Press Releases

Kawasaki, Japan, Feb 10, 2010 - (ACN Newswire) - Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. and the University of Toronto today announced their joint development of a new processing method for transceiver chips used in gigabit-class(1) high-speed data transmission over wirelines. The new technology employs digital circuitry to replace previously-required structures that used analog circuits. While analog processing require circuits that are adapted to the specifications of a signal being transmitted, such as transmission distance and amplitude, this new digital approach can perform these optimizations automatically, so that a single circuit could be used to accommodate a wide range of various wireline communications. Compared to conventional processing methods, this new digital-processing method makes it possible to shorten development periods by approximately half. It is anticipated that this new technology in the future could be applied to a variety of wireline communication applications, including 10 Gbps high-speed Ethernet in datacenters.

Details of this technology were presented at the IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference 2010 (ISSCC 2010) being held in San Francisco from February 7-11. (Presentation number: 8.7)

Background and Technological Challenges

File size data volumes for large photographic, audio, and video files are becoming increasingly larger, thus requiring a significant amount of bandwidth to transmit, leading to demand for ever-faster wireline data communications. Conventional transceiver chips rely on analog circuitry which needs to be optimized to accommodate specifications of the signal being transmitted - such as transmission distance and amplitude - and therefore require multiple transceiver chips to be designed in order to accommodate for various applications.

With a growing diversity of devices featuring high-speed data transmission, the need to optimize an existing technology for every new type of device or model has become a bottleneck in the development process. Efforts to develop transceiver chips within short development periods that can accommodate the wide range of different devices have been proven challenging.

Newly-developed Technology

Fujitsu Laboratories and the University of Toronto have developed a digital circuit-based transceiver chip. Featuring digital circuitry, the new transceiver chip can automatically optimize itself for a variety of high-speed communications circuits, thus significantly reducing development periods by approximately half compared with conventional methods.

This technology detects variations in the delay on the time axis of the input signal, caused during data transmission, and based on that can automatically adjust the timing it uses for judging whether an incoming signal is a 0 or 1 (Figure 1). Since variations in data transmissions increase along with faster transmission speeds, this new technology is essential for accurate data exchange. This is the world's first technology to achieve Gbps-class speeds without the use of analog circuitry elements, while offering fully-digital timing adjustments for signal-determination.

Results

As a world's first, by using digital circuitry-based high-speed transceiver technology, Fujitsu Laboratories and the University of Toronto's new technology makes it possible to reduce the design and development period for a gigabit-class transceiver chip by approximately one-half (1/2) compared with conventional methods. This suggests that transceiver chips for a wide range of communications devices could be offered in a timely manner.

Future Developments

Fujitsu Laboratories and the University of Toronto will continue with development of this technology to optimize the digital signal processing, to further reduce the transceiver's power consumption.

Glossary and Notes

1 Gigabit-class/Gigabits-per-second (Gbps):Gigabits-per-second (Gbps) expresses data rate and indicates how many gigabits can be transferred per second. 10 Gbps is 10 billion bits-per-second (10 billion bps) = 10,000 megabits-per-second (10,000 Mbps), and indicates that 10 billion bits of data can be transferred per second.

About University of Toronto

Established in 1827, the University of Toronto is Canada's largest university, recognized as a global leader in research and teaching. U of T's distinguished faculty, institutional record of groundbreaking scholarship and wealth of innovative academic opportunities continually attract outstanding students and academics from around the world. U of T is committed to providing a learning experience that benefits from both a scale almost unparalleled in North America and from the close-knit learning communities made possible through its college system and academic divisions. Located in and around Toronto, one of the world's most diverse regions, U of T's vibrant academic life is defined by a unique degree of cultural diversity in its learning community. The University is sustained environmentally by three green campuses, where renowned heritage buildings stand beside award-winning innovations in architectural design.

For more information: http://www.utoronto.ca/

About Fujitsu Ltd

Fujitsu is a leading provider of IT-based business solutions for the global marketplace. With approximately 160,000 employees supporting customers in 70 countries, Fujitsu combines a worldwide corps of systems and services experts with highly reliable computing and communications products and advanced microelectronics to deliver added value to customers. Headquartered in Tokyo, Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.6 trillion yen (US$47 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009. For more information, please visit www.fujitsu.com.

Contact: Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd.
Design Solutions Lab.
Platform Technologies Lab.
Tel: +81-44-754-2635
E-mail:hsio_adc_pr@ml.labs.fujitsu.com

University of Toronto
Prof. Ali Sheikholeslami
Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Tel: +1(416)978-1681
E-mail:ali@eecg.utoronto.ca
Address: 10 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G4

Copyright 2010 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved.

Kawasaki, Japan, Feb 10, 2010 - (ACN Newswire) - Fujitsu Laboratories Limited and the University of Toronto today announced that they have jointly developed the world's first high-reliability read-method for use with spin-torque-transfer (STT) MRAM(1) that is insusceptible to erroneous writes. STT MRAM is regarded as a potential future form of non-volatile memory(2) that could be used as an alternative to flash memory. NOR flash memory that is embedded in microcontrollers widely used in mobile phones and other electronic devices is expected to reach the limits of its feasible miniaturization in the near future, which has led to the search for an alternative low-power non-volatile memory that will allow continued necessary miniaturization. By resolving one of the major obstacles to using STT MRAM, Fujitsu and the University of Toronto's new read-method marks a major step towards the practical implementation of STT MRAM as a necessary replacement for flash memory, in view of future requirements that will be necessary for compact and low-power electronic devices.

Details of this technology were presented at the IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference 2010 (ISSCC 2010) being held in San Francisco from February 7-11. (Presentation number: 14.1)

Background

Many electronic devices such as mobile phones or PDAs use microcontrollers with embedded flash memory, which allows onboard software to be rewritten. However, NOR flash memory used in such microcontrollers is nearing the physical limits of its miniaturization, which has led to research on various types of memory that could replace NOR flash memory.

STT MRAM, which uses magnetic materials as the memory storage element, is gaining attention as an emerging potential candidate to replace flash memory, as STT MRAM meets the needs for speed, low power consumption, and miniaturization that would make it a good candidate to replace flash memory.

Technological Challenges

STT MRAM uses memory storage elements that take advantage of the effect in which a current that is passed through a magnetic material - such as a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ)(3) - reverses its direction of magnetization (Figure 1). Passing a current through the MTJ causes its direction of magnetization to switch between a parallel or anti-parallel state, which has the effect of switching between low resistance and high resistance. Because this can be used to represent the 1s and 0s of digital information, STT MRAM can be used as a non-volatile memory.

Reading STT MRAM involves applying a voltage to the MTJ to discover whether the MTJ offers high resistance to current ("1") or low ("0"). However, a relatively high voltage needs to be applied to the MTJ to correctly determine whether its resistance is high or low, and the current passed at this voltage leaves little difference between the read-current and the write-current. Any fluctuation in the electrical characteristics of individual MTJs could cause what was intended as a read-current, to have the effect of a write-current, thus reversing the direction of magnetization of the MTJ.

Newly-developed Technology

In a joint collaboration, Fujitsu Laboratories and the University of Toronto have developed an innovative circuit design (Figure 3) that for the first time resolves the issue of erroneous writes in STT MRAM during read operations.

The newly developed read-method uses a negative resistance(4) that is intermediate between the MTJ's high resistance and low resistance on a parallel circuit (Figure 4). If the MTJ is in a high-resistance state, this circuit exhibits negative-resistance characteristics. If the MTJ is in a low-resistance state, then it exhibits normal-resistance characteristics. These characteristics allow the resistance value to be read at lower voltages than before, suppressing the tendency of the read operation to reverse the direction of magnetization and avoiding the problem of erroneous write operations.

Results

The development of this new read circuit with negative resistance has resulted in STT MRAM that is insusceptible to erroneous writes caused by fluctuations in the electrical characteristics of the MTJs. It is anticipated that the STT MRAM used as miniaturized non-volatile memory would enable greater high-performance in mobile phones and other electronic devices.

Future Developments

Fujitsu Laboratories and the University of Toronto plan to continue with R&D related to STT MRAM to strive toward practical implementation, such as lowering write currents and developing process technologies for further miniaturization.

Glossary and Notes

1 Spin- Torque-Transfer MRAM:Spin-torque-transfer magnetoresistive (STT) random access memory. MRAM that uses the "spin-torque-transfer" effect to reverse the direction of magnetization of an element by passing current through it.

2 Non-volatile memory:Memory that persists even when electrical power is cut.

3 Magnetic tunnel junction (MJT):A tunnel junction that uses the magnetoresistive effect. Consists of a recording layer made of ferromagnetic material, an insulating film a few atoms thick, and a layer made of ferromagnetic material that will not change its direction of magnetization in the presence of a current.

4 Negative resistance:An element that has negative resistance value, in which its current decreases when voltage rises.

About University of Toronto

Established in 1827, the University of Toronto is Canada's largest university, recognized as a global leader in research and teaching. U of T's distinguished faculty, institutional record of groundbreaking scholarship and wealth of innovative academic opportunities continually attract outstanding students and academics from around the world. U of T is committed to providing a learning experience that benefits from both a scale almost unparalleled in North America and from the close-knit learning communities made possible through its college system and academic divisions. Located in and around Toronto, one of the world's most diverse regions, U of T's vibrant academic life is defined by a unique degree of cultural diversity in its learning community. The University is sustained environmentally by three green campuses, where renowned heritage buildings stand beside award-winning innovations in architectural design.

For more information: http://www.utoronto.ca/

About Fujitsu Ltd

Fujitsu is a leading provider of IT-based business solutions for the global marketplace. With approximately 160,000 employees supporting customers in 70 countries, Fujitsu combines a worldwide corps of systems and services experts with highly reliable computing and communications products and advanced microelectronics to deliver added value to customers. Headquartered in Tokyo, Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.6 trillion yen (US$47 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009. For more information, please visit www.fujitsu.com.

Contact: Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd.
Technology Integration Lab.
Platform Technologies Lab.
Tel: +81(46)250-8379
E-mail:til-si@ml.labs.fujitsu.com

University of Toronto
Prof. Ali Sheikholeslami
Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Tel: +1(416)978-1681
E-mail:ali@eecg.utoronto.ca
Address: 10 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G4 Canada

Copyright 2010 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved.

LOS ANGELES, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 02/10/10 -- In this time of political turmoil, Iran occupies the center stage in international news reporting. Few have been able to dramatize the terror of actual living in a fundamentalist Islamic state as journalist Mehrdad Balali has. In his autobiographical novel "Houri" (released by The Permanent Press in New York), Balali paints a fascinating portrait of a country torn by religious extremism and raw violence. It is a revealing portrait of often contrasting Islamic and Persian cultures as powerful as "The Kite Runner," while sharing the raw honesty of childhood poverty found in "Angela's Ashes."

Shahed is a tormented Iranian expatriate in the U.S. who journeys to his homeland after his father's death, to discover his childhood world stripped to religious austerity, punishment and fear. He returns in memory to his life as a dreamy 12-year-old boy in Tehran, dominated by his larger-than-life father, an exuberant hustler whose exploits leave his family in grim poverty. Young Shahed's world is bound by his school and its greedy, sadistic principal, and a neighborhood of picaresque operators presided over by his dad.

Craving American delights such as hamburger and Coca-Cola, Shahed begins stealing to get a taste of the American wonderland. The boy's heart is captured by the sensuous Houri, an embodiment of all Paradise promises. As his petty crimes and hopeless love escalate, he's brought into competition with his father and ultimately suffers a crushing betrayal that scars him for life.

But in the stark realities of post-Revolution Iran, Shahed understands his father's true legacy to him: the power to hungrily devour every moment of life, however harsh or corrupt it may be, and live to the fullest.

"Houri" reveals vivid, authentic details of a culture alien to most Westerners in a country that has been named an ideological and nuclear threat to the world. Amidst the horrors of militant fundamentalist takeover, the novel contains a universal story of bitter rivalry and harsh love between father and son, seasoned with the dark humor essential to survival in a harsh world.

Mehrdad Balali is an Iranian-born American who returned to his homeland as a career journalist in 1991. He worked for the next 15 years for international news agencies such as Reuters, Agence France-Presse and the Economist and frequently appeared as a commentator on CNN, BBC and NPR. After being banned from working in Iran, he returned to the United States to spend his time writing fiction.

"Houri" is available on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and numerous other retailers.

Click here, http://www.ballantinesbiz.com/houri/Houri_Reviews_020810.html, to read the excellent reviews by:

--  Booklist
--  Publishers Weekly
--  Kirkus
--  The Independent
--  Critics.org

Add to Digg Bookmark with del.icio.us Add to Newsvine

To obtain a copy for review, or to book Balali for political commentary,
please contact:
Jenn Deese
Ballantines PR
Email Contact
Tel: 310 454 3080
http://www.ballantinespr.com

HELSINKI, Finland, Feb. 10, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stora Enso has signed an agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB) for a EUR 65 million loan to be used for the Ostroleka power plant construction project in Poland. The loan agreement is part of the commitment by EIB to lend altogether EUR 230 million to Stora Enso for research and development and the Ostroleka power plant project.

"We have a long and good relationship with EIB and we are delighted that through this agreement EIB is supporting our power plant project to improve Ostroleka Mill's energy self-sufficiency and energy efficiency. Along with the Langerbrugge and Maxau energy investments, the Ostroleka power plant is one of our biggest cost improvement investments this year at our existing mills in Europe. The terms of the loan are very competitive," says Stora Enso CFO Markus Rauramo.

The Ostroleka power plant to be completed in the third quarter of 2010 will further improve the cost competitiveness of Stora Enso's operations in Poland. As announced on 3 November 2008, the total investment in the Ostroleka power plant is estimated at EUR 137 million.

Stora Enso is the world leader in forest industry sustainability. We offer our customers solutions based on renewable raw materials. Our products provide a climate-friendly alternative to many non-renewable materials, and have a smaller carbon footprint. Stora Enso is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good Index. Stora Enso employs some 27 000 people worldwide, and our sales in 2009 amounted to EUR 8.9 billion. Stora Enso shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki (STEAV, STERV) and Stockholm (STE A, STE R). In addition, the shares are traded in the USA as ADRs (SEOAY) in the International OTCQX over-the-counter market.

STORA ENSO OYJ

Jari Suvanto

Ulla Paajanen-Sainio

CONTACT:  Stora Enso Oyj
          Jyrki Tammivuori, SVP, Group Treasurer
            +358 2046 21043
          Ulla Paajanen-Sainio, Head of Investor Relations
            +358 2046 21242
          www.storaenso.com
          www.storaenso.com/investors

ABERDEENSHIRE, UK -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 02/10/10 -- THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES

Xcite Energy (TSX-V: XEL) (AIM: XEL) (LSE: XEL), a developer of heavy oil assets in the UK North Sea, is pleased to announce that it has exchanged a letter of intent with Applied Drilling Technology International ("ADTI"), the well management arm of Transocean Drilling U.K. Limited, for the provision of a heavy duty, deep water jack-up drilling unit to undertake the drilling and testing of the 9/3b-R well on the Company's Bentley field.

Further details are expected to be announced after the contract is completed, which is subject to various approvals, including Xcite Energy board approval, available funding and regulatory approvals.

ADTI has also joined the Bentley Alliance, the management and operational structure created by Xcite Energy as the vehicle to direct the Bentley field to full field development. The addition of the ADTI technical expertise and project management skills is expected to greatly assist Xcite Energy in moving the Bentley field towards production.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this announcement constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of securities laws. Forward-looking information may relate to the Company's future outlook and anticipated events or results and, in some cases, can be identified by terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "intend", "estimate", "predict", "target", "potential", "continue" or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. These statements are based on certain factors and assumptions including expected growth, results of operations, performance and business prospects and opportunities. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to us, they may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking information is also subject to certain factors, including risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from what we currently expect. These factors include risks associated with the oil and gas industry (including operational risks in exploration and development and uncertainties of estimates oil and gas potential properties), the risk of commodity price and foreign exchange rate fluctuations and the ability of Xcite Energy to secure financing. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties are contained in the Company's annual information form dated December 8, 2009 and in the annual Management's Discussion and Analysis for Xcite Energy dated March 26, 2009 filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available at www.sedar.com. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

ENQUIRIES:

Xcite Energy Limited
Richard Smith
Chief Executive Officer
+44 (0) 1330 826740

Rupert Cole
Chief Financial Officer
+44 (0) 1330 826740

Strand Hanson Limited (Nomad)
James Harris
Director
Rory Murphy
Director
+44 (0) 20 7409 3494

Arbuthnot Securities Limited (Broker)
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Ed Burbidge
Director
+44 (0)20 7012 2000

Pelham Bell Pottinger
Mark Antelme
Director
+44 (0) 20 7337 1500

Paradox Public Relations
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Consultant
+1 514 341 0408