A Screening Design Approach for the Understanding of Spark Plasma Sintering Parameters: A Case of Translucent Polycrystalline Undoped Alumina

An experimental screening design was used to evaluate the effects of spark plasma sintering (SPS) parameters such as heating rate, sintering temperature, dwell duration, and green-shaping processing on the relative density, grain size, and the optical properties of polycrystalline alumina (PCA). It is shown that heating rate and sintering temperature are the most critical factors for the densification of PCA during SPS. Green-shaping processing could prevent grain growth at low SPS sintering temperatures. No predominant SPS parameters are observed on the optical properties. Hence, the optical properties of PCA are controlled by microstructural evolution during the SPS process.     

Model for the prediction of 3D surface topography in 5-axis milling

The paper deals with the prediction of the 3D surface topography obtained in 5-axis milling in function of the machining conditions. For this purpose, a simulation model for the prediction of machined surface patterns is developed based on the well-known N-buffer method. As in sculptured surface machining the feed rates locally vary, the proposed model can be coupled to a feed-rate prediction model. Thanks to the simulation model of 3D surface topography, the influence of the machining strategy on resulting 3D surface patterns is analyzed through an experimental design. Results enhance the major influence of the tool inclination on 3D topography. Surface parameters used in the study are strongly affected by the variation of the yaw angle. The effect of the feed rate is also significant on amplitude parameters. Finally, the analysis brings out the interest of using surface parameters to characterize 3D surface topography obtained in 5-axis milling.     

Comparative study of culture media used for sourdough lactobacilli

Eleven culture media were analysed to compare their exhaustiveness for the quantification of lactobacilli type I sourdoughs. The media tested were MRS, maltose modified MRS, MRS5, SDB, SFM, MRS “Vogel”, Rogosa as elective media, and FH, OH, LAMVAB, KCA as selective media. Six broth media were also tested for colony subculture. Quantitatively, maltose MRS and MRS media showed the highest counts – respectively 9.47 and 9.43 mean log(cfu)/g. SFM and Rogosa media presented slighlty lower levels – 9.1 and 9.24 log(cfu)/g respectively. Levels on the remaining media were significantly lower – lesser than 0.5 log(cfu)/g compared to maltose MRS and MRS media. From a qualitative standpoint, the bacterial diversity, based on the comparison of the whole-cell protein patterns of isolates, was the largest on maltose MRS medium. However, MRS5 medium allowed the isolation of a specific population only found on this medium. For colony subculture, maltose MRS and MRS5 appeared the most appropriate broth media. These results underline that there is no really efficient medium for the systemic study of sourdoughs. Therefore, the first step before working on these ecosystems implies a deliberate choice of the most appropriate media combination.     

Sediment bed destabilization by an isolated vortex:an experimental approach

The destabilization of an erodible sediment bed by a reproducible impulsive phenomenon is studied experimentally.For this,a specific setup is designed to produc...     

MODIS NDVI time-series allow the monitoring of Eucalyptus plantation biomass

The use of remote sensing is necessary for monitoring forest carbon stocks at large scales. Optical remote sensing, although not the most suitable technique for the direct estimation of stand biomass, offers the advantage of providing large temporal and spatial datasets. In particular, information on canopy structure is encompassed in stand reflectance time series. This study focused on the example of Eucalyptus forest plantations, which have recently attracted much attention as a result of their high expansion rate in many tropical countries. Stand scale time-series of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were obtained from MODIS satellite data after a procedure involving un-mixing and interpolation, on about 15,000 ha of plantations in southern Brazil. The comparison of the planting date of the current rotation (and therefore the age of the stands) estimated from these time series with real values provided by the company showed that the root mean square error was 35.5 days. Age alone explained more than 82% of stand wood volume variability and 87% of stand dominant height variability. Age variables were combined with other variables derived from the NDVI time series and simple bioclimatic data by means of linear (Stepwise) or nonlinear (Random Forest) regressions. The nonlinear regressions gave r-square values of 0.90 for volume and 0.92 for dominant height, and an accuracy of about 25 m³/ha for volume (15% of the volume average value) and about 1.6 m for dominant height (8% of the height average value). The improvement including NDVI and bioclimatic data comes from the fact that the cumulative NDVI since planting date integrates the interannual variability of leaf area index (LAI), light interception by the foliage and growth due for example to variations of seasonal water stress. The accuracy of biomass and height predictions was strongly improved by using the NDVI integrated over the two first years after planting, which are critical for stand establishment. These results open perspectives for cost-effective monitoring of biomass at large scales in intensively-managed plantation forests.     

Regulation of exocytosis in chromaffin cells by trans-insertion of lysophosphatidylcholine and arachidonic acid into the outer leaflet of the cell membrane

Vesicular exocytosis is an important complex process in the communication between cells in organisms. It controls the release of chemical and biochemical messengers stored in an emitting cell. In this report, exocytosis is studied amperometrically (at carbon fiber ultramicroelectrodes) at adrenal chromaffin cells, which release catecholamines after appropriate stimulation, while testing the effects due to trans-insertion of two exogenous compounds (lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and arachidonic acid (AA)) on the kinetics of exocytotic events. Amperometric analyses showed that, under the present conditions (short incubation times and micromolar LPC or AA solutions), LPC favors catecholamine release (rate, event frequency, charge released) while AA disfavors the exocytotic processes. The observed kinetic features are rationalized quantitatively by considering a stalk model, for the fusion pore formation, and the physical constraints applied to the cell membrane by the presence of small fractions of LPC and AA diluted in its external leaflet (trans-insertion). We also observed that the detected amount of neurotransmitters in the presence of LPC was larger than under control conditions, while the opposite trend is observed with AA.     

氩等离子体紫外光A和B辐射属性计算

焊接等离子体释放的紫外光A （315~400 nm）和紫外光B （280~315 nm）是皮肤癌的重要诱因.基于净辐射系数的概念,考虑了连续谱（复合辐射和轫致辐射）和线谱等辐射机制,计算了氩等离子在常压、5 000~25 000 K内的紫外光A,B的辐射属性.结果表明,随着等离子体半径R_p增加,全谱辐射发生强烈的自吸收效应,而紫外光A,B基本无自吸收;当R_p=1 mm时,它们在总谱辐射（35~4 500 nm）的最大的占比分别为6.0%,1.9%,在非真空紫外辐射（200~4 500 nm）的最大的占比为36.3%和5%.为钨极氩弧的紫外光危害性研究提供了理论依据.     

Tool positioning error (TPE) characterisation in milling

Where the geometrical features so permit, the {workpiece–work-holding fixture} assembly is generally considered to be infinitely rigid. The {tool–tool-holder–spindle} assembly and the machine axes are then deformed under the action of the cutting forces. This deformation leads to a positioning error of the tool in relation to the theoretical position. With the aim of taking this positioning error into account, the inaccuracies obtained during end milling and side milling were experimentally modelled from the cutting conditions used for a given machine/mill/material triplet (TriM). Our “Virtual Worker” then used these models to predict machining errors according to the type of machining and to compensate for them.     

In situ non-contact measurements of surface roughness

Surface roughness measurements are often required to validate a machining process. However, when using a 3D surface roughness measuring instruments it is usually necessary to remove the part from the machine tool between two operations, potentially introducing systematic errors. Furthermore, surface roughness measuring instruments are not suited for measuring heavy and large parts such as stamping dies. This paper presents a method to measure the surface topography of a part in situ, i.e. directly on the machine tool without removing the part. After introducing the sensor technology and the data acquisition chain, the effects of geometric imperfections of the machine tool and compensation for thermal effects on the measurement results are discussed. An application of the method is then presented to assess a finishing process on a five-axis machining centre including milling and polishing operations.     

Evaluation of remotely sensed and modelled soil moisture products using global ground-based in situ observations

In situ soil moisture data from more than 200 stations located in Africa, Australia, Europe and the United States are used to determine the reliability of three soil moisture products, one analysis from the ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) numerical weather prediction system (SM-DAS-2) and two remotely sensed soil moisture products, namely ASCAT (Advanced scatterometer) and SMOS (Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity). SM-DAS-2 is produced offline at ECMWF and relies on an advanced surface data assimilation system (Extended Kalman Filter) used to optimally combine conventional observations with satellite measurements. ASCAT remotely sensed surface soil moisture is provided in near real time by EUMETSAT. At ECMWF, ASCAT is used for soil moisture analyses in SM-DAS-2, also. Finally the SMOS remotely sensed soil moisture data level two product developed at CESBIO is used. Evaluation of the times series as well as of the anomaly values, shows good performances of the three products to capture surface soil moisture annual cycle and short term variability. Correlations with in situ data are very satisfactory over most of the investigated sites located in contrasted biomes and climate conditions with averaged values of 0.70 for SM-DAS-2, 0.53 for ASCAT and 0.54 for SMOS. Although radio frequency interference disturbs the natural microwave emission of the Earth observed by SMOS in several parts of the world, hence the soil moisture retrieval, performances of SMOS over Australia are very encouraging.