How disorder can diminish avalanche risks: effect of size distribution

We study the behavior of disk assemblies with a variable disorder distribution. The packing is first consolidated and then continuously tilted very slowly. The amount of displaced disks for each tilted angle is recorded. Large displacements of the disks can occur due to some local or global mechanical instabilities. The definition of neighboring disks is based on radical (extension of Voronoï) tessellation rules to decompose, in a unique and perfectly defined manner, the two-dimensional space for polydisperse disks. In this way, by comparing the characteristics of stability for one disk to the neighboring ones for local ordered cluster, we can predict the global amount of displaced disks. Some tilting cycles have been performed to check the correlation between the instability of the packing structure (collective displacements) with micro and macro order parameters.     

Social support knowledge and behavior and relational intimacy: A dyadic study.

Examined the relationships among social support knowledge, supportive behavior, intimacy with one's spouse, and satisfaction with support provided by one's spouse among 41 Israeli kibbutz couples. The hypothesis that support knowledge and support behavior influence the intimacy between couples and increase satisfaction with spouse's social support efforts was tested. Alternative causal mechanisms are explored with simultaneous equation modeling. Results indicate that satisfaction with social support behavior by one's spouse is mediated entirely by intimacy with one's spouse. Results also indicate that partner's knowledge about social support behavior directly affects intimacy and indirectly generates social support satisfaction independent of actual supportive behavior. The findings do not differ by sex. The consistency of the findings with family behavior exchange theory and implications for marital therapy are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Application of substituted N-arylpyrroles in the corrosion protection of aluminium in hydrochloric acid

The inhibiting action of N-arylpyrroles on aluminium in 0.17 mol dm^–3 hydrochloric acid solution, in the temperature range 20–60 °C, was studied using potentiodynamic and electrochemical impedence spectroscopy techniques. The inhibiting efficiency of both investigated compounds 1-(2-fluorophenyl)-2,5-dimethylpyrrole (compound A) and 1-(2-fluorophenyl)-2,5-dimethylpyrrole-3-carbaldehyde (compound B) slightly increases with increasing temperature of the corrosive solution. Inhibitor adsorption on the elecrode surface decreases the apparent activation energy of the hydrogen evolution reaction. Compound A follows the Temkin adsorption isotherm, while its carbaldehyde derivative follows the Langmuir isotherm. The results of the apparent energy of activation and the standard free energy of adsorption point to stronger chemisorption of the compound A. However, due to additional condensation of molecules with carbaldehyde groups on the electrode surface, the carbaldehyde derivative exhibits even better inhibiting efficiency than compound A. The kinetic corrosion parameters, analysed in terms of the impedance data, show a satisfactory agreement with those obtained by the potentiodynamic method.     

Losses of volatile compounds during fermentation

The ability of fermentative CO₂ to blow off the volatile compounds that are synthesized during fermentation has been studied. Model solutions simulating a fermenting must were purged at different CO₂ flow rates and temperatures, and the amount of volatile compounds blown off by the stream of CO₂ was recorded by high-resolution gas chromatography. Data showed that under normal fermenting conditions, fatty acid ethyl esters and some fusel alcohol acetates are blown off the solution at a high rate. The maximum loss rate was observed for ethyl decanoate. The purging speed is doubled when temperature increases from 17 °C to 27 °C. Losses can be interpreted by a linear model and are a function of the compound and the flow rate of CO₂. These models allow us to reconstruct the volatile synthesis vs time functions through graphic calculus and to estimate the proportion of volatile material retained, hydrolysed and purged. Synthesis takes place during the tumultuous period of fermentation together with CO₂ production that blows off the volatile material. Hydrolysis takes place in the last stages of fermentation. In a 10-1 open fermenter, up to 80% of volatile material can be blown off while an average of 10% is retained. Residual esterase activity accounts for about 20% of the total amount of ester synthesized.     

Reactive energy measurement using frequency controlled analog-to-pulse-rate converter

Contents This paper analyzes a problem of phase shifting and deseribes a novel method for electronic reactive energy measurement. The proposed measurement structure, composed of an integrator as a phase shifting circuit and a frequency controlled analog-to-pulse-rate converter, provides for the measurement completely in accordance with IEC definition of reactive energy, which is performed with simple but high performance metering device.

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Die Blindverbrauchsmessung anhand eines netzsynchronisierten Analog-Frequenz-Wandlers

Übersicht In diesem Artikel wird das Problem der Phasenverschiebung analysiert und eine neue Meßmethode für elektronische Blindverbrauschsmessung aufgezeigt. Die vorgeschlagene Strucktur, bestehend aus einem Integrator als Phasenschieber und netzkontrolliertem Analog-Frequenz-Wandler, ermöglicht die Verwirklichung eines einfachen aber präzisen Elektrizitätszählers zur Messung der Blindenergie, dessen Arbeitsprinzip mit den IEC Empfehlungen vollkommen übereinstimmt.

     

Phase transformation and densification during pressureless sintering of Si3N4 with MgO and Y3Al5O12 additives

The - transformation of Si₃N₄ during liquid-phase sintering appears to be controlled by the growth of the -Si₃N₄ grains in the direction perpendicular to thec-axis in the case of MgO additive. The diffusion through the liquid is the rate-controlling step in the case of the Y₄Al₅O₁₂ additive. The density of the sintered body at the solid skeleton stage was influenced by the change in the - transformation rate and/or by a change of the transformation mechanism. The indirect proportionality between the -phase content in the starting powder and the density at the solid skeleton stage was found. The microstructure of the sintered body is influenced by both the -phase content in the starting powder and the chemical composition of the additive. Fine, uniform microstructure with a high aspect ratio of -grains is obtained, when the -phase content in the starting powder is as small as possible and when the - transformation is controlled by grain growth.     

Modeling of the condyle elements within a biomechanical knee model

The development of a computational multibody knee model able to capture some of the fundamental properties of the human knee articulation is presented. This desideratum is reached by including the kinetics of the real knee articulation. The research question is whether an accurate modeling of the condyle contact in the knee will lead to reproduction of the complex combination of flexion/extension, abduction/adduction, and tibial rotation observed in the real knee. The model is composed by two anatomic segments, the tibia and the femur, whose characteristics are functions of the geometric and anatomic properties of the real bones. The biomechanical model characterization is developed under the framework of multibody systems methodologies using Cartesian coordinates. The type of approach used in the proposed knee model is the joint surface contact conditions between ellipsoids, representing the two femoral condyles, and points, representing the tibial plateau and the menisci. These elements are closely fitted to the actual knee geometry. This task is undertaken by considering a parameter optimization process to replicate experimental data published in the literature, namely that by Lafortune and his coworkers in 1992. Then kinematic data in the form of flexion/extension patterns are imposed on the model corresponding to the stance phase of the human gait. From the results obtained, by performing several computational simulations, it can be observed that the knee model approximates the average secondary motion patterns observed in the literature. Because the literature reports considerable inter-individual differences in the secondary motion patterns, the knee model presented here is also used to check whether it is possible to reproduce the observed differences with reasonable variations of bone shape parameters. This task is accomplished by a parameter study, in which the main variables that define the geometry of condyles are taken into account. It was observed that the data reveal a difference in secondary kinematics of the knee in flexion versus extension. The likely explanation for this fact is the elastic component of the secondary motions created by the combination of joint forces and soft tissue deformations. The proposed knee model is, therefore, used to investigate whether this observed behavior can be explained by reasonable elastic deformations of the points representing the menisci in the model.     

Prevention of dark-cutting (DFD) beef in penned bulls at the abattoir

There is a large body of evidence indicating that activities associated with regrouping of bulls before slaughter, which leads to physical exhaustion mainly from mounting, are primary factors inducing dark-cutting (DFD) in beef. The aim of this study was to test several methods to control activity when regrouping cannot be avoided. Fifty bulls previously individually tied for at least 16 months were drafted into groups of five animals and released in a pen at the abattoir. After 18 to 22 h they were slaughtered. According to environmental conditions in the pen, the bulls were divided into four groups: Control group (n = 10, no experimentation); Electricity group (n = 10, an electric fence was constructed above the pen so that a mounting bull would receive an electric shock); Darkness group (n = 10, the whole stall was in darkness); and Combination group (n = 20, both treatments, of the electricity and darkness groups were applied). During the first hour of penning the behaviour of the bulls was videorecorded. After slaughter meat quality characteristics were measured. Dark-cutting was found in Control (70%), Electricity (30%) and Darkness (70%) groups, but not in the Combination group (0%). No treatment altered the repertoire of agonistic activity, but under the combined treatments the number of agonistic interactions was significantly lower than in any other group.     

Properties of WN x /GaAs Schottky contacts prepared by ion implantation of nitrogen

The formation of WN _x /GaAs Schottky contacts using selective ion implantation of nitrogen into the sputtered tungsten film has been demonstrated. The contacts were characterized by Auger electron spectroscopy and current-voltage measurements. The composition of WN _x films and the thermal stability of WN _x /GaAs contacts were investigated. Good thermal stability of WN _x /GaAs contacts compared with a W/GaAs contact was observed after capless rapid thermal annealing at 450, 800 and 950°C for 10 s.