Effectiveness of ICU Diaries: Improving “Distorted Memories” Encountered during ICU Admission

Background: It is said that after ICU discharge, 40% of patients suffer from acute stress symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, caused by “distorted memories” (memory loss and delusions) due to various treatments in the ICU. This study focused on the quantitative and qualitative effects of ICU diaries on distorted memories that patients encountered during their time in the ICU. Aim: To assess improving distorted memories by providing information during ICU admission to patients to relieve the acute stress symptoms after ICU discharge. Design and Methods: This nonrandomized controlled trial included patients aged ≥20 years who had received treatment for ≥3 days in the ICU. Using ICU memory tool, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Acute Stress Disorder Scale (ASDS) approximately 1 week after ICU discharge, then HADS and ASDS prior to hospital discharge, the change in mean values were compared between two groups (control and intervention) using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The intervention group was surveyed prior to hospital discharge using semi-structured interviews, and descriptions were analyzed by the content analysis method of Krippendorff. Results: Twenty-three participants were included in the control group, and 17 in the intervention group. When comparing subjects with distorted memories between the groups, we found reduced values for HADS anxiety (7.1 ± 3.8 to 5.7 ± 2.7, p = 0.011), HADS depression (8.6 ± 5.0 to 7.2 ± 4.3, p = 0.003), and ASDS (46.9 ± 13.8 to 43.8 ± 11.4, p = 0.012) in the intervention group. Based on the narrations, patients wanted to investigate facts in the ICU diary while having someone help them to remember these events. Conclusion: Improving distorted memories during ICU admissions may relieve acute stress symptoms. In addition, these patients needed someone to investigate facts from the ICU admission.

Synthesization of high-capacity auto-associative memories using complex-valued neural networks

In this paper, a novel design procedure is proposed for synthesizing high-capacity auto-associative memories based on complex-valued neural networks with real-imaginary-type activation functions and constant delays. Stability criteria dependent on external inputs of neural networks are derived. The designed networks can retrieve the stored patterns by external inputs rather than initial conditions. The derivation can memorize the desired patterns with lower-dimensional neural networks than real-valued neural networks, and eliminate spurious equilibria of complex-valued neural networks. One numerical example is provided to show the effectiveness and superiority of the presented results.

Formation of high density TiN nanocrystals and its application in non-volatile memories

Non-volatile memory based on TiN nanocrystal （TiN-NC） charge storage nodes embedded in SiO2 has been fabricated and its electrical properties have been measured. It was found that the density and size distribution of TiN-NCs can be controlled by annealing temperature. The formation of well separated crystalline TiN nano-dots with an average size of 5 nm is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirms the existence of a transition layer of TiNxOy/SiON oxide between TiN-NC and SiO2, which reduces the barrier height of tunnel oxide and thereby enhances programming/erasing speed. The memory device shows a memory window of 2.5V and an endurance cycle throughout 10^5. Its charging mechanism, which is interpreted from the analysis of programming speed （dVth/dt） and the gate leakage versus voltage characteristics （Ig vs Vg）, has been explained by direct tunnelling for tunnel oxide and Fowler Nordheim tunnelling for control oxide at programming voltages lower than 9V, and by Fowler-Nordheim tunnelling for both the oxides at programming voltages higher than 9V.

Brain Interactions between Extinction and Reconsolidation in the Treatment of Fear Memories

Memory traces become labile at the time of retrieval, and this initiates two protein synthesis-dependent processes in the brain: extinction, which inhibits their further retrieval, and reconsolidation, which may enhance retrieval or change the memory’s content. Extinction may itself suffer reconsolidation. Interactions between these processes may be applied to the treatment of fear memories, such as those underlying the post-traumatic stress disorder.

THE CODING GAINS OF MEMORIES

The coding gains including self-gain, mutual-gain and their variations for coding memory are denned, and the formulas for computing the gains are derived. The coding gains, used as the criteria, will be enable us to select an efficient code for memory system design quantitatively. Finally, the numerical results of some examples are analysed and discussed.

Designing current–strain-assisted superconductor–ferromagnet multi-bit memories

Current superconducting memory devices lack the basic quality of high memory density for practical memories,mainly due to the size limitations of superconducting quantum interference devices.Here,we propose a superconductor–ferromagnet bilayer device with strain-pulse-assisted multi-bit ladder-type memory,by using strain-engineered ferromagnet domain structure to control carrier concentration in the superconductor,which is simulated by coupled Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert and Ginzburg–Landau equations.Current-and strain-pulses are observed to deterministically control the resistivity of superconductor for one and two-bit device arrangements.The average carrier concentration of superconductor is observed to have multiple metastable states that can be controllably switched using current-pulse and strain-pulse to determine multiple resistivity states.These findings confirm the eligibility of superconductor–ferromagnet bilayers to be used as ladder-type multibit memories and open a new way for further theoretical and experimental investigations of the cryogenic memories.

Pattern imprinting in deep sub-micron static random access memories induced by total dose irradiation

Pattem imprinting in deep sub-micron static random access memories （SRAMs） during total dose irradiation is inves- tigated in detail. As the dose accumulates, the data pattern of memory cells loading during irradiation is gradually imprinted on their background data pattern. We build a relationship between the memory cell＇s static noise margin （SNM） and the background data, and study the influence of irradiation on the probability density function of ASNM, which is the difference between two data sides＇ SNMs, to discuss the reason for pattern imprinting. Finally, we demonstrate that, for micron and deep sub-micron devices, the mechanism of pattern imprinting is the bias-dependent threshold shift of the transistor, but for a deep sub-micron device the shift results from charge trapping in the shallow trench isolation （STI） oxide rather than from the gate oxide of the micron-device.

Cellular automata modelling of phase-change memories

A novel approach to modelling phase-transition processes in phase change materials used for optical and electrical data storage applications is presented. The model is based on a cellular automaton （CA） approach to predict crystallization behaviour that is linked to thermal and electrical simulations to enable the study of the data writing and erasing processes. The CA approach is shown to be able to predict the evolution of the microstructure during the rapid heating and cooling cycles pertinent to data storage technology, and maps crystallization behaviour on the nanoscale. A simple example based on possible future nonvolatile phase-change random access solid-state memory is presented.

High-Capacity Quantum Associative Memories

We review our models of quantum associative memories that represent the “quantization” of fully coupled neural networks like the Hopfield model. The idea is to replace the classical irreversible attractor dynamics driven by an Ising model with pattern-dependent weights by the reversible rotation of an input quantum state onto an output quantum state consisting of a linear superposition with probability amplitudes peaked on the stored pattern closest to the input in Hamming distance, resulting in a high probability of measuring a memory pattern very similar to the input. The unitary operator implementing this transformation can be formulated as a sequence of one-qubit and two-qubit elementary quantum gates and is thus the exponential of an ordered quantum Ising model with sequential operations and with pattern-dependent interactions, exactly as in the classical case. Probabilistic quantum memories, that make use of postselection of the measurement result of control qubits, overcome the famed linear storage limitation of their classical counterparts because they permit to completely eliminate crosstalk and spurious memories. The number of control qubits plays the role of an inverse fictitious temperature. The accuracy of pattern retrieval can be tuned by lowering the fictitious temperature under a critical value for quantum content association while the complexity of the retrieval algorithm remains polynomial for any number of patterns polynomial in the number of qubits. These models thus solve the capacity shortage problem of classical associative memories, providing a polynomial improvement in capacity. The price to pay is the probabilistic nature of information retrieval.

Literary Memories, Historical Amnesia

The basic interest of this text is certain aspects in the relation between literature, history, and memory. Particullary, this relation has been examined through the prism of subverting the traditionally established distinction between history and literature, in which certain types of memory have its own contribution. The main focus, for that purpose, is based on the concepts ofpostmemory, secondary memory, apocryphal history, creative anachronism and figures of memory, and their applicative capacities concerning particular theme fields which express common interest both for history and literature

A Formal Analysis of Audio-video Montage in Modern Chinese Movie,My Memories of Old Beijing

My Memories of Old Beijing,from the perspective of contemporary Aesthetics,explores the position of people in the multicontext-overlapping society,including pre-modern,modern,post-modern eras,by the mechanism of Audio-video Montage.Its aesthetic significance lies in its representation of one way to revolt against fate in the course of Chinese modernization,its effective change of realistic people’s emotional structure,and hence one modern form of tragic humanism.

Fabrication and Characteristics of Nano-Floating Gate Memories with ZnO Nano-Crystals as Charge-Storage Layer

Nano-floating gate memory devices with ZnO nano-crystals as charge storage layers are fabricated,and the influence of post-deposition annealing temperature and thickness of the ZnO layer are investigated.Atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy reveal the morphology of discrete ZnO nano-crystals.For capacitance-voltage measurements,it is found that the memory device with 1.5 nm ZnO and annealed at 700℃shows a larger memory window of 4.3 V（at±6 V）and better retention characteristics than memoriy devices with2.5 nm ZnO or annealed at other temperatures.These results indicate that the nano-floating gate memory with ZnO nano-crystals can obtain good trade-off memory properties.

The Evolving Narrative of Reminiscence: A Review on A Study of the Writing of the Memories in Philip Roth’s Fiction

Based on a detailed analysis of all the works written by contemporary American writer Philip Roth,Xin Huimin’s monograph A Study of the Writing of the Memories in Philip Roth’s Fiction divides his literary writing career of more than half a century into three phases:the Jewish writing phase,the American writing phase and the phase of“late style”writing.Drawing on related theories of memory,Xin explores how the protagonists in Roth’s seven novels use their various modes of memory to fashion and reconstruct their ethnical,national and personal identity,and further points out that these three distinct phases correspond to Roth’s shifts from a Jewish writer,an American writer,and to an aging writer.The book comprehensively manifests Roth’s ethical concerns,his political appeal and the aesthetic value of his works.

The Role of Photographs and Time Lag on Positivity Ratings of Vaca­tion and Weekend Memories

Two studies examined the question of whether photograph taking of an event influences the positivity of the evaluations of the event at a later point in time.Memories of photographed events yielded higher positivity ratings than memories that were not photographed.Although we expected fading of positivity ratings to occur more slowly over a period of two months for memories of photographed events,we found faster affect fading for those memories in Study 2 instead.The findings of the two studies support the idea that taking photographs of events sustains the affective reconstruction of autobiographical memories,regardless of whether these events are special,such as vacation memories,or more mundane,such as memories of the past weekend.

Hippocampal Pallium and Map-Like Memories through Vertebrate Evolution

The hippocampus in humans and other mammals is essential for episodic and relational memories. Comparative evidence indicates that a hippocampal pallium homologue is present in birds, reptiles, amphibians, ray-finned fishes, cartilaginous fishes and agnathans. Some of their characteristics, such as the topological position and the pattern of connectivity, appear remarkably well conserved. We review here substantial data showing that in all the vertebrate groups studied up to date, from fish to mammals, the hippocampus plays a fundamental role in spatial memory. In these vertebrates groups, the hippocampal pallium homologue is involved in the use of map-like, relational representations of the objective space that provide stable allocentric frames of reference, thus allowing flexible navigation. These similarities suggest a common evolutionary ancestry and indicate that the functional properties of the hippocampus appear early in the vertebrate phylogenesis and are retained through the independent evolution of the vertebrate lineages.

It Takes a Long Journey to Trace Fond Memories

ScrOLLINGalongalake,JosephS.Fermrememberedthathisjourneyintothepastandpresentdidnotcomeeasily."Itwasn'tuntilJanuaryofthisyear,whenNewMexicoTechnetbegantoofferinternetaccesstoCarrizozo,thatitbecamePOssibleformetomakecontactwithChina,"saidFerm.Hisfirst...

A Case Study of Translation of Memories of Qingdao(Excerpt) from the Perspective of Semantic Translation

The author's practice of translation—Memories of Qingdao is selected from Liang Shiqiu's works, and he is a Chinese famous contemporary prose writer. The Chinese original version of Memories of Qingdao doesn't have its English translation yet,and this part is also selected as English World Cup's competition text in 2019. The study object in this thesis is the translation practice of Memories of Qingdao and the main theoretical foundation is semantic translation, combining with communicative translation as the auxiliary translation theory to modify and improve the translation text. This aim of this translation practice report is to introduce Chinese excellent literary works to foreign readers as well as to spread Chinese excellent cultures. Meanwhile, its purpose also includes the self-promotion of literary connotation and translation competence, providing more conference in the field of literary translation.

Effects of Film Thickness and Ar/O2 Ratio on Resistive Switching Characteristics of HfOx-Based Resistive-Switching Random Access Memories

Cu/HfOx/n^＋Si devices are fabricated to investigate the influence of technological parameters including film thickness and Ar/02 ratio on the resistive switching （RS） characteristics of HfOx films, in terms of switch ratio, endurance properties, retention time and multilevel storage. It is revealed that the RS characteristics show strong dependence on technological parameters mainly by altering the defects （oxygen vacancies） in the film. The sample with thickness of 2Onto and Ar/O2 ratio of 12：3 exhibits the best RS behavior with the potential of multilevel storage. The conduction mechanism of all the films is interpreted based on the filamentary model.

Prudent Memories

AMONG his many titles, which include honorifics like Secretary General, Vice Minister and Ambassadorial Commercial Counselor, Africa Expert may be the best tag for Wei lianguo.