Finger Braille teaching system-teaching of prosody of finger Braille

Finger Braille is one of tactual communication media of deaf-blind people. Deaf-blind people who are skilled in Finger Braille can catch up with speech conversation, because of prosody of Finger Braille. Features of prosody are： （1） characters at the end of clauses are dotted long; （2） characters of voiced sounds and double consonants are dotted shortly. In this paper, we designed three teaching patterns which taught prosody of Finger Braille （dot conditions about duration of dotting）. Teaching pattern 1 indicated a dot pattern with colored solid background. Teaching pattern 2 indicated a dot pattern with colored empty background. Teaching pattern 3 indicated a dot pattern with colored arrow （long or short）. Every teaching pattern includes 6 colors （red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple）. In the questionnaire, the yellow pattern of teaching pattern 3 was selected as the most visible pattern. In the evaluation experiment, the yellow pattern of teaching pattern 3, the red and purple patterns of teaching pattern 1 （the least visible pattern） and the existing patterns without teaching of dot conditions are compared. As a result, every subject could dot long at the end of clauses and could dot shortly at the voiced sounds and double consonants. The answers of questionnaire indicated that the yellow pattern of teaching pattern 3 was also the most visible and easiest teaching pattern.     

Simple evaluation of aortic arch calcification by chest radiography in hemodialysis patients

Vascular calcification is associated with a poor prognosis in dialysis patients. It can be assessed with computed tomography but simple inoffice techniques may provide useful information. We compared the results obtained with a simple noninvasive technique with those obtained using multidetector computed tomography for aortic arch calcification volume (AoACV) in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients. The enrolled study subjects were 63 (32 men and 31 women) maintenance HD patients. Calcification of the aortic arch was semiquantitatively estimated with a AoAC score (AoACS) on plain chest radiology. The AoACV was increased, with a mean value of 6.6 ranging from 0% to 36.5%. The coefficient of intraobserver variation was less than 2.5%. Aortic arch calcification score was highly correlated with AoACV (r=0.635, P<0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed age (F value=12.62, P<0.001) and pulse pressure (F value=4.54, P=0.037) to be significant independent determinants of AoACS. In conclusion, a simple measurement of AoACS may be useful for inoffice imaging to choose a therapeutic regimen in HD patients.     

Control of Snow Falling Flow around NACA0015 Blade using a Plasma Electrode with Weather Resistant Design

The plasma actuation (PA) effect on the snow falling flow was investigated using a plasma electrode with weather resistant design and the natural snow wind facility of the Hokkaido University of Science. NACA0015 test blade with chord length c of 300 mm was used. Wind tunnel tests were carried out under the angle of the attack of the blade was fixed at 15 degrees, and the main flow velocity is U=5 m/s. PIV (Particle image velocimetry) measurements were conducted on various PA conditions using natural dry snowflakes as a tracer. When the actuator was driven under the condition of the fundamental frequency of F=50 kHz, and the pulsed modulated frequency f of fc/U=1 and Duty ratio (Ratio of plasma ON time to pulse duration time) =1%, movement of snowflakes was controlled the most effectively tested. It was clarified that the fundamental frequency of PA also affects the control of snow flow. Under snowfall conditions, the weather resistant designed plasma electrode has suffered no damage and operated successfully.     

局部干法水下Nd:YAG激光焊接技术

本文采用填丝热导焊的方法研究了水下激光焊接的基本物理现象,结果表明,利用气体喷嘴可形成局部干燥空间,其保护效果取决于喷嘴结构和气体流量等参数。喷嘴的外径大小对保护效果影响显著。当保护条件差时,局部干燥空间将有水浸入,导致焊缝由良好保护条件下的浅而表面光滑平整的形状变为深而表面起伏的形状。良好保护条件下的水下焊缝的力学性能和大气中一致。     

A Cooperative Control Algorithm for Multiple SVRs Using Correlation of Measurement Data of Distribution Line

In this paper, a cooperative control algorithm for multiple step voltage regulator (SVR) using correlation of measurement data of distribution line is proposed. Conventionally, the control time constant of a SVR placed on the feeder end side was set slower than a SVR placed on the substation side. The unnecessary tap movement of SVR was reduced by this setting. In this case, on the condition that “the photovoltaic power generation output of the feeder end fluctuates” and “only SVR of the end side works”, it is a problem that control of SVR becomes slow. By the proposed method, the SVR settled in end side of a feeder can change its tap rapidly only if the SVR settled in sending side of a feeder will not change its tap by using proposed method. The features of the method are followings: (1) to estimate tap change possibility of the sending side SVR using correlation model of both of the SVR, (2) only use local measurement data of the SVRs for tap change control. By the proposed method, unnecessary tap change operation and lag of tap control are reduced without communication networks.     

NEW REGULARIZATION BY TRANSFORMATION FOR NEURAL NETWORK BASED INVERSE ANALYSES AND ITS APPLICATION TO STRUCTURE IDENTIFICATION

The present authors have been developing an inverse analysis approach using the multilayer neural network and the computational mechanics. This approach basically consists of the following three subprocesses. First, parametrically varying model parameters of a system, their corresponding responses of the system are calculated through computational mechanics simulations such as the finite element analyses, each of which is an ordinary direct analysis. Each data pair of model parameters vs. system responses is called training pattern. Second, a neural network is iteratively trained using a number of training patterns. Here the system responses are given to the input units of the network, while the model parameters to be identified are shown to the network as teacher data. Finally, some system responses measured are given to the well-trained network, which immediately outputs appropriate model parameters even for untrained patterns. This is an inverse analysis. This paper proposes a new regularization method suitable for the inverse analysis approach mentioned above. This method named the Generalized-Space-Lattice (GSL) transformation transforms original input and/or output data points of all training patterns onto uniformly spaced lattice points over a multi-dimensional space. The topological relationships among all the data points are maintained through this transformation. The neural network is then trained using the GSL-transformed training patterns. Since this method significantly remedies localization of training patterns caused due to strong nonlinearity of problem, the neural network can learn the training patterns efficiently as well as accurately. Fundamental performances of the present inverse analysis approach combined with the GSL transformation are examined in detail through the identification of a vibrating non-uniform beam in Young's modulus based on the observation of its multiple eigenfrequencies and eigenmodes.     

Heat-Induced Aggregation of Egg White Proteins as Studied by Vertical Flat-Sheet Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis

Heat-induced aggregation of proteins in egg white was investigated by a vertical flat-sheet polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic method. The fractional and step-wise aggregation of egg white proteins was caused by heating. Even with a heating time of 120 min, ovalbumin and globulins Al and A2 failed to aggregate in egg white (pH 7 and 9) at 70°C, and ovotransferrin and ovomucoid also did not aggregate in egg white at 60°C (pH 9) and 76°C (pH 7 and 9), respectively. The ovoinhibitor was much more unstable than ovomucoid under heat-treatment, and the time dependency of heat-induced aggregation of flavoprotein was greater than those of the other proteins in egg white.     

Formation of Anthocyanins from Cells Cultured from Different Parts of Strawberry Plants

Anthocyanin formation and structural identification were investigated in the cultured strawberry, Fragaria unannssa cv Shikinari. Friable callus tissues were obtained from apical meristems, leafs, and petioles grown on LS agar medium with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and benzyladenine. Using these calli, effects of auxins and cell inoculum size on pigment production were studied in suspension culture. Anthocyanin was produced under 8000 lux after preculture for 3 wk under 800 Iux in suspension culture. The main extracted pigment was identified as a peonidin-3-glucoside and the second major pigment was a cyanidin-3-glucoside by FABMS and NMR. Anthocyanin production was stimulated by 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and its yield was about three times that of indole-3-acetic acid. An inoculum rate of 2g (fresh weight)/100 mL LS medium resulted in highest pigment production. The callus derived from the leaf was much higher in anthocyanin production than the others tissues of strawberry.     

Combined Effect of pH and Sodium Chloride on the Heat-induced Aggregation of Whole Egg Proteins

Heat-induced aggregation of whole egg proteins through various treatment combinations ranging from 70–85°C, pH 2.0–9.0, and NaCl concentrations of 0–3%, was investigated using multiple regression analysis and vertical flat-sheet polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The importance of single variable was in the order of temperature, pH and NaCl concentration, and the combined variable of pH and NaCl had a highly significant (p<0.001) effect on soluble protein content. From the fractional and step-wise aggregation appearances of whole egg proteins in the electrophoretic patterns, the heat stability of main proteins was considered to increase as pH (pH>5) and NaCl concentration increased.     

单轴压缩下基于全局应变场分析的岩石裂纹扩展及其损伤演化特性研究

 采用自主开发的图像分析软件结合数字图像相关技术对含预制单裂纹的类岩石材料在单轴压缩下的变形破坏特性进行试验研究。基于试件全局应变场角度从细观层次量化分析、总结裂纹起裂、扩展的规律及岩石变形损伤演化特征。并采用断裂分析软件FRANC2D/L对相似模型进行数值模拟,分析在加载全程不同阶段的裂纹扩展路径及其应力场分布特征。结合试验与数值研究结果,细致地探讨裂隙岩石的细观力学机制与宏观力学响应之间的内在联系,该研究有助于提升人们对节理岩体工程灾变机制的认识。