207 research outputs found
Study of self-alignment of μBGA packages
In this paper, a detailed study of the self-alignment
of BGA packages is presented. Complete self-alignment can be
achieved even for a misalignment of the package of larger than
50% off the test board pad centres. A small residual displacement
of the package from perfect alignment after reflow is observed.
The reason for this displacement is the action of gas flow viscous
drag on the package during reflow. The use of eutectic SnPb solder
paste slightly reduces self-aligning ability, due to the increase in
the solder volume, which reduces the restoring force. Exposure of
the solder paste to a 25 C and 85% RH humidity environment
also has a detrimental effect on the self-alignment of the BGA
package, due to solvent evaporation and moisture absorption in
the paste causing solderability degradation. The self-alignment of
the package is also affected when there is slow spreading of molten
solder on the pad surface. This is attributed to the reduction of
restoring force due to the decrease in effective wetting surface area
of the board pad
Noninvasive Evaluation of the Aortic Root With Multislice Computed Tomography Implications for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement
ObjectivesIn the present study, the anatomy of the aortic root was assessed noninvasively with multislice computed tomography (MSCT).BackgroundTranscatheter aortic valve replacement has been proposed as an alternative to surgery in high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis. For this procedure, detailed knowledge of aortic annulus diameters and the relation between the annulus and the coronary arteries is needed.MethodsIn 169 patients (111 men, age 54 ± 11 years), a 64-slice MSCT scan was performed for evaluation of coronary artery disease. Of these, 150 patients had no or mild aortic stenosis, and 19 patients had moderate to severe aortic stenosis. Reconstructed coronal and sagittal views were used for assessment of the aortic annulus diameter in 2 directions. In addition, the distance between the annulus and the ostium of the right and left coronary arteries and the length of the coronary leaflets were assessed. The LV outflow tract and interventricular septum were analyzed on the single oblique sagittal view at end-diastole.ResultsThe diameter of the aortic annulus was 26.3 ± 2.8 mm on the coronal view, and 23.5 ± 2.7 mm on the sagittal view. Mean difference between the 2 diameters was 2.9 ± 1.8 mm, indicating an oval shape of the aortic annulus. Mean distance between the aortic annulus and the ostium of the right coronary artery was 17.2 ± 3.3 mm, and mean distance between the annulus and the ostium of the left coronary artery was 14.4 ± 2.9 mm. In 82 patients (49%), the length of the left coronary leaflet exceeded the distance between the annulus and the ostium of the left coronary artery. There were no significant differences in the diameter of annulus, diameter of sinus of Valsalva, or the distance between the annulus, left coronary leaflet, and the ostium of the left coronary artery, between the patient with and without severe aortic stenosis.ConclusionsThe MSCT can provide detailed information on the shape of the aortic annulus and the relation between the annulus and the ostia of the coronary arteries. Thereby, MSCT may be helpful for avoiding paravalvular leakage and coronary occlusion and may facilitate the selection of candidates for transcatheter aortic valve replacement
The primary cosmic ray composition between 10**15 and 10**16 eV from Extensive Air Showers electromagnetic and TeV muon data
The cosmic ray primary composition in the energy range between 10**15 and
10**16 eV, i.e., around the "knee" of the primary spectrum, has been studied
through the combined measurements of the EAS-TOP air shower array (2005 m
a.s.l., 10**5 m**2 collecting area) and the MACRO underground detector (963 m
a.s.l., 3100 m w.e. of minimum rock overburden, 920 m**2 effective area) at the
National Gran Sasso Laboratories. The used observables are the air shower size
(Ne) measured by EAS-TOP and the muon number (Nmu) recorded by MACRO. The two
detectors are separated on average by 1200 m of rock, and located at a
respective zenith angle of about 30 degrees. The energy threshold at the
surface for muons reaching the MACRO depth is approximately 1.3 TeV. Such muons
are produced in the early stages of the shower development and in a kinematic
region quite different from the one relevant for the usual Nmu-Ne studies. The
measurement leads to a primary composition becoming heavier at the knee of the
primary spectrum, the knee itself resulting from the steepening of the spectrum
of a primary light component (p, He). The result confirms the ones reported
from the observation of the low energy muons at the surface (typically in the
GeV energy range), showing that the conclusions do not depend on the production
region kinematics. Thus, the hadronic interaction model used (CORSIKA/QGSJET)
provides consistent composition results from data related to secondaries
produced in a rapidity region exceeding the central one. Such an evolution of
the composition in the knee region supports the "standard" galactic
acceleration/propagation models that imply rigidity dependent breaks of the
different components, and therefore breaks occurring at lower energies in the
spectra of the light nuclei.Comment: Submitted to Astroparticle Physic
Intrauterine devices and endometrial cancer risk : a pooled analysis of the Epidemiology of Endometrial Cancer Consortium
Intrauterine devices (IUDs), long-acting and reversible contraceptives, induce a number of immunological and biochemical changes in the uterine environment that could affect endometrial cancer (EC) risk. We addressed this relationship through a pooled analysis of data collected in the Epidemiology of Endometrial Cancer Consortium. We combined individual-level data from 4 cohort and 14 case-control studies, in total 8,801 EC cases and 15,357 controls. Using multivariable logistic regression, we estimated pooled odds ratios (pooled-ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for EC risk associated with ever use, type of device, ages at first and last use, duration of use and time since last use, stratified by study and adjusted for confounders. Ever use of IUDs was inversely related to EC risk (pooled-OR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.74-0.90). Compared with never use, reduced risk of EC was observed for inert IUDs (pooled-OR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.58-0.82), older age at first use (≥35 years pooled-OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.43-0.67), older age at last use (≥45 years pooled-OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.50-0.72), longer duration of use (≥10 years pooled-OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.52-0.71) and recent use (within 1 year of study entry pooled-OR = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.30-0.49). Future studies are needed to assess the respective roles of detection biases and biologic effects related to foreign body responses in the endometrium, heavier bleeding (and increased clearance of carcinogenic cells) and localized hormonal changes
Dust Devil Sediment Transport: From Lab to Field to Global Impact
The impact of dust aerosols on the climate and environment of Earth and Mars is complex and forms a major area of research. A difficulty arises in estimating the contribution of small-scale dust devils to the total dust aerosol. This difficulty is due to uncertainties in the amount of dust lifted by individual dust devils, the frequency of dust devil occurrence, and the lack of statistical generality of individual experiments and observations. In this paper, we review results of observational, laboratory, and modeling studies and provide an overview of dust devil dust transport on various spatio-temporal scales as obtained with the different research approaches. Methods used for the investigation of dust devils on Earth and Mars vary. For example, while the use of imagery for the investigation of dust devil occurrence frequency is common practice for Mars, this is less so the case for Earth. Modeling approaches for Earth and Mars are similar in that they are based on the same underlying theory, but they are applied in different ways. Insights into the benefits and limitations of each approach suggest potential future research focuses, which can further reduce the uncertainty associated with dust devil dust entrainment. The potential impacts of dust devils on the climates of Earth and Mars are discussed on the basis of the presented research results
Improved Measurement of the Asymmetry in the Nucleon Sea
Measurements of the ratio of Drell-Yan yields from an 800 \rm{GeV/c} proton
beam incident on liquid hydrogen and deuterium targets are reported.
Approximately 360,000 Drell-Yan muon pairs remained after all cuts on the data.
From these data, the ratio of anti-down () to anti-up ()
quark distributions in the proton sea is determined over a wide range in
Bjorken-. These results confirm previous measurements by E866 and extend
them to lower . From these data, and
are evaluated for . These results are
compared with parameterizations of various parton distribution functions,
models and experimental results from NA51, NMC, and HERMES.Comment: 17 pages, 15 figure
Double spin asymmetry in exclusive rho^0 muoproduction at COMPASS
The longitudinal double spin asymmetry A_1^rho for exclusive leptoproduction
of rho^0 mesons, mu + N -> mu + N + rho, is studied using the COMPASS 2002 and
2003 data. The measured reaction is incoherent exclusive rho^0 production on
polarised deuterons. The Q^2 and x dependence of A_1^rho is presented in a wide
kinematical range: 3x10^-3 < Q^2 < 7 (GeV/c)^2 and 5x10^-5 < x < 0.05. The
presented results are the first measurements of A_1^rho at small Q2 (Q2 < 0.1
(GeV/c)^2) and small x (x < 3x10^-3). The asymmetry is in general compatible
with zero in the whole kinematical range.Comment: 6 Figures, 15 pages, version 2 with updated author list, technical
latex problem fixe
- …