A 39-to-45-Gbit/s multi-data-rate clock and data recovery circuit with a robust lock detector

We describe a 40-Gbit/s-class clock and data recovery (CDR) circuit with an extremely wide pull-in range. A Darlington-type voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) is newly designed to cover the STM-256/OC-768 full-rate-clock frequencies with a wide frequency margin. We also describe a new lock detector using an exclusive-NOR gate. The CDR IC was fabricated using InP/InGaAs HBTs. Error-free operation and wide eye opening were confirmed for 40-, 43-, and 45-Gbit/s PRBS with a word length of 2/sup 31/ - 1. We attached a frequency search and phase control (FSPC) circuit to the chip as a new frequency acquisition aid, and this allows the CDR circuit to pull in throughout a 39-45-Gbit/s range. The peak-to-peak and rms jitter of the recovered clock were 3.6 and 0.48 ps, respectively.     

From "Dial-a-Porn" to "Cyberporn": Approaches to and Limitations of Regulation in the United States and Japan

This article is a general overview of the present state of the law with respect to new online communication services, comparing the views of pioneer users that there is something new and distinctly different about communication via computer and modem from other forms of communication with those of lawyers and law enforcement officials who are attempting to apply existing statutes and case law to abusive behavior and controversies that arise online.
The differences between the two approaches will be compared with the successes and failures concluding with some suggestions of what approaches might be taken in the future.     

X-ray absorption fine structure study on residue bromine in carbons with different degrees of graphitization

The structure of bromine residue compounds was investigated by X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) in order to interpret where and how bromine is present in carbons with different degrees of graphitization. The residue compounds can be classified into three groups, as obtained from X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectra and the values of the intramolecular distance r_Br–Br determined by extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). In Group I, prepared from the host carbons heat treated at temperatures higher than 1900 °C, bromine exists in the interlayer space of graphite in the form of Br₂ molecules with interaction of the π electrons of graphite. In Group III, from carbon heat treated at 1000 °C, most of the bromine probably reacts with carbon atoms having a dangling bond or functional groups. For Group II, where the host carbons are heat treated at intermediate temperatures, it is likely that bromine exists in undeveloped defects with a unique electronic state.     

Going with the flow: Micro–macro dynamics in the macrobehavioral patterns of pedestrian crowds.

The author examined macroscopic behavioral patterns in a crowd of pedestrians in a large crosswalk from the perspective of micro–macro linkage in collective behavior. Study 1 developed a macrolevel index to evaluate by field observation a "banded structure" of a pedestrian crowd. The index distinguished 2 patterns of crowd behavior: one with a firmly established structure and one without a clear structure. To examine the formation of the structure, Study 2 used a computer simulation model of pedestrian behavior with a close relationship between the microlevel behavior of individuals and macrolevel behavior of crowds. The micro-macro linkage is expressed through feeding the macrolevel index developed in Study 1 back into a behavioral model for each pedestrian. The results show that models without the linkage between the 2 levels tend to simulate disorganized crowd behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Error grid analysis of noninvasive glucose monitoring via gingival crevicular fluid.

In order to realize a noninvasive blood glucose monitor, we monitored the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). In this paper, the clinical evaluations were performed on not only normal subjects but also diabetic subjects using a GCF-glucose monitor to determine blood glucose levels. Meal load tests were carried out and the time-course changes in blood glucose level and GCF glucose level were measured continuously. A positive correlation of more than 0.9 was found between blood glucose level and GCF glucose level, necessitating the calibration of individual correlations for every subject. Finally, the performance of the GCF-glucose monitor was evaluated using Error Grid Analysis. As the results, significant information for the glucose level decision was obtained not only for normal subjects, but also for diabetic subjects.     

Relationship between the dose of lidocaine administered endotracheally in small children and the serum lidocaine level--recommended dose prior to endotracheal intubation

To determine the optimum dose of lidocaine administered in the trachea prior to endotracheal intubation, we divided 102 surgical patients 3-5 years of age into 3 groups, i.e., group 1; 1 mg.kg-1 was sprayed in the trachea, group 2; 2 mg.kg-1 was sprayed in the trachea, group 3; 1 mg.kg-1 was sprayed in the trachea, and 1 mg.kg-1 in the pharynx and the oral cavity simultaneously. The venous serum concentration of lidocaine was measured two times either 1.5, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 or 45 min after the spray in each case. In group 1, the mean concentration of lidocaine reached the maximum of 1.05 micrograms.ml-1 at 5 min and decreased gradually after that with a small inter-individual variation. In group 2, after reaching the mean maximum concentration of 3.51 micrograms.ml-1 at 3 min, the serum level dropped quickly and then gradually decreased. There were a few cases where serum level was over 7 micrograms.ml-1. In group 2, after reaching the mean maximum concentration of 1.38 micrograms.ml-1 at 5 min, the serum level decreased more slowly, suggesting a slow absorption from the pharynx and/or the oral cavity. We conclude that the recommended dose of lidocaine for endotracheal administration is less than 2 mg.kg-1.     

Gibbs Energy Change of Carbothermal Nitridation Reaction of Al2O3 to Form AlN and Reassessment of Thermochemical Properties of AlN

The experimental method for the high-temperature reaction equilibria in the AlN-Al₂O₃ system has been established. The equilibrium N₂-CO gas compositions coexisting with AlN- Al₂O₃-graphite have been successfully measured by quadrupole mass spectrometry and gas chromatography. From the obtained results, the standard Gibbs energy change of the forming reaction of AlN by carbothermal nitridation is determined at temperatures ranging from 1723 to 1899 K:
From the obtained result, the standard Gibbs energy of formation of AlN and the third-law enthalpy of formation of AlN at 298.15 K are derived as
The disagreement between the present results and values in the NIST–JANAF thermodynamic table is discussed.     

Rapid Reconstitution of Biosynthetic Machinery for Fungal Metabolites in Aspergillus oryzae: Total Biosynthesis of Aflatrem

Reconstitution of the biosynthetic machinery for fungal secondary metabolites in Aspergillus oryzae provides an opportunity both for stepwise determination of the biosynthetic pathways and the total biosynthesis of fungal natural products. However, to maximize the utility of the reconstitution system, a simple and rapid strategy for the introduction of heterologous genes into A. oryzae is required. In this study, we demonstrated an effective method for introducing multiple genes involved in the biosynthesis of fungal metabolites by using the expression vectors pUARA2 and pUSA2, each of which contains two cloning sites. The successful introduction of all the aflatrem biosynthetic genes (seven genes in total) after two rounds of transformation enabled the total biosynthesis of aflatrem. This rapid reconstitution strategy will facilitate the functional analysis of the biosynthetic machinery of fungal metabolites.     

Experimental Apparatus to Search for Supersolidity in Monolayer ^4He on Graphite

We describe some details of a new experimental setup for torsional oscillator (TO) measurement of $^4$ He monolayers adsorbed on a graphite surface. This setup is designed to seek for the possible supersolid phase, in which crystalline order coexists with superfluidity, in two dimensional (2D) solid $^4$ He below 300 mK. Among such 2D solids, the commensurate phase in the second layer on graphite is the most hopeful candidate for the novel supersolid phase since it is the lowest-density quantum solid ever found. An exfoliated graphite substrate we used is ZYX which has at least ten times longer surface coherence length compared to Grafoil, an exfoliated graphite most commonly used in previous experiments. The first version of TO we made has the resonant frequency of 786.8 Hz and the Q value of $1.1\times 10^5$ at $T \le 10$  mK. The resonant frequency of this particular TO without any He samples ( $f_{\mathrm {cell}}$ ) showed unexpectedly large temperature variation and non-reproducibility below 1 K as well as sudden jumps when mechanical shocks are applied to the experimental apparatus. We found the stability of $f_{\mathrm {cell}}$ is highly correlated with the temperature stability of 1 K pot in dilution refrigerator.