An extended probabilistic model building genetic network programming using both of good and bad individuals

Classical estimation of distribution algorithms (EDAs) generally use truncation selection to estimate the distribution of the good individuals while ignoring the bad ones. However, various researches in evolutionary algorithms (EAs) have reported that the bad individuals may affect and help solving the problem. This paper proposes a new method to use the bad individuals by studying the substructures rather than the entire individual structures to solve reinforcement learning (RL) problems, which generally factorize their entire solutions to the sequences of state–action pairs. This work was studied in a recent graph‐based EDA named probabilistic model building genetic network programming (PMBGNP), which could solve RL problems successfully, to propose an extended PMBGNP. The effectiveness of this work is verified in an RL problem, namely robot control. Compared to other related work, results show that the proposed method can significantly speed up the evolution efficiency. © 2013 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Study on Specific Heat of Water Adsorbed in Zeolite Using DSC

In this study, the specific heat of water included in an adsorbent was analyzed by a differential scanning calorimeter in the temperature range from ?50 °C to 50 °C. Zeolites with pore sizes of 3 Å and 9 Å were employed as adsorbents, and the measurement was performed with various water mass fractions in zeolites. In this article, the water was defined as being composed of adsorbed water and free water that is not adsorbed in zeolite. As a result, the specific heat of the dry zeolite increased with temperature. The specific heat of the adsorbed water was measured by a special experimental procedure to establish the experimental accuracy. It was found that the specific heat of the adsorbed water had values in the range from (3 to 5) J · g^?1 · K^?1.     

Crack detection and sizing technique by ultrasonic and electromagnetic methods

Improvements in defect detection and sizing capabilities for non-destructive inspection techniques have been required in order to ensure the reliable operation and life extension of nuclear power plants. For the volumetric inspection, the phased array UT technique has superior capabilities for beam steering and focusing to objective regions, and real-time B-scan imaging without mechanical scanning. In contrast to the conventional UT method, high-speed inspection is realized by the unique feature of the phased array technique. A 256-channel array system has developed for the inspection of weldment of BWR internal components such as core shrouds. The TOFD crack sizing technique also can be applied using this system. For the surface inspection, potential drop techniques and eddy current techniques have been improved, which combined the theoretical analysis. These techniques have the crack sizing capability for surface breaking cracks to which UT method is difficult to apply. This paper provides the recent progress of these phased array and electromagnetic inspection techniques.     

All solid-state sheet battery using lithium inorganic solid electrolyte, thio-LISICON

All solid-state sheet lithium battery was developed using inorganic solid electrolyte, thio-LISICON (Li_3.25Ge_0.25P_0.75S₄), Li–Al anode, and Mo₆S₈ cathode materials, and the sheet manufacturing process was established. The new sheet-configuration was consisted of the cathode with the grid of current collector, electrolyte sheet with or without mechanical support, and aluminum/lithium composite sheet anode. A sheet battery with a dimension of 30 mm × 30 mm showed good charge–discharge characteristics without any capacity fading at a current of 0.1 mA.     

Development and evaluation of a certificate validation system in mobile environments

We have developed a public key certificate validation system considering the restrictions peculiar to the mobile environment, such as processing the speed and memory capacity of a cellular‐phone terminal, and the network transmission speed. In this paper we derive a theoretical formula showing the performance of a validity check of the public key certificate of the conventional system and of the proposed system, and compare and examine a theoretical value in a mobile environment. Moreover, we evaluate the actual measurement that uses the server and cellular‐phone terminal that we developed. We show that our proposed system based on the certificate validation server (CVS) system is better than the conventional system from the viewpoint of processing speed and transmission speed. Copyright © 2007 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

MC180295 Inhibited Epstein–Barr Virus-Associated Gastric Carcinoma Cell Growth by Suppressing DNA Repair and the Cell Cycle

DNA methylation of both viral and host DNA is one of the major mechanisms involved in the development of Epstein–Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma (EBVaGC); thus, epigenetic treatment using demethylating agents would seem to be promising. We have verified the effect of {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"MC180295","term_id":"1885105835","term_text":"MC180295"}}MC180295, which was discovered by screening for demethylating agents. {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"MC180295","term_id":"1885105835","term_text":"MC180295"}}MC180295 inhibited cell growth of the EBVaGC cell lines YCCEL1 and SNU719 in a dose-dependent manner. In a cell cycle analysis, growth arrest and apoptosis were observed in both YCCEL1 and SNU719 cells treated with {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"MC180295","term_id":"1885105835","term_text":"MC180295"}}MC180295. MKN28 cells infected with EBV were sensitive to {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"MC180295","term_id":"1885105835","term_text":"MC180295"}}MC180295 and showed more significant inhibition of cell growth compared to controls without EBV infection. Serial analysis of gene expression analysis showed the expression of genes belonging to the role of BRCA1 in DNA damage response and cell cycle control chromosomal replication to be significantly reduced after {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"MC180295","term_id":"1885105835","term_text":"MC180295"}}MC180295 treatment. We confirmed with quantitative PCR that the expression levels of BRCA2, FANCM, RAD51, TOP2A, and CDC45 were significantly decreased by {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"MC180295","term_id":"1885105835","term_text":"MC180295"}}MC180295. LMP1 and BZLF1 are EBV genes with expression that is epigenetically regulated, and {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"MC180295","term_id":"1885105835","term_text":"MC180295"}}MC180295 could up-regulate their expression. In conclusion, {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"MC180295","term_id":"1885105835","term_text":"MC180295"}}MC180295 inhibited the growth of EBVaGC cells by suppressing DNA repair and the cell cycle.     

Development of an experimental system for a snake-like gliding model

A snake, which has a simple shape without limbs, can move over rough terrain, climb a wall or tree, swim, and glide through the air. It is difficult to understand the gliding flight of a snake in aerodynamics assuming a static model, because a snake undulates its body trunk and turns in air. This paper presents an experimental system for investigation of the relationship between the shape of the gliding snake model and gliding characteristics. Results of a gliding experiment confirm a sufficiently high reproducibility of the experiment.     

Measurements of gamma-ray emission probabilities in the decay of americium-244g

ABSTRACT

Accurate data of gamma-ray emission probabilities are frequently needed when one quantitatively determines the amount of isotope by gamma-ray measurements or obtains neutron capture cross-sections using them. Americium-243, one of the most important minor actinides, produces ²⁴⁴Am after neutron capture. The 744-keV gamma-ray decaying from the ground state of ²⁴⁴Am has a relatively large gamma-ray emission probability about 66%; however, its uncertainty is as large as 29%. The uncertainty of the gamma-ray emission probability leads to a major factor of the systematic uncertainty on determining an amount of isotope, and therefore the gamma-ray emission probability was measured by using an activation method and an examined level structure of ²⁴⁴Cm. In this study, the emission probability of 744-keV gamma-ray was derived as 66.5 ± 1.1%, and its uncertainty was improved from 29% to 2%.     

Influence of pulsed electric field on enzymes,bacteria and volatile flavor compounds of unpasteurized sake

A pulsed electric field(PEF) was applied to unpasteurized sake at constant temperatures, at which α-amylase was not inactivated. We adjusted the input energy to be identical for the temperatures by changing the number of PEF application, because the current significantly increased with the temperature, even the amplitude of the applied voltage was identical. As a result, the α-amylase was seemed to be inactivated by PEF application, not due to thermal effect.The glucoamylase was significantly inactivated by PEF. Moreover, the acid carboxypeptidase was inactivated by PEF at 4 °C but significantly activated at 25 °C. These results show that the sensitivity of enzyme to PEF application differs depending on the types of enzyme and treatment temperature. On the other hand, the colony number of bacteria was remarkably decreased, but the amount of the volatile flavor compounds was not decreased by PEF application.