Development of Concrete Bridge Rating Prototype Expert System with Machine Learning

Efforts to develop practical expert systems have mostly concentrated on how to implement experience-based machine learning successfully. Recently several active research projects on machine learning have been undertaken from the viewpoint of knowledge-based management. The aim of this study is to develop the Concrete Bridge Rating (Diagnosis) Prototype Expert System with machine learning, employing the combination of a neural network and bidirectional associative memories (BAM). The introduction of machine learning into this system facilitates knowledge-based refinement. By applying the system to an actual in-service bridge, it has been verified that the machine learning method employed that uses the results of questionnaire surveys involving bridge experts is effective for the system.     

A case report of mitral valve repair of broad posterior leaflet prolapse due to ruptured chordae tendinea by replacement of chordae tendineae with EPTFE sutured and Carpentier-Edwards ring techniques]

A 68-year-old woman with mitral valve regurgitation due to ruptured chordae tendineae of posterior leaflet underwent mitral valve repair by replacement of chordae tendineae with EPTFE sutures and Carpentier-Edwards ring techniques. Preoperative study showed massive mitral regurgitation and moderate tricuspid regurgitation with CTR 54% of chest X-ray. The postoperative course was not eventful. Postoperative study showed trivial mitral and trivial tricuspid regurgitation. Postoperative CTR was 45%. Mitral valve repair by these techniques could be modified and applicable to mitral valve regurgitation due to ruptured chordae tendineae of posterior leaflet. There was no complication during follow-up period of 8 months.     

Multivariate Analytic Comparison of Interpersonal Attitude in Singapore,Thailand, and Japan

Behaviormetrika - A questionnaire on interpersonal attitudes was administered to university students majoring engineering in Singapore, Thailand, and Japan. Examination of responses to individual...     

A Si bipolar 1.4-GHz time space switch LSI for B-ISDN

A 155-MB/s 32×32 Si bipolar switch LSI designed for wide application in the broadband ISDN was implemented. The operating speed is 1.4 GHz using an A-BSA Si bipolar process. Its throughput is 5.0 Gb/s by handling four 1.4-GHz interfaces, each of which supports an eight-channel multiplexed data stream. To realize a highly integrated high-speed bipolar LSI, power consumption and chip area should be reduced. Two technologies were developed for the LSI: (1) an active pull-down circuit with an embedded bias circuit in each gate, and (2) a modified standard cell with overlapped cell-channel structure. Using these technologies, total power consumption and chip area were reduced to 60% and 70%, respectively, of what is expected when conventional emitter-coupled logic (ECL) technologies and standard cell structures are used. The LSI evaluation results show that the developed LSI has sufficient performance to realize a large-scale B-ISDN switching system     

Formation of acrylamide in a processed food model system, and examination of inhibitory conditions

Acrylamide (AAm) is formed from asparagine (Asn) and reducing sugar during cooking of foods at high temperature. We examined the formation of AAm in a model system using a glass fiber filter paper, and looked for suitable conditions for inhibiting AAm formation. In frying, the formation rate was about 10 times that in a moistureless oven. Increase of frying temperature and frying time increased AAm formation when the residual moisture was 5% or less. AAm increased with increasing amount of glucose (Glc) addition up to 1:1 with respect to Asn, but then decreased. On the other hand, in the case of fructose, as the amount added was increased, AAm increased accordingly. The AAm formation rate with respect to Asn increased when valine (Val) was co-present in a Glc and Asn reaction system. Cysteine and lysine inhibited the AAm formation rate. Pathways for the formation of AAm are proposed.     

Improvement in physical properties of poly(vinyl chloride) by radiation-induced graft copolymerization with mixed monomers

Gamma-ray-induced graft copolymerization of butadiene with vinyl monomers onto PVC was attempted to improve the physical properties of PVC. The Izod impact strength was increased from 2 kg·cm/cm² to more than 100 kg·cm/cm² by grafting ca. 10% butadiene. But the tensile strength and melt flow were decreased by the grafting. The electron micrograph showed that the mass of polybutadiene in the graft copolymer had a convenient diameter (0.1–1 μ) for absorbing the impact energy. The weatherability of PVC grafted with butadiene was improved by cografting of butadiene with acrylates and methacrylates which had long side chains.     

Low Temperature Phase Transition in C70 and Solvation Effects

The heat capacity of C₇₀ has been measured by adiabatic calorimetry between 14 and 320 K. The orientational phase transition is observed as a broad hump in the heat capacity curve, which is strongly influenced by small amount of solvent remaining in the sample.     

Cellulose/syndiotactic polypropylene composites: Effects of maleated polypropylene as a compatibilizer and silanized cellulose on the morphology and tensile properties

To improve the interaction between syndiotactic polypropylene (SPP) and fibrous cellulose (FC), the effects of the addition of maleated polypropylene (MAPP) and FC surface modification with 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) on SPP/FC composites were studied with respect to the morphology and the tensile properties. The addition of MAPP brought about an improvement in the interfacial adhesion between SPP and FC according to scanning electron microscopy observations and tensile testing. This improvement was, however, less effective than the improvement in the interfacial adhesion between isotactic polypropylene (IPP) and FC. SPP and MAPP partially or microscopically phase‐separated because of the IPP‐like polymer chain structure of MAPP. With respect to the compatibility between SPP and FC, FC surface modification with APTES was more suitable. The increase in Young's modulus was remarkable in the SPP/silanized FC composite with APTES. The tensile strength of the SPP/silanized FC composite with APTES was, however, considerably lower than that of the SPP/FC/MAPP composite. These results suggest that interfacial improvement between SPP and FC requires a compatibilizer or a surface modifier with a suitable primary structure. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Mechanical properties of silane‐treated,silica‐particle‐filled polyisoprene rubber composites: Effects of the loading amount and alkoxy group numbers of a silane coupling agent containing mercapto groups

The surface treatment of spherical silica particles with a silane coupling agent with mercapto groups was carried out. The treated silica particles were incorporated within polyisoprene and then vulcanized. The effects of the loading amount and alkoxy group number of silane on the stress–strain curve of the filled composite were investigated. For this purpose, silanes with dialkoxy and trialkoxy structures were used. The loading amount of silane on the silica surface was varied from 1 to 8 times the amount required for monolayer coverage. The stress at the same strain increased with the silane treatment, and it was higher in the dialkoxy structure than in the trialkoxy structure above 300% strain. There was no significant influence of the loading amount on the stress for the trialkoxy silane structure. However, the stress was influenced by the loading amount, and the maximum stress was observed at 4 times the silane amount required for monolayer coverage for the dialkoxy structure. The stress had a good relationship with the crosslinking density of silica‐filled polyisoprene rubber (measured with a swelling test). The reinforcement effect by the silane treatment of silica was found to be affected strongly both by the entanglement of the silane chain and polyisoprene rubber matrix and by the crosslinking reaction between the mercapto group of silane and polyisoprene rubber in the interfacial region. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Effect of skimmed milk and its fractions on the inactivation of Escherichia coli K12 by high hydrostatic pressure treatment

We investigated the effects of skimmed milk and its protein fractions (casein, whey, globulin, and albumin) on the injury and inactivation of Escherichia coli K-12 by high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatment. The protective effect of skimmed milk on HHP-mediated inactivation and injury of E. coli increased with increases in the skimmed milk concentration. However, protein fractions derived from skimmed milk did not exhibit this protective effect. Microscopy analysis by DAPI/PI staining indicated that some cells were localized in the solid portion of skimmed milk, and some of these cells were alive. The coagulated fraction derived from the autoclaved whey fraction also showed a significant protective effect. We speculate that the solid portion in skimmed milk could provide the protective effect to bacterial cells.