Abstract: Enhanced methods, apparatuses and systems are disclosed for the real-time detection and classification of biological and non-biological particles by substantially simultaneously measuring a single particle's characteristics in terms of size and density, elastic scattering properties, and absorption and fluorescence.

Abstract: The invention provides a power conversion device operable in a discontinuous conduction mode under the control of a switch. During operation in the discontinuous conduction mode, an oscillating voltage exists across the switch means prior to a turn-on of the switch means. The power conversion the device comprises a switching controller arranged to ensure that turn-on of the switch occurs at a minimum of the oscillating voltage. The power conversion device also comprises a timer arranged to provide a controlled time period following a first turn-on of the switching means, during which a second turn-on of the switching means can not occur. Such an arrangement is advantageous in that a low power level of operation of the device and a short conduction time of the switch means does not lead to an undesirable increase in switching frequency. Consequently, a reduction in a parasitic capacitance of the switch will be rewarded by an increase in efficiency.

Abstract: An unoriented polypropylene-based film or sheet possessing excellent impact resistance at low temperature, transparency, heat resistance at low temperature and excellent tear strength and/or stress whitening resistance. A molding material which comprises a polypropylene-based resin material comprising 40 to 80% by weight of crystalline polypropylene and 60 to 20% by weight of propylene-&agr;-olefin copolymer containing 20 to 80% by weight of propylene polymerization units, the propylene-&agr;-olefin copolymer dispersed as particles in the crystalline polypropylene, is unoriently molded to afford a film-shaped or sheet-shaped molding, wherein the particle diameter have an aspect ratio (L/D) of mean dispersed particle length (L) to mean dispersed particle diameter along the thickness of the molding (D) of 30 or more in a cross section of the molding along the MD direction, and the mean dispersed particle diameter of 0.3 &mgr;m or less.