Accessing general IEEE Std. 1687 networks via functional ports

Reconfigurable scan networks (RSNs), like IEEE Std. 1687 networks, offer flexible and scalable access to embedded (on- chip) instruments. These networks are typically accessed from the outside via a dedicated test port, like the test access port (TAP) of IEEE Std. 1149.1. As not all integrated circuits have a dedicated test port, the IEEE Std. P1687.1 working group is exploring how existing functional ports can be used. Fundamental challenges are to determine what hardware to include in the component translating information between a functional port and an IEEE Std. 1687 network and to describe a protocol for the data transported over a functional interface. We have previously shown hardware and protocol to access a limited type of IEEE Std. 1687 networks, known as flat segment insertion bit (SIB)-based networks. In this paper, we present a solution to handle general IEEE Std. 1687 networks. We have made a number of implementations with various benchmarks on an FPGA to evaluate the data overhead and the area usage

Facile microfluidic production of composite polymer core-shell microcapsules and crescent-shaped microparticles

Hypothesis: Core-shell microcapsules and crescent-shaped microparticles can be used as picolitre bioreactors for cell culture and microwells for cell trapping/immobilisation, respectively. Results: Monodisperse polylactic acid (PLA) core-shell microcapsules with a diameter above 200 lm, a shell thickness of 10 lm, and 96% water entrapment efficiency were produced by solvent evaporation from microfluidically generated W/O/W emulsion drops with core-shell structure, and used to encapsulate Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells in their aqueous cores. The morphological changes of the capsules stained with Nile red were studied over 14 days under different osmotic pressure and pH gradients. Findings: The shell retained its integrity under isotonic conditions, but buckling and particle crumbling occurred in a hypertonic solution. When the capsules containing 5 wt% aqueous Eudragit S 100 solution in the core were incubated in 10 4 M HCl solution, H+ diffused through the PLA film into the core causing an ionic gelation of the inner phase and its phase separation into polymer-rich and water-rich regions, due to the transition of Eudragit from a hydrophilic to hydrophobic state. Crescent-shaped composite microparticles with Eudragit cores and PLA shells were fabricated by drying core-shell microcapsules with gelled cores, due to the collapse of PLA shells encompassing water-rich crescent regions

Fabrication of polymeric particles with heterogeneously patterned surfaces by micromixing within microfluidic devices

Fabrication of polymeric particles with heterogeneously patterned surfaces by micromixing within microfluidic device

Experimental study on the hydraulic fracture propagation of laminar argillaceous limestone continental shale

Laminar argillaceous limestone continental shale is an important oil reservoir in Jiyang Depression, Bohai Bay Basin of China. Affected by the laminar structure, the spatial propagation morphology of hydraulic fracturing is not clear. To reveal the propagation law of hydraulic fracturing pathway in laminar marl continental shale, the mineral content and basic rock mechanics test are firstly carried out on the cores from the wells in Jiyang Depression. Secondly the similar material cores with standard-size and large-size are manufactured and processed. Finally, combined with physical model experiments, acoustic emission and moment tensor inversion techniques, the hydraulic fracturing experiments on the large-size cores under different stress differences are conducted. The experimental results show that the in situ stress (confining stresses), laminar structure, and lithological distribution jointly affect the propagation mode of fractures. As the horizontal stress difference increases, the stimulated reservoir volume gradually decreases, and the number of shear fractures decreases accordingly. Macroscopically, the pump pressure curve shows obvious fluctuation in the case with lower horizontal stress difference, which is the external performance of hydraulic fracture initiation–obstruction–turning–penetrating–obstruction–turning. The content of brittle and plastic minerals has a significant impact on the fracture complexity, particularly the layers with high argillaceous content have a significant inhibitory effect on fracture propagation. The weakly cemented lamination or bedding plane is easy to capture the fracture and make it propagate along the bedding plane, thereby increasing the complexity of fracture network. The research results are expected to provide a theoretical reference for design and optimization of hydraulic fracturing parameter in continental shale oil exploration and development

Novel single-step microfluidic strategies for production of patched and Janus bipolymer microparticles [Abstract]

Novel single-step microfluidic strategies for production of patched and Janus bipolymer microparticles [Abstract

Novel microfluidic strategies for production of core-shell microparticles with ultra-thin shells and crescent microparticles [Abstract]

Novel microfluidic strategies for production of core-shell microparticles with ultra-thin shells and crescent microparticles [Abstract

Spherical two-distance sets and eigenvalues of signed graphs

We study the problem of determining the maximum size of a spherical two-distance set with two fixed angles (one acute and one obtuse) in high dimensions. Let $N_{\alpha,\beta}(d)$ denote the maximum number of unit vectors in $\mathbb R^d$ where all pairwise inner products lie in $\{\alpha,\beta\}$. For fixed $-1\leq\beta<0\leq\alpha<1$, we propose a conjecture for the limit of $N_{\alpha,\beta}(d)/d$ as $d \to \infty$ in terms of eigenvalue multiplicities of signed graphs. We determine this limit when $\alpha+2\beta<0$ or $(1-\alpha)/(\alpha-\beta) \in \{1, \sqrt{2}, \sqrt{3}\}$. Our work builds on our recent resolution of the problem in the case of $\alpha = -\beta$ (corresponding to equiangular lines). It is the first determination of $\lim_{d \to \infty} N_{\alpha,\beta}(d)/d$ for any nontrivial fixed values of $\alpha$ and $\beta$ outside of the equiangular lines setting.Comment: 21 pages, 8 figure