Development of Low Loss Magnetodielectric Nanocomposites of Epoxy Resin and Iron Nanoparticles

To achieve the aim of developing a new insulating substrate that can exhibit both high permittivity and high permeability, ferromagnetic iron nanoparticles were dispersed uniformly in epoxy resin. Measurements of the electrical conductivity, permittivity, and permeability indicate that the composite can be a good candidate for an insulating substrate with negligibly small eddy‐current loss and sufficiently high permittivity.     

Evaluation and discussion of disturbance observer‐based anti‐slip/skip readhesion control for electric train

The improvement of adhesion characteristics is very important for electric trains. The drive system of electric trains must have fine anti‐slip and anti‐skid readhesion controls. In order to achieve the required adhesion, we have already proposed an anti‐slip/skid readhesion control system based on disturbance observer and sensorless vector control. Moreover, we have already applied the proposed method to actual electric multiple unit trains Series 205‐5000. In this paper, using the experimental results of Series 205‐5000 and the numerical simulation results, we evaluate the proposed anti‐slip/skid readhesion control system and confirm that the system has the desired driving wheel torque response. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 169(4): 55–64, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20834     

DISTRIBUTION OF NITROUS ACID BETWEEN TRI-N-BUTYL PHOSPHATE/ N-DODECANE AND NITRIC ACID

ABSTRACT

The distribution of nitrous add between tri-n-butyl phosphate ( TBP) n-dodecane ( nDD) and nitric add has been measured as functions of nitrous and nitric add concentrations in the aqueous phase and functions of TBP and uranium concentrations in the organic phase

The extraction of nitrous add by TBP can be described by the following reaction:     

Experimental investigation on the cause of harmfulness of the bluewater tree to XLPE cable insulation

Through investigations made on crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) insulated power cables that had experienced failures, blue-colored water trees were observed in addition to ordinary white water trees. The blue water tree was found to be much more harmful than the white water tree, since more electrical trees started at the blue trees. Elemental analysis revealed that iron and sulfur exist in the blue tree. In the case of this blue water tree, space charge exists abundantly but only at the tree tip, while no charge signal is observed on the electrode from which the tree starts. This indicates that the conductivity of the blue tree is very high. This is considered to be the main reason of the harmfulness of this tree     

A parallel iterative partitioned coupling analysis system for large-scale acoustic fluid–structure interactions

In many engineering fields, dynamic response in fluid–structure interaction (FSI) is important, and some of the FSI phenomena are treated as acoustic FSI (AFSI) problems. Dynamic interactions between fluids and structures may change dynamic characteristics of the structure and its response to external excitation parameters such as seismic loading. This paper describes a parallel coupling analysis system for large-scale AFSI problems using iterative partitioned coupling techniques. We employ an open source parallel finite element analysis system called ADVENTURE, which adopts an efficient preconditioned iterative linear algebraic solver. In addition, we have recently developed a parallel coupling tool called ADVENTURE_Coupler to efficiently handle interface variables in various parallel computing environments. We also employ the Broyden method for updating interface variables to attain robust and fast convergence of fixed-point iterations. This paper describes key features of the coupling analysis system developed, and we perform tests to validate its performance for several AFSI problems. The system runs efficiently in a parallel environment, and it is capable of analyzing three-dimensional-complex-shaped structures with more than 20 million degrees-of-freedom (DOFs). Its numerical results also show good agreement with experimental results.     

Arginine Arrangement of Bacteriophage λ N‐Peptide Plays a Role as a Core Motif in GNRA Tetraloop RNA Binding

A simple α‐helical N‐model‐peptide was designed to investigate the role of the arginine‐rich motif of bacteriophage λ N‐peptide in selective binding with boxB RNA. The five‐arginine arrangement of native N‐peptide was retained; all other residues were replaced with alanine. In vitro selection of RNA (30 random‐nucleotide region) was carried out with N‐model‐peptide immobilized on a 27 MHz quartz‐crystal microbalance (QCM). Selected RNAs were evaluated on the same QCM plate to obtain binding constants (K_a=10⁷–10⁸ M ^?1). Many selected RNAs contained GNR(N)A‐type loops (similar to the boxB RNA motif recognized by the native N‐peptide). Fragments and minimal RNAs containing the GNRA‐type loop also bound to N‐model‐peptide (K_a=10⁶–10⁷ M ^?1). The RNA recognition specificity of the peptide was studied by changing the “closing” U–A base pair and one base in the tetraloop of the RNA aptamers, and by peptide mutations (18th residue of N‐model‐peptide). It was concluded that the five‐arginine arrangement of the peptide performs selective recognition of the GNRA tetraloop and GNR(N)A pentaloop RNA structures, and that substitution of another functional amino acid residue at the 18th position in N‐peptide adds the recognition ability for a loop‐RNA sequence.     

The coloring of geopolymers by the addition of copper compounds

The development of a new coloring technique is desirable to increase the commercial value of geopolymers. Selected copper compounds, i.e. Cu(OH)₂, CuO, Cu₂O, CuCO₃?Cu(OH)₂?H₂O, CuCl₂?2H₂O and CuSO₄?5H₂O, were added to the initial reactants in order to color the geopolymers in the same manner as naturally occurring minerals. When Cu(OH)₂, CuO and Cu₂O were used, these compounds remained in the geopolymer matrix following hardening of the material. On the contrary, CuCO₃?Cu(OH)₂?H₂O, CuCl₂?2H₂O and CuSO₄?5H₂O were not detected in the final products. XAFS analyses were performed to investigate the local structure of copper in the geopolymers produced. The results showed that the copper spectra of geopolymers incorporating Cu(OH)₂, CuO and Cu₂O correspond to those of pure Cu(OH)₂, CuO and Cu₂O, respectively. However, when CuCO₃?Cu(OH)₂?H₂O, CuCl₂?2H₂O and CuSO₄?5H₂O were added, the copper generated spectra similar to that of the mineral chrysocolla ((Cu, Al)₂H₂Si₂O₅(OH)₄?nH₂O) than the respective copper compounds.     

PCR-free telomerase assay using chronocoulometry coupled with hexaammineruthenium(III) chloride

An electrochemical method based on chronocoulometry coupled with hexaammineruthenium chloride (RuHex) is proposed for simple and rapid assay of telomerase without relying on PCR and gel electrophoresis. Thus, DNA extended by telomerase in extracts of as small as 5-1,000 HeLa cells on the TS primer-immobilized electrodes was quantified successfully. This method is suitable for quick screening of drug candidates which inhibit telomerase. When 10 compounds were tested, the multiplicity of extension (x in (TTAGGG)(x)) varied from 11 to 0, suggesting that there is more than one mechanism of inhibition. IC(50) values of telomerase inhibitors TMPyP4 and PIPER were determined as 5.5 and 15 μM, respectively, though their mechanisms of inhibition are different. This method is capable of discriminating two possible mechanisms of telomerase inhibition: direct binding of inhibitors to telomerase and indirect inhibition through their binding to the quadruplex generated by telomerase. As this method is easy and quick to run, it will be useful for high-throughput screening of drug candidates which inhibit telomerase.     

AgI-coated silver-clad stainless steel hollow waveguides for infrared lightwave transmission and their applications

We fabricated silver iodide (AgI)-coated silver hollow waveguides to transmit a wide range of infrared (IR) light. Silver-clad stainless steel pipes were used as a supporting pipe. Since this type of metallic hollow waveguide has high mechanical strength and heat resistance, it is suitable as a rigid lightwave probe for various applications such as dental or medical laser treatment, IR spectroscopy, thermal radiometry, and laser processing. Considering these applications, we estimated the hollow waveguides with different thicknesses of the AgI layer. By optimizing the AgI layer thickness according to the wavelength of propagating light, we succeeded in efficiently transmitting Er-YAG and CO(2) laser light. We also studied the optical characteristics of a wide range of incoherent light for IR spectroscopy and radiometry applications using these metallic hollow waveguides as lightwave probes.     

Aiming at a More Rigorous Understanding in Electrical Insulating Materials Research

Professors Inuishi, Ieda and Yahagi were pioneers of research in dielectrics in Japan. Their philosophy was that in order to understand a certain property of a material or to clarify the mechanism of a phenomenon, research must be done with scientific rigor and a scholarly approach. Here, the author wishes to illustrate their philosophy through a number of examples of his own research on both inorganic and organic materials and on topics ranging from vacuum discharge, through defect centers in inorganic glasses, to the water tree degradation phenomena in insulating polymers. Finally he will make some comments upon the way in which fundamental research can be useful in an engineering context.