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NRT1.1 is a putative nitrate sensor and is involved in many nitrate-dependent responses. On the other hand, a nitrate-independent function of NRT1.1 has been implied, but the clear-cut evidence is unknown. We found that NRT1.1 mutants showed enhanced tolerance to concentrated ammonium as sole N source in Arabidopsis thaliana. This unique phenotype was not observed in mutants of NLP7, which has been suggested to play a role in the nitrate-dependent signaling pathway. Our real-time PCR analysis, and evidence from a literature survey revealed that several genes relevant to the aliphatic glucosinolate-biosynthetic pathway were regulated via a nitrate-independent signal from NRT1.1. When taken together, the present study strongly suggests the existence of a nitrate-independent function of NRT1.1.

Japan has achieved conspicuous technology advancement and subsequent productivity increase by overcoming threats and constraints of sustainable development of economy and society. The achievement can be attributed to a sophisticated combination of industrial efforts and government stimulation. This paper analyzes the government role in inducing industrial strength in Japan. Empirical analyses were conducted focusing on technology driven development trajectory between Japan and the US over the last two decades. The results reveal that Japan incorporates sophisticated mechanism enabling the hybrid management of technology fusing indigenous strength and learning ability. While the combination of government and industry stagnated in the 1990s, a swell of reactivation emerged in the early 2000s. This can largely be attributed to revitalization of the mutual interaction between government and industry. Such a catalyst role of government R&D inducing the hybrid management demonstrated by Japan would provide a new insight in emerging economies.

This paper illustrates Singapore’s strategy in catching up with global water treatment nations. Water is an important economic resource for Singapore, creating value-added jobs and stimulating research and development in various related technology trajectories. The analysis shows that from a nation lacking in competence in the water industry, Singapore has successfully transformed herself into a global hydrohub, exporting indigenous capabilities and offering consultancy for water projects. With long-term government policies and funding support for initial R&D and subsequent industry R&D inducement by means of the introduction of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) programme, Singapore has been able to build up her competence in waste water treatment. This is probably the first paper that analyses the development of the water industry in Singapore from the management of technology and policy perspectives.

Existing energy policy frameworks revolving around the acceleration of deployment 1 of renewable energy technology can be broadly classified as the quantity vs. price approach. With this brief viewpoint, this paper suggests another perspective of viewing these instruments in terms of a more fundamental basis: whether the deployment in capacity is in terms of a cost minimization approach or a network externality approach. We suggest that the generic price or feed in tariff (FIT) approach in subsidizing renewable electricity generation and associated income would create a bandwagon or self-propagation effect among users rendering the renewable energy technology spreads like a software or information technology. Our objective is to raise awareness of this technology dynamics oriented perspective in renewable deployment supplementing the conventional installation subsidies perspective. We hope that it would inspire more empirical works and studies relating to the policy implications of this viewpoint.

Oxygen uptake rates are increased when concentrated ammonium instead of nitrate is used as sole N source. Several explanations for this increased respiration have been suggested, but the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. To investigate possible factors responsible for this respiratory increase, we measured the O 2 uptake rate, activity and transcript level of respiratory components, and concentration of adenylates using Arabidopsis thaliana shoots grown in media containing various N sources. The O 2 uptake rate was correlated with concentrations of ammonium and ATP in shoots, but not related to the ammonium assimilation. The capacity of the ATP-coupling cytochrome pathway (CP) and its related genes were up-regulated when concentrated ammonium was sole N source, whereas the ATP-uncoupling alternative oxidase did not influence the extent of the respiratory increase. Our results suggest that the ammonium-dependent increase of the O 2 uptake rate can be explained by the up-regulation of the CP, which may be related to the ATP consumption by the plasma-membrane H + -ATPase.

金沢大学理工研究域機械工学系, The influence of an applied stress on discontinuous precipitation (DP) has been nvestigated for a Cu-5 wt pct Ag alloy aged at 573 K. A tensile stress enhances the growth of DP cells in both the loading direction (LD) and transverse direction (TD), but the cell growth rate in the TD, vCT, is faster than that in the LD, vCL. A compressive stress suppresses the cell growth in the TD, but does not significantly influence it in the LD. The tensile or compressive stress tends to produce discontinuous silver precipitates elongated in a h110ia direction of the copper matrix in a DP cell, nearly perpendicular to or parallel to the LD. This result, along with the dependence of the cell growth rate on the sense of the applied stress, can be understood through the interaction energy between the external stress and the misfit strains of silver precipitates. An analysis of length-change easurement results has enabled estimation of the ratio of the growth rate of silver precipitates in the TD, vPT, to that in the LD, vPL, under tension or compression. The estimated values of vPT/vPL are in good agreement with the values of vCT/vCL, experimentally obtained, indicating that the anisotropy of the cell growth rate is determined by the growth behavior of silver recipitates. © The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society and ASM International 2010.

金沢大学理工研究域機械工学系, The influence of an external stress on the nucleation and growth of disk-shaped G.P. zones has been investigated for a Cu-1.2wt%Be-0.1wt%Co alloy aged at 220 °C. A compressive stress applied in the [001] direction during aging preferentially accelerates the nucleation and growth of the G.P. zones perpendicular to the [001] axis, whereas a tensile stress does not significantly affect those of G.P. zones. The promotion of the nucleation and growth of the G.P. zones perpendicular to the compressive-stress axis can be well understood through the interaction energy between the applied stress and the misfit strains of G.P. zones. The critical diameter of the disk-shaped G.P. zone nucleus was estimated as about 1.3 nm from evaluation of the interaction energy. © (2010) Trans Tech Publications.

Low-cycle fatigue behavior of a wrought Al-0.8wt%Mg-0.7wt%Si alloy with and without 0.27wt%Sc has been investigated at room temperature under constant plastic-strain amplitudes. After peak-aging treatments, both the alloys had fine lath-shaped β' precipitates. In the Sc-containing alloy, spherical Al3Sc precipitates of about 11 nm in diameter were co-existed. The alloy with Sc exhibited cyclic hardening to saturation, while the alloy without Sc showed clear cyclic softening after initial hardening. Transmission electron microscopy observation revealed that slip band structures were developed in the Sc-free alloy. Within the slip bands, shearing of the β' precipitates by moving dislocations was often observed. The cyclic softening in the alloy without Sc can then be explained by a loss of precipitation strengthening effect through the precipitation destruction within strongly-strained slip bands. In the Sc-bearing alloy, owing to the existence of non-shearable Al3Sc precipitates, dislocations were uniformly distributed, resulting in the absence of the cyclic softening.

金沢大学理工研究域機械工学系, The coarsening of {001}-faceted cuboidal Al3Sc precipitates in an Al-Mg-Sc alloy during ageing at 698, 723 and 748K have been examined by the transmission electron microscopy and the electrical resistivity. Application of the theory of Kuehmann and Voorhees for the coarsening of secondphase precipitates in ternary systems, generalised to any centro-symmetric precipitates, has enabled the independent derivation of the {001} interface energy without assuming the values of the diffusivity of solute atoms (Sc and Mg) in the Al matrix. The {001} interface energy is estimated as 0.19 J/m 2, which is in excellent agreement with the value of 0.192 J/m 2 obtained using the first-principles calculation method. The sphere-to-cuboidal shape change of the Al3Sc precipitate during ageing is discussed by means of a simple energy consideration. © 2010 Taylor & Francis.

In the discussion of renewable energy deployment, one key concern is the various types of barriers that renewable energy needs to overcome before it can make its way into the mainstream. These barriers increasingly shift from the technical to the economic and institutional. The most general types of barriers are due to technological ‘lock-out’ or to carbon ‘lock-in’ [ Unruh, G., 2000 . Understanding carbon lock-in. Energy Policy 28(12), 817–830 (Elsevier)]. These barriers necessitate the development of a strategic approach to deploy or introduce renewable energy technology. Existing energy policy has mostly relied upon financial subsidies, market-based instruments such as renewable portfolio standards, and production tax credits to stimulate the installation and use of equipment to generate electricity from renewable sources. These strategies target mostly system-level decisions of end users. The purpose of this paper is to present an innovation perspective on the renewable energy deployment process by introducing the innovation value-added chain (IVC) framework. The analytical objective of IVC is to evaluate the impact of a new innovation on the various stakeholders and players in the development and deployment processes. A deployment or innovation strategy that causes minimal disruption, enhances existing competencies, or expedites new learning by the players has a higher chance to succeed. We draw upon two sets of system integration costs data for grid-connected distributed photovoltaic (PV) systems in Japan and the United States and demonstrate conspicuously different dynamic learning behaviors. These two deployment models can be understood in terms of how the IVCs are organized and how PV system integration projects are performed in the field. In addition, IVC-based findings can inform the targeted application of conventional financial subsidies for learning investment not only at the PV system level, but also at the (localized) system integration level. This would involve other stakeholders, thus suggesting new energy policy space. We highlight some future research directions using the IVC framework.

Historically, Japan constructed its socio-cultural system so that it introduced, adopted, assimilated, and developed Western technology selectively without spoiling its own indigenous culture. And until recently, Japan learned and assimilated global best practices without being dependent on mergers and acquisitions (M&A). M&As in Japan were the lowest in the world until 2000, suggesting a low dependence on acquiring technology in this way. Recently, the number of M&As has increased dramatically among certain Japanese manufacturing firms. Prior to 2004, these firms were less profitable than their counterparts that did not depend on M&A. Today Japan's corporate technology and innovation strategy is at a crucial inflection point of maintaining the indigenous learning/assimilation function while also becoming more dependent on M&As. This paper explores the changing role of M&As in Japanese firms, and also considers the role of Web 2.0 and Enterprise 2.0 in the innovation process. Using an empirical analysis of the trajectories of Japan's leading electrical machinery firms, this paper explores the changing role of M&A in the context of business innovation in Japan, and the ongoing dialectic between indigenous strengths and global best practices.

While it is generally accepted that Information Technology (IT) has a self-propagating function which ensures that the more widespread its use, the greater its functionality, its emerging dynamism remains a black box. This paper attempts to shed some light on this dynamism through utilizing monthly trend data for the number of Japan's mobile phone subscribers over the last 12 years. A bi-logistic growth model demonstrating the diffusion trajectory initiated by both generations of mobile phones was constructed, with the goal of identifying the increase in the functionality development in the transition from traditional mobile phones with a simple communication function (1st wave mobile phone) to mobile phones with an Internet protocol function (2nd wave mobile phone). Through an empirical analysis utilizing the bi-logistic growth model, it was determined that the 2nd wave mobile phone emerged at an earlier stage of diffusion trajectory than the 1st stage mobile phone, which enabled a sustainable functionality development in Japan's mobile phones over the decade. Factors governing a dramatic decrease in mobile phones prices were analyzed, utilizing the result of the measurement of functionality development. This led to the discovery that while an increase in functionality development enhanced the price of mobile phones, this increase accelerated self-propagating diffusion, thereby enabling a dramatic reduction in prices through the effects of learning exercise and economies of scale. Based on the foregoing findings, the driving forces of self-propagating functionality development were analyzed, and it was determined that effective utilization of potential resources in innovation (e.g., assimilation of spillover technology and learning effects) is the key driving forces behind self-propagating functionality development.

This paper explores the competitive advantage of Chinese software parks for promoting industrial development. These industry clusters provide competitive advantage because they are rooted in local institutional systems. Taking the case of Dalian Software Park in China, this analysis is conducted qualitatively based on Porter's “diamond” model, SWOT framework and interview results. Industry clusters, which encompass a series of interconnected firms in designated geographic concentrations, show competitive advantages for industrial development with substantial resources rooted in local institutional systems including government, industry and academia aspects. In order to successfully navigate the economic paradigm shift from mass manufacturing production to innovative new product development in China, it is essential that the competitive advantages of industry clusters are strengthened and sustained in order to enhance industrial development, generate innovation and increase regional economic growth.

金沢大学理工研究域機械工学系, The coarsening theory of a spherical particle in a ternary alloy developed by Kuehmann and Voorhees (KV) has been generalized to any centro-symmetric particle. A classical thermodynamic analysis reveals that the generalized KV theory enables us to estimate the interface energy of a particle with a fixed shape, even if the shape of the particle is not controlled by minimization of the interface energy. Data on the coarsening of spherical, {0 0 1}-faceted cuboidal and {1 1 1}-faceted octahedral precipitates in a Cu-Co alloy, a Cu-Fe alloy, and three Cu-Co-Fe alloys with different Co and Fe contents during aging at 873-973 K have been collected by transmission electron microscopy and electrical resistivity. By applying the generalized KV theory to the experimental data, the energies of sphere, {0 0 1} and {1 1 1} interfaces have been determined. Their energies increase with increasing the Fe composition in the alloys. © 2009 Acta Materialia Inc.

Amidst the mega competition of a globalizing economy, firm survival strategy depends on sustainability of functionality development. This functionality development cannot be accomplished solely by a firm's own resources in innovation. Effective utilization of potential resources in innovation is indispensable. Thus, hybrid management fusing indigenous strength and global best practice has become crucial. Noteworthy success in hybrid management can be seen at Canon, which effectively utilizes its indigenous strength in assimilating external technology. Co-evolution occurs between indigenous technology development in Canon's printers and subsequent market learning. The market learning is primarily from PC producers through “coopetition” that attempts to assimilate advanced knowledge from competitors by encouraging to cooperate. Canon then leverages indigenous printer technology and the effects of market learning. Consequently, this co-evolution leads to higher functionality development, which in turn induces further strengthening of indigenous technology. To demonstrate this hypothetical view, this paper attempts an empirical analysis focusing on the contribution of printer technology and learning effects in enhancing functionality development. A numerical model identifying the necessary conditions for sustainable functionality development was developed to elucidate the sources of Canon's success in its coopetiton strategy relative to its rivals. This model provides constructive suggestions for firms seeking an optimal technopreneurial strategy in the current era of mega competition.

In contrast to the relative stagnation of economic growth in industrialized countries with mature economies, the so-called BRIC countries have shown conspicuous economic growth in the early 21st century. Brazil, Russia, India, and China currently depend on their geographic advantages for economic development, as they possess abundant natural resources and collectively account for 28.9% of the world's land area and 43.2% of its population. However, as the development trajectories for industrialized countries suggest, sustainable development in BRICs requires innovation for effective utilization of potential resources. Given that the co-evolutionary dynamism between innovation and institutional systems is paramount to innovation driven economies, sustainability of BRICs' economic growth is subject to such co-evolution. Institutional systems are similar to soil in that they cultivate emerging innovation. Recent dramatic advances in information and communication technology (ICT) in BRICs have had a significant impact on the advancement of their institutional systems. Therefore, ICT is expected to trigger co-evolution that will lead to sustainable development in BRICs by means of effective utilization of potential resources. This paper attempts to demonstrate the foregoing hypothetical expectations by means of an empirical analysis comparing co-evolutionary structures in 40 countries and also ICT's triggering role in the four BRIC countries.

金沢大学理工研究域機械工学系, The influence of prior cold work (90% reduction) on the length change and precipitation behaviour of a Cu-1.8wt%Be-0.2wt%Co alloy aged at 320C up to 350 h has been investigated. The alloy gradually expands to a maximum and then contracts during ageing. The maximum expansion is attributable to both the expansion due to the loss of Be solute atoms and the contraction due to precipitation of the [image omitted], I, m and ' phases. The subsequent contraction results from the decrease in amounts of the [image omitted] and m phases and the increase in amount of the ' phase. The new-found m phase, consisting of alternate Be and Cu matrix layers parallel to the matrix {001}, is body-centred monoclinic with a = b = 0.263 nm and c = 0.279 nm and = 83, and aligns with the matrix according to the Bain orientation relationship. The Guinier-Preston (GP) zone transforms continuously to the m or I phase via '' and [image omitted]. The transformation from the GP zone to ' via '', [image omitted] and I is retarded in comparison with that for the un-deformed alloy.全文公開201002

Innovation is believed to be a driver of the economy in the 21st century. Above all, innovation in services and devices are essential to a post-information society. Importantly, materials continue to play a significant role in innovation, particularly in incorporating new functions in new devices. Now, Japan's economy is starting a significant recovery from the “lost decade”. Therefore, it is an appropriate time to review and elucidate the dynamics of material innovation before, during and after this time in order to better understand the process of innovation throughout this economic paradigm shift. In the context of innovation and economic paradigm, compound semiconductor materials lend themselves to understanding the dynamics involved because they play a critical role in introducing new functions and subsequently innovation to information communication technology. In this paper, patent applications filed by Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., the world's largest firm of compound semiconductor material were investigated. Its patent applications for compound semiconductor substrates from 1980 to 2004 were examined in detail. Through this analysis, the following relationship between technology spillover and economic paradigm shift can be observed. In an industrial society, intra-technology spillover successfully led innovation. In contrast, in an information society, opportunities for both intra- and inter-technology spillovers decreased, partly because of economic stagnation, but also because of organizational inertia in business strategy. However, in a post-information society, simultaneously with the renewal of national science and technology policy and reformation of business management, inter-technology spillover emerged across industries, and the economy revived.

PurposeA virtuous cycle between effective utilization of external resources and functionality development can be constructed. Given that the timely emergence of new functionality in an efficient way is crucial to a firm's competitive strategy in an era of mega‐competition, construction of such a virtuous cycle is a key element with regard to a firm's technopreneurial strategy. The purpose of this paper is to identify a trigger for such a virtuous cycle.Design/methodology/approachEmpirical comparative analysis taking copying machines development trajectories in Canon and Ricoh and the patent data analysis were conducted.FindingsCumulative learning from preceding relevant technology development is found to stimulate intra‐technology spillover. Timely intra‐technology spillover from preceding innovation plays a triggering role.Practical implicationsAttempting a broad and comprehensive learning exercise should be strongly encouraged for the effective utilization of external resources for innovation. Fruitful effects of learning should be pursued to the hybrid management of technology fusing indigenous strength and the effects of the comprehensive learning.Originality/valueAiming at identifying the trigger emerging a virtuous cycle between effective utilization of external resources and functionality development, core technologies instilled in the copying machines just short of the emergence of functionality development were investigated. In order to anticipate thorough capturing of all dimensions of color technologies utilized for the emergence of new functionality development through indigenous development as well as utilization of externally developed technologies, F‐term retrieval of patent registration data was attempted.

Fatigue tests of W–Mo type high-speed steel specimens were carried out at 20 and 600°C under various stress amplitudes σ. Fatigue lives of the specimens tested at 20 and 600°C under each amplitude between 1100 and 1400 MPa were identical, but under each amplitude between 700 and 1000 MPa, those of the specimens tested at 600°C were shorter than those at 20°C. Fracture origins of the specimens fatigued at 20°C under all stress amplitudes and at 600°C under σ≧1100 MPa were large aggregates of 10~13 μm, comprising two or three M6C·MC carbides, and those tested at 600°C under σ≦1000 MPa were large isolated M6C·MC carbides of about 8 μm. When fatigued at 20°C under all stress amplitudes and at 600°C under σ≧1100 MPa, a crack propagated between two voids, produced by decohesion of the M6C/MC interfaces, in adjacent large two M6C·MC carbides which constitute a carbide aggregate, whereas in the specimens tested at 600°C under σ≦1000 MPa, cracking was initiated from the voids in large isolated M6C·MC carbides of about 8 μm. The fatigue lives of the specimens tested at 600°C under σ≦1000 MPa are shorter because the nucleation of cracks from isolated M6C·MC carbides occurs more rapidly than that of cracks in large M6C·MC carbide aggregates.

Sustainable functionality development has become crucial option for firm's survival in a new paradigm confronting a post-information society. This can be realized by earlier emergence of functionality development. In this context, effective utilization of external innovation resources leads to follower substitution for leader in open innovation. This substitution induces advancements of innovative goods by substituting gratification of their consumption for resistance to them. Thus, optimization of utmost gratification of consumption under certain investment would be crucial for firm strategy. Optimal functionality development dynamics is analyzed in this paper by integrating production, diffusion and consumption functions, and using Pontryagin maximum principle. The result demonstrates that ***supra-functionality can be developed through gratification of consumption substitution for resistance to new innovation.

Purpose: Sustainable functionality development (FD) is decisive to firm's profitability in their new innovation in a competitive market. While functionality instills attractive values in innovative goods leading to a dramatic increase in profit through increasing demand and higher prices, it obsolesces immediately in a competitive market. Therefore, how to maintain sustainable FD trajectory is decisive to firm survival strategy within the context of mega‐competition in a globalizing economy. Notwithstanding an increasing significance of this subject, dynamism enabling a sustainable FD trajectory still remains inside a black box. The purpose of this paper, on the basis of an empirical comparative analysis of the diffusion trajectories for copying machines developed by Canon and Ricoh, is to attempt to elucidate this dynamism. Design/methodology/approach: This paper employed a bi‐logistic growth model utilizing patent data for copying machine technologies. Findings: It was found that early undertaking of 2nd generational copying machinery initiated by Canon played a more decisive role in terms of its higher level of sustainable FD than with its competitor. Originality/value: This paper provides significant insight to firm's management of technology strategy in a competitive market.

The emergence of new innovation depends on co-evolution with institutional systems. Innovations will stagnate if they cannot adapt to institutions, as illustrated by the rise and subsequent fall of some Japanese innovations in the 1980s and 1990s. Similarly, conspicuous software advancements in China and India can be attributed to their unique institutional systems. While both countries share certain similarities that enable them to develop advanced software that attracts leading countries, the outsourcing partners of the two countries—China with Japan, and India with the US—are related to disparities in their institutional systems that have an impact on their software development. This paper undertakes a comparative analysis to identify such similarities and disparities. Since innovation is shifting from developers’ sites to a process of diffusion and utilization with broader interactions with institutional systems, this analysis can provide important insight into the development of science and technology in a global context.

The effects of matrix/precipitate interface states on coarsening of Co and γ-Fe precipitates in a Cu–4 wt.%Co and a Cu–2 wt.%Fe alloy aged at 500 and 700 °C have been examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations, electrical resistivity measurements, and length-change measurements. Analyses of TEM images show that the average radius for coherent/semi-coherent transition is 6–12 nm for the Co precipitates and 10–20 nm for the γ-Fe precipitates. The coarsening rates of the Co and γ-Fe precipitates are unchanged by the transitions in coherency of the precipitates. The interface energies γ of coherent Co and γ-Fe precipitates are estimated from data on coarsening alone as 0.15 and 0.27 J m−2. From length-change measurements of the Cu–Co and Cu–Fe alloys during aging, the estimates of the isotropic misfit strains of Co and γ-Fe precipitates are −0.018 and −0.016 for the coherent interfaces and −0.013 and −0.012 for the semi-coherent interfaces. Free energy analyses for the coarsening of Co and γ-Fe precipitates reveal that the values of γ of semi-coherent Cu/Co and Cu/γ-Fe interfaces are 0.24 and 0.34 J m−2.

The effect of coherency on coarsening of fcc Co–Fe precipitates in a Cu–1.47 wt.%Co–0.56 wt.%Fe (Co : Fe = 7:3 in atomic ratio) alloy aged at 873–973 K has been studied by measuring both the precipitate size by transmission electron microscopy and the solute concentration in the Cu matrix by electrical resistivity measurements. The precipitate phase consists of 7 parts of Co and 3 parts of Fe in atomic ratio, irrespective of the precipitate size. The precipitates smaller than about 8 nm in radius are coherent with the Cu-matrix. When the average precipitate radius is over 18 nm, all the precipitates become semi-coherent. The coarsening rates are not affected by the coherency of the precipitates. The precipitate/matrix interface energy γ has been derived, independently of the diffusivities of solute atoms using a coarsening model developed by Kuehmann and Voorhees for ternary systems. The precipitates are coherent or semi-coherent with the matrix, the experimentally obtained value of γ is 0.2 J/m2. This value lies between the reported values of γ = 0.15 J/m2 for Co precipitates and γ = 0.25 J/m2 for γ-Fe precipitates.

Al–Mg–Sc alloy polycrystals have been cyclically deformed at room temperature under constant stress amplitudes. Cyclic softening after initial hardening is found in specimens with small particles of 4 nm, but no cyclic softening takes place in specimens with large particles of 11 nm. Transmission electron microscopy observations reveal that dislocations are uniformly distributed under all applied stress amplitudes in the specimens containing large particles, whereas clearly developed slip bands are formed in the cyclically softened specimens bearing small particles. Two-step aging causes a decrease in the width of precipitate-free zones in the large-particle specimen, resulting in the improvement of fatigue life.

Length-change measurements using Cu–0.9 wt% Be alloy single crystals containing only the disc-shaped Guinier–Preston (GP) zones parallel to the Cu matrix (001)α plane have enabled estimation of the misfit strains of γ″, , γ′ and γ precipitated phases in directions parallel and perpendicular to the GP zone, e 11 = e 22 and e 33. The absolute values of e 33 = −0.09 and −0.08 for the respective γ′ and γ phases, experimentally estimated, are far smaller than e 33 = −0.25 calculated using lattice parameters of the γ′ and γ phase and the Cu matrix. The presence of the array of misfit dislocations at the interfaces between the phases and matrix results in the smaller absolute values of e 33. Length-change measurements have also been carried out for Cu–1.8 wt% Be–0.2 wt% Co alloy polycrystals aged at 320 and 500°C. The alloy aged at 320°C initially exhibits a decrease in length change (elongation), then plateau behaviour, a subsequent slight increase and, finally, a plateau. The first contraction and the sl...

The coarsening of Co precipitates in Cu alloys containing 1, 2, and 4 wt pct Co during aging at 873 to 973 K has been examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electrical resistivity. The precipitate shape transitions from a sphere to a {001}-faceted cuboid and from the cuboid to a {111}-faceted octahedron cause no change in the coarsening rate of Co precipitates. Application of the Lifshitz–Slyozov–Wagner (LSW) theory has enabled independent calculation of the Cu/Co interface energy, γ, and volume diffusion coefficient, D, of Co in Cu during the coarsening of precipitates. The value of γ is estimated as 0.15 J m−2 using data on coarsening alone. The pre-exponential factor and activation energy for diffusion of Co in Cu, experimentally corrected for the precipitate volume fraction, are determined as 1.2 × 10−5 m2 s−1 and 208 kJ mol−1, which are in agreement with those for diffusion of Co in Cu obtained from tracer diffusion measurements. An analysis using the generalized Gibbs–Thomson equation has shown that the estimates of γ are 0.17, 0.18, and 0.11 J m−2 for the sphere, {001} and {111} interfaces. A free energy analysis for coarsening accounts for the lack of change in coarsening rate by the shape transitions.

It is by now familiar that in the deployment of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, the cost dynamics of major system component like solar cell/module is subjected to experience curve effects driven by production learning and research and development at the supplier side. What is less clear, however, is the economics of system integration or system deployment that takes place locally close to the user, involving other market players, in the downstream solar PV value chain. Experts have agreed that suppliers of solar PV system must customize their flexible characteristics to address local unique users’ and applications requirements and compete on price/performance basis. A lack of understanding of the drivers of the economics of system customization therefore is a deficiency in our understanding of the overall economics of this renewable energy technology option. We studied the non-module BOS cost for grid-connected small PV system using the experience curve framework. Preliminary analysis of PV statistics of the US from IEA seems to suggest that learning in one application type is taking place with respect to the cumulative installation among all types of grid-connected small PV projects . The effectiveness of this learning is also improving over time. A novel aspect is the interpretation of such experience curve effect or learning pattern. We draw upon the notion of product platform in the industrial management literature and consider different types of local small-scale grid-tied PV customization projects as adapting a standard platform to different idiosyncratic and local application requirements. Economics of system customization, which is user-oriented, involves then a refined notion of inter-projects learning, rather than volume-driven learning by doing. We formalized such inter-projects learning as a dynamic economy of scope, which can potentially be leveraged to manage the local and downstream aspect of PV deployment. This dynamic economy may serve as a focus of energy policy having implications on standardization of design and training for installation, facilitating knowledge reuse among different integration projects and enabling inter-projects learning.

Ultra-sonic fatigue tests were carried out for W-Mo type high-speed steel specimens containing 40 ppm N (low N), 160 ppm N (middle N) and 400 ppm N (high N). The fatigue strength of the high-N specimen was lower than those of the low-N and middle-N specimens, which were nearly identical. The increase in N content caused no changes in average sizes of MC carbides, M6C carbides and carbides consisting of M6C and MC (M6C•MC), but increased the size of large MC carbides, such as the maximum size from about 6.5 μm to 13 μm. The fracture origin of the high-N specimen was coarse MC carbides of about 13 μm, and those of the low-N and middle-N specimens were large aggregates of about 12 μm, consisting of two or three M6C•MC carbides. Voids formed by decohesion of the M6C/MC interfaces in M6C•MC carbides larger than about 5 μm in the low-N, middle-N and high-N specimens, and those formed by destruction of MC carbides larger than about 8 μm in the high-N specimen were observed after fatigue fracture under a stress amplitude of 1100 MPa. This result arises because of greater stress concentration due to more inhomogeneous deformation around the MC and M6C•MC carbides develops as the sizes of both the carbides increase. In the high-N specimen, cracking was initiated from the voids in coarse MC carbides, while in the low-N and middle-N specimens, a crack propagated between two voids in adjacent large M6C•MC carbides which constitute a carbide aggregate. The fatigue strength of the high-N specimen is lower because the nucleation of the cracks from coarse MC carbides occurs more rapidly than that of the cracks in large M6C•MC carbide aggregates of the same size as the coarse MC carbides.

Summary China's economic growth has been remarkable since the economic reform started in 1978. It has incorporated transitional processes to its long‐lasting institutional system, which include the shift to a market economy, rapid industrialization, and urbanization, as well as the dramatic reforms of its educational system. While there is ongoing debate whether such economic performance is driven chiefly by productivity growth or by factor accumulation, there have been studies, nonetheless few, that have taken institutional factors and informatization into account. While the current low levels of human resources and urbanization have impeded China's development, the conspicuous development of education and urbanization over the last two decades could become the primary institutional factors for the acceleration of future economic growth. The Chinese government's comprehensive informatization strategy is considered to be the accelerating factor of education and urbanization, leading to a virtuous cycle be...

Coinciding with a proposal for a National Innovation Ecosystem (NIES) by the US Council on Competitiveness, Japan's Industrial Structure Council proposed a major shift from a technology policy to an innovation policy based on the ecosystem concept. While Japan and the US achieved success through mutual inspiration in the 1980s and 1990s, both countries need a new approach to sustaining their national innovation, especially in light of the new paradigm for a post-information society, which began in the early 2000s. Realizing this need led both countries to reexamine the broader applications of the ecosystem discipline to technology policy systems. This paper analyzes the parallel paths of technology policy in Japan and the US over the last three decades. We found that the development cycle in both countries is governed by four ecosystem principles: (1) sustainable development through substitution, (2) self-propagation through co-evolution, (3) organizational inertia and inspired learning from competitors, and (4) heterogeneous synergy.

During the “lost decade” of the 1990s, a significant number of Japanese sectors experienced critical business circumstances. However, by adopting a variety of strict disciplinary measures, a number of these sectors have been able to reconstruct their operations, and several of them were able to revitalize themselves since 2004. This paper attempts to empirically analyze and identify the structural sources that have enabled sectors to succeed in their revitalization efforts. First of all, on the basis of a comprehensive review of Japan's 31 sectors over the last 13 years, this paper demonstrates that the structure which includes many strategy paths to activate sectors is useful for the firm revitalization innovation at the sector level ( FRI-s ). In Japan, it was especially verified that three independent strategies contributed to FRI-s . Second, by examining the empirical rate of FRI-s , this paper demonstrates that the high possibility of FRI-s strengthens the revitalization structure of a sector. Finally, it could be assumed the existence of a circulation mechanism at three layers (a national level strategy, a firm level strategy, and a sector level accumulation) in the revitalization structure.

The precipitation processes from G.P. zones to γ’ in a Cu−0.9wt%Be alloy single crystal containing only the G.P. zones parallel to the matrix (001)α plane are investigated by high-resolution electron microscopy. The precipitate phases follow a G.P. zone → γ” → γI + γ’ sequence. The G.P. zone to γI phase transformation occurs successively via γ” during aging, while the γ’ phase heterogeneously precipitates on the γI phase. From length-change measurements during aging, the misfit strains of γ’ precipitates in directions perpendicular and parallel to [001]α are estimated as ε11 =ε22 = −0.03 and ε33 = −0.09, respectively. The observation that the estimated absolute value of ε33 is much smaller than that of ε33 = −0.25 calculated using lattice parameters of the γ’ phase and Cu matrix is understood in terms of the relaxation of ε33 by interfacial misfit dislocations.

Under the new paradigm of an information society, Japan’s institutions did not function as effeciently as they did in an industrial society. Consequently, Japan experienced a vicious cycle between non‐elastic institutions and insufficient utilization of the potential benefits of IT. However, the deployment of i‐mobile service (NTT DoCoMo’s mobile Internet access service) in the late 1990s provided encouragement that, once potential is exploited, Japan’s institutional systems can effectively stimulate the self‐propagating behavior of IT. The deployment of i‐mode service can be attributed to resonance between IT driven self‐propagating trajectory and “an institutional spiral trajectory” initiated by non‐organizational initiatives based on learning exercise from preceding services such as message exchange, mobile phone and Internet access. While i‐mode service itself was not necessarily successful in the global deployment, it induced mobile phone driven innovation that stimulated activation of Japan’s economy in the early 2000th by playing such a role as catalysis in disseminating spillover of core technologies. This paper, on the basis of an empirical analysis of the deployment trajectory of i‐mode service, attempts to identify the structural sources that enabled the dramatic deployment of IT and subsequent inducement of mobile phone driven innovation in Japan.

Photovoltaic (PV) is a renewable energy technology, along side with other modular energy generation technologies such as micro-turbines, fuel cells, etc., which will enable the alternative distributed generation paradigm compared to the incumbent fossil fuel based centralized generation paradigm. Distributed generation utilizing renewable energy resources offers opportunities for significant carbon dioxide and emissions reductions thus contributing solutions to broader climate change issues. Yet, renewable energy technologies like PV face various barriers for their widespread adoption. Aside from technical and cost issues, renewable technologies have to overcome the so-called carbon lock-in effects. This refers to the techno-institutional complex associated with the fossil-fuel based centralized generation regime that currently dominates energy production and use. Governmental interventions to address these issues usually can be seen as composed of research, development, demonstration and deployment or RD3 [PCAST, 1999. Panel on International Cooperation in Energy Research, Development, Demonstration, and Deployment]. This paper focused on comparing the deployment aspect of PV technology in Japan and the USA. While both governments promoted PV as part of their larger strategies to address various environmental and energy security issues, Japan has built a PV installation capacity three times that of the USA as of December 2003 with over 90% of PV installation in the grid-connected small residential system category. This is in marked contrast to the case in the USA in which the cumulative installation is spilt among different types of applications involving the grid and off the grid. We put forward two models to explain these differences in deployment strategies and their possible consequences. The first deployment model leverages upon PV as a manufactured technology with minimal customization to achieve massive deployment. The second deployment model leverages upon PV as an information technology-like technology focusing upon user oriented customization to achieve deployment. Different models have different implications to the system engineering aspect of solar PV. A focus upon the standard grid-connected distributed category in the residential setting avoids the heavy customized engineering associated with many off-grid and one-off type projects. Japanese PV deployment strategy of concentrating upon a dominant category or niche with mass market potential also well matches the institutional structure of production [Coase, 1991. The Institutional Structure of Production, in Essays on Economics and Economists. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago] within the local PV technology suppliers industry. Major vertical integrated firms can facilitate system-related learning easier than a fragmented industry within the PV value chain with minimal transaction cost. This highly suggests that deployment strategy of PV or other renewable energy technologies must address the issues of adopting a globally developed technology to local (national) conditions and has strong institutional underpinnings in addition to financial subsidies, learning investment thinking.

This paper studies and compares the actual historic solar photovoltaic (PV) installation data in Japan and the United States and proposes two deployment models to account for the differences. Deployment, along with research, development and demonstration, constitutes what is known as the RD3 (PCAST — President's Council of Advances in Science and Technology, United States) innovative chain of a new technology. Japan deploys PV focusing on the niche of utility grid-tied small-scale system (90 per cent of which is standardised roof-top residential PV system) using highly integrated value chain; this seems to draw upon her strong manufacturing culture and associated social technology and institutions for suppliers-dominated innovations. The United States deploys PV as a broadly defined innovation emphasising user-oriented customisation in both on and off grid, residential and industrial applications using small independent and intermediary system integrators. Empirical analysis of the diffusion patterns in the grid-tied small system category in respective contexts suggests that Japan's institutions seem to match her mass deployment strategy while the United States' combination of fragmented industry structure and diversity deployment gives rise to a complex diffusion pattern calling for continual institutional innovation or co-evolution. Our research, therefore, highlights that commercialisation of new technology or technical change, in general, is not an autonomous process and has strong institutional underpinnings. We formalise and generalise this "match" (Perez, 1983) argument in accordance with Nelson and Sampat's (2001) framework of physical technology vs social technology and their interactions. Some potential future extensions regarding utilities for this model are then highlighted.

Japan’s chemical industry is currently amidst mega‐competition in the paradigm shift from an industrial society to an information society that emerged in the 1990s and consequent globalizing economy. The checkered development trajectory of Japan’s chemical industry has resulted in a fragile structure with increasing geographical constraints and excessive competition in certain markets among a number of small‐scale firms. A simultaneous solution to divergent activities for diversified customer requirements as well as dynamically changing external circumstances and convergence for improving competitiveness in core competent fields is thus essential. This paper attempts to identify an optimal trajectory for Japan’s chemical industry by providing a simultaneous solution to the above contradicting demands. A resilient structure that incorporates an optimal level of diversification based on a specific reinforced core competent field is postulated as a survival strategy in a business environment characterized by mega‐competition. Aiming at demonstrating the significance of a resilience structure, an empirical analysis focusing on Japan’s 28 leading chemical firms was conducted. An optimal level of technological diversification for Japan’s chemical industry firms was thereby identified, thus leading to construction of a resilient structure.

金沢大学大学院自然科学研究科機能創成システム, The effects of addition of Zr and Ag on the mechanical properties of a Cu-0.5 wt%Cr alloy have been investigated. The addition of 0.15 wt%Zr enhances the strength and resistance to stress relaxation of the Cu-Cr alloy. The increase in strength is caused by both the decrease in inter-precipitate spacing of Cr precipitates and the precipitation of Cu5Zr phase. The stress relaxation resistance is improved by the preferentially forming Cu5Zr precipitates on dislocations, in addition to Cr precipitates on dislocations. The addition of 0.1 wt%Ag to the Cu-Cr and Cu-Cr-Zr alloys improves the strength, stress relaxation resistance and bend formability of these alloys. The increase in strength and stress relaxation resistance is ascribed to the decrease in inter-precipitate spacing of Cr precipitates and the suppression of recovery during aging, and to the Ag-atom-drag effect on dislocation motion. The better bend formability of the Ag-added alloys is explained in terms of the larger post-uniform elongation of the alloys. © 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

The coarsening of Al 3 Sc precipitates in an Al-1 mass%Mg-0.27 mass%Sc alloy aged at 573K has been examined using a model developed by Kuehmann and Voorhees. The average size of Al 3 Sc precipitates was evaluated by transmission electron microscopy and electrical resistivity was employed to measure the Sc concentration in the matrix. Kinetic analyses revealed that before the onset of a coarsening stage, there exist mixed stages of nucleation and growth and of growth and coarsening. The coherent Al/Al 3 Sc interface energy y is estimated as 0.23 Jm -2 from data on coarsening alone. The transition from a coherent interface to a semi-coherent interface caused no change in y.

Respiratory electron transport has two ubiquinol-oxidizing pathways, the cytochrome pathway (CP) and the alternative pathway (AP). The AP, which is catalyzed by the alternative oxidase (AOX), is energetically wasteful but may alleviate PSII photoinhibition under light conditions excessive for photosynthesis. However, its mechanism remains unknown. We used Arabidopsis aox1a mutants lacking AOX activity and studied the mutation's effects on photoinhibition by measuring the decrease in the maximum quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm) after high light exposure. Since the CP compensates for the lack of AOX, we monitored the extent of photoinhibition under conditions where CP activity is partially inhibited by antimycin A. When leaves were exposed to high light at 350 µmol m-2 s-1, the decline in Fv/Fm was significantly faster in the aox1a mutants than in the wild type. However, under conditions where photorespiration was suppressed by high CO2 or low O2 levels, the decline in Fv/Fm was suppressed in the aox1a mutants, but not in the wild type, making the difference between the wild type and mutants small. Our results demonstrate that the lack of the AP causes an acceleration of PSII photoinhibition in relation to the photorespiratory pathway, suggesting that the AP can support the activity of the photorespiratory pathway under high light conditions.

Action mechanisms of anesthetics remain unclear because of difficulty in explaining how structurally different anesthetics cause similar effects. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, local anesthetics and antipsychotic phenothiazines induced responses similar to those caused by glucose starvation, and they eventually inhibited cell growth. These drugs inhibited glucose uptake, but additional glucose conferred resistance to their effects; hence, the primary action of the drugs is to cause glucose starvation. In hxt0 strains with all hexose transporter (HXT) genes deleted, a strain harboring a single copy of HXT1 (HXT1s) was more sensitive to tetracaine than a strain harboring multiple copies (HXT1m), which indicates that quantitative reduction of HXT1 increases tetracaine sensitivity. However, additional glucose rather than the overexpression of HXT1/2 conferred tetracaine resistance to wild-type yeast; therefore, Hxts that actively transport hexoses apparently confer tetracaine resistance. Additional glucose alleviated sensitivity to local anesthetics and phenothiazines in the HXT1m strain but not the HXT1s strain; thus, the glucose-induced effects required a certain amount of Hxt1. At low concentrations, fluorescent phenothiazines were distributed in various membranes. At higher concentrations, they destroyed the membranes and thereby delocalized Hxt1-GFP from the plasma membrane, similar to local anesthetics. These results suggest that the aforementioned drugs affect various membrane targets via nonspecific interactions with membranes. However, the drugs preferentially inhibit the function of abundant Hxts, resulting in glucose starvation. When Hxts are scarce, this preference is lost, thereby mitigating the alleviation by additional glucose. These results provide a mechanism that explains how different compounds induce similar effects based on lipid theory.

Elevated atmospheric CO(2) concentrations ([CO(2)]) affect primary metabolite levels because CO(2) is a direct substrate for photosynthesis. In several studies, the responses of primary metabolite levels have been examined using Arabidopsis thaliana leaves, but these results have not been comprehensively discussed. Here, we examined metabolome data for A. thaliana accession Col-0 leaves that were grown at elevated [CO(2)] with sufficient nitrogen (N) nutrition. At elevated [CO(2)], starch, monosaccharides and several major amino acids accumulated in leaves. The degree of accumulation depended on whether the rooting medium contained NH(4) (+) or only NO(3) (-). Because low N conditions induce an increase in carbohydrates similar to that of elevated [CO(2)], we compared the responses of primary metabolite levels between elevated [CO(2)] and low N conditions. Levels of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle-associated organic acids and major amino acids decreased with low N, but not with elevated [CO(2)]. Even at elevated [CO(2)], the low N induced the decreases in the levels of organic acids and major amino acids. A small sink size also affects the primary metabolite response patterns in leaves under elevated [CO(2)] conditions. Thus, care is necessary when interpreting primary metabolite changes in leaves of field-grown plants.

In this paper, we analyzed and compared how Japan and China's technology policies have contributed to their industrial development. Using numerical methods, we found that technological capability has contributed to both countries’ industrial development and upgrade in their peak-growth period. Further, the governments of both countries have intentionally promoted domestic technological capability by effective technology policies, balancing the import of foreign technology and indigenous development, and engaging business/private sector as a major force for improving technological capabilities. We thus offer the following policy recommendations to the governments of developing countries: (1) being aware of the important and appropriate role of government and existing policy tools, (2) adopting for the localized option that fits the country's specific social-economic reality; and (3) utilizing import of foreign technology and indigenous development and developing market mechanisms to encourage private sector engagement.

Notwithstanding Japan's ineffective utilization of the potential benefits of the advancement of IT, certain self-propagating interaction between ERP (enterprise resources planning) firms and their customers has been observed. Advanced utilization of ERP enables firms to construct a virtuous cycle between the affluence in the commodities in sales, productivity and profits leading to an active involvement of the consumers, thereby constructing a double spiral trajectory between ERP customers and their customers (consumers). These noteworthy trends can be observed in certain EEMRs (electric and electronic mega retail firms) which incorporate invaluable advantages as close not only to electric and electronic manufacturing industry but also to consumers. These firms have constructed a virtuous cycle between the affluence in the commodities in sales, productivity and profit which suggests a double spiral trajectory between EEMRs, manufactures and consumers. This double spiral trajectory prompts us a new concept of manufacturing industry as SOM (service oriented manufacturing) corresponding to a ubiquitous society. This paper, based on an empirical analysis taking Japan's leading EEMRs, attempts to demonstrate the foregoing hypothesis.

This paper first proposes a modeling framework to study diffusion of innovations which exhibit strong interaction with the institution systems across which they diffuse. A unique character of such generic innovation is that specific applications are continually developed during its diffusion. This self-propagation in continual applications generation, which is dependent upon the cumulative installed base of the technological innovation, can be modeled to lead to a dynamic changing carrying capacity in an otherwise simple logistic diffusion curve. The cumulative installed base is dependent upon the price of technology and the cost learning dynamics. This paper utilizes a multi-factors learning function to represent such learning dynamics. Empirical estimates from our model are compared with those from other logistics curve formulations and are shown to better fit the annual PV production data during the past quarter century in the case of Japan. The very fact that the potential of this class of innovation can be leveraged only if it interacts closely with the institution highlights the importance of institutional determinants of adoption and diffusion of such innovations like PV. We therefore attempt to put forward an institutional framework, based on viewing PV as a technology platform, to consider PV diffusion beyond mathematical and empirical modeling. Some future research directions are also proposed.

The coarsening of Al3Sc precipitates in an Al–1 mass%Mg–0.27 mass%Sc alloy aged at 673 to 748 K has been studied by measuring both the precipitate size by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and the Sc concentration in the Al matrix by electrical resistivity measurements. The growth and coarsening of Al3Sc precipitates occur concurrently prior to the beginning of coarsening. The Al3Sc precipitates grow more