Comparisons between a hybrid shunt active filter and a pure shunt active filter

This paper deals with the hybrid shunt active filter for harmonic compensation of a three‐phase diode rectifier in a 480‐V adjustable‐speed motor drive system. The hybrid filter is formed by a three‐phase LC filter tuned around the seventh harmonic frequency and a small‐rated three‐phase voltage‐source PWM inverter. The LC filter and PWM inverter are directly connected in series. As a result, the DC capacitor voltage of the PWM inverter in the hybrid filter is much lower than that of a conventional pure shunt active filter. This results in higher efficiency, less switching ripple, and less EMI emission. Computer simulation is carried out to compare the hybrid filter with the pure filter in terms of circuit configuration and filtering performance. Simulation results indicate that the hybrid filter is superior in effectiveness and viability to the pure filter. In addition, theoretical analysis based on vector loci confirms the validity of the simulation results. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 153(2): 61–70, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20145     

THE COMPUTATIONAL COMPLEXITY OF THE UNIVERSAL RECOGNITION PROBLEM FOR PARALLEL MULTIPLE CONTEXT-FREE GRAMMARS

A number of grammatical formalisms have been proposed to describe the syntax of natural languages, and the universal recognition problems for some of those classes of grammars have been studied. A universal recognition problem for a class Q of grammars is the one to decide, taking a grammar G ∈ G and a string ui as an input, whether G can generate w or not. In this paper, the computational complexities of the universal recognition problems for parallel multiple context-free grammars, multiple context-free grammars, and their subclasses are discussed.     

FREE SETTLING OF A NON-SPHERICAL PARTICLE IN A STAGNANT LIQUID

The free settling behavior of the cylindrical particles made of four kinds of materials with horizontal motion in the stagnant water observed with an aid of the image sensor anemometer in the Reynolds number ranged from about 150 to 1000 was investigated in this paper. The four kinds of materials were finished into cylindrical specimens having the diameters “d” of 1.5 to 3.0 mm and the ratios of “d” to the length of specimen “1_s” of d/1_s = 1/2 to 1/3.5.

From the experimental results, the settling behavior of the particles was found to be simply expressed by the equation of a simple harmonic motion. By correcting the drag coefficient of the cylindrical particles with a correction factor which is obtained from the simple harmonic motion, the relationship between the drag coefficient and Reynolds number for the cylindrical particles was found to be parallel to that for the spherical particles.     

Subtalar arthrography in acute injuries of the calcaneofibular ligament

We treated 43 acute tears of the calcaneofibular ligament by operation in 43 patients after subtalar arthrography. There were 22 men and 21 women with a mean age of 22.3 years (14 to 61). Anteroposterior (AP), lateral and oblique views were obtained with the foot in 45 degrees of internal rotation and the ankle in the neutral position. Any communication or leakage to the ankle, tendon sheaths, subcutaneous tissue and sinus tarsi was recorded. We examined an oblique view of the microrecess along the interosseous ligament and an AP view of the lateral recess just under the distal end of the fibula. We also studied a control group of 27 patients with isolated injuries of the anterior talofibular ligament without rupture of the calcaneofibular ligament. The findings in the two groups were significantly different when examined for leakage to the ankle (p=0.0002), to the peroneal tendon sheaths (p=0.0347) and to the subcutaneous tissue (p=0.0222), absence of the microrecess (p=0.0055) and presence of the lateral recess (p=0.0012). Many ankle sprains which involve tearing of the calcaneofibular ligament are accompanied by injuries of the subtalar joint. Combined injuries of the anterior talofibular ligament and calcaneofibular ligament, and isolated injury of the anterior talofibular ligament should be differentiated.     

Hepatic sinusoidal membrane transport of anionic drugs mediated by anion transporter Npt1

The purpose of our study was to establish the localization of the anion transporter Npt1 in liver and the relevance of Npt1 to carrier-mediated hepatic transport of beta-lactam antibiotics. Immunocytochemical examination of mouse liver with antiserum for Npt1 showed basolateral (sinusoidal) membrane localization. Function of Npt1 was characterized in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Injection of in vitro-transcribed cRNA into oocytes resulted in an increased uptake of [14C]benzylpenicillin (PCG). The Npt1-mediated uptake was saturable with a Michaelis constant (Km) of 0.46 +/- 0.18 mM and a maximum rate (Vmax) of 46.6 +/- 8.5 pmol/60 min/oocyte, and the uptake of [14C]PCG was independent of Na+ and pH, but dependent on chloride ion. Npt1-mediated [14C]PCG uptake was inhibited by several beta-lactam antibiotics and probenecid. Oocytes injected with Npt1-cRNA demonstrated significantly enhanced transport activity for other anionic compounds such as [14C]faropenem, [14C]foscarnet and [3H]mevalonic acid, as well as [14C]PCG, compared with water-injected oocytes. In conclusion, Npt1 is suggested to participate in hepatic sinusoidal membrane transport of organic anions such as beta-lactam antibiotics as well as inorganic anions for the efflux from hepatocyte-to-blood direction.     

Chemoprevention of azoxymethane-induced intestinal carcinogenesis by a novel synthesized retinoidal butenolide, 5-hydroxy-4-(2-phenyl-(E)-ethenyl)-2(5H)-furanone, in rats

The present study was designed to investigate the modifying effects of dietary 5-hydroxy-4-(2-phenyl-(E)-ethenyl)-2(5H)-furanone (KYN-54), a new synthetic retinoidal butenolide, during the post-initiation phase on azoxymethane (AOM)-induced rat intestinal carcinogenesis. The number of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in rat colon, colonic ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and bromodeoxy-uridine (BrdUrd) labeling index in rat colonic epithelium were also assessed. At 7 weeks of age, male F344 rats (except the KYN-54 alone and control groups) were given weekly s.c. injections of AOM at 15 mg/kg body wt for 3 weeks. Starting 1 week after the last injection of AOM, rats (except the control group) were fed a diet containing KYN-54 at concentrations of 100 or 200 p.p.m. throughout the experiment. All animals were necropsied at 32 weeks after the start of the experiment. Compared with the AOM alone group, KYN-54 at both doses reduced the incidence and multiplicity of tumors in entire intestine (small and large intestines). In the 200 p.p.m. KYN-54 fed group especially, tumor incidence and multiplicity in the entire intestine were lower compared with the AOM alone group (P < 0.005 and P < 0.05 respectively). Also, the number of ACF/cm2 colon in the groups of rats treated with AOM and KYN-54 at both doses were significantly lower than that of rats treated with AOM alone (P < 0.05). Colonic ODC activity and BrdUrd labeling index in the groups of rats treated with AOM and KYN-54 at both doses were slightly lower than those treated with AOM alone. KYN-54 at 200 p.p.m. significantly lowered BrdUrd labeling index induced by AOM (P < 0.005). These results suggest that KYN-54 might be a promising chemopreventive agent for intestinal neoplasia.     

Dissolution properties of some fly ash fillers applying to geopolymeric materials in alkali solution

Dissolution properties of three kinds of fly ash including a Pressurized Fluidized Bed Combustion (PFBC) ash from a novel type of fluidized bed combustion boiler have been studied by leaching in different concentrations of caustic soda solution up to 15 N at 25 °C and 80 °C, stirring for 1 h with liquor/solid ratio = 10. Liquors sampled by a centrifugal separator were chemically analyzed by ICP technique. A blast furnace slag was also studied for reference. Results showed that Ca²⁺ dissolved relatively large amount in genuine water, but no marked dissolution was detected with increasing NaOH concentrations of the leaching solution. No enhanced dissolution of Al³⁺ was detected for ordinary fly ashes collected from pulverized coal combustion boilers even with increasing concentrations of solution at 25 °C, whereas enhanced dissolution of Al³⁺ was observed at 80 °C, when 5 N was reached and more. On the contrary, appreciable increasing was noted on the dissolution of Si⁴⁺ with increasing NaOH concentrations even at 25 °C for the ordinary fly ashes and the Si⁴⁺ dissolution became enhanced at 80 °C, specifically in 5 N and more.     

A proposal of a 3.3‐kV/6.6‐kV transformerless hybrid filter,and experimental verification based on a 200‐V laboratory system

This paper proposes a transformerless shunt hybrid filter for harmonic compensation of a three‐phase six‐pulse diode rectifier, where the AC line‐to‐line voltage is 3.3 or 6.6 kV. The hybrid filter consists of a single tuned LC filter per phase and an active filter with a DC capacitor voltage as low as 300 or 600 V. The two filters are directly connected in series with each other without a transformer. The passive filter absorbs harmonic currents produced by the rectifier, whereas the active filter improves the filtering characteristics of the passive filter. The required rating of the active filter is much smaller than that of a conventional shunt active filter used alone. Another advantage is that no additional switching‐ripple filter is required for the active filter because the LC filter acts not only as a tuned LC filter around the seventh‐harmonic frequency but also as a switching‐ripple filter around 10 kHz. A feedforward control scheme is also proposed to improve the active filter performance. Experimental results obtained from a 200‐V, 5‐kW laboratory system and simulation results of a 3.3‐kV, 300‐kW system confirm the validity and effectiveness of the system. The hybrid filter gives satisfactory compensation performance, thus allowing us to put it into practical use. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 146(2): 54–65, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.10236     

Heterogeneous network polymers. VI. Effects of rate of solvent evaporation on residual PGA liquid crystal structure and its dynamic mechanical properties

Domains of cholesteric liquid crystal structures exist in films of heterogeneous network polymers from poly(L -glutamic acid) (PGA) and poly(oxyethylene glycol) (PEG M?_n = 302, 1003). The sizes and the amounts of the domains are dependent on the PGA content, the evaporation rate of the solvent, and the molecular weight of PEG. At the PGA content of 40% by weight, the sizes of the domains increase, the glass transition temperatures shift to higher temperatures, and the densities increase with increase in the rate of solvent evaporation. These observations suggest that the phase separation of PEG takes place at a PGA content of 40% when the evaporation rate is small. On the other hand, at a PGA content of 70% by weight, the sizes of the domains increase, the glass transition temperatures shift to higher temperatures, and the densities vary little with decrease in the rate of solvent evaporation. These observations suggest that PEG molecules are accommodated among α-helices of PGA and that the cholesteric liquid crystal phase grows at a PGA content of 70% when the evaporation rate is small.