Importance of β,β-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase 1 (BCMO1) and β,β-carotene 9',10'-dioxygenase 2 (BCDO2) in nutrition and health

In humans, varying amounts of absorbed β-carotene are oxidatively cleaved by the enzyme β,β-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase 1 (BCMO1) into two molecules of all-trans-retinal. The other carotenoid cleavage enzyme β,β-carotene 9',10'-dioxygenase (BCDO2) cleaves β-carotene at the 9',10' double bond forming β-apo-10'-carotenal and β-ionone. Although the contribution of BCDO2 to vitamin A formation has long been debated, BCMO1 is currently considered the key enzyme for retinoid metabolism. Furthermore, BCMO1 has limited enzyme activity towards carotenoids other than provitamin A carotenoids, whereas BCDO2 exhibits a broader specificity. Both enzymes are located at different sites within the cell, with BCMO1 being a cytosolic protein and BCDO2 being located in the mitochondria. Expression of BCMO1 in tissues other than the intestine has recently revealed its function for tissue-specific retinoid metabolism with importance in embryogenesis and lipid metabolism. On the other hand, biological activity of BCDO2 metabolites has been shown to be important in protecting against carotenoid-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) such as R267S and A379V in BCMO1 can partly explain inter-individual variations observed in carotenoid metabolism. Advancing knowledge about the physiological role of these two enzymes will contribute to understanding the importance of carotenoids in health and disease.     

Drop impact reliability of Sn–1.0Ag–0.5Cu BGA interconnects with different mounting methods

The poor drop-shock resistance of near-eutectic Sn–Ag–Cu (SAC) solder interconnects drives the research and application low-Ag SAC solder alloys, especially for Sn–1.0Ag–0.5Cu (SAC105). In this work, by dynamic four-point bend testing, we investigate the drop impact reliability of SAC105 alloy ball grid array (BGA) interconnects with two different surface mounting methods: near-eutectic solder paste printing and flux dipping. The results indicate that the flux dipping method improves the interconnects failure strain by 44.7% over paste printing. Further mechanism studies show the fine interfacial intermetallic compounds (IMCs) at the printed circuit board side and a reduced Ag content inside solder bulk are the main beneficial factors overcoming other negative factors. The flux dipping SAC105 BGA solder joints possess fine Cu₆Sn₅ IMCs at the interface of solder/Cu pads, which increases the bonding strength between the solder/IMCs and the fracture resistance of the IMC grains themselves. Short soldering time of flux dipping joints above the solder alloy liquidus mitigates the growth of interfacial IMCs in size. In addition, a reduced Ag content in flux dipping joint bulk causes a low hardness and high compliance, thus increasing fracture resistance under higher-strain rate conditions.     

Handover approaches for seamless mobility management in next generation wireless networks

Next generation wireless networks (NGWN) will be an integration of heterogeneous wireless access networks that will interwork over an IP‐based infrastructure. This all‐IP vision has led to the development of handover mechanisms to support seamless mobility for active network services among the different interworking wireless networks in order to ensure network access ubiquity in NGWN. These handover mechanisms need to ensure that mobile devices continue to receive ongoing communication without any noticeable disruption during handover events among the heterogeneous networks. This paper gives a qualitative and quantitative review of current handover approaches of IP mobility management protocols for NGWN with an objective to introduce a new way of further optimizing the handover performance. In particular, the paper focuses on handover approaches of mobile IPv6 (MIPv6) based mobility management protocols. Thus, the need, benefits, and limitations of these handover approaches are explored. Thereafter, dynamic handover coordination is introduced as a new viable solution that exploits the benefits and mitigates the limitations of these handover approaches hence improving handover performance in terms of handover delay, packet loss, and signaling overhead. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Complementary integrated circuits on plastic foil using inkjet printed n- and p-type organic semiconductors: Fabrication,characterization, and circuit analysis

Complementary thin-film transistor circuits composed of 6,13-bis(triisopropyl-silylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS–PEN) and a rylene carboxylic diimide derivative for p- and n-channel thin-film transistors (TFTs) were fabricated on flexible foils. The so-called staggered TFT configuration is used, meaning that the semiconductors layers are deposited last. The work-function of the injecting gold electrodes were modified using several self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). For optimized contacts the mobility of the n- and p-channel TFTs was 0.5 cm²/Vs and 0.2 cm²/Vs, respectively. Strongly degraded performance is obtained when the n-channel material was printed on contacts optimized for the p-channel TFT, and vice versa. This illustrates that for CMOS circuits we need careful work-function engineering to allow proper injection for both electrons and holes. We show for the first time that by using a bimolecular mixture for the SAM we can systematically vary the work function, and demonstrate how this affects the performance of discrete n-type and p-type transistors, as well as CMOS inverters and ring oscillators. Under optimal processing conditions we realized complementary 19-stage ring oscillators with 10 μs stage delay operating at 20 V.     

Highly Crystalline Soluble Acene Crystal Arrays for Organic Transistors: Mechanism of Crystal Growth During Dip‐Coating

The preparation of uniform large‐area highly crystalline organic semiconductor thin films that show outstanding carrier mobilities remains a challenge in the field of organic electronics, including organic field‐effect transistors. Quantitative control over the drying speed during dip‐coating permits optimization of the organic semiconductor film formation, although the kinetics of crystallization at the air–solution–substrate contact line are still not well understood. Here, we report the facile one‐step growth of self‐aligning, highly crystalline soluble acene crystal arrays that exhibit excellent field‐effect mobilities (up to 1.5 cm V^?1 s^?1) via an optimized dip‐coating process. We discover that optimized acene crystals grew at a particular substrate lifting‐rate in the presence of low boiling point solvents, such as dichloromethane (b.p. of 40.0 °C) or chloroform (b.p. of 60.4 °C). Variable‐temperature dip‐coating experiments using various solvents and lift rates are performed to elucidate the crystallization behavior. This bottom‐up study of soluble acene crystal growth during dip‐coating provides conditions under which one may obtain uniform organic semiconductor crystal arrays with high crystallinity and mobilities over large substrate areas, regardless of the substrate geometry (wafer substrates or cylinder‐shaped substrates).     

Comparative studies of placentation and immunology in non-human primates suggest a scenario for the evolution of deep trophoblast invasion and an explanation for human pregnancy disorders

Deep trophoblast invasion in the placental bed has been considered the hallmark of human pregnancy. It occurs by two routes, interstitial and endovascular, and results in transformation of the walls of the spiral arteries as they traverse the decidua and the inner third of the myometrium. Disturbances in this process are associated with reproductive disorders such preeclampsia. In contrast, trophoblast invasion in Old World monkeys occurs only by the endovascular route and seldom reaches the myometrium. Recently, it was shown that this pattern is maintained in gibbons, but that the human arrangement also occurs in chimpanzee and gorilla. There is an interesting parallel with results from placental immunology regarding the evolution of the major histocompatability complex class I antigen HLA-C and its cognate receptors. HLA-C is not present in Old World monkeys or gibbons. It emerged in the orangutan and became polymorphic in the lineage leading to gorilla, bonobo, chimpanzee, and human. Interaction between HLA-C1 and HLA-C2 on the surface of trophoblast and killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) expressed by uterine natural killer cells are important regulators of trophoblast invasion. Evolution of this system in great apes may have been one prerequisite for deep trophoblast invasion but seems to have come at a price. The evidence now suggests that certain combinations of maternal genotype for KIRs and fetal genotype for HLA-C imply an increased risk of preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, and recurrent abortion. The fetal genotype is in part derived from the father providing an explanation for the paternal contribution to reproductive disorders.     

Infrared spectroscopic evidence supporting heterogeneous site binding models for humic substances

Infrared spectroscopy was used to corroborate predictions made by newly developed heterogeneous site binding models for humic substances. Experimental conditions to acquire the spectra of soil humic substances (humic and fulvic acid and a polysaccharide fraction) in an aqueous state using horizontal attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (HATR-FTIR) were established. Elimination of the water spectrum from that of the sample was achieved by spectral subtraction of the water peak at 2020 cm(-1). A KSCN internal standard with an absorption band at 2067 cm(-1) was used to verify the efficacy of the subtraction procedure. Spectral artifacts produced by the water spectrum subtraction and from contaminants within the humic materials have been identified. Three fulvic and one humic acid solution were examined in solutions of varying pH. Results show that the observed proportion of ionized carboxylate in relation to pH is consistent with models that assume electrostatic effects and a continuous distribution of proton association constants (log KH). The spectroscopic data were in accordance with calculations made using the generic humic and fulvic acid NICA-Donnan model parameters.     

Factor structure and validity of the Therapeutic Factors Inventory–Short Form.

Clinical group practice is commonly guided by the assumption that 11 distinct therapeutic factors operate in psychotherapy groups. This assumption should be closely examined due to the emerging evidence of fewer, more global therapeutic factors. The present study was conducted to continue the development of the Therapeutic Factors Inventory–Short Form (TFI–S) and focused on confirming its factor structure and evaluating aspects of its concurrent, discriminant, and predictive validity. A sample comprising a total of 435 clients from 52 distinct therapy groups at eight different clinical sites in the U.S. and Canada was obtained. Structural equation modeling analyses indicated that a four-factor model had a reasonably good fit to the TFI–S rating data, and it provided indications for further refinement of the constituent items. The analyses resulted in a revised, 19-item measure, the Therapeutic Factors Inventory–19 (TFI–19). Three-level HLM analyses demonstrated that the four factors were sensitive to change in member perceptions over time. Significant and meaningful relationships between the TFI–19 factors and subscales of the Group Climate Questionnaire-Short Form provided support for the concurrent validity of the TFI–19. Two-level HLM analyses identified significant relationships between the TFI–19 factors and posttreatment status on symptomatic and interpersonal distress, thereby supporting the predictive validity of the TFI–19. The findings suggest that the TFI–19 may be a useful instrument to assess group members' perceptions of more global therapeutic factors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychosocial resources, threat, and the perception of distance and height: Support for the resources and perception model.

Threatening things are often perceptually exaggerated, such that they appear higher, closer, of greater duration, or more intense than they actually are. According to the Resources and Perception Model (RPM) psychosocial resources can prevent this exaggeration, leading to more accurate perception. Two studies tested RPM. Study 1 showed that the perceived closeness of a threatening object (a live tarantula) but not an innocuous object (a cat toy) was moderated by induced self-worth. Further, the more self-worth that participants experienced, the less close the tarantula appeared to them. Study 2 showed that greater levels of self-esteem reduced perceived height, but only among participants prevented from holding a protective handrail while looking down. Together, these studies confirm that resources moderate the physical perception of both distance and height, that resources moderate perception of threats but not nonthreats, that different resources have similar moderating effects, and that psychosocial resources can supplant physical resources. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)