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The critical comments to the publications by the authors ofthe present paper that were given in [10] (the publications deal with the possible effects of gravity field inhomogeneities in the atmosphere and ocean) are discussed. In the authors' opinion, some remarks are groundless. At the same time, the authors agree with one of the important remarks that the results of their paper concerning studies of the ocean disturbances are to be reconsidered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proposes and implements a method for active compensation for vibrations, without contact, to eliminate the vibrations of a moving paper band in a printing press. Description of the printing test bench; Theoretical vibration frequencies of the natural modes of a paper band; Identification results for the first natural mode of vibration.

A paper transport mechanism that generates tractive force in the cross direction perpendicular to the paper transport direction was developed. The mechanics of this mechanism were then investigated by using the finite element method (FEM). A pair of tapered rubber rollers is the key point of the mechanism. Each roller has two tapered surfaces that thin out in the same direction. The thin sides of both tapered rollers face each other symmetrically to form the center of the transport mechanism. A cylindrical steel roller is pressed toward the tapered roller by a spring. Paper sheets are nipped between the tapered rubber roller and the cylindrical steel roller. On being pressed, the tapered roller is bent around the mid point of the side of the roller because of it has an asymmetrical cross section. The bend first produces shear stress on the contacting area perpendicular to the transport direction. Second, it produces a bulgy deformation so the roller shape is pressed out in the same direction. These processes generate tractive force on the paper. However, the tapered roller generates not only a tractive force but also a twisting moment. Therefore, one roller has two tapered surfaces to cancel the twisting moment. FEM analysis indicates that the tractive force could be estimated within 20% error in comparison with the measured value. The advantages of the new mechanism are that rubber rollers are used in almost all paper-handling equipment and simply cutting two tapers can generate tractive force. This mechanism improves transport reliability preventing wrinkles and slack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comments on Eric Scerri’s research paper on quantum mechanics and if it explains the periodic table. Ab initio quantum chemistry; Analysis of pertinent topics and relevant issues; Implications on studies of chemistry.

With the aim of controlling free space available for the reactants, photochemical reactivity of several 4-alkyl dibenzyl ketones included within a water-soluble self-assembled organic capsule (octa acid) has been investigated. One and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopic techniques were employed to characterize the structure of the guest@host complexes. Free space controlled by the remote alkyl group influences the distribution of photoproducts. Correlation between the structures of the guest@host complexes and products selectivity suggested that the free space that could be controlled by a remote tether has a determining role during a photoreaction within the restricted space of the capsule. The fact that the same alkyl tether has no effect on the photobehavior of 4-alkyl dibenzyl ketones in hexane solution suggests that the role of substituents in free (solution) and restricted space (supramolecular assemblies) is different. The current observation suggests that rules of physical organic chemistry and photochemistry developed based on solution chemistry cannot be simply extended to supramolecular assemblies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors present their response to an article on in situ micro tribometer that is used in experiments involving contact mechanics, adhesion and sliding mechanism. In the experiment, they used the interference patterns that are exposed under the lighting of the contact with monochromatic scheme. The authors explain that the diffferences between real contact area and apparent contact area was observed using microtribometry and optical technique.

In this article the author responds to the comments on their article "Characteristic Curves for Deep Circular Tunnels in Poroplastic Rock," which appeared in the Volume 43, Number 2 issue in 2010. He addresses issues including pore pressure and effective stress jump at the elastic-plastic interface, unnecessary parameters and equations, and inapplicability of the long-term solution. He also clarifies the intent and scope of their paper and asserts that the paper complements current literature.

This paper focuses on Kojève's account of history and philosophy of science. Kojève's understanding of science can be characterized as internalism, which is evident in his holistic view of philosophy, theology, quantum physics, and the history of classical Newtonian mechanics. It precipitates the facilitation of a further inquiry into the Christian genesis, secular evolution, and subsequent de-Christianization of scientific thought. The paper includes a critical scrutiny of Kojève's philosophical tenets, followed by a comparative analysis of the views of Hegel, Koyré, and Kojève. The primary objective of this research is to juxtapose Kojève's doctrines with Hegel's contemplations on the history and philosophy of science. In addition to identifying affinities, notably the emphasis on the Christian concept of God's Incarnation for the advancement of science, I draw the distinctions between the positions of Hegel, Kojève, and Koyré, specifically concerning the valuation of mathematical knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cross-Taiwan Strait Railway (CTSR) is a significant construction, and the automatic driving of high-speed trains (HSTs) on the CTSR is a crucial technology for its operation. Before opening the CTSR, it is forward-looking to conduct theoretical research. Inspired by AlphaZero, this paper combines expert experience and Newtonian mechanics to propose a method on automatically generating massive virtual driving curves for HSTs of the CTSR. To compress the solution space from infinite to finite, we set the driving acceleration and speed limit boundary of HSTs from the perspective of expert experience. The model then combines big data technology to generate massive virtual driving curves automatically and uses statistical analysis to select high-performance ones. We found that 1) numerous virtual driving curves can be automatically generated according to different restricted speeds and line conditions, with solid adaptability; 2) the driving curves cover a specific running time and reach all running times in the range, with good ergodicity; 3) real-time tracking of the running time of each driving curve by 0.1 s, with high accuracy; 4) lots of driving curves are available on each run time for selecting curves with best performance, with good selectivity. In conclusion, this method can automatically generate virtual driving curves for HSTs on the CTSR, providing high-quality virtual data for future research on the automatic driving of HSTs on the CTSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper concerns the persistence of invariant tori in nearly integrable generalized Hamiltonian systems with multi-scales in the integrable part, i.e. the integrable part of the Hamiltonian involves several time scales and at each time scale the corresponding Hamiltonian depends on only part of the action variables. Such Hamiltonian systems arise frequently in problems of celestial mechanics and statistical physics holding volume-preserving structures. Our main motivation comes from the persistence of invariant tori including resonant ones in volume-preserving dynamical systems such as steady Euler flows. We introduce a multi-scale Diophantine condition and via a quasilinear KAM method prove a multi-scale KAM theorem. As applications, we discuss the KAM persistence for multi-scale volume-preserving dynamical systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyzes the level of coverage and citation of publications by mechanicians of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU) in the Scopus database. Two groups of mechanicians are considered. One group includes 66 doctors of sciences of the S. P. Timoshenko Institute of Mechanics as representatives of the oldest institute of the NASU. The other group includes 34 members (academicians and corresponding members) of the Division of Mechanics of the NASU as representatives of the authoritative community of mechanicians in Ukraine. The results are presented for each scientist in the form of two indices—the total number of publications accessible in the database as the level of coverage of the scientist’s publications in this database and the h-index as the citation level of these publications. This paper may be considered to continue the papers [–] published in Prikladnaya Mekhanika (International Applied Mechanics) in 2005–2009 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Japanese theoretical physicist Ryogo Kubo made remarkable contributions to statistical mechanics and condensed matter physics, amongst which his name is most widely associated with the linear response theory. Despite his importance in the history of modern physics, however, historians have paid him little attention. Using his unpublished manuscripts in a newly organized archive, this paper examines his studies and research up to the end of World War II. Influenced by his brother Masaji Kubo, a physical chemist, and the milieu at Tokyo Imperial University, he became interested in theoretical approaches to properties of matter and worked on dipolar gases and resistance in metals. After graduation, he studied three different phenomena—relaxation, melting, and rubber elasticity—by applying the method of eigenvalue problems. He was also involved in wartime research on noctovision and worked on photoemission in semiconductors. This paper also identifies two distinct focuses in his early research that persisted in his work after the war: solid-state physics and statistical mechanics in today's terminology. Reconstructing Kubo's formative years is instrumental for constructing a historiography of a key aspect of modern Japanese physics, namely, how the science of matter evolved before and during the war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-standing interest in graphene has recently brought graphene-derived materials including graphene hydrogel, graphene fiber and graphene paper into sharp focus. These graphene-derived materials show outstanding properties in mechanics and physics. In this paper, for the first time, we demonstrate the novel synthesis of graphene dendrites on SiO2/Si substrates by chemical vapor deposition. The tree-like graphene dendrites with well-controlled morphology can be directly grown on both the Si and the SiO2 surfaces of the substrates by using methane and hydrogen as precursors. The graphene dendrites on SiO2/Si substrates can be directly used in the fabrication of the electronic device. The conductivity and the Hall mobility of graphene dendrites are ~ 286 Scm−1 and ~ 574 cm2(Vs)−1, respectively. Young's modulus of graphene dendrites is up to 2.26 GPa. The developed method avoids the need for a metal substrate and is scalable and compatible with the existing semiconductor technology, making graphene dendrites be very promising in nanoelectronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In October 1924, The Physical Review, a relatively minor journal at the time, published a remarkable two-part paper by John H. Van Vleck, working in virtual isolation at the University of Minnesota. Using Bohr’s correspondence principle and Einstein’s quantum theory of radiation along with advanced techniques from classical mechanics, Van Vleck showed that quantum formulae for emission, absorption, and dispersion of radiation merge with their classical counterparts in the limit of high quantum numbers. For modern readers Van Vleck’s paper is much easier to follow than the famous paper by Kramers and Heisenberg on dispersion theory, which covers similar terrain and is widely credited to have led directly to Heisenberg’s Umdeutung paper. This makes Van Vleck’s paper extremely valuable for the reconstruction of the genesis of matrix mechanics. It also makes it tempting to ask why Van Vleck did not take the next step and develop matrix mechanics himself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the machining process of large-scaled and thin-walled parts such as aircraft structural parts, the deformation is a relatively common phenomenon which seriously affects the machining quality of the parts and may lead the parts to be scrapped. In this paper, interim machining states of workpiece are considered in addition to final machining states for deformation control so as to improve the machining quality and part correct rate. It is very important for large-scaled and thin-walled parts to consider the interim machining states, as considerable deformation has always occurred in interim machining states. The difficulties of deformation control of interim machining states contain two aspects: (1) how to assess whether interim machining states can satisfy process requirements for further machining and (2) how to adjust the tool paths adaptively for further machining so as to make the final machining states correct. In order to address the above difficulties, an adaptive machining approach based on in-process inspection of interim machining states for large-scaled and thin-walled complex aircraft structural parts is proposed in this paper. The actual interim machining state is obtained based on in-process inspection of machining states during the machining process; the essential idea of this paper is that the final machining state of the workpiece can be guaranteed by adjusting the tool path based on the inspection of interim machining states, which is realized by coordinating the dimensional tolerance and geometrical tolerance. In order to realize the new idea, the criterion for determining whether the interim machining state is suitable or not for further machining and the concept of expected final state are introduced. Eventually, the large-scaled and thin-walled complex aircraft structural parts can be machined adaptively according to process requirements. A typical large-scaled and thin-walled complex aircraft structural part is used as a case to validate the proposed approach. The results show that the dimensional error is 0.10 mm and the profile error is 0.06 mm, which can meet the machining requirement of large-scaled and thin-walled complex parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to demonstrate that Special Relativity and the Early Quantum Theory were created within the same programme of statistical mechanics, thermodynamics and maxwellian electrodynamics reconciliation. I shall try to explain why classical mechanics and classical electrodynamics were ``refuted'' almost simultaneously or, in more suitable terms for the present congress, why did the quantum revolution and the relativistic one both took place at the beginning of the 20-th century. I shall argue that the quantum and relativistic revolutions were simultaneous since they had a common origin -- the clash between the fundamental theories of the second half of the 19-th century that constituted the ``body'' of Classical Physics. The revolution's most dramatic point was Einstein's 1905 photon paper that laid the foundations of both Special Relativity and Old Quantum Theory. Hence the dialectic of the old theories is crucial for theory change. Modern physics began with Einstein's reconciliation of electrodynamics, mechanics and thermodynamics in 1905 and his unification of Special Relativity and Newtonian Theory of Gravity. Or, in a more general social context: progressive scientific change can be described not in Weberian terms of zweckrational action forcing out all the other forms of action only but in terms of Habermas's communicative rationality encouraging the establishment of mutual understanding between the various scientific communities also. Einstein's programme constituted a progressive step with respect to its rivals not because it could explain more ``facts'' or was more ``mathematical''. It was better than its rivals because it constituted a basis of communication and interpenetration between three main paradigms of 19-th century physics. Of course in the long run it resulted in empirical successes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I present a new framework supporting the claim that some elements in science play a constitutive function, with the aim of overcoming some limitations of Friedman's (Dynamics of reason, Csli Publications, Stanford, 2001) account. More precisely, I focus on what I consider to be the gradualism implicit in Friedman's interpretation of the constitutive a priori, that is, the fact that it seems to allow for degrees of 'constitutivity'. I tease out such gradualism by showing that the constitutive character Friedman aims to track can be captured by three features—namely, quasi-axiomaticity (QA), generative potential (GP), and empirical shielding (ES)—which are exhibited to a maximal degree by the examples Friedman deploys, particularly in his analysis of Newtonian mechanics. I argue that not all varieties of 'constitutivity' can be captured by the kind of gradualism implicit in Friedman's view, although developing the gradualism itself might provide useful insights. To show this, I analyse the function of the Hardy–Weinberg principle (HWP) in population genetics in terms of its QA, GP, and ES. Whereas the HWP does not count as constitutive in classical philosophical interpretations (Sober in The nature of selection: Evolutionary theory in philosophical focus, MIT Press, Cambridge, 1984), nor does it within Friedman's framework, it does nonetheless perform a minimally constitutive function. By means of historical details and considerations on the prospects of replacing the HWP, I show that the HWP is minimally constitutive by being a counterfactual instantiation of a paradigmatically constitutive stability principle, where the latter might itself be regarded as an enabling condition for a variety of modelling practices across the sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a method for constructing semiclassical asymptotic solutions of inhomogeneous partial differential and pseudodifferential equations with localized right-hand sides. These problems are related to the asymptotics of Green's function for this type of operators, in particular, for the Helmholtz equation, which has been studied in numerous papers. The method is based on a constructive description of the corresponding Lagrangian manifolds and on the recently proposed new representations of the Maslov canonical operator in a neighborhood of Lagrangian singularities (caustics and caustic sets). The method underlies an analytic-numerical algorithm for constructing efficient asymptotic solutions to problems of the above-mentioned type in various fields of physics and continuum mechanics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper I briefly reply to Shant Shahbazian's comments on my paper 'Austere quantum mechanics as a reductive basis for chemistry' and argue that quantum theory of atoms in molecules can be characterised as a research programme in the theories of chemistry. I also explore the areas in which Shahbazian and me agree and disagree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent data suggest that the majority of proteins bind specific metabolites and that such interactions are relevant to metabolic and gene regulation. However, there are no methods to systematically identify functional allosteric protein-metabolite interactions. Here we present an experimental and computational approach for using dynamic metabolite data to discover allosteric regulation that is relevant in vivo. By switching the culture conditions of Escherichia coli every 30 s between medium containing either pyruvate or 13C-labeled fructose or glucose, we measured the reversal of flux through glycolysis pathways and observed rapid changes in metabolite concentration. We fit these data to a kinetic model of glycolysis and systematically tested the consequences of 126 putative allosteric interactions on metabolite dynamics. We identified allosteric interactions that govern the reversible switch between gluconeogenesis and glycolysis, including one by which pyruvate activates fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase. Thus, from large sets of putative allosteric interactions, our approach can identify the most likely ones and provide hypotheses about their function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a novel seismic optimal design method for the reinforced concrete frame. First, an optimal mathematical model with time-dependent constraints, i.e., inter-story drift constraints, is established for achieving minimum weight design. Second, the inequality constraint problem with time-dependent constraints is converted into a sequence of appropriately formed unconstrained problems using the integral interior point penalty function method. Third, an efficient algorithm of the first and second derivatives of the inter-story drift with respect to design variables is formulated based on Newmark- β method. Gradient and Hessian matrix of the integral interior penalty function are also computed. Fourth, Marquardt’s method is employed to solve a sequence of unconstrained problems. Finally, the minimum weight design of a three-story, two-bay planar frame is demonstrated using the new optimization method and the augmented Lagrange multiplier method. The comparative results show the seismic optimal design method presented in this paper is more efficient than the augmented Lagrange multiplier method in terms of computational time. The proposed new method is an effective and efficient approach for minimum weight design of the reinforced concrete frames subjected to earthquake excitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to history texts, philosophers searched for a unifying natural law whereby natural phenomena and numbers are related. More than 2300 years ago, Aristotle postulated that nature requires minimum energy. More than 220 years ago, Euler applied the minimum energy postulate. More than 200 years ago, Lagrange provided a mathematical “proof” of the postulate for conservative systems. The resulting Principle of Least Action served only to derive the differential equations of motion of a conservative system. Then, 170 years ago, Hamilton presented what he claimed to be a “general method in dynamics.” Hamilton's resulting “Law of Varying Action” was supposed to apply to both conservative and non-conservative systems and was supposed to yield either the differential equations of motion or the integrals of those differential equations. However, no direct evaluation of the integrals of motion ever resulted from Hamilton's law of varying action. In 1975, a scant 29 years ago, following five years of controversy with engineer mechanicians, Dr. Wolfgang Yourgrau, Editor, Foundations of Physics, published my first paper based on Aristotle's postulate, without mathematical proof. That and subsequent papers present, through applications, a true “general method in dynamics.” In this essay, I present the mathematical proof that is missing from my 1975 and subsequent papers. Six fundamental integrals of analytical mechanics are derived from Aristotle's postulate. First, however, Hamilton must be revisited to show why his H function and his “force function” prevents the law of varying action from being the general method in dynamics that he claimed it to be. I have found that Hamilton’s Law of Varying Action (HLVA), as Hamilton presented it, cannot be applied to systems for which the force function is non-integrable. In 1972, Dr. B.E. Gatewood and Dr. D.P. Beres (then a graduate student) discovered that the end-point term associated with the principle of least action does not vanish. I named the new equation, “the general energy equation.” In 1973, because I was doing with it what Hamilton claimed could be done with HLVA, I simply assumed that this new equation was HLVA. I gave the new equation the misnomer HLVA. In 2001, I learned that I had made a grave mistake. I found that HLVA is at most a special case of the general energy equation. My interpretation of Aristotle's postulate permits one to by-pass the differential equations of motion completely for both conservative and non-conservative systems (no calculus of variations). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the challenges associated with modelling a friction-type shock indicator used during product distribution. Cost-effective mechanical shock indicators are widely used to reveal if a package has been subjected to a shock event exceeding a predetermined acceleration threshold. Such devices are an important part of the quality control and monitoring process during the distribution of fragile products. However, there is growing evidence that, in many cases, false detection or no detection have been experienced producing misleading information hence loss of confidence in the data. This paper describes the development and validation of a mathematical and numerical model that fully characterises the behaviour of a mechanical shock detector device. The device uses the displacement of a magnet when a pre-determined acceleration threshold is exceeded. The aim of the model is to assist in understanding the mechanical behaviour of the device and how it responds to different types of impulsive excitation. Modelling friction with a unary coefficient was found to have shortcomings and a more sophisticated approach to predict the effects of friction was developed. The numerical model was validated by producing a variety of excitation motions using a programmable actuator. The paper discusses the challenges associated with experimentally establishing the mechanical parameters of the device, especially friction coefficients, and shows that an adoption of the Stribeck friction model to characterise the motion of the magnet produces accurate results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We comment on the recent paper by Dwivedi and Pandey (Solar Physics 216, 59, 2003). Parts of that paper closely reproduce, without reference, material that we had published previously, while other parts that deviate from our earlier analysis contain several critical flaws. We show that magnetoacoustic waves are capable of heating the corona with a modest enhancement in the coefficient of compressive viscosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, two efficient computational algorithms based on Rational and Exponential Bessel (RB and EB) functions are compared to solve several well-known classes of nonlinear Lane-Emden type models. The problems, which are define in some models of non-Newtonian fluid mechanics and mathematical physics, are nonlinear ordinary differential equations of second-order over the semi-infinite interval and have a singularity at x = 0. The nonlinear Lane-Emden equations are converted to a sequence of linear differential equations by utilizing the quasilinearization method (QLM), and then these linear equations are solved by RB and EB collocation methods. Afterwards, the obtained results are compared with the solution of other methods to demonstrate the efficiency and applicability of the proposed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triboluminescence is the spontaneous emission of light that results from the mechanical force applied to certain materials. This spontaneous light emission has been observed for hundreds of years. However, there are few practical applications of triboluminescence. Mechano-luminescence is a form of triboluminescence, and sometimes the terms are used interchangeably. Triboluminescence has the potential to use in many fields. This paper is a review of the history and mechanics of triboluminescence, and some applications are discussed. The types of triboluminescence covered in this paper include elastic-stress mechano-luminescence, plastic-stress mechano-luminescence, and fracture mechano-luminescence. Materials and methods in developing future applications have also been included. The research reviewed in this paper gives an insight into past and current advances in the field of triboluminescence and explains the potential for future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is the first part of a three-part project 'How the principle of energy conservation evolved between 1842 and 1870: the view of a participant'. This paper aims at showing how the new ideas of Mayer and Joule were received, what constituted the new theory in the period under study, and how it was supported experimentally. A connection was found between the new theory and thermodynamics which benefited both of them. Some considerations are offered about the desirability of taking a historical approach to teaching energy and its conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The determination of the critical transition Reynolds number is of practical importance for some engineering problems. However, it is not available with the current theoretical method, and has to rely on experiments. For supersonic/hypersonic boundary layer flows, the experimental method for determination is not feasible either. Therefore, in this paper, a numerical method for the determination of the critical transition Reynolds number for an incompressible plane channel flow is proposed. It is basically aimed to test the feasibility of the method. The proposed method is extended to determine the critical Reynolds number of the supersonic/hypersonic boundary layer flow in the subsequent papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an analysis of the main factors affecting the performance of connecting bolts for slewing bearings. For double row four-point contact ball bearings, major factors include the preload, friction coefficient and height of the bushes. First, bolt connection performances with different levels of each factor are calculated with the finite element method (FEM). Then, the calculation results are analyzed with the orthogonal method. The analysis indicates that the preload is the most important factor affecting the bolt connection performance, followed, to a lesser degree, by the height of the bushes. The friction coefficient is the least important factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eighty years after de Broglie’s, and a little more than half a century after Bohm’s seminal papers, the de Broglie–Bohm theory (a.k.a. Bohmian mechanics), which is presumably the simplest theory which explains the orthodox quantum mechanics formalism, has reached an exemplary state of conceptual clarity and mathematical integrity. No other theory of quantum mechanics comes even close. Yet anyone curious enough to walk this road to quantum mechanics is soon being confused by many misleading signposts that have been put up, and not just by its detractors, but unfortunately enough also by some of its proponents. This paper outlines a road map to help navigate ones way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is about F. A. Berezin and his outstanding role in the development of mathematical physics. We discuss the connections between Berezin’s work on representations of current groups with values in the universal covering of the group of motions of the complex ball and the works by Vershik, Gelfand, and Graev on the multiplicative integral of representations. Bibliography: 14 titles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present some analytical and numerical results concerning the zero-span testing method, frequently used for quality control of cellulose fiber for papermaking. Of particular interest is the relationship between an apparent modulus obtained from the zero-span testing method and the elastic properties of the fibers. The apparent elasticity modulus is estimated using two energy theorems in elasto-statics in which the role of span length is explored. Analytical results, derived under the assumption that slippage between specimen and clamps does not occur, clearly show that the apparent modulus strongly depends on the span length. This is verified by the numerical results obtained using the finite element method. In addition to the above analysis, the effect of slippage is investigated, also by utilizing the finite element method, and it is found that for a specific case, the contribution from slippage to the total displacement depends strongly on the length of the span. Tensile tests at nominal zero span were conducted in an effort to further validate the analysis with relevant experimental data and it was concluded that there is qualitative agreement between the experimental results and the result of the analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we unravel the connection between the quantum mechanical formalism and the Central limit theorem (CLT). We proceed to connect the results coming from this theorem with the derivations of the Schrödinger equation from the Liouville equation, presented by ourselves in other papers. In those papers we had used the concept of an infinitesimal parameter δx that raised some controversy. The status of this infinitesimal parameter is then elucidated in the framework of the CLT. Finally, we use the formal apparatus developed in our previous papers and the results of the present one to advance an alternative objective interpretation of quantum mechanics in which its relations with the classical framework are made explicit. The relations between our approach and those using the Wigner–Moyal transformation are also addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyzes new publications on the brittle fracture mechanics of prestressed materials. It is found out that new scientific results published in the International Journal of Solids and Structures in 2002 are a particular case of the results obtained at the Institute of Mechanics 20 years ago [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The O2 mass-transfer coefficient, kLa, decreased by 20% when the viscosity of a simulated broth increased from 1.38 × 10-3 to 3.43 × 10-3 Pa s in a split-cylinder airlift bioreactor with a broth volume of 41 l. When the paper pulp concentration was below 10 g l-1, kLa hardly changed. While at 30 g l-1, kLa decreased by 56%. C2O42- and Na+ were found to have some effect on the kLa value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, a wide variety of studies have applied soft systems methodology (SSM) to address the complexities of the messy situations. This paper seeks to identify 1) application areas and 2) application levels of the use of SSM in dealing with problematical situations. To do so, 149 articles published between 2000 and 2015 were studied. The findings revealed the application of SSM in new application areas such as sustainable development, knowledge management and project management. The results of this study also indicated that researchers applied SSM at three levels: SSM as a process of inquiry, SSM as an action-oriented methodology, and the hybrid use of SSM. Based on the findings, SSM at the level of a single methodology for bringing out changes has been less welcomed by researchers, but the application levels of inquiry processes and hybrid approaches have been more utilized. This suggests that in the correspondence of SSM with the nature or situation of problems, a sort of incommensurability is witnessed. Factors arising from the nature of the problem, inadequate mastery of the researcher over SSM or the limitations of SSM can exert an influence on this incommensurability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supersaturated designs (SSDs) constitute an important class of fractional factorial designs that could be extremely useful in factor screening experiments. Most of the existing studies have focused on balanced designs. This paper provides a new lower bound for the E(fNOD)-optimality measure of SSDs with general run sizes. This bound is a generalization of existing bounds since it is applicable to both balanced and unbalanced designs. Optimal multi and mixed-level, balanced and nearly balanced SSDs are constructed by applying a k-circulant type methodology. Necessary and sufficient conditions are introduced for the generator vectors, in order to pre-ensure the optimality of the constructed k-circulant SSDs. The provided lower bounds were used to measure the efficiency of the generated designs. The presented methodology leads to a number of new families of improved SSDs, providing tools for directly constructing optimal or nearly-optimal k-circulant designs by just checking the corresponding generator vector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that questions have an important role to to play in logic, both semantically and proof-theoretically. Semantically, we show that by generalizing the classical notion of entailment to questions, we can capture not only the standard relation of logical consequence, which holds between pieces of information, but also the relation of logical dependency, which holds between information types. Proof-theoretically, we show that questions may be used in inferences as placeholders for arbitrary information of a given type; by manipulating such placeholders, we may construct formal proofs of dependencies. Finally, we show that such proofs have a specific kind of constructive content: they do not just witness the existence of a certain dependency, but actually encode a method for transforming information of the types described by the assumptions into information of the type described by the conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of reducing the seismic risk for art objects, that are the objects generally contained within Museums, is of great interest. The first studies were performed in Japan and were successively organized in a general framework by a research program performed at Southern California University and sponsored by the Getty Museum at Malibu, California. In these papers and in the following Italian studies, the theoretical models for the problem concerning vases and statues are based on the dynamic behavior of rigid blocks and have been deeply developed. Unfortunately, because of the great lack of experimental data, determinant parameters for the problem characterization (like the friction between two superimposed blocks or between the art object and the support plane) are often assumed without reference to real values derived from laboratory tests. This paper presents the results of a research program containing the experimental determination of the friction coefficient between the art object and the support (by means of a testing apparatus on purpose realized) together with dynamic tests performed on simple-shaped objects made of different materials. The dynamic tests were performed using an unidirectional shaking table and different supporting surfaces, so that the influence of different friction coefficients has been analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an intelligent operation system, which consists of an intelligent diagnostic subsystem (with a neural network) and an intelligent maintenance subsystem (with an expert system), was presented and discussed. The artificial neural network and the expert system, which use the information developed in the neural network, perform a special function in this system. The functional combination of the artificial neural network and the expert system together created a new solution in the form of an intelligent system, which was referred to as an intelligent maintenance system. This article also covers decision-making methods that are used in an expert maintenance system and whose purpose is an organization and control of the process of the prevention of technical objects. For this purpose, the method was described of taking decisions by an expert for complex parametric type hypotheses and for simple finished type hypotheses in the set of possible decisions’ hypotheses. A considerable part of this paper covers the presentation of the method to transform diagnostic information into the required form of maintenance information. For this purpose, an algorithm of the work of maintenance system was performed and descried. In the creation process of the maintenance knowledge base, the specialist knowledge of a human specialist was also used. Hence, a skilful and proper taking of decisions by an expert to create this set of information is essential. Two inference methods were characterized and described in this paper. The theoretical results obtained were verified in the examination of the influence of each of these decision-making inference methods on the final results of the process of the prevention treatment of an object. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We give a partial answer to the question whether the Schrödinger equation can be derived from the Newtonian mechanics of a particle in a potential subject to a random force. We show that the fluctuations around the classical motion of a one dimensional harmonic oscillator subject to a random force can be described by the Schrödinger equation for a period of time depending on the frequency and the energy of the oscillator. We achieve this by deriving the postulates of Nelson's stochastic formulation of quantum mechanics for a random force depending on a small parameter. We show that the same result applies to small potential perturbations around the harmonic oscillator. We also show that the noise spectrum can be chosen to obtain the result for all oscillator frequencies for fixed mass. We discuss heuristics to generalize the result for a particle in one dimension in a potential where the motion can be described using action-angle variables. The main motivation of this paper is to provide a step for constructing a Newtonian theory which would approximately reproduce quantum mechanics both in unitary evolution and measurement regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of Finite Element meshes in Digital Image Correlation (FE-DIC) is now widespread in experimental mechanics but, so far, FE have been much less used in Stereo-DIC. The first goal of this paper is to explain in detail how to use FE in Stereo-DIC by means of a formulation in the world coordinate system. More precisely, the paper describes how to calibrate possibly non-linear model of cameras and to measure shapes and displacements with an FE mesh. It also shows that, with such a framework, it is possible to regularize the measurement with an FE model based on the same mesh. For instance, using this technique, it is possible to measure the rotation field of a bending plate in addition to its displacement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thick earth-rock filled embankment of large earthwork volume often occurs during the construction of expressways in mountainous and hilly areas. The compaction quality of earth-rock filled subgrade will directly affect the settlement deformation and stability of the embankment after filled. Therefore, effective evaluation on the compaction quality of the earth-rock filled subgrade is an unsolved critical technical issue to control the construction quality of highway engineering. Based on the wave propagation and electrical resistivity characteristics of the earth and rock fillings, a theoretical model of the compaction quality detection by wave-electric field coupling imaging diagnostic method was established. Then, two filled subgrade models containing cavities and heterogeneous bodies respectively were make separately, and by the wave velocity testing and electrical resistivity testing, the wave-electric field coupling imaging diagnostic method was applied to these two model. The result shows that it is feasible to use the wave testing technique and the electrical resistivity testing technique for a diagnostic test of the subgrade compaction quality. Based on the abnormal areas reflected by the wave velocity imaging and electrical resistivity imaging results, we are able to analyze the scope and site of distress but not able to quantitatively evaluate the subgrade compaction quality. We can accurately qualitatively analyze the subgrade compaction quality based on the wave-electric field coupling calculation model of fill subgrade quality proposed by this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

S-entropy source of membrane system was described based on linear non-equilibrium thermodynamics. The volume and diffusive fluxes of non-electrolyte solutions and osmotic and hydrostatic forces in this system were considered. Formulas describing the intensity of S-entropy production were derived for concentration polarization conditions and for homogeneous solutions. To show the influence of concentration polarization on the value of the S-entropy source, the expressions for the quotient and difference of S-entropy source were used in conditions of concentration polarization and homogeneous solutions. On the bases of elaborated formulas, the S-entropy sources as functions of osmotic and hydrostatic forces for homogeneous solutions and for solutions with concentration polarization of the membrane were calculated. Two-dimensional surfaces presented in this paper characterize second-order form of entropy source as a function of forces on the membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents results from tests on the reuse of locknuts with a prevailing torque locking feature. Aerospace and non-aerospace products are tested. Many qualification specifications provide reuse requirements for prevailing torque locking features in terms of unseated reuses. This paper provides data for comparison of locknut reuse for unseated and seated to preload conditions. All locknuts tested, except one, maintain required prevailing torque levels over 15 unseated reuses as typically required. The unseated reuse tests exhibit a moderate decrease in prevailing torque with reuse with the largest decrease usually occurring during the first reuse. The effect of seating to preload is a higher loss in prevailing torque compared with the unseated results. Reuse in seated conditions does not generally meet unseated requirements. Between 10 and 25% of the assembly prevailing torque is lost during initial seating to preload. This loss continues with reuse but at a lower rate. However, inconsistent fluctuations in prevailing torque are observed for tests with high preload of 85% yield strength of the bolt. For all the seated to preload reuse tests, the tightening torque to achieve a set preload increased with reuse, despite the corresponding reduction in prevailing torque. This phenomenon results from the breakdown of the solid film or as-received lubricant provided with the locknuts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyze the paper 'The wave mechanics of $$\alpha $$-ray tracks' Mott (Proc R Soc Lond A 126:79-84, ), published in 1929 by N. F. Mott. In particular, we discuss the theoretical context in which the paper appeared and give a detailed account of the approach used by the author and the main result attained. Moreover, we comment on the relevance of the work not only as far as foundations of Quantum Mechanics are concerned but also as the earliest pioneering contribution in decoherence theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a recent paper, Nagata (Int. J. Theor. Phys. 48(12):3532, ) claims to derive inconsistencies from quantum mechanics. In this paper, we show that the inconsistencies do not come from quantum mechanics, but from extra assumptions about the reality of observables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an approach to couple path planning and control for mobile robot navigation in a hybrid control framework. We build upon an existing hybrid control approach called sequential composition, in which a set of feedback control policies are prescribed on well-defined domains contained in the robot's free space. Each control policy drives the robot to a goal set, which lies in the domain of a subsequent policy. Control policies are deployed into the free state space so that when composed among one another, the overall action of the set of control policies drives the robot to perform a task, such as moving from a start to a goal location or patrolling a perimeter. A planner determines the sequence of control policies to be invoked. When control policies defined in this framework respect the low-level dynamics and kinematics of the system, this formal approach guarantees that high-level tasks are either accomplished by a given set of policies, or verifies that the tasks are not achievable with the given policies. Specifically, this paper makes three key contributions to the technique of sequential composition. First, we allow for a larger variety of transitions among the control policies, which results in a richer set of generated behaviors. In particular, we are able to design policies that respect multiple interacting constraints including obstacles, nonholonomic constraints, and input bounds. This is achieved by utilizing flow-through control policies, which allow the robot to exit the policy domain through a subset of the domain boundary. Second, our hybrid control approach lifts the planning problem from working in trajectory space to control policy space, allowing for both more efficient and meaningful symbolic planners to be employed for systems with nonholonomic constraints. Finally, we address the issue of deploying control policies in configuration spaces whose obstacles have curvature (i.e., are not polytopes in configuration space); ultimately, such an approach results in the collection of policy domains only approximating the free space. We believe this trade-off is necessary, and provide a technique to measure the relative completeness of the approximation. The paper concludes with an experimental validation of our approach on a mobile robot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information related to the scientific journal "Mechanics of Composite Materials," which is a bimonthly periodical covering results of original experimental and theoretical investigations on the properties and behavior of composite materials, matrices, and fibers. Particular attention is focused on the following problems, failure and fatigue of composite materials; methods of optimum design of composite materials and structures; prediction of long-term properties; aging problems and nondestructive testing; and mechanical aspects of technology. Two copies of the manuscript, both signed by all of its authors, and its identical electronic version should be submitted. The electronic version is submitted simultaneously with the manuscript on a diskette, compact disc, or by e-mail.