Recent Progress in Electrical Insulation Techniques for HTS Power Apparatus

AbstractThis paper describes the electrical insulation techniques at cryogenic temperatures, i.e. Cryodielectrics, for HTS power apparatus, e.g. HTS power transmission cables, transformers, fault current limiters and SMES. Breakdown and partial discharge characteristics are discussed for different electrical insulation configurations of LN2, sub-cooled LN2, solid, vacuum and their composite insulation systems. Dynamic and static insulation performances with and without taking account of quench in HTS materials are also introduced

Settlement Fund Circulation Problem

In the economic activities, the central bank has an important role to cover payments of banks, when they are short of funds to clear their debts. For this purpose, the central bank timely puts funds so that the economic activities go smooth. Since payments in this mechanism are processed sequentially, the total amount of funds put by the central bank critically depends on the order of the payments. Then an interest goes to the amount to prepare if the order of the payments can be controlled by the central bank, or if it is determined under the worst case scenario. This motivates us to introduce a brand-new problem, which we call the settlement fund circulation problem. The problems are formulated as follows: Let G=(V,A) be a directed multigraph with a vertex set V and an arc set A. Each arc ain A is endowed debt d(a)ge 0, and the debts are settled sequentially under a sequence pi of arcs. Each vertex vin V is put fund in the amount of p_{pi}(v)ge 0 under the sequence. The minimum/maximum settlement fund circulation problem (Min-SFC/Max-SFC) in a given graph G with debts d: Arightarrow mathbb{R}_{+}cup {0} asks to find a bijection pi:Ato {1,2,dots,|A|} that minimizes/maximizes the total funds sum _{vin V}p_{pi }(v). In this paper, we show that both Min-SFC and Max-SFC are NP-hard; in particular, Min-SFC is (I) strongly NP-hard even if G is (i) a multigraph with |V|=2 or (ii) a simple graph with treewidth at most two,and is (II) (not necessarily strongly) NP-hard for simple trees of diameter four, while it is solvable in polynomial time for stars. Also, we identify several polynomial time solvable cases for both problems

決済システムの理論分析

学位の種別:課程博士University of Tokyo(東京大学

GATA2 zinc finger 2 mutation found in acute myeloid leukemia impairs myeloid differentiation

AbstractWe identified two novel GATA2 mutations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). One mutation (p.R308P-GATA2) was a R308P substitution within the zinc finger (ZF)-1 domain, and the other (p.A350_N351ins8-GATA2) was an eight-amino-acid insertion between A350 and N351 residues within the ZF-2 domain. p.R308P-GATA2 did not affect DNA-binding and transcriptional activities, while p.A350_N351ins8-GATA2 reduced them, and impaired G-CSF-induced granulocytic differentiation of 32D cells. Although p.A350_N351ins8-GATA2 did not show a dominant-negative effect over wild-type (Wt)–GATA2 by the reporter assay, it might be involved in the pathophysiology of AML by impairing myeloid differentiation because of little Wt-GATA2 expression in primary AML cells harboring the p.A350_N351ins8 mutation

Interleukin 9–induced In Vivo Expansion of the B-1 Lymphocyte Population

The activity of interleukin (IL)-9 on B cells was analyzed in vivo using transgenic mice that constitutively express this cytokine. These mice show an increase in both baseline and antigen-specific immunoglobulin concentrations for all isotypes tested. Analysis of B cell populations showed a specific expansion of Mac-1+ B-1 cells in the peritoneal and pleuropericardial cavities, and in the blood of IL-9 transgenic mice. In normal mice, the IL-9 receptor was found to be expressed by CD5+ as well as CD5− B-1 cells, and repeated injections of IL-9 resulted in accumulation of B-1 cells in the peritoneal cavity, as observed in transgenic animals. Unlike other mouse models, such as IL-5 transgenic mice, in which expansion of the B-1 population is associated with high levels of autoantibodies, IL-9 did not stimulate the production of autoantibodies in vivo, and most of the expanded cells were found to belong to the B-1b subset (IgM+Mac-1+CD5−). In addition, we found that these IL-9–expanded B-1b cells do not share the well-documented antibromelain-treated red blood cell specificity of CD5+ B-1a cells. The increase of antigen-specific antibody concentration in immunized mice suggests that these B-1 cells are directly or indirectly involved in antibody responses in IL-9 transgenic mice

Comparison of composition of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in East Asian cities

金沢大学大学院自然科学研究科国立環境研究所石川県保健環境センターProceeding : International Symposium of Kanazawa University 21st-Century COE Program Vol.2(2004),Schedule: February 29(SUN)-March 3(WED), Venue: 29 FEB, Ishikawa Life-Long Learning Center(Former Prefectural Government Building) / 1-3 MAR Kanazawa Art Hall, Organized by: Kanazawa University 21st-Century COE Program / Ishikawa International Cooperation Research Centre / United Nations University-Institute of Advanced Studies, Supported by: Ishikawa Prefectural Government / City of Kanazawa, Eds : Hayakawa, Kazuichi / Kizu, Ryoichi / Kamata, Naok

Three minute, but not one minute, ischemia and nicorandil have a preconditioning effect in patients with coronary artery disease

AbstractOBJECTIVESThis study focused on 1) the determination of the optimal preconditioning (PC) duration, and 2) the protective effect of nicorandil (NC), a hybrid nitrate with a Katpchannel opening effect, during a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) model in humans.BACKGROUNDThe ischemic PC effect is induced in 180 s ischemia, but not in 120 s ischemia in rabbit hearts. However, the duration of ischemia that induces PC effect and the role of the Katpchannel in the PC effect in humans are still unclear.METHODSForty-six patients with stable angina were randomly allocated to four groups: the duration of the first inflation as PC ischemia was 60 s in the PC60 group (n = 12), and 180 s in the PC180 group (n = 12). In the other groups, NC (80 μg/kg) was intravenously given for 1 min in the NC group (n = 12), and isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) (40 μg/kg) was given in the ISDN group (n = 10). Five minutes after first inflation or drug administration, a second inflation was conducted for 120 s in each group. In the ECG, the lead with the largest shift in ST segment (deltaST max), and the sum of elevated ST levels in all leads (sigmaST) were determined.RESULTSIn the PC60 group, no significant difference was observed in either deltaST max or sigmaST between the first and second inflation. However, the second inflation in the PC180 group showed significantly lower levels of deltaST max and sigmaST compared with those of the first inflation. In the NC group, both deltaST max and sigmaST measured at 30 s and 60 s after balloon inflation were significantly lower than those of the first inflation in the PC60 and PC180 control groups. In the ISDN group, no significant difference was observed in deltaST max or sigmaST.CONCLUSIONIn human PTCA models, a PC effect is observed in 180 s ischemia, but not in 60 s ischemia. A pharmacological PC effect is induced by NC, a Katpchannel opener with a nitrate-like effect but not ISDN. This suggests that the opening of Katpchannels plays an important role in the protecting effect of NC

NCRT with S-1 plus irinotecan for LALRC

Background and purpose: Preoperative 5-fluorouracil-based chemoradiotherapy is a standard treatment for locally advanced lower rectal cancer (LALRC). We performed a phase I study to develop a new regimen combining irinotecan and S-1. Materials and methods: Patients with LALRC (T3-4, N0-2) were studied. The radiation dose was 45 Gy in 25 fractions. S-1 (80 mg/m2/day) was administered on days 1–5, 8–12, 22–26, and 29–33. Irinotecan was administered on days 1, 8, 22, and 29. The dose of irinotecan was initially 60 mg/m2 (level 1). Surgery was performed 6–10 weeks after the chemoradiotherapy. Results: Twenty patients were enrolled, of whom 18 patients were analyzed. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) did not occur in the first 3 patients treated with irinotecan at 80 mg/m2 (level 2), but developed in 3 of the 6 patients who received irinotecan at 90 mg/m2 (level 3). Then DLT occurred in 3 other patients at level 2. At level 2 or 3, DLT comprised neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and diarrhea. Level 2 was designated as the maximum tolerated dose, and level 1 as a recommended dose (RD). The pathological complete response rate was 28%, and the down-staging rate was 56%. Conclusions: Our results suggested that the RD of irinotecan when combined with preoperative S-1 and pelvic radiation was 60 mg/m2