Violators of cooperation norms may be informally punished by their peers. How such norm enforcement is judged by others can be regarded as a meta-norm (i.e., a second-order norm). We examined whether meta-norms about peer punishment vary across cultures by having students in eight countries judge animations in which an agent who over-harvested a common resource was punished either by a single peer or by the entire peer group. Whether the punishment was retributive or restorative varied between two studies, and findings were largely consistent across these two types of punishment. Across all countries, punishment was judged as more appropriate when implemented by the entire peer group than by an individual. Differences between countries were revealed in judgments of punishers vs. non-punishers. Specifically, appraisals of punishers were relatively negative in three Western countries and Japan, and more neutral in Pakistan, UAE, Russia, and China, consistent with the influence of individualism, power distance, and/or indulgence. Our studies constitute a first step in mapping how meta-norms vary around the globe, demonstrating both cultural universals and cultural differences.

Previously published guidelines are available that provide comprehensive recommendations for detecting and preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The intent of this document is to highlight practical recommendations in a concise format designed to assist acute care hospitals in implementing and prioritizing their central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) prevention efforts. This document updates “Strategies to Prevent Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections in Acute Care Hospitals,” published in 2008. This expert guidance document is sponsored by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) and is the product of a collaborative effort led by SHEA, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the American Hospital Association (AHA), the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), and The Joint Commission, with major contributions from representatives of a number of organizations and societies with content expertise. The list of endorsing and supporting organizations is presented in the introduction to the 2014 updates.

As millisecond annealing is increasingly utilized, the as-implanted profile dominates the final dopant distribution. We characterized boron diffusion in amorphous silicon prior to post-implantation annealing. SIMS confirmed that both fluorine and germanium enhance boron motion in amorphous materials. The magnitude of boron diffusion in germanium amorphized silicon scales with increasing fluorine dose. Boron atoms are mobile at concentrations approaching 1x1019 atoms/cm^3. It appears that defects inherent to the structure of amorphous silicon can trap and immobilize boron atoms at room temperature, but that chemical reactions involving Si-F and Si-Ge eliminate potential trapping sites. Sequential Ge+, F+, and B+ implants result in 80% more boron motion than do sequential Si+, F+, and B+ implants. The mobile boron dose and trapping site concentration change as functions of the fluorine dose through power law relationships. As the fluorine dose increases, the trapping site population decreases and the mobile boron dose increases. This reduction in trap density can result in as-implanted “junction depths” that are as much as 75% deeper (taken at 1x1018 atoms/cm-3) for samples implanted with 500 eV, 1x1015 atoms/cm2 boron.

Prior to 2004, only two states, Pennsylvania and Illinois, had enacted legislation requiring healthcare facilities to collect nosocomial or healthcare-associated infection (HAI) data intended for public disclosure. In 2004, two additional states, Missouri and Florida, passed disclosure laws. Currently, several other states are considering similar legislation. In California, Senate Bill 1487 requiring hospitals to collect HAI data and report them to the Office of Statewide Health Planning was passed by the legislature, but was not signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger, effectively vetoing it. The impetus for these laws is complex. Support comes from consumer advocates, who argue that the public has the right to be informed, and from others who view HAI as preventable and hope that public disclosure would provide an incentive to healthcare providers and institutions to improve their care.

Transient enhanced diffusion (TED) is a challenge that the semi-conductor industry has been faced with for more than two decades. Numerous investigations have been conducted to better understand the mechanisms that govern this phenomenon, so that scale down can be acheived. {311} type defects and dislocation loops are known interstitial sources that drive TED and dopants such as B utilize these interstitials to diffuse throughout the Si lattice. It has been reported that a two-step anneal on Ge preamorphized Si with ultra-low energy B implants has resulted in shallower junction depths. This study examines whether the pre-anneal step has a measurable effect on the end of range defects. Si wafers were preamorphized with Ge at 10, 12, 15, 20 and 30keV at a dose of 1x1015cm-2 and subsequently implanted with 1x1015cm-2 1keV B. Furnace anneals were performed at 450, 550, 650 and 750°C; the samples were then subjected to a spike RTA at 950°C. The implant damage was analyzed using Quantitative Transmission Electron Microscopy (QTEM). At the low energy Ge preamorphization, little damage is observed. However at the higher energies the microstructure is populated with extended defects. The defects evolve into elongated loops as the preanneal temperature increases. Both the extended defect density and the trapped interstitial concentration peak at a preanneal temperature of 550°C, suggesting that this may be an optimal condition for trapping interstitials.

This commentary discusses a strategy by which investigators can examine whether observers perceive properties of the global array independently of properties in individual sensory arrays. Research showing that perception of complex relationships appears to be independent of the perception of individual components is considered. Ashby and Townsend's (1986) methods for identifying perceptual independence are important tools for studying the global array.

Material technology for future microelectronics will require advances in all facets of materials and processing. Low dielectric constant resins that exhibit facile processing and good thermal and mechanical behavior represent one area of needed research and development. The dielectric constant must be lower than that of amorphous silicon dioxide and possess the right properties for integration with future metallurgies such as copper. Several thermoset resins that were predicted to possess the necessary characteristics have been synthesized and studied. These include a copolymer of 1,3,5-tris(2-allyloxy-hexafluoro-2-propyl) benzene with polymethylhydrosiloxane and several cyanate ester resins. Thermal gravimetric analysis indicated significant degradation between 300 and 400 degrees C depending upon the resin. Dielectric constants were measured up to 40 GHz and ranged from 2.25 to 2.75. Compatibility with copper multilevel processing was addressed. The processability of the dielectric resins was investigated to address the integration issues associated with the fabrication process.

A number of tests have been performed, under controlled conditions, with the SWIFT model in order to complete its quality-assurance records. Some of these tests verify the numerical algorithms employed by the code implementation through comparison with analytical data. Other tests validate the processes addressed by the model through comparison with field data. These tests show good agreement between SWIFT and the reference data. In this paper several of the tests are highlighted.