Protaspides and later growth stages are described and discussed for the Ordovician trinucleid trilobite Cryptolithus tesselatus Green and the raphiophorid Lonchodomas chaziensis Shaw. A small triangular rostral plate is described for a single protaspid instar in both Cryptolithus and Lonchodomas. The presence of this small sclerite in the ontogeny of these taxa supports the origin of the Trinucleoidea from the Ptychopariida through reduction in and then fusion or loss of the rostral plate. Earlier and later growth stages have fused ventral sclerites, with no signs of connective sutures. All members of the Trinucleoidea with known ontogenies share similar small, ovoid asaphoid protaspides, with distinct axes and varying numbers of sharp, conical to subtubular, submarginal spines on the dorsal exoskeleton and marginal spines on the hypostome. Two protaspid instars are identified in both Cryptolithus and Lonchodomas, sharing many characters that indicate homologous levels of development. A single origin for the median suture of the Asaphida is supported, with an anterior rostellum as its precursor.

Carbon nanotubes are attractive for switching applications since electrostatically-actuated CNT switches have low actuation voltages and power requirements, while allowing GHz switching speeds that stem from the inherently high elastic modulus and low mass of the CNT. Our first NEM structure, the air-bridge switch, consists of suspended single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) that lie above a sputtered Nb electrode. Electrical measurements of these air-bridge devices show well-defined ON and OFF states as a dc bias of a few volts is applied. The switches were measured to have switching times down to a few nanoseconds. Our second NEM structure, the vertical CNT switch, consists of nanotubes grown perpendicular to the substrate. Vertical multi-walled nanotubes (MWNTs) are grown directly on a heavily doped Si substrate, from 200 − 300 nm wide, ∼ 1 μm deep nano-pockets, with Nb metal electrodes to result in the formation of a vertical single-pole-double-throw CNT switch architecture.

Careful studies of the corrosion, redox, galvanic, and oxygen evolution/uptake reactions associated with YBa2Cu3O7–δ and related compounds have been completed. These studies have led to an understanding of the many factors that contribute to the poor material characteristics exhibited by these popular high-Tc phases. With knowledge of the structure-reactivity relationships, a powerful crystal engineering approach has been developed that is capable of producing cation substituted versions of YBa2Cu3O7–δ; the resulting compounds therefrom produced exhibit markedly improved processability, oxygen stability, and durability characteristics. These materials have been combined in thin film structures so as to make prototype SNS junctions and SQUID sensors which exhibit promising device performance characteristics.

Dual implantation of cobalt and iron into silicon (100) wafers and subsequent annealing has been used to form layers containing mixtures of CoSi2 and FeSi2. The structure and properties of the layers were followed by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM), Transmission Electron Diffraction (TED), Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS), and photoluminescence (PL). When a high dose of both species was implanted, segregation of the cobalt and iron occurred which for 1000°C anneals, resulted in an epitaxial layer of αFeSi2 upon a CoSi2 layer. The epitaxial quality of both of these layers was superior to those previously fabricated by single species implants. For a low dose cobalt implant followed by a high dose iron implant, a single phase solid solution was formed and segregation did not occur. Photoluminescence at 1.54 urn was observed from this layer, but with a much lower intensity and a broader line width than that from a pure βFeSi2 layer.

The effects of tricyclic antidepressants on the heart are reviewed. Statistically significant increases in heart rate and in atrioventricular conduction times were found following the administration of tricyclic drugs to 32 depressed patients. The method of His bundle electrocardiography was used to study atrioventricular conduction in ambulant patients and in patients admitted after an overdose of tricyclic antidepressant drugs. Distal conduction defects were frequently found in patients following tricyclic overdosage, but these were not seen with doxepin overdosage. Impaired distal conduction was also found in occasional patients on therapeutic doses of tricyclic drugs. Some animal experiments giving similar results to the above clinical findings are also described. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed.