Multi-block Poisson grid generator for cascade simulations

High quality computational grids can greatly enhance the accuracy of turbine and compressor cascade simulations especially when time-dependent results are sought where vortical structures are convected through the computational domain. A technique for generating periodic structured grids for cascade simulations based on the Poisson equations is described. To allow for more complex geometries, the grid can be divided into individual zones or blocks. The grids are generated simultaneously in all blocks, assuring continuity of the grid lines and their slopes across the zonal boundaries. Simple geometric rules can be employed for enforcing orthogonality at block boundaries. The method results in grids with low grid distortion by allowing both, block boundaries and grid points on physical boundaries, to move freely. Results are presented for a linear turbine and a linear compressor cascade.     

HUMID AIR EFFECTS ON CRACK TIP PLASTIC WORK IN 1008 STEEL

The cyclic plastic work of fatigue crack propagation, Q_pw, and the effective surface energy, U, were measured for an annealed 1008 steel in humid air and dry nitrogen using calorimetry Q_pw was not significantly affected by the humid air environment suggesting that the hydrogen generated by the oxidation of iron at the crack tip does not strongly affect the cyclic properties for this material U was identical and constant for the two environments for crack growth rates greater than ～ 100 A/cycle. Below da/dN～ 100 A/cycle U decreased rapidly with decreasing δK in the humid air environment It was concluded from these two observations that the main effect of hydrogen on crack growth in this alloy was to lower the atomic surface energy, γ, thereby lowering the local fracture stress.     

Evolutionary functional black-box testing in an industrial setting

During the past years, evolutionary testing research has reported encouraging results for automated functional (i.e. black-box) testing. However, despite promising results, these techniques have hardly been applied to complex, real-world systems and as such, little is known about their scalability, applicability, and acceptability in industry. In this paper, we describe the empirical setup used to study the use of evolutionary functional testing in industry through two case studies, drawn from serial production development environments at Daimler and Berner & Mattner Systemtechnik, respectively. Results of the case studies are presented, and research questions are assessed based on them. In summary, the results indicate that evolutionary functional testing in an industrial setting is both scalable and applicable. However, the creation of fitness functions is time-consuming. Although in some cases, this is compensated by the results, it is still a significant factor preventing functional evolutionary testing from more widespread use in industry.     

The yeast telomere length counting machinery is sensitive to sequences at the telomere-nontelomere junction

Saccharomyces cerevisiae telomeres consist of a continuous 325 +/- 75-bp tract of the heterogeneous repeat TG1-3 which contains irregularly spaced, high-affinity sites for the protein Rap1p. Yeast cells monitor or count the number of telomeric Rap1p molecules in a negative feedback mechanism which modulates telomere length. To investigate the mechanism by which Rap1p molecules are counted, the continuous telomeric TG1-3 sequences were divided into internal TG1-3 sequences and a terminal tract separated by nontelomeric spacers of different lengths. While all of the internal sequences were counted as part of the terminal tract across a 38-bp spacer, a 138-bp disruption completely prevented the internal TG1-3 sequences from being considered part of the telomere and defined the terminal tract as a discrete entity separate from the subtelomeric sequences. We also used regularly spaced arrays of six Rap1p sites internal to the terminal TG1-3 repeats to show that each Rap1p molecule was counted as about 19 bp of TG1-3 in vivo and that cells could count Rap1p molecules with different spacings between tandem sites. As previous in vitro experiments had shown that telomeric Rap1p sites occur about once every 18 bp, all Rap1p molecules at the junction of telomeric and nontelomeric chromatin (the telomere-nontelomere junction) must participate in telomere length measurement. The conserved arrangement of these six Rap1p molecules at the telomere-nontelomere junction in independent transformants also caused the elongated TG1-3 tracts to be maintained at nearly identical lengths, showing that sequences at the telomere-nontelomere junction had an effect on length regulation. These results can be explained by a model in which telomeres beyond a threshold length form a folded structure that links the chromosome terminus to the telomere-nontelomere junction and prevents telomere elongation.     

Photophobia and phonophobia in migraineurs between attacks

This study investigated whether migraineurs are more sensitive to light and sound while headache-free than are healthy people. Fifty-two migraineurs (mean age 39 years) were selected using the International Headache Society diagnostic criteria for migraine. Forty-eight healthy controls were matched for age, sex, and race (mean age 36 years). Visual and auditory discomfort thresholds were measured by exposing subjects to increasing light and sound until they complained of discomfort. There were significant differences between groups in both the light discomfort threshold (P < 0.00005) and the hearing discomfort threshold (P < 0.0005). The thresholds for both were lower in the migraineurs. Overall, for both groups together, there was a significant negative correlation between light discomfort threshold and age (correlation coefficient -0.2276, P = 0.011), but not for the hearing discomfort threshold and age (P = 0.275). The results show that the migraineurs were significantly more sensitive to light and sound when headache-free than were healthy controls. The apparent increased intolerance to light in both groups together noted with increased age, did not apply to the migraine group.     

Numerical Simulation of a Mixed-mode Dynamic Fracture Experiment

A time-domain boundary element method is applied to simulate mixed-mode dynamic fracture experiments performed on compact compression specimens (CCS) in a split Hopkinson bar. This numerical investigation addresses the time histories of the mode I and II stress intensity factors for the precracked CCS, the instant and angle of crack initiation as well as the resulting crack paths in dependence upon the external load. The aim of the study is two-fold: to gain deeper insight into the mixed-mode dynamic fracture process under investigation and to test the applicability of our recently developed numerical method. Numerical results are compared to experimental data reported in the literature. Furthermore, aspects of modelling the experimental set-up in the framework of the boundary element method are discussed, and advantages and shortcomings are analyzed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Activation of particulate guanylyl cyclase by Vibrio vulnificus hemolysin

Recently we reported that Vibrio vulnificus hemolysin, an exotoxin produced by V. vulnificus, dilates rat thoracic aorta via elevated cGMP levels without affecting nitric oxide synthase. We investigated the mechanism further by observing the guanylyl cyclase activities in cytosolic, membrane, unfractionated, or reconstituted preparations. Hemolysin did not activate guanylyl cyclase in the membrane or cytosolic fraction, while it activated guanylyl cyclase in unfractionated or reconstituted preparation. The increased activity was not inhibited by the HS-142-1, a microbial polysaccharide which antagonizes atrial natriuretic peptide receptor, or 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ), a soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitor. However, it was attenuated by 6-(phenylamino)-5,8-quinolinedione (LY 83.583), which inhibits the catalytic domain of both guanylyl cyclases, and by cholesterol, which blocks hemolysin-incorporation into the membrane. Removing ATP, a cofactor of particulate guanylyl cyclase, attenuated the activation and ATPgammaS, a non-phosphorylating analog, restored it. These results suggest that V. vulnificus hemolysin activates particulate guanylyl cyclase via hemolysin incorporation into the vascular smooth muscle cell membrane in cooperation with certain unidentified cytosolic component(s).     

Medium Scale Gravity Waves in the Thermosphere Observed by the AE-C Satellite

Atmospheric Explorer C (AE-C) satellite data were used to investigate the spectral characteristics of medium-scale wavelike structures (horizontal-scale size from tens to hundreds of kilometers) observed in the neutral and ionized components of the thermosphere at about 250-km altitude. Data for the neutral densities of oxygen, nitrogen, and helium from the Neutral Atmosphere Temperature Experiment, the electron density and temperature from the Cylindrical Electrostatic Probe were analyzed for a part of an orbit in the northern hemisphere between 54° and 10° geographic latitudes. Coherent wave systems are shown by employing direct comparison of the fluctuations of the parameters, comnputations of their cross-correlation functions and spectral analysis. Waves from many tens to hundreds of kilometers are found in the fluctuations of all parameters. A power law decrease of the spectrum is also found with different rates for the various densities and electron temperature, -3.2 for oxygen, -4.6 for nitrogen, 0.23 for helium, -1.96 for the electron density, and -1.66 for the electron temperature. These results complement similar studies of large-scale structures reported in another paper [8]. They are typical of those obtained for other parts of this orbit and for other orbits. Unlike largescale waves, medium-scale waves appear to attenuate after about 4-5 cycles, consistent with lower altitude sources and known loss mechanisms. An exception is shown with wave structure throughout the entire time record, however, implying a source in the F region.