Cooperative operation of a wind energy conversion system with a hydrogen electrolyzer by using an adjustable speed flywheel generator

Hydrogen is considered as the energy source of the next generation. This paper proposes a system which consists of Flywheel Generator (FWG), Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS), and Hydrogen Electrolyzer (HE), for the purpose of hydrogen generation and grid output power smoothing. The cooperative control among flywheel generator, hydrogen electrolyzer, and wind generator is performed by controlling the flywheel generator. Simulations have been done by PSCAD/EMTDC. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 168(3): 19–27, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley. com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20863     

Thinopyrum ponticum Chromatin-Integrated Wheat Genome Shows Salt-Tolerance at Germination Stage

A wild wheatgrass, Thinopyrum ponticum (2n = 10x = 70), which exhibits substantially higher levels of salt tolerance than cultivated wheat, was employed to transfer its salt tolerance to common wheat by means of wide hybridization. A highly salt-tolerant wheat line S148 (2n = 42) was obtained from the BC₃F₂ progenies between Triticum aestivum (2n = 42) and Th. ponticum. In the cross of S148 × salt-sensitive wheat variety Chinese Spring, the BC₄F₂ seeds at germination stage segregated into a ratio of 3 salt tolerant to 1 salt sensitive, indicating that the salt tolerance was conferred by a dominant gene block. Genomic in situ hybridization analysis revealed that S148 had a single pair of Th. ponticum–T. aestivum translocated chromosomes bearing the salt-tolerance. This is an initial step of molecular breeding for salt-tolerant wheat.     

Impedance study of the charge transport at poly-o-phenylenediamine film electrodes

The measured low-frequency capacitance of the polymer film was proportional to the film thickness and showed a maximum at the formal potential of the polymer. We analyzed the relation between the capacitance and potential by taking into account the contribution of an interaction between electroactive sites. The Warburg coefficient and the width of a linear 45 ° region in an impedance diagram showed each their minima near the formal potential. These impedance data were interpreted in terms of the diffusion-migration transport of both electron and anion through the film. The results of the impedance analysis suggested that electron transport was ensured by interchain electron hopping. From the combinations of the measured kinetic parameters, we inferred that one of the two charge carriers moved much faster than the other. The obtained diffusion coefficient showed a maximum in the vicinity of a voltammetric current peak; this corresponded with the potential dependence of a coupled diffusion coefficient expected in the extreme case of electron-transport control.     

Hepatic adenine nucleotides and microsomal cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity in the obstructed and freely draining lobes of the liver after selective bile duct obstruction

BACKGROUND: The effect of selective bile duct obstruction (SBDO) on hepatic reserve function of the bile duct obstructed (BDO) and nonobstructed freely draining (FD) lobes of the liver is obscure. METHODS: The bile duct branches draining from the left lateral and median lobes of the liver were ligated for 4 and 10 days in rats, and hepatic reserve functions in BDO and FD lobes were assessed by microsomal cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activities and by hepatic adenine nucleotides and energy charge levels. The values were compared with those in the sham-operated control liver. Cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activities were determined by gas-liquid chromatography--mass spectrometry, and hepatic adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) levels with high-pressure liquid chromatography. RESULTS: The histological examination of the BDO lobes showed proliferation and formation of new bile ductules and fibrous connective tissues linking portal areas. Microsomal cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activities, hepatic energy charge and each adenine nucleotide level did not differ between FD and BDO lobes, and the values were similar to those in the sham-operated liver. CONCLUSIONS: Selective bile duct obstruction shows no adverse effects on microsomal and mitochondrial functions in both the BDO and FD lobes of the liver.     

Antifeedant and Termiticidal Activities of 6-Alkoxycoumarins and Related Analogs Against <Emphasis Type="Italic">Coptotermes formosanus</Emphasis> Shiraki

We synthesized 23 6-alkoxycoumarin derivatives, 20 of which are novel compounds. The structures of all compounds were confirmed by NMR, MS, and elemental analysis, and their antifeedant and termiticidal activities against Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki were examined. In a no-choice test, 6-(2-pentynyloxy)coumarin (2v), 6-(2-butynyloxy)coumarin (2u), 6-(2-octynyloxy)coumarin (2w), and 6-methoxycoumarin (2a), demonstrated high termiticidal activity at a concentration of 10 μmol. At a concentration of 5 μmol, 6-(2-butynyloxy)coumarin (2u) produced the highest mortality among the compounds tested. On the other hand, all of the 6-alkoxycoumarins showed antifeedant activity at both concentrations, except 6-octadecyloxycoumarin (2j) that was inactive at 5 μmol. Among the 23 compounds and the control, 6-ethoxycoumarin (2b), 6-isopropoxycoumarin (2d), and 6-isobutoxycoumarin (2f) exhibited the highest antifeedant activity with no mass loss (0.00%) at a concentration of 10 μmol. Our findings indicate that the presence of alkenyloxy and alkynyloxy groups was important for the termiticidal activity, while the incorporation of alkoxy groups with longer alkyl chains tended to reduce both the termiticidal and antifeedant activities. Furthermore, short chain alkoxy and arylalkoxy-substituted analogs showed good antifeedant activity, but methoxy groups on the benzene ring had a negative effect.     

Electrostatic incorporation of alizarin red S into poly[1-methyl-3-(pyrrol-1-ylmethyl)pyridinium] films

Poly-[1-methyl-3-(pyrrol-1-ylmethyl)pyridinium]chloride films on glassy carbon electrodes greatly increased the voltammetric peak currents of alizarin red S (ARS), which is an anthraquinone derivative. We propose that the adsorption sites of ARS in the polymer channel be divided into two different classes: the hydrophobic interfacial zone and the hydrated zone. The theoretical curve based on our proposed model well fits the experimental data points for the relationship between the ARS concentrations in the polymer film and in the immersing solution. The electrocatalytic effect produced by the polymer film is attributed to an effective extraction of ARS from very dilute solution (the partition coefficients on hydrophobic interfacial zones, K₁ is 2.5×10⁷, and that on hydrated zones, K₂ is 6.3×10⁴ in 0.2 M H₂SO₄). A K₁/K₂ value of 400 means that the ion-exchange ability of ARS in the hydrophobic interfacial zone is much larger than that in the hydrated zone. Although anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate and acid violet were strongly bound to the PMPP film, ARS can not been fixed to the polymer because of a weak binding force. Using our proposed model, the ion-exchange ability of PMPP film is controlled by both of electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, but the adsorption ability changes with steric hindrance between the anionic species and polycationic films.     

Redox and ionic-binding switched fluorescence of phenosafranine and thionine included in Nafion® films

This report describes electrochemical and optical properties of azine-loaded Nafion® film electrodes that generate redox-activated optical signal. The apparent charge diffusion coefficient in the film decreased abruptly as the solution pH increased from 0.4 to 3, probably because deprotonation of the dyes lowered the rate of intermolecular electron hopping. Reversible switching of the fluorescence of phenosafranine was performed by electrochemical oxidation/reduction cycles. Both of the redox couple were isolable and stable; the reduced form was non-fluorescent, whereas the oxidized form was strongly fluorescent. Since the photonic output depended on chemical binding, the electrode system could operate as a dual-mode switching device. The second protonation of the dye molecule changed the fluorescence intensity sufficiently for chemical signaling of the photonic output, because the fully protonated oxidized-form was non-fluorescent; however, a pK_a1 of 0.8 was too low to change the pH rapidly. 1,1′-ferrocenedimethanol quenched the fluorescence of the oxidized form efficiently to cause the ‘switching off’ of fluorescence. In the presence of the guest, however, the dye-loaded film did not recover the fluorescent state at any potential, because the cationic dye formed a nonfluorescent complex with the guest incorporated into the film.     

Application of fluidized hot-melt granulation (FHMG) for the preparation of granules for tableting; properties of granules and tablets prepared by FHMG

The objective of this study was to investigate the properties of granules and tablets prepared by a novel Fluidized Hot-Melt Granulation (FHMG) technique. Macrogol 6000 (polyethylene glycol 6000, PEG 6000), macrogol 20000 (polyethylene glycol 20000, PEG 20000), and glyceryl monostearate (GMS) were used as binders with different levels of viscosity and water solubility. The properties of both granules and tablets were compared with those obtained using the Standard Tablet Formulation (STF, lactose/corn starch/hydroxypropylcellulose/magnesium stearate: 66/30/3.5/0.5) for fluidized-bed granulation, which is widely used for wet granulation. To obtain suitable flowability as granules for tabletting, the content of the melting material should be approximately 10 w/w%. The rate of increase in the mean diameter of the granules during FHMG was affected by both the melting temperature and the viscosity of the melting material used in the granules. The compression properties of granules prepared by FHMG were also investigated, demonstrating that these granules had a high pressure transmittance. The hardness and the disintegration time of tablets obtained from granules prepared by FHMG were influenced by the properties of the melting material, such as its compaction behavior, solubility, and wettability. No significant differences of hardness were observed when compared to STF tablets. Tablets prepared from FHMG granules disintegrated within 15 min, whereas the STF tablets showed faster disintegration. It was also demonstrated that the hardness and disintegration time of tablets prepared from FHMG granules were not affected by the tablet porosity. Therefore, tablets with a constant quality may be obtainable under a wide range of compression forces. The results of this study suggested that FHMG is a useful method of preparing granules for tableting without using any solvents or water.