Impact ionization-induced bistability in CMOS transistors at cryogenic temperatures for capacitorless memory applications

Cryogenic operation of complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) silicon transistors is crucial for quantum information science, but it brings deviations from standard transistor operation. Here, we report on sharp current jumps and stable hysteretic loops in the drain current as a function of gate voltage V _G for both n- and p-type commercial-foundry 180-nm-process CMOS transistors when operated at voltages exceeding 1.3 V at cryogenic temperatures. The physical mechanism responsible for the device bistability is impact ionization charging of the transistor body, which leads to effective back-gating of the inversion channel. This mechanism is verified by independent measurements of the body potential. The hysteretic loops, which have a >10⁷ ratio of high to low drain current states at the same V _G, can be used for a compact capacitorless single-transistor memory at cryogenic temperatures with long retention times.

Early initiation of community-based programmes in Nepal: a historic reflection

Community-based programmes have long been an integral part of Nepal's health sector strategy and has contributed to the progress seen in maternal and child health. This paper reviews three early community-based programmes - the acute respiratory infection programme and its evolution to the fully scaled-up community-based integrated management of childhood illness programme, the national vitamin A programme and the female community health volunteer programme - and how the Government of Nepal rapidly accepted them to address pressing maternal and child health issues in an evidence-informed manner, moving rapidly from research to feasibility studies, to implementation and scale-up.

Fitting Community Based Newborn Care Package into the health systems of Nepal

Community-based strategies for delivering effective newborn interventions are an essential step to avert newborn death, in settings where the health facilities are unable to effectively deliver the interventions and reach their population. Effective implementation of community-based interventions as a large scale program and within the existing health system depends on the appropriate design and planning, monitoring and support systems. This article provides an overview of implementation design of Community-Based Newborn Care Package (CB-NCP) program, its setup within the health system, and early results of the implementation from one of the pilot districts. The evaluation of CB-NCP in one of the pilot districts shows significant improvement in antenatal, intrapartum and post natal care. The implementation design of the CB-NCP has six different health system management functions: i) district planning and orientation, ii) training/human resource development, iii) monitoring and evaluation, iv) logistics and supply chain management, v) communication strategy, and vi) pay for performance. The CB-NCP program embraced the existing system of monitoring with some additional components for the pilot phase to test implementation feasibility, and aligns with existing safe motherhood and child health programs. Though CB-NCP interventions are proven independently in different local and global contexts, they are piloted in 10 districts as a "package" within the national health system settings of Nepal.

Abdominal Lump: A Diagnostic Dilemma

Abdomen is a Pandora's Box. During our routine patient evaluation we come across different types of abdominal lumps out of which some are straight forward and diagnosed after routine clinical examinations and available investigations. At times these abdominal lumps present differently from their usual presentations and create confusions despite undergoing necessary investigations. The truth is explored only after opening the Pandora's Box. We present a case of 21 years old male who presented with history of gradually increasing right sided upper abdominal lump of three years duration. He was thoroughly investigated with USG and CT scan abdomen along with other supportive investigations and was diagnosed to have Hydatid cyst of liver. Accordingly patient was prepared for surgery and it was only at the time of laparotomy that he was found to have right sided giant hydronephrosis with a nonviable renal parenchymal tissue. He underwent right sided nephrectomy and had a good postoperative recovery. So at times the abdominal lumps keep on creating diagnostic dilemmas.Key words: abdominal lump, giant hydronephrosis