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We study a two-component dark matter model consisting of a Dirac fermion and a complex scalar charged under new U(1) gauge group in the hidden sector. The dark fermion plays the dominant component of dark matter which explains the measured DM relic density of the Universe. It has no direct coupling to ordinary standard model particles, thus evading strong constraints from the direct DM detection experiments. The dark fermion is self-interacting through the light dark gauge boson and it would be possible to address that this model can be a resolution to the small scale structure problem of the Universe. The light dark gauge boson, which interacts with the standard model sector, is also stable and composes the subdominant DM component. We investigate the model parameter space allowed by current experimental constraints and phenomenological bounds. We also discuss the sensitivity of future experiments such as SHiP, DUNE and ILC, for the obtained allowed parameter space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemiresistive sensors, wherein conductivity is changed by exposure to analytes, are widely used in various disciplines and in our daily lives. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are excellent materials with exceptional conductivity, and polymer/CNT composites have been extensively deployed in chemiresistive sensors. To improve sensitivity, we herein report the covalent functionalization of poly(3-hexylthiophene)s (P3HTs) with highly electrophilic trifluoromethyl ketones, referred to as TFMK-P3HT, and its composite with CNT and amine sensing were investigated. The synthesis was begun with the bromination of commercial P3HT, followed by a lithium-halogen exchange reaction and subsequent quenching with trifluoroacetic anhydride, producing TFMK-P3HT. Homogeneous CNT networks with TFMK-P3HT were confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The sensing of three representative amines with TFMK-P3HT/CNT showed four times higher sensitivity than P3HT/CNT samples. The sensors were selective to amines and less responsive to competitive gas species such as alcohols and H 2 S. The sensitivity improvements of the TFMK-P3HT sensor were maintained in humid conditions. This work suggests a facile synthetic method to improve the sensitivity of CNT-based chemical sensors and provides an effective gas sensor platform for the selective detection of amine gas. [Display omitted] • A highly electrophilic P3HT derivative (TFMK-P3HT) was synthesized. • A homogeneous TFMK-P3HT/CNT dispersion was prepared and visualized by AFM. • TFMK-P3HT/CNT amine sensors exhibited 4 times higher sensitivity than P3HT/CNT. • Improved amine sensitivity may result from electrophilic TFMK functional groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A recombinant β-glucosidase from Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus DSM 8903 with a specific activity of 13 U/mg was purified by heat treatment and His-Trap affinity chromatography and identified as a single 54 kDa band on SDS-PAGE. The molecular mass of the native enzyme was 108 kDa as a dimer by gel filtration. β-Glucosidase showed optimum activity at pH 5.5 and 70 °C for p-nitrophenyl (pNP)-β-d-glucopyranoside. The half-lives of the enzyme at 60, 70, and 80 °C were 250, 24.3, and 0.4 h, respectively. The enzyme exhibited catalytic efficiency and specific activity for pNP-β-d-fucopyranoside, pNP-β-d-glucopyranoside, and pNP-β-d-galactopyranoside in decreasing order among aryl-β-glycosides, but not for aryl-α-glycosides. Cello-oligosaccharides from n =2 to 5 as substrates using 4 mM each sugar and 3 U/mg of enzyme were completely hydrolyzed to glucose at 70 °C within 16 h. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The objectives of this study are to apply the TAM using the addition of perceived information to individuals' behavioral intention to use the QR code for the food traceability system; and to determine the moderating effects of food involvement on the relationship between perceived information and perceived usefulness. Results from a survey of 420 respondents are analyzed using structural equation modeling. The study findings reveal that the extended TAM has a satisfactory fit to the data and that the underlying dimensions have a significant effect on consumers' intention to use the QR code for the food traceability system. In addition, food involvement plays a significant moderating function in the relationship between perceived information and perceived usefulness. The implications of this study for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To compare the efficacy and safety of the addition of a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor or a placebo in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with insulin.Methods: We searched randomised controlled trials (RCTs) from MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and the ClinicalTrials.gov online registry. Studies of at least 12week treatment duration were eligible if they were RCTs in patients with type 2 diabetes comparing addition of a DPP-4 inhibitor to insulin therapy (INS/DPP4i) with addition of a placebo to insulin therapy (INS/PCB) and contained information on the change in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) from baseline.Results: Of 3105 potentially relevant published articles and 206 registered trials, 9 studies were included for meta-analysis. Compared to INS/PCB, INS/DPP4i exhibited a greater reduction in HbA1c (weighted mean difference [WMD] -0.58%; 95% CI -0.70, -0.46) and fasting plasma glucose (WMD -0.59mmol/L; 95% CI -0.79, -0.40) with less daily insulin doses (WMD -1.86IU; 95% CI -3.27, -0.45) and with no difference in weight gain (WMD -0.04kg; 95% CI -0.25, 0.16). The risk of hypoglycaemia was similar between INS/DPP-4i and INS/PCB (the RR in favour of INS/PCB was 0.94; 95% CI 0.84, 1.05).Conclusions: Compared to placebo, DPP-4 inhibitors exhibit a better glycaemic control without further increasing the risk of weight gain and hypoglycaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with insulin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Senna leaf is widely consumed as tea to treat constipation or to aid in weight loss. Sennoside A, A1, and B are dirheinanthrone glucosides that are abundant and the bioactive constituents in the plant. They are isomers that refer to the ( R* R*), ( S* S*), and ( R* S*) forms of protons on C-10 and C-10′ centers and it is difficult to refine them individually due to their structural similarities. The new separation method using counter-current chromatography successfully purified sennoside A, A1, and B from senna leaf ( Cassia acutifolia) while reversed-phase medium-pressure liquid chromatography yielded sennoside A only. n-Butanol/isopropanol/water (5:1:6, v/v/v) was selected as the solvent system for counter-current chromatography operation, and the partition coefficients were carefully determined by adding different concentrations of formic acid. High-resolution mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy were performed to verify the chemical properties of the compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explains electronic word of mouth (eWOM) in terms that are opposed to the traditional definitions and examines the motivations that lead to eWOM in order to clarify ethnic restaurant users’ post-consumption behavior online. To fill in the gap left by studies that have primarily relied on predetermined questionnaires (e.g., DINESERV), this study uses a qualitative methodology (i.e., netnography). Four motivations for engaging in eWOM are identified. Customers tend to articulate their dining experiences by engaging in online social networks for the purpose of evaluating services, expressing positive or negative feelings, approving other members’ contributions, or gaining positive recognition from others. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

There has been controversy over whether to radiologically follow up or use local treatment for asymptomatic small-sized brain metastases from primary lung cancer. For brain tumors without local treatment, we evaluated potential factors related to the brain progression and whether systemic therapy controlled the tumor. We analyzed 96 patients with asymptomatic small-sized metastatic brain tumors from lung cancer. These underwent a radiologic follow-up every 2 or 3 months without local treatment of brain metastases. The pathologies of the tumors were adenocarcinoma (n = 74), squamous cell carcinoma (n = 11), and small cell carcinoma (n = 11). The primary lung cancer was treated with cytotoxic chemotherapy (n = 57) and targeted therapy (n = 39). Patients who received targeted therapy were divided into first generation (n = 23) and second or third generation (n = 16). The progression-free survival (PFS) of brain metastases and the overall survival (OS) of patients were analyzed depending on the age, tumor pathology, number, and location of brain metastases, the extent of other organ metastases, and chemotherapy regimens. The median PFS of brain metastases was 7.4 months (range, 1.1–48.3). Targeted therapy showed statistically significant PFS improvement compared to cytotoxic chemotherapy (p = 0.020). Especially, on univariate and multivariate analyses, the PFS in the second or third generation targeted therapy was more significantly improved compared to cytotoxic chemotherapy (hazard ratio 0.229; 95% confidence interval, 0.082–0.640; p = 0.005). The median OS of patients was 13.7 months (range, 2.0–65.0). Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that the OS of patients was related to other organ metastases except for the brain (p = 0.010 and 0.020, respectively). Three out of 52 patients with brain recurrence showed leptomeningeal dissemination, while the recurrence patterns of brain metastases were mostly local and/or distant metastases (94.2%). Of the 52 patients who relapsed, 25 patients received local brain treatment. There was brain-related mortality in two patients (2.0%). The intracranial anti-tumor effect was superior to cytotoxic chemotherapy in the treatment of asymptomatic small-sized brain metastases with targeted therapy. Consequently, it becomes possible to determine the optimal timing for local brain treatment while conducting radiological follow-up for these tumors, which do not appear to increase brain-related mortality. Furthermore, this approach has the potential to reduce the number of cases requiring brain local treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controller area network (CAN) bandwidths are currently limited when accommodating increased traffic volume due to the increase in vehicle electronic control units (ECUs). Research is underway to develop a lossless CAN data compression algorithm that uses existing bandwidth networks to reduce the size of transmitted data while minimizing cost and reliability issues without hardware changes. In this study, we propose the optimization of quotient remainder compression (QRC) parameters to improve the compression ratio. The relationships between the divisor, quotient remainder (QR) parameters, and the amount of change in the data were analyzed, and various divisor and QR parameter values were applied to determine the optimal parameter values that provide the best compression results. Experimental results obtained using actual vehicle driving data showed that the compression rate was improved through QRC parameter optimization compared to using the existing QRC system. The proposed approach can be applied to CAN, CAN-FD, FlexRay, and Ethernet systems to reduce the bus load rate and improve the network bandwidth availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM) is a growing therapeutic challenge and clinical concern. Stromal cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are crucial factors in the modulation of tumorigeneses and metastases. Herein, we investigated the relationship between the expression of stromal CAF markers in metastatic sites, platelet-derived growth factor receptor-beta (PDGFR-β), and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and the clinical and prognostic variables in BCBM patients. Methods: Immunohistochemistry (IHC) of the stromal expression of PDGFR-β and α-SMA was performed on 50 cases of surgically resected BCBM. The expression of the CAF markers was analyzed in the context of clinico-pathological characteristics. Results: Expression of PDGFR-β and α-SMA was lower in the triple-negative (TN) subtype than in other molecular subtypes (p = 0.073 and p = 0.016, respectively). And their expressions were related to a specific pattern of CAF distribution (PDGFR-β, p = 0.009; α-SMA, p = 0.043) and BM solidity (p = 0.009 and p = 0.002, respectively). High PDGFR-β expression was significantly related to longer recurrence-free survival (RFS) (p = 0.011). TN molecular subtype and PDGFR-β expression were independent prognostic factors of recurrence-free survival (p = 0.029 and p = 0.030, respectively) and TN molecular subtype was an independent prognostic factor of overall survival (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Expression of PDGFR-β in the stroma of BM was associated with RFS in BCBM patients, and the clinical implication was uniquely linked to the low expression of PDGFR-β and α-SMA in the aggressive form of the TN subtype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used a blue organic light‐emitting diode (bOLED) to increase the paracrine factors secreted from human adipose‐derived stem cells (hADSCs) for producing conditioned medium (CM). Our results showed that while the bOLED irradiation promotes a mild‐dose reactive oxygen generation that enhances the angiogenic paracrine secretion of hADSCs, it does not induce phototoxicity. The bOLED enhances paracrine factors via a cell‐signaling mechanism involving hypoxia‐inducible factor 1 alpha. This study demonstrated that the CM resulting from bOLED treatment shows improved therapeutic effects on mouse wound‐healing models. This method contributes to overcoming the barriers to stem‐cell therapies, including the toxicity and low yields from other methods such as nanoparticles, synthetic polymers, and even cell‐derived vesicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous biomarkers and risk tables can be used to predict recurrence or progression of patients with primary or recurrent non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) receiving Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). However, few are suitable for BCG-unresponsive disease (i.e., recurrence or progression after BCG treatment). Therefore, identification of a novel marker that allows accurate prediction of prognosis, particularly risk of recurrence, is critically important in clinical practice. In the current study, gene ontology and gene set enrichment analyses of microarray datasets (GSE13507, n = 47) revealed that differentially expressed genes in recurred NMIBC patients after BCG treatment were associated with virus and ribosomal pathways. Among the core-enrichment genes, the expression of RPL9, a putative tumor suppressor, was lower in recurred NMIBC patients after BCG therapy than in patients without recurrence (P = 0.033) from the E-MTAT-4321 European cohort (n = 84). Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (n = 406) showed that bladder cancer patients with higher RPL9 expression had a longer overall survival probability than patients with lower RPL9 expression (P = 0.011). Moreover, we used the latest digital PCR platform to examine 59 NMIBC patients and identified downregulation of RPL9 in patients with recurrence after BCG therapy (P = 0.031). The Kaplan-Meier survival estimator showed that NMIBC patients with higher expression of RPL9 had longer recurrence-free survival (log-rank test, P = 0.015). Therefore, we conclude that RPL9 expression is a prospective predictor of recurrence after BCG therapy in NMIBC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two novel quaternary mixed metal tellurite and selenite, YNbTe 2 O 8 and YNbSe 2 O 8 , respectively, have been synthesized through standard solid-state reactions using Y 2 O 3 , Nb 2 O 5 , TeO 2 or SeO 2 as reagents. Single crystal X-ray and powder neutron diffraction analyses have been utilized to determine the structures of the reported materials. YNbTe 2 O 8 and YNbSe 2 O 8 are isostructural to each other and crystallize in the monoclinic centrosymmetric space group, C 2/ m (No. 12). Due to the two families of constituent second-order Jahn–Teller (SOJT) distortive cations, i.e., Nb 5+ and Te 4+ /Se 4+ , local asymmetric environments occur from the three-dimensional frameworks. Intra-octahedral distortions along the local C 4 direction and asymmetric trigonal pyramidal coordination moieties generated by stereoactive lone pairs are observed from the NbO 6 octahedra and TeO 3 (or SeO 3 ) polyhedra, respectively. Thermogravimetric analysis, infrared and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopies, elemental analysis, out-of-center distortions, dipole moment calculations, and electronic structure calculations for the reported materials are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently in Korea, extensive research on developing a new style of Korean traditional wooden house, Hanok, has been conducted for duplicating architectural plan composition and appearance of the Hanok and for improving construction and economic efficiencies. The beam–column joint of the new Hanok is composed of general timber and steel plates for ensuring workability on site and enhancing the structural performance while a traditional Hanok simply adopts general mortise and tenon joints. In this study, the lateral stiffness of a 2-story new Hanok was evaluated by conducting the static lateral loading tests using a 1/4 scale specimen. The ‘I’ shaped plan part of the specimen was first tested and the effective rotational stiffness of the joints with steel plates was estimated by comparing roof displacements of the test specimen and a numerical model. The effective stiffness of the specimen increased with increasing vertical loads and decreased with increasing roof displacements. An equation for estimating the joint rotational stiffness was proposed with regard to the steel plate type based on the test result from the ‘I’ shaped plan specimen. The effectiveness of the equation was verified by showing that roof displacement of the test specimen with ‘L’ shaped plan could be approximately estimated by using an analytical model having joint rotational stiffness determined by using the proposed equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein sumoylation is a dynamic posttranslational modification that regulates a diverse subset of the proteome. The mechanism by which sumoylation enzymes recognize their cognate substrates is unclear, and the consequences of sumoylation remain difficult to predict. While small molecule probes of the sumoylation process could be valuable for understanding SUMO biology, few small molecules that modulate this process exist. Here, we report the synthesis and evaluation of over 600 oxime-containing peptide sumoylation substrates. Our work demonstrates that higher modification efficiency can be achieved with non-natural side chains that deviate substantially from the consensus site requirement of a hydrophobic substituent. Furthermore, docking studies suggest that these improved substrates mimic binding interactions that are used by other endogenous protein sequences through tertiary interactions. The development of these high efficiency substrates provides key mechanistic insights toward specific recognition of low molecular weight species in the sumoylation pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, experimental and numerical analyses on the solder joint reliability of plastic ball grid array under harsh random vibration and thermal loadings were presented. The chips were assembled on the daisy chained circuit boards for the test samples preparation, and a half of the samples were processed for underfill to investigate the underfill effects on the solder failures. Two consequential steps of the random vibrations, named as acceptance level and qualification level, were applied. Overall required root mean square (rms) of the power spectrum densities of the steps were 22.48 grms for one minutes and 31.78 grms for two minutes, respectively. A thermal shock test was then performed after the vibration tests. It was found that the samples did not show any solder failure under the test requirements, demonstrating the robustness of the packaging structure for potential space applications. The samples were further tested to induce the failures, and finite element analyses were performed to analyze the sample vibration behaviors and the solder stresses to compare the results with the test data. Finally, a simple analytical calculation for the natural frequency estimations was introduced to overcome the complex finite element modeling efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japan and South Korea have been known as 'familialistic' welfare states, where the family was the main caregiver. Both countries are in the process of transformation. Today, their welfare states provide more care services than never before. Korea has expanded care services much more rapidly than Japan. Korea today outperforms Japan and many other countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in enrolment rates of children up to the age of three in childcare. We develop an institutional model to explain why Korea responded to childcare needs much more drastically than Japan. We also apply the same model to explain why Korea prioritized childcare over elderly care, while Japan has done just the opposite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Although the roles of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) have been accepted as the initial or confirmatory diagnostic tool for spontaneous intracranial infections, the usefulness of these has rarely been investigated in intracranial infections after a craniotomy procedure. Through an analysis of the clinico-radiological characteristics of spontaneous and postoperative intracranial infections, the authors revealed the specific factors that affect the accuracy of DWI and ADC in diagnosing intracranial infections. Methods. The authors retrospectively analyzed 67 intracranial infections confirmed using preoperative MR imaging, including the DWI, ADC and gadolium-enhanced (Gd) images, and by peroperative pus drainage. Results. In 67 enrolled patients, no or uncertain diffusion restriction on DWI and ADC was found in 9 cases (13%). All the cases showed typical peripheral enhancement on Gd images. Among nine cases without diffusion restriction, postoperative infection was seen in five cases (62.5% [5/8 postoperative infection group] vs. 6.8% [4/59 spontaneous infection group], p = 0.001). On multivariate analysis, postoperative infection was the predictive factor for false-negative restriction on DWI and ADC (hazard ratio: 41.2, 95% confidential index: 2.39-710.25, p = 0.01). Conclusion. Despite the excellent availability of DWI and ADC for diagnosing spontaneous intracranial infections, negative restriction results of those images are not sufficient to exclude postoperative intracranial infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purposes of this study are: 1) to identify the structural relationships among ecological concerns and the Theory of Planned Behavior's (TPB) constructs (attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intention) in the genetically modified (GM) food context; and 2) to examine the moderating effects of food technology neophobia on the proposed model with respect to consumer behaviors. Results from a survey of 387 qualified respondents are analyzed using a structural equation modeling approach. The TPB with ecological concerns included, adopted as the predictive model to measure intention to purchase GM foods, is compared with the explanatory power of both models (the TPB vs. the TPB+EC). The moderating function of food technology neophobia had a statistically significant effect on all the relationships except the relationship between perceived behavioral control and behavioral intention. The implications of this study are discussed for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyampholytes (PA) are a special class of polymers comprising both positive and negative monomers along their sequence. Most proteins have positive and negative residues and are PAs. Proteins have a well-defined sequence while synthetic PAs have a random charge sequence. We investigated the translocation behavior of random polyampholyte chains through a pore under the action of an electric field by means of Monte Carlo simulations. The simulations incorporated a realistic translocation potential profile along an extended asymmetric pore and translocation was studied for both directions of engagement. The study was conducted from the perspective of statistics for disordered systems. The translocation behavior (translocation vs. rejection) was recorded for all 2 20 sequences comprised of N = 20 charged monomers. The results were compared with those for 10 7 random sequences of N = 40 to better demonstrate asymptotic laws. At early times, rejection was mainly controlled by the charge sequence of the head part, but late translocation/rejection was governed by the escape from a trapped state over an antagonistic barrier built up along the sequence. The probability distribution of translocation times from all successful attempts revealed a power-law tail. At finite times, there was a population of trapped sequences that relaxed very slowly (logarithmically) with time. If a subensemble of sequences with prescribed net charge was considered the power-law decay was steeper for a more favorable net charge. Our findings were rationalized by theoretical arguments developed for long chains. We also provided operational criteria for the translocation behavior of a sequence, explaining the selection by the translocation process. From the perspective of protein translocation, our findings can help rationalize the behavior of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), which can be modeled as polyampholytes. Most IDP sequences have a strong net charge favoring translocation. Even for sequences with those large net charges, the translocation times remained very dispersed and the translocation was highly sequence-selective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Operating room nurses experience verbal abuse, high levels of job stress, and burnout that may increase turnover intention. Purpose: This study was designed to investigate and identify factors influencing turnover intention among operating room nurses in South Korea. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional descriptive design. The sample included 193 nurses, all of whom had over 3 months of work experience at operating rooms in hospitals in Seoul, South Korea. Measures used included the Verbal Abuse Experience Scale, Job Stress Scale, Burnout Scale, and Turnover Intention Scale. Results: Burnout was found to have the greatest influence on turnover intention (β =.34, p <.001), followed by verbal abuse (β = −.23, p =.004), job stress (β =.22, p =.001), age (β = −20, p =.032), and job satisfaction (β = −.14, p =.020). Conclusions/Implications for Practice: The findings support burnout and verbal abuse, respectively, as the most significant and second most significant predictors of turnover intention among operating room nurses in South Korea. These factors should be proactively and effectively addressed to reduce turnover intention in this important group of healthcare professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the effect of surgical wide excision and amniotic membrane transplantation with adjuvant mitomycin C 0.04% eye drops on recurrent conjunctival-corneal intraepithelial neoplasia (CCIN). Methods: The authors applied amniotic membrane transplantation after total surgical excision of a tumor to a patient with recurrent conjunctival-corneal intraepithelial neoplasia. The tumor co-existed as a conjunctival lesion and corneal opacity. After one week, the patient received mitomycin C 0.04% eye drops four times a day for one month to prevent recurrence. Ocular complications and recurrence were evaluated under slit lamp microscopy for one year. Results: Corneal epithelium completely healed within one week after the surgery. Both conjunctival and corneal lesions were completely regressed and no recurrence has been found with follow-up to 24 months. Conclusions: Surgical wide excision and amniotic membrane transplantation with adjuvant topical MMC would be an effective treatment modality for treatment of recurrent CCIN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses the Stimuli-Organism-Response framework to examine how consumers’ reasons for shopping and website stimuli affect their attitudes toward online shopping, their ability to regulate their emotional purchases, and their repurchase intentions. Results from a survey of 416 qualified respondents were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results of the survey showed that (1) the hedonic shopping value has a positive effect on consumers’ attitudes toward online shopping and emotional purchases, (2) the utilitarian shopping value has a significant effect on consumers’ attitudes toward online shopping, (3) environmental stimuli positively influence consumers’ attitudes toward online shopping and emotional purchases, and (4) consumers’ attitudes toward online shopping positively affect their repurchase intention. However, there are no significant relationships between the utilitarian shopping value and emotional purchases or between emotional purchases and repurchase intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Genetic predisposition is the primary risk factor for familial breast cancer. For the majority of familial breast cancer, however, the genetic predispositions remain unknown. All newly identified predispositions occur rarely in disease population, and the unknown genetic predispositions are estimated to reach up to total thousands. Family unit is the basic structure of genetics. Because it is an autosomal dominant disease, individuals with a history of familial breast cancer must carry the same genetic predisposition across generations. Therefore, focusing on the cases in lineages of familial breast cancer, rather than pooled cases in disease population, is expected to provide high probability to identify the genetic predisposition for each family. Methods: In this study, we tested genetic predispositions by analyzing the family-specific variants in familial breast cancer. Using exome sequencing, we analyzed three families and 22 probands with BRCAx (BRCA-negative) familial breast cancer. Results: We observed the presence of family-specific, novel, deleterious germline variants in each family. Of the germline variants identified, many were shared between the disease-affected family members of the same family but not found in different families, which have their own specific variants. Certain variants are putative deleterious genetic predispositions damaging functionally important genes involved in DNA replication and damaging repair, tumor suppression, signal transduction, and phosphorylation. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that the predispositions for many BRCAx familial breast cancer families can lie in each disease family. The application of a family-focused approach has the potential to detect many new predispositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: BRCA1 plays an essential role in maintaining genome stability. Inherited BRCA1 germline mutation (BRCA1+) is a determined genetic predisposition leading to high risk of breast cancer. While BRCA1+ induces breast cancer by causing genome instability, most of the knowledge is known about somatic genome instability in breast cancer cells but not germline genome instability. Methods: Using the exome-sequencing method, we analyzed the genomes of blood cells in a typical BRCA1+ breast cancer family with an exon 13-duplicated founder mutation, including six breast cancer-affected and two breast cancer unaffected members. Results: We identified 23 deleterious mutations in the breast cancer-affected family members, which are absent in the unaffected members. Multiple mutations damaged functionally important and breast cancer-related genes, including transcriptional factor BPTF and FOXP1, ubiquitin ligase CUL4B, phosphorylase kinase PHKG2, and nuclear receptor activator SRA1. Analysis of the mutations between the mothers and daughters shows that most mutations were germline mutation inherited from the ancestor(s) while only a few were somatic mutation generated de novo. Conclusion: Our study indicates that BRCA1+ can cause genome instability with both germline and somatic mutations in non-breast cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Protein sumoylation is a dynamic posttranslational modification involved in diverse biological processes during cellular homeostasis and development. Recently sumoylation has been shown to play a critical role in cancer, although to date there are few small molecule probes available to inhibit enzymes involved in the SUMO conjugation process. As part of a program to identify and study inhibitors of sumoylation we recently reported the discovery that 2′,3′,4′-trihydroxyflavone (2-D08) is a cell permeable, mechanistically unique inhibitor of protein sumoylation. The work reported herein describes an efficient synthesis of 2-D08 as well as a structurally related but inactive isomer. We also report an unanticipated Wessely–Moser rearrangement that occurs under vigorous methyl ether deprotection conditions. This rearrangement likely gave rise to 2-D08 during a deprotection step, resulting in 2-D08 appearing as a contaminant in a screening well from a commercial supplier. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Genetic studies often use genomic DNA from whole blood cells, of which the majority are the polymorphonuclear myeloid cells. Those cells undergo dramatic change of nuclear morphology following cellular differentiation. It remains elusive if the nuclear morphological change accompanies sequence alternations from the intact genome. If such event exists, it will cause a serious problem in using such type of genomic DNA for genetic study as the sequences will not represent the intact genome in the host individuals. Using exome sequencing, we compared the coding regions between neutrophil, which is the major type of polymorphonuclear cells, and CD4+ T cell, which has an intact genome, from the same individual. The results show that exon sequences between the two cell types are essentially the same. The minor differences represented by the missed exons and base changes between the two cell types were validated to be mainly caused by experimental errors. Our study concludes that genomic DNA from whole blood cells can be safely used for genetic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Platycodin D inhibits the migration, invasion, and adhesion of MDA-MB-231 cells. [•] Platycodin D decreases the proteolytic activity and mRNA expression of MMP-9. [•] Platycodin D inactivates the PI3K/Akt and MAPK signaling pathways. [•] Platycodin D inhibits EGF-induced activation of the EGFR signaling pathway. [•] Platycodin D inhibits the growth of MDA-MB-231 cells in vivo. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: To evaluate the association and interaction of single nucleotide polymorphisms in CFH and LOC387715/ARMS2 with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in a Korean population. Methods: A total of 114 exudative AMD patients and 240 normal subjects participated in the study. PCR and direct sequencing were used to screen SNPs in the CFH and in the LOC387715/ARMS2. Genotype and haplotype analyses were performed. Two-locus gene-gene interactions were evaluated by the data mining approach multifactor-dimensionality reduction method. Results: The *C/*T genotype frequency of rs1061170 in CFH showed a significant difference (OR = 1.79). Genotype and allele frequencies of rs551397 (*C/*C, OR = 2.84; *C, OR = 1.67) and rs800292 (*G/*G, OR = 2.198; *G, OR = 1.676) in CFH, and rs10490924 (T/*T, OR = 12.45; *T, OR = 4.45) and rs2736911 (*C/*C, OR = 3.21; *C, OR = 2.71) in LOC387715/ARMS2 were significantly higher in patients. In the haplotype analysis, C-T of rs2736911-rs10490924 in LOC387715/ARMS2 (OR = 4.85) and C-G of rs551397-rs800292 in CFH (OR = 2.22) predisposed significantly to AMD. After cross-validation consistency (CVC) and permutation tests, we identified the 1 marker model (rs10490924), which has a prediction accuracy of 73.5%, and the two locus model, rs10490924_ rs800292, with 75.3% balanced accuracy in predicting AMD disease risk. Conclusions: Korean individuals with the LOC387715/ARMS2 rs10490924, and to a lesser extent, CFH rs800292 variants might be at a greater risk for the development of exudative AMD. Furthermore, the risk of exudative AMD may increase significantly if these variants are both present in the two genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) is a protein degradation machinery that is crucial for cellular homeostasis in eukaryotes. Therefore, it is not surprising that the UPS coordinates almost all host cellular processes, including host–pathogen interactions. This protein degradation machinery acts predominantly by tagging substrate proteins designated for degradation with a ubiquitin molecule. These ubiquitin tags have been involved at various steps of the innate immune response. Hence, herpesviruses have evolved ways to antagonize the host defense mechanisms by targeting UPS components such as ubiquitin E3 ligases and deubiquitinases (DUBs) that establish a productive infection. This review delineates how herpesviruses usurp the critical roles of ubiquitin E3 ligases and DUBs in innate immune response to escape host-antiviral immune response, with particular focus on retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I)-like receptors (RLR), cyclic-GMP-AMP (cGAMP) synthase (cGAS), stimulator of interferon (IFN) genes (STING) pathways, and inflammasome signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we demonstrate the first report of bienzyme nanoparticles (BENP)–based cholesterol electrochemical sensor. The developed BENP consists of cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP), and these enzymes were crosslinked by glutaraldehyde treatment. An alternative expression system of ChOx is also firstly introduced through this work by constructing its production system in Pichia pastoris exploiting ChOx expressing gene taken from Streptomyces sp. The obtained ChOx is then applied to synthesize BENP with HRP at different ratios to attain the best condition that can yield in enhanced enzymatic activity. To utilize the material for electrochemical sensors, the BENP is furtherly modified with cysteamine to graft thiol (-SH) group that facilitates BENP immobilization on gold electrode through Au S bond. The kinetic study of the BENP was conducted using cholesterol and H 2 O 2 , which are substrates of the BENP constituents, ChOx and HRP, respectively. Moreover, its characterizations, catalytic activity, specificity, and selectivity toward cholesterol also has been investigated. The developed BENP-based cholesterol electrochemical sensor exhibited a long dynamic range (0–675 mg/dL) with a low detection limit (0.18 mg/dL), high selectivity, and long-term stability (> 98% of its initial activity over 25 days). • Bienzyme nanoparticles (BENP) is introduced, formed of crosslinked ChOx and HRP. • Alternative expression system for ChOx as the BENP constituent is also established. • Total cholesterol electrochemical sensor is developed using the synthesized BENP. • BENP-based electrochemical cholesterol sensor exhibited a low LOD of 0.18 mg/dl. • The BENP-based sensor is also highly selective and stable for more than 25 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scoping review summarizes the literature about how ambient (outdoor) air pollution impacts movement behaviours (i.e., physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep), or beliefs about movement behaviours. Of 6552 potential documents, 58 documents and 218 findings were included in the final synthesis. Most studies were from the United States and China, involved cross-sectional designs, and included mixed age groups. Overall, unfavourable changes/associations (i.e., decreased/lower physical activity, increased/higher sedentary-related behaviour, and decreased/lower sleep duration and quality) or no change/association in movement behaviours in relation to ambient air pollution were identified. Our findings suggest that more attention should be given to understanding the impact of ambient air pollution on movement behaviours in general and in diverse countries and vulnerable populations such as children or older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a healthcare facility location problem in which there are two types of patients, low-income patients and middle- and high-income patients. The former can use only public facilities, while the latter can use both public facilities and private facilities. We focus on the problem of determining locations of public healthcare facilities to be established within a given budget and allocating the patients to the facilities for the objective of maximizing the number of served patients while considering preference of the patients for the public and private facilities. We present an integer programming formulation for the problem and develop a heuristic algorithm based on Lagrangian relaxation and subgradient optimization methods. Results of computational experiments on a number of problem instances show that the algorithm gives good solutions in a reasonable computation time and may be effectively used by the healthcare authorities of the government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To investigate the effects of the microstructure and powder compositions for the micro-porous layer (MPL) of an anode on the cell performance of a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) using a highly concentrated methanol solution up to 7 M, various powders and their compositions were applied as a filler of the MPL in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA). Several nano- and microstructured carbons such as commercial carbon black (CB), spherical activated carbon (AC), multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT), and platelet carbon nanofiber (PCNF) were selected with different morphology and surface properties, and a meso-porous silica (one of SBA series) was also included for its porous and hydrophilic properties. The coating morphology and physical properties such as porosity and gas permeability were measured, and electrochemical properties of MEA with the MPL were examined by using current–voltage polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and voltammetric analyses. A mixture of different carbons was found to be effective for lowering methanol crossover with sustaining electrical conductivity and gas permeability. A MEA with modified-anode MPLs made of CB (50 vol%) and PCNF (50 vol%) powders showed a maximum power density of 67.7 mW cm−2 under operation with a 7 M concentration of methanol. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling transduction initiates TGF-β activation, resulting in activation of TGF-β receptor II (TGFBR2). Any quantitative and qualitative changes in TGFBR2 are expected to affect the TGF-β signaling pathway, which occupies a central position with respect to the regulation of cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, immune reaction, angiogenesis and extracellular matrix formation. Recent studies have shown that TGF-β1 gene polymorphisms may confer susceptibility to early acute and chronic allograft rejection in kidney transplantation recipients. In this study, we assessed whether polymorphisms of the TGFBR2 gene were associated with susceptibility to kidney transplantation rejection. A total of 347 renal allograft recipients transplanted at three centers in Korea were analyzed. Three SNPs (rs764522, rs3087465, rs2228048) of the TGFBR2 gene were genotyped from genomic DNA with direct sequencing. Multiple logistic regression models (codominant, dominant, recessive, and log-additive) were performed to evaluate odds ratios (ORs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and p-values. A total of 63 patients (18%) developed acute rejection (AR). There were no significant differences in age, sex, number of HLA mismatches, cause of renal failure, or immunosuppressant regimen between the AR and non-AR group. The synonymous SNP rs2228048 was significantly associated with AR (p = 0.020 in recessive model, and p = 0.036 in log-additive model. The allele frequencies of rs2228048 were different between the AR and non-AR group (p = 0.026). These results suggest that the synonymous TGFBR2 gene SNP rs2228048 may be associated with the development of AR in Korean kidney transplantation recipients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The dynamic, posttranslational modification of proteins with a small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) tag has been recognized as an important cellular regulatory mechanism relevant to a number of cancers as well as normal embryonic development. As part of a program aimed toward the identification of inhibitors of SUMO-conjugating enzymes, we developed a microfluidic electrophoretic mobility shift assay to monitor sumoylation events in real time. We disclose herein the use of this assay to identify a cell-permeable compound capable of blocking the transfer of SUMO-1 from the E2 enzyme Ubc9 to the substrate. We screened a small collection of compounds and identified an oxygenated flavonoid derivative that inhibits sumoylation in vitro. Next, we carried out an in-depth mechanistic analysis that ruled out many common false-positive mechanisms such as aggregation or alkylation. Furthermore, we report that this flavonoid inhibits a single step in the sumoylation cascade: the transfer of SUMO from the E2 enzyme (Ubc9) thioester conjugate to the substrate. In addition to having a unique mechanism of action, this inhibitor has a discrete structure-activity relationship uncharacteristic of a promiscuous inhibitor. Cell-based studies showed that the flavonoid inhibits the sumoylation of topoisomerase-I in response to camptothecin treatment in two different breast cancer cell lines, while isomeric analogs are inactive. Importantly, this compound blocks sumoylation while not affecting ubiquitylation in cells. This work identifies a point of entry for pharmacologic inhibition of the sumoylation cascade and may serve as the basis for continued study of additional pharmacophores that modulate SUMO-conjugating enzymes such as Ubc9. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Gankyrin is a subunit of the 26S proteasome, and has been known to degrade p53 and retinoblastoma protein and promote the tumorigenicity and metastasis in some malignancies. However, the role of gankyrin in breast cancer has not been explored. In this study, we investigated the expression of gankyrin in breast cancer and evaluated its effect on breast cancer. Representative cancer tissues including normal breasts from 60 patients with breast cancer were stained immunohistochemically for gankyrin, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and ErbB2. We evaluated the relationship between gankyrin expression and clinicopathologic parameters or prognostic markers. We also attempted to clarify the mechanism of gankyrin involved in breast carcinogenesis by using MCF7 breast cancer cells. Gankyrin was weakly expressed in normal breast epithelial cells, however, tumor regions of 37/60 (61.7%) cases showed an overexpression of gankyrin. Gankyrin overexpression was associated with extensive intraductal carcinoma (p =0.014) and ErbB2 positivity (p =0.031) in invasive ductal carcinoma. In MCF7 breast cancer cells, downregulation of gankyrin was associated with a reduction of cell proliferation and tumorigenicity. In conclusion, gankyrin was identified in normal breasts and overexpressed in invasive breast cancers. The overexpression of gankyrin was associated with extensive intraductal carcinoma and ErbB2 expression in breast cancer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cellobiose 2-epimerase from Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus was used in the presence of borate to increase the production of lactulose from lactose. Maximum production of lactulose occurred using a 1:1M ratio of borate–lactose. Under this condition, the enzyme produced 614gl−1 lactulose from 700gl−1 lactose after incubation at pH 7.5 and 80°C for 3h, with a conversion yield of 88% and a productivity of 205gl−1 h−1. The yield and productivity of lactulose production obtained in the present study are among the highest achieved through chemical or biological synthesis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Despite advances in critical care, more effective methods of systemic oxygenation in patients with acute lung injury or acute respiratory distress syndrome are needed. The goal of this study was to determine if it is possible to increase systemic oxygenation by transpleural perfusion with oxygenated perfluorocarbon in animals with induced acute lung injury. Methods: Eighteen Sprague-Dawley rats were intubated, and acute lung injury was induced by aspiration of 0.1N HCl (1 mL/kg) through the tracheal tube. Inflow and outflow tubes were placed in the thoracic cavity and connected to a perfusion circuit containing a roller pump, warmer, and oxygenator. Rats in group I were not treated after aspiration of HCl, those in group II were perfused with oxygenated saline, and those in group III were perfused with oxygenated perfluorocarbon. Arterial blood gases were collected every 30 minutes for 180 minutes. At the last step of the experiments, pathological examination of the lungs and parietal pleura was performed. Results: PaO2 in group III was significantly higher than that in group I or II. PaCO2 in group III was significantly lower than that in the other two groups. Histological examination showed relatively well-delineated zones of inflammation-free coagulative necrosis of lung parenchyma in all groups. Conclusions: Transpleural perfusion with oxygenated perfluorocarbon in an animal model of induced acute lung injury resulted in a significant increase in systemic oxygenation and depletion of systemic carbon dioxide, and might be a useful method for improving systemic oxygenation in patients with acute lung injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Graphene is of great interest for many far-reaching applications that involve interparticle interactions in adsorbents, coatings, and composites. A deep understanding of the surface components has been crucial but achieving the most accurate and reliable values of these, unaffected by experimental conditions or the analytical techniques used, remains a major challenge. To this end, we have proposed in this paper a novel approach for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, to determine London dispersive and specific (polar) components including the Lewis acid-base character of the surface free energy of graphene materials (graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and graphite) using inverse gas chromatography (IGC) technique at an infinite dilution. We have estimated the London dispersive surface energy values of graphite, GO, and rGO as van der Waals interaction to be 156–179, 89–106, and 110–119 mJ m−2, respectively, in the temperature range of 320–360 K. These are attributable to the surface properties impacted by the oxygen moieties, defects, and micropores on the carbon frameworks. Further, the acceptor (K A) and donor (K D) parameters of GO were found to be 0.71 and 0.96, respectively, while those of rGO were 0.54 and 1.05. Notably, the GO is more of the Lewis acid character that could be amphoteric, while the Lewis base characteristics of both GO and rGO are not significantly changed. These results provide foundational knowledge to understand the physicochemical properties of graphene surfaces, which should be helpful to designing interface engineering in various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on a lot merging–splitting problem in a semiconductor wafer fabrication facility in which a relatively large number of wafer types are produced according to orders with different due dates. In the fab, two or more lots can be merged into a single lot if routes and all processing conditions of the lots are the same for a number of subsequent operations, and the merged lot is split into the original lots at the point where the routes or processing conditions become different. We suggest lot merging–splitting algorithms to reduce the total tardiness of the orders and the cycle times of the lots. The suggested algorithms are evaluated through a series of simulation experiments and the result shows that the algorithms work better than a method used in a real fab. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Androgen receptor activity drives incurable castrate-resistant prostate cancer. All approved antiandrogens inhibit androgen receptor-driven transcription, and in addition the second-generation antiandrogen MDV3100 inhibits ligand-activated androgen receptor nuclear translocation, via an unknown mechanism. Here, we report methoxychalcones that lock the heat shock protein 90-androgen receptor complex in the cytoplasm in an androgen-non-responsive state, thus demonstrating a novel chemical scaffold for antiandrogen development and a unique mechanism of antiandrogen activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The conditions for maximum lactulose production from lactose, as a single substrate, by a thermostable recombinant cellobiose-2-epimerase from Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus were determined to be pH 7.5, 80°C, 700gl−1 lactose, and 150Uml−1 of enzyme. Under the conditions, the enzyme produced the two bifidus factors lactulose at 408gl−1 and epilactose at 107gl−1 after 2h. The yields of lactulose and epilactose from lactose and the productivities of lactulose and epilactose were 58%, 15%, 204gl−1 h−1, and 54gl−1 h−1, respectively. The yield and productivity of both lactulose and epilactose from lactose were 74% and 258gl−1 h−1, respectively. The yield, concentration, and productivity of lactulose in the present study are the highest among enzymatic syntheses. This is the first trial of enzymatic synthesis of lactulose using the single substrate lactose. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We study the phenomenology of the heavy charged gauge boson and obtain the lower bounds on its mass with the early LHC data at 7 TeV center-of-mass energy in the nonuniversal gauge interaction model, in which the electroweak SU(2) gauge group depends upon the fermion family. We found that the direct bound with the early data of the LHC is already better than the indirect bound on the mass of the boson. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Salubrinal is a specific eIF2α phosphatase inhibitor that inhibits ER stress-mediated apoptosis. However, maintaining hyper-phosphorylated eIF2α state with high doses of salubrinal treatment promotes apoptosis in some cancer cells. In this report, we found that salubrinal induced apoptosis of EBV-transformed B cells. Notably, salubrinal induced ROS generation and p38 MPAK activation, which then induced expression of FasL. Moreover, salubrinal subsequently led to activation of caspases, calcium redistribution, Bax translocation, cytochrome c release, and apoptosis. These findings suggest that salubrinal may be a novel therapeutic approach for EBV-associated malignant diseases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Mannose-6-phosphate isomerase catalyzes the interconversion of mannose-6-phosphate and fructose-6-phosphate. The gene encoding a putative mannose-6-phosphate isomerase from Thermus thermophilus was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The native enzyme was a 29 kDa monomer with activity maxima for mannose 6-phosphate at pH 7.0 and 80 °C in the presence of 0.5 mM Zn2+ that was present at one molecule per monomer. The half-lives of the enzyme at 65, 70, 75, 80, and 85 °C were 13, 6.5, 3.7, 1.8, and 0.2 h, respectively. The 15 putative active-site residues within 4.5 Å of the substrate mannose 6-phosphate in the homology model were individually replaced with other amino acids. The sequence alignments, activities, and kinetic analyses of the wild-type and mutant enzymes with amino acid changes at His50, Glu67, His122, and Glu132 as well as homology modeling suggested that these four residues are metal-binding residues and may be indirectly involved in catalysis. In the model, Arg11, Lys37, Gln48, Lys65 and Arg142 were located within 3 Å of the bound mannose 6-phosphate. Alanine substitutions of Gln48 as well as Arg142 resulted in increase of K m and dramatic decrease of k cat, and alanine substitutions of Arg11, Lys37, and Lys65 affected enzyme activity. These results suggest that these 5 residues are substrate-binding residues. Although Trp13 was located more than 3 Å from the substrate and may not interact directly with substrate or metal, the ring of Trp13 was essential for enzyme activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents a new material nonlinear analysis algorithm which utilizes equivalent load for stiffness. The proposed algorithm requires calculation of the inverse of the global stiffness matrix only once regardless of the loading steps and provides the same results as those by the conventional method. The efficiency of the proposed algorithm depends on the ratio of the boundary DOFs - the DOFs directly connected to the elements where stiffness changed - to the total DOFs. If the number of boundary DOFs is less than about 1/8 of the band width of the global stiffness matrix the proposed algorithm is more efficient than the conventional method. The analysis results of the model structure showed that the linear analysis of a structure using the proposed algorithm produced identical responses as those by conventional plastic hinge analysis method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate a squark cascade decay, i.e. $\tilde q_L \rightarrow q\tilde\chi_2^0\rightarrow q Z\tilde\chi_1^0 \rightarrow qll\tilde\chi_1^0$. It is shown that some information on the mass and spin of the supersymmetric particles might be obtained from the cascade decay chain at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effects of material properties modeling on the solder failure analyses by numerical simulations are studied. The packaging structure of plastic ball grid array on printed circuit board was modeled. Two different types of molding compounds and two different types of substrates were employed and combined for the plastic ball grid array package modeling. The material properties were assumed as temperature dependent elastic and viscoelastic, and finite element method was used to calculate and analyze the strain energy densities of the solder balls. The chip warpage was also studied, and related with the solder ball reliability analyses by discussing the viscoelastic characteristics of the materials and their influences on the deformations. The results showed that the warpage developments of the packaging structure showed very different behaviors, and the mechanism of the strain energy density accumulations in the solder balls were also different depending on the material properties modeling and their combinations. This study demonstrates that appropriate modeling of the material properties is critical for the interpretation and understanding the microelectronics reliability mechanisms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper investigates passivation films for organic solar cells (OSCs) in terms of the ultraviolet (UV) rays that the SU-8 film employs. An SU-8 film was deposited on the back side of an OSC sample, and the performance of the OSC was measured in terms of the UV intensity variation. The UV intensity was 10 and 30mW/cm2 at 365nm. When 30mW/cm2of UV was irradiated for 5min, the V oc and FF of the OSC without SU-8 film significantly decreased to 70% and 74%, respectively, from the pristine condition; leading to an efficiency decrease of approximately 48%. However, the V oc and FF of OSC with passivation film slightly decreased to 93% and 98%, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]