Rendering of specular surfaces in polygon-based computer-generated holograms

A technique is presented for realistic rendering in polygon-based computer-generated holograms (CGHs). In this technique, the spatial spectrum of the reflected light is modified to imitate specular reflection. The spectral envelopes of the reflected light are fitted to a spectral shape based on the Phong reflection model used in computer graphics. The technique features fast computation of the field of objects, composed of many specular polygons, and is applicable to creating high-definition CGHs with several billions of pixels. An actual high-definition CGH is created using the proposed technique and is demonstrated for verification of the optical reconstruction of specular surfaces.     

Model Test and Consolidation Analysis of Failure of a Loose Sandy Embankment Dam During Seepage

Failures of earth dam embankments and river dikes, which are constructed of sandy soils with low dry densities, have been observed to occur during rising of water levels. In this paper, a large-scale physical model test was conducted in order to investigate the behavior of a small dam embankment as water levels rose. The test results were simulated by use of a consolidation analysis method coupled with an elastoplastic model for unsaturated soils. All parameters used in the simulation were obtained from element tests; oedometer, triaxial compression, soil water retention, and permeability tests. First, in order to verify the parameters identified, direct shear tests were simulated using the consolidation analysis method; results of the simulation and the tests were consistent. From the embankment model test it was found that the crest of the embankment moved upstream at the first stage of impounding and then moved back. After a seepage surface appeared on the downstream slope, tension cracks occurred on the downstream slope, and sliding occurred through the crack and the downstream toe. The results of the simulation were consistent with those of the model test. This consolidation analysis method could be used to simulate the complex deformations induced by saturation collapse and shear strains and even failure behavior. Old embankments constructed with loose densities might have histories in which cracks occurred on the downstream slopes when the reservoir water level rose, and their stabilities might have decreased.     

Hardening non-linear behaviour in longitudinal tension of unidirectional carbon composites

Uniaxial tensile tests of unidirectional carbon-epoxy coupons are conducted in the longitudinal direction. It is observed that the longitudinal modulus increases with axial stress or strain up to the intermediate level of tension. A fractional constitutive relation with a quadratic denominator is derived by the method of the theory of non-linear elasticity. This equation adopting the estimated higher-order compliance coefficients exhibits an excellent agreement with the experimental results. An empirical strain-based equation is also proposed as a simpler alternative. Averaging formulae for both types of relation are provided for a practical application. The present phenomenon includes the behaviour in a low-stress region discovered by some early work. The consideration of the present non-linear behaviour improves the correlation between theory and experiments in stress-strain relationships of fabric composites with carbon fibres.     

An autopsy case of adult onset glycogen storage disease type Ia

A 3-week tour of the Far East was coordinated by Dr. Ronald DeWald, senior travelling fellow appointed by the Scoliosis Research Society. Three junior fellows appointed by the Education Committee of the Scoliosis Research Society accompanied him. The purpose of this fellowship was to develop a comaraderie and exchange ideas, thoughts, and experiences in the field of spinal deformity.     

Approach and structure of stabilizing control system preventing an extension of synchronism loss

Recently, large-capacity power stations have been built far from load centers with long-distance transmission lines. Therefore, if a fault occurs at the line, generators in the large-capacity power station may lose synchronism from the remaining generators [1, 3]. To prevent an extension of loss of synchronism to other generators, fast shedding of some generators is an effective measure. The following methods have been proposed so far: A method [3] based on energy function approach; and a method [2] which estimates and predicts the relative swing among generators using data measured on-line at each generator and proposes shedding some generators for stabilization. This method requires a large communication network for an exchange of data between power stations. This paper presents a new stabilizing method and a newly developed stabilizing control system which does not require a large communication network because it utilizes generator output, voltage and current measured on-line in the vicinity of the large-capacity power station. Using these measured data, the system estimates and predicts the relative swing between generators in the large-capacity power station and the remaining generators. Finally, the number of generators to be shed for stabilization is decided and shedding is performed. Configuration and characteristics of the developed stabilizing control system are shown. The validity of this method is confirmed by simulation and testing using an artificial power system.     

Detection of urinary interleukin-8 in glomerular diseases

To clarify the mechanism of neutrophil infiltration in glomerulonephritis, both urinary and plasma levels of a potent neutrophil chemotactic cytokine, interleukin-8 (IL-8), were measured in 40 healthy volunteers and 96 patients with various renal diseases. The plasma IL-8 levels were less than 16 pg/ml. The urinary IL-8 levels were elevated in several renal diseases including IgA nephropathy (17 of 43), acute glomerulonephritis (4 of 6), lupus nephritis (11 of 15), purpura nephritis (2 of 4), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (1 of 1), and cryoglobulinemia (2 of 2). IL-8 was detected immunohistochemically in diseased glomeruli, suggesting its local production. Elevated urinary IL-8 levels during the acute phase or exacerbations were found to be decreased during spontaneous or steroid pulse therapy-induced convalescence in all patients examined. The urinary IL-8 levels were higher in patients with glomerular leukocyte infiltration than in those without infiltration. Collectively, local production of IL-8 in diseased glomeruli might be involved in the pathogenesis of the glomerular diseases and measurement of IL-8 in the urine might be useful for monitoring the glomerular diseases.     

Evaluation of serum KL-6 levels in summer-type hypersensitivity pneumonitis

A high level of serum KL-6 is a known feature of active pulmonary fibrosis. Some researchers have suggested that KL-6 is produced and secreted by type II pneumocytes. The present study evaluated serum KL-6 levels in patients with summer-type hypersensitivity pneumonitis (summer-type HP) (n = 6, 7 episodes), Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (n = 16), Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia (n = 3), Chlamydia pneumoniae pneumonia (n = 9), and bacterial pneumonia (n = 12). In addition, transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) specimens were examined pathologically in order to identify the site of production and secretion of KL-6. In patients with summer-type HP, the serum KL-6 levels exceeded 500 U/ml (2.996 +/- 2.016 U/ml), but was below 500 U/ml (302 +/- 126 U/ml, p < 0.001) in the patients with other infectious pneumonias, with the exception of two. One of these two patients with a high serum KL-6 level had adult respiratory distress syndrome due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae. The other had organizing pneumonia due to Chlamydia pneumoniae. TBLB specimens showed proliferative type II pneumocytes in all summer-type HP cases. We believe that the high serum KL-6 levels were produced by type II pneumocytes, and may provide a useful indicating serum marker for HP. Although serum LDH, serum CRP and PaO2 are known as monitoring markers in summer-type HP, our findings demonstrated no manifest correlations among these markers. However, serum KL-6 levels showed a strong positive correlation with serum LDH levels and an inverse correlation with serum CRP levels. These results suggest that serum KL-6 may be a better marker of the degree of disease activity than serum LDH, CRP, or PaO2 in summer-type HP.     

A hairpin-loop conformation in tandem repeat sequence of the ice nucleation protein revealed by NMR spectroscopy

We report two cases of acromegaly due to pituitary adenoma without any other endocrinopathy in a family. The patients had high plasma GH and were improved by transsphenoidal adenomectomy. Acromegaly is usually a clinical syndrome of sporadic nonfamilial occurrence. The familial occurrence of acromegaly not associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia is very rare. Our patients are unlikely to be associated with the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 syndrome. Here we describe two patients with acromegaly, a father and his daughter, and review familial cases reported.     

Numerical analysis of waveguide bandpass filters using singular integral equations and construction of simple design formulas

A powerful numerical solution is presented for bandpass filters in rectangular waveguides. The filters are composed of cascading of perfectly conducting inductive obstacles with zero thickness: asymmetrical windows, symmetrical windows, or symmetrical strips. The problem is reduced to a set of singular integral equations, which is solved by an extension of Lewin's quasi‐static procedure. After the accuracy of the classical formulas for the equivalent reactance is investigated, the simple inverse formulas are constructed to yield proper window widths for desired equivalent parameters. Their effectiveness is demonstrated by designing practical filters having maximally flat or equal‐ripple characteristics. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 148(4): 17–25, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.10251     

Electrochemical and electrochromic response of poly(thiophene-3-acetic acid) films

Thiophene-3-acetic acid has been polymerized in chloroform by a chemical method using FeCl₃ as oxidant. The films were prepared casting the solubilized polymer on ITO electrodes and studied using cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and spectroelectrochemistry. During the potential sweep, an electrochromic process is observed in which the film color changes from red to black. High electrochromic efficiency was observed for more than 600 cycles, although it decreases to 73% of the initial value. Until 264 cycles, the electrochromic efficiency at 750 nm is stable and the value is 242 cm² C⁻¹.