Enzyme-linked immunosorvent assay using vertical microreactor stack with microbeads

The advantages of vertical microreactor stack with three-dimensional (3D) structure for immunoassay are discussed. The vertical microreactor stack uses vertical fluid flow operation with multifunctional fluid filters. The multi function of fluid filter is very effective for micromixing and passive valve operation. The mechanism of micromixing is discussed by using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and we know that the mixing mechanism based on Coanda effect. To evaluate the micromixing performance of fluid filter, we demonstrated enzyme reaction with unique repeat mixing operation. As the results, we proved that the fluid filter has very effective mixing performance. The detection limit, which demonstrated by competition enzyme-linked immunosorvent assay (ELISA), is comparable with recommended detection limit, which suggested by Japanese ministry for the environment.     

Hierarchical learning from human preferences and curiosity

Applied Intelligence - Recent success in scaling deep reinforcement algorithms (DRL) to complex problems has been driven by well-designed extrinsic rewards, which limits their applicability to many...     

A new water-resistant snow index for the detection and mapping of snow cover on a global scale

An up-to-date spatio-temporal change analysis of global snow cover is essential for better understanding of climate–hydrological interactions. The normalized difference snow index (NDSI) is a widely used algorithm for the detection and estimation of snow cover. However, NDSI cannot discriminate between snow cover and water bodies without use of an external water mask. A stand-alone methodology for robust detection and mapping of global snow cover is presented by avoiding external dependency on the water mask. A new spectral index called water-resistant snow index (WSI) with the capability of exhibiting significant contrast between snow cover and other cover types, including water bodies, was developed. WSI uses the normalized difference between the value and hue obtained by transforming red, green, and blue, (RGB) colour composite images comprising red, green, and near-infrared bands into a hue, saturation, and value (HSV) colour model. The superiority of WSI over NDSI is confirmed by case studies conducted in major snow regions globally. Snow cover was mapped by considering monthly variation in snow cover and availability of satellite data at the global scale. A snow cover map for the year 2013 was produced at the global scale by applying the random walker algorithm in the WSI image supported by the reference data collected from permanent snow-covered and non-snow-covered areas. The resultant snow-cover map was compared to snow cover estimated by existing maps: MODIS Land Cover Type Product (MCD12Q1 v5.1, 2012), Global Land Cover by National Mapping Organizations (GLCNMO v2.0, 2008), and European Space Agency’s GlobCover 2009. A significant variation in snow cover as estimated by different maps was noted, and was was attributed to methodological differences rather than annual variation in snow cover. The resultant map was also validated with reference data, with 89.46% overall accuracy obtained. The WSI proposed in the research is expected to be suitable for seasonal and annual change analysis of global snow cover.     

Straight-through microchannel devices for generating monodisperse emulsion droplets several microns in size

The authors recently proposed a promising technique for producing monodisperse emulsions using a straight-through microchannel (MC) device composed of an array of microfabricated oblong holes. This research developed new straight-through MC devices with tens of thousands of oblong channels of several microns in size on a silicon-on-insulator plate, and investigated the emulsification characteristics using the microfabricated straight-through MC devices. Monodisperse oil-in-water (O/W) and W/O emulsions with average droplet diameters of 4.4–9.8 μm and coefficients of variation of less than 6% were stably produced using surface-treated straight-through MC devices that included uniformly sized oblong channels with equivalent diameters of 1.7–5.4 μm. The droplet size of the resultant emulsions depended greatly on the size of the preceding oblong channels. The emulsification process using the straight-through MC devices developed in this research had very high apparent energy efficiencies of 47–60%, defined as (actual energy input applied to droplet generation/theoretical minimum energy input necessary for making droplets) × 100. Straight-through MC devices with numerous oblong microfluidic channels also have great potential for increasing the productivity of monodisperse fine emulsions.     

Double-action bending for eliminating springback in hat-shaped bending of advanced high-strength steel sheet

The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology - This paper presents a novel technology called ‘double-action bending (DAB)’ to eliminate springback in hat-shape forming...     

The evaluation of the emotion by near-infrared spectroscopy

Our purpose is to develop the technology for evaluating emotion objectively from the oxygenated hemoglobin within a brain. Nowadays, Japan is an aging society. The elderly people who need care will increase from now on increasingly. In the case of the person requiring the care who lost the function to convey an intention especially, the objective judgment to a physical and mental pain is required. Persons requiring care will also increase in number with the increase in this population. We gave subject stimulus of a comfortable or an uncomfortable sound and measured concentration of the oxygenated hemoglobin of a frontal lobe part by near-infrared spectroscopy. Based on the experimental result, a comfortable state or an uncomfortable state was distinguished by concentration of the oxygenated hemoglobin using the bayesian network. As a result, we were able to estimate the subject’s psychological condition.     

Polyphenols Extracted from Black Tea (Camellia sinensis) Residue by Hot‐Compressed Water and Their Inhibitory Effect on Pancreatic Lipase in vitro

Abstract: Polyphenols, retained in black tea wastes following the commercial production of tea beverages, represent an underutilized resource. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential use of hot‐compressed water (HCW) for the extraction of pancreatic lipase‐inhibiting polyphenols from black tea residues. Black tea residues were treated with HCW at 10 °C intervals, from 100 to 200 °C. The resulting extracts were analyzed using high‐performance liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry and assayed to determine their inhibitory effect on pancreatic lipase activity in vitro. Four theaflavins (TF), 5 catechins, 2 quercetin glycosides, quinic acid, gallic acid, and caffeine were identified. The total polyphenol content of extracts increased with increasing temperature but lipase inhibitors (TF, theaflavin 3‐O‐gallate, theaflavin 3′‐O‐gallate, theaflavin 3,3′‐O‐gallate, epigallocatechin gallate, and epicatechin gallate) decreased over 150 °C. All extracts inhibited pancreatic lipase but extracts obtained at 100 to 140 °C showed the greatest lipase inhibition (IC₅₀s of 0.9 to 1.3 μg/mL), consistent with the optimal extraction of TFs and catechins except catechin by HCW between 130 and 150 °C. HCW can be used to extract pancreatic lipase‐inhibiting polyphenols from black tea waste. These extracts have potential uses, as dietary supplements and medications, for the prevention and treatment of obesity. Practical Application: Active forms of lipase inhibitors can be recovered from black tea residues. They could be used as dietary supplements or medications.     

Effect of rolling deformation on the structures and properties of multi‐walled carbon nanotube filled isotactic polypropylene

Isotactic polypropylene filled with various contents of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were fabricated by the injection molding technique and then rolled at room temperature. The unrolled samples (URS) and rolled samples (RS) were characterized by X‐ray diffraction studies, scanning electron microscopy, mechanical and micromechanical tests and differential thermal analyses. Although the URS exhibit the lamellar α‐crystal with a*‐axis orientation, the RS show the same crystals with both a*‐ and c‐axis orientation, which is explained by interlamellar and intralamellar slips and lamellar destruction. Scanning electron micrographs display distinct surface morphological features for both URS and RS. While the tensile strength of RS is higher than that of URS, the Young's modulus (Y) is found to be lower than that of URS. Anisotropy in microharness (H) parallel and perpendicular to the rolled direction has been detected, although H for both samples increases with increasing MWCNT contents. The average relationship H/Y ≈ 0.18 as estimated for URS is closer to the predicted value of 0.10 for polymers than the H/Y ≈ 0.22 obtained for RS. The lamellar thickness for URS increases with increase of MWCNT content and that for RS decreases, as evaluated from both differential thermal analyses and X‐ray diffraction data. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

MicroRNA-331-3p Suppresses Cervical Cancer Cell Proliferation and E6/E7 Expression by Targeting NRP2

Aberrant expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) is involved in the development and progression of various types of cancers. In this study, we investigated the role of miR-331-3p in cell proliferation and the expression of keratinocyte differentiation markers of uterine cervical cancer cells. Moreover, we evaluated whether neuropilin 2 (NRP2) are putative target molecules that regulate the human papillomavirus (HPV) related oncoproteins E6 and E7. Cell proliferation in the human cervical cancer cell lines SKG-II, HCS-2, and HeLa was assessed using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt (MTS) assay. Cellular apoptosis was measured using the TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and Annexin V assays. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to measure the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of the NRP2, E6, E7, p63, and involucrin (IVL) genes. A functional assay for cell growth was performed using cell cycle analyses. Overexpression of miR-331-3p inhibited cell proliferation, and induced G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis in SKG-II, HCS-2 and HeLa cells. The luciferase reporter assay of the NRP2 3′-untranslated region revealed the direct regulation of NRP2 by miR-331-3p. Gene expression analyses using quantitative RT-PCR in SKG-II, HCS-2, and HeLa cells overexpressing miR-331-3p or suppressing NRP2 revealed down-regulation of E6, E7, and p63 mRNA and up-regulation of IVL mRNA. Moreover, miR-331-3p overexpression was suppressed NRP2 expression in protein level. We showed that miR-331-3p and NRP2 were key effectors of cell proliferation by regulating the cell cycle, apoptosis. NRP-2 also regulates the expression of E6/E7 and keratinocyte differentiation markers. Our findings suggest that miR-331-3p has an important role in regulating cervical cancer cell proliferation, and that miR-331-3p may contribute to keratinocyte differentiation through NRP2 suppression. miR-331-3p and NRP2 may contribute to anti-cancer effects.     

Boiling heat transfer characteristics of a sulfuric-acid flow in thermochemical iodine–sulfur cycle

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency has been conducting research and development on the thermo-chemical iodine–sulfur (IS) process, which is one of the most attractive water-splitting hydrogen production methods that uses nuclear thermal energy. The sulfuric acid decomposer is one of the key components of the IS process. The boiling heat transfer coefficients of sulfuric acid solutions are required to design the sulfuric acid decomposer. These coefficients were measured in aqueous solutions where the mole fraction of H₂O ranged from 0.17 to 0.37 (heat flux range from 16.9 kW/m² to 5.6 kW/m²) and compared with the empirical correlations formulated for binary mixtures. A combination of the Stephan–Körner correlation, using the empirical constant A₀ = 2.00, and the Nishikawa–Fujita correlation was used to predict the experimental results with an accuracy of ±10%.