Market micro-structure analysis by multiagent simulation in X-Economy -- comparison among technical indices

We are developing an agent and server library referred to as X-Economy, by which we can execute multiagent simulations and network games for financial and economic systems. To this end, we analyzed the characteristics of network games in a financial context and compared them with traditional ones. X-Economy has also provided a new research direction in market micro-structure analysis. We executed several kinds of multiagent simulations for technical traders (indices) and obtained non-trivial suggestions regarding the relationship between the market randomness and the effectiveness of technical indices. For instance, the performance of complex technical indices seemed to deeply depend on the characteristics and nature of a market when a market became complex, i.e. it moved far from the Wiener process.     

A screening method for antigen-specific IgE using mast cells based on intracellular calcium signaling

A simple screening method is presented for the measurement of antigen-specific IgEs in sera in which mast cells are used. This method is based on the intracellular calcium signal in mast cells induced by cross-linking the surface high-affinity Fc receptors (FcepsilonRIs) with IgEs and multivalent antigens. When a serum containing various antigen-specific IgEs is added to the mast cell suspension, various antigen-specific IgEs are captured by FcepsilonRIs on the cell surface. However, the required antigen-specific IgE can be specifically detected after the addition of the corresponding antigen. The resulting increase in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i), monitored by Ca2+-fluorometry, was found to be an analytical measure for the screening of IgEs. Two kinds of rodent mast cells, cell-lined RBL2H3 cells and primary cultured BMMCs, were used as a representative model system of mast cells. A DNP hapten (DNP35-HSA) and ovalbumin (OVA) were chosen for illustrative antigens, and these antigen-specific IgEs (DNP-specific IgE, OVA-specific IgE) in the corresponding rodent sera were target antibodies. It was found that [Ca2+]i increased linearly with IgE concentrations ranging from 25 to 5000 ng/mL for DNP-specific IgE and from 5 to 50 ng/mL for OVA-specific IgE. For these dynamic ranges, optimum concentrations of antigens were found to be 10 ng/mL and 1 microg/mL for DNP35-HSA and OVA, respectively. It was concluded that by monitoring the increase of [Ca2+]i in mast cells, we could determine the antigen-specific IgEs. The present immunological assay based on the Ca2+ signal transduction in mast cells offers new possibilities for efficient screening of antigen-specific IgEs and the immunogenicity of IgE in sera.     

Asymmetric addition of thiol to diene polymer in the presence of optically active amines as catalyst

The asymmetric addition reaction of thiolacetic acid or benzylmercaptan to diene polymer (natural rubber, cis- and trans-1,4-polyisoprene, _cis-1,4-polybutadiene, various styrenebutadiene copolymers and alternating acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer) by optically active catalysts such as d-bornylamine ([α]d?45.2°), l-aspartic diethyl ester (?11.2°), l-aspartic dibutyl ester (?5.3°) were carried out in benzene at room temperature to 90°C. The optically active polymers were obtained from natural rubber and cis-1,4- and trans-1,4-polyisoprene, but were not obtained from cis-1,4-polybutadiene, styrene-butadiene copolymers, and butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymer. The [α]²⁵_D value of optically active derivatives was ?0.1° ～ ?1.0° (in benzene), and the optical rotatory dispersion curves were found to fit the simple Drude equation.     

Reports of the DAS02 working groups

This document is a collection of four working group reports in the areas of digital libraries, document image retrieval, layout analysis, and Web document analysis. These reports were the outcome of discussions by participants at the Fifth IAPR International Workshop on Document Analysis Systems held in Princeton, NJ on 19-21 August 2002.Published online: 16 March 2004     

Temperature-dependent near-infrared spectra of bovine serum albumin in aqueous solutions: spectral analysis by principal component analysis and evolving factor analysis

Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectra have been measured for bovine serum albumin (BSA) in an aqueous solution (pH 6.8) with a concentration of 5.0 wt% over a temperature range of 45-85 degrees C. Not only conventional spectral analysis methods, such as second-derivative spectra and difference spectra, but also chemometrics, such as principal component analysis (PCA) and evolving factor analysis (EFA), have been employed to analyze the temperature-dependent NIR spectra in the 7500-5500 and 4900-4200 cm-1 regions of the BSA aqueous solution. Intensity changes of bands in the 7200-6600 cm-1 and 4650-4500 cm-1 regions in the difference spectra indicate variations of the hydration and secondary structure of BSA in the aqueous solution, respectively. The plot of a band intensity at 7080 cm-1 in the different spectra shows a clear turning point at 63 degrees C, revealing that a significant change in the hydration occurs at about 63 degrees C. The forward and backward eigenvalues (EVs) from EFA suggest that marked changes in the hydration and secondary structure of BSA take place in the temperature ranges of 61-65 degrees C and 59-63 degrees C, respectively. In addition, the temperature of 71 degrees C marked in the EFA plots may correspond to the onset temperature of increase in the intermolecular beta-sheet structure.     

IKONOS image fusion process using steepest descent method with bi-linear interpolation

There are many image fusion processes to produce a high-resolution multispectral (MS) image from low-resolution MS and high-resolution panchromatic (PAN) images. But the most significant problems are colour distortion and fusion quality. Previously, we reported a fusion process that produced a1 m resolution IKONOS fused image with minimal spectral distortion. However, block distortion appeared at the edge of the curved sections of the fused image, which was reduced by performing the wavelet transformation as a post-process. Here, we propose an image fusion process using the steepest descent method with bi-linear interpolation, which can remove block distortion without using wavelet transformation. Bi-linear interpolation provides the proper initial values of the fused image, and then the steepest descent method produces the optimum results of the fusion process. These results achieve improvement on the spectral as well as spatial quality of a1 m resolution fused image when compared with other existing methods and remove block distortion completely.     

Relationship between apatite-forming ability and mechanical properties of bioactive PMMA-based bone cement modified with calcium salts and alkoxysilane

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)-based bone cement is used for the fixation of artificial joints in orthopaedics. However, the fixation is liable to loosen in the body, because the cement does not bond to living bone. So-called bioactive ceramics bond directly to living bone through the apatite layer formed on their surfaces in the body. We previously revealed that modification using γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) and water-soluble calcium salts such as calcium acetate and calcium hydroxide was effective for providing the PMMA-based bone cement with apatite-forming ability in a simulated body fluid (SBF, Kokubo solution) that closely reproduces the body environment. However, the effect of the chemical reaction forming the apatite on the mechanical properties of the cements has not been clarified. The present work aimed to investigate this issue from the viewpoint of the interface structure between the apatite and the cement. The surface of the cement modified with calcium acetate and MPS was fully covered with newly formed apatite after soaking in Kokubo solution within 7 days, while half of the surface area of the cement modified with calcium hydroxide and MPS was covered with the apatite. The bending strength of the modified cements decreased after soaking in Kokubo solution. Porous structure was observed in the region about 50–100 μm in depth from the top surface because of release of the Ca²⁺ ions by both modified cements after soaking in Kokubo solution. The decrease in bending strength of the modified cements could be attributed to the formation of the pores. In addition, the pores on the top surfaces of the cements were filled with the newly formed apatite. The apatite formation would be effective not only for bioactivity but also for decreasing the reduction of mechanical strength.     

An effect of microstructure on the interface resistance between a perovskite-type oxide electrode and yttria-stabilized zirconia

The electrode characteristics of perovskite-type oxides, La_0.6Sr_0.4CoO₃ and La_0.6Sr_0.4MnO₃, on ceria-based oxide and stabilized zirconia were analysed by the a.c. impedance method. The ionic conductivities of the electrolyte and electrode conductivities from the a.c. impedance analysis agreed with those obtained from the current interruption and d.c. four-probe methods. Two semicircles from the charge transfer and diffusion processes appeared as the electrode resistance. The relative contribution of these two processes to the overall electrode resistance strongly depended on the microstructure of the electrode. The electrode microstructure could be controlled by the dispersion medium used for the electrode slurry. The La_0.6Sr_0.4MnO₃ electrode coated with n-butyl acetate slurry exhibited the smallest electrode resistance.