Slow crack growth in polycarbonate films

We study experimentally the slow growth of a single crack in polycarbonate films submitted to uniaxial and constant imposed stress. The specificity of fracture in polycarbonate films is the appearance of flame shaped macroscopic process zones at the tips of the crack. Supported by an experimental study of the mechanical properties of polycarbonate films, an analysis of the stress dependence of the mean ratio between the process zone and crack lengths, during the crack growth, show a quantitative agreement with the Dugdale-Barenblatt model of the plastic process zone. We find that the fracture growth curves obey strong scaling properties that lead to a well defined growth master curve

A Proper Motion Study of the Haro 6-10 Outflow: Evidence for a Subarcsecond Binary

We present single-dish and VLBI observations of an outburst of water maser emission from the young binary system Haro 6-10. Haro 6-10 lies in the Taurus molecular cloud and contains a visible T Tauri star with an infrared companion 1.3" north. Using the Very Long Baseline Array, we obtained five observations spanning 3 months and derived absolute positions for 20 distinct maser spots. Three of the masers can be traced over 3 or more epochs, enabling us to extract absolute proper motions and tangential velocities. We deduce that the masers represent one side of a bipolar outflow that lies nearly in the plane of the sky with an opening angle of ~45\deg. They are located within 50 mas of the southern component of the binary, the visible T Tauri star Haro 6-10S. The mean position angle on the sky of the maser proper motions (~220\deg) suggests they are related to the previously observed giant Herbig-Haro (HH) flow which includes HH410, HH411, HH412, and HH184A-E. A previously observed HH jet and extended radio continuum emission (mean position angle of ~190\deg) must also originate in the vicinity of Haro6-10S and represent a second, distinct outflow in this region. We propose that a yet unobserved companion within 150 mas of Haro6-10S is responsible for the giant HH/maser outflow while the visible star is associated with the HH jet. Despite the presence of H_2 emission in the spectrum of the northern component of the binary, Haro6-10N, none of outflows/jets can be tied directly to this young stellar object

Increased blood pressure in adult offspring of families with Balkan Endemic Nephropathy: a prospective study

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have linked smaller kidney dimensions to increased blood pressure. However, patients with Balkan Endemic Nephropathy (BEN), whose kidneys shrink during the course of the disease, do not manifest increased blood pressure. The authors evaluated the relationship between kidney cortex width, kidney length, and blood pressure in the offspring of BEN patients and controls. METHODS: 102 offspring of BEN patients and 99 control offspring of non-BEN hospital patients in the Vratza District, Bulgaria, were enrolled in a prospective study and examined twice (2003/04 and 2004/05). Kidney dimensions were determined using ultrasound, blood pressure was measured, and medical information was collected. The parental disease of BEN was categorized into three groups: mother, father, or both parents. Repeated measurements were analyzed with mixed regression models. RESULTS: In all participants, a decrease in minimal kidney cortex width of 1 mm was related to an increase in systolic blood pressure of 1.4 mm Hg (p = 0.005). There was no association between kidney length and blood pressure. A maternal history of BEN was associated with an increase in systolic blood pressure of 6.7 mm Hg (p = 0.03); paternal BEN, +3.2 mm Hg (p = 0.35); or both parents affected, +9.9 mm Hg (p = 0.002). There was a similar relation of kidney cortex width and parental history of BEN with pulse pressure; however, no association with diastolic blood pressure was found. CONCLUSION: In BEN and control offspring, a smaller kidney cortex width predisposed to higher blood pressure. Unexpectedly, a maternal history of BEN was associated with average increased systolic blood pressure in offspring

Probing the role of protostellar feedback in clustered star formation. Mapping outflows in the collapsing protocluster NGC 2264-C

The role played by protostellar feedback in clustered star formation is still a matter of debate. In particular, protostellar outflows have been proposed as a source of turbulence in cluster-forming clumps, which may provide support against global collapse for several free-fall times. Here, we seek to test the above hypothesis in the case of the well-documented NGC 2264-C protocluster, byquantifying the amount of turbulence and support injected in the surrounding medium by protostellar outflows. Using the HERA heterodyne array on the IRAM 30m telescope, we carried out an extensive mapping of NGC 2264-C in the three molecular line transitions 12CO(2-1), 13CO(2-1), and C18O(2-1). We found widespread high-velocity 12CO emission, testifying to the presence of eleven outflow lobes, closely linked to the compact millimeter continuum sources previously detected in the protocluster. We carried out a detailed analysis of the dynamical parameters of these outflows, including a quantitative evaluation of the overall momentum flux injected in the cluster-forming clump. These dynamical parameters were compared to the gravitational and turbulent properties of the clump. We show that the population of protostellar outflows identified in NGC 2264-C are likely to contribute a significant fraction of the observed turbulence but cannot efficiently support the protocluster against global collapse. Gravity appears to largely dominate the dynamics of the NGC 2264-C clump at the present time. It is however possible that an increase in the star formation rate during the further evolution of the protocluster will trigger sufficient outflows to finally halt the contraction of the cloud.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics. The quality of figures has been deteriorated to match arXiv size limitatio

Odin observations of water in molecular outflows and shocks

Aims. We investigate the ortho-water abundance in outflows and shocks in order to improve our knowledge of shock chemistry and of the physics behind molecular outflows. Methods. We have used the Odin space observatory to observe the H2O(110-101) line. We obtain strip maps and single pointings of 13 outflows and two supernova remnants where we report detections for eight sources. We have used RADEX to compute the beam averaged abundances of o-H2O relative to H2. In the case of non-detection, we derive upper limits on the abundance. Results. Observations of CO emission from the literature show that the volume density of H2 can vary to a large extent, a parameter that puts severe uncertainties on the derived abundances. Our analysis shows a wide range of abundances reflecting the degree to which shock chemistry is affecting the formation and destruction of water. We also compare our results with recent results from the SWAS team. Conclusions. Elevated abundances of ortho-water are found in several sources. The abundance reaches values as high as what would be expected from a theoretical C-type shock where all oxygen, not in the form of CO, is converted to water. However, the high abundances we derive could also be due to the low densities (derived from CO observations) that we assume. The water emission may in reality stem from high density regions much smaller than the Odin beam. We do not find any relationship between the abundance and the mass loss rate. On the other hand, there is a relation between the derived water abundance and the observed maximum outflow velocity.Comment: 19 pages, 20 figures, 4 table

Design and analysis of lid closure bolts for packages used to transport radioactive materials

The design criterion recommended by the U.S. Department of Energy for Category I radioactive packaging is found in Section III, Division 1, of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. This criterion provides material specifications and allowable stress limits for bolts used to secure lids of containment vessels. This paper describes the design requirements for Category I containment vessel lid closure bolts, and provides an example of a bolting stress analysis. The lid-closure bolting stress analysis compares calculations based on handbook formulas with an analysis performed with a finite-element computer code. The results show that the simple handbook calculations can be sufficiently accurate to evaluate the bolt stresses that occur in rotationally rigid lid flanges designed for metal-to-metal contact