“Smart” Base Isolation Strategies Employing Magnetorheological Dampers

One of the most successful means of protecting structures against severe seismic events is base isolation. However, optimal design of base isolation systems depends on the magnitude of the design level earthquake that is considered. The features of an isolation system designed for an El Centro-type earthquake typically will not be optimal for a Northridge-type earthquake and vice versa. To be effective during a wide range of seismic events, an isolation system must be adaptable. To demonstrate the efficacy of recently proposed “smart” base isolation paradigms, this paper presents the results of an experimental study of a particular adaptable, or smart, base isolation system that employs magnetorheological (MR) dampers. The experimental structure, constructed and tested at the Structural Dynamics and Control/Earthquake Engineering Laboratory at the Univ. of Notre Dame, is a base-isolated two-degree-of-freedom building model subjected to simulated ground motion. A sponge-type MR damper is installed between the base and the ground to provide controllable damping for the system. The effectiveness of the proposed smart base isolation system is demonstrated for both far-field and near-field earthquake excitations.     

Fatigue behavior of pipes containing multiple flaws in inner surface

In this work was studied the growth behavior of multiple cracks in the inner surface of pipes. The fatigue tests were performed using two kinds of test pipes, i.e., the straight pipes and bend pipes of AISI Type 304L stainless steel, having 320 mm in outer diameter and 35 mm in thickness approximately.The crack growth curves obtained by the fatigue tests were compared with the analytical curves of two kinds of crack growth prediction methods. One method is based on the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Sec. XI. Another method is based on the procedure in which the crack growth formula is applied to both the surface and thickness directions. The analytical crack growth curves predicted by the ASME Code are conservative for the test results of the straight and bend pipes. However the results of bend pipe test suggest that the procedure of the ASME Code may give an unconservative fatigue life under the certain condition.On the other hand, the test results of the straight pipes can be evaluated reasonably and those of the bend pipes can be evaluated conservatively by the latter method.     

Heparin sulfate in the stone matrix and its inhibitory effect on calcium oxalate crystallization

The nature of the soluble stone matrix and its possible role in urinary stone formation was studied. For this purpose we performed two-dimensional cellulose acetate membrane electrophoresis of the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) which were contained in the soluble stone matrix, substances adsorbed onto calcium oxalate crystals in vitro (crystal surface binding substances, CSBS) and urinary macromolecules (UMMs). The main GAG in the soluble stone matrix and CSBS was found to be heparan sulfate, whereas the UMMs contained various GAGs usually seen in urine. An inhibition assay showed the soluble stone matrix to have the strongest inhibitory activity among these macromolecular substances when inhibitory activity was expressed in terms of uronic acid concentration. It is suggested that the main GAG in the soluble stone matrix consists of heparan sulfate, which has a strong inhibitory activity on calcium oxalate crystal growth and aggregation and constitutes part of the CSBS.     

Isolation of an Arabidopsis thaliana mutant in which the multiplication of both cucumber mosaic virus and turnip crinkle virus is affected

During the systemic infection of plants by viruses, host factors play an important role in supporting virus multiplication. To identify and characterize the host factors involved in this process, we isolated an Arabidopsis thaliana mutant named RB663, in which accumulation of the coat protein (CP) of cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) in upper uninoculated leaves was delayed. Genetic analyses suggested that the phenotype of delayed accumulation of CMV CP in RB663 plants was controlled by a monogenic, recessive mutation designated cum2-1, which is located on chromosome III and is distinct from the previously characterized cum1 mutation. Multiplication of CMV was delayed in inoculated leaves of RB663 plants, whereas the multiplication in RB663 protoplasts was similar to that in wild-type protoplasts. This suggests that the cum2-1 mutation affects the cell-to-cell movement of CMV rather than CMV replication within a single cell. In RB663 plants, the multiplication of turnip crinkle virus (TCV) was also delayed but that of tobacco mosaic virus was not affected. As observed with CMV, the multiplication of TCV was normal in protoplasts and delayed in inoculated leaves of RB663 plants compared to that in wild-type plants. Furthermore, the phenotype of delayed TCV multiplication cosegregated with the cum2-1 mutation as far as we examined. Therefore, the cum2-1 mutation is likely to affect the cell-to-cell movement of both CMV and TCV, implying a common aspect to the mechanisms of cell-to-cell movement in these two distinct viruses.     

Nuclear relaxation in the superconducting state of (MDT-TTF)2AuI2

We report the results of our attempt to measure the proton nuclear relaxation rate, 1/T ₁, in the superconducting state of the title material. The relaxation rate in the superconducting state at a field of 1 T was found much longer than that in the normal state, but it became clear that the dominant contribution came from the normal core region. The nuclear relaxation at zero field was examined by using the field cycling technique. An ln(t) term in the relaxation curve was observed at low temperatures, suggesting the contribution of the creeping motion of vortices. We discuss the possibility to determine the intrinsic temperature dependence of 1/T ₁ in the superconducting state.     

Cellular affinity of polyamides having various functional groups. I. Platelet adhesion

Various polyamides having a different density of hydrogen bonding, of hydrophilic character, and containing ionic groups have been synthesized and their blood compatibilities were evaluated in terms of the adhesion behavior of blood platelets on polyamide by the microsphere column method. Polyamides containing anionically charged groups such as carboxylate or sulfonate groups adsorbed fewer blood platelets than those with undissociated carboxylate groups. Polyamides having thioether groups adsorbed fewer platelets than those having ether groups. Introduction of a rigid piperazine unit caused an increase in platelet adhesion.     

Lipid composition of 30 species of yeast

The detailed composition of cellular lipid of more than 23 species of yeast has been determined quantitatively by thinchrography on quartz rods, a method previously used for estimating cellular lipids of seven species of yeast. That data was fortified by neutral and phospholipid quantitations on 30 species of yeast cells. Most of the test organisms contained 7–15% total lipid and 3–6% total phospholipid per dry cell weight, except for the extremely high accumulation of triglycerides in two species ofLipomyces. Qualitatively, 30 species of yeast cells contained similar neutral lipid constituents (triglyceride, sterol ester, free fatty acid, and free sterol) and polar lipid components (phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidyl serine, phosphatidyl inositol, cardiolipin, and ceramide monohexoside) without minor constituents. Based on the quantitative composition of neutral lipids, the 30 species of yeast were divided into two groups, the triglyceride predominant group and the sterol derivative group. These groupings were fairly well overlapped from the standpoint of the distribution characteristics of fatty acid. The relative polar lipid compositions also grossly resembled each other. Only one exception of polar lipid composition in yeast cells was found inRhodotorula rubra species which contained phosphatidyl ethanolamine as the most abundant phospholipid. Fatty acid distribution patterns in yeast cells consistently coincided with other reports concerning fatty acid composition of yeast cells. Correlation of lipid composition and classification of yeasts are suggested and discussed. A part of this investigation has been reported at the 14th conference of the Japan Oil Chemists' Society, Nagoya, Japan, October 1975.     

Occurrence of 24(E)-ethylidene sterols in two solanaceae seed oils and rice bran oil

The occurrence of two 24 (E)-ethylidene sterols, fucosterol and 28-isocitrostadienol, in the unsaponifiable matters of two Solanaceae seed oils fromDatura stramonium andCapsicum annuum, and rice bran oil from the seeds ofOryza sativa (Gramineae) was demonstrated by their isolation or by gas liquid chromatography. AlthoughZ-isomers of the above two 24-ethylidene sterols, 28-isofucosterol and citrostadienol, are a frequent occurrence in higher plant materials including some Solanaceae seed oils and rice bran oil, the report might be the second instance of the unambiguous demonstration of the occurrence of the 24(E)-ethylidene sterols in higher plants.