A 0.18µm CMOS DDCCII for Portable LV-LP Filters

In this paper a current mode very low voltage (LV) (1V) and low power (LP) (21 µW) differential difference second generation current conveyor (CCII) is presented. The circuit is developed by applying the current sensing technique to a fully balanced version of a differential difference amplifier (DDA) so to design a suitable LV LP integrated version of the so-called differential difference CCII (DDCCII). Post-layout results, using a 0.18µm SMIC CMOS technology, have shown good general circuit performances making the proposed circuit suitable for fully integration in battery portable systems as, for examples, fully differential Sallen-Key bandpass filter

Firms’ Clustering and SEE Export Performance: Lessons from the Italian Experience

Like all transition economies, South Eastern Europe (SEE) countries stand to gain most from an export-led growth. Unfortunately, though, productive structure in these countries is largely made up of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that, due to their limited size, may face obstacles to gain access to international markets. A possible way out of the conundrum is for SMEs to cluster together and, by sharing the costs of internationalization, jointly tap foreign markets. This approach has been at the heart of the successful export performance of SMEs clustered within Italy’s industrial districts. In this paper we use historical data on Italian exports (in 1971 and 1961) to quantify the boosting effect due to firms’ clustering. In particular, we use detailed data on export classified by sector and by destination country to estimate a panel gravity model on which we compute the firms’ clustering effect. Next, building on the Italian experience we design four scenarios for firms’ clustering in three SEE economies (Bulgaria, Romania and Slovenia). By means of these scenarios and applying the estimated coefficient for firms’ clustering in Italy, we simulate the firms’ clustering effect for the three SEE economies and obtain the gain in export growth over the benchmark case. Results show that an additional export growth between 3% and 11% over a five- year period could be expected.

Illegal Immigration into Italy: Evidence from a field survey

The Survey on illegal migration in Italy (SIMI henceforth) aims to analyse the phenomenon of clandestines migrating to or through Italy. SIMI contains information concerning the main demographic, economic and social characteristics of a sample of 920 clandestines crossing Italian borders and apprehended during 2003. Migrants' motivations, intention to send remittance and expectations about the future are collected within SIMI and reported in this paper.

Interface Circuits for Microsensor Integrated Systems

ca. 200 words; this text will present the book in all promotional forms (e.g. flyers). Please describe the book in straightforward and consumer-friendly terms. [Recent advances in sensing technologies, especially those for Microsensor Integrated Systems, have led to several new commercial applications. Among these, low voltage and low power circuit architectures have gained growing attention, being suitable for portable long battery life devices. The aim is to improve the performances of actual interface circuits and systems, both in terms of voltage mode and current mode, in order to overcome the potential problems due to technology scaling and different technology integrations. Related problems, especially those concerning parasitics, lead to a severe interface design attention, especially concerning the analog front-end and novel and smart architecture must be explored and tested, both at simulation and prototype level. Moreover, the growing demand for autonomous systems gets even harder the interface design due to the need of energy-aware cost-effective circuit interfaces integrating, where possible, energy harvesting solutions. The objective of this Special Issue is to explore the potential solutions to overcome actual limitations in sensor interface circuits and systems, especially those for low voltage and low power Microsensor Integrated Systems. The present Special Issue aims to present and highlight the advances and the latest novel and emergent results on this topic, showing best practices, implementations and applications. The Guest Editors invite to submit original research contributions dealing with sensor interfacing related to this specific topic. Additionally, application oriented and review papers are encouraged.

On The Sensitivity Characteristics in Novel Automatic Wheatstone Bridge-Based Interfaces

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Uncalibrated operational amplifier-based sensor interface for capacitive/resistive sensor applications

In this paper, a new configuration of operational amplifier -based square-wave oscillator is proposed. The circuit performs an impedance-to-period (Z–T) conversion that, instead of a voltage integration typically performed by other solutions presented in the literature, is based on a voltage differentiation. This solution is suitable as first analogue uncalibrated front-end for capacitive and resistive (e.g. relative humidity and gas) sensors, working also, in the case of capacitive devices, for wide variation ranges (up to six capacitive variation decades). Moreover, through the setting of passive components, its sensitivity can be easily regulated. Experimental measurements, conducted on a prototype printed circuit board, with sample passive components and using the commercial capacitive humidity sensor Honeywell HCH-1000, have shown good linearity and accuracy in the estimation of capacitances, having a baseline or reaching a value ranging in a wide interval [picofarads–microfarads], as well as, with a lower accuracy, in the evaluation of more reduced variations of resistances, ranging from kiloohms to megaohms, also when compared with other solutions presented in the literature

A Novel Uncalibrated Read-Out Circuit for Floating Capacitive and Grounded/Floating Resistive Sensors Measurement

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An IC architecture for RF Energy Harvesting systems

In this work we present an IC architecture for RF energy harvesting. The system has been designed with a 0.18μm CMOS SMIC technology and optimized at 900MHz. Simulation results have confirmed that the integrated system handles an incoming power typically ranging from -25 dBm to 20 dBm by rectifying the variable input signals into a DC voltage source with an overall efficiency up to 50%. The chip area estimation for the proposed system is as low as 3x3mm2

L’astensione dal voto dell’amministratore di società per azioni in conflitto di interessi da dovere a diritto

The current regulation of the conflict of interests in corporations raises a number of issues arising from the difficult coexistence between, on the one hand, the choice of eliminating the express provision of the duty to abstain from voting by the administrator holding the interest, and, on the other hand, that of considering invalid the resolution adopted with his relevant vote, given its potential damage to the company. This paper attempts to overcome the potential contradiction between a vote, that of the administrator in conflict of interest, apparently lawful and, at the same time, at least potentially invalid, by observing that abstention from voting, originally a duty, has over time become lawful.L’attuale disciplina del conflitto di interessi degli amministratori di società per azioni solleva una pluralità di problemi derivanti dalla difficile coesistenza tra la scelta di far venire meno l’espressa previsione del dovere di astensione dal voto dell’amministratore titolare dell’interesse e quella di continuare a considerare invalida, purché idonea ad arrecare danno alla società, la deliberazione adottata con il voto rilevante di costui: il lavoro tenta di superare la potenziale contraddizione tra un voto, quello dell’amministratore in conflitto di interessi, apparentemente lecito e, allo stesso tempo, almeno potenzialmente invalido osservando che l’astensione dal voto, originariamente doverosa, è nel tempo divenuta lecita

Familial ALS-superoxide dismutases associate with mitochondria and shift their redox potentials

Recent studies suggest that the toxicity of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mutant Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) arises from its selective recruitment to mitochondria. Here we demonstrate that each of 12 different familial ALS-mutant SOD1s with widely differing biophysical properties are associated with mitochondria of motoneuronal cells to a much greater extent than wild-type SOD1, and that this effect may depend on the oxidation of Cys residues. We demonstrate further that mutant SOD1 proteins associated with the mitochondria tend to form cross-linked oligomers and that their presence causes a shift in the redox state of these organelles and results in impairment of respiratory complexes. The observation that such a diverse set of mutant SOD1 proteins behave so similarly in mitochondria of motoneuronal cells and so differently from wild-type SOD1 suggests that this behavior may explain the toxicity of ALS-mutant SOD1 proteins, which causes motor neurons to die