A spectral element for wave propagation in honeycomb sandwich construction considering core flexibility

Spectral elements are found to be extremely resourceful to study the wave propagation characteristics of structures at high frequencies. Most of the aerospace structures use honeycomb sandwich constructions. The existing spectral elements use single layer theories for a sandwich construction wherein the two face sheets vibrate together and this model is sufficient for low frequency excitations. At high frequencies, the two face sheets vibrate independently. The Extended Higher order SAndwich Plate theory (EHSaPT) is suitable for representing the independent motion of the face sheets. A 1D spectral element based on EHSaPT is developed in this work. The wave number and the wave speed characteristics are obtained using the developed spectral element. It is shown that the developed spectral element is capable of representing independent wave motions of the face sheets. The propagation speeds of a high frequency modulated pulse in the face sheets and the core of a honeycomb sandwich are demonstrated. Responses of a typical honeycomb sandwich beam to high frequency shock loads are obtained using the developed spectral element and the response match very well with the finite element results. It is shown that the developed spectral element is able to represent the flexibility of the core resulting into independent wave motions in the face sheets, for which a finite element method needs huge degrees of freedom. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multi-transform based spectral element to include first order shear deformation in plates

For obtaining dynamic response of structure to high frequency shock excitation spectral elements have several advantages over conventional methods. At higher frequencies transverse shear and rotary inertia have a predominant role. These are represented by the First order Shear Deformation Theory (FSDT). But not much work is reported on spectral elements with FSDT. This work presents a new spectral element based on the FSDT/Mindlin Plate Theory which is essential for wave propagation analysis of sandwich plates. Multi-transformation method is used to solve the coupled partial differential equations, i.e., Laplace transforms for temporal approximation and wavelet transforms for spatial approximation. The formulation takes into account the axial-flexure and shear coupling. The ability of the element to represent different modes of wave motion is demonstrated. Impact on the derived wave motion characteristics in the absence of the developed spectral element is discussed. The transient response using the formulated element is validated by the results obtained using Finite Element Method (FEM) which needs significant computational effort. Experimental results are provided which confirms the need to having the developed spectral element for the high frequency response of structures. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SInCRe-structural interactome computational resource for Mycobacterium tuberculosis

We have developed an integrated database for Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv (Mtb) that collates information on protein sequences, domain assignments, functional annotation and 3D structural information along with protein-protein and protein-small molecule interactions. SInCRe (Structural Interactome Computational Resource) is developed out of CamBan (Cambridge and Bangalore) collaboration. The motivation for development of this database is to provide an integrated platform to allow easily access and interpretation of data and results obtained by all the groups in CamBan in the field of Mtb informatics. In-house algorithms and databases developed independently by various academic groups in CamBan are used to generate Mtb-specific datasets and are integrated in this database to provide a structural dimension to studies on tuberculosis. The SInCRe database readily provides information on identification of functional domains, genome-scale modelling of structures of Mtb proteins and characterization of the small-molecule binding sites within Mtb. The resource also provides structure-based function annotation, information on small-molecule binders including FDA (Food and Drug Administration)-approved drugs, protein-protein interactions (PPIs) and natural compounds that bind to pathogen proteins potentially and result in weakening or elimination of host-pathogen protein-protein interactions. Together they provide prerequisites for identification of off-target binding.

Dissecting pi-helices: sequence, structure and function

A new procedure for the identification of regular secondary structures using a C-alpha trace has identified 659 pi-helices in 3582 protein chains, solved at high resolution. Taking advantage of this significantly expanded database of pi-helices, we have analysed the functional and structural roles of helices and determined the position-wise amino acid propensity within and around them. These helices range from 5 to 18 residues in length with the average twist and rise being 85.2 +/- 7.2 and 1.28 +/- 0.31 angstrom, respectively. A total of 546 (similar to 83%) out of 659 pi-helices occur in conjunction with alpha-helices, with 101 pi-helices being interspersed between two alpha-helices. The majority of interspersed pi-helices were found to be conserved across a large number of structures within a protein family and produce a significant bend in the overall helical segment as well as local distortions in the neighbouring a-helices. The presence of a pi-helical fragment leads to appropriate orientation of the constituent residues, so as to facilitate favourable interactions and also help in proper folding of the protein chain. In addition to intra helical 6 -> 1 N H center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen bonds, pi-helices are also stabilized by several other non-bonded interactions. pi-Helices show distinct positional residue preferences, which are different from those of a-helices.

A peridynamic theory for linear elastic shells

A state-based peridynamic formulation for linear elastic shells is presented. The emphasis is on introducing, possibly for the first time, a general surface based peridynamic model to represent the deformation characteristics of structures that have one geometric dimension much smaller than the other two. A new notion of curved bonds is exploited to cater for force transfer between the peridynamic particles describing the shell. Starting with the three dimensional force and deformation states, appropriate surface based force, moment and several deformation states are arrived at. Upon application on the curved bonds, such states yield the necessary force and deformation vectors governing the motion of the shell. By incorporating a shear correction factor, the formulation also accommodates analysis of shells that have higher thickness. In order to attain this, a consistent second order approximation to the complementary energy density is considered and incorporated in peridynamics via constitutive correspondence. Unlike the uncoupled constitution for thin shells, a consequence of a first order approximation, constitutive relations for thick shells are fully coupled in that surface wryness influences the in-plane stress resultants and surface strain the moments. Our proposal on the peridynamic shell theory is numerically assessed against simulations on static deformation of spherical and cylindrical shells, that of flat plates and quasi-static fracture propagation in a cylindrical shell. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vortex breaking and cutting in type II superconductors.

In technological superconductors, the Lorentz force on the flux vortices is opposed by inhomogeneous pinning and so the critical current may be controlled by a combination of vortex entanglement, cutting, and cross-joining. To understand the roles of these processes we report measurements of structures in which a weak pinning layer is sandwiched between two strongly pinning leads. Quantitative modeling of the results demonstrates that in such systems the critical current is limited by the deformation of individual vortices and not by subsequent cross-joining processes.

Anchor limited q in flexural mode resonators

This paper reports a preliminary examination of the effect of anchor geometry design on the quality factor of flexural mode resonators operating in vacuum using both FE simulation and measurements of resonator frequency response. Three types of structures have been considered in this study: an elliptical mode ring, a double ended tuning fork, and a doubly-clamped beam. We consider the relative distribution of strain energies in both the resonant structure and the connecting stem, which is indicative of the measured quality factor. The measured quality factors of the different structures are compared against each other, based on which suggestions are proposed for optimizing the anchor limited quality factor (Q) in flexural mode micromechanical resonators. ©2008 IEEE.

Racionalidad de la filosofía política

Resumen: Se plantea, en primer lugar, el estado de la cuestión de la índole de la Filosofía Política como filosofía práctica, desde sus inicios en la tradición clásica griega hasta la actualidad. En el pensamiento griego se destaca Aristóteles con la justificación del ejercicio de la racionalidad práctica en los asuntos políticos. En la modernidad la filosofía práctica sale de escena, privándosela de legitimidad epistemológica. Por último, se valora una interesante propuesta en el pensamiento alemán del siglo XX por rehabilitar la filosofía práctica en clave aristotélica. Frente al estado de la cuestión se retoma a Aristóteles desde la lectura tomasiana de lo político y de la Filosofía Política. Su propósito ha sido el de salvar la verdad y la certeza de la Filosofía Política, la posibilidad de juicios de verdad y falsedad en el orden moral y político y, en especial, afirmar su validez normativa como saber filosófico, analizando la comunidad política en esa posibilidad de ser considerada como objeto-científico- filosófico-práctico-moral.

Aplicación de parámetros matemáticos en un trabajo multidisciplinario de composición musical asistida por computadora sobre una temática folklórica

Resumen: En el marco de un proyecto de la Vicerrectoría de Investigaciones de la Universidad de Caldas denominado “Resignificación músico-pictórica del mito de la Salamanca” surgió la conveniencia de aplicar y diseñar programas de fundamentación matemática que permitieran definir la estructura y el tratamiento acústico de la obra especialmente escrita para este proyecto. Principalmente nos basamos en la implementación de la Transformada Rápida de Fourier (Fast Fourier Transform) para el análisis de espectros armónicos y su modificación en vivo y en la utilización de un entorno de programación para procesamiento de sonido en tiempo real. El marco general de la investigación parte del enfoque de Regionalismo Crítico procedente de las propuestas de Kenneth Frampton referentes originalmente a la crítica de la arquitectura. El planteamiento como investigación mutidisciplinaria implica (1) una visión crítica de la substancia mítica y social subyacente, (2) una resignificación pictórica por medio de fotografía, animación y pintura, basada en la sustancia visual que contiene el mito, (3) un enfoque musical electroacústico, a partir del material que surge del folklor local, utilizando la intervención de instrumentos en vivo y procesamiento en tiempo real.

Nonlinear fatigue damage model based on the residual strength degradation law

In this paper, a logarithmic expression to describe the residual strength degradation process is developed in order to fatigue test results for normalized carbon steel. The definition and expression of fatigue damage due to symmetrical stress with a constant amplitude are also given. The expression of fatigue damage can also explain the nonlinear properties of fatigue damage. Furthermore, the fatigue damage of structures under random stress is analyzed, and an iterative formula to describe the fatigue damage process is deduced. Finally, an approximate method for evaluating the fatigue life of structures under repeated random stress blocking is presented through various calculation examples.

La gestión del turismo en los programas de innovación rural de Castilla-La Mancha

[ES] Los programas de innovación rural han supuesto un verdadero revulsivo para determinadas regiones europeas, por cuanto han representado una cuantiosa inversión que ha necesitado de una adecuada gestión para dirigir el destino de unos fondos estructurales. En este sentido, el presente trabajo analiza la inversión de estos programas de desarrollo en medidas de apoyo al sector del turismo rural, que han supuesto un importante incremento de la oferta a diversos niveles: aumento de alojamientos rurales, del número de plazas disponibles para turistas, rehabilitación del patrimonio, puesta en valor de elementos históricos y recuperación, en definitiva, del patrimonio histórico, cultural, arquitectónico y natural del mundo rural.

STREAM Journal, Vol. 4, No. 1, pp 1-17. January-March 2005

CONTENTS: Young people taking bolder steps, by Josephine P. Savaris. Providing a venue for voices to be heard, by Elizabeth M. Gonzales and Josephine Savaris. Rehabilitation of Bundu Pond: STREAM’s Initiative and DoF’s Action, by Bhim Nayak and Ashish Kumar. Coastal resources utilization and conservation issues in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, by M.K. Abu Hena, H. Sharifuzzaman, M.S. Aftabuddin and M.N. Haque. People, fish and reefs: a livelihoods learning curve, by Abigail Moore. Understanding the marine ornamental trade and its impact on the livelihoods of poor stakeholders in the Philippines, by Elizabeth M. Gonzales.

Panama City Fisheries Resources Office: FY 2006 Annual Report

HIGHLIGHTS FOR FY 2006 1. Captured and tagged 475 Gulf sturgeons in five Florida rivers and one bay. 2. Documented Gulf sturgeon marine movement and habitat use in the Gulf of Mexico. 3. Assisted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with the collection of Gulf sturgeon, implantation of acoustic tags, and monitoring of fish in a study to examine movement patterns and habitat use in Pensacola and Choctawhatchee bays post-Hurricane Ivan. 4. Provided technical assistance to Jon “Bo” Sawyer in completing a study – Summer Resting Areas of the Gulf Sturgeon in the Conecuh/Escambia River System, Alabama-Florida – for acquiring a Degree of Master of Science at Troy University, Alabama. 5. Coordinated tagging and data collection with NOAA observers aboard trawlers while collecting Gulf sturgeon during dredging operations in the coastal Gulf of Mexico. 6. Hosted the 7th Annual Gulf Sturgeon Workshop. 7. Implemented Gulf Striped Bass Restoration Plan by coordinating the 23rd Annual Morone Workshop, leading the technical committee, transporting broodfish, coordinating the stocking on the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) river system, and evaluating post-stocking success. 8. Continued updating and managing the Freshwater Mussel Survey Database, a Geographic Information System (GIS) database, for over 800 unique sites in the Northeast Gulf (NEG) drainages in Alabama (AL), Georgia (GA), and Florida (FL). 9. Formed a recovery implementation team for listed mussels in the ACF river basin and oversaw grant cooperative agreements for 14 listed and candidate freshwater mussels in the NEG watersheds. 10. Initiated a project in the Apalachicola River to relocate mussels stranded as a result of drought conditions, and calculate river flows at which mussels would be exposed. 11. Initiated a project in Sawhatchee Creek, Georgia to determine the status of threatened and endangered (T&E) freshwater mussels and target restoration projects, population assessments, and potential population augmentation to lead toward recovery of the listed species. 12. Initiated a study to determine the age and growth of the endangered fat threeridge mussel (Amblema neislerii). 13. Provided technical assistance to the Panama City Ecological Services office for a biological opinion on the operations of Jim Woodruff Lock and Dam and its effects on the listed species and designated and proposed critical habitat in the Apalachicola River, Florida. 14. Assisted with a multi-State, inter-agency team to develop a management plan to restore the Alabama shad in the ACF river system. 15. Conducted fishery surveys on Tyndall AFB, Florida and Ft. Benning, Georgia and completed a report with recommendations for future recreational fishery needs. 16. Provided fishery technical assistance to four National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) (i.e., Okefenokee NWR, Banks Lake NWR, St. Vincent NWR, and St. Marks NWR). 17. Initiated an Aquatic Resources and Recreation Fishing Survey on Department of Defense facilities located in Region 4. 18. Identified 130 road-stream crossings on Eglin AFB for rehabilitation and elimination of sediment imputs. 19. Continued the Aquatics Monitoring Program at Eglin AFB to assess techniques that determine current status and sustainability of aquatic habitat and develop a measure to determine quality or degradation of habitat. 20. Assisted Eglin AFB Natural Resource managers in revising the installation’s Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) and its associated component plans. 21. Coordinated recovery efforts for the endangered Okaloosa darter including population/life history surveys, stream restoration, and outreach activities. 22. Initiated a comprehensive status review of the Okaloosa darter with analyses performed to assess available habitat, preferred habitats, range expansions/reductions/fragmentations, population size, and probability of extinction. 23. Assisted the Gulf Coastal Plain Ecosystem Partnership and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) under a Memorandum of Agreement to develop conservation strategies, implement monitoring and assessment programs, and secure funds for aquatic management programs in six watersheds in northwest Florida and southeast Alabama. 24. Entered into a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Air Force to encourage the conservation and rehabilitation of natural resources at Hurlburt Field, Florida. 25. Multiple outreach projects were completed to detail aquatic resources’ conservation needs and opportunities; including National Fishing Week, Earth Day, several festivals, and school outreach.

A retrofitting framework for pre-Northridge steel moment-frame buildings

In the 1994 M_w 6.7 Northridge and 1995 M_w 6.9 Kobe earthquakes, steel moment-frame buildings were exposed to an unexpected flaw. The commonly utilized welded unreinforced flange, bolted web connections were observed to experience brittle fractures in a number of buildings, even at low levels of seismic demand. A majority of these buildings have not been retrofitted and may be susceptible to structural collapse in a major earthquake.

This dissertation presents a case study of retrofitting a 20-story pre-Northridge steel moment-frame building. Twelve retrofit schemes are developed that present some range in degree of intervention. Three retrofitting techniques are considered: upgrading the brittle beam-to-column moment resisting connections, and implementing either conventional or buckling-restrained brace elements within the existing moment-frame bays. The retrofit schemes include some that are designed to the basic safety objective of ASCE-41 Seismic Rehabilitation of Existing Buildings.

Detailed finite element models of the base line building and the retrofit schemes are constructed. The models include considerations of brittle beam-to-column moment resisting connection fractures, column splice fractures, column baseplate fractures, accidental contributions from ``simple'' non-moment resisting beam-to-column connections to the lateral force-resisting system, and composite actions of beams with the overlying floor system. In addition, foundation interaction is included through nonlinear translational springs underneath basement columns.

To investigate the effectiveness of the retrofit schemes, the building models are analyzed under ground motions from three large magnitude simulated earthquakes that cause intense shaking in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area, and under recorded ground motions from actual earthquakes. It is found that retrofit schemes that convert the existing moment-frames into braced-frames by implementing either conventional or buckling-restrained braces are effective in limiting structural damage and mitigating structural collapse. In the three simulated earthquakes, a 20% chance of simulated collapse is realized at PGV of around 0.6 m/s for the base line model, but at PGV of around 1.8 m/s for some of the retrofit schemes. However, conventional braces are observed to deteriorate rapidly. Hence, if a braced-frame that employs conventional braces survives a large earthquake, it is questionable how much service the braces provide in potential aftershocks.

A pessoa estomizada e o processo de inclusão no trabalho: contribuição para a enfermagem

Estudo cujo objeto tratou da inclusão do cliente estomizado no mundo do trabalho. Os objetivos foram: identificar as dificuldades e facilidades dos clientes estomizados para inclusão no mundo do trabalho; analisar as possibilidades de inclusão no mundo do trabalho; discutir, a partir do ponto de vista do cliente estomizado, as orientações fornecidas pelos enfermeiros com vistas à inclusão no mundo do trabalho. O referencial teórico baseou-se no campo da Saúde do Trabalhador, enfocando a reabilitação profissional e o capítulo de bases conceituais abordou o conhecimento da estomaterapia, do mundo do trabalho, da deficiência física e aspectos legais que envolvem a reabilitação do estomizado no mundo laboral. O desenho metodológico foi de uma pesquisa descritiva, exploratória, de natureza qualitativa, realizada com 20 clientes estomizados definitivos, aos quais se aplicou uma entrevista semiestruturada. O método de análise dos dados foi a Análise Temática de Conteúdo, a qual fez emergir quatro categorias: a) Sentidos do Trabalho para o Ser Estomizado; b) O Estomizado e Sua Problemática Biopsicossocial; c) Contexto Social e Aspectos Legais Envolvendo a Inclusão do Estomizado no Mundo Laboral; d) O Enfermeiro e Sua Participação na Reabilitação do Cliente Estomizado. Os resultados revelaram que a maioria dos sujeitos trabalhava informalmente e recebia ao mesmo tempo algum auxílio governamental. Ressalta-se que eles reconheciam a ilegalidade desta situação, porém, julgavam-na necessária devido aos baixos valores dos benefícios, enfatizando-se a sensação de utilidade causada pelo fato de trabalharem. Referiram que o retorno ao trabalho era prejudicado devido a empecilhos encontrados nas dimensões psíquica, física e social, as quais estavam articuladas intimamente. Enfatizaram grande dificuldade em encontrarem empregos adequados às suas especificidades, e que não prejudicassem sua condição de saúde, pois há necessidade de banheiros adaptados, de não exposição ao calor na região do estoma e nem a esforços físicos severos, sem contar com a necessidade de um emprego que lhes permita flexibilidade para irem às consultas da equipe multiprofissional. Os maiores empecilhos sociais referiram-se ao desconhecimento e descaso social e governamental a respeito do que é ser estomizado, pois esta problemática não é divulgada, e nem conhecida pela maioria da população. Em relação aos enfermeiros, os sujeitos foram quase unânimes em referirem falta de orientação por parte desses profissionais, acerca de esclarecerem sobre sua inclusão no mundo do trabalho. Este fato caracterizou-se como preocupante, pois os enfermeiros são educadores por excelência e a orientação está intimamente ligada ao processo de reabilitação. Concluiu-se que o retorno ao trabalho foi considerado essencial, mas existem inúmeras dificuldades para que este retorno e manutenção no universo laboral. Estes empecilhos os levam a adquirirem aposentadorias precoces ou auxílios-doença. Há de se rever o processo de reabilitação da pessoa com estoma, especialmente no que se refere a sua inclusão no mundo do trabalho, no sentido de melhor prepará-la para suas potencialidades e limitações, destacando-se que ela não é incapaz e que existem atividades formais em que elas podem ser produtivas e felizes.