Current status and challenges of aggressive equivalent-oxide-thickness (EOT) scaling of high-κ gate dielectrics via higher-κ ( > 20) materials and interfacial layer (IL) scavenging techniques are ...reviewed. La-based higher-κ materials show aggressive EOT scaling (0.5-0.8 nm), but with effective workfunction (EWF) values suitable only for n-type field-effect-transistor (FET). Further exploration for p-type FET-compatible higher-κ materials is needed. Meanwhile, IL scavenging is a promising approach to extend Hf-based high-κ dielectrics to future nodes. Remote IL scavenging techniques enable EOT scaling below 0.5 nm. Mobility-EOT trends in the literature suggest that short-channel performance improvement is attainable with aggressive EOT scaling via IL scavenging or La-silicate formation. However, extreme IL scaling (e.g., zero-IL) is accompanied by loss of EWF control and with severe penalty in reliability. Therefore, highly precise IL thickness control in an ultra-thin IL regime ( < 0.5 nm) will be the key technology to satisfy both performance and reliability requirements for future CMOS devices.
For engines operating using heavy fuel oil (HFO), the nozzle rings of turbocharger turbines are prone to severe degradation because of contamination with unburned fuel deposits. This contamination ...may lead to increased excitation of blade resonance. A previous study provides technical guidelines on how to extract the relevant information from pulsation spectra using a single probe installed away from the turbine trailing edge and some sound experimental proofs of integral mode turbine vibration detection. These theoretical discussions only allude to the effects of mistuning and interferences due to classical blade passing frequencies on sound radiation patterns emitted by integral blade vibration modes. In this study, both effects are thoroughly discussed. Combining the knowledge of theoretical study and further experimental results, the application range of this blade vibration detection method can be remarkably extended.
Mechanically robust turbine design with respect to blade vibration is challenging when dealing with nozzle-ring fouling and wear. Especially for engines operating with heavy fuel oil (HFO), the ...nozzle rings of the turbocharger turbines are prone to severe degradation in terms of contamination with unburned fuel deposits. This contamination will lead to an increased excitation of blade resonances in comparison to the nominal design. Due to the statistical character of contamination, long-term monitoring of blade vibration amplitudes would be beneficial. In the harsh environment of HFO operation, however, conventional blade vibration measurement techniques, such as those using strain gauges or blade tip timing, cannot work reliably for a long period. Thus, the objective of this research is to develop a method that enables the monitoring of turbine blades using pulsation or vibration sensors installed on the stator side. Almost a dozen turbines, both radial and axial, have been examined in order to determine a proper measurement chain/position and analytical method. Even though the challenges specific to the turbocharger turbine application—that high-frequency (up to 50 kHz) acoustic radiation from turbine blades has to be detected by a sensor on the stator side—were demanding, in the course of the investigations several clear examples of turbine blades engine-order resonance detection were gathered. Finally, the proposed method has been tested successfully in a power plant for over one year.
A 57-year-old man presented with difficulty speaking and walking along with increased daytime somnolence. His symptoms fluctuated throughout the day but never completely disappeared. A neurological ...examination revealed mild dysarthria, limb weakness, and staggering gait. Polysomnography showed rapid eye movement (REM) sleep excess (55.0%). Multiple sleep latency tests revealed a mean sleep latency of zero minutes with sleep-onset REM periods in all naps. The Orexin-A concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid was low (50.8 pg/mL). Human leukocyte antigen testing demonstrated DQB1*0602 positivity. His neurological symptoms were relieved by clomipramine. Thus, he was diagnosed with late-onset narcolepsy type 1 with status cataplecticus.
Both Leydig cell tumor (LCT), which is a sex cord-stromal tumor, and spermatocytic tumor (ST), which is a germ cell tumor, are rare testicular tumors. Synchronous LCT and ST in the unilateral testis ...are extremely rare because of their different origins. Herein, we report the case of an 84-year-old male patient with right scrotal swelling due to a testicular tumor. His age was out of the onset peak age of LCT but within ST. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case with synchronous LCT and ST in the unilateral testis.
The propagation of conformational strains by templated seeding is central to the prion concept. Seeded assembly of α‐synuclein into filaments is believed to underlie the prion‐like spreading of ...protein inclusions in a number of human neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and multiple system atrophy (MSA). We previously determined the atomic structures of α‐synuclein filaments from the putamen of five individuals with MSA. Here, we used filament preparations from three of these brains for the in vitro seeded assembly of recombinant human α‐synuclein. We find that the structures of the seeded assemblies differ from those of the seeds, suggesting that additional, as yet unknown, factors play a role in the propagation of the seeds. Identification of these factors will be essential for understanding the prion‐like spreading of α‐synuclein proteinopathies.
The assembly of certain proteins into amyloids underlies multiple neurodegenerative diseases. The spreading of these assemblies through the brain is thought to occur through a prion‐like mechanism. We used filaments extracted from multiple system atrophy brains to seed recombinant α‐synuclein. The resulting structures differ from those of the seeds, indicating that seeded assembly does not necessarily replicate the seed structures.
Background
Rituximab is conditionally approved in Japan for use in patients with refractory nephrotic syndrome. To meet the conditions of approval, an all-case post-marketing surveillance study was ...conducted to confirm the real-world safety and efficacy of rituximab in patients of all ages with refractory nephrotic syndrome.
Methods
All patients scheduled to receive rituximab treatment for refractory nephrotic syndrome were eligible to register (registration: August 29, 2014 through April 15, 2016); the planned observation period was 2 years from the initiation of rituximab treatment (intravenous infusion, 375 mg/m
2
once weekly for four doses). The study was conducted at 227 hospitals throughout Japan. Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were collected for safety outcomes. The efficacy outcomes were relapse-free period and the degree of growth in pediatric (< 15 years) patients.
Results
In total, 997 (447 pediatric) patients were registered; 981 (445) were included in the safety analysis set; 852 (402) completed the 2-year observation period; and 810 (429) were included in the efficacy analysis set. Refractory nephrotic syndrome had developed in childhood for 85.0% of patients, and 54.6% were aged ≥15 years. ADRs were observed in 527 (53.7%) patients, treatment-related infection/infestation in 235 (24.0%) patients, and infusion reactions in 313 (31.9%) patients. The relapse-free period was 580 days (95% confidence interval, 511–664). There was a significant change in height standard deviation score (pediatric patients; mean change, 0.093; standard deviation, 0.637;
P
= 0.009).
Conclusion
The safety and efficacy of rituximab treatment in patients with refractory nephrotic syndrome were confirmed in the real-world setting.
Clinical trial registration
UMIN000014997.
Abstract
Analog hardware-based training provides a promising solution to developing state-of-the-art power-hungry artificial intelligence models. Non-volatile memory hardware such as resistive random ...access memory (RRAM) has the potential to provide a low power alternative. The training accuracy of analog hardware depends on RRAM switching properties including the number of discrete conductance states and conductance variability. Furthermore, the overall power consumption of the system inversely correlates with the RRAM devices conductance. To study material dependence of these properties, TaOx and HfOx RRAM devices in one-transistor one-RRAM configuration (1T1R) were fabricated using a custom 65 nm CMOS fabrication process. Analog switching performance was studied with a range of initial forming compliance current (200–500 µA) and analog switching tests with ultra-short pulse width (300 ps) was carried out. We report that by utilizing low current during electroforming and high compliance current during analog switching, a large number of RRAM conductance states can be achieved while maintaining low conductance state. While both TaOx and HfOx could be switched to more than 20 distinct states, TaOx devices exhibited 10× lower conductance, which reduces total power consumption for array-level operations. Furthermore, we adopted an analog, fully in-memory training algorithm for system-level training accuracy benchmarking and showed that implementing TaOx 1T1R cells could yield an accuracy of up to 96.4% compared to 97% for the floating-point arithmetic baseline, while implementing HfOx devices would yield a maximum accuracy of 90.5%. Our experimental work and benchmarking approach paves the path for future materials engineering in analog-AI hardware for a low-power environment training.
In Japan, several large healthcare databases have become available for research since the early 2000's. However, validation studies to examine the accuracy of these databases remain scarce. We ...conducted a validation study in order to estimate the positive predictive value (PPV) of local or ICD-10 codes for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Japanese claims. In particular, we examined whether the PPV differs between claims in the Diagnosis Procedure Combination case mix scheme (DPC claims) and in non-DPC claims.
We selected a random sample of 200 patients from all patients hospitalized at a large tertiary-care university hospital between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2011 who had an inpatient claim assigned a local or ICD-10 code for AMI. We used a standardized data abstraction form to collect the relevant information from an electronic medical records system. Abstracted information was then categorized by a single cardiologist as being either definite or not having AMI.
In a random sample of 200 patients, the average age was 67.7 years and the proportion of males was 78.0%. The PPV of the local or ICD-10 code for AMI was 82.5% in this sample of 200 patients. Further, of 178 patients who had an ICD-10 code for AMI based on any of the 7 types of condition codes in the DPC claims, the PPV was 89.3%, whereas of the 161 patients who had an ICD-10 code for AMI based on any of 3 major types of condition codes in the DPC claims, the PPV was 93.8%.
The PPV of the local or ICD-10 code for AMI was high for inpatient claims in Japan. The PPV was even higher for the ICD-10 code for AMI for those patients who received AMI care through the DPC case mix scheme. The current study was conducted in a single center, suggesting that a multi-center study involving different types of hospitals is needed in the future. The accuracy of condition codes for DPC claims in Japan may also be worth examining for conditions other than AMI such as stroke.
This paper proposes a nonlinear adaptive control method integrated with finite element approximation to obtain the model of the magnetic levitation system of 6 degrees of freedom. Since a ...magnetically levitated stage is free from friction, it is useful not only to position precisely, but also to measure small force applying to the stage. However, inherent nonlinear characteristics of electromagnetic force make it difficult to measure force correctly. Therefore in this study, with the aim to overcome this difficulty, a control method is proposed to obtain the model of the magnetic levitation system by adopting the manner of model reference adaptive control integrated with finite element approximation for the nonlinear characteristics of electromagnetic force. The controller can compensate the nonlinear characteristics by adjusting PD feedback gains using the obtained model. The parameters of inertia and the center of gravity are also identified to be reflected on a linear reference model. By compensating the nonlinear characteristics of electromagnetic force, the magnetic levitation system behaves as a linear system, which facilitates the position control and the force measurement. The efficiency of this method is shown in an experiment of improving the tracking trajectory control performance.
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