The demand for energy in Japan is expected to increase steadily into the future, and it seems that the importance of nuclear power generation will be heightened more when the situation of our country which is not rich in energy resources is taken into account.
Furthermore, when we consider the present situation that the light water reactors have become common, recent outlook for the supply and demand for uranium resources, trends in the development of the fast breeder reactor technology, etc., the light water reactors are expected to remain dominant in the nuclear power generation of our country until at least the second half of the 21st century.
Based on such a background five PWR utilities in Japan (Hokkaido, Kansai, Shikoku, Kyushu, and the Japan Atomic Power), and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. have jointly started researching the Next Generation PWR which is expected to be the leading nuclear power plant taking place of APWR. 相似文献
Recent advancements in molecular engineering techniques have enabled us to study sleep of animals lacking or overproducing any protein molecule we are interested in. Abnormalities in sleep have already been observe in knockout mice lacking the gene for prion protein, 55 kD-receptor of tumor necrosis factor, etc. We also started a project to examine the effect of the loss or the overproduction of prostaglandin D synthase in sleep. The enzyme is responsible for biosynthesis of prostaglandin D2, the most potent endogenous substance to promote sleep reported so far. We generated both knockout and transgenic mice of prostaglandin D synthase. We are currently analysing the sleep of these mutant mice. 相似文献
A psychrotrophic yeast, Rhodotorula glutinis KUJ 2731, isolated from soil, effectively produced an extracellular endo-beta-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.4). The enzyme was monomeric, and the molecular mass was about 40,000 Da. The N-terminal amino acid sequence was H-Ser-Leu-Pro- Lys-Leu-Gly-Gly-Val-Asp-Leu-Ala-Gly-Leu-Asp-Ile-Gly-Lys-Asp-Lys-Asn-. alpha-Helix content was calculated to be about 32.6%. The isoelectric point was 8.57. The activation energy was 20.9 kJ/mol, which was much smaller than that of mesophilic enzymes. The enzyme was active at temperatures from 0 to 70 degrees C, with a highest initial velocity at 50 degrees C similar to other psychrotrophic enzymes. The enzyme was inhibited by Hg2+. The enzyme catalyzed hydrolysis of carboxymethyl cellulose with an apparent K(m) of 1.1% and Vmax of 556 mumol/min/mg. Products from the enzymatic hydrolysis of carboxymethyl cellulose by the enzyme were glucose, cellobiose, and cellotriose. The enzyme also catalyzed the transglycosylation of p-nitrophenyl-beta-cellotrioside to cellotetraose. 相似文献
The calcium antagonistic and alpha 1-adrenergic receptor blocking activities of monatepil maleate (CAS 103377-41-9, (+/-)-N-(6,11-dihydrodibenzo [b, e] thiepin-11-yl) -4-(4-fluorophenyl)-1-piperazinebutanamide monomaleate, AJ-2615), a novel calcium antagonist, its metabolites and their enantiomers were studied in vitro. Monatepil maleate inhibited calcium-induced contractions of rat thoracic aorta (pA2 = 8.71) and l-phenylephrine-induced contractions of rabbit superior mesenteric artery (IC50 = 56.6 nmol/l). The calcium antagonistic activities of the metabolites of monatepil maleate (AJ-2615-sulfoxide A, AJ-2615-sulfoxide B and AJ-2615-sulfone) were 1/10 of that of monatepil maleate. However, their alpha 1-adrenergic receptor blocking activities were similar to or slightly more potent than that of monatepil maleate. The potencies of the calcium antagonistic activities of monatepil maleate and its enantiomers [(S)-AJ-2615 and (R)-AJ-2615] were in the order of (S)-AJ-2615 > monatepil maleate > (R)-AJ-2615 whereas no difference was observed among them in alpha 1-adrenergic receptor blocking activity. In calcium antagonistic and alpha 1-adrenergic receptor blocking activities, there was no difference between the enantiomers of monatepil maleate metabolites. In conclusion, there was a difference with several times in calcium antagonistic activity between the two enantiomers of monatepil maleate but not in their alpha 1-adrenergic receptor blocking activity. 相似文献
It has been pointed out in recent years that the potential impacts of global warming has been becoming more and more serious because of the rapid increase of anthropogenic CO2 emission.
Japan's annual CO2 emissions (fiscal 1994) amounted to 343 million tons of carbon. Although CO2 emissions caused by fossil-fuel power generation accounted for 29.4% of total, on a sector basis, those directly from the energy conversion sector accounted for only 7.7%. Most CO2 emissions (21.7% of total) resulted from electric power use in the industrial, commercial and domestic sectors. Thus, the reduction of CO2 emissions caused by the use of electricity is a nationwide subject.
Understanding that both supply side and demand side approaches are necessary, Kansai Electric has been deploying “New ERA Strategy” as a comprehensive strategy to seek a potential for CO2 reduction more broadly and deeply. Among a number of action items are the promotion of nuclear power generation, and improvement of overall energy efficiency, besides such demand side measures as leveling off the peak load.
The effectiveness of action items of the New ERA Strategy was evaluated in terms of CO2 reduction. As a result, estimated CO2 reduction related to nuclear power amounted to 88% of the total for fiscal 1995 in comparison with 1990, and that expected in 2000 is 84%. These results reconfirm that nuclear power is always the key to practical CO2 reduction at present and in the future.
Comparison with candidate technology alternatives revealed that photovoltaic power generation needed 7 times greater rated capacity and 280 times larger area than nuclear power, so it is not realistic as a central power station alternative. The comparison also clarified that if wind power stations were constructed at all feasible sites in the Kansai region, they would not be a viable alternative to a single nuclear unit from CO2 reduction viewpoint. 相似文献
Valence-band spectra of La2CuO4 and YBa2Cu3O7 were obtained by using X-ray photoemission varying the temperature of the measurement (35, 260, 300, and 500 C). In La2CuO4 the broad band centred around 4eV splits into two peaks at 260 C. At both 35 and 500 C the spectra show almost similar shape. In YBa2Cu3O7 the broad peak centred around 4eV splits into two peaks at 500 C. Below 300 C the spectra show almost similar shape. These splittings of the valence-band spectra may be due to the rearrangement of the crystal structure accompanying the phase transition from the orthorhombic to tetragonal symmetry. 相似文献
Recently, many research projects and competitions have attempted to find an autonomous mobile robot that can drive in the
real world. In this article, we consider a path-planning method for an autonomous mobile robot that would be safe in a real
environment. In such a case, it is very important for the robot to be able to identify its own position and orientation in
real time. Therefore, we applied a localization method based on a particle filter. Moreover, in order to improve the safety
of such autonomous locomotion, we improved the path-planning algorithm and the generation of the trajectory so that it can
consider a region with a limited maximum velocity. In order to demonstrate the validity of the proposed method, we participated
in the Real World Robot Challenge 2010. The experimental results are given. 相似文献
The phase equilibria in the pseudo-binary system Bi2O3-TeO2 at 600° 950° C in air were examined by solid-state reaction techniques and X-ray powder diffraction method. Four pseudo-binary compounds appeared, i.e., -Bi2O3 type solid solution having a compositional range of (1-x)Bi2O3·xTeO2 wherex=0 0.4 a new compound Bi6Te2O15 which has an orthorhombic cell of a=2.27(4) nm, b=1.06(1) nm and c = 0.539(8) nm, 2Bi2O3 · 3TeO2, and an unidentified phase Bi2O3·2TeO2. The formation of the phase Bi6Te2O15, in which all the Te ions are hexavalent, was confirmed by the thermogravimetry and by the Mössbauer spectra. The liquidus curves for whole system were determined by DTA method. 相似文献