Systematic packaging design tools integrating functional and environmental consequences on product life cycle: Case studies on laundry detergent and milk

This study presents systematic packaging design tools integrating functional and environmental consequences on product life cycle. To design packaging for sustainability, the trade-offs between functional and environmental aspects of packaging throughout the product life cycle should be considered. However, it is difficult for packaging designers to understand the overall trade-offs because the extent of the design consequences on the entire life cycle of packaging and its contents is unclear. We developed two tools for packaging design: the Life Cycle Association Matrix (LCAM) and the Function Network Diagram (FND). The following three steps, based on literature reviews and interviews with industrial experts, were applied. Firstly, we listed the product functions and design variables related to the functions as the attributes allocated to the product life cycle. Secondly, the attributes were connected appropriately based on causal relationships. Lastly, we identified the factors to support decision making in the packaging design procedure. As a result, the LCAM depicts the design consequences on the life cycle, and the FND determines the stakeholders affected by the design consequences. Two case studies were demonstrated to analyze the trade-offs by using our tools. In the case studies, a liquid laundry detergent bottle and a milk carton were redesigned. The tools identified the design consequences and stakeholders affected by the redesign of the usability and protective function for the detergent and milk cases, respectively. The results showed the significance of understanding the design consequences on the product life cycle by integrating the functional and environmental aspects.     

Real-time measurement of pointing action by using DSP

This paper presents an approach of measuring in real-time the vector of finger that is pointing to an object. DSP is used in the operation processing unit in order to do the real-time processing. The steps include the extraction of flesh-colored regions from an image, the labeling of the flesh-colored regions, and the detection of two characteristic positions on the finger so that the direction that the finger is pointing at will be calculated. The entire process takes about 29 msec, which makes it possible to have the frame rate of 34 fps. With this frame rate, this measurement approach is considered real-time and promising to be merged into other application systems. This work was presented in part at the 13th International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, January 31–February 2, 2008     

Linearity stablized fiber-optic thermometer using pseudo-heterodyne phase detection

A temperature sensor using a fiber-optic Fabry-Perot interferometer is described. A pseudo-heterodyne detection scheme is adopted to read the light phase difference in the Fabry-Perot interference output. A higher harmonic components comparison method is used to stabilize the system and to increase detection linearity. This system realizes not only highly sensitive temperature sensing with good linearity and minimal adjusting error, but also application to the sensing of other physical quantities such as vibrations. Additionally, the signal-to-noise ratio and distortion of the detected signal are investigated as functions of fiber end reflectivity. These results will be useful in designing a high performance fiber-optic Fabry-Perot thermometer.     

Differential modes of nuclear localization signal (NLS) recognition by three distinct classes of NLS receptors

The targeting of karyophilic proteins to nuclear pores is mediated via the formation of a nuclear pore-targeting complex, through the interaction of nuclear localization signal (NLS) with its NLS receptor. Recently, a novel human protein, Qip1, was identified from a yeast two-hybrid system with DNA helicase Q1. This study demonstrates that Qip1 is a novel third class of NLS receptor that efficiently recognizes the NLS of the helicase Q1. Moreover, the data obtained in this study show that the specific interaction between Qip1 and the NLS of the helicase Q1 requires its upstream sequence of the minimal essential NLS. By using purified recombinant proteins alone in the digitonin-permeabilized cell-free transport system, it was demonstrated that the two known human NLS receptors, Rch1 and NPI-1, are able to transport all the tested NLS substrates into the nucleus, while Qip1 most efficiently transports the helicase Q1-NLS substrates, which contain its upstream sequence in so far as we have examined the system. Furthermore, in HeLa cell crude cytosol, it was found that endogenous Rch1 binds to all the tested NLS substrates, while the binding of endogenous NPI-1 is restricted to only some NLSs, despite the fact that NPI-1 itself shows binding activity to a variety of NLSs. These results indicate that at least three structurally and functionally distinct NLS receptors exist in the human single cell population, and suggest that the nuclear import of karyophilic proteins may be controlled in a complex manner at the NLS recognition step by the existence of a variety of NLS receptors with various specificities to each NLS.     

A study on sexual dysfunction in female patients with alcoholics

Few investigations have been made concerning hormonal changes and dyspareunia in fertile aged women with alcoholics experiencing sexual dysfunction. Twenty-seven Japanese woman with alcoholics under 40 years of age excluded with liver cirrhosis were studied to describe alcohol drinking related to sexual dysfunction. Among 21 sexually active women, 20(95.2%) had both symptoms of dyspareunia and vaginal dryness, and only one had neither symptom. Most of patients have lower estradiol levels and 92.0% of patients have the moderately elevated prolactin levels. Eleven of them were having the second grade amenorrhea associated with hyperprolactinemia and hypergonadotropic hypogonadism and 14 were having the first grade amenorrhea. In this study alcoholic abuse women may have deeply related to the hyperprolactinemia, dyspareunia, amenorrhoea, vaginal dryness, ovarian dysfunction and fetal alcohol syndrome.     

An automatic torque ripple compensation system for direct drive motors

A serious problem in motion control is the occurrence of torque ripple. Since a direct drive (DD) motor with a magnet rotor uses a rare-earth magnet, the torque ripple is more serious than that of conventional servomotors. This paper presents an auto-compensation of torque ripple using a software-implemented torque observer. The frequency and amplitude of torque ripple can be obtained in the controller by using the estimated torque from an observer, and the autonomous generation of a compensating current component for a torque ripple is possible. The proposed algorithm has been verified by experiments.     

Permeation of Zidovudine and Probenecid from Oily Bases Containing Alcohols Through Rat Skin

Permeation of zidovudine (3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine, AZT) and probenecid from oily bases containing an alcohol through rat skin was examined. Isopropyl myristate (IPM), as an oily vehicle, showed a penetration enhancing effect for AZT and probenecid. Ethanol, n-propanol, and n-butanol were used as additives in IPM and were examined for their own permeation and the enhancing effect on the permeation of AZT and probenecid. The skin permeation of AZT and probenecid from IPM was enhanced by addition of the alcohol in IPM. The degree of the enhancement was decreased with increasing lipophilicity of the alcohol used. me permeation rate of the drug from those systems was shown to be governed by penetration-enhancing effects of the oily base and alcohol, and the penetration of the alcohol itself through the skin.     

Epidermodysplasia verruciformis accompanied by familial large granular lymphocytosis and a decrease in T lymphocytes

A 40-year-old man with epidermodysplasia verruciformis showed a decrease in peripheral blood T cells and abnormal expansion of large granular lymphocytes, accompanied by increased natural killer cell activity. Surface marker analysis of his large granular lymphocytes demonstrated that the subset, CD 57+ and CD 16+, had increased. His father, who had no skin lesions of epidermodysplasia verruciformis, displayed similar blood changes and his brother showed a decrease in T cells and a slight increase in CD 16+ natural killer cells, whereas his mother revealed only a slight decrease in T cells. Our present study indicates that epidermodysplasia verruciformis might be associated with hereditary abnormal expansion of large granular lymphocytes and a decrease in T cells.