Optimum Feedback Control of AC-DC Parallel Transmission System

This paper describes a method of damping a system oscillation on an ac-dc parallel transmission system by applying the optimum feedback law. The optimum feedback control can be obtained by solving the Riccati matrix equation for the linearized system equation. The reference value of the constant current control system of the dc system is chosen as the control variable. The method is applied to a generator feeding an infinite-bus through an ac-dc parallel transmission system, and its effectiveness is ascertained

ASCII Art Classification Model by Transfer Learning and Data Augmentation

In this study, we propose an ASCII art category classification method based on transfer learning and data augmentation. ASCII art is a form of nonverbal expression that visually expresses emotions and intentions. While there are similar expressions such as emoticons and pictograms, most are either represented by a single character or are embedded in the statement as an inline expression. ASCII art is expressed in various styles, including dot art illustration and line art illustration. Basically, ASCII art can represent almost any object, and therefore the category of ASCII art is very diverse. Many existing image classification algorithms use color information; however, since most ASCII art is written in character sets, there is no color information available for categorization. We created an ASCII art category classifier using the grayscale edge image and the ASCII art image transformed from the image as a training image set. We also used VGG16, ResNet-50, Inception v3, and Xception’s pre-trained networks to fine-tune our categorization. As a result of the experiment of fine tuning by VGG16 and data augmentation, an accuracy rate of 80% or more was obtained in the “human” category

Susceptibility to obesity and gallbladder stasis produced by a protein- and fat-enriched diet in male mice compared with female mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The frequency of Japanese subjects over 20 years old with metabolic syndrome is 45.6% in men but just 16.7% in women. The reason why Japanese male subjects are more susceptible to metabolic syndrome than women is unknown. One possibility is the higher frequency of Japanese male subjects (40–70 years old) who had a drinking habit (67%), while that of female subjects was only 25%. In addition, daily fat intake was markedly increased in Japanese subjects (from 9% to 25%), and cholesterol cholelithiasis is one of the most rapidly increasing digestive diseases during the past 50 years. The object of this study is to examine whether a potential sex-related risk factor exists in the manifestation of metabolic syndrome as well as gallstone formation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Gallbladder dysmotility accerelates gallstone formation and gallbladder contraction depends on cholecystokinin (CCK) and its receptor (CCK-1R). We developed CCK-1R gene knockout (-/-) mice. The effects of the fat- and protein- enriched diet OA-2 on body weight, hyperlipidemia, and frequencies of sludge and gallstone formation were examined, and compared between wild-type and CCK-1R(-/-) male and female mice. The OA-2 diet contains slightly higher protein and fat (7.9 % fat and 27.6 % protein) compared with a standard diet (CRF-1) (5.6 % fat and 22.6 % protein), but their total energies are similar. After weaning, CRF-1 was provided until 3 months of age in all animals. Administration of an OA-2 diet was started when age-matched CCK-1R(-/-) and wild-type male and female mice reached maturity, at 3 months of age. Administration of CRF-1 was continued in the rest of the animals. Mice were sacrificed by guillotine at 6 and 12 months of age and the blood was collected to measure plasma levels of triglyceride and cholesterol. The gallbladder was removed and classified as normal (clear gallbladder), clouded (sludge formation), and/or containing gallstone formations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>As long as CRF-1 was provided, the frequency of sludge and/or gallstone formation in CCK-1R(-/-) male mice was 3 of 8 (35%) and 4 of 9 (45%) in females at 12 months of age, whereas no gallstone formation was observed at 6 months of age. On the other hand, male mice fed OA-2 increased their body weight and plasma lipid concentrations, compared with those fed CRF-1 regardless of genotype. Under the OA-2 diet, sludge and gallstone formation was observed at 6 months of age, not only in CCK-1R(-/-) male mice but also in wild-type male mice. In contrast, parameters in female mice did not differ between the two diets.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Male mice were more susceptible to protein- and fat-enriched diet-induced obesity than female mice, and hyper-nutritional status accelerated sludge and gallstone formation in male mice.</p

Involvement of Oxidative Stress in Increases in the Serum Levels of Various Enzymes and Components in Rats with Water-Immersion Restraint Stress

The plasma or serum levels of various enzymes and components are known to increase in rats with water-immersion restraint stress (WIRS). We examined whether oxidative stress is involved in increases in the serum levels of various enzymes and components in rats with WIRS. Rats were exposed to WIRS for 6 h after oral administration of vitamin E (VE) (50 or 250 mg/kg). Rats with WIRS had increased serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotranseferase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, urea nitrogen, creatinine, glucose, corticosterone, adrenocorticotropic hormone and lipid peroxide (LPO) levels, increased kidney and heart VE levels, decreased skeletal muscle VE level, and increased LPO levels in all tissues studied. Pre-administered VE (50 or 250 mg/kg) attenuated the increased serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotranseferase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, urea nitrogen, creatinine, and LPO levels, the decreased skeletal muscle VE level, and the increased LPO levels in all tissues studied more effectively at its higher dose than at its lower dose. However, either dose of the pre-administered VE did not affect the increased serum glucose, corticosterone, and adrenocorticotropic hormone levels. These results suggest that oxidative stress is involved in increases in the serum levels of various enzymes and components in rats with WIRS