cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultra wide band dual orthogonal frequency coded SAW correlators using harmonic operation

This paper presents the development of ultra-wideband (UWB) surface acoustic wave (SAW) correlators using harmonic operation for increased center frequency. Orthogonal frequency coding (OFC) is a spread spectrum coding technique with a variety of applications. The OFC SAW correlator spectrally spreads the UWB data beyond that of CDMA due to an increased signal bandwidth. The OFC SAW correlator concept was previously demonstrated using a coded dispersive transducer in conjunction with an apodized transducer in the 250MHz frequency range. The relatively low frequency was chosen for proof of device concept within the fabrication limitations of conventional contact lithography technology. Due to antenna size considerations, a higher operation frequency is desirable for wireless system operation. Using harmonic device operation, much higher frequency devices are possible while continuing to work within the same limitations of a given lithography technology. Experimental results of a harmonic OFC SAW correlation filter are presented for in-line and multi-tracked device configurations. The performance of the harmonic device design is compared to a device operating at fundamental frequency. The harmonic SAW correlators meet UWB specifications with a fractional bandwidth greater than 29% and were fabricated on lithium niobate (LiNbO3) having a center frequency in the 1 GHz frequency band. A coupling of modes (COM) model is used to predict the desired SAW filter response experimentally and is compared to the measured data. Good correlation between the predicted COM responses and the measured device data is obtained. Discussion of the design, analysis and measurements are presented. Results are shown for operation in a matched filter correlator for use in an UWB communication system and compared to prediction. The results demonstrate the feasibility of harmonic operation for high frequency SAW OFC correlation filters.
Conference Report: The Conference on Small Molecule Science

The Conference on Small Molecule Science (CoSMoS), organized by the Society for Small Molecule Science (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit chartered organization), was held in Portland, Oregon, USA, on the 27–29 September 2010. The meeting is focused on analytical scientists, from varied scientific and industrial backgrounds, to foster practical ‘how to’ discussions. CoSMoS organizes highly interactive workshop environments, where in addition to presentations of a unique topical value, a discussion of what has been tried and didn’t work, including reasons why, is an instructive part of the proceedings. The conference included six plenary sessions and five workshop sessions. This year CoSMoS was jointly hosted with the ‘small molecule’ NMR spectroscopy meeting, SMASH, and the program for the final day represented a combination of topics spanning the two interdisciplinary groups.
Fast, efficient median filters with even length windows

Median filtering has been extensively used in signal and image processing. Treatment has been limited to cases where the filter window spans an odd number of signal samples. The existence of cases where the median of an even number of samples is more efficient is demonstrated and an approach for designing real-time filters is presented.
EOSUCHUS (CROCODYLIA, GAVIALOIDEA) FROM THE LOWER EOCENE OF THE ISLE OF SHEPPEY, ENGLAND

A partial skull from the early Eocene London Clay of the Isle of Sheppey, England, is referable to the gavialoid clade Eosuchus, otherwise known from the late Paleocene of continental Europe and North America. It differs slightly from Paleocene forms, but there is insufficient material on which to base a new species. This extends the range of Eosuchus beyond the Paleocene and represents the first unambiguous occurrence of a gavialoid in the early Eocene.
Disgust and the moralization of purity.

Guided by appraisal-based models of the influence of emotion upon judgment, we propose that disgust moralizes—that is, amplifies the moral significance of—protecting the purity of the body and soul. Three studies documented that state and trait disgust, but not other negative emotions, moralize the purity moral domain but not the moral domains of justice or harm/care. In Study 1, integral feelings of disgust, but not integral anger, predicted stronger moral condemnation of behaviors violating purity. In Study 2, experimentally induced disgust, compared with induced sadness, increased condemnation of behaviors violating purity and increased approval of behaviors upholding purity. In Study 3, trait disgust, but not trait anger or trait fear, predicted stronger condemnation of purity violations and greater approval of behaviors upholding purity. We found that, confirming the domain specificity of the disgust–purity association, disgust was unrelated to moral judgments about justice (Studies 1 and 2) or harm/care (Study 3). Finally, across studies, individuals of lower socioeconomic status (SES) were more likely than individuals of higher SES to moralize purity but not justice or harm/care.
Immunohistologic evidence that villitis in human normal term placentas is an immunologic lesion

Villitis of unestablished origin is a lesion in placentas from normal and high-risk pregnancies. We have studied villitis areas in 25 normal term placentas for immune cells, coagulation components, and endothelial markers. Villitis areas were filled with activated (HLA-DR, HLA-DP, and HLA-DQ reactive) macrophages. B lymphocytes were not identified, and T lymphocytes were of the helper (CD4) phenotype. Antibodies to coagulation components revealed perivascular and trophoblastic basement membrane deposits of factor IX, increased numbers of platelets, and fetal stem vessels that did not react with endothelial markers. These findings suggest helper T lymphocytes activate macrophages that mediate coagulation activation and alter endothelium. This combination of immunologic events results in tissue changes that are histologically diagnosed as villitis. It is not known what triggers these immunologic events, but the finding of villitis in normal placentas suggests the causative factor(s) is present in all pregnancies.
The Current Status of Haemoglobin-based Blood Substitutes

Haemoglobin-based red cell substitutes have recently passed a myriad of safety studies and are now undergoing efficacy evaluation. There are numerous potential benefits with use of these solutions: they are readily available and have a long shelf-life; do not require typing and cross-matching; are free of viral or bacterial contamination; lack the immunosuppressive effects of blood; and have a much lower viscosity than blood. One-third of the 10 million units of blood transfused in the United States each year is utilized in the emergency setting. Therefore, a safe, effective substitute for blood should have significant impact upon the way we resuscitate bleeding patients. In this article, the current status of the various haemoglobin-based red cell substitutes is reviewed.
Identification and management of the early anorectic child.

Abstract Anorexia nervosa is a devastating disorder that is difficult to treat. Early intervention requires identification in the initial stages of the disorder and improves the outlook for a positive outcome. Early identification is possible through the careful assessment of the child's personality structure and related behaviors, body image distortion, weight- and food-related behaviors, and family dynamics. Prompt management can then lead to recovery.
Will I Marry if My Parents Can’t? Young Adults With LGB Parents Consider Marriage for Themselves

Although an emerging body of research has examined lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults’ attitudes and feelings about marriage, very little research has explored how their offspring view marriage. The current exploratory, qualitative, interview-based study of 35 adolescents and emerging adults (ages 15-28 years; mean age = 21 years) with LGB parents examines their attitudes about and desire for marriage. Results revealed that many participants endorsed romantic ideas about marriage and hoped to someday marry themselves. Other participants expected to marry, but solely for “pragmatic” reasons (i.e., legal/financial protections). Some participants expressed concerns about the institution of marriage, and therefore rejected marriage for themselves—although some conceded that they might marry if and when all LGB people were able to marry. Finally, a small group of participants expressed a desire to marry, but struggled with the idea of marrying when their LGB parents could not. These findings reveal great ...
Model-driven mapping onto distributed memory parallel computers

The author addresses the problem of exploiting the parallelism available in a program to efficiently employ the resources of the target machine in the context of building a mapping compiler for a distributed memory parallel machine. He demonstrates the effectiveness of using execution models to select the best mapping technique from among those available for a given program segment on a particular machine. Through analysis of the execution models for several mapping techniques for one class of programs on a linear processor array, it is shown that selecting the best technique for a particular program instance can make a significant difference in performance. On the other hand, the results of benchmarks from a mapping compiler for the Warp systolic array machine show that the execution models considered are accurate enough to select the best mapping technique for a given program. >
Mobility-field behavior of fully depleted SOI MOSFET's

This work reports measured effective mobility vs. effective vertical electric field and the accompanying experimental method of extraction for the fully depleted (FD) SOI MOSFET. The effective channel mobility vs. effective vertical electric field behavior was investigated as a function of the SOI film doping concentration, the SOI back-gate bias, and the SOI film thickness. The validity of using the approximation, Q/sub i/=C/sub ox/(V/sub GS//spl minus/V/sub TH/), for the inversion charge density in FD SOI is examined and experimentally confirmed. >
Pragmatic Bioethics, by Glenn McGee, ed. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press, 1999. 320 pp. $19.95

Classical American pragmatists, such as William James, John Dewey, and C. S. Peirce, have had little influence on the development of bioethics. Glenn McGee and the other authors whose essays make up this book believe that this is a mistake. They maintain that the work of these pragmatists constitutes an original and effective method for understanding and resolving bioethical dilemmas. Their collective goal is to convince the rest of us that they are right.
dynamic O-Glcnac modification regulates CreB- mediated gene expression and memory formation

The transcription factor cyclic AMP-response element binding protein (CREB) is a key regulator of many neuronal processes, including brain development, circadian rhythm and long-term memory. Studies of CREB have focused on its phosphorylation, although the diversity of CREB functions in the brain suggests additional forms of regulation. Here we expand on a chemoenzymatic strategy for quantifying glycosylation stoichiometries to characterize the functional roles of CREB glycosylation in neurons. We show that CREB is dynamically modified with an O-linked β-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine sugar in response to neuronal activity and that glycosylation represses CREB-dependent transcription by impairing its association with CREB-regulated transcription coactivator (CRTC; also known as transducer of regulated CREB activity). Blocking glycosylation of CREB alters cellular function and behavioral plasticity, enhancing both axonal and dendritic growth and long-term memory consolidation. Our findings demonstrate a new role for O-glycosylation in memory formation and provide a mechanistic understanding of how glycosylation contributes to critical neuronal functions. Moreover, we identify a previously unknown mechanism for the regulation of activity-dependent gene expression, neural development and memory.
Experiments on the role of amplitude and phase modulations during transition to turbulence

The transition of a laminar two-dimensional wake is studied experimentally to establish the role of amplitude and phase modulations in the spectral-broadening and energy-redistribution process. Multiple instability modes fo and fi are triggered by acoustic excitation. The spectrum of the fluctuating velocity field formed by the growing and interacting instabilities shows the development of a complicated side- band structure reminiscent of amplitude- and phase-modulated waves. Digital com- plex demodulation techniques are used to obtain quantitative measurements of local instantaneous amplitude and phase modulations. Measurements of the modulation time traces, their modulation indices, the lag between phase and amplitude modula- tions, and the power spectra of the modulations are presented. Our results show that both phase and amplitude modulation play a role in the transition process. The dominant modulation frequency of both amplitude and phase is that of the difference mode fv = f1−f0 produced by the interaction of the two excited instabilities. Phase modulation becomes progressively more important as transition proceeds down- stream, and seems to play the dominant role in the spectral-broadening and energy- redistribution process. Measurements of the bicoherency spectrum indicate that sideband structures, and accompanying modulations, are produced by nonlinear interactions between the low-frequency difference mode and higher-frequency in- stability modes. Some limited measurements indicate that finite-amplitude induced nonlinear dispersion effects ω(k, a2) may provide a physical mechanism by which amplitude modulations generated by nonlinear interactions can induce simultaneous phase modulations.
Under Physics-Motivated Constraints, Generally-Non-Algorithmic Computational Problems become Algorithmically Solvable

It is well known that many computational problems are, in general, not algorithmically solvable: e.g., it is not possible to algorithmically decide whether two computable real numbers are equal, and it is not possible to compute the roots of a computable function. We propose to constraint such operations to certain “sets of typical elements” or “sets of random elements”.
Diffraction-induced stray light in infrared microspectroscopy and its effect on spatial resolution

Model experiments were conducted in an effort to quantitatively assess the extent of stray light, resulting from diffraction, in an FT-IR microscope system. The effects of stray light were studied under conditions employing different aperturing modes, aperture sizes, and wavelengths of light. Results and consequences of the findings are discussed with respect to the spatial resolution and quantitative integrity of the data obtainable in mapping analyses of multilayer polymer laminates.
Security in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

One of the most critical roles security researchers have is keeping up with new technologies and considering the security implications that go along with them-essentially, ensuring that security is "baked in" to new ideas from the earliest possible moment. Because of this, researchers have had significant interest in the field of mobile ad hoc networks (Manets). Such networks are frequently viewed as a key communications technology enabler for network-centric warfare and disaster relief operations, and as the technology matures, Manets are increasingly reaching many other applications in areas such as intelligent transportation systems and fault-tolerant mobile sensor grids.
Full-scale treatment wetlands for metal removal from industrial wastewater

The A-01 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) outfall at the Savannah River Site receives process wastewater discharges and stormwater runoff from the Savannah River National Laboratory. Routine monitoring indicated that copper concentrations were regularly higher than discharge permit limit, and water routinely failed toxicity tests. These conditions necessitated treatment of nearly 1 million gal of water/day (3.78 million L of water/day) plus storm runoff. Washington Savannah River Company personnel explored options to bring process and runoff waters into compliance with the permit conditions, including source reduction, engineering solutions, and biological solutions. A conceptual design for a constructed wetland treatment system was developed, and the full-scale system was constructed and began operation in 2000. The overall objective of our research was to better understand the mechanisms of operation of the A-01 wetland treatment system to provide better input to the design of future systems. The system is a vegetated surface flow wetland with a hydraulic retention time of approximately 48 hr. Copper, mercury, and lead removal efficiencies are very high, all in excess of 80% removal from water passing through the wetland system. Zinc removal is 60%, and nickel is generally unaffected. Dissolved organic carbon in the water column is increased by the system and reduces the toxicity of the effluent. Concentrations of metals in the A-01 wetland treatment system sediments generally decrease with depth and along the flow path through the wetland. Sequential extraction results indicate that most metals are tightly bound to wetland sediments.
An Investigation of University Students' Ownership, Usage, and Skill with Technology: Key Factors for Course Design

Students at a regional campus of a Midwestern university were surveyed using an online questionnaire to determine their ownership, skill, and use of technological devices. Four hundred ninety-three students responded to the survey. It was found that the survey sample mirrored the student population at the university. Students owned and used a wide variety of electronic devices. Eighty five percent of the students owned laptop computers, 62% digital phones, 60% desktop computers, and 52% gaming systems. Students used electronic devices an average of 6.03 hours per week on classroom activities and 3.93 hours per week surfing the Internet for pleasure. They perceived themselves as being very skilled at using email, surfing the web, and word processing. It was also found that there was a significant correlation between students’ ownership of and skill with educational technology and their experience with Blackboard. Technological barriers were found to have a negative impact on students’ experience with Blackboard. Those barriers also negatively impacted their technological use and skill. A simple linear regression model explains that students’ experience with Blackboard is enhanced by having greater skill with technology, but is diminished when confronted with technological barriers. Implications for course design are discussed.
A self-regulating biomolecular comparator for processing oscillatory signals

While many cellular processes are driven by biomolecular oscillators, precise control of a downstream on/off process by a biochemical oscillator signal can be difficult: over an oscillator's period, its output signal varies continuously between its amplitude limits and spends a significant fraction of the time at intermediate values between these limits. Further, the oscillator's output is often noisy, with particularly large variations in the amplitude. In electronic systems, an oscillating signal is generally processed by a downstream device such as a comparator that converts a potentially noisy oscillatory input into a square wave output that is predominantly in one of two well-defined on and off states. The comparator's output then controls downstream processes. We describe a method for constructing a synthetic biochemical device that likewise produces a square-wave-type biomolecular output for a variety of oscillatory inputs. The method relies on a separation of time scales between the slow rate of production of an oscillatory signal molecule and the fast rates of intermolecular binding and conformational changes. We show how to control the characteristics of the output by varying the concentrations of the species and the reaction rates. We then use this control to show how our approach could be applied to process different in vitro and in vivo biomolecular oscillators, including the p53-Mdm2 transcriptional oscillator and two types of in vitro transcriptional oscillators. These results demonstrate how modular biomolecular circuits could, in principle, be combined to build complex dynamical systems. The simplicity of our approach also suggests that natural molecular circuits may process some biomolecular oscillator outputs before they are applied downstream.
From method and measurement to narrative and number

Back in 1983, when econometrics was all the rage, freely flowing from economics even into sociology, Edward E. Leamer, a leading econometrician, wrote: ‘There are two things you are better off not ...
Biogeographic analyses of the Ediacara biota; a conflict with paleotectonic reconstructions

Paleotectonic reconstructions for the late Proterozoic have differed over the timing of the Cordilleran rifting between Laurentia and the East Gondwana cratons. Parsimony Analysis of Endemism (PAE) and phenetic clustering of the "Ediacara biota" were carried out, for comparison with competing paleotectonic hypotheses. All analyses show a common pattern of similarities among biotas. The biotas of Charnwood Forest and Newfoundland consistently group together, while the south Australian biota is closest to those of Baltica, northern Laurentia, and Siberia. The biota of southwest North America, though still poorly known, strikingly resembles that of Na- mibia-not that of northwestern Canada. This pattern is not obviously due to facies-related or pres- ervational bias and is very different from Cambrian biogeographic patterns. The overall pattern is most consistent with the hypothesis that the western margin of Laurentia was in close contact with East Gondwana, with rifting taking place either during or just before the Vendian. This arrange- ment has been previously proposed as a paleotectonic hypothesis; however, most recent paleo- magnetic and structural studies support the alternate hypothesis that this rifting took place more than 100 million years before the Vendian. Resolving this contradiction will require much more data on both organismal distribution and cratonal position.
Triboelectric charging in single-component particle systems

ABSTRACTParticulate systems are prone to electrostatic charging, which has important implications in a number of technological areas and natural occurrences. The charging of particles in both of these contexts is the result of an age-old phenomenon known as triboelectric charging that describes the transfer of charged species between material surfaces due to contact or rubbing. In comparison to bulk materials, particle systems are characterized by several unique aspects that make this area of study particularly challenging, including their inherently large surface to volume ratios which make them more susceptible to charging and their low mass which can lead to their lifting when electric forces exceed gravitational forces. Perhaps, most curious is the universal observation of charge segregation for particles of the same material where there is no clear driving force for charge transfer. In this review, we present a summary of key issues and recent progress relating to triboelectric charging of particle s...
La Chota y Los Mafiosos : Mexican American casualties of the border drug war

After the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo ended the Mexican American War in 1848, the United States-Mexico border became a site of intense smuggling. Increased smuggling along the South Texas-Mexico border also resulted in the increased policing and militarization of the border. The interrelated practices of militarization, policing and smuggling have become an integral part of an ever-evolving borderlands’ existence as many Mexican Americans have sought the opportunity to make a lucrative income as drug smugglers and policing agents. The result is the division of Mexican American peer groups along the border into members of the “criminal underworld” and the law enforcement agencies that police these criminals. This division has exacerbated tensions in border communities, and it has increasingly come to define the complexities and contradictions of life in the South Texas-Mexico borderlands during the 40-year tenure of the war on drugs. Despite the growing concern over the intensification of drug violence in the borderlands, there has been relatively little effort to critically analyze the social realities of the drug war along the US-Mexico border. In this article, I examine the impact of drug trafficking and drug war policing on a South Texas border community, by reflecting on the experiences of Mexican American drug traffickers, los mafiosos, and Mexican American law enforcement officers, la chota. As the social actors actively engaged in the drug war, the life histories of these drug traffickers and law enforcement officers reveal the detrimental effects of escalating border militarization, and also highlight the “expendability” of Mexican Americans in the militarized Mexico-United States borderlands.
Physiochemical Properties of Aluminum Adjuvants Elicit Differing Reorganization of Phospholipid Domains in Model Membranes.

Most vaccines contain aluminum adjuvants; however, their exact mechanism of action remains unclear. A novel mechanism by Shi and colleagues proposes aluminum adjuvants may enhance immune activation by binding and reorganizing lipids that are key components of lipid rafts. To better understand the specificity of interaction between aluminum adjuvants and the cell membrane lipids, we present a biophysical study of lipid domain clustering in simple model phospholipid monolayers containing dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and dioleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) exposed to two aluminum adjuvants, Alhydrogel and Adju-Phos. Surface pressure measurements and fluorescence microscopy images verified aluminum adjuvant-induced increase in lipid domain size, even in the key lipid raft components. Additionally, adjuvant induced lipid clustering differed based on the physicochemical properties of the adjuvants. Alhydrogel appeared to reduce monolayer compressibility and insert into the monolayer, while Adju-Phos i...
The Cooperative Resolution of Policy Conflict

I develop an approach for analyzing the conditions for cooperative resolution of policy conflict. I analyze certain policy conflicts as bargaining situations, with opportunity for cooperation, among opposing issue factions. As a framework for analysis, I present an informal game-theoretic interpretation of nonzero-sum policy conflict. With that foundation, I derive implications about the conditions for cooperative outcomes with respect to several aspects of the policy process: issue content, the structure of conflict, leadership, party politics, and political institutions.
OVERVIEW OF US ARMY NUTRITION AND GUT HEALTH PROGRAMS

There is an intimate relationship between the bacterial microbiome and the human host that affects drug metabolism, toxicity, and overall health of the host. While nutirtion is well appreciated for itsw direct role in some chronic disease prevention, nutrition may also influence health and performance via the microbiome. The complex relationship requires full elucidation, however current evidence suggests plant polyphenols are not only subject to bacterial metabolism to form smaller phenolics, but they also perpetuate changes in microbiome composition and function. The US Army has been developing collaborative research with other government organizations and the academic community to study the mechanisms of bacterial metabolism in the colon. In vitro model systems are utilized for aspects of the research that cannot be tested in humans. An established in vitro model of the large intestine allows for current and future fundamental research to evalluate the effect of dietary or pharmacological inputs on growth kinetics can changes in gut bacterial composition. This research is importnt in our understansing of the fundamental mechanistic role of bacteria in soldier health, provides valuable input into the broader scientific community, and is part of the US Armys larger research programs on gut heallth and performance
HIPAA Privacy Rule: the debate continues.

1. Karrie B Hovis, CLS(NCA)[⇑][1] 1. is an Instructor, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport LA 2. Dianna M Veillon, MD 1. is an Associate Professor, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport LA 1. Address for correspondence: Karrie B Hovis CLS(NCA), Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 1107 Mountainbrook Dr, Shreveport LA 71118. (318) 675-6807, (318) 675-6937 (fax). Khovis{at}lsuhsc.edu The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees that “the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated.” In other words, the Fourth Amendment guarantees the privacy of Americans. Yet, many Americans feel that this freedom has been violated when discussing the privacy of their medical information. They are concerned that the privacy of their medical information is not protected. In January 1999, a national survey conducted by the California HealthCare Foundation found that one in five Americans feel that their health information is being disclosed inappropriately. Without this trust, patients are compromising their own healthcare either by providing inaccurate information to their physician, changing physicians, or avoiding care altogether.1 With the rising concern about patient privacy, the United States federal government realized that something needed to be done. On August 21, 1996, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enacted. Although this legislation was well intended, its supporters failed to recognize several potential problems. One of the biggest short-falls was the fact that patient health information may be exposed without patient consent. Even though all states had laws in effect to cover this deficit, the laws varied from state to state. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has subsequently issued another law entitled the HIPAA Privacy Rule. This law is expected to prevent exposure of a patient's confidential medical information. New questions have arisen. Should the HIPAA Privacy Rule… ABBREVIATIONS: DHHS = Department of Health and Human Services; HIPAA = Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; LIS = laboratory information system; PHI = protected health information; POL = physician office laboratory. [1]: #corresp-1
A theoretical study of cation--π interactions: Li+, Na+, K+, Be2+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ complexation with mono- and bicyclic ring-fused benzene derivatives

DFT (B3LYP functional) and MP2 methods using 6-311+G(2d,2p) basis set have been employed to examine the effect of ring fusion to benzene on the cation--π interactions involving alkali metal ions (Li+, Na+, and K+) and alkaline earth metal ions (Be2+, Mg2+ and Ca2+). Our present study indicates that modification of benzene (π-electron source) by fusion of monocyclic or bicyclic (or mixture of these two kinds of rings) strengthens the binding affinity of both alkali and alkaline earth metal cations. The strength of interaction decreases in the following order: Be2+ > Mg2+ > Ca2+ > Li+ > Na+ > K+ for any considered aromatic ligand. The interaction energies for the complexes formed by divalent cations are 4–6 times larger than those for the complexes involving monovalent cations. The structural changes in the ring wherein metal ion binds are examined. The distance between ring centroid and the metal ion is calculated for all of the complexes. Strained bicyclo[2.1.1]hexene ring fusion has substantially larger effect on the strength of cation--π interactions than the monocyclic ring fusion for all of the cations due to the π-electron localization at the central benzene ring.
A Nonlinear Fiber-Optic Thresholder for Spectrally Coded Ultrashort Pulses with 36 dB Extinction Ratio

We report experimental results on a nonlinear fiber-optic receiver which uses the Raman self-frequency shift effects in optical fibers to perform intensity thresholding with femtosecond response times. The receiver exhibits a contrast ratio of 36 dB for received pulse energies of ~ 1 pJ.
Telomere Length: The Intersection of Sociology, Molecular Biology, and Human Disease.

Telomeres, tandem TTAGGG nucleotide repeats located at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes, are DNA-protein complexes critical to the maintenance of genomic stability and cellular longevity. They are among the most-studied markers of the aging process, with multiple studies showing that telomeres shorten with age. This, in turn, has led researchers to posit a relationship between telomere shortening and a variety of age-related health conditions, particularly cancer. Many studies have identified associations between cancer risk and both longer and shorter telomeres (Hou et al., 2012), a contradiction that can potentially be explained via a dynamic relationship over time wherein people early in cancer development experience accelerated telomere shortening that is subsequently arrested as cancer cells hijack various telomere lengthening mechanisms (Hou et al., 2015). This process is believed to be necessary not only for immortalizing cells, but also because it can be used to delay cell senescence and thus provide opportunity for the accumulation of additional mutations (via DNA damage or other processes) necessary to complete the transformation into a cancerous cell (Noy, 2009).
Distinct Prion Domain Sequences Ensure Efficient Amyloid Propagation by Promoting Chaperone Binding or Processing In Vivo

Prions are a group of proteins that can adopt a spectrum of metastable conformations in vivo. These alternative states change protein function and are self-replicating and transmissible, creating protein-based elements of inheritance and infectivity. Prion conformational flexibility is encoded in the amino acid composition and sequence of the protein, which dictate its ability not only to form an ordered aggregate known as amyloid but also to maintain and transmit this structure in vivo. But, while we can effectively predict amyloid propensity in vitro, the mechanism by which sequence elements promote prion propagation in vivo remains unclear. In yeast, propagation of the [PSI+] prion, the amyloid form of the Sup35 protein, has been linked to an oligopeptide repeat region of the protein. Here, we demonstrate that this region is composed of separable functional elements, the repeats themselves and a repeat proximal region, which are both required for efficient prion propagation. Changes in the numbers of these elements do not alter the physical properties of Sup35 amyloid, but their presence promotes amyloid fragmentation, and therefore maintenance, by molecular chaperones. Rather than acting redundantly, our observations suggest that these sequence elements make complementary contributions to prion propagation, with the repeat proximal region promoting chaperone binding to and the repeats promoting chaperone processing of Sup35 amyloid.
Current Perspectives and Issues in Autism and Adolescence

Though somewhat neglected until recently, the topic of autism has received considerable attention from investigators in the last 10–15 years (DeMyer, 1979; Rutter & Schopler, 1978; Wing, 1972). Most of this research has involved children. However, despite the tremendous increase in research, there remains a large gap in our understanding of autistic people as they become adolescents and adults (Sullivan, 1977). Until recently this gap did not represent a major problem for service providers because such a high percentage of autistic adolescents and adults were living in residential institutions where few learning opportunities were available (Lotter, 1978). However, more successful intervention programs have resulted in more autistic adolescent and adult people functioning in community-based programs with increased learning opportunities and an accompanying need for more information. The purpose of this chapter is to help meet this increased need by reviewing the current understanding of autism in adolescents and adults and by making suggestions for future clinical and research efforts.
Scientific familial lessons in ingestive behavior research: 2016 Alan N. Epstein research award

While energy balance is under the control of the central nervous system (CNS), a major source of neural regulation for the behavioral, physiological and endocrine processes governing energy balance originates in the periphery. Indeed, the organs of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, supporting organs of the peritoneal cavity and adipose tissue are the source of numerous neurotransmitter and neuroendocrine signals released from non-neuronal peripheral tissue that signal in a paracrine and endocrine fashion to regulate the physiological and behavioral processes that affect energy balance. Given the ever increasing appreciation that chronic hyperphagia of highly-palatable/rewarding food is a major contributing factor to the obesity epidemic, it is not surprising that the field has increased research efforts focusing on understanding what role peripherally-derived neuroendocrine signals play in modulating food reward and motivated behaviors. Research throughout my career has focused on understanding gut-to-brain communication of relevance to energy balance control. Through very fortuitous opportunities and amazing collaborations, my research program has also expanded widely to include analyses of multiple GI-, pancreatic- and adipose tissue-derived anorectic signals involved in food intake and energy balance control, as well as analyses of higher-order determinants of food reward, nausea, aversion and maladaptive motivated behaviors. I am honored to be the recipient of the 2016 Alan N. Epstein Research Award from the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior, and express much appreciation for the amazing collaborations I have had with my mentors, colleagues and trainees.
Early Pregnancy Biochemical Predictors of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

Universal oral glucose tolerance-based screening is employed to identify pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), as treatment of this condition decreases the risk of associated complications. A simple and accurate blood test which identifies women at low or high risk for GDM in the first trimester would have the potential to decrease costs and improve outcomes through prevention or treatment. This review summarizes published data on early pregnancy biomarkers which have been tested as predictors of GDM. A large number of first-trimester biochemical predictors of GDM have been reported, mostly in small case-control studies. These include glycemic markers (fasting glucose, post-load glucose, hemoglobin A1C), inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-alpha), insulin resistance markers (fasting insulin, sex hormone-binding globulin), adipocyte-derived markers (adiponectin, leptin), placenta-derived markers (follistatin-like-3, placental growth factor, placental exosomes), and others (e.g., glycosylated fibronectin, soluble (pro)renin receptor, alanine aminotransferase, ferritin). A few large studies suggest that first-trimester fasting glucose or hemoglobin A1C may be useful for identifying women who would benefit from early GDM treatment. To translate the findings from observational studies of first-trimester biomarkers for GDM to clinical practice, trials or cost-effectiveness analyses of screening and treatment strategies based on these novel biomarkers are needed.
Reflectance-based crop coefficients REDUX: For operational evapotranspiration estimates in the age of high producing hybrid varieties

Abstract Methodologies based on earth observation remote sensing allow for a precise estimation of actual water requirements for irrigated crops across large areas. In spite of the many number of experiments using or analyzing the relationship between the basal crop coefficient (Kcb) and the soil adjusted vegetation index (SAVI) for maize, the development of new maize hybrid varieties with modifications related to canopy architecture suggest a possible change of the leaf area index (LAI) for maximum Kcb and its relationship with the SAVI or other vegetation indices. In addition, we noted a lack of analysis of these relationships for cultivated soybean. The objective of this paper is to analyze the Kcb, SAVI and LAI relationships in maize and soybean based on the non-linear relationships proposed by Choudhury et al. (1994). In addition, we propose a modification of the Choudhury et al. (1994) approach based on field-based experimental evidence of a minimum Kcb greater than 0. For sites with limited field data, we also analyze the utility of a simple linear regression based on the Kcb and SAVI values for bare soil and maximum Kcb values. The resulting Kcb-SAVI relationships are assimilated into a remote sensing based soil water balance model. The results of the model are analyzed in terms of irrigation requirements and crop evapotranspiration (ETa) for 11 growing seasons in two fields cultivated with irrigated and rain-fed maize and soybean in eastern Nebraska. Comparisons of measured and modelled ETa values indicate a good agreement, with RMSE lower than 0.7 mm d−1 for weekly averaged values. The comparison of actual irrigation applied and irrigation requirements indicate the central pivot systems could not supply adequate water in some growing seasons with higher demands.
Gene duplication and neo-functionalization in the evolutionary and functional divergence of the metazoan Copper transporters Ctr1 and Ctr2

Copper is an essential element for proper organismal development and is involved in a range of processes, including oxidative phosphorylation, neuropeptide biogenesis, and connective tissue maturation. The copper transporter (Ctr) family of integral membrane proteins is ubiquitously found in eukaryotes and mediates the high-affinity transport of Cu+ across both the plasma membrane and endomembranes. Although mammalian Ctr1 functions as a Cu+ transporter for Cu acquisition and is essential for embryonic development, a homologous protein, Ctr2, has been proposed to function as a low-affinity Cu transporter, a lysosomal Cu exporter, or a regulator of Ctr1 activity, but its functional and evolutionary relationship to Ctr1 is unclear. Here we report a biochemical, genetic, and phylogenetic comparison of metazoan Ctr1 and Ctr2, suggesting that Ctr2 arose over 550 million years ago as a result of a gene duplication event followed by loss of Cu+ transport activity. Using a random mutagenesis and growth selection approach, we identified amino acid substitutions in human and mouse Ctr2 proteins that support copper-dependent growth in yeast and enhance copper accumulation in Ctr1−/− mouse embryonic fibroblasts. These mutations revert Ctr2 to a more ancestral Ctr1-like state while maintaining endogenous functions, such as stimulating Ctr1 cleavage. We suggest key structural aspects of metazoan Ctr1 and Ctr2 that discriminate between their biological roles, providing mechanistic insights into the evolutionary, biochemical, and functional relationships between these two related proteins.
Newborns' Cries are Unique to Individuals (But Not to Language Environment)

Human neonates exhibit individually distinctive patterns of variation—sometimes called cry “signatures”—in the acoustics of their cries. For tests of group differences (e.g., age, health status, or ambient language differences), the uniqueness of cry sounds to individuals means that multiple cries from same infant cannot appropriately be treated as independent events for analysis. This approach violates the assumption of independence that underlies many statistical techniques and runs the risk of uncovering “significant” group effects that do not actually exist. Nonetheless, publications continue to appear in which multiple cries from the same infant have been treated as independent events for analysis. To demonstrate the perils, we have compared the cries of infants born into a Mandarin Chinese language environment with cries of infants born into an American English language environment. We show (1) that treating each cry sound as an independent event yields numerous “significant” group effects and (2) that these effects all but disappear when cries are treated appropriately, as “nested” within individual infants. The latter outcome is in keeping with prevailing models of neonatal cry production and casts doubt on the claim that neonates alter their cries to match features of the language spoken in their environment.
Ambulatory Care of the Elderly

Comprehensive geriatric assessment forms the basis of the medical approach to optimizing health and wellness for older adults. Goals of medical care should be customized and balance risks and benefits in a person-centered frame. Communication and health literacy are important components of effective ambulatory care. Advance care planning discussion and documentation are an important element of comprehensive care of older persons. Transition management and referrals to community resources are important components of ambulatory care.
Using Cognitive Work Analysis to Design Communication Support Tools for Patients with Language Barriers

Patients with language barriers face healthcare disparities associated with access to care, satisfactions with care, and the quality and safety of the care they receive. The central solution to addressing these barriers is through the use of professional interpreters but there are difficulties associated with consistently using these services. This study used cognitive work analysis to identify the goals, constraints and affordances associated with patient communication to develop support requirements for communicating with patients with language barriers. Specific communication support objectives discovered included: supporting various cultural background and levels of health literacy, identifying when information is not properly conveyed, and providing a means to convey the information in a different way to allow for subsequent checks in understanding. These objectives can be utilized as inputs for the development of tools to support communication with patients with language barriers.
Synthetic chemistry in a water world. New rules ripe for discovery

Abstract Several examples are discussed where reactions in aqueous micellar media are clearly governed by new rules, in contrast to those that prevail in traditional organic synthesis performed in organic solvents.
A Note on Shock Model Justification for IFR Distributions

We consider the model in which the failure rate for a device changes when the device is subjected to shocks which occur stochastically over time. We show that increasing failure rate distributions can be obtained by making simple models for the effects of shocks. The results provide a physical motivation for using the Weibull distributions for failure time data. Random failure rates used in Bayesian inference are also obtained in a similar manner by modeling the effects of shocks to be stochastic.