Structural Configurations (structural + configuration)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Analysis of the inter-molecular interactions between amino acids and acetone by THz spectroscopy

BIOPOLYMERS, Issue 3 2007
Naoto Nagai
Abstract The THz spectra of amino acids after application of spots of acetone were measured. The 0.6 THz band was commonly observed in many amino acids that formed the intra-molecular salt structure. The band can be attributed to the interaction vibration from the common structural configuration of amino acids and acetone molecules. The evidence suggests that the vibration between the amino acids with intra-molecular salt structure and acetone has a peak at 0.6 THz. A model of the interaction vibration of acetone and the functional groups of amino acids is proposed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 85: 207,213, 2007. This article was originally published online as an accepted preprint. The "Published Online" date corresponds to the preprint version. You can request a copy of the preprint by emailing the Biopolymers editorial office at biopolymers@wiley.com [source]


Evaluation of the influence of vertical irregularities on the seismic performance of a nine-storey steel frame

EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING AND STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS, Issue 12 2006
Fragiadakis Michalis
Abstract A methodology based on incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) is presented for the evaluation of structures with vertical irregularities. Four types of storey-irregularities are considered: stiffness, strength, combined stiffness and strength, and mass irregularities. Using the well-known nine-storey LA9 steel frame as a base, the objective is to quantify the effect of irregularities, both for individual and for combinations of stories, on its response. In this context a rational methodology for comparing the seismic performance of different structural configurations is proposed by means of IDA. This entails performing non-linear time history analyses for a suite of ground motion records scaled to several intensity levels and suitably interpolating the results to calculate capacities for a number of limit-states, from elasticity to final global instability. By expressing all limit-state capacities with a common intensity measure, the reference and each modified structure can be naturally compared without needing to have the same period or yield base shear. Using the bootstrap method to construct appropriate confidence intervals, it becomes possible to isolate the effect of irregularities from the record-to-record variability. Thus, the proposed methodology enables a full-range performance evaluation using a highly accurate analysis method that pinpoints the effect of any source of irregularity for each limit-state. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Experimental study and analysis of the application of ice-storage capsules in an air conditioning system

HEAT TRANSFER - ASIAN RESEARCH (FORMERLY HEAT TRANSFER-JAPANESE RESEARCH), Issue 1 2002
Shuiquan Ye
Abstract Ice-storage capsules are used in an energy-efficient air conditioning system. Experiments and numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the effects of different structural configurations of the capsules on the freezing and melting processes of the refrigerant solution sealed inside the capsules. The predictions of the numerical simulation are in good agreement with the test results. The results show that the freezing speed of the capsules equipped with a metal core is 30% to 50% faster than for capsules without the metal core. In addition, it was found that the special refrigerant solution used in the experiment had a lower freezing point and a higher freezing speed than water. The effects of the size of the metal core, and the coolant temperatures are also investigated. © 2001 Scripta Technica, Heat Trans Asian Res, 31(1): 21,27, 2002 [source]


Strategies for developing multi-epitope, subunit-based, chemically synthesized anti-malarial vaccines

JOURNAL OF CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE, Issue 5b 2008
M. E. Patarroyo
,,Introduction ,,P. falciparum invasion of RBCs ,,Merozoite proteins involved in invading erythrocytes ,,Erythrocyte proteins involved in merozoite invasion ,,The state of current worldwide anti-malarial vaccine approaches ,,A rational approach towards developing subunit-based synthetic vaccines ,,The immune response elicited by conserved HABPs ,,Structural analysis of native and modified HABPs ,,Secondary structure analysis ,,Native and modified HABP 3D structure explains some immunological phenomena ,,Supporting the haplotype , and allele-conscious TCR concept ,,Modified HABPs' 3D structure revealed a fit into HLA molecules ,,Conclusion Abstract An anti-malarial vaccine against the extremely lethal Plasmodium falciparum is desperately needed. Peptides from this parasite's proteins involved in invasion and having high red blood cell-binding ability were identified; these conserved peptides were not immun genic or protection-inducing when used for immunizing Aotus monkeys. Modifying some critical binding residues in these high-activi binding peptides' (HABPs') attachment to red blood cells (RBC) allowed them to induce immunogenicity and protection against expermental challenge and acquire the ability to bind to specific HLA-DRp1* alleles. These modified HABPs adopted certain characterist structural configurations as determined by circular dichroism (CD) and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) associated with certain HLA-DR,1* haplotype binding activities and characteristics, such as a 2-Å-distance difference between amino acids fitting into HLA-DRp1 Pockets 1 to 9, residues participating in binding to HLA-DR pockets and residues making contact with the TCR, suggesting haplotyp and allele-conscious TCR. This has been demonstrated in HLA-DR-like genotyped monkeys and provides the basis for designing high effective, subunit-based, multi-antigen, multi-stage, synthetic vaccines, for immediate human use, malaria being one of them. [source]


Global and local linear buckling behavior of a chiral cellular structure

PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (B) BASIC SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 3 2005
A. Spadoni
Abstract This paper investigates the flat-wise compression behavior of an innovative cellular structure configuration. The considered layout has a hexagonal chiral geometry featuring cylinders, or nodes, joined by ligaments, or ribs. The resulting assembly is characterized by a number of interesting properties that can be exploited for the design of alternative honeycombs or cellular topologies to be used in sandwich construction. The flat-wise strength of the chiral geometry is investigated through classical analytical formulas for the linear buckling of thin plates and shells and a bifurcation analysis performed on a Finite Element model. The analytical expressions predict the global buckling behavior and the resulting critical loads, and can be directly compared with the results obtained from the Finite Element analysis. In addition, the Finite Element model predicts local buckling modes, which should be considered to evaluate the possible development of localized plasticity. A sensitivity study is performed to evaluate the influence of the geometry of the chiral structure on its buckling strength. The study shows that the considered topology can offer great design flexibility, whereby several parameters can be selected and modified to improve the flat-wise performance. The comparison with traditional, hexagonal centro-symmetric structural configurations concludes the paper and demonstrates the enhanced performance and the potentials of chiral noncentro-symmetric designs. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]