Shakedown Analysis of Framed Structures: Strong Duality and Primal-dual Analysis

AbstractThe paper is aimed to illustrate the strong duality between the lower and upper bound formulations of shakedown analysis in a novel way. By the lower or upper bound theorem, shakedown analysis is a well-known direct method to evaluate the load carrying capacity of a structure subjected to cyclic loads. In the paper, the Hölder inequality is uniquely utilized to establish the upper bound formulation from the lower bound formulation. Accordingly, the strong duality between them is revealed by duality theorems. Following that, shakedown analysis is performed by the primal-dual algorithm provided by the computing tool MATLAB. Moreover, elastic-plastic analysis is also conducted for comparisons and validations using the commercial finite-element code ABAQUS. Finally, comparisons with good agreement validate the numerical results presented in the paper

Adsorption of HO_x on Aerosol Surfaces: Implications for the Atmosphere of Mars

The potential impact of heterogeneous chemistry on the abundance and distribution of HO_x in the atmosphere of Mars has been assessed by combining observational data of dust and ice aerosol distributions with an updated photochemical model. Critical parameters include the altitude distributions of aerosols, and the surface loss coefficients (γ) of HO_2 on dust and ice in the lower atmosphere, and H on ice above 40 km. We find that adsorption of HO_2 on dust (γHO_2 ≥ 0.01), or ice near 30 km (γHO_2 ≥ 0.1), can deplete OH abundances in the lower atmosphere by 10% or more. Such depletions approach those obtained by lowering the water vapor abundance by an order of magnitude below the global average observed by Viking (≈ 25%). Since the oxidation of CO is catalyzed by HO_x in the lower atmosphere via the reaction CO + OH → CO_2 + H, loss of OH due to adsorption of HO_2 on dust or ice at low altitudes could have a significant effect on the ratio CO : CO_2. The adsorption of H on ice at 50 km (γ_H ≥ 0.01) can result in even larger OH depletions. However, this effect is localized to altitudes > 40 km, where CO oxidation is relatively unimportant. Laboratory data suggest that γHO_2 ≈ 0.01 is a reasonable estimate for adsorption on dust. Larger values are plausible, but are not strongly supported by experimental evidence. The reactivity of HO_2 on ice is unknown, while γH on ice appears to be < 0.001. There is a need for measurements of HO_x adsorption on surfaces representative of Martian aerosols at temperatures < 220 K

Influence of Magnetism on Phonons in CaFe2As2 Via Inelastic X-ray Scattering

In the iron pnictides, the strong sensitivity of the iron magnetic moment to the arsenic position suggests a significant relationship between phonons and magnetism. We measured the phonon dispersion of several branches in the high temperature tetragonal phase of CaFe2As2 using inelastic x-ray scattering on single-crystal samples. These measurements were compared to ab initio calculations of the phonons. Spin polarized calculations imposing the antiferromagnetic order present in the low temperature orthorhombic phase dramatically improve agreement between theory and experiment. This is discussed in terms of the strong antiferromagnetic correlations that are known to persist in the tetragonal phase.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures; added additional information and references about spin fluctuation

Breaking a species barrier by enabling hybrid recombination

Hybrid sterility maintains reproductive isolation between species by preventing them from exchanging genetic material1. Anti-recombination can contribute to hybrid sterility when different species' chromosome sequences are too diverged to cross over efficiently during hybrid meiosis, resulting in chromosome mis-segregation and aneuploidy. The genome sequences of the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces paradoxus have diverged by about 12% and their hybrids are sexually sterile: nearly all of their gametes are aneuploid and inviable. Previous methods to increase hybrid yeast fertility have targeted the anti-recombination machinery by enhancing meiotic crossing over. However, these methods also have counteracting detrimental effects on gamete viability due to increased mutagenesis2 and ectopic recombination3. Therefore, the role of anti-recombination has not been fully revealed, and it is often dismissed as a minor player in speciation1. By repressing two genes, SGS1 and MSH2, specifically during meiosis whilst maintaining their mitotic expression, we were able to increase hybrid fertility 70-fold, to the level of non-hybrid crosses, confirming that anti-recombination is the principal cause of hybrid sterility. Breaking this species barrier allows us to generate, for the first time, viable euploid gametes containing recombinant hybrid genomes from these two highly diverged parent species

Synthesis, Pore Morphology, and Dielectric Property of Mesoporous Low-k Material PSMSQ using a Reactive High-Temperature Porogen, TEPSS

A high-temperature reactive porogen, triethoxy(polystyrene)silane (TEPSS) (M w =3,500 g/mole), suitable for late-porogen removal integration scheme has been synthesized in p-xylene via atom transfer radical polymerization. TEPSS was then grafted onto poly(methyl-silsesquioxane) (MSQ) matrix (k=2.9) to circumvent possible phase separation between matrix and porogen in the hybrid approach and porogen aggregation. Our results shows porous low-k MSQ films possess uniform pore size, 24 nm for porosity up to 40%, primarily due to low PDI and reactive porogen, and the dielectric constant is decreased to 2.37 at 40% porosity. In addition, less porogen aggregation was observed at porogen loading ~40 v%

Spin states of the first four holes in a silicon nanowire quantum dot

We report measurements on a silicon nanowire quantum dot with a clarity that allows for a complete understanding of the spin states of the first four holes. First, we show control of the hole number down to one. Detailed measurements at perpendicular magnetic fields reveal the Zeeman splitting of a single hole in silicon. We are able to determine the ground-state spin configuration for one to four holes occupying the quantum dot and find a spin filling with alternating spin-down and spin-up holes, which is confirmed by magnetospectroscopy up to 9T. Additionally, a so far inexplicable feature in single-charge quantum dots in many materials systems is analyzed in detail. We observe excitations of the zero-hole ground-state energy of the quantum dot, which cannot correspond to electronic or Zeeman states. We show that the most likely explanation is acoustic phonon emission to a cavity between the two contacts to the nanowire.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures, both including supporting informatio

Combination of selenium and green tea improves the efficacy of chemoprevention in a rat colorectal cancer model by modulating genetic and epigenetic biomarkers

Dietary supplementation of selenium and green tea holds promise in cancer prevention. In this study, we evaluated the efficacies of selenium and green tea administered individually and in combination against colorectal cancer in an azoxymethane (AOM)-induced rat colonic carcinogenesis model and determined the underlying mechanisms of the protection. Four-week old Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed with diets containing 0.5% green tea extract, 1 ppm selenium as selenium-enriched milk protein, or combination of 1 ppm selenium and 0.5% green tea extract. Animals received 2 AOM (15 mg/kg) treatments to induce colonic oncogenesis. Rats were killed 8 or 30 wk later after the last AOM to examine the effect of dietary intervention on aberrant crypt foci (ACF) formation or tumor development. On sacrifice, colons were examined for ACF and tumors, the mRNA levels of SFRP5 and Cyclin D1, and the proteins levels of ß-catenin, COX-2, Ki-67, DNMT1 and acetyl histone H3. The combination of selenium and green tea resulted in a significant additive inhibition of large ACF formation, this effect was greater than either selenium or green tea alone, P<0.01; the combination also had a significant additive inhibition effect on all tumor endpoints, the effect of the combination diet on tumor incidence, multiplicity and size was greater than selenium or green tea alone, P<0.01. Rats fed the combination diet showed marked reduction of DNMT1 expression and induction of histone H3 acetylation, which were accompanied by restoration of SFRP5 mRNA in normal-appearing colonic crypts. The combination diet also significantly reduced ß-catenin nuclear translocation, Cyclin D1 expression and cell proliferation. These data show, for the first time, that combination of selenium and green tea is more effective in suppressing colorectal oncogenesis than either agent alone. The preventive effect is associated with regulation of genetic and epigenetic biomarkers implicated in colonic carcinogenesis.Ying Hu, Graeme H. McIntosh, Richard K. Le Leu, Laura S. Nyskohus, Richard J. Woodman, Graeme P. Youn

Active Creation of Instrinsically Localized Vibrations in Uranium Using X-Ray and Neutron Scattering

In real materials, nonlinear forces cause the frequencies of vibrating atoms to depend on amplitude. As a consequence, a large-amplitude fluctuation on the scale of the atom spacing can develop a frequency that does not resonate with the normal modes, causing energy to become trapped in an intrinsically localized mode (ILM)--also called 'discrete breather' or 'lattice soliton'. As temperature is increased, entropy is expected to stabilize increased concentrations of these random hotspots. This mechanism, which spontaneously concentrates energy, has been observed in analogous systems on a larger scale, but direct sightings at the atomic scale have proved difficult. Two challenges have hampered progress: (1) the need to separate ILMs from modes associated with crystal imperfections, and (2) complications that arise at high temperatures, including feature broadening and multiphonon processes. Here we solve both of these problems by actively creating ILMs at low temperatures in {alpha}-uranium using high-energy inelastic x-ray and neutron scattering. The ILM creation excitation occurs at energies ten times higher than conventional lattice excitations, cleanly separating it from modes associated with crystal imperfections. The discovery of this excitation not only proves the existence of ILMs in uranium but also opens up a new route for finding ILMs in other materials and, in the process, a new area for spectroscopy

Robust enzymatic saccharification of a Douglas-fir forest harvest residue by SPORL

Forest harvest residues can be a cost-effective feedstock for a biorefinery, but the high lignin content of forest residues is a major barrier for enzymatic sugar production. Sulfite pretreatment to overcome strong recalcitrance of lignocelluloses (SPORL) was applied to a Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb) Franco var. menziesii) forest residue in a range of sulfite and acid loadings at 165°C for 75 min with liquid to wood ratio of 3:1. Sodium bisulfite and sulfuric acid charge as mass fraction of oven dry biomass of 12% and 2.21%, respectively, was optimal in terms of enzymatic cellulose saccharification, sugar yield and formation of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and furfural. Enzymatic glucose yield was 345 g kg⁻¹, or equivalent to 82.3% of theoretical at a cellulase (CTec2) dosage of 15 filter paper unit (FPU) per gram of glucan. HMF and furfural formation were low at approximately 2.5 g L⁻¹ each in the pretreatment hydrolyzate. Delignification was important to achieve good cellulose saccharification efficiency, however, approximately 80-90% hemicellulose removal is also required. Substrate enzymatic digestibility (SED) was found to correlate to a combined parameter Z(CHF) of delignification and hemicellulose dissolution well, suggesting that the combined hydrolysis factor (CHF) - a pretreatment severity measure - can be used to predict saccharification of forest residue for scale-up studies to reduce numbers of experiments.Keywords: Forest harvest residue, Pretreatment, Biofuel, Enzymatic hydrolysis/saccharification, Pretreatment severit