Development of capacitive-coupled hall-type MHD generator

We have demonstrated a capacitively coupled Hall-type MHD generator using ECR plasma. To clarify the characteristics of the fabricated MHD generator, we measured the power generation characteristics as a function of magnetic field strength using a DC Hall-type MHD power generation experiment. The results showed that the output power decreased due to magnetic pressure at the higher magnetic field. However, the output power corresponded to the theoretical value at the lower magnetic field. An AC Hall-type MHD power generation experiment was conducted using an AC magnetic field. As a result, full-wave rectification voltage was observed as per theory. Finally, capacitively coupled Hall-type MHD power generation experiments were conducted, and full-wave rectified waveforms were observed as in AC Hall-type MHD power generation. These waveforms were similar to the output waveforms predicted from theory. These results show that the capacitively coupled Hall-type MHD generator is feasible.     

Prediction of the biologically active sites in eclosion hormone from the silkworm, Bombyx mori

The structure-activity relationship of eclosion hormone from the silkworm, Bombyx mori, was analyzed. First, the probable active residues in silkworm eclosion hormone and also tobacco hornworm eclosion hormone were predicted by the average distance map method. To examine the contributions of those residues to the activity of silkworm eclosion hormone, Gly-substituted mutants for those predicted residues were produced by site-directed mutagenesis and their activities were evaluated by a bioassay. Finally, Glu12, Met24 and Phe25 were estimated to be the crucial residues for the eclosion hormone activity. The possibility of the development of a blocker of an eclosion hormone receptor on the basis of the present work is also discussed.      

Chain stiffness and chain conformation of poly(α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone) in dilute solutions

The chain stiffness and local chain conformation of atactic poly(α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone) (PMBL), which is a side chain cyclic structural analog of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), with a weight-average molecular weight (M_w) ranging from 2.8 × 10³ to 2.6 × 10⁶ in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and γ-butyrolactone (GBL) were characterized by size exclusion chromatography with a multi-angle light-scattering detector (SEC-MALS) and synchrotron radiation small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Based on the Kratky-Porod worm-like chain model, the scattering functions and the M_w dependence of z-average root-mean-square radius of gyration <S²>_z^1/2 yielded the Kuhn segment lengths λ⁻¹, the diameter of the PMBL chains d, and the excluded-volume strengths in DMF and GBL. The local conformation of atactic PMBL in DMF and GBL were slightly larger than those of atactic PMMA, due to the presence of the conformationally rigid lactone ring structure.     

Development of Fluorogenic Probes for Rapid High-Contrast Imaging of Transient Nuclear Localization of Sirtuin 3

Protein labeling using fluorogenic probes enables the facile visualization of proteins of interest. Herein, we report new fluorogenic probes consisting of a rationally designed coumarin ligand for the live-cell fluorogenic labeling of the photoactive yellow protein (PYP)-tag. On the basis of the photochemical mechanisms of coumarin and the probe–tag interactions, we introduced a hydroxy group into an environment-sensitive coumarin ligand to modulate its spectroscopic properties and increase the labeling reaction rate. The resulting probe had a higher labeling reaction rate constant and a greater fluorescence OFF–ON ratio than any previously developed PYP-tag labeling probe. The probe enabled the fluorogenic labeling of intracellular proteins within minutes. Furthermore, we used our probe to investigate the localization of sirtuin 3 (SIRT3), a mitochondrial deacetylase. Although the nuclear localization of SIRT3 has been controversial, this transient nuclear localization was clearly captured by the rapid, high-contrast imaging enabled by our probe.     

改进的三维虚拟裂纹闭合方法

改进了一种基于有限元技术分析三维裂纹应力强度因子的计算方法——虚拟裂纹闭合方法,称为改进的虚拟裂纹闭合方法.应用传统的虚拟裂纹闭合方法求解三维裂纹体应力强度因子时,对有限元模型具有一定的要求,即过裂纹前缘的有限单元裂纹面必须具有相同的面积且对称.而应用文中改进的虚拟裂纹闭合方法求解三维裂纹体应力强度因子时,裂纹前缘的裂纹面可以是任意形状.文中应用改进虚拟裂纹闭合方法,建立20结点等参元有限元模型,对三维表面裂纹应力强度因子进行了验证性的分析和讨论.通过与Newman解相比较,证明该方法适用性强且计算精度高.     

Preparation of PLZT Ferroelectric Films by RF Sputtering on 200 mmφ Substrate

(Pb, La)(Zr, Ti) O 3 (PLZT) thin films were deposited on 200mm } Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates by RF magnetron Sputtering using multichamber production system. The Pb content in PLZT films deposited at low temperature was measured by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), and ferroelectrics properties were measured. Good uniformities of Pb content and deposition rate were achieved on 200mm } substrate. For ferroelectrics properties, only small deference was observed between the center and the edge of 200mm } substrate.     

Preparation of Si-Added SrBi2Ta2O9 Ferroelectric Thin Films by RF Magnetron Sputtering

Si-added SrBi₂Ta₂O₉ (SBT) ferroelectric films were prepared by RF magnetron sputtering on a Pt/Ti/SiO₂/Si (100) structure. The films were deposited at temperatures below 100°C for surpressing Bi evaporation, and crystallized at 800°C in air. A typical composition was Sr_0.79Bi_2.37Ta_2.00Si_0.2O_x. The remanent polarization value (2Pr) of the Si-added SBT film was 16 μC/cm². The Si atom addition was found to be effective in improvement of the fatigue and leakage current of SBT ferroelectric films. The leakage current density was further improved by annealing in the high-pressure oxygen ambient at 7 atms.     

Identification of global modeshape from a few nodal eigenvectors using simple free-form deformation

A new method, different from common eigenvalue extraction methods, was proposed by Li and Kikuchi (in 8th ARC conference, 2002). It consists of explicit finite-element method and eigenvalue-extraction method in time domain. Even though the new method performs well in extracting eigenvalues, it is difficult to identify global modeshape of the given structure due to large size of time history data. Only some eigenvectors of a few nodal points can be extracted. In this paper, we apply computer animation technique to identify the global modeshape from a few nodal eigenvectors. Free-form deformation (FFD) technique is simply modified—simple FFD—and applied to the identification of global modeshapes. The basic concepts that consist of simple FFD algorithm are Delaunay triangulation and barycentric coordinate. Some numerical examples show good performance for the identification of global modeshape of a given structure.     

Studies on age-hardenable aluminium alloys by atom-probe field-ion microscope

Field-ion microscopy connected with the successive field-evaporation technique and the atom-probe analysis has been applied to studying precipitation processes, especially the early stage of precipitation, in age-hardenable aluminium alloys, such as Al-Cu, Al-Ag and Al-Sc alloys. In Al-Cu alloys, coexistence of the single-layer G.P.(1) zones and the multilayer G.P.(1) zones has been confirmed and the difference between G.P.(1) zones and G.P.(2) zones has been clearly recognized. In Al-Ag alloys, the octahedral shape of η-G.P. zones has been confirmed. In Al-Sc alloys, it has been found that the equilibrium Al₃Sc phase particles precipitate homogeneously from the beginning without any preprecipitation stage and coherency between the precipitate and the matrix is maintained even in an alloy aged at relatively higher temperature for prolonged periods of time.     

Pseudo-binary system Bi2O3-TeO2 in air

The phase equilibria in the pseudo-binary system Bi₂O₃-TeO₂ at 600° 950° C in air were examined by solid-state reaction techniques and X-ray powder diffraction method. Four pseudo-binary compounds appeared, i.e., -Bi₂O₃ type solid solution having a compositional range of (1-x)Bi₂O₃·xTeO₂ wherex=0 0.4 a new compound Bi₆Te₂O₁₅ which has an orthorhombic cell of a=2.27(4) nm, b=1.06(1) nm and c = 0.539(8) nm, 2Bi₂O₃ · 3TeO₂, and an unidentified phase Bi₂O₃·2TeO₂. The formation of the phase Bi₆Te₂O₁₅, in which all the Te ions are hexavalent, was confirmed by the thermogravimetry and by the Mössbauer spectra. The liquidus curves for whole system were determined by DTA method.