Protection and filtering functions are provided for external circuits by internal circuits that use controlled elements. The level of the transmitted signal is influenced in such a manner that the level difference which is determined is maintained approximately at a predetermined level difference so as to compensate for level fluctuations in the transmitted signal caused by different cables and environmental influences. The series circuit with the first semiconductor device and the second semiconductor devices are connected between the load terminals of the rectifier circuit. Such methods also comprise orally administering cyromazine, wherein said administering results in the presence of an insecticidal amount of cyromazine in the feces of the animal being treated. For instance, a substrate may have a portion with a <100> crystal orientation along a top and sidewalls of an NMOS tri-gate transistor and another portion having a <110> crystal orientation along parallel top and sidewall surfaces of a PMOS tri-gate transistor.