Thermal stability of reinforced Nb3Sn composite superconductor under cryocooled conditions

Several types of reinforced Nb₃Sn wires have been developed to prevent reduction of superconducting properties by applying a strong electromagnetic force. To fabricate a cryocooled magnet using those reinforced wires, we experimentally measured the minimum quench energy (MQE) under cryocooled conditions of some reinforced Nb₃Sn wires. As a result, it became clear that thermal stability expressed as MQE was controlled by the temperature margin between the temperature of the operating condition and the transition temperature from superconductivity to normal. Using the FEM analysis, it was realized that the cause of the decline in thermal stability for the reinforced wires was the low thermal conductivity of the reinforced materials.     

The relationship of IL-6 to hormonal mediators, fuel utilization, and systemic hypermetabolism after surgical trauma

OBJECTIVES: To define the relationship between inflammatory cytokines, hormonal mediators, alteration of energy substrate and hypermetabolism during the early phase after surgical trauma. DESIGN: A prospective case-control study of 13 patients underwent elective surgery for carcinoma between November 1993 and January 1995. MATERIALS AND METHODS: They received parenteral supply of adequate glucose and amino acids through central venous catheter after surgery equally. Inflammatory cytokines such as TNF- alpha, IL-1 and IL-6, stress hormones such as norepinephrine, glucagon and insulin, and fuel utilization and hypermetabolism variables such as resting energy expenditure (REE), CRP, free fatty acid, respiratory quotient, the calculated rates of glucose and fat oxidation using indirect calorimetry were measured serially (the day before operation, the end of surgery, and postoperative day (POD) 1, 2 and 5). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: TNF- alpha and IL-1 were not detected during the study period. Initial elevation and steady decline of IL-6 concentrations were seen after surgical injury, and this response related significantly to post-operative norepinephrine and glucagon levels throughout the study period, and to insulin levels only at the end of surgery. %REE (REE/BEEHB; basal energy expenditure according to the Harris-Benedict equation) on POD 2 and 5, and all CRP levels after surgery were significantly related to IL-6 levels more than hormone levels. Fuel utilization variables on POD 2 were related to both IL-6 and hormone levels. CONCLUSIONS: Initial elevation of IL-6 concentration might induce stress hormones such as norepinephrine and glucagon, but not insulin after surgical trauma. Moreover not only hormonal mediators but also cytokine such as IL-6 are responsible for the development of the stress response of the alteration of energy substrate and hypermetabolism.     

Automated low-power technique exploiting multiple supply voltagesapplied to a media processor

This paper describes an automated design technique to reduce power by making use of two supply voltages. The technique consists of structure synthesis, placement, and routing. The structure synthesizer clusters the gates off the critical paths so as to supply the reduced voltage to save power. The placement and routing tool assigns either the reduced voltage or the unreduced one to each row so as to minimize the area overhead. The reduced supply, voltage is also exploited in a clock tree to reduce power. Combining these techniques together, we applied it to a media processor chip. The combined technique reduced the power by 47% in random-logic modules and by 73% in the clock tree, while keeping the performance     

Development of 170 GHz/500 kW gyrotron

A development of 170GHz/500kW level gyrotron was carried out as R&D work of ITER. The oscillation mode is TE_31,8. In a short pulse experiment, the maximum power of 750kW was achieved at 85kV/40A. The efficiency was 22%. In the depressed collector operation, 500kW/36%/50ms was obtained. The maximum efficiency of 40% was obtained at P_RF=470kW whereas the power decrease by the electron trapping was observed. Pulse extension was done up to 10s at P_RF=170kW with the depressed collector operation. The power was limited by the temperature increase of the output window.     

Electrical properties of N2O/NH3 plasma grownoxynitride on strained-Si

Growth of ultrathin (<100 Å) oxynitride on strained-Si using microwave N₂O and NH₃ plasma is reported. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results indicate a nitrogen-rich layer at the strained-Si/SiO₂ interface. The electrical properties of oxynitrides have been characterized using a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structure. A moderately low value of insulator charge density (6.1×10¹⁰ cm^-2) has been obtained for NH₃ plasma treated N₂O oxide sample. Nitrided oxide shows a larger breakdown voltage and an improved charge trapping properties under Fowler-Nordheim (F-N) constant current stress     

A new voltage control equipment using fuzzy inference

Power system control equipment needs higher sensitivity and operational reliability. Advanced voltage control equipment is needed for reducing the frequency of tap changes and improving the characteristics (the relationship between the actual voltage and reference voltage) of the voltage to meet today's power system requirements. However, these objectives are in a trade-off relationship. Studies of voltage control derived from a knowledge base suitable for electric power systems can satisfy these objectives using fuzzy inference. Compared with corresponding conventional equipment, the new equipment improved the deviation of 30 min average voltage of 30 percent. This paper describes the design concept of new voltage control equipment using fuzzy inference. In addition, field test results are described along with rules of fuzzy inference, membership functions, and the deviation of 30 min average voltage through detailed simulation.     

Direct Spectroscopic Determination of Europium(Ⅱ) Concentration During Europium(Ⅲ) Electro-Reduction in Hydrochloric Acid Medium

UV-Vis spectroscopy was used to directly determine the concentration of Eu(Ⅱ) during electroreduction of Eu(Ⅲ) in hydrochloric acid medium. Electroreduction was carried out in a flow type electrolyzer with glassy carbon cathode at the constant potential of -800 mV vs. Ag/AgCl. The effects of oxygen and concentration of hydrochloric acid on the system were investigated. For 0.01 mol·L-1 hydrochloric acid, calibration curves for Eu(Ⅱ) absorption bands at 248 and 320 nm were constructed. Molar absorption coefficients were estimated to be 2016 and 648 L·mol-1·cm-1, respectively. The absorbance strongly decreased with decrease in pH of the solution, whereas concentration of chloride had only a negligible effect.     

An empirical approach for structure-based prediction of carbohydrate-binding sites on proteins

A computer program system was developed to predict carbohydrate-bindingsites on three-dimensional (3D) protein structures. The programssearch for binding sites by referring to the empirical rulesderived from the known 3D structures of carbohydrate–proteincomplexes. A total of 80 non-redundant carbohydrate–proteincomplex structures were selected from the Protein Data Bankfor the empirical rule construction. The performance of theprediction system was tested on 50 known complex structuresto determine whether the system could detect the known bindingsites. The known monosaccharide-binding sites were detectedamong the best three predictions in 59% of the cases, whichcovered 69% of the polysaccharide-binding sites in the targetproteins, when the performance was evaluated by the overlapbetween residue patches of predicted and known binding sites. Received April 24, 2003; revised June 2, 2003; accepted June 10, 2003.     

Induction of necrosis by zinc in prostate carcinoma cells and identification of proteins increased in association with this induction

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a cardiovascular peptide that binds to two distinct receptors, ET(A) and ET(B), resulting in systemic and regional vasoconstriction, alteration in sodium excretion, mitogenesis, and release of other vasoactive peptides such as atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). A role for ET-1 has been proposed in congestive heart failure (CHF) based on the increase in circulating ET-1 in this cardiovascular disease state. The present study determined the cardiorenal and endocrine responses to chronic selective oral ETA antagonism in experimental CHF. Two groups of conscious dogs underwent 21 days of pacing-induced CHF. These groups included a control untreated group (n = 6) and a group that received an orally active ET(A) receptor antagonist (A-127722, Abbott Pharmaceuticals, 5 mg/kg PO bid, n = 6). Each group was studied at baseline before the onset of CHF and after 14 and 21 days of CHF. Compared with the CHF control group, the ET(A) receptor antagonism group at 14 days of CHF showed lower mean arterial pressure and systemic vascular resistance. Similarly, ET(A) receptor antagonism markedly attenuated the increase in circulating ANP despite similar atrial pressures. At 21 days of CHF, ET(A) receptor antagonism lowered pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, and systemic vascular resistance in association with a higher cardiac output. Plasma ANP remained suppressed. Despite the lower mean arterial pressure and circulating ANP in the ET(A) receptor antagonist group, the absolute decrease in sodium excretion from baseline was less compared with the untreated CHF control group. The present investigation supports the conclusion that endogenous ET-1 participates in the systemic and pulmonary vasoconstriction, the elevation of ANP, and the sodium retention that characterize this model of experimental CHF, suggesting a potential therapeutic role for ET(A) receptor antagonism in CHF.