Author: claimsbot

What is claimed is:

1. A stacked photovoltaic device comprising:
at least one pair of a first photovoltaic device and a second photovoltaic device stacked in order from a light incident side; and
a selective reflection layer formed between the at least one pair of the first photovoltaic device and the second photovoltaic device and adapted to electrically connect therebetween,
wherein the selective reflection layer has a sheet resistance of 100 k or more and 100 M or less.
2. The stacked photovoltaic device according to claim 1, wherein the selective reflection layer has a sheet resistance of 100 k or more and 50 M or less.
3. The stacked photovoltaic device according to claim 1, wherein the selective reflection layer has a sheet resistance of 5 M or more and 50 M or less.
4. The stacked photovoltaic device according to claim 1, wherein the selective reflection layer has a conductivity in a thickness direction of a film which is larger than a conductivity in an in-plane direction of the film.
5. The stacked photovoltaic device according to claim 1, wherein the selective reflection layer comprises a deposited film formed of metal oxide.
6. The stacked photovoltaic device according to claim 1, wherein the first photovoltaic device has at least a pin-type junction and an i-type layer thereof comprises amorphous Si:H.
7. The stacked photovoltaic device according to claim 1, wherein the second photovoltaic device has at least a pin-type junction and an i-type layer thereof comprises Si having crystallinity.
8. The stacked photovoltaic device according to claim 1, wherein the second photovoltaic device has at least a pn-type junction and a p-type semiconductor and an n-type semiconductor comprise one of monocrystalline Si, polycrystalline Si, and Si having crystallinity.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A microscale driving unit comprising:
a support member;
a driven member;
a first elongated piezoelectric actuator extending in a first direction from a base end fixed to the support member, said first elongated piezoelectric actuator being fixed to the driven member at a tip end of the actuator;
a second elongated piezoelectric actuator extending in a second direction from a base end fixed to the support member, said second elongated piezoelectric actuator being fixed to the driven member at a tip end of the actuator, said second direction being set antiparallel to the first direction;
a first electrically conductive member connecting the base end of the first elongated piezoelectric actuator to the tip end of the second elongated piezoelectric actuator; and
a second electrically conductive member connecting the base end of the second elongated piezoelectric actuator to the tip end of the first elongated piezoelectric actuator.
2. The microscale driving unit according to claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive members are made of wire bonding materials.
3. The microscale driving unit according to claim 2, wherein said elongated piezoelectric actuator is made of a layered material, said layered material comprising:
first inside electrode layers extending from exposed ends near the base end toward the tip end;
second inside electrode layers extending from exposed ends near the tip end toward the base end between the adjacent ones of the first inside electrode layers; and
active layers interposed between the first and second inside electrode layers.
4. The microscale driving unit according to claim 3, wherein said elongated piezoelectric actuator comprises:
a first terminal electrode attached to the exposed end near the base end; and
a second terminal electrode attached to the exposed end near the tip end.
5. The microscale driving unit according to claim 4, wherein said active layer is made of PNN-PT-PZ.
6. The microscale driving unit according to claim 5, wherein said first and second elongated piezoelectric actuators are arranged symmetrically around a rotational axis of the driven member.

1. A heating and cooling apparatus for a vehicle seat, comprising:
a blower blowing air into a duct leading to the vehicle seat; and
a thermoelectric element assembly connected to the duct and including a thermoelectric element that heats or cools air introduced toward the vehicle seat from the duct, the thermoelectric element having condensed water passages penetrating from one side to the other side thereof to allow condensed water to flow therethrough.
2. The heating and cooling apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the condensed water passages allow the condensed water to flow toward a heater of the thermoelectric element by capillary action.
3. The heating and cooling apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric element assembly includes heat sink fins attached to opposite sides of the thermoelectric element in a heat conductive structure.
4. The heating and cooling apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein the heat sink fins have a plurality of through-holes to allow the air to flow therethrough.
5. The heating and cooling apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein the heat sink fins are formed in a perpendicular direction to a longitudinal direction of the duct.
6. The heating and cooling apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a thermoelectric element housing coupled to one end of the duct and enclosing the thermoelectric element assembly therein,
wherein the thermoelectric element housing has diverging air outlets through which air cooled by a cooler of the thermoelectric element assembly and air heated by the heater of the thermoelectric element assembly are separately exhausted from the thermoelectric element housing.
7. The heating and cooling apparatus in accordance with claim 6, further comprising a condensed water outlet formed in one of the diverging air outlets, through which the condensed water formed from air cooled by the thermoelectric element assembly, is discharged.
8. The heating and cooling apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric element further has cylinder wicks fitted into the condensed water passages.
9. The heating and cooling apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein the cylinder wicks are porous.
10. The heating and cooling apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a flow rate controller provided between the thermoelectric element assembly and the blower, wherein the flow rate controller deflects a flow of air inside the duct toward one side of the thermoelectric element assembly.
11. The heating and cooling apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein the flow rate controller deflects a flow of air so that more air passes through a cooler than through a heater of the thermoelectric element assembly.
12. A heating and cooling apparatus for a vehicle seat, comprising:
a blower blowing air into a duct leading to the vehicle seat;
a thermoelectric element assembly connected to the duct and including a thermoelectric element that heats or cools air introduced toward the seat from the duct, the thermoelectric element having condensed water passages penetrating from one side to the other side thereof; and
a condensed water outlet formed in the duct through which condensed water formed from air, which is cooled by the thermoelectric element assembly, is discharged.
13. The heating and cooling apparatus in accordance with claim 12,
wherein the duct has a bend where the condensed water formed inside the duct collects, and
wherein the condensed water outlet is formed in a bottom of the bend.
14. A heating and cooling system for a vehicle seat, comprising:
a blower blowing air into a first duct leading to the back of the vehicle seat and into a second duct leading to a lower portion of the vehicle seat;
a first thermoelectric element assembly connected to the first duct and including a first thermoelectric element that heats or cools air introduced into the first duct, the first thermoelectric element having first condensed water passages penetrating from one side to the other side thereof; and
a second thermoelectric element assembly connected to the second duct and including a second thermoelectric element that heats or cools air introduced into the second duct, the second thermoelectric element having second condensed water passages penetrating from one side to the other side thereof.
15. The heating and cooling apparatus in accordance with claim 14, further comprising:
a first flow rate controller provided between the first thermoelectric element assembly and the blower, wherein the first flow rate controller deflects a flow of air inside the first duct toward one side of the first thermoelectric element assembly; and
a second flow rate controller provided between the second thermoelectric element assembly and the blower, wherein the second flow rate controller deflects a flow of air inside the second duct toward one side of the second thermoelectric element assembly.
16. The heating and cooling apparatus in accordance with claim 14, further comprising a first thermoelectric element housing coupled to one end of the first duct and enclosing the first thermoelectric element assembly therein,
wherein the first thermoelectric element housing has diverging air outlets through which air cooled by a cooler of the first thermoelectric element assembly and air heated by the heater of the first thermoelectric element assembly are separately exhausted from the first thermoelectric element housing, and
wherein a first condensed water outlet is formed in the first duct and condensed water formed from air cooled by the first thermoelectric element assembly is discharged therethrough.
17. The heating and cooling apparatus in accordance with claim 14, further comprising a second thermoelectric element housing coupled to one end of the second duct and enclosing the second thermoelectric element assembly therein,
wherein the second thermoelectric element housing has diverging air outlets through which air cooled by a cooler of the second thermoelectric element assembly and air heated by the heater of the second thermoelectric element assembly are separately exhausted from the second thermoelectric element housing, and
wherein a second condensed water outlet is formed in one of the diverging air outlets and condensed water formed from air cooled by the second thermoelectric element assembly, is discharged therethrough.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method for treating a biofilm, comprising contacting the biofilm with an effective amount of an antibacterial agent, wherein the agent comprises an isolated Citrobacter freundii colicin A polypeptide and wherein the colicin A polypeptide has an antibacterial activity against the biofilm, thereby treating the biofilm.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting for treatment a surface infected with a biofilm.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the colicin A polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the biofilm is on a medical device suitable for surgical implantation within the body.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the medical device is a catheter, a stent, a shunt, an endotracheal tube, a gastric feeding tube, a prosthetic joint, an intrauterine device, a voice prosthesis, a central venous catheter, a tympanostomy tube, a prosthetic heart valve, or a pacemaker.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein treating the biofilm reduces biofilm cell viability by at least 2%, at least 5%, at least 10%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least 50%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 99%, or 100%.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the biofilm comprises Gram-negative bacteria.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the Gram-negative bacteria is Enterobacteriacae bacteria.
9. The method of claim 6, further comprising one or more additional administrations of the Citrobacter freundii colicin polypeptide to inhibit growth of the biofilm.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising contacting the biofilm with an effective amount of a second antibacterial agent, an antifungal agent andor an antiprotozoal agent.
11. A method for treating a subject infected with a biofilm, comprising:
administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising an antibacterial agent, wherein the antibacterial agent comprises a Citrobacter freundii colicin A polypeptide and wherein the colicin A polypeptide has an antibacterial activity against the biofilm, thereby treating the subject.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting for treatment a subject infected with a biofilm.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the colicin A polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein the biofilm is on a medical device implanted in the subject.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the medical device is a catheter, a stent, a shunt, an endotracheal tube, a gastric feeding tube, a prosthetic joint, an intrauterine device, a voice prosthesis, a central venous catheter, a tympanostomy tube, a prosthetic heart valve, or a pacemaker.
16. The method of claim 11, wherein treating the subject reduces biofilm cell viability by at least 2%, at least 5%, at least 10%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least 50%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 99%, or 100%.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising one or more additional administrations of the pharmaceutical composition to the subject to inhibit further growth of the bacterial biofilm.
18. The method of claim 11, wherein the biofilm comprises Gram-negative bacteria.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the Gram-negative bacteria is Enterobacteriacae bacteria.
20. The method of claim 11, further comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a second antibacterial agent, an antifungal agent andor an antiprotozoal agent.