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BACKGROUND: Several studies have continuously investigated FFRs using binaural beat (BB) stimulations and their related effects. However, only a few studies have investigated the differences in BB stimulation effects according to basic demographic characteristics, such as gender and age. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the alpha wave activity after a 10-Hz BB stimulation and subsequently identify differences according to gender across all brain areas (frontal, central, parietal, temporal, and occipital areas). METHODS: A total of 23 healthy adults (11 male and 12 female), aged 20–29, participated in the study. For the 10-Hz BB stimulation, pure tone auditory stimuli of 250 and 260 Hz were given to the left and right ear, respectively. Through a power spectrum analysis of the phase-excluding BBs (non-BBs) and phase-including 10-Hz BBs (α-BBs), the alpha power at each brain area was estimated. These values were compared using a mixed-design ANOVA. RESULTS: With the exception of the temporal area, all other brain areas showed a significant increase in alpha power for α-BBs compared to those of non-BBs. However, the difference according to gender was not significant. CONCLUSION: The results indicated the lack of gender effects in alpha wave generation through a 10-Hz BB stimulation.

Background Binaural beats (BB) are a form of auditory beat stimulation that produces sounds and can induce a specific state of brain wave based on the difference in the frequency of auditory stimulation. This study aimed at investigating the effects of inaudible BB on visuospatial memory at 18,000 Hz reference and 10 Hz difference frequencies. Methods Eighteen adult subjects in their twenties were enrolled, including 12 males (mean age: 23.8 ± 1.2) and six females (mean age: 22.8 ± 0.8). An auditory stimulator that could provide 10 Hz BB stimulation via 18,000 Hz to the left and 18,010 Hz to the right ears was used. The experiment consisted of two 5-minute phases, the rest and task phases. The task phase involved two conditions: task performance without BB stimulation (Task-only) and with BB stimulation (Task + BB). A 3-back task was used to measure visuospatial memory. Throughout the experiment, brain waves were measured at a 500 Hz sampling rate. Cognitive ability as measured by task performance (accuracy and reaction time) with and without BB, as well as variations in alpha power across different brain domains were compared using paired t-tests. Results The results show that, compared to the Task-only condition, the Task + BB condition had significantly higher accuracy and significantly shorter reaction time. The electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis showed that a reduction level in alpha power for the task performance under the Task + BB condition was significantly lower in all brain areas except the frontal, compared to that under the Task-only condition. Conclusion The significance of this study lies in having verified the independent effects of BB stimulation without any auditory influence, based on visuospatial memory.

This study analyzes the change in working memory capacity between parous and nulliparous groups by studying the changes in event-related potential (ERP) patterns during 1- and 2-back tasks. A total of 50 women participated in the study: 27 belonging to the parous group (mean age: 33.1 ± 3.0 years) and 23 belonging to the nulliparous group (mean age: 30.8 ± 2.3 years). The parous group included women who had given birth within three years, while the nulliparous group included women who had not given birth. To compare the working memory capacity of the two groups, 1- and 2-back tasks were presented and the accuracy rate (%) and reaction times (ms) were extracted. While the subjects were performing their tasks, electroencephalograms were used to measure ERP patterns. The ERP patterns from Fz (midline frontal), Cz (midline central) and Pz (midline posterior), which are highly associated with working memory tasks, were analyzed. From the ERP patterns, N100, P300, P300 peak-to-peak (P300 p_p), P600 and P600 peak-to-peak (P600 p_p) components were extracted. The results showed no significant differences in working memory capacity (accuracy rate and reaction time) and ERP components between the two groups. These findings indicated that childbirth experience has no significant effect on working memory capacity.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the cognitive characteristics that can be induced by vibration stimuli at two intensities, three frequencies, and five presentation periods. The experiment was conducted on 20 right-handed adult males, and a subjective evaluation was performed using a questionnaire. Regression analysis was performed to observe the parameters affecting cognitive characteristics according to changes in intensity, frequency, and stimulation duration. The regression analysis results showed that the cognitive characteristics affected by changes in intensity, frequency, and stimulation duration were “heavy”, “bold”, “thick”, and “light”. The cognitive characteristics affected by two-variable combinations were “deep”, “clear”, “vibrating”, “dense”, “numb”, “blunt”, “shallow”, “fuzzy”, and “soft”. Cognitive characteristics affected by either intensity, frequency, or stimulation duration were “fast”, “pungent”, “skinny”, “thin”, “slow”, “ticklish”, “tingling”, “prickling”, “tap”, and “rugged”. By observing the cognitive characteristics that can be induced by the combination of intensity, frequency, and stimulation duration, we confirmed that in addition to intensity and frequency, the stimulation duration is an important factor that influences the induction of various cognitive characteristics. The results presented in the study can be used to enhance the utility of haptic surfaces for extended reality applications.

We describe the case of an 11-year-old female patient who was diagnosed as having rhabdomyolysis. Furthermore, rhabdomyolysis in a localized area has not yet been well studied. The diagnosis was made on the basis of the findings from several imaging studies and laboratory data. In addition, interdepartmental consultation was performed to rule out other possible diagnoses. After the diagnosis, the patient was treated with vigorous intravenous hydration and immobilization of the affected area. Regular laboratory follow-ups were performed, and the patient could be discharged with no complication. The patient remained clinically stable at the time of discharge and returned to daily life and sporting activities without any further symptoms at the 1 month after discharge.

An effective process of recycling silk selvage to fabricate fibroin-containing nanofibers was demonstrated. Sericin and fibroin were extracted from the silk waste, and fibroin was successfully separated from the mixture. Thus, the proposed process of regeneration of useful components from silk selvage waste was effective and beneficial. We further investigated the use of the regenerated fibroin to fabricate highly functional nanofibers via electrospinning. The electrospinning solvent systems and processing conditions, such as voltage, tip-to-collector distance, and flow rate, were intensively studied. The selection of proper solvent was important to control the morphology and quality of the resultant nanofibers. Fibroin nanofibers fabricated using formic acid exhibited highly controlled uniformity. Additionally, composite PVA/fibroin nanofibers were successfully fabricated from the regenerated fibroin. Our studies highlight the potential of silk selvage, which is not a waste product but a valuable material, and it can be recycled via the proposed process to yield functional nanofiber materials suitable for cutting-edge nano/biotechnological applications owing to their biocompatibility.

The purpose of this study was to observe the effects of audible and inaudible binaural beat stimuli on alpha power elicitation and compare the differences in triggering effects depending on sound perception. Experiments were conducted on healthy male and female subjects (11 males and 10 females, mean age of 24.6 ± 1.8). To induce alpha waves, audible (250 Hz) or non-audible baseline sound frequencies (18,000 Hz) were presented to the left ear, and a frequency 10 Hz higher than the baseline was presented to the right ear. There were two experimental phases: a rest phase (5 min) in which no stimulus was presented and a stimulation phase (5 min) in which the binaural beat stimulus was presented. An electroencephalogram was measured at a sampling rate of 500 Hz, and relative alpha power values were calculated for each phase in each brain area. In the central regions, both baseline frequencies (audible and inaudible) increased the relative alpha power during the stimulation phase compared with the rest phase, and there were no differences between the two baseline frequencies. In the frontal and central regions, there was a greater increase in relative alpha power in the audible case compared with the inaudible case.

To enhance the packing density of composite cathode for all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries, the effect of a bimodal sized solid electrolyte was studied. The composite cathode, which is fabricated using the powder compression method, consisted of the cathode active material, a conductive agent, and the solid electrolyte. However, the composite cathode construction had voids. The voids in the composite cathode were restricted to ionic conduction between the cathode active materials and the solid electrolytes. Suppression of the voids in the composite cathode improved the electrochemical performance of the all-solid-state battery. A composite cathode using bimodal sized electrolyte powders demonstrated better cell performance than that using only fine or coarse sized electrolyte powders. These results demonstrated that the composite cathode using the bimodal sized electrolyte enhanced the electrochemical performance of the all-solid-state battery because it improved the packing density of the cathode.

This study aimed to determine the effects of the binaural beat (BB) on brainwave induction using an inaudible baseline frequency outside the audible frequency range. Experiments were conducted on 18 subjects (11 males [mean age: 25.7 ± 1.6 years] and 7 females [mean age: 24.0 ± 0.6 years]). A BB stimulation of 10 Hz was exerted by presenting frequencies of 18,000 Hz and 18,010 Hz to the left and right ears, respectively. A power spectrum analysis was performed to estimate the mean of the absolute power of the alpha frequency range (8-13 Hz). The variation in the mean alpha power during the rest and stimulation phases in each brain area was compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Compared to the rest phase, the stimulation phase with BB showed an increasing trend in the mean alpha power across all 5 brain areas. Notably, a significant increase was found in the frontal, central, and temporal areas. This is a significant study in that it determines the effects of only BB without the influence of auditory perception, which has been overlooked in previous studies.

Background Benzodiazepine use can potentially cause confusion and delays in mental processes. These well-known side effects appear to be linked to an increased risk of being diagnosed with dementia. Objective To evaluate the possibility of an association between benzodiazepine and dementia. Setting Korean healthcare database from 2002 to 2013. Methods Sequence symmetry analysis was conducted to investigate whether benzodiazepine use increases the risk of dementia or not. We defined exposure as new benzodiazepine users and outcome as new diagnosis of dementia (ICD-10: F00-03, G30, and G318). Benzodiazepines were categorized into two groups (long-acting and short-acting) based on the duration of action. Antidepressants, opioid analgesic, and statin were used as active comparators to rule out any possible non-causal interpretations of our results. The time-trend adjusted sequence ratio (ASR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was measured to identify possible associations. Main outcome measure Adjusted sequence ratio. Results Benzodiazepine users were shown to be associated with dementia [benzodiazepine: 4212 pairs, ASR = 2.27 (95% CI 2.11-2.44)]. In addition, long-acting benzodiazepines had a higher ASR than that of short-acting benzodiazepines [long-acting: 3972 pairs, ASR = 2.22 (95% CI 2.06-2.39] and [short-acting: 5213 pairs, ASR = 1.88 (95% CI 1.77-2.00)]. However, our SSA found no duration-response relationship. Conclusion Our signal detection suggests that there is a possible association between benzodiazepines and dementia. Additionally, it proposes that persons receiving long-acting benzodiazepines are at a higher risk of developing dementia than those receiving short-acting benzodiazepines. Further studies are recommended to confirm whether this epidemiological association is a causal effect or not.

BackgroundLocking plate fixation is one of the treatment strategies for the management of proximal humeral fractures. However, stiffness after locking plate fixation is a clinical concern. The mechanical stiffness of the standard locking plate system may suppress the interfragmentary motion necessary to promote secondary bone healing by callus formation. The far cortical locking (FCL) technique was developed to address this limitation in 2005. FCL increases construct flexibility and promotes callus formation. Our study aimed to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes of the FCL technique when implemented in proximal humeral fracture management. Furthermore, we compared the surgical outcomes of FCL with those of the conventional bicortical locking (BCL) screw fixation technique.MethodsForty-five consecutive patients who had undergone locking fixation for proximal humeral fractures were included in this study. A proximal humeral locking plate (PHILOS) system with BCL screw fixation was used in the first 27 cases, and the periarticular proximal humeral locking plate with FCL screw fixation was used in the final 18 consecutive cases. Functional capacity was assessed using the constant score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, and range of motion. Radiographic outcomes were evaluated using the Paavolainen method of measuring the neck-shaft angle (NSA).ResultsNo significant differences in clinical outcomes (ASES score, constant score, and range of motion) were found between the two groups. The union rate at 12 weeks was significantly higher in the FCL group (94.4%) than in the BCL group (66.7%,p = 0.006). No significant differences in NSA were found between the two treatment strategies. The complication rate was not significantly different between the two groups.ConclusionsWhen implemented in proximal humeral fractures, the FCL technique showed satisfactory clinical and radiological outcomes as compared with the conventional BCL technique. The bone union rate at 12 weeks after surgery was significantly higher in the FCL group than in the BCL group. However, no significant difference in the final bone union rate was found between the two groups.

Background: The pathoanatomy and biomechanics of elbow instability have been previously reported; however, few researchers have dealt with the operative management and clinical consequence of recurrent elbow instability. Recent studies on arthroscopic lateral collateral ligament (LCL) complex repair have reported successful outcomes similar to those achieved by open repair. We aimed to determine the validity of arthroscopic repair of the LCL complex in elbows with unstable dislocation with or without intra-articular fracture. Methods: Eighteen consecutive patients who had undergone arthroscopic repair of the LCL complex for unstable dislocation of the elbow with or without intra-articular fracture and who were followed for at least 12 months were included in the study. Ligament injury combined with coronoid and/or radial head fractures were treated with arthroscopic technique. Pain, range of motion, clinical outcomes based on the Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS), and surgical complications were evaluated. Results: At 12 months follow-up, all 18 patients demonstrated complete settlement of the instability and mean (and standard deviation) extension of 1.7 ± 3.8°, flexion of 138.3 ± 3.8°, supination of 88.6 ± 5.3°, and pronation of 88.2 ± 5.6°. The average MEPS was 97.7 ± 3.9 points and according to this validated outcome score. However, slight widening (2 mm) of the radiocapitellar joint space was accompanied in one patient, although the varus stress test and pivot shift test were not observed. One patient showed delayed union of the anteromedial facet fracture, and two patients showed pin site irritation, which was a complication of arthroscopic coronoid fracture fixation and was fully resolved after pin removal. Conclusion: In patients with unstable elbow dislocation, with or without an intra-articular fracture, arthroscopic repair of the LCL complex is an effective and alternative treatment option that can restore elbow stability and have satisfactory clinical and radiographic results.

Background Locking plate fixation is one of the treatment strategies for the management of proximal humeral fractures. However, stiffness after locking plate fixation is a clinical concern. The mechanical stiffness of the standard locking plate system may suppress the interfragmentary motion necessary to promote secondary bone healing by callus formation. The far cortical locking (FCL) technique was developed to address this limitation in 2005. FCL allows axial motion and promotes uniform callus formation. Our study aimed to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes of the FCL technique when implemented in proximal humeral fracture management. Furthermore, we compared the surgical outcomes of FCL with those of the conventional bicortical locking (BCL) screw fixation technique. Methods Forty-five consecutive patients who had undergone locking fixation for proximal humeral fractures were included in this study. A proximal humeral locking plate (PHILOS) system with BCL screw fixation was used in the first 27 cases, and the periarticular proximal humeral locking plate with FCL screw fixation was used in the final 18 consecutive cases. Functional capacity was assessed using the constant score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, and range of motion. Radiographic outcomes were evaluated using the Paavolainen method of measuring the neck-shaft angle (NSA). Results No significant differences in clinical outcomes (ASES score, constant score, and range of motion) were found between the two groups. The union rate at 12 weeks was significantly higher in the FCL group (94.4%) than in the BCL group (66.7%, p = 0.006). No significant differences in NSA were found between the two treatment strategies. The complication rate was not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusions When implemented in proximal humeral fractures, the FCL technique showed satisfactory clinical and radiological outcomes as compared with the conventional BCL technique. The bone union rate at 12 weeks after surgery was significantly higher in the FCL group than in the BCL group. However, no significant difference in the final bone union rate was found between the two groups.

We investigated the impact of etch angles on cell characteristics of 3D NAND flash memory structures. The cell characteristics were extracted from simulations with an empirical etch profile, which was analyzed through comparisons to completely vertical conditions. Here, we observed that a narrowing of the poly-silicon channel width due to etch angles increased the channel resistance, which resulted in an on-current degradation of approximately 19% for an etch angle of 89.2°. The degradation in cell characteristics also became worse as the number of word-lines changed from low to high levels. Additionally, the difference in channel hole size between upper and lower stage aggravated the cell uniformity along the channel, hence the threshold voltage distribution was broadening in the smaller etch angle. We confirmed that critical dimensions should be well-controlled to minimize the etch angles, which provide significant on-current reduction and program characteristics distortion. These results led to an appropriated standard to implement high stack 3D NAND flash memory.

A wearable-type sign language translation system using a strain sensor was presented. The system can recognize and display the sign language representing all 26 English alphabets and is devised for interpreting hand gesture of finger positions. The desired sensor performance is achieved by using a composite material that is formed by adding carbon nanoparticles to the Dragon skin as an elastomer. The strain sensor has stable piezoresistive characteristics and possesses sufficient characteristics to distinguish the differences between hand signs for full expressions of English alphabets without degrading the stretchability of the elastomer substrate. The wearable system is demonstrated with an assembly of the strain sensors, which achieves interpretation of the letters from the hand signs in real time.

This study aims to use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess the effective connectivity between the regions of the brain activated when driving and performing a secondary task (addition task). The subjects used an MR-compatible driving simulator ㅊ to manipulate the driving wheel with both hands and control the pedals (accelerator and brake) with their right foot as if they were driving in an actual environment. Effective connectivity analysis was performed for three regions of the right and the left hemispheres with the highest z-scores, and six of the regions of the entire brain (right and left hemisphere) activated during driving by dynamic causal modeling (DCM). In the right hemisphere, a motor control pathway related to movement control for driving performance was discovered, in the left hemisphere, the pathways in the regions related to movement control for driving performance, starting with the region associated with the secondary task, were discovered. In the whole brain, connectivity was discovered in each of the right and left hemispheres. The motor network of declarative memory, which is the connectivity of the right thalamus, left lingual gyrus, and right precentral gyrus, was worth noting. These results seem meaningful, as they demonstrate the connectivity associated with the control of voluntary movement related to memory from human experience, although limited to driving tasks.

In this work, we present the results of an investigation of the impact of the stress on a poly-silicon channel induced by the neighboring layers in three-dimensional vertical NAND (3D V-NAND) flash memories. Using 3D process simulations, we confirmed the distributions of the residual stress after each process step in the cross-section of a NAND flash unit cell. To investigate the impact of the stress on the poly-silicon channel, we also studied the residual stress after changing the intrinsic stresses of the oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) layer and the tungsten layer used as a gate. We found that the amplitude of the residual stress in the applied layer became larger as the intrinsic stress increased. In addition, the intrinsic tensile/compressive stresses in the outer layers affected the residual stresses of the previously deposited layers in an opposite nature of the stresses. The cylindrical poly-silicon channel was influenced by the intrinsic stresses of the oxide layers adjacent to the nitride and the tungsten films, with the intrinsic stress of the tunnel oxide having the greater effect on the residual stress in the channel. Because such stresses affect the electrical properties of the devices, optimized deposition conditions are required to control them. Such conditions would aid in improving the performances of 3D NAND flash memories.

Herein, we fabricated bead-free isotactic poly(4-methyl-1-pentene) (PMP) nanofiber membranes and characterized their thermo-mechanical properties. PMP nanofiber membranes were electrospun and heat-treated at 180 and 220 °C, and thermally treated under load. The report investigates the effect of thermal treatments on the morphology, degree of crystallinity and mechanical properties, improving the mechanical properties of PMP nanofibers. Prepared nanofibers were investigated by SEM, DSC, XRD and mechanical properties. The mechanical properties demonstrate a tensile strength, an elongation (%) and a Young’s modulus of the nanofiber membranes. The DSC and WAXD analysis shows an increase of degree of crystallinity with thermal treatment. Thermally treated nanofibers under load demonstrate 4.1 times higher tensile strength and 14.1 times higher Young’s modulus than PMP fibrous membrane. Thermally treated nanofibers under load at 200 °C did not retain their structure and fuse with neighboring fibers, because it almost reached the melting temperature of (230 °C).

Despite the high failure rates of techniques used to maintain the reduction of single-tunnel coracoclavicular (CC) fixation, analyses of the etiology of loss of reduction related to surgical techniques are limited. Therefore, it was hypothesized that the initial coracoclavicular tunnel angle was related to loss of reduction in the single-tunnel technique for AC joint dislocation. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes of arthroscopic single-tunnel CC suture button fixation according to the initial coracoclavicular tunnel angle. Thirty-two consecutive patients who underwent arthroscopic single-tunnel CC suture button fixation for AC joint dislocation from 2014 to 2018 were enrolled. The tunneling-first technique was used in the first 11 patients, while the reduction-first technique was used in the remaining 22 consecutive patients. For clinical assessments, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score and Korean Shoulder Score (KSS) were recorded. For radiological evaluation, coracoclavicular distance ratio, coracoclavicular tunnel angle, coracoid, and clavicular tunnel widths were measured. The ASES score did not differ significantly between the two groups (n.s.). However, the KSS was significantly better in the reduction-first group (p = 0.031). No significant intergroup differences were observed in the pre- and postoperative coracoclavicular distance ratio. However, at the last follow-up, loss of coracoclavicular distance ratio was significantly smaller in the reduction-first group (p

Our study assessed the trends and patterns of tramadol prescriptions and possible correlations of a person being prescribed tramadol using the Korean National Health Insurance Service Sample Cohort from 2003 to 2013. The study population consisted of patients who were prescribed tramadol, opioids, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in an outpatient setting. From 2003 to 2013, the number of tramadol users increased from 2,476 (19.9% of the study population in 2003) to 124,592 (33.3% of the 2013 study population). The absolute change in the proportion of study patients prescribed tramadol (%) was +13.4%, a relative change (%) of +67.3%. In contrast, absolute changes in the number of opioid and NSAID users were -4.78% and -8.65%, respectively, which were relative changes of -73.5% and -11.8%, respectively. Of the studied pain types, arthritis and back pain were the most prominent diagnoses in tramadol users. Notable correlations for tramadol prescriptions, when compared with NSAIDs, were rural area (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.64; 95% CI 1.61-1.66), co-prescription of a benzodiazepine (aOR 2.01; 95% CI 1.97-2.05), and tertiary hospital (aOR: 3.08, 95% CI 3.00-3.17).

We present a flexible strain sensor based on a graphene-yarn composite obtained by spray coating of graphene nanoplates. To improve the stretchability, graphene nanoplates were spray-coated instead of dip-coated on pre-stretched yarn. The spray-coating method yielded not only 3.68 times higher conductivity but also 2.1 times higher stretchability compared to the dip-coating method. The sensor spray-coated 400 times showed a high stretchability of 310%. Here, the relative resistance change (ΔR/R0) was 2.27 when a tensile strain of 50% was applied to the strain sensor. In addition, the fabricated sensor was coated with a protective layer of Ecoflex to minimize environmental effects. The passivated graphene-yarn composite sensor had a higher resistance than the unpassivated sensor because the Ecoflex film penetrated the conductive graphene nanoplates; however, the response to strains of up to 200% did not degrade after passivation. Furthermore, we demonstrated that our sensor can be used in wearable applications for monitoring individual finger movements and the wrist pulse.

We propose a hydrophobic graphene-sponge composite produced by embedding graphene flakes within polyurethane sponge as a selective absorbent for hydrophobic liquids from a contaminated water mixture. The self-aggregation nature of graphene flakes effectively allows higher graphene content to be added inside the polyurethane sponge with repeated dip-coating. High hydrophobicity due to the intrinsic nature graphene surface allows the selective absorption of liquid contaminants from a water mixture. Given the porous structure of the composite, absorption capability of 134-233 times its own weight towards various hydrophobic liquids is possible.

A novel self-reference sense amplifier with parallel reading during writing operation is proposed. Read access time is improved compared to conventional self-reference scheme with fast operation speed by reducing operation steps to 1 for read operation cycle using parallel reading scheme, while large sense margin competitive to conventional destructive scheme is obtained by using self-reference scheme. The simulation was performed using standard 0.18 mm CMOS process. The proposed selfreference sense amplifier improved not only the operation speed of less than 20 ns which is comparable to non-destructive sense amplifier, but also sense margin over 150 mV which is larger than conventional sensing schemes. The proposed scheme is expected to be very helpful for engineers for developing MRAM technology.

We investigate the electrical characteristics according to changing temperature on trap distribution in the energy gap of grain boundary (GB) and interface trap density (D(it)) between polycrystalline-silicon (poly-Si) channel and tunnel oxide in Vertical NAND (VNAND) flash cell with poly-Si channel. We confirmed that there are two factors changing GB potential barrier height such as trap distribution in GB and D(it) using technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulation. Also, we found that the electrical characteristics according to changing temperature are significantly dependent on height and position of GB potential barrier in VNAND flash cell with poly-Si channel. We expect that it is required to develop more accurate extraction method for trap distribution in each GB and D(it) for better understanding temperature dependence of electrical characteristics in VNAND Flash cell.

The purpose of this research is to develop the micro-silk through the breeding of the transgenic silkworm. First of all, to construct transformation vector system of silkworm, we did cloning the sericin promoter in silkworm and sorting the selection marker gene (in order that sorting the transformation silkworm) and then cloning again. Second, we analyzed the fibroin gene of silkworm and IGF-1 gene of human After cloning. Then, we made and analyzed transformants of silkworm which gene expression as IGF-1 of human and the fibroin of silkworm. We inserted the protein expression vector which IGF-1 of human and the fibroin of silkworm into silkworm eggs using the microinjection. Using PCR and Southern blot methods, we analyzed expression vector in DNA level. In addition, we analyzed it using the RT-PCR methods in order to confirm gene expression in RNA level. The protein expression was analyzed in protein level through the western blot and ELISA methods. Through transformation on two separate occasions on spring and summer, we determined growth and ecology between Uzbekistan silkworm and Korean transformation silkworm. Lastly, we compared fabric of Uzbekistan silk, Chinese silk and Japanese 6A which we developed. Also we analyzed sericin content, strength and elongation and thickness of transformation silk single yarn.

The luminance mechanisms of the white organic light-emitting devices (WOLEDs) with a charge generation layer (CGL) consisting of a tungsten oxide layer and a 5,6,11,12-tetraphenyltetracene (rubrene) doped N,N',-bis-(1-naphthyl)-N,N'-diphenyl1-1'-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine (NPB) layer were investigated. Current densities and luminances of the WOLEDs increased with increasing a rubrene doping concentration because the formation of excitons in the rubrene-doped NPB layer increased due to the more exciton trapping in rubrene molecules and the delay of the electron injection due to the insertion of the litium qunolate layer. The yellow light emitted from the rubrene-doped NPB layer in the CGL combined with the blue light from the main emitting layer of the WOLEDs, resulting in the emission of the white light. The ratio between the yellow and the blue color peak intensities of the electroluminescence spectra for the WOLEDs was controlled by the rubrene doping concentration. The Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage coordinates of the fabricated WOLED were (0.31, 0.42) at 740.7 cd/m2, indicative of white emission color.

This paper presents a capacitive biosensor that measures capacitances of living cells in electrolytic solution. The capacitive sensor was designed to consist of buried electrodes and was fabricated in Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) technology. Normal breast tissue cell MCF-10A, invasive breast cancer cell MDA-MB-231, and early-stage breast cancer cell MCF-7 were prepared. The capacitances of three cells were measured by LCR meter and calculated the capacitance differences from controlled experiment. Our results show that the capacitance changes of normal and breast cancer cells are different at whole-cell level. Furthermore, the capacitive difference of the cancer cells was observed by stage of cancer. This characterization may have useful developments for applications such as cancer diagnosis and treatment.

A 30-day feeding trial was conducted to assess the effect of nutritive value for silk powder made from silk wastes to utilize a mixture of feed stuffs for laying hens. One hundred 10-week old commercial laying hens were allocated to one of the five dietary treatments. The dietary treatment consisted of the control diet, which contained maize as the usual stuffs, and four other diets each of which contained a blended amount of 5 % of silk powder for the feed input. Feed and water were provided ad libitum for a period of 30 days. The contrasted group of control diet was showed 82.33 % of egg production, while it was averaged as an increase to 85.58 % in the comparison test group of four other diets. The weight of laid egg was gained about 41.5 grams in the contrasted group, while it was increased about 3 grams to 4 grams in the comparison test group that gained the weight of 44 grams to 45 grams in the aggregate. As for the egg quality that was offered by silk powder as feed ingredient, the yolk contains 19.02 % of amino acids and the white 22.36 % respectively. The yolk was decreased, but the white increased in comparison with the contrasted group. The protein of egg was increased as 8 % to 10 % more than 7.5 % of the contrasted group, while the tryptophan and the cholesterol was decreased. The fats did not have significant difference.

The threshold voltage (V th ) fluctuation for the NOR flash memory scaling is investigated. The V th fluctuations for one memory cell in 45nm node are dramatically increased to 350% compared to 90nm generation due to the reduction of channel area and the increase of channel doping level. Here, as the cell size is scaled, the impact due to random telegraph noise (RTN), Dopant Fluctuation and etc become more critical. In 45nm technology, the RTN results in the V th fluctuations of 60% from the measurement results. Furthermore, we also propose one solution with the channel doping engineering to suppress the V th fluctuations. It is confirmed that maximum RTS amplitude at the center can be significantly decreased to below 20% in 45nm technology by the modification of channel doping profile. From this result, the V th fluctuations within one NOR flash cell are the most critical issue for the cell size scaling, and can be effectively suppressed by the optimal channel engineering.

Mature eggs dissected from ovaries of unmated females of Athalia rosae (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae), if placed on a filter-paper soaked with distilled water, are activated and develop to haploid males. Occasionally, however, diploid females develop from these artificially activated eggs. Treatment of mature unfertilized eggs dissected from diploid females with ice-cold temperatures immediately before activation and with a high temperature (36° C) upon and immediately after activation resulted in the production of diploid males, diploid females, triploid females and gynandromorphs at high frequency. The same treatment of mature unfertilized eggs dissected from triploid females resulted in the production of only triploid survivors. These results, together with the results on the segregation of a marker mutation, yellow fatbody (yfb), appear to indicate that meiotic divisions were complete in the treated eggs, and that all four nuclei became potentially capable of participating in development with or without automictic fusion.