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: This invention relates to a method for regulating the biodegradability of composite biomaterials comprising calcium salt (particularly hydroxyapatite) and collagen, improved composite biomaterials obtained via such method, and a method for increasing bone mass with the use of such composite biomaterials.

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.

Abstract: The present application provides systems and/or methods for accessing a portion of a mass-fragment spectrum, constructing a vector that is responsive to an intensity-balance of the spectrum, and selecting the spectrum responsive to the vector.

Abstract: This invention describes novel catalytically active cytosolic enzymes for triacylglycerol biosynthesis from eukaryotic systems. The complex from oleaginous yeast was enzymatically characterized, and was found to contain lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase, phosphatidic acid phosphatase, diacylglycerol acyltransferase, acyl—acyl carrier protein synthetase, superoxide dismutase and acyl carrier protein. The triacylglycerol biosynthetic machinery rapidly incorporates free fatty acids as well as fatty acyl-coenzyme A into triacylglycerol and its biosynthetic intermediates. Lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase, phosphatidic acid phosphatase and diacylglycerol acyltransferase from the complex were microsequenced. Acyl carrier protein, superoxide dismutase and diacylglycerol acyltransferase genes were cloned and expressed in bacterial system.

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: A population of nanocrystals having a narrow and controllable size distribution and can be prepared by a continuous flow method.

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: 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 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: Provided are a method and apparatus for multiplexing and demultiplexing variable-length high-speed packets. According to the method and apparatus, a plurality of one-gigabit Ethernet frames are multiplexed into a single 10-gigabit Ethernet frame and the single 10-gigabit Ethernet frame is demultiplexed into the plurality of one-gigabit Ethernet frames. In order to process variable-length high-speed packets, packet multiplexing instead of simple TDM is used and a larger input bandwidth than an output bandwidth is used, so that a statistical multiplex effect is accomplished. In addition, standard interface is used for input and output interface, so existing universal chips can be used.

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: 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: The present invention provides an electrically conductive paste for connecting thermoelectric materials, the paste comprising a specific powdery oxide and at least one powdery electrically conductive metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, platinum, and alloys containing at least one of these metals. By connecting a thermoelectric material to an electrically conductive substrate with the electrically conductive paste of the invention, a suitable electroconductivity is imparted to the connecting portion of the thermoelectric element. Further, the thermal expansion coefficient of the connecting portion can be made close to that of the thermoelectric material. Therefore, even when high-temperature power generation is repeated, separation at the connecting portion is prevented and a favorable thermoelectric performance can be maintained.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel water-soluble keratin derivative and applications thereof. Water-soluble keratin produced by the alkali treatment of feathers, and modified keratin, gives the following useful materials: (1) a high energy wave absorber, (2) a luminescent substrate, (3) a material weatherproofness improver, (4) a water repellant, and (5) a foaming agent.

Abstract: Provided are an apparatus for evaluating an indirect loss caused by a ubiquity effect by provision of a universal service, and a method thereof. The apparatus includes a first data storage unit for storing population statistics-related data, a second data storage unit for storing universal service offer-related data, a control unit for reading out and delivering required data from the first and second data storage units to a ubiquity loss calculation unit and controlling the ubiquity loss calculation unit, the ubiquity loss calculation unit for calculating a ubiquity loss of each evaluation object district by using the required data from the control unit, and a third data storage unit for storing the ubiquity loss of each evaluation object district calculated in the ubiquity loss calculation unit.

Abstract: By inputting words of source language as a keyword (31), a translation pairs are extracted (50) from a parallel corpus database including source language and target one. From the partially corresponding information on the translation sentence, a corresponding phrase group table formed by the corresponding phase of the target language corresponding to the source language phrase including a keyword phrase f the source language is stored (60). Text generator (70) assumes a relationship between the phrases of different language contained in the corresponding phrase group table and generates a text sentence candidate (32) of the target language.

Abstract: [Problems] To provide a novel mixture for assaying a target nucleic acid, characterized by enabling a nucleic acid assay while: 1) requiring no step of diluting the target nucleic acid; 2) requiring no procedure of changing a probe concentration depending on a concentration of the target nucleic acid. [Means for Solving Problems] 1) A mixture which comprises one internal standard nucleic acid and two nucleic acid probes labeled with a fluorescent dye; 2) a mixture for measuring Km value which comprises one internal standard nucleic acid having a partial mutation and one nucleic acid probe labeled with a fluorescent dye; 3) a mixture which comprises one internal standard nucleic acid and one double nucleic acid probe labeled with two fluorescent dyes; and a method for assaying a nucleic acid by making use thereof.