Size-Dependent Grain-Boundary Structure with Improved Conductive and Mechanical Stabilities in Sub-10-nm Gold Crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chunyang; Du, Kui; Song, Kepeng; Ye, Xinglong; Qi, Lu; He, Suyun; Tang, Daiming; Lu, Ning; Jin, Haijun; Li, Feng; Ye, Hengqiang

2018-05-01

Low-angle grain boundaries generally exist in the form of dislocation arrays, while high-angle grain boundaries (misorientation angle >15 ° ) exist in the form of structural units in bulk metals. Here, through in situ atomic resolution aberration corrected electron microscopy observations, we report size-dependent grain-boundary structures improving both stabilities of electrical conductivity and mechanical properties in sub-10-nm-sized gold crystals. With the diameter of a nanocrystal decreasing below 10 nm, the high-angle grain boundary in the crystal exists as an array of dislocations. This size effect may be of importance to a new generation of interconnects applications.

Strong size-dependent stress relaxation in electrospun polymer nanofibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wingert, Matthew C.; Jiang, Zhang; Chen, Renkun; Cai, Shengqiang

2017-01-01

Electrospun polymer nanofibers have garnered significant interest due to their strong size-dependent material properties, such as tensile moduli, strength, toughness, and glass transition temperatures. These properties are closely correlated with polymer chain dynamics. In most applications, polymers usually exhibit viscoelastic behaviors such as stress relaxation and creep, which are also determined by the motion of polymer chains. However, the size-dependent viscoelasticity has not been studied previously in polymer nanofibers. Here, we report the first experimental evidence of significant size-dependent stress relaxation in electrospun Nylon-11 nanofibers as well as size-dependent viscosity of the confined amorphous regions. In conjunction with the dramatically increasing stiffness of nano-scaled fibers, this strong relaxation enables size-tunable properties which break the traditional damping-stiffness tradeoff, qualifying electrospun nanofibers as a promising set of size-tunable materials with an unusual and highly desirable combination of simultaneously high stiffness and large mechanical energy dissipation.

Strong size-dependent stress relaxation in electrospun polymer nanofibers

DOE PAGES

Wingert, Matthew C.; Jiang, Zhang; Chen, Renkun; ...

2017-01-04

Here, electrospun polymer nanofibers have garnered significant interest due to their strong size-dependent material properties, such as tensile moduli, strength, toughness, and glass transition temperatures. These properties are closely correlated with polymer chain dynamics. In most applications, polymers usually exhibit viscoelastic behaviors such as stress relaxation and creep, which are also determined by the motion of polymer chains. However, the size-dependent viscoelasticity has not been studied previously in polymer nanofibers. Here, we report the first experimental evidence of significant size-dependent stress relaxation in electrospun Nylon-11 nanofibers as well as size-dependent viscosity of the confined amorphous regions. In conjunction with themore » dramatically increasing stiffness of nano-scaled fibers, this strong relaxation enables size-tunable properties which break the traditional damping-stiffness tradeoff, qualifying electrospun nanofibers as a promising set of size-tunable materials with an unusual and highly desirable combination of simultaneously high stiffness and large mechanical energy dissipation.« less

Effect of specimen size and grain orientation on the mechanical and physical properties of NBG-18 nuclear graphite

DOE PAGES

Vasudevamurthy, G.; Byun, T. S.; Pappano, Pete; ...

2015-03-13

Here we present a comparison of the measured baseline mechanical and physical properties of with grain (WG) and against grain (AG) non-ASTM size NBG-18 graphite. The objectives of the experiments were twofold: (1) assess the variation in properties with grain orientation; (2) establish a correlation between specimen tensile strength and size. The tensile strength of the smallest sized (4 mm diameter) specimens were about 5% higher than the standard specimens (12 mm diameter) but still within one standard deviation of the ASTM specimen size indicating no significant dependence of strength on specimen size. The thermal expansion coefficient and elastic constantsmore » did not show significant dependence on specimen size. Lastly, experimental data indicated that the variation of thermal expansion coefficient and elastic constants were still within 5% between the different grain orientations, confirming the isotropic nature of NBG-18 graphite in physical properties.« less

Shear localization and size-dependent strength of YCd 6 quasicrystal approximant at the micrometer length scale

DOE PAGES

Song, Gyuho; Kong, Tai; Dusoe, Keith J.; ...

2018-01-24

Mechanical properties of materials are strongly dependent of their atomic arrangement as well as the sample dimension, particularly at the micrometer length scale. Here in this study, we investigated the small-scale mechanical properties of single-crystalline YCd 6, which is a rational approximant of the icosahedral Y-Cd quasicrystal. In situ microcompression tests revealed that shear localization always occurs on {101} planes, but the shear direction is not constrained to any particular crystallographic directions. Furthermore, the yield strengths show the size dependence with a power law exponent of 0.4. Shear localization on {101} planes and size-dependent yield strength are explained in termsmore » of a large interplanar spacing between {101} planes and the energetics of shear localization process, respectively. The mechanical behavior of the icosahedral Y-Cd quasicrystal is also compared to understand the influence of translational symmetry on the shear localization process in both YCd 6 and Y-Cd quasicrystal micropillars. Finally, the results of this study will provide an important insight in a fundamental understanding of shear localization process in novel complex intermetallic compounds.« less

Shear localization and size-dependent strength of YCd 6 quasicrystal approximant at the micrometer length scale

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

Song, Gyuho; Kong, Tai; Dusoe, Keith J.

Mechanical properties of materials are strongly dependent of their atomic arrangement as well as the sample dimension, particularly at the micrometer length scale. Here in this study, we investigated the small-scale mechanical properties of single-crystalline YCd 6, which is a rational approximant of the icosahedral Y-Cd quasicrystal. In situ microcompression tests revealed that shear localization always occurs on {101} planes, but the shear direction is not constrained to any particular crystallographic directions. Furthermore, the yield strengths show the size dependence with a power law exponent of 0.4. Shear localization on {101} planes and size-dependent yield strength are explained in termsmore » of a large interplanar spacing between {101} planes and the energetics of shear localization process, respectively. The mechanical behavior of the icosahedral Y-Cd quasicrystal is also compared to understand the influence of translational symmetry on the shear localization process in both YCd 6 and Y-Cd quasicrystal micropillars. Finally, the results of this study will provide an important insight in a fundamental understanding of shear localization process in novel complex intermetallic compounds.« less

Size uniformity of animal cells is actively maintained by a p38 MAPK-dependent regulation of G1-length.

PubMed

Liu, Shixuan; Ginzberg, Miriam Bracha; Patel, Nish; Hild, Marc; Leung, Bosco; Li, Zhengda; Chen, Yen-Chi; Chang, Nancy; Wang, Yuan; Tan, Ceryl; Diena, Shulamit; Trimble, William; Wasserman, Larry; Jenkins, Jeremy L; Kirschner, Marc W; Kafri, Ran

2018-03-29

Animal cells within a tissue typically display a striking regularity in their size. To date, the molecular mechanisms that control this uniformity are still unknown. We have previously shown that size uniformity in animal cells is promoted, in part, by size-dependent regulation of G1 length. To identify the molecular mechanisms underlying this process, we performed a large-scale small molecule screen and found that the p38 MAPK pathway is involved in coordinating cell size and cell cycle progression. Small cells display higher p38 activity and spend more time in G1 than larger cells. Inhibition of p38 MAPK leads to loss of the compensatory G1 length extension in small cells, resulting in faster proliferation, smaller cell size and increased size heterogeneity. We propose a model wherein the p38 pathway responds to changes in cell size and regulates G1 exit accordingly, to increase cell size uniformity. © 2017, Liu et al.

Density-dependence as a size-independent regulatory mechanism.

PubMed

de Vladar, Harold P

2006-01-21

The growth function of populations is central in biomathematics. The main dogma is the existence of density-dependence mechanisms, which can be modelled with distinct functional forms that depend on the size of the population. One important class of regulatory functions is the theta-logistic, which generalizes the logistic equation. Using this model as a motivation, this paper introduces a simple dynamical reformulation that generalizes many growth functions. The reformulation consists of two equations, one for population size, and one for the growth rate. Furthermore, the model shows that although population is density-dependent, the dynamics of the growth rate does not depend either on population size, nor on the carrying capacity. Actually, the growth equation is uncoupled from the population size equation, and the model has only two parameters, a Malthusian parameter rho and a competition coefficient theta. Distinct sign combinations of these parameters reproduce not only the family of theta-logistics, but also the van Bertalanffy, Gompertz and Potential Growth equations, among other possibilities. It is also shown that, except for two critical points, there is a general size-scaling relation that includes those appearing in the most important allometric theories, including the recently proposed Metabolic Theory of Ecology. With this model, several issues of general interest are discussed such as the growth of animal population, extinctions, cell growth and allometry, and the effect of environment over a population.

Effects of grain size evolution on mantle dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulz, Falko; Tosi, Nicola; Plesa, Ana-Catalina; Breuer, Doris

2016-04-01

The rheology of planetary mantle materials is strongly dependent on temperature, pressure, strain-rate, and grain size. In particular, the rheology of olivine, the most abundant mineral of the Earth's upper mantle, has been extensively studied in the laboratory (e.g., Karato and Wu, 1993; Hirth and Kohlstedt, 2003). Two main mechanisms control olivine's deformation: dislocation and diffusion creep. While the former implies a power-law dependence of the viscosity on the strain-rate that leads to a non-Newtonian behaviour, the latter is sensitively dependent on the grain size. The dynamics of planetary interiors is locally controlled by the deformation mechanism that delivers the lowest viscosity. Models of the dynamics and evolution of planetary mantles should thus be capable to self-consistently distinguish which of the two mechanisms dominates at given conditions of temperature, pressure, strain-rate and grain size. As the grain size can affect the viscosity associated with diffusion creep by several orders of magnitude, it can strongly influence the dominant deformation mechanism. The vast majority of numerical, global-scale models of mantle convection, however, are based on the use of a linear diffusion-creep rheology with constant grain-size. Nevertheless, in recent studies, a new equation has been proposed to properly model the time-dependent evolution of the grain size (Austin and Evens, 2007; Rozel et al., 2010). We implemented this equation in our mantle convection code Gaia (Hüttig et al., 2013). In the framework of simple models of stagnant lid convection, we compared simulations based on the fully time-dependent equation of grain-size evolution with simulations based on its steady-state version. In addition, we tested a number of different parameters in order to identify those that affects the grain size to the first order and, in turn, control the conditions at which mantle deformation is dominated by diffusion or dislocation creep. References Austin, N. J. and Evans, B. (2007). Geology, 35(4):343. Hirth, G. and Kohlstedt, D. (2003). Geophysical Monograph Series, page 83105. Hüttig, C., Tosi, N., and Moore, W. B. (2013). Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 220:11-18. Karato, S.-i. and Wu, P. (1993). Science, 260(5109):771778. Rozel, A., Ricard, Y., and Bercovici, D. (2010). Geophysical Journal International, 184(2):719728.

Rapid Convergence of Energy and Free Energy Profiles with Quantum Mechanical Size in Quantum Mechanical-Molecular Mechanical Simulations of Proton Transfer in DNA.

PubMed

Das, Susanta; Nam, Kwangho; Major, Dan Thomas

2018-03-13

In recent years, a number of quantum mechanical-molecular mechanical (QM/MM) enzyme studies have investigated the dependence of reaction energetics on the size of the QM region using energy and free energy calculations. In this study, we revisit the question of QM region size dependence in QM/MM simulations within the context of energy and free energy calculations using a proton transfer in a DNA base pair as a test case. In the simulations, the QM region was treated with a dispersion-corrected AM1/d-PhoT Hamiltonian, which was developed to accurately describe phosphoryl and proton transfer reactions, in conjunction with an electrostatic embedding scheme using the particle-mesh Ewald summation method. With this rigorous QM/MM potential, we performed rather extensive QM/MM sampling, and found that the free energy reaction profiles converge rapidly with respect to the QM region size within ca. ±1 kcal/mol. This finding suggests that the strategy of QM/MM simulations with reasonably sized and selected QM regions, which has been employed for over four decades, is a valid approach for modeling complex biomolecular systems. We point to possible causes for the sensitivity of the energy and free energy calculations to the size of the QM region, and potential implications.

Asteroid size distributions for the main belt and for asteroid families

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazantzev, A.; Kazantzeva, L.

2017-12-01

The asteroid-size distribution for he Eos family was constructed. The WISE database containing the albedo p and the size D of over 80,000 asteroids was used. The b parameter of the power-law dependence has a minimum at some average values of the asteroid size of the family. A similar dependence b(D) exists for the whole asteroid belt. An assumption on the possible similarity of the formation mechanisms of the asteroid belt as a whole and separate families is made.

A potential mechanism for allometric trabecular bone scaling in terrestrial mammals.

PubMed

Christen, Patrik; Ito, Keita; van Rietbergen, Bert

2015-03-01

Trabecular bone microstructural parameters, including trabecular thickness, spacing, and number, have been reported to scale with animal size with negative allometry, whereas bone volume fraction is animal size-invariant in terrestrial mammals. As for the majority of scaling patterns described in animals, its underlying mechanism is unknown. However, it has also been found that osteocyte density is inversely related to animal size, possibly adapted to metabolic rate, which shows a negative relationship as well. In addition, the signalling reach of osteocytes is limited by the extent of the lacuno-canalicular network, depending on trabecular dimensions and thus also on animal size. Here we propose animal size-dependent variations in osteocyte density and their signalling influence distance as a potential mechanism for negative allometric trabecular bone scaling in terrestrial mammals. Using an established and tested computational model of bone modelling and remodelling, we run simulations with different osteocyte densities and influence distances mimicking six terrestrial mammals covering a large range of body masses. Simulated trabecular structures revealed negative allometric scaling for trabecular thickness, spacing, and number, constant bone volume fraction, and bone turnover rates inversely related to animal size. These results are in agreement with previous observations supporting our proposal of osteocyte density and influence distance variation as a potential mechanism for negative allometric trabecular bone scaling in terrestrial mammals. The inverse relationship between bone turnover rates and animal size further indicates that trabecular bone scaling may be linked to metabolic rather than mechanical adaptations. © 2015 Anatomical Society.

WE-AB-204-07: Spatiotemporal Distribution of the FDG PET Tracer in Solid Tumors: Contributions of Diffusion and Convection Mechanisms

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

Soltani, M; Sefidgar, M; Bazmara, H

2015-06-15

Purpose: In this study, a mathematical model is utilized to simulate FDG distribution in tumor tissue. In contrast to conventional compartmental modeling, tracer distributions across space and time are directly linked together (i.e. moving beyond ordinary differential equations (ODEs) to utilizing partial differential equations (PDEs) coupling space and time). The diffusion and convection transport mechanisms are both incorporated to model tracer distribution. We aimed to investigate the contributions of these two mechanisms on FDG distribution for various tumor geometries obtained from PET/CT images. Methods: FDG transport was simulated via a spatiotemporal distribution model (SDM). The model is based on amore » 5K compartmental model. We model the fact that tracer concentration in the second compartment (extracellular space) is modulated via convection and diffusion. Data from n=45 patients with pancreatic tumors as imaged using clinical FDG PET/CT imaging were analyzed, and geometrical information from the tumors including size, shape, and aspect ratios were classified. Tumors with varying shapes and sizes were assessed in order to investigate the effects of convection and diffusion mechanisms on FDG transport. Numerical methods simulating interstitial flow and solute transport in tissue were utilized. Results: We have shown the convection mechanism to depend on the shape and size of tumors whereas diffusion mechanism is seen to exhibit low dependency on shape and size. Results show that concentration distribution of FDG is relatively similar for the considered tumors; and that the diffusion mechanism of FDG transport significantly dominates the convection mechanism. The Peclet number which shows the ratio of convection to diffusion rates was shown to be of the order of 10−{sup 3} for all considered tumors. Conclusion: We have demonstrated that even though convection leads to varying tracer distribution profiles depending on tumor shape and size, the domination of the diffusion phenomenon prevents these factors from modulating FDG distribution.« less

Reversal in the Size Dependence of Grain Rotation

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

Zhou, Xiaoling; Tamura, Nobumichi; Mi, Zhongying

The conventional belief, based on the Read-Shockley model for the grain rotation mechanism, has been that smaller grains rotate more under stress due to the motion of grain boundary dislocations. However, in our high-pressure synchrotron Laue x-ray microdiffraction experiments, 70 nm nickel particles are found to rotate more than any other grain size. We infer that the reversal in the size dependence of the grain rotation arises from the crossover between the grain boundary dislocation-mediated and grain interior dislocation-mediated deformation mechanisms. The dislocation activities in the grain interiors are evidenced by the deformation texture of nickel nanocrystals. This new findingmore » reshapes our view on the mechanism of grain rotation and helps us to better understand the plastic deformation of nanomaterials, particularly of the competing effects of grain boundary and grain interior dislocations.« less

Reversal in the Size Dependence of Grain Rotation

DOE PAGES

Zhou, Xiaoling; Tamura, Nobumichi; Mi, Zhongying; ...

2017-03-01

The conventional belief, based on the Read-Shockley model for the grain rotation mechanism, has been that smaller grains rotate more under stress due to the motion of grain boundary dislocations. However, in our high-pressure synchrotron Laue x-ray microdiffraction experiments, 70 nm nickel particles are found to rotate more than any other grain size. We infer that the reversal in the size dependence of the grain rotation arises from the crossover between the grain boundary dislocation-mediated and grain interior dislocation-mediated deformation mechanisms. The dislocation activities in the grain interiors are evidenced by the deformation texture of nickel nanocrystals. This new findingmore » reshapes our view on the mechanism of grain rotation and helps us to better understand the plastic deformation of nanomaterials, particularly of the competing effects of grain boundary and grain interior dislocations.« less

Resolving nanoparticle growth mechanisms from size- and time-dependent growth rate analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pichelstorfer, Lukas; Stolzenburg, Dominik; Ortega, John; Karl, Thomas; Kokkola, Harri; Laakso, Anton; Lehtinen, Kari E. J.; Smith, James N.; McMurry, Peter H.; Winkler, Paul M.

2018-01-01

Atmospheric new particle formation occurs frequently in the global atmosphere and may play a crucial role in climate by affecting cloud properties. The relevance of newly formed nanoparticles depends largely on the dynamics governing their initial formation and growth to sizes where they become important for cloud microphysics. One key to the proper understanding of nanoparticle effects on climate is therefore hidden in the growth mechanisms. In this study we have developed and successfully tested two independent methods based on the aerosol general dynamics equation, allowing detailed retrieval of time- and size-dependent nanoparticle growth rates. Both methods were used to analyze particle formation from two different biogenic precursor vapors in controlled chamber experiments. Our results suggest that growth rates below 10 nm show much more variation than is currently thought and pin down the decisive size range of growth at around 5 nm where in-depth studies of physical and chemical particle properties are needed.

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

Wingert, Matthew C.; Jiang, Zhang; Chen, Renkun

Here, electrospun polymer nanofibers have garnered significant interest due to their strong size-dependent material properties, such as tensile moduli, strength, toughness, and glass transition temperatures. These properties are closely correlated with polymer chain dynamics. In most applications, polymers usually exhibit viscoelastic behaviors such as stress relaxation and creep, which are also determined by the motion of polymer chains. However, the size-dependent viscoelasticity has not been studied previously in polymer nanofibers. Here, we report the first experimental evidence of significant size-dependent stress relaxation in electrospun Nylon-11 nanofibers as well as size-dependent viscosity of the confined amorphous regions. In conjunction with themore » dramatically increasing stiffness of nano-scaled fibers, this strong relaxation enables size-tunable properties which break the traditional damping-stiffness tradeoff, qualifying electrospun nanofibers as a promising set of size-tunable materials with an unusual and highly desirable combination of simultaneously high stiffness and large mechanical energy dissipation.« less

Size-dependent chemical transformation, structural phase-change, and optical properties of nanowires

PubMed Central

Piccione, Brian; Agarwal, Rahul; Jung, Yeonwoong; Agarwal, Ritesh

2013-01-01

Nanowires offer a unique approach for the bottom up assembly of electronic and photonic devices with the potential of integrating photonics with existing technologies. The anisotropic geometry and mesoscopic length scales of nanowires also make them very interesting systems to study a variety of size-dependent phenomenon where finite size effects become important. We will discuss the intriguing size-dependent properties of nanowire systems with diameters in the 5 – 300 nm range, where finite size and interfacial phenomena become more important than quantum mechanical effects. The ability to synthesize and manipulate nanostructures by chemical methods allows tremendous versatility in creating new systems with well controlled geometries, dimensions and functionality, which can then be used for understanding novel processes in finite-sized systems and devices. PMID:23997656

Dependence of Non-Prestonian Behavior of Ceria Slurry with Anionic Surfactant on Abrasive Concentration and Size in Shallow Trench Isolation Chemical Mechanical Polishing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Hyun‑Goo; Kim, Dae‑Hyeong; Katoh, Takeo; Kim, Sung‑Jun; Paik, Ungyu; Park, Jea‑Gun

2006-05-01

The dependencies of the non-Prestonian behavior of ceria slurry with anionic surfactant on the size and concentration of abrasive particles were investigated by performing chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) experiments using blanket wafers. We found that not only the abrasive size but also the abrasive concentration with surfactant addition influences the non-Prestonian behavior. Such behavior is clearly exhibited with small abrasive sizes and a higher concentrations of abrasives with surfactant addition, because the abrasive particles can locally contact the film surface more effectively with applied pressure. We introduce a factor to quantify these relations with the non-Prestonian behavior of a slurry. For ceria slurry, this non-Prestonian factor, βNP, was determined to be almost independent of the abrasive concentration for a larger size and a smaller weight conentration of abrasive particles, but it increased with the surfactant concentration for a smaller size and a higher concentration of abrasives with surfactant addition.

Atomistic origin of size effects in fatigue behavior of metallic glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sha, Zhendong; Wong, Wei Hin; Pei, Qingxiang; Branicio, Paulo Sergio; Liu, Zishun; Wang, Tiejun; Guo, Tianfu; Gao, Huajian

2017-07-01

While many experiments and simulations on metallic glasses (MGs) have focused on their tensile ductility under monotonic loading, the fatigue mechanisms of MGs under cyclic loading still remain largely elusive. Here we perform molecular dynamics (MD) and finite element simulations of tension-compression fatigue tests in MGs to elucidate their fatigue mechanisms with focus on the sample size effect. Shear band (SB) thickening is found to be the inherent fatigue mechanism for nanoscale MGs. The difference in fatigue mechanisms between macroscopic and nanoscale MGs originates from whether the SB forms partially or fully through the cross-section of the specimen. Furthermore, a qualitative investigation of the sample size effect suggests that small sample size increases the fatigue life while large sample size promotes cyclic softening and necking. Our observations on the size-dependent fatigue behavior can be rationalized by the Gurson model and the concept of surface tension of the nanovoids. The present study sheds light on the fatigue mechanisms of MGs and can be useful in interpreting previous experimental results.

Mechanical Behavior of Nanostructured and Ultrafine Grained Materials under Shock Wave Loadings. Experimental Data and Results of Computer Simulation.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skripnyak, Vladimir

2011-06-01

Features of mechanical behavior of nanostructured (NS) and ultrafine grained (UFG) metal and ceramic materials under quasistatic and shock wave loadings are discussed in this report. Multilevel models developed within the approach of computational mechanics of materials were used for simulation mechanical behavior of UFG and NS metals and ceramics. Comparisons of simulation results with experimental data are presented. Models of mechanical behavior of nanostructured metal alloys takes into account a several structural factors influencing on the mechanical behavior of materials (type of a crystal lattice, density of dislocations, a size of dislocation substructures, concentration and size of phase precipitation, and distribution of grains sizes). Results show the strain rate sensitivity of the yield stress of UFG and polycrystalline alloys is various in a range from 103 up to 106 1/s. But the difference of the Hugoniot elastic limits of a UFG and coarse-grained alloys may be not considerable. The spall strength, the yield stress of UFG and NS alloys are depend not only on grains size, but a number of factors such as a distribution of grains sizes, a concentration and sizes of voids and cracks, a concentration and sizes of phase precipitation. Some titanium alloys with grain sizes from 300 to 500 nm have the quasi-static yield strength and the tensile strength twice higher than that of coarse grained counterparts. But the spall strength of the UFG titanium alloys is only 10 percents above than that of coarse grained alloys. At the same time it was found the spall strength of the bulk UFG aluminium and magnesium alloys with precipitation strengthening is essentially higher in comparison of coarse-grained counterparts. The considerable decreasing of the strain before failure of UFG alloys was predicted at high strain rates. The Hugoniot elastic limits of oxide nanoceramics depend not only on the porosity, but also on sizes and volume distribution of voids.

Analysis of Noise Mechanisms in Cell-Size Control.

PubMed

Modi, Saurabh; Vargas-Garcia, Cesar Augusto; Ghusinga, Khem Raj; Singh, Abhyudai

2017-06-06

At the single-cell level, noise arises from multiple sources, such as inherent stochasticity of biomolecular processes, random partitioning of resources at division, and fluctuations in cellular growth rates. How these diverse noise mechanisms combine to drive variations in cell size within an isoclonal population is not well understood. Here, we investigate the contributions of different noise sources in well-known paradigms of cell-size control, such as adder (division occurs after adding a fixed size from birth), sizer (division occurs after reaching a size threshold), and timer (division occurs after a fixed time from birth). Analysis reveals that variation in cell size is most sensitive to errors in partitioning of volume among daughter cells, and not surprisingly, this process is well regulated among microbes. Moreover, depending on the dominant noise mechanism, different size-control strategies (or a combination of them) provide efficient buffering of size variations. We further explore mixer models of size control, where a timer phase precedes/follows an adder, as has been proposed in Caulobacter crescentus. Although mixing a timer and an adder can sometimes attenuate size variations, it invariably leads to higher-order moments growing unboundedly over time. This results in a power-law distribution for the cell size, with an exponent that depends inversely on the noise in the timer phase. Consistent with theory, we find evidence of power-law statistics in the tail of C. crescentus cell-size distribution, although there is a discrepancy between the observed power-law exponent and that predicted from the noise parameters. The discrepancy, however, is removed after data reveal that the size added by individual newborns in the adder phase itself exhibits power-law statistics. Taken together, this study provides key insights into the role of noise mechanisms in size homeostasis, and suggests an inextricable link between timer-based models of size control and heavy-tailed cell-size distributions. Copyright © 2017 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessing the Role of Capping Molecules in Controlling Aggregative Growth of Gold Nanoparticles in Heated Solution.

PubMed

Cheng, Han-Wen; Schadt, Mark J; Zhong, Chuan-Jian

2016-01-01

This report describes findings of an investigation of the role of capping molecules in the size growth in the aggregative growth of pre-formed small-sized gold nanoparticles capped with alkanethiolate monolayers toward monodispersed larger sizes. The size controllability depends on the thiolate chain length and concentration in the thermal solution. The size evolution in solution at different concentrations of alkanethiols is analyzed in relation to adsorption isotherms and cohesive energy. The size dependence on thiolate chain length is also analyzed by considering the cohesive energy of the capping molecules, revealing the importance of cohesive energy in the capping structure. Theoretical and experimental comparisons of the surface plasmonic resonance optical properties have also provided new insights into the mechanism, thus enabling the exploitation of size-dependent nanoscale properties. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effect of Microstructural Interfaces on the Mechanical Response of Crystalline Metallic Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aitken, Zachary H.

Advances in nano-scale mechanical testing have brought about progress in the understanding of physical phenomena in materials and a measure of control in the fabrication of novel materials. In contrast to bulk materials that display size-invariant mechanical properties, sub-micron metallic samples show a critical dependence on sample size. The strength of nano-scale single crystalline metals is well-described by a power-law function, sigma ∝ D-n, where D is a critical sample size and n is a experimentally-fit positive exponent. This relationship is attributed to source-driven plasticity and demonstrates a strengthening as the decreasing sample size begins to limit the size and number of dislocation sources. A full understanding of this size-dependence is complicated by the presence of microstructural features such as interfaces that can compete with the dominant dislocation-based deformation mechanisms. In this thesis, the effects of microstructural features such as grain boundaries and anisotropic crystallinity on nano-scale metals are investigated through uniaxial compression testing. We find that nano-sized Cu covered by a hard coating displays a Bauschinger effect and the emergence of this behavior can be explained through a simple dislocation-based analytic model. Al nano-pillars containing a single vertically-oriented coincident site lattice grain boundary are found to show similar deformation to single-crystalline nano-pillars with slip traces passing through the grain boundary. With increasing tilt angle of the grain boundary from the pillar axis, we observe a transition from dislocation-dominated deformation to grain boundary sliding. Crystallites are observed to shear along the grain boundary and molecular dynamics simulations reveal a mechanism of atomic migration that accommodates boundary sliding. We conclude with an analysis of the effects of inherent crystal anisotropy and alloying on the mechanical behavior of the Mg alloy, AZ31. Through comparison to pure Mg, we show that the size effect dominates the strength of samples below 10 microm, that differences in the size effect between hexagonal slip systems is due to the inherent crystal anisotropy, suggesting that the fundamental mechanism of the size effect in these slip systems is the same.

Comparison of mechanical characteristics of focused ion beam fabricated silicon nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ina, Ginnosuke; Fujii, Tatsuya; Kozeki, Takahiro; Miura, Eri; Inoue, Shozo; Namazu, Takahiro

2017-06-01

In this study, we investigate the effects of focused ion beam (FIB)-induced damage and specimen size on the mechanical properties of Si nanowires (NWs) by a microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based tensile testing technique. By an FIB fabrication technique, three types of Si NWs, which are as-FIB-fabricated, annealed, and FIB-implanted NWs, are prepared. A sacrificial-oxidized NW is also prepared to compare the mechanical properties of these FIB-based NWs. The quasi-static uniaxial tensile tests of all the NWs are conducted by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The fabrication process and specimen size dependences on Young’s modulus and fracture strength are observed. Annealing is effective for improving the Young’s modulus of the FIB-damaged Si. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) suggests that the mechanism behind the process dependence on the mechanical characteristics is related to the crystallinity of the FIB-damaged portion.

Inverse size scaling of the nucleolus by a concentration-dependent phase transition.

PubMed

Weber, Stephanie C; Brangwynne, Clifford P

2015-03-02

Just as organ size typically increases with body size, the size of intracellular structures changes as cells grow and divide. Indeed, many organelles, such as the nucleus [1, 2], mitochondria [3], mitotic spindle [4, 5], and centrosome [6], exhibit size scaling, a phenomenon in which organelle size depends linearly on cell size. However, the mechanisms of organelle size scaling remain unclear. Here, we show that the size of the nucleolus, a membraneless organelle important for cell-size homeostasis [7], is coupled to cell size by an intracellular phase transition. We find that nucleolar size directly scales with cell size in early C. elegans embryos. Surprisingly, however, when embryo size is altered, we observe inverse scaling: nucleolar size increases in small cells and decreases in large cells. We demonstrate that this seemingly contradictory result arises from maternal loading of a fixed number rather than a fixed concentration of nucleolar components, which condense into nucleoli only above a threshold concentration. Our results suggest that the physics of phase transitions can dictate whether an organelle assembles, and, if so, its size, providing a mechanistic link between organelle assembly and cell size. Since the nucleolus is known to play a key role in cell growth, this biophysical readout of cell size could provide a novel feedback mechanism for growth control. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermodynamic theory of intrinsic finite-size effects in PbTiO3 nanocrystals. I. Nanoparticle size-dependent tetragonal phase stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akdogan, E. K.; Safari, A.

2007-03-01

We propose a phenomenological intrinsic finite-size effect model for single domain, mechanically free, and surface charge compensated ΔG-P ⃗s-ξ space, which describes the decrease in tetragonal phase stability with decreasing ξ rigorously.

Size- and food-dependent growth drives patterns of competitive dominance along productivity gradients.

PubMed

Huss, Magnus; Gårdmark, Anna; Van Leeuwen, Anieke; de Roos, André M

2012-04-01

Patterns of coexistence among competing species exhibiting size- and food-dependent growth remain largely unexplored. Here we studied mechanisms behind coexistence and shifts in competitive dominance in a size-structured fish guild, representing sprat and herring stocks in the Baltic Sea, using a physiologically structured model of competing populations. The influence of degree of resource overlap and the possibility of undergoing ontogenetic diet shifts were studied as functions of zooplankton and zoobenthos productivity. By imposing different size-dependent mortalities, we could study the outcome of competition under contrasting environmental regimes representing poor and favorable growth conditions. We found that the identity of the dominant species shifted between low and high productivity. Adding a herring-exclusive benthos resource only provided a competitive advantage over sprat when size-dependent mortality was high enough to allow for rapid growth in the zooplankton niche. Hence, the importance of a bottom-up effect of varying productivity was dependent on a strong top-down effect. Although herring could depress shared resources to lower levels than could sprat and also could access an exclusive resource, the smaller size at maturation of sprat allowed it to coexist with herring and, in some cases, exclude it. Our model system, characterized by interactions among size cohorts, allowed for consumer coexistence even at full resource overlap at intermediate productivities when size-dependent mortality was low. Observed shifts in community patterns were crucially dependent on the explicit consideration of size- and food-dependent growth. Accordingly, we argue that accounting for food-dependent growth and size-dependent interactions is necessary to better predict changes in community structure and dynamics following changes in major ecosystem drivers such as resource productivity and mortality, which are fundamental for our ability to manage exploitation of living resources in, e.g., fisheries.

Effect of natural fibers on mechanical properties of green cement mortar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

AL-Zubaidi, Aseel B.

2018-05-01

Natural fibers of banana, reed, palm and coconut were used to reinforce cement composite. Optical microscopy showed that the prepared fibers are different in size and morphology. Nearly equiaxed, ribbon-like and nearly cylindrical morphologies were observed. Each of the utilized natural fibers was incorporated in the cement matrix at 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0 wt% and cured for 28 days. The scanning electron micrographs for the 1.0 wt% -reinforced composite showed differences in porosity, grain size and shape. Each of the utilized fibers has different effect on the microstructure of the cement composite that depends on the fiber size and morphology. Water absorption, thermal conductivity, bending strength, hardness and compression strengths were measured for the reinforced cement composite. It is found that the final physical and mechanical properties of the set cement composite depend on the fiber content and fiber type through the differences in their sizes and morphologies.

Quantum Algorithms for Computational Physics: Volume 3 of Lattice Gas Dynamics

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-03

time- dependent state |q(t)〉 of a two- energy level quantum mechanical system, which is a fermionic qubit and is governed by the Schroedinger wave...on-site ket of size 2B |Ψ〉 total system ket of size 2Q 2.2 The quantum state in the number representation From the previous section, a time- dependent ...duration depend on the particular experimental realization, so that the natural coupling along with the program of externally applied pulses together

Size Dependent Mechanical Properties of Monolayer Densely Arranged Polystyrene Nanospheres.

PubMed

Huang, Peng; Zhang, Lijing; Yan, Qingfeng; Guo, Dan; Xie, Guoxin

2016-12-13

In contrast to macroscopic materials, the mechanical properties of polymer nanospheres show fascinating scientific and application values. However, the experimental measurements of individual nanospheres and quantitative analysis of theoretical mechanisms remain less well performed and understood. We provide a highly efficient and accurate method with monolayer densely arranged honeycomb polystyrene (PS) nanospheres for the quantitatively mechanical characterization of individual nanospheres on the basis of atomic force microscopy (AFM) nanoindentation. The efficiency is improved by 1-2 orders, and the accuracy is also enhanced almost by half-order. The elastic modulus measured in the experiments increases with decreasing radius to the smallest nanospheres (25-35 nm in radius). A core-shell model is introduced to predict the size dependent elasticity of PS nanospheres, and the theoretical prediction agrees reasonably well with the experimental results and also shows a peak modulus value.

Role of surface oxidation on the size dependent mechanical properties of nickel nanowires: a ReaxFF molecular dynamics study.

PubMed

Aral, Gurcan; Islam, Md Mahbubul; van Duin, Adri C T

2017-12-20

Highly reactive metallic nickel (Ni) is readily oxidized by oxygen (O 2 ) molecules even at low temperatures. The presence of the naturally resulting pre-oxide shell layer on metallic Ni nano materials such as Ni nanowires (NW) is responsible for degrading the deformation mechanisms and related mechanical properties. However, the role of the pre-oxide shell layer on the metallic Ni NW coupled with the complicated mechanical deformation mechanism and related properties have not yet been fully and independently understood. For this reason, the ReaxFF reactive force field for Ni/O interactions was used to investigate the effect of surface oxide layers and the size-dependent mechanical properties of Ni NWs under precisely controlled tensile loading conditions. To directly quantify the size dependent surface oxidation effect on the tensile mechanical deformation behaviour and related properties for Ni NWs, first, ReaxFF-molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were carried out to study the oxidation kinetics on the free surface of Ni NWs in a molecular O 2 environment as a function of various diameters (D = 5.0, 6.5, and 8.0 nm) of the NWs, but at the same length. Single crystalline, pure metallic Ni NWs were also studied as a reference. The results of the oxidation simulations indicate that a surface oxide shell layer with limiting thickness of ∼1.0 nm was formed on the free surface of the bare Ni NW, typically via dissociation of the O-O bonds and the subsequent formation of Ni-O bonds. Furthermore, we investigated the evolution of the size-dependent intrinsic mechanical elastic properties of the core-oxide shell (Ni/Ni x O y ) NWs by comparing them with their un-oxidized counterparts under constant uniaxial tensile loading. We found that the oxide shell layer significantly decreases the mechanical properties of metallic Ni NW as well as facilitates the initiation of plastic deformation as a function of decreasing diameter. The disordered oxide shell layer on the Ni NW's surface remarkably reduces the yield stress and Young's modulus, due to the increased softening effects with the decreasing NW diameter, compared to un-oxidized counterparts. Moreover, the onset of plastic deformation occurs at a relatively low yielding strain and stress level for the smaller diameter of oxide-coated Ni NWs in comparison to their pure counterparts. Furthermore, for pure Ni NWs, Young's modulus, the yielding stress and strain slightly decrease with the decrease in the diameter size of Ni NWs.

Mechanical remodeling of normally sized mammalian cells under a gravity vector.

PubMed

Zhang, Chen; Zhou, Lüwen; Zhang, Fan; Lü, Dongyuan; Li, Ning; Zheng, Lu; Xu, Yanhong; Li, Zhan; Sun, Shujin; Long, Mian

2017-02-01

Translocation of the dense nucleus along a gravity vector initiates mechanical remodeling of a cell, but the underlying mechanisms of cytoskeletal network and focal adhesion complex (FAC) reorganization in a mammalian cell remain unclear. We quantified the remodeling of an MC3T3-E1 cell placed in upward-, downward-, or edge-on-orientated substrate. Nucleus longitudinal translocation presents a high value in downward orientation at 24 h or in edge-on orientation at 72 h, which is consistent with orientation-dependent distribution of perinuclear actin stress fibers and vimentin cords. Redistribution of total FAC area and fractionized super mature adhesion number coordinates this dependence at short duration. This orientation-dependent remodeling is associated with nucleus flattering and lamin A/C phosphorylation. Actin depolymerization or Rho-associated protein kinase signaling inhibition abolishes the orientation dependence of nucleus translocation, whereas tubulin polymerization inhibition or vimentin disruption reserves the dependence. A biomechanical model is therefore proposed for integrating the mechanosensing of nucleus translocation with cytoskeletal remodeling and FAC reorganization induced by a gravity vector.-Zhang, C., Zhou, L., Zhang, F., Lü, D., Li, N., Zheng, L., Xu, Y., Li, Z., Sun, S., Long, M. Mechanical remodeling of normally sized mammalian cells under a gravity vector. © FASEB.

Crystallite-size dependency of the pressure and temperature response in nanoparticles of magnesia

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

Rodenbough, Philip P.; Chan, Siu-Wai

We have carefully measured the hydrostatic compressibility and thermal expansion for a series of magnesia nanoparticles. We found a strong variance in these mechanical properties as crystallite size changed. For decreasing crystallite sizes, bulk modulus first increased, then reached a modest maximum of 165 GPa at an intermediate crystallite size of 14 nm, and then decreased thereafter to 77 GPa at 9 nm. Thermal expansion, meanwhile, decreased continuously to 70% of bulk value at 9 nm. These results are consistent to nano-ceria and together provide important insights into the thermal-mechanical structural properties of oxide nanoparticles.

Determination of the mechanical characteristics of nanomaterials under tension and compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filippov, A. A.; Fomin, V. M.

2018-04-01

In this paper, new method for determining the mechanical characteristics of nanoparticles in a heterogeneous mixture is proposed. The heterogeneous mixture consists of a thermosetting epoxy resin and silicon dioxide powder of different dispersity. The mechanical characteristics of such a material at a constant concentration for nanopowder are experimentally determined. Using existing formulas for obtaining effective characteristics, the Lame coefficients for nanoparticles of various sizes are calculated. The dependence of the elastic characteristics on the particle size is obtained.

Scale-dependent feedbacks between patch size and plant reproduction in desert grassland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Svejcar, Lauren N.; Bestelmeyer, Brandon T.; Duniway, Michael C.; James, Darren K.

2015-01-01

Theoretical models suggest that scale-dependent feedbacks between plant reproductive success and plant patch size govern transitions from highly to sparsely vegetated states in drylands, yet there is scant empirical evidence for these mechanisms. Scale-dependent feedback models suggest that an optimal patch size exists for growth and reproduction of plants and that a threshold patch organization exists below which positive feedbacks between vegetation and resources can break down, leading to critical transitions. We examined the relationship between patch size and plant reproduction using an experiment in a Chihuahuan Desert grassland. We tested the hypothesis that reproductive effort and success of a dominant grass (Bouteloua eriopoda) would vary predictably with patch size. We found that focal plants in medium-sized patches featured higher rates of grass reproductive success than when plants occupied either large patch interiors or small patches. These patterns support the existence of scale-dependent feedbacks in Chihuahuan Desert grasslands and indicate an optimal patch size for reproductive effort and success in B. eriopoda. We discuss the implications of these results for detecting ecological thresholds in desert grasslands.

Size dependent elastic modulus and mechanical resilience of dental enamel.

PubMed

O'Brien, Simona; Shaw, Jeremy; Zhao, Xiaoli; Abbott, Paul V; Munroe, Paul; Xu, Jiang; Habibi, Daryoush; Xie, Zonghan

2014-03-21

Human tooth enamel exhibits a unique microstructure able to sustain repeated mechanical loading during dental function. Although notable advances have been made towards understanding the mechanical characteristics of enamel, challenges remain in the testing and interpretation of its mechanical properties. For example, enamel was often tested under dry conditions, significantly different from its native environment. In addition, constant load, rather than indentation depth, has been used when mapping the mechanical properties of enamel. In this work, tooth specimens are prepared under hydrated conditions and their stiffnesses are measured by depth control across the thickness of enamel. Crystal arrangement is postulated, among other factors, to be responsible for the size dependent indentation modulus of enamel. Supported by a simple structure model, effective crystal orientation angle is calculated and found to facilitate shear sliding in enamel under mechanical contact. In doing so, the stress build-up is eased and structural integrity is maintained. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Size-dependent fracture behavior of silver nanowires.

PubMed

Cao, Ke; Han, Ying; Zhang, Hongti; Gao, Libo; Yang, Hongwei; Chen, Jialin; Li, Yuxiu; Lu, Yang

2018-07-20

Silver (Ag) nanowires have great potential to be used in the flexible electronics industry for their applications in flexible, transparent conductors due to high conductivity and light reflectivity. Those applications always involve mechanical loading and deformations, which requires an in-depth understanding of their mechanical behavior and performance under loadings. However, current understanding on the mechanical properties of Ag nanowires is limited, especially on their size-dependent fracture behavior. In this work, mechanical properties of Ag nanowires with diameters ranging from 50 to 300 nm were systematically studied by in situ TEM tensile testing for the first time. The size effect was clearly found, with the increasing of the diameter of Ag nanowires, the ultimate tensile stress decreased. More importantly, the fracture behavior of Ag nanowire was studied and a brittle-to-ductile transition in fracture behavior was observed at the diameters around 100 nm which could be attributed to the dislocation activities within the geometry confinement. This work could give insights for understanding nanosized Ag wires and the design of Ag nanowire-based flexible devices and touchable panels.

Size-dependent fracture behavior of silver nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Ke; Han, Ying; Zhang, Hongti; Gao, Libo; Yang, Hongwei; Chen, Jialin; Li, Yuxiu; Lu, Yang

2018-07-01

Silver (Ag) nanowires have great potential to be used in the flexible electronics industry for their applications in flexible, transparent conductors due to high conductivity and light reflectivity. Those applications always involve mechanical loading and deformations, which requires an in-depth understanding of their mechanical behavior and performance under loadings. However, current understanding on the mechanical properties of Ag nanowires is limited, especially on their size-dependent fracture behavior. In this work, mechanical properties of Ag nanowires with diameters ranging from 50 to 300 nm were systematically studied by in situ TEM tensile testing for the first time. The size effect was clearly found, with the increasing of the diameter of Ag nanowires, the ultimate tensile stress decreased. More importantly, the fracture behavior of Ag nanowire was studied and a brittle-to-ductile transition in fracture behavior was observed at the diameters around 100 nm which could be attributed to the dislocation activities within the geometry confinement. This work could give insights for understanding nanosized Ag wires and the design of Ag nanowire-based flexible devices and touchable panels.

Interface failure modes explain non-monotonic size-dependent mechanical properties in bioinspired nanolaminates.

PubMed

Song, Z Q; Ni, Y; Peng, L M; Liang, H Y; He, L H

2016-03-31

Bioinspired discontinuous nanolaminate design becomes an efficient way to mitigate the strength-ductility tradeoff in brittle materials via arresting the crack at the interface followed by controllable interface failure. The analytical solution and numerical simulation based on the nonlinear shear-lag model indicates that propagation of the interface failure can be unstable or stable when the interfacial shear stress between laminae is uniform or highly localized, respectively. A dimensionless key parameter defined by the ratio of two characteristic lengths governs the transition between the two interface-failure modes, which can explain the non-monotonic size-dependent mechanical properties observed in various laminate composites.

Diffusive, Displacive Deformations and Local Phase Transformation Govern the Mechanics of Layered Crystals: The Case Study of Tobermorite.

PubMed

Tao, Lei; Shahsavari, Rouzbeh

2017-07-19

Understanding the deformation mechanisms underlying the mechanical behavior of materials is the key to fundamental and engineering advances in materials' performance. Herein, we focus on crystalline calcium-silicate-hydrates (C-S-H) as a model system with applications in cementitious materials, bone-tissue engineering, drug delivery and refractory materials, and use molecular dynamics simulation to investigate its loading geometry dependent mechanical properties. By comparing various conventional (e.g. shear, compression and tension) and nano-indentation loading geometries, our findings demonstrate that the former loading leads to size-independent mechanical properties while the latter results in size-dependent mechanical properties at the nanometer scales. We found three key mechanisms govern the deformation and thus mechanics of the layered C-S-H: diffusive-controlled and displacive-controlled deformation mechanisms, and strain gradient with local phase transformations. Together, these elaborately classified mechanisms provide deep fundamental understanding and new insights on the relationship between the macro-scale mechanical properties and underlying molecular deformations, providing new opportunities to control and tune the mechanics of layered crystals and other complex materials such as glassy C-S-H, natural composite structures, and manmade laminated structures.

The Dependence of Portevin-Le Châtelier Effect on the γ' Precipitates in a Wrought Ni-Base Superalloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xinguang; Han, Guoming; Cui, Chuanyong; Guan, Shuai; Jin, Tao; Sun, Xiaofeng; Hu, Zhuangqi

2016-12-01

The dependence of Portevin-Le Châtelier (PLC) effect on the γ' precipitates of the Nimonic 263 alloy in different microstructural conditions has been studied by analyzing the parameters of the tensile curves and the deformation mechanisms. It is shown that the γ' precipitates with different sizes, edge-to-edge interprecipitate distance, and areal number density are obtained by altering the aging time. It is demonstrated that when the mean size of the γ' precipitates is less than 28 nm (aging less than 25 hours), the deformation mechanisms are dominated by APB-coupled a/2<101> dislocations shearing the small γ' precipitates and the slip bands continuously cutting the γ and γ' phases. When the γ' size is between 28 and 45 nm (aging time between 25 and 50 hours), the deformation mechanism is controlled by the APB-coupled a/2<101> dislocations shearing the small γ' precipitates, the a/6<112> Shockley partial dislocation continuously shearing the γ and γ' phases combined with matrix dislocations by-passing the γ' precipitates; If the γ' size over 45 nm (aging time more than 50 hours), Orowan by-passing becomes the main deformation mechanism. Moreover, with increasing the aging time, the critical plastic strain for the onset of the PLC effect increases and reaches a maximum after aging for 50 hours, and then gradually decreases. At last, the dependence of critical plastic strain on the deformation mechanisms is well explained by the elementary incremental strain (γ). The precipitation process of the γ' phase can directly influence the PLC effect by changing the interactions among solutes atoms, mobile dislocations, and forest dislocations.

Zonal Articular Cartilage Possesses Complex Mechanical Behavior Spanning Multiple Length Scales: Dependence on Chemical Heterogeneity, Anisotropy, and Microstructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahlquist, Joseph A.

This work focused on characterizing the mechanical behavior of biological material in physiologically relevant conditions and at sub millimeter length scales. Elucidating the time, length scale, and directionally dependent mechanical behavior of cartilage and other biological materials is critical to adequately recapitulate native mechanosensory cues for cells, create computational models that mimic native tissue behavior, and assess disease progression. This work focused on three broad aspects of characterizing the mechanical behavior of articular cartilage. First, we sought to reveal the causes of time-dependent deformation and variation of mechanical properties with distance from the articular surface. Second, we investigated size dependence of mechanical properties. Finally, we examined material anisotropy of both the calcified and uncalcified tissues of the osteochondral interface. This research provides insight into how articular cartilage serves to support physiologic loads and simultaneously sustain chondrocyte viability.

Size-Dependent Mechanism of Intracellular Localization and Cytotoxicity of Mono-Disperse Spherical Mesoporous Nano- and Micron-Bioactive Glass Particles

PubMed Central

Li, Yuli; Hu, Qing; Miao, Guohou; Zhang, Qing; Yuan, Bo; Zhu, Ye; Fu, Xiaoling; Chen, Xiaofeng; Mao, Chuanbin

2016-01-01

Mono-disperse spherical mesoporous nano- and micro- bioactive glass particles (NMBGs) can find potential use in bone tissue engineering. However, their size-dependent interaction with osteoblasts has never been studied. Herein, the proliferation, morphology, cytoskeleton organization and apoptosis of MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts are studied in response to the NMBGs with varying sizes (from 61 to 1085 nm) at different concentrations. Generally, smaller NMBGs at a lower dose show weaker cytotoxicity compared to the larger particles and higher doses, arising from a novel size-dependent mechanism of intracellular localization of NMBGs observed by electron and confocal microscopy. Specifically, NMBGs pass through perinuclear membrane of the cells to initiate endocytosis. Once internalized, the sizes of NMBGs are found to play a significant role in determining their intracellular localization. When the NMBGs are smaller than 174 nm, they are transported via the lysosomal pathway and phagocytized in lysosomes, resulting in little cytotoxicity at later time points. On the contrary, larger NMBGs (over 174 nm) escape from the lysosomes after endocytosis, and are localized inside the intra-cytoplasmic vacuoles or randomly in the cytoplasm of cells. Their lysosomal escape may damage the lysosomes, inducing cell apoptosis and thus the greater cytotoxicity. PMID:27305811

Athermal Mechanisms of Size-Dependent Crystal Flow Gleaned from Three-Dimensional Discrete Dislocation Simulations

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

Sevillano, et. al . directly developed a definition of the single-slip glide-resistance correlation length, 10//5.8 o  , from 2d simulations of single...dislocation percolation through point-obstacle fields [35, 36]. Subsequently, predictions for the size- dependence of * from Gil Sevillano, et. al ...Sevillano, et. al ., and microcrystal deformation experiments was perhaps fortuitous, significant merit remains within their treatment. The more general

Study of laser heated propulsion devices. Part 1: Evaluation of laser devices, fuels and energy coupling mechanisms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hofer, O. C.

1982-01-01

Closed cycle, CW waveform and short wavelength laser devices are desirable characteristics for laser propulsion. The choice of specific wavelengths for hydrogen fuel affects the operational conditions under which a laser supported absorption (LSA) wave is initiated and maintained. The mechanisms of initiating and maintaining LSA waves depend on the wavelength of the laser. Consequently, the shape and size of the hot core plasma is also dependent on wavelength and pressure. Detailed modeling of these mechanisms must be performed before their actual significance can be ascertained. Inverse bremsstrahlung absorption mechanism is the dominant mechanism for coupling energy into the plasma, but other mechanisms which are wavelength dependent can dictate the LSA wave plasma initiation and maintenance conditions. Multiphoton mechanisms become important at visible or shorter wavelengths. These are important mechanisms in creating the initial H2 gas breakdown and supplying the precursor electrons required to sustain the plasma.

In Situ Observation of Single-Phase Lithium Intercalation in Sub-25-nm Nanoparticles

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

Zhong, Li; Liu, Yang; Han, Wei-Qiang

Although a non-equilibrium single-phase reaction, with the absence of nucleation and growth of a second phase, is believed to be a key factor for high-rate performance of lithium-ion batteries, it is thermodynamically unfavorable and usually proceeds in electrode materials with small particle sizes (tens of nanometers). Unfortunately, the phase evolutions inside such small particles are often shrouded by the macroscopic inhomogeneous reactions of electrodes containing millions of particles, leading to intensive debate over the size-dependent microscopic reaction mechanisms. Here, we provide a generally applicable methodology based on in-situ electron diffraction study on a multi-particle system to track the lithiation pathwaysmore » in individual nanoparticles, and unambiguously reveal that lithiation of anatase TiO 2, previously long believed to be biphasic, converts to a single-phase reaction when the particle size is below ~25 nm. Our results imply the prevalence of such a size-dependent transition in lithiation mechanism among intercalation compounds whose lithium miscibility gaps are associated with a prominent size effect, and therefore provide important guidelines for designing high-power electrodes, especially cathodes.« less

In Situ Observation of Single-Phase Lithium Intercalation in Sub-25-nm Nanoparticles

DOE PAGES

Zhong, Li; Liu, Yang; Han, Wei-Qiang; ...

2017-05-05

Although a non-equilibrium single-phase reaction, with the absence of nucleation and growth of a second phase, is believed to be a key factor for high-rate performance of lithium-ion batteries, it is thermodynamically unfavorable and usually proceeds in electrode materials with small particle sizes (tens of nanometers). Unfortunately, the phase evolutions inside such small particles are often shrouded by the macroscopic inhomogeneous reactions of electrodes containing millions of particles, leading to intensive debate over the size-dependent microscopic reaction mechanisms. Here, we provide a generally applicable methodology based on in-situ electron diffraction study on a multi-particle system to track the lithiation pathwaysmore » in individual nanoparticles, and unambiguously reveal that lithiation of anatase TiO 2, previously long believed to be biphasic, converts to a single-phase reaction when the particle size is below ~25 nm. Our results imply the prevalence of such a size-dependent transition in lithiation mechanism among intercalation compounds whose lithium miscibility gaps are associated with a prominent size effect, and therefore provide important guidelines for designing high-power electrodes, especially cathodes.« less

Mechanisms Limiting Body Growth in Mammals

PubMed Central

Lui, Julian C.

2011-01-01

Recent studies have begun to provide insight into a long-standing mystery in biology—why body growth in animals is rapid in early life but then progressively slows, thus imposing a limit on adult body size. This growth deceleration in mammals is caused by potent suppression of cell proliferation in multiple tissues and is driven primarily by local, rather than systemic, mechanisms. Recent evidence suggests that this progressive decline in proliferation results from a genetic program that occurs in multiple organs and involves the down-regulation of a large set of growth-promoting genes. This program does not appear to be driven simply by time, but rather depends on growth itself, suggesting that the limit on adult body size is imposed by a negative feedback loop. Different organs appear to use different types of information to precisely target their adult size. For example, skeletal and cardiac muscle growth are negatively regulated by myostatin, the concentration of which depends on muscle mass itself. Liver growth appears to be modulated by bile acid flux, a parameter that reflects organ function. In pancreas, organ size appears to be limited by the initial number of progenitor cells, suggesting a mechanism based on cell-cycle counting. Further elucidation of the fundamental mechanisms suppressing juvenile growth is likely to yield important insights into the pathophysiology of childhood growth disorders and of the unrestrained growth of cancer. In addition, improved understanding of these growth-suppressing mechanisms may someday allow their therapeutic suspension in adult tissues to facilitate tissue regeneration. PMID:21441345

Formation mechanism of monodispersed spherical core-shell ceria/polymer hybrid nanoparticles

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

Izu, Noriya, E-mail: n-izu@aist.go.jp; Uchida, Toshio; Matsubara, Ichiro

2011-08-15

Graphical abstract: The formation mechanism for core-shell nanoparticles is considered to be as follows: nucleation and particle growth occur simultaneously (left square); very slow particle growth occurs (middle square). Highlights: {yields} The size of the resultant nanoparticles was strongly and complicatedly dependent on the set temperature used during reflux heating and the PVP molecular weight. {yields} The size of the nanoparticles increased by a 2-step process as the reflux heating time increased. {yields} The IR spectral changes with increasing reflux time indicated the increase in the number of cross-linked polymers in the shell. -- Abstract: Very unique core-shell ceria (ceriummore » oxide)/polymer hybrid nanoparticles that have monodispersed spherical structures and are easily dispersed in water or alcohol without the need for a dispersant were reported recently. The formation mechanism of the unique nanoparticles, however, was not clear. In order to clarify the formation mechanism, these nanoparticles were prepared using a polyol method (reflux heating) under varied conditions of temperature, time, and concentration and molecular weight of added polymer (poly(vinylpyrrolidone)). The size of the resultant nanoparticles was strongly and complicatedly dependent on the set temperature used during reflux heating and the poly(vinylpyrrolidone) molecular weight. Furthermore, the size of the nanoparticles increased by a 2-step process as the reflux heating time increased. The IR spectral changes with increasing reflux time indicated the increase in the number of cross-linked polymers in the shell. From these results, the formation mechanism was discussed and proposed.« less

Microstructure and Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical effects as an explanation for rate dependency during seismic slip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefanou, I.; Rattez, H.; Sulem, J.

2017-12-01

Rapid shear tests of granulated fault gouges show pronounced rate-dependency. For this reason rate-dependent constitutive laws are frequently used for describing fault friction.Here we propose a micromechanical, physics-based continuum approach by considering the characteristic size of the microstructure and the thermal- and pore-pressure-diffusion mechanisms that take place in the fault gouge during rapid shearing. It is shown that even for rate-independent materials, the apparent, macroscopic behavior of the system is rate-dependent. This is due to the competition of the characteristic lengths and time scales introduced indirectly by the microstructure and the thermal and hydraulic diffusivities.Both weakening and shear band thickness are rate dependent, despite the fact that the constitutive description of the material was considered rate-independent. Moreover the size of the microstructure, which here is identified with the grain size of the fault gouge (D50), plays an important role in the slope of the softening branch of the shear stress-strain response curve and consequently in the transition from aseismic to seismic slip.References Dieterich, J. H. (1979). Modeling of rock friction: 1. Experimental results and constitutive equations. Journal of Geophysical Research, 84(B5), 2161. http://doi.org/10.1029/JB084iB05p02161 Scholz, C. H. (2002). The mechanics of earthquakes and faulting (Second). Cambridge. Sulem, J., & Stefanou, I. (2016). Thermal and chemical effects in shear and compaction bands. Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment, 6, 4-21. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.gete.2015.12.004

The Dependence of Atomic Oxygen Undercutting of Protected Polyimide Kapton(tm) H upon Defect Size

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snyder, Aaron; deGroh, Kim K.

2001-01-01

Understanding the behavior of polymeric materials when exposed to the low-Earth-orbit (LEO) environment is important in predicting performance characteristics such as in-space durability. Atomic oxygen (AO) present in LEO is known to be the principal agent in causing undercutting erosion of SiO(x) protected polyimide Kapton(R) H film, which serves as a mechanically stable blanket material in solar arrays. The rate of undercutting is dependent on the rate of arrival, directionality and energy of the AO with respect to the film surface. The erosion rate also depends on the distribution of the size of defects existing in the protective coating. This paper presents results of experimental ground testing using low energy, isotropic AO flux together with numerical modeling to determine the dependence of undercutting erosion upon defect size.

Is It Possible To Fabricate a Nanocomposite with Excellent Mechanical Property Using Unmodified Inorganic Nanoparticles Directly?

PubMed

Zhang, Chunhua; Xia, Liangjun; Lyu, Pei; Wang, Yun; Li, Chen; Xiao, Xingfang; Dai, Fangyin; Xu, Weilin; Liu, Xin; Deng, Bo

2018-05-09

Unmodified ZrO 2 nanoparticles (ZDNPs) are used for the enhancement of polyurethane (PU) films. Optimized strain and toughness of PU/ZDNP nanocomposite at 9.09 wt % ZDNPs are up to 2714.6%, and 280.8 MJ m -3 , respectively. The unique bimodal ZDNP aggregate size distribution which exploits both interfacial positively and negatively toughening mechanisms accounts mainly for the excellent mechanical property of PU/ZDNP nanocomposite. The dependence of different toughening mechanisms on three sizes of ZDNP aggregates is summarized. These findings provide a new avenue for the industrial production of nanocomposites at low cost without surface modification of inorganic nanoparticles.

Nonlinear primary resonance of micro/nano-beams made of nanoporous biomaterials incorporating nonlocality and strain gradient size dependency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahmani, S.; Aghdam, M. M.

2018-03-01

A wide range of biological applications such as drug delivery, biosensors and hemodialysis can be provided by nanoporous biomaterials due to their uniform pore size as well as considerable pore density. In the current study, the size dependency in the nonlinear primary resonance of micro/nano-beams made of nanoporous biomaterials is anticipated. To accomplish this end, a refined truncated cube is introduced to model the lattice structure of nanoporous biomaterial. Accordingly, analytical expressions for the mechanical properties of material are derived as functions of pore size. After that, based upon a nonlocal strain gradient beam model, the size-dependent nonlinear Duffing type equation of motion is constructed. The Galerkin technique together with the multiple time-scales method is employed to obtain the nonlocal strain gradient frequency-response and amplitude-response related to the nonlinear primary resonance of a micro/nano-beam made of the nanoporous biomaterial with different pore sizes. It is indicated that the nonlocality causes to decrease the response amplitudes associated with the both bifurcation points of the jump phenomenon, while the strain gradient size dependency causes to increase them. Also, it is found that increasing the pore size leads to enhance the nonlinearity, so the maximum deflection of response occurs at higher excitation frequency.

A theoretical investigation of the influence of gold nanosphere size on the decay and energy transfer rates and efficiencies of quantum emitters.

PubMed

Marocico, Cristian A; Zhang, Xia; Bradley, A Louise

2016-01-14

We present in this contribution a comprehensive investigation of the effect of the size of gold nanospheres on the decay and energy transfer rates of quantum systems placed close to these nanospheres. These phenomena have been investigated before, theoretically and experimentally, but no comprehensive study of the influence of the nanoparticle size on important dependences of the decay and energy transfer rates, such as the dependence on the donor-acceptor spectral overlap and the relative positions of the donor, acceptor, and nanoparticle, exists. As such, different accounts of the energy transfer mechanism have been presented in the literature. We perform an investigation of the energy transfer mechanisms between emitters and gold nanospheres and between donor-acceptor pairs in the presence of the gold nanospheres using a Green's tensor formalism, experimentally verified in our lab. We find that the energy transfer rate to small nanospheres is greatly enhanced, leading to a strong quenching of the emission of the emitter. When the nanosphere size is increased, it acts as an antenna, increasing the emission of the emitter. We also investigate the emission wavelength and intrinsic quantum yield dependence of the energy transfer to the nanosphere. As evidenced from the literature, the energy transfer process between the quantum system and the nanosphere can have a complicated distance dependence, with a r(-6) regime, characteristic of the Förster energy transfer mechanism, but also exhibiting other distance dependences. In the case of a donor-acceptor pair of quantum systems in the presence of a gold nanosphere, when the donor couples strongly to the nanosphere, acting as an enhanced dipole; the donor-acceptor energy transfer rate then follows a Förster trend, with an increased Förster radius. The coupling of the acceptor to the nanosphere has a different distance dependence. The angular dependence of the energy transfer efficiency between donor and acceptor exhibits a strong focusing effect and the same enhanced donor-dipole character in different angular arrangements. The spectral overlap of the donor emission and acceptor absorption spectra shows that the energy transfer follows the near-field scattering efficiency, with a red-shift from the localized surface plasmon peak for small sphere sizes.

Single-Cycle Versus Multicycle Proof Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hudak, S. J., Jr.; Mcclung, R. C.; Bartlett, M. L.; Fitzgerald, J. H.; Russell, D. A.

1992-01-01

Report compares single-cycle with multiple-cycle mechanical-stress tests of parts under mechanical stresses. Objective of proof testing: to screen out gross manufacturing or material deficiencies and provide additional assurance of quality. Report concludes that changes in distribution of crack sizes during multicycle proof testing depend on initial distribution, number of cycles, relationship between resistance of material and elastic/plastic fracture-mechanics parameter, relationship between load control and displacement control, and magnitude of applied load or displacement. Whether single-cycle or multicycle testing used depends on shape, material, and technique of fabrication of components tested.

9 CFR 313.15 - Mechanical; captive bolt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... slaughtering of sheep, swine, goats, calves, cattle, horses, mules, and other equines by using captive bolt... regard to kind, breed, size, age, and sex of the animal to produce the desired results. (2) Special... varies, depending on kind, breed, size, age, and sex of the animal. Young swine, lambs, and calves...

9 CFR 313.15 - Mechanical; captive bolt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... slaughtering of sheep, swine, goats, calves, cattle, horses, mules, and other equines by using captive bolt... regard to kind, breed, size, age, and sex of the animal to produce the desired results. (2) Special... varies, depending on kind, breed, size, age, and sex of the animal. Young swine, lambs, and calves...

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

Marocico, Cristian A.; Zhang, Xia; Bradley, A. Louise, E-mail: bradlel@tcd.ie

We present in this contribution a comprehensive investigation of the effect of the size of gold nanospheres on the decay and energy transfer rates of quantum systems placed close to these nanospheres. These phenomena have been investigated before, theoretically and experimentally, but no comprehensive study of the influence of the nanoparticle size on important dependences of the decay and energy transfer rates, such as the dependence on the donor-acceptor spectral overlap and the relative positions of the donor, acceptor, and nanoparticle, exists. As such, different accounts of the energy transfer mechanism have been presented in the literature. We perform anmore » investigation of the energy transfer mechanisms between emitters and gold nanospheres and between donor-acceptor pairs in the presence of the gold nanospheres using a Green’s tensor formalism, experimentally verified in our lab. We find that the energy transfer rate to small nanospheres is greatly enhanced, leading to a strong quenching of the emission of the emitter. When the nanosphere size is increased, it acts as an antenna, increasing the emission of the emitter. We also investigate the emission wavelength and intrinsic quantum yield dependence of the energy transfer to the nanosphere. As evidenced from the literature, the energy transfer process between the quantum system and the nanosphere can have a complicated distance dependence, with a r{sup −6} regime, characteristic of the Förster energy transfer mechanism, but also exhibiting other distance dependences. In the case of a donor-acceptor pair of quantum systems in the presence of a gold nanosphere, when the donor couples strongly to the nanosphere, acting as an enhanced dipole; the donor-acceptor energy transfer rate then follows a Förster trend, with an increased Förster radius. The coupling of the acceptor to the nanosphere has a different distance dependence. The angular dependence of the energy transfer efficiency between donor and acceptor exhibits a strong focusing effect and the same enhanced donor-dipole character in different angular arrangements. The spectral overlap of the donor emission and acceptor absorption spectra shows that the energy transfer follows the near-field scattering efficiency, with a red-shift from the localized surface plasmon peak for small sphere sizes.« less

Large but uneven reduction in fish size across species in relation to changing sea temperatures.

PubMed

van Rijn, Itai; Buba, Yehezkel; DeLong, John; Kiflawi, Moshe; Belmaker, Jonathan

2017-09-01

Ectotherms often attain smaller body sizes when they develop at higher temperatures. This phenomenon, known as the temperature-size rule, has important consequences for global fisheries, whereby ocean warming is predicted to result in smaller fish and reduced biomass. However, the generality of this phenomenon and the mechanisms that drive it in natural populations remain unresolved. In this study, we document the maximal size of 74 fish species along a steep temperature gradient in the Mediterranean Sea and find strong support for the temperature-size rule. Importantly, we additionally find that size reduction in active fish species is dramatically larger than for more sedentary species. As the temperature dependence of oxygen consumption depends on activity levels, these findings are consistent with the hypothesis that oxygen is a limiting factor shaping the temperature-size rule in fishes. These results suggest that ocean warming will result in a sharp, but uneven, reduction in fish size that will cause major shifts in size-dependent interactions. Moreover, warming will have major implications for fisheries as the main species targeted for harvesting will show the most substantial declines in biomass. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Hydrodynamic chromatography of macromolecules using polymer monolithic columns.

PubMed

Edam, Rob; Eeltink, Sebastiaan; Vanhoutte, Dominique J D; Kok, Wim Th; Schoenmakers, Peter J

2011-12-02

The selectivity window of size-based separations of macromolecules was tailored by tuning the macropore size of polymer monolithic columns. Monolithic materials with pore sizes ranging between 75 nm and 1.2 μm were prepared in situ in large I.D. columns. The dominant separation mechanism was hydrodynamic chromatography in the flow-through pores. The calibration curves for synthetic polymers matched with the elution behavior by HDC separations in packed columns with 'analyte-to-pore' aspect ratios (λ) up to 0.2. For large-macropore monoliths, a deviation in retention behavior was observed for small polystyrene polymers (M(r)<20 kDa), which may be explained by a combined HDC-SEC mechanism for λ<0.02. The availability of monoliths with very narrow pore sizes allowed investigation of separations at high λ values. For high-molecular weight polymers (M(r)>300,000 Da) confined in narrow channels, the separation strongly depended on flow rate. Flow-rate dependent elution behavior was evaluated by calculation of Deborah numbers and confirmed to be outside the scope of classic shear deformation or slalom chromatography. Shear-induced forces acting on the periphery of coiled polymers in solution may be responsible for flow-rate dependent elution. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On the origin of size-dependent and size-independent crystal growth: Influence of advection and diffusion

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kile, D.E.; Eberl, D.D.

2003-01-01

Crystal growth experiments were conducted using potassium alum and calcite crystals in aqueous solution under both non-stirred and stirred conditions to elucidate the mechanism for size-dependent (proportionate) and size-independent (constant) crystal growth. Growth by these two laws can be distinguished from each other because the relative size difference among crystals is maintained during proportionate growth, leading to a constant crystal size variance (??2) for a crystal size distribution (CSD) as the mean size increases. The absolute size difference among crystals is maintained during constant growth, resulting in a decrease in size variance. Results of these experiments show that for centimeter-sized alum crystals, proportionate growth occurs in stirred systems, whereas constant growth occurs in non-stirred systems. Accordingly, the mechanism for proportionate growth is hypothesized to be related to the supply of reactants to the crystal surface by advection, whereas constant growth is related to supply by diffusion. Paradoxically, micrometer-sized calcite crystals showed proportionate growth both in stirred and in non-stirred systems. Such growth presumably results from the effects of convection and Brownian motion, which promote an advective environment and hence proportionate growth for minute crystals in non-stirred systems, thereby indicating the importance of solution velocity relative to crystal size. Calcite crystals grown in gels, where fluid motion was minimized, showed evidence for constant, diffusion-controlled growth. Additional investigations of CSDs of naturally occurring crystals indicate that proportionate growth is by far the most common growth law, thereby suggesting that advection, rather than diffusion, is the dominant process for supplying reactants to crystal surfaces.

Interocular induction of illusory size perception.

PubMed

Song, Chen; Schwarzkopf, D Samuel; Rees, Geraint

2011-03-11

The perceived size of objects not only depends on their physical size but also on the surroundings in which they appear. For example, an object surrounded by small items looks larger than a physically identical object surrounded by big items (Ebbinghaus illusion), and a physically identical but distant object looks larger than an object that appears closer in space (Ponzo illusion). Activity in human primary visual cortex (V1) reflects the perceived rather than the physical size of objects, indicating an involvement of V1 in illusory size perception. Here we investigate the role of eye-specific signals in two common size illusions in order to provide further information about the mechanisms underlying illusory size perception. We devised stimuli so that an object and its spatial context associated with illusory size perception could be presented together to one eye or separately to two eyes. We found that the Ponzo illusion had an equivalent magnitude whether the objects and contexts were presented to the same or different eyes, indicating that it may be largely mediated by binocular neurons. In contrast, the Ebbinghaus illusion became much weaker when objects and their contexts were presented to different eyes, indicating important contributions to the illusion from monocular neurons early in the visual pathway. Our findings show that two well-known size illusions - the Ponzo illusion and the Ebbinghaus illusion - are mediated by different neuronal populations, and suggest that the underlying neural mechanisms associated with illusory size perception differ and can be dependent on monocular channels in the early visual pathway.

Controlling and prevention of surface wrinkling via size-dependent critical wrinkling strain.

PubMed

Han, Xue; Zhao, Yan; Cao, Yanping; Lu, Conghua

2015-06-14

Surface wrinkling may occur in a film-substrate system when the applied strain exceeds the critical value. However, the practically required strain for the onset of surface wrinkling can be different from the theoretically predicted value. Here we investigate the film size effect-dependent critical strain for the mechanical strain-induced surface wrinkling via a combination of experiments and theoretical analysis. In the poly(dimethylsiloxane)-based system fabricated by the smart combination of mechanical straining and selective O2 plasma (OP) exposure through Cu grids, the film size effect on the critical wrinkling strain is systematically studied by considering OP exposure duration, the mesh number and geometry of Cu grids. Meanwhile, a simple analytical solution revealing the film size effect is well established, which shows good consistency with the experimental results. This study provides an experimental and theoretical basis for finely tuning the critical wrinkling strain in a simple and quantitative manner, which can find a wide range of applications in such fields as microelectronic circuits and optical devices, where controlling and/or prevention of surface wrinkling are of great importance.

A unified nonlocal strain gradient plate model for nonlinear axial instability of functionally graded porous micro/nano-plates reinforced with graphene platelets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahmani, Saeid; Aghdam, Mohammad Mohammadi; Rabczuk, Timon

2018-04-01

By gradually changing of the porosity across a specific direction, functionally graded porous materials (FGPMs) are produced which can impart desirable mechanical properties. To enhance these properties, it is common to reinforce FGPMs with nanofillers. The main aim of the current study is to investigate the size-dependent nonlinear axial postbuckling characteristics of FGPM micro/nano-plates reinforced with graphene platelets. For this purpose, the theory of nonlocal strain gradient elasticity incorporating the both stiffness reduction and stiffness enhancement mechanisms of size effects is applied to the refined exponential shear deformation plate theory. Three different patterns of porosity dispersion across the plate thickness in conjunction with the uniform one are assumed for FGPM as an open-cell metal foam is utilized associated with the coefficients of the relative density and porosity. With the aid of the virtual work’s principle, the non-classical governing differential equations are constructed. Thereafter, an improved perturbation technique is employed to capture the size dependencies in the nonlinear load-deflection and load-shortening responses of the reinforced FGPM micro/nano-plates with and without initial geometric imperfection. It is indicated that by increasing the value of porosity coefficient, the size-dependent critical buckling loads of reinforced FGPM micro/nano-plates with all types of porosity dispersion pattern reduce, but the associated shortening may increase or decrease which depends on the type of dispersion pattern.

Unified Static and Dynamic Recrystallization Model for the Minerals of Earth's Mantle Using Internal State Variable Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, H. E.; Horstemeyer, M. F.; Baumgardner, J. R.

2017-12-01

In this study, we present an internal state variable (ISV) constitutive model developed to model static and dynamic recrystallization and grain size progression in a unified manner. This method accurately captures temperature, pressure and strain rate effect on the recrystallization and grain size. Because this ISV approach treats dislocation density, volume fraction of recrystallization and grain size as internal variables, this model can simultaneously track their history during the deformation with unprecedented realism. Based on this deformation history, this method can capture realistic mechanical properties such as stress-strain behavior in the relationship of microstructure-mechanical property. Also, both the transient grain size during the deformation and the steady-state grain size of dynamic recrystallization can be predicted from the history variable of recrystallization volume fraction. Furthermore, because this model has a capability to simultaneously handle plasticity and creep behaviors (unified creep-plasticity), the mechanisms (static recovery (or diffusion creep), dynamic recovery (or dislocation creep) and hardening) related to dislocation dynamics can also be captured. To model these comprehensive mechanical behaviors, the mathematical formulation of this model includes elasticity to evaluate yield stress, work hardening in treating plasticity, creep, as well as the unified recrystallization and grain size progression. Because pressure sensitivity is especially important for the mantle minerals, we developed a yield function combining Drucker-Prager shear failure and von Mises yield surfaces to model the pressure dependent yield stress, while using pressure dependent work hardening and creep terms. Using these formulations, we calibrated against experimental data of the minerals acquired from the literature. Additionally, we also calibrated experimental data for metals to show the general applicability of our model. Understanding of realistic mantle dynamics can only be acquired once the various deformation regimes and mechanisms are comprehensively modeled. The results of this study demonstrate that this ISV model is a good modeling candidate to help reveal the realistic dynamics of the Earth's mantle.

Dependence of physical and mechanical properties on polymer architecture for model polymer networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Ruilan

Effect of architecture at nanoscale on the macroscopic properties of polymer materials has long been a field of major interest, as evidenced by inhomogeneities in networks, multimodal network topologies, etc. The primary purpose of this research is to establish the architecture-property relationship of polymer networks by studying the physical and mechanical responses of a series of topologically different PTHF networks. Monodispersed allyl-tenninated PTHF precursors were synthesized through "living" cationic polymerization and functional end-capping. Model networks of various crosslink densities and inhomogeneities levels (unimodal, bimodal and clustered) were prepared by endlinking precursors via thiol-ene reaction. Thermal characteristics, i.e., glass transition, melting point, and heat of fusion, of model PTHF networks were investigated as functions of crosslink density and inhomogeneities, which showed different dependence on these two architectural parameters. Study of freezing point depression (FPD) of solvent confined in swollen networks indicated that the size of solvent microcrystals is comparable to the mesh size formed by intercrosslink chains depending on crosslink density and inhomogeneities. Relationship between crystal size and FPD provided a good reflection of the existing architecture facts in the networks. Mechanical responses of elastic chains to uniaxial strains were studied through SANS. Spatial inhomogeneities in bimodal and clustered networks gave rise to "abnormal butterfly patterns", which became more pronounced as elongation ratio increases. Radii of gyration of chains were analyzed at directions parallel and perpendicular to stretching axis. Dependence of Rg on lambda was compared to three rubber elasticity models and the molecular deformation mechanisms for unimodal, bimodal and clustered networks were explored. The thesis focused its last part on the investigation of evolution of free volume distribution of linear polymer (PE) subjected to uniaxial strain at various temperatures using a combination of MD, hard sphere probe method and Voronoi tessellation. Combined effects of temperature and strain on free volume were studied and mechanism of formation of large and ellipsoidal free volume voids was explored.

Cell Size and Growth Rate Are Modulated by TORC2-Dependent Signals.

PubMed

Lucena, Rafael; Alcaide-Gavilán, Maria; Schubert, Katherine; He, Maybo; Domnauer, Matthew G; Marquer, Catherine; Klose, Christian; Surma, Michal A; Kellogg, Douglas R

2018-01-22

The size of all cells, from bacteria to vertebrates, is proportional to the growth rate set by nutrient availability, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Here, we show that nutrients modulate cell size and growth rate via the TORC2 signaling network in budding yeast. An important function of the TORC2 network is to modulate synthesis of ceramide lipids, which play roles in signaling. TORC2-dependent control of ceramide signaling strongly influences both cell size and growth rate. Thus, cells that cannot make ceramides fail to modulate their growth rate or size in response to changes in nutrients. PP2A associated with the Rts1 regulatory subunit (PP2A Rts1 ) is embedded in a feedback loop that controls TORC2 signaling and helps set the level of TORC2 signaling to match nutrient availability. Together, the data suggest a model in which growth rate and cell size are mechanistically linked by ceramide-dependent signals arising from the TORC2 network. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Model of adipose tissue cellularity dynamics during food restriction.

PubMed

Soula, H A; Géloën, A; Soulage, C O

2015-01-07

Adipose tissue and adipocytes play a central role in the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases related to obesity. Size of fat cells depends on the balance of synthesis and mobilization of lipids and can undergo important variations throughout the life of the organism. These variations usually occur when storing and releasing lipids according to energy demand. In particular when confronted to severe food restriction, adipocyte releases its lipid content via a process called lipolysis. We propose a mathematical model that combines cell diameter distribution and lipolytic response to show that lipid release is a surface (radius squared) limited mechanism. Since this size-dependent rate affects the cell׳s shrinkage speed, we are able to predict the cell size distribution evolution when lipolysis is the only factor at work: such as during an important food restriction. Performing recurrent surgical biopsies on rats, we measured the evolution of adipose cell size distribution for the same individual throughout the duration of the food restriction protocol. We show that our microscopic model of size dependent lipid release can predict macroscopic size distribution evolution. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Crystallization processes in Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Se{sub 4}Te glass

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

Svoboda, Roman, E-mail: roman.svoboda@upce.cz; Bezdička, Petr; Gutwirth, Jan

2015-01-15

Highlights: • Crystallization kinetics of Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Se{sub 4}Te glass was studied in dependence on particle size by DSC. • All studied fractions were described in terms of the SB autocatalytic model. • Relatively high amount of Te enhances manifestation of bulk crystallization mechanisms. • XRD analysis of samples crystallized under different conditions showed correlation with DSC data. • XRD analysis revealed a new crystallization mechanism indistinguishable by DSC. - Abstract: Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis were used to study crystallization in Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Se{sub 4}Te glass under non-isothermal conditions as a function of the particlemore » size. The crystallization kinetics was described in terms of the autocatalytic Šesták–Berggren model. An extensive discussion of all aspects of a full-scale kinetic study of a crystallization process was undertaken. Dominance of the crystallization process originating from mechanically induced strains and heterogeneities was confirmed. Substitution of Se by Te was found to enhance the manifestation of the bulk crystallization mechanisms (at the expense of surface crystallization). The XRD analysis showed significant dependence of the crystalline structural parameters on the crystallization conditions (initial particle size of the glassy grains and applied heating rate). Based on this information, a new microstructural crystallization mechanism, indistinguishable by DSC, was proposed.« less

Sea ice floe size distribution in the marginal ice zone: Theory and numerical experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jinlun; Schweiger, Axel; Steele, Michael; Stern, Harry

2015-05-01

To better describe the state of sea ice in the marginal ice zone (MIZ) with floes of varying thicknesses and sizes, both an ice thickness distribution (ITD) and a floe size distribution (FSD) are needed. In this work, we have developed a FSD theory that is coupled to the ITD theory of Thorndike et al. (1975) in order to explicitly simulate the evolution of FSD and ITD jointly. The FSD theory includes a FSD function and a FSD conservation equation in parallel with the ITD equation. The FSD equation takes into account changes in FSD due to ice advection, thermodynamic growth, and lateral melting. It also includes changes in FSD because of mechanical redistribution of floe size due to ice ridging and, particularly, ice fragmentation induced by stochastic ocean surface waves. The floe size redistribution due to ice fragmentation is based on the assumption that wave-induced breakup is a random process such that when an ice floe is broken, floes of any smaller sizes have an equal opportunity to form, without being either favored or excluded. To focus only on the properties of mechanical floe size redistribution, the FSD theory is implemented in a simplified ITD and FSD sea ice model for idealized numerical experiments. Model results show that the simulated cumulative floe number distribution (CFND) follows a power law as observed by satellites and airborne surveys. The simulated values of the exponent of the power law, with varying levels of ice breakups, are also in the range of the observations. It is found that floe size redistribution and the resulting FSD and mean floe size do not depend on how floe size categories are partitioned over a given floe size range. The ability to explicitly simulate multicategory FSD and ITD together may help to incorporate additional model physics, such as FSD-dependent ice mechanics, surface exchange of heat, mass, and momentum, and wave-ice interactions.

Stochastic transformation of points in polygons according to the Voronoi tessellation: microstructural description.

PubMed

Di Vito, Alessia; Fanfoni, Massimo; Tomellini, Massimo

2010-12-01

Starting from a stochastic two-dimensional process we studied the transformation of points in disks and squares following a protocol according to which at any step the island size increases proportionally to the corresponding Voronoi tessera. Two interaction mechanisms among islands have been dealt with: coalescence and impingement. We studied the evolution of the island density and of the island size distribution functions, in dependence on island collision mechanisms for both Poissonian and correlated spatial distributions of points. The island size distribution functions have been found to be invariant with the fraction of transformed phase for a given stochastic process. The n(Θ) curve describing the island decay has been found to be independent of the shape (apart from high correlation degrees) and interaction mechanism.

The Effects of Obesity on Murine Cortical Bone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Sophi

This dissertation details the effects of obesity on the mechanical properties and structure of cortical bone. Obesity is associated with greater bone mineral content that might be expected to protect against fracture, which has been observed in adults. Paradoxically however, the incidence of bone fractures has been found to increase in overweight and obese children and adolescents. Femora from adolescent and adult mice fed a high-fat diet are investigated for changes in shape, tissue structure, as well as tissue-level and whole-bone mechanical properties. Results indicate increased bone size, reduced size-independent mechanical properties, but maintained size-dependent mechanical properties. Other changes in cortical bone response to obesity are observed with advancing age. This study indicates that bone quantity and bone quality play important compensatory roles in determining fracture risk, and that fracture risk may not be lessened for adults as previously thought.

Implications of Grain Size Evolution for the Effective Stress Exponent in Ice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behn, M. D.; Goldsby, D. L.; Hirth, G.

2016-12-01

Viscous flow in ice has typically been described by the Glen law—a non-Newtonian, power-law relationship between stress and strain-rate with a stress exponent n 3. The Glen law is attributed to grain-size-insensitive dislocation creep; however, laboratory and field studies demonstrate that deformation in ice is strongly dependent on grain size. This has led to the hypothesis that at sufficiently low stresses, ice flow is controlled by grain boundary sliding [1], which explicitly incorporates the grain-size dependence of ice rheology. Yet, neither dislocation creep (n 4), nor grain boundary sliding (n 1.8), have stress exponents that match the value of n 3 for the Glen law. Thus, although the Glen law provides an approximate description of ice flow in glaciers and ice sheets, its functional form cannot be explained by a single deformation mechanism. Here we seek to understand the origin of the n 3 dependence of the Glen law through a new model for grain-size evolution in ice. In our model, grain size evolves in response to the balance between dynamic recrystallization and grain growth. To simulate these processes we adapt the "wattmeter" [2], originally developed within the solid-Earth community to quantify grain size in crustal and mantle rocks. The wattmeter posits that grain size is controlled by a balance between the mechanical work required for grain growth and dynamic grain size reduction. The evolution of grain size in turn controls the relative contributions of dislocation creep and grain boundary sliding, and thus the effective stress exponent for ice flow. Using this approach, we first benchmark our grain size evolution model on experimental data and then calculate grain size in two end-member scenarios: (1) as a function of depth within an ice-sheet, and (2) across an ice-stream margin. We show that the calculated grain sizes match ice core observations for the interior of ice sheets. Furthermore, owing to the influence of grain size on strain rate, the variation in grain size with deformation conditions results in an effective stress exponent intermediate between grain boundary sliding and dislocation creep. [1] Goldsby & Kohlstedt, JGR, 2001; [2] Austin & Evans, Geology, 1997

Size-dependent cellular uptake mechanism and cytotoxicity toward calcium oxalate on Vero cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Xin-Yuan; Gan, Qiong-Zhi; Ouyang, Jian-Ming

2017-02-01

Urinary crystals with various sizes are present in healthy individuals and patients with kidney stone; however, the cellular uptake mechanism of calcium oxalate of various sizes has not been elucidated. This study aims to compare the internalization of nano-/micron-sized (50 nm, 100 nm, and 1 μm) calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) and dihydrate (COD) crystals in African green monkey renal epithelial (Vero) cells. The internalization and adhesion of COM and COD crystals to Vero cells were enhanced with decreasing crystal size. Cell death rate was positively related to the amount of adhered and internalized crystals and exhibited higher correlation with internalization than that with adhesion. Vero cells mainly internalized nano-sized COM and COD crystals through clathrin-mediated pathways as well as micron-sized crystals through macropinocytosis. The internalized COM and COD crystals were distributed in the lysosomes and destroyed lysosomal integrity to some extent. The results of this study indicated that the size of crystal affected cellular uptake mechanism, and may provide an enlightenment for finding potential inhibitors of crystal uptake, thereby decreasing cell injury and the occurrence of kidney stones.

Orientation influence on grain size-effects in ultrafine-grained magnesium

DOE PAGES

Fan, Haidong; Aubry, Sylvie; Arsenlis, A.; ...

2014-11-08

The mechanical behavior of ultrafine-grained magnesium was studied by discrete dislocation dynamics (DDD) simulations. Our results show basal slip yields a strong size effect, while prismatic and pyramidal slips produce a weak one. We developed a new size-strength model that considers dislocation transmission across grain boundaries. Good agreement between this model, current DDD simulations and previous experiments is observed. These results reveal that the grain size effect depends on 3 factors: Peierls stress, dislocation source strength and grain boundary strength.

Microplastic Size-Dependent Toxicity, Oxidative Stress Induction, and p-JNK and p-p38 Activation in the Monogonont Rotifer (Brachionus koreanus).

PubMed

Jeong, Chang-Bum; Won, Eun-Ji; Kang, Hye-Min; Lee, Min-Chul; Hwang, Dae-Sik; Hwang, Un-Ki; Zhou, Bingsheng; Souissi, Sami; Lee, Su-Jae; Lee, Jae-Seong

2016-08-16

In this study, we evaluated accumulation and adverse effects of ingestion of microplastics in the monogonont rotifer (Brachionus koreanus). The dependence of microplastic toxicity on particle size was investigated by measuring several in vivo end points and studying the ingestion and egestion using 0.05-, 0.5-, and 6-μm nonfunctionalized polystyrene microbeads. To identify the defense mechanisms activated in response to microplastic exposure, the activities of several antioxidant-related enzymes and the phosphorylation status of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were determined. Exposure to polystyrene microbeads of all sizes led to significant size-dependent effects, including reduced growth rate, reduced fecundity, decreased lifespan and longer reproduction time. Rotifers exposed to 6-μm fluorescently labeled microbeads exhibited almost no fluorescence after 24 h, while rotifers exposed to 0.05- and 0.5-μm fluorescently labeled microbeads displayed fluorescence until 48 h, suggesting that 6-μm microbeads are more effectively egested from B. koreanus than 0.05- or 0.5-μm microbeads. This observation provides a potential explanation for our findings that microbead toxicity was size-dependent and smaller microbeads were more toxic. In vitro tests revealed that antioxidant-related enzymes and MAPK signaling pathways were significantly activated in response to microplastic exposure in a size-dependent manner.

Size-dependent axisymmetric vibration of functionally graded circular plates in bifurcation/limit point instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashoori, A. R.; Vanini, S. A. Sadough; Salari, E.

2017-04-01

In the present paper, vibration behavior of size-dependent functionally graded (FG) circular microplates subjected to thermal loading are carried out in pre/post-buckling of bifurcation/limit-load instability for the first time. Two kinds of frequently used thermal loading, i.e., uniform temperature rise and heat conduction across the thickness direction are considered. Thermo-mechanical material properties of FG plate are supposed to vary smoothly and continuously throughout the thickness based on power law model. Modified couple stress theory is exploited to describe the size dependency of microplate. The nonlinear governing equations of motion and associated boundary conditions are extracted through generalized form of Hamilton's principle and von-Karman geometric nonlinearity for the vibration analysis of circular FG plates including size effects. Ritz finite element method is then employed to construct the matrix representation of governing equations which are solved by two different strategies including Newton-Raphson scheme and cylindrical arc-length method. Moreover, in the following a parametric study is accompanied to examine the effects of the several parameters such as material length scale parameter, temperature distributions, type of buckling, thickness to radius ratio, boundary conditions and power law index on the dimensionless frequency of post-buckled/snapped size-dependent FG plates in detail. It is found that the material length scale parameter and thermal loading have a significant effect on vibration characteristics of size-dependent circular FG plates.

Integrated metabonomics analysis of the size-response relationship of silica nanoparticles-induced toxicity in mice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Xiaoyan; Tian, Yu; Zhao, Qinqin; Jin, Tingting; Xiao, Shun; Fan, Xiaohui

2011-02-01

Understanding the underlying properties-dependent interactions of nanostructures with biological systems is essential to nanotoxicological research. This study investigates the relationship between particle size and toxicity, and further reveals the mechanism of injury, using silica particles (SP) with diameters of 30, 70, and 300 nm (SP30, SP70, and SP300) as model materials. The biochemical compositions of liver tissues and serum of mice treated with SP30, SP70, and SP300 were analyzed by integrated metabonomics analysis based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and in combination with pattern recognition approaches. Histopathological examinations and serum biochemical analysis were simultaneously performed. The toxicity induced by three different sizes of SP mainly involved hepatocytic necrosis, increased serum aminotransferase, and inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, the toxic effects of SP were dose-dependent for each particle size. The doses of SP30, SP70, and SP300 that were toxic to the liver were 10, 40, and 200 mg kg - 1, respectively. In this study, surface area has a greater effect than particle number on the toxicity of SP30, SP70, and SP300 in the liver. The disturbances in energy metabolism, amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism may be attributable to the hepatotoxicity induced by SP. In addition, no major differences were found in the response of biological systems caused by the different SP sizes among the metabolite profiles. The results suggest that not only nano-sized but also submicro-sized SP can cause similar extents of liver injury, which is dependent on the exposure dose, and the mechanism of toxicity may be almost the same.

Size-dependent control of colloid transport via solute gradients in dead-end channels

PubMed Central

Shin, Sangwoo; Um, Eujin; Sabass, Benedikt; Ault, Jesse T.; Rahimi, Mohammad; Warren, Patrick B.; Stone, Howard A.

2016-01-01

Transport of colloids in dead-end channels is involved in widespread applications including drug delivery and underground oil and gas recovery. In such geometries, Brownian motion may be considered as the sole mechanism that enables transport of colloidal particles into or out of the channels, but it is, unfortunately, an extremely inefficient transport mechanism for microscale particles. Here, we explore the possibility of diffusiophoresis as a means to control the colloid transport in dead-end channels by introducing a solute gradient. We demonstrate that the transport of colloidal particles into the dead-end channels can be either enhanced or completely prevented via diffusiophoresis. In addition, we show that size-dependent diffusiophoretic transport of particles can be achieved by considering a finite Debye layer thickness effect, which is commonly ignored. A combination of diffusiophoresis and Brownian motion leads to a strong size-dependent focusing effect such that the larger particles tend to concentrate more and reside deeper in the channel. Our findings have implications for all manners of controlled release processes, especially for site-specific delivery systems where localized targeting of particles with minimal dispersion to the nontarget area is essential. PMID:26715753

Size-Dependent Couple-Stress Fluid Mechanics and Application to the Lid-Driven Square Cavity Flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hajesfandiari, Arezoo; Dargush, Gary; Hadjesfandiari, Ali

2012-11-01

We consider a size-dependent fluid that possesses a characteristic material length l, which becomes increasingly important as the characteristic geometric dimension of the problem decreases. The term involving l in the modified Navier-Stokes equations ρDv/Dt = - ∇ p + μ∇2 v - μl2∇2∇2 v generates a new mechanism for energy dissipation in the flow, which has stabilizing effects at high Reynolds numbers. Interestingly, the idea of adding a fourth order term has been introduced long ago in the form of an artificial dissipation term to stabilize numerical results in CFD methods. However, this additional dissipation has no physical basis for inclusion in the differential equations of motion and is never considered at the boundary nodes of the domain. On the other hand, our couple stress-related dissipation is physically motivated, resulting from the consistent application of energy principles, kinematics and boundary conditions. We should note, in particular, that the boundary conditions in the size-dependent theory must be modified from the classical case to include specification of either rotations or moment-tractions. In order to validate the approach, we focus on the lid-driven cavity problem.

Size-dependent axial instability of microtubules surrounded by cytoplasm of a living cell based on nonlocal strain gradient elasticity theory.

PubMed

Sahmani, S; Aghdam, M M

2017-06-07

Microtubules including tubulin heterodimers arranging in a parallel shape of cylindrical hollow plays an important role in the mechanical stiffness of a living cell. In the present study, the nonlocal strain gradient theory of elasticity including simultaneously the both nonlocality and strain gradient size dependency is put to use within the framework of a refined orthotropic shell theory with hyperbolic distribution of shear deformation to analyze the size-dependent buckling and postbuckling characteristics of microtubules embedded in cytoplasm under axial compressive load. The non-classical governing differential equations are deduced via boundary layer theory of shell buckling incorporating the nonlinear prebuckling deformation and microtubule-cytoplasm interaction in the living cell environment. Finally, with the aid of a two-stepped perturbation solution methodology, the explicit analytical expressions for nonlocal strain gradient stability paths of axially loaded microtubules are achieved. It is illustrated that by taking the nonlocal size effect into consideration, the critical buckling load of microtubule and its maximum deflection associated with the minimum postbuckling load decreases, while the strain gradient size dependency causes to increase them. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Failure mechanisms of uni-ply composite plates with a circular hole under static compressive loading

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khamseh, A. R.; Waas, A. M.

1992-01-01

The objective of the study was to identify and study the failure mechanisms associated with compressive-loaded uniply graphite/epoxy square plates with a central circular hole. It is found that the type of compressive failure depends on the hole size. For large holes with the diameter/width ratio exceeding 0.062, fiber buckling/kinking initiated at the hole is found to be the dominant failure mechanism. In plates with smaller hole sizes, failure initiates away from the hole edge or complete global failure occurs. Critical buckle wavelengths at failure are presented as a function of the normalized hole diameter.

The pressure-induced, lactose-dependent changes in the composition and size of casein micelles.

PubMed

Wang, Pengjie; Jin, Shaoming; Guo, Huiyuan; Zhao, Liang; Ren, Fazheng

2015-04-15

The effects of lactose on the changes in the composition and size of casein micelles induced by high-pressure treatment and the related mechanism of action were investigated. Dispersions of ultracentrifuged casein micelle pellets with 0-10% (w/v) lactose were subjected to high pressure (400 MPa) at 20 °C for 40 min. The results indicated that the level of non-sedimentable caseins was positively related to the amount of lactose added prior to pressure treatment, and negatively correlated to the size. A mechanism for the pressure-induced, lactose-dependent changes in the casein micelles is proposed. Lactose inhibits the hydrophobic interactions between the micellar fragments during or after pressure release, through the hydrophilic layer formed by their hydrogen bonds around the micellar fragments. In addition, lactose does not favour the association between calcium and the casein aggregates after pressure release. Due to these two functions, lactose inhibited the formation of larger micelles after pressure treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Size-Related Changes in Foot Impact Mechanics in Hoofed Mammals

PubMed Central

Warner, Sharon Elaine; Pickering, Phillip; Panagiotopoulou, Olga; Pfau, Thilo; Ren, Lei; Hutchinson, John Richard

2013-01-01

Foot-ground impact is mechanically challenging for all animals, but how do large animals mitigate increased mass during foot impact? We hypothesized that impact force amplitude scales according to isometry in animals of increasing size through allometric scaling of related impact parameters. To test this, we measured limb kinetics and kinematics in 11 species of hoofed mammals ranging from 18–3157 kg body mass. We found impact force amplitude to be maintained proportional to size in hoofed mammals, but that other features of foot impact exhibit differential scaling patterns depending on the limb; forelimb parameters typically exhibit higher intercepts with lower scaling exponents than hind limb parameters. Our explorations of the size-related consequences of foot impact advance understanding of how body size influences limb morphology and function, foot design and locomotor behaviour. PMID:23382967

Cross-language activation of morphological relatives in cognates: the role of orthographic overlap and task-related processing

PubMed Central

Mulder, Kimberley; Dijkstra, Ton; Baayen, R. Harald

2015-01-01

We considered the role of orthography and task-related processing mechanisms in the activation of morphologically related complex words during bilingual word processing. So far, it has only been shown that such morphologically related words (i.e., morphological family members) are activated through the semantic and morphological overlap they share with the target word. In this study, we investigated family size effects in Dutch-English identical cognates (e.g., tent in both languages), non-identical cognates (e.g., pil and pill, in English and Dutch, respectively), and non-cognates (e.g., chicken in English). Because of their cross-linguistic overlap in orthography, reading a cognate can result in activation of family members both languages. Cognates are therefore well-suited for studying mechanisms underlying bilingual activation of morphologically complex words. We investigated family size effects in an English lexical decision task and a Dutch-English language decision task, both performed by Dutch-English bilinguals. English lexical decision showed a facilitatory effect of English and Dutch family size on the processing of English-Dutch cognates relative to English non-cognates. These family size effects were not dependent on cognate type. In contrast, for language decision, in which a bilingual context is created, Dutch and English family size effects were inhibitory. Here, the combined family size of both languages turned out to better predict reaction time than the separate family size in Dutch or English. Moreover, the combined family size interacted with cognate type: the response to identical cognates was slowed by morphological family members in both languages. We conclude that (1) family size effects are sensitive to the task performed on the lexical items, and (2) depend on both semantic and formal aspects of bilingual word processing. We discuss various mechanisms that can explain the observed family size effects in a spreading activation framework. PMID:25698953

A Heuristic Probabilistic Approach to Estimating Size-Dependent Mobility of Nonuniform Sediment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woldegiorgis, B. T.; Wu, F. C.; van Griensven, A.; Bauwens, W.

2017-12-01

Simulating the mechanism of bed sediment mobility is essential for modelling sediment dynamics. Despite the fact that many studies are carried out on this subject, they use complex mathematical formulations that are computationally expensive, and are often not easy for implementation. In order to present a simple and computationally efficient complement to detailed sediment mobility models, we developed a heuristic probabilistic approach to estimating the size-dependent mobilities of nonuniform sediment based on the pre- and post-entrainment particle size distributions (PSDs), assuming that the PSDs are lognormally distributed. The approach fits a lognormal probability density function (PDF) to the pre-entrainment PSD of bed sediment and uses the threshold particle size of incipient motion and the concept of sediment mixture to estimate the PSDs of the entrained sediment and post-entrainment bed sediment. The new approach is simple in physical sense and significantly reduces the complexity and computation time and resource required by detailed sediment mobility models. It is calibrated and validated with laboratory and field data by comparing to the size-dependent mobilities predicted with the existing empirical lognormal cumulative distribution function (CDF) approach. The novel features of the current approach are: (1) separating the entrained and non-entrained sediments by a threshold particle size, which is a modified critical particle size of incipient motion by accounting for the mixed-size effects, and (2) using the mixture-based pre- and post-entrainment PSDs to provide a continuous estimate of the size-dependent sediment mobility.

Individuality and universality in the growth-division laws of single E. coli cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kennard, Andrew S.; Osella, Matteo; Javer, Avelino; Grilli, Jacopo; Nghe, Philippe; Tans, Sander J.; Cicuta, Pietro; Cosentino Lagomarsino, Marco

2016-01-01

The mean size of exponentially dividing Escherichia coli cells in different nutrient conditions is known to depend on the mean growth rate only. However, the joint fluctuations relating cell size, doubling time, and individual growth rate are only starting to be characterized. Recent studies in bacteria reported a universal trend where the spread in both size and doubling times is a linear function of the population means of these variables. Here we combine experiments and theory and use scaling concepts to elucidate the constraints posed by the second observation on the division control mechanism and on the joint fluctuations of sizes and doubling times. We found that scaling relations based on the means collapse both size and doubling-time distributions across different conditions and explain how the shape of their joint fluctuations deviates from the means. Our data on these joint fluctuations highlight the importance of cell individuality: Single cells do not follow the dependence observed for the means between size and either growth rate or inverse doubling time. Our calculations show that these results emerge from a broad class of division control mechanisms requiring a certain scaling form of the "division hazard rate function," which defines the probability rate of dividing as a function of measurable parameters. This "model free" approach gives a rationale for the universal body-size distributions observed in microbial ecosystems across many microbial species, presumably dividing with multiple mechanisms. Additionally, our experiments show a crossover between fast and slow growth in the relation between individual-cell growth rate and division time, which can be understood in terms of different regimes of genome replication control.

Mechanical behavior of nanostructured and ultrafine-grained materials under shock wave loadings. experimental data and results of computer simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skripnyak, Vladimir

2012-03-01

Features of mechanical behavior of nanostructured and ultrafine-grained metals under quasistatic and shock wave loadings are discussed. Features of mechanical behavior of nanostructured and ultrafine grained metals over a wide range of strain rates are discussed. A constitutive model for mechanical behavior of metal alloys under shock wave loading including a grain size distribution, a precipitate hardening, and physical mechanisms of shear stress relaxation is presented. Strain rate sensitivity of the yield stress of face-centered-cubic, hexagonal close-packed metal alloys depends on grain size, whereas the Hugoniot elastic limits of ultrafine-grained copper, aluminum, and titanium alloys are close to values of coarse-grained counterparts. At quasi-static loading the yield strength and the tensile strength of titanium alloys with grain size from 300 to 500 nm are twice higher than at coarse-grained counterparts. But the spall strength of the UFG titanium alloys exceeds the value of coarse-grained counterparts only for 10 percents.

Plasmonic resonances of nanoparticles from large-scale quantum mechanical simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xu; Xiang, Hongping; Zhang, Mingliang; Lu, Gang

2017-09-01

Plasmonic resonance of metallic nanoparticles results from coherent motion of its conduction electrons, driven by incident light. For the nanoparticles less than 10 nm in diameter, localized surface plasmonic resonances become sensitive to the quantum nature of the conduction electrons. Unfortunately, quantum mechanical simulations based on time-dependent Kohn-Sham density functional theory are computationally too expensive to tackle metal particles larger than 2 nm. Herein, we introduce the recently developed time-dependent orbital-free density functional theory (TD-OFDFT) approach which enables large-scale quantum mechanical simulations of plasmonic responses of metallic nanostructures. Using TD-OFDFT, we have performed quantum mechanical simulations to understand size-dependent plasmonic response of Na nanoparticles and plasmonic responses in Na nanoparticle dimers and trimers. An outlook of future development of the TD-OFDFT method is also presented.

Structural effects on mechanical response of MoS2 nanostructures during compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bucholz, Eric W.; Sinnott, Susan B.

2013-07-01

In recent years, inorganic nanostructures, such as fullerene-like MoS2 and WS2 nanoparticles, have been shown to be promising candidates for friction and wear reduction in tribological applications. However, it has been demonstrated experimentally that the mechanical response of any given inorganic nanostructure varies depending on its individual structural characteristics such as size, shape, and crystallinity. Here, classical molecular dynamics simulations are performed that investigate the mechanical responses of different types of MoS2 nanostructures during uniaxial compression. The results illustrate the dependence of mechanical behavior on nanoparticle structure and, in particular, indicate that the mechanical properties of MoS2 nanostructures vary significantly with changes in the orientation of the MoS2 walls at the interface.

Orientation and size-dependent mechanical modulation within individual secondary osteons in cortical bone tissue

PubMed Central

Carnelli, Davide; Vena, Pasquale; Dao, Ming; Ortiz, Christine; Contro, Roberto

2013-01-01

Anisotropy is one of the most peculiar aspects of cortical bone mechanics; however, its anisotropic mechanical behaviour should be treated only with strict relationship to the length scale of investigation. In this study, we focus on quantifying the orientation and size dependence of the spatial mechanical modulation in individual secondary osteons of bovine cortical bone using nanoindentation. Tests were performed on the same osteonal structure in the axial (along the long bone axis) and transverse (normal to the long bone axis) directions along arrays going radially out from the Haversian canal at four different maximum depths on three secondary osteons. Results clearly show a periodic pattern of stiffness with spatial distance across the osteon. The effect of length scale on lamellar bone anisotropy and the critical length at which homogenization of the mechanical properties occurs were determined. Further, a laminate-composite-based analytical model was applied to the stiffness trends obtained at the highest spatial resolution to evaluate the elastic constants for a sub-layer of mineralized collagen fibrils within an osteonal lamella on the basis of the spatial arrangement of the fibrils. The hierarchical arrangement of lamellar bone is found to be a major determinant for modulation of mechanical properties and anisotropic mechanical behaviour of the tissue. PMID:23389895

Interocular induction of illusory size perception

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The perceived size of objects not only depends on their physical size but also on the surroundings in which they appear. For example, an object surrounded by small items looks larger than a physically identical object surrounded by big items (Ebbinghaus illusion), and a physically identical but distant object looks larger than an object that appears closer in space (Ponzo illusion). Activity in human primary visual cortex (V1) reflects the perceived rather than the physical size of objects, indicating an involvement of V1 in illusory size perception. Here we investigate the role of eye-specific signals in two common size illusions in order to provide further information about the mechanisms underlying illusory size perception. Results We devised stimuli so that an object and its spatial context associated with illusory size perception could be presented together to one eye or separately to two eyes. We found that the Ponzo illusion had an equivalent magnitude whether the objects and contexts were presented to the same or different eyes, indicating that it may be largely mediated by binocular neurons. In contrast, the Ebbinghaus illusion became much weaker when objects and their contexts were presented to different eyes, indicating important contributions to the illusion from monocular neurons early in the visual pathway. Conclusions Our findings show that two well-known size illusions - the Ponzo illusion and the Ebbinghaus illusion - are mediated by different neuronal populations, and suggest that the underlying neural mechanisms associated with illusory size perception differ and can be dependent on monocular channels in the early visual pathway. PMID:21396093

Resizing procedure for structures under combined mechanical and thermal loading

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adelman, H. M.; Narayanaswami, R.

1976-01-01

The fully-stressed design (FSD) appears to be the most widely used approach for sizing of flight structures under strength and minimum-gage constraints. Almost all of the experience with FSD has been with structures primarily under mechanical loading as opposed to thermal loading. In this method the structural sizes are iterated with the step size, depending on the ratio of the total stress to the allowable stress. In this paper, the thermal fully-stressed design (TFSD) procedure developed for problems involving substantial thermal stress is extended to biaxial stress members using a Von Mises failure criterion. The TFSD resizing procedure for uniaxial stress is restated and the new procedure for biaxial stress members is developed. Results are presented for an application of the two procedures to size a simplified wing structure.

Structure and magnetic properties of mechanically alloyed Co and Co-Ni

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guessasma, S.; Fenineche, N.

The influence of milling process on magnetic properties of Co and Co-Ni materials is studied. Coercivity, squareness ratio and crystallite size of mechanically alloyed Co-Ni material were related to milling time. For Co material, coercivity, cubic phase ratio and crystallite size were related to milling energy considering the vial and plateau rotation velocities. An artificial neural network (ANN) combining the parameters for both materials is used to predict magnetic and structure results versus milling conditions. Predicted results showed that milling energy is mostly dependent on the ratio vial to plateau rotation velocities and that milling times larger than 40 h do not add significant change to both structure and magnetic responses. Magnetic parameters were correlated to crystallite size and the D 6 law was only valid for small sizes.

The mechanical behavior of metal alloys with grain size distribution in a wide range of strain rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skripnyak, V. A.; Skripnyak, V. V.; Skripnyak, E. G.

2017-12-01

The paper discusses a multiscale simulation approach for the construction of grain structure of metals and alloys, providing high tensile strength with ductility. This work compares the mechanical behavior of light alloys and the influence of the grain size distribution in a wide range of strain rates. The influence of the grain size distribution on the inelastic deformation and fracture of aluminium and magnesium alloys is investigated by computer simulations in a wide range of strain rates. It is shown that the yield stress depends on the logarithm of the normalized strain rate for light alloys with a bimodal grain distribution and coarse-grained structure.

Blood Oxygen Level-Dependent Activation of the Primary Visual Cortex Predicts Size Adaptation Illusion

PubMed Central

Pooresmaeili, Arezoo; Arrighi, Roberto; Biagi, Laura; Morrone, Maria Concetta

2016-01-01

In natural scenes, objects rarely occur in isolation but appear within a spatiotemporal context. Here, we show that the perceived size of a stimulus is significantly affected by the context of the scene: brief previous presentation of larger or smaller adapting stimuli at the same region of space changes the perceived size of a test stimulus, with larger adapting stimuli causing the test to appear smaller than veridical and vice versa. In a human fMRI study, we measured the blood oxygen level-dependent activation (BOLD) responses of the primary visual cortex (V1) to the contours of large-diameter stimuli and found that activation closely matched the perceptual rather than the retinal stimulus size: the activated area of V1 increased or decreased, depending on the size of the preceding stimulus. A model based on local inhibitory V1 mechanisms simulated the inward or outward shifts of the stimulus contours and hence the perceptual effects. Our findings suggest that area V1 is actively involved in reshaping our perception to match the short-term statistics of the visual scene. PMID:24089504

Multi-shell spherical GaAs /AlxGa1-x As quantum dot shells-size distribution as a mechanism to generate intermediate band energy levels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez-Magdaleno, K. A.; Pérez-Álvarez, R.; Martínez-Orozco, J. C.; Pernas-Salomón, R.

2017-04-01

In this work the generation of an intermediate band of energy levels from multi-shell spherical GaAs /AlxGa1-x As quantum dot shells-size distribution is reported. Within the effective mass approximation the electronic structure of a GaAs spherical quantum-dot surrounded by one, two and three shells is studied in detail using a numerically stable transfer matrix method. We found that a shells-size distribution characterized by continuously wider GaAs domains is a suitable mechanism to generate the intermediate band whose width is also dependent on the Aluminium concentration x. Our results suggest that this effective mechanism can be used for the design of wider intermediate band than reported in other quantum systems with possible solar cells enhanced performance.

Sperm competition games: sperm size (mass) and number under raffle and displacement, and the evolution of P2.

PubMed

Parker, G A; Immler, S; Pitnick, S; Birkhead, T R

2010-06-07

We examine models for evolution of sperm size (i.e. mass m) and number (s) under three mechanisms of sperm competition at low 'risk' levels: (i) raffle with no constraint on space available for competing sperm, (ii) direct displacement mainly by seminal fluid, and (iii) direct displacement mainly by sperm mass. Increasing sperm mass increases a sperm's 'competitive weight' against rival sperm through a diminishing returns function, r(m). ESS total ejaculate expenditure (the product m(*)s(*)) increases in all three models with sperm competition risk, q. If r(m), or ratio r'(m)/r(m), is independent of ESS sperm numbers, ESS sperm mass remains constant, and the sperm mass/number ratio (m(*)/s(*)) therefore decreases with risk. Dependency of sperm mass on risk can arise if r(m) depends on competing sperm density (sperm number / space available for sperm competition). Such dependencies generate complex relationships between sperm mass and number with risk, depending both on the mechanism and how sperm density affects r(m). While numbers always increase with risk, mass can either increase or decrease, but m(*)/s(*) typically decreases with risk unless sperm density strongly influences r(m). Where there is no extrinsic loading due to mating order, ESS paternity of the second (i.e. last) male to mate (P(2)) under displacement always exceeds 0.5, and increases with risk (in the raffle P(2)=0.5). Caution is needed when seeking evidence for a sperm size-number trade off. Although size and number trade-off independently against effort spent on acquiring matings, their product, m(*)s(*), is invariant or fixed at a given risk level, effectively generating a size-number trade off. However, unless controlled for the effects of risk, the relation between m(*) and s(*) can be either positive or negative (a positive relation is usually taken as evidence against a size-number trade off). Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Selected properties of particleboard panels manufactured from rice straws of different geometries

Treesearch

Xianjun Li; Zhiyong Cai; Jerrold E. Winandy; Altaf H. Basta

2010-01-01

The objective is to evaluate the primary mechanical and physical properties of particleboard made from hammer-milled rice straw particles of six different categories and two types of resins. The results show the performance of straw particleboards is highly dependent upon the straw particle size controlled by the opening size of the perforated plate inside the hammer-...

Pre-aging time dependence of microstructure and mechanical properties in nanostructured Al-2wt%Cu alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azad, Bahram; Borhani, Ehsan

2016-03-01

This work is focused on the effect of pre-aging time on the properties of Al-2wt%Cu alloy processed by accumulative roll bonding (ARB) process. Following aged at 190 °C for 10 or 30 min, the samples were deformed up to a strain of 4.8 by the ARB process. The microstructure evolution was investigated by transmission electron microscope and electron backscattering diffraction analyzes. The results showed that the Al2Cu precipitates were formed with different sizes due to the different pre-aging times and the finer precipitates were more effective on the formation of high angle grain boundaries during the ARB process. The grain size of Aged-10 min and Aged-30 min specimens decreased to 400 nm and 420 nm, respectively, after 6 cycles of the ARB process. Also, the final texture after 6 cycles of the ARB process, shown in the {111} pole figure, were different depending on the starting microstructures. The mechanical properties of specimens were investigated by the Vickers microhardness measurements and the tensile tests. The results showed that the mechanical properties are affected by the starting microstructure. The mechanical properties of Aged-10 min specimen were different compared to Aged-30 min specimen due to the different size of the pre-existing precipitates. Although by continuing process, the precipitates were probably dissolved due to the heavy deformation.

ARL Summer Student Research Symposium Compendium of Abstracts. Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

to withstand ballistic/blast impact. The mechanical response of these materials is primarily determined by the active deformation modes operating...atomic scale deformation mechanisms such as basal, prismatic, pyramidal slip and twinning on the microstructure of the system (i.e., loading orientation...deformation, the dependence of peak strength on grain size, and the mechanisms of failure are discussed. I wish to acknowledge the mentorship of Dr

Size and shape dependent deprotonation potential and proton affinity of nanodiamond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnard, Amanda S.; Per, Manolo C.

2014-11-01

Many important reactions in biology and medicine involve proton abstraction and transfer, and it is integral to applications such as drug delivery. Unlike electrons, which are quantum mechanically delocalized, protons are instantaneously localized on specific residues in these reactions, which can be a distinct advantage. However, the introduction of nanoparticles, such as non-toxic nanodiamonds, to this field complicates matters, as the number of possible sites increases as the inverse radius of the particle. In this paper we present \\gt {{10}4} simulations that map the size- and shape-dependence of the deprotonation potential and proton affinity of nanodiamonds in the range 1.8-2.7 nm in average diameter. We find that while the average deprotonation potential and proton affinities decrease with size, the site-specific values are inhomogeneous over the surface of the particles, exhibiting strong shape-dependence. The proton affinity is strongly facet-dependent, whereas the deprotonation potential is edge/corner-dependent, which creates a type of spatial hysteresis in the transfer of protons to and from the nanodiamond, and provides new opportunities for selective functionalization.

Application of porous titanium in prosthesis production using a moldless process: Evaluation of physical and mechanical properties with various particle sizes, shapes, and mixing ratios.

PubMed

Prananingrum, Widyasri; Tomotake, Yoritoki; Naito, Yoshihito; Bae, Jiyoung; Sekine, Kazumitsu; Hamada, Kenichi; Ichikawa, Tetsuo

2016-08-01

The prosthetic applications of titanium have been challenging because titanium does not possess suitable properties for the conventional casting method using the lost wax technique. We have developed a production method for biomedical application of porous titanium using a moldless process. This study aimed to evaluate the physical and mechanical properties of porous titanium using various particle sizes, shapes, and mixing ratio of titanium powder to wax binder for use in prosthesis production. CP Ti powders with different particle sizes, shapes, and mixing ratios were divided into five groups. A 90:10wt% mixture of titanium powder and wax binder was prepared manually at 70°C. After debinding at 380°C, the specimen was sintered in Ar at 1100°C without a mold for 1h. The linear shrinkage ratio of sintered specimens ranged from 2.5% to 14.2%. The linear shrinkage ratio increased with decreasing particle size. While the linear shrinkage ratio of Groups 3, 4, and 5 were approximately 2%, Group 1 showed the highest shrinkage of all. The bending strength ranged from 106 to 428MPa under the influence of porosity. Groups 1 and 2 presented low porosity followed by higher strength. The shear bond strength ranged from 32 to 100MPa. The shear bond strength was also particle-size dependent. The decrease in the porosity increased the linear shrinkage ratio and bending strength. Shrinkage and mechanical strength required for prostheses were dependent on the particle size and shape of titanium powders. These findings suggested that this production method can be applied to the prosthetic framework by selecting the material design. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Locking mechanism for orthopedic braces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chao, J. I.; Epps, C. H., Jr.

1981-01-01

An orthopedic brace locking mechanism is described which under standing or walking conditions cannot be unlocked, however under sitting conditions the mechanism can be simply unlocked so as to permit bending of the patient's knee. Other features of the device include: (1) the mechanism is rendered operable, and inoperable, dependent upon the relative inclination of the brace with respect to the ground; (2) the mechanism is automatically locked under standing or walking conditions and is manually unlocked under sitting conditions; and (3) the mechanism is light in weight and is relatively small in size.

Giant piezoelectric size effects in zinc oxide and gallium nitride nanowires. A first principles investigation.

PubMed

Agrawal, Ravi; Espinosa, Horacio D

2011-02-09

Nanowires made of materials with noncentrosymmetric crystal structure are under investigation for their piezoelectric properties and suitability as building blocks for next-generation self-powered nanodevices. In this work, we investigate the size dependence of piezoelectric coefficients in nanowires of two such materials - zinc oxide and gallium nitride. Nanowires, oriented along their polar axis, ranging from 0.6 to 2.4 nm in diameter were modeled quantum mechanically. A giant piezoelectric size effect is identified for both GaN and ZnO nanowires. However, GaN exhibits a larger and more extended size dependence than ZnO. The observed size effect is discussed in the context of charge redistribution near the free surfaces leading to changes in local polarization. The study reveals that local changes in polarization and reduction of unit cell volume with respect to bulk values lead to the observed size effect. These results have strong implication in the field of energy harvesting, as piezoelectric voltage output scales with the piezoelectric coefficient.

Stress-dependent grain size evolution of nanocrystalline Ni-W and its impact on friction behavior

DOE PAGES

Argibay, N.; Furnish, T. A.; Boyce, B. L.; ...

2016-06-07

The friction behavior of ultra-nanocrystalline Ni-W coatings was investigated. A critical stress threshold was identified below which friction remained low, and above which a time-dependent evolution toward higher friction behavior occurred. Founded on established plasticity models we propose a correlation between surface grain size and applied stress that can be used to predict the critical stress separating the two friction regimes. Lastly, this interpretation of plasticity models suggests that macro-scale low and high friction regimes are respectively associated with the nano-scale mechanisms of grain boundary and dislocation-mediated plasticity.

Demands of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in Daphnia: are they dependent on body size?

PubMed

Sikora, Anna B; Petzoldt, Thomas; Dawidowicz, Piotr; von Elert, Eric

2016-10-01

Fatty acids contribute to the nutritional quality of the phytoplankton and, thus, play an important role in Daphnia nutrition. One of the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)--eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)--has been shown to predict carbon transfer between primary producers and consumers in lakes, suggesting that EPA limitation of Daphnia in nature is widespread. Although the demand for EPA must be covered by the diet, the demand of EPA in Daphnia that differ in body size has not been addressed yet. Here, we hypothesize that the demand for EPA in Daphnia is size-dependent and that bigger species have a higher EPA demand. To elucidate this, a growth experiment was conducted in which at 20 °C three Daphnia taxa (small-sized D. longispina complex, medium-sized D. pulicaria, and large-bodied D. magna) were fed Synechococcus elongatus supplemented with cholesterol and increasing concentrations of EPA. In addition, fatty acid analyses of Daphnia were performed. Our results show that the saturation threshold for EPA-dependent growth increased with increasing body size. This increase in thresholds with body size may provide another mechanism contributing to the prevalence of small-bodied cladocera in warm habitats and to the midsummer decline of large cladocera in eutrophic water bodies.

Energetics of charged metal clusters containing vacancies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pogosov, Valentin V.; Reva, Vitalii I.

2018-01-01

We study theoretically large metal clusters containing vacancies. We propose an approach, which combines the Kohn-Sham results for monovacancy in a bulk of metal and analytical expansions in small parameters cv (relative concentration of vacancies) and RN,v -1, RN ,v being cluster radii. We obtain expressions of the ionization potential and electron affinity in the form of corrections to electron work function, which require only the characteristics of 3D defect-free metal. The Kohn-Sham method is used to calculate the electron profiles, ionization potential, electron affinity, electrical capacitance; dissociation, cohesion, and monovacancy-formation energies of the small perfect clusters NaN, MgN, AlN (N ≤ 270) and the clusters containing a monovacancy (N ≥ 12) in the stabilized-jellium model. The quantum-sized dependences for monovacancy-formation energies are calculated for the Schottky scenario and the "bubble blowing" scenario, and their asymptotic behavior is also determined. It is shown that the asymptotical behaviors of size dependences for these two mechanisms differ from each other and weakly depend on the number of atoms in the cluster. The contribution of monovacancy to energetics of charged clusters and the size dependences of their characteristics and asymptotics are discussed. It is shown that the difference between the characteristics for the neutral and charged clusters is entirely determined by size dependences of ionization potential and electron affinity. Obtained analytical dependences may be useful for the analysis of the results of photoionization experiments and for the estimation of the size dependences of the vacancy concentration including the vicinity of the melting point.

A Range-Normalization Model of Context-Dependent Choice: A New Model and Evidence

PubMed Central

Camerer, Colin

2012-01-01

Most utility theories of choice assume that the introduction of an irrelevant option (called the decoy) to a choice set does not change the preference between existing options. On the contrary, a wealth of behavioral data demonstrates the dependence of preference on the decoy and on the context in which the options are presented. Nevertheless, neural mechanisms underlying context-dependent preference are poorly understood. In order to shed light on these mechanisms, we design and perform a novel experiment to measure within-subject decoy effects. We find within-subject decoy effects similar to what have been shown previously with between-subject designs. More importantly, we find that not only are the decoy effects correlated, pointing to similar underlying mechanisms, but also these effects increase with the distance of the decoy from the original options. To explain these observations, we construct a plausible neuronal model that can account for decoy effects based on the trial-by-trial adjustment of neural representations to the set of available options. This adjustment mechanism, which we call range normalization, occurs when the nervous system is required to represent different stimuli distinguishably, while being limited to using bounded neural activity. The proposed model captures our experimental observations and makes new predictions about the influence of the choice set size on the decoy effects, which are in contrast to previous models of context-dependent choice preference. Critically, unlike previous psychological models, the computational resource required by our range-normalization model does not increase exponentially as the set size increases. Our results show that context-dependent choice behavior, which is commonly perceived as an irrational response to the presence of irrelevant options, could be a natural consequence of the biophysical limits of neural representation in the brain. PMID:22829761

A temperature dependent cyclic plasticity model for hot work tool steel including particle coarsening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jilg, Andreas; Seifert, Thomas

2018-05-01

Hot work tools are subjected to complex thermal and mechanical loads during hot forming processes. Locally, the stresses can exceed the material's yield strength in highly loaded areas as e.g. in small radii in die cavities. To sustain the high loads, the hot forming tools are typically made of martensitic hot work steels. While temperatures for annealing of the tool steels usually lie in the range between 400 and 600 °C, the steels may experience even higher temperatures during hot forming, resulting in softening of the material due to coarsening of strengthening particles. In this paper, a temperature dependent cyclic plasticity model for the martensitic hot work tool steel 1.2367 (X38CrMoV5-3) is presented that includes softening due to particle coarsening and that can be applied in finite-element calculations to assess the effect of softening on the thermomechanical fatigue life of hot work tools. To this end, a kinetic model for the evolution of the mean size of secondary carbides based on Ostwald ripening is coupled with a cyclic plasticity model with kinematic hardening. Mechanism-based relations are developed to describe the dependency of the mechanical properties on carbide size and temperature. The material properties of the mechanical and kinetic model are determined on the basis of tempering hardness curves as well as monotonic and cyclic tests.

A conserved serine residue regulates the stability of Drosophila Salvador and human WW domain-containing adaptor 45 through proteasomal degradation

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

Wu, Di, E-mail: DiWu@mail.nankai.edu.cn; Wu, Shian

2013-04-19

Highlights: •Ser-17 is key for the stability of Drosophila Sav. •Ala mutation of Ser-17 promotes the proteasomal degradation of Sav. •Ser-17 residue is not the main target of Hpo-induced Sav stabilization. •Hpo-dependent and -independent mechanisms regulate Sav stability. •This mechanism is conserved in the homologue of Sav, human WW45. -- Abstract: The Hippo (Hpo) pathway is a conserved tumor suppressor pathway that controls organ size through the coordinated regulation of apoptosis and proliferation. Drosophila Salvador (Sav), which limits organ size, is a core component of the Hpo pathway. In this study, Ser-17 was shown to be important for the stabilitymore » of Sav. Alanine mutation of Ser-17 promoted the proteasomal degradation of Sav. Destabilization and stabilization of the Sav protein mediated by alanine mutation of Ser-17 and by Hpo, respectively, were independent of each other. This implies that the stability of Sav is controlled by two mechanisms, one that is Ser-17-dependent and Hpo-independent, and another that is Ser-17-independent and Hpo-dependent. These dual mechanisms also regulated the human counterpart of Drosophila Sav, WW domain-containing adaptor 45 (WW45). The conservation of this regulation adds to its significance in normal physiology and tumorigenesis.« less

Removal of bacteriophages with different surface charges by diverse ceramic membrane materials in pilot spiking tests.

PubMed

Hambsch, B; Bösl, M; Eberhagen, I; Müller, U

2012-01-01

This study examines mechanisms for removal of bacteriophages (MS2 and phiX174) by ceramic membranes without application of flocculants. The ceramic membranes considered included ultra- and microfiltration membranes of different materials. Phages were spiked into the feed water in pilot scale tests in a waterworks. The membranes with pore sizes of 10 nm provided a 2.5-4.0 log removal of the phages. For pore sizes of 50 nm, the log removal dropped to 0.96-1.8. The membrane with a pore size of 200 nm did not remove phages. So, the removal of both MS2- and phiX174-phages depended on the pore size of the membranes. But apart from pore size also other factors influence the removal of phages. Removal was 0.5-0.9 log higher for MS2-phages compared with phiX174-phages. Size exclusion seems to be the major but not the only mechanism which influences the efficiency of phage removal by ceramic membranes.

Light qualities and dose influence ascorbate pool size in detached oat leaves.

PubMed

Mastropasqua, Linda; Borraccino, Giuseppe; Bianco, Laura; Paciolla, Costantino

2012-02-01

In this work, we studied the mechanism of light influence on AsA pool size in Avena sativa L. under the effects of low intensity light at different wavelengths. Exposure to low intensity light of oat leaf segments incubated in water or in l-galactono-1,4-lactone (GL), resulted in an increase in AsA content compared with the dark control. This increase was due to modulation of l-galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase (GLDH; EC 1.3.2.3) light-dependent activity and was dependent on the size of the endogenous GL pool. Both blue and red light were effective in increasing AsA, and this increase depended on both exposure time and light intensity. Protein biosynthesis, photosynthesis and calcium were involved in controlling the level of light-dependent AsA. We suggest that multiple checkpoints correlated to the presence of light underlie the ascorbate pool size. The presence of a light-activated switch for the maintenance of an adequate AsA level seems to be necessary for the various tasks of scavenging reactive oxygen species, in response to the dark-light cycle which plants experience under natural conditions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nuclear size is sensitive to NTF2 protein levels in a manner dependent on Ran binding

PubMed Central

Vuković, Lidija D.; Jevtić, Predrag; Zhang, Zhaojie; Stohr, Bradley A.; Levy, Daniel L.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Altered nuclear size is associated with many cancers, and determining whether cancer-associated changes in nuclear size contribute to carcinogenesis necessitates an understanding of mechanisms of nuclear size regulation. Although nuclear import rates generally positively correlate with nuclear size, NTF2 levels negatively affect nuclear size, despite the role of NTF2 (also known as NUTF2) in nuclear recycling of the import factor Ran. We show that binding of Ran to NTF2 is required for NTF2 to inhibit nuclear expansion and import of large cargo molecules in Xenopus laevis egg and embryo extracts, consistent with our observation that NTF2 reduces the diameter of the nuclear pore complex (NPC) in a Ran-binding-dependent manner. Furthermore, we demonstrate that ectopic NTF2 expression in Xenopus embryos and mammalian tissue culture cells alters nuclear size. Finally, we show that increases in nuclear size during melanoma progression correlate with reduced NTF2 expression, and increasing NTF2 levels in melanoma cells is sufficient to reduce nuclear size. These results show a conserved capacity for NTF2 to impact on nuclear size, and we propose that NTF2 might be a new cancer biomarker. PMID:26823604

Nanoparticle distribution during systemic inflammation is size-dependent and organ-specific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, K.-H.; Lundy, D. J.; Toh, E. K.-W.; Chen, C.-H.; Shih, C.; Chen, P.; Chang, H.-C.; Lai, J. J.; Stayton, P. S.; Hoffman, A. S.; Hsieh, P. C.-H.

2015-09-01

This study comprehensively investigates the changing biodistribution of fluorescent-labelled polystyrene latex bead nanoparticles in a mouse model of inflammation. Since inflammation alters systemic circulatory properties, increases vessel permeability and modulates the immune system, we theorised that systemic inflammation would alter nanoparticle distribution within the body. This has implications for prospective nanocarrier-based therapies targeting inflammatory diseases. Low dose lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a bacterial endotoxin, was used to induce an inflammatory response, and 20 nm, 100 nm or 500 nm polystyrene nanoparticles were administered after 16 hours. HPLC analysis was used to accurately quantify nanoparticle retention by each vital organ, and tissue sections revealed the precise locations of nanoparticle deposition within key tissues. During inflammation, nanoparticles of all sizes redistributed, particularly to the marginal zones of the spleen. We found that LPS-induced inflammation induces splenic macrophage polarisation and alters leukocyte uptake of nanoparticles, with size-dependent effects. In addition, spleen vasculature becomes significantly more permeable following LPS treatment. We conclude that systemic inflammation affects nanoparticle distribution by multiple mechanisms, in a size dependent manner.This study comprehensively investigates the changing biodistribution of fluorescent-labelled polystyrene latex bead nanoparticles in a mouse model of inflammation. Since inflammation alters systemic circulatory properties, increases vessel permeability and modulates the immune system, we theorised that systemic inflammation would alter nanoparticle distribution within the body. This has implications for prospective nanocarrier-based therapies targeting inflammatory diseases. Low dose lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a bacterial endotoxin, was used to induce an inflammatory response, and 20 nm, 100 nm or 500 nm polystyrene nanoparticles were administered after 16 hours. HPLC analysis was used to accurately quantify nanoparticle retention by each vital organ, and tissue sections revealed the precise locations of nanoparticle deposition within key tissues. During inflammation, nanoparticles of all sizes redistributed, particularly to the marginal zones of the spleen. We found that LPS-induced inflammation induces splenic macrophage polarisation and alters leukocyte uptake of nanoparticles, with size-dependent effects. In addition, spleen vasculature becomes significantly more permeable following LPS treatment. We conclude that systemic inflammation affects nanoparticle distribution by multiple mechanisms, in a size dependent manner. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: IF images of brain, heart, low magnification images of spleen, mouse heart rate and blood pressure post-LPS. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr03626g

Water removal of wet veneer by roller pressing

Treesearch

Koji Adachi; Masafumi Inoue; Kozo Kanayama; Roger M. Rowell; Shuichi Kawai

2004-01-01

High moisture content, flat sawn Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) veneer was compressed using a roller press to mechanically remove water. The amount of water removed depended on the amount of compression applied. At 60% compression, 400 kg/m3 of water was removed. The process was not dependent on the size of the wood, the degree of compression, or the feed...

Size dependent nanomechanics of coil spring shaped polymer nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ushiba, Shota; Masui, Kyoko; Taguchi, Natsuo; Hamano, Tomoki; Kawata, Satoshi; Shoji, Satoru

2015-11-01

Direct laser writing (DLW) via two-photon polymerization (TPP) has been established as a powerful technique for fabrication and integration of nanoscale components, as it enables the production of three dimensional (3D) micro/nano objects. This technique has indeed led to numerous applications, including micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS), metamaterials, mechanical metamaterials, and photonic crystals. However, as the feature sizes decrease, an urgent demand has emerged to uncover the mechanics of nanosized polymer materials. Here, we fabricate coil spring shaped polymer nanowires using DLW via two-photon polymerization. We find that even the nanocoil springs follow a linear-response against applied forces, following Hooke’s law, as revealed by compression tests using an atomic force microscope. Further, the elasticity of the polymer material is found to become significantly greater as the wire radius is decreased from 550 to 350 nm. Polarized Raman spectroscopy measurements show that polymer chains are aligned in nanowires along the axis, which may be responsible for the size dependence. Our findings provide insight into the nanomechanics of polymer materials fabricated by DLW, which leads to further applications based on nanosized polymer materials.

Size dependent nanomechanics of coil spring shaped polymer nanowires.

PubMed

Ushiba, Shota; Masui, Kyoko; Taguchi, Natsuo; Hamano, Tomoki; Kawata, Satoshi; Shoji, Satoru

2015-11-27

Direct laser writing (DLW) via two-photon polymerization (TPP) has been established as a powerful technique for fabrication and integration of nanoscale components, as it enables the production of three dimensional (3D) micro/nano objects. This technique has indeed led to numerous applications, including micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS), metamaterials, mechanical metamaterials, and photonic crystals. However, as the feature sizes decrease, an urgent demand has emerged to uncover the mechanics of nanosized polymer materials. Here, we fabricate coil spring shaped polymer nanowires using DLW via two-photon polymerization. We find that even the nanocoil springs follow a linear-response against applied forces, following Hooke's law, as revealed by compression tests using an atomic force microscope. Further, the elasticity of the polymer material is found to become significantly greater as the wire radius is decreased from 550 to 350 nm. Polarized Raman spectroscopy measurements show that polymer chains are aligned in nanowires along the axis, which may be responsible for the size dependence. Our findings provide insight into the nanomechanics of polymer materials fabricated by DLW, which leads to further applications based on nanosized polymer materials.

Hierarchical and Size Dependent Mechanical Properties of Silica and Silicon Nanostructures Inspired by Diatom Algae

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

a porous silica mesh structure. For wavy silica, unfolding mechanisms are achieved for increasing amplitude and allow for greater ductility ...as toughness, strength, and ductility , is extremely important when looking into future applications of nanoscale materials. Altering the mechanical...as brittle to ductile or weak to tough, through geometric alterations at the nanoscale, is a profound discovery that may unleash a new paradigm in the

Environment-Dependent Guest Exchange in Supramolecular Hosts

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Dynamic exchange of guest molecules, encapsulated in host assemblies, is a phenomenon in supramolecular chemistry that has important implications in several applications. While the mechanism of exchange in micellar assemblies has been previously investigated, the effect of host and guest environment upon the guest-exchange dynamics has received little attention, if any. In this paper, we study the guest-exchange mechanism in pH-sensitive nanogels along with pH-insensitive nanogels as a control. By systematically comparing the behavior of these nanogels, we show that size, concentration, and hydrophobicity can all play a critical role in guest-exchange dynamics. More importantly, these studies reveal that the dominant mechanism of guest exchange can intimately depend on environmental factors. PMID:25244305

Changes in seasonal climate outpace compensatory density-dependence in eastern brook trout

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bassar, Ronald D.; Letcher, Benjamin H.; Nislow, Keith H.; Whiteley, Andrew R.

2016-01-01

Understanding how multiple extrinsic (density-independent) factors and intrinsic (density-dependent) mechanisms influence population dynamics has become increasingly urgent in the face of rapidly changing climates. It is particularly unclear how multiple extrinsic factors with contrasting effects among seasons are related to declines in population numbers and changes in mean body size and whether there is a strong role for density-dependence. The primary goal of this study was to identify the roles of seasonal variation in climate driven environmental direct effects (mean stream flow and temperature) versus density-dependence on population size and mean body size in eastern brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). We use data from a 10-year capture-mark-recapture study of eastern brook trout in four streams in Western Massachusetts, USA to parameterize a discrete-time population projection model. The model integrates matrix modeling techniques used to characterize discrete population structures (age, habitat type and season) with integral projection models (IPMs) that characterize demographic rates as continuous functions of organismal traits (in this case body size). Using both stochastic and deterministic analyses we show that decreases in population size are due to changes in stream flow and temperature and that these changes are larger than what can be compensated for through density-dependent responses. We also show that the declines are due mostly to increasing mean stream temperatures decreasing the survival of the youngest age class. In contrast, increases in mean body size over the same period are the result of indirect changes in density with a lesser direct role of climate-driven environmental change.

Calcium-dependent control of temporal processing in an auditory interneuron: a computational analysis

PubMed Central

Ponnath, Abhilash

2010-01-01

Sensitivity to acoustic amplitude modulation in crickets differs between species and depends on carrier frequency (e.g., calling song vs. bat-ultrasound bands). Using computational tools, we explore how Ca2+-dependent mechanisms underlying selective attention can contribute to such differences in amplitude modulation sensitivity. For omega neuron 1 (ON1), selective attention is mediated by Ca2+-dependent feedback: [Ca2+]internal increases with excitation, activating a Ca2+-dependent after-hyperpolarizing current. We propose that Ca2+ removal rate and the size of the after-hyperpolarizing current can determine ON1’s temporal modulation transfer function (TMTF). This is tested using a conductance-based simulation calibrated to responses in vivo. The model shows that parameter values that simulate responses to single pulses are sufficient in simulating responses to modulated stimuli: no special modulation-sensitive mechanisms are necessary, as high and low-pass portions of the TMTF are due to Ca2+-dependent spike frequency adaptation and post-synaptic potential depression, respectively. Furthermore, variance in the two biophysical parameters is sufficient to produce TMTFs of varying bandwidth, shifting amplitude modulation sensitivity like that in different species and in response to different carrier frequencies. Thus, the hypothesis that the size of after-hyperpolarizing current and the rate of Ca2+ removal can affect amplitude modulation sensitivity is computationally validated. PMID:20559640

Population-regulating processes during the adult phase in flatfish

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rijnsdorp, A. D.

Flatfish support major fisheries and the study of regulatory processes are of paramount importance for evaluating the resilience of the resource to exploitation. This paper reviews the evidence for processes operating during the adult phase that may 1. generate interannual variability in recruitment; 2. contribute to population regulation through density-dependent growth, density-dependent ripening of adults and density-dependent egg production. With regard to (1), there is evidence that in the adult phase processes do occur that may generate recruitment variability through variation in size-specific fecundity, contraction of spawning season, reduction in egg quality, change in sex ratio and size composition of the adult population. However, time series of recruitment do not provide support for this hypothesis. With regard to (2), there is ample evidence that exploitation of flatfish coincides with an increase in growth, although the mechanisms involved are not always clear. The presence of density-dependent growth in the adult phase of unexploited populations appears to be the most likely explanation in some cases. From the early years of exploitation of flatfish stocks inhabiting cold waters, evidence exists that adult fish do not spawn each year. Fecundity schedules show annual variations, but the available information suggests that size-specific fecundity is stable over a broad range of population abundance and may only decrease at high population abundance. The analysis is complicated by the possibility of a trade-off between egg numbers and egg size. Nevertheless, a density-dependent decrease in growth will automatically result in a decrease in absolute fecundity because of the reduced body size. The potential contribution of these regulatory effects on population regulation is explored. Results indicate that density-dependent ripening and absolute fecundity, mediated through density-dependent growth, may control recruitment at high levels of population abundance. The effect of a density-dependent decrease in size-specific fecundity seems to play a minor role, although this role may become important at extremely high levels of population abundance.

Cytotoxicity evaluation of ceramic particles of different sizes and shapes.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Akiko; Honma, Rieko; Sumita, Masae; Hanawa, Takao

2004-02-01

When artificial hip or knee joints are implanted in the human body, they release metallic, ceramic, and polymeric debris into the surrounding tissues. The toxicity of the released particles is of two types: chemical, caused by the released soluble ions and monomers, and mechanical, a result of mechanical stimulation produced by the insoluble particles. In this study, the cytotoxicity of particles of TiO2, Al2O3, ZrO2, Si3N4, and SiC for murine fibroblasts and macrophages were examined to evaluate just their mechanical toxicity because these particles are not expected to release soluble metal ions. Different sizes and shapes of TiO2 particles were used to evaluate the effect of size and shape on particle cytotoxicity. The results suggest that the cytotoxicity of ceramic particles does not depend on their chemical species. Cytotoxicity levels were lower than those of corresponding metal ions, indicating that the mechanical toxicity of particles is lower than the chemical toxicity of released soluble ions and monomers. The differences in size did not affect the mechanical toxicity of these particles. The dendritic particles had a higher cytotoxicity level for macrophages than did spindle and spheric particles. Copyright 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 68A: 244-256, 2004

The effect of alcohols on red blood cell mechanical properties and membrane fluidity depends on their molecular size.

PubMed

Sonmez, Melda; Ince, Huseyin Yavuz; Yalcin, Ozlem; Ajdžanović, Vladimir; Spasojević, Ivan; Meiselman, Herbert J; Baskurt, Oguz K

2013-01-01

The role of membrane fluidity in determining red blood cell (RBC) deformability has been suggested by a number of studies. The present investigation evaluated alterations of RBC membrane fluidity, deformability and stability in the presence of four linear alcohols (methanol, ethanol, propanol and butanol) using ektacytometry and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. All alcohols had a biphasic effect on deformability such that it increased then decreased with increasing concentration; the critical concentration for reversal was an inverse function of molecular size. EPR results showed biphasic changes of near-surface fluidity (i.e., increase then decrease) and a decreased fluidity of the lipid core; rank order of effectiveness was butanol > propanol > ethanol > methanol, with a significant correlation between near-surface fluidity and deformability (r = 0.697; p<0.01). The presence of alcohol enhanced the impairment of RBC deformability caused by subjecting cells to 100 Pa shear stress for 300 s, with significant differences from control being observed at higher concentrations of all four alcohols. The level of hemolysis was dependent on molecular size and concentration, whereas echinocytic shape transformation (i.e., biconcave disc to crenated morphology) was observed only for ethanol and propanol. These results are in accordance with available data obtained on model membranes. They document the presence of mechanical links between RBC deformability and near-surface membrane fluidity, chain length-dependence of the ability of alcohols to alter RBC mechanical behavior, and the biphasic response of RBC deformability and near-surface membrane fluidity to increasing alcohol concentrations.

The Effect of Alcohols on Red Blood Cell Mechanical Properties and Membrane Fluidity Depends on Their Molecular Size

PubMed Central

Sonmez, Melda; Ince, Huseyin Yavuz; Yalcin, Ozlem; Ajdžanović, Vladimir; Spasojević, Ivan; Meiselman, Herbert J.; Baskurt, Oguz K.

2013-01-01

The role of membrane fluidity in determining red blood cell (RBC) deformability has been suggested by a number of studies. The present investigation evaluated alterations of RBC membrane fluidity, deformability and stability in the presence of four linear alcohols (methanol, ethanol, propanol and butanol) using ektacytometry and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. All alcohols had a biphasic effect on deformability such that it increased then decreased with increasing concentration; the critical concentration for reversal was an inverse function of molecular size. EPR results showed biphasic changes of near-surface fluidity (i.e., increase then decrease) and a decreased fluidity of the lipid core; rank order of effectiveness was butanol > propanol > ethanol > methanol, with a significant correlation between near-surface fluidity and deformability (r = 0.697; p<0.01). The presence of alcohol enhanced the impairment of RBC deformability caused by subjecting cells to 100 Pa shear stress for 300 s, with significant differences from control being observed at higher concentrations of all four alcohols. The level of hemolysis was dependent on molecular size and concentration, whereas echinocytic shape transformation (i.e., biconcave disc to crenated morphology) was observed only for ethanol and propanol. These results are in accordance with available data obtained on model membranes. They document the presence of mechanical links between RBC deformability and near-surface membrane fluidity, chain length-dependence of the ability of alcohols to alter RBC mechanical behavior, and the biphasic response of RBC deformability and near-surface membrane fluidity to increasing alcohol concentrations. PMID:24086751

Size-dependent responses of zooplankton to submerged macrophyte restoration in a subtropical shallow lake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Lei; He, Feng; Zhang, Yi; Liu, Biyun; Dai, Zhigang; Zhou, Qiaohong; Wu, Zhenbin

2018-03-01

To explore the size-dependent responses of zooplankton to submerged macrophyte restoration, we collected macrophyte, zooplankton and water quality samples seasonally from a subtropical shallow lake from 2010 to 2012. Special attention was given to changes in rotifers and crustaceans (cladocerans and copepods). The rotifers were grouped into three size classes (<200 μm, 200 μm-400 μm, >400 μm) to explore their size-related responses to macrophyte restoration. The results showed that during the restoration, the annual mean biomass and macrophyte coverage increased significantly from 0 to 637 g/m2 and 0 to 27%, respectively. In response, the density and biomass of crustaceans and the crustacean-to-rotifer ratio increased significantly, while the rotifer density decreased significantly. Moreover, rotifers showed significant sizedependent responses to macrophyte restoration. Specially, rotifers <400 μm were significantly suppressed, while those ≥400 μm were significantly encouraged. Overall, the population of large-sized zooplankton tended to boom, while that of small rotifers was inhibited during macrophyte restoration. Redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed positive correlations between macrophytes and crustaceans, rotifers and COD or Chl- a, but negative correlations between macrophytes and COD or Chl- a, and between crustaceans and Chl- a. Moreover, the results indicate that increased predation on phytoplankton by large-sized zooplankton might be an important mechanism for macrophyte restoration during development of aquatic ecosystems, and that this mechanism played a very important role in promoting the formation of a clear-water state in subtropical shallow lakes.

IL-7–dependent STAT1 activation limits homeostatic CD4+ T cell expansion

PubMed Central

Le Saout, Cecile; Luckey, Megan A.; Villarino, Alejandro V.; Smith, Mindy; Hasley, Rebecca B.; Myers, Timothy G.; Imamichi, Hiromi; Park, Jung-Hyun; O’Shea, John J.; Lane, H. Clifford

2017-01-01

IL-7 regulates homeostatic mechanisms that maintain the overall size of the T cell pool throughout life. We show that, under steady-state conditions, IL-7 signaling is principally mediated by activation of signal transducers and activators of transcription 5 (STAT5). In contrast, under lymphopenic conditions, there is a modulation of STAT1 expression resulting in an IL-7–dependent STAT1 and STAT5 activation. Consequently, the IL-7–induced transcriptome is altered with enrichment of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). Moreover, STAT1 overexpression was associated with reduced survival in CD4+ T cells undergoing lymphopenia-induced proliferation (LIP). We propose a model in which T cells undergoing LIP upregulate STAT1 protein, “switching on” an alternate IL-7–dependent program. This mechanism could be a physiological process to regulate the expansion and size of the CD4+ T cell pool. During HIV infection, the virus could exploit this pathway, leading to the homeostatic dysregulation of the T cell pools observed in these patients. PMID:29202461

Simulation and Analysis of Mechanical Properties of Silica Aerogels: From Rationalization to Prediction

PubMed Central

Ma, Hao; Zheng, Xiaoyang; Luo, Xuan; Yang, Fan

2018-01-01

Silica aerogels are highly porous 3D nanostructures and have exhibited excellent physio-chemical properties. Although silica aerogels have broad potential in many fields, the poor mechanical properties greatly limit further applications. In this study, we have applied the finite volume method (FVM) method to calculate the mechanical properties of silica aerogels with different geometric properties such as particle size, pore size, ligament diameter, etc. The FVM simulation results show that a power law correlation existing between relative density and mechanical properties (elastic modulus and yield stress) of silica aerogels, which are consistent with experimental and literature studies. In addition, depending on the relative densities, different strategies are proposed in order to synthesize silica aerogels with better mechanical performance by adjusting the distribution of pore size and ligament diameter of aerogels. Finally, the results suggest that it is possible to synthesize silica aerogels with ultra-low density as well as high strength and stiffness as long as the textural features are well controlled. It is believed that the FVM simulation methodology could be a valuable tool to study mechanical performance of silica aerogel based materials in the future. PMID:29385745

Simulation and Analysis of Mechanical Properties of Silica Aerogels: From Rationalization to Prediction.

PubMed

Ma, Hao; Zheng, Xiaoyang; Luo, Xuan; Yi, Yong; Yang, Fan

2018-01-30

Silica aerogels are highly porous 3D nanostructures and have exhibited excellent physio-chemical properties. Although silica aerogels have broad potential in many fields, the poor mechanical properties greatly limit further applications. In this study, we have applied the finite volume method (FVM) method to calculate the mechanical properties of silica aerogels with different geometric properties such as particle size, pore size, ligament diameter, etc. The FVM simulation results show that a power law correlation existing between relative density and mechanical properties (elastic modulus and yield stress) of silica aerogels, which are consistent with experimental and literature studies. In addition, depending on the relative densities, different strategies are proposed in order to synthesize silica aerogels with better mechanical performance by adjusting the distribution of pore size and ligament diameter of aerogels. Finally, the results suggest that it is possible to synthesize silica aerogels with ultra-low density as well as high strength and stiffness as long as the textural features are well controlled. It is believed that the FVM simulation methodology could be a valuable tool to study mechanical performance of silica aerogel based materials in the future.

Cohesive zone model for intergranular slow crack growth in ceramics: influence of the process and the microstructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romero de la Osa, M.; Estevez, R.; Olagnon, C.; Chevalier, J.; Tallaron, C.

2011-10-01

Ceramic polycrystals are prone to slow crack growth (SCG) which is stress and environmentally assisted, similarly to observations reported for silica glasses. The kinetics of fracture are known to be dependent on the load level, the temperature and the relative humidity. In addition, evidence is available on the influence of the microstructure on the SCG rate with an increase in the crack velocity with decreasing the grain size. Crack propagation takes place beyond a load threshold, which is grain size dependent. We present a cohesive zone model for the intergranular failure process. The methodology accounts for an intrinsic opening that governs the length of the cohesive zone and allows the investigation of grain size effects. A rate and temperature-dependent cohesive model is proposed (Romero de la Osa M, Estevez R et al 2009 J. Mech. Adv. Mater. Struct. 16 623-31) to mimic the reaction-rupture mechanism. The formulation is inspired by Michalske and Freiman's picture (Michalske and Freiman 1983 J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 66 284-8) together with a recent study by Zhu et al (2005 J. Mech. Phys. Solids 53 1597-623) of the reaction-rupture mechanism. The present investigation extends a previous work (Romero de la Osa et al 2009 Int. J. Fracture 158 157-67) in which the problem is formulated. Here, we explore the influence of the microstructure in terms of grain size, their elastic properties and residual thermal stresses originating from the cooling from the sintering temperature down to ambient conditions. Their influence on SCG for static loadings is reported and the predictions compared with experimental trends. We show that the initial stress state is responsible for the grain size dependence reported experimentally for SCG. Furthermore, the account for the initial stresses enables the prediction of a load threshold below which no crack growth is observed: a crack arrest takes place when the crack path meets a region in compression.

Water Oxidation Catalysis via Size-Selected Iridium Clusters

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

Halder, Avik; Liu, Cong; LIU, ZHUN

The detailed mechanism and efficacy of four electron electrochemical water oxidation depend critically upon the detailed atomic structure of each catalytic site, which are numerous and diverse in most metal oxides anodes. In order to limit the diversity of sites, arrays of discrete iridium clusters with identical metal atom number (Ir-2, Ir-4, or Ir-8) were deposited in submonolayer coverage on conductive oxide supports, and the electrochemical properties and activity of each was evaluated. Exceptional electroactivity for the oxygen evolving reaction (OER) was observed for all cluster samples in acidic electrolyte. Reproducible cluster-size-dependent trends in redox behavior were also resolved. First-principlesmore » computational models of the individual discrete-size clusters allow correlation of catalytic-site structure and multiplicity with redox behavior.« less

New developments on size-dependent growth applied to the crystallization of sucrose

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martins, P. M.; Rocha, F.

2007-12-01

The effect of crystal size on the growth rate of sucrose (C 12H 22O 11) at 40 °C is investigated from a theoretical and an experimental point of view. Based on new perspectives resulting from the recently introduced spiral nucleation model [P.M. Martins, F. Rocha, Surf. Sci. 601 (2007) 3400], crystal growth rates are expressed in terms of mass deposition per time and crystal volume units. This alternative definition is demonstrated to be size-independent over the considered supersaturation range. The conventional overall growth rate expressed per surface area units is found to be linearly dependent on crystal size. The advantages of the "volumetric" growth rate concept are discussed. Sucrose dissolution rates were measured under reciprocal conditions of the growth experiments in order to investigate the two-way effect of crystal size on mass transfer rates and on the integration kinetics. Both effects are adequately described by combining a well-established diffusion-integration model and the spiral nucleation mechanism.

Length and temperature dependence of the mechanical properties of finite-size carbyne

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xueming; Huang, Yanhui; Cao, Bingyang; To, Albert C.

2017-09-01

Carbyne is an ideal one-dimensional conductor and the thinnest interconnection in an ultimate nano-device and it requires an understanding of the mechanical properties that affect device performance and reliability. Here, we report the mechanical properties of finite-size carbyne, obtained by a molecular dynamics simulation study based on the adaptive intermolecular reactive empirical bond order potential. To avoid confusion in assigning the effective cross-sectional area of carbyne, the value of the effective cross-sectional area of carbyne (4.148 Å2) was deduced via experiment and adopted in our study. Ends-constraints effects on the ultimate stress (maximum force) of the carbyne chains are investigated, revealing that the molecular dynamics simulation results agree very well with the experimental results. The ultimate strength, Young's Modulus and maximum strain of carbyne are rather sensitive to the temperature and all decrease with the temperature. Opposite tendencies of the length dependence of the overall ultimate strength and maximum strain of carbyne at room temperature and very low temperature have been found, and analyses show that this originates in the ends effect of carbyne.

Freeze/Thaw-Induced Embolism: Probability of Critical Bubble Formation Depends on Speed of Ice Formation

DOE PAGES

Sevanto, Sanna; Holbrook, N. Michele; Ball, Marilyn C.

2012-06-06

Bubble formation in the conduits of woody plants sets a challenge for uninterrupted water transportation from the soil up to the canopy. Freezing and thawing of stems has been shown to increase the number of air-filled (embolized) conduits, especially in trees with large conduit diameters. Despite numerous experimental studies, the mechanisms leading to bubble formation during freezing have not been addressed theoretically. We used classical nucleation theory and fluid mechanics to show which mechanisms are most likely to be responsible for bubble formation during freezing and what parameters determine the likelihood of the process. Our results confirm the common assumptionmore » that bubble formation during freezing is most likely due to gas segregation by ice. If xylem conduit walls are not permeable to the salts expelled by ice during the freezing process, osmotic pressures high enough for air seeding could be created. The build-up rate of segregated solutes in front of the ice-water interface depends equally on conduit diameter and freezing velocity. Therefore, bubble formation probability depends on these variables. The dependence of bubble formation probability on freezing velocity means that the experimental results obtained for cavitation threshold conduit diameters during freeze/thaw cycles depend on the experimental setup; namely sample size and cooling rate. The velocity dependence also suggests that to avoid bubble formation during freezing trees should have narrow conduits where freezing is likely to be fast (e.g., branches or outermost layer of the xylem). Avoidance of bubble formation during freezing could thus be one piece of the explanation why xylem conduit size of temperate and boreal zone trees varies quite systematically.« less

Freeze/Thaw-induced embolism: probability of critical bubble formation depends on speed of ice formation.

PubMed

Sevanto, Sanna; Holbrook, N Michele; Ball, Marilyn C

2012-01-01

Bubble formation in the conduits of woody plants sets a challenge for uninterrupted water transportation from the soil up to the canopy. Freezing and thawing of stems has been shown to increase the number of air-filled (embolized) conduits, especially in trees with large conduit diameters. Despite numerous experimental studies, the mechanisms leading to bubble formation during freezing have not been addressed theoretically. We used classical nucleation theory and fluid mechanics to show which mechanisms are most likely to be responsible for bubble formation during freezing and what parameters determine the likelihood of the process. Our results confirm the common assumption that bubble formation during freezing is most likely due to gas segregation by ice. If xylem conduit walls are not permeable to the salts expelled by ice during the freezing process, osmotic pressures high enough for air seeding could be created. The build-up rate of segregated solutes in front of the ice-water interface depends equally on conduit diameter and freezing velocity. Therefore, bubble formation probability depends on these variables. The dependence of bubble formation probability on freezing velocity means that the experimental results obtained for cavitation threshold conduit diameters during freeze/thaw cycles depend on the experimental setup; namely sample size and cooling rate. The velocity dependence also suggests that to avoid bubble formation during freezing trees should have narrow conduits where freezing is likely to be fast (e.g., branches or outermost layer of the xylem). Avoidance of bubble formation during freezing could thus be one piece of the explanation why xylem conduit size of temperate and boreal zone trees varies quite systematically.

Size dependent anomalous dielectric behavior in nanoparticle Gd2 O 3 : SiO2 glass composite system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukherjee, Sudip; Lin, Yu-Hsing; Kao, Ting-Hui; Chou, C. C.; Yang, H. D.

2011-03-01

Gd 2 O3 (0.5 mol%) nanoparticles have been synthesized in a silica glass matrix by the sol-gel method at calcination temperatures of 700& circ; C and above. Compared with the parent material Si O2 , this nano-glass composite system shows enhancement of dielectric constant and diffuse phase transition along with magnetodielectric effect around room temperature. Observed conduction mechanism is found to be closely related to the thermally activated oxygen vacancies. Magnetodielectric behavior is strongly associated with magnetoresistance changes, depending on the nanoparticle size and separation. Such a material might be treated as a potential candidate for device miniaturization.

A continuum deformation theory for metal-matrix composites at high temperature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, D. N.

1987-01-01

A continuum theory is presented for representing the high temperature, time dependent, hereditary deformation behavior of metallic composites that can be idealized as pseudohomogeneous continua with locally definable directional characteristics. Homogenization of textured materials (molecular, granular, fibrous) and applicability of continuum mechanics in structural applications depends on characteristic body dimensions, the severity of gradients (stress, temperature, etc.) in the structure and the relative size of the internal structure (cell size) of the material. The point of view taken here is that the composite is a material in its own right, with its own properties that can be measured and specified for the composite as a whole.

Quantum-Size Dependence of the Energy for Vacancy Formation in Charged Small Metal Clusters. Drop Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pogosov, V. V.; Reva, V. I.

2018-04-01

Self-consistent computations of the monovacancy formation energy are performed for Na N , Mg N , and Al N (12 < N ≤ 168) spherical clusters in the drop model for stable jelly. Scenarios of the Schottky vacancy formation and "bubble vacancy blowing" are considered. It is shown that the asymptotic behavior of the size dependences of the energy for the vacancy formation by these two mechanisms is different and the difference between the characteristics of a charged and neutral cluster is entirely determined by the difference between the ionization potentials of clusters and the energies of electron attachment to them.

Modeling of Abrasion and Crushing of Unbound Granular Materials During Compaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ocampo, Manuel S.; Caicedo, Bernardo

2009-06-01

Unbound compacted granular materials are commonly used in engineering structures as layers in road pavements, railroad beds, highway embankments, and foundations. These structures are generally subjected to dynamic loading by construction operations, traffic and wheel loads. These repeated or cyclic loads cause abrasion and crushing of the granular materials. Abrasion changes a particle's shape, and crushing divides the particle into a mixture of many small particles of varying sizes. Particle breakage is important because the mechanical and hydraulic properties of these materials depend upon their grain size distribution. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the evolution of the grain size distribution of these materials. In this paper an analytical model for unbound granular materials is proposed in order to evaluate particle crushing of gravels and soils subjected to cyclic loads. The model is based on a Markov chain which describes the development of grading changes in the material as a function of stress levels. In the model proposed, each particle size is a state in the system, and the evolution of the material is the movement of particles from one state to another in n steps. Each step is a load cycle, and movement between states is possible with a transition probability. The crushing of particles depends on the mechanical properties of each grain and the packing density of the granular material. The transition probability was calculated using both the survival probability defined by Weibull and the compressible packing model developed by De Larrard. Material mechanical properties are considered using the Weibull probability theory. The size and shape of the grains, as well as the method of processing the packing density are considered using De Larrard's model. Results of the proposed analytical model show a good agreement with the experimental tests carried out using the gyratory compaction test.

Stress Dependence of Microstructures in Experimentally Deformed Calcite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Platt, J. P.; De Bresser, J. H. P.

2017-12-01

Measurements of dynamically recrystallized grain size (Dr), subgrain size (Sg), minimum bulge size (Blg), and the maximum scale length for surface-energy driven grain-boundary migration (γGBM) in experimentally deformed Cararra marble help define the dependence of these microstructural features on stress and temperature. Measurements were made optically on ultra-thin sections in order to allow these features to be defined during measurement on the basis of microstructural setting and geometry. Taken together with previously published data Dr defines a paleopiezometer with a stress exponent of -1.09. There is no discernible temperature dependence over the 500°C temperature range of the experiments. Recrystallization occured mainly by bulging and subgrain rotation, and the two processes operated together, so that it is not possible to separate grains nucleated by the two mechanisms. Sg and Dr measured in the same samples are closely similar in size, suggesting that new grains do not grow significantly after nucleation, and that subgrain size is likely to be the primary control on recrystallized grain size. Blg and γGBM measured on each sample define a relationship to stress with an exponent of approximately -1.6, which helps define the boundary in stress - grain-size space between a region of dominant strain-energy-driven grain-boundary migration at high stress, from a region of dominant surface-energy-driven grain-boundary migration at low stress.

Particle size dependence of heating power in MgFe2O4 nanoparticles for hyperthermia therapy application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reza Barati, Mohammad; Selomulya, Cordelia; Suzuki, Kiyonori

2014-05-01

Magnetic nanoparticles with narrow size distributions have successfully been synthesized by an ultrasonic assisted co-precipitation method. The effects of particle size on magnetic properties, heat generation by AC fields, and the cell cytotoxicity were investigated for MgFe2O4 nanoparticles with mean diameters varying from 7 ± 0.5 nm to 29 ± 1 nm. The critical size for superparamagnetic to ferrimagnetic transition (DS→F) of MgFe2O4 was determined to be about 13 ± 0.5 nm at 300 K. The specific absorption rate (SAR) of MgFe2O4 nanoparticles was strongly size dependent; it showed a maximum value of 19 W/g when the particle size was 10 ± 0.5 nm at which the Néel and Brownian relaxations are the major cause of heating. The SAR value was suppressed dramatically by 46% with increasing particle size from 10 ± 0.5 nm to 13 ± 0.5 nm, where Néel relaxation slows down and SAR results primarily from Brownian relaxation loss. A further reduction in SAR value was evident when the size was increased from 13 ± 0.5 nm to 16 ± 1 nm, where the superparamagnetic to ferromagnetic transition occurs. However, SAR showed a tendency to increase with particle size again above 16 ± 1 nm where hysteresis loss becomes the dominant mechanism of heat generation. The particle size dependence of SAR in the superparamagnetic region was well described by considering the effective relaxation time estimated based on a log-normal size distribution. The clear size dependence of SAR is attributable to the high degree of monodispersity of particles synthesized here. The high SAR value of water-based MgFe2O4 magnetic suspension combined with low cell cytotoxicity suggests a great potential of MgFe2O4 nanoparticles for magnetic hyperthermia therapy applications.

The phenotype of cancer cell invasion controlled by fibril diameter and pore size of 3D collagen networks.

PubMed

Sapudom, Jiranuwat; Rubner, Stefan; Martin, Steve; Kurth, Tony; Riedel, Stefanie; Mierke, Claudia T; Pompe, Tilo

2015-06-01

The behavior of cancer cells is strongly influenced by the properties of extracellular microenvironments, including topology, mechanics and composition. As topological and mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix are hard to access and control for in-depth studies of underlying mechanisms in vivo, defined biomimetic in vitro models are needed. Herein we show, how pore size and fibril diameter of collagen I networks distinctively regulate cancer cell morphology and invasion. Three-dimensional collagen I matrices with a tight control of pore size, fibril diameter and stiffness were reconstituted by adjustment of concentration and pH value during matrix reconstitution. At first, a detailed analysis of topology and mechanics of matrices using confocal laser scanning microscopy, image analysis tools and force spectroscopy indicate pore size and not fibril diameter as the major determinant of matrix elasticity. Secondly, by using two different breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7), we demonstrate collagen fibril diameter--and not pore size--to primarily regulate cell morphology, cluster formation and invasion. Invasiveness increased and clustering decreased with increasing fibril diameter for both, the highly invasive MDA-MB-231 cells with mesenchymal migratory phenotype and the MCF-7 cells with amoeboid migratory phenotype. As this behavior was independent of overall pore size, matrix elasticity is shown to be not the major determinant of the cell characteristics. Our work emphasizes the complex relationship between structural-mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix and invasive behavior of cancer cells. It suggests a correlation of migratory and invasive phenotype of cancer cells in dependence on topological and mechanical features of the length scale of single fibrils and not on coarse-grained network properties. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The island rule in large mammals: paleontology meets ecology.

PubMed

Raia, Pasquale; Meiri, Shai

2006-08-01

The island rule is the phenomenon of the miniaturization of large animals and the gigantism of small animals on islands, with mammals providing the classic case studies. Several explanations for this pattern have been suggested, and departures from the predictions of this rule are common among mammals of differing body size, trophic habits, and phylogenetic affinities. Here we offer a new explanation for the evolution of body size of large insular mammals, using evidence from both living and fossil island faunal assemblages. We demonstrate that the extent of dwarfism in ungulates depends on the existence of competitors and, to a lesser extent, on the presence of predators. In contrast, competition and predation have little or no effect on insular carnivore body size, which is influenced by the nature of the resource base. We suggest dwarfism in large herbivores is an outcome of the fitness increase resulting from the acceleration of reproduction in low-mortality environments. Carnivore size is dependent on the abundance and size of their prey. Size evolution of large mammals in different trophic levels has different underlying mechanisms, resulting in different patterns. Absolute body size may be only an indirect predictor of size evolution, with ecological interactions playing a major role.

Reduction of Growth Rate as the Major Process in the Miniaturization of the Sand Dollar Sinaechinocyamus mai.

PubMed

Chen, C P; Chao, C M

1997-08-01

Sinaechinocyamus mai is an extremely small sand dollar, the maximum size being 10.9 mm. It has been suggested that Sinaechinocyamus is a miniaturized progenetic sand dollar that closely resembles the juveniles of Scaphechinus. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms responsible for the miniaturization. Our analysis of population dynamics, maturity, and annual reproductive cycles suggests that the growth rates of S. mai are about 19% the growth rates of Scaphechinus mirabilis, which reaches a maximum size of 88 mm. The developmental stages of oral and aboral surfaces were defined on the basis of the number of discontinuous interambulacral plates and the number of tube-foot porepairs, pairs, respectively. The patterns of the oral and aboral surfaces of the two species were compared, both at original size and after the Scaphechinus mirabilis pattern had been reduced to a size proportional to that of S. mai (i.e., to 19% original). On the oral surface, the patterns were different at the original sizes, but similar when the proportional sizes were compared; this indicates that the development of the oral plates is age-dependent in S. mai. On the aboral surface, the patterns were similar at the original sizes, but different in the proportional comparison, indicating that the development of the aboral plates is size-dependent in S. mai. S. mai becomes sexually mature at the age of 2 years, and Scaphechinus mirabilis matures probably at about the same age. Our data suggest that the reduction of growth rate (neoteny) is a more important mechanism of miniaturization in S. mai than is precocious cessation (progenesis).

Determination of Temperature- Dependent Mechanical Properties of Carbon Composites Under Tensile and Flexural Loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chripunow, Andre; Kubisch, Aline; Ruder, Matthias; Forster, Andreas; Korber, Hannes

2014-06-01

The presented test setup utilises a custom-built furnace realising test temperatures of up to 500°C. In order to ensure always optimal test conditions the temperature cell can be exchanged depending on the mechanical tests and specimen sizes. Cells for tensile and flexural loadings had been developed. With the latter one it is possible to perform three-point-bending tests, interlaminar-shear-strength tests as well as tests to determine the interlaminar fracture toughness. In this work the effect of fibre orientation on the mechanical properties of CFRP prepreg material under tensile and flexural loads at elevated temperatures was studied. Especially the matrix dominated layups showed a rather early decay of the mechanical properties even at temperatures quite lower than Tg. An analytical model has been used to describe the temperature-dependent properties. The model shows good agreement concerning the strength whereas the proper prediction of the moduli was only possible for the matrix dominated layups.

Declining body size: a third universal response to warming?

PubMed

Gardner, Janet L; Peters, Anne; Kearney, Michael R; Joseph, Leo; Heinsohn, Robert

2011-06-01

A recently documented correlate of anthropogenic climate change involves reductions in body size, the nature and scale of the pattern leading to suggestions of a third universal response to climate warming. Because body size affects thermoregulation and energetics, changing body size has implications for resilience in the face of climate change. A review of recent studies shows heterogeneity in the magnitude and direction of size responses, exposing a need for large-scale phylogenetically controlled comparative analyses of temporal size change. Integrative analyses of museum data combined with new theoretical models of size-dependent thermoregulatory and metabolic responses will increase both understanding of the underlying mechanisms and physiological consequences of size shifts and, therefore, the ability to predict the sensitivities of species to climate change. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

Pathak, S.; Li, N.; Maeder, X.

We investigated the mechanical response of physical vapor deposited Cu–TiN nanolayered composites of varying layer thicknesses from 5 nm to 200 nm. Both the Cu and TiN layers were found to consist of single phase nanometer sized grains. The grain sizes in the Cu and TiN layers, measured using transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, were found to be comparable to or smaller than their respective layer thicknesses. Indentation hardness testing revealed that the hardness of such nanolayered composites exhibits a weak dependence on the layer thickness but is more correlated to their grain size.

Size and Crystallographic Orientation Effects on the Mechanical Behavior of 4H-SiC Micro-/nano-pillars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Xiaolei; Guo, Qiang; Li, Zhiqiang; Fan, Genlian; Xiong, Ding-Bang; Su, Yishi; Zhang, Jie; Tan, Zhanqiu; Guo, Cuiping; Zhang, Di

2018-02-01

Single crystalline 4H-SiC micro-/nano-pillars of various sizes and different crystallographic orientations were fabricated and tested by uniaxial compression. The pillars with zero shear stress resolved on the basal slip system were found to fracture in a brittle manner without showing significant size dependence, while the pillars with non-zero resolved shear stress showed a "smaller is stronger" behavior and a jerky plastic flow. These observations were interpreted by homogeneous dislocation nucleation and dislocation glide on the basal plane.

Freezing and melting of water in a single cylindrical pore: The pore-size dependence of freezing and melting behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morishige, Kunimitsu; Kawano, Keiji

1999-03-01

In order to clarify the origin of the hysteresis between freezing and melting of pore water, we performed x-ray diffraction measurements of water confined inside the cylindrical pores of seven kinds of siliceous MCM-41 (a member of ordered mesoporous materials denoted by Mobil Oil researchers) with different pore radii (1.2-2.9 nm) and the interconnected pores of Vycor glass as a function of temperature. The hysteresis effect depends markedly on the size of the cylindrical pores: the hysteresis is negligibly small in smaller pores and becomes remarkable in larger pores. This strongly suggests that the hysteresis is arisen from size-dependent supercooling of water confined to the mesopores. For the water confined to the mesopores with pore radius of 1.2 nm, a continuous transition between a liquid and a solid precedes the first-order freezing transition of the pore water which would occur by the same mechanism as in bulk water.

DNA bipedal motor walking dynamics: an experimental and theoretical study of the dependency on step size

PubMed Central

Khara, Dinesh C; Berger, Yaron; Ouldridge, Thomas E

2018-01-01

Abstract We present a detailed coarse-grained computer simulation and single molecule fluorescence study of the walking dynamics and mechanism of a DNA bipedal motor striding on a DNA origami. In particular, we study the dependency of the walking efficiency and stepping kinetics on step size. The simulations accurately capture and explain three different experimental observations. These include a description of the maximum possible step size, a decrease in the walking efficiency over short distances and a dependency of the efficiency on the walking direction with respect to the origami track. The former two observations were not expected and are non-trivial. Based on this study, we suggest three design modifications to improve future DNA walkers. Our study demonstrates the ability of the oxDNA model to resolve the dynamics of complex DNA machines, and its usefulness as an engineering tool for the design of DNA machines that operate in the three spatial dimensions. PMID:29294083

Resonance-induced multimodal body-size distributions in ecosystems

PubMed Central

Lampert, Adam; Tlusty, Tsvi

2013-01-01

The size of an organism reflects its metabolic rate, growth rate, mortality, and other important characteristics; therefore, the distribution of body size is a major determinant of ecosystem structure and function. Body-size distributions often are multimodal, with several peaks of abundant sizes, and previous studies suggest that this is the outcome of niche separation: species from distinct peaks avoid competition by consuming different resources, which results in selection of different sizes in each niche. However, this cannot explain many ecosystems with several peaks competing over the same niche. Here, we suggest an alternative, generic mechanism underlying multimodal size distributions, by showing that the size-dependent tradeoff between reproduction and resource utilization entails an inherent resonance that may induce multiple peaks, all competing over the same niche. Our theory is well fitted to empirical data in various ecosystems, in which both model and measurements show a multimodal, periodically peaked distribution at larger sizes, followed by a smooth tail at smaller sizes. Moreover, we show a universal pattern of size distributions, manifested in the collapse of data from ecosystems of different scales: phytoplankton in a lake, metazoans in a stream, and arthropods in forests. The demonstrated resonance mechanism is generic, suggesting that multimodal distributions of numerous ecological characters emerge from the interplay between local competition and global migration. PMID:23248320

Stochastic localization of microswimmers by photon nudging.

PubMed

Bregulla, Andreas P; Yang, Haw; Cichos, Frank

2014-07-22

Force-free trapping and steering of single photophoretically self-propelled Janus-type particles using a feedback mechanism is experimentally demonstrated. Realtime information on particle position and orientation is used to switch the self-propulsion mechanism of the particle optically. The orientational Brownian motion of the particle thereby provides the reorientation mechanism for the microswimmer. The particle size dependence of the photophoretic propulsion velocity reveals that photon nudging provides an increased position accuracy for decreasing particle radius. The explored steering mechanism is suitable for navigation in complex biological environments and in-depth studies of collective swimming effects.

Nuclear size is sensitive to NTF2 protein levels in a manner dependent on Ran binding.

PubMed

Vuković, Lidija D; Jevtić, Predrag; Zhang, Zhaojie; Stohr, Bradley A; Levy, Daniel L

2016-03-15

Altered nuclear size is associated with many cancers, and determining whether cancer-associated changes in nuclear size contribute to carcinogenesis necessitates an understanding of mechanisms of nuclear size regulation. Although nuclear import rates generally positively correlate with nuclear size, NTF2 levels negatively affect nuclear size, despite the role of NTF2 (also known as NUTF2) in nuclear recycling of the import factor Ran. We show that binding of Ran to NTF2 is required for NTF2 to inhibit nuclear expansion and import of large cargo molecules in Xenopus laevis egg and embryo extracts, consistent with our observation that NTF2 reduces the diameter of the nuclear pore complex (NPC) in a Ran-binding-dependent manner. Furthermore, we demonstrate that ectopic NTF2 expression in Xenopus embryos and mammalian tissue culture cells alters nuclear size. Finally, we show that increases in nuclear size during melanoma progression correlate with reduced NTF2 expression, and increasing NTF2 levels in melanoma cells is sufficient to reduce nuclear size. These results show a conserved capacity for NTF2 to impact on nuclear size, and we propose that NTF2 might be a new cancer biomarker. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Demographic changes following mechanical removal of exotic brown trout in an Intermountain West (USA), high-elevation stream

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saunders, W. Carl; Budy, Phaedra E.; Thiede, Gary P.

2015-01-01

Exotic species present a great threat to native fish conservation; however, eradicating exotics is expensive and often impractical. Mechanical removal can be ineffective for eradication, but nonetheless may increase management effectiveness by identifying portions of a watershed that are strong sources of exotics. We used mechanical removal to understand processes driving exotic brown trout (Salmo trutta) populations in the Logan River, Utah. Our goals were to: (i) evaluate the demographic response of brown trout to mechanical removal, (ii) identify sources of brown trout recruitment at a watershed scale and (iii) evaluate whether mechanical removal can reduce brown trout densities. We removed brown trout from 2 km of the Logan River (4174 fish), and 5.6 km of Right Hand Fork (RHF, 15,245 fish), a low-elevation tributary, using single-pass electrofishing. We compared fish abundance and size distributions prior to, and after 2 years of mechanical removal. In the Logan River, immigration to the removal reach and high natural variability in fish abundances limited the response to mechanical removal. In contrast, mechanical removal in RHF resulted in a strong recruitment pulse, shifting the size distribution towards smaller fish. These results suggest that, before removal, density-dependent mortality or emigration of juvenile fish stabilised adult populations and may have provided a source of juveniles to the main stem. Overall, in sites demonstrating strong density-dependent population regulation, or near sources of exotics, short-term mechanical removal has limited effects on brown trout populations but may help identify factors governing populations and inform large-scale management of exotic species.

Influences of periodic mechanical deformation on pinned spiral waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jiang-Xing; Peng, Liang; Zheng, Qiang; Zhao, Ye-Hua; Ying, He-Ping

2014-09-01

In a generic model of excitable media, we study the behavior of spiral waves interacting with obstacles and their dynamics under the influences of simple periodic mechanical deformation (PMD). Depending on the characteristics of the obstacles, i.e., size and excitability, the rotation of a pinned spiral wave shows different scenarios, e.g., embedding into or anchoring on an obstacle. Three different drift phenomena induced by PMD are observed: scattering on small partial-excitable obstacles, meander-induced unpinning on big partial-excitable obstacles, and drifting around small unexcitable obstacles. Their underlying mechanisms are discussed. The dependence of the threshold amplitude of PMD on the characteristics of the obstacles to successfully remove pinned spiral waves on big partial-excitable obstacles is studied.

Curvature of Double-Membrane Organelles Generated by Changes in Membrane Size and Composition

PubMed Central

Knorr, Roland L.; Dimova, Rumiana; Lipowsky, Reinhard

2012-01-01

Transient double-membrane organelles are key players in cellular processes such as autophagy, reproduction, and viral infection. These organelles are formed by the bending and closure of flat, double-membrane sheets. Proteins are believed to be important in these morphological transitions but the underlying mechanism of curvature generation is poorly understood. Here, we describe a novel mechanism for this curvature generation which depends primarily on three membrane properties: the lateral size of the double-membrane sheets, the molecular composition of their highly curved rims, and a possible asymmetry between the two flat faces of the sheets. This mechanism is evolutionary advantageous since it does not require active processes and is readily available even when resources within the cell are restricted as during starvation, which can induce autophagy and sporulation. We identify pathways for protein-assisted regulation of curvature generation, organelle size, direction of bending, and morphology. Our theory also provides a mechanism for the stabilization of large double-membrane sheet-like structures found in the endoplasmic reticulum and in the Golgi cisternae. PMID:22427874

Reynolds number effects on gill pumping mechanics in mayfly nymphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sensenig, Andrew; Shultz, Jeffrey; Kiger, Ken

2006-11-01

Mayfly nymphs have an entirely aquatic life stage in which they frequently inhabit stagnant water. Nymphs have the capability to generate a ventilation current to compensate for the low oxygen level of the water by beating two linear arrays of plate-like gills that typically line the lateral edge of the abdomen. The characteristic Reynolds number associated with the gill motion changes with animal size, varying over a span of Re = 5 to 100 depending on age and species. The assumption that the system maintains optimal energetic efficiency leads to the prediction that animals transition from rowing to flapping mechanisms with increasing Re, while possibly utilizing a squeeze mechanism to a greater extent at lower Re. To investigate this hypothesis, we capture the motion of the gills through 3D imaging to investigate the effect of Reynolds number on the stroke patterns. PIV is utilized to assess flow rates and viscous dissipation. The effectiveness of the ventilation mechanism at each size has important consequences for the range of oxygen levels, and hence the habitat range, that can be tolerated by that size.

Mechanical output of myosin II motors is regulated by myosin filament size and actin network mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stam, Samantha; Alberts, Jonathan; Gardel, Margaret; Munro, Edwin

2013-03-01

The interactions of bipolar myosin II filaments with actin arrays are a predominate means of generating forces in numerous physiological processes including muscle contraction and cell migration. However, how the spatiotemporal regulation of these forces depends on motor mechanochemistry, bipolar filament size, and local actin mechanics is unknown. Here, we simulate myosin II motors with an agent-based model in which the motors have been benchmarked against experimental measurements. Force generation occurs in two distinct regimes characterized either by stable tension maintenance or by stochastic buildup and release; transitions between these regimes occur by changes to duty ratio and myosin filament size. The time required for building force to stall scales inversely with the stiffness of a network and the actin gliding speed of a motor. Finally, myosin motors are predicted to contract a network toward stiffer regions, which is consistent with experimental observations. Our representation of myosin motors can be used to understand how their mechanical and biochemical properties influence their observed behavior in a variety of in vitro and in vivo contexts.

Comparisons of Fabric Strength and Development in Polycrystalline Ice at Atmospheric and Basal Hydrostatic Pressures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breton, Daniel; Baker, Ian; Cole, David

2013-04-01

Understanding and predicting the flow of polycrystalline ice is crucial to ice sheet modeling and paleoclimate reconstruction from ice cores. Ice flow rates depend strongly on the fabric (i.e. the distribution of grain sizes and crystallographic orientations) which evolves over time and enhances the flow rate in the direction of applied stress. The mechanisms for fabric evolution in ice have been extensively studied at atmospheric pressures, but little work has been done to observe these processes at the high pressures experienced deep within ice sheets where long-term changes in ice rheology are expected to have significance. We conducted compressive creep tests to ~10% strain on 917 kg m-3, initially randomly-oriented polycrystalline ice specimens at 0.1 (atmospheric) and 20 MPa (simulating ~2,000 m depth) hydrostatic pressures, performing microstructural analyses on the resulting deformed specimens to characterize the evolution and strength of crystal fabric. Our microstructural analysis technique simultaneously collects grain shape and size data from Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) micrographs and obtains crystallographic orientation data via Electron BackScatter Diffraction (EBSD). Combining these measurements allows rapid analysis of the ice fabric over large numbers of grains, yielding statistically useful numbers of grain size and orientation data. We present creep and microstructural data to demonstrate pressure-dependent effects on the mechanical and microstructural evolution of polycrystalline ice and discuss possible mechanisms for the observed differences.

Size-Controlled Synthesis of Sub-10 nm PtNi3 Alloy Nanoparticles and their Unusual Volcano-Shaped Size Effect on ORR Electrocatalysis.

PubMed

Gan, Lin; Rudi, Stefan; Cui, Chunhua; Heggen, Marc; Strasser, Peter

2016-06-01

Dealloyed Pt bimetallic core-shell catalysts derived from low-Pt bimetallic alloy nanoparticles (e.g, PtNi3 ) have recently shown unprecedented activity and stability on the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) under realistic fuel cell conditions and become today's catalyst of choice for commercialization of automobile fuel cells. A critical step toward this breakthrough is to control their particle size below a critical value (≈10 nm) to suppress nanoporosity formation and hence reduce significant base metal (e.g., Ni) leaching under the corrosive ORR condition. Fine size control of the sub-10 nm PtNi3 nanoparticles and understanding their size dependent ORR electrocatalysis are crucial to further improve their ORR activity and stability yet still remain unexplored. A robust synthetic approach is presented here for size-controlled PtNi3 nanoparticles between 3 and 10 nm while keeping a constant particle composition and their size-selected growth mechanism is studied comprehensively. This enables us to address their size-dependent ORR activities and stabilities for the first time. Contrary to the previously established monotonic increase of ORR specific activity and stability with increasing particle size on Pt and Pt-rich bimetallic nanoparticles, the Pt-poor PtNi3 nanoparticles exhibit an unusual "volcano-shaped" size dependence, showing the highest ORR activity and stability at the particle sizes between 6 and 8 nm due to their highest Ni retention during long-term catalyst aging. The results of this study provide important practical guidelines for the size selection of the low Pt bimetallic ORR electrocatalysts with further improved durably high activity. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Size-dependent surface phase change of lithium iron phosphate during carbon coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jiajun; Yang, Jinli; Tang, Yongji; Liu, Jian; Zhang, Yong; Liang, Guoxian; Gauthier, Michel; Karen Chen-Wiegart, Yu-Chen; Norouzi Banis, Mohammad; Li, Xifei; Li, Ruying; Wang, Jun; Sham, T. K.; Sun, Xueliang

2014-03-01

Carbon coating is a simple, effective and common technique for improving the conductivity of active materials in lithium ion batteries. However, carbon coating provides a strong reducing atmosphere and many factors remain unclear concerning the interface nature and underlying interaction mechanism that occurs between carbon and the active materials. Here, we present a size-dependent surface phase change occurring in lithium iron phosphate during the carbon coating process. Intriguingly, nanoscale particles exhibit an extremely high stability during the carbon coating process, whereas microscale particles display a direct visualization of surface phase changes occurring at the interface at elevated temperatures. Our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the effect of particle size during carbon coating and the interface interaction that occurs on carbon-coated battery material—allowing for further improvement in materials synthesis and manufacturing processes for advanced battery materials.

Extracting Cell Stiffness from Real-Time Deformability Cytometry: Theory and Experiment.

PubMed

Mietke, Alexander; Otto, Oliver; Girardo, Salvatore; Rosendahl, Philipp; Taubenberger, Anna; Golfier, Stefan; Ulbricht, Elke; Aland, Sebastian; Guck, Jochen; Fischer-Friedrich, Elisabeth

2015-11-17

Cell stiffness is a sensitive indicator of physiological and pathological changes in cells, with many potential applications in biology and medicine. A new method, real-time deformability cytometry, probes cell stiffness at high throughput by exposing cells to a shear flow in a microfluidic channel, allowing for mechanical phenotyping based on single-cell deformability. However, observed deformations of cells in the channel not only are determined by cell stiffness, but also depend on cell size relative to channel size. Here, we disentangle mutual contributions of cell size and cell stiffness to cell deformation by a theoretical analysis in terms of hydrodynamics and linear elasticity theory. Performing real-time deformability cytometry experiments on both model spheres of known elasticity and biological cells, we demonstrate that our analytical model not only predicts deformed shapes inside the channel but also allows for quantification of cell mechanical parameters. Thereby, fast and quantitative mechanical sampling of large cell populations becomes feasible. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Extracting Cell Stiffness from Real-Time Deformability Cytometry: Theory and Experiment

PubMed Central

Mietke, Alexander; Otto, Oliver; Girardo, Salvatore; Rosendahl, Philipp; Taubenberger, Anna; Golfier, Stefan; Ulbricht, Elke; Aland, Sebastian; Guck, Jochen; Fischer-Friedrich, Elisabeth

2015-01-01

Cell stiffness is a sensitive indicator of physiological and pathological changes in cells, with many potential applications in biology and medicine. A new method, real-time deformability cytometry, probes cell stiffness at high throughput by exposing cells to a shear flow in a microfluidic channel, allowing for mechanical phenotyping based on single-cell deformability. However, observed deformations of cells in the channel not only are determined by cell stiffness, but also depend on cell size relative to channel size. Here, we disentangle mutual contributions of cell size and cell stiffness to cell deformation by a theoretical analysis in terms of hydrodynamics and linear elasticity theory. Performing real-time deformability cytometry experiments on both model spheres of known elasticity and biological cells, we demonstrate that our analytical model not only predicts deformed shapes inside the channel but also allows for quantification of cell mechanical parameters. Thereby, fast and quantitative mechanical sampling of large cell populations becomes feasible. PMID:26588562

Modelling the Size Effects on the Mechanical Properties of Micro/Nano Structures.

PubMed

Abazari, Amir Musa; Safavi, Seyed Mohsen; Rezazadeh, Ghader; Villanueva, Luis Guillermo

2015-11-11

Experiments on micro- and nano-mechanical systems (M/NEMS) have shown that their behavior under bending loads departs in many cases from the classical predictions using Euler-Bernoulli theory and Hooke's law. This anomalous response has usually been seen as a dependence of the material properties on the size of the structure, in particular thickness. A theoretical model that allows for quantitative understanding and prediction of this size effect is important for the design of M/NEMS. In this paper, we summarize and analyze the five theories that can be found in the literature: Grain Boundary Theory (GBT), Surface Stress Theory (SST), Residual Stress Theory (RST), Couple Stress Theory (CST) and Surface Elasticity Theory (SET). By comparing these theories with experimental data we propose a simplified model combination of CST and SET that properly fits all considered cases, therefore delivering a simple (two parameters) model that can be used to predict the mechanical properties at the nanoscale.

Modelling the Size Effects on the Mechanical Properties of Micro/Nano Structures

PubMed Central

Abazari, Amir Musa; Safavi, Seyed Mohsen; Rezazadeh, Ghader; Villanueva, Luis Guillermo

2015-01-01

Experiments on micro- and nano-mechanical systems (M/NEMS) have shown that their behavior under bending loads departs in many cases from the classical predictions using Euler-Bernoulli theory and Hooke’s law. This anomalous response has usually been seen as a dependence of the material properties on the size of the structure, in particular thickness. A theoretical model that allows for quantitative understanding and prediction of this size effect is important for the design of M/NEMS. In this paper, we summarize and analyze the five theories that can be found in the literature: Grain Boundary Theory (GBT), Surface Stress Theory (SST), Residual Stress Theory (RST), Couple Stress Theory (CST) and Surface Elasticity Theory (SET). By comparing these theories with experimental data we propose a simplified model combination of CST and SET that properly fits all considered cases, therefore delivering a simple (two parameters) model that can be used to predict the mechanical properties at the nanoscale. PMID:26569256

Why do shape aftereffects increase with eccentricity?

PubMed

Gheorghiu, Elena; Kingdom, Frederick A A; Bell, Jason; Gurnsey, Rick

2011-12-20

Studies have shown that spatial aftereffects increase with eccentricity. Here, we demonstrate that the shape-frequency and shape-amplitude aftereffects, which describe the perceived shifts in the shape of a sinusoidal-shaped contour following adaptation to a slightly different sinusoidal-shaped contour, also increase with eccentricity. Why does this happen? We first demonstrate that the perceptual shift increases with eccentricity for stimuli of fixed sizes. These shifts are not attenuated by variations in stimulus size; in fact, at each eccentricity the degree of perceptual shift is scale-independent. This scale independence is specific to the aftereffect because basic discrimination thresholds (in the absence of adaptation) decrease as size increases. Structural aspects of the displays were found to have a modest effect on the degree of perceptual shift; the degree of adaptation depends modestly on distance between stimuli during adaptation and post-adaptation testing. There were similar temporal rates of decline of adaptation across the visual field and higher post-adaptation discrimination thresholds in the periphery than in the center. The observed results are consistent with greater sensitivity reduction in adapted mechanisms following adaptation in the periphery or an eccentricity-dependent increase in the bandwidth of the shape-frequency- and shape-amplitude-selective mechanisms.

Characterization of free volume during vulcanization of styrene butadiene rubber by means of positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy and dynamic mechanical test.

PubMed

Marzocca, A J; Cerveny, S; Salgueiro, W; Somoza, A; Gonzalez, L

2002-02-01

An experimental investigation was performed to study the effect on the free volume of the advance of the cross-linking reaction in a copolymer of styrene butadiene rubber by sulfur vulcanization. The dynamic modulus and loss tangent were evaluated over samples cured for different times at 433 K by dynamic mechanical tests over a range of frequencies between 5 and 80 Hz at temperatures between 200 and 300 K. Using the William-Landel-Ferry relationship, master curves were obtained at a reference temperature of 298 K and the coefficients c(0)(1) and c(0)(2) were evaluated. From these parameters the dependence of the free volume on the cure time is obtained. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy was also used to estimate the size and number density of free volume sites in the material. The spectra were analyzed in terms of continuous distributions of free volume size. The results suggest an increase of the lower free volume size when cross linking takes place. Both techniques give similar results for the dependence of free volume on the time of cure of the polymer.

Size dependent nanomechanics of coil spring shaped polymer nanowires

PubMed Central

Ushiba, Shota; Masui, Kyoko; Taguchi, Natsuo; Hamano, Tomoki; Kawata, Satoshi; Shoji, Satoru

2015-01-01

Direct laser writing (DLW) via two-photon polymerization (TPP) has been established as a powerful technique for fabrication and integration of nanoscale components, as it enables the production of three dimensional (3D) micro/nano objects. This technique has indeed led to numerous applications, including micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS), metamaterials, mechanical metamaterials, and photonic crystals. However, as the feature sizes decrease, an urgent demand has emerged to uncover the mechanics of nanosized polymer materials. Here, we fabricate coil spring shaped polymer nanowires using DLW via two-photon polymerization. We find that even the nanocoil springs follow a linear-response against applied forces, following Hooke’s law, as revealed by compression tests using an atomic force microscope. Further, the elasticity of the polymer material is found to become significantly greater as the wire radius is decreased from 550 to 350 nm. Polarized Raman spectroscopy measurements show that polymer chains are aligned in nanowires along the axis, which may be responsible for the size dependence. Our findings provide insight into the nanomechanics of polymer materials fabricated by DLW, which leads to further applications based on nanosized polymer materials. PMID:26612544

Scale dependence of rock friction at high work rate.

PubMed

Yamashita, Futoshi; Fukuyama, Eiichi; Mizoguchi, Kazuo; Takizawa, Shigeru; Xu, Shiqing; Kawakata, Hironori

2015-12-10

Determination of the frictional properties of rocks is crucial for an understanding of earthquake mechanics, because most earthquakes are caused by frictional sliding along faults. Prior studies using rotary shear apparatus revealed a marked decrease in frictional strength, which can cause a large stress drop and strong shaking, with increasing slip rate and increasing work rate. (The mechanical work rate per unit area equals the product of the shear stress and the slip rate.) However, those important findings were obtained in experiments using rock specimens with dimensions of only several centimetres, which are much smaller than the dimensions of a natural fault (of the order of 1,000 metres). Here we use a large-scale biaxial friction apparatus with metre-sized rock specimens to investigate scale-dependent rock friction. The experiments show that rock friction in metre-sized rock specimens starts to decrease at a work rate that is one order of magnitude smaller than that in centimetre-sized rock specimens. Mechanical, visual and material observations suggest that slip-evolved stress heterogeneity on the fault accounts for the difference. On the basis of these observations, we propose that stress-concentrated areas exist in which frictional slip produces more wear materials (gouge) than in areas outside, resulting in further stress concentrations at these areas. Shear stress on the fault is primarily sustained by stress-concentrated areas that undergo a high work rate, so those areas should weaken rapidly and cause the macroscopic frictional strength to decrease abruptly. To verify this idea, we conducted numerical simulations assuming that local friction follows the frictional properties observed on centimetre-sized rock specimens. The simulations reproduced the macroscopic frictional properties observed on the metre-sized rock specimens. Given that localized stress concentrations commonly occur naturally, our results suggest that a natural fault may lose its strength faster than would be expected from the properties estimated from centimetre-sized rock samples.

Density-functional tight-binding investigation of the structure, stability and material properties of nickel hydroxide nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jahangiri, Soran; Mosey, Nicholas J.

2018-01-01

Nickel hydroxide is a material composed of two-dimensional layers that can be rolled up to form cylindrical nanotubes belonging to a class of inorganic metal hydroxide nanotubes that are candidates for applications in catalysis, energy storage, and microelectronics. The stabilities and other properties of this class of inorganic nanotubes have not yet been investigated in detail. The present study uses self-consistent-charge density-functional tight-binding calculations to examine the stabilities, mechanical properties, and electronic properties of nickel hydroxide nanotubes along with the energetics associated with the adsorption of water by these systems. The tight-binding model was parametrized for this system based on the results of first-principles calculations. The stabilities of the nanotubes were examined by calculating strain energies and performing molecular dynamics simulations. The results indicate that single-walled nickel hydroxide nanotubes are stable at room temperature, which is consistent with experimental investigations. The nanotubes possess size-dependent mechanical properties that are similar in magnitude to those of other inorganic nanotubes. The electronic properties of the nanotubes were also found to be size-dependent and small nickel oxyhydroxide nanotubes are predicted to be semiconductors. Despite this size-dependence, both the mechanical and electronic properties were found to be almost independent of the helical structure of the nanotubes. The calculations also show that water molecules have higher adsorption energies when binding to the interior of the nickel hydroxide nanotubes when compared to adsorption in nanotubes formed from other two-dimensional materials such as graphene. The increased adsorption energy is due to the hydrophilic nature of nickel hydroxide. Due to the broad applications of nickel hydroxide, the nanotubes investigated here are also expected to be used in catalysis, electronics, and clean energy production.

Size-dependent diffusion promotes the emergence of spatiotemporal patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lai; Thygesen, Uffe Høgsbro; Banerjee, Malay

2014-07-01

Spatiotemporal patterns, indicating the spatiotemporal variability of individual abundance, are a pronounced scenario in ecological interactions. Most of the existing models for spatiotemporal patterns treat species as homogeneous groups of individuals with average characteristics by ignoring intraspecific physiological variations at the individual level. Here we explore the impacts of size variation within species resulting from individual ontogeny, on the emergence of spatiotemporal patterns in a fully size-structured population model. We found that size dependency of animal's diffusivity greatly promotes the formation of spatiotemporal patterns, by creating regular spatiotemporal patterns out of temporal chaos. We also found that size-dependent diffusion can substitute large-amplitude base harmonics with spatiotemporal patterns with lower amplitude oscillations but with enriched harmonics. Finally, we found that the single-generation cycle is more likely to drive spatiotemporal patterns compared to predator-prey cycles, meaning that the mechanism of Hopf bifurcation might be more common than hitherto appreciated since the former cycle is more widespread than the latter in case of interacting populations. Due to the ubiquity of individual ontogeny in natural ecosystems we conclude that diffusion variability within populations is a significant driving force for the emergence of spatiotemporal patterns. Our results offer a perspective on self-organized phenomena, and pave a way to understand such phenomena in systems organized as complex ecological networks.

Scaling trace organic contaminant adsorption capacity by granular activated carbon.

PubMed

Corwin, Christopher J; Summers, R Scott

2010-07-15

The role of particle size on the reduction of granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption capacity for trace organic contaminants by dissolved organic matter (DOM) is examined and applied to performance scale-up. The adsorption capacity reduction, termed fouling, must be scalable in order to use bench scale tests, such as the rapid small-scale column test (RSSCT) to predict full-scale breakthrough. Equilibrium adsorption capacity tests with GAC preloaded with DOM and RSSCT breakthrough curves at three different GAC particle sizes indicate that GAC adsorption capacity is dependent on GAC particle size when DOM is present. Thus, the RSSCT cannot be expected to match full-scale results regardless of which RSSCT design approach is used (constant or proportional diffusivity), unless a scaling factor is applied to the results. Proportional diffusivity RSSCT breakthrough curves demonstrate that surface concentration of DOM is not a good measure of fouling. It is hypothesized that pore blockage is the mechanism responsible for the dependence on particle size. As GAC particle size increases, the microporous surface area behind a constricted pore also increases. The result is lower adsorption capacity per mass of adsorbent in the larger GAC particles. A scaling methodology for equilibrium and breakthrough data is presented that accounts for the dependence of NOM preloading effects on GAC particle diameter.

Competing Grain Boundary and Interior Deformation Mechanisms with Varying Sizes

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

Zhang, Wei; Gao, Yanfei; Nieh, T. G.

In typical coarse-grained alloys, the dominant plastic deformations are dislocation gliding or climbing, and material strengths can be tuned by dislocation interactions with grain boundaries, precipitates, solid solutions, and other defects. With the reduction of grain size, the increase of material strengths follows the classic Hall-Petch relationship up to nano-grained materials. Even at room temperatures, nano-grained materials exhibit strength softening, or called the inverse Hall-Petch effect, as grain boundary processes take over as the dominant deformation mechanisms. On the other hand, at elevated temperatures, grain boundary processes compete with grain interior deformation mechanisms over a wide range of the appliedmore » stress and grain sizes. This book chapter reviews and compares the rate equation model and the microstructure-based finite element simulations. The latter explicitly accounts for the grain boundary sliding, grain boundary diffusion and migration, as well as the grain interior dislocation creep. Therefore the explicit finite element method has clear advantages in problems where microstructural heterogeneities play a critical role, such as in the gradient microstructure in shot peening or weldment. Furthermore, combined with the Hall-Petch effect and its breakdown, the above competing processes help construct deformation mechanism maps by extending from the classic Frost-Ashby type to the ones with the dependence of grain size.« less

Endocytosis of Corn Oil-Caseinate Emulsions In Vitro: Impacts of Droplet Sizes

PubMed Central

Fan, Yuting; Yokoyama, Wally; Yi, Jiang

2017-01-01

The relative uptake and mechanisms of lipid-based emulsions of three different particle diameters by Caco-2 cells were studied. The corn oil-sodium caseinate emulsions showed little or no cytotoxicity even at 2 mg/mL protein concentration for any of the three droplet size emulsions. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) of Nile red containing emulsions showed that the lipid-based emulsions were absorbed by Caco-2 cells. A negative correlation between the mean droplet size and cellular uptake was observed. There was a time-dependent and energy-dependent uptake as shown by incubation at different times and treatment with sodium azide a general inhibitor of active transport. The endocytosis of lipid-based emulsions was size-dependent. The internalization of nanoemulsion droplets into Caco-2 cells mainly occurred through clathrin- and caveolae/lipid raft-related pathways, while macropinocytosis route played the most important role for 556 nm emulsion endocytosis as shown by the use of specific pathway inhibitors. Permeability of the emulsion through the apical or basal routes also suggested that active transport may be the main route for lipid-based nanoemulsions. The results may assist in the design and application of lipid-based nanoemulsions in nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals delivery. PMID:29072633

Self-assembled phase-change nanowire for nonvolatile electronic memory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Yeonwoong

One of the most important subjects in nanosciences is to identify and exploit the relationship between size and structural/physical properties of materials and to explore novel material properties at a small-length scale. Scale-down of materials is not only advantageous in realizing miniaturized devices but nanometer-sized materials often exhibit intriguing physical/chemical properties that greatly differ from their bulk counterparts. This dissertation studies self-assembled phase-change nanowires for future nonvolatile electronic memories, mainly focusing on their size-dependent memory switching properties. Owing to the one-dimensional, unique geometry coupled with the small and tunable sizes, bottom-designed nanowires offer great opportunities in terms for both fundamental science and practical engineering perspectives, which would be difficult to realize in conventional top-down based approaches. We synthesized chalcogenide phase-change nanowires of different compositions and sizes, and studied their electronic memory switching owing to the structural change between crystalline and amorphous phases. In particular, we investigated nanowire size-dependent memory switching parameters, including writing current, power consumption, and data retention times, as well as studying composition-dependent electronic properties. The observed size and composition-dependent switching and recrystallization kinetics are explained based on the heat transport model and heterogeneous nucleation theories, which help to design phase-change materials with better properties. Moreover, we configured unconventional heterostructured phase-change nanowire memories and studied their multiple memory states in single nanowire devices. Finally, by combining in-situ/ex-situ electron microscopy techniques and electrical measurements, we characterized the structural states involved in electrically-driven phase-change in order to understand the atomistic mechanism that governs the electronic memory switching through phase-change.

Mechanical trapping of particles in granular media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerimov, Abdulla; Mavko, Gary; Mukerji, Tapan; Al Ibrahim, Mustafa A.

2018-02-01

Mechanical trapping of fine particles in the pores of granular materials is an essential mechanism in a wide variety of natural and industrial filtration processes. The progress of invading particles is primarily limited by the network of pore throats and connected pathways encountered by the particles during their motion through the porous medium. Trapping of invading particles is limited to a depth defined by the size, shape, and distribution of the invading particles with respect to the size, shape, and distribution of the host porous matrix. Therefore, the trapping process, in principle, can be used to obtain information about geometrical properties, such as pore throat and particle size, of the underlying host matrix. A numerical framework is developed to simulate the mechanical trapping of fine particles in porous granular media with prescribed host particle size, shape, and distribution. The trapping of invading particles is systematically modeled in host packings with different host particle distributions: monodisperse, bidisperse, and polydisperse distributions of host particle sizes. Our simulation results show quantitatively and qualitatively to what extent trapping behavior is different in the generated monodisperse, bidisperse, and polydisperse packings of spherical particles. Depending on host particle size and distribution, the information about extreme estimates of minimal pore throat sizes of the connected pathways in the underlying host matrix can be inferred from trapping features, such as the fraction of trapped particles as a function of invading particle size. The presence of connected pathways with minimum and maximum of minimal pore throat diameters can be directly obtained from trapping features. This limited information about the extreme estimates of pore throat sizes of the connected pathways in the host granular media inferred from our numerical simulations is consistent with simple geometrical estimates of extreme value of pore and throat sizes of the densest structural arrangements of spherical particles and geometrical Delaunay tessellation analysis of the pore space of host granular media. Our results suggest simple relations between the host particle size and trapping features. These relationships can be potentially used to describe both the dynamics of the mechanical trapping process and the geometrical properties of the host granular media.

Mechanical trapping of particles in granular media.

PubMed

Kerimov, Abdulla; Mavko, Gary; Mukerji, Tapan; Al Ibrahim, Mustafa A

2018-02-01

Mechanical trapping of fine particles in the pores of granular materials is an essential mechanism in a wide variety of natural and industrial filtration processes. The progress of invading particles is primarily limited by the network of pore throats and connected pathways encountered by the particles during their motion through the porous medium. Trapping of invading particles is limited to a depth defined by the size, shape, and distribution of the invading particles with respect to the size, shape, and distribution of the host porous matrix. Therefore, the trapping process, in principle, can be used to obtain information about geometrical properties, such as pore throat and particle size, of the underlying host matrix. A numerical framework is developed to simulate the mechanical trapping of fine particles in porous granular media with prescribed host particle size, shape, and distribution. The trapping of invading particles is systematically modeled in host packings with different host particle distributions: monodisperse, bidisperse, and polydisperse distributions of host particle sizes. Our simulation results show quantitatively and qualitatively to what extent trapping behavior is different in the generated monodisperse, bidisperse, and polydisperse packings of spherical particles. Depending on host particle size and distribution, the information about extreme estimates of minimal pore throat sizes of the connected pathways in the underlying host matrix can be inferred from trapping features, such as the fraction of trapped particles as a function of invading particle size. The presence of connected pathways with minimum and maximum of minimal pore throat diameters can be directly obtained from trapping features. This limited information about the extreme estimates of pore throat sizes of the connected pathways in the host granular media inferred from our numerical simulations is consistent with simple geometrical estimates of extreme value of pore and throat sizes of the densest structural arrangements of spherical particles and geometrical Delaunay tessellation analysis of the pore space of host granular media. Our results suggest simple relations between the host particle size and trapping features. These relationships can be potentially used to describe both the dynamics of the mechanical trapping process and the geometrical properties of the host granular media.

Influence of feedstock particle size on lignocellulose conversion--a review.

PubMed

Vidal, Bernardo C; Dien, Bruce S; Ting, K C; Singh, Vijay

2011-08-01

Feedstock particle sizing can impact the economics of cellulosic ethanol commercialization through its effects on conversion yield and energy cost. Past studies demonstrated that particle size influences biomass enzyme digestibility to a limited extent. Physical size reduction was able to increase conversion rates to maximum of ≈ 50%, whereas chemical modification achieved conversions of >70% regardless of biomass particle size. This suggests that (1) mechanical pretreatment by itself is insufficient to attain economically feasible biomass conversion, and, therefore, (2) necessary particle sizing needs to be determined in the context of thermochemical pretreatment employed for lignocellulose conversion. Studies of thermochemical pretreatments that have taken into account particle size as a factor have exhibited a wide range of maximal sizes (i.e., particle sizes below which no increase in pretreatment effectiveness, measured in terms of the enzymatic conversion resulting from the pretreatment, were observed) from <0.15 to 50 mm. Maximal sizes as defined above were dependent on the pretreatment employed, with maximal size range decreasing as follows: steam explosion > liquid hot water > dilute acid and base pretreatments. Maximal sizes also appeared dependent on feedstock, with herbaceous or grassy biomass exhibiting lower maximal size range (<3 mm) than woody biomass (>3 mm). Such trends, considered alongside the intensive energy requirement of size reduction processes, warrant a more systematic study of particle size effects across different pretreatment technologies and feedstock, as a requisite for optimizing the feedstock supply system.

Evidence for soft bounds in Ubuntu package sizes and mammalian body masses.

PubMed

Gherardi, Marco; Mandrà, Salvatore; Bassetti, Bruno; Cosentino Lagomarsino, Marco

2013-12-24

The development of a complex system depends on the self-coordinated action of a large number of agents, often determining unexpected global behavior. The case of software evolution has great practical importance: knowledge of what is to be considered atypical can guide developers in recognizing and reacting to abnormal behavior. Although the initial framework of a theory of software exists, the current theoretical achievements do not fully capture existing quantitative data or predict future trends. Here we show that two elementary laws describe the evolution of package sizes in a Linux-based operating system: first, relative changes in size follow a random walk with non-Gaussian jumps; second, each size change is bounded by a limit that is dependent on the starting size, an intriguing behavior that we call "soft bound." Our approach is based on data analysis and on a simple theoretical model, which is able to reproduce empirical details without relying on any adjustable parameter and generates definite predictions. The same analysis allows us to formulate and support the hypothesis that a similar mechanism is shaping the distribution of mammalian body sizes, via size-dependent constraints during cladogenesis. Whereas generally accepted approaches struggle to reproduce the large-mass shoulder displayed by the distribution of extant mammalian species, this is a natural consequence of the softly bounded nature of the process. Additionally, the hypothesis that this model is valid has the relevant implication that, contrary to a common assumption, mammalian masses are still evolving, albeit very slowly.

Magnetization mechanisms in ordered arrays of polycrystalline Fe100-xCox nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viqueira, M. S.; Bajales, N.; Urreta, S. E.; Bercoff, P. G.

2015-05-01

Magnetization reversal processes and coercivity mechanisms in polycrystalline Fe100-xCox nanowire arrays, resulting from an AC electrodeposition process, are investigated. The array coercivity is described on the basis of polarization reversal mechanisms operating in individual wires, under the effect of inter-wire dipolar interactions described by a mean field approximation. For individual wires, a reversal mechanism involving the nucleation and further expansion of domain-wall like spin configuration is considered. The wires have a mean grain size larger than both the nanowire diameter and the exchange length, so localized and non-cooperative nucleation modes are considered. As the Co content increases, the alloy saturation polarization gradually decreases, but the coercive field and the relative remanence of the arrays increase, indicating that they are not controlled by the shape anisotropy in all the composition range. The coercive field dependence on the angle between the applied field and the wire long axis is not well described by reversal mechanisms involving nucleation and further displacement of neither vortex nor transverse ideal domain walls. On the contrary, the angular dependence of the coercive field observed at room temperature is well predicted by a model considering nucleation of inverse domains by localized curling, in regions smaller than the grain size, exhibiting quite small aspect ratios as compared to those of the entire nanowire. In arrays with higher Co contents, a transition from an initial (small angle) localized curling nucleation mechanism to another one, involving localized coherent rotation is observed at about π/4.

Effect of the size-selective silver clusters on lithium peroxide morphology in lithium–oxygen batteries

DOE PAGES

Lu, Jun; Cheng, Lei; Lau, Kah Chun; ...

2014-09-12

Lithium–oxygen batteries have the potential needed for long-range electric vehicles, but the charge and discharge chemistries are complex and not well understood. The active sites on cathode surfaces and their role in electrochemical reactions in aprotic lithium–oxygen cells are difficult to ascertain because the exact nature of the sites is unknown. In this paper, we report the deposition of subnanometre silver clusters of exact size and number of atoms on passivated carbon to study the discharge process in lithium–oxygen cells. The results reveal dramatically different morphologies of the electrochemically grown lithium peroxide dependent on the size of the clusters. Thismore » dependence is found to be due to the influence of the cluster size on the formation mechanism, which also affects the charge process. Finally, the results of this study suggest that precise control of subnanometre surface structure on cathodes can be used as a means to improve the performance of lithium–oxygen cells.« less

Flow-induced gelation of living (micellar) polymers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bruinsma, Robijn; Gelbart, William M.; Ben-Shaul, Avinoam

1992-01-01

The effect of shear velocity gradients on the size (L) of rodlike micelles in dilute and semidilute solution is considered. A kinetic equation is introduced for the time-dependent concentration of aggregates of length L, consisting of 'bimolecular' combination processes L + L-prime yield (L + L-prime) and unimolecular fragmentations L yield L + (L - L-prime). The former are described by a generalization (from spheres to rods) of the Smoluchowski mechanism for shear-induced coalesence of emulsions, and the latter by incorporating the tension-deformation effects due to flow. Steady-state solutions to the kinetic equation are obtained, with the corresponding mean micellar size evaluated as a function of the Peclet number P (i.e., the dimensionless ratio of the flow rate and the rotational diffusion coefficient). For sufficiently dilute solutions, only a weak dependence of the micellar size on P is found. In the semidilute regime, however, an apparent divergence in the micellar size at P of about 1 suggests a flow-induced first-order gelation phenomenon.

Size-dependent nonlinear bending of micro/nano-beams made of nanoporous biomaterials including a refined truncated cube cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahmani, S.; Aghdam, M. M.

2017-12-01

Morphology and pore size plays an essential role in the mechanical properties as well as the associated biological capability of a porous structure made of biomaterials. The objective of the current study is to predict the Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio of nanoporous biomaterials including refined truncated cube cells based on a hyperbolic shear deformable beam model. Analytical relationships for the mechanical properties of nanoporous biomaterials are given as a function of the refined cell's dimensions. After that, the size dependency in the nonlinear bending behavior of micro/nano-beams made of such nanoporous biomaterials is analyzed using the nonlocal strain gradient elasticity theory. It is assumed that the micro/nano-beam has one movable end under axial compression in conjunction with a uniform distributed lateral load. The Galerkin method together with an improved perturbation technique is employed to propose explicit analytical expression for nonlocal strain gradient load-deflection curves of the micro/nano-beams made of nanoporous biomaterials subjected to uniform transverse distributed load. It is found that through increment of the pore size, the micro/nano-beam will undergo much more deflection corresponding to a specific distributed load due to the reduction in the stiffness of nanoporous biomaterial. This pattern is more prominent for lower value of applied axial compressive load at the free end of micro/nano-beam.

Parker's sneak-guard model revisited: why do reproductively parasitic males heavily invest in testes?

PubMed

Ota, Kazutaka; Kohda, Masanori; Hori, Michio; Sato, Tetsu

2011-10-01

Alternative reproductive tactics are widespread in males and may cause intraspecific differences in testes investment. Parker's sneak-guard model predicts that sneaker males, who mate under sperm competition risk, invest in testes relatively more than bourgeois conspecifics that have lower risk. Given that sneakers are much smaller than bourgeois males, sneakers may increase testes investment to overcome their limited sperm productivity because of their small body sizes. In this study, we examined the mechanism that mediates differential testes investment across tactics in the Lake Tanganyika cichlid fish Lamprologus callipterus. In the Rumonge population of Burundi, bourgeois males are small compared with those in other populations and have a body size close to sneaky dwarf males. Therefore, if differences in relative testis investment depend on sperm competition, the rank order of relative testis investment should be dwarf males > bourgeois males in Rumonge = bourgeois males in the other populations. If differences in relative testis investment depend on body size, the rank order of relative testes investment should be dwarf males > bourgeois males in Rumonge > bourgeois males in the other populations. Comparisons of relative testis investment among the three male groups supported the role of sperm competition, as predicted by the sneak-guard model. Nevertheless, the effects of absolute body size on testes investment should be considered to understand the mechanisms underlying intraspecific variation in testes investment caused by alternative reproductive tactics.

Parker's sneak-guard model revisited: why do reproductively parasitic males heavily invest in testes?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ota, Kazutaka; Kohda, Masanori; Hori, Michio; Sato, Tetsu

2011-10-01

Alternative reproductive tactics are widespread in males and may cause intraspecific differences in testes investment. Parker's sneak-guard model predicts that sneaker males, who mate under sperm competition risk, invest in testes relatively more than bourgeois conspecifics that have lower risk. Given that sneakers are much smaller than bourgeois males, sneakers may increase testes investment to overcome their limited sperm productivity because of their small body sizes. In this study, we examined the mechanism that mediates differential testes investment across tactics in the Lake Tanganyika cichlid fish Lamprologus callipterus. In the Rumonge population of Burundi, bourgeois males are small compared with those in other populations and have a body size close to sneaky dwarf males. Therefore, if differences in relative testis investment depend on sperm competition, the rank order of relative testis investment should be dwarf males > bourgeois males in Rumonge = bourgeois males in the other populations. If differences in relative testis investment depend on body size, the rank order of relative testes investment should be dwarf males > bourgeois males in Rumonge > bourgeois males in the other populations. Comparisons of relative testis investment among the three male groups supported the role of sperm competition, as predicted by the sneak-guard model. Nevertheless, the effects of absolute body size on testes investment should be considered to understand the mechanisms underlying intraspecific variation in testes investment caused by alternative reproductive tactics.

Modelling the physical properties of glasslike carbon foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Letellier, M.; Macutkevic, J.; Bychanok, D.; Kuzhir, P.; Delgado-Sanchez, C.; Naguib, H.; Ghaffari Mosanenzadeh, S.; Fierro, V.; Celzard, A.

2017-07-01

In this work, model alveolar materials - carbon cellular and/or carbon reticulated foams - were produced in order to study and to model their physical properties. It was shown that very different morphologies could be obtained whereas the constituting vitreous carbon from which they were made remained exactly the same. Doing so, the physical properties of these foams were expected to depend neither on the composition nor on the carbonaceous texture but only on the porous structure, which could be tuned for the first time for having a constant pore size in a range of porosities, or a range of pore sizes at fixed porosity. The physical properties were then investigated through mechanical, acoustic, thermal and electromagnetic measurements. The results demonstrate the roles played by bulk density and cell size on all physical properties. Whereas some of the latter strongly depend on porosity and/or pore size, others are independent of pore size. It is expected that these results apply to many other kinds of rigid foams used in a broad range of different applications. The present results therefore open the route to their optimisation.

Natal habitat imprinting counteracts the diversifying effects of phenotype-dependent dispersal in a spatially structured population.

PubMed

Camacho, Carlos; Canal, David; Potti, Jaime

2016-08-08

Habitat selection may have profound evolutionary consequences, but they strongly depend on the underlying preference mechanism, including genetically-determined, natal habitat and phenotype-dependent preferences. It is known that different mechanisms may operate at the same time, yet their relative contribution to population differentiation remains largely unexplored empirically mainly because of the difficulty of finding suitable study systems. Here, we investigate the role of early experience and genetic background in determining the outcome of settlement by pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) breeding in two habitat patches between which dispersal and subsequent reproductive performance is influenced by phenotype (body size). For this, we conducted a cross-fostering experiment in a two-patch system: an oakwood and a conifer plantation separated by only 1 km. Experimental birds mostly returned to breed in the forest patch where they were raised, whether it was that of their genetic or their foster parents, indicating that decisions on where to settle are determined by individuals' experience in their natal site, rather than by their genetic background. Nevertheless, nearly a third (27.6 %) moved away from the rearing habitat and, as previously observed in unmanipulated individuals, dispersal between habitats was phenotype-dependent. Pied flycatchers breeding in the oak and the pine forests are differentiated by body size, and analyses of genetic variation at microsatellite loci now provide evidence of subtle genetic differentiation between the two populations. This suggests that phenotype-dependent dispersal may contribute to population structure despite the short distance and widespread exchange of birds between the study plots. Taken together, the current and previous findings that pied flycatchers do not always settle in the habitat to which they are best suited suggest that their strong tendency to return to the natal patch regardless of their body size might lead to maladaptive settlement decisions and thus constrain the potential of phenotype-dependent dispersal to promote microgeographic adaptation.

Modeling of dislocation channel width evolution in irradiated metals

DOE PAGES

Doyle, Peter J.; Benensky, Kelsa M.; Zinkle, Steven J.

2017-11-08

Defect-free dislocation channel formation has been reported to promote plastic instability during tensile testing via localized plastic flow, leading to a distinct loss of ductility and strain hardening in many low-temperature irradiated materials. In order to study the underlying mechanisms governing dislocation channel width and formation, the channel formation process is modeled via a simple stochastic dislocation-jog process dependent upon grain size, defect cluster density, and defect size. Dislocations traverse a field of defect clusters and jog stochastically upon defect interaction, forming channels of low defect-density. And based upon prior molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and in-situ experimental transmission electron microscopymore » (TEM) observations, each dislocation encounter with a dislocation loop or stacking fault tetrahedron (SFT) is assumed to cause complete absorption of the defect cluster, prompting the dislocation to jog up or down by a distance equal to half the defect cluster diameter. Channels are predicted to form rapidly and are comparable to reported TEM measurements for many materials. Predicted channel widths are found to be most strongly dependent on mean defect size and correlated well with a power law dependence on defect diameter and density, and distance from the dislocation source. Due to the dependence of modeled channel width on defect diameter and density, maximum channel width is predicted to slowly increase as accumulated dose increases. The relatively weak predicted dependence of channel formation width with distance, in accordance with a diffusion analogy, implies that after only a few microns from the source, most channels observed via TEM analyses may not appear to vary with distance because of limitations in the field-of-view to a few microns. Furthermore, examinations of the effect of the so-called “source-broadening” mechanism of channel formation showed that its effect is simply to add a minimum thickness to the channel without affecting channel dependence on the given parameters.« less

Modeling of dislocation channel width evolution in irradiated metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doyle, Peter J.; Benensky, Kelsa M.; Zinkle, Steven J.

2018-02-01

Defect-free dislocation channel formation has been reported to promote plastic instability during tensile testing via localized plastic flow, leading to a distinct loss of ductility and strain hardening in many low-temperature irradiated materials. In order to study the underlying mechanisms governing dislocation channel width and formation, the channel formation process is modeled via a simple stochastic dislocation-jog process dependent upon grain size, defect cluster density, and defect size. Dislocations traverse a field of defect clusters and jog stochastically upon defect interaction, forming channels of low defect-density. Based upon prior molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and in-situ experimental transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations, each dislocation encounter with a dislocation loop or stacking fault tetrahedron (SFT) is assumed to cause complete absorption of the defect cluster, prompting the dislocation to jog up or down by a distance equal to half the defect cluster diameter. Channels are predicted to form rapidly and are comparable to reported TEM measurements for many materials. Predicted channel widths are found to be most strongly dependent on mean defect size and correlated well with a power law dependence on defect diameter and density, and distance from the dislocation source. Due to the dependence of modeled channel width on defect diameter and density, maximum channel width is predicted to slowly increase as accumulated dose increases. The relatively weak predicted dependence of channel formation width with distance, in accordance with a diffusion analogy, implies that after only a few microns from the source, most channels observed via TEM analyses may not appear to vary with distance because of limitations in the field-of-view to a few microns. Further, examinations of the effect of the so-called "source-broadening" mechanism of channel formation showed that its effect is simply to add a minimum thickness to the channel without affecting channel dependence on the given parameters.

Modeling of dislocation channel width evolution in irradiated metals

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

Doyle, Peter J.; Benensky, Kelsa M.; Zinkle, Steven J.

Defect-free dislocation channel formation has been reported to promote plastic instability during tensile testing via localized plastic flow, leading to a distinct loss of ductility and strain hardening in many low-temperature irradiated materials. In order to study the underlying mechanisms governing dislocation channel width and formation, the channel formation process is modeled via a simple stochastic dislocation-jog process dependent upon grain size, defect cluster density, and defect size. Dislocations traverse a field of defect clusters and jog stochastically upon defect interaction, forming channels of low defect-density. And based upon prior molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and in-situ experimental transmission electron microscopymore » (TEM) observations, each dislocation encounter with a dislocation loop or stacking fault tetrahedron (SFT) is assumed to cause complete absorption of the defect cluster, prompting the dislocation to jog up or down by a distance equal to half the defect cluster diameter. Channels are predicted to form rapidly and are comparable to reported TEM measurements for many materials. Predicted channel widths are found to be most strongly dependent on mean defect size and correlated well with a power law dependence on defect diameter and density, and distance from the dislocation source. Due to the dependence of modeled channel width on defect diameter and density, maximum channel width is predicted to slowly increase as accumulated dose increases. The relatively weak predicted dependence of channel formation width with distance, in accordance with a diffusion analogy, implies that after only a few microns from the source, most channels observed via TEM analyses may not appear to vary with distance because of limitations in the field-of-view to a few microns. Furthermore, examinations of the effect of the so-called “source-broadening” mechanism of channel formation showed that its effect is simply to add a minimum thickness to the channel without affecting channel dependence on the given parameters.« less

NiMnGa/Si Shape Memory Bimorph Nanoactuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lambrecht, Franziska; Lay, Christian; Aseguinolaza, Iván R.; Chernenko, Volodymyr; Kohl, Manfred

2016-12-01

The size dependences of thermal bimorph and shape memory effect of nanoscale shape memory alloy (SMA)/Si bimorph actuators are investigated in situ in a scanning electron microscope and by finite element simulations. By combining silicon nanomachining and magnetron sputtering, freestanding NiMnGa/Si bimorph cantilever structures with film/substrate thickness of 200/250 nm and decreasing lateral dimensions are fabricated. Electrical resistance and mechanical beam bending tests upon direct Joule heating demonstrate martensitic phase transformation and reversible thermal bimorph effect, respectively. Corresponding characteristics are strongly affected by the large temperature gradient in the order of 50 K/µm forming along the nano bimorph cantilever upon electro-thermal actuation, which, in addition, depends on the size-dependent heat conductivity in the Si nano layer. Furthermore, the martensitic transformation temperatures show a size-dependent decrease by about 40 K for decreasing lateral dimensions down to 200 nm. The effects of heating temperature and stress distribution on the nanoactuation performance are analyzed by finite element simulations revealing thickness ratio of SMA/Si of 90/250 nm to achieve an optimum SME. Differential thermal expansion and thermo-elastic effects are discriminated by comparative measurements and simulations on Ni/Si bimorph reference actuators.

Interface Mediated Nucleation and Growth of Dislocations in fcc-bcc nanocomposite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ruifeng; Wang, Jian; Beyerlein, Irene J.; Germann, Timothy C.

2011-03-01

Heterophase interfaces play a crucial role in determining material strength for nanostructured materials because they can block, store, nucleate, and remove dislocations, the essential defects that enable plastic deformation. Much recent theoretical and experimental effort has been conducted on nanostructured Cu-Nb multilayer composites that exhibited extraordinarily high strength, ductility, and resistance to radiation and mechanical loading. In decreasing layer thicknesses to the order of a few tens of nanometers or less, the deformation behavior of such composites is mainly controlled by the Cu/Nb interface. In this work, we focus on the cooperative mechanisms of dislocation nucleation and growth from Cu/Nb interfaces, and their interaction with interface. Two types of experimentally observed Cu/Nb incoherent interfaces are comparatively studied. We found that the preferred dislocation nucleation sites are closely related to atomic interface structure, which in turn, depend on the orientation relationship. The activation stress and energies for an isolated Shockley dislocation loop of different sizes from specific interface sites depend strongly on dislocation size, atomic interface pattern, and loading conditions. Such findings provide important insight into the mechanical response of a wide range of fcc/bcc metallic nanocomposites via atomic interface design.

Coalescence preference and droplet size inequality during fluid phase segregation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Sutapa

2018-02-01

Using molecular dynamics simulations and scaling arguments, we investigate the coalescence preference dynamics of liquid droplets in a phase-segregating off-critical, single-component fluid. It is observed that the preferential distance of the product drop from its larger parent, during a coalescence event, gets smaller for large parent size inequality. The relative coalescence position exhibits a power-law dependence on the parent size ratio with an exponent q ≃ 3.1 . This value of q is in strong contrast with earlier reports 2.1 and 5.1 in the literature. The dissimilarity is explained by considering the underlying coalescence mechanisms.

On the origins of hardness of Cu–TiN nanolayered composites

DOE PAGES

Pathak, S.; Li, N.; Maeder, X.; ...

2015-07-18

We investigated the mechanical response of physical vapor deposited Cu–TiN nanolayered composites of varying layer thicknesses from 5 nm to 200 nm. Both the Cu and TiN layers were found to consist of single phase nanometer sized grains. The grain sizes in the Cu and TiN layers, measured using transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, were found to be comparable to or smaller than their respective layer thicknesses. Indentation hardness testing revealed that the hardness of such nanolayered composites exhibits a weak dependence on the layer thickness but is more correlated to their grain size.

Mechanisms and Control of Self-Emulsification upon Freezing and Melting of Dispersed Alkane Drops.

PubMed

Valkova, Zhulieta; Cholakova, Diana; Tcholakova, Slavka; Denkov, Nikolai; Smoukov, Stoyan K

2017-10-31

Emulsification requires drop breakage and creation of a large interfacial area between immiscible liquid phases. Usually, high-shear or high-pressure emulsification devices that generate heat and increase the emulsion temperature are used to obtain emulsions with micrometer and submicrometer droplets. Recently, we reported a new, efficient procedure of self-emulsification (Tcholakova et al. Nat. Commun. 2017, 8, 15012), which consists of one to several cycles of freezing and melting of predispersed alkane drops in a coarse oil-in-water emulsion. Within these freeze-thaw cycles of the dispersed drops, the latter burst spontaneously into hundreds and thousands of smaller droplets without using any mechanical agitation. Here, we clarify the main factors and mechanisms, which drive this self-emulsification process, by exploring systematically the effects of the oil and surfactant types, the cooling rate, and the initial drop size. We show that the typical size of the droplets, generated by this method, is controlled by the size of the structural domains formed in the cooling-freezing stage of the procedure. Depending on the leading mechanism, these could be the diameter of the fibers formed upon drop self-shaping or the size of the crystal domains formed at the moment of drop-freezing. Generally, surfactant tails that are 0-2 carbon atoms longer than the oil molecules are most appropriate to observe efficient self-emulsification. The specific requirements for the realization of different mechanisms are clarified and discussed. The relative efficiencies of the three different mechanisms, as a function of the droplet size and cooling procedure, are compared in controlled experiments to provide guidance for understanding and further optimization and scale-up of this self-emulsification process.

Effect of micronization on the physicochemical properties of insoluble dietary fiber from citrus (Citrus junos Sieb. ex Tanaka) pomace.

PubMed

Ye, Fayin; Tao, Bingbing; Liu, Jia; Zou, Yan; Zhao, Guohua

2016-04-01

The aim of this work was to study the effect of micronization (mechanical and jet grindings) on the physicochemical properties of the insoluble dietary fiber from citrus pomace in comparison with ordinary grinding. The results showed that micronization treatment effectively pulverized the IDF-CP powders to micron scale and significantly increased the soluble dietary fiber content (p < 0.05). Compared with mechanical grinding, jet grinding was more effective in size reduction and resulted in IDF-CP powders with narrower particle size distributions. Micronized IDF-CP powders had smaller particle size, smoother surface, higher fluidity, cation-exchange capacity, and metal cation binding capacity values, but lower water holding capacity, oil holding capacity, and swelling capacity values. These functional properties were significantly dependent on surface area and particle size (D0.5). The present study suggested that micronization treatments could modify functional properties of IDF-CP powders, which promotes their use in food applications. © The Author(s) 2015.

Ion transport studies on Pb(NO3)2:Al2O3 composite solid electrolytes: Effect of dispersoid particle size

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reddy, Y. Govinda; Sekhar, M. Chandra; Sadananda Chary, A.; Narender Reddy, S.

2018-02-01

Composites of Alumina dispersed Lead Nitrate of different particles sizes (0.3µm, 36.9µm) were prepared through mechanical mixing process. These composites have been characterized by using XRD and SEM. Transport properties of these systems have been studied by means of impedance spectroscopy in the frequency range 100Hz to 4MHz in the temperature range from room temperature to 300°C. Temperature dependent conductivity spectra for composites with different mole percentages of alumina and with different particle sizes (0.3µm, 36.9µm) studied. The contact surface area between host and dispersoid increases with the decrease in particle size. These studies indicate that the conductivity in these systems is mainly due to the contribution enhanced concentration of mobile ions at the interfacial regions of host and dispersoid materials and increased mobility of charge carriers along the grain boundaries. It is believed that mechanism of conductivity through anti-Frenkel disorder (NO3 - ions) in these composites.

Design and analysis on sorting blade for automated size-based sorting device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razali, Zol Bahri; Kader, Mohamed Mydin M. Abdul; Samsudin, Yasser Suhaimi; Daud, Mohd Hisam

2017-09-01

Nowadays rubbish separating or recycling is a main problem of nation, where peoples dumped their rubbish into dumpsite without caring the value of the rubbish if it can be recycled and reused. Thus the author proposed an automated segregating device, purposely to teach people to separate their rubbish and value the rubbish that can be reused. The automated size-based mechanical segregating device provides significant improvements in terms of efficiency and consistency in this segregating process. This device is designed to make recycling easier, user friendly, in the hope that more people will take responsibility if it is less of an expense of time and effort. This paper discussed about redesign a blade for the sorting device which is to develop an efficient automated mechanical sorting device for the similar material but in different size. The machine is able to identify the size of waste and it depends to the coil inside the container to separate it out. The detail design and methodology is described in detail in this paper.

Prostheses size dependency of the mechanical response of the herniated human abdomen.

PubMed

Simón-Allué, R; Hernández-Gascón, B; Lèoty, L; Bellón, J M; Peña, E; Calvo, B

2016-12-01

Hernia repairs still exhibit clinical complications, i.e. recurrence, discomfort and pain and mesh features are thought to be highly influent. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of the defect size and mesh type in an herniated abdominal wall using numerical models. To do so, we have started from a FE model based on a real human abdomen geometry obtained by MRI, where we have provoked an incisional hernia of three different sizes. The surgical procedure was simulated by covering the hernia with a prostheses, and three surgical meshes with distinct mechanical properties were used for the hernia repair: an isotropic heavy-weight mesh (Surgipro @ ), a slightly anisotropic light-weight mesh (Optilene @ ) and a highly anisotropic medium-weight mesh (Infinit @ ). The mechanical response of the wall to a high intraabdominal pressure (corresponding to a coughing motion) was analyzed here. Our findings suggest that the anisotropy of the mesh becomes more relevant with the increase of the defect size. Additionally, according to our results Optilene @ showed the closest deformation to the natural distensibility of the abdomen while Infinit @ should be carefully used due to its excessive compliance.

On the continuum mechanics approach for the analysis of single walled carbon nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaudhry, M. S.; Czekanski, A.

2016-04-01

Today carbon nanotubes have found various applications in structural, thermal and almost every field of engineering. Carbon nanotubes provide great strength, stiffness resilience properties. Evaluating the structural behavior of nanoscale materials is an important task. In order to understand the materialistic behavior of nanotubes, atomistic models provide a basis for continuum mechanics modelling. Although the properties of bulk materials are consistent with the size and depends mainly on the material but the properties when we are in Nano-range, continuously change with the size. Such models start from the modelling of interatomic interaction. Modelling and simulation has advantage of cost saving when compared with the experiments. So in this project our aim is to use a continuum mechanics model of carbon nanotubes from atomistic perspective and analyses some structural behaviors of nanotubes. It is generally recognized that mechanical properties of nanotubes are dependent upon their structural details. The properties of nanotubes vary with the varying with the interatomic distance, angular orientation, radius of the tube and many such parameters. Based on such models one can analyses the variation of young's modulus, strength, deformation behavior, vibration behavior and thermal behavior. In this study some of the structural behaviors of the nanotubes are analyzed with the help of continuum mechanics models. Using the properties derived from the molecular mechanics model a Finite Element Analysis of carbon nanotubes is performed and results are verified. This study provides the insight on continuum mechanics modelling of nanotubes and hence the scope to study the effect of various parameters on some structural behavior of nanotubes.

Framework flexibility of ZIF-8 under liquid intrusion: discovering time-dependent mechanical response and structural relaxation.

PubMed

Sun, Yueting; Li, Yibing; Tan, Jin-Chong

2018-04-18

The structural flexibility of a topical zeolitic imidazolate framework with sodalite topology, termed ZIF-8, has been elucidated through liquid intrusion under moderate pressures (i.e. tens of MPa). By tracking the evolution of water intrusion pressure under cyclic conditions, we interrogate the role of the gate-opening mechanism controlling the size variation of the pore channels of ZIF-8. Interestingly, we demonstrate that its channel deformation is recoverable through structural relaxation over time, hence revealing the viscoelastic mechanical response in ZIF-8. We propose a simple approach employing a glycerol-water solution mixture, which can significantly enhance the sensitivity of intrusion pressure for the detection of structural deformation in ZIF-8. By leveraging the time-dependent gate-opening phenomenon in ZIF-8, we achieved a notable improvement (50%) in energy dissipation during multicycle mechanical deformation experiments.

Coordination of size-control, reproduction and generational memory in freshwater planarians

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xingbo; Kaj, Kelson; Schwab, David; Collins, Eva-Maria

Uncovering the mechanisms that control size, growth, and division rates of systems reproducing through binary division means understanding basic principles of their life cycle. Recent work has focused on how division rates are regulated in bacteria and yeast, but this question has not yet been addressed in more complex, multicellular organisms. We have acquired a unique large-scale data set on the growth and asexual reproduction of two freshwater planarian species, Dugesia japonica and Dugesia tigrina, which reproduce by transverse fission and succeeding regeneration of head and tail pieces into new worms. We developed a new additive theoretical model that mixes multiple size control strategies based on worm size, growth, and waiting time. Our model quantifies the proportions of each strategy in the mixed dynamics, revealing the ability of the two planarian species to utilize different strategies in a coordinated manner for size control. Additionally, we found that head and tail offspring of both species employ different mechanisms to monitor and trigger their reproduction cycles. Finally, we show that generation-dependent memory effects in planarians need to be taken into account to accurately capture the experimental data.

Sexual selection and the rodent baculum: an intraspecific study in the house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus).

PubMed

Ramm, Steven A; Khoo, Lin; Stockley, Paula

2010-01-01

The rapid divergence of genitalia is a pervasive trend in animal evolution, thought to be due to the action of sexual selection. To test predictions from the sexual selection hypothesis, we here report data on the allometry, variation, plasticity and condition dependence of baculum morphology in the house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus). We find that that baculum size: (a) exhibits no consistent pattern of allometric scaling (baculum size being in most cases unrelated to body size), (b) exhibits low to moderate levels of phenotypic variation, (c) does not exhibit phenotypic plasticity in response to differences in perceived levels of sexual competition and (d) exhibits limited evidence of condition dependence. These patterns provide only limited evidence in support of the sexual selection hypothesis, and no consistent support for any particular sexual selection mechanism; however, more direct measures of how genital morphology influences male fertilization success are required.

Friction between footwear and floor covered with solid particles under dry and wet conditions.

PubMed

Li, Kai Way; Meng, Fanxing; Zhang, Wei

2014-01-01

Solid particles on the floor, both dry and wet, are common but their effects on the friction on the floor were seldom discussed in the literature. In this study, friction measurements were conducted to test the effects of particle size of solid contaminants on the friction coefficient on the floor under footwear, floor, and surface conditions. The results supported the hypothesis that particle size of solids affected the friction coefficient and the effects depended on footwear, floor, and surface conditions. On dry surfaces, solid particles resulted in friction loss when the Neolite footwear pad was used. On the other hand, solid particles provided additional friction when measured with the ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) footwear pad. On wet surfaces, introducing solid particles made the floors more slip-resistant and such effects depended on particle size. This study provides information for better understanding of the mechanism of slipping when solid contaminants are present.

Formation and decomposition of ethane, propane, and carbon dioxide hydrates in silica gel mesopores under high pressure.

PubMed

Aladko, E Ya; Dyadin, Yu A; Fenelonov, V B; Larionov, E G; Manakov, A Yu; Mel'gunov, M S; Zhurko, F V

2006-10-05

The experimental data on decomposition temperatures for the gas hydrates of ethane, propane, and carbon dioxide dispersed in silica gel mesopores are reported. The studies were performed at pressures up to 1 GPa. It is shown that the experimental dependence of hydrate decomposition temperature on the size of pores that limit the size of hydrate particles can be described on the basis of the Gibbs-Thomson equation only if one takes into account changes in the shape coefficient that is present in the equation; in turn, the value of this coefficient depends on a method of mesopore size determination. A mechanism of hydrate formation in mesoporous medium is proposed. Experimental data providing evidence of the possibility of the formation of hydrate compounds in hydrophobic matrixes under high pressure are reported. Decomposition temperature of those hydrate compounds is higher than that for the bulk hydrates of the corresponding gases.

The ‘cutting away’ of potential secondary electron tracks explains the effects of beam size and detector wall density in small-field photon dosimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khee Looe, Hui; Delfs, Björn; Poppinga, Daniela; Jiang, Ping; Harder, Dietrich; Poppe, Björn

2018-01-01

The well-known field-size dependent overresponse in small-field photon-beam dosimetry of solid-state detectors equipped with very thin sensitive volumes, such as the PTW microDiamond, cannot be caused by the photon and electron interactions within these sensitive layers because they are only a few micrometers thick. The alternative explanation is that their overresponse is caused by the combination of two effects, the modification of the secondary electron fluence profile (i) by a field size too small to warrant lateral secondary electron equilibrium and (ii) by the density-dependent electron ranges in the structural detector materials placed in front of or backing the sensitive layer. The present study aims at the numerical demonstration and visualization of this combined mechanism. The lateral fluence profiles of the secondary electrons hitting a 1 µm thick scoring layer were Monte-Carlo simulated by modelling their generation and transport in the upstream or downstream adjacent layers of thickness 0.6 mm and densities from 0.0012 to 3 g cm-3, whose atomic composition was constantly kept water-like. The scoring layer/adjacent layer sandwich was placed in an infinite water phantom irradiated by circular 60Co, 6 MV and 15 MV photon beams with diameters from 3 to 40 mm. The interpretation starts from the ideal case of lateral secondary electron equilibrium, where the Fano theorem excludes any density effect. If the field size is then reduced, electron tracks potentially originating from source points outside the field border will then be numerically ‘cut away’. This geometrical effect reduces the secondary electron fluence at the field center, but the magnitude of this reduction also varies with the density-dependent electron ranges in the adjacent layers. This combined mechanism, which strongly depends on the photon spectrum, explains the field size and material density effect on the response of detectors with very thin sensitive layers used in small-field photon-beam dosimetry.

Thermal induced carrier's transfer in bimodal size distribution InAs/GaAs quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilahi, B.; Alshehri, K.; Madhar, N. A.; Sfaxi, L.; Maaref, H.

2018-06-01

This work reports on the investigation of the thermal induced carriers' transfer mechanism in vertically stacked bimodal size distribution InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QD). A model treating the QD as a localized states ensemble (LSE) has been employed to fit the atypical temperature dependence of the photoluminescence (PL) emission energies and linewidth. The results suggest that thermally activated carriers transfer within the large size QD family occurs through the neighboring smaller size QD as an intermediate channel before direct carriers redistribution. The obtained activation energy suggests also the possible contribution of the wetting layer (WL) continuum states as a second mediator channel for carriers transfer.

Thermal stability characterization of SiC ceramic fibers. II. Fractography and structure

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

Sawyer, L.C.; Chen, R.T.; Haimbach, F.,IV

1986-08-01

SiC ceramic fibers (Nicalon) exhibit tensile strength reduction following thermal treatment in air, argon and nitrogen environments above 1200 C. Grain-size variations have been observed in the treated fibers by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. Fractography studies show that strength reduction occurs in all thermal treatments, although the mechanism of fiber failure varies depending upon the specific environment. Structure-property relations will be developed as mechanical testing and fractography of the thermally treated fibers are associated with tensile strength loss mechanisms. 16 references.

High-frequency EPR of surface impurities on nanodiamond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Zaili; Stepanov, Viktor; Takahashi, Susumu

Diamond is a fascinating material, hosting nitrogen-vacancy (NV) defect centers with unique magnetic and optical properties. There have been many reports that suggest the existence of paramagnetic impurities near surface of various kinds of diamonds. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) investigation of mechanically crushed nanodiamonds (NDs) as well as detonation NDs revealed g 2 like signals that are attributed to structural defects and dangling bonds near the diamond surface. In this presentation, we investigate paramagnetic impurities in various sizes of NDs using high-frequency (HF) continuous wave (cw) and pulsed EPR spectroscopy. Strong size dependence on the linewidth of HF cw EPR spectra reveals the existence of paramagnetic impurities in the vicinity of the diamond surface. We also study the size dependence of the spin-lattice and spin-spin relaxation times (T1 and T2) of single substitutional nitrogen defects in NDs Significant deviations from the temperature dependence of the phonon-assisted T1 process were observed in the ND samples, and were attributed to the contribution from the surface impurities. This work was supported by the Searle Scholars Program and the National Science Foundation (DMR-1508661 and CHE-1611134).

Rock discontinuity surface roughness variation with scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bitenc, Maja; Kieffer, D. Scott; Khoshelham, Kourosh

2017-04-01

ABSTRACT: Rock discontinuity surface roughness refers to local departures of the discontinuity surface from planarity and is an important factor influencing the shear resistance. In practice, the Joint Roughness Coefficient (JRC) roughness parameter is commonly relied upon and input to a shear strength criterion such as developed by Barton and Choubey [1977]. The estimation of roughness by JRC is hindered firstly by the subjective nature of visually comparing the joint profile to the ten standard profiles. Secondly, when correlating the standard JRC values and other objective measures of roughness, the roughness idealization is limited to a 2D profile of 10 cm length. With the advance of measuring technologies that provide accurate and high resolution 3D data of surface topography on different scales, new 3D roughness parameters have been developed. A desirable parameter is one that describes rock surface geometry as well as the direction and scale dependency of roughness. In this research a 3D roughness parameter developed by Grasselli [2001] and adapted by Tatone and Grasselli [2009] is adopted. It characterizes surface topography as the cumulative distribution of local apparent inclination of asperities with respect to the shear strength (analysis) direction. Thus, the 3D roughness parameter describes the roughness amplitude and anisotropy (direction dependency), but does not capture the scale properties. In different studies the roughness scale-dependency has been attributed to data resolution or size of the surface joint (see a summary of researches in [Tatone and Grasselli, 2012]). Clearly, the lower resolution results in lower roughness. On the other hand, have the investigations of surface size effect produced conflicting results. While some studies have shown a decrease in roughness with increasing discontinuity size (negative scale effect), others have shown the existence of positive scale effects, or both positive and negative scale effects. We hypothesize that roughness can increase or decrease with the joint size, depending on the large scale roughness (or waviness), which is entering the roughness calculation once the discontinuity size increases. Therefore, our objective is to characterize roughness at various spatial scales, rather than at changing surface size. Firstly, the rock surface is interpolated into a grid on which a Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) is applied. The resulting surface components have different frequencies, or in other words, they have a certain physical scale depending on the decomposition level and input grid resolution. Secondly, the Grasselli Parameter is computed for the original and each decomposed surface. Finally, the relative roughness change is analyzed with respect to increasing roughness wavelength for four different rock samples. The scale variation depends on the sample itself and thus indicates its potential mechanical behavior. References: - Barton, N. and V. Choubey (1977). "The shear strength of rock joints in theory and practice." Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering 10(1): 1-54. - Grasselli, G. (2001). Shear strength of rock joints based on quantified surface description. École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. Lausanne, EPFL. - Tatone, B. S. A. and G. Grasselli (2009). "A method to evaluate the three-dimensional roughness of fracture surfaces in brittle geomaterials." Review of Scientific Instruments 80(12) - Tatone, B. and G. Grasselli (2012). "An Investigation of Discontinuity Roughness Scale Dependency Using High-Resolution Surface Measurements." Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering: 1-25.

Light-intensity modulator withstands high heat fluxes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maples, H. G.; Strass, H. K.

1966-01-01

Mechanism modulates and controls the intensity of luminous radiation in light beams associated with high-intensity heat flux. This modulator incorporates two fluid-cooled, externally grooved, contracting metal cylinders which when rotated about their longitudinal axes present a circular aperture of varying size depending on the degree of rotation.

Creep Behavior of Near-Stoichiometric Polycrystalline Binary NiAl

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raj, S. V.

2002-01-01

New and published constant load creep and constant engineering strain rate data on near-stoichiometric binary NiAl in the intermediate temperature range 700 to 1300 K are reviewed. Both normal and inverse primary creep curves are observed depending on stress and temperature. Other characteristics relating to creep of NiAl involving grain size, stress and temperature dependence are critically examined and discussed. At stresses below 25 MPa and temperatures above 1000 K, a new grain boundary sliding mechanism was observed with n approx. 2, Qc approx. 100 kJ/ mol and a grain size exponent of about 2. It is demonstrated that Coble creep and accommodated grain boundary sliding models fail to predict the experimental creep rates by several orders of magnitude.

Characterization of the influence of polarization orientation on bulk damage in KDP crystals at different wavelengths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, YinBo; Ding, Lei; Zhou, XinDa; Ba, RongSheng; Yuan, Jing; Xu, HongLei; Na, Jin; Li, YaJun; Yang, XiaoYu; Chai, Liqun; Chen, Bo; Zheng, WanGuo

2016-08-01

The investigation of polarization orientation on damage performance of type I doubler KDP crystals under different wavelengths pulses irradiation is presented in this work. Pinpoints densities (PPD) and the size distribution of pinpoints are extracted through light scattering pictures captured by microscope. The obtained results indicate that the measured PPD as a function of the fluence is both wavelength and polarization dependent, although neither fluence nor polarization have impact on the size distribution of pinpoints. We also find that the damage performances can separate into three groups depending on the wavelength, which suggests the existence of different categories of precursors and different mechanisms responsible for bulk damage initiation in SHG KDP crystals.

Activation of Mechanosensitive Transient Receptor Potential/Piezo Channels in Odontoblasts Generates Action Potentials in Cocultured Isolectin B4-negative Medium-sized Trigeminal Ganglion Neurons.

PubMed

Sato, Masaki; Ogura, Kazuhiro; Kimura, Maki; Nishi, Koichi; Ando, Masayuki; Tazaki, Masakazu; Shibukawa, Yoshiyuki

2018-06-01

Various stimuli to the dentin surface elicit dentinal pain by inducing dentinal fluid movement causing cellular deformation in odontoblasts. Although odontoblasts detect deformation by the activation of mechanosensitive ionic channels, it is still unclear whether odontoblasts are capable of establishing neurotransmission with myelinated A delta (Aδ) neurons. Additionally, it is still unclear whether these neurons evoke action potentials by neurotransmitters from odontoblasts to mediate sensory transduction in dentin. Thus, we investigated evoked inward currents and evoked action potentials form trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons after odontoblast mechanical stimulation. We used patch clamp recordings to identify electrophysiological properties and record evoked responses in TG neurons. We classified TG cells into small-sized and medium-sized neurons. In both types of neurons, we observed voltage-dependent inward currents. The currents from medium-sized neurons showed fast inactivation kinetics. When mechanical stimuli were applied to odontoblasts, evoked inward currents were recorded from medium-sized neurons. Antagonists for the ionotropic adenosine triphosphate receptor (P2X 3 ), transient receptor potential channel subfamilies, and Piezo1 channel significantly inhibited these inward currents. Mechanical stimulation to odontoblasts also generated action potentials in the isolectin B 4 -negative medium-sized neurons. Action potentials in these isolectin B 4 -negative medium-sized neurons showed a short duration. Overall, electrophysiological properties of neurons indicate that the TG neurons with recorded evoked responses after odontoblast mechanical stimulation were myelinated Aδ neurons. Odontoblasts established neurotransmission with myelinated Aδ neurons via P2X 3 receptor activation. The results also indicated that mechanosensitive TRP/Piezo1 channels were functionally expressed in odontoblasts. The activation of P2X 3 receptors induced an action potential in the Aδ neurons, underlying a sensory generation mechanism of dentinal pain. Copyright © 2018 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of system size and cooling rate on the structure and properties of sodium borosilicate glasses from molecular dynamics simulations.

PubMed

Deng, Lu; Du, Jincheng

2018-01-14

Borosilicate glasses form an important glass forming system in both glass science and technologies. The structure and property changes of borosilicate glasses as a function of thermal history in terms of cooling rate during glass formation and simulation system sizes used in classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulation were investigated with recently developed composition dependent partial charge potentials. Short and medium range structural features such as boron coordination, Si and B Q n distributions, and ring size distributions were analyzed to elucidate the effects of cooling rate and simulation system size on these structure features and selected glass properties such as glass transition temperature, vibration density of states, and mechanical properties. Neutron structure factors, neutron broadened pair distribution functions, and vibrational density of states were calculated and compared with results from experiments as well as ab initio calculations to validate the structure models. The results clearly indicate that both cooling rate and system size play an important role on the structures of these glasses, mainly by affecting the 3 B and 4 B distributions and consequently properties of the glasses. It was also found that different structure features and properties converge at different sizes or cooling rates; thus convergence tests are needed in simulations of the borosilicate glasses depending on the targeted properties. The results also shed light on the complex thermal history dependence on structure and properties in borosilicate glasses and the protocols in MD simulations of these and other glass materials.

Effects of system size and cooling rate on the structure and properties of sodium borosilicate glasses from molecular dynamics simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Lu; Du, Jincheng

2018-01-01

Borosilicate glasses form an important glass forming system in both glass science and technologies. The structure and property changes of borosilicate glasses as a function of thermal history in terms of cooling rate during glass formation and simulation system sizes used in classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulation were investigated with recently developed composition dependent partial charge potentials. Short and medium range structural features such as boron coordination, Si and B Qn distributions, and ring size distributions were analyzed to elucidate the effects of cooling rate and simulation system size on these structure features and selected glass properties such as glass transition temperature, vibration density of states, and mechanical properties. Neutron structure factors, neutron broadened pair distribution functions, and vibrational density of states were calculated and compared with results from experiments as well as ab initio calculations to validate the structure models. The results clearly indicate that both cooling rate and system size play an important role on the structures of these glasses, mainly by affecting the 3B and 4B distributions and consequently properties of the glasses. It was also found that different structure features and properties converge at different sizes or cooling rates; thus convergence tests are needed in simulations of the borosilicate glasses depending on the targeted properties. The results also shed light on the complex thermal history dependence on structure and properties in borosilicate glasses and the protocols in MD simulations of these and other glass materials.

High Temperature, Slow Strain Rate Forging of Advanced Disk Alloy ME3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gabb, Timothy P.; OConnor, Kenneth

2001-01-01

The advanced disk alloy ME3 was designed in the HSR/EPM disk program to have extended durability at 1150 to 1250 F in large disks. This was achieved by designing a disk alloy and process producing balanced monotonic, cyclic, and time-dependent mechanical properties. combined with robust processing and manufacturing characteristics. The resulting baseline alloy, processing, and supersolvus heat treatment produces a uniform, relatively fine mean grain size of about ASTM 7, with as-large-as (ALA) grain size of about ASTM 3. There is a long term need for disks with higher rim temperature capabilities than 1250 F. This would allow higher compressor exit (T3) temperatures and allow the full utilization of advanced combustor and airfoil concepts under development. Several approaches are being studied that modify the processing and chemistry of ME3, to possibly improve high temperature properties. Promising approaches would be applied to subscale material, for screening the resulting mechanical properties at these high temperatures. n obvious path traditionally employed to improve the high temperature and time-dependent capabilities of disk alloys is to coarsen the grain size. A coarser grain size than ASTM 7 could potentially be achieved by varying the forging conditions and supersolvus heat treatment. The objective of this study was to perform forging and heat treatment experiments ("thermomechanical processing experiments") on small compression test specimens of the baseline ME3 composition, to identify a viable forging process allowing significantly coarser grain size targeted at ASTM 3-5, than that of the baseline, ASTM 7.

Influence of Temperature and Grain Size on Austenite Stability in Medium Manganese Steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yulong; Wang, Li; Findley, Kip O.; Speer, John G.

2017-05-01

With an aim to elucidate the influence of temperature and grain size on austenite stability, a commercial cold-rolled 7Mn steel was annealed at 893 K (620 °C) for times varying between 3 minutes and 96 hours to develop different grain sizes. The austenite fraction after 3 minutes was 34.7 vol pct, and at longer times was around 40 pct. An elongated microstructure was retained after shorter annealing times while other conditions exhibited equiaxed ferrite and austenite grains. All conditions exhibit similar temperature dependence of mechanical properties. With increasing test temperature, the yield and tensile strength decrease gradually, while the uniform and total elongation increase, followed by an abrupt drop in strength and ductility at 393 K (120 °C). The Olson-Cohen model was applied to fit the transformed austenite fractions for strained tensile samples, measured by means of XRD. The fit results indicate that the parameters α and β decrease with increasing test temperature, consistent with increased austenite stability. The 7Mn steels exhibit a distinct temperature dependence of the work hardening rate. Optimized austenite stability provides continuous work hardening in the temperature range of 298 K to 353 K (25 °C to 80 °C). The yield and tensile strengths have a strong dependence on grain size, although grain size variations have less effect on uniform and total elongation.

Particulate matter in cigarette smoke increases ciliary axoneme beating through mechanical stimulation.

PubMed

Navarrette, Chelsea R; Sisson, Joseph H; Nance, Elizabeth; Allen-Gipson, Diane; Hanes, Justin; Wyatt, Todd A

2012-06-01

The lung's ability to trap and clear foreign particles via the mucociliary elevator is an important mechanism for protecting the lung against respirable irritants and microorganisms. Although cigarette smoke (CS) exposure and particulate inhalation are known to alter mucociliary clearance, little is known about how CS and nanoparticles (NPs) modify cilia beating at the cytoskeletal infrastructure, or axonemal, level. We used a cell-free model to introduce cigarette smoke extract (CSE) and NPs with variant size and surface chemistry to isolated axonemes and measured changes in ciliary motility. We hypothesized that CSE would alter cilia beating and that alterations in ciliary beat frequency (CBF) due to particulate matter would be size- and surface chemistry-dependent. Demembranated axonemes were isolated from ciliated bovine tracheas and exposed to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to initiate motility. CBF was measured in response to 5% CSE, CSE filtrate, and carboxyl-modified (COOH), sulphate (SO(4))-modified (sulfonated), or PEG-coated polystyrene (PS) latex NPs ranging in size from 40 nm to 500 nm. CSE concentrations as low as 5% resulted in rapid, significant stimulation of CBF (p<0.05 vs. baseline control). Filtering CSE through a 0.2-μm filter attenuated this effect. Introduction of sulphate-modified PS beads ~300 nm in diameter resulted in a similar increase in CBF above baseline ATP levels. Uncharged, PEG-coated beads had no effect on CBF regardless of size. Similarly, COOH-coated particles less than 200 nm in diameter did not alter ciliary motility. However, COOH-coated PS particles larger than 300 nm increased CBF significantly and increased the number of motile points. These data show that NPs, including those found in CSE, mechanically stimulate axonemes in a size- and surface chemistry-dependent manner. Alterations in ciliary motility due to physicochemical properties of NPs may be important for inhalational lung injury and efficient drug delivery of respirable particles.

Phase-field study on geometry-dependent migration behavior of voids under temperature gradient in UO2 crystal matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Weijin; Peng, Yuyi; Li, Xu'an; Chen, Kelang; Ma, Jun; Wei, Lingfeng; Wang, Biao; Zheng, Yue

2017-10-01

In this work, a phase-field model is established to capture the void migration behavior under a temperature gradient within a crystal matrix, with an appropriate consideration of the surface diffusion mechanism and the vapor transport mechanism. The interfacial energy and the coupling between the vacancy concentration field and the crystal order parameter field are carefully modeled. Simulations are performed on UO2. The result shows that for small voids (with an area ≤ πμm2), the well-known characteristics of void migration, in consistence with the analytical model, can be recovered. The migration is manifested by a constant velocity and a minor change of the void shape. In contrast, for large voids (with an area of ˜10 μm2) initially in circular shapes, significant deformation of the void from a circular to cashew-like shape is observed. After long-time migration, the deformed void would split into smaller voids. The size-dependent behavior of void migration is due to the combined effect of the interfacial energy (which tends to keep the void in circular shape) and the surface diffusion flow (which tends to deform the void due to the nonuniform diffusion along the surface). Moreover, the initial shape of the void modifies the migration velocity and the time point when splitting occurs (for large voids) at the beginning of migration due to the shape relaxation of the void. However, it has a minor effect on the long-time migration. Our work reveals novel void migration behaviors in conditions where the surface-diffusion mechanism is dominant over the vapor transport mechanism; meanwhile, the size of the void lies at a mediate size range.

Identifying deformation mechanisms in the NEEM ice core using EBSD measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuiper, Ernst-Jan; Weikusat, Ilka; Drury, Martyn R.; Pennock, Gill M.; de Winter, Matthijs D. A.

2015-04-01

Deformation of ice in continental sized ice sheets determines the flow behavior of ice towards the sea. Basal dislocation glide is assumed to be the dominant deformation mechanism in the creep deformation of natural ice, but non-basal glide is active as well. Knowledge of what types of deformation mechanisms are active in polar ice is critical in predicting the response of ice sheets in future warmer climates and its contribution to sea level rise, because the activity of deformation mechanisms depends critically on deformation conditions (such as temperature) as well as on the material properties (such as grain size). One of the methods to study the deformation mechanisms in natural materials is Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD). We obtained ca. 50 EBSD maps of five different depths from a Greenlandic ice core (NEEM). The step size varied between 8 and 25 micron depending on the size of the deformation features. The size of the maps varied from 2000 to 10000 grid point. Indexing rates were up to 95%, partially by saving and reanalyzing the EBSP patterns. With this method we can characterize subgrain boundaries and determine the lattice rotation configurations of each individual subgrain. Combining these observations with arrangement/geometry of subgrain boundaries the dislocation types can be determined, which form these boundaries. Three main types of subgrain boundaries have been recognized in Antarctic (EDML) ice core¹². Here, we present the first results obtained from EBSD measurements performed on the NEEM ice core samples from the last glacial period, focusing on the relevance of dislocation activity of the possible slip systems. Preliminary results show that all three subgrain types, recognized in the EDML core, occur in the NEEM samples. In addition to the classical boundaries made up of basal dislocations, subgrain boundaries made of non-basal dislocations are also common. ¹Weikusat, I.; de Winter, D. A. M.; Pennock, G. M.; Hayles, M.; Schneijdenberg, C. T. W. M. Drury, M. R. Cryogenic EBSD on ice: preserving a stable surface in a low pressure SEM. J. Microsc., 2010, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2818.2010.03471.x ²Weikusat, I.; Miyamoto, A.; Faria, S. H.; Kipfstuhl, S.; Azuma, N.; Hondoh. T. Subgrain boundaries in Antarctic ice quantified by X-ray Laue diffraction. J. of Glaciol., 2011, 57, 85-94

Evidence for soft bounds in Ubuntu package sizes and mammalian body masses

PubMed Central

Gherardi, Marco; Mandrà, Salvatore; Bassetti, Bruno; Cosentino Lagomarsino, Marco

2013-01-01

The development of a complex system depends on the self-coordinated action of a large number of agents, often determining unexpected global behavior. The case of software evolution has great practical importance: knowledge of what is to be considered atypical can guide developers in recognizing and reacting to abnormal behavior. Although the initial framework of a theory of software exists, the current theoretical achievements do not fully capture existing quantitative data or predict future trends. Here we show that two elementary laws describe the evolution of package sizes in a Linux-based operating system: first, relative changes in size follow a random walk with non-Gaussian jumps; second, each size change is bounded by a limit that is dependent on the starting size, an intriguing behavior that we call “soft bound.” Our approach is based on data analysis and on a simple theoretical model, which is able to reproduce empirical details without relying on any adjustable parameter and generates definite predictions. The same analysis allows us to formulate and support the hypothesis that a similar mechanism is shaping the distribution of mammalian body sizes, via size-dependent constraints during cladogenesis. Whereas generally accepted approaches struggle to reproduce the large-mass shoulder displayed by the distribution of extant mammalian species, this is a natural consequence of the softly bounded nature of the process. Additionally, the hypothesis that this model is valid has the relevant implication that, contrary to a common assumption, mammalian masses are still evolving, albeit very slowly. PMID:24324175

Psychophysical and perceptual performance in a simulated-scotoma model of human eye injury

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandeis, R.; Egoz, I.; Peri, D.; Sapiens, N.; Turetz, J.

2008-02-01

Macular scotomas, affecting visual functioning, characterize many eye and neurological diseases like AMD, diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis, and macular hole. In this work, foveal visual field defects were modeled, and their effects were evaluated on spatial contrast sensitivity and a task of stimulus detection and aiming. The modeled occluding scotomas, of different size, were superimposed on the stimuli presented on the computer display, and were stabilized on the retina using a mono Purkinje Eye-Tracker. Spatial contrast sensitivity was evaluated using square-wave grating stimuli, whose contrast thresholds were measured using the method of constant stimuli with "catch trials". The detection task consisted of a triple conjunctive visual search display of: size (in visual angle), contrast and background (simple, low-level features vs. complex, high-level features). Search/aiming accuracy as well as R.T. measures used for performance evaluation. Artificially generated scotomas suppressed spatial contrast sensitivity in a size dependent manner, similar to previous studies. Deprivation effect was dependent on spatial frequency, consistent with retinal inhomogeneity models. Stimulus detection time was slowed in complex background search situation more than in simple background. Detection speed was dependent on scotoma size and size of stimulus. In contrast, visually guided aiming was more sensitive to scotoma effect in simple background search situation than in complex background. Both stimulus aiming R.T. and accuracy (precision targeting) were impaired, as a function of scotoma size and size of stimulus. The data can be explained by models distinguishing between saliency-based, parallel and serial search processes, guiding visual attention, which are supported by underlying retinal as well as neural mechanisms.

Density dependence in a recovering osprey population: demographic and behavioural processes.

PubMed

Bretagnolle, V; Mougeot, F; Thibault, J-C

2008-09-01

1. Understanding how density-dependent and independent processes influence demographic parameters, and hence regulate population size, is fundamental within population ecology. We investigated density dependence in growth rate and fecundity in a recovering population of a semicolonial raptor, the osprey Pandion haliaetus [Linnaeus, 1758], using 31 years of count and demographic data in Corsica. 2. The study population increased from three pairs in 1974 to an average of 22 pairs in the late 1990s, with two distinct phases during the recovery (increase followed by stability) and contrasted trends in breeding parameters in each phase. 3. We show density dependence in population growth rate in the second phase, indicating that the stabilized population was regulated. We also show density dependence in productivity (fledging success between years and hatching success within years). 4. Using long-term data on behavioural interactions at nest sites, and on diet and fish provisioning rate, we evaluated two possible mechanisms of density dependence in productivity, food depletion and behavioural interference. 5. As density increased, both provisioning rate and the size of prey increased, contrary to predictions of a food-depletion mechanism. In the time series, a reduction in fledging success coincided with an increase in the number of non-breeders. Hatching success decreased with increasing local density and frequency of interactions with conspecifics, suggesting that behavioural interference was influencing hatching success. 6. Our study shows that, taking into account the role of non-breeders, in particular in species or populations where there are many floaters and where competition for nest sites is intense, can improve our understanding of density-dependent processes and help conservation actions.

Mechanically induced self-propagating reaction and consequent consolidation for the production of fully dense nanocrystalline Ti{sub 55}C{sub 45} bulk material

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

Sherif El-Eskandarany, M., E-mail: msherif@kisr.edu.kw; Al-Hazza, Abdulsalam

2014-11-15

We employed a high-energy ball mill for the synthesis of nanograined Ti{sub 55}C{sub 45} powders starting from elemental Ti and C powders. The mechanically induced self-propagating reaction that occurred between the reactant materials was monitored via a gas atmosphere gas-temperature-monitoring system. A single phase of NaCl-type TiC was obtained after 5 h of ball milling. To decrease the powder and grain sizes, the material was subjected to further ball milling time. The powders obtained after 200 h of milling possessed spherical-like morphology with average particle and grain sizes of 45 μm and 4.2 nm, respectively. The end-products obtained after 200more » h of ball milling time, were then consolidated into full dense compacts, using hot pressing and spark plasma sintering at 1500 and 34.5 MPa, with heating rates of 20 °C/min and 500 °C/min, respectively. Whereas hot pressing of the powders led to severe grain growth (∼ 436 nm in diameter), the as-spark plasma sintered powders maintained their nanograined characteristics (∼ 28 nm in diameter). The as-synthesized and as-consolidated powders were characterized, using X-ray diffraction, high-resolution electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The mechanical properties of the consolidated samples obtained via the hot pressing and spark plasma sintering techniques were characterized, using Vickers microhardness and non-destructive testing techniques. The Vickers hardness, Young's modulus, shear modulus and fracture toughness of as-spark plasma sintered samples were 32 GPa, 358 GPa, 151 GPa and 6.4 MPa·m{sup 1/2}, respectively. The effects of the consolidation approach on the grain size and mechanical properties were investigated and are discussed. - Highlights: • Room-temperature synthesizing of NaCl-type TiC • Dependence on the grain size on the ball milling time • Fabrication of equiaxed nanocrystalline grains with a diameter of 4.2 nm • Fabrication of nanocrystalline bulk TiC material by SPS with minimal grain growth • Dependence of improved mechanical properties on the consolidation techniques.« less

Heating efficiency in magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deatsch, Alison E.; Evans, Benjamin A.

2014-03-01

Magnetic nanoparticles for hyperthermic treatment of cancers have gained significant attention in recent years. In magnetic hyperthermia, three independent mechanisms result in thermal energy upon stimulation: Néel relaxation, Brownian relaxation, and hysteresis loss. The relative contribution of each is strongly dependent on size, shape, crystalline anisotropy, and degree of aggregation or agglomeration of the nanoparticles. We review the effects of each of these physical mechanisms in light of recent experimental studies and suggest routes for progress in the field.

Kinetic model for the mechanical response of suspensions of sponge-like particles.

PubMed

Hütter, Markus; Faber, Timo J; Wyss, Hans M

2012-01-01

A dynamic two-scale model is developed that describes the stationary and transient mechanical behavior of concentrated suspensions made of highly porous particles. Particularly, we are interested in particles that not only deform elastically, but also can swell or shrink by taking up or expelling the viscous solvent from their interior, leading to rate-dependent deformability of the particles. The fine level of the model describes the evolution of particle centers and their current sizes, while the shapes are at present not taken into account. The versatility of the model permits inclusion of density- and temperature-dependent particle interactions, and hydrodynamic interactions, as well as to implement insight into the mechanism of swelling and shrinking. The coarse level of the model is given in terms of macroscopic hydrodynamics. The two levels are mutually coupled, since the flow changes the particle configuration, while in turn the configuration gives rise to stress contributions, that eventually determine the macroscopic mechanical properties of the suspension. Using a thermodynamic procedure for the model development, it is demonstrated that the driving forces for position change and for size change are derived from the same potential energy. The model is translated into a form that is suitable for particle-based Brownian dynamics simulations for performing rheological tests. Various possibilities for connection with experiments, e.g. rheological and structural, are discussed.

Mechanisms of resonant low frequency Raman scattering from metallic nanoparticle Lamb modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Girard, A.; Lermé, J.; Gehan, H.; Margueritat, J.; Mermet, A.

2017-05-01

The low frequency Raman scattering from gold nanoparticle bimodal assemblies with controlled size distributions has been studied. Special care has been paid to determining the size dependence of the Raman intensity corresponding to the quadrupolar Lamb mode. Existing models based on a microscopic description of the scattering mechanism in small particles (bond polarizability, dipole induced dipole models) predict, for any Raman-active Lamb modes, an inelastic intensity scaling as the volume of the nanoparticle. Surprisingly experimental intensity ratios are found to be anomalously much greater than theoretical ones, calling into question this scaling law. To explain these discrepancies, a simple mechanism of Raman scattering, based on the density fluctuations in the nanoparticles induced by the Lamb modes, is introduced. This modeling, in which the nanoparticle is described as an elastic isotropic continuous medium—as in Lamb theory, successfully explains the major features exhibited by low frequency Raman modes. Moreover this model provides a unified picture for any material, suitable for handling both small and large size ranges, as well as non-resonant and resonant excitation conditions in the case of metallic species.

The Influence of Welding Parameters on the Nugget Formation of Resistance Spot Welding of Inconel 625 Sheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rezaei Ashtiani, Hamid Reza; Zarandooz, Roozbeh

2015-09-01

A 2D axisymmetric electro-thermo-mechanical finite element (FE) model is developed to investigate the effect of current intensity, welding time, and electrode tip diameter on temperature distributions and nugget size in resistance spot welding (RSW) process of Inconel 625 superalloy sheets using ABAQUS commercial software package. The coupled electro-thermal analysis and uncoupled thermal-mechanical analysis are used for modeling process. In order to improve accuracy of simulation, material properties including physical, thermal, and mechanical properties have been considered to be temperature dependent. The thickness and diameter of computed weld nuggets are compared with experimental results and good agreement is observed. So, FE model developed in this paper provides prediction of quality and shape of the weld nuggets and temperature distributions with variation of each process parameter, suitably. Utilizing this FE model assists in adjusting RSW parameters, so that expensive experimental process can be avoided. The results show that increasing welding time and current intensity lead to an increase in the nugget size and electrode indentation, whereas increasing electrode tip diameter decreases nugget size and electrode indentation.

Surface plasmon mediated Raman scattering in metal nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bachelier, G.; Mlayah, A.

2004-05-01

The Raman scattering due to confined acoustic vibrations in metal particles is studied theoretically. Various coupling mechanisms between the surface plasmon polaritons and the confined vibrations are investigated. Their relative contribution to the light scattering is discussed. We found that two mechanisms play an important role: (i) modulation of the interband dielectric susceptibility via deformation potential due to pure radial vibrations and (ii) modulation of the surface polarization charges by quadripolar vibrations. The dependence of the Raman spectra on the nanoparticles size and size distribution and on the excitation energy is studied in connection with the nature of the excited plasmon-polariton states. We found a good agreement between calculated line shapes and relatives intensities of the Raman bands and the experimental spectra reported in the literature.

Magnetization mechanisms in ordered arrays of polycrystalline Fe{sub 100−x}Co{sub x} nanowires

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

Viqueira, M. S.; Bajales, N.; Urreta, S. E.

2015-05-28

Magnetization reversal processes and coercivity mechanisms in polycrystalline Fe{sub 100−x}Co{sub x} nanowire arrays, resulting from an AC electrodeposition process, are investigated. The array coercivity is described on the basis of polarization reversal mechanisms operating in individual wires, under the effect of inter-wire dipolar interactions described by a mean field approximation. For individual wires, a reversal mechanism involving the nucleation and further expansion of domain-wall like spin configuration is considered. The wires have a mean grain size larger than both the nanowire diameter and the exchange length, so localized and non-cooperative nucleation modes are considered. As the Co content increases, themore » alloy saturation polarization gradually decreases, but the coercive field and the relative remanence of the arrays increase, indicating that they are not controlled by the shape anisotropy in all the composition range. The coercive field dependence on the angle between the applied field and the wire long axis is not well described by reversal mechanisms involving nucleation and further displacement of neither vortex nor transverse ideal domain walls. On the contrary, the angular dependence of the coercive field observed at room temperature is well predicted by a model considering nucleation of inverse domains by localized curling, in regions smaller than the grain size, exhibiting quite small aspect ratios as compared to those of the entire nanowire. In arrays with higher Co contents, a transition from an initial (small angle) localized curling nucleation mechanism to another one, involving localized coherent rotation is observed at about π/4.« less

Emergence of energy dependence in the fragmentation of heterogeneous materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pál, Gergő; Varga, Imre; Kun, Ferenc

2014-12-01

The most important characteristics of the fragmentation of heterogeneous solids is that the mass (size) distribution of pieces is described by a power law functional form. The exponent of the distribution displays a high degree of universality depending mainly on the dimensionality and on the brittle-ductile mechanical response of the system. Recently, experiments and computer simulations have reported an energy dependence of the exponent increasing with the imparted energy. These novel findings question the phase transition picture of fragmentation phenomena, and have also practical importance for industrial applications. Based on large scale computer simulations here we uncover a robust mechanism which leads to the emergence of energy dependence in fragmentation processes resolving controversial issues on the problem: studying the impact induced breakup of platelike objects with varying thickness in three dimensions we show that energy dependence occurs when a lower dimensional fragmenting object is embedded into a higher dimensional space. The reason is an underlying transition between two distinct fragmentation mechanisms controlled by the impact velocity at low plate thicknesses, while it is hindered for three-dimensional bulk systems. The mass distributions of the subsets of fragments dominated by the two cracking mechanisms proved to have an astonishing robustness at all plate thicknesses, which implies that the nonuniversality of the complete mass distribution is the consequence of blending the contributions of universal partial processes.

Depletion interaction between colloids mediated by an athermal polymer blend

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chervanyov, A. I.

2018-03-01

We calculate the immersion energy of a colloid and the potential of the depletion interaction (DI) acting between colloids immersed in an athermal polymer blend. The developed theory has no limitations with respect to the polymer-to-colloid size ratios and polymer densities, covering, in particular, dense polymer blends. We demonstrate that in addition to the standard compressibility-induced mechanism of the DI there exists the mechanism relying on the correlations between compositional fluctuations specific to polymer blends. We quantitatively investigate this "compositional" mechanism of the DI and demonstrate that it causes significant contributions to the effective force acting between colloids. Further we show that relative significance of the contributions to the colloid immersion energy and the depletion potential caused by the above compositional mechanism strongly depends on the mass fractions of the polymer species and their size ratio. We find out that these contributions strongly affect the range of the DI, thus causing a significant increase in the absolute value of the second virial coefficient of the effective potential acting between colloids.

Soil mechanics: breaking ground.

PubMed

Einav, Itai

2007-12-15

In soil mechanics, student's models are classified as simple models that teach us unexplained elements of behaviour; an example is the Cam clay constitutive models of critical state soil mechanics (CSSM). 'Engineer's models' are models that elaborate the theory to fit more behavioural trends; this is usually done by adding fitting parameters to the student's models. Can currently unexplained behavioural trends of soil be explained without adding fitting parameters to CSSM models, by developing alternative student's models based on modern theories?Here I apply an alternative theory to CSSM, called 'breakage mechanics', and develop a simple student's model for sand. Its unique and distinctive feature is the use of an energy balance equation that connects grain size reduction to consumption of energy, which enables us to predict how grain size distribution (gsd) evolves-an unprecedented capability in constitutive modelling. With only four parameters, the model is physically clarifying what CSSM cannot for sand: the dependency of yielding and critical state on the initial gsd and void ratio.

Limitation of Cell Adhesion by the Elasticity of the Extracellular Matrix

PubMed Central

Nicolas, Alice; Safran, Samuel. A.

2006-01-01

Cell/matrix adhesions are modulated by cytoskeletal or external stresses and adapt to the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix. We propose that this mechanosensitivity arises from the activation of a mechanosensor located within the adhesion itself. We show that this mechanism accounts for the observed directional growth of focal adhesions and the reduction or even cessation of their growth when cells adhere to a soft extracellular matrix. We predict quantitatively that both the elasticity and the thickness of the matrix play a key role in the dynamics of focal adhesions. Two different types of dynamics are expected depending on whether the thickness of the matrix is of order of or much larger than the adhesion size. In the latter situation, we predict that the adhesion region reaches a saturation size that can be tuned by the mechanical properties of the matrix. PMID:16581840

Simulation of the main physical processes in remote laser penetration with large laser spot size

DOE PAGES

Khairallah, S. A.; Anderson, A.; Rubenchik, A. M.; ...

2015-04-10

A 3D model is developed to simulate remote laser penetration of a 1mm Aluminum metal sheet with large laser spot size (~3x3cm²), using the ALE3D multi-physics code. The model deals with the laser-induced melting of the plate and the mechanical interaction between the solid and the melted part through plate elastic-plastic response. The effect of plate oscillations and other forces on plate rupture, the droplet formation mechanism and the influence of gravity and high laser power in further breaking the single melt droplet into many more fragments are analyzed. In the limit of low laser power, the numerical results matchmore » the available experiments. The numerical approach couples mechanical and thermal diffusion to hydrodynamics melt flow and accounts for temperature dependent material properties, surface tension, gravity and vapor recoil pressure.« less

Growth Mechanism of Microbial Colonies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Minhui; Martini, K. Michael; Kim, Neil H.; Sherer, Nicholas; Lee, Jia Gloria; Kuhlman, Thomas; Goldenfeld, Nigel

Experiments on nutrient-limited E. coli colonies, growing on agar gel from single cells reveal a power-law distribution of sizes, both during the growth process and in the final stage when growth has ceased. We developed a Python simulation to study the growth mechanism of the bacterial population and thus understand the broad details of the experimental findings. The simulation takes into account nutrient uptake, metabolic function, growth and cell division. Bacteria are modeled in two dimensions as hard circle-capped cylinders with steric interactions and elastic stress dependent growth characteristics. Nutrient is able to diffuse within and between the colonies. The mechanism of microbial colony growth involves reproduction of cells within the colonies and the merging of different colonies. We report results on the dynamic scaling laws and final state size distribution, that capture in semi-quantitative detail the trends observed in experiment. Supported by NSF Grant 0822613.

Mechanisms of Post-Infarct Left Ventricular Remodeling

PubMed Central

French, Brent A.; Kramer, Christopher M.

2008-01-01

Heart failure secondary to myocardial infarction (MI) remains a major source of morbidity and mortality. Long-term outcome after MI can be largely be defined in terms of its impact on the size and shape of the left ventricle (i.e., LV remodeling). Three major mechanisms contribute to LV remodeling: 1) early infarct expansion, 2) subsequent infarct extension into adjacent noninfarcted myocardium, and 3) late hypertrophy in the remote LV. Future developments in preventing post-MI heart failure will depend not only on identifying drugs targeting each of these individual mechanisms, but also on diagnostic techniques capable of assessing efficacy against each mechanism. PMID:18690295

Deformation micromechanisms of collagen fibrils under uniaxial tension

PubMed Central

Tang, Yuye; Ballarini, Roberto; Buehler, Markus J.; Eppell, Steven J.

2010-01-01

Collagen, an essential building block of connective tissues, possesses useful mechanical properties due to its hierarchical structure. However, little is known about the mechanical properties of collagen fibril, an intermediate structure between the collagen molecule and connective tissue. Here, we report the results of systematic molecular dynamics simulations to probe the mechanical response of initially unflawed finite size collagen fibrils subjected to uniaxial tension. The observed deformation mechanisms, associated with rupture and sliding of tropocollagen molecules, are strongly influenced by fibril length, width and cross-linking density. Fibrils containing more than approximately 10 molecules along their length and across their width behave as representative volume elements and exhibit brittle fracture. Shorter fibrils experience a more graceful ductile-like failure. An analytical model is constructed and the results of the molecular modelling are used to find curve-fitted expressions for yield stress, yield strain and fracture strain as functions of fibril structural parameters. Our results for the first time elucidate the size dependence of mechanical failure properties of collagen fibrils. The associated molecular deformation mechanisms allow the full power of traditional material and structural engineering theory to be applied to our understanding of the normal and pathological mechanical behaviours of collagenous tissues under load. PMID:19897533

Breakdown pressures and characteristic flaw sizes during fluid injection experiments in shale at elevated confining pressures.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandler, M.; Mecklenburgh, J.; Rutter, E. H.; Taylor, R.; Fauchille, A. L.; Ma, L.; Lee, P. D.

2017-12-01

Fracture propagation trajectories in gas-bearing shales depend on the interaction between the anisotropic mechanical properties of the shale and the anisotropic in-situ stress field. However, there is a general paucity of available experimental data on their anisotropic mechanical, physical and fluid-flow properties, especially at elevated confining pressures. A suite of mechanical, flow and elastic measurements have been made on two shale materials, the Whitby mudrock and the Mancos shale (an interbedded silt and mudstone), as well as Pennant sandstone, an isotropic baseline and tight-gas sandstone analogue. Mechanical characterization includes standard triaxial experiments, pressure-dependent permeability, brazilian disk tensile strength, and fracture toughness determined using double-torsion experiments. Elastic characterisation was performed through ultrasonic velocities determined using a cross-correlation method. Additionally, we report the results of laboratory-scale fluid injection experiments for the same materials. Injection experiments involved the pressurisation of a blind-ending central hole in a dry cylindrical sample. Pressurisation is conducted under constant volume-rate control, using silicon oils of varying viscosities. Breakdown pressure is not seen to exhibit a strong dependence on rock type or orientation, and increases linearly with confining pressure. In most experiments, a small drop in the injection pressure record is observed at what is taken to be fracture initiation, and in the Pennant sandstone this is accompanied by a small burst of acoustic energy. The shale materials were acoustically quiet. Breakdown is found to be rapid and uncontrollable after initiation if injection is continued. A simplified 2-dimensional model for explaining this is presented in terms of the stress intensities at the tip of a pressurised crack, and is used alongside the triaxial data to derive a characteristic flaw size from which the fractures have initiated in the borehole wall.

Size-Dependent Rupture Strain of Elastically Stretchable Metal Conductors

PubMed Central

Graudejus, O.; Jia, Z.; Li, T.; Wagner, S.

2012-01-01

Experiments show that the rupture strain of gold conductors on elastomers decreases as the conductors are made long and narrow. Rupture is caused by the irreversible coalescence of microcracks into one long crack. A mechanics model identifies a critical crack length ℓcr, above which the long crack propagates across the entire conductor width. ℓcr depends on the fracture toughness of the gold film and the width of the conductor. The model provides guidance for the design of highly stretchable conductors. PMID:22773917

Evidence for r- and K-selection in a wild bird population: a reciprocal link between ecology and evolution.

PubMed

Sæther, Bernt-Erik; Visser, Marcel E; Grøtan, Vidar; Engen, Steinar

2016-04-27

Understanding the variation in selection pressure on key life-history traits is crucial in our rapidly changing world. Density is rarely considered as a selective agent. To study its importance, we partition phenotypic selection in fluctuating environments into components representing the population growth rate at low densities and the strength of density dependence, using a new stochastic modelling framework. We analysed the number of eggs laid per season in a small song-bird, the great tit, and found balancing selection favouring large clutch sizes at small population densities and smaller clutches in years with large populations. A significant interaction between clutch size and population size in the regression for the Malthusian fitness reveals that those females producing large clutch sizes at small population sizes also are those that show the strongest reduction in fitness when population size is increased. This provides empirical support for ongoing r- and K-selection in this population, favouring phenotypes with large growth rates r at small population sizes and phenotypes with high competitive skills when populations are close to the carrying capacity K This selection causes long-term fluctuations around a stable mean clutch size caused by variation in population size, implying that r- and K-selection is an important mechanism influencing phenotypic evolution in fluctuating environments. This provides a general link between ecological dynamics and evolutionary processes, operating through a joint influence of density dependence and environmental stochasticity on fluctuations in population size. © 2016 The Author(s).

Size of age-0 crappies (Pomoxis spp.) relative to reservoir habitats and water levels

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kaczka, Levi J.; Miranda, Leandro E.

2014-01-01

Variable year-class strength is common in crappie Pomoxis spp. populations in many reservoirs, yet the mechanisms behind this variability are poorly understood. Size-dependent mortality of age-0 fishes has long been recognized in the population ecology literature; however, investigations about the effects of environmental factors on age-0 crappie size are lacking. The objective of this study was to determine if differences existed in total length of age-0 crappies between embayment and floodplain habitats in reservoirs, while accounting for potential confounding effects of water level and crappie species. To this end, we examined size of age-0 crappies in four flood-control reservoirs in northwest Mississippi over 4years. Age-0 crappies inhabiting uplake floodplain habitats grew to a larger size than fish in downlake embayments, but this trend depended on species, length of time a reservoir was dewatered in the months preceding spawning, and reservoir water level in the months following spawning. The results from our study indicate that water-level management may focus not only on allowing access to quality nursery habitat, but that alternating water levels on a multiyear schedule could increase the quality of degraded littoral habitats.

Scaling effect on the fracture toughness of bone materials using MMTS criterion.

PubMed

Akbardoost, Javad; Amirafshari, Reza; Mohsenzade, Omid; Berto, Filippo

2018-05-21

The aim of this study is to present a stress based approach for investigating the effect of specimen size on the fracture toughness of bone materials. The proposed approach is a modified form of the classical fracture criterion called maximum tangential stress (MTS). The mechanical properties of bone are different in longitudinal and transverse directions and hence the tangential stress component in the proposed approach should be determined in the orthotropic media. Since only the singular terms of series expansions were obtained in the previous studies, the tangential stress is measured from finite element analysis. In this study, the critical distance is also assumed to be size dependent and a semi-empirical formulation is used for describing the size dependency of the critical distance. By comparing the results predicted by the proposed approach and those reported in the previous studies, it is shown that the proposed approach can predict the fracture resistance of cracked bone by taking into account the effect of specimen size. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Critical patch size generated by Allee effect in gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.)

Treesearch

E. Vercken; A.M. Kramer; P.C. Tobin; J.M. Drake

2011-01-01

Allee effects are important dynamical mechanisms in small-density populations in which per capita population growth rate increases with density. When positive density dependence is sufficiently severe (a 'strong' Allee effect), a critical density arises below which populations do not persist. For spatially distributed populations subject to dispersal, theory...

Size-dependent elastic/inelastic behavior of enamel over millimeter and nanometer length scales.

PubMed

Ang, Siang Fung; Bortel, Emely L; Swain, Michael V; Klocke, Arndt; Schneider, Gerold A

2010-03-01

The microstructure of enamel like most biological tissues has a hierarchical structure which determines their mechanical behavior. However, current studies of the mechanical behavior of enamel lack a systematic investigation of these hierarchical length scales. In this study, we performed macroscopic uni-axial compression tests and the spherical indentation with different indenter radii to probe enamel's elastic/inelastic transition over four hierarchical length scales, namely: 'bulk enamel' (mm), 'multiple-rod' (10's microm), 'intra-rod' (100's nm with multiple crystallites) and finally 'single-crystallite' (10's nm with an area of approximately one hydroxyapatite crystallite). The enamel's elastic/inelastic transitions were observed at 0.4-17 GPa depending on the length scale and were compared with the values of synthetic hydroxyapatite crystallites. The elastic limit of a material is important as it provides insights into the deformability of the material before fracture. At the smallest investigated length scale (contact radius approximately 20 nm), elastic limit is followed by plastic deformation. At the largest investigated length scale (contact size approximately 2 mm), only elastic then micro-crack induced response was observed. A map of elastic/inelastic regions of enamel from millimeter to nanometer length scale is presented. Possible underlying mechanisms are also discussed. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In-Situ Anomalous Small-Angle X-ray Scattering Studies of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Catalyst Degradation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilbert, James Andrew

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are a promising high efficiency energy conversion technology, but their cost effective implementation, especially for automotive power, has been hindered by degradation of the electrochemically-active surface area (ECA) of the Pt nanoparticle electrocatalysts. While numerous studies using ex-situ post-mortem techniques have provided insight into the effect of operating conditions on ECA loss, the governing mechanisms and underlying processes are not fully understood. Toward the goal of elucidating the electrocatalyst degradation mechanisms, we have followed particle size distribution (PSD) growth evolutions of Pt and Pt-alloy nanoparticle catalysts during potential cycling in an aqueous acidic environment (with and without flow of electrolyte) and in a fuel cell environment using in-situ anomalous small-angle X-ray scattering (ASAXS). The results of this thesis show a surface area loss mechanism of Pt nanoparticles supported on carbon to be predominantly controlled by Pt dissolution, the particle size dependence of Pt dissolution, the loss of dissolved Pt into the membrane and electrolyte, and, to a lesser extent, the re-deposition of dissolved Pt onto larger particles. The relative extent of these loss mechanisms are shown to be dependent on the environment, the temperature, and the potential cycling conditions. Correlation of ASAXS-determined particle growth with both calculated and voltammetrically-determined oxide coverages demonstrates that the oxide coverage is playing a key role in the dissolution process and in the corresponding growth of the mean Pt nanoparticle size and loss of ECA. This understanding potentially reduces the complex changes in PSDs and ECA resulting from various voltage profiles to the response to a single variable, oxide coverage. A better understanding of the degradation mechanisms of Pt and Pt-alloy nanoparticle distributions could lead to more stable electrocatalysts while simultaneously reducing the cost of the materials, thereby supporting more durable and lower cost PEMFCs.

Vapor-liquid-solid mechanisms: Challenges for nanosized quantum cluster/dot/wire materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheyssac, P.; Sacilotti, M.; Patriarche, G.

2006-08-01

The growth mechanism model of a nanoscaled material is a critical step that has to be refined for a better understanding of a nanostructure's dot/wire fabrication. To do so, the growth mechanism will be discussed in this paper and the influence of the size of the metallic nanocluster starting point, referred to later as "size effect," will be studied. Among many of the so-called size effects, a tremendous decrease of the melting point of the metallic nanocluster changes the physical properties as well as the physical/mechanical interactions inside the growing structure composed of a metallic dot on top of a column. The thermodynamic size effect is related to the bending or curvature of chains of atoms, giving rise to the weakening of bonds between them; this size or curvature effect is described and approached to crystal nanodot/wire growth. We will describe this effect as that of a "cooking machine" when the number of atoms decreases from ˜1023at./cm3 for a bulk material to a few tens of them in a 1-2nm diameter sphere. The decrease of the number of atoms in a metallic cluster from such an enormous quantity is accompanied by a lowering of the melting temperature that extends from 200 up to 1000K, depending on the metallic material and its size under study. In this respect, the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) model, which is the most utilized growth mechanism for quantum nanowires and nanodots, is critically exposed to size or curvature effects (CEs). More precisely, interactions in the vicinity of the growth regions should be reexamined. Some results illustrating the growth of micrometer-/nanometer-sized materials are presented in order to corroborate the CE/VLS models utilized by many research groups in today's nanosciences world. Examples of metallic clusters and semiconducting wires will be presented. The results and comments presented in this paper can be seen as a challenge to be overcome. From them, we expect that in a near future an improved model can be exposed to the scientific community.

Endocrine Control of Exaggerated Trait Growth in Rhinoceros Beetles.

PubMed

Zinna, R; Gotoh, H; Brent, C S; Dolezal, A; Kraus, A; Niimi, T; Emlen, D; Lavine, L C

2016-08-01

Juvenile hormone (JH) is a key insect growth regulator frequently involved in modulating phenotypically plastic traits such as caste determination in eusocial species, wing polymorphisms in aphids, and mandible size in stag beetles. The jaw morphology of stag beetles is sexually-dimorphic and condition-dependent; males have larger jaws than females and those developing under optimum conditions are larger in overall body size and have disproportionately larger jaws than males raised under poor conditions. We have previously shown that large males have higher JH titers than small males during development, and ectopic application of fenoxycarb (JH analog) to small males can induce mandibular growth similar to that of larger males. What remains unknown is whether JH regulates condition-dependent trait growth in other insects with extreme sexually selected structures. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that JH mediates the condition-dependent expression of the elaborate horns of the Asian rhinoceros beetle, Trypoxylus dichotomus. The sexually dimorphic head horn of this beetle is sensitive to nutritional state during larval development. Like stag beetles, male rhinoceros beetles receiving copious food produce disproportionately large horns for their body size compared with males under restricted diets. We show that JH titers are correlated with body size during the late feeding and early prepupal periods, but this correlation disappears by the late prepupal period, the period of maximum horn growth. While ectopic application of fenoxycarb during the third larval instar significantly delayed pupation, it had no effect on adult horn size relative to body size. Fenoxycarb application to late prepupae also had at most a marginal effect on relative horn size. We discuss our results in context of other endocrine signals of condition-dependent trait exaggeration and suggest that different beetle lineages may have co-opted different physiological signaling mechanisms to achieve heightened nutrient-sensitive weapon growth. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Study of deformation behavior, structure and mechanical properties of the AlSiMnFe alloy during ECAP-PBP.

PubMed

Naizabekov, A B; Andreyachshenko, V A; Kocich, Radim

2013-01-01

The presented article deals with the effects of equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) with a newly adjusted die geometry on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the Al-Si-Mn-Fe alloy. This alloy was subjected to two modes of heat treatment followed by the ECAP process, which led to partial back pressure (ECAP-PBP). Ultra-fine grained (UFG) structure formed through ECAP-PBP process has been studied by methods of optical as well as electron microscopy. The obtained results indicate that quenched alloys, in comparison to slowly cooled alloys, do not contain large brittle particles which subsequently initiate a premature creation of cracks. It was shown that the mechanical properties of these alloys after such processing depend first and foremost on the selected type of heat treatment and on the number of performed passes. The maximum of ultimate tensile strength (417 MPa) was obtained for quenched alloy after 3 passes. On the other hand, maximum ductility was found in slowly cooled alloy after second pass. Further passes reduced strength due to the brittle behavior of excluded particles. One of the partial findings is that there is only a small dependency of the resulting size of grains on previously applied thermal processing. The minimum grain sizes were obtained after 3 passages, where their size ranged between 0.4 and 0.8 μm. The application of quick cooling after heat processing due to the occurrence of finer precipitates in the matrix seems to produce better results. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Observations of Fabric Development in Polycrystalline Ice at Basal Pressures: Methods and Initial Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breton, D. J.; Baker, I.; Cole, D. M.

2012-12-01

Understanding and predicting the flow of polycrystalline ice is crucial to ice sheet modeling and paleoclimate reconstruction from ice cores. Ice flow rates depend strongly on the fabric (i.e. the distribution of grain sizes and crystallographic orientations) which evolves over time and enhances the flow rate in the direction of applied stress. The mechanisms for fabric evolution in ice have been extensively studied at atmospheric pressures, but little work has been done to observe these processes at the high pressures experienced deep within ice sheets where long-term changes in ice rheology are expected to have significance. We conducted compressive creep tests on a 917 kg m-3 polycrystalline ice specimen at 20 MPa hydrostatic pressure, thus simulating ~2,000 m depth. Initial specimen grain orientations were random, typical grain diameters were 1.2 mm, and the applied creep stress was 0.3 MPa. Subsequent microstructural analyses on the deformed specimen and a similarly prepared, undeformed specimen allowed characterization of crystal fabric evolution under pressure. Our microstructural analysis technique simultaneously collected grain shape and size data from Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) micrographs and obtained crystallographic orientation data via Electron BackScatter Diffraction (EBSD). Combining these measurements allows rapid analysis of the ice fabric over large numbers of grains, yielding statistically useful numbers of grain size and full c- and a-axis grain orientation data. The combined creep and microstructural data demonstrate pressure-dependent effects on the mechanical and microstructural evolution of polycrystalline ice. We discuss possible mechanisms for the observed phenomena, and future directions for hydrostatic creep testing.

Size-dependent piezoelectric energy-harvesting analysis of micro/nano bridges subjected to random ambient excitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radgolchin, Moeen; Moeenfard, Hamid

2018-02-01

The construction of self-powered micro-electro-mechanical units by converting the mechanical energy of the systems into electrical power has attracted much attention in recent years. While power harvesting from deterministic external excitations is state of the art, it has been much more difficult to derive mathematical models for scavenging electrical energy from ambient random vibrations, due to the stochastic nature of the excitations. The current research concerns analytical modeling of micro-bridge energy harvesters based on random vibration theory. Since classical elasticity fails to accurately predict the mechanical behavior of micro-structures, strain gradient theory is employed as a powerful tool to increase the accuracy of the random vibration modeling of the micro-harvester. Equations of motion of the system in the time domain are derived using the Lagrange approach. These are then utilized to determine the frequency and impulse responses of the structure. Assuming the energy harvester to be subjected to a combination of broadband and limited-band random support motion and transverse loading, closed-form expressions for mean, mean square, correlation and spectral density of the output power are derived. The suggested formulation is further exploited to investigate the effect of the different design parameters, including the geometric properties of the structure as well as the properties of the electrical circuit on the resulting power. Furthermore, the effect of length scale parameters on the harvested energy is investigated in detail. It is observed that the predictions of classical and even simple size-dependent theories (such as couple stress) appreciably differ from the findings of strain gradient theory on the basis of random vibration. This study presents a first-time modeling of micro-scale harvesters under stochastic excitations using a size-dependent approach and can be considered as a reliable foundation for future research in the field of micro/nano harvesters subjected to non-deterministic loads.

Deposition Nucleation or Pore Condensation and Freezing?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

David, Robert O.; Mahrt, Fabian; Marcolli, Claudia; Fahrni, Jonas; Brühwiler, Dominik; Lohmann, Ulrike; Kanji, Zamin A.

2017-04-01

Ice nucleation plays an important role in moderating Earth's climate and precipitation formation. Over the last century of research, several mechanisms for the nucleation of ice have been identified. Of the known mechanisms for ice nucleation, only deposition nucleation occurs below water saturation. Deposition nucleation is defined as the formation of ice from supersaturated water vapor on an insoluble particle without the prior formation of liquid. However, recent work has found that the efficiency of so-called deposition nucleation shows a dependence on the homogeneous freezing temperature of water even though no liquid phase is presumed to be present. Additionally, the ability of certain particles to nucleate ice more efficiently after being pre-cooled (pre-activation) raises questions on the true mechanism when ice nucleation occurs below water saturation. In an attempt to explain the dependence of the efficiency of so-called deposition nucleation on the onset of homogeneous freezing of liquid water, pore condensation and freezing has been proposed. Pore condensation and freezing suggests that the liquid phase can exist under sub-saturated conditions with respect to liquid in narrow confinements or pores due to the inverse Kelvin effect. Once the liquid-phase condenses, it is capable of nucleating ice either homogeneously or heterogeneously. The role of pore condensation and freezing is assessed in the Zurich Ice Nucleation Chamber, a continuous flow diffusion chamber, using spherical nonporous and mesoporous silica particles. The mesoporous silica particles have a well-defined particle size range of 400 to 600nm with discreet pore sizes of 2.5, 2.8, 3.5 and 3.8nm. Experiments conducted between 218K and 238K show that so-called deposition nucleation only occurs below the homogenous freezing temperature of water and is highly dependent on the presence of pores and their size. The results strongly support pore condensation and freezing, questioning the role of deposition nucleation as an ice nucleation pathway.

Calcium dependent current recordings in Xenopus laevis oocytes in microgravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wuest, Simon L.; Roesch, Christian; Ille, Fabian; Egli, Marcel

2017-12-01

Mechanical unloading by microgravity (or weightlessness) conditions triggers profound adaptation processes at the cellular and organ levels. Among other mechanisms, mechanosensitive ion channels are thought to play a key role in allowing cells to transduce mechanical forces. Previous experiments performed under microgravity have shown that gravity affects the gating properties of ion channels. Here, a method is described to record a calcium-dependent current in native Xenopus laevis oocytes under microgravity conditions during a parabolic flight. A 3-voltage-step protocol was applied to provoke a calcium-dependent current. This current increased with extracellular calcium concentration and could be reduced by applying extracellular gadolinium. The custom-made ;OoClamp; hardware was validated by comparing the results of the 3-voltage-step protocol to results obtained with a well-established two-electrode voltage clamp (TEVC). In the context of the 2nd Swiss Parabolic Flight Campaign, we tested the OoClamp and the method. The setup and experiment protocol worked well in parabolic flight. A tendency that the calcium-dependent current was smaller under microgravity than under 1 g condition could be observed. However, a conclusive statement was not possible due to the small size of the data base that could be gathered.

Abundance and Temperature Dependency of Protein-Protein Interaction Revealed by Interface Structure Analysis and Stability Evolution

PubMed Central

He, Yi-Ming; Ma, Bin-Guang

2016-01-01

Protein complexes are major forms of protein-protein interactions and implement essential biological functions. The subunit interface in a protein complex is related to its thermostability. Though the roles of interface properties in thermal adaptation have been investigated for protein complexes, the relationship between the interface size and the expression level of the subunits remains unknown. In the present work, we studied this relationship and found a positive correlation in thermophiles rather than mesophiles. Moreover, we found that the protein interaction strength in complexes is not only temperature-dependent but also abundance-dependent. The underlying mechanism for the observed correlation was explored by simulating the evolution of protein interface stability, which highlights the avoidance of misinteraction. Our findings make more complete the picture of the mechanisms for protein complex thermal adaptation and provide new insights into the principles of protein-protein interactions. PMID:27220911

Abundance and Temperature Dependency of Protein-Protein Interaction Revealed by Interface Structure Analysis and Stability Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Yi-Ming; Ma, Bin-Guang

2016-05-01

Protein complexes are major forms of protein-protein interactions and implement essential biological functions. The subunit interface in a protein complex is related to its thermostability. Though the roles of interface properties in thermal adaptation have been investigated for protein complexes, the relationship between the interface size and the expression level of the subunits remains unknown. In the present work, we studied this relationship and found a positive correlation in thermophiles rather than mesophiles. Moreover, we found that the protein interaction strength in complexes is not only temperature-dependent but also abundance-dependent. The underlying mechanism for the observed correlation was explored by simulating the evolution of protein interface stability, which highlights the avoidance of misinteraction. Our findings make more complete the picture of the mechanisms for protein complex thermal adaptation and provide new insights into the principles of protein-protein interactions.

Microstructure, mechanical properties, bio-corrosion properties and antibacterial properties of Ti-Ag sintered alloys.

PubMed

Chen, Mian; Zhang, Erlin; Zhang, Lan

2016-05-01

In this research, Ag element was selected as an antibacterial agent to develop an antibacterial Ti-Ag alloy by a powder metallurgy. The microstructure, phase constitution, mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and antibacterial properties of the Ti-Ag sintered alloys have been systematically studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), compressive test, electrochemical measurements and antibacterial test. The effects of the Ag powder size and the Ag content on the antibacterial property and mechanical property as well as the anticorrosion property have been investigated. The microstructure results have shown that Ti-Ag phase, residual pure Ag and Ti were the mainly phases in Ti-Ag(S75) sintered alloy while Ti2Ag was synthesized in Ti-Ag(S10) sintered alloy. The mechanical test indicated that Ti-Ag sintered alloy showed a much higher hardness and the compressive yield strength than cp-Ti but the mechanical properties were slightly reduced with the increase of Ag content. Electrochemical results showed that Ag powder size had a significant effect on the corrosion resistance of Ti-Ag sintered alloy. Ag content increased the corrosion resistance in a dose dependent way under a homogeneous microstructure. Antibacterial tests have demonstrated that antibacterial Ti-Ag alloy was successfully prepared. It was also shown that the Ag powder particle size and the Ag content influenced the antibacterial activity seriously. The reduction in the Ag powder size was benefit to the improvement in the antibacterial property and the Ag content has to be at least 3wt.% in order to obtain a strong and stable antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The bacterial mechanism was thought to be related to the Ti2Ag and its distribution. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tailored interphase structure for improved strength and energy absorption of composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Xiao

Fiber reinforced polymeric composites are lightweight, high-strength and high impact-resistant materials used widely for various applications. It has been shown that the mechanical performance of composites are dependent on the interphase, a three-dimensional region of nanometer size in the vicinity of the fiber-matrix boundary that possesses properties different from those of either the fiber reinforcement or the matrix resin and governs the load transfer from matrix to fiber. This research conducts a systematic study on glass fiber-epoxy interphase structure by tailoring adhesion between constituents and the creation of textures to control strength and energy absorption through mechanical interlocking between glass fiber and epoxy matrix. Our objective is to establish the foundation for microstructural design and optimization of the composite's structural and impact performance. Two ways of roughening the glass fiber surface have been studied to create the mechanical interlocking between fiber and resin; the first technique involves forming in-situ islands on the glass fiber surface by using silane blends of Glycidoxypropyltrimethoxy silane (GPS) and Tetraethoxy silane (TEOS); the second technique applies a silane coupling agents based sizing with the incorporation of silica nanoparticles (Ludox TMA, 22 nm) onto the fiber surface. The microdroplet test was selected to characterize the influence of adhesion and mechanical interlocking effects on interphase properties of different sizing sized glass fiber reinforced epoxy systems. A suitable data reduction scheme enables the strength and specified energy absorbed due to debonding, dynamic sliding, and quasi-static sliding to be quantified. In order to validate the effect of tailored interphase structure, which is induced by creating mechanical interlocking between fiber and resin, on macroscopic composite properties, composite panels were made from these four different sizing sized glass fibers and tested using the punch shear test. The composite panel made from the hybrid sizing sized glass fiber exhibited improved strength and energy absorption consistent with the trends in micromechanical measurements. Through all failure stages under macromechanical testing, hybrid sizing sized glass fiber/epoxyamine composite panel shows an increase in the strength and total energy absorption by 13% and 26%, respectively, compared to the compatible sizing sized baseline. Both micromechanical and macromechanical tests demonstrate the significant influence of tailoring the interphase structure on improving the impact performance of the composites. The hybrid sizing with the incorporation of nanoparticles, in particular, can greatly improve the impact resistance (i.e. energy absorption) of composites without sacrificing its structural performance (i.e. strength).

Mechanics of Fluid-Filled Interstitial Gaps. I. Modeling Gaps in a Compact Tissue.

PubMed

Parent, Serge E; Barua, Debanjan; Winklbauer, Rudolf

2017-08-22

Fluid-filled interstitial gaps are a common feature of compact tissues held together by cell-cell adhesion. Although such gaps can in principle be the result of weak, incomplete cell attachment, adhesion is usually too strong for this to occur. Using a mechanical model of tissue cohesion, we show that, instead, a combination of local prevention of cell adhesion at three-cell junctions by fluidlike extracellular material and a reduction of cortical tension at the gap surface are sufficient to generate stable gaps. The size and shape of these interstitial gaps depends on the mechanical tensions between cells and at gap surfaces, and on the difference between intracellular and interstitial pressures that is related to the volume of the interstitial fluid. As a consequence of the dependence on tension/tension ratios, the presence of gaps does not depend on the absolute strength of cell adhesion, and similar gaps are predicted to occur in tissues of widely differing cohesion. Tissue mechanical parameters can also vary within and between cells of a given tissue, generating asymmetrical gaps. Within limits, these can be approximated by symmetrical gaps. Copyright © 2017 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Confined diffusion of transmembrane proteins and lipids induced by the same actin meshwork lining the plasma membrane

PubMed Central

Fujiwara, Takahiro K.; Iwasawa, Kokoro; Kalay, Ziya; Tsunoyama, Taka A.; Watanabe, Yusuke; Umemura, Yasuhiro M.; Murakoshi, Hideji; Suzuki, Kenichi G. N.; Nemoto, Yuri L.; Morone, Nobuhiro; Kusumi, Akihiro

2016-01-01

The mechanisms by which the diffusion rate in the plasma membrane (PM) is regulated remain unresolved, despite their importance in spatially regulating the reaction rates in the PM. Proposed models include entrapment in nanoscale noncontiguous domains found in PtK2 cells, slow diffusion due to crowding, and actin-induced compartmentalization. Here, by applying single-particle tracking at high time resolutions, mainly to the PtK2-cell PM, we found confined diffusion plus hop movements (termed “hop diffusion”) for both a nonraft phospholipid and a transmembrane protein, transferrin receptor, and equal compartment sizes for these two molecules in all five of the cell lines used here (actual sizes were cell dependent), even after treatment with actin-modulating drugs. The cross-section size and the cytoplasmic domain size both affected the hop frequency. Electron tomography identified the actin-based membrane skeleton (MSK) located within 8.8 nm from the PM cytoplasmic surface of PtK2 cells and demonstrated that the MSK mesh size was the same as the compartment size for PM molecular diffusion. The extracellular matrix and extracellular domains of membrane proteins were not involved in hop diffusion. These results support a model of anchored TM-protein pickets lining actin-based MSK as a major mechanism for regulating diffusion. PMID:26864625

The rapid size- and shape-controlled continuous hydrothermal synthesis of metal sulphide nanomaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunne, Peter W.; Starkey, Chris L.; Gimeno-Fabra, Miquel; Lester, Edward H.

2014-01-01

Continuous flow hydrothermal synthesis offers a cheap, green and highly scalable route for the preparation of inorganic nanomaterials which has predominantly been applied to metal oxide based materials. In this work we report the first continuous flow hydrothermal synthesis of metal sulphide nanomaterials. A wide range of binary metal sulphides, ZnS, CdS, PbS, CuS, Fe(1-x)S and Bi2S3, have been synthesised. By varying the reaction conditions two different mechanisms may be invoked; a growth dominated route which permits the formation of nanostructured sulphide materials, and a nucleation driven process which produces nanoparticles with temperature dependent size control. This offers a new and industrially viable route to a wide range of metal sulphide nanoparticles with facile size and shape control.Continuous flow hydrothermal synthesis offers a cheap, green and highly scalable route for the preparation of inorganic nanomaterials which has predominantly been applied to metal oxide based materials. In this work we report the first continuous flow hydrothermal synthesis of metal sulphide nanomaterials. A wide range of binary metal sulphides, ZnS, CdS, PbS, CuS, Fe(1-x)S and Bi2S3, have been synthesised. By varying the reaction conditions two different mechanisms may be invoked; a growth dominated route which permits the formation of nanostructured sulphide materials, and a nucleation driven process which produces nanoparticles with temperature dependent size control. This offers a new and industrially viable route to a wide range of metal sulphide nanoparticles with facile size and shape control. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental details, refinement procedure, fluorescence spectra of ZnS samples. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr05749f

Size-dependent physicochemical and mechanical interactions in battery paste anodes of Si-microwires revealed by Fast-Fourier-Transform Impedance Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hansen, Sandra; Quiroga-González, Enrique; Carstensen, Jürgen; Adelung, Rainer; Föll, Helmut

2017-05-01

Perfectly aligned silicon microwire arrays show exceptionally high cycling stability with record setting (high) areal capacities of 4.25 mAh cm-2. Those wires have a special, modified length and thickness in order to perform this good. Geometry and sizes are the most important parameters of an anode to obtain batteries with high cycling stability without irreversible losses. The wires are prepared with a unique etching fabrication method, which allows to fabricate wires of very precise sizes. In order to investigate how good randomly oriented silicon wires perform in contrast to the perfect order of the array, the wires are embedded in a paste. This study reveals the fundamental correlation between geometry, mechanics and charge transfer kinetics of silicon electrodes. Using a suitable RC equivalent circuit allows to evaluate data from cyclic voltammetry and simultaneous FFT-Impedance Spectroscopy (FFT-IS), yielding in time-resolved resistances, time constants, and their direct correlation to the phase transformations. The change of the resistances during lithiation and delithiation correlates to kinetics and charge transfer mechanisms. This study demonstrates how the mechanical and physiochemical interactions at the silicon/paste interface inside the paste electrodes lead to void formation around silicon and with it to material loss and capacity fading.

Fabrication of comb-drive actuators for straining nanostructured suspended graphene.

PubMed

Goldsche, Matthias; Verbiest, G J; Khodkov, Tymofiy; Sonntag, Jens; von den Driesch, Nils; Buca, Dan; Stampfer, Christoph

2018-06-20

We report on the fabrication and characterization of an optimized comb-drive actuator design for strain-dependent transport measurements on suspended graphene. We fabricate devices from highly p-doped silicon using deep reactive ion etching with a chromium mask. Crucially, we implement a gold layer to reduce the device resistance from ≈51.6 kΩ to ≈236 Ω at room temperature in order to allow for strain-dependent transport measurements. The graphene is integrated by mechanically transferring it directly onto the actuator using a polymethylmethacrylate membrane. Importantly, the integrated graphene can be nanostructured afterwards to optimize device functionality. The minimum feature size of the structured suspended graphene is 30~nm, which allows for interesting device concepts such as mechanically-tunable nanoconstrictions. Finally, we characterize the fabricated devices by measuring the Raman spectrum as well as the a mechanical resonance frequency of an integrated graphene sheet for different strain values. © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Uncovering the intrinsic size dependence of hydriding phase transformations in nanocrystals.

PubMed

Bardhan, Rizia; Hedges, Lester O; Pint, Cary L; Javey, Ali; Whitelam, Stephen; Urban, Jeffrey J

2013-10-01

A quantitative understanding of nanocrystal phase transformations would enable more efficient energy conversion and catalysis, but has been hindered by difficulties in directly monitoring well-characterized nanoscale systems in reactive environments. We present a new in situ luminescence-based probe enabling direct quantification of nanocrystal phase transformations, applied here to the hydriding transformation of palladium nanocrystals. Our approach reveals the intrinsic kinetics and thermodynamics of nanocrystal phase transformations, eliminating complications of substrate strain, ligand effects and external signal transducers. Clear size-dependent trends emerge in nanocrystals long accepted to be bulk-like in behaviour. Statistical mechanical simulations show these trends to be a consequence of nanoconfinement of a thermally driven, first-order phase transition: near the phase boundary, critical nuclei of the new phase are comparable in size to the nanocrystal itself. Transformation rates are then unavoidably governed by nanocrystal dimensions. Our results provide a general framework for understanding how nanoconfinement fundamentally impacts broad classes of thermally driven solid-state phase transformations relevant to hydrogen storage, catalysis, batteries and fuel cells.

Size-dependent geometrically nonlinear free vibration analysis of fractional viscoelastic nanobeams based on the nonlocal elasticity theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ansari, R.; Faraji Oskouie, M.; Gholami, R.

2016-01-01

In recent decades, mathematical modeling and engineering applications of fractional-order calculus have been extensively utilized to provide efficient simulation tools in the field of solid mechanics. In this paper, a nonlinear fractional nonlocal Euler-Bernoulli beam model is established using the concept of fractional derivative and nonlocal elasticity theory to investigate the size-dependent geometrically nonlinear free vibration of fractional viscoelastic nanobeams. The non-classical fractional integro-differential Euler-Bernoulli beam model contains the nonlocal parameter, viscoelasticity coefficient and order of the fractional derivative to interpret the size effect, viscoelastic material and fractional behavior in the nanoscale fractional viscoelastic structures, respectively. In the solution procedure, the Galerkin method is employed to reduce the fractional integro-partial differential governing equation to a fractional ordinary differential equation in the time domain. Afterwards, the predictor-corrector method is used to solve the nonlinear fractional time-dependent equation. Finally, the influences of nonlocal parameter, order of fractional derivative and viscoelasticity coefficient on the nonlinear time response of fractional viscoelastic nanobeams are discussed in detail. Moreover, comparisons are made between the time responses of linear and nonlinear models.

Anomalous or regular capacitance? The influence of pore size dispersity on double-layer formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jäckel, N.; Rodner, M.; Schreiber, A.; Jeongwook, J.; Zeiger, M.; Aslan, M.; Weingarth, D.; Presser, V.

2016-09-01

The energy storage mechanism of electric double-layer capacitors is governed by ion electrosorption at the electrode surface. This process requires high surface area electrodes, typically highly porous carbons. In common organic electrolytes, bare ion sizes are below one nanometer but they are larger when we consider their solvation shell. In contrast, ionic liquid electrolytes are free of solvent molecules, but cation-anion coordination requires special consideration. By matching pore size and ion size, two seemingly conflicting views have emerged: either an increase in specific capacitance with smaller pore size or a constant capacitance contribution of all micro- and mesopores. In our work, we revisit this issue by using a comprehensive set of electrochemical data and a pore size incremental analysis to identify the influence of certain ranges in the pore size distribution to the ion electrosorption capacity. We see a difference in solvation of ions in organic electrolytes depending on the applied voltage and a cation-anion interaction of ionic liquids in nanometer sized pores.

Aerosol Route Synthesis and Applications of Doped Nanostructured Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahu, Manoranjan

Nanotechnology presents an attractive opportunity to address various challenges in air and water purification, energy, and other environment issues. Thus, the development of new nanoscale materials in low-cost scalable synthesis processes is important. Furthermore, the ability to independently manipulate the material properties as well as characterize the material at different steps along the synthesis route will aide in product optimization. In addition, to ensure safe and sustainable development of nanotechnology applications, potential impacts need to be evaluated. In this study, nanomaterial synthesis in a single-step gas phase reactor to continuously produce doped metal oxides was demonstrated. Copper-doped TiO2 nanomaterial properties (composition, size, and crystal phase) were independently controlled based on nanoparticle formation and growth mechanisms dictated by process control parameters. Copper dopant found to significantly affect TiO2 properties such as particle size, crystal phase, stability in the suspension, and absorption spectrum (shift from UV to visible light absorption). The in-situ charge distribution characterization of the synthesized nanomaterials was carried out by integrating a tandem differential mobility analyzer (TDMA) set up with the flame reactor synthesis system. Both singly- and doubly- charged nanoparticles were measured, with the charged fractions dependent on particle mobility and dopant concentration. A theoretical calculation was conducted to evaluate the relative importance of the two charging mechanisms, diffusion and thermo-ionization, in the flame. Nanoparticle exposure characterization was conducted during synthesis as a function of operating condition, product recovery and handling technique, and during maintenance of the reactors. Strategies were then indentified to minimize the exposure risk. The nanoparticle exposure potential varied depending on the operating conditions such as precursor feed rate, working conditions of the fume hood, ventilation system, and distance from the reactors. Nanoparticle exposure varied during product recovery and handling depending on the quantity of nanomaterial handled. Most nanomaterial applications require nanomaterials to be in solution. Thus, the role of nanomaterial physio-chemical properties (size, crystal phase, dopant types and concentrations) on dispersion properties was investigated based on hydrodynamic size and surface charge. Dopant type and concentration were found to significantly affect iso-electric point (IEP)-shifting the IEP to a high or lower pH value compared to pristine TiO2 based on the oxidation state of the dopant. The microbial inactivation effectiveness of as-synthesized nanomaterials was investigated under different light irradiation conditions. Microbial inactivation was found to strongly depend on the light irradiation condition as well as on material properties such chemical composition, crystal phase, and particle size. The potential interaction mechanisms of copper-doped TiO2 nanomaterial with microbes were also explored. The studies conducted as part of this dissertation addressed issues in nanomaterial synthesis, characterization and their potential environmental applications.

Inhibitory Effects of Vinpocetine on the Progression of Atherosclerosis Are Mediated by Akt/NF-κB Dependent Mechanisms in apoE-/- Mice

PubMed Central

Zhuang, Jianhui; Peng, Wenhui; Li, Hailing; Lu, Yuyan; Wang, Ke; Fan, Fan; Li, Shuang; Xu, Yawei

2013-01-01

Background Recent studies have found additional roles for vinpocetine, a potent phosphodiesterase type I inhibitor, in anti-proliferation and anti-inflammation of vascular smooth muscle cells and cancer cells via different mechanisms. In this study, we attempted to investigate whether vinpocetine protected against atherosclerotic development in apoE-/- mice and explore the underlying anti-atherogenic mechanisms in macrophages. Methodology/Principal Findings Vinpocetine markedly decreased atherosclerotic lesion size in apoE-/- mice measured by oil red O. Masson’s trichrome staining and immunohistochemical analyses revealed that vinpocetine significantly increased the thickness of fibrous cap, reduced the size of lipid-rich necrotic core and attenuated inflammation. In vitro experiments exhibited a significant decrease in monocyte adhesion treated with vinpocetine. Further, active TNF-α, IL-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1and matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression induced by ox-LDL were attenuated by vinpocetine in a dose-dependent manner. Similarly, ox-LDL-induced reactive oxygen species were significantly repressed by vinpocetine. Both western blot and luciferase activity assay showed that vinpocetine inhibited the enhanced Akt, IKKα/β, IκBα phosphorylation and NF-κB activity induced by ox-LDL, and the inhibition of NF-κB activity was partly caused by Akt dephosphorylation. However, knockdown of PDE1B did not affect Akt, IKKα/β and IκBα phosphorylation. Conclusions These results suggest that vinpocetine exerts anti-atherogenic effects through inhibition of monocyte adhesion, oxidative stress and inflammatory response, which are mediated by Akt/NF-κB dependent pathway but independent of PDE1 blockade in macrophages. PMID:24349299

Inhibitory effects of vinpocetine on the progression of atherosclerosis are mediated by Akt/NF-κB dependent mechanisms in apoE-/- mice.

PubMed

Zhuang, Jianhui; Peng, Wenhui; Li, Hailing; Lu, Yuyan; Wang, Ke; Fan, Fan; Li, Shuang; Xu, Yawei

2013-01-01

Recent studies have found additional roles for vinpocetine, a potent phosphodiesterase type I inhibitor, in anti-proliferation and anti-inflammation of vascular smooth muscle cells and cancer cells via different mechanisms. In this study, we attempted to investigate whether vinpocetine protected against atherosclerotic development in apoE(-/-) mice and explore the underlying anti-atherogenic mechanisms in macrophages. Vinpocetine markedly decreased atherosclerotic lesion size in apoE(-/-) mice measured by oil red O. Masson's trichrome staining and immunohistochemical analyses revealed that vinpocetine significantly increased the thickness of fibrous cap, reduced the size of lipid-rich necrotic core and attenuated inflammation. In vitro experiments exhibited a significant decrease in monocyte adhesion treated with vinpocetine. Further, active TNF-α, IL-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression induced by ox-LDL were attenuated by vinpocetine in a dose-dependent manner. Similarly, ox-LDL-induced reactive oxygen species were significantly repressed by vinpocetine. Both western blot and luciferase activity assay showed that vinpocetine inhibited the enhanced Akt, IKKα/β, IκBα phosphorylation and NF-κB activity induced by ox-LDL, and the inhibition of NF-κB activity was partly caused by Akt dephosphorylation. However, knockdown of PDE1B did not affect Akt, IKKα/β and IκBα phosphorylation. These results suggest that vinpocetine exerts anti-atherogenic effects through inhibition of monocyte adhesion, oxidative stress and inflammatory response, which are mediated by Akt/NF-κB dependent pathway but independent of PDE1 blockade in macrophages.

Frequency-dependent micromechanics of cellularized biopolymer networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Chris; Kim, Jihan; McIntyre, David; Sun, Bo

Mechanical interactions between cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) influence many cellular behaviors such as growth, differentiation, and migration. These are dynamic processes in which the cells actively remodel the ECM. Reconstituted collagen gel is a common model ECM for studying cell-ECM interactions in vitro because collagen is the most abundant component of mammalian ECM and gives the ECM its material stiffness. We embed micron-sized particles in collagen and use holographic optical tweezers to apply forces to the particles in multiple directions and over a range of frequencies up to 10 Hz. We calculate the local compliance and show that it is dependent on both the direction and frequency of the applied force. Performing the same measurement on many particles allows us to characterize the spatial inhomogeneity of the mechanical properties and shows that the compliance decreases at higher frequencies. Performing these measurements on cell-populated collagen gels shows that cellular remodeling of the ECM changes the mechanical properties of the collagen and we investigate whether this change is dependent on the local strain and distance from nearby cells.

Effect of grain size on the high temperature properties of B2 aluminides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whittenberger, J. Daniel

1987-01-01

Measurements of the slow plastic flow behavior of cobalt, iron and nickel B2 crystal structure aluminides were conducted on materials fabricated by metallurical techniques. Due to this processing, the aluminides invariably had small equiaxed grains, ranging in size from about 3 to 60 microns in diameter. Grain size was dependent on the extrusion temperature used for powder consolidation, and it proved to be remarkably stable at elevated temperatures. Mechanical properties of all three aluminides were determined via constant velocity compression testing in air between 1000 and 1400 K at strain rates ranging from approx. 10 to the minus 3 power to 10 to the minus 7 power s (-1).

Small nucleoli are a cellular hallmark of longevity

PubMed Central

Tiku, Varnesh; Jain, Chirag; Raz, Yotam; Nakamura, Shuhei; Heestand, Bree; Liu, Wei; Späth, Martin; Suchiman, H. Eka. D.; Müller, Roman-Ulrich; Slagboom, P. Eline; Partridge, Linda; Antebi, Adam

2017-01-01

Animal lifespan is regulated by conserved metabolic signalling pathways and specific transcription factors, but whether these pathways affect common downstream mechanisms remains largely elusive. Here we show that NCL-1/TRIM2/Brat tumour suppressor extends lifespan and limits nucleolar size in the major C. elegans longevity pathways, as part of a convergent mechanism focused on the nucleolus. Long-lived animals representing distinct longevity pathways exhibit small nucleoli, and decreased expression of rRNA, ribosomal proteins, and the nucleolar protein fibrillarin, dependent on NCL-1. Knockdown of fibrillarin also reduces nucleolar size and extends lifespan. Among wildtype C. elegans, individual nucleolar size varies, but is highly predictive for longevity. Long-lived dietary restricted fruit flies and insulin-like-peptide mutants exhibit small nucleoli and fibrillarin expression, as do long-lived dietary restricted and IRS1 knockout mice. Furthermore, human muscle biopsies from individuals who underwent modest dietary restriction coupled with exercise also display small nucleoli. We suggest that small nucleoli are a cellular hallmark of longevity and metabolic health conserved across taxa. PMID:28853436

Small nucleoli are a cellular hallmark of longevity.

PubMed

Tiku, Varnesh; Jain, Chirag; Raz, Yotam; Nakamura, Shuhei; Heestand, Bree; Liu, Wei; Späth, Martin; Suchiman, H Eka D; Müller, Roman-Ulrich; Slagboom, P Eline; Partridge, Linda; Antebi, Adam

2016-08-30

Animal lifespan is regulated by conserved metabolic signalling pathways and specific transcription factors, but whether these pathways affect common downstream mechanisms remains largely elusive. Here we show that NCL-1/TRIM2/Brat tumour suppressor extends lifespan and limits nucleolar size in the major C. elegans longevity pathways, as part of a convergent mechanism focused on the nucleolus. Long-lived animals representing distinct longevity pathways exhibit small nucleoli, and decreased expression of rRNA, ribosomal proteins, and the nucleolar protein fibrillarin, dependent on NCL-1. Knockdown of fibrillarin also reduces nucleolar size and extends lifespan. Among wildtype C. elegans, individual nucleolar size varies, but is highly predictive for longevity. Long-lived dietary restricted fruit flies and insulin-like-peptide mutants exhibit small nucleoli and fibrillarin expression, as do long-lived dietary restricted and IRS1 knockout mice. Furthermore, human muscle biopsies from individuals who underwent modest dietary restriction coupled with exercise also display small nucleoli. We suggest that small nucleoli are a cellular hallmark of longevity and metabolic health conserved across taxa.

Highly adhesive and high fatigue-resistant copper/PET flexible electronic substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Sang Jin; Ko, Tae-Jun; Yoon, Juil; Moon, Myoung-Woon; Oh, Kyu Hwan; Han, Jun Hyun

2018-01-01

A voidless Cu/PET substrate is fabricated by producing a superhydrophilic PET surface comprised of nanostructures with large width and height and then by Cu electroless plating. Effect of PET surface nanostructure size on the failure mechanism of the Cu/PET substrate is studied. The fabricated Cu/PET substrate exhibits a maximum peel strength of 1300 N m-1 without using an interlayer, and virtually no increase in electrical resistivity under the extreme cyclic bending condition of 1 mm curvature radius after 300 k cycles. The authors find that there is an optimum nanostructure size for the highest Cu/PET adhesion strength, and the failure mechanism of the Cu/PET flexible substrate depends on the PET surface nanostructure size. Thus, this work presents the possibility to produce flexible metal/polymer electronic substrates that have excellent interfacial adhesion between the metal and polymer and high fatigue resistance against repeated bending. Such metal/polymer substrates provides new design opportunities for wearable electronic devices that can withstand harsh environments and have extended lifetimes.

Size-dependent redox behavior of iron observed by in-situ single nanoparticle spectro-microscopy on well-defined model systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karim, Waiz; Kleibert, Armin; Hartfelder, Urs; Balan, Ana; Gobrecht, Jens; van Bokhoven, Jeroen A.; Ekinci, Yasin

2016-01-01

Understanding the chemistry of nanoparticles is crucial in many applications. Their synthesis in a controlled manner and their characterization at the single particle level is essential to gain deeper insight into chemical mechanisms. In this work, single nanoparticle spectro-microscopy with top-down nanofabrication is demonstrated to study individual iron nanoparticles of nine different lateral dimensions from 80 nm down to 6 nm. The particles are probed simultaneously, under same conditions, during in-situ redox reaction using X-ray photoemission electron microscopy elucidating the size effect during the early stage of oxidation, yielding time-dependent evolution of iron oxides and the mechanism for the inter-conversion of oxides in nanoparticles. Fabrication of well-defined system followed by visualization and investigation of singled-out particles eliminates the ambiguities emerging from dispersed nanoparticles and reveals a significant increase in the initial rate of oxidation with decreasing size, but the reactivity per active site basis and the intrinsic chemical properties in the particles remain the same in the scale of interest. This advance of nanopatterning together with spatially-resolved single nanoparticle X-ray absorption spectroscopy will guide future discourse in understanding the impact of confinement of metal nanoparticles and pave way to solve fundamental questions in material science, chemical physics, magnetism, nanomedicine and nanocatalysis.

Mesh Intercomparisons of Fog Water Collected Yield Insight Into the Nature of Fog-Drip Collection Mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez, D.; Torregrosa, A.; Weiss-Penzias, P. S.; Oliphant, A. J.; Dodge, C.; Bowman, M.; Wilson, S.; Mairs, A. A.; Gravelle, M.; Barkley, T.

2016-12-01

At multiple sites across central CA, several passive fog water collectors have been deployed for the past 3 years. All of the sites employ standard Raschel polypropylene mesh as the fog collection medium and five of them also integrated a novel polypropylene mesh of German manufacture with a 3-dimensional internal structure. Additionally, six metal mesh manufactured by McMaster-Carr of various hole sizing were coated with a POSS-PEMA substance at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and deployed in parallel with the Raschel mesh at six distinct locations. Finally, fluorine-free versions of the POSS-PEMA substance were generated by NBD Nanotechnology and coated on a much finer mesh substrate. Three of those and one control (uncoated mesh) were deployed at one of the fog collection sites for one season, along with a standard Raschel mesh. Preliminary results from one intercomparison from just one pair of mesh over two seasons seem to reveal a wind speed and also, possibly, a droplet-size dependence on the fog collection efficiency for the mesh. This study will continue to intercompare the various mesh in conjunction with the wind speed and direction data. If a collection efficiency dependence on mesh size or coating is confirmed, it may point to interesting and relevant mechanisms for fog droplet capture and collection hitherto unobserved in field conditions.

Size-dependent redox behavior of iron observed by in-situ single nanoparticle spectro-microscopy on well-defined model systems.

PubMed

Karim, Waiz; Kleibert, Armin; Hartfelder, Urs; Balan, Ana; Gobrecht, Jens; van Bokhoven, Jeroen A; Ekinci, Yasin

2016-01-06

Understanding the chemistry of nanoparticles is crucial in many applications. Their synthesis in a controlled manner and their characterization at the single particle level is essential to gain deeper insight into chemical mechanisms. In this work, single nanoparticle spectro-microscopy with top-down nanofabrication is demonstrated to study individual iron nanoparticles of nine different lateral dimensions from 80 nm down to 6 nm. The particles are probed simultaneously, under same conditions, during in-situ redox reaction using X-ray photoemission electron microscopy elucidating the size effect during the early stage of oxidation, yielding time-dependent evolution of iron oxides and the mechanism for the inter-conversion of oxides in nanoparticles. Fabrication of well-defined system followed by visualization and investigation of singled-out particles eliminates the ambiguities emerging from dispersed nanoparticles and reveals a significant increase in the initial rate of oxidation with decreasing size, but the reactivity per active site basis and the intrinsic chemical properties in the particles remain the same in the scale of interest. This advance of nanopatterning together with spatially-resolved single nanoparticle X-ray absorption spectroscopy will guide future discourse in understanding the impact of confinement of metal nanoparticles and pave way to solve fundamental questions in material science, chemical physics, magnetism, nanomedicine and nanocatalysis.

The Role of Geometrically Necessary Dislocations in Cantilever Beam Bending Experiments of Single Crystals

PubMed Central

Husser, Edgar; Bargmann, Swantje

2017-01-01

The mechanical behavior of single crystalline, micro-sized copper is investigated in the context of cantilever beam bending experiments. Particular focus is on the role of geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) during bending-dominated load conditions and their impact on the characteristic bending size effect. Three different sample sizes are considered in this work with main variation in thickness. A gradient extended crystal plasticity model is presented and applied in a three-dimensional finite-element (FE) framework considering slip system-based edge and screw components of the dislocation density vector. The underlying mathematical model contains non-standard evolution equations for GNDs, crystal-specific interaction relations, and higher-order boundary conditions. Moreover, two element formulations are examined and compared with respect to size-independent as well as size-dependent bending behavior. The first formulation is based on a linear interpolation of the displacement and the GND density field together with a full integration scheme whereas the second is based on a mixed interpolation scheme. While the GND density fields are treated equivalently, the displacement field is interpolated quadratically in combination with a reduced integration scheme. Computational results indicate that GND storage in small cantilever beams strongly influences the evolution of statistically stored dislocations (SSDs) and, hence, the distribution of the total dislocation density. As a particular example, the mechanical bending behavior in the case of a physically motivated limitation of GND storage is studied. The resulting impact on the mechanical bending response as well as on the predicted size effect is analyzed. Obtained results are discussed and related to experimental findings from the literature. PMID:28772657

Novel method of niosome generation using supercritical carbon dioxide part I: process mechanics.

PubMed

Wagner, Michael E; Rizvi, Syed S H

2015-01-01

A novel method for the production of non-ionic surfactant vesicles (niosomes) using an rapid expansion of supercritical solution (RESS)-based process coupled with a gas ejector is presented along with an investigation of parameters affecting niosome morphology, size and encapsulation efficiency of a 0.2 M D-glucose solution in Tris buffer at physiological pH. The solubility of the non-ionic surfactant polyoxyethylene(4) sorbitan monostearate in SC-CO2 was determined at three pressures (10, 15 and 20 MPa) and three temperatures (40, 50 and 60 °C). Mole fraction of Tween61 in the vapor phase increased with pressure at 40 °C, but did not change with pressure at 50 or 60 °C. Solubility data were correlated using the Peng-Robinson equation of state (PREOS) with the Panagiotopoulos and Reid mixing rule. Vesicles were either multilamellar or unilamellar, depending on the degree of precipitation of the lipid formulation at the point of aqueous cargo introduction. Vesicle particle size distributions were bimodal, with the 80-99% of the liposomal volume contributed niosomes ranging in size from 3 to 7 μm and the remaining niosomes ranging from 239 to 969 nm, depending on the system configuration. Encapsulation efficiency as high as 28% using the gas ejector to introduce the glucose cargo solution was achieved. Vesicle particle size and encapsulation efficiency were shown to be dependent on cargo droplet formation.

Chitosan but not chitin activates the inflammasome by a mechanism dependent upon phagocytosis.

PubMed

Bueter, Chelsea L; Lee, Chrono K; Rathinam, Vijay A K; Healy, Gloria J; Taron, Christopher H; Specht, Charles A; Levitz, Stuart M

2011-10-14

Chitin is an abundant polysaccharide found in fungal cell walls, crustacean shells, and insect exoskeletons. The immunological properties of both chitin and its deacetylated derivative chitosan are of relevance because of frequent natural exposure and their use in medical applications. Depending on the preparation studied and the end point measured, these compounds have been reported to induce allergic responses, inflammatory responses, or no response at all. We prepared highly purified chitosan and chitin and examined the capacity of these glycans to stimulate murine macrophages to release the inflammasome-associated cytokine IL-1β. We found that although chitosan was a potent NLRP3 inflammasome activator, acetylation of the chitosan to chitin resulted in a near total loss of activity. The size of the chitosan particles played an important role, with small particles eliciting the greatest activity. An inverse relationship between size and stimulatory activity was demonstrated using chitosan passed through size exclusion filters as well as with chitosan-coated beads of defined size. Partial digestion of chitosan with pepsin resulted in a larger fraction of small phagocytosable particles and more potent inflammasome activity. Inhibition of phagocytosis with cytochalasin D abolished the IL-1β stimulatory activity of chitosan, offering an explanation for why the largest particles were nearly devoid of activity. Thus, the deacetylated polysaccharide chitosan potently activates the NLRP3 inflammasome in a phagocytosis-dependent manner. In contrast, chitin is relatively inert.

Nano rare-earth oxides induced size-dependent vacuolization: an independent pathway from autophagy

PubMed Central

Zhang, Ying; Yu, Chenguang; Huang, Guanyi; Wang, Changli; Wen, Longping

2010-01-01

Four rare earth oxides have been shown to induce autophagy. Interestingly, we often noticed plentiful vacuolization, which was not always involved in this autophagic process. In this study, we investigated three other rare-earth elements, including Yttrium (Y), Ytterbium (Yb), and Lanthanum (La). Autophagic effect could be induced by all of them but only Y2O3 and Yb2O3 could cause massive vacuolization. Y2O3 and Yb2O3 treated by sonication or centrifugation to reduce particle size were used to test vacuolization level in HeLa cell lines. The results showed that rare earth oxides-induced vacuolization is size-dependent and differs from autophagic pathway. To further clarify the characteristics of this autophagic process, we used MEF Atg-5 (autophagy associated gene 5) knockout cell line, and the result showed that the autophagic process induced by rare earth oxides is Atg-5-dependent and the observed vacuolization was independent from autophagy. Similar results could also be observed in our tests on 3-methyladenine(3-MA), a well-known autophagy inhibitor. In conclusion, for the first time, we clarified the relationship between massive vacuolization and autophagic process induced by rare earth oxides and pointed out the size effect of rare earth oxides on the formation of vacuoles, which give clues to further investigation on the mechanisms underlying their biological effects. PMID:20856835

Nano rare-earth oxides induced size-dependent vacuolization: an independent pathway from autophagy.

PubMed

Zhang, Ying; Yu, Chenguang; Huang, Guanyi; Wang, Changli; Wen, Longping

2010-09-07

Four rare earth oxides have been shown to induce autophagy. Interestingly, we often noticed plentiful vacuolization, which was not always involved in this autophagic process. In this study, we investigated three other rare-earth elements, including Yttrium (Y), Ytterbium (Yb), and Lanthanum (La). Autophagic effect could be induced by all of them but only Y(2)O(3) and Yb(2)O(3) could cause massive vacuolization. Y(2)O(3) and Yb(2)O(3) treated by sonication or centrifugation to reduce particle size were used to test vacuolization level in HeLa cell lines. The results showed that rare earth oxides-induced vacuolization is size-dependent and differs from autophagic pathway. To further clarify the characteristics of this autophagic process, we used MEF Atg-5 (autophagy associated gene 5) knockout cell line, and the result showed that the autophagic process induced by rare earth oxides is Atg-5-dependent and the observed vacuolization was independent from autophagy. Similar results could also be observed in our tests on 3-methyladenine(3-MA), a well-known autophagy inhibitor. In conclusion, for the first time, we clarified the relationship between massive vacuolization and autophagic process induced by rare earth oxides and pointed out the size effect of rare earth oxides on the formation of vacuoles, which give clues to further investigation on the mechanisms underlying their biological effects.

Size- and time-dependent alteration in metabolic activities of human hepatic cytochrome P450 isozymes by gold nanoparticles via microsomal coincubations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Meiling; Tang, Ling; Luo, Mengjun; Zhou, Jing; Guo, Bin; Liu, Yangyuan; Chen, Bo

2014-11-01

Nano-sized particles are known to interfere with drug-metabolizing cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, which can be anticipated to be a potential source of unintended adverse reactions, but the mechanisms underlying the inhibition are still not well understood. Herein we report a systematic investigation of the impacts of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on five major CYP isozymes under in vitro incubations of human liver microsomes (HLMs) with tannic acid (TA)-stabilized AuNPs in the size range of 5 to 100 nm. It is found that smaller AuNPs show more pronounced inhibitory effects on CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4 in a dose-dependent manner, while 1A2 is the least susceptible to the AuNP inhibition. The size- and dose-dependent CYP-specific inhibition and the nonspecific drug-nanogold binding in the coincubation media can be significantly reduced by increasing the concentration ratio of microsomal proteins to AuNPs, probably via a noncompetitive mode. Remarkably, AuNPs are also found to exhibit a slow time-dependent inactivation of 2D6 and 3A4 in a β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide 2'-phosphate reduced tetrasodium salt hydrate (NADPH)-independent manner. During microsomal incubations, UV-vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and zeta-potential measurements were used to monitor the changes in particle properties under the miscellaneous AuNP/HLM/CYP dispersion system. An improved stability of AuNPs by mixing HLM with the gold nanocolloid reveals that the stabilization via AuNP-HLM interactions may occur on a faster time scale than the salt-induced nanoaggregation by incubation in phosphate buffer. The results suggest that the AuNP induced CYP inhibition can be partially attributed to its adhesion onto the enzymes to alter their structural conformations or onto the HLM membrane therefore impairing the integral membrane proteins. Additionally, AuNPs likely block the substrate pocket on the CYP surface, depending on both the particle characteristics and the structural diversity of the isozymes. These findings may represent additional mechanisms for the differential inhibitory effects arising from the coincubated AuNPs on the metabolic activities of the hepatic CYP isozymes.

Size-dependent fracture mode transition in copper nanowires.

PubMed

Peng, Cheng; Zhan, Yongjie; Lou, Jun

2012-06-25

In situ uni-axial tensile tests of single-crystalline copper nanowires are performed using a micromechanical device inside a scanning electron microscope chamber. The single-crystalline copper nanowires are synthesized by solvothermal processes, and the growth direction along the wire axis is the <110> orientation as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) selected area diffraction (SAD) analysis. The fracture strengths of copper nanowires are found to be much higher than that of bulk copper. More interestingly, both ductile and brittle-like fracture modes are found in the same batch of fabricated nanowires, and the fracture modes appear to be dependent on the diameters of tested nanowires. From the analysis of fracture surfaces, sample morphologies and corresponding stress-strain curves, the competition between deformation and fracture mechanisms controlled by initial defects density and by the probability of dislocation interactions is attributed to this intriguing size-dependent fracture mode transition. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Kinetic model for dependence of thin film stress on growth rate, temperature, and microstructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chason, E.; Shin, J. W.; Hearne, S. J.; Freund, L. B.

2012-04-01

During deposition, many thin films go through a range of stress states, changing from compressive to tensile and back again. In addition, the stress depends strongly on the processing and material parameters. We have developed a simple analytical model to describe the stress evolution in terms of a kinetic competition between different mechanisms of stress generation and relaxation at the triple junction where the surface and grain boundary intersect. The model describes how the steady state stress scales with the dimensionless parameter D/LR where D is the diffusivity, R is the growth rate, and L is the grain size. It also explains the transition from tensile to compressive stress as the microstructure evolves from isolated islands to a continuous film. We compare calculations from the model with measurements of the stress dependence on grain size and growth rate in the steady state regime and of the evolution of stress with thickness for different temperatures.

Influence of Body Weight on Bone Mass, Architecture, and Turnover

PubMed Central

Iwaniec, Urszula T.; Turner, Russell T.

2016-01-01

Weight-dependent loading of the skeleton plays an important role in establishing and maintaining bone mass and strength. This review focuses on mechanical signaling induced by body weight as an essential mechanism for maintaining bone health. In addition, the skeletal effects of deviation from normal weight are discussed. The magnitude of mechanical strain experienced by bone during normal activities is remarkably similar among vertebrates, regardless of size, supporting the existence of a conserved regulatory mechanism, or mechanostat, that senses mechanical strain. The mechanostat functions as an adaptive mechanism to optimize bone mass and architecture based on prevailing mechanical strain. Changes in weight, due to altered mass, weightlessness (spaceflight), and hypergravity (modeled by centrifugation), induce an adaptive skeletal response. However, the precise mechanisms governing the skeletal response are incompletely understood. Furthermore, establishing whether the adaptive response maintains the mechanical competence of the skeleton has proven difficult, necessitating development of surrogate measures of bone quality. The mechanostat is influenced by regulatory inputs to facilitate non-mechanical functions of the skeleton, such as mineral homeostasis, as well as hormones and energy/nutrient availability that support bone metabolism. While the skeleton is very capable of adapting to changes in weight, the mechanostat has limits. At the limits, extreme deviations from normal weight and body composition are associated with impaired optimization of bone strength to prevailing body size. PMID:27352896

Risk, resources and state-dependent adaptive behavioural syndromes

PubMed Central

Luttbeg, Barney; Sih, Andrew

2010-01-01

Many animals exhibit behavioural syndromes—consistent individual differences in behaviour across two or more contexts or situations. Here, we present adaptive, state-dependent mathematical models for analysing issues about behavioural syndromes. We find that asset protection (where individuals with more ‘assets’ tend be more cautious) and starvation avoidance, two state-dependent mechanisms, can explain short-term behavioural consistency, but not long-term stable behavioural types (BTs). These negative-feedback mechanisms tend to produce convergence in state and behaviour over time. In contrast, a positive-feedback mechanism, state-dependent safety (where individuals with higher energy reserves, size, condition or vigour are better at coping with predators), can explain stable differences in personality over the long term. The relative importance of negative- and positive-feedback mechanisms in governing behavioural consistency depends on environmental conditions (predation risk and resource availability). Behavioural syndromes emerge more readily in conditions of intermediate ecological favourability (e.g. medium risk and medium resources, or high risk and resources, or low risk and resources). Under these conditions, individuals with higher initial state maintain a tendency to be bolder than individuals that start with low initial state; i.e. later BT is determined by state during an early ‘developmental window’. In contrast, when conditions are highly favourable (low risk, high resources) or highly unfavourable (high risk, low resources), individuals converge to be all relatively bold or all relatively cautious, respectively. In those circumstances, initial differences in BT are not maintained over the long term, and there is no early developmental window where initial state governs later BT. The exact range of ecological conditions favouring behavioural syndromes depends also on the strength of state-dependent safety. PMID:21078650

Capturing tensile size-dependency in polymer nanofiber elasticity.

PubMed

Yuan, Bo; Wang, Jun; Han, Ray P S

2015-02-01

As the name implies, tensile size-dependency refers to the size-dependent response under uniaxial tension. It defers markedly from bending size-dependency in terms of onset and magnitude of the size-dependent response; the former begins earlier but rises to a smaller value than the latter. Experimentally, tensile size-dependent behavior is much harder to capture than its bending counterpart. This is also true in the computational effort; bending size-dependency models are more prevalent and well-developed. Indeed, many have questioned the existence of tensile size-dependency. However, recent experiments seem to support the existence of this phenomenon. Current strain gradient elasticity theories can accurately predict bending size-dependency but are unable to track tensile size-dependency. To rectify this deficiency a higher-order strain gradient elasticity model is constructed by including the second gradient of the strain into the deformation energy. Tensile experiments involving 10 wt% polycaprolactone nanofibers are performed to calibrate and verify our model. The results reveal that for the selected nanofibers, their size-dependency begins when their diameters reduce to 600 nm and below. Further, their characteristic length-scale parameter is found to be 1095.8 nm. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation on the Size Effect in Large-Scale Beta-Processed Ti-17 Disks Based on Quantitative Metallography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Saifei; Zeng, Weidong; Gao, Xiongxiong; Zhao, Xingdong; Li, Siqing

2017-10-01

The present study investigates the mechanical properties of large-scale beta-processed Ti-17 forgings because of the increasing interest in beta thermal-mechanical processing method for fabricating compressor disks or blisks in aero-engines due to its advantage in damage tolerance performance. Three Ti-17 disks with different weights of 57, 250 and 400 kg were prepared by beta processing techniques firstly for comparative study. The results reveal a significant `size effect' in beta-processed Ti-17 disks, i.e., dependences of high cycle fatigue, tensile properties and fracture toughness of beta-processed Ti-17 disks on disk size (or weight). With increasing disk weight from 57 to 400 kg, the fatigue limit (fatigue strength at 107 cycles, R = -1) was reduced from 583 to 495 MPa, tensile yield strength dropped from 1073 to 1030 MPa, while fracture toughness ( K IC) rose from 70.9 to 95.5 MPaṡm1/2. Quantitative metallography analysis shows that the `size effect' of mechanical properties can be attributed to evident differences between microstructures of the three disk forgings. With increasing disk size, nearly all microstructural components in the basket-weave microstructure, including prior β grain, α layers at β grain boundaries (GB- α) and α lamellas at the interior of the grains, get coarsened to different degrees. Further, the microstructural difference between the beta-processed disks is proved to be the consequence of longer pre-forging soaking time and lower post-forging cooling rate for large disks than small ones. Finally, suggestions are made from the perspective of microstructural control on how to improve mechanical properties of large-scale beta-processed Ti-17 forgings.

Combination of experimental and numerical methods for mechanical characterization of Al-Si alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruglova, A.; Roland, M.; Diebels, S.; Mücklich, F.

2017-10-01

In general, mechanical properties of Al-Si alloys strongly depend on the morphology and arrangement of microconstituents, such as primary aluminium dendrites, silicon particles, etc. Therefore, a detailed characterization of morphological and mechanical properties of the alloys is necessary to better understand the relations between the underlined properties and to tailor the material’s microstructure to the specific application needs. The mechanical characterization usually implies numerical simulations and mechanical tests, which allow to investigate the influence of different microstructural aspects on different scales. In this study, the uniaxial tension and compression tests have been carried out on Al-Si alloys having different microstructures. The mechanical behavior of the alloys has been interpreted with respect to the morphology of the microconstituents and has been correlated with the results of numerical simulations. The advantages and limitations of the experimental and numerical methods have been disclosed and the importance of combining both techniques for the interpretation of the mechanical behavior of Al-Si alloys has been shown. Thereby, it has been suggested that the density of Si particles and the size of Al dendrites are more important for the strengthening of the alloys than the size-shape features of the eutectic Si induced by the modification.

Effect of embedded printed circuit board (PCB) sensors on the mechanical behavior of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Javdanitehran, M.; Hoffmann, R.; Groh, J.; Vossiek, M.; Ziegmann, G.

2016-06-01

The embedding of dielectric chipless sensors for cure monitoring into fiber-reinforced thermosets allows for monitoring and controlling the curing process and consequently higher quality in production. The embedded sensors remain after the processing in the structure. This affects the integrity of the composite structure locally. In order to investigate these effects on the mechanical behavior of the glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP), sensors made on special low loss substrates are integrated into laminates with different lay-ups and thicknesses using vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) method. In a parametric study the size of the sensor is varied to observe its influence on the strength and the stiffness of the laminates according to its lay-up and thickness. The size and orientation of the resin rich areas near sensors as well as the distortion in load bearing area as the consequences of the introduction of the sensors are investigated in conjunction with the strength of the structure. An empirical model is proposed by the authors which involves the previously mentioned factors and is used as a rapid tool for the prediction of the changes in bending and tensile strength of simple structures with embedded sensors. The methodology for model’s calibration as well as the validation of the model against the experimental data of different laminates with distinct lay-ups and thicknesses are presented in this work. Mechanical tests under tensile and bending loading indicate that the reduction of the structure’s strength due to sensor integration can be attributed to the size and the orientation of rich resin zones and depends over and above on the size of distorted load bearing area. Depending on the sensor’s elastic modulus the stiffness of the structure may vary through the introduction of a sensor.

Velocity control in Parkinson's disease: a quantitative analysis of isochrony in scribbling movements.

PubMed

Viviani, Paolo; Burkhard, Pierre R; Chiuvé, Sabina Catalano; Corradi-Dell'Acqua, Corrado; Vindras, Philippe

2009-04-01

An experiment was conducted to contrast the motor performance of three groups (N = 20) of participants: (1) patients with confirmed Parkinson Disease (PD) diagnose; (2) age-matched controls; (3) young adults. The task consisted of scribbling freely for 10 s within circular frames of different sizes. Comparison among groups focused on the relation between the figural elements of the trace (overall size and trace length) and the velocity of the drawing movements. Results were analysed within the framework of previous work on normal individuals showing that instantaneous velocity of drawing movements depends jointly on trace curvature (Two-thirds Power Law) and trace extent (Isochrony principle). The motor behaviour of PD patients exhibited all classical symptoms of the disease (reduced average velocity, reduced fluency, micrographia). At a coarse level of analysis both isochrony and the dependence of velocity on curvature, which are supposed to reflect cortical mechanisms, were spared in PD patients. Instead, significant differences with respects to the control groups emerged from an in-depth analysis of the velocity control suggesting that patients did not scale average velocity as effectively as controls. We factored out velocity control by distinguishing the influence of the broad context in which movement is planned--i.e. the size of the limiting frames--from the influence of the local context--i.e. the linear extent of the unit of motor action being executed. The balance between the two factors was found to be distinctively different in PD patients and controls. This difference is discussed in the light of current theorizing on the role of cortical and sub-cortical mechanisms in the aetiology of PD. We argue that the results are congruent with the notion that cortical mechanisms are responsible for generating a parametric template of the desired movement and the BG specify the actual spatio-temporal parameters through a multiplicative gain factor acting on both size and velocity.

Advection by ocean currents modifies phytoplankton size structure.

PubMed

Font-Muñoz, Joan S; Jordi, Antoni; Tuval, Idan; Arrieta, Jorge; Anglès, Sílvia; Basterretxea, Gotzon

2017-05-01

Advection by ocean currents modifies phytoplankton size structure at small scales (1-10 cm) by aggregating cells in different regions of the flow depending on their size. This effect is caused by the inertia of the cells relative to the displaced fluid. It is considered that, at larger scales (greater than or equal to 1 km), biological processes regulate the heterogeneity in size structure. Here, we provide observational evidence of heterogeneity in phytoplankton size structure driven by ocean currents at relatively large scales (1-10 km). Our results reveal changes in the phytoplankton size distribution associated with the coastal circulation patterns. A numerical model that incorporates the inertial properties of phytoplankton confirms the role of advection on the distribution of phytoplankton according to their size except in areas with enhanced nutrient inputs where phytoplankton dynamics is ruled by other processes. The observed preferential concentration mechanism has important ecological consequences that range from the phytoplankton level to the whole ecosystem. © 2017 The Author(s).

The effect of thermal processing on microstructure and mechanical properties in a nickel-iron alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Ling

The correlation between processing conditions, resulted microstructure and mechanical properties is of interest in the field of metallurgy for centuries. In this work, we investigated the effect of thermal processing parameters on microstructure, and key mechanical properties to turbine rotor design: tensile yield strength and crack growth resistance, for a nickel-iron based superalloy Inconel 706. The first step of the designing of experiments is to find parameter ranges for thermal processing. Physical metallurgy on superalloys was combined with finite element analysis to estimate variations in thermal histories for a large Alloy 706 forging, and the results were adopted for designing of experiments. Through the systematic study, correlation was found between the processing parameters and the microstructure. Five different types of grain boundaries were identified by optical metallography, fractography, and transmission electron microscopy, and they were found to be associated with eta precipitation at the grain boundaries. Proportions of types of boundaries, eta size, spacing and angle respect to the grain boundary were found to be dependent on processing parameters. Differences in grain interior precipitates were also identified, and correlated with processing conditions. Further, a strong correlation between microstructure and mechanical properties was identified. The grain boundary precipitates affect the time dependent crack propagation resistance, and different types of boundaries have different levels of resistance. Grain interior precipitates were correlated with tensile yield strength. It was also found that there is a strong environmental effect on time dependent crack propagation resistance, and the sensitivity to environmental damage is microstructure dependent. The microstructure with eta decorated on grain boundaries by controlled processing parameters is more resistant to environmental damage through oxygen embrittlement than material without eta phase on grain boundaries. Effort was made to explore the mechanisms of improving the time dependent crack propagation resistance through thermal processing, several mechanisms were identified in both environment dependent and environment independent category, and they were ranked based on their contributions in affecting crack propagation.

A simple and inexpensive image analysis technique to study the effect of disintegrants concentration and diluents type on disintegration.

PubMed

Berardi, Alberto; Bisharat, Lorina; Blaibleh, Anaheed; Pavoni, Lucia; Cespi, Marco

2018-06-20

Tablets disintegration is often the result of a size expansion of the tablets. In this study, we quantified the extent and direction of size expansion of tablets during disintegration, using readily available techniques, i.e. a digital camera and a public domain image analysis software. After validating the method, the influence of disintegrants concentration and diluents type on kinetics and mechanisms of disintegration were studied. Tablets containing diluent, disintegrant (sodium starch glycolate-SSG, crospovidone-PVPP or croscarmellose sodium-CCS) and lubricant were prepared by direct compression. Projected area and aspect ratio of the tablets were monitored using image analysis techniques. The developed method could describe the kinetics and mechanisms of disintegration qualitatively and quantitatively. SSG and PVPP acted purely by swelling and shape recovery mechanisms. Instead, CCS worked by a combination of both mechanisms, the extent of which changed depending on its concentration and the diluent type. We anticipate that the method described here could provide a framework for the routine screening of tablets disintegration using readily available equipment. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Size, time, and asynchrony matter: the species-area relationship for parasites of freshwater fishes.

PubMed

Zelmer, Derek A

2014-10-01

The tendency to attribute species-area relationships to "island biogeography" effectively bypasses the examination of specific mechanisms that act to structure parasite communities. Positive covariation between fish size and infrapopulation richness should not be examined within the typical extinction-based paradigm, but rather should be addressed from the standpoint of differences in colonization potential among individual hosts. Although most mechanisms producing the aforementioned pattern constitute some variation of passive sampling, the deterministic aspects of the accumulation of parasite individuals by fish hosts makes untenable the suggestion that infracommunities of freshwater fishes are stochastic assemblages. At the component community level, application of extinction-dependent mechanisms might be appropriate, given sufficient time for colonization, but these structuring forces likely act indirectly through their effects on the host community to increase the probability of parasite persistence. At all levels, the passive sampling hypothesis is a relevant null model. The tendency for mechanisms that produce species-area relationships to produce nested subset patterns means that for most systems, the passive sampling hypothesis can be addressed through the application of appropriate null models of nested subset structure.

The flexoelectric effect associated size dependent pyroelectricity in solid dielectrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Gang; Liu, Zhiguo; Xie, Qiyun; Guo, Yanyan; Li, Wei; Yan, Xiaobing

2015-09-01

A phenomenological thermodynamic theory is used to investigate the effect of strain gradient on the pyroelectric effect in centrosymmetric dielectric solids. Direct pyroelectricity can exist as external mechanical stress is applied to non-pyroelectric dielectrics with shapes such as truncated pyramids, due to elastic strain gradient induced flexoelectric polarization. Effective pyroelectric coefficient was analyzed in truncated pyramids. It is found to be controlled by size, ambient temperature, stress, and aspect ratio and depends mainly on temperature sensitivity of flexoelectric coefficient (TSFC) and strain gradient of the truncated pyramids dielectric solids. These results show that the pyroelectric property of Ba0.67Sr0.33TiO3 above Tc similar to PZT and other lead-based ferroelectrics can be obtained. This feature might widely broaden the selection of materials for infrared detectors with preferable properties.

Probing the Adsorption of Carbon Monoxide on Transition Metal Clusters Using IR Action Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lapoutre, Vivike J. F.; Oomens, Jos; Bakker, Joost M.

2012-06-01

The discovery of enhanced catalytic activity of small gold clusters has led to a great interest in size-dependent catalytic properties of metal clusters. To obtain a better understanding of the catalytic mechanisms it is essential to know the structures of these clusters and the nature of their interaction with reactant molecules. We have studied the structure of gas-phase niobium clusters with a carbon monoxide adsorbed using IR action spectroscopy. We present size-selective IR spectra obtained via IR multiple photon spectroscopy monitoring either photodetachment or photodissociation depending on the charge state. The combination of these spectra with DFT calculations allows for the structural determination of the adsorption product. M. Haruta et al., Journal of Catalysis 115 301-309 (1989). M. Haertelt et al., The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 2 1720-1724 (2011)

Influence of the type of electric discharge on the properties of the produced aluminium nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shiyan, L. N.; Yavorovskii, N. A.; Pustovalov, A. V.; Gryaznova, E. N.

2015-04-01

The effect of the method of aluminum nanopowder production on the aluminum products with water reaction is described. It has been established that the interaction of aluminum nanopowder prepared by the electric wire explosion, the phase composition of the reaction products mainly consists of boehmite (AlOOH) and has a fibrous structure. Therefore, that boehmite (AlOOH) can be used for modification of polymer membranes. The modified membranes can be used as water treatment from the impurity of formed true solutions according to adsorptive mechanism, and from colloidal nanometer and micron particles according to the mechanism of mechanical separation of particles depending on sizes.

The dissolution kinetics of major elements in municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bendz, David; Tüchsen, Peter L.; Christensen, Thomas H.

2007-12-01

Leaching and tracer experiments in batches at L/S 20 were performed with 3-month-old MSWI bottom ash separated into eight different particle sizes. The time-dependent leaching of major elements (Ca 2+, K +, Na +, Cl - and SO 4- 2 ) was monitored for up to 747 h. Physical properties of the particles, the specific surface (BET), pore volume and pore volume distribution over pore sizes (BJH) were determined for all particle classes by N 2 adsorption/desorption experiments. Some common features of physical pore structure for all particles were revealed. The specific surface and the particle pore volume were found to be negatively correlated with particle size, ranging from 3.2 m 2/g to 25.7 m 2/g for the surface area and from 0.0086 cm 3/g to 0.091 cm 3/g for the pore volume. Not surprisingly, the specific surface area was found to be the major material parameter that governed the leaching behavior for all elements (Ca 2+, K +, Na +, Cl - and SO 4- 2 ) and particle sizes. The diffusion resistance was determined independently by separate tracer (tritium) experiments. Diffusion gave a significant contribution to the apparent leaching kinetics for all elements during the first 10-40 h (depending on the particle size) of leaching and surface reaction was the overall rate controlling mechanism at late times for all particle sizes. For Ca 2+ and SO 4- 2 , the coupled effect of diffusion resistance and the degree of undersaturation in the intra particle pore volume was found to be a major rate limiting dissolution mechanism for both early and late times. The solubility control in the intra particulate porosity may undermine any attempt to treat bottom ash by washing out the sulfate. Even for high liquid/solid ratios, the solubility in the intra-particular porosity will limit the release rate.

Dynamical stability of the one-dimensional rigid Brownian rotator: the role of the rotator’s spatial size and shape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeknić-Dugić, Jasmina; Petrović, Igor; Arsenijević, Momir; Dugić, Miroljub

2018-05-01

We investigate dynamical stability of a single propeller-like shaped molecular cogwheel modelled as the fixed-axis rigid rotator. In the realistic situations, rotation of the finite-size cogwheel is subject to the environmentally-induced Brownian-motion effect that we describe by utilizing the quantum Caldeira-Leggett master equation. Assuming the initially narrow (classical-like) standard deviations for the angle and the angular momentum of the rotator, we investigate the dynamics of the first and second moments depending on the size, i.e. on the number of blades of both the free rotator as well as of the rotator in the external harmonic field. The larger the standard deviations, the less stable (i.e. less predictable) rotation. We detect the absence of the simple and straightforward rules for utilizing the rotator’s stability. Instead, a number of the size-related criteria appear whose combinations may provide the optimal rules for the rotator dynamical stability and possibly control. In the realistic situations, the quantum-mechanical corrections, albeit individually small, may effectively prove non-negligible, and also revealing subtlety of the transition from the quantum to the classical dynamics of the rotator. As to the latter, we detect a strong size-dependence of the transition to the classical dynamics beyond the quantum decoherence process.

Critical evaluation of root causes of the reduced compactability after roll compaction/dry granulation.

PubMed

Mosig, Johanna; Kleinebudde, Peter

2015-03-01

The influence of lubrication and particle size on the reduced compactability after dry granulation was investigated. Powder cellulose, lactose, magnesium carbonate, and two types of microcrystalline cellulose were roll compacted, granulated, and sieved into particle fractions. Particle fractions were compressed into tablets using internal and external lubrication. Internal lubrication resulted in an overlubrication of the granule material compared with the powder material. This resulted in extraordinary high reduction of compactability after dry granulation for lubricant-sensitive materials. The granule size can cause differences in strength, whereby the degree of this effect was material dependent. The loss in strength with increasing compaction force was comparable for different particles sizes of one material, suggesting a change in material properties independently of the size. Granule hardening could be one reason as for higher compaction forces the integrity of the granule structure survived the compression step. The results demonstrated that granule lubrication mainly influence the degree of the reduced compactability after dry granulation and must be considered for the evaluation of mechanism for this phenomenon. Hardening of the material as well as size enlargement will cause the loss in strength after recompression, but the influence of both depends strongly on the material. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Influence of grain size distribution on the mechanical behavior of light alloys in wide range of strain rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skripnyak, Vladimir A.; Skripnyak, Natalia V.; Skripnyak, Evgeniya G.; Skripnyak, Vladimir V.

2017-01-01

Inelastic deformation and damage at the mesoscale level of ultrafine grained (UFG) light alloys with distribution of grain size were investigated in wide loading conditions by experimental and computer simulation methods. The computational multiscale models of representative volume element (RVE) with the unimodal and bimodal grain size distributions were developed using the data of structure researches aluminum and magnesium UFG alloys. The critical fracture stress of UFG alloys on mesoscale level depends on relative volumes of coarse grains. Microcracks nucleation at quasi-static and dynamic loading is associated with strain localization in UFG partial volumes with bimodal grain size distribution. Microcracks arise in the vicinity of coarse and ultrafine grains boundaries. It is revealed that the occurrence of bimodal grain size distributions causes the increasing of UFG alloys ductility, but decreasing of the tensile strength.

Effects of constant immigration on the dynamics and persistence of stable and unstable Drosophila populations

PubMed Central

Dey, Snigdhadip; Joshi, Amitabh

2013-01-01

Constant immigration can stabilize population size fluctuations but its effects on extinction remain unexplored. We show that constant immigration significantly reduced extinction in fruitfly populations with relatively stable or unstable dynamics. In unstable populations with oscillations of amplitude around 1.5 times the mean population size, persistence and constancy were unrelated. Low immigration enhanced persistence without affecting constancy whereas high immigration increased constancy without enhancing persistence. In relatively stable populations with erratic fluctuations of amplitude close to the mean population size, both low and high immigration enhanced persistence. In these populations, the amplitude of fluctuations relative to mean population size went down due to immigration, and their dynamics were altered to low-period cycles. The effects of immigration on the population size distribution and intrinsic dynamics of stable versus unstable populations differed considerably, suggesting that the mechanisms by which immigration reduced extinction risk depended on underlying dynamics in complex ways. PMID:23470546

Polydiacetylene chromism towards toxic chemical detection via molecular size-dependent selectivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Donghwan

Polydiacetylene (PDA) is a pi-conjugated polymer that has unique optical properties. PDA changes color from blue to red when subjected to various stimuli such as mechanical stress, heat, photoirradiation, pH change, and binding of specific ligands. The steric effect induced by those stimuli on PDA headgroup has been investigated to understand the mechanism of PDA chromism and to apply those optical properties to the development of various sensors. In this work, pH chromism of PDA was examined in terms of the effects of the molecular size and acidity of acid analytes with the consideration of the molecular design aspect of diacetylene lipids. The pH level is an important parameter, since a low pH will produce a charge on the amine headgroup of PDA, but this does not necessarily result in PDA chromatic transition from 'blue phase' to 'red phase.' The molecular size of the counter anion was identified as another determinant condition to ensure the perturbation of the ene-yne conjugated backbone of PDA, which produces the chromatic transition. In the molecular design of the sensory diacetylene lipids, the alkyl spacer length between the amine as a receptor and the amide linker was found to strongly affect the degree of PDA chromatic transition. The longer alkyl spacer showed the less chromatic transition. The length of alkyl spacer seems to promote the flexibility of the molecule diminishing the extent of the transfer of the steric effect at PDA headgroup to the conjugated backbone. Finally, PDA chromism dependent on the molecular size of acid analytes was applied to develop the colorimetric detection of diethyl phosphate (DEP), a degraded nerve agent simulant. PDA liposome sensors successfully showed selective chromatic transition with fluorescent emission upon binding of DEP compared to other acid analytes. The molecular size and acidity of acid analytes, and alkyl spacer length have proven to be correlated with PDA chromism. These new findings provide further understanding of the mechanism of PDA chromism and the molecular design principle of diacetylene in fundamental studies and in the development of various applications.

Interacting effects of strengthening and twin boundary migration in nanotwinned materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joshi, Kartikey; Joshi, Shailendra P.

Twin boundaries play a governing role in the mechanical characteristics of nanotwinned materials. They act as yield strengthening agents by offering resistance to non-coplanar dislocation slip. Twin boundary migration may cause yield softening while also enhancing the strain hardening response. In this work, we investigate the interaction between strengthening and twin boundary migration mechanisms by developing a length-scale dependent crystal plasticity framework for face-centered-cubic nanotwinned materials. The crystal plasticity model incorporates strengthening mechanisms due to dislocation pile-up via slip and slip-rate gradients and twin boundary migration via source-based twin partial nucleation and lattice dislocation-twin boundary interaction. The coupled effect of the load orientation and initial twin size on the speed of twin boundary is discussed and an expression for the same is proposed in terms of relevant material parameters. The efficacy of finite element simulations and the analytical expression in predicting evolution of nanotwinned microstructures comprising size and spatial distributions of twins is demonstrated.

Cast aluminium single crystals cross the threshold from bulk to size-dependent stochastic plasticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krebs, J.; Rao, S. I.; Verheyden, S.; Miko, C.; Goodall, R.; Curtin, W. A.; Mortensen, A.

2017-07-01

Metals are known to exhibit mechanical behaviour at the nanoscale different to bulk samples. This transition typically initiates at the micrometre scale, yet existing techniques to produce micrometre-sized samples often introduce artefacts that can influence deformation mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate the casting of micrometre-scale aluminium single-crystal wires by infiltration of a salt mould. Samples have millimetre lengths, smooth surfaces, a range of crystallographic orientations, and a diameter D as small as 6 μm. The wires deform in bursts, at a stress that increases with decreasing D. Bursts greater than 200 nm account for roughly 50% of wire deformation and have exponentially distributed intensities. Dislocation dynamics simulations show that single-arm sources that produce large displacement bursts halted by stochastic cross-slip and lock formation explain microcast wire behaviour. This microcasting technique may be extended to several other metals or alloys and offers the possibility of exploring mechanical behaviour spanning the micrometre scale.

Piezoelectric properties of zinc oxide nanowires: an ab initio study.

PubMed

Korir, K K; Cicero, G; Catellani, A

2013-11-29

Nanowires made of materials with non-centrosymmetric crystal structures are expected to be ideal building blocks for self-powered nanodevices due to their piezoelectric properties, yet a controversial explanation of the effective operational mechanisms and size effects still delays their real exploitation. To solve this controversy, we propose a methodology based on DFT calculations of the response of nanostructures to external deformations that allows us to distinguish between the different (bulk and surface) contributions: we apply this scheme to evaluate the piezoelectric properties of ZnO [0001] nanowires, with a diameter up to 2.3 nm. Our results reveal that, while surface and confinement effects are negligible, effective strain energies, and thus the nanowire mechanical response, are dependent on size. Our unified approach allows for a proper definition of piezoelectric coefficients for nanostructures, and explains in a rigorous way the reason why nanowires are found to be more sensitive to mechanical deformation than the corresponding bulk material.

Electromagnetic modelling of Raman enhancement from nanoscale substrates: a route to estimation of the magnitude of the chemical enhancement mechanism in SERS.

PubMed

Brown, Richard J C; Wang, Jian; Tantra, Ratna; Yardley, Rachel E; Milton, Martin J T

2006-01-01

Despite widespread use for more than two decades, the SERS phenomenon has defied accurate physical and chemical explanation. The relative contributions from electronic and chemical mechanisms are difficult to quantify and are often not reproduced under nominally similar experimental conditions. This work has used electromagnetic modelling to predict the Raman enhancement expected from three configurations: metal nanoparticles, structured metal surfaces, and sharp metal tips interacting with metal surfaces. In each case, parameters such as artefact size, artefact separation and incident radiation wavelength have been varied and the resulting electromagnetic field modelled. This has yielded an electromagnetic description of these configurations with predictions of the maximum expected Raman enhancement, and hence a prediction of the optimum substrate configuration for the SERS process. When combined with experimental observations of the dependence of Raman enhancement with changing ionic strength, the modelling results have allowed a novel estimate of the size of the chemical enhancement mechanism to be produced.

Nanolattices: An Emerging Class of Mechanical Metamaterials.

PubMed

Bauer, Jens; Meza, Lucas R; Schaedler, Tobias A; Schwaiger, Ruth; Zheng, Xiaoyu; Valdevit, Lorenzo

2017-10-01

In 1903, Alexander Graham Bell developed a design principle to generate lightweight, mechanically robust lattice structures based on triangular cells; this has since found broad application in lightweight design. Over one hundred years later, the same principle is being used in the fabrication of nanolattice materials, namely lattice structures composed of nanoscale constituents. Taking advantage of the size-dependent properties typical of nanoparticles, nanowires, and thin films, nanolattices redefine the limits of the accessible material-property space throughout different disciplines. Herein, the exceptional mechanical performance of nanolattices, including their ultrahigh strength, damage tolerance, and stiffness, are reviewed, and their potential for multifunctional applications beyond mechanics is examined. The efficient integration of architecture and size-affected properties is key to further develop nanolattices. The introduction of a hierarchical architecture is an effective tool in enhancing mechanical properties, and the eventual goal of nanolattice design may be to replicate the intricate hierarchies and functionalities observed in biological materials. Additive manufacturing and self-assembly techniques enable lattice design at the nanoscale; the scaling-up of nanolattice fabrication is currently the major challenge to their widespread use in technological applications. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Do intraspecific or interspecific interactions determine responses to predators feeding on a shared size-structured prey community?

PubMed

ten Brink, Hanna; Mazumdar, Abul Kalam Azad; Huddart, Joseph; Persson, Lennart; Cameron, Tom C

2015-03-01

Coexistence of predators that share the same prey is common. This is still the case in size-structured predator communities where predators consume prey species of different sizes (interspecific prey responses) or consume different size classes of the same species of prey (intraspecific prey responses). A mechanism has recently been proposed to explain coexistence between predators that differ in size but share the same prey species, emergent facilitation, which is dependent on strong intraspecific responses from one or more prey species. Under emergent facilitation, predators can depend on each other for invasion, persistence or success in a size-structured prey community. Experimental evidence for intraspecific size-structured responses in prey populations remains rare, and further questions remain about direct interactions between predators that could prevent or limit any positive effects between predators [e.g. intraguild predation (IGP)]. Here, we provide a community-wide experiment on emergent facilitation including natural predators. We investigate both the direct interactions between two predators that differ in body size (fish vs. invertebrate predator), and the indirect interaction between them via their shared prey community (zooplankton). Our evidence supports the most likely expectation of interactions between differently sized predators that IGP rates are high, and interspecific interactions in the shared prey community dominate the response to predation (i.e. predator-mediated competition). The question of whether emergent facilitation occurs frequently in nature requires more empirical and theoretical attention, specifically to address the likelihood that its pre-conditions may co-occur with high rates of IGP. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2014 British Ecological Society.

Advances in Drug Delivery Systems, from 0 to 3D superstructures.

PubMed

Radulescu, Marius; Popescu, Simona; Ficai, Denisa; Sonmez, Maria; Oprea, Ovidiu; Spoiala, Angela; Ficai, Anton; Andronescu, Ecaterina

2018-02-19

Nanomedicine is currently exploited for manufacturing therapeutic DDS and treatments protocols for various diseases and disorders. To obtain DDS, different types of materials are used, from organic to inorganic, polar to non-polar, micro to nanomaterials from 0D to 3D structured materials, respectively. Many of these materials were extensively studied and reviewed in the literature. The objectives of this review is to make a clear overview on drug delivery systems depending several aspects related to delivery mechanisms, the type of supports, the active agents ant the potential applications in the prevention or treatment of various diseases. Following aspects are extensively debated: synthesis issues, characteristics and potential uses of 0, 1, 2 and 3D drug delivery systems according to their nature and applications. These systems can be can be tailored according to the delivery mechanism (0-3D delivery) as well as by using more active agents, with more therapeutic activity or same activity but with different mechanisms of action. The size and morphology of the drug delivery system is essential, especially when talking about the internalization into the tumor cells while the mobility is especially dependent on the size. The influence of the nature of the supports and their polarity was extensively studied during the last decades, as well as the importance of the porosity and pore size, but only limited papers are devoted to the holistic analysis of the dimensionality of the support and the ways of delivering the active agents. This review is devoted to a holistic insight into the drug delivery systems, from a new, only marginally studied point of view, meaning the dimensionality of the drug delivery systems and the characteristics of the delivery. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Size and Charge Dependence of Ion Transport in Human Nail Plate

PubMed Central

Baswan, Sudhir M.; Li, S. Kevin; LaCount, Terri D.; Kasting, Gerald B.

2016-01-01

The electrical properties of human nail plate are poorly characterized, yet are a key determinate of the potential to treat nail diseases such as onychomycosis using iontophoresis. In order to address this deficiency, molar conductivities of 17 electrolytes comprising 12 ionic species were determined in hydrated human nail plate in vitro. Cation transport numbers across the nail for 11 of these electrolytes were determined by the electromotive force method. Effective ionic mobilities and diffusivities at infinite dilution for all ionic species were determined by regression analysis. The ratios of diffusivities in nail to those in solution were found to correlate inversely with the hydrodynamic radii of the ions according to a power law relationship having an exponent of −1.75 ± 0.27, a substantially steeper size dependence than observed for similar experiments in skin. Effective diffusivities of cations in nail were three-fold higher than those of comparably sized anions. These results reflect the strong size and charge selectivity of the nail plate for ionic conduction and diffusion. The analysis implies that efficient transungual iontophoretic delivery of ionized drugs having radii upwards of 5 Å (approximately MW ≥ 340 Da) will require chemical or mechanical alteration of the nail plate. PMID:26886342

Effect of Particle Size and Impact Velocity on Collision Behaviors Between Nano-Scale TiN Particles: MD Simulation.

PubMed

Yao, Hai-Long; Hu, Xiao-Zhen; Yang, Guan-Jun

2018-06-01

Inter-particle bonding formation which determines qualities of nano-scale ceramic coatings is influenced by particle collision behaviors during high velocity collision processes. In this study, collision behaviors between nano-scale TiN particles with different diameters were illuminated by using Molecular Dynamics simulation through controlling impact velocities. Results show that nano-scale TiN particles exhibit three states depending on particle sizes and impact velocities, i.e., bonding, bonding with localized fracturing, and rebounding. These TiN particles states are summarized into a parameter selection map providing an overview of the conditions in terms of particle sizes and velocities. Microstructure results show that localized atoms displacement and partial fracture around the impact region are main reasons for bonding formation of nano-scale ceramic particles, which shows differences from conventional particles refining and amorphization. A relationship between the adhesion energy and the rebound energy is established to understand bonding formation mechanism for nano-scale TiN particle collision. Results show that the energy relationship is depended on the particle sizes and impact velocities, and nano-scale ceramic particles can be bonded together as the adhesion energy being higher than the rebound energy.

Size effects under homogeneous deformation of single crystals: A discrete dislocation analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guruprasad, P. J.; Benzerga, A. A.

Mechanism-based discrete dislocation plasticity is used to investigate the effect of size on micron scale crystal plasticity under conditions of macroscopically homogeneous deformation. Long-range interactions among dislocations are naturally incorporated through elasticity. Constitutive rules are used which account for key short-range dislocation interactions. These include junction formation and dynamic source and obstacle creation. Two-dimensional calculations are carried out which can handle high dislocation densities and large strains up to 0.1. The focus is laid on the effect of dimensional constraints on plastic flow and hardening processes. Specimen dimensions ranging from hundreds of nanometers to tens of microns are considered. Our findings show a strong size-dependence of flow strength and work-hardening rate at the micron scale. Taylor-like hardening is shown to be insufficient as a rationale for the flow stress scaling with specimen dimensions. The predicted size effect is associated with the emergence, at sufficient resolution, of a signed dislocation density. Heuristic correlations between macroscopic flow stress and macroscopic measures of dislocation density are sought. Most accurate among those is a correlation based on two state variables: the total dislocation density and an effective, scale-dependent measure of signed density.

An Experimental Study on the Stiffness of Size-Isolated Microbubbles Using Atomic Force Microscopy

PubMed Central

Chen, Cherry C.; Wu, Shih-Ying; Finan, John D.; Morrison, Barclay; Konofagou, Elisa E.

2014-01-01

To fully assess contrast-enhanced acoustic bioeffects in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, the mechanical properties of microbubbles need to be considered. In the present study, direct measurements of the microbubble stiffness were performed using atomic force microscopy by applying nanoscale compressions (up to 25 nN/s) on size-isolated, lipid-coated microbubbles (diameter ranges of 4 to 6 μm and 6 to 8 μm). The stiffness was found to lie between 4 and 22 mN/m and to decrease exponentially with the microbubble size within the diameter range investigated. No cantilever spring constant effect was found on the measured stiffness. The Young’s modulus of the size-isolated microbubbles used in our study ranged between 0.4 and 2 MPa. Microstructures on the surface of the microbubbles were found to influence the overall microbubble elasticity. Our results indicated that more detailed theoretical models are needed to account for the size-dependent microbubble mechanical properties to accurately predict their acoustic behavior. The findings provided useful insights into guidance of cavitation-induced drug and gene delivery and could be used as part of the framework in studies on the shear stresses induced on the blood vessel walls by oscillating microbubbles. PMID:23475918

Propagation of electromagnetic wave in dusty plasma and the influence of dust size distribution

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

Li, Hui; China Research Institute of Radio Wave Propagation; Wu, Jian

The effect of charged dust particle and their size distribution on the propagation of electromagnetic wave in a dusty plasma is investigated. It is shown that the additional collision mechanism provided by charged dust particles can significantly alter the electromagnetic properties of a plasma, leading to the appearance of attenuation of electromagnetic wave through dusty plasma. The attenuation coefficient mainly depends on the dust density, radius, and the charge numbers on the dust surface. The results described here will be used to enhance understanding of electromagnetic wave propagation processed in space and laboratory dusty plasma.

Mammoth grazers on the ocean's minuteness: a review of selective feeding using mucous meshes

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Mucous-mesh grazers (pelagic tunicates and thecosome pteropods) are common in oceanic waters and efficiently capture, consume and repackage particles many orders of magnitude smaller than themselves. They feed using an adhesive mucous mesh to capture prey particles from ambient seawater. Historically, their grazing process has been characterized as non-selective, depending only on the size of the prey particle and the pore dimensions of the mesh. The purpose of this review is to reverse this assumption by reviewing recent evidence that shows mucous-mesh feeding can be selective. We focus on large planktonic microphages as a model of selective mucus feeding because of their important roles in the ocean food web: as bacterivores, prey for higher trophic levels, and exporters of carbon via mucous aggregates, faecal pellets and jelly-falls. We identify important functional variations in the filter mechanics and hydrodynamics of different taxa. We review evidence that shows this feeding strategy depends not only on the particle size and dimensions of the mesh pores, but also on particle shape and surface properties, filter mechanics, hydrodynamics and grazer behaviour. As many of these organisms remain critically understudied, we conclude by suggesting priorities for future research. PMID:29720410

Load-Dependent Friction Hysteresis on Graphene.

PubMed

Ye, Zhijiang; Egberts, Philip; Han, Gang Hee; Johnson, A T Charlie; Carpick, Robert W; Martini, Ashlie

2016-05-24

Nanoscale friction often exhibits hysteresis when load is increased (loading) and then decreased (unloading) and is manifested as larger friction measured during unloading compared to loading for a given load. In this work, the origins of load-dependent friction hysteresis were explored through atomic force microscopy (AFM) experiments of a silicon tip sliding on chemical vapor deposited graphene in air, and molecular dynamics simulations of a model AFM tip on graphene, mimicking both vacuum and humid air environmental conditions. It was found that only simulations with water at the tip-graphene contact reproduced the experimentally observed hysteresis. The mechanisms underlying this friction hysteresis were then investigated in the simulations by varying the graphene-water interaction strength. The size of the water-graphene interface exhibited hysteresis trends consistent with the friction, while measures of other previously proposed mechanisms, such as out-of-plane deformation of the graphene film and irreversible reorganization of the water molecules at the shearing interface, were less correlated to the friction hysteresis. The relationship between the size of the sliding interface and friction observed in the simulations was explained in terms of the varying contact angles in front of and behind the sliding tip, which were larger during loading than unloading.

Thermal Plasma Spheroidization of High-Nitrogen Stainless Steel Powder Alloys Synthesized by Mechanical Alloying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razumov, Nikolay G.; Popovich, Anatoly A.; Wang, QingSheng

2018-03-01

This paper presents the results of experimental studies on the treatment of Fe-23Cr-11Mn-1N high-nitrogen stainless steel powder alloys, synthesized by the mechanical alloying (MA) of elemental powders in the flow of a thermal plasma. Fe-23Cr-11Mn-1N high-nitrogen stainless steel powder alloys were prepared by MA in the attritor under an argon atmosphere. For spheroidization of Fe-23Cr-11Mn-1N high-nitrogen stainless steel powder alloys, the TekSphero 15 plant manufactured by Tekna Plasma Systems Inc was used. The studies have shown the possibility of obtaining Fe-23Cr-11Mn-1N high-nitrogen spherical powders steel alloys from the powder obtained by MA. According to the results of a series of experiments, it was found that the results of plasma spheroidization of powders essentially depend on the size of the fraction due to some difference in the particle shape and flowability, and on the gas regime of the plasma torch. It is established that during the plasma spheroidization process, some of the nitrogen leaves the alloy. The loss rate of nitrogen depends on the size of the initial particles.

Growth and physicochemical properties of organometallic (DL)-trithioureatartrato-O1,O2,O3-cadmium(II) single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sathyamoorthy, K.; Vinothkumar, P.; Irshad Ahamed, J.; Murali Manohar, P.; Priya, M.; Liu, Jinghe

2018-04-01

Single crystals of organometallic (DL)-trithioureatartrato-O1,O2,O3-cadmium(II) (TUDLC) have been grown from methanol solution by using the slow evaporation of solvent growth technique. The lattice structure and crystalline perfection have been determined by carrying out single crystal X-ray diffraction and high resolution X-ray diffraction measurements. The grown crystal was characterized thermally and mechanically by carrying out thermo-gravimetric and micro hardness measurements. The linear and nonlinear optical characterizations were made by carrying out optical transmittance, surface laser damage threshold, particle size-dependent second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency and photo conductivity measurements. The grown crystal was electrically characterized by carrying out frequency-dependent dielectric measurements. Chemical etching study was also carried out and the dislocation density was estimated. Results obtained in the present study indicate that the grown TUDLC crystal is optically transparent with lower cut-off wavelength 304 nm, mechanically soft, thermally stable up to 101 °C and NLO active with SHG efficiency 2.13 (in KDP unit). The grown crystal is found to have considerably large size, good crystalline perfection, large specific heat capacity, higher surface laser damage threshold and negative photoconductivity.

Ni foam assisted synthesis of high quality hexagonal boron nitride with large domain size and controllable thickness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ying, Hao; Li, Xiuting; Li, Deshuai; Huang, Mingqiang; Wan, Wen; Yao, Qian; Chen, Xiangping; Wang, Zhiwei; Wu, Yanqing; Wang, Le; Chen, Shanshan

2018-04-01

The scalable synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is of great interest for its numerous applications in novel electronic devices. Highly-crystalline h-BN films, with single-crystal sizes up to hundreds of microns, are demonstrated via a novel Ni foam assisted technique reported here for the first time. The nucleation density of h-BN domains can be significantly reduced due to the high boron solubility, as well as the large specific surface area of the Ni foam. The crystalline structure of the h-BN domains is found to be well aligned with, and therefore strongly dependent upon, the underlying Pt lattice orientation. Growth-time dependent experiments confirm the presence of a surface mediated self-limiting growth mechanism for monolayer h-BN on the Pt substrate. However, utilizing remote catalysis from the Ni foam, bilayer h-BN films can be synthesized breaking the self-limiting effect. This work provides further understanding of the mechanisms involved in the growth of h-BN and proposes a facile synthesis technique that may be applied to further applications in which control over the crystal alignment, and the numbers of layers is crucial.

Effect of embedded metal nanocrystals on the resistive switching characteristics in NiN-based resistive random access memory cells

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

Yun, Min Ju; Kim, Hee-Dong; Man Hong, Seok

2014-03-07

The metal nanocrystals (NCs) embedded-NiN-based resistive random access memory cells are demonstrated using several metal NCs (i.e., Pt, Ni, and Ti) with different physical parameters in order to investigate the metal NC's dependence on resistive switching (RS) characteristics. First, depending on the electronegativity of metal, the size of metal NCs is determined and this affects the operating current of memory cells. If metal NCs with high electronegativity are incorporated, the size of the NCs is reduced; hence, the operating current is reduced owing to the reduced density of the electric field around the metal NCs. Second, the potential wells aremore » formed by the difference of work function between the metal NCs and active layer, and the barrier height of the potential wells affects the level of operating voltage as well as the conduction mechanism of metal NCs embedded memory cells. Therefore, by understanding these correlations between the active layer and embedded metal NCs, we can optimize the RS properties of metal NCs embedded memory cells as well as predict their conduction mechanisms.« less

Mechanical properties of thin-film materials evaluated from amplitude-dependent internal friction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishino, Yoichi

1999-09-01

A method is presented to evaluate the mechanical properties of thin-film materials from measurements of the amplitude-dependent internal friction. According to the constitutive equation, the internal friction in the film can be determined separately from measured damping of the film/substrate composite. The internal friction in aluminum films is dependent on the strain amplitude that is approximately two orders of magnitude higher than that for bulk aluminum. On the basis of the microplasticity theory, the amplitude-dependent internal friction in the film can be converted into the plastic strain as a function of effective stress on dislocation motion. The mechanical responses thus obtained for aluminum films show that the plastic strain of the order of 10-9 increases nonlinearly with increasing stress. These curves tend to shift to a higher stress with decreasing film thickness and also with decreasing temperature, both indicating a suppression of microplastic flow. The microflow stress at a constant level of the plastic strain varies inversely with the film thickness, provided the grain size is larger than the film thickness. The film thickness effect in the microplastic range can be well explained by the bowing of a dislocation segment whose ends are pinned at the film surface and at the film/substrate interface.

Statistical electric field and switching time distributions in PZT 1Nb2Sr ceramics: Crystal- and microstructure effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhukov, Sergey; Kungl, Hans; Genenko, Yuri A.; von Seggern, Heinz

2014-01-01

Dispersive polarization response of ferroelectric PZT ceramics is analyzed assuming the inhomogeneous field mechanism of polarization switching. In terms of this model, the local polarization switching proceeds according to the Kolmogorov-Avrami-Ishibashi scenario with the switching time determined by the local electric field. As a result, the total polarization reversal is dominated by the statistical distribution of the local field magnitudes. Microscopic parameters of this model (the high-field switching time and the activation field) as well as the statistical field and consequent switching time distributions due to disorder at a mesoscopic scale can be directly determined from a set of experiments measuring the time dependence of the total polarization switching, when applying electric fields of different magnitudes. PZT 1Nb2Sr ceramics with Zr/Ti ratios 51.5/48.5, 52.25/47.75, and 60/40 with four different grain sizes each were analyzed following this approach. Pronounced differences of field and switching time distributions were found depending on the Zr/Ti ratios. Varying grain size also affects polarization reversal parameters, but in another way. The field distributions remain almost constant with grain size whereas switching times and activation field tend to decrease with increasing grain size. The quantitative changes of the latter parameters with grain size are very different depending on composition. The origin of the effects on the field and switching time distributions are related to differences in structural and microstructural characteristics of the materials and are discussed with respect to the hysteresis loops observed under bipolar electrical cycling.

Manufacturing techniques for titanium aluminide based alloys and metal matrix composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kothari, Kunal B.

Dual phase titanium aluminides composed vastly of gamma phase (TiAl) with moderate amount of alpha2 phase (Ti3Al) have been considered for several high temperature aerospace and automobile applications. High specific strength coupled with good high temperature performance in the areas of creep and oxidation resistance makes titanium aluminides "materials of choice" for next generation propulsion systems. Titanium alumnides are primarily being considered as potential replacements for Ni-based superalloys in gas turbine engine components with aim of developing more efficient and leaner engines exhibiting high thrust-to-weight ratio. Thermo-mechanical treatments have shown to enhance the mechanical performance of titanium aluminides. Additionally, small additions of interstitial elements have shown further and significant improvement in the mechanical performance of titanium alumnide alloys. However, titanium aluminides lack considerably in room temperature ductility and as a result manufacturing processes of these aluminides have greatly suffered. Traditional ingot metallurgy and investment casting based methods to produce titanium aluminide parts in addition to being expensive, have also been unsuccessful in producing titanium aluminides with the desired mechanical properties. Hence, the manufacturing costs associated with these methods have completely outweighed the benefits offered by titanium aluminides. Over the last two decades, several powder metallurgy based manufacturing techniques have been studied to produce titanium aluminide parts. These techniques have been successful in producing titanium aluminide parts with a homogeneous and refined microstructure. These powder metallurgy techniques also hold the potential of significant cost reduction depending on the wide market acceptance of titanium aluminides. In the present study, a powder metallurgy based rapid consolidation technique has been used to produce near-net shape parts of titanium aluminides. Micron-sized titanium aluminide powders were rapidly consolidated to form near-net shape titanium aluminide parts in form of small discs and tiles. The rapidly consolidated titanium aluminide parts were found to be fully dense. The microstructure morphology was found to vary with consolidation conditions. The mechanical properties were found to be significantly dependent on microstructure morphology and grain size. Due to rapid consolidation, grain growth during consolidation was limited, which in turn led to enhanced mechanical properties. The high temperature mechanical properties for the consolidated titanium aluminide samples were characterized and were found to retain good mechanical performance up to 700°C. Micron-sized titanium aluminide powders with slightly less Aluminum and small Nb, and Cr additions were rapidly consolidated into near-net shape parts. The consolidated parts were found to exhibit enhanced mechanical performance in terms of ductility and yield strength. The negative effect of Oxygen on the flexural strength at high temperatures was found to be reduced with the addition of Nb. In an effort to further reduce the grain size of the consolidated titanium aluminide samples, the as-received titanium aluminide powders were milled in an attrition mill. The average powder particle size of the powders was reduced by 60% after milling. The milled powders were then rapidly consolidated. The grain size of the consolidated parts was found to be in the sub-micrometer range. The mechanical properties were found to be significantly enhanced due to reduction of grain size in the sub-micrometer range. In order to develop a metal matrix composite based on titanium aluminide matrix reinforced with titanium boride, an experiment to study the effect of rapid consolidation on titanium diboride powders was conducted. Micron-sized titanium diboride powders were consolidated and were found to be 93% dense and exhibited minimal grain growth. The low density of the consolidated part was attributed to low consolidation temperature. Titanium aluminide and titanium diboride powders were blended together in an attrition mill and rapidly consolidated. A metal matrix composite with titanium aluminide matrix reinforced with titanium monoboride plates was formed. The titanium diboride in the powder form was found to be transformed to titanium monoboroide plates during consolidation due to the thermodynamic equilibrium between titanium and titanium monoboride. The metal matrix composite was found to be 90% dense. The low density was due to particle size mismatch between the matrix and reinforcement powders and low consolidation temperature. An increase in the volume of titanium monoboride plates in the metal matrix composite was accompanied by an increase in the elastic modulus of the metal matrix composite.

Mechanical characterization of natural building stones: observation of the fracture process zone by ESPI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calvetti, Francesco; Cardani, Giuliana; Meda, Alberto

1999-09-01

The cultural heritage of many nations consist of a great variety of structures of high intrinsic value, which are often composed of natural building stones (NBS), as granite, limestone, marble and sandstone. The use of accurate inspection devices, such as laser interferometry, allows us to acquire information regarding the mechanical properties and damage (tensile cracks) of NBS, which represents the first step in the restoration process. In this paper, the potential application of an electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI) is shown, with particular attention to the observed displacement field and the crack penetration during laboratory testing. In ESPI, by superimposing a reflected light to a reference digitized image, an interference phenomenon is produced. By comparing two recorded interference patterns (before and after loading), the corresponding deformation can be evaluated. The application of ESPI in several laboratory tests on NBS is presented in this paper. In particular, during bending tests performed on geometrically similar NBS specimens, it was observed that the size and shape of the localized damage zone do not depend on the specimen size. These results allow for an interpretation of the 'size- effect,' which consists of a reduction of nominal strength as the specimen size increases.

Liposome retention in size exclusion chromatography

PubMed Central

Ruysschaert, Tristan; Marque, Audrey; Duteyrat, Jean-Luc; Lesieur, Sylviane; Winterhalter, Mathias; Fournier, Didier

2005-01-01

Background Size exclusion chromatography is the method of choice for separating free from liposome-encapsulated molecules. However, if the column is not presaturated with lipids this type of chromatography causes a significant loss of lipid material. To date, the mechanism of lipid retention is poorly understood. It has been speculated that lipid binds to the column material or the entire liposome is entrapped inside the void. Results Here we show that intact liposomes and their contents are retained in the exclusion gel. Retention depends on the pore size, the smaller the pores, the higher the retention. Retained liposomes are not tightly fixed to the beads and are slowly released from the gels upon direct or inverted eluent flow, long washing steps or column repacking. Further addition of free liposomes leads to the elution of part of the gel-trapped liposomes, showing that the retention is transitory. Trapping reversibility should be related to a mechanism of partitioning of the liposomes between the stationary phase, water-swelled polymeric gel, and the mobile aqueous phase. Conclusion Retention of liposomes by size exclusion gels is a dynamic and reversible process, which should be accounted for to control lipid loss and sample contamination during chromatography. PMID:15885140

Circular stapler size and risk of anastomotic complications in gastroduodenostomy for gastric cancer.

PubMed

Kim, Dae Hoon; Oh, Cheong Ah; Oh, Seung Jong; Choi, Min Gew; Noh, Jae Hyung; Sohn, Tae Sung; Bae, Jae Moon; Kim, Sung

2012-08-01

A Billroth I reconstruction with a mechanically sutured anastomosis is commonly performed in gastric cancer patients. Some surgeons prefer to use large circular staplers during suturing to minimize risks for anastomotic stricture and gastric stasis after surgery. The effect of stapler size on anastomotic complications has not been validated. This study was conducted with 1,031 patients who underwent gastrectomy and Billroth I reconstruction at Samsung Medical Center in Seoul, Korea, between January 2007 and October 2008. Patients were assigned to group A (384 patients) or group B (647 patients) depending on the size of the circular stapler that the surgeon selected for mechanical anastomosis. A 25 mm circular stapler was used for patients in group A, and a 28 or 29 mm circular stapler was used for patients in group B. Postoperative complications were analyzed retrospectively. The incidence of complications (e.g., gastric stasis, anastomotic stricture, and bleeding) did not differ significantly between groups. Age greater than 60 years was the only significant risk factor for anastomotic complications identified in univariate and multivariate analyses. Stapler size was unrelated to complications, such as stricture and gastric stasis. Age was the only significant risk factor for anastomotic complications after gastroduodenostomy.

Effect of pH on the electrical properties and conducting mechanism of SnO2 nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Periathai, R. Sudha; Abarna, S.; Hirankumar, G.; Jeyakumaran, N.; Prithivikumaran, N.

2017-03-01

Semiconductor nanoparticles have attracted more interests because of their size-dependent optical and electrical properties.SnO2 is an oxygen-deficient n-type semiconductor with a wide band gap of 3.6 eV (300 K). It has many remarkable applications as sensors, catalysts, transparent conducting electrodes, anode material for rechargeable Li- ion batteries and optoelectronic devices. In the present work, the role of pH in determining the electrical and dielectric properties of SnO2 nanoparticles has been studied as a function of temperature ranging from Room temperature (RT) to 114 °C in the frequency range of 7 MHz to 50 mHz using impedance spectroscopic technique. The non linear behavior observed in the thermal dependence of the conductance of SnO2 nanoparticles is explained by means of the surface property of SnO2 nanoparticles where proton hopping mechanism is dealt with. Jonscher's power law has been fitted for the conductance spectra and the frequency exponent ("s" value) gives an insight about the ac conducting mechanism. The temperature dependence of electrical relaxation phenomenon in the material has been observed. The complex electric modulus analysis indicates the possibility of hopping conduction mechanism in the system with non-exponential type of conductivity relaxation.

Anomalous scaling law of strength and toughness of cellulose nanopaper

PubMed Central

Zhu, Hongli; Zhu, Shuze; Jia, Zheng; Parvinian, Sepideh; Li, Yuanyuan; Vaaland, Oeyvind; Hu, Liangbing; Li, Teng

2015-01-01

The quest for both strength and toughness is perpetual in advanced material design; unfortunately, these two mechanical properties are generally mutually exclusive. So far there exists only limited success of attaining both strength and toughness, which often needs material-specific, complicated, or expensive synthesis processes and thus can hardly be applicable to other materials. A general mechanism to address the conflict between strength and toughness still remains elusive. Here we report a first-of-its-kind study of the dependence of strength and toughness of cellulose nanopaper on the size of the constituent cellulose fibers. Surprisingly, we find that both the strength and toughness of cellulose nanopaper increase simultaneously (40 and 130 times, respectively) as the size of the constituent cellulose fibers decreases (from a mean diameter of 27 μm to 11 nm), revealing an anomalous but highly desirable scaling law of the mechanical properties of cellulose nanopaper: the smaller, the stronger and the tougher. Further fundamental mechanistic studies reveal that reduced intrinsic defect size and facile (re)formation of strong hydrogen bonding among cellulose molecular chains is the underlying key to this new scaling law of mechanical properties. These mechanistic findings are generally applicable to other material building blocks, and therefore open up abundant opportunities to use the fundamental bottom-up strategy to design a new class of functional materials that are both strong and tough. PMID:26150482

Microcomputed tomography and microfinite element modeling for evaluating polymer scaffolds architecture and their mechanical properties.

PubMed

Alberich-Bayarri, Angel; Moratal, David; Ivirico, Jorge L Escobar; Rodríguez Hernández, José C; Vallés-Lluch, Ana; Martí-Bonmatí, Luis; Estellés, Jorge Más; Mano, Joao F; Pradas, Manuel Monleón; Ribelles, José L Gómez; Salmerón-Sánchez, Manuel

2009-10-01

Detailed knowledge of the porous architecture of synthetic scaffolds for tissue engineering, their mechanical properties, and their interrelationship was obtained in a nondestructive manner. Image analysis of microcomputed tomography (microCT) sections of different scaffolds was done. The three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the scaffold allows one to quantify scaffold porosity, including pore size, pore distribution, and struts' thickness. The porous morphology and porosity as calculated from microCT by image analysis agrees with that obtained experimentally by scanning electron microscopy and physically measured porosity, respectively. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of the scaffold were evaluated by making use of finite element modeling (FEM) in which the compression stress-strain test is simulated on the 3D structure reconstructed from the microCT sections. Elastic modulus as calculated from FEM is in agreement with those obtained from the stress-strain experimental test. The method was applied on qualitatively different porous structures (interconnected channels and spheres) with different chemical compositions (that lead to different elastic modulus of the base material) suitable for tissue regeneration. The elastic properties of the constructs are explained on the basis of the FEM model that supports the main mechanical conclusion of the experimental results: the elastic modulus does not depend on the geometric characteristics of the pore (pore size, interconnection throat size) but only on the total porosity of the scaffold. (c) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Kcnip1 a Ca²⁺-dependent transcriptional repressor regulates the size of the neural plate in Xenopus.

PubMed

Néant, Isabelle; Mellström, Britt; Gonzalez, Paz; Naranjo, Jose R; Moreau, Marc; Leclerc, Catherine

2015-09-01

In amphibian embryos, our previous work has demonstrated that calcium transients occurring in the dorsal ectoderm at the onset of gastrulation are necessary and sufficient to engage the ectodermal cells into a neural fate by inducing neural specific genes. Some of these genes are direct targets of calcium. Here we search for a direct transcriptional mechanism by which calcium signals are acting. The only known mechanism responsible for a direct action of calcium on gene transcription involves an EF-hand Ca²⁺ binding protein which belongs to a group of four proteins (Kcnip1 to 4). Kcnip protein can act in a Ca²⁺-dependent manner as a transcriptional repressor by binding to a specific DNA sequence, the Downstream Regulatory Element (DRE) site. In Xenopus, among the four kcnips, we show that only kcnip1 is timely and spatially present in the presumptive neural territories and is able to bind DRE sites in a Ca²⁺-dependent manner. The loss of function of kcnip1 results in the expansion of the neural plate through an increased proliferation of neural progenitors. Later on, this leads to an impairment in the development of anterior neural structures. We propose that, in the embryo, at the onset of neurogenesis Kcnip1 is the Ca²⁺-dependent transcriptional repressor that controls the size of the neural plate. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: 13th European Symposium on Calcium. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Transition from a strong-yet-brittle to a stronger-and-ductile state by size reduction of metallic glasses.

PubMed

Jang, Dongchan; Greer, Julia R

2010-03-01

Amorphous metallic alloys, or metallic glasses, are lucrative engineering materials owing to their superior mechanical properties such as high strength and large elastic strain. However, their main drawback is their propensity for highly catastrophic failure through rapid shear banding, significantly undercutting their structural applications. Here, we show that when reduced to 100 nm, Zr-based metallic glass nanopillars attain ceramic-like strengths (2.25 GPa) and metal-like ductility (25%) simultaneously. We report separate and distinct critical sizes for maximum strength and for the brittle-to-ductile transition, thereby demonstrating that strength and ability to carry plasticity are decoupled at the nanoscale. A phenomenological model for size dependence and brittle-to-homogeneous deformation is provided.

Cloud droplet size distribution broadening during diffusional growth: ripening amplified by deactivation and reactivation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Fan; Kollias, Pavlos; Shaw, Raymond A.; Vogelmann, Andrew M.

2018-05-01

Cloud droplet size distributions (CDSDs), which are related to cloud albedo and rain formation, are usually broader in warm clouds than predicted from adiabatic parcel calculations. We investigate a mechanism for the CDSD broadening using a moving-size-grid cloud parcel model that considers the condensational growth of cloud droplets formed on polydisperse, submicrometer aerosols in an adiabatic cloud parcel that undergoes vertical oscillations, such as those due to cloud circulations or turbulence. Results show that the CDSD can be broadened during condensational growth as a result of Ostwald ripening amplified by droplet deactivation and reactivation, which is consistent with early work. The relative roles of the solute effect, curvature effect, deactivation and reactivation on CDSD broadening are investigated. Deactivation of smaller cloud droplets, which is due to the combination of curvature and solute effects in the downdraft region, enhances the growth of larger cloud droplets and thus contributes particles to the larger size end of the CDSD. Droplet reactivation, which occurs in the updraft region, contributes particles to the smaller size end of the CDSD. In addition, we find that growth of the largest cloud droplets strongly depends on the residence time of cloud droplet in the cloud rather than the magnitude of local variability in the supersaturation fluctuation. This is because the environmental saturation ratio is strongly buffered by numerous smaller cloud droplets. Two necessary conditions for this CDSD broadening, which generally occur in the atmosphere, are as follows: (1) droplets form on aerosols of different sizes, and (2) the cloud parcel experiences upwards and downwards motions. Therefore we expect that this mechanism for CDSD broadening is possible in real clouds. Our results also suggest it is important to consider both curvature and solute effects before and after cloud droplet activation in a cloud model. The importance of this mechanism compared with other mechanisms on cloud properties should be investigated through in situ measurements and 3-D dynamic models.

Effect of reinforcement phase on the mechanical property of tungsten nanocomposite synthesized by spark plasma sintering

DOE PAGES

Lee, Jin -Kyu; Kim, Song -Yi; Ott, Ryan T.; ...

2015-07-15

Nanostructured tungsten composites were fabricated by spark plasma sintering of nanostructured composite powders. The composite powders, which were synthesized by mechanical milling of tungsten and Ni-based alloy powders, are comprised of alternating layers of tungsten and metallic glass several hundred nanometers in size. The mechanical behavior of the nanostructured W composite is similar to pure tungsten, however, in contrast to monolithic pure tungsten, some macroscopic compressive plasticity accompanies the enhanced maximum strength up to 2.4 GPa by introducing reinforcement. As a result, we have found that the mechanical properties of the composites strongly depend on the uniformity of the nano-grainedmore » tungsten matrix and reinforcement phase distribution.« less

Diverging effects of isotopic fractionation upon molecular diffusion of noble gases in water: mechanistic insights through ab initio molecular dynamics simulations.

PubMed

Pinto de Magalhães, Halua; Brennwald, Matthias S; Kipfer, Rolf

2017-03-22

Atmospheric noble gases are routinely used as natural tracers to analyze gas transfer processes in aquatic systems. Their isotopic ratios can be employed to discriminate between different physical transport mechanisms by comparison to the unfractionated atmospheric isotope composition. In many applications of aquatic systems molecular diffusion was thought to cause a mass dependent fractionation of noble gases and their isotopes according to the square root ratio of their masses. However, recent experiments focusing on isotopic fractionation within a single element challenged this broadly accepted assumption. The determined fractionation factors of Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe isotopes revealed that only Ar follows the prediction of the so-called square root relation, whereas within the Ne, Kr and Xe elements no mass-dependence was found. The reason for this unexpected divergence of Ar is not yet understood. The aim of our computational exercise is to establish the molecular-resolved mechanisms behind molecular diffusion of noble gases in water. We make the hypothesis that weak intermolecular interactions are relevant for the dynamical properties of noble gases dissolved in water. Therefore, we used ab initio molecular dynamics to explicitly account for the electronic degrees of freedom. Depending on the size and polarizability of the hydrophobic particles such as noble gases, their motion in dense and polar liquids like water is subject to different diffusive regimes: the inter-cavity hopping mechanism of small particles (He, Ne) breaks down if a critical particle size achieved. For the case of large particles (Kr, Xe), the motion through the water solvent is governed by mass-independent viscous friction leading to hydrodynamical diffusion. Finally, Ar falls in between the two diffusive regimes, where particle dispersion is propagated at the molecular collision time scale of the surrounding water molecules.

The effects of short-lived radionuclides and porosity on the early thermo-mechanical evolution of planetesimals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lichtenberg, Tim; Golabek, Gregor J.; Gerya, Taras V.; Meyer, Michael R.

2016-08-01

The thermal history and internal structure of chondritic planetesimals, assembled before the giant impact phase of chaotic growth, potentially yield important implications for the final composition and evolution of terrestrial planets. These parameters critically depend on the internal balance of heating versus cooling, which is mostly determined by the presence of short-lived radionuclides (SLRs), such as 26Al and 60Fe, as well as the heat conductivity of the material. The heating by SLRs depends on their initial abundances, the formation time of the planetesimal and its size. It has been argued that the cooling history is determined by the porosity of the granular material, which undergoes dramatic changes via compaction processes and tends to decrease with time. In this study we assess the influence of these parameters on the thermo-mechanical evolution of young planetesimals with both 2D and 3D simulations. Using the code family I2ELVIS/I3ELVIS we have run numerous 2D and 3D numerical finite-difference fluid dynamic models with varying planetesimal radius, formation time and initial porosity. Our results indicate that powdery materials lowered the threshold for melting and convection in planetesimals, depending on the amount of SLRs present. A subset of planetesimals retained a powdery surface layer which lowered the thermal conductivity and hindered cooling. The effect of initial porosity was small, however, compared to those of planetesimal size and formation time, which dominated the thermo-mechanical evolution and were the primary factors for the onset of melting and differentiation. We comment on the implications of this work concerning the structure and evolution of these planetesimals, as well as their behavior as possible building blocks of terrestrial planets.

Size-dependent disorder-order transformation in the synthesis of monodisperse intermetallic PdCu nanocatalysts

DOE PAGES

Wang, Chenyu; Chen, Dennis P.; Unocic, Raymond R.; ...

2016-05-23

The high performance of Pd-based intermetallic nanocatalysts has the potential to replace Pt-containing catalysts for fuel-cell reactions. Conventionally, intermetallic particles are obtained through the annealing of nanoparticles of a random alloy distribution. However, this method inevitably leads to sintering of the nanoparticles and generates polydisperse samples. Here, monodisperse PdCu nanoparticles with the ordered B2 phase were synthesized by seed-mediated co-reduction using PdCu nanoparticle seeds with a random alloy distribution (A1 phase). A time-evolution study suggests that the particles must overcome a size-dependent activation barrier for the ordering process to occur. Characterization of the as-prepared PdCu B2 nanoparticles by electron microscopymore » techniques revealed surface segregation of Pd as a thin shell over the PdCu core. The ordered nanoparticles exhibit superior activity and durability for the oxygen reduction reaction in comparison with PdCu A1 nanoparticles. This seed-mediated co-reduction strategy produced monodisperse nanoparticles ideally suited for structure–activity studies. Furthermore, the study of their growth mechanism provides insights into the size dependence of disorder–order transformations of bimetallic alloys at the nanoscale, which should enable the design of synthetic strategies toward other intermetallic systems.« less

Size-dependent abnormal thermo-enhanced luminescence of ytterbium-doped nanoparticles.

PubMed

Cui, Xiangshui; Cheng, Yao; Lin, Hang; Huang, Feng; Wu, Qingping; Wang, Yuansheng

2017-09-21

Thermal quenching above 300 K is widely expected in photoluminescence. Luminescence quenching is usually ascribed to the non-radiative relaxation of excited electrons to the ground state of the activators, during which a high temperature always plays a role in pushing the excited electrons towards the quenching channels, leading to thermal quenching. For the lanthanide-doped nanoparticles, however, there is a special luminescence quenching channel that does not exist in their bulk counterparts, i.e., energy migration-induced surface quenching. Herein, a size-dependent abnormal thermal enhancement of luminescence in the temperature range of 300 K to 423 K in the ytterbium-doped fluoride nanoparticles is presented for the first time. Importantly, in this work, we originally demonstrate that the energy migration-induced surface quenching can be suppressed by increasing temperature, which results in the abnormal thermal enhancement of luminescence. According to the temperature-dependent X-ray diffraction and lifetime analyses, an underlying mechanism based on the effect of thermal lattice expansion on ytterbium-mediated energy migration is proposed. This new finding adds new insights to the size effect on the luminescent characteristics of nanoparticles, which could be utilized to construct some unique nanostructures, especially for many important temperature-related purposes, such as thermal sensing technology.

Alzheimer's Aβ(1-40) Amyloid Fibrils Feature Size-Dependent Mechanical Properties

PubMed Central

Xu, Zhiping; Paparcone, Raffaella; Buehler, Markus J.

2010-01-01

Abstract Amyloid fibrils are highly ordered protein aggregates that are associated with several pathological processes, including prion propagation and Alzheimer's disease. A key issue in amyloid science is the need to understand the mechanical properties of amyloid fibrils and fibers to quantify biomechanical interactions with surrounding tissues, and to identify mechanobiological mechanisms associated with changes of material properties as amyloid fibrils grow from nanoscale to microscale structures. Here we report a series of computational studies in which atomistic simulation, elastic network modeling, and finite element simulation are utilized to elucidate the mechanical properties of Alzheimer's Aβ(1-40) amyloid fibrils as a function of the length of the protein filament for both twofold and threefold symmetric amyloid fibrils. We calculate the elastic constants associated with torsional, bending, and tensile deformation as a function of the size of the amyloid fibril, covering fibril lengths ranging from nanometers to micrometers. The resulting Young's moduli are found to be consistent with available experimental measurements obtained from long amyloid fibrils, and predicted to be in the range of 20–31 GPa. Our results show that Aβ(1-40) amyloid fibrils feature a remarkable structural stability and mechanical rigidity for fibrils longer than ≈100 nm. However, local instabilities that emerge at the ends of short fibrils (on the order of tens of nanometers) reduce their stability and contribute to their disassociation under extreme mechanical or chemical conditions, suggesting that longer amyloid fibrils are more stable. Moreover, we find that amyloids with lengths shorter than the periodicity of their helical pitch, typically between 90 and 130 nm, feature significant size effects of their bending stiffness due the anisotropy in the fibril's cross section. At even smaller lengths (⪅50 nm), shear effects dominate lateral deformation of amyloid fibrils, suggesting that simple Euler-Bernoulli beam models fail to describe the mechanics of amyloid fibrils appropriately. Our studies reveal the importance of size effects in elucidating the mechanical properties of amyloid fibrils. This issue is of great importance for comparing experimental and simulation results, and gaining a general understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying the growth of ectopic amyloid materials. PMID:20483312

Influence of mantle viscosity structure and mineral grain size on fluid migration pathways in the mantle wedge.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cerpa, N. G.; Wada, I.; Wilson, C. R.; Spiegelman, M. W.

2016-12-01

We develop a 2D numerical porous flow model that incorporates both grain size distribution and matrix compaction to explore the fluid migration (FM) pathways in the mantle wedge. Melt generation for arc volcanism is thought to be triggered by slab-derived fluids that migrate into the hot overlying mantle and reduce its melting temperature. While the narrow location of the arcs relative to the top of the slab ( 100±30 km) is a robust observation, the release of fluids is predicted to occur over a wide range of depth. Reconciling such observations and predictions remains a challenge for the geodynamic community. Fluid transport by porous flow depends on the permeability of the medium which in turn depends on fluid fraction and mineral grain size. The grain size distribution in the mantle wedge predicted by laboratory derived laws was found to be a possible mechanism to focusing of fluids beneath the arcs [Wada and Behn, 2015]. The viscous resistance of the matrix to the volumetric strain generates compaction pressure that affects fluid flow and can also focus fluids towards the arc [Wilson et al, 2014]. We thus have developed a 2D one-way coupled Darcy's-Stokes flow model (solid flow independent of fluid flow) for the mantle wedge that combines both effects. For the solid flow calculation, we use a kinematic-dynamic approach where the system is driven by the prescribed slab velocity. The solid rheology accounts for both dislocation and diffusion creep and we calculate the grain size distribution following Wada and Behn [2015]. In our fluid flow model, the permeability of the medium is grain size dependent and the matrix bulk viscosity depends on solid shear viscosity and fluid fraction. The fluid influx from the slab is imposed as a boundary condition at the base of the mantle wedge. We solve the discretized governing equations using the software package TerraFERMA. Applying a range of model parameter values, including slab age, slab dip, subduction rate, and fluid influx, we quantify the combined effects of grain size and compaction on fluid flow paths.

Selection for predation, not female fecundity, explains sexual size dimorphism in the orchid mantises.

PubMed

Svenson, Gavin J; Brannoch, Sydney K; Rodrigues, Henrique M; O'Hanlon, James C; Wieland, Frank

2016-12-01

Here we reconstruct the evolutionary shift towards floral simulation in orchid mantises and suggest female predatory selection as the likely driving force behind the development of extreme sexual size dimorphism. Through analysis of body size data and phylogenetic modelling of trait evolution, we recovered an ancestral shift towards sexual dimorphisms in both size and appearance in a lineage of flower-associated praying mantises. Sedentary female flower mantises dramatically increased in size prior to a transition from camouflaged, ambush predation to a floral simulation strategy, gaining access to, and visually attracting, a novel resource: large pollinating insects. Male flower mantises, however, remained small and mobile to facilitate mate-finding and reproductive success, consistent with ancestral male life strategy. Although moderate sexual size dimorphisms are common in many arthropod lineages, the predominant explanation is female size increase for increased fecundity. However, sex-dependent selective pressures acting outside of female fecundity have been suggested as mechanisms behind niche dimorphisms. Our hypothesised role of predatory selection acting on females to generate both extreme sexual size dimorphism coupled with niche dimorphism is novel among arthropods.

Selection for predation, not female fecundity, explains sexual size dimorphism in the orchid mantises

PubMed Central

Svenson, Gavin J.; Brannoch, Sydney K.; Rodrigues, Henrique M.; O’Hanlon, James C.; Wieland, Frank

2016-01-01

Here we reconstruct the evolutionary shift towards floral simulation in orchid mantises and suggest female predatory selection as the likely driving force behind the development of extreme sexual size dimorphism. Through analysis of body size data and phylogenetic modelling of trait evolution, we recovered an ancestral shift towards sexual dimorphisms in both size and appearance in a lineage of flower-associated praying mantises. Sedentary female flower mantises dramatically increased in size prior to a transition from camouflaged, ambush predation to a floral simulation strategy, gaining access to, and visually attracting, a novel resource: large pollinating insects. Male flower mantises, however, remained small and mobile to facilitate mate-finding and reproductive success, consistent with ancestral male life strategy. Although moderate sexual size dimorphisms are common in many arthropod lineages, the predominant explanation is female size increase for increased fecundity. However, sex-dependent selective pressures acting outside of female fecundity have been suggested as mechanisms behind niche dimorphisms. Our hypothesised role of predatory selection acting on females to generate both extreme sexual size dimorphism coupled with niche dimorphism is novel among arthropods. PMID:27905469

Size dependent translocation and fetal accumulation of gold nanoparticles from maternal blood in the rat.

PubMed

Semmler-Behnke, Manuela; Lipka, Jens; Wenk, Alexander; Hirn, Stephanie; Schäffler, Martin; Tian, Furong; Schmid, Günter; Oberdörster, Günter; Kreyling, Wolfgang G

2014-09-10

There is evidence that nanoparticles (NP) cross epithelial and endothelial body barriers. We hypothesized that gold (Au) NP, once in the blood circulation of pregnant rats, will cross the placental barrier during pregnancy size-dependently and accumulate in the fetal organism by 1. transcellular transport across the hemochorial placenta, 2. transcellular transport across amniotic membranes 3. transport through ~20 nm wide transtrophoblastic channels in a size dependent manner. The three AuNP sizes used to test this hypothesis are either well below, or of similar size or well above the diameters of the transtrophoblastic channels. We intravenously injected monodisperse, negatively charged, radio-labelled 1.4 nm, 18 nm and 80 nm ¹⁹⁸AuNP at a mass dose of 5, 3 and 27 μg/rat, respectively, into pregnant rats on day 18 of gestation and in non-pregnant control rats and studied the biodistribution in a quantitative manner based on the radio-analysis of the stably labelled ¹⁹⁸AuNP after 24 hours. We observed significant biokinetic differences between pregnant and non-pregnant rats. AuNP fractions in the uterus of pregnant rats were at least one order of magnitude higher for each particle size roughly proportional to the enlarged size and weight of the pregnant uterus. All three sizes of ¹⁹⁸AuNP were found in the placentas and amniotic fluids with 1.4 nm AuNP fractions being two orders of magnitude higher than those of the larger AuNP on a mass base. In the fetuses, only fractions of 0.0006 (30 ng) and 0.00004 (0.1 ng) of 1.4 nm and 18 nm AuNP, respectively, were detected, but no 80 nm AuNP (<0.000004 (<0.1 ng)). These data show that no AuNP entered the fetuses from amniotic fluids within 24 hours but indicate that AuNP translocation occurs across the placental tissues either through transtrophoblastic channels and/or via transcellular processes. Our data suggest that the translocation of AuNP from maternal blood into the fetus is NP-size dependent which is due to mechanisms involving (1) transport through transtrophoblastic channels - also present in the human placenta - and/or (2) endocytotic and diffusive processes across the placental barrier.

An analytical model of a broadband magnetic energy nanoharvester array with consideration of flexoelectricity and surface effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wenjun; Li, Peng; Jin, Feng

2018-04-01

Based on Hamilton’s principle and Mindlin plate theory, a series of 2D equations to describe the mechanical behaviors of magneto-electro-elastic (MEE) laminated nanoplates, is established for the first time with consideration of flexoelectricity and surface effect. The equations derived are general, which not only can be reduced to the corresponding piezoelectric, piezomagnetic, and elastic cases, but can also be degenerated to the classical higher-order plate theory of conventional macroscopic MEE laminates if flexoelectricity and surface effect are neglected. As the typical application, a flexoelectric magnetic energy nanoharvester array with surface effect, consisting of a giant magnetostrictive material Terfenol-D with a nonlinear magneto-thermo-mechanical coupling constitutive relation and a linear piezoelectric layer PZT-4, is investigated systematically under coupled extensional and flexural deformations. After the correctness is confirmed, an important performance index (i.e. output current) of the harvester is discussed for different conditions, including flexoelectricity, surface effect, and nonlinear magneto-mechanical coupling. It has been revealed that flexoelectricity, surface effect, external magnetic field, and pre-stress can dramatically improve the performance of characteristics such as resonant frequencies, bandwidth, and output current of the nanoharvester. Especially, a critical thickness corresponding to the flexoelectricity or surface effect is proposed, below which the size-dependent effect is obvious and must be considered. The current work can be viewed as an innovative theoretical tool for evaluating the size-dependent and nonlinear characteristics qualitatively and quantitatively, which is essential and crucial to understanding the physical and mechanical properties of MEE nanostructures.

Determinants of the mechanical properties of bones

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, R. B.

1991-01-01

The mechanical properties of bones are governed by the same principles as those of man-made load-bearing structures, but the organism is able to adapt its bone structure to changes in skeletal loading. In this overview of the determinants of the strength and stiffness of bone, a continuum approach has been taken, in which the behavior of a macroscopic structure depends on its shape and size, and on the mechanical properties of the material within. The latter are assumed to depend on the composition (porosity and mineralization) and organization (trabecular or cortical bone architecture, collagen fiber orientation, fatigue damage) of the bone. The effects of each of these factors are reviewed. Also, the possible means of non-invasively estimating the strength or other mechanical properties of a bone are reviewed, including quantitative computed tomography, photon absorptiometry, and ultrasonic measurements. The best estimates of strength have been obtained with photon absorptiometry and computed tomography, which at best are capable of accounting for 90% of the strength variability in a simple in vitro test, but results from different laboratories have been highly variable.

Internal state variable plasticity-damage modeling of AISI 4140 steel including microstructure-property relations: temperature and strain rate effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nacif el Alaoui, Reda

Mechanical structure-property relations have been quantified for AISI 4140 steel. under different strain rates and temperatures. The structure-property relations were used. to calibrate a microstructure-based internal state variable plasticity-damage model for. monotonic tension, compression and torsion plasticity, as well as damage evolution. Strong stress state and temperature dependences were observed for the AISI 4140 steel. Tension tests on three different notched Bridgman specimens were undertaken to study. the damage-triaxiality dependence for model validation purposes. Fracture surface. analysis was performed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to quantify the void. nucleation and void sizes in the different specimens. The stress-strain behavior exhibited. a fairly large applied stress state (tension, compression dependence, and torsion), a. moderate temperature dependence, and a relatively small strain rate dependence.

Processing, Microstructure, and Mechanical Properties of Interpenetrating Biomorphic Graphite/Copper Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Childers, Amanda Esther Sall

Composite properties can surpass those of the individual phases, allowing for the development of advanced, high-performance materials. Bio-inspired and naturally-derived materials have garnered attention as composite constituents due to their inherently efficient and complex structures. Wood-derived ceramics, produced by converting a wood precursor into a ceramic scaffold, can exhibit a wide range of microstructures depending on the wood species, including porosity, pore size and distribution, and connectivity. The focus of this work was to investigate the processing, microstructure, and properties of graphite/copper composites produced using wood-derived graphite scaffolds. Graphite/copper composites combine low specific gravity, high thermal conductivity, and tailorable thermal expansion properties, and due to the non-wetting behavior of copper to graphite, offer a unique system in which mechanically bonded interfaces in composites can be studied. Graphite scaffolds were produced from red oak, beech, and pine precursors using a catalytic pyrolyzation method, resulting in varying types of pore networks. Two infiltration methods were investigated to overcome challenges associated with non-wetting systems: copper electrodeposition and pressure-assisted melt infiltration. The phase distributions, constituent properties, interfacial characteristics, mechanical behavior, and load partitioning of these biomorphic graphite/copper composites were investigated, and were correlated to the wood species. The multi-domain feature sizes in the graphite scaffolds resulted in composites with copper relegated not only to the large, connected channels produced from the transport features in the wood, but also within the smaller, lower aspect ratio fibrous regions of the scaffold. Both features contributed to the mechanical behavior of the composites to varying degrees depending on the wood species. A multi-component predictive model also was developed and used to guide the additive-assisted electroplating of the graphitized scaffold, and helped illuminate the roles of plating additives in macro-sized channels. The model can be adapted for many material systems, sample geometries, and plating conditions to investigate the use of metal electrodeposition as a means of scaffold infiltration. Additionally, X-ray diffraction tomography was used to resolve position-dependent strain in a composite. The results of this nascent capability were discussed with respect to a two-component system under increasing uniaxial load, and compared to the results of conventional volume-averaged measurements.

Design of Control System for Flexible Packaging Bags Palletizing Production Line Based on PLC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Huiping; Chen, Lin; Zhao, Xiaoming; Liu, Zhanyang

Flexible packaging bags palletizing production line is to put the bags in the required area according to particular order and size, in order to finish handling, storage, loading and unloading, transportation and other logistics work of goods. Flexible packaging bags palletizing line is composed of turning bags mechanism, shaping mechanism, indexing mechanism, marshalling mechanism, pushing bags mechanism, pressing bags mechanism, laminating mechanism, elevator, tray warehouse, tray conveyor and loaded tray conveyor. Whether the whole production line can smoothly run depends on each of the above equipment and precision control among them. In this paper the technological process and the control logic of flexible packaging bags palletizing production line is introduced. Palletizing process of the production line realized automation by means of a control system based on programmable logic controller (PLC). It has the advantages of simple structure, reliable and easy maintenance etc.

Particle-size-dependent cytokine responses and cell damage induced by silica particles and macrophages-derived mediators in endothelial cell.

PubMed

Rong, Yi; Zhou, Ting; Cheng, Wenjuan; Guo, Jiali; Cui, Xiuqing; Liu, Yuewei; Chen, Weihong

2013-11-01

Epidemiological evidence reports silica dust exposure has been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, but the mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study, endothelial cells were exposed to increasing concentrations of two sizes silica particles and the soluble mediators released by macrophages treated with the same particles for 24 h. Expression and release of cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6) were measured by using ELISA. Cytotoxicity was measured by MTT assay and LDH release. We show that both ways induced increases in cell toxicity and cytokines in a dose-dependent manner. For smaller particles, the soluble mediators are more capable of increasing cytokines compared with the effect of particles directly. For larger particles, evaluating results of these two ways are similar. Either way, smaller particles make the increasing action of cell toxicity and cytokines more remarkable. Our results indicate both silica particle and macrophage-derived mediators can induce endothelial cell injury and inflammation and demonstrate the potential importance of the particle sizes in this effect. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Dynamics of nanoparticle morphology under low energy ion irradiation.

PubMed

Holland-Moritz, Henry; Graupner, Julia; Möller, Wolfhard; Pacholski, Claudia; Ronning, Carsten

2018-08-03

If nanostructures are irradiated with energetic ions, the mechanism of sputtering becomes important when the ion range matches about the size of the nanoparticle. Gold nanoparticles with diameters of ∼50 nm on top of silicon substrates with a native oxide layer were irradiated by gallium ions with energies ranging from 1 to 30 keV in a focused ion beam system. High resolution in situ scanning electron microscopy imaging permits detailed insights in the dynamics of the morphology change and sputter yield. Compared to bulk-like structures or thin films, a pronounced shaping and enhanced sputtering in the nanostructures occurs, which enables a specific shaping of these structures using ion beams. This effect depends on the ratio of nanoparticle size and ion energy. In the investigated energy regime, the sputter yield increases at increasing ion energy and shows a distinct dependence on the nanoparticle size. The experimental findings are directly compared to Monte Carlo simulations obtained from iradina and TRI3DYN, where the latter takes into account dynamic morphological and compositional changes of the target.

Mechanical, Dielectric, and Spectroscopic Characteristics of "Micro/Nanocellulose + Oxide" Composites.

PubMed

Nedielko, Maksym; Hamamda, Smail; Alekseev, Olexander; Chornii, Vitalii; Dashevskii, Mykola; Lazarenko, Maksym; Kovalov, Kostiantyn; Nedilko, Sergii G; Tkachov, Sergii; Revo, Sergiy; Scherbatskyi, Vasyl

2017-12-01

The set of composite materials that consist of micro/nanocellulose and complex K 2 Eu(MoO 4 )(PO 4 ) luminescent oxide particles was prepared. The composites were studied by means of scanning electron microscopy, XRD analysis, dilatometry, differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis, and dielectric and luminescence spectroscopy.Dependencies of density, crystallinity, relative extension, thermal extension coefficient, dielectric relaxation parameters, intensity and shape of photoluminescence bands on temperature, and content of oxide component were studied. The structure of the composite without oxide is formed by grains of nearly 5-50 μm in size (crystallinity is about ~56%). Structure of the micro/nanocellulose samples which contain oxide particles is similar, but the cellulose grains are deformed by oxide particles. Dependencies of the abovementioned properties on temperature and oxide content were analyzed together with data on the size distribution of oxide particles for the samples for various oxide and molecules of water concentrations.

A microphysical parameterization of aqSOA and sulfate formation in clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McVay, Renee; Ervens, Barbara

2017-07-01

Sulfate and secondary organic aerosol (cloud aqSOA) can be chemically formed in cloud water. Model implementation of these processes represents a computational burden due to the large number of microphysical and chemical parameters. Chemical mechanisms have been condensed by reducing the number of chemical parameters. Here an alternative is presented to reduce the number of microphysical parameters (number of cloud droplet size classes). In-cloud mass formation is surface and volume dependent due to surface-limited oxidant uptake and/or size-dependent pH. Box and parcel model simulations show that using the effective cloud droplet diameter (proportional to total volume-to-surface ratio) reproduces sulfate and aqSOA formation rates within ≤30% as compared to full droplet distributions; other single diameters lead to much greater deviations. This single-class approach reduces computing time significantly and can be included in models when total liquid water content and effective diameter are available.

Mechanics-based statistics of failure risk of quasibrittle structures and size effect on safety factors.

PubMed

Bazant, Zdenĕk P; Pang, Sze-Dai

2006-06-20

In mechanical design as well as protection from various natural hazards, one must ensure an extremely low failure probability such as 10(-6). How to achieve that goal is adequately understood only for the limiting cases of brittle or ductile structures. Here we present a theory to do that for the transitional class of quasibrittle structures, having brittle constituents and characterized by nonnegligible size of material inhomogeneities. We show that the probability distribution of strength of the representative volume element of material is governed by the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution of atomic energies and the stress dependence of activation energy barriers; that it is statistically modeled by a hierarchy of series and parallel couplings; and that it consists of a broad Gaussian core having a grafted far-left power-law tail with zero threshold and amplitude depending on temperature and load duration. With increasing structure size, the Gaussian core shrinks and Weibull tail expands according to the weakest-link model for a finite chain of representative volume elements. The model captures experimentally observed deviations of the strength distribution from Weibull distribution and of the mean strength scaling law from a power law. These deviations can be exploited for verification and calibration. The proposed theory will increase the safety of concrete structures, composite parts of aircraft or ships, microelectronic components, microelectromechanical systems, prosthetic devices, etc. It also will improve protection against hazards such as landslides, avalanches, ice breaks, and rock or soil failures.

Evaluation of optical and electronic properties of silicon nano-agglomerates embedded in SRO: applying density functional theory

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

In systems in atomic scale and nanoscale such as clusters or agglomerates constituted by particles from a few to less than 100 atoms, quantum confinement effects are very important. Their optical and electronic properties are often dependent on the size of the systems and the way in which the atoms in these clusters are bonded. Generally, these nanostructures display optical and electronic properties significantly different to those found in corresponding bulk materials. Silicon agglomerates embedded in silicon rich oxide (SRO) films have optical properties, which have been reported to be directly dependent on silicon nanocrystal size. Furthermore, the room temperature photoluminescence (PL) of SRO has repeatedly generated a huge interest due to its possible applications in optoelectronic devices. However, a plausible emission mechanism has not been widely accepted in the scientific community. In this work, we present a short review about the experimental results on silicon nanoclusters in SRO considering different techniques of growth. We focus mainly on their size, Raman spectra, and photoluminescence spectra. With this as background, we employed the density functional theory with a functional B3LYP and a basis set 6-31G* to calculate the optical and electronic properties of clusters of silicon (constituted by 15 to 20 silicon atoms). With the theoretical calculation of the structural and optical properties of silicon clusters, it is possible to evaluate the contribution of silicon agglomerates in the luminescent emission mechanism, experimentally found in thin SRO films. PMID:25276105

The influence of size, clearance, cartilage properties, thickness and hemiarthroplasty on the contact mechanics of the hip joint with biphasic layers☆

PubMed Central

Li, Junyan; Stewart, Todd D.; Jin, Zhongmin; Wilcox, Ruth K.; Fisher, John

2013-01-01

Computational models of the natural hip joint are needed to examine and optimise tissue sparing interventions where the natural cartilage remains part of the bearing surfaces. Although the importance of interstitial fluid pressurisation in the performance of cartilage has long been recognized, few studies have investigated the time dependent interstitial fluid pressurisation in a three dimensional natural hip joint model. The primary aim of this study was to develop a finite element model of the natural hip incorporating the biphasic cartilage layers that was capable of simulating the joint response over a prolonged physiological loading period. An initial set of sensitivity studies were also undertaken to investigate the influence of hip size, clearance, cartilage properties, thickness and hemiarthroplasty on the contact mechanics of the joint. The contact stress, contact area, fluid pressure and fluid support ratio were calculated and cross-compared between models with different parameters to evaluate their influence. It was found that the model predictions for the period soon after loading were sensitive to the hip size, clearance, cartilage aggregate modulus, thickness and hemiarthroplasty, while the time dependent behaviour over 3000 s was influenced by the hip clearance and cartilage aggregate modulus, permeability, thickness and hemiarthroplasty. The modelling methods developed in this study provide a basic platform for biphasic simulation of the whole hip joint onto which more sophisticated material models or other input parameters could be added in the future. PMID:23664238

Chitosan but Not Chitin Activates the Inflammasome by a Mechanism Dependent upon Phagocytosis*

PubMed Central

Bueter, Chelsea L.; Lee, Chrono K.; Rathinam, Vijay A. K.; Healy, Gloria J.; Taron, Christopher H.; Specht, Charles A.; Levitz, Stuart M.

2011-01-01

Chitin is an abundant polysaccharide found in fungal cell walls, crustacean shells, and insect exoskeletons. The immunological properties of both chitin and its deacetylated derivative chitosan are of relevance because of frequent natural exposure and their use in medical applications. Depending on the preparation studied and the end point measured, these compounds have been reported to induce allergic responses, inflammatory responses, or no response at all. We prepared highly purified chitosan and chitin and examined the capacity of these glycans to stimulate murine macrophages to release the inflammasome-associated cytokine IL-1β. We found that although chitosan was a potent NLRP3 inflammasome activator, acetylation of the chitosan to chitin resulted in a near total loss of activity. The size of the chitosan particles played an important role, with small particles eliciting the greatest activity. An inverse relationship between size and stimulatory activity was demonstrated using chitosan passed through size exclusion filters as well as with chitosan-coated beads of defined size. Partial digestion of chitosan with pepsin resulted in a larger fraction of small phagocytosable particles and more potent inflammasome activity. Inhibition of phagocytosis with cytochalasin D abolished the IL-1β stimulatory activity of chitosan, offering an explanation for why the largest particles were nearly devoid of activity. Thus, the deacetylated polysaccharide chitosan potently activates the NLRP3 inflammasome in a phagocytosis-dependent manner. In contrast, chitin is relatively inert. PMID:21862582

Early stage aggregation of a coarse-grained model of polyglutamine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haaga, Jason; Gunton, J. D.; Buckles, C. Nadia; Rickman, J. M.

2018-01-01

In this paper, we study the early stages of aggregation of a model of polyglutamine (polyQ) for different repeat lengths (number of glutamine amino acid groups in the chain). In particular, we use the Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator to study a generic coarse-grained model proposed by Bereau and Deserno. We focus on the primary nucleation mechanism involved and find that our results for the initial self-assembly process are consistent with the two-dimensional classical nucleation theory of Kashchiev and Auer. More specifically, we find that with decreasing supersaturation, the oligomer fibril (protofibril) transforms from a one-dimensional β sheet to two-, three-, and higher layer β sheets as the critical nucleus size increases. We also show that the results are consistent with several predictions of their theory, including the dependence of the critical nucleus size on the supersaturation. Our results for the time dependence of the mass aggregation are in reasonable agreement with an approximate analytical solution of the filament theory by Knowles and collaborators that corresponds to an additional secondary nucleation arising from filament fragmentation. Finally, we study the dependence of the critical nucleus size on the repeat length of polyQ. We find that for the larger length polyglutamine chain that we study, the critical nucleus is a monomer, in agreement with experiment and in contrast to the case for the smaller chain, for which the smallest critical nucleus size is four.

Maintenance of neuronal size gradient in MNTB requires sound-evoked activity.

PubMed

Weatherstone, Jessica H; Kopp-Scheinpflug, Conny; Pilati, Nadia; Wang, Yuan; Forsythe, Ian D; Rubel, Edwin W; Tempel, Bruce L

2017-02-01

The medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) is an important source of inhibition during the computation of sound location. It transmits fast and precisely timed action potentials at high frequencies; this requires an efficient calcium clearance mechanism, in which plasma membrane calcium ATPase 2 (PMCA2) is a key component. Deafwaddler ( dfw 2J ) mutant mice have a null mutation in PMCA2 causing deafness in homozygotes ( dfw 2J / dfw 2J ) and high-frequency hearing loss in heterozygotes (+/ dfw 2J ). Despite the deafness phenotype, no significant differences in MNTB volume or cell number were observed in dfw 2J homozygous mutants, suggesting that PMCA2 is not required for MNTB neuron survival. The MNTB tonotopic axis encodes high to low sound frequencies across the medial to lateral dimension. We discovered a cell size gradient along this axis: lateral neuronal somata are significantly larger than medially located somata. This size gradient is decreased in +/ dfw 2J and absent in dfw 2J / dfw 2J The lack of acoustically driven input suggests that sound-evoked activity is required for maintenance of the cell size gradient. This hypothesis was corroborated by selective elimination of auditory hair cell activity with either hair cell elimination in Pou4f3 DTR mice or inner ear tetrodotoxin (TTX) treatment. The change in soma size was reversible and recovered within 7 days of TTX treatment, suggesting that regulation of the gradient is dependent on synaptic activity and that these changes are plastic rather than permanent. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Neurons of the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) act as fast-spiking inhibitory interneurons within the auditory brain stem. The MNTB is topographically organized, with low sound frequencies encoded laterally and high frequencies medially. We discovered a cell size gradient along this axis: lateral neurons are larger than medial neurons. The absence of this gradient in deaf mice lacking plasma membrane calcium ATPase 2 suggests an activity-dependent, calcium-mediated mechanism that controls neuronal soma size. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Elucidating mechanisms for insect body size: partial support for the oxygen-dependent induction of moulting hypothesis.

PubMed

Kivelä, Sami M; Viinamäki, Sonja; Keret, Netta; Gotthard, Karl; Hohtola, Esa; Välimäki, Panu

2018-01-25

Body size is a key life history trait, and knowledge of its mechanistic basis is crucial in life history biology. Such knowledge is accumulating for holometabolous insects, whose growth is characterised and body size affected by moulting. According to the oxygen-dependent induction of moulting (ODIM) hypothesis, moult is induced at a critical mass at which oxygen demand of growing tissues overrides the supply from the tracheal respiratory system, which principally grows only at moults. Support for the ODIM hypothesis is controversial, partly because of a lack of proper data to explicitly test the hypothesis. The ODIM hypothesis predicts that the critical mass is positively correlated with oxygen partial pressure ( P O 2 ) and negatively with temperature. To resolve the controversy that surrounds the ODIM hypothesis, we rigorously test these predictions by exposing penultimate-instar Orthosia gothica (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae to temperature and moderate P O 2  manipulations in a factorial experiment. The relative mass increment in the focal instar increased along with increasing P O 2 , as predicted, but there was only weak suggestive evidence of the temperature effect. Probably owing to a high measurement error in the trait, the effect of P O 2  on the critical mass was sex specific; high P O 2  had a positive effect only in females, whereas low P O 2  had a negative effect only in males. Critical mass was independent of temperature. Support for the ODIM hypothesis is partial because of only suggestive evidence of a temperature effect on moulting, but the role of oxygen in moult induction seems unambiguous. The ODIM mechanism thus seems worth considering in body size analyses. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Pt Catalyst Degradation in Aqueous and Fuel Cell Environments studied via In-Operando Anomalous Small-Angle X-ray Scattering

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

Gilbert, James A.; Kariuki, Nancy N.; Wang, Xiaoping

2015-08-01

The evolution of Pt nanoparticle cathode electrocatalyst size distribution in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) was followed during accelerated stress tests using in-operando anomalous small-angle X-ray scattering (ASAXS). This evolution was compared to that observed in an aqueous electrolyte environment using stagnant electrolyte, flowing electrolyte, and flowing electrolyte at elevated temperature to reveal the different degradation trends in the PEMFC and aqueous environments and to determine the relevance of aqueous measurements to the stability of Pt nanoparticle catalyst in the fuel cell environment. The observed changes in the particle size distributions (PSDs) were analyzed to elucidate the extentmore » and mechanisms of particle growth and corresponding mass and active surface area losses in the different environments. These losses indicate a Pt nanoparticle surface area loss mechanism controlled by Pt dissolution, the particle size dependence of Pt dissolution, the loss of dissolved Pt into the membrane and electrolyte, and, to a lesser extent, the re-deposition of dissolved Pt onto larger particles. Based on the geometric surface area loss, mass loss, and mean particle size increase trends, the aqueous environment best reflecting the fuel cell environment was found to be one in which the electrolyte is flowing rather than stagnant. Pt nanoparticle surface area loss resulting from potential cycling can be inhibited by reducing the number of particles smaller than a critical particle diameter (CPD), which was found to be similar to 3.5 to similar to 4 nm, with the CPD dependent on both the cycling protocol (square wave vs triangle wave) and the catalyst environment (fuel cell, aqueous stagnant, aqueous flowing electrolyte, or elevated temperature flowing electrolyte)« less

Nondestructive Complete Mechanical Characterization of Zinc Blende and Wurtzite GaAs Nanowires Using Time-Resolved Pump-Probe Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Mante, Pierre-Adrien; Lehmann, Sebastian; Anttu, Nicklas; Dick, Kimberly A; Yartsev, Arkady

2016-08-10

We have developed and demonstrated an experimental method, based on the picosecond acoustics technique, to perform nondestructive complete mechanical characterization of nanowires, that is, the determination of the complete elasticity tensor. By means of femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy, coherent acoustic phonons were generated in an ensemble of nanowires and their dynamics was resolved. Specific phonon modes were identified and the detection mechanism was addressed via wavelength dependent experiments. We calculated the exact phonon dispersion relation of the nanowires by fitting the experimentally observed frequencies, thus allowing the extraction of the complete elasticity tensor. The elasticity tensor and the nanowire diameter were determined for zinc blende GaAs nanowires and were found to be in a good agreement with literature data and independent measurements. Finally, we have applied this technique to characterize wurtzite GaAs nanowires, a metastable phase in bulk, for which no experimental values of elastic constants are currently available. Our results agree well with previous first principle calculations. The proposed approach to the complete and nondestructive mechanical characterization of nanowires will allow the efficient mechanical study of new crystal phases emerging in nanostructures, as well as size-dependent properties of nanostructured materials.

A study of microindentation hardness tests by mechanism-based strain gradient plasticity

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

Huang, Y.; Xue, Z.; Gao, H.

2000-08-01

We recently proposed a theory of mechanism-based strain gradient (MSG) plasticity to account for the size dependence of plastic deformation at micron- and submicron-length scales. The MSG plasticity theory connects micron-scale plasticity to dislocation theories via a multiscale, hierarchical framework linking Taylor's dislocation hardening model to strain gradient plasticity. Here we show that the theory of MSG plasticity, when used to study micro-indentation, indeed reproduces the linear dependence observed in experiments, thus providing an important self-consistent check of the theory. The effects of pileup, sink-in, and the radius of indenter tip have been taken into account in the indentation model.more » In accomplishing this objective, we have generalized the MSG plasticity theory to include the elastic deformation in the hierarchical framework. (c) 2000 Materials Research Society.« less

How Can Polarization States of Reflected Light from Snow Surfaces Inform Us on Surface Normals and Ultimately Snow Grain Size Measurements?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, A. M.; Flanner, M.; Yang, P.; Yi, B.; Huang, X.; Feldman, D.

2016-12-01

The Snow Grain Size and Pollution (SGSP) algorithm is a method applied to Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer data to estimate snow grain size from space-borne measurements. Previous studies validate and quantify potential sources of error in this method, but because it assumes flat snow surfaces, however, large scale variations in surface normals can cause biases in its estimates due to its dependence on solar and observation zenith angles. To address these variations, we apply the Monte Carlo method for photon transport using data containing the single scattering properties of different ice crystals to calculate polarization states of reflected monochromatic light at 1500nm from modeled snow surfaces. We evaluate the dependence of these polarization states on solar and observation geometry at 1500nm because multiple scattering is generally a mechanism for depolarization and the ice crystals are relatively absorptive at this wavelength. Using 1500nm thus results in a higher number of reflected photons undergoing fewer scattering events, increasing the likelihood of reflected light having higher degrees of polarization. In evaluating the validity of the model, we find agreement with previous studies pertaining to near-infrared spectral directional hemispherical reflectance (i.e. black-sky albedo) and similarities in measured bidirectional reflectance factors, but few studies exist modeling polarization states of reflected light from snow surfaces. Here, we present novel results pertaining to calculated polarization states and compare dependences on solar and observation geometry for different idealized snow surfaces. If these dependencies are consistent across different ice particle shapes and sizes, then these findings could inform the SGSP algorithm by providing useful relationships between measurable physical quantities and solar and observation geometry to better understand variations in snow surface normals from remote sensing observations.

Filler characteristics of modern dental resin composites and their influence on physico-mechanical properties.

PubMed

Randolph, Luc D; Palin, William M; Leloup, Gaëtane; Leprince, Julian G

2016-12-01

The mechanical properties of dental resin-based composites (RBCs) are highly dependent on filler characteristics (size, content, geometry, composition). Most current commercial materials are marketed as "nanohybrids" (i.e. filler size <1μm). In the present study, filler characteristics of a selection of RBCs were described, aiming at identifying correlations with physico-mechanical properties and testing the relevance of the current classification. Micron/sub-micron particles (> or <500nm) were isolated from 17 commercial RBCs and analyzed by laser diffractrometry and/or electron microscopy. Filler and silane content were evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis and a sedimentation technique. The flexural modulus (E flex ) and strength (σ flex ) and micro-hardness were determined by three-point bending or with a Vickers indenter, respectively. Sorption was also determined. All experiments were carried out after one week of incubation in water or 75/25 ethanol/water. Average size for micron-sized fillers was almost always higher than 1μm. Ranges for mechanical properties were: 3.775wt%) were associated with the highest mechanical properties (E flex and σ flex >12GPa and 130MPa, respectively) and lowest solvent sorption (∼0.3%). Mechanical properties and filler characteristics significantly vary among modern RBCs and the current classification does not accurately illustrate either. Further, the chemical stability of RBCs differed, highlighting differences in resin and silane composition. Since E flex and sorption were well correlated to the filler content, a simple and unambiguous classification based on such characteristic is suggested, with three levels (ultra-low fill, low-fill and compact resin composites). Copyright © 2016 The Academy of Dental Materials. All rights reserved.

Critical heat flux for free convection boiling in thin rectangular channels

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

Cheng, Lap Y.; Tichler, P.R.

A review of the experimental data on free convection boiling critical heat flux (CHF) in vertical rectangular channels reveals three mechanisms of burnout. They are the pool boiling limit, the circulation limit, and the flooding limit associated with a transition in flow regime from churn to annular flow. The dominance of a particular mechanism depends on the dimensions of the channel. Analytical models were developed for each free convection boiling limit. Limited agreement with data is observed. A CHF correlation, which is valid for a wide range of gap sizes, was constructed from the CHFs calculated according to the threemore » mechanisms of burnout. 17 refs., 7 figs.« less

Decoding Size Distribution Patterns in Marine and Transitional Water Phytoplankton: From Community to Species Level

PubMed Central

Roselli, Leonilde; Basset, Alberto

2015-01-01

Understanding the mechanisms of phytoplankton community assembly is a fundamental issue of aquatic ecology. Here, we use field data from transitional (e.g. coastal lagoons) and coastal water environments to decode patterns of phytoplankton size distribution into organization and adaptive mechanisms. Transitional waters are characterized by higher resource availability and shallower well-mixed water column than coastal marine environments. Differences in physico-chemical regime between the two environments have been hypothesized to exert contrasting selective pressures on phytoplankton cell morphology (size and shape). We tested the hypothesis focusing on resource availability (nutrients and light) and mixed layer depth as ecological axes that define ecological niches of phytoplankton. We report fundamental differences in size distributions of marine and freshwater diatoms, with transitional water phytoplankton significantly smaller and with higher surface to volume ratio than marine species. Here, we hypothesize that mixing condition affecting size-dependent sinking may drive phytoplankton size and shape distributions. The interplay between shallow mixed layer depth and frequent and complete mixing of transitional waters may likely increase the competitive advantage of small phytoplankton limiting large cell fitness. The nutrient regime appears to explain the size distribution within both marine and transitional water environments, while it seem does not explain the pattern observed across the two environments. In addition, difference in light availability across the two environments appear do not explain the occurrence of asymmetric size distribution at each hierarchical level. We hypothesize that such competitive equilibria and adaptive strategies in resource exploitation may drive by organism’s behavior which exploring patch resources in transitional and marine phytoplankton communities. PMID:25974052

Chronic behavior evaluation of a micro-machined neural implant with optimized design based on an experimentally derived model.

PubMed

Andrei, Alexandru; Welkenhuysen, Marleen; Ameye, Lieveke; Nuttin, Bart; Eberle, Wolfgang

2011-01-01

Understanding the mechanical interactions between implants and the surrounding tissue is known to have an important role for improving the bio-compatibility of such devices. Using a recently developed model, a particular micro-machined neural implant design aiming the reduction of insertion forces dependence on the insertion speed was optimized. Implantations with 10 and 100 μm/s insertion speeds showed excellent agreement with the predicted behavior. Lesion size, gliosis (GFAP), inflammation (ED1) and neuronal cells density (NeuN) was evaluated after 6 week of chronic implantation showing no insertion speed dependence.

Austenitizing Temperature Effects on the Martensitic Transformation, Microstructural Characteristics, and Mechanical Performance of Modified Ferritic Heat-Resistant Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Xiaosheng; Liu, Yongchang; Liu, Chenxi; Yu, Liming; Li, Huijun

2018-06-01

The martensitic transformation, microstructural characteristics, and mechanical performance of modified ferritic heat-resistant steels under various austenitizing conditions were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, microstructural examination, and mechanical tests. When the austenitizing temperature was as high as 1200 °C, a considerable amount of δ-ferrite formed, and the austenite grain size was seen to decrease. Higher austenitizing temperatures were found to promote martensite formation, but retard martensite growth, and the lath width increased as the austenitizing temperature increased. After tempering, rod-like and granular M23C6 carbides appeared within the tempered martensite, the average size and composition of which were dependent on the austenitizing conditions. When the austenitizing temperature was 1050 °C, granular MX with sizes less than 6 nm were identified in the δ-ferrite, while for other austenitizing temperatures, plate MX was inside the δ-ferrite. At 1200 °C, the length of the plate MX was as high as 100 nm, and the number density of plate MX decreased. The steel austenitized at 1150 °C exhibited the best tensile performance. It was found that the presence of a large amount of δ-ferrite would initiate cracking, thereby impeding the tensile strength.

Scaling and biomechanics of surface attachment in climbing animals

PubMed Central

Labonte, David; Federle, Walter

2015-01-01

Attachment devices are essential adaptations for climbing animals and valuable models for synthetic adhesives. A major unresolved question for both natural and bioinspired attachment systems is how attachment performance depends on size. Here, we discuss how contact geometry and mode of detachment influence the scaling of attachment forces for claws and adhesive pads, and how allometric data on biological systems can yield insights into their mechanism of attachment. Larger animals are expected to attach less well to surfaces, due to their smaller surface-to-volume ratio, and because it becomes increasingly difficult to distribute load uniformly across large contact areas. In order to compensate for this decrease of weight-specific adhesion, large animals could evolve overproportionally large pads, or adaptations that increase attachment efficiency (adhesion or friction per unit contact area). Available data suggest that attachment pad area scales close to isometry within clades, but pad efficiency in some animals increases with size so that attachment performance is approximately size-independent. The mechanisms underlying this biologically important variation in pad efficiency are still unclear. We suggest that switching between stress concentration (easy detachment) and uniform load distribution (strong attachment) via shear forces is one of the key mechanisms enabling the dynamic control of adhesion during locomotion. PMID:25533088

Advances in Discrete Dislocation Dynamics Modeling of Size-Affected Plasticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Awady, Jaafar A.; Fan, Haidong; Hussein, Ahmed M.

In dislocation-mediated plasticity of crystalline materials, discrete dislocation dynamics (DDD) methods have been widely used to predict the plastic deformation in a number of technologically important problems. These simulations have led to significant improvement in the understanding of the different mechanism that controls the mechanical properties of crystalline materials, which can greatly accelerate the future development of materials with superior properties. This chapter provides an overview of different practical applications of both two-dimensional and three-dimensional DDD simulations in the field of size-affected dislocation-mediated plasticity. The chapter is divided into two major tracks. First, DDD simulations focusing on aspects of modeling size-dependent plasticity in single crystals in uniaxial micro-compression/tension, microtorsion, microbending, and nanoindentation are discussed. Special attention is directed towards the role of cross-slip and dislocation nucleation on the overall response. Second, DDD simulations focusing on the role of interfaces, including grain and twin boundaries, on dislocation-mediated plasticity are discussed. Finally, a number of challenges that are withholding DDD simulations from reaching their full potential are discussed.

Engineering plasmonic nanostructured surfaces by pulsed laser deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghidelli, Matteo; Mascaretti, Luca; Bricchi, Beatrice Roberta; Zapelli, Andrea; Russo, Valeria; Casari, Carlo Spartaco; Li Bassi, Andrea

2018-03-01

The synthesis and the optical response of gold nanoparticles (NPs) and thin nanostructured films grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) are here studied. Different PLD process parameters - including background gas pressure and the number of laser shots as well as post-deposition annealing treatments - have been varied to control the growth of Au NPs and films, thus tuning the surface plasmon characteristics. The mechanisms of NPs and film growth have been explored performing a morphological characterization by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and the correlation with the optical behavior is investigated. We show that the size distribution and the morphology of the as deposited Au NPs depend on growth mechanisms which are controlled by tuning the deposition process, while the optical behavior is strongly affected by the average size and surface density of NPs or by the length of percolated Au domains. Furthermore, nucleation in gas phase has been reported at high (1000 Pa Ar) background pressures, enabling independent control of NP size and coverage, contrary to surface driven NP growth by diffusion and aggregation on substrate.

Molecular Mechanisms of ZnO Nanoparticle Dispersion in Solution: Modeling of Surfactant Association, Electrostatic Shielding and Counter Ion Dynamics.

PubMed

Duchstein, Patrick; Milek, Theodor; Zahn, Dirk

2015-01-01

Molecular models of 5 nm sized ZnO/Zn(OH)2 core-shell nanoparticles in ethanolic solution were derived as scale-up models (based on an earlier model created from ion-by-ion aggregation and self-organization) and subjected to mechanistic analyses of surface stabilization by block-copolymers. The latter comprise a poly-methacrylate chain accounting for strong surfactant association to the nanoparticle by hydrogen bonding and salt-bridges. While dangling poly-ethylene oxide chains provide only a limited degree of sterical hindering to nanoparticle agglomeration, the key mechanism of surface stabilization is electrostatic shielding arising from the acrylates and a halo of Na+ counter ions associated to the nanoparticle. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal different solvent shells and distance-dependent mobility of ions and solvent molecules. From this, we provide a molecular rationale of effective particle size, net charge and polarizability of the nanoparticles in solution.

Molecular Mechanisms of ZnO Nanoparticle Dispersion in Solution: Modeling of Surfactant Association, Electrostatic Shielding and Counter Ion Dynamics

PubMed Central

Duchstein, Patrick; Milek, Theodor; Zahn, Dirk

2015-01-01

Molecular models of 5 nm sized ZnO/Zn(OH)2 core-shell nanoparticles in ethanolic solution were derived as scale-up models (based on an earlier model created from ion-by-ion aggregation and self-organization) and subjected to mechanistic analyses of surface stabilization by block-copolymers. The latter comprise a poly-methacrylate chain accounting for strong surfactant association to the nanoparticle by hydrogen bonding and salt-bridges. While dangling poly-ethylene oxide chains provide only a limited degree of sterical hindering to nanoparticle agglomeration, the key mechanism of surface stabilization is electrostatic shielding arising from the acrylates and a halo of Na+ counter ions associated to the nanoparticle. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal different solvent shells and distance-dependent mobility of ions and solvent molecules. From this, we provide a molecular rationale of effective particle size, net charge and polarizability of the nanoparticles in solution. PMID:25962096

Myonuclear domains in muscle adaptation and disease

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, D. L.; Roy, R. R.; Edgerton, V. R.

1999-01-01

Adult skeletal muscle fibers are among the few cell types that are truly multinucleated. Recently, evidence has accumulated supporting a role for the modulation of myonuclear number during muscle remodeling in response to injury, adaptation, and disease. These studies have demonstrated that muscle hypertrophy is associated with, and is dependent on, the addition of newly formed myonuclei via the fusion of myogenic cells to the adult myofiber, whereas muscle atrophy and disease appear to be associated with the loss of myonuclei, possibly through apoptotic-like mechanisms. Moreover, these studies also have demonstrated that myonuclear domain size, i. e., the amount of cytoplasm per myonucleus, is unchanged following the acute phase of hypertrophy but is reduced following atrophy. Together these data demonstrate that modulation of myonuclear number or myonuclear domain size (or both) is a mechanism contributing to the remodeling of adult skeletal muscle in response to alterations in the level of normal neuromuscular activity. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Universal entrainment mechanism controls contact times with motile cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathijssen, Arnold J. T. M.; Jeanneret, Raphaël; Polin, Marco

2018-03-01

Contact between particles and motile cells underpins a wide variety of biological processes, from nutrient capture and ligand binding to grazing, viral infection, and cell-cell communication. The window of opportunity for these interactions depends on the basic mechanism determining contact time, which is currently unknown. By combining experiments on three different species—Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Tetraselmis subcordiforms, and Oxyrrhis marina—with simulations and analytical modeling, we show that the fundamental physical process regulating proximity to a swimming microorganism is hydrodynamic particle entrainment. The resulting distribution of contact times is derived within the framework of Taylor dispersion as a competition between advection by the cell surface and microparticle diffusion, and predicts the existence of an optimal tracer size that is also observed experimentally. Spatial organization of flagella, swimming speed, and swimmer and tracer size influence entrainment features and provide tradeoffs that may be tuned to optimize the estimated probabilities for microbial interactions like predation and infection.

Characterization of the α phase nucleation in a two-phase metastable β titanium alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lenain, A.; Clément, N.; Jacques, P. J.; Véron, M.

2005-12-01

Beta titanium alloys are increasingly the best choice for automotive and aerospace applications due to their high performance-to-density ratio. Among these alloys, the TIMETAL Ti-LCB is already used in the automotive industry because it presents excellent mechanical properties and a lower cost compared with other Ti alloys. The current study deals with the characterization of the nucleation and growth of the α phase in several thermomechanical processes, because the distribution and size of the α phase strongly influence the mechanical properties of the resulting microstructures. Several heat treatments were conducted after either cold rolling or annealing. The resulting microstructures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, or electron backscatter diffraction. It was observed that the morphology and the volume fraction of the α phase are strongly dependent on the holding temperature, on the heating or cooling rate, and on the β grain size.

Ag/AgO Nanoparticles Grown via Time Dependent Double Mechanism in a 2D Layered Ni-PCP and Their Antibacterial Efficacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agarwal, Rashmi A.; Gupta, Neeraj K.; Singh, Rajan; Nigam, Shivansh; Ateeq, Bushra

2017-03-01

A simple synthesis route for growth of Ag/AgO nanoparticles (NPs) in large quantitative yields with narrow size distribution from a functional, non-activated, Ni (II) based highly flexible porous coordination polymer (PCP) as a template has been demonstrated. This template is a stable storage media for the NPs larger than the pore diameters of the PCP. From EPR study it was concluded that NPs were synthesized via two mechanisms i.e. acid formation and the redox activity of the framework. Size range of Ag/AgO NPs is sensitive to choice of solvent and reaction time. Direct use of Ag/AgO@Ni-PCP shows influential growth inhibition towards Escherichia coli and the pathogen Salmonella typhimurium at extremely low concentrations. The pristine template shows no cytotoxic activity, even though it contains Ni nodes in the framework.

General mechanism of two-state protein folding kinetics.

PubMed

Rollins, Geoffrey C; Dill, Ken A

2014-08-13

We describe here a general model of the kinetic mechanism of protein folding. In the Foldon Funnel Model, proteins fold in units of secondary structures, which form sequentially along the folding pathway, stabilized by tertiary interactions. The model predicts that the free energy landscape has a volcano shape, rather than a simple funnel, that folding is two-state (single-exponential) when secondary structures are intrinsically unstable, and that each structure along the folding path is a transition state for the previous structure. It shows how sequential pathways are consistent with multiple stochastic routes on funnel landscapes, and it gives good agreement with the 9 order of magnitude dependence of folding rates on protein size for a set of 93 proteins, at the same time it is consistent with the near independence of folding equilibrium constant on size. This model gives estimates of folding rates of proteomes, leading to a median folding time in Escherichia coli of about 5 s.

Size effects in olivine control strength in low-temperature plasticity regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumamoto, K. M.; Thom, C.; Wallis, D.; Hansen, L. N.; Armstrong, D. E. J.; Goldsby, D. L.; Warren, J. M.; Wilkinson, A. J.

2017-12-01

The strength of the lithospheric mantle during deformation by low-temperature plasticity controls a range of geological phenomena, including lithospheric-scale strain localization, the evolution of friction on deep seismogenic faults, and the flexure of tectonic plates. However, constraints on the strength of olivine in this deformation regime are difficult to obtain from conventional rock-deformation experiments, and previous results vary considerably. We demonstrate via nanoindentation that the strength of olivine in the low-temperature plasticity regime is dependent on the length-scale of the test, with experiments on smaller volumes of material exhibiting larger yield stresses. This "size effect" has previously been explained in engineering materials as a result of the role of strain gradients and associated geometrically necessary dislocations in modifying plastic behavior. The Hall-Petch effect, in which a material with a small grain size exhibits a higher strength than one with a large grain size, is thought to arise from the same mechanism. The presence of a size effect resolves discrepancies among previous experimental measurements of olivine, which were either conducted using indentation methods or were conducted on polycrystalline samples with small grain sizes. An analysis of different low-temperature plasticity flow laws extrapolated to room temperature reveals a power-law relationship between length-scale (grain size for polycrystalline deformation and contact radius for indentation tests) and yield strength. This suggests that data from samples with large inherent length scales best represent the plastic strength of the coarse-grained lithospheric mantle. Additionally, the plastic deformation of nanometer- to micrometer-sized asperities on fault surfaces may control the evolution of fault roughness due to their size-dependent strength.

Size- and composition-dependent toxicity of synthetic and soil-derived Fe oxide colloids for the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

PubMed

Höss, Sebastian; Fritzsche, Andreas; Meyer, Carolin; Bosch, Julian; Meckenstock, Rainer U; Totsche, Kai Uwe

2015-01-06

Colloidal iron oxides (FeOx) are increasingly released to the environment due to their use in environmental remediation and biomedical applications, potentially harming living organisms. Size and composition could affect the bioavailability and toxicity of such colloids. Therefore, we investigated the toxicity of selected FeOx with variable aggregate size and variably composed FeOx-associated organic matter (OM) toward the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Ferrihydrite colloids containing citrate were taken up by C. elegans with the food and accumulated inside their body. The toxicity of ferrihydrite, goethite, and akaganeite was dependent on aggregate size and specific surface area, with EC50 values for reproduction ranging from 4 to 29 mg Fe L(-1). Experiments with mutant strains lacking mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (sod-2) showed oxidative stress for two FeOx and Fe(3+)-ions, however, revealed that it was not the predominant mechanism of toxicity. The OM composition determined the toxicity of mixed OM-FeOx phases on C. elegans. FeOx associated with humic acids or citrate were less toxic than OM-free FeOx. In contrast, soil-derived ferrihydrite, containing proteins and polysaccharides from mobile OM, was even more toxic than OM-free Fh of similar aggregate size. Consequently, the careful choice of the type of FeOx and the type of associated OM may help in reducing the ecological risks if actively applied to the subsurface.

Boltzmann Energy-based Image Analysis Demonstrates that Extracellular Domain Size Differences Explain Protein Segregation at Immune Synapses

PubMed Central

Burroughs, Nigel J.; Köhler, Karsten; Miloserdov, Vladimir; Dustin, Michael L.; van der Merwe, P. Anton; Davis, Daniel M.

2011-01-01

Immune synapses formed by T and NK cells both show segregation of the integrin ICAM1 from other proteins such as CD2 (T cell) or KIR (NK cell). However, the mechanism by which these proteins segregate remains unclear; one key hypothesis is a redistribution based on protein size. Simulations of this mechanism qualitatively reproduce observed segregation patterns, but only in certain parameter regimes. Verifying that these parameter constraints in fact hold has not been possible to date, this requiring a quantitative coupling of theory to experimental data. Here, we address this challenge, developing a new methodology for analysing and quantifying image data and its integration with biophysical models. Specifically we fit a binding kinetics model to 2 colour fluorescence data for cytoskeleton independent synapses (2 and 3D) and test whether the observed inverse correlation between fluorophores conforms to size dependent exclusion, and further, whether patterned states are predicted when model parameters are estimated on individual synapses. All synapses analysed satisfy these conditions demonstrating that the mechanisms of protein redistribution have identifiable signatures in their spatial patterns. We conclude that energy processes implicit in protein size based segregation can drive the patternation observed in individual synapses, at least for the specific examples tested, such that no additional processes need to be invoked. This implies that biophysical processes within the membrane interface have a crucial impact on cell∶cell communication and cell signalling, governing protein interactions and protein aggregation. PMID:21829338

The fluid mechanics of thrombus formation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

Experimental data are presented for the growth of thrombi (blood clots) in a stagnation point flow of fresh blood. Thrombus shape, size and structure are shown to depend on local flow conditions. The evolution of a thrombus is described in terms of a physical model that includes platelet diffusion, a platelet aggregation mechanism, and diffusion and convection of the chemical species responsible for aggregation. Diffusion-controlled and convection-controlled regimes are defined by flow parameters and thrombus location, and the characteristic growth pattern in each regime is explained. Quantitative comparisons with an approximate theoretical model are presented, and a more general model is formulated.

Size dependent behavior of Fe 3O 4 crystals during electrochemical (de)lithiation: an in situ X-ray diffraction, ex situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and theoretical investigation

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

Bock, David C.; Pelliccione, Christopher J.; Zhang, Wei

Here, the iron oxide magnetite, Fe 3O 4, is a promising conversion type lithium ion battery anode material due to its high natural abundance, low cost and high theoretical capacity. While the close packing of ions in the inverse spinel structure of Fe 3O 4 enables high energy density, it also limits the kinetics of lithium ion diffusion in the material. Nanosizing of Fe 3O 4 to reduce the diffusion path length is an effective strategy for overcoming this issue and results in improved rate capability. However, the impact of nanosizing on the multiple structural transformations that occur during themore » electrochemical (de)lithiation reaction in Fe 3O 4 is poorly understood. In this study, the influence of crystallite size on the lithiation-conversion mechanisms in Fe 3O 4 is investigated using complementary X-ray techniques along with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and continuum level simulations on electrodes of two different Fe 3O 4 crystallite sizes. In situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements were utilized to track the changes to the crystalline phases during (de)lithiation. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements at multiple points during the (de)lithiation processes provided local electronic and atomic structural information. Tracking the crystalline and nanocrystalline phases during the first (de)lithiation provides experimental evidence that (1) the lithiation mechanism is non-uniform and dependent on crystallite size, where increased Li + diffusion length in larger crystals results in conversion to Fe 0 metal while insertion of Li + into spinel-Fe 3O 4 is still occurring, and (2) the disorder and size of the Fe metal domains formed when either material is fully lithiated impacts the homogeneity of the FeO phase formed during the subsequent delithiation.« less

Size dependent behavior of Fe 3O 4 crystals during electrochemical (de)lithiation: an in situ X-ray diffraction, ex situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and theoretical investigation

DOE PAGES

Bock, David C.; Pelliccione, Christopher J.; Zhang, Wei; ...

2017-07-17

Here, the iron oxide magnetite, Fe 3O 4, is a promising conversion type lithium ion battery anode material due to its high natural abundance, low cost and high theoretical capacity. While the close packing of ions in the inverse spinel structure of Fe 3O 4 enables high energy density, it also limits the kinetics of lithium ion diffusion in the material. Nanosizing of Fe 3O 4 to reduce the diffusion path length is an effective strategy for overcoming this issue and results in improved rate capability. However, the impact of nanosizing on the multiple structural transformations that occur during themore » electrochemical (de)lithiation reaction in Fe 3O 4 is poorly understood. In this study, the influence of crystallite size on the lithiation-conversion mechanisms in Fe 3O 4 is investigated using complementary X-ray techniques along with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and continuum level simulations on electrodes of two different Fe 3O 4 crystallite sizes. In situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements were utilized to track the changes to the crystalline phases during (de)lithiation. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements at multiple points during the (de)lithiation processes provided local electronic and atomic structural information. Tracking the crystalline and nanocrystalline phases during the first (de)lithiation provides experimental evidence that (1) the lithiation mechanism is non-uniform and dependent on crystallite size, where increased Li + diffusion length in larger crystals results in conversion to Fe 0 metal while insertion of Li + into spinel-Fe 3O 4 is still occurring, and (2) the disorder and size of the Fe metal domains formed when either material is fully lithiated impacts the homogeneity of the FeO phase formed during the subsequent delithiation.« less

Band shift of 2D transition-metal dichalcogenide alloys: size and composition effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yipeng; Zhang, Zhe; Ouyang, Gang

2018-04-01

Band engineering of 2D transition-metal dichalcogenides (2D-TMDs) is a vital task for their applications in electronic and optoelectronic nanodevices. In this study, we investigate the joint effect from size and composition contributions on the band shift of 2D-TMD alloys in terms of atomic bond relaxation consideration. A theoretical model is proposed to pursue the underlying mechanism, which can connect the band offset with the atomic bonding identities in the 2D-TMD alloys. We reveal that the bandgap of 2D-TMD alloys presents a bowing shape owing to the size-dependent interaction among atoms and shows blue shift or red shift due to different intermixing of components. It is demonstrated that both size and composition can be performed as the useful methods to modulate the band shift, which suggests an effective way to realize the desirable properties of 2D-TMD alloys.

Size effects and strain localization in atomic-scale cleavage modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elsner, B. A. M.; Müller, S.

2015-09-01

In this work, we study the adhesion and decohesion of Cu(1 0 0) surfaces using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. An upper stress to surface decohesion is obtained via the universal binding energy relation (UBER), but the model is limited to rigid separation of bulk-terminated surfaces. When structural relaxations are included, an unphysical size effect arises if decohesion is considered to occur as soon as the strain energy equals the energy of the newly formed surfaces. We employ the nudged elastic band (NEB) method to show that this size effect is opposed by a size-dependency of the energy barriers involved in the transition. Further, we find that the transition occurs via a localization of bond strain in the vicinity of the cleavage plane, which resembles the strain localization at the tip of a sharp crack that is predicted by linear elastic fracture mechanics.

Size effect on thermoelectric properties of Bi2Te3 nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choudhary, K. K.; Sharma, Uttam; Lodhi, Pavitra Devi; Kaurav, Netram

2018-05-01

Bi2Te3 nanoparticles exhibit size dependent thermoelectric properties which gives an opportunity to tune the size for optimization of the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT). We have quantitatively analyzed the thermoelectric properties of Bi2Te3 using phonon scattering mechanism by incorporating the scattering of phonons with defects, grain boundaries, electrons and Umklapp phonon scatterings. The maximum value of ZT = 0.92 is obtained at T = 400 K for 30 nm Bi2Te3 nanoparticles in comparison to ZT = 0.45 for 150 nm nanoparticles at the same temperature. With decrease in size of nanoparticles interface volume ratio increases which increase the phonon scatterings with grain boundaries and point defects, results in decrease in thermal conductivity due to reduction in mean free path of phonons. As a result of decrease in thermal conductivity (κ), Seeback coefficient (S) and ZT increases.

Size effects and strain localization in atomic-scale cleavage modeling.

PubMed

Elsner, B A M; Müller, S

2015-09-04

In this work, we study the adhesion and decohesion of Cu(1 0 0) surfaces using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. An upper stress to surface decohesion is obtained via the universal binding energy relation (UBER), but the model is limited to rigid separation of bulk-terminated surfaces. When structural relaxations are included, an unphysical size effect arises if decohesion is considered to occur as soon as the strain energy equals the energy of the newly formed surfaces. We employ the nudged elastic band (NEB) method to show that this size effect is opposed by a size-dependency of the energy barriers involved in the transition. Further, we find that the transition occurs via a localization of bond strain in the vicinity of the cleavage plane, which resembles the strain localization at the tip of a sharp crack that is predicted by linear elastic fracture mechanics.

Linking Mechanics and Statistics in Epidermal Tissues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Sangwoo; Hilgenfeldt, Sascha

2015-03-01

Disordered cellular structures, such as foams, polycrystals, or living tissues, can be characterized by quantitative measurements of domain size and topology. In recent work, we showed that correlations between size and topology in 2D systems are sensitive to the shape (eccentricity) of the individual domains: From a local model of neighbor relations, we derived an analytical justification for the famous empirical Lewis law, confirming the theory with experimental data from cucumber epidermal tissue. Here, we go beyond this purely geometrical model and identify mechanical properties of the tissue as the root cause for the domain eccentricity and thus the statistics of tissue structure. The simple model approach is based on the minimization of an interfacial energy functional. Simulations with Surface Evolver show that the domain statistics depend on a single mechanical parameter, while parameter fluctuations from cell to cell play an important role in simultaneously explaining the shape distribution of cells. The simulations are in excellent agreement with experiments and analytical theory, and establish a general link between the mechanical properties of a tissue and its structure. The model is relevant to diagnostic applications in a variety of animal and plant tissues.

The mechanical behavior of nanoscale metallic multilayers: A survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Q.; Xie, J. Y.; Wang, F.; Huang, P.; Xu, K. W.; Lu, T. J.

2015-06-01

The mechanical behavior of nanoscale metallic multilayers (NMMs) has attracted much attention from both scientific and practical views. Compared with their monolithic counterparts, the large number of interfaces existing in the NMMs dictates the unique behavior of this special class of structural composite materials. While there have been a number of reviews on the mechanical mechanism of microlaminates, the rapid development of nanotechnology brought a pressing need for an overview focusing exclusively on a property-based definition of the NMMs, especially their size-dependent microstructure and mechanical performance. This article attempts to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date review on the microstructure, mechanical property and plastic deformation physics of NMMs. We hope this review could accomplish two purposes: (1) introducing the basic concepts of scaling and dimensional analysis to scientists and engineers working on NMM systems, and (2) providing a better understanding of interface behavior and the exceptional qualities the interfaces in NMMs display at atomic scale.

Accelerator experiments on the contribution of secondary particles to the production of cosmogenic nuclides in meteorites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dragovitsch, P.; Englert, P.

1985-01-01

Through the interaction of galactic cosmic particle radiation (GCR) a wide variety of cosmogenic nuclides is produced in meteorites. They provide historical information about the cosmic radiation and the bombarded meteorites. An important way to understand the production mechanisms of cosmogenic nuclides in meteorites is to gather information about the depth and size dependence of the build-up of Galactic Rays Cosmic-secondary particles within meteorites of different sizes and chemical compositions. Simulation experiments with meteorite models offer an alternative to direct observation providing a data basis to describe the development and action of the secondary cascade induced by the GCR in meteorites.

Methodology for calculating power consumption of planetary mixers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antsiferov, S. I.; Voronov, V. P.; Evtushenko, E. I.; Yakovlev, E. A.

2018-03-01

The paper presents the methodology and equations for calculating the power consumption necessary to overcome the resistance of a dry mixture caused by the movement of cylindrical rods in the body of a planetary mixer, as well as the calculation of the power consumed by idling mixers of this type. The equations take into account the size and physico-mechanical properties of mixing material, the size and shape of the mixer's working elements and the kinematics of its movement. The dependence of the power consumption on the angle of rotation in the plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the working member is presented.

Fluorescence quenching near small metal nanoparticles.

PubMed

Pustovit, V N; Shahbazyan, T V

2012-05-28

We develop a microscopic model for fluorescence of a molecule (or semiconductor quantum dot) near a small metal nanoparticle. When a molecule is situated close to metal surface, its fluorescence is quenched due to energy transfer to the metal. We perform quantum-mechanical calculations of energy transfer rates for nanometer-sized Au nanoparticles and find that nonlocal and quantum-size effects significantly enhance dissipation in metal as compared to those predicted by semiclassical electromagnetic models. However, the dependence of transfer rates on molecule's distance to metal nanoparticle surface, d, is significantly weaker than the d(-4) behavior for flat metal surface with a sharp boundary predicted by previous calculations within random phase approximation.

Enhancement of ovalbumin-specific Th1, Th2, and Th17 immune responses by amorphous silica nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Toda, Tsuguto; Yoshino, Shin

2016-01-01

Nanomaterials present in cosmetics and food additives are used for industrial applications. However, their safety profile is unclear. Amorphous silica nanoparticles (nSPs) are a widely used nanomaterial and have been shown to induce inflammatory cytokines following intratracheal administration in mice. The current study investigated the adjuvant effect of nSP30 (nSP with a diameter of 33 nm) on T helper (Th)1, Th2, and Th17 immune responses as well as immunoglobulin (Ig) levels in mice. BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally administered ovalbumin (OVA) with or without varying doses and varying sizes of nSPs. The adjuvant effect of nSPs was investigated by measuring OVA-specific IgG antibodies in sera, OVA-specific proliferative responses of splenocytes, and the production of Th1, Th2, and Th17 cytokines. Aluminum hydroxide was used as a positive adjuvant control. Anti-OVA IgG production, splenocyte proliferative responses, and secretion of IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-17 were increased significantly in mice receiving a combined injection of nSP30 (30 or 300 µg) with OVA compared with OVA alone or a combined injection with nSP30 (3 µg). The responses were nSP30 dose-dependent. When different sized nSPs were used (with 30, 100, and 1000 nm diameters), the responses to OVA were enhanced and were size-dependent. The smaller sized nSP particles had a greater adjuvant effect. nSPs appear to exert a size-dependent adjuvant effect for Th1, Th2, and Th17 immune responses. Understanding the mechanisms of nSP adjuvanticity might lead to the development of novel vaccine adjuvants and therapies for allergic diseases caused by environmental factors. PMID:27343242

Cell Size Influences the Reproductive Potential and Total Lifespan of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Yeast as Revealed by the Analysis of Polyploid Strains

PubMed Central

Kwolek-Mirek, Magdalena; Alabrudzińska, Małgorzata

2018-01-01

The total lifespan of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae may be divided into two phases: the reproductive phase, during which the cell undergoes mitosis cycles to produce successive buds, and the postreproductive phase, which extends from the last division to cell death. These phases may be regulated by a common mechanism or by distinct ones. In this paper, we proposed a more comprehensive approach to reveal the mechanisms that regulate both reproductive potential and total lifespan in cell size context. Our study was based on yeast cells, whose size was determined by increased genome copy number, ranging from haploid to tetraploid. Such experiments enabled us to test the hypertrophy hypothesis, which postulates that excessive size achieved by the cell—the hypertrophy state—is the reason preventing the cell from further proliferation. This hypothesis defines the reproductive potential value as the difference between the maximal size that a cell can reach and the threshold value, which allows a cell to undergo its first cell cycle and the rate of the cell size to increase per generation. Here, we showed that cell size has an important impact on not only the reproductive potential but also the total lifespan of this cell. Moreover, the maximal cell size value, which limits its reproduction capacity, can be regulated by different factors and differs depending on the strain ploidy. The achievement of excessive size by the cell (hypertrophic state) may lead to two distinct phenomena: the cessation of reproduction without “mother” cell death and the cessation of reproduction with cell death by bursting, which has not been shown before. PMID:29743970

Cell Size Influences the Reproductive Potential and Total Lifespan of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Yeast as Revealed by the Analysis of Polyploid Strains.

PubMed

Zadrag-Tecza, Renata; Kwolek-Mirek, Magdalena; Alabrudzińska, Małgorzata; Skoneczna, Adrianna

2018-01-01

The total lifespan of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae may be divided into two phases: the reproductive phase, during which the cell undergoes mitosis cycles to produce successive buds, and the postreproductive phase, which extends from the last division to cell death. These phases may be regulated by a common mechanism or by distinct ones. In this paper, we proposed a more comprehensive approach to reveal the mechanisms that regulate both reproductive potential and total lifespan in cell size context. Our study was based on yeast cells, whose size was determined by increased genome copy number, ranging from haploid to tetraploid. Such experiments enabled us to test the hypertrophy hypothesis, which postulates that excessive size achieved by the cell-the hypertrophy state-is the reason preventing the cell from further proliferation. This hypothesis defines the reproductive potential value as the difference between the maximal size that a cell can reach and the threshold value, which allows a cell to undergo its first cell cycle and the rate of the cell size to increase per generation. Here, we showed that cell size has an important impact on not only the reproductive potential but also the total lifespan of this cell. Moreover, the maximal cell size value, which limits its reproduction capacity, can be regulated by different factors and differs depending on the strain ploidy. The achievement of excessive size by the cell (hypertrophic state) may lead to two distinct phenomena: the cessation of reproduction without "mother" cell death and the cessation of reproduction with cell death by bursting, which has not been shown before.

The rapid size- and shape-controlled continuous hydrothermal synthesis of metal sulphide nanomaterials.

PubMed

Dunne, Peter W; Starkey, Chris L; Gimeno-Fabra, Miquel; Lester, Edward H

2014-02-21

Continuous flow hydrothermal synthesis offers a cheap, green and highly scalable route for the preparation of inorganic nanomaterials which has predominantly been applied to metal oxide based materials. In this work we report the first continuous flow hydrothermal synthesis of metal sulphide nanomaterials. A wide range of binary metal sulphides, ZnS, CdS, PbS, CuS, Fe(1-x)S and Bi2S3, have been synthesised. By varying the reaction conditions two different mechanisms may be invoked; a growth dominated route which permits the formation of nanostructured sulphide materials, and a nucleation driven process which produces nanoparticles with temperature dependent size control. This offers a new and industrially viable route to a wide range of metal sulphide nanoparticles with facile size and shape control.

Blast wave attenuation in liquid foams: role of gas and evidence of an optimal bubble size.

PubMed

Monloubou, Martin; Bruning, Myrthe A; Saint-Jalmes, Arnaud; Dollet, Benjamin; Cantat, Isabelle

2016-09-28

Liquid foams are excellent systems to mitigate pressure waves such as acoustic or blast waves. The understanding of the underlying dissipation mechanisms however still remains an active matter of debate. In this paper, we investigate the attenuation of a weak blast wave by a liquid foam. The wave is produced with a shock tube and impacts a foam, with a cylindrical geometry. We measure the wave attenuation and velocity in the foam as a function of bubble size, liquid fraction, and the nature of the gas. We show that the attenuation depends on the nature of the gas and we experimentally evidence a maximum of dissipation for a given bubble size. All features are qualitatively captured by a model based on thermal dissipation in the gas.

Charge-induced fluctuation forces in graphitic nanostructures

DOE PAGES

Drosdoff, D.; Bondarev, Igor V.; Widom, Allan; ...

2016-01-21

Charge fluctuations in nanocircuits with capacitor components are shown to give rise to a novel type of long-ranged interaction, which coexist with the regular Casimir–van derWaals force. The developed theory distinguishes between thermal and quantum mechanical effects, and it is applied to capacitors involving graphene nanostructures. The charge fluctuations mechanism is captured via the capacitance of the system with geometrical and quantum mechanical components. The dependence on the distance separation, temperature, size, and response properties of the system shows that this type of force can have a comparable and even dominant effect to the Casimir interaction. Lastly, our results stronglymore » indicate that fluctuation-induced interactions due to various thermodynamic quantities can have important thermal and quantum mechanical contributions at the microscale and the nanoscale.« less

Ligand structure and mechanical properties of single-nanoparticle-thick membranes.

PubMed

Salerno, K Michael; Bolintineanu, Dan S; Lane, J Matthew D; Grest, Gary S

2015-06-01

The high mechanical stiffness of single-nanoparticle-thick membranes is believed to result from the local structure of ligand coatings that mediate interactions between nanoparticles. These ligand structures are not directly observable experimentally. We use molecular dynamics simulations to observe variations in ligand structure and simultaneously measure variations in membrane mechanical properties. We have shown previously that ligand end group has a large impact on ligand structure and membrane mechanical properties. Here we introduce and apply quantitative molecular structure measures to these membranes and extend analysis to multiple nanoparticle core sizes and ligand lengths. Simulations of nanoparticle membranes with a nanoparticle core diameter of 4 or 6 nm, a ligand length of 11 or 17 methylenes, and either carboxyl (COOH) or methyl (CH(3)) ligand end groups are presented. In carboxyl-terminated ligand systems, structure and interactions are dominated by an end-to-end orientation of ligands. In methyl-terminated ligand systems large ordered ligand structures form, but nanoparticle interactions are dominated by disordered, partially interdigitated ligands. Core size and ligand length also affect both ligand arrangement within the membrane and the membrane's macroscopic mechanical response, but are secondary to the role of the ligand end group. Moreover, the particular end group (COOH or CH(3)) alters the nature of how ligand length, in turn, affects the membrane properties. The effect of core size does not depend on the ligand end group, with larger cores always leading to stiffer membranes. Asymmetry in the stress and ligand density is observed in membranes during preparation at a water-vapor interface, with the stress asymmetry persisting in all membranes after drying.

Transition by head-on collision: mechanically mediated manoeuvres in cockroaches and small robots.

PubMed

Jayaram, Kaushik; Mongeau, Jean-Michel; Mohapatra, Anand; Birkmeyer, Paul; Fearing, Ronald S; Full, Robert J

2018-02-01

Exceptional performance is often considered to be elegant and free of 'errors' or missteps. During the most extreme escape behaviours, neural control can approach or exceed its operating limits in response time and bandwidth. Here we show that small, rapid running cockroaches with robust exoskeletons select head-on collisions with obstacles to maintain the fastest escape speeds possible to transition up a vertical wall. Instead of avoidance, animals use their passive body shape and compliance to negotiate challenging environments. Cockroaches running at over 1 m or 50 body lengths per second transition from the floor to a vertical wall within 75 ms by using their head like an automobile bumper, mechanically mediating the manoeuvre. Inspired by the animal's behaviour, we demonstrate a passive, high-speed, mechanically mediated vertical transitions with a small, palm-sized legged robot. By creating a collision model for animal and human materials, we suggest a size dependence favouring mechanical mediation below 1 kg that we term the 'Haldane limit'. Relying on the mechanical control offered by soft exoskeletons represents a paradigm shift for understanding the control of small animals and the next generation of running, climbing and flying robots where the use of the body can off-load the demand for rapid sensing and actuation. © 2018 The Authors.

Transition by head-on collision: mechanically mediated manoeuvres in cockroaches and small robots

PubMed Central

Mongeau, Jean-Michel; Mohapatra, Anand; Birkmeyer, Paul; Fearing, Ronald S.; Full, Robert J.

2018-01-01

Exceptional performance is often considered to be elegant and free of ‘errors’ or missteps. During the most extreme escape behaviours, neural control can approach or exceed its operating limits in response time and bandwidth. Here we show that small, rapid running cockroaches with robust exoskeletons select head-on collisions with obstacles to maintain the fastest escape speeds possible to transition up a vertical wall. Instead of avoidance, animals use their passive body shape and compliance to negotiate challenging environments. Cockroaches running at over 1 m or 50 body lengths per second transition from the floor to a vertical wall within 75 ms by using their head like an automobile bumper, mechanically mediating the manoeuvre. Inspired by the animal's behaviour, we demonstrate a passive, high-speed, mechanically mediated vertical transitions with a small, palm-sized legged robot. By creating a collision model for animal and human materials, we suggest a size dependence favouring mechanical mediation below 1 kg that we term the ‘Haldane limit’. Relying on the mechanical control offered by soft exoskeletons represents a paradigm shift for understanding the control of small animals and the next generation of running, climbing and flying robots where the use of the body can off-load the demand for rapid sensing and actuation. PMID:29445036

Small Sized Drone Fall Recover Mechanism Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LIU, Tzu-Heng; CHAO, Fang-Lin; LIOU, Jhen-Yuan

2017-12-01

Drones uses four motors to rotate clockwise, counter-clockwise, or change in rotational speed to change its status of motion. The problem of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle turnover causes personal loses and harm local environment. Designs of devices that can let falling drones recover are discussed. The models attempt to change the orientation, so that the drone may be able to improve to the point where it can take off again. The design flow included looking for functional elements, using simplify model to estimate primary functional characteristics, and find the appropriate design parameters. For reducing the complexity, we adopted the simple rotate mechanism with rotating arms to change the fuselage angle and reduce the dependence on the extra-components. A rough model was built to verify structure, and then the concept drawing and prototype were constructed. We made the prototype through the integration of mechanical part and the electronic control circuit. The electronic control module that selected is Arduino-mini pro. Through the Bluetooth modules, user can start the rebound mechanism by the motor control signal. Protections frames are added around each propeller to improve the body rotate problem. Limited by current size of Arduino module, motor and rebound mechanism make the main chassis more massive than the commercial product. However, built-in sensor and circuit miniaturization will improve it in future.

Crabs grab strongly depending on mechanical advantages of pinching and disarticulation of chela.

PubMed

Fujiwara, Shin-Ichi; Kawai, Hiroki

2016-10-01

A small morphological variation of an organ may cause a major change of its function in animal evolution. The function of decapod chela varies considerably among taxa, between sex, and even within an individual, but also retains a simple mechanism of motion. Therefore, the decapod chela is a suitable structure to study the evolutionary process of functional diversifications, although the relationship of form and function is inadequately understood, yet. We estimated the mechanical advantages of pinching and passive disarticulation resistance, and chela size relative to the carapace in 317 chelae of 168 decapod specimens, and compared these indices with the functions of each chela. Our study revealed that mechanical advantages of pinching efficiency and passive disarticulation resistance were greatest in shell-crushing chelae, followed by gripping and pinching chelae, whereas the chela size relative to the carapace was not related to differences among these functions. We also found that the chelae are designed to retain the ratio between depth and width of the proximal dactylus. In the evolutionary process of decapods, the diversifications of chela functions were accompanied by the diversifications of the mechanical advantages, and played an essential role in their ecological diversification. J. Morphol. 277:1259-1272, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Patterning of wound-induced intercellular Ca2+ flashes in a developing epithelium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narciso, Cody; Wu, Qinfeng; Brodskiy, Pavel; Garston, George; Baker, Ruth; Fletcher, Alexander; Zartman, Jeremiah

2015-10-01

Differential mechanical force distributions are increasingly recognized to provide important feedback into the control of an organ’s final size and shape. As a second messenger that integrates and relays mechanical information to the cell, calcium ions (Ca2+) are a prime candidate for providing important information on both the overall mechanical state of the tissue and resulting behavior at the individual-cell level during development. Still, how the spatiotemporal properties of Ca2+ transients reflect the underlying mechanical characteristics of tissues is still poorly understood. Here we use an established model system of an epithelial tissue, the Drosophila wing imaginal disc, to investigate how tissue properties impact the propagation of Ca2+ transients induced by laser ablation. The resulting intercellular Ca2+ flash is found to be mediated by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and depends on gap junction communication. Further, we find that intercellular Ca2+ transients show spatially non-uniform characteristics across the proximal-distal axis of the larval wing imaginal disc, which exhibit a gradient in cell size and anisotropy. A computational model of Ca2+ transients is employed to identify the principle factors explaining the spatiotemporal patterning dynamics of intercellular Ca2+ flashes. The relative Ca2+ flash anisotropy is principally explained by local cell shape anisotropy. Further, Ca2+ velocities are relatively uniform throughout the wing disc, irrespective of cell size or anisotropy. This can be explained by the opposing effects of cell diameter and cell elongation on intercellular Ca2+ propagation. Thus, intercellular Ca2+ transients follow lines of mechanical tension at velocities that are largely independent of tissue heterogeneity and reflect the mechanical state of the underlying tissue.

Size effect of elemental selenium nanoparticles (Nano-Se) at supranutritional levels on selenium accumulation and glutathione S-transferase activity.

PubMed

Peng, Dungeng; Zhang, Jinsong; Liu, Qingliang; Taylor, Ethan Will

2007-10-01

It has been shown that 36 nm Nano-Se has lower toxicity than selenite or selenomethionine, but these forms of selenium (Se) all possess similar ability to increase selenoenzyme levels. The size of nanoparticles plays an important role in their biological activity: as expected, 5-200 nm Nano-Se can directly scavenge free radicals in vitro in a size-dependent fashion. However, in Se-deficient cells and Se-deficient mice, the size effect of Nano-Se on increasing selenoenzymes and liver Se disappears unexpectedly. We hypothesize that under conditions of Se deficiency, the avidity of Se uptake mechanisms may be increased to maintain the biosynthesis of selenoenzymes, which are fundamental for redox homeostasis. This increased avidity may override the potential advantage of small size Nano-Se seen under Se-replete conditions, thereby eliminating the size effect. Once selenoenzymes have been saturated, Se uptake mechanisms may downregulate; accordingly, the size effect of Nano-Se can then reappear. To test this hypothesis, Se-deficient mice were administered either 36 or 90 nm Nano-Se at supranutritional doses, in both a short-term model and a single-dose model. Under these conditions, Nano-Se showed a size effect on Se accumulation and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity. A size effect of Nano-Se was found in 15 out of 18 total comparisons between sizes at the same dose and time in the two models. Furthermore, the magnitude of the size effect was more prominent on Se accumulation than on GST activity. GST is strictly regulated by transcriptional and translational mechanisms, so its increase in activity normally does not exceed 3-fold. In contrast, the homeostasis of Se accumulation is not as tightly controlled. In the present experiments, GST activity had reached or was approaching saturation, but liver Se was far below saturation. Therefore, our results strongly suggest that the saturation profile of the tested biomarker has an impact on the size effect of Nano-Se. Since both GST and small molecular weight selenocompounds accumulated in vivo are important intermediates for chemoprevention by Se, our results also suggest that Nano-Se should be most effective as a chemopreventive agent at smaller particle size.

Seasonal variation in size-dependent survival of juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar): Performance of multistate capture-mark-recapture models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Letcher, B.H.; Horton, G.E.

2008-01-01

We estimated the magnitude and shape of size-dependent survival (SDS) across multiple sampling intervals for two cohorts of stream-dwelling Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) juveniles using multistate capture-mark-recapture (CMR) models. Simulations designed to test the effectiveness of multistate models for detecting SDS in our system indicated that error in SDS estimates was low and that both time-invariant and time-varying SDS could be detected with sample sizes of >250, average survival of >0.6, and average probability of capture of >0.6, except for cases of very strong SDS. In the field (N ??? 750, survival 0.6-0.8 among sampling intervals, probability of capture 0.6-0.8 among sampling occasions), about one-third of the sampling intervals showed evidence of SDS, with poorer survival of larger fish during the age-2+ autumn and quadratic survival (opposite direction between cohorts) during age-1+ spring. The varying magnitude and shape of SDS among sampling intervals suggest a potential mechanism for the maintenance of the very wide observed size distributions. Estimating SDS using multistate CMR models appears complementary to established approaches, can provide estimates with low error, and can be used to detect intermittent SDS. ?? 2008 NRC Canada.

Size and Charge Dependence of Ion Transport in Human Nail Plate.

PubMed

Baswan, Sudhir M; Li, S Kevin; LaCount, Terri D; Kasting, Gerald B

2016-03-01

The electrical properties of human nail plate are poorly characterized yet are a key determinate of the potential to treat nail diseases, such as onychomycosis, using iontophoresis. To address this deficiency, molar conductivities of 17 electrolytes comprising 12 ionic species were determined in hydrated human nail plate in vitro. Cation transport numbers across the nail for 11 of these electrolytes were determined by the electromotive force method. Effective ionic mobilities and diffusivities at infinite dilution for all ionic species were determined by regression analysis. The ratios of diffusivities in nail to those in solution were found to correlate inversely with the hydrodynamic radii of the ions according to a power law relationship having an exponent of -1.75 ± 0.27, a substantially steeper size dependence than observed for similar experiments in skin. Effective diffusivities of cations in nail were 3-fold higher than those of comparably sized anions. These results reflect the strong size and charge selectivity of the nail plate for ionic conduction and diffusion. The analysis implies that efficient transungual iontophoretic delivery of ionized drugs having radii upward of 5 Å (molecular weight, ca. ≥ 340 Da) will require chemical or mechanical alteration of the nail plate. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High-strength magnetically switchable plasmonic nanorods assembled from a binary nanocrystal mixture

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Mingliang; Magagnosc, Daniel J.; Liberal, Iñigo; ...

2016-11-07

Next-generation ‘smart’ nanoparticle systems should be precisely engineered in size, shape and composition to introduce multiple functionalities, unattainable from a single material. Bottom-up chemical methods are prized for the synthesis of crystalline nanoparticles, that is, nanocrystals, with size- and shape-dependent physical properties, but they are less successful in achieving multifunctionality. Top-down lithographic methods can produce multifunctional nanoparticles with precise size and shape control, yet this becomes increasingly difficult at sizes of ~10 nm. In this paper, we report the fabrication of multifunctional, smart nanoparticle systems by combining top-down fabrication and bottom-up self-assembly methods. Particularly, we template nanorods from a mixturemore » of superparamagnetic Zn 0.2Fe 2.8O 4 and plasmonic Au nanocrystals. The superparamagnetism of Zn 0.2Fe 2.8O 4 prevents these nanorods from spontaneous magnetic-dipole-induced aggregation, while their magnetic anisotropy makes them responsive to an external field. Ligand exchange drives Au nanocrystal fusion and forms a porous network, imparting the nanorods with high mechanical strength and polarization-dependent infrared surface plasmon resonances. Finally, the combined superparamagnetic and plasmonic functions enable switching of the infrared transmission of a hybrid nanorod suspension using an external magnetic field.« less

Scaling Effects in Perovskite Ferroelectrics: Fundamental Limits and Process-Structure-Property Relations

DOE PAGES

Ihlefeld, Jon F.; Harris, David T.; Keech, Ryan; ...

2016-07-05

Ferroelectric materials are well-suited for a variety of applications because they can offer a combination of high performance and scaled integration. Examples of note include piezoelectrics to transform between electrical and mechanical energies, capacitors used to store charge, electro-optic devices, and non-volatile memory storage. Accordingly, they are widely used as sensors, actuators, energy storage, and memory components, ultrasonic devices, and in consumer electronics products. Because these functional properties arise from a non-centrosymmetric crystal structure with spontaneous strain and a permanent electric dipole, the properties depend upon physical and electrical boundary conditions, and consequently, physical dimension. The change of properties withmore » decreasing physical dimension is commonly referred to as a size effect. In thin films, size effects are widely observed, while in bulk ceramics, changes in properties from the values of large-grained specimens is most notable in samples with grain sizes below several microns. It is important to note that ferroelectricity typically persists to length scales of about 10 nm, but below this point is often absent. Despite the stability of ferroelectricity for dimensions greater than ~10 nm, the dielectric and piezoelectric coefficients of scaled ferroelectrics are suppressed relative to their bulk counterparts, in some cases by changes up to 80%. The loss of extrinsic contributions (domain and phase boundary motion) to the electromechanical response accounts for much of this suppression. In this article the current understanding of the underlying mechanisms for this behavior in perovskite ferroelectrics are reviewed. We focus on the intrinsic limits of ferroelectric response, the roles of electrical and mechanical boundary conditions, grain size and thickness effects, and extraneous effects related to processing. Ultimately, in many cases, multiple mechanisms combine to produce the observed scaling effects.« less

Microstructure evolution during helium irradiation and post-irradiation annealing in a nanostructured reduced activation steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, W. B.; Ji, Y. Z.; Tan, P. K.; Zhang, C.; He, C. H.; Yang, Z. G.

2016-10-01

Severe plastic deformation, intense single-beam He-ion irradiation and post-irradiation annealing were performed on a nanostructured reduced activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) steel to investigate the effect of grain boundaries (GBs) on its microstructure evolution during these processes. A surface layer with a depth-dependent nanocrystalline (NC) microstructure was prepared in the RAFM steel using surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT). Microstructure evolution after helium (He) irradiation (24.8 dpa) at room temperature and after post-irradiation annealing was investigated using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Experimental observation shows that GBs play an important role during both the irradiation and the post-irradiation annealing process. He bubbles are preferentially trapped at GBs/interfaces during irradiation and cavities with large sizes are also preferentially trapped at GBs/interfaces during post-irradiation annealing, but void denuded zones (VDZs) near GBs could not be unambiguously observed. Compared with cavities at GBs and within larger grains, cavities with smaller size and higher density are found in smaller grains. The average size of cavities increases rapidly with the increase of time during post-irradiation annealing at 823 K. Cavities with a large size are observed just after annealing for 5 min, although many of the cavities with small sizes also exist after annealing for 240 min. The potential mechanism of cavity growth behavior during post-irradiation annealing is also discussed.

Size-Dependent Coherent-Phonon Plasmon Modulation and Deformation Characterization in Gold Bipyramids and Nanojavelins

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

Kirschner, Matthew S.; Lethiec, Clotilde M.; Lin, Xiao-Min

2016-04-04

Localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) arising from metallic nanoparticles offer an array of prospective applications that range from chemical sensing to biotherapies. Bipyramidal particles exhibit particularly narrow ensemble LSPR resonances that reflect small dispersity of size and shape but until recently were only synthetically accessible over a limited range of sizes with corresponding aspect ratios. Narrow size dispersion offers the opportunity to examine ensemble dynamical phenomena such as coherent phonons that induce periodic oscillations of the LSPR energy. Here, we characterize transient optical behavior of a large range of gold bipyramid sizes, as well as higher aspect ratio nanojavelin ensemblesmore » with specific attention to the lowest-order acoustic phonon mode of these nanoparticles. We report coherent phonon-driven oscillations of the LSPR position for particles with resonances spanning 670 to 1330 nm. Nanojavelins were shown to behave similarly to bipyramids but offer the prospect of separate control over LSPR energy and coherent phonon oscillation period. We develop a new methodology for quantitatively measuring mechanical expansion caused by photogenerated coherent phonons. Using this method, we find an elongation of approximately 1% per photon absorbed per unit cell and that particle expansion along the lowest frequency acoustic phonon mode is linearly proportional to excitation fluence for the fluence range studied. These characterizations provide insight regarding means to manipulate phonon period and transient mechanical deformation.« less

Mechanisms regulating nutrition-dependent developmental plasticity through organ-specific effects in insects

PubMed Central

Koyama, Takashi; Mendes, Cláudia C.; Mirth, Christen K.

2013-01-01

Nutrition, via the insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IIS)/Target of Rapamycin (TOR) signaling pathway, can provide a strong molding force for determining animal size and shape. For instance, nutrition induces a disproportionate increase in the size of male horns in dung and rhinoceros beetles, or mandibles in staghorn or horned flour beetles, relative to body size. In these species, well-fed male larvae produce adults with greatly enlarged horns or mandibles, whereas males that are starved or poorly fed as larvae bear much more modest appendages. Changes in IIS/TOR signaling plays a key role in appendage development by regulating growth in the horn and mandible primordia. In contrast, changes in the IIS/TOR pathway produce minimal effects on the size of other adult structures, such as the male genitalia in fruit flies and dung beetles. The horn, mandible and genitalia illustrate that although all tissues are exposed to the same hormonal environment within the larval body, the extent to which insulin can induce growth is organ specific. In addition, the IIS/TOR pathway affects body size and shape by controlling production of metamorphic hormones important for regulating developmental timing, like the steroid molting hormone ecdysone and sesquiterpenoid hormone juvenile hormone. In this review, we discuss recent results from Drosophila and other insects that highlight mechanisms allowing tissues to differ in their sensitivity to IIS/TOR and the potential consequences of these differences on body size and shape. PMID:24133450

A review of experimental techniques to produce a nacre-like structure.

PubMed

Corni, I; Harvey, T J; Wharton, J A; Stokes, K R; Walsh, F C; Wood, R J K

2012-09-01

The performance of man-made materials can be improved by exploring new structures inspired by the architecture of biological materials. Natural materials, such as nacre (mother-of-pearl), can have outstanding mechanical properties due to their complicated architecture and hierarchical structure at the nano-, micro- and meso-levels which have evolved over millions of years. This review describes the numerous experimental methods explored to date to produce composites with structures and mechanical properties similar to those of natural nacre. The materials produced have sizes ranging from nanometres to centimetres, processing times varying from a few minutes to several months and a different range of mechanical properties that render them suitable for various applications. For the first time, these techniques have been divided into those producing bulk materials, coatings and free-standing films. This is due to the fact that the material's application strongly depends on its dimensions and different results have been reported by applying the same technique to produce materials with different sizes. The limitations and capabilities of these methodologies have been also described.

Development of Testing Methodologies for the Mechanical Properties of MEMS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ekwaro-Osire, Stephen

2003-01-01

This effort is to investigate and design testing strategies to determine the mechanical properties of MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) as well as investigate the development of a MEMS Probabilistic Design Methodology (PDM). One item of potential interest is the design of a test for the Weibull size effect in pressure membranes. The Weibull size effect is a consequence of a stochastic strength response predicted from the Weibull distribution. Confirming that MEMS strength is controlled by the Weibull distribution will enable the development of a probabilistic design methodology for MEMS - similar to the GRC developed CARES/Life program for bulk ceramics. However, the primary area of investigation will most likely be analysis and modeling of material interfaces for strength as well as developing a strategy to handle stress singularities at sharp corners, filets, and material interfaces. This will be a continuation of the previous years work. The ultimate objective of this effort is to further develop and verify the ability of the Ceramics Analysis and Reliability Evaluation of Structures Life (CARES/Life) code to predict the time-dependent reliability of MEMS structures subjected to multiple transient loads.

RNAi pathways contribute to developmental history-dependent phenotypic plasticity in C. elegans

PubMed Central

Hall, Sarah E.; Chirn, Gung-Wei; Lau, Nelson C.; Sengupta, Piali

2013-01-01

Early environmental experiences profoundly influence adult phenotypes through complex mechanisms that are poorly understood. We previously showed that adult Caenorhabditis elegans that transiently passed through the stress-induced dauer larval stage (post-dauer adults) exhibit significant changes in gene expression profiles, chromatin states, and life history traits when compared with adults that bypassed the dauer stage (control adults). These wild-type, isogenic animals of equivalent developmental stages exhibit different signatures of molecular marks that reflect their distinct developmental trajectories. To gain insight into the mechanisms that contribute to these developmental history-dependent phenotypes, we profiled small RNAs from post-dauer and control adults by deep sequencing. RNA interference (RNAi) pathways are known to regulate genome-wide gene expression both at the chromatin and post-transcriptional level. By quantifying changes in endogenous small interfering RNA (endo-siRNA) levels in post-dauer as compared with control animals, our analyses identified a subset of genes that are likely targets of developmental history-dependent reprogramming through a complex RNAi-mediated mechanism. Mutations in specific endo-siRNA pathways affect expected gene expression and chromatin state changes for a subset of genes in post-dauer animals, as well as disrupt their increased brood size phenotype. We also find that both chromatin state and endo-siRNA distribution in dauers are unique, and suggest that remodeling in dauers provides a template for the subsequent establishment of adult post-dauer profiles. Our results indicate a role for endo-siRNA pathways as a contributing mechanism to early experience-dependent phenotypic plasticity in adults, and describe how developmental history can program adult physiology and behavior via epigenetic mechanisms. PMID:23329696

Activation of Peptide ions by blackbody radiation: factors that lead to dissociation kinetics in the rapid energy exchange limit.

PubMed

Price, W D; Williams, E R

1997-11-20

Unimolecular rate constants for blackbody infrared radiative dissociation (BIRD) were calculated for the model protonated peptide (AlaGly)(n) (n = 2-32) using a variety of dissociation parameters. Combinations of dissociation threshold energies ranging from 0.8 to 1.7 eV and transition entropies corresponding to Arrhenius preexponential factors ranging from very "tight" (A(infinity) = 10(9.9) s(-1)) to "loose" (A(infinity) = 10(16.8) s(-1)) were selected to represent dissociation parameters within the experimental temperature range (300-520 K) and kinetic window (k(uni) = 0.001-0.20 s(-1)) typically used in the BIRD experiment. Arrhenius parameters were determined from the temperature dependence of these values and compared to those in the rapid energy exchange (REX) limit. In this limit, the internal energy of a population of ions is given by a Boltzmann distribution, and kinetics are the same as those in the traditional high-pressure limit. For a dissociation process to be in this limit, the rate of photon exchange between an ion and the vacuum chamber walls must be significantly greater than the dissociation rate. Kinetics rapidly approach the REX limit either as the molecular size or threshold dissociation energy increases or as the transition-state entropy or experimental temperature decreases. Under typical experimental conditions, peptide ions larger than 1.6 kDa should be in the REX limit. Smaller ions may also be in the REX limit depending on the value of the threshold dissociation energy and transition-state entropy. Either modeling or information about the dissociation mechanism must be known in order to confirm REX limit kinetics for these smaller ions. Three principal factors that lead to the size dependence of REX limit kinetics are identified. With increasing molecular size, rates of radiative absorption and emission increase, internal energy distributions become relatively narrower, and the microcanonical dissociation rate constants increase more slowly over the energy distribution of ions. Guidelines established here should make BIRD an even more reliable method to obtain information about dissociation energetics and mechanisms for intermediate size molecules.

Activation of Peptide Ions by Blackbody Radiation: Factors That Lead to Dissociation Kinetics in the Rapid Energy Exchange Limit

PubMed Central

Price, William D.

2005-01-01

Unimolecular rate constants for blackbody infrared radiative dissociation (BIRD) were calculated for the model protonated peptide (AlaGly)n (n = 2–32) using a variety of dissociation parameters. Combinations of dissociation threshold energies ranging from 0.8 to 1.7 eV and transition entropies corresponding to Arrhenius preexponential factors ranging from very “tight” (A∞ = 109.9 s−1) to “loose” (A∞ = 1016.8 s−1) were selected to represent dissociation parameters within the experimental temperature range (300–520 K) and kinetic window (kuni = 0.001–0.20 s−1) typically used in the BIRD experiment. Arrhenius parameters were determined from the temperature dependence of these values and compared to those in the rapid energy exchange (REX) limit. In this limit, the internal energy of a population of ions is given by a Boltzmann distribution, and kinetics are the same as those in the traditional high-pressure limit. For a dissociation process to be in this limit, the rate of photon exchange between an ion and the vacuum chamber walls must be significantly greater than the dissociation rate. Kinetics rapidly approach the REX limit either as the molecular size or threshold dissociation energy increases or as the transition-state entropy or experimental temperature decreases. Under typical experimental conditions, peptide ions larger than 1.6 kDa should be in the REX limit. Smaller ions may also be in the REX limit depending on the value of the threshold dissociation energy and transition-state entropy. Either modeling or information about the dissociation mechanism must be known in order to confirm REX limit kinetics for these smaller ions. Three principal factors that lead to the size dependence of REX limit kinetics are identified. With increasing molecular size, rates of radiative absorption and emission increase, internal energy distributions become relatively narrower, and the microcanonical dissociation rate constants increase more slowly over the energy distribution of ions. Guidelines established here should make BIRD an even more reliable method to obtain information about dissociation energetics and mechanisms for intermediate size molecules. PMID:16604162

Time-dependent combinatory effects of active mechanical loading and passive topographical cues on cell orientation.

PubMed

Wang, Qian; Huang, Hanyang; Wei, Kang; Zhao, Yi

2016-10-01

Mechanical stretching and topographical cues are both effective mechanical stimulations for regulating cell morphology, orientation, and behaviors. The competition of these two mechanical stimulations remains largely underexplored. Previous studies have suggested that a small cyclic mechanical strain is not able to reorient cells that have been pre-aligned by relatively large linear microstructures, but can reorient those pre-aligned by small linear micro/nanostructures if the characteristic dimension of these structures is below a certain threshold. Likewise, for micro/nanostructures with a given characteristic dimension, the strain must exceed a certain magnitude to overrule the topographic cues. There are however no in-depth investigations of such "thresholds" due to the lack of close examination of dynamic cell orientation during and shortly after the mechanical loading. In this study, the time-dependent combinatory effects of active and passive mechanical stimulations on cell orientation are investigated by developing a micromechanical stimulator. The results show that the cells pre-aligned by linear micro/nanostructures can be altered by cyclic in-plane strain, regardless of the structure size. During the loading, the micro/nanostructures can resist the reorientation effects by cyclic in-plane strain while the resistive capability (measured by the mean orientation angle change and the reorientation speed) increases with the increasing characteristic dimension. The micro/nanostructures also can recover the cell orientation after the cessation of cyclic in-plane strain, while the recovering capability increases with the characteristic dimension. The previously observed thresholds are largely dependent on the observation time points. In order to accurately evaluate the combinatory effects of the two mechanical stimulations, observations during the active loading with a short time interval or endpoint observations shortly after the loading are preferred. This study provides a microengineering solution to investigate the time-dependent combinatory effects of the active and passive mechanical stimulations and is expected to enhance our understanding of cell responses to complex mechanical environments. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2016;113: 2191-2201. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Chirality-Controlled Growth of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes Using Vapor Phase Epitaxy: Mechanistic Understanding and Scalable Production

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-15

controlled synthesis of single-wall carbon nanotubes. Firstly, we have successfully demonstrated a vapor-phase-epitaxy-analogous general strategy for...preselected chirality. Moreover, we carried out systematic investigations of the chirality-dependent growth kinetics and termination mechanism for the... generally believed that the diameters of the nanotubes are determined by the size of the catalytic metal particles. Unfortunately, attempts to control

Scale effects in crystal plasticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padubidri Janardhanachar, Guruprasad

The goal of this research work is to further the understanding of crystal plasticity, particularly at reduced structural and material length scales. Fundamental understanding of plasticity is central to various challenges facing design and manufacturing of materials for structural and electronic device applications. The development of microstructurally tailored advanced metallic materials with enhanced mechanical properties that can withstand extremes in stress, strain, and temperature, will aid in increasing the efficiency of power generating systems by allowing them to work at higher temperatures and pressures. High specific strength materials can lead to low fuel consumption in transport vehicles. Experiments have shown that enhanced mechanical properties can be obtained in materials by constraining their size, microstructure (e.g. grain size), or both for various applications. For the successful design of these materials, it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of the influence of different length scales and evolving microstructure on the overall behavior. In this study, distinction is made between the effect of structural and material length scale on the mechanical behavior of materials. A length scale associated with an underlying physical mechanism influencing the mechanical behavior can overlap with either structural length scales or material length scales. If it overlaps with structural length scales, then the material is said to be dimensionally constrained. On the other hand, if it overlaps with material length scales, for example grain size, then the material is said to be microstructurally constrained. The objectives of this research work are: (1) to investigate scale and size effects due to dimensional constraints; (2) to investigate size effects due to microstructural constraints; and (3) to develop a size dependent hardening model through coarse graining of dislocation dynamics. A discrete dislocation dynamics (DDD) framework where the scale of analysis is intermediate between a fully discretized (e.g. atomistic) and fully continuum is used for this study. This mesoscale tool allows to address all the stated objectives of this study within a single framework. Within this framework, the effect of structural and the material length scales are naturally accounted for in the simulations and need not be specified in an ad hoc manner, as in some continuum models. It holds the promise of connecting the evolution of the defect microstructure to the effective response of the crystal. Further, it provides useful information to develop physically motivated continuum models to model size effects in materials. The contributions of this study are: (a) provides a new interpretation of mechanical size effect due to only dimensional constraint using DDD; (b) a development of an experimentally validated DDD simulation methodology to model Cu micropillars; (c) a coarse graining technique using DDD to develop a phenomenological model to capture size effect on strain hardening; and (d) a development of a DDD framework for polycrystals to investigate grain size effect on yield strength and strain hardening.

Reproductive Declines in an Endangered Seabird: Cause for Concern or Signs of Conservation Success?

PubMed Central

Schuetz, Justin

2011-01-01

Collection and analysis of demographic data play a critical role in monitoring and management of endangered taxa. I analyzed long-term clutch size and fledgling productivity data for California least tern (Sternula antillarum browni), a federally endangered subspecies that has recently become a candidate for down-listing. While the breeding population grew from approximately 1,253 to 7,241 pairs (578%) during the study period (1988–2009) both clutch size and fledgling productivity declined. Clutch size decreased by approximately 0.27 eggs (14%) from 1990–2004 then showed a moderate increase of 0.11 eggs from 2004–2009. Estimates of fledgling productivity showed a similar pattern of decline and moderate increase even after controlling for clutch size. Sea surface temperature anomalies, an index of El Niño-Southern Oscillation activity, did not influence clutch size but were associated with fledgling productivity through a non-linear relationship. Both clutch size and fledgling productivity increased with latitude, potentially indicating a gradient of life-history trade-offs. Random site effects explained little of the overall variation in clutch size (3%) or fledgling productivity (<1%) suggesting that site characteristics beyond those associated with latitude had little bearing on either measure of reproduction. Despite intensive monitoring and management, causes of variation in key demographic parameters remain poorly understood. Long-term declines in clutch size and fledgling productivity may reflect: 1) reduced food availability, 2) increased density-dependent competition, and/or 3) age-dependent reproduction coupled with a shifting population age-structure. Until the mechanisms shaping demographic parameters and population change are better understood, the success of past management and the probability of ongoing recovery will remain difficult to characterize. PMID:21559287

Statistical shear lag model - unraveling the size effect in hierarchical composites.

PubMed

Wei, Xiaoding; Filleter, Tobin; Espinosa, Horacio D

2015-05-01

Numerous experimental and computational studies have established that the hierarchical structures encountered in natural materials, such as the brick-and-mortar structure observed in sea shells, are essential for achieving defect tolerance. Due to this hierarchy, the mechanical properties of natural materials have a different size dependence compared to that of typical engineered materials. This study aimed to explore size effects on the strength of bio-inspired staggered hierarchical composites and to define the influence of the geometry of constituents in their outstanding defect tolerance capability. A statistical shear lag model is derived by extending the classical shear lag model to account for the statistics of the constituents' strength. A general solution emerges from rigorous mathematical derivations, unifying the various empirical formulations for the fundamental link length used in previous statistical models. The model shows that the staggered arrangement of constituents grants composites a unique size effect on mechanical strength in contrast to homogenous continuous materials. The model is applied to hierarchical yarns consisting of double-walled carbon nanotube bundles to assess its predictive capabilities for novel synthetic materials. Interestingly, the model predicts that yarn gauge length does not significantly influence the yarn strength, in close agreement with experimental observations. Copyright © 2015 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alumina at 50 and 13 nm nanoparticle sizes have potential genotoxicity.

PubMed

Zhang, Qinli; Wang, Haiyang; Ge, Cuicui; Duncan, Jeremy; He, Kaihong; Adeosun, Samuel O; Xi, Huaxin; Peng, Huiting; Niu, Qiao

2017-09-01

Although nanomaterials have the potential to improve human life, their sideline effects on human health seem to be inevitable and still are unknown. Some studies have investigated the genotoxicity of alumina nanoparticles (AlNPs); however, this effect is still unclear due to insufficient evaluation and conflicting results. Using a battery of standard genotoxic assays, the present study offers evidence of the genotoxicity associated with aluminum oxide (alumina) at NP sizes of 50 and 13 nm, when compared with bulk alumina (10 μm). The genotoxicity induced by alumina at bulk and NP sizes was evaluated with Ames test, comet test, micronucleus assay and sperm deformity test. The mechanism related to the induction of reactive oxygen species was explored as well. Our results showed that AlNPs (13 and 50 nm) were able to enter cells and induced DNA damage, micronucleus in bone marrow, sperm deformation and reactive oxygen species induction in a time-, dose- and size-dependent manner. Therefore, we conclude that AlNPs (13 and 50 nm), rather than bulk alumina, induce markers of genotoxicity in mice, with oxidative stress as a potential mechanism driving these genotoxic effects. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

WHAMM Directs the Arp2/3 Complex to the ER for Autophagosome Biogenesis through an Actin Comet Tail Mechanism.

PubMed

Kast, David J; Zajac, Allison L; Holzbaur, Erika L F; Ostap, E Michael; Dominguez, Roberto

2015-06-29

Nucleation-promoting factors (NPFs) control the spatio-temporal activity of Arp2/3 complex in cells]. Thus, WASP and the WAVE complex direct the formation of branched actin networks at the leading edge during cell motility and endo/exocytosis, whereas the WASH complex is involved in endosomal transport. Less understood are WHAMM and JMY, two NPFs with similar domain architecture. JMY is found in the nucleus and the cytosol and is involved in transcriptional regulation, cell motility, and trans-Golgi transport. WHAMM was reported to bind microtubules and to be involved in ER to cis-Golgi transport. Here, we show that WHAMM directs the activity of Arp2/3 complex for autophagosome biogenesis through an actin-comet tail motility mechanism. Macroautophagy--the process by which cytosolic material is engulfed into autophagosomes for degradation and/or recycling--was recently shown to involve actin, but the mechanism is unknown. We found that WHAMM forms puncta that colocalize and comigrate with the autophagy markers LC3, DFCP1, and p62 through a WHAMM-dependent actin-comet tail mechanism. Under starvation, WHAMM and actin are observed at the interface between neighboring autophagosomes, whose number and size increase with WHAMM expression. Interfering with actin polymerization, inhibiting Arp2/3 complex, knocking down WHAMM, or blocking its interaction with Arp2/3 complex through mutagenesis all inhibit comet tail formation and reduce the size and number of autophagosomes. Finally, JMY shows similar localization to WHAMM and could be involved in similar processes. These results reveal a link between Arp2/3-complex-dependent actin assembly and autophagy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Plasmon-Based Colorimetric Nanosensors for Ultrasensitive Molecular Diagnostics.

PubMed

Tang, Longhua; Li, Jinghong

2017-07-28

Colorimetric detection of target analytes with high specificity and sensitivity is of fundamental importance to clinical and personalized point-of-care diagnostics. Because of their extraordinary optical properties, plasmonic nanomaterials have been introduced into colorimetric sensing systems, which provide significantly improved sensitivity in various biosensing applications. Here we review the recent progress on these plasmonic nanoparticles-based colorimetric nanosensors for ultrasensitive molecular diagnostics. According to their different colorimetric signal generation mechanisms, these plasmonic nanosensors are classified into two categories: (1) interparticle distance-dependent colorimetric assay based on target-induced forming cross-linking assembly/aggregate of plasmonic nanoparticles; and (2) size/morphology-dependent colorimetric assay by target-controlled growth/etching of the plasmonic nanoparticles. The sensing fundamentals and cutting-edge applications will be provided for each of them, particularly focusing on signal generation and/or amplification mechanisms that realize ultrasensitive molecular detection. Finally, we also discuss the challenge and give our future perspective in this emerging field.

COMP-1 promotes competitive advantage of nematode sperm.

PubMed

Hansen, Jody M; Chavez, Daniela R; Stanfield, Gillian M

2015-03-19

Competition among sperm to fertilize oocytes is a ubiquitous feature of sexual reproduction as well as a profoundly important aspect of sexual selection. However, little is known about the cellular mechanisms sperm use to gain competitive advantage or how these mechanisms are regulated genetically. In this study, we utilize a forward genetic screen in Caenorhabditis elegans to identify a gene, comp-1, whose function is specifically required in competitive contexts. We show that comp-1 functions in sperm to modulate their migration through and localization within the reproductive tract, thereby promoting their access to oocytes. Contrary to previously described models, comp-1 mutant sperm show no defects in size or velocity, thereby defining a novel pathway for preferential usage. Our results indicate not only that sperm functional traits can influence the outcome of sperm competition, but also that these traits can be modulated in a context-dependent manner depending on the presence of competing sperm.

The recombination mechanisms leading to amplified spontaneous emission at the true-green wavelength in CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Priante, D.; Dursun, I.; Alias, M. S.; Shi, D.; Melnikov, V. A.; Ng, T. K.; Mohammed, O. F.; Bakr, O. M.; Ooi, B. S.

2015-02-01

We investigated the mechanisms of radiative recombination in a CH3NH3PbBr3 hybrid perovskite material using low-temperature, power-dependent (77 K), and temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) measurements. Two bound-excitonic radiative transitions related to grain size inhomogeneity were identified. Both transitions led to PL spectra broadening as a result of concurrent blue and red shifts of these excitonic peaks. The red-shifted bound-excitonic peak dominated at high PL excitation led to a true-green wavelength of 553 nm for CH3NH3PbBr3 powders that are encapsulated in polydimethylsiloxane. Amplified spontaneous emission was eventually achieved for an excitation threshold energy of approximately 350 μJ/cm2. Our results provide a platform for potential extension towards a true-green light-emitting device for solid-state lighting and display applications.

Mechanisms of viral mutation.

PubMed

Sanjuán, Rafael; Domingo-Calap, Pilar

2016-12-01

The remarkable capacity of some viruses to adapt to new hosts and environments is highly dependent on their ability to generate de novo diversity in a short period of time. Rates of spontaneous mutation vary amply among viruses. RNA viruses mutate faster than DNA viruses, single-stranded viruses mutate faster than double-strand virus, and genome size appears to correlate negatively with mutation rate. Viral mutation rates are modulated at different levels, including polymerase fidelity, sequence context, template secondary structure, cellular microenvironment, replication mechanisms, proofreading, and access to post-replicative repair. Additionally, massive numbers of mutations can be introduced by some virus-encoded diversity-generating elements, as well as by host-encoded cytidine/adenine deaminases. Our current knowledge of viral mutation rates indicates that viral genetic diversity is determined by multiple virus- and host-dependent processes, and that viral mutation rates can evolve in response to specific selective pressures.

Climatic and density influences on recruitment in an irruptive population of Roosevelt elk

USGS Publications Warehouse

Starns, Heath D.; Ricca, Mark A.; Duarte, Adam; Weckerly, Floyd W.

2014-01-01

Current paradigms of ungulate population ecology recognize that density-dependent and independent mechanisms are not always mutually exclusive. Long-term data sets are necessary to assess the relative strength of each mechanism, especially when populations display irruptive dynamics. Using an 18-year time series of population abundances of Roosevelt elk (Cervus elaphus roosevelti) inhabiting Redwood National Park in northwestern California we assessed the influence of population size and climatic variation on elk recruitment and whether irruptive dynamics occurred. An information-theoretic model selection analysis indicated that abundance lagged 2 years and neither climatic factors nor a mix of abundance and climatic factors influenced elk recruitment. However, density-dependent recruitment differed between when the population was declining and when the population increased and then stabilized at an abundance lower than at the start of the decline. The population displayed irruptive dynamics.

Investigation of the milling capabilities of the F10 Fine Grind mill using Box-Behnken designs.

PubMed

Tan, Bernice Mei Jin; Tay, Justin Yong Soon; Wong, Poh Mun; Chan, Lai Wah; Heng, Paul Wan Sia

2015-01-01

Size reduction or milling of the active is often the first processing step in the design of a dosage form. The ability of a mill to convert coarse crystals into the target size and size distribution efficiently is highly desirable as the quality of the final pharmaceutical product after processing is often still dependent on the dimensional attributes of its component constituents. The F10 Fine Grind mill is a mechanical impact mill designed to produce unimodal mid-size particles by utilizing a single-pass two-stage size reduction process for fine grinding of raw materials needed in secondary processing. Box-Behnken designs were used to investigate the effects of various mill variables (impeller, blower and feeder speeds and screen aperture size) on the milling of coarse crystals. Response variables included the particle size parameters (D10, D50 and D90), span and milling rate. Milled particles in the size range of 5-200 μm, with D50 ranging from 15 to 60 μm, were produced. The impeller and feeder speeds were the most critical factors influencing the particle size and milling rate, respectively. Size distributions of milled particles were better described by their goodness-of-fit to a log-normal distribution (i.e. unimodality) rather than span. Milled particles with symmetrical unimodal distributions were obtained when the screen aperture size was close to the median diameter of coarse particles employed. The capacity for high throughput milling of particles to a mid-size range, which is intermediate between conventional mechanical impact mills and air jet mills, was demonstrated in the F10 mill. Prediction models from the Box-Behnken designs will aid in providing a better guide to the milling process and milled product characteristics. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exploring size and state dynamics in CdSe quantum dots using two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Caram, Justin R.; Zheng, Haibin; Dahlberg, Peter D.; Rolczynski, Brian S.; Griffin, Graham B.; Dolzhnikov, Dmitriy S.; Talapin, Dmitri V.; Engel, Gregory S.

2014-01-01

Development of optoelectronic technologies based on quantum dots depends on measuring, optimizing, and ultimately predicting charge carrier dynamics in the nanocrystal. In such systems, size inhomogeneity and the photoexcited population distribution among various excitonic states have distinct effects on electron and hole relaxation, which are difficult to distinguish spectroscopically. Two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy can help to untangle these effects by resolving excitation energy and subsequent nonlinear response in a single experiment. Using a filament-generated continuum as a pump and probe source, we collect two-dimensional spectra with sufficient spectral bandwidth to follow dynamics upon excitation of the lowest three optical transitions in a polydisperse ensemble of colloidal CdSe quantum dots. We first compare to prior transient absorption studies to confirm excitation-state-dependent dynamics such as increased surface-trapping upon excitation of hot electrons. Second, we demonstrate fast band-edge electron-hole pair solvation by ligand and phonon modes, as the ensemble relaxes to the photoluminescent state on a sub-picosecond time-scale. Third, we find that static disorder due to size polydispersity dominates the nonlinear response upon excitation into the hot electron manifold; this broadening mechanism stands in contrast to that of the band-edge exciton. Finally, we demonstrate excitation-energy dependent hot-carrier relaxation rates, and we describe how two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy can complement other transient nonlinear techniques. PMID:24588185

Temperature effect on the small-to-large crossover lengthscale of hydrophobic hydration

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

Djikaev, Y. S., E-mail: idjikaev@buffalo.edu; Ruckenstein, E.

2013-11-14

The thermodynamics of hydration is expected to change gradually from entropic for small solutes to enthalpic for large ones. The small-to-large crossover lengthscale of hydrophobic hydration depends on the thermodynamic conditions of the solvent such as temperature, pressure, presence of additives, etc. We attempt to shed some light on the temperature dependence of the crossover lengthscale by using a probabilistic approach to water hydrogen bonding that allows one to obtain an analytic expression for the number of bonds per water molecule as a function of both its distance to a solute and solute radius. Incorporating that approach into the densitymore » functional theory, one can examine the solute size effects on its hydration over the entire small-to-large lengthscale range at a series of different temperatures. Knowing the dependence of the hydration free energy on the temperature and solute size, one can also obtain its enthalpic and entropic contributions as functions of both temperature and solute size. These functions can provide some interesting insight into the temperature dependence of the crossover lengthscale of hydrophobic hydration. The model was applied to the hydration of spherical particles of various radii in water in the temperature range from T = 293.15 K to T = 333.15 K. The model predictions for the temperature dependence of the hydration free energy of small hydrophobes are consistent with the experimental and simulational data on the hydration of simple molecular solutes. Three alternative definitions for the small-to-large crossover length-scale of hydrophobic hydration are proposed, and their temperature dependence is obtained. Depending on the definition and temperature, the small-to-large crossover in the hydration mechanism is predicted to occur for hydrophobes of radii from one to several nanometers. Independent of its definition, the crossover length-scale is predicted to decrease with increasing temperature.« less

Development and validation of age-dependent FE human models of a mid-sized male thorax.

PubMed

El-Jawahri, Raed E; Laituri, Tony R; Ruan, Jesse S; Rouhana, Stephen W; Barbat, Saeed D

2010-11-01

The increasing number of people over 65 years old (YO) is an important research topic in the area of impact biomechanics, and finite element (FE) modeling can provide valuable support for related research. There were three objectives of this study: (1) Estimation of the representative age of the previously-documented Ford Human Body Model (FHBM) -- an FE model which approximates the geometry and mass of a mid-sized male, (2) Development of FE models representing two additional ages, and (3) Validation of the resulting three models to the extent possible with respect to available physical tests. Specifically, the geometry of the model was compared to published data relating rib angles to age, and the mechanical properties of different simulated tissues were compared to a number of published aging functions. The FHBM was determined to represent a 53-59 YO mid-sized male. The aforementioned aging functions were used to develop FE models representing two additional ages: 35 and 75 YO. The rib model was validated against human rib specimens and whole rib tests, under different loading conditions, with and without modeled fracture. In addition, the resulting three age-dependent models were validated by simulating cadaveric tests of blunt and sled impacts. The responses of the models, in general, were within the cadaveric response corridors. When compared to peak responses from individual cadavers similar in size and age to the age-dependent models, some responses were within one standard deviation of the test data. All the other responses, but one, were within two standard deviations.

Does large body size in males evolve to facilitate forcible insemination? A study on garter snakes.

PubMed

Shine, Richard; Mason, Robert T

2005-11-01

A trend for larger males to obtain a disproportionately high number of matings, as occurs in many animal populations, typically is attributed either to female choice or success in male-male rivalry; an alternative mechanism, that larger males are better able to coercively inseminate females, has received much less attention. For example, previous studies on garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) at communal dens in Manitoba have shown that the mating benefit to larger body size in males is due to size-dependent advantages in male-male rivalry. However, this previous work ignored the possibility that larger males may obtain more matings because of male-female interactions. In staged trials within outdoor arenas, larger body size enhanced male mating success regardless of whether a rival male was present. The mechanism involved was coercion rather than female choice, because mating occurred most often (and soonest) in females that were least able to resist courtship-induced hypoxic stress. Males do physically displace rivals from optimal positions in the mating ball, and larger males are better able to resist such displacement. Nonetheless, larger body size enhances male mating success even in the absence of such male-male interactions. Thus, even in mating systems where males compete physically and where larger body size confers a significant advantage in male-male competition, the actual selective force for larger body size in males may relate to forcible insemination of unreceptive females. Experimental studies are needed to determine whether the same situation occurs in other organisms in which body-size advantages have been attributed to male-male rather than male-female interactions.

The temperature size rule in arthropods: independent of macro-environmental variables but size dependent.

PubMed

Klok, C Jaco; Harrison, Jon F

2013-10-01

Temperature is a key factor that affects the rates of growth and development in animals, which ultimately determine body size. Although not universal, a widely documented and poorly understood pattern is the inverse relationship between the temperature at which an ectothermic animal is reared and its body size (temperature size rule [TSR]). The proximate and ultimate mechanisms for the TSR remain unclear. To explore possible explanations for the TSR, we tested for correlations between the magnitude/direction of the TSR and latitude, temperature, elevation, habitat, availability of oxygen, capacity for flight, and taxonomic grouping in 98 species/populations of arthropods. The magnitude and direction of the TSR was not correlated with any of the macro-environmental variables we examined, supporting the generality of the TSR. However, body size affected the magnitude and direction of the TSR, with smaller arthropods more likely to demonstrate a classic TSR. Considerable variation among species exists in the TSR, suggesting either strong interactions with nutrition, or selection based on microclimatic or seasonal variation not captured in classic macro-environmental variables.

Effects of chlorpyrifos on soil carboxylesterase activity at an aggregate-size scale.

PubMed

Sanchez-Hernandez, Juan C; Sandoval, Marco

2017-08-01

The impact of pesticides on extracellular enzyme activity has been mostly studied on the bulk soil scale, and our understanding of the impact on an aggregate-size scale remains limited. Because microbial processes, and their extracellular enzyme production, are dependent on the size of soil aggregates, we hypothesized that the effect of pesticides on enzyme activities is aggregate-size specific. We performed three experiments using an Andisol to test the interaction between carboxylesterase (CbE) activity and the organophosphorus (OP) chlorpyrifos. First, we compared esterase activity among aggregates of different size spiked with chlorpyrifos (10mgkg -1 wet soil). Next, we examined the inhibition of CbE activity by chlorpyrifos and its metabolite chlorpyrifos-oxon in vitro to explore the aggregate size-dependent affinity of the pesticides for the active site of the enzyme. Lastly, we assessed the capability of CbEs to alleviate chlorpyrifos toxicity upon soil microorganisms. Our principal findings were: 1) CbE activity was significantly inhibited (30-67% of controls) in the microaggregates (<0.25mm size) and smallest macroaggregates (<1.0 - 0.25mm), but did not change in the largest macroaggregates (>1.0mm) compared with the corresponding controls (i.e., pesticide-free aggregates), 2) chlorpyrifos-oxon was a more potent CbE inhibitor than chlorpyrifos; however, no significant differences in the CbE inhibition were found between micro- and macroaggregates, and 3) dose-response relationships between CbE activity and chlorpyrifos concentrations revealed the capability of the enzyme to bind chlorpyrifos-oxon, which was dependent on the time of exposure. This chemical interaction resulted in a safeguarding mechanism against chlorpyrifos-oxon toxicity on soil microbial activity, as evidenced by the unchanged activity of dehydrogenase and related extracellular enzymes in the pesticide-treated aggregates. Taken together, these results suggest that environmental risk assessments of OP-polluted soils should consider the fractionation of soil in aggregates of different size to measure the CbE activity, and other potential soil enzyme activities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of shock wave pattern and cavitation bubble size on tissue damage during ureteroscopic electrohydraulic lithotripsy.

PubMed

Vorreuther, R; Corleis, R; Klotz, T; Bernards, P; Engelmann, U

1995-03-01

It is known that electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL) during ureteroscopy may cause ureteral damage. To evaluate this trauma potential, find its mechanism and make it possible to avoid it, our research employed photographic evaluation, tissue studies, shock wave measurements and disintegration tests. The setup included a 3.3 F probe attached to an experimental generator with adjustable voltages and capacities providing energies from 25 mJ. to 1300 mJ. per pulse. In general, we distinguish between two traumatic mechanisms: (1) After placing the probe directly on the mucosa the rapid initial plasma penetrates the tissue resulting in a small, nonthermal, punched-like defect, whose depth depends on the energy applied. This trauma has minor clinical implications and is avoided by maintaining a minimum safety distance of 1 mm.; (2) According to physics, each plasma is followed by a cavitation bubble. The maximum size of this bubble depends on the energy applied and ranges from 3 mm. (25 mJ) to > 15 mm. (1300 mJ). In proportion to the bubble size, the ureteral wall may be distended or disrupted, even when the probe is not in direct contact with the mucosa. Therefore, the goal should be to obtain a low energy pressure pulse with high disintegration efficacy. Our evaluation of the pressure waves revealed that the selection of a high voltage and a low capacity leads to short and steep "laser-like" pulses. These pulses have a significant higher impact on stone disintegration than the broader pulses of the same energy provided by currently available generators.

The influence of size, clearance, cartilage properties, thickness and hemiarthroplasty on the contact mechanics of the hip joint with biphasic layers.

PubMed

Li, Junyan; Stewart, Todd D; Jin, Zhongmin; Wilcox, Ruth K; Fisher, John

2013-06-21

Computational models of the natural hip joint are needed to examine and optimise tissue sparing interventions where the natural cartilage remains part of the bearing surfaces. Although the importance of interstitial fluid pressurisation in the performance of cartilage has long been recognized, few studies have investigated the time dependent interstitial fluid pressurisation in a three dimensional natural hip joint model. The primary aim of this study was to develop a finite element model of the natural hip incorporating the biphasic cartilage layers that was capable of simulating the joint response over a prolonged physiological loading period. An initial set of sensitivity studies were also undertaken to investigate the influence of hip size, clearance, cartilage properties, thickness and hemiarthroplasty on the contact mechanics of the joint. The contact stress, contact area, fluid pressure and fluid support ratio were calculated and cross-compared between models with different parameters to evaluate their influence. It was found that the model predictions for the period soon after loading were sensitive to the hip size, clearance, cartilage aggregate modulus, thickness and hemiarthroplasty, while the time dependent behaviour over 3000s was influenced by the hip clearance and cartilage aggregate modulus, permeability, thickness and hemiarthroplasty. The modelling methods developed in this study provide a basic platform for biphasic simulation of the whole hip joint onto which more sophisticated material models or other input parameters could be added in the future. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Rotational Failure of Rubble-pile Bodies: Influences of Shear and Cohesive Strengths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yun; Richardson, Derek C.; Barnouin, Olivier S.; Michel, Patrick; Schwartz, Stephen R.; Ballouz, Ronald-Louis

2018-04-01

The shear and cohesive strengths of a rubble-pile asteroid could influence the critical spin at which the body fails and its subsequent evolution. We present results using a soft-sphere discrete element method to explore the mechanical properties and dynamical behaviors of self-gravitating rubble piles experiencing increasing rotational centrifugal forces. A comprehensive contact model incorporating translational and rotational friction and van der Waals cohesive interactions is developed to simulate rubble-pile asteroids. It is observed that the critical spin depends strongly on both the frictional and cohesive forces between particles in contact; however, the failure behaviors only show dependence on the cohesive force. As cohesion increases, the deformation of the simulated body prior to disruption is diminished, the disruption process is more abrupt, and the component size of the fissioned material is increased. When the cohesive strength is high enough, the body can disaggregate into similar-size fragments, which could be a plausible mechanism to form asteroid pairs or active asteroids. The size distribution and velocity dispersion of the fragments in high-cohesion simulations show similarities to the disintegrating asteroid P/2013 R3, indicating that this asteroid may possess comparable cohesion in its structure and experience rotational fission in a similar manner. Additionally, we propose a method for estimating a rubble pile’s friction angle and bulk cohesion from spin-up numerical experiments, which provides the opportunity for making quantitative comparisons with continuum theory. The results show that the present technique has great potential for predicting the behaviors and estimating the material strengths of cohesive rubble-pile asteroids.

Size-dependent melting modes and behaviors of Ag nanoparticles: a molecular dynamics study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Tianshou; Zhou, Dejian; Wu, Zhaohua; Shi, Pengpeng

2017-12-01

The size-dependent melting behaviors and mechanisms of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) with diameters of 3.5-16 nm were investigated by molecular dynamics (MD). Two distinct melting modes, non-premelting and premelting with transition ranges of about 7-8 nm, for Ag NPs were demonstrated via the evolution of distribution and transition of atomic physical states during annealing. The small Ag NPs (3.5-7 nm) melt abruptly without a stable liquid shell before the melting point, which is characterized as non-premelting. A solid-solid crystal transformation is conducted through the migration of adatoms on the surface of Ag NPs with diameters of 3.5-6 nm before the initial melting, which is mainly responsible for slightly increasing the melting point of Ag NPs. On the other hand, surface premelting of Ag NPs with diameters of 8-16 nm propagates from the outer shell to the inner core with initial anisotropy and late isotropy as the temperature increases, and the close-packed facets {111} melt by a side-consumed way which is responsible for facets {111} melting in advance relative to the crystallographic plane {111}. Once a stable liquid shell is formed, its size-independent minimum thickness is obtained, and a three-layer structure of atomic physical states is set up. Lastly, the theory of point defect-pair (vacancy-interstitial) severing as the mechanism of formation and movement of the solid-liquid interface was also confirmed. Our study provides a basic understanding and theoretical guidance for the research, production and application of Ag NPs.

Muscle synergy space: learning model to create an optimal muscle synergy

PubMed Central

Alnajjar, Fady; Wojtara, Tytus; Kimura, Hidenori; Shimoda, Shingo

2013-01-01

Muscle redundancy allows the central nervous system (CNS) to choose a suitable combination of muscles from a number of options. This flexibility in muscle combinations allows for efficient behaviors to be generated in daily life. The computational mechanism of choosing muscle combinations, however, remains a long-standing challenge. One effective method of choosing muscle combinations is to create a set containing the muscle combinations of only efficient behaviors, and then to choose combinations from that set. The notion of muscle synergy, which was introduced to divide muscle activations into a lower-dimensional synergy space and time-dependent variables, is a suitable tool relevant to the discussion of this issue. The synergy space defines the suitable combinations of muscles, and time-dependent variables vary in lower-dimensional space to control behaviors. In this study, we investigated the mechanism the CNS may use to define the appropriate region and size of the synergy space when performing skilled behavior. Two indices were introduced in this study, one is the synergy stability index (SSI) that indicates the region of the synergy space, the other is the synergy coordination index (SCI) that indicates the size of the synergy space. The results on automatic posture response experiments show that SSI and SCI are positively correlated with the balance skill of the participants, and they are tunable by behavior training. These results suggest that the CNS has the ability to create optimal sets of efficient behaviors by optimizing the size of the synergy space at the appropriate region through interacting with the environment. PMID:24133444

Viscous shear heating instabilities in a 1-D viscoelastic shear zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Homburg, J. M.; Coon, E. T.; Spiegelman, M.; Kelemen, P. B.; Hirth, G.

2010-12-01

Viscous shear instabilities may provide a possible mechanism for some intermediate depth earthquakes where high confining pressure makes it difficult to achieve frictional failure. While many studies have explored the feedback between temperature-dependent strain rate and strain-rate dependent shear heating (e.g. Braeck and Podladchikov, 2007), most have used thermal anomalies to initiate a shear instability or have imposed a low viscosity region in their model domain (John et al., 2009). By contrast, Kelemen and Hirth (2007) relied on an initial grain size contrast between a predetermined fine-grained shear zone and coarse grained host rock to initiate an instability. This choice is supported by observations of numerous fine grained ductile shear zones in shallow mantle massifs as well as the possibility that annealed fine grained fault gouge, formed at oceanic transforms, subduction related thrusts and ‘outer rise’ faults, could be carried below the brittle/ductile transition by subduction. Improving upon the work of Kelemen and Hirth (2007), we have developed a 1-D numerical model that describes the behavior of a Maxwell viscoelastic body with the rheology of dry olivine being driven at a constant velocity at its boundary. We include diffusion and dislocation creep, dislocation accommodated grain boundary sliding, and low-temperature plasticity (Peierls mechanism). Initial results suggest that including low-temperature plasticity inhibits the ability of the system to undergo an instability, similar to the results of Kameyama et al. (1999). This is due to increased deformation in the background allowing more shear heating to take place, and thus softening the system prior to reaching the peak stress. However if the applied strain rate is high enough (e.g. greater than 0.5 x 10-11 s-1 for a domain size of 2 km, an 8 m wide shear zone, a background grain size of 1 mm, a shear zone grain size of 150 μm, and an initial temperature of 650°C) dramatic instabilities can occur. The instability is enhanced by the development of a self-localizing thermal perturbation in the fine grained zone that is narrower than the original width of the fine-grained zone. To examine the effect of melting, we include a parameterization of partially molten rock viscosity as a function of temperature assuming a simple relationship between melt fraction and temperature. At T > ~1400°C, all other deformation mechanisms are deactivated but shear heating continues, allowing for continued temperature evolution. In addition a strain rate cap proportional to the shear wave velocity in olivine has been imposed, reflecting the maximum rate that changes in stress can be communicated through the system. While Kelemen and Hirth (2007) allowed for grain size evolution, this has not yet been implemented in our model. Adding grain size evolution as an additional strain softening mechanism would probably allow instabilities to develop at more geologically reasonable applied strain rates. In addition to discussing the stability of the olivine only system, we will explore grain size evolution during system evolution and evaluate the consequences that the grain size evolution and lithology have on the stability of the system.

Kinetics and Mechanisms of Chemical and Biological Agents Release from Biopolymeric Microcapsules.

PubMed

Vinceković, Marko; Jurić, Slaven; Đermić, Edyta; Topolovec-Pintarić, Snježana

2017-11-08

Kinetics and mechanisms of copper cations and Trichoderma viride spores release from uncoated and chitosan coated alginate microcapsules were investigated. The gelation of a fixed amount of sodium alginate at different concentrations of copper ion solutions resulted in distinct kinetics and release mechanisms. The increase in copper cation concentration promoted, but the presence of the chitosan layer on the microcapsule surface and the increase in microcapsule size reduced the rate of active agent release. Fitting to simple Korsmeyer-Peppas empirical model revealed that the underlying release mechanism (Fickian diffusion or a combination of the diffusion and erosion mechanisms) depends on the copper cation concentration and presence of T. viride spores. The investigation pointed out that the proper selection of formulation variables helps in designing microcapsules with the desirable release of copper ions and T. viride for plant protection and nutrition.

Fracture strength of the particulate-reinforced ultra-high temperature ceramics based on a temperature dependent fracture toughness model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ruzhuan; Li, Weiguo; Ji, Baohua; Fang, Daining

2017-10-01

The particulate-reinforced ultra-high temperature ceramics (pUHTCs) have been particularly developed for fabricating the leading edge and nose cap of hypersonic vehicles. They have drawn intensive attention of scientific community for their superior fracture strength at high temperatures. However, there is no proper model for predicting the fracture strength of the ceramic composites and its dependency on temperature. In order to account for the effect of temperature on the fracture strength, we proposed a concept called energy storage capacity, by which we derived a new model for depicting the temperature dependent fracture toughness of the composites. This model gives a quantitative relationship between the fracture toughness and temperature. Based on this temperature dependent fracture toughness model and Griffith criterion, we developed a new fracture strength model for predicting the temperature dependent fracture strength of pUHTCs at different temperatures. The model takes into account the effects of temperature, flaw size and residual stress without any fitting parameters. The predictions of the fracture strength of pUHTCs in argon or air agreed well with the experimental measurements. Additionally, our model offers a mechanism of monitoring the strength of materials at different temperatures by testing the change of flaw size. This study provides a quantitative tool for design, evaluation and monitoring of the fracture properties of pUHTCs at high temperatures.

Antimicrobial and Antimycobacterial Activity of Cyclostellettamine Alkaloids from Sponge Pachychalina sp.

PubMed Central

de Oliveira, Jaine H. H. L.; Seleghim, Mirna H. R.; Timm, Christoph; Grube, Achim; Köck, Matthias; Nascimento, Gislene G.F.; Martins, Ana Claudia T.; Silva, Elissa G. O.; de Souza, Ana Olívia; Minarini, Paulo R. R.; Galetti, Fabio C. S.; Silva, Célio L.; Hajdu, Eduardo; Berlinck, Roberto G. S.

2006-01-01

Cyclostellettamines A – F (1 – 6) isolated from the sponge Pachychalina sp. and cyclostellettamines G - I, K and L (7 – 11) obtained by synthesis were evaluated in bioassays of antimicrobial activity against susceptible and antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and antibiotic-susceptible Escherichia coli and Candida albicans, as well as in antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv bioassays. The results obtained indicated that cyclostellettamines display different antimicrobial activity depending on the alkyl-chain size, suggesting that, if a mechanism-of action is implied, it is dependent on the distance between the two pyridinium moieties of cyclostellettamines.

Triplet exciton diffusion in fac-tris(2-phenylpyridine) iridium(III)-cored electroluminescent dendrimers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Namdas, Ebinazar B.; Ruseckas, Arvydas; Samuel, Ifor D. W.; Lo, Shih-Chun; Burn, Paul L.

2005-02-01

We have studied triplet-triplet annihilation in neat films of electrophosphorescent fac-tris(2-phenylpyridine) iridium(III) [Ir(ppy)3]-cored dendrimers containing phenylene- and carbazole-based dendrons with 2-ethylhexyloxy surface groups using time-resolved photoluminescence. From measured annihilation rates, the limiting current densities above which annihilation would dominate in dendrimer light-emitting devices are found to be >1A/cm2. The triplet exciton diffusion length varies in the range of 2-10 nm depending on the dendron size. The distance dependence of the nearest-neighbor hopping rate shows that energy transfer is dominated by the exchange mechanism.

Beyond the Young-Laplace model for cluster growth during dewetting of thin films: effective coarsening exponents and the role of long range dewetting interactions.

PubMed

Constantinescu, Adi; Golubović, Leonardo; Levandovsky, Artem

2013-09-01

Long range dewetting forces acting across thin films, such as the fundamental van der Waals interactions, may drive the formation of large clusters (tall multilayer islands) and pits, observed in thin films of diverse materials such as polymers, liquid crystals, and metals. In this study we further develop the methodology of the nonequilibrium statistical mechanics of thin films coarsening within continuum interface dynamics model incorporating long range dewetting interactions. The theoretical test bench model considered here is a generalization of the classical Mullins model for the dynamics of solid film surfaces. By analytic arguments and simulations of the model, we study the coarsening growth laws of clusters formed in thin films due to the dewetting interactions. The ultimate cluster growth scaling laws at long times are strongly universal: Short and long range dewetting interactions yield the same coarsening exponents. However, long range dewetting interactions, such as the van der Waals forces, introduce a distinct long lasting early time scaling behavior characterized by a slow growth of the cluster height/lateral size aspect ratio (i.e., a time-dependent Young angle) and by effective coarsening exponents that depend on cluster size. In this study, we develop a theory capable of analytically calculating these effective size-dependent coarsening exponents characterizing the cluster growth in the early time regime. Such a pronounced early time scaling behavior has been indeed seen in experiments; however, its physical origin has remained elusive to this date. Our theory attributes these observed phenomena to ubiquitous long range dewetting interactions acting across thin solid and liquid films. Our results are also applicable to cluster growth in initially very thin fluid films, formed by depositing a few monolayers or by a submonolayer deposition. Under this condition, the dominant coarsening mechanism is diffusive intercluster mass transport while the cluster coalescence plays a minor role, both in solid and in fluid films.

Density-dependence interacts with extrinsic mortality in shaping life histories

PubMed Central

Burger, Oskar; Kozłowski, Jan

2017-01-01

The role of extrinsic mortality in shaping life histories is poorly understood. However, substantial evidence suggests that extrinsic mortality interacts with density-dependence in crucial ways. We develop a model combining Evolutionarily Stable Strategies with a projection matrix that allows resource allocation to growth, tissue repairs, and reproduction. Our model examines three cases, with density-dependence acting on: (i) mortality, (ii) fecundity, and (iii) production rate. We demonstrate that density-independent extrinsic mortality influences the rate of aging, age at maturity, growth rate, and adult size provided that density-dependence acts on fertility or juvenile mortality. However, density-independent extrinsic mortality has no effect on these life history traits when density-dependence acts on survival. We show that extrinsic mortality interacts with density-dependence via a compensation mechanism: the higher the extrinsic mortality the lower the strength of density-dependence. However, this compensation fully offsets the effect of extrinsic mortality only if density-dependence acts on survival independently of age. Both the age-pattern and the type of density-dependence are crucial for shaping life history traits. PMID:29049399

Kinetic characterization of Vibrio cholerae ApbE: Substrate specificity and regulatory mechanisms

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

Fang, Xuan; Liang, Pingdong; Raba, Daniel Alexander

ApbE is a member of a novel family of flavin transferases that incorporates flavin mononucleotide (FMN) to subunits of diverse respiratory complexes, which fulfill important homeostatic functions. In this work a detailed characterization of Vibrio cholerae ApbE physiologic activity, substrate specificity and pH dependency was carried out. The data obtained show novel characteristics of the regulation and function of this family. For instance, our experiments indicate that divalent cations are essential for ApbE function, and that the selectivity depends largely on size and the coordination sphere of the cation. Our data also show that ApbE regulation by pH, ADP andmore » potassium is an important mechanism that enhances the adaptation, survival and colonization of V. cholerae in the small intestine. Moreover, studies of the pH-dependency of the activity show that the reaction is favored under alkaline conditions, with a pKa of 8.4. These studies, together with sequence and structure analysis allowed us to identify His257, which is absolutely conserved in the family, as a candidate for the residue whose deprotonation controls the activity. Remarkably, the mutant H257G abolished the flavin transfer activity, strongly indicating that this residue plays an important role in the catalytic mechanism of ApbE.« less

Understanding Mechanical Response of Elastomeric Graphene Networks

PubMed Central

Ni, Na; Barg, Suelen; Garcia-Tunon, Esther; Macul Perez, Felipe; Miranda, Miriam; Lu, Cong; Mattevi, Cecilia; Saiz, Eduardo

2015-01-01

Ultra-light porous networks based on nano-carbon materials (such as graphene or carbon nanotubes) have attracted increasing interest owing to their applications in wide fields from bioengineering to electrochemical devices. However, it is often difficult to translate the properties of nanomaterials to bulk three-dimensional networks with a control of their mechanical properties. In this work, we constructed elastomeric graphene porous networks with well-defined structures by freeze casting and thermal reduction, and investigated systematically the effect of key microstructural features. The porous networks made of large reduced graphene oxide flakes (>20 μm) are superelastic and exhibit high energy absorption, showing much enhanced mechanical properties than those with small flakes (<2 μm). A better restoration of the graphitic nature also has a considerable effect. In comparison, microstructural differences, such as the foam architecture or the cell size have smaller or negligible effect on the mechanical response. The recoverability and energy adsorption depend on density with the latter exhibiting a minimum due to the interplay between wall fracture and friction during deformation. These findings suggest that an improvement in the mechanical properties of porous graphene networks significantly depend on the engineering of the graphene flake that controls the property of the cell walls. PMID:26348898

Length-dependent mechanical properties of gold nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Jing; Fang, Liang; Sun, Jiapeng; Han, Ying; Sun, Kun

2012-12-01

The well-known "size effect" is not only related to the diameter but also to the length of the small volume materials. It is unfortunate that the length effect on the mechanical behavior of nanowires is rarely explored in contrast to the intensive studies of the diameter effect. The present paper pays attention to the length-dependent mechanical properties of <111>-oriented single crystal gold nanowires employing the large-scale molecular dynamics simulation. It is discovered that the ultrashort Au nanowires exhibit a new deformation and failure regime-high elongation and high strength. The constrained dislocation nucleation and transient dislocation slipping are observed as the dominant mechanism for such unique combination of high strength and high elongation. A mechanical model based on image force theory is developed to provide an insight to dislocation nucleation and capture the yield strength and nucleation site of first partial dislocation indicated by simulation results. Increasing the length of the nanowires, the ductile-to-brittle transition is confirmed. And the new explanation is suggested in the predict model of this transition. Inspired by the superior properties, a new approach to strengthen and toughen nanowires-hard/soft/hard sandwich structured nanowires is suggested. A preliminary evidence from the molecular dynamics simulation corroborates the present opinion.

Utilizing Electrical Characteristics of Individual Nanotube Devices to Study the Charge Transfer between CdSe Quantum Dots and Double-Walled Nanotubes

DOE PAGES

Zhu, Yuqi; Zhou, Ruiping; Wang, Lei; ...

2017-03-02

To study the charge transfer between cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs) and double-walled nanotubes (DWNTs), various sizes of CdSe-ligand-DWNT structures are synthesized, and field-effect transistors (FETs) from individual functionalized DWNTs rather than networks of the same are fabricated. From the electrical measurements, two distinct electron transfer mechanisms from the QD system to the nanotube are identified. By the formation of the CdSe-ligand-DWNT heterostructure, an effectively n-doped nanotube is created due to the smaller work function of CdSe as compared with the nanotube. In addition, once the QD-DWNT system is exposed to laser light, further electron transfer from the QDmore » through the ligand, i.e. 4-mercaptophenol (MTH), to the nanotube occurs and a clear QD-size dependent tunneling process is observed. Furthermore, the detailed analysis of a large set of devices and the particular methodology employed here for the first time allowed for extracting a wavelength and quantum dot size dependent charge transfer efficiency – a quantity that is evaluated for the first time through electrical measurement.« less

Monte Carlo modeling of single-molecule cytoplasmic dynein.

PubMed

Singh, Manoranjan P; Mallik, Roop; Gross, Steven P; Yu, Clare C

2005-08-23

Molecular motors are responsible for active transport and organization in the cell, underlying an enormous number of crucial biological processes. Dynein is more complicated in its structure and function than other motors. Recent experiments have found that, unlike other motors, dynein can take different size steps along microtubules depending on load and ATP concentration. We use Monte Carlo simulations to model the molecular motor function of cytoplasmic dynein at the single-molecule level. The theory relates dynein's enzymatic properties to its mechanical force production. Our simulations reproduce the main features of recent single-molecule experiments that found a discrete distribution of dynein step sizes, depending on load and ATP concentration. The model reproduces the large steps found experimentally under high ATP and no load by assuming that the ATP binding affinities at the secondary sites decrease as the number of ATP bound to these sites increases. Additionally, to capture the essential features of the step-size distribution at very low ATP concentration and no load, the ATP hydrolysis of the primary site must be dramatically reduced when none of the secondary sites have ATP bound to them. We make testable predictions that should guide future experiments related to dynein function.

Utilizing Electrical Characteristics of Individual Nanotube Devices to Study the Charge Transfer between CdSe Quantum Dots and Double-Walled Nanotubes

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

Zhu, Yuqi; Zhou, Ruiping; Wang, Lei

To study the charge transfer between cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs) and double-walled nanotubes (DWNTs), various sizes of CdSe-ligand-DWNT structures are synthesized, and field-effect transistors (FETs) from individual functionalized DWNTs rather than networks of the same are fabricated. From the electrical measurements, two distinct electron transfer mechanisms from the QD system to the nanotube are identified. By the formation of the CdSe-ligand-DWNT heterostructure, an effectively n-doped nanotube is created due to the smaller work function of CdSe as compared with the nanotube. In addition, once the QD-DWNT system is exposed to laser light, further electron transfer from the QDmore » through the ligand, i.e. 4-mercaptophenol (MTH), to the nanotube occurs and a clear QD-size dependent tunneling process is observed. Furthermore, the detailed analysis of a large set of devices and the particular methodology employed here for the first time allowed for extracting a wavelength and quantum dot size dependent charge transfer efficiency – a quantity that is evaluated for the first time through electrical measurement.« less

Role of Surface Charge Density in Nanoparticle-templated Assembly of Bromovirus Protein Cages

PubMed Central

Daniel, Marie-Christine; Tsvetkova, Irina B.; Quinkert, Zachary T.; Murali, Ayaluru; De, Mrinmoy; Rotello, Vincent M.; Kao, C. Cheng; Dragnea, Bogdan

2010-01-01

Self-assembling icosahedral protein cages have potencially useful physical and chemical characteristics for a variety of nanotechnology applications, ranging from therapeutic or diagnostic vectors to building blocks for hierarchical materials. For application-specific functional control of protein cage assemblies, a deeper understanding of the interaction between the protein cage and its payload is necessary. Protein-cage encapsulated nanoparticles, with their well-defined surface chemistry, allow for systematic control over key parameters of encapsulation such as the surface charge, hydrophobicity, and size. Independent control over these variables allows experimental testing of different assembly mechanism models. Previous studies done with Brome mosaic virus capsids and negatively-charged gold nanoparticles indicated that the result of the self-assembly process depends on the diameter of the particle. However, in these experiments, the surface-ligand density was maintained at saturation levels, while the total charge and the radius of curvature remained coupled variables, making the interpretation of the observed dependence on the core size difficult. The current work furnishes evidence of a critical surface charge density for assembly through an analysis aimed at decoupling the surface charge the core size. PMID:20575505

Model for temperature-dependent magnetization of nanocrystalline materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bian, Q.; Niewczas, M.

2015-01-01

A magnetization model of nanocrystalline materials incorporating intragrain anisotropies, intergrain interactions, and texture effects has been extended to include the thermal fluctuations. The method relies on the stochastic Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert theory of magnetization dynamics and permits to study the magnetic properties of nanocrystalline materials at arbitrary temperature below the Currie temperature. The model has been used to determine the intergrain exchange constant and grain boundary anisotropy constant of nanocrystalline Ni at 100 K and 298 K. It is found that the thermal fluctuations suppress the strength of the intergrain exchange coupling and also reduce the grain boundary anisotropy. In comparison with its value at 2 K, the interparticle exchange constant decreases by 16% and 42% and the grain boundary anisotropy constant decreases by 28% and 40% at 100 K and 298 K, respectively. An application of the model to study the grain size-dependent magnetization indicates that when the thermal activation energy is comparable to the free energy of grains, the decrease in the grain size leads to the decrease in the magnetic permeability and saturation magnetization. The mechanism by which the grain size influences the magnetic properties of nc-Ni is discussed.

Non-Hookean statistical mechanics of clamped graphene ribbons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowick, Mark J.; Košmrlj, Andrej; Nelson, David R.; Sknepnek, Rastko

2017-03-01

Thermally fluctuating sheets and ribbons provide an intriguing forum in which to investigate strong violations of Hooke's Law: Large distance elastic parameters are in fact not constant but instead depend on the macroscopic dimensions. Inspired by recent experiments on free-standing graphene cantilevers, we combine the statistical mechanics of thin elastic plates and large-scale numerical simulations to investigate the thermal renormalization of the bending rigidity of graphene ribbons clamped at one end. For ribbons of dimensions W ×L (with L ≥W ), the macroscopic bending rigidity κR determined from cantilever deformations is independent of the width when W <ℓth , where ℓth is a thermal length scale, as expected. When W >ℓth , however, this thermally renormalized bending rigidity begins to systematically increase, in agreement with the scaling theory, although in our simulations we were not quite able to reach the system sizes necessary to determine the fully developed power law dependence on W . When the ribbon length L >ℓp , where ℓp is the W -dependent thermally renormalized ribbon persistence length, we observe a scaling collapse and the beginnings of large scale random walk behavior.

Effect of service exposure on fatigue crack propagation of Inconel 718 turbine disc material at elevated temperatures

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

Jeong, Dae-Ho; Choi, Myung-Je; Goto, Masahiro

In this study, the fatigue crack propagation behavior of Inconel 718 turbine disc with different service times from 0 to 4229 h was investigated at 738 and 823 K. No notable change in microstructural features, other than the increase in grain size, was observed with increasing service time. With increasing service time from 0 to 4229 h, the fatigue crack propagation rates tended to increase, while the ΔK{sub th} value decreased, in low ΔK regime and lower Paris' regime at both testing temperatures. The fractographic observation using a scanning electron microscope suggested that the elevated temperature fatigue crack propagation mechanismmore » of Inconel 718 changed from crystallographic cleavage mechanism to striation mechanism in the low ΔK regime, depending on the grain size. The fatigue crack propagation mechanism is proposed for the crack propagating through small and large grains in the low ΔK regime, and the fatigue crack propagation behavior of Inconel 718 with different service times at elevated temperatures is discussed. - Highlights: • The specimens were prepared from the Inconel 718 turbine disc used for 0 to 4229 h. • FCP rates were measured at 738 and 823 K. • The ΔK{sub th} values decreased with increasing service time. • The FCP behavior showed a strong correlation with the grain size of used turbine disc.« less

Developmental link between sex and nutrition; doublesex regulates sex-specific mandible growth via juvenile hormone signaling in stag beetles.

PubMed

Gotoh, Hiroki; Miyakawa, Hitoshi; Ishikawa, Asano; Ishikawa, Yuki; Sugime, Yasuhiro; Emlen, Douglas J; Lavine, Laura C; Miura, Toru

2014-01-01

Sexual dimorphisms in trait expression are widespread among animals and are especially pronounced in ornaments and weapons of sexual selection, which can attain exaggerated sizes. Expression of exaggerated traits is usually male-specific and nutrition sensitive. Consequently, the developmental mechanisms generating sexually dimorphic growth and nutrition-dependent phenotypic plasticity are each likely to regulate the expression of extreme structures. Yet we know little about how either of these mechanisms work, much less how they might interact with each other. We investigated the developmental mechanisms of sex-specific mandible growth in the stag beetle Cyclommatus metallifer, focusing on doublesex gene function and its interaction with juvenile hormone (JH) signaling. doublesex genes encode transcription factors that orchestrate male and female specific trait development, and JH acts as a mediator between nutrition and mandible growth. We found that the Cmdsx gene regulates sex differentiation in the stag beetle. Knockdown of Cmdsx by RNA-interference in both males and females produced intersex phenotypes, indicating a role for Cmdsx in sex-specific trait growth. By combining knockdown of Cmdsx with JH treatment, we showed that female-specific splice variants of Cmdsx contribute to the insensitivity of female mandibles to JH: knockdown of Cmdsx reversed this pattern, so that mandibles in knockdown females were stimulated to grow by JH treatment. In contrast, mandibles in knockdown males retained some sensitivity to JH, though mandibles in these individuals did not attain the full sizes of wild type males. We suggest that moderate JH sensitivity of mandibular cells may be the default developmental state for both sexes, with sex-specific Dsx protein decreasing sensitivity in females, and increasing it in males. This study is the first to demonstrate a causal link between the sex determination and JH signaling pathways, which clearly interact to determine the developmental fates and final sizes of nutrition-dependent secondary-sexual characters.

Developmental Link between Sex and Nutrition; doublesex Regulates Sex-Specific Mandible Growth via Juvenile Hormone Signaling in Stag Beetles

PubMed Central

Gotoh, Hiroki; Miyakawa, Hitoshi; Ishikawa, Asano; Ishikawa, Yuki; Sugime, Yasuhiro; Emlen, Douglas J.; Lavine, Laura C.; Miura, Toru

2014-01-01

Sexual dimorphisms in trait expression are widespread among animals and are especially pronounced in ornaments and weapons of sexual selection, which can attain exaggerated sizes. Expression of exaggerated traits is usually male-specific and nutrition sensitive. Consequently, the developmental mechanisms generating sexually dimorphic growth and nutrition-dependent phenotypic plasticity are each likely to regulate the expression of extreme structures. Yet we know little about how either of these mechanisms work, much less how they might interact with each other. We investigated the developmental mechanisms of sex-specific mandible growth in the stag beetle Cyclommatus metallifer, focusing on doublesex gene function and its interaction with juvenile hormone (JH) signaling. doublesex genes encode transcription factors that orchestrate male and female specific trait development, and JH acts as a mediator between nutrition and mandible growth. We found that the Cmdsx gene regulates sex differentiation in the stag beetle. Knockdown of Cmdsx by RNA-interference in both males and females produced intersex phenotypes, indicating a role for Cmdsx in sex-specific trait growth. By combining knockdown of Cmdsx with JH treatment, we showed that female-specific splice variants of Cmdsx contribute to the insensitivity of female mandibles to JH: knockdown of Cmdsx reversed this pattern, so that mandibles in knockdown females were stimulated to grow by JH treatment. In contrast, mandibles in knockdown males retained some sensitivity to JH, though mandibles in these individuals did not attain the full sizes of wild type males. We suggest that moderate JH sensitivity of mandibular cells may be the default developmental state for both sexes, with sex-specific Dsx protein decreasing sensitivity in females, and increasing it in males. This study is the first to demonstrate a causal link between the sex determination and JH signaling pathways, which clearly interact to determine the developmental fates and final sizes of nutrition-dependent secondary-sexual characters. PMID:24453990

Cell Membrane Transport Mechanisms: Ion Channels and Electrical Properties of Cell Membranes.

PubMed

Kulbacka, Julita; Choromańska, Anna; Rossowska, Joanna; Weżgowiec, Joanna; Saczko, Jolanta; Rols, Marie-Pierre

2017-01-01

Cellular life strongly depends on the membrane ability to precisely control exchange of solutes between the internal and external (environmental) compartments. This barrier regulates which types of solutes can enter and leave the cell. Transmembrane transport involves complex mechanisms responsible for passive and active carriage of ions and small- and medium-size molecules. Transport mechanisms existing in the biological membranes highly determine proper cellular functions and contribute to drug transport. The present chapter deals with features and electrical properties of the cell membrane and addresses the questions how the cell membrane accomplishes transport functions and how transmembrane transport can be affected. Since dysfunctions of plasma membrane transporters very often are the cause of human diseases, we also report how specific transport mechanisms can be modulated or inhibited in order to enhance the therapeutic effect.

Arrested of coalescence of emulsion droplets of arbitrary size

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mbanga, Badel L.; Burke, Christopher; Blair, Donald W.; Atherton, Timothy J.

2013-03-01

With applications ranging from food products to cosmetics via targeted drug delivery systems, structured anisotropic colloids provide an efficient way to control the structure, properties and functions of emulsions. When two fluid emulsion droplets are brought in contact, a reduction of the interfacial tension drives their coalescence into a larger droplet of the same total volume and reduced exposed area. This coalescence can be partially or totally hindered by the presence of nano or micron-size particles that coat the interface as in Pickering emulsions. We investigate numerically the dependance of the mechanical stability of these arrested shapes on the particles size, their shape anisotropy, their polydispersity, their interaction with the solvent, and the particle-particle interactions. We discuss structural shape changes that can be induced by tuning the particles interactions after arrest occurs, and provide design parameters for the relevant experiments.

Ubiquitin-dependent regulation of COPII coat size and function

PubMed Central

Jin, Lingyan; Pahuja, Kanika Bajaj; Wickliffe, Katherine E.; Gorur, Amita; Baumgärtel, Christine; Schekman, Randy; Rape, Michael

2012-01-01

Packaging of proteins from the ER into COPII-vesicles is essential for secretion. In cells, most COPII-vesicles are ~60-80nm in diameter, yet some must increase their size to accommodate 300-400nm procollagen fibers or chylomicrons. Impaired COPII function results in collagen deposition defects, cranio-lenticulo-sutural dysplasia, or chylomicron retention disease, but mechanisms to enlarge COPII-coats have remained elusive. Here, we have identified the ubiquitin ligase Cul3Klhl12 as a regulator of COPII coat formation. Cul3Klhl12 catalyzes the monoubiquitination of the COPII-component Sec31 and drives the assembly of large COPII coats. As a result, ubiquitination by Cul3Klhl12 is essential for collagen export, yet less important for the transport of small cargo. We conclude that monoubiquitination controls the size and function of a vesicle coat. PMID:22358839

Dimension-dependent stimulated radiative interaction of a single electron quantum wavepacket

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gover, Avraham; Pan, Yiming

2018-06-01

In the foundation of quantum mechanics, the spatial dimensions of electron wavepacket are understood only in terms of an expectation value - the probability distribution of the particle location. One can still inquire how the quantum electron wavepacket size affects a physical process. Here we address the fundamental physics problem of particle-wave duality and the measurability of a free electron quantum wavepacket. Our analysis of stimulated radiative interaction of an electron wavepacket, accompanied by numerical computations, reveals two limits. In the quantum regime of long wavepacket size relative to radiation wavelength, one obtains only quantum-recoil multiphoton sidebands in the electron energy spectrum. In the opposite regime, the wavepacket interaction approaches the limit of classical point-particle acceleration. The wavepacket features can be revealed in experiments carried out in the intermediate regime of wavepacket size commensurate with the radiation wavelength.

Evaluation of the Mechanism of the Gold Cluster Growth during Heating of the Composite Gold-Polytetrafluoroethylene Thin Film.

PubMed

Grytsenko, Konstantin; Lozovski, Valeri; Strilchuk, Galyna; Schrader, Sigurd

2012-11-07

Nanocomposite films consisting of gold inclusions in the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) matrix were obtained by thermal vacuum deposition. Annealing of the obtained films with different temperatures was used to measure varying of film morphologies. The dependence of optical properties of the films on their morphology was studied. It was established that absorption and profile of the nanocomposite film obtained by thermal vacuum deposition can be changed with annealing owing to the fact that different annealing temperatures lead to different average particle sizes. A method to calculate the optical properties of nanocomposite thin films with inclusions of different sizes was proposed. Thus, comparison of experimental optical spectra with the spectra obtained during the simulation enables estimating average sizes of inclusions. The calculations give the possibility of understanding morphological changes in the structures.

Structural color mechanism in the Papilio blumei butterfly.

PubMed

Lo, Mei-Ling; Lee, Cheng-Chung

2014-02-01

The structural color found in biological systems has complicated nanostructure. It is very important to determine its color mechanism. In this study, the 2D photonic crystal structures of the Papilio blumei butterfly were constructed, and the corresponding reflectance spectra were simulated by the finite-difference time-domain method. The structural color of the butterfly depends on the incident angle of light, film thickness, film material (film refractive index), and the size of the air hole (effective refractive index). Analysis of simulations can help us understand the hue, brightness, and saturation of structural color on the butterfly wing. As a result, the analysis can help us fabricate expected structural color.

A Novel Mechanism of Sugar Selection Utilized by a Human X-family DNA Polymerase†

PubMed Central

Brown, Jessica A.; Fiala, Kevin A.; Fowler, Jason D.; Sherrer, Shanen M.; Newmister, Sean A.; Dyum, Wade W.; Suo, Zucai

2009-01-01

During DNA synthesis, most DNA polymerases and reverse transcriptases select against ribonucleotides via a steric clash between the ribose 2′-hydroxyl group and the bulky side chain of an active site residue. Here, we demonstrated that human DNA polymerase λ used a novel sugar selection mechanism to discriminate against ribonucleotides, whereby the ribose 2′-hydroxyl group was excluded mostly by a backbone segment and slightly by the side chain of Y505. Such a steric clash was further demonstrated to be dependent on the size and orientation of the substituent covalently attached at the ribonucleotide C2′ position. PMID:19900463

Dynamic and static fatigue of a machinable glass ceramic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Magida, M. B.; Forrest, K. A.; Heslin, T. M.

1984-01-01

The dynamic and static fatigue behavior of a machinable glass ceramic was investigated to assess its susceptibility to stress corrosion-induced delayed failure. Fracture mechanics techniques were used to analyze the results so that lifetime predictions for components of this material could be made. The resistance to subcritical crack growth of this material was concluded to be only moderate and was found to be dependent on the size of its microstructure.

Effect of the computational domain size and shape on the self-diffusion coefficient in a Lennard-Jones liquid.

PubMed

Kikugawa, Gota; Ando, Shotaro; Suzuki, Jo; Naruke, Yoichi; Nakano, Takeo; Ohara, Taku

2015-01-14

In the present study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on the monatomic Lennard-Jones liquid in a periodic boundary system were performed in order to elucidate the effect of the computational domain size and shape on the self-diffusion coefficient measured by the system. So far, the system size dependence in cubic computational domains has been intensively investigated and these studies showed that the diffusion coefficient depends linearly on the inverse of the system size, which is theoretically predicted based on the hydrodynamic interaction. We examined the system size effect not only in the cubic cell systems but also in rectangular cell systems which were created by changing one side length of the cubic cell with the system density kept constant. As a result, the diffusion coefficient in the direction perpendicular to the long side of the rectangular cell significantly increases more or less linearly with the side length. On the other hand, the diffusion coefficient in the direction along the long side is almost constant or slightly decreases. Consequently, anisotropy of the diffusion coefficient emerges in a rectangular cell with periodic boundary conditions even in a bulk liquid simulation. This unexpected result is of critical importance because rectangular fluid systems confined in nanospace, which are present in realistic nanoscale technologies, have been widely studied in recent MD simulations. In order to elucidate the underlying mechanism for this serious system shape effect on the diffusion property, the correlation structures of particle velocities were examined.

Mathematical modeling and numerical simulation of the mitotic spindle orientation system.

PubMed

Ibrahim, Bashar

2018-05-21

The mitotic spindle orientation and position is crucial for the fidelity of chromosome segregation during asymmetric cell division to generate daughter cells with different sizes or fates. This mechanism is best understood in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, named the spindle position checkpoint (SPOC). The SPOC inhibits cells from exiting mitosis until the mitotic spindle is properly oriented along the mother-daughter polarity axis. Despite many experimental studies, the mechanisms underlying SPOC regulation remains elusive and unexplored theoretically. Here, a minimal mathematical is developed to describe SPOC activation and silencing having autocatalytic feedback-loop. Numerical simulations of the nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs) model accurately reproduce the phenotype of SPOC mechanism. Bifurcation analysis of the nonlinear ODEs reveals the orientation dependency on spindle pole bodies, and how this dependence is altered by parameter values. These results provide for systems understanding on the molecular organization of spindle orientation system via mathematical modeling. The presented mathematical model is easy to understand and, within the above mentioned context, can be used as a base for further development of quantitative models in asymmetric cell-division. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Particle agglomerated 3-d nanostructures for photon absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivayoganathan, Mugunthan

The main objective of this thesis is to investigate the photon absorption properties of particle agglomerated 3-D structures that are synthesized through femtosecond laser ablation of solids. The size and morphology of these particle agglomerated 3-D structures, which can be tailored through adjusting laser parameters, determine the photon absorption property. A systematic theoretical and experimental study was performed to identify the effect of lasers on the size of the formed particles. The literature survey showed that the amount of supersaturation influences the growth rate as well as the nucleation rate of vapour condensed nanoparticles. Based on this theory, a mechanism was formed to explain the control of laser parameters over the size of formed particles. Further, a theoretical explanation was proposed from the experimental results for the transition of particle size distribution modals. These proposed mechanisms and explanations show the variation in particle size in the particle agglomerated 3-D nanostructures with laser parameters. The effect of laser parameters on the formed ring size was studied. Based on the previous studies, a mechanism was proposed for the formation of ring nanoclusters. The laser pulse intensity dependent ponderomotive force was the key force to define the formation of ring nanoclusters. Then the effect of laser parameters on ring size was studied. Structures fabricated on several materials such as graphite, aluminosilicate ceramic, zinc ingot, gold, and titanium were analyzed to show the influence of material properties, laser parameters, and the environmental conditions on the size of ring formed. The studies performed on the structures showed a minimum absorption of 0.75 A.U. in the bandwidth from UV to IR. The absorption spectrum is much wider compared to existing nanomaterials, such as silicon nanostructures and titanium dioxide nanostructures. To the best of the author's knowledge, it is a very competitive absorption rate when compared with the previous nanostructures used in photovoltaic conversion. Several features of nanostructures contribute to the enhancement of this light absorption. The special feature of the structure is that ease to fabricate and modify the properties by varying the laser parameters could make it competitive among other nanostructures available for solar cells.

Thermo-oxidative stability studies of PMR-15 polymer matrix composites reinforced with various fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowles, Kenneth J.

1990-01-01

An experimental study was conducted to measure the thermo-oxidative stability of PMR-15 polymer matrix composites reinforced with various fibers and to observe differences in the way they degrade in air. The fibers that were studied included graphite and the thermally stable Nicalon and Nextel ceramic fibers. Weight loss rates for the different composites were assessed as a function of mechanical properties, specimen geometry, fiber sizing, and interfacial bond strength. Differences were observed in rates of weight loss, matrix cracking, geometry dependency, and fiber-sizing effects. It was shown that Celion 6000 fiber-reinforced composites do not exhibit a straight-line Arrhenius relationship at temperatures above 316 C.

Scaling of cluster growth for coagulating active particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cremer, Peet; Löwen, Hartmut

2014-02-01

Cluster growth in a coagulating system of active particles (such as microswimmers in a solvent) is studied by theory and simulation. In contrast to passive systems, the net velocity of a cluster can have various scalings dependent on the propulsion mechanism and alignment of individual particles. Additionally, the persistence length of the cluster trajectory typically increases with size. As a consequence, a growing cluster collects neighboring particles in a very efficient way and thus amplifies its growth further. This results in unusual large growth exponents for the scaling of the cluster size with time and, for certain conditions, even leads to "explosive" cluster growth where the cluster becomes macroscopic in a finite amount of time.

A strategy for characterized aerosol-sampling transport efficiency.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwarz, J. P.

2017-12-01

A fundamental concern when sampling aerosol in the laboratory or in situ, on the ground or (especially) from aircraft, is characterizing transport losses due to particles contacting the walls of tubing used for transport. Depending on the size range of the aerosol, different mechanisms dominate these losses: diffusion for the ultra-fine, and inertial and gravitational settling losses for the coarse mode. In the coarse mode, losses become intractable very quickly with increasing particle size above 5 µm diameter. Here we present these issues, with a concept approach to reducing aerosol losses via strategic dilution with porous tubing including results of laboratory testing of a prototype. We infer the potential value of this approach to atmospheric aerosol sampling.

The influence of fine aggregates on the 3D printing performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, J. C.; Wu, X.; Yang, W.; Zhao, R. X.; Qiao, L. G.

2018-01-01

Influences of nature Particle, size, grain shape and fineness modulus of fine aggregates on the 3D printing performance of cement-based mortar were investigated. Results showed that the working performance of the mortar is not only dependent on the fineness of the aggregate, but also the gradation and grain size of the aggregate. And the mechanical properties of the mortar are increasing with the increase of Mx in the same test condition. The research shows that it is effective to choose different properties of materials for different design requirements, and the fluidity of mortar must be decreased under assuring construction quality and the pumpability of 3D printing materials.