In?Situ Synchrotron Characterization of Melting, Dissolution, and Resolidification in Lead-Free Solders

Melting and solidification of SAC 305 lead-free solder joints in a wafer-level chip-scale package were examined in situ with synchrotron x-ray diffraction. The chips with balls attached (but not assembled to a circuit board) were reflowed one to three times using a temperature and time history similar to an industrial reflow process. Diffraction patterns from the same joint were collected every 0.5 s during the melting and solidification process. The solidification of the Sn phase in the solder joint occurred between 0.5 s and 1 s. During melting, most of the Sn melted in about 0.5 s, but in some cases took 2–5 s for the Sn peak to completely disappear. In one instance, the Sn peak persisted for 30 s. The Ag₃Sn peaks dissolved in about 1–2 s, but the Cu₆Sn₅ peaks from the interface were persistent and did not change throughout the melting and solidification process. Completely different Sn crystal orientations were always developed upon resolidification.     

Why not ADR? Burdened by backlogs,the system that deals with veterans' disability claims needs help

Citing ADR's effectiveness and civic duty, Richard M. Rosenbleeth, of Philadelphia, writes that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs needs to adapt programs it already uses elsewhere to deal with the backlog of injured and sick veterans' disability claims.     

Spelunkers, how deep are you? [my favorite experiment]

In this paper, by using differential measurements based around two SCP-1000 MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) sensors, a method of depth detection is proposed. A very-low-frequency (VLF) communications channel updates the moving sensor and provides corrections (along with an accelerometer, temperature, and humidity sensor for more precise measurements). For this, a single sensor, a SCP-1000 sensor made by VTI of Finland is used. These tiny chips, when used with the provided algorithms and internal temperature sensor, enable altitude measurements with resolutions better than1.5 Pa (-3.5 inches) across a dynamic range of 90 kPa (-34,750 feet).     

Federal judge gone wild? Seeking rescission,producer Francis claims his mediated settlement was coerced by jail time

An update on the Florida federal court mediation case involving the founder of the Girls Gone Wild video empire, provided by Los Angeles attorney Michael D. Young, who has closely monitored and detailed the case's impact on mediation confidentiality.     

Digital Homes — For Richer for Poorer, Who are They for?

Networked homes which support and use high technology services are usually seen as the domain of top-of-the-range, executive properties. However, there is growing evidence that this is not necessarily the case and that technology can be used to bring cost-effective benefits to a wide range of people. This paper looks at the digital home from a customer viewpoint, where the customers are home builders or developers, housing associations or local authorities, home owners or tenants. Their individual requirements and expectations are explored, along with a framework for identifying and delivering the advantages of the digital home.     

Customization,information provision and choice: what are we willing to give up for personal service?

Consumers are being increasingly asked to provide personal information in exchange for individually tailored product/service offerings. If there are discrepancies between the personal information disclosed (quality and completeness) and the actual profile of the individual, the resulting customized offer will not match the expected offer. The paper uses several theories to develop a framework to understand the disclosure/customization process and the valuation of information. Self-concept theory suggests that an individual’s self-perception influences his/her behavior and attitudes regarding a variety of issues including how and what personal information is provided. Attribution theory can be used to explain how customization successes and failures may be perceived by the consumer, in light of information incompleteness and/or inaccuracy of disclosure. An application of the framework is illustrated with an example of an online dating service.     

Participation – In what? Radio,convergence and the corporate logic of audience input through new media in Zambia

Recent literature has pointed to the way in which new media such as the internet and mobile phones have the capacity to enable more participatory and interactive communication, either through user-generated content or through a broader participation of audiences in mainstream media’s content production. This potential is celebrated even more in contexts in which there is deemed to be a lack of political accountability or limited consultation of citizens by government. This article investigates the extent to which new technologies have changed the quality of audience participation in radio content production in Zambia. Engaging with literature on participation in media studies as well as development studies and based on interviews with station managers, producers and presenters of six radio stations in Zambia, the article examines both the opportunities and limits of the use of internet and mobile phones in audience participation. It argues that there is a need to situate these practices within a broader corporate logic in which participation is not merely about adding more voices but also feeds into radio stations’ commercial strategies of increasing revenue and accessing personal data of listeners through SMS and social media.     

Magnetic (Hyper)Thermia or Photothermia? Progressive Comparison of Iron Oxide and Gold Nanoparticles Heating in Water,in Cells,and In Vivo

Magnetic hyperthermia (MHT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) are emergent state‐of‐the‐art modalities for thermal treatment of cancer. While their mechanisms of action have distinct physical bases, both approaches rely on nanoparticle‐mediated remote onset of thermotherapy. Yet, are the two heating techniques interchangeable? Here, the heating obtained either with MHT or with PTT is compared. The heating is assessed in distinct environments and involves a set of nanomaterials differing in shape (spheres, cubes, stars, shells, and rods) as well as in composition (maghemite, magnetite, cobalt ferrite, and gold). The nanoparticle's heating efficacy in an aqueous medium is first evaluated. Subsequently, the heating efficiency within the cellular environment, where intracellular processing markedly decreases MHT, is compared. Conversely, endosomal sequestration could have a positive effect on PTT. Finally, iron oxide nanocubes and gold nanostars are compared in MHT and PTT in vivo within the heterogeneous intratumoral environment. Overall, two distinct therapeutic approaches, related to high dosage allowing MHT and low dosage associated with PTT, are identified. It is also demonstrated that PTT mediated by magnetic nanoparticles has an efficacy that is comparable to that of plasmonic nanoparticles, but only at significant nanoparticle dosages. At low concentrations, only plasmonic nanoparticles can deliver a therapeutic heating.