Evaluation of automotive weatherstrip by coupled analysis of fluid-structure-noise interaction

Automotive weatherstrip plays a major role in isolating the passenger compartment from water, dust and noise, etc. Among them, the wind noise through weatherstrip is the most severe factor making the passenger uncomfortable. Weatherstrip should be in contact between the door and the body frame, and sufficient contact area is needed to minimize the wind noise through weatherstrip. But there are several factors that make it difficult to ensure sufficient contact area. First, weatherstrip rubber deteriorates as time goes by and residual stress in the rubber becomes relaxed which results in the decrease of the contact area. Second, the gap between the door and the body increases due to pressure difference at high speed. In order to predict and reduce wind noise through weatherstrip, nonlinear behaviour of rubber at high speed and he effect of rubber deformation to wind noise should both be analyzed. In the paper, rubber deformation with time is obtained by hyperelastic and viscoelastic analyses, while the gap between the door and the body frame of the vehicle going at a high speed was predicted by the coupled analysis, Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI). And also Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) calculates the amount of wind noise numerically caused by rubber deformation under high speed condition

Combined Striatum, Brain Stem, and Optic Nerve Involvement due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae in an Ambulatory Child

In children, Mycoplasma pneumoniae encephalitis has been characterized by acute onset of an encephalopathy associated with extrapyramidal symptoms and symmetric basal ganglia with or without brain stem involvement on magnetic resonance imaging. Our case, showing unilateral optic neuritis, ophthalmoplegia, no extrapyramidal symptoms, and typical striatal involvement on magnetic resonance imaging, broadens the spectrum of varying clinical manifestations of childhood M. pneumoniae-associated encephalopathy

Structural synthetic biology strategy for the design of a new metabolic pathway

To date, notable successes have been made in producing valuable chemicals and fuels from renewable resources by simply modifying and optimizing the metabolic pathways in microorganisms. However, to design a more efficient and desirable pathway with high efficiency from ubiquitously existing multi-branched and multi-level regulated ones, a new approach is needed other than conventional systematic analysis of every bottlenecks embedded in the biosynthetic pathways. Here, we present a strategy combining rational enzyme design and synthetic biology to construct a new metabolic pathway which evades from the highly regulated nature. As a proof-of-concept, we implemented our approach to the design of a new L-methionine biosynthetic pathway. To this end, structure of the MetZ enzyme, which is a key to the construction of new biosynthetic pathway in Corynebacterium glutamicum, was modelled, and its substrate specificity was rationally altered toward a substrate required for redirecting the metabolic flux in the pathway. Furthermore, we used mutational approach to relieve feedback inhibition of other enzymes which regulate the metabolic flux in the methionine biosynthetic pathway. As a result, the L-methionine level reached a gram scale in flask culture by recombinant Corynebacterium glutamicum with the methionine biosynthetic pathway. We demonstrate that the “structural synthetic biology” strategy can boost our ability to generate a more efficient metabolic pathway for the production of valuable chemicals

Seismic response of beam-column joints rehabilitated with FRP sheets and buckling restrained braces

An experimental test was performed to evaluate the seismic resistance of reinforced concrete beam-column joints rehabilitated with FRP sheets and Buckling Restrained Braces (BRBs). Six beam-column joints were rehabilitated and tested. The test results were compared in terms of hysteresis loops, stiffness degradation, energy dissipation and ductility. The comparison result showed that wrapping FRP sheets can contribute to increase the effect of confinement and to delay crack development in the joints. Also retrofitting buckling restrained braces (BRBs) can improve the stiffness and energy dissipation capacity. Both FRP sheets and BRBs can effectively improve the strength, stiffness and ductility