An Experimental and Numerical Study on Glass Frit Wafer-to-Wafer Bonding

A thermo-mechanical wafer-to-wafer bonding process is studied through experiments on the glass frit material and thermo-mechanical numerical simulations to evaluate the effect of the residual stresses on the wafer warpage. To experimentally characterize the material, confocal laser profilometry and scanning electron microscopy for surface observation, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy for microstructural investigation, and nanoindentation and die shear tests for the evaluation of mechanical properties are used. An average effective Young’s modulus of 86.5 ± 9.5 GPa, a Poisson’s ratio of 0.19 ± 0.02, and a hardness of 5.26 ± 0.8 GPa were measured through nanoindentation for the glass frit material. The lowest nominal shear strength ranged 1.13 ÷ 1.58 MPa in the strain rate interval to 0.33 ÷ 4.99 × 10 (Formula presented.) s (Formula presented.). To validate the thermo-mechanical model, numerical results are compared with experimental measurements of the out-of-plane displacements at the wafer surface (i.e., warpage), showing acceptable agreement

Electrical transport and ferromagnetism in Ga1-xMnxAs synthesized by ion implantation and pulsed-laser melting

We present a detailed investigation of the magnetic and magnetotransport properties of thin films of ferromagnetic Ga1-xMnxAs synthesized using ion implantation and pulsed-laser melting (II-PLM). The field and temperature-dependent magnetization, magnetic anisotropy, temperature-dependent resistivity, magnetoresistance, and Hall effect of II-PLM Ga1-xMnxAs films have all of the characteristic signatures of the strong p-d interaction of holes and Mn ions observed in the dilute hole-mediated ferromagnetic phase. The ferromagnetic and electrical transport properties of II-PLM films correspond to the peak substitutional Mn concentration meaning that the non-uniform Mn depth distribution is unimportant in determining the film properties. Good quantitative agreement is found with films grown by low temperature molecular beam epitaxy (LT-MBE) and having the similar substitutional Mn_Ga composition. Additionally, we demonstrate that II-PLM Ga1-xMnxAs films are free from interstitial Mn_I because of the high temperature processing. At high Mn implantation doses the kinetics of solute redistribution during solidification alone determine the maximum resulting Mn_Ga concentration. Uniaxial anisotropy between in-plane [-110]and [110] directions is present in II-PLM Ga1-xMnxAs giving evidence for this being an intrinsic property of the carrier-mediated ferromagnetic phase

Beneficial effect of high energy intake at lunch rather than dinner on weight loss in healthy obese women in a weight-loss program: a randomized clinical trial

ABSTRACT Background: The association between the time of nutrient intake and health has been described in a few studies. To our knowledge, no study has evaluated the relation between high energy intakes at lunch compared with at dinner on weight loss in overweight and obese subjects. Objective: We compared the effect of high energy intake at lunch with that at dinner on weight loss and cardiometabolic risk factors in women during a weight-loss program. Design: Overweight and obese women [n = 80; body mass index (BMI; in kg/m2): 27–35; age: 18–45 y] were asked to eat either a main meal at lunch (LM) or a main meal at dinner (DM) for 12 wk while in a weight-loss program. Results: A total of 80 participants were randomly assigned to one of 2 intervention groups. Sixty-nine subjects (86%) completed the trial (34 subjects in the DM group, and 35 subjects in the LM group). Baseline variables were not significantly different between groups. A significant reduction in anthropometric measurements and significant improvements in cardiometabolic risk characteristics were observed over 12 wk in both groups. Compared with the DM group, the LM group had greater mean 6 SD reductions in weight (LM: 25.85 6 1.96 kg; DM: 24.35 6 1.98 kg; P = 0.003), BMI (LM: 2.276 0.76; DM: 1.68 6 0.76; P = 0.003), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (LM: 20.66 6 0.33; DM: 20.46 6 0.24; P = 0.001), and fasting insulin (LM: 22.01 6 1.10 mIU/mL; DM: 21.16 6 0.72 mIU/mL; P , 0.001) after 12 wk. However, there were no significant differences for fasting plasma glucose and lipid profiles within both groups after 12 wk. Conclusions: The consumption of higher energy intake at lunch compared with at dinner may result in favorable changes in weight loss in overweight and obese women after a weight-loss program of 12 wk. The consumption may also offer clinical benefits to improve insulin resistance. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02399280. Am J Clin Nutr doi: 10.3945/ajcn.116.134163

Effect of a long bout versus short bouts of walking on weight loss during a weight loss diet: a randomized trial

Objective: To evaluate the effect of different daily physical activity (PA) frequencies while maintaining the same daily volume of PA on weight loss, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, in women with overweight/obesity throughout a 24- week intervention.Methods: 65 women [BMI = 27- 35 kg/m²; age= 18-40 y] who had a sedentary lifestyle were randomly allocated to include either a longer-bout of PA (LBP), 50 min/d moderate-intensity PA, or two shorter-bouts of PA (SBP), two 25 min/d moderate intensity PA, 6 d/week during their weight loss plan. Anthropometric and blood measurements were taken at baseline and 24 weeks.Results: Compared with the LBP group, the SBP group had a greater decrease in weight (SBP: -8.08 ± 2.20 kg; LBP: -6.39 ± 2.28 kg; P = 0.019), BMI (SBP: -3.11 ± 0.87 kg/m²; LBP: -2.47 ± 0.86 kg/m², P=0.027) and waist circumference (SBP: -8.78 ± 2.62 cm; LBP: -5.76 ± 2.03 cm; P = 0.026). No significant differences were seen in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism characteristics after the 24 weeks.Conclusion: PA undertaken in 2 shorter-bouts per day could be more effective for weight loss than when undertaken in a daily long-bout in adult women on a 24 wk weight loss program

Irregular meal pattern-effects on energy expenditure, metabolism and appetite regulation: a randomized controlled trial in healthy normal-weight women

Background: Obesity is increasing in parallel with greater all-day food availability. The latter may promote meal irregularity, dysregulation of the energy balance, and poor metabolic health. Objective: We investigated the effect of meal irregularity on the thermic effect of food (TEF), lipid concentrations, carbohydrate metabolism, subjective appetite, and gut hormones in healthy women. Design: Eleven normal-weight women (18–40 y of age) were recruited in a randomized crossover trial with two 14-d isoenergetic diet periods (identical foods provided and free living) that were separated by a 14-d habitual diet washout period. In period 1, participants followed a regular meal pattern (6 meals/d) or an irregular meal pattern (3–9 meals/d), and in period 2, the alternative meal pattern was followed. Before and after each period, when participants were fasting and for 3 h after intake of a test drink, measurements were taken of energy expenditure, circulating glucose, lipids (fasting only), insulin, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), peptide YY (PYY), and ghrelin. An ad libitum test meal was offered. Subjective appetite ratings were assessed while fasting, after the test drink, after the ad libitum meal, and during the intervention. Continuous interstitial glucose monitoring was undertaken for 3 consecutive days during each intervention, and the ambulatory activity pattern was recorded (ambulatory energy expenditure estimation). Results: Regularity was associated with a greater TEF (P , 0.05) and a lower incremental area under the curve (iAUC) for glucose after intake of the test drink (over 3 h) and, for some identical meals, during the 2 interventions (over 90 min) (day 7: after breakfast; day 9: after lunch and dinner). There was no difference between treatments for the test-drink gut hormone response. A time effect was noted for fasting GLP-1, fasting PYY, PYY responses, and hunger-rating responses to the test drink (P ˂ 0.05). Lower hunger and higher fullness ratings were seen premeal and postmeal during the regular period while subjects were free living. Conclusion: Meal regularity appears to be associated with greater TEF and lower glucose responses, which may favor weight management and metabolic health. This trial was registered at clinical trials.gov as NCT02052076

An investigation of the effect of powder flowability on the powder spreading in additive manufacturing

Identification of the most reliable method to characterise powder flow behaviour in correlation with the conditions of powder spreading in additive manufacturing (AM) is still challenging. In this study, a number of standard and advanced flowability techniques were used to characterise the flowability of two grades of Ti6Al4V powder (gas atomized, GA, and hydride-dehydride, HDH) used for the powder bed fusion (PBF) based AM. In parallel, the powder spreading behaviour was characterised using an in-house spreading rig. It is found that GA powder has better spreading behaviour than HDH, owing to its better flowability due to the regular particle shapes. However, none of the flow test techniques investigated in this paper can offer a correlation between the dynamic powder flow and powder spreadability at varying speeds. The study in this work has revealed the shortcomings in correlating the flowability of powder and their spreadability under real process conditions

The causal role of breakfast in energy balance and health: a randomized controlled trial in lean adults

Background: Popular beliefs that breakfast is the most important meal of the day are grounded in cross-sectional observations that link breakfast to health, the causal nature of which remains to be explored under real-life conditions. Objective: The aim was to conduct a randomized controlled trial examining causal links between breakfast habits and all components of energy balance in free-living humans. Design: The Bath Breakfast Project is a randomized controlled trial with repeated-measures at baseline and follow-up in a cohort in southwest England aged 21–60 y with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry–derived fat mass indexes #11 kg/m2 in women (n = 21) and #7.5 kg/m2 in men (n = 12). Components of energy balance (resting metabolic rate, physical activity thermogenesis, energy intake) and 24-h glycemic responses were measured under free-living conditions with random allocation to daily breakfast ($700 kcal before 1100) or extended fasting (0 kcal until 1200) for 6 wk, with baseline and follow-up measures of health markers (eg, hematology/biopsies). Results: Contrary to popular belief, there was no metabolic adaptation to breakfast (eg, resting metabolic rate stable within 11 kcal/d), with limited subsequent suppression of appetite (energy intake remained 539 kcal/d greater than after fasting; 95% CI: 157, 920 kcal/d). Rather, physical activity thermogenesis was markedly higher with breakfast than with fasting (442 kcal/d; 95% CI: 34, 851 kcal/d). Body mass and adiposity did not differ between treatments at baseline or follow-up and neither did adipose tissue glucose uptake or systemic indexes of cardiovascular health. Continuously measured glycemia was more variable during the afternoon and evening with fasting than with breakfast by the final week of the intervention (CV: 3.9%; 95% CI: 0.1%, 7.8%). Conclusions: Daily breakfast is causally linked to higher physical activity thermogenesis in lean adults, with greater overall dietary energy intake but no change in resting metabolism. Cardiovascular health indexes were unaffected by either of the treatments, but breakfast maintained more stable afternoon and evening glycemia than did fasting

Biphasic insulin Aspart 30 vs. NPH plus regular human insulin in type 2 diabetes patients; a cost-effectiveness study

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy, safety, costs, and cost-effectiveness of biphasic insulin aspart 30 (BIAsp 30) with NPH plus regular human insulin (NPH/Reg) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: It was a Single-center, parallel-group, randomized, clinical trial (Trial Registration: NCT01889095). One hundred and seventy four T2DM patients with poorly controlled diabetes (HbA1c � 8 (63.9 mmol/mol)) were randomly assigned to trial arms (BIAsp 30 and NPH/Reg) and were followed up for 48 weeks. BIAsp 30 was started at an initial dose of 0.2-0.6 IU/Kg in two divided doses and was titrated according to the glycemic status of the patient. Similarly, NPH/Reg insulin was initiated at a dose of 0.2-0.6 IU/Kg with a 2:1 ratio and was subsequently titrated. Level of glycemic control, hypoglycemic events, direct and indirect costs, quality adjusted life year (QALY) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio have been assessed. Results: HbA1c, Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and two-hour post-prandial glucose (PPG) were improved in both groups during the study (P < 0.05 for all analyses). Lower frequencies of minor, major, and nocturnal hypoglycemic episodes were observed with BIAsp 30 (P < 0.05). Additionally, BIAsp 30 was associated with less weight gain and also higher QALYs (P < 0.05). Total medical and non-medical costs were significantly lower with BIAsp 30 as compared with NPH/Reg (930.55 ± 81.43 USD vs. 1101.24 ± 165.49 USD, P = 0.004). Moreover, BIAsp 30 showed lower ICER as a dominant alternative. Conclusions: Despite being more expensive, BIAsp 30 offers the same glycemic control as to NPH/Reg dose-dependently and also appears to cause fewer hypoglycemic events and to be more cost-effective in Iranian patients with type 2 diabetes. © 2016 The Author(s)