Air gap influence on the vibro-acoustic response of Solar Arrays during launch

One of the primary elements on the space missions is the electrical power subsystem, for which the critical component is the solar array. The behaviour of these elements during the ascent phase of the launch is critical for avoiding damages on the solar panels, which are the primary source of energy for the satellite in its final configuration. The vibro-acoustic response to the sound pressure depends on the solar array size, mass, stiffness and gap thickness. The stowed configuration of the solar array consists of a multiple system composed of structural elements and the air layers between panels. The effect of the air between panels on the behaviour of the system affects the frequency response of the system not only modifying the natural frequencies of the wings but also as interaction path between the wings of the array. The usual methods to analyze the vibro-acoustic response of structures are the FE and BE methods for the low frequency range and the SEA formulation for the high frequency range. The main issue in the latter method is, on one hand, selecting the appropriate subsystems, and, on the other, identifying the parameters of the energetic system: the internal and coupling loss factors. From the experimental point of view, the subsystems parameters can be identified by exciting each subsystem and measuring the energy of all the subsystems composing the Solar Array. Although theoretically possible, in practice it is difficult to apply loads on the air gaps. To analyse this situation, two different approaches can be studied depending on whether the air gaps between the panels are included explicitly in the problem or not. For a particular case of a solar array of three wings in stowed configuration both modelling philosophies are compared. This stowed configuration of a three wing solar arrays in stowed configuration has been tested in an acoustic chamber. The measured data on the solar wings allows, in general, determining the loss factors of the configuration. The paper presents a test description and measurements on the structure, in terms of the acceleration power spectral density. Finally, the performance of each modelling technique has been evaluated by comparison between simulations with experimental results on a spacecraft solar array and the influence on the apparent properties of the system in terms of the SEA loss factors has been analyse

Low-Mass Eclipsing Binaries in the Initial Kepler Data Release

We identify 231 objects in the newly released Cycle 0 dataset from the Kepler Mission as double-eclipse, detached eclipsing binary systems with Teff < 5500 K and orbital periods shorter than ~32 days. We model each light curve using the JKTEBOP code with a genetic algorithm to obtain precise values for each system. We identify 95 new systems with both components below 1.0 M_sun and eclipses of at least 0.1 magnitudes, suitable for ground-based follow-up. Of these, 14 have periods less than 1.0 day, 52 have periods between 1.0 and 10.0 days, and 29 have periods greater than 10.0 days. This new sample of main-sequence, low-mass, double-eclipse, detached eclipsing binary candidates more than doubles the number of previously known systems, and extends the sample into the completely heretofore unexplored P > 10.0 day period regime. We find preliminary evidence from these systems that the radii of low-mass stars in binary systems decrease with period. This supports the theory that binary spin-up is the primary cause of inflated radii in low-mass binary systems, although a full analysis of each system with radial-velocity and multi-color light curves is needed to fully explore this hypothesis. As well, we present 7 new transiting planet candidates that do not appear among the recently released list of 706 candidates by the Kepler team, nor in the Kepler False Positive Catalog, along with several other new and interesting systems. We also present novel techniques for the identification, period analysis, and modeling of eclipsing binaries.Comment: 22 pages in emulateapj format. 9 figures, 4 tables, 2 appendices. Accepted to AJ. Includes a significant addition of new material since last arXiv submission and an updated method for estimating masses and radi

Artritis séptica de rodilla por Streptococcus agalactiae: presentación de un caso y revisión de la literatura

Se describe un caso de artritis séptica de rodilla en un paciente diabético de 69 años. En el momento de la presentación se hallaba sometido a curas locales de una úlcera crónica en el mismo miembro y a antibioterapia oral inespecífica por supuesta infección urinaria. En el cultivo del líquido sinovial se identificó un Streptococcus agalactiae (Estreptococo del grupo B). La infección no remitió con antibioterapia intravenosa electiva e irrigación-aspiración articular repetidas, requiriendo desbridamiento quirúrgico y sinovectomía. A pesar de instaurarse un programa de rehabilitación intensiva la rodilla evolucionó a la rigidez. Se revisa la literatura al respecto, destacando la asociación de artritis por estreptococos del grupo B con pacientes diabéticos portadores de úlceras cutáneas crónicas, así como la potencial gravedad de estas infecciones.This report describes a case of knee septic arthritis in a 69-year-old diabetic patient. At the time of admission he was receiving local treatment for a chronic skin ulcer in the same extremity and inespecific oral antibiotherapy because of an urinary tract infection. Synovial fluid cultures showed a Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus). The infection had no response to specific parenteral antibiotherapy and repeated joint irrigations-aspirations, and therefore surgical desbridement and synovectomy was required. Despite of an intensive rehabilitation program, the affected knee developed ankylosis. In a review of literature, it is remarkable the association between group B streptococcal arthritis and chronic skin ulcers in diabetic patients and the potential severity of these infections

Guadalfeo and Adra submarine deltas evolution in response to sediment supply variations

The Guadalfeo and the Adra submarine deltas off the northern coast of the Alboran Sea have been built up under the direct influence of short and mountainous rivers. The area is subjected to strong climatic seasonality, with sporadic winter torrential floods and high summer aridity. In addition numerous anthropogenic activities have affected these systems, mostly during the last two centuries. In order to decode the influence of climatic variability and anthropogenic impacts on sediment supplies during the recent past, five sediment cores were collected from the Guadalfeo and Adra submarine deltas. Benthic foraminiferal and sedimentological analyses, combined with radiocarbon dating, were performed. The impact of torrential floods alternating with periods of low rainfall or dry periods were recorded in the Adra and Guadalfeo prodeltas. Periods with low abundance of benthic foraminifera and high amounts of coarse-grained sediments, were interpreted as the result of enhanced sediment supply to the shelf triggered by major flood events. On the other hand, periods with high amounts of fine-grained sediments and high abundances of colonizers and opportunistic foraminiferal species indicate the establishment of new environments with distinct ecological constraints. These environments were driven by lower sediment supplies during low rainfall or dry periods. The most recent sedimentation seems to reflect the human interventions in the rivers basins, such as deviation of the main river courses and dams construction, which reduced the sediment input and promoted the deposition of shallow-water submarine deltas.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Caracterización y clasificación de los carbones cretácicos de Teruel. Relaciones entre sus características y el entorno geológico

27 páginas, 8 figuras, 4 tablas.[ES]: Se han caracterizado los carbones cretácicos de la cuenca minera de Teruel (España), mediante el estudio exhaustivo de 36 muestras de capa de todas las explotaciones con actividad minera. El estudio ha comprendido: Análisis inmediato, elemental y petrográfico. Asimismo, se han determinado otros parámetros cuyo conocimiento se consideró necesario. También se han realizado ensayos carboquimicos como oxidación e hidrogenación. Los resultados muestran que aunque estos carbones pertenecen todos a una misma unidad geológica (Formación Escucha), existen diferencias claras entre los carbones de las subzonas Norte y Sur del Distrito Minero. Estos carbones se han clasificado mediante sistemas científicos (Seyler, van Krevelen y Alpem-ICCP) y comerciales (ECE/IJN y ASTM). El mejor parámetro clasificatorio ha sido la reflectividad de la vitrinita. Según el sistema de clasificación utilizado, los carbones de la subzona Norte se pueden considerar como lignitos o subbituminosos B y los de la subzona Sur como subbituminosos B ó A. Las diferencias encontradas entre los carbones estudiados, se explican desde un punto de vista geológico, por dos motivos: 1) Diferente presión litostática sobre las capas de carbón según la subzona, debido al aumento progresivo de la potencia de los sedimentos del Cenomaniense - Senoniense (Cretácico Superior) de Norte a Sur del Distrito Minero. 2) Menor influencia de la orogénesis alpina en las subzona Norte, contrastando con la subzona Sur, donde provocó gran número de fallas y plegamientos (una estructuración más intensa de las sucesiones mesozoicas).[EN]: Cretaceous coals from the Teruel Mining District (Spain) have been characterized by an exhaustive study of 36 bed samples from alí of the underground and upen cut mines with activity in that cual field. This study has included proximate, elemental, petrographic and other analyses. Also, sume chemical tests, as oxidations and hydrogenations, have been carried out. The results show that although these coals belung tu the same geological unit (Escucha Furmation in the lower Cretaceous), there are clear differences between the Norther and Southem Subzones of the Mining District. These coals have been classified by sume scientific (Syler’s, van Krevelen diagram and Alpem-ICCP) and commercial (ECE/UN and ASTM) systems. The best parameter tu classify these coals has been the vitrinite reflectance. In depending un the used classification system, cuaN from the North Subzone can be cunsidered as lignites or subbituminous B while coals from the South Subzone can be considered as subbituminous B or A. The differences between both groups uf studied coals can be explained, from a geological viewpoint, by two major factors: 1) The lithostatic pressure supported by the cual beds has been different in depending un the Subzone, because of the progressive thickness increase of te Cenomanian - Senonian sediments (Upper Cretaceous) from the North tu the South uf the Mining District. 2) The intensity of te Alpine Orogeny was stronger in the South Subzone; where gaye rise tu a more intense structuration of the Mesozoic sequences.El proyecto de investigación: “Caracterización de carbones aragoneses” del que forma parte este proyecto, fue realizado en el Instituto de Carboquímica, gracias a la financiación del CSIC, OCICARBON y Diputación General de Aragón - Diputación Provincial de Teruel (Juan, 1990).Peer reviewe

Experimental investigation of the initial regime in fingering electrodeposition: dispersion relation and velocity measurements

Recently a fingering morphology, resembling the hydrodynamic Saffman-Taylor instability, was identified in the quasi-two-dimensional electrodeposition of copper. We present here measurements of the dispersion relation of the growing front. The instability is accompanied by gravity-driven convection rolls at the electrodes, which are examined using particle image velocimetry. While at the anode the theory presented by Chazalviel et al. describes the convection roll, the flow field at the cathode is more complicated because of the growing deposit. In particular, the analysis of the orientation of the velocity vectors reveals some lag of the development of the convection roll compared to the finger envelope.Comment: 11 pages, 15 figures, REVTEX 4; reference adde

Benthic foraminiferal and sedimentological response to the evolution of the Adra submarine delta, northern Alboran Sea

The Adra submarine delta is located on the northern Alboran Sea shelf in the western Mediterranean Sea. The genesis of this deltaic system is associated with the discharges of the short and mountainous Adra River. The area is under the influence of a Mediterranean climate with sporadic winter torrential flows and increased summer aridity. Major anthropogenic activities in the river system occurred in 1872 AD, with the deviation of the main fluvial course to the east. The channel was silted up in 1910 AD as result of a flood event and relocated further west, at its present position. These artificial changes are reflected in the submarine morpho‐stratigraphy of the delta that is composed of two main lobes. In order to understand the interaction between river discharges and the evolution of the submarine delta at different timescales, two sediment cores were collected from both lobes. A chronological framework was performed and combined with sedimentological and benthic foraminiferal analyses. Radiocarbon dating of plant debris from the base of the cores indicates that the sedimentary record goes back 250 years BP. The correlation of sediment cores with seismic records indicate that both cores penetrated the same seismic unit, deposited between ca. 1070 to ca. 1872 AD, under the direct influence of the ancient river course. The predominant sedimentary facies is sandy silt with intercalated sand layers. The uppermost core sections are pure sand. The number of benthic foraminifera is generally below 100 specimens per gram. The most abundant species in both cores are Ammonia tepida, Bolivina ordinaria, Nonionella stella, Reophax arctica and Textularia earlandi. The increases of sand and the low faunal density, followed by increased abundance of successful colonizers and opportunistic species, is interpreted as result of periods of high precipitation, and sediment supply to the shelf, and the subsequent establishment of an environment with new ecological constrains.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Time resolved amplified FRET identifies protein kinase B activation state as a marker for poor prognosis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Purpose Clear cell Renal Cell Carcinomas (ccRCC), the largest group of renal tumours, are resistant to classical therapies. The determination of the functional state of actionable biomarkers for the assessment of these adenocarcinomas is essential. The dysregulation of the oncoprotein, PKB/Akt has been linked with poor prognoses in human cancers. Material & methods We analysed the status of the PKB/Akt pathway in a representative tumour tissue microarray obtained from the primary tumours and their metastases in 60 ccRCC with long term follow up. We sought to define the evolution of this pathway from the primary tumour to the metastatic event and to know the impact of its functional state in tumour aggressiveness and patient survival. Two-site time resolved amplified FRET (A-FRET) was utilised for assessing the activation state of PKB/Akt and this was compared to conventional immunohistochemistry measurements. Results Activation state of PKB/Akt in primary tumours defined by A-FRET correlated with poorer overall survival (hazard ratio 0.228; p = 0.002). Whereas, increased protein expression of phosphoPKB/Akt, identified using classical immunohistochemistry, yielded no significant difference (hazard ratio 1.390; p = 0.548). Conclusions Quantitative determination of PKB/Akt activation in ccRCC primary tumours alongside other diagnostics tools could prove key in taking oncologists closer to an efficient personalised therapy in ccRCC patients. General significance The quantitative imaging technology based on Amplified-FRET can rapidly analyse protein activation states and molecular interactions. It could be used for prognosis and assess drug function during the early cycles of chemotherapy. It enables evaluation of clinical efficiency of personalised cancer treatment