Vibration control for the primary resonance of the van der Pol oscillator by a time delay state feedback

We investigate the primary resonance of an externally excited van der Pol oscillator under state feedback control with a time delay. By means of the asymptotic perturbation method, two slow-flow equations on the amplitude and phase of the oscillator are obtained and external excitation-response and frequency-response curves are shown. We discuss how vibration control and high amplitude response suppression can be performed with appropriate time delay and feedback gains. Moreover, energy considerations are used in order to investigate existence and characteristics of limit cycles of the slow-flow equations. A limit cycle corresponds to a two-period modulated motion for the van der Pol oscillator. We demonstrate that appropriate choices for the feedback gains and the time delay can exclude the possibility of modulated motion and reduce the amplitude peak of the primary resonance. Analytical results are verified with numerical simulations.     

The Asymptotic Perturbation Method for Nonlinear Continuous Systems

We apply the asymptotic perturbation (AP) method to the study of the vibrations of Euler--Bernoulli beam resting on a nonlinear elastic foundation. An external periodic excitation is in primary resonance or in subharmonic resonance in the order of one-half with an nth mode frequency. The AP method uses two different procedures for the solutions: introducing an asymptotic temporal rescaling and balancing the harmonic terms with a simple iteration. We obtain amplitude and phase modulation equations and determine external force-response and frequency-response curves. The validity of the method is highlighted by comparing the approximate solutions with the results of the numerical integration and multiple-scale methods.     

Mass distribution, polydispersity and focusing properties of carrier ampholytes for IEF. III: pH 2.5-4 intervals

To study the molecular mass distribution and number of species in narrow-range (2-pH-unit wide, in the nominal pI 2-4 or 3-5 interval) carrier ampholytes from four commercial sources (Bio-Lyte, Servalyt, Ampholine and Pharmalyte), a 2-D technique was adopted, consisting of a preparative focusing step in a Rotofor instrument, followed by analysis of every other collected fraction (10 out of 20) by CE-MS. It was found that Ampholine pH 3.5-5 contains 105 different molecular mass (M(r)) compounds, in the M(r) interval 205-965 Da, for a total of 446 isoforms. Bio-Lyte pH 3-5 consists of 84 different M(r) species, in the M(r) range 216-965 Da, for a total of 383 isoforms. Servalyt pH 2-4 is made of 227 different M(r) compounds, in the M(r) interval 204-929 Da, for a total of 1201 isoforms. Pharmalyte pH 2.5-5 comprises 245 amphoteres, in the M(r) range 203-857 Da, for a total of 857 isoforms. Pharmalyte appears to be the best brand, with the vast majority of species focusing sharply at their pI position and almost no 'poor' species, distributed along the entire pH gradient, denoting an extremely shallow pH/mobility curve across the pI value. Due to some overlap with the adjacent acidic pH 4-6 interval, the species in common have been evaluated: the most extended overlaps are found in Ampholine (55% of the species appearing in the two neighbouring intervals) and in Servalyt (47% coincidence). The lowest overlaps are found in Pharmalyte (23%) and in Bio-Lyte (20%).     

Structural and thermodynamic features of the polyhydroxybutyrate physical gels

The structural and thermal properties of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) gels in dimethylformamide (DMF) are presented and discussed. The dilute and semi-dilute mixed PHB/DMF system undergoes a phase separation on cooling at a temperature T_gel, producing a gel in which the crystalline fraction is of the order of 50-60% and the diffraction pattern is that of disperse nano-crystals, with the same unit cell of the pure crystalline PHB. Upon heating, two melting peaks are normally observed at T_m1 and T_m2 (always higher than T_gel). Shapes of the peaks, temperatures and enthalpies of melting depend slightly on scanning rate on heating but on the procedure of gel preparation. Reproducibility and reversibility have always been found with repeated thermal cycles. A thermodynamic phase diagram is therefore constructed and discussed, although the morphology of the system may be subject to the experimental conditions under which the gel is prepared.     

Coupling enhanced sampling of the apo-receptor with template-based ligand conformers selection: performance in pose prediction in the D3R Grand Challenge 4

Journal of Computer-Aided Molecular Design - We report the performance of our newly introduced Ensemble Docking with Enhanced sampling of pocket Shape (EDES) protocol coupled to a template-based...     

Response control for the externally excited van der Pol oscillator with non-local feedback

A non-local control force is introduced in such a way to obtain a third-order nonlinear differential equation (jerk dynamics) and to control nonlinear vibrations in an externally excited van der Pol oscillator. Two first-order nonlinear ordinary differential equations governing the modulation of the amplitude and the phase of solutions are derived and subsequently the performance of the control strategy is investigated. Excitation amplitude–response and frequency–response curves are shown. In certain cases when the excitation amplitude is very low an approximate analytic solution corresponding to a modulated two-period quasi-periodic motion can be obtained for the uncontrolled system. Uncontrolled and controlled systems are compared and the appropriate choices for the feedback gains are found in order to reduce the amplitude peak of the response and to exclude the possibility of quasi-periodic motion. Numerical simulation confirms the validity of the new method.     

Review: multistage mass spectrometry in quality, safety and origin of foods

Quality and safety control and the validation of origin are hot issues in the production of food and its distribution, and are of primary concern to food and agriculture organization. Modern mass spectrometry (MS) provides unique, reliable and affordable methodologies to approach with a high degree of scientificity any problem which may be posed in this field. In this review the contribution of mass spectrometry to food analysis is presented aiming at providing clues on the fundamental role of the basic principles of gas-phase ion chemistry in applied research fields. Applications in proteomics, allergonomics, glycomics, metabolomics, lipidomics, food safety and traceability have been surveyed. The high level of specificity and sensitivity of the MS approach allows the characterization of food components and contaminants present at ultra-trace levels, providing a distinctive and safe validation of the products.     

Evidence for the formation of an intermediate complex in the direct metalation of tetra(4-bromophenyl)-porphyrin on the Cu(111) surface

A strong molecule-surface interaction between free-base-tetra(4-bromophenyl)-porphyrin and Cu(111) results in a distortion of both the molecule and the underlying copper surface in the vicinity of the molecule. This in turn leads to the formation of an intermediate complex due to bonding between the iminic nitrogens and surface copper atoms.     

Plucking,pillaging and plundering proteomes with combinatorial peptide ligand libraries

Recent developments in the technique of combinatorial peptide ligand libraries, for enhancing the visibility of the low-abundance proteome, are reviewed here. Novel en bloc elution systems, allowing essentially complete proteome recovery in a single step, are reported here, particularly, en bloc elution with 3–5% boiling sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) or in urea–thiourea–CHAPS added with either 40 mM formic acid or 25 mM cysteic acid. Novel capturing systems are also discussed: in particular, although capturing at pH 7.2 in physiological saline has always been recommended, it is shown that capturing also at acidic (pH 3.8) and alkaline (pH 9.5) values substantially increments the total captured protein population. Some examples of detection of novel proteins by the described methodology are also discussed. In particular, in the case of venom proteins, where essentially all components had been detected and fully described by conventional means, the application of the ligand library technology allowed the discovery of two, previously unreported, trace enzymes necessary for the maintenance of the native structure of venom components, namely peroxiredoxin and glutaminyl cyclase. In the case of the red blood cell (RBC) cytoplasmic proteome, where a grand total of 1570 components of the 2% minority proteomes have been identified, these findings allowed to unravel the genetic defect of a rare RBC disease, called congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type II. The mutations are located in the SEC23B gene coding for the SEC23B protein, detected for the first time in the RBC proteome thanks to the peptide capturing technology.