A Design of Analog Front-End with DBPSK Demodulator for Magnetic Field Wireless Network Sensors.

This paper presents an on-chip fully integrated analog front-end (AFE) with a non-coherent digital binary phase-shift keying (DBPSK) demodulator suitable for short-range magnetic field wireless communication applications. The proposed non-coherent DBPSK demodulator is designed based on using comparators to digitize the received differential analog BPSK signal. The DBPSK demodulator does not need any phase-lock loop (PLL) to detect the data and recover the clock. Moreover, the proposed demodulator provides the detected data and the recovered clock simultaneously. Even though previous studies have offered the basic structure of the AFEs, this work tries to amplify and generate the required differential BPSK signal without missing data and clock throughout the AFE, while a low voltage level signal is received at the input of the AFE. A DC-offset cancellation (DCOC), a cascaded variable gain amplifier (VGA), and a single-to-differential (STOD) converter are employed to construct the implemented AFE. The simulation results indicate that the AFE provides a dynamic range of 0 dB to 40 dB power gain with 2 dB resolution. Measurement results show the minimum detectable voltage at the input of AFE is obtained at 20 mV peak-to-peak. The AFE and the proposed DBSPK demodulator are analyzed and fabricated in a 130 nm Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS (BCD) technology to recover the maximum data rate of 32 kbps where the carrier frequency is 128 kHz. The implemented DCOC, cascaded VGA, STOD, and the demodulator occupy 0.15 mm2, 0.063 mm2, 0.045 mm2, and 0.03 mm2 of area, respectively. The AFE and the demodulator consume 2.9 mA and 0.15 mA of current from an external 5 V power supply, respectively.

A 1.8-2.7 GHz Triple-Band Low Noise Amplifier with 31.5 dB Dynamic Range of Power Gain and Adaptive Power Consumption for LTE Application.

This paper presents a multi-gain radio frequency (RF) front-end low noise amplifier (LNA) utilizing a multi-core based on the source degeneration topology. The LNA can cover a wide range of input and output frequency matching by using a receiver (RX) switch at the input and a capacitor bank at the output of the LNA. In the proposed architecture here, to avoid the saturation of RX chain, 12 gain steps including positive, 0 dB, and negative power gains are controlled by a mobile industry processor interface (MIPI). The multi-core architecture offers the ability to control the power consumption over different gain steps. In order to avoid the phase discontinuity, the negative gain steps are provided using an active amplification and T-type attenuation path that keeps the phase discontinuity below ±5 degrees between two adjacent power gain steps. Using the multi-core structure, the power consumption is optimized in different power gains. The structure is enhanced with the adaptive variable cores and reactance parameters to maintain different power consumption for different gain steps and remain the output matching in an acceptable operating range. Furthermore, auxiliary linearization circuitries are added to improve the input third intercept point (IIP3) performance of the LNA. The chip is fabricated in 65 nm complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) silicon on insulator (SOI) process and the die area is 0.308 mm2. The proposed architecture achieves the IIP3 performance of -10.2 dBm and 8.6 dBm in the highest and lowest power gains, which are 20.5 dB and -11 dB, respectively. It offers the noise figure (NF) performance of 1.15 dB in the highest power gain while it reaches 14 dB when the power gain is -11 dB. The LNA consumes 16.8 mA and 1.33 mA current from a 1 V power supply that is provided by an on-chip low-dropout (LDO) when it operates at the highest and lowest gains, respectively.

T/R RF Switch with 150 ns Switching Time and over 100 dBc IMD for Wideband Mobile Applications in Thick Oxide SOI Process.

This paper presents a fast-switching Transmit/Receive (T/R) Single-Pole-Double-Throw (SPDT) Radio Frequency (RF) switch. Thorough analyses have been conducted to choose the optimum number of stacks, transistor sizes, gate and body voltages, to satisfy the required specifications. This switch applies six stacks of series and shunt transistors as big as 3.9 mm/160 nm and 0.75 mm/160 nm, respectively. A negative charge pump and a voltage booster generate the negative and boosted control voltages to improve the harmonics and to keep Inter-Modulation Distortion (IMD) performance of the switch over 100 dBc. A Low Drop-Out (LDO) regulator limits the boosted voltage in Absolute Maximum Rating (AMR) conditions and improves the switch performance for Process, Voltage and Temperature (PVT) variations. To reduce the size, a dense custom-made capacitor consisting of different types of capacitors has been presented where they have been placed over each other in layout considering the Design Rule Checks (DRC) and applied in negative charge pump, voltage booster and LDO. This switch has been fabricated and tested in a 90 nm Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) process. The second and third IMD for all specified blockers remain over 100 dBc and the switching time as fast as 150 ns has been achieved. The Insertion Loss (IL) and isolation at 2.7 GHz are -0.17 dB and -33 dB, respectively. This design consumes 145 uA from supply voltage range of 1.65 V to 1.95 V and occupies 440 × 472 µm2 of die area.

A Low-Band Multi-Gain LNA Design for Diversity Receive Module with 1.2 dB NF.

This paper presents and discusses a Low-Band (LB) Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) design for a diversity receive module where the application is for multi-mode cellular handsets. The LB LNA covers the frequency range between 617 MHz to 960 MHz in 5 different frequency bands and a 5 Pole Single Throw (5PST) switch selects the different frequency bands where two of them are for the main and three for the auxiliary bands. The presented structure covers the gain modes from -12 to 18 dB with 6 dB gain steps where each gain mode has a different current consumption. In order to achieve the Noise Figure (NF) specifications in high gain modes, we have adopted a cascode Common-Source (CS) with inductive source degeneration structure for this design. To achieve the S11 parameters and current consumption specifications, the core and cascode transistors for high gain modes (18 dB, 12 dB, and 6 dB) and low gain modes (0 dB, -6 dB, and -12 dB) have been separated. Nevertheless, to keep the area low and keep the phase discontinuity within ±10∘, we have shared the degeneration and load inductors between two cores. To compensate the performance for Process, Voltage, and Temperature (PVT) variations, the structure applies a Low Drop-Out (LDO) regulator and a corner case voltage compensator. The design has been proceeded in a 65-nm RSB process design kit and the supply voltage is 1 V. For 18 dB and -12 dB gain modes as two examples, the NF, current consumption, and Input Third Order Intercept Point (IIP3) values are 1.2 dB and 16 dB, 10.8 mA and 1.2 mA, and -6 dBm and 8 dBm, respectively.

A 77-dB Dynamic-Range Analog Front-End for Fine-Dust Detection Systems with Dual-Mode Ultra-Low Noise TIA.

This paper presents an analog front-end for fine-dust detection systems with a 77-dB-wide dynamic range and a dual-mode ultra-low noise TIA with 142-dBΩ towards the maximum gain. The required high sensitivity of the analog signal conditioning path dictates having a high sensitivity at the front-end while the Input-Referred Noise (IRN) is kept low. Therefore, a TIA with a high sensitivity to detected current bio-signals is provided by a photodiode module. The analog front end is formed by the TIA, a DC-Offset Cancellation (DCOC) circuit, a Single-to-Differential Amplifier (SDA), and two Programmable Gain Amplifiers (PGAs). Gain adjustment is implemented by a coarse-gain-step using selective loads with four different gain values and fine-gain steps by 42 dB dynamic range during 16 fine steps. The settling time of the TIA is compensated using a capacitive compensation which is applied for the last stage. An off-state circuitry is proposed to avoid any off-current leakage. This TIA is designed in a 0.18 µm standard CMOS technology. Post-layout simulations show a high gain operation with a 67 dB dynamic range, input-referred noise, less than 600 fA/√Hz in low frequencies, and less than 27 fA/√Hz at 20 kHz, a minimum detectable current signal of 4 pA, and a 2.71 mW power consumption. After measuring the full path of the analog signal conditioning path, the experimental results of the fabricated chip show a maximum gain of 142 dB for the TIA. The Single-to-Differential Amplifier delivers a differential waveform with a unity gain. The PGA1 and PGA2 show a maximum gain of 6.7 dB and 6.3 dB, respectively. The full-path analog front-end shows a wide dynamic range of up to 77 dB in the measurement results.

A microfluidic device for self-synchronised production of droplets.

The primary requirement for a mixing operation in droplet-based microfluidic devices is an accurate pairing of droplets of reaction fluids over an extended period of time. In this paper, a novel device for self-synchronous production of droplets has been demonstrated. The device uses a change in impedance across a pair of electrodes introduced due to the passage of a pre-formed droplet to generate a second droplet at a second pair of electrodes. The device was characterised using image analysis. Droplets with a volume of ~23.5 ± 3.1 nl (i.e.~93% of the volume of pre-formed droplets) were produced on applying a voltage of 500 V. The synchronisation efficiency of the device was 83%. As the device enables self-synchronised production of droplets, it has a potential to increase the reliability and robustness of mixing operations in droplet-based microfluidic devices.

Etanercept as prophylactic psoriatic therapy before interferon-alpha and ribavirin treatment for active hepatitis C infection.

Patients with psoriasis and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are a therapeutic challenge. Systemic psoriasis treatment with methotrexate and acitretin can be hepatotoxic, and interferon (IFN)-alpha for treatment of HCV can worsen psoriasis. Etanercept can be successfully used in patients with psoriasis and HCV. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of etanercept used prophylactically to prevent a psoriatic flare in a patient with HCV treated with IFN-alpha and ribavirin.

Extraction and physicochemical characterization of greater Lizardfish (Saurida tumbil) skin and bone gelatin.

Type A gelatins were extracted from skins and bones of lizardfish and analyzed to determine their functional and chemical properties. Lizardfish skin gelatin had ash content of 2.2 +/- 0.3% while bone gelatin had ash content of 12.2 +/- 0.2%. Gel strength was 159.1 +/- 14 and 135 +/- 7.9 g, respectively, for skin and bone gelatins compared to 224.3 +/- 7.7 g for porcine gelatin. Gelatin from skin exhibited higher viscosity and lower setting time than bone. Skin gelatin had higher imino acid content than bone gelatin. The total imino acid content was 21.71% and 19.83% for skin and bone, respectively. Both skin and bone gelatins contained more alpha chains than beta and gamma components. Both bone and skin gelatins also contained low molecular weight (< alpha) peptides. The differences in functional properties between the skin and bone gelatins appeared to be related to differences in amino acid composition and molecular weight distribution of the gelatins.

Effect of timing of application Pseudomonas fluorescens in suppression Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, the causal agent of white mold in canola.

Biological control of sclerotinia disease, as an important alternative to chemical control, has received considerable attention due to the lack of resistant varieties in most crop, and increasing concerns over fungicide resistance in population of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and fungicide residues in the environment. One biocontrol agent, Pseudomonas fluorescens PB-3, has been showed the antagonistic relationship between itself and S. sclerotiorum was investigated in this study. A petal infection technique was used to detect efficacy of timing of application strain PB-3 in the suppression of S. sclerotiorum on canola. Significant difference in disease severity (p<0.05) were found with respect to timing of ascospore applications in the control treatments (ascospores only). The superior competitive ability strain PB-3 was demonstrated by its complete suppression of disease severity when applied as a co-inoculation treatment or prior to ascospores inoculation. Analysis of effect of applying strain PB-3 after ascospores was indicated that treatment in which strain PB-3 was added to petals 48 or 24 h after ascospores, or when there were no bacteria present at all, had higher rates of disease progression. It would be appear that bacteria are able to significantly inhibit disease when applied before or even at the same time as ascospores. In a practical sense, this could mean that a field application of antagonist could be concurrent with infection by the pathogen.

Biological control of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary, the causal agent of white mold, by Pseudomonas species on canola petals.

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is an important pathogen on canola. Due to the public concern over pesticide use, alternative methods of disease control, such as biological control, should be considered. Several bacterial strains were isolated from canola and soja plants. Inhibition of S. sclerotiorum by bacterial strains in vitro was assayed on PDA medium in dual culture test. Eight Pseudomonas sp. strains (PB-3, PB-4, PB-5, PB-6, PB-7, PB-8, PB-10 and PB-11) caused inhibition zone against 5. sclerotiorum hyphal growth. The biocontrol potential of the bacteria was tested in a plant assay. Disease suppression was investigated using a petal inoculation technique. Canola petals were pretreated with bacteria, and then inoculated with 5. sclerotiorum ascospores 24 h later. Greenhouse experiment showed that application of Pseudomonas sp. strains (1 x 10(8) cfu ml(-1)) effectively suppressed S. sclerotiorum (1 x 10(5) ascospores ml(-1)) on petals and all of them achieved significant (P<0.01) disease suppression. Fourteen days after inoculation, strain PB-3 had 88/7% disease control and strain PB-4 had 69/9% disease control. Result from all studies indicates PB-3 to be effective biocontrol against S. sclerotiorum of canola. PB-3, PB-4, PB-7, PB-8, PB-10 and PB-11 were identified as Pseudomonas fluorescens biovar III. PB-5 and PB-6 was identified as Pseudomonas fluorescens biovar II. Strains PB-3, PB-4, PB-6, PB-10 and PB-11 produced protease and HCN. Strain PB-5 produce protease; no HCN.

'Keratolytic' properties of benzoyl peroxide and retinoic acid resemble salicylic acid in man.

OBJECTIVES: Retinoic acid (RA) and benzoyl peroxide (BP) were studied, comparing their keratolytic efficacy and water barrier disruption to that of salicylic acid (SA), a well-established keratolytic, under similar conditions. PATIENTS/METHODS: Six volunteers were included in this blinded study. Eleven randomized test sites were marked on the volar forearms, containing sites for untreated skin at time zero, unoccluded, occlusion, and vehicle controls for 3 and 6 h, and each of BP, RA, and SA solutions for 3 and 6 h. At each time point, occlusion at 5 of the test sites was removed, and chromameter measurements were performed over 30 min. Each site then underwent 25 stratum corneum (SC) tape strippings. At 1, 5, and 30 min after the last stripping at each site, TEWL measurements were performed. Quantitative protein analysis of the SC from the tapes was then performed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: after 3 h, bp was significantly more effective in disrupting sc cohesion than sa and ra, indicating bp is a moderate keratolytic agent in addition to its antimicrobial properties. After 6 h, all three agents were similarly effective in keratolysis. Barrier disruption, as measured by TEWL, paralleled depth of SC removal. SA tended to exhibit the greatest keratolytic efficacy superficially, hence its clinical effectiveness in superficial conditions such as comedonal acne, whereas BP was more effective at deeper levels, complimenting its antimicrobial effects and enabling it to treat deeper, more inflammatory lesions. None of the agents significantly affected skin erythema. These techniques provide a robust and rapid assay for in vivo keratolytic demonstration.

Composition and antifungal activity of essential oils of Mentha piperita and Lavendula angustifolia on post-harvest phytopathogens.

The general antifungal activity of essential oils is well documented. The advantage of essential oils is their bioactivity in the vapor phase, a characteristic that makes them attractive as possible fumigants for stored product protection. Essential oils of aerial parts of Mentha piperita and Lavendula angustifolia were obtained with hydrodistillation and oils composition identified with GC-MS. Menthanol (36.24%) and menthone (32.42%) were the major compounds of the M. piperata essential oil. The essential oil of L. angustifolia was rich in linalool (49.2%) , linalyl acetate (12.3%), Lavendul acetate (6.5%), 4-terpineol (5.9%). Fungal toxicity of the essential oils were evaluated against three pathogenic fungi (Rhizopus stolonifer, Botrytis cinerea and Aspergillus niger) in vitro. Plate assayes showed that the different concentrations of essential oils have antifungal activity against these fungi, and the essential oil of L. angustifolia showed stronger fungistatic activity. Lavendula oil exhibited complete growth inhibition of all pathogens at 1000 ppm and minimum EC50 (311.24 ppm) resulted on B. cinerea.

Evaluation of the antioxidant capacity and preventive effects of a topical emulsion and its vehicle control on the skin response to UV exposure.

Supplying topical exogenous antioxidants to the skin may prevent or minimize free radical-induced damaging. This study determines antioxidative capacity of a topical skin care emulsion (an oil-in-water vitamin E-containing formulation) versus its vehicle on human skin that was exposed to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) by utilizing a photochemiluminescence device and biophysical methods. Ten healthy Caucasians (3 male and 7 female; mean age 47 +/- 10 years) were enrolled. In a randomized and double-blind manner, a pH-balanced vitamin E emulsion or its vehicle control was applied onto predesignated forearm prior to UVR exposure. Thirty minutes after application, these test sites were exposed to a UV light to induce the minimal erythema dose. One untreated site served as a blank control. Visual scoring and instrumental measurements were recorded at baseline and at 24 h and 48 h thereafter. At day 3, after completing instrumental measurements, each test site was stripped three times in a consecutive manner with a proprietary adhesive tape disc. These tapes were quantified for antioxidant capacity using a photochemiluminescence device. Vitamin E emulsion and vehicle control significantly (p < 0.05) suppressed visual scores when compared with blank control at day 2 and day 3 after UV exposure. However, vitamin E emulsion showed significantly (p < 0.05) lower visual scores when compared with vehicle control at day 2 and day 3 after UV exposure.Also,vitamin E emulsion and its vehicle control significantly (p < 0.05) diminished skin color measurement (a*) values when compared with blank control at day 2 and day 3 after UV exposure. At day 2 after UV exposure, only vitamin E emulsion significantly (p < 0.05) reduced skin blood flow volume when compared with blank control. Vitamin E emulsion and its vehicle control showed significant (p < 0.05) reduction of blood flow volume when compared with blank control at day 3 after UV exposure. Vitamin E emulsion and its vehicle control proved effective in preventing induction of erythema and reducing inflammatory damage caused by UV exposure. The effect of vitamin E emulsion exceeded that of an 'active control'.

The often overlooked digital tuft: clues to diagnosis and pathophysiology of neuropathic disease and spondyloarthropathy.

OBJECTIVE: To assess diagnostic implications of abnormalities of the pedal digital tufts and to identify features to facilitate distinguishing of spondyloarthropathy and leprosy. BACKGROUND: Better criteria for distinguishing between these disorders are necessary if their character, natural history, and evolution are to be understood. METHODS: Pedal x rays of 91 consecutive patients with diabetes, 21 alcoholic patients, 100 with spondyloarthropathy, 8 with scleroderma, and 137 with leprosy, and 188 defleshed skeletons of individuals with alcoholism, syphilis, cerebrovascular disease, and paraplegia from the Terry and Hamman-Todd collections were examined for evidence of osseous and articular pathologies. Digital tuft abnormalities were divided into irregularity, divot, flattening, resorption, whittling, and fragmentation. RESULTS: Tuft divots were more common in alcoholics than in diabetic, and were more common in both than in the other groups studied. Tuft flattening was limited to alcoholic and neurosyphilis groups. Tuft whittling was especially prominent among individuals with spondyloarthropathy, contrasted with leprosy and diabetes. Aligned fractures were more common in diabetics than individuals with leprosy. Misaligned fractures were limited to individuals with leprosy and neurosyphilis. Leprosy and spondyloarthropathy were complicated by phalangeal and metatarsal whittling more commonly than other diseases studied. Background pedal abnormalities, derived from individuals with cardiovascular syphilis, cerebrovascular accidents, and paraplegia, was limited to abnormal divots only. CONCLUSIONS: Pedal digital tufts undergo a variety of pathological alterations useful in the recognition of disorders traditionally considered neuropathic in aetiology and in distinguishing differential considerations. Tuft flattening appears specific for alcoholism and neurosyphilis, and misaligned fractures seem specific for neurosyphilis and leprosy, providing differential assistance related to spondyloarthropathy. Conversely, periosteal reaction distinguishes spondyloarthropathy from leprosy.

Stereoelectronic, torsional, and steric effects on rates of enolization of ketones.

The stereoselectivities of base-catalyzed enolizations of ketones have been studied by quantum mechanical methods. Transition structures of exo and endo deprotonation of camphor, norcamphor, and dehydronorcamphor have been located with two model bases. Stereoelectronic, torsional, and steric effects on activation energies were assessed. These calculations demonstrate the importance of torsional strain between partial bonds and vicinal bonds on the rates of deprotonation and on related reactions involving the formation of enolates or reactions of enols and enolates.

Cross-cultural applicability of contextual family therapy: Iranian and American college students' perceptions of familial and peer relationships.

To examine the applicability of Contextual Family Therapy to non-western populations, a measure of the theory's central constructs of Trust/Justice, Loyalty, and Entitlement (the Relational Ethics Scale), was administered to a sample of 50 Iranian and 51 American college students studying in the same U.S. schools. The Iranian students reported significantly more vertical constructs (Familial) Trust/Justice and Entitlement, while the American students reported more horizontal (Closest Friend) Trust/Justice and Loyalty constructs in relationships. Finally, the women (25 of each nationality) in the sample, regardless of nationality, reported significantly greater Loyalty in their horizontal relationships than did men.

Characterization of NF(P), the nuclear factor that interacts with the regulatory P sequence (5'-CGAAAATTTCC-3') of the human interleukin-4 gene: relationship to NF-kappa B and NF-AT.

The P sequence of the human interleukin-4 (IL-4) gene, which was defined as a responsive element for phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and calcium ionophore (A23187) in Jurkat T cells, shares sequence similarity with the NF-kappa B and the NF-AT binding sites. We examined whether NF(P), a nuclear factor specific for the P sequence, is related to NF-kappa B and NF-AT. NF-kappa B (P65 or P65/P50 heterodimer) bound to the P sequence in electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) and activated transcription through the P sequence when expression plasmids were cotransfected with P sequence-driven reporter plasmids in Jurkat T cells. In EMSAs, NF(P) binding was inhibited by the unlabeled NF-AT binding site but not by the unlabeled AP1 binding site and purified NF-AT contained an activity that bound to the P sequence. Both mobility shift and sequence specificity of NF-AT were similar to those of NF(P) and only a small amount of P65 was detected in NF(P) in crude nuclear extracts. These results indicate that the component(s) of NF-AT has the potential to reconstitute NF(P) whereas NF-kappa B alone cannot account for NF(P) in crude extracts. Unlike NF-AT, NF(P) does not contain AP1 as its DNA binding component.