Day‐Ahead Global Solar Radiation Forecasting Using Binary Trees and Factor Analysis

A method is proposed for forecasting global solar radiation. The method is based on weather information using binary trees and factor analysis. The feature of this method is that it is possible to use a simple linear forecasting equation. The method has been tested on meteorological and global solar radiation data obtained at several observation sites, and the results show that it is a promising means of maintaining the balance between demand and supply of electric power in power systems of the near future with a large number of photovoltaic systems installed.     

Preventive approach against drug-induced pulmonary fibrosis through the suppression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition

A number of drugs induce pulmonary injury and subsequently lead to serious lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis as the adverse drug reactions. However, an effective preventive approach against drug-induced pulmonary fibrosis has not been established due to poor understanding of common preventive targets in a variety of drugs showing pulmonary toxicity. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a cellular phenotypic change of the epithelial to mesenchymal state, contributes to the development of pulmonary fibrosis through the conversion of damaged alveolar epithelium into myofibroblasts. As several drugs with pulmonary toxicity have been reported to induce EMT, EMT serves as a bridge between the drugs and pulmonary fibrosis. Accumulated evidence supports the potential of EMT as a preventive target against drug-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Additionally, since there are mechanistic differences between the main pharmacological effect and EMT induced by the drug, prevention based on EMT suppression would be possible and would contribute to continuous clinical treatment with the drug to avoid EMT-mediated serious pulmonary fibrosis. Furthermore, targeting EMT seems to be adequate for exerting a preventive effect since EMT in damaged alveolar epithelial cells occurs prior to the development of the pathophysiological state of the whole lung in a bleomycin-induced lung injury rat model. This viewpoint deals with the benefits and perspectives of preventive approaches against druginduced pulmonary fibrosis through the suppression of EMT, which has rarely been addressed.     

Structure of operators'' mental models in coping with anomalies occurring in nuclear power plants

Accidents occurring in nuclear power plants cannot be depended upon to train experts of nuclear operators. Generally, this expertise is developed through the simulator training. In this training course, only limited varieties of malfunctions can be presented. Thus, it would be impossible for operators to cope with any other possible anomalies of diverse varieties. Operators have to reorganize knowledge and experiences obtained in the training. Of course, prescribed procedures are far from covering them. This paper presents the structure and contents of a “operator's mental model” and it can deal with flexible operations under any situation. Based on the record of the simulator experiments, in-depth analyses were conducted by interviewing with experienced operators in order to model operators' thinking patterns and also to arrive at the aims behind their actions and utterances. Summarizing the findings obtained, fundamental functions of the mental model in coping with anomalies resulted in the following: (1) suggesting suitable preventive measures by envisioning the ongoing (future) scenario of plant dynamics; (2) identifying causes by investigating symptoms and implying causal remedies to eliminate them or to avoid influences from them and (3) adopting immediate responses simply formulated by “if alarm A then action B”. These functions, as well as the mental model itself, can be made available by getting information on plant status and operator's structured knowledge together. The substances and structures of the mental models could be proposed, including implications of how to create it for a specific event, and finally they were synthesized into a more generalized format.     

Tribo-Catalysis in the Synthesis Reaction of Carbon Dioxide

Palladium was rubbed against aluminum oxide in an atmosphere of carbon monoxide and oxygen. The synthesis of carbon dioxide was enhanced during the rubbing. The activation energy of this reaction was 2.49 kJ/mol. As the sliding commenced, the desorption of carbon dioxide overshot its equilibrium value before stabilizing. The overshoot correlated with the time interval between the friction tests. The desorption mechanism of carbon dioxide is discussed in terms of the NIRAM (negative-ion-radical action mechanism) approach; exoelectron emission was enhanced by the friction of palladium. The electrons reacted with the adsorbed species to make negative-ion-radicals. These radicals further reacted on the surface to form carbon dioxide, which then desorbed.     

Physicochemical Properties of Milk Fat Emulsions Stabilized with Bovine Milk Fat Globule Membrane

Milk fat globules (MFG) were reconstituted with milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) and milk fat (MF). Viscosity of the reconstituted MFG was highest at pH 5.0 and 4 min emulsifying, and rose with an increase of MFGM between 40–80 mg/g fat. Adsorbed protein/unit fat increased at acid pH with increase of MFGM. The composition of proteins adsorbed on the surface of MFG was not influenced by factors of reconstitution. The size and specific surface area of globules were influenced by emulsifying time, MFGM and MF concentrations, and pH. The size range of MFG prepared by standard method was 0.9–17 μm in diameter. Median diameter was 5 μm and specific surface area was 15,600 cm²/cm³ of emulsion.     

QUALITY OF FISH SAUCE PRODUCTS FROM RECYCLED BY‐PRODUCTS FROM FISH GEL AND KAMABOKO PROCESSING

ABSTRACT

In order to make effective reuse of kamaboko processing wastes and to minimize the amount of waste disposal, the production of two kinds of fish sauces was tried on a small industrial scale from the wastes with or without the addition of the meat of deepsea smelt (Glossanodon semifasciatus). They were fermented for 6 months at room temperature using salt and koji mold. As a control, a fish sauce was also produced only from the deepsea smelt meat. The recovery of fish sauce from the initial mashed mixture ranged between 75 and 79%, depending on the ingredients in the three fish sauce products. The total nitrogen content of the waste sauce and the mixed sauce was lower than that of the control. The levels of the original additives to kamaboko products, β‐carotene and sorbic acid, were very low in these fish sauces. The taste‐active components of the waste sauce and mixed sauces were lower than those of the control. Sensory evaluation revealed that the former two waste sauces were less bitter and higher in saltiness than the control. However, no difference was found in umami taste between these products. These findings suggest that the wastes from kamaboko processing factories could be reused as fish sauce for food condiments.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Recent development in the food industry in Japan has enabled the surimi‐based products to be mass produced and standardized even in the fish gel, kamaboko trade. However, a serious problem has arisen in the development of kamaboko processing through the discharge of the wastes, i.e., nonstandard products or fragments, from kamaboko processing factories. It is clear that the waste from kamaboko processing factories is transformed effectively into fish sauce by using soy sauce koji mold. As a result, the amount of the discharged wastes from kamaboko factories are able to be minimized because the liquefaction ratio of the fish sauce mushes (moromi) from the wastes after fermentation was high and the products have a high umami taste and agreeable soy sauce‐like flavor.     

Direct ethanol production from rice straw by coculture with two high-performing fungi

To develop efficient and economical direct ethanol production from fine rice straw crashed mechanically, two high-performing fungi, which can secret hyperactive cellulases and/or ferment effectively various sugars, were selected from some strains belong to Mucor circinelloides preserved in our laboratory. The simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) by coculture with these fungi was investigated. The screening of high-performing fungi resulted in the selection of NBRC 4572 as an ethanol-producing fungus and NBRC 5398 as a cellulase-secreting fungus. The strain 4572 produced ethanol aerobically from glucose and xylose in high yields of 0.420 g/g at 36 h and 0.478 g/g at 60 h, respectively, but secreted fairly low cellulases. On the other hand, the strain 5398 also produced ethanol from glucose in yield of 0.340 g/g though it had a little growth in xylose culture. However, it secreted hyperactive cellulases that are essential for hydrolysis of rice straw in culture and the maximum activities of endo-β-glucanase and β-glucosidase were 2.11 U/L and 1.47 U/L, respectively. In SSF of rice straw by coculture with two fungi selected, the ethanol production reached 1.28 g/L after 96 h when the inoculation ratio of the strain 5398 to the strain 4572 was 9.     

An explanation of anisotropy in electrical conductivity of V2O5 due to overlap integrals

Abstracts are not published in this journal     

Single-crystal growth of a new sodium molybdenum bronze Na0.86Mo5O14

Abstracts are not published in this journal