Assessing future potentiality of technologies from the perspective of “imaginary future generations” – A case study of hydrothermal technology

Hara K., Miura I., Suzuki M., et al. Assessing future potentiality of technologies from the perspective of “imaginary future generations” – A case study of hydrothermal technology. Technological Forecasting and Social Change 202, 123289 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2024.123289.To guide technological innovation for sustainability, it is essential to develop a methodology for assessing the future potentiality of a technology from a long-term perspective. In this study, we propose an innovative method for assessing the future potentiality of technology from the perspective of imaginary future generations (IFGs) using a case study of hydrothermal technology and verify the effectiveness of the method. We conducted participatory deliberation experiments adopting the method and studied its effect on the formulation of scenarios for the adoption of hydrothermal technology in society in the year 2040, and on the assessment of the future potentiality and innovation of technology. Using deliberation experiments and questionnaires administered to the participants, we confirmed that IFGs had a significant effect on the adoption of technology in future scenarios and on the assessment results, with concomitant shifts in the relative weights of assessment indicators. We also found that the adoption of IFGs could lead to relativizing the value and positioning of a technology, and to shifting the requirements for the development and adoption of a technology. The results provide insights into the methodology to assess future potentiality of technologies and guide technology innovation from the viewpoint of futurability

Endoscopic and clinical evaluation of treatment and prognosis of Cronkhite-Canada syndrome: a Japanese nationwide survey.

BackgroundFirst reported in 1955, Cronkhite-Canada syndrome (CCS), a rare syndrome characterized by ectodermal abnormalities and inflammatory changes of the gastrointestinal tract mucosa, has been associated with a poor prognosis and life-threatening malignant complications. In a large population survey, we endeavored to characterize the course and treatment outcome of CCS through clinical and endoscopic assessment, and to explore its optimal treatment and surveillance strategy.MethodsA retrospective analysis of 210 patients with CCS was conducted via a questionnaire-based nationwide survey of 983 teaching hospitals located throughout Japan. We assessed clinical features, endoscopic findings, treatments used, and short- and long-term outcomes.ResultsThe average age at diagnosis was 63.5 years. In all cases, upper or lower gastrointestinal tract polyposis was confirmed, accompanied by characteristic ectodermal abnormalities. Of the treatments used, oral corticosteroids (30-49 mg/day) were the most effective treatment for active disease, with adjunctive nutritional support considered beneficial. With corticosteroid treatment, abdominal symptoms were relieved within a few months, whereas polyp regression often required more than 6 months. Maintenance of endoscopic remission with or without steroids for 3 years significantly lowered the development of CCS-related cancer, compared with relapsers or nonresponders, underscoring the importance of sustained endoscopic remission for cancer prevention.ConclusionsThe prognosis of CCS has greatly improved through the use of improved medical treatment. Although CCS continues to be relentlessly progressive, carrying a high cancer risk, a sufficient dose and duration of corticosteroid therapy accompanied by nutritional support and periodic endoscopic surveillance appears to improve its natural history

Tunable defect modes in chiral liquid crystals based on laser-induced modulation of helix

NanoScience + Engineering, 2007, San Diego, California, United StatesHiroyuki Yoshida, Chee Heng Lee, Yusuke Miura, Akihiko Fujii, and Masanori Ozaki "Tunable defect modes in chiral liquid crystals based on laser-induced modulation of helix", Proc. SPIE 6640, Active Photonic Crystals, 664008 (25 September 2007). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1117/12.73348

Numerical analysis and experimental study of the error of magnetic field strength measurements with single sheet testers

The error of the measurement of the magnetic field strength with a single sheet tester has been studied. Two different methods, determination by means of field sensing coils (1) and from the magnetizing current (2), have been compared. The errors of methods(1) and (2) were calculated by the finite element method (FEM), different parameters having been varied, and method (2) was additionally studied experimentally. SSTs with wound yokes and stacked yokes were considered. The results will help to decide whether the more complicated and more accurate H coil method or the easier to handle, but less accurate m.c.method is chosen.</p

Efficient generation of nitrogen-vacancy center inside diamond with shortening of laser pulse duration

We investigated the effect of laser pulse duration on nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center generation inside a single crystal diamond. We compared pulse durations of 40 fs (femtosecond laser) and 1 ps (picosecond laser). We found that in both cases, ensemble NV centers could be generated inside the diamond. However, the maximum photoluminescence intensity of the NV center without graphitization for the 40 fs duration was higher than that for the 1 ps duration. This indicated that the femtosecond laser was harder to graphitize diamond and could generate more NV centers without graphitization. This difference may be due to the difference in the photo-absorption process and the resulting lattice dynamics

Investigation of superconductivity in Ce-doped (La,Pr)OBiS2 single crystals

Single crystals of Ce-doped (La,Pr)OBiS2 superconductors, multinary rare-earth elements substituted ROBiS2, were successfully grown. The grown crystals typically had a size of 1-2 mm and a plate-like shape with a well-developed c-plane. The c-axis lattice constants of the obtained (La,Ce,Pr)OBiS2 single crystals were approximately 13.6-13.7 A, and the superconducting transition temperature was 1.23-2.18 K. Valence fluctuations of Ce and Pr were detected through X-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis. In contrast to (Ce,Pr)OBiS2 and (La,Ce)OBiS2, the superconducting transition temperature of (La,Ce,Pr)OBiS2 increased with increasing concentrations of the tetravalent state at the R-site