4-channel 200 Gb/s WDM O-band silicon photonic transceiver sub-assembly

We demonstrate a 200G capable WDM O-band optical transceiver comprising a 4-element array of Silicon Photonics ring modulators (RM) and Ge photodiodes (PD) co-packaged with a SiGe BiCMOS integrated driver and a SiGe transimpedance amplifier (TIA) chip. A 4 x 50 Gb/s data modulation experiment revealed an average extinction ratio (ER) of 3.17 dB, with the transmitter exhibiting a total energy efficiency of 2 pJ/bit. Data reception has been experimentally validated at 50 Gb/s per lane, achieving an interpolated 10E-12 bit error rate (BER) for an input optical modulation amplitude (OMA) of -9.5 dBm and a power efficiency of 2.2 pJ/bit, yielding a total power efficiency of 4.2 pJ/bit for the transceiver, including heater tuning requirements. This electro-optic subassembly provides the highest aggregate data-rate among O-band RM-based silicon photonic transceiver implementations, highlighting its potential for next generation WDM Ethernet transceivers. (C) 2020 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreement

Silicon circuits for chip-to-chip communications in multi-socket server board interconnects

Multi-socket server boards (MSBs) exploit the interconnection of multiple processor chips towards forming powerful cache coherent systems, with the interconnect technology comprising a key element in boosting processing performance. Here, we present an overview of the current electrical interconnects for MSBs, outlining the main challenges currently faced. We propose the use of silicon photonics (SiPho) towards advancing interconnect throughput, socket connectivity and energy efficiency in MSB layouts, enabling a flat-topology wavelength division multiplexing (WDM)-based point-to-point (p2p) optical MSB interconnect scheme. We demonstrate WDM SiPho transceivers (TxRxs) co-assembled with their electronic circuits for up to 50 Gb/s line rate and 400 Gb/s aggregate data transmission and SiPho arrayed waveguide grating routers that can offer collision-less time of flight connectivity for up to 16 nodes. The capacity can scale to 2.8 Gb/s for an eight-socket MSB, when line rate scales to 50 Gb/s, yielding up to 69% energy reduction compared with the QuickPath Interconnect and highlighting the feasibility of single-hop p2p interconnects in MSB systems with >4 sockets

The genetic architecture of the human cerebral cortex

The cerebral cortex underlies our complex cognitive capabilities, yet little is known about the specific genetic loci that influence human cortical structure. To identify genetic variants that affect cortical structure, we conducted a genome-wide association meta-analysis of brain magnetic resonance imaging data from 51,665 individuals. We analyzed the surface area and average thickness of the whole cortex and 34 regions with known functional specializations. We identified 199 significant loci and found significant enrichment for loci influencing total surface area within regulatory elements that are active during prenatal cortical development, supporting the radial unit hypothesis. Loci that affect regional surface area cluster near genes in Wnt signaling pathways, which influence progenitor expansion and areal identity. Variation in cortical structure is genetically correlated with cognitive function, Parkinson's disease, insomnia, depression, neuroticism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Differential expression of P2X7 receptor and IL-1 beta in nociceptive and neuropathic pain

Background: Despite substantial progress, pathogenesis and therapy of chronic pain are still the focus of many investigations. The ATP-gated P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) has previously been shown to play a central role in animal models of nociceptive inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Recently, we found that the adaptive immune system is involved in the pathophysiology of chronic nociceptive and neuropathic pain in humans. So far, data regarding P2X7R expression patterns on cells of the adaptive immune system of pain patients are scarce. We therefore analyzed the P2X7R expression on peripheral blood lymphocytes and monocytes, as well as serum levels of IL-1 beta in patients suffering from chronic nociceptive and neuropathic pain in comparison to healthy volunteers in order to identify individuals who might benefit from a P2X7R modulating therapy. Methods: P2X7R messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression were determined in patients with either chronic nociceptive low back pain (CLBP) or neuropathic pain (NeP), and in healthy volunteers by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and by fluorescence-assisted cell-sorting (FACS), respectively. IL-1 beta serum levels were measured with a multiplex cytokine assay. Results: Compared to healthy volunteers, P2X7R mRNA (1.6-fold, p = 0.038) and protein levels were significantly increased on monocytes (NeP: 24.6 +/- 6.2, healthy volunteers: 17.0 +/- 5.4;p = 0.002) and lymphocytes (NeP: 21.8 +/- 6.5, healthy volunteers: 15.6 +/- 5.2;p = 0.009) of patients with NeP, but not in patients with CLBP. Similarly, IL-1 beta serum concentrations were significantly elevated only in NeP patients (1.4-fold, p = 0.04). Conclusions: A significant upregulation of P2X7R and increased IL-1 beta release seems to be a particular phenomenon in patients with NeP. P2X7R inhibitors may therefore represent a potential option for the treatment of this frequently intractable type of pain

Aske fra energigjenvinning kan erstatte sement

t forskningsprosjekt fra SINTEF viser at aske fra forbrenningsanlegget på Haraldrud har gode egenskaper som sementerstatter. Resultatene åpner for økt sirkulær økonomi i byggenæringen

Aske fra energigjenvinning kan erstatte sement

t forskningsprosjekt fra SINTEF viser at aske fra forbrenningsanlegget på Haraldrud har gode egenskaper som sementerstatter. Resultatene åpner for økt sirkulær økonomi i byggenæringen.publishedVersio