Ride comfort optimization of a city bus

Ride comfort optimization of a city bus is considered in this article, using stiffness and related damping of the power unit mounts as design variables. The response of the bus, due to road irregularities, is calculated in the time domain by using a finite element (FE) model describing the complete vehicle. The body of the bus is condensed, using a substructuring technique, in order to reduce the simulation times. Operational deflection shapes (ODS) have been used to compare measured and calculated vibrations and some corrections of the FE model have been done. The response, i.e. acceleration, at three locations in the bus has been frequency-weighted according to the comfort standard ISO 2631:1997. The resulting root mean square (RMS) values of these responses are then used in the objective functions in the optimization procedure. The computational results show that it is possible to increase the ride comfort. However, the improvement of the ride comfort is probably too small to have a substantial subjective impact on the passenger in the bus. The results show that the objective function, regarding the overall ride comfort in the bus, has local optima. Received October 10, 1999     

A locally weighted machine learning model for generalized prediction of drift capacity in seismic vulnerability assessments

Drift capacity of reinforced concrete (RC) columns is an important indicator to quantify the seismic vulnerability of RC frame buildings; however, it is challenging to accurately predict this value as the nonlinear behavior can vary greatly by column type. This article proposes a novel, local machine learning (ML) model, called locally weighted least squares support vector machines for regression (LWLS‐SVMR), which integrates LS‐SVMR and locally weighted training criteria to enhance and generalize the prediction of the drift capacity of RC columns, regardless of the type. A database of 160 circular RC columns covering flexure‐, shear‐, and flexure–shear‐critical specimens was developed to train and test the proposed LWLS‐SVMR. The proposed LWLS‐SVMR was validated by comparison with popular existing global and local learning approaches as well as a traditional empirical equation, and the results demonstrated that the proposed LWLS‐SVMR is superior to all other approaches and thus, is a promising artificial intelligence technique for enhancing the prediction of drift capacity, universally across RC flexure‐, shear‐, and flexure–shear‐critical columns. The LWLS‐SVMR exhibits capabilities which may yield it a feasible approach to predict complex, nonlinear behavior in a broad‐spectrum manner.     

Rapid detection of Salmonella in pet food: design and evaluation of integrated methods based on real-time PCR detection

Reducing the risk of Salmonella contamination in pet food is critical for both companion animals and humans, and its importance is reflected by the substantial increase in the demand for pathogen testing. Accurate and rapid detection of foodborne pathogens improves food safety, protects the public health, and benefits food producers by assuring product quality while facilitating product release in a timely manner. Traditional culture-based methods for Salmonella screening are laborious and can take 5 to 7 days to obtain definitive results. In this study, we developed two methods for the detection of low levels of Salmonella in pet food using real-time PCR: (i) detection of Salmonella in 25 g of dried pet food in less than 14 h with an automated magnetic bead-based nucleic acid extraction method and (ii) detection of Salmonella in 375 g of composite dry pet food matrix in less than 24 h with a manual centrifugation-based nucleic acid preparation method. Both methods included a preclarification step using a novel protocol that removes food matrix-associated debris and PCR inhibitors and improves the sensitivity of detection. Validation studies revealed no significant differences between the two real-time PCR methods and the standard U.S. Food and Drug Administration Bacteriological Analytical Manual (chapter 5) culture confirmation method.     

Interfacial Tension; a Stabilizing Factor for Janus Emulsions of Silicone Bixa Orellana Oils

The destabilization process was investigated for a Janus emulsion of silicone and Bixa Orellana oils stabilized by polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate (Tw 80) and carboxymethyl cellulose. The emulsion stabilized with Tw 80 showed significant and fast creaming, a process that was prevented by the addition of the polymer. During the extensive coalescence of the emulsions stabilized by Tw 80, the Janus topology was retained for months of storage until, finally, separation of the oils occurred. This result strongly indicates an unexpected stabilizing action of the i nterfacial free energy. This conclusion was supported by a calculation for a realistic model system of the interfacial energy difference between two cases of coalescence. In the first case, the two coalescing Janus drops united into a larger Janus drop, while in the second case two drops formed, each with only one oil. The first case gave a spontaneous reaction (reduced interfacial energy), while the second one meant an increase of energy, i.e. it cannot happen without adding energy. The authors are aware that this stabilization is a new phenomenon in emulsion science with potential ramifications in future emulsion technology. However, it is essential to realize that the stabilization is of temporary occurrence in the destabilization process, and the free energy to give a final emulsion state with separated oils is overwhelmingly dominant. In short, Janus emulsions will, in the end, separate into layers of the liquids, like all emulsions.     

An error indicator for the generalized eigenvalue problem using the hierarchical finite element method

The hierarchical concept applied to eigenvalue problems is considered. An error indicator is derived from the pertinent Rayleigh quotient. The indicator serves as an estimation ‘a posteriori’ of the relative change in an eigenvalue for a hierarchical refinement. A numerical example is included.     

Evaporation from a Three‐Phase Emulsion

The evaporation path was determined for the emulsion system water, linalool and 5% Laureth 4, (L4), from the phase diagram of the components. The initial part of the evaporation took place in a two‐phase region of the emulsion and the path, expressed as fractions of the compounds, was non‐linear reflecting the changed vapour pressure of the linalool. The latter part of the evaporation, on the other hand, occurred through a three‐phase region and the path now formed a straight line. The recently introduced algebraic approach to extracting information from phase diagrams enabled presenting quantitative changes in composition, phase fractions and total content of the emulsion, as well as the vapour pressure versus different variables; including time.     

Vapour pressure of a fragrance ingredient during evaporation in a simple emulsion

The phase diagram water, phenethyl alcohol and laureth 4 was determined and the variation of the vapour pressure of the alcohol was determined during evaporation using gas chromatographic head-space analysis. The phase changes during evaporation were estimated from the phase diagram and compared to the appearance of the emulsion using optical microscopy. The transfer of the fragrance ingredient between different phases during the process was estimated and its measured vapour pressures compared to those calculated from values of earlier determination in different phases in the system. The agreement was good.     

Nonparaxial eigenmodes of stable resonators

A method to determine the nonparaxial eigenmodes of stable resonators is presented. The method is based on the perturbation theory of Lax et al. For calculating nonparaxial components of the electric field. A matrix formalism which uses a mode expansion into paraxial Hermite-Gaussian modes is applied to describe the nonparaxial propagation and the phase shift at a parabolic and a spherical mirror. Expressions for these matrices are derived analytically. Multiplying all matrices corresponding to a round trip, a matrix for the resonator is obtained. Eigenmodes of the resonator are numerically found by solving the eigenvalue problem. In the special case of paraxial propagation and parabolic mirror profiles, the standard Hermite-Gaussian modes result analytically. Nonparaxial modes of a given resonator are compared for different mirror profiles. It is found that, in the nonparaxial domain, spherical mirrors do not change the mode profile and the frequencies of the transverse modes, in contrast to parabolic mirrors which aberrate the beam profile and cause frequency shifts     

Prognostic value of amplification of c-erb-B2 in bladder carcinoma

Amplification of c-erb-B2 is examined in patients with transitional cell bladder carcinoma. In a pilot study we found that the amplification correlated with high tumor grade. Tumor grade is a known prognostic factor. Therefore, we next examined the prognostic value of c-erb-B2 amplification in patients with >16 years of clinical follow-up. The gene copy number was determined, using semiquantitative PCR, in archival formalin-fixed tissues. Twenty-three percent (37/163 patients) showed the amplification. The amplification correlated with grade and stage. Moreover, we found that tumor grade (P < 0.001) and c-erb-B2 amplification (P < 0.001) showed prognostic information for survival. Patients with grade 3 tumors and concomitant c-erb-B2 amplification showed the worst prognosis. Multivariate analysis indicates that grade and c-erb-B2 amplification are independent prognostic factors.     

Pulsed 1.55 μm transmission mode microchip laser usingsemiconductor modulator

A semiconductor saturable absorber modulator is used, for the first time, in a passively Q-switched microchip laser in transmitting mode. The laser has a wavelength of 1.55 μm in a single longitudinal TEM₀₀ mode beam and has pulse characteristics that compare favourably with previously reported data on comparable devices