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Background: There is a lack of high-level evidence on the surgical management of cleft palate. An appreciation of the differences in the complication rates between different surgical techniques and timing of repair is essential in optimizing cleft palate management. Method: A comprehensive electronic database search will be conducted on the complication rates associated with cleft palate repair using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Two independent reviewers with expertise in cleft pathology will screen all appropriate titles, abstracts, and full-text publications prior to deciding whether each meet the predetermined inclusion criteria. The study findings will be tabulated and summarized. The primary outcomes will be the rate of palatal fistula, the incidence and severity of velopharyngeal insufficiency, and the rate of maxillary hypoplasia with different techniques and also the timing of the repair. A meta-analysis will be conducted using a random effects model. Discussion: The evidence behind the optimal surgical approach to cleft palate repair is minimal, with no gold standard technique identified to date for a certain type of cleft palate. It is essential to appreciate how the complication rates differ between each surgical technique and each time point of repair, in order to optimize the management of these patients. A more critical evaluation of the outcomes of different cleft palate repair methods may also provide insight into more effective surgical approaches for different types of cleft palates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A nanoscale silver paste containing 30-nm silver particles that can be sintered at 280 °C was made for interconnecting semiconductor devices. Sintering of the paste produced a microstructure containing micrometer-size porosity and a relative density of around 80%. Electrical and thermal conductivities of around 2.6 × 105 (Ω · cm)-1 and 2.4 W/K-cm, respectively, were obtained, which are much higher than those of the solder alloys that are currently used for die attachment and/or flip-chip interconnection of power semiconductor devices. The sintered porous silver had an apparent elastic modulus of about 9 GPa, which is substantially lower than that of bulk silver, as well as most solder materials. The lower elastic modulus of the porous silver may be beneficial in achieving a more reliable joint between the device and substrate because of increased compliance that can better accommodate stress arising from thermal expansion mismatch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]