On signalling over through-silicon via (TSV) interconnects in 3-D integrated circuits.

This paper discusses signal integrity (SI) issues and signalling techniques for Through Silicon Via (TSV) interconnects in 3-D Integrated Circuits (ICs). Field-solver extracted parasitics of TSVs have been employed in Spice simulations to investigate the effect of each parasitic component on performance metrics such as delay and crosstalk and identify a reduced-order electrical model that captures all relevant effects. We show that in dense TSV structures voltage-mode (VM) signalling does not lend itself to achieving high data-rates, and that current-mode (CM) signalling is more effective for high throughput signalling as well as jitter reduction. Data rates, energy consumption and coupled noise for the different signalling modes are extracted

Study of serum magnesium levels in pre-diabetics and its correlation to body mass index

Background: Diabetes is a growing public health burden across the world, particularly in the developing countries. Homeostasis of the trace elements such as magnesium has been found to play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetes and diabetic complications. Studies had found out an association between serum magnesium and incident diabetes; where diabetes may induce urinary magnesium loss. But in pre-diabetes, serum glucose levels are below the threshold for urinary magnesium wasting and hence unlikely to influence serum magnesium levels. This study was done to assess their serum magnesium levels and find its correlation.Methods: This cross sectional study was done among 120 pre-diabetic subjects. Pre-diabetes was diagnosed as per ADA guidelines and body mass index was calculated according to Asian guidelines of BMI. Serum magnesium levels were done for all of them and statistically analysed to correlate the serum magnesium with body mass.Results: The present study observed that 69 out of 120 pre-diabetics, 57.5% have low magnesium levels. This study showed that 57.5% of pre-diabetics is having normal body mass index, out of which more than half of them are having normal serum magnesium. But out of 12 obese pre-diabetics, 11 were having low serum magnesium 91.6%. (P value 0.026 which is statistically significant).Conclusions: This study observed that serum magnesium levels are low in Pre-diabetics. Significant hyomagnesemia has been seen in pre-diabetics with high BMI compared to those with normal BMI.

Minimal Walking Technicolor: Set Up for Collider Physics

Different theoretical and phenomenological aspects of the Minimal and Nonminimal Walking Technicolor theories have recently been studied. The goal here is to make the models ready for collider phenomenology. We do this by constructing the low energy effective theory containing scalars, pseudoscalars, vector mesons and other fields predicted by the minimal walking theory. We construct their self-interactions and interactions with standard model fields. Using the Weinberg sum rules, opportunely modified to take into account the walking behavior of the underlying gauge theory, we find interesting relations for the spin-one spectrum. We derive the electroweak parameters using the newly constructed effective theory and compare the results with the underlying gauge theory. Our analysis is sufficiently general such that the resulting model can be used to represent a generic walking technicolor theory not at odds with precision data.Comment: 42 pages, 3 figures. RevTex forma

Shale fracture surface area measured by tracking exchangeable cations

Hydrocarbon production from oil shale and shale gas is increasingly important for securing the energy supply to society. Such shale reservoirs, however, typically have low permeability, and hydraulic fracturing is required to facilitate economic production. Hydraulic fracturing significantly increases fracture-matrix contact areas (through activating pre-existing fractures as well as creating an artificial fracture network), which is of key importance for efficient production. In this context it is vital to estimate this contact area and associated fracture network structures. Conventional techniques, i.e. micro-seismic mapping and pressure transient analysis, however, only deliver limited information. We thus propose here a new experimental technique, which can measure fracture-matrix contact areas; and the accuracy of contact area measurements can be considerably improved. The proposed technique is based on cation exchange processes and chemical tracer measurements. We verified this technique experimentally with laboratory measurements and demonstrated that fracture-matrix areas can be measured with good precision. It is furthermore possible to gather information about the fracture network structure by conducting transient measurements. We conclude that the proposed technique is feasible, and can be combined with conventional techniques to significantly improve measurement accuracy

Renal Hyperfiltration and the Development of Microalbuminuria in Type 1 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine prospectively whether renal hyperfiltration is associated with the development of microalbuminuria in patients with type 1 diabetes, after taking into account known risk factors. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The study group comprised 426 participants with normoalbuminuria from the First Joslin Kidney Study, followed for 15 years. Glomerular filtration rate was estimated by serum cystatin C, and hyperfiltration was defined as exceeding the 97.5th percentile of the sex-specific distribution of a similarly aged, nondiabetic population (134 and 149 ml/min per 1.73 m2 for men and women, respectively). The outcome was time to microalbuminuria development (multiple albumin excretion rate >30 μg/min). Hazard ratios (HRs) for microalbuminuria were calculated at 5, 10, and 15 years. RESULTS: Renal hyperfiltration was present in 24% of the study group and did not increase the risk of developing microalbuminuria. The unadjusted HR for microalbuminuria comparing those with and without hyperfiltration at baseline was 0.8 (95% CI 0.4–1.7) during the first 5 years, 1.0 (0.6–1.7) during the first 10 years, and 0.8 (0.5–1.4) during 15 years of follow-up. The model adjusted for baseline known risk factors including A1C, age at diagnosis of diabetes, diabetes duration, and cigarette smoking resulted in similar HRs. In addition, incorporating changes in hyperfiltration status during follow-up had minimal impact on the HRs for microalbuminuria. CONCLUSION;S Renal hyperfiltration does not have an impact on the development of microalbuminuria in type 1 diabetes during 5, 10, or 15 years of follow-up.National Institutes of Health Grant (DK 041526