On-Line Techniques for Error Detection and Correction in Processor Registers with Cross-Parity Check

This paper proposes the Cross-Parity check as a method for an on-line detection of multiple bit-errors in registers or register files of microprocessors. Transient or soft errors caused by radiation as single event upsets (SEUs) or electromagnetic coupling are in the focus of this work. Especially for register files or register groups, an easy implementable error correction method is proposed, which can be implemented by software routines or additional hardware. The method is based on the logical interpretation of Cross-Parity vectors.     

Online check and recovery techniques for dependable embeddedprocessors

Efficient online check and fast recovery techniques for embedded systems aim to detect single or multiple errors within the same clock cycle in which they occur. It is argued that such techniques can enable fast error correction; detection of illegal states, micro- rollback for transient and permanent faults; and prioritized, controlled recovery     

Activation of the signal transducer glycoprotein 130 by both IL-6 and IL-11 requires two distinct binding epitopes

The coordination and regulation of immune responses are primarily mediated by cytokines that bind to specific cell surface receptors. Glycoprotein 130 (gp130) belongs to the family of class I cytokine receptors and is the common signal-transducing receptor subunit shared by the so-called IL-6 type cytokines (IL-6, IL-11, ciliary neurotrophic factor, leukemia inhibitory factor, oncostatin M, and cardiotrophin-1). The inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-11 induce gp130 homodimerization after binding to their specific alpha receptors, which leads to the activation of the Janus kinase/STAT signal transduction pathway. A molecular model of IL-6/IL-6R/gp130, which is based on the structure of the growth hormone/growth hormone receptor complex, allowed the selection of several amino acids located in the cytokine-binding module of gp130 for mutagenesis. The mutants were analyzed with regard to IL-6- or IL-11-induced STAT activation and ligand binding. It was found that Y190 and F191 are essential for the interaction of gp130 with IL-6 as well as IL-11, suggesting a common mode of recognition of helical cytokines by class I cytokine receptors. Furthermore, the requirement of the gp130 N-terminal Ig-like domain for ligand binding and signal transduction was demonstrated by the use of deletion mutants. Thus, besides the observed analogy to the growth hormone/growth hormone receptor complex, there is a substantial difference in the mechanism of receptor engagement by cytokines that signal via gp130.     

Hydrogen Supplied ICEs and Fuel Cells for Commercial Vehicles

In view of the limited availability of fossil fuels and the necessity to reduce the output of emissions of greenhouse gases in the long term, the transport sector needs efficient, environmentally compatible drive solutions. Hydrogen, as a clean and sustainable fuel, offers a high implementation potential and can be used both in internal combustion engines and in fuel cells. In urban deployment the fuel cell drive has specific advantages and is suitable for use in city buses. Integration of high‐power energy storage systems improves fuel consumption and can reduce the costs of the drive system. In May 2000 MAN presented its first fuel cell bus, which was successfully deployed in passenger transport in various cities. The next FC‐bus, using hybrid fuel cell propulsion, is planned under the framework of the Bavarian hydrogen project at Munich Airport and will be tested from spring 2004 on. The first deployment of pre‐series bus fleets with fuel cells using hydrogen as fuel can be expected from the end of this decade onwards.     

Spectral shift as advanced index for fruit chlorophyll breakdown

The decline of fruit chlorophyll is a valuable indicator of fruit ripeness. Fruit chlorophyll content can be nondestructively estimated by UV/VIS spectroscopy at fixed wavelengths. However, this approach cannot explain the complex changes in chlorophyll catabolism during fruit ripening. We introduce the apparent peak position of the red band chlorophyll absorption as a new qualitative spectral indicator. Climacteric fruit (apple: n?=?24, mango: n?=?38, tomato: n?=?48) were analysed at different ripeness stages. The peak position and corresponding intensity values were determined between 650 and 690 nm of nondestructively measured fruit spectra as well as of corresponding spectra of fruit extracts. In the extracts, individual contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, pheophytin a and carotenoids were analysed photometrically, using an established iterative multiple linear regression approach. Nondestructively measured peak positions shifted unimodal in all three fruit species with significant shifts between fruit ripeness classes of maximal 2.00?±?0.27 nm (mean ± standard error) in tomato and 0.57?±?0.11 nm in apple. Peak positions in extract spectra were related to varying pigment ratios (R _max?=??0.91), considering individual pigments in the pool. The peak intensities in both spectral readings, nondestructive and fruit extracts, were correlated with absolute chlorophyll contents with R _max?=??0.84 and R _max?=?1.00, respectively. The introduced spectral marker of the apparent peak position of chlorophyll absorbance bears the potential for an advanced information gain from nondestructive spectra for the determination of fruit ripeness.     

Generating reliable embedded processors

This approach to designing fault-tolerant embedded systems-using PLDs to duplicate application-specific hardware-significantly reduces the costs of classical fault-tolerance techniques     

Preparation and characterization of novel porous metal/ceramic catalytic membrane materials

In order to obtain improved separation or catalytic activity, we propose a method to modify the surface of porous ceramic membranes by modifying the surface of sol particles. The key technical difficulty of this method is how to get appropriate ligands which can make metal ions adsorb on sol particles in the appropriate pH range in which the sol maintains its dynamic stability. Pd/γ-A1₂O₃ catalytic membrane materials with mesopore and a narrow pore size distribution were prepared by this method. Other kinds of metal/ceramic catalytic membrane materials such as Ni/γ-Al₂O₃, Pt/γ-Al₂O₃ can also be obtained by the same method.