A preliminary systems study of interface equipment for digitally programmed flight simulators

Design study of digitally programmed supersonic transport flight simulato

Rayleigh-Taylor Instability in Elastoplastic Solids: A Local Catastrophic Process

International audienceWe show that the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in elastoplastic solids takes the form of local perturbations penetrating the material independently of the interface size, in contrast with the theory for simple elastic materials. Then, even just beyond the stable domain, the instability abruptly develops as bursts rapidly moving through the other medium. We show that this is due to the resistance to penetration of a finger which is minimal for a specific finger size and drops to a much lower value beyond a small depth (a few millimeters). The Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) is a well-known instability which occurs when a denser fluid rests on top of a lighter one [1]. As it develops, the two fluids penetrate one another, in the form of fingers. Instability is driven by the density difference and the acceleration to which the fluids are submitted, while surface tension provides a stabilizing effect. In contrast, RTI in solids is much less studied and understood, even though it relates to many application fields and can cause irreversible damage to structures. Examples include metal plates submitted to strong pressure or acceleration in high-energy density physics experiments [2], magnetic implosion of impactor liners [3,4], assessment of solid strength under high strain rate [5], slowly accreting neutron stars [6]. Other applications are found in geology: volcanic island formation [7], salt dome formation [8], and more generally, magmatic diapirism in Earth's mantle and continental crust [9,10], correspond to situations where a liquid opens its way through a layer of denser solid material above it. In most approaches to this problem [7–9,11], the upper material was considered as a highly viscous fluid, which allowed simple simulations of the process, but could also be misleading. Another situation concerns oil well cementing operations, in which yield stress fluids of different densities (drilling muds and cement, e.g.), which behave as solids at rest, may be pumped into the well in an ill-favored density order [12]. The basic approach to RTI for solids assumes linear elastic materials. The problem appears similar to that for simple fluids, except that the role of surface tension effects, neglected for solids, is played by elasticity. For a single solid above a liquid with a (positive) density difference Δρ, the instability criterion (A) is given by gΔρ > 4απG=L, where G and L are the shear modulus and length of the sample, respectively, and g denotes the gravitational acceleration. Depending on boundary conditions, factor α was found to be 1 [3,13], 1.6 [14], or 2 [15]. A couple of experiments on metal plates [16] and with a yogurt [17] provided some support to this theory. From a more complete study [18] using soft elastic solids, the overall validity of this approach was proved but the wavelength was shown to be smaller than expected from theory and dependent on uncontrollable, slight disturbances of the surface [19]. RTI for solids is further complicated by the fact that yielding may occur beyond a critical deformation. So far, this aspect has been considered separately, leading to the conclusion that instability results from a sufficiently large initial perturbation amplitude ε 0 (penetration depth). The instability criterion (B) then reads gΔρ > βτ c =ε 0 , where τ c denotes the material's yield stress (in simple shear), and where 0.5 ≤ β ≤ 2 depending on the sample aspect ratio [13–15,18,24,25]. Some tests with a single material were apparently in agreement with this criterion [17] but the plastic regime for this material was not so well-defined [19]. Finally, it was suggested [2] that elastic and plastic stability criteria should be taken into account successively, and deep theoretical analysis [26] predicted that for plastic materials, once the threshold is reached somewhere, the perturbation grows unlimitedly. These approaches have the advantage of considering independently the elasticity and the yielding effects. However, one cannot exclude that the interplay of both mechanisms could play a crucial role in the early stage of the perturbation growth. Here we aim at clarifying this problem through experiments on well-characterized materials, linearly elastic below a critical deformation and elastoplastic beyond this deformation. We show that the RTI in solids does not develop as predicted by the theory for simple elastic materials, but results from the ability of local perturbations to penetrate the material by involving, from the start, both elastic and plastic effects. At some point during the process, resistance to penetration drops, causing an abrup

A Cross-Lagged Panel Model Examining Protective Behavioral Strategies: Are Types of Strategies Differentially Related to Alcohol Use and Consequences?

Protective behavioral strategies (PBS) are skills that can be used to reduce the of risk alcohol-related negative consequences. Studies have shown that, in general, PBS are related to less alcohol consumption and fewer negative consequences; however, other studies have suggested that not all types of PBS (e.g., stopping/limiting drinking [SLD], manner of drinking [MOD] and serious harm reduction [SHR]) are equally effective at reducing alcohol risk. In addition, few studies have explored the longitudinal relationships among PBS, alcohol use and consequences. Using a sample of heavy drinking college students (N = 338), the current study examined PBS use, alcohol consumption and consequences across two time points three months apart. Cross-lagged panel models revealed that MOD predicted a reduction in alcohol use and negative consequences. SHR was longitudinally related to fewer negative consequences, but unrelated to alcohol use. SLD was not associated with drinking or consequences at follow-up. These results highlight the need for future research to examine the effects of different types of PBS and have implications for alcohol intervention programs that incorporate PBS skills training

Micro-Capsules in Shear Flow

This paper deals with flow-induced shape transitions of elastic capsules. The state of the art concerning both theory and experiments is briefly reviewed starting with dynamically induced small deformation of initially spherical capsules and the formation of wrinkles on polymerized membranes. Initially non-spherical capsules show tumbling and tank-treading motion in shear flow. Theoretical descriptions of the transition between these two types of motion assuming a fixed shape are at variance with the full capsule dynamics obtained numerically. To resolve the discrepancy, we expand the exact equations of motion for small deformations and find that shape changes play a dominant role. We classify the dynamical phase transitions and obtain numerical and analytical results for the phase boundaries as a function of viscosity contrast, shear and elongational flow rate. We conclude with perspectives on timedependent flow, on shear-induced unbinding from surfaces, on the role of thermal fluctuations, and on applying the concepts of stochastic thermodynamics to these systems.Comment: 34 pages, 15 figure

Nucleon-nucleon elastic scattering analysis to 2.5 GeV

A partial-wave analysis of NN elastic scattering data has been completed. This analysis covers an expanded energy range, from threshold to a laboratory kinetic energy of 2.5 GeV, in order to include recent elastic pp scattering data from the EDDA collaboration. The results of both single-energy and energy-dependent analyses are described.Comment: 23 pages of text. Postscript files for the figures are available from ftp://clsaid.phys.vt.edu/pub/said/n

Effects of particulate matter on the pulmonary and vascular system: time course in spontaneously hypertensive rats

BACKGROUND: This study was performed within the scope of two multi-center European Commission-funded projects (HEPMEAP and PAMCHAR) concerning source-composition-toxicity relationship for particulate matter (PM) sampled in Europe. The present study aimed to optimize the design for PM in vivo toxicity screening studies in terms of dose and time between a single exposure and the determination of the biological responses in a rat model mimicking human disease resulting in susceptibility to ambient PM. Dust in thoracic PM size-range (aerodynamic diameter <10 μm) was sampled nearby a road tunnel (RTD) using a high volume cascade impactor. Spontaneously hypertensive rats were exposed to urban dust collected in Ottawa, Canada (EHC-93 10 mg/kg of body weight; reference PM) or different RTD doses (0.3, 1, 3, 10 mg/kg of body weight) by intratracheal instillation. Necropsy was performed at 4, 24, or 48 hr after exposure. RESULTS: The neutrophil numbers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid increased tremendously after exposure to the highest RTD doses or EHC-93. Furthermore, PM exposure slightly affected blood coagulation since there was a small but significant increase in the plasma fibrinogen levels (factor 1.2). Pulmonary inflammation and oxidative stress as well as changes in blood coagulation factors and circulating blood cell populations were observed within the range of 3 to 10 mg PM/kg of body weight without significant pulmonary injury. CONCLUSION: The optimal dose for determining the toxicity ranking of ambient derived PM samples in spontaneously hypertensive rats is suggested to be between 3 and 10 mg PM/kg of body weight under the conditions used in the present study. At a lower dose only some inflammatory effects were detected, which will probably be too few to be able to discriminate between PM samples while a completely different response pattern was observed with the highest dose. In addition to the dose, a 24-hr interval from exposure to sacrifice seemed appropriate to assess the relative toxic potency of PM since the majority of the health effects were observed one day after PM exposure compared to the other times examined. The aforementioned considerations provide a good basis for conducting PM toxicity screening studies in spontaneously hypertensive rats

The course of specialization in public health in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 1926 to 2006: lessons and challenges

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Public health, as a field of knowledge, depends on its professionals. Their education and training, therefore, is considered to be an important factor for the quality of health services. In Brazil, the Course of Specialization in Public Health of the National School of Public Health is one of the oldest in the country. The course has existed for over 80 years, during which it has had an eventful history, with modifications in its organization, interruptions in its delivery, threats to its survival and changes in the institutions hosting it, reflecting the wider transformation in Brazilian society and public life over that period.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this article we analyse this course via its history, disciplines, organization and characteristics of the student body.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Insights were gained into the advancement of public health in Brazil and the progress of education for professionals in this field was highlighted. The course has formed nearly 2000 specialists in public health.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>An analysis of the course's history provides valuable lessons for other schools of public health trying to train professionals in developing countries.</p

Beneficial cardiovascular effects of reducing exposure to particulate air pollution with a simple facemask

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Exposure to air pollution is an important risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and is associated with increased blood pressure, reduced heart rate variability, endothelial dysfunction and myocardial ischaemia. Our objectives were to assess the cardiovascular effects of reducing air pollution exposure by wearing a facemask.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In an open-label cross-over randomised controlled trial, 15 healthy volunteers (median age 28 years) walked on a predefined city centre route in Beijing in the presence and absence of a highly efficient facemask. Personal exposure to ambient air pollution and exercise was assessed continuously using portable real-time monitors and global positional system tracking respectively. Cardiovascular effects were assessed by continuous 12-lead electrocardiographic and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Ambient exposure (PM_2.586 ± 61 <it>vs </it>140 ± 113 μg/m³; particle number 2.4 ± 0.4 <it>vs </it>2.3 ± 0.4 × 10⁴particles/cm³), temperature (29 ± 1 <it>vs </it>28 ± 3°C) and relative humidity (63 ± 10 <it>vs </it>64 ± 19%) were similar (P > 0.05 for all) on both study days. During the 2-hour city walk, systolic blood pressure was lower (114 ± 10 <it>vs </it>121 ± 11 mmHg, P < 0.01) when subjects wore a facemask, although heart rate was similar (91 ± 11 <it>vs </it>88 ± 11/min; P > 0.05). Over the 24-hour period heart rate variability increased (SDNN 65.6 ± 11.5 <it>vs </it>61.2 ± 11.4 ms, P < 0.05; LF-power 919 ± 352 <it>vs </it>816 ± 340 ms², P < 0.05) when subjects wore the facemask.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Wearing a facemask appears to abrogate the adverse effects of air pollution on blood pressure and heart rate variability. This simple intervention has the potential to protect susceptible individuals and prevent cardiovascular events in cities with high concentrations of ambient air pollution.</p