High‐resolution autostereoscopic 3‐D projection display with a space‐dividing iris‐plane shutter

Abstract— A high‐resolution autostereoscopic 3‐D projection display with a polarization‐control space dividing the iris‐plane liquid‐crystal shutter is proposed. The polarization‐control iris‐plane shutter can control the direction of stereo images without reducing the image quality of the microdis‐play. This autostereoscopic 3‐D projection display is 2‐D/3‐D switchable and has a high resolution and high luminance. In addition, it has no cross‐talk between the left and right viewing zones, a simple structure, and the capability to show multi‐view images.     

Signal-integrity improvement method and its robustness evaluation for VLSI and VLSI-packaging

Nowadays, a GHz frequency signal needs to be propagated on a printed circuit board (PCB) with low distortions. In addition, a higher-frequency signal of 10 GHz or more will also need to be propagated with low distortion in very-large-scale integration (VLSI) in the future. However, signal propagation with low distortion is getting more and more difficult as the frequency increases. In order to solve this problem and to ensure signal integrity, we have proposed a novel transmission line called a “segmental transmission line” (STL). In the STL, a transmission line is divided into multiple segments of individual characteristic impedance. The multiple segments are designed to fix the waveform distortion on the transmission line by solving a combinatorial explosion problem using a genetic algorithm. In a previous article, we have shown the effectiveness of an STL designed for a GHz clock signal in computer simulations. We have also fabricated two scaled-up STL prototypes for a clock signal using real printed circuit boards (PCBs). In this article, we input a random signal by changing its frequency to the scaled-up STL prototype designed for a 150-MHz clock signal. We show that the STL has high robustness to the random signals and the frequency fluctuations, which indicates the generality of the STL technique.     

HIF-1α Dependent Upregulation of ZIP8, ZIP14, and TRPA1 Modify Intracellular Zn2+ Accumulation in Inflammatory Synoviocytes

Intracellular free zinc ([Zn²⁺]_i) is mobilized in neuronal and non-neuronal cells under physiological and/or pathophysiological conditions; therefore, [Zn²⁺]_i is a component of cellular signal transduction in biological systems. Although several transporters and ion channels that carry Zn²⁺ have been identified, proteins that are involved in Zn²⁺ supply into cells and their expression are poorly understood, particularly under inflammatory conditions. Here, we show that the expression of Zn²⁺ transporters ZIP8 and ZIP14 is increased via the activation of hypoxia-induced factor 1α (HIF-1α) in inflammation, leading to [Zn²⁺]_i accumulation, which intrinsically activates transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) channel and elevates basal [Zn²⁺]_i. In human fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs), treatment with inflammatory mediators, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1α (IL-1α), evoked TRPA1-dependent intrinsic Ca²⁺ oscillations. Assays with fluorescent Zn²⁺ indicators revealed that the basal [Zn²⁺]_i concentration was significantly higher in TRPA1-expressing HEK cells and inflammatory FLSs. Moreover, TRPA1 activation induced an elevation of [Zn²⁺]_i level in the presence of 1 μM Zn²⁺ in inflammatory FLSs. Among the 17 out of 24 known Zn²⁺ transporters, FLSs that were treated with TNF-α and IL-1α exhibited a higher expression of ZIP8 and ZIP14. Their expression levels were augmented by transfection with an active component of nuclear factor-κB P65 and HIF-1α expression vectors, and they could be abolished by pretreatment with the HIF-1α inhibitor echinomycin (Echi). The functional expression of ZIP8 and ZIP14 in HEK cells significantly increased the basal [Zn²⁺]_i level. Taken together, Zn²⁺ carrier proteins, TRPA1, ZIP8, and ZIP14, induced under HIF-1α mediated inflammation can synergistically change [Zn²⁺]_i in inflammatory FLSs.     

A High-Methionine Diet for One-Week Induces a High Accumulation of Methionine in the Cerebrospinal Fluid and Confers Bipolar Disorder-like Behavior in Mice

Methionine (Met) is considered the most toxic amino acid in mammals. Here, we investigated biochemical and behavioral impacts of ad libitum one-week feeding of high-Met diets on mice. Adult male mice were fed the standard rodent diet that contained 0.44% Met (1×) or a diet containing 16 graded Met doses (1.2×–13×). High-Met diets for one-week induced a dose-dependent decrease in body weight and an increase in serum Met levels with a 2.55 mM peak (versus basal 53 µM) on the 12×Met diet. Total homocysteine (Hcy) levels were also upregulated while concentrations of other amino acids were almost maintained in serum. Similarly, levels of Met and Hcy (but not the other amino acids) were highly elevated in the cerebrospinal fluids of mice on the 10×Met diet; the Met levels were much higher than Hcy and the others. In a series of behavioral tests, mice on the 10×Met diet displayed increased anxiety and decreased traveled distances in an open-field test, increased activity to escape from water soaking and tail hanging, and normal learning/memory activity in a Y-maze test, which were reflections of negative/positive symptoms and normal cognitive function, respectively. These results indicate that high-Met ad libitum feeding even for a week can induce bipolar disorder-like disease models in mice.     

Analysis of PFC boost converter with soft-switching configuration

This paper proposes use of a lossless snubber with a switching device to perform soft switching, thus not only decreasing switching loss in the device drastically, but also improving the input ac current waveform distortion. Computer simulation results show that the input current waveform of the proposed converter seems to eliminate the third harmonic component. We perform an analysis of the input current waveform and identify the requirements for the elimination of the third harmonic component. We also describe the procedure used to design the parameters of the converter. © 2000 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 133(1): 64–78, 2000     

Fundamental combustion characteristics of palm methyl ester (PME) as alternative fuel for gas turbines

To investigate the combustion characteristics of palm methyl ester (PME) as an alternative fuel for gas turbines, combustion experiments at atmospheric pressure using high-temperature air (673 K) were performed. Chemical equilibrium calculations and investigations of fuel atomizing characteristics using a laser diffraction spray analyzer (LDSA) were also conducted. The results show that combustion characteristics of PME are similar to those of diesel fuel. Furthermore, it is indicated that NO_x emissions can be reduced by using PME instead of diesel fuel for gas turbines.     

On the optimal number of machines operated by a single worker

An optimal design problem is considered for man-machine systems, where a group of numerically controlled (NC) machines is operated by a single worker. The processing time at each machine and the service time by the worker are assumed to be random variables. The decision variable is the number of machines in the group and the optimal criterion is to minimize the cost for producing a product. It is found that the minimum-cost number of machines, N_c, is the lower bound on the optimal numbers of machines under other important criteria. We present the upper and lower bounds on N_cs for the systems where the coefficients of variations of the service- and processing-time distributions are less than 1. Moreover, it is shown that the bounds are tight for such systems.     

Polymerization of surface-active monomers: 5. Syntheses and polymerizations of anionic surface-active monomers: sodium di(10-undecenyl)sulphosuccinate and sodium n-undecyl 10-undecenylsulphosuccinate

Novel, anionic surface-active monomers, sodium di(10-undecenyl)sulphosuccinate (DUSS) and sodium n-undecyl 10-undecenylsulphosuccinate (MUSS) were prepared. The monomers were soluble in both water and apolar organic solvents on heating. DUSS and MUSS in water exhibited Kraft points at about 39°C and 48°C, respectively. The critical micelle concentrations for aqueous solutions of DUSS and MUSS at 50°C were determined to be 2.4 × 10⁻⁵ and 1.2 × 10⁻⁵ mol l⁻¹, respectively. Polymerization of the monomers in darkness and under u.v. irradiation at 50°C were studied using three different solvents, namely water, n-hexane and dioxane, giving aqueous micelles (or vesicles), reversed micelles and isotropic solution, respectively. Only traces of polymers were formed for the polymerizations in darkness, while the polymerizations under u.v. irradiation gave polymers, except for the polymerization of MUSS in dioxane. The solvents used for the polymerization were observed to exert an effect on the solubility of the polymers of DUSS and only the polymer obtained from the polymerization in water was soluble in solvents such as water and N,N-dimethylformamide. Thus, the monomer aggregation, especially for the aqueous system, was found to affect the structure of the resulting polymers.     

Synthesis and electronic property of platinum nanowire and nanoparticle in mesoporous silica template

Platinum nanowires and nanoparticles were selectively synthesized in mesoporous silicas FSM-16 and HMM-1. The nanowires are 3 nm in diameter and several hundred nm to μm in length with high crystallinity. Pt nanowires and nanoparticles can be isolated by dissolving silica matrix with HF. The Pt wires extracted from organosilica HMM-1 have a nanonecklace structure, while the wires from siliceous FSM-16 have a nanorod structure. The extracted Pt nanoparticles (3 nm in size) on HOPG show the Coulomb staircase phenomena in STM/STS analysis. The mechanism for formation of the Pt nanowires is based on the migration of Pt ions in the mesoporous channels.     

AC particle-triggered corona discharge in low pressure SF/sub 6/ gas

This paper deals with AC particle-triggered corona discharge as a follow-up to our previous research with DC voltage to clarify the particle-triggered corona discharge process in SF₆ gas. Corona current pulses, charges associated with a corona current pulse, and corona light pulses were observed with an aluminum ellipsoidal particle suspended in a parallel plane electrode system under a SF₆ gas pressure range of 30 kPalesPles50 kPa by changing the particle position. Corona mode, phase (Phi)-charge (q) characteristics as well as corona discharge processes were discussed and the following results were obtained. AC corona mode depended on the instantaneous applied voltage, voltage gradient as well as the particle position and then, the Phi-q characteristics were also affected by those parameters. Charges flow into the floating particle due to coronas on the both tips of particle and excite field fluctuations around the opposite side of particle in addition to the applied AC field. The field fluctuation in SF₆ gas by the corona charges was about 4% of the applied field and much lower than that in air gap which was about 70%. That is, the corona development was suppressed effectively by high electron affinity of SF₆ gas even in the case of floating particle. The less effective interference between coronas on the both side of particle in SF₆ gas results in an obscure local minimum in the breakdown voltage characteristics as the particle is in the vicinity of electrode as contrasted with a drastic fall in the breakdown voltage by the particle in air