On Test Data Compression Using Selective Don t-Care Identification

This paper proposes an effective method for reducing test data volume under multiple scan chain designs. The proposed method is based on reduction of distinct scan vectors using selective don‘t-care identification. Selective don‘t-care identification is repeatedly executed under condition that each bit of frequent scan vectors is fixed to binary values (0 or1). Besides, a code extension technique is adopted for improving compression efficiency with keeping decompressor circuits simple in the manner that the code length for infrequent scan vectors is designed as double of that for frequent ones. The effectiveness of the proposed method is shown through experiments for ISCAS‘89 and ITC‘99 benchmark circuits.     

Degradation of chemical substances using wet peroxide oxidation under mild conditions

The objectives of this study are to clarify the degradation mechanism of chemical substances using wet peroxide oxidation (WPO) under mild condition (150 degrees C) and to confirm the removal of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soil using this oxidation process. Acetic and oxalic acids were mineralized using WPO. TOC removal rate of acetic acid was highest in the solution of pH 2.5. However, TOC removal rate was decreased with the increase in pH and TOC were hardly removed in the solution of pH 7 and 10. The decomposition rate of isobutyric acid by WPO decreased in the presence of radical scavenger (t-BuOH). The results suggested that the decomposition of chemical substances using WPO proceeded by hydroxyl radical (OH radical). PCBs in soil were also decomposed by performing WPO at 150 degrees C.     

Cover: Macromol. Mater. Eng. 3/2005

Summary: A novel human hair protein hybrid fiber was developed by combining (i) the high‐efficiency extraction technique for preparing human hair proteins and (ii) the watery hybridization spinning method using gellan and chitosan. The resulting human hair protein‐gellan‐chitosan hybrid fibers are conveniently produced by simply mixing the 7–35 wt.‐% human hair protein‐1.0 wt.‐% gellan aqueous solution and the 1.0 wt.‐% chitosan‐0.15 M acetic acid solution at 50 °C, followed by pulling out to spin the human hair protein‐gellan‐chitosan ternary complex thus formed at the aqueous solution interface. By use of this simple procedure and ambient spinning condition, the human hair proteins were successfully incorporated into the fiber matrix of gellan‐chitosan, without any denaturation and degradation. The hybrid fiber can also be recognized as a new type of the regenerated human hair keratin fiber, because of its high purity and content of human hair keratin types I and II. Mechanical strength of the human hair protein‐gellan‐chitosan fiber varies from 108 to 153 MPa, depending on the contents of the human hair proteins. SEM observation revealed that the incorporated human hair proteins were found as the particles (1–10 μm) on the fiber surface. The type I and II keratins in the fiber matrices were rapidly biodegraded by chymotrypsin within 30 min, and the digested fragments slowly released from the fiber matrices. Thus, the human hair hybrid fiber is a very promising material to have a broad spectrum of applications as the engineering fibers, particularly for the medical uses, because the human hair proteins are easily available, biocompatible, and bioresorbable materials.

Gellan‐chitosan hybrid fiber (a), human hair protein‐gellan‐chitosan hybrid fiber (b).     

Performance study of analytical method for ethoxyquin in fruit

A performance study of an analytical method of ethoxyquin (ET) in apples and pears was conducted. In the proposed method, the sample was homogenized with thiourea and ET was extracted with acetone instead of hexane used in the official analytical method for ET, in order to improve the extraction efficiency. Furthermore, dibutyl hydroxytoluene was added in the test solution to prevent the decomposition of ET. For evaluation of the method. ET spiked into apples and pears at the level of 0.2 microgram/g was determined in replicate in six laboratories. Mean recoveries from apple, pear and Japanese pear were 85.3, 83.0 and 83.9%, respectively. Repeatability relative standard deviation values were 3.8-4.7% and reproducibility relative standard deviation values were 7.8-11.3%. The detection limits were 0.001-0.025 microgram/g in the six laboratories; this value may reflect instrument performance. ET spiked into apples and pears at the level of 0.2 microgram/g was detected by both LC/MS and GC/MS.     

Marked Role of Carbon Monoxide in the Formation of Benzene During CH4-CO Reaction Over Rh/SiO2 Catalysts

Temperature-programmed desorption (He-TPD) and temperature-programmed reaction with hydrogen (H₂-TPR), carbon monoxide (CO-TPR) or methane (CH₄-TPR) were carried out to elucidate the benzene formation mechanism as well as the role of CO during CH₄-CO reaction over SiO₂-supported Rh catalysts. The steady-state surface for the CH₄-CO reaction was different from that of the CH₄ decomposition reaction. The existence of benzene-like adsorbed species as building blocks was demonstrated on the CH₄-CO reaction surface, while no such higher hydrocarbon adsorbed species was detected in the case of the CH₄ decomposition surface. On the contrary, in CO-TPR experiments various unsaturated hydrocarbons were released from the steady-state CH₄ decomposition surface, which was not the case from the CH₄-CO reaction surface. It is concluded that adsorbed CO may play an important role to enhance the C-C bond formation of carbonaceous species, which correlates deeply with the novel phenomenon of selective benzene formation in the CH₄-CO reaction.     

Effects of stress on the structure of indium-tin-oxide thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition

The effects of stress in pulsed laser deposited (PLD) indium-tin-oxide (ITO) films formed on glass substrate at 200 °C and oxygen pressures (P_{o 2}) ranging from 0.1 to 2.7 Pa are discussed. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) investigations of the ITO films show splitting of the diffraction peaks and significant changes in the lattice constants for films deposited at low P_{o 2} and when the thickness of the films is larger than 150 nm. These features were due to intrinsic stress caused by the incidence of energetic particles on the substrate during growth. The splitting of the peaks only occurred in the bulk of the films, while near the surface, single peaks were evidenced, indicating the existence of two layers. No apparent splitting of the diffraction peaks or shifts in peak positions occurred in the ITO layers with thickness less than 100 nm. In spite of the presence of stress in the ITO films, resistivity less than 3 10, ^-4 cm was obtained. © 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers     

Narrow Tunable Polysilane Optical Waveguide Bragg Grating Filters

A new Bragg grating filter (BGF) in a polysilane waveguide has been fabricated by a two-beam interferometric photobleaching method using a He-Cd laser. A narrow reflected bandwidth of 0.4 nm was measured using a 1.55-mum light-emitting diode. The temperature dependence of the BGF was measured as 0.096 nm/degC with temperature control over a range between 30 degC and 70 degC and exhibited a good coincidence with the theoretical values     

1 Gbit/s, 32*32 high-speed space-division switching module for broadband ISDN using SST LSIs

A high-speed 32*32 space-division switching module for high-definition TV broadcasting and switching systems is described. It employs a newly developed Si-bipolar SST 8*8 switch LSI, high-speed peripheral ICs and a high-speed impedance-controlled board. The module is capable of a 1.0 Gbit/s signal speed using 1:1 and 1:n connections.<>     

Anti-Ro/SSA-associated annular erythema in childhood

We report four children with anti-Ro/SSA positive who presented with an annular erythema as a manifestation of Sj?gren's syndrome. One patient had an aseptic meningoencephalitis as well as cutaneous lesions. Children with annular erythema should be carefully followed for features of Sj?gren's syndrome, which is believed to be a rare condition in children.