On the determination of constitutive parametersin a hyperelastic model for a soft tissue

The aim of this paper is to study a model of hyperelastic materials and itsapplications into soft tissue mechanics. In particular, we first determine an unbounded domain of the constitutive parameters of the model making our smoothstrain energy function to be polyconvex and hence satisfying the Legendre–Hadamard condition. Thus, physically reasonable material behaviour are described by our model with these parameters and a plently of tissues can betreated. Furthermore, we localize bounded subsets of constitutive parameters in fixed physical and very general bounds and then introduce a family of descrete stress–strain curves. Whence, various classes of tissues are characterized. Ourgeneral approach is based on a detailed analytical study of the first Piola–Kirchhoff stress tensor through its dependence on the invariants and on the constitutive parameters. The uniqueness of parameters for one tissue is discussed by introducing the notion of manifold of constitutive parameters, whichis locally represented by possibly different physical quantities. The advantage of our study is that we show a possible way to improve of the usual approachesshown in the literature which are mainly based on the minimization of a costfunction as the difference between experimental and model results

Characterization of a defective PbWO4 crystal cut along the a-c crystallographic plane: structural assessment and a novel photoelastic stress analysis

Among scintillators, the PWO is one of the most widely used, for instance in CMS calorimeter at CERN and PANDA project. Crystallographic structure and chemical composition as well as residual stress condition, are indicators of homogeneity and good quality of the crystal. In this paper, structural characterization of a defective PbWO4 (PWO) crystal has been performed by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and Photoelasticity in the unusual a-c crystallographic plane. XRD and EDS analysis have been used to investigate crystallographic orientation and chemical composition, while stress distribution, which indicates macroscopic inhomogeneities and defects, has been obtained by photoelastic approaches, in Conoscopic and Sphenoscopic configuration. Since the sample is cut along the a-c crystallographic plane, a new method is proposed for the interpretation of the fringe pattern. The structural analysis has detected odds from the nominal lattice dimension, which can be attributed to the strong presence of Pb and W. A strong inhomogeneity over the crystal sample has been revealed by the photoelastic inspection. The results give reliability to the proposed procedure which is exploitable in crystals with other structures.Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures, revised versio

Temporal and diffraction effects in entanglement creation in an optical cavity

A practical scheme for entanglement creation between distant atoms located inside a single-mode optical cavity is discussed. We show that the degree of entanglement and the time it takes for the entanglement to reach its optimum value is a sensitive function the initial conditions and the position of the atoms inside the cavity mode. It is found that the entangled properties of the two atoms can readily be extracted from dynamics of a simple two-level system. Effectively, we engineer two coupled qubits whose the dynamics are analogous to that of a driven single two-level system. It is found that spatial variations of the coupling constants actually help to create transient entanglement which may appear on the time scale much longer than that predicted for the case of equal coupling constants. When the atoms are initially prepared in an entangled state, they may remain entangled for all times. We also find that the entanglement exhibits an interesting phenomenon of diffraction when the the atoms are located between the nodes and antinodes of the cavity mode. The diffraction pattern of the entanglement varies with time and we explain this effect in terms of the quantum property of complementarity, which is manifested as a tradeoff between the knowledge of energy of the exchanged photon versus the evolution time of the system.Comment: Phys. Rev. A75, 042307 (2007

Ergodicity breaking in strong and network-forming glassy system

The temperature dependence of the non-ergodicity factor of vitreous GeO$_2$, $f_{q}(T)$, as deduced from elastic and quasi-elastic neutron scattering experiments, is analyzed. The data are collected in a wide range of temperatures from the glassy phase, up to the glass transition temperature, and well above into the undercooled liquid state. Notwithstanding the investigated system is classified as prototype of strong glass, it is found that the temperature- and the $q$-behavior of $f_{q}(T)$ follow some of the predictions of Mode Coupling Theory. The experimental data support the hypothesis of the existence of an ergodic to non-ergodic transition occurring also in network forming glassy systems

Children’s Subjective Well-being in Rich Countries

This paper is based on background research we undertook for UNICEF Innocenti Report Card 11 on child well-being in rich countries. It develops a new domain index of subjective well-being based on seven indicators drawn from the Health Behaviour of School Aged Children (HBSC) survey 2009/10, which includes life satisfaction, relationships with family and friends, well-being at school, and subjective health. It explores the associations between the indicators, components and the overall domain. Changes in subjective well-being between HBSC 2001/2 and 2009/10 are analysed. It then explores the relationships between subjective well-being and objective domains: material, health, education, behaviour and housing and environment. At a macro level subjective well-being is associated with all those domains. It concludes that subjective well-being should be included in comparative studies of well-being but not necessarily as just another domain. It is a related but different order measure

Type 2 diabetes and reduced exercise tolerance: A review of the literature through an integrated physiology approach

The association between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and heart failure (HF) is well established. Early in the course of the diabetic disease, some degree of impaired exercise capacity (a powerful marker of health status with prognostic value) can be frequently highlighted in otherwise asymptomatic T2DM subjects. However, the literature is quite heterogeneous, and the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms are far from clear. Imaging-cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is a non-invasive, provocative test providing a multi-variable assessment of pulmonary, cardiovascular, muscular, and cellular oxidative systems during exercise, capable of offering unique integrated pathophysiological information. With this review we aimed at defying the cardiorespiratory alterations revealed through imaging-CPET that appear specific of T2DM subjects without overt cardiovascular or pulmonary disease. In synthesis, there is compelling evidence indicating a reduction of peak workload, peak oxygen assumption, oxygen pulse, as well as ventilatory efficiency. On the contrary, evidence remains inconclusive about reduced peripheral oxygen extraction, impaired heart rate adjustment, and lower anaerobic threshold, compared to non-diabetic subjects. Based on the multiparametric evaluation provided by imaging-CPET, a dissection and a hierarchy of the underlying mechanisms can be obtained. Here we propose four possible integrated pathophysiological mechanisms, namely myocardiogenic, myogenic, vasculogenic and neurogenic. While each hypothesis alone can potentially explain the majority of the CPET alterations observed, seemingly different combinations exist in any given subject. Finally, a discussion on the effects -and on the physiological mechanisms-of physical activity and exercise training on oxygen uptake in T2DM subjects is also offered. The understanding of the early alterations in the cardiopulmonary response that are specific of T2DM would allow the early identification of those at a higher risk of developing HF and possibly help to understand the pathophysiological link between T2DM and HF

Corrosion behavior of Shape Memory Alloy in NaCl environment and deformation recovery maintenance in Cu-Zn-Al system

Shape memory effect (SME) and the relation with corrosion behavior of Cu-Zn-Al Smart Memory Alloys (SMAs) were investigated using different techniques: Scanning Electron Microscopy equipped with an Energy Dispersive System, X-Ray Diffraction analysis, Electrochemical Test in NaCl solutions with different concentrations (0.035%, 0.35% and 3.5%), which simulate coastal conditions, mechanical characterization through tensile test and guided bend test. SMAs are an important class of smart materials able to recover after deformation a pre-imposed shape through a temperature modification. These alloys show great potential, finding several applications in medicine and in different types of industry sectors (aerospace, architecture, automotive etc.). Cu-based SMAs, including Cu-Zn-Al alloys, have lower production costs with respect to Ni-Ti alloys as well as good possibility in seismic and architectural applications. A Cu-Zn-Al alloy with a theoretical composition of 25 wt.% Zn and 4 wt.% Al was produced by casting method. The aim of this study is to characterize the microstructure, the mechanical properties and the corrosion behavior through different kind of standard corrosion tests of this alloy and to evaluate the effect of corrosion damage on the shape memory recovery capability through a combination of corrosion and thermo-mechanical cyclic test and SEM observations