Enhancing the robustness of forensic gait analysis against near-distance viewing direction differences

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Gait analysis is a promising biometric technology to visually and quantitatively analyze an individual’s walking style. In Japan, silhouette-based...     

Raman Scattering from Metal-Deposited Porous Silicon

Raman scattering from porous silicon layer into which silver is immersion-plated was studied. Ag-deposited samples show extra Raman bands. Heat treatment of the Ag-deposited samples results in a great decrease in such Raman bands. Also dipping in hydrofluoric acid solution causes a spectral change. Some comments on the assignment of the Raman peaks of the Ag-deposited porous silicon are given, and the structure of porous silicon on which metal is immersion-plated is discussed.     

Greater synergism of retinoic acid receptor (RAR) agonists with vitamin D3 than that of retinoid X receptor (RXR) agonists with regard to growth inhibition and differentiation induction in monoblastic leukemia cells

Retinoids and 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (VD3) cooperatively induce the differentiation of myeloid leukemia cells. We investigated the role of retinoid receptors (RARs and RXRs) in the combined effects of retinoids and VD3 on growth inhibition and differentiation induction in human monoblastic leukemia U937 cells by using RAR- or RXR-selective retinoids. An isobologram analysis showed that both combinations were synergistic with regard to inhibiting the proliferation, and RAR agonists exhibited greater synergism with VD3 than did RXR agonists. RXR agonists alone induced nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction and expression of CD11b in U937 cells, whereas RAR agonists alone did not. On the other hand, RAR agonists and RXR agonists enhanced the differentiation induced by VD3, but RXR agonists required higher concentrations. An RAR antagonist inhibited the differentiation induced by RAR agonists plus VD3, but not that induced by RXR agonists plus VD3. Thus, RARs and RXRs act differently in their synergism with VD3. RAR agonists are more potent than RXR agonists with regard to synergism with VD3, and their combination may be useful in differentiation therapy against myeloid leukemia.     

Consideration of Heat Transfer Enhancement Mechanism of Nano- and Micro-Scale Porous Layer via Flow Visualization

A convective heat transfer enhancement using nano- and micro-scale porous layer surface was discovered by the authors in 2004. Heat transfer experiments, analytical considerations, and flow visualization near the porous layer were performed to grasp the heat transfer enhancement mechanism. The heat transfer experiments revealed the porous layers were able to enhance heat transfer by 20–25% in net energy compared to the bare plate, independent of substrate materials. In order to understand the mechanism, one-dimensional unsteady heat conduction analysis was performed for a liquid column in the pore. It was found that the temperature recovery of the porous layer was incapable of catching up with the very fast fluctuation, so that the porous layer might be a thermal resistance when the main flow was strongly turbulent. The vestige visualized by the tracer particles of around 0.85 μm in diameter showed a fluid behavior like “squirt” from the porous layer. From the observation of the porous layer surface, the porous layer has some micro-scale bubbles inside its own pore-connecting structure in spite of the good wetting feature. These bubbles could be a main contributor to this heat transfer enhancement. To discuss this postulation, observations of bubble behavior in a microchannel have been carried out.     

Combustion characteristics of droplets composed of light cycle oil and diesel light oil in a hot-air chamber☆

Development of gas turbines fueled with light cycle oil (LCO) and oil mixture of LCO and diesel light oil (LO) requires an understanding of the droplet burning and vaporization characteristics of those oils. The present study is devoted to comparing the burning characteristics of isolated fuel droplets composed of an LCO and an LO. The tests were conducted in an atmospheric hot-air chamber preset at 1173 K, and the examined LCO had a lower cetane number but higher volatility and aromatics content compared to LO. It was demonstrated that the burning of the LCO droplet was sootier, while that of the LO droplet was more disruptive. At the tested temperature, coke formation was indistinct for both the oils, whereas slightly higher ignition delay time was shown for the LO droplet. The microexplosive burning more or less complicated the time-series droplet size d, an explicit burning rate constant, however, was still definable according to the d²-law to show the overall regression speed of the droplet surface area d² with burning time t. The rate constant exhibited little difference for smaller LCO and LO droplets but was greater for LO when the droplet was larger. The rate constant also gradually increased with increasing the initial droplet diameter d₀, which caused the relative size d/d₀ to be unified (normalized) into a single curve by a burning time t/d₀ⁿ (1.0<n<2.0). Analysis revealed that this unification resulted from the respective overlaps of the unsteady and quasi-steady burning phases for differently sized droplets. Further, it was clarified that the unification and analysis are generally valid to isolated liquid fuel droplet burning in hot ambiences.     

Development of bio-based hybrid resin,from natural lacquer

Preparation and structure analysis of a bio-based hybrid material composed of natural lacquer, epoxy, and organic silane compounds were investigated using liquid and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance. The good composition of additives in the hybrid was determined by the drying, hardness, and resin-molding properties. Although natural lacquer alone cannot form thick resins, this bio-based hybrid material showed good resin formation at room temperature without thermal treatment. This result could be based on the enhancement of curing by the sol–gel reaction between natural lacquer and the organic silane compound, and a crosslink reaction between organic silane and epoxy groups. At the same time, oxidative polymerization at the unsaturated side chains in the urushiol was enhanced by the sol–gel reaction because the catechol hydroxyl groups, which have an antioxidative property, reacted with the organic silane. In addition, this bio-based resin possesses a thermoset property because curing of the hybrid was improved by thermal treatment. Based on the structure analyses, the sol–gel reaction between urushiol and organic silane compound proceeded immediately, indicating the high reactivity of this sol–gel reaction. On the other hand, the reaction between bisphenol A-type epoxy resin and the organic silane seems to progress slowly after the epoxy ring opening. In addition, a sol–gel reaction occurred between the amine group in the organic silane and the hydroxyl group formed after the crosslink reaction of the epoxy group. These results suggested that the improvement in drying and molding properties of the hybrid was based on the chemical reactions among all components (i.e., natural lacquer, epoxy, and organic silane).     

Rearrangements of sp/sp hybridized bonding with phosphorus incorporation in pulsed laser deposited semiconducting carbon films by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis

The carbon films were grown on p-type silicon substrate at room temperature by pulsed (XeCl) laser deposition technique using camphoric carbon target containing 1%, 3%, 5% and 7% of phosphorus (P) by mass. The analysis of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra of the C1s region in these films shows the presence of sp² and sp³ hybridized carbon and a sp² satellite peak due to π–π shake up. The sp² content is seen to remain almost constant with P content. The FWHM of the sp² peak increases up to 5% P but decreases for 7% P probably due to clustering of sp² chains and this clustering in the sp² phase probably decreases the band gap for the 7% P film. With P incorporation, the tetrahedral bonding configurations of the carbon network do not change appreciably, therefore, suggesting the scope of phosphorus as a potential dopant in carbon films.     

Enhancement of Catalytic Activity on Pd/C and Te–Pd/C During the Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Sodium Lactate to Pyruvate in an Aqueous Phase Under Pressurized Oxygen

The oxidative dehydrogenation of sodium lactate to sodium pyruvate in an aqueous phase proceeded favorably using Pd/C and that doped with Te at 358 K with no adjustment in solution pH under pressurized oxygen, although previous reports had stated that this reaction would not proceed using Pd/C while Pd/C doped with either Pb, Bi or Te showed the activity at atmospheric pressure, 363 K, and a pH of 8.     

Current collecting performance of overhead contact line-pantograph system at 425 km/h

In Japan speed tests in the region of 300 km/h have been carried out since the Oyama test line recorded a 319 km/h run in 1979. TGV recorded a 515.3 km/h run by an electric locomotive installed with a pantograph in 1990 and ICE achieved 406.9 km/h using a similar train in 1988. High-speed current collection tests over 400 km/h using electric railcars have been desired in Japan. Problems of high-speed tests are; train speed approaching wave propagation velocity, multipantograph resonance, and too large uplift of contact wires caused by lift. It is necessary to keep wave propagation velocity of contact wire higher than train speed. CS contact wire and TA contact wire were compared in high-speed tests because it was impossible to get a good current-collecting performance by using hard-drawn copper contact wires. In December 1993 using these contact wires we carried out high-speed tests in the region of 400 km/h on Jyoetsu Shinkansen with the test train STAR 21 which JR-EAST built for high-speed tests. This paper reports the current collecting performance of these contact wires predicted by simulation and running tests at 425 km/h.     

Measurement of small variations of atmospheric electrical field signals in fair weather

The variations in atmospheric electrical field signals in fair weather were observed both at Aobayama in Sendai and at Tsukidate in the Miyagi Prefecture. The measurements were made using a slow antenna type electrical field meter composed of a metal plate electrode and a CR integrator. They were recorded using a portable pen-recorder. A field meter of this type is suitable for measuring relatively rapid variations. The observations were made in a period of a few minutes in fair breezy weather. The data collected using a bare metal electrode were compared with those using an insulated electrode in order to detect an air-earth current. Examination of the dependence of the amplitude of the variation to the electrode size and height showed that the atmospheric electrical field is affected by these parameters. Observation of signals at two different positions gave the time delay between positions. This indicated that the electrical field perturbation was about several hundred meters. The well known atmospheric circulation with a period of a few minutes suggests that the observed variations in the electrical field signals were caused by electrical charges moving together with the atmospheric circulation. © 1998 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 125(4): 34–42, 1998