Impact of Device Parameter Variation on the Electrical Characteristic of N-type Junctionless Nanowire Transistor with High-k Dielectrics

Metallurgical junction and thermal budget are serious constraints in scaling and performance of conventional metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). To overcome this problem, junctionless nanowire field-effect transistor (JLNWFET) was introduced. In this paper, we investigate the impact of device parameter variation on the performance of n-type JLNWFET with high-k dielectrics. The electrical characteristic of JLNWFET and the inversion-mode transistor of different gate length (LG) and nanowire diameter (dNW) was compared and analyzed. Different high-k dielectrics were used to get an optimum device structure of JLNWFET. The device was simulated using SDE Tool of Sentaurus TCAD and the I-V characteristics were simulated using Sdevice Tools. Lombardi mobility model and Philips unified mobility model were applied to define its electric field and doping dependent mobility degradation. A thin-film heavily doped silicon nanowire with a gate electrode that controls the flow of current between the source and drain was used. The proposed JLNWFET exhibits high ON-state current (ION) due to the high doping concentration (ND) of 1 x 1019 cm-3 which leads to the improved ON-state to OFF-state current ratio (ION/IOFF) of about 10% than the inversion-mode device for a LG of 7 nm and the silicon dNW of 6 nm. Electrical characteristics such are drain induced barrier lowering (DIBL) and subthreshold slope (SS) were extracted which leads to low leakage current as well as a high ION/IOFF ratio. The performance was improved by introducing silicon dioxide (SiO2) with high-k dielectric materials, hafnium oxide (HfO2) and silicon nitrate (Si3N4). It was found that JLNWFET with HfO2 exhibits better electrical characteristics and performance

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world. Methods: This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231. Findings: Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p < 0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05–2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p < 0·001). Interpretation: Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Experimental Modelling and Simulation of Stand-Alone Experimental Photovoltaic Array for Different Climatic Conditions in Bauchi Metropolis

Standalone renewable energy based on photovoltaic systems accompanied with battery storage system are beginning to play an important role over the world to supply power to remote areas. The current state and the future potentials of renewable energy have increased globally to minimize the usage of other resources such as fossil fuel, which affect the environment. AbubakarTatari Ali Polytechnic, Bauchi (ATAP) is a case where renewable energy will count for 75% of its energy consumption. Solar energy is abundantly availabl.so we have to extract and utilize it in a very efficient way. In this research, an improved yet simple model that can simulate and accurately predict the output power of an installed photovoltaic array in school of Engineering of the AbubakarTatari Ali Polytechnic, Bauchi and for different climatic conditions was developed.&nbsp; The result shows the field measurement based analytical model and RFBNN architecture for PV performance evaluation yielded superior results when compared with that of the manufacturer datasheet based mathematical model.&nbsp

Effect of Dust Accumulation on the Performances of Solar Panels in Static and Tracking Systems in Bauchi Metropolis of Nigeria

The research aimed at comparing the effect of dust accumulation on the performances of solar PV modules in a static position and on a tracking system within the Bauchi metropolis of Nigeria, during the harmattan season – November to December. Dust deposition on the surface of the PV panels reduces the conversion efficiency by absorbing and preventing the Solar radiation from reaching the cells of the panel. This necessitated the need to develop a reliable tool to relate energy production from solar cells with respect to dust deposition on both static and solar tracking PV modules. A test bed was designed for the field measurement of output current, voltage, temperature and dust weight data from the two PV modules.” Centsys” polycrystalline solar panels () were used for the research. A statistical technique involving regression analysis in SPSS software was used to correlate the various measured data from the test bed to predict the effect of dust accumulation on the surface of each module, which will enable solar power installers to take necessary measures for improving the PV module’s conversion efficiency during the period under review. The research result showed that the effect of dust on the tracking solar PV module is less significant compared to the static panel, giving the former a better conversion efficiency.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp

Study of Impact of HfO2 gate oxide on the Electrical Characteristics of Nanowire Junction less Transistor

This paper proposes hafnium (IV) oxide (HfO2) as gate oxide material of the nanowire junctionless transistor (NJT) to replace conventional silicon dioxide (SiO2). Leakage current usually increased due to an increase of tunneling of electrons in the SiO2 transistor when the thickness oxide (tox) of the gate material is below 2nm. The main advantage of HfO2 is a high dielectric constant k of 20 to 25 which is almost 6 times that of SiO2. Similarly, HfO2 has an energy band gap of 5.3 to 5.7eV. As a result, low leakage current and short channel effects (SCEs) were experienced. An increase in the gate capacitance of the device leads to improving the performance of the device without affecting the enhanced leakage current. All these were achieved by designing and simulating the device using the SDE tools of Sentaurus TCAD. Electrical characteristics were extracted using the Service tools of the software. The performance was significantly increased to approximately 1010 using HfO2 material

Impact of device parameter variation on the electrical characteristic of n-type junctionless nanowire transistor with high-k dielectrics

Metallurgical junction and thermal budget are serious constraints in scaling and performance of conventional metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). To overcome this problem, junctionless nanowire fieldeffect transistor (JLNWFET) was introduced. In this paper, we investigate the impact of device parameter variation on the performance of n-type JLNWFET with high-k dielectrics. The electrical characteristic of JLNWFET and the inversion-mode transistor of different gate length (LG) and nanowire diameter (dNW) was compared and analyzed. Different high-k dielectrics were used to get an optimum device structure of JLNWFET. The device was simulated using SDE Tool of Sentaurus TCAD and the I-V characteristics were simulated using Sdevice Tools. Lombardi mobility model and Philips unified mobility model were applied to define its electric field and doping dependent mobility degradation. A thin-film heavily doped silicon nanowire with a gate electrode that controls the flow of current between the source and drain was used. The proposed JLNWFET exhibits high ON-state current (ION) due to the high doping concentration (ND) of 1 x 1019 cm-3 which leads to the improved ON-state to OFF-state current ratio (ION/IOFF) of about 10% than the inversionmode device for a LG of 7 nm and the silicon dNW of 6 nm. Electrical characteristics such are drain induced barrier lowering (DIBL) and subthreshold slope (SS) were extracted which leads to low leakage current as well as a high ION/IOFF ratio. The performance was improved by introducing silicon dioxide (SiO2) with high-k dielectric materials, hafnium oxide (HfO2) and silicon nitrate (Si3N4). It was found that JLNWFET with HfO2 exhibits better electrical characteristics and performance

Methanol-Extract/Fractions of Leaves Ameliorate Hyperglycemia and Associated Oxidative Stress in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Wistar Rats

The present study evaluated the antidiabetic and antioxidant potential of the methanolic extract/solvent fractions of the leaves of Dacryodes edulis using a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic Albino Wistar rat model. The fasting blood glucose/insulin levels and inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase were determined. Antioxidant activity was assessed in vitro by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, hydroxyl, superoxide scavenging, reducing power, and total antioxidant capacity assays and in vivo by monitoring catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities and reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The aqueous-methanol fraction exhibited the highest and significant ( P < .05) reduction in fasting blood glucose (FBG; 54.03%) with a concomitant inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities. The ethyl acetate fraction also exhibited a significant ( P < .05) reduction in FBG and an increase in insulin levels in the treated diabetic Wistar rats. A significantly ( P < .05) higher reducing power and radical scavenging activity was observed in the aqueous-methanol and ethyl acetate fractions. The aqueous-methanol and ethyl acetate fractions also significantly ( P < .05) reversed the alterations in oxidative stress markers (GSH, MDA, CAT, and SOD) observed in the diabetic control group. In conclusion, the study demonstrated that the methanol extract of Dacryodes edulis ameliorates hyperglycemia and the associated oxidative stress in STZ-induced diabetic Wistar rats. These observed activities are largely due to the compounds that partitions into the aqueous-methanol (55:45) solvent fraction. This provides scientific evidence for the use of this plant extract in folk medicine and also a baseline data for its further characterization. Further work should be carried out to characterize the aqueous-methanol solvent fractions for the active compounds

Comparison of Micro-Census Results for Magarya Ward, Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State, Nigeria, with Other Sources of Denominator Data

Routine immunization coverage in Nigeria is suboptimal. In the northwestern state of Sokoto, an independent population-based survey for 2016 found immunization coverage with the third dose of Pentavalent vaccine to be 3%, whereas administrative coverage in 2016 was reported to be 69%. One possibility driving this large discrepancy is that administrative coverage is calculated using an under-estimated target population. Official population projections from the 2006 Census are based on state-specific standard population growth rates. Immunization target population estimates from other sources have not been independently validated. We conducted a micro-census in Magarya ward, Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto state to obtain an accurate count of the total population living in the ward, and to compare these results with other sources of denominator data. We developed a precise micro-plan using satellite imagery, and used the navigation tool EpiSample v1 in the field to guide teams to each building, without duplications or omissions. The particular characteristics of the selected ward underscore the importance of using standardized shape files to draw precise boundaries for enumeration micro-plans. While the use of this methodology did not resolve the discrepancy between independent and administrative vaccination coverage rates, a simplified application can better define the target population for routine immunization services and estimate the number of children still unprotected from vaccine-preventable diseases