• Industrial Engineering and Management Systems
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.52-66
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• 2014

Promotion of a closed-loop supply chain requires disassembly systems that recycle end-of-life (EOL) assembled products. To operate the recycling disassembly system, parts selection is environmentally and economically carried out with non-destructive or destructive disassembly, and the recycling rate of the whole EOL product is determined. As the number of disassembled parts increases, the recycling rate basically increases. However, the labor cost also increases and brings lower profit, which is the difference between the recovered material prices and the disassembly costs. On the other hand, since the precedence relationships among disassembly tasks of the product also change with the parts selections, it is also required to optimize allocation of the tasks in designing a disassembly line. In addition, because information is required for such a design, the recycling rate, profit of each part and disassembly task times take precedence among the disassembly tasks. However, it is difficult to obtain that information in advance before collecting the actual EOL product. This study proposes and analyzes an optimal disassembly system design using integer programming with the environmental and economic parts selection (Igarashi et al., 2013), which harmonizes the recycling rate and profit using recyclability evaluation method (REM) developed by Hitachi, Ltd. The first stage involves optimization of environmental and economic parts selection with integer programming with ${\varepsilon}$ constraint, and the second stage involves optimization of the line balancing with integer programming in terms of minimizing the number of stations. The first and second stages are generally and mathematically formulized, and the relationships between them are analyzed in the cases of cell phones, computers and cleaners.

• Journal of Computing Science and Engineering
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.99-111
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• 2013

Approximating a divergence between two probability distributions from their samples is a fundamental challenge in statistics, information theory, and machine learning. A divergence approximator can be used for various purposes, such as two-sample homogeneity testing, change-point detection, and class-balance estimation. Furthermore, an approximator of a divergence between the joint distribution and the product of marginals can be used for independence testing, which has a wide range of applications, including feature selection and extraction, clustering, object matching, independent component analysis, and causal direction estimation. In this paper, we review recent advances in divergence approximation. Our emphasis is that directly approximating the divergence without estimating probability distributions is more sensible than a naive two-step approach of first estimating probability distributions and then approximating the divergence. Furthermore, despite the overwhelming popularity of the Kullback-Leibler divergence as a divergence measure, we argue that alternatives such as the Pearson divergence, the relative Pearson divergence, and the $L^2$-distance are more useful in practice because of their computationally efficient approximability, high numerical stability, and superior robustness against outliers.

• Rapid Communication in Photoscience
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.81-84
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• 2014

To examine the microenvironmental effect of DNA on the photosensitized reaction, the electron-donor-connecting porphyrin, meso-(9-phenanthryl)-tris(N-methyl-p-pyridinio) porphyrin (Phen-TMPyP), was synthesized. Phen-TMPyP can bind to oligonucleotides with two binding modes, depending on the DNA concentration. The fluorescence lifetime measurement of Phen-TMPyP shows a shorter component than that of the reference porphyrin without the phenanthryl moiety. However, the observed value is much longer than those of previously reported similar types of electron-donor-connecting porphyrins, suggesting that electron-transfer quenching by the phenanthryl moiety is not sufficient. The fluorescence quantum yield of Phen-TMPyP ($5{\mu}M$) decreased with an increase in DNA concentration of up to $5{\mu}M$ base pair (bp), possibly due to self-quenching through an aggregation along the DNA strand, increased with an increase in DNA concentration of more than $5{\mu}M$ bp and reached a plateau. The fluorescence quantum yield of Phen-TMPyP with a sufficient concentration of DNA was larger than that of the reference porphyrin. The singlet oxygen ($^1O_2$) generating activity of Phen-TMPyP was confirmed by the near-infrared emission spectrum measurement. The quantum yield of $^1O_2$ generation was decreased by a relatively small concentration of DNA, possibly due to the aggregation of Phen-TMPyP, and recovered with a sufficient concentration of DNA. The recovered quantum yield was rather smaller than that without DNA, indicating the quenching of $^1O_2$ by DNA. These results show that a DNA strand can stabilize the photoexcited state of a photosensitizer and, in a certain case, suppresses the $^1O_2$ generation.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.164-171
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• 2011

This work focuses on the analysis of bioaerosols in the atmosphere at higher altitudes over Noto Peninsula, Japan. We carried out direct sampling via aircraft, separated cultures, and identified present isolates. Atmospheric bioaerosols at higher altitudes were collected using a Cessna 404 aircraft for an hour at an altitude of 3,500 m over the Noto Peninsula. The aircraft-based direct sampling system was devised to improve upon the system of balloon-based sampling. In order to examine pre-existing microorganism contamination on the surface of the aircraft body, bioaerosol sampling was carried out just before takeoff using the same method as atmospheric sampling. Identification was carried out by a homology search for 16S or 18S rDNA isolate sequences in DNA databases (GenBank). Isolate sampling just before takeoff revealed Stretpomyces sp., Micrococcus sp., and Cladosporium sp. One additional strain, Bacillus sp., was isolated from the sample after bioaerosol collection at high altitude. As the microorganism contamination on the aircraft body before takeoff differed from that while in the air, the presence of additional, higher atmosphere-based microorganisms was confirmed. It was found that Bacillus sp. was floating at an altitude of 3,500 m over Noto Peninsula.

• Atmosphere
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.149-153
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• 2005

A balloon-borne Optical Particle Counter (hereafter "OPC Sonde"), which was developed by the atmospheric research group of Nagoya University, is used for getting the information of vertical profile of particle size and concentration in Anmyeon ($36^{\circ}32^{\prime}N$ $126^{\circ}19^{\prime}E$) on 18 March 2005. A range of five different particle sizes is shown in the vertical profile of aerosol number density estimated from the OPC Sonde. It was found that small size particles have vertically larger aerosol number density than relatively big ones. For all size ranges the vertical aerosol number density shows a decreased pattern as the altitude becomes higher. The aerosol number density of $0.3{\sim}0.5{\mu}m$, $0.5{\sim}0.8{\mu}m$, $0.8{\sim}1.2{\mu}m$ size ranges at the 10km height, which is the tropopause approximately, are $1,000,000ea/m^3$, $100,000ea/m^3$, $10,000ea/m^3$ respectively. The data of OPC Sonde are also compared with the data of PM10 $\beta$-ray) and Micro Pulse Lidar which are operating at Korea Global Atmosphere Watch Observatory in Anmyeon.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.41-52
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• 2012

Particulate sulfate in $PM_{2.5}$, sulfur dioxide ($SO_2$) and size-segregated aerosol particle number concentrations were measured at a site ($32^{\circ}19'N$, $129^{\circ}59'E$) on the southwestern Japan coast from 5 March to 10 April, 2010. Results show frequent episodic increases of sulfate and $SO_2$. Compared to the average concentration of sulfate $4.4{\pm}2.7\;{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$ in the whole observation period, episodic sulfate reached $10.5-20.1\;{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$. The variation of sulfate always synchronized with aerosol particles in the size range of $0.1-0.5 {\mu}m$, indicating the episodic sulfate was a consequence of the increase of the sub-micron particles. $SO_2$ did not have remarkable increase in any episodes of sulfate increase. During the passage of low pressure systems which loaded Asian dust in postfrontal air, concentrated sulfate appeared right behind the front but before dust arrival, suggesting the dominance of dust-free particulate sulfate. Weather and backward trajectory analyses revealed that air parcels with high sulfate passed eastern and northeastern China or Korean peninsula before arriving at the site. In contrast, those with high $SO_2$ passed an active volcano, Mt. Sakurajima, about 100 km in the south, suggesting the $SO_2$ was more likely from the volcanic emission. The ratio of sulfate to total sulfur compounds $({SO_4}^{2-})/({SO_4}^{2-}+SO_2)$ was 0.31-0.89 in continentally originated air while was 0.25-0.43 in the air having passed the volcano, showing more efficient conversions of $SO_2$ to sulfate in the air from the continent. The close dependence of the conversion on humidity in the continentally originated air was confirmed.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.141-149
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• 2010

Aerosol size and number concentration were observed in the atmospheric boundary layer over Beijing (from near the ground to 1,200 m) on March 15 (a clear day) and 16 (a dusty day), 2005. The results were further compared with lidar measurements in order to understand the dependency of extinction on the particle size distribution and their vertical changes. The boundary layer atmosphere was composed of several sub-layers, and a dry air layer appeared between 400 and 1,000 m under the influence of dust event. In this dry air layer, the concentration of the fine-mode particles (diameter smaller than $1.0\;{\mu}m$) was slightly lower than the value on the clear day, while the concentration of coarse-mode particles (diameter larger than $1.0\;{\mu}m$) was remarkably higher than that on the clear day. This situation was attributed to the inflow of an air mass containing large amounts of Asian dust particles and a smaller amount of fine-mode particles. The results strongly suggest that the fine-mode particles affect light extinction even in the dusty atmosphere. However, quantitatively the relation between extinction and particle concentration is not satisfied under the dusty atmospheric conditions since laser beam attenuates in the atmosphere with high concentration of particles. Laser beam attenuation effect becomes larger in the relation between extinction and coarse particle content comparing the relation between extinction and fine particle content. To clarify this problem technically, future in situ measurements such as balloon-borne lidar are suggested. Here extinction was measured at 532 nm wavelength. Measurements of extinction at other wavelengths are desired in the future.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.891-896
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• 2007

We screened the Arabidopsis cDNA library to identify functional suppressors of AtBI-1, a gene that suppresses cell death induced by Bax gene expression in yeast. Cdf 3 encodes a 118-amino-acid protein with a molecular mass of 25 kDa. This protein has two uncharacterized domains at amino acids residues 5-64 and 74-117. In the present study, CDF3 was found to induce growth defects in yeast and arrested yeast growth, although the cell-growth defect was somewhat less than that of Bax. Its localization in the inner mitochondria was essential for suppression of yeast-cell proliferation. The morphological abnormality of the intracellular network, which is a hallmark of AtBI-1, was attenuated by Cdf3 expression.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.1207-1213
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• 2020

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus). AFB1 is reported to have high thermal stability and is not decomposed by heat treatment during food processing. Therefore, in this study, knowing that AFB1 is metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP), our aim was to develop a method to detoxify A. flavus-contaminated maize, under normal temperature and pressure, using Escherichia coli expressing human CYP3A4. First, the metabolic activity of AFB1 by recombinant human CYP3A4 was evaluated. As a result, we confirmed that recombinant human CYP3A4 metabolizes 98% of AFB1. Next, we found that aflatoxin Q1, a metabolite of AFB1 was no longer mutagenic. Furthermore, we revealed that about 50% of the AFB1 metabolic activity can be maintained for 3 months when E. coli expressing human CYP3A4 is freeze-dried in the presence of trehalose. Finally, we found that 80% of AFB1 in A. flavus-contaminated maize was metabolized by E. coli expressing human CYP3A4 in the presence of surfactant triton X-405 at a final concentration of 10% (v/v). From these results, we conclude that AFB1 in A. flavus-contaminated maize can be detoxified under normal temperature and pressure by using E. coli expressing human CYP3A4.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.276-280
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• 2008

To elucidate the effects of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation on molecular properties of ovalbumin, the molecular weight profile, secondary structure and tertiary structure of proteins were examined after irradiation by UV with 254 nm wavelength for 4, 8, 16 and 32 hrs, respectively. UV irradiation of protein solution caused the disruption on the native state of protein molecules. SDS-PAGE and gel permeation chromatography indicated that radiation caused initial fragmentation of polypeptide chains and as a result subsequent aggregation due to cross-linking of protein molecules. Circular dichroism (CD) study showed that UV irradiation caused the change on the secondary structure resulting in decrease of helical structure or compact denature on structure of protein depending on irradiation period. Fluorescence spectroscopy indicated that irradiation quenched the emission intensity excited at 280 nm. These results suggest that UV irradiation affect the molecular properties of ovalbumin and may have potential as a means to change the antigenicity of protein allergen.