Development of a database of low energy homes around the world and analyses of their trends

This study aims to develop a database of low energy techniques for homes around the world, for use in systematically evaluating the low energy home in each region, where climate, culture and policy differ. First, a database was made for the purpose of the systemizing passive and active techniques. Data were input according to seven chapters and 155 items, and 66 homes in 17 nations have been recorded. Homes adopting super insulation, high airtightness and solar energy utilization are common in the each country. The thermal insulation performance of wall and window of the housing in Japan is somewhat inferior to that overseas. It was shown that exhaust heat recovery is rarely adopted in Japan and that the underground thermal energy utilization was seen in less than 10% of recorded homes. Second, recorded homes were categorized according to characteristics of adopted strategies, and the reduction rate of purchased energy versus the purchased energy for a typical home was calculated. This revealed the purchased energy reduction rate of homes with both solar heat utilization and photovoltaic power generation to be very high.     

Chr4, a Schizosaccharomyces pombe homologue of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Chs4p/Skt5p protein, is related to septum formation and is required for the proper localization of Chs2

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Chs4p directly interacts with chitin synthase III (Chs3p) to act as a post-translational regulator of the Chs3p complex. We identified four Chs4p homologous proteins in Schizosaccharomyces pombe which we named Chr1, Chr2, Chr3 and Chr4 (putative chitin synthase regulatory factor). We assessed the functions of these proteins and found that while overproduction of Chr1, Chr2 or Chr3 did not affect the cellular morphology of wild-type Sz. pombe cells, overproduction of Chr4 caused the cells to form multi-septa and delayed their growth. All multiple disruptants of chr1, chr2, chr3 and chr4 grew normally under a variety of growth conditions. However, while chitin synthase II (Chs2) normally localizes exclusively at the septum, in many chr4-disrupted cells it was found in the cytoplasm and the septa. Chs2 did localize at the abnormal septa caused by the overproduction of chr4+. Chr4-13Myc expression was unaffected by the different media or growth conditions in both wild-type and the chs2 disruptant. Chs2 expression was also unaltered by the absence of Chr4. Moreover, Chr4-13Myc localized mostly at the tips and the septum during vegetative growth in chs2, chr1, chr2 and chr3 disruptants as well as in wild-type. Thus, chr4+ is involved in septum formation and is required for the proper localization of Chs2 at the septum in Sz. pombe.     

Anisotropic carbon nanotube papers fabricated from multiwalled carbon nanotube webs

We fabricated large-scale anisotropic carbon nanotube (CNT) paper sheets by stacking long-lasting multiwalled CNT (MWCNT) webs without using binder materials. The MWCNTs are highly aligned in the webs and they retain their alignment in the fabricated paper. Although MWCNTs are just connected by van der Waals force, tensile strength is as strong as 75.6 MPa. In addition, resistivity and thermal conductivity is as good as 2.5 × 10⁻³ Ω cm and 70 W/m K, respectively. The present high anisotropy ratios of 7.3 in resistivity and of 8.1 in thermal conductivity are due to the high alignment of the ultra-long MWCNTs which have lengths of millimeters. High-speed web drawing with a draw speed of over 10 m/s enables very rapid fabrication. The material properties of CNT structures can be measured by conventional methods for macroscopic samples rather than methods designed for nanomaterials. CNT web technology will enable CNTs to be used in new applications.     

基于图像清晰度无波前传感器自适应光学系统的研究

自适应光学技术能够校正大气湍流造成的光束畸变,但常规自适应光学系统需要波前传感器测量波前信息.在本文中系统不使用波前传感器,而是以图像清晰度作为优化指标,使用无模型的随机并行梯度优化算法,对大气湍流引起的波前误差进行时实补偿,结果表明此系统算法经过多次迭代后达到很好的校正效果.     

Learning and relocation capabilities of a CAM-brain machine

Two techniques to enhance the capabilities of a CAM-brain machine are proposed. The first is a learning capability that is realized by providing a “decay register” in each neuron cell. The second is a neural network relocation capability that makes it possible to compact the evolved neural network and make room for further evolution. Both techniques operate in an extrinsic manner and are considered supplementary to the intrinsic evolutionary capability of a CAM-brain. This work was presented, in part, at the Third International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, January 19–21, 1998     

Personal telephone services using IC-cards

An IC-card is a memory card that can be substituted for existing magnetic-striped cards. It is suggested that the IC-card, which can store various information for telephone calls, will become a useful device in multifunction telephone sets because of its portability, security, and large memory capacity. The information that should be stored on an IC-card is discussed, and the practicality of creating personal telephone services by combining telephone services with the stored user information is addressed. An experimental telephone set with an IC-card reader/writer developed to verify feasibility is presented. Service grades of IC-cards, according to their level of functionality versus the functionality of the terminal equipment, are discussed     

Activation of serotonergic neurotransmission during the performance of aggressive behavior in rats.

High aggression is often linked to lowered serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission. Although this may hold for high aggression as a trait characteristic of an individual, serotonergic activity is probably increased during performance of aggressive behavior. To test this hypothesis, first, the 5-HT1A agonist alnespirone and gamma aminobutyric acid-A agonist muscimol were administered into the dorsal raphe nucleus. These treatments which inhibit 5-HT neuronal activity, were shown to decrease performance of aggressive behavior. Second, after a resident-intruder test, the activation of 5-HT neurons (measured by c-fos expression) was increased in high-aggressive rats, compared with low-aggressive rats or control rats that were not subjected to a social confrontation. Results show that performance of aggressive behavior increases 5-HT neuronal activity and that preventing this activation inhibits expression of aggressive behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Experimental study on a monovalent inverter-driven water-to-water heat pump with a desuperheater for low energy houses

In this study, a novel monovalent inverter-driven water-to-water heat pump with a desuperheater was developed. In this unique system, domestic hot water is produced at a constant temperature controlled by a variable flow rate and stored in a tank. The heat demand is constantly matched by the system through the use of an inverter-driven compressor, which eliminates the need for a buffer tank. Three heating configurations of the system were examined with respect to variable climate conditions and two space heating target temperatures: space heating (mode 1), domestic hot water production (mode 2) and a combination of both (mode 3). Mappings of the performance variables per frequency were constructed for mode 3. For the other modes, the highest COP was identified for each examined climate condition. The difference between modes 1 and 3 was less than 5% for every variable. The space heating target temperature had a strong influence on both modes, showing an average difference of 29% in the COP between 35 °C and 45 °C. Mode 2 exhibited a considerably reduced COP compared to the other modes, as well as the lowest refrigerant mass flow rate and highest compression ratio among the three modes. From the previous results and the examination of the compressor, the compression ratio presents itself as a key parameter that can help to increase the COP if maintained at low values. The results of this research could be applied to the design of a control methodology for monovalent heat pumps.     

Isolation of a novel alkaline-induced laccase from Flammulina velutipes and its application for hair coloring

Laccase is a member of the multi-copper oxidase family and a promising for hair coloring. In this study, we isolated a novel alkaline-induced laccase from the white-rot fungus Flammulina velutipes and studied the possibility to apply the enzyme for hair coloring. Laccase activity detected in the culture supernatant of F. velutipes was found to significantly increase when exchanging the medium to laccase inducing one whose pH was adjusted to 9.0. Three isozymes were detected by activity staining on non-denaturing SDS-PAGE. The major isozyme, Flac1, was purified from the culture supernatant after being induced at pH 9.0 by ion-exchange column chromatography. The N-terminal peptide sequence of Flac1 was determined, revealing clear homology with laccases from other white-rot fungi. Optimum pH of oxidation was found to be around pH 5.0-6.5 regardless of several different substrates used. Oxidation activities of Flac1 to several hair dye agents as substrate showed the higher activity at pH 6.5 than that at pH 9.0. Oxidation activity was also detected at pH 9.0 which was suitable for hair coloring. When the purified Flac1 was applied for hair coloring system without using hydrogen peroxide, effective coloring was observed at the protein amount of 0.25mg/1g of hair used. These results indicated that this alkaline-induced novel laccase isolated from the culture supernatant of F. velutipes might be a useful enzyme for hair color.