Graphene-Based ESD Protection for Future ICs.

On-chip electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection is required for all integrated circuits (ICs). Conventional on-chip ESD protection relies on in-Si PN junction-based device structures for ESD. However, such in-Si PN-based ESD protection solutions pose significant challenges related to ESD protection design overhead, including parasitic capacitance, leakage current, and noises, as well as large chip area consumption and difficulty in IC layout floor planning. The design overhead effects of ESD protection devices are becoming unacceptable to modern ICs as IC technologies continuously advance, which is an emerging design-for-reliability challenge for advanced ICs. In this paper, we review the concept development of disruptive graphene-based on-chip ESD protection comprising a novel graphene nanoelectromechanical system (gNEMS) ESD switch and graphene ESD interconnects. This review discusses the simulation, design, and measurements of the gNEMS ESD protection structures and graphene ESD protection interconnects. The review aims to inspire non-traditional thinking for future on-chip ESD protection.

Centromere-Specific Single-Copy Sequences of Secale Species.

Single-copy FISH analysis is a useful tool to physically locate a given sequence on chromosome. Centromeric single-copy sequences can be used to locate the position of centromere and disclose the subtle differences among different centromeres. Nine centromeric single-copy sequences 1R1, 3R1, 4R1, 4R2, 5R1, 5R2, 6R2, 6R3, and 7R1 were cloned from Kustro (Secale cereale L.). FISH analysis using these sequences as probes indicated that the signals of 1R1, 3R1, 4R1, 4R2, 5R1, 5R2, 6R1, 6R2, and 7R1 were located in the centromeric regions of rye 1R, 3R, 4R, 4R, 5R, 5R, 6R, 6R, and 7R chromosomes, respectively. In addition, for each of the centromeric single-copy sequences, high sequence similarity was observed among different Secale species. Combined with rye genomic sequence, single-copy FISH analysis indicated that the 1BL.1RS translocations in wheat cultivar CN17 and wheat line 20T363-4 contained the centromeric segment of 1R chromosome from 349,498,361 to 349,501,266 bp, and the 1BL.1RS translocations in the other two wheat cultivars did not contain this segment. The nine sequences are useful in determining the centromere location on rye chromosomes, and they have the potential to disclose the accurate structural differences of centromeres among the wheat-rye centric fusion translocation chromosomes; therefore, more centromeric single-copy sequences are needed.

Selective Overview of 3D Heterogeneity in CMOS.

As the demands for improved performance of integrated circuit (IC) chips continue to increase, while technology scaling driven by Moore's law is becoming extremely challenging, if not impractical or impossible, heterogeneous integration (HI) emerges as an attractive pathway to further enhance performance of Si-based complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) chips. The underlying basis for using HI technologies and structures is that IC performance goes well beyond classic logic functions; rather, functionalities and complexity of smart chips span across the full information chain, including signal sensing, conditioning, processing, storage, computing, communication, control, and actuation, which are required to facilitate comprehensive human-world interactions. Therefore, HI technologies can bring in more function diversifications to make system chips smarter within acceptable design constraints, including costs. Over the past two decades or so, a large number of HI technologies have been explored to increase heterogeneities in materials, technologies, devices, circuits, and system architectures, making it practically impossible to provide one single comprehensive review of everything in the field in one paper. This article chooses to offer a topical overview of selected HI structures that have been validated in CMOS platforms, including a stacked-via vertical magnetic-cored inductor structure in CMOSs, a metal wall structure in the back end of line (BEOL) of CMOSs to suppress global flying noises, an above-IC graphene nano-electromechanical system (NEMS) switch and nano-crossbar array electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection structure, and graphene ESD interconnects.

The characterization and candidate gene isolation for a novel male-sterile mutant ms40 in maize.

KEY MESSAGE: A novel genic male-sterile mutant ms40 was obtained from EMS treated RP125. The key candidate gene ZmbHLH51 located on chromosome 4 was identified by map-based cloning. This study further enriched the male sterile gene resources for both production applications and theoretical studies of abortion mechanisms. Maize male-sterile mutant 40 (ms40) was obtained from the progeny of the ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) treated inbred line RP125. Genetic analysis indicated that the sterility was controlled by a single recessive nuclear gene. Cytological observation of anthers revealed that the cuticles of ms40 anthers were abnormal, and no Ubisch bodies were observed on the inner surface of ms40 anthers through scanning electron microscopy(SEM). Moreover, its tapetum exhibited delayed degradation and then blocked the formation of normal microspores. Using map-based cloning strategy, the ms40 locus was found to locate in a 282-kb interval on chromosome 4, and five annotated genes were predicted within this region. PCR-based sequencing detected a single non-synonymous SNP (G > A) that changed glycine (G) to arginine (A) in the seventh exon of Zm00001d053895, while no sequence difference between ms40 and RP125 was found for the other four genes. Zm00001d053895 encodes the bHLH transcription factor ZmbHLH51 which is localized in the nucleus. Phylogenetic analysis showed that ZmbHLH51 had the highest homology with Sb04g001650, a tapetum degeneration retardation (TDR) bHLH transcription factor in Sorghum bicolor. Co-expression analysis revealed a total of 1192 genes co-expressed with ZmbHLH51 in maize, 647 of which were anther-specific genes. qRT-PCR results suggested the expression levels of some known genes related to anther development were affected in ms40. In summary, these findings revealed the abortion characteristics of ms40 anthers and lay a foundation for further studies on the mechanisms of male fertility.

Determinants of place of death for end-stage cancer patients: evidence from China.

OBJECTIVE: To determine factors influence place of death (POD) for end-stage cancer patients and investigate how the healthcare utilization mediates on the effect of socioeconomic status (SES) on POD. DESIGN: A population-based, retrospective study from July 2015 to June 2017. SETTING: Yichang, China. PARTICIPANTS: 894 end-stage cancer patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: POD. RESULTS: Patients of hospital death experience more inpatient hospitalization services (IHS) and emergency department visits. Patients enrolled in the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (OR = 7.60, P < 0.001) and Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance (OR = 28.0, P < 0.001) have higher rates of hospital death than those in the Urban Resident-based Basic Medical Insurance. Living with spouse (OR = 1.72, P = 0.019) and receiving higher education (OR = 1.92, P = 0.004), increase the likelihood of hospital death by 72% and 92%, respectively. The probability of hospital death will increase by 14% and decrease by 4% per IHS and outpatient services occur, respectively. Outpatient services (Z = -2.28, P < 0.001), and IHS (Z = 2.17, P < 0.001) mediate 1.81% and 1.89%, respectively, of the effect of health insurance on POD. The overall effect of the mediators is non-statistically significant (Z = 0.09, P = 0.825). CONCLUSION: POD is mainly driven by SES. The relationship between health insurance and POD is partly mediated by outpatient services and IHS, respectively. The results corroborated that hospital and home services should be coherently bridged. Furthermore, benefit packages for end-stage cancer patients could be redesigned.

Research in Integrated Health Care and Publication Trends from the Perspective of Global Informatics.

BACKGROUND: Integrated care has gained popularity in recent decades and is advocated by the World Health Organization. This study examined the global progress, current foci, and the future of integrated care. METHODS: We conducted a scientometric analysis of data exported from the Web of Science database. Publication number and citations, co-authorship between countries and institutions and cluster analysis were calculated and clustered using Histcite12.03.07 and VOS viewer1.6.4. RESULTS: We retrieved 6127 articles from 1997 to 2016. We found the following. (1) The United States, United Kingdom, and Canada had the most publications, citations, and productive institutions. (2) The top 10 cited papers and journals were crucial for knowledge distribution. (3) The 50 author keywords were clustered into 6 groups: digital medicine and e-health, community health and chronic disease management, primary health care and mental health, healthcare system for infectious diseases, healthcare reform and qualitative research, and social care and health policy services. CONCLUSIONS: This paper confirmed that integrated care is undergoing rapid development: more categories are involved and collaborative networks are being established. Various research foci have formed, such as economic incentive mechanisms for integration, e-health data mining, and quantitative studies. There is an urgent need to develop performance measurements for policies and models.

Trajectories of Hospitalization Cost Among Patients of End-Stage Lung Cancer: A Retrospective Study in China.

This study was conducted to investigate the trajectory of hospitalization costs, and to assess the determinants related to the membership of the identified trajectories, with the view of recommending future research directions. A retrospective study was performed in urban Yichang, China, where a total of 134 end-stage lung cancer patients were selected. The latent class analysis (LCA) model was used to investigate the heterogeneity in the trajectory of hospitalization cost amongst the different groups that were identified. A multi-nominal logit model was applied to explore the attributes of different classes. Three classes were defined as follows: Class 1 represented the trajectory with minimal cost, which had increased over the last two months. Classes 2 and 3 consisted of patients that incurred high costs, which had declined with the impending death of the patient. Patients in class 3 had a higher average cost than those in Class 2. The level of education, hospitalization, and place of death, were the attributes of membership to the different classes. LCA was useful in quantifying heterogeneity amongst the patients. The results showed the attributes were embedded in hospitalization cost trajectories. These findings are applicable to early identification and intervention in palliative care. Future studies should focus on the validation of the proposed model in clinical settings, as well as to identify the determinants of early discharge or aggressive care.

Challenges for the surgical capacity building of township hospitals among the Central China: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: China's rapid transition in healthcare service system has posed considerable challenges for the primary care system. Little is known regarding the capacity of township hospitals (THs) to deliver surgical care in rural China with over 600 million lives. We aimed to ascertain its current performance, barriers, and summary lessons for its re-building in central China. METHODS: This study was conducted in four counties from two provinces in central China. The New Rural Cooperative Medical System (NRCMS) claim data from two counties in Hubei province was analyzed to describe the current situation of surgical care provision. Based on previous studies, self-administered questionnaire was established to collect key indicators from 60 THs from 2011 to 2015, and social and economic statuses of the sampling townships were collected from the local statistical yearbook. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among seven key administrators in the THs that did not provide appendectomy care in 2015. Determinants of appendectomy care provision were examined using a negative binominal regression model. RESULTS: First, with the rapid increase in inpatient services provided by the THs, their proportion of surgical service provision has been nibbled by out-of-county facilities. Second, although DY achieved a stable performance, the total amount of appendectomy provided by the 60 THs decreased to 589 in 2015 from 1389 in 2011. Moreover, their proportion reduced to 26.77% in 2015 from 41.84% in 2012. Third, an increasing number of THs did not provide appendectomy in 2015, with the shortage of anesthesiologists and equipment as the most mentioned reasons (46.43%). Estimation results from the negative binomial model indicated that the annual average per capita disposable income and tightly integrated delivery networks (IDNs) negatively affected the amount of appendectomy provided by THs. By contrast, the probability of appendectomy provision by THs was increased by performance-related payment (PRP). Out-of-pocket (OOP) cost gap of appendectomy services between the two different levels of facilities, payment method, and the size of THs presented no observable improvement to the likelihood of appendectomy care in THs. CONCLUSION: The county-level health system did not effectively respond to the continuously increasing surgical care need. The surgical capacity of THs declined with the surgical patterns' simplistic and quantity reduction. Deficits and critical challenges for surgical capacity building in central China were identified, including shortage of human resources and medical equipment and increasing income. Moreover, tight IDNs do not temporarily achieve capacity building. Therefore, the reimbursement rate should be further ranged, and physicians should be incentivized appropriately. The administrators, policy makers, and medical staff of THs should be aware of these findings owing to the potential benefits for the capacity building of the rural healthcare system.