An analytical solution for buckling of moderately thick functionally graded sector and annular sector plates

In this article, an analytical solution for buckling of moderately thick functionally graded (FG) sectorial plates is presented. It is assumed that the material properties of the FG plate vary through the thickness of the plate as a power function. The stability equations are derived according to the Mindlin plate theory. By introducing four new functions, the stability equations are decoupled. The decoupled stability equations are solved analytically for both sector and annular sector plates with two simply supported radial edges. Satisfying the edges conditions along the circular edges of the plate, an eigenvalue problem for finding the critical buckling load is obtained. Solving the eigenvalue problem, the numerical results for the critical buckling load and mode shapes are obtained for both sector and annular sector plates. Finally, the effects of boundary conditions, volume fraction, inner to outer radius ratio (annularity) and plate thickness are studied. The results for critical buckling load of functionally graded sectorial plates are reported for the first time and can be used as benchmark.     

Structural and Physical Properties of DyCu,NdAg, LaCd,YIn, ErCu,ErAg, and ErAu Rare-Earth Intermetallic Compounds: Ab initio Investigations Analyzed by Data Mining Technique

Physics of the Solid State - In this work, the structural, elastic, mechanical, thermodynamic, and electronic properties of ErCu, ErAg, ErAu, DyCu, NdAg, LaCd, and YIn compounds have been...     

Neuropeptidomics: Comparison of parallel reaction monitoring and data‐independent acquisition for the analysis of neuropeptides using high‐resolution mass spectrometry

Targeted peptide quantitation by mass spectrometry is a rapidly emerging field. Traditionally it relied on the development and validation of multiple reaction monitoring assays that could comply with a high level of sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and reproducibility in complex biological samples. However, with the introduction of high‐resolution mass spectrometers, other acquisition modes could provide more comprehensive datasets for identification and quantification but also for in‐depth data mining. The objective of this study was to evaluate two analytical approaches, parallel‐reaction monitoring (PRM) and data‐independent analysis (DIA) using a hybrid Quadrupole–Orbitrap mass spectrometer for the quantification of neuropeptides in animal spinal cord tissues. Mouse spinal cord tissues were harvested, homogenized and neuropeptides extracted using a C₁₈ solid‐phase extraction protocol. Chromatography was achieved using a Thermo Biobasic C₈ 100 × 1 mm (5 μm) column. The initial mobile phase conditions consisted of acetonitrile and water (both containing 0.1% of formic acid) at a ratio of 5:95. An 11 min linear gradient was applied up to a ratio of 50:50 and maintained for 3 min. The flow rate was fixed at 75 μL/min and 2 μL of sample was injected. Mass spectrometry analyses were performed using a Thermo Q Exactive Plus MS using PRM and DIA approaches. Quantitative data using an isotopic dilution and a label‐free strategy were obtained for both methods and statistically compared. Using both approaches, we were able to clearly detect endogenous neuropeptides. However, with DIA, mass spectra alone could not distinguish Leu‐Enk and Met‐Enk. We used a Bland–Altman plot (Difference plot) to analyze the agreement between both approaches and no systematic bias was observed. Further statistical analyses, including variance analysis, showed more variability in DIA compared with PRM mode. Further analyses were performed using a label‐free approach and confirmed an increase of the variance using a DIA approach.     

Substituent effects of 1,2-dithiole groups on the electrochemical oxidation of some ferrocenyl-1,2-dithiole compounds

New ferrocenyl compounds substituted by sulfur containing groups were synthesized leading to ferrocenyl-3H-1,2-dithiole-3-thiones and related compounds. The substituent of the ferrocene was a [3-thioxo-3H-1,2-dithiol]-4 or 5-yl, a [3-oxo-3H-1,2-dithiol]-4 or 5- yl or a [3-methylsulfanyl-3H-1,2-dithiolium]-4 or 5-yl cation group. Their anodic behavior was studied by cyclic voltammetry at a Pt electrode in aprotic solvent. All synthesized ferrocenes exhibited a one-electron reversible oxidation leading to the corresponding ferricinium cation. At low potential scan, the irreversible oxidation of 5-ferrocenyl-3H-1,2-dithiole-3-thione was observed and attributed to a dimerization involving the dithiolethione group. Redox potential of the reversible oxidation allowed the determination of the electronic effect of the 1,2-dithiole groups. The Hammett σ_p constants of the dithiole substituents were obtained from linear correlation between oxidation potentials and electronic effects. The results showed that the [3-thioxo-3H-1,2-dithiol]-5-yl and the [3-methylsulfanyl-3H-1,2-dithiolium]-5-yl cation groups were strong inductive electron withdrawing substituents characterized by σ_p values of 0.55 and 0.97, respectively.     

Analysis of modified Van der Pol’s oscillator using He’s parameter-expanding methods

In this work, a powerful analytical method, called He’s parameter-expanding methods (HPEM) is used to obtain the exact solutions of non-linear modified Van der Pol’s oscillator. The classical Van der Pol equation with delayed feedback and a modified equation where a delayed term provides the damping are considered. It is shown that one term in series expansions is sufficient to obtain a highly accurate solution, which is valid for the whole solution domain. Comparison of the obtained solution with those obtained using perturbation method shows that this method is effective and convenient to solve this problem. This method introduces a capable tool to solve this kind of non-linear problems.     

On covariant functions and distributions under the action of a compact group

Let G be a compact subgroup of GLn(R) acting linearly on a finite dimensional complex vector space E. B. Malgrange has shown that the space C^∞G(Rn,E) of C^∞ and G-covariant functions is a finite module over the ring C^∞G(Rn) of C^∞ and G-invariant functions. First, we generalize this result for the Schwartz space SG(Rn,E) of G-covariant functions. Secondly, we prove that any G-covariant distribution can be decomposed into a sum of G-invariant distributions multiplied with a fixed family of G-covariant polynomials. This gives a generalization of an Oksak result proved in [4].     

Effects of thermo-physical and flow parameters on the static and dynamic burning of a cigarette

Effects of thermo-physical and operating parameters influencing the combustion of a cigarette were systematically studied using a three-dimensional first-principles-based mathematical model. Thermo-physical properties include packing density and thermal conductivity of materials forming the packed bed in the cigarette, and operating parameters include ambient oxygen concentration, air flow rate through the cigarette, and the ambient cross flow. The model was first validated with the existing experimental data which provided a satisfactory result. Increasing the ambient cross flow while increasing the burn rate and temperatures in the cigarette column, decreases the delivery of gaseous products owing to air infiltration through the paper into the column and enhances diffusion of gases out of column. Reducing the oxygen concentration reduces the burn rate to a point at which burning would be extinguished during the smoldering step. Increasing the air flow monotonically increases the burn rate, temperature and delivery of products in a burning cigarette. While thermal conductivity in the range varied here (50% above and 50% below the base case) it did not significantly affect the outcomes of the burning process; decreasing the packing density increases the heat generated and solid and gas temperatures, and decreases the delivery of some gaseous products.     

Magnetic and Spectroscopic Studies of Metallic Halide Complexes with N-Methyl-1,2,4-Triazoles

Complexes of metal (II) halides with N-methyl-1,2,4-triazoles have been prepared, characterized, and studied by magnetism, and electronic and vibrational spectroscopies. The complex with 1:4 stoichiometry is monomeric; those of 1:1 or 1:2 stoichiometries are polymeric. It is seen from electronic studies that metal ions are trans-octahedrally coordinated and chromophores are MX₄N₂ or MX₂N₄. These structural results are in accordance with the magnitude of magnetic exchange between metallic ions. The effects of metal–ligand bond formation on the vibrational modes of the studied N-methyl-triazoles show the coordination mode of the ligand. In the low-frequency range, assignments of metal–nitrogen and metal-halide stretching vibrations confirm advanced structural proposals.