Statistical analysis of cloud layers and solar irradiations for all seasons in Toyohashi city, Japan

Several solar irradiation forecasting methods are being developed toward economically efficient solar power generation. Among these, the method that utilizes all sky imagers to estimate the direction of cloud movement above certain observation points is able to forecast fluctuations in solar irradiation with localized temporal resolution (∼30 min) through observation of shadows cast by clouds. The one-layered cloud is usually assumed in forecasting the direction of cloud movement. However, in reality, multilayered clouds may move in different directions in the sky. While such multilayered clouds may have effect on forecast accuracy, the extent to which multilayered clouds affect the solar irradiation and the generated solar power has never been reported. Therefore, the purposes of this study are (1) to give the dataset to know the effect of multilayered clouds and (2) to decide whether the multilayered clouds have to be considered in forecasting of solar irradiation. We analyzed the number of cloud layers and their effect on the solar irradiation, the generated solar power, and the clearness index through statistical analysis for all seasons in Toyohashi city, Japan. The dataset used to analysis includes data with 4381 h. The analytical results show that multilayered clouds were observed for ∼40% of the daytime duration even in winter. In addition, the results show that multilayered clouds were observed even when the solar irradiation, the generated solar power, and the clearness index were high, which suggests that the effect of multilayered clouds must be considered. In addition, it will be shown that the maximum number of cloud layers to be considered is 3 from statistical analysis

Development of Plasma Vitellogenin Assay for Estrogenic Effects of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals Using Ovariectomized Goldfish (Carassius auratus)

Plasma vitellogenin (VTG) assay was developed using ovariectomized goldfish (Carassius auratus) for determining the estrogenic effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. In a laboratory study, we assessed the estrogenic activity of commercial fish diets by using a diet for ornamental carp (CD) and a casein-based formulated fish diet (FD), which was shown to not contain soybean or fish meal in a previous study. In ovariectomized fish, plasma VTG concentrations were significantly higher in the CD-fed group than in the FD-fed group. These results indicate that the estrogen activity of CD may be high enough to cause induction of plasma VTG in ovariectomized goldfish as previously observed in male goldfish. Moreover, the effect of estrogen on plasma VTG induction was confirmed by significant plasma VTG production following the exposure of FD-fed ovariectomized goldfish to a nominal estradiol-17β concentration of 100 μg/l for 31 days. Our data suggest that induction of plasma VTG using ovariectomized goldfish is a good tool for evaluating the estrogenic effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals

Synthesis and adsorption properties of ZIF-8 nanoparticles using a micromixer

We synthesized size-controlled zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) nanoparticles using a T-type micromixer. The nanocrystallization of ZIF-8 proceeds by a rapid coordination reaction of Zn^{2+} ions and 2-methylimidazole (2-MeIM) in a highly concentrated solution. Therefore, a rapid mixing of the raw materials is required to control the size and morphology of ZIF-8 nanoparticles. First, we prepared ZIF-8 nanoparticles at various flow rates of raw materials to investigate the mixing performance of a T-type micromixer. The size of the ZIF-8 nanoparticles decreased with an increase in flow rates at Reynolds number (Re) 2000 (transition state between laminar flow and turbulent flow), demonstrating the high mixing performance. Further, we systematically examined the effects of temperatures and [2-MeIM]/[Zn^{2+}] ratios on the resultant ZIF-8 nanoparticles to elucidate the formation mechanism and to optimize the conditions for the synthesis of smaller ZIF-8 nanoparticles. Through a detailed analysis, we concluded that the requisite conditions for the preparation of smaller ZIF-8 nanoparticles are lower temperatures and higher [2-MeIM]/[Zn^{2+}] ratios, which affect the nucleation process and the particle growth process, respectively. Finally, we examined the adsorption properties of the resultant smaller ZIF-8 nanoparticles. We found that the amount of adsorbed N2 gas for the ZIF-8 nanoparticles synthesized by our method is higher than the amount for a conventional ZIF-8 sample, and the adsorption rate is faster because of the nanocrystallization

Time-dependent transition of the immunoglobulin G subclass and immunoglobulin E response in cancer patients vaccinated with cholesteryl pullulan-melanoma antigen gene-A4 nanogel

A phase I+II clinical trial of vaccination with MAGE-A4 protein complexed with cholesteryl pullulan melanoma antigen gene-A4 nanogel (CHP-MAGE-A4) is currently underway in patients with MAGE-A4-expressing cancer. In the present study, the primary phase I endpoint was to test the safety of the administration of 300 μg CHP-MAGE-A4 with and without OK-432. Another aim of the study was to clarify the details of the specific humoral immune response to vaccination. The 9 patients enrolled for phase I were vaccinated 6 times, once every 2 weeks: 3 patients with 100 μg and 3 patients with 300 μg CHP-MAGE-A4, and 3 patients with 300 μg CHP-MAGE-A4 plus 0.5 clinical units of OK-432. Toxicities were assessed using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v3.0. Clinical response was evaluated by modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours. Immunological monitoring of anti-MAGE-A4-specific antibodies was performed by ELISA of pre- and post-vaccination patient sera. The 6 vaccinations produced no severe adverse events. Stable disease was assessed in 4/9 patients. Anti-MAGE-A4 total immunoglobulin (Ig)G titers increased in 7/9 patients. Efficacious anti-MAGE-A4 IgG1, 2 and 3 antibody responses were observed in 7/9 patients. Among them, positive conversions to T helper 2 (Th2)-type antibody responses (IgG4 and IgE) were observed after frequent vaccination in 4/7 patients. The Th2 conversion was possibly associated with undesirable clinical observations, including progressive disease and the appearance of a new relapse lesion. The present study suggested that frequent vaccinations activated a Th2-dominant status in the cancer patients. The identification of a time-dependent IgG subclass and IgE antibody production during vaccination protocols may be a useful surrogate marker indicating a potentially undesirable change of the immunological environment for an effective antitumor immune response in cancer patients