A three‐dimensional finite element model describing the thermal–mechanical stress distribution in multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) during termination firing, soldering, and bending tests is presented. Numerical results indicate that the thermal residual stresses originating from the soldering process are approximately one‐fifth to half of the magnitude of the flexural stresses at the crack occurrence during the board flex test. The peak tensile stress from numerical simulations correlates with the crack initiation site observed in situ in board flex tests. The effects of inner electrode number, solder wicking height, lateral margin length, and the thickness of nickel in the termination component on mechanical failure during the board flex test are also investigated. Numerical results demonstrate that the maximum tensile stress could be effectively relieved by increasing the length of the lateral margin. In addition, a judicious combination of the solder wicking height and nickel termination thickness can further diminish the peak tensile stress during the board flex test. Finally, better design criteria are also developed by modifying the geometric parameters of MLCCs using Taguchi orthogonal arrays to decrease the peak tensile stresses that occur during board flex tests.

Background Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is associated with aspergillosis, but the simultaneous presence of CMV viral interleukin‐10 (cmvIL‐10) and aspergillosis has never been investigated. CmvIL‐10 is produced by CMV‐infected cells and acts as an immune modulator during CMV infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate cmvIL‐10 levels in peripheral blood and its influence on the clinical outcomes of Aspergillus infection. Methods Patients who visited or were admitted to the hospital with suspected Aspergillus infection, including invasive aspergillosis (IA) and chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA), were prospectively enrolled. The cmvIL‐10, human IL‐10 (hIL‐10), IL‐1B, IL‐6, IL‐8, IFN‐γ, and TNF‐α levels in peripheral blood were measured. Results Patients with Aspergillus infection had a higher level of cmvIL‐10 than the control group (158 ± 305 vs 27.9 ± 30.4 pg/ml, p < .05). The level of cmvIL‐10 was not correlated with CMV viremia or end‐organ disease. The cmvIL‐10 but not hIL‐10 level was positively correlated with the IFN‐γ level (p < .05) and marginally negatively correlated with IL‐1B and IL‐8 levels (p < .1). In patients with CPA, a high level of cmvIL‐10 (≥100 pg/ml) was a poor prognostic factor for long‐term survival (p < .05). In contrast, CMV viremia or end‐organ disease was associated with poor survival in patients with IA (p = .05). Conclusions Aspergillus infection was associated with CMV coinfection with cmvIL‐10 in blood. A cmvIL‐10 concentration ≥100 pg/ml was a predictor for unfavourable outcome in CPA patients.