A master-slave control system for a semi-autonomous underwater vehicle-manipulator system

Underwater vehicle-manipulator systems (UVMS) are expected to play an important role in ocean exploration. It is considered that UVMS will be operated by both automatic and manual control. We have proposed an automatic control method. In this article, we propose a master-slave system for a UVMS. The effectiveness of the proposed master-slave control system is demonstrated by using a floating underwater robot with a 2-link manipulator.     

Cold storage characteristics of mobile HTS magnet

A cold storage system specialized in mobile high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets (e.g. for magnetically levitated (maglev) vehicles) has been proposed. In this system, a cooling source is detachable and a HTS coil is capable of maintaining superconducting state with its heat capacity. This system allows a considerably lightweight HTS magnet.An apparatus was constructed to evaluate the possibility of using cold storage systems in maglev vehicles. The thermal characteristic of this apparatus was based on a magnet for previous maglev test vehicles [1]. The operational temperature range of the magnet was assumed from 20 K to 50 K. Some experiments indicated that heat conduction by residual gas was not negligible. Especially over 30 K, gas conduction took a large part of heat input. This phenomenon is attributable to reduction of cryopumping effect. However, activated carbon in the apparatus compensates cryopumping effect. A unique heat capacitor was also used to enhance the cold storage effect. Water ice was chosen as a heat capacitor because water ice has a higher heat capacity than metallic materials at cryogenic temperatures. A small amount of water ice also prolonged cryogenic temperature condition. These results indicate 1 day of cold storage is probable in a magnet for maglev vehicles.     

SOLVENT EXTRACTION OF ZINC FROM CHLORIDE MEDIA WITH SECONDARY LONG-CHAIN ALKYLAMINE

In the solvent extraction of zinc from chloride media with a secondary long-chain alkylamine, Amberlite LA-2, aggregations of ammonium chloride salt of alkylamine and zinc-complex with alkylamine and distribution equilibrium of zinc were investigated at 30 "C using n-hexane as a diluent. The ammonium chloride salt of alkylamine exists as monomeric, dimeric, trimeric and tetrameric species (BHCl, (BHCl)₂, (BHCl)₃ and (BHCl)₄, respectively). The zinc-complex exists as monomeric and dimeric species ((BH)₂ZnCl₄ and ((BH)₂ZnCl₄)₂, respectively). Zinc is extracted according to the extraction reaction in the lower loading region of zinc to alkylamine and according to the extraction reaction in the higher loading region.     

Construction of an expression system of insect lysozyme lacking thermal stability: the effect of selection of signal sequence on level of expression in the Pichia pastoris expression system

Expression systems of human and silkworm lysozymes were constructedusing the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris as a host. Theleader sequence and its prepro peptide of     

Evaluation of environmentally friendly lubricants for cold forging

The authors proposed double-layer-type environmentally friendly lubricants, which were composed of an undercoat, superior in adhering to a material, and an overcoat, superior in reducing the friction between the material and the die. The performance of these lubricants for cold forging was evaluated by the ring compression test, the combined forward rod-backward can extrusion-type friction test and the combined forward conical can-backward straight can extrusion-type friction test. The double-layer-type lubricants showed comparable friction characteristics and anti-pick-up properties to a conversion coating lubricant, when the film thickness and surface treatment before coating were improved. In a practical application by cold multistage forging, the double-layer-type lubricants showed a similar performance to a conversion coating lubricant.     

Lethal effect of the expression of a killer gene SMK1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Expression of the SMK1 gene which encodes the yeast killer toxinSMKT is lethal in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Effects of deletionand site-directed mutagenesis of SMK1 on the lethality and thesecretion of the gene products were examined. Deletion of theinterstitial     

Oligodeoxynucleotides containing 3-bromo-3-deazaadenine and 7-bromo-7-deazaadenine 2'-deoxynucleosides as chemical probes to investigate DNA-protein interactions

We describe the design and proof of concept of a pair of chemical probes for investigating DNA-protein interactions-specifically, the incorporation of 7-bromo-7-deazaadenine and 3-bromo-3-deazaadenine 2'-deoxynucleosides (Br(7)C(7)dA and Br(3)C(3)dA) into oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs)-and their utility. Whereas the bromo substituent of the Br(7)C(7)dA unit in an ODN duplex acts sterically to inhibit binding with NF-kappaB, which interacts with the duplex in its major groove, the bromo substituent of the Br(3)C(3)dA unit acts sterically to inhibit binding with RNase H, which interacts with the duplex in its minor groove. In addition, the utilization of ODNs containing 7-deazaadenine and 3-deazaadenine 2'-deoxynucleosides (C(7)dA and C(3)dA), together with the pair of chemical probes, afforded valuable information on the requirement for nitrogen atoms located in either the major or minor grooves. Accordingly, we were able to show the utility of ODNs containing Br(7)C(7)dA, Br(3)C(3)dA, C(7)dA, and C(3)dA for the investigation of DNA-protein interactions.     

Pervaporation via silicon-based membranes: Correlation and prediction of performance in pervaporation and gas permeation

Pervaporation (PV) is a membrane technology that holds great promise for industrial applications. To better understand the PV mechanism, PV dehydrations of various types of organic solvents (methanol, ethanol, iso-propanol, tert-butanol, and acetone) were performed on five types of organosilica and two types of silicon carbide-based membranes, all with different pore sizes. Water permeance was dependent on the types of organic aqueous solutions, which suggested that organic solvents penetrated the pores and hindered the permeation of water. In addition, water permeance of various types of membranes in PV was well correlated with hydrogen permeance in single-gas permeation. Furthermore, a clear correlation was obtained between the permeance ratio in PV and that in single-gas permeation, which was confirmed via the modified-gas translation model. These correlations make it possible to use single-gas permeation properties to predict PV performance.