Estimation of fretting fatigue life using a multiaxial stress-based critical distance methodology

This work presents a methodology for life estimation of mechanical couplings subjected to fretting fatigue. In this approach, a stress-based multiaxial fatigue parameter is evaluated at a critical distance below the contact surface. The fatigue parameter is based on an improved formulation of the Modified Wöhler Curve Method, in which the shear stress amplitude is measured via the Maximum Rectangular Hull method. To apply the Theory of Critical Distances in the medium-cycle fatigue regime, the critical distance is assumed to depend on the number of cycles to failure. Available fretting fatigue data, conducted on a cylinder-plane contact configuration made of Al alloy 4% Cu, were used to assess the methodology. Most of the life estimates were within an error band given by a factor of 2

Estimulação do enraizamento de estacas de Vitis rotundifolia Michx

A videira muscadínia, nativa da Flórida, têm-se distinguido pela produtividade, resistência a pragas e doenças e pela característica de desbastar-se facilmente na colheita, possibilitando sua comercialização em cestas, de forma semelhante ao morango. As dificuldades na propagação desse grupo de videira têm impedido sua disseminação na região tropical úmida, em áreas onde a exploração de outras videiras tem sido dificultada pela alta incidência de doenças. O objetivo desse trabalho foi estabelecer o sistema mais adequado de propagação vegetativa de Vitis rotundifolia Michx., utilizando estacas a picáis, medianas e basais, tratamentos com auxina e com baixa temperatura. Verificou-se que o enraizamento de estacas basais e medianas da videira muscadínia foi mais eficiente do que o de estacas apicais. Tratamento das estacas com temperatura de 4°C por 24 horas, ou imersão das estacas em solução de Exuberone 10 e 20 ml.l-1, promoveram o enraizamento de estacas medianas e basais, respectivamente. O desenvolvimento da parte aérea das estacas basais e medianas da videira mostrou-se superior no tratamento com baixa temperatura.The muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia Michx.) is native to Florida and has been cultivated for many years in U.S.A. It is harvested as single berries instead of in bunches and has small leaves. The fruit skin is thicker than those of bunch-type grapes. One reason for its popularity is that the muscadine is seldom seriously affected by diseases or insects. The muscadine grape is not readily propagated by hardwood cuttings, therefore the present work was carried out to develop a method for commercial propagation of its cuttings, using treatments with growth regulators (auxins) and low temperature. The results showed that the rooting of both basal and middle shoots of muscadine grape is better than the rooting of terminal sections of the shoots. Cuttings treated with low temperature (4°C) during 24 hours, or immersion of the cutting's bases in solutions of Exuberone 10 and 20 ml.l-1, promoted rooting of middle and basal cuttings, respectively. The growth of leaves in both basal and middle cuttings was superior in the treatment with low temperature

Crack path simulation for cylindrical contact under fretting conditions

In this work different strategies to estimate crack path for cylindrical contacts under fretting conditions are carried out. The main goal is to propose and to evaluate methodologies not only to estimate the direction of crack initiation but also the subsequent propagation in its earlier stages, where the stress field is multiaxial, non-proportional and decays very fast due to the proximity with the contact interface. Such complex conditions pose a substantial challenge to the modelling of crack path. The numerical simulations are provided by a 2D Finite Element Analysis taking into account interactions between the crack faces. The results show that, under fretting conditions, models based on the critical plane method are not effective to estimate the crack initiation orientation, while models based on a so called “critical direction” applied along a critical distance provide better results. Regarding the subsequent crack propagation orientation, it was possible to see that stress intensity factor based models where one considers an infinitesimal virtual crack emerging from an original preexistent crack are powerful mechanisms of crack orientation estimatio

Sonochemical route for mesoporous silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles towards pH-triggered drug delivery system

This work reports a pH-triggered release system based on core@shell mesoporous magnetic nanoparticles (MNP@mSiO2) obtained using a simple and rapid ultrasound-assisted method. Performed characterization reveals magnetic cores of Fe2.9Mn0.1O4 (38 ± 6 nm) and specific loss power values adequate for hyperthermia (463 W/g), surrounded by a mesoporous silica shell (10 ± 2 nm) with large surface area (269 m2 g-1) functionalized with hydroxyl groups (-OH). MNP@mSiO2 were loaded with DOX and amino-silane grops, providing pH-triggered DOX release at acidic environments, driving by dipolar intermolecular interactions. The experimental DOX release kinetics at pH 5.5, 6.6 and 7.4 were determined and adjusted to Gompertz dissolution model (Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (NSE>0.9)), where the only strongly pH-dependent variable is the percentage of DOX released. The pH-triggered response observed in the system was ~20% of the DOX loaded into the MNP@mSiO2 is released at pH 6.6 or 7.4, whereas up to 80 wt% is released at pH 5.5. Time to 50% of release and dissociation rate of the system remaining constant, suggesting no-pH influence on these parameters. The biological assays highlight negligible hemolytic effect and cytocompatibility of the hybrid material, pointing out the potential use of MNP@mSiO2 as a magnetic driven drug delivery system with pH-triggered drug release kinetics at acidic environments. These results probe the feasibility of sonochemical methods in the elaboration of biocompatible and controlled properties nanomaterials for drug release applications, with the advantage of accurately responses predictions by mathematical model and using minimal processing steps or laboratory equipment. © 2021 The Author

Phenomenological Determination of the Beauty Meson Decay Parameter fBf_B and the CP-Violating Angle δ\delta

We fit the ${\cal CKM}$-matrix to all recent data with the following free parameters: three mixing angles, the CP-violating angle $\delta$ in the Maiani parametrisation, the top quark mass $m_t$, and the product f_B{\cal B}_{\B}^{1/2}, where $f_B$ is the $B$-meson decay parameter and {\cal B}_{\B} is the bag parameter. Our fits span a contiguous region in the (f_B{\cal B}_{\B}^{1/2},\ \cos\delta)--plane, limited by 0.117\lsim f_B{\cal B}_{\B}^{1/2}/{\rm GeV}\lsim 0.231 and --0.95 \lsim $\cos\delta$ \lsim 0.70. The parameters f_B{\cal B}_{\B}^{1/2} and $\cos\delta$ are strongly positively correlated.Comment: 9 pages + 1 figure available upon request, HU-TFT-94-3

Wear and surface residual stress evolution on twin-disc tests of rail/wheel steels

Twin disc tribological tests were performed in wheel and rail materials, with specimens taken from a Spanish AVE train wheel and a UIC60 rail, in a program intended to characterize their contact fatigue behavior. The X-ray diffraction technique was used to characterize the residual stress distribution at the initial and damaged stages, as well as in intermediate stages, since existing residual stresses in the surface layers of the railways steels and its evolution during contact loading can have a major influence on crack initiation and propagation

A Multiaxial Stress-Based Critical Distance Methodology To Estimate Fretting Fatigue Life

This work presents a methodology for fretting fatigue life estimation based on the evaluation of a multiaxial fatigue parameter at a critical distance below the contact surface. The fatigue parameter is defined using the Modified Wöhler Curve Method together with a measure of shear stress amplitude based on the Maximum Rectangular Hull concept. To apply the approach in the medium-cycle fatigue regime, the critical distance is assumed to depend on the fatigue life. Available fretting fatigue experiments conducted on a cylinder-on-flat contact configuration made of Al-4%Cu alloy were used to evaluate the methodology. Most of the fatigue life estimates were within factor-of-two boundaries

Neurolysin knockout mice generation and initial phenotype characterization

The oligopeptidase neurolysin (EC 3.4.24.16; Nln) was first identified in rat brain synaptic membranes and shown to ubiquitously participate in the catabolism of bioactive peptides such as neurotensin and bradykinin. Recently, it was suggested that Nln reduction could improve insulin sensitivity. Here, we have shown that Nln knockout mice (KO) have increased glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity and gluconeogenesis. KO mice have increased liver mRNA for several genes related to gluconeogenesis. Isotopic label semi-quantitative peptidomic analysis suggests increase in specific intracellular peptides in gastrocnemius and epididymal adipose tissue, which likely is involved with the increased glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in the KO mice. These results suggest the exciting new possibility that Nln is a key enzyme for energy metabolism and could be a novel therapeutic target to improve glucose uptake and insulin sensitivity