Revisiting chronodisruption: when the physiological nexus between internal and external times splits in humans

In this Concepts & Synthesis paper, we expand the definition of chronodisruption in humans by proposing that it can be operationalized as the split nexus of internal and external times. With this premise, we suggest how chronotype may be used as a temporal marker (chronomarker) of exposure to chronodisruption in studies of cancer, and beyond, offer cancer risk predictions for observational research on the basis of a chronotype-related hypothesis and corollary, and point to first empirical data in humans. In an a priori way, we examine possible outcomes and perspectives for preventive measures following from our rationale and the suggested chronobiology-driven studies and close with overall advances of chronodisruption research.     

Seasonal changes in burrow geometry of the common mole rat (Rodentia: Bathyergidae)

Sociality in mole rats has been suggested to have evolved as a response to the widely dispersed food resources and the limited burrowing opportunities that result from sporadic rainfall events. In the most arid regions, individual foraging efficiency is reduced, and energetic constraints increase. In this study, we investigate seasonal differences in burrow architecture of the social Cryptomys hottentotus hottentotus in a mesic region. We describe burrow geometry in response to seasonal weather conditions for two seasons (wet and dry). Interactions occurred between seasons and colony size for the size of the burrow systems, but not the shape of the burrow systems. The fractal dimension values of the burrow systems did not differ between seasons. Thus, the burrow complexity was dependent upon the number of mole rats present in the social group.     

Bechstein’s bats maintain individual social links despite a complete reorganisation of their colony structure

Several social mammals, including elephants and some primates, whales and bats, live in multilevel societies that form temporary subgroups. Despite these fission–fusion dynamics, group members often maintain long-term bonds. However, it is unclear whether such individual links and the resulting stable social subunits continue to exist after a complete reorganisation of a society, e.g. following a population crash. Here, we employed a weighted network analysis on 7,109 individual roosting records collected over 4 years in a wild Bechstein’s bat colony. We show that, in response to a strong population decline, the colony’s two stable social subunits fused into a non-modular social network. Nevertheless, in the first year after the crash, long-term bonds were still detectable, suggesting that the bats remembered previous individual relationships. Our findings are important for understanding the flexibility of animal societies in the face of dramatic changes and for the conservation of social mammals with declining populations.

     

氨对垃圾焚烧飞灰浸出特性的影响及地球化学模拟

垃圾焚烧飞灰可能因为选择性非催化还原法(SNCR)脱硝过程中氨泄漏、垃圾携带的渗滤液受热挥发等原因而吸附氨.本研究中采用人为添加氨水,在pH为3.66～12.44范围内,研究氨对飞灰中溶解性有机碳(DOC)和重金属浸出的影响,并利用地球化学模拟软件Visual MINTEQ从金属化学形态分布上分析氨对飞灰浸出的影响机制.结果表明,DOC在pH>9和有高浓度氨(≥1 357 mg·L-1)存在时,其浸出量大幅增加,而在浸出液中氨的水平不高于537 mg·L-1时则受氨的影响很小;在pH<6时,飞灰中各金属主要以自由态的金属离子和金属-氯络离子形态大量溶出,且受氨的影响较小;而在pH为8～12的碱性环境中和氨浓度较高时(≥3 253 mg·L-1),氨与金属生成了可溶性的金属-氨配合物,能显著增加Cd、Cu、Ni、Zn的浸出,且在pH=9附近时浸出量达到最大值,但氨对Al和Pb的浸出影响甚微;在pH>12时,Cd、Cu、Ni、Zn主要以羟基金属离子形式存在.在氨浓度为3 253 mg·L-1时,通过利用Visual MINTEQ模拟浸出值与试验数据的对比,发现Al、Pb、Zn的浸出主要由溶解/沉淀模型控制,而Cd、Cu、Ni由溶解/沉淀模型和表面吸附反应模型同时控制,且Visual MINTEQ模型能较好地预测飞灰中Al、Cu、Pb、Zn的浸出特性.     

Simulations and experiments in punching spring-steel devices with sub-millimeter features

This work demonstrates the feasibility of meso-scale (100 μm to mm) punching of multiple holes of intricate shapes in metals. Analytical modeling, finite element (FE) simulation, and experimentation are used in this work. Two-dimensional FE simulations in ABAQUS were done with an assumed material modeling and plane-strain condition. A known analytical model was used and compared with the ABAQUS simulation results to understand the effects of clearance between the punch and the die. FE simulation in ABAQUS was done for different clearances and corner radii of the punch, die, and holder. To complement modeling with real experiments and for the purpose of comparison, a set of punches and dies were made to punch out a miniature spring-steel gripper. Comparison of compliant grippers made by wire-cut electro discharge machining (EDM) and punching shows that realizing sharp interior and re-entrant corners by punching is not easy to achieve. However, the promise of realizing meso-scale parts with complicated shapes through punching is demonstrated in this work; and further work is identified and some strategies are suggested for improvement. The main contribution of this paper is in adapting the well-established punching and blanking operations to the meso-scale as a viable alternative to making miniature devices currently dominated by lithography-based techniques.     

Resistance mash welding for joining of copper conductors for electric motors

The automotive industry is developing designs and manufacturing processes for a new generation of electric motors intended for use in hybrid and electric vehicles. This paper is focused on using solid-state welding to join rectangular wires in the fabrication of motor stators. Resistance welding has not typically been applied to copper due to its very high electrical conductivity; however through optimization of the current and pressure profiles, excellent quality copper-to-copper joints have been demonstrated with a technique known as resistance mash welding. A better understanding of resistance mash welding characteristics will help advancements in its application for stators. The limitations of this application will be discussed.     

Design and evaluation of an atomization-based cutting fluid spray system in turning of titanium alloy

Tool life has been a vital issue in machining titanium alloys. Recently, an atomization-based cutting fluid (ACF) application has been found to be an effective approach for cooling and lubrication in micromachining operations. In this study, an ACF spray system is developed for macro-scale turning of Ti–6Al–4V. The spray system is designed to minimize interaction between the fluid droplets, and the gas nozzle to control the divergence of the fluid droplets. Experiments are conducted to study the effect of five specific ACF spray parameters including fluid flow rate, spray distance, impingement angle, and type and pressure level of the droplet carrier gas on cutting forces, tool life, and chip characteristics. It has been observed that the combination of lower pressure (150 psi) air-mixed CO₂ with a higher flow rate (20 ml/min) and a larger spray distance (35 mm) produces a significantly longer tool life and broken chips. The results also reveal that the ACF spray system can extend tool life up to 40–50% over flood cooling.     

Modeling and interpretation of fiber orientation-based failure mechanisms in machining of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites

The development and implementation of a microstructure-based finite element model for the machining of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites is presented. A new approach to interfacial modeling is introduced where the material interface is modeled using continuum elements, allowing failure to take place in either tension or compression. The model is capable of describing the fiber failure mode occurring throughout the chip formation process. Characteristic fiber length in the chips, and machining forces for microstructures with fibers orientated at 0°, 45°, 90°, and 135° are examined. For model validation purposes, the model-based machining performance predictions are compared to the machining responses from a set of orthogonal machining experiments. A parametric study is presented that identifies a robust tool geometry, which minimizes the effects of fiber orientation and size on the machining forces.