As:Fe ratio reaches 0.07. Arsenate effectively inhibits the formation of magnetite at pH 8.0 even at As:Fe ratio of 0.01, while favors the formation of lepidocrocite and green rust, which can be latterly degenerated and replaced by ferric arsenate with the increasing As:Fe ratio. This study indicates that arsenate and low pH value favor the slow growth of dense-structured Fe (hydr)oxides like spherical ferric arsenate. With the rapid oxidation rate of Fe(II) at high pH, ferric (hydr)oxides prefer to precipitate in the formation of loose-structured Fe (hydr)oxides like lepidocrocite and green rust. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Postentry Processing of Recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus Type 1 and Transduction of the Ferret Lung Are Altered by a Factor in Airway Secretions

PubMed Central

Yan, Ziying; Sun, Xingshen; Evans, Idil A.; Tyler, Scott R.; Song, Yi; Liu, Xiaoming; Sui, Hongshu

2013-01-01

Abstract We recently created a cystic fibrosis ferret model that acquires neonatal lung infection. To develop lung gene therapies for this model, we evaluated recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV)-mediated gene transfer to the neonatal ferret lung. Unlike in vitro ferret airway epithelial (FAE) cells, in vivo infection of the ferret lung with rAAV1 required proteasome inhibitors to achieve efficient airway transduction. We hypothesized that differences in transduction between these two systems were because of an in vivo secreted factor that alter the transduction biology of rAAV1. Indeed, treatment of rAAV1 with ferret airway secretory fluid (ASF) strongly inhibited rAAV1, but not rAAV2, transduction of primary FAE and HeLa cells. Properties of the ASF inhibitory factor included a strong affinity for the AAV1 capsid, heat-stability, negative charge, and sensitivity to endoproteinase Glu-C. ASF-treated rAAV1 dramatically inhibited apical transduction of FAE ALI cultures (512-fold), while only reducing viral entry by 55-fold, suggesting that postentry processing of virus was influenced by the inhibitor factor. Proteasome inhibitors rescued transduction in the presence of ASF (∼1600-fold) without effecting virus internalization, while proteasome inhibitors only enhanced transduction 45-fold in the absence of ASF. These findings demonstrate that a factor in lung secretions can influence intracellular processing of rAAV1 in a proteasome-dependent fashion. PMID:23948055

Postentry processing of recombinant adeno-associated virus type 1 and transduction of the ferret lung are altered by a factor in airway secretions.

PubMed

Yan, Ziying; Sun, Xingshen; Evans, Idil A; Tyler, Scott R; Song, Yi; Liu, Xiaoming; Sui, Hongshu; Engelhardt, John F

2013-09-01

We recently created a cystic fibrosis ferret model that acquires neonatal lung infection. To develop lung gene therapies for this model, we evaluated recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV)-mediated gene transfer to the neonatal ferret lung. Unlike in vitro ferret airway epithelial (FAE) cells, in vivo infection of the ferret lung with rAAV1 required proteasome inhibitors to achieve efficient airway transduction. We hypothesized that differences in transduction between these two systems were because of an in vivo secreted factor that alter the transduction biology of rAAV1. Indeed, treatment of rAAV1 with ferret airway secretory fluid (ASF) strongly inhibited rAAV1, but not rAAV2, transduction of primary FAE and HeLa cells. Properties of the ASF inhibitory factor included a strong affinity for the AAV1 capsid, heat-stability, negative charge, and sensitivity to endoproteinase Glu-C. ASF-treated rAAV1 dramatically inhibited apical transduction of FAE ALI cultures (512-fold), while only reducing viral entry by 55-fold, suggesting that postentry processing of virus was influenced by the inhibitor factor. Proteasome inhibitors rescued transduction in the presence of ASF (~1600-fold) without effecting virus internalization, while proteasome inhibitors only enhanced transduction 45-fold in the absence of ASF. These findings demonstrate that a factor in lung secretions can influence intracellular processing of rAAV1 in a proteasome-dependent fashion.

Implementation of a Regional Training Program on African Swine Fever As Part of the Cooperative Biological Engagement Program across the Caucasus Region

PubMed Central

De Nardi, Marco; Léger, Anaïs; Stepanyan, Tatul; Khachatryan, Bagrat; Karibayev, Talgat; Sytnik, Igor; Tyulegenov, Samat; Akhmetova, Assel; Nychyk, Serhiy; Sytiuk, Mykola; Nevolko, Oleg; Datsenko, Roman; Chaligava, Tengiz; Avaliani, Lasha; Parkadze, Otar; Ninidze, Lena; Kartskhia, Natia; Napetvaridze, Tsira; Asanishvili, Zviad; Khelaia, Demna; Menteshashvili, Ioseb; Zadayan, Meruzhan; Niazyan, Lyudmila; Mykhaylovska, Nataliya; Brooks, Bradford Raymond; Zhumabayeva, Gulnara; Satabayeva, Saltanat; Metreveli, Magda; Gallagher, Theresa; Obiso, Richard

2017-01-01

A training and outreach program to increase public awareness of African swine fever (ASF) was implemented by Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the Ministries of Agriculture in Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine. The implementing agency was the company SAFOSO (Switzerland). Integration of this regional effort was administered by subject matter experts for each country. The main teaching effort of this project was to develop a comprehensive regional public outreach campaign through a network of expertise and knowledge for the control and prevention of ASF in four neighboring countries that experience similar issues with this disease. Gaps in disease knowledge, legislation, and outbreak preparedness in each country were all addressed. Because ASF is a pathogen with bioterrorism potential and of great veterinary health importance that is responsible for major economic instability, the project team developed public outreach programs to train veterinarians in the partner countries to accurately and rapidly identify ASF activity and report it to international veterinary health agencies. The project implementers facilitated four regional meetings to develop this outreach program, which was later disseminated in each partner country. Partner country participants were trained as trainers to implement the outreach program in their respective countries. In this paper, we describe the development, execution, and evaluation of the ASF training and outreach program that reached more than 13,000 veterinarians, farmers, and hunters in the partner countries. Additionally, more than 120,000 booklets, flyers, leaflets, guidelines, and posters were distributed during the outreach campaign. Pre- and post-ASF knowledge exams were developed. The overall success of the project was demonstrated in that the principles of developing and conducting a public outreach program were established, and these foundational teachings can be applied within a single country or expanded regionally to disseminate disease information across borders; overall, this method can be modified to raise awareness about many other diseases. PMID:29124058

Psychometric properties of the Adverse Childhood Experiences Abuse Short Form (ACE-ASF) among Romanian high school students.

PubMed

Meinck, Franziska; Cosma, Alina Paula; Mikton, Christopher; Baban, Adriana

2017-10-01

Child abuse is a major public health problem. In order to establish the prevalence of abuse exposure among children, measures need to be age-appropriate, sensitive, reliable and valid. This study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire Abuse Short Form (ACE-ASF). The ACE-ASF is an 8-item, retrospective self-report questionnaire measuring lifetime physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Data from a nationally representative sample of 15-year-old, school-going adolescents (n=1733, 55.5% female) from the Romanian Health Behavior in School-Based Children Study 2014 (HBSC) were analyzed. The factorial structure of the ACE-ASF was tested with Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and confirmed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Measurement invariance was examined across sex, and internal reliability and concurrent criterion validity were established. Violence exposure was high: 39.7% physical, 32.2% emotional and 13.1% sexual abuse. EFA established a two-factor structure: physical/emotional abuse and sexual abuse. CFA confirmed this model fitted the data well [χ2(df)=60.526(19); RMSEA=0.036; CFI/TLI=0.990/0.986]. Metric invariance was supported across sexes. Internal consistency was good (0.83) for the sexual abuse scale and poor (0.57) for the physical/emotional abuse scale. Concurrent criterion validity confirmed hypothesized relationships between childhood abuse and health-related quality of life, life satisfaction, self-perceived health, bullying victimization and perpetration, externalizing and internalizing behaviors, and multiple health complaints. Results support the ACE-ASF as a valid measure of physical, emotional and sexual abuse in school-aged adolescents. However, the ACE-ASF combines spanking with other types of physical abuse when this should be assessed separately instead. Future research is needed to replicate findings in different youth populations and across age groups. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The Best of Both Worlds: Developing a Hybrid Data System for the ASF DAAC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arko, S. A.; Buechler, B.; Wolf, V. G.

2017-12-01

The Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks hosts the NASA Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) specializing in synthetic aperture radar (SAR). Historically, the ASF DAAC has hosted hardware on-premises and developed DAAC-specific software to operate, manage, and maintain the DAAC data system. In the past year, ASF DAAC has been moving many of the standard DAAC operations into the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud. This includes data ingest, basic pre-processing, archiving, and distribution within the AWS environment. While the cloud offers nearly unbounded capacity for expansion and a great host of services, there also can be unexpected and unplanned costs for such. Additionally, these costs can be difficult to forecast even with historic data usage patterns and models for future usage. In an effort to maximize the effectiveness of the DAAC data system, while still managing and accurately forecasting costs, ASF DAAC has developed a hybrid, cloud and on-premises, data system. The goal of this project is to make extensive use of the AWS cloud, and when appropriate, utilize on-premises resources to help constrain costs. This hybrid system attempts to mimic, on premises, a cloud environment using Kubernetes container orchestration in order that software can be run in either location with little change. Combined with hybrid data storage architecture, the new data system makes use of the great capacity of the cloud while maintaining an on-premises options. This presentation will describe the development of the hybrid data system, including the micro-services architecture and design, the container orchestration, and hybrid storage. Additional we will highlight the lessons learned through the development process, cost forecasting for current and future SAR-mission operations, and provide a discussion of the pros and cons of hybrid architectures versus all-cloud deployments. This development effort has led to a system that is capable and flexible for the future while allowing ASF DAAC to continue supporting the SAR community with the highest level of services.

Spatio-temporal Analysis of African Swine Fever in Sardinia (2012-2014): Trends in Domestic Pigs and Wild Boar.

PubMed

Iglesias, I; Rodríguez, A; Feliziani, F; Rolesu, S; de la Torre, A

2017-04-01

African swine fever (ASF) is a notifiable viral disease affecting domestic pigs and wild boars that has been endemic in Sardinia since 1978. Several risk factors complicate the control of ASF in Sardinia: generally poor level of biosecurity, traditional breeding practices, illegal behaviour in movements and feeding of pigs, and sporadic occurrence of long-term carriers. A previous study describes the disease in Sardinia during 1978-2013. The aim of this study was to gain more in-depth knowledge of the spatio-temporal pattern of ASF in Sardinia during 2012 to May 2014, comparing patterns of occurrence in domestic pigs and wild boar and identifying areas of local transmission. African swine fever notifications were studied considering seasonality, spatial autocorrelation, spatial point pattern and spatio-temporal clusters. Results showed differences in temporal and spatial pattern of wild boar and domestic pig notifications. The peak in wild boar notifications (October 2013 to February 2014) occurred six months after than in domestic pig (May to early summer 2013). Notifications of cases in both host species tended to be clustered, with a maximum significant distance of spatial association of 15 and 25 km in domestic pigs and wild boars, respectively. Five clusters for local ASF transmission were identified for domestic pigs, with a mean radius and duration of 4 km (3-9 km) and 38 days (6-55 days), respectively. Any wild boar clusters were found. The apparently secondary role of wild boar in ASF spread in Sardinia could be explained by certain socio-economic factors (illegal free-range pig breeding or the mingling of herds. The lack of effectiveness of previous surveillance and control programmes reveals the necessity of employing a new approach). Results present here provide better knowledge of the dynamics of ASF in Sardinia, which could be used in a more comprehensive risk analysis necessary to introduce a new approach in the eradication strategy. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Understanding African Swine Fever infection dynamics in Sardinia using a spatially explicit transmission model in domestic pig farms.

PubMed

Mur, L; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J M; Fernández-Carrión, E; Jurado, C; Rolesu, S; Feliziani, F; Laddomada, A; Martínez-López, B

2018-02-01

African swine fever virus (ASFV) has been endemic in Sardinia since 1978, resulting in severe losses for local pig producers and creating important problems for the island's veterinary authorities. This study used a spatially explicit stochastic transmission model followed by two regression models to investigate the dynamics of ASFV spread amongst domestic pig farms, to identify geographic areas at highest risk and determine the role of different susceptible pig populations (registered domestic pigs, non-registered domestic pigs [brado] and wild boar) in ASF occurrence. We simulated transmission within and between farms using an adapted version of the previously described model known as Be-FAST. Results from the model revealed a generally low diffusion of ASF in Sardinia, with only 24% of the simulations resulting in disease spread, and for each simulated outbreak on average only four farms and 66 pigs were affected. Overall, local spread (indirect transmission between farms within a 2 km radius through fomites) was the most common route of transmission, being responsible for 98.6% of secondary cases. The risk of ASF occurrence for each domestic pig farm was estimated from the spread model results and integrated in two regression models together with available data for brado and wild boar populations. There was a significant association between the density of all three populations (domestic pigs, brado, and wild boar) and ASF occurrence in Sardinia. The most significant risk factors were the high densities of brado (OR = 2.2) and wild boar (OR = 2.1). The results of both analyses demonstrated that ASF epidemiology and infection dynamics in Sardinia create a complex and multifactorial disease situation, where all susceptible populations play an important role. To stop ASF transmission in Sardinia, three main factors (improving biosecurity on domestic pig farms, eliminating brado practices and better management of wild boars) need to be addressed. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Structural Characterization of Poorly-Crystalline Scorodite, Iron (III)-arsenate Co-precipitates and Uranium Millneutralized Raffinate Solids using X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, N.; Jiang, D; Cutler, J

X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) is used to characterize the mineralogy of the iron(III)-arsenate(V) precipitates produced during the raffinate (aqueous effluent) neutralization process at the McClean Lake uranium mill in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. To facilitate the structural characterization of the precipitated solids derived from the neutralized raffinate, a set of reference compounds were synthesized and analyzed. The reference compounds include crystalline scorodite, poorly-crystalline scorodite, iron(III)-arsenate co-precipitates obtained under different pH conditions, and arsenate-adsorbed on goethite. The poorly-crystalline scorodite (prepared at pH 4 with Fe/As = 1) has similar As local structure as that of crystalline scorodite. Both As and Femore » K-edge XAFS of poorly-crystalline scorodite yield consistent results on As-Fe (or Fe-As) shell. From As K-edge analysis the As-Fe shell has an inter-atomic distance of 3.33 {+-} 0.02 A and coordination number of 3.2; while from Fe K-edge analysis the Fe-As distance and coordination number are 3.31 {+-} 0.02 A and 3.8, respectively. These are in contrast with the typical arsenate adsorption on bidentate binuclear sites on goethite surfaces, where the As-Fe distance is 3.26 {+-} 0.03 A and coordination number is close to 2. A similar local structure identified in the poorly-crystalline scorodite is also found in co-precipitation solids (Fe(III)/As(V) = 3) when precipitated at the same pH (pH = 4): As-Fe distance 3.30 {+-} 0.03 A and coordination number 3.9; while at pH = 8 the co-precipitate has As-Fe distance of 3.27 {+-} 0.03 A and coordination number about 2, resembling more closely the adsorption case. The As local structure in the two neutralized raffinate solid series (precipitated at pH values up to 7) closely resembles that in the poorly-crystalline scorodite. All of the raffinate solids have the same As-Fe inter-atomic distance as that in the poorly-crystalline scorodite, and a systematic decrease in the As-Fe coordination is observed when pH is progressively increased; the basic poorly-crystalline scorodite structural feature remains in the raffinate solid up to pH 7.« less

Structural characterization of poorly-crystalline scorodite, iron(III)-arsenate co-precipitates and uranium mill neutralized raffinate solids using X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, N; Jiang, D T; Cutler, J

X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) is used to characterize the mineralogy of the iron(III)-arsenate(V) precipitates produced during the raffinate (aqueous effluent) neutralization process at the McClean Lake uranium mill in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. To facilitate the structural characterization of the precipitated solids derived from the neutralized raffinate, a set of reference compounds were synthesized and analyzed. The reference compounds include crystalline scorodite, poorly-crystalline scorodite, iron(III)-arsenate co-precipitates obtained under different pH conditions, and arsenate-adsorbed on goethite. The poorly-crystalline scorodite (prepared at pH 4 with Fe/As = 1) has similar As local structure as that of crystalline scorodite. Both As and Femore » K-edge XAFS of poorly-crystalline scorodite yield consistent results on As-Fe (or Fe-As) shell. From As K-edge analysis the As-Fe shell has an inter-atomic distance of 3.33 ± 0.02 Å and coordination number of 3.2; while from Fe K-edge analysis the Fe-As distance and coordination number are 3.31 ± 0.02 Å and 3.8, respectively. These are in contrast with the typical arsenate adsorption on bidentate binuclear sites on goethite surfaces, where the As-Fe distance is 3.26 ± 0.03 Å and coordination number is close to 2. A similar local structure identified in the poorly-crystalline scorodite is also found in co-precipitation solids (Fe(III)/As(V) = 3) when precipitated at the same pH (pH = 4): As-Fe distance 3.30 ± 0.03 Å and coordination number 3.9; while at pH = 8 the co-precipitate has As-Fe distance of 3.27 ± 0.03 Å and coordination number about 2, resembling more closely the adsorption case. The As local structure in the two neutralized raffinate solid series (precipitated at pH values up to 7) closely resembles that in the poorly-crystalline scorodite. All of the raffinate solids have the same As-Fe inter-atomic distance as that in the poorly-crystalline scorodite, and a systematic decrease in the As-Fe coordination is observed when pH is progressively increased; the basic poorly-crystalline scorodite structural feature remains in the raffinate solid up to pH 7.« less

Fatigue Characterization of Fire Resistant Syntactic Foam Core Material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hossain, Mohammad Mynul

Eco-Core is a fire resistant material for sandwich structural application; it was developed at NC A&T State University. The Eco-Core is made of very small amount of phenolic resin and large volume of flyash by a syntactic process. The process development, static mechanical and fracture, fire and toxicity safety and water absorption properties and the design of sandwich structural panels with Eco-Core material was established and published in the literature. One of the important properties that is needed for application in transportation vehicles is the fatigue performance under different stress states. Fatigue data are not available even for general syntactic foams. The objective of this research is to investigate the fatigue performance of Eco-Core under three types of stress states, namely, cyclic compression, shear and flexure, then document failure modes, and develop empherical equations for predicting fatigue life of Eco-Core under three stress states. Compression-Compression fatigue was performed directly on Eco-Core cylindrical specimen, whereas shear and flexure fatigue tests were performed using sandwich beam made of E glass-Vinyl Ester face sheet and Eco-Core material. Compression-compression fatigue test study was conducted at two values of stress ratios (R=10 and 5), for the maximum compression stress (sigmamin) range of 60% to 90% of compression strength (sigmac = 19.6 +/- 0.25 MPa) for R=10 and 95% to 80% of compression strength for R=5. The failure modes were characterized by the material compliance change: On-set (2% compliance change), propagation (5%) and ultimate failure (7%). The number of load cycles correspond to each of these three damages were characterized as on-set, propagation and total lives. A similar approach was used in shear and flexure fatigue tests with stress ratio of R=0.1. The fatigue stress-number of load cycles data followed the standard power law equation for all three stress states. The constant of the equation were established for the three stress states and three types of the failure modes. This equation was used to estimate endurance limit (106 cycles) of the material. Like metallic materials, the compression fatigue life of Eco-Core was found to be dependent on the stress range instead of maximum or mean cyclic stress. Furthermore shear and flexural ultimate failure of the core material was found to be due to a combination of shear and tensile stress.

Tapered Glass-Fiber Microspike: High-Q Flexural Wave Resonator and Optically Driven Knudsen Pump.

PubMed

Pennetta, Riccardo; Xie, Shangran; Russell, Philip St J

2016-12-30

Appropriately designed optomechanical devices are ideal for making ultra-sensitive measurements. Here we report a fused-silica microspike that supports a flexural resonance with a quality factor greater than 100 000 at room temperature in vacuum. Fashioned by tapering single-mode fiber (SMF), it is designed so that the core-guided optical mode in the SMF evolves adiabatically into the fundamental mode of the air-glass waveguide at the tip. The very narrow mechanical linewidth (20 mHz) makes it possible to measure extremely small changes in resonant frequency. In a vacuum chamber at low pressure, the weak optical absorption of the glass is sufficient to create a temperature gradient along the microspike, which causes it to act as a microscopic Knudsen pump, driving a flow of gas molecules towards the tip where the temperature is highest. The result is a circulating molecular flow within the chamber. Momentum exchange between the vibrating microspike and the flowing molecules causes an additional restoring force that can be measured as a tiny shift in the resonant frequency. The effect is strongest when the mean free path of the gas molecules is comparable with the dimensions of the vacuum chamber. The system offers a novel means of monitoring the behavior of weakly absorbing optomechanical sensors operating in vacuum.

Applications of a General Finite-Difference Method for Calculating Bending Deformations of Solid Plates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walton, William C., Jr.

1960-01-01

This paper reports the findings of an investigation of a finite - difference method directly applicable to calculating static or simple harmonic flexures of solid plates and potentially useful in other problems of structural analysis. The method, which was proposed in doctoral thesis by John C. Houbolt, is based on linear theory and incorporates the principle of minimum potential energy. Full realization of its advantages requires use of high-speed computing equipment. After a review of Houbolt's method, results of some applications are presented and discussed. The applications consisted of calculations of the natural modes and frequencies of several uniform-thickness cantilever plates and, as a special case of interest, calculations of the modes and frequencies of the uniform free-free beam. Computed frequencies and nodal patterns for the first five or six modes of each plate are compared with existing experiments, and those for one plate are compared with another approximate theory. Beam computations are compared with exact theory. On the basis of the comparisons it is concluded that the method is accurate and general in predicting plate flexures, and additional applications are suggested. An appendix is devoted t o computing procedures which evolved in the progress of the applications and which facilitate use of the method in conjunction with high-speed computing equipment.

Intelligent nonsingular terminal sliding-mode control using MIMO Elman neural network for piezo-flexural nanopositioning stage.

PubMed

Lin, Faa-Jeng; Lee, Shih-Yang; Chou, Po-Huan

2012-12-01

The objective of this study is to develop an intelligent nonsingular terminal sliding-mode control (INTSMC) system using an Elman neural network (ENN) for the threedimensional motion control of a piezo-flexural nanopositioning stage (PFNS). First, the dynamic model of the PFNS is derived in detail. Then, to achieve robust, accurate trajectory-tracking performance, a nonsingular terminal sliding-mode control (NTSMC) system is proposed for the tracking of the reference contours. The steady-state response of the control system can be improved effectively because of the addition of the nonsingularity in the NTSMC. Moreover, to relax the requirements of the bounds and discard the switching function in NTSMC, an INTSMC system using a multi-input-multioutput (MIMO) ENN estimator is proposed to improve the control performance and robustness of the PFNS. The ENN estimator is proposed to estimate the hysteresis phenomenon and lumped uncertainty, including the system parameters and external disturbance of the PFNS online. Furthermore, the adaptive learning algorithms for the training of the parameters of the ENN online are derived using the Lyapunov stability theorem. In addition, two robust compensators are proposed to confront the minimum reconstructed errors in INTSMC. Finally, some experimental results for the tracking of various contours are given to demonstrate the validity of the proposed INTSMC system for PFNS.

Dynamics of a flexible splitter plate in the wake of a circular cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shukla, S.; Govardhan, R. N.; Arakeri, J. H.

2013-08-01

Rigid splitter plates in the wake of bluff bodies are known to suppress the primary vortex shedding. In the present work, we experimentally study the problem of a flexible splitter plate in the wake of a circular cylinder. In this case, the splitter plate is free to continuously deform along its length due to the fluid forces acting on it; the flexural rigidity (EI) of the plate being an important parameter. Direct visualizations of the splitter plate motions, for very low values of flexural rigidity (EI), indicate periodic traveling wave type deformations of the splitter plate with maximum tip amplitudes of the order of 1 cylinder diameter. As the Reynolds number based on cylinder diameter is varied, two regimes of periodic splitter plate motions are found that are referred to as mode I and mode II, with a regime of aperiodic motions between them. The frequency of plate motions in both periodic modes is found to be close to the plane cylinder Strouhal number of about 0.2, while the average frequencies in the non-periodic regime are substantially lower. The measured normalized phase speed of the traveling wave for both periodic modes is also close to the convection speed of vortices in the plane cylinder wake. As the flexural rigidity of the plate (EI) is increased, the response of the plate was found to shift to the right when plotted with flow speed or Re. To better capture the effect of varying EI, we define and use a non-dimensional bending stiffness, K*, similar to the ones used in the flag flutter problem, K=EI/(0.5ρUL), where U is the free-stream velocity and L is the splitter plate length. Amplitude data for different EI cases when plotted against this parameter appear to collapse on to a single curve for a given splitter plate length. Measurements of the splitter plate motions for varying splitter plate lengths indicate that plates that are substantially larger than the formation length of the plane cylinder wake have similar responses, while shorter plates show significant differences.

78 FR 4382 - Proposed Foreign-Trade Zone-Northwest Iowa; Under Alternative Site Framework

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-22

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Foreign-Trade Zones Board [B-4-2013] Proposed Foreign-Trade Zone--Northwest Iowa; Under Alternative Site Framework An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones... alternative site framework (ASF) adopted by the Board (15 CFR 400.2(c)). The ASF is an option for grantees for...

76 FR 70110 - Foreign-Trade Zone 109-County of Jefferson, NY; Application for Reorganization and Expansion...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-10

... Coffeen Street, Watertown; and, Site 2 (16 acres)--Dexter Sulphite Mill, 349 Lakeview Dr. & Stockton Avenue, Dexter. The grantee's proposed service area under the ASF would be the County of Jefferson, New..., NYS Route 12F, 22529 Airport Drive, Dexter. The ASF allows for the possible exemption of one magnet...

77 FR 14493 - Reorganization/Expansion of Foreign-Trade Zone 77 Under Alternative Site Framework Memphis...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-12

... [Order No. 1817] Reorganization/Expansion of Foreign-Trade Zone 77 Under Alternative Site Framework... project, to a five-year ASF sunset provision for magnet sites that would terminate authority for Site 4 if not activated by February 28, 2017, and to a three-year ASF sunset provision for usage-driven sites...

Mode II Interlaminar Fracture Toughness and Fatigue Characterization of a Graphite Epoxy Composite Material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

O'Brien, T. Kevin; Johnston, William M.; Toland, Gregory J.

2010-01-01

Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness and delamination onset and growth characterization data were generated for IM7/8552 graphite epoxy composite materials from two suppliers for use in fracture mechanics analyses. Both the fracture toughness testing and the fatigue testing were conducted using the End-notched Flexure (ENF) test. The ENF test for mode II fracture toughness is currently under review by ASTM as a potential standard test method. This current draft ASTM protocol was used as a guide to conduct the tests on the IM7/8552 material. This report summarizes the test approach, methods, procedures and results of this characterization effort.

Two-dimensional noncontact transportation of small objects in air using flexural vibration of a plate.

PubMed

Kashima, Ryota; Koyama, Daisuke; Matsukawa, Mami

2015-12-01

This paper investigates a two-dimensional ultrasonic manipulation technique for small objects in air. The ultrasonic levitation system consists of a rectangular vibrating plate with four ultrasonic transducers and a reflector. The configuration of the vibrator, the resonant frequency, and the positions of the four transducers with step horns were determined from finite element analysis such that an intense acoustic standing-wave field could be generated between the plates. A lattice flexural vibration mode with a wavelength of 28.3 mm was excited on the prototype plate at 24.6 kHz. Small objects could get trapped in air along the horizontal nodal plane of the standing wave. By controlling the driving phase difference between the transducers, trapped objects could be transported without contact in a two-dimensional plane. When the phase difference was changed from 0° to 720°, the distance moved by a small particle in the orthogonal direction was approximately 29 mm, which corresponds with the wavelength of the flexural vibration on the vibrating plate.

Carbon storage and emissions offset potential in an African dry forest, the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, Kenya.

PubMed

Glenday, Julia

2008-07-01

Concerns about rapid tropical deforestation, and its contribution to rising atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, increase the importance of monitoring terrestrial carbon storage in changing landscapes. Emerging markets for carbon emission offsets may offer developing nations needed incentives for reforestation, rehabilitation, and avoided deforestation. However, relatively little empirical data exists regarding carbon storage in African tropical forests, particularly for those in arid or semi-arid regions. Kenya's 416 km(2) Arabuko-Sokoke Forest (ASF) is the largest remaining fragment of East African coastal dry forest and is considered a global biodiversity hotspot (Myers et al. 2000), but has been significantly altered by past commercial logging and ongoing extraction. Forest carbon storage for ASF was estimated using allometric equations for tree biomass, destructive techniques for litter and herbaceous vegetation biomass, and spectroscopy for soils. Satellite imagery was used to assess land cover changes from 1992 to 2004. Forest and thicket types (Cynometra webberi dominated, Brachystegia spiciformis dominated, and mixed species forest) had carbon densities ranging from 58 to 94 Mg C/ha. The ASF area supported a 2.8-3.0 Tg C carbon stock. Although total forested area in ASF did not change over the analyzed time period, ongoing disturbances, quantified by the basal area of cut tree stumps per sample plot, correlated with decreased carbon densities. Madunguni Forest, an adjoining forest patch, lost 86% of its forest cover and at least 76% of its terrestrial carbon stock in the time period. Improved management of wood harvesting in ASF and rehabilitation of Madunguni Forest could substantially increase terrestrial carbon sequestration in the region.

The Altered Schaedler Flora: Continued Applications of a Defined Murine Microbial Community

PubMed Central

Wymore Brand, Meghan; Wannemuehler, Michael J.; Phillips, Gregory J.; Proctor, Alexandra; Overstreet, Anne-Marie; Jergens, Albert E.; Orcutt, Roger P.; Fox, James G.

2015-01-01

The gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota forms a mutualistic relationship with the host through complex and dynamic interactions. Because of the complexity and interindividual variation of the GI microbiota, investigating how members of the microbiota interact with each other, as well as with the host, is daunting. The altered Schaedler flora (ASF) is a model community of eight microorganisms that was developed by R.P. Orcutt and has been in use since the late 1970s. The eight microorganisms composing the ASF were all derived from mice, can be cultured in vitro, and are stably passed through multiple generations (at least 15 years or more by the authors) in gnotobiotic mice continually bred in isolator facilities. With the limitations associated with conventional, mono- or biassociated, and germfree mice, use of mice colonized with a consortium of known bacteria that naturally inhabit the murine gut offers a powerful system to investigate mechanisms governing host–microbiota relationships, and how members of the GI microbiota interact with one another. The ASF community offers significant advantages to study homeostatic as well as disease-related interactions by taking advantage of a well-defined, limited community of microorganisms. For example, quantification and spatial distribution of individual members, microbial genetic manipulation, genomic-scale analysis, and identification of microorganism-specific host immune responses are all achievable using the ASF model. This review compiles highlights associated with the 37-year history of the ASF, including descriptions of its continued use in biomedical research to elucidate the complexities of host-microbiome interactions in health and disease. PMID:26323627

Why is African swine fever still present in Sardinia?

PubMed

Jurado, C; Fernández-Carrión, E; Mur, L; Rolesu, S; Laddomada, A; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J M

2018-04-01

African swine fever (ASF) is an infectious disease of swine that has been present in Sardinia since 1978. Soon after introduction of the disease, several control and eradication programmes were established with limited success. Some researchers attributed the persistence of the disease in central and eastern areas to certain socio-economic factors, the existence of some local and traditional farming practices (i.e., unregistered free-ranging pigs known as brado animals) and the high density of wild boar in the region. In the past, scarcity of swine data in Sardinia complicated the evaluation and study of ASF on the island. More complete, accurate and reliable information on pig farms has become available as a result of the most recent eradication programmes. Here, we perform statistical modelling based on these data and the known distribution of domestic pig and wild boar to identify the main risk factors that have caused ASF persistence in Sardinia. Our results categorized, identified and quantified nine significant risk factors, six of which have not been previously described. The most significant factors were the number of medium-sized farms, the presence of brado animals and the combination of estimated wild boar density and mean altitude above sea level. Based on these factors, we identified regions in eastern and central Sardinia to be at greatest risk of ASF persistence; these regions are also where the disease has traditionally been endemic. Based on these risk factors, we propose specific control measures aimed at mitigating such risks and eradicating ASF from the island. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Risk factors associated with occurrence of African swine fever outbreaks in smallholder pig farms in four districts along the Uganda-Kenya border.

PubMed

Nantima, Noelina; Ocaido, Michael; Ouma, Emily; Davies, Jocelyn; Dione, Michel; Okoth, Edward; Mugisha, Anthony; Bishop, Richard

2015-03-01

A cross-sectional survey was carried out to assess risk factors associated with occurrence of African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks in smallholder pig farms in four districts along Kenya-Uganda border. Information was collected by administering questionnaires to 642 randomly selected pig households in the study area. The study showed that the major risk factors that influenced ASF occurrence were purchase of pigs in the previous year (p < 0.000) and feeding of pigs with swill (p < 0.024). By employing cluster analysis, three clusters of pig production types were identified based on production characteristics that were found to differ significantly between districts. The most vulnerable cluster to ASF was households with the highest reported number of ASF outbreaks and composed of those that practiced free range at least some of the time. The majority of the households in this cluster were from Busia district in Uganda. On the other hand, the least vulnerable cluster to ASF composed of households that had the least number of pig purchases, minimal swill feeding, and less treatment for internal and external parasites. The largest proportion of households in this cluster was from Busia district Kenya. The study recommended the need to sensitize farmers to adopt proper biosecurity practices such as total confinement of pigs, treatment of swill, isolation of newly purchased pigs for at least 2 weeks, and provision of incentives for farmers to report suspected outbreaks to authorities and rapid confirmation of outbreaks.

(abstract) The Evolving Spaceborne Radar Data Support to Earth Science and Operations at the Alaska SAR Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carsey, Frank D.

1996-01-01

The Alaska SAR Facility (ASF) has been receiving, processing, archiving, and distributing data for Earth scientists and operations since it began receiving data in 1991. Four radar satellites are now being handled. Recent developments have served to increase the level of services of ASF to the Earth science community considerably. These developments are discussed.

78 FR 59650 - Reorganization of Foreign-Trade Zone 40 Under Alternative Site Framework Cleveland, Ohio

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-27

... magnet sites, and existing Site 23 as a usage-driven site; Whereas, notice inviting public comment was.... Approval is also subject to a seven-year ASF sunset provision for a magnet site that would terminate authority for Site 16 if not activated by September 30, 2020, to a five-year ASF sunset provision for magnet...

Transmission routes of African swine fever virus to domestic pigs: current knowledge and future research directions.

PubMed

Guinat, Claire; Gogin, Andrey; Blome, Sandra; Keil, Guenther; Pollin, Reiko; Pfeiffer, Dirk U; Dixon, Linda

2016-03-12

African swine fever (ASF) is a major threat to the pig industry in Europe. Since 2007, ASF outbreaks have been ongoing in the Caucasus, Eastern Europe and the Baltic countries, causing severe economic losses for many pig farmers and pork producers. In addition, the number of ASF cases in wild boar populations has dramatically increased over the past few years. Evidence supports direct contact with infectious domestic pigs and wild boars, and consumption of contaminated feed, as the main transmission routes of ASF virus (ASFV) to domestic pigs. However, significant knowledge gaps highlight the urgent need for research to investigate the dynamics of indirect transmission via the environment, the minimal infective doses for contaminated feed ingestion, the probability of effective contacts between infectious wild boars and domestic pigs, the potential for recovered animals to become carriers and a reservoir for transmission, the potential virus persistence within wild boar populations and the influence of human behaviour for the spread of ASFV. This will provide an improved scientific basis to optimise current interventions and develop new tools and strategies to reduce the risk of ASFV transmission to domestic pigs. British Veterinary Association.

Transmission routes of African swine fever virus to domestic pigs: current knowledge and future research directions

PubMed Central

Guinat, Claire; Gogin, Andrey; Blome, Sandra; Keil, Guenther; Pollin, Reiko; Pfeiffer, Dirk U.; Dixon, Linda

2016-01-01

African swine fever (ASF) is a major threat to the pig industry in Europe. Since 2007, ASF outbreaks have been ongoing in the Caucasus, Eastern Europe and the Baltic countries, causing severe economic losses for many pig farmers and pork producers. In addition, the number of ASF cases in wild boar populations has dramatically increased over the past few years. Evidence supports direct contact with infectious domestic pigs and wild boars, and consumption of contaminated feed, as the main transmission routes of ASF virus (ASFV) to domestic pigs. However, significant knowledge gaps highlight the urgent need for research to investigate the dynamics of indirect transmission via the environment, the minimal infective doses for contaminated feed ingestion, the probability of effective contacts between infectious wild boars and domestic pigs, the potential for recovered animals to become carriers and a reservoir for transmission, the potential virus persistence within wild boar populations and the influence of human behaviour for the spread of ASFV. This will provide an improved scientific basis to optimise current interventions and develop new tools and strategies to reduce the risk of ASFV transmission to domestic pigs. PMID:26966305

The yeast SAS (something about silencing) protein complex contains a MYST-type putative acetyltransferase and functions with chromatin assembly factor ASF1

PubMed Central

Osada, Shigehiro; Sutton, Ann; Muster, Nemone; Brown, Christine E.; Yates, John R.; Sternglanz, Rolf; Workman, Jerry L.

2001-01-01

It is well established that acetylation of histone and nonhistone proteins is intimately linked to transcriptional activation. However, loss of acetyltransferase activity has also been shown to cause silencing defects, implicating acetylation in gene silencing. The something about silencing (Sas) 2 protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a member of the MYST (MOZ, Ybf2/Sas3, Sas2, and TIP60) acetyltransferase family, promotes silencing at HML and telomeres. Here we identify a ∼450-kD SAS complex containing Sas2p, Sas4p, and the tf2f-related Sas5 protein. Mutations in the conserved acetyl-CoA binding motif of Sas2p are shown to disrupt the ability of Sas2p to mediate the silencing at HML and telomeres, providing evidence for an important role for the acetyltransferase activity of the SAS complex in silencing. Furthermore, the SAS complex is found to interact with chromatin assembly factor Asf1p, and asf1 mutants show silencing defects similar to mutants in the SAS complex. Thus, ASF1-dependent chromatin assembly may mediate the role of the SAS complex in silencing. PMID:11731479

Recombinant Newcastle disease virus expressing African swine fever virus protein 72 is safe and immunogenic in mice.

PubMed

Chen, Xinxin; Yang, Jifei; Ji, Yanhong; Okoth, Edward; Liu, Bin; Li, Xiaoyang; Yin, Hong; Zhu, Qiyun

2016-04-01

African swine fever (ASF) is a lethal hemorrhagic disease that affects wild and domestic swine. The etiological agent of ASF is African swine fever virus (ASFV). Since the first case was described in Kenya in 1921, the disease has spread to many other countries. No commercial vaccines are available to prevent ASF. In this study, we generated a recombinant Newcastle disease virus (rNDV) expressing ASFV protein 72 (p72) by reverse genetics and evaluated its humoral and cellular immunogenicity in a mouse model. The recombinant virus, rNDV/p72, replicated well in embryonated chicken eggs and was safe to use in chicks and mice. The p72 gene in rNDV/p72 was stably maintained through ten passages. Mice immunized with rNDV/p72 developed high titers of ASFV p72 specific IgG antibody, and had higher levels of IgG1 than IgG2a. Immunization also elicited T-cell proliferation and secretion of IFN-γ and IL-4. Taken together, these results indicate that rNDV expressing ASFV p72 might be a potential vaccine candidate for preventing ASF.

Sol-gel derived bioactive coating on zirconia: Effect on flexural strength and cell proliferation.

PubMed

Shahramian, Khalil; Leminen, Heidi; Meretoja, Ville; Linderbäck, Paula; Kangasniemi, Ilkka; Lassila, Lippo; Abdulmajeed, Aous; Närhi, Timo

2017-11-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of sol-gel derived bioactive coatings on the biaxial flexural strength and fibroblast proliferation of zirconia, aimed to be used as an implant abutment material. Yttrium stabilized zirconia disc-shaped specimens were cut, ground, sintered, and finally cleansed ultrasonically in each of acetone and ethanol for 5 minutes. Three experimental groups (n = 15) were fabricated, zirconia with sol-gel derived titania (TiO 2 ) coating, zirconia with sol-gel derived zirconia (ZrO 2 ) coating, and non-coated zirconia as a control. The surfaces of the specimens were analyzed through images taken using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and a non-contact tapping mode atomic force microscope (AFM) was used to record the surface topography and roughness of the coated specimens. Biaxial flexural strength values were determined using the piston-on-three ball technique. Human gingival fibroblast proliferation on the surface of the specimens was evaluated using AlamarBlue assay™. Data were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's post-hoc test. Additionally, the biaxial flexural strength data was also statistically analyzed with the Weibull distribution. The biaxial flexural strength of zirconia specimens was unaffected (p > 0.05). Weibull modulus of TiO 2 coated and ZrO 2 coated groups (5.7 and 5.4, respectively) were lower than the control (8.0). Specimens coated with ZrO 2 showed significantly lower fibroblast proliferation compared to other groups (p < 0.05). In conclusion, sol-gel derived coatings have no influence on the flexural strength of zirconia. ZrO 2 coated specimens showed significantly lower cell proliferation after 12 days than TiO 2 coated or non-coated control. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 2401-2407, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

76 FR 52549 - Suspension of the Duty To File Reports for Classes of Asset-Backed Securities Under Section 15(D...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-23

...''), Investment Company Institute (``ICI''), MetLife, Inc. (``MetLife''), and Mortgage Bankers Association (``MBA''). \\13\\ See letters from ICI and Barnard. \\14\\ See letters from ASF, Cleary and MetLife. \\15\\ See letters... Rule 15d-22(b): \\17\\ See letters from ASF, Barnard, Cleary, CREFC, ICI, MetLife, and MBA. Two...

75 FR 42690 - Reorganization of Foreign-Trade Zone 121 Under Alternative Site Framework Capital District, New York

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-22

..., FTZ 121's existing Sites 1, 2 and 3, and new Sites 5 and 6 would be categorized as magnet sites... general-purpose zone project, to a five-year ASF sunset provision for magnet sites that would terminate... ASF sunset provision that would terminate authority for magnet Site 5 if not activated by June 30...

77 FR 59891 - Reorganization of Foreign-Trade Zone 129 Under Alternative Site Framework Bellingham, WA

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-01

...'s Sites 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 would be categorized as ``magnet'' sites, with Sites 3, 4, 5 and 6 subject to a five-year ASF sunset provision for magnet sites; Whereas, notice inviting public comment was...- acre activation limit for the zone, and to a five-year ASF sunset provision for magnet sites that would...

77 FR 6058 - Reorganization and Expansion of Foreign-Trade Zone 272 Under Alternative Site Framework; Counties...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-07

... alternative site framework (ASF) (74 FR 1170, 01/12/2009; correction 74 FR 3987, 01/22/2009; 75 FR 71069... an application to the Board (FTZ Docket 64-2011, filed 10/13/2011) for authority to reorganize and... activated by January 31, 2017, and to a three-year ASF sunset provision for usage- driven sites that would...

ASF: Facing the Challenges for 15 Years and Counting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La Belle-Hamer, N.; Nicoll, J.; Atwood, D.; Arko, S.

2006-12-01

The Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) of the Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, has just celebrated its 15th year of experience in satellite remote sensing. ASF is involved in a wide range of activities - - from downlinking satellite data to developing data analysis tools, value-added products, and training for Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) users. Satellite remote sensing data are acquired, processed, analyzed, and archived by ASF from several satellites; ASF has built expertise in handling and manipulating the data, SAR in particular. SAR is the only satellite imagery in the world today that can be acquired at any time of the day or night and during adverse weather conditions. It can be used to develop value-added products to aid in global climate change research. Examples include the SAR-derived coastal winds in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea; monitoring of the major ice shelves in the Arctic and Antarctic; and examining the impact on sea level from the Greenland ice sheets and glaciers. The challenges facing the use of remote-sensing data in climate change research can be divided into three major categories: economical, political, and technical. The expense of designing, building, and launching a satellite is substantial. The costs of the ground segment including data management can be substantial and should not be neglected. The US agency funding climate often has the research community pushing for new missions against declining federal budgets in direct competition with ongoing missions. On the political front, data policy, data ownership, and cost recovery are issues often perceived as insurmountable by the user community. The technical issues, while challenging, are often the easiest to solve. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, with the successful launch of the Advanced Land Observing System (ALOS), has embarked on a new way of handling the ground segment with the introduction of international data nodes. ASF will serve with NOAA as the Americas ALOS Data Node. With the success of the ALOS data node structure, it may well be that international cooperation will become the standard method for overcoming the challenges of global climate change research.

Quantitative approach for the risk assessment of African swine fever and Classical swine fever introduction into the United States through legal imports of pigs and swine products.

PubMed

Herrera-Ibatá, Diana María; Martínez-López, Beatriz; Quijada, Darla; Burton, Kenneth; Mur, Lina

2017-01-01

The US livestock safety strongly depends on its capacity to prevent the introduction of Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs). Therefore, accurate and updated information on the location and origin of those potential TADs risks is essential, so preventive measures as market restrictions can be put on place. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the current risk of African swine fever (ASF) and Classical swine fever (CSF) introduction into the US through the legal importations of live pigs and swine products using a quantitative approach that could be later applied to other risks. Four quantitative stochastic risk assessment models were developed to estimate the monthly probabilities of ASF and CSF release into the US, and the exposure of susceptible populations (domestic and feral swine) to these introductions at state level. The results suggest a low annual probability of either ASF or CSF introduction into the US, by any of the analyzed pathways (5.5*10-3). Being the probability of introduction through legal imports of live pigs (1.8*10-3 for ASF, and 2.5*10-3 for CSF) higher than the risk of legally imported swine products (8.90*10-4 for ASF, and 1.56*10-3 for CSF). This could be caused due to the low probability of exposure associated with this type of commodity (products). The risk of feral pigs accessing to swine products discarded in landfills was slightly higher than the potential exposure of domestic pigs through swill feeding. The identification of the months at highest risk, the origin of the higher risk imports, and the location of the US states most vulnerable to those introductions (Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin for live swine and California, Florida and Texas for swine products), is valuable information that would help to design prevention, risk-mitigation and early-detection strategies that would help to minimize the catastrophic consequences of potential ASF/CSF introductions into the US.

Molecular characterization and phylogenetic study of African swine fever virus isolates from recent outbreaks in Uganda (2010–2013)

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background African swine fever (ASF) is a highly lethal and economically significant disease of domestic pigs in Eastern Africa particularly in Uganda where outbreaks regularly occur. Sequence analysis of variable genome regions have been extensively used for molecular epidemiological studies of African swine fever virus (ASFV) isolates. By combining p72, P54 and pB602L (CVR), a high level resolution approach is achieved for viral discrimination. The major aim of this study therefore, was to investigate the genetic relatedness of ASF outbreaks that occurred between 2010 and 2013 in Uganda to contribute to the clarification of the epidemiological situation over a four year period. Methods Tissue samples from infected domestic pigs associated with an ASF outbreak from 15 districts in Uganda were confirmed as being infected with ASFV using a p72 gene-based polymerase chain reaction amplification (PCR) assay recommended by OIE. The analysis was conducted by genotyping based on sequence data from three single copy ASFV genes. The E183L gene encoding the structural protein P54 and part of the gene encoding the p72 protein was used to delineate genotypes. Intra-genotypic resolution of viral relationships was achieved by analysis of tetramer amino acid repeats within the hypervariable CVR of the B602L gene. Results Twenty one (21) ASF outbreaks were confirmed by the p72 ASF diagnostic PCR, however; only 17 isolates were successfully aligned after sequencing. Our entire isolates cluster with previous ASF viruses in genotype IX isolated in Uganda and Kenya using p72 and P54 genes. Analysis of the CVR gene generated three sub-groups one with 23 tetrameric amino acid repeats (TRS) with an additional CAST sequence, the second with 22 TRS while one isolate Ug13. Kampala1 had 13 TRS. Conclusion We identified two new CVR subgroups different from previous studies. This study constitutes the first detailed assessment of the molecular epidemiology of ASFV in domestic pigs in the different regions of Uganda. PMID:23914918

Quantitative approach for the risk assessment of African swine fever and Classical swine fever introduction into the United States through legal imports of pigs and swine products

PubMed Central

Herrera-Ibatá, Diana María; Martínez-López, Beatriz; Quijada, Darla; Burton, Kenneth

2017-01-01

The US livestock safety strongly depends on its capacity to prevent the introduction of Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs). Therefore, accurate and updated information on the location and origin of those potential TADs risks is essential, so preventive measures as market restrictions can be put on place. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the current risk of African swine fever (ASF) and Classical swine fever (CSF) introduction into the US through the legal importations of live pigs and swine products using a quantitative approach that could be later applied to other risks. Four quantitative stochastic risk assessment models were developed to estimate the monthly probabilities of ASF and CSF release into the US, and the exposure of susceptible populations (domestic and feral swine) to these introductions at state level. The results suggest a low annual probability of either ASF or CSF introduction into the US, by any of the analyzed pathways (5.5*10−3). Being the probability of introduction through legal imports of live pigs (1.8*10−3 for ASF, and 2.5*10−3 for CSF) higher than the risk of legally imported swine products (8.90*10−4 for ASF, and 1.56*10−3 for CSF). This could be caused due to the low probability of exposure associated with this type of commodity (products). The risk of feral pigs accessing to swine products discarded in landfills was slightly higher than the potential exposure of domestic pigs through swill feeding. The identification of the months at highest risk, the origin of the higher risk imports, and the location of the US states most vulnerable to those introductions (Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin for live swine and California, Florida and Texas for swine products), is valuable information that would help to design prevention, risk-mitigation and early-detection strategies that would help to minimize the catastrophic consequences of potential ASF/CSF introductions into the US. PMID:28797058

Experimental Infection of Ornithodoros erraticus sensu stricto with Two Portuguese African Swine Fever Virus Strains. Study of Factors Involved in the Dynamics of Infection in Ticks

PubMed Central

Madeira, Sara; Hutchings, Geoff H.; Boinas, Fernando

2015-01-01

African swine fever (ASF) is a frequently devastating hemorrhagic disease of domestic pigs and wild boar and Ornithodoros erraticus sensu stricto argasid ticks are the only biological vectors of African swine fever virus (ASFV) known to occur in Europe. Recently this disease emerged in Eastern Europe and Russian Federation, showing a huge potential for a rapid spread between countries. There is some risk of re-emergence of ASF in the countries where these ticks exist, that can contribute for the persistence of infection and compromise control measures. In this study we aimed to identify factors that determine the probability of infection and its dynamics in the tick vector Ornithodoros erraticus sensu stricto, with two Portuguese strains of ASFV. Our results suggest that these ticks have a high likelihood of excreting the two haemadsorbing ASF viruses of different host origins and that, in field surveys, the analysis of adults and 5th nymphal stage can provide the best chance of detecting virus infection. The results also indicate that infection of pigs with highly virulent ASF viruses will promote higher rates of infection and a higher likelihood for virus excretion by ticks. Nevertheless, there is also a risk, although lower, that ticks can become infected on pigs that have overcome the acute phase of infection, which was simulated in our study by membrane feeding ticks with low titres of virus. We believe these results can be valuable in designing and interpreting the results of ASF control programmes, and future work can also be undertaken as our dataset is released under open access, to perform studies in risk assessment for ASFV persistence in a region where O. erraticus sensu stricto ticks are present. PMID:26366570

The Altered Schaedler Flora: Continued Applications of a Defined Murine Microbial Community.

PubMed

Wymore Brand, Meghan; Wannemuehler, Michael J; Phillips, Gregory J; Proctor, Alexandra; Overstreet, Anne-Marie; Jergens, Albert E; Orcutt, Roger P; Fox, James G

2015-01-01

The gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota forms a mutualistic relationship with the host through complex and dynamic interactions. Because of the complexity and interindividual variation of the GI microbiota, investigating how members of the microbiota interact with each other, as well as with the host, is daunting. The altered Schaedler flora (ASF) is a model community of eight microorganisms that was developed by R.P. Orcutt and has been in use since the late 1970s. The eight microorganisms composing the ASF were all derived from mice, can be cultured in vitro, and are stably passed through multiple generations (at least 15 years or more by the authors) in gnotobiotic mice continually bred in isolator facilities. With the limitations associated with conventional, mono- or biassociated, and germfree mice, use of mice colonized with a consortium of known bacteria that naturally inhabit the murine gut offers a powerful system to investigate mechanisms governing host-microbiota relationships, and how members of the GI microbiota interact with one another. The ASF community offers significant advantages to study homeostatic as well as disease-related interactions by taking advantage of a well-defined, limited community of microorganisms. For example, quantification and spatial distribution of individual members, microbial genetic manipulation, genomic-scale analysis, and identification of microorganism-specific host immune responses are all achievable using the ASF model. This review compiles highlights associated with the 37-year history of the ASF, including descriptions of its continued use in biomedical research to elucidate the complexities of host-microbiome interactions in health and disease. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Formative research to explore the acceptability and use of infant food grinders for the promotion of animal source foods and micronutrient powders in rural Peru.

PubMed

Creed-Kanashiro, Hilary; Wasser, Heather M; Bartolini, Rosario; Goya, Cecilia; Bentley, Margaret E

2018-04-02

According to global recommendations, quality diets for complementary feeding (CF) should include a diversity of foods including vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables and sources of high-quality proteins and essential nutrients, particularly animal-source foods (ASF). A key barrier to feeding ASF surrounds beliefs that the preparation of foods of a thicker consistency may cause problems of digestion, "heaviness" or stomach problems, swallowing, and choking. The objective of this study was to explore, through systematic formative research, the acceptability, use, and feasibility of a simple technology, commercial infant food grinders, in two rural Peruvian settings where there is delayed and low consumption of complementary foods of a thick consistency, including ASF. Phase I explored the barriers, constraints, and opportunities related to the provision of foods of a thicker consistency with a focus on ASF. Phase II encompassed household behavioural trials with mothers and infants to assess the acceptability and use of the grinders in the home setting, using key concepts and messages developed from the information obtained during Phase I. The technology was highly acceptable, used by the majority of mothers (87.8%), and led to changes in cultural perceptions, facilitating increased feeding of appropriate textures (thick purees), ASF, and multimicronutrient powders. Energy, protein, and micronutrient intakes were all significantly greater after the household behavioural trials. This simple technology, paired with systematic formative research to appropriately promote its use across cultures, may have a significant effect on improving CF practices globally, particularly for young infants beginning CF at 6 months. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Alternative splicing of iodothyronine deiodinases in pituitary adenomas. Regulation by oncoprotein SF2/ASF.

PubMed

Piekielko-Witkowska, Agnieszka; Kedzierska, Hanna; Poplawski, Piotr; Wojcicka, Anna; Rybicka, Beata; Maksymowicz, Maria; Grajkowska, Wieslawa; Matyja, Ewa; Mandat, Tomasz; Bonicki, Wieslaw; Nauman, Pawel

2013-06-01

Pituitary tumors belong to the group of most common neoplasms of the sellar region. Iodothyronine deiodinase types 1 (DIO1) and 2 (DIO2) are enzymes contributing to the levels of locally synthesized T3, a hormone regulating key physiological processes in the pituitary, including its development, cellular proliferation, and hormone secretion. Previous studies revealed that the expression of deiodinases in pituitary tumors is variable and, moreover, there is no correlation between mRNA and protein products of the particular gene, suggesting the potential role of posttranscriptional regulatory mechanisms. In this work we hypothesized that one of such mechanisms could be the alternative splicing. Therefore, we analyzed expression and sequences of DIO1 and DIO2 splicing variants in 30 pituitary adenomas and 9 non-tumorous pituitary samples. DIO2 mRNA was expressed as only two mRNA isoforms. In contrast, nine splice variants of DIO1 were identified. Among them, five were devoid of exon 3. In silico sequence analysis of DIO1 revealed multiple putative binding sites for splicing factor SF2/ASF, of which the top-ranked sites were located in exon 3. Silencing of SF2/ASF in pituitary tumor GH3 cells resulted in change of ratio between DIO1 isoforms with or without exon 3, favoring the expression of variants without exon 3. The expression of SF2/ASF mRNA in pituitary tumors was increased when compared with non-neoplastic control samples. In conclusion, we provide a new mechanism of posttranscriptional regulation of DIO1 and show deregulation of DIO1 expression in pituitary adenoma, possibly resulting from disturbed expression of SF2/ASF. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Estimating the Basic Reproductive Number for African Swine Fever Using the Ukrainian Historical Epidemic of 1977.

PubMed

Korennoy, F I; Gulenkin, V M; Gogin, A E; Vergne, T; Karaulov, A K

2017-12-01

In 1977, Ukraine experienced a local epidemic of African swine fever (ASF) in the Odessa region. A total of 20 settlements were affected during the course of the epidemic, including both large farms and backyard households. Thanks to timely interventions, the virus circulation was successfully eradicated within 6 months, leading to no additional outbreaks. Detailed report of the outbreak's investigation has been publically available from 2014. The report contains some quantitative data that allow studying the ASF-spread dynamics in the course of the epidemic. In our study, we used this historical epidemic to estimate the basic reproductive number of the ASF virus both within and between farms. The basic reproductive number (R 0 ) represents the average number of secondary infections caused by one infectious unit during its infectious period in a susceptible population. Calculations were made under assumption of an exponential initial growth by fitting the approximating curve to the initial segments of the epidemic curves. The R 0 both within farm and between farms was estimated at 7.46 (95% confidence interval: 5.68-9.21) and 1.65 (1.42-1.88), respectively. Corresponding daily transmission rates were estimated at 1.07 (0.81-1.32) and 0.09 (0.07-0.10). These estimations based on historical data are consistent with those using data generated by the recent epidemic currently affecting eastern Europe. Such results contribute to the published knowledge on the ASF transmission dynamics under natural conditions and could be used to model and predict the spread of ASF in affected and non-affected regions and to evaluate the effectiveness of different control measures. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Child height gain is associated with consumption of animal-source foods in livestock-owning households in Western Kenya.

PubMed

Mosites, Emily; Aol, George; Otiang, Elkanah; Bigogo, Godfrey; Munyua, Peninah; Montgomery, Joel M; Neuhouser, Marian L; Palmer, Guy H; Thumbi, Samuel M

2017-02-01

To clarify the pathways between household livestock and child growth by assessing the relationships between consumption of animal-source foods (ASF) and child growth and evaluating the household livestock correlates of child consumption of ASF. We conducted a longitudinal cohort study of anthropometry and 3 d feeding recalls among children <5 years old between June 2014 and May 2015. In addition, we collected data on wealth, livestock ownership and livestock diseases in the same households. We used linear and negative binomial mixed models to evaluate the relationships between household livestock characteristics, reported consumption of ASF and child growth. An 1800-household surveillance catchment area in Western Kenya within the structure of human and animal health surveillance systems. Children (n 874) <5 years old. Among children >6 months old, reported frequency of egg and milk consumption was associated with increased monthly height gain (for each additional report of consumption over 3 d: adjusted β (95 % CI)=0·010 (0·002, 0·019) cm/month and 0·008 (0·004, 0·013) cm/month, respectively). Poultry ownership was associated with higher reported frequency of egg, milk and chicken consumption (adjusted incidence rate ratio (95 % CI)=1·3 (1·2, 1·4), 1·4 (1·1, 1·6) and 1·3 (1·1, 1·4), respectively). Some livestock diseases were associated with lower reported frequency of ASF intake (livestock digestive diseases-adjusted incidence rate ratio (95 % CI)=0·89 (0·78, 1·00)). Child height gain was associated with milk and egg consumption in this cohort. ASF consumption was related to both household livestock ownership and animal health.

Path Planning Algorithms for the Adaptive Sensor Fleet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoneking, Eric; Hosler, Jeff

2005-01-01

The Adaptive Sensor Fleet (ASF) is a general purpose fleet management and planning system being developed by NASA in coordination with NOAA. The current mission of ASF is to provide the capability for autonomous cooperative survey and sampling of dynamic oceanographic phenomena such as current systems and algae blooms. Each ASF vessel is a software model that represents a real world platform that carries a variety of sensors. The OASIS platform will provide the first physical vessel, outfitted with the systems and payloads necessary to execute the oceanographic observations described in this paper. The ASF architecture is being designed for extensibility to accommodate heterogenous fleet elements, and is not limited to using the OASIS platform to acquire data. This paper describes the path planning algorithms developed for the acquisition phase of a typical ASF task. Given a polygonal target region to be surveyed, the region is subdivided according to the number of vessels in the fleet. The subdivision algorithm seeks a solution in which all subregions have equal area and minimum mean radius. Once the subregions are defined, a dynamic programming method is used to find a minimum-time path for each vessel from its initial position to its assigned region. This path plan includes the effects of water currents as well as avoidance of known obstacles. A fleet-level planning algorithm then shuffles the individual vessel assignments to find the overall solution which puts all vessels in their assigned regions in the minimum time. This shuffle algorithm may be described as a process of elimination on the sorted list of permutations of a cost matrix. All these path planning algorithms are facilitated by discretizing the region of interest onto a hexagonal tiling.

The Assessment of African Swine Fever Virus Risk to Belgium Early 2014, using the Quick and Semiquantitative Pandora Screening Protocol.

PubMed

Roelandt, S; Van der Stede, Y; D'hondt, B; Koenen, F

2017-02-01

A risk assessment was organized during the early EU ASF outbreaks of early 2014 (February-April) and performed in cooperation with 15 Belgian and European experts on ASFV and its epidemiology in pigs/wild boar. African swine fever (ASF) is considered as one of the most dangerous infectious pig diseases, causing many outbreaks. Since the end of 2013 - early 2014, several outbreaks within the European Union (Lithuania, Poland, Estonia and Latvia) were reported to OIE, which prompted several risk assessments by (inter)national bodies and scientists. In this study, the open source, semiquantitative Pandora risk assessment tool was used for a quick overall screening of the risk posed by ASF to Belgium early 2014. A set of integrated risk scores was calculated within the Pandora framework. Experts scored the questions and uncertainty levels in the Pandora modules individually, after which the calculations were performed and averaged scores were used within pre-defined risk scales to define and visualize the ASF risk to Belgium. Emergence risk was considered low (Pandora score 0.29), while disease consequences were deemed high (0.93); the resulting multiplicative overall risk of ASFV for Belgium was low (0.27). The Belgian experts tended to give lower risk scores than the European experts, especially for entry risk and trade/public opinion consequences. These risk scores are further interpreted with a due consideration of the qualitative data in the expert remarks and of other ASF risk assessments. The results are similar to more extensive and elaborate risk assessment models/procedures which may require more time and resources. The Pandora tool allows sequential updates to monitor (rates of) increasing risk and provides information for risk managers to organize targeted control. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Experimental Infection of Ornithodoros erraticus sensu stricto with Two Portuguese African Swine Fever Virus Strains. Study of Factors Involved in the Dynamics of Infection in Ticks.

PubMed

Ribeiro, Rita; Otte, Joachim; Madeira, Sara; Hutchings, Geoff H; Boinas, Fernando

2015-01-01

African swine fever (ASF) is a frequently devastating hemorrhagic disease of domestic pigs and wild boar and Ornithodoros erraticus sensu stricto argasid ticks are the only biological vectors of African swine fever virus (ASFV) known to occur in Europe. Recently this disease emerged in Eastern Europe and Russian Federation, showing a huge potential for a rapid spread between countries. There is some risk of re-emergence of ASF in the countries where these ticks exist, that can contribute for the persistence of infection and compromise control measures. In this study we aimed to identify factors that determine the probability of infection and its dynamics in the tick vector Ornithodoros erraticus sensu stricto, with two Portuguese strains of ASFV. Our results suggest that these ticks have a high likelihood of excreting the two haemadsorbing ASF viruses of different host origins and that, in field surveys, the analysis of adults and 5th nymphal stage can provide the best chance of detecting virus infection. The results also indicate that infection of pigs with highly virulent ASF viruses will promote higher rates of infection and a higher likelihood for virus excretion by ticks. Nevertheless, there is also a risk, although lower, that ticks can become infected on pigs that have overcome the acute phase of infection, which was simulated in our study by membrane feeding ticks with low titres of virus. We believe these results can be valuable in designing and interpreting the results of ASF control programmes, and future work can also be undertaken as our dataset is released under open access, to perform studies in risk assessment for ASFV persistence in a region where O. erraticus sensu stricto ticks are present.

Sentinel-1 Archive and Processing in the Cloud using the Hybrid Pluggable Processing Pipeline (HyP3) at the ASF DAAC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arko, S. A.; Hogenson, R.; Geiger, A.; Herrmann, J.; Buechler, B.; Hogenson, K.

2016-12-01

In the coming years there will be an unprecedented amount of SAR data available on a free and open basis to research and operational users around the globe. The Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) DAAC hosts, through an international agreement, data from the Sentinel-1 spacecraft and will be hosting data from the upcoming NASA ISRO SAR (NISAR) mission. To more effectively manage and exploit these vast datasets, ASF DAAC has begun moving portions of the archive to the cloud and utilizing cloud services to provide higher-level processing on the data. The Hybrid Pluggable Processing Pipeline (HyP3) project is designed to support higher-level data processing in the cloud and extend the capabilities of researchers to larger scales. Built upon a set of core Amazon cloud services, the HyP3 system allows users to request data processing using a number of canned algorithms or their own algorithms once they have been uploaded to the cloud. The HyP3 system automatically accesses the ASF cloud-based archive through the DAAC RESTful application programming interface and processes the data on Amazon's elastic compute cluster (EC2). Final products are distributed through Amazon's simple storage service (S3) and are available for user download. This presentation will provide an overview of ASF DAAC's activities moving the Sentinel-1 archive into the cloud and developing the integrated HyP3 system, covering both the benefits and difficulties of working in the cloud. Additionally, we will focus on the utilization of HyP3 for higher-level processing of SAR data. Two example algorithms, for sea-ice tracking and change detection, will be discussed as well as the mechanism for integrating new algorithms into the pipeline for community use.

Caregivers' nutrition knowledge and attitudes are associated with household food diversity and children's animal source food intake across different agro-ecological zones in Ghana.

PubMed

Christian, Aaron K; Marquis, Grace S; Colecraft, Esi K; Lartey, Anna; Sakyi-Dawson, Owuraku; Ahunu, Ben K; Butler, Lorna M

2016-01-28

Caregivers' nutrition knowledge and attitudes may influence the variety of foods available in the household and the quality of children's diets. To test the link, this study collected data on caregivers' (n 608) nutrition knowledge and feeding attitudes as well as the diets of their household and of their 2-5-year-old children in twelve rural communities nested in the three main agro-ecological zones of Ghana. Household foods and children's animal source foods (ASF) consumed in the past 7 d were categorised into one of fourteen and ten groups, respectively. About 28 % of caregivers believed that their children needed to be fed only 2-3 times/d. Reasons for having adult supervision during child meal times, feeding diverse foods, prioritising a child to receive ASF and the perceived child benefits of ASF differed across zones (P<0·001). Households with caregivers belonging to the highest tertile of nutrition knowledge and attitude scores consumed more diverse diets compared with those of caregivers in the lowest tertile group (11·2 (sd 2·2) v. 10·0 (sd 2·4); P<0·001). After controlling for the effect of agro-ecological zone, caregivers' nutrition knowledge and feeding attitudes positively predicted household dietary diversity and the frequency and diversity of children's ASF intakes (P<0·001). The number of years of formal education of caregivers also positively predicted household dietary diversity and children's ASF diversity (P<0·001). A key component to improving child nutrition is to understand the context-specific nutrition knowledge and feeding attitudes in order to identify relevant interventions.

Piloting the effectiveness of pig health education in combination with oxfendazole treatment on prevention and/or control of porcine cysticercosis, gastrointestinal parasites, African swine fever and ectoparasites in Angónia District, Mozambique.

PubMed

Chilundo, A G; Johansen, M V; Pondja, A; Miambo, R; Afonso, S; Mukaratirwa, S

2018-03-01

A community-based intervention combining health education (HE) and treatment of pigs for control of porcine cysticercosis (PC), gastrointestinal (GI) helminths, African swine fever (ASF) and external parasites was tested involving six villages of resource-poor smallholder pig farmers. Farmers and pigs of six rural villages were randomly allocated into group 1 (HE), which served as controls, and group 2 (HE + OFZ) pigs received a single oral dose of 30 mg/kg OFZ. Farmers were trained in pig health, housing and feeding. The proportion of farmers with confined pigs, the adoption rate of the introduced pig pen, the sero-prevalence of PC and ASF, the prevalence and intensity of GI nematodes and the prevalence of ectoparasites were measured at 9, 15 and 24 months after initiation and compared to a baseline survey to seek the effectiveness of the interventions. There was no clear effect of the intervention on the sero-prevalence of PC, but analysis of the rate of change in prevalence between the two groups showed significant effect with the rate of change to lower prevalence in the HE + OFZ group compared to the HE group. Although HE managed to improve the farmer's knowledge in the control and prevention of ASF and ectoparasites, there was no significant reduction in the sero-prevalence of ASF and the prevalence of ectoparasites throughout the two-year period. The reported ineffectiveness of the intervention in this study suggested that more research is needed to develop more effective methods for controlling PC, ASF and pig parasites.

Analysis of spatio-temporal patterns of African swine fever cases in Russian wild boar does not reveal an endemic situation.

PubMed

Lange, M; Siemen, H; Blome, S; Thulke, H-H

2014-11-15

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly lethal viral disease of domestic pigs and wild boar. ASF was introduced into the southern Russian Federation in 2007 and is now reported to be spreading in populations of wild and domestic suids. An endemic situation in the local wild boar population would significantly complicate management of the disease in the livestock population. To date no sound method exists for identifying the characteristic pattern of an endemic situation, which describes infection persisting from generation to generation in the same population. To support urgent management decisions at the wildlife-livestock interface, a new algorithm was constructed to test the hypothesis of an endemic disease situation in wildlife on the basis of case reports. The approach described here uses spatial and temporal associations between observed diagnostic data to discriminate between endemic and non-endemic patterns of case occurrence. The algorithm was validated with data from an epidemiological simulation model and applied to ASF case data from southern Russia. Based on the algorithm and the diagnostic data available, the null hypothesis of an endemic situation of ASF in wild boar of the region was rejected. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Approaches and Perspectives for Development of African Swine Fever Virus Vaccines

PubMed Central

Arias, Marisa; de la Torre, Ana; Dixon, Linda; Gallardo, Carmina; Laddomada, Alberto; Martins, Carlos; Parkhouse, R. Michael; Revilla, Yolanda; Rodriguez, Fernando; Sanchez-Vizcaino, Jose-Manuel

2017-01-01

African swine fever (ASF) is a complex disease of swine, caused by a large DNA virus belonging to the family Asfarviridae. The disease shows variable clinical signs, with high case fatality rates, up to 100%, in the acute forms. ASF is currently present in Africa and Europe where it circulates in different scenarios causing a high socio-economic impact. In most affected regions, control has not been effective in part due to lack of a vaccine. The availability of an effective and safe ASFV vaccines would support and enforce control–eradication strategies. Therefore, work leading to the rational development of protective ASF vaccines is a high priority. Several factors have hindered vaccine development, including the complexity of the ASF virus particle and the large number of proteins encoded by its genome. Many of these virus proteins inhibit the host’s immune system thus facilitating virus replication and persistence. We review previous work aimed at understanding ASFV–host interactions, including mechanisms of protective immunity, and approaches for vaccine development. These include live attenuated vaccines, and “subunit” vaccines, based on DNA, proteins, or virus vectors. In the shorter to medium term, live attenuated vaccines are the most promising and best positioned candidates. Gaps and future research directions are evaluated. PMID:28991171

Effect of Electrospun Nanofibers on the Short Beam Strength of Laminated Fiberglass Composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinde, Dattaji K.

High specific modulus and strength are the most desirable properties for the material used in structural applications. Composite materials exhibit these properties and over the last decade, their usage has increased significantly, particularly in automotive, defense, and aerospace applications. The major cause of failures in composite laminates is due to delaminations. Delamination in composite laminates can occur due to fatigue, low velocity impact and other loadings modes. Conventional methods like "through-the-thickness stitching" or "Z-Pinning" have limitations for improving flexural and interlaminar properties in woven composites due to the fact that while improving interlaminar properties, the presence of stitches or Z pins affects in-plane properties. This study investigates the flexural behavior of fiberglass composites interleaved with non-woven Tetra Ethyl Orthosilicate (TEOS) electrsopsun nanofibers (ENFs). TEOS ENFs were manufactured using an electrospinning technique and then sintered. Nanoengineered beams were fabricated by interleaving TEOS ENFs between the laminated fiberglass composites to improve the flexural properties. TEOS ENFs, resin film, and failed fiberglass laminated composites with and without nanofibers were characterized using SEM Imaging and ASTM standard testing methods. A hybrid composite was made by interleaving a non-woven sheet of TEOS ENFs between the fiberglass laminates with additional epoxy resin film and fabricated using the out of autoclave vacuum bagging method. Four commonly used stacking sequences of fiberglass laminates with and without nanofibers were used to study the progressive failure and deformation mechanics under flexural loadings. The experimental study has shown significant improvements in short beam strength and strain energy absorption in the nanoengineered laminated fiberglass composites before complete failure. The modes were investigated by performing detailed fractographic examination of failed specimens. Experimental results were validated by developing a detailed three dimensional finite element model. Results of the progressive deformation and damage mechanics from the finite element model agreed well with the experimental results. Overall, nanoengineered beams showed improvement in the short beam strength and 30 % improvement in energy absorption as compared to a fiberglass beam without the presence of nanofibers.

Fundamental relation between molecular geometry and real-space topology. Combined AIM, ELI-D, and ASF analysis of hapticities and intramolecular hydrogen-hydrogen bonds in zincocene-related compounds.

PubMed

Mebs, Stefan; Chilleck, Maren Annika; Meindl, Kathrin; Hübschle, Christian Bertram

2014-06-19

Despite numerous advanced and widely distributed bonding theories such as MO, VB, NBO, AIM, and ELF/ELI-D, complex modes of bonding such as M-Cp*((R)) interactions (hapticities) in asymmetrical metallocenes or weak intramolecular interactions (e.g., hydrogen-hydrogen (H···H) bonds) still remain a challenge for these theories in terms of defining whether or not an atom-atom interaction line (a "chemical bond") should be drawn. In this work the intramolecular Zn-C(Cp*(R)) (R = Me, -(CH2)2NMe2, and -(CH2)3NMe2) and H···H connectivity of a systematic set of 12 zincocene-related compounds is analyzed in terms of AIM and ELI-D topology combined with the recently introduced aspherical stockholder fragment (ASF) surfaces. This computational analysis unravels a distinct dependency of the AIM and ELI-D topology against the molecular geometry for both types of interactions, which confirms and extends earlier findings on smaller sets of compounds. According to these results the complete real-space topology including strong, medium, and weak interactions of very large compounds such as proteins may be reliably predicted by sole inspection of accurately determined molecular geometries, which would on the one hand afford new applications (e.g., accurate estimation of numbers, types, and strengths of intra- and intermolecular interactions) and on the other hand have deep implications on the significance of the method.

A single electron nanomechanical Y-switch.

PubMed

Kim, Chulki; Kim, Hyun-Seok; Prada, Marta; Blick, Robert H

2014-08-07

We demonstrate current switching in the frequency domain using a nanomechanical shuttle with three terminals operating at room temperature. The shuttle consists of a metallic island on top of a Si nanopillar forming the Y-junction. A flexural mode of the nanopillar is excited by applying an external bias to one of the contacts, allowing electrons to be shuttled across the oscillating island.

The influence mechanism of processing holes on the flexural properties of biomimetic integrated honeycomb plates.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaoming; Liu, Chang; Chen, Jinxiang; Zhang, Jiandong; Gu, Yueyan; Zhao, Yong

2016-12-01

The influence mechanism of processing holes on the flexural properties of fully integrated honeycomb plates (FIHPs) was analyzed using the finite element method (FEM), and the results were compared with experimental data, yielding the following findings: 1) Processing holes under tensile stress have a significant impact on the mechanical properties of FIHPs, which is particularly obvious when initial imperfections are formed during sample preparation. 2) A proposed design technique based on changing the shape of the processing holes from circular to elliptical effectively reduces the stress concentration when such holes must exist in skin or components under tension, and this method motivates a design concept for experimental tests of FIHPs bearing dynamic or fatigue loads. 3) The flexural failure modes of FIHPs were confirmed via FEM analysis, and the mechanism by which trabeculae in FIHPs can effectively prevent cracks from emerging and cause cracks to develop along certain paths was ascertained. Therefore, this paper provides a theoretical basis for the design of processing holes in bionic honeycomb plates and other similar components in practical engineering applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Flexural resonance mechanism of thermal transport across graphene-SiO2 interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ong, Zhun-Yong; Qiu, Bo; Xu, Shanglong; Ruan, Xiulin; Pop, Eric

2018-03-01

Understanding the microscopic mechanism of heat dissipation at the dimensionally mismatched interface between a two-dimensional (2D) crystal and its substrate is crucial for the thermal management of devices based on 2D materials. Here, we study the lattice contribution to thermal (Kapitza) transport at graphene-SiO2 interfaces using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and non-equilibrium Green's functions (NEGF). We find that 78 percent of the Kapitza conductance is due to sub-20 THz flexural acoustic modes, and that a resonance mechanism dominates the interfacial phonon transport. MD and NEGF estimate the classical Kapitza conductance to be hK ≈ 10 to 16 MW K-1 m-2 at 300 K, respectively, consistent with existing experimental observations. Taking into account quantum mechanical corrections, this value is approximately 28% lower at 300 K. Our calculations also suggest that hK scales as T2 at low temperatures (T < 100 K) due to the linear frequency dependence of phonon transmission across the graphene-SiO2 interface at low frequencies. Our study sheds light on the role of flexural acoustic phonons in heat dissipation from graphene to its substrate.

Elastic Critical Axial Force for the Torsional-Flexural Buckling of Thin-Walled Metal Members: An Approximate Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kováč, Michal

2015-03-01

Thin-walled centrically compressed members with non-symmetrical or mono-symmetrical cross-sections can buckle in a torsional-flexural buckling mode. Vlasov developed a system of governing differential equations of the stability of such member cases. Solving these coupled equations in an analytic way is only possible in simple cases. Therefore, Goľdenvejzer introduced an approximate method for the solution of this system to calculate the critical axial force of torsional-flexural buckling. Moreover, this can also be used in cases of members with various boundary conditions in bending and torsion. This approximate method for the calculation of critical force has been adopted into norms. Nowadays, we can also solve governing differential equations by numerical methods, such as the finite element method (FEM). Therefore, in this paper, the results of the approximate method and the FEM were compared to each other, while considering the FEM as a reference method. This comparison shows any discrepancies of the approximate method. Attention was also paid to when and why discrepancies occur. The approximate method can be used in practice by considering some simplifications, which ensure safe results.

Current status of African swine fever virus in a population of wild boar in eastern Poland (2014-2015).

PubMed

Woźniakowski, Grzegorz; Kozak, Edyta; Kowalczyk, Andrzej; Łyjak, Magdalena; Pomorska-Mól, Małgorzata; Niemczuk, Krzysztof; Pejsak, Zygmunt

2016-01-01

African swine fever virus (ASFV) was detected in wild boar in eastern Poland in early 2014. So far, 65 cases of ASFV infection in wild boar have been recognised. The methods used for ASFV detection included highly specific real-time PCR with a universal probe library (UPL), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and an immunoperoxidase test (IPT) for identification of anti-ASFV antibodies. The positive ASF cases were located near the border with Belarus in Sokółka and Białystok counties. Some of the countermeasures for disease prevention include early ASF diagnosis by ASFV DNA identification as well as detection of specific antibodies by systematic screening. The aim of this study was to assess the current ASF status in a Polish population of wild boar during the last two years (2014-2015).

Killing of cultured hepatocytes by conjugates of asialofetuin and EGF linked to the A chains of ricin or diphtheria toxin.

PubMed

Simpson, D L; Cawley, D B; Herschman, H R

1982-06-01

A disulfide-linked conjugate between asialofetuin (ASF) and the toxic A chain (RTA) of ricin is as potent a toxin for cultured rat hepatocytes as our previously described conjugate between ASF and fragment A of diphtheria toxin (DTA). An RTA conjugate of epidermal growth factor (EGF) was a potent toxin for 3T3 cells. In contrast, EGF-DTA was essentially nontoxic for 3T3 cells. We have now examined the toxicity of EGF-RTA and EGF-DTA on cultured hepatocytes. The EGF-DTA conjugate, nontoxic to 3T3 cells, is also a potent toxin for hepatocytes. We also observed a decrease with time of culture in the sensitivity of hepatocytes to the ASF and EGF conjugates. This decrease is not a result of a decrease in EGF or asialoglycoprotein receptors.

African swine fever virus: current state and future perspectives in vaccine and antiviral research.

PubMed

Zakaryan, Hovakim; Revilla, Yolanda

2016-03-15

African swine fever (ASF) is among the most significant of swine diseases for which no effective vaccines and antivirals are available. The disease, which is endemic in Africa, was introduced to Trans-Caucasian countries and the Russian Federation in 2007, where it remains prevalent today among domestic pigs and wild boars. Although some measures were implemented, ASF continues to pose a global risk for all countries, and thereby highlighting the importance of vaccine and antiviral research. In this review, an overview of research efforts toward the development of effective vaccines during the past decades is presented. As an alternative to vaccine development, the current state in antiviral research against ASFV is also presented. Finally, future perspectives in vaccine and antiviral research giving emphasis on some strategies that may allow researchers to develop effective countermeasures against ASF are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of analytic and iterative digital tomosynthesis reconstructions for thin slab objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yun, J.; Kim, D. W.; Ha, S.; Kim, H. K.

2017-11-01

For digital x-ray tomosynthesis of thin slab objects, we compare the tomographic imaging performances obtained from the filtered backprojection (FBP) and simultaneous algebraic reconstruction (SART) algorithms. The imaging performance includes the in-plane molulation-transfer function (MTF), the signal difference-to-noise ratio (SDNR), and the out-of-plane blur artifact or artifact-spread function (ASF). The MTF is measured using a thin tungsten-wire phantom, and the SDNR and the ASF are measured using a thin aluminum-disc phantom embedded in a plastic cylinder. The FBP shows a better MTF performance than the SART. On the contrary, the SART outperforms the FBP with regard to the SDNR and ASF performances. Detailed experimental results and their analysis results are described in this paper. For a more proper use of digital tomosynthesis technique, this study suggests to use a reconstuction algorithm suitable for application-specific purposes.

Intra-band gap in Lamb modes propagating in a periodic solid structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierre, J.; Rénier, M.; Bonello, B.; Hladky-Hennion, A.-C.

2012-05-01

A laser ultrasonic technique is used to measure the dispersion of Lamb waves at a few MHz, propagating in phononic crystals made of dissymmetric air inclusions drilled throughout silicon plates. It is shown that the specific shape of the inclusions is at the origin of the intra-band gap that opens within the second Brillouin zone, at the crossing of both flexural and dilatational zero-order modes. The magnitude of the intra-band gap is measured as a function of the dissymmetry rate of the inclusions. Experimental data and the computed dispersion curves are in very good agreement.

Characterization of delamination and transverse cracking in graphite/epoxy laminates by acoustic emission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garg, A.; Ishaei, O.

1983-01-01

Efforts to characterize and differentiate between two major failure processes in graphite/epoxy composites - transverse cracking and Mode I delamination are described. Representative laminates were tested in uniaxial tension and flexure. The failure processes were monitored and identified by acoustic emission (AE). The effect of moisture on AE was also investigated. Each damage process was found to have a distinctive AE output that is significantly affected by moisture conditions. It is concluded that AE can serve as a useful tool for detecting and identifying failure modes in composite structures in laboratory and in service environments.

Subsonic/transonic stall flutter investigation of a rotating rig

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jutras, R. R.; Fost, R. B.; Chi, R. M.; Beacher, B. F.

1981-01-01

Stall flutter is investigated by obtaining detailed quantitative steady and aerodynamic and aeromechanical measurements in a typical fan rotor. The experimental investigation is made with a 31.3 percent scale model of the Quiet Engine Program Fan C rotor system. Both subsonic/transonic (torsional mode) flutter and supersonic (flexural) flutter are investigated. Extensive steady and unsteady data on the blade deformations and aerodynamic properties surrounding the rotor are acquired while operating in both the steady and flutter modes. Analysis of this data shows that while there may be more than one traveling wave present during flutter, they are all forward traveling waves.

Analytical and experimental investigations of human spine flexure.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moffatt, C. A.; Advani, S. H.; Lin, C.-J.

1971-01-01

The authors report on experiments to measure the resistance of fresh human spines to flexion in the upper lumbar and lower thoracic regions and evaluate results by using a combination of strength of materials theory and effects of shear and comparing with data reported by other authors. The test results indicate that the thoraco-lumbar spine behaves approximately as a linear elastic beam, without relaxation effects. The authors formulate a simple continuum dynamic model of the spine simulating aircraft ejection and solve the resulting boundary value problem to illustrate the importance of the flexural mode. A constant cross-section, the selected model is a sinusoidally curved elastic beam with an end mass subjected to a Heaviside axial acceleration at the other end. The paper presents transient response results for the spinal model axial and bending displacements and axial force.-

Mice harboring pathobiont-free microbiota do not develop intestinal inflammation that normally results from an innate immune deficiency

PubMed Central

Gewirtz, Andrew T.

2018-01-01

Background Inability to maintain a stable and beneficial microbiota is associated with chronic gut inflammation, which classically manifests as colitis but may more commonly exist as low-grade inflammation that promotes metabolic syndrome. Alterations in microbiota, and associated inflammation, can originate from dysfunction in host proteins that manage the microbiota, such as the flagellin receptor TLR5. That the complete absence of a microbiota (i.e. germfree conditions) eliminates all evidence of inflammation in TLR5-deficient mice demonstrates that this model of gut inflammation is microbiota-dependent. We hypothesize that such microbiota dependency reflects an inability to manage pathobionts, such as Adherent-Invasive E. coli (AIEC). Herein, we examined the extent to which microbiota mismanagement and associated inflammation in TLR5-deficient mice would manifest in a limited and pathobiont-free microbiota. For this purpose, WT and TLR5-deficient mice were generated and maintained with the 8-member consortium of bacteria referred to as “Altered Schaedler Flora” (ASF). Such ASF animals were subsequently inoculated with AIEC reference strain LF82. Feces were assayed for bacterial loads, fecal lipopolysaccharide and flagellin loads, fecal inflammatory marker lipocalin-2 and microbiota composition. Results Relative to similarly maintained WT mice, mice lacking TLR5 (T5KO) did not display low-grade intestinal inflammation nor metabolic syndrome under ASF conditions. Concomitantly, the ASF microbial community was similar between WT and T5KO mice, while inoculation with AIEC strain LF82 resulted in alteration of the ASF community in T5KO mice compared to WT control animals. AIEC LF82 inoculation in ASF T5KO mice resulted in microbiota components having elevated levels of bioactive lipopolysaccharide and flagellin, a modest level of low-grade inflammation and increased adiposity. Conclusions In a limited-complexity pathobiont-free microbiota, loss of the flagellin receptor TLR5 does not impact microbiota composition nor its ability to promote inflammation. Addition of AIEC to this ecosystem perturbs microbiota composition, increases levels of lipopolysaccharide and flagellin, but only modestly promotes gut inflammation and adiposity, suggesting that the phenotypes previously associated with loss of this innate immune receptor require disruption of complex microbiota. PMID:29617463

Qualitative risk assessment in a data-scarce environment: a model to assess the impact of control measures on spread of African Swine Fever.

PubMed

Wieland, Barbara; Dhollander, Sofie; Salman, Mo; Koenen, Frank

2011-04-01

In the absence of data, qualitative risk assessment frameworks have proved useful to assess risks associated with animal health diseases. As part of a scientific opinion for the European Commission (EC) on African Swine Fever (ASF), a working group of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) assessed the risk of ASF remaining endemic in Trans Caucasus Countries (TCC) and the Russian Federation (RF) and the risk of ASF becoming endemic in the EU if disease were introduced. The aim was to develop a tool to evaluate how current control or preventive measures mitigate the risk of spread and giving decision makers the means to review how strengthening of surveillance and control measures would mitigate the risk of disease spread. Based on a generic model outlining disease introduction, spread and endemicity in a region, the impact of risk mitigation measures on spread of disease was assessed for specific risk questions. The resulting hierarchical models consisted of key steps containing several sub-steps. For each step of the risk pathways risk estimates were determined by the expert group based on existing data or through expert opinion elicitation. Risk estimates were combined using two different combination matrices, one to combine estimates of independent steps and one to combine conditional probabilities. The qualitative risk assessment indicated a moderate risk that ASF will remain endemic in current affected areas in the TCC and RF and a high risk of spread to currently unaffected areas. If introduced into the EU, ASF is likely to be controlled effectively in the production sector with high or limited biosecurity. In the free range production sector, however, there is a moderate risk of ASF becoming endemic due to wild boar contact, non-compliance with animal movement bans, and difficult access to all individual pigs upon implementation of control measures. This study demonstrated the advantages of a systematic framework to assist an expert panel to carry out a risk assessment as it helped experts to disassociate steps in the risk pathway and to overcome preconceived notions of final risk estimates. The approach presented here shows how a qualitative risk assessment framework can address animal diseases with complexity in their spread and control measures and how transparency of the resulting estimates was achieved. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Acoustic and elastic waves in metamaterials for underwater applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Titovich, Alexey S.

Elastic effects in acoustic metamaterials are investigated. Water-based periodic arrays of elastic scatterers, sonic crystals, suffer from low transmission due to the impedance and index mismatch of typical engineering materials with water. A new type of acoustic metamaterial element is proposed that can be tuned to match the acoustic properties of water in the quasi-static regime. The element comprises a hollow elastic cylindrical shell fitted with an optimized internal substructure consisting of a central mass supported by an axisymmetric distribution of elastic stiffeners, which dictate the shell's effective bulk modulus and density. The derived closed form scattering solution for this system shows that the subsonic flexural waves excited in the shell by the attachment of stiffeners are suppressed by including a sufficiently large number of such stiffeners. As an example of refraction-based wave steering, a cylindrical-to-plane wave lens is designed by varying the bulk modulus in the array according to the conformal mapping of a unit circle to a square. Elastic shells provide rich scattering properties, mainly due to their ability to support highly dispersive flexural waves. Analysis of flexural-borne waves on a pair of shells yields an analytical expression for the width of a flexural resonance, which is then used with the theory of multiple scattering to accurately predict the splitting of the resonance frequency. This analysis leads to the discovery of the acoustic Poisson-like effect in a periodic wave medium. This effect redirects an incident acoustic wave by 90° in an otherwise acoustically transparent sonic crystal. An unresponsive "deaf" antisymmetric mode locked to band gap boundaries is unlocked by matching Bragg scattering with a quadrupole flexural resonance of the shell. The dynamic effect causes normal unidirectional wave motion to strongly couple to perpendicular motion, analogous to the quasi-static Poisson effect in solids. The Poisson-like effect is demonstrated using the first flexural resonance of an acrylic shell. This represent a new type of material which cannot be accurately described as an effective acoustic medium. The study concludes with an analysis of a non-zero shear modulus in a pentamode cloak via the two-scale method with the shear modulus as the perturbation parameter.

Thermodynamic properties of arsenic compounds and the heat of formation of the As atom from high level electronic structure calculations.

PubMed

Feller, David; Vasiliu, Monica; Grant, Daniel J; Dixon, David A

2011-12-29

Structures, vibrational frequencies, atomization energies at 0 K, and heats of formation at 0 and 298 K are predicted for the compounds As(2), AsH, AsH(2), AsH(3), AsF, AsF(2), and AsF(3) from frozen core coupled cluster theory calculations performed with large correlation consistent basis sets, up through augmented sextuple zeta quality. The coupled cluster calculations involved up through quadruple excitations. For As(2) and the hydrides, it was also possible to examine the impact of full configuration interaction on some of the properties. In addition, adjustments were incorporated to account for extrapolation to the frozen core complete basis set limit, core/valence correlation, scalar relativistic effects, the diagonal Born-Oppenheimer correction, and atomic spin orbit corrections. Based on our best theoretical D(0)(As(2)) and the experimental heat of formation of As(2), we propose a revised 0 K arsenic atomic heat of formation of 68.86 ± 0.8 kcal/mol. While generally good agreement was found between theory and experiment, the heat of formation of AsF(3) was an exception. Our best estimate is more than 7 kcal/mol more negative than the single available experimental value, which argues for a re-examination of that measurement. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Anomalous Rayleigh scattering with dilute concentrations of elements of biological importance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hugtenburg, Richard P.; Bradley, David A.

2004-01-01

The anomalous scattering factor (ASF) correction to the relativistic form-factor approximation for Rayleigh scattering is examined in support of its utilization in radiographic imaging. ASF corrected total cross-section data have been generated for a low resolution grid for the Monte Carlo code EGS4 for the biologically important elements, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu and Zn. Points in the fixed energy grid used by EGS4 as well as 8 other points in the vicinity of the K-edge have been chosen to achieve an uncertainty in the ASF component of 20% according to the Thomas-Reiche-Kuhn sum rule and an energy resolution of 20 eV. Such data is useful for analysis of imaging with a quasi-monoenergetic source. Corrections to the sampled distribution of outgoing photons, due to ASF, are given and new total cross-section data including that of the photoelectric effect have been computed using the Slater exchange self-consistent potential with the Latter tail. A measurement of Rayleigh scattering in a dilute aqueous solution of manganese (II) was performed, this system enabling determination of the absolute cross-section, although background subtraction was necessary to remove K β fluorescence and resonant Raman scattering occurring within several 100 eV of the edge. Measurements confirm the presence of below edge bound-bound structure and variation in the structure due to the ionic state that are not currently included in tabulations.

Co-circulation of multiple genotypes of African swine fever viruses among domestic pigs in Zambia (2013-2015).

PubMed

Simulundu, E; Chambaro, H M; Sinkala, Y; Kajihara, M; Ogawa, H; Mori, A; Ndebe, J; Dautu, G; Mataa, L; Lubaba, C H; Simuntala, C; Fandamu, P; Simuunza, M; Pandey, G S; Samui, K L; Misinzo, G; Takada, A; Mweene, A S

2018-02-01

During 2013-2015, several and severe outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) affected domestic pigs in six provinces of Zambia. Genetic characterization of ASF viruses (ASFVs) using standardized genotyping procedures revealed that genotypes I, II and XIV were associated with these outbreaks. Molecular and epidemiological data suggest that genotype II ASFV (Georgia 2007/1-like) detected in Northern Province of Zambia may have been introduced from neighbouring Tanzania. Also, a genotype II virus detected in Eastern Province of Zambia showed a p54 phylogenetic relationship that was inconsistent with that of p72, underscoring the genetic variability of ASFVs. While it appears genotype II viruses detected in Zambia arose from a domestic pig cycle, genotypes I and XIV possibly emerged from a sylvatic cycle. Overall, this study demonstrates the co-circulation of multiple genotypes of ASFVs, involvement of both the sylvatic and domestic pig cycle in ASF outbreaks in Zambia and possible trans-boundary spread of the disease in south-eastern Africa. Indeed, while there is need for regional or international concerted efforts in the control of ASF, understanding pig marketing practices, pig population dynamics, pig housing and rearing systems and community engagement will be important considerations when designing future prevention and control strategies of this disease in Zambia. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Measurement of mechanical properties of metallic glass at elevated temperature using sonic resonance method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaluvan, Suresh; Zhang, Haifeng; Mridha, Sanghita; Mukherjee, Sundeep

2017-04-01

Bulk metallic glasses are fully amorphous multi-component alloys with homogeneous and isotropic structure down to the atomic scale. Some attractive attributes of bulk metallic glasses include high strength and hardness as well as excellent corrosion and wear resistance. However, there are few reports and limited understanding of their mechanical properties at elevated temperatures. We used a nondestructive sonic resonance method to measure the Young's modulus and Shear modulus of a bulk metallic glass, Zr41.2Ti13.8Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5, at elevated temperatures. The measurement system was designed using a laser displacement sensor to detect the sonic vibration produced by a speaker on the specimen in high-temperature furnace. The OMICRON Bode-100 Vector Network Analyzer was used to sweep the frequency and its output was connected to the speaker which vibrated the material in its flexural mode and torsional modes. A Polytec OFV-505 laser vibrometer sensor was used to capture the vibration of the material at various frequencies. The flexural and torsional mode frequency shift due to the temperature variation was used to determine the Young's modulus and Shear modulus. The temperature range of measurement was from 50°C to 350°C. The Young's modulus was found to reduce from 100GPa to 94GPa for the 300°C temperature span. Similarly, the Shear modulus decreased from 38.5GPa at 50°C to 36GPa at 350°C.

The Coupling of Flexural Propeller Vibrations with the Torsional Crankshaft Vibrations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, J.

1943-01-01

The exact mathematical treatment of the problem is possible by replacing the propeller blade by a homogeneous prismatic rod. Conclusions can them be drawn as to the behavior of an actual propeller, since tests on propeller blades have indicated a qualitative agreement with the homogeneous rod. The natural frequencies are determined and the stressing of the systems under the various vibration modes are discussed.

Assessment of African Swine Fever Diagnostic Techniques as a Response to the Epidemic Outbreaks in Eastern European Union Countries: How To Improve Surveillance and Control Programs

PubMed Central

Nieto, R.; Soler, A.; Pelayo, V.; Fernández-Pinero, J.; Markowska-Daniel, I.; Pridotkas, G.; Nurmoja, I.; Granta, R.; Simón, A.; Pérez, C.; Martín, E.; Fernández-Pacheco, P.; Arias, M.

2015-01-01

This study represents a complete comparative analysis of the most widely used African swine fever (ASF) diagnostic techniques in the European Union (EU) using field and experimental samples from animals infected with genotype II ASF virus (ASFV) isolates circulating in Europe. To detect ASFV, three different PCRs were evaluated in parallel using 785 field and experimental samples. The results showed almost perfect agreement between the Universal ProbeLibrary (UPL-PCR) and the real-time (κ = 0.94 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.91 to 0.97]) and conventional (κ = 0.88 [95% CI, 0.83 to 0.92]) World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)-prescribed PCRs. The UPL-PCR had greater diagnostic sensitivity for detecting survivors and allows earlier detection of the disease. Compared to the commercial antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), good-to-moderate agreement (κ = 0.67 [95% CI, 0.58 to 0.76]) was obtained, with a sensitivity of 77.2% in the commercial test. For ASF antibody detection, five serological methods were tested, including three commercial ELISAs, the OIE-ELISA, and the confirmatory immunoperoxidase test (IPT). Greater sensitivity was obtained with the IPT than with the ELISAs, since the IPT was able to detect ASF antibodies at an earlier point in the serological response, when few antibodies are present. The analysis of the exudate tissues from dead wild boars showed that IPT might be a useful serological tool for determining whether or not animals had been exposed to virus infection, regardless of whether antibodies were present. In conclusion, the UPL-PCR in combination with the IPT was the most trustworthy method for detecting ASF during the epidemic outbreaks affecting EU countries in 2014. The use of the most appropriate diagnostic tools is critical when implementing effective control programs. PMID:26041901

Long-term outcomes of anterior spinal fusion for treating thoracic adolescent idiopathic scoliosis curves: average 15-year follow-up analysis.

PubMed

Sudo, Hideki; Ito, Manabu; Kaneda, Kiyoshi; Shono, Yasuhiro; Takahata, Masahiko; Abumi, Kuniyoshi

2013-05-01

Retrospective review. To assess the long-term outcomes of anterior spinal fusion (ASF) for treating thoracic adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Although ASF is reported to provide good coronal and sagittal correction of the main thoracic (MT) AIS curves, the long-term outcomes of ASF is unknown. A consecutive series of 25 patients with Lenke 1 MT AIS were included. Outcome measures comprised radiographical measurements, pulmonary function, and Scoliosis Research Society outcome instrument (SRS-30) scores (preoperative SRS-30 scores were not documented). Postoperative surgical revisions and complications were recorded. Twenty-five patients were followed-up for 12 to 18 years (average, 15.2 yr). The average MT Cobb angle correction rate and the correction loss at the final follow-up were 56.7% and 9.2°, respectively. The average preoperative instrumented level of kyphosis was 8.3°, which significantly improved to 18.6° (P = 0.0003) at the final follow-up. The average percent-predicted forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 second were significantly decreased during long-term follow-up measurements (73% and 69%; P = 0.0004 and 0.0016, respectively). However, no patient had complaints related to pulmonary function. The average total SRS-30 score was 4.0. Implant breakage was not observed. All patients, except 1 who required revision surgery, demonstrated solid fusion. Late instrumentation-related bronchial problems were observed in 1 patient who required implant removal and bronchial tube repair, 13 years after the initial surgery. Overall radiographical findings and patient outcome measures of ASF for Lenke 1 MT AIS were satisfactory at an average follow-up of 15 years. ASF provides significant sagittal correction of the main thoracic curve with long-term maintenance of sagittal profiles. Percent-predicted values of forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 second were decreased in this cohort; however, no patient had complaints related to pulmonary function.

Thirty-Five-Year Presence of African Swine Fever in Sardinia: History, Evolution and Risk Factors for Disease Maintenance.

PubMed

Mur, L; Atzeni, M; Martínez-López, B; Feliziani, F; Rolesu, S; Sanchez-Vizcaino, J M

2016-04-01

Despite the implementation of control efforts and funds to fight against the disease, African swine fever (ASF) has been present in Sardinia since 1978. It has caused serious problems for both the industrial pig sector and the regional authorities in Sardinia, as well as the economy of Italy and the European Union, which annually supports the costly eradication programme. During this time, ASF has persisted, especially in the central-east part of Sardinia where almost 75% of the total outbreaks are concentrated. The Sardinian pig sector is clearly divided into two categories based on the specialization and industrialization of production: industrial farms, which represents only 1.8% of the farms in the island and non-professional holdings, which are comprised of small producers (90% of pig holdings have <15 pigs) and apply little to no biosecurity measures. Additionally, illegally raised pigs are still bred in free-ranging systems in certain isolated parts of the island, despite strict regulations. The illegal raising of pigs, along with other high-risk management practices (e.g., use of communal areas) are likely the primary reasons for endemic persistence of the virus in this area. The compensation provided to the farmers, and other aspects of the eradication programme have also negatively influenced eradication efforts, indicating that socio-cultural and economic factors play an important role in the epidemiology of ASF on the island. The aim of this study was to comprehensively review the evolution of the 35-year presence of ASF in Sardinia, including control measures, and the environmental and socio-economic factors that may have contributed to disease endemicity on the island. The present review highlights the need for a coordinated programme that considers these socio-economic and environmental factors and includes an assessment of new cost-effective control strategies and diagnostic tools for effectively controlling ASF in Sardinia. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Assessment of African Swine Fever Diagnostic Techniques as a Response to the Epidemic Outbreaks in Eastern European Union Countries: How To Improve Surveillance and Control Programs.

PubMed

Gallardo, C; Nieto, R; Soler, A; Pelayo, V; Fernández-Pinero, J; Markowska-Daniel, I; Pridotkas, G; Nurmoja, I; Granta, R; Simón, A; Pérez, C; Martín, E; Fernández-Pacheco, P; Arias, M

2015-08-01

This study represents a complete comparative analysis of the most widely used African swine fever (ASF) diagnostic techniques in the European Union (EU) using field and experimental samples from animals infected with genotype II ASF virus (ASFV) isolates circulating in Europe. To detect ASFV, three different PCRs were evaluated in parallel using 785 field and experimental samples. The results showed almost perfect agreement between the Universal ProbeLibrary (UPL-PCR) and the real-time (κ = 0.94 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.91 to 0.97]) and conventional (κ = 0.88 [95% CI, 0.83 to 0.92]) World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)-prescribed PCRs. The UPL-PCR had greater diagnostic sensitivity for detecting survivors and allows earlier detection of the disease. Compared to the commercial antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), good-to-moderate agreement (κ = 0.67 [95% CI, 0.58 to 0.76]) was obtained, with a sensitivity of 77.2% in the commercial test. For ASF antibody detection, five serological methods were tested, including three commercial ELISAs, the OIE-ELISA, and the confirmatory immunoperoxidase test (IPT). Greater sensitivity was obtained with the IPT than with the ELISAs, since the IPT was able to detect ASF antibodies at an earlier point in the serological response, when few antibodies are present. The analysis of the exudate tissues from dead wild boars showed that IPT might be a useful serological tool for determining whether or not animals had been exposed to virus infection, regardless of whether antibodies were present. In conclusion, the UPL-PCR in combination with the IPT was the most trustworthy method for detecting ASF during the epidemic outbreaks affecting EU countries in 2014. The use of the most appropriate diagnostic tools is critical when implementing effective control programs. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Blood Pressure and Left Ventricular Remodeling Among American Style Football Players

PubMed Central

Lin, Jeffrey; Wang, Francis; Weiner, Rory B.; DeLuca, James R.; Wasfy, Meagan M.; Berkstresser, Brant; Lewis, Gregory D.; Hutter, Adolph M.; Picard, Michael H.; Baggish, Aaron L.

2016-01-01

Objective To determine the relationships between American style football (ASF) participation, acquired left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, and LV systolic function as assessed using contemporary echocardiographic parameters. Background Participation in ASF has been associated with the development of hypertension and LV hypertrophy. To what degree these processes impact LV function is unknown. Methods This is a prospective, longitudinal, cohort study evaluating NCAA Division I collegiate football athletes stratified by field position (linemen, n=30 vs. non-linemen, n=57) before and after a single competitive season with transthoracic echocardiography. LV systolic function was measured using complementary parameters of global longitudinal strain (GLS, 2D speckle-tracking) and ejection fraction (EF, 2D biplane). Results ASF participation was associated with field position-specific increases in systolic blood pressure (linemen Δ SBP = 10±8 mmHg vs. non-linemen Δ SBP = 3±7 mmHg, p<0.001) and an overall increase in incident LV hypertrophy (pre = 8% vs. post = 25%, p<0.05). Linemen who developed LV hypertrophy had concentric geometry (9/11, 82%) with decreased GLS (Δ = −1.1%, p<0.001) while non-linemen demonstrated eccentric LV hypertrophy (8/10, 80%) with increased GLS (Δ = +1.4%, p<0.001). In contrast, LV ejection fraction in the total cohort and when stratified by field position was not significantly affected by ASF participation. Among the total cohort, lineman field position, postseason weight, systolic blood pressure, average LV wall thickness, and relative wall thickness were all independent predictors of postseason GLS. Conclusions ASF participation at a lineman field position may lead to a form of sport-related myocardial remodeling that is pathologic rather than adaptive. Future study will be required to determine if targeted efforts to control blood pressure, minimize weight gain, and to include an element of aerobic conditioning in this subset of athletes may attenuate this process and translate into tangible downstream health benefits. PMID:27931524

Low Dietary Diversity and Intake of Animal Source Foods among School Aged Children in Libo Kemkem and Fogera Districts, Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Herrador, Zaida; Perez-Formigo, Jesus; Sordo, Luis; Gadisa, Endalamaw; Moreno, Javier; Benito, Agustin; Aseffa, Abraham; Custodio, Estefania

2015-01-01

Background A low dietary diversity score (DDS) and low consumption of food from animal sources (ASF) are among the factors related to malnutrition in school-aged children living in Libo Kemkem and Fogera (Ethiopia). Objectives This study aimed to identify associated determinants for low dietary diversity and lack of consumption of ASF. Methods In 2009, a cross-sectional survey was carried out in May, at the end of the lean season. Socio-demographic characteristics and diet habits were collected from 886 school-aged children. Additionally, 516 children from rural sites were followed up in the post-harvest season, in December of the same year. Bivariate and multivariable statistical methods were employed to assess low DDS and ASF intake and their association with different factors. Results Up to 80% and 60% of school-aged children living in rural and urban sites, respectively, ate ≤ 3 food groups the day before the survey. The percentage of children consuming ASF was significantly higher in urban settings (64% vs 18%). In the rural areas, if the head of the household was male (OR: 1.91; 95%CI: 1.00-3.65) and older than 40 years (OR: 1.56; 95%CI: 1.02-2.38) the child had a lower DDS in the lean season, while differences by socioeconomic indexes were observed in the post-harvest season. Males took more ASF than females in rural settings (OR: 1.73; 95%CI: 1.14-2.62) and differences by socioeconomic indexes were observed in both settings in the lean season, though not in post-harvest survey. Conclusions The findings of this study revealed that the diet among school-aged children in Libo Kemkem and Fogera districts lacked diversity, and that the intake of foods from animal sources was low, especially among rural girls. To effectively tackle malnutrition, dietary diversification strategies oriented to the local needs are recommended. PMID:26203904

Development of cross-priming amplification for direct detection of the African Swine Fever Virus, in pig and wild boar blood and sera samples.

PubMed

Frączyk, M; Woźniakowski, G; Kowalczyk, A; Niemczuk, K; Pejsak, Z

2016-05-01

African swine fever (ASF) is considered a major threat to the production of pigs worldwide. The ASF aetiological agent, ASFV, is the sole member of the Asfivirus genus, belonging to the Asfarviridae family. An effective ASF vaccine is not currently available, thus the only measures of ASF spread control include, reliable and fast diagnosis. Officially approved, diagnostic methods include, virus isolation, serological assays, including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoperoxidase assay (IPT) and different modifications of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This paper describes the first development and application of a cross-priming amplification method (CPA) for the direct detection of genetic ASFV material, in blood and sera from pigs and wild boars. This method is specific only to ASFV DNA. The study showed that CPA had equal sensitivity, in comparison to the official, universal probe library (UPL) real-time PCR and reached 7·2 copies of standard plasmid DNA, containing a p72 gene fragment. This method was capable of detecting ASFV DNA in all examined blood samples, originating from pigs; n = 10 and wild boars; n = 76. The obtained results were also confirmed by the officially approved, real-time PCR. The developed CPA might be further used by local and county veterinary officers, hunters or pig farmers, for preliminary ASF diagnosis. The spread of the African swine fever virus (ASFV) among infected pigs and wild boars, is currently one of the most important facets of virus transmission in eastern Europe. Cross-priming amplification (CPA) has been developed, for fast and direct development of genetic ASFV material in the blood and sera of infected pigs and wild boars. It has been shown that CPA is a rapid, sensitive and specific isothermal method for the detection of ASFV DNA, in directly collected blood or sera from pigs and wild boars. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Risk factors for farm-level African swine fever infection in major pig-producing areas in Nigeria, 1997-2011.

PubMed

Fasina, F O; Agbaje, M; Ajani, F L; Talabi, O A; Lazarus, D D; Gallardo, C; Thompson, P N; Bastos, A D S

2012-11-01

African swine fever (ASF) is an economically devastating disease for the pig industry, especially in Africa. Identifying what supports infection on pig farms in this region remains the key component in developing a risk-based approach to understanding the epidemiology of ASF and controlling the disease. Nigeria was used for this matched case-control study, because there is perpetual infection in some areas, while contiguous areas are intermittently infected. Risk factors and biosecurity practices in pig farms were evaluated in association with ASF infection. Subsets of farms located in high-density pig population areas and high-risk areas for ASF infection were randomly selected for analysis. Most plausible risk factor variables from the univariable analysis included in the multivariable analysis include: owner of farm had regular contact with infected farms and other farmers, untested pigs were routinely purchased into the farm in the course of outbreaks, there was an infected neighbourhood, other livestock were kept alongside pigs, there was a presence of an abattoir/slaughter slab in pig communities, wild birds had free access to pig pens, tools and implements were routinely shared by pig farmers, there was free access to feed stores by rats, and feed was purchased from a commercial source. Only the presence of an abattoir in a pig farming community (OR=8.20; CI(95%)=2.73, 24.63; P<0.001) and the presence of an infected pig farm in the neighbourhood (OR=3.26; CI(95%)=1.20, 8.83; P=0.02) were significant. There was a marginally significant negative association (protective) between risk of ASF infection and sharing farm tools and equipment (OR=0.35; CI(95%)=0.12, 1.01; P=0.05). Of the 28 biosecurity measures evaluated, food and water control (OR=0.14; CI(95%)=0.04, 0.46; P<0.001), separation/isolation of sick pigs (OR=0.14; CI(95%)=0.04, 0.53; P=0.004) and washing and disinfection of farm equipment and tools (OR=0.27; CI(95%)=0.10, 0.78; P=0.02) were negatively associated (protective) with ASF infection. Consultation and visits by veterinarian/paraveterinarians when animals were sick (OR=8.11; CI(95%)=2.13, 30.90; P=0.002), and pest and rodent control were positively associated with ASF infection of Nigerian farms (OR=4.94; CI(95%)=1.84, 13.29; P=0.002). The presentation of sick and unthrifty pigs for slaughter at abattoirs, farmers' inadvertent role, an infected neighbourhood, a pig to pig contact, rodents and wild birds may contribute to infections of farms, whereas washing, disinfection of tools, food and water control, and separation of sick pigs reduces the likelihood of infections. Underlying reasons for these observations and strategies for control are discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Experimental Study on the Flexural Performance of Parallel Strand Bamboo Beams

PubMed Central

Zhou, Aiping; Bian, Yuling

2014-01-01

Searching for materials to provide proper housing with less emission and low energy becomes an urgent demand with the ever-growing population. Bamboo has gained a reputation as an ecofriendly, highly renewable source of material. Parallel Strand Bamboo (PSB) is a new biocomposite made of bamboo strips which has superiority performances than wood products. It has attracted considerable interests as a sustainable alternative for more traditional building materials. But the mechanical performance study of PSB as construction materials is still inadequate. Also, the structural behavior of PSB is not quite understood as conventional construction materials, which results in the difficulties to predict the performances of PSB structural members. To achieve this purpose, 4-point bending experiments for PSB beams were carried out. The flexural performances, mode of failure in bending, and the damage mechanism of PSB beams were investigated in this paper. PMID:24701141

Fractography and the Surface Crack in Flexure (SCF) method for evaluating fracture toughness of ceramics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Quinn, G.D.; Gettings, R.J.; Kuebler, J.J.

1996-12-31

The surface crack in flexure (SCF) method, also known as the controlled surface flaw method, has been used to measure fracture toughness of ceramics and glasses for almost 20 years. New fracture toughness results for a range of ceramics and glasses including alumina, boron carbide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, titanium diboride, zirconia, glass ceramic, borosilicate crown glass, and a whisker-reinforced alumina are presented in this paper. Some materials are conducive to precrack measurements, while others are not. New techniques for detecting the precracks are presented. A surprising outcome from a recently concluded Versailles Advanced Materials and Standards (VAMAS) round robinmore » project was that the computed toughness is often not sensitive to the exact precrack size measurement. Consistent results were obtained by many laboratories despite different viewing modes and magnifications. The reasons for this consistency and why toughness is insensitive to precrack size is presented.« less

African Swine Fever Virus: A Review.

PubMed

Galindo, Inmaculada; Alonso, Covadonga

2017-05-10

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious viral disease of swine which causes high mortality, approaching 100%, in domestic pigs. ASF is caused by a large, double stranded DNA virus, ASF virus (ASFV), which replicates predominantly in the cytoplasm of macrophages and is the only member of the Asfarviridae family, genus Asfivirus . The natural hosts of this virus include wild suids and arthropod vectors of the Ornithodoros genus. The infection of ASFV in its reservoir hosts is usually asymptomatic and develops a persistent infection. In contrast, infection of domestic pigs leads to a lethal hemorrhagic fever for which there is no effective vaccine. Identification of ASFV genes involved in virulence and the characterization of mechanisms used by the virus to evade the immune response of the host are recognized as critical steps in the development of a vaccine. Moreover, the interplay of the viral products with host pathways, which are relevant for virus replication, provides the basic information needed for the identification of potential targets for the development of intervention strategies against this disease.

African swine fever virus serotype-specific proteins are significant protective antigens for African swine fever.

PubMed

Burmakina, G; Malogolovkin, A; Tulman, E R; Zsak, L; Delhon, G; Diel, D G; Shobogorov, N M; Morgunov, Yu P; Morgunov, S Yu; Kutish, G F; Kolbasov, D; Rock, D L

2016-07-01

African swine fever (ASF) is an emerging disease threat for the swine industry worldwide. No ASF vaccine is available and progress is hindered by lack of knowledge concerning the extent of ASFV strain diversity and the viral antigens conferring type-specific protective immunity in pigs. Available data from vaccination/challenge experiments in pigs indicate that ASF protective immunity may be haemadsorption inhibition (HAI) serotype-specific. Recently, we have shown that two ASFV proteins, CD2v (EP402R) and C-type lectin (EP153R), are necessary and sufficient for mediating HAI serological specificity (Malogolovkin et al., 2015).. Here, using ASFV inter-serotypic chimeric viruses and vaccination/challenge experiments in pigs, we demonstrate that serotype-specific CD2v and/or C-type lectin proteins are important for protection against homologous ASFV infection. Thus, these viral proteins represent significant protective antigens for ASFV that should be targeted in future vaccine design and development. Additionally, these data support the concept of HAI serotype-specific protective immunity.

Phytochemical analysis and in-vitro anti-African swine fever virus activity of extracts and fractions of Ancistrocladus uncinatus, Hutch and Dalziel (Ancistrocladaceae)

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background African swine fever (ASF), a highly contagious fatal acute haemorrhagic viral disease of pigs currently has no treatment or vaccination protocol and it threatens the pig industry worldwide. Recent outbreaks were managed by farmers with ethnoveterinary preparations with various claims of effectiveness. Results We identified 35 compounds using GC-MS protocol and ASF virus (NIG 99) was significantly reduced by some extracts and fractions of the plant. However, the plant was poorly extracted by water and cytotoxicity was found to be a major problem with the use of the plant since its extracts also reduced the primary cells used in the assay. Conclusion It is confirmed that the plant has antiviral potentials against ASF virus and farmers’ claims seem to have certain degree of veracity, but finding the best means of exploring the potential of the plant while reducing its cytotoxic effect in-vitro and in-vivo will be necessary. PMID:23777548

African Swine Fever Virus: A Review

PubMed Central

Galindo, Inmaculada; Alonso, Covadonga

2017-01-01

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious viral disease of swine which causes high mortality, approaching 100%, in domestic pigs. ASF is caused by a large, double stranded DNA virus, ASF virus (ASFV), which replicates predominantly in the cytoplasm of macrophages and is the only member of the Asfarviridae family, genus Asfivirus. The natural hosts of this virus include wild suids and arthropod vectors of the Ornithodoros genus. The infection of ASFV in its reservoir hosts is usually asymptomatic and develops a persistent infection. In contrast, infection of domestic pigs leads to a lethal hemorrhagic fever for which there is no effective vaccine. Identification of ASFV genes involved in virulence and the characterization of mechanisms used by the virus to evade the immune response of the host are recognized as critical steps in the development of a vaccine. Moreover, the interplay of the viral products with host pathways, which are relevant for virus replication, provides the basic information needed for the identification of potential targets for the development of intervention strategies against this disease. PMID:28489063

Analytical modeling of large amplitude free vibration of non-uniform beams carrying a both transversely and axially eccentric tip mass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malaeke, Hasan; Moeenfard, Hamid

2016-03-01

The objective of this paper is to study large amplitude flexural-extensional free vibration of non-uniform cantilever beams carrying a both transversely and axially eccentric tip mass. The effects of variable axial force is also taken into account. Hamilton's principle is utilized to obtain the partial differential equations governing the nonlinear vibration of the system as well as the corresponding boundary conditions. A numerical finite difference scheme is proposed to find the natural frequencies and mode shapes of the system which is validated specifically for a beam with linearly varying cross section. Using a single mode approximation in conjunction with the Lagrange method, the governing equations are reduced to a set of two nonlinear ordinary differential equations in terms of end displacement components of the beam which are coupled due to the presence of the transverse eccentricity. These temporal coupled equations are then solved analytically using the multiple time scales perturbation technique. The obtained analytical results are compared with the numerical ones and excellent agreement is observed. The qualitative and quantitative knowledge resulting from this research is expected to enable the study of the effects of eccentric tip mass and non-uniformity on the large amplitude flexural-extensional vibration of beams for improved dynamic performance.

Constant Group Velocity Ultrasonic Guided Wave Inspection for Corrosion and Erosion Monitoring in Pipes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Instanes, Geir; Pedersen, Audun; Toppe, Mads; Nagy, Peter B.

2009-03-01

This paper describes a novel ultrasonic guided wave inspection technique for the monitoring of internal corrosion and erosion in pipes, which exploits the fundamental flexural mode to measure the average wall thickness over the inspection path. The inspection frequency is chosen so that the group velocity of the fundamental flexural mode is essentially constant throughout the wall thickness range of interest, while the phase velocity is highly dispersive and changes in a systematic way with varying wall thickness in the pipe. Although this approach is somewhat less accurate than the often used transverse resonance methods, it smoothly integrates the wall thickness over the whole propagation length, therefore it is very robust and can tolerate large and uneven thickness variations from point to point. The constant group velocity (CGV) method is capable of monitoring the true average of the wall thickness over the inspection length with an accuracy of 1% even in the presence of one order of magnitude larger local variations. This method also eliminates spurious variations caused by changing temperature, which can cause fairly large velocity variations, but do not significantly influence the dispersion as measured by the true phase angle in the vicinity of the CGV point. The CGV guided wave CEM method was validated in both laboratory and field tests.

Interface thermal conductance of van der Waals monolayers on amorphous substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Correa, Gabriela C.; Foss, Cameron J.; Aksamija, Zlatan

2017-03-01

Heterostructures based on atomic monolayers are emerging as leading materials for future energy efficient and multifunctional electronics. Due to the single atom thickness of monolayers, their properties are strongly affected by interactions with the external environment. We develop a model for interface thermal conductance (ITC) in an atomic monolayer van der Waals bonded to a disordered substrate. Graphene on SiO2 is initially used in our model and contrasted against available experimental data; the model is then applied to monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) on SiO2 substrate. Our findings show the dominant carrier of heat in both graphene and MoS2 in the cross-plane direction is the flexural (ZA) phonon mode, owing to the large overlap between graphene ZA and substrate vibrational density of states. The rate of phonon transfer across the interface depends quadratically on the substrate coupling constant K a , but this interaction also causes a lifting of the lowest flexural phonon modes. As a result, ITC depends roughly linearly on the strength of the coupling between a monolayer and its substrate. We conclude that, in both graphene and MoS2 on SiO2, substrate adhesion plays a strong role in determining ITC, requiring further study of substrate coupling in TMDCs.

Theoretical study of platonic crystals with periodically structured N-beam resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Penglin; Climente, Alfonso; Sánchez-Dehesa, José; Wu, Linzhi

2018-03-01

A multiple scattering theory is applied to study the properties of flexural waves propagating in a plate with periodically structured N-beam resonators. Each resonator consists of a circular hole containing an inner disk connected to background plate with N rectangular beams. The Bloch theorem is employed to obtain the band structure of a two-dimensional lattice containing a single resonator per unit cell. Also, a numerical algorithm has been developed to get the transmittance through resonator slabs infinitely long in the direction perpendicular to the incident wave. For the numerical validation, a square lattice of 2-beam resonators has been comprehensively analyzed. Its band structure exhibits several flat bands, indicating the existence of local resonances embedded in the structure. Particularly, the one featured as the fundamental mode of the inner disk opens a bandgap at low frequencies. This mode has been fully described in terms of a simple spring-mass model. As a practical application of the results obtained, a homogenization approach has been employed to design a focusing lens for flexural waves, where the index gradient is obtained by adjusting the orientation of the resonators beams. Numerical experiments performed within the framework of a three-dimensional finite element method have been employed to discuss the accuracy of the models described here.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Kang; Wu, Sujun; Guan, Juan

Strong and tough epoxy composites are developed using a less-studied fibre reinforcement, that of natural silk. Two common but structurally distinct silks from the domestic B. mori/Bm and the wild A. pernyi/Ap silkworms are selected in fabric forms. We show that the toughening effects on silk-epoxy composites or SFRPs are dependent on the silk species and the volume fraction of silk. Both silks enhance the room-temperature tensile and flexural mechanical properties of the composite, whereas the more resilient Ap silk shows a more pronounced toughening effect and a lower critical reinforcement volume for the brittle-ductile transition. Specifically, our 60 vol.%more » Ap-SFRP displays a three-fold elevation in tensile and flexural strength, as compared to pure epoxy resin, with an order of magnitude higher breaking energy via a distinct, ductile failure mode. Importantly, the 60 vol.% Ap-SFRP remains ductile with 7% flexural elongation at lower temperatures (-50 °C). Under impact, these SFRPs show significantly improved energy absorption, and the 60 vol.% Ap-SFRP has an impact strength some eight times that of pure epoxy resin. Lastly, the findings demonstrate both marked toughening and strengthening effects for epoxy composites from natural silk reinforcements, which presents opportunities for mechanically superior and "green" structural composites.« less

Application of ply level analysis to flexural wave propagation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valisetty, R. R.; Rehfield, L. W.

1988-10-01

A brief survey is presented of the shear deformation theories of laminated plates. It indicates that there are certain non-classical influences that affect bending-related behavior in the same way as do the transverse shear stresses. They include bending- and stretching-related section warping and the concomitant non-classical surface parallel stress contributions and the transverse normal stress. A bending theory gives significantly improved performance if these non-classical affects are incorporated. The heterogeneous shear deformations that are characteristic of laminates with highly dissimilar materials, however, require that attention be paid to the modeling of local rotations. In this paper, it is shown that a ply level analysis can be used to model such disparate shear deformations. Here, equilibrium of each layer is analyzed separately. Earlier applications of this analysis include free-edge laminate stresses. It is now extended to the study of flexural wave propagation in laminates. A recently developed homogeneous plate theory is used as a ply level model. Due consideration is given to the non-classical influences and no shear correction factors are introduced extraneously in this theory. The results for the lowest flexural mode of travelling planar harmonic waves indicate that this approach is competitive and yields better results for certain laminates.

Enhancing the Mechanical Toughness of Epoxy-Resin Composites Using Natural Silk Reinforcements

DOE PAGES

Yang, Kang; Wu, Sujun; Guan, Juan; ...

2017-09-20

Strong and tough epoxy composites are developed using a less-studied fibre reinforcement, that of natural silk. Two common but structurally distinct silks from the domestic B. mori/Bm and the wild A. pernyi/Ap silkworms are selected in fabric forms. We show that the toughening effects on silk-epoxy composites or SFRPs are dependent on the silk species and the volume fraction of silk. Both silks enhance the room-temperature tensile and flexural mechanical properties of the composite, whereas the more resilient Ap silk shows a more pronounced toughening effect and a lower critical reinforcement volume for the brittle-ductile transition. Specifically, our 60 vol.%more » Ap-SFRP displays a three-fold elevation in tensile and flexural strength, as compared to pure epoxy resin, with an order of magnitude higher breaking energy via a distinct, ductile failure mode. Importantly, the 60 vol.% Ap-SFRP remains ductile with 7% flexural elongation at lower temperatures (-50 °C). Under impact, these SFRPs show significantly improved energy absorption, and the 60 vol.% Ap-SFRP has an impact strength some eight times that of pure epoxy resin. Lastly, the findings demonstrate both marked toughening and strengthening effects for epoxy composites from natural silk reinforcements, which presents opportunities for mechanically superior and "green" structural composites.« less

Behaviour of free ranging wild boar towards their dead fellows: potential implications for the transmission of African swine fever.

PubMed

Probst, Carolina; Globig, Anja; Knoll, Bent; Conraths, Franz J; Depner, Klaus

2017-05-01

The behaviour of free ranging wild boar ( Sus scrofa ) towards carcasses of their conspecifics potentially infected with African swine fever (ASF) may significantly influence the course of an ASF epidemic. This study aims to better understand the behaviour of wild boar towards their dead fellows. Thirty-two wild boar carcasses on nine study sites in northeast Germany were monitored under field conditions by photo-trapping from October 2015 until October 2016. During this period, a total of 122 160 pictures were taken, thereof 16 111 pictures of wild boar. In both winter and summer, wild boar seemed to be particularly interested in the soil next to and underneath the carcasses. About one third of the visits of wild boar led to direct contact with dead conspecifics. The contacts consisted mostly in sniffing and poking on the carcass. Under the given ecological and climatic conditions, there was no evidence for intra-species scavenging. However, piglets were observed several times chewing bare bones once skeletonization of the carcasses was complete. It must be assumed that all these types of contact may represent a risk of transmission. Both the high tenacity of ASF virus and the long time wild boar carcasses can remain in the environment, allow the persistence of the virus for several months or even years. We therefore consider the rapid detection and removal (or destruction on the spot) of contaminated carcasses as an important control measure against ASF in wild boar.

African swine fever virus eradication in Africa.

PubMed

Penrith, Mary-Louise; Vosloo, Wilna; Jori, Ferran; Bastos, Armanda D S

2013-04-01

African swine fever was reported in domestic pigs in 26 African countries during the period 2009-2011. The virus exists in an ancient sylvatic cycle between warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus) and argasid ticks of the Ornithodoros moubata complex in many of the countries reporting outbreaks and in two further countries in the region. Eradication of the virus from the countries in eastern and southern Africa where the classic sylvatic cycle occurs is clearly not an option. However, the virus has become endemic in domestic pigs in 20 countries and the great majority of outbreaks in recent decades, even in some countries where the sylvatic cycle occurs, have been associated with movement of infected pigs and pig meat. Pig production and marketing and ASF control in Africa have been examined in order to identify risk factors for the maintenance and spread of ASF. These include large pig populations, traditional free-range husbandry systems, lack of biosecurity in semi-intensive and intensive husbandry systems, lack of organisation in both pig production and pig marketing that results in lack of incentives for investment in pig farming, and ineffective management of ASF. Most of these factors are linked to poverty, yet pigs are recognised as a livestock species that can be used to improve livelihoods and contribute significantly to food security. The changes needed and how they might be implemented in order to reduce the risk of ASF to pig producers in Africa and to the rest of the world are explored. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of 16S libraries of mouse gastrointestinal microflora reveals a large new group of mouse intestinal bacteria.

PubMed

Salzman, Nita H; de Jong, Hendrik; Paterson, Yvonne; Harmsen, Hermie J M; Welling, Gjalt W; Bos, Nicolaas A

2002-11-01

Total genomic DNA from samples of intact mouse small intestine, large intestine, caecum and faeces was used as template for PCR amplification of 16S rRNA gene sequences with conserved bacterial primers. Phylogenetic analysis of the amplification products revealed 40 unique 16S rDNA sequences. Of these sequences, 25% (10/40) corresponded to described intestinal organisms of the mouse, including Lactobacillus spp., Helicobacter spp., segmented filamentous bacteria and members of the altered Schaedler flora (ASF360, ASF361, ASF502 and ASF519); 75% (30/40) represented novel sequences. A large number (11/40) of the novel sequences revealed a new operational taxonomic unit (OTU) belonging to the Cytophaga-Flavobacter-Bacteroides phylum, which the authors named 'mouse intestinal bacteria'. 16S rRNA probes were developed for this new OTU. Upon analysis of the novel sequences, eight were found to cluster within the Eubacterium rectale-Clostridium coccoides group and three clustered within the Bacteroides group. One of the novel sequences was distantly related to Verrucomicrobium spinosum and one was distantly related to Bacillus mycoides. Oligonucleotide probes specific for the 16S rRNA of these novel clones were generated. Using a combination of four previously described and four newly designed probes, approximately 80% of bacteria recovered from the murine large intestine and 71% of bacteria recovered from the murine caecum could be identified by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).

The Importance of Animal Source Foods for Nutrient Sufficiency in the Developing World: The Zambia Scenario.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhiying; Goldsmith, Peter D; Winter-Nelson, Alex

2016-05-05

There have been successful interventions fortifying staple foods to mobilize micronutrients as well as agricultural efforts to raise yields of staple foods to increase food availability. Zambia serves as an interesting case study because since 1961 there has been a notable decline in the availability of animal source foods (ASFs) and pulses and a significant increase in the supply of cassava and vegetable oils. The shift in food availability was partly attributed to the agricultural success in high-yielding and drought-resistant varieties that made cassava and oil crops more affordable and readily available. In this research, we explore another policy strategy that involves ASF as a mechanism to help remedy micronutrient inadequacies in a population. A scenario modeling analysis compares the changes in the nutrient profile of the Zambian diet through adding either staple plant source foods (PSFs) or ASFs. The scenarios under study involve the addition of (1) 18 fl oz of whole cow's milk; (2) 60 g of beef, 30 g of chicken, and 5 g of beef liver; (3) milk plus meat; or (4) 83 g of maize flour, 123 g of cassava, and other staple PSF, that is, isocaloric to the "milk + meat" group. The findings alert program planners and policy makers to the value of increasing the availability, accessibility, and utilization of ASF to simultaneously address multiple nutrient deficiencies, as well as the nutrition challenges that remain when expanding the availability of plant-based staples. © The Author(s) 2016.

Non-contact defect diagnostics in Cz-Si wafers using resonance ultrasonic vibrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belyaev, A.; Kochelap, V. A.; Tarasov, I.; Ostapenko, S.

2001-01-01

A new resonance effect of generation of sub-harmonic acoustic vibrations was applied to characterize defects in as-grown and processed Cz-Si wafers. Ultrasonic vibrations were generated into standard 8″ wafers using an external ultrasonic transducer and their amplitude recorded in a non-contact mode using a scanning acoustic probe. By tuning the frequency, f, of the transducer we observed generation of intense sub-harmonic acoustic mode ("whistle" or w-mode) with f/2 frequency. The characteristics of the w-mode-amplitude dependence, frequency scans, spatial distribution allow a clear distinction versus harmonic vibrations of the same wafer. The origin of sub-harmonic vibrations observed on 8″ Cz-Si wafers is attributed to a parametric resonance of flexural vibrations in thin silicon circular plates. We present evidence that "whistle" effect shows a strong dependence on the wafer's growth and processing history and can be used for quality assurance purposes.

Stochastic spatio-temporal modelling of African swine fever spread in the European Union during the high risk period.

PubMed

Nigsch, Annette; Costard, Solenne; Jones, Bryony A; Pfeiffer, Dirk U; Wieland, Barbara

2013-03-01

African swine fever (ASF) is a notifiable viral pig disease with high mortality and serious socio-economic consequences. Since ASF emerged in Georgia in 2007 the disease has spread to several neighbouring countries and cases have been detected in areas bordering the European Union (EU). It is uncertain how fast the virus would be able to spread within the unrestricted European trading area if it were introduced into the EU. This project therefore aimed to develop a model for the spread of ASF within and between the 27 Member States (MS) of the EU during the high risk period (HRP) and to identify MS during that period would most likely contribute to ASF spread ("super-spreaders") or MS that would most likely receive cases from other MS ("super-receivers"). A stochastic spatio-temporal state-transition model using simulated individual farm records was developed to assess silent ASF virus spread during different predefined HRPs of 10-60 days duration. Infection was seeded into farms of different pig production types in each of the 27 MS. Direct pig-to-pig transmission and indirect transmission routes (pig transport lorries and professional contacts) were considered the main pathways during the early stages of an epidemic. The model was parameterised using data collated from EUROSTAT, TRACES, a questionnaire sent to MS, and the scientific literature. Model outputs showed that virus circulation was generally limited to 1-2 infected premises per outbreak (95% IQR: 1-4; maximum: 10) with large breeder farms as index case resulting in most infected premises. Seven MS caused between-MS spread due to intra-Community trade during the first 10 days after seeding infection. For a HRP of 60 days from virus introduction, movements of infected pigs will originate at least once from 16 MS, with 6 MS spreading ASF in more than 10% of iterations. Two thirds of all intra-Community spread was linked to six trade links only. Denmark, the Netherlands, Lithuania and Latvia were identified as "super-spreaders"; Germany and Poland as "super-receivers". In the sensitivity analysis, the total number of premises per country involved in intra-Community trade was found to be a key determinant for the between-MS spread dynamic and needs to be further investigated. It was concluded that spread during the HRP is likely to be limited, especially if the HRP is short. This emphasises the importance of having good disease awareness in all MS for early disease detection. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of dynamic properties for a composite laminated beam at intermediate strain rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, J. C.; Pendleton, R. L.; Dolan, D. F.

The dynamic mechanical behavior of a graphite epoxy composite laminate in flexural vibration has been investigated. The effects of fiber orientation and vibration frequency for both unidirectional tape and Kevlar fabric were studied both analytically and experimentally. Measurement of storage and loss moduli were presented for laminated double cantilever beams of fiber reinforced composite with frequency range from 8 to 1230 Hz (up to 5th mode).

Effect of surface treatments on the flexural properties and adhesion of glass fiber-reinforced composite post to self-adhesive luting agent and radicular dentin.

PubMed

Elnaghy, Amr M; Elsaka, Shaymaa E

2016-01-01

This study evaluated the effect of different surface treatments on the flexural properties and adhesion of glass fiber post to self-adhesive luting agent and radicular dentin. Seventy-five single-rooted human teeth were prepared to receive a glass fiber post (Reblida). The posts were divided into five groups according to the surface treatment: Gr C (control; no treatment), Gr S (silanization for 60 s), Gr AP (airborne-particle abrasion), Gr HF (etching with 9 % hydrofluoric acid for 1 min), and Gr M10 (etching with CH2Cl2 for 10 min). Dual-cure self-adhesive luting agent (Rely X Unicem) was applied to each group for testing the adhesion using micropush-out test. Failure types were examined with stereomicroscope and surface morphology of the posts was characterized using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Flexural properties of posts were assessed using a three-point bending test. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey's HSD test. Statistical significance was set at the 0.05 probability level. Groups treated with M10 showed significantly higher bond strength than those obtained with other surface treatments (P < 0.05). In general, improvements in bond strength (MPa) were found in the following order: M10 > C > S > AP > HF. Most failure modes were adhesive type of failures between dentin and luting agent (48.2%). SEM analysis revealed that the fiber post surfaces were modified after surface treatments. The surface treatments did not compromise the flexural properties of fiber posts. Application of M10 to the fiber post surfaces enhanced the adhesion to self-adhesive luting agent and radicular dentin.

Effect of different aging methods on the mechanical behavior of multi-layered ceramic structures.

PubMed

Borba, Márcia; de Araújo, Maico D; Fukushima, Karen A; Yoshimura, Humberto N; Griggs, Jason A; Della Bona, Álvaro; Cesar, Paulo F

2016-12-01

To evaluate the effect of two aging methods (mechanical cycling and autoclave) on the mechanical behavior of veneer and framework ceramic specimens with different configurations (monolithic, two and three-layers). Three ceramics used as framework for fixed dental prostheses (YZ-Vita In-Ceram YZ; IZ-Vita In-Ceram Zirconia; AL-Vita In-Ceram AL) and two veneering porcelains (VM7 and VM9) were studied. Bar-shaped specimens were produced in three different designs: monolithic, two layers (porcelain-framework) and three layers (porcelain-framework-porcelain). Specimens were tested for three-point flexural strength at 1MPa/s in 37°C artificial saliva. Three different experimental conditions were evaluated (n=10): control; mechanical cycling (2Hz, 37°C artificial saliva); and autoclave aging (134°C, 2 bars, 5h). Bi-layered specimens were tested in both conditions: with porcelain or framework ceramic under tension. Fracture surfaces were analyzed using stereomicroscope and scanning electron microscopy. Results were statistically analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Student-Newman-Keuls tests. Only for AL group, mechanical cycling and autoclave aging significantly decreased the flexural strength values in comparison to the control (p<0.01). YZ, AL, VM7 and VM9 monolithic groups showed no strength degradation. For multi-layered specimens, when the porcelain layer was tested in tension (bi and tri-layers), the aging methods evaluated also had no effect on strength (p≥0.05). Total and partial failure modes were identified. Mechanical cycling and autoclave aging protocols had no effect on the flexural strength values and failure behavior of YZ and IZ ceramic structures. Yet, AL monolithic structures showed a significant decrease in flexural strength with any of the aging methods. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

GRASP92: a package for large-scale relativistic atomic structure calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parpia, F. A.; Froese Fischer, C.; Grant, I. P.

2006-12-01

Program summaryTitle of program: GRASP92 Catalogue identifier: ADCU_v1_1 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/ADCU_v1_1 Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University of Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: no Programming language used: Fortran Computer: IBM POWERstation 320H Operating system: IBM AIX 3.2.5+ RAM: 64M words No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 65 224 No of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 409 198 Distribution format: tar.gz Catalogue identifier of previous version: ADCU_v1_0 Journal reference of previous version: Comput. Phys. Comm. 94 (1996) 249 Does the new version supersede the previous version?: Yes Nature of problem: Prediction of atomic spectra—atomic energy levels, oscillator strengths, and radiative decay rates—using a 'fully relativistic' approach. Solution method: Atomic orbitals are assumed to be four-component spinor eigenstates of the angular momentum operator, j=l+s, and the parity operator Π=βπ. Configuration state functions (CSFs) are linear combinations of Slater determinants of atomic orbitals, and are simultaneous eigenfunctions of the atomic electronic angular momentum operator, J, and the atomic parity operator, P. Lists of CSFs are either explicitly prescribed by the user or generated from a set of reference CSFs, a set of subshells, and rules for deriving other CSFs from these. Approximate atomic state functions (ASFs) are linear combinations of CSFs. A variational functional may be constructed by combining expressions for the energies of one or more ASFs. Average level (AL) functionals are weighted sums of energies of all possible ASFs that may be constructed from a set of CSFs; the number of ASFs is then the same as the number, n, of CSFs. Optimal level (OL) functionals are weighted sums of energies of some subset of ASFs; the GRASP92 package is optimized for this latter class of functionals. The composition of an ASF in terms of CSFs sharing the same quantum numbers is determined using the configuration-interaction (CI) procedure that results upon varying the expansion coefficients to determine the extremum of a variational functional. Radial functions may be determined by numerically solving the multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock (MCDF) equations that result upon varying the orbital radial functions or some subset thereof so as to obtain an extremum of the variational functional. Radial wavefunctions may also be determined using a screened hydrogenic or Thomas-Fermi model, although these schemes generally provide initial estimates for MCDF self-consistent-field (SCF) calculations. Transition properties for pairs of ASFs are computed from matrix elements of multipole operators of the electromagnetic field. All matrix elements of CSFs are evaluated using the Racah algebra. Reasons for the new version: During recent studies using the general relativistic atomic structure package (GRASP92), several errors were found, some of which might have been present already in the earlier GRASP92 version (program ABJN_v1_0, Comput. Phys. Comm. 55 (1989) 425). These errors were reported and discussed by Froese Fischer, Gaigalas, and Ralchenko in a separate publication [C. Froese Fischer, G. Gaigalas, Y. Ralchenko, Comput. Phys. Comm. 175 (2006) 738-744. [7

Risk of African swine fever introduction into the European Union through transport-associated routes: returning trucks and waste from international ships and planes.

PubMed

Mur, Lina; Martínez-López, Beatriz; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, José Manuel

2012-08-30

The uncontrolled presence of African swine fever (ASF) in Russian Federation (RF) poses a serious risk to the whole European Union (EU) pig industry. Although trade of pigs and their products is banned since the official notification in June 2007, the potential introduction of ASF virus (ASFV) may occur by other routes, which are very frequent in ASF, and more difficult to control, such as contaminated waste or infected vehicles. This study was intended to estimate the risk of ASFV introduction into the EU through three types of transport routes: returning trucks, waste from international ships and waste from international planes, which will be referred here as transport-associated routes (TAR). Since no detailed and official information was available for these routes, a semi-quantitative model based on the weighted combination of risk factors was developed to estimate the risk of ASFV introduction by TAR. Relative weights for combination of different risk factors as well as validation of the model results were obtained by an expert opinion elicitation. Model results indicate that the relative risk for ASFV introduction through TAR in most of the EU countries (16) is low, although some countries, specifically Poland and Lithuania, concentrate high levels of risk, the returning trucks route being the analyzed TAR that currently poses the highest risk for ASFV introduction into the EU. The spatial distribution of the risk of ASFV introduction varies importantly between the analyzed introduction routes. Results also highlight the need to increase the awareness and precautions for ASF prevention, particularly ensuring truck disinfection, to minimize the potential risk of entrance into the EU. This study presents the first assessment of ASF introduction into the EU through TAR. The innovative model developed here could be used in data scarce situations for estimating the relative risk associated to each EU country. This simple methodology provides a rapid and easy to interpret results on risk that may be used for a target and cost-effective allocation of resources to prevent disease introduction.

Risk of African swine fever introduction into the European Union through transport-associated routes: returning trucks and waste from international ships and planes

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The uncontrolled presence of African swine fever (ASF) in Russian Federation (RF) poses a serious risk to the whole European Union (EU) pig industry. Although trade of pigs and their products is banned since the official notification in June 2007, the potential introduction of ASF virus (ASFV) may occur by other routes, which are very frequent in ASF, and more difficult to control, such as contaminated waste or infected vehicles. This study was intended to estimate the risk of ASFV introduction into the EU through three types of transport routes: returning trucks, waste from international ships and waste from international planes, which will be referred here as transport-associated routes (TAR). Since no detailed and official information was available for these routes, a semi-quantitative model based on the weighted combination of risk factors was developed to estimate the risk of ASFV introduction by TAR. Relative weights for combination of different risk factors as well as validation of the model results were obtained by an expert opinion elicitation. Results Model results indicate that the relative risk for ASFV introduction through TAR in most of the EU countries (16) is low, although some countries, specifically Poland and Lithuania, concentrate high levels of risk, the returning trucks route being the analyzed TAR that currently poses the highest risk for ASFV introduction into the EU. The spatial distribution of the risk of ASFV introduction varies importantly between the analyzed introduction routes. Results also highlight the need to increase the awareness and precautions for ASF prevention, particularly ensuring truck disinfection, to minimize the potential risk of entrance into the EU. Conclusions This study presents the first assessment of ASF introduction into the EU through TAR. The innovative model developed here could be used in data scarce situations for estimating the relative risk associated to each EU country. This simple methodology provides a rapid and easy to interpret results on risk that may be used for a target and cost-effective allocation of resources to prevent disease introduction. PMID:22935221

Remote-Sensing Data Distribution and Processing in the Cloud at the ASF DAAC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoner, C.; Arko, S. A.; Nicoll, J. B.; Labelle-Hamer, A. L.

2016-12-01

The Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) has been tasked to archive and distribute data from both SENTINEL-1 satellites and from the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite in a cost effective manner. In order to best support processing and distribution of these large data sets for users, the ASF DAAC enhanced our data system in a number of ways that will be detailed in this presentation.The SENTINEL-1 mission comprises a constellation of two polar-orbiting satellites, operating day and night performing C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging, enabling them to acquire imagery regardless of the weather. SENTINEL-1A was launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) in April 2014. SENTINEL-1B is scheduled to launch in April 2016.The NISAR satellite is designed to observe and take measurements of some of the planet's most complex processes, including ecosystem disturbances, ice-sheet collapse, and natural hazards such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes and landslides. NISAR will employ radar imaging, polarimetry, and interferometry techniques using the SweepSAR technology employed for full-resolution wide-swath imaging. NISAR data files are large, making storage and processing a challenge for conventional store and download systems.To effectively process, store, and distribute petabytes of data in a High-performance computing environment, ASF took a long view with regard to technology choices and picked a path of most flexibility and Software re-use. To that end, this Software tools and services presentation will cover Web Object Storage (WOS) and the ability to seamlessly move from local sunk cost hardware to public cloud, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS). A prototype of SENTINEL-1A system that is in AWS, as well as a local hardware solution, will be examined to explain the pros and cons of each. In preparation for NISAR files which will be even larger than SENTINEL-1A, ASF has embarked on a number of cloud initiatives, including processing in the cloud at scale, processing data on-demand, and processing end-user computations on DAAC data in the cloud.

Making SAR Data Accessible - ASF's ALOS PALSAR Radiometric Terrain Correction Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, F. J.; Arko, S. A.; Gens, R.

2015-12-01

While SAR data have proven valuable for a wide range of geophysical research questions, so far, largely only the SAR-educated science communities have been able to fully exploit the information content of internationally available SAR archives. The main issues that have been preventing a more widespread utilization of SAR are related to (1) the diversity and complexity of SAR data formats, (2) the complexity of the processing flows needed to extract geophysical information from SAR, (3) the lack of standardization and automation of these processing flows, and (4) the often ignored geocoding procedures, leaving the data in image coordinate space. In order to improve upon this situation, ASF's radiometric terrain-correction (RTC) project is generating uniformly formatted and easily accessible value-added products from the ASF Distributed Active Archive Center's (DAAC) five-year archive of JAXA's ALOS PALSAR sensor. Specifically, the project applies geometric and radiometric corrections to SAR data to allow for an easy and direct combination of obliquely acquired SAR data with remote sensing imagery acquired in nadir observation geometries. Finally, the value-added data is provided to the user in the broadly accepted Geotiff format, in order to support the easy integration of SAR data into GIS environments. The goal of ASF's RTC project is to make SAR data more accessible and more attractive to the broader SAR applications community, especially to those users that currently have limited SAR expertise. Production of RTC products commenced October 2014 and will conclude late in 2015. As of July 2015, processing of 71% of ASF's ALOS PALSAR archive was completed. Adding to the utility of this dataset are recent changes to the data access policy that allow the full-resolution RTC products to be provided to the public, without restriction. In this paper we will introduce the processing flow that was developed for the RTC project and summarize the calibration and validation procedures that were implemented to determine and monitor system performance. The paper will also show the current progress of RTC processing, provide examples of generated data sets, and demonstrate the benefit of the RTC archives for applications such as land-use classification and change detection.

Livestock production, animal source food intake, and young child growth: the role of gender for ensuring nutrition impacts.

PubMed

Jin, Minchao; Iannotti, Lora L

2014-03-01

Animal source foods (ASF) provide critical micronutrients in highly bioavailable forms, with the potential to efficiently address undernutrition among young children living in developing countries. There is limited evidence for how livestock ownership might increase ASF intake in poor households either through own-consumption or income generation. Along with lack of nutrition knowledge, gender dimensions may affect the pathways leading from livestock ownership to child ASF intake and ultimately to young child growth. Using data from a large-scale impact evaluation conducted in Kenya, this study tested the hypothesis that co-owned/female-owned livestock would be associated with improved child growth, mediated by increases in ASF consumption. Data were collected from September 2010 to January 2011 from households in six provinces in Kenya on a broad range of agricultural, economic, social, health and nutrition factors. Children ages 6-60 months were included in this analysis (n = 183). In this sample, co-owned/female-owned livestock was valued at 18,861 Kenyan shillings in contrast with male-owned livestock valued at 66,343 Kenyan shillings. Multivariate linear regression models showed a positive association between co-owned/female-owned livestock with child weight-for-age z score (WAZ) after adjusting for caregiver education level, income, child age, and child sex. A mediating effect by child ASF intake was evident, explaining 25% of the relationship of livestock ownership with child WAZ, by Sobel-Goodman test (p < .05). A trend towards significance was demonstrated for co-owned/female-owned livestock and height-for-age z score (HAZ), and no effect was apparent for weight-for-height z score (WHZ). The partial mediating effect may be indicative of other factors inherent in co-owned/female-owned livestock such as higher status of females in these households with greater influence over other child care practices promoting growth. Nonetheless, our study suggests targeting females in livestock production programming may better ensure improvements in child nutrition. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Risk Factors for African Swine Fever in Smallholder Pig Production Systems in Uganda.

PubMed

Dione, M M; Akol, J; Roesel, K; Kungu, J; Ouma, E A; Wieland, B; Pezo, D

2017-06-01

Smallholder pig production in Uganda is constrained by poor management and high disease burden, with African swine fever (ASF) being one of the most important contributors. However, data to develop appropriate evidence-based disease mitigating interventions along the pig value chain are lacking. This study aimed at determining risk factors associated with the occurrence of outbreaks of ASF in selected districts. A cross-sectional survey of 1195 pig-keeping households in three districts was carried out between April and July 2013. Households were classified into one of three value chain domains (VCDs) based on where the production was located and where most of the products were sold: rural-rural (R-R), rural-urban (R-U) and urban-urban (U-U). Findings revealed that crop farming is the most common primary activity in the R-R and R-U VCDs, while pig keeping was the most common primary activity in the U-U VCDs. Pigs are mostly kept tethered or left to roam in the R-R and R-U VCDs, while in the U-U VCDs, they are mostly confined in corrals. Nearly 20% of the farmers whose farms were hit by an ASF outbreak subsequently sold all their pigs (healthy and sick) to the market in panic. Factors that positively correlated with recent ASF outbreaks were prompt disposal of dead pigs on farms (P < 0.001, OR = 2.3), wild animals present in the village (P < 0.001, OR = 1.7) and farmers sourcing drugs from stockists (P < 0.001, OR = 1.6); while protective factors were the presence of perimeter fences (P = 0.03, OR = 0.5), attendance of farmers at secondary-school level and above (P < 0.001, OR = 0.6), routine cleaning of the pig pens (P < 0.001, OR = 0.6) and pigs being the only livestock kept by farmer (P = 0.01, OR = 0.7). Given the current situation, there is a need to raise awareness among farmers and other value chain actors of biosecurity measures and create incentives for farmers to report ASF cases. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

The effect of photopolymerization on the degree of conversion, polymerization kinetic, biaxial flexure strength, and modulus of self-adhesive resin cements.

PubMed

Aguiar, Thaiane R; de Oliveira, Michele; Arrais, César A G; Ambrosano, Glaucia M B; Rueggeberg, Frederick; Giannini, Marcelo

2015-02-01

Understanding the effect of the degree of conversion on the mechanical properties of auto- and dual-polymerizing self-adhesive resin cements leads to a better estimation of their performance in different clinical scenarios. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of photopolymerization on the degree of conversion (DC) and polymerization kinetic of 4 dual-polymerized resin cements, 20 minutes after mixing, and its effects on the mechanical properties (biaxial flexural strength [FS] and modulus [FM]) after short-term aging. Conventional (RelyX ARC and Clearfil Esthetic Cement) and self-adhesive resin cements (RelyX Unicem and Clearfil SA Cement) were applied to a Fourier infrared spectrometer to assess the DC (n=5) under the following 3 polymerization conditions: direct light exposure (dual-polymerizing mode), exposure through the prepolymerized disk, or autopolymerizing. The polymerization kinetic was recorded for 20 minutes. Then, disk-shaped specimens (n=11) were prepared to evaluate the effect of polymerization on the FS and FM in both extreme polymerization conditions (dual-polymerizing or autopolymerizing). Data were statistically analyzed by 2-way repeated measure ANOVA (DC) and by 2-way ANOVA (FS and FM), followed by the Tukey-Kramer post hoc test (α=.05). Autopolymerizing groups exhibited reduced DC means, whereas intermediate values were observed when resin cements were polymerized through the disk. All groups exhibited higher DC at the end of 20 minutes. The polymerization kinetic revealed a rising curve, and materials, when directly photopolymerized, reached a plateau immediately after light exposure. Regarding the flexural biaxial testing, most of the resin cements were affected by polymerization mode and differences among groups were product dependent. The resin cements achieved immediate higher DC and mechanical properties when photopolymerized. The total absence of photoactivation may still impair their mechanical properties even after short-term aging. Copyright © 2015 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

African swine fever convalescent sows: subsequent pregnancy and the effect of colostral antibody on challenge inoculation of their pigs.

PubMed

Schlafer, D H; McVicar, J W; Mebus, C A

1984-07-01

The effect of African swine fever (ASF) virus infection on reproductive performance of recovered sows and their pigs was investigated. Six sows were inoculated with a 1979 ASF isolate from the Dominican Republic. One sow was bred on postinoculation day (PID) 58 and killed on PID 148. Four sows were bred between PID 368 and 419 and were allowed to farrow. One sow did not conceive. Samples collected during pregnancy, at farrowing, and during lactation were tested for virus by tissue culture and animal inoculations to determine whether ASF virus recrudesced during these natural stresses. Virus was recovered only from tissues of the sow killed on PID 148. Virus was not detected in tissue samples from the 4 other sows or from any fetus or neonate. Sow and neonatal pig sera, colostral whey, and milk whey were assayed for antibodies against ASF viral antigens, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Antibody values in sows' sera did not change appreciably during pregnancy, farrowing, or lactation. One litter of pigs was raised with their sow. Weekly serum samples were tested for passively acquired antibodies. At 7 weeks of age, the litter was challenge inoculated with the same virus as that used initially to infect their dam. Viremia titers, duration of viremias, and clinical course were reduced. One young pig did not develop fever, viremia, clinical disease, or antibody response to virus challenge exposure. The altered course of infection was attributed to protective effect of passively acquired antibodies.

Monitoring of African swine fever in the wild boar population of the most recent endemic area of Spain.

PubMed

Mur, L; Boadella, M; Martínez-López, B; Gallardo, C; Gortazar, C; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J M

2012-12-01

Wild boars are natural hosts for African swine fever (ASF). The ASF virus (ASFV) can persist for long periods in the environment, such as in ticks and contaminated products, which may be sources of infection for wild boar populations. African swine fever was eradicated in domestic pig populations in Spain in 1995, after 35 years of significant effort. To determine whether ASFV can persist in wild boar hosts after it has been eradicated from domestic pigs and to study the role of wild boar in helping ASFV persist in the environment, we checked for the presence of ASFV in wild boars in Doñana National Park, one of the largest natural habitats of wild boar in Spain and one of the last areas where ASF was endemic prior its eradication. Samples from 158 animals collected between 2006 and 2010 were analysed using serological and nucleic acid-based diagnostic techniques recommended by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). None of the samples was found to be positive. These results confirm the absence of disease in wildlife in what was once one of the areas most affected by ASF in Spain, and they suggest that wild boars play a limited role in ASFV persistence. These results confirm that ASFV cannot persist in isolated wild boar populations for long periods of time without the interaction of other factors such as re-infection by contact with domestic pigs or by feeding on contaminated swill. © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Behaviour of free ranging wild boar towards their dead fellows: potential implications for the transmission of African swine fever

PubMed Central

Globig, Anja; Knoll, Bent; Conraths, Franz J.; Depner, Klaus

2017-01-01

The behaviour of free ranging wild boar (Sus scrofa) towards carcasses of their conspecifics potentially infected with African swine fever (ASF) may significantly influence the course of an ASF epidemic. This study aims to better understand the behaviour of wild boar towards their dead fellows. Thirty-two wild boar carcasses on nine study sites in northeast Germany were monitored under field conditions by photo-trapping from October 2015 until October 2016. During this period, a total of 122 160 pictures were taken, thereof 16 111 pictures of wild boar. In both winter and summer, wild boar seemed to be particularly interested in the soil next to and underneath the carcasses. About one third of the visits of wild boar led to direct contact with dead conspecifics. The contacts consisted mostly in sniffing and poking on the carcass. Under the given ecological and climatic conditions, there was no evidence for intra-species scavenging. However, piglets were observed several times chewing bare bones once skeletonization of the carcasses was complete. It must be assumed that all these types of contact may represent a risk of transmission. Both the high tenacity of ASF virus and the long time wild boar carcasses can remain in the environment, allow the persistence of the virus for several months or even years. We therefore consider the rapid detection and removal (or destruction on the spot) of contaminated carcasses as an important control measure against ASF in wild boar. PMID:28573011

Discovery of Aspergillus frankstonensis sp. nov. during environmental sampling for animal and human fungal pathogens.

PubMed

Talbot, Jessica J; Houbraken, Jos; Frisvad, Jens C; Samson, Robert A; Kidd, Sarah E; Pitt, John; Lindsay, Sue; Beatty, Julia A; Barrs, Vanessa R

2017-01-01

Invasive fungal infections (IFI) due to species in Aspergillus section Fumigati (ASF), including the Aspergillus viridinutans species complex (AVSC), are increasingly reported in humans and cats. The risk of exposure to these medically important fungi in Australia is unknown. Air and soil was sampled from the domiciles of pet cats diagnosed with these IFI and from a nature reserve in Frankston, Victoria, where Aspergillus viridinutans sensu stricto was discovered in 1954. Of 104 ASF species isolated, 61% were A. fumigatus sensu stricto, 9% were AVSC (A. felis-clade and A. frankstonensis sp. nov.) and 30% were other species (30%). Seven pathogenic ASF species known to cause disease in humans and animals (A. felis-clade, A. fischeri, A. thermomutatus, A. lentulus, A. laciniosus A. fumisynnematus, A. hiratsukae) comprised 25% of isolates overall. AVSC species were only isolated from Frankston soil where they were abundant, suggesting a particular ecological niche. Phylogenetic, morphological and metabolomic analyses of these isolates identified a new species, A. frankstonensis that is phylogenetically distinct from other AVSC species, heterothallic and produces a unique array of extrolites, including the UV spectrum characterized compounds DOLD, RAIMO and CALBO. Shared morphological and physiological characteristics with other AVSC species include slow sporulation, optimal growth at 37°C, no growth at 50°C, and viriditoxin production. Overall, the risk of environmental exposure to pathogenic species in ASF in Australia appears to be high, but there was no evidence of direct environmental exposure to AVSC species in areas where humans and cats cohabitate.

Coordination of XeF2 to calcium and cadmium hexafluorophosphates(V).

PubMed

Bunic, Tina; Tavcar, Gasper; Tramsek, Melita; Zemva, Boris

2006-02-06

[M(XeF2)5](PF6)2 (M = Ca, Cd) complexes were prepared by the reaction of MF2 and XeF2 under pressure of gaseous PF5 in anhydrous HF as solvent. The coordination sphere of the Ca atom consists of nine fluorine atoms: three from two PF6(-) units (one bidentate and one monodentate) and one from each of six XeF2 molecules. The coordination sphere of the Cd atom consists of eight fluorine atoms: one from each of two PF6(-) units and one from each of six XeF2 molecules. Two of the XeF2 ligands about M in each compound are bridging ligands and are each linked to two M, generating infinite (-M-F-Xe-F-M-F-Xe-F-) chains along the b-axis in the Ca salt and along the c-axis in the Cd compound. The Cd2+ cation is smaller and more electronegative than the Ca2+ cation. These differences account for the higher F ligand coordination in the Ca2+ salt and for other structural features that distinguish them. The different stoichiometry of the PF6(-) salts when compared with their AsF6(-) analogues, which have the composition [M(XeF2)4](AsF6)2 (M = Ca, Cd), is in accord with the lower F ligand charge in the AsF6(-) when compared with that in the PF6(-) compound. Indeed, the AsF6(-) ligand charges appear to be similar to those in the XeF2-bridged species.

Modes of elastic plates and shells in water driven by modulated radiation pressure of focused ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marston, Philip L.; Daniel, Timothy D.; Abawi, Ahmad T.; Kirsteins, Ivars

2015-11-01

The modulated radiation pressure (MRP) of ultrasound has been used for decades to selectively excite low frequency modes associated with surface tension of fluid objects in water. Much less is known about the excitation of low frequency modes of less compliant metallic objects. Here we use MRP of focused ultrasound to excite resonant flexural vibrations of a circular metal plate in water. The source transducer was driven with a double-sideband suppressed carrier voltage as in. The response of the target (detected with a hydrophone) was at twice the modulation frequency and proportional to the square of the drive voltage. Since the radiation pressure of focused beams is spatially localized, mode shapes could be identified by scanning the source along the target while measuring the target's response. Additional measurements were done with an open-ended water-filled copper circular cylindrical shell in which resonant frequencies and mode shapes were also identified. These experiments show how focused ultrasound can be used to identify low-frequency modes of elastic objects without direct contact. Supported by ONR.

Plans for the development of EOS SAR systems using the Alaska SAR facility. [Earth Observing System (EOS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carsey, F. D.; Weeks, W.

1988-01-01

The Alaska SAR Facility (ASF) program for the acquisition and processing of data from the ESA ERS-1, the NASDA ERS-1, and Radarsat and to carry out a program of science investigations using the data is introduced. Agreements for data acquisition and analysis are in place except for the agreement between NASA and Radarsat which is in negotiation. The ASF baseline system, consisting of the Receiving Ground System, the SAR Processor System and the Archive and Operations System, passed critical design review and is fully in implementation phase. Augments to the baseline system for systems to perform geophysical processing and for processing of J-ERS-1 optical data are in the design and implementation phase. The ASF provides a very effective vehicle with which to prepare for the Earth Observing System (EOS) in that it will aid the development of systems and technologies for handling the data volumes produced by the systems of the next decades, and it will also supply some of the data types that will be produced by EOS.

African Swine Fever Virus Isolate, Georgia, 2007

PubMed Central

Rowlands, Rebecca J.; Michaud, Vincent; Heath, Livio; Hutchings, Geoff; Oura, Chris; Vosloo, Wilna; Dwarka, Rahana; Onashvili, Tinatin; Albina, Emmanuel

2008-01-01

African swine fever (ASF) is widespread in Africa but is rarely introduced to other continents. In June 2007, ASF was confirmed in the Caucasus region of Georgia, and it has since spread to neighboring countries. DNA fragments amplified from the genome of the isolates from domestic pigs in Georgia in 2007 were sequenced and compared with other ASF virus (ASFV) isolates to establish the genotype of the virus. Sequences were obtained from 4 genome regions, including part of the gene B646L that encodes the p72 capsid protein, the complete E183L and CP204L genes, which encode the p54 and p30 proteins and the variable region of the B602L gene. Analysis of these sequences indicated that the Georgia 2007 isolate is closely related to isolates belonging to genotype II, which is circulating in Mozambique, Madagascar, and Zambia. One possibility for the spread of disease to Georgia is that pigs were fed ASFV-contaminated pork brought in on ships and, subsequently, the disease was disseminated throughout the region. PMID:19046509

Genetic Assessment of African Swine Fever Isolates Involved in Outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo between 2005 and 2012 Reveals Co-Circulation of p72 Genotypes I, IX and XIV, Including 19 Variants

PubMed Central

Mulumba–Mfumu, Leopold K.; Achenbach, Jenna E.; Mauldin, Matthew R.; Dixon, Linda K.; Tshilenge, Curé Georges; Thiry, Etienne; Moreno, Noelia; Blanco, Esther; Saegerman, Claude; Lamien, Charles E.; Diallo, Adama

2017-01-01

African swine fever (ASF) is a devastating disease of domestic pigs. It is a socioeconomically important disease, initially described from Kenya, but subsequently reported in most Sub-Saharan countries. ASF spread to Europe, South America and the Caribbean through multiple introductions which were initially eradicated—except for Sardinia—followed by re‑introduction into Europe in 2007. In this study of ASF within the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 62 domestic pig samples, collected between 2005–2012, were examined for viral DNA and sequencing at multiple loci: C-terminus of the B646L gene (p72 protein), central hypervariable region (CVR) of the B602L gene, and the E183L gene (p54 protein). Phylogenetic analyses identified three circulating genotypes: I (64.5% of samples), IX (32.3%), and XIV (3.2%). This is the first evidence of genotypes IX and XIV within this country. Examination of the CVR revealed high levels of intra-genotypic variation, with 19 identified variants. PMID:28218698

Process for producing a high emittance coating and resulting article

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Le, Huong G. (Inventor); O'Brien, Dudley L. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

Process for anodizing aluminum or its alloys to obtain a surface particularly having high infrared emittance by anodizing an aluminum or aluminum alloy substrate surface in an aqueous sulfuric acid solution at elevated temperature and by a step-wise current density procedure, followed by sealing the resulting anodized surface. In a preferred embodiment the aluminum or aluminum alloy substrate is first alkaline cleaned and then chemically brightened in an acid bath The resulting cleaned substrate is anodized in a 15% by weight sulfuric acid bath maintained at a temperature of 30.degree. C. Anodizing is carried out by a step-wise current density procedure at 19 amperes per square ft. (ASF) for 20 minutes, 15 ASF for 20 minutes and 10 ASF for 20 minutes. After anodizing the sample is sealed by immersion in water at 200.degree. F. and then air dried. The resulting coating has a high infrared emissivity of about 0.92 and a solar absorptivity of about 0.2, for a 5657 aluminum alloy, and a relatively thick anodic coating of about 1 mil.

Genetic Assessment of African Swine Fever Isolates Involved in Outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo between 2005 and 2012 Reveals Co-Circulation of p72 Genotypes I, IX and XIV, Including 19 Variants.

PubMed

Mulumba-Mfumu, Leopold K; Achenbach, Jenna E; Mauldin, Matthew R; Dixon, Linda K; Tshilenge, Curé Georges; Thiry, Etienne; Moreno, Noelia; Blanco, Esther; Saegerman, Claude; Lamien, Charles E; Diallo, Adama

2017-02-18

African swine fever (ASF) is a devastating disease of domestic pigs. It is a socioeconomically important disease, initially described from Kenya, but subsequently reported in most Sub-Saharan countries. ASF spread to Europe, South America and the Caribbean through multiple introductions which were initially eradicated-except for Sardinia-followed by re‑introduction into Europe in 2007. In this study of ASF within the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 62 domestic pig samples, collected between 2005-2012, were examined for viral DNA and sequencing at multiple loci: C-terminus of the B646L gene (p72 protein), central hypervariable region (CVR) of the B602L gene, and the E183L gene (p54 protein). Phylogenetic analyses identified three circulating genotypes: I (64.5% of samples), IX (32.3%), and XIV (3.2%). This is the first evidence of genotypes IX and XIV within this country. Examination of the CVR revealed high levels of intra-genotypic variation, with 19 identified variants.

Enhanced Intensity Dependence as a Marker of Low Serotonergic Neurotransmission in High Optimistic College Students

PubMed Central

Yao, Shuqiao; Xu, Yunxuan; Lu, Xuejing

2013-01-01

Positive psychology focuses were on the merits of individuals, such as optimism and positive attitude, and the subsequent cultivation of these virtues. Optimism or pessimism is a significant predictor of physical health outcomes. The present study examined whether optimism or pessimism is associated with the loudness dependence of auditory evoked potentials (LDAEP), a biological indicator of serotonergic neurotransmission, for the N1, P2, and N1/P2 peaks in college students. The amplitudes and amplitude-stimulus intensity function (ASF) slopes of the N1, P2, and N1/P2 peaks were determined in the 24 (10 males) high optimistic and 24 (14 males) high pessimistic individuals. Significantly higher P2 ASF slopes were found in the optimistic group relative to the pessimistic group. Concerning peaks and ASF slopes of N1 and N1/P2, no significant differences were observed. Our results suggest that the serotonergic neurotransmission of the high optimistic college students was inferior to that of the pessimistic ones. Further investigations are needed to provide sufficient support for our results. PMID:24383058

Delamination growth in composite materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gillespie, J. W., Jr.; Carlson, L. A.; Pipes, R. B.; Rothschilds, R.; Trethewey, B.; Smiley, A.

1985-01-01

Research related to growth of an imbedded through-width delamination (ITWD) in a compression loaded composite structural element is presented. Composites with widely different interlaminar fracture resistance were examined, viz., graphite/epoxy (CYCOM 982) and graphite/PEEK (APC-2). The initial part of the program consisted of characterizing the material in tension, compression and shear mainly to obtain consistent material properties for analysis, but also as a check of the processing method developed for the thermoplastic APC-2 material. The characterization of the delamination growth in the ITWD specimen, which for the unidirectional case is essentially a mixed Mode 1 and 2 geometry, requires verified mixed-mode growth criteria for the two materials involved. For this purpose the main emphasis during this part of the investigation was on Mode 1 and 2 fracture specimens, namely the Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) and End Notched Flexure (ENF) specimens.

Alaska Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Facility science data processing architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hilland, Jeffrey E.; Bicknell, Thomas; Miller, Carol L.

1991-01-01

The paper describes the architecture of the Alaska SAR Facility (ASF) at Fairbanks, being developed to generate science data products for supporting research in sea ice motion, ice classification, sea-ice-ocean interaction, glacier behavior, ocean waves, and hydrological and geological study areas. Special attention is given to the individual substructures of the ASF: the Receiving Ground Station (RGS), the SAR Processor System, and the Interactive Image Analysis System. The SAR data will be linked to the RGS by the ESA ERS-1 and ERS-2, the Japanese ERS-1, and the Canadian Radarsat.

Large Deformation Dynamic Bending of Composite Beams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Derian, E. J.; Hyer, M. W.

1986-01-01

Studies were conducted on the large deformation response of composite beams subjected to a dynamic axial load. The beams were loaded with a moderate eccentricity to promote bending. The study was primarily experimental but some finite element results were obtained. Both the deformation and the failure of the beams were of interest. The static response of the beams was also studied to determine potential differences between the static and dynamic failure. Twelve different laminate types were tested. The beams tested were 23 in. by 2 in. and generally 30 plies thick. The beams were loaded dynamically with a gravity-driven impactor traveling at 19.6 ft/sec and quasi-static tests were conducted on identical beams in a displacement controlled manner. For laminates of practical interest, the failure modes under static and dynamic loadings were identical. Failure in most of the laminate types occurred in a single event involving 40% to 50% of the plies. However, failure in laminates with 300 or 150 off-axis plies occurred in several events. All laminates exhibited bimodular elastic properties. The compressive flexural moduli in some laminates was measured to be 1/2 the tensile flexural modulus. No simple relationship could be found among the measured ultimate failure strains of the different laminate types. Using empirically determined flexural properties, a finite element analysis was reasonably accurate in predicting the static and dynamic deformation response.

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Reaction-Formed Joints in Reaction Bonded Silicon Carbide Ceramics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, M.

1998-01-01

A reaction-bonded silicon carbide (RB-SiC) ceramic material (Carborundum's Cerastar RB-SIC) has been joined using a reaction forming approach. Microstructure and mechanical properties of three types of reaction-formed joints (350 micron, 50-55 micron, and 20-25 micron thick) have been evaluated. Thick (approximately 350 micron) joints consist mainly of silicon with a small amount of silicon carbide. The flexural strength of thick joints is about 44 plus or minus 2 MPa, and fracture always occurs at the joints. The microscopic examination of fracture surfaces of specimens with thick joints tested at room temperature revealed the failure mode to be typically brittle. Thin joints (<50-55 micron) consist of silicon carbide and silicon phases. The room and high temperature flexural strengths of thin (<50-55 micron) reaction-formed joints have been found to be at least equal to that of the bulk Cerastar RB-SIC materials because the flexure bars fracture away from the joint regions. In this case, the fracture origins appear to be inhomogeneities inside the parent material. This was always found to be the case for thin joints tested at temperatures up to 1350C in air. This observation suggests that the strength of Cerastar RB-SIC material containing a thin joint is not limited by the joint strength but by the strength of the bulk (parent) materials.

Asymptotic theory of a slender rotating beam with end masses.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitman, A. M.; Abel, J. M.

1972-01-01

The method of matched asymptotic expansions is employed to solve the singular perturbation problem of the vibrations of a rotating beam of small flexural rigidity with concentrated end masses. The problem is complicated by the appearance of the eigenvalue in the boundary conditions. Eigenfunctions and eigenvalues are developed as power series in the perturbation parameter beta to the 1/2 power, and results are given for mode shapes and eigenvalues through terms of the order of beta.

Instability Paths in the Kirchhoff-Plateau Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giusteri, Giulio G.; Franceschini, Paolo; Fried, Eliot

2016-08-01

The Kirchhoff-Plateau problem concerns the equilibrium shapes of a system in which a flexible filament in the form of a closed loop is spanned by a soap film, with the filament being modeled as a Kirchhoff rod and the action of the spanning surface being solely due to surface tension. Adopting a variational approach, we define an energy associated with shape deformations of the system and then derive general equilibrium and (linear) stability conditions by considering the first and second variations of the energy functional. We analyze in detail the transition to instability of flat circular configurations, which are ground states for the system in the absence of surface tension, when the latter is progressively increased. Such a theoretical study is particularly useful here, since the many different perturbations that can lead to instability make it challenging to perform an exhaustive experimental investigation. We generalize previous results, since we allow the filament to possess a curved intrinsic shape and also to display anisotropic flexural properties (as happens when the cross section of the filament is noncircular). This is accomplished by using a rod energy which is familiar from the modeling of DNA filaments. We find that the presence of intrinsic curvature is necessary to obtain a first buckling mode which is not purely tangent to the spanning surface. We also elucidate the role of twisting buckling modes, which become relevant in the presence of flexural anisotropy.

Modeling interfacial fracture in Sierra.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, Arthur A.; Ohashi, Yuki; Lu, Wei-Yang

2013-09-01

This report summarizes computational efforts to model interfacial fracture using cohesive zone models in the SIERRA/SolidMechanics (SIERRA/SM) finite element code. Cohesive surface elements were used to model crack initiation and propagation along predefined paths. Mesh convergence was observed with SIERRA/SM for numerous geometries. As the funding for this project came from the Advanced Simulation and Computing Verification and Validation (ASC V&V) focus area, considerable effort was spent performing verification and validation. Code verification was performed to compare code predictions to analytical solutions for simple three-element simulations as well as a higher-fidelity simulation of a double-cantilever beam. Parameter identification was conductedmore » with Dakota using experimental results on asymmetric double-cantilever beam (ADCB) and end-notched-flexure (ENF) experiments conducted under Campaign-6 funding. Discretization convergence studies were also performed with respect to mesh size and time step and an optimization study was completed for mode II delamination using the ENF geometry. Throughout this verification process, numerous SIERRA/SM bugs were found and reported, all of which have been fixed, leading to over a 10-fold increase in convergence rates. Finally, mixed-mode flexure experiments were performed for validation. One of the unexplained issues encountered was material property variability for ostensibly the same composite material. Since the variability is not fully understood, it is difficult to accurately assess uncertainty when performing predictions.« less

Tailoring the excitation of fundamental flexural guide waves in coated bone by phase-delayed array: two-dimensional simulations.

PubMed

Kilappa, Vantte; Moilanen, Petro; Salmi, Ari; Haeggström, Edward; Zhao, Zuomin; Myllylä, Risto; Timonen, Jussi

2015-03-01

The fundamental flexural guided wave (FFGW) enables ultrasonic assessment of cortical bone thickness. In vivo, it is challenging to detect this mode, as its power ratio with respect to disturbing ultrasound is reduced by soft tissue covering the bone. A phase-delayed ultrasound source is proposed to tailor the FFGW excitation in order to improve its power ratio. This situation is analyzed by 2D finite-element simulations. The soft tissue coating (7-mm thick) was simulated as a fluid covering an elastic plate (bone, 2-6 mm thick). A six-element array of emitters on top of the coating was excited by 50-kHz tone bursts so that each emitter was appropriately delayed from the previous one. Response was recorded by an array of receivers on top of the coating, 20-50 mm away from the closest emitter. Simulations predicted that such tailored/phase-delayed excitations should improve the power ratio of FFGW by 23 ± 5 dB, independent of the number of emitters (N). On the other hand, the FFGW magnitude should increase by 5.8 ± 0.5 dB for each doubling of N. This suggests that mode tailoring based on phase-delayed excitation may play a key role in the development of an in vivo FFGW assessment.

Stiffness and ultimate load of osseointegrated prosthesis fixations in the upper and lower extremity.

PubMed

Welke, Bastian; Hurschler, Christof; Föller, Marie; Schwarze, Michael; Calliess, Tilman

2013-07-11

Techniques for the skeletal attachment of amputation-prostheses have been developed over recent decades. This type of attachment has only been performed on a small number of patients. It poses various potential advantages compared to conventional treatment with a socket, but is also associated with an increased risk of bone or implant-bone interface fracture in the case of a fall. We therefore investigated the bending stiffness and ultimate bending moment of such devices implanted in human and synthetic bones. Eight human specimens and 16 synthetic models of the proximal femora were implanted with lower extremity prostheses and eight human specimens and six synthetic humeri were implanted with upper extremity prostheses. They were dissected according to typical amputation levels and underwent loading in a material testing machine in a four-point bending setup. Bending stiffness, ultimate bending moment and fracture modes were determined in a load to failure experiment. Additionally, axial pull-out was performed on eight synthetic specimens of the lower extremity. Maximum bending moment of the synthetic femora was 160.6±27.5 Nm, the flexural rigidity of the synthetic femora was 189.0±22.6 Nm2. Maximum bending moment of the human femora was 100.4±38.5 Nm, and the flexural rigidity was 137.8±29.4 Nm2. The maximum bending moment of the six synthetic humeri was 104.9±19.0 Nm, and the flexural rigidity was 63.7±3.6 Nm2. For the human humeri the maximum bending moment was 36.7±11.0 Nm, and the flexural rigidity at was 43.7±10.5 Nm2. The maximum pull-out force for the eight synthetic femora was 3571±919 N. Significant differences were found between human and synthetic specimens of the lower and upper extremity regarding maximum bending moment, bending displacement and flexural rigidity. The results of this study are relevant with respect to previous finding regarding the load at the interfaces of osseointegrated prosthesis fixation devices and are crucial for the development of safety devices intended to protect the bone-implant interface from damaging loadings.

Stiffness and ultimate load of osseointegrated prosthesis fixations in the upper and lower extremity

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Techniques for the skeletal attachment of amputation-prostheses have been developed over recent decades. This type of attachment has only been performed on a small number of patients. It poses various potential advantages compared to conventional treatment with a socket, but is also associated with an increased risk of bone or implant-bone interface fracture in the case of a fall. We therefore investigated the bending stiffness and ultimate bending moment of such devices implanted in human and synthetic bones. Methods Eight human specimens and 16 synthetic models of the proximal femora were implanted with lower extremity prostheses and eight human specimens and six synthetic humeri were implanted with upper extremity prostheses. They were dissected according to typical amputation levels and underwent loading in a material testing machine in a four-point bending setup. Bending stiffness, ultimate bending moment and fracture modes were determined in a load to failure experiment. Additionally, axial pull-out was performed on eight synthetic specimens of the lower extremity. Results Maximum bending moment of the synthetic femora was 160.6±27.5 Nm, the flexural rigidity of the synthetic femora was 189.0±22.6 Nm2. Maximum bending moment of the human femora was 100.4±38.5 Nm, and the flexural rigidity was 137.8±29.4 Nm2. The maximum bending moment of the six synthetic humeri was 104.9±19.0 Nm, and the flexural rigidity was 63.7±3.6 Nm2. For the human humeri the maximum bending moment was 36.7±11.0 Nm, and the flexural rigidity at was 43.7±10.5 Nm2. The maximum pull-out force for the eight synthetic femora was 3571±919 N. Conclusion Significant differences were found between human and synthetic specimens of the lower and upper extremity regarding maximum bending moment, bending displacement and flexural rigidity. The results of this study are relevant with respect to previous finding regarding the load at the interfaces of osseointegrated prosthesis fixation devices and are crucial for the development of safety devices intended to protect the bone-implant interface from damaging loadings. PMID:23844992

Mechanical properties of steel/kenaf (hybrid) fibers added into concrete mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baarimah, A. O.; Syed Mohsin, S. M.

2018-04-01

This paper investigates the potential advantages of adding hybrid steel-kenaf fibers to concrete mixtures. Compression and flexural test were conducted on six concrete mixtures at 28 days to investigate the mechanical properties of the concrete. The experimental work consists of six concrete mixtures, in which the first mixture was a control mixture without adding any fiber. The following five concrete mixtures contain a total of 1% of volume fraction for steel, kenaf and a mixture of steel-kenaf (hybrid) fibers. Three ratios were considered for hybrid fibers with the ratios of 0.25/0.75, 0.5/0.5 and 0.75/0.25 for steel and kenaf fibers, respectively. From the investigation, it was observed that fibers have minimal effect on compressive strength of the concrete. However, the findings suggest promising improvement on the flexural strength of the concrete added with hybrid fiber (up to 86%) as well as manages to change the mode of failure of the beam from brittle to a more ductile manner.

Effects of metal binder on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al2O3-based micro-nanocomposite ceramic tool material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, Xiu-ying; Zhao, Jun; Sun, Jia-lin; Gong, Feng; Li, Zuo-li

2017-07-01

The Al2O3-(W,Ti)C composites with Ni and Mo additions varying from 0vol% to 12vol% were prepared via hot pressing sintering under 30 MPa. The microstructure was investigated via X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). Mechanical properties such as flexural strength, fracture toughness, and Vickers hardness were also measured. Results show that the main phases A12O3 and (W,Ti)C were detected by XRD. Compound MoNi also existed in sintered nanocomposites. The fracture modes of the nanocomposites were both intergranular and transgranular fractures. The plastic deformation of metal particles and crack bridging were the main toughening mechanisms. The maximum flexural strength and fracture toughness were obtained for 9vol% and 12vol% additions of Ni and Mo, respectively. The hardness of the composites reduced gradually with increasing content of metals Ni and Mo.

Finite Element Analysis of Flexural Vibrations in Hard Disk Drive Spindle Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LIM, SEUNGCHUL

2000-06-01

This paper is concerned with the flexural vibration analysis of the hard disk drive (HDD) spindle system by means of the finite element method. In contrast to previous research, every system component is here analytically modelled taking into account its structural flexibility and also the centrifugal effect particularly on the disk. To prove the effectiveness and accuracy of the formulated models, commercial HDD systems with two and three identical disks are selected as examples. Then their major natural modes are computed with only a small number of element meshes as the shaft rotational speed is varied, and subsequently compared with the existing numerical results obtained using other methods and newly acquired experimental ones. Based on such a series of studies, the proposed method can be concluded as a very promising tool for the design of HDDs and various other high-performance computer disk drives such as floppy disk drives, CD ROM drives, and their variations having spindle mechanisms similar to those of HDDs.

Analysis of a piezoelectric bimorph plate with a central-attached mass as an energy harvester.

PubMed

Jiang, Shunong; Hu, Yuantai

2007-07-01

This article analyzes the performance of a piezoelectric energy harvester in the flexural mode for scavenging ambient vibration energy. The energy harvester consists of a piezoelectric bimorph plate with a central-attached mass. The linear piezoelectricity theory is applied to evaluate the performance dependence upon the physical and geometrical parameters of the model bimorph plate. The analytical solution for the flexural motion of the piezoelectric bimorph plate energy harvester shows that the output power density increases initially, reaches a maximum, then decreases monotonically with the increasing load impedance, which is normalized by a parameter that is a simple combination of the physical and geometrical parameters of the scavenging structure, the bimorph plate, and the frequency of the ambient vibration, underscoring the importance for the load circuit to have the impedance desirable by the scavenging structure. The numerical results illustrate the considerably enhanced performances by adjusting the physical and geometrical parameters of the scavenging structure.

Guidelines and Parameter Selection for the Simulation of Progressive Delamination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Song, Kyongchan; Davila, Carlos G.; Rose, Cheryl A.

2008-01-01

Turon s methodology for determining optimal analysis parameters for the simulation of progressive delamination is reviewed. Recommended procedures for determining analysis parameters for efficient delamination growth predictions using the Abaqus/Standard cohesive element and relatively coarse meshes are provided for single and mixed-mode loading. The Abaqus cohesive element, COH3D8, and a user-defined cohesive element are used to develop finite element models of the double cantilever beam specimen, the end-notched flexure specimen, and the mixed-mode bending specimen to simulate progressive delamination growth in Mode I, Mode II, and mixed-mode fracture, respectively. The predicted responses are compared with their analytical solutions. The results show that for single-mode fracture, the predicted responses obtained with the Abaqus cohesive element correlate well with the analytical solutions. For mixed-mode fracture, it was found that the response predicted using COH3D8 elements depends on the damage evolution criterion that is used. The energy-based criterion overpredicts the peak loads and load-deflection response. The results predicted using a tabulated form of the BK criterion correlate well with the analytical solution and with the results predicted with the user-written element.

Effects of elastic bed on hydrodynamic forces for a submerged sphere in an ocean of finite depth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohapatra, Smrutiranjan

2017-08-01

In this paper, we consider a hydroelastic model to examine the radiation of waves by a submerged sphere for both heave and sway motions in a single-layer fluid flowing over an infinitely extended elastic bottom surface in an ocean of finite depth. The elastic bottom is modeled as a thin elastic plate and is based on the Euler-Bernoulli beam equation. The effect of the presence of surface tension at the free-surface is neglected. In such situation, there exist two modes of time-harmonic waves: the one with a lower wavenumber (surface mode) propagates along the free-surface and the other with higher wavenumber (flexural mode) propagates along the elastic bottom surface. Based on the small amplitude wave theory and by using the multipole expansion method, we find the particular solution for the problem of wave radiation by a submerged sphere of finite depth. Furthermore, this method eliminates the need to use large and cumbersome numerical packages for the solution of such problem and leads to an infinite system of linear algebraic equations which are easily solved numerically by any standard technique. The added-mass and damping coefficients for both heave and sway motions are derived and plotted for different submersion depths of the sphere and flexural rigidity of the elastic bottom surface. It is observed that, whenever the sphere nearer to the elastic bed, the added-mass move toward to a constant value of 1, which is approximately twice of the value of added-mass of a moving sphere in a single-layer fluid flowing over a rigid and flat bottom surface.

Actuating mechanism and design of a cylindrical traveling wave ultrasonic motor using cantilever type composite transducer.

PubMed

Liu, Yingxiang; Chen, Weishan; Liu, Junkao; Shi, Shengjun

2010-04-02

Ultrasonic motors (USM) are based on the concept of driving the rotor by a mechanical vibration excited on the stator via piezoelectric effect. USM exhibit merits such as simple structure, quick response, quiet operation, self-locking when power off, nonelectromagnetic radiation and higher position accuracy. A cylindrical type traveling wave ultrasonic motor using cantilever type composite transducer was proposed in this paper. There are two cantilevers on the outside surface of cylinder, four longitudinal PZT ceramics are set between the cantilevers, and four bending PZT ceramics are set on each outside surface of cantilevers. Two degenerate flexural vibration modes spatially and temporally orthogonal to each other in the cylinder are excited by the composite transducer. In this new design, a single transducer can excite a flexural traveling wave in the cylinder. Thus, elliptical motions are achieved on the teeth. The actuating mechanism of proposed motor was analyzed. The stator was designed with FEM. The two vibration modes of stator were degenerated. Transient analysis was developed to gain the vibration characteristic of stator, and results indicate the motion trajectories of nodes on the teeth are nearly ellipses. The study results verify the feasibility of the proposed design. The wave excited in the cylinder isn't an ideal traveling wave, and the vibration amplitudes are inconsistent. The distortion of traveling wave is generated by the deformation of bending vibration mode of cylinder, which is caused by the coupling effect between the cylinder and transducer. Analysis results also prove that the objective motions of nodes on the teeth are three-dimensional vibrations. But, the vibration in axial direction is minute compared with the vibrations in circumferential and radial direction. The results of this paper can guide the development of this new type of motor.

Evidence for the presence of African swine fever virus in an endemic region of Western Kenya in the absence of any reported outbreak.

PubMed

Thomas, Lian F; Bishop, Richard P; Onzere, Cynthia; Mcintosh, Michael T; Lemire, Karissa A; de Glanville, William A; Cook, E Anne J; Fèvre, Eric M

2016-09-08

African swine fever (ASF), caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV), is a severe haemorrhagic disease of pigs, outbreaks of which can have a devastating impact upon commercial and small-holder pig production. Pig production in western Kenya is characterised by low-input, free-range systems practised by poor farmers keeping between two and ten pigs. These farmers are particularly vulnerable to the catastrophic loss of livestock assets experienced in an ASF outbreak. This study wished to expand our understanding of ASFV epidemiology during a period when no outbreaks were reported. Two hundred and seventy six whole blood samples were analysed using two independent conventional and real time PCR assays to detect ASFV. Despite no recorded outbreak of clinical ASF during this time, virus was detected in 90/277 samples analysed by conventional PCR and 142/209 samples analysed by qPCR. Genotyping of a sub-set of these samples indicated that the viruses associated with the positive samples were classified within genotype IX and that these strains were therefore genetically similar to the virus associated with the 2006/2007 ASF outbreaks in Kenya. The detection of ASFV viral DNA in a relatively high number of pigs delivered for slaughter during a period with no reported outbreaks provides support for two hypotheses, which are not mutually exclusive: (1) that virus prevalence may be over-estimated by slaughter-slab sampling, relative to that prevailing in the wider pig population; (2) that sub-clinical, chronically infected or recovered pigs may be responsible for persistence of the virus in endemic areas.

Rapid Detection and Characterization of Emerging Foreign Animal Disease Pathogens

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jaing, C.

To best safeguard human and animal health requires early detection and characterization of disease events. This must include effective surveillance for emerging infectious diseases. Both deliberate and natural outbreaks have enormous economic and public health impacts, and can present serious threats to national security. In this project, we developed novel next generation detection technologies to protect the agricultural economy and biosecurity. The first technology is a multiplexed assay to simultaneously detection 10 swine viral and bacterial pathogens. The second one is the Lawrence Livermore Microbial Detection Array (LLMDA) which can detect more than 10,000 microbial species including 4219 viruses, 5367more » bacteria, 265 fungi, 117 protozoa and 293 archaea. We analyzed a series of swine clinical samples from past disease events to demonstrate the utility of the assays for faster and cheaper detection of emerging and foreign animal disease pathogens, and their utility as s routine diagnosis and surveillance tool. A second goal of the study is to better understand mechanisms of African swine fever virus (ASFV) infection in pigs to aid the development of countermeasures and diagnostics. There is no vaccine available for ASF. ASF outbreak is on the rise on several European countries. Though ASF is not currently in the U.S., a potential outbreak in the U.S. would be detrimental to the swine industry and the US agricultural economy. We pursued a genome-wide approach to characterize the pig immune responses after ASFV infection. We used RNA sequencing and bioinformatics methods to identify genes and pathways that are affected during ASF infection. We have identified a list of most differentially expressed genes that are in the immune response pathways.« less

A Review of African Swine Fever and the Potential for Introduction into the United States and the Possibility of Subsequent Establishment in Feral Swine and Native Ticks.

PubMed

Brown, Vienna R; Bevins, Sarah N

2018-01-01

African swine fever (ASF) is caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV), which can cause substantial morbidity and mortality events in swine. The virus can be transmitted via direct and indirect contacts with infected swine, their products, or competent vector species, especially Ornithodoros ticks. Africa and much of Eastern Europe are endemic for ASF; a viral introduction to countries that are currently ASF free could have severe economic consequences due to the loss of production from infected animals and the trade restrictions that would likely be imposed as a result of an outbreak. We identified vulnerabilities that could lead to ASFV introduction or persistence in the United States or other ASF-free regions. Both legal and illegal movements of live animals, as well as the importation of animal products, byproducts, and animal feed, pose a risk of virus introduction. Each route is described, and current regulations designed to prevent ASFV and other pathogens from entering the United States are outlined. Furthermore, existing ASFV research gaps are highlighted. Laboratory experiments to evaluate multiple species of Ornithodoros ticks that have yet to be characterized would be useful to understand vector competence, host preferences, and distribution of competent soft tick vectors in relation to high pig production areas as well as regions with high feral swine (wild boar or similar) densities. Knowledge relative to antigenic viral proteins that contribute to host response and determination of immune mechanisms that lead to protection are foundational in the quest for a vaccine. Finally, sampling of illegally imported and confiscated wild suid products for ASFV could shed light on the types of products being imported and provide a more informed perspective relative to the risk of ASFV importation.

Modeling the Effects of Duration and Size of the Control Zones on the Consequences of a Hypothetical African Swine Fever Epidemic in Denmark

PubMed Central

Halasa, Tariq; Bøtner, Anette; Mortensen, Sten; Christensen, Hanne; Wulff, Sisse Birk; Boklund, Anette

2018-01-01

African swine fever (ASF) is a notifiable infectious disease. The disease is endemic in certain regions in Eastern Europe constituting a risk of ASF spread toward Western Europe. Therefore, as part of contingency planning, it is important to continuously explore strategies that can effectively control an epidemic of ASF. A previously published and well documented simulation model for ASF virus spread between herds was used to examine the epidemiologic and economic impacts of the duration and size of the control zones around affected herds. In the current study, scenarios were run, where the duration of the protection and surveillance zones were reduced from 50 and 45 days to 35 and 25 days or to 35 and 25 days, respectively. These scenarios were run with or without enlargement of the surveillance zone around detected herds from 10 to 15 km. The scenarios were also run with only clinical or clinical and serological surveillance of herds within the zones. Sensitivity analysis was conducted on influential input parameters in the model. The model predicts that reducing the duration of the protection and surveillance zones has no impact on the epidemiological consequences of the epidemics, while it may result in a substantial reduction in the total economic losses. In addition, the model predicts that increasing the size of the surveillance zone from 10 to 15 km may reduce both the epidemic duration and the total economic losses, in case of large epidemics. The ranking of the control strategies by the total costs of the epidemics was not influenced by changes of input parameters in the sensitivity analyses. PMID:29616228

Livestock ownership is associated with higher odds of anaemia among preschool-aged children, but not women of reproductive age in Ghana.

PubMed

Jones, Andrew D; Colecraft, Esi K; Awuah, Raphael B; Boatemaa, Sandra; Lambrecht, Nathalie J; Adjorlolo, Leonard Kofi; Wilson, Mark L

2018-04-02

Livestock ownership may influence anaemia through complex and possibly contradictory mechanisms. In this study, we aimed to determine the association of household livestock ownership with anaemia among women aged 15-49 years and children aged 6-59 months in Ghana and to examine the contribution of animal source foods (ASFs) to consumption patterns as a potential mechanism mediating this association. We analysed data on 4,441 women and 2,735 children from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey and 16,772 households from the Ghana Living Standards Survey Round 6. Haemoglobin measurements were used to define anaemia (non-pregnant women: <120 g/L; children: <110 g/L). Child- and household-level ASF consumption data were collected from 24-hour food group intake and food consumption and expenditure surveys, respectively. In multiple logistic regression models, household livestock ownership was associated with anaemia among children (OR, 95% CI: 1.5 [1.1, 2.0]), but not women (1.0 [0.83, 1.2]). Household ownership of chickens was associated with higher odds of anaemia among children (1.6 [1.2, 2.2]), but ownership of other animal species was not associated with anaemia among women or children. In path analyses, we observed no evidence of mediation of the association of household livestock ownership with child anaemia by ASF consumption. Ownership of livestock likely has limited importance for consumption of ASFs among young children in Ghana and may in fact place children at an increased risk of anaemia. Further research is needed to elucidate if and how pathogen exposure associated with livestock rearing may underlie this increased risk of anaemia. © 2018 The Authors. Maternal and Child Nutrition Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A Review of African Swine Fever and the Potential for Introduction into the United States and the Possibility of Subsequent Establishment in Feral Swine and Native Ticks

PubMed Central

Brown, Vienna R.; Bevins, Sarah N.

2018-01-01

African swine fever (ASF) is caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV), which can cause substantial morbidity and mortality events in swine. The virus can be transmitted via direct and indirect contacts with infected swine, their products, or competent vector species, especially Ornithodoros ticks. Africa and much of Eastern Europe are endemic for ASF; a viral introduction to countries that are currently ASF free could have severe economic consequences due to the loss of production from infected animals and the trade restrictions that would likely be imposed as a result of an outbreak. We identified vulnerabilities that could lead to ASFV introduction or persistence in the United States or other ASF-free regions. Both legal and illegal movements of live animals, as well as the importation of animal products, byproducts, and animal feed, pose a risk of virus introduction. Each route is described, and current regulations designed to prevent ASFV and other pathogens from entering the United States are outlined. Furthermore, existing ASFV research gaps are highlighted. Laboratory experiments to evaluate multiple species of Ornithodoros ticks that have yet to be characterized would be useful to understand vector competence, host preferences, and distribution of competent soft tick vectors in relation to high pig production areas as well as regions with high feral swine (wild boar or similar) densities. Knowledge relative to antigenic viral proteins that contribute to host response and determination of immune mechanisms that lead to protection are foundational in the quest for a vaccine. Finally, sampling of illegally imported and confiscated wild suid products for ASFV could shed light on the types of products being imported and provide a more informed perspective relative to the risk of ASFV importation. PMID:29468165

Attitudes and Beliefs of Pig Farmers and Wild Boar Hunters Towards Reporting of African Swine Fever in Bulgaria, Germany and the Western Part of the Russian Federation.

PubMed

Vergne, T; Guinat, C; Petkova, P; Gogin, A; Kolbasov, D; Blome, S; Molia, S; Pinto Ferreira, J; Wieland, B; Nathues, H; Pfeiffer, D U

2016-04-01

This study investigated the attitudes and beliefs of pig farmers and hunters in Germany, Bulgaria and the western part of the Russian Federation towards reporting suspected cases of African swine fever (ASF). Data were collected using a web-based questionnaire survey targeting pig farmers and hunters in these three study areas. Separate multivariable logistic regression models identified key variables associated with each of the three binary outcome variables whether or not farmers would immediately report suspected cases of ASF, whether or not hunters would submit samples from hunted wild boar for diagnostic testing and whether or not hunters would report wild boar carcasses. The results showed that farmers who would not immediately report suspected cases of ASF are more likely to believe that their reputation in the local community would be adversely affected if they were to report it, that they can control the outbreak themselves without the involvement of veterinary services and that laboratory confirmation would take too long. The modelling also indicated that hunters who did not usually submit samples of their harvested wild boar for ASF diagnosis, and hunters who did not report wild boar carcasses are more likely to justify their behaviour through a lack of awareness of the possibility of reporting. These findings emphasize the need to develop more effective communication strategies targeted at pig farmers and hunters about the disease, its epidemiology, consequences and control methods, to increase the likelihood of early reporting, especially in the Russian Federation where the virus circulates. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

‘Parabolic’ trapped modes and steered Dirac cones in platonic crystals

PubMed Central

McPhedran, R. C.; Movchan, A. B.; Movchan, N. V.; Brun, M.; Smith, M. J. A.

2015-01-01

This paper discusses the properties of flexural waves governed by the biharmonic operator, and propagating in a thin plate pinned at doubly periodic sets of points. The emphases are on the design of dispersion surfaces having the Dirac cone topology, and on the related topic of trapped modes in plates for a finite set (cluster) of pinned points. The Dirac cone topologies we exhibit have at least two cones touching at a point in the reciprocal lattice, augmented by another band passing through the point. We show that these Dirac cones can be steered along symmetry lines in the Brillouin zone by varying the aspect ratio of rectangular lattices of pins, and that, as the cones are moved, the involved band surfaces tilt. We link Dirac points with a parabolic profile in their neighbourhood, and the characteristic of this parabolic profile decides the direction of propagation of the trapped mode in finite clusters. PMID:27547089

Dominant phonon polarization conversion across dimensionally mismatched interfaces: Carbon-nanotube-graphene junction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Jingjing; Lee, Jonghoon; Dong, Yalin; Roy, Ajit; Fisher, Timothy S.; Ruan, Xiulin

2018-04-01

Dimensionally mismatched interfaces are emerging for thermal management applications, but thermal transport physics remains poorly understood. Here we consider the carbon-nanotube-graphene junction, which is a dimensionally mismatched interface between one- and two-dimensional materials and is the building block for carbon-nanotube (CNT)-graphene three-dimensional networks. We predict the transmission function of individual phonon modes using the wave packet method; surprisingly, most incident phonon modes show predominantly polarization conversion behavior. For instance, longitudinal acoustic (LA) polarizations incident from CNTs transmit mainly into flexural transverse (ZA) polarizations in graphene. The frequency stays the same as the incident mode, indicating elastic transmission. Polarization conversion is more significant as the phonon wavelength increases. We attribute such unique phonon polarization conversion behavior to the dimensional mismatch across the interface, and it opens significantly new phonon transport channels as compared to existing theories where polarization conversion is neglected.

Comparing contribution of flexural and planar modes to thermodynamic properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mann, Sarita; Rani, Pooja; Jindal, V. K.

2017-05-01

Graphene, the most studied and explored 2D structure has unusual thermal properties such as negative thermal expansion, high thermal conductivity etc. We have already studied the thermal expansion behavior and various thermodynamic properties of pure graphene like heat capacity, entropy and free energy. The results of thermal expansion and various thermodynamic properties match well with available theoretical studies. For a deeper understanding of these properties, we analyzed the contribution of each phonon branch towards the total value of the individual property. To compute these properties, the dynamical matrix was calculated using VASP code where the density functional perturbation theory (DFPT) is employed under quasi-harmonic approximation in interface with phonopy code. It is noticed that transverse mode has major contribution to negative thermal expansion and all branches have almost same contribution towards the various thermodynamic properties with the contribution of ZA mode being the highest.

Fluctuation Reduction in a Si Micromechanical Resonator Tuned to Nonlinear Internal Resonance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strachan, B. Scott; Czaplewski, David; Chen, Changyao; Dykman, Mark; Lopez, Daniel; Shaw, Steven

2015-03-01

We describe experimental and theoretical results on an unusual behavior of fluctuations when the system exhibits internal resonance. We study the fundamental flexural mode (FFM) of a Si microbeam. The FFM is electrically actuated and detected. It is resonantly nonlinearly coupled to another mode, which is not directly accessible and has a frequency nearly three times the FFM frequency. Both the FFM and the passive mode have long lifetimes. We find that the passive mode can be a ``sink'' for fluctuations of the FFM. This explains the recently observed dramatic decrease of these fluctuations at nonlinear resonance. The re-distribution of the vibration amplitudes and the fluctuations is reminiscent of what happens at level anti-crossing in quantum mechanics. However, here it is different because of interplay of the dependence of the vibration frequency of the FFM on its amplitude due to internal nonlinearity and the nonlinear resonance with the passive mode. We study both the response of the system to external resonant driving and also the behavior of the system in the presence of a feedback loop. The experimental and theoretical results are in good agreement.

Piezoelectric microelectromechanical resonant sensors for chemical and biological detection.

PubMed

Pang, Wei; Zhao, Hongyuan; Kim, Eun Sok; Zhang, Hao; Yu, Hongyu; Hu, Xiaotang

2012-01-07

Piezoelectric microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonant sensors, known for their excellent mass resolution, have been studied for many applications, including DNA hybridization, protein-ligand interactions, and immunosensor development. They have also been explored for detecting antigens, organic gas, toxic ions, and explosives. Most piezoelectric MEMS resonant sensors are acoustic sensors (with specific coating layers) that enable selective and label-free detection of biological events in real time. These label-free technologies have recently garnered significant attention for their sensitive and quantitative multi-parameter analysis of biological systems. Since piezoelectric MEMS resonant sensors do more than transform analyte mass or thickness into an electrical signal (e.g., frequency and impedance), special attention must be paid to their potential beyond microweighing, such as measuring elastic and viscous properties, and several types of sensors currently under development operate at different resonant modes (i.e., thickness extensional mode, thickness shear mode, lateral extensional mode, flexural mode, etc.). In this review, we provide an overview of recent developments in micromachined resonant sensors and activities relating to biochemical interfaces for acoustic sensors.

Gyro-elastic beams for the vibration reduction of long flexural systems.

PubMed

Carta, G; Jones, I S; Movchan, N V; Movchan, A B; Nieves, M J

2017-07-01

The paper presents a model of a chiral multi-structure incorporating gyro-elastic beams. Floquet-Bloch waves in periodic chiral systems are investigated in detail, with the emphasis on localization and the formation of standing waves. It is found that gyricity leads to low-frequency standing modes and generation of stop-bands. A design of an earthquake protection system is offered here, as an interesting application of vibration isolation. Theoretical results are accompanied by numerical simulations in the time-harmonic regime.

Structural Dynamics of Maneuvering Aircraft.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-09-01

MANDYN. Written in Fortran 77, it was compiled and executed with Microsoft Fortran, Vers. 4.0 on an IBM PC-AT, with a co-processor, and a 20M hard disk...to the pivot area. Pre- sumably, the pivot area is a hard point in the wing structure. -41- NADC M1i4-0 ResulIts The final mass and flexural rigidity...lowest mode) is an important parameter. If it is less than three, the load factor approach can be problema - tical. In assessing the effect of one maneuver

A Low Power Cryogenic Shutter Mechanism for use in Infrared Images

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwinger, D. Scott; Hakun, Claef F.

2000-01-01

This paper discusses the requirements, design, operation, and testing of the shutter mechanism for the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC). The shutter moves a mirror panel into or out of the incoming light path transitioning IRAC between data acquisition and calibration modes. The mechanism features a torsion flexure suspension system, two low-power rotary actuators, a balanced shaft, and a variable reluctance position sensor. Each of these items is discussed along with problems encountered during development and the implemented solutions.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Rumeng; Wang, Lifeng, E-mail: walfe@nuaa.edu.cn

The nonlinear thermal vibration behavior of a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) is investigated by molecular dynamics simulation and a nonlinear, nonplanar beam model. Whirling motion with energy transfer between flexural motions is found in the free vibration of the SWCNT excited by the thermal motion of atoms where the geometric nonlinearity is significant. A nonlinear, nonplanar beam model considering the coupling in two vertical vibrational directions is presented to explain the whirling motion of the SWCNT. Energy in different vibrational modes is not equal even over a time scale of tens of nanoseconds, which is much larger than the periodmore » of fundamental natural vibration of the SWCNT at equilibrium state. The energy of different modes becomes equal when the time scale increases to the microsecond range.« less

AE Source Orientation by Plate Wave Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gorman, Michael R.; Prosser, William H.

1991-01-01

Lead breaks (Hsu-Neilsen source) were used to generate simulated acoustic emission signals in an aluminum plate at angles of 0, 30, 60, and 90 degrees with respect to the plane of the plate. This was accomplished by breaking the lead on slots cut into the plate at the respective angles. The out-of-plane and in-plane displacement components of the resulting signals were detected by broad band transducers and digitized. Analysis of the waveforms showed them to consist of the extensional and flexural plate modes. The amplitude of both components of the two modes was dependent on the source orientation angle. This suggests that plate wave analysis may be used to determine the source orientation of acoustic emission sources.

Experimental and numerical analysis of web stiffened cold-formed steel channel column with various types of edge stiffener

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manikandan, P.; Balaji, S.; Sukumar, S.; Sivakumar, M.

2017-06-01

This paper presents the strength and behaviour of web stiffened cold formed steel channel column with various types of edge stiffener under axial compression. An accurate finite element model is developed to simulate the tests results of the proposed section. The finite element model is verified by the test results and good correlation is achieved. The failure modes local, distortional, flexural buckling as well as the interaction between these modes is found in this study. The column strength predicted from the parametric study is compared with the nominal strength calculated by using the direct strength method for cold formed steel members. The reliability of this method is evaluated and suitable modification factor is proposed.

Data Recipes: Easy-to-Follow Instructions for Using SAR Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoner, C.; Laurencelle, J. C.; Drew, L.; Myers, A.

2016-12-01

To make synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data more user friendly, the Alaska Satellite Facility DAAC has created a growing library of online data recipes. The ASF DAAC offers SAR data from more than a dozen datasets, increasingly used by researchers for applications as varied as mapping wetlands, analyzing volcanic eruptions, measuring subsidence, following sea-ice movements, and tracking the paths of oil spills into sensitive marshes. Yet because learning how to use SAR data can seem intimidating or difficult, many researchers in relevant Earth sciences never access ASF's 25 year, 2.5 petabyte archive of day/night all-weather earth images. The data recipes help address this issue. With varied combinations of written instructions, scripts, pictures, and videos, the recipes give users step-by-step instructions for accomplishing discrete tasks. Recipe difficulty is rated and labeled from "Easier" to "More Advanced" with ski-slope type symbols. Recipe examples include creating a regional inundation map; radiometrically terrain correcting Sentinel-1A data using either a GUI or a script; viewing RTC power images in a GIS environment; and radiometrically terrain correcting ERS-1, ERS-2, JERS-1, RADARSAT-1, and ALOS PALSAR images using ASF MapReady software.

Galectin-1-asialofetuin interaction is inhibited by peptides containing the tyr-xxx-tyr motif acting on the glycoprotein.

PubMed

Wéber, Edit; Hetényi, Anasztázia; Váczi, Balázs; Szolnoki, Eva; Fajka-Boja, Roberta; Tubak, Vilmos; Monostori, Eva; Martinek, Tamás A

2010-01-25

Galectin-1 (Gal-1), a ubiquitous beta-galactoside-binding protein expressed by various normal and pathological tissues, has been implicated in cancer and autoimmune/inflammatory diseases in consequence of its regulatory role in adhesion, cell viability, proliferation, and angiogenesis. The functions of Gal-1 depend on its affinity for beta-galactoside-containing glycoconjugates; accordingly, the inhibition of sugar binding blocks its functions, hence promising potential therapeutic tools. The Tyr-Xxx-Tyr peptide motifs have been reported to be glycomimetic sequences, mainly on the basis of their inhibitory effect on the Gal-1-asialofetuin (ASF) interaction. However, the results regarding the efficacy of the Tyr-Xxx-Tyr motif as a glycomimetic inhibitor are still controversial. The present STD and trNOE NMR experiments reveal that the Tyr-Xxx-Tyr peptides studied do not bind to Gal-1, whereas their binding to ASF is clearly detected. (15)N,(1)H HSQC titrations with (15)N-labeled Gal-1 confirm the absence of any peptide-Gal-1 interaction. These data indicate that the Tyr-Xxx-Tyr peptides tested in this work are not glycomimetics as they interact with ASF via an unrevealed molecular linkage.

The role of Amicar in same-day anterior and posterior spinal fusion for idiopathic scoliosis.

PubMed

Thompson, George H; Florentino-Pineda, Ivan; Poe-Kochert, Connie; Armstrong, Douglas G; Son-Hing, Jochen P

2008-09-15

A retrospective study of the effectiveness of Amicar (epsilon aminocaproic acid). Evaluate the effectiveness of Amicar in decreasing perioperative blood loss and transfusion requirements in same-day anterior (ASF) and posterior spinal fusion (PSF) with segmental spinal instrumentation (SSI) for idiopathic scoliosis. Preliminary prospective, prospective randomized double-blind, and fibrinogen studies have demonstrated Amicar to be effective in decreasing perioperative blood loss in patients with idiopathic scoliosis undergoing PSF with SSI. Increased fibrinogen secretion is a possible explanation. There were 73 consecutive patients divided into 3 study groups based on the administration of Amicar: Group 1 (n = 16), no Amicar; Group 2 (n = 18), Amicar for the PSF with SSI only; and Group 3 (n = 39), Amicar for both ASF and PSF with SSI. All patients were managed using the same general anesthesia technique, intraoperative procedure, postoperative care path, and indications for transfusion (hemoglobin <7 g/dL). Total perioperative blood loss (estimated intraoperative blood loss for both procedures and measured postoperative chest tube and PSF wound suction drainage) and total transfusion requirements between groups were compared using one-way ANOVA. There were statistically significant decreases in mean estimated intraoperative PSF with SSI, total perioperative blood loss, and transfusion requirements in the 2 Amicar groups. However, Amicar had no significant effect on estimated intraoperative ASF blood loss, chest tube drainage, or PSF wound suction drainage. Total perioperative blood loss and transfusion requirements (cell saver, autologous, directed, and allogeneic blood) were: 3442.8 +/- 1344.0 mL and 1537.1 +/- 905.1 mL in Group 1; 2089.8 +/- 684.0 mL and 485.2 +/- 349.8 mL in Group 2; and 2184.1 +/- 1163.7 mL and 531.5 +/- 510.5 mL in Group 3. There were no Amicar related complications. Amicar was highly effective in decreasing total perioperative blood loss and transfusion requirements in same-day ASF and PSF with SSI for idiopathic scoliosis. It results in less preoperative autologous blood donation, perioperative blood transfusion, costs, and potential transfusion-related complications. It was most effective in decreasing intraoperative estimated PSF with SSI blood loss. It had no significant effect during the ASF, postoperative chest tube, or PSF wound suction drainage. We now recommend that it be used for the PSF with SSI procedure only.

Design of an adjustable bipod flexure for a large-aperture mirror of a space camera.

PubMed

Liu, Bei; Wang, Wei; Qu, Yan-Jun; Li, Xu-Peng; Wang, Xiao; Zhao, Hui

2018-05-20

An adjustable bipod flexure (ABF) technique for a large-aperture mirror of a space camera is presented. The proposed flexure mount can decrease the surface distortions caused by the machining error and the assembly error of the mirror assembly (MA) in a horizontal optical testing layout. Through the analysis of the compliance matrix of conventional bipod flexure, the positional relationship between the rotation center and the apex of the flexure is investigated. Then, the principle of the adjustable flexure, known as the trapezoidal switching principle, is proposed based on the analysis result. The structure and application of the flexure are also described. The optical performance of the mirror mounted by the adjustable flexures in different misalignments was performed using finite element methods. The result shows that the astigmatic aberration due to gravity is effectively reduced by adjusting the mount, and the root-mean-square value of the mirror can be minimized with the misalignment between the flexure pivot and the neutral plane minimized. New monolithic bipod flexures, based on the optimal regulating variable Δ u according to the measurement results, are manufactured to replace the ABFs to secure the mirror's safety against launch loads. Modal analysis verified the mechanical safety of the MA with respect to the new monolithic flexures.

Effect of drought stress on bending stiffness in petioles of Caladium bicolor (Araceae).

PubMed

Caliaro, Marco; Schmich, Florian; Speck, Thomas; Speck, Olga

2013-11-01

Cell turgor plays an important role in the mechanical stability of herbaceous plants. This study on petioles of Caladium bicolor 'Candyland' analyzes the correlation between flexural rigidity and cell turgor. The results offer new insights into the underlying form-structure-function relationship and the dependency of mechanical properties from water availability. Bending modulus E of petioles is calculated from two-point bending tests, taking into account the tapering mode. The corresponding turgor of parenchyma cells during wilting is investigated by pressure probe tests. Wilting petioles show highly significant lower values of E than petioles with sufficient water supply. These differences are also found when comparing well-watered petioles to drought-stressed petioles having parenchyma turgor values in the same range. These results indicate an additional mechanical system sensitive to drought stress. On the basis of analyses of the contribution of different petiolar tissues toward the axial second moment of area and by using experimentally determined and literature values of E for the different tissues, we were able to (1) recalculate E of the intact petiole and to compare it with experimental data and (2) quantitatively estimate the importance of the different tissues for flexural rigidity and E of the petiole. Our results show that the decrease in flexural rigidity of petioles of Caladium bicolor 'Candyland' during wilting results from (1) a water-loss-induced decrease in mechanical efficiency of collenchyma fibers and (2) turgor loss of parenchyma cells.

Sweeping shunted electro-magnetic tuneable vibration absorber: Design and implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turco, E.; Gardonio, P.

2017-10-01

This paper presents a study on the design and implementation of a time-varying shunted electro-magnetic Tuneable Vibration Absorber for broad-band vibration control of thin structures. A time-varying RL-shunt is used to harmonically vary the stiffness and damping properties of the Tuneable Vibration Absorber so that its mechanical fundamental natural frequency is continuously swept in a given broad frequency band whereas its mechanical damping is continuously adapted to maximize the vibration absorption from the hosting structure where it is mounted. The paper first recalls the tuning and positioning criteria for the case where a classical Tuneable Vibration Absorber is installed on a thin walled cylindrical structure to reduce the response of a resonating flexural mode. It then discusses the design of the time-varying shunt circuit to produce the desired stiffness and damping variations in the electro-magnetic Tuneable Vibration Absorber. Finally, it presents a numerical study on the flexural vibration and interior sound control effects produced when an array of these shunted electro-magnetic Tuneable Vibration Absorbers are mounted on a thin walled cylinder subject to a rain-on-the-roof stochastic excitation. The study shows that the array of proposed systems effectively controls the cylinder flexural response and interior noise over a broad frequency band without need of tuning and thus system identification of the structure. Therefore, the systems can be successfully used also on structures whose physical properties vary in time because of temperature changes or tensioning effects for example.

Fabrication of mandible fracture plate by indirect additive manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aizat, M.; Khan, S. F.

2017-10-01

Bone fracture is a serious skeletal injury due to accidents and fragility of the bones at a certain age. In order to accelerate fracture healing process, fracture bone plate is use to hold the fracture segment for more stability. The purpose of this study is to fabricate mandibular fracture plate by using indirect additive manufacturing methods in order to reduce time taken during bending and shaping the fracture fixation plate that conform to the anatomy of the fractured bone site. The design and analysis of the plates are performed using CATIA and ANSYS software. The 3D-CAD data were sent to an additive manufacturing machine (fused filament fabricated) to generate master pattern using PLA and the mould were fabricated using Plaster of Paris. A melt ZAMAK 3 was poured directly into the moulds, and left it until completely harden. 3point bending test was performed on the prototype plate using universal testing machine. Stress-strain curve shows the graph exhibited a linear relationship of stress-strain up to a strain value of 0.001. Specimens give a maximum yielding stress and then break before the conventional deflection. Since the maximum flexural stress and the breaking stress are far apart with a plateau stating at strain value of 0.003mm/mm in most specimens, the specimen’s failure types are considered plastic failure mode. The average thickness and width are 1.65mm and 2.18mm respectively. The flexural modulus and flexural strength are 189.5GPa and 518.1MPa, respectively.

Mechanical properties and superficial characterization of a milled CAD-CAM glass fiber post.

PubMed

Ruschel, George Hebert; Gomes, Érica Alves; Silva-Sousa, Yara Terezinha; Pinelli, Rafaela Giedra Pirondi; Sousa-Neto, Manoel Damião; Pereira, Gabriel Kalil Rocha; Spazzin, Aloísio Oro

2018-06-01

Computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) technology may be used to produce custom intraradicular posts, but studies are lacking. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the flexural properties (strength and modulus), failure mode, superficial morphology, and roughness of two CAD-CAM glass fiber posts (milled at different angulations) compared with a commercially available prefabricated glass fiber post. Three groups were tested (n = 10): PF (control group)- prefabricated glass fiber post; C-Cd-diagonally milled post; and C-Cv-vertically milled post. A 3-dimensional virtual image was obtained from a prefabricated post, which guided the posterior milling of posts from a glass fiber disk (Trilor Blanks; Bioloren). Surface roughness and morphology were evaluated using confocal laser microscopy. Flexural strength and modulus were evaluated with the 3-point bend test. Data were submitted to one-way analysis of variance followed by the Student-Newman-Keuls post hoc test (α = 0.05). The fractured surfaces were evaluated with scanning electron microscopy. The superficial roughness was highest for PF and similar for the experimental groups. Morphological analysis shows different sizes and directions of the glass fibers along the post. The flexural strength was highest for PF (900.1 ± 30.4 > C-Cd - 357.2 ± 30.7 > C-Cv 101.8 ± 4.3 MPa) as was the flexural modulus (PF 19.3 ± 2.0 GPa > C-Cv 10.1 ± 1.9 GPa > C-Cd 7.8 ± 1.3 GPa). A CAD-CAM milled post seems a promising development, but processing requires optimizing, as the prefabricated post still shows better mechanical properties and superficial characteristics. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lattice thermal conductivity of borophene from first principle calculation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Huaping; Cao, Wei; Ouyang, Tao; Guo, Sumei; He, Chaoyu; Zhong, Jianxin

2017-04-01

The phonon transport property is a foundation of understanding a material and predicting the potential application in mirco/nano devices. In this paper, the thermal transport property of borophene is investigated by combining first-principle calculations and phonon Boltzmann transport equation. At room temperature, the lattice thermal conductivity of borophene is found to be about 14.34 W/mK (error is about 3%), which is much smaller than that of graphene (about 3500 W/mK). The contributions from different phonon modes are qualified, and some phonon modes with high frequency abnormally play critical role on the thermal transport of borophene. This is quite different from the traditional understanding that thermal transport is usually largely contributed by the low frequency acoustic phonon modes for most of suspended 2D materials. Detailed analysis further reveals that the scattering between the out-of-plane flexural acoustic mode (FA) and other modes likes FA + FA/TA/LA/OP ↔ TA/LA/OP is the predominant phonon process channel. Finally the vibrational characteristic of some typical phonon modes and mean free path distribution of different phonon modes are also presented in this work. Our results shed light on the fundamental phonon transport properties of borophene, and foreshow the potential application for thermal management community.

The relationship between compressive strength and flexural strength of pavement geopolymer grouting material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, L.; Han, X. X.; Ge, J.; Wang, C. H.

2018-01-01

To determine the relationship between compressive strength and flexural strength of pavement geopolymer grouting material, 20 groups of geopolymer grouting materials were prepared, the compressive strength and flexural strength were determined by mechanical properties test. On the basis of excluding the abnormal values through boxplot, the results show that, the compressive strength test results were normal, but there were two mild outliers in 7days flexural strength test. The compressive strength and flexural strength were linearly fitted by SPSS, six regression models were obtained by linear fitting of compressive strength and flexural strength. The linear relationship between compressive strength and flexural strength can be better expressed by the cubic curve model, and the correlation coefficient was 0.842.

[The present epidemiological status of African swine fever].

PubMed

Hess, G

1986-01-01

At present, African swine fever (ASF) persists as an enzootic infection both on the African continent and in Europe (Portugal, Spain, and Sardinia). The recent outbreaks of ASF in Belgium and in the Netherlands have again demonstrated the threat of this disease to the swine population in Germany. The main reasons for this threat are the great tenacity of this virus and its stability in meat and meat products together with an immense tourism into these enzootic areas. Epizootiological peculiarities, such as virus replication in ticks and inapparent infections in wild boars are the reason why eradication of the disease has failed so far, especially when pigs are allowed to roam the countryside.

Computer aided design of Langasite resonant cantilevers: analytical models and simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tellier, C. R.; Leblois, T. G.; Durand, S.

2010-05-01

Analytical models for the piezoelectric excitation and for the wet micromachining of resonant cantilevers are proposed. Firstly, computations of metrological performances of micro-resonators allow us to select special cuts and special alignment of the cantilevers. Secondly the self-elaborated simulator TENSOSIM based on the kinematic and tensorial model furnishes etching shapes of cantilevers. As the result the number of selected cuts is reduced. Finally the simulator COMSOL® is used to evaluate the influence of final etching shape on metrological performances and especially on the resonance frequency. Changes in frequency are evaluated and deviating behaviours of structures with less favourable built-ins are tested showing that the X cut is the best cut for LGS resonant cantilevers vibrating in flexural modes (type 1 and type 2) or in torsion mode.

Gene expression analysis of whole blood RNA from pigs infected with low and high pathogenic African swine fever viruses

DOE PAGES

Jaing, Crystal; Rowland, Raymond R. R.; Allen, Jonathan E.; ...

2017-08-31

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a macrophage-tropic virus responsible for ASF, a transboundary disease that threatens swine production world-wide. Since there are no vaccines available to control ASF after an outbreak, obtaining an understanding of the virus-host interaction is important for developing new intervention strategies. In this study, a whole transcriptomic RNA-Seq method was used to characterize differentially expressed genes in pigs infected with a low pathogenic ASFV isolate, OUR T88/3 (OURT), or the highly pathogenic Georgia 2007/1 (GRG). After infection, pigs infected with OURT showed no or few clinical signs; whereas, GRG produced clinical signs consistent with acutemore » ASF. RNA-Seq detected the expression of ASFV genes from the whole blood of the GRG, but not the OURT pigs, consistent with the pathotypes of these strains and the replication of GRG in circulating monocytes. Even though GRG and OURT possess different pathogenic properties, there was significant overlap in the most upregulated host genes. A small number of differentially expressed microRNAs were also detected in GRG and OURT pigs. These data confirm previous studies describing the response of macrophages and lymphocytes to ASFV infection, as well as reveal unique gene pathways upregulated in response to infection with GRG.« less

Anal sphincter fibrillation: is this a new finding that identifies resistant chronic anal fissures that respond to botulinum toxin?

PubMed

Moon, A; Chitsabesan, P; Plusa, S

2013-08-01

Anal fissures can be resistant to treatment and some patients may undergo several trials of medical therapy before definitive surgery. It would be useful to identify predictors of poor response to medical therapy. This study assesses the role of anorectal physiological criteria to identify patients with anal fissure predicted to fail botulinum toxin (BT) treatment. A retrospective analysis of anorectal physiological data collected for patients with resistant chronic anal fissures, referred to one consultant surgeon between 2007 and 2011, was undertaken. These were correlated with treatment plans and healing rates. Twenty-five patients with idiopathic chronic anal fissures underwent anorectal physiology studies and were subsequently treated with BT injection. Eleven had a characteristic high-frequency low-amplitude 'saw tooth' waveform or anal sphincter fibrillation (ASF) and higher anal sphincter pressures. Nine (82%) of these patients had resolution of their anal fissure symptoms following treatment with BT. Of 14 patients with no evidence of ASF and a greater range of anal sphincter pressures, only one (7%) had resolution following BT. ASF appears to be an anorectal physiological criterion that helps predict response of anal fissures to BT injection. This could help streamline fissure management. © 2013 The Authors. Colorectal Disease © 2013 The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.

Identification of a New Genotype of African Swine Fever Virus in Domestic Pigs from Ethiopia.

PubMed

Achenbach, J E; Gallardo, C; Nieto-Pelegrín, E; Rivera-Arroyo, B; Degefa-Negi, T; Arias, M; Jenberie, S; Mulisa, D D; Gizaw, D; Gelaye, E; Chibssa, T R; Belaye, A; Loitsch, A; Forsa, M; Yami, M; Diallo, A; Soler, A; Lamien, C E; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J M

2017-10-01

African swine fever (ASF) is an important emerging transboundary animal disease (TAD), which currently has an impact on many countries in Africa, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Russian Federation. The current situation in Europe shows the ability of the virus to rapidly spread, which stands to threaten the global swine industry. At present, there is no viable vaccine to minimize spread of the disease and stamping out is the main source of control. In February 2011, Ethiopia had reported its first suspected outbreaks of ASF. Genomic analyses of the collected ASF virus (ASFV) strains were undertaken using 23 tissue samples collected from domestic swine in Ethiopia from 2011 to 2014. The analysis of Ethiopian ASFVs partial p72 gene sequence showed the identification of a new genotype, genotype XXIII, that shares a common ancestor with genotypes IX and X, which comprise isolates circulating in Eastern African countries and the Republic of Congo. Analysis of the p54 gene also followed the p72 pattern and the deduced amino acid sequence of the central variable region (CVR) of the B602L gene showed novel tetramer repeats not previously characterized. © 2016 The Authors. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases Published by Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Gene expression analysis of whole blood RNA from pigs infected with low and high pathogenic African swine fever viruses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jaing, Crystal; Rowland, Raymond R. R.; Allen, Jonathan E.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a macrophage-tropic virus responsible for ASF, a transboundary disease that threatens swine production world-wide. Since there are no vaccines available to control ASF after an outbreak, obtaining an understanding of the virus-host interaction is important for developing new intervention strategies. In this study, a whole transcriptomic RNA-Seq method was used to characterize differentially expressed genes in pigs infected with a low pathogenic ASFV isolate, OUR T88/3 (OURT), or the highly pathogenic Georgia 2007/1 (GRG). After infection, pigs infected with OURT showed no or few clinical signs; whereas, GRG produced clinical signs consistent with acutemore » ASF. RNA-Seq detected the expression of ASFV genes from the whole blood of the GRG, but not the OURT pigs, consistent with the pathotypes of these strains and the replication of GRG in circulating monocytes. Even though GRG and OURT possess different pathogenic properties, there was significant overlap in the most upregulated host genes. A small number of differentially expressed microRNAs were also detected in GRG and OURT pigs. These data confirm previous studies describing the response of macrophages and lymphocytes to ASFV infection, as well as reveal unique gene pathways upregulated in response to infection with GRG.« less

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF TOTALLY PERMEABLE TITANIUM COMPOSITE PYLON FOR DIRECT SKELETAL ATTACHMENT

PubMed Central

Pitkin, M.; Pilling, J.; Raykhtsaum, G.

2012-01-01

Composite pylons containing a solid titanium core with drilled holes surrounded by a porous sintered titanium shell have been fabricated and tested in bending along with the raw cores and pylons composed of the porous titanium alone. The new pylons were designed with the concept of enhanced ingrowth of bone and skin cells and are intended for direct skeletal attachment of limb prostheses considering requirements for long-lasting anchorage to the residuum bone and a need for a safe skin-implant seal. Load-displacement thresholds were determined after which the integrity of the porous component may be compromised. The composite pylons have a flexural strength and stiffness substantially greater than that of pylons composed of the porous titanium alone. The drilled holes in the solid insert have been shown to have virtually no effect on the flexural strength of the pylon, while meeting a requirement for total permeability of the device for unrestricted cell ingrowth. The predicted strength of the pylons and associated failure modes are in close agreement with those measured. PMID:22287509

Concrete Open-Wall Systems Wrapped with FRP under Torsional Loads

PubMed Central

Mancusi, Geminiano; Feo, Luciano; Berardi, Valentino P.

2012-01-01

The static behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) beams plated with layers of fiber-reinforced composite material (FRP) is widely investigated in current literature, which deals with both its numerical modeling as well as experiments. Scientific interest in this topic is explained by the increasing widespread use of composite materials in retrofitting techniques, as well as the consolidation and upgrading of existing reinforced concrete elements to new service conditions. The effectiveness of these techniques is typically influenced by the debonding of the FRP at the interface with concrete, where the transfer of stresses occurs from one element (RC member) to the other (FRP strengthening). In fact, the activation of the well-known premature failure modes can be regarded as a consequence of high peak values of the interfacial interactions. Until now, typical applications of FRP structural plating have included cases of flexural or shear-flexural strengthening. Within this context, the present study aims at extending the investigation to the case of wall-systems with open cross-section under torsional loads. It includes the results of some numerical analyses carried out by means of a finite element approximation.

High frequency, multi-axis dynamic stiffness analysis of a fractionally damped elastomeric isolator using continuous system theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fredette, Luke; Singh, Rajendra

2017-02-01

A spectral element approach is proposed to determine the multi-axis dynamic stiffness terms of elastomeric isolators with fractional damping over a broad range of frequencies. The dynamic properties of a class of cylindrical isolators are modeled by using the continuous system theory in terms of homogeneous rods or Timoshenko beams. The transfer matrix type dynamic stiffness expressions are developed from exact harmonic solutions given translational or rotational displacement excitations. Broadband dynamic stiffness magnitudes (say up to 5 kHz) are computationally verified for axial, torsional, shear, flexural, and coupled stiffness terms using a finite element model. Some discrepancies are found between finite element and spectral element models for the axial and flexural motions, illustrating certain limitations of each method. Experimental validation is provided for an isolator with two cylindrical elements (that work primarily in the shear mode) using dynamic measurements, as reported in the prior literature, up to 600 Hz. Superiority of the fractional damping formulation over structural or viscous damping models is illustrated via experimental validation. Finally, the strengths and limitations of the spectral element approach are briefly discussed.

Mechanical behavior of carbon-carbon composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rozak, G. A.

1984-01-01

A general background, test plan, and some results of preliminary examinations of a carbon-carbon composite material are presented with emphasis on mechanical testing and inspection techniques. Experience with testing and evaluation was gained through tests of a low modulus carbon-carbon material, K-Karb C. The properties examined are the density - 1.55 g/cc; four point flexure strength in the warp - 137 MPa (19,800 psi) and the fill - 95.1 MPa (13,800 psi,) directions; and the warp interlaminar shear strength - 14.5 MPa (2100 psi). Radiographic evaluation revealed thickness variations and the thinner areas of the composite were scrapped. The ultrasonic C-scan showed attenuation variations, but these did not correspond to any of the physical and mechanical properties measured. Based on these initial tests and a survey of the literature, a plan has been devised to examine the effect of stress on the oxidation behavior, and the strength degradation of coated carbon-carbon composites. This plan will focus on static fatigue tests in the four point flexure mode in an elevated temperature, oxidizing environment.

Ultrafast Three-Dimensional X-ray Imaging of Deformation Modes in ZnO Nanocrystals.

PubMed

Cherukara, Mathew J; Sasikumar, Kiran; Cha, Wonsuk; Narayanan, Badri; Leake, Steven J; Dufresne, Eric M; Peterka, Tom; McNulty, Ian; Wen, Haidan; Sankaranarayanan, Subramanian K R S; Harder, Ross J

2017-02-08

Imaging the dynamical response of materials following ultrafast excitation can reveal energy transduction mechanisms and their dissipation pathways, as well as material stability under conditions far from equilibrium. Such dynamical behavior is challenging to characterize, especially operando at nanoscopic spatiotemporal scales. In this letter, we use X-ray coherent diffractive imaging to show that ultrafast laser excitation of a ZnO nanocrystal induces a rich set of deformation dynamics including characteristic "hard" or inhomogeneous and "soft" or homogeneous modes at different time scales, corresponding respectively to the propagation of acoustic phonons and resonant oscillation of the crystal. By integrating the 3D nanocrystal structure obtained from the ultrafast X-ray measurements with a continuum thermo-electro-mechanical finite element model, we elucidate the deformation mechanisms following laser excitation, in particular, a torsional mode that generates a 50% greater electric potential gradient than that resulting from the flexural mode. Understanding of the time-dependence of these mechanisms on ultrafast scales has significant implications for development of new materials for nanoscale power generation.

Ultrafast Three-Dimensional X-ray Imaging of Deformation Modes in ZnO Nanocrystals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cherukara, Mathew J.; Sasikumar, Kiran; Cha, Wonsuk

Imaging the dynamical response of materials following ultrafast excitation can reveal energy transduction mechanisms and their dissipation pathways, as well as material stability under conditions far from equilibrium. Such dynamical behaviour is challenging to characterize, especially operando at nanoscopic spatiotemporal scales. In this letter, we use x-ray coherent diffractive imaging to show that ultrafast laser excitation of a ZnO nanocrystal induces a rich set of deformation dynamics including characteristic ‘hard’ or inhomogeneous and ‘soft’ or homogeneous modes at different time scales, corresponding respectively to the propagation of acoustic phonons and resonant oscillation of the crystal. By integrating the 3D nanocrystalmore » structure obtained from the ultrafast x-ray measurements with a continuum thermo-electro-mechanical finite element model, we elucidate the deformation mechanisms following laser excitation, in particular, a torsional mode that generates a 50% greater electric potential gradient than that resulting from the flexural mode. Furthermore, understanding of the time-dependence of these mechanisms on ultrafast scales has significant implications for development of new materials for nanoscale power generation.« less

Ultrafast Three-Dimensional X-ray Imaging of Deformation Modes in ZnO Nanocrystals

DOE PAGES

Cherukara, Mathew J.; Sasikumar, Kiran; Cha, Wonsuk; ...

2016-12-27

Imaging the dynamical response of materials following ultrafast excitation can reveal energy transduction mechanisms and their dissipation pathways, as well as material stability under conditions far from equilibrium. Such dynamical behaviour is challenging to characterize, especially operando at nanoscopic spatiotemporal scales. In this letter, we use x-ray coherent diffractive imaging to show that ultrafast laser excitation of a ZnO nanocrystal induces a rich set of deformation dynamics including characteristic ‘hard’ or inhomogeneous and ‘soft’ or homogeneous modes at different time scales, corresponding respectively to the propagation of acoustic phonons and resonant oscillation of the crystal. By integrating the 3D nanocrystalmore » structure obtained from the ultrafast x-ray measurements with a continuum thermo-electro-mechanical finite element model, we elucidate the deformation mechanisms following laser excitation, in particular, a torsional mode that generates a 50% greater electric potential gradient than that resulting from the flexural mode. Furthermore, understanding of the time-dependence of these mechanisms on ultrafast scales has significant implications for development of new materials for nanoscale power generation.« less

Comparison of Flexural Strength of Different CAD/CAM PMMA-Based Polymers.

PubMed

Alp, Gülce; Murat, Sema; Yilmaz, Burak

2018-01-28

To compare the flexural strength of different computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) poly(methyl methacrylate)-based (PMMA) polymers and conventional interim resin materials after thermocycling. Rectangular-shaped specimens (n = 15, for each material) (25 × 2 × 2 mm 3 ) were fabricated from 3 CAD/CAM PMMA-based polymers (Telio CAD [T]; M-PM-Disc [M]; Polident-PMMA [P]), 1 bis-acrylate composite resin (Protemp 4 [PT]), and 1 conventional PMMA (ArtConcept Artegral Dentine [C]) according to ISO 10477:2004 Standards (Dentistry-Polymer-Based Crown and Bridge Materials). The specimens were subjected to 10,000 thermocycles (5 to 55°C). Three-point flexural strength of the specimens was tested in a universal testing machine at a 1.0 mm/min crosshead speed, and the flexural strength data (σ) were calculated (MPa). The flexural strength values were statistically analyzed using 1-way ANOVA, and Tukey HSD post-hoc test for multiple comparisons (α = 0.05). Flexural strength values ranged between 66.1 ± 13.1 and 131.9 ± 19.8 MPa. There were significant differences among the flexural strengths of tested materials, except for between T and P CAD/CAM PMMA-based polymers (p > 0.05). CAD/CAM PMMA-based polymer M had the highest flexural strength and conventional PMMA had the lowest (p < 0.05). CAD/CAM PMMA-based T and P polymers had significantly higher flexural strength than the bis-acrylate composite resin (p < 0.05), and conventional PMMA (p < 0.0001), and significantly lower flexural strength compared to CAD/CAM PMMA-based M (p < 0.05). The flexural strength of CAD/CAM PMMA-based polymers was greater than the flexural strength of bis-acrylate composite resin, which had a greater flexural strength compared to conventional PMMA resin. © 2018 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Effect of electrospun nanofibers on flexural properties of fiberglass composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Fatima T.

In the present study, sintered electrospun TEOS nanofibers were interleaved in S2 fiberglass woven fabric layers, and composite panels were fabricated using the heated vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (H-VARTM) process. Cured panels were water jet cut to obtain the flexural test coupons. Flexural coupons were then tested using ASTM D7264 standard. The mechanical properties such as flexural strength, ultimate flexural failure strains, flexural modulus, and fiber volume fraction were measured. The S-2 fiberglass composite with the sintered TEOS electrospun nanofibers displayed lower flexural stiffness and strength as compared to the composites that were fabricated using S-2 fiberglass composite without the TEOS electrospun nanofibers. The present study also indicated that the composites fabricated with sintered TEOS electrospun nanofibers have larger failure strains as compared to the ones that were fabricated without the presence of electrospun nanofibers. The study indicates that the nanoengineered composites have better energy absorbing mechanism under flexural loading as compared to conventional fiberglass composites without presence of nanofibers.

Stress analysis of the space telescope focal plane structure joint

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foster, W. A., Jr.; Shoemaker, W. L.

1985-01-01

Two major efforts were begun concerning the Space Telescope focal plane structure joint. The 3-D solid finite element modeling of the bipod flexure plate was carried out. Conceptual models were developed for the load transfer through the three major bolts to the flexure plate. The flexure plate drawings were reconstructed using DADAM for the purpose of developing a file from which the coordinates of any point on the flexure plate could be determined and also to locate the attachment points of the various components which connect with the flexure plate. For modeling convenience the CADAM drawing of the flexure plate has been divided into several regions which will be subdivided into finite elements using MSGMESH, which is a finite element mesh generator available with MSC/NASTRAN. In addition to the CADAM work on the flexure plate, an effort was also begun to develop computer aided drawings of the peripheral beam which will be used to assist in modeling the connection between it and the flexure plate.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Scaduto, DA; Hu, Y-H; Zhao, W

Purpose: Spatial resolution in digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) is affected by inherent/binned detector resolution, oblique entry of x-rays, and focal spot size/motion; the limited angular range further limits spatial resolution in the depth-direction. While DBT is being widely adopted clinically, imaging performance metrics and quality control protocols have not been standardized. AAPM Task Group 245 on Tomosynthesis Quality Control has been formed to address this deficiency. Methods: Methods of measuring spatial resolution are evaluated using two prototype quality control phantoms for DBT. Spatial resolution in the detector plane is measured in projection and reconstruction domains using edge-spread function (ESF), point-spreadmore » function (PSF) and modulation transfer function (MTF). Spatial resolution in the depth-direction and effective slice thickness are measured in the reconstruction domain using slice sensitivity profile (SSP) and artifact spread function (ASF). An oversampled PSF in the depth-direction is measured using a 50 µm angulated tungsten wire, from which the MTF is computed. Object-dependent PSF is derived and compared with ASF. Sensitivity of these measurements to phantom positioning, imaging conditions and reconstruction algorithms is evaluated. Results are compared from systems of varying acquisition geometry (9–25 projections over 15–60°). Dependence of measurements on feature size is investigated. Results: Measurements of spatial resolution using PSF and LSF are shown to depend on feature size; depth-direction spatial resolution measurements are shown to similarly depend on feature size for ASF, though deconvolution with an object function removes feature size-dependence. A slanted wire may be used to measure oversampled PSFs, from which MTFs may be computed for both in-plane and depth-direction resolution. Conclusion: Spatial resolution measured using PSF is object-independent with sufficiently small object; MTF is object-independent. Depth-direction spatial resolution may be measured directly using MTF or indirectly using ASF or SSP as surrogate measurements. While MTF is object-independent, it is invalid for nonlinear reconstructions.« less

African swine fever virus transmission cycles in Central Europe: Evaluation of wild boar-soft tick contacts through detection of antibodies against Ornithodoros erraticus saliva antigen.

PubMed

Pietschmann, Jana; Mur, Lina; Blome, Sandra; Beer, Martin; Pérez-Sánchez, Ricardo; Oleaga, Ana; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, José Manuel

2016-01-04

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most complex viral diseases affecting both domestic and wild pigs. It is caused by ASF virus (ASFV), the only DNA virus which can be efficiently transmitted by an arthropod vector, soft ticks of the genus Ornithodoros. These ticks can be part of ASFV-transmission cycles, and in Europe, O. erraticus was shown to be responsible for long-term maintenance of ASFV in Spain and Portugal. In 2014, the disease has been reintroduced into the European Union, affecting domestic pigs and, importantly, also the Eurasian wild boar population. In a first attempt to assess the risk of a tick-wild boar transmission cycle in Central Europe that would further complicate eradication of the disease, over 700 pre-existing serum samples from wild boar hunted in four representative German Federal States were investigated for the presence of antibodies directed against salivary antigen of Ornithodoros erraticus ticks using an indirect ELISA format. Out of these samples, 16 reacted with moderate to high optical densities that could be indicative of tick bites in sampled wild boar. However, these samples did not show a spatial clustering (they were collected from distant geographical regions) and were of bad quality (hemolysis/impurities). Furthermore, all positive samples came from areas with suboptimal climate for soft ticks. For this reason, false positive reactions are likely. In conclusion, the study did not provide stringent evidence for soft tick-wild boar contact in the investigated German Federal States and thus, a relevant involvement in the epidemiology of ASF in German wild boar is unlikely. This fact would facilitate the eradication of ASF in the area, although other complex relations (wild boar biology and interactions with domestic pigs) need to be considered.

Detection of African swine fever virus in the tissues of asymptomatic pigs in smallholder farming systems along the Kenya-Uganda border: implications for transmission in endemic areas and ASF surveillance in East Africa.

PubMed

Abworo, Edward Okoth; Onzere, Cynthia; Oluoch Amimo, Joshua; Riitho, Victor; Mwangi, Waithaka; Davies, Jocelyn; Blome, Sandra; Peter Bishop, Richard

2017-07-01

The persistence of African swine fever virus (ASFV) in endemic areas, with small-scale but regular outbreaks in domestic pigs, is not well understood. ASFV has not been detected using conventional diagnosis in these pigs or adjacent populations of resistant African wild pigs, that could act as potential carriers during the outbreaks. However, such data are crucial for the design of evidence-based control strategies. We conducted cross-sectional (1107 pigs) and longitudinal (100 pigs) monitoring of ASFV prevalence in local pigs in Kenya and Uganda. The horizontal survey revealed no evidence of ASFV in the serum or blood using either conventional or real-time PCR. One pig consistently tested positive using ELISA, but negative using PCR assays on blood. Interestingly, the isotype of the antibodies from this animal were strongly IgA biased relative to control domestic pigs and warthogs, suggesting a role for mucosal immunity. The tissues from this pig were positive by PCR following post-mortem. Internal organ tissues of 44 healthy pigs (28 sentinel pigs and 16 pigs from slaughter slabs) were tested with four different PCR assays; 15.9 % were positive for ASFV suggesting that healthy pigs carrying ASFV exist in the swine population in the study area. P72 and p54 genotyping of ASFV revealed very limited diversity: all were classified in genotype IX at both loci, as were virtually all viruses causing recent ASF outbreaks in the region. Our study suggests that carrier pigs may play a role in ASF disease outbreaks, although the triggers for outbreaks remain unclear and require further investigation. This study significantly increases scientific knowledge of the epidemiology of ASF in the field in Africa, which will contribute to the design of effective surveillance and control strategies.

Evolution of African swine fever virus genes related to evasion of host immune response.

PubMed

Frączyk, Magdalena; Woźniakowski, Grzegorz; Kowalczyk, Andrzej; Bocian, Łukasz; Kozak, Edyta; Niemczuk, Krzysztof; Pejsak, Zygmunt

2016-09-25

African swine fever (ASF) is a notifiable and one of the most complex and devastating infectious disease of pigs, wild boars and other representatives of Suidae family. African swine fever virus (ASFV) developed various molecular mechanisms to evade host immune response including alteration of interferon production by multigene family protein (MGF505-2R), inhibition of NF-κB and nuclear activating factor in T-cells by the A238L protein, or modulation of host defense by CD2v lectin-like protein encoded by EP402R and EP153R genes. The current situation concerning ASF in Poland seems to be stable in comparison to other eastern European countries but up-to-date in total 106 ASF cases in wild boar and 5 outbreaks in pigs were identified. The presented study aimed to reveal and summarize the genetic variability of genes related to inhibition or modulation of infected host response among 67 field ASF isolates collected from wild boar and pigs. The nucleotide sequences derived from the analysed A238L and EP153R regions showed 100% identity. However, minor but remarkable genetic diversity was found within EP402R and MGF505-2R genes suggesting slow molecular evolution of circulating ASFV isolates and the important role of this gene in modulation of interferon I production and hemadsorption phenomenon. The obtained nucleotide sequences of Polish ASFV isolates were closely related to Georgia 2007/1 and Odintsovo 02/14 isolates suggesting their common Caucasian origin. In the case of EP402R and partially in MGF505-2R gene the identified genetic variability was related to spatio-temporal occurrence of particular cases and outbreaks what may facilitate evolution tracing of ASFV isolates. This is the first report indicating identification of genetic variability within the genes related to evasion of host immune system which may be used to trace the direction of ASFV isolates molecular evolution. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On the identification of cohesive parameters for printed metal-polymer interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heinrich, Felix; Langner, Hauke H.; Lammering, Rolf

2017-05-01

The mechanical behavior of printed electronics on fiber reinforced composites is investigated. A methodology based on cohesive zone models is employed, considering interfacial strengths, stiffnesses and critical strain energy release rates. A double cantilever beam test and an end notched flexure test are carried out to experimentally determine critical strain energy release rates under fracture modes I and II. Numerical simulations are performed in Abaqus 6.13 to model both tests. Applying the simulations, an inverse parameter identification is run to determine the full set of cohesive parameters.

Wave Mode Discrimination of Coded Ultrasonic Guided Waves Using Two-Dimensional Compressed Pulse Analysis.

PubMed

Malo, Sergio; Fateri, Sina; Livadas, Makis; Mares, Cristinel; Gan, Tat-Hean

2017-07-01

Ultrasonic guided waves testing is a technique successfully used in many industrial scenarios worldwide. For many complex applications, the dispersive nature and multimode behavior of the technique still poses a challenge for correct defect detection capabilities. In order to improve the performance of the guided waves, a 2-D compressed pulse analysis is presented in this paper. This novel technique combines the use of pulse compression and dispersion compensation in order to improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and temporal-spatial resolution of the signals. The ability of the technique to discriminate different wave modes is also highlighted. In addition, an iterative algorithm is developed to identify the wave modes of interest using adaptive peak detection to enable automatic wave mode discrimination. The employed algorithm is developed in order to pave the way for further in situ applications. The performance of Barker-coded and chirp waveforms is studied in a multimodal scenario where longitudinal and flexural wave packets are superposed. The technique is tested in both synthetic and experimental conditions. The enhancements in SNR and temporal resolution are quantified as well as their ability to accurately calculate the propagation distance for different wave modes.

Electrode-shaping for the excitation and detection of permitted arbitrary modes in arbitrary geometries in piezoelectric resonators.

PubMed

Pulskamp, Jeffrey S; Bedair, Sarah S; Polcawich, Ronald G; Smith, Gabriel L; Martin, Joel; Power, Brian; Bhave, Sunil A

2012-05-01

This paper reports theoretical analysis and experimental results on a numerical electrode shaping design technique that permits the excitation of arbitrary modes in arbitrary geometries for piezoelectric resonators, for those modes permitted to exist by the nonzero piezoelectric coefficients and electrode configuration. The technique directly determines optimal electrode shapes by assessing the local suitability of excitation and detection electrode placement on two-port resonators without the need for iterative numerical techniques. The technique is demonstrated in 61 different electrode designs in lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin film on silicon RF micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) plate, beam, ring, and disc resonators for out-of-plane flexural and various contour modes up to 200 MHz. The average squared effective electromechanical coupling factor for the designs was 0.54%, approximately equivalent to the theoretical maximum value of 0.53% for a fully electroded length-extensional mode beam resonator comprised of the same composite. The average improvement in S(21) for the electrode-shaped designs was 14.6 dB with a maximum improvement of 44.3 dB. Through this piezoelectric electrodeshaping technique, 95% of the designs showed a reduction in insertion loss.

Impact Behavior of Composite Fan Blade Leading Edge Subcomponent with Thermoplastic Polyurethane Interleave

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Sandi G.; Roberts, Gary D.; Kohlman, Lee W.; Heimann, Paula J.; Pereira, J. Michael; Ruggeri, Charles R.; Martin, Richard E.; McCorkle, Linda S.

2015-01-01

Impact damage tolerance and damage resistance is a critical metric for application of polymer matrix composites where failure caused by impact damage could compromise structural performance and safety. As a result, several materials and/or design approaches to improve impact damage tolerance have been investigated over the past several decades. Many composite toughening methodologies impart a trade-off between increased fracture toughness and compromised in-plane strength and modulus. In large part, mechanical tests to evaluate composite damage tolerance include static methods such as Mode I, Mode II, and mixed mode failures. However, ballistic impact damage resistance does not always correlate with static properties. The intent of this paper is to evaluate the influence of a thermoplastic polyurethane veil interleave on the static and dynamic performance of composite test articles. Static coupon tests included tension, compression, double cantilever beam, and end notch flexure. Measurement of the resistance to ballistic impact damage were made to evaluate the composites response to high speed impact. The interlayer material showed a decrease of in-plane performance with only a moderate improvement to Mode I and Mode II fracture toughness. However, significant benefit to impact damage tolerance was observed through ballistic tests.

Resonant Acoustic Determination of Complex Elastic Moduli

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, David A.; Garrett, Steven L.

1991-01-01

A simple, inexpensive, yet accurate method for measuring the dynamic complex modulus of elasticity is described. Using a 'free-free' bar selectively excited in three independent vibrational modes, the shear modulus is obtained by measuring the frequency of the torsional resonant mode and the Young's modulus is determined from measurement of either the longitudinal or flexural mode. The damping properties are obtained by measuring the quality factor (Q) for each mode. The Q is inversely proportional to the loss tangent. The viscoelastic behavior of the sample can be obtained by tracking a particular resonant mode (and thus a particular modulus) using a phase locked loop (PLL) and by changing the temperature of the sample. The change in the damping properties is obtained by measuring the in-phase amplitude of the PLL which is proportional to the Q of the material. The real and imaginary parts or the complex modulus can be obtained continuously as a function of parameters such as temperature, pressure, or humidity. For homogeneous and isotropic samples only two independent moduli are needed in order to characterize the complete set of elastic constants, thus, values can be obtained for the dynamic Poisson's ratio, bulk modulus, Lame constants, etc.

Comparison of flexural properties of aramid-reinforced pultrusions having varied matrices, pretreatments and postcures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Maywood L.; Johnson, Gary S.; Macconochie, Ian O.

1987-01-01

Aramid-reinforced composite materials of equal fiber volume and varied polymer thermoset matrices were pultruded and flexurally tested to failure. The objective was to improve the flexural properties of aramid-reinforced pultrusions. Pultrusions of both sized and unsized aramid fiber with four different resin systems were compared to determine the effects of sizing compounds and postcuring on flexural strength, fiber wettability, and fiber-to-resin interface bonding. Improvements in flexural strength resulting from pretreatments with the sizing solutions used were marginal. The most significant improvements in flexural properties resulted from postcuring. Flexural strengths ranged from a low of 39,647 psi (273MPa) to a high of 80,390 psi (554 MPa), an overall increase of 103 percent. The fact that postcuring improved the flexural properties of the pultrusions of the four resin systems indicates that a full cure did not occur in any of the resin systems during the pultrusion process. The increased flexural strengths of the polyester and vinyl ester pultrusions were the most surprising. The four resin systems examined were Interplastic Corporation VE 8300 vinyl ester, Ashland Chemical Company Aropol 7430 Polyester, and Shell Chemical Company Epon 9302 and Epon 9310 epoxides.

Model I, Mode II, and Mixed-Mode Fracture of Plasma-Sprayed Thermal Barrier Coatings at Ambient and Elevated Temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Sung R.; Zhu, Dongming; Miller, Robert A.

The mixed-mode fracture behavior of plasma-sprayed ZrO2-8 wt% Y2O3 thermal barrier coatings was determined in air at 25 and 1316°C in asymmetric four-point flexure with single edge v-notched beam (SEVNB) test specimens. The mode I fracture toughness was found to be K Ic=1.15±0.07 and 0.98±0.13 MPa sqrt m , respectively, at 25 and 1316°C. The respective mode II fracture toughness values were K IIc=0.73±0.10 and 0.65±0.04 MPa sqrt m . Hence, there was an insignificant difference in either K Ic or K IIc between 25 and 1316°C for the coating material, whereas there was a noticeable distinction between K Ic and K IIc, resulting in K IIc/K Ic=0.65 at both temperatures. The empirical mixed-mode fracture criterion best described the coatings' mixed-mode fracture behavior among the four mixed-mode fracture theories considered. The angle of crack propagation was in reasonable agreement with the minimum strain energy density criterion. The effect of the directionality of the coating material in on K Ic was observed to be insignificant, while its sintering effect at 1316°C on K Ic was significant.

Mechanical design of deformation compensated flexural pivots structured for linear nanopositioning stages

DOEpatents

Shu, Deming; Kearney, Steven P.; Preissner, Curt A.

2015-02-17

A method and deformation compensated flexural pivots structured for precision linear nanopositioning stages are provided. A deformation-compensated flexural linear guiding mechanism includes a basic parallel mechanism including a U-shaped member and a pair of parallel bars linked to respective pairs of I-link bars and each of the I-bars coupled by a respective pair of flexural pivots. The basic parallel mechanism includes substantially evenly distributed flexural pivots minimizing center shift dynamic errors.

Estimating flexural rigidity and load magnitude required for formation of Ross Island flexure moat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jha, S.; Harry, D. L.; Wenman, C. P.

2017-12-01

Lithospheric flexural subsidence around Ross Island in West Antarctica led to formation of the Ross Island flexure moat. This subsidence was caused by two major volcanic phases on Ross Island. The first phase saw the first surficial expression of Ross Island and volcanism at Mt. Bird to the north of Ross Island, which lasted from 5.2 - 2.9 Ma. The second phase lasted from 1.78 Ma to present and is comprised of eruptions from Mt. Terror to the east, Mt. Erebus to the west and Hut Point Peninsula (HPP) to the south of Ross Island. Flexural subsidence of the lithosphere due to volcanism on Ross Island led to formation of a sedimentary moat around the island, which is preserved in stratigraphy imaged on seismic reflection profiles. We identified 5 unconformities (from deepest upward Ri, RMU1, RMU2, RMU3, RMU4) in the seismic surveys which correspond to flexural subsidence episodes around Ross Island since early Pliocene. Ri (4.4 Ma) lies near the bottom of the flexural moat and RMU4 near the seafloor and top of the moat fill. These unconformities were used to make isopach maps to constrain flexure modeling of the area. Isopach maps show circular or semi-circular flexure basins around Ross Island which is approximated using a continuous plate, point load flexure model. We used Ri - sea floor isopach to constrain flexure models for 5 profiles centered on 4 volcanic centers and trending radially out of Ross Island. Flexure models along two profiles beginning on Mt. Bird and one profile off HPP show a flexural rigidity range of 1.47 - 6.44 x 1018 Nm with load center of mass on Mt. Bird and on HPP, respectively. A similar model along a profile initiating on Mt. Terror, passing through Mt Erebus and extending west of Ross Island across the moat, yielded a higher flexural rigidity estimate of 2.03 x 1019 Nm with load centered at Mt. Erebus. A flexure model to the north east of Ross Island along a profile beginning at Mt Terror and trending north, provide the highest flexural rigidity estimate of 6.9 x 1019 Nm. The load magnitudes determined from these flexure models lie in the range of 4.6 x 1015 N - 4.3 x 1016 N. This is less than the topographic load (6.9 x 1017 N estimated from BEDMAP2) produced by the island by one to two orders of magnitude. The difference in load magnitudes suggest anomalously low densities caused by high lower crust and mantle temperatures in the region.

Experimental investigation of CNT effect on curved beam strength and interlaminar fracture toughness of CFRP laminates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arca, M. A.; Coker, D.

2014-06-01

High mechanical properties and light weight structures of composite materials and advances in manufacturing processes have increased the use of composite materials in the aerospace and wind energy industries as a primary load carrying structures in complex shapes. However, use of composite materials in complex geometries such as L-shaped laminates creates weakness at the radius which causes delamination. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is preferred as a toughening materials in composite matrices due to their high mechanical properties and aspect ratios. However, effect of CNTs on curved beam strength (CBS) is not investigated in literature comprehensively. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of CNT on Mode I and Mode II fracture toughness and CBS. L-shaped beams are fabric carbon/epoxy composite laminates manufactured by hand layup technique. Curved beam composite laminates were subjected to four point bending loading according to ASTM D6415/D6415M-06a. Double cantilever beam (DCB) tests and end notch flexure (ENF) tests were conducted to determine mode-I and mode-II fracture toughness, respectively. Preliminary results show that 3% CNT addition to the resin increased the mode-I fracture toughness by %25 and mode-II fracture toughness by %10 compared to base laminates. In contrast, no effect on curved beam strength was found.

Guided waves by axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric surface loading on hollow cylinders

PubMed

Shin; Rose

1999-06-01

Guided waves generated by axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric surface loading on a hollow cylinder are studied. For the theoretical analysis of the superposed guided waves, a normal mode concept is employed. The amplitude factors of individual guided wave modes are studied with respect to varying surface pressure loading profiles. Both theoretical and experimental focus is given to the guided waves generated by both axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric excitation. For the experiments, a comb transducer and high power tone burst function generator system are used on a sample Inconel tube. Surface loading conditions, such as circumferential loading angles and axial loading lengths, are used with the frequency and phase velocity to control the axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric mode excitations. The experimental study demonstrates the use of a practical non-axisymmetric partial loading technique in generating axisymmetric modes, particularly useful in the inspection of tubing and piping with limited circumferential access. From both theoretical and experimental studies, it also could be said that the amount of flexural modes reflected from a defect contains information on the reflector's circumferential angle, as well as potentially other classification and sizing feature information. The axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric guided wave modes should both be carefully considered for improvement of the overall analysis of guided waves generated in hollow cylinders.

Elastic parabolic equation and normal mode solutions for seismo-acoustic propagation in underwater environments with ice covers.

PubMed

Collis, Jon M; Frank, Scott D; Metzler, Adam M; Preston, Kimberly S

2016-05-01

Sound propagation predictions for ice-covered ocean acoustic environments do not match observational data: received levels in nature are less than expected, suggesting that the effects of the ice are substantial. Effects due to elasticity in overlying ice can be significant enough that low-shear approximations, such as effective complex density treatments, may not be appropriate. Building on recent elastic seafloor modeling developments, a range-dependent parabolic equation solution that treats the ice as an elastic medium is presented. The solution is benchmarked against a derived elastic normal mode solution for range-independent underwater acoustic propagation. Results from both solutions accurately predict plate flexural modes that propagate in the ice layer, as well as Scholte interface waves that propagate at the boundary between the water and the seafloor. The parabolic equation solution is used to model a scenario with range-dependent ice thickness and a water sound speed profile similar to those observed during the 2009 Ice Exercise (ICEX) in the Beaufort Sea.

Parametric Oscillation, Frequency Mixing, and Injection Locking of Strongly Coupled Nanomechanical Resonator Modes.

PubMed

Seitner, Maximilian J; Abdi, Mehdi; Ridolfo, Alessandro; Hartmann, Michael J; Weig, Eva M

2017-06-23

We study locking phenomena of two strongly coupled, high quality factor nanomechanical resonator modes to a common parametric drive at a single drive frequency in different parametric driving regimes. By controlled dielectric gradient forces we tune the resonance frequencies of the flexural in-plane and out-of-plane oscillation of the high stress silicon nitride string through their mutual avoided crossing. For the case of the strong common parametric drive signal-idler generation via nondegenerate parametric two-mode oscillation is observed. Broadband frequency tuning of the very narrow linewidth signal and idler resonances is demonstrated. When the resonance frequencies of the signal and idler get closer to each other, partial injection locking, injection pulling, and complete injection locking to half of the drive frequency occurs depending on the pump strength. Furthermore, satellite resonances, symmetrically offset from the signal and idler by their beat note, are observed, which can be attributed to degenerate four-wave mixing in the highly nonlinear mechanical oscillations.

Enhancing the ballistic thermal transport of silicene through smooth interface coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Chao-Yu; She, Yanchao; Xiao, Huaping; Ding, Jianwen; Cao, Juexian; Guo, Zhi-Xin

2016-04-01

We have performed nonequilibrium molecular dynamics calculations on the length (L ) dependence of thermal conductivity (K ) of silicene both supported on and sandwiched between the smooth surfaces, i.e. h-BN, at room temperature. We find that K of silicene follows a power law K\\propto {{L}β} , with β increasing from about 0.3-0.4 under the effect of interface coupling, showing an enhancement of the ballistic thermal transport of silicene. We also find that β can be further increased to about 0.6 by increasing the interface coupling strength for the silicene sandwiched between h-BN. The increase of β for the supported case is found to come from the variation of the flexural acoustic (ZA) phonon mode and the first optical phonon mode induced by the substrate, whereas the unusual increase of β for the sandwiched case is attributed to the increment of velocities of all three acoustic phonon modes. These findings provide an interesting route for manipulating the ballistic energy flow in nanomaterials.

Roles of spin fluctuation and frustration in the superconductivity of β-(BDA-TTP)2X (X=SbF6,AsF6) under uniaxial compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, Hiroshi; Ishihara, Tetsuo; Tanaka, Hisaaki; Kuroda, Shin-Ichi; Suzuki, Takeo; Onari, Seiichiro; Tanaka, Yukio; Yamada, Jun-Ichi; Kikuchi, Koichi

2008-11-01

β -type BDA-TTP [ BDA-TTP=2,5 -bis(1,3-dithian-2-ylidene)-1,3,4,6-tetrathiapentalene] salts possess high transition temperatures TC reaching 7 K among organic superconductors. TC of β-(BDA-TTP)2X (X=SbF6,AsF6) is studied by resistive measurements under uniaxial compression. TC once increases and takes a maximum under compression parallel to the donor stack while it decreases under compression perpendicular to the donor stack. These results are in agreement with the half-filled Hubbard model on the triangular lattice in which the compression controls the spin fluctuation and frustration in the weak pressure region.

Effect of PbO on optical properties of tellurite glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elazoumi, S. H.; Sidek, H. A. A.; Rammah, Y. S.; El-Mallawany, R.; Halimah, M. K.; Matori, K. A.; Zaid, M. H. M.

2018-03-01

Binary (1 - x)(TeO2) - x(PbO), x = 0, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25, 0.30 mol% glass system was fabricated using melt quenching method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique was employed to confirm the amorphous nature. The microanalysis of the major components was performed using energy dispersive EDX and X-ray spectrometry. Both the molar volume and the density were measured. FTIR and UV spectra were recorded at 400-4000 cm-1 and 220-800 nm, respectively. The optical band gap (Eopt), Urbach's energy (Eu), index of refraction (n) were calculated using absorption spectrum fitting (ASF) and derivation of absorption spectrum fitting (DASF) methods. Molar refraction Rm and molecular polarizability αm have been calculated according to (ASF) method.

African swine fever: A re-emerging viral disease threatening the global pig industry.

PubMed

Sánchez-Cordón, P J; Montoya, M; Reis, A L; Dixon, L K

2018-03-01

African swine fever (ASF) recently has spread beyond sub-Saharan Africa to the Trans-Caucasus region, parts of the Russian Federation and Eastern Europe. In this new epidemiological scenario, the disease has similarities, but also important differences, compared to the situation in Africa, including the substantial involvement of wild boar. A better understanding of this new situation will enable better control and prevent further spread of disease. In this article, these different scenarios are compared, and recent information on the pathogenesis of ASF virus strains, the immune response to infection and prospects for developing vaccines is presented. Knowledge gaps and the prospects for future control are discussed. Copyright © 2018 The Pirbright Institute. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Stimulated Brillouin Scattering: its Generation and Applications in Optical Fibre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Culverhouse, David

1992-01-01

Available from UMI in association with The British Library. In the work presented in this thesis, the generation of stimulated Brillouin scattering and its applications in optical fibres is theoretically and experimentally investigated. The study pursues three special cases: (i) Backward stimulated Brillouin scattering in long fibre lengths; (ii) Backward stimulated Brillouin scattering in high finesse all fibre ring resonators; (iii) Forward stimulated Brillouin scattering in dual moded single core fibres. Stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) occurs for relatively low input powers in monomode optical fibres, as the power density is very high because of the relatively small core size. For applications such as optical communications, SBS is seen as a potentially deleterious effect because it can limit the maximum optical power transmitted by the fibre and hence decrease the distance between repeaters. SBS, however, can also be used to advantage in optical fibres, for example to produce amplification. In this thesis the comprehensive study of SBS in relation to other non-linear scattering mechanisms in optical fibres leads to the derivation of explicit definitions for the Brillouin gain and the Brillouin threshold. The study of SBS in high finesse all fibre ring resonators also demonstrates how threshold powers can be reduced, typically, from milliwatts observed in long fibre lengths to microwatts. Because Brillouin scattering is primarily a result of the interaction of the incident optical beam with spontaneously generated (thermal) fluctuations in the density of the medium, the spectral features show a considerable variation with temperature thus providing a mechanism with sufficient sensitivity to realise tunable microwave generation and frequency shifting devices. Finally, the observation of stimulated Brillouin scattering in a forward direction (FSBS) in dual moded single-core fibre is also reported. Frequency shifts in the order of 17MHz are observed in optical fibre supporting LP_ {01} and LP_{11} modes at 514.5nm. The phenomenon is examined here in detail and the governing differential equations of the three wave parametric process (involving pump/laser, Brillouin signal and acoustic flexural wave phonon) is derived and solved. FSBS is possible because, although the overlap integral between a fibre flexural mode and the light is small, the phonon lifetime is much longer than in conventional SBS. FSBS may also be the first example of a non-linear effect which is enhanced by increasing the optical mode area at constant pump power.

INTERLAYER MICROMECHANICS OF THE AORTIC HEART VALVE LEAFLET

PubMed Central

Buchanan, Rachel M.; Sacks, Michael S.

2014-01-01

While the mechanical behaviors of the fibrosa and ventricularis layers of the aortic valve (AV) leaflet are understood, little information exists on their mechanical interactions mediated by the GAG-rich central spongiosa layer. Parametric simulations of the interlayer interactions of the AV leaflets in flexure utilized a tri-layered finite element (FE) model of circumferentially oriented tissue sections to investigate inter-layer sliding hypothesized to occur. Simulation results indicated that the leaflet tissue functions as a tightly bonded structure when the spongiosa effective modulus was at least 25% that of the fibrosa and ventricularis layers. Novel studies that directly measured transmural strain in flexure of AV leaflet tissue specimens validated these findings. Interestingly, a smooth transmural strain distribution indicated that the layers of the leaflet indeed act as a bonded unit, consistent with our previous observations (Stella and Sacks, 2007) of a large number of transverse collagen fibers interconnecting the fibrosa and ventricularis layers. Additionally, when the tri-layered FE model was refined to match the transmural deformations, a layer-specific bimodular material model (resulting in four total moduli) accurately matched the transmural strain and moment-curvature relations simultaneously. Collectively, these results provide evidence, contrary to previous assumptions, that the valve layers function as a bonded structure in the low-strain flexure deformation mode. Most likely, this results directly from the transverse collagen fibers that bind the layers together to disable physical sliding and maintain layer residual stresses. Further, the spongiosa may function as a general dampening layer while the AV leaflets deforms as a homogenous structure despite its heterogeneous architecture. PMID:24292631

Flexural properties untreated and treated kenaf fiber reinforced polypropylene composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Husin, Muhammad Muslimin; Mustapa, Mohammad Sukri; Wahab, Md Saidin; Arifin, Ahmad Mubarak Tajul; Masirin, Mohd Idrus Mohd; Jais, Farhana Hazwanee

2017-05-01

Today natural fiber polymer composites are being extensively used as alternatives in producing furniture to fulfill society demand instead of saving cost and environmentally friendly. The objective of this search is to investigate the untreated fine and rough kenaf fiber (KF) as well as treated KF reinforced with polypropylene (PP) on the flexural strength. Flexural strengths of pure PP, 10%, and 20% of untreated fine and rough KF by weight to PP have been recorded. In addition, flexural strengths of treated KF soaked with 5% and 10% of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) have also been recorded. KF reinforced PP (PP/KF) untreated and treated composites were melt blended and then injection molded to observe their flexural strengths by measuring their threshold. Three point bending test was apply to determine the flexural stress of the composites. The result show treated fine KF produce better flexural performance at 20% PP/KF. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is used to observe the morphological surface PP/KF. Overall 5% NaOH with 20% PP/KF (Fine KF) show good interfacial bonding PP/KF and best result with flexural stress value 30.25MPa.

Comparative study of flexural strength test methods on CAD/CAM Y-TZP dental ceramics

PubMed Central

Xu, Yongxiang; Han, Jianmin; Lin, Hong; An, Linan

2015-01-01

Clinically, fractures are the main cause of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) 3 mol%-yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (Y-TZP) all-ceramic dental restorations failure because of repetitive occlusal loading. The goal of this work is to study the effect of test methods and specimen’s size on the flexural strength of five ceramic products. Both bi-axial flexure test (BI) and uni-axial flexure tests (UNI), including three-point flexure test (3PF) and four-point flexure test (4PF), are used in this study. For all five products, the flexural strength is as follows: BI > 3PF > 4PF. Furthermore, specimens with smaller size (3PF-s) have higher values than the bigger ones (3PF). The difference between BI and UNI resulted from the edge flaws in ceramic specimens. The relationship between different UNI (including 3PF-s, 3PF and 4PF) can be explained according to Weibull statistical fracture theory. BI is recommended to evaluate the flexural strength of CAD/CAM Y-TZP dental ceramics. PMID:26816646

Flexural toughness of steel fiber reinforced high performance concrete containing nano-SiO2 and fly ash.

PubMed

Zhang, Peng; Zhao, Ya-Nan; Li, Qing-Fu; Wang, Peng; Zhang, Tian-Hang

2014-01-01

This paper aims to clarify the effect of steel fiber on the flexural toughness of the high performance concrete containing fly ash and nano-SiO2. The flexural toughness was evaluated by two methods, which are based on ASTM C1018 and DBV-1998, respectively. By means of three-point bending method, the flexural toughness indices, variation coefficients of bearing capacity, deformation energy, and equivalent flexural strength of the specimen were measured, respectively, and the relational curves between the vertical load and the midspan deflection (P(V)-δ) were obtained. The results indicate that steel fiber has great effect on the flexural toughness parameters and relational curves (P(V)-δ) of the three-point bending beam specimen. When the content of steel fiber increases from 0.5% to 2%, the flexural toughness parameters increase gradually and the curves are becoming plumper and plumper with the increase of steel fiber content, respectively. However these flexural toughness parameters begin to decrease and the curves become thinner and thinner after the steel fiber content exceeds 2%. It seems that the contribution of steel fiber to the improvement of flexural toughness of the high performance concrete containing fly ash and nano-SiO2 is well performed only when the steel fiber content is less than 2%.

Precision tip-tilt-piston actuator that provides exact constraint

DOEpatents

Hale, Layton C.

1999-01-01

A precision device which can precisely actuate three degrees of freedom of an optic mount, commonly referred to as tip, tilt, and piston. The device consists of three identical flexure mechanisms, an optic mount to be supported and positioned, a structure that supports the flexure mechanisms, and three commercially available linear actuators. The advantages of the precision device is in the arrangement of the constraints offered by the flexure mechanism and not in the particular design of the flexure mechanisms, as other types of mechanisms could be substituted. Each flexure mechanism constrains two degrees of freedom in the plane of the mechanisms and one direction is actuated. All other degrees of freedom are free to move within the range of flexure mechanisms. Typically, three flexure mechanisms are equally spaced in angle about to optic mount and arranged so that each actuated degree of freedom is perpendicular to the plane formed by the optic mount. This arrangement exactly constrains the optic mount and allows arbitrary actuated movement of the plane within the range of the flexure mechanisms. Each flexure mechanism provides a mechanical advantage, typically on the order of 5:1, between the commercially available actuator and the functional point on the optic mount. This improves resolution by the same ratio and stiffness by the square of the ratio.

Flexural properties of polyethylene, glass and carbon fiber-reinforced resin composites for prosthetic frameworks.

PubMed

Maruo, Yukinori; Nishigawa, Goro; Irie, Masao; Yoshihara, Kumiko; Minagi, Shogo

2015-01-01

High flexural properties are needed for fixed partial denture or implant prosthesis to resist susceptibility to failures caused by occlusal overload. The aim of this investigation was to clarify the effects of four different kinds of fibers on the flexural properties of fiber-reinforced composites. Polyethylene fiber, glass fiber and two types of carbon fibers were used for reinforcement. Seven groups of specimens, 2 × 2 × 25 mm, were prepared (n = 10 per group). Four groups of resin composite specimens were reinforced with polyethylene, glass or one type of carbon fiber. The remaining three groups served as controls, with each group comprising one brand of resin composite without any fiber. After 24-h water storage in 37°C distilled water, the flexural properties of each specimen were examined with static three-point flexural test at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. Compared to the control without any fiber, glass and carbon fibers significantly increased the flexural strength (p < 0.05). On the contrary, the polyethylene fiber decreased the flexural strength (p < 0.05). Among the fibers, carbon fiber exhibited higher flexural strength than glass fiber (p < 0.05). Similar trends were observed for flexural modulus and fracture energy. However, there was no significant difference in fracture energy between carbon and glass fibers (p > 0.05). Fibers could, therefore, improve the flexural properties of resin composite and carbon fibers in longitudinal form yielded the better effects for reinforcement.

Flexural rigidity of the Basin and Range-Colorado Plateau-Rocky Mountain transition from coherence analysis of gravity and topography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lowery, Anthony R.; Smith, Robert B.

1994-01-01

Stochastic inversion for flexural loads and flexural rigidity of the continental elastic layer can be accomplished most effectively by using the coherence of gravity and topography. However, the spatial resolution of coherence analysis has been limited by use of two-dimensional periodogram spectra from very large (greater than 10(exp 5)sq km) windows that generally include multiple tectonic features. Using a two-dimensional spectral estimator based on the maximum entropy method, the spatial resolution of flexural proerties can be enhanced by a factor of 4 or more, enabling more detailed analysis at the scale of individual tectonic features. This new approach is used to map the spatial variation of flexural rigidity along the Basin and Range transition to the Colorado Plateau and Middle Rocky Mountains physiographic provinces. Large variations in flexural isostatic responses are found, with rigidities ranging from as low as 8.7 x 10(exp 20) N m (elastic thickness (T(sub e) = 4.6 km) in the Basin and Range to as high as 4.1 x 10(exp 24) N m T(sub e) = 77 km) in the Middle Rocky Mountains. These results compare favorably woith independent determinations of flexural rigidity in the region. Areas of low flexural rigidity correlate strongly with areas of high surface heat flow, as is expected from the contingence of flexural rigidity on a temperature-dependent flow law. Also, late Cenozoic normal faults with large displacements are found primarily in area of low flexural rigidity region. The highest flexural rigidity is found within the Archean Wyoming craton, where evidence suggests that deeply rooted cratonic lithosphere may play a role in determining the distribution of tectonism at the surface.

The nonlinear flexural response of a whole teleost fish: Contribution of scales and skin.

PubMed

Szewciw, Lawrence; Zhu, Deju; Barthelat, Francois

2017-12-01

The scaled skin of fish is an intricate system that provides mechanical protection against hard and sharp puncture, while maintaining the high flexural compliance required for unhindered locomotion. This unusual combination of local hardness and global compliance makes fish skin an interesting model for bioinspired protective systems. In this work we investigate the flexural response of whole teleost fish, and how scales may affect global flexural stiffness. A bending moment is imposed on the entire body of a striped bass (Morone saxatilis). Imaging is used to measure local curvature, to generate moment-curvature curves as function of position along the entire axis of the fish. We find that the flexural stiffness is the highest in the thick middle portion of the fish, and lowest in the caudal and rostral ends. The flexural response is nonlinear, with an initial soft response followed by significant stiffening at larger flexural deformations. Low flexural stiffness at low curvatures promotes efficient swimming, while higher stiffness at high curvatures enables a possible tendon effect, where the mechanical energy at the end of a stroke is stored in the form of strain energy in the fish skin. To assess the contribution of the scales to stiffening we performed flexural tests with and without scales, following a careful protocol to take in account tissue degradation and the effects of temperature. Our findings suggest that scales do not substantially increase the whole body flexural stiffness of teleost fish over ranges of deformations which are typical of swimming and maneuvering. Teleost scales are thin and relatively flexible, so they can accommodate large flexural deformations. This finding is in contrast to the bulkier ganoid scales which were shown in previous reports to have a profound impact of global flexural deformations and swimming in fish like gar or Polypterus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fabrication and analysis of a micro-machined tri-axis gyroscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, Nan-Chyuan; Sue, Chung-Yang

2008-11-01

This paper presents an innovative micro-gyroscope design. Solely by SOI (silicon on insulator) fabrication technology and wet etching, the proposed micro-gyroscope can be produced in batch and is capable of detecting three-axis angular rates. The induced motions of all individual seismic mass modules are designed to respond in the directions orthogonal to each other in order to decouple the obtained measurements. In our work, three pairs of high-resolution differential capacitors with signal processing circuits are employed to measure the angular velocity components in three axes. On the other hand, the drive electrode comb is used to constantly vibrate the outer-ring in the tangential direction by a sinusoidal voltage. The signal bandwidth is increased by distributed translational proof masses (DTPM), placed 90° apart orderly. Each individual proof mass of DTPM is designed with natural frequency discrepancy and constrained to move in the radial direction so that the superior mode matching can be easily, to some extent, achieved. The suspension flexures are particularly designed to resist planar displacements in the drive mode but increase the stroke of tilting angular displacement in the sense mode. By considering the complicated geometry of the suspension flexures, FEM (finite element method) is employed to examine the potential maximum induced mechanical stress. The dynamic equations of the proposed gyroscope are established so that the embedded gyroscopic effects are explicitly unveiled. More importantly, the efficacy of the drive and sense circuit modules are verified by commercial softwares Hspice and Multisim. By intensive computer simulations and preliminary experimental studies, the resolution, bandwidth and decoupling capability of the tri-axis gyroscope are expected to be fairly enhanced if a certain degree of trade-off is preset.Corrections were made to figure 5 in this article on 3 October 2008. The corrected electronic version is identical to the print version.

Actuating Mechanism and Design of a Cylindrical Traveling Wave Ultrasonic Motor Using Cantilever Type Composite Transducer

PubMed Central

Liu, Yingxiang; Chen, Weishan; Liu, Junkao; Shi, Shengjun

2010-01-01

Background Ultrasonic motors (USM) are based on the concept of driving the rotor by a mechanical vibration excited on the stator via piezoelectric effect. USM exhibit merits such as simple structure, quick response, quiet operation, self-locking when power off, nonelectromagnetic radiation and higher position accuracy. Principal Findings A cylindrical type traveling wave ultrasonic motor using cantilever type composite transducer was proposed in this paper. There are two cantilevers on the outside surface of cylinder, four longitudinal PZT ceramics are set between the cantilevers, and four bending PZT ceramics are set on each outside surface of cantilevers. Two degenerate flexural vibration modes spatially and temporally orthogonal to each other in the cylinder are excited by the composite transducer. In this new design, a single transducer can excite a flexural traveling wave in the cylinder. Thus, elliptical motions are achieved on the teeth. The actuating mechanism of proposed motor was analyzed. The stator was designed with FEM. The two vibration modes of stator were degenerated. Transient analysis was developed to gain the vibration characteristic of stator, and results indicate the motion trajectories of nodes on the teeth are nearly ellipses. Conclusions The study results verify the feasibility of the proposed design. The wave excited in the cylinder isn't an ideal traveling wave, and the vibration amplitudes are inconsistent. The distortion of traveling wave is generated by the deformation of bending vibration mode of cylinder, which is caused by the coupling effect between the cylinder and transducer. Analysis results also prove that the objective motions of nodes on the teeth are three-dimensional vibrations. But, the vibration in axial direction is minute compared with the vibrations in circumferential and radial direction. The results of this paper can guide the development of this new type of motor. PMID:20368809

Mode I, Mode II, and Mixed-Mode Fracture of Plasma-sprayed Thermal Barrier Coatings at Ambient and Elevated Temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sung R.; Zhu, Dongming; Miller, Robert A.

2003-01-01

The mixed-mode fracture behavior of plasma-sprayed ZrO2-8 wt% Y2O3 thermal barrier coatings was determined in air at 25 and 1316 C in asymmetric four-point flexure with single edge v-notched beam (SEVNB) test specimens. The mode I fracture toughness was found to be K(sub Ic) = 1.15 plus or minus 0.07 and 0.98 plus or minus 0.13 MPa the square root of m, respectively, at 25 and 1316 C. The respective mode II fracture toughness values were K(sub IIc) = 0.73 plus or minus 0.10 and 0.65 plus or minus 0.04 MPa the square root of m. Hence, there was an insignificant difference in either K(sub Ic or K(sub IIc) between 25 and 1316 C for the coating material, whereas there was a noticeable distinction between K(sub Ic) and K(sub IIc), resulting in K(sub IIc) per K(sub Ic) = 0.65 at both temperatures. The empirical mixed-mode fracture criterion best described the coatings' mixed-mode fracture behavior among the four mixed-mode fracture theories considered. The angle of crack propagation was in reasonable agreement with the minimum strain energy density criterion. The effect of the directionality of the coating material in on K(sub Ic) was observed to be insignificant, while its sintering effect at 1316 C on K(sub Ic) was significant.

Flexible multimode polymer waveguides for high-speed short-reach communication links

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bamiedakis, N.; Shi, F.; Chu, D.; Penty, R. V.; White, I. H.

2018-02-01

Multimode polymer waveguides have attracted great interest for use in high-speed short-reach communication links as they can be cost-effectively integrated onto standard PCBs using conventional methods of the electronics industry and provide low loss (<0.04 dB/cm at 850 nm) and high bandwidth (>30 GHz×m) interconnection. The formation of such waveguides on flexible substrates can further provide flexible low-weight low-thickness interconnects and offer additional freedom in the implementation of high-speed short-reach optical links. These attributes make these flexible waveguides particularly attractive for use in low-cost detachable chip-to-chip links and in environments where weight and shape conformity become important, such as in cars and aircraft. However, the highly-multimoded nature of these waveguides raises important questions about their performance under severe flex due to mode loss and mode coupling. In this work therefore, we investigate the loss, crosstalk and bandwidth performance of such waveguides under out-of plane bending and in-plane twisting under different launch conditions and carry out data transmission tests at 40 Gb/s on a 1 m long spiral flexible waveguide under flexure. Excellent optical transmission characteristics are obtained while robust loss, crosstalk and bandwidth performance are demonstrated under flexure. Error-free (BER<10-12) 40 Gb/s data transmission is achieved over the 1 m long spiral waveguide for a 180° bend with a 4 mm radius. The obtained results demonstrate the excellent optical and mechanical properties of this technology and highlight its potential for use in real-world systems.

Flexural Progressive Failure of Carbon/Glass Interlayer and Intralayer Hybrid Composites.

PubMed

Wang, Qingtao; Wu, Weili; Gong, Zhili; Li, Wei

2018-04-17

The flexural progressive failure modes of carbon fiber and glass fiber (C/G) interlayer and intralayer hybrid composites were investigated in this work. Results showed that the bending failure modes for interlayer hybrid composites are determined by the layup structure. Besides, the bending failure is characterized by the compression failure of the upper layer, when carbon fiber tends to distribute in the upper layer, the interlayer hybrid composite fails early, the failure force is characterized by a multi-stage slightly fluctuating decline and the fracture area exhibits a diamond shape. While carbon fiber distributes in the middle or bottom layer, the failure time starts late, and the failure process exhibits one stage sharp force/stress drop, the fracture zone of glass fiber above the carbon layers presents an inverted trapezoid shape, while the fracture of glass fiber below the carbon layers exhibits an inverted triangular shape. With regards to the intralayer hybrid composites, the C/G hybrid ratio plays a dominating role in the bending failure which could be considered as the mixed failures of four structures. The bending failure of intralayer hybrid composites occurs in advance since carbon fiber are located in each layer; the failure process shows a multi-stage fluctuating decline, and the decline slows down as carbon fiber content increases, and the fracture sound release has the characteristics of a low intensity and high frequency for a long time. By contrast, as glass fiber content increases, the bending failure of intralayer composites is featured with a multi-stage cliff decline with a high amplitude and low frequency for a short-time fracture sound release.

Vibration due to non-circularity of a rotating ring having discrete radial supports - With application to thin-walled rotor/magnetic bearing systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fakkaew, Wichaphon; Cole, Matthew O. T.

2018-06-01

This paper investigates the vibration arising in a thin-walled cylindrical rotor subject to small non-circularity and coupled to discrete space-fixed radial bearing supports. A Fourier series description of rotor non-circularity is incorporated within a mathematical model for vibration of a rotating annulus. This model predicts the multi-harmonic excitation of the rotor wall due to bearing interactions. For each non-circularity harmonic there is a set of distinct critical speeds at which resonance can potentially arise due to flexural mode excitation within the rotor wall. It is shown that whether each potential resonance occurs depends on the multiplicity and symmetry of the bearing supports. Also, a sufficient number of evenly spaced identical supports will eliminate low order resonances. The considered problem is pertinent to the design and operation of thin-walled rotors with active magnetic bearing (AMB) supports, for which small clearances exist between the rotor and bearing and so vibration excitation must be limited to avoid contacts. With this motivation, the mathematical model is further developed for the case of a distributed array of electromagnetic actuators controlled by feedback of measured rotor wall displacements. A case study involving an experimental system with short cylindrical rotor and a single radial AMB support is presented. The results show that flexural mode resonance is largely avoided for the considered design topology. Moreover, numerical predictions based on measured non-circularity show good agreement with measurements of rotor wall vibration, thereby confirming the validity and utility of the theoretical model.

Evaluation of the Edge Crack Torsion (ECT) Test for Mode 3 Interlaminar Fracture Toughness of Laminated Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Jian; Lee, Edward W.; OBrien, T. Kevin; Lee, Shaw Ming

1996-01-01

An analytical and experimental investigation was carried out on G40-800/R6376 graphite epoxy laminates to evaluate the Edge Crack Torsion (ECT) test as a candidate for a standard Mode 3 interlaminar fracture toughness test for laminated composites. The ECT test consists of a (90/(+/- 45)(sub 3)/(+/- 45)(sub 3)/90))(sub s) laminate with a delamination introduced by a non-adhesive film at the mid-plane along one edge and loaded in a special fixture to create torsion along the length of the laminate. Dye penetrate enhanced X-radiograph of failed specimens revealed that the delamination initiated at the middle of the specimen length and propagated in a self similar manner along the laminate mid-plane. A three-dimensional finite element analysis was performed that indicated that a pure Mode 3 delamination exists at the middle of specimen length away from both ends. At the ends near the loading point a small Mode 2 component exists. However, the magnitude of this Mode 2 strain energy release rate at the loading point is small compared to the magnitude of Mode 3 component in the mid-section of the specimen. Hence, the ECT test yielded the desired Mode 3 delamination. The Mode 3 fracture toughness was obtained from a compliance calibration method and was in good agreement with the finite element results. Mode 2 End-Notched Flexure (ENF) tests and Mode 1 Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) tests were also performed for the same composite material. The Mode 1 fracture toughness was much smaller than both the Mode 2 and Mode 3 fracture toughness. The Mode 2 fracture toughness was found to be 75% of the Mode 3 fracture toughness.

Preparation and Properties of C/C Hollow Spheres and the Energy Absorption Capacity of the Corresponding Aluminum Syntactic Foams.

PubMed

Yu, Qiyong; Zhao, Yan; Dong, Anqi; Li, Ye

2018-06-12

The present study focuses on the preparation and characterization of lab-scale aluminum syntactic foams (ASFs) filled with hollow carbon spheres (HCSs). A new and original process for the fabrication of HCSs was explored. Firstly, expanded polystyrene beads with an average diameter of 6 mm and coated with carbon fibers/thermoset phenolic resin were produced by the “rolling ball” method. In the next step, the spheres were cured and post-cured, and then carbonized at 1050 °C under vacuum to form the HCSs. The porosity in the shell of the HCSs was decreased by increasing the number of impregnation⁻carbonization cycles. The aluminum syntactic foams were fabricated by casting the molten aluminum into a crucible filled with HCSs. The morphology of the hollow spheres before and after carbonization was investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The compressive properties of the ASF were tested and the energy absorption capacities were calculated according to stress⁻strain curves. The results showed that the ASF filled with HCSs which had been treated by more cycles of impregnation⁻carbonization had higher energy absorption capacity. The aluminum syntactic foam absorbed 34.9 MJ/m³ (28.8 KJ/Kg) at 60% strain, which was much higher than traditional closed cell aluminum foams without particles. The HCSs have a promising future in producing a novel family of metal matrix syntactic foams.

Digestible and metabolizable energy concentrations in copra meal, palm kernel meal, and cassava root fed to growing pigs.

PubMed

Son, A R; Ji, S Y; Kim, B G

2012-12-01

An experiment was conducted to measure DE and ME in copra (Cocos nucifera) meal (CM), palm kernel meal (PKM), and cassava (Manihot esculenta) root (CR) in growing pigs. Eight boars with an initial BW of 67.3 ± 5.8 kg were individually housed in metabolism crates that were equipped with a feeder and a nipple drinker. A replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design was used with 4 dietary treatments, 4 periods, and 8 animals. A basal diet mainly contained corn (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max) meal. Three additional diets were formulated to contain 30% of CM, PKM, and CR. All diets contained the same proportion of corn:soybean meal ratio at 4.14:1. The apparent total tract digestibility of energy was 89.5, 84.1, 82.4, and 87.9% (P < 0.001) in the basal, CM, PKM, and CR diets, respectively. The DE in CM and PKM were greater (P < 0.05) than in CR (3440 and 3238 vs. 2966 kcal/kg as-fed). The ME in CM was greater (P < 0.05) than in CR (3340 vs. 2935 kcal/kg as-fed) but not different from the ME in PKM (3168 kcal/kg as-fed). In conclusion, CM and PKM have a higher DE value than CR, and CM has a higher ME value than CR.

Effects of alkaloids from Sophora flavescens on osteoblasts infected with Staphylococcus aureus and osteoclasts.

PubMed

Wang, Xuping; Zheng, Rongzong; Huang, Xiaowen; Mao, Zhujun; Wang, Nani; Li, Hongyu; Wen, Chengping; Shou, Dan

2018-03-25

Chronic osteomyelitis is primarily caused by infection with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Antibiotics are commonly administered; however, it is a challenge to promote bone healing. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro effects of alkaloids from the herbal remedy Sophora flavescens (ASF) on rat calvarial osteoblasts (ROBs) infected with S. aureus and healthy osteoclasts. Cell proliferation and alkaline phosphatase, interleukin-6, and tumour necrosis factor-α activity was measured in infected ROBs; tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase was evaluated in osteoclasts via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The mRNA and protein expression levels of bone morphogenetic protein 2, runt-related transcription factor 2, osteoprotegerin, and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand were assessed in infected ROBs through reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting analysis, respectively. Results indicated that ASF increased the viability of uninfected ROBs and infected ROBs treated with vancomycin via regulation of bone morphogenetic protein 2, runt-related transcription factor, osteoprotegerin, and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand mRNA and protein expression levels. In addition, the secretion of the inflammatory factor tumour necrosis factor-α was decreased and alkaline phosphatase activity was increased, inhibiting the viability of osteoclasts and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activity. Therefore, the herbal remedy ASF has potential as a new treatment for chronic osteomyelitis. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Development of a duplex lateral flow assay for simultaneous detection of antibodies against African and Classical swine fever viruses.

PubMed

Sastre, Patricia; Pérez, Teresa; Costa, Sofia; Yang, Xiaoping; Räber, Alex; Blome, Sandra; Goller, Katja V; Gallardo, Carmina; Tapia, Istar; García, Julia; Sanz, Antonio; Rueda, Paloma

2016-09-01

Classical swine fever (CSF) and African swine fever (ASF) are both highly contagious diseases of domestic pigs and wild boar and are clinically indistinguishable. For both diseases, antibody detection is an integral and crucial part of prevention and control measures. The purpose of our study was to develop and initially validate a duplex pen-side test for simultaneous detection and differentiation of specific antibodies against CSF virus (CSFV) and ASF virus (ASFV). The test was based on the major capsid protein VP72 of ASFV and the structural protein E2 of CSFV, both considered the most immunogenic proteins of these viruses. The performance of the pen-side test was evaluated using a panel of porcine samples consisting of experimental, reference, and field sera, with the latter collected from European farms free of both diseases. The new lateral flow assay was able to detect specific antibodies to ASFV or CSFV, showing good levels of sensitivity and specificity. These preliminary data indicate the potential of the newly developed pen-side test for rapid differential detection of antibodies found in the 2 diseases, which is of particular importance in the field and in front-line laboratories where equipment and skilled personnel are limited and control of ASF and CSF is crucial. © 2016 The Author(s).

Evaluation of a Commercial Field Test to Detect African Swine Fever.

PubMed

Cappai, Stefano; Loi, Federica; Coccollone, Annamaria; Cocco, Manuele; Falconi, Caterina; Dettori, Giovanna; Feliziani, Francesco; Sanna, Maria Luisa; Oggiano, Annalisa; Rolesu, Sandro

2017-07-01

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most important and complex infectious diseases affecting pigs ( Sus scrofa ). The disease has been present in Sardinia, Italy, since 1978. Factors influencing the presence of the disease on the island are the presence of illegally bred pigs, uncontrolled movements of animals, and local traditions. Implementation of public health programs is essential for controlling ASF. The use of new diagnostic techniques on both wild boar (WB) and illegally bred pigs would provide tools for faster and more inexpensive control of the disease. We evaluated a commercial serological test kit (Pen-side [PS]) for use in the field. We sampled 113 hunter-harvested WB during the 2014-15 season, collecting blood and lung samples to conduct serological analyses and to screen for the ASF virus. Although the sensitivity (81.8%) and specificity (95.9%) of tests performed in the field were reduced compared to the same test in laboratory, they nevertheless allowed for rapid diagnosis and reduced unnecessary carcass destruction. The test, conducted in the field, was less expensive than in the laboratory and required less manpower. Therefore, we conclude that the combined use of antibody PS test and antigen PS test may be a valuable emergency management method during an outbreak as well as a useful tool for conducting regular monitoring activities as a preventive policy.

Efficacy of Alkali-treated Sugarcane Fiber for Improving Physicochemical and Textural Properties of Meat Emulsions with Different Fat Levels.

PubMed

Kim, Hyun-Wook; Setyabrata, Derico; Lee, Yong-Jae; Brad Kim, Yuan H

2018-04-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of alkaline-treated sugarcane bagasse fiber on physicochemical and textural properties of meat emulsion with different fat levels. Crude sugarcane bagasse fiber (CSF) was treated with calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH 2 )) to obtain alkaline-treated sugarcane bagasse fiber (ASF). The two types of sugarcane bagasse fiber (CSF and ASF) were incorporated at 2% levels in pork meat emulsions prepared with 5%, 10% and 20% fat levels. Alkaline-treatment markedly increased acid detergent fiber content ( p =0.002), but significantly decreased protein, fat, ash and other carbohydrate contents. ASF exhibited significantly higher water-binding capacity, but lower oil-binding and emulsifying capacities than CSF. Meat emulsions formulated with 10% fat and 2% sugarcane bagasse fiber had equivalent cooking loss and textural properties to control meat emulsion (20% fat without sugarcane bagasse fiber). The two types of sugarcane bagasse fiber had similar impacts on proximate composition, cooking yield and texture of meat emulsion at the same fat level, respectively ( p >0.05). Our results confirm that sugarcane bagasse fiber could be a functional food ingredient for improving physicochemical and textural properties of meat emulsion, at 2% addition level. Further, the altered functional properties of alkaline-treated sugarcane bagasse fiber had no impacts on physicochemical and textural properties of meat emulsions, regardless of fat level at 5%, 10% and 20%.

Infection after anterior spinal fusion for idiopathic scoliosis using the Cotrel-Dubousset-Hopf system: A clinical case series of three patients.

PubMed

Tolk, Jaap J; Willems, Paul C; Punt, Ilona M; van Rhijn, Lodewijk W; van Ooij, André

2016-01-01

Three patients with late-onset infection after multilevel instrumented anterior spinal fusion for idiopathic scoliosis, using the Cotrel-Dubousset-Hopf (CDH) system, are presented. The CDH-system is an anterior instrumentation with high biomechanical stability and rigidity, ensuring a stable primary fixation. Unlike after posterior spinal fusion, infection after anterior spinal fusion (ASF) for idiopathic scoliosis has rarely been reported. The files of three patients who developed an infection after ASF for scoliosis using the CDH-system, were reviewed. The clinical presentation and diagnostic and therapeutic options are discussed. All three patients had a late-onset infection of the CDH-system, which was difficult to diagnose because of nonspecific symptoms. Radiographs and technetium bone scan appeared to be of low value. When an abscess was present, this could accurately be diagnosed with MRI or CT imaging. Operative treatment with implant removal and antibiotic therapy was successful in all cases. Late onset infections after ASF using the CDH-system presented with few and nonspecific symptoms. The clinical presentation was mainly characterized by vague abdominal- or back-pain after an interval of normal postoperative recovery, moderately raised infection parameters and inconclusive findings with imaging modalities. As treatment, implant removal, debridement and parenteral antibiotics are recommended. It should be noted though that implant removal poses serious risks for vascular and visceral structures.

The flexural properties of endodontic post materials.

PubMed

Stewardson, Dominic A; Shortall, Adrian C; Marquis, Peter M; Lumley, Philip J

2010-08-01

To measure the flexural strengths and moduli of endodontic post materials and to assess the effect on the calculated flexural properties of varying the diameter/length (D/L) ratio of three-point bend test samples. Three-point bend testing of samples of 2mm diameter metal and fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) rods was carried out and the mechanical properties calculated at support widths of 16 mm, 32 mm and 64 mm. Weibull analysis was performed on the strength data. The flexural strengths of all the FRC post materials exceeded the yield strengths of the gold and stainless steel samples; the flexural strengths of two FRC materials were comparable with the yield strength of titanium. Stainless steel recorded the highest flexural modulus while the titanium and the two carbon fiber materials exhibited similar values just exceeding that of gold. The remaining glass fiber materials were of lower modulus within the range of 41-57 GPa. Weibull modulus values for the FRC materials ranged from 16.77 to 30.09. Decreasing the L/D ratio produced a marked decrease in flexural modulus for all materials. The flexural strengths of FRC endodontic post materials as new generally exceed the yield strengths of metals from which endodontic posts are made. The high Weibull modulus values suggest good clinical reliability of FRC posts. The flexural modulus values of the tested posts were from 2-6 times (FRC) to 4-10 times (metal) that of dentin. Valid measurement of flexural properties of endodontic post materials requires that test samples have appropriate L/D ratios. Copyright 2010 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flexural Toughness of Steel Fiber Reinforced High Performance Concrete Containing Nano-SiO2 and Fly Ash

PubMed Central

Zhao, Ya-Nan; Li, Qing-Fu; Wang, Peng; Zhang, Tian-Hang

2014-01-01

This paper aims to clarify the effect of steel fiber on the flexural toughness of the high performance concrete containing fly ash and nano-SiO2. The flexural toughness was evaluated by two methods, which are based on ASTM C1018 and DBV-1998, respectively. By means of three-point bending method, the flexural toughness indices, variation coefficients of bearing capacity, deformation energy, and equivalent flexural strength of the specimen were measured, respectively, and the relational curves between the vertical load and the midspan deflection (P V-δ) were obtained. The results indicate that steel fiber has great effect on the flexural toughness parameters and relational curves (P V-δ) of the three-point bending beam specimen. When the content of steel fiber increases from 0.5% to 2%, the flexural toughness parameters increase gradually and the curves are becoming plumper and plumper with the increase of steel fiber content, respectively. However these flexural toughness parameters begin to decrease and the curves become thinner and thinner after the steel fiber content exceeds 2%. It seems that the contribution of steel fiber to the improvement of flexural toughness of the high performance concrete containing fly ash and nano-SiO2 is well performed only when the steel fiber content is less than 2%. PMID:24883395

Experimental investigation on flexure and impact properties of injection molded polypropylene-nylon 6-glass fiber polymer composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nuruzzaman, D. M.; Kusaseh, N. M.; Chowdhury, M. A.; Rahman, N. A. N. A.; Oumer, A. N.; Fatchurrohman, N.; Iqbal, A. K. M. A.; Ismail, N. M.

2018-04-01

In this research study, glass fiber (GF) reinforced polypropylene (PP)-nylon 6 (PA6) polymer blend composites were prepared using injection molding process. Specimens of four different compositions such as 80%PP+20%PA6, 80%PP+18%PA6+2%GF, 80%PP+16%PA6+4%GF and 80%PP+14%PA6+6%GF were prepared. In the injection molding process, suitable process parameters were selected depending on the type of composite specimen in producing defects free dog bone shaped specimens. Flexure and impact tests were carried out according to ASTM standard. The important flexure properties such as flexural modulus, flexural yield strength, flexural strength and flexural strain were investigated. The obtained results revealed that flexural modulus of 80%PP+20%PA6 polymer blend is the lowest and the polymer blend composite shows steadily improved modulus as the glass fiber content is increased. Results also showed that flexural strength of pure polymer blend is the lowest but it improves gradually when the glass fiber content is increased. Impact test results revealed that impact strength of 80%PP+20%PA6 polymer blend is the highest whereas all the composites show reduced impact strength or toughness. It is noticed that 80%PP+14%PA6+6%GF composite exhibits the lowest impact strength.

Laboratory and environmental decay of wood–plastic composite boards: flexural properties

Treesearch

Rebecca Ibach; Marek Gnatowski; Grace Sun; Jessie Glaeser; Mathew Leung; John Haight

2017-01-01

The flexural properties of wood–plastic composite (WPC) deck boards exposed to 9.5 years of environmental decay in Hilo, Hawaii, were compared to samples exposed to moisture and decay fungi for 12 weeks in the laboratory, to establish a correlation between sample flexural properties and calculated void volume. Specimens were tested for flexural strength and modulus,...

Improved Strength and Toughness of Carbon Woven Fabric Composites with Functionalized MWCNTs

PubMed Central

Soliman, Eslam; Kandil, Usama; Reda Taha, Mahmoud

2014-01-01

This investigation examines the role of carboxyl functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (COOH-MWCNTs) in the on- and off-axis flexure and the shear responses of thin carbon woven fabric composite plates. The chemically functionalized COOH-MWCNTs were used to fabricate epoxy nanocomposites and, subsequently, carbon woven fabric plates to be tested on flexure and shear. In addition to the neat epoxy, three loadings of COOH-MWCNTs were examined: 0.5 wt%, 1.0 wt% and 1.5 wt% of epoxy. While no significant statistical difference in the flexure response of the on-axis specimens was observed, significant increases in the flexure strength, modulus and toughness of the off-axis specimens were observed. The average increase in flexure strength and flexure modulus with the addition of 1.5 wt% COOH-MWCNTs improved by 28% and 19%, respectively. Finite element modeling is used to demonstrate fiber domination in on-axis flexure behavior and matrix domination in off-axis flexure behavior. Furthermore, the 1.5 wt% COOH-MWCNTs increased the toughness of carbon woven composites tested on shear by 33%. Microstructural investigation using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) proves the existence of chemical bonds between the COOH-MWCNTs and the epoxy matrix. PMID:28788698

Slow Crack Growth Behavior and Life/Reliability Analysis of 96 wt % Alumina at Ambient Temperature With Various Specimen/Loading Configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sung R.; Powers, Lynn M.; Nemeth, Noel N.

2000-01-01

Extensive constant stress-rate testing for 96 wt % alumina was conducted in room-temperature distilled water using four different specimen/loading configurations: rectangular beam test specimens under four-point uniaxial flexure, square plate test specimens in ring-on-ring biaxial flexure, square plate test specimens in ball-on-ring biaxial flexure, and dog-boned tensile test specimens in pure tension. The slow crack growth (SCG) parameter n was almost independent of specimen/loading configurations, in either four-point uniaxial flexure, ring-on-ring biaxial flexure, ball-on-ring biaxial flexure, or pure tension, ranging from n = 35 to 47 with an average value of n = 41.1 +/- 4.5. The prediction of fatigue strength/reliability based on the four-point uniaxial flexure data by using the CARES/Life design code as well as a simple PIA model was in good agreement with both the ring-on-ring biaxial and the ball-on-ring biaxial flexure data. A poor prediction using the PIA model was observed for the dog-boned tensile test specimens, presumably due to different flaw population involved in the tensile test specimens.

Prediction of Mean and Design Fatigue Lives of Self Compacting Concrete Beams in Flexure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goel, S.; Singh, S. P.; Singh, P.; Kaushik, S. K.

2012-02-01

In this paper, result of an investigation conducted to study the flexural fatigue characteristics of self compacting concrete (SCC) beams in flexure are presented. An experimental programme was planned in which approximately 60 SCC beam specimens of size 100 × 100 × 500 mm were tested under flexural fatigue loading. Approximately 45 static flexural tests were also conducted to facilitate fatigue testing. The flexural fatigue and static flexural strength tests were conducted on a 100 kN servo-controlled actuator. The fatigue life data thus obtained have been used to establish the probability distributions of fatigue life of SCC using two-parameter Weibull distribution. The parameters of the Weibull distribution have been obtained by different methods of analysis. Using the distribution parameters, the mean and design fatigue lives of SCC have been estimated and compared with Normally vibrated concrete (NVC), the data for which have been taken from literature. It has been observed that SCC exhibits higher mean and design fatigue lives compared to NVC.

Preparation and evaluation of advanced electrocatalysts for phosphoric acid fuel cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stonehart, P.; Baris, J.; Hochmuth, J.; Pagliaro, P.

1981-01-01

The highest performance fuel cell cathode electrocatalyst combination ever observed gives 755 mV vs hydrogen at 100 ASF on air at 180 C and shows a potential improvement to 775 mV vs hydrogen for better electrode structures. A pressurized fuel cell (UTC at 5 atm) would then give 805 mV at 320 ASF and 180 C. Another activity diagnostic is the performance of this electrocatalyst on oxygen at 900 mV vs hydrogen. The value for electrocatalyst is 44 mA per milligram of platinum and is projected to reach 60 mA per milligram of platinum with improved electrode structures. Since the electrocatalyst surface area and the electrode structure are not yet optimized there is considerable room for performance enhancement beyond these values, especially at higher temperatures.

Toughening of PMR composites by gradient semi-interpenetrating networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, N. J.; Srinivasan, K.; Peter, R. H.

1992-01-01

The toughening of the PMR-15 and LARC RP-46 high temperature thermosetting polyimides is presently attempted through the construction of a semiinterpenetrating network at ply interfaces through the use of the Matrimid 5218 thermoplastic polyimide powder, whose 315-320 glass transition temperature is compatible with the PMR matrices. The 60 vol pct fiber composites thus prepared for the two resins, with and without toughening, were comprehensively characterized in flexure, tension, intralaminar and short beam shear, compression and quasi-isotropic short-block compression, as well as modes I and II interlaminar fracture toughness and compression after impact.

Reliability improvement of wire bonds subjected to fatigue stresses.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ravi, K. V.; Philofsky, E. M.

1972-01-01

The failure of wire bonds due to repeated flexure when semiconductor devices are operated in an on-off mode has been investigated. An accelerated fatigue testing apparatus was constructed and the major fatigue variables, aluminum alloy composition, and bonding mechanism, were tested. The data showed Al-1% Mg wires to exhibit superior fatigue characteristics compared to Al-1% Cu or Al-1% Si and ultrasonic bonding to be better than thermocompression bonding for fatigue resistance. Based on these results highly reliable devices were fabricated using Al-1% Mg wire with ultrasonic bonding which withstood 120,000 power cycles with no failures.

Construction of an Optical Fiber Strain Gauge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulaiman, Najwa

This project is focused on the construction of an optical fiber strain gauge that is based on a strain gauge described by Butter and Hocker. Our gauge is designed to generate an interference pattern from the signals carried on two bare single-mode fibers that are fastened to an aluminum cantilever. When the cantilever experiences flexural stress, the interference pattern should change. By observing this change, it is possible to determine the strain experienced by the cantilever. I describe the design and construction of our optical fiber strain gauge as well as the characterization of different parts of the apparatus.

Introduction to TAFI - A Matlab® toolbox for analysis of flexural isostasy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jha, S.; Harry, D. L.; Schutt, D.

2016-12-01

The isostatic response of vertical tectonic loads emplaced on thin elastic plates overlying inviscid substrate and the corresponding gravity anomalies are commonly modeled using well established theories and methodologies of flexural analysis. However, such analysis requires some mathematical and coding expertise on part of users. With that in mind, we designed a new interactive Matlab® toolbox called Toolbox for Analysis of Flexural Isostasy (TAFI). TAFI allows users to create forward models (2-D and 3-D) of flexural deformation of the lithosphere and resulting gravity anomaly. TAFI computes Green's Functions for flexure of the elastic plate subjected to point or line loads, and analytical solution for harmonic loads. Flexure due to non-impulsive, distributed 2-D or 3-D loads are computed by convolving the appropriate Green's function with a user-supplied spatially discretized load function. The gravity anomaly associated with each density interface is calculated by using the Fourier Transform of flexural deflection of these interfaces and estimating the gravity in the wavenumber domain. All models created in TAFI are based on Matlab's intrinsic functions and do not require any specialized toolbox, function or library except those distributed with TAFI. Modeling functions within TAFI can be called from Matlab workspace, from within user written programs or from the TAFI's graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI enables the user to model the flexural deflection of lithosphere interactively, enabling real time comparison of model fit with observed data constraining the flexural deformation and gravity, facilitating rapid search for best fitting flexural model. TAFI is a very useful teaching and research tool and have been tested rigorously in graduate level teaching and basic research environment.

The effect on the flexural strength, flexural modulus and compressive strength of fibre reinforced acrylic with that of plain unfilled acrylic resin - an in vitro study.

PubMed

Thomas, Tony C; K, Aswini Kumar; Mohamed, Shamaz; Krishnan, Vinod; Mathew, Anil; V, Manju

2015-03-01

The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the flexural strength, the flexural modulus and compressive strength of the acrylic polymer reinforced with glass, carbon, polyethylene and Kevlar fibres with that of plain unfilled resin. A total of 50 specimens were prepared and divided into 10 specimens each under 5 groups namely group 1- control group without any fibres, group 2 - carbon fibres, group 3- glass fibres, group 4 - polyethylene, group 5- Kevlar. Universal testing machine (Tinius olsen, USA) was used for the testing of these specimens. Out of each group, 5 specimens were randomly selected and testing was done for flexural strength using a three point deflection test and three point bending test for compressive strength and the modulus was plotted using a graphical method. Statistical analysis was done using statistical software. The respective mean values for samples in regard to their flexural strength for PMMA plain, PMMA+ glass fibre, PMMA+ carbon, PMMA+ polyethylene and PMMA+ Kevlar were 90.64, 100.79, 102.58, 94.13 and 96.43 respectively. Scheffes post hoc test clearly indicated that only mean flexural strength values of PMMA + Carbon, has the highest mean value. One-way ANOVA revealed a non-significant difference among the groups in regard to their compressive strength. The study concludes that carbon fibre reinforced samples has the greatest flexural strength and greatest flexural modulus, however the compressive strength remains unchanged.

Characterization of Mode 1 and Mode 2 delamination growth and thresholds in graphite/peek composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, Roderick H.; Murri, Gretchen B.

1988-01-01

Composite materials often fail by delamination. The onset and growth of delamination in AS4/PEEK, a tough thermoplastic matrix composite, was characterized for mode 1 and mode 2 loadings, using the Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) and the End Notched Flexure (ENF) test specimens. Delamination growth per fatigue cycle, da/dN, was related to strain energy release rate, G, by means of a power law. However, the exponents of these power laws were too large for them to be adequately used as a life prediction tool. A small error in the estimated applied loads could lead to large errors in the delamination growth rates. Hence strain energy release rate thresholds, G sub th, below which no delamination would occur were also measured. Mode 1 and 2 threshold G values for no delamination growth were found by monitoring the number of cycles to delamination onset in the DCB and ENF specimens. The maximum applied G for which no delamination growth had occurred until at least 1,000,000 cycles was considered the threshold strain energy release rate. Comments are given on how testing effects, facial interference or delamination front damage, may invalidate the experimental determination of the constants in the expression.

Characterization of Mode I and Mode II delamination growth and thresholds in AS4/PEEK composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, Roderick H.; Murri, Gretchen Bostaph

1990-01-01

Composite materials often fail by delamination. The onset and growth of delamination in AS4/PEEK, a tough thermoplastic matrix composite, was characterized for mode 1 and mode 2 loadings, using the Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) and the End Notched Flexure (ENF) test specimens. Delamination growth per fatigue cycle, da/dN, was related to strain energy release rate, G, by means of a power law. However, the exponents of these power laws were too large for them to be adequately used as a life prediction tool. A small error in the estimated applied loads could lead to large errors in the delamination growth rates. Hence strain energy release rate thresholds, G sub th, below which no delamination would occur were also measured. Mode 1 and 2 threshold G values for no delamination growth were found by monitoring the number of cycles to delamination onset in the DCB and ENF specimens. The maximum applied G for which no delamination growth had occurred until at least 1,000,000 cycles was considered the threshold strain energy release rate. Comments are given on how testing effects, facial interference or delamination front damage, may invalidate the experimental determination of the constants in the expression.

The propagation characteristics of the plate modes of acoustic emission waves in thin aluminum plates and thin graphite/epoxy composite plates and tubes. Ph.D. Thesis - Johns Hopkins Univ., 1991

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prosser, William H.

1991-01-01

Acoustic emission was interpreted as modes of vibration in plates. Classical plate theory was used to predict dispersion curves for the two fundamental modes and to calculate the shapes of flexural waveforms produced by vertical step function loading. There was good agreement between theoretical and experimental results for aluminum. Composite materials required the use of a higher order plate theory (Reissner-Mindlin) to get good agreement with the measured velocities. Four composite plates with different laminate stacking sequences were studied. The dispersion curves were determined from phase spectra of the time dependent waveforms. Plate modes were shown to be useful for determining the direction of source motion. Aluminum plates were loaded by breaking a pencil lead against their surface. By machining slots at angles to the plane of a plate, the direction in which the force acted was varied. Changing the source motion direction produced regular variations in the waveforms. To demonstrate applicability beyond simple plates, waveforms produced by lead breaks on a thin walled composite tube were also shown to be interpretable as plate modes. The tube design was based on the type of struts proposed for Space Station Freedom's trussed structures.

Travelling wave ultrasonic motor using the B08 flexural mode of a circular membrane.

PubMed

Rayner, P J; Whatmore, R W

2001-05-01

This paper describes the design, construction, and performance of a piezoelectric motor that uses the travelling B08 mode of an 80-mm diameter circular membrane to drive a rotor by frictional contact. The motor is of a thin planar design, giving high torque of up to 0.33 Nm at low speed and has been developed as a design that can be made with lithographic techniques for miniaturization. Investigations of the free stator with a vibration pattern imager and impedance analyzer gave the resonance frequency, mode, and electromechanical coupling of the stator. Motor speed as a function of frequency for a constant voltage and performance charts of speed, output power, and efficiency against torque are presented for a particular input voltage and rotor pre-load. The effects of two different lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ring dimensions have been investigated. Excitation of the B09 mode has been observed, incommensurate with the piezoelectric excitation of the stator. This is discussed with relation to edge-clamping of the stator. Single standing wave motoring was observed, believed to arise from asymmetry of the stator and its perturbation of the B08 resonance mode. Sources of power loss, including frame vibration and friction interface slip, are considered and discussed.

Label-free Growth Receptor-2 Detection and Dissociation Constant Assessment in Diluted Human Serum Using a Longitudinal Extension Mode of a Piezoelectric Microcantilever Sensor

PubMed Central

Capobianco, Joseph A.; Shih, Wan Y.; Adams, Gregory P.; Shih, Wei-Heng

2011-01-01

We have investigated real-time, label-free, in-situ detection of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2) in diluted serum using the first longitudinal extension mode of a lead zirconate-lead titanate (PZT)/glass piezoelectric microcantilever sensor (PEMS) with H3 single-chain variable fragment (scFv) immobilized on the 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) insulation layer of the PEMS surface. We showed that with the longitudinal extension mode, the PZT/glass PEMS consisting of a 1 mm long and 127 μm thick PZT layer bonded with a 75 μm thick glass layer with a 1.8 mm long glass tip could detect Her2 at a concentration of 6-60 ng/ml (or 0.06-0.6 nM) in diluted human serum, about 100 times lower than the concentration limit obtained using the lower-frequency flexural mode of a similar PZT/glass PEMS. We further showed that with the longitudinal mode, the PZT/glass PEMS determined the equilibrium H3-Her2 dissociation constant Kd to be 3.3±0.3 × 10-8 M consistent with the value, 3.2±0.28 ×10-8 M deduced by the surface plasmon resonance method (BIAcore). PMID:22888196

Development and Application of Benchmark Examples for Mixed-Mode I/II Quasi-Static Delamination Propagation Predictions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krueger, Ronald

2012-01-01

The development of benchmark examples for quasi-static delamination propagation prediction is presented and demonstrated for a commercial code. The examples are based on finite element models of the Mixed-Mode Bending (MMB) specimen. The examples are independent of the analysis software used and allow the assessment of the automated delamination propagation prediction capability in commercial finite element codes based on the virtual crack closure technique (VCCT). First, quasi-static benchmark examples were created for the specimen. Second, starting from an initially straight front, the delamination was allowed to propagate under quasi-static loading. Third, the load-displacement relationship from a propagation analysis and the benchmark results were compared, and good agreement could be achieved by selecting the appropriate input parameters. Good agreement between the results obtained from the automated propagation analysis and the benchmark results could be achieved by selecting input parameters that had previously been determined during analyses of mode I Double Cantilever Beam and mode II End Notched Flexure specimens. The benchmarking procedure proved valuable by highlighting the issues associated with choosing the input parameters of the particular implementation. Overall the results are encouraging, but further assessment for mixed-mode delamination fatigue onset and growth is required.

An experimental investigation of the structural dynamics of a torsionally soft rotor in vacuum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srinivasan, A. V.; Cutts, D. G.; Shu, H. T.

1986-01-01

An extensive data base of structural dynamic characteristics has been generated from an experimental program conducted on a torsionally soft two-bladed model helicopter rotor system. Measurements of vibratory strains for five modes of vibration were made at twenty-one locations on the two blades at speeds varying from 0 to 1000 RPM and for several combinations of precone, droop and flexure stiffness. Tests were conducted in vacuum under carefully controlled conditions using a unique excitation device with a system of piezoelectric crystals bonded to the blade surface near the root. Frequencies, strain mode shapes and dampings are extracted from the time histories and can be used to validate structural dynamics codes. The dynamics of the system are such that there is a clear tendency for the first torsion and second flap modes to couple within the speed range considered. Strain mode shapes vary significantly with speed and configuration. This feature is important in the calcualtion of aeroelastic instabilities. The tension axis tests confirmed that the modulus-weighted centroid for the nonhomogeneous airfoil is slightly off the mass centroid and validated previous static tests done to determine location of the tension axis.

Flexural Plate Wave Devices for Chemical Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-04-16

Naval Research Laboratory Washi..gton. DC 20375-5000 NRL Memorandum Report 6815 AD-A234 129 Flexural Plate Wave Devices for Chemical Analysis JAY W...4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE S. FUNDING NUMBERS Flexural Plate Wave Devices for Chemical Analysis 6. AUTHOR(S) 61-1638-01 Jay W. Grate. Stuart W. Wenzel... ANALYSIS INTRODUCTION Flexural plate wave (FPW) devices offer many attractive features for chemical analysis (1-9). As gravimetric sensors for chemical

Mechanical properties of kenaf composites using dynamic mechanical analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loveless, Thomas A.

Natural fibers show potential to replace glass fibers in thermoset and thermoplastic composites. Kenaf is a bast-type fiber with high specific strength and great potential to compete with glass fibers. In this research kenaf/epoxy composites were analyzed using Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). A three-point bend apparatus was used in the DMA testing. The samples were tested at 1 hertz, at a displacement of 10 ?m, and at room temperature. The fiber volume content of the kenaf was varied from 20% - 40% in 5% increments. Ten samples of each fiber volume fraction were manufactured and tested. The flexural storage modulus, the flexural loss modulus, and the loss factor were reported. Generally as the fiber volume fraction of kenaf increased, the flexural storage and flexural loss modulus increased. The loss factor remained relatively constant with increasing fiber volume fraction. Woven and chopped fiberglass/epoxy composites were manufactured and tested to be compared with the kenaf/epoxy composites. Both of the fiberglass/epoxy composites reported higher flexural storage and flexural loss modulus values. The kenaf/epoxy composites reported higher loss factor values. The specific flexural storage and specific flexural loss modulus were calculated for both the fiberglass and kenaf fiber composites. Even though the kenaf composites reported a lower density, the fiberglass composites reported higher specific mechanical properties.

Dynamic Method of Neutral Axis Position Determination and Damage Identification with Distributed Long-Gauge FBG Sensors

PubMed Central

Tang, Yongsheng; Ren, Zhongdao

2017-01-01

The neutral axis position (NAP) is a key parameter of a flexural member for structure design and safety evaluation. The accuracy of NAP measurement based on traditional methods does not satisfy the demands of structural performance assessment especially under live traffic loads. In this paper, a new method to determine NAP is developed by using modal macro-strain (MMS). In the proposed method, macro-strain is first measured with long-gauge Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors; then the MMS is generated from the measured macro-strain with Fourier transform; and finally the neutral axis position coefficient (NAPC) is determined from the MMS and the neutral axis depth is calculated with NAPC. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, some experiments on FE models, steel beam and reinforced concrete (RC) beam were conducted. From the results, the plane section was first verified with MMS of the first bending mode. Then the results confirmed the high accuracy and stability for assessing NAP. The results also proved that the NAPC was a good indicator of local damage. In summary, with the proposed method, accurate assessment of flexural structures can be facilitated. PMID:28230747

Experimental study of sound propagation in a flexible duct

PubMed

Huang; Choy; So; Chong

2000-08-01

Propagation of sound in a flexible duct is investigated both theoretically and experimentally. Strong coupling of sound and flexural waves on the duct wall is found when the wall-to-air mass ratio is of the order of unity. The axial phase speed of sound approaches the in vacuo speed of flexural waves (subsonic in this case) at low frequencies. However, a speed higher than the isentropic sound speed in free space (340 m/s) is found beyond a critical frequency which is a function of the mass ratio. Experiments using a duct with a finite section of tensioned membrane are compared with the propagating modes pertaining to the infinite membrane model. Satisfactory quantitative agreement is obtained and the measured phase speed ranges from 8.3 to 1348 m/s. In the moderate frequency range, the theory predicts high spatial damping rate for the subsonic waves, which is consistent with the experimental observation that subsonic waves become increasingly undetectable as the frequency increases. Substantial sound reflection is observed at the interface between the rigid and the flexible segments of the duct without cross-section discontinuity, which, together with the high spatial damping, could form a basis for passive control of low-frequency duct noise.

Experimental investigation of graphite/polyimide sandwich panels in edgewise compression

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Camarda, C. J.

1980-01-01

The local and general buckling behavior of graphite/polyimide sandwich panels simply supported along all four edges and loaded in uniaxial edgewise compression was investigated. Material properties of adhesive and facings were determined from flatwise tension and sandwich beam flexure tests. Tensile and compressive material properties of the facings were determined at 116, R.T., and 589 K (-250, R.T., and 600 F) using the sandwich beam flexure test method. Results indicate that Gr/PI is a usable structural material for short term use at temperatures as high as 589 K (600 F). Buckling specimens were 30.5 X 33.0 cm (12 x 13 in.), had quasi-isotropic symmetric facings and a glass/polyimide honeycomb core. Core thicknesses varied and three panels of each thickness were tested in edgewise compression at room temperature to investigate failure modes and corresponding buckling formulas. Specimens 0.635 cm (0.25 in.) thick failed by overall buckling at loads close to the analytically predicted buckling load; all other panels failed by face wrinkling. Results of the winkling tests indicate that several buckling formulas were unconservative and therefore not suitable for design purposes; recommended wrinkling equations are presented.

Analysis of syntactic foam – GFRP sandwich composites for flexural loads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, Daniel; Velmurugan, R.; Jayaganthan, R.; Gupta, N. K.; Manzhirov, A. V.

2018-04-01

The use of glass microballoon (GMB) — epoxy syntactic foams as a sandwich core material is studied. The skins and foam core are fabricated and joined instantaneously unlike the procedures followed in the previous studies. Each successive layer of the sandwich is fabricated when the previous layer is in a semi-gelled state. These sandwich samples are characterized for their properties under flexural loading. The failure modes and mechanical properties are carefully investigated. The change in fabrication technique results in a significant increase in the load bearing pattern of the sandwich. In earlier studies, debonding was found to occur prematurely since the bonding between the skins and core is the weakest plane. Using the current technique, core cracking occurs first, followed by skin fiber breaking and debonding happens at the end. This ensures that the load carrying phase of the structure is extended considerably. The sandwich is also analytically studied using Reddy’s higher order shear deformation theory. A higher order theory is selected as the sandwich can no longer be considered as a thin beam and thus shear effects also need to be considered in addition to bending effects.

Dynamic Method of Neutral Axis Position Determination and Damage Identification with Distributed Long-Gauge FBG Sensors.

PubMed

Tang, Yongsheng; Ren, Zhongdao

2017-02-20

The neutral axis position (NAP) is a key parameter of a flexural member for structure design and safety evaluation. The accuracy of NAP measurement based on traditional methods does not satisfy the demands of structural performance assessment especially under live traffic loads. In this paper, a new method to determine NAP is developed by using modal macro-strain (MMS). In the proposed method, macro-strain is first measured with long-gauge Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors; then the MMS is generated from the measured macro-strain with Fourier transform; and finally the neutral axis position coefficient (NAPC) is determined from the MMS and the neutral axis depth is calculated with NAPC. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, some experiments on FE models, steel beam and reinforced concrete (RC) beam were conducted. From the results, the plane section was first verified with MMS of the first bending mode. Then the results confirmed the high accuracy and stability for assessing NAP. The results also proved that the NAPC was a good indicator of local damage. In summary, with the proposed method, accurate assessment of flexural structures can be facilitated.

Photo-acoustic excitation and optical detection of fundamental flexural guided wave in coated bone phantoms.

PubMed

Moilanen, Petro; Zhao, Zuomin; Karppinen, Pasi; Karppinen, Timo; Kilappa, Vantte; Pirhonen, Jalmari; Myllylä, Risto; Haeggström, Edward; Timonen, Jussi

2014-03-01

Photo-acoustic (PA) imaging was combined with skeletal quantitative ultrasound (QUS) for assessment of human long bones. This approach permitted low-frequency excitation and detection of ultrasound so as to efficiently receive the thickness-sensitive fundamental flexural guided wave (FFGW) through a coating of soft tissue. The method was tested on seven axisymmetric bone phantoms, whose 1- to 5-mm wall thickness and 16-mm diameter mimicked those of the human radius. Phantoms were made of a composite material and coated with a 2.5- to 7.5-mm layer of soft material that mimicked soft tissue. Ultrasound was excited with a pulsed Nd:YAG laser at 1064-nm wavelength and received on the same side of the coated phantom with a heterodyne interferometer. The FFGW was detected at 30-kHz frequency. Fitting the FFGW phase velocity by the FLC(1,1) tube mode provided an accurate (9.5 ± 4.0%) wall thickness estimate. Ultrasonic in vivo characterization of cortical bone thickness may thus become possible. Copyright © 2014 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A micro-machined piezoelectric flexural-mode hydrophone with air backing: a hydrostatic pressure-balancing mechanism for integrity preservation.

PubMed

Choi, Sungjoon; Lee, Haksue; Moon, Wonkyu

2010-09-01

Although an air-backed thin plate is an effective sound receiver structure, it is easily damaged via pressure unbalance caused by external hydrostatic pressure. To overcome this difficulty, a simple pressure-balancing module is proposed. Despite its small size and relative simplicity, with proper design and operation, micro-channel structure provides a solution to the pressure-balancing problem. If the channel size is sufficiently small, the gas-liquid interface may move back and forth without breach by the hydrostatic pressure since the surface tension can retain the interface surface continuously. One input port of the device is opened to an intermediate liquid, while the other port is connected to the air-backing chamber. As the hydrostatic pressure increases, the liquid in the micro-channel compresses the air, and the pressure in the backing chamber is then equalized to match the external hydrostatic pressure. To validate the performance of the proposed mechanism, a micro-channel prototype is designed and integrated with the piezoelectric micro-machined flexural sensor developed in our previous work. The working principle of the mechanism is experimentally verified. In addition, the effect of hydrostatic pressure on receiving sensitivity is evaluated and compared with predicted behavior.

A Mixed-Mode (I-II) Fracture Criterion for AS4/8552 Carbon/Epoxy Composite Laminate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karnati, Sidharth Reddy

A majority of aerospace structures are subjected to bending and stretching loads that introduce peel and shear stresses between the plies of a composite laminate. These two stress components cause a combination of mode I and II fracture modes in the matrix layer of the composite laminate. The most common failure mode in laminated composites is delamination that affects the structural integrity of composite structures. Damage tolerant designs of structures require two types of materials data: mixed-mode (I-II) delamination fracture toughness that predicts failure and delamination growth rate that predicts the life of the structural component. This research focuses determining mixed-mode (I-II) fracture toughness under a combination of mode I and mode II stress states and then a fracture criterion for AS4/8552 composite laminate, which is widely used in general aviation. The AS4/8552 prepreg was supplied by Hexcel Corporation and autoclave fabricated into a 20-ply unidirectional laminate with an artificial delamination by a Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene (FEP) film at the mid-plane. Standard split beam specimens were prepared and tested in double cantilever beam (DCB) and end notched flexure modes to determine mode I (GIC) and II (GIIC) fracture toughnesses, respectively. The DCB specimens were also tested in a modified mixed-mode bending apparatus at GIIm /GT ratios of 0.18, 0.37, 0.57 and 0.78, where GT is total and GIIm is the mode II component of energy release rates. The measured fracture toughness, GC, was found to follow the locus a power law equation. The equation was validated for the present and literature experimental data.

Design and experimental characterization of flexure activated by SMA wires for microassembly operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores, Abiud; Ahuett, Horacio; Song, Gangbing

2006-03-01

Compliant mechanisms have a wide range of application in microassembly, micromanipulation and microsurgery. This article presents a low cost Flexure-Stage actuated by two SMA-wires that produces displacement in one direction in a range from 0 to 10 μm. The Flexure-Stage acts as a mechanical transform by reducing and changing the direction of the SMA actuator output displacement. The Flexure-Stage system has its application in microassembly operation and was built at cost of US$ 35 cost. The design methodology of a flexure-stage from concept design through FEA modeling and finally to construction and characterization is presented in this paper.

Echocardiographic and Blood Pressure Characteristics of First-Year Collegiate American-Style Football Players.

PubMed

Crouse, Stephen F; White, Stephanie; Erwin, John P; Meade, Thomas H; Martin, Steven E; Oliver, Jonathan M; Joubert, Dustin P; Lambert, Bradley S; Bramhall, Joe P; Gill, Kory; Weir, David

2016-01-01

Echocardiographic (echo) and blood pressure (BP) reference values may help identify athletes at cardiovascular risk, yet benchmarks are inadequate for collegiate American-style football (ASF) players. Our purpose was to describe echo characteristics and BP values in collegiate ASF athletes compared with normal. First-year players (n = 80, age = 18 ± 1 years, height = 186 ± 7 cm, weight = 100.1 ± 22.0 kg, body mass index = 28.7 ± 5.0), body surface area [BSA] = 2.24 ± 0.25; percentage fat = 16.5 ± 9.7%) were measured for systolic and diastolic BP, and underwent echo procedures by a certified sonographer. Data analyses included simple statistics, Pearson r, frequencies in normal ranges, and t test; α = 0.05. Selected echo measurements (and indexed by BSA) were: left ventricular (LV) internal diameter diastole = 5.3 ± 0.5 cm (2.4 ± 0.3); left atrial diameter = 3.9 ± 0.5 cm (1.8 ± 0.2): LV end-diastolic volume = 138 ± 30 ml (62 ± 11); septal wall thickness = 1.0 ± 0.2 cm (0.5 ± 0.1); LV posterior wall thickness = 1.0 ± 0.1 cm (0.5 ± 0.1), LV mass = 212 ± 46 g (95 ± 18); and relative wall thickness = 0.39 ± 0.07. Correlations between BSA and echo variables were significant (r = 0.26 to 0.50). Indexing by BSA reduced percentages above reference ranges from 36% to 7%. Septal wall thickness index was significantly greater in black (0.5 ± 0.1) than nonblack (0.4 ± 0.1) athletes. Fifty-nine athletes were hypertensive or prehypertensive, and diastolic BP was significantly greater in black (76 ± 10 mm Hg) compared with nonblack athletes (71 ± 8 mm Hg). ASF athletes demonstrated LV wall thicknesses and cavity sizes consistent with sport-training hypertrophy but which were unremarkable when indexed by BSA. Ethnicity generally did not influence echo variables. No ASF players were identified with cardiac dysfunction or disease. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The ESASSI-08 cruise in the South Scotia Ridge region: Water masses, currents, and the ASF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmer, M.; Gomis, D.; Flexas, M. M.; Jordà, G.; Orsi, A. H.

2009-04-01

The ESASSI-08 oceanographic cruise carried out in January 2008 was the major milestone of ESASSI, the Spanish component of SASSI (a core project of the International Polar Year devoted to study the shelf-slope exchanges in different locations of Antarctica). The specific objectives of ESASSI, the sampling strategy and the overall distribution of the main variables across the 11 sections covered by the cruise are presented in a poster. Here we focus on three specific issues: i) the observation of strong tidal currents over some of the sampled slopes; ii) the path of the Antarctic Slope Front (ASF) over the SSR; and iii) the outflow of dense, ventilated water from the Weddell Sea into the South Scotia Sea. The main results are: i) Strong tidal currents with a significant diurnal component were observed over the southern slope of the SSR. Three tidal models are compared with the observations and used to de-tide ADCP currents. ii) The signature of the ASF is clearly detected on the southern slopes of the SSR (on the Weddell Sea flank). Over the northern slopes (the Scotia Sea flank), however, only weak signatures of frontal structures are observed; an in-depth biochemical analysis will be required to link the structures observed over the two flanks of the SSR. What seems clear is that the ASF does not extend further than Elephant Island, since southwestward of that island the shelf and the slope are fully occupied by Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) from the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. iii) The shallower component of Weddell Sea Deep Water (Upper WSDW) flows over the SSR and pours into the Scotia Sea except to the east of Elephant Island, where the channels are less than 1500 m deep. The densest component of WSDW (Lower WSDW) is observed at both flanks of the SSR, but again a more detailed analysis of biochemical data will be required to prove a direct flux of this water mass across the SSR. Weddell Sea Bottom Water (WSBW) is not observed in any of the sampled sections.

A Cloud-Based System for Automatic Hazard Monitoring from Sentinel-1 SAR Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, F. J.; Arko, S. A.; Hogenson, K.; McAlpin, D. B.; Whitley, M. A.

2017-12-01

Despite the all-weather capabilities of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), and its high performance in change detection, the application of SAR for operational hazard monitoring was limited in the past. This has largely been due to high data costs, slow product delivery, and limited temporal sampling associated with legacy SAR systems. Only since the launch of ESA's Sentinel-1 sensors have routinely acquired and free-of-charge SAR data become available, allowing—for the first time—for a meaningful contribution of SAR to disaster monitoring. In this paper, we present recent technical advances of the Sentinel-1-based SAR processing system SARVIEWS, which was originally built to generate hazard products for volcano monitoring centers. We outline the main functionalities of SARVIEWS including its automatic database interface to Sentinel-1 holdings of the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF), and its set of automatic processing techniques. Subsequently, we present recent system improvements that were added to SARVIEWS and allowed for a vast expansion of its hazard services; specifically: (1) In early 2017, the SARVIEWS system was migrated into the Amazon Cloud, providing access to cloud capabilities such as elastic scaling of compute resources and cloud-based storage; (2) we co-located SARVIEWS with ASF's cloud-based Sentinel-1 archive, enabling the efficient and cost effective processing of large data volumes; (3) we integrated SARVIEWS with ASF's HyP3 system (http://hyp3.asf.alaska.edu/), providing functionality such as subscription creation via API or map interface as well as automatic email notification; (4) we automated the production chains for seismic and volcanic hazards by integrating SARVIEWS with the USGS earthquake notification service (ENS) and the USGS eruption alert system. Email notifications from both services are parsed and subscriptions are automatically created when certain event criteria are met; (5) finally, SARVIEWS-generated hazard products are now being made available to the public via the SARVIEWS hazard portal. These improvements have led to the expansion of SARVIEWS toward a broader set of hazard situations, now including volcanoes, earthquakes, and severe weather. We provide details on newly developed techniques and show examples of disasters for which SARVIEWS was invoked.

InSAR Deformation Time Series Processed On-Demand in the Cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horn, W. B.; Weeden, R.; Dimarchi, H.; Arko, S. A.; Hogenson, K.

2017-12-01

During this past year, ASF has developed a cloud-based on-demand processing system known as HyP3 (http://hyp3.asf.alaska.edu/), the Hybrid Pluggable Processing Pipeline, for Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data. The system makes it easy for a user who doesn't have the time or inclination to install and use complex SAR processing software to leverage SAR data in their research or operations. One such processing algorithm is generation of a deformation time series product, which is a series of images representing ground displacements over time, which can be computed using a time series of interferometric SAR (InSAR) products. The set of software tools necessary to generate this useful product are difficult to install, configure, and use. Moreover, for a long time series with many images, the processing of just the interferograms can take days. Principally built by three undergraduate students at the ASF DAAC, the deformation time series processing relies the new Amazon Batch service, which enables processing of jobs with complex interconnected dependencies in a straightforward and efficient manner. In the case of generating a deformation time series product from a stack of single-look complex SAR images, the system uses Batch to serialize the up-front processing, interferogram generation, optional tropospheric correction, and deformation time series generation. The most time consuming portion is the interferogram generation, because even for a fairly small stack of images many interferograms need to be processed. By using AWS Batch, the interferograms are all generated in parallel; the entire process completes in hours rather than days. Additionally, the individual interferograms are saved in Amazon's cloud storage, so that when new data is acquired in the stack, an updated time series product can be generated with minimal addiitonal processing. This presentation will focus on the development techniques and enabling technologies that were used in developing the time series processing in the ASF HyP3 system. Data and process flow from job submission through to order completion will be shown, highlighting the benefits of the cloud for each step.

Flexural Behavior of HPFRCC Members with Inhomogeneous Material Properties.

PubMed

Shin, Kyung-Joon; Jang, Kyu-Hyeon; Choi, Young-Cheol; Lee, Seong-Cheol

2015-04-21

In this paper, the flexural behavior of High-performance Fiber-Reinforced Cementitious Composite (HPFRCC) has been investigated, especially focusing on the localization of cracks, which significantly governs the flexural behavior of HPFRCC members. From four points bending tests with HPFRCC members, it was observed that almost evenly distributed cracks formed gradually, followed by a localized crack that determined the failure of the members. In order to investigate the effect of a localized crack on the flexural behavior of HPFRCC members, an analytical procedure has been developed with the consideration of intrinsic inhomogeneous material properties of HPFRCC such as cracking and ultimate tensile strengths. From the comparison, while the predictions with homogeneous material properties overestimated flexural strength and ductility of HPFRCC members, it was found that the analysis results considering localization effect with inhomogeneous material properties showed good agreement with the test results, not only the flexural strength and ductility but also the crack widths. The test results and the developed analysis procedure presented in this paper can be usefully applied for the prediction of flexural behaviors of HPFRCC members by considering the effect of localized cracking behavior.

Tectonic mode switches and the nature of orogenesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lister, Gordon; Forster, Marnie

2009-12-01

The birth and death of many mountain belts occurs in lithosphere that over-rides major subduction zones. Here the tectonic mode (shortening versus extension) can abruptly switch, even during continuous and otherwise smooth convergence. If the hinge line of the foundering slab rapidly retreats (i.e. rolls back), the foundering slab creates a gravitational potential well into which the orogen collapses. This motion, coupled with stress guides, can "pull" the orogen apart. A slowing of roll-back (or of hinge retreat) means that the subduction flexure may subsequently begin to be "pushed back" or be "pushed over" by the advancing orogen. The consequence of such changes in relative motion is that orogenic belts are affected by abrupt tectonic mode switches. The change from "push" to "pull" leads to a sudden change from horizontal extension to horizontal shortening, potentially throughout the entire mass of the orogenic lithosphere that over-rides the subducting slab. The sequencing of these tectonic mode switches affects the thermal evolution of the orogen, and thus fundamentally determines the nature of orogenesis. This insight led to us to our quite different views as to how orogens work. It is evident that orogens affected by abrupt "push-pull" mode switches are characterized by high-pressure metamorphism, whereas orogens affected by abrupt "pull-push" mode switches are characterized by high-temperature metamorphism, magmatism and anatexis.

An ultrasonically levitated noncontact stage using traveling vibrations on precision ceramic guide rails.

PubMed

Koyama, Daisuke; Ide, Takeshi; Friend, James R; Nakamura, Kentaro; Ueha, Sadayuki

2007-03-01

This paper presents a noncontact sliding table design and measurements of its performance via ultrasonic levitation. A slider placed atop two vibrating guide rails is levitated by an acoustic radiation force emitted from the rails. A flexural traveling wave propagating along the guide rails allows noncontact transportation of the slider. Permitting a transport mechanism that reduces abrasion and dust generation with an inexpensive and simple structure. The profile of the sliding table was designed using the finite-element analysis (FEA) for high levitation and transportation efficiency. The prototype sliding table was made of alumina ceramic (Al2O3) to increase machining accuracy and rigidity using a structure composed of a pair of guide rails with a triangular cross section and piezoelectric transducers. Two types of transducers were used: bolt-clamped Langevin transducers and bimorph transducers. A 40-mm long slider was designed to fit atop the two rail guides. Flexural standing waves and torsional standing waves were observed along the guide rails at resonance, and the levitation of the slider was obtained using the flexural mode even while the levitation distance was less than 10 microm. The levitation distance of the slider was measured while increasing the slider's weight. The levitation pressure, rigidity, and vertical displacement amplitude of the levitating slider thus were measured to be 6.7 kN/m2, 3.0 kN/microm/m2, and less than 1 microm, respectively. Noncontact transport of the slider was achieved using phased drive of the two transducers at either end of the vibrating guide rail. By controlling the phase difference, the slider transportation direction could be switched, and a maximum thrust of 13 mN was obtained.

Experimental Study on Surrogate Nuclear Fuel Rods under Reversed Cyclic Bending

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Hong; Wang, Jy-An John

The mechanical behavior of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) rods under reversed cyclic bending or bending fatigue must be understood to evaluate their vibration integrity in a transportation environment. This is especially important for high-burnup fuels (>45 GWd/MTU), which have the potential for increased structural damage. It has been demonstrated that the bending fatigue of SNF rods can be effectively studied using surrogate rods. In this investigation, surrogate rods made of stainless steel (SS) 304 cladding and aluminum oxide pellets were tested under load or moment control at a variety of amplitude levels at 5 Hz using the Cyclic Integrated Reversible-Bendingmore » Fatigue Tester developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The behavior of the rods was further characterized using flexural rigidity and hysteresis data, and fractography was performed on the failed rods. The proposed surrogate rods captured many of the characteristics of deformation and failure mode observed in SNF, including the linear-to-nonlinear deformation transition and large residual curvature in static tests, PPI and PCMI failure mechanisms, and large variation in the initial structural condition. Rod degradation was measured and characterized by measuring the flexural rigidity; the degradation of the rigidity depended on both the moment amplitude applied and the initial structural condition of the rods. It was also shown that a cracking initiation site can be located on the internal surface or the external surface of cladding. Finally, fatigue damage to the bending rods can be described in terms of flexural rigidity, and the fatigue life of rods can be predicted once damage model parameters are properly evaluated. The developed experimental approach, test protocol, and analysis method can be used to study the vibration integrity of SNF rods in the future.« less

The Dynamic Performance of Flexural Ultrasonic Transducers.

PubMed

Feeney, Andrew; Kang, Lei; Rowlands, George; Dixon, Steve

2018-01-18

Flexural ultrasonic transducers are principally used as proximity sensors and for industrial metrology. Their operation relies on a piezoelectric ceramic to generate a flexing of a metallic membrane, which delivers the ultrasound signal. The performance of flexural ultrasonic transducers has been largely limited to excitation through a short voltage burst signal at a designated mechanical resonance frequency. However, a steady-state amplitude response is not generated instantaneously in a flexural ultrasonic transducer from a drive excitation signal, and differences in the drive characteristics between transmitting and receiving transducers can affect the measured response. This research investigates the dynamic performance of flexural ultrasonic transducers using acoustic microphone measurements and laser Doppler vibrometry, supported by a detailed mechanical analog model, in a process which has not before been applied to the flexural ultrasonic transducer. These techniques are employed to gain insights into the physics of their vibration behaviour, vital for the optimisation of industrial ultrasound systems.

The Dynamic Performance of Flexural Ultrasonic Transducers

PubMed Central

Kang, Lei; Rowlands, George; Dixon, Steve

2018-01-01

Flexural ultrasonic transducers are principally used as proximity sensors and for industrial metrology. Their operation relies on a piezoelectric ceramic to generate a flexing of a metallic membrane, which delivers the ultrasound signal. The performance of flexural ultrasonic transducers has been largely limited to excitation through a short voltage burst signal at a designated mechanical resonance frequency. However, a steady-state amplitude response is not generated instantaneously in a flexural ultrasonic transducer from a drive excitation signal, and differences in the drive characteristics between transmitting and receiving transducers can affect the measured response. This research investigates the dynamic performance of flexural ultrasonic transducers using acoustic microphone measurements and laser Doppler vibrometry, supported by a detailed mechanical analog model, in a process which has not before been applied to the flexural ultrasonic transducer. These techniques are employed to gain insights into the physics of their vibration behaviour, vital for the optimisation of industrial ultrasound systems. PMID:29346297

Subsurface mapping of the Ross Island flexural basin, southwest Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wenman, Christopher P.

Ross Island is a post-Miocene (< 4.6 Ma) volcanic island located in the Ross Sea region of southwest Antarctica. This region of Antarctica borders the western edge of the West Antarctic Rift System, along the Transantarctic Mountain front. Marine and over-ice multi-channel seismic reflection surveys and borehole studies targeting the Ross Sea region over the last 30+ years have been used in this study to develop a seismic stratigraphic model of the development and evolution of the Ross Island flexural basin. Four key stratigraphic horizons were identified and mapped to fully capture the basin-fill, as well as strata lying above and below the flexural basin. From oldest to youngest these horizons are named RIB-m, RIM-g, RIM-b and RIB-r. Time structure, isochron and isochore maps were created for the horizons and the stratigraphic intervals they bound. The seismic stratigraphic record shows the Ross Island flexural moat formation post-dates the main tectonic subsidence phase within the Victoria Land Basin. The maps presented here are the first to fully illustrate the evolution of the Ross Island flexural basin. The maps highlight depositional patterns of two distinct periods of flexural subsidence and basin-filling superimposed on the older N-S trending Victoria Land Basin depocenter. Two units of flexural basin fill, Unit FFI between horizons RIM-g and RIM-b (the oldest flexural basin fill), and Unit FFII between horizons RIM-b and RIB-r (the youngest flexural basin fill) are associated with the two periods of flexural subsidence. Flexural moat subsidence and subsequent filling occurred episodically during periods of active volcanism on the island. Unit FFI is estimated to range from ca. 4 to 2 Ma, corresponding with formation of the Mt. Bird volcanic edifice on Ross Island. Unit FFII ranges in age from ca. 2 to 1 Ma, and is related to Mt. Terror, Mt. Erebus, and Hut Point Peninsula volcanism. The isochore maps suggest the depocenter of the flexural basin during both time intervals was located north of the island, instead of directly beneath the Ross Island topographic load. Factors contributing to the northerly location of the depocenter include i) volcanic loading by McMurdo Volcanic Group subsea volcanic features north of the island, ii) partial compensation of the main Ross Island load by low-density, partially molten rock beneath the island, iii) extensional faulting within the Terror Rift, and iv) seaward-thickening shelf sediments transported from the Ross Ice Shelf. The seismic data show that the onset of filling of the flexural moat around Ross Island coincided with the end of ice grounding events in the area. We infer that this was caused by flexural subsidence of the seafloor to accommodate the Ross Island load.

Acoustic-wave sensor for ambient monitoring of a photoresist-stripping agent

DOEpatents

Pfeifer, K.B.; Hoyt, A.E.; Frye, G.C.

1998-08-18

The acoustic-wave sensor is disclosed. The acoustic-wave sensor is designed for ambient or vapor-phase monitoring of a photoresist-stripping agent such as N-methylpyrrolidinone (NMP), ethoxyethylpropionate (EEP) or the like. The acoustic-wave sensor comprises an acoustic-wave device such as a surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) device, a flexural-plate-wave (FPW) device, an acoustic-plate-mode (APM) device, or a thickness-shear-mode (TSM) device (also termed a quartz crystal microbalance or QCM) having a sensing region on a surface thereof. The sensing region includes a sensing film for sorbing a quantity of the photoresist-stripping agent, thereby altering or shifting a frequency of oscillation of an acoustic wave propagating through the sensing region for indicating an ambient concentration of the agent. According to preferred embodiments of the invention, the acoustic-wave device is a SAW device; and the sensing film comprises poly(vinylacetate), poly(N-vinylpyrrolidinone), or poly(vinylphenol). 3 figs.

Acoustic-wave sensor for ambient monitoring of a photoresist-stripping agent

DOEpatents

Pfeifer, Kent B.; Hoyt, Andrea E.; Frye, Gregory C.

1998-01-01

The acoustic-wave sensor. The acoustic-wave sensor is designed for ambient or vapor-phase monitoring of a photoresist-stripping agent such as N-methylpyrrolidinone (NMP), ethoxyethylpropionate (EEP) or the like. The acoustic-wave sensor comprises an acoustic-wave device such as a surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) device, a flexural-plate-wave (FPW) device, an acoustic-plate-mode (APM) device, or a thickness-shear-mode (TSM) device (also termed a quartz crystal microbalance or QCM) having a sensing region on a surface thereof. The sensing region includes a sensing film for sorbing a quantity of the photoresist-stripping agent, thereby altering or shifting a frequency of oscillation of an acoustic wave propagating through the sensing region for indicating an ambient concentration of the agent. According to preferred embodiments of the invention, the acoustic-wave device is a SAW device; and the sensing film comprises poly(vinylacetate), poly(N-vinylpyrrolidinone), or poly(vinylphenol).

Flexural testing on carbon fibre laminates taking into account their different behaviour under tension and compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serna Moreno, M. C.; Romero Gutierrez, A.; Martínez Vicente, J. L.

2016-07-01

An analytical model has been derived for describing the results of three-point-bending tests in materials with different behaviour under tension and compression. The shift of the neutral plane and the damage initiation mode and its location have been defined. The validity of the equations has been reviewed by testing carbon fibre-reinforced polymers (CFRP), typically employed in different weight-critical applications. Both unidirectional and cross-ply laminates have been studied. The initial failure mode produced depends directly on the beam span- thickness relation. Therefore, specimens with different thicknesses have been analysed for examining the damage initiation due to either the bending moment or the out-of-plane shear load. The experimental description of the damage initiation and evolution has been shown by means of optical microscopy. The good agreement between the analytical estimations and the experimental results shows the validity of the analytical model exposed.

A revisit to high-rate mode-II fracture characterization of composites with Kolsky bar techniques.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lu, Wei-Yang; Song, Bo; Jin, Huiqing

2010-03-01

Nowadays composite materials have been extensively utilized in many military and industrial applications. For example, the newest Boeing 787 uses 50% composite (mostly carbon fiber reinforced plastic) in production. However, the weak delamination strength of fiber reinforced composites, when subjected to external impact such as ballistic impact, has been always potential serious threats to the safety of passengers. Dynamic fracture toughness is a critical indicator of the performance from delamination in such impact events. Quasi-static experimental techniques for fracture toughness have been well developed. For example, end notched flexure (ENF) technique, which is illustrated in Fig. 1, has become amore » typical method to determined mode-II fracture toughness for composites under quasi-static loading conditions. However, dynamic fracture characterization of composites has been challenging. This has resulted in conflictive and confusing conclusions in regard to strain rate effects on fracture toughness of composites.« less

Mechanical properties and micro-morphology of fiber posts.

PubMed

Zicari, F; Coutinho, E; Scotti, R; Van Meerbeek, B; Naert, I

2013-04-01

To evaluate flexural properties of different fiber posts systems and to morphologically characterize their micro-structure. Six types of translucent fiber posts were selected: RelyX Post (3M ESPE), ParaPost Taper Lux (Colthéne-Whaledent), GC Fiber Post (GC), LuxaPost (DMG), FRC Postec Plus (Ivoclar-Vivadent), D.T. Light-Post (RTD). For each post system and size, ten specimens were subjected to a three-points bending test. Maximum fracture load, flexural strength and flexural modulus were determined using a universal loading device (5848 MicroTester(®), Instron). Besides, for each system, three intact posts of similar dimensions were processed for scanning electron microscopy to morphologically characterize the micro-structure. The following structural characteristics were analyzed: fibers/matrix ratio, density of fibers, diameter of fibers and distribution of fibers. Data were statistically analyzed with ANOVA. Type and diameter of posts were found to significantly affect the fracture load, flexural strength and flexural modulus (p<0.05). Regarding maximum fracture load, it was found to increase with post diameter, in each post system (p<0.001). Regarding flexural strength and flexural modulus, the highest values were recorded for posts with the smallest diameter (p<0.001). Finally, structural characteristics significantly varied among the post systems tested. However, any correlation has been found between flexural strength and structural characteristics. Flexural strength appeared not to be correlated to structural characteristics of fiber posts, but it may rather be affected by mechanical properties of the resin matrix and the interfacial adhesion between fibers and resin matrix. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effect of flexure beam geometry and material on the displacement of piezo actuated diaphragm for micropump

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roopa, R.; Navin Karanth, P.; Kulkarni, S. M.

2018-02-01

In this paper, we present a COMSOL analysis of flexure diaphragm for piezo actuated valveless micropump. Diaphragms play an important role in micropumps, till now plane diaphragms are commonly used in micropumps. Use of compliant flexure hinges in diaphragm and other MEMS application is one of the new approach to achieving high deflection in diaphragm at low operating voltage. Flexures hinges in diaphragm acts as simply supported beam. Out-off plane compliance value and stiffness is considered for the selection of proper flexure for diaphragm. Diaphragm material also plays an important role in the diaphragm central deflection. Factor considered for diaphragm material selection is resilience; it is the ratio of yield stress to static modulus. Higher is the resilience will leads to higher deflection generated, it also imparts good compliance. Based on the resilience beryllium copper, stainless steel and brass materials are selected for diaphragm analysis. Simulations have been performed using COMSOL multiphysics. This study reports the effect of flexure hinge geometry and diaphragm material on the central deflection of diaphragms and compared with existing plane diaphragm. Simulation results illustrates that the deflection of three flexure diaphragm with 2mm width and 2mm length flexure is 6.75µm for stainless steel, 10.89 for beryllium copper and 12.10µm for brass, at 140V which is approximately twice that of plane diaphragm deflection. The maximum in both plane and three flexure diaphragm deflection is obtained for brass diaphragm compared to stainless steel and beryllium copper.

The Effect on the Flexural Strength, Flexural Modulus and Compressive Strength of Fibre Reinforced Acrylic with That of Plain Unfilled Acrylic Resin – An in Vitro Study

PubMed Central

Thomas, Tony C; K, Aswini Kumar; Krishnan, Vinod; Mathew, Anil; V, Manju

2015-01-01

Aim: The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the flexural strength, the flexural modulus and compressive strength of the acrylic polymer reinforced with glass, carbon, polyethylene and Kevlar fibres with that of plain unfilled resin. Materials and Methods: A total of 50 specimens were prepared and divided into 10 specimens each under 5 groups namely group 1- control group without any fibres, group 2 – carbon fibres, group 3- glass fibres, group 4 – polyethylene, group 5- Kevlar. Universal testing machine (Tinius olsen, USA) was used for the testing of these specimens. Out of each group, 5 specimens were randomly selected and testing was done for flexural strength using a three point deflection test and three point bending test for compressive strength and the modulus was plotted using a graphical method. Statistical analysis was done using statistical software. Results: The respective mean values for samples in regard to their flexural strength for PMMA plain, PMMA+ glass fibre, PMMA+ carbon, PMMA+ polyethylene and PMMA+ Kevlar were 90.64, 100.79, 102.58, 94.13 and 96.43 respectively. Scheffes post hoc test clearly indicated that only mean flexural strength values of PMMA + Carbon, has the highest mean value. One-way ANOVA revealed a non-significant difference among the groups in regard to their compressive strength. Conclusion: The study concludes that carbon fibre reinforced samples has the greatest flexural strength and greatest flexural modulus, however the compressive strength remains unchanged. PMID:25954696

The relationship between fibre post geometry and flexural properties: an assessment through a modified three-point bending test.

PubMed

Soares, L P; de Vasconcellos, A B; da Silva, A H Monteiro da Fonseca Thomé; Sampaio, E M; Vianna, G A de Deus Carneiro

2010-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the flexural properties of five types of fiber-reinforced dowels using a modified three-point bending test. Fiber-reinforced resin dowels were tested by a modified three-point bending test associated with models for cylindrical and conical simple-supported beams. The fracture load ranged from 86 to 246 N and the flexural strength from 423 to 1192 MPa. FRC Postec had significantly higher flexural strength and fracture loads values. Thus, the present study demonstrated higher flexural strength values for the FRC Postec fibre posts, suggesting that this system would present a better response to the forces of mastication.

Determination of nitrate in biological fluids by HPLC.

PubMed

Ashraf, Muhammad; Ghalloo, Bilal Ahmed; Hayat, Muhammad Munawar; Rahman, Jameel; Ejaz, Samina; Iqbal, Muhammad; -Nasim, Faizul Hassan

2017-01-01

Nitrate is the stable product of nitric oxide, which is physiologically active radical, an immunomodulator and a neuromodulator; its quantification in biological fluids is important to study the physiological and biochemical nature. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to quantify nitrate in different biological fluids like serum, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and ascetic fluid (ASF) using HPLC technique. A new HPLC method for the estimation of nitrate in serum, CSF and ASF was developed using the mobile phase of 1.0mM each of Na 2 CO 3 and NaHCO 3 (1:1, v/v, pH 5 with H 3 PO 4 ) at a flow rate of 1.0mLmin -1 . Eluate was detected at 220nm with the retention time of nitrate 2.55 min. The LOD and LOQ values of nitrate were 0.03μgmL -1 and 0.098μgmL -1 , respectively. Nitrate was eluted through SAX Hypersil column of 150 × 4.6mm, id, 5μm particle size. Run time was 10min. The method was validated according to the FDA guidelines and was found linear in the range of 0.39 to 50μgmL -1 and CV was <3%, within limits of FDA guidelines. The method was used successfully for the estimation of nitrate in biological fluids like serum, CSF and ASF of 20 patients each. This is an alternate and reproducible method for the detection of nitrates in biological fluids.

Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Data and Services at the NASA DAACs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leon, A.; Allen, A. R.; Leslie, S. R.

2014-12-01

The NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission will provide a capability for global mapping of soil moisture and freeze/thaw state with unprecedented accuracy, resolution, and coverage. The SMAP instrument includes both a radiometer and a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) operating at the L-band (1.20-1.41 GHz) and will provide global coverage at the equator every 3 days. The SMAP mission will play a critical role in understanding the Earth's water and energy cycles, improving weather and climate forecasting, and developing disaster prediction and monitoring services. The NASA Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs) at the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) and the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) will jointly distribute and support SMAP data products. The DAACs will draw upon their unique expertise - ASF with SAR data and NSIDC with cryospheric and remotely-sensed soil moisture data- as well as their shared technologies to provide synergistic data access and support for SMAP products. In an effort to educate and broaden the SMAP user community, we will present an overview of the SMAP data products as well as when they will be available at the DAACs. NASA DAACs play an integral role in enabling data discovery and usage through the value-adding services they provide. Through this presentation, we will also discuss the tools and services at the ASF and NSIDC DAACs and gain further insight into how the DAACs can enable the user community to seamlessly and effectively utilize SMAP data in their research and applications.

Dynamic interaction between actin and nesprin2 maintain the cell nucleus in a prestressed state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Abhishek; Shivashankar, G. V.

2016-12-01

Mechanical coupling between the nucleus and the cytoskeleton is indispensable for direct force transduction from the extra cellular matrix (ECM) to the chromatin. Although this physical coupling has been shown to be crucial for nuclear positioning and its function, the quantification of nuclear-cytoskeleton interaction has been lacking. In this paper, using various quantitative fluorescence spectroscopy techniques, we investigate the nature of this connection. High-resolution 3D imaging shows that nesprin2G forms short linear structures along actin stress fibers (ASFs) in the apical region of the nucleus. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) revealed that the alignment of nesprin2G becomes heterogeneous when cell shape is engineered from elongated rectangular shape to square using micropatterned substrates. Further, fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy (FCCS) revealed that actin interacts transiently with outer nuclear membrane protein nesprin2G with a time scale of 12 ms. In addition, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) experiments show that the apical ASFs and nesprin2G are in close physical proximity. This interaction is spatially heterogeneous with high FRET along the ASFs. Lastly, we show that the disruption of actin to nuclear connection by over-expression of Dominant Negative Klarsicht, ANC-1, Syne Homology (DNKASH) leads to an increase in nuclear height. These results not only reveal the characteristics of actin-nesprin2G interaction and its significance in regulating nuclear morphology, but also validate the utility of quantitative fluorescence techniques in deciphering physical connections that are essential for mechanotransduction.

Biocompatible polyurethane/thiacalix[4]arenes functionalized Fe3O4 magnetic nanocomposites: Synthesis and properties.

PubMed

Mohammadi, Abbas; Barikani, Mehdi; Lakouraj, Moslem Mansour

2016-09-01

In this study, a series of magnetic polyurethane/Fe3O4 elastomer nanocomposites were prepared by covalently embedding novel thiacalix[4]arenes (TC4As) functionalized Fe3O4 nanoparticles (TC4As-Fe3O4) which contain macrocycles with reactive hydroxyl groups. Surface functionalization of Fe3O4 nanoparticles with TC4As macrocycles as unique reactive surface modifier not only gives specific characteristics to Fe3O4 nanoparticles but also improves the interphase interaction between nanoparticles and the polyurethane matrices through covalent attachment of polymer chains to nanoparticle surfaces. The novel synthesized TC4As-Fe3O4 nanoparticles were characterized by FTIR, XRD, TGA, VSM and SEM analysis. Furthermore, the effect of functionalization of Fe3O4 nanoparticles on the various properties of resulting nanocomposites was studied by XRD, TGA, DMTA, SEM, and a universal tensile tester. It was found that the functionalization of nanoparticles with TC4As affords better mechanical and thermal properties to polyurethane nanocomposites in comparison with unmodified nanoparticles. The SEM analysis showed finer dispersion of TC4As-Fe3O4 nanoparticles than unmodified Fe3O4 nanoparticles within the polyurethane matrices, which arising from formation of covalent bonding between TC4As functionalized Fe3O4 nanoparticles and polyurethane matrices. Moreover, the investigation of in vitro biocompatibility of novel nanocomposites showed that these samples are excellent candidate for biomedical use. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of Alkali-treated Sugarcane Fiber for Improving Physicochemical and Textural Properties of Meat Emulsions with Different Fat Levels

PubMed Central

Kim, Hyun-Wook; Setyabrata, Derico; Lee, Yong-Jae; Brad Kim, Yuan H.

2018-01-01

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of alkaline-treated sugarcane bagasse fiber on physicochemical and textural properties of meat emulsion with different fat levels. Crude sugarcane bagasse fiber (CSF) was treated with calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH2)) to obtain alkaline-treated sugarcane bagasse fiber (ASF). The two types of sugarcane bagasse fiber (CSF and ASF) were incorporated at 2% levels in pork meat emulsions prepared with 5%, 10% and 20% fat levels. Alkaline-treatment markedly increased acid detergent fiber content (p=0.002), but significantly decreased protein, fat, ash and other carbohydrate contents. ASF exhibited significantly higher water-binding capacity, but lower oil-binding and emulsifying capacities than CSF. Meat emulsions formulated with 10% fat and 2% sugarcane bagasse fiber had equivalent cooking loss and textural properties to control meat emulsion (20% fat without sugarcane bagasse fiber). The two types of sugarcane bagasse fiber had similar impacts on proximate composition, cooking yield and texture of meat emulsion at the same fat level, respectively (p>0.05). Our results confirm that sugarcane bagasse fiber could be a functional food ingredient for improving physicochemical and textural properties of meat emulsion, at 2% addition level. Further, the altered functional properties of alkaline-treated sugarcane bagasse fiber had no impacts on physicochemical and textural properties of meat emulsions, regardless of fat level at 5%, 10% and 20%. PMID:29805281

Metal artifact reduction in tomosynthesis imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhaoxia; Yan, Ming; Tao, Kun; Xuan, Xiao; Sabol, John M.; Lai, Hao

2015-03-01

The utility of digital tomosynthesis has been shown for many clinical scenarios including post orthopedic surgery applications. However, two kinds of metal artifacts can influence diagnosis: undershooting and ripple. In this paper, we describe a novel metal artifact reduction (MAR) algorithm to reduce both of these artifacts within the filtered backprojection framework. First, metal areas that are prone to cause artifacts are identified in the raw projection images. These areas are filled with values similar to those in the local neighborhood. During the filtering step, the filled projection is free of undershooting due to the resulting smooth transition near the metal edge. Finally, the filled area is fused with the filtered raw projection data to recover the metal. Since the metal areas are recognized during the back projection step, anatomy and metal can be distinguished - reducing ripple artifacts. Phantom and clinical experiments were designed to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate the algorithms. Based on phantom images with and without metal implants, the Artifact Spread Function (ASF) was used to quantify image quality in the ripple artifact area. The tail of the ASF with MAR decreases from in-plane to out-of-plane, implying a good artifact reduction, while the ASF without MAR remains high over a wider range. An intensity plot was utilized to analyze the edge of undershooting areas. The results illustrate that MAR reduces undershooting while preserving the edge and size of the metal. Clinical images evaluated by physicists and technologists agree with these quantitative results to further demonstrate the algorithm's effectiveness.

Flexural Progressive Failure of Carbon/Glass Interlayer and Intralayer Hybrid Composites

PubMed Central

Wu, Weili; Gong, Zhili

2018-01-01

The flexural progressive failure modes of carbon fiber and glass fiber (C/G) interlayer and intralayer hybrid composites were investigated in this work. Results showed that the bending failure modes for interlayer hybrid composites are determined by the layup structure. Besides, the bending failure is characterized by the compression failure of the upper layer, when carbon fiber tends to distribute in the upper layer, the interlayer hybrid composite fails early, the failure force is characterized by a multi-stage slightly fluctuating decline and the fracture area exhibits a diamond shape. While carbon fiber distributes in the middle or bottom layer, the failure time starts late, and the failure process exhibits one stage sharp force/stress drop, the fracture zone of glass fiber above the carbon layers presents an inverted trapezoid shape, while the fracture of glass fiber below the carbon layers exhibits an inverted triangular shape. With regards to the intralayer hybrid composites, the C/G hybrid ratio plays a dominating role in the bending failure which could be considered as the mixed failures of four structures. The bending failure of intralayer hybrid composites occurs in advance since carbon fiber are located in each layer; the failure process shows a multi-stage fluctuating decline, and the decline slows down as carbon fiber content increases, and the fracture sound release has the characteristics of a low intensity and high frequency for a long time. By contrast, as glass fiber content increases, the bending failure of intralayer composites is featured with a multi-stage cliff decline with a high amplitude and low frequency for a short-time fracture sound release. PMID:29673236

A Comparison of the Flexural and Impact Strengths and Flexural Modulus of CAD/CAM and Conventional Heat-Cured Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA).

PubMed

Al-Dwairi, Ziad N; Tahboub, Kawkab Y; Baba, Nadim Z; Goodacre, Charles J

2018-06-13

The introduction of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology to the field of removable prosthodontics has recently made it possible to fabricate complete dentures of prepolymerized polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) blocks, which are claimed to be of better mechanical properties; however, no published reports that have evaluated mechanical properties of CAD/CAM PMMA. The purpose of this study was to compare flexural strength, impact strength, and flexural modulus of two brands of CAD/CAM PMMA and a conventional heat-cured PMMA. 45 rectangular specimens (65 mm × 10 mm × 3 mm) were fabricated (15 CAD/CAM AvaDent PMMA specimens from AvaDent, 15 CAD/CAM Tizian PMMA specimens from Shütz Dental, 15 conventional Meliodent PMMA specimens from Heraeus Kulzer) and stored in distilled water at (37  ± 1°C) for 7 days. Specimens (N = 15) in each group were subjected to the three-point bending test and impact strength test, employing the Charpy configuration on unnotched specimens. The morphology of the fractured specimens was studied under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey pairwise multiple comparisons with 95% confidence interval. The Schütz Dental specimens showed the highest mean flexural strength (130.67 MPa) and impact strength (29.56 kg/m 2 ). The highest mean flexural modulus was recorded in the AvaDent group (2519.6 MPa). The conventional heat-cured group showed the lowest mean flexural strength (93.33 MPa), impact strength (14.756 kg/m 2 ), and flexural modulus (2117.2 MPa). Differences in means of flexural properties between AvaDent and Schütz Dental specimens were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). As CAD/CAM PMMA specimens exhibited improved flexural strength, flexural modulus, and impact strength in comparison to the conventional heat-cured groups, CAD/CAM dentures are expected to be more durable. Different brands of CAD/CAM PMMA may have inherent variations in mechanical properties. © 2018 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Applications of Advanced, Waveform Based AE Techniques for Testing Composite Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prosser, William H.

1996-01-01

Advanced, waveform based acoustic emission (AE) techniques have been previously used to evaluate damage progression in laboratory tests of composite coupons. In these tests, broad band, high fidelity acoustic sensors were used to detect signals which were then digitized and stored for analysis. Analysis techniques were based on plate mode wave propagation characteristics. This approach, more recently referred to as Modal AE, provides an enhanced capability to discriminate and eliminate noise signals from those generated by damage mechanisms. This technique also allows much more precise source location than conventional, threshold crossing arrival time determination techniques. To apply Modal AE concepts to the interpretation of AE on larger composite structures, the effects of wave propagation over larger distances and through structural complexities must be well characterized and understood. In this research, measurements were made of the attenuation of the extensional and flexural plate mode components of broad band simulated AE signals in large composite panels. As these materials have applications in a cryogenic environment, the effects of cryogenic insulation on the attenuation of plate mode AE signals were also documented.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kunal, K.; Aluru, N. R., E-mail: aluru@illinois.edu

We investigate the effect of size on intrinsic dissipation in nano-structures. We use molecular dynamics simulation and study dissipation under two different modes of deformation: stretching and bending mode. In the case of stretching deformation (with uniform strain field), dissipation takes place due to Akhiezer mechanism. For bending deformation, in addition to the Akhiezer mechanism, the spatial temperature gradient also plays a role in the process of entropy generation. Interestingly, we find that the bending modes have a higher Q factor in comparison with the stretching deformation (under the same frequency of operation). Furthermore, with the decrease in size, themore » difference in Q factor between the bending and stretching deformation becomes more pronounced. The lower dissipation for the case of bending deformation is explained to be due to the surface scattering of phonons. A simple model, for phonon dynamics under an oscillating strain field, is considered to explain the observed variation in dissipation rate. We also studied the scaling of Q factor with initial tension, in a beam under flexure. We develop a continuum theory to explain the observed results.« less

Flexural controls on late Neogene basin evolution in southern McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aitken, Alan R. A.; Wilson, Gary S.; Jordan, Thomas; Tinto, Kirsty; Blakemore, Hamish

2012-01-01

The basins of southern McMurdo Sound have evolved under the influence of lithospheric flexure induced by the loads of the Erebus Volcanic Province. To characterise these basins, it is important to investigate the lithosphere's flexural properties, and estimate their influence on basin architecture and evolution. Seismic and gravity data are used to constrain 3D forward modelling of the progressive development of accommodation space within the flexural basins. Elastic plate flexure was calculated for a range of effective elastic thicknesses (T e) from 0.5 to 25 km using a spectral method. Models with low, but nonzero, T e values (2 km < T e < 5 km) produce the best fit to the gravity data, although uncertainty is high due to inaccuracies in the Digital Elevation Model. The slopes of flexural horizons revealed in seismic reflection lines are consistent with this, indicating a T e of 2 km to 5 km, although the depths to these horizons are not consistent, perhaps due to a northwards slope, or step, in the pre-flexural surface. These results indicate that the lithospheric strength of southern McMurdo Sound is significantly less than estimates of the regional average (T e ~ 20 km). This low strength may reflect the weakening effects of the Terror Rift, and perhaps also the Discovery Accommodation Zone, a region of major transverse faulting. A low T e model (T e = 3) for southern McMurdo Sound predicts the development of two discrete flexural depressions, each 2-2.5 km deep. The predicted stratigraphy of the northern basin reflects flexure due to Ross Island, predominantly erupted since ca. 1.8 Ma. The predicted stratigraphy of the southern basin reflects more gradual flexure from ca. 10 Ma to ca. 2 Ma, due to the more dispersed volcanoes of the Discovery subprovince. Collectively, these two basins have the potential to preserve a remarkable stratigraphic record of Antarctic climate change through the late Neogene.

Reprint of: Flexural controls on late Neogene basin evolution in southern McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aitken, Alan R. A.; Wilson, Gary S.; Jordan, Tom; Tinto, Kirsty; Blakemore, Hamish

2012-10-01

The basins of southern McMurdo Sound have evolved under the influence of lithospheric flexure induced by the loads of the Erebus Volcanic Province. To characterise these basins, it is important to investigate the lithosphere's flexural properties, and estimate their influence on basin architecture and evolution. Seismic and gravity data are used to constrain 3D forward modelling of the progressive development of accommodation space within the flexural basins. Elastic plate flexure was calculated for a range of effective elastic thicknesses (Te) from 0.5 to 25 km using a spectral method. Models with low, but nonzero, Te values (2 km < Te < 5 km) produce the best fit to the gravity data, although uncertainty is high due to inaccuracies in the Digital Elevation Model. The slopes of flexural horizons revealed in seismic reflection lines are consistent with this, indicating a Te of 2 km to 5 km, although the depths to these horizons are not consistent, perhaps due to a northwards slope, or step, in the pre-flexural surface. These results indicate that the lithospheric strength of southern McMurdo Sound is significantly less than estimates of the regional average (Te ~ 20 km). This low strength may reflect the weakening effects of the Terror Rift, and perhaps also the Discovery Accommodation Zone, a region of major transverse faulting. A low Te model (Te = 3) for southern McMurdo Sound predicts the development of two discrete flexural depressions, each 2-2.5 km deep. The predicted stratigraphy of the northern basin reflects flexure due to Ross Island, predominantly erupted since ca. 1.8 Ma. The predicted stratigraphy of the southern basin reflects more gradual flexure from ca. 10 Ma to ca. 2 Ma, due to the more dispersed volcanoes of the Discovery subprovince. Collectively, these two basins have the potential to preserve a remarkable stratigraphic record of Antarctic climate change through the late Neogene.

Compliance and control characteristics of an additive manufactured-flexure stage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, ChaBum; Tarbutton, Joshua A.

2015-04-15

This paper presents a compliance and positioning control characteristics of additive manufactured-nanopositioning system consisted of the flexure mechanism and voice coil motor (VCM). The double compound notch type flexure stage was designed to utilize the elastic deformation of two symmetrical four-bar mechanisms to provide a millimeter-level working range. Additive manufacturing (AM) process, stereolithography, was used to fabricate the flexure stage. The AM stage was inspected by using 3D X-ray computerized tomography scanner: air-voids and shape irregularity. The compliance, open-loop resonance peak, and damping ratio of the AM stage were measured 0.317 mm/N, 80 Hz, and 0.19, respectively. The AM stagemore » was proportional-integral-derivative positioning feedback-controlled and the capacitive type sensor was used to measure the displacement. As a result, the AM flexure mechanism was successfully 25 nm positioning controlled within 500 μm range. The resonance peak was found approximately at 280 Hz in closed-loop. This research showed that the AM flexure mechanism and the VCM can provide millimeter range with high precision and can be a good alternative to an expensive metal-based flexure mechanism and piezoelectric transducer.« less

Flexural behavior of the fibrous cementitious composites (FCC) containing hybrid fibres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramli, Mahyuddin; Ban, Cheah Chee; Samsudin, Muhamad Fadli

2018-02-01

In this study, the flexural behavior of the fibrous cementitious composites containing hybrid fibers was investigated. Waste materials or by product materials such as pulverized fuel ash (PFA) and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) was used as supplementary cement replacement. In addition, barchip and kenaf fiber will be used as additional materials for enhance the flexural behavior of cementitious composites. A seven mix design of fibrous cementitious composites containing hybrid fiber mortar were fabricated with PFA-GGBS as cement replacement at 50% with hybridization of barchip and kenaf fiber between 0.5% and 2.0% by total volume weight. The FCC with hybrid fibers mortar will be fabricated by using 50 × 50 × 50 mm, 40 × 40 × 160 mm and 350 × 125 × 30 mm steel mold for assessment of mechanical performances and flexural behavior characteristics. The flexural behavior and mechanical performance of the PFA-GGBS with hybrid fiber mortar block was assessed in terms of load deflection response, stress-strain response, crack development, compressive and flexural strength after water curing for 28 days. Moreover, the specimen HBK 1 and HBK 2 was observed equivalent or better in mechanical performance and flexural behavior as compared to control mortar.

Composite resin reinforced with pre-tensioned glass fibers. Influence of prestressing on flexural properties.

PubMed

Schlichting, Luís Henrique; de Andrada, Mauro Amaral Caldeira; Vieira, Luiz Clóvis Cardoso; de Oliveira Barra, Guilherme Mariz; Magne, Pascal

2010-02-01

This investigation evaluated the flexural properties of two composite resins, and the influence of unidirectional glass fiber reinforcements, with and without pre-tensioning. Two composite resins (Q: Quixfil and A: Adoro) were used to fabricate 2 mm x 2 mm x 25 mm beams (N = 10), reinforced with two fiber bundles along the long axis of the beam and pre-tensioned under a load equivalent to 73.5% of its tensile strength (groups QPF and APF). In two other experimental groups, the bundles were similarly positioned but without pre-tension (groups QF and AF). Two more groups were included without fiber reinforcement (control groups Q and A). After 24h storage, specimens were subjected to a three-point flexural bending test to establish the flexural module, the deflection at initial failure and the flexural strength. Data were analyzed using a two-way analysis of variance (composite resin system and fiber reinforcement type) and the Tukey HSD post hoc tests (alpha = .05). The results showed that prestressing increased the flexural module of Adoro specimens (p<.001) but not Quixfil (p = .17). Prestressed beams reached greater deflection at initial failure than those conventionally reinforced (p<.001), namely .85-1.35 mm for Adoro and .66-.90 mm for Quixfil. Prestressing also significantly increased the flexural strength of beams (p<.001) in both Adoro and Quixfil groups, from 443.46 to 569.15 MPa and from 425.47 to 568.00 MPa, respectively. Pre-tensioning of unidirectional glass fibers increased both deflection until initial failure and flexural strength of Quixfil and Adoro composite resins, however, with limited effects on the flexural modulus. Copyright 2009 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surface orientation effects on bending properties of surgical mesh are independent of tensile properties.

PubMed

Simon, David D; Andrews, Sharon M; Robinson-Zeigler, Rebecca; Valdes, Thelma; Woods, Terry O

2018-02-01

Current mechanical testing of surgical mesh focuses primarily on tensile properties even though implanted devices are not subjected to pure tensile loads. Our objective was to determine the flexural (bending) properties of surgical mesh and determine if they correlate with mesh tensile properties. The flexural rigidity values of 11 different surgical mesh designs were determined along three textile directions (machine, cross-machine, and 45° to machine; n = 5 for each) using ASTM D1388-14 while tracking surface orientation. Tensile testing was also performed on the same specimens using ASTM D882-12. Linear regressions were performed to compare mesh flexural rigidity to mesh thickness, areal mass density, filament diameter, ultimate tensile strength, and maximum extension. Of 33 mesh specimen groups, 30 had significant differences in flexural rigidity values when comparing surface orientations (top and bottom). Flexural rigidity and mesh tensile properties also varied with textile direction (machine and cross-machine). There was no strong correlation between the flexural and tensile properties, with mesh thickness having the best overall correlation with flexural rigidity. Currently, surface orientation is not indicated on marketed surgical mesh, and a single mesh may behave differently depending on the direction of loading. The lack of correlation between flexural stiffness and tensile properties indicates the need to examine mesh bending stiffness to provide a more comprehensive understanding of surgical mesh mechanical behaviors. Further investigation is needed to determine if these flexural properties result in the surgical mesh behaving mechanically different depending on implantation direction. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 854-862, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Westwood-Bachman, J. N.; Diao, Z.; Sauer, V. T. K.

We demonstrate the actuation and detection of even flexural vibrational modes of a doubly clamped nanomechanical resonator using an integrated photonics transduction scheme. The doubly clamped beam is formed by releasing a straight section of an optical racetrack resonator from the underlying silicon dioxide layer, and a step is fabricated in the substrate beneath the beam. The step causes uneven force and responsivity distribution along the device length, permitting excitation and detection of even modes of vibration. This is achieved while retaining transduction capability for odd modes. The devices are actuated via optical force applied with a pump laser. Themore » displacement sensitivities of the first through third modes, as obtained from the thermomechanical noise floor, are 228 fm Hz{sup −1/2}, 153 fm Hz{sup −1/2}, and 112 fm Hz{sup −1/2}, respectively. The excitation efficiency for these modes is compared and modeled based on integration of the uneven forces over the mode shapes. While the excitation efficiency for the first three modes is approximately the same when the step occurs at about 38% of the beam length, the ability to tune the modal efficiency of transduction by choosing the step position is discussed. The overall optical force on each mode is approximately 0.4 pN μm{sup −1} mW{sup −1}, for an applied optical power of 0.07 mW. We show a potential application that uses the resonant frequencies of the first two vibrational modes of a buckled beam to measure the stress in the silicon device layer, estimated to be 106 MPa. We anticipate that the observation of the second mode of vibration using our integrated photonics approach will be useful in future mass sensing experiments.« less

Methods for strengthening reinforced concrete bridge girders containing poorly detailed flexural steel using near-surface mounted metallics.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-08-01

Many older reinforced concrete deck girder (RCDG) bridges contain straight-bar terminations of flexural reinforcement in : flexural tension zones without special detailing. Common bridge design practice of the 1950s did not consider the additional : ...

Effects of metal- and fiber-reinforced composite root canal posts on flexural properties.

PubMed

Kim, Su-Hyeon; Oh, Tack-Oon; Kim, Ju-Young; Park, Chun-Woong; Baek, Seung-Ho; Park, Eun-Seok

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to observe the effects of different test conditions on the flexural properties of root canal post. Metal- and fiber-reinforced composite root canal posts of various diameters were measured to determine flexural properties using a threepoint bending test at different conditions. In this study, the span length/post diameter ratio of root canal posts varied from 3.0 to 10.0. Multiple regression models for maximum load as a dependent variable were statistically significant. The models for flexural properties as dependent variables were statistically significant, but linear regression models could not be fitted to data sets. At a low span length/post diameter ratio, the flexural properties were distorted by occurrence of shear stress in short samples. It was impossible to obtain high span length/post diameter ratio with root canal posts. The addition of parameters or coefficients is necessary to appropriately represent the flexural properties of root canal posts.

Geometric controls of the flexural gravity waves on the Ross Ice Shelf

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sergienko, O. V.

2017-12-01

Long-period ocean waves, formed locally or at distant sources, can reach sub-ice-shelf cavities and excite coupled motion in the cavity and the ice shelf - flexural gravity waves. Three-dimensional numerical simulations of the flexural gravity waves on the Ross Ice Shelf show that propagation of these waves is strongly controlled by the geometry of the system - the cavity shape, its water-column thickness and the ice-shelf thickness. The results of numerical simulations demonstrate that propagation of the waves is spatially organized in beams, whose orientation is determined by the direction of the of the open ocean waves incident on the ice-shelf front. As a result, depending on the beams orientation, parts of the Ross Ice Shelf experience significantly larger flexural stresses compared to other parts where the flexural gravity beams do not propagate. Very long-period waves can propagate farther away from the ice-shelf front exciting flexural stresses in the vicinity of the grounding line.

Guided acoustic wave inspection system

DOEpatents

Chinn, Diane J.

2004-10-05

A system for inspecting a conduit for undesirable characteristics. A transducer system induces guided acoustic waves onto said conduit. The transducer system detects the undesirable characteristics of the conduit by receiving guided acoustic waves that contain information about the undesirable characteristics. The conduit has at least two sides and the transducer system utilizes flexural modes of propagation to provide inspection using access from only the one side of the conduit. Cracking is detected with pulse-echo testing using one transducer to both send and receive the guided acoustic waves. Thinning is detected in through-transmission testing where one transducer sends and another transducer receives the guided acoustic waves.

Method and apparatus for actively controlling a micro-scale flexural plate wave device

DOEpatents

Dohner, Jeffrey L.

2001-01-01

An actively controlled flexural plate wave device provides a micro-scale pump. A method of actively controlling a flexural plate wave device produces traveling waves in the device by coordinating the interaction of a magnetic field with actively controlled currents. An actively-controlled flexural plate wave device can be placed in a fluid channel and adapted for use as a micro-scale fluid pump to cool or drive micro-scale systems, for example, micro-chips, micro-electrical-mechanical devices, micro-fluid circuits, or micro-scale chemical analysis devices.

Flexure bearing support, with particular application to stirling machines

DOEpatents

Beckett, Carl D.; Lauhala, Victor C.; Neely, Ron; Penswick, Laurence B.; Ritter, Darren C.; Nelson, Richard L.; Wimer, Burnell P.

1996-01-01

The use of flexures in the form of flat spiral springs cut from sheet metal materials provides support for coaxial nonrotating linear reciprocating members in power conversion machinery, such as Stirling cycle engines or heat pumps. They permit operation with little or no rubbing contact or other wear mechanisms. The relatively movable members include one member having a hollow interior structure within which the flexures are located. The flexures permit limited axial movement between the interconnected members, but prevent adverse rotational movement and radial displacement from their desired coaxial positions.

Flexure bearing support, with particular application to Stirling machines

DOEpatents

Beckett, C.D.; Lauhala, V.C.; Neely, R.; Penswick, L.B.; Ritter, D.C.; Nelson, R.L.; Wimer, B.P.

1996-06-04

The use of flexures in the form of flat spiral springs cut from sheet metal materials provides support for coaxial non-rotating linear reciprocating members in power conversion machinery, such as Stirling cycle engines or heat pumps. They permit operation with little or no rubbing contact or other wear mechanisms. The relatively movable members include one member having a hollow interior structure within which the flexures are located. The flexures permit limited axial movement between the interconnected members, but prevent adverse rotational movement and radial displacement from their desired coaxial positions. 8 figs.

Influence of manufacturing parameters on the strength of PLA parts using Layered Manufacturing technique: A statistical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaya Christiyan, K. G.; Chandrasekhar, U.; Mathivanan, N. Rajesh; Venkateswarlu, K.

2018-02-01

A 3D printing was successfully used to fabricate samples of Polylactic Acid (PLA). Processing parameters such as Lay-up speed, Lay-up thickness, and printing nozzle were varied. All samples were tested for flexural strength using three point load test. A statistical mathematical model was developed to correlate the processing parameters with flexural strength. The result clearly demonstrated that the lay-up thickness and nozzle diameter influenced flexural strength significantly, whereas lay-up speed hardly influenced the flexural strength.

Variations in lithospheric thickness on Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, C. L.; Sandwell, David T.

1992-01-01

Recent analyses of Magellan data have indicated many regions exhibiting topograhic flexure. On Venus, flexure is associated predominantly with coronae and the chasmata with Aphrodite Terra. Modeling of these flexural signatures allows the elastic and mechanical thickness of the lithosphere to be estimated. In areas where the lithosphere is flexed beyond its elastic limit the saturation moment provides information on the strength of the lithosphere. Modeling of 12 flexural features on Venus has indicated lithospheric thicknesses comparable with terrestrial values. This has important implications for the venusian heat budget. Flexure of a thin elastic plate due simultaneously to a line load on a continuous plate and a bending moment applied to the end of a broken plate is considered. The mean radius and regional topographic gradient are also included in the model. Features with a large radius of curvature were selected so that a two-dimensional approximation could be used. Comparisons with an axisymmetric model were made for some features to check the validity of the two-dimensional assumption. The best-fit elastic thickness was found for each profile crossing a given flexural feature. In addition, the surface stress and bending moment at the first zero crossing of each profile were also calculated. Flexural amplitudes and elastic thicknesses obtained for 12 features vary significantly. Three examples of the model fitting procedures are discussed.

Effect of silver nano particles on flexural strength of acrylic resins.

PubMed

Sodagar, Ahmad; Kassaee, Mohammad Zaman; Akhavan, Azam; Javadi, Negar; Arab, Sepideh; Kharazifard, Mohammad Javad

2012-04-01

Poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA, is widely used for fabrication of removable orthodontic appliances. Silver nano particles (AgNps) have been added to PMMA because of their antimicrobial properties. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of AgNps on the flexural strength of PMMA. Acrylic liquid containing 0.05% and 0.2% AgNps was prepared for two kinds of acrylic resins: Rapid Repair &Selecta Plus. Two groups without AgNps were used as control groups. For each one, flexural strength was investigated via Three Point Bending method for the 15 acrylic blocks. Two-way ANOVA, one way ANOVA and Tukey tests were used for statistical analysis. Rapid Repair without AgNps showed the highest flexural strength. Addition of 0.05% AgNps to Rapid Repair, significantly decreased its flexural strength while, continuing the addition up to 0.2% increased it nearly up to its primary level. In contrast, addition of AgNps to Selecta Plus increased its flexural strength but addition of 0.05% nano particles was more effective than 0.2%. The effect of AgNps on flexural strength of PMMA depends on several factors including the type of acrylics and the concentrations of nano particles. Copyright © 2011 Japan Prosthodontic Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.