Fault section detection system for 66 kV underground branchtransmission lines using optical magnetic field sensors

A fault section detection system that uses optical magnetic field sensors and instantly detects the section in which a ground fault occurred was developed for 66 kV underground multiterminal systems having Y-branch joint boxes. The optical magnetic field sensor, which is based on the Faraday effect in Bi-doped YIG ((BiYbGd)₃Fe₅O₁₂) having a large Verdet constant, detects cable conductor currents of 0 to 2000 A with high precision with the use of a laminated magnetic ring core of silicon steel plates. Sensors and a fault section detector/indicator of a system are connected with optical fibers capable of nonrepeated transmission of over 6 km     

Morphological characteristics of flood refugia of cobble-bed vegetation

Periodic flooding alters riverine vegetation community composition; moderate flood disturbance maintains communities at an early seral stage, whereas severe floods may remove entire communities. After disturbance, plants may recolonize riverbeds from refugia.Here, we investigated the morphological characteristics of refugia where riverine plants survived large floods. At three sites, plant communities growing on cobble-bars were surveyed, and the hydraulic characteristics of each site were analyzed. The populations of an indicator plant, Anaphalis margaritacea sub-species yedoensis (Franch. et Savat.) were assessed after major floods in 2004 and 2009. At each survey, the particle size and bed composition were measured, and the critical shear-stress required to move particles at each site was calculated. A one-dimensional flow and the average and local shear-stress at ten different discharges, including that of the largest flood were calculated. The results demonstrate that the A. margaritacea community is maintained at locations where the local shear-stress at peak discharge in large-floods does not exceed a critical value. These conditions were achieved in locations with particular morphological characteristics, where the river is not constrained by levees and is restricted by a downstream narrow-pass; in this reach river width increases with discharge thus limiting the increase in water depth with increasing discharge and allowing the establishment of refugia where plant species may survive large floods.Flooding and reestablishment from refugia maintain a characteristic riverbed community in equilibrium.     

Hereditary dominance of fast-twitch fibers in skeletal muscles and relation of thyroid hormone under physiological conditions in rats

This study examined the utility of the domain assessment measures used in the final 2 years at Newcastle medical school in predicting performance ratings in the first year of postgraduate training (internship). Performance ratings were obtained from the clinical supervisors of two graduating classes of the University of Newcastle medical students during their five terms of internship. Three or more ratings were obtained from 57% of interns. Univariate analysis indicated that scores for three of the five domains (professional skills; identification, prevention and management of illness; self-directed learning) were significantly positively correlated with intern performance ratings. Multivariate analysis indicated that only the domain assessing identification, prevention and management of illness was predictive of higher intern performance ratings. The results support the notion that there is some value in the domain assessment model used at Newcastle in predicting the performance of junior doctors.     

Anodic chlorination of aniline in N,N-dimethyl-formamide and N,N-dimethylacetamide

A pertinent electrochemical synthesis of 2,4,6-trichloroaniline (TCA) in anhydrous media was studied. The influence of the solvent, the chlorinating reagent, the electricity passed and the nature of the anode material, were investigated. TCA was produced in electrolytic solutions whose solvents were amides with strong nucleophilicity as N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and N,N-dimethylacetoamide (DMAc), and was obtained selectively by the controlled potential electrolysis of aniline in the solution containing LiCl. The definition of the experimental conditions corresponding to an optimum and selective electrolysis of TCA was described.     

A computer-aided design of EMC microstrip dipole arrays using nonlinear optimization techniques

This paper describes a method for designing electromagnetically coupled (EMC) printed dipole arrays. The advantages of EMC dipoles include greater bandwidth, higher efficiency, and an easier match to the feed lines, when compared to classically fed printed antennae. The excitation mechanism is provided by a strip transmission line embedded inside the substrate which couples energy parasitically to the microstrip antenna. Electromagnetically coupled microstrip dipoles have been investigated by empirical or approximate analysis techniques. As a result an approximate model has been derived for microstrip dipoles. The method is based on the method of moments solution to an integral equation derived from the approximate Green function for a grounded dielectric slab. The element lengths and offsets and the stub length of the EMC dipole array are determined by the direct search optimization method of Hooke and Jeeves. To show the feasibility of the proposed method, a mathematical formulation and numerical results are presented for Chebyshev arrays. © 1998 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 125(4): 60–66, 1998     

Optimal Simulation of Distributed Generation System for CO_2-Reduction in Supermarket and Restaurant

After the great east Japan earthquake in 2011, Japanese energy system has been expected to prioritize safety and trustworthiness. Now, distributed power systems are considered as one solution, but utilizing exhaust heat is an important task to be solved. The purpose of this study is to build a simulation model to harness waste heat of commercial buildings. We obtained two types of data： distributed power system in 1/15 scale model of supermarket, restaurant and real world energy consumption of the two buildings. Results showed cold cabinets, whose electricity was affected by temperatures outside and inside, consumed most in supermarket. While air conditioning, affected by air enthalpy of outside and inside, consumed most in restaurant. According to our simulation with gas engine, PV （photovoltaic） panel, PCM （phase change material）, thermal storage, FCU （fan coil unit） and refrigerated cabinets in scale model, we could reduce 27% of CO_2 emission and 25% of running cost by selecting optimal size.     

Human β-Defensin 3 Inhibits Porphyromonas Gingivalis Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Oxidative and Inflammatory Responses of Microglia by Suppression of Cathepsins B and L

Recently, the effects of antibacterial peptides are suggested to have therapeutic potential in Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, systemic treatment of Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced Alzheimer’s disease-like neuropathological changes in middle-aged mice. Then, we examined whether human β-defensins (hBDs), antimicrobial peptides produced by the oral mucosa and salivary glands, can suppress Pg LPS-induced oxidative and inflammatory responses by microglia. hBD3 (1 μM) significantly suppressed Pg LPS-induced production of nitric oxide and interleukin-6 (IL-6) by MG6 cells, a mouse microglial cell line. hBD3 (1 μM) also significantly inhibited Pg LPS-induced expression of IL-6 by HMC3 cells, a human microglial cell line. In contrast, neither hBD1, hBD2 nor hBD4 failed to inhibit their productions. Furthermore, hBD3 suppressed Pg LPS-induced p65 nuclear translocation through the IκBα degradation. Pg LPS-induced expression of IL-6 was significantly suppressed by E64d, a cysteine protease inhibitor, and CA-074Me, a known specific inhibitor for cathepsin B, but not by pepstatin A, an aspartic protease inhibitor. Interestingly, hBD3 significantly inhibited enzymatic activities of recombinant human cathepsins B and L, lysosomal cysteine proteases, and their intracellular activities in MG6 cells. Therefore, hBD3 suppressed oxidative and inflammatory responses of microglia through the inhibition of cathepsins B and L, which enzymatic activities are necessary for the NF-κB activation.     

Discrepancy between provocative test and clinical results following endovascular obliteration of spinal arteriovenous malformation

The isolated and perfused kidney of the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) exhibits an increased vascular reactivity to serotonin when compared to normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. Experiments were designed to determine the involvement of a prostanoid constricting factor in the augmented response to serotonin in the SHR kidney. Kidneys taken from male (12 months) SHR and WKY rats were studied in parallel and perfused with Tyrode's solution at constant, optimal flow rates. Vasoconstrictor response were recorded as increases in perfusion pressure. The dose-response curves to serotonin obtained in the SHR were shifted to the left compared to the WKY. Indomethacin decreased the responses to the smaller doses of serotonin in the SHR, but increased those to the higher doses of the monoamine in the WKY. The responsiveness to the monoamine was no longer significantly different in the two strains in the presence of the inhibitor of cyclooxygenase. Dazoxiben, an inhibitor of thromboxane synthetase, did not alter the responses to serotonin in either the WKY and SHR kidneys. These experiments suggest that a prostanoid, but not thromboxane A2, may play a role in the augmented response to serotonin in the kidney of aged SHR.     

Development of transient stability controller system (TSC) based on on-line stability calculation

A new transient stability controller system (TSC) based on on-line transient stability calculation has been developed. The TSC system prevents the power system from wide-area blackout by shedding generators optimally when a serious fault occurs. This system consists of a central processing unit (TSC-P), and four local units for fault detection (TSC-C), and seventeen units for generator shedding (TSC-T). The TSC-P selects optimal generators to be shed for stabilization based on on-line transient stability calculation for contingencies at 500 kV lines and buses every five minutes. The results are transmitted to the TSC-Cs periodically. Should any fault occur, only one TSC-C will detect the fault occurrence and send control signals to the TSC-Ts which actually generate shedding signals. To realize the TSC system, essential are fast stability evaluation methods for a large number of contingencies and effective selection methods of optimal generators to be shed for stabilization. This paper presents total algorithms applied in the TSC-P, the results of algorithm verification tests using a prototype system combined with a large-scale analog simulator, and the characteristics of the actual system.     

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.