Significance of attached cyanobacteria relevant to the occurrence of musty odor in Lake Kasumigaura

The microorganisms and compounds causing musty odor in the second largest lake in Japan, Lake Kasumigaura, where the water is used for drinking, fisheries and agricultural purposes, were examined during the severe occurrence of musty odor in 1989 and 1990. This study was undertaken to determine the microorganisms and their metabolites responsible for the musty odor. Phormidium tenue, which has been reported to be the main contributor of the odor in Lake Kasumigaura, was isolated. Furthermore, four monoxenic strains of the odor producing attached cyanobacteria, Phormidium viscosum, Lyngbya allorgei, Oscillatoria splendida and Phormidium uncinatum, were isolated from submerged rocks and sediments in the lake. All of the four attached strains produced only geosmin, which was confirmed by gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer analysis, in the monoxenic cultures. In particular, we confirmed for the first time that P. viscosum, L. allorgei and P. uncinatum produced geosmin. Both the planktonic Phormidium tenue, a well known 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) producer and geosmin-producing attached cyanobacteria were closely associated with the occurrence of musty odor in Lake Kasumigaura.     

High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging of the intraorbital optic nerve and subarachnoid space in patients with papilledema and optic atrophy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the orbital portion of the optic nerve and the subarachnoid space using fast spin-echo magnetic resonance imaging in normal subjects and in patients with papilledema or optic atrophy. DESIGN: Measurements of the optic nerve complex on coronal images were made using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging with fast spin-echo sequences. PATIENTS: Twenty-one patients, including 5 patients with papilledema due to congenital hydrocephalus, intracranial tumors, or meningitis, as well as 16 patients with optic atrophy, were studied. Sixteen healthy volunteers served as controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The longitudinal diameter of the optic nerve, the longitudinal outer diameter of the subarachnoid space, the diameter ratio, and the area of the subarachnoid space were determined. RESULTS: In normal subjects, the ring-shaped area of high signal intensity that represented the subarachnoid space was widest behind the globe, then narrowed toward the orbital apex. In patients with papilledema, the area of the subarachnoid space was markedly dilated, the optic nerve was compressed, and the nerve sheath was widened, resulting in a small diameter ratio compared with that of controls. Patients with pallor of the temporal aspect of the optic disc appeared to exhibit dilation of the subarachnoid space; the size of the optic nerve was decreased more than that of the nerve sheath, resulting in a small diameter ratio compared with controls. Patients with complete pallor of the disc, however, exhibited hyperintense optic nerve complexes without a ring-shaped appearance toward the orbital apex. CONCLUSION: Fast spin-echo magnetic resonance imaging appears useful for objectively evaluating the optic nerve and surrounding subarachnoid space in patients with papilledema and optic atrophy.     

Development of Strategic Establishment of Technology Bases for a Fusion DEMO Reactor in Japan

The strategic establishment of technology bases required for the development of a fusion demonstration reactor (DEMO) has been discussed by joint endeavors throughout the Japanese fusion community. The mission of Fusion DEMO is to demonstrate the technological and economic feasibility of fusion energy. The basic concept of Fusion DEMO has been identified and the structure of technological issues to ensure the feasibility of this DEMO concept has been examined. The Joint-Core Team consisting of experts from the Japanese fusion community including industry has pointed out that DEMO should be aimed at steady power generation beyond several hundred thousand kilowatts, availability which must be extensible to commercialization, and overall tritium breeding sufficient to achieve fuel-cycle self-sufficiency. The necessary technological issues and activities have been sorted out along with 11 identified elements of DEMO, such as superconducting coils, blanket, divertor, and others. These will be arranged within a time line to lead to the Japanese fusion roadmap.     

Mass spectrometric analysis for high molecular weight synthetic polymers using ultrasonic degradation and the mechanism of degradation

We have investigated ultrasonic degradations of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEG) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) in aqueous media by means of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS). The ultrasonic degradation of polymers was monitored as a function of ultrasonication duration to examine the structural details of ultrasonic degradation polymers. PEG solution ultrasonication produced five types of oligomers (M approximately 1000 Da) with different end groups, irrespective of the initial average molecular masses (M=2, 6, 20, and 2000 kDa). Several degradation pathways with free radical reactions have been suggested to explain these degradation products: the ultrasonic degradation of PEG is initiated by breaking of the C-O bond in the PEG chain, generating polymeric radicals with two terminal groups, i.e., X*( approximately CH2CH2*) and Y*( approximately CH2CH2O*), followed by termination with extraction or release of a hydrogen atom. However, PMMA (M=1630 Da) ultrasonication generated only one type of degradation oligomer, which has a hydrogen group at both ends, the same as that of the original oligomer. It has been suggested that the presence of the radical terminal groups X*( approximately CH2*) and Y*( approximately (CH3)CCOO(CH3)C*) is due to selective C-C bond breaking in the chain during the ultrasonic degradation of PMMA. The MALDI-TOFMS combined with the ultrasonic degradation technique (UD/MALDI-TOFMS) developed in this study could be extended to the analysis of synthetic polymer structures with high molecular weights.     

Development of suitability maps for ground-coupled heat pump systems using groundwater and heat transport models

The thermophysical properties of subsurface materials (soils, sediments and rocks) and groundwater flow strongly affect the heat exchange rates of ground heat exchangers (GHEs). These rates can be maximized and the installation costs of the ground-coupled heat pump (GCHP) systems reduced by developing suitability maps based on local geological and hydrological information. Such maps were generated for the Chikushi Plain (western Japan) using field-survey data and a numerical modeling study. First, a field-wide groundwater model was developed for the area and the results matched against measured groundwater levels and vertical temperature profiles. Single GHE models were then constructed to simulate the heat exchange performance at different locations in the plain. Finally, suitability maps for GCHP systems were prepared using the results from the single GHE models. Variations in the heat exchange rates of over 40% revealed by the map were ascribed to differences in the GHE locations, confirming how important it is to use appropriate thermophysical data when designing GCHP systems.     

Isolation and characterization of a soluble and thermostable phosphite dehydrogenase from Ralstonia sp. strain 4506

Phosphite dehydrogenase (PtxD), which catalyzes the nearly irreversible oxidation of phosphite to phosphate with the concomitant reduction of NAD(+) to NADH, has great potential for NADH regeneration in industrial biocatalysts. Here, we isolated a soil bacterium, Ralstonia sp. strain 4506, that grew at 45°C on a minimal medium containing phosphite as the sole source of phosphorus. A recombinant PtxD of Ralstonia sp. (PtxD(R4506)) appeared in the soluble fraction in Escherichia coli. The purified PtxD(R4506) showed 6.7-fold greater catalytic efficiency (V(max)/K(m)) than the first characterized PtxD of Pseudomonas stutzeri (PtxD(PS)). Moreover, the purified PtxD(R4506) showed maximum activity at 50°C, and its half-life of thermal inactivation at 45°C was 80.5h, which is approximately 3,450-fold greater than that of PtxD(PS). Therefore, we concluded that PtxD(R4506), which shows high catalytic efficiency, solubility, and thermostability, would be useful for NADH regeneration applications.     

Cooling system for the soft X-ray spectrometer onboard Astro-H

The Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) is a cryogenic high resolution X-ray spectrometer onboard the X-ray astronomy satellite Astro-H which will be launched in 2014. The detector array is cooled down to 50 mK using an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR). The cooling chain from the room temperature to the ADR heat-sink is composed of superfluid liquid He, a Joule-Thomson cryocooler, and double-stage Stirling cryocoolers. It is designed to keep 30 l of liquid He for more than 5 years in the normal case, and longer than 3 years even if one of the cryocoolers fails. Cryogen-free operation is also possible in the normal case. It is fully redundant from the room temperature to the ADR heat-sink.     

Magmatic fluid input to the Kuju-Iwoyama hydrothermal system prior to the 1995 eruption of the Kuju volcano (Kyushu, Japan)

A schematic model showing the sources of hot waters being discharged at the surface in the Kuju-Iwoyama of the Kuju volcano has been developed. Based on the isotopic characteristics of these fluids it is inferred that deep magmatic fluid mixes with thermal waters derived from rainwater in a shallow geothermal reservoir, and with local groundwaters in a deeper reservoir. These thermal waters feed hot springs that discharge waters with Cl/SO₄ ratios that differ from that of the fumaroles on Kuju-Iwoyama, due to the addition of SO₄²⁻ ions produced by the decomposition of native sulfur and mixing with magmatic fluid of high Cl content.     

Free‐weighting matrices‐based robust wide‐area FACTS control design with considering signal time delay for stability enhancement of power systems

This paper presents a free‐weighting matrix (FWM) method based on linear control design approach for the wide‐area robust damping (WARD) controller associated with flexible AC transmission system (FACTS) device to improve the dynamical performance of the large‐scale power systems. First, the linearized reduced‐order plant model is established, which efficiently considers the time delay of the remote feedback signals transmitted by wide‐area measurement systems. Then, based on the robust control theory, the design of the FACTS‐WARD controller is formulated as the standard control problem on delay‐dependent state‐feedback robust control, which is described by a set of linear matrix inequality constraints. Furthermore, in order to obtain the optimal control parameters that can endure the maximum time delay, a FWM approach is proposed to solve the time‐dependent problem of the time‐delay system. Meanwhile, an iterative algorithm based on cone complementary linearization is presented to search out the optimal control parameters. Finally, the nonlinear simulations on the 2‐area 4‐machine and the 5‐area 16‐machine test systems are performed, to evaluate the control performance of the proposed robust wide‐area time‐delay control approach. © 2011 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Flywheel size design considerations and experimental verification using a 50‐kW system for voltage sag compensator with flywheel induction motor

Flywheel energy storage systems can be used as an uninterrupted power supply system because they are environmentally friendly and have high durability. The use of a simple voltage sag compensator with a low‐speed heavy flywheel and a low‐cost squirrel‐cage induction motor/generator is proposed. First, the ability of the proposed system to maintain the load voltage at 100% when the grid is experiencing voltage sag is validated experimentally. Next, design guidelines for the flywheel stored energy are discussed. Experimental verification of a 50‐kW‐class system is carried out, and the results show good agreement with the developed design guidelines. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 181(1): 36–44, 2012; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.21252