Improvement of a temperature response function for divertor heat flux monitoring in fusion devices

Temperature response functions have been developed to investigate sensor design and divertor heat flux estimation in magnetically confined plasmas. The time-dependent heat flux can be derived by fitting the response function to experimental thermocouple(TC) data. Because the TC signals have a time delay to transit events such as discharge start or confinement transition, the time delay is taken into account in a temperature response function. Such a function accurately describes the signal from each TC channel with time delay in a sensor test using a neutral beam injection. Measurement for commercial TCs shows that the time delay is caused by the finite heat capacity of TC wire and contact heat resistance between TC and target surface.

Polyvinyl alcohol–potassium iodide gel probe to monitor the distribution of reactive species generation around atmospheric-pressure plasma jet

This study proposes polyvinyl alcohol–potassium iodide(PVA–KI)as a novel gel chemical probe.The probe uses the reactions among PVA,KI,water,borax,and oxidative species to visualize the distribution of reactive species.This method provides information regarding the distribution of reactive species by coloration on the gel surface.The effects of the surrounding gas phase on the distribution and diffusion of the reactive species are also investigated using the PVA–KI gel probe.Further,the relationship between the irradiation distance and reactive species diffusion is determined on the surface of the PVA–KI probe with and without plastic shielding.Adjusting the irradiation distance appropriately leads to an increase in the modified area as detected by the PVA–KI gel probe analysis.The relative concentration distributions of the reactive species are also obtained from visualized color distributions measured using a colorimeter.Furthermore,reactive species generation by long-scale line plasma is confirmed by the color reaction on the PVA–KI gel surface,with a greater area being covered by an atmospheric-pressure pulsed microwave line plasma source.

Microstructure and texture evolution in titanium subjected to friction roll surface processing and subsequent annealing

Commercial purity and high purity titanium sheets were initially strained by a new technique, named as friction roll surface processing （FRSP）. Severe strain was imposed into the surface layer and strain gradient was formed through the thickness of the sheet. The microstructure and texture in as-strained state were investigated by optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction technique On the surface of the sheets, ultra-fine grains were found to have a sharp texture with a preferred orientation strongly related to the FRSP direction. The evolution of microstructure and crystallographic texture of FRSPed samples during recrystallization were also studied by electron back-scattered diffraction （EBSD） technique after being annealed at selected temperatures and time. The results indicated that the preferred orientations resulting from FRSP and annealing in the surface layer were formed during rolling and its recrystallization textures were reduced by FRSP. In addition, the texture evolved stably without change in main components during the annealing.

Current pharmacological therapies for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH) is considered to be a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome, and its incidence is rapidly increasing worldwide. It is currently the most common chronic liver disease. NASH can progress to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and may result in liver-related death. Currently, the principal treatment for NAFLD/NASH is lifestyle modification by diet and exercise. However, pharmacological therapy is indispensable because obese patients with NAFLD often have difficulty maintaining improved lifestyles. The pathogenesis of NAFLD/NASH has not been completely elucidated. However, insulin resistance, inflammatory cytokines, and oxidative stress are thought to be important in the development and/or progression of the disease. Currently, insulin sensitizers(thiazolidinediones) and antioxidants(vitamin E) seem to be the most promising therapeutic agents for NAFLD/NASH, and lipid-lowering drugs, pentoxifylline, angiotensin receptor blockers, and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids also have promise. However, there is a lack of consensus regarding the most effective and appropriate pharmacotherapy for NAFLD/NASH. Animal experiments suggest that herbal medicines and natural products may be promising therapeutic agents for NAFLD/NASH, but their efficacy and safety are yet to be investigated in human studies. In this paper, we review the existing and potential pharmacological therapies for NAFLD/NASH.

Effects of Alloying Elements on the Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of Heavy Section Ductile Cast Iron

The effects of alloying elements on the as-cast microstructures and mechanical properties of heavy section ductile cast iron were investigated to develop press die material having high strength and high ductility. Measurements of ultimate tensile strength, 0.2% proof strength, elongation and unnotched Charpy impact energy are presented as a function of alloy amounts within 0.25 to 0.75 wt pct range. Hardness is measured on the broken tensile specimens. The small additions of Mo, Cu, Ni and Cr changed the as-cast mechanical properties owing to the different as-cast matrix microstructures. The ferrite matrix of Mo and Ni alloyed cast iron exhibits low strength and hardness as well as high elongation and impact energy. The increase in Mo and Ni contents developed some fractions of pearlite structures near the austenite eutectic cell boundaries, which caused the elongation and impact energy to drop in a small range. Adding Cu and Cr elements rapidly changed the ferrite matrix into pearlite matrix, so strength and hardness were significantly increased. As more Mo and Cr were added, the size and fraction of primary carbides in the eutectic cell boundaries increased through the segregation of these elements into the intercellular boundaries.

Methane dehydroaromatization over Mo-modified H-MFI for gas to liquid catalysts

For direct gas to liquid（GTL）,a novel process producing energy sources for methane dehydroaromatization is needed.Supporting MoO3 on H-MFI zeolite shows the high catalytic capacity and a selective activity for dehydroaromatization of methane to benzene at 973 K in a fixed bed reactor.On the other hand,deactivation by coke on the active sites in all the catalysts is formed during the reaction.H2 co-feed suppressed the deactivation,which is probably due to the decrease in coking amount.Mo K-edge X-ray absorption fine structure（XAFS） results showed the formation of dispersed Mo2C species with low crystallinity after dehydroaromatization.Mo LIII-edge XANES（X-ray absorption near-edge structure） indicated the formation of active Mo species including Mo2C and Mo-oxycarbide（MoOxCy）,where the redox state should be independent in the absence/presence of H2.It is concluded that Mo-oxycarbide species act as highly active species,and their stability affected the durable activity in the presence of H2.

NOx Reduction and Desorption Studies Under Electric Discharge Plasma Using a Simulated Gas Mixture:A Case Study on the Effect of Corona Electrodes

In this study, reduction and desorption of oxides of nitrogen （NOx） were conducted using an electrical discharge plasma technique. The study was carried out using a simulated gas mixture to explore the possibility of re-generation of used adsorbents by a nonthermal plasma desorption technique. Three different types of corona electrodes, namely, pipe, helical wire, and straight wire, were used for analyzing their effectiveness in NOx reduction/desorption. The pipe- type corona electrode exhibited a nitric oxide （NO） conversion of 50%, which is 1.5 times that of the straight-wire-type electrode at an energy density of 175 J/L. The helical-wire-type corona electrode exhibited a NOx desorption efficiency almost 4 times that of the pipe-type electrode, indicating the possibility that corona-generated species play a crucial role in desorption.

Optimization of Bow Shape for a Non Ballast Water Ship

In this research,a commercial CFD code ＂Fluent＂ was applied to optimization of bulbous bow shape for a non ballast water ships（NBS）.The ship was developed at the Laboratory of the authors in Osaka Prefecture University,Japan.At first,accuracy of the CFD code was validated by comparing the CFD results with experimental results at towing tank of Osaka Prefecture University.In the optimizing process,the resistances acting on ships in calm water and in regular head waves were defined as the object function.Following features of bulbous bow shapes were considered as design parameters： volume of bulbous bow,height of its volume center,angle of bow bottom,and length of bulbous bow.When referring to the computed results given by the CFD like resistance,pressure and wave pattern made by ships in calm water and in waves,an optimal bow shape for ships was discovered by comparing the results in the series of bow shapes.In the computation on waves,the ship is in fully captured condition because shorter waves,λ/Lpp 0.6,are assumed.

Aberrant Eph B/ephrin-B expression in experimental gastric lesions and tumor cells

AIM: To determine whether the expression profiles of Eph B receptor and ephrin-B ligand can be used as markers for dysplastic/oncogenic transformation in gastric mucosa.METHODS: The protein expression and localization ofEph B and ephrin-B in normal, ulcerated regenerating, and dysplastic gastric mucosa were examined in a rat experimental model by immunolabeling, and m RNA expression was assessed in four human gastric carcinoma cell lines by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.RESULTS: Ephrin-B- and Eph B-expressing regions were divided along the pit-gland axis in normal gastric units. Eph B2 was transiently upregulated in the experimental ulcer, and its expression domain extended to gastric pits and/or the luminal surface where ephrin-B-expressing pit cells reside. Eph B2, B3, and B4 and ephrin-B1 were coexpressed in the experimental gastric dysplasia, and more than one ligand-receptor pair was highly expressed in each of the gastric carcinoma cell lines.CONCLUSION: Robust and stable coexpression of Eph B and ephrin-B is a feature common to experimentally induced gastric dysplasia and human gastric carcinoma cell lines as compared to normal gastric and ulcerated regenerating epithelia. Thus, Eph B/ephrin-B may be a useful marker combination for dysplastic/oncogenic transformation in gastric cancer.

Effect of insulating oil covering electrodes on the characteristics of a dielectric barrier discharge

In this study,the effects of the fluid cooling and electric field line deformation were investigated in a dielectric barrier discharge(DBD)plasma source.The DBD plasma jet is improved by covering the ground electrode and a power electrode with insulating oil.We obtained positive results as insulating oil prevents arc formation,while it improved the supplied power and plasma jet length,and increased radical production.Radical production of this nonthermal plasma jet is studied with polyvinyl alcohol-potassium iodide liquid.

Asymptotic stability and disturbance attenuation properties for a class of networked control systems

In this paper, stability and disturbance attenuation issues for a class of Networked Control Systems （NCSs） under uncertain access delay and packet dropout effects are considered. Our aim is to find conditions on the delay and packet dropout rate, under which the system stability and H∞ disturbance attenuation properties are preserved to a desired level. The basic idea in this paper is to formulate such Networked Control System as a discrete-time switched system. Then the NCSs＇ stability and performance problems can be reduced to the corresponding problems for switched systems, which have been studied for decades and for which a number of results are available in the literature. The techniques in this paper are based on recent progress in the discrete-time switched systems and piecewise Lyapunov functions.

QTL Analysis for Traits Associated with Feeding Value of Straw in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Genetic improvement of the digestibility of rice straw for increasing the utilization of the whole rice plant as feedstuffs is an important way to solve the feedstuffs shortage in southeastern China. To elucidate the genetic basis of the traits affecting the digestibility of rice straw, a rice population of 111 recombinant inbred lines （RILs） derived from a cross of Nekken 2xGaya was used to map the quantitative traits loci （QTLs） for in vitro dry matter digestion （IVDMD）, the percentages of nonstructural carbohydrate （NSC） and acid detergent fiber （exclusive of residual ash, ADFom） in 2005 and 2006. IVDMD was positively correlated with NSC, and negatively correlated with ADFom. A total of 16 QTLs were detected in the two years, and the amounts of variation explained by individual QTLs ranged from 6.9% to 15.5%. Some QTLs for IVDMD and ADFom on chromosome 2 were detected in the two years. On chromosome 2, the interval RM475-RM3515 contained QTLs for IVDMD in the two years and for NSC in 2006 only, while the interval RM3874-RM5305 influenced ADFom in the two years and NSC in 2005 only. At those loci, Gaya contributed favorable alleles to IVDMD and NSC, while Nekken 2 contributed positive alleles to ADFom.

Study of the Interface between Steel Insert and Aluminum Casting in EPC

The effective surface treatment method for steel insert composited with Al base metal by expendable pattern casting （EPC） process and the bonding interface between steel insert and Al base metal were investigated.It was found that Zn plating on steel insert was effective on improving the bonding property between steel insert and Al base metal in EPC process.Zn is thought to promote the formation of diffusion layer.But almost none content of Zn was observed in the boundary which had been plated on the steel insert.A diffusion layer consisting of Al,Si and Fe was formed at the insert/alloy interface and its hardness was higher than the steel insert as matter of course Al base metal.This layer turned out to be intermetallic compounds of Al-Si-Fe system.Higher pouring temperature promoted the diffusion of Fe into Al alloy,so Fe content in intermetallic layers increased at higher pouring temperature.The layer nearest to steel disappeared due to applied pressure.

Added Resistance Acting on Hull of a Non Ballast Water Ship

In this paper, added resistances acting on a hull of non ballast water ship(NBS) in high waves is discussed. The non ballast water ships were developed at the laboratory of the authors at Osaka Prefecture University, Japan. In the present paper, the performances of three kinds of bow shapes developed for the NBS were theoretically and experimentally investigated to find the best one in high waves. In previous papers, an optimum bow shape for the NBS was developed in calm water and in moderated waves. For a 2 m model for experiments and computations, the wave height is 0.02 m. This means that the wave height is 15% of the draft of the ship in full load conditions. In this paper, added resistances in high waves up to 0.07 m for a 2 m model or 53% of the full load draft are investigated. In such high waves linear wave theories which have been used in the design stage of a ship for a long time may not work well anymore, and experiments are the only effective tool to predict the added resistance in high waves. With the computations for waves, the ship is in a fully captured condition because shorter waves, λ/Lpp<0.6, are assumed.

日本花生生产概述 当前品种改良的进展及其展望(英文)

与多种蔬菜作物一样,花生一直以来就是日本Kanto和南部Kyushu地区的重要农作物,然而随着来自中国和美国等国外花生进口数量的增加,花生种植者的生产积极性已经变低。由于油用花生和烘烤花生的进口分别在1971和1973年开始放开,国内的花生生产大幅下滑。2002年的种植面积是9950hm2,按花生仁计的产量是24000t。目前的消费量大约是每年60000t,并且目前还在持续下降。大果花生几乎100%进口自中国,小果花生也有7000t分别进口自中国、美国和南美洲。为了提高花生的食用品质,育种工作已经取得了进展,目前已经注册了 收稿日期:2003 11 29作者简介:大门弘幸博士,日本大板府立大学农学生命科学院教授,主要从事花生教学与研究。14个花生品种,但是只有两个品种Chibahandachi和Nakateyutaka正在被广泛种植,占种植面积的80%。最近又有两个适于南部Kyushu地区的早熟品种Satonoka和Fukumasari被注册。由于近来煮花生的消费正在增长,育种目标也必须瞄准于此。口味是衡量日本花生品种食用品质的非常重要的因素,因此口味的遗传改良也必须取得进展。此文亦将提及最近在日本注册的一些花生品种的某些特征。

A Simple Prediction Formula of Roll Damping of Conventional Cargo Ships on the Basis of Ikeda＇s Method and Its Limitation

Since the roll damping of ships has significant effects of viscosity, it is difficult to calculate it theoretically. Therefore, experimental results or some prediction methods are used to get the roll damping in design stage of ships. Among some prediction methods, Ikeda＇s one is widely used in many ship motion computer programs. Using the method, the roll damping of various ship hulls with various bilge keels can be calculated to investigate its characteristics. To calculate the roll damping of each ship, detailed data of the ship are needed to input. Therefore, a simpler prediction method is expected in primary design stage. Such a simple method must be useful to validate the results obtained by a computer code to predict it on the basis of Ikeda＇s method, too. On the basis of the predicted roll damping by Ikeda＇s method for various ships, a very simple prediction formula of the roll damping of ships is deduced in the present paper. Ship hull forms are systematically changed by changing length, beam, draft, mid-ship sectional coefficient and prismatic coefficient. It is found, however, that this simple formula can not be used for ships that have high position of the center of gravity. A modified method to improve accuracy for such ships is proposed.

Dodecylamine Derivative of Hydroxocobalamin Acts as a Potent Inhibitor of Cobalamin-Dependent Methionine Synthase in Mammalian Cultured COS-7 Cells

We evaluated whether the dodecylamine derivative of hydroxocobalamin acts as a potent inhibitor of cobalamin-dependent enzymes in an African green monkey kidney cell, COS-7. When the dodecylamine derivative (1.0 μmol/L) did not show any cytotoxicity in the cultured cells, the derivative could not affect methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (holo-enzyme) activity, but significantly inhibit methionine synthase (holo-enzyme) activity in the cell homogenates of COS-7 grown in 1.0 μmol/L hydroxocobalamin-supplemented medium. An immunoblot analysis indicated that the dodecylamine derivative could not decrease the protein level of methionine synthase, but significantly inhibit the enzyme activity.

Determination of Vitamin B₁₂in Chinese Black Tea Leaves

We determined vitamin B12 content of Chinese black tea leaves using a microbiological assay based on Lactobacillus delbrueckii ATCC 7830. Trace levels (0.25 - 0.69 μg/100g dry weight) of vitamin B12 were detected in Pu’er, Fu, and Brick tea leaves. However, vitamin B12 content (0.06 - 1.37 μg/100g dry weight) of Ryubao tea leaves significantly varied. To determine whether Chinese black tea leaves contain vitamin B12 or other corrinoid compounds that are inactive in humans, corrinoid compounds were purified from Ryubao tea by an immunoaffinity column chromatography and vitamin B12 was identified by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization/tandem mass spectrometry. Vitamin B12 content in the tea drink prepared from Ryubao tea leaves was very low (0.8 ng/100mL). Our results indicate that Chinese black tea is usually not a good source of B12, although Ryubao tea leaves with the highest B12 content may be utilized as a source of this vitamin for vegerarians.

Influence of Phase Behavior and Miscibility on Mechanical, Thermal and Micro-Structure of Soluble Starch-Gelatin Thermoplastic Biodegradable Blend Films

Polymer blends of cold water soluble starches (amylose or amylopectin soluble starch) with gelatin were prepared using solvent casting method. The solid state miscibility and polymer-polymer interactions between the constituent polymers were studied by fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorirmetry (DSC), light optical microscopy (OP) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), whereas the thermal stability of the blends was studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Furthermore, tensile and water vapor barrier properties of the blends were assessed. The obtained results exhibited that gelatin was more miscible with amylose soluble starch than with amylopectin soluble starch. Moreover, enhancing mechanical and water barrier properties of amylose soluble starch/gelatin blends were more pronounced than those of amylopectin soluble starch/gelatin blends. Generally, tensile strength (TS) and Elongation percentage (E) of the blend films were found to be gradually increased with increasing the proportion of gelatin. Nevertheless, increasing starch proportion was in favor of decreasing water vapor permeability (WVP). At equal proportions of starch and gelatin (1:1), TS was raised up to 8.69 MPa for amylose soluble starch/gelatin blend films while it raised up to 4.96 MPa for amylopectin soluble starch/gelatin blend films, and so on E was increased to its maximum by ~179.6% for soluble amylose starch/gelatin blends while it was increased to ~114.5% for amylopectin soluble starch/gelatin blends. On the other hand, WVP was significantly decreased to be 6.46 and 12.09 g·mm/m2·day·kPa for blends of amylose and amylopectin soluble?starches, respectively.

Dynamic Routing for Emergency Vehicle by Collecting Real-Time Road Conditions

When a natural disaster such as earthquake strikes, people go away to safety areas by cars. Some roads are broken and impenetrable by buildings falling down. Furthermore, some fixed infrastructures for radio communication may be broken. In order to quickly bring ambulances and fire trucks to their destinations, it is necessary to provide real-time road conditions to these emergency vehicles via ad-hoc networks. In this paper, we propose a method to periodically reconstruct a route for an emergency vehicle by collecting real-time road conditions via vehicle ad-hoc networks. As simulation results, we confirmed that the proposed method collects 12% more road conditions than existing method. We also confirmed that the proposed method achieves 10% faster arrival than the existing method.