A Nonlocal Model for Carbon Nanotubes under Axial Loads

Various beam theories are formulated in literature using the nonlocal differential constitutive relation proposed by Eringen. A new variational framework is derived in the present paper by following a consistent thermodynamic approach based on a nonlocal constitutive law of gradient-type. Contrary to the results obtained by Eringen, the new model exhibits the nonlocality effect also for constant axial load distributions. The treatment can be adopted to get new benchmarks for numerical analyses

Harvesting techniques for non-industrial SRF biomass plantations on farmland

<p>The goal of this study was to compare the technical and economic performance of terrain chipping and roadside chipping, applied to short rotation biomass plantations. The null hypothesis was that no significant difference are in the performance of the two work systems, when applied to short rotation coppices. Those systems especially designed for non-industrial SRF plantations, were used for conventional logging operations. The difference on the above mentioned systems consisted especially in the chipping location: chipping was performed directly to the field (containers reach the chipper in the field) or at the field’s edge (roadside chipping). Both systems were tested on two of the most common SRF poplar clones in Italy, namely: AF2 and Monviso. Plots were allocated randomly to the two treatment levels ( roadside or field chipping) than blocked for two main clone types ( AF2 and Monviso ) so that each of the 4 treatments level and clone types has a minimum repetition plot of 6 times (total of 24 replications). The Plot were identified with paint markings at the stump so each plot area could be identified at the ground. Net weight of each charge was obtained by a certified weighbridge, so each plot has its own productivity in terms of weight and time consumption. Results were encouraging: harvesting cost varied from 16.3 to 23.2 tonne-1, and was lower for terrain chipping and for the most productive clone (Monviso). Despite its higher cost, roadside chipping was preferred for its better terrain capability and for the superior storage quality of uncomminuted biomass. Both systems were suboptimal in their current configurations. They could offer a better performance, subject to minor improvements.</p

A Fully Gradient Model for Euler-Bernoulli Nanobeams

A fully gradient elasticity model for bending of nanobeams is proposed by using a nonlocal thermodynamic approach. As a basic theoretical novelty, the proposed constitutive law is assumed to depend on the axial strain gradient, while existing gradient elasticity formulations for nanobeams contemplate only the derivative of the axial strain with respect to the axis of the structure. Variational equations governing the elastic equilibrium problem of bending of a fully gradient nanobeam and the corresponding differential and boundary conditions are thus provided. Analytical solutions for a nanocantilever are given and the results are compared with those predicted by other theories. As a relevant implication of applicative interest in the research field of nanobeams used in nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS), it is shown that displacements obtained by the present model are quite different from those predicted by the known gradient elasticity treatments

Insufficient control of blood pressure and incident diabetes

OBJECTIVE: Incidence of type 2 diabetes might be associated with preexisting hypertension. There is no information on whether incident diabetes is predicted by blood pressure control. We evaluated the hazard of diabetes in relation to blood pressure control in treated hypertensive patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Nondiabetic, otherwise healthy, hypertensive patients (N = 1,754, mean +/- SD age 52 +/- 11 years, 43% women) participated in a network over 3.4 +/- 1 years of follow-up. Blood pressure was considered uncontrolled if systolic was >or=140 mmHg and/or diastolic was >or=90 mmHg at the last outpatient visit. Diabetes was defined according to American Diabetes Association guidelines. RESULTS: Uncontrolled blood pressure despite antihypertensive treatment was found in 712 patients (41%). At baseline, patients with uncontrolledblood pressure were slightly younger than patients with controlled blood pressure (51 +/- 11 vs. 53 +/- 12 years, P < 0.001), with no differences in sex distribution, BMI, duration of hypertension, baseline blood pressure, fasting glucose, serum creatinine and potassium, lipid profile, or prevalence of metabolic syndrome. During follow-up, 109 subjects developed diabetes. Incidence of diabetes was significantly higher in patients with uncontrolled (8%) than in those with controlled blood pressure (4%, odds ratio 2.08, P < 0.0001). In Cox regression analysis controlling for baseline systolic blood pressure and BMI, family history of diabetes, and physical activity, uncontrolled blood pressure doubled the risk of incident diabetes (hazard ratio [HR] 2.10, P < 0.001), independently of significant effects of age (HR 1.02 per year, P = 0.03) and baseline fasting glucose (HR 1.10 per mg/dl, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In a large sample of treated nondiabetic hypertensive subjects, uncontrolled blood pressure is associated with twofold increased risk of incident diabetes independently of age, BMI, baseline blood pressure, or fasting glucose

Insufficient control of blood pressure and incident diabetes

OBJECTIVE: Incidence of type 2 diabetes might be associated with preexisting hypertension. There is no information on whether incident diabetes is predicted by blood pressure control. We evaluated the hazard of diabetes in relation to blood pressure control in treated hypertensive patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Nondiabetic, otherwise healthy, hypertensive patients (N = 1,754, mean +/- SD age 52 +/- 11 years, 43% women) participated in a network over 3.4 +/- 1 years of follow-up. Blood pressure was considered uncontrolled if systolic was >or=140 mmHg and/or diastolic was >or=90 mmHg at the last outpatient visit. Diabetes was defined according to American Diabetes Association guidelines. RESULTS: Uncontrolled blood pressure despite antihypertensive treatment was found in 712 patients (41%). At baseline, patients with uncontrolledblood pressure were slightly younger than patients with controlled blood pressure (51 +/- 11 vs. 53 +/- 12 years, P < 0.001), with no differences in sex distribution, BMI, duration of hypertension, baseline blood pressure, fasting glucose, serum creatinine and potassium, lipid profile, or prevalence of metabolic syndrome. During follow-up, 109 subjects developed diabetes. Incidence of diabetes was significantly higher in patients with uncontrolled (8%) than in those with controlled blood pressure (4%, odds ratio 2.08, P < 0.0001). In Cox regression analysis controlling for baseline systolic blood pressure and BMI, family history of diabetes, and physical activity, uncontrolled blood pressure doubled the risk of incident diabetes (hazard ratio [HR] 2.10, P < 0.001), independently of significant effects of age (HR 1.02 per year, P = 0.03) and baseline fasting glucose (HR 1.10 per mg/dl, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In a large sample of treated nondiabetic hypertensive subjects, uncontrolled blood pressure is associated with twofold increased risk of incident diabetes independently of age, BMI, baseline blood pressure, or fasting glucose

On the regularity of curvature fields in stress-driven nonlocal elastic beams

AbstractElastostatic problems of Bernoulli–Euler nanobeams, involving internal kinematic constraints and discontinuous and/or concentrated force systems, are investigated by the stress-driven nonlocal elasticity model. The field of elastic curvature is output by the convolution integral with a special averaging kernel and a piecewise smooth source field of elastic curvature, pointwise generated by the bending interaction. The total curvature is got by adding nonelastic curvatures due to thermal and/or electromagnetic effects and similar ones. It is shown that fields of elastic curvature, associated with piecewise smooth source fields and bi-exponential kernel, are continuously differentiable in the whole domain. The nonlocal elastic stress-driven integral law is then equivalent to a constitutive differential problem equipped with boundary and interface constitutive conditions expressing continuity of elastic curvature and its derivative. Effectiveness of the interface conditions is evidenced by the solution of an exemplar assemblage of beams subjected to discontinuous and concentrated loadings and to thermal curvatures, nonlocally associated with discontinuous thermal gradients. Analytical solutions of structural problems and their nonlocal-to-local limits are evaluated and commented upon