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University of California, San Diego, Department of Bioengineering, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093
University of California, San Diego, Institute of Engineering in Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093
University of California, Irvine, Beckman Laser Institute, 1002 Health Sciences Road, Irvine, California 92612
* Authors contributed equally to this paper.
The purpose of this study is to analyze human sperm motility and energetics in media with different viscosities. Multiple experiments were performed to collect motility parameters using customized computer tracking software that measures the curvilinear velocity (VCL) and the minimum laser power (Pesc) necessary to hold an individual sperm in an optical trap. The Pesc was measured by using a 1064 nm Nd:YVO4 continuous wave laser that optically traps motile sperm at a power of 450 mW in the focused trap spot. The VCL was measured frame by frame before trapping. In order to study sperm energetics under different viscous conditions sperm were labeled with the fluorescent dye DiOC6(3) to measure membrane potentials of mitochondria in the sperm midpiece. Fluorescence intensity was measured before and during trapping. The results demonstrate a decrease in VCL but an increase in Pesc with increasing viscosity. Fluorescent intensity is the same regardless of the viscosity level indicating no change in sperm energetics. The results suggest that, under the conditions tested, viscosity physically affects the mechanical properties of sperm motility rather than the chemical pathways associated with energetics.
Sperm motility, the ability of a sperm to move efficiently towards the egg, is a valuable parameter in the assessment of sperm quality and fertilization capacity.1 The ability to evaluate sperm motility is important in areas such as sperm cryopreservation, in-vitro fertilization (IVF), and artificial insemination (AI). Factors in the vaginal canal, such as pH, antibody response, and the overall structural and functional capacity of the sperm, can affect sperm motility.2 Particularly, the viscous environment encountered by the sperm can have a major impact on its motility and its subsequent ability to reach and fertilize the egg. The objective of this study is to address the relationship between viscosity and sperm motility using optical trapping.
There are various methods to score and quantify sperm motility. Computer aided analysis quantifies the overall motility of a sperm population in a short amount of time.3,4 Commercial computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA) systems have been developed to track sperm within a field of view and measure motility parameters such as curvilinear velocity (VCL), amplitude of lateral head movement, and percent of motile sperm.3,4 Examples of these commercial systems include Hamilton Thorne IVSO-CASA, SM-CMA system (Stromberg-Mika, Bad Feilnbach, Germany), and the Hobson Sperm Tracker (Hobson Sperm Tracking Ltd., Sheffield, United Kingdom). Other optically based computer aided tracking systems such as the real-time automated tracking and trapping system (RATTS) have been developed to automatically track and optically trap individual sperm.5 RATTS can measure VCL and has the added ability to measure sperm swimming force using optical tweezers to hold and release individual sperm.6 Optical tweezers (traps) can confine and manipulate microscopic particles due to the momentum of the photons in a tightly focused laser beam.7,8 RATTS utilizes optical tweezers to quantify sperm swimming forces by measuring the minimum amount of laser power need to hold the sperm in the trap. The laser escape power (Pesc) is directly proportional to the sperm's swimming force and can be calculated using the equation, F=QP/c, where F is the swimming force, P is the laser power, c is the speed of light in the medium, and Q is the geometrically determined trapping efficiency parameter.9 Previous studies have used optical tweezers to noninvasively study sperm motility by measuring swimming forces.6,9 The development of RATTS permits simultaneous measurement of force and VCL thus providing a multiparametric analysis of sperm motility.
The goal of this study is to analyze the effect of viscosity on sperm motility by measuring both VCL and sperm swimming force using RATTS. A membrane potential-sensitive fluorescent probe is also used to examine changes in sperm energetics as a function of changes in viscosity of the swimming medium. Fluorescent probes have been used to relate mitochondrial membrane potential to sperm motility and have demonstrated that high mitochondrial membrane potentials in the sperm midpiece correlate with an increase in ATP synthesis and increased motility.10 Cyanine dyes such as 3,3′-dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodide [DiOC6(3)] integrate into the mitochondria and increase in fluorescent intensity as the magnitude of the membrane potential increases. There are numerous chemical probes to measure mitochondrial activity, such as carbocyanines [DiOC2(3), DiOC6(3)], rhodamines (TMRE, JC-1), and rosamines (CMX-Ros). DiOC6(3) is used in this study because it has been demonstrated to be an effective dye for measuring membrane potentials in sperm.11
The optical system is similar to that described previously.12 Briefly, it uses a Nd:YVO4 continuous wave 1064-nm-wavelength laser (Spectra Physics, Model BL-106C, Mountain View, CA) which travels through a series of lenses and mirrors into a Zeiss Axiovert S100 microscope and a 40×, phase III, NA 1.3 oil immersion objective (Zeiss, Thornwood, NY) where it is focused to a diffraction-limited spot of approximately 1 μm2. A motorized rotating polarizer controls the laser power by attenuating the beam during the sperm swimming force experiments. The beam-expanding lenses and focusing lens fill the objective back aperture with the collimated laser beam maximizing the amount of energy in the trapping focal spot.
The optical system for acquiring phase and fluorescence images has been described previously.11 Briefly, a Zeiss fluor arc lamp provides the excitation light. A red filter above the image plane allows for separation of phase contrast (670 nm) and fluorescence (500 to 570 nm) images. The reflected phase contrast information is collected by a charged coupled device (CCD) camera (Cohu model 7800, San Diego, CA) at 30 fps. The fluorescence information passes through a HQ 500/20 nm emission filter and is collected by a digital camera (Quantix 57, Roper Scientific Inc., Tuscon, AZ).
Motility parameters are measured using two computer-based analysis systems. First, CASA (IVOS Sperm Analyzer, Hamilton Thorne, Beverly, MA) is used to assess the initial quality of sperm samples and to measure VCL. Second, VCL and Pesc are measured simultaneously using customized software (RATTS) coded in the LabView language (National Instruments, Austin, TX). RATTS operates at video rate and provides remote robotic interfaces with the hardware. In addition, the system has fluorescent image processing capabilities.5 The operation of RATTS is performed in the upper-level system while fluorescent image acquisition, processing, and storage are done in the lower-level system, as shown in Fig. 1. The two computers are networked together over a gigabit TCP/IP cat5e crossover connection. Communication between the two systems is optimized with LabView's shared variables and virtual instrument (VI) server function in which the lower-level system continuously polls the upper-level system for the next request. Using RATTS, sperm are tracked for an extended duration before and after laser trap experiments. Motility measurements including VCL are measured followed by subsequent trapping measurements. A more detailed description of the system has been presented previously.13
Hardware diagram of system to study sperm motility and energetics. Abbreviations: charge-coupled device (CCD); data acquisition (DAQ); image acquisition (IMAQ); infrared (IR); personal computer (PC); peripheral component interconnect (PCI), National Instruments (NI)
Human samples were supplied by Infertility, Gynecology, and Obstetrics Medical Group (La Jolla, CA). The samples were frozen according to a normal human freezing protocol.14–16 Human sperm samples were thawed in a water bath at 37°C for 2 min, and then centrifuged for 10 min at 2000 rpm. The supernatant was removed and the pellet was resuspended in 1 mL of HEPES-buffered modified Human Tubal Fluid (mHTF) with filtered 5% serum substitute supplement (SSS) (Irvine Scientific, Irvine, CA). The sample was again centrifuged for 10 min at 2000 rpm and resuspended. This two-wash technique was used for all experiments. The final sperm dilutions of 30,000 sperm per mL were loaded into cover slide dishes (about 0.5 μL of sperm in 2.5 mL methylcellulose+mHTF+SSS media) and mounted on the microscope stage.11
For fluorescent studies 3,3′-dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodide [DiOC6(3)], a nonratiometric carbocyanine dye supplied by Invitrogen (Carlsbad, CA), was added to the prepared sperm: 40-nM stock DiOC6(3) dye was added into 250 μL of prepared human sperm and was incubated at 37°C for 20 min.11 The sperm sample was loaded into the optical system to measure midpiece mitochondrial fluorescence. Stock solutions of DiOC6(3) dye were prepared with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).
Media with different viscosities were created by varying the concentration of methylcellulose (Sigma Aldrich M 7140, St. Louis, MO) in mHTF+5%SSS sperm suspension media. Specifically, media with viscosities of 3, 6, 9, and 15 cP were made by adding 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2% (w/w) methylcellulose (Sigma Aldrich M 7140) to the media, respectively. Initially, one-third of the mHTF was heated to 80°C. The methylcellulose powder was added to the heated mHTF media, and the mixture was agitated until the particles were evenly dispersed. For complete solubilization another one-third of the mHTF media was added as cold media to lower the temperature of dispersion. The final one-third of the mHTF media was added along with SSS to yield a final mHTF+5% SSS solution with the desired methylcellulose concentration. The solution was agitated and subsequently cooled to 0°C to 5°C for 20 to 40 min to lower the temperature of dispersion and further hydrate the methylcellulose. The solution was then continuously agitated for an additional 30 min after the proper temperature was reached.
The refractive indices of the viscosity solutions were measured using a digital refractometer (Sper Scientific model 300034, Scottsdale, AZ) with instrument range of 1.330 to 1.5318, resolution of 0.0001, and accuracy of ±0.0002. Measurements were taken at 22.3°C using 1 mL of solution. The refractive index of a sperm cell was approximated to be 1.53 (17). The effect of refractive index on optical trap stiffness was considered by comparing the differences between the refractive index of a sperm cell and the indices of the media.18
Comparisons between experimental data sets were performed in MATLAB (Mathworks, Natick, MA) using the nonparametric Wilcoxon rank sum test (based on 5% significance). The experimental results are presented in Figs. 234–5 as box plots. Each box plot displays the following data: median (center line of box), upper and lower quartile values (top and bottom of box, respectively), range (upper and lower bars), and data points lying outside 3-times the interquartile range. The notches of the box plots represent the uncertainly of the median value. If the notches do not overlap, then the medians are different at the 95% confidence level.
CASA VCL vs. Viscosity. MATLAB was used to fit a power model [y=(ax)b] to the medians of the data sets. The coefficients with their 95% confidence limits were found to be a=78.83 (72.3, 85.35) and b=−0.1442 (−0.1952,−0.9315), yielding the equation y=78.83(x−0.1442). The correlation coefficient was determined to be R2=0.9656. The n-values are: at 1 cP (n=1452), at 3 cP (n=1744), at 6 cP (n=1295), at 9 cP (n=1715), and at 15 cP (n=1471).
For each sperm sample, motility parameters were first analyzed at 1 cP (mHTF media with 5% SSS and no methylcellulose) using the CASA system where the VCL could be closely monitored in multiple fields of view. This measurement served as an initial base-line for sperm quality/motility before subsequent experiments were performed. CASA was then used to measure VCL at 3, 6, 9, and 15 cP. The CASA VCL parameters were aggregated and graphed using MATLAB as shown in Fig. 2. The CASA VCL results demonstrate a decrease in VCL with increasing viscosity. A power model [y=a(xb)] was fitted to the medians of the datasets yielding the equation y=78.83(x−0.1442) with a correlation coefficient of R2=0.9656. The same sperm samples were then measured for VCL using RATTS. The aggregated data was graphed and fitted to a power model yielding the equation y=64.99(x−0.1688) with a coefficient of R2=0.9513. Although the VCL measurements from RATTS were slightly lower than those from CASA, a similar relationship between VCL and viscosity was observed with a confidence level greater than 95%, as shown in Fig. 3.
RATTS VCL vs. Viscosity. MATLAB was used to fit a power model (y=axb) to the medians of the data sets. The coefficients with their 95% confidence limits were found to be a=64.99 (58.88, 71.1) and b=−0.1668 (−0.226,−0.1076), yielding the equation y=64.99x−0.1668. The correlation coefficient was determined to be R2=0.9513. The n-values are: at 1 cP (n=173), at 3 cP (n=188), at 6 cP (n=207), at 9 cP (n=217), and at 15 cP (n=188).
Measurements of Pesc were then performed using RATTS in 1, 3, 6, 9, and 15 cP media Fig. 4. A power model was fitted to the medians of the data sets yielding y=2.953(x1.824) with a correlation coefficient of R2=0.9775. The results reveal that at higher viscosities the sperm escape from the laser trap at higher laser powers. This indicates that the sperm swim with greater force as viscosity increases. Statistical analysis of the data sets reveal that the Pesc at 6, 9, and 15 cP are statistically different (p<0.05) from the Pesc at 1 cP, with p=3.11×10−04, p=1.35×10−08, and p=2.51×10−11, respectively. However, the Pesc at 3 cP was found to be statistically the same (p>0.05) as that at 1 cP, with a p-value of 0.6887. The statistical analysis indicates that viscosity affects sperm swimming force in viscosities higher than 3 cP.
Pesc vs. Viscosity. MATLAB was used to fit a power model (y=a*xb) to the medians of the data sets. The coefficients with their 95% confidence limits were found to be a=2.953 (0.334, 5.573) and b=1.824 (1.486, 2.163), yielding the equation y=2.953(x1.824). The correlation coefficient was determined to be R2=0.9775. The n-values are: at 1 cP (n=35), at 3 cP (n=39), at 6 cP (n=41), at 9 cP (n=44), and at 15 cP (n=27). The asterisks (*) indicate that there was no significant difference between 1 and 3 cP at 5% confidence level.
To examine if aerobic energetics plays a role in this phenomenon, sperm were incubated in media containing the membrane potential-sensitive dye DiOC6(3) following the protocol previously described.11 The DiOC6(3)-treated sperm were tested in viscosities of 1, 6, and 9 cP. The fluorescence data were aggregated and graphed in Fig. 5. The data sets for 6 and 9 cP were statistically compared to that for 1 cP using the Wilcoxon rank sum test, and yielded p=0.6023 and p=0.8874, respectively. These results indicate that there is no significant change with a confidence of 95%. Therefore, it does not appear that there is an increase in mitochondrial ATP generation as the sperm encounter higher viscosities even though, as shown in Fig. 5, they are escaping from the trap with greater force.
Fluorescence versus viscosity. Midpiece fluorescence intensity of DiOC6(3) treated sperm was measured. Asterisks (*) indicates that there was no significant difference in fluorescence intensity between 1, 6, and 9 cP at the 5% level. The n-values are: at 1 cp (n=172), at 6 cP (n=98), andat 9 cP (n=95). Fluorescence intensity was measured by subtracting the background intensity (sperm samples without fluorescence probe) from the fluorescence measurements using DiOC6(3).
The refractive indices of the solutions were measured using a digital refractometer with a resolution of 0.0001 and an accuracy of ±0.0002 (Table 1). The index of refraction ranged from 1.3361±0.0002 at 1 cP to 1.3387±0.0002 at 15 cP. As the concentration increased, the index of refraction proportionally increased at a rate of approximately 0.0013 per 1% methylcellulose.
VCL measured on both the CASA and RATTS systems show that as the viscosity increases, VCL decreases. This result is not surprising considering basic principles of fluid mechanics: an object moving through a fluid is subjugated to frictional forces created by the viscosity of the medium. Increasing the viscosity of the mHTF medium augments the fluid's ability to resist shear stress. Thus as viscosity increases, sperm velocity should decrease. Although sperm swim-trajectory is complicated because of its three dimensional waveform, its speed is correlated to viscosity as fluid flow laws dictate for a linear, nonrandom, traveling object.19 This trend is modeled using MATLAB to fit the power regression y=a(x)b as in Figs. 2 and 3. The equation relates viscosity to motility parameters as follows: CASA VCL=78.83(Viscosity−0.1442) and RATTS VCL=64.99(Viscosity−0.1668). The power parameter b represents the rate at which VCL is decreasing with increasing viscosity. Although the VCL measurements are slightly different, the b parameters −0.1442 and −0.1668 fall within the 95% parameter confidence limits for CASA and RATTS, respectively (Figs. 2 and 3), and validate the accuracy of each system. A possible explanation for the slight difference in VCL measurements may be due the temperature of the sample; CASA heats the sperm sample to 37°C which can affect viscosity of the solution, and RATTS measurements are made at room temperature, 20°C. Although the viscosity media made for this study were calibrated at room temperature, the viscosity may have decreased due to the increased temperature, accounting for the increase in sperm VCL.
The Pesc motility parameter (sperm swimming force) measured using the optical tweezers and RATTS, responded differently to increasing viscosity. Interestingly, as the viscosity increases above 3 cP, the Pesc increases. Thus, at higher viscosities the swimming force of the sperm increases. To model this behavior MATLAB was used to fit a power regression producing the equation, Pesc=2.953(Viscosity1.824). By comparing the VCL and Pesc b parameters, it is concluded that viscosity has a significant effect on the swimming force of the sperm. The effect of the methylcellulose on the refractive index and trap stiffness was considered.18 It was determined that from 1 to 15 cP, the index of refraction increased by 0.0026. This small increase in refractive index was calculated to contribute to a less than 1.5% change in trap stiffness from 1 to 15 cP. This small change does not explain the large nonlinear increase in laser power needed to trap sperm at increasing viscosities.
A possible explanation for the increase in sperm swimming force was that sperm energetics (ATP generation) increased in response to the higher viscous environment. The sperm, in an effort to maintain its VCL would increase ATP production in the mitochondrial-rich midpiece. To investigate this possibility the mitochondrial membrane potential-sensitive dye DiOC6(3) was used to monitor the energetics of the sperm while in the trap using the methods reported previously.11,12 However, the experimental results (Fig. 5) did not reveal any difference in mitochondrial midpiece fluorescence when the sperm were swimming in media of different viscosities. Though these data suggest that the increase in swimming force is not related to an increase in mitochondrial ATP generation (aerobic respiration), future experiments should be conducted with other membrane-potential dyes such as JC1 and DiOC2(3).12,20 In addition, the role of ATP from anaerobic respiration (glycolysis) cannot be ruled out as it has been shown to play a significant role in sperm energetics.12 Notwithstanding, the data presented in this paper demonstrate that as viscosity increases, sperm swim with greater force, but aerobic energetics remains relatively constant. This leads to the speculation that the increase in swimming force may be due to the biomechanical properties of the sperm flagellum. Future studies using high speed imaging will permit detailed analysis of flagellum waveform, and should help elucidate the biomechanical effect of viscosity on sperm motility.21
This study has focused on low viscosities which encompass the 4 to 10 cP range found in the human male reproductive tract.22–24 Future studies examining higher viscosity environments will provide insight into a sperm's journey through the human female reproductive tract consisting of viscosities upwards of 1700 cP.24,25 In order to do these experiments, higher power laser traps will be needed, and consequent thermal effects of the trap will have to be mitigated.26
This work was supported by funds from the Beckman Laser Institute Inc. Foundation awarded to MWB. C. Chandsawangbhuwana would like to acknowledge support from a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship and a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.
Nicholas Hyun ; Charlie Chandsawangbhuwana ; Qingyuan Zhu ; Linda Z. Shi ; Collin Yang-Wong, et al."Effects of viscosity on sperm motility studied with optical tweezers", J. Biomed. Opt. 17(2), 025005 (Mar 06, 2012). ; http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.JBO.17.2.025005
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text: IBM MAINFRAME: Virtual job scheduling on TWS Portal | Manuals | References | Downloads | Info | Programs | JCLs | Master the Mainframes Virtual job scheduling on TWS IBMMAINFRAMES.com Support Forums -> IBM Tools IBM ManualsQuick References View previous topic :: :: View next topic Author Message spoorniNew UserJoined: 29 Nov 2007Posts: 20Location: india Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2015 6:11 am Post subject: Virtual job scheduling on TWS Hi, I am trying to schedule a job using TWS which will just pass the jobname and a file name to a generic job (physical job) housed in a PDS. Is it possible to point a virtual job to another job using TWS? Any information will be helpful regarding this. Thank you Back to top David RobinsonActive UserJoined: 21 Dec 2011Posts: 178Location: UK Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2015 9:40 pm Post subject: Reply to: Virtual job scheduling on TWS I'm not entirely clear what you're trying to achieve. The operation name, as specified in TWS, must match a PDS member name in one of the job libraries, i.e.; one of the datasets concatenated to the EQQJBLIB DDname. That said, the contents of said member could be generic, and the precise action taken by the job would depend on the parameters that are passed to it. These parameters may be TWS supplied ones (which are mostly, but not exclusively, date and time related), ones that are specified in a JCL variable table based on some other defined criteria, or specified by the operator using TWS panels. That may not be quite what you want. If you can expand a little, you may get more relevant suggestions. Back to top enrico-sorichettiGlobal ModeratorJoined: 14 Mar 2007Posts: 10274Location: italy Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2015 9:55 pm Post subject: Reply to: Virtual job scheduling on TWS a job can do anything... even submitting another job, but, most probably the submitted job will not be under TWS control is that what You want ? Back to top View previous topic :: :: View next topic IBMMAINFRAMES.com Support Forums -> IBM Tools All times are GMT + 6 Hours Page 1 of 1 Search our Forum: Similar Topics Topic Author Forum Replies Posted Need input in Scheduling Benchwarmer CA Products 5 Tue Jun 06, 2017 1:44 am scheduling between OPC and TWS give u... nsbl IBM Tools 4 Sun Mar 12, 2017 5:35 pm Not enough virtual memory is availabl... Vinay Pushpala IBM Tools 16 Tue Sep 13, 2016 4:37 pm How to map virtual printer in JCL, to... user_22 JCL & VSAM 6 Fri Apr 15, 2016 10:04 pm command scheduling in z/os tws meykh2014 IBM Tools 2 Tue Apr 21, 2015 9:25 pm © 2003-2016 IBM MAINFRAME Software Support Division Mainframe Wiki | Forum Rules | Bookmarks | Subscriptions | FAQ | Tutorials | Contact Us

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B.U. Bridge is published by the Boston University Office of University Relations.
Plans for new BU sailing pavilion generate kudos, some concerns
By Brian Fitzgerald
Boston University's plan to build a new $3 million sailing pavilion on the Charles River will be the subject of an April 23 public hearing at the Massachusetts State House. Under a bill filed last July by Senator Robert Travaglini (D-East Boston), BU would lease 1.45 acres from the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) and construct a 6,000-square-foot building at a site halfway between the Mass. Ave. Bridge and BU Bridge.
The hearing (see sidebar), part of an ongoing public process that has included more than 20 meetings with neighborhood leaders and elected officials over the past year and a half, will provide another opportunity for community input on the project -- which has generated both enthusiastic support and criticism.
The new building would replace BU's current sailing pavilion, a small, dilapidated, 61-year-old structure on the Charles near the BU Bridge. The location of the old facility poses numerous safety hazards to boaters, joggers, and bikers. The relocation of the sailing pavilion is part of the MDC Master Plan, a document that examines how the commission's parkland along the Charles could best be preserved and enhanced in the years to come.
BU's preferred site for the sailing pavilion and docks -- the stretch of the Charles River Esplanade near Sherborn Street -- has been endorsed by several neighborhood groups, including the Kenmore Association, the Kenmore Residents Group, the Bay State Road Neighborhood Association, and the Kenmore Alliance for a Better Charles River.
"The site BU has in mind provides safe pedestrian access," says Terri North, president of the Kenmore Residents Group. "It's close to a footbridge over Storrow Drive, so people won't be tempted to run across a four-lane highway, which they sometimes do at the present site."
The sailing pavilion would be more accessible to the community, contain public rest rooms maintained by BU, and have pay phones and "blue box" emergency phones, a concession stand, and two drinking water fountains. BU, which would also renovate and expand an existing fitness area and maintain and landscape the grounds, plans to spend more than $750,000 on public amenities for the project.
"This is the first opportunity in many years for improvement at this end of the river," says North. "There are no bathrooms along this stretch. Right now, people who use that part of the Esplanade have to plan ahead, because they can't get water there."
However, the proposed location of the facility has become a point of contention with the Beacon Hill Civic Association, the Esplanade Association, and the Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA). The groups assert that use of the site impedes access to open space. These opponents further claim that the University is trying to rush legislation through without enough public input. They are also lobbying for the pavilion to be built on a smaller site east of BU's preferred location. A CRWA flyer claims that BU's proposed site "blocks prime riverfront parkland widely used by strollers, joggers, sunbathers, in-line skaters, and others." Proponents counter that the pavilion would serve as a much-needed destination point, and pathways will be realigned to accommodate exercise routes.
"The claim that BU is trying to ram this bill through without due process is ridiculous," says Pam Beale, president of the Kenmore Association. "There have been plenty of opportunities for public comment. Last July there were nearly 100 people at a meeting hosted by the Kenmore Alliance for a Better Charles River, and at least 80 percent of the people in attendance strongly supported the BU plan."
BU hosted a public meeting last June and offered to show the site to citizens interested in the plans. A walking tour took place later that month. Although BU's first choice was a site east of its current proposal, an alternative site was agreed upon after several people taking the tour pointed out that a building in this area would block a scenic sight line of the city. There was also a concern that the building would be too large, so BU removed the second story from its plans.
Still, when BU attempted to file legislation last July, opponents claimed that the University was moving forward with the project too quickly and demanded that the facility be built at an alternative site near the Charlesgate portion of the Esplanade -- a congested area that has little green space and is not adjacent to the Charles River Campus.
"Using that site would mean taking the sailing pavilion out of one pinch point and putting it in another," says BU Sailing Coordinator Brad Churchill. "It makes no sense. It would be unsafe. Right now, between the pedestrians, rollerbladers, and bicyclists, there are so many near-collisions at our present building. There is a blind corner there, and I see 5 to 10 accidents every year. I've administered first aid to a few people, and taken a few to the hospital. It would be the same story at the site the opponents are pushing for."
Edward M. King, vice president of government and community affairs at BU, has taken issue with the CRWA's claim on its Web site and on a CRWA flyer that the project is a "private land grab." "To characterize this as a 'private land grab' is false," he says. "We're leasing the land, not buying it. BU has to abide by the rules and regulations set forth by the MDC leasing policy. A land grab implies ownership."
The CRWA also points out that "neither the MDC or BU has filed an Environmental Notification Form (ENF) to begin this process." But Thomas Walsh, director of state relations at BU, argues that there is an established process in such matters, and that the filing of an ENF form is not the first step in the procedure. "We're following the same process as we did when we built the DeWolfe Boathouse across the river," says Walsh. "The filing of the legislation kicks off the process. In time, the environmental impact report will be completed. We can't do this without any knowledge of how the legislation will fare. We have to do everything in order."
Although the bill originally was filed last July, BU officials didn't push to have the legislature approve the bill in the summer 2000 session. Now that the bill has been refiled, it will come before the joint committee on state administration April 23. At the hearing, opponents are expected to ask legislators to postpone the bill. But proponents, who have also been writing local representatives in support of the project, will also state their case. "It would be wonderful for us to have this pavilion and outdoor exercise area so close by," says Katie Blenk, an administrator for Kids Are People Too Elementary School in Kenmore Square, which serves children with severe special needs. "Now, when we go over to the river, we have to come back after only a short time because there are no bathrooms, phones, or water available."
In the meantime, Churchill and his students continue to sail with caution at the present pavilion, avoiding powerboats and riding out the wakes that these and larger vessels create. "The big boats go under the span of the bridge that is closest to our sailing boathouse because that's the deeper part of the river," he says. "Our boats have hit other boats. Some are scratched up, and others have holes in them. What we have now is a terrible situation. And the building is basically a shack. It has no bathrooms. The opponents claim that the footprint of the new sailing pavilion is 17 feet longer than our old building. That's because of the public amenities -- the concession stand and the public bathroom. I'm looking forward to this hearing because people in the community will be able to hear both sides of the issue and decide for themselves which side is right."
Read the sidebar "Sailing pavilion hearing scheduled for April 23"
April 2001


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text: Freddy Fyffes is our children's banana character. He appears on our packs of Freddy Fyffes bananas - specially selected for children and just the right size to fit into a lunchbox. Through Freddy we hope to make the banana more appealing to children and to encourage youngsters towards their 5-a-day.


text:
Pandora: Probably Tracking The Wrong Audience Metrics
Pandora media (NYSE: P), the internet radio service provider, released its audience metrics for the month of August 2013 yesterday. The company reported increases in all the metrics it actively tracks. Listener hours at 1.35 billion hours saw a Y/Y increase of 16% over august 2012 and the company also saw 6.38% increase in its market share of the total US radio market. The biggest jump was in terms of active listeners which saw a 28% Y/Y increase to hit 72.1 million. While the numbers definitely look encouraging one important metric which we believe the company should actively track is its revenue per active listener, which stood at $.74 for the quarter ended July 2013 growing over 21% on a Q/Q basis (refer table below).
The Pandora stock gained over 4.2% in the last trading session closing Thursday at $18.98.Though the ARPU has been seeing an upward trend, looking at a report on emarketer.com, growth in the US radio internet market is plateauing and it will only get tougher for the company to increase its market share in terms of Unique Users. We feel Pandora's Unique Users is a key parameter the advertisers will be looking at. ARPU and the Unique users growth would be a far more accurate metric of the company's growth and financial performance than the metrics the company currently reports every month (billion hours of listening).
To see Pandora's latest stock price movement, click here (NYSE: P)
Other Interesting Articles:
♦ Facebook at the wrong end of a privacy controversy
♦ Bazaarvoice Stock tanks 17% inspite of earnings beat in Q1 2014
Disclaimer: We do not hold any stake in the aforesaid stocks. For detailed disclaimer, please click here.


text:
Prescription pain killers are destroying lives in every state across the United States. Some new information is adding to the dangers involved in buying pain killers on the street in Rhode Island. A deadly designer drug called Acetyl Fentanyl is making headlines. Acetyl Fentanyl is not approved by federal regulators, not prescribed by doctors in any form and said to be 5 times more potent than heroin. It is also illegal in the United States. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says there is very little experimentation when it comes to dosing with Acetyl Fentanyl. Since it is so potent, taking a tiny bit more than normal can cause overdose leaving very little room for error and making the drug extremely deadly.
In Rhode Island, 14 individuals have overdosed in a few months do to Acetyl Fentanyl. Most of the people buying this designer drug illegally on the street thought they were buying "Oxycodone" because the drug was identical in size and color but obviously contained a opiate "punch" that lead to multiple deaths.
The Rhode Island Department of Health has done analysis with state laboratories and found the drug in the pills that were brought in for testing. Dr Michael Fine, the director for the Department of Health said, "With an average of four people dying per week due to drug overdoses, we need the people of Rhode Island to know what dangers are out on our streets." People who may think they are buying Oxycodone on the street could actually be buying something that we know has already taken the lives of 14 people in Rhode Island." Last month, Rhode Island received an $11 million, 5 year federal grant to target substance abuse by teens and young adults.
Rhode Island is not the only state having trouble with the designer drug Acetyl Fentanyl, according to the CDC, the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs reported on June 27th that Acetyl Fenanyl was implicated in 50 fatal overdoses and five non-fatal overdoses across that state this year. The CDC is is asking state officials to do more testing on the drugs found in overdoses. What seems as a typical overdose from these pills needs to have more testing done to see what the active compound is. The typical enzyme-linked immunosorbent antibody test (ELISA) is inadequate to identify Acetyl Fentanyl. Remember buying drugs off the street, a friend, or off the internet can put you and your family at harm and even death. If you or anyone you know is addicted to opiates, get them help before it's too late.


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Lucknow: Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that Congress has today been reduced to "crowd around a family", which faces all the challenges faced by a political party centred around a family.
"The hold of BJP is growing in the politics of all states be it Bengal or Kerala… what will happen to Congress no one knows", Jaitley said today at the Vikas parv of the party to observe two years of Modi government.
"Congress has been reduced to a crowd around a family…. their problem is the one faced by a party which is centred around a family", he said.
"The first problem of such a party is to see that no leadership develops outside the family, the second is that if there is a powerful generation like Nehru or Indira they make the party strong but if the next generation does not have that strength it drowns alongwith the party", Jaitley said.
"Their problem is that they cannot attract crowd without the family and if the family is kept together the crowd does not grow", he said.
"It does not seem to now improve…the meaning of Congress free country does not mean the end of the party but the political culture followed by it and remove the blot it had put on way of governance.
"As an opponent we want Congress to remain in opposition", he said. Making a mention of the idea of federal front mooted by Lalu Prasad, Jaitley said "it was a tried tested and failed idea tried many times in the past". "The nucleus of any party should have power…for winning Bihar they needed the support of Lalu and now are talking about a federal front", he said adding that a party having 15 to 20 seats cannot give stability.
Stressing that BJP has been a nationalist party, Jaitley lashed out at the mainstream parties for aligning with fringe elements. "Some people felt they would be regarded as progressive if they aligned with those raising a 'bharat todo ' campaign in Jadavpur and Jawaharlal Nehru University..they have been rejected by the country", he said.
"We hope that Congress will learn something from it…they made a historical mistake in this …we have a historical opportunity to strengthen party, take the country ahead towards development and show that an honest governance is possible. In the history of BJP, it today is at its peak in strength, he said.


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For Cocktail Crate's Spicy Michelada – the first ever craft Michelada mixer – we combined fresh squeezed orange and lime juice with our favorite small batch Sriracha sauce and a pinch of salt.
Perfect for weekend brunch as a tasty Bloody Mary alternative and the ideal accompaniment to Tex-Mex classics like nachos, tacos, and quesadillas, Spicy Michelada is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Mixing Directions: Add 2-3 ounces of Spicy Michelada to your favorite Mexican beer in an ice filled pint glass. Optional: start by garnishing the rim of the glass with salt or chili salt.
Ingredients: Fresh Orange Juice, Fresh Lime Juice, Filtered Water, Jojo's Sriracha (chili peppers, distilled vinegar, garlic, sea salt, palm sugar), Himalayan salt.


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Twitter used their blog this morning to get their users tweeting about tonight's South Carolina GOP Primary Debates (9pm, Fox).
They have announced an official hashtag for the debate, #scdebate, and the Twitter staff has curated a suggested follow list made up of mostly political commentators from both ends of the spectrum.
In addition, Twitter and Fox has teamed up to make the debate a bit more interactive. They are asking viewers to tweet "(candidate's name) #dodge" when a candidate doges a question or "(candidate's name) #answer" when they feel a candidate answered the question.
There should be a third option "(candidate's name) #ramblingincoherently," but I digress.
The #dodge/#answer tweets will be displayed during the debate on live.foxnews.com.
Having worked on countless political campaigns in my past life, I am a bit skeptical about how much the #dodge/#answer exercise will tell us about the debate. I am sure each campaign has field staff huddled right now to figure out how they will use staff and volunteers to flood Twitter with #answer tweets for their candidate and #dodge for their opponent(s).
The real winner will be Twitter. Any exercise that spurs significant tweeting activity is good for the social network.


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|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Dec 11, 2007
|Filing date
|Nov 10, 2004
|Priority date
|Nov 10, 2004
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Qi Xiang, Niraj Subba, Witold P. Maszara, Zoran Krivokapic, Ming-Ren Lin
|Original Assignee
|Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (15), Non-Patent Citations (3), Referenced by (22), Classifications (21), Legal Events (6)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
The present invention relates generally to silicon-on-insulator semiconductor devices and more particularly to fully depleted silicon-on-insulator transistors.
At the present time, electronic products are used in almost every aspect of life, and the heart of these electronic products is the integrated circuit. Integrated circuits are used in everything from airplanes and televisions to wristwatches.
Integrated circuits are made in and on silicon wafers by extremely complex systems that require the coordination of hundreds or even thousands of precisely controlled processes to produce a finished semiconductor wafer. Each finished semiconductor wafer has hundreds to tens of thousands of integrated circuits, each wafer worth hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Integrated circuits are made up of hundreds to millions of individual components. One common component is the semiconductor transistor. The most common and important semiconductor technology presently used is silicon-based, and the most preferred silicon-based semiconductor device is a complementary metal oxide semiconductor ("CMOS") transistor.
The principal elements of a CMOS transistor generally consist of a silicon substrate having shallow trench oxide isolation regions cordoning off transistor areas. The transistor areas contain polysilicon gates on silicon oxide gates, or gate oxides, over the silicon substrate. The silicon substrate on both sides of the polysilicon gate is slightly doped to become conductive. These lightly doped regions of the silicon substrate are referred to as "shallow source/drain", which are separated by a channel region beneath the polysilicon gate. A curved silicon oxide or silicon nitride spacer, referred to as a "sidewall spacer", on the sides of the polysilicon gate allows deposition of additional doping to form more heavily doped regions of the shallow source/drain ("S/D"), which are called "deep S/D".
To complete the transistor, a silicon oxide dielectric layer is deposited to cover the polysilicon gate, the curved spacer, and the silicon substrate. To provide electrical connections for the transistor, openings are etched in the silicon oxide dielectric layer to the polysilicon gate and the S/D. The openings are filled with metal to form electrical contacts. To complete the integrated circuits, the contacts are connected to additional levels of wiring in additional levels of dielectric material to the outside of the dielectric material.
One improvement to the CMOS transistor uses an insulating substrate and is called silicon on insulator ("SOI"). The advantages of using an insulating substrate in CMOS and high speed field effect transistors ("FETs") include latchup immunity, radiation hardness, reduced parasitic junction capacitance, reduced junction leakage currents, and reduced short channel effects. Many of these advantages translate to increased speed performance of the FETs.
The SOI FETs are manufactured with an insulator, such as silicon dioxide, on a semiconductor substrate, such as silicon. The entire FETs, including their source junction, channel, drain junction, gate, ohmic contacts and wiring channels, are formed on silicon islands in the insulator and are insulated from any fixed potential. This results in what is called the "floating body" problem because the potential of the body or channel regions floats and can acquire a potential which can interfere with the proper functioning of the FETs. The floating body problem causes high leakage current and parasitic bipolar action since the semiconductor substrate is floating with respect to the channel. This problem has adverse affects on threshold voltage control and circuit operation.
In order to eliminate the floating body problem, it is necessary to fully deplete the silicon island. This means making the silicon island so thin that the entire thickness of the body region is depleted of majority carriers when the FET is in the off state and both junctions are at ground. To fully deplete the silicon island and create a fully depleted silicon on insulator ("FDSOI"), it has been found that the silicon island must be extremely thin.
However, having a thin silicon island causes problems in the fabrication of FDSOI CMOS in the formation of source and drain with low parasitic series resistance. One solution is to elevate the source and drain over the thin silicon island. Elevated source and drain are formed by selective epitaxial growth ("SEG"). Unfortunately, it is difficult to uniformly grow high quality, single crystalline source and drain on the extremely thin silicon island. Furthermore, processes performed prior to SEG, such as oxidation, pre-clean, and H2 baking, can remove all or parts of the thin silicon needed for SEG.
Another key issue for fabrication of FDSOI CMOS is mechanisms to improve performance. One way to improve performance is to introduce tensile strain or compressive strain to the channel. Tensile strain along the direction of current flow increases both electron and hole mobility. On the other hand, compressive strain increases hole mobility but degrades electron mobility. Strain is introduced to the channel through trench isolation fill. However, mesa isolation, where there is no trench etch and fill, is conventionally used for FDSOI CMOS.
What is needed, therefore, is a way to uniformly grow high quality, single crystalline source and drain while introducing strain to the channel.
Solutions to these problems have been long sought but prior developments have not taught or suggested any solutions and, thus, solutions to these problems have long eluded those skilled in the art.
The present invention provides a semiconductor substrate having an insulator thereon with a semiconductor layer on the insulator. A deep trench isolation is formed, introducing strain to the semiconductor layer. A gate dielectric and a gate are formed on the semiconductor layer. A spacer is formed around the gate, and the semiconductor layer and the insulator are removed outside the spacer. Recessed source/drain are formed outside the spacer.
Certain embodiments of the invention have other advantages in addition to or in place of those mentioned above. The advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description when taken with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the following description, numerous specific details are given to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In order to avoid obscuring the present invention, some well-known device configurations and process steps are not disclosed in detail.
Likewise, the drawings showing embodiments of the device are semi-diagrammatic and not to scale and, particularly, some of the dimensions are for the clarity of presentation and may be shown greatly exaggerated in the FIGs.
The term "horizontal" as used herein is defined as a plane parallel to a substrate or wafer. The term "vertical" refers to a direction perpendicular to the horizontal as just defined. Terms, such as "on", "above", "below", "bottom", "top", "side" (as in "sidewall"), "higher", "lower", "over", and "under", are defined with respect to the horizontal plane.
The term "processing" as used herein includes deposition of material or photoresist, patterning, exposure, development, etching, cleaning, and/or removal of the material or photoresist as required in forming a described structure.
Referring now to
In order to control short channel effects of 45 nm and below node with a 25 nm or smaller gate length, it has been discovered that the channel layer 106 must be thinner than 100 Å in thickness.
A deep trench isolation ("DTI") 108, spaced outside recessed source/drain 402 (
Referring now to
Referring now to
Among the key issues for fabrication of FDSOI CMOS is the formation of source and drain with low parasitic series resistance. One solution has been to elevate the source and drain. Elevated source and drain can be formed by selective epitaxial growth ("SEG"). Unfortunately, it is difficult to uniformly grow high quality, single crystalline source and drain on an extremely thin silicon island such as the channel layer 106. Furthermore, processes performed prior to SEG, such as oxidation, pre-clean, and H2 baking, can remove all or parts of the thin silicon needed for SEG.
Referring now to
To form the recessed source/drain 402, a suitable process, such as etching, is used to penetrate through the channel layer 106 and the BOX 104 between the gate 204 and the DTI 108. It has been discovered that a thin BOX 104 from 100Å-600Å provides an optimal thickness. Selective epitaxial growth ("SEG") then takes place on the surface of the substrate 102 and the sidewall of the channel 404. This ensures a continuous, high quality Si surface for the SEG of the recessed source/drain 402 even when silicon of the channel layer 106 may be partially or even entirely consumed by previous processes.
The resulting structure retains the advantages of elevated source and drain, such as low parasitic series resistance, while overcoming the problem of SEG on thin silicon. At this stage, performance can be improved through modification of the SEG of the recessed source/drain 402.
Referring now to
It will be understood that the order of forming the recessed source/drain 402 and the DTI 108 is optional and the sequence described above has been done so as a matter of convenience. The recessed source/drain 402 can be formed in situ during selective epitaxial growth of the recessed source/drain 402 or by ion implantation and rapid thermal anneal. Through strain engineered trench fill dielectrics, the DTI 108 introduces strain to the channel 404 and is preferred for isolation among transistors.
Introducing tensile strain or compressive strain to the channels of FDSOI CMOS devices improves performance. Tensile strain along the direction of current flow increases both electron and hole mobility in an NMOS. On the other hand compressive strain improves performance of a PMOS by increasing hole mobility. Thus, applied strain as appropriate to the channel 404 significantly increases channel mobility, consequently increasing drive current by a significant fraction of the mobility gain.
It has been discovered that strain can be further improved in FDSOI PMOS transistors by selective epitaxial growth of silicon germanium (SiGe). Thus, the SiGe of the recessed source/drain 402 effectively induce strain in the channel 404 of a FDSOI PMOS transistor. The strain is also more effective because the recessed source/drain 402 are immediately adjacent the channel 404 and allow more strain to be introduced than can be introduced in raised source/drain.
Furthermore, it has been discovered that strain can be further improved in FDSOI NMOS transistors by selective epitaxial growth of silicon carbide (SiC). Thus, SiC of the recessed source/drain effectively induce strain in the channel 404 of a FDSOI NMOS transistor. The strain is also more effective because the recessed source/drain 402 are immediately adjacent the channel 404 and more strain can be introduced than can be introduced in raised source/drain.
The above strain control can be implemented as an adjunct to the strain control from the DTI 108 or as the primary control where the DTI 108 is formed before the recessed source/drain 402.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Thus, it has been discovered that the semiconductor device method and apparatus of the present invention furnish important and heretofore unknown and unavailable solutions, capabilities, and functional advantages for FDSOI CMOS. The resulting process and configurations are straightforward, economical, uncomplicated, highly versatile, accurate, sensitive, and effective, and can be implemented by adapting known components for ready manufacturing, application, and utilization.
While the invention has been described in conjunction with a specific best mode, it is to be understood that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the aforegoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations which fall within the scope of the included claims. All matters hithertofore set forth herein or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted in an illustrative and non-limiting sense.
|Cited Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Sep 6, 1996
|Nov 16, 1999
|Max-Planck-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Wissenschaften E. V.
|Semiconductor structure for a transistor
|Nov 5, 1998
|Oct 16, 2001
|Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company
|Method for fabricating raised source/drain structures
|Feb 22, 2000
|Jan 15, 2002
|Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
|Fully depleted silicon on insulator semiconductor device and manufacturing method therefor
|Mar 1, 2001
|May 6, 2003
|Chartered Semiconductors Maufacturing Ltd.
|Dual silicon-on-insulator device wafer die
|Mar 29, 2002
|Aug 12, 2003
|Intel Corporation
|Semiconductor transistor having a backfilled channel material
|Nov 1, 2001
|Sep 16, 2003
|Intel Corporation
|Semiconductor transistor having a stressed channel
|Jun 19, 2001
|Nov 18, 2003
|Amberwave Systems Corporation
|Method of fabricating CMOS inverter and integrated circuits utilizing strained silicon surface channel MOSFETs
|Feb 26, 2002
|Dec 9, 2003
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Method of forming a fully-depleted SOI ( silicon-on-insulator) MOSFET having a thinned channel region
|Jun 25, 2002
|Jan 20, 2004
|Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
|Silicon-on-insulator device with strained device film and method for making the same with partial replacement of isolation oxide
|Oct 24, 2002
|Jun 7, 2005
|Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
|Semiconductor device having a thick strained silicon layer and method of its formation
|May 1, 2003
|Jun 21, 2005
|International Business Machines Corporation
|High performance FET devices and methods therefor
|Sep 30, 2003
|Aug 30, 2005
|Renesas Technology Corp.
|Insulated-gate field-effect transistor, method of fabricating same, and semiconductor device employing same
|Mar 31, 2003
|Jan 24, 2006
|Stmicroelectronics S.A.
|Strained-channel isolated-gate field effect transistor, process for making same and resulting integrated circuit
|Jun 6, 2003
|Feb 7, 2006
|Amberwave Systems Corporation
|Strained-semiconductor-on-insulator device structures
|Nov 25, 2002
|Jun 10, 2004
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Strained finfet cmos device structures
|Jurczak et al., "Silicon-on-Nothing (SON)-an Innovative Process for Advanced CMOS", IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Nov. 2000, pp. 2179-2185, v. 2, No. 4.
|Monfray et al, "Coulomb-Blockade in Nanometric Si-Film Silicon-On-Nothing (SON) MOSFETs", IEEE Transactions on Nanotechnology, Dec. 2003, pp. 295-300 v.2, No. 4.
|T. Ghani, et al. "A 90nm High Volume Manufacturing Logic Technology Featuring Novel 45nm Gate Length Strained Silicon CMOS Transistors", IEDM Tech. Digest, p. 978, Dec. 9, 2003.
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|May 10, 2005
|Nov 4, 2008
|International Business Machine Corporation
|Embedded silicon germanium using a double buried oxide silicon-on-insulator wafer
|Jan 19, 2006
|Aug 4, 2009
|International Business Machines Corporation
|PFETs and methods of manufacturing the same
|Apr 13, 2007
|Nov 3, 2009
|Luxtera, Inc.
|Design of CMOS integrated germanium photodiodes
|Mar 5, 2007
|Mar 30, 2010
|Stmicroelectronics Crolles 2 Sas
|Formation of shallow siGe conduction channel
|Jul 9, 2008
|Aug 24, 2010
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Embedded silicon germanium using a double buried oxide silicon-on-insulator wafer
|Jul 5, 2005
|Jan 1, 2013
|Commissariat A L'energie Atomique
|Method of stressing a thin pattern
|Mar 16, 2011
|Jun 4, 2013
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Fully-depleted SON
|Apr 19, 2011
|Jan 28, 2014
|Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
|Semiconductor device including embedded isolation regions and method for forming the same
|Mar 20, 2012
|Mar 4, 2014
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Structure and method to improve ETSOI MOSFETS with back gate
|May 10, 2013
|Jun 3, 2014
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Fully-depleted son
|Feb 16, 2010
|Jun 10, 2014
|Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
|Semiconductor devices having an epitaxial layer on active regions and shallow trench isolation regions
|Dec 5, 2014
|Mar 8, 2016
|National Applied Research Laboratories
|Transistor device structure
|Jan 14, 2014
|May 10, 2016
|Globalfoundries Inc.
|Structure and method to improve ETSOI MOSFETS with back gate
|Jul 5, 2005
|May 4, 2006
|Commissariat A L'energie Atomique
|Method for constraining a thin pattern
|May 10, 2005
|Nov 16, 2006
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Embedded silicon germanium using a double buried oxide silicon-on-insulator wafer
|Jan 19, 2006
|Jul 19, 2007
|International Business Machines Corporation
|PFETS and methods of manufacturing the same
|Mar 5, 2007
|Nov 29, 2007
|Stmicroelectronics Crolles 2 Sas
|Formation of shallow siGe conduction channel
|Nov 30, 2007
|Apr 3, 2008
|Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
|Semiconductor device including field-effect transistor
|Apr 13, 2007
|Aug 14, 2008
|Jeremy Witzens
|Design of CMOS Integrated Germanium Photodiodes
|Jul 9, 2008
|Oct 30, 2008
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Embedded silicon germanium using a double buried oxide silicon-on-insulator wafer
|Feb 16, 2010
|Aug 19, 2010
|Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
|Semiconductor devices
|Apr 19, 2011
|Jul 26, 2012
|Huicai Zhong
|Semiconductor device and method for forming the same
|U.S. Classification
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Nov 10, 2004
Owner name: ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC., CALIFORNIA
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Owner name: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC., CAYMAN ISLANDS
Free format text: AFFIRMATION OF PATENT ASSIGNMENT;ASSIGNOR:ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC.;REEL/FRAME:023119/0083
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|Dec 11, 2015
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|Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee
Effective date: 20151211


text:
When Your Familiar Becomes Too Familiar
What is a familiar anyways? Anyone that loves Harry Potter knows that a familiar can be any creature; a bird, a cat, a dog, a horse, etc. According to Wikipedia, a familiar is an intimate associate or companion. A spirit that is embodied in an[…]Read More


text:
Green Cross is a first-person shooter developed and published by Scarce Gaming for PCs on CD-ROM, and released on February 1, 1995. The plot focuses around Kaku Jonson, one of the engineers of a Hydroelectric Power Station named Michio. Kaku must fight to survive when mutated creatures infest the station, and the Hydroelectric Deployment Squad (HDS) hunt the employees.
Chapter 1 - Before the Crisis
Kaku Jonson is an engineer at the Hydroelectric Power Station/Dam, named Michio. Arriving at Michio via monorail, Kaku continues work on the Nuclear Water Treatment Machine (NWTM), which treats water via nuclear energy.
Chapter 2 - Fish out of Water
Suddenly, an octopus attaches to a scientist's head, and he starts attack the employees. Kaku starts fleeing the facility to the underground storage area.
Chapter 3 - Sitting Ducks
Kaku learns that the octopus was mutated by the Nuclear energy, which caused it to become a parasite. Parasites then start attacking on their own.
Chapter 4 - Beat Around the Bush
Kaku starts going down to the storage area from the outside, where the mutants are more vicious, due to longer exposition.
Chapter 5 - Tremors
Kaku reaches the storage area, where he gets a Nuclear Missile Launcher, and a radio. He uses the radio to get up-to-date knowledge on the new mutants and HDS, who have arrived to hunt the employees down, so that word doesn't get out about the mutants.
Chapter 6 - Dead in the Water
As Kaku arrives at the HDS supplies drop-off zone, the dropship is destroyed by a mutated Nautilus. Kaku destroys the Nautilus, and collects the supplies, which includes an electric cannon, an automatic targetic module, and a glasses cleaner, which Kaku can use to clean his glasses when he is damaged.
Chapter 7 - Escape Route
Kaku climbs up the dam, and fins a large amount of mutants and HDS Troops fighting. Kaku starts escaping, but is shot by an HDS soldier.
Chapter 8 - Down to Earth
Waking up in the abandoned facility, Kaku finds out that Morgan Michio, a previous employee, and government official, is controlling the machine, due to being angry at the employees for firing him. Kaku kills Morgan, being knocked unconscious in the process.
Kaku wakes up in the back of a van with a masked man driving. The masked man, named Iris, reveals he was the radio operator.
- Opposites Attract was a Co-op mode which used SPN to play. One player was a HDS Troop, and the other was a Michio employee. Enemies health was doubled, puzzles were changed to fit the bill, and maps were doubled in size. It was released in 1995, along with Green Cross.
- Fish Out of Water is the second expansion, which allowed players to play from a HDS Troop's standpoint. Enemies took less damage from melee weapons, puzzles required ranged weapons, and the HDS troopers were switched with Michio employees. It was released in 1996.


text:
Here are the minimal known tri-oddities for polyiamonds of order up to 7. Impossible polyiamonds are shown in black. Please write if you find a smaller solution or solve an unsolved case.
For polyhexes, see Polyhex Tri-Oddities.
[ Moniamond | Diamond | Triamond | Tetriamonds | Pentiamonds | Hexiamonds | Heptiamonds | Mirror Symmetry ]
Last revised 2012-01-23.


text:
Let us know when your receive great advice so we can thank our lawyers and point others with similar questions in the right direction.Got it!
I moved in a apt and I think the roomate is movin out,I paid money to live here,I am not on the lease but I have mail here,how can I find out if there is a eviction notice??
It should be in your mail or posted on your door....
This response is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The response is intended, but not promised or guaranteed to be current, complete, or up-to-date. Transmission of the information is not intended to create, and the receipt does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship between Mark D. Copoulos, Esquire and any party. The responses provided on this website are offered only for general informational and educational purposes. They are not offered as and do not constitute legal advice or legal opinions. You should not act or rely on any information contained in these responses without first seeking the advice of an attorney.Ask a similar question
Normally you are served with it personally, in the mail, or posted on the door.
The information provided in this answer does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you are interested in his legal services, feel free to call Chris at (303) 409-7635 at his law office in the Denver Tech Center. All initial consultations are free of charge.Ask a similar question
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Everlasting Hope(2004)
A novel by Tracey V Bateman
Now widowed after a loveless marriage, young Hope Parker wants to save her son from self-destruction. Oregon seems like a perfect place for their future, yet the wagon trains won't take single women along. For Andy Riley, life has held nothing but sorrow, disappointment, and pain. When he awakens in a strange bed after a merciless beating, he realizes his options are few - pay what he owes with cash or his life. An arranged marriage between Hope and Andy seem to make sense - Andy's debts can be settled and Hope will find a new chance at life. Yet when the Lord begins changing hearts, will these two allow themselves to believe that His ever leasting hope can surpass their own dreams?
Genre: Inspirational
Genre: Inspirational
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Used availability for Tracey Bateman's Everlasting Hope
See all available used copies of this book at Abebooks UK or Abebooks US
Paperback Editions
November 2004 : USA Mass Market Paperback
|Title: Everlasting Hope (Oregon Brides Series #2) (Heartsong Presents #619)
Author(s): Tracey V Bateman
ISBN: 1-59310-181-3 / 978-1-59310-181-7 (USA edition)
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Incorporated
Availability: Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA
Kindle Editions
November 2012 : USA, Canada, UK Kindle edition
|Title: Everlasting Hope (Truly Yours Digital Editions Book 619)
Author(s): Tracey V Bateman
Publisher: Barbour Books
Availability: Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA
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Running Time: 130 minutes
Released: 01/2007
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Tourist Directory > Parks & Nature Reserves
HSBC Tree Top Walk
Getting there:The HSBC TreeTop Walk is accessible from MacRitchie Reservoir Park via MacRitchie or from Venus Drive, off Upper Thomson Road.
Otherwise, board bus 130 from Ang Mo Kio Bus Interchange or bus 851, 852 or 855 from Yishun Bus Interchange and alight at bus stop along Lornie Road. The Park will be across the road on the right.
Operating Hours:Tuesdays to Fridays: 9.00am – 5.00pm
Saturdays, Sundays and PHs : 8.30am – 5.00pm
Mondays, except PHs : Closed for maintenance and research
Description: The TreeTop Walk is a free-standing suspension bridge connecting the two highest points, Bukit Peirce and Bukit Kalang, in MacRitchie Reservoir. The 250m-long, 25m-high walkway offers panoramic views of the plants and animals living in the forest.
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Science fiction films
|Named Person:
|Luke Skywalker, (Fictitious character); Leia Organa, (Fictitious character); Han Solo, (Fictitious character); Leia Organa, (Fictitious character); Luke Skywalker, (Fictitious character); Han Solo, (Fictitious character)
|Material Type:
|Document Type:
|Visual material
|All Authors / Contributors:
Mark Hamill; Harrison Ford; Carrie Fisher; Billy Dee Williams; Anthony Daniels; Dave Prowse; Kenny Baker; Peter Mayhew; Frank Oz; Irvin Kershner; Leigh Brackett; Lawrence Kasdan; George Lucas; Lucasfilm, Ltd.
|0793960983 9780793960989
|OCLC Number:
|Language Note:
|Closed-captioned for the hearing impaired.
|"Digitally mastered THX for superior sound and picture quality"--Container.
Originally produced as a motion picture in 1980.
The Empire Strikes Back, complete with restored original footage, new scenes and enhanced special effects. It's the version George Lucas envisioned when he first created this legendary sequel to Star Wars.
|Music, John Williams.
|Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, Frank Oz.
|Target Audience:
|Rated PG.
|1 videocassette (127 min.) : sound, color ; 1/2 in.
|Series Title:
|Star Wars trilogy.
|a Lucasfilm Ltd. Production ; director, Irvin Kershner ; producer, Gary Kurtz ; screenplay, Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan ; story/executive producer, George Lucas.
The battle to save the galaxy from the evil Empire rages on. Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia and Chewbacca face attack by the Imperial forces and its AT-AT walkers on the ice planet Hoth. While Han and Leia escape in the Millennium Falcon, Luke travels to Dagobah in search of Yoda. Only with the Jedi Master's help will Luke survive when the dark side of the Force beckons him into an ultimate duel with Darth Vader.
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- Skywalker, Luke -- (Fictitious character) -- Drama.
- Organa, Leia -- (Fictitious character) -- Drama.
- Solo, Han -- (Fictitious character) -- Drama.
- Science fiction films.
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ATV park takes riders through forgotten coal mining boomtowns
There are 30 comments on the Charleston Gazette story from Oct 16, 2010, titled ATV park takes riders through forgotten coal mining boomtowns. In it, Charleston Gazette reports that:
Woody Duba, general manager of Beaver Coal Co. and developer of Burning Rock's coal heritage tours, shows visitors the entrance to a 1,400-foot ramp that took miners into the former White Mountain Coal Co.
Join the discussion below, or Read more at Charleston Gazette.
United States
#21 Feb 25, 2011
Good job. I can tell that you thought a long time on that explanation.
#22 Mar 8, 2011
Dear Bella Loca. As you read my post. You will be able to tell that I am an avid ATV (4 wheeler) enthusiast and rider. I obey the rules and regulations no matter where I am. I do ride my ATV in the Sophia, Beckley, Raleigh, McDowell, Logan counties to name a few. I bought my ATV in WV a boost to the economy. I bought my trailer to haul my ATV on in WV a boost to the economy. Personal property taxes, license fees,insurance, trail fees, gas, food, extras for my ATV A boost to the economy. Sophia and the whole Beckley area need to take a look at Gilbert Town during the 4 wheeler October Fest and take notice of how much money that is pumped into the economy. They need to take some hints and do the same thing. Hope this enlightens you a little. GOD BLESS. Slick
#23 Oct 1, 2013
The hell with burning rock. As far as I'm concerned they can go straight to hell and burn.
#24 Oct 1, 2013
I agree having then dumb son of bitches crossing the main road. Maybe a coal truck with wipe a few then of the out. Idiots
#25 Oct 3, 2013
Your what they call coal bucket smart, the thing br money is going to is beaver land, to hell with them and br.
#26 Oct 3, 2013
beaver coal and duba are crooks the only thing I ever got at burning rock is flats burning rock sucks
#27 Oct 19, 2013
I heard Burning Rock has become a gay hangout. Is that true?
#28 Jul 13, 2014
Where is a good place to ride? Obviously not burning rock, butmI'm not too interested in paying to ride anyways. I just moved to the beckley/ stanaford area and I haven't been able to find any trails. Someone at work said you could ride from here to charleston and never touch blacktop, I have yet to see it.
#29 Jul 16, 2014
beaver coal and burning rock are crooks
#30 Jul 19, 2014
We park our truck and trailer on burning rock property and have never paid. We have been riding these trails for years, even on horses. If they dont like it they can kiss it. That Jeff Pittman is trying to horn in on burning rock. He is the one who said people could ride through Sophia. He holds multiple titles at town hall (multiple pays) and is zoning safety person. He is the reason people ride all the way to go mart on their atv's. He told burning rock people this was ok and they passed it on to their riders.
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News from Economic Development, Planning and Tourism
20th Annual Rural Landowner Workshop
On Saturday, March 3, 2012 Cornell University Cooperative Extension will be sponsoring the 20th Annual Rural Landowner Workshop. The program will begin at 9:00 AM and end at 3:00 PM. There will be three concurrent sessions with approximately four classes per session and you must choose one class per session.
Horse Owner Essentials
Horses are one of the most magnificent creatures on Earth-----do you feel this way? Do you always wish you knew more about horses and their care? This 4 week, 4 night educational program is designed for anyone wishing to learn more about horses - no matter whether you are a beginner or a seasoned equestrian there will be information for all. The program will include guest presenters on different topics such as feeding, trail riding, showing, styles of riding, safety, veterinary care, housing among others each night as well as a planned visit to a local horse farm.
Former Route 219 Bridge closed to traffic
The former Route 219 bridge over Cattaraugus Creek is closed to all traffic according to the New York State Department of Transportation.
Learn to Grow Berries
This is your last chance to sign up for the Berry Growers Workshop on Oct. 12th (Wednesday) at the Belfast Fire Hall.
Fall Online Courses for Farmers Open for Registration
The growing season is still in full swing, but here at the Northeast Beginning Farmer Project, we're already thinking about "education season". Six of our 7 online courses - including 4 new topics - are still open for registration, ready to help you continue your farming education.
USDA Designates 8 Counties in New York as Primary Natural Disaster Areas
WASHINGTON, D.C., Aug. 16, 2011 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 8 counties in New York as primary natural disaster areas due to damage and losses caused by excessive rain, flash flooding, high winds, lightning and cooler than normal temperatures that occurred March 1 – June 1, 2011.
Attention Horse Owners
Attention Horse Owners; It's not too late to vaccinate!
There is still time for horse owners to vaccinate their horses with the dog days of summer just underway. If you already vaccinated; consider vaccinating for Equine Encephalitis and West Nile virus. Equine encephalitis (eastern (EEE), western (WEE) or Venezuelan (VEE)) and West Nile Virus (WNV) belong to a group of viral diseases known as "Arboviruses", diseases transmitted from asymptomatic wild birds and rodents to horses by biting insects like mosquitoes.
Census Age Group Comparison between 2010 and 2000
Cattaraugus County's population is aging at a faster rate than that of New York State.
I-86 West Detour Updates
The attached map is of the I-86 Exit 21 in Salamanca Detour for Small Vehicles with 12 ft clearance.
Free Dial Gauge Pressure Canner Testing
With spring upon us, and canning the summer's harvest right around the corner, now is the time to schedule your appointment to have your Dial Gauge Pressure Canner tested for accuracy. It is essential that low-acid vegetables, meats, fish and poultry are processed by pressure canning, and each year it is important to have your Dial Gauge Pressure Canner tested to insure that the food you offer to your family is safe.


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Shares of NovaStar Financial ( NFI) took a nose-dive after it reported losing $408.1 million from continuing operations, or $43.99 a share, in the third quarter. That reverses last year's $1.81 per-share profit. NovaStar also believes there's a "high likelihood" it will be expelled from the NYSE following a Dec. 5 review, at NovaStar's request, of that previously announced determination. The Kansas City, Mo., firm had been among numerous subprime-mortgage lenders caught in the first wave of credit-market turmoil earlier this year, and its stock has lost a tremendous amount of value over the past few months. Today, shares surrendered nearly another 60% to $1.84. Elsewhere, Punk Ziegal shaved down Bear Stearns' ( BSC) price target, and Bank of America sharply lowered its fourth-quarter bottom-line estimate to a loss from the prior profit expectation, as Standard & Poor's downgraded Bear's credit rating to A from A-plus. S&P also has a negative outlook on the New York-based brokerage. This all follows Bear's prediction on Tuesday that it will
take $1.2 billion in fourth-quarter writedowns tied to mortgage-related securities. Shares had initially climbed as the company also sketched out making a steady recovery from the subprime mess in which it has been mired. Today, shares retreated 2.3% to $100.88. Video-games retailer GameStop ( GME) was up 3.8% ahead of the company's third-quarter earnings Tuesday. Analysts expect GameStop to report earnings of 23 cents a share on $1.42 billion in revenue. GameStop was up $2.03 to $55.90.