High brightness and reliable AlGaInP-based light-emitting diode for POF data links

High brightness and reliability operation ring light-emitting diode (LED) is fabricated for plastic optical fiber (POF) link using the distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) mirror and antireflection (AR) coating. The ring LED exhibited optical output as high as 3.5 mW at the bias current of 100 mA. Furthermore, the projection lifetime is also estimated to be 1/spl times/10/sup 6/ h at a 35-mA data-link operating current and ambient temperature of 60/spl deg/C.     

Application of phase-stabilized optical fiber in transmission ofreference and IF signals in VLBI observation

A phase-stabilized optical fiber (PSOF) cable, which is 880 m long, was successfully used to transmit a 100-520 MHz IF signal and 10 MHz reference frequency signal in Mark III very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations. Phase stability of the 1760-m round-trip PSOF cable was measured by a dual mixer time difference system. Results of the measurements show that the stability of the PSOF cable system is about 50 times better than that of an ordinary coaxial cable system. The measured phase fluctuations are smaller than the tolerance limit required for a coherence loss of less than 20% in VLBI observations with an integration time of several hundred seconds. Internal accuracies of the international geodetic VLBI observations, in which the PSOF cable system is used at a station, are proven to be in the level of the present-day standard. The results show that the performance of the cable is at least comparable with, and probably better than, that of coaxial cables of much shorter length widely used in VLBI stations     

A xanthine oxidase inhibitor 1'-acetoxychavicol acetate inhibits azoxymethane-induced colonic aberrant crypt foci in rats

The modifying effect of dietary administration of a xanthine oxidase inhibitor 1'-acetoxychavicol acetate (ACA) present in an edible plant Languas galanga in Thailand on the development of azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colonic aberrant crypt foci (ACF) was investigated in rats. Male F344 rats were given s.c. injections of AOM (15 mg/kg body wt) once a week for 3 weeks to induce colonic ACF. They were fed the diets containing 100 or 200 ppm ACA for 5 weeks, starting 1 week before the first dosing of AOM. At the termination of the study (week 5), AOM induced 118 +/- 28 ACF/colon. Dietary administration of ACA caused significant reduction in the frequency of ACF (41% inhibition by 100 ppm ACA feeding and 37% inhibition by 200 ppm ACA feeding, P<0.01). Such inhibition might be associated with suppression of the proliferation biomarkers' expression such as ornithine decarboxylase activity in the colonic mucosa, number of silver-stained nucleolar organizer regions' protein in the colonic mucosal cell nuclei and blood polyamine content. These results indicate that ACA could inhibit the development of AOM-induced ACF through its suppression of cell proliferation in the colonic mucosa and ACA might be a possible chemopreventive agent against colon tumourigenesis.     

Three-phase and zero-phase current sensors using hall ICs

Three-phase current sensors are required in power-line distribution systems to monitor currents and protect systems from possible failures. Zero-phase current sensors also are required to detect leakage currents between power lines and the earth, thus preventing accidents such as a fire. This paper describes new three-phase and zero-phase current sensors which are based on a zero method. The sensors consist of Hall ICs, coils, and electronic circuits; no magnetic cores are used. The three-phase current sensor provides measurements of currents from 0.8 A to 720 A with excellent accuracy, while the zero-phase current sensor provides measurements from 90 mA to 20 A. The output signal levels are suitable for microprocessor-based metering and control systems. The sensors are relatively small and lightweight compared to a conventional current transformer (CT). Moreover, they withstand excess currents and do not yield burning or deterioration. They do not require expensive components so they have an advantage in cost compared to an optical-fiber current transformer.     

Correlation between blood parameters and symptomatic vasospasm in subarachnoid hemorrhage patients

Serial changes in platelet and white blood cell (WBC) counts and other blood parameters were analyzed in 103 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The WBC counts during days 3-5, 6-8, 9-11, and 12-14 after the onset of SAH were significantly higher in patients with than in patients without symptomatic vasospasm. Platelet counts during days 0-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-11, 12-14, 15-17, 18-21, and 22-28 after SAH were significantly higher in patients with than in patients without symptomatic vasospasm. Monitoring of platelet and WBC counts may provide an indicator of the occurrence of symptomatic vasospasm.     

Direct Observation of the Collection Process for Dust Particles from an Air Stream by a Charged Water Droplet

One of the most effective precipitation methods for submicrometer particles is the charged droplet scrubber. The dust collection in the charged droplet scrubber is considered to consist of some processes with respect to the interaction between charged dust particles and a charged water droplet. That is, the charged dust particles are attracted to, collide with, adhere to, penetrate into, rebound from, accumulate on, and reentrain from a charged water droplet. The direct observation of the collection process for dust particles by a charged water droplet was conducted by using the experimental setup designed by the authors. It was found from the experiments that particles with good wettability were captured inside the water droplet, particles with poor wettability floated at regular intervals on the droplet surface, and particles with medium wettability were trapped on or inside the water droplet. When particles were trapped on the droplet surface the growth of dendritic depositions was found, and their behavior was very distinct from those obtained on the fibrous filter due to the fluidity of the droplet surface. The deposition mechanisms of charged particles on the charged water droplet are discussed qualitatively.     

A study of the power handling ability of gallium arsenide and silicon,single and double drift IMPATT diodes

The concept of a critical current density effect on the operation of silicon and gallium arsenide IMPATT diodes is examined using large signal analysis. This critical current density effect does not appear to exist in the form that is generally thought of to-date. However, other physical processes develop at high current densities which gradually degrade diode efficiencies. These processes are worse in silicon diodes than in gallium arsenide diodes because at a given frequency of operation silicon diodes need a lower doping density than gallium arsenide diodes due to the lower saturated drift velocities of carriers in gallium arsenide. Reasons are suggested which explain why these other processes develop before a true critical current density limit is seen. New scaling data for limits on power handling ability vs frequency of gallium arsenide IMPATT diodes are presented. In addition the advantages of double drift structures over single drift structures are re-examined in the light of the suggestion that silicon and gallium arsenide IMPATT diodes are thermally and impedance limited rather than current density limited at high frequencies. The problem of tunnelling is also examined and is shown to be unimportant at all frequencies up to 120 GHz.