Abstract: The invention relates to a micro-porous membrane comprising a porous membrane carrier made of a first polymeric material (A) and comprising a second polymeric material (B) intimately divided throughout the porous membrane carrier, wherein the porous membrane carrier comprises a plurality of interconnected polymeric fibers, fibrils, filaments and/or lamellae having a thickness of less than 1 ?m, the porous membrane carrier has an interconnected open porous structure formed by the plurality of interconnected polymeric fibers, fibrils, filaments and/or lamellae and a porosity of at least 50%; and the polymeric material (B) comprises a thermoplastic polycondensation polymer and is present in an amount of at most 30 wt. %, relative to the total weight of (A) and (B).

Abstract: The invention relates to an hydrophilic membrane comprising a membrane carrier and a hydrophilic coating with good properties. The coating may comprise covalently bound inorganic-organic hybrid material; or the coating may comprise ring-opening polymerized components like epoxy resins. The coating composition preferably is applied in a solvent, the solvent is evaporated, and the coating is cured with UV radiation. The hydrophilic membrane is very useful in water purification, and in other applications.

Abstract: Machine-readable media, methods, apparatus and system for testing a data communication performance of a network system are described. In some embodiments, an apparatus may comprise a first channel to synchronize a local clock of the apparatus with another local clock of another apparatus by communicating a synchronization message with the another apparatus through a first connection. The apparatus may further comprise a second channel to analyze a transceiving activity performed by the apparatus through a second connection and a timestamp of the transceiving activity, wherein the timestamp is made based upon the local clock.

Abstract: A method for volume adaptation, a mobile electronic device and a computer program product are disclosed. According to the method for volume adaptation, a sound producing function is started. At intervals, a present first environmental noise is sampled, a present set playing volume of the mobile electronic device is inquired about, and a second environmental noise occurring on setting the playing volume is obtained. Finally, the playing volume is adjusted according to the first environmental noise and the second environmental noise. In this way, the present invention is able to automatically adjust the playing volume thereof in response to the environmental noises of different times, which largely increases the convenience of using the mobile electronic device.

Abstract: A membrane for gas separation includes a porous support layer and a separation layer. The separation layer comprises a mixture of one or more saccharide derivatives and one or more homopolymers. The saccharide derivative(s) may have a cyclic structure with five or six ring atoms, or a linear structure, or may include monosaccharide derivatives which are bound via glycoside bonds, and the number of monosaccharides bound in this manner may be 2 to 1,000. A membrane can be produced by preparing a homogeneous solution which comprises a saccharide derivative and a homopolymer in a solvent; and pouring the homogenous solution onto a support layer. The membrane may be used in a gas separation module the operation of which makes use of the membrane.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of identifying whether one or more candidate compounds is a modulator of a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) or a modulator of blood glucose concentration. In certain embodiments, the GPCR is human. The present invention also relates to methods of using a modulator of the GPCR. A preferred modulator is agonist. Agonists of the invention are useful as therapeutic agents for lowering blood glucose concentration, for preventing or treating certain metabolic disorders, such as insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, and diabetes, and for preventing or treating a complication of an elevated blood glucose concentration, such as atherosclerosis, heart disease, stroke, hypertension and peripheral vascular disease.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of identifying whether one or more candidate compounds is a modulator of a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) or a modulator of blood glucose concentration. In certain embodiments, the GPCR is human. The present invention also relates to methods of using a modulator of the GPCR. A preferred modulator is agonist. Agonists of the invention are useful as therapeutic agents for lowering blood glucose concentration, for preventing or treating certain metabolic disorders, such as insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, and diabetes, and for preventing or treating a complication of an elevated blood glucose concentration, such as atherosclerosis, heart disease, stroke, hypertension and peripheral vascular disease.

Abstract: A multi-state magnetoresistive random access memory unit (MRAM) having a plurality of memory cells, each of the cells are written to and read from, independently of other cells. The plurality of memory cells comprises a recording layer as a pinned magnetic layer and a read layer as an unpinned layer. The unpinned layer has a higher Curie point than the pinned layer. The pinned layer in an individual cell is heated to near its Curie point and a bit line current and a word line current is used to align the magnetization vector of the recording layer at a plurality of angles relative to the magnetization vector of the read layer.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to an apparatus and method for performing a unique searching and/or sorting algorithm. In accordance with one embodiment, a searching algorithm is implemented by performing a digit-by-digit comparison of a received number with a directory of stored numbers, by comparing digits in a generally right to left (or least significant to most significant) direction. In one system having a mobile phone that implements an embodiment of the invention, digits of a base phone number are compared before digits of a prefix, such as an area code or country code of the phone number.

Abstract: In a computer database synchronization method, a first database with first object data and a second database with second object data are established in a personal computer and an electronic dictionary, respectively. First and second synchronization status tables are established for each of the first and second object data, respectively. The synchronization status tables are modified from a first state, indicating that the corresponding object data is synchronized with the first or second database, to a second state, indicating that the corresponding object data is not synchronized with the first or second database, when the corresponding object data is edited. Synchronizing of the first and second databases can begin when a communications link is established between the personal computer and the electronic dictionary.

Abstract: A laser diode for emitting a coherent beam of light in the blue and/or green portions of the spectrum. The laser diode includes a plurality of layers of II-VI semiconductor forming a pn junction, including at least a first light-guiding layer. A short-period strained-layer superlattice (SPSLS) CdZnSe quantum well active layer is positioned within the pn junction. The layers of II-VI semiconductor are supported by a substrate. First and second electrodes on opposite sides of the layers of II-VI semiconductor couple electrical energy to the laser diode.

Abstract: A buried-ridge or buried-heterostructure II-VI laser diode. Polycrystalline II-VI semiconductor such as ZnS, ZnSSe, ZnSe or CdS deposited by vacuum evaporation buries the etched ridge.

Abstract: A II-VI compound semiconductor laser diode includes a plurality of layers of II-VI semiconductor forming a pn junction supported by a single crystal GaAs semiconductor substrate. The layers forming the pn junction include a first cladding layer of a first conductivity type, a second cladding layer of a second conductivity type, and at least a first guiding layer between the first and second cladding layers. A CdZnSe or other II-VI semiconductor quantum well active layer is positioned within the pn junction. Electrical energy is coupled to the laser diode by first and second electrodes.

Abstract: A buried-ridge or buried-heterostructure II-VI laser diode. Polycrystalline II-VI semiconductor such as ZnS, ZnSSe, ZnSe or CdS deposited by vacuum evaporation buries the etched ridge.

Abstract: A method for using atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) and/or migration enhanced epitaxy (MEE) to grow high efficiency quantum wells in II-VI laser diodes. The substrate and previously grown layers of the laser diode are heated to a temperature less than or equal to about 200.degree. C. in an MBE chamber. Sources of Cd, Zn, and Se are injected alternately into the chamber to grow a short-period strained-layer superlattice (SPSLS) quantum well layer including overlaying monolayers of Cd, Zn and Se. The quantum well layer is described by the notation [(CdSe).sub.m (ZnSe).sub.n ].sub.p where m, n and p are integers.

Abstract: A single quantum well II-VI laser diode without semiconductor cladding layers includes a pn junction formed by overlaying light-guiding layers of p-type and n-type ZnSe on an n-type GaAs substrate. A CdSe/ZnSe short-period strained-layer superlattice single quantum well active layer is positioned between the guiding layers. An Au electrode overlays the p-type guiding layer opposite the single quantum well active layer. The guiding layers have thicknesses which enable the substrate and Au electrode to confine the light beam generated by the device within the active layer and the guiding layers.

Abstract: A II-VI compound semiconductor laser diode includes a N-type GaAs substrate, a first cladding layer of N-type ZnSSe overlaying the substrate, a first guiding layer of N-type ZnSe semiconductor overlaying the first cladding layer. A quantum well layer of strained CdZnSe semiconductor overlaying the first guiding layer, a second guiding layer of p-type ZnSe semiconductor overlaying the quantum well layer, and a second cladding layer of p-type ZnSSe semiconductor overlaying the second guiding layer.

Abstract: A ZnSe semiconductor device includes a ZnSe pn junction having p-type and n-type layers, and an ohmic contact to both layers. The ohmic contact to the p-type layer includes a p-type ZnSe crystalline semiconductor contact layer, and a conductive electrode layer characterized by a Fermi energy. The contact layer is doped with nitrogen shallow acceptors, characterized by a shallow acceptor energy, to a net acceptor concentration of at least 5.times.10.sup.17 cm.sup.-3. The contact layer also includes sufficient deep energy states between the shallow acceptor energy and the electrode layer Fermi energy to enable cascade tunneling by charge carriers.

Abstract: A method for producing an ohmic contact to a p-type ZnSe semiconductor body in a molecular beam epitaxy chamber. Zinc, thermally cracked Se.sub.2 and nitrogen are injected into the chamber. A ZnSe contact layer is grown by heating the semiconductor body to a temperature less than 250.degree. C., but high enough to promote crystalline growth of the layer doped with nitrogen to a net acceptor concentration of at least 1.times.10.sup.18 cm.sup.-3.