Analogue micropower FET techniques review

A detailed introduction to published analogue circuit design techniques using Si and Si/SiGe FET devices for very low-power applications is presented in this review. The topics discussed include sub-threshold operation in FET devices, micro-current mirrors and cascode techniques, voltage level-shifting and class-AB operation, the bulk-drive approach, the floating-gate method, micropower transconductance-capacitance and log-domain filters and strained-channel FET technologies

AID Mediates Hypermutation by Deaminating Single Stranded DNA

Activation-induced deaminase (AID) is a protein indispensable for the diversification of immunoglobulin (Ig) genes by somatic hypermutation (SHM), class switch recombination (CSR), and gene conversion. To date, the precise role of AID in these processes has not been determined. Here we demonstrate that purified, tetrameric AID can deaminate cytidine residues in DNA, but not in RNA. Furthermore, we show that AID will bind and deaminate only single-stranded DNA, which implies a direct, functional link between hypermutation and transcription. Finally, AID does not target mutational hotspots, thus mutational targeting to specific residues must be attributed to different factors

MN-ANDALUSITE, SPESSARTINE, MN-GROSSULAR, PIEMONTITE AND MN-ZOISITE/CLINOZOISITE FROM TRIKORFO, THASSOS ISLAND, GREECE

Μυλωνιτιωμένοι πλούσιοι σε μαγγάνιο σχιστόλιθοι και ασβεστοπυριτικά στρώματα που απαντούν ως ενδιαστρώσεις εντός αμφιβολιτικής έως πρασινοσχιστολιθικής φάσης μεταμόρφωσης μαρμαρυγιακούς σχιστόλιθους στο Τρίκορφο της Θάσου, 2069 χαρακτηρίζονται από μία ασυνήθιστη Mn-ούχο παραγένεση μεταμορφικών ορυκτών τα περισσότερα από τα οποία σε ιδιαίτερα μεγάλους κρυστάλλους και σε ποικιλία πολύτιμων λίθων. Τα Mn-ούχα πυριτικά ορυκτά απαντούν τόσο σε στρώσεις παράλληλα με την φύλλωση όσο και σε φλέβες που τέμνουν τη μεταμορφική δομή. Τα ορυκτά πιεμοντίτης (έως 12.7 % κ.β. Mn2O3), Mn-ούχο επίδοτο (έως 7.8 % κ.β. Mn2O3), Mn-ούχος ανδαλουσίτης (έως 15.6 % κ.β. Mn2O3), φτωχός σε Mn ροζ κλινοζοϊσίτης/επίδοτο (έως 0.87 % κ.β. Mn2O3), φτωχός σε Mn ροζ έως κόκκινος ζοϊσίτης (έως 0.21 % κ.β. Mn2O3), σπεσσαρτίνης (έως 47.7 % κ.β. MnO) και Mn-ούχος γροσσουλάριος (έως 3.6 % κ.β. MnO), συνοδεύονται από διοψίδιο, κεροστίλβη, φλογοπίτη, μοσχοβίτη, τουρμαλίνη, αιματίτη και σιδηρούχο κυανίτη. Η παραγένεση που μελετήθηκε είναι ενδεικτική υψηλών τιμών πτητικότητας του οξυγόνου λόγω της παρουσίας προϋπάρχουσας έντονα οξειδωτικής προ-μεταμορφικής ορυκτολογικής παραγένεσης πλούσιας σε μαγγάνιο. Σχηματίσθηκε κατά την πρόδρομη μεταμόρφωση ιζηματογενών πρωτόλιθων πλούσιων σε Mn, με ακόλουθη επανισσορόπηση απο τις μέγιστες συνθήκες πίεσης και θερμοκρασίας, σχηματισμό φλεβών και μετασωμάτωσης κατά την ανάδρομη μεταμόρφωση που συνόδευσε την ανάδυση της Θάσου στο Ολιγόκαινο-Μειόκαινο. Εναλλακτικά, η προσφορά ρευστών από γρανιτοειδή κατά την διάρκεια μεταμόρφωσης επαφής δεν πρέπει να αποκλειστεί. Η περιοχή μελέτης αντιπροσωπεύει μοναδικό ορυκτολογικό Γεώτοπο. Η γεωλογική-ορυκτολογική αυτή κληρονομιά μπορεί να προστατευθεί μέσω της ίδρυσης ενός Γεωπάρκου που θα συμβάλλει επιπλέον και στην προώθηση φιλικής προς το περιβάλλον ανάπτυξης της Θάσου.Mylonitized manganiferous schists and calc-silicate layers intercalated within amphibolite- to greenschist facies mica schists from the Trikorfo area (Thassos Island, Greece), host an unusual Mn-rich paragenesis of metamorphic silicate minerals, most of them in large, gemmy crystals. The silicates occur both in layers subparallel to the foliation and within discordant veins cross-cutting the metamorphic fabric. Piemontite (up to 12.7 wt. % Mn2O3), Mn-rich epidote (up to 7.8 wt. % Mn2O3), Mn-rich andalusite (up to 15.6 wt. % Mn2O3), Mn-poor pink clinozoisite-epidote (up to 0.87 wt. % Mn2O3), Mn-poor pink zoisite (up to 0.21 wt. % Mn2O3), spessartine (up to 47.7 wt. % MnO) and Mn-rich grossular (up to 3.6 wt. % MnO) are associated with diopside, hornblende, phlogopite, muscovite, tourmaline, hematite and iron-bearing kyanite. The studied assemblages are indicative of high fO2 conditions due to the presence of highly oxidized pre-metamorphic Mn-rich mineral associations. They developed during prograde metamorphism of a Mn-rich sedimentary protolith(s), followed by re equilibration to post-peak metamorphic conditions, vein formation and metasomatism during retrograde metamorphism accompanying the exhumation of the Thassos Island during the Oligocene-Miocene. Alternatively, the skarn similar mineralogy of the calc-silicate layers could have been formed by fluids released by granitoids during contact metamorphism. The studied area represents a unique mineralogical geotope. Its geological-mineralogical heritage should be protected through establishment of a mineralogical-petrological geopark that will also promote sustainable development of the area

MINERALOGY AND GEOCHEMISTRY OF THE TRIADESGALANA PB-ZN-AG-AU INTERMEDIATE-HIGH SULFIDATION EPITHERMAL MINERALIZATION, MILOS ISLAND, GREECE

Η μεταλλοφορία Pb-Zn-Ag-Au Τριάδων-Γαλανών στη ΒΔ Μήλο, αποτελεί μία επιθερμική μεταλλοφορία ρηχού θαλάσσιου περιβάλλοντος που αποτέθηκε κατά μήκος ρηγμάτων ΒΑ διεύθυνσης. Πετρώματα ξενιστές είναι πυροκλαστικά ηλικίας 2.5-1.4 εκ. χρόνων και ανδεσιτικοί/δακιτικοί δόμοι λάβας, με τους οποίους και συνδέεται γενετικά. Η μεταλλοφορία απαντά υπό μορφή λατυποπαγών, φλεβών και πλέγματος φλεβιδίων χαλαζία-βαρίτη-γαληνίτη εντός πετρωμάτων εξαλλοιωμένων σε σερικίτη-αδουλάριου και καολινίτη. Η μεταλλοφορία είναι εμπλουτισμένο σε Mo, W, καθώς και σε βασικά 1970 και πολύτιμα μέταλλα (e.g. Pb, Zn, Ag), όπως και οι γειτονικές μεταλλοφορίες του Κοντάρου-Κατσιμουτίου και Βανίου, υποδεικνύοντας μία κοινή μαγματική πηγή στο βάθος που τροφοδότησε τις μεταλλοφορίες αυτές σε μέταλλα και πτητικά συστατικά. Παραγενετικά δεδομένα υποδεικνύουν αρχική απόθεση σιδηροπυρίτη, και στη συνέχεια φαματινίτη, πολυβασίτη, πυραργυρίτη και Ag-ούχου τετραεδρίτη, και τέλος εναργίτη, παρέχοντας ενδείξεις μεταβαλλόμενων συνθηκών θείωσης κατά τη διάρκειας της μεταλλοφορίας. Η εξέλιξη των ρευστών πλούσιων σε Sb στα αρχικά στάδια πρός As- ούχα ρευστά στα τελευταία στάδια, αποτελεί ένδειξη μιάς νέας μαγματικής συνεισφοράς (πιθανόν υπό μορφή μαγματικών αερίων) στο υδροθερμικό σύστημα. Ο άργυρος απαντά στη δομή των θειοαλάτων (έως 66.2 % κ.β. στον πολυβασίτη, 15.1 % κ.β. στον τετραεδρίτη και 60 % κ.β. στον πυραργυρίτη). Διαδικασίες βρασμού (όπως υποδεικνύει η παρουσία αδουλάριου στη παραγένεση ενδιάμεσης θείωσης), και ανάμειξης με θαλασσινό νερό (παρουσία υπογενετικού χλωριδίου του μολύβδου), σύγχρονες με ανάδυση της περιοχής, έχουν συνεισφέρει στην απόθεση του μεταλλεύματοςThe Triades-Galana Pb-Zn-Ag-Au mineralization is a shallow-submarine epithermal mineralization located along NE-trending faults, NW Milos Island, Greece. It is hosted in 2.5–1.4 Ma pyroclastic rocks and is genetically related to andesitic/dacitic lava domes. Mineralization occurs as breccias, quartz-barite galena veins and stockworks within sericite-adularia or kaolinitic altered rocks. The mineralization is enriched in Mo, W and base- and precious metals (e.g. Pb, Zn, Ag) similarly to the neighbouring mineralization at Kondaros-Katsimouti and Vani, indicating common source of metals from a deep buried granitoid feeding western Milos with metals and volatiles. Paragenetic relations suggest early deposition of pyrite, followed by famatinite, polybasite and Ag-rich tetrahedrite, and then by enargite, suggesting fluctuating sulfidation states during ore formation. The evolution from Sb- towards As-rich enrichment indicate a renewed magmatic pulse (probably in the form of magmatic gases) in the hydrothermal system. Silver is present in the structure of sulfosalts (up to 66.2 wt.% in polybasite-pearceite, 15.1 wt.% in tetrahedrite and 60 wt. % in pyrargyrite). Boiling processes (as evidenced by the presence of adularia accompanying intermediate-sulfidation ore) and mixing with seawater (presence of hypogene lead chlorides) and contemporaneous uplift, contributed to ore formation

Control and ultrasonic actuation of a gas-liquid interface in a microfluidic chip

This article describes the design and manufacturing of a microfluidic chip, allowing for the actuation of a gas-liquid interface and of the neighboring fluid. A first way to control the interface motion is to apply a pressure difference across it. In this case, the efficiency of three different micro-geometries at anchoring the interface is compared. Also, the critical pressures needed to move the interface are measured and compared to theoretical result. A second way to control the interface motion is by ultrasonic excitation. When the excitation is weak, the interface exhibits traveling waves, which follow a dispersion equation. At stronger ultrasonic levels, standing waves appear on the interface, with frequencies that are half integer multiple of the excitation frequency. An associated microstreaming flow field observed in the vicinity of the interface is characterized. The meniscus and associated streaming flow have the potential to transport particles and mix reagents

Social prescribing for people living with dementia (PLWD) and their carers: what works, for whom, under what circumstances and why – protocol for a complex intervention systematic review

\ua9 Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024.Introduction Dementia is a complex medical condition that poses significant challenges to healthcare systems and support services. People living with dementia (PLWD) and their carers experience complex needs often exacerbated by social isolation and challenges in accessing support. Social prescribing (SP) seeks to enable PLWD and their carers to access community and voluntary sector resources to support them address such needs. Existing research, however, does not describe what SP interventions are currently in place in dementia care. Little is known about the needs these interventions are designed to address, the reasons that lead PLWD and their carers to participate in them, their effectiveness and the extent to which they could increase positive health outcomes if adopted and how. Methods and analysis A complex intervention systematic review of SP for PLWD and/or their carers will be conducted using an iterative logic model approach. Six electronic (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus and Cochrane/CENTRAL) and two grey literature databases (EThOS and CORE) were searched for publications between 1 January 2003 and June 2023, supplemented by handsearching of reference lists of included studies. Study selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment, using Gough’s Weight of Evidence Framework, will be independently performed by two reviewers. A narrative approach will be employed to synthesise and report quantitative and qualitative data. Reporting will be informed by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Complex Interventions extension statement and checklist. Ethics and dissemination No ethical approval is required due to this systematic review operating only with secondary sources. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and meetings with key stakeholders including healthcare professionals, patient and carer groups, community organisations (eg, the Social Prescribing Network and the Evidence Collaborative at the National Academy for Social Prescribing), policymakers and funding bodies. PROSPERO registration number CRD42023428625

Double Duct to Mucosa Pancreaticojejunostomy for Bifid Pancreatic Duct following Pylorus Preserving Pancreaticoduodenectomy: A Case Report

Bifid pancreatic duct represents a relatively rare anatomical variation of the pancreatic ductal system, in which the main pancreatic duct is bifurcated along its length. This paper describes the challenging surgical management of a 68-year-old male patient, with presumptive diagnosis of periampullary malignancy who underwent a successful double duct to mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy for bifid pancreatic duct. Following pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy, careful intraoperative inspection of the cut surface of the residual dorsal pancreas identified the main in addition to the secondary pancreatic duct orifice. Bifid duct anatomy was confirmed via intraoperative probing and direct visualization of the ductal orifices. A decision was made for the performance of an end-to-site double duct to mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy. Postoperative outcome was favorable without any complications. Although bifid pancreatic duct is relatively rare, pancreatic surgeons should be aware of this anatomical variation and be familiar with the surgical techniques for its successful management. Lack of knowledge and surgical expertise for dealing with this anatomical variant may lead to serious, life threatening postoperative complications following pancreatic resections