A few comments based on Nuclear Physics

The workshop and symposium on “Accelerator-Driven Sub-Critical Reactor System and Nuclear Physics” were held in March 2000 at KEK (Tsukuba) and in October 2000 at Niigata University during the Autumn Meeting of the Japan Physical Society. This was the first joint meeting between the Japanese nuclear physics community members and the Japanese Atomic Energy Society members. About 150 participants working in various fields, such as nuclear physics, reactor physics, reactor engineering, and nuclear power plants in industries discussed the problems related to the nuclear transmutation. Young students also participated in the meetings. Based on the comments in these meetings and on my personal research experience on nuclear physics at university I would like to make a few comments in considering the energy problem in the 21^st century.     

Self-tuning PID controllers based on the Lyapunov approach

In this paper, a self-tuning PID controller using just-in-time learning (JITL) technique is proposed. A set of linear models obtained by the JITL provides the information required to adjust the parameters of PID controller. The self-tuning algorithm for the PID parameters is derived by a rigorous analysis based on the Lyapunov method such that the JITL's predicted tracking error converges asymptotically. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the proposed self-tuning PID controller and a comparison with its conventional counterparts is made.     

New results on VRFT design of PID controller

Virtual reference feedback tuning (VRFT) design method can be applied to determine the parameters of a PID controller from the available process input and output data without resorting to the identification of a process model. Although it is an attractive alternative to the popular model-based controller design methods, the existing results are restricted to the linear systems. In this paper, an adaptive VRFT design method with application to the adaptive PID controller design is proposed. In addition, the relationship between the VRFT and IMC designs is analyzed as well. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the advantage of the adaptive VRFT design over the conventional VRFT design.     

Compact ellipsometer employing a static polarimeter module with arrayed polarizer and wave-plate elements

A portable ellipsometer with a compact static polarimeter using an arrayed polarizer, an arrayed wave plate, and a CCD image sensor is developed. A high level of repeatability at a measurement speed of 0.3 s is demonstrated by measurement of SiO(2) films ranging from 2 to 300 nm in thickness deposited on an Si wafer. There is the potential to realize an ultracompact ellipsometer module by integrating the optical source and receiver, suitable for deployment in a variety of manufacturing equipment and measurement instruments.     

High Magnetic Field Dependence of Magnetodielectric Properties in Sr2CoSi2O7 Crystal

We have investigated magnetic and dielectric properties of åkermanite Sr₂CoSi₂O₇ single crystal in which the orbital hybridization is controllable by external magnetic fields. Sr₂CoSi₂O₇ shows the electric polarization that is originated from asymmetric orbital hybridization induced by magnetic field. This induced electric polarization was observed even at temperatures considerably higher than the magnetic transition temperature. The polarization data obtained for the paramagnetic phase are scaled with the square of the induced magnetization. By the discussion of the crystal symmetry, the space group of a polar state of åkermanite materials is probably Cmm2.     

Thermal seawater desalination based on self-heat recuperation

Recently a novel self-heat recuperation (SHR) technology has been developed for energy saving. In the SHR process, both sensible heat and latent heat are circulated by compression work. Energy consumption is thereby drastically reduced. Using this technology, a new thermal desalination process is developed for reducing energy consumption. The energy required for this SHR-based process is explained by process simulation. It requires ~1/4 the energy of the conventional multi-stage flash desalination process, which is the most widely used thermal desalination. Thus, the proposed thermal desalination process is promising for application in industrial plants.     

Seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 8 in human immunodeficiency virus 1-positive and human immunodeficiency virus 1-negative populations in Japan

To determine the seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) among human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1)-positive (HIV-1+) and HIV-1-negative (HIV-1-) populations in Japan, 276 HIV-1+ patients and 1,000 HIV-1- blood donors were enrolled in this study. Antibodies against HHV8 latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) were examined through indirect immunofluorescent assay by using a B-cell line that was infected latently with HHV8 (body cavity-based lymphoma 1). An HHV8- and Epstein-Barr virus-negative B-cell line (Ramos) was used as a control. Thirty-two seropositive cases against LANA (anti-LANA+) were identified among the 276 HIV-1+ patients who were studied. Five cases were foreigners living in Japan. The risk factor of all 27 Japanese cases was unprotected sexual intercourse, and the great majority of these cases (23 in 27; 85%) reported homosexual/bisexual behavior. Anti-LANA+ status correlated with the presence of sexually transmitted diseases, such as amoeba and HBV infection, further suggesting male homosexual behavior as the main route of HHV8 transmission in Japan. Only two LANA+ cases were identified among 1,000 HIV- blood donors in Japan; thus, seroprevalence of HHV8 identified by LANA was estimated to be 0.2% among HIV-1- populations in this country.     

In vitro osteogenic differentiation of HOS cells on two types of collagen gels

HOS cell is a model strain of human osteoblasts derived from human osteosarcoma. We cultured the HOS cells on both the conventional collagen gel (neutral gel), and the gamma-crosslinked collagen gel without collagen fibrils (acidic gel). The shape of HOS cells on the neutral gel was similar to that on the culture dish. However, HOS cells on acidic gel had an elongated shape and attached each other to form a mesh-like pattern. The cells attached to the surface of both gels but scarcely penetrated their depths. We measured the biochemical markers for osteogenic differentiation in the HOS cells cultured on both the neutral gel and the acidic gel. The expressions of alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin were detected in the HOS cells on both types of collagen gel. Deposition of the calcium also occurred on both gels although it was higher in the neutral gel than the acidic one. These results indicate the importance of collagen for the differentiation of HOS cells, but it is not dependent on the molecular structure (fibril formation) of collagen.     

R-curve behavior in fracture of notched porous ceramics

Notched specimens of porous silicon carbide (SiC) with porosity 37% were fractured under four-point bending. A single edge notch with six depths ranging from 0.1 to 2.8 mm was introduced to the specimen with a height of 7 mm. The fracture of specimens with a notch depth of 0.1 mm did not start from the notch, but from the intrinsic defect. The size of the non-damaging notch is about 0.1-0.2 mm and roughly equal to the size of SiC particles. When the notch depth was larger than 0.4 mm, the fracture started from the notch for all specimens. The record of the strain gage glued on the compression surface of the specimen as a function of the load showed nonlinearity before reaching the maximum load. The critical stress intensity factor was nearly constant for crack initiation from the notch. The resistance curve was constructed by estimating the crack length from the compliance change of the specimen, and was used for determining the maximum load point in bending tests. Fractographic observations showed the fracture path along the binder phase between silicon particles.