Integration of 3-D shape construction and assembly to realize micro systems

In order to make micro 3-D structures, we are designing a table-sized factory, namely Nano Manufacturing World (NMW). In NMW, we challenged to use a new process fused by semiconductor process for preciseness and machine process for 3-dimensionality. In order to realize the new process, we designed three new mechanisms in this paper: multi-face shape making beam, co-focus rotational robot and micro mechanical tools. Through an evaluation to actually make a micro Gojunoto with the mechanisms, we confirmed their validities for functions of integration of 3-D shape construction and assembly.     

Dynamic Transformation Mechanism for Producing Ultrafine Grained Steels

Ultrafine grained (UFG) steels with grain sizes around 1 micron exhibit an excellent strength‐ductility combination and have been extensively studied worldwide. Among the different grain refinement strategies, thermomechanical controlled processing (TMCP) employing dynamic transformation (DT), that is, ferrite transformation during deformation of austenite, is considered as the simplest and commercially exploitable approach to produce ultrafine ferrite (UFF) with grain size of a couple of microns or below. The present paper reviews the research history of DT and highlights the major aspects of continuous interest including the methods and evidences for identifying DT, thermodynamics and kinetics of DT, mechanism for UFF formation and the effects of some key thermomechanical parameters on DT (and UFF formation), together with an outlook for the future research, and new TMCP design for industrial application. This paper also discusses some areas remaining under debate such as the diffusional or displacive mechanism, thermodynamic modeling, and the mechanism for UFF formation, etc.

     

In vivo anti-influenza virus activity of Kampo (Japanese herbal) medicine "sho-seiryu-to"--stimulation of mucosal immune system and effect on allergic pulmonary inflammation model mice

When BALB/c mice were treated with a Kampo (Japanese herbal) medicine "Sho-seiryu-to (SST)" (1 g/kg, 10 times) orally from 7 days before to 5 days after the infection and infected with mouse-adapted influenza virus A/PR/8/34 by nasal-site restricted infection, SST caused increment of the influenza virus hemagglutinin-specific IgA antibody secreting cells in nasal lymphocyte but not in Peyer's patch lymphocyte at 6 days after infection in comparison with water-treated mice. Oral administration of SST also augmented IL-2 receptor beta chain+ (activated) T-cell in Peyer's patch lymphocyte, but not in the nasal lymphocyte. We previously reported that SST showed potent anti-influenza virus activity through augmentation of the antiviral IgA antibody titer in the nasal and broncho-alveolar cavities of the mice (T. Nagai and H. Yamada, 1994, Int. J. Immunopharmacol. 16, 605-613). These results suggest that oral administration of SST shows anti-influenza virus activity in the nasal cavity by activation of T-cell in Peyer's patch lymphocyte and stimulation of production of anti-influenza virus IgA antibody in nasal lymphocyte. When ovalbumin-sensitized allergic pulmonary inflammation model mice were administered orally with SST (1 g/kg) from 8 days before (11 times) or from 2 h after (4 times) to 4 days after the infection and infected with mouse-adapted influenza virus A/PR/8/34, replications of the virus in the both nasal and broncho-alveolar cavities or only nasal cavity were significantly inhibited at 5 days after infection in comparison with water-treated control by augmenting antiviral IgA antibody, respectively. These results suggest that SST is useful for both prophylaxis and treatment of influenza virus infection on patients with allergic pulmonary inflammation, such as bronchial asthma.     

Control of three-link underactuated manipulators using a switching method of fuzzy energy regions

In general, manipulators used for industry and in academic laboratories have actuators to drive each joint. On the other hand, underactuated manipulators handled by our research have some passive or free joints without actuators and brakes. We recently developed a switching method of fuzzy energy regions to control such manipulators. In such a method, it is necessary to design parameters related to energy regions and the gains of some partly stable controllers based on the computed torque method. Here, the switching method is applied for a three-link underactuated manipulator. We optimize such design parameters related to fuzzy energy regions by a genetic algorithm. The effectiveness of the present method is illustrated with some simulations. This work was presented in part at the 12th International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, January 25–27, 2007     

Theory of orbital dynamics of the A phase of superfluid 3He. II. Orbital hydrodynamic equations

Orbital hydrodynamic equations in ³He-A are derived microscopically in the hydrodynamic regime near the transition temperature. Transport coefficients as well as reactive coefficients are evaluated as rigorously as possible. The expression for the time derivative of the phase of the order parameter is shown to contain l · rot _n with the Yosida function as a coefficient. It is shown that when the supercurrent is given by the usual definition which includes only the first-order space derivative of the order parameter, the stress tensor becomes antisymmetric and there is an additional contribution to the local angular momentum density of dynamical origin. The stress tensor can be made symmetric by changing the definition of the supercurrent.     

Magnetic collective excitations in the B phase of superfluid He-3

The dynamical susceptibility of the B phase of superfluid He-3 in the presence of dipolar coupling is calculated in the collisionless regime. Two poles of the susceptibility that correspond to the spin wave and the mode with energy gap (2/5)^1/2 2 are found. The result agrees with that of Tewordt and Einzel qualitatively and contradicts the recent work by Maki. The residue of the high-frequency mode becomes remarkable near the transition temperature. The dispersion relations of these modes atT=0 K and near the transition temperature are given in the most general form.     

High-intensity multi-bunch beam generation by a photo-cathode RF gun

A multi-bunch photo-cathode RF gun system has been developed as an electron source for the production of intense quasi-monochromatic X-rays based on inverse Compton scattering. The desired multi-bunch beam is 100 bunches/pulse with a total charge of 500 nC and a bunch spacing of 2.8 ns. We modified the gun cavity of a ‘BNL-type IV’ RF gun to allow a CsTe cathode plug in the end plate. The system uses a four-dipole chicane beam line to allow the injection of laser light normal to the cathode surface. We compensate the gun cavity beam loading caused by the high-intensity multi-bunch electron beam by injecting the laser pulse before RF power has filled the cavity. We have achieved a total intensity of 220 nC in 100 bunches with a bunch-to-bunch energy spread under 1.3% (peak-to-peak). This paper concentrates on experiments to generate the high-intensity multi-bunch beam with compensation of the bunch-to-bunch energy spread due to heavy beam loading.     

Small PWRs using coated particle fuel for district heating, PFPWR50

It has been said that nuclear energy is an important option for especially developing countries to satisfy their increasing energy demand. However, it will be difficult to deploy first of a kind nuclear power plant in developing countries because extensive safety demonstration has to be conducted in industrialized countries. On the other hand, it will be essential to present rigid proof of reliable operational experience to develop proper understanding of the safety features of new reactor systems among the people around the demonstration plant sites. One of the ways to solve the issue is to integrate existing technologies supported by a great deal of data and experience into a new reactor design. Based on the consideration, a small-sized district heating reactor system based on the pressurized water reactor (PWR) technologies combined with the fuel concept of high temperature gas cooled reactors (HTGRs) has been studied. The purpose of the combination of these two existing concepts is to take the best advantages of both excellent operational experience of PWRs and the integrity of HTGR fuel, coated particle fuel, against fission products release even at high temperature. We expect that this approach will help create a breakthrough to the current stagnation of nuclear power deployment.     

PLANGENT: an approach to making mobile agents intelligent

Network environments give computer users the option of employing distributed information and services to complete a task. However, gathering information and using services distributed in networks requires knowing exactly what kinds of information and services are required for a task, where they are, and how they can be obtained or utilized. Tracking down the answers to these questions can be difficult, time consuming tasks for users. Mobile agent technology is expected to release them from having to do so. Instead, “intelligent” mobile agents will comprehend the user's requirements, search network nodes autonomously for appropriate information and services, and return with the answers. But several problems must be solved before we can expect agents to perform such actions effectively. We focus on the question of intelligence as a prerequisite for agent functions. What sort of intelligence is expected of agents? We have adopted a model based on the ability to make flexible plans. Specifically, we think mobile agents must be able to: understand user requirements; plan actions that will satisfy the requirements act according to the plan; modify the plan according to actual conditions when they differ from those initially expected; and execute the modified plan. We have implemented these functions in the Plangent system and validated their effectiveness in several example applications. We describe how we combined these planning functions with mobile agent facilities, and show how the agents behave intelligently in an example application of personal travel assistance     

Feasibility of a 1,400 m Span Steel Cable-Stayed Bridge

This paper describes the feasibility of 1,400 m steel cable-stayed bridges from both structural and economic viewpoints. Because the weight of a steel girder strongly affects the total cost of the bridge, the writers present a procedure to obtain a minimum weight for a girder that ensures safety against static and dynamic instabilities. For static instability, elastoplastic, finite-displacement analysis under in-plane load and elastic, finite-displacement analysis under displacement-dependent wind load are conducted; for dynamic instability, multimodal flutter analysis is carried out. It is shown that static critical wind velocity of lateral torsional buckling governs the dimension of the girder. Finally, the writers briefly compare a cable-stayed bridge with suspension bridge alternatives.