Observation of lightning effect on power distribution lines by still cameras

In order to clarify the cause of lightning outages of a distribution line, simultaneous observation of lightning discharge channels and types of damage on distribution lines were carried out with still cameras from July 1993 through July 1995. High-voltage lines located in the observation area did not suffer from induced voltages due to indirect lightning strikes, even if such lightning strikes were nearby. One instance of a direct lightning strike on a distribution line was observed. The striking point was the span center of the overhead ground wire, and only a transformer fuse was blown on the high-voltage line. Damage to surge arresters was observed in the case of a lightning strike on a building located near a distribution line. The cause is thought to have been lightning current which flowed into the nearby distribution line through the damaged arresters. © 1997 Scripta Technica, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn 119(1): 17–23, 1997     

Geranylgeraniol Inhibits Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation in Mouse-Derived MG6 Microglial Cells via NF-κB Signaling Modulation

Persistent inflammatory reactions in microglial cells are strongly associated with neurodegenerative pathogenesis. Additionally, geranylgeraniol (GGOH), a plant-derived isoprenoid, has been found to improve inflammatory conditions in several animal models. It has also been observed that its chemical structure is similar to that of the side chain of menaquinone-4, which is a vitamin K₂ sub-type that suppresses inflammation in mouse-derived microglial cells. In this study, we investigated whether GGOH has a similar anti-inflammatory effect in activated microglial cells. Particularly, mouse-derived MG6 cells pre-treated with GGOH were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Thereafter, the mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were determined via qRT-PCR, while protein expression levels, especially the expression of NF-κB signaling cascade-related proteins, were determined via Western blot analysis. The distribution of NF-κB p65 protein was also analyzed via fluorescence microscopy. Thus, it was observed that GGOH dose-dependently suppressed the LPS-induced increase in the mRNA levels of Il-1β, Tnf-α, Il-6, and Cox-2. Furthermore, GGOH inhibited the phosphorylation of TAK1, IKKα/β, and NF-κB p65 proteins as well as NF-κB nuclear translocation induced by LPS while maintaining IκBα expression. We showed that GGOH, similar to menaquinone-4, could alleviate LPS-induced microglial inflammation by targeting the NF-kB signaling pathway.     

Water-absorbing characteristics of acrylic acid-grafted carboxymethyl cellulose synthesized by photografting

Cellulosic absorbents for water were synthesized by photografting (λ > 300 nm) acrylic acid (AA) onto fiberous carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC, degree of substitution [DS] = 0.1–0.4) at 30°C in the presence of N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide as a crosslinker. The CMC sample was pretreated with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of sulfuric acid to prepare CMC peroxides with a peracid type as a polymeric photoinitiator. The peroxides were active for the photografting and AA could be grafted onto CMC with percent graftings higher than 150% by photoirradiation of 10 min at 30°C. The amount of water absorbed increased with increasing percent grafting of AA and DS of CMC. The amount was reduced considerably when the absorbents were prepared by the photografting of AA onto crosslinked CMC in the absence of the crosslinker. Graft copolymers which display a decreasing water absorbency as a function of temperature were prepared by two methods: In the first synthesis method, AA and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) binary monomers were graft-copoly-merized onto CMC samples using photoinitiation. In the second method, photografting of AA was followed by a second-step photografting of NIPAAm to produce a terpolymer with two types of side chains of differing repeat unit composition on the CMC substrate. Graft copolymers formed by both methods showed decreasing water absorbency as temperature increased with losses in water absorbency of up to about 60% as the temperature was increased above 30°C. Effects of NIPAAm composition and corsslinker content in the graft copolymers on the decreasing water absorbency as a function of temperature were also examined. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Linoleic Acid Upregulates Microrna-494 to Induce Quiescence in Colorectal Cancer

Cancer dormancy is a state characterized by the quiescence of disseminated cancer cells, and tumor recurrence occurs when such cells re-proliferate after a long incubation period. These cancer cells tend to be treatment resistant and one of the barriers to successful therapeutic intervention. We have previously reported that long-term treatment of cancer cells with linoleic acid (LA) induces a dormancy-like phenotype. However, the mechanism underpinning this effect has not yet been clarified. Here, we investigate the mechanism of LA-induced quiescence in cancer cells. We first confirmed that long-term treatment of the mouse colorectal cancer cell line CT26 with LA induced quiescence. When these cells were inoculated subcutaneously into a syngeneic mouse and fed with an LA diet, the inoculated cancer cells maintained the quiescent state and exhibited markers of dormancy. LA-treated CT26 cells showed reduced oxidative phosphorylation, glycolysis, and energy production as well as reduced expression of the regulatory factors Pgc1α and MycC. MicroRNA expression profiling revealed that LA induced an upregulation in miR-494. The expression of Pgc1α and MycC were both induced by an miR-494 mimic, and the LA-induced decrease in gene expression was abrogated by an miR-494 inhibitor. The expression of miR-494 was enhanced by the mitochondrial oxidative stress produced by LA. In a syngeneic mouse subcutaneous tumor model, growth suppression by an LA diet and growth delay by LA pretreatment + LA diet were found to have similar effects as administration of an miR-494 mimic. In contrast, the effects of LA were abrogated by an miR-494 inhibitor. Analysis of human colorectal cancer tissue revealed that miR-494 was present at low levels in non-metastatic cases and cases with simultaneous liver metastases but was expressed at high levels in cases with delayed liver metastases, which also exhibited reduced expression of PGC1α and MYCC. These results suggest that miR-494 is involved in cancer dormancy induced by high levels of LA intake and that this microRNA may be valuable in targeting dormant cancer cells.     

Joint Strength and Microstructure for Sn-Ag-(Cu) Soldering on an Electroless Ni-Au Surface Finish by Using a Flux Containing a Cu Compound

The effect of a flux containing Cu(II) stearate (barrier flux) on the strength of soldered joints between an electroless Ni-Au surface finish and two Pb-free soldering systems, Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu and Sn-3.5Ag (wt.%), was examined. Pull and shock tests showed that barrier flux gave a higher joint strength for both solder compositions than did a flux containing no Cu compounds. Interface analysis revealed that a thin P-rich layer and refined Cu-Ni-Sn intermetallic compounds were formed at the joint interface when barrier flux was used. It is assumed that the supply of Cu from barrier flux suppresses diffusion of Ni into the solder.     

Promotion of H2 production from ethanol steam reforming by zeolite basicity

The effect of the basicity of zeolite as a metallic catalyst substrate on ethanol steam reforming reaction was investigated. Catalysts with various basicities were prepared using an ion exchange process with aqueous solutions including Na⁺, K⁺ and Cs⁺ after an impregnation process of Ni on Na-Y zeolite (referred to as Ni/Na-Y, Ni/K-Y and Ni/Cs-Y, respectively). Infrared spectroscopy indicated that the OH bonds of ethanol molecules adsorbed on zeolites were weakened with increasing zeolite basicity. H₂ production at 300 °C increased in the order of Ni/Cs-Y > Ni/K-Y > Ni/Na-Y, and selectivity for a high production ratio of H₂ to C₂H₄ was significantly promoted by exchanging Na⁺ for K⁺ or Cs⁺. H₂ production at 500 °C was also enhanced by the zeolite basicity; however, degradation of catalytic activity was mainly caused by carbon deposition on the three samples at this temperature. Ni/Cs-Y, with higher H₂ production than Ni/Na-Y, also exhibited higher resistance to carbon deposition. Increase of the zeolite basicity was effective for selective acceleration of the dehydrogenation reaction with ethanol, inhibition of coke deposition, and the promotion of H₂ production.     

Study of Electron Orbits for Formation of Toroidal Closed Flux Surface by ECH

Electron orbits under the external vertical field (BV) and the self poloidal field of the toroidal plasma current in a toroidal geometry are investigated by using analytic model fields in order to search for the conditions of occurence of appropriate confinement asymmetry of fast electrons along the field lines. This asymmetry e±ciently and quickly generates a toroidal current, which may close the field lines in ECH-started plasmas. It is analytically shown that the characteristics of confinement asymmetry depend on the product of the major radius and the strength of the external vertical field. The results suggest that in large devices BV should be lowered and also some artificial means to speed up the pitch angle scattering for the fast electrons at a higher energy range are beneficial to generate the toroidal current in order to close the filed lines.     

Improvement of aerodynamic stability of suspension bridges with H-shaped simplified stiffening girder

Wind-tunnel study on the improvement of aerodynamic stability of simplified suspension-bridge girder structures was conducted with using a 1/40-scaled section model. Objective of the study is the development of an economically superior suspension bridge with 500–1,000 m center span length. The wind-tunnel test showed that an edge-girder type cross section exhibited large amplitude torsional vortex-induced vibration as well as torsional flutter at a low wind speed. Accordingly, aerodynamic countermeasures of open grating deck and triangular faring, and structural countermeasures of center stay, diagonal bracing and mass increase were tried to improve the aerodynamic stability. Finally, feasibility of the best combination to a full-scale bridge was examined by structural analysis.     

Application of hydrogen-doped In2O3 transparent conductive oxide to thin-film microcrystalline Si solar cells

Hydrogen-doped In₂O₃ (IO:H) films with high electron mobility and improved near-infrared (NIR) transparency have been applied as a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) electrode in substrate-type hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) solar cells. The incorporation of IO:H, instead of conventional Sn-doped In₂O₃, improved the short-circuit current density (J_sc) and the resulting conversion efficiency. Optical analysis of the solar cells and TCO films revealed that the improvement in J_sc is due to the improved spectral sensitivity in the visible and NIR wavelengths by reduction of absorption loss caused by free carriers in the TCO films.     

Influence of Oxidation Temperature and Cr Content on the Adhesion and Microstructure of Scale on Low Cr Steels

Descalability of steels during hot rolling processes is essential in order to maintain the surface quality of steel products, because the remaining scale can be impressed into the steel, producing surface defects. Therefore, a quantitative evaluation of scale adhesion at high temperature is needed in order to find suitable heating conditions for hot rolling processes that promote the formation of scale that easily detach. Round bar shape specimens of low Cr steels were oxidized in a fuel combustion environment, and then compressed at high temperature to detach the scale. The area fraction of the remaining scale was evaluated by image analysis. Under a thick outer oxide scale, a thin continuous inner oxide layer, which consisted of Cr and Si oxides, strongly adhered to the substrate, resulting in poor descalability. On the other hand, if this inner scale changed into a discontinuous layer with a porous FeO layer beneath, the descalability improved. It was found that scales with greater descalability formed on steels containing less Cr and for oxidation at higher temperatures.