Abstract: The present disclosure provides expression vectors comprising at least two nucleic acid sequences, namely a nucleic acid sequence encoding an anti-HPRT RNAi, and a nucleic acid sequence encoding a Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome protein. In some embodiments, the expression vector is a self-inactivating lentiviral vector. In some embodiments, the Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome protein is used to alleviate the pathologies associated with Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first voltage decrease detection circuit that has a first comparator circuit that compares a supply voltage in the integrated circuit to a threshold voltage to generate a first detection signal that indicates a decrease in the supply voltage, and a first timestamp storage circuit that stores a first timestamp in response to the first detection signal indicating the decrease. The integrated circuit includes a second voltage decrease detection circuit that has a second comparator circuit that compares the supply voltage to the threshold voltage to generate a second detection signal that indicates the decrease, and a second timestamp storage circuit that stores a second timestamp in response to the second detection signal indicating the decrease. The integrated circuit includes a control circuit that determines a location of a source of the decrease in the integrated circuit based on the first and the second timestamps.

Abstract: A silicon-controlled-rectifier electrostatic protection structure and a fabrication method are provided. The structure includes: a substrate of P-type; a first N-type well; a second N-type well; a third N-type well; an anode P-type doped region in the first N-type well; second N-type doped regions at sides of the first N-type well; first P-type doped regions at sides of the first N-type well; third N-type doped regions at sides of the first N-type well; gate structures and fourth N-type doped regions at the sides of the first N-type well; and fifth N-type doped regions at the sides of the first N-type well. The fourth N-type doped regions and the third N-type doped regions are disposed at sides of each of the gate structures along a first direction respectively.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first dielectric layer over a substrate, the first dielectric layer including a first dielectric material extending from a first side of the first dielectric layer distal from the substrate to a second side of the first dielectric layer opposing the first side; a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer; a conductive line in the first dielectric layer, the conductive line including a first conductive material, an upper surface of the conductive line being closer to the substrate than an upper surface of the first dielectric layer; a metal cap in the first dielectric layer, the metal cap being over and physically connected to the conductive line, the metal cap including a second conductive material different from the first conductive material; and a via in the second dielectric layer and physically connected to the metal cap, the via including the second conductive material.

Abstract: A method includes forming a first gate structure over a substrate, where the first gate structure is surrounded by a first dielectric layer; and forming a mask structure over the first gate structure and over the first dielectric layer, where forming the mask structure includes selectively forming a first capping layer over an upper surface of the first gate structure; and forming a second dielectric layer around the first capping layer. The method further includes forming a patterned dielectric layer over the mask structure, the patterned dielectric layer exposing a portion of the mask structure; removing the exposed portion of the mask structure and a portion of the first dielectric layer underlying the exposed portion of the mask structure, thereby forming a recess exposing a source/drain region adjacent to the first gate structure; and filling the recess with a conductive material.

Abstract: In some implementations, a method is provided. The method includes obtaining an image depicting an environment where an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV) is located. The method also includes determining, using a first neural network, a plurality of line indicators based on the image. The plurality of line indicators represent one or more lanes in the environment. The method further includes determining, using a second neural network, a vanishing point within the image based on the plurality of line segments. The second neural network is communicatively coupled to the first neural network. The plurality of line indicators is determined simultaneously with the vanishing point. The method further includes calibrating one or more sensors based of the autonomous driving vehicle based on the vanishing point.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods of forming are provided. In some embodiments the semiconductor device includes a substrate, and a dielectric layer over the substrate. A first conductive feature is included in the dielectric layer, the first conductive feature comprising a first number of material layers. A second conductive feature is included in the dielectric layer, the second conductive feature comprising a second number of material layers, where the second number is higher than the first number. A first electrical connector is included overlying the first conductive feature.

Abstract: An abrasive slurry composition for chemical mechanical planarization/polishing (CMP) is provided. The abrasive slurry includes colloidal alumina, a dispersant, and a pH buffer. The colloidal alumina has a particle size of between about 5 nm and about 100 nm. The colloidal alumina may be alpha phase material having a first hardness of about 9 Mohs, or gamma phase material having a second hardness of about 8 Mohs. The abrasive slurry may further include polyacrylic acid (PAA), a down-force enhancer, or a polish-rate inhibitor.

Abstract: Disclosed is an equivalent friction coefficient measurement apparatus for a rolling bearing. The apparatus comprises a machine body, a rotary shafting, a sliding seat, a rotational velocity sensor and a data acquisition/processing/calculation/display system. The rotary shafting comprises a mandrel and two support bearings supporting the mandrel. The support bearings are configured as air-floating spindle assemblies or measured rolling bearings or the air-floating spindle assembly and the measured rolling bearing. The rotational velocity sensor is configured to monitor an angular velocity of gyration of the mandrel.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a device includes exposing at least one of a source/drain contact plug or a gate contact plug to a metal ion source solution during a manufacturing process, wherein a constituent metal of a metal ion in the metal ion source solution and the at least one source/drain contact plug or gate contact plug is the same. If the source/drain contact plug or the gate contact plug is formed of cobalt, the metal ion source solution includes a cobalt ion source solution. If the source/drain contact plug or the gate contact plug is formed of tungsten, the metal ion source solution includes a tungsten ion source solution.

Abstract: The current disclosure describes techniques of protecting a metal interconnect structure from being damaged by subsequent chemical mechanical polishing processes used for forming other metal structures over the metal interconnect structure. The metal interconnect structure is receded to form a recess between the metal interconnect structure and the surrounding dielectric layer. A metal cap structure is formed within the recess. An upper portion of the dielectric layer is strained to include a tensile stress which expands the dielectric layer against the metal cap structure to reduce or eliminate a gap in the interface between the metal cap structure and the dielectric layer.

Abstract: When the heading machine tunnels, a current generated by a current excitation source enters a coal seam through a movable cutting pick to form a stray current. The stray current collected by a backflow net returns to a negative electrode of a power supply through a transition resistor. When information such as the water content of the coal seam changes, the stray current and a potential difference across the transition resistor also accordingly change, and the coal seam water content information is converted into an electric signal. When the potential difference across the transition resistor is applied to two ends of a piezoelectric ceramic, the piezoelectric ceramic extends or compresses, and the electric signal is converted into a strain signal. A sensing optical fiber converts the strain signal into an optical signal detectable by a photoelectric detector. The optical signal is analyzed to obtain the coal seam water content information.

Abstract: The current disclosure describes a metal surface chemical mechanical polishing technique. A complex agent or micelle is included in the metal CMP slurry. The complex agent bonds with the oxidizer contained in the CMP slurry to form a complex, e.g., a supramolecular assembly, with an oxidizer molecule in the core of the assembly and surrounded by the complex agent molecule(s). The formed complexes have an enlarged size.

Abstract: When the heading machine tunnels, a current generated by a current excitation source enters a coal seam through a movable cutting pick to form a stray current. The stray current collected by a backflow net returns to a negative electrode of a power supply through a transition resistor. When information such as the water content of the coal seam changes, the stray current and a potential difference across the transition resistor also accordingly change, and the coal seam water content information is converted into an electric signal. When the potential difference across the transition resistor is applied to two ends of a piezoelectric ceramic, the piezoelectric ceramic extends or compresses, and the electric signal is converted into a strain signal. A sensing optical fiber converts the strain signal into an optical signal detectable by a photoelectric detector. The optical signal is analyzed to obtain the coal seam water content information.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical planarization apparatus includes a multi-zone platen comprising a plurality of individually controlled concentric toroids. The rotation direction, rotation speed, applied force, relative height, and temperature of each concentric toroid is individually controlled. Concentric polishing pads are affixed to an upper surface of each of the individually controlled concentric toroids. The chemical mechanical planarization apparatus includes a single central slurry source or includes individual slurry sources for each individually controlled concentric toroid.

Abstract: A polishing platform of a polishing apparatus includes a platen, a polishing pad, and an electric field element disposed between the platen and the polishing pad. The polishing apparatus further includes a controller configured to apply voltages to the electric field element. A first voltage is applied to the electric field element to attract charged particles of a polishing slurry toward the polishing pad. The attracted particles reduce overall topographic variation of a polishing surface presented to a workpiece for polishing. A second voltage is applied to the electric field element to attract additional charged particles of the polishing slurry toward the polishing pad. The additional attracted particles further reduce overall topographic variation of the polishing surface presented to the workpiece. A third voltage is applied to the electric field element to repel charged particles of the polishing slurry away from the polishing pad for improved cleaning thereof.

Abstract: Embodiments of this application disclose a method, an apparatus, and a system for implementing data transmission. The method includes: obtaining, by a sending device, a data packet in a target data flow; and sending the data packet through each of at least two physical links between the sending device and a receiving device, where the data packet sent through each of the at least two physical links includes a same sequence number. Because the data packet in the target data flow is sent through different physical links, not through only one physical link, when a transmission latency of the data packet is increased due to a bandwidth instability factor such as burst traffic or electromagnetic wave interference on any physical link, the receiving device can combine, into a target video flow, data packets that are sent through other physical links and that have a lower latency.

Abstract: A data transmission method includes: obtaining, by a sending device, data packets of a target data flow; and sending the data packets of the target data flow to a receiving device through at least two physical links between the sending device and the receiving device in a load balancing mode, where each data packet that is of the target data flow and that is sent in the load balancing mode carries a primary sequence number, the sent data packets of the target data flow have consecutive primary sequence numbers, and the primary sequence numbers are used by the receiving device to order data packets that are received from different physical links and that belong to the target data flow.

Abstract: Embodiments of automated assay processing systems and methods are disclosed. In an example, an assay automation system includes an assay processing tube, a magnet, and a controller. The assay processing tube has a right arm and a left arm, the right arm having an opening for receiving reagent transferred from a reagent tube being held in one of the tube-holding arms of the reagent tube holder, the assay processing tube being driven to rotate. The magnet is driven to move vertically. The controller is configured to control coordinated movements of the assay processing tube and the magnet to perform an assay processing sequence.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a set of bounding box candidates are plotted onto a 2D space based on their respective dimension (e.g., widths and heights). The bounding box candidates are clustered on the 2D space based on the distribution density of the bounding box candidates. For each of the clusters of the bounding box candidates, an anchor box is determined to represent the corresponding cluster. A neural network model is trained based on the anchor boxes representing the clusters. The neural network model is utilized to detect or recognize objects based on images and/or point clouds captured by a sensor (e.g., camera, LIDAR, and/or RADAR) of an autonomous driving vehicle.