An autonomous decentralized supply chain planning system for multi-stage production processes

In this paper, we propose an autonomous decentralized optimization system for multi-stage production processes. The proposed system consists of a Material Requirement Planning subsystem, a Distribution Planning subsystem and Decentralized Scheduling subsystems belonging to each production stage that constitute the entire plant. In the proposed system, each subsystem repeats both optimization of the schedule at each subsystem and data exchange among the subsystems. Computational results demonstrate that the results of the proposed planning system are superior to those of the hierarchical planning system, despite the fact that the proposed system has wide flexibility for adding the constraints and modifying the criterion of performance evaluation.This revised version was published in June 2005 with corrected page numbers.     

Surfactant properties of purified polyglycerol monolaurates

A series of purified polyglycerol monolaurates (PGML), such as di-, tri-, tetra-, and pentaglycerol monolaurates, were synthesized, and their surfactant properties in aqueous solutions were examined. The surfactant properties of PGML were compared with those of n-dodecyl polyoxyethylene monoethers (C₁₂EO_n) to examine the function of the hydrophilic part of these compounds. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) values and the surface tension at CMC of PGML and C₁₂EO_n increased linearly with an increase in the number of glycerol and oxyethylene units, respectively; the slope of the increase was greater for PGML than C₁₂EO_n. The minimum surface area per molecule of PGML was smaller than that of C₁₂EO_n at the air/aqueous solution interface. The initial foam heights of the surfactants at the CMC increased with an increase in the number of glycerol or oxyethylene units, and the foam heights of PGML were consistently higher and more stable than those of C₁₂EO_n. Detergency depended on a reduction in interfacial tension. Triglycerol monolaurate showed the lowest interfacial tension and the highest detergency among all the surfactants tested. Overall, the PGML showed better performance in all the surfactant properties tested than C₁₂EO_n. It is noteworthy that the surfactant properties of PGML having few glycerol units (di- to tetraglycerol monolaurates) are on par with those of C₁₂EO_n having many oxyethylene units (hexa- and octaoxyethylene). These results suggest that PGML having a secondary hydroxyl group on every glycerol unit of the hydrophilic part could be more hydrophilic than C₁₂EO_n; this characteristic feature guaranteed the superior surfactant properties of PGML.     

Nutritional enrichment of larval fish feed with thraustochytrid producing polyunsaturated fatty acids and xanthophylls

In marine aquaculture, rotifers and Artemia nauplii employed as larval fish feed are often nutritionally enriched with forage such as yeast and algal cells supplemented with polyunsaturated fatty acids and xanthophylls, which are required for normal growth and a high survival ratio of fish larvae. To reduce the enrichment steps, we propose here the use of a marine thraustochytrid strain, Schizochytrium sp. KH105, producing docosahexaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, canthaxanthin, and astaxanthin. The KH105 cells prepared by cultivation under optimized conditions were successfully incorporated by rotifers and Artemia nauplii. The contents of docosahexaenoic acid surpassed the levels required in feed for fish larvae, and the enriched Artemia showed an increased body length. The results demonstrate that we have developed an improved method of increasing the dietary value of larval fish feed.     

Facilitated oxygen transport through a Nafion membrane containing cobaltporphyrin as a fixed oxygen carrier

A Nafion membrane containing a cobaltporphyrin (CoP) complex as a fixed oxygen carrier was prepared with a view to facilitate oxygen transport through the membrane. The design concept of the CoP-loaded Nafion membrane was based on the CoP's modification to place the CoP complex in a hydrophobic domain of the microphase-separated structure, in order to facilitate the oxygen transport and to maintain proton conductivity. The oxygen permeability through the CoP-loaded Nafion membrane was higher than the nitrogen permeability, and significantly enhanced at relatively-low oxygen pressures of the upstream, indicating that the fixed CoP complex acted as an oxygen hopping site to facilitate the oxygen transport. The oxygen/nitrogen permselectivity increased with the content of CoP in the Nafion membrane. Electrochemical reduction of oxygen at a glassy carbon electrode, modified with a Pt/C catalyst and the CoP-loaded Nafion membrane, provided additional support for the facilitated oxygen transport by the membrane. Increased current for the reduction of oxygen on the modified electrode by loading CoP indicated that the CoP offered the oxygen hopping site in the Nafion membrane.     

An efficient synthesis of five-membered cyclic ethers from 1,3-diols using molecular iodine as a catalyst

Intramolecular cyclic etherification of 1,3-diols was investigated using iodine as a catalyst under solution reaction conditions. Compounds containing five-membered ether rings were obtained. Propella ether (11-oxatricyclo[4.4.3.0(1,6)]tridecane) was conveniently synthesized from 1,3-diol (6-(2-hydroxyethyl)spiro[4.5]decan-6-ol) in 97% yield via carbon skeleton rearrangement. Spiroethers and bicyclic ethers were also obtained from the corresponding 1,3-diols in yields of over 77%. The most suitable reaction conditions were a temperature of 80 degrees C, a 1:0.2 molar ratio of 1,3-diol:iodine, and a time period of 8 h. In addition, terpenoic ethers were efficiently synthesized from the corresponding 1,3-diols, derived from (+)-camphor and (-)-fenchone, via skeleton rearrangement. In particular, the reaction of the 1,3-diol derived from (+)-camphor proceeded smoothly at room temperature with a yield of 91%. The yield of the cyclic ether using iodine as a catalyst was comparable to the method using sulfuric acid.     

Recovery of heavy metals from MSW molten fly ash by carrier-in-pulp method: Fe powder as carrier

Municipal solid waste (MSW) molten fly ash is classified as a hazardous waste because it contains considerable amount of heavy metals, which pose environmental concern due to their leaching potential in landfill environment. This study proposes carrier-in-pulp (CIP) method as a new hydrometallurgical route to extract and recover Pb, Zn, Cu, and Cd from molten fly ash before landfilling. In this method, a carrier material, which recovers the extracted metals, is added simultaneously with fly ash to a leaching solution and is harvested from the pulp by physical separation method, such as magnetic separation or sieving.To demonstrate the effect of the CIP method, shaking flask experiments were conducted under various conditions using NaCl solution, iron powder as carrier, and molten fly ash. More than 99 wt% Pb, Zn, and Cd, and 97 wt% Cu were extracted from the ash. However, only Pb and Cu were recovered (96.3 wt% Pb and 94.3 wt% Cu) by the iron powder through cementation, leaving behind Zn and Cd ions in the solution phase. The leaching test conducted on the treated fly ash residue revealed that the CIP method suppressed the solubilization of Pb to a value below the landfill disposal guideline.     

Composition,Taste, Aroma,and Antioxidant Activity of Solidified Noncentrifugal Brown Sugars Prepared from Whole Stalk and Separated Pith of Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)

In this study, 2 types of solidified noncentrifugal brown sugars (W‐NCS and P‐NCS) were prepared from the whole stalk and separated pith, respectively, of raw sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.). These products were discriminated in terms of their quality attributes, including color, sugars and minerals composition, taste, aroma, and antioxidant activity. The brown color of P‐NCS was clearly different compared with that of W‐NCS with a color difference value (ΔE^*) of 9.36. There was no difference in the sugars and minerals composition between the 2 types of sugar, which led to very similar taste profiles. However, P‐NCS had a weaker aroma intensity than W‐NCS did. Moreover, P‐NCS retained more than 60% of the antioxidant activity of W‐NCS. The information gleaned from this study might be used to select appropriate end‐uses for these 2 types of sugars.     

未冻水含量对含废弃轮胎碎屑冻土超声波速度的影响

本文介绍了用液浸式超声波循环法测定冻土中超声波速度的原理和过程 ,并在 - 0 .2℃～ - 1 0℃温度范围内测定了含有不同比例废弃轮胎碎屑的Tomakomai粉土的纵、横波速度。结果表明超声波在冻土中的纵、横波传播速度在冻土温度接近 0℃时随温度的升高而急剧降低。结合冻土的未冻水含量随温度的变化规律分析表明 ,冻土中超声波的传播速度与冻土未冻水含量呈良好的线形关系 ,且未冻水含量每增加 1 % ,纵波速度约降低 6 2m/s;横波速度降低约 35m/s。     

Preparation of thin film resistors with low resistivity and low TCR by heat treatment of multilayered Cu/Ni deposits

Thin Cu–Ni alloy film resistors were prepared by different methods using both electroless plating and electrodeposition. Alloy composition, structure and electrical properties (resistivity and TCR) were examined as a function of plating conditions. Low resistivity and low TCR performance were achieved by heating the multilayered Cu/Ni film deposited on electroless Cu.