Design of sampled-data critical control systems based on the fast-discretization technique

The fast-discretization is known as an approximate but efficient technique for design and analysis of sampled-data systems. In this paper, we propose a fast-discretization-based design for sampled-data critical control systems. Supposing a tracking problem or a slow-changing disturbance rejection problem, we assume that an exogenous input is a persistent and/or transient input with bound on the rate of change. It is shown that the critical constraint for such exogenous inputs can be given in the form of the inequality constraint on the unit step response. The design parameters are determined by a numerical search method subject to this constraint. However, instead of evaluating it strictly, we check the corresponding constraint which is obtained from the fast-discretized system. Although this approach is approximate, it provides an efficient numerical procedure for a computer-aided design. To show the validity of the proposed method, an example of a multi-objective critical control system design is presented.     

Quantum-Mechanical Properties of Protons in Solid Molecular Hydrogen at Megabar Pressures

Quantum distributions of protons in three high-pressure phases of solid molecular hydrogen are investigated by the first-principles path integral molecular dynamics (FP-PIMD) method, in which interatomic forces are calculated precisely based on the density functional theory. The distributions have entirely different symmetries from those predicted by conventional simulation with classical treatment of protons. Especially in phase II, we found that molecular rotation is hindered by quantum fluctuation of protons, having a strong resemblance to a quantum distribution of impurity muonium in crystalline silicon. The mechanism of this “quantum localization” is clarified by a detailed study of the potential energy surface for the molecular rotation.     

Four-base codon-mediated incorporation of non-natural amino acids into proteins in a eukaryotic cell-free translation system

Various four-base codons have been shown to work for the introduction of non-natural amino acids into proteins in an Escherichia coli cell-free translation system. Here, a four-base codon-mediated non-natural mutagenesis was applied to a eukaryotic rabbit reticulocyte cell-free translation system. Mutated streptavidin mRNAs containing four-base codons were prepared and added to a rabbit reticulocyte lysate in the presence of tRNAs that were aminoacylated with a non-natural amino acid and had the corresponding four-base anticodons. A Western blot analysis of translation products indicated that the four-base codons CGGU, CGCU, CCCU, CUCU, CUAU, and GGGU were efficiently decoded by the aminoacyl-tRNAs having the corresponding four-base anticodons. In contrast, the four-base codons AGGU, AGAU, CGAU, UUGU, UCGU, and ACGU were not decoded. The stop codon-derived four-base codons UAGU, UAAU, and UGAU were found to be inefficient, whereas the amber codon UAG and opal codon UGA were efficient for the incorporation of non-natural amino acids. The application of the expanded genetic code in a eukaryotic cell-free system opens the possibility of a four-base codon-mediated incorporation of non-natural amino acids into proteins in living eukaryotic cells.     

Evaluation of three-dimensional effects in short deep beams using a rigid-body-spring-model

Three-dimensional (3-D) effects in short deep beams without stirrups that failed in shear were investigated experimentally and analytically. Two deep beams with a shear span to depth ratio (a/d) of 0.5 and with different beam widths were tested. The effect of beam width on load-carrying capacity, failure mode, crack pattern and 3-D behavior was investigated, and shape effect due to beam width was clarified. In addition, the beams were analyzed by the 3-D rigid-body-spring model (RBSM). RBSM is a discrete form of modeling that presents realistic behavior from cracking to failure, and 3-D RBSM is applicable to simulate 3-D behavior as well as the confinement effect of concrete. Analytical results in terms of load–displacement curves and crack pattern are compared with the experimental results. Three-dimensional deformations, strut widths and cross-sectional stress distribution are investigated analytically and compared with the experimental results to determine 3-D behavior in detail. The 3-D effects in short deep beams are clarified.     

Cold repeated forming of compact for aluminium foam

A cold repeated forming process of compacts for producing metal foams was developed in order to strongly bond powder particles. In this process, the compact undergoes severe plastic deformation for the strong bonding of particles by repeated backward extrusion and cup compression, and thus the compact largely foams owing to the accumulation of gas released from blowing agents inside the compact during heating. The cold repeated forming process without heating is much simpler than that for the conventional hot extrusion process. The relative density of the foam was decreased by adding silicon powder to the compact, and an aluminium foam having a relative density of 0.27 was obtained using two repeats of backward extrusion and cup compression, 1.5 mass% titanium hydride powder and 4 mass% silicon powder. In addition, a one-piece foam was successively produced from the bonding of two compacts during the foaming in a die. It was found that the cold repeated forming of compacts is effective for the production of metal foams.     

Dystrophin acts as a transplantation rejection antigen in dystrophin-deficient mice: implication for gene therapy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a lethal and common X-linked recessive disease caused by a defect in dystrophin. Normal myoblast transplantation and dystrophin gene transfer have been expected to correct the deficiency in the muscles, but their clinical application has been hampered by the limited preservation of dystrophin-positive myofibers. In this study we investigated the mechanism for immunologic rejection of normal C57BL/10 (B10) myoblasts transplanted into dystrophin-deficient mdx mice, an animal model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. We found that mdx mice develop CTL specific for dystrophin itself, which were CD8 dominant and restricted by H-2Kb. We identified several antigenic peptides derived from dystrophin that bind to H-2Kb and are recognized by the mdx anti-B10 CTL. Immunologic tolerance against dystrophin was successfully induced by i.v. injection of these peptides before B10 myoblast transplantation, which resulted in sustained preservation of dystrophin-expressing myofibers in mdx mice. These results demonstrate that dystrophin is antigenic in dystrophin-deficient mice and that immunologic regimen would be necessary to achieve the persistent expression of introduced dystrophin in the muscles of dystrophin-deficient individuals.     

Unit commitment scheduling by Lagrange relaxation method taking into account transmission losses

Since the application of the Lagrange relaxation method to the unit commitment scheduling by Muckstadt in 1979, many papers using this method have been published. The greatest advantage of applying the Lagrange relaxation method for the unit commitment problem is that it can relax (ignore) each generator's output dependency caused by the demand–supply balance constraint so that a unit commitment of each generator is determined independently by dynamic programming. However, when we introduce the transmission loss into the demand–supply balance constraint, we cannot decompose the problem into the partial problems in which each generator's unit commitment is determined independently and have to take some measures to obtain an optimal schedule by the Lagrange relaxation method directly. In this paper, we present an algorithm for the unit commitment schedule using the Lagrange relaxation method for the case of taking into account transmission losses. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 152(4): 27–33, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20119     

Effect of hypotension preceding death on the function of lungs from donors with nonbeating hearts

BACKGROUND: A shortage of suitable brain-dead donors continues to severely limit lung transplantation. Use of donors with nonbeating hearts has been suggested as a solution. Lungs are unique, in that aerobic metabolism can continue in the absence of blood circulation because oxygen is present in airways and alveoli. Animal studies have shown reasonable cadaveric graft function up to several hours after sudden death by drug administration. However, hemodynamic instability before death may worsen lung function through activation and pulmonary sequestration of neutrophils and release of inflammatory mediators. Because many potential cadaveric donors experience hypotension before death, this study was undertaken to assess the effect of hypotensive shock on cadaveric lung viability. METHODS: A rat isolated lung reperfusion model was used to assess pulmonary function over 3 hours of reperfusion or until gross pulmonary edema developed. Twenty-five rats were randomly allocated to the following study groups, which were based on status before lung harvest: (1) control: no interventions; (2) hypotensive: 1 hour of hypotension by exsanguination to a mean blood pressure of 30 to 40 mm Hg; (3) cadaver: death by cervical dislocation followed by 3 hours of in situ lung ischemia; (4) hypotensive + 3 hours cadaver: 1 hour of hemorrhagic shock, followed by death and 3 hours of in situ ischemia; (5) hypotensive + 2 hours cadaver: similar to group 4, except the in situ ischemia was abbreviated to 2 hours. RESULTS: No significant differences were found among group 1, 2, or 3 lungs with regard to wet to dry weight ratios, gas exchange, and pulmonary arterial or airway pressures. However, all group 4 lungs became grossly hemorrhagic and developed severe pulmonary edema within 10 minutes of reperfusion. Group 5 lungs fared only marginally better, with two of five lungs tolerating 3 hours of reperfusion. CONCLUSIONS: A period of hypotension before death severely impairs cadaveric lung viability.