Strain rate effects on viscoelastic crack bifurcation

The effects of applied strain rate on the viscoelastic crack bifurcation phenomenon in Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) were investigated. It was still verified that the product $\text{σ}{}_{\mathrm{f}}\text{C}{}_{\mathrm{b}}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$ was constant, as was already observed by Congleton and Petch, and Anthony, Chubb and Congleton, for brittle elastic materials, for any strain rate, where σ_f = the gross fracture stress and C_b= the main crack length until the bifurcation starts. However, it was found that the higher strain rate increases the main crack length C_b resulting in the decrease in the gross fracture stress σ_f and vice versa. This might be interpreted that the higher stress concentration at the initiation crack tip, which is realized by becoming more brittle due to the higher strain rate owing to the predominance of the elastic element in the viscoelastic material, decreases the gross fracture stress leading to the longer main crack length.     

INITIATION AND GROWTH OF SMALL CRACKS IN DIRECTIONALLY SOLIDIFIED MAR-M247 UNDER CREEP-FATIGUE. PART I: EFFECT OF MICROSTRUCTURE

This paper deals with the initiation and growth of small cracks in a directionally solidified superalloy, Mar-M247.     

Image-transmission of radiotherapy planning using 64kbps-ISDN videophone

We carried out the image-transmission using the 64kbps-ISDN and two terminals of the videophone installed in Osaka Teishin Hospital and Department of Radiation Oncology, Biomedical Research Center, Osaka University Medical School. The frame speeds (sec./frame) of the videophone are 1.2 for standard resolution with 320 x 200 matrix and 5.0 for high resolution with 640 x 400 matrix. Although the image with 640 x 400 matrix is not enough for the radiation diagnosis such as the chest radiogram, the image is useful for the radiation therapy planning. This system is easy to operate, and will be widely distributed in near future.     

Immunolocalization of multiple membrane proteins on a carbon replica with STEM and EDX

We present a method for immunolabeling of multiple species of membrane proteins with high spatial resolution. It allows differentiation of equally sized very small markers with different chemical compositions, which leads to high labeling efficiency and reduces steric hindrance of closely spaced immunolabeled biomolecules. Markers such as CdSe/ZnS semiconductor quantum dots and colloidal gold particles are distinguished by differential contrast in high-angle annular detector dark-field STEM mode or by EDX microanalysis of their elemental contents. This method was tested by observation of labeled AMPA- and NMDA-type glutamate receptors on sodium-dodecyl-sulfate-digested replica prepared from rat hippocampus. To improve particle visibility and detectability, the replica films were made exclusively with carbon to avoid the high background of conventional platinum/carbon replica. Extension of the method is suggested by detection of 1.4 nm nanogold particles and its potential application in the biological imaging research.     

日本可再生能源与智能配电网的技术进展

简单介绍了日本可再生能源计划,并分析新能源应用过程中可能遇到的问题及解决方案。讨论在大规模引入风能与太阳能后对日本主电网的影响及应对方法。最后,通过几个工程实例介绍了新能源与智能电网在日本发展的最新成果。     

Delay‐dependent robust stability analysis for interval neural networks with time‐varying delay

This article deals with the problem of robust stability for interval neural networks with time‐varying delay. By constructing an appropriate Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional, using the S‐procedure and taking the relationship among the time‐varying delay, its upper bound and their difference into account, some linear matrix inequality(LMI) ‐based delay‐dependent stability criteria are obtained without ignoring any terms in the derivative of the Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional. Finally, two numerical examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness and benefits of the proposed method. © 2011 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Pressure apparatus of split-octahedron type for x-ray diffraction studies

An apparatus of split-octahedron type has been developed for the study of x-ray diffraction at high pressure. The apparatus consists of a cylinder, a sphere, and an octahedron, all split up and assembled in a multistaged arrangement. Three ways of splitting the innermost octahedron are utilized in matching the cell geometry to the standard camera method. High pressures in excess of 220 kilobars can be generated in the center of the split octahedron by using a composite mixture of diamond powder and epoxy resin as a pressure-transmitting medium. The pressures required for the semiconductor-to-metal transitions of ZnTe, ZnS, GaAs, and GaP are determined by simultaneously monitoring the electrical resistance of the semiconductors and the lattice parameter of sodium chloride.     

Change in GPC elution volume of polymers by adsorption onto porous glass as column packing

The elution volume of polystyrene or of poly(ethylene glycol) of various molecular weights was measured in both tetrahydrofuran and benzene at 40 or 60°C by means of gel permeation chromatography utilizing columns packed with crosslinked polystyrene gel or porous glass. When the polystyrene gel was used as the column packing, a relationship between log [η]M and the peak elution volume for polystyrene agreed with that for poly(ethylene glycol). Using columns packed with glass, however, the elution volume of polystyrene was smaller than that of poly(ethylene glycol) at the same log [η]M. The results are considered to be attributable to the adsorption of poly(ethylene glycol) onto the glass. The effect of the adsorption on the elution volume was evaluated by assuming a universal calibration for columns containing porous glass; the deviation of the elution volume from the universal calibration curve increased with increase in molecular weight. At lower temperatures, even polystyrene was adsorbed onto the glass. Therefore, to reduce the adsorption of polymers on glass, it is necessary to increase the temperature or use surface treatment when porous glass is used as a GPC column packing.