Calculation of the Characteristics of Salient‐Pole Synchronous Machines Assisted by Permanent Magnets on the Basis of the Operating Principle

In this study we investigate a method for accurately calculating the characteristics of salient‐pole synchronous machines assisted by permanent magnets. First, the operating principle of the machines is investigated by using both finite element analysis and a simple magnetic circuit. Then, a theoretical representation of the assist effect on the permanent magnets is derived based on the magnetic circuit. Finally, the measured and calculated results are compared in order to confirm the validity of the proposed calculation method. We show that the load characteristics of the proposed machine can be accurately estimated from the no‐load and short‐circuit characteristics of the conventional machine without permanent magnets, and the size and magnetization of the inserted permanent magnets.     

Group 3 error-free facsimile terminal for analog cellular networks

A Group 3 error-free facsimile terminal for use in an analog cellular network has been developed. This facsimile terminal is provided with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-T, formerly CCITT) T.30 recommendation protocol and an adaptive error control scheme (AECS) for Group 3 communication and error-free communication. The AECS monitors the channel conditions and selects the optimum error correction code. The ITU-T V.27ter is used as the modulation method and the transmission rate is 4800 bps. This system is compatible with the modified Huffman (MH), modified READ (MR), and modified modified READ (MMR) image data compression codes. The average communication time of this facsimile terminal is 40 s per page while moving through the analog cellular network     

Clinical features of relative focal hyperfusion in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage detected by contrast-enhanced xenon CT

Optimization of the skeletal muscle contraction during cardiac assist is important to achieve maximal cardiac assist and yet avoid overstimulation that may injure skeletal muscle. Dynamic cardiomyoplasty suffers from lack of an objective, reproducible, and accurate technique to measure skeletal muscle shortening fraction after wrap and training of the muscle. A recruitment curve is considered the best way to select the proper stimulation level to achieve supramaximal contraction without overstimulating the muscle. A fluoroscopic technique of determining latissimus dorsi recruitment curve was evaluated in five goats undergoing dynamic cardiomyoplasty with an anterior cardio-subcutaneous wrap. Two pairs of stainless steel targets (0.5 and 1 cm of diameter) were implanted on each side of the muscle wrap. One pair of sonomicrometer crystals was also implanted. Displacement of the targets was measured under fluoroscopy at five different stimulation levels. Correlation coefficients between targets on the inside surface of the wrap and the sonomicrometer crystals, and targets on the outside surface of the wrap and the sonomicrometer crystals were 0.71 (P < 0.05) and 0.60 (P < 0.05), respectively. Targets on the inside surface of the wrap were more accurate than targets on the outside surface of the wrap for measurement of skeletal muscle shortening fraction and establishment of a recruitment curve. Adverse effects from the targets were not observed.     

Loss calculation of induction motors considering harmonic electromagnetic field in stator and rotor

A method of loss calculation for induction motors is proposed. The combined 3D–2D time‐stepping finite element analysis is carried out to obtain the copper loss and the time variation of the magnetic field in the motor. The iron loss is calculated approximately considering the time variation of the magnetic field direction and the minor hysteresis loops caused by the time‐harmonic fields using practical computer resources. The proposed method is applied to four types of induction motors, which are the solid rotor induction motors with/without slot and the cage induction motors with/without skew. The measured and the calculated total losses and the iron losses agree well in all cases. The differences of the loss distributions of each motor are also compared and investigated. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 147(2): 63–73, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.10305     

Accurate determination of pretilt angle in twisted‐nematic liquid‐crystal cells by using a rotating analyzer

Abstract— A new optical method for determining the pretilt angle ψ⁰, particularly on twisted‐nematic (TN) liquid‐crystal (LC) cells, is proposed. ψ⁰ was rapidly determined with good reproducibility on a TN‐LC cell by using a rotating analyzer optical system, a twist angle Φ, the azimuth of the director at a substrate, ϕ⁰, and the retardation Δnd as known values. The thickness d was also determined simultaneously with ψ⁰. ψ⁰ and d were determined within minutes. ψ⁰ was previously determined to be in the range of 0.1° with a standard deviation of 0.01°; this was obtained by repeating the measurement 50 times. The principle behind the determination and the experimental set up are described in detail.     

A novel nonsense mutation associated with an exon skipping in a patient with hereditary protein S deficiency type I

The genetic defect in a patient with hereditary type I protein S (PS) deficiency was investigated. All the exons and intron-exon junctions of the patient's PS gene were amplified by PCR and subjected to heteroduplex screening. Only the PCR product of exon 4 revealed heteroduplex bands. A novel nonsense mutation, Ser62 (TCA) to Stop (TGA) was found in exon 4. RT-PCR detected the aberrant mRNA in the patient's platelets, which was markedly reduced in amount and lacked the region of exon 4, suggesting that the nonsense mutation affected the mutated mRNA metabolism and induced exon skipping. The skipping of exon 4 causes an in-frame deletion of 29 amino acids which just construct the thrombin-sensitive region of the PS molecule. The loss of such an important domain as well as the quantitative decrease in the mutated mRNA appear to be responsible for the type I PS deficiency in this patient.     

Atrophy of the corpus callosum associated with cognitive impairment and widespread cortical hypometabolism in carotid artery occlusive disease

BACKGROUND: The independent influences of small-intestinal bacterial overgrowth and old age on mucosal immunoglobulin production and secretion have not been assessed. This is an important issue, since luminal IgA deficiency may exacerbate small-intestinal bacterial overgrowth, the prevalence of which is high in selected elderly populations. METHODS: Proximal small-intestinal aspirates were obtained from 33 subjects for bacteriologic analysis and measurement of total IgA, IgM, total IgG. IgG subclass, and IgD concentrations. IgA subclasses were measured in 24 unselected subjects. Serum immunoglobulin and salivary IgA concentrations were measured in all subjects. RESULTS: IgA2 and IgG3 were predominant IgA and IgG subclasses in proximal small-intestinal luminal secretions. Luminal concentrations of IgA2 and IgM, but not IgG3 or any other IgG subclass, were significantly increased in small-intestinal bacterial overgrowth, which was present in 19 of 33 (57.6%) subjects. Old age did not influence these levels. Luminal immunoglobulin concentrations did not correlate significantly with either serum or salivary values. IgD was not measureable in proximal small-intestinal secretions. CONCLUSIONS: Increased luminal concentrations of the secretory immunoglobulins, IgA2 and IgM, occur in small-intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Local investigation is mandatory when assessing the mucosal immunopathology of this disorder. Luminal IgG3 is unlikely to be predominantly derived from serum. Old age does not independently influence luminal immunity.     

Organization of quasi-consecutive retrieval files

In 1972, Ghosh introduced the consecutive retrieval (CR) file organization. It is an efficient file organization in which all records pertinent to a query are consecutively stored on linear storage locations.In this paper, we introduce the quasi-consecutive retrieval (QCR) file organization. The QCR file organization is an extension of Ghosh's CR file organization and normally offers less redundancy. In the QCR file, all the records pertinent to each query are not necessarily stored consecutively, but rather they are stored within an area of the buffer size.In this paper, we discuss graph theoretic properties of CR files and QCR files by using the properties of interval graphs well known in graph theory. We provide a basic condition for the existence of a QCR file without redundancy for a given buffer size. By introducing redundant queries, such a condition is simplified.Furthermore, a heuristic computer algorithm is given to organize a QCR file with less redundancy for a given buffer size.     

Study on skin roughness caused by surfactants: II. Correlation between protein denaturation and skin roughness

An attempt to determine protein denaturing potency of typical surfactants has been made by measuring specific rotation of bovine serum albumin. The potencies obtained were examined in relation to the intensities of skin roughness in vivo caused by the surfactants, and a noticeable correlation was found between them. This fact also suggested that the cause of skin roughness may be attributed to a certain extent to adsorption of surfactants. In addition, this technique is very useful in predicting the skin roughening potency of a surfactant without using human skin.