Numerical simulation of transient natural convection induced by electrochemical reactions confined between vertical plane Cu electrodes

A transient natural convection develops along vertical plane Cu electrodes during the galvanostatic electrolysis. The time variations of both the concentration profile of CuSO₄ and the velocity profile of a 0.6 M CuSO₄ aqueous electrolyte were measured. The mass transfer rate of Cu²⁺ ion as well as the natural convective fluid motion was analyzed. The effect of electrode spacing on the transient natural convection was focused. The overshooting phenomenon caused by the transient diffusive and convective mass transfer rate was observed. Numerical simulation may provide as better understanding of the phenomena.     

Experimental and numerical investigation of ion temperature in an ECR plasma

The ion temperature in a large diameter plasma is measured with the high-resolution optical emission spectroscopy. It is found that the ion temperature is low when the radial distribution of the plasma is flat profile compared with that in the case of peaked profile. The results of numerical calculation carried out by using the hybrid model validate the assumption of Boltzmann distribution in plasma and agree well with the experimental results. Thus, it is concluded that the decrease of the ion temperature is caused by the decrease of the radial electric field.     

Barkhausen Noise Measurement System Using a Three-Pole Probe

In the present study, a three-pole probe is proposed for measurement of Barkhausen noise (BN). A system was constructed for forming a magnetic field using the three-pole probe and succeeded in forming rotating magnetic fields of the same amplitude in all directions and arbitrary orientated stationary alternating magnetic fields. Furthermore, a BN measurement system was constructed and used to measure the BN of a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet. The results show that the BN exhibits a large output in the direction of the easy magnetization axis of the specimen, and it is demonstrated that the BN measurement result using the rotating magnetic field formed by the three-pole probe is reliable.     

Mouse placental cells secrete soluble leptin receptor (sOB-R): cAMP inhibits sOB-R production

PURPOSE: To identify imaging features at unenhanced helical computed tomography (CT) that help differentiate distal ureteral calculi from pelvic phleboliths. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed of 184 pelvic calcifications identified at unenhanced helical CT in 113 patients. The size, shape, and attenuation of each calcification were recorded in addition to the presence of a central lucency and the appearance of the adjacent soft tissues. With profile analysis, a graphic representation was generated of attenuation in each pixel along a line drawn through each calcification. RESULTS: Geometric configuration was seen in eight (21%) calculi but not in any phleboliths. Differences were significant (P < .0001) between the mean attenuation of calculi and that of phleboliths. Among phleboliths, none had a mean attenuation greater than 278 HU, 13 (9%) had a visible central lucency, 31 (21%) had a bifid peak at profile analysis, 30 (21%) had the "comet sign" (adjacent eccentric, tapering soft-tissue mass corresponding to the noncalcified portion of a pelvic vein), and three (2%) had the soft-tissue rim sign (edema of the ureteral wall). Among calculi, none had a central lucency, bifid peak, or comet sign, but 29 (76%) had the soft-tissue rim sign. CONCLUSION: Analysis of pelvic calcifications at unenhanced helical CT can help differentiate calculi from phleboliths.     

A study of treeing phenomena in the development of insulation for500 kV XLPE cables

This review summarizes research on treeing phenomena, i.e. the formation of electrical trees and water trees, that has been undertaken in Japan for the development of 500 kV XLPE cable. Section 1 presents the results of factors affecting XLPE cable insulation breakdown under commercial ac and lightning impulse voltages. Section 2 verifies the phenomena of electrical tree formation in XLPE cable insulation using block samples and model cables, and gives the results of studies to determine the level electrical field stress initiation for such trees. Section 3 summarizes the results of studies on long-term aging characteristics, which is a particular problem under commercial ac voltages, while Section 4 explains how this research influenced the design of 500 kV XLPE cable insulation. All authors were members of `The investigation committee of fundamental process of treeing degradation' under IEEJ     

Semiconductor piezoresistance prediction model for mechanical sensor design

This paper addresses semiconductor piezoresistive materials selection in MEMS engineering design. From the practical engineering point of view, it is important to understand piezoresistance properties of semiconductors even if less accuracy under feasibility design phase. However, piezoresistance is frequently analyzed based on first principle electronic band structure simulations by sophisticate physicists. Practical engineers not familiar with this simulation cannot directly apply useful information derived from the result of simulation. This paper provides practical prediction method for piezoresistance based on electronic band parameters obtained from the state-of-the-art solid-state physics. It is demonstrated that the crucial parameters which control the p-type shear piezoresistance coefficient π₄₄ in diamond and zinc-blend single crystals are the inverse of square of bond length in unit cell atom, the square root of valence light hole mass, and the shear elastic compliance coefficient S₄₄.     

Suspended bimaterial microchannel resonators for thermal sensing of local heat generation in liquid

Suspended bimaterial microchannel resonator devices have been fabricated to measure the thermal behaviors of small biological molecules and individual cells in liquid. A resonant microbridge structure embeds this microfluidic channel in its interior. The fabrication process is based on the creation of buried channels in silicon-on-insulator wafers. For the bimaterial bridge structure layers of SiO₂ and SiN_x were used. This bimaterial resonant bridge with internal microfluidic channel could be employed as a very sensitive calorimeter, since the tensile stress generated by bimaterial effect in the heated bridge, produces a shift of resonant frequency. A laser beam was used to heat the center of the bridge resonator with the microchannel filled by water and the corresponding resonant frequency variations were evaluated. The measured sensitivity for the local heat at the center of the bridge is 8.6 ppm/μW in atmospheric condition.     

Detection of cyclone-induced rapid increases in chlorophyll-a with sea surface cooling in the northwestern Pacific Ocean from a MODIS/SeaWiFS merged satellite chlorophyll product

We performed a comprehensive analysis of satellite chlorophyll-a concentration (chl-a) data to detect all events in which chl-a rapidly increased on a time scale of 10 days or less. Our analysis could successfully detect cases in which chl-a increased and sea surface temperature (SST) decreased rapidly after the passages of tropical and extratropical cyclones. The events with large SST decreases tended to occur south of Japan, in the Sea of Okhotsk, and in the regions between 35° and 45° N, especially the Kuroshio–Oyashio Extension (KOE) region. Although the contribution of cyclones on the yearly total chl-a increase was basically small, the cyclone-induced chl-a increases accounted for a few tens of per cent of the total chl-a increase in some areas. In oligotrophic regions, the increases in chl-a tended to become larger as the corresponding SST decrease became larger, although the relationship between them is opposite in mesotrophic and eutrophic regions.