Intermetallic compounds in 3D integrated circuits technology: a brief review.

The high performance and downsizing technology of three-dimensional integrated circuits (3D-ICs) for mobile consumer electronic products have gained much attention in the microelectronics industry. This has been driven by the utilization of chip stacking by through-Si-via and solder microbumps. Pb-free solder microbumps are intended to replace conventional Pb-containing solder joints due to the rising awareness of environmental preservation.

Surface modification of valve metals using plasma electrolytic oxidation for antibacterial applications: A review.

Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) is an advance technique to develop porous oxidation layer on light metals, primarily to enhance corrosion and wear resistance. The oxidation layer can also offer a wide variety of mechanical, biomedical, tribological, and antibacterial properties through the incorporation of several ions and particles. Due to the increasing need of antimicrobial surfaces for biomedical implants, antibacterial PEO coatings have been developed through the incorporation of antibacterial agents.

Low-melting-point polymeric nanoshells for thermal-triggered drug release under hyperthermia condition.

Purpose: The aim of this paper was to synthesise core-shell nanostructures comprised of mesoporous silica core and a low melting-point polyethylene glycol (PEG) nanoshell with a sharp gel-liquid phase transition for rapid drug release at hyperthermia temperature range.

Materials And Methods: The phase transition behaviours of PEGs with molecular weights of 1000, 1500, and 2000 Da were analysed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to determine the optimal formulation with phase transition in the hyperthermia range. The 'graft-to' method was employed to synthesise core-shell nanostructures using the selected PEG formulation.

Investigation of Embedded Si/C System Exposed to a Hybrid Reaction of Centrifugal-Assisted Thermite Method.

A novel method is proposed to study the behavior and phase formation of a Si+C compacted pellet under centrifugal acceleration in a hybrid reaction. Si+C as elemental mixture in the form of a pellet is embedded in a centrifugal tube. The pellet assembly and tube are exposed to the sudden thermal energy of a thermite reaction resulted in a hybrid reaction.

Proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stromal cells in a novel porous hydroxyapatite scaffold.

Aim: To compare the effect of bovine bone derived porous hydroxyapatite (BDHA) scaffold on proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) compared with commercial hydroxyapatite (CHA) scaffold.

Materials And Methods: The porosity and pore size were analyzed using micro-CT. The biocompatibility was demonstrated by alamar blue assay, and cell attachment through SEM and Hoechst staining.

Triggering Mechanisms of Thermosensitive Nanoparticles Under Hyperthermia Condition.

Nanoparticle-based hyperthermia is an effective therapeutic approach that allows time- and site-specific treatment with minimized off-site effects. The recent advances in materials science have led to design a diversity of thermosensitive nanostructures that exhibit different mechanisms of thermal response to the external stimuli. This article aims to provide an extensive review of the various triggering mechanisms in the nanostructures used as adjuvants to hyperthermia modalities.

A new mechanism of thermal sensitivity for rapid drug release and low systemic toxicity in hyperthermia and thermal ablation temperature ranges.

Purpose: The aim of this paper was to introduce a new mechanism of thermal sensitivity in nanocarriers that results in a relatively low drug release at physiological temperature and rapid release of the encapsulated drug at hyperthermia and thermal ablation temperature range (40-60 °C).

Materials And Methods: The nanocarriers were synthesised by coating mesoporous silica nanoparticles with a thin layer of polyacrylamide. The low gelation temperature of the protective shell provides preferred routes for drug diffusion when the nanocarriers are heated within the hyperthermia temperature range.

3D Finite element analysis of functionally graded multilayered dental ceramic cores.

This study aimed at investigating and establishing stress distributions in graded multilayered zirconia/alumina ceramic cores and at veneer-core-cement-dentin interfaces, using finite element analysis (FEA), to facilitate the structural design of ceramic cores through computer modeling. An intact maxillary premolar was digitized using CT scanning. An imaging software, Mimics, was used to reconstruct 3D models based on computed tomography (CT) data saved in DICOM format.

An inverse finite element method for determining the tissue compressibility of human left ventricular wall during the cardiac cycle.

The determination of the myocardium's tissue properties is important in constructing functional finite element (FE) models of the human heart. To obtain accurate properties especially for functional modeling of a heart, tissue properties have to be determined in vivo. At present, there are only few in vivo methods that can be applied to characterize the internal myocardium tissue mechanics.

3D-FE analysis of functionally graded structured dental posts.

This study aimed to compare the biomechanical behaviour of functionally graded structured posts (FGSPs) and homogenous-type posts in simulated models of a maxillary central incisor. Two models of FGSPs consisting of a multilayer xTi-yHA composite design, where zirconia and alumina was added as the first layer for models A and B respectively were compared to homogenous zirconia post (model C) and a titanium post (model D). The amount of Ti and HA in the FGSP models was varied in gradations.

A phase III randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial to determine the efficacy of low level laser therapy for the prevention of oral mucositis in patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Introduction: Oral mucositis (OM) is a significant early complication of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). This phase III randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study was designed to compare the ability of 2 different low level GaAlAs diode lasers (650 nm and 780 nm) to prevent oral mucositis in HCT patients conditioned with chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy.

Materials And Methods: Seventy patients were enrolled and randomized into 1 of 3 treatment groups: 650 nm laser, 780 nm laser or placebo.