An 8 bit current steering DAC for offset compensation purposes in sensor arrays

Abstract. An 8 bit segmented current steering DAC is presented for the compensation of mismatch of sensors with current output arranged in a large arrays. The DAC is implemented in a 1.8 V supply voltage 180 nm standard CMOS technology. Post layout simulations reveal that the design target concerning a sampling frequency of 2.6 MHz is exceeded, worst-case settling time equals 60.6 ns. The output current range is 0–10 μA, which translates into an LSB of 40 nA. Good linearity is achieved, INL < 0.5 LSB and DNL < 0.4 LSB, respectively. Static power consumption with the outputs operated at a voltage of 0.9 V is approximately 10 μW. Dynamic power, mainly consumed by switching activity of the digital circuit parts, amounts to 100 μW at 2.6 MHz operation frequency. Total area is 38.6 × 2933.0 μm2

Making hard choices easier: a prospective, multicentre study to assess the efficacy of a fertility-related decision aid in young women with early-stage breast cancer

BACKGROUND: Fertility is a priority for many young women with breast cancer. Women need to be informed about interventions to retain fertility before chemotherapy so as to make good quality decisions. This study aimed to prospectively evaluate the efficacy of a fertility-related decision aid (DA). METHODS: A total of 120 newly diagnosed early-stage breast cancer patients from 19 Australian oncology clinics, aged 18–40 years and desired future fertility, were assessed on decisional conflict, knowledge, decision regret, and satisfaction about fertility-related treatment decisions. These were measured at baseline, 1 and 12 months, and were examined using linear mixed effects models. RESULTS: Compared with usual care, women who received the DA had reduced decisional conflict (β=−1.51; 95%CI: −2.54 to 0.48; P=0.004) and improved knowledge (β=0.09; 95%CI: 0.01–0.16; P=0.02), after adjusting for education, desire for children and baseline uncertainty. The DA was associated with reduced decisional regret at 1 year (β=−3.73; 95%CI: −7.12 to −0.35; P=0.031), after adjusting for education. Women who received the DA were more satisfied with the information received on the impact of cancer treatment on fertility (P<0.001), fertility options (P=0.005), and rated it more helpful (P=0.002), than those who received standard care. CONCLUSION: These findings support widespread use of this DA shortly after diagnosis (before chemotherapy) among younger breast cancer patients who have not completed their families

Measuring Metacognition in Cancer: Validation of the Metacognitions Questionnaire 30 (MCQ-30)

Objective The Metacognitions Questionnaire 30 assesses metacognitive beliefs and processes which are central to the metacognitive model of emotional disorder. As recent studies have begun to explore the utility of this model for understanding emotional distress after cancer diagnosis, it is important also to assess the validity of the Metacognitions Questionnaire 30 for use in cancer populations. Methods 229 patients with primary breast or prostate cancer completed the Metacognitions Questionnaire 30 and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale pre-treatment and again 12 months later. The structure and validity of the Metacognitions Questionnaire 30 were assessed using factor analyses and structural equation modelling. Results Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses provided evidence supporting the validity of the previously published 5-factor structure of the Metacognitions Questionnaire 30. Specifically, both pre-treatment and 12 months later, this solution provided the best fit to the data and all items loaded on their expected factors. Structural equation modelling indicated that two dimensions of metacognition (positive and negative beliefs about worry) were significantly associated with anxiety and depression as predicted, providing further evidence of validity. Conclusions These findings provide initial evidence that the Metacognitions Questionnaire 30 is a valid measure for use in cancer populations

Exploring Fear of Cancer Recurrence in a sample of heterogeneous distressed cancer patients with and without a psychiatric disorder

Fear of Cancer Recurrence (FCR) is a concern among cancer patients. Recent insights suggest that FCR should be viewed as a distinct syndrome. However, few studies have explored its overlap with psychiatric morbidity. We examined this overlap in a sample of distressed cancer patients. Self-referred patients (n = 245) were assessed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR Axis-I disorders and the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory-Short Form. Proportions of patients with and without a psychiatric disorder meeting validated cut-offs for screening and clinically relevant FCR were compared. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was 36%. Clinically relevant FCR was found in 198 patients (81%). Patients with a current psychiatric disorder reported clinically relevant FCR more frequently (89%) compared to those with no disorder (77%). Of patients reporting clinically relevant FCR, the majority (61%) did not additionally meet the criteria for a psychiatric disorder. These findings suggest that there should be particular attention for patients with elevated levels of FCR, warranting FCR-specific treatment. Trial registry number Clinicaltrials.gov NCT0213851

The response of Monalisa apples to high CO2 storage conditions, harvest maturity and 1-MCP treatment.

This study aimed to determine the effects of harvest maturity, 1-MCP treatment and storage conditions with high CO2 partial pressures on ?Monalisa? apples physicochemical quality and susceptibility to physiological disorders and decay during long-term storage, plus 7 d of shelf life at 22 &#9702;C. The study was composed by two experiments. In Experiment 1, fruit were harvested in one growing season (2011) at the same maturity stage and were treated or not treated with 1-MCP (1 &#956;L L-1). In Experiment 2, fruit were harvested in two growing seasons (2019 and 2020), at two maturity stages. In both experiments, all fruit were stored under CA with four CO2 partial pressure (0.5, 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 kPa) and regular air (RA, standard of comparison) for 6 or 7 months at 0.8 &#9702;C, plus 7 d shelf life at 22 &#9702;C. CA was very effective on delaying fruit ripening, senescent disorders and decay incidences, regardless of the CO2 partial pressure. However, under CA, ?Monalisa? apples were very susceptible to CO2 injury, expressed as dark flesh browning and cavities that were exacerbated with increasing CO2 partial pressures. Therefore, ?Monalisa? apples should be stored under CA with CO2 no higher than 0.5 kPa. The response of ?Monalisa? apples to high CO2 is more pronounced in late harvested fruit, which were also more prone to develop senescent flesh browning, cracking and rough skin. 1-MCP application had no effect on ?Monalisa? apple susceptibility to CO2 damages, while it reduced fruit softening and acidity loss in both RA and CA storages

Developing a digital intervention for cancer survivors: an evidence-, theory- and person-based approach

This paper illustrates a rigorous approach to developing digital interventions using an evidence-, theory- and person-based approach. Intervention planning included a rapid scoping review which identified cancer survivors’ needs, including barriers and facilitators to intervention success. Review evidence (N=49 papers) informed the intervention’s Guiding Principles, theory-based behavioural analysis and logic model. The intervention was optimised based on feedback on a prototype intervention through interviews (N=96) with cancer survivors and focus groups with NHS staff and cancer charity workers (N=31). Interviews with cancer survivors highlighted barriers to engagement, such as concerns about physical activity worsening fatigue. Focus groups highlighted concerns about support appointment length and how to support distressed participants. Feedback informed intervention modifications, to maximise acceptability, feasibility and likelihood of behaviour change. Our systematic method for understanding user views enabled us to anticipate and address important barriers to engagement. This methodology may be useful to others developing digital interventions

Patients' preferences for adjuvant endocrine therapy in early breast cancer: what makes it worthwhile?

Adjuvant endocrine therapy improves recurrence and survival rates, but has side effects and is inconvenient. The aim of this study was to determine the preferences of premenopausal women who had adjuvant endocrine therapy in a randomised trial. In all, 85 (or eighty-five) women completed semistructured interviews 6–30 months after finishing adjuvant endocrine therapy. Hypothetical scenarios based on known potential survival times (5 or 15 years) and rates (60% or 80% at 5 years) without adjuvant endocrine therapy were used to determine the smallest gains women judged necessary to make their adjuvant endocrine therapy worthwhile. Although a third of the women considered gains of 1% in survival rates or 6 months in survival times sufficient to make their adjuvant endocrine therapy worthwhile, more than half the women required gains of at least 5% in survival rates or 3 years in survival time as necessary to make adjuvant endocrine therapy worthwhile. Larger benefits were required by women who had longer treatment, worse side effects, and by those who were treated with goserelin alone. The route of administration (tablet vs injection) did not affect preferences and some women judged small benefits sufficient to make their adjuvant endocrine therapy worthwhile, but many women required larger benefits than their counterparts in similar studies of preferences for adjuvant chemotherapy