Self-Turn-on-Free 5V Gate Driving for 1200V Scaled IGBT

Negative biasing of the gate voltage in a scaled insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) during the off-state was modeled and found to be effective against self-turn-on failures. The required self-turn-on-free criteria were verified experimentally.31st IEEE International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs (ISPSD 2019), 19-23 May 2019, Shanghai, Chin

Suppression of Glucocorticoid Response in Stressed Mice Using 50 Hz Electric Field According to Immobilization Degree and Posture

Various studies on immobilized BALB/c mice to evaluate changes in hormone levels associated with stress responses have advanced the characterization of multiple aspects of the biological actions of extremely low-frequency (ELF) electric fields (EFs). In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of mouse posture on its stress responses and evaluate the importance of adjusting the stress degree in the model. Mice were immobilized inside centrifuge tubes and exposed to an ELF EF generated between parallel plate electrodes. Blood was collected under anesthesia immediately after EF exposure, and plasma glucocorticoids were assayed. The inhibitory effects of EFs on glucocorticoid elevation by immobilization were reproduced regardless whether mice were in the abdominal or lateral recumbent position, for the EF vector delivered to mice through the sagittal or frontal plane. The effect of ELF EF was reproduced in moderately and mildly stressed mice but not in severely immobilized mice. Hence, adjusting the stress degree is critical to the reproducibility of the results for this model. We characterized the effects of ELF EF on homeostasis, including the stress response, and provided valuable information for the scientific evaluation of the biological risks and medical applications of ELF EF

Energy-Efficient Annealing Process of Ferroelectric Hf_0.5Zr_0.5O₂ Capacitor Using Ultraviolet-LED for Green Manufacturing

Thermal annealing process plays an important role in the formation of ferroelectric phase in Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO) thin films. In this study, the annealing process of the HZO capacitors is demonstrated using ultraviolet (UV)-LED, for the first time. Since the absorptance of the HZO films with TiN electrodes is highest in UV region, the UV-LED annealing process is promising to achieve a much more energy-efficient annealing process than a conventional halogen lamp RTA method. It was experimentally confirmed that UV-LED annealing reduces the energy consumption by nearly half compared to the conventional method. The ferroelectric characteristics obtained by this method are comparable to those achieved by the halogen lamp RTA process at 400-450°C. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) pattern shows that no monoclinic phase is formed and only the tetragonal and orthorhombic phases are confirmed. It is also confirmed that there is the in-plane tensile stress remaining after the UV-LED annealing process, which is necessary for the formation of the ferroelectric orthorhombic phase

Spontaneous remission of adult-onset minimal change nephrotic syndrome associated with influenza B infection: a case report

Abstract Background While the majority of adult-onset minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) is a primary or an idiopathic form of disease, it can also occur as a secondary form. Reports on the spontaneous remission of MCNS are rare since the condition is typically treated with corticosteroids. We herein describe the spontaneous remission of adult-onset MCNS in a patient who developed nephrotic syndrome after type B influenza infection. Case presentation A 50-year-old woman experienced fever, cough, malaise, and low back pain, which had persisted for 6 days before she presented to our hospital, and edema of the face and limbs, which had persisted for 5 days before her presentation. She was diagnosed with type B influenza infection and later exhibited an exacerbation of facial edema, decreased urine output, and a high level of proteinuria. She was referred to our department after the diagnosis of nephrotic syndrome. On admission, her proteinuria level was 20.88 g/gCr and her selectivity index value was 0.13. The examination of a kidney biopsy specimen obtained on the fourth day of hospitalization under a light microscope revealed minor abnormalities. An immunofluorescence showed only nonspecific granular IgM deposits in the mesangium. Electron microscopy showed extensive foot process effacement without any immune complex deposits. Based on these findings, the patient was diagnosed with MCNS. After admission, the proteinuria decreased to 0.06 g/gCr with rest and sodium restriction (6 g/day) alone; a complete remission from nephrotic syndrome was observed at approximately 2 weeks after the onset of symptoms. There have been no signs of recurrence of nephrotic syndrome in the one years since. Conclusion We experienced a rare case in which spontaneous remission of MCNS occurred within a short period of 2 weeks after influenza B infection. When patients present with nephrotic syndrome after an infection, it is necessary to consider MCNS in the differential diagnosis, which also includes post-infectious glomerulonephritis and the acute exacerbation of IgA nephropathy

MicroRNA-351 Regulates Two-Types of Cell Death, Necrosis and Apoptosis, Induced by 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine.

Cell-death can be necrosis and apoptosis. We are investigating the mechanisms regulating the cell death that occurs on treatment of mouse cancer cell-line FM3A with antitumor 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine (FUdR): necrosis occurs for the original clone F28-7, and apoptosis for its variant F28-7-A. Here we report that a microRNA (miR-351) regulates the cell death pattern. The miR-351 is expressed strongly in F28-7-A but only weakly in F28-7. Induction of a higher expression of miR-351 in F28-7 by transfecting an miRNA mimic into F28-7 resulted in a change of the death mode; necrosis to apoptosis. Furthermore, transfection of an miR-351 inhibitor into F28-7-A resulted in the morphology change, apoptosis to necrosis, in this death-by-FUdR. Possible mechanism involving lamin B1 in this miR-351's regulatory action is discussed

Electronic and Crystallographic Examinations of the Homoepitaxially Grown Rubrene Single Crystals

Homoepitaxial growth of organic semiconductor single crystals is a promising methodology toward the establishment of doping technology for organic opto-electronic applications. In this study, both electronic and crystallographic properties of homoepitaxially grown single crystals of rubrene were accurately examined. Undistorted lattice structures of homoepitaxial rubrene were confirmed by high-resolution analyses of grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD) using synchrotron radiation. Upon bulk doping of acceptor molecules into the homoepitaxial single crystals of rubrene, highly sensitive photoelectron yield spectroscopy (PYS) measurements unveiled a transition of the electronic states, from induction of hole states at the valence band maximum at an adequate doping ratio (10 ppm), to disturbance of the valence band itself for excessive ratios (≥ 1000 ppm), probably due to the lattice distortion

Differentially expressed miRNAs in F28-7 and F28-7-A cells.

<p><b>Note:</b><i>a</i> miRBase primary accession number. <i>b</i> Fold difference (F28-7-A/F28-7 cells) > 1.5 or ≤ 0.6 (p < 0.05).</p

Higher expression of miR-351 by synthetic miR-351 mimic-transfection.

<p>(A) F28-7 cells were transfected with nonsilencing siRNA (NSsi), and with mature miR-351-5p mimic (miR351m). At 48, 56, and 64 hours after the transfection, the levels of miR-351-5p and RNU6B (an internal standard) were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR. Results are averages of three independent experiments with error bars showing the ±SD in triplicates. The asterisk indicates a statistically significant difference (Student’s <i>t</i> test, *<i>p</i><0.005). (B) Forty-eight hours after transfection, F28-7 cells were treated with 1 μM FUdR for 0, 8, 16, and 21h. The cell viability was examined by trypan-blue exclusion. Values are mean ± SD for three independent experiments.</p