Abstract: Methods are provided for treating a subject for a condition caused by an abnormality in the subject's autonomic nervous system. In accordance with the subject methods, at least a portion of a subject's autonomic nervous system is electrically modulated to increase the parasympathetic activity/sympathetic activity ratio in a manner that is effective to treat the subject for the condition. Certain embodiments include electrically modulating at least a portion of a subject's autonomic nervous system by inhibiting and/or increasing activity in at least a portion of the subject's autonomic nervous system. The subject methods find use in the treatment of a variety of different conditions, where such conditions include various disease conditions. Also provided are systems and kits for use in practicing the subject methods.

Abstract: Dynamic sampling systems for fabrication with inspection control are provided. In embodiments of a fabrication system comprising a processing tool, inspection tool, and a controller, the processing tool performs a fabrication process on a workpiece associated with identification information. The inspection tool performs an inspection step on the workpiece. The controller, coupled to the processing and inspection tools, determines whether the processing tool corresponds to an inspection result obtained during a preset time period, and determines whether the workpiece is to be inspected by the inspection tool accordingly.

Abstract: Methods are provided for treating a subject for a condition caused by an abnormality in the subject's autonomic nervous system. In accordance with the subject methods, at least a portion of a subject's autonomic nervous system is electrically modulated to increase the parasympathetic activity/sympathetic activity ratio in a manner that is effective to treat the subject for the condition. Certain embodiments include electrically modulating at least a portion of a subject's autonomic nervous system by inhibiting and/or increasing activity in at least a portion of the subject's autonomic nervous system. The subject methods find use in the treatment of a variety of different conditions, where such conditions include various disease conditions. Also provided are systems and kits for use in practicing the subject methods.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a voltage reference is provided. The circuit may include one or more of the following features: cascode compensation with load balancing to increase the bandwidth of the amplifier for enhanced power supply rejection ratio; PMOS and NMOS in the input stage to expand common mode, having a high gain over voltage range; current mirror using active resistors; and a start-up circuit. The voltage reference comprises an amplifier having an output, the amplifier comprising a first amplifier stage and a second amplifier stage. The amplifier further includes a power-down circuit coupled to the second amplifier stage to float the amplifier output when a power-down signal is active. The voltage reference includes a source follower, the output of the amplifier coupled to the gate of the source follower, and a bandgap circuit for providing a bandgap voltage.

Abstract: A process for producing carbon blacks without the use of a quenching liquid to stop pyrolysis of the effluent in the reactor. In the process of the present invention, the effluent passes from the reaction zone of a furnace carbon black reactor downstream into a lined wall heat exchanger where the effluent is sufficiently cooled to stop pyrolysis. The effluent may be pre-cooled before it enters the lined wall heat exchanger by a quench injecting fluid at a rate substantially lower than in a conventional process wherein all of the fluid is finely atomized in the effluent such that the duration of the presence of liquid phase in the effluent stream is substantially minimized. In a preferred embodiment a cleaning method is utilized to continuously remove deposits from the interior walls of the lined wall heat exchanger and/or the secondary cooler.

Abstract: A pseudo-emitter-coupled-logic (PECL) receiver has a wide common-mode range. Two current-mirror CMOS differential amplifiers are used. One amplifier has n-channel differential transistors and a p-channel current mirror, while the second amplifier has p-channel differential transistors and an n-channel current mirror. When the input voltages approach power or ground, one type of differential transistor continues to operate even when the other type shuts off. The outputs of the two amplifiers are connected together and each amplifier receives the same differential input signals. The tail-current transistor is self-biased using the current-mirror's gate-bias. This self biasing of each amplifier eliminates the need for an additional voltage reference and allows each amplifier to adjust its biasing over a wide input-voltage range. Thus the common-mode input range is extended using self biasing and complementary amplifiers.

Abstract: A pseudo-emitter-coupled-logic (PECL) receiver has a wide common-mode range. Two current-mirror CMOS differential amplifiers are used. One amplifier has n-channel differential transistors and a p-channel current mirror, while the second amplifier has p-channel differential transistors and an n-channel current mirror. When the input voltages approach power or ground, one type of differential transistor continues to operate even when the other type shuts off. The outputs of the two amplifiers are connected together and each amplifier receives the same differential input signals. The tail-current transistor is self-biased using the current-mirror's gate-bias. This self biasing of each amplifier eliminates the need for an additional voltage reference and allows each amplifier to adjust its biasing over a wide input-voltage range. Thus the common-mode input range is extended using self biasing and complementary amplifiers.

Abstract: A twisted-pair current driver is implemented in CMOS. EMI from sharp changes in the current driven is reduced by gradually changing the current driven when the inputs change. The current driver is divided into N differential drivers, each driving one-Nth of the total switching current to the twisted pair. Delay lines delay when input changes are sent to each of the four differential drivers, staggering their response. Either binary or multi-level-transition (MLT-3) data can be transmitted. A binary-to-MLT converter uses a dummy flip-flop to match delays and eliminate encoding glitches. Either the binary or the MLT-3 encoded data is coupled to the inputs of the delay lines and the differential drivers. The mid-level for MLT-3 is driven when both the inputs are high, causing the differential drivers to split the current among the two differential outputs to the twisted pair.

Abstract: A differential-output current driver is constructed entirely of CMOS transistors. Pseudo-ECL levels are reached when a standard resistive termination is connected to the outputs. The current driver can also drive a non-standard termination to the PECL levels. The non-standard termination is low power because it does not draw standby current from power to ground. Current from the current sources within the current driver are assigned to either the switching current or the constant current. The constant current is applied directly to the outputs to drive the termination to a bias point. The switching current is applied to a differential pair of transistors which switch the switching current to one or the other of the differential outputs in response to a differential input. The constant current is combined with any switching current output from the differential transistors and applied to the differential outputs to drive the external termination.

Abstract: There is provided a process and apparatus for the production of finely-divided metal and metalloid oxides by flame hydrolysis of corresponding metal and metalloid halides whereby burner fouling is minimized and burner fabrication is facilitated by transpiration of a fuel gas or vapor along the boundaries of each halide-containing stream as it is discharged from the burner into a reaction zone.