Delay Time Reliability of Analog and Digital Delay Elements for Time-to-Digital Converter
In this paper, the delay times were evaluated to develop highly reliable time-to-digital converter(TDC) in analog and digital delay element structures. The delay element can be designed by using current source or inverter. In case of using inverter, the number of inverter has to be controlled to adjust the delay time. And in case of using current source, the current for charging and discharging is controlled. When the current source is used the delay time of the delay element is not sensitive with varying the channel width of CMOS. However, when the inverter is used the delay time is directly related to the channel width of CMOS. Therefore to obtain good reliability in TDC circuit the delay element using current source is more stable compared to inverter in the viewpoint of the variation of fabrication process.
Design of SVC-based Multicasting System Preserving Scalable Security
Scalable video coding (SVC) has been standardized as an extension of the H.264/AVC standard. SVC allows straightforward adaptation of video streams by providing layered bit streams. In this paper, we propose a SVC video-based multicasting system preserving scalable security which is able to provide a SVC video service while maintaining information security. In order to maintain information security between a server and a client during all transmission time, the proposed system immediately performs a packet filtering process without decoding with respect to encrypted data received in a routing device, thereby reducing an amount of calculations and latency.
Human exposure to methylmercury from crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) in China
Methylmercury (MeHg) accumulation in aquatic food raises global concerns about human exposure to MeHg. Crayfish is the world’s third largest farmed crustacean species and a favorite aquatic food in many countries. However, human health hazard due to MeHg exposure via crayfish consumption is unclear, partly because appropriate survey data are lacking. We report on mercury concentrations and speciation in edible tail muscle of crayfish collected from restaurants in 23 Chinese cities. On average, MeHg constituted 99.1 % of mercury in tail muscle, and MeHg concentrations were comparable with those reported for fish in China. Variation in MeHg concentrations was not attributable to broad geographic region (i.e., provinces) or tail length. For different populations, potential health risk (characterized by hazard quotient or HQ) of MeHg exposure through crayfish consumption depended largely on crayfish consumption rates. In particular, a health hazard (HQ > 1) was found for high-rate consumers (i.e., 95 %ile or higher) in some cities in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (MLYR), during the peak consumption season. Our results suggest that more attention should be paid to dietary MeHg intake via crayfish consumption in China, particularly for communities with high consumption in MLYR.