Au-SN Flip-Chip Solder Bump for Microelectronic and Optoelectronic Applications

As an alternative to the time-consuming solder pre-forms and pastes currently used, a co-electroplating method of eutectic Au-Sn alloy was used in this study. Using a co-electroplating process, it was possible to plate the Au-Sn solder directly onto a wafer at or near the eutectic composition from a single solution. Two distinct phases, Au5Sn and AuSn, were deposited at a composition of 30at.%Sn. The Au-Sn flip-chip joints were formed at 300 and 400 degrees without using any flux. In the case where the samples were reflowed at 300 degrees, only an (Au,Ni)3Sn2 IMC layer formed at the interface between the Au-Sn solder and Ni UBM. On the other hand, two IMC layers, (Au,Ni)3Sn2 and (Au,Ni)3Sn, were found at the interfaces of the samples reflowed at 400 degrees. As the reflow time increased, the thickness of the (Au,Ni)3Sn2 and (Au,Ni)3Sn IMC layers formed at the interface increased and the eutectic lamellae in the bulk solder coarsened.Comment: Submitted on behalf of TIMA Editions (http://irevues.inist.fr/tima-editions

Efecto de la defoliación post-quema sobre el crecimiento de dos gramíneas nativas en el Caldenal, Argentina

El crecimiento en los pastizales naturales semiáridos puede ser afectado por la longitud de tiempo que el pastoreo es excluido durante el período de regeneración post-fuego. El objetivo de este trabajo a campo fue estudiar el efecto de la defoliación post-fuego en diferentes estados fenológicos: vegetativo (defoliación temprana) y elongación de entrenudos (defoliación tardía) sobre el crecimiento de Piptochaetium napostaense y Poa ligularis, dos gramíneas nativas perennes muy importantes en la región semiárida templada central de Argentina (Caldenal). En general, los tratamientos de defoliación post-quema no afectaron el número de hojas verdes en las macollas de P. napostaense. La defoliación temprana después del tratamiento de fuego generalmente redujo el número de hojas verdes en las macollas de P. ligularis con respecto a las plantas control. Contrariamente, la defoliación tardía usualmente incrementó el número de hojas verdes en las macollas de P. ligularis. Sin embargo, en ambos casos, muy pocas de las diferencias detectadas fueron significativas (p0,05) a aquellas de las plantas no defoliadas. Inmediatamente después de los tratamientos de defoliación temprana y tardía, las tasas de crecimiento relativas de la altura y la longitud verde total de las macollas de las plantas de ambas especies fueron reducidas (p0.05) than values on non-defoliated plants, respectively. Immediately after early- and late-season defoliation treatments, relative growth rates for tiller height and total green length were reduced (p<0.05) on plants of both species with respect to control plants. Our results suggest that a one-year-period without severe defoliations after fire would be at least necessary for not risking the persistence of these perennial grasses in the Caldenal community.Fil: Pelaez, Daniel Valerio. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida; ArgentinaFil: Boo, Roberto Miguel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Mayor, M. D.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Elia, Omar Raul. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida; ArgentinaFil: Martinez, S. A.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentin

A 12b 250 MS/s Pipelined ADC With Virtual Ground Reference Buffers

The virtual ground reference buffer (VGRB) technique is introduced as a means to improve the performance of switched-capacitor circuits. The technique enhances the performance by improving the feedback factor of the op-amp without affecting the signal gain. The bootstrapping action of the level-shifting buffers relaxes key op-amp performance requirements including unity-gain bandwidth, noise, open-loop gain and offset compared with conventional circuits. This reduces the design complexity and the power consumption of op-amp based circuits. Based on this technique, a 12 b pipelined ADC is implemented in 65 nm CMOS that achieves 67.0 dB SNDR at 250 MS/s and consumes 49.7 mW of power from a 1.2 V power supply

Effectiveness of recovery actions on deviant customer behavior — the moderating role of gender.

This paper aims to examine how gender interacts with various recovery actions on perceived employee effort, complaint handling satisfaction, and behavioral intention in the case of deviant customer behavior in an East-Asian context. Study 1, a qualitative study, reveals that consumers expect companies to take appropriate remedial actions when a service consumption experience is affected by deviant customer behaviors (e.g., smoking in non designated area). Study 2 employed a 2 (gender) × 6(recovery actions) between subject design in a restaurant setting. Results show that confronting the deviant customer received the highest customer ratings in terms of perceived employee effort, complaint handling satisfaction, and behavioral intention. However, gender moderated the relative effectiveness of recovery actions. Relocating the focal customer was equally good as compensation for women while men were less appreciative of relocation than compensation. In sum, service providers are advised to initiate some form of recovery action in response to deviant customer behaviors

Label-free shotgun proteomics and metabolite analysis reveal a significant metabolic shift during citrus fruit development.

Label-free LC-MS/MS-based shot-gun proteomics was used to quantify the differential protein synthesis and metabolite profiling in order to assess metabolic changes during the development of citrus fruits. Our results suggested the occurrence of a metabolic change during citrus fruit maturation, where the organic acid and amino acid accumulation seen during the early stages of development shifted into sugar synthesis during the later stage of citrus fruit development. The expression of invertases remained unchanged, while an invertase inhibitor was up-regulated towards maturation. The increased expression of sucrose-phosphate synthase and sucrose-6-phosphate phosphatase and the rapid sugar accumulation suggest that sucrose is also being synthesized in citrus juice sac cells during the later stage of fruit development

Successful invaders are better defended: The example of Gracilaria vermiculophylla

To evaluate the importance of anti-herbivore resistance for algal invasion success we compared resistance traits among specimens of the red macroalga Gracilaria vermiculophylla from six native populations in Korea and China and eight invasive populations in Europe and Mexico that were maintained under identical conditions in the laboratory. Herbivorous snails both from the native range (Littorina brevicula) and from the invaded range (Littorina littorea) consumed significantly less of seaweed specimens originating from non-native populations. Metabolome profiling revealed that this preference was correlated with an increased woundactivated production of deterring prostaglandins and hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids. Thus, invasive populations of G. vermiculophylla are more strongly defended against challenge by herbivores and other biological enemies that cause local tissue or cell disruption and activate oxylipin production. Anthropogenic distribution of genotypes adapted to resist elevated feeding pressure probably contributed to the invasion success of this species

The identification of established modifiable mid-life risk factors for cardiovascular disease which contribute to cognitive decline: Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA)

INTRODUCTION: We explored how different chronic diseases, risk factors, and protective factors highly associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are associated with dementia or Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) in Korean elders, with a focus on those that manifest in mid-life. METHODS: A CVD-free cohort (n = 4289) from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging was selected to perform Cox mixed-effects proportional hazard regressions. Eighteen control variables with strong associations to CVD were chosen as explanatory variables, and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score cut-off for dementia and MCI were used as outcome variables. RESULTS: The statistically significant (P < 0.05) adverse factors that contribute in developing dementia were age (aHR 1.07, 1.05-1.09), Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10) (aHR 1.17, 1.12-1.23), diagnosis with cerebrovascular disease (aHR 3.73, 1.81-7.66), living with diabetes (aHR 2.30, 1.22-4.35), and living with high blood pressure (HBP) (aHR 2.05, 1.09-3.87). In contrast, the statistically significant protective factors against developing dementia were current alcohol consumption (aHR 0.67, 0.46-0.99), higher educational attainment (aHR 0.36, 0.26-0.56), and regular exercise (aHR 0.37, 0.26-0.51). The factors with a statistically significant adverse association with progression to MCI were age (aHR 1.02, 1.01-1.03) and CESD-10 (aHR 1.17, 1.14-1.19). In contrast, the statistically significant protective factors against developing MCI were BMI (aHR 0.96, 0.94-0.98), higher educational attainment (aHR 0.33, 0.26-0.43), and regular exercise (aHR 0.83, 0.74-0.92). CONCLUSION: In lieu of the protective factor of MCI and dementia, implementing regular exercise routine well before mid-life and cognitive decline is significant, with adjustments made for those suffering from health conditions, so they can continue exercising despite their morbidity. Further attention in diabetes care and management is needed for patients who already show decline in cognitive ability as it is likely that their MCI impacts their ability to manage their existing chronic conditions, which may adversely affect their cognitive ability furthermore

Ethyl Alcohol Extract of Hizikia fusiforme Induces Caspase-dependent Apoptosis in Human Leukemia U937 Cells by Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species

Purpose: Hizikia fusiforme is renowned for the possession of anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. In this study, the role of the ethyl alcohol extract of H. fusiforme (EAHF) in the induction of apoptosis in human leukemia U937 cells was investigated.Methods: Protein expression was investigated by Western blot analysis. Cell viability and apoptosis were analyzed by an MTT assay and flow cytometric analysis. Caspase activity was analyzed using a caspase-specific kit.Results: EAHF suppressed the proliferation of U937 cells in a dose-dependent manner. This effect was closely related to the induction of apoptosis via the downregulation of IAP family members such as IAP-1, IAP-2 and XIAP, as well as Bcl-2 proteins. The results also showed that caspases play an essential role in EAHF-induced apoptosis by generating of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In addition, ROS scavenging by N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) and glutathione (GSH) decreased EAHF-induced apoptosis via the suppression of caspase activity. Although EAHF induced the phosphorylation of mitogenactivated protein kinases (MAPKs), treatment with MAPK inhibitors did not affect EAHF-induced apoptosis.Conclusion: These results suggest that EAHF induces apoptosis in U937 cells via ROS-dependent caspase activation.Keywords: Hizikia fusiforme, Apoptosis, Caspase, Reactive oxygen specie

Ucma, a direct transcriptional target of Runx2 and Osterix, promotes osteoblast differentiation and nodule formation

SummaryObjectiveRunt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) and Osterix (Osx) are the master transcription factors in bone formation. Nonetheless, genes acting downstream of both Runx2 and Osx have yet to be fully characterized. Here, we investigate the downstream targets of both Runx2 and Osx in osteoblasts.Materials and methodsDNA microarray analysis was conducted on calvarial RNA from wild-type, Runx2 heterozygous, Osx heterozygous, and Runx2/Osx double heterozygous embryos. Expression and transcriptional responses of the selected target gene were analyzed in MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells.ResultsThe expression of unique cartilage matrix-associated protein (Ucma) was decreased in Runx2/Osx double heterozygous embryos. In contrast, Ucma expression was increased in osteoblasts overexpressing both Runx2 and Osx. Ucma expression was initiated mid-way through osteoblast differentiation and continued throughout the differentiation process. Transcriptional activity of the Ucma promoter was increased upon transfection of the cells with both Runx2 and Osx. Runx2-and Osx-mediated activation of the Ucma promoter was directly regulated by Runx2-and/or Sp1-binding sites within its promoter. During osteoblast differentiation, the formation of mineralized nodules in Ucma-overexpressing stable clones occurred earlier and was more enhanced than that in the mock-transfected control. Mineralized nodule formation was strongly augmented in the cells cultured in a medium containing secretory Ucma proteins.ConclusionUcma is a novel downstream gene regulated by both Runx2 and Osx and it stimulates osteoblast differentiation and nodule formation