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A questionnaire survey was administered to assess air-conditioner use effects on the relation between residential thermal performance and sleep quality. Results showed the following. 1-1) The Factor 2 (Falling Asleep, Maintaining Sleep) score is unrelated to ‘residential heating performance’ or ‘residential cooling performance’. Some items included in Factor 2, however, are more highly related to performance for an air-conditioner non-user group (AC-NU) than for a user group (AC-U). 1-2) The Factor 2 score is unrelated to ‘solar heat from windows’ for AC-U. However, the score is lower and ‘solar heat from windows’ is higher for AC-NU. 2-1) The Factor 4 (Fatigue Recovery) scores by ‘residential heating performance’ and ‘residential cooling performance’ are higher for AC-U. 2-2) The Factor 4 score is unrelated to ‘solar heat from windows’.

A number of isomer structures can be formed in hydrogen-bonded clusters, reflecting the essential variety of structural motifs of hydrogen bond networks. Control of isomer distribution of a cluster is important not only in practical use for isomer-specific spectroscopy but also in understanding of isomerization processes of hydrogen bond networks. Protonated methanol clusters have relatively simple networks and they are model systems suitable to investigate isomer distribution changes. In this paper, isomer distribution of H(+)(CH(3)OH)(7) is studied by size-selective infrared spectroscopy in the OH and CH stretching vibrational region and density functional theory calculations. While the clusters produced by a supersonic jet expansion combined with electron ionization were predominantly isomers having open hydrogen bond networks such as a linear chain, the Ar or Ne attachment (so-called rare gas tagging) entirely switches the isomer structures to compactly folded ones, which are composed only of closed multiple rings. The origin of the isomer switching is discussed in terms of thermal effects and specific isomer preference.

Carbon-based films with nitrogen species on their surface were prepared on a glassy carbon (GC) substrate for application as a non-platinum cathode catalyst for polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Cobalt and carbon were deposited in the presence of N2 gas using a pulsed laser deposition method and then the metal Co was removed by HCl-washing treatment. Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity was electrochemically determined using a rotating disk electrode system in which the film samples on the GC substrate were replaceable. The ORR activity increased with the temperature of the GC substrate during deposition. A carbon-based film prepared at 600 °C in the presence of N2 at 66.7 Pa showed the highest ORR activity among the tested samples (0.66 V vs. NHE). This film was composed of amorphous carbons doped with pyridine type nitrogen atoms on its surface.

Permanent-magnet brushless direct-current motors are easy of maintenance and control, compaired with direct-current motors. Therefore, they are attracting attention today. In this paper, the authors discuss non-salient pole brushless direct-current motors. Usually, the quadrature armature current which contributes to torque generation is supplied in this motor. But, in the case that the source voltage cannot be increased, by supplying the direct armature current, that is, equivallently weakening field, a quadrature armature current can be increased. Consequently, the motor torque increases.In the case that the load characteristics are settled, the motor torque can have a maximum Tm by adjusting a direct armature current. At this time the rotational speed and output are maximum also. Tm changes with the change of the motor parameters. Consequently, the motor parameters which maximize Tm are optimal. In this paper, the auhors have clarified an optimal parameter determination method considering of the load torque-speed characteristics and armature resistance, and the power factor and efficiency where the motor has optimal parameters and generates the maximum output. Further, the authors have verified the obtained theory through experiment.