京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(経済学) / 甲第24307号 / 経博第659号 / 新制||経||302(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院経済学研究科経済学専攻 / (主査)准教授 WANG Tao, 教授 澤邉 紀生, 教授 山内 裕, 准教授 Thinley Tharchen / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Economics / Kyoto University / DGAM

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This project encompasses the design of a pretreatment protocol for blood serum and adaption of that protocol to a microfluidic environment in order to optimize key sample characteristics, namely pH, conductivity, and viscosity, to enable on-chip electrokinetic separations. The two major parts of this project include (1) designing a pretreatment protocol to optimize key parameters of the sample solution within a target range and (2) designing /fabricating a microchip that will effectively combine the sample solution with the appropriate buffers to replicate the same bench-scale protocol on the micro-scale. Biomarker detection in complex samples such as blood necessitates appropriate sample “pretreatment” in order for specific markers to be isolated through subsequent separations. This project, though using conventional mixing techniques and buffer solutions, is one of the first to observe the effects of the combination of micro-mixing and sample pretreatment in order to create an all-in-one “pretreatment chip”. Using previous literature related to capillary electrophoresis, a bench-scale pretreatment protocol was developed to tune these parameters to an optimal range. A PDMS device was fabricated and used to combine raw sample with specific buffer solutions. Off-chip electrodes were used to induce electrokinetic micro-mixing in the mixing chamber, where homogeneous analyte mixing was achieved in less than one second using an 800V DC pulse wave. Ultimately, we wish to incorporate this device with pre-fabricated electrokinetic devices to optimize certain bioseparations.

Two compliant bistable micro-mechanisms have been developed which can be switched in either direction using on-chip thermal actuation. The energy storage and bistable behavior of the mechanisms are achieved through the elastic deflection of compliant segments. The pseudo-rigid-body model was used for the compliant mechanism design, and for analysis of the large-deflection flexible segments. To achieve on-chip actuation, the mechanism designs were optimized to reduce their required rotation, allow them to be switched using linear-motion thermal actuators. The modeling theory and analysis are presented for several design iterations. Each iteration was successfully fabricated and tested using either the MUMPs or SUMMiT surface micromachining technology.

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The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the emerging global trend of micro apartments to find out if it provides a potential solution for the severe shortage of small, affordable apartments in Stockholm.  As the concept is already a researched area in foreign real estate markets, the lack of research on the demand for micro apartments in Stockholm despite the highest rate of single households and rising housing prices was identified as a research gap.  The aim of the research is to identify the most significant opportunities, risks and obstacles of the micro housing concept applied for the Stockholm market as well as estimating a range of potential demand for varying economic scenarios.  The approach of the research was to conduct empirical studies in the form of interviews with experts in the field and conduct a survey measuring consumer preferences. Furthermore, secondary data was collected in the form of statistical data and extensive literature on the existing research on micro housing in foreign markets, characteristics of the Stockholm housing market and economic outlooks for the region. These findings allowed us to make forecasts for the housing market in Stockholm and estimate the future demand for micro units. The calculations were limited to the ownership market in Stockholm municipality and focusing on a specific target group.  The results were a demand in the most likely economic scenario of 300-400 units in the short term (specified as 2018-2021) and range of 150-250 units in the medium term (specified as 2022-2028).  The originality and the value of the paper lies in collection of opportunities, risks and obstacles of the micro housing concept specifically for Stockholm from the perspectives of multiple actors on the housing market, in addition to providing practical recommendations for developers, the municipality and researchers based on the extensive analysis and also providing a model to estimate the future demand for this housing solution. / Syftet med uppsatsen är att analysera den växande globala trenden av mikrolägenheter och att ta reda på om dessa kan lösa bristen på små och prisvärda lägenheter i Stockholm.  Konceptet har studerats ingående på internationella bostadsmarknader, dock är undersökning angående efterfrågan för mikrolägenheter i Stockholm bristfällig, detta till trots att regionen tillhandahåller den högsta andelen singelhushåll i världen, samt har en hög tillväxt för bostadspriser, vilket medför en lucka i bostadsforskningen.  Syftet med studien är att identifiera de mest betydande möjligheterna, riskerna och hindren för konceptet mikrobostäder på Stockholms bostadsmarknad, såväl som att beräkna samt bedöma efterfrågan för mikrolägenheter för olika ekonomiska scenarier.  Studiens tillvägagångssätt bestod av utförande av empiriska studier, såväl intervjuer med experter på området samt en granskning av konsumenters preferenser för mikrolägenheter. Utöver dessa inhämtades sekundärdata såsom statistisk data samt omfattande litteratur och tidigare internationell forskning i ämnet. Med det inhämtade materialet kunde vi utföra beräkningar samt estimeringar av den framtida efterfrågan för mikrolägenheter i Stockholm. Beräkningarna var begränsade till Stockholms kommun, samt till den huvudsakliga målgruppen för mikrolägenheter. Resultatet visade att efterfrågan för mikrolägenheter i det mest sannolika ekonomiska scenariot var mellan 300 och 400 enheter för tidsperioden 2018-2021 och mellan 150 till 250 enheter för tidsperioden 2022-2028.  Studiens värde och originalitet ligger i de samlade och specifika möjligheterna, riskerna och hindren för konceptet på Stockholms bostadsmarknad, samt i de rekommendationer vi ger till bostadsutvecklare, kommun samt forskare baserat på den omfattande analysen av ämnet, såväl som modellen vilken beräknar efterfrågan för mikrolägenheter.

Functional properties of living cells depend on the thermodynamic variables such as temperature and pressure. A unique tool to investigate volume effects on structure and metabolism of the cell and biomolecules is pressure perturbation. We have developed a new setup that enables micro-spectroscopy and optical imaging of individual live cells at variable pressure from 0.1 to 400 MPa. Following characterization of the setup, pressure and temperature effects on the secondary structure of the peptide Poly-L-glutamic acid (PGA) in deuterated water buffer solution were investigated. The amide I band of PGA is sensitive to pressure and temperature, and by spectral deconvolution, we determined the relative contributions due to the ?-helix and random coil conformations. The population of ?-helix increases with increasing pressure. Pressure effects on single red blood cells and the intracellular protein hemoglobin were studied by micro-Raman spectroscopy. In particular, we observed a shift in the frequency of the iron-histidine vibrational band in both the intracellular hemoglobin and hemoglobin in solutions. The iron-histidine mode is a sensitive structural marker of the crucial iron-protein linkage in heme proteins. The pressure dependent shift suggests a conformational change of the heme environment. This finding was further supported by micro-absorption measurements at variable pressure. In additional experiments, Raman spectroscopy was employed to probe molecular changes that occurred in hemoglobin in erythrocytes infected with the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. The spectra of infected cells indicated that hemoglobin degradation can be correlated with the stages of the parasite multiplication cycle. The research was further extended towards probing size and shape changes of individual cells with pressure. The lateral diameter in yeast cells was observed to decrease with pressure in a reversible way. These results suggest that transport of the intra-cellular water may play a significant role for volume changes. In summary, pressure changes were shown to induce conformational changes in proteins and shape changes in yeast cells. A Raman technique was developed to monitor the states of Plasmodium falciparum multiplication cycle within a red blood cell.

This research demonstrated the effectiveness of Transit Signal Priority (TSP) in improving bus corridor travel time in a simulated environment using real world data. TSP is a technology that provides preferential treatment to buses at signalized intersections. By considering different scenarios of activating bus signal priority when a bus is 3 or 5 minutes behind schedule, it was demonstrated that bus travel times improved significantly while there is little effect on delays for crossing street traffic. The case of providing signal priority for buses unconditionally resulted in significant crossing street delays for some signalized intersections with only minor improvement to bus travel time over both scenarios of Conditional priority. Evaluation was conducted by using micro-simulation and statistical analysis to compare Unconditional and Conditional TSP with the No TSP scenario. This evaluation looked at performance metrics (for buses and all vehicles) including average speed profiles, average travel times, average number of stops, and crossing street delay. Different Conditional TSP scenarios of activating TSP when a bus is 3 or 5 minutes behind schedule were considered. The simulation demonstrated that Conditional TSP significantly improved bus travel times with little effect on crossing street delays. The results also showed that utilizing TSP technology reduced the environmental emissions in the I-Drive corridor. Furthermore, field data was used to calculate actual passenger travel time savings and benefit cost ratio (7.92) that resulted from implementing conditional TSP. Conditional TSP 3 minutes behind schedule was determined to be the most beneficial and practical TSP scenario for real world implementation at both the corridor and regional levels.

In the area of MEMS there exists a tremendous need for communication between the micro-device and the macro world. A standard protocol or at least multiple standards would be of great use. Electrical connections have been standardized for many uses and configurations by the integrated circuit industry. Standardization in the IC industry has created a marketplace for digital devices unprecedented. In addition to the number of "off the shelf" products available, there exists the possibility for consumers to mix and match many devices from many different manufacturers. This research proposes some similar solutions as those for integrated circuits for fluid connections and mechanical configurations that could be used on many different devices. In conjunction with offering the capability to facilitate communication between the micro and macro worlds, the packaging solutions should be easy to fabricate. Many devices are by nature non-standard, unique, designs that make a general solution difficult. At the same time, the micro-devices themselves will inevitably need to evolve some standardization. In BioMEMS devices the packaging issue is concerned with delivering a sample to the device, conducting the sample to the sensor or sensors, and removing the sample. Conducting the sample to the sensor or sensors is usually done with microchannels created by standard MEMS fabrication techniques. Many current designs then utilize conventional machining techniques to create the inlet and outlet for the sample. This work proposes a rapid prototyping method for creating the microchannel and inlet / outlet in simplified steps. The packages developed from this process proved to be an effective solution for many applications.