Dynamic Wave Propagation in Porous Media Semi-Infinite Domains

The problem of dynamic wave propagation in semi-infinite domains is of great importance, especially, in subjects of applied mechanics and geomechanics, such as the issues of earthquake wave propagation in an infinite half-space and soil-structure interaction under seismic loading. In such problems, the elastic waves are supposed to propagate to infinity, which requires a special treatment of the boundaries in initial boundary-value problems (IBVP). Saturated porous materials, e. g. soil, basically represent volumetrically coupled solid-fluid aggregates. Based on the continuum-mechanical principles and the established macroscopic Theory of Porous Media (TPM) [1, 2], the governing balance equations yield a coupled system of partial differential equations (PDE). Restricting the discussion to the isothermal and geometrically linear case, this system comprises the solid and fluid momentum balances and the overall volume balance, and can be conveniently treated numerically following an implicit monolithic approach [3]. Therefore, the equations are firstly discretised in space using the mixed Finite Element Method (FEM) together with quasi-static Infinite Elements (IE) at the boundaries that represent the extension of the domain to infinity [4], and secondly in time using an appropriate implicit time-integration scheme. Additionally, a stable implementation of the Viscous Damping Boundary (VDB) method [5] for the simulation of transient waves at infinity is presented, which implicitly treats the damping boundary terms in a weakly imposed sense. The proposed algorithm is implemented into the FE tool PANDAS and tested on a two-dimensional IBVP. (© 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Comparison of the Effect of an Organoclay,Triphenylphosphate, and a Mixture of Both on the Degradation and Combustion Behaviour of PC/ABS Blends

Summary: Polycarbonate Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene blends (PC/ABS) with flame retardants Triphenyl Phosphate (TPP), nanoclay and their mixtures were prepared in a twin- screw extruder. The morphological properties were characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD) which showed the intercalated structure of nanoclay in the matrix. Thermal stability of the samples was studied using Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and the degradation kinetic parameters were determined using various methods including Kissinger, Flynn-Wall-Ozawa and Coats-Redfern methods. It was found that the sample containing both TPP and nanoclay has the highest activation energy. The activation energy order of PC/ABS blends with different flame retardant packages, obtained by Kissinger method agrees well with that obtained by Coats-Redfern. Cone calorimetry and limited oxygen index (LOI)/underwriters laboratory 94 (UL94) methods were used to investigate the fire behaviour and flammability of materials. The reduced mass loss rate (MLR), peak heat release rate (PHRR) and enhanced LOI of the composite containing mixture system confirmed a synergistic effect of TPP and nanoclay.     

Prenylated flavonoids from Tephrosia apollinea

In continuation of our chemical investigation on some medicinal plants of the genus Tephrosia,re-investigation of the methylenechloride/methanol(1:1) extract of the air-dried aerial part of Tephrosia apollinea afforded a new prenylated flavonoid 1, in addition to an aromatic ester,a sesquiterpene,a lignan and several known prenylated flavonoids.The structures were established by(~1H NMR,~(13)C NMR,DEPT,~1H-~1H COSY,HMQC,HMBC,NOESY and HRMS).Relative configurations of 9 and 10 were confirmed by X-ray anal...     

On linear vertex-arboricity of complementary graphs

The linear vertex-arboricity ρ(G) of a graph G is defined to be the minimum number of subsets into which the vertex set of G can be partitioned such that each subset induces a linear forest. In this paper, we give the sharp upper and lower bounds for the sum and product of linear vertex-arboricities of a graph and its complement. Specifically, we prove that for any graph G of order p. and for any graph G of order p = (2n + 1)², where n ? Z⁺, 2n + 2 ≦ ρ(G) + ρ(G ).     

Selective rearrangements of 4a,5-epoxides of 4,4-dimethyl-1,2,3,4,6,8a-hexahydronaphthalenes.

Epoxidation selectivity of a number of 4,4-dimethyl-1,2,3,4,6,8a-hexahydronaphthalenes 4 were examined. Exposure of the isolated α-epoxides 7provided excellent yields (79–92%) or rearranged fused indene-oxetanes 8. Treatment of β-epoxides 5 with BF3·OEt₂ also yields oxetanes 8 and related alcohols 9 and 10.     

Mach's Principle and Model for a Broken Symmetric Theory of Gravity

We investigate spontaneous symmetry breaking in a conformally invariant gravitational model. In particular, we use a conformally invariant scalar tensor theory as the vacuum sector of a gravitational model to examine the idea that gravitational coupling may be the result of a spontaneous symmetry breaking. In this model matter is taken to be coupled with a metric which is different but conformally related to the metric appearing explicitly in the vacuum sector. We show that after the spontaneous symmetry breaking the resulting theory is consistent with Mach's principle in the sense that inertial masses of particles have variable configurations in a cosmological context. Moreover, our analysis allows to construct a mechanism in which the resulting large vacuum energy density relaxes during evolution of the universe.     

Nonrelativistic Strong-Field Photoionization without Making the Dipole Approximation

Within the context of the time-reversed S-matrix approach to photoionization, and employing a recently proposed strong-field solution to the Schrödinger equation, analytic expressions for the atomic photoionization rates are obtained here without using the dipole approximation. We show that the absorbed photon momentum shows up as a forward-directed momentum component for the photoelectron. All the expressions reported in this work have the correct limits when the dipole approximation is used.     

Polymer-bound oxathiaphospholane: a solid-phase reagent for regioselective monothiophosphorylation and monophosphorylation of unprotected nucleosides and carbohydrates

Two polymers bound to N,N-diisopropylamino-1,3,2-oxathiaphospholane were reacted with unprotected carbohydrates and nucleosides in the presence of 1H-tetrazole, followed by oxidation with tert-butyl hydroperoxide or sulfurization with Beaucage's reagent. The 1,3,2-oxathiaphospholane ring-opening with 3-hydroxypropionitrile, followed by treatment with DBU, afforded the corresponding monophosphate and monothiophosphate derivatives, respectively, through the elimination of polymer-bound ethylene episulfide. Reactions using this strategy offer the advantages of high regioselectivity, monosubstitution, and facile isolation and recovery of products.     

Selective diphosphorylation, dithiodiphosphorylation, triphosphorylation, and trithiotriphosphorylation of unprotected carbohydrates and nucleosides

[chemical reaction: see text]. Aminomethyl polystyrene resin-bound linkers of p-acetoxybenzyl alcohol were subjected to reactions with diphosphitylating and triphosphitylating reagents to yield the corresponding polymer-bound diphosphitylating and triphosphitylating reagents, respectively. A number of unprotected carbohydrates and nucleosides were reacted with the polymer-bound reagents. Oxidation with tert-butyl hydroperoxide or sulfurization with Beaucage's reagent, followed by removal of cyanoethoxy group with DBU and the acidic cleavage, respectively, afforded only one type of monosubstituted nucleoside and carbohydrate diphosphates, dithiodiphosphates, triphosphates, and trithiotriphosphates with high regioselectivity.