Size and morphology controlled synthesis of gold nanoparticles in green solvent: Effect of reducing agents

The effect of reducing agents on the synthesis of Au(0) metallic nanoparticles (Au NPs) prepared in green solvent medium of β-d-glucose-water dispersions has been reported first. The different equivalent amounts of NaBH₄ and pH values adjusted by NaOH were tested for the reduction of Au salt (HAuCl₄·3H₂O (hydrogen tetrachloroaurate (III) trihydrate) to obtain Au NPs. The type and the amount of reducing agent and the pH of the solution affected the size and morphology of the NPs. Addition of 4 equivalents of NaBH₄ produced homogeneously dispersed 5.3 nm (σ = 0.7) diameter particles. Excess addition of NaBH₄ caused the NPs to settle down as the precipitate forming mesh or wire structure. When salt was reduced by the addition of NaOH (pH = 8.0) the particles were larger (14.2 nm) and less homogeneous (σ = 2.8). At pH = 12.2 the NPs settled at the bottom of the vial when preparation was left overnight. The wire and mesh like structures were obtained at higher pH = 12.2.     

Two-scale evaluation of remediation technologies for a contaminated site by applying economic input-output life cycle assessment: risk-cost, risk-energy consumption and risk-CO2 emission

A two-scale evaluation concept of remediation technologies for a contaminated site was expanded by introducing life cycle costing (LCC) and economic input-output life cycle assessment (EIO-LCA). The expanded evaluation index, the rescue number for soil (RN_SOIL) with LCC and EIO-LCA, comprises two scales, such as risk-cost, risk-energy consumption or risk-CO₂ emission of a remediation. The effectiveness of RN_SOIL with LCC and EIO-LCA was examined in a typical contamination and remediation scenario in which dieldrin contaminated an agricultural field. Remediation was simulated using four technologies: disposal, high temperature thermal desorption, biopile and landfarming. Energy consumption and CO₂ emission were determined from a life cycle inventory analysis using monetary-based intensity based on an input-output table. The values of RN_SOIL based on risk-cost, risk-energy consumption and risk-CO₂ emission were calculated, and then rankings of the candidates were compiled according to RN_SOIL values. A comparison between three rankings showed the different ranking orders. The existence of differences in ranking order indicates that the scales would not have reciprocal compatibility for two-scale evaluation and that each scale should be used independently. The RN_SOIL with LCA will be helpful in selecting a technology, provided an appropriate scale is determined.     

Conjoint analysis on the purchase intent for traditional fermented soy product (natto) among Japanese housewives

Abstract: The effect of sensory and extrinsic attributes on consumer intentions to purchase the Japanese traditional fermented soybean product natto was evaluated using conjoint analysis. Six attributes with 2 levels each were chosen and manipulated: price (high compared with low), the country of origin of the soybeans (domestic compared with imported), stickiness (strong compared with moderate), smell (rich compared with moderate), attached seasonings (attached compared with no attached seasonings), and the environmental friendliness of the packaging (high compared with low). A fractional factorial design was applied and 8 hypothetical product labels were produced. A sample of 479 Japanese housewives ranked these product labels based on their purchase intentions. Overall purchase intention was affected by country of origin, attached seasonings, and price; those attributes accounted for 81.0%, while the sensory attributes of the product accounted for 19.0% of purchase intents. In order to estimate market segments for the natto products based on consumer preference, a cluster analysis was performed. It identified 4 segments of consumers: 1 oriented to attached seasonings, another conscious of the price, and the other 2 oriented to origins. The behavioral and demographic characteristics of the respondents had a limited influence on segment membership. Practical Application: This research was conducted to understand how consumers valuate various sensory and nonsensory product attributes based on their assessment of the overall product in the case of Japanese fermented soy product (natto). The data of this research would be of great importance both in understanding consumer behavior and in designing strategies for product development.     

Behavior of shock waves formed by unsteady supersonic jet injected into cell

The unsteady behavior of flow driven by a jet suddenly injected into a cell is numerically studied by solving the axisymmelric two-dimensional compressible Navier-Stokes equations. The system of the calculation is a model of the laser ablation of a certain duration followed by a discharging process through the exit hole at the down- stream end of the cell. In the calculations, the contour of the cell is changed while other parameters such as the Mach number of the jet, its duration, and the diameter of the cell exit are fixed. Monitoring the velocity at the exit hole is used to investigate the influence of the shape on the interaction between the shock wave and the jet. As the result, it was found that the velocity peak value and its arrival time at the downstream end of the cell exit are determined by the diameter of the cell.     

A Dietary Oxysterol, 7-Ketocholesterol,Exacerbates Imiquimod-Induced Psoriasis-like Dermatitis in Steatohepatitic Mice

Patients with psoriasis are at a higher risk of developing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. We previously identified an oxidized derivative of cholesterol, 7-ketocholesterol (7KC), in diet-induced steatohepatitic mice. Here, we investigated whether 7KC exacerbates psoriasis-like dermatitis by accelerating steatohepatitis in mice. A high-fat/high-cholesterol/high-sucrose/bile salt diet (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) diet) with or without 0.0125% 7KC was fed to C57BL/6 mice (7KC or control group) for three weeks to induce steatohepatitis. A 5% imiquimod cream was then applied to the ears and dorsal skin for four days to induce psoriasis-like dermatitis. Hepatic lipid accumulation and inflammatory cell infiltration were exacerbated in the 7KC group compared with the control group after three weeks. Serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were also elevated in the 7KC group (108.5 ± 9.8 vs. 83.1 ± 13.1 pg/mL, p < 0.005). Imiquimod cream increased the psoriasis area severity index (PASI) score in mice in the 7KC group (9.14 ± 0.75 vs. 5.17 ± 1.17, p < 0.0001). Additionally, Tnfa, Il23a, Il17a, and Il22 mRNA levels in the dorsal lesion were significantly upregulated. Finally, Th17 cell differentiation and the TNF signaling pathway were enhanced in the dorsal lesions and liver of mice in the 7KC group. These data suggest that steatohepatitis and psoriasis are linked by a potent, diet-related factor.     

The rise of community wind power in Japan: Enhanced acceptance through social innovation

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the socio-economic dynamics that are brought about by renewable energy technologies. We call this dynamic “Social Innovation” as it changes the rules of risk–benefit distribution and the roles of social actors. For this purpose, we take up a typical case in Japan, community wind power in which the initial cost is funded by the investment of citizens. Through this case study, we examine how the citizens’ initiative can affect the social acceptance of renewable energy as well as social change. Based on interviews with those involved in these projects, we analyze the interests of the various actors involved in community wind power projects in a framework of “actor network theory”, which enables us to understand the detail of each actor's position. This study also involved a quantitative survey of investors. The case study clarified that there was a remarkable difference in the interests of the main actors in the community wind power projects, the networks are complex and actors share various interests such as economic interests and a sense of social commitment, participation and contribution. These incentives are also clarified in quantitative data. However, the variety of incentives differs in each project.     

Bond-order potential for transition metal carbide cluster for the growth simulation of a single-walled carbon nanotube

A classical many-body potential for transition metal carbide cluster is developed in the form of the bond-order type potential function. The parameter sets between carbon atoms and several transition metal atoms (Fe, Co and Ni) are constructed by fitting binding energies from Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. Using the potential function, clustering process of carbon atoms to a small metal cluster is studied by classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The number of hexagonal rings in the Co cluster increases about twice as fast as in the Fe cluster. This implies that the graphitic lattice interacts more strongly with Co atoms than with Fe atoms. A Co cluster has a crystal structure where metal atoms are regularly allocated and embedded in the hexagonal carbon network in the simulation. In contrast, carbon atoms cover the entire surface in case of the Fe cluster. Additionally, the potential energy surface that a carbon atom feels from a 2D closed-packed facet is examined using a hypothetical FCC(1 1 1) facet of several transition metals. The potential energy minima are distributed on the hexagonal network showing the 2D closed-packed facet can be a template where a graphene is formed.     

The motion capturing of female divers under water and the trial production of motion viewers for developing a virtual diving experience learning system

The virtual diving experience learning system of “Ama”, Japanese traditional female divers, has been developed to simulate how divers move in a virtual space using the diving interface and utilizing an accelerometer and a gyroscope. This interface not only detects the diving motion but also outputs the movement. Diving motion is shown in the ways of hand motion while standing. Although this makes it possible for a learner to understand the divers’ actions more clearly, this system’s difficulty is in visualizing a divers’ actions including their hands or bodies. Therefore, our study focuses on developing the operation system to reproduce actual ways of Amas’ diving with a virtual human body in a virtual space. First, the motion capture was done in an underwater condition. In the next process, the virtual human body was created. Finally, with the motion viewer, the more vivid actions of the Ama were successfully reproduced much more than in previous attempts. Using this system, the effectiveness of the Amas’ movement learning was confirmed, because a learner practices Amas’ movement.     

Robot-vision architecture for real-time 6-DOF object localization

This paper presents a new robot-vision system architecture for real-time moving object localization. The 6-DOF (3 translation and 3 rotation) motion of the objects is detected and tracked accurately in clutter using a model-based approach without information of the objects’ initial positions. An object identification task and an object tracking task are combined under this architecture. The computational time-lag between the two tasks is absorbed by a large amount of frame memory. The tasks are implemented as independent software modules using stereo-vision-based methods which can deal with objects of various shapes with edges, including planar to smooth-curved objects, in cluttered environments. This architecture also leads to failure-recoverable object tracking, because the tracking processes can be automatically recovered, even if the moving objects are lost while tracking. Experimental results obtained with prototype systems demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed architecture.     

Near-infrared imaging of water in a polymer electrolyte membrane during a fuel cell operation

A novel technique of spectroscopic imaging using a near-infrared (NIR) laser sheet beam was developed for visualization of liquid water in a proton-exchange membrane (PEM) sandwiched between two opaque electrodes set in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC). In-plane two-dimensional distribution of water in the thin membrane was clearly visualized during the fuel cell operation. Under the condition of fuel feeding into the PEFC without humidification, water was generated by the fuel cell reaction in the whole electrode area. In contrast, under the condition of fuel feeding with humidification, the PEM got wet in the vicinity of a gas flow field locally.