Developing spline based overset grid assembling approach and application to unsteady flow around a moving body

Overset or Chimera grid approach is one of methods to cope with complex geometries. A spline based overset grid assembling system has been developed. The sys- tem is based on structured grid approach and covers comprehensive features for overset assembling, i.e., grid generation, grid modification, and computing Receptor-Donor Con- nectivity (RDC) for overset interpolation. Ferguson spline curve is used to compute curves through grid points and cell centers for trimming grids and computing RDC robustly and accurately. Flow simulation around Kriso Container Ship(KCS) with jointed grids shows good continuity of flow field between the grids. The overset grid assembling is enhanced to unsteady problem as dynamic overset approach coupled with a solver which also has been developed in National Maritime Research Institute, Japan. Computed results for pitchup spheroid are compared with measured data and show good agreement in unsteady force acting on the spheroid. It is confirmed that the system has capability to simulate flow field around jointed grids and unsteady flow with dynamic overset assembling approach practically

A型急性大動脈解離における偽腔肋間動脈と脊髄虚血の関係

広島大学(Hiroshima University)博士(医学)Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Sciencedoctora

Improved G-AgarTrap: A highly efficient transformation method for intact gemmalings of the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha

Liverworts are key species for studies of plant evolution, occupying a basal position among the land plants. Marchantia polymorpha has emerged as a highly studied model liverwort, and many relevant techniques, including genetic transformation, have been established for this species. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation is widely used in many plant species because of its low cost. Recently, we developed a simplified Agrobacterium-mediated method for transforming M. polymorpha, known as AgarTrap (agar-utilized transformation with pouring solutions). The AgarTrap procedure, which involves culturing the liverwort tissue in various solutions on a single solid medium, yields up to a hundred independent transformants. AgarTrap is a simple procedure, requiring minimal expertise, cost, and time. Here, we investigated four factors that influence AgarTrap transformation efficiency: (1) humidity, (2) surfactant in the transformation buffer, (3) Agrobacterium strain, and (4) light/dark condition. We adapted the AgarTrap protocol for transforming intact gemmalings, achieving an exceptionally high transformation efficiency of 97%. The improved AgarTrap method will enhance the molecular biological study of M. polymorpha. Furthermore, this method provides new possibilities for improving transformation techniques for a variety of plant species

Separation and recovery of carbon dioxide by a membrane flash process utilizing waste thermal energy

AbstractThe membrane flash process utilizing waste thermal energy was developed to realize an energy-saving technology and to substitute it for a conventional regenerator. The operating conditions of a membrane flash at high temperature were studied. The DEA concentration and the flashing pressure had optimum values to improve the performance and reduce the energy consumption for CO2 recovery. The petroleum refinery process and iron manufacturing process were proposed for candidate processes that actually had waste energy sources. Energy consumption and costs for CO2 recovery in the membrane flash and chemical absorption were estimated by custom-made program and discussed under the same conditions. The membrane flash was suitable for the CO2 emission sources that had high CO2 concentration independently of the plant scale. The chemical absorption was suitable for large-scale sources, even if the CO2 concentration was low

Inhibitions of Growth and Lateral Branch Development by Calmodulin Antagonists in Hairy Roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon, Atropa belladonna and Daucus carota

Hairy roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon, belladonna and carrot, which were induced by inoculation with Agrobacterium rhizogenes harboring the Ri plasmid, were cultured on a medium containing 0.1, 1, 10, 30 or 100μM W-7 or W-5, calmodulin antagonists. Growth rates of L. erythrorhizon and belladonna hairy roots cultured on all media containing W-7 were lower than that of the roots cultured without W-7. Growth of carrot hairy roots was inhibited by W-7 above 30μM. Inhibition rates of the root growth by high concentrations of W-5 were lower than those of the growth by the same concentrations of W-7. In the case ofthe development of lateral roots on hairy roots, 30 and 100μM W-7 or W-5 inhibited formation of lateral roots. The number of lateral roots formed by culturing on a medium containing W-7 was lower than that of the roots formed on the medium containing W-5. These results strictly suggest that calmodulin acts upon the growth of hairy roots and the development of lateral roots on hairy roots

Nihon University CubeSat Program

The CubeSat program is now proceeding in Japan and U.S. academic institutions and radio groups. CubeSat is a 10cm cubed, 1kg weighted micro-satellite. The first launch of CubeSats is scheduled in May 2002. The second launch will be realized in autumn 2002 or later. Subsequent launch is also planned. Nihon University is going to join the second launch. Our program consists of two phases. At the first phase, we are developing a CubeSat for the second launch opportunity. The purpose of the first phase is that the students learn the whole process of the micro satellite development and operation. At the second phase, we intend to challenge some engineering mission. We have been studying on a mission of deploying an inflatable structure model. In this paper we show the latest status of the first phase of our program , and the plan for the second phase

Quantitative analysis of thrombopoietin receptors on human megakaryocytes

AbstractThrombopoietin (TPO), or c-MPL ligand, is the primary regulator of megakaryocyte and platelet production. TPO receptors expressed on human megakaryocytes derived from peripheral blood (PB) and cord blood (CB) progenitors cultured in the presence of TPO have now been analyzed quantitatively. Like those on human PB platelets, TPO receptors on the cultured megakaryocytes exhibited a molecular mass of approximately 80 kDa. Various characteristics of PB- and CB-derived megakaryocytes indicated that the former were more mature than the latter. Both PB- and CB-derived megakaryocytes expressed a single class of high-affinity TPO receptors, with 1933±772 (n=3) and 184±48 (n=4) sites per cell, respectively. These data indicate that the number of TPO receptors on human megakaryocytes increases with cell maturation

Compound Heterozygous Mutations in SLC30A2/ZnT2 Results in Low Milk Zinc Concentrations: A Novel Mechanism for Zinc Deficiency in a Breast-Fed Infant.

Zinc concentrations in breast milk are considerably higher than those of the maternal serum, to meet the infant's requirements for normal growth and development. Thus, effective mechanisms ensuring secretion of large amounts of zinc into the milk operate in mammary epithelial cells during lactation. ZnT2 was recently found to play an essential role in the secretion of zinc into milk. Heterozygous mutations of human ZnT2 (hZnT2), including H54R and G87R, in mothers result in low (>75% reduction) secretion of zinc into the breast milk, and infants fed on the milk develop transient neonatal zinc deficiency. We identified two novel missense mutations in the SLC30A2/ZnT2 gene in a Japanese mother with low milk zinc concentrations (>90% reduction) whose infant developed severe zinc deficiency; a T to C transition (c.454T>C) at exon 4, which substitutes a tryptophan residue with an arginine residue (W152R), and a C to T transition (c.887C>T) at exon 7, which substitutes a serine residue with a leucine residue (S296L). Biochemical characterization using zinc-sensitive DT40 cells indicated that the W152R mutation abolished the abilities to transport zinc and to form a dimer complex, indicating a loss-of-function mutation. The S296L mutation retained both abilities but was extremely destabilized. The two mutations were found on different alleles, indicating that the genotype of the mother with low milk zinc was compound heterozygous. These results show novel compound heterozygous mutations in the SLC30A2/ZnT2 gene causing zinc deficiency in a breast-fed infant