Observational examination of aggregation and migration during early phase of neurosphere culture of mouse neural stem cells

Neural stem cells (NSCs) form cell aggregates called neurospheres during serum-free culture, and this aggregation contributes primarily to neurosphere development. In the present study, we conducted an observational examination of the cell clustering of mouse NSCs in relation to their migration potential. The cell clustering became significant from 12 h after the inoculation of NSCs during the examined culture period of 48 h. Three types of clustering were observed, that is, aggregation between two single cells, and coalescence between a cell and an aggregate and that between two aggregates. The aggregation between single cells occurred during the early phase (0-24 h after inoculation). Six hours after inoculation, the average migration rate of single cells that resulted in aggregation within the subsequent 12 h was higher than that of cells that did not aggregate. Fluorescent stainings of the cytoplasm and F-actin revealed the existence of mini podia and long podia, which were possible elements that produce the driving force for the migration of singly occurring NSCs.     

Production of extracellular bifidogenic growth stimulator by anaerobic and aerobic cultivations of several propionibacterial strains

Production of a bifidogenic growth stimulator (BGS) by propionic acid bacteria was investigated under anaerobic and aerobic culture conditions. To measure the concentration of extracellular BGS produced by propionic acid bacteria, we evaluated the effects of bioassay conditions using Bifidobacterium longum as a test microorganism on the formation of a growth-stimulation zone. The diameter of the growth-stimulation zone was significantly affected by both the component concentrations and the pH of a bioassay medium. The optimum component concentrations and pH of a bioassay medium were one-half of the normal values and 8.5, respectively. Using the bioassay method, we can measure the concentration of BGS produced by propionic acid bacteria ranging in concentrations from 0.1 microg/l to 1 mg/l using 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (DHNA) and 2-amino-3-carboxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (ACNQ) as standards. Of six dairy propionic acid bacterial strains tested, the four strains (Propionibacterium freudenreichii ET-3, P. shermanii PZ-3, P. acidipropionici JCM 6432, and P. jensenii JCM 6433) produced BGS at a concentration range of 4-23 mg/l under the anaerobic culture conditions. Analysis of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) showed that more than 70% of total BGS produced in supernatant samples was DHNA and no ACNQ was produced by the strains. The effect of oxygen supply on BGS production was investigated for the four BGS-producing strains. The aerobic conditions exerted in positive effects on BGS production by only P. acidipropionici JCM 6432. The concentration of BGS obtained in the aerobic cultivation of P. acidipropionici JCM 6432 was 1.3-fold than that in anaerobic cultivation. Different properties (BGS production as well as cell growth and glucose metabolism) occurring in response to the aerobic conditions were observed, depending on the propionic acid bacterial strain used. This paper is the first report on BGS production by propionibacterial strains except for P. freudenreichii.     

Energy storage system utilizing large‐capacity electric double‐layer capacitors for peak‐cut of power demand

Recently, due to a rapid increase of demand for air conditioning in summer, peak power demand is becoming increasingly acute. Therefore, the load factor has a tendency to drop every year. The drop of the load factor is leading to a drop in the utilization factor of the power facilities and an increase in the cost of installation. In this paper, we propose an energy storage system for peak‐cut of power demand, in which we use large‐capacity electric double‐layer capacitors. This energy storage system has some distinctive characteristics, including long life span, maintenance‐free operation, preservation of environment, high efficiency at charge/discharge, and so on. This paper deals with the circuit arrangement of the proposed energy storage system, the charge equalization method of the capacitors, and the control method of the converter at charge/discharge. Finally, the operating characteristics of this system are evaluated by simulation analysis. © 2000 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 133(3): 83‐92, 2000     

Time flexibility to reduce climate change mitigation costs for Japanese electricity supply sector

The idea of greenhouse‐gas credit borrowing in global or national context faces severe problems such as international and intergenerational equity issues. Though the merit of cost reduction is obvious, the possibility is small for such a scheme to be massively allowed in future international negotiations. Still, there is a good chance for each specific player to use the idea of time flexibility. Through analytic and numerical model analysis, this paper demonstrates the merits of time flexibility on a sector base. First, the derived analytic solution for time paths of marginal mitigation costs gives an insight to the relation between timing and costs of mitigation action. Second, the numerical model analysis for the Japanese electricity supply sector shows that time flexibility can drastically reduce costs for mitigation in the sector. Time flexibility is important specifically to the Japanese electricity supply sector because (1) the sector is capital intensive and has long capital turnover time and (2) available mitigation option is limited for the near future. A sector like the Japanese utility sector needs some kind of mechanism to virtually realize the merits of using time flexibility. Domestic and international emission trading systems are the most promising candidate to date. © 2000 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 131(1): 68–77, 2000     

A Phylogenetic Analysis of Saccharomyces Species by the Sequence of 18S–28S rRNA Spacer Regions

Sequences of two internally transcribed spacer regions between 18S and 28S rRNA genes were determined to assess the phylogenetic relationship in the strains belonging to the genus Saccharomyces. The sequences of S. bayanus and S. pastorianus were quite similar, but not identical. Two phylogenetic trees constructed by the neighbor-joining method showed that all the species examined were distinguished from one another. The Saccharomyces sensu stricto species: S. cerevisiae, S. bayanus, S. paradoxus and S. pastorianus, were closely related and far from the Saccharomyces sensu lato species including S. barnetti, S. castellii, S. dairensis, S. exiguus, S. servazzii, S. spencerorum and S. unisporus, and an outlying species, S. kluyveri. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Improvement of inductive power collection in null-flux maglev system

In the superconducting maglev system it is important to develop a non-contact on-board power source without environmental pollution such as noise and exhaust gases; therefore, inductive power collection (IPC), which utilizes a harmonic magnetic field generated by ground coils in EDS, is being studied. However, alteration to a null-flux EDS that has a high drag ratio reduces the power collecting capacity in the IPC system. In addition, power collecting coils are located on the cryostat of the superconducting coil (SC), so eddy currents at the cryostat also reduce the power collecting capacity. Therefore, an exclusive SC type that locates the exclusive SCs and IPC and power collecting coils so as to face the upper and lower coils of ground coils, respectively, is examined; but we aim to improve the conventional type. After analyzing the influence of eddy currents at the cryostat in detail and improving the composition of the power collecting coil and cryostat, we found that the conventional type has the same capacity as the exclusive SC type. In order to prove the above-mentioned result, we measured the induced voltage of the new-type coils in a test run at Miyazaki test track and confirmed the output of this IPC system in a full-scale synthetic bench test with a PWM converter and magnetic field simulator. © 1998 Scripta Technica. Electr Eng Jpn, 122(2): 48–60, 1998     

Fault current limiting system for 500‐kV power systems

Recently, expansion in the scale of power systems and development of localized power sources are leading to an increase in fault current of 500‐kV systems. In the future, it is quite likely that the fault current at the interconnection of such power systems may exceed the rated short‐time current of existing electric power facilities. As one of the solutions of this problem, a thyristor‐controlled series‐resonant‐type fault current limiter (FCL) is proposed to restrain the fault current. This paper deals with the FCL system configuration, the placement method of the FCL in power systems, the outline of the FCL's specification, and the operation method of the protective relay in the multimachine system. Finally, the effectiveness of the FCL is evaluated from the viewpoints of limiting the fault current by simulation analysis. The FCL is shown to be a useful protection device for large, high‐capacity power systems. © 1999 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 127(1): 11–22, 1999     

In situ Raman study on single- and double-walled carbon nanotubes as a function of lithium insertion

We investigated the electrochemical lithium ion (Li(+)) insertion/desertion behavior on highly pure and bundled single- and double-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs and DWNTs) using an in situ Raman technique. In general, two storage sites could host Li(+) in SWNT and DWNT bundles when varying an external potential: a) the outer surface sites, and b) the interstitial spaces within the bundles. The most sensitive changes in the tangential mode (TM) of the Raman spectra upon doping with Li(+) can be divided into two regions. The first region was found from 2.8 to 1.0 V (the coverage of Li(+) on the outer surface of a bundled nanotube) and was characterized by the loss of resonant conditions via partial charge transfer, where the G(+) line of the SWNT and the TM of the outer tube of DWNTs experienced a highly depressed intensity, but remained almost constant in frequency. The appearance of a Breit-Wigner-Fano (BWF) profile provided strong evidence of metallic inner tubes within DWNTs. The second region was observed when the applied potentials ranged from 0.9 to 0 V and was characterized by Li(+) diffusion into the interstitial sites of the bundled nanotube material. This phenomenon invoked a large downshift of the G(-) band in SWNTs, and a small downshift of the TM of the inner tube of DWNTs caused by expansion of the C--C bonds due to the charge transferred to the nanotubes, and the disappearance of the BWF profile through the screening effect of the interstitial Li(+) layers.     

Challenges to the Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS) Technology

Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS) technology, which is one of the technologies against global warming, applied to the separation and capture of CO₂ gas and finally storage underground is attracting attention. There are several technologies being developed for CO₂ separation and capture, namely the chemical absorption method, physical absorption method, adsorbing separation method and membrane separation method. These are being developed to apply to postcombustion capture, oxyfuel postcombustion capture, etc. With regard to the CO₂ storage technologies, the method of injection into an aquifer is being developed as the major one, and studies on issues for actual technical application are being conducted in the form of engineering study on the assumed model area. In this report, our expectations toward actual application of the CCS technology, the trends of the CCS technology and other related matters are introduced. Copyright © 2007 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Numerical analysis of residual stress distribution generated by welding after surface machining based on hardness variation in surface machined layer due to welding thermal cycle

Recently, stress corrosion cracking (SCC) has been observed near the welded zone of the primary loop recirculation pipes made of low-carbon austenitic stainless steel type 316L in boiling water reactors. SCC is initiated by superposition effect of three factors. They are material, environmental and mechanical factors. For non-sensitized material such as type 316L, residual stress as a mechanical factor of SCC is comparatively important. In the joining processes of pipes, butt welding is conducted after surface machining. Surface machining is performed in order to match the inside diameter and smooth surface finish of pipes. Residual stress is generated by both processes. Moreover, residual stress distribution generated by surface machining is varied by subsequent welding processes, and it has the maximum residual stress around 900 MPa near the weld metal. The variation of metallographic structure, such as recovery and recrystallization, in the surface machined layer due to the welding thermal cycle is an important factor for this residual stress distribution. In this study, thermal ageing tests were performed in order to evaluate hardness variation due to the thermal cycle in the surface machined layer. Results of thermal ageing tests were applied to the finite-element method as the additivity rule of the hardness variation. Varied hardness was converted into equivalent plastic strain. Then, thermo-elastic-plastic analysis was performed under residual stress fields generated by surface machining. As a result, analytical results of surface residual stress distribution generated by bead-on-plate welding after surface machining show good agreement with measured results by the X-ray diffraction method. The maximum residual stress near the weld metal is generated by the same mechanism as in the both-ends-fixed bar model in the surface machined layer that has high yield stress.