289 research outputs found
Physical aspects of fracture scaling and size effect
ISSN:0376-9429ISSN:1573-267
Crackling noise in three-point bending of heterogeneous materials
We study the crackling noise emerging during single crack propagation in a
specimen under three-point bending conditions. Computer simulations are carried
out in the framework of a discrete element model where the specimen is
discretized in terms of convex polygons and cohesive elements are represented
by beams. Computer simulations revealed that fracture proceeds in bursts whose
size and waiting time distributions have a power law functional form with an
exponential cutoff. Controlling the degree of brittleness of the sample by the
amount of disorder, we obtain a scaling form for the characteristic quantities
of crackling noise of quasi-brittle materials. Analyzing the spatial structure
of damage we show that ahead of the crack tip a process zone is formed as a
random sequence of broken and intact mesoscopic elements. We characterize the
statistics of the shrinking and expanding steps of the process zone and
determine the damage profile in the vicinity of the crack tip.Comment: 11 pages, 15 figure
Size effects in statistical fracture
We review statistical theories and numerical methods employed to consider the
sample size dependence of the failure strength distribution of disordered
materials. We first overview the analytical predictions of extreme value
statistics and fiber bundle models and discuss their limitations. Next, we
review energetic and geometric approaches to fracture size effects for
specimens with a flaw. Finally, we overview the numerical simulations of
lattice models and compare with theoretical models.Comment: review article 19 pages, 5 figure
Gender Differences Regarding the Impact of Math Anxiety on Arithmetic Performance in Second and Fourth Graders
The development of math skills is crucial for adequate functioning in academic and professional settings as well as in daily life. A factor that has been shown to negatively influence performance and acquisition of math skills is math anxiety. With the high prevalence of math anxiety in society and the long lasting effects on math performance, it is important to study the relation between math anxiety and math performance in young children. Since math anxiety is often more pronounced in women than in men, it is essential to take the effect of gender into account. While the effect of gender on the relation between math anxiety and math performance has been studied in adults and adolescents, less research has focused on children, especially children at young ages. To fill this gap, the current study examined how the relation between math anxiety and math performance differed between boys and girls in early elementary school years. Math anxiety and math performance was assessed in 124 second- and fourth-grade children (67 girls and 57 boys). Although boys and girls showed more or less equal levels of math anxiety and performed similarly at the arithmetic task, correlation analyses showed that only in girls, math anxiety significantly correlated with math performance. Analyses investigating if math anxiety moderated the effect of gender and grade on math performance revealed significant differences between boys and girls. Higher levels of math anxiety only significantly and negatively moderated math performance in girls, with the greatest effect observed in 2nd grade girls. These findings highlight the importance of taking gender differences into account when studying the effect of math anxiety. The results showed that math anxiety is already negatively linked to math performance in girls as early as second grade. The present findings emphasize the importance of the early identification and remediation of math anxiety in girls to prevent long lasting effects. Possible causes for the gender related differences will be discussed
Impacts of urbanization on insect herbivory and plant defences in oak trees
Systematic comparisons of species interactions in urban versus rural environments can improve our understanding of shifts in ecological processes due to urbanization. However, such studies are relatively uncommon and the mechanisms driving urbanization effects on species interactions (e.g. between plants and insect herbivores) remain elusive. Here we investigated the effects of urbanization on leaf herbivory by insect chewers and miners associated with the English oak Quercus robur by sampling trees in rural and urban areas throughout most of the latitudinal distribution of this species. In performing these comparisons, we also controlled for the size of the urban areas (18 cities) and gathered data on CO emissions. In addition, we assessed whether urbanization affected leaf chemical defences (phenolic compounds) and nutritional traits (phosphorus and nitrogen), and whether such changes correlated with herbivory levels. Urbanization significantly reduced leaf chewer damage but did not affect leaf miners. In addition, we found that leaves from urban locations had lower levels of chemical defences (condensed and hydrolysable tannins) and higher levels of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) compared to leaves in rural locations. The magnitude of urbanization effects on herbivory and leaf defences was not contingent upon city size. Importantly, while the effects of urbanization on chemical defences were associated with CO emissions, changes in leaf chewer damage were not associated with either leaf traits or CO levels. These results suggest that effects of urbanization on herbivory occur through mechanisms other than changes in the plant traits measured here. Overall, our simultaneous assessment of insect herbivory, plant traits and abiotic correlates advances our understanding of the main drivers of urbanization effects on plant–herbivore interactions.This research was financially supported by a Spanish National Research Grant (AGL2015-70748-R), a Regional Government of Galicia Grant (IN607D 2016/001) and the Ramón y Cajal Research Programme (RYC-2013-13230).Peer reviewe
Reversing the Outcome of Synapse Elimination at Developing Neuromuscular Junctions In Vivo: Evidence for Synaptic Competition and Its Mechanism
Competition between neurons for the same synaptic sites at the developing neuromuscular junction drives synaptic rearrangements
A working model of stroke recovery from rehabilitation robotics practitioners
We reviewed some of our initial insights about the process of upper-limb behavioral recovery following stroke. Evidence to date indicates that intensity, task specificity, active engagement, and focusing training on motor coordination are key factors enabling efficacious recovery. On modeling, experience with over 400 stroke patients has suggested a working model of recovery similar to implicit motor learning. Ultimately, we plan to apply these insights in the development of customized training paradigms to enhance recovery
Impacts of urbanization on insect herbivory and plant defences in oak trees
Systematic comparisons of species interactions in urban versus rural environments can
improve our understanding of shifts in ecological processes due to urbanization. However,
such studies are relatively uncommon and the mechanisms driving urbanization effects
on species interactions (e.g. between plants and insect herbivores) remain elusive. Here
we investigated the effects of urbanization on leaf herbivory by insect chewers and miners
associated with the English oak Quercus robur by sampling trees in rural and urban
areas throughout most of the latitudinal distribution of this species. In performing these
comparisons, we also controlled for the size of the urban areas (18 cities) and gathered data
on CO
2 emissions. In addition, we assessed whether urbanization affected leaf chemical
defences (phenolic compounds) and nutritional traits (phosphorus and nitrogen), and
whether such changes correlated with herbivory levels. Urbanization significantly reduced
leaf chewer damage but did not affect leaf miners. In addition, we found that leaves
from urban locations had lower levels of chemical defences (condensed and hydrolysable
tannins) and higher levels of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) compared to leaves
in rural locations. The magnitude of urbanization effects on herbivory and leaf defences
was not contingent upon city size. Importantly, while the effects of urbanization on
chemical defences were associated with CO
2 emissions, changes in leaf chewer damage
were not associated with either leaf traits or CO
2 levels. These results suggest that effects
of urbanization on herbivory occur through mechanisms other than changes in the plant
traits measured here. Overall, our simultaneous assessment of insect herbivory, plant traits
and abiotic correlates advances our understanding of the main drivers of urbanization
effects on plant–herbivore interactions.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio
Genetically determined cardiomyopathies at autopsy: the pivotal role of the pathologist in establishing the diagnosis and guiding family screening.
Cardiomyopathies (CMP) comprise a heterogenous group of diseases affecting primarily the myocardium, either genetic and/or acquired in origin. While many classification systems have been proposed in the clinical setting, there is no internationally agreed pathological consensus concerning the diagnostic approach to inherited CMP at autopsy. A document on autopsy diagnosis of CMP is needed because the complexity of the pathologic backgrounds requires proper insight and expertise. In cases presenting with cardiac hypertrophy and/or dilatation/scarring with normal coronary arteries, a suspicion of inherited CMP must be considered, and a histological examination is essential. Establishing the actual cause of the disease may require a number of tissue-based and/or fluid-based investigations, be it histological, ultrastructural, or molecular. A history of illicit drug use must be looked for. Sudden death is frequently the first manifestation of disease in case of CMP, especially in the young. Also, during routine clinical or forensic autopsies, a suspicion of CMP may arise based on clinical data or pathological findings at autopsy. It is thus a challenge to make a diagnosis of a CMP at autopsy. The pathology report should provide the relevant data and a cardiac diagnosis which can help the family in furthering investigations, including genetic testing in case of genetic forms of CMP. With the explosion in molecular testing and the concept of the molecular autopsy, the pathologist should use strict criteria in the diagnosis of CMP, and helpful for clinical geneticists and cardiologists who advise the family as to the possibility of a genetic disease
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