The aim of the paper is to report a systematic methodology which is used to evaluate and improve the ride comfort. An accurate model is necessary for further investigation and optimization. The vehicle dynamics model of tractor with tandem suspension is modeled and simulated in dynamics software ADAMS, which is redeveloped to add a function of automatic parametric modeling and simulation. The modeling methods of nonlinear characteristic components and various road excitation inputs, which can be simply seen as the implementation means for the model solution, are introduced. A new index called annoyance rate is presented to indicate the quantitative correlation between objective method and subjective comment. The quantitative correlation between them, which is quite different from the qualitative ''comfortable'' or ''uncomfortable'' results attained by objective evaluation, can be defined by function and regarded as a basis to scientifically evaluate and improve the ride comfort. According to the request of performance-based design, the parameter sensitive analysis and structure optimization have been carried out to find the trade-off among ride comfort, maneuverability and safety. The approach has proved to be very effective for predicting and improving the ride comfort by experiment results. The methodology can be also used for any other specific category of vehicle.

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A spectral method of self-consistent field theory has been applied to AB cyclic block copolymers. Phase behaviors of cyclic diblock copolymers, such as order-disorder transition, order-order transition, and domain spacing size, have been studied, showing good consistency with previous experimental and theoretical results. Compared to linear diblocks, cyclic diblocks are harder to phase separate due to the topological constraint of the ring structure. A direct disorder-to-cylinder transition window is observed in the phase diagram, which is significantly different from the mean field phase diagram of linear diblock copolymers. The domain spacing size ratio between cyclic and linear diblock copolymers is typically close to 0.707, indicating in segregation that the cyclic polymer can be considered to be made up of linear diblocks with half of the original chain length.

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SUMMARY:The Monte Carlo method has been used to simulate the phase separations of block copolymers and of corresponding blends with very high concentration (sum of volume fractions of blocks A and B: @A + GB = 0,9545). Our main findings are as follows: (1) The mixing is nonrandom even in the athermal limit. (2) The nonselective good solvent molecules = 0,0455) are mostly located at the interface between A-and B-rich phases, thus, it is not true that solvent and monomeric units will remain mixed at all temperatures.

The tiger nut is the tuber of Cyperus esculentus L., which is a high-quality wholesome crop that contains lipids, protein, starch, fiber, vitamins, minerals and bioactive factors. This article systematically reviewed the nutritional composition of tiger nuts; the processing methods for extracting oil, starch and other edible components; the physiochemical and functional characteristics; as well as their applications in food industry. Different extraction methods can affect functional and nutritional properties to a certain extent. At present, mechanical compression, alkaline methods and alkali extraction–acid precipitation are the most suitable methods for the production of its oil, starch and protein in the food industry, respectively. Based on traditional extraction methods, combination of innovative techniques aimed at yield and physiochemical characteristics is essential for the comprehensive utilization of nutrients. In addition, tiger nut has the radical scavenging ability, in vitro inhibition of lipid peroxidation, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects and displays medical properties. It has been made to milk, snacks, beverages and gluten-free bread. Despite their ancient use for food and feed and the many years of intense research, tiger nuts and their components still deserve further exploitation on the functional properties, modifications and intensive processing to make them suitable for industrial production.

In this study, the diffusion process of water molecules in poly͑-caprolactone͒ ͑PCL͒ has been investigated using in-situ attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared ͑ATR-FTIR͒ spectroscopy. In our system, the original broad water OH bands in 1D IR spectra can be effectively differentiated into four bands, located at 3641, 3593, 3410, and 3203 cm Ϫ1 , respectively, using 2D correlation analysis. The bands at 3641 cm Ϫ1 ͑antisymmetric͒ and 3593 cm Ϫ1 ͑symmetric͒ are assigned to the OH stretching vibration of water partially hydrogen bonded with hydrophilic carbonyl group (CvO) of PCL, while the other band pair at 3410 cm Ϫ1 ͑antisymmetric͒ and 3203 cm Ϫ1 ͑symmetric͒ could be attributed to the stretching vibration of water fully hydrogen bonded with another water molecule. According to the result of the asynchronous correlation, it was concluded that the water molecules at first diffuse into free volume ͑microvoids͒ or are molecularly dispersed into the PCL matrix and then form hydrogen bond with the CvO group of the polymer during the process of water diffusion. In addition, the diffusion coefficient was estimated using nonlinear curve fitting of OH band areas in the range of 3800-3000 cm Ϫ1 .

APCS-MLR and dose–response model were combined to identify the sources and human health risks of heavy metals in paddy soils.