Viscoelastic State for the Solutions of Spherically Symmetric Viscoelasticity Problems

The solutions of the spherically symmetric, linear, isothermal, and transient viscoelasticity problems via reciprocity theorem have been investigated for a specific material. The integral form of stress–strain relations has been used. The Laplace transform of a viscoelastic state, which is necessary for the integral equation arising as a result of reciprocity theorem, has been derived. This integral equation has been solved by Laplace transform. A sample problem has been solved to test the presented formulation. A numerical application of the analytic solution of this problem has been given.     

Grammar constraints

With the introduction of the Regular Membership Constraint, a new line of research has opened where constraints are based on formal languages. This paper is taking the next step, namely to investigate constraints based on grammars higher up in the Chomsky hierarchy. We devise a time- and space-efficient incremental arc-consistency algorithm for context-free grammars, investigate when logic combinations of grammar constraints are tractable, show how to exploit non-constant size grammars and reorderings of languages, and study where the boundaries run between regular, context-free, and context-sensitive grammar filtering.     

Kinome-Wide Profiling Identifies Human WNK3 as a Target of Cajanin Stilbene Acid from Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.

Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) is a common food crop used in many parts of the world for nutritional purposes. One of its chemical constituents is cajanin stilbene acid (CSA), which exerts anticancer activity in vitro and in vivo. In an effort to identify molecular targets of CSA, we performed a kinome-wide approach based on the measurement of the enzymatic activities of 252 human kinases. The serine-threonine kinase WNK3 (also known as protein kinase lysine-deficient 3) was identified as the most promising target of CSA with the strongest enzymatic activity inhibition in vitro and the highest binding affinity in molecular docking in silico. The lowest binding affinity and the predicted binding constant pKi of CSA (−9.65 kcal/mol and 0.084 µM) were comparable or even better than those of the known WNK3 inhibitor PP-121 (−9.42 kcal/mol and 0.123 µM). The statistically significant association between WNK3 mRNA expression and cellular responsiveness to several clinically established anticancer drugs in a panel of 60 tumor cell lines and the prognostic value of WNK3 mRNA expression in sarcoma biopsies for the survival time of 230 patients can be taken as clues that CSA-based inhibition of WNK3 may improve treatment outcomes of cancer patients and that CSA may serve as a valuable supplement to the currently used combination therapy protocols in oncology.     

An Analytical Model for Compressive Creep Behavior of HDPE Used in Plastic Pipe Manufacturing

The creep behavior of high-density polyethylene has been studied by low compressive creep tests, and empirical results were analyzed and compared with analytically predicted results. The tests are performed upon ASTM standard specimens at various stress levels in the linear region. After these analyses, a mathematical model is derived and used to predict creep strain for long periods of time from the strain-time data obtained at different stresses over a time interval of 24 h.     

The Shear Stress–Strain Behaviour of Low-modulus Structural Adhesives

The shear stress–strain behaviour of two low-modulus structural adhesives has been measured using the butt-torsion test. The Nadai correction for non-linear shear behaviour is explained as it is necessary to understand how this correction can be applied to butt joints. The results for one adhesive were accurately used to predict the strength of a lap joint, and it was shown that the strength of such a joint can approach that of a conventional, modern, structural epoxy. Structural adhesives are usually reckoned to be those with a high strength (50 MPa and upwards) and (these days), a strain to failure of at least 10% in tension, and which usually have a tensile modulus of 2 GPa or so. However, adhesives which are significantly less stiff, less strong, but much more ductile are entering the ‘structural’ arena. In order to evaluate their effectiveness and use in design, it is necessary to be able to measure accurately their stress–strain behaviour. Two such materials are 3M 9245 Structural Bonding Tape (SBT) and 3M 7838 B/A.     

CIRCUMFERENTIAL CRACK PROBLEM FOR AN FGM CYLINDER UNDER THERMAL STRESSES

The main objective of this study is to determine the stress intensity factors associated with a circumferential crack in a thin-walled cylinder subjected to quasi-static thermal loading. The cylinder is assumed to be a functionally graded material. In order to make the problem analytically tractable, the thin-walled cylinder is modeled as a layer on an elastic foundation whose thermal and mechanical properties are exponential functions of the thickness coordinate. Hence a plane strain crack problem is obtained. First temperature and thermal stress distributions for a crack-free layer are determined. Then using these solutions, the crack problem is reduced to a local perturbation problem where the only nonzero loads are the crack surface tractions. Both internal and edge cracks are considered. Stress intensity factors are computed as functions of crack geometry, material properties, and time.     

Extraction of Avgamasya asphaltite with sub- and supercritical solvents

The yields and the nature of the products from the solvent extraction of Avgamasya asphaltite of SE Turkey with benzene and toluene under Soxhlet, subcritical (up to 292 °C) and supercritical (350–450 °C) conditions are reported. The subcritical yield increases with temperature but also depends on pressure; the extra yield is mainly of asphaltenes. The 350 °C supercritical toluene extract shows little evidence of thermal degradation and is similar in yield and chemical nature to that obtained under subcritical conditions except that it contains more pentane-soluble material. At 450 °C the yield is increased and a number of pyrolytic effects are observed, including reduction in molecular mass, loss of heterocyclic and alkyl groups and the presence of toluene decomposition products.     

Influences of elastic foundations and shear deformations on the buckling behavior of functionally graded material truncated conical shells under axial compression

This article presents an investigation on the buckling of functionally graded (FG) truncated conical shells under an axial load resting on elastic foundations within the shear deformation theory (SDT). The governing equations are solved using the Galerkin method, and the closed-form solution of the axial buckling load for FG conical shells on elastic foundations within the SDT is obtained. Various numerical examples are presented and discussed to verify the accuracy of the closed-form solution in predicting dimensionless buckling loads for FG conical shells on the Winkler–Pasternak elastic foundations within the SDT.     

Use of the thick adherend shear test for shear stress-strain measurements of stiff and flexible adhesives

Five commercial structural adhesives were tested using the thick adherend shear test (TAST). These adhesives have mechanical properties ranging from those of high-strength, heat-cured epoxies to ductile, acrylic-based materials. Consideration was given to the adherend selection and dimensions to approach a uniform shear stress-strain in the bonded area, so that the test could be used with both stiff and flexible adhesives. Comparison of the TAST results was also made with those obtained using the butt torsion test. The TAST extensometry has been shown to be suitable for measuring the shear strain properties of the adhesives tested without modification. From the shear behavior of the five adhesives measured using the TAST method, and from the results presented in this paper, it can be seen that the TAST method is repeatable and reproducible for a wide range of adhesive types and adhesive properties. From these results, it is possible to generate comprehensive adhesive shear data. Also, the curves from the butt torsion test and the TAST were found to be consistent and give the same behavior of the adhesives tested.     

Occipital emissary foramen in skulls from central Anatolia

In this study, a total of 125 female and 175 male adult human skulls from Central Anatolia were examined. The incidence and localization of the rate occipital foramen found on the squama of occipital bone were investigated. This foramen has significant importance during suboccipital craniotomies since it transmits the occipital emissary vein. In the present study, the occipital foramen was found in 8 (2.6%) skulls. Its location was closer to the foramen magnum but not to the external occipital protuberance.