National Institute of Technology Akita College

The application of flour is determined by the composition of its starch and storage proteins. Previously isolated diploid <i>waxy</i> wheat is known to be amylose-free and possesses the same amylopectin structure as the wild-type. To reveal its characteristics, starch, protein, lipid, fiber, gluten, and allergen contents and rheological properties were analyzed and compared to its parental wild-type diploid wheat and commercially available hexaploid wheats. The results showed that the starch content of diploid <i>waxy</i> wheat was similar, but its protein, lipid, and fiber contents were higher than that of the wild-type. In addition, diploid <i>waxy</i> wheat produced high levels of gluten unlike its wild-type while its allergen level was similar to its wild-type. The storage modulus of diploid <i>waxy</i> wheat was significantly lower than that of other wheat lines at high temperatures. These results suggest that diploid <i>waxy</i> wheat holds different characteristics from hexaploid wheats for food processing.

School Guidance and Counselling services are universally implemented to facilitate students in realizing their full potential and shaping their future lives (Smith, 2020)1. While these services play a crucial role in meeting the diverse needs of students in Sri Lanka, research indicates operational challenges (Buddhiprabha, 2016)2. This article presents findings from a survey study conducted to explore how school guidance and counselling units in Sri Lanka can contribute to resolving educational problems faced by adolescents. The main research study employed a mixed-methods design, incorporating 275 students, 24 class teachers, 5 principals and 5 counselling teachers in the Walasmulla Educational zone in Sri Lanka. The data collection involved the use of questionnaires and interviews. Quantitative analysis was conducted using percentages and charts, while qualitative analysis relied on summaries descriptive essays and structured compositions. Results highlights prevalent educational problems among adolescents, predominantly cognitive issues. Challenges related to studying, exams, the learning process, and external factors were also identified. Despite efforts by school guidance and counselling units to address these challenges, they have not been entirely successful. Notably, students who received direct counselling support reported significant assistance in overcoming their educational hurdles. This underscores the importance of formalized support structures within school guidance and counselling units in providing practical solutions to adolescents' educational challenges, ultimately better preparing them for the future.

A practical procedure for determining soil parameters when analysing the deformation of peat by finite-element analysis (FEA) using the Cam Clay model is presented. FEA has not been frequently used to predict the deformation of peat soil, even though it can be a powerful prediction tool. The main reason for this is that a practical method for determining parameters has not been established. In this paper, the remarkable correlation between the soil parameters required for FEA using the Cam Clay model and the natural water content (wn) and ignition loss (Li) of peat and organic clay is presented. Then, based on this correlation, a flow chart for determining the soil parameters of peat and organic clay is proposed. Using this chart, it is possible to determine soil parameters directly from triaxial compression, oedometer and other detailed tests or to estimate them from wn, Li and other physical indexes. A trial embankment on peat soil in Hokkaido, Japan, was also created. FEA was performed on the trial embankment using the proposed procedure for determining the soil parameters. The results of the FEA corresponded to the measured settlement behaviour in the trial embankment with an accuracy in the range −4% to +8%. The FEA results also modelled the measured behaviour of pore water pressure and lateral and vertical displacements in the trial embankment very well.

In this research, we attempted to evaluate the cyclist's ability to maintain balance by using information from a 9-axis motion sensor attached to the cyclist's trunk, lower limbs, and bicycle body. The experiment is conducted on flat and uneven roads. First, the sensor fusion using a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a magnetometer is used to estimate the trunk posture during riding a bicycle. Then, we evaluate the coordination of acceleration between the rider’s trunk and the bicycle by using the singular value decomposition. Finally, the results of the three-dimensional posture of the trunk and the coordination of acceleration between trunk and the bicycle are used to verify the balance during riding a bicycle.

This paper discusses the wind loads for designing vaulted free roofs based on a wind tunnel experiment, in which the wind force coefficients for the main wind force resisting system and the peak wind force coefficients for cladding are considered. The focus is on the dynamic load effects of fluctuating wind pressures on the wind force coefficients. Wind pressure distributions on the top and bottom surfaces were measured in a turbulent boundary layer. The results indicated that the distributions of wind force coefficients changed significantly with wind direction. Then, the wind direction providing the maximum load effect on the structural frame was detected from a dynamic response analysis using the time histories of wind pressure coefficients. In the analysis, the focus was on the bending moment at the windward column base and the axial force in the leeward column as the most important load effects. The LRC method proposed by Kasperski was employed for evaluating the equivalent static wind force coefficients providing the maximum load effects. Based on the results, a model of design wind force coefficient was proposed in the framework of the conventional gust effect factor approach. Finally, positive and negative peak wind force coefficients for designing the cladding were proposed based on the most critical maximum and minimum peak wind force coefficients among all wind directions.

The correction polishing using a small tool is expected to be a technology for achieving highly effi cient polishing of semiconductor wafers. However, in correction polishing, high-precision control of the polishing pressure is required to prevent excessive removal in the planarization. Therefore, we have started to develop a new polishing load control system using an electric actuators. Furthermore, we have attempted to enhance a polishing removal amount using the electric slurry control technique. As the result, it was found that the variation of the removal amount decreased by 1/4 compared to the conventional load control system. Furthermore, the polishing removal amount was increased by 45 % at applied voltage 4kV. Therefore, we clarifi ed that the proposed polishing technology has the capability to obtain the high precision and rapid polishing.

The PV systems are generally designed based on JIS C 8955 in Japan. However, no provision is given to the PV panels installed in the edge zones. It is not recommended to install them in such zones, because very large suctions are induced by flow separation. When installing PV panels in such zones, we have to evaluate the wind force coefficients appropriately. Because it is difficult to make wind tunnel models of the PV panels with the same geometric scale as that for the building, we apply a numerical simulation to evaluate the net wind forces on the PV panels, where the pressures beneath the PV panels, called ‘layer pressures’, are numerically simulated using the unsteady Bernoulli equation together with the time history of external pressures on the roof measured in a wind tunnel. Furthermore, we propose to install the PV panels with small gaps between them, which may reduce the net wind forces acting on the PV panels due to pressure equalization. It is expected that the external pressures on the roofing are also reduced significantly.