Wide-Supply-Range All-Digital Leakage Variation Sensor for On-Chip Process and Temperature Monitoring

Variation in process, voltage and temperature is a major obstacle in achieving energy-efficient operation of LSI. This paper proposes an all-digital on-chip circuit to monitor leakage current variations of both of the nMOSFET and pMOSFET independently. As leakage current is highly sensitive to threshold voltage and temperature, the circuit is suitable for tracking process and temperature variation. The circuit uses reconfigurable inhomogeneity to obtain statistical properties from a single monitor instance. A compact reconfigurable inverter topology is proposed to implement the monitor circuit. The compact and digital nature of the inverter enables cell-based design, which will reduce design costs. Measurement results from a 65 nm test chip show the validity of the proposed circuit. For a 124 sample size for both of the nMOSFET and pMOSFET, the monitor area is 4500 μm2 and active power consumption is 76 nW at 0.8 V operation. The proposed technique enables area-efficient and low-cost implementation thus can be used in product chips for applications such as dynamic energy and thermal management, testing and post-silicon tuning

Three novel oligosaccharides synthesized using Thermoanaerobacter brockii kojibiose phosphorylase

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recently synthesized novel oligosaccharides have been produced primarily by hydrolases and glycosyltransferases, while phosphorylases have also been subject of few studies. Indeed, phosphorylases are expected to give good results via their reversible reaction. The purpose of this study was to synthesis other novel oligosaccharides using kojibiose phosphorylase.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Three novel oligosaccharides were synthesized by glucosyltransfer from β-D-glucose 1-phosphate (β-D-G1P) to xylosylfructoside [<it>O</it>-α-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-fructofuranoside] using <it>Thermoanaerobacter brockii </it>kojibiose phosphorylase. These oligosaccharides were isolated using carbon-Celite column chromatography and preparative high performance liquid chromatography. Gas liquid chromatography analysis of methyl derivatives, MALDI-TOF MS and NMR measurements were used for structural characterisation. The ¹H and ¹³C NMR signals of each saccharide were assigned using 2D-NMR including COSY (correlated spectroscopy), HSQC (herteronuclear single quantum coherence), CH₂-selected E-HSQC (CH₂-selected Editing-HSQC), HSQC-TOCSY (HSQC-total correlation spectroscopy) and HMBC (heteronuclear multiple bond correlation).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The structure of three synthesized saccharides were determined, and these oligosaccharides have been identified as <it>O</it>-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-<it>O</it>-α-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-fructofuranoside (saccharide <b>1</b>), <it>O</it>-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-<it>O</it>-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-<it>O</it>-α-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-fructofuranoside (saccharide <b>2</b>) and <it>O</it>-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→[2-<it>O</it>-α-D-glucopyranosyl-1]₂→2)-<it>O</it>-α-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-fructofuranoside (saccharide <b>3</b>).</p

Combination of apodized pupil and phase mask coronagraph for SCExAO at Subaru Telescope

Subaru telescope has been operating a high-contrast imaging instruments called Subaru coronagraphic extreme adaptive optics (SCExAO) which is used for exoplanet research. We are developing phase mask coronagraphs using photonic crystal wave plates inside the SCExAO. An eight-octant phase mask (8OPM) of three-layer achromatic structure has been fabricated as a second generation. It was designed for J and H band to reach 10⁻⁵ contrast, and Ks band to 10⁻⁴. A retardation and a coronagraphic performance of the 8OPM were confirmed almost as designed at 1550nm. An apodised (binary shaped) pupil to be used with the 8OPM was also studied to suppress diffracted light by the secondary shadow and spiders. We confirmed a performance of the combination of the apodizer and the 8OPM at visible wavelengths in a lab. We optimized the apodizer for a pupil of the SCExAO where we obtained a transmission of 50 % and a contrast of 10⁻⁴ the center and 10⁻⁶ at outer region. We manufactured the designed apodizer to be installed in SCExAO for infrared observations

Krüppel-like is required for nonskeletogenic mesoderm specification in the sea urchin embryo

金沢大学大学院自然科学研究科遺伝情報学The canonical Wnt pathway plays a central role in specifying vegetal cell fate in sea urchin embryos. SpKrl has been cloned as a direct target of nuclear β-catenin. Using Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus embryos, here we show that HpKrl controls the specification of secondary mesenchyme cells (SMCs) through both cell-autonomous and non-autonomous means. Like SpKrl, HpKrl was activated in both micromere and macromere progenies. To examine the functions of HpKrl in each blastomere, we constructed chimeric embryos composed of blastomeres from control and morpholino-mediated HpKrl-knockdown embryos and analyzed the phenotypes of the chimeras. Micromere-swapping experiments showed that HpKrl is not involved in micromere specification, while micromere-deprivation assays indicated that macromeres require HpKrl for cell-autonomous specification. Transplantation of normal micromeres into a micromere-less host with morpholino revealed that macromeres are able to receive at least some micromere signals regardless of HpKrl function. From these observations, we propose that two distinct pathways of endomesoderm formation exist in macromeres, a Krl-dependent pathway and a Krl-independent pathway. The Krl-independent pathway may correspond to the Delta/Notch signaling pathway via GataE and Gcm. We suggest that Krl may be a downstream component of nuclear β-catenin required by macromeres for formation of more vegetal tissues, not as a member of the Delta/Notch pathway, but as a parallel effector of the signaling (Krl-dependent pathway). © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Efficacy of Oral Etidronate for Skeletal Diseases in Japan

Etidronate is an oral bisphosphonate compound that is known to reduce bone resorption through the inhibition of osteoclastic activity. The efficacy of etidronate for involutional (postmenopausal and senile) and glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, as well as that for other skeletal diseases, was reviewed in Japanese patients. Cyclical etidronate treatment (200 mg or 400 mg/day for 2 weeks about every 3 months) increases the lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with involutional osteoporosis and prevents incident vertebral fractures in patients with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. The losses of the lumbar BMD in patients with liver cirrhosis and the metacarpal BMD in hemiplegic patients after stroke are prevented, and the lumbar BMD is possibly increased, preventing fragile fractures in adult patients with osteogenesis imperfecta type I. Furthermore, proximal bone resorption around the femoral stem is reduced and some complications may be prevented in patients who undergo cementless total hip arthroplasty. Oral etidronate treatment may also help to transiently relieve metastatic cancer bone pain followed by a decrease in abnormally raised bone resorption in patients with painful bone metastases from primary cancer sites, such as the lung, breast and prostate. Thus, oral etidronate treatment is suggested to be efficacious for osteoporosis, as well as other skeletal diseases associated with increased bone resorption, in Japanese patients. Randomized controlled trials needed to be conducted on a large number of patients to confirm these effects

PPAR? Downregulation by TGF in Fibroblast and Impaired Expression and Function in Systemic Sclerosis: A Novel Mechanism for Progressive Fibrogenesis

The nuclear orphan receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ) is expressed in multiple cell types in addition to adipocytes. Upon its activation by natural ligands such as fatty acids and eicosanoids, or by synthetic agonists such as rosiglitazone, PPAR-γ regulates adipogenesis, glucose uptake and inflammatory responses. Recent studies establish a novel role for PPAR-γ signaling as an endogenous mechanism for regulating transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß)- dependent fibrogenesis. Here, we sought to characterize PPAR-γ function in the prototypic fibrosing disorder systemic sclerosis (SSc), and delineate the factors governing PPAR-γ expression. We report that PPAR-γ levels were markedly diminished in skin and lung biopsies from patients with SSc, and in fibroblasts explanted from the lesional skin. In normal fibroblasts, treatment with TGF-ß resulted in a time- and dose-dependent down-regulation of PPAR-γ expression. Inhibition occurred at the transcriptional level and was mediated via canonical Smad signal transduction. Genome-wide expression profiling of SSc skin biopsies revealed a marked attenuation of PPAR-γ levels and transcriptional activity in a subset of patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc, which was correlated with the presence of a ''TGF-ß responsive gene signature'' in these biopsies. Together, these results demonstrate that the expression and function of PPAR-γ are impaired in SSc, and reveal the existence of a reciprocal inhibitory cross-talk between TGF-ß activation and PPAR-γ signaling in the context of fibrogenesis. In light of the potent anti-fibrotic effects attributed to PPAR-γ, these observations lead us to propose that excessive TGF-ß activity in SSc accounts for impaired PPAR-γ function, which in turn contributes to unchecked fibroblast activation and progressive fibrosis. © 2010 Wei et al

Structural analysis of three novel trisaccharides isolated from the fermented beverage of plant extracts

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A fermented beverage of plant extracts was prepared from about fifty kinds of vegetables and fruits. Natural fermentation was carried out mainly by lactic acid bacteria (<it>Leuconostoc </it>spp.) and yeast (<it>Zygosaccharomyces </it>spp. and <it>Pichia </it>spp.). We have previously examined the preparation of novel four trisaccharides from the beverage: <it>O</it>-β-D-fructopyranosyl-(2->6)-<it>O</it>-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1->3)-D-glucopyranose, <it>O</it>-β-D-fructopyranosyl-(2->6)-<it>O</it>-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1->3)]-D-glucopyranose, <it>O</it>-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1->1)-<it>O</it>-β-D-fructofuranosyl-(2<->1)-α-D-glucopyranoside and <it>O</it>-β-D-galactopyranosyl-(1->1)-<it>O</it>-β-D-fructofuranosyl-(2<->1)- α-D-glucopyranoside.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Three further novel oligosaccharides have been found from this beverage and isolated from the beverage using carbon-Celite column chromatography and preparative high performance liquid chromatography. Structural confirmation of the saccharides was provided by methylation analysis, MALDI-TOF-MS and NMR measurements.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The following novel trisaccharides were identified: <it>O</it>-β-D-fructofuranosyl-(2->1)-<it>O</it>-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1->3)]-β-D-glucopyranoside (named "3^G-β-D-glucopyranosyl β, β-isosucrose"), <it>O</it>-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1->2)-<it>O</it>-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1->4)]-D-glucopyranose (4¹-β-D-glucopyranosyl sophorose) and <it>O</it>-β-D-fructofuranosyl-(2->6)-<it>O</it>-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1->3)-D-glucopyranose (6²-β-D-fructofuranosyl laminaribiose).</p