Relative pitch perception in Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata).

To investigate whether monkeys perceive relative pitch, the author trained 3 Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) to detect changes from rising to falling contours of 3-tone sequences. Tone sequences were presented serially with transposition, so monkeys were urged to attend to cues other than the absolute frequency of a component tone. Results from probe tests with novel sequences showed that monkeys discriminated by the relative pitch when the frequency ranges of sequences were within the training range, showing a similar tendency as birds in previous studies (e.g., S. H. Hulse, J. Cynx, & J. Humpal, 1984). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Design methodology for a braided cylinder

In this study, the design methodology for a braided cylinder was presented. The concept of an analytical model which involved both micro model and macro model was proposed. The analytical method was applied to estimate the rigidity and elastic limit of a braided cylinder subjected to bending and torsional load independently and as combined load. Using the analysis method, the design of a braided cylinder would be carried out in consideration of the factors that decide the mechanical properties of braided cylinder. This method has the possibility to be useful for structural design of braided composites and can be included as a unit in CAE systems for braided composites.     

Importance of Kupffer Cells in the Development of Acute Liver Injuries in Mice

Kupffer cells reside within the liver sinusoid and serve as gatekeepers. They produce pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and other biologically important molecules upon the engagement of pattern recognition receptors such as Toll-like receptors. Kupffer cell-ablated mice established by in vivo treatment with clodronate liposomes have revealed many important features of Kupffer cells. In this paper, we review the importance of Kupffer cells in murine acute liver injuries and focus on the following two models: lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced liver injury, which is induced by priming with Propionibacterium acnes and subsequent challenge with LPS, and hypercoagulability-mediated acute liver failure such as that in concanavalin A (Con A)-induced hepatitis. Kupffer cells are required for LPS sensitization induced by P. acnes and are a major cellular source of interleukin-18, which induces acute liver injury following LPS challenge. Kupffer cells contribute to Con A-induced acute liver failure by initiating pathogenic, intrasinusoidal thrombosis in collaboration with sinusoidal endothelial cells. The mechanisms underlying these models may shed light on human liver injuries induced by various etiologies such as viral infection and/or abnormal metabolism.     

Signal Detection Performance of Overlapped FFT Scheme with Additional Frames Consisting of Non-continuous Samples in Indoor Environment

Overlapped FFT has been proposed as a signal detection scheme in dynamic spectrum access to reduce the variance of the noise and improve the detection probability. However, the improvement of the detection probability in the conventional overlapped FFT is bounded with the upper limit of the overlap ratio. This paper proposes a new overlapped FFT scheme using additional frames. In the proposed scheme, in addition to the original FFT frames, new frames that consist of multiple subframes with non-continuous samples are constructed and included. It can realize the increase of the number of the FFT frames and the improvement of the detection probability compared with the conventional scheme. Numerical results through computer simulation show that the proposed scheme improves the detection probability by up to 0.07. On indoor channel models the proposed scheme also improves the detection probability. In addition, it is clarified that as the delay spread increases the detection probability reduces due to the correlation between the frames.     

Neural network approach to estimate stable crack growth in welded specimens

This paper describes an application of the hierarchical neural network to the generation phase stable crack growth analysis of two kinds of welded CT specimens using the GE/EPRI simplified method. One of the specimens was machined from a submerged-arc-welded plate of nuclear pressure vessel A533B Class 1 steel, the other from an electron-beam-welded plate of A533B Class 1 steel and high-strength HT80 steel. A ratio of mixture of material constants was introduced to apply the GE/EPRI method to the analysis of crack growth in the welded specimens. The best ratio of mixture was identified using the neural-network-based inverse analysis approach as follows. At first, a number of generation phase crack growth analyses based on the GE/EPRI method were tested by parametrically varying the ratio of mixture. The relationship between the ratio of mixture and the calculated crack growth behavior is called here ‘learning data sets’. The neural network was then ‘trained’ using the learning data sets. In the training process, the calculated crack growth behavior is applied to the input units of the network, while the ratio of mixture is applied to its output units in the form of teaching data. Finally, the best ratio of mixture was estimated by applying measured crack growth behavior to the input units of the ‘trained network’. The effects of material inhomogeneity on crack growth behavior in the welded specimens are discussed with respect to the best ratio of mixture obtained.     

Performance of the first Japanese large-scale facility for radon inhalation experiments with small animals

A radon test facility for small animals was developed in order to increase the statistical validity of differences of the biological response in various radon environments. This paper illustrates the performances of that facility, the first large-scale facility of its kind in Japan. The facility has a capability to conduct approximately 150 mouse-scale tests at the same time. The apparatus for exposing small animals to radon has six animal chamber groups with five independent cages each. Different radon concentrations in each animal chamber group are available. Because the first target of this study is to examine the in vivo behaviour of radon and its effects, the major functions to control radon and to eliminate thoron were examined experimentally. Additionally, radon progeny concentrations and their particle size distributions in the cages were also examined experimentally to be considered in future projects.     

Liquefaction and dechlorination of hydrothermally treated waste mixture containing plastics with glass powder

Additive effects of glass powder upon the product yields and chlorine distribution after liquefaction of hydrothermally pretreated mixed waste (HMW) are compared with liquefaction of HMW with any one of water, quartz sand, or glass powder plus water. As a result, addition of either water or quartz sand did not affect liquefaction and dechlorination of HMW. Further, water (5 g) addition did not enhance liquefaction and dechlorination of HMW with glass powder. On the other hand, after liquefaction of HMW with glass powder, the yields of chlorine in the gas and water insoluble constituents decreased and the chlorine yield in the water-soluble constituent increased significantly. Because sodium in glass powder dissolved in a small amount (0.5 g) of water resulted from dehydration of HMW during liquefaction. Further, hydrogen chloride derived from polyvinylchloride in HMW was neutralized by ion exchange between H(+) and Na(+) dissolved in a small amount of water forming NaCl in the Residue (water-soluble) constituent. Therefore, most of chlorine in HMW was removed easily by water extraction of the Residue constituent after liquefaction of HMW with glass powder. Further, upgrading of HMW into the oil constituent was enhanced due to inhibition of production of chlorine containing organic compounds. Accordingly, it was clarified that glass powder was the most effective additive for liquefaction and dechlorination of HMW.     

Effect of proton irradiation on electrical properties of CuInSe2 thin films

High-energy proton irradiation (380 keV and 1 MeV) on the electrical properties of CuInSe₂ (CIS) thin films has been investigated. The samples were epitaxially grown on GaAs (0 0 1) substrates by Radio Frequency sputtering. As the proton fluence exceeded 1×10¹³ cm⁻², the carrier concentration and mobility of the CIS thin films were decreased. The carrier removal rate with proton fluence was estimated to be about 1000 cm⁻¹. The electrical properties of CIS thin films before and after irradiation were studied between 80 and 300 K. From the temperature dependence of the carrier concentration in CIS thin films, we found N_D=9.5×10¹⁶ cm⁻³, N_A=3.7×10¹⁶ cm⁻³ and E_D=21 meV from the fitting to the experimental data on the basis of the charge balance equation. After irradiation, a defect level was created, and N_T=1×10¹⁷ cm⁻³ for a fluence of 3×10¹³ cm⁻², N_T=5.7×10¹⁷ cm⁻³ for a fluence of 1×10¹⁴ cm⁻² and E_T=95 meV were also obtained from the same fitting. The new defect, which acted as an electron trap, was due to proton irradiation, and the defect density was increased with proton fluence.     

Thermomagnetic Effects in High-Mobility PbTe Films

The narrow-gap compound semiconductor PbTe has high Hall mobility. The Fermi surface at the L-point in the Brillouin zone has large anisotropy. In this work, we measured thermomagnetic effects in PbTe thin films to confirm anisotropy of the Nernst coefficient A _Ne and show Nernst mobility from the ratio of A _Ne and the Seebeck coefficient S: μ _Ne = A _Ne/S. Angular dependences of the Nernst voltage show that A _Ne is independent of the angle between the temperature gradient and the magnetic field, because of the high L-point symmetry. The calculated Nernst mobility was compared with the Hall mobility. Because the former is smaller, the Mott equation cannot explain the Seebeck coefficient at room temperature.