The Development of gearless reducers with rolling balls

To satisfy the various demands such as no-backlash characteristic and so on, we have newly developed three types of no-backlash reducers: the cycloid ball reducer, the precession ball reducer and the reciprocating motion input type ball reducer. Especially, these reducers are developed for the robot joints. Also, these reducers are a kind of the constant velocity cam mechanisms with rolling balls; their inputs use eccentric motion, precession motion and reciprocating motion. The motion principle and the profile calculation method of each reducer are proposed, using the vector analysis.     

Structure and Physicochemical Properties of Endosperm Starches of a Waxy Allelic Series and Their Respective Normal Counterparts in the Inbred Oh43 Maize Background

Research over the past three decades has greatly increased our understanding of the biochemical genetics of various waxy (wx) alleles of maize, but our knowledge about the structure and physicochemical properties of endosperm starches obtained from the wx alleles is still incomplete. We further investigated the structure and physicochemical properties of endosperm starches from a wx allelic series and their normal counterparts in the Oh43 inbred background. Starch granules were prepared from mature kernels of wx mutant alleles; wx-C31, wx-R, wx-90, wx-a, wx-B3, wx-m-1, wx-m-8, and wx-S5, and their respective normal counterparts in the inbred Oh43 maize background. Measurements of absorption spectra of starch-iodine complexes and by gel permeation chromatography of Pseudomonasisoamylase-debranched starches showed that all of the starches from the wx allelic series were uniquely waxy type in characteristics, and their normal counterparts were characteristically normal type. Pasting characteristics of starch granules and retrograded starches of the wx allelic series and their respective normal counterparts were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The peak temperature (Tp) and conclusion temperature (Tc) values from starches of the wx allelic series were slightly higher than those of their respective normal counterparts and the ΔHs of starches of the wx allelic series were greater than those of their respective normal counterparts. The onset temperature (To), Tp, and Tc of all retrograded starches were very similar, however, the ΔHs of the retrograded starches of the wx allelic series were greate than those of their respective normal counterpart. Starch granules of the wx allelic series were hydrolyzed more rapidly than those of their respective normal counterparts.     

Changes in Some Properties of Starch Granules of Maize Having Amylose-extender Gene by Amylase Attack

Properties of residual starch by glucoamylase attack were investigated in starch granules of maize (Zea mays L.) of amylose-extender (ae) type (commercial “High Amylose-7”; HA-7). As increasing extent of hydrolysis, the amylose and amylopectin fractions decreased and low-molecular-weight materials were accumulated. Decrease in absorption intensity and sift to a range of shorter wavelength in γmax. of absorption spectra of iodine-starch complexes were observed. The minified fractions had a peak of about 22 average glucose-units and were nearly linear chains. It was suggested that the minified materials consisted of portion resisted to amylases in starch granules according to hydrolysis curves by glucoamylase. The fractions concerned to crystalline area of ae starch were suggested from X-ray diffraction patterns.     

The present status of R&D for the muon target at J-PARC: The development of silver-brazing method for graphite

At the J-PARC muon science facility, the muon target was made of an isotropic graphite (IG-43). The energy deposited by the proton beam is estimated to be 3.3 kW on graphite and 600 W on the copper frame. To alleviate the thermal stress, a titanium stress absorber is inserted between the graphite and the copper. Although graphite is known to be difficult to be brazed, the titanium is attached to the graphite through silver-brazing. In this report, we will describe the development of a silver-brazing method for graphite in the fabrication of the J-PARC muon target. A capillary test between the graphite and the titanium was performed to determine the optimal brazing conditions. The test involved bonding graphite and titanium plates while varying the gap between them in order to determine the brazing material and the optimal surface treatment of graphite. Subsequently, a trial muon-production target was fabricated using this optimized brazing method. Specimens were cut from the trial target, and bending test experiments were performed to determine the tensile and shear strength of the interface. As a result, it was confirmed that graphite could be bonded adequately through the silver-brazing.     

Conducting and comprehending cross-cultural comparisons: Reply to Stigler and Miller (1993).

J. W. Stigler and K. F. Miller (see record 1994-07531-001) critiqued the matching methodology and theoretical interpretation reported in the R. E. Mayer et al (see record 1991-19796-001) study of mathematical problem solving in Japan and the US. In this reply, the authors explain why they disagree with Stigler and Miller's comments concerning (1) the reliability of the matching methodology used, (2) the correctness of hypotheses concerning the relative effectiveness of US and Japanese schools, (3) reporting of the relative problem-solving performances of US and Japanese students, (4) whether Mayer et al are guilty of drawing causal conclusions from correlational data, and (5) whether the results are best explained by differences in intelligence. Finally, the authors call for recognizing the legitimacy of multiple research perspectives. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Fate of perfluorooctanesulfonate and perfluorooctanoate in drinking water treatment processes

Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) have been recognized as global environmental pollutants. Although PFOS and PFOA have been detected in tap water from Japan and several other countries, very few studies have examined the fate, especially removal, of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in drinking water treatment processes. In this study, we analyzed PFOS and PFOA at every stages of drinking water treatment processes in several water purification plants that employ advanced water treatment technologies. PFOS and PFOA concentrations did not vary considerably in raw water, sand filtered water, settled water, and ozonated water. Sand filtration and ozonation did not have an effect on the removal of PFOS and PFOA in drinking water. PFOS and PFOA were removed effectively by activated carbon that had been used for less than one year. However, activated carbon that had been used for a longer period of time (>1 year) was not effective in removing PFOS and PFOA from water. Variations in the removal ratios of PFOS and PFOA by activated carbon were found between summer and winter months.     

An explanation of the wetting and the mutual diffusion mechanisms of liquid metals using ab-initio atomic orbital calculation

In this report, in order to clarify fundamentally the wetting phenomenon between pure material surfaces, we propose a new method for the experimental evaluation and consider quantitatively the wetting mechanism from the microscopic standpoint of the chemical reaction between interfacial atoms. Ab-initio molecular orbital calculation was performed to explain the wetting and the mutual diffusion mechanisms. It was found that the calculated binding energies were in good agreement with the interaction energies estimated from measured contact angles, and it was also cleared that the hybridization of the interfacial d-orbitals was one of the most important elements of the mutual diffusion.     

Spontaneous emergence of long-range shape symmetry

Self-organization of matter is essential for natural pattern formation, chemical synthesis, as well as modern material science. Here we show that isovolumetric reactions of a single organometallic precursor allow symmetry breaking events from iron nuclei to the creation of different symmetric carbon structures: microspheres, nanotubes, and mirrored spiraling microcones. A mathematical model, based on mass conservation and chemical composition, quantitatively explains the shape growth. The genesis of such could have significant implications for material design.     

Evaluation method of the gait motion based on self-organizing map using the gravity center fluctuation on the sole

This paper describes the evaluation method of the gait motion in walk rehabilitation. We assume that the evaluation consists of the classification of the measured data and the prediction of the feature of the gait motion. The method may enable a doctor and a physical therapist to recognize the condition of the patients more easily, and increase the motivation of patient further for rehabilitation. However, it is difficult to divide the gait motion into discrete categories, since the gait motion continuously changes and does not have the clear boundaries. Therefore, the self-organizing map (SOM) that is able to arrange the continuous data on the almost continuous map is employed in order to classify them. And, the feature of the gait motion is predicted by the classification. In this study, we adopt the gravity-center fluctuation (GCF) on the sole as the measured data. First, it is shown that the pattern of the GCF that is obtained by our developed measurement system includes the feature of the gait motion. Secondly, the relation between the pattern of the GCF and the feature of the gait motion that the doctor and the physical therapist evaluate by visual inspection is considered using the SOM. Next, we describe the prediction of following features measured by numerical values: the length of stride, the velocity of walk and the difference of steps that are important for the doctor and the physical therapist to make a diagnosis of the condition of the gait motion in walk rehabilitation. Finally, it is investigated that the position of a new test data that is arranged on the map accords with the prediction. As a consequence, we confirm that the method using the SOM is often useful to classify and predict the condition of the patient.