A novel two-channel continuous-time time-interleaved 3rd-order sigma-delta modulator with integrator-sharing topology

This paper presents a 3rd-order two-path continuous-time time-interleaved (CTTI) delta-sigma modulator which is implemented in standard 90 nm CMOS technology. The architecture uses a novel method to resolve the delayless feedback path issue arising from the sharing of integrators between paths. By exploiting the concept of the time-interleaving techniques and through the use time domain equations, a conventional single path 3rd-order discrete-time (DT) ΔΣ modulator is converted into a corresponding two-path discrete-time time-interleaved (DTTI) counterpart. The equivalent CTTI version derived from the DTTI ΔΣ modulator by determining the DT loop filters and converting them to the equivalent continuous-time loop filters through the use of the Impulse Invariant Transformation. Sharing the integrators between two paths of the reported modulator makes it robust to path mismatch effects compared to the typical time-interleaved modulators which have individual integrators in all paths. The modulator achieves a dynamic range of 12 bits with an OverSampling Ratio of 16 over a bandwidth of 10 MHz and dissipates only 28 mW of power from a 1.8-V supply. The clock frequency of the modulator is 320 MHz but integrators, quantizers and DACs operate at 160 MHz.     

Retroperitoneal cystic mass. Giant exophytic gastric leiomyosarcoma

Infantile myofibromatosis is a rare disease characterized by myofibroblastic proliferation, and typically occurs in early infancy. There is a wide spectrum of clinical presentation, which may involve various kinds of tissues in the body. Skin and subcutaneous lesions were the types of tissue most often seen. Although a multicentric form may behave aggressively, a solitary form of the tumor is benign with the possibility of spontaneous regression. Conservative management is justified after proper pathological diagnosis if the tumor involves an aesthetically important area. A case of solitary infantile myofibromatosis involving the upper lip is presented. Partial excision for biopsy was performed and long-term observation was undertaken. The tumor disappeared 3 years postoperatively.     

dOCAL: high-level distributed programming with OpenCL and CUDA

In the state-of-the-art parallel programming approaches OpenCL and CUDA, so-called host code is required for program’s execution. Efficiently implementing host code is often a cumbersome task, especially when executing OpenCL and CUDA programs on systems with multiple nodes, each comprising different devices, e.g., multi-core CPU and graphics processing units; the programmer is responsible for explicitly managing node’s and device’s memory, synchronizing computations with data transfers between devices of potentially different nodes and for optimizing data transfers between devices’ memories and nodes’ main memories, e.g., by using pinned main memory for accelerating data transfers and overlapping the transfers with computations. We develop distributed OpenCL/CUDA abstraction layer (dOCAL)—a novel high-level C++ library that simplifies the development of host code. dOCAL combines major advantages over the state-of-the-art high-level approaches: (1) it simplifies implementing both OpenCL and CUDA host code by providing a simple-to-use, high-level abstraction API; (2) it supports executing arbitrary OpenCL and CUDA programs; (3) it allows conveniently targeting the devices of different nodes by automatically managing node-to-node communications; (4) it simplifies implementing data transfer optimizations by providing different, specially allocated memory regions, e.g., pinned main memory for overlapping data transfers with computations; (5) it optimizes memory management by automatically avoiding unnecessary data transfers; (6) it enables interoperability between OpenCL and CUDA host code for systems with devices from different vendors. Our experiments show that dOCAL significantly simplifies the development of host code for heterogeneous and distributed systems, with a low runtime overhead.

     

Simultaneous monitoring of the transport of anions and cations across polypyrrole based composite membranes

A mechanism for the macroscopic charge balance during the transport of anions and cations across polypyrrole based composite membranes is proposed. For the mechanism to be studied, anions and cations were monitored simultaneously across PPy based composite membranes, which are known to have cation exchange (PPy(PSS)), anion exchange (PPy(ClO₄)) and mixed ion exchange properties (PPy(pTS)). Even though none of the membranes were found to be completely permselective, the flux of cations was higher than that of anions across the PPy(PSS) composite membrane, while the flux of anions was higher than that of cations across the PPy(ClO₄) composite membrane. Distinct changes in pH of the receiving solution were also observed. These were a decrease in pH when a predominantly anion exchanging polypyrrole composite membrane was used, and an increase in pH when a membrane that maintains charge balance principally by cation exchange was used. When membranes which display approximately equal permeability towards anions and cations were used the pH of the receiving solution was ca. 6–8. There was only a negligible flux of Ca²⁺ across the PPy(PSS) membrane in the transport experiments carried out with the source solution consisting of either Ca(NO₃)₂ or an equimolar mixture of KNO₃ and Ca(NO₃)₂. The PPy(PSS) composite membrane was impermeable towards NO₃⁻ ions when the source solution was Ca(NO₃)₂ but permeability towards NO₃⁻ was observed when the source solution was either KNO₃ or an equimolar mixture of KNO₃ and Ca(NO₃)₂.     

Oxotungsten(VI) complexes with amino(phenolate)alcoholate ligand

The reaction between tungsten(VI) complex [W(eg)₃] (eg = 1,2-ethanediolato dianion) and a phenolic ligand precursor 2,4-di-tert-butyl-6-(((2-hydroxyethyl)(methyl)amino)methyl)phenol (H₂L) affords a monomeric oxotungsten complex [WO(eg)(L)]. This complex reacts further with Me₃SiCl, which leads to the displacement of ethanediolato ligand from the complex unit and formation of cis- and trans-isomers of corresponding dichloro complex [WOCl₂(L)]. Identical dichloro complexes were also prepared by the reaction between H₂L and WOCl₄. Molecular structure of [WO(eg)(L)] was verified by X-ray crystallography.     

Tissue-factor antigen and activity in human coronary atherosclerotic plaques

BACKGROUND: Coronary atherosclerotic-plaque thrombosis is a key event in the pathogenesis of unstable angina and myocardial infarction. Although plaque rupture or fissuring frequently occurs in atherosclerosis, only a small proportion of ruptured plaques develop thromboses. METHODS: Tissue-factor antigen and activity were measured in atherectomy samples from 50 consecutive patients with coronary artery disease (stable angina n = 19, unstable angina n = 24, and myocardial infarction n = 7). FINDINGS: Median tissue-factor antigen and activity concentrations were significantly higher in plaques from patients with unstable angina and myocardial infarction than in those from patients with stable angina (antigen: 66.1 pg/mg [interquartile range 43.8-82.5] vs 32.4 pg/mg [9.8-43.4], p = 0.0001; activity: 0.22 mU/mg [0.17-0.41] vs 0.13 mU/mg [0.05-0.16], p = 0.0004). INTERPRETATION: Tissue-factor, an initiator of the coagulation cascade, may account for the different thrombotic responses to the rupture of human coronary atherosclerotic plaques.