Time flexibility to reduce climate change mitigation costs for Japanese electricity supply sector

The idea of greenhouse‐gas credit borrowing in global or national context faces severe problems such as international and intergenerational equity issues. Though the merit of cost reduction is obvious, the possibility is small for such a scheme to be massively allowed in future international negotiations. Still, there is a good chance for each specific player to use the idea of time flexibility. Through analytic and numerical model analysis, this paper demonstrates the merits of time flexibility on a sector base. First, the derived analytic solution for time paths of marginal mitigation costs gives an insight to the relation between timing and costs of mitigation action. Second, the numerical model analysis for the Japanese electricity supply sector shows that time flexibility can drastically reduce costs for mitigation in the sector. Time flexibility is important specifically to the Japanese electricity supply sector because (1) the sector is capital intensive and has long capital turnover time and (2) available mitigation option is limited for the near future. A sector like the Japanese utility sector needs some kind of mechanism to virtually realize the merits of using time flexibility. Domestic and international emission trading systems are the most promising candidate to date. © 2000 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 131(1): 68–77, 2000     

Highly Flexible MoS(2) Thin-Film Transistors with Ion Gel Dielectrics

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS(2)) thin-film transistors were fabricated with ion gel gate dielectrics. These thin-film transistors exhibited excellent band transport with a low threshold voltage (<1 V), high mobility (12.5 cm(2)/(V·s)) and a high on/off current ratio (10(5)). Furthermore, the MoS(2) transistors exhibited remarkably high mechanical flexibility, and no degradation in the electrical characteristics was observed when they were significantly bent to a curvature radius of 0.75 mm. The superior electrical performance and excellent pliability of MoS(2) films make them suitable for use in large-area flexible electronics.     

Plutonium breeding of light water cooled fast reactors

Light water cooled fast reactor with new fuel assemblies (FA) has been studied for high breeding of fissile plutonium. It achieves fissile plutonium surviving ratio (FPSR) of 1.342 (discharge/loading), 1.013 end and beginning of equilibrium cycle (EOEC/BOEC), and compound system doubling time (CSDT) of 95.9 years at the average coolant density of pressurized water reactor (PWR). It is further improved for reduced moderation boiling water reactor (BWR) (RMWR) coolant density. Fissile plutonium surviving ratio reaches 1.397 (discharge/loading), 1.030 (EOEC/BOEC) and CSDT is 37 years. The present study has shown the possibility of breeding at the PWR coolant density and meeting the growth rate of energy demand of advanced countries at the RMWR and Super FR coolant density for the first time. The new FA consist of closely packed fuel rods. The integrity of welding of fuel rods at the top and bottom ends is maintained as the conventional fuel rods. The coolant to fuel volume fraction is reduced to 0.085, one-sixth of that of RMWR. The volume fraction remains unchanged with the diameter of the fuel rod. The thermal hydraulic design of the cores remains for the future study.     

Evaluation of changes in power wheelchair maneuver induced by a downhill turning prevention control on cross sloped surfaces

In order to improve direction stability of a power wheelchair on a cross‐sloped surface, a downhill turning prevention control (DTPC) has been developed by some researchers and wheelchair suppliers. The DTPC‐induced effect on wheelchair maneuver, however, has not been well clarified. In this study, we quantitatively assessed DTPC‐induced changes in joystick control strategies during a driving task on a cross‐sloped test course. Among several evaluation measures calculated from the joystick inputs during the test trials, the x‐axis joystick displacement amount was found to be significantly decreased by the DTPC. This result suggests that the DTPC can save wheelchair users from the burden of compensation control on cross‐sloped surfaces. © 2012 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Measurements and Calculation of Interfacial Tension between Commercial Steels and Mould Flux Slags

Surface quality of continuously cast is strongly influenced by the interfacial tension between steel and mould flux slag. The meniscus shape and the inclusion entrapment are directly determined by interfacial tension. To achieve a better understanding of the continuous casting process, the interface between four commercial steels and the mould fluxes used at the continuous casting of each steel grade have been investigated. The situation at this interface is determined by the surface tension of steel and slag respectively and also by the mass transfer occurring across the interface. The surface tensions of the mould flux slags have been measured by sessile drop method. The results indicate that the surface tension of mould flux slags decreases with increasing temperature but does not vary so much within the present composition range. Interfacial tensions between steel samples and mould flux slags have been measured in the same way with the aid of X‐ray unit. Estimation of interfacial tension from the steel and slag composition was done by applying empirical models. The measured and the calculated values were in agreement. The interfacial tension was lower for higher alloyed steel grades according to both experiments and calculations though the influence of surface active elements is significant.     

Utilization of Lactoferrin as an Iron-Stabilizer for Soybean and Fish Oil

ABSTRACT: We investigated the oxidative stability of soybean oil and fish oil fortified with iron solubilized by lactoferrin (FeLF). Oxidative stability was evaluated by measuring the induction period of the Rancimat test. The induction time of soybean oil added FeCl₃ was decreased; however, that of added FeLF was not. This effect of lactoferrin was also observed in the iron-catalyzed oxidation offish oil at temperatures ranging from 50°C to 120°C, and at concentrations of iron ranging from 0 to 500 ppm. Thus, lactoferrin is considered useful as a natural iron stabilizer for food products containing polyunsaturated fatty acids.     

Dual-Function Semaphorin 4D Released by Platelets: Suppression of Osteoblastogenesis and Promotion of Osteoclastogenesis

Effects of the antiosteoblastogenesis factor Semaphorin 4D (Sema4D), expressed by thrombin-activated platelets (TPs), on osteoblastogenesis, as well as osteoclastogenesis, were investigated in vitro. Intact platelets released both Sema4D and IGF-1. However, in response to stimulation with thrombin, platelets upregulated the release of Sema4D, but not IGF-1. Anti-Sema4D-neutralizing monoclonal antibody (mAb) upregulated TP-mediated osteoblastogenesis in MC3T3-E1 osteoblast precursors. MC3T3-E1 cells exposed to TPs induced phosphorylation of Akt and ERK further upregulated by the addition of anti-sema4D-mAb, suggesting the suppressive effects of TP-expressing Sema4D on osteoblastogenesis. On the other hand, TPs promoted RANKL-mediated osteoclastogenesis in the primary culture of bone-marrow-derived mononuclear cells (BMMCs). Among the known three receptors of Sema4D, including Plexin B1, Plexin B2 and CD72, little Plexin B2 was detected, and no Plexin B1 was detected, but a high level of CD72 mRNA was detected in RANKL-stimulated BMMCs by qPCR. Both anti-Sema4D-mAb and anti-CD72-mAb suppressed RANKL-induced osteoclast formation and bone resorptive activity, suggesting that Sema4D released by TPs promotes osteoclastogenesis via ligation to a CD72 receptor. This study demonstrated that Sema4D released by TPs suppresses osteogenic activity and promotes osteoclastogenesis, suggesting the novel property of platelets in bone-remodeling processes.     

In-vitro heat-generating and apatite-forming abilities of PMMA bone cement containing TiO2 and Fe3O4

Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) bone cement is widely used as a filler for repairing bone defects. To improve the effectiveness of the treatment for bone defects caused by metastatic bone tumours, we propose the formulation of PMMA cement containing titania (TiO₂) and magnetite (Fe₃O₄) that offers high bone affinity, making the cement suitable for use in magnetic hyperthermia. The TiO₂ and Fe₃O₄ contents of the PMMA cement varied from 20 to 45 mass%. The various cement samples were evaluated for their apatite-forming ability and heat-generation characteristics. The samples containing TiO₂ in concentrations of 15 mass% or higher formed apatite on their surfaces within 14 days in a simulated body fluid. The heat-generation characteristics of the samples were evaluated by applying an alternating current (AC) magnetic field under the following conditions: |H| = 40 Oe and f = 600 kHz, or |H| = 100 Oe and f = 100 kHz. The surface temperatures of the samples containing 25 and 30 mass% Fe₃O₄ reached 42.3 and 44.8 °C, respectively, at |H| = 40 Oe and f = 600 kHz. During hyperthermia treatment, cancer cells die at temperatures higher than 42 °C, and the cement samples fabricated in this study could reach this temperature. However, since some degree of heat loss will occur in vivo, it is necessary to ensure that the temperature is higher than 42 °C by varying the AC magnetic field. Nevertheless, the fact that the samples containing Fe₃O₄ concentrations of 25 mass% or higher generated enough heat under the AC magnetic field makes them suitable for clinical use in hyperthermia. Thus, PMMA cement containing 15 mass% or more of TiO₂ and 25 mass% or more of Fe₃O₄ should be investigated as a bioactive bone cement with a strong hyperthermia effect.