The effects of the plastic wake zone on the conditions for fatigue crack propagation

Closure is investigated with an optical interference technique which measures the transverse displacement associated with a propagating fatigue crack. The results of this study require that closure be devided into two phenomena, each of which affects the propagating mechanism differently. The plastic region is partitioned into the plastic wake zone behind the crack front and the active plastic zone ahead of the crack. The work to be presented deals with the effects of the plastic wake zone on fatigue crack propagation. It is found that the contact length between the crack faces can be several times the specimen thickness dimensions and that contact occurs only in the plane stress region of the specimen. It is concluded that the contact forces between the crack faces act like some external tensile load, modifying the K _Imin of the loading cycles with low R-ratios. But, contact between the fracture faces (and the plastic wake zone) cannot account for any overload effects. The occurence of contact in the plane stress region of the specimen explains the observed thickness dependence of fatigue crack growth rates.

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Résumé La fermeture d'une fissure est étudiée à l'aide d'une technique d'interférence optique qui mesure le déplacement transversal associé à la propagation d'une fissure de fatigue. Les résultats de cette étude implique que la fermeture soit divisée en deux phénomènes dont chacun affecte le mécanisme de propagation de manière différente. La région plastique est divisée en une zône plastique de sillage qui suit le front de fissure et une zône plastique active en amont de la fissure. Le travail présenté est relatif aux effets de la zone plastique de sillage sur la propagation d'une fissure de fatigue. On trouve que la longueur de contact entre les faces de la fissure peut être plusieurs fois plus importante que l'épaisseur de l'éprouvette et que le contact se produit seulement dans la zône d'état plan de tension de l'éprouvette. On en conclut que les forces de contact entre les faces de la fissure agissent à la manière d'une contrainte de traction extérieure qui modifie le K _Imin du cycle de sollicitation pour des faibles valeurs de rapport R. Néanmoins, le contact entre les faces de rupture et la zône de sillage plastique ne peut rendre compte de tous les effets de surcharge. L'apparition d'un contact dans la zône d'état plan de tension d'une éprouvette explique la dépendance de l'épaisseur qui a été observée dans les vitesses de croissance d'une fissure de fatigue.

     

Change of fatigue parameters with temperature

A fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) equation, had been proposed which predicts the observed R-ratio effects correctly. Conceptually, this equation accounts for spectrum loading effects via the parameter “K”. The work presented deals with the temperature effect on the fatigue parameters entering the above FCGR-equation. For materials which do not experience a microstructural or a fracture mode transition within the temperature range of interest, the effect of temperature on the fatigue parameters “C” and “ΔK^T” can be interpolated or extrapolated from relatively few experimental data. Extrapolation of these fatigue parameters for Inconel X-750 measured between 300° K and 900° K allowed a very accurate prediction of the FCGR at 4° K. At higher temperatures the end of fatigue controlled crack growth is clearly indicated by a rapid increase of the fatigue parameter “C”. There, the fatigue parameter “C” increases withing a temperature span of 100° K by a factor of 10². This kind of information is of utmost importance for materials application at elevated temperatures as in nuclear systems.     

Contribution of different bitter-sensitive taste cells to feeding inhibition in a caterpillar (Manduca sexta).

Many compounds that taste bitter to humans also inhibit feeding in insects. Caterpillars (e.g., Manduca sexta) detect these compounds with a few bitter-sensitive taste cells. This study examined the role of these taste cells in feeding inhibition. Behavioral studies demonstrated that 3 bitter compounds (caffeine, salicin, and aristolochic acid) all inhibited feeding rapidly in Manduca sena. Electrophysiological studies revealed that each pair of bitter-sensitive taste cell differs in responsiveness to the bitter compounds. Ablation studies indicated that (a) those pairs of bitter-sensitive taste cells that responded vigorously to a particular bitter compound were sufficient to inhibit feeding on diets containing the same compound, but that (b) no pair of bitter-sensitive taste cells was necessary for inhibiting feeding. Thus, the different pairs of bitter-sensitive taste cells appear to make partially redundant contributions to feeding inhibition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychosocial aspects of selected issues in women's reproductive health: Current status and future directions.

Emphasizing research published in the past decade, this article presents a summary and evaluation of psychosocial investigations of women's reproductive health, with a focus on selected aspects of menstruation, pregnancy and birth, infertility, and menopause. In some areas, studies have focused on negative physical and psychological concomitants of these health issues. However, research reveals substantial individual variability, with most women adapting well to reproductive health changes. Although methodological and conceptual shortcomings have limited firm conclusions, research has advanced our understanding of the multivariate biological, psychological, and social influences on women's reproductive health and associated outcomes. Understanding and promoting women's reproductive health across the lifespan requires biopsychosocial approaches to research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Freeze-dried strawberry powder improves lipid profile and lipid peroxidation in women with metabolic syndrome: baseline and post intervention effects

Background  

Strawberry flavonoids are potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents that have been shown to reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors in prospective cohort studies. Effects of strawberry supplementation on metabolic risk factors have not been studied in obese populations. We tested the hypothesis that freeze-dried strawberry powder (FSP) will lower fasting lipids and biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation at four weeks compared to baseline. We also tested the tolerability and safety of FSP in subjects with metabolic syndrome. FSP is a concentrated source of polyphenolic flavonoids, fiber and phytosterols.     

Indices of treatment needs in orthodontics: the applicability of the DAI (Dental Aesthetic Index)

The objective assessment of esthetic impairment and relative psychosocial handicap for unacceptable dental aspect (useful for characterizing the need of treatment), could be satisfied by an index that measures each individual's occlusal trait and the psychological impact of the same. An index with these characteristics was suggested by Cons and Jenny, already since 1985. This is an index (DAI: Dental Aesthetic Index) designed specifically to measure dental esthetics, based on esthetic standards socially defined and focused through an extensive and finalized search. Therefore this index assesses the social acceptability of the dental appearance based on the public perception of dental esthetics. The authors, in this work, indicate as measuring the objective traits of occlusion and arriving to final score trough simple calculation. This score provides severity levels of esthetic, psychologic and functional impairment relative to dental aspect in examination.     

Über den Einfluß der Probengeometrie auf die Rißausbreitungsgeschwindigkeit bei Spannungsrißkorrosionsversuchen

The influence of specimen geometry on stress corrosion cracking rates The fracture mechanics characterization of stress corrosion cracking phenomena established the quantitative relation between the stress field around the crack front and the stress corrosion cracking rates. In order to apply the results successfully in structural design, the influence of specimen geometry and test conditions have to be eliminated or minimized. Great experimental efforts are applied worldwide to develop such a testing procedure. The following work is directed to some of the effects resulting from specimen geometry, such as the numerical equations used to obtain the stress-intensity factors, the specimen thickness and crack length.     

Pregnancy-specific stress, prenatal health behaviors, and birth outcomes.

Objective: Stress in pregnancy predicts earlier birth and lower birth weight. The authors investigated whether pregnancy-specific stress contributes uniquely to birth outcomes compared with general stress, and whether prenatal health behaviors explain this association. Design: Three structured prenatal interviews (N = 279) assessing state anxiety, perceived stress, life events, pregnancy-specific stress, and health behaviors. Main Outcome Measures: Gestational age at delivery, birth weight, preterm delivery (     

Choking under pressure: Multiple routes to skill failure.

Poor performance in pressure-filled situations, or “choking under pressure,” has largely been explained by two different classes of theories. Distraction theories propose that choking occurs because attention needed to perform the task at hand is coopted by task-irrelevant thoughts and worries. Explicit monitoring theories claim essentially the opposite—that pressure prompts individuals to attend closely to skill processes in a manner that disrupts execution. Although both mechanisms have been shown to occur in certain contexts, it is unclear when distraction and/or explicit monitoring will ultimately impact performance. The authors propose that aspects of the pressure situation itself can lead to distraction and/or explicit monitoring, differentially harming skills that rely more or less on working memory and attentional control. In Experiments 1–2, it is shown that pressure that induces distraction (involving performance-contingent outcomes) hurts rule-based category learning heavily dependent on attentional control. In contrast, pressure that induces explicit monitoring of performance (monitoring by others) hurts information-integration category learning thought to run best without heavy demands on working memory and attentional control. In Experiment 3, the authors leverage knowledge about how specific types of pressure impact performance to design interventions to eliminate choking. Finally, in Experiment 4, the selective effects of monitoring-pressure are replicated in a different procedural-based task: the serial reaction time task. Skill failure (and success) depends in part on how the performance environment influences attention and the extent to which skill execution depends on explicit attentional control. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)