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This paper proposes thermometer‐code latches having five and six transistors for unidirectional and bidirectional thermometer‐code shift‐registers, respectively. The proposed latches omit the set and reset transistors by changing from two supply voltage nodes to the set and reset signals in the cross‐coupled inverter. They set or reset the data by changing the supply voltage to ground in either of two inverters. They reduce the number of transistors to five and six compared with the conventional thermometer‐code latches having six and eight transistors, respectively. The proposed thermometer‐code latches were simulated using a 65 nm complementary metal‐oxide‐semiconductor (CMOS) process. For comparison, the proposed and conventional latches are adapted to the 64 bit thermometer‐code shift‐registers. The proposed unidirectional and bidirectional shift‐registers occupy 140 μm2 and 197 μm2, respectively. Their consumption powers are 4.6 μW and 5.3 μW at a 100 MHz clock frequency with the supply voltage of 1.2 V. They decrease the areas by 16% and 13% compared with the conventional thermometer‐code shift‐register. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this brief, a low quiescent output-capacitor-less NMOS low-dropout regulator using a coarse-fine charge-pump circuit is proposed. The proposed charge-pump low-dropout regulator (CP-LDO) achieves the output-capacitor-less LDO using a NMOS power transistor, a comparator, and a coarse-fine charge-pump circuit. It reduces both the quiescent current and the capacitor size of the charge-pump by directly adjusting the gate voltage of the NMOS power transistor. It improves both the transient response and the quiescent power efficiency by coarsely and finely adjusting the gate voltage, respectively. This also can remove the output glitch voltage. The proposed CP-LDO was fabricated using a 65nm CMOS process. Its area is 0.01 mm2. The maximum undershoot voltage is 108 mV when the load current changes from 0.5 mA to 10.5mA within the edge time of 1ns. The total capacitor of the CP-LDO is 7.6 pF. The quiescent current is 162 nA at VIN = 0.5 V and ${f} _{\mathrm{ CLK}}=1$ MHz. The figure of merit is 0.0013 ps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This brief proposes unidirectional and bidirectional latch-based thermometer-code shift-registers. They reduce both the area and the power consumption by replacing the D flip-flops with the proposed unidirectional and bidirectional thermometer-code latches. The proposed unidirectional and bidirectional 64-bit thermometer-code shift-registers were simulated using a 65nm CMOS process. They occupy 167 μm2 and 226 μm2. They consume 5.4μW and 6.5 μW at a 100MHz clock frequency with VDD = 1.2 V. They reduce the areas by 71% and 76% and the power consumptions by 83% and 85% compared to the conventional unidirectional and bidirectional 64-bit shift-registers, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a low‐ripple coarse‐fine digital low‐dropout regulator (D‐LDO) without ringing in the transient state is proposed. Conventional D‐LDO suffers from a ringing problem when settling the output voltage at a large load transition, which increases the settling time. The proposed D‐LDO removes the ringing and reduces the settling time using an auxiliary power stage which adjusts its output current to a load current in the transient state. It also achieves a low output ripple voltage using a comparator with a complete comparison signal. The proposed D‐LDO was fabricated using a 65‐nm CMOS process with an area of 0.0056 μm2. The undershoot and overshoot were 47 mV and 23 mV, respectively, when the load current was changed from 10 mA to 100 mA within an edge time of 20 ns. The settling time decreased from 2.1 μs to 130 ns and the ripple voltage was 3 mV with a quiescent current of 75 μA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This brief proposes a 0.25V rail-to-rail three stage OTA. The proposed OTA improves a DC gain by inserting an NMOS gate-driven amplifier into the conventional bulk-driven OTA. In addition, it uses an asymmetric self-cascode transistor and an indirect feedback compensation to enhance a DC gain and an unit-gain frequency. At the first stage, the bulk-driven amplifier has a rail-to-rail input, but it has a low DC gain due to a small transconductance. At the second stage, the NMOS gate-driven amplifier enhances the DC gain. At the last stage, the common-source amplifier drives an output load capacitor. The proposed OTA was fabricated using a 65nm CMOS process. Its area is 0.002mm2. It consumes $0.026~\mu \text{W}$ at the supply-voltage of 0.25V. The DC gain and unit-gain frequency are 70dB and 9.5kHz, respectively, with the phase margin of 88° at the load capacitance of 15pF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This brief proposes a 0.3-V resistance and capacitance-to-digital converter (RCDC) using a negative charge-pump switch. The proposed RCDC operates at a subthreshold supply voltage by using the negative charge-pump switch, which turns on a precharge pMOS switch with a negative supply voltage. It converts resistance or capacitance to digital signals. The proposed RCDC was fabricated using a 65-nm CMOS process. It achieves ENOBs of 10.6 bits for the resistance of 1–100k $\Omega $ and the capacitance of 10 pF–10 nF, which correspond to figure-of-merits (FoMs) of 3.03 pJ/step and 2.54 pJ/step, respectively, at the supply voltage of 0.3 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This brief proposes a dc–dc buck converter using an analog coarse-fine self-tracking zero-current detection (AST-ZCD) scheme. The AST-ZCD detects the zero-current by measuring the voltage level across a freewheeling transistor. It adjusts the nMOS turn-off time using an amplifier, capacitors, and current sources instead of large numbers of shift register bits and unit delay cells in the conventional digital self-tracking zero-current detection (DST-ZCD). It also reduces the zero-current self-tracking time by using coarse-fine current-sources when the output current transition is large. The proposed dc–dc buck converter was fabricated with a 0.18- $\boldsymbol {\mu }\text{m}$ CMOS process. The AST-ZCD reduces the area by 94%, the power consumption by 80%, and the zero-current self-tracking time by 82% compared to the DST-ZCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This brief proposes an area-efficient bidirectional shift-register using bidirectional pulsed-latches. The proposed bidirectional shift-register reduces the area and power consumption by replacing master–slave flip-flops and 2-to-1 multiplexers with the proposed bidirectional pulsed-latches and non-overlap delayed pulsed clock signals, and by using sub shift-registers and extra temporary storage latches. A 256-bit bidirectional shift-register was fabricated using a 65 nm CMOS process. Its area was 1943 ${\boldsymbol {\mu }}\text{m}^{\boldsymbol {2}}$ and its power consumption is 200 ${\boldsymbol {\mu }}\text{W}$ at a 100 MHz clock frequency with $\text{V}_{\textbf {DD}}\boldsymbol {=}\boldsymbol {1.2}$ V. It reduces area by 39.2% and power consumption by 19.4% compared to the conventional bidirectional shift-register. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a low-area ternary content-addressable memory using a don’t care reduction (DCR) scheme. In Internet Protocol (IP) address, the prefix bits store “0” or “1,” and the remaining bits store “X” (don’t care). The conventional ternary content-addressable memory (TCAM) needs a 2N-bit memory for an N-bit IP address, because its TCAM cell uses 2-bit memory to store a data bit (“0” or “1”) and a don’t care (“X”) bit. However, the proposed DCR TCAM (DCR-TCAM) needs a ( $N + \log _{2}N$ )-bit memory for an N-bit IP address. It also stores N-bit data, but it encodes N-bit “X”s into a $\log_{2}N$ -bit code, storing the first “X” position. The proposed DCR-TCAM performs the function of “X” in the TCAM from the $\log_{2}N$ -bit code by using additional decoders and bypass transistors. A $256 \times 128$ -bit DCR-TCAM chip was fabricated using a 1.2-V, 65-nm CMOS process. Its area is 0.22 mm2, which is only 72% of the conventional TCAM. It expands an effective memory size by applying the data-relocation TCAM scheme. Its energy/bit/search is 0.41 fJ at a clock frequency of 330 MHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until recently, fermentation was the only processing used to improve the functionality of wheat germ. The release of 2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone (DMBQ) from hydroquinone glycosides during the fermentation process is considered a marker of quality control. Here, we treated wheat germ extract with citric acid (CWG) to release DMBQ and examined the anti-inflammatory activity of this extract using a lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophage model. Treatment of wheat germ with citric acid resulted in detectable release of DMBQ but reduced total phenolic and total flavonoid contents compared with untreated wheat germ extract (UWG). CWG inhibited secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-12 and the synthesis of cyclooxygenase-2, while UWG only decreased IL-12 production. CWG and UWG induced high levels of anti-inflammatory IL-10 and heme oxygenase-1. CWG specifically inhibited phosphorylation of NF-γB p65 and p38 kinase at 15 min after LPS stimulation. Our study showed that citric acid treatment enhanced the anti-inflammatory activity of wheat germ extract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In general, production quantities and goods delivered are changed randomly, and then the total stock is also changed randomly. This article deals with the production and inventory control of an automobile production parts line using a dynamic Bayesian network. A Bayesian network indicates the quantitative relations between individual variables by conditional probability. The probabilistic distribution of the total stock is calculated through the propagation of the probability on the network. Moreover, an adjusting rule for the production quantities to maintain the probability of the lower and upper bound values of the total stock at certain values is shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current era of transplantation and therapeutic endoscopy, the role of the distal splenorenal shunt (DSRS) for portal hypertension (PH) has diminished. We reviewed the outcome of the use of DSRS in children to determine the usefulness of this operation. In the follow-up course for PH from 1987 to 2006, 15 patients who developed severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 50 × 103/mm3) and/or leukopenia (WBC count < 3000/mm3) with normal liver function were referred for DSRS. Primary diagnosis was portal vein thrombosis ( N = 10) and congenital hepatic fibrosis ( N = 5). Platelet, WBC count, liver function test, and spleen size were checked before and after DSRS. Shunt patency was accessed postoperatively. Operative morbidity, mortality, and long-term outcomes were measured. Platelet count and WBC count increased in individual patients. Mean value of each count increased significantly after DSRS ( p = 0.002, .004, respectively). Spleen size decreased significantly ( N = 7, p = 0.018). Shunt patency rate was 100%. There was one postoperative complication and no postoperative mortality. Two patients developed portopulmonary hypertension. No patients underwent subsequent transplantation or endoscopic treatment for gastroesophageal varices after DSRS. DSRS is an effective and reliable procedure for children with PH and is still useful for selected pediatric patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a rare pediatric malignancy that is usually advanced at diagnosis, with a relatively poor prognosis. Extensive treatment, including complete tumor resection, is believed to be necessary for cure. This study was performed to analyze treatment results and to search for prognostic factors of pediatric HCC. Methods: Between March 1982 and February 2004 a total of 16 children had been diagnosed as having HCC in our institution, and a retrospective analysis was performed. Results: The median age at diagnosis was 10.5 years, and the male/female ratio was 11:5. As a predisposing condition, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections were present in 11 (68.8%) and liver cirrhosis in 8 (50.0%). Including 1 patient with a liver transplant, 4 patients (25.0%) underwent a primary operation with complete tumor resection, and 11 (68.8%) received neoadjuvant chemotherapy because of their inoperable state at diagnosis. After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, complete tumor resection was performed in four (36.4%). Thus complete resection was undertaken in a total of eight patients (50.0%). The estimated 5-year survival rate of all patients was 27.3%. The 5-year survival rate for patients who underwent complete tumor resection was 62.5%, and for those who underwent palliative resection or no operation it was 0%. The statistically significant prognostic factors were tumor stage, presence of metastasis, and complete tumor resection. Conclusions: This study confirmed that complete tumor resection is essential for cure in pediatric patients with HCC, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy improves the tumors' resectability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatoblastoma is a rare pediatric malignancy that frequently appears in an advanced unresectable stage. Improved resectability and survival rate have been reported with the help of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Between January 1987 and June 1995 a series of 20 patients were managed with a diagnosis of hepatoblastoma. The median age at diagnosis was 13 months (2 months to 7 years 10 months) with a male/female ratio of 13:7. Chemotherapy effectively reduced the tumor volume (with statistical significance: p= 0.008) and was able to convert seven of nine initially unresectable tumors (78%) to resectable ones. Altogether, 14 operations were done, 12 radical and 2 palliative, with or without adjuvant chemotherapy. The whole population was followed for a median duration of 33 months; and the median survival for the whole group was 26 months. The curative resection group displayed a 5-year survival rate of 61.1%, but none in the noncurative group survived more than 13 months ( p= 0.0001). In the univariate analysis for prognostic factors, large tumor size at diagnosis and the absence of thrombocytopenia were associated with poor survival, but these differences were not statistically significant. Pure fetal histology was not associated with better prognosis. In this new era of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the optimal management strategy for hepatoblastoma is still debated, with radical surgical resection at the earliest possible time being the final goal. For now an individualized approach appears to be the protocol of choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoisomerization in monolayers of a azobenzene dendrimer, was investigated for the first time by means of the absorption spectrum and Maxwell displacement current (MDC) technique. Dendrimers are well-defined macromolecules exhibiting a tree-like structure, first derived by the cascade molecule approach. According to the absorption spectrum, trans-to-cis conversion ratio was estimated to the generation of azobenzene dendrimer. Charge with trans-cis isomerization was also measured by means of MDC technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]