Short-run Economic Assessment of the Transportation Recovery Policy After an Earthquake

This paper develops a short-run economic damage assessment model. The model contains two sub models. One is the conventional traffic assignment model, which calculates traveling time under the damaged transportation infrastructure. The other is the economic damage assessment model, which determines the decrease in production level in the short run. This method facilitates the identification of critical infrastructure that could reduce the economic damage when the disaster occurs. As a case study, we applied this model to several recovery plans for transport facilities. The results suggest that the proposed comprehensive model should be considered as a prevention plan

An Analysis on Differences in Spatial Computable General Equilibrium Models by Market Structure Assumption -A Comparison of Perfect Competition Modeling and Monopolistic Competition Modeling-

Spatial Computable General Equilibrium (SCGE) models are convenient methods of the analysis of the change of inter-regional economic interaction or regional benefit by policy shocks. Recent SCGE models have two main streams in terms of the assumption of market structure; perfect competition models and monopolistic competition models. Benefit measured by perfect competition based models is usually independent of economy of scale and therefore the policy assessment result is consistent with normal cost-benefit analysis. It is an important factor for practical welfare analysis when validity of policy implementation is discussed from a point of view of efficiency. On the other hand, monopolistic competition based models is suitable to theoretical framework of new economic geography field which highlights the economic agglomeration. Agglomeration effect is also an important factor from a point of view of regional economic development effects. Thus the both of two types of models have theoretical and practical merits respectively. However, the results of the model analyses of course depend on the model formulations and can be different in not only detail but also feature of benefit distribution. Understanding the difference of the model outputs by theoretical assumption is crucial theme of practical policy assessment. This paper attempts to compare the economic effects of a road transport development project estimated by a perfect competition based SCGE model and a monopolistic competition based SCGE model quantitatively. Our analysis emphasizes especially the differences in the magnitude of benefit and the regional distribution pattern of benefit because they are usually the largest interests of actual policy assessments. The results show that elasticity of substitution, which is a dominant parameter of monopolistic competition models as a key factor of markup, sensitively affects to benefit and its distribution. It mainly causes the difference of the outputs of the perfect competition based SCGE model and the monopolistic competition model, which implies that the elasticity parameter should be chosen carefully. We furthermore analyze the relationship between size of analysis target region and benefit as well as sensitivity analysis of model parameters. The analysis shows that the regional scale also influences to the benefit estimation in particular by monopolistic competition model. Finally, we summarize the tendency of model outputs of the two types of the models and points to keep in mind for the practical policy analysis by SCGE models

Do Uric Acid Deposits in Zooxanthellae Function as Eye-Spots?

The symbiosis between zooxanthellae (dinoflagellate genus Symbiodinium) and corals is a fundamental basis of tropical marine ecosystems. However the physiological interactions of the hosts and symbionts are poorly understood. Recently, intracellular crystalline deposits in Symbiodinium were revealed to be uric acid functioning for nutrient storage. This is the first exploration of these enigmatic crystalline materials that had previously been misidentified as oxalic acid, providing new insights into the nutritional strategies of Symbiodinium in oligotrophic tropical waters. However, we believe these deposits also function as eye-spots on the basis of light and electron microscopic observations of motile cells of cultured Symbiodinium. The cells possessed crystalline deposit clusters in rows with each row 100–150 nm thick corresponding to 1/4 the wavelength of light and making them suitable for maximum wave interference and reflection of light. Crystalline clusters in cells observed with a light microscope strongly refracted and polarized light, and reflected or absorbed short wavelength light. The facts that purines, including uric acid, have been identified as the main constituents of light reflectors in many organisms, and that the photoreceptor protein, opsin, was detected in our Symbiodinium strain, support the idea that uric acid deposits in Symbiodinium motile cells may function as a component of an eye-spot

STUDIES ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE EPILACHNID BEETLES IN GUMMA PREFECTURE, JAPAN

The authors have studied the distribution of the Epilachnid beetles in Gumma-pref. since 1956, and the following results are obtained as summary. 1. Epilachna sparsa is recognized to be distributed to some extent at the southern plain places of Gumma-pref. such as Tomioka, Takasaki, Maebashi, Ogomachi, Isezaki, Ota, Tatebayashi, Kasakakemura and their neighbors, where the altitude is less than 150m (Fig. 1). At these places sparsa lives intermingled with 28-maculata. 2. At the higher places with 150～300m altitude such as Shibukawa, Onogami, Yoshioka, Misato, Akagimura, Hokkitsumura, Komochimura and their neighbors (Fig. 1), sparsa tends to live being segregated from 28-maculata in the same farm. 3. The species feeds usually on the Solanaceous plants, among which ground cherry is the best host plant. The number of the generation is generally two but rarely three. 4. E. 28-maculata is the species having the widest distribution in Gumma-pref. (Fig. 1) and we can see it everywhere, potatoes, egg-plants and tomatoes are planted, with exception of one place near Ozegahara. The highest limit of the distribution may be 1300m. 5. The host plant of 28-maculata is the Solanaceous plants with the exception of ground cherry and redpepper, on which the larvae cannot grow. The number of the generation is one but very rarely may be two. 6. Ea pustulosa inhabits mainly at the northern places of Gumma-pref. such as Anabara, Hikagenango, Neri, Akagizawabashi, Tokusa, Kashozan, Akakura, Doai, Fujiwara, Uenohara, Sugenuma, H6shi and Omineyama. All these places are located along the Tone River system with more than 600m altitude and have heavy snowfall (Fig. 1). However, pustulosa is also found at Sebayashi of Tano-gun in the southwest Gumma. 7. The true host plant of pustulosa is the thistle (Cirsium nipponicum (MAXIM.) MAKINO var. incomptum (FR. et SAV.) KITAM. belonging to Compositae in Gumma-pref., but the beetle eats sometimes the Solanaceous plants espe-cially potato-plant. With an exceptional case the authors observed that the adults were attacking burdock leaves. 8. The distribution of sparsa is expanding northwardly year after year in Kanto District and the northern limit of the distribution runs along the line denoted in Fig. 3 and 4 at present. 9. This phenomenon is not only noticeable for ecological problem, but also very important for agriculture because the beetle probably gives a fear of attacking the Solanaceous vegetables as a new pest in the new habitats.ArticleJournal of the Faculty of Textile Science and Technology, Shinshu University. Ser. A, Biology 13: 1-23(1964)departmental bulletin pape

Smart non-destractive test of a concrete wall using a hammer

Large concrete structures such as buildings, bridges, and tunnels are aging. In Japan and many other countries, those built during economic reconstruction after World War II are about 60 to 70 years old, and flacking and other problems are becoming more noticeable. Periodic inspections were made mandatory by government and ministerial ordinance during the 2013-2014 fiscal year, and inspections based on the new standards have just begun. There are various methods to check the soundness of concrete, but the hammering test is widely used because it does not require special equipment. However, long experience is required to master the hammering test. Therefore, mechanization is desired. Although the difference between the sound of a defective part and a normal part is very small, we have shown that neural network is useful in our research. To use this technology in the actual field, it is necessary to meet the forms of concrete structures in various conditions. For example, flacking in concrete exists at various depths, and it is impossible to learn about flacking in all cases. This paper presents the results of a study of the possibility of finding flacking at different depths with a single inspection learning model and an idea to increase the accuracy of a learning model when we use a rolling hammer

Functional Evaluation of Bubble CPAP for Neonates Using a Leak Model

Article信州医学雑誌 61(2):65-73(2013)journal articl

Regionális fejlesztéspolitikai hatáselemzés térbeli számítható általános egyensúlyi modellel: a Gmr-Magyarország SCGE modellje

A térbeli számítható általános egyensúlyi (SCGE) modellek az új gazdaságföldrajz (ÚGF) „empirikus megfelelõi”. Szemléleti-módszertani gyökereiket tehát az új gazdaságföldrajzi és a számítható általános egyensúlyi (CGE) modellekben találjuk meg. Tanulmányunkban a Nemzeti Fejlesztési Ügynökség részére az Új Magyarország Fejlesztési Terv hatáselemzésére kidolgozott GMR-Magyarország modell-rendszerbe épített SCGE modellt ismertetjük, valamint egy szimulációval illusztráljuk a modell használatát.SCGE modelling, computable general equilibrium models, new economic geography, GMR-Hungary

Laboratory-based X-ray phase-imaging scanner using Talbot-Lau interferometer for non-destructive testing

An X-ray Talbot-Lau interferometer scanning setup consisting of three transmission gratings, a laboratory-based X-ray source that emits X-rays vertically, and an image detector on the top has been developed for the application of X-ray phase imaging to moving objects that cannot be tested clearly with conventional absorption contrast. The grating-based X-ray phase imaging method usually employs a phase-stepping (or fringe-scanning) technique by displacing one of the gratings step-by-step while the object stays still. Since this approach is not compatible with a scanner-type application for moving objects, we have developed a new algorithm for achieving the function of phase-stepping without grating displacement. By analyzing the movie of the moiré pattern as the object moves across the field of view, we obtain the absorption, differential phase, and visibility images. The feasibility of the X-ray phase imaging scanner has been successfully demonstrated for a long sample moving at 5 mm/s. This achievement is a breakthrough for the practical industrial application of X-ray phase imaging for screening objects carried on belt-conveyers such as those in factories

Constraint-aware Policy for Compliant Manipulation

Robot manipulation in a physically-constrained environment requires compliant manipulation. Compliant manipulation is a manipulation skill to adjust hand motion based on the force imposed by the environment. Recently, reinforcement learning (RL) has been applied to solve household operations involving compliant manipulation. However, previous RL methods have primarily focused on designing a policy for a specific operation that limits their applicability and requires separate training for every new operation. We propose a constraint-aware policy that is applicable to various unseen manipulations by grouping several manipulations together based on the type of physical constraint involved. The type of physical constraint determines the characteristic of the imposed force direction; thus, a generalized policy is trained in the environment and reward designed on the basis of this characteristic. This paper focuses on two types of physical constraints: prismatic and revolute joints. Experiments demonstrated that the same policy could successfully execute various compliant-manipulation operations, both in the simulation and reality. We believe this study is the first step toward realizing a generalized household-robot