Improvement of covered wagons of the “East-West” type by sectioning with a partition

The dynamic loading and strength of the frame of the “East-West” type covered wagon were determined. To increase the efficiency of operation of covered wagons in international traffic, it is proposed to improve their frames. This improvement consists in using a sectional partition in the body in order to divide it into two separate sections. This allows the transportation of different goods in one wagon, and therefore decreasing empty mileage. The longitudinal loading of the covered wagon frame was determined. The case of shunting impact was considered. The studies were carried out in a flat coordinate system. The loading mode of the frame of the covered wagon in the empty and loaded states was considered. The acceleration acting on the covered wagon frame in the loaded state was 0.37g, empty – 0.42g, which does not exceed the standard values. The wagon motion is rated “excellent”. The main strength indicators of the covered wagon frame were determined. The calculation was made by the finite element method. It was found that the maximum equivalent stresses are concentrated in the area of interaction of the center sill with the bolster beam and amounted to 340 MPa, which is lower than the yield stress of the material. Maximum displacements occur in the middle of the frame beams and are about 12 mm. The natural vibration frequencies of the covered wagon frame were calculated. The research will help to increase the efficiency of using covered wagons in international traffic. Also, the research results can be useful developments in the creation of innovative rolling stock structures

Application of Lactobacillus helveticus CNRZ 32 to Control the Microbial Contaminants in Cheese by Addition of Bacterial Extracts or by In Situ Production of Bioactive Metabolites

Microbial spoilage of cheese represents a major concern from both health and economic views. The addition of food preservatives is considered the most applied strategy to ensure food quality and to control microbial contamination. It well established that natural preservatives such as Nisin and Natamycin are of great effectiveness against a wide range of microbial concerns, but the lack of wide spectrum effect induces looking for more efficient alternatives. This research suggests alternative treatments to be evaluated side by side with both Nisin and Natamycin within real cheese models to control microbial contamination during the storage period. To evaluate this, two varieties of cheese were manufactured and inoculated with a set of pathogen and cheese spoiling microorganisms. Talaga cheese batches were separately treated with extract of MRS that previously fermented by Lactobacillus helveticus CNRZ 32, Nisin and Natamycin at Free State and Chitosan Nanoparticles-loaded state to become 6 treatments (T1 – T6) other than the control (C). The same treatments were applied to Karish cheese batches, in addition to inoculation of Lactobacillus helveticus CNRZ 32 1% (v/v) in the seventh batch. Upon microbiological analyses, results show that T2; the extract loaded on Chitosan Nanoparticles completely reduced the count of all pathogens and spoiling populations after two weeks of cold storage (2 – 6oC) in Talaga cheese. In the case of Karish cheese, the 7th batch treated with Lactobacillus helveticus CNRZ 32 inoculation had no pathogenic nor spoiler growth after one week of cold storage (2 – 6oC). These results suggest that Lactic acid bacteria especially Lactobacillus helveticus CNRZ 32 can efficiently ensure the safety and quality of cheese if applied in appropriate form.

Coarse-Grained Simulation Of Calbindin D9k

The coarse-grained protein modeling tool, Cabs-flex, is feely available online server; it is based on the CABS model in which each residue of a protein has been represented by four points. The server was used for the protein Calbindin D9k in it’s doubly calcium loaded state: small and single domain protein of the EF-hand family. Twelve representative structures, in all-atom format corresponding to each cluster, were also downloaded along with trajectories, ready-made plots, images, video, data files of Cα RMSD, atomic fluctuation and GDT_TS. In the present study, simulated Cα atomic fluctuations for residues of the protein was compared with the experimental results and also correlated with the respective Cα RMSD and GDT_TS.

The envelope method in the problem of choosing a rational composition of measuring instruments

As part of the development of monitoring systems for the operation of technical objects, the problem of improving the quality of monitoring systems for the loaded state is considered. Based on the analysis of the mathematical model of the structure and its loading, a methodology for the selection of measuring instruments was developed. The urgency of the problem of calculating substantiation of the choice of key points of the structure is shown, at which it is possible to measure deformations for the subsequent restoration of the existing loads with maximum accuracy. An approach based on the envelope method for determining the rational composition of measuring instruments for restoring the loads acting on the structure is stated.

Geometric nonlinear analysis of thin elastic paraboloid of revolution shaped shells with radial waves

From the old ancient types of roof and dome construction, various forms of shells have been discovered which attract special attention. A shell is a structure composed of sheet material so that the curvature plays an important role in the structural behaviour, realizing its spatial form. There are different types of shells, namely thick and thin shells. G. Brankov, S.N. Krivoshapko, V.N. Ivanov, and V.A. Romanova made interesting researches of shells in the form of umbrella and umbrella-type surfaces. The term nonlinear refers to a given structure undergoing a change in stiffness in its loaded state. There are basically three different types of nonlinearities: geometric, physical and contact (boundary condition nonlinearity). For further analysis of the stress-strain state, a paraboloid with an inner radius of 4 m and an outer radius of 20 m and the number of waves equal to 6 was considered. The test shell is made of reinforced concrete. The minimum load parameter at which the shell loses stability indicates a more than three times the margin.

The Application of Digital Volume Correlation (DVC) to Evaluate Strain Predictions Generated by Finite Element Models of the Osteoarthritic Humeral Head

Continuum-level finite element models (FEMs) of the humerus offer the ability to evaluate joint replacement designs preclinically; however, experimental validation of these models is critical to ensure accuracy. The objective of the current study was to quantify experimental full-field strain magnitudes within osteoarthritic (OA) humeral heads by combining mechanical loading with volumetric microCT imaging and digital volume correlation (DVC). The experimental data was used to evaluate the accuracy of corresponding FEMs. Six OA humeral head osteotomies were harvested from patients being treated with total shoulder arthroplasty and mechanical testing was performed within a microCT scanner. MicroCT images (33.5 µm isotropic voxels) were obtained in a pre- and post-loaded state and BoneDVC was used to quantify full-field experimental strains (≈ 1 mm nodal spacing, accuracy = 351 µstrain, precision = 518 µstrain). Continuum-level FEMs with two types of boundary conditions (BCs) were simulated: DVC-driven and force-driven. Accuracy of the FEMs was found to be sensitive to the BC simulated with better agreement found with the use of DVC-driven BCs (slope = 0.83, r2 = 0.80) compared to force-driven BCs (slope = 0.22, r2 = 0.12). This study quantified mechanical strain distributions within OA trabecular bone and demonstrated the importance of BCs to ensure the accuracy of predictions generated by corresponding FEMs.

Measuring The Rolling Resistance of Pneumobiles

In this publication we present a vehicle dynamic model and the motion of equation for pneumobiles. One of the input parameters of the model is the rolling resistance coefficient of the tyres. The present publication describes the experimental setup and work in the course of which the above coefficient was measured and the effect of tyre pressure on rolling resistance was analysed. During the measurement, we examined the effect of tyre pressure on rolling resistance, including when the vehicle in unloaded and in loaded state.

Ragulator and SLC38A9 activate the Rag GTPases through noncanonical GEF mechanisms

The mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) growth pathway detects nutrients through a variety of sensors and regulators that converge on the Rag GTPases, which form heterodimers consisting of RagA or RagB tightly bound to RagC or RagD and control the subcellular localization of mTORC1. The Rag heterodimer uses a unique “locking” mechanism to stabilize its active (GTPRagA–RagCGDP) or inactive (GDPRagA–RagCGTP) nucleotide states. The Ragulator complex tethers the Rag heterodimer to the lysosomal surface, and the SLC38A9 transmembrane protein is a lysosomal arginine sensor that upon activation stimulates mTORC1 activity through the Rag GTPases. How Ragulator and SLC38A9 control the nucleotide loading state of the Rag GTPases remains incompletely understood. Here we find that Ragulator and SLC38A9 are each unique guanine exchange factors (GEFs) that collectively push the Rag GTPases toward the active state. Ragulator triggers GTP release from RagC, thus resolving the locked inactivated state of the Rag GTPases. Upon arginine binding, SLC38A9 converts RagA from the GDP- to the GTP-loaded state, and therefore activates the Rag GTPase heterodimer. Altogether, Ragulator and SLC38A9 act on the Rag GTPases to activate the mTORC1 pathway in response to nutrient sufficiency.