Potential assessment of cargo liquefaction based on an UBC3D-PLM model

Fluidization of fine particle cargoes, resulting in cargo shift and loss of stability, has caused the loss of many lives in numerous marine casualties over the past decades. Since the dangers of cargo fluidization have long been known to the shipping industry, the question of why the phenomenon is resurfacing now would be a legitimate one. With this in mind, an UBC3D-PLM model based on FEM theory in the commercial software PLAXIS is presented in this paper to consider soil DSS (Direct Simple Shear) test to verify the model. To assess the cargo fluidization potential, an evaluating method is presented in the paper considering cargo fluidization. Shaking table tests with different amplitude, frequency and initial degree of saturation of cargos were studied to predict time-domain characteristics. This method in the paper could be feasibly used as a reference and possibly support a suitable regulatory framework to the fluidization analysis of ship stability

Numerical assessment of cargo liquefaction potential

Liquefaction of fine particle cargoes, resulting in cargo shift and loss of stability of ships, has caused the loss of many lives in marine casualties over the recent past years. Since the dangers of cargo liquefaction have long been known to the shipping industry, the question of why the phenomenon is resurfacing now would be a legitimate one. With this in mind, an UBC3D-PLM model based on FEM theory in the commercial software PLAXIS is presented in this paper as a means to consider soil DSS (Direct Simple Shear) test to verify the model and a method is presented to assess cargo liquefaction potential. Shaking table tests with different amplitude, frequency and initial degree of saturation of cargoes are studied to predict time-domain characteristics. The proposed method could be used as a reference in support of a suitable regulatory framework to address liquefaction and its effect on ship stability

SUVH1, a Su(var)3-9 family member, promotes the expression of genes targeted by DNA methylation.

Transposable elements are found throughout the genomes of all organisms. Repressive marks such as DNA methylation and histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) methylation silence these elements and maintain genome integrity. However, how silencing mechanisms are themselves regulated to avoid the silencing of genes remains unclear. Here, an anti-silencing factor was identified using a forward genetic screen on a reporter line that harbors a LUCIFERASE (LUC) gene driven by a promoter that undergoes DNA methylation. SUVH1, a Su(var)3-9 homolog, was identified as a factor promoting the expression of the LUC gene. Treatment with a cytosine methylation inhibitor completely suppressed the LUC expression defects of suvh1, indicating that SUVH1 is dispensable for LUC expression in the absence of DNA methylation. SUVH1 also promotes the expression of several endogenous genes with promoter DNA methylation. However, the suvh1 mutation did not alter DNA methylation levels at the LUC transgene or on a genome-wide scale; thus, SUVH1 functions downstream of DNA methylation. Histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) trimethylation was reduced in suvh1; in contrast, H3K9 methylation levels remained unchanged. This work has uncovered a novel, anti-silencing function for a member of the Su(var)3-9 family that has previously been associated with silencing through H3K9 methylation

Model-driven timing analysis of embedded software

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH