Dry galloping characteristics and its mechanism of inclined/yawed cables

Mechanism of dry galloping of inclined cable of cable-stayed bridges is described in relation to Karman vortex mitigation. Furthermore, the role of Scruton number Sc on reduced critical velocity Vrcr of the dry galloping is investigated for practical use basing on wind tunnel tests and field observations of dry galloping or pseudo-galloping, which is classified as cable vibration with rain-state but response amplitude is abnormally large. It is verified that as far as the divergent-type of dry galloping, the design criterion subject to Sc-Vrcr proposed by FHWA (Federal Highway Administration of U.S.) seems to be reasonable for practical use, on the other hand, for the unsteady dry galloping, the Saito criterion for Sc-Vrcr diagram seems to be reasonable.     

Entomogenous fungi that produce 2,6-pyridine dicarboxylic acid (dipicolinic acid)

An inhibitor of the prophenoloxidase activation using extract from a silkworm pupa was isolated from a culture filtrate of Cordyceps militaris and identified as dipicolinic acid (DPA). The production of DPA in Clavicipitaceae fungi was examined. Entomogenous fungi that produce DPA were integrated into one group by a phylogenetic analysis based on 18S rDNA. It is suggested that the group acquired an ability to produce DPA during its evolution from plant pathogenic fungi to entomogenous fungi.     

A new protein engineering approach combining chemistry and biology, part I; site-specific incorporation of 4-iodo-L-phenylalanine in vitro by using misacylated suppressor tRNAPhe

An Escherichia coli suppressor tRNA(Phe) (tRNA(Phe) (CUA)) was misacylated with 4-iodo-L-phenylalanine by using the A294G phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase mutant (G294-PheRS) from E. coli at a high magnesium-ion concentration. The preacylated tRNA was added to an E. coli cell-free system and a Ras protein that contained the 4-iodo-L-phenylalanine residue at a specific target position was synthesized. Site-specific incorporation of 4-iodo-L-phenylalanine was confirmed by using LC-MS/MS. Free tRNA(Phe) (CUA) was not aminoacylated by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) present in the E. coli cell-free system. Our approach will find wide application in protein engineering since an aryl iodide tag on proteins can be used for site-specific functionalization of proteins.     

Catalytic Oxidation of Oleic Acid in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Media with Molecular Oxygen

Oxidation of oleic acid was performed over various ordered porous catalysts containing transition metal in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂) media with molecular oxygen. Oleic acid was completely decomposed into mono- and dicarboxylic acids over porous catalysts, viz., mesoporous molecular sieves (CrMCM-41, MnMCM-41, CoMCM-41) and microporous molecular sieves (CrAPO-5, CoMFI, MnMFI) using scCO₂ at 353 K for 8 h. Among the different catalysts studied, microporous and mesoporous catalysts containing chromium, in presence of scCO₂ showed high distribution of azelaic and pelargonic acids as compared to their analogs containing cobalt or manganese. The presence of scCO₂ medium with the catalysts increased the distribution of azelaic and pelargonic acids. The effect of CO₂ pressure, reaction temperature and reaction time on oxidation of oleic acid over CrMCM-41 was also investigated. Additionally it is noticed that the catalyst can be recycled with negligible loss of catalytic activity.     

Structural analysis of simple base oils under high pressure using synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction: First trial

The microscopic structures of two base oils at atmospheric pressure and under high pressure were analyzed using synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction in this work. The experimental apparatuses we used were designed for structural analysis under high pressure: the ‘MAX80’ X-ray diffractometer with a cubic multi-anvil press at the KEK synchrotron facilities and the ‘SMAP2’ one at the SPring-8 synchrotron facilities. The sample oils were n-hexadecane CH₃(CH₂)₁₄CH₃ and dicyclohexyl C₆H₁₁C₆H₁₁; the former is a chain hydrocarbon, and the latter is a dual-cyclic hydrocarbon. The samples were sealed in a capsule made of Teflon and put under pressure with one of the two apparatuses. Application of synchrotron radiation X-rays to the sample oils at atmospheric pressure produced clear pair distribution functions and under several high-pressure conditions it produced scattering intensity profiles. The results revealed that the oils transitioned from liquid phase to single-crystal phase with increasing pressure. With a constant high pressure, they crystallized over time, making the transition in about an hour.     

Influence of laser irradiation condition on a femtosecond laser-assisted tomographic atom probe

Influence of femtosecond laser pulse condition on the performance of an energy-compensated optical tomographic atom probe has been investigated. The unstable oscillator makes the mass peaks significantly broadened. Double 80 fs pulse train with 10 ns interval makes the mass peaks slightly shifted to the higher mass side. The mass peak shift corresponds to the fight time of ions triggered by laser pulsing. Chirping ratio for the laser pulses ranging from 80 fs to 10 ps is controlled by the pulse compressor for the fragile specimens such as oxide dispersion strengthen steel or insulator materials. A first-principle calculation for optical dielectric breakdown in diamond has been successfully demonstrated. It is shown that effective conductive increase has appeared at the laser intensity around 10¹³ W/cm².     

Reinvestigation of the Sex Pheromone of the Wild Silkmoth Bombyx mandarina: The Effects of Bombykal and Bombykyl Acetate

Sex pheromone investigations of the domesticated silkmoth, Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae), helped elucidate the molecular and physiological fundamentals of chemical communication in moths, yet little is known about pheromone evolution in bombycid species. Therefore, we reexamined the sex pheromone communication in the wild silkmoth, Bombyx mandarina, which is considered ancestral to B. mori. Our investigations revealed that (a) B. mandarina females produce (E,Z)-10,12-hexadecadienol (bombykol), but not (E,Z)-10,12-hexadecadienal (bombykal) or (E,Z)-10,12-hexadecadienyl acetate (bombykyl acetate), which are pheromone components in other bombycid moths; (b) antennae of male B. mandarina respond strongly to bombykol as well as to bombykal and bombykyl acetate; and (c) bombykal and bombykyl acetate strongly inhibit attraction of B. mandarina males to bombykol in the field. The present study clarifies the evolution of pheromone communication in bombycid moths.     

Classification of lightning damage to wind turbine blades

Lightning damage to wind turbine blades is of great concern to wind power installations. We investigate various issues arising from lightning damage and assess the causes through actual lightning observations as well as from high‐voltage and large‐current experiments. Although installing lightning receptors and down conductors provide a good countermeasure, blade damage can still be caused by lightning still. New techniques are needed to better protect blades from lightning surges; these may include not only better performance and layout of receptors, but also independent lightning towers and new types of blade materials. This paper provides a classification of blade damage sustained in winter lightning, ranked in severity by analyzing the many incidents of damage that have actually occurred in Japan. Moreover, a list of possible causes of damage and relative countermeasures is also presented. © 2012 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

In situ molecular analysis of plant tissues by live single-cell mass spectrometry

We report the development of a rapid, direct molecular analysis of live, single plant cells viewed under a video microscope in their natural environment. A nanoelectrospray tip was used to extract the contents of a single leaf, stem, or petal cell from Pelargonium zonale, and the samples were analyzed on an Orbitrap mass spectrometer by nanoelectrospray ionization. Around a thousand m/z peaks belonging to metabolites and other compounds in each sample were obtained and processed by using statistical tools to find the cell specific molecular peaks. Hybrid high-resolution mass spectrometry analysis was performed to confirm the structure of specific metabolites from the analyzed samples. This method is useful for identifying specific molecules in live single cells from plant tissue and will allow different cell types and stages from different sites in the plant to be compared with morphological observations.