Abstract: A microparticle can include a central region and a peripheral region. The peripheral region can include a nanoparticle, such as a metal nanoparticle, a metal oxide nanoparticle, or a semiconductor nanocrystal. The microparticle can be a member of a monodisperse population of particles.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pressure measuring system for a vacuum chamber, in particular, a pressure measuring system for a vacuum chamber using ultrasonic wave. In this regard, there is provided a pressure measuring system for a vacuum chamber using ultrasonic wave, comprising a vacuum chamber 10 formed with desired vacuum at the inside thereof; ultrasonic wave-emitting means mounted close to an outer peripheral surface of the vacuum chamber 10 for emitting an ultrasonic wave 62 to the inside of the vacuum chamber 10; ultrasonic wave-receiving means for receiving a reflection wave 64 reflected after the striking of the ultrasonic wave 62 emitted from the ultrasonic wave-emitting means to the vacuum chamber; reflection wave-detecting means for detecting the reflection wave 64 from the ultrasonic wave-receiving means; and amplitude-analyzing means for analyzing the amplitude of the reflection wave 64 detected by the reflection wave-detecting means.

Abstract: Provided are a Raman amplifier and a Raman pumping method. A light source unit outputs a pumping light having a wavelength that periodically changes. A light intensity control unit varies a light intensity of the pumping light using the pumping light to improve the gain flatness of a Raman gain. A control unit directs the light intensity control unit to control the light intensity of the pumping light in synchronization with changes in the wavelength of the pumping light.

Abstract: A chip package structure and a process for fabricating the same is disclosed. The chip package structure mainly comprises a carrier, a chip and an encapsulating material layer. To fabricate the chip package, a carrier and a plurality of chips are provided. Each chip has at least an active surface with a plurality of bumps thereon. The chips and the carrier are electrically connected. An encapsulating material layer that fills the bonding gap between the chips and the carriers and covers the chips and carrier is formed. The encapsulating material layer between the chips and the carrier has a first thickness and the encapsulating material layer over the chips has a second thickness. The second thickness has a value between half to twice the first thickness.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for identifying surrounding environment by means of image processing, so as to be used by blind people or unmanned vehicles. The said apparatus comprises an input device, which includes at least one CCD or CMOS means for capturing images, a processing device, which could be a micro processing unit such as a notebook computer, DSP or other embedded system, and an output device, such as a speech earphone. The processing device applies hue analysis and geometric analysis to identify traffic signals and markings.

Abstract: A key sharing system is disclosed which uses a public key X?GF(n) (2?X<n) which belongs to a Galois finite field GF(n) for an integer n (n?2), and a polynomial T(•, •) defined in GF(n) by T(a, x)?S(a, x)mod n where S(•, •) is a Chebyshev polynomial defined by S(a, cos ?)=cos(a?) where a is an integer (a?2). In a key sharing apparatus of this system, an integer obtaining unit obtains an integer p (2?p<n), a transmission key calculation unit calculates a transmission key Y?GF(n) using the integer p based on Y=T(p, X), a transmission key sending unit sends the transmission key Y to another key sharing apparatus, a transmission key reception unit receives a transmission key W from another key sharing apparatus, and a common key calculation unit calculates a common key Z?GF(n) using the transmission key W based on Z=T(p, W).

Abstract: The present application disclosed a method for preparing a sterile transgenic fish, comprising constructing antisense RNA expression vector of salmon-type gonadotropin-releasing hormone, introducing the recombinant DNA fragment into carp oosperm by microinjection, and screening the sterile transgenic fish by Polymerase Chain Reaction and radioimmunoassay, wherein the expression vector comprising a promoter of carp beta actin (?-actin) gene, a complementary DNA fragment of antisense salmon-type gonadotropin-releasing hormone (sGnRH) gene from carp with 323 bp as a target gene comprising sGnRH decapeptide, the coding region of gonadotropin-releasing hormone associated peptide and 3? non-coding sequence, and 3? flanking sequence of grass carp growth hormone gene as a stop sequence.

Abstract: A method of enhancing progenitor cell differentiation, including enhancing myogenesis, neurogenesis, and hematopoiesis, by contacting a progenitor cell with an effective amount of a deacetylase inhibitor (DI). The progenitor cell can be part of cell culture, such as a cell culture used for in vitro or in vivo analysis of progenitor cell differentiation, or can be part of an organsism, such as a human or other mammal. Contacting the progenitor cell with a DI can lead to enhancement of expression of terminal cell-type specific genes in the progenitor cell, such as enhancing expression of muscle-specific genes in myoblasts. Administering a DI to a subject also can provide some prophylactic or therapeutic effect for inhibiting, preventing, or treating associated with a degeneration or loss of tissue. The DI can be administered to a subject as part of a pharmaceutical composition.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the detection and/or measurement of a phenol comprising: (a) contacting the sample to be tested with a polymer imprinted with the phenol or an analogue thereof; and (b) measuring binding of the phenol to the polymer. The polymer may be prepared by polymerizing a polymerizable monomer, to which a phenol is covalently bound by a hydrolysable linker, and subsequently removing the phenol by hydrolysis. Propofol is a preferred phenol for use in the invention.

Abstract: Nanostructures (18) and methods for production thereof by phase separation during metal organic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE). An embodiment of one of the methods may comprise providing a growth surface in a reaction chamber and introducing a first mixture of precursor materials into the reaction chamber to form a buffer layer (12) thereon. A second mixture of precursor materials may be provided into the reaction chamber to form an active region (14) on the buffer layer (12), wherein the nanostructure (18) is embedded in a matrix (16) in the active region (14). Additional steps are also disclosed for preparing the nanostructure (18) product for various applications.

Abstract: We have now discovered that eukaryotes, including mammals, have a DNA mismatch repair pathway analogous to the pathway that exists in bacteria. Defects or alterations in this mismatch repair pathway in a mammal, such as a human, will result in the accumulation of unstable repeated DNA sequences. Such a phenotype has a high correlation to disease state in a number of cancers, such as hereditary colon cancers. Accordingly, discovering a defect or alteration in the pathway can be diagnostic of a predisposition to cancer, and prognostic for a particular cancer.

Abstract: Provided is an electron beam lens for a micro-column electron beam apparatus and a method of manufacturing the same. A photosensitive glass substrate is used as a base isolation substrate and a thin metal film is grown by a plating method. Holes through which electron beam passes are formed by a lift off method after forming a resist pattern shaped as a hole on a seed metal layer and plating the thin metal film.

Abstract: In situ fluorescence method to monitor state of sulfur-deprived algal culture's ability to produce H2 under sulfur depletion, comprising: a) providing sulfur-deprived algal culture; b) illuminating culture; c) measuring onset of H2 percentage in produced gas phase at multiple times to ascertain point immediately after anerobiosis to obtain H2 data as function of time; and d) determining any abrupt change in three in situ fluorescence parameters; i) increase in Ft (steady-state level of chlorophyll fluorescence in light adapted cells); ii) decrease in Fm?, (maximal saturating light induced fluorescence level in light adapted cells); and iii) decrease in ?F/Fm?=(Fm??Ft)/Fm? (calculated photochemical activity of photosystem II (PSII) signaling full reduction of plastoquinone pool between PSII and PSI, which indicates start of anaerobic conditions that induces synthesis of hydrogenase enzyme for subsequent H2 production that signal oxidation of plastoquinone pool asmain factor to regulate H2 under sulfur depletio

Abstract: A method of balancing the voltage of DC links in a cascaded multi-level converter (CMC) semiconductor circuit, including the steps of providing a plurality of H-bridge converters per phase in the CMC circuit and utilizing a three phase duty cycle value from the main controller to determine a normalized duty cycle value, a ceiling duty cycle value and a floor duty cycle value. The normalized duty cycle value and an output current of the CMC is used to determine the direction and polarity of a capacitor current, and utilizing the capacitor current to determine a plurality of output capacitor voltages. A voltage summation result and direction is obtained from a ceiling index pointer and a floor index pointer and the voltage summation result, direction from the ceiling index pointer and a floor index pointer are used to create a combined switching table for the H-bridge converters. A pulse width modulator is utilized to balance the voltage of the DC links and thereby eliminate DC-capacitor voltage imbalance.

Abstract: A device for use with a source of radiation to provide a THz emission image representing a sample. The device comprises a substrate, a metallic probe having a tip adjacent to the substrate surface and a source of AC bias coupled between the probe tip and substrate. Radiation generated by the source of radiation is incident on the substrate surface in the vicinity of the probe tip and generates THz emission based at least on the AC bias coupled between the probe tip and substrate. A method for providing a THz emission image representing a sample is also provided.

Abstract: Fiber structures that include a catalytic material are provided. The fiber structures (e.g., membranes) may be formed of interconnected carbon fibers. The catalytic material may be in the form of nanosize particles supported on the fibers. In one method of the invention, the structures are produced by electrospinning a polymeric material fiber structure that is subsequently converted to a carbon fiber structure in a heat treatment step which also causes the catalytic material particles to nucleate on the carbon fibers and grow to a desired size. The catalytic material may be uniformly distributed across the carbon fiber structure and the amount of catalytic material may be controlled. These factors may enhance catalytic performance and/or enable using less catalytic material for equivalent catalytic performance which can lead to cost savings, amongst other advantages. The fiber structures may be used in a variety of applications including electrodes in batteries and fuel cells.

Abstract: An autostereoscopic projection screen with projection displays a stereoscopic image for receiving parallax images of right eye and left eye. The autostereoscopic projection screen includes a polarization-reserved diffuser, a microretarder, a polarizer, and a parallax element. Parallax images of right eye and left eye pass through the polarization-reserved diffuser and the microretarder for transferring their polarization states. Parallax images of right eye and left eye with specific polarization states will pass the polarizer and parallax element for dividing images of right eye and left eye from parallax images. The individual images separately enter viewing zones of right eye and left eye to generate the stereoscopic-image for viewers.

Abstract: One system of the present invention includes a modulated light source subsystem to provide a first light signal with a first modulation index, and a second light signal with a second modulation index. The system also includes a region to receive an analyte for evaluation and direct the first light signal thereto, and a detector responsive to the second light signal and a third light signal from the region to provide an output representative of spectroscopic information. The third light signal further includes noise induced by residual amplitude modulation that is reduced at the detector by the second light signal in accordance with a difference between the first modulation index and the second modulation index.

Abstract: In order to offer a new and useful device in being able to objectively assess the psychological state when a subject performs an assignment, a psychological state assessment device is configured to irradiate a specified measurement site in the brain of a subject with near infrared light of a specified wavelength, to obtain time change data indicating time change data for the amount of blood and/or amount of blood components respectively while performing a task and while at rest, and to assess the psychological state of the subject while performing the assignment based on time change data during the rest period in comparison with time change data while performing the task.

Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor optical device having a current-confined structure. The device includes a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type which is formed on a semiconductor substrate and includes one or more material layers, a second semiconductor layer which is formed on the first semiconductor layer and includes one or more material layers, and a third semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type which is formed on the second semiconductor layer and includes one or more material layers. One or more layers among the first semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor, and the third semiconductor layer have a mesa structure. A lateral portion of at least one of the material layers constituting the first semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor layer, and the third semiconductor layer is recessed, and the recess is partially or wholly filled with an oxide layer, a nitride layer or a combination of them.