Voltage Control of Static Var Compensator for a Remote System Interconnected by Long‐Distance AC Cables

The voltage variation in a remote system is large when the system is connected by long‐distance AC cables due to the cable capacitance. In Japan, the longest 54‐km 66‐kV AC submarine cable interconnection between the Kyushu mainland and Goto Islands was commissioned in 2005. It was requested to mitigate the voltage variation caused by switching off and on one circuit of the two circuits in the AC cables when a fault occurs. Since the conventional voltage control methods such as transformer tap changer or shunt capacitor and reactor banks are not sufficient because of their slow response time, a static var compensator (SVC) was installed on the Goto Islands. In such an application, an SVC control method should be developed so as not to override the existing voltage control systems. This paper describes the SVC control method developed for the Goto Islands AC interconnection project, which can be applied to similar situations. The effectiveness of the control method was verified by the results of effective value simulation and of field testing, which was implemented before the SVC was commissioned in 2007. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 186(3): 19–30, 2014; Published online in Wiley Online Library ( wileyonlinelibrary.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.22337     

Microbial synthesis and properties of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate)

Microbial synthesis of copolymers of [R]-3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) and 4-hydroxybutyrate (4HB), P(3HB-co-4HB), by Alcaligenes eutrophus, Alcaligenes latus, and Comamonas acidovorans from various carbon sources has been studied. The copolyester compositions varied from 0 to 100 mol% 4HB, depending on the microorganism and the combination of carbon substrates supplied. The thermal and physical properties of compositions with 0–100 mol% 4HB were investigated. The copolyesters represented a wide variety of polymeric materials, from hard crystalline plastic to very elastic rubbers, depending on composition. The copolyester films with high 4HB fractions (64–100 mol% 4HB) exhibited the characteristics of a thermoplastic elastomer, and the tensile strength increased from 17 to 104 MPa as the 4HB fraction increased. The enzymatic degradation of P(3HB-co-4HB) films was studied in an aqueous solution of extracellular polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) depolymerase from Alcaligenes faecalis or lipase from Rhizopus delemer. The erosion rate of P(3HB-co-4HB) films was strongly dependent on the copolymer composition. In addition, environmental degradation of P(3HB-co-4HB) films in sea water was investigated.     

Energetics of BAMO

3,3-Bis(azidomethyl)oxetane (BAMO) is a typical energetic azide polymer containing two N₃, bonds in the molecular structure. Since BAMO is a solidified polymer at room temperature, a liquid BAMO copolymer with tetrahydrofuran (THF) was synthesized in order to gain energetic binders for solid propellants. Various types of experiments were carried out to elucidate the decomposition and combustion processes of BAMO polymer, BAMO/THF copolymer, and crosslinked BAMO/THF copolymer. The heat produced by the decomposition is caused by the bond breakage of -N₃ to produce N₂, gas. The burning rate characteristics of crosslinked BAMO/THF copolymer depend largely on the mole fraction ratio of BAMO and THF.     

Monitoring cure viscosity of epoxy composite

Viscosity is an important process variable that should be monitored and controlled to ensure the consistent and reliable production of graphite-fiber-reinforced composite parts by the autoclave/vacuum bag process. Unfortunately, no technique is currently known for the direct measurement of viscosity in this process. However, d.c. conductivity and a.c. phase lag appear to correlate quite well with viscosity, and either electrical property may be followed in order to indirectly monitor viscosity. As the method of measuring d.c. conductivity is so inexpensive, simple, and almost free of electrical interference compared to the method of measuring a.c. phase lag, it appears to be the method of first choice for application in an autoclave environment.     

Direct Reprogramming and Induction of Human Dermal Fibroblasts to Differentiate into iPS-Derived Nucleus Pulposus-like Cells in 3D Culture

Intervertebral disc (IVD) diseases are common spinal disorders that cause neck or back pain in the presence or absence of an underlying neurological disorder. IVD diseases develop on the basis of degeneration, and there are no established treatments for degeneration. IVD diseases may therefore represent a candidate for the application of regenerative medicine, potentially employing normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs) induced to differentiate into nucleus pulposus (NP) cells. Here, we used a three-dimensional culture system to demonstrate that ectopic expression of MYC, KLF4, NOTO, SOX5, SOX6, and SOX9 in NHDFs generated NP-like cells, detected using Safranin-O staining. Quantitative PCR, microarray analysis, and fluorescence-activated cell sorting revealed that the induced NP cells exhibited a fully differentiated phenotype. These findings may significantly contribute to the development of effective strategies for treating IVD diseases.     

Speciation of selenium in selenium-enriched seeds,buckwheat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Fagopyrum esculentum</Emphasis> Moench) and quinoa (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Chenopodium quinoa</Emphasis> Willdenow)

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) and quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willdenow) are widely used as food ingredients. The nutritional characteristics of these plants, i.e., high contents of proteins and amino acids suggest that selenium (Se) is preserved as selenoamino acid derivatives, in particular, selenomethionine (SeMet) in proteins, similar to selenized yeast. Therefore, buckwheat and quinoa are expected to be a good nutritional source of Se. Selenized buckwheat and quinoa were cultivated on Se-fortified soil using sparingly soluble Se salts, such as barium selenate and barium selenite. Se concentration in the edible parts of these plants was determined, and Se extraction efficiency with enzyme or alkali was evaluated. In addition, the chemical species of Se in the low molecular weight fraction of these plants were determined by HPLC-ICP-MS. Total Se concentrations in the edible parts of selenized buckwheat and quinoa were 170.4 ± 2.9 μg/g and 102.7 ± 2.4 μg/g wet weight, respectively. Thus, these selenized seeds were found to be Se accumulators. The results indicate that Se in selenized buckwheat exists mainly as SeMet, while Se in selenized quinoa exists not only as SeMet but also as selenate (Se(VI)) and non-protein forms.     

鳗鱼皮胶原蛋白水解物对结肠炎的改善作用

溃疡性结肠炎(UC)是一种特发性肠道疾病,发病率不断上升,且治疗药物都存在不同程度的副作用。研究发现胶原蛋白肽可缓解UC症状,并且安全、健康。然而,目前研究主要局限于UC的预防作用,缺少对其治疗作用的研究。鳗鱼皮富含胶原蛋白,而鳗鱼头一般在加工中被丢弃,造成资源浪费,目前缺少对鳗鱼皮胶原蛋白水解物的研究。本研究尝试利用鳗鱼头中的鱼皮提取胶原蛋白并进行水解,希望得到对UC具有治疗作用的鳗鱼皮胶原蛋白水解物(CH),提高鳗鱼加工副产物的利用价值。研究发现鳗鱼皮所含胶原蛋白丰富,占鱼皮湿重的27.87%,纯度较高且主要为Ⅰ型胶原蛋白,可作为胶原蛋白的优质来源。对胶原蛋白进行酶解,得到具有抗氧化活性的CH,并给药UC模型小鼠,结果显示:与阳性对照和模型组相比,CH可以安全健康地降低UC模型小鼠的DAI评分至0,并改善结肠状态;结肠组织病理切片表明CH可以恢复黏膜上皮完整性,减轻炎性细胞浸润;结肠组织氧化应激指标表明CH可以降低结肠组织MDA含量(0.75 nmol/mg pro)和MPO活性(0.11 U/g tissue),并通过提高GSH含量(22.92 umol/g pro)和SOD(693.61 U/g pro)、CAT(1.69 U/g pro)、GPx(141.29 U/g pro)3种抗氧化酶活性来提高结肠组织抗氧化能力,降低氧化应激水平,从而治疗UC。     

基于红外遥感信息的煤矿车辆 异常行为检测研究

为了提升煤矿车辆异常行为检测水平,设计了基于红外遥感信息的煤矿车辆异常行为检测方法。该方法引入清晰度权重以及拉伸系数实现红外遥感图像中目标煤矿车辆部位的局部增强,利用均值漂移算法跟踪增强后的红外遥感图像中目标煤矿车辆,依据煤矿车辆跟踪结果提取煤矿车辆运动方向、运动速度以及运动方向3项异常行为检测参数,采用加权融合方法处理煤矿车辆异常行为检测参数的状态函数,融合结果高于所设定阈值时,煤矿车辆存在异常行为,否则煤矿车辆为正常行驶状态。实验结果表明,该方法可利用煤矿车辆位置、车辆行驶速度以及车辆方向变化检测煤矿车辆异常行为,具有较高的应用性。