Search

This paper presents the application, technology and design of recent Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) projects in the USA, including a brief overview of three case study examples that describe recent FACTS applications. Renewable integration, generation retirement, and applied system reliability standards to the U. S. transmission system are currently the primary drivers for most applications.

Non-traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONF) is considered to be a disease that occurs primarily due to ischemia of the femoral head, while its etiology and pathology are not fully understood. It is therefore necessary to identify the characteristics of the hemodynamics of the femoral head. In this study, the hemodynamics in the ilium and proximal regions of the femur, including the femoral head, was investigated using positron emission tomography (PET).The subjects of this study consisted of 8 hip joints of four healthy male adults and 3 hip joints on the contralateral side of a femoral neck fracture, avulsion fracture of the greater trochanter and coxarthrosis (1 case each, all females) for a total of 11 hip joints of 7 subjects. The ages of the subjects ranged from 25 to 87 years (average age: 54 years). Blood flow was measured by means of the H215O dynamic study method and blood volume was measured by means of the 15O-labeled carbon monoxide bolus inhalation method.Blood flow was determined to be 9.1 +/- 4.8 ml/min/100 g in the ilium and among proximal regions of the femur (femoral head, neck and intertrochanteric region), 1.8 +/- 0.7 ml/min/100 g in the femoral head, 2.1 +/- 0.6 ml/min/100 g in the femoral neck, and 2.6 +/- 0.7 ml/min/100 g in the intertrochanteric region. In addition, blood volume was 4.7 +/- 1.3 ml/100 g in the ilium, and among proximal regions of the femur, 1.1 +/- 0.5 ml/100 g in the femoral head, 2.1 +/- 0.7 ml/100 g in the femoral neck, and 2.6 +/- 0.9 ml/100 g in the intertrochanteric region. The results showed that both blood flow and volume were lowest in the femoral head. Blood flow and volume were significantly lower in the proximal regions of the femur (femoral head, neck and intertrochanteric region) than in the ilium (p0.01).The present study demonstrated that the femoral head is in a hypoemic state as compared with other osseous tissue, indicating that even the slightest exacerbation of hemodynamics in the femoral head can trigger an ischemic condition culminating in ONF.

When the tsunami attacks in harbors, the vessels moored at the wharf may be unable to be evacuated. In such a case, damages such as, breaking the mooring tethers, grounding on a wharf, drift to land areas and the collision with buildings are assumed. And, after suffering a disaster, the base for supporting medical treatment and a life is necessary to disaster victims. In this research, the floating tsunami protection wharf (FTPW) is proposed. This present paper describes the tsunami simulation and the motion analysis of vessel moored at the FTPW using the MPS Method. In this research, the 3D-MPS method is applied. The applicability of the FTPW was examined. Moreover, the feasibility of the disaster victim support base on the FTPW deck was examined.Copyright © 2014 by ASME

This paper proposes a novel single-phase UPS inverter modulated by Error-Tracking Mode PWM scheme. An ac voltage regulation scheme which matches the PWM scheme is newly developed in a theoretical way. Since Error-tracking Mode PWM is based on constantly-sampled data, the controller is suited to be digitally implemented. The equivalent circuit of the UPS inverter controlled by the schemes is derived. The output impedence is found to be composed mainly of resistance differently from general ac apparatus.According to the newly-developed schemes, a 3kVA, 100V, 50Hz UPS inverter is experimentally fabricated in which the sample period is 10μs and the average switching frequency is 6kHz. No load, linear load and non-linear load characteristics are measured. The output voltage remains almost sinusoidal even for the rated non-linear load. The output impedences are also measured and well agreed with the intended values.

Along with wide and deep dissemination of electronics application to our modern society voltage dips and momentary interruptions mainly due to lightning on overhead transmission lines has become to disturb normal operation of loads. UPS, which is mostly employed to protect sensitive loads from them, has such limitations that it dissipates not less energy in running operation because currents flow through two converters in series, that it is poor to feed electric motors which occupy main loads in industrial plants and that it costs high to be applied in common. UPS can be regarded not as omnipotent against voltage dips.We have developed a novel power apparatus termed QBS (Quick Backup System) to supplement above drawbacks in UPS, employing one reversible ac/dc converter and one high-speed switch. Normally QBS supplies power directly from a commercial network to critical loads while the reversible converter interconnects with it to charge the battery. When the critical bus voltage deviates from the tolerance range QBS disconnects the high-speed switch and continues to feed the critical loads in UPS mode. The whole power transition is completed within 2ms. This paper presents constitutional technologies developed to realize QBS and obtained experimental data in the field demonstration test of a 100kVA QBS.

症例は57歳の女性。初診の3～4年前より,右大腿外側に移動性の無いそう痒を伴う紅斑,皮下硬結が出没していた。皮疹は週に1度の割合で出現し1～2日のうちに消退していた。初診時,右大腿外側に手拳大の,不規則ではあるが環状を呈する淡紅色紅斑を認め,その辺縁に指頭大の皮下結節を伴っていた。膠原病による紅斑,ライム病等を疑診し生検を施行。生検時,伸縮運動をする生きた虫体を摘出した。形態学的,皮膚病理組織所見および血清ELISA法にてマンソン孤虫症と確定診断した。近年のグルメブームの影響もあり,現在も寄生虫疾患の報告は多く,原因不明の紅斑·結節を診察する際に,寄生虫疾患も念頭に置く必要性を痛感した。

The expulsion of the gastrointestinal parasite Vampirolepis nana was examined in different mouse strains and in immunosuppressed mice infected to different degrees with eggs and cysticercoids. To investigate the immunological mechanism that regulates expulsion, surface-bound mouse immunoglobulins were examined on adult worms. The time to spontaneous expulsion of worms was dependent on strain (C57BL, BDF(1), B6C3F(1)BALB/cCBADBA/2C3H; all male mice) and on the degree of infection. In mice given immunosuppressants, the expulsion of worms was prevented completely. Immunoenzyme methods showed that IgA was the only detectable surface-bound antibody found on worms obtained from the intestines of mice of various strains throughout the course of infection. There was no evidence of surface-bound immunoglobulins on adult worms obtained from immunosuppressed mice. There was a good temporal correlation between the time-course of expulsion and the appearance of IgA. The data suggest that the expulsion of V. nana is closely associated with the appearance of parasite-specific IgA.

Partial regions of the mRNA encoding a major part of translation elongation factor 1 alpha (EF-1 alpha) from a mitochondrion-lacking protozoan, Glugea plecoglossi, that belongs to microsporidians, were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and their primary structures were analyzed. The deduced amino acid sequence was highly divergent from typical EF-1 alpha's of eukaryotes, although it clearly showed a eukaryotic feature when aligned with homologs of the three primary kingdoms. Maximum likelihood (ML) analyses on the basis of six different stochastic models of amino acid substitutions and a maximum parsimony (MP) analysis consistently suggest that among eukaryotic species being analyzed, G. plecoglossi is likely to represent the earliest offshoot of eukaryotes. Microsporidians might be the extremely ancient eukaryotes which have diverged before an occurrence of mitochondrial symbiosis.

Partial regions of the mRNA encoding a major part of translation elongation factor 2 (EF-2) from a kinetoplastid protozoan, Trypanosoma cruzi, were amplified by means of polymerase chain reaction and their primary structures were analyzed. The deduced amino acid sequence was aligned with those of other eukaryotic and archaebacterial EF-2s, and the phylogenetic relationships among eukaryotes were inferred by the maximum likelihood (ML) method. ML analyses of EF-2 phylogeny using six different stochastic models of amino acid substitutions consistently suggested that the phylogenetic position of T. cruzi is likely to be closer to higher eukaryotes than that inferred from the phylogeny of small subunit ribosomal RNA (SrRNA). These results are consistent with those for the elongation factor 1alpha (EF-1alpha) phylogeny. When the EF-1alpha and EF-2 phylogenies were totally evaluated, it became much clearer that the divergence of T. cruzi occurred later than that of a mitochondrion-lacking protozoan, Entamoeba histolytica, although this is not conclusive.

Objective Conventional methods of quantitative Na 1 8 F positron emission tomography require multiple arterial blood sampling in order to obtain the input function, and the procedures are invasive and complicated. This study aims to establish a simplified and reliable technique for obtaining the input function. Methods Multiple arterial blood sampling was performed on 12 persons. The time point for one-point sampling was determined as the time when (1) the plasma radioactivity obtained showed the highest correlation to the real integrated value, which was calculated from the input function, and (2) the coefficient of variation of the real integrated value divided by plasma radioactivity obtained at each time point became the minimum. Scaling factors were obtained in order to estimate the plasma radioactivity at each time point, and a reference table was produced in order to estimate the input function. Results The optimal timing for one-point sampling was 12 min after intravenous injection of Na 1 8 F. The estimated integrated value obtained from arterial blood sampling at 12 min and the reference table was highly correlated with the real integrated value (P

Blastocystis hominis, a parasite of the human intestine, has recently been positioned within stramenopiles by the small subunit rRNA phylogeny. To further confirm its phylogenetic position using multiple molecular sequence data, we determined the nucleotide sequences putatively encoding small subunit ribosomal RNA, cytosolic-type 70-kDa heat shock protein, translation elongation factor 2, and the non-catalytic 'B' subunit of vacuolar ATPase of B. hominis (HE87-1 strain). Moreover, we determined the translation elongation factor 2 sequence of an apicomplexan parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, that belongs to alveolates. The maximum likelihood analyses of small subunit rRNA and cytosolic-type 70-kDa heat shock protein clearly demonstrated that B. hominis (HE87-1 strain) is positioned within stramenopiles, being congruent with the previous small subunit rRNA analysis, including the sequences of B. hominis (Nand strain) and a Blastocystis isolate from guinea pig. Although no clear resolution among major eukaryotic groups was obtained by the individual phylogenies based on the four molecules analyzed here, a combined analysis of various molecules, including these, clearly indicated that Blastocystis/stramenopiles are the closest relatives of alveolates.

The present study examined initial changes in non-traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONF) on T1- and T2-weighted MR images, and fat suppression images. The subjects were 57 renal transplant recipients (37 males and 20 females), whose median age at the time of transplantation was 31.5 years old (range, 10 to 58 years). Twelve patients developed band patterns (sign of established ONF) at an early postoperative period. Among them, 4 joints of 3 patients had a localized, faint signal abnormality in fat suppression images, where band pattern was confirmed later in T1- and T2-weighted images. In all the 57 patients, no bone marrow edema preceding to ONF was observed. Bone marrow edema would not be the cause of ONF in renal transplant patients. Early changes depicted in our fat suppression images would be useful information in the studies on pathogenesis of ONF.

To deepen understanding of hemodynamics in the femoral head, i.e., the essential factor in clarifying pathogenesis of hip disorders, this study examined blood flow and blood volume in the femoral heads of healthy adults, and their changes with age, by using positron emission tomography (PET).In 16 healthy adult males (age: 20-78 years old, mean age: 42 years), blood flow was measured by means of the H2(15)O dynamic study method, and blood volume was measured by means of the (15)O-labeled carbon monoxide bolus inhalation method.Blood flow was 1.68-6.47 ml/min/100 g (mean +/- SD: 3.52 +/- 1.2), and blood volume was 1.67-6.03 ml/100 g (mean +/- SD: 3.00 +/- 1.27). Blood flow significantly decreased (p0.01) with age, and blood volume significantly increased (p0.05).PET was useful in the measurement of blood flow and blood volume in the femoral heads. With age, physiological hemodynamic changes also increased in femoral heads.

Complete nucleotide sequences of the genes putatively encoding translation elongation factors 1 alpha (EF-1 alpha) and 2 (EF-2) from a mitochondrion-lacking protozoan, Glugea plecoglossi, that belongs to microsporidians were determined. The deduced amino acid sequences of the putative EF-1 alpha and EF-2 of Gl. plecoglossi showed very unusual features compared with typical eukaryotic sequences. The degree of divergence was especially great in the EF-1 alpha sequence, although it clearly showed a eukaryotic feature when aligned with homologs from the three primary kingdoms. Phylogenetic analyses of EF-1 alpha and EF-2 on the basis of the maximum likelihood method of protein phylogeny clearly and consistently suggested that among eukaryotic species being analyzed, Gl. plecoglossi and another mitochondrion-lacking protozoan, Giardia lamblia, respectively represent the earliest and the second earliest offshoots of eukaryotes. When the EF-1 alpha and EF-2 phylogenies were totally evaluated, the earliest divergence of Gl. plecoglossi in eukaryotes became more clearly confirmed. If the phylogenetic relationship inferred from the present analysis are correct, microsporidians might be extremely ancient eukaryotes that diverged before the occurrence of mitochondrial symbiosis.

Partial regions of the mRNA encoding a major part of translation elongation factor 2 (EF-2) from a mitochondrion-lacking protozoan, Giardia lamblia, were amplified by polymerase chain reaction, and their primary structures were analyzed. The deduced amino acid sequence was aligned with other eukaryotic and archaebacterial EF-2's, and the phylogenetic relationships among eukaryotes were inferred by the maximum likelihood (ML) and the maximum parsimony (MP) methods. The ML analyses using six different models of amino acid substitutions and the MP analysis consistently suggest that among eukaryotic species being analyzed, G. lamblia is likely to have diverged from other higher eukaryotes on the early phase of eukaryotic evolution.

Many concrete and steel structures near shoreline are damaged severely by generated salt spray from sea surface. To reduce the transportation of salt spray near shoreline is effective method of prevention of salt damage. In this study, to discuss the effect of the structure on the reduction of salt spray concentration, experiments of transportation of salt spray were carried out. The wind velocity and the distribution of salt spray concentration around the permeable structures were measured in the wind tunnel. In this result, the structure that set up filters can effectively reduce the transportation of salt spray concentration, the experiment data showed that the decrease of salt spray concentration is influenced from the salt amount of adhesion of structures.

Sea salt spray consists of small particle of seawater, generated by interaction of wave and wind. Its transportation is also affected by wind distribution, geographical condition and configuration of structure. To decrease sea salt spray concentration in the atmosphere is effective measure of prevention of the salt damage. In this study, to clarify the effect of decrease of sea salt spray concentration around permeable structure, field measurements were carried out. Numerical calculation of transportation of sea salt spray and wind field were also carried out. In those results, the permeable structure can reduce transportation of sea salt spray concentration.