Integrated CMOS Gas Sensors

We present a low power gas sensor system on CMOS platform consisting of micromachined polysilicon microheater, temperature controller circuit, resistance readout circuit and SnO2 transducer film. The design criteria for different building blocks of the system is elaborated The microheaters are optimized for temperature uniformity as well as static and dynamic response. The electrical equivalent model for the microheater is derived by extracting thermal and mechanical poles through extensive laser doppler vibrometer measurements. The temperature controller and readout circuit are realized on 130nm CMOS technology The temperature controller re-uses the heater as a temperature sensor and controls the duty cycle of the waveform driving the gate of the power MOSFET which supplies heater current. The readout circuit, with subthreshold operation of the MOSFETs, is based oil resistance to time period conversion followed by frequency to digital converter Subthreshold operatin of MOSFETs coupled with sub-ranging technique, achieves ultra low power consumption with more than five orders of magnitude dynamic range RF sputtered SnO2 film is optimized for its microstructure to achive high sensitivity to sense LPG gas.

A kinematic theory for radially foldable planar linkages

By using the algebraic locus of the coupler curve of a PRRP planar linkage, in this paper, a kinematic theory is developed for planar, radially foldable closed-loop linkages. This theory helps derive the previously invented building blocks, which consist of only two inter-connected angulated elements, for planar foldable structures. Furthermore, a special case of a circumferentially actuatable foldable linkage (which is different from the previously known cases) is derived from the theory, A quantitative description of some known and some new properties of planar foldable linkages, including the extent of foldability, shape-preservation of the interior polygons, multi-segmented assemblies and heterogeneous circumferential arrangemants, is also presented. The design equations derived here make the conception of even complex planar radially foldable linkages systematic and straightforward. Representative examples are presented to illustrate the usage of the design equations and the construction of prototypes. The current limitations and some possible extensions of the theory are also noted. (c) 2007, Elsevier Ltd. All ri-hts reserved.

A Concise Synthesis of Substituted Thiourea Derivatives in Aqueous Medium

An efficient method for the synthesis of symmetrical and unsymmetrical substituted thiourea derivatives by means of simple condensation between available building blocks such Lis airlines and carbon disulfide in aqueous medium is presented. This protocol works smoothly with aliphatic primary amines to afford various di- and trisubstituted thiourea derivatives. The present method is also useful ill synthesizing various substituted 2-mercapto imidazole heterocycles. This method proceeds through a xanthate (amino dithiol deivative) intermediate, unlike isothiocyanate as in all earlier known method.

Asymmetric cross-coupled differential pair configuration to realize neuron activation function and its derivative

In this brief, we present a new circuit technique to generate the sigmoid neuron activation function (NAF) and its derivative (DNAF). The circuit makes use of transistor asymmetry in cross-coupled differential pair to obtain the derivative. The asymmetry is introduced through external control signal, as and when required. This results in the efficient utilization of the hard-ware by realizing NAF and DNAF using the same building blocks. The operation of the circuit is presented in the subthreshold region for ultra low-power applications. The proposed circuit has been experimentally prototyped and characterized as a proof of concept on the 1.5-mum AMI technology.

Total syntheses of the fungal metabolites (+/-)-acremines A, B and I

A concise and diversity-oriented approach, incorporating elements of regio- and stereocontrol, to the recently isolated bioactive polyoxygenated cyclohexanoid natural products acremines A. B and I. from commercially accessible building blocks, is outlined. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Total synthesis of the fungal metabolite (+/-)-acremine G: acceleration of a biomimetic Diels-Alder reaction on silica gel

A total synthesis of the bioactive tetracyclic natural product acremine G has been achieved in which a regio- and stereoselective biomimetic Diels-Alder reaction between two readily assembled building blocks, accelerated on a solid support (silica gel), forms the key step. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Constructions of 2D-Metallamacrocycles Using Half-Sandwich Ru-2(II) Precursors: Synthesis, Molecular Structures, and Self-Selection for a Single Linkage Isomer

Coordination-driven self-assembly of oxalato-bridged half-sandwich p-cymene ruthenium complex Ru-2(mu-eta(4)-C2O4)(MeOH)(2)(eta(6)-p-cymene)(2)] (O3SCF3)(2) (1a) with several ditopic donors (L-a-L-d) in methanol affords a series of bi- and tetranuclear metallamacrocycles (2a and 3-5). Similarly, the combination of 2,5-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoquinonato (dhbq)-bridged binuclear complex Ru-2(mu-eta(4)-C6H2O4)(MeOH)(2)(eta(6)-p-cymene)(2)](O3SCF3)(2) (1b) with a flexible bidentate amide linker (L-a) in 1:1 molar ratio gave the corresponding tetranuclear complex 2b. All the macrocycles were isolated as their triflate salts in high yields and were fully characterized by various spectroscopic techniques. Finally, the molecular structures of all the assemblies were determined unambiguously by single-crystal X-diffraction analysis. Interestingly, the combination of acceptor 1a or 1b with an unsymmetrical linear ditopic donor L-a results in a self-sorted linkage isomeric (head-to-tail) macrocycle (2a or 2b) despite the possibility of formation of two different isomeric macrocycles (head-to-head or head-to-tail) due to different connectivity of the donor. Molecular structures of the complexes 2a and 2b showed tetranuclear rectangular geometry with dimensions of 5.51 angstrom x 13.29 angstrom for 2a and 7.91 angstrom x 13.46 angstrom for 2b. In both cases, two binuclear Ru-2(II) building blocks are connected by a mu-N-(4-pyridyl)isonicotinamide donor in a head-to-tail fashion. Surprisingly, the macrocycle 2a loses one counteranion and cocrystallizes with monodeprotonated 1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene via strong intermolecular pi-pi stacking and hydrogen bonding. The tweezer complex 3 showed strong fluorescence in solution, and it showed fluorescence sensing toward nitroaromatic compounds. A fluorescence study demonstrated a marked quenching of the initial fluorescence intensity of the macrocycle 3 upon gradual addition of trinitrotoluene and exhibits significant fluorescence quenching response only for nitroaromatic compounds compared to various other aromatic compounds tested.

Design and realization of high-performance wave-pipelined 8×8 b multiplier in CMOS technology

Wave pipelining is a design technique for increasing the throughput of a digital circuit or system without introducing pipelining registers between adjacent combinational logic blocks in the circuit/system. However, this requires balancing of the delays along all the paths from the input to the output which comes the way of its implementation. Static CMOS is inherently susceptible to delay variation with input data, and hence, receives a low priority for wave pipelined digital design. On the other hand, ECL and CML, which are amenable to wave pipelining, lack the compactness and low power attributes of CMOS. In this paper we attempt to exploit wave pipelining in CMOS technology. We use a single generic building block in Normal Process Complementary Pass Transistor Logic (NPCPL), modeled after CPL, to achieve equal delay along all the propagation paths in the logic structure. An 8×8 b multiplier is designed using this logic in a 0.8 ?m technology. The carry-save multiplier architecture is modified suitably to support wave pipelining, viz., the logic depth of all the paths are made identical. The 1 mm×0.6 mm multiplier core supports a throughput of 400 MHz and dissipates a total power of 0.6 W. We develop simple enhancements to the NPCPL building blocks that allow the multiplier to sustain throughputs in excess of 600 MHz. The methodology can be extended to introduce wave pipelining in other circuits as well

Long-Range Visible Fluorescence Tunability Using Component-Modulated Coupled Quantum Dots

A simple route for tailoring emissions in the visible wavelength region by chemically coupling quantum dots composed of ZnSe and CdS is reported. coupled quantum dots offer a novel route for tuning electronic transitions via band-offset engineering at the material interface. This novel class of asymmetric. coupled quantum structures may offer a basis for a diverse set of building blocks for optoelectronic devices, ultrahigh density memories, and quantum information processing.

Enzymatic resolution of dioxygenated dicyclopentadienes: Enantiopure hydrindanes, hydroisoquinolones, diquinanes and application to a synthesis of (+)-coronafacic acid

A 5, 10-dioxygenated-tricyclo[5.2.1.0(2,6)]decane derivative 6 has yielded to efficient enzymatic resolution to provide a range of chiral building blocks, whose absolute configuration has been determined through a total synthesis of naturally occuring (+)-coronafacic acid. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structure of 2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9-hexadecafluorodecyl 1,10-ditosylate by X-ray crystallography and F-19-NMR spectroscopy

2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9-hexadecafluorodecyl 1,10-ditosylate and its precursors were synthesized and characterized by H-1- and F-19-NMR spectroscopic methods and X-ray crystallography. These compounds are building blocks for the syntheses of the surfactants containing polyperfluoromethylene spacer. The molecule has extended all-trans conformation with molecular symmetry (1) over bar (C-i). There is a reasonably strong C-H ... O interaction in the crystal and there are two F ... F intermolecular contact distances less than the sum of van der Waals radii. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, biological studies of linear and branched arabinofuranoside-containing glycolipids and their interaction with surfactant protein A

Oligoarabinofuranoside-containing glycolipids relevant to mycobacterial cell wall components were synthesized in order to understand the functional roles of such glycolipids. A series of linear tetra-, hexa-, octa-and a branched heptasaccharide oligoarabinofuranosides, with 1 -> 2 and 1 -> 5 a-linkages between the furanoside residues, were synthesized by chemical methods from readily available monomer building blocks. Upon the synthesis of glycolipids, constituted with a double alkyl chain-substituted sn-glycerol core and oligosaccharide fragments, biological studies were performed to identify the effect of synthetic glycolipids on the biofilm formation and sliding motilities of Mycobacterium smegmatis. Synthetic glycolipids and arabinofuranosides displayed an inhibitory effect on the growth profile, but mostly on the biofilm formation and maturation. Similarly, synthetic compounds also influenced the sliding motility of the bacteria. Further, biophysical studies were undertaken, so as to identify the interactions of the glycolipids with a pulmonary surfactant protein, namely surfactant protein A (SP-A), with the aid of the surface plasmon resonance technique. Specificities of each glycolipid interacting with SP-A were thus evaluated. From this study, glycolipids were found to exhibit higher apparent association constants than the corresponding oligosaccharide portion alone, without the double alkyl group-substituted glycerol core.

Hardware implementation of 4x4 DCT/Quantization block using multiplication and error-free algorithm

The 4ÃÂ4 discrete cosine transform is one of the most important building blocks for the emerging video coding standard, viz. H.264. The conventional implementation does some approximation to the transform matrix elements to facilitate integer arithmetic, for which hardware is suitably prepared. Though the transform coding does not involve any multiplications, quantization process requires sixteen 16-bit multiplications. The algorithm used here eliminates the process of approximation in transform coding and multiplication in the quantization process, by usage of algebraic integer coding. We propose an area-efficient implementation of the transform and quantization blocks based on the algebraic integer coding. The designs were synthesized with 90 nm TSMC CMOS technology and were also implemented on a Xilinx FPGA. The gate counts and throughput achievable in this case are 7000 and 125 Msamples/sec.

A Kinematic Theory for Planar Hoberman and Other Novel Foldable Mechanisms

In this paper, we present a kinematic theory for Hoberman and other similar foldable linkages. By recognizing that the building blocks of such linkages can be modeled as planar linkages, different classes of possible solutions are systematically obtained including some novel arrangements. Criteria for foldability are arrived by analyzing the algebraic locus of the coupler curve of a PRRP linkage. They help explain generalized Hoberman and other mechanisms reported in the literature. New properties of such mechanisms including the extent of foldability, shape-preservation of the inner and outer profiles, multi-segmented assemblies and heterogeneous circumferential arrangements are derived. The design equations derived here make the conception of even complex planar radially foldable mechanisms systematic and easy. Representative examples are presented to illustrate the usage of the design equations and the kinematic theory.

Self-Assembling Peptides: From Molecules to Nanobiomaterials

Abstract | Molecular self-assembly plays a vital role in the construction of various nanostructures using the ‘bottom-up’ approach. Peptides have been considered important bio-molecular building blocks for different nanoscale structures as they are biocompatible, biodegradable, generally non-toxic and can be attuned to environmental responses like pH, temperature, salt concentration and others. Peptide based nanostructures can offer various wonderful biological applications in tissue engineering, cell culture, regenerative medicine and drug delivery. In this review, the construction of short peptide-based different nanostructures including nanotubes, nanovesicles and nanofibers, short peptide-based nanoporous materials, short peptide-based nanofibrous hydrogels and nanovesicles for various biological applications has been discussed. Moreover, morphological transformations from one nanoscopic structure to an other type of nanostructure (e.g., nanotubes to nanovesicles) are also clearly discussed in this review.