Mechanical properties of a porous mullite material

Modulus of rupture specimens were used to determine crack growth parameters of a porous mullite material. Strength testing was performed in ambient and moist environments. The power law crack growth rate parameters n and 1n B in 50 percent relative humidity were found to be 44.98 and 0.94, respectively. The inert strength, fracture toughness, and elastic modulus were also determined and found to be 19 MPa, 055 MPa(m) exp 1/2, and 11.6 GPa, respectively

Determination of fiber volume in graphite/epoxy materials using computer image analysis

The fiber volume of graphite/epoxy specimens was determined by analyzing optical images of cross sectioned specimens using image analysis software. Test specimens were mounted and polished using standard metallographic techniques and examined at 1000 times magnification. Fiber volume determined using the optical imaging agreed well with values determined using the standard acid digestion technique. The results were found to agree within 5 percent over a fiber volume range of 45 to 70 percent. The error observed is believed to arise from fiber volume variations within the graphite/epoxy panels themselves. The determination of ply orientation using image analysis techniques is also addressed

Determination of Elastic Moduli of Fiber-Resin Composites Using an Impulse Excitation Technique

The elastic moduli of graphite/epoxy and graphite/cyanate ester composite specimens with various laminate lay-ups was determined using an impulse excitation/acoustic resonance technique and compared to those determined using traditional strain gauge and extensometer techniques. The stiffness results were also compared to those predicted from laminate theory using uniaxial properties. The specimen stiffnesses interrogated ranged from 12 to 30 Msi. The impulse excitation technique was found to be a relatively quick and accurate method for determining elastic moduli with minimal specimen preparation and no requirement for mechanical loading frames. The results of this investigation showed good correlation between the elastic modulus determined using the impulse excitation technique, strain gauge and extensometer techniques, and modulus predicted from laminate theory. The flexural stiffness determined using the impulse excitation was in good agreement with that predicted from laminate theory. The impulse excitation/acoustic resonance interrogation technique has potential as a quality control test

Degradation of Teflon(tm) FEP Following Charged Particle Radiation and Rapid Thermal Cycling

During the Second Servicing Mission (SM2) of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) severe degradation was observed on the outer layer of the thermal control blankets. Astronaut observations and photographs revealed large cracks in the metallized Teflon' FEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene), the outer layer of the multi-layer insulation (MLI), in many locations around the telescope. In an effort to understand what elements of the space environment might cause such damage, pristine Teflon(registered trademark) FEP was tested for durability to radiation and thermal cycling. Specimens were subjected to electron and proton fluences comparable to those experienced by HST and were subsequently thermal cycled in a custom-built rapid thermal cycle chamber. Tensile tests of the specimens showed that radiation followed by thermal cycling significantly reduced the ultimate strength and elongation of Teflon(registered trademark) FEP

Managing Radiation Degradation of CCDs on the Chandra X-Ray Observatory--III

The CCDs on the Chandra X-ray Observatory are vulnerable to radiation damage from low-energy protons scattered off the telescope's mirrors onto the focal plane. Following unexpected damage incurred early in the mission, the Chandra team developed, implemented, and maintains a radiation-protection program. This program--involving scheduled radiation safing during radiation-belt passes, intervention based upon real-time space-weather conditions and radiation-environment modeling, and on-board radiation monitoring with autonomous radiation safing--has successfully managed the radiation damage to the CCDs. Since implementing the program, the charge-transfer inefficiency (CTI) has increased at an average annual rate of only 3.2x 10(exp -6) (2.3 percent) for the front-illuminated CCDs and 1.0x10(exp -6) (6.7 percent) for the back-illuminated CCDs. This paper describes the current status of the Chandra radiation-management program, emphasizing enhancements implemented since the previous papers

Physical and Thermal Properties Evaluated of Teflon FEP Retrieved From the Hubble Space Telescope During Three Servicing Missions

Mechanical properties of aluminized Teflon fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) thermal control materials on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) exposed to low Earth orbit for up to 9.7 years have significantly degraded, with extensive cracking occurring on orbit. The NASA Glenn Research Center and the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center have collaborated on analyzing the physical and thermal properties of aluminized FEP (FEP-Al, DuPont) materials retrieved in December 1999 during HST's third servicing mission (SM3A). Comparisons have been made to properties of FEP-Al retrieved during the first and second HST servicing missions, SM1 and SM2, in order to determine degradation processes for FEP on HST

Spleen Tyrosine Kinase Is a Critical Regulator of Neutrophil Responses to Candida Species

Neutrophils are recognized to represent significant immune cell mediators for the clearance and elimination of the human-pathogenic fungal pathogen Candida. The sensing of fungi by innate cells is performed, in part, through lectin receptor recognition of cell wall components and downstream cellular activation by signaling components, including spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk). While the essential role of Syk in macrophages and dendritic cells is clear, there remains uncertainty with respect to its contribution in neutrophils. In this study, we demonstrated that Syk is critical for multiple cellular functions in neutrophils responding to major human-pathogenic Candida species. These data not only demonstrate the vital nature of Syk with respect to the control of fungi by neutrophils but also warn of the potential infectious complications arising from the recent clinical development of novel Syk inhibitors for hematologic and autoimmune disorders.Invasive fungal infections constitute a lethal threat, with patient mortality as high as 90%. The incidence of invasive fungal infections is increasing, especially in the setting of patients receiving immunomodulatory agents, chemotherapy, or immunosuppressive medications following solid-organ or bone marrow transplantation. In addition, inhibitors of spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) have been recently developed for the treatment of patients with refractory autoimmune and hematologic indications. Neutrophils are the initial innate cellular responders to many types of pathogens, including invasive fungi. A central process governing neutrophil recognition of fungi is through lectin binding receptors, many of which rely on Syk for cellular activation. We previously demonstrated that Syk activation is essential for cellular activation, phagosomal maturation, and elimination of phagocytosed fungal pathogens in macrophages. Here, we used combined genetic and chemical inhibitor approaches to evaluate the importance of Syk in the response of neutrophils to Candida species. We took advantage of a Cas9-expressing neutrophil progenitor cell line to generate isogenic wild-type and Syk-deficient neutrophils. Syk-deficient neutrophils are unable to control the human pathogens Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, and Candida auris. Neutrophil responses to Candida species, including the production of reactive oxygen species and of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), phagocytosis, and neutrophil swarming, appear to be critically dependent on Syk. These results demonstrate an essential role for Syk in neutrophil responses to Candida species and raise concern for increased fungal infections with the development of Syk-modulating therapeutics

Estimators for the long-memory parameter in LARCH models, and fractional Brownian motion

ARCH, Times series, Fractional Brownian motion, Maximum likelihood estimator, Long memory, Whittle estimator, Moving average, Primary 62M09, Secondary 60G18, 62M10, 91B84,