Finite element analysis of flush end-plate connections connected to column web

Eurocode 3: Part 1.8 (2005b) does not cover the empirical design for flush end-plate connections connected to column web. Thus, experimental works need to be performed to investigate the behaviour of the minor axis end-plate bolted connection. However, the experimental tests are expensive, tedious and time consuming to be conducted. Alternatively, finite element modelling and analysis can be adopted to predict the behaviour of the connection accurately. Five specimens of flush end-plate connections connected to column web with variable parameters have been tested and the results are compared with finite element analysis. Finite element models with enhanced strain solid and contact joint elements are used to stimulate the connection behaviour. The objective of this paper is to compare and validate the accuracy and reliability of the finite element model by correlating moment rotation (M-Φ) curves between the finite element model and experimental tests. The comparison shows a reasonable agreement between the predicted results from FEA and the experimental tests.     

Nonlinear control of photonic higherorder topological bound states in the continuum

Higher-order topological insulators (HOTIs) are recently discovered topological phases, possessing symmetry- protected corner states with fractional charges. An...     

Influence of individual characteristics on whether and how much consumers engage in showrooming behavior

This article investigates a set of individual characteristics that can explain whether and how much a consumer engages in showrooming behavior. The authors conceptualized and empirically examined certain variables’ impact on both showrooming probability as well as the extent of behavior. The variables under consideration include consumers’ involvement, prior knowledge, perceived risk, price consciousness, Internet usage, access device usage, and certain demographic variables. The results reveal that involvement and price consciousness significantly explain whether a consumer is a potential showroomer. Further, showrooming frequency is found to be affected by prior knowledge, perceived risk, price consciousness, Internet usage, access devise usage, and age. Some implications are discussed regarding how retailers can handle showrooming.     

Wheat dough rheology and bread quality effected by Lactobacillus brevis preferment,dry sourdough and lactic acid addition

The influence of chemical and biological acidification on dough rheological properties and bread quality has been investigated. Two different flour types were used. Dough was chemically acidified with lactic acid. Two types of biologically acidified dough were prepared: dough with dry sourdough and with a Lactobacillus brevis preferment. Wheat dough rheological properties were investigated using the Farinograph, Extensograph and Amylograph. The baking response was also determined using standard baking tests. Addition of acidifiers resulted in firmer doughs with less stability, decreased extensibility and decreased gelatinisation maximum. The biological acidifiers increased the bread specific volume. Lactic acid addition had no influence on bread specific volume. In general, biological and chemical acidification decreased bread hardness. The addition of dry sourdough significantly decreased the lightness and increased the yellowness and redness of the bread crumb. The crust chroma, hue angle and brownness index were significantly changed by addition of acidifiers.     

Prognostic value of steroid hormone receptors concentration in patients with endometrial carcinoma

The concentrations of progesterone receptors in endometrial tumors of 160 patients were analyzed with respect to survival and presence of clinicopathologic prognostic factors. The concentration of 25 fmol/mg of proteins for progesterone receptors appeared to be most powerful for prediction of survival. The survival was also significantly correlated to age, depth of myometrial invasion and clinical stage of the tumor. Concentration of estrogen receptors could not be correlated with the probability of patients' actuarial survival.     

Synthesis and bioactivity studies of 1-adamantanamine derivatives of peptides

Small enkephalin-related peptides containing a 1-adamantanamine moiety coupled through an amide linkage at the C-terminus were synthesized. Several of the compounds showed high mu opioid activity and mu receptor selectivity. The new adamantanamine derivatives were also examined for antiviral activity against HIV-1 in a cell culture system. Some of them inhibited syncytia formation even when the antigen assay gave evidence for viral replication.     

On the existence of the nonlinear weighted least squares estimate for a three-parameter Weibull distribution

The problem of nonlinear weighted least squares fitting of the three-parameter Weibull distribution to the given data (w_i,t_i,y_i), i=1,…,n, is considered. The part w_i>0 of the data stands for the data weights. It is shown that the best least squares estimate exists provided that the data satisfy just the following two natural conditions: (i) 0<t₁<t₂<?<t_n and (ii) 0<y₁<y₂<?<y_n<1. To support this, an illustrative numerical example is given.     

Reactivity ratios and copolymer properties of 2‐(diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate with methyl methacrylate and styrene

Free radical copolymerization kinetics of 2‐(diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DPA) with styrene (ST) or methyl methacrylate (MMA) was investigated and the corresponding copolymers obtained were characterized. Polymerization was performed using tert‐butylperoxy‐2‐ethylhexanoate (0.01 mol dm^?3) as initiator, isothermally (70 °C) to low conversions (<10 wt%) in a wide range of copolymer compositions (10 mol% steps). The reactivity ratios of the monomers were calculated using linear Kelen–Tüd?s (KT) and nonlinear Tidwell–Mortimer (TM) methods. The reactivity ratios for MMA/DPA were found to be r₁ = 0.99 and r₂ = 1.00 (KT), r₁ = 0.99 and r₂ = 1.03 (TM); for the ST/DPA system r₁ = 2.74, r₂ = 0.54 (KT) and r₁ = 2.48, r₂ = 0.49 (TM). It can be concluded that copolymerization of MMA with DPA is ideal while copolymerization of ST with DPA has a small but noticeable tendency for block copolymer building. The probabilities for formations of dyad and triad monomer sequences dependent on monomer compositions were calculated from the obtained reactivity ratios. The molar mass distribution, thermal stability and glass transition temperatures of synthesized copolymers were determined. Hydrophobicity of copolymers depending on the composition was determined using contact angle measurements, decreasing from hydrophobic polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate) to hydrophilic DPA. Copolymerization reactivity ratios are crucial for the control of copolymer structural properties and conversion heterogeneity that greatly influence the applications of copolymers as rheology modifiers of lubricating oils or in drug delivery systems. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry