Super fine cerium hydroxide abrasives for SiO2 film chemical mechanical planarization performing scratch free

Face-centered-cubic crystallized super-fine (~ 2 nm in size) wet-ceria-abrasives are synthesized using a novel wet precipitation process that comprises a Ce4+ precursor, C3H4N2 catalyst, and NaOH titrant for a synthesized termination process at temperature of at temperature of 25 °C. This process overcomes the limitations of chemical–mechanical-planarization (CMP)-induced scratches from conventional dry ceria abrasives with irregular surfaces or wet ceria abrasives with crystalline facets in nanoscale semiconductor devices. The chemical composition of super-fine wet ceria abrasives depends on the synthesis termination pH, that is, Ce(OH)4 abrasives at a pH of 4.0–5.0 and a mixture of CeO2 and Ce(OH)4 abrasives at a pH of 5.5–6.5. The Ce(OH)4 abrasives demonstrate better abrasive stability in the SiO2-film CMP slurry than the CeO2 abrasives and produce a minimum abrasive zeta potential (~ 12 mV) and a minimum secondary abrasive size (~ 130 nm) at the synthesis termination pH of 5.0. Additionally, the abrasive stability of the SiO2-film CMP slurry that includes super-fine wet ceria abrasives is notably sensitive to the CMP slurry pH; the best abrasive stability (i.e., a minimum secondary abrasive size of ~ 130 nm) is observed at a specific pH (6.0). As a result, a maximum SiO2-film polishing rate (~ 524 nm/min) is achieved at pH 6.0, and the surface is free of stick-and-slip type scratches.

Insulin-Like Peptide and FoxO Mediate the Trehalose Catabolism Enhancement during the Diapause Termination Period in the Chinese Oak Silkworm (Antheraea pernyi)

In insects, trehalose accumulation is associated with the insulin/insulin-like growth factor signalling (IIS) pathway. However, whether insulin-like peptide is involved in the regulation of the trehalose metabolism during diapause termination remains largely unknown. This study assessed whether insulin-like peptide (ApILP) enhances the trehalose catabolism in the pupae of Antheraea pernyi during their diapause termination process. Injection of 10 μg of bovine insulin triggered diapause termination and synchronous adult eclosion in diapausing pupae. Moreover, treatment with bovine insulin increased the expression of trehalase 1A (ApTre-1A) and trehalase 2 (ApTre-2), as well as the activity of soluble and membrane-bound trehalase, resulting in a decline in trehalose levels in the haemolymph. Silencing ApILP via RNA interference significantly suppressed the expression of ApTre-1A and ApTre-2, thus leading to an increase in the trehalose concentration during diapause termination. However, neither injection with bovine insulin nor ApILP knockdown directly affected trehalase 1B (ApTre-1B) expression. Moreover, overexpression of the transcription factor forkhead box O (ApFoxO) induced an increase in trehalose levels during diapause termination; however, depletion of ApFoxO accelerated the breakdown of trehalose in diapausing pupae by increasing the expression of ApTre-1A and ApTre-2. The results of this study help to understand the contributions of ApILP and ApFoxO to the trehalose metabolism during diapause termination.

Stopping vs Resting state during motor imagery paradigm

Current non-invasive Brain Machine interfaces commonly rely on the decoding of sustained motor imagery activity (MI). This approach enables a user to control brain-actuated devices by triggering predetermined motor actions. One major drawback of such strategy is that users are not trained to stop their actions. Indeed, the termination process involved in BMI is poorly understood with most of the studies assuming that the end of an MI action is similar to the resting state. Here we hypothesize that the process of stopping MI (MI termination) and resting state are two different processes that should be decoded independently due to the exhibition of different neural pattens. We compared the detection of both states transitions of an imagined movement, i.e. rest-to-movement (onset) and movement-to-rest (offset). Our results shows that both decoders show significant differences in term of performances and latency (N=17 Subjects) with the offset decoder able to detect faster and better MI termination. While studying this difference, we found that the offset decoder is primarily based on the use of features in Beta band which appears earlier. Based on this finding, we also proposed a Random Forrest based decoder which enable to distinguish three classes (MI, MI termination and REST).

Key Philippine-US pact should endure through 2021

Significance In February 2020, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he would terminate the pact. With the termination process having been extended twice, the VFA is now due to expire in August 2021. Impacts China will continue to assert its territorial and jurisdictional claims in the Philippines’s exclusive economic zone. Beijing’s pledges to invest in Philippine infrastructure will only be partially implemented. Philippine politics will be increasingly dominated by manoeuvring related to the May 2022 general election.

Part IV Termination and Affirmation, 9 Discharge of Primary Obligations

This chapter examines discharge of primary obligations, considering Lord Diplock's classic analysis of the termination process. The first and most important consequence of termination is that both parties are, as a general rule, discharged from their outstanding primary obligations under the contract. This applies both to the innocent party and to the party in default. Though Lord Diplock speaks in terms of the primary obligations of both parties being discharged in so far as they are not already performed at the time of termination, this is not always the case. On the contrary, such obligations can still remain binding in so far as they have already accrued. Given that most the cases on this point concern obligations to pay money, the issue here is the extent to which either party can sue for the relevant sum as a liquidated debt despite termination having taken place. The chapter then looks at the effect of termination on ‘ancillary’ terms, most notably dispute resolution clauses and clauses excluding or limiting the liability of one or other of the parties.

A Case Report of Overcoming an Obstructive, Pedunculated Cervical Fibroid at the Time of Uterine Evacuation

Background. Fibroids, which can impact pregnancies at later gestations, such as obstructing delivery, may also affect the pregnancy termination process. Case. We present the case of a 28-year-old G1 at 18 weeks who consented for a genetic pregnancy termination via dilation and evacuation. During the typical preparatory procedure with laminaria, it was noted that a 5-6cm cervical fibroid prolapsed into the vagina obstructing access to the uterine cavity. Through osmotic dilation followed by cervical Foley catheter ripening, a planned myomectomy was possible with minimal blood loss prior to uterine evacuation. Conclusion. Through appropriate counselling, planning, and effective cervical dilatation, a planned myomectomy for prolapsing fibroids at the time of termination of pregnancy is possible. This can prevent unnecessary hysterotomy and avoid need for subsequent cesarean section.

Rapid and dynamic nucleic acid hybridization enables enzymatic oligonucleotide synthesis by cyclic reversible termination

Enzymatic oligonucleotide synthesis (EOS) has been attempted in many iterations for more than forty years, but chemical synthesis remains the industry standard despite hazardous waste produced, time restrictions, and length limitations of approximately 200 bases. Herein, we demonstrate that single-stranded oligos on a solid surface can transiently hybridize to neighboring strands and these structures can be recognized and extended by DNA polymerases and reverse transcriptases through a mechanism we describe as “bend and extend.” Additionally, we show that the sequence of the newly synthesized fragment can be controlled to create custom oligonucleotides. We used this enzymatic approach to synthesize 20 bases on a solid surface through a two-step cyclic reversible termination process with stepwise efficiency over 98%. In our approach, a nascent DNA strand that serves as both primer and template is extended through polymerase-controlled sequential addition of 3’-reversibly blocked nucleotides followed by subsequent cleavage of the 3’-capping group. This process enables oligonucleotide synthesis in an environment not permitted by traditional phosphoramidite methods, eliminates the need for hazardous chemicals, has the potential to provide faster and higher yield results, and synthesizes DNA on a solid support with a free 3’ end.