Degradation of Pentoses and Hexouronic Acids in Subcritical Water

The degradation of arabinose, xylose, ribose and lyxose in subcritical water was measured at 200, 220 and 240 °C. Ribose was the most rapidly degraded among the pentoses tested. The degradation of the glucuronic and galacturonic acids proceeded at lower temperatures than that of the pentoses, and was measured at 140, 150 and 160 °C. The degradation processes of the pentoses and hexouronic acids could be expressed by the Weibull model, and the kinetic parameters were then estimated. The activation energy and frequency factor for the degradation of each substrate were estimated from the temperature dependence of the rate constant. The enthalpy‐entropy compensation held for the degradation of the pentoses as well as the hexoses, which suggests that the degradation of the hexouronic acids proceeded through a mechanism different from that for the pentoses and hexoses. The molar yield of a pentose to furfural was ca. 0.3 at any temperature, irrespective of the pentose type. Acidic compounds were also formed from the pentoses in proportion to the amount of consumed substrates. The formation of acidic compounds resulted in a rapid decrease in pH.     

Selected mapping technique for reducing PAPR of single‐carrier signals

Single‐carrier transmission with frequency‐domain equalization (SC‐FDE) is widely known as a promising transmission technique providing low error probability with low peak‐to‐average power ratio (PAPR) of transmit signal. However, the low‐PAPR property of SC‐FDE cannot be maintained if multi‐level data modulation is introduced. The low‐PAPR property of SC‐FDE can be maintained by applying transmit filtering with roll‐off factor at the expense of spectrum efficiency. In this paper, we propose two types of selected mapping (SLM) to reduce the PAPR of SC‐FDE transmit signal. The first SLM technique is conducted in the frequency domain, where the phase rotation is applied to subcarriers similar to the SLM technique for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing transmission. The second SLM technique is conducted in the time domain, where the phase rotation is applied directly to data‐modulated symbol sequence. Computer simulation confirms that both SLM techniques are able to reduce the PAPR of SC‐FDE signal without significant degradation of bit‐error rate performance and spectrum efficiency. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Some taxonomical characteristics of encapsulated Lactobacillus sp. KPB-167B isolated from kefir grains and characterization of its extracellular polysaccharide

A capsular polysaccharide-producing strain KPB-167B isolated from kefir grains was identified as a homofermentative Lactobacillus. The carbohydrate fermentation pattern and DNA base composition of the strain were different from those of other capsular Lactobacillus species previously isolated from kefir grains. The polysaccharide produced by Lactobacillus sp. KPB-167B was found similar to kefiran by 13C-NMR and methylation analysis. Lactobacillus sp. KPB-167B could grow and produce capsular polysaccharide in MRSL medium with better yield than L. kefiranofaciens, which suggested that it is suitable for kefiran production.     

New clustering approach to chip floorplan using functional data

An approach to chip floorplanning utilising hierarchical and functional information derived using LSI logic design is described. The proposed approach adopts a methodological design process similar to that of expert designers. A new clustering method that can be divided into three phases, namely clustering, cluster classification and placement, is employed in this process. The prototype system is implemented based on AI techniques.     

基于模糊语言变量的动态目标无线网络选择技术

Even though various wireless Net-work Access Technologies (NATs) with dif-ferent specifications and applications have been developed in the recent years, no single wireless technology alone can satisfy the any-time, anywhere, and any service wire-less-access needs of mobile users. A real seamless wireless mobile environment is only realized by considering vertical and horizontal handoffs together. One of the major design issues in heterogeneous wireless networks is the support of Vertical Handoff (VHO). VHO occurs when a multi-interface enabled mobile terminal changes its Point of Attachment (PoA) from one type of wireless access technology to another, while maintaining an active session. In this paper we present a novel multi-criteria VHO algorithm, which chooses the target NAT based on several factors such as user preferences, system parameters, and traffic-types with varying Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. Two modules i.e., VHO Necessity Estimation (VHONE) module and target NAT selection module, are designed. Both modules utilize several “weighted” users’ and system’s parameters. To improve the robustness of the proposed algorithm, the weighting system is designed based on the concept of fuzzy linguistic variables.     

Studies on the solid solutions,LnV1−xMxO3 (Ln:La,Gd or Y,M:Cr or Fe)

Electrical and magnetic properties of the solid solutions LnV_1?xM_xO₃ (Ln:La, Gd or Y, M:Cr or Fe) were studied in the temperature range 77–1000K. These solid solutions were all semiconductors. Their conductivity at room temperature decreased with Cr³⁺ or Fe³⁺ ion concentrations. The solid solutions LaV_1?xM_xO₃ and YV_1?xM_xO₃ (M:Cr or Fe) revealed an antiferromagnetism with a weak ferromagnetism and their ordering temperature increased with x. Most of the gadolinium-containing compounds were paramagnets in the measured temperature range. YV_0.4Fe_0.6O₃ showed a thermal hysteresis at high temperatures.     

Single-fluorophore imaging with an unmodified epifluorescence microscope and conventional video camera

Single fluorophores in aqueous solution were imaged in real time with a conventional silicon-intensified target video camera connected to an unmodified commercial microscope (IX70, Olympus) with epifluorescence excitation with a high-pressure mercury lamp. Neither a powerful laser nor an extremely sensitive video camera was required. Three experimental systems were used to demonstrate quantitatively that individual, moving or stationary Cy3 fluorophores could be imaged with the microscope: Cy3-gelsolin attached to an actin filament sliding over heavy meromyosin, sliding actin filaments sparsely labelled with Cy3, and heavy meromyosin labelled with one or two Cy3 fluorophores. The results should encourage many laboratories to attempt 'single-molecule physiology' in which the functions and mechanisms of molecular machines are studied at the single-molecule level in an environment where the biological machines are fully active.     

A copper/polyimide Metal-base packaging technology

A unique substrate MCPM (Mitsubishi Copper Polyimide Metal-base) technology has been developed by applying our basic copper/polyimide technology.¹ This new substrate technology MCPM is suited for a high-density, multi-layer, multi-chip, high-power module/package, such as used for a computer. The new MCPM was processed using a copper metal base (110 × 110 mm), full copper system (all layers) with 50-μm fine lines. As for pad metallizations for the IC assembly, we evaluated both Ni/Au for chip and wire ICs and solder for TAB ICs. The total number of assembled ICs is 25. To improve the thermal dispersion, copper thermal vias are simultaneously formed by electro-plating. This thermal via is located between the IC chip and copper metal base, and promotes heat dispersion. We employed one large thermal via (4.5 mm^?) and four small vias (1.0 mm^?) for each IC pad. The effect of thermal vias and/or base metal is simulated by a computer analysis and compared with an alumina base substrate. The results show that the thermal vias are effective at lowering the temperature difference between the IC and base substrate, and also lowering the temperature rise of the IC chip. We also evaluated the substrate’s reliability by adhesion test, pressure cooker test, etc.