Current Status and Future Prospects of Electric Power as Automotive Fuel

The deployment of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles on the premise of using low-carbon power sources (renewable energy and nuclear power) is expected to not only contribute to a stable energy supply by lowering dependence on oil (dependence on foreign supply sources) as fuel but also help to reduce CO2 emissions. Moreover, the use of night-time electricity is likely to help spread the use of electric vehicles for commuter use by reducing energy cost. However, it is important to remember that if conventional electricity, mainly generated by coal-fired power plants, is to be used as a power source, the deployment of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles may not necessarily be effective in reducing CO2 emissions. It is also true that compared with vehicles powered by an internal-combustion engine, electric vehicles still have some shortcomings, such as their short driving range, some 100 km on a single charge of the battery, and the long battery-recharging time. To significantly increase the use of electric vehicles in the future, the key will be to develop a low-cost, high-performance battery. It will also be necessary to further reduce the cost of wind and photovoltaic power generation. As the use of electric vehicles spreads, it will become necessary to conduct a quantitative study on the optimization (cost minimization) of the power source mix (cost minimization), including additional power sources for automobiles.electric vehicles, optimization, power source

High-pressure and high-temperature synthesis of heavy lanthanide sesquisulfides Ln2S3 ( Ln=Yb and Lu)

Detailed pressure-temperature phase diagrams of heavy lanthanide sesquisulfides Ln2S3 (Ln = Yb and Lu) have been investigated by in-situ x-ray diffraction experiments under high pressure and high temperature using synchrotron radiation and multi-anvil press. Based on the results of the in-situ observation, the single γ-phase (Th3P4-type structure, I3d) samples of Ln2S3 (Ln = Yb and Lu) have been synthesized under high pressure. The physical properties of the compounds were studied by electrical resistivity, specific heat, and magnetic susceptibility measurements between 2 K and 300 K

Mass Spectra-Based Framework for Automated Structural Elucidation of Metabolome Data to Explore Phytochemical Diversity

A novel framework for automated elucidation of metabolite structures in liquid chromatography–mass spectrometer metabolome data was constructed by integrating databases. High-resolution tandem mass spectra data automatically acquired from each metabolite signal were used for database searches. Three distinct databases, KNApSAcK, ReSpect, and the PRIMe standard compound database, were employed for the structural elucidation. The outputs were retrieved using the CAS metabolite identifier for identification and putative annotation. A simple metabolite ontology system was also introduced to attain putative characterization of the metabolite signals. The automated method was applied for the metabolome data sets obtained from the rosette leaves of 20 Arabidopsis accessions. Phenotypic variations in novel Arabidopsis metabolites among these accessions could be investigated using this method

The Impact of Nutritional Status and Body Mass Index on Rehabilitation Outcomes in Patients Receiving Home-Based Medical Care

Background: Home-based medical care is expanding rapidly in Japan.Objectives: We aimed to identify the factors associated with outcomes of therapy in patients receiving home-visit rehabilitation.Methods: One hundred twenty-one patients receiving home-based rehabilitation were investigated. Nutritional status was assessed by the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF). The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) was employed to assess the activities of daily living (ADL). The body mass index (BMI), medical history, and orthopedic disease-related pain were also recorded. The primary outcome was the improvement in FIM scores in one year.Results: A total of 19 (17%) patients were malnourished and 58 (48%) were at risk of malnutrition. Malnourished patients had a lower FIM score at initiation than those at risk of malnutrition or with normal nutritional status. Only changes in patients’ BMI and MNA-SF scores over one year were significantly associated with improved FIM scores (p = 0.0079 and p = 0.0049, respectively). No association was noted with the other factors.Conclusions: This is the first report to demonstrate that changes in MNA-SF scores and BMI are significantly associated with rehabilitation outcomes in home-based care. Nutritional management is essential along with rehabilitation to improve ADL in the long-term home care setting

A quantitative comparison of fish assemblage between amacroalgae bed and an adjoining sandy beach in the central Seto Inland Sea

植生の有無が魚類群集に与える影響を明らかにすることを目的として，瀬戸内海中央部の無人島（小久野島）の東岸において隣接するガラモ場と砂浜の魚類相調査を実施した。ガラモ場と砂浜に10m四方（面積100m2）の調査区画を各4ヶ所設定し，季節に1回の頻度で（2006年8月，11月，2007年2月，5月）小型巻網（目合い4mm）を用いて区画内の魚類をすべて採集した。一年間の調査により，ガラモ場で20種以上1,397個体，砂浜で17種以上902個体の魚類が採集された。個体数にもとづく優占種（上位3種）は，ガラモ場ではシロメバル，ヒメハゼ，ハオコゼ，砂浜ではヒメハゼ，ボラ，スジハゼ，湿重量にもとづく優占種は，ガラモ場ではシロメバル，ハオコゼ，キュウセン，砂浜ではヒメハゼ，シロギス，ボラであった。100m2あたりの出現種数，個体密度，バイオマスはいずれもガラモ場において大きな季節変動を示した。8月にはガラモ場における種数が砂浜よりも有意に多かった。ガラモ場においては，ホンダワラ類の繁茂期である2－5月にシロメバル仔稚魚の来遊にともなう個体密度とバイオマスの急増が認められた。Biological and physical surveys were conducted at amacloalgae bed (MB) and a sandy beach (SB) off an inhabited island in the central Seto Inland Sea, Japan, from August 2006 tomay 2007 in order to detect the effect of vegetation on fish assemblage. Fish were collected using a seine net (2m in height, 3mm in mesh aperture) at four separate locations within MB and SB during a tidal level between 70-130 cm in daytime on 4 Aug. and 16 Nov. 2006 and 19 Feb. and 2 May 2007. A total of 1,397 and 902 fish were collected at MB and SB, respectively. The numerically dominant species were Sebastes cheni, Favonigobius gymnauchen and Hypodytes rubripinnis in MB and Favonigobius gymnauchen, mugil cephalus cephalus and Acentrogobius pflaumii in SB. Weight-based dominant species were Sebastes cheni, Hypodytes rubripinnis and Halichoeres poecilopterus in MB and Favonigobius gymnauchen, Sillago japonica and Mugil cephalus cephalus. Seasonal fluctuation in number of fish species, fish abundance and biomass in MB were larger than those in SB. The number of fish species in August in MB was significantly higher than that in SB. Fish abundance and biomass in MB abruptly increased fromFebruary to May due to immigration of S. cheni larvae and juveniles

Estimation of catch efficiency of a small seine for larval and juvenile Japanese sea bass, Lateolabrax japonicus, in the Ohta estuary

河口域における魚類群集の主要構成者であるスズキ仔稚魚に対する小型曳き網（幅2.3m，高さ1m）の採集効率を，地曳き網（幅16m，高さ1m）による採集結果と比較することにより推定した。2008年3月21日と4月7日に太田川放水路感潮域において合計15回の曳網を行い，合計1,502個体（標準体長14.5－24.0mm）のスズキ仔稚魚を採集した。地曳き網の網目からの逸出が生じる体長16mm未満と，個体密度が著しく低下する23mm以上については解析対象とせず，地曳き網による採集効率を100％と仮定した。体長1mmごとに区分した分布密度を採集具間で比較した結果，小型曳き網による体長16mm以上18mm未満のスズキ仔稚魚採集効率は約100％と推定された。体長18mm以上23mm未満では採集効率（C, ％）が体長（L, mm）に比例して直線的に減少した（C=－17.2*L+388.8，n=11，r2=0.77，p=0.0004）。In order to estimate catch efficiency of a small seine (1.0 by 2.3 m, 2 mm mesh aperture) for larval and juvenile Japanese sea bass Lateolabrax japonicus, results from experimental hauls of the small seine were compared with those from a large seines (1.0 by 16 m, 2.5 mm mesh aperture) in the Ohta Diversion Channel on March 21 and April 7, 2008. A total of 1,502 Japanese sea bass, ranging between 14.5 and 24.0 mm in standard length were collected. Data of fish <15.9 mm was excluded from the analysis since extrusion of these fish through the mesh of the large seine was possible. Comparison of the Japanese sea bass abundance at lengths between the small and large seines revealed that the catch efficiency of the small seine for Japanese sea bass <18.0 mm was approximately 100%. The catch efficiency decreased with the increase in fish body length between 18.0 and 22.9 mm. A linear model was fitted to the relationship between the catch efficiency (C, %) and body length (L, mm): C=－17.2*L+388.8 (n=11, r2=0.77, p=0.0004). Catch efficiency was not estimated for Japanese sea bass ＞ 23 mm since their abundance was quite low in the surveyed area probably due to migration to downriver or sea areas, which are considered as habitats for the following life stages