Yield criteria for quasibrittle and frictional materials: A generalization to surfaces with corners

Convexity of a yield function (or phase-transformation function) and its relations to convexity of the corresponding yield surface (or phase-transformation surface) is essential to the invention, definition and comparison with experiments of new yield (or phase-transformation) criteria. This issue was previously addressed only under the hypothesis of smoothness of the surface, but yield surfaces with corners (for instance, the Hill, Tresca or Coulomb–Mohr yield criteria) are known to be of fundamental importance in plasticity theory. The generalization of a proposition relating convexity of the function and the corresponding surface to nonsmooth yield and phase-transformation surfaces is provided in this paper, together with the (necessary to the proof) extension of a theorem on nonsmooth elastic potential functions. While the former of these generalizations is crucial for yield and phase-transformation functions, the latter may find applications for potential energy functions describing phase-transforming materials, or materials with discontinuous locking in tension, or contact of a body with a discrete elastic/frictional support.     

Low-power high-speed rail-to-rail LCD output buffer with dual-path push–pull operation and quiescent current control

The present paper addresses a new compact low-power high-speed output buffer amplifier topology for large-size liquid crystal display applications. The suggested buffer achieves fast driving performance, draws a low quiescent current during static operation and offers a rail-to-rail common-mode input range. The circuit provides enhanced slewing capabilities with a limited power consumption by simultaneously exploiting the push–pull output sections of two basic complementary-type input amplifiers to realize a dual-path push–pull operation of the output stage. An auxiliary biasing network integrated in the input differential stage allows the quiescent bias conditions of the class-AB output stage to be inherently controlled without additional current dissipation. Post-layout simulation results confirm that the proposed amplifier can drive a 1-nF column line load within a 0.9-μs settling time under a 3-V full voltage swing, while drawing only 3.5-μA quiescent current. Monte Carlo simulations are finally carried out, showing a good degree of robustness of the proposed output buffer against process and mismatch variations.     

A Coupling Framework for Multi-Domain Modelling and Multi-Physics Simulations

This paper describes a coupling framework for parallel execution of different solvers for multi-physics and multi-domain simulations with an arbitrary number of adjacent zones connected by different physical or overlapping interfaces. The coupling architecture is based on the execution of several instances of the same coupling code and relies on the use of smart edges (i.e., separate processes) dedicated to managing the exchange of information between two adjacent regions. The collection of solvers and coupling sessions forms a flexible and modular system, where the data exchange is handled by independent servers that are dedicated to a single interface connecting two solvers’ sessions. Accuracy and performance of the strategy is considered for turbomachinery applications involving Conjugate Heat Transfer (CHT) analysis and Sliding Plane (SP) interfaces.     

CAESAR models for developmental toxicity

Background

The new REACH legislation requires assessment of a large number of chemicals in the European market for several endpoints. Developmental toxicity is one of the most difficult endpoints to assess, on account of the complexity, length and costs of experiments. Following the encouragement of QSAR (in silico) methods provided in the REACH itself, the CAESAR project has developed several models.

Results

Two QSAR models for developmental toxicity have been developed, using different statistical/mathematical methods. Both models performed well. The first makes a classification based on a random forest algorithm, while the second is based on an adaptive fuzzy partition algorithm. The first model has been implemented and inserted into the CAESAR on-line application, which is java-based software that allows everyone to freely use the models.

Conclusions

The CAESAR QSAR models have been developed with the aim to minimize false negatives in order to make them more usable for REACH. The CAESAR on-line application ensures that both industry and regulators can easily access and use the developmental toxicity model (as well as the models for the other four endpoints).

     

A new on-line solid phase extraction high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method to study the sun light photodegradation of mono-chloroanilines in river water

The study investigates the natural photodegradation pathway of mono-chloroanilines in river waters, with the aim to identify the predominant photoproducts formed. At this purpose a new sensitive on-line SPE HPLC–MS/MS method has been developed with LOQ values equal or lower than the legal threshold concentration levels allowed for mono-chloroanilines in waters. The degradation processes of o-, m- and p-chloroaniline have been investigated subjecting their solutions, prepared both in ultrapure and in river water, to sun light irradiation simulated by a solar box system. The SPE HPLC–MS/MS methodology allowed to evaluate the degradation kinetics, to identify the predominant photodegradation products and to propose the chemical structures. Two photoproducts (aniline and 3-aminophenol), for which standards are available, have also been quantified.     

Triggering rogue waves in opposing currents

We show that rogue waves can be triggered naturally when a stable wave train enters a region of an opposing current flow. We demonstrate that the maximum amplitude of the rogue wave depends on the ratio between the current velocity U(0) and the wave group velocity c(g). We also reveal that an opposing current can force the development of rogue waves in random wave fields, resulting in a substantial change of the statistical properties of the surface elevation. The present results can be directly adopted in any field of physics in which the focusing nonlinear Schr?dinger equation with nonconstant coefficient is applicable. In particular, nonlinear optics laboratory experiments are natural candidates for verifying experimentally our results.     

Proposed search for a fourth neutrino with a PBq antineutrino source

Several observed anomalies in neutrino oscillation data can be explained by a hypothetical fourth neutrino separated from the three standard neutrinos by a squared mass difference of a few eV(2). We show that this hypothesis can be tested with a PBq (ten kilocurie scale) (144)Ce or (106)Ru antineutrino beta source deployed at the center of a large low background liquid scintillator detector. In particular, the compact size of such a source could yield an energy-dependent oscillating pattern in event spatial distribution that would unambiguously determine neutrino mass differences and mixing angles.     

Tricritical point in heterogeneous k-core percolation

k-core percolation is an extension of the concept of classical percolation and is particularly relevant to understanding the resilience of complex networks under random damage. A new analytical formalism has been recently proposed to deal with heterogeneous k-cores, where each vertex is assigned a local threshold k(i). In this Letter we identify a binary mixture of heterogeneous k-cores which exhibits a tricritical point. We investigate the new scaling scenario and calculate the relevant critical exponents, by analytical and computational methods, for Erd?s-Rényi networks and 2D square lattices.     

Importance of nuclear effects in the measurement of neutrino oscillation parameters

We investigate how models for neutrino–nucleus cross sections based on different assumptions for the nuclear dynamics affect the forecasted sensitivities to neutrino oscillation parameters at future neutrino facilities. We limit ourselves to the quasi-elastic regime, where the neutrino cross sections can be evaluated with less uncertainties, and discuss the sensitivity reach to θ₁₃${\theta }_{13}$ and δ at a prototype low-γ β-beam, mostly sensitive to the quasi-elastic regime.