Moment of Inertia Dependence of Vertical Axis Wind Turbines in Pulsating Winds

Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWTs) are unaffected by changes in wind direction, and they have a simple structure and the potential for high efficiency due to their lift driving force. However, VAWTs are affected by changes in wind speed, owing to effects originating from the moment of inertia. In this study, changes in the rotational speed of a small VAWT in pulsating wind, generated by an unsteady wind tunnel, are investigated by varying the wind cycle and amplitude parameters. It is shown that the responses observed experimentally agree with simulations based on torque characteristics obtained under steady rotational conditions. Additionally, a simple equation expressing the relationship between the rotational change width and amplitude of the pulsating wind is presented. The energy efficiency in a pulsating wind remains constant with changes in both the moment of inertia and the wind cycle; however, the energy efficiency decreases when the wind amplitude is large

Sequencing and the alignment of structural genes in the nqr operon encoding the Na+-translocating NADH-quinone reductase from Vibrio alginolyticus

AbstractWe previously cloned a part of nqr operon encoding the Na+-translocating NADH-quinone reductase (NQR) from the marine Vibrio alginolyticus (Hayashi et al., FEBS Lett. 356 (1994) 330–332]. From its nucleotide sequences, four consecutive open reading frames (ORF) encoding the γ-subunit (27.7 kDa), two unidentified ORFs of 22.6 kDa and 21.5 kDa, and the β-subunit (45.3 kDa) were recognized. The gene encoding the α-subunit was located upstream, and together with the recent report by Beattie et al. [FEBS Lett. 356 (1994) 333–338], the nqr operon was found to be constructed from six consecutive structural genes, where nqrl, nqr3 and nqr6 correspond to the α-, γ-, and β-subunits, respectively, of the NQR complex

Historical review on research contribution for fulfilling the current needs of the society; －Evidence from own experience－

I have studied various problems of fluid mechanics and practical fluid machines, especially wind turbines. In my life as a researcher and engineer of 47 years long, I devoted myself to obtain right concepts of phenomena, right technologies, and right procedures to reveal the truth. Many of my research subjects were determined from the problems confronted in my experience. I believe that the research based on the experience in experiments in laboratory and in industry is most important and valuable. I leave this note with a hope that it helps junior researchers to promote their future research

Human Brain Organoids and Consciousness

ヒト脳オルガノイドがもちうる意識の問題を検討し、研究上の倫理的枠組みを提案. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-02-17.The ethics of research on conscious artificial brains. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-02-18.This article proposes a methodological schema for engaging in a productive discussion of ethical issues regarding human brain organoids (HBOs), which are three-dimensional cortical neural tissues created using human pluripotent stem cells. Although moral consideration of HBOs significantly involves the possibility that they have consciousness, there is no widely accepted procedure to determine whether HBOs are conscious. Given that this is the case, it has been argued that we should adopt a precautionary principle about consciousness according to which, if we are not certain whether HBOs have consciousness—and where treating HBOs as not having consciousness may cause harm to them—we should proceed as if they do have consciousness. This article emphasizes a methodological advantage of adopting the precautionary principle: it enables us to sidestep the question of whether HBOs have consciousness (the whether-question) and, instead, directly address the question of what kinds of conscious experiences HBOs can have (the what-kind-question), where the what-kind-question is more tractable than the whether-question. By addressing the what-kind-question (and, in particular, the question of what kinds of valenced experiences HBOs can have), we will be able to examine how much moral consideration HBOs deserve. With this in mind, this article confronts the what-kind-question with the assistance of experimental studies of consciousness and suggests an ethical framework which supports restricting the creation and use of HBOs in bioscience

Covalently bound flavin in the NqrB and NqrC subunits of Na+-translocating NADH-quinone reductase from Vibrio alginolyticus

AbstractNa+-translocating NADH-quinone reductase (NQR) from the marine bacterium Vibrio alginolyticus is composed of six subunits (NqrA to NqrF). On SDS–PAGE of the purified complex, NqrB and NqrC subunits were found to give yellow–green fluorescent bands under UV illumination. Both the NqrB and NqrC, electroeluted from the gel, had an absorption maximum at 448 nm, and the fluorescence excitation maxima at 365 and 448 nm and the emission maximum at 514 nm. The electroeluted NqrB and NqrC, respectively, were identified from their N-terminal amino acid sequences. These results clearly indicated that the NqrB and NqrC subunits have covalently bound flavins. The two subunits were digested by protease and then the fluorescent peptide fragments were separated by a reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. N-Terminal amino acid sequence analyses of the fluorescent peptides revealed that the flavin is linked to Thr-235 in the NqrB and Thr-223 in the NqrC subunits. This is the first example that the flavin is linked to a threonine residue. The amino acid sequence around the flavin-linked threonine was well conserved between NqrB and NqrC. Identification of the flavin group is in progress

Real-time monitor of geomagnetic field in the near-pole regions as an index of magnetospheric electric field

Solar wind electric field that penetrates into the magnetosphere is an important key for causes of magnetosphenc disturbances. Since PC index, produced from the variation of the magnetic field in the near-pole regions is known to be a good indicator of magnetospheric electric field, monitoring the magnetic activity in the near-pole regions in real-time is useful for nowcasting/forecasting space weather. From the comparison of horizontal components of the magnetic field data between two stations, Eureka and Thule, it is found that the correlation between these two stations are quite high except for the summer months. This result suggests that magnetic field variations in the near-pole region are uniform, and the index can be produced throughout the year using magnetic field data in the northern and southern near-pole region

A Phase II Study of S-1 Monotherapy as a First-line Combination Therapy of S-1 Plus Cisplatin as a Second-line Therapy, and Weekly Paclitaxel Monotherapy as a Third-line Therapy in Patients with Advanced Gastric Carcinoma: A Second Report

Background We have previousy reported on a Phase II study of S-1 monotherapy as a first line, combination therapy of S-1 plus cisplatin as a second line, and weekly paclitaxel monotherapy as a third line therapy in patients with advanced gastric carcinomas. The median survival time (MST) of patients over the whole course of treatment was not previously calculated because 12 out of 19 patients had not yet succumbed. Since then, we have calculated the MST for this study and herein report our findings. Patients and Methods Between 2002 and 2005, 19 patients were enrolled in this study. Chemotherapy consisted of either 60 mg/m 2 of S-1 for 4 weeks at 6-week intervals, a combination of 60 mg/m 2 S-1 for 3 weeks and 60 mg/m 2 cisplatin on day 8 at 5-week intervals, or 60 mg/m 2 paclitaxel at days 1, 8, and 15, at 4-week intervals. The regimens were repeated until the occurrence of unacceptable toxicities, disease progression, or patient noncompliance. The primary end point was the overall survival. Results The median survival time was 774 days. The response rates were 33.3% (3/9), 12.5% (1/8), and 0% (0/4) after the first, second, and third line chemotherapies, respectively. The major adverse hematological toxicity was leukopenia, which reached grades 3–4 in all lines of chemotherapy investigated. In addition, the major adverse non-hematological toxicity was anorexia, which reached grade 3–4 in second line chemotherapy, and no deaths were attributable to the adverse effects of the drugs. Conclusion This sequential therapy was an effective treatment for advanced gastric cancer with acceptable toxic side-effects. We considered this therapy to be effective because of the smooth transition to the next regimen