Thermodynamic Properties of Low-GWP Refrigerant for Centrifugal Chiller

In refrigeration and air-conditioning industry, HFCs refrigerantssuch as HFC-134a, HFC-245fa, R-410A and R-404A were developed as CFCs or HCFCs alternative refrigerants which have Ozone depletion Potential (ODP). But HFCs have high global warming potential (GWP), there are urgent needs to reduce HFCs emissions. AMOLEA is a next-generation solvent and refrigerant brand developed by AGC under the concept of dramatically reducing GWP with superior performance. AMOLEA yd that consists of HCFO-1224yd has the good characters such as low-GWP, non-flammable, low-toxicity, good-chemical and thermal suitability, good-compatibility with oil and equipment components. HCFO-1224yd has similar thermal properties to HFC-245fa, so it is suitable to use as the refrigerant to alternate HFC-245fa and HCFC-123 for centrifugal chiller, organic Rankine cycle system, heat pumps. This paper shows the properties of HCFO-1224yd, including critical parameters, vapor-liquid coexistence curve, vapor pressure and PVT properties, were determined experimentally. The measurements of vapor-liquid coexistence curve in the critical region were made through visual observation of the disappearance of meniscus at the vapor-liquid interface within an optical cell. The vapor pressure and the PVT properties were made using the constant-volume method. The saturated liquid densities were obtained by the method using pyrex glass floats. The new experimental data and correlations were presented. On the basis of measurements of the density-temperature relation along the vapor-liquid coexistence curve near the critical point, the critical density was determined by the observation of disappearance of the vapor-liquid interface and of the intensity of critical opalescence. The critical density was determined as 530kg/m3. The critical temperature can be determined as the saturation temperature corresponding to the critical density. The critical temperature was determined as 429.1K. The critical pressure was determined by extrapolation of the vapor pressure measurements to the critical temperature as 3.379MPa. The correlation equation of vapor pressure and saturated density were developed. The root mean square deviation was 0.6% in the correlation equation of vapor pressure. In case of saturated density, the root mean square deviation was 0.9%

Development of Circulating Support Environment of Multilingual Medical Communication using Parallel Texts for Foreign Patients

The need for multilingual communication in Japan has increased due to an increase in the number of foreigners in the country. When people communicate in their nonnative language, the differences in language prevent mutual understanding among the communicating individuals. In the medical field, communication between the hospital staff and patients is a serious problem. Currently, medical translators accompany patients to medical care facilities, and the demand for medical translators is increasing. However, medical translators cannot necessarily provide support, especially in cases in which round-the-clock support is required or in case of emergencies. The medical field has high expectations from information technology. Hence, a system that supports accurate multilingual communication is required. Despite recent advances in machine translation technology, it is very difficult to obtain highly accurate translations. We have developed a support system called M3 for multilingual medical reception. M3 provides support functions that aid foreign patients in the following respects: conversation, questionnaires, reception procedures, and hospital navigation; it also has a Q&A function. Users can operate M3 using a touch screen and receive text-based support. In addition, M3 uses accurate translation tools called parallel texts to facilitate reliable communication through conversations between the hospital staff and the patients. However, if there is no parallel text that expresses what users want to communicate, the users cannot communicate. In this study, we have developed a circulating support environment for multilingual medical communication using parallel texts. The proposed environment can circulate necessary parallel texts through the following procedure: (1) a user provides feedback about the necessary parallel texts, following which (2) these parallel texts are created and evaluated

Study of Sumida River, Part-1; Its COD and EC characteristics from data collected in spring, 2021

The Sumida River, a typical urban river in Tokyo, has been recognized as a site for fostering Tokyo’s urbanlife that serves as a venue of leisure and relaxation for its residents. As the Teikyo University of Science(TUS) is located near the Sumida River, students spend a lot of time nearby. Clarifying the characteristics ofSumida River, and teaching it to students, are important not only for enhancing environmental awarenessamong students, but also local environment conservation. In this study, chemical oxygen demand (COD)and electric conductivity (EC) data, major sources of contamination, and the characteristics of the river wereanalyzed and interpreted as follows. 1) Although our COD and EC data showed that Sumida River wasaffected by tidal movement, the river water in our research area (from Otakebashi Bridge to Senju-OhashiBridge) might exhibit backward and forward movements, and it was slightly affected by sea water from theTokyo Bay. 2) Major chemical contaminant sources of investigated area were determined to be the Miyagiwastewater purification facility (WPF) and the Mikawajima WPF at the upstream and downstream sides ofthe TUS, respectively. 3) We presume a two-fraction zone in the Sumida River from our analytical resultsand public data, including a "high COD zone" with an upstream stagnant zone upper the Shirahige Bridge,and a "low COD zone" with a downstream flush zone under the Shirahige Bridge. Raising environmentalawareness concerning the urban river among its residents presumably might contribute to maintaining itsclean and safe environment. We came to conclusion that the importance of educating the citizens aboutkeeping urban rivers environmentally clean and safe for the future generations

Study of Sumida River, Part 2: Analysis of Identification of COD and EC Characteristics in Fall 2021

The Sumida River streamside makes up a part of the Kitasenjyu campus at Teikyo University of Science(TUS). It is essential for university students and faculty members to learn its environmental and chemical characteristics from the viewpoint of environmental education. A water analysis of the Sumida River was conducted in the fall season (Fall 2021) at 10 locations around the Kitasenjyu campus, along with a 24-hour continuous survey in front of the No. 7 building. The fall analysis was performed using the same procedure as the previous analysis in spring (Spring 2021). The conclusions we reached are as follows: 1) Discharge water from the Mikawagima wastewater purification facility (WPF) was found to be the primary source of chemical contamination in the study area, causing an increase in COD (chemical oxygen demand). Upstream, Miyagi WPF was presumed to be the primary source of the chemical contamination. 2) The discharged high COD water from these WPFs was diffused by the tidal movement of Tokyo Bay and then was homogenized in the study area. 3) From our survey on the streaming motion of the Sumida River and public COD data from the Tokyo metropolitan government, we redefined the boundary between high and low COD zones set under the Agastuma Bridge. 4) Urethane foam with photocatalysis material of TiO2 was synthesized as a novel wastewater treatment material. As it displayed good decomposition characteristics oforganic material in tested water, porous and robust materials with TiO2 for continuous outdoor use should be investigated to achieve practical applications shortly

Comparison of computed tomographic angiography and intraoperative mesenteric portovenography for extrahepatic portosystemic shunts

Objectives Comparison of intra-operative mesenteric portovenography and computed tomographic angiography for the documentation of the portal vasculature in patients with single extrahepatic portosystemic shunts. Methods Retrospective study of patients with extrahepatic portosystemic shunts that underwent preoperative computed tomographic angiography and intra-operative mesenteric portography. Studies were compared for identification of the intra- and extrahepatic portal vasculature. Results Computed tomographic angiography demonstrated all four portal vein tributaries and sub-tributaries. Intra-operative mesenteric portography inconsistently demonstrated the cranial mesenteric vein, the gastroduodenal vein (12 of 49 dogs and 0 of 10 cats), splenic vein (46 of 49 dogs and 8 of 10 cats) and caudal mesenteric vein (3 of 49 dogs and 2 of 10 cats). Computed tomographic angiography showed the intrahepatic portal vein with shunts emanating from the left gastric vein, splenocaval shunts or shunts involving the left colic vein. It showed intrahepatic portal branching in 5 of 12 patients with shunts involving the right gastric vein. Intra-operative mesenteric portography showed the intrahepatic portal vein in 29 of 59 patients but was outperformed by computed tomographic angiography in all cases except those patients with a shunt involving the right gastric vein. Clinical Significance In cases that have undergone diagnostic preoperative computed tomographic angiography there is no indication for diagnostic intra-operative mesenteric portovenography before ligation. In contrast, portovenography performed “after” temporary full ligation of the shunt provides clinical useful information and might be considered an integral investigation during shunt attenuation surgery

A novel missense PTEN mutation identified in a patient with macrocephaly and developmental delay

Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) plays an important role in tumor suppression. A germline mutation in the PTEN gene induces not only PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome, including Cowden syndrome, but also macrocephaly/autism syndrome. Here, we describe a boy with macrocephaly/ autism syndrome harboring a novel missense heterozygous PTEN mutation, c.959T>C (p.Leu320Ser). Interestingly, a previously reported nonsense mutation resulting in p.Leu320X was found in Cowden syndrome patients. Our case may be suggestive of a genotype-phenotype correlation

The SAC51 Family Plays a Central Role in Thermospermine Responses in Arabidopsis

The acaulis5 (acl5) mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana is defective in the biosynthesis of thermospermine and shows a dwarf phenotype associated with excess xylem differentiation. SAC51 was identified from a dominant suppressor of acl5, sac51-d, and encodes a basic helix-loop-helix protein. The sac51-d mutant has a premature termination codon in an upstream open reading frame (uORF) that is conserved among all four members of the SAC51 family, SAC51 and SACL1-SACL3 This suggests that thermospermine cancels the inhibitory effect of the uORF in main ORF translation. Another suppressor, sac57-d, has a mutation in the conserved uORF of SACL3 To define further the function of the SAC51 family in the thermospermine response, we analyzed T-DNA insertion mutants of each gene. Although sacl1-1 may not be a null allele, the quadruple mutant showed a semi-dwarf phenotype but with an increased level of thermospermine and decreased sensitivity to exogenous thermospermine that normally represses xylem differentiation. The sac51-1 sacl3-1 double mutant was also insensitive to thermospermine. These results suggest that SAC51 and SACL3 play a key role in thermospermine-dependent negative control of thermospermine biosynthesis and xylem differentiation. Using 5' leader-GUS (β-glucuronidase) fusion constructs, however, we detected a significant enhancement of the GUS activity by thermospermine only in SAC51 and SACL1 constructs. Furthermore, while acl5-1 sac51-1 showed the acl5 dwarf phenotype, acl5-1 sacl3-1 exhibited an extremely tiny-plant phenotype. These results suggest a complex regulatory network for the thermospermine response in which SAC51 and SACL3 function in parallel pathways

A case of autism spectrum disorder with cleft lip and palate carrying a mutation in exon 8 of AUTS2

We report a patient with autism and cleft lip and palate carrying a de novo heterozygous AUTS2 mutation, c.1464_1467del ACTC (p.Tyr488*). Although the causal relationship between cleft lip and palate and this mutation is unclear, this case report may expand the clinical phenotype of AUTS2 syndrome