Co-integration of Silicon Nanodevices and NEMS for Advanced Information Processing (Invited Talk)

In this paper we present our recent attempts at developing the advanced information processing devices by integrating nano-electro-mechanical (NEM)structures into conventional silicon nanodevices. Firstly, we show high-speed and nonvolatile NEM memory which features a mechanically-bistable floating gate is integrated onto MOSFETs. Secondly we discuss hybrid systems of single-electron transistors and NEM structures for exploring new switching principles

Dynamics of Limit Cycle Oscillator Subject to General Noise

The phase description is a powerful tool for analyzing noisy limit cycle oscillators. The method, however, has found only limited applications so far, because the present theory is applicable only to the Gaussian noise while noise in the real world often has non-Gaussian statistics. Here, we provide the phase reduction for limit cycle oscillators subject to general, colored and non-Gaussian, noise including heavy-tailed noise. We derive quantifiers like mean frequency, diffusion constant, and the Lyapunov exponent to confirm consistency of the result. Applying our results, we additionally study a resonance between the phase and noise.Comment: main paper: 4 pages, 2 figure; auxiliary material: 5-7 pages of the document, 1 figur

Production and Applications of Synthetic Quartz

Development of quartz industry in these 100 years, in the synthetic production and in application of quartz crystals, is surveyed briefly. Due to the discovery of piezoelectricity in 1880 by J. & P. Curie, the invention of a quartz resonator in 1921 by W. G. Cady, etc., it had been shown that quartz crystal can be used as a superior device material for electric wave telecommunication. After World War II ended, the civil use of quartz devices increased rapidly, in addition to the past military use. The study for large-scale industrial production of synthetic quartz was started first in the United States, and then spread out in other countries. In this development of synthetic quartz, the temperature-difference growth method that is used now was established. Large-sized quartz crystals of good quality (20–25 mm (X-direction) × 30–35 mm (Z-direction)) came to be obtained by around 1970, and now further large and good-quality crystals are produced. As another remarkable development in the quartz industry, the manufacture and spread of high precision quartz watch and clock should also be mentioned. Industry of synthetic quartz is progressing even now, and quartz devices are used in various places of our every-day life and of social activities

Relationships between brain-derived neurotrophic factor, clinical symptoms, and decision-making in chronic schizophrenia: data from the Iowa Gambling Task

The levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are significantly decreased in patients with schizophrenia and correlate with impairments in cognitive function. However, no study has investigated the relationship between the serum BDNF levels and decision-making. We compared patients with schizophrenia to healthy controls with respect to their decision-making ability and serum BDNF levels. Eighty-six chronic schizophrenia patients and 51 healthy controls participated in this study. We controlled for gender, age, and estimated intelligence quotient (IQ), and we investigated the differences in decision-making performance on the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) between the schizophrenia patient and control groups. We also compared the IGT scores, the serum BDNF levels, and the clinical symptoms between the groups. The IGT scores of the schizophrenia patients were lower than those of the controls. A negative correlation was detected between the mean net scores on the trials in the final two blocks and the serum BDNF levels（p<0.05）. Multiple regression analysis revealed that depressive symptoms and the serum BDNF levels were significantly associated with the mean net scores on the trials in the final two blocks. Based on these results, impaired sensitivity to both reward and punishment is associated with depressive symptoms and reduced serum BDNF levels in chronic schizophrenia patients and may be related to their poor performance on the IGT

Enhancement by streptozotocin of O−2 radical generation by the xanthine oxidase system of pancreatic β-cells

AbstractSpin-trapping techniques and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy were used to study the relationship between the effect of streptozotocin (STZ) on pancreatic β-cells and free radical formation by these cells. Results showed that STZ enhanced generation of the DMPO-OH radical adduct, which is a degradation product of the superoxide anion (O−2) in the presence of cellular components, in a hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase (XOD) system with a homogenate of β-cells. This enhancing effect was also observed in a system without cellular components; STZ increased the signal height due to the O−2 radical in a concentration-dependent manner and caused a maximum of 150% enhancement at a concentration of 1.5 mM. Thus, STZ seemed to enhance the generation of the O−2 radical in the XOD system, probably by some mechanism of its interaction with XOD. Pancreatic β-cells exhibited a high XOD activity and a very low superoxide dismutase activity. Therefore, the present result supports the possibility that the cytotoxic effect of STZ is closely related to free radical generation in pancreatic β-cells

Continued growth of locally aggressive fibrous dysplasia of 22 years duration after reaching adulthood: a case report

Fibrous dysplasia generally stops growing when patients reach adulthood. Locally aggressive fibrous dysplasia is an extremely rare subtype of fibrous dysplasia that is characterized by progressive enlargement after bone maturation, cortical bone destruction and soft tissue invasion but without malignant transformation. At 50 years of age, a tumor was found in the rib of a patient. The tumor gradually enlarged over time and imaging findings suggested a malignant tumor. The case was further complicated by restrictive lung disorder. Biopsies from multiple sites showed no malignant findings, and marginal resection with partial curettage was performed. The final diagnosis was locally aggressive fibrous dysplasia, and the restrictive lung disorder improved postoperatively. The natural history of the disease is also unknown. This is the first report in the literature to describe a case in which a lesion exhibited long-term growth over a period of 22 years after reaching adulthood.ArticleJournal of surgical case reports 2020(2) : rjz406(2020)journal articl

Continuous decrease in serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in a neuropsychiatric syndrome of systemic lupus erythematosus patient with organic brain changes

In the present study, the authors reported on a case in neuropsychiatric syndromes of systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) with irreversible organic brain changes. The authors also longitudinally investigated serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in the patient. We found that serum BDNF levels in the NPSLE patient with irreversible organic brain change were consistently low, independent of the severity of psychiatric symptoms. Thus, the longitudinal measurement of serum BDNF levels might be useful in predicting the prognosis of NPSLE

Steroid psychosis in a polyarteritis nodosa patient successfully treated with risperidone: tracking serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels longitudinally

We previously reported a case in which steroid-induced psychosis was eliminated with risperidone treatment in a patient with polyarteritis nodosa (PN). In the present report, we longitudinally tracked the serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). We found that corticosteroid lowered serum BDNF levels, and improvement of psychiatric symptoms was intact with the serum BDNF levels seen in the patients