Noninvasive near-infrared blood glucose monitoring using a calibration model built by a numerical simulation method: Trial application to patients in an intensive care unit

We have applied a new methodology for noninvasive continuous blood glucose monitoring, proposed in our previous paper, to patients in ICU (intensive care unit), where strict controls of blood glucose levels are required. The new methodology can build calibration models essentially from numerical simulation, while the conventional methodology requires pre-experiments such as sugar tolerance tests, which are impossible to perform on ICU patients in most cases. The in vivo experiments in this study consisted of two stages, the first stage conducted on healthy subjects as preliminary experiments, and the second stage on ICU patients. The prediction performance of the first stage was obtained as a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.71 and standard error of prediction (SEP) of 28.7 mg/dL. Of the 323 total data, 71.5% were in the A zone, 28.5% were in the B zone, and none were in the C, D, and E zones for the Clarke error-grid analysis. The prediction performance of the second stage was obtained as an r of 0.97 and SEP of 27.2 mg/dL. Of the 304 total data, 80.3% were in the A zone, 19.7% were in the B zone, and none were in the C, D, and E zones. These prediction results suggest that the new methodology has the potential to realize a noninvasive blood glucose monitoring system using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in ICUs. Although the total performance of the present monitoring system has not yet reached a satisfactory level as a stand-alone system, it can be developed as a complementary system to the conventional one used in ICUs for routine blood glucose management, which checks the blood glucose levels of patients every few hours.     

Conventional detection of 2,4-dinitrophenol using quartz crystal microbalance

We present conventional detection of 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) for using the competitive reaction between DNP and DNP-conjugated albumin onto DNP antibody immobilized quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). This QCM method allows detection of DNP concentration in the range of 0.01 to 100 ng/ml; linear correlation obtains DNP concentration from 1 to 100 ng/ml.     

Detailed study of nonlinear wave front distortion of focused sound in superfluid4He

We have investigated a nonlinear phenomenon which appears in a focused sound in superfluid⁴He under pressure higher than 18 atm. Wave front distortion of the focused ultrasound by nonlinear effect was obtained by the Fourier transform of the transducer output as a function of the defocusing length. The wave was found to suffer discontinuous wave front distortion for the input power above a certain value. This distortion is well represented by the picture that a second wave whose phase is shifted by approx. develops, and interferes with the original wave. The amplitude of this second wave decreases suddenly as the pressure is lowered below 18 atm and the nonlinear wave front distortion also disappears. The possible mechanism of this second wave generation are discussed.     

Development of forging process design to close internal voids

In this study, the closing behavior of internal voids was examined by a deformation analysis involving the 2-D finite element method (FEM), which simulates voids in steel ingots in the compression process (upset process). In the compression process, a model experiment that uses internal voids was carried out to confirm the accuracy of the deformation analysis. By comparing the model experiment with the analytical results, it was confirmed to simulate the internal void behavior by this analysis. The relationship between the reduction ratio and the void shape/void position was investigated by the analysis. In the forging process, the closing evaluation value of internal voids (Q value) was calculated by a model experiment and 3-D FEM. Using the analysis results, a limit value of the closing behavior of voids was quantified, and it is now understood that the voids close at more than Q = 0.21. In addition, the forging process of filling the above-mentioned value was designed by the Taguchi method. The predicted Q value in the case of using the Taguchi method almost corresponds to the value calculated by the deformation analysis. It was clarified that the process is capable of being designed simply.     

One‐ or two‐dimensional channel structures and properties of piezoelectric composites via freeze‐casting

By employing carefully tailored tert‐butyl alcohol (TBA)‐based freeze‐casting parameters, a large amount of porosity (>70 vol%) and one or two‐dimensional pore channels created were produced into alkali niobate‐based (NKN) ceramics. The relationship between processing factors and microstructures has here been studied, in terms of (i) porosities controlled by adjusting the solid loading in the initial slurry and (ii) strategically attempted freezing direction to make varied pore channels, in which two freezing directions from the bottom or side of mold can produce unidirectional elongated and radially centrosymmetric microstructures, respectively. In addition to that, NKN/epoxy composites with 3‐1 or 3‐2 type polymer channels in the NKN matrix have been fabricated by infiltration of the polymer into the porous NKN hosts. The effect of the channel directions on the mechanical and piezoelectric properties of the composites was investigated for varied volume fractions of the active ceramic phase, mechanical loading, and the poling direction, leading to very high‐piezoelectric g₃₃ coefficients at >60 mV·m/N in the composites with unique channel structures.     

Precursor phenomenon on ferroelectric transition in multiferroic YMn2O5

Series of RMn₂O₅ (R = Sm-Lu, Bi, Y) are simultaneously ferroelectric and antiferromagnetic at low temperatures. The ferroelectric Curie temperature (T_CE = 25–40 K) is slightly lower than the antiferromagnetic Néel temperature (T_N = ～45 K), implying that the ferroelectricity is induced with the antiferromagnetic long-range order in RMn₂O₅. Previously, we have investigated the thermal expansion anomaly in YMn₂O₅ at higher temperatures than T_N = 45 K, which would be the precursor phenomenon relating to the ferroelectric transition. This study tries to investigate a further detailed precursor phenomenon to make clear the origin of the ferroelectricity in YMn₂O₅. Particularly, we focus on the temperature factors of each cation in the temperature range from 50 K to 170 K. The single crystal X-ray diffraction of YMn₂O₅ was integrated at 298 K and 112 K by using a single crystal diffractometer with an imaging plate. The structural parameters were well refined as Pbam at both temperatures. In the refined result, it was found that the thermal ellipsoid became more anisotropic for the Mn or the Y ions with decreasing temperature from 298 K to 112 K. In addition, the long principal axis of the thermal ellipsoids rotated in the a–b plane with decrease of temperature. At 112 K, the long principal axis of Mn³⁺ thermal ellipsoid in a–b plane is almost parallel to the direction from the apex to the base of the pyramid square. The direction agrees with a possible ionic displacement speculated from the irreducible representation analysis.     

The effect of polystyrene as a porogen on the fluoride ion adsorption of Zr(IV) surface-immobilized resin

A novel adsorbent, Zr(IV)-immobilized resin, was prepared by surface template polymerization. This adsorbent, prepared by adding polystyrene (PS) to resin, has a high adsorption capacity for the removal of fluoride ion from aqueous solutions. The adsorption capacity increased with rising PS concentration, since the specific surface area can be effectively increased by adding polystyrene as a porogen. The adsorption isotherm has been modeled by the Langmuir and Freundlich equations. The adsorption isotherms were well described by the Langmuir equation. The removal of fluoride was also carried out using a column method. The presence of PS in the resin exerted a remarkable influence on the uptake of fluoride ion. The fluoride adsorbed on the resin was quantitatively eluted with 0.1 M NaOH.     

Microstructure and dielectric response of (Ba,Sr)TiO3 filler-dispersed resin composites

Resin-matrix composites dispersing low-loss dielectric ceramic filler have received a considerable interest for high-frequency application, because of their good shape flexibility and controllable dielectric properties. In this study, (Ba,Sr)TiO₃-type ceramic particles have been synthesized by KCl molten salt method to serve as filler particle for resin-matrix dielectric composite. Dielectric measurement confirmed that the composite fabricated by tape-casting demonstrated two times higher dielectric constant of 50.4 than the other composites fabricated by direct-casting using a metal mold. Pore-size distribution as well as ceramic filler content was strongly correlated with the formation of electrical flux in the composites to enhance dielectric constant.     

Grain size control of lead-free Li0.06(Na0.5K0.5)0.94NbO3 piezoelectric ceramics by Ba and Ti doping

In this study, Ba- and Ti-doped Li_0.06(Na_0.5K_0.5)_0.94NbO₃ [(1 ? x)Li_0.06(Na_0.5K_0.5)_0.94NbO₃–xBaTiO₃ (x = 0–0.07)] ceramics were prepared by using conventional solid state reaction method, and the microstructure and electric properties of these samples were investigated. The grain size distribution of non-doped Li_0.06(Na_0.5K_0.5)_0.94NbO₃ ceramics was relatively wide. The microstructure was composed of grains ranging 1.1–5.0 μm in size. However, with increasing Ba and Ti content, the grain size distribution became narrow and the average grain size decreased from 2.0 to 0.9 μm in size. In particular, the microstructure of x = 0.07 sample was composed of grains ranging 0.5–2.2 μm in size. As a result, the frequency dispersion of dielectric constant for the (1 ? x)Li_0.06(Na_0.5K_0.5)_0.94NbO₃–xBaTiO₃ (x = 0–0.07) ceramics was reduced and the mechanical quality factor Q_m was enhanced with increasing Ba and Ti content.     

A new apparatus for measuring total hemispherical emittance of surfaces at room temperature

Radiation heat transfer is an important mode of heat transfer even in our life space at room temperature. Such radiation heat transfer is evaluated mostly by calculating the radiation energy exchange among surfaces in an enclosure. For this evaluation, knowledge of the hemispherical emittances of the constituent life surfaces is needed. However, there has not been a suitable technique for measuring the emittance of each surface in the life space at room temperature. In the present work we develop a new apparatus for measuring total hemispherical emittances of real surfaces at room temperature. The apparatus consists of a total radiation flux meter and a Peltier element cooler to cool the flux meter surface from the back, and measure the net total radiation flux from the specimen surface to the surrounding surfaces to determine the total hemispherical emittance of the specimen surface. This apparatus is effective to measure total hemispherical emittances of surfaces at room temperature on site. We apply the developed apparatus to measure the total hemispherical emittances of various surfaces in the life space, such as metals, human skin, cloth, floor mat, wood, glass, brick tile, stone, cement, plant leaves, etc., and demonstrate the feasibility of the apparatus. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res; Published online in Wiley Online Library ( wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/htj ). DOI 10.1002/htj.20349