Thermal fracture as a framework for quasi-static crack propagation

We address analytically and numerically the problem of crack path prediction in the model system of a crack propagating under thermal loading. We show that one can explain the instability from a straight to a wavy crack propagation by using only the principle of local symmetry and the Griffith criterion. We then argue that the calculations of the stress intensity factors can be combined with the standard crack propagation criteria to obtain the evolution equation for the crack tip within any loading configuration. The theoretical results of the thermal crack problem agree with the numerical simulations we performed using a phase field model. Moreover, it turns out that the phase-field model allows to clarify the nature of the transition between straight and oscillatory cracks which is shown to be supercritical.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figure

Applications and Advances in Electronic-Nose Technologies

Electronic-nose devices have received considerable attention in the field of sensor technology during the past twenty years, largely due to the discovery of numerous applications derived from research in diverse fields of applied sciences. Recent applications of electronic nose technologies have come through advances in sensor design, material improvements, software innovations and progress in microcircuitry design and systems integration. The invention of many new e-nose sensor types and arrays, based on different detection principles and mechanisms, is closely correlated with the expansion of new applications. Electronic noses have provided a plethora of benefits to a variety of commercial industries, including the agricultural, biomedical, cosmetics, environmental, food, manufacturing, military, pharmaceutical, regulatory, and various scientific research fields. Advances have improved product attributes, uniformity, and consistency as a result of increases in quality control capabilities afforded by electronic-nose monitoring of all phases of industrial manufacturing processes. This paper is a review of the major electronic-nose technologies, developed since this specialized field was born and became prominent in the mid 1980s, and a summarization of some of the more important and useful applications that have been of greatest benefit to man

A dual-emissive ionic liquid based on an anionic platinum(II) complex

An ionic liquid fabricated froman anionic cyclometalated platinum(II) complex and an imidazolium cation exhibits dual emission from the monomeric and aggregated forms of the platinum complex anions, leading to temperature-dependent color changes of luminescence

Synthesis and properties of macrocyclic 1,1’-biarenol derivatives prepared by the tandem Claisen rearrangement

Crown ether-type macrocycles consisting of an enantiopure biarenol derivative and an oligoethylene glycol were synthesized by the lewis acid-mediated tandem Claisen rearrangement. This is the first example of the successful application of the tandem Claisen rearrangement to the synthesis of enantiopure macrocyclic biarenol derivatives. The enantiopure macrocyclic biarenols were found to form 1:1 complexes with amino acid salts and to discriminate their chirality

Trb2, a mouse homolog of tribbles, is dispensable for kidney and mouse development

Glomeruli comprise an important filtering apparatus in the kidney and are derived from the metanephric mesenchyme. A nuclear protein, Sall1, is expressed in this mesenchyme, and we previously reported that Trb2, a mouse homolog of Drosophila tribbles, is expressed in the mesenchyme-derived tissues of the kidney by microarray analyses using Sall1-GFP knock-in mice. In the present report, we detected Trb2 expression in a variety of organs during gestation, including the kidneys, mesonephros, testes, heart, eyes, thymus, blood vessels, muscle, bones, tongue, spinal cord, and ganglions. In the developing kidney, Trb2 signals were detected in podocytes and the prospective mesangium of the glomeruli, as well as in ureteric bud tips. However, Trb2 mutant mice did not display any apparent phenotypes and no proteinuria was observed, indicating normal glomerular functions. These results suggest that Trb2 plays minimal roles during kidney and mouse development

An RFID-based remote monitoring system for enterprise internal production management

The disconnected flow of inventory and information will lead to a lack of real-time information and a build-up of excess inventory to buffer uncertainties in supply and demand. In this paper, a radio frequency identification (RFID) based remote monitoring system over the Internet is proposed to provide a transparent and visible information flow for supply chain and enterprise internal resource management. RFID technology has been a hot technology to replace barcodes in supply chain management in recent years. Actually, it has been successfully applied by the US Army in military logistics in 1991. Recently, the superman of the supermarket, Wal-Mart, mandates that its top 100 suppliers must equip RFID tags on their supplied items. However, RFID technology is still not a standard form acceptable for global use. The first big problem is to select a global universal radio frequency (RF) for active and passive RFID systems, but because of the advantages of RFID technology, it is unassailable that it will be popularly used in various fields very soon, such as supply chain management, enterprise resources planning (ERP), sales management, and so on. In this paper, the RFID-based monitoring system for enterprise internal production management is introduced. The RFID technology, Bluetooth, and Internet technology are employed to form a remote system for the monitoring of the production status of a factory. Based on this system, the management department can transparently master and control the status of the production line and supply chain, including raw materials and outsourcing supply/consumption status, production status of parts and components, production status of the finished products, etc. This system will be of benefit to greatly improve the productivity and reduce the cost for the enterprise