Synthesis of accelerograms compatible with the Chinese GB 50011-2001 design spectrum via harmonic wavelets: artificial and historic records

A versatile approach is employed to generate artificial accelerograms which satisfy the compatibility criteria prescribed by the Chinese aseismic code provisions GB 50011-2001. In particular, a frequency dependent peak factor derived by means of appropriate Monte Carlo analyses is introduced to relate the GB 50011-2001 design spectrum to a parametrically defined evolutionary power spectrum (EPS). Special attention is given to the definition of the frequency content of the EPS in order to accommodate the mathematical form of the aforementioned design spectrum. Further, a one-to-one relationship is established between the parameter controlling the time-varying intensity of the EPS and the effective strong ground motion duration. Subsequently, an efficient auto-regressive moving-average (ARMA) filtering technique is utilized to generate ensembles of non-stationary artificial accelerograms whose average response spectrum is in a close agreement with the considered design spectrum. Furthermore, a harmonic wavelet based iterative scheme is adopted to modify these artificial signals so that a close matching of the signals’ response spectra with the GB 50011-2001 design spectrum is achieved on an individual basis. This is also done for field recorded accelerograms pertaining to the May, 2008 Wenchuan seismic event. In the process, zero-phase high-pass filtering is performed to accomplish proper baseline correction of the acquired spectrum compatible artificial and field accelerograms. Numerical results are given in a tabulated format to expedite their use in practice

Physiological quality, content and activity of antioxidants in soybean seeds artificially aged.

ABSTRACT - The objective of this study was to evaluate physiological quality, content, and activity of antioxidants, in soybean seeds subjected to accelerated aging during different periods. Seeds of cultivars BRS 258, BRS 262 and BRS 268, subjected to accelerated aging during 12, 24, 36 and 48 hours and non-aged seeds were used. After each aging period, the seed were evaluated by tests of: germination; first count and tetrazolium. The total of phenolic compounds, total flavonoides, total of isoflavones, and activity for eliminating ABTS°+ radicals were quantified. There were differences among cultivars according to vigor and viability only after seeds were aged. Cultivars BRS 158 and BRS 268 have shown better seed physiological quality in each aging period; however, not presenting higher amounts of isoflavones and efficiency in removing free radicals. For all cultivars, the values for total of phenolic compounds, as well as total of flavonoids have shown quadratic positive behavior; the values for isoflavones remained constant and the vigor and viability showed contrary trend to activity of antioxidant agents. RESUMO: Qualidade fisiológica, conteúdo e atividade de antioxidantes presentes em sementes de soja envelhecidas artificialmente. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade fisiológica, o conteúdo e a atividade de agentes antioxidantes presentes em sementes de soja envelhecidas durante diferentes períodos. Foram utilizadas sementes das cultivares BRS 258, BRS 262 e BRS 268, envelhecidas durante 12, 24, 36 e 48 h e sementes não envelhecidas. Após cada período de envelhecimento, as sementes foram avaliadas pelo testes de: germinação; primeira contagem e tetrazólio. Foram quantificados: compostos fenólicos totais; flavonóides totais; total de isoflavonas e atividade eliminadora do radical ABTS°+. Houve diferença entre as cultivares em relação ao vigor e viabilidade somente quando foram envelhecidas. BRS 158 e BRS 268 apresentaram melhor qualidade fisiológica de sementes em cada período de envelhecimento, porém, não apresentaram maior quantidade de isoflavonas e eficiência no sequestro dos radicais livres. Para todas as cultivares, os valores de compostos fenólicos totais, assim como os flavonóides totais, apresentaram comportamento quadrático positivo; os valores das isoflavonas permaneceram constantes e o vigor e a viabilidade apresentaram tendência contrária à atividade dos agentes antioxidantes

The British Army, information management and the First World War revolution in military affairs

Information Management (IM) – the systematic ordering, processing and channelling of information within organisations – forms a critical component of modern military command and control systems. As a subject of scholarly enquiry, however, the history of military IM has been relatively poorly served. Employing new and under-utilised archival sources, this article takes the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) of the First World War as its case study and assesses the extent to which its IM system contributed to the emergence of the modern battlefield in 1918. It argues that the demands of fighting a modern war resulted in a general, but not universal, improvement in the BEF’s IM techniques, which in turn laid the groundwork, albeit in embryonic form, for the IM systems of modern armies. KEY WORDS: British Army, Information Management, First World War, Revolution in Military Affairs, Adaptatio

The Priestley companion

412 p.; 18 cm

An Inspector Calls- a Play

64 ha