Development of a new detection method of partial discharge for EHV long-distance active cable line

A new method was used to measure the characteristics of partial discharge (PD) for an active 9.5-km long-distance 275-kV XLPE cable line with insulating joints. It was found that the detection of PD and the calibration of detection sensitivity were carried out safely and easily. The proposed method includes:

• 1 detection of PDs and injection of calibration pulses using two pairs of metal electrodes placed on PVC jackets with anti-corrosion layers separated by a joint sleeve sectionalizing insulator;
• 2 measurement of detection sensitivity with distance using calibration pulses injected from an adjacent insulating joint;
• 3 detection of PDs with a high S/N ratio measured at a frequency corresponding to the lowest noise level; and
• 4 usage of rf cores attached at cross-bonding leads and wires for sheath current limiters to reduce the crosstalk of signal and noise through these lines at insulating joints.

Using a combination of these techniques, the highest detection sensitivity was 1 pC in the vicinity of an insulating joint, and 15 pC at 617 m from the adjacent joint. The sensitivity obtained by the conventional PD measurement using a low-frequency method was at most 1000 pC.     

Control of antibody-antigen interaction using anion-induced conformational change in antigen peptide

The binding of a monoclonal antibody to an epitope peptide wascontrolled by the conformational change of the epitope peptideinduced by anions. We synthesized peptides in which the epitopesequence DTYRYI for the monoclonal antibody AU1 is located betweenamphiphilic peptides (KKLL)_n and (LLKK)_n. In the absence ofan appropriate anion, the peptide was in a random coil stateand the epitope was linear. In contrast, in the presence ofan appropriate anion, the peptide exhibited an anti-parallel-helical structure and the epitope was subsequently `bent'.In the presence of 41 µM triphosphate, the associationconstant between the antibody and the peptide was decreasedby one order of magnitude in the case of n = 3 and at leastthree orders of magnitude in the case of n = 4 or 5. Oligo-DNAs,as anions, dissociated the antibody–peptide complex, whereastriphosphate did not. The DNA concentrations required for 50%dissociation of the antibody–peptide complex at pH 7.5were 4x10^–8, 1x10^–7 and 6x10^–6 M for decamer,octamer and hexamer DNA, respectively.     

Synthesis of Liquid Crystalline Organometallic Poly(arylene)s Containing 1,3-Type (η4-Cyclobutadiene)cobalt Moieties in the Main Chain

Novel organometallic poly(arylene)s containing 1,3-type (cyclobutadiene)cobalt moieties in the main chain were prepared by the Ni(0)-mediated dehalogenative polycondensation of monomers having (cyclobutadiene)cobalt moieties. The resulting poly(arylene)s were partly soluble in organic solvents and the number-average molecular weights (M _n) of soluble fractions were estimated to be 16,700–22,000 by GPC. The polymers showed the formation of a -conjugated structure, good solubility in common organic solvents, and thermotropic liquid crystallinity.     

A Highly Active Catalyst Composed of ansa-Fluorenylamidodimethyltitanium Derivative for Propene Polymerization

Me₂Si(C₂₉H₃₆)(N ^t Bu)TiMe₂ (4; C₂₉H₃₆, octamethyloctahydrodibenzofluorenyl) was synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, ¹H NMR and single crystal X-ray analysis. The complex was applied for propene polymerization using dried modified methylaluminoxane (dMMAO) as a cocatalyst at 0 °C by a semi-batch method. The catalytic system showed the activity of 11,400 kg-polymer mol-Ti^?1 h^?1, which was too high to control the polymerization. Batch-wise polymerizations were then conducted by changing the amount of propene in feed. The polymerizations proceeded quantitatively, and the number-average molecular weight increased linearly against the polymer yield with keeping the number of polymer chains constant although the polydispersity indices were broader than that expected in a living polymerization. The results of postpolymerization indicated the smooth chain transfer after the monomer consumption.     

Replication of genetic information with self-encoded replicase in liposomes

In all living systems, the genome is replicated by proteins that are encoded within the genome itself. This universal reaction is essential to allow the system to evolve. Here, we have constructed a simplified system involving encapsulated macromolecules termed a "self-encoding system", in which the genetic information is replicated by self-encoded replicase in liposomes. That is, the universal reaction was reconstituted within a microcompartment bound by a lipid bilayer. The system was assembled by using one template RNA sequence as the information molecule and an in vitro translation system reconstituted from purified translation factors as the machinery for decoding the information. In this system, the catalytic subunit of Qbeta replicase is synthesized from the template RNA that encodes the protein. The replicase then replicates the template RNA that was used for its production. This in-liposome self-encoding system is one of the simplest such systems available; it consists of only 144 gene products, while the information and the function for its replication are encoded on different molecules and are compartmentalized into the microenvironment for evolvability.     

The first potent subtype-selective retinoid X receptor (RXR) agonist possessing a 3-isopropoxy-4-isopropylphenylamino moiety, NEt-3IP (RXRalpha/beta-dual agonist)

Retinoid X receptor (RXR) agonists (rexinoids) are attracting much attention for their use in treatment of cancers, including tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer and taxol-resistant lung cancer, and metabolic disease. However, known RXR agonists have a highly lipophilic character. In addition, no subtype-selective RXR agonists have been found. We previously reported an RXRalpha-preferential agonist 4-[N-methanesulfonyl-N-(5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-naphthyl)amino]benzoic acid (6 a). The RXR agonistic activity is much less than that of well-known RXR agonists. To develop potent, less-lipophilic, and subtype-selective RXR agonists, we created new RXR agonists possessing alkoxy and isopropyl groups as a lipophilic domain of the common structure of well-known RXR agonists. As a result, compounds possessing branched alkoxy groups, 6-[N-ethyl-N-(3-isopropoxy-4-isopropylphenyl)amino]nicotinic acid (NEt-3IP: 7 a) and 6-[N-ethyl-N-(3-isobutoxy-4-isopropylphenyl)amino]nicotinic acid (NEt-3IB: 7 c), showed RXR agonistic activity as potent as, or more potent than, the activities of representative RXR agonists. Moreover, NEt-3IP (7 a) was found to be the first RXRalpha/beta-selective (or RXRalpha/beta-dual) agonist. Being potent, less lipophilic, and having RXR subtype-selective activity, NEt-3IP (7 a) is expected to become a new drug candidate and to be a useful biological tool for clarifying each RXR subtype function.     

Reduction of lipophilicity at the lipophilic domain of RXR agonists enables production of subtype preference: RXRalpha-preferential agonist possessing a sulfonamide moiety

Retinoid X receptor agonists (RXR agonists, rexinoids) are interesting candidates for the treatment of cancers such as tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer and taxol-resistant lung cancer. However, well-known RXR agonists possess a strong lipophilic character. In addition, although RXR has three subtypes, no subtype-selective RXR agonists are known. Thus we aimed to produce less-lipophilic and subtype-selective RXR agonists. By designing sulfonamide-type RXR agonists, 4-[N-methanesulfonyl-N-(5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-naphthyl)amino]benzoic acid (8 a) was found to prefer RXRalpha over RXRbeta and RXRgamma, although the potency is less than the potencies of well-known RXR pan-agonists. Moreover, our results suggest that the reduction of lipophilicity at the hydrophobic interaction region of RXR agonists enables production of RXR subtype preference. Our finding will be useful for the creation of more potent and less-lipophilic subtype-selective RXR agonists aimed at the reduction of undesirable side effects.     

In situ fibrous structure oriented polymer blends composed of poly(lactic acid) and polycaprolactone containing peroxide

A fibrous dispersed phase stuffed with polycaprolactone (PCL) was constructed in a poly(lactic acid) (PLA) matrix during an injection‐molding process. The injection‐molding process showed efficiency in forming dispersions with fibrous shapes, and they could impart the ductile property of PCL to the brittle PLA matrix, with appropriate interfacial adhesion arising from the cocrosslinking structure at the PLA/PCL interface by dicumyl peroxide (DCP). However, the addition of excess DCP caused a split of the dispersions resulting from the compatibility increment and the excess crosslinking reaction at the interface and inside each phase. The addition of a small amount of DCP could adhere the interface without splitting of the dispersions. The observed internal structure in the injection moldings showed a morphology transition that changed gradually from a fine fibrous morphology to a coarse morphology at a deeper position in the injection moldings. The tensile properties of sliced local layers, which were fabricated with a sliding microtome, proved that the fibrous morphology was effective in the improvement of ductility of the blends. An X‐ray analysis showed that the shear flow increased the crystalline orientation and formed a different crystalline structure only in the PCL dispersed phase, but its crystalline structure was not the main factor for ductility improvement. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Effects of polymer molecular weight and chemical modification on the gas transport properties of poly(2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐phenylene oxide)

Poly(2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐phenylene oxide) (PPO) of different intrinsic viscosities has been studied to understand the effect of polymer molecular weight on the permeability and permeability ratio of CO₂/CH₄ and O₂/N₂ gas pairs. The increase in permeability of dense films prepared from higher molecular weight PPO was explained in terms of increased free volume. Gas permeability for the high molecular weight was further improved by attaching bulky bromine groups to the phenyl ring of the PPO backbone. Permeability ratio of PPO was greatly improved by attaching polar groups such as —COOH or —SO₃H. The loss in permeability because of the presence of the polar groups was compensated by using PPO that was brominated and sulfonated. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 77: 1137–1143, 2000     

Isotropic magnetization response of electrodeposited nanocrystalline Ni–W alloy nanowire arrays

Isotropic magnetization response was demonstrated in electrodeposited nanocrystalline Ni–15 % W alloy nanowire arrays, which can be applied to nanoscale magnetic field sensors. The Ni–W alloy nanowire arrays were electrochemically synthesized on a nanochannel template electrode from an aqueous electrolytic solution. X-ray and electron diffraction patterns revealed that Ni–15 % W alloy deposits were composed of ultrafine crystal grains with a supersaturated solid solution phase. The magnetization of the Ni–15 % W alloy thin films reached saturation at around 2.5 kOe in a perpendicular direction to the film plane, whereas the pure Ni thin films hardly magnetized in the perpendicular direction. On the contrary, Ni–15 % W alloy nanowire arrays were easily magnetized, and reach saturation at around 1.0 kOe, even in a perpendicular direction to the array film plane that corresponds to the long-axis direction of the alloy nanowires.