Development, Analysis, and Application of a Glass–Alumina-Based Self-Constrained Sintering Low-Temperature Cofired Ceramic

The effects of an inner constraint layer and alumina particles on the microstructure, strength, and shrinkage of the laminated low-temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) green sheet were investigated. Alumina particles of several sizes were used in the inner-constraint layer in order to strengthen the LTCC substrate. Smaller alumina particles in the inner-constraint layer produced a substrate with a high bending strength. Sintering shrinkage in the x – y direction of the LTCC is related to the bending strength of the debinded alumina particle layer used for an inner-constraint layer. A larger pore size in the inner-constraint layer was found to increase the distance of the glass penetration from the glass–alumina layer into the inner-constraint layer. The total thickness of the constraint layer changes the shrinkage in the x – y direction and the bending strength.     

Reactions between zirconium/permalloy bilayer thin films

The interdiffusion and reactions of zirconium/permalloy bilayer thin films annealed at 150 to 350 °C were investigated. Nickel atoms preferentially diffuse from the permalloy layer into the zirconium layer. This preferential diffusion results in the growth of an amorphous phase between the zirconium and permalloy thin films. Consequently, the magnetic properties of the permalloy thin layer in the bilayer thin films change. The starting temperature of interdiffusion between zirconium and permalloy films is higher than that of a titanium/permalloy system reported previously.     

Overexpression of the Bcl-2 protein increases the half-life of p21Bax

Bcl-2 and Bax are homologous proteins which can heterodimerize with each other. These proteins have opposing effects on cell survival when overexpressed in cells, with Bcl-2 blocking and Bax promoting apoptosis. Here we demonstrate that gene transfer-mediated elevations in Bcl-2 protein levels result in a marked increase in the steady-state levels of endogenous p21Bax protein as determined by immunoblotting in the Jurkat T-cell and 697 pre-B-cell leukemia cell lines, but not in several other cell lines including CEM T-cell leukemia, 32D.3 myeloid progenitor, PC12 pheochromocytoma, and NIH-3T3 fibroblasts. Steady-state levels of p21Bax protein were also elevated in the lymph nodes of Bcl-2 transgenic mice in which a BCL-2 transgene is expressed at high levels in B-cells. Northern blot analysis of BCL-2-transfected and control-transfected Jurkat and 697 leukemia cells revealed no Bcl-2-induced alterations in the steady-state levels of BAX mRNAs. In contrast, L-[35S]methionine pulse-chase analysis indicated a marked increase in the half-life (t1/2) of the p21Bax protein in BCL-2-transfected 697 cells compared to control-transfected cells (t1/2 > 24 h versus approximately 4 h), whereas the rate of Bax degradation was unaltered in Bcl-2-transfected CEM cells. The results demonstrate that levels of the proapoptotic p21Bax protein can be post-translationally regulated by Bcl-2, probably in a tissue-specific fashion, and suggest the existence of a feedback mechanism that may help to maintain the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax protein in physiologically appropriate ranges.     

High-performance carbon counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells

Here, we reported that a new carbon electrode prepared with an activated carbon was superior to a Pt sputtered electrode as the counter electrode of dye-sensitized solar cells. The photovoltaic performance was largely influenced by the roughness factor of carbon electrode. The open-circuit voltage increased by about 60 mV using the carbon counter electrode compared to the Pt counter electrode because of positive shift of the formal potential for I₃⁻/I⁻ couple.     

Design and evaluation of robot patient for nursing skill training in patient transfer

We developed a robot patient for patient transfer training for simulating a patient’s performance during patient transfer and for enabling nurses to practice their nursing skills on it. To realize the robot patient, we focused on addressing the problems of designing its limb actions to enable it to respond to nurses’ operations. RC servos and electromagnetic brakes were installed in the joints to enable the robot to simulate a patient’s limb actions, such as embracing and remaining standing. To enable the robot to automatically respond to nurses’ operations, an identification method for these operations was developed that used voice commands and the features of the limbs’ posture measured by angle sensors installed in the robot’s joints. The robot patient’s performance was examined by a control test in which four experienced nursing teachers performed patient transfer with the robot patient and a human-simulated patient. The results revealed that the robot patient could successfully simulate the actions of a patient’s limbs according to the nursing teachers’ operations and that it is suitable for nursing skill training.     

Design and implementation of a vehicle interface protocol using an IEEE 1394 network

A wide variety of in-vehicle devices such as camera sensors, navigation systems, telematics and communication equipments have been incorporated into a vehicle to realize Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) applications. Because an efficient standardized network is required, ITS Data Bus (IDB) has been discussed to carry high-speed multimedia data for audio, video and other real-time ITS applications. For connecting devices in a standardized manner, the IDB network has architecture with a gateway called vehicle interface which is located between automaker’s proprietary network and the standardized IDB network. IEEE 1394 (also known as iLink or FireWire), which can transport multimedia data for consumer electronics, is a good candidate for IDB network. In this paper, we analyze the issues for existing AV/C protocol (application layer protocol over IEEE 1394) to comprise the IDB network. In addition, we designed and implemented the vehicle interface protocol as a higher layer of IEEE 1394 to address the AV/C protocol issues for realizing the whole IDB network architecture.     

A study on a quantum-inspired evolutionary algorithm based on pair swap

A quantum-inspired evolutionary algorithm (QEA) is proposed as a stochastic algorithm to perform combinatorial optimization problems. The QEA is evolutionary computation that uses quantum bits and superposition states in quantum computation. Although the QEA is a coarse-grained parallel algorithm, it involves many parameters that must be adjusted manually. This paper proposes a new method, named pair swap, which exchanges each best solution information between two individuals instead of migration in the QEA. Experimental results show that our proposed method is a simpler algorithm and can find a high quality solution in the 0-1 knapsack problem. This work was presented in part at the 12th International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, January 25–27, 2007     

Preparation of poly(ethylene glycol)-modified poly(amidoamine) dendrimers with a shell of hydrophobic amino acid residues and their function as a nanocontainer

We studied the use of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-modified dendrimers as a nanocapsule with a biocompatible surface. We designed PEG-modified dendrimers having a shell of hydrophobic amino acid residues in the peripheral moiety of the dendrimer to increase their encapsulation ability. Subsequently, l-phenylalanine or γ-benzyl-l-glutamate residues were introduced to all chain ends of the poly(amidoamine) G4 dendrimers. Furthermore, PEG (MW 2000) chains were attached to the amino acid residues. These hydrophobic amino acid residues rendered the PEG-modified dendrimers as more compact. After binding of Rose Bengal (RB) guest molecules to dendrimers, an assay using the Klotz plot showed that the hydrophobic amino acid layer slightly affected the guest site number, but significantly increased intrinsic binding of the dendrimers to guest molecules. The PEG-modified dendrimers with the hydrophobic amino acid layer were better able to retain guest molecules than the dendrimer without the layer: they are therefore useful for drug delivery.     

Prediction model of surface residual stress within a machined surface by combining two orthogonal plane models

The variation of surface residual stress within a machined surface layer caused by face turning was studied. The size of the tool’s corner radius and the feed rate affect residual stress. A process model using the finite element method is proposed and the mechanical effects of the corner radius and feed rate on a machined surface were discussed. When a tool with a small corner radius is used, surface residual stress perpendicular to the cutting direction becomes compression stress. As well, surface residual stress changes from tension to compression as the feed rate decreases. The process model consists of an orthogonal cutting simulation and an indentation-like simulation of a corner radius into a work piece surface. The simulated results show quantitative agreement with the residual stress measured experimentally. The integrity of the machined surface will be controlled more efficiently if the cutting conditions during finishing are determined with the proper consideration of the surface generating process.     

An Engineered Biliverdin-Compatible Cyanobacteriochrome Enables a Unique Ultrafast Reversible Photoswitching Pathway

Cyanobacteriochromes (CBCRs) are promising optogenetic tools for their diverse absorption properties with a single compact cofactor-binding domain. We previously uncovered the ultrafast reversible photoswitching dynamics of a red/green photoreceptor AnPixJg2, which binds phycocyanobilin (PCB) that is unavailable in mammalian cells. Biliverdin (BV) is a mammalian cofactor with a similar structure to PCB but exhibits redder absorption. To improve the AnPixJg2 feasibility in mammalian applications, AnPixJg2_BV4 with only four mutations has been engineered to incorporate BV. Herein, we implemented femtosecond transient absorption (fs-TA) and ground state femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy (GS-FSRS) to uncover transient electronic dynamics on molecular time scales and key structural motions responsible for the photoconversion of AnPixJg2_BV4 with PCB (Bpcb) and BV (Bbv) cofactors in comparison with the parent AnPixJg2 (Apcb). Bpcb adopts the same photoconversion scheme as Apcb, while BV4 mutations create a less bulky environment around the cofactor D ring that promotes a faster twist. The engineered Bbv employs a reversible clockwise/counterclockwise photoswitching that requires a two-step twist on ~5 and 35 picosecond (ps) time scales. The primary forward P_fr → P_o transition displays equal amplitude weights between the two processes before reaching a conical intersection. In contrast, the primary reverse P_o → P_fr transition shows a 2:1 weight ratio of the ~35 ps over 5 ps component, implying notable changes to the D-ring-twisting pathway. Moreover, we performed pre-resonance GS-FSRS and quantum calculations to identify the Bbv vibrational marker bands at ~659,797, and 1225 cm⁻¹. These modes reveal a stronger H-bonding network around the BV cofactor A ring with BV4 mutations, corroborating the D-ring-dominant reversible photoswitching pathway in the excited state. Implementation of BV4 mutations in other PCB-binding GAF domains like AnPixJg4, AM1_1870g3, and NpF2164g5 could promote similar efficient reversible photoswitching for more directional bioimaging and optogenetic applications, and inspire other bioengineering advances.