Unitary equivalent classes of one-dimensional quantum walks

This study investigates unitary equivalent classes of one-dimensional quantum walks. We prove that one-dimensional quantum walks are unitary equivalent to quantum walks of Ambainis type and that translation-invariant one-dimensional quantum walks are Szegedy walks. We also present a necessary and sufficient condition for a one-dimensional quantum walk to be a Szegedy walk.     

Forty years of research in character and document recognition—an industrial perspective

This paper presents an overview on the last 40-years of technical advances in the field of character and document recognition. Representative developments in each decade are described. Then, key technical developments in the specific area of Kanji recognition in Japan are highlighted. The main part of the paper discusses robustness design principles, which have proven to be effective to solve complex problems in postal address recognition. Included are the hypothesis-driven principle, deferred decision/multiple-hypotheses principle, information integration principle, alternative solution principle, and perturbation principle. Finally, future prospects, the ‘long-tail’ phenomena, and promising new applications are discussed.     

Multiple pulse-heating experiments with different current to determine total emissivity, heat capacity, and electrical resistivity of electrically conductive materials at high temperatures

A modified pulse-heating method is proposed to improve the accuracy of measurement of the hemispherical total emissivity, specific heat capacity, and electrical resistivity of electrically conductive materials at high temperatures. The proposed method is based on the analysis of a series of rapid resistive self-heating experiments on a sample heated at different temperature rates. The method is used to measure the three properties of the IG-110 grade of isotropic graphite at temperatures from 850 to 1800 K. The problem of the extrinsic heating-rate effect, which reduces the accuracy of the measurements, is successfully mitigated by compensating for the generally neglected experimental error associated with the electrical measurands (current and voltage). The results obtained by the proposed method can be validated by the linearity of measured quantities used in the property determinations. The results are in reasonably good agreement with previously published data, which demonstrate the suitability of the proposed method, in particular, to the resistivity and total emissivity measurements. An interesting result is the existence of a minimum in the emissivity of the isotropic graphite at around 1120 K, consistent with the electrical resistivity results.     

Growth and structure of heteroepitaxial thin films of homologous compounds RAO3(MO)m by reactive solid-phase epitaxy: Applicability to a variety of materials and epitaxial template layers

A reactive solid-phase epitaxy (R-SPE) method combines deposition of a thick amorphous or polycrystalline layer with a desired chemical composition and post-deposition solid-phase epitaxial growth. The solid-phase epitaxial growth is invoked by thermal annealing with an assistance of a sacrificial layer working as an epitaxial template. Thereby it enables us to grow high-quality epitaxial films of complex oxides whose epitaxial films are not grown by conventional high-temperature growth techniques. It was reported that 2-nm-thick ZnO layers worked as template for growing InGaO₃(ZnO)_m (m = integer) epitaxial films. The present study extended the R-SPE technique to growth of various complex oxides with chemical compositions of RAO₃(MO)_m and to use of various epitaxial template layers. We found that mono oxide epitaxial layers such as In₂O₃ and Ga₂O₃ work as template layers as well. Alternatively, a ZnO epitaxial layer is also applicable to ZnO-free compounds. The films obtained were grown heteroepitaxially on YSZ(111) and single-crystalline when the fabrication conditions are optimized.     

Wind Force Coefficients for Designing Porous Canopy Roofs

Wind force coefficients for designing porous canopy roofs have been investigated based on a series of wind tunnel experiments. Gable, troughed and mono-sloped roofs were tested. The roof models were made of 0.5 mm thick perforated duralumin plates, the porosity of which was changed from 0 to about 0.4. Overall aerodynamic forces and moments acting on the roof model were measured in a turbulent boundary layer with a six-component force balance for various wind directions. The results indicate that the wind loads on canopy roofs generally decrease with an increase in porosity of the roof. Assuming that the roof is rigid and supported by the four corner columns with no walls, the axial forces induced in the columns are regarded as the most important load effect for discussing the design wind loads. Two loading patterns causing the maximum tension and compression in the columns are considered. Based on a combination of the lift and moment coefficients, the design wind force coefficients on the windward and leeward halves of the roof are presented for the two loading patterns as a function of the roof pitch and porosity. The effect of porosity is taken into account as a reduction factor of the wind loads.     

Use of polyethylene films photografted with 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate as a potential adsorbent for removal of chromium (VI) from aqueous medium

A new polymeric adsorbent material based on polyethylene (PE) was prepared by photografting of 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) as a positively chargeable monomer to a PE film. The effects of the experimental parameters, such as the pH value, temperature, and grafted amount on adsorption of chromium(VI) (Cr(VI)) ions were investigated for the DMAEMA‐grafted PE (PE‐g‐PDAMEMA) films. The maximum adsorption capacity was obtained at the initial pH value of 3.0 for a PE‐g‐PDMAEMA film with 1.8 mmol/g and the maximum adsorption capacity obtained was higher than or compatible to those of many of the other polymeric adsorbents prepared for Cr(VI) ions. The adsorption kinetics obeyed the mechanism of the pseudo‐second order kinetic model and adsorption of Cr(VI) ions on PE‐g‐PDMAEMA films was well expressed by the Langmuir isotherm model. A high Langmuir adsorption constant suggests that the adsorption of Cr(VI) ions occurs between protonated dimethylamino groups and ions mainly through the electrostatic interaction. Cr(VI) ions adsorbed were successfully desorbed from a PE‐g‐PDMAEMA film in solutions of NaCl, NH₄Cl, NH₄Cl containing NaOH, and NaOH and a PE‐g‐PDMAEMA film was regenerated and repeatedly used for adsorption of Cr(VI) ions without appreciable loss in the adsorption capacity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43360.     

Blood Pressure Elevation of Tubular Specific (P)RR Transgenic Mice and Lethal Tubular Degeneration due to Possible Intracellular Interactions between (P)RR and Alternative Renin Products

The prorenin/renin receptor ((P)RR) is a multifunctional protein that is widely distributed in various organs. Despite intensive research for more than 20 years, this receptor has not been fully characterized. In this study, we generated mice overexpressing the tubular epithelial (P)RR gene ((P)RR-TG mice) to test the previously reported functional role of (P)RR by Ramkumar et al. in 2015 using tubular specific (P)RR KO mice. (P)RR-TG mice were maintained and analyzed in individual metabolic cages and were administered angiotensin II blocker (ARB), direct renin inhibitor (DRI), and bafilomycin, that is, vacuolar ATPase (V-ATPase) antagonist. (P)RR-TG mice were hypertensive and had alkalized urine with lower osmolality and Na⁺ excretion. ARB and DRI, but not bafilomycin, concurrently decreased blood pressure. Bafilomycin acidized urine of (P)RR-TG mice, or equivalently this phenomenon restored the effect of overexpressed transgene, suggesting that (P)RR functioned as a V-ATPase in renal tubules. Afterall, (P)RR-TG mice were mated with alternative renin transgenic mice (ARen2-TG), which we identified as intracellular renin previously, to generate double transgenic mice (DT-TG). Lethal renal tubular damage was observed in DT-TG mice, suggesting that intracellular renin may be a ligand for (P)RR in tubules. In summary, (P)RR did not substantially affect the tissue renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in our model of tubular specific (P)RR gene over-expression, but alternative intracellular renin may be involved in (P)RR signaling in addition to conventional V-ATPase function. Further investigations are warranted.     

Thermophysical properties of (U,Y)O2

We prepared polycrystalline pellets of (U,Y)O₂, containing YO_1.5 up to 11 mol.%. We performed indentation tests on the pellets, and evaluated the Young’s modulus and hardness. We measured the heat capacity and the thermal diffusivity, and evaluated the thermal conductivity. We succeeded in evaluating the effect of Y content on the thermophysical properties of (U,Y)O₂. We revealed that the Young’s modulus, hardness, and thermal conductivity of (U,Y)O₂ decreased with increasing the Y content.