Engine Mount Design Strategies to Mitigate Linear Vibrations in a Tata Nano

In 2009, Tata Motors launched the Tata Nano as a low-cost alternative to two and three-wheeled vehicles for India’s growing middle class. However, the Nano failed to meet these expectations as it developed a negative perception amongst Indian consumers partly due to its poor Noise Vibration Harshness (NVH) characteristics. In this paper, we examine strategies to reduce the transmission of linear vibrations from the engine felt inside the cabin. Specifically, it includes analysis of the hardness of damping rubber in the engine mounts as well as geometry of the engine mounts. The results of this analysis suggest that Tata Motors can reduce the vibrations transmitted from the engine by decreasing the hardness of the damping rubber. Additionally, Tata Motors can further reduce the transmitted vibrations by decreasing mount angle. It was found that a reduction in mount angle from 45° to 30° reduced the amplitude of the transmitted vibrations by 23%. Topics: Engines , Design , Linear vibrationTata Motor

Synthesis of Janus compounds for the recognition of G-U mismatched nucleobase pairs

The design and synthesis of two Janus-type heterocycles with the capacity to simultaneously recognize guanine and uracyl in G-U mismatched pairs through complementary hydrogen bond pairing is described. Both compounds were conveniently functionalized with a carboxylic function and efficiently attached to a tripeptide sequence by using solid-phase methodologies. Ligands based on the derivatization of such Janus compounds with a small aminoglycoside, neamine, and its guanidinylated analogue have been synthesized, and their interaction with Tau RNA has been investigated by using several biophysical techniques, including UV-monitored melting curves, fluorescence titration experiments, and 1H NMR. The overall results indicated that Janus-neamine/guanidinoneamine showed some preference for the +3 mutated RNA sequence associated with the development of some tauopathies, although preliminary NMR studies have not confirmed binding to G-U pairs. Moreover, a good correlation has been found between the RNA binding affinity of such Janus-containing ligands and their ability to stabilize this secondary structure upon complexation

Imaging the 2013 explosive crater excavation and new dome formation at Volcán de Colima with TerraSAR-X, time-lapse cameras and modelling

The summit region of steep volcanoes hosting lava domes often displays rapid geomorphologic and structural changes, which are important for monitoring the source region of hazards. Explosive crater excavation is often followed by new lava-dome growth, which is one of the most dynamic morphometric changes that may occur at volcanoes. However, details of these crater formations, and the ensuing new dome growth remain poorly studied. A common problem is the lack of observational data due to hazardous field access and the limited resolution of satellite remote sensing techniques. This paper describes the destructive-constructive crater activity at Volcán de Colima, Mexico, which occurred between January and March 2013. The crater geometry and early dome formation were observed through a combination of high-resolution TerraSAR-X spotmode satellite radar images and permanently installed monitoring cameras. This combined time-lapse imagery was used to identify ring-shaped gas emissions prior to the explosion and to distinguish between the sequential explosion and crater excavation stages, which were followed by dome growth. By means of particle image velocimetry, the digital flow field is computed from consecutive camera images, showing that vertical dome growth is dominant at the beginning. The upward growth is found to grade into spreading and a lateral growth domain. After approximately two months of gradually filling the excavated craters with new magma, the dome overflows the western margin of the crater and develops into a flow that produces block and ash flow hazards. We discuss and compare the observations to discrete element models, allowing us to mimic the vertical and lateral growth history of the dome and to estimate the maximum strength of the bulk rock mass. Moreover, our results allow a discussion on the controls of a critical dome height that may be reached prior to its gravitational spreading

Application of Fickian and non-Fickian diffusion models to study moisture diffusion in asphalt mastics

The objective of this study was to investigate certain aspects of asphalt mastic moisture diffusion characteristics in order to better understand the moisture damage phenomenon in asphalt mixtures. Moisture sorption experiments were conducted on four asphalt mastics using an environmental chamber capable of automatically controlling both relative humidity (85 %) and temperature (23 °C). The four mastics tested were identical in terms of bitumen type (40/60 pen), bitumen amount (25 % by of wt% total mix), mineral filler amount (25 % by wt%) and fine aggregate amount (50 % by wt%). The materials differed in terms of mineral filler type (granite or limestone) and fine aggregate type (granite or limestone). Preliminary data obtained during the early part of the study showed certain anomalous behavior of the materials including geometry (thickness)-dependent diffusion coefficient. It was therefore decided to investigate some aspects related to moisture diffusion in mastics by applying the Fickian and two non-Fickian (anomalous) diffusion models to the moisture sorption data. The two non-Fickian models included a two-phase Langmuir-type model and a two-parameter time-variable model. All three models predicted moisture diffusion in mastics extremely well (R 2 > 0.95). The observed variation of diffusion coefficient with thickness was attributed in part to microstructural changes (settlement of the denser fine aggregates near the bottom of the material) during the rather long-duration diffusion testing. This assertion was supported by X-ray computed tomography imaging of the mastic that showed significant accumulation of aggregate particles near the bottom of the sample with time. The results from the Langmuir-type model support a two-phase (free and bound) model for moisture absorbed by asphalt mastic and suggests about 80 % of absorbed water in the free phase remain bound within the mastic. The results also suggest that moisture diffusion in asphalt mastic may be time-dependent with diffusion decreasing by about four times during a typical diffusion test lasting up to 500 h. The study concludes that both geometry and time-dependent physical characteristics of mastic are important factors to consider with respect to moisture diffusion in asphalt mastics

Machine learning for estimation of building energy consumption and performance:a review

Ever growing population and progressive municipal business demands for constructing new buildings are known as the foremost contributor to greenhouse gasses. Therefore, improvement of energy eciency of the building sector has become an essential target to reduce the amount of gas emission as well as fossil fuel consumption. One most eective approach to reducing CO2 emission and energy consumption with regards to new buildings is to consider energy eciency at a very early design stage. On the other hand, ecient energy management and smart refurbishments can enhance energy performance of the existing stock. All these solutions entail accurate energy prediction for optimal decision making. In recent years, articial intelligence (AI) in general and machine learning (ML) techniques in specic terms have been proposed for forecasting of building energy consumption and performance. This paperprovides a substantial review on the four main ML approaches including articial neural network, support vector machine, Gaussian-based regressions and clustering, which have commonly been applied in forecasting and improving building energy performance

Retroelement-guided protein diversification abounds in vast lineages of Bacteria and Archaea

Major radiations of enigmatic Bacteria and Archaea with large inventories of uncharacterized proteins are a striking feature of the Tree of Life1-5. The processes that led to functional diversity in these lineages, which may contribute to a host-dependent lifestyle, are poorly understood. Here, we show that diversity-generating retroelements (DGRs), which guide site-specific protein hypervariability6-8, are prominent features of genomically reduced organisms from the bacterial candidate phyla radiation (CPR) and as yet uncultivated phyla belonging to the DPANN (Diapherotrites, Parvarchaeota, Aenigmarchaeota, Nanoarchaeota and Nanohaloarchaea) archaeal superphylum. From reconstructed genomes we have defined monophyletic bacterial and archaeal DGR lineages that expand the known DGR range by 120% and reveal a history of horizontal retroelement transfer. Retroelement-guided diversification is further shown to be active in current CPR and DPANN populations, with an assortment of protein targets potentially involved in attachment, defence and regulation. Based on observations of DGR abundance, function and evolutionary history, we find that targeted protein diversification is a pronounced trait of CPR and DPANN phyla compared to other bacterial and archaeal phyla. This diversification mechanism may provide CPR and DPANN organisms with a versatile tool that could be used for adaptation to a dynamic, host-dependent existence

Making Molecules Work – Stories of Supramolecular Translation

Commercialising supramolecular chemistry has proved challenging, but encouraging stories are beginning to emerge. In this editorial we present accounts of programs aimed at diabetes management, humidity sensing, antimicrobials, shock absorbing materials, nitrate sensing and anti-cancer agents. The experiences of the authors are intended to help others following similar paths, assisting efforts to develop real-world applications of functional molecules

Database of Seismic record, station EZV4 Colima, México, paper "Shannon Entropy". Ibanez et. al.

<p><strong>Database of Seismic record, station EZV4 Colima, México, paper “Shannon Entropy”. Ibanez et. al.</strong></p> <p>Ibáñez, Jesús M. (1,2)*; Rey-Devesa Pablo (1,2); Gutiérrez, Ligdamis (1,2) ;  Prudencio, Janire (1,2); Bretón, Mauricio (4); Arambula, Raul (4); Ortigosa, Félix (4); Plasencia, Imelda (4) ; D’Auria, Luca (3); Pérez, Nemesio (3); Benítez, Carmen (5)</p> <p><strong>How to forecast whether volcanic unrest will transition to an eruption and when will return to quiescence.</strong></p> <p><strong>Institutions associated:</strong></p> <p>(1) Department of Theoretical Physics and Cosmos. Science Faculty. Avd. Fuentenueva s/n. University of Granada. 18071. Granada. Spain.</p> <p>(2) Andalusian Institute of Geophysiscs. Campus de Cartuja. University of Granada. C/Profesor Clavera 12. 18071. Granada. Spain.</p> <p>(3) Instituto Volcanológico de Canarias (INVOLCAN). Spain</p> <p>(4) Centro Universitario de Estudios Vulcanológicos (CUEV), Observatorio Vulcanológico, Universidad de Colima, Colima, Mexico.</p> <p>(5) Department of Signal Theory, Telematics and Communication, Informatics and Telecommunication School, University of Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain.</p> <p><strong>Acknowledgment and Data availability statement:</strong></p> <p><span>The EZV4 station database belongs to the </span><span><span>University Center for Volcanological Studies (CUEV), Volcanological Observatory, University of Colima, Colima, Mexico.</span></span> was provided in “<strong><span>. MSEED</span></strong>” format, vertical component (SHZ). This was analyzed and processed in Python software.</p&gt