Scan Cell Positioning for Boosting the Compression of Fan-Out Networks

Ensuring a high manufacturing test quality of an integrated electronic circuit mandates the application of a large volume test set. Even if the test data can be fit into the memory of an external tester, the consequent increase in test application time reflects into elevated production costs. Test data compression solutions have been proposed to address the test time and data volume problem by storing and delivering the test data in a compressed format, and subsequently by expanding the data on-chip. In this paper, we propose a scan cell positioning methodology that accompanies a compression technique in order to boost the compression ratio, and squash the test data even further. While we present the application of the proposed approach in conjunction with the fan-out based decompression architecture, this approach can be extended for application along with other compression solutions as well. The experimental results also confirm the compression enhancement of the proposed methodology.     

Photodegradation of Selected Aromatic Constituents of Creosote in Organic Solvents

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), naphthalene, phenanthrene, anthracene, and pyrene were irradiated in acetonitrile (CH₃CN) and in dichloromethane (CH₂Cl₂) on individual PAH compounds and in the presence of other compounds. The observed photodegradation of PAHs was dependent on the structure of the compound. Anthracene and pyrene were the most photoreactive in dichloromethane: with total degradation after 0.5 h irradiation for anthracene and 1.5 h for pyrene. The decomposition of PAHs was faster in dichloromethane than in acetonitrile.     

Context-Sensitive Visibility

An improvement to the so-called visual verification approach is presented. Visual verification is a method for checking the correctness of the behaviour of a reactive or concurrent system. It shares a great deal of common ground with ordinary formal state space verification, but is more user-friendly. This is because the user does not need to specify in detail the properties that the system must satisfy to be correct. Instead, the user only lists the atomic actions that are relevant for the property. Computer tools are used to obtain a graphical representation which is a summary of all possible alternative behaviours of the system, and the user then analyses the result. The improvement presented in this article allows the user to pick a region of the graphical representation and investigate it in more detail, without being overwhelmed by the details outside the region. The improvement is illustrated by analysing the livelocks in a model of the alternating bit protocol.     

Nitric oxide-eluting nanocomposite for cardiovascular implants

Cardiovascular implants must resist thrombosis and intimal hyperplasia, but they are prone to such patency limiting conditions during graft implantation and prior to endothelialisation. Nitric oxide (NO) released from the endothelium has a complex protective role in the cardiovascular system, and this study has addressed: (1) in situ NO release profiles from S-nitrosothiols ((S-Nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) and (S-Nitrosoglutathione (GSNO)) incorporated into polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanepoly(carbonate-urea)urethane (POSS-PCU) coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG) in a physiological pulsatile flow, and (2) the determination of their interaction with endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), smooth muscle cells, platelets, whole blood kinetics. It was found that 1, 2, and 3 wt% SNAP/GSNO incorporated into POSS-PCU-CABG successfully eluted NO, but optimal elution was evident with 2 %-SNAP-POSS-PCU. NO release determined under static conditions using the Griess assay, and in situ measurements under pulsatile flow using amperometric probe was found to differ, thus confirming the significance of monitoring NO-elution under haemodynamic conditions. 2 %-SNAP-POSS-PCU demonstrated anti-thrombogenic kinetics through thromboelastography measurements, while metabolic activity using Alamar Blue? assay and scanning electron microscopy demonstrated greater adhesion of EPCs and reduced adhesion of platelets.     

Urgent need for new approach to energy policy: The case of Finland

The process of climate change is already under way and is a serious threat facing the planet. Our response to this threat will irrevocably transform the energy sector and the priorities within it. The trend in emissions over the next decade will largely determine whether the process of climate change can be kept at a moderate level. This literature-based study focuses on Finland as an example case. Oil price fluctuations, economic development and changes in consumer values and attitudes are key forces that will drive change in the energy sector. A greater diversity of energy sources is vital if we are to avoid a catastrophic warming of the climate. The use of renewable energy sources must be increased, and the efficiency of producing, transmitting and distributing energy must be improved. The energy sector must also exploit the potential of nuclear energy, wind, solar and hydro power, afforestation measures, biomass resources, carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology and the nano-bio sector. National policies and measures must be set out in detail and global cooperation enhanced. The presence and impact of factors that impede the work to curb climate change must also be taken into account in energy strategies if these strategies are to be successful.     

Effect of changing temperature on anaerobic hydrogen production and microbial community composition in an open-mixed culture bioreactor

The temperature effect (37–65 °C) on H₂ production from glucose in an open-mixed culture bioreactor using an enrichment culture from a hot spring was studied. The dynamics of microbial communities was investigated by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). At 45 and 60 °C the H₂ production was the highest i.e. 1.71 and 0.85 mol H₂/mol glucose, respectively. No H₂ was produced at temperatures 50 and 55 °C. At 37–45 °C, H₂ production was produced by butyrate type fermentation while fermentation mechanism changed to ethanol type at 60 °C. Clostridium species were dominant at 37–45 °C while at 50–55 °C and 60 °C the culture was dominated by Bacillus coagulans and Thermoanaerobacterium, respectively. In the presence of B. Coagulans the metabolism was directed to lactate production. The results show that the mixed culture had two optima for H₂ production and that the microbial communities and metabolic patterns promptly changed according to changing temperatures.     

Chromatoid body and small RNAs in male germ cells

The chromatoid body (CB) is a germ granule in the cytoplasm of postmeiotic haploid round spermatids that is loaded with RNA and RNA-binding proteins. Following the discovery of small non-coding RNA-mediated gene regulation and the identification of PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) that have crucial roles in germ line development, the function of the CB has slowly begun to be revealed. Male germ cells utilise small RNAs to control the complex and specialised process of sperm production. Several microRNAs have been identified during spermatogenesis. In addition, a high number of piRNAs are present both in embryonic and postnatal male germ cells, with their expression being impressively induced in late meiotic cells and haploid round spermatids. At postmeiotic stage of germ cell differentiation, the CB accumulates piRNAs and proteins of piRNA machinery, as well as several other proteins involved in distinct RNA regulation pathways. All existing evidence suggests a role for the CB in mRNA regulation and small RNA-mediated gene control, but the mechanisms remain uncharacterised. In this review, we summarise the current knowledge of the CB and its association with small RNA pathways.