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In a number of fundamental and practical problems, it is necessary to describe the dynamics of the motion of complexshaped particles in a high-speed gas flow. An example is the movement of coal particles behind the front of a strong shock wave during an explosion in a coal mine. The paper is devoted to numerical simulation of the dynamics of translational and rotational motion of a square-shaped body, as an example of a particle of a more complex shape than a round one, in a supersonic flow behind a passing shock wave. The formulation of the problem approximately corresponds to the experiments of Professor V. M. Boiko and Professor S. V. Poplavski (ITAM SB RAS).

Mathematical model is based on the two-dimensional Euler equations, which are solved in a region with varying boundaries. The defining system of equations is integrated using an explicit scheme and the Cartesian grid method which was developed and verified earlier. The computational algorithm at the time integration step includes: determining the step value, calculating the dynamics of the body movement (determining the force and moment acting on the body; determining the linear and angular velocities of the body; calculating the new coordinates of the body), calculating the gas parameters. To calculate numerical fluxes through the edges of the cell intersected by the boundaries of the body, we use a two-wave approximation for solving the Riemann problem and the Steger – Warming scheme.

The movement of a square with a side of 6 mm was initiated by the passage of a shock wave with a Mach number of 3,0 propagating in a flat channel 800 mm long and 60 mm wide. The channel was filled with air at low pressure. Different initial orientation of the square relative to the channel axis was considered. It is found that the initial position of the square with its side across the flow is less stable during its movement than the initial position with a diagonal across the flow. In this case, the calculated results qualitatively correspond to experimental observations. For the intermediate initial positions of a square, a typical mode of its motion is described, consisting of oscillations close to harmonic, turning into rotation with a constant average angular velocity. During the movement of the square, there is an average monotonous decrease in the distance between the center of mass and the center of pressure to zero.

The paper formulates a mathematical model for hydroelastic oscillations of a plate resting on a nonlinear hardening elastic foundation and interacting with a pulsating fluid layer. The main feature of the proposed model, unlike the wellknown ones, is the joint consideration of the elastic properties of the plate, the nonlinearity of elastic foundation, as well as the dissipative properties of the fluid and the inertia of its motion. The model is represented by a system of equations for a twodimensional hydroelasticity problem including dynamics equation of Kirchhoff’s plate resting on the elastic foundation with hardening cubic nonlinearity, Navier – Stokes equations, and continuity equation. This system is supplemented by boundary conditions for plate deflections and fluid pressure at plate ends, as well as for fluid velocities at the bounding walls. The model was investigated by perturbation method with subsequent use of iteration method for the equations of thin layer of viscous fluid. As a result, the fluid pressure distribution at the plate surface was obtained and the transition to an integrodifferential equation describing bending hydroelastic oscillations of the plate is performed. This equation is solved by the Bubnov –Galerkin method using the harmonic balance method to determine the primary hydroelastic response of the plate and phase response due to the given harmonic law of fluid pressure pulsation at plate ends. It is shown that the original problem can be reduced to the study of the generalized Duffing equation, in which the coefficients at inertial, dissipative and stiffness terms are determined by the physical and mechanical parameters of the original system. The primary hydroelastic response and phases response for the plate are found. The numerical study of these responses is performed for the cases of considering the inertia of fluid motion and the creeping fluid motion for the nonlinear and linearly elastic foundation of the plate. The results of the calculations showed the need to jointly consider the viscosity and inertia of the fluid motion together with the elastic properties of the plate and its foundation, both for nonlinear and linear vibrations of the plate.

The repressor is the first genetic regulatory network in synthetic biology, which was artificially constructed in 2000. It is a closed network of three genetic elements — $lacI$, $\lambda cI$ and $tetR$, — which have a natural origin, but are not found in nature in such a combination. The promoter of each of the three genes controls the next cistron via the negative feedback, suppressing the expression of the neighboring gene. In this paper, the nonlinear dynamics of a modified repressilator, which has time delays in all parts of the regulatory network, has been studied for the first time. Delay can be both natural, i.e. arises during the transcription/translation of genes due to the multistage nature of these processes, and artificial, i.e. specially to be introduced into the work of the regulatory network using synthetic biology technologies. It is assumed that the regulation is carried out by proteins being in a dimeric form. The considered repressilator has two more important modifications: the location on the same plasmid of the gene $gfp$, which codes for the fluorescent protein, and also the presence in the system of a DNA sponge. In the paper, the nonlinear dynamics has been considered within the framework of the deterministic description. By applying the method of decomposition into fast and slow motions, the set of nonlinear differential equations with delay on a slow manifold has been obtained. It is shown that there exists a single equilibrium state which loses its stability in an oscillatory manner at certain values of the control parameters. For a symmetric repressilator, in which all three genes are identical, an analytical solution for the neutral Andronov–Hopf bifurcation curve has been obtained. For the general case of an asymmetric repressilator, neutral curves are found numerically. It is shown that the asymmetric repressor generally is more stable, since the system is oriented to the behavior of the most stable element in the network. Nonlinear dynamic regimes arising in a repressilator with increase of the parameters are studied in detail. It was found that there exists a limit cycle corresponding to relaxation oscillations of protein concentrations. In addition to the limit cycle, we found the slow manifold not associated with above cycle. This is the long-lived transitional regime, which reflects the process of long-term synchronization of pulsations in the work of individual genes. The obtained results are compared with the experimental data known from the literature. The place of the model proposed in the present work among other theoretical models of the repressilator is discussed.

The paper presents a review of recent developments of hybrid discrete-continuous models in cell population dynamics. Such models are widely used in the biological modelling. Cells are considered as individual objects which can divide, die by apoptosis, differentiate and move under external forces. In the simplest representation cells are considered as soft spheres, and their motion is described by Newton’s second law for their centers. In a more complete representation, cell geometry and structure can be taken into account. Cell fate is determined by concentrations of intra-cellular substances and by various substances in the extracellular matrix, such as nutrients, hormones, growth factors. Intra-cellular regulatory networks are described by ordinary differential equations while extracellular species by partial differential equations. We illustrate the application of this approach with some examples including bacteria filament and tumor growth. These examples are followed by more detailed studies of erythropoiesis and immune response. Erythrocytes are produced in the bone marrow in small cellular units called erythroblastic islands. Each island is formed by a central macrophage surrounded by erythroid progenitors in different stages of maturity. Their choice between self-renewal, differentiation and apoptosis is determined by the ERK/Fas regulation and by a growth factor produced by the macrophage. Normal functioning of erythropoiesis can be compromised by the development of multiple myeloma, a malignant blood disorder which leads to a destruction of erythroblastic islands and to sever anemia. The last part of the work is devoted to the applications of hybrid models to study immune response and the development of viral infection. A two-scale model describing processes in a lymph node and other organs including the blood compartment is presented.

The utilization of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in high-rise firefighting operations is the right solution for reaching the fire scene on high floors quickly and effectively. The article proposes a quadrotor-type firefighting UAV model carrying a launcher to launch a missile containing fire extinguishing powders into a fire. The kinematic model describing the flight kinematics of this UAV model is built based on the Newton – Euler method when the device is in normal motion and at the time of launching a firefighting missile. The results from the simulation testing the validity of the kinematic model and the simulation of the motion of the UAV show that the variation of Euler angles, flight angles, and aerodynamic angles during a flight are within an acceptable range and overload guarantee in flight. The UAV flew to the correct position to launch the required fire-extinguishing ammunition. The results of the research are the basis for building a control system of high-rise firefighting drones in Vietnam.

The second part presents numerical studies of the parameters of the lower ionosphere at altitudes of 40–90 km when heated by powerful high-frequency radio waves of various frequencies and powers. The problem statement is considered in the first part of the article. The main attention is paid to the interrelation between the energy and kinetic parameters of the disturbed $D$-region of the ionosphere in the processes that determine the absorption and transformation of the radio beam energy flux in space and time. The possibility of a significant difference in the behavior of the parameters of the disturbed region in the daytime and at nighttime, both in magnitude and in space-time distribution, is shown. In the absence of sufficiently reliable values of the rate constants for a number of important kinetic processes, numerical studies were carried out in stages with the gradual addition of individual processes and kinetic blocks corresponding at the same time to a certain physical content. It is shown that the energy thresholds for inelastic collisions of electrons with air molecules are the main ones. This approach made it possible to detect the effect of the emergence of a self-oscillating mode of changing parameters if the main channel for energy losses in inelastic processes is the most energy-intensive process — ionization. This effect may play a role in plasma studies using high-frequency inductive and capacitive discharges. The results of calculations of the ionization and optical parameters of the disturbed $D$-region for daytime conditions are presented. The electron temperature, density, emission coefficients in the visible and infrared ranges of the spectrum are obtained for various values of the power of the radio beam and its frequency in the lower ionosphere. The height-time distribution of the absorbed radiation power is calculated, which is necessary in studies of higher layers of the ionosphere. The influence on the electron temperature and on the general behavior of the parameters of energy losses by electrons on the excitation of vibrational and metastable states of molecules has been studied in detail. It is shown that under nighttime conditions, when the electron concentration begins at altitudes of about 80 km, and the concentration of heavy particles decreases by two orders of magnitude compared to the average $D$-region, large-scale gas-dynamic motion can develop with sufficient radio emission power The algorithm was developed based on the McCormack method and two-dimensional gas-dynamic calculations of the behavior of the parameters of the perturbed region were performed with some simplifications of the kinetics.

The article is devoted to the numerical study of shock-wave flows in inhomogeneous media–gas mixtures. In this work, a two-speed two-temperature model is used, in which the dispersed component of the mixture has its own speed and temperature. To describe the change in the concentration of the dispersed component, the equation of conservation of “average density” is solved. This study took into account interphase thermal interaction and interphase pulse exchange. The mathematical model allows the carrier component of the mixture to be described as a viscous, compressible and heat-conducting medium. The system of equations was solved using the explicit Mac-Cormack second-order finite-difference method. To obtain a monotone numerical solution, a nonlinear correction scheme was applied to the grid function. In the problem of shock-wave flow, the Dirichlet boundary conditions were specified for the velocity components, and the Neumann boundary conditions were specified for the other unknown functions. In numerical calculations, in order to reveal the dependence of the dynamics of the entire mixture on the properties of the solid component, various parameters of the dispersed phase were considered — the volume content as well as the linear size of the dispersed inclusions. The goal of the research was to determine how the properties of solid inclusions affect the parameters of the dynamics of the carrier medium — gas. The motion of an inhomogeneous medium in a shock duct divided into two parts was studied, the gas pressure in one of the channel compartments is more important than in the other. The article simulated the movement of a direct shock wave from a high-pressure chamber to a low–pressure chamber filled with a dusty medium and the subsequent reflection of a shock wave from a solid surface. An analysis of numerical calculations showed that a decrease in the linear particle size of the gas suspension and an increase in the physical density of the material from which the particles are composed leads to the formation of a more intense reflected shock wave with a higher temperature and gas density, as well as a lower speed of movement of the reflected disturbance reflected wave.

The paper reviews possibilities to predict buckling of thin cylindrical shells with non-destructive techniques during operation. It studies shallow shells made of high strength materials. Such structures are known for surface displacements exceeding the thickness of the elements. In the explored shells relaxation oscillations of significant amplitude can be generated even under relatively low internal stresses. The problem of the cylindrical shell oscillation is mechanically and mathematically modeled in a simplified form by conversion into an ordinary differential equation. To create the model, the researches of many authors were used who studied the geometry of the surface formed after buckling (postbuckling behavior). The nonlinear ordinary differential equation for the oscillating shell matches the well-known Duffing equation. It is important that there is a small parameter before the second time derivative in the Duffing equation. The latter circumstance enables making a detailed analysis of the obtained equation and describing the physical phenomena — relaxation oscillations — that are unique to thin high-strength shells.

It is shown that harmonic oscillations of the shell around the equilibrium position and stable relaxation oscillations are defined by the bifurcation point of the solutions to the Duffing equation. This is the first point in the Feigenbaum sequence to convert the stable periodic motions into dynamic chaos. The amplitude and the period of relaxation oscillations are calculated based on the physical properties and the level of internal stresses within the shell. Two cases of loading are reviewed: compression along generating elements and external pressure.

It is highlighted that if external forces vary in time according to the harmonic law, the periodic oscillation of the shell (nonlinear resonance) is a combination of slow and stick-slip movements. Since the amplitude and the frequency of the oscillations are known, this fact enables proposing an experimental facility for prediction of the shell buckling with non-destructive techniques. The following requirement is set as a safety factor: maximum load combinations must not cause displacements exceeding specified limits. Based on the results of the experimental measurements a formula is obtained to estimate safety against buckling (safety factor) of the structure.

There are conditions of uneven combustion for tubular powder elements of large elongation used in artillery propelling charges. Here it is necessary to consider in parallel the processes of combustion and movement of powder gases inside and outside the channels of the powder tubes. Without this, it is impossible to adequately formulate and solve the problems of ignition, erosive combustion and stress-strain state of tubular powder elements in the shot process. The paper presents a physical and mathematical formulation of the main problem of the internal ballistics of an artillery shot for a charge consisting of a set of powder tubes. Combustion and movement of a bundle of powder tubes along the barrel channel is modeled by an equivalent tubular charge of all-round combustion. The end and cross-sectional areas of the channel of such a charge (equivalent tube) are equal to the sum of the areas of the ends and cross-sections of the channels of the powder tubes, respectively. The combustion surface of the channel is equal to the sum of the inner surfaces of the tubes in the bundle. The outer combustion surface of the equivalent tube is equal to the sum of the outer surfaces of the tubes in the bundle. It is assumed that the equivalent tube moves along the axis of the bore. The speed of motion of an equivalent tubular charge and its current position are determined from Newton’s second law. To calculate the flow parameters, we used two-dimensional axisymmetric equations of gas dynamics, for the solution of which an axisymmetric orthogonalized difference mesh is constructed, which adapts to the flow conditions. When the tube moves and burns, the difference grid is rearranged taking into account the changing regions of integration. The control volume method is used for the numerical solution of the system of gas-dynamic equations. The gas parameters at the boundaries of the control volumes are determined using a self-similar solution to the Godunov problem of decay for an arbitrary discontinuity. The developed technique was used to calculate the internal ballistics parameters of an artillery shot. This approach is considered for the first time and allows a new approach to the design of tubular artillery charges, since it allows obtaining the necessary information in the form of fields of velocity and pressure of powder gases for calculating the process of gradual ignition, unsteady erosive combustion, stress-strain state and strength of powder elements during the shot. The time dependences of the parameters of the internal ballistics process and the distribution of the main parameters of the flow of combustion products at different times are presented.

Kinetics of complex formation between components of the photosynthetic electron transport chain — flavodoxin and membrane complex photosystem I has been studied using computer model based on methods of multiparticle simulation and Brownian dynamics. We simulated Brownian motion of several hundreds of flavodoxin molecules, taking into account electrostatic interactions and complex shape of the molecules. Our model could describe experimental nonmonotonic dependence of the association rate constant for flavodoxin and photosystem I. This lets us conclude that electrostatic interactions are sufficient to form such kind of nonmonotonic dependence.