High-level synthesis of switched-capacitor, switched-current and continuous-time /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ modulators using SIMULINK-based time-domain behavioral models

This paper presents a high-level synthesis tool for /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ modulators (/spl Sigma//spl Delta/Ms) that combines an accurate SIMULINK-based time-domain behavioral simulator with a statistical optimization core. Three different circuit techniques for the modulator implementation are considered: switched-capacitor, switched-current and continuous-time. The behavioral models of these circuits, that take into account the most critical limiting factors, have been incorporated into the SIMULINK environment by using S-function blocks, which drastically increase the computational efficiency. The precision of these models has been validated by electrical simulations using HSPICE and experimental measurements from several silicon prototypes. The combination of high accuracy, short CPU time and interoperability of different circuit models together with the efficiency of the optimization engine makes the proposed tool an advantageous alternative for /spl Sigma//spl Delta/M synthesis. The implementation on the well-known MATLAB/SIMULINK platform brings numerous advantages in terms of data manipulation, processing capabilities, flexibility and simulation with other electronic subsystems. Moreover, this is the first tool dealing with the synthesis of /spl Sigma//spl Delta/Ms using both discrete-time and continuous-time circuit techniques.     

Synthesis of novel compounds with cation ordered fluorite and α-PbO2 related structures by oxidation of Sn2Nb2O7 pyrochlore

Sn(II)_1.2(Nb(V)_1.6Sn(IV)_0.4)O₆ pyrochlore precursor was oxidized at temperature of the range 573–973 K in 1% O₂/Ar and O₂ gases for various periods of time. Two kinds of novel metastable phases with a composition of Sn(IV)_0.6(Nb(V)_0.8Sn(IV)_0.2)O_3.6 could be synthesized. Further, the other novel metastable phase with the same composition was found as a phase contained. One of the metastable phases was the cubic κ-CeZrO₄ related-type possessing the fluorite-related structure, which was formed by the cation diffusionless insertion of the oxygen atom into original oxygen vacant site of the pyrochlore-type structure. Another was an orthorhombic α-PbO₂ related-type possessing a cation ordered arrangement unlike a well known NiWO₄ structure. The other was the rutile related-type possessing a cation ordered arrangement. Appearance of the two latter metastable phases could be attributed to the displacement of the oxygen stacking in the κ-CeZrO₄ related-type phase without cation redistributions. The appearance mechanisms were analogous to the well known transformations for AX₂ compounds among rutile-type, α-PbO₂-type, and fluorite-type phases under high pressure and its release. The dependence of the appearance of these novel metastable phases on oxygen partial pressure and temperature has been discussed in terms of the driving forces and energy barriers for reactions.     

A study of transfer switching for the purpose of fault detection in FRIENDS

The authors have proposed a new concept of a distribution system “Flexible, Reliable and Intelligent ENergy Delivery System (FRIENDS)” with intent to solve imminent operating problems faced by utilities in providing their customers with reliable supply of power at several levels of quality. The main idea of FRIENDS is to introduce new facilities, so‐called Quality Control Centers (QCCs), which are installed very close to the customers for the purpose of implementing multiple functions, such as Customized Power Quality Service. In addition, these QCCs form a network for energy and information transmission at a level below distribution substations. QCCs make it possible to frequently change configuration of the network depending on the system and load conditions. These frequent reconfigurations of the network require fast and reliable Transfer Switching in the QCCs to ease an effect on customers. The reconfiguration for the purpose of fault area isolation also requires a fast Fault Detection feature. This paper presents a new method for controlling Transfer Switching and a method of Fault Detection in order to realize a fast and reliable reconfiguration of QCC network in a normal state, as well as under fault conditions. This paper also analyzes the methods in terms of instantaneous values calculated by PSCAD/EMTDC. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 148(3): 25–35, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.10298     

Preparation of plasma-polymerized membranes from fluoroalkyl acrylates and methacrylates and gas permeability through the membranes

Summary Plasma-polymerized membranes were prepared from fluoroalkyl acrylates and methacrylates by two different directions of monomer injection and the permeation rates of O₂ and n₂ through the membranes were investigated. The chemical structure and composition of the plasmapolymerized membranes varied significantly by the direction of monomer injection. The optimum plasma conditions to yield maximum gas separation characteristics was obtained by the remote plasma excitation at the W/FM value of 20 J/mg, where W is the discharge power, F is the monomer flow rate and M is the molecular weight of the monomer.     

Conventional Fabrication Method for TCNQ Radical Anion Salts Molecular Wires

NMP-TCNQ (NMP=N-methylphenazinium, TCNQ=7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane) and (NEt₄)TCNQ gave molecular wires on a glass substrate by recrystallization from the acetone solution coexistence with the substrate. The width of the wires largely depends on the evaporation ratio of the solvent through recrystallization. When evaporating ratio of NMP-TCNQ solution was 167 μl/min, the width was minimized to 35 nm. Comparison of the IR spectra and XRD patterns with the corresponding single crystals clearly indicates that these wires have same crystallinity as the single crystals.     

Localization of histidine residues responsible for heme axial ligation in cytochrome b556 of complex II (succinate:ubiquinone oxidoreductase) in Escherichia coli

Complex II (succinate:ubiquinone oxidoreductase) from Escherichia coli contains four different subunits. Two of the subunits (SDHC and SDHD) are hydrophobic and anchor the two more hydrophilic (flavin and iron-sulfur) subunits (SDHA and SDHB) to the cytoplasmic membrane. Previous studies have shown that the complex of SDHC/SDHD is required to maintain the heme B component of the enzyme and that the heme B is ligated to the protein by two histidine ligands. In the current work, the histidines within SDHC and SDHD have been systematically mutated. SDHC-His91 and SDHD-His14 were eliminated as potential ligands by these studies. SDHC-His84 and SDHD-His71 have been identified as the most likely heme axial ligands in the E. coli enzyme, suggesting that the heme bridges these two subunits in the membrane. Furthermore, the results show that the four-subunit Complex II assembles and retains function despite the absence of the heme B prosthetic group in the membrane. The results do not rule out completely SDHC-His30 as a candidate for heme ligation, but do show that mutation at this position prevents assembly of Complex II in the membrane.     

Escherichia coli transformant expressing the glucose dehydrogenase gene from Bacillus megaterium as a cofactor regenerator in a chiral alcohol production system

Seventy mother-newborn pairs were studied for hepatitis C viremia to evaluate the risk of vertical transmission of hepatitis C virus from human immunodeficiency virus-negative mothers. Forty-five mothers were hepatitis C virus-RNA positive: 4 to 45 children were positive at birth and during follow-up. The level of viremia plays an important role in vertical transmission.     

Transmigration of eosinophils through basement membrane components in vitro: synergistic effects of platelet-activating factor and eosinophil-active cytokines

BACKGROUND: With improvements in HIV antibody test (ELISA) performance, the window of time between infection and seroconversion becomes a major source of error in HIV screening. The authors examined its impact on the false-reassurance rate (FRR). METHODS: Test sensitivity was modeled as the product of two factors: the inherent sensitivity (sensitivity when antibody is present) and the probability that antibody is present in infected blood. A model of HIV and AIDS incidence was used to derive an estimate of the probability of remaining in the seronegative window (pw) among those who are infected. With plausible assumptions, this probability approaches 0.03. The FRR was then estimated as a function of the probability of remaining in the seronegative window, the prevalence of HIV, and the inherent sensitivity of the ELISA test were estimated. RESULTS: The FRRs for two blood donor groups, one with an HIV prevalence of 0.004 and a typical probability of remaining in the seronegative window (pw = 0.03) and the other with a higher prevalence of 0.017 but fewer donors in the window (pw = 0.003), are equal (140 per million donors) if the blood is negative on a single ELISA test. After two negative tests or a single test that can detect antibody more reliably, however, the FRR is much higher in the group with the higher pw (= 120 per million compared with 50 per million), because the greater numbers of donors in the window more than offsets the lower prevalence. CONCLUSION: With improvements in inherent sensitivity of ELISA by virtue of technical progress or retesting, the prevalence of HIV infection may no longer play the critical role in degrading the results of blood screening. As inherent test performance improves, tests are increasingly likely to miss infected blood because of the seronegative-window error rather than because of measurement error. Window error plays a proportionally greater role during the early stages of HIV dissemination in a population where the incidence of new HIV infection is high relative to the incidence of AIDS. These findings may explain, in part, the recent observation that cases of transfusion of contaminated blood often take place in areas where AIDS epidemics have started recently. They also suggest that the traditional strategy of soliciting blood donors from low-prevalence populations may not always be optimal, unless such populations are truly low-risk.     

A fuzzy-optimization approach to dynamic economic dispatch considering uncertainties

In this paper, the authors propose a fuzzy-optimization approach to dynamic economic dispatch, considering the uncertainties in deregulated energy and reserve markets. The methodology was developed from the viewpoint of a generation company wishing to maximize its own profit and to hedge its risks as a participant in the energy market and 10-min spinning reserve market. The uncertainties in the current paper were represented with fuzzy numbers, and consist of the demand and reserves required in each market, prices cleared in each market, and the probability that reserves are called upon in actual operation. The energy and reserve markets were coordinated by the generator ramp rate limits. The optimal amounts of power and reserve were determined by solving the optimization problem. Two reserve payment methods, payment for power delivered and payment for reserve allocated, were investigated in this paper.