A new digital control DC-DC converter with peak current -injected control

This paper presents a new digital control circuit which is able to detect the peak switch current of the high frequency switching dc-dc converter. In this proposed digital control circuit, the peak current-injected control is realized using the combination of the simple dual pulse width modulation analog-to-digital signal converter and the programmed delay circuit. In 100kHz digitally controlled dc-dc converter, it is seen in simulation that the proposed method has no overshoot of the output voltage and the convergence time that the output voltage is settled to steady-state is only 30μs. The difference between the transient time of the proposed circuit and that of the conventional method is an order of magnitude. Furthermore, the ratio of resolution of the DPWM generator against the output voltage is 0.27% and is satisfied to apply the commercial power supply unit.INTELEC 2008 - 2008 IEEE 30th International Telecommunications Energy Conference : San Diego, CA, 2008.09.14-2008.09.1

Social communication impairments and restricted, repetitive patterns ("Kodawari") considered from the "Comprehension" section of the WISC-IV in autism spectrum disorder

Background: Many studies have used the Wechsler Intelligence Scale (WISC) to examine the characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, most studies have been based on profile analysis, not on content analysis. Objective: The objective of the present study was to apply the WISC-IV to clinical assessment of ASD and clarify how the characteristics of the disorder were reflected in specific items. Methods: The study participants were 20 patients aged 5-16 years diagnosed with ASD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). We recruited 20 patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and 20 patients with other disorders (neurotic disorders) as controls. We then compared the scores of the ninth item of the WISC-IV ("Comprehension") among the three groups. Results: The differences observed between the ASD vs. the other disorders group were not significant by the standard scoring method. Thus, a two-level scoring method of 0 and ≥1 point was adopted. As a result, significantly more participants in the ASD group scored 0 points compared with the ADHD and other disorders grou

Dynamic characteristics of DC-DC converter with novel digital peak current-injected control

This paper presents the dynamic characteristics of the proposed digital control current mode de-de converter. In the proposed novel digital control circuit, the peak current-injected control is realized using the combination of the simple dual A-Dsignal converter and the programmed delay circuit. In 100kHz digitally controlled de-de converter, it is seen in simulation that the proposed method has no overshoot of the output voltage and the convergencetime that the output voltage is settled to steady-state is only 151J1S. The difference between the transient time of the proposed circuit and that of the conventionalmethod is an order of magnitude. Furthermore, the ratio of resolution of the DPWM generator against the output voltage is 0.27% and is satisfied to apply the commercial power supply unit.INTELEC 2009 - 2009 International Telecommunications Energy Conference : Incheon, South Korea, 2009.10.18-2009.10.2

Genetic and environmental variation in educational attainment : an individual-based analysis of 28 twin cohorts

We investigated the heritability of educational attainment and how it differed between birth cohorts and cultural-geographic regions. A classical twin design was applied to pooled data from 28 cohorts representing 16 countries and including 193,518 twins with information on educational attainment at 25 years of age or older. Genetic factors explained the major part of individual differences in educational attainment (heritability: a(2)=0.43; 0.41-0.44), but also environmental variation shared by co-twins was substantial (c(2)=0.31; 0.30-0.33). The proportions of educational variation explained by genetic and shared environmental factors did not differ between Europe, North America and Australia, and East Asia. When restricted to twins 30 years or older to confirm finalized education, the heritability was higher in the older cohorts born in 1900-1949 (a(2)=0.44; 0.41-0.46) than in the later cohorts born in 1950-1989 (a(2)=0.38; 0.36-0.40), with a corresponding lower influence of common environmental factors (c(2)=0.31; 0.29-0.33 and c(2)=0.34; 0.32-0.36, respectively). In conclusion, both genetic and environmental factors shared by co-twins have an important influence on individual differences in educational attainment. The effect of genetic factors on educational attainment has decreased from the cohorts born before to those born after the 1950s.Peer reviewe

Education in twins and their parents across birth cohorts over 100 years : an individual-level pooled analysis of 42 twin cohorts

Whether monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins differ from each other in a variety of phenotypes is important for genetic twin modeling and for inferences made from twin studies in general. We analyzed whether there were differences in individual, maternal and paternal education between MZ and DZ twins in a large pooled dataset. Information was gathered on individual education for 218,362 adult twins from 27 twin cohorts (53% females; 39% MZ twins), and on maternal and paternal education for 147,315 and 143,056 twins respectively, from 28 twin cohorts (52% females; 38% MZ twins). Together, we had information on individual or parental education from 42 twin cohorts representing 19 countries. The original education classifications were transformed to education years and analyzed using linear regression models. Overall, MZ males had 0.26 (95% CI [0.21, 0.31]) years and MZ females 0.17 (95% CI [0.12, 0.21]) years longer education than DZ twins. The zygosity difference became smaller in more recent birth cohorts for both males and females. Parental education was somewhat longer for fathers of DZ twins in cohorts born in 1990-1999 (0.16 years, 95% CI [0.08, 0.25]) and 2000 or later (0.11 years, 95% CI [0.00, 0.22]), compared with fathers of MZ twins. The results show that the years of both individual and parental education are largely similar in MZ and DZ twins. We suggest that the socio-economic differences between MZ and DZ twins are so small that inferences based upon genetic modeling of twin data are not affected.SIMSAM 340-2013-5867, Stockholm County Council (ALF-projects), the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation and the Swedish Asthma and Allergy Association’s Research Foundation.Accepte

Distribution and favorable prognostic implication of genomic EGFR alterations in IDH‐wildtype glioblastoma

Abstract Background We aimed to evaluate the mutation profile, transcriptional variants, and prognostic impact of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)‐wildtype glioblastomas (GBMs). Methods We sequenced EGFR, evaluated the EGFR splicing profile using a next‐generation sequencing oncopanel, and analyzed the outcomes in 138 grade IV IDH‐wildtype GBM cases. Results EGFR mutations were observed in 10% of GBMs. A total of 23.9% of the GBMs showed EGFR amplification. Moreover, 25% of the EGFR mutations occurred in the kinase domain. Notably, EGFR alterations were a predictor of good prognosis (p = 0.035). GBM with EGFR alterations was associated with higher Karnofsky Performance Scale scores (p = 0.014) and lower Ki‐67 scores (p = 0.005) than GBM without EGFR alterations. EGFRvIII positivity was detected in 21% of EGFR‐amplified GBMs. We identified two other EGFR variants in GBM cases with deletions of exons 6–7 (Δe 6–7) and exons 2–14 (Δe 2–14). In one case, the initial EGFRvIII mutation transformed into an EGFR Δe 2–14 mutation during recurrence. Conclusions We found that the EGFR gene profiles of GBM differ among cohorts and that EGFR alterations are good prognostic markers of overall survival in patients with IDH‐wildtype GBM. Additionally, we identified rare EGFR variants with longitudinal and temporal transformations of EGFRvIII