Thermodynamic properties for the quaternary system H2O + CH3OH + LiBr + ZnCl2

The thermodynamic properties (solubility, vapour pressure, density, viscosity, heat capacity and heat of mixing) of the H₂O + CH₃OH + LiBr + ZnCl₂ (9:1 H₂O:CH₃OH and 1:1 LiBr:ZnCl₂ by mass) system using H₂O + CH₃OH as the working media and LiBr + ZnCl₂ as the absorbents were measured. The solubility data were obtained in the temperature range from 270.35 to 389.55 K. The measurements of vapour pressure, density, viscosity and heat capacity were carried out at various temperatures and absorbent concentrations. The differential heat of dilution and differential heat of solution at 298.15 K were measured for solutionw with absorbent concentrations from 0 to 75.2 wt%. The integral heat of mixing data at 298.15 K were obtained from both sets of experimental data. The integral heats of mixing for this quaternary system showed exothermic behaviour. The vapour pressure data were correlated with an Antoine-type equation. An empirical formula for the heat capacity was obtained from experimental data. The experimental data for the basic thermodynamic properties of this quaternary system were compared with those of the basic H₂O + LiBr system.     

A relational database machine with large semiconductor disk and hardware relational algebra processor

This paper describes the basic concepts, design and implementation decisions, standpoints and significance of the database machine Delta in the scope of Japan’s Fifth Generation Computer Project. Delta is planned to be operational in 1985 for researchers’ use as a backend database machine for logic programming software development. Delta is basically a relational database machine system. It combines hardware facilities for efficient relational database operations, which are typically represented by relational algebra, and software which deals with hardware control and actual database management requirements. Notable features include attribute-based internal schema in accordance with the characteristics found in the relation access from logic programming environment. This is also useful for the hardware relational algebra manipulation algorithm based on merge-sorting of attributes by hardware and a large capacity Semiconductor Disk for fast access to databases. Various implementation decisions of database management requirements are made in this novel system configuration, which will be meaningful to give an example for constructing a hardware and software combination of a relational database machine. Delta is in the stage between detailed design and implementation.     

Fatigue in low-strength silica optical fibres

Fatigue behaviour was investigated for low-strength silica fibres on which macroscopic flaws were forcibly introduced by abrading. Crack growth in silica glass was also examined on the CT specimen. Stable crack growth parameters, obtained from the static and dynamic fatigue tests for abraded fibres, were determined to be about 40 which is equal to that obtained from the CT specimen, indicating that the crack growth process in abraded fibres is quite the same as in the CT specimen. This leads to the conclusion that, for the optical fibre, the allowable stress condition wherein no breaks occur is given on the basis of some basic fracture mechanics parameters obtained from the CT specimen.     

Delayed failure in silica glass

Stable crack-propagation behaviour in silica glass as a raw material for optical fibres is studied under static tensile stress in various environments such as distilled water, NaCl aqueous solution, air and dry nitrogen gas, and the influence of these environments is discussed. The crack-growth rate in distilled water is obtained qualitatively as a function of the stress intensity factor and temperature, and the activation energy of the cracking process is determined as 97.6 kcal mol^–1. The growth rate seems to be unaffected by Na⁺ and Cl^– ions in an NaCl acqueous solution, but is influenced significantly by the humidity in the atmosphere. In a dry atmosphere, the growth rate in Region II cannot be expressed as a single function of the stress intensity factor. A plot of the log of time to failure against the initial stress intensity factor reveals a linear relationship in the environments tested. The critical fracture stress of an optical fibre is evaluated taking account of the crack size on the basis of fracture mechanics concept.     

The development of a diagnostic and monitoring system for vibrating pipe branches

This paper deals with a diagnostic and monitoring system for assessing the integrity of pipe branches, during the operation of the nuclear power plant. This system have been developed under the concept of “easy to use without any sophisticated analysis” and “portable”. The accuracy of the diagnosis is based on the model optimization subsystem, which automatically modifies the numerical vibration model so as to fit its natural frequency to the actual natural frequency. The information obtained by this system may be reflected to a maintenance program of the plant to assure more reliable operation of the plant.     

Video Scene Annotation Based on Web Social Activities

This article describes a mechanism to acquire the semantics of video content from the activities of Web communities that use a bulletin-board system and weblog tools to discuss video scenes.     

Efficient bioethanol production from xylose by recombinant saccharomyces cerevisiae requires high activity of xylose reductase and moderate xylulokinase activity

We varied the promoter strength of xylose reductase (XR) gene and the copy number of xylulokinase (XK) gene to determine how XR and XK activities affect the xylose-fermenting abilities of recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing xylitol dehydrogenase (XDH). The most enhanced ethanol yield and lowered xylitol yield occurred in strain I-PGK/AUR, which has high activity of both XR and XDH and moderate XK activity.     

Lactose enhances cellulase production by the filamentous fungus Acremonium cellulolyticus

Acremonium cellulolyticus is a fungus that produces cellulase and has been exploited by enzyme industry. To promote cellulase production by A. cellulolyticus strain C-1, we evaluated the effects of the saccharides: Solka Floc (cellulose), soluble soybean polysaccharide (SSPS), pullulan, lactose, trehalose, sophorose, cellobiose, galactose, sorbose, lactobionic acid, and mixtures as carbon sources for cellulase production. Solka Floc with SSPS enhanced cellulase production. Lactose as the sole carbon source induced cellulase synthesis in this fungus, and the synergistic effects between lactose and Solka Floc was observed. Various enzyme activities and the protein composition of crude enzyme produced by cultures with or without addition of lactose were analyzed. The results showed that lactose addition greatly improves the production of various proteins with cellulase activity by A. cellulolyticus. To our knowledge, this is the first report on production of cellulases by lactose in the A. cellulolyticus.     

The activation of furfuryl alcohol polymerization by oxygen and its enhanced mechanical properties

The effect of oxygen and additional oxygen providers on furfuryl alcohol polymerization was investigated through chemical analyses and mechanical evaluation. NMR, UV–vis, Fourier transform infrared, and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) results suggested that atmospheric oxygen and the further addition of an oxygen source functioned as an activator for the entire network polymerization. Interestingly, the construction of a conjugated structure on the furan linear chain, which is key to three-dimensional cross-linking, also appears to be accelerated in the presence of oxygen. Furthermore, the introduction of oxygen providers into the curing system successfully enhanced the mechanical properties of the cured furan resin.