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A rigorous solution aimed at accounting for the superposition and flow rule assumptions in the assessment of the bearing capacity of shallow strip footings under plane strain conditions has been developed using the method of characteristics and the finite element method. With reference to the Hill and Prandtl failure mechanisms, a bearing capacity factor Nγq and a superposition corrective coefficient μ that allow to directly obtain the actual bearing capacity of shallow strip foundations have been proposed. The geometry of the plastic volume involved in the failure mechanism has been also investigated, highlighting the influence of the superposition and flow rule assumptions. Starting from the numerical results obtained using the method of characteristics, several empirical relationships have been proposed for an accurate estimate of Nγq and μ as well as for the lateral extension and depth of the plastic volume. The accuracy of the numerical results has been checked through finite element analyses under the assumption of associated and non-associated flow rule showing that the proposed superposition corrective coefficient μ is not influenced by the flow rule assumption. Thus, a general bearing capacity equation for shallow strip footings has been provided which accounts for superposition approximation and non-associated flow rule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. HD 142527 is one of the most frequently studied Herbig Ae/Be stars with a transitional disk that hosts a large cavity that is up to about 100 au in radius. For this reason, it has been included in the guaranteed time observation (GTO) SpHere INfrared survey for Exoplanets (SHINE) as part of the Spectro-Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet REsearch (SPHERE) at the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in order to search for low-mass companions that might explain the presence of the gap. SHINE is a large survey within about 600 young nearby stars are observed with SPHERE with the aim to constrain the occurrence and orbital properties of the giant planet population at large (> 5 au) orbital separation around young stars. Methods. We used the IRDIFS observing mode of SPHERE (IRDIS short for infrared dual imaging and spectrograph plus IFS or integral field spectrograph) without any coronagraph in order to search for and characterize companions as close as 30 mas of the star. Furthermore, we present the first observations that ever used the sparse aperture mask (SAM) for SPHERE both in IRDIFS and IRDIFS_EXT modes. All the data were reduced using the dedicated SPHERE pipeline and dedicated algorithms that make use of the principal component analysis (PCA) and reference differential imaging (RDI) techniques. Results. We detect the accreting low–mass companion HD 142527B at a separation of 73 mas (11.4 au) from the star. No other companions with mass greater than 10 MJ are visible in the field of view of IFS (∼100 au centered on the star) or in the IRDIS field of view (∼400 au centered on the star). Measurements from IFS, SAM IFS, and IRDIS suggest an M6 spectral type for HD 142527B, with an uncertainty of one spectral subtype, compatible with an object of M = 0.11 ± 0.06 M⊙ and R = 0.15 ± 0.07 R⊙. The determination of the mass remains a challenge using contemporary evolutionary models, as they do not account for the energy input due to accretion from infalling material. We consider that the spectral type of the secondary may also be earlier than the type we derived from IFS spectra. From dynamical considerations, we further constrain the mass to 0.26+0.16−0.14 0. 26 − 0.14 + 0.16 $ 0.26^{+0.16}_{-0.14} $ M⊙, which is consistent with both our spectroscopic analysis and the values reported in the literature. Following previous methods, the lower and upper dynamical mass values correspond to a spectral type between M2.5 and M5.5 for the companion. By fitting the astrometric points, we find the following orbital parameters: a period of P = 35 − 137 yr; an inclination of i = 121 − 130°, a value of Ω = 124 − 135° for the longitude of node, and an 68% confidence interval of ∼18 − 57 au for the separation at periapsis. Eccentricity and time at periapsis passage exhibit two groups of values: ∼0.2–0.45 and ∼0.45–0.7 for e, and ∼2015–2020 and ∼2020–2022 for T0. While these orbital parameters might at first suggest that HD 142527B is not the companion responsible for the outer disk truncation, a previous hydrodynamical analysis of this system showed that they are compatible with a companion that is able to produce the large cavity and other observed features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent discovery of an earth-like planet around Proxima Centauri has drawn much attention to this star and its environment. We performed a series of observations of Proxima Centauri using Spectro-Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet REsearch (SPHERE), the planet-finder instrument installed at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT) UT3, using its near-infrared modules, InfraRed Dual-band Imager and Spectrograph (IRDIS) and IFS. No planet was detected directly, but we set upper limits on the mass up to 7 au by exploiting the AMES-COND models. Our IFS observations reveal that no planet more massive than ∼6–7 MJup can be present within 1 au. The dual-band imaging camera IRDIS also enables us to probe larger separations than other techniques such as radial velocity or astrometry. We obtained mass limits of the order of 4 MJup at separations of 2 au or larger, representing the most stringent mass limits at separations larger than 5 au available at the moment. We also made an attempt to estimate the radius of possible planets around Proxima using the reflected light. Since the residual noise for the observations is dominated by photon noise and thermal background, longer exposures in good observing conditions could improve the achievable contrast limit further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isotactic poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB) is an aliphatic polyester obtained by bacterial fermentation. This truly biodegradable polymer has been widely investigated, mainly with the aim to replace conventional plastics, which cause environmental pollution. To improve its properties, extensive studies have been conducted to modify it properly by copolymerization or blending with other polymers. Macroscopic properties of polymers, particularly of polymer blends, are strongly affected by their microstructure, especially by the allocation of different phases and their level of dispersion and adhesion. In nonreactive blends, the adhesion level is mainly determined by the similarity between the chemical structure of the components, and the arrangement of the phases is remarkably controlled by the crystallization conditions. The superstructure of the crystalline phases accounts for the mechanical resistance of the blend, but the composition and the distribution of the amorphous phases also play an important role, especially with respect to toughness properties. This article reviews data on thermal properties and the crystallization process of P3HB and its copolymers, both alone and in the presence of other polymers. In particular, copolymers of 3-hydroxybutyrate with 3-hydroxyvalerate and with 4-hydroxybutyrate and blends of P3HB and the copolymers with atactic poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), poly(vinyl acetate), poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(ethylene oxide), poly(methylene oxide), poly(epichlorohydrin), and poly(methyl methacrylate) are considered. Major attention is directed toward the influence of miscibility and composition on solidification kinetics and crystal structure with the objective to provide an overview of the current state of the art. *Dedicated to Prof. Francisco J. Baltá Calleja on the occasion of his 65th birthday. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though many characteristics of the quiescent crystallisation process of polymers have been deeply investigated in the long run, some subjects are still open. Indeed, the theory of nucleation and growth, originally developed for metals and low molecular weight materials, have been extended to polymers without taking into account all the characteristics of macromolecules that can induce a crystallisation behaviour different from that of atoms or small molecules. This paper, within the framework of nucleation and growth, reviews the main aspects of the crystallisation process of polymers and discusses its influence on the microstructure, also in comparison with metallic and ceramic materials. Additional factors, often neglected, affecting the crystallisation process have been also identified. In particular, consideration is given to heat flow from solid to melt during polymer crystallisation that can provide an explanation for modified spherulitic morphologies found in fibre based composite materials and blends. Moreover, the circumstances under which thermal gradients within polymer samples may play a dominant role in crystallisation are underlined. Finally, several examples of polymer textures, that could have been originated by heat transfer anisotropy inside samples, are shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]