An innovative modularity of heat circulation for fractional distillation

A novel modularity of heat circulation for distillation process, which reduces the energy consumption, is proposed. By incorporating compressors and heat exchangers, the heat of the distillate is recuperated and exchanged with the heat of the feed streams. The proposed technology achieves the reduction in the required energy more than 75% as compared with a benchmark process which uses external heat source for heating. This shows the proposed modularity of heat circulation for distillation process is very promising technology to drastically reduce energy demand for distillation.     

Limiting current density in bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide-based ionic liquid for lithium batteries

The physicochemical and electrochemical properties of the binary ionic liquid (IL), lithium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide (LiTFSA) dissolved in N,N-diethyl-N-methyl-N-(2-methoxyethyl)ammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide (DEMETFSA), were investigated. The ionic conductivity of the binary IL decreased with an increase in LiTFSA concentration. The self-diffusion coefficients of Li⁺, DEME⁺, and TFSA⁻ dissolved in the IL were measured by using the pulsed-field-gradient spin-echo (PGSE) NMR method. The self-diffusion coefficient of each ionic species was also found to decrease with increasing concentration of LiTFSA. The limiting current density in the IL electrolyte was evaluated by chronoamperometry using symmetric Li|IL|Li cell. The results suggest that the diffusion process of Li(I) in the IL dominates the limiting current density in the cell. The highest limiting current density is achieved at a concentration of 0.64 mol dm⁻³ of LiTFSA.     

Fluctuation of Global Gene Expression by Endogenous miRNA Response to the Introduction of an Exogenous miRNA

Most of the intracellular endogenous microRNAs (endo-miRNAs) are considered to be saturated in Argonaute (Ago) proteins in the RNA-induced silencing complexes (RISCs). When exogenous miRNAs (exo-miRNAs) are introduced into cells, endo-miRNAs in the RISC may be replaced with exo-miRNAs or exo-miRNAs, and endo-miRNAs might also compete for the position in the newly synthesized RISC with each other. This would lead to the fluctuation of global gene expression not only by repression of exo-miRNA target gene expression, but also by the increase of the endo-miRNA target gene expression. In the present study, we quantified the changes in the expression levels of target genes of exo-miRNA and endo-miRNA in the cells transfected with fifteen different exo-miRNAs by microarray experiments. Different exo-miRNAs increased ratios of expression levels of target genes of a given endo-miRNA to different extents, suggesting that the replacement efficiencies might differ according to the exo-miRNA types. However, the increased ratios in the expression levels of each endo-miRNA target genes by the transfection of any particular exo-miRNA were mostly equivalent, suggesting that the endo-miRNAs present in the RISC might be replaced with excessive exo-miRNAs at similar levels, probably because they exist in single-stranded forms in the RISC.     

Tensile and impact properties of fully green composites reinforced with mercerized ramie fibers

The purpose of this study is to create a natural fiber-reinforced fully green composite with excellent toughness. By treating ramie plied yarns in a high concentration alkali solution, the reinforcements were mercerized. Results of tensile tests showed that unidirectional composites using mercerized ramie yarns exhibited two to three times larger fracture strain, without a marked decrease in strength, than composites using untreated yarns. In addition, mercerization for the ramie yarns brings a better interfacial strength to the composites. Laminated composites using mercerized ramie yarns also showed approximately twice larger impact energy than composites using untreated yarns. Thus, mercerization for natural fibers is expected for application to mechanical materials requiring a high toughness.     

The lipopolysaccharide-binding protein participating in hemocyte nodule formation in the silkworm Bombyx mori is a novel member of the C-type lectin superfamily with two different tandem carbohydrate-recognition domains

We recently isolated and characterized the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding protein, BmLBP, from the larval hemolymph of the silkworm Bombyx mori. BmLBP is a pattern recognition molecule that recognizes the lipid A portion of LPS and participates in a cellular defense reaction. This paper describes the cDNA cloning of BmLBP. The deduced amino acid sequence of BmLBP revealed that BmLBP is a novel member of the C-type lectin superfamily with a unique structural feature that consists of two different carbohydrate-recognition domains in tandem, a short and a long form.     

Slug to annular flow transition during boiloff in a rod bundle under high-pressure conditions

High-pressure boiloff experiments in a wide range of bundle powers by using the Two-Phase Flow Test Facility (TPTF) were conducted. Two kinds of boiloff patterns were observed in these experiments. One is the boiloff pattern in a low bundle power, in which the dryout points of rods locate at a certain elevation in the bundle because the mixture level controls the dryout points. The other is the boiloff pattern in a high bundle power, in which the clear mixture level can not be observed and the dryout points of rods locate in a wide range of vertical directions. The vertical scatter of the dryout points is considered to be due to the break of the thin water film on the heater rods under the annular flow pattern.A simple model to predict the slug to annular flow transition in the rod bundle is proposed. In the model, the slug to annular flow transition takes place when the interferences of the water films on the neighboring rods cease. The model appeares to give good predictions of the previous flow transition experiment conducted in a rod bundle. The slug-annular transition below the dryout points was predicted with the present model in the high power boiloff experiments of TPTF. No slug-annular transition below the dryout points is predicted with the present model in the low power boiloff experiments.     

Characteristics of creeping discharge developed in a narrow gap between insulators and effect of a backside electrode

Discharge characteristics have been investigated for a needle–plane electrode configuration containing insulating barriers with a narrow gap which has been placed between the needle and the plane. The characteristics of creeping discharge developed in the narrow gap of the barrier filled with SF₆ are especially considered. In the case of a configuration with a backside electrode below the needle, the corona generated from the needle easily extended to the gap. On the other hand, for a configuration without a backside electrode, the corona has hardly extended to the gap, and on increasing the applied voltage the corona developed greatly in the gap. This difference in corona extension should affect the flashover characteristics in the present system. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 146(2): 27–36, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.10248     

Multiple lungs tumors found 17 years after hysterectomy--a case of benign metastasizing leiomyoma

Fifty-five samples of pus were collected from 51 acute, non-perforated, two spontaneously ruptured and two recurrent peritonsillar abscesses (35 males and 18 females; median age 18 years) and analysed regarding (i) aerobic and anaerobic bacteria (standard culturing), (ii) morphology of bacteria and inflammatory cells (direct microscopy of acridine orange-stained material), and (iii) the percentage of bacteria coated with immunoglobulins IgG, secretory IgA (SIgA) and IgM and complement cleavage product C3b (immunofluorescence assay). Seventy-one per cent of the abscesses harboured a mixed bacterial flora of various aerobes and anaerobes. In none of the cases with a single bacterial species (27 per cent) could immunoglobulin- or complement-coated bacteria be found. In abscesses with a mixed flora, 18 per cent harboured IgG-coated, 15 per cent SIgA-coated, five per cent IgM-coated and five per cent C3b-coated bacteria, respectively. All pus samples contained inflammatory cells in abundance but they were mostly deformed and only occasionally could intracellular bacteria be recognized. Insufficient immunoglobulin-coating of bacteria might be an important aetiopathogenic factor in the development of a peritonsillar abscess. Bactericide in the abscesses is accomplished chiefly by protective mechanisms not dependent on antigen recognition by antibodies.     

The effect of a secreted form of beta-amyloid-precursor protein on intracellular Ca2+ increase in rat cultured hippocampal neurones

1. The effects of secreted forms of beta-amyloid-precursor proteins (APP(S)s) on the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) were investigated in rat cultured hippocampal neurones. APP695S, a secretory form of APP695, attenuated the increase in [Ca2+]i evoked by glutamate. In addition, APP695S itself evoked an increase in [Ca2+]i in 1 or 2 day-cultured hippocampal cells, but not in 7 to 13 day-cultured cells. 2. Eighty-one percent of neurones which were immunocytochemically positive for microtubule-associated protein 2 responded to APP695S with an increase in [Ca2+]i. 3. APP695S induced a transient rise in [Ca2+]i even in the absence of extracellular Ca2+ and produced an elevation in inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) in a concentration-dependent manner from 100 to 500 ng ml(-1). In the presence of extracellular Ca2+, APP695S caused a transient rise in [Ca2+]i followed by a sustained phase at high [Ca2+]i, suggesting Ca2+ entry from the extracellular space. 4. The [Ca2+]i elevation was mimicked by amino terminal peptides of APPs, but not by carboxy terminal peptides. 5. These results taken together suggest that APP695S induces an increase in [Ca2+]i in hippocampal neurones through an IP3-dependent mechanism that changes according to the stage of development.     

Simulation and fabrication of flat-plate concentrator modules

A flat-plate concentrator (FPC) module has been proposed and developed for cost reduction of PV modules. The FPC has V-grooved rear reflectors on spaces between adjacent cells. To find appropriate design parameters, yearly optical performance is simulated by using meteorological data and introducing a performance index. As a result of the simulation, it is shown that the FPC module can reduce occupation area of solar cells to 75% compared with that of a conventional module, although its module area increases to 1.16 times. Several prototypes are fabricated and measured under a solar simulator. The measured results are somewhat lower than the simulated ones, but generally show the validity of the simulation.