Asymptotic Matching Analysis of Scaling of Structural Failure Due to Softening Hinges. II: Implications

The asymptotic matching analysis in the preceding Part I has established a new kind of size effect, caused by postpeak softening of inelastic hinges in beams and frames. The present Part II analyzes various implications, particularly the size effects on the maximum loads under load control or displacement control, the design loads, and the energy absorption of the structure.     

Improved prediction model for time-dependent deformations of concrete: Part 6—Simplified code-type formulation

The complexity of the full BP-KX model for creep and shrinkage prediction presented in the previous five parts is due to the large number of influencing factors taken into consideration rather than an inherent complexity of the theory. However, a sophisticated model with all these factors is needed only for the design of special structures, such as bridges of a record span, buildings of a record height, or nuclear reactor structures. For most practical applications, many of the factors can be eliminated and can be fixed at their typical values. This yields a simplified BP-KX model which is presented in this last part. The simplified model should suffice for many practical applications and is suitable for standard code-type recommendations of engineering societies. The design of every structure can begin with this simplified model, and only if the effects of creep and shrinkage are found rather significant is analysis according to the full BP-KX model necessary.     

Infectious proviral clones of chimpanzee foamy virus (SFVcpz) generated by long PCR reveal close functional relatedness to human foamy virus

Infectious proviral clones of simian foamy virus isolated from chimpanzee (SFVcpz) were generated by long PCR. Two overlapping fragments representing the complete provirus were amplified from genomic DNA of infected cells. Four 8.8-kbp amplimers extending from base 1 of the provirus into the env gene and five 4.45-kbp amplimers reaching from env to the end of the 3'-LTR were cloned into pCR II. Subsequently, the proviral fragments were combined in a chessboard manner to generate 20 plasmids containing full-length proviral DNA. Four plasmids produced infectious virus after transfection of susceptible cells. A distinct proviral form bearing a deletion in the transactivator gene joining both exons of a second regulatory gene present in wild-type foamy virus-infected cells started to emerge 48 hr after transfection of BHK cells with infectious SFVcpz DNA. This observation supports a novel hypothesis to explain establishment of foamy virus latency. The transactivator protein Taf of SFVcpz transcomplemented for the homologous protein Bel-1 of the unique human foamy virus isolate (HFV) and Bel-1 exhibited the reciprocal activity, suggesting that HFV could represent a variant of chimpanzee foamy virus.     

Confinement-Shear Lattice Model for Concrete Damage in Tension and Compression: II. Computation and Validation

The concrete material model developed in the preceding Part I of this study is formulated numerically. The new model is then verified by comparisons with experimental data for compressive and tensile uniaxial tests, biaxial tests, and triaxial tests, as well as notched tests of mode I fracture and size effect.     

Homomorphic vector quantisation

A new approach is proposed for vector quantisation in linear predictive speech coding. The problem is formulated as speech model recognition by minimising the Euclidean distance measure of real cepstra of models with unit power transmission. The procedure is robust with respect to quantisation of both the cepstral coefficients and operational results.