Sub-50-nm CMOS devices are investigated using steep halo and shallow source/drain extensions. By using a high-ramp-rate spike annealing (HRR-SA) process and high-dose halo, 45-nm CMOS devices are ...fabricated with drive currents of 650 and 300 /spl mu/A//spl mu/m for an off current of less than 10 nA//spl mu/m at 1.2 V with T/sub ox//sup inv/=2.5 nm. For an off current less than 300 nA//spl mu/m, 33-nm pMOSFETs have a high drive current of 400 uA//spl mu/m. Short-channel effect and reverse short-channel effect are suppressed simultaneously by using the HRR-SA process to activate a source/drain extension (SDE) after forming a deep source/drain (S/D). This process sequence is defined as a reverse-order S/D (R-S/D) formation. By using this formation, 24-nm nMOSFETs are achieved with a high drive current of 800 /spl mu/A//spl mu/m for an off current of less than 300 /spl mu/A//spl mu/m at 1.2 V. This high drive current might be a result of a steep halo structure reducing the spreading resistance of source/drain extensions.
Robust porous low-k/Cu interconnects have been developed for 65-nm-node ultralarge-scale integrations (ULSIs) with 180-nm/200-nm pitched lines and 100-nm diameter vias in a single damascene ...architecture. A porous plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD)-SiOCH film (k=2.6) with subnanometer pores is introduced into the intermetal dielectrics on the interlayer dielectrics of a rigid PECVD-SiOCH film (k=2.9). This porous-on-rigid hybrid SiOCH structure achieves a 35% reduction in interline capacitance per grid in the 65-nm-node interconnect compared to that in a 90-nm-node interconnect with a fully rigid SiOCH. A via resistance of 9.7 /spl Omega/ was obtained in 100-nm diameter vias. Interconnect reliability, such as electromigration, and stress-induced voiding were retained with interface modification technologies. One of the key breakthroughs was a special liner technique to maintain dielectric reliability between the narrow-pitched lines. The porous surface on the trench-etched sidewall was covered with an ultrathin plasma-polymerized benzocyclobuten liner (k=2.7), thus enhancing interline time-dependent dielectric breakdown reliability. The introduction of a porous material and the control of the sidewall are essential for 65-nm-node and beyond scaled-down ULSIs to ensure high levels of reliability.
The HDL2/HDL3 ratio in menopause Ushiroyama, T.; Sakuma, K.; Ikeda, A. ...
International journal of gynecology and obstetrics,
March 2005, Letnik:
88, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The influence of the menopause on the HDL2/HDL3 ratio was assessed in association with hypertriglyceridemia.
Fasting blood samples were collected from 607 patients. Commercially available enzymatic ...methods were used for determination of TG, and total HDL-C. HDL2 and HDL3 were measured by ultracentrifugation.
The HDL2/HDL3 ratio had a strong negative correlation with TG (
r=−0.272,
P<0.0001 and
r=-0.314,
P<0.0001) in both pre- and postmenopausal women. No significant differences were observed in HDL2, HDL3, and HDL2/HDL3 ratio between pre- and postmenopausal women without hypertriglyceridemia. Postmenopausal women had a significantly higher HDL2/HDL3 ratio than premenopausal women with hypertriglyceridemia.
These results indicate that menopausal status not only increases plasma LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels, but also increases the HDL2/HDL3 ratio when associated with elevation of plasma triglyceride levels. These changes may increase the risk for CHD due to enlargement of the lipid pool.
Hyaluronan (HA) is one of the major extracellular matrix components in cartilage. In addition to the biomechanical functions, HA has various important roles in the differentiation of chondrocytes. ...The purpose of this study was to clarify the nature of HA synthesis during chondrocyte differentiation. Growth plate chondrocytes were isolated from rabbit ribs and cultured in chondrocyte differentiation medium. The amount of HA and HA synthase (HAS) mRNA levels were analyzed for each stage of chondrocyte differentiation by means of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and real-time PCR, respectively. The distribution of HA in cultured chondrocytes was observed by histochemical staining. The amount of HA, ranging widely in size, was increased substantially during the hypertrophic stage. The expression levels of HAS2 and HAS3 mRNAs were low during the matrix-forming stage. HAS2 mRNA level was substantially enhanced at the pre-hypertrophic stage, whereas HAS3 mRNA level exhibited a slight increase. HAS1 mRNA was not detected. The intensity of HA staining was high around the hypertrophic chondrocytes. These results suggest that HA metabolism in chondrocyte differentiation is regulated by the selective expression of HASs, and HAS2 and the related large size-HA may have a certain association with the hypertrophic changes of chondrocytes
Ovarian tumors associated with pregnancy Ueda, M.; Ueki, M.
International journal of gynecology and obstetrics,
October 1996, Letnik:
55, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Objective: The clinical characteristics of ovarian tumors associated with pregnancy were investigated.
Method: A series of 106 cases of ovarian tumor surgically resected during pregnancy was ...investigated with respect to incidence, clinicopathologic features and outcome.
Results: Among 106 cases undergoing ovarian surgery, 31 (29.2%), 70 (66%) and five (4.7%) were diagnosed as physiologic, benign and malignant, respectively. The incidence of benign neoplastic tumor was 1:112 deliveries and that of malignant neoplastic tumor was 1:1684 deliveries. Dermoid cyst was the most common lesion found. Of the 70 benign tumors, 51 (72.9%) were greater than 8 cm in diameter and 55 (78.6%) were preoperatively diagnosed before the 10th gestational week; 44 (62.9%) were operated before the 15th gestational week. The spontaneous abortion rate in 80 cases followed up after surgery was only 10%, 61 patients (76.3%) progressing to full-term delivery. Five malignant tumors included three epithelial carcinomas, one embryonal carcinoma and one dysgerminoma.
Conclusion: Ovarian surgery in the first trimester for persistent or enlarging masses is important to obtain a final histologic diagnosis and rule out malignancy.
Composites based on high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and mollusk shell-waste (MSW) particles, with several concentrations and two different micro-sizes, were prepared by melt compounding and ...injection molding. The matrix flow behavior was not altered by the MSW incorporations. SEM analyses revealed weak filler/matrix interfacing and the presence of agglomerates (in the composites with higher particle concentrations). For the 2wt% composites, good filler dispersion and distribution was observed in the HDPE matrix. The crystallinity of the matrix increased approximately 10% when adding lower MSW concentrations. For the composites with higher MSW concentrations and finer particles the thermal degradation temperature of HDPE (at a 20% mass loss) increased by approximately 26°C. The tensile modulus increased by approximately 10% for the 2wt% and 8wt% composites with coarse particles. With lower MSW concentrations and finer particles, the flexural modulus increased by more than 37%. The composites modified with titanate presented properties similar to unmodified composites. Molecular interactions were verified by the presence of a band at 1030cm−1, yet were not sufficient to promote improvements in the mechanical properties of the modified composites.
We purified four piscine deoxyribonucleases I (DNases I) from
Anguilla japonica,
Pagrus major,
Cryprus carpio and
Oreochromis mossambica. The purified enzymes had an optimum pH for activity of ...approximately 8.0, significantly higher than those of mammalian enzymes. cDNAs encoding the first three of these piscine DNases I were cloned, and the sequence of the
Takifugu rubripes enzyme was obtained from a database search. Nucleotide sequence analyses revealed relatively greater structural variations among the piscine DNase I family than among the other vertebrate DNase I families. From comparison of their catalytic properties, the vertebrate DNases I could be classified into two groups: a low-pH group, such as the mammalian enzymes, with a pH optimum of 6.5–7.0, and a high-pH group, such as the reptile, amphibian and piscine enzymes, with a pH optimum of approximately 8.0. The His residue at position 44 of the former group is replaced by Asp in the latter. Replacement of Asp44 of piscine and amphibian DNases I by His decreased their optimum pH to a value similar to that of the low-pH group. Therefore, Asp44His might be involved in an evolutionarily critical change in the optimum pH for the activity of vertebrate DNases I.
Various types of cell adhesion molecules and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) seem to play an important role in the invasion process of endometriosis; however, limited investigation has focused on ...their gene expression in human peritoneal endometriotic lesions. A total of 63 endometriotic tissues were surgically obtained from 35 women with endometriosis, which included 43 pigmented and 20 non-pigmented lesions. Gene expression levels of E-cadherin, alpha- and beta-catenin, MMP-2, MMP-9 and membrane-type 1 (MT1)-MMP in these endometriotic lesions were compared with those in normal eutopic endometrium obtained from 12 women without endometriosis. MMP-2, MMP-9 and MT1-MMP mRNA expression in pigmented lesions was significantly higher than that in normal endometrium (p < 0.05), whereas E-cadherin, alpha- and beta-catenin mRNA expression was not suppressed in endometriotic lesions. There was a close correlation between MMP-2 or MT1-MMP and E-cadherin, alpha- or beta-catenin gene expression in 63 endometriotic tissues examined (p < 0.01). Immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin, alpha- and beta-catenin in glandular epithelial cells was positive not only for all of seven cases with normal eutopic endometrium but also for 9 of 11 with ovarian endometriosis. MMP expression in ectopic endometrium was much greater than that in eutopic endometrium. These results suggest that endometriotic tissues expressing MMPs might be invasive and simultaneously possess cell-to-cell adhesion property in pelvic peritoneal foci.
The spatial distribution of the electron local density of states (LDOS) in InAs/GaSb double quantum wells (DQWs) was investigated by low-temperature scanning tunneling spectroscopy on cleaved ...surfaces. For DQW with a thick central barrier, clear standing wave patterns corresponding to subbands confined to each InAs single quantum well appeared in the spatial variation of LDOS spectra. In contrast, for the DQW with a thin central barrier, the standing wave patterns extended over both quantum wells. The deviation of the pattern arising from the asymmetry due to a slight difference of the well thickness appeared clearly. The observed spectra are well explained by the calculated LDOS taken to be the sum of LDOS contributed from all energetically accessible subbands.
This study was designed to detect apoptosis in the human amnion and to elucidate the signalling pathway involved in its regulation. Samples of human amnion were obtained from 34 women (weeks 11–42 of ...gestation) and studied using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labelling (TUNEL) method with light microscopy (LM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Apoptotic regulators in the samples were studied by immunohistochemistry and caspase activity assay. The TUNEL method with LM demonstrated that the percentage of TUNEL-positive cells in the amniotic epithelium was the highest in weeks 40–41 of gestation (P < 0.05) independent of the onset of labour, and the cells were often detached from the epithelium into the amniotic cavity at term. The TUNEL method with TEM clearly showed the characteristic features of apoptosis such as the nuclear condensed chromatin with abundant free 3′-OH DNA ends, cell shrinkage and a decrease in the number of desmosomes, except for the presence of apoptotic bodies. Fas and Fas ligand (FasL) were constantly expressed on apical membranes of amniotic epithelial cells from weeks 16–27 through to 40–41 of gestation, while no Bcl-2 expression was observed throughout the gestational periods. Activities of caspase-3 and caspase-8, but not of caspase-9, were higher in weeks 40–41 than those from weeks 16–27 of gestation (P < 0.01). We conclude that apoptosis in term amniotic epithelium is independent of Bcl-2 regulation and onset of labour, and may play an important role in the fragility and rupture of human fetal membranes at term.
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