Single Ping-multiple measurements: sonar bearing angle estimation using spatiotemporal frequency filters

Presented is a mixed-signal full-custom VLSI chip designed to receive sonar return signals from an ultrasonic microphone array, and extract input bearing angles of the incoming signals. Processing utilizes simple low-power analog spatiotemporal bandpass filters to extract wavefront velocity across the array, which translates to input bearing angle. Processing uses phase information of array signals, not onset or offset of ultrasonic burst. With such synchronous processing, multiple angle readings from different returns of the same ultrasonic transmit burst are possible. Compatible microphone arrays are compact in size-test array has a total baseline of 26.5 mm. In a test with ultrasonic beacon 65 cm from a microphone array, angular precision of 1/spl deg/ was demonstrated in most instances in the range -60/spl deg/ to 60/spl deg/. Applications include sonar localization of remote objects, sonar imaging, and improved interference rejection between objects within the field of view of the sensor microphones. The chip was fabricated on a standard 3M2P CMOS process with a 0.5-/spl mu/m feature size.     

Biophysical Model of Larval Yellow Perch Advection and Settlement in Lake Michigan

Potential for large-scale physical transport processes to affect recruitment of Lake Michigan yellow perch (Perca flavescens) was studied by examining the variation in larval distribution, growth rate, and settlement during June–August 1998–2003 using a 3D particle transport model linked with an individual-based bioenergetics growth model. In all years, virtual larvae were released nearshore in southwestern Lake Michigan, a known and important spawning region for yellow perch. For any given year, the same circulation pattern and water temperature either promoted or reduced yellow perch settlement depending on the consumption rates and settlement size chosen in the growth model. Increased consumption increased the number of settled larvae and expanded the total area where larvae settled, whereas increased settlement size reduced the number of settled larvae and reduced the overall settlement area. Interannual variability in circulation patterns and water temperature also resulted in contrasting larval settlement rates, settlement locations, and size of settlement areas between years. Model predictions were most consistent with field observations of age-0 yellow perch from Illinois and Michigan waters when settlement was assumed to occur at 50 mm. Moreover, our model suggests that larvae originating from southwestern Lake Michigan can recruit anywhere within the southern basin and even in the northern basin. Future model improvement will require information on the relative contribution of various sectors to the larval pool, their distribution with reference to the hydrodynamic landscape, the feeding and growth of yellow perch during their pelagic phase, and the size at transition to demersal stage.     

Extension Factors for Trimester Yields of Milk and Fat

Evidence of problems with sire proofs of extended incomplete records suggests the desirability of another method of evaluating dairy bulls for milk that minimizes the need for extending records by instead considering yields of three parts of a lactation (days 1 to 90, 91 to 180, and 181 to 270) as distinct and separate traits. Records of less than 90 days (or 180 or 270 days) require extension to 90-day (or 180- or 270-day) equivalents. Last sample day production of 17,826, 15,282, and 12,115 first-lactation records of Holstein cows was used to calculate extension factors to predict remaining yields to days 90, 180, and 270 for months of freshening and days in milk. Cumulative remaining yield was computed as the product of days remaining to day 90, 180, or 270, yield on last sample day, and the appropriate extension factor. There were no differences in factors due to age, but factors were different for months of freshening and number of days in milk.     

Grain boundary embrittlement in Cu-AI-Niβ-phase alloys

The grain boundary embrittlement in Cu-AI-Ni-phase alloys has been investigated. The study included both the bulk alloys and rapidly solidified ribbons. It was observed that the fracture characteristics and the phase transformations in rapidly solidified ribbons were similar to those in the bulk alloys. Various factors responsible for intergranular fracture were considered. It was found that intrinsic or extrinsic precipitates at the grain boundaries are not responsible for the embrittlement. It was further observed that the segregation of impurities does not occur at the grain boundaries and hence is not a factor contributing to the embrittlement. The intrinsic characteristics, however, appear to play an important role. These may include high elastic anisotropy, ordered structure and plastic incompatibility. Severe embrittlement in high-nickel alloys is associated with spinodal decomposition occurring in these alloys. The large grain size exhibited by these alloys is found not to be a significant factor contributing to the embrittlement.     

Movement of smallmouth bass within the Beaver Island Archipelago, northern Lake Michigan

Fish movement may vary across a wide array of aquatic ecosystems and may be related to the overall size of the system inhabited. We investigated movement of smallmouth bass in Lake Michigan because this information is lacking for larger systems. A total of 16 smallmouth bass were surgically implanted with ultrasonic transmitters within the Beaver Archipelago, northern Lake Michigan. During 2007-2008, a maximum of one location per individual was recorded daily during three specific tracking periods - pre-spawn, spawning, and post-spawn - to determine diurnal movement patterns. Movement was evaluated as site fidelity, minimum displacement rate, maximum excursion rate, and distance from shore. Smallmouth bass exhibited greater maximum excursion rates during the spawn period compared to pre-spawn. Movement rates did not differ between tracking periods; however, movement rates were greater during the spawn period in 2007 than 2008. Both sexes moved further offshore to deeper water during post-spawn, but females were located further offshore than males during this period. Annual site fidelity was more evident during post-spawn than during spawning for both sexes. Two smallmouth bass emigrated outside of the Archipelago, suggesting this population may be more “open” in terms of individuals moving throughout northern Lake Michigan than previously thought. These results indicate smallmouth bass may move greater distances in larger aquatic systems and therefore larger management units (in terms of total area) should be established in Lake Michigan to account for these greater excursion distances.     

Polyborazylene oxides

The reactions of various B-dichloro-N-triarylborazines with boiling N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), and DMF in the presence of dimethylamine have been shown to give condensation polymers of the polyborazylene oxide type. The degrees of polymerisation range in individual cases from about 2–25. The presence of one ortho substituent in the N-aryl group causes the molecular weight to fall sharply, and polymerisation is completely inhibited in the presence of two ortho substituents. Reactions of several N-triarylborazines with boiling DMF also gave polyborazylene oxide-type polymers together with trimethylamine. The infra-red spectra, and thermal and hydrolytic stability of the polymers have been investigated.     

Multiplexed toxin analysis using four colors of quantum dot fluororeagents

Quantum dots (QDs) have the potential to simplify the performance of multiplexed analysis. In this work, we prepared bioinorganic conjugates made with highly luminescent semiconductor nanocrystals (CdSe-ZnS core-shell QDs) and antibodies to perform multiplexed fluoroimmunoassays. Sandwich immunoassays for the detection of cholera toxin, ricin, shiga-like toxin 1, and staphylococcal enterotoxin B were performed simultaneously in single wells of a microtiter plate. Initially the assay performance for the detection of each toxin was examined. We then demonstrated the simultaneous detection of the four toxins from a single sample probed with a mixture of all four QD-antibody reagents. Using a simple linear equation-based algorithm, it was possible to deconvolute the signal from mixed toxin samples, which allowed quantitation of all four toxins simultaneously.     

Self-assembled nanoscale biosensors based on quantum dot FRET donors

The potential of luminescent semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) to enable development of hybrid inorganic-bioreceptor sensing materials has remained largely unrealized. We report the design, formation and testing of QD-protein assemblies that function as chemical sensors. In these assemblies, multiple copies of Escherichia coli maltose-binding protein (MBP) coordinate to each QD by a C-terminal oligohistidine segment and function as sugar receptors. Sensors are self-assembled in solution in a controllable manner. In one configuration, a beta-cyclodextrin-QSY9 dark quencher conjugate bound in the MBP saccharide binding site results in fluorescence resonance energy-transfer (FRET) quenching of QD photoluminescence. Added maltose displaces the beta-cyclodextrin-QSY9, and QD photoluminescence increases in a systematic manner. A second maltose sensor assembly consists of QDs coupled with Cy3-labelled MBP bound to beta-cyclodextrin-Cy3.5. In this case, the QD donor drives sensor function through a two-step FRET mechanism that overcomes inherent QD donor-acceptor distance limitations. Quantum dot-biomolecule assemblies constructed using these methods may facilitate development of new hybrid sensing materials.