Local crystallographic texture and voiding in passivated copper interconnects

A correlation between local crystallographic texture and stress‐induced void formation in tantalum‐encapsulated, copper interconnects was revealed by electron backscattering diffraction studies in a scanning electron microscope. Lines exhibiting an overall stronger 〈111〉 texture showed better resistance to void formation. Furthermore, grains adjacent to voids exhibited weaker 〈111〉 texture than grains in unvoided regions of the same line. The locally weaker 〈111〉 texture at voided locations suggests the presence of higher diffusivity, twist boundaries. This work, which represents the first characterization of local texture in stress voided, copper lines, helps to elucidate the relative importance of the thermodynamic and kinetic factors which govern void formation and growth. © 1996 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/70319/2/APPLAB-69-26-4017-1.pd

Mathematical Modeling of a Bioluminescent E. Coli Based Biosensor

In this work we present a mathematical model for the bioreporter activity of an E. coli based bioluminescent bioreporter. This bioreporter is based on a genetically modified E. coli which harbors the recA promoter, a member of the bacterial SOS response, fused to the bacterial luminescence (lux) genes. This bioreporter responds to the presence of DNA damaging agents such as heavy metals, H2O2 and Nalidixic Acid (NA) that activate the SOS response. In our mathematical model we implemented basic physiological mechanisms such as: the penetration of the NA into the biosensor; gyrase enzyme inhibition by the NA; gyrase level regulation; creation of chromosomal DNA damage; DNA repair and release of ssDNA into the cytoplasm; SOS induction and chromosomal DNA repair; activation of lux genes by the fused recA promoter carried on a plasmidal DNA; transcription and translation of the luminescence responsible enzymes; luminescence cycle; energy molecules level regulation and the regulation of the O2 consumption. The mathematical model was defined using a set of ordinary differential equations (ODE) and solved numerically. We simulated the system for different concentrations of NA in water for specific biosensors concentration, and under limited O2 conditions. The simulated results were compared to experimental data and satisfactory matching was obtained. This manuscript presents a proof of concept showing that real biosensors can be modeled and simulated. This sets the ground to the next stage of implementing a comprehensive physiological model using experimentally extracted parameters. Following the completion of the next stage, it will be possible to construct a “Computer Aided Design” tool for the simulation of the genetically engineered biosensors. We define a term “bioCAD” for a Biological System Computer Aided Design. The specific bioCAD that is described here is aimed towards whole cell biosensors which are under investigation today for functional sensing. Usage of the bioCAD will improve the biosensors design process and boost their performance. It will also reduce Non Recurring Engineering (NRE) cost and time. Finally, using a parameterized solution will allow fair and quick evaluation of whole cell biosensors for various applications

Show Me My Health Plans: a study protocol of a randomized trial testing a decision support tool for the federal health insurance marketplace in Missouri

BACKGROUND: The implementation of the ACA has improved access to quality health insurance, a necessary first step to improving health outcomes. However, access must be supplemented by education to help individuals make informed choices for plans that meet their individual financial and health needs. METHODS/DESIGN: Drawing on a model of information processing and on prior research, we developed a health insurance decision support tool called Show Me My Health Plans. Developed with extensive stakeholder input, the current tool (1) simplifies information through plain language and graphics in an educational component; (2) assesses and reviews knowledge interactively to ensure comprehension of key material; (3) incorporates individual and/or family health status to personalize out-of-pocket cost estimates; (4) assesses preferences for plan features; and (5) helps individuals weigh information appropriate to their interests and needs through a summary page with “good fit” plans generated from a tailored algorithm. The current study will evaluate whether the online decision support tool improves health insurance decisions compared to a usual care condition (the healthcare.gov marketplace website). The trial will include 362 individuals (181 in each group) from rural, suburban, and urban settings within a 90 mile radius around St. Louis. Eligibility criteria includes English-speaking individuals 18–64 years old who are eligible for the ACA marketplace plans. They will be computer randomized to view the intervention or usual care condition. DISCUSSION: Presenting individuals with options that they can understand tailored to their needs and preferences could help improve decision quality. By helping individuals narrow down the complexity of health insurance plan options, decision support tools such as this one could prepare individuals to better navigate enrollment in a plan that meets their individual needs. The randomized trial was registered in clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02522624) on August 6, 2015

Faster linearizability checking via PP-compositionality

Linearizability is a well-established consistency and correctness criterion for concurrent data types. An important feature of linearizability is Herlihy and Wing's locality principle, which says that a concurrent system is linearizable if and only if all of its constituent parts (so-called objects) are linearizable. This paper presents $P$-compositionality, which generalizes the idea behind the locality principle to operations on the same concurrent data type. We implement $P$-compositionality in a novel linearizability checker. Our experiments with over nine implementations of concurrent sets, including Intel's TBB library, show that our linearizability checker is one order of magnitude faster and/or more space efficient than the state-of-the-art algorithm.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figure

CoWBP capping barrier layer for sub 90 nm Cu interconnects

Abstract Electroless cobalt films have been obtained by deposition using a plating bath containing two reducing agents: dimethylamineborane (DMAB) and sodium hypophosphite. This formulation allows spontaneous activation on copper followed by auto catalytic electroless plating. CoWBP and CoBP films are proposed as diffusion barriers and encapsulation layers, for copper lines and via contacts for ULSI interconnect applications. The crystalline structure, chemical composition and oxidation states of the elements were studied, as well as the electrical resistivity, topography and morphology of the films. The film composition was characterized as a function of the solution composition; the barrier properties of the films were tested and an oxidation resistance study was conducted. The films were characterized and the results show that they can be applied as capping layers for ULSI copper metallization

On the Spectrum of Direct Gaugino Mediation

In direct gauge mediation, the gaugino masses are anomalously small, giving rise to a split SUSY spectrum. Here we investigate the superpartner spectrum in a minimal version of "direct gaugino mediation." We find that the sfermion masses are comparable to those of the gauginos - even in the hybrid gaugino-gauge mediation regime - if the messenger scale is sufficiently small.Comment: 21 pages, 4 figures; V2: refs. adde

A Light Stop with Flavor in Natural SUSY

The discovery of a SM-like Higgs boson near 125 GeV and the flavor texture of the Standard Model motivate the investigation of supersymmetric quiver-like BSM extensions. We study the properties of such a minimal class of models which deals naturally with the SM parameters. Considering experimental bounds as well as constraints from flavor physics and Electro-Weak Precision Data, we find the following. In a self-contained minimal model - including the full dynamics of the Higgs sector - top squarks below a TeV are in tension with b->s{\gamma} constraints. Relaxing the assumption concerning the mass generation of the heavy Higgses, we find that a stop not far from half a TeV is allowed. The models have some unique properties, e.g. an enhancement of the h-> b\bar{b},\tau\bar{{\tau}} decays relative to the h->\gamma{\gamma} one, a gluino about 3 times heavier than the stop, an inverted hierarchy of about 3-20 between the squarks of the first two generations and the stop, relatively light Higgsino neutralino or stau NLSP, as well as heavy Higgses and a W' which may be within reach of the LHC.Comment: LaTeX, 22 pages, 4 figures; V2: references adde

Optimal iterative methods for finding multiple roots of nonlinear equations using free parameters

[EN] In this paper, we propose a family of optimal eighth order convergent iterative methods for multiple roots with known multiplicity with the introduction of two free parameters and three univariate weight functions. Also numerical experiments have applied to a number of academical test functions and chemical problems for different special schemes from this family that satisfies the conditions given in convergence result.This research was partially supported by Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad MTM2014-52016-C02-2-P and Generalitat Valenciana PROMETEO/2016/089.Zafar, F.; Cordero Barbero, A.; Quratulain, R.; Torregrosa Sánchez, JR. (2018). Optimal iterative methods for finding multiple roots of nonlinear equations using free parameters. Journal of Mathematical Chemistry. 56(7):1884-1901. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10910-017-0813-1S18841901567R. Behl, A. Cordero, S.S. Motsa, J.R. Torregrosa, On developing fourth-order optimal families of methods for multiple roots and their dynamics. Appl. Math. Comput. 265(15), 520–532 (2015)R. Behl, A. Cordero, S.S. Motsa, J.R. Torregrosa, V. Kanwar, An optimal fourth-order family of methods for multiple roots and its dynamics. Numer. Algor. 71(4), 775–796 (2016)R. Behl, A. Cordero, S.S. Motsa, J.R. Torregrosa, An eighth-order family of optimal multiple root finders and its dynamics. Numer. Algor. (2017). doi: 10.1007/s11075-017-0361-6F.I. Chicharro, A. Cordero, J. R. Torregrosa, Drawing dynamical and parameters planes of iterative families and methods. Sci. World J. ID 780153 (2013)A. Constantinides, N. Mostoufi, Numerical Methods for Chemical Engineers with MATLAB Applications (Prentice Hall PTR, New Jersey, 1999)J.M. Douglas, Process Dynamics and Control, vol. 2 (Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, 1972)Y.H. Geum, Y.I. Kim, B. Neta, A class of two-point sixth-order multiple-zero finders of modified double-Newton type and their dynamics. Appl. Math. Comput. 270, 387–400 (2015)Y.H. Geum, Y.I. Kim, B. Neta, A sixth-order family of three-point modified Newton-like multiple-root finders and the dynamics behind their extraneous fixed points. Appl. Math. Comput. 283, 120–140 (2016)J.L. Hueso, E. Martınez, C. Teruel, Determination of multiple roots of nonlinear equations and applications. J. Math. Chem. 53, 880–892 (2015)L.O. Jay, A note on Q-order of convergence. BIT Numer. Math. 41, 422–429 (2001)S. Li, X. Liao, L. Cheng, A new fourth-order iterative method for finding multiple roots of nonlinear equations. Appl. Math. Comput. 215, 1288–1292 (2009)S.G. Li, L.Z. Cheng, B. Neta, Some fourth-order nonlinear solvers with closed formulae for multiple roots. Comput. Math. Appl. 59, 126–135 (2010)B. Liu, X. Zhou, A new family of fourth-order methods for multiple roots of nonlinear equations. Nonlinear Anal. Model. Control 18(2), 143–152 (2013)M. Shacham, Numerical solution of constrained nonlinear algebraic equations. Int. J. Numer. Method Eng. 23, 1455–1481 (1986)M. Sharifi, D.K.R. Babajee, F. Soleymani, Finding the solution of nonlinear equations by a class of optimal methods. Comput. Math. Appl. 63, 764–774 (2012)J.R. Sharma, R. Sharma, Modified Jarratt method for computing multiple roots. Appl. Math. Comput. 217, 878–881 (2010)F. Soleymani, D.K.R. Babajee, T. Lofti, On a numerical technique forfinding multiple zeros and its dynamic. J. Egypt. Math. Soc. 21, 346–353 (2013)F. Soleymani, D.K.R. Babajee, Computing multiple zeros using a class of quartically convergent methods. Alex. Eng. J. 52, 531–541 (2013)R. Thukral, A new family of fourth-order iterative methods for solving nonlinear equations with multiple roots. J. Numer. Math. Stoch. 6(1), 37–44 (2014)R. Thukral, Introduction to higher-order iterative methods for finding multiple roots of nonlinear equations. J. Math. Article ID 404635 (2013)X. Zhou, X. Chen, Y. Song, Constructing higher-order methods for obtaining the muliplte roots of nonlinear equations. J. Comput. Math. Appl. 235, 4199–4206 (2011)X. Zhou, X. Chen, Y. Song, Families of third and fourth order methods for multiple roots of nonlinear equations. Appl. Math. Comput. 219, 6030–6038 (2013

Converting Pairing-Based Cryptosystems from Composite-Order Groups to Prime-Order Groups

We develop an abstract framework that encompasses the key properties of bilinear groups of composite order that are required to construct secure pairing-based cryptosystems, and we show how to use prime-order elliptic curve groups to construct bilinear groups with the same properties. In particular, we define a generalized version of the subgroup decision problem and give explicit constructions of bilinear groups in which the generalized subgroup decision assumption follows from the decision Diffie-Hellman assumption, the decision linear assumption, and/or related assumptions in prime-order groups. We apply our framework and our prime-order group constructions to create more efficient versions of cryptosystems that originally required composite-order groups. Specifically, we consider the Boneh-Goh-Nissim encryption scheme, the Boneh-Sahai-Waters traitor tracing system, and the Katz-Sahai-Waters attribute-based encryption scheme. We give a security theorem for the prime-order group instantiation of each system, using assumptions of comparable complexity to those used in the composite-order setting. Our conversion of the last two systems to prime-order groups answers a problem posed by Groth and Sahai

Antileukemic Activity of Nuclear Export Inhibitors that Spare Normal Hematopoietic Cells

Drugs that target the chief mediator of nuclear export, chromosome region maintenance 1 protein (CRM1) have potential as therapeutics for leukemia, but existing CRM1 inhibitors show variable potencies and a broad range of cytotoxic effects. Here, we report the structural analysis and antileukemic activity of a new generation of small-molecule inhibitors of CRM1. Designated selective inhibitors of nuclear export (SINE), these compounds were developed using molecular modeling to screen a small virtual library of compounds against the nuclear export signal (NES) groove of CRM1. The 2.2-Å crystal structure of the CRM1-Ran-RanBP1 complex bound to KPT-251, a representative molecule of this class of inhibitors, shows that the drug occupies part of the groove in CRM1 that is usually occupied by the NES, but penetrates much deeper into the groove and blocks CRM1-directed protein export. SINE inhibitors exhibit potent antileukemic activity, inducing apoptosis at nanomolar concentrations in a panel of 14 human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines representing different molecular subtypes of the disease. When administered orally to immunodeficient mice engrafted with human AML cells, KPT-251 had potent antileukemic activity with negligible toxicity to normal hematopoietic cells. Thus, KPT-SINE CRM1 antagonists represent a novel class of drugs that warrant further testing in AML patients