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In spite of the large number of finite elements developed so far, most of these lack in generality, and are found to be inadequate and inefficient in some way or other, when it comes to analyzing plates of arbitrary geometrical configurations. So far the isoparametric element has been the most successful among available elements because of its ability to model a curved boundary successfully. However, the shear-locking problem inherent in the isoparametric element makes it unsuitable for analyzing thin plates of arbitrary shapes. Though research has been conducted using reduced integration and stabilization to overcome the problem, the formulations either do not converge to the correct solution in the thin-plate limit or they make the stiffness matrix a singular one. In this paper, a four-noded stiffened plate element is developed. This has the advantages and elegance of an isoparametric element in modelling arbitrary shaped plates, but without the disadvantage of shear-locking phenomena. Though this element is a high-order element, only the usual degrees of freedom have been considered, and performance is superior to that of the low-order ones. The stiffened plate element has the feature of accommodating the arbitrary shape of the plate geometry, and the stiffener modelling has been done in a general manner, with the stiffener lying anywhere with arbitrary orientation, and not necessarily following the nodal lines. The new element has been successfully used for the static, free vibration and stability analyses of arbitrary bare and stiffened plates. The results are found to agree quite satisfactorily with those of previous investigators. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We report the cloning and initial characterization of a novel gene encoding the Disco interacting protein 2 (Dip2). dip2 DNA complementary to RNA (cDNA) showed a high degree of sequence similarity to cDNAs of unknown function previously identified in humans and Caenorhabditis elegans. We have cloned the mouse homolog of the dip2 cDNA and characterized the expression of this gene by Northern blotting analysis and in situ hybridization to whole mount embryos. Our observations demonstrate that there is a remarkable degree of sequence conservation at the dip2 locus that is reflected in the nervous system-specific expression of both the Drosophila and mouse homologs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Thin polystyrene (PS) films (M w =234,000) are spin coated on silicon substrates with a Chromium (Cr) layer as a sandwiched metallic layer that produces photoelectrons (by synchrotron X-rays). Earlier studies on synchrotron radiation damage in PS films, without metallic layer, have shown a decrease in interfacial roughness and a slight increase in thickness, at temperatures below T g [A.G. Richter, R. Guico, K. Shull, J. Wang, Macromolecules 39 (2006) 1545]. Similar trend is observed in the presence of a thin layer of Cr film (∼2.5nm). For the sample with a thick Cr layer the opposite effect was observed for X-ray radiation damage. For the 50nm thick Cr film system thickness of the polystyrene film decreased by ≈4.4% which amount to a loss of about 0.021nm3 per incident photon in the fluence range studied (6.8×109 photonsmm−2 to 1×1014 photonsmm−2). Interfacial roughness also increased from about 1.0nm to 2.1nm in the process. These effects are explained by invoking the presence of more number of X-ray induced photoelectrons and secondary electrons for 50nm thick Cr film case compared to 2.5nm thin film case. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]