In human cell lines, the caspase 2 adaptor RAIDD interacts selectively with caspase 2 through its caspase recruitment domain (CARD) and leads to caspase 2-dependent death. Whether RAIDD induces such effects in neuronal cells is unknown. We have previously shown that caspase 2 is essential for apoptosis of trophic factor-deprived PC12 cells and rat sympathetic neurons. We report here that rat RAIDD, cloned from PC12 cells, interacts with rat caspase 2 CARD. RAIDD overexpression induced caspase 2 CARD-and caspase 9-dependent apoptosis of PC12 cells and sympathetic neurons. Apoptosis correlated with the formation of discrete perinuclear aggregates. Both death and aggregates required the expression of full-length RAIDD. Such aggregates may enable more effective activation of caspase 2 through close proximity. Following trophic deprivation, RAIDD overexpression increased death and aggregate formation. Therefore, RAIDD aggregation is important for its death-promoting effects and may play a role in trophic factor withdrawal-induced neuronal apoptosis.

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We report the first experiment of electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) hydrogen (H) and nitrogen (N) plasma surface passivation on the AIGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT). As a result of the plasma processing, the base current ideality factor is improved from 2.67 to 1.96, and the maximum current gain is increased from 720 to 1000. In the low-current regime, the base current is reduced by two orders of magnitude. The nitride layer grown by nitrogen plasma passivates the GaAs surface and appears to be thermally stable without significant degradation.

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A : A radiation-hard quad-channel 12-bit 40 MSPS pipeline analog-to-digital converter (ADC) has been designed for the trigger readout electronics Phase-I upgrade of the ATLAS Liquid Argon calorimeter, at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The final version of the custom design, fabricated in a commercial 130 nm CMOS process, is presented and found to meet the system requirements for analog performance and radiation tolerance. The procedure for quality control of 17200 ADCs is described and the results are presented.