The multiphase effect on crystal structure, hydrogen absorbing properties and electrode performance of Sc---Zr based Laves phase alloys

The crystal structure, hydrogen absorbing properties and electrode performance of Laves phase alloy systems, Sc---Zr---Ni---Mn and Sc---Ni---V systems, were studied by optical and scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, pressure-composition isotherm and electrochemical measurements. C14 and C15 Laves phases and minor ScNi-related phase were found in the Sc---Zr---Ni---Mn alloy system. The ScNi-related phase was composed of Sc, Zr and Ni elements. Two kinds of minor phase, BCC and ScNi-related phases, were identified in addition to the C15 phase in the Sc---Zr---Ni---V alloy system. The BCC contained mainly the element V. The ScNi-related phase contributed to an increase in the hydrogen capacity, but those in the V alloy system did not. The multiphase anode with a large amount of the ScNi-related phase showed a low durability against the KOH electrolyte. The substitution of Zr by Sc led to an improvement in the initial activation of the anode, but there was not a clear correlation between the presence of the multiphase in the anode and the rate capability.     

Lyapunov-based feedback design and experimental verification of IC engine speed control

In this paper, the speed control problem of internal combustion engines is investigated based on mean-value engine models. The dynamics of internal combustion engines is a complicated nonlinear system, and usually, it is difficult to know the exact values of the physical parameters. First, a Lyapunov-based design method is shown without requiring the full information of the physical parameters. Then, to improve transient performance, the design method is extended to several cases under different operation conditions. Numerical simulation results are presented for comparing the proposed design methods. Finally, experiments are conducted on an engine test bench and the results demonstrate the validity of the proposed design methods. Recommended by Editorial Board member Myotaeg Lim under the direction of Editor Hyun Seok Yang. The authors are grateful to Kai Zheng for his assistance of the model identification experiments. Jiangyan Zhang received the B.E. and M.E. degrees in Electrical Engineering, Yanshan University, China, in 2005 and 2008, respectively. Now, she is a Ph.D. candidate with the Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan. Her current research interests include nonlinear system control theory and applications to powertrain system control. Tielong Shen received the Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan, March, 1992. From April 1992, he has been a faculty member of the Chair of Control Engineering in Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sophia University, where he currently serves as professor of the Department of Engineering and Applied Science. His research interests include control theory and application in mechanical systems, power systems, and automotive powertrain. Currently, he is an Associate Editor for the IEEE Control System Society Conference Editorial Board, and is serving as Associate Editor of Journal of Control Theory and Applications, and the Regional Editor Asia-Pacific for International Journal of Modeling, Identification and Control etc. Junichi Kako received the B.E. degree from Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan. He joined Toyota Motor Corporation, Tokyo, Japan in 1989. He worked on various aspects of automotive powertrain control. From 1989 to 1994, he took part in the team for the development of Laboratory Automation (LA) system, Engineering Office Automation (EOD) system, and embedded system of powertrain control. During 1995–2001, he focused on the engine control systems in Powertrain Management Engineering Division. In 2002, he was with Future Project Division in which he was responsible for the R&D of model-based engine control system. Currently, he is developing engine control systems in the Powertrain Management Engineering Division, Toyota Motor Corporation. Shozo Yoshida received the M.S. degree in Engineering from Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. He joined Toyota Motor Corporation, Tokyo, Japan in 2000. From 2000 to 2004, he was with Future Project Division and worked on physical combustion modeling for Model-based Control Development. Since 2005, he has been with the Powertrain Management Engineering Division Toyota Motor Corporation, and is a member of the R&D of Model-based Engine Calibration.     

CD63, a member of tetraspan transmembrane protein family, induces cellular spreading by reaction with monoclonal antibody on substrata

We cloned mouse LOX-1 cDNA to take advantage of a gene-targeting technique to clarify the role of LOX-1 in vivo. Mouse LOX-1 was composed of 363 amino acids and had a C-type lectin domain type II membrane protein structure. Mouse LOX-1 had triple repeats of the sequence in the extracellular "Neck domain," which is unlike human and bovine LOX-1. LOX-1 bound oxidized LDL with two classes of binding affinity in the presence of serum. The binding component with the higher affinity showed the lowest value of Kd among the known receptors for oxidized LDL. In the absence of serum, the high affinity component disappeared, suggesting that an unknown co-factor in serum is essential for efficient uptake of oxidized LDL by endothelial cells. A low concentration of unlabeled oxidized LDL displaced 125I-labeled oxidized LDL more efficiently in the presence of serum than in the absence of serum. The co-factor in the serum may be involved in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis in addition to the oxidation of LDL.     

Relationship of occupation to blood pressure among middle-aged Japanese men--the significance of the differences in body mass index and alcohol consumption

To clarify how and why blood pressure differs between occupations, the proportions of hypertensives, and the measures of blood pressure, body mass index (BMI) and alcohol consumption among the individuals not taking antihypertensive drugs were compared between the eight occupational categories using the data from a health check-up for 589 middle-aged Japanese males, mostly randomly selected from five areas in Japan. After adjusting for age, the relationships of occupation to the proportion of hypertensives and the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure substantially differed among the five areas. However, after further adjustment for residence, these blood pressure levels (the proportion of hypertensives, and the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure) were found to be higher for the "Personnel in transport and communications", the "Clerical personnel", the "Managerial and civil personnel" and the "Professional and technical personnel", whereas these values were consistently lowest in the "Service personnel". Age and residence-adjusted mean BMI was also higher for the four occupational categories with the increased blood pressure levels. According to a weighted multiple regression analysis across the eight occupations, the age and residence-adjusted mean BMI was a significant predictor of the age and residence-adjusted mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.068 and 0.018, respectively). These results suggest that the occupation-related changes in BMI may largely contribute to the occupation-related changes in blood pressure.     

Crossover from 3D to 2D metallic conduction in Sr2RuO4

We have investigated the normal-state conduction of superconducting Sr₂RuO₄ (T_c 1K), which is isostructural to La_2–xSr_xCuO₄. The resistivity of single crystals shows a crossover at T_M130K from 3D metallic conduction at lower temperatures to 2D one at higher temperatures. Concerning the temperature dependence of the out-of-plane resistivity, we present a systematic interpretation based on competition between the life time of the quasiparticles and the time for the quasiparticles to travel between the adjacent RuO₂ planes.     

A novel interferon regulatory factor family transcription factor, ICSAT/Pip/LSIRF, that negatively regulates the activity of interferon-regulated genes

We have isolated a novel cDNA clone encoding interferon (IFN) consensus sequence-binding protein in adult T-cell leukemia cell line or activated T cells (ICSAT); this protein is the human homolog of the recently cloned Pip/LSIRF. ICSAT is structurally most closely related to the previously cloned ICSBP, a member of the IFN regulatory factor (IRF) family of proteins that binds to interferon consensus sequences (ICSs) found in many promoters of the IFN-regulated genes. Among T-cell lines investigated, ICSAT was abundantly expressed in human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-infected T cells. When the HTLV-1 tax gene was expressed or phorbol myristake acetate-A23187 stimulation was used, ICSAT expression was induced in Jurkat cells which otherwise do not express ICSAT. When the binding of ICSAT to four different ICSs was tested, the relative differences in binding affinities for those ICSs were determined. To study the functional role of ICSAT, we performed cotransfection experiments with the human embryonal carcinoma cell line N-Tera2. ICSAT was demonstrated to possess repressive function over the gene activation induced by IFN stimulation or by IRF-1 cotransfection. Such repressive function is similar to that seen in IRF-2 or ICSBP. However, we have found that ICSAT has a different repressive effect from that of IRF-2 or ICSBP in some IFN-responsive reporter constructs. These results suggest that a novel mechanism of gene regulation by "differential repression" is used by multiple members of repressor proteins with different repressive effects on the IFN-responsive genes.     

Challenge: Concept of system life and its application to robotics

Artifact systems created by humans interact with the surrounding natural world and have a large-scale influence on our human lives. The most creditable concept to this critical issue of scientific and technological development seems to be “System Life” that is an innovative competence to be embodied into any artifact system for creating harmony in the world of natural entities and artifact systems interacting with each other. System life is defined as a seamless system of sensing, processing, activating and expressing mechanisms governed by system life information. This paper introduces a design approach of robots possessing system life. First, this paper presents the concept of system life comparing it with the conventional design methodology of intelligent systems. Second, the paper introduces an intelligent control methodology using the cubic neural network that the author developed in order to cope with unpredicted failures. Finally, the paper presents various intelligent robots, a skiing robot, autonomous soccer robots, a game playing robot, as new concrete artifact systems designed using the system life concept.     

Discharge properties and chemical stability of SrZrO films

Abstract— MgO thin film is currently used as a surface protective layer for dielectric materials because MgO has a high resistance during ion sputtering and exhibits effective secondary electron emission. The secondary‐electron‐emission coefficient γ of MgO is high for Ne ions; however, it is low for Xe ions. The Xe content of the discharge gas of PDPs needs to be raised in order to increase the luminous efficiency. Thus, the development of high‐γ materials replacing MgO is required. The discharge properties and chemical surface stability of SrO containing Zr (SrZrO) as the candidate high‐γ protective layer for noble PDPs have been characterized. SrZrO films have superior chemical stability, especially the resistance to carbonation because of the existence of a few adsorption sites due to their amorphous structure. The firing voltage is 60 V lower than that of MgO films for a discharge gas of Ne/Xe = 85/15 at 60 kPa.