High-Performance Robust Latches

First, a new high-performance robust latch (referred to as HiPeR latch) is presented that is insensitive to transient faults affecting its internal and output nodes by design, independently of the size of its transistors. Then, a modified version of the HiPeR latch (referred as HiPeR-CG) is proposed that is suitable to be used together with clock gating. Both proposed latches are faster than the latches most recently presented in the literature, while providing better or comparable robustness to transient faults, at comparable or lower costs in terms of area and power, respectively. Therefore, thanks to the good trade-offs in terms of performance, robustness, and cost, our proposed latches are particularly suitable to be adopted on critical paths

Modeling and Detection of Hotspot in Shaded Photovoltaic Cells

In this paper, we address the problem of modeling the thermal behavior of photovoltaic (PV) cells undergoing a hotspot condition. In case of shading, PV cells may experience a dramatic temperature increase, with consequent reduction of the provided power. Our model has been validated against experimental data, and has highlighted a counter-intuitive PV cell behavior, that should be considered to improve the energy efficiency of PV arrays. Then, we propose a hotspot detection scheme, enabling to identify the PV module that is under hotspot condition. Such a scheme can be used to avoid the permanent damage of the cells under hotspot, thus their drawback on the power efficiency of the entire PV system

Low Cost NBTI Degradation Detection and Masking Approaches

Performance degradation of integrated circuits due to aging effects, such as Negative Bias Temperature Instability (NBTI), is becoming a great concern for current and future CMOS technology. In this paper, we propose two monitoring and masking approaches that detect late transitions due to NBTI degradation in the combinational part of critical data paths and guarantee the correctness of the provided output data by adapting the clock frequency. Compared to recently proposed alternative solutions, one of our approaches (denoted as Low Area and Power (LAP) approach) requires lower area overhead and lower, or comparable, power consumption, while exhibiting the same impact on system performance, while the other proposed approach (denoted as High Performance (HP) approach) allows us to reduce the impact on system performance, at the cost of some increase in area and power consumption

Abnormal liver function tests in acute heart failure: relationship with clinical characteristics and outcome in the PROTECT study

Aims: Episodes of acute heart failure (AHF) unfavourably affect multiple organs, which may have an adverse impact on the outcomes. We investigated the prevalence and clinical consequences of abnormal liver function tests (LFTs) in AHF patients enrolled in the PROTECT study. Methods and results: The LFTs comprised serial assessment of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and albumin at baseline and during follow-up (daily until discharge, on days 7 and 14). The prevalence of abnormal LFTs (above upper limit of normal for AST and ALT or below lower limit of normal for albumin) was: at baseline AST 20%, ALT 12%, albumin 40%; and at day 14: AST 15%, ALT 9%, albumin 26%. Abnormal LFTs at baseline were associated with a higher risk of in-hospital death with odds ratios [95% confidence interval (CI)] of 3.5 (1.7–7.3) for AST, 3.9 (1.8–8.4) for ALT, and 2.8 (1.3–5.9) for albumin (all P < 0.01). Abnormal baseline and discharge LFTs had an unfavourable impact on 180-day mortality with hazard ratios (95% CI) for baseline AST, ALT, and albumin of 1.3 (1.0–1.7), 1.1 (1.0–1.2), 1.4 (1.1–1.8), respectively, and 1.5 (1.1–2.0), 1.5 (1.0–2.2), and 1.6 (1.2–2.1), for discharge AST, ALT, albumin, respectively (all P < 0.05). Analysis of LFTs trajectories (calculated as changes in LFTs over time) revealed that increasing AST and ALT on day 3 as well as decreasing albumin on day 4 were independent prognosticators of 180-day outcome (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: Abnormal LFTs are frequent in AHF at baseline and during hospital stay and predict worse outcomes. Whether this association is causal and what are the underlying mechanisms involved require further study

Scalable Approach for Power Droop Reduction During Scan-Based Logic BIST

The generation of significant power droop (PD) during at-speed test performed by Logic Built-In Self Test (LBIST) is a serious concern for modern ICs. In fact, the PD originated during test may delay signal transitions of the circuit under test (CUT): an effect that may be erroneously recognized as delay faults, with consequent erroneous generation of test fails and increase in yield loss. In this paper, we propose a novel scalable approach to reduce the PD during at-speed test of sequential circuits with scan-based LBIST using the launch-on-capture scheme. This is achieved by reducing the activity factor of the CUT, by proper modification of the test vectors generated by the LBIST of sequential ICs. Our scalable solution allows us to reduce PD to a value similar to that occurring during the CUT in field operation, without increasing the number of test vectors required to achieve a target fault coverage (FC). We present a hardware implementation of our approach that requires limited area overhead. Finally, we show that, compared with recent alternative solutions providing a similar PD reduction, our approach enables a significant reduction of the number of test vectors (by more than 50%), thus the test time, to achieve a target FC

Advanced chronic heart failure: A position statement from the Study Group on Advanced Heart Failure of the Heart Failure Association of the European Societyof Cardiology

Therapy has improved the survival of heart failure (HF) patients. However, many patients progress to advanced chronic HF (ACHF). We propose a practical clinical definition and describe the characteristics of this condition. Patients that are generally recognised as ACHF often exhibit the following characteristics: 1) severe symptoms (NYHA class III to IV); 2) episodes with clinical signs of fluid retention and/or peripheral hypoperfusion; 3) objective evidence of severe cardiac dysfunction, shown by at least one of the following: left ventricular ejection fraction1 HF hospitalisation in the past 6 months; 6) presence of all the previous features despite optimal therapy. This definition identifies a group of patients with compromised quality of life, poor prognosis, and a high risk of clinical events. These patients deserve effective therapeutic options and should be potential targets for future clinical research initiative

Low-Cost and High-Reduction Approaches for Power Droop during Launch-On-Shift Scan-Based Logic BIST

During at-speed test of high performance sequential ICs using scan-based Logic BIST, the IC activity factor (AF) induced by the applied test vectors is significantly higher than that experienced during its in field operation. Consequently, power droop (PD) may take place during both shift and capture phases, which will slow down the circuit under test (CUT) signal transitions. At capture, this phenomenon is likely to be erroneously recognized as due to delay faults. As a result, a false test fail may be generated, with consequent increase in yield loss. In this paper, we propose two approaches to reduce the PD generated at capture during at-speed test of sequential circuits with scan-based Logic BIST using the Launch-On-Shift scheme. Both approaches increase the correlation between adjacent bits of the scan chains with respect to conventional scan-based LBIST. This way, the AF of the scan chains at capture is reduced. Consequently, the AF of the CUT at capture, thus the PD at capture, is also reduced compared to conventional scan-based LBIST. The former approach, hereinafter referred to as Low-Cost Approach (LCA), enables a 50% reduction in the worst case magnitude of PD during conventional logic BIST. It requires a small cost in terms of area overhead (of approximately 1.5% on average), and it does not increase the number of test vectors over the conventional scan-based LBIST to achieve the same Fault Coverage (FC). Moreover, compared to three recent alternative solutions, LCA features a comparable AF in the scan chains at capture, while requiring lower test time and area overhead. The second approach, hereinafter referred to as High-Reduction Approach (HRA), enables scalable PD reductions at capture of up to 87%, with limited additional costs in terms of area overhead and number of required test vectors for a given target FC, over our LCA approach. Particularly, compared to two of the three recent alternative solutions mentioned above, HRA enables a significantly lower AF in the scan chains during the application of test vectors, while requiring either a comparable area overhead or a significantly lower test time. Compared to the remaining alternative solutions mentioned above, HRA enables a similar AF in the scan chains at capture (approximately 90% lower than conventional scan-based LBIST), while requiring a significantly lower test time (approximately 4.87 times on average lower number of test vectors) and comparable area overhead (of approximately 1.9% on average)

Impact of Bias Temperature Instability on Soft Error Susceptibility

In this paper, we address the issue of analyzing the effects of aging mechanisms on ICs' soft error (SE) susceptibility. In particular, we consider bias temperature instability (BTI), namely negative BTI in pMOS transistors and positive BTI in nMOS transistors that are recognized as the most critical aging mechanisms reducing the reliability of ICs. We show that BTI reduces significantly the critical charge of nodes of combinational circuits during their in-field operation, thus increasing the SE susceptibility of the whole IC. We then propose a time dependent model for SE susceptibility evaluation, enabling the use of adaptive SE hardening approaches, based on the ICs lifetime

Systolic blood pressure reduction during the first 24 h in acute heart failure admission: friend or foe?

Aims: Changes in systolic blood pressure (SBP) during an admission for acute heart failure (AHF), especially those leading to hypotension, have been suggested to increase the risk for adverse outcomes. Methods and results: We analysed associations of SBP decrease during the first 24 h from randomization with serum creatinine changes at the last time-point available (72 h), using linear regression, and with 30- and 180-day outcomes, using Cox regression, in 1257 patients in the VERITAS study. After multivariable adjustment for baseline SBP, greater SBP decrease at 24 h from randomization was associated with greater creatinine increase at 72 h and greater risk for 30-day all-cause death, worsening heart failure (HF) or HF readmission. The hazard ratio (HR) for each 1 mmHg decrease in SBP at 24 h for 30-day death, worsening HF or HF rehospitalization was 1.01 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00–1.02; P = 0.021]. Similarly, the HR for each 1 mmHg decrease in SBP at 24 h for 180-day all-cause mortality was 1.01 (95% CI 1.00–1.03; P = 0.038). The associations between SBP decrease and outcomes did not differ by tezosentan treatment group, although tezosentan treatment was associated with a greater SBP decrease at 24 h. Conclusions: In the current post hoc analysis, SBP decrease during the first 24 h was associated with increased renal impairment and adverse outcomes at 30 and 180 days. Caution, with special attention to blood pressure monitoring, should be exercised when vasodilating agents are given to AHF patients