Interactive visual performance space exploration of operational amplifiers with differentiable neural network surrogate models

To this day, the design of analog integrated circuits is a predominantly manual task, heavily reliant on the knowledge and intuition of human experts. Many current automation approaches aim to be holistic solutions, attempting to take the human out of the loop. This work, in turn, does not intend to replace human designers with algorithms, but support their qualities in the established flow. Here, the performance space of analog ICs is modeled by PVT-aware neural networks and visualized with parallel coordinate plots. Such a responsive visualization gives insights into the relations of parameters through interactive exploration where any parameter can be the cause while all others show the immediate effect. Thus, complex decision-making problems based on the experience of seasoned designers, such as circuit sizing or topology selection, are transformed into intuitive perceptual problems. Through the responsiveness and immediacy of the implementation, designers are encouraged to explore the entire performance space instead of basing all decisions on previous designs, never leaving the beaten path. A data generation and training procedure for surrogate models is outlined. Models for three operational amplifiers in three different technologies illustrate the applicability and feasibility of the presented approach. Additionally, a web-based demo, including all source code, is available for review

Optofluidics : process analytical technology

"Optofluidics : Process Analytical Technology" offers in its 2nd edition a distinctive foundational introduction to the realms of materials, photonics, fluidics, and sensors. The work serves to unify the disparate disciplines, integrating the requisite fundamental knowledge with applied science. It thus establishes a new standard and definition for both the academic and industrial fields. It encompasses the requisite in-depth knowledge of smart materials, semiconductor processing, optical waveguiding and fluid dynamics. The objective of this distinctive publication is to present information in a readily comprehensible format that can be readily applied in everyday situations. It is truly interdisciplinary but not overloading with information, providing the highly required and relevant information to become an expert in this exciting area, which is gaining more and more relevance and recognition in the context of sensing, material science and automation in biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturing. The concept of the book is to serve as a textbook for advanced beginners from all life science, engineering and physics disciplines, providing self-assessment questions and further reading recommendations for further guidance and in-depth learning

Kluges Fragen : Über Reflexion in der Organisation

"Jetzt mal Fuß vom Gas, so geht es nicht weiter". Angesichts multipler Krisen, tiefgreifender gesellschaftlicher Umbrüche und einer um sich greifenden Beschleunigung möchten wir in Organisationen gerne den roten Knopf "STOP" drücken. Um innezuhalten, nachzudenken, zu reflektieren: Worum geht es hier wirklich? Warum passiert uns das immer wieder? Und wie können wir das zukünftig anders machen? Handlungsmuster, Dynamiken und Routinen wirken wie ein unsichtbares Band in Organisationen und führen zu immer wieder gleichen Verhaltensweisen. Auf die Schliche kommt man diesen Mustern aber nur, wenn man sein Tun unterbricht und reflektiert. Aber was heißt das und wie wird Reflexion zu einem not wendigen Teil der Organisationsentwicklung

Transferable situation recognition system for scenario-independent context-aware surgical assistance systems : a proof of concept

Purpose Surgical interventions and the intraoperative environment can vary greatly. A system that reliably recognizes the situation in the operating room should therefore be flexibly applicable to different surgical settings. To achieve this, transferability should be focused during system design and development. In this paper, we demonstrated the feasibility of a transferable, scenario-independent situation recognition system (SRS) by the definition and evaluation based on non-functional requirements. Methods Based on a high-level concept for a transferable SRS, a proof of concept implementation was demonstrated using scenarios. The architecture was evaluated with a focus on non-functional requirements of compatibility, maintainability, and portability. Moreover, transferability aspects beyond the requirements, such as the effort to cover new scenarios, were discussed in a subsequent argumentative evaluation. Results The evaluation demonstrated the development of an SRS that can be applied to various scenarios. Furthermore, the investigation of the transferability to other settings highlighted the system’s characteristics regarding configurability, interchangeability, and expandability. The components can be optimized step by step to realize a versatile and efficient situation recognition that can be easily adapted to different scenarios. Conclusion The prototype provides a framework for scenario-independent situation recognition, suggesting greater applicability and transferability to different surgical settings. For the transfer into clinical routine, the system’s modules need to be evolved, further transferability challenges be addressed, and comprehensive scenarios be integrated

Alignment information via optimal transport and pre-training for neural machine translation

The demand for translation between different languages has increased rapidly as globalization has progressed. Although neural machine translation (NMT) has achieved excellent results through pre-training, existing models lack alignment information, which makes them unsuitable for specific domains. In this paper, a NMT model with alignment information via optimal transport (OT) and pre-training is proposed. First, the representation gap between different languages is narrowed by using alignment information via OT and pre-training (OTAP) to generate domain-specific data for information alignment, thereby learning richer semantic information. Second, a lightweight model, called the DR-Reformer, is introduced, which uses the Reformer as the backbone network and incorporates Dropout and Reduction layers to reduce model parameters and improve computational efficiency without sacrificing accuracy. Experiments conducted on the Chinese and English datasets of AI Challenger 2018 and WMT-17 show that our proposed algorithm outperforms existing algorithms

Zentrale ethische Prinzipien Sozialer Arbeit : Ein kompakter Überblick nach IFSW 2014/ 2018

Die Förderung solidarischen Handelns gehört zu den zentralen Aufgaben Sozialer Arbeit. Hierbei ist das Engagement für Solidarität nicht das einzige ethische Prinzip, an dem sich Soziale Arbeit orientiert. Als "moralische Profession" ist sie von verschiedenen ethischen Prinzipien getragen. Eine hohe internationale Legitimität haben hierbei die von der International Federation of Social Workers erarbeiteten ethischen Prinzipien (IFSW 2018) sowie die Definition der Sozialen Arbeit (IFSW 2014), welche folgend in einer knappen Übersicht dargestellt werden

Paid parental leave and long-term outcomes of children : Quasi-experimental evidence from former East Germany

This study investigates the impact of an increase in paid parental leave from six to twelve months on children’s long-term outcomes. Our setting—former East Germany—is characterized by high maternal labor market participation and a universal supply of standardized childcare. It thus mitigates identification issues such as selection into the labor market and provides a clear counterfactual to maternal care. Applying a difference-in-differences design and using representative survey data, we exploit the specific timing of the parental leave reforms in 1976 and 1986. We find significant and robust positive effects on children’s life satisfaction in adulthood for both reforms. Effects on gross wages are positive but not robust across different specifications. A heterogeneity analysis by gender reveals positive effects on trust and health among males

From myth to reality: making sense of innovation hubs in Africa

The global proliferation of organizations like incubators, accelerators, and co-working spaces is particularly striking on the African continent. Over the last 10+ years, a large number of such organizations have been established in African countries, which are mainly referred to as (innovation) hubs. However, along with the strong growth in the number of innovation hubs, a vast increase in the diversity of these organizations can also be observed, resulting in a general fuzziness of the hub concept. In this critical review, we describe the origin and the evolution of the concept. We contribute to the literature by providing conceptual clarity and disentangling the fuzziness of the innovation hub concept. We introduce a new definition of innovation hubs and develop four key differentiation criteria. Based on that, we provide avenues for advancing research on innovation hubs. Our review also entails practical implications, as entrepreneurs in African countries are wondering which type of hub they should choose for developing their business ideas and growing their entrepreneurial ventures

Targeting CD276 with Adapter-CAR T-cells provides a novel therapeutic strategy in small cell lung cancer and prevents CD276-dependent fratricide

Abstract Background Survival rates in Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) remain dismal, posing a huge medical need for novel therapies. T-cells, engineered to express chimeric antigen receptors (CAR-T) have demonstrated clinical activity against a variety of haematological malignancies. Yet, efficacy against solid tumour entities remains limited. Methods In this study, we investigated the expression of CD276 (B7-H3), an immune checkpoint molecule and promising target antigen for CAR-T therapy in SCLC, at the RNA and protein level. We further developed novel Fab-based adapter molecules (AM) targeting CD276 and optimized our previously established modular Adapter CAR-T (AdCAR-T) platform as well as AM dosing schemes. Results CD276 is broadly expressed across SCLC subtypes, representing a promising target for CAR-T therapy. We describe that T-cell activation and CAR-signalling induces CD276-expression on CAR-T, resulting in CD276-dependent fratricide, limiting anti-CD276-CAR-T expansion and activity. The AdCAR-T platform allows CAR-T expansion in absence of CD276 targeting. Novel CD276 targeted AMs demonstrate potent in vitro and in vivo activity against SCLC. Intermittent AM-dosing allows functional persistence of AdCAR-T in vivo in contrast to CD276-targeted conventional CAR-T. AdCAR-T in vivo expansion and activity is further promoted by introducing activation-induced, AM remote controlled, IL-18 secretion into the AdCAR-T design. Conclusion We identified CD276 as a promising target antigen, uniformly expressed in SCLC and demonstrate the therapeutic potential of novel anti-CD276 Fab-based AM in combination with optimized, IL-18 armoured AdCAR-T

Characterization and modeling of additively manufactured Ti-6Al-4V alloy with modified surfaces for medical applications

In the field of biomedical implants, additively manufactured titanium alloys, particularly Ti-6Al-4V, hold significant potential due to their biocompatibility and mechanical properties. This study focuses on the characterization and modeling of additively manufactured Ti-6Al-4V alloy for dental and maxillofacial implants, emphasizing fatigue behavior, surface modification, and their combined effects on cyto- and osseocompatibility. Experimental methods, including tensile, compression, and fatigue testing, were applied alongside in silico simulations to assess the long-term mechanical performance of the material. Surface properties were further modified through sandblasting and coating techniques to enhance cell adhesion and proliferation. By using in-vitro methods, the cytocompatibility of the coatings and materials was examined followed by in-vivo tests to determine osseocompatibility. Results demonstrated that appropriate surface roughness and modifications are essential in optimizing osseointegration, while the layer-by-layer additive manufacturing process influenced the fatigue life and stability. These findings contribute to the development of patient-specific implants, optimizing both mechanical integrity and biological integration for enhanced clinical outcomes. This work summarizes the investigations on additively manufactured Ti-6Al-4V alloy of the research unit 5250 “Mechanism-based characterization and modeling of permanent and bioresorbable implants with tailored functionality based on innovative in vivo, in vitro and in silico methods” funded by the Germany Research Foundation (DFG)