A 32kb 10T subthreshold SRAM array with bit-interleaving and differential read scheme in 90nm CMOS

We demonstrate a 10T subthreshold SRAM with an efficient bit-interleaving structure for soft-error tolerance and a differential read scheme for improved stability. The 32kb (256128) SRAM array is fabricated in 90nm CMOS and operates at 31.25kHz at 0.18V With more aggressive wordline boosting, the V DD can be reduced to 0.16V At the minimum VDD condition, the operating frequency is 500Hz and the power consumption is 0.123W

Combined effects of aerobic exercise and 40-Hz light flicker exposure on early cognitive impairments in Alzheimer’s disease of 3×Tg mice

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive degenerative brain disease and the primary cause of dementia. At an early stage, AD is generally characterized by short-term memory impairment, owing to dysfunctions of the cortex and hippocampus. We previously reported that a combination of exercise and 40-Hz light flickering can protect against AD-related neuroinflammation, gamma oscillations, reduction in Aβ, and cognitive decline. Therefore, we sought to extend our previous findings to the 5-mo-old 3×Tg-AD mouse model to examine whether the same favorable effects occur in earlier stages of cognitive dysfunction. We investigated the effects of 12 wk of exercise combined with 40-Hz light flickering on cognitive function by analyzing neuroinflammation, mitochondrial function, and neuroplasticity in the hippocampus in a 3×Tg-AD mouse model. Five-month-old 3×Tg-AD mice performed 12 wk of exercise with 40-Hz light flickering administered independently and in combination. Spatial learning and memory, long-term memory, hippocampal Aβ, tau, neuroinflammation, proinflammatory cytokine expression, mitochondrial function, and neuroplasticity were analyzed. Aβ and tau proteins levels were significantly reduced in the early stage of AD, resulting in protection against cognitive decline by reducing neuroinflammation and proinflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, mitochondrial function improved, apoptosis was reduced, and synapse-related protein expression increased. Overall, exercise with 40-Hz light flickering was significantly more effective than exercise or 40-Hz light flickering alone, and the improvement was comparable to the levels in the nontransgenic aged-match control group. Our results indicate a synergistic effect of exercise and 40-Hz light flickering on pathological improvements in the hippocampus during early AD-associated cognitive impairment

FLUIDIZATION TECHNOLOGY FOR STABLE STARTUP OF COMMERCIAL FCC UNIT

Conditions for maintaining good fluidization in the start-up of FCC have been determined. Catalyst defluidization and consequent catalyst losses from reactor cyclone are mainly affected by catalyst properties and stripper operating condition based on previous commercial startup experiences. Effect of fine catalyst contents on bed fluidity was determined. Bed fluidity in stripper was analyzed with slip velocity. Finally new startup guide was proposed and it was successfully applied to commercial FCC process of SK energy, Korea

EST sequencing and gene expression profiling in Scutellaria baicalensis

Scutellaria baicalensis is an important medicinal plant, but few genomic resources are available for this species, as well as for other non-model plants. One of the major new directions in genome research is to discover the full spectrum of genes transcribed from the whole genome. Here, we report extensive transcriptome data of the early growth stage of S. baicalensis. This transcriptome consensus sequence was constructed by de novo assembly of shotgun sequencing data, obtained using multiple next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) platforms (Roche/454 GS_FLX+ and Illumina/Solexa HiSeq2000). We show that this new approach to obtain extensive mRNA is an efficient strategy for genome-wide transcriptome analysis. We obtained 1,226,938 and 161,417,646 reads using the GS_FLX and the Illumina/Solexa HiS-eq2000, respectively. De novo assembly of the high-quality GS_FLX and Illumina reads (95 % and 75 %) resulted in more than 82 Mb of mRNA consensus sequence, which we assembled into 51,188 contigs, with at least 500 bp per contig. Of these contigs, 39,581 contained known genes, as determined by BLASTX searches against non-redundant NCBI database. Of these, 20,498 different genes were expressed during the early growth stage of S. baicalensis. We have made the expressed sequences available on a public database. Our results demonstrate the utility of combining NGS technologies as a basis for the development of genomic tools in non-model, medicinal plant species. Knowledge of all described genes and quantitation of the expressed genes, including the transcription factors involved, will be useful in studies of the biology of S. baicalensis gene regulation

Efficacy of Ronidazole for Treatment of Cats Experimentally Infected with a Korean Isolate of Tritrichomonas foetus

To evaluate the efficacy of ronidazole for treatment of Tritrichomonas foetus infection, 6 Tritrichomonas-free kittens were experimentally infected with a Korean isolate of T. foetus. The experimental infection was confirmed by direct microscopy, culture, and single-tube nested PCR, and all cats demonstrated trophozoites of T. foetus by day 20 post-infection in the feces. From day 30 after the experimentally induced infection, 3 cats were treated with ronidazole (50 mg/kg twice a day for 14 days) and 3 other cats received placebo. Feces from each cat were tested for the presence of T. foetus by direct smear and culture of rectal swab samples using modified Diamond's medium once a week for 4 weeks. To confirm the culture results, the presence of T. foetus rRNA gene was determined by single-tube nested PCR assay. All 3 cats in the treatment group receiving ronidazole showed negative results for T. foetus infection during 2 weeks of treatment and 4 weeks follow-up by all detection methods used in this study. In contrast, rectal swab samples from cats in the control group were positive for T. foetus continuously throughout the study. The present study indicates that ronidazole is also effective to treat cats infected experimentally with a Korean isolate of T. foetus at a dose of 50 mg/kg twice a day for 14 days

Clinical Manifestation and Radiologic Patterns of Spontaneous Cervicocephalic Dissection According to the Anatomic Location: A Single-Center Analysis in Korean Patients

Purpose Spontaneous cervicocephalic dissection (SCAD) is an important cause of stroke and shows various lesion locations and clinical features. The purpose of this study was to analyze the location of SCAD and its clinical and radiologic patterns in Korean patients. Materials and Methods Patients with SCAD who were evaluated between 2013 and 2018 at a tertiary center in Korea were reviewed. We classified and compared the morphological (aneurysm or steno-occlusion) and presenting (hemorrhage or infarction) patterns according to the lesion locations (anterior circulation [AC] vs. posterior circulation [PC]; intradural [ID] vs. extradural [ED]). Results A total of 166 patients were included in this study. The SCAD most commonly occurred in the PC-ID location (65.1%), followed by AC-ID (13.3%), AC-ED (13.3%), and PC-ED (8.4%). Aneurysm and steno-occlusion patterns were observed in 66.9% and 57.8% of the cases, respectively. The aneurysm pattern was significantly more common in the PC-ID location (78.7%) than in other locations. As for the presenting pattern, cerebral infarction was the most common pattern (39.8%), and intracranial hemorrhage was observed only in the ID location (7.2%). Conclusion In Korean patients, PC-ID, especially ID vertebral artery, was the most common location of SCAD, and most cases were accompanied by an aneurysm. It also suggested that these location trends differ by population or ethnicity

Ovarian Cancer Prognostic Prediction Model Using RNA Sequencing Data

Ovarian cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in gynecological malignancies. Over 70% of ovarian cancer cases are high-grade serous ovarian cancers and have high death rates due to their resistance to chemotherapy. Despite advances in surgical and pharmaceutical therapies, overall survival rates are not good, and making an accurate prediction of the prognosis is not easy because of the highly heterogeneous nature of ovarian cancer. To improve the patient’s prognosis through proper treatment, we present a prognostic prediction model by integrating high-dimensional RNA sequencing data with their clinical data through the following steps: gene filtration, pre-screening, gene marker selection, integrated study of selected gene markers and prediction model building. These steps of the prognostic prediction model can be applied to other types of cancer besides ovarian cancer

Are Portable Imaging Intraoperative Radiographs Helpful for Assessing Adequate Acetabular Cup Positioning in Total Hip Arthroplasty?

Despite advances in surgical techniques and instrumentation, current intra-operative estimations of acetabular version in total hip arthroplasty are of limited accuracy. In the present study, two experienced orthopedic surgeons compared intra-operatively measured (using portable imaging) anteversions and vertical inclinations of acetabular components with those measured using standardized radiographs post-operatively in 40 patients. Of the all vertical inclinations measured from intra-operative radiographs, 72.5% (n=29) were within ±2°, and 97.5% (n=39) were within ±5° of those determined using post-operative radiographs, and for anteversion, 52.5% (n=21) were within ±2°, and 97.5% (n=39) were within ±5°. Post-operative radiographs demonstrated that 90.0% (n=36) of vertical inclinations and anteversions were within the adequate zone. Obviously, our method has its limitations, but the authors conclude that the method described in this article better allows surgeons to verify acetabular version intra-operatively. In particular, the described method is suitable in cases with a deformed acetabular anatomy and difficult revision surgery