A Computational Method for the Rate Estimation of Evolutionary Transpositions

Genome rearrangements are evolutionary events that shuffle genomic architectures. Most frequent genome rearrangements are reversals, translocations, fusions, and fissions. While there are some more complex genome rearrangements such as transpositions, they are rarely observed and believed to constitute only a small fraction of genome rearrangements happening in the course of evolution. The analysis of transpositions is further obfuscated by intractability of the underlying computational problems. We propose a computational method for estimating the rate of transpositions in evolutionary scenarios between genomes. We applied our method to a set of mammalian genomes and estimated the transpositions rate in mammalian evolution to be around 0.26.Comment: Proceedings of the 3rd International Work-Conference on Bioinformatics and Biomedical Engineering (IWBBIO), 2015. (to appear

Melting dynamics of large ice balls in a turbulent swirling flow

We study the melting dynamics of large ice balls in a turbulent von Karman flow at very high Reynolds number. Using an optical shadowgraphy setup, we record the time evolution of particle sizes. We study the heat transfer as a function of the particle scale Reynolds number for three cases: fixed ice balls melting in a region of strong turbulence with zero mean flow, fixed ice balls melting under the action of a strong mean flow with lower fluctuations, and ice balls freely advected in the whole flow. For the fixed particles cases, heat transfer is observed to be much stronger than in laminar flows, the Nusselt number behaving as a power law of the Reynolds number of exponent 0.8. For freely advected ice balls, the turbulent transfer is further enhanced and the Nusselt number is proportional to the Reynolds number. The surface heat flux is then independent of the particles size, leading to an ultimate regime of heat transfer reached when the thermal boundary layer is fully turbulent

A study on interlaminar behavior of carbon/epoxy laminated curved beams by use of acoustic emission

The interlaminar tensile strength of carbon/epoxy laminated curved beams with variable thickness and through-the-thickness tufted reinforcement is studied experimentally by means of a four-point-bending test in accordance with ASTM D6415. These tests are monitored by the acoustic emission (AE) technique in order to gain deeper knowledge of the delamination onset and post-failure behavior. The results show that AE technique has proven to perform well when identifying delamination onset and its evolution after failure. In addition to this, AE has demonstrated to be an appropriate tool to assess the manufacturing quality of the carbon/epoxy laminated curved-beam, once the right pattern has previously been established

Analysis of the capability of cork and cork agglomerates to absorb multiple compressive quasi-static loading cycles

Despite the higher specific mechanical properties and the lower density of polymeric foams, these materials present cumulative damage behaviour that implies in the second and successive impacts, their mechanical properties decrease drastically. However, cork and cork agglomerates have the ability to absorb multiple impacts so they could be a more suitable material in some products, such as bumpers and helmets. This article is focused on the study of five different cork agglomerates and a natural cork under four different maximum deformations subjected to four consecutive compression loading cycles. Main diagrams, such as the stress–strain, energy density and efficiency, and the variation in diverse parameters, such as the absorbed energy density and maximum efficiency, were investigated and compared with an expanded polystyrene foam

Characterization of cork and cork agglomerates under compressive loads by means of energy absorption diagrams

Cork and cork agglomerates could be suitable replacements for petroleum-based polymeric foams due to their similar internal structure of cells and grains. Additionally, cork products have a renewable origin and are recyclable. Despite these notable properties, few studies have analysed the mechanical properties, especially the specific properties, of these materials under compressive loads. Moreover, although efficiency, ideality, and energy-normalized stress diagrams are commonly used for polymeric foams and 3D-printed lattice structures, these types of diagrams are not yet applied to cork products. It must be highlighted that efficiency diagrams are plotted only against nonspecific properties so, this article proposes additionally the use of nonspecific properties to compare materials not only in terms of properties per unit volume instead but also in terms of properties per unit mass that is more suitable for certain applications in which the weight is crucial. The materials studied herein include three different white cork agglomerates, a brown cork agglomerate, a black cork agglomerate, natural cork, and expanded polystyrene foam, which are subjected to quasi-static compressive loads

Numerical simulations of gyroid structures under compressive loads

Numerical simulations are essential for predicting the mechanical properties of different structures like gyroids that center this study. Three different methods are explored: shell elements, solid elements, and homogenization. Results reveal that homogenization is only suitable for obtaining the properties in the elastic zone, whereas solid models can determine also the behaviors in the plateau zone and the densification point. In the case of shell elements model, it can predict the elastic behavior model and the levels of stress in the plateau zone but with a lower accuracy than the solid element, but it cannot predict the densification point

Probing the Evaporation Dynamics of Ethanol/Gasoline Biofuel Blends Using Single Droplet Manipulation Techniques

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Development of a fatigue life prediction methodology for welded steel semi-trailer components based on a new criterion

This paper presents a procedure developed to predict the fatigue life in components made of steel, based on the mechanical properties of the base material and Thermally Affected Zones (TAZs) owing to welding. The fatigue life cycles of the studied components are obtained based on a certain survival probability provided by a Weibull distribution. This procedure is thought to be applied on semi-trailer components, and therefore it is proposed for the steels that are typically used in its manufacturing. A criterion for the adjustment of the exponent and the stress stroke of the fatigue life curve in welded joints is proposed in which the parameters that define the alternating stress versus the number of cycles to failure (S-N) curve are obtained exclusively from the ratio between the base material yield stress of a given steel and the strength of its Thermally Affected Zone. This procedure is especially useful for steels that do not have a complete characterization of their fatigue parameters. These developments are implemented in a subroutine that can be applied in commercial codes based on Finite Element Method (FEM) to obtain a fatigue life prediction. Finally, a numerical-experimental validation of the developed procedure is carried out by means of a semi-trailer axle bracing support fatigue analysis

Experimental study on AR fiberglass connectors for bridges made of composite materials

6 páginas, 11 figuras, 1 tabla.[ES] Un aspecto relevante dentro del proyecto de un puenterealizado en materiales compuestos es el estudio de losconectores. El caso mas frecuente de puente en materialescompuestos es aquel que presenta un tablero de materialescompuestos soportado por vigas metalicas o de hormigonarmado. En este trabajo se analizaran los tipos deconectores mas utilizados en este tipo de puentes Se analizaran tambien los conectores utilizados en elKing Stormwater Channel Bridge, donde ademas deltablero en fibra de vidrio, se fabricaron las vigas en fibrasde carbono rellenas de hormigon. En este articulo se propondran varios tipos de conectoresy se presentaran los resultados experimentales correspondientesal ensayo de “push-out” de varios prototipos condiferentes geometrias. Tras evaluar los resultados, se determinara el mas idoneopara su implantacion en el Paso Superior de la Autovia delCantabrico, de 46 metros de luz y que presenta las vigasen fibra de carbono y los conectores de vidrio AR.[EN] One highly relevant aspect in composite material bridge desing is the study of the shear connectors to be used. Composite material bridges most commonly comprise a composite deck resting on steel or reinforced concrete girders. This article analyzes the connectors most frequently used in such bridges. It also reviews the connectors used in the King Stormwater Channel Bridge, whose fibreglass deck is supported by girders made of concrete-filled carbon fibre girders. The paper advances proposals for several types of connectors and discusses the results of push-out test run on a number of prototypes with different geometries. The results are analyzed to identify the optimum model for the “Autovía del Cantábrico” Overpass, with its 46-m span, carbon fibre girders and AR glass shear connectors.Peer reviewe