Retrieving information on the World Wide Web: effects of domain specific knowledge

In this study, we intend to examine information retrieval behaviors from a psychological point of view using a search engine on the World Wide Web (WWW). We investigated information retrieving behaviors in detail based on both the recorded data of retrievers’ web browsing actions and their thinking processes by the “think aloud” method. We focused on selected keywords for retrieving and compared them between retrievers who had enough knowledge about their task and those who did not. Our goal was to learn about the literacy needed for finding required information efficiently on the WWW.

Phase-Selective Pyrolysis and Pr3+ Luminescence in a YF3–Y2O3 System from a Single-Source Precursor

Pr³⁺-doped YF₃ (orthorhombic), YO_0.80F_1.40 (orthorhombic), YOF (rhombohedral), and Y₂O₃ (cubic) films were synthesized on quartz-glass substrates through pyrolysis of a single-source trifluoroacetate precursor at temperatures between 400° and 900°C in air. Phase-selective deposition was achieved by controlling heating temperature and time. YF₃, which formed first from the precursor, was transformed to YO_0.80F_1.40, YOF, and Y₂O₃. Photoluminescent properties of Pr³⁺-doped films were examined using ultraviolet excitation. An intense green photoluminescence was observed in the YOF:Pr³⁺ film, which was deposited at 700°C, through an efficient charge transfer (O²⁻–Pr³⁺) excitation.     

Albumin microvascular leakage in brains with diabetes mellitus

Their aim was to examine whether microvascular leakage of endogenous albumin, a representative marker for blood–brain barrier (BBB) damage, was induced in the periventricular area of diabetic db/db mice because periventricular white matter hyperintensity formation in magnetic resonance images was accelerating in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus. Using light and electron microscopes, and semi‐quantitative analysis techniques, immunoreactivity of endogenous albumin, indicating vascular permeability, was examined in the periventricular area and spinal cord of db/db mice and db/+m control mice. Greater immunoreactivity of albumin was observed in the vessel wall of the periventricular area of db/db mice than in controls. Additionally, weak immunoreactivity was observed in the spinal cord of both db/db mice and controls. The number of gold particles, indicating immunoreactivity of albumin, in the perivascular area of db/db mice was significantly higher than that of control mice, but there was no significant difference in the number of particles in the spinal cord between db/db mice and controls. These findings suggest that albumin microvascular leakage, or BBB breakdown, is induced in the periventricular area of diabetic mice. Microsc. Res. Tech. 79:833–837, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Phase Morphology in Electrospun Zirconia Microfibers

Electrospinning of sol–gels has been used to produce zirconium-doped polymer microfibers from zirconyl chloride and poly(vinylpyrollidone) precursors. Calcination of these structures between temperatures of 370° and 930°C resulted in the formation of zirconia nanograined microfibers whose diameters ranged from 1200 to 800 nm at the higher temperatures and whose average grain size ranged from 9 to 33 nm. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed varying amounts of monoclinic and tetragonal zirconia present in the fibers and established how this varied with calcination temperature and time. The tetragonal phase was shown to be unstable and disappeared on heating the material beyond around 750°C. The amount of zirconia yielded from the precursor material was measured and was found to be consistently greater than the theoretical yield. Average grain size within the microfibers increased with increasing calcination temperature and is effectively doubled when a 10 kPa pressure was applied. The effect of pressure also results in the creation of new crystal structures within the nanofibers and, as with traditional zirconia processing, the addition of impurity ions was found to stabilize the tetragonal phase.     

Microbial degradation of polychlorinated biphenyls: biochemical and molecular features

It is more than 40 years since the environmental contamination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was first reported in wildlife samples. Since then, a huge number of papers on PCBs have been published, which include the biodegradation of PCBs and toxicology of PCBs. The studies on the microbial degradation of PCBs during the few decades provided significant insight into the areas of microbial ecology, biochemistry, and molecular genetics.     

Public opinion channel for communities in the information age

In this paper, we propose as a new challenge a public opinion channel which can provide a novel communication medium for sharing and exchanging opinions in a community. Rather than simply developing a means of investigating public opinion, we aim at an active medium that can facilitate mutual understanding, discussion, and public opinion formation. First, we elaborate the idea of public opinion channels and identify key issues. Second, we describe our first step towards the goal using the talking virtualized egos metaphor. Finally, we discuss a research agenda towards the goal. Toyoaki Nishida, Dr.Eng.: He is a professor of Department of Information and Communication Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo. He received the B.E., the M.E., and the Doctor of Engineering degrees from Kyoto University in 1977, 1979, and 1984 respectively. His research centers on artificial intelligence in general. His current research focuses on community computing and support systems, including knowledge sharing, knowledge media, and agent technology. He has been leading the Breakthrough 21 Nishida Project, sponsored by Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, Japan, aiming at understanding and assisting networked communities. Since 1997, he is a trustee for JSAI (Japanese Society for Artificial Intelligence), and serves as the program chair of 1999 JSAI Annual Convention. He is an area editor (intelligent systems) of New Generation Computing and an editor of Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems. Nobuhiko Fujihara, Ph.D.: He is a fellow of Breakthrough 21 Nishida project, Communications Research Laboratory sponsored by Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, Japan. He received the B.E., the M.E., and the Ph.D. in Human Sciences degrees from Osaka University in 1992, 1994, and 1998 respectively. He has a cognitive psychological background. His current research focuses on: (1) cognitive psychological analysis of human behavior in a networked community, (2) investigation of information comprehension process, (3) assessment and proposition of communication tools in networking society. Shintaro Azechi: He is a fellow of Breakthrough 21 Nishida project, Communications Research Laboratory sponsored by Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, Japan. He received the B.E. and the M.E. of Human Sciences degrees from Osaka University in 1994 and 1996 respectively. He is a Doctoral Candidate of Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University. His current researches focus on (1) human behavior in networking community (2) social infomation process in human mind (3) development of acessment technique for communication tools in networkingsociety. His approach is from social psychological view. Kaoru Sumi, Dr.Eng.: She is a Researcher of Breakthrough 21 Nishida Project. She received her Bachelor of Science at School of Physics, Science University of Tokyo. She received her Master of Systems Management at Graduate School of Systems Management, The university of Tsukuba. She received her Doctor of engineering at Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo. Her research interests include knowledge-based systems, creativity supporting systems, and their applications for facilitating human collaboration. She is a member of the Information Processing Society of Japan (IPSJ), the Japanese Society for Artificial Intelligence (JSAI). Hiroyuki Yano, Dr.Eng.: He is a senior research official of Kansai Advanced Research Center, Communications Research Laboratory, Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. He received the B.E., the M.E., and the Doctor of Engineering degrees from Tohoku University in 1986, 1988, and 1993 respectively. His interests of research include cognitive mechanism of human communications. His current research focuses on discourse structure, human interface, and dialogue systems for human natural dialogues. He is a member of the Japanese Society for Artificial Intelligence, the Association for Natural Language Processing, and the Japanese Cognitive Science Society. Takashi Hirata: He is a doctor course student in Graduate School of Information Scienc at Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST). He received a master of engineering from NAIST in 1998. His research interest is knowledge media and knowledge sharing. He is a member of Information Processing Society of Japan (IPSJ), Japan Association for Artificial Intelligence (JSAI) and The Institute of Systems, Control and Information Engineers (ISCIE).     

Synthesis of Ca–Co hydroxides and their use in facile fabrication of textured CayCoO2 thermoelectric ceramics

A brucite-type hydroxide of Ca_zCo_1?z(OH)₂ with a high Ca content was synthesized and utilized as a single-source precursor for the fabrication of bulk ceramics of a semiconducting layered calcium cobaltite Ca_yCoO₂. Plate-like Ca_zCo_1?z(OH)₂ particles with z up to 0.22 were reproducibly obtained by a reverse co-precipitation method using KOH as an alkaline source. Uniaxial pressing of the plate-like Ca_zCo_1?z(OH)₂ particles (z?=?0.22), which was calcined at 373?K beforehand, at a pressure as high as 500?MPa produced a highly dense green pellet where the plate-like particles were stacked along the pressing direction. The green pellet was then converted by a heat treatment at 923?K into an oxide ceramic of preferentially (010)-oriented Ca_yCoO₂ via a topotactic-like pyrolytic reaction maintaining edge-sharing CoO₆ octahedra. Although the ceramic also contained a minor insulating Co₃O₄ phase (16.7?±?0.7?mol% estimated from thermal analysis), the electrical measurements proved its p-type semiconducting behavior resulting from the Ca_yCoO₂ phase with enhanced Seebeck coefficient exceeding 160 μV/K at room temperature.     

Epoxy resin-based nanocomposite films with highly oriented BN nanosheets prepared using a nanosecond-pulse electric field

Facile orientation of boron nitride (BN) with high anisotropy in epoxy resin-based nanocomposite films was performed in a polyepoxide matrix using a nanosecond-pulse electric field to generate a high electric flux. Control of the BN anisotropy was achieved in the polymer without damaging the composite films or requiring surface modification of the BN. The degree of BN orientation perpendicular to the nanocomposite film plane, which was parallel to the electric flux, could be controlled by applying the nanosecond pulse for different lengths of time before cross-linking. The resulting composite films with oriented BN nanosheets manifested improved thermal diffusivity compared to a composite prepared without orientation.