Alignment verification for electron beam lithography

Alignment between lithography layers is essential for device fabrication. A minor defect in a single marker can lead to incorrect alignment and this can be the source of wafer reworks. In this paper we show that this can be prevented by using extra alignment markers to check the alignment during patterning, rather than inspecting vernier patterns after the exposure is completed. Accurate vernier patterns can often only be read after pattern transfer has been carried out. We also show that by using a Penrose tile as a marker it is possible to locate the marker to about 1 nm without fully exposing the resist. This means that the marker can be reused with full accuracy, thus improving the layer to layer alignment accuracy. Lithography tool noise limits the process

Idendification and characterisation of novel small RNAs from repetitve elements in mammals

Transposable elements account for the almost half of the sequence encoded by mammalian genomes, which become silenced during early embryonic development. This thesis sought to explore the hypothesis of the involvement of the RNAi pathway in the silencing of transposable elements in mammals, predominantly through the identification of transposon-associated RNA of -20-25nt using a gel blotting technique. Initially cell lines of embryonic and tumour origin were analysed. This lead to the identification of several previously unreported transposon-associated RNA ranging from 70-90nt. However, it was not until a more detailed analysis of the embryonic cell lines, with the induction of differentiation in cell culture that several discrete RNA of -20nt were detected for the mouse transposons L1 and B2. The differentiation of embryonic cell lines in culture also serendipitously lead to the detection of several short 55 rRNA of -22-26nt, these were also later detected in several human cell lines of breast cancer origin and healthy breast tissue. Intriguingly the -20-26nt repeat-associated identified were predominantly observed after two-days of differentiation in cell culture in several cell lines and often coincided with an ethidium bromide stainable band of -19nt. The latter may indicate a large proportion of these RNAs. Further analysis of the B2 and 55 rRNA repeat-associated short RNA revealed both to have reduce accumulation in Dicer-null embryonic stem cells, implicating a possible association with a known component of the RNAi pathway. Dicer was also observed to process the longer -50-80nt 55rRNA to -20-26nt in vitro. BLAST was also used to identify possible mRNA targets for the short B2 and 55 rRNA. One of these, the mRNA encoding sialic acid acetylesterase (SIAE) was consistently observed to be reduced with the accumulation of the short RNA using end-point RT-PCR, consistent with targeting through the RNAi or a similar pathway. However, no further links with the RNAi pathway were established, with no targeting detected for the short B2 or 55 rRNA using dual luciferase sensor assays. The repeat-associated RNA identified in this thesis are among the first of their type and further work will be required to establish what relevance they have to the RNAi pathway and transposon regulation

WHOOPING CRANE TITERS TO EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS VACCINATIONS

In 1984 an epizootic of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus killed 7 of 39 (18%) whooping cranes in captivity at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Maryland, USA. Since that time whooping cranes have been vaccinated with a human EEE vaccine. This vaccine was unavailable for several years, necessitating use of an equine vaccine in the cranes. This study compared the antibody titers measured for three years using the human vaccine with those measured for two years using the equine form. Whooping cranes developed similarly elevated titers in one year using the human vaccine and both years using the equine vaccine. However, in two years where the human vaccine was used, the whooping cranes developed significantly lower titers compared to other years

Ensuring Treatment Fidelity in a Multi-site Behavioral Intervention Study: Implementing NIH Behavior Change Consortium Recommendations in the SMART Trial

The Stories and Music for Adolescent/Young Adult Resilience during Transplant (SMART) study (R01NR008583; U10CA098543; U10CA095861) is an ongoing multi-site Children’s Oncology Group randomized clinical trial testing the efficacy of a therapeutic music video intervention for adolescents/young adults (11–24 years of age) with cancer undergoing stem cell transplant. Treatment fidelity strategies from our trial are consistent with the NIH Behavior Change Consortium Treatment Fidelity Workgroup (BCC) recommendations and provide a successful working model for treatment fidelity implementation in a large, multi-site behavioral intervention study. In this paper we summarize 20 specific treatment fidelity strategies used in the SMART trial and how these strategies correspond with NIH BCC recommendations in 5 specific areas: 1) study design, 2) training providers, 3) delivery of treatment, 4) receipt of treatment, and 5) enactment of treatment skills. Increased use and reporting of treatment fidelity procedures is essential in advancing the reliability and validity of behavioral intervention research. The SMART trial provides a strong model for the application of fidelity strategies to improve scientific findings and addresses the absence of published literature illustrating the application of BCC recommendations in behavioral intervention studies

Nursing Roles and Strategies in End-of-Life Decision Making in Acute Care: A Systematic Review of the Literature

The objective of this paper is to analyze the literature concerning nurses' roles and strategies in EOL decision making in acute care environments, synthesize the findings, and identify implications for future research. We conducted searches in CINAHL and PubMed, using a broad range of terms. The 44 articles retained for review had quantitative and qualitative designs and represented ten countries. These articles were entered into a matrix to facilitate examining patterns, themes, and relationships across studies. Three nursing roles emerged from the synthesis of the literature: information broker, supporter, and advocate, each with a set of strategies nurses use to enact the roles. Empirical evidence linking these nursing roles and strategies to patients and family members outcomes is lacking. Understanding how these strategies and activities are effective in helping patients and families make EOL decisions is an area for future research