Architecture of a Reduction-Based Parallel Inference Machine: PIM-R

This paper presents a highly parallel machine architecture for logic programs. We propose a Reduction-Based Parallel Inference Machine: PIM-R and describe the parallel execution mechanisms for PIM-R to run Prolog and Concurrent Prolog programs and sofware simulation results. PIM-R uses the structure-copy method. It also uses the only reducible goal copy method, a unique process-structuring method, and the reverse compaction method to decrease the amount, of copying and various copyingrelated operations and the number of packets passing through the network. PIM-R architecture features include the distributed shared memory for Concurrent Prolog, network nodes for efficient packet distribution, and the structure memory to store a part of structured data for reducing the copying overhead.     

Cellular origin of dysiherbaine, an excitatory amino acid derived from a marine sponge

The cellular origin of dysiherbaine, a marine-sponge toxin, was investigated immunohistochemically by using an anti-dysiherbaine antibody. Dysiherbaine-like immunoreactivity was found to be localized in spherical cells harbored in the sponge mesohyl. A combination of ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) analysis and cell-morphology analysis revealed that the spherical cells were Synechocystis cyanobacteria. However, the sponge, identified as Lendenfeldia chondrodes on the basis of its rDNA sequence, appeared to contain two different chemotypes--dysiherbaine-producing (DH+) and nondysiherbaine-producing (DH-)--both of which inhabited the same region. Synechocystis cells in the DH- sponge were not labeled with antibody, although the 16S rDNA gene profile of the cyanobacteria in the DH- sponge was indistinguishable from that of the cyanobacteria in the DH+ sponge. On the basis of these results, we hypothesize that dysiherbaine is a metabolite of certain varieties of endosymbiotic Synechocystis sp.     

Estimation of the biobased carbon content of polypropylene resin in composites on the basis of the carbon 14 concentration

The aim of this study was to estimate a procedure for the biobased carbon content of polypropylene (PP) resin isolated from composites containing additives or fillers on the basis of the carbon 14 concentration ratio, as measured by accelerated mass spectrometry (AMS). To reliably estimate the biobased carbon content of plastics, additives and fillers in the composites had to be removed because they often contain significant amounts of biobased carbon. To obtain specimens with purity suitable for estimation, an isolation procedure for PP from the composites was devised. The dissolution of the composites in 1,2,3,4‐tetrahydronaphthalene at 150°C, followed by immediate centrifugation of the hot solution, yielded PP as semicrystalline precipitates by allowing the hot solution to cool during centrifugation. The recovery of the resin through the scooping off of the precipitates was typically 90%. This simple procedure provided a suitable specimen for the estimation of biobased carbon content by AMS on the basis of ASTM D 6866. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2014 , 131, 39978.     

Screening of lipase inhibitors from marine algae

The possible presence of an inhibitor of pancreatic lipase (triacylglycerol acylhydrolase, EC 3.1.1.3) was screened in 54 marine algae. An active inhibitor, caulerpenyne, was purified from an extract of Caulerpa taxifolia, using ethyl acetate extraction, followed by successive chromatographies on ODS and silica gel columns. The purified inhibitor was identified by thin-layer chromatography, infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Caulerpenyne competitively inhibited lipase activities using emulsified triolein and dispersed 4-methylumbelliferyl oleate (4-MU oleate) as substrates. The concentrations producing 50% inhibition against triolein and 4-MU oleate hydrolysis were 2 mM and 13 μM, respectively. In vivo, oral administration of corn oil with or without caulerpenyne to rats demonstrated a reduced and delayed peak plasma triacylglycerol concentration with caulerpenyne.     

A comparison of thermal infrared emissivity spectra measured in situ,in the laboratory,and derived from thermal infrared multispectral scanner (TIMS) data in Cuprite,Nevada, U.S.A.

In order to obtain ground truth data for multispectral thermal infrared sensors such as TIMS and ASTER, in situ spectral emissivity measurements were made during field surveys. These spectral emissivity measurements and laboratory spectral reflectance measurements of field samples were compared to emissivity spectra extracted from TIMS data at the surveyed points. The results indicate that emissivity spectra derived from the TIMS data agree well in shape with the spectra measured in situ or in the laboratory.     

Development of high‐efficiency switched reluctance motor

In this paper, several techniques of the efficiency improvement of SRM drives are described. One of these improvements is the optimization of applied voltage waveform. Drive efficiency is further increased by application of new low‐iron‐loss materials such as Super E‐Core brand steel strip. Another step of the efficiency improvement consists in optimization of components incurring iron and copper losses by using computer program PC‐SRD. As a result, the highest efficiency level achieved in the study was 94.3%. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 162(2): 73–82, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20523     

Study of the conditions of irradiating laser for removal of toner from used paper

Though it is said that the paperless age arrived with the spread of personal computers, the amount of office paper used shows no tendency to decrease. In general, used paper is recovered and recycled in order to preserve the environment. But labor and expense are required for the recovery of used paper and the recycled paper is lower in quality. If we could reuse used paper repeatedly without these disadvantages, for example, by using copying machines that could print again by removing the toner on used paper, it would be very convenient and ecological. We therefore studied the removal of toner from used paper by the laser ablation technique. As an optical source, an SHG‐YAG laser was chosen. The energy density of irradiation with an SHG‐YAG laser for the removal of toner from used paper was examined. At an energy density of approximately 12 mJ/mm², which was the average value, the toner was removed sufficiently to allow reuse of the paper. The conditions of the laser irradiation, specifically the laser scanning speed and the number of irradiations, were studied. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 179(1): 8–14, 2012; Published online in Wiley Online Library ( wileyonlinelibrary.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.21214     

Optical implementation of spectral filtering for the enhancement of skin color discrimination

Light reflected from an object contains a range of information about its physical and chemical properties. Changes in the physical properties of an object can sometimes be evident as barely detectable changes of color. Our earlier study (Proceedings of the 15th Color Imaging Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 2007. p 195–200) proposed a method for designing a spectral filter to enhance visual discrimination. Two filters were designed: one to discriminate skin and vein colors on human arms, and other to discriminate human facial colors in the presence and absence of cosmetics. In this study, the filters with theoretically designed spectral transmittances were implemented as real optical filters. Visual inspection of RGB color images taken with a digital camera through the developed optical filters showed clear enhancement of discrimination of two preselected colors. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 2012     

MeV-energy probe SIMS imaging of major components in animal cells etched using large gas cluster ions

Molecular imaging of animal cells was successfully obtained by using the technique of MeV-energy probe secondary ion mass spectrometry (MeV-SIMS) and sample etching with Ar cluster ion beam. In order to indicate benefits of using Ar cluster beam for etching biomaterials, cholesterol and phospholipids were etched with Ar cluster ions and SIMS measurements for the before and after etching samples were performed. Moreover, secondary ion images of the animal cells etched with Ar cluster ions were acquired by using MeV-energy ion beam as a probe.