Novel stability criteria for uncertain delayed Cohen–Grossberg neural networks using discretized Lyapunov functional

This paper deals with the stability analysis of delayed uncertain Cohen–Grossberg neural networks (CGNN). The proposed methodology consists in obtaining new robust stability criteria formulated as linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) via the Lyapunov–Krasovskii theory. Particularly one stability criterion is derived from the selection of a parameter-dependent Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional, which allied with the Gu’s discretization technique and a simple strategy that decouples the system matrices from the functional matrices, assures a less conservative stability condition. Two computer simulations are presented to support the improved theoretical results.     

An atomistic simulation study of oxygen-vacancy migration in perovskite electrolytes based on LaGaO3

Abstract  Static lattice simulation techniques were used to calculate the energetic barriers for oxygen-vacancy migration in the perovskite-type oxide LaGaO₃ substituted with alkaline earth cations. The calculated migration energies are found to vary with the number and size of the substituting cations in the immediate neigbourhood of the migrating defect. It is argued that not only the size but also the charge of the cations constituting the saddle-point configuration play a role in determining the migration energy. Graphical abstract        

Development, validation and application of a SDME/GC-FID methodology for the multiresidue determination of organophosphate and pyrethroid pesticides in water

A single-drop microextraction (SDME) procedure was developed for the analysis of organophosphorus and pyrethroid pesticides in water by gas chromatography (GC) with flame ionization detection (GC-FID). The significant parameters that affect SDME performance, such as the selection of microextraction solvent, solvent volume, extraction time, and stirring rate, were studied and optimized using a tool screening factorial design. The limits of detection (LODs) in water for the four investigated compounds were between 0.3 and 3.0 μg L⁻¹, with relative standard deviations ranging from 7.7 to 18.8%. Linear response data were obtained in the concentration range of 0.9-6.0 μg L⁻¹ (λ-cyhalothrin), 3.0-60.0 μg L⁻¹ (methyl parathion), 9.0-60.0 μg L⁻¹ (ethion), and 9.0-30.0 μg L⁻¹ (permethrin), with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.9337 to 0.9977. The relative recoveries for the spiked water ranged from 73.0 to 104%. Environmental water samples (n = 26) were successfully analyzed using the proposed method and methyl parathion presented concentration up to 2.74 μg L⁻¹. The SDME method, coupled with GC-FID analysis, provided good precision, accuracy, and reproducibility over a wide linear range. Other highlights of the method include its ease of use and its requirement of only small volumes of both organic solvent and sample.     

A model for predicting the multiscale crack growth due to an impact in heterogeneous viscoelastic solids

A two-scale model for predicting the multiple crack growth in viscoelastic solids due to an impact is presented. The cracks are considered only at the local scale through the use of a micromechanical viscoelastic cohesive zone model. The multiscale model has been implemented in a finite-element code. In order to minimize the computation time, the local finite-element meshes are solved in parallel by multiple processors. An example problem is given in order to demonstrate the capabilities of the model. Russian translation published in Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 45, No. 2, pp. 211–222, March–April, 2009.     

Hyperbolic unit groups and quaternion algebras

We classify the quadratic extensions and the finite groups G for which the group ring [G] of G over the ring of integers of K has the property that the group of units of augmentation 1 is hyperbolic. We also construct units in the ℤ-order of the quaternion algebra , when it is a division algebra.     

Instrumented Indentation of Carbides in a Martensitic Matrix and in a Sintered Sample

Niobium carbide (NbC) has high wear and corrosion resistance and retains these characteristics at high temperatures. In industrial applications, as well as in academia, NbC can be found in various configurations, such as carbides dispersed in the microstructure of steel or as sintered components. The aim of this study is to use the instrumented indentation (nanoindentation) technique to evaluate the properties of carbides present in the martensitic matrix of a cast steel or as a sintered specimen. In the case of the cast alloy, the sample had an MC-type carbide volume fraction of approximately 5%. In the second case, the NbC specimen was sintered using spark-plasma sintering (SPS). Additional specimen characterization was conducted using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Nanoindentation analyses were conducted with loads up to 10 mN, allowing hardness impressions with dimensions significantly smaller than the size of the carbides in the cast specimens. The results indicated relatively uniform values of 22 GPa and 348 GPa for the hardness and reduced elastic modulus of the sintered specimen, respectively. The EDX analysis results of the cast specimen indicated that the MC-type carbides had regions with different chemical compositions. Differences in the carbide chemical compositions were also observed when different regions of the cast specimen were compared. Nevertheless, similar properties were obtained in all regions, with a trend for the carbides in the cast specimen to present a higher hardness and lower modulus than those in the sintered specimen.     

Bingham’s model in the oil and gas industry

Yield stress fluid flows occur in a great many operations and unit processes within the oil and gas industry. This paper reviews this usage within reservoir flows of heavy oil, drilling fluids and operations, wellbore cementing, hydraulic fracturing and some open-hole completions, sealing/remedial operations, e.g., squeeze cementing, lost circulation, and waxy crude oils and flow assurance, both wax deposition and restart issues. We outline both rheological aspects and relevant fluid mechanics issues, focusing primarily on yield stress fluids and related phenomena.     

Exponential stability for the wave model with localized memory in a past history framework

In this paper we discuss the asymptotic stability as well as the well-posedness of the damped wave equation posed on a bounded domain Ω of ${\mathbb{R}}^n,n\ge 2$,

$\rho (x)u_{tt}?\mathrm{\Delta }u+\underset{0}{\overset{\infty }{\int }}g(s)\text{div}[a(x)\mathrm{?}u(?,t?s)]ds+b(x)u_t=0,$

subject to a locally distributed viscoelastic effect driven by a nonnegative function $a(x)$ and supplemented with a frictional damping $b(x)\ge 0$ acting on a region A of Ω, where $a=0$ in A. Assuming that $\rho (x)$ is constant, considering that the well-known geometric control condition $(\omega ,T_0)$ holds and supposing that the relaxation function g is bounded by a function that decays exponentially to zero, we prove that the solutions to the corresponding partial viscoelastic model decay exponentially to zero, even in the absence of the frictional dissipative effect. In addition, in some suitable cases where the material density $\rho (x)$ is not constant, it is also possible to remove the frictional damping term $b(x)u_t$, that is, the localized viscoelastic damping is strong enough to assure that the system is exponentially stable. The semi-linear case is also considered.     

Negative entropy,zero temperature and Markov chains on the interval

We consider ergodic optimization for the shift map on the modified Bernoulli space σ: [0, 1]^? → [0, 1]^?, where [0, 1] is the unit closed interval, and the potential A: [0, 1]^? → ? considered depends on the two first coordinates of [0, 1]^?. We are interested in finding stationary Markov probabilities µ_∞ on [0, 1]^? that maximize the value ∫ Adµ, among all stationary (i.e. σ-invariant) probabilities µ on [0, 1]^?. This problem correspond in Statistical Mechanics to the zero temperature case for the interaction described by the potential A. The main purpose of this paper is to show, under the hypothesis of uniqueness of the maximizing probability, a Large Deviation Principle for a family of absolutely continuous Markov probabilities µ _β which weakly converges to µ_∞. The probabilities µ _β are obtained via an information we get from a Perron operator and they satisfy a variational principle similar to the pressure in Thermodynamic Formalism. As the potential A depends only on the first two coordinates, instead of the probability µ on [0, 1]^?, we can consider its projection ν on [0, 1]². We look at the problem in both ways. If µ_∞ is the maximizing probability on [0, 1]^?, we also have that its projection ν _∞ is maximizing for A. The hypothesis about stationarity on the maximization problem can also be seen as a transhipment problem. Under the hypothesis of A being C ² and the twist condition, that is,

$\frac{{\partial ^2 A}}{{\partial x\partial y}}(x,y) \ne 0, for all (x,y) \in [0,1]^2 ,$

we show the graph property of the maximizing probability ν on [0, 1]². Moreover, the graph is monotonous. An important result we get is: the maximizing probability is unique generically in Mañé’s sense. Finally, we exhibit a separating sub-action for A.