Gate stability of GaN-Based HEMTs with P-Type Gate

status: publishe

The political economy of governance in a ‘global value chain world’

The global political economy has come to be shaped by a historically novel form of industrial organisation, the global value chain (GVC). Yet, although there has been much attention both to GVCs and to global governance, there has been a great deal less that connects the two. This symposium aims to take a step towards redressing this situation in order to move towards a better understanding of the political economy of governance in a ‘GVC world’. This introductory essay outlines the aims of the Symposium as being (a) to advance a more encompassing vision of politics and agency in a GVC world, (b) to understand the implications of a GVC world for global economic governance and (c) to move beyond empirical description and conceptual characterisation of forms of governance towards more explicit normative considerations of their implications for more equitable and sustainable outcomes

The Role of Frequency and Duty Cycle on the Gate Reliability of p-GaN HEMTs

In this letter, we present an extensive analysis on the role of both switching frequency (ranging from 100 kHz to 1 MHz) and duty cycle (from 10% to 90%) on the time-dependent gate breakdown of high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with Schottky metal to p-GaN gate. More specifically, results show how the gate lifetime of GaN HEMTs increases by reducing the frequency and the duty cycle of the stressing gate signal (VG). Such behavior is ascribed to the OFF-time, which is responsible to alter the electrostatic potential in the p-GaN layer during the rising phases of VG (from OFF- to ON-state). Findings of this analysis are useful both for further technology improvement and for GaN-based power circuit designers

Icodextrin as salvage therapy in peritoneal dialysis patients with refractory fluid overload

BACKGROUND: Icodextrin is a high molecular weight, starch-derived glucose polymer, which is capable of inducing sustained ultrafiltration over prolonged (12–16 hour) peritoneal dialysis (PD) dwells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of icodextrin to alleviate refractory, symptomatic fluid overload and prolong technique survival in PD patients. METHODS: A prospective, open-label, pre-test/post-test study was conducted in 17 PD patients (8 females/9 males, mean age 56.8 ± 2.9 years) who were on the verge of being transferred to haemodialysis because of symptomatic fluid retention that was refractory to fluid restriction, loop diuretic therapy, hypertonic glucose exchanges and dwell time optimisation. One icodextrin exchange (2.5 L 7.5%, 12-hour dwell) was substituted for a long-dwell glucose exchange each day. RESULTS: Icodextrin significantly increased peritoneal ultrafiltration (885 ± 210 ml to 1454 ± 215 ml, p < 0.05) and reduced mean arterial pressure (106 ± 4 to 96 ± 4 mmHg, p < 0.05), but did not affect weight, plasma albumin concentration, haemoglobin levels or dialysate:plasma creatinine ratio. Diabetic patients (n = 12) also experienced improved glycaemic control (haemoglobin Alc decreased from 8.9 ± 0.7% to 7.9 ± 0.7%, p < 0.05). Overall PD technique survival was prolonged by a mean of 11.6 months (95% CI 6.0–17.3 months). On multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis, extension of technique survival by icodextrin was only significantly predicted by baseline net daily peritoneal ultrafiltration (adjusted HR 2.52, 95% CI 1.13–5.62, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Icodextrin significantly improved peritoneal ultrafiltration and extended technique survival in PD patients with symptomatic fluid overload, especially those who had substantially impaired peritoneal ultrafiltration