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At least 1,459 records · Page 81

Mortality correlates with tree functional traits across a wood density gradient in the Central Amazon

Introduction: Understanding the mechanisms of tree mortality in tropical ecosystems remains challenging, in part due to the high diversity of tree species and the inherently stochastic nature of mortality. Plant functional traits offer a mechanistic link between plant physiology and performance, yet their ability to predict growth and mortality remains poorly understood. Given recent increases in tree mortality rates in the Amazon forest following extreme drought and wind events, we tested if lower wood density and acquisitive plant functional traits were associated with increased growth and mortality for common co-occurring trees in the Central Amazon. Methods: Seventeen trees of different species with similar sizes but a range in wood density (WD) and wood traits were felled, then assessed for 27 different individual functional parameters, including whole tree architecture, stem xylem anatomical and hydraulic traits and leaf traits. Traits of the individual trees were related to stand-level growth and mortality rates collected periodically over 30 years from nearby permanent inventory plots. Results: Higher wood density was associated with smaller leaf size, lower foliar base cations, lower stem water content and sapwood fraction, in agreement with the fast-slow plant economics spectrum. Lower wood density was associated with more acquisitive characteristics with greater hydraulic capacity and foliar nutrient concentrations, correlating with greater growth and mortality rates. Discussion: Our results show that lower wood density is part of a coordinated suite of traits linked to high resource acquisition, fast growth, and increased mortality risk, providing a functional framework for predicting species performance and forest vulnerability under future climate stress.

demographics↗

Targeting the Bet-Hedging Strategy with an Inhibitor of Bacterial Efflux Capacity Enhances Antibiotic Efficiency and Ameliorates Bacterial Persistence In Vitro

Persistence is a bet-hedging strategy in bacterial populations that increases antibiotic tolerance and leads to the establishment of latent infections. In this study, we demonstrated that a synthetic non-toxic taxane-based reversal agent (tRA), developed as an inhibitor of ABC transporter systems in mammalian cancer cells, enhanced antibiotic killing of persister populations from different pathogens, including Burkholderia, Pseudomonas, Francisella, and Yersinia. Acting as an inhibitor of bacterial efflux at 100 nM, tRA99020 enhanced antibiotic efficiency and suppressed the production of natural products of Burkholderia species polyketide synthase (PKS) function. We demonstrate that the metabolites produced by PKS in response to stress by different antibiotics act as inhibitors of mammalian histone deacetylase activity and stimulate cell death. Applying a single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization (smFISH) assay, we analyzed on a single-cell level the activation profiles of the persistence regulating pks gene in Burkholderia thailandensis treated with tRA99020 and antibiotics. We posit that a multi-pronged approach encompassing antibiotic therapies and inhibition of efflux systems and fatty acid catabolism will be required for efficient eradication of persistent bacterial populations.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Erosion of metals by multiple impacts with water

Investigation determines - relation between impact velocity and minimum number of impacts producing visible erosion, relation between high frequency fatigue stresses and number of cycles to failure, water-hammer stresses relation to high frequency endurance limit, erosion rate as exposure time function, and correlates experimental data with recent theory.

Rudy, S. L.↗

Notched strength of beryllium powder and ingot sheets.

The effects of notches in thin beryllium sheets were studied as functions of material variables and notch severity. Double edge notched samples having stress concentration factors of 1.0 to 15.4 were prepared by milling to size, etching, and electrical discharge machining the notches. Strength was not reduced greatly by sharp notches, and duller notches were more deleterious than sharp notches. The trend was for reduced strength for dull notches, increased strength for sharper notches, and reduced strength for very sharp notches. Differences in material purity or source of the sheet had little affect on notch sensitivity. The most important factors appear to be oxide content and directionality of the sheet microstructure; high oxide content and highly directional microstructure tend to give more notch sensitivity than low oxide content, and more bidirectional microstructure. Postulated causes of the change in notched/unnotched strength are given.

Moss, R. G.↗

Fracture of cylindrical and spherical shells containing a crack.

Fatigue and fracture of cylindrical and spherical shells containing a through crack and subjected to internal pressure or torsion are considered. The stress intensity factor ratios giving the effect of curvature are obtained as functions of a dimensionless shell parameter. By using the conventional plastic strip model the plastic zone size around the crack tip and the crack opening displacement are calculated. The calculated COD values are shown to be in good agreement with the experimental results. The fracture criterion of critical COD is verified by using the results of the burst tests in titanium and aluminum alloy cryogenic pressure vessels. Modified fatigue crack propagation models taking into account the bending effect in shells are introduced and are applied to the analysis of experimental data obtained from flat plates, and cylindrical shells under axial tension, internal pressure, and torsion. Finally, the paper includes the effect of humidity on the crack growth rate and the effect of load biaxiality on the rupture strength.

Erdogan, F.↗

The problem of edge cracks in an infinite strip

The elastostatic plane problem of an infinite strip containing two symmetrically located internal cracks perpendicular to the boundary is formulated in terms of a singular integral equation with the derivative of the crack surface displacement as the density function. The solution of the problem is obtained for various crack geometries and for uniaxial tension applied to the strip away from the crack region. The limiting case of the edge cracks is then considered in some detail. The fundamental function of the integral equation is obtained and a numerical technique for solving the singular integral equations with this particular type of fundamental function which is characteristic of the edge cracks is described. The stress-intensity factor for the complete range of net ligament-to-width ratio is calculated. The results also include the solution of the edge crack problem in an elastic half plane.

Gupta, G. D.↗

A study on task difficulty and acceleration stress

The results of two experiments which relate to task difficulty and the effects of environmental stress on tracking performance are discussed and compared to subjective evaluations. The first experiment involved five different sum of sine tracking tasks which humans tracked both in a static condition and under a 5 Gz acceleration stress condition. The second experiment involved similar environmental stress conditions but in this case the tasks were constructed from deterministic functions with specially designed velocity and acceleration profiles. Phase Plane performance analysis was conducted to study potential measures of workload or tracking difficulty.

Repperger, D. W.↗

Transient thermal stress problem for a circumferentially cracked hollow cylinder

The transient thermal stress problem for a hollow elasticity cylinder containing an internal circumferential edge crack is considered. It is assumed that the problem is axisymmetric with regard to the crack geometry and the loading, and that the inertia effects are negligible. The problem is solved for a cylinder which is suddenly cooled from inside. First the transient temperature and stress distributions in an uncracked cylinder are calculated. By using the equal and opposite of this thermal stress as the crack surface traction in the isothermal cylinder the crack problem is then solved and the stress intensity factor is calculated. The numerical results are obtained as a function of the Fourier number tD/b(2) representing the time for various inner-to-outer radius ratios and relative crack depths, where D and b are respectively the coefficient of diffusivity and the outer radius of the cylinder.

Nied, H. F.↗

The crack problem for a nonhomogeneous plane

The plane elasticity problem for a nonhomogeneous medium containing a crack is considered. It is assumed that the Poisson's ratio of the medium is constant and the Young's modulus E varies exponentially with the coordinate parallel to the crack. First the half plane problem is formulated and the solution is given for arbitrary tractions along the boundary. Then the integral equation for the crack problem is derived. It is shown that the integral equation having the derivative of the crack surface displacement as the density function has a simple Cauchy type kernel. Hence, its solution and the stresses around the crack tips have the conventional square root singularity. The solution is given for various loading conditions. The results show that the effect of the Poisson's ratio and consequently that of the thickness constraint on the stress intensity factors are rather negligible.

Delale, F.↗

Moving cracks in layered composites

A three-layered composite with a crack spreading in the center layer has been analytically examined to evaluate the effect of material nonhomogeneity on a constant velocity crack. Two different loading characteristics are considered. In the first case, crack motion is maintained by uniform tensile stresses. In the other, crack deformation is caused by anti-plane shear stresses. Galilean transformation and Fourier sine and cosine transforms are used to determine dynamic crack tip stress fields. Standard Fredholm integral equations yield the dynamic stress intensity factors. The results show that the intensity of local dynamic stresses increases or decreases with crack length to layer thickness as a function of the relative magnitudes of the adjoining layer's material properties. Crack speed tends to increase the effect of material nonhomogeneity.

Sih, G. C.↗

The crack problem for a nonhomogeneous plane

The plane elasticity problem for a nonhomogeneous medium containing a crack is considered. It is assumed that the Poisson's ratio of the medium is constant and the Young's modulus E varies exponentially with the coordinate parallel to the crack. First the half plane problem is formulated and the solution is given for arbitrary tractions along the boundary. Then the integral equation for the crack problem is derived. It is shown that the integral equation having the derivative of the crack surface displacement as the density function has a simple Cauchy type kernel. Hence, its solution and the stresses around the crack tips have the conventional square root singularity. The solution is given for various loading conditions. The results show that the effect of the Poisson's ratio and consequently that of the thickness constraint on the stress intensity factors are rather negligible.

Delale, F.↗

The cyclic stress-strain behavior of PWA 1480 at 650 deg C

The monotonic plastic flow behavior of several single crystal nickel-base, superalloys has been shown to vary significantly with crystallographic orientation. In the present study, the cyclic plastic flow response of one such alloy, PWA 1480, was examined at 650 deg C in air. Single crystal specimens aligned near several crystallographic directions were tested in fully reversed, total-strain-controlled low cycle fatigue tests at a frequency of 0.1 Hz. The cyclic stress-strain response and general cyclic hardening behavior was analyzed as a function of crystallographic orientation and inelastic strain range.

Gabb, T. P.↗

Long-term environmental effects and flight service evaluation of composite materials

Results of a NASA-Langley sponsored research program to establish the long term effects of realistic flight environments and ground based exposure on advanced composite materials are presented. The effects of moisture, ultraviolet radiation, aircraft fuels and fluids, sustained stress, and fatigue loading are reported. Residual strength and stiffness as a function of exposure time and exposure location are reported for seven different material systems after 10 years of worldwide outdoor exposure. Flight service results of over 300 composite components installed on rotorcraft and transport aircraft are included. Over 4 million total component flight hours were accumulated on various aircraft since initiation of flight service in 1973. Service performance, maintenance characteristics, and residual strength of numerous composite components installed on commercial and military aircraft are reported as a function of flight hours and years in service. Residual strength test results of graphite/epoxy spoilers with 10 years of worldwide service and over 28,000 flight hours are reported.

Dexter, H. Benson↗

The development and implementation of cockpit resource management in UAL recurrent training

Line Oriented Flight Training (LOFT) for United Airlines started in 1976. At that time it was basically no more than a line-simulated training function conducted in a full-mission simulator with no attention or stress on its human factor content. Very soon after the implementation of the LOFT program concerns were voiced about certain crew behavioral situations they were observing in the flight crew's execution of cockpit duties. These duties involved emergency procedures as well as irregular and normal procedures and situations. It was evident that new information was surfacing concerning crew interaction, or its lack thereof, in the cockpit and its effect on satisfactory performance. These observations naturally raised the question of how this information translated into the safety of aircraft operations. A training system had to be repetitive, the crew interactive, and the training had to be conducted under the crew concept. The foundation had to have two other factors: (1) it was necessary to have adequate human factor content, and (2) an advanced state-of-the-art simulator and appropriate electronic devices were required. These concepts are further discussed.

Shroyer, David H.↗

Integrated aerodynamic/dynamic optimization of helicopter rotor blades

An integrated aerodynamic/dynamic optimization procedure is used to minimize blade weight and 4 per rev vertical hub shear for a rotor blade in forward flight. The coupling of aerodynamics and dynamics is accomplished through the inclusion of airloads which vary with the design variables during the optimization process. Both single and multiple objective functions are used in the optimization formulation. The Global Criteria Approach is used to formulate the multiple objective optimization and results are compared with those obtained by using single objective function formulations. Constraints are imposed on natural frequencies, autorotational inertia, and centrifugal stress. The program CAMRAD is used for the blade aerodynamic and dynamic analyses, and the program CONMIN is used for the optimization. Since the spanwise and the azimuthal variations of loading are responsible for most rotor vibration and noise, the vertical airload distributions on the blade, before and after optimization, are compared. The total power required by the rotor to produce the same amount of thrust for a given area is also calculated before and after optimization. Results indicate that integrated optimization can significantly reduce the blade weight, the hub shear and the amplitude of the vertical airload distributions on the blade and the total power required by the rotor.

Chattopadhyay, Aditi↗

A model for the three-dimensional spacecraft control laboratory experiment

A model for the three-dimensional Spacecraft Control Laboratory Experiment (SCOLE) is developed. The objective behind this method of modelling is to utilize the basic partial differential equations of motion for this distributed parameter system and not to use the modal expansion in developing the model. The final model obtained is in terms of a transfer function matrix which relates the flexible mast parameters like displacement, slope, shear stress, etc. to external forces and moments.

Kakad, Yogendra P.↗

Computing Reliabilities Of Ceramic Components Subject To Fracture

CARES calculates fast-fracture reliability or failure probability of macroscopically isotropic ceramic components. Program uses results from commercial structural-analysis program (MSC/NASTRAN or ANSYS) to evaluate reliability of component in presence of inherent surface- and/or volume-type flaws. Computes measure of reliability by use of finite-element mathematical model applicable to multiple materials in sense model made function of statistical characterizations of many ceramic materials. Reliability analysis uses element stress, temperature, area, and volume outputs, obtained from two-dimensional shell and three-dimensional solid isoparametric or axisymmetric finite elements. Written in FORTRAN 77.

Nemeth, N. N.↗