Reliability indicators for hidden Markov renewal models

International audienc

An active interferometric method for extreme impedance on-wafer device measurements

Nano-scale devices and high-power transistors present extreme impedances, which are far removed from the 50-Ω reference impedance of conventional test equipment, resulting in a reduction in the measurement sensitivity as compared with impedances close to the reference impedance. This letter describes a novel method based on active interferometry to increase the measurement sensitivity of a vector network analyzer for measuring such extreme impedances, using only a single coupler. The theory of the method is explained with supporting simulation. An interferometry-based method is demonstrated for the first time with on-wafer measurements, resulting in an improved measurement sensitivity for extreme impedance device characterization of up to 9%

Development of a Reference Wafer for On-Wafer Testing of Extreme Impedance Devices

This paper describes the design, fabrication, and testing of an on-wafer substrate that has been developed specifically for measuring extreme impedance devices using an on-wafer probe station. Such devices include carbon nano-tubes (CNTs) and structures based on graphene which possess impedances in the κ Ω range and are generally realised on the nano-scale rather than the micro-scale that is used for conventional on-wafer measurement. These impedances are far removed from the conventional 50- reference impedance of the test equipment. The on-wafer substrate includes methods for transforming from the micro-scale towards the nano-scale and reference standards to enable calibrations for extreme impedance devices. The paper includes typical results obtained from the designed wafer

SEMI-MARKOV MODELS FOR SEISMIC HAZARD ASSESSMENT IN CERTAIN AREAS OF GREECE

The long-term probabilistic seismic hazard is studied through the application of semi-Markov model. In this model a sequence of earthquakes is considered as a Markov process and the waiting time distributions depend only on the type of the last and the next event. The principal hypothesis of the model is the property of one-step memory, according to which the probability of moving to any future state depends only on the present state. The model under consideration defines a continuous-time, discrete-state stationary process in which successive state occupancies are governed by the transition probabilities of the Markov process. The space of states is considered to be finite and the process started far in the past has achieved stationarity. Firstly, a non-parametric method is applied in order to determine the waiting times. Then, the waiting times derived by means of the exponential and Weibull distributions will be compared to each other, as well as with the actual waiting times. Thus, the probability of occurrence of the anticipated earthquakes of a specific magnitude scale is calculated. The models are applied to an historical catalogue for Northern Aegean Sea

A Markov model for seismic hazard analysis along the Hellenic subduction Zone (Greece)

Εφαρμόζεται  ένα  ομογενές  Μαρκοβιανό  μοντέλο  διακριτού  χρόνου  και  χώρου καταστάσεων για τη γένεση σεισμών στο Ελληνικό Τόξο, περιοχή υψηλής σεισμικής δραστηριότητας  και  ιδιαίτερης  σημασίας  από  σεισμοτεκτονική  άποψη.  Το  μοντέλο παρέχει μια στοχαστική αναπαράσταση της γένεσης των σεισμών συμβάλλοντας στην εκτίμηση της σεισμικής επικινδυνότητας για την περιοχή μελέτης. Τα δεδομένα που χρησιμοποιούνται  λήφθηκαν  από  τον  κατάλογο  του  Τομέα  Γεωφυσικής  του Αριστοτελείου  Πανεπιστημίου  Θεσσαλονίκης,  ο  οποίος  θεωρείται  ομογενής  και  πλήρης  για  σεισμούς  με  από  το  1911.  Ο  συνεχής  χώρος  καταστάσεων χωρίζεται  σε  κλάσεις  μεγεθών  καθορίζοντας  με  αυτό  τον  τρόπο  τον  χώρο καταστάσεων  του  μοντέλου.  Η  στοχαστική  συμπεριφορά  του  μοντέλου  καθορίζεται XLVII, No 3 - 1376από  τον  πίνακα  πιθανοτήτων  μετάβασής  του,  του  οποίου  υπολογίζεται  αρχικά ο εκτιμητής   μέγιστης   πιθανοφάνειας.   Στη  συνέχεια   εκτιμώνται   σημαντικά χαρακτηριστικά της Μαρκοβιανής αλυσίδας, παρέχοντας προγνωστικά αποτελέσματα σχετικά  με  την  πιθανότητα  γένεσης  ενός  επερχόμενου  ισχυρού  σεισμού.  Οι υπολογισμοί  περιλαμβάνουν  την  εκτίμηση  της  μέσης  τιμής,  της  διασποράς  και  του 95% διαστήματος εμπιστοσύνης του πλήθους των βημάτων που απαιτούνται ώστε η Μαρκοβιανή αλυσίδα να μεταβεί για πρώτη φορά σε μια ορισμένη κατάσταση (που σχετίζεται με τη γένεση ενός επερχόμενου ισχυρού σεισμού).A homogeneous finite–state discrete–time Markov model is applied for the earthquake occurrence in the Hellenic Subduction Zone (Greece), a region accommodating high seismic activity, being a key structure from a seismotectonic point of view. An attempt is made to provide a stochastic representation of the earthquake process and to assess the seismic hazard through the application of the Markov model. The model is applied on a complete data sample comprising strong () eart  h-quakes that occurred in the study area since 1911 up to present. The continuous magnitude scale is divided into appropriate intervals to specify discrete states of the model. As the stochastic behavior of the model is governed by its transition probability matrix, we firstly estimate its well–known maximum likelihood estimator. The estimation of the transition probability matrix leads to the estimation of important indicators of the Markov chain, including hitting times and failure rate functions. The   mean number of steps for the first occurrence of an anticipated earthquake (belonging to the class with the stronger events, which we are more interested in) is estimated along with its variance. In a next step, we calculate the confidence interval of the   aforementioned estimators

A novel c.5308_5311delGAGA mutation in Senataxin in a Cypriot family with an autosomal recessive cerebellar ataxia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Senataxin (chromosome 9q34) was recently identified as the causative gene for an autosomal recessive form of Ataxia (ARCA), termed as Ataxia with Oculomotor Apraxia, type 2 (AOA2) and characterized by generalized incoordination, cerebellar atrophy, peripheral neuropathy, "oculomotor apraxia" and increased alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). Here, we report a novel Senataxin mutation in a Cypriot ARCA family.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We studied several Cypriot autosomal recessive cerebellar ataxia (ARCA) families for linkage to known ARCA gene loci. We linked one family (909) to the SETX locus on chromosome 9q34 and screened the proband for mutations by direct sequencing.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Sequence analysis revealed a novel c.5308_5311delGAGA mutation in exon 11 of the SETX gene. The mutation has not been detected in 204 control chromosomes from the Cypriot population, the remaining Cypriot ARCA families and 37 Cypriot sporadic cerebellar ataxia patients.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We identified a novel SETX homozygous c.5308_5311delGAGA mutation that co-segregates with ARCA with cerebellar atrophy and raised AFP.</p

Indicators for mapping and assessment of ecosystem condition and of the ecosystem service habitat maintenance in support of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020

A systematic approach to map and assess the “maintenance of nursery populations and habitats” ecosystem service (ES) (hereinafter called “habitat maintenance”) has not yet emerged. In this article, we present an ecosystem service framework implementation at landscape level, by proposing an approach for calculating and combining a series of indicators with spatial modelling techniques. Necessary conceptual elements for this approach are: a) ecosystem condition, b) supply and demand of the targeted ecosystem service and c) spatial relationships between the Service Providing Units (SPU) and the Service Connecting Units (SCU). Ecosystem condition is quantified and mapped based on two indicators, the Biodiversity State and the Anthropogenic Impact. Quantification and mapping of supply and demand are based on the hypothesis that high supply can be activated in strictly protected areas and that a demand is localised in the Natura 2000 sites (N2K), considering them as the Service Benefit Areas (SBA). Wetlands are assessed as SCU between the SBA and the landscape areas where the habitat maintenance ES is supplied. By assessing wetlands as SCU, we intent to highlight their role as biodiversity stepping stones and as green infrastructures. Overall, we conclude that the EU biodiversity policy demand for no net loss and for a coherent N2K network can be met by enhancing the delivery of the habitat maintenance ES. This approach can assist policy-makers in prioritisation of conservation and restoration targets, in line with the EU biodiversity strategy to 2020 and the preparation of the post-2020 Strategy. One Ecosystem 4: e32704. https://doi.org/10.3897/oneeco.4.e3270

Microwave Properties of 2D CMOS Compatible Co-Planar Waveguides Made from Phosphorus Dopant Monolayers in Silicon

Low-dimensional microwave interconnects have important applications for nanoscale electronics, from complementary metal–oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) to silicon quantum technologies. Graphene is naturally nanoscale and has already demonstrated attractive electronic properties, however its application to electronics is limited by available fabrication techniques and CMOS incompatibility. Here, the characteristics of transmission lines made from silicon doped with phosphorus are investigated using phosphine monolayer doping. S-parameter measurements are performed between 4–26 GHz from room temperature down to 4.5 K. At 20 GHz, the measured monolayer transmission line characteristics consist of an attenuation constant of 40 dB mm−1 and a characteristic impedance of 600 Ω. The results indicate that Si:P monolayers are a viable candidate for microwave transmission and that they have a.c. properties similar to graphene, with the additional benefit of extremely precise, reliable, stable, and inherently CMOS compatible fabrication

Spinal muscular atrophy type I associated with a novel SMN1 splicing variant that disrupts the expression of the functional transcript

IntroductionSpinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive neuromuscular disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the SMN1 gene. The majority of SMA patients harbor a homozygous deletion of SMN1 exon 7 (95%). Heterozygosity for a conventional variant and a deletion is rare (5%) and not easily detected, due to the highly homologous SMN2 gene interference. SMN2 mainly produces a truncated non-functional protein (SMN-d7) instead of the full-length functional (SMN-FL). We hereby report a novel SMN1 splicing variant in an infant with severe SMA.MethodsMLPA was used for SMN1/2 exon dosage determination. Sanger sequencing approaches and long-range PCR were employed to search for an SMN1 variant. Conventional and improved Real-time PCR assays were developed for the qualitative and quantitative SMN1/2 RNA analysis.ResultsThe novel SMN1 splice-site variant c.835-8_835-5delinsG, was identified in compound heterozygosity with SMN1 exons 7/8 deletion. RNA studies revealed complete absence of SMN1 exon 7, thus confirming a disruptive effect of the variant on SMN1 splicing. No expression of the functional SMN1-FL transcript, remarkable expression of the SMN1-d7 and increased levels of the SMN2-FL/SMN2-d7 transcripts were observed.DiscussionWe verified the occurrence of a non-deletion SMN1 variant and supported its pathogenicity, thus expanding the SMN1 variants spectrum. We discuss the updated SMA genetic findings in the Cypriot population, highlighting an increased percentage of intragenic variants compared to other populations