Species for Iowa Woodland Planting and Restoration

This list of plant species offers a guide for planting flowers and grasses that help restore woodland function, retain nutrients in the soil and reduce stream pollution

Pulse sequences for measuring exchange rates between proton species: From unlocalised NMR spectroscopy to chemical exchange saturation transfer imaging

Within the field of NMR spectroscopy, the study of chemical exchange processes through saturation transfer techniques has a long history. In the context of MRI, chemical exchange techniques have been adapted to increase the sensitivity of imaging to small fractions of exchangeable protons, including the labile protons of amines, amides and hydroxyls. The MR contrast is generated by frequency-selective irradiation of the labile protons, which results in a reduction of the water signal associated with transfer of the labile protons’ saturated magnetization to the protons of the surrounding free water. The signal intensity depends on the rate of chemical exchange and the concentration of labile protons as well as on the properties of the irradiation field. This methodology is referred to as CEST (chemical exchange saturation transfer) imaging. Applications of CEST include imaging of molecules with short transverse relaxation times and mapping of physiological parameters such as pH, temperature, buffer concentration and chemical composition due to the dependency of this chemical exchange effect on all these parameters. This article aims to describe these effects both theoretically and experimentally. In depth analysis and mathematical modelling are provided for all pulse sequences designed to date to measure the chemical exchange rate. Importantly, it has become clear that the background signal from semi-solid protons and the presence of the Nuclear Overhauser Effect (NOE), either through direct dipole-dipole mechanisms or through exchange-relayed signals, complicates the analysis of CEST effects. Therefore, advanced methods to suppress these confounding factors have been developed, and these are also reviewed. Finally, the experimental work conducted both in vitro and in vivo is discussed and the progress of CEST imaging towards clinical practice is presented

Low autocorrelated multi-phase sequences

The interplay between the ground state energy of the generalized Bernasconi model to multi-phase, and the minimal value of the maximal autocorrelation function, $C_{max}=\max_K{|C_K|}$, $K=1,..N-1$, is examined analytically and the main results are: (a) The minimal value of $\min_N{C_{max}}$ is $0.435\sqrt{N}$ significantly smaller than the typical value for random sequences $O(\sqrt{\log{N}}\sqrt{N})$. (b) $\min_N{C_{max}}$ over all sequences of length N is obtained in an energy which is about 30% above the ground-state energy of the generalized Bernasconi model, independent of the number of phases m. (c) The maximal merit factor $F_{max}$ grows linearly with m. (d) For a given N, $\min_N{C_{max}}\sim\sqrt{N/m}$ indicating that for m=N, $\min_N{C_{max}}=1$, i.e. a Barker code exits. The analytical results are confirmed by simulations.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Replica Field Theory for Deterministic Models (II): A Non-Random Spin Glass with Glassy Behavior

We introduce and study a model which admits a complex landscape without containing quenched disorder. Continuing our previous investigation we introduce a disordered model which allows us to reconstruct all the main features of the original phase diagram, including a low $T$ spin glass phase and a complex dynamical behavior.Comment: 35 pages with uu figures, Roma 102

Effects of a Weight Loss Program on Metabolic Syndrome, Eating Disorders and Psychological Outcomes: Mediation by Endocannabinoids?

To evaluate the effects of weight loss on endocannabinoids, cardiometabolic and psychological parameters, eating disorders (ED) as well as quality of life (QoL) and to elucidate the role of endocannabinoids in metabolic syndrome (MS). In total, 114 patients with obesity were prospectively included in a 12-month weight loss program. Plasma endocannabinoids were measured by mass spectrometry; ED, psychological and QoL-related parameters were evaluated by self-reported questionnaires; physical activity was measured by accelerometer. Nutritional assessment was done by a 3-day food diary. Among completers (n = 87), body weight decreased in 35 patients (-9.1 ± 8.6 kg), remained stable in 39 patients, and increased in 13 patients (+5.8 ± 3.4 kg). 75% of patients with MS at baseline were free of MS at follow-up, and their baseline plasma N-palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) values were significantly lower when compared to patients with persisting MS. At baseline, there was a positive relationship between PEA and waist circumference (p = 0.005, R2 = 0.08), fasting glucose (p < 0.0001, R2 = 0.12), total cholesterol (p = 0.001, R2 = 0.11), triglycerides (p = 0.001, R2 = 0.11), LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.03, R2 = 0.05) as well as depression score (p = 0.002, R2 = 0.29). Plasma PEA might play a role in metabolic improvement after weight loss. Even in subjects without weight loss, a multidisciplinary intervention improves psychological outcomes, ED, and QoL

Dynamical Behaviour of Low Autocorrelation Models

We have investigated the nature of the dynamical behaviour in low autocorrelation binary sequences. These models do have a glass transition $T_G$ of a purely dynamical nature. Above the glass transition the dynamics is not fully ergodic and relaxation times diverge like a power law $\tau\sim (T-T_G)^{-\gamma}$ with $\gamma$ close to $2$. Approaching the glass transition the relaxation slows down in agreement with the first order nature of the dynamical transition. Below the glass transition the system exhibits aging phenomena like in disordered spin glasses. We propose the aging phenomena as a precise method to determine the glass transition and its first order nature.Comment: 19 pages + 14 figures, LateX, figures uuencoded at the end of the fil