All The Claims

1. A method for the continuous treatment of biomass comprising:
a pretreatment step, wherein said biomass is contacted with a first supercritical, near-critical, or sub-critical fluid to form a solid matrix and a first liquid fraction;
wherein said first supercritical, near-critical, or sub-critical fluid comprises water and, optionally, CO2; and
wherein said first supercritical, near-critical, or sub-critical fluid is substantially free of C1-C5 alcohol;
a first separation step, wherein said solid matrix and said first liquid fraction are separated;
a hydrolysis step, wherein said solid matrix is contacted with a second supercritical or near-critical fluid to produce a second liquid fraction and an insoluble lignin-containing fraction;
wherein said second supercritical or near-critical fluid comprises water and, optionally, CO2; and
wherein said second supercritical or near-critical fluid is substantially free of C1-C5 alcohols.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first supercritical, near-critical, or sub-critical fluid and said second supercritical or near-critical fluid comprises less than about 10% carbon dioxide by weight based on the weight of said first supercritical, near-critical, or sub-critical fluid or said second supercritical or near-critical fluid.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said pretreatment step occurs at a temperature and pressure below the critical point of at least one component of said first supercritical, near-critical, or sub-critical fluid.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said pretreatment step is performed at a temperature of about 150\xb0 C. to about 300\xb0 C.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said pretreatment step is performed at a pressure of about 50 bar to about 115 bar.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said biomass has a residence time of about 1 minute to about 5 minutes in said pretreatment step.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein said first liquid fraction comprises xylo-oligosaccharides.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said second supercritical or near-supercritical fluid does not include an acid.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein said solid matrix has a residence time of about 1 second to about 30 seconds in said hydrolysis step.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein said hydrolysis step occurs at a temperature and pressure above the critical point of at least one component of said second supercritical or near-critical fluid.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein said hydrolysis step occurs at a temperature from about 275\xb0 C. to about 450\xb0 C.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein said hydrolysis step occurs at a pressure of about 200 bar to about 250 bar.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein said solid matrix is kept at a temperature of about 185\xb0 C. or higher from the beginning of said pretreatment step through at least the end of said hydrolysis step.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said lignin fraction and said second liquid fraction is cooled to a temperature of about 180\xb0 C. to about 240\xb0 C.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising flash cooling at least one of said lignin fraction and said second liquid fraction.
16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
a second hydrolysis step wherein said second liquid fraction is contacted with a first hot compressed water, or a third near-critical or sub-critical fluid, to produce a third liquid fraction comprising glucose monomers;
wherein said third near-critical or sub-critical fluid comprises water; and
optionally, wherein said first hot compressed water or said third near-critical or sub-critical fluid comprises acid.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein said second hydrolysis step occurs at a temperature of about 220\xb0 C. to about 320\xb0 C.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein said second hydrolysis step occurs at a pressure of about 30 bar to about 90 bar.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein said acid is present in an amount less than about 1% by weight based on the weight of said first hot compressed water or said third near-critical or sub-critical fluid.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein said acid is present and is selected from the group consisting of hydrofluoric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, hydroiodic acid, sulfuric acid, sulfonic acid, phosphoric acid, phosphonic acid, nitric acid, nitrous acid, and combinations thereof.
21. The method of claim 16, wherein said second liquid fraction has a residence time of about 1 second to about 30 seconds in said second hydrolysis step.
22. The method of claim 16, wherein
said second hydrolysis step employs said first hot compressed water;
said first hot compressed water has a temperature of about 50\xb0 C. to about 250\xb0 C. and a pressure sufficient to maintain said first hot compressed water in a liquid state; and
said first hot compressed water comprises acid.
23. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
a xylo-oligosaccharide hydrolysis step, wherein said first liquid fraction is contacted with a second hot compressed water, or a fourth near-critical or sub-critical fluid, to produce a fourth liquid fraction comprising xylose monomers;
wherein said fourth near-critical or sub-critical fluid comprises water; and
optionally, wherein said second hot compressed water or said fourth near-critical or sub-critical fluid comprises acid.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein said acid is present and is selected from the group consisting of hydrofluoric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, hydroiodic acid, sulfuric acid, sulfonic acid, phosphoric acid, phosphonic acid, nitric acid, nitrous acid, and combinations thereof.
25. The method of claim 23, wherein said acid is present in an amount less than about 1% by weight based on the weight of said second hot compressed water or said fourth near-critical or sub-critical fluid.
26. The method of claim 23, wherein said xylo-oligosaccharide hydrolysis step occurs at a temperature of about 220\xb0 C. to about 320\xb0 C.
27. The method of claim 23, wherein said xylo-oligosaccharide hydrolysis step occurs at a pressure of about 30 bar to about 90 bar.
28. The method of claim 23, wherein said first liquid fraction has a residence time of about 1 second to about 30 seconds in said xylo-oligosaccharide hydrolysis step.
29. The method of claim 23, wherein
said xylo-oligosaccharide hydrolysis step employs said second hot compressed water;
said second hot compressed water has a temperature of about 50\xb0 C. to about 250\xb0 C. and a pressure sufficient to maintain said second hot compressed water in a liquid state; and
said second hot compressed water comprises acid.
30. A method of processing biomass comprising:
a pretreatment step, wherein said biomass is contacted with a first supercritical, near-critical, or sub-critical fluid to form a pretreated slurry comprising a solid matrix and a first liquid fraction comprising xylo-oligosaccharides;
wherein said first supercritical, near-critical, or sub-critical fluid comprises water and, optionally, CO2; and
wherein said first supercritical, near-critical, or sub-critical fluid is substantially free of C1-C5 alcohol;
a first separation step, wherein said solid matrix and said first liquid fraction are separated;
a first hydrolysis step, wherein said solid matrix is contacted with a second supercritical or near-critical fluid to form an insoluble lignin-containing fraction and a second liquid fraction comprising cello-oligosaccharides;
wherein said second supercritical or near-critical fluid comprises water and, optionally, CO2; and
wherein said second supercritical or near-critical fluid is substantially free of C1-C5 alcohol;
a second separation step, wherein said insoluble lignin-containing fraction and said second liquid fraction are separated; and
a second hydrolysis step, wherein said second liquid fraction is contacted with a third near-critical or sub-critical fluid to form a product comprising glucose monomers;
wherein said third near-critical or sub-critical fluid comprises water and, optionally, acid.
31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:
a third hydrolysis step, wherein said first liquid fraction is contacted with a fourth near-critical or sub-critical fluid to form a second product comprising xylose monomers;
wherein said fourth near-critical or sub-critical fluid comprises water and, optionally, acid.

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 forming a material comprising:
applying energy to a micro-heater to heat the micro-heater; and
forming a material through the heating of the micro-heater on the micro-heater,
wherein the micro-heater has a configuration that allows two or more micro-heaters to be repeatedly connected in series.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the micro-heater includes a substrate, at least one heating element unit on the substrate, a support structure between at least a portion of the substrate and the at least one heating element unit, and the heating element unit has a configuration that allows two or more heating element units to be repeatedly connected in series.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein two or more micro-heaters are connected in series to form a micro-heater array.
4. The method of claim 2, the micro-heater further including a contact region formed between the support structure and the at least one heating element unit.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the contact region is decreased to a size where the contact region still supports the at least one heating element unit.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one heating element unit has at least two first regions and a second region, and wherein a width of the second region is larger than a width of the at least two first regions, the second region being located between the first regions, and a support structure is located below a portion of the second region.
7. The method of claim 6, the micro-heater further including a contact region formed between the support structure and the at least one heating element unit, wherein an area of the contact region is smaller than an area of the second region.
8. The method of claim 2, wherein the substrate is glass.
9. The method of claim 2, wherein the forming of the material is on the at least one heating element unit.
10. The method of claim 9, further including,
forming a material catalyst layer on the at least one heating element unit.
11. The method of claim 2, further including,
providing a heat absorption layer on the substrate of the micro-heater; and
forming the material catalyst layer on the heat absorption layer.
12. The method of claim 2, wherein the material is one or more of the materials selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes, gallium nitride nano-wires, zinc oxide nano-wires, and polysilicon.
13. The method of 12, wherein the material is carbon nanotubes or zinc oxide nano-wires, and the material is formed from the material catalyst layer.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the material is gallium nitride nano-wires, and the material is formed on a part of the heating element unit.
15. The method of claim 12, wherein the material is polysilicon.
16. The method of claim 15, further including,
providing amorphous silicon on the at least one heating element unit, wherein the amorphous silicon is formed into the polysilicon.
17. An electronic device comprising:
the material prepared by the method of claim 1; and
a micro-heater array, in which two or more micro-heaters are connected in series.
18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the material is one or more of the materials selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes, gallium nitride nano-wires, zinc oxide nano-wires, and polysilicon.
19. The electronic device of 18, further comprising:
a drain electrode; and
a source electrode;
wherein the drain electrode and the source electrode intersect on a portion of the substrate at right angles and polysilicon is formed on the drain and source electrodes to form a transistor.
20. The electronic device according to claim 19, wherein the transistor is a thin film transistor having an insulating film deposited on the transistor.

1. An apparatus for separating specific compounds in a gas mixture, the apparatus comprising:
a line (1) for delivering a pressure-controlled neutral carrier gas;
a sample chamber (2) of specific volume for collecting a gas mixture to be examined, the sample chamber (2) being removably connectable to the line (1) in a bypass configuration for pressurizing the gas sample before injection;
means (8) for injecting the gas sample into said line (1) when the sample chamber (2) is connected to said line (1) and pressurized by said pressure-controlled carrier gas;
a temperature-controlled separation capillary column (4) arranged to receive the gas sample injected into said line (1);
a gas sensor (5) at the outlet of the capillary column (4); and
a control interface (6) comprising means (6) for automatic control of the measurement sequence such as the sample injection, the injection and measurement time.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exchangeable sample chamber (2) is a pre-concentrator element.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gas sensor (5) is non-selective but highly sensitive.
4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sample chamber (2) is removably connectable in a by-pass to said line (1) by means of two valves (7, 8).
5. An apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a data control system (6) for compound recognition by automatic peak detection and relative concentration by peak area comparative calculation.
6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the capillary column’s (4) length is comprised between 1 to 5 meters, the capillary column’s (4) height is comprised between 50 to 250 micrometer, the capillary column’s (4) width is comprised between 30 to 150 micrometer.
7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the said capillary column (4) is unfilled but internally coated with a polymer.
8. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the polymer is polydimethylsiloxane.
9. An apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a miniature pumping system for generating said carrier gas from ambient air.
10. An apparatus according to claim 1, for halitosis diagnosis.
11. A method for separating specific compounds in a gas mixture, the method comprising:
delivering a pressure-controlled neutral carrier gas via a line (1);
collecting a gas mixture to be analyzed in a sample chamber (2) of specific volume, the sample chamber (2) being removably connectable in said line (1);
connecting the sample chamber (2) to said line (1) for pressurizing the sample volume;
injecting the gas sample into said line (1) during an injection time chosen between 0.5 and 3 seconds;
receiving the gas sample injected into said line (1) in a temperature-controlled separation capillary column (4) ; and
sensing the separated gas compounds at the outlet of the capillary column (4) via a highly sensitive but non-selective gas sensor (5).
12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the injection takes place in a pressure range between 0.15 to 0.5 bar.
13. A method according to claim 11, comprising generating said carrier from ambient air using a miniature pumping system.
14. A method according to claim 11, wherein compound recognition is performed by automatic peak detection and relative concentration determined by peak area comparative calculation using a data control system (6).
15. A method according to claim 11, for halitosis analysis.
16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the specific compounds detected in breath are H2S (hydrogen sulphide) andor CH2SH (methyl mercaptan) andor (CH3)2S (dimethyl sulphide),

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 pointer controlling apparatus, comprising:
(a) means for receiving position information of a pointer and determining whether the pointer has crossed over a boundary of a predetermined area from outside to inside;
(b) means for setting an operating mode of the pointer to a first control mode when a change in the position information of the pointer per unit time is less than a predetermined value, and setting the operating mode of the pointer to a second control mode when the change in the position information of the pointer per unit time is greater than or equal to the predetermined value;
(c) means for moving the pointer to a predetermined position within the predetermined area when in the first control mode and the pointer has crossed over the boundary of the predetermined area from outside to inside; and
(d) means for changing a moving distance of the pointer, when in the first control mode and the pointer is determined to exist within the predetermined area, based on the change in the position information of the pointer per unit time determined when the pointer existed outside the predetermined area.
2. A pointer controlling apparatus, comprising:
(a) means for receiving position information of a pointer and determining whether the pointer has crossed over a boundary of a predetermined area from outside to inside;
(b) means for setting an operating mode of the pointer to a first control mode when a predetermined event has not occurred, and setting the operating mode of the pointer to a second control mode when the predetermined event has occurred;
(c) means for moving the pointer to a predetermined position within the predetermined area when in the first control mode and the pointer has crossed over the boundary of the predetermined area from outside to inside; and
(d) means for changing a moving distance of the pointer, when in the first control mode and the pointer is determined to exist within the predetermined area, based on a change in the position information of the pointer per unit time determined when the pointer existed outside the predetermined area.
3. The pointer controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second control mode does not change the moving distance of the pointer based on the change in the position information of the pointer per unit time regardless of the location of the pointer relative to the inside and the outside of the predetermined area.
4. The pointer controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the predetermined position within the predetermined area is the center of the predetermined area.
5. The pointer controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein when the pointer has crossed over the boundary of the predetermined area from outside to inside, a display in the predetermined area is emphasized.
6. The pointer controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the predetermined event is at least one selected from the group comprising: a clicking operation; and a dragging operation.
7. A pointer controlling method, comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving position information of a pointer and determining whether the pointer has crossed over a boundary of a predetermined area from outside to inside;
(b) setting an operating mode of the pointer to a first control mode when a change in the position information of the pointer per unit time is less than a predetermined value, and setting the operating mode of the pointer to a second control mode when the change in the position information of the pointer per unit time is greater than or equal to the predetermined value;
(c) moving the pointer to a predetermined position within the predetermined area when in the first control mode and the pointer has crossed over the boundary of the predetermined area from outside to inside; and
(d) changing a moving distance of the pointer, when in the first control mode and the pointer is determined to exist within the predetermined area, based on the change in the position information of the pointer per unit time determined when the pointer existed outside the predetermined area.
8. A pointer controlling program executable by a computer to implement the steps comprising:
(a) receiving position information of a pointer and determining whether the pointer has crossed over a boundary of a predetermined area from outside to inside;
(b) setting an operating mode of the pointer to a first control mode when a change in the position information of the pointer per unit time is less than a predetermined value, and setting the operating mode of the pointer to a second control mode when the change in the position information of the pointer per unit time is greater than or equal to the predetermined value;
(c) moving the pointer to a predetermined position within the predetermined area when in the first control mode and the pointer has crossed over the boundary of the predetermined area from outside to inside; and
(d) changing a moving distance of the pointer, when in the first control mode and the pointer is determined to exist within the predetermined area, based on the change in the position information of the pointer per unit time determined when the pointer existed outside the predetermined area.
9. A pointer controlling apparatus, comprising:
(a) means for receiving position information of a pointer and determining whether the pointer has crossed over a boundary of a predetermined area from outside to inside;
(b) means for setting an operating mode of the pointer to a first control mode when a change in the position information of the pointer per unit time is less than a predetermined value, and setting the operating mode of the pointer to a second control mode when the change in the position information of the pointer per unit time is greater than or equal to the predetermined value;
changing a moving distance of the pointer, when in the first control mode and the pointer is determined to exist within the predetermined area, based on the change in the position information of the pointer per unit time determined when the pointer existed outside the predetermined area.
(c) means for increasing a moving distance of the pointer, when the pointer exists inside the boundary of the predetermined area and the pointer moves closer to a center of the predetermined area, based on the change in the position information of the pointer per unit time determined when the pointer existed outside the predetermined area when in the first control mode; and
(d) means for decreasing the moving distance of the pointer, when the pointer exists inside the boundary of the predetermined area and the pointer moves away from the center of the predetermined area, based on the change in the position information of the pointer per unit time determined when the pointer existed outside the predetermined area when in the first control mode.
10. A pointer controlling apparatus, comprising:
(a) means for receiving position information of a pointer and determining whether the pointer has crossed over a boundary of a predetermined area from outside to inside;
(b) means for setting an operating mode of the pointer to a first control mode when a change in the position information of the pointer per unit time is less than a predetermined value, and setting the operating mode of the pointer to a second control mode when the change in the position information of the pointer per unit time is greater than or equal to the predetermined value;
(c) means for increasing a moving distance of the pointer, when it is determined that the pointer exists inside the boundary of the predetermined area and the pointer moves closer to a center of the predetermined area, based on the change in the position information of the pointer per unit time when the pointer existed outside the predetermined area when in the first control mode; and
(d) means for suspending movement of the pointer, when in the first control mode, the pointer exists inside the boundary of the predetermined area, and the pointer moves away from the center of the predetermined area, even when change in the position information of the pointer per unit time has occurred.