Multi-level wordline driver for robust SRAM design in nano-scale CMOS technology

In this paper, a multi-level wordline driver scheme is presented to improve 6T-SRAM read and write stability. The proposed wordline driver generates a shaped pulse during the read mode and a boosted wordline during the write mode. During read, the shaped pulse is tuned at nominal voltage for a short period of time, whereas for the remaining access time, the wordline voltage is reduced to save the power consumption of the cell. This shaped wordline pulse results in improved read noise margin without any degradation in access time for small wordline load. The improvement is explained by examining the dynamic and nonlinear behavior of the SRAM cell. Furthermore, during the hold mode, for a short time (depending on the size of boosting capacitance), wordline voltage becomes negative and charges up to zero after a specific time that results in a lower leakage current compared to conventional SRAM. The proposed technique results in at least 2× improvement in read noise margin while it improves write margin by 3× for lower supply voltages than 0.7 V. The leakage power for the proposed SRAM is reduced by 2% while the total power is improved by 3% in the worst case scenario for an SRAM array. The main advantage of the proposed wordline driver is the improvement of dynamic noise margin with less than 2.5% penalty in area. TSMC 65 nm technology models are used for simulations.     

Effect of Intramuscular Fat,Breed, and Age at Slaughter on Fatty Acid Composition in Green Hams

The evolution of fatty acid classes (ΣSFA, ΣMUFA, and ΣPUFA) in neutral lipids (NL) and phospholipids (PL) in pigs were studied. The M. biceps femoris in green hams from Norwegian breeds Landrace (LR), Duroc (DU), and Hampshire (HS) slaughtered at 6, 7.5, and 9 mo of age were examined. The parameters were analyzed for age and breed effects with and without adjustment for NL or PL content. The fatty acid class contents of NL were not significantly different between the age groups. However, when NL content was adjusted, deposition of ΣSFA and ΣMUFA in NL significantly increased and deposition of ΣPUFA in NL significantly decreased with age. Duroc had consistently higher fatty acid class contents, but after adjusting for NL content, only the deposition of ΣSFA proved to be genetically different. The nonlinear relationship between NL content and ΣMUFA and ΣPUFA, together with the genetic potential of HS to deposit less ΣSFA than LR, gave significantly different fatty acid class compositions between the breeds. The content and proportion of ΣMUFA in PL increased with age. Specific ratios were also determined. The fat firmness index, C18:0/C18:2n ? 6 in NL, increased with age and was lowest in HS due to genetics and highest in DU due to its high NL content. The sensory rancidity index C18:1n ? 9/Σn ? 6 increased in NL and decreased in PL between 7.5 and 9 mo. The C18:1n ? 9/Σn ? 6 in NL was highest in DU due to higher NL content. The Σn ? 6/Σn ? 3 in NL and PL increased between 7.5 and 9 mo.     

Fava beans can substitute soybean meal and rapeseed meal as protein source in diets for lactating dairy cows

The effect of replacing mixtures of wheat and soybean meal and wheat and rapeseed meal by toasted fava beans, and the effect of toasting fava beans on feed intake, milk yield, and composition of milk and feces were investigated using 40 Holstein cows in each of two 4 × 4 Latin square design trials conducted simultaneously. In trial 1, the 4 treatment concentrates were untreated fava beans, toasted fava beans, 42% soybean meal + 58% rolled wheat, and a 21, 29, and 50% mix of soybean meal, rolled wheat, and toasted fava beans, respectively [on dry matter (DM) basis]. In trial 2, the 4 experimental treatments were untreated fava beans, toasted fava beans, 64% rapeseed meal + 36% rolled wheat, and a 32, 18, and 50% mix of rapeseed meal, rolled wheat, and toasted fava beans, respectively (on DM basis). In each trial, 16 primiparous and 24 multiparous cows were fed the treatment concentrates as part of a partial mixed ration, of which the forage consisted of 50% corn silage and 50% grass-clover silage. Substitution of soybean meal and wheat or rapeseed meal and wheat with toasted fava beans did not affect total DM intake, and no linear effects were observed on milk yield or energy-corrected milk (ECM) yield. However, in trial 2, a quadratic effect was observed on milk yield when substituting rapeseed meal and wheat with toasted fava beans. In both trials, substitution of soybean meal and wheat or rapeseed meal and wheat with toasted fava beans increased milk lactose concentration and decreased milk protein yield and concentration of protein in milk. In both trials, fecal concentration of starch increased linearly when substituting soybean meal and wheat or rapeseed meal and wheat with toasted fava beans. In trial 2, fecal concentration of P decreased when substituting rapeseed meal and wheat with toasted fava beans. In situ investigations showed increased rumen undegradable protein concentration and thereby increased estimated metabolizable protein supply when toasting fava beans. However, in both trials, milk protein yield and concentration decreased when cows were fed toasted compared with untreated fava beans. Furthermore, when cows were fed toasted compared with untreated fava beans in trial 1, milk yield, ECM yield, and nitrogen efficiency decreased. We conclude that toasted fava beans could substitute soybean meal and wheat or rapeseed meal and wheat with regard to ECM yield. However, milk protein yield decreased when substituting soybean meal and wheat or rapeseed meal and wheat with toasted fava beans. Compared with untreated fava beans, toasting had no positive effect on milk production and nitrogen efficiency.     

Hazard ontology and 4D benchmark model for facilitation of automated construction safety requirement analysis

Over the last two decades, numerous approaches have been developed for automating construction safety assessment, that is, prevention through design and planning (PtD/P), that overcome the limitations of a purely manual safety assessment process. Despite this, such automated approaches are yet to be widely adopted in practice. Barriers include a lack of standardization of construction safety concepts within regulatory frameworks and a lack of confidence in automated approaches on the part of practitioners. This work presents a freely available 4D BIM-based benchmark model (3D Building Information Model and 68 schedules) and construction safety ontology covering the two most frequent and severe construction site accidents: falls from height and struck-by falling object hazards. The benchmark model and ontology enable the construction safety community to test and compare the performance of alternative automated approaches. Moreover, they are utilized in our PtD/P tool SafeConAI, and empirical evaluation results show how the safety situation changes among different construction schedules of the same project.