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An automated extraction chromatographic system and its virtual instrument system based on LabVIEW platform have been developed and characterized to perform single column-based sequential radiochemical procedures. The developed system was characterized by its dead volume and memory effect pertinent to fluidic tubing, and the linearity of feeding pump speed. An automated sequential procedure was developed for the rapid and reproducible separation of strontium from calcium, barium and yttrium with strontium selective resin.

To improve the insufficient mechanized forage harvesting system, an integrated forage harvester that produces midsize round bales was developed. Methods: The harvesting performance of the developed harvester was tested in a forage plantation. The harvesting performance was evaluated by investigating the bale production performance and residue ratios of the harvester at three levels of tractor driving speeds. Results: The bales outputs per hour by driving speed shown by the harvester were 30 bales (6.8 MT) at 2.3 km/h, 36 bales (8.4 MT) at 3.2 km/h, and 44 bales (10.5 MT) at 5.1 km/h in the case of rye-straw. In the case of rice-straw, they were 43 bales (8.8 MT) at 4.3 km/h, 44 bales (9.7 MT) at 5.0 km/h, and 48 bales (10.7 MT) at 6.2 km/h. In the case of Italian ryegrass (IRG), they were 35 bales (10.7 MT) at 7.0 km/h, 37 bales (12.0 MT) at 8.3 km/h, and 38 bales (13.2 MT) at 9.5 km/h. The average ratios of residues to the available quantities were 2.61% in the case of rye-straw, 1.89% in the case of rice-straw, and 1.57% in the case of IRG. When residues smaller than 200 mm, which cannot be collected, were excluded, the residue ratios of all crops were good, as they did not exceed 1.0%. Conclusions: Since the baling and wrapping functions, which had been separately operated, were integrated into the developed harvester, the developed harvester is expected to maximize bale production efficiency and increase labor productivity, thereby increasing farming profitability.

Emerging nonvolatile memory technology such as STT-MRAM (Spin Transfer Toque Magnetic RAM) is likely to become a promising technology to partly replace SRAM as embedded cache and to reduce the performance gap between the processor and cache. To take all advantages of STT-MRAM and SRAM, the use of STT-MRAM only and hybrid cache (SRAM & STT-MRAM) is investigated to construct new system hierarchies using new emerging technologies. This paper starts with the industry trend for memory subsystem that uses the emerging technologies to improve the performance of system architectures and to reduce power consumption, and focuses on the impact of integrating STT-MRAM as nonvolatile memory into current systems so as to create new system hierarchies.

Publisher Summary This chapter presents new data from studies done on serotonin content in oil of safflower seeds, the analgesic properties of oil of safflower seeds, in a model of functional blockade of the sciatic nerve in mice, and other pharmacological activities. The putative mechanisms of the actions of oil of safflower seed components are also discussed. The bioactive components from safflower seeds possess analgesic properties. The actions of oil of safflower seeds, which contain serotonin (5HT) and its derivatives, are associated with significant decreases in the nociceptive and proprioceptive functions. Due to the strong antioxidant activity and other therapeutic properties of serotonin derivatives, these compounds may have great potential in treatment and prophylaxis, as cosmetic ingredients, and as major components of functional foods or feeds that have health-improving effects. There are some common features in the nature of the nerve-blocking actions of the TCA amitriptyline and oil of safflower seeds. This similarity may result from the fact that oil of safflower seeds contains 5HT, which is known to accumulate in the synaptic cleft when TCA acts on serotoninergic pathways. Oil of safflower seeds can be used as a local anesthetic in pharmacopuncture for the treatment of pain syndromes of various etiologies. Pharmacopuncture, the administration of drugs into acupuncture points, is widely used in Eastern medicine. The analgesic, antioxidant, anti-atherogenic, immunomodulatory, free radical-scavenging, anti-inflammatory, and other medicinal properties of serotonin conjugates (SC), bioflavonoids, and lignans can be used against various diseases and complications.