Macroscopic analysis of design processes based on a scheme for coding designers' cognitive actions

We have devised a new scheme for coding designers' cognitive actions from video/audio design protocols. Designers' actions are coded into four cognitive levels; physical, perceptual, functional and conceptual. Relations between actions belonging to different levels, such as dependencies and triggering relations, are also coded. The present scheme has two benefits. First, we found that design actions are definable in a systematic way using the vocabulary of the scheme, and thus a designer's cognitive behaviours in each of local design stages is represented as a structure composed of defined primitive actions. This is expected to lay the foundation for microscopic analyses of how particular types of actions contribute to the formation of key design ideas. Second, this scheme is suitable for macroscopic analyses of how designers cognitively interact with their own sketches. We examined, for a practising architect, the ways in which drawing, inspection of drawings, perception, and functional thoughts correlated with one another in his design process. The findings suggest that design sketches serve not only as external memory or as a provider of visual cues for association of non-visual information, but also as a physical setting in which design thoughts are constructed on the fly.     

Structure of microporous polypropylene sheets containing CaCO3 filler

The microporous polypropylene sheets were prepared by biaxially stretching polypropylene sheets containing CaCO₃ filler (particle size, 0.08–3.0 μm), when the CaCO₃ filler content was 59% by weight and the stretching ratio was 2.8 × 1.8. The microstructure of the sheets were investigated in relation to the CaCO₃ particle size by a N₂ gas permeation method. (1) Effective porosity increases with decreasing mean particle size of filler. (2) The tortuosity factor of the pore is in the range of 25–40 and becomes relatively smaller with decreasing mean particle size of filler. (3) The equivalent pore size becomes relatively smaller with decreasing mean particle size of filler.     

TRVs and fault clearing stresses in extra-high-voltage radial networks

To cope with the high rate of increase of power demand in the main industrialized districts in Japan, 550-kV transmission systems covering the districts have been reinforced, with most of the main power plants connected directly to these systems. Through 550-/300-kV substations, the majority of power to the districts is supplied by 300-kV systems. To limit the excess short-circuit capacity in the 300-kV systems, they tend to be reconstructed as so-called radial networks. In radial networks with high short-circuit capacity and relatively small number of transmission lines connected to the substation busbars, the rate of rise of TRV can be far higher than standard value. This paper analyzes the transient recovery voltages (TRV) in such extra-high-voltage radial networks in Japan, together with the relevant stresses to circuit-breakers during fault clearings. Future system conditions have also been introduced. As the typical rate of rise of the TRV values, more than twice that of today's standard ones are probable.     

Optical Energy Gap and Below Gap Optical Absorption of Fullerene Films Measured by the Constant Photocurrent Method and Photothermal Deflection Spectroscopy

The CPM spectra of fullerene films was measured to obtain the below gap absorption. The optical energy gap E_o was obtained by using the Tauc's plots. E_o did not change greatly with intercalated impurities. The absorption due to intercalated impurities was found below 1.6eV.     

Identification of Tumor Suppressive Genes Regulated by miR-31-5p and miR-31-3p in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

We identified the microRNA (miRNA) expression signature of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) tissues by RNA sequencing, in which 168 miRNAs were significantly upregulated, including both strands of the miR-31 duplex (miR-31-5p and miR-31-3p). The aims of this study were to identify networks of tumor suppressor genes regulated by miR-31-5p and miR-31-3p in HNSCC cells. Our functional assays showed that inhibition of miR-31-5p and miR-31-3p attenuated cancer cell malignant phenotypes (cell proliferation, migration, and invasion), suggesting that they had oncogenic potential in HNSCC cells. Our in silico analysis revealed 146 genes regulated by miR-31 in HNSCC cells. Among these targets, the low expression of seven genes (miR-31-5p targets: CACNB2 and IL34; miR-31-3p targets: CGNL1, CNTN3, GAS7, HOPX, and PBX1) was closely associated with poor prognosis in HNSCC. According to multivariate Cox regression analyses, the expression levels of five of those genes (CACNB2: p = 0.0189; IL34: p = 0.0425; CGNL1: p = 0.0014; CNTN3: p = 0.0304; and GAS7: p = 0.0412) were independent prognostic factors in patients with HNSCC. Our miRNA signature and miRNA-based approach will provide new insights into the molecular pathogenesis of HNSCC.     

Conductive Papers Containing Metallized Polyester Fibers for Electromagnetic Interference Shielding

Conductive papers were developed for preventing or reducing electromagnetic interference (EMI), and their shielding efficiency was evaluated. This type of conductive paper consists of wood pulp, synthetic pulp and metallized polyester fibers (0.5–2.0 mm long and 14 m in diameter) whose surfaces are coated with nickel alone (Ni-PET) or copper and nickel double layers (Ni-Cu-PET) by electroless plating. In this report, the effect of the characteristics of these metallized fibers, such as their conductivity, geometry and the concentration of fibers in paper, which lead to high efficiency for shielding effectiveness is discussed. For instance, one of the conductive papers (80 g/m2) which was prepared by mixing 40% Ni-Cu-PET and 60% synthetic polyethylene pulp showed over 40 dB shielding effectiveness between 10 MHz and 1 GHz.     

Studies on relationship between activity and electron density on carbonyl oxygen in sex pheromone mimics of the American cockroach,part XI

From the relationship between structures of the 2-substituents of verbanyl analogs and their sex pheromone activities to the American cockroach, electron density of the carbonyl oxygen atom in the substituent, as estimated by the [¹⁷O]NMR chemical shift, was estimated to be an important factor which influenced the activity, in addition to length of the substituent and the position of the carbonyl group. (+)-Verbanyl methylcarbonate (XX), possessing the highest electron density on the carbonyl oxygen atom, showed the strongest activity among the analogs.For Part X, see Manabe et al., 1983. J. Chem. Ecol. 9:533–549.     

Synthesis of cationic flocculant by radiation-induced copolymerization of methyl chloride salt of N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate with acrylamide in aqueous solution

The radiation-induced copolymerization of the methyl chloride salt of N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEM·MC) with acrylamide (AAm) was used to prepare a cationic polymer flocculant. The polymerization rate increased with increasing dose rate, polymerization temperature, monomer concentration and mole fraction of AAm in the monomer mixture. The molecular weight of the copolymer was also found to increase with monomer concentration and mole fraction of AAm, but at high concentration and fraction of AAm, intermolecular crosslinking tends to occur during the polymerization to form water-insoluble copolymer. A water-soluble copolymer having various molecular weights and cationic strengths can be synthesized by selecting suitable reaction conditions; i.e., this radiation process can provide a much higher molecular weight copolymer with a wide range of cationic strength. The flocculation effect was evaluated using sludge from wastewater of sugar manufacture. It was found that the radiation-polymerized copolymer DMAEM·MC–AAm has an excellent flocculation effect.