Introduction (to Special Issue on Tibetan Natural Language Processing)

This introduction surveys research on Tibetan NLP, both in China and in the West, as well as contextualizing the articles contained in the special issue

Flexible Ultralow-Power Sensor Interfaces for E-Skin

Thin-film electronics has hugely benefitted from low-cost processes, large-area processability, and multi-functionality. This has not only stimulated innovation in display and sensor technology, but has also demonstrated great potential for integration of components for human-machine interfaces. For electronics to be deployed as sensor interfaces and signal processing, the quest for low power is compelling due to the inherently limited battery lifetime. This review will present the state-of-the-art in thin film electronics and demonstrate examples of low-cost printable transistors and biosensors that are flexible/stretchable for wearable and other applications. Ultralow power design for thin-film transistors will be discussed from the standpoint of reducing both operating voltage and operating current, taking into account the challenges in meeting frequency requirements. Compact models for circuit design will be reviewed along with new insights into ultralow power transistors and high gain amplifier circuits. Finally, a concept for an integrated system comprising sensors and interfacing circuits will be demonstrated, which has the potential to enable battery-less operation.EPSRC under Project EP/M013650/1 EU under Projects DOMINO 645760, 1D-NEON 685758 and BET-EU 692373 IEEE Electron Devices Society PhD Student Fellowship China Scholarship Counci

Questioning the Calculations: Are Colleges Complying with Federal and Ethical Mandates for Providing Students with Estimated Costs?

This study uses web sphere analysis to examine the usability and usefulness of information that selected four-year colleges and universities are providing about the costs of attendance via their Net Price Calculators (NPCs) and cost-related websites. The analyses show that some colleges and universities are not only failing to comply with federal NPC mandates but also ignoring their ethical responsibility, as noted by the National Association of College Admission Counseling, “to provide complete, factual, and readily accessible information that will allow students and their counselors to make informed college comparisons and choices.

All ink-jet printed low-voltage organic field-effect transistors on flexible substrate

In this work, all ink-jet printed (IJP) low-voltage organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) on flexible substrate are reported. The OFETs use IJP silver (Ag) for source/drain/gate electrodes, poly(4-vinylphenol) (PVP) for gate dielectric, 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)-pentacene (TIPS-pentacene) blended with polystyrene (PS) as the semiconducting layer and CYTOP for encapsulation layer. All the printing processes were carried out in ambient air environment using a single laboratory ink-jet printer Dimatix DMP-2831. The all IJP device presents state-of-the-art performance with low operation voltage down to 3 V, small subthreshold swing (SS) of 0.155 V/decade, mobility of 0.26 cm$^2$ V$^{−1}$s$^{−1}$, threshold voltage (V$_{th}$) of −0.17 V and on/off ratio of 3.1 × 10$^5$, along with a yield of 62.5%. Through interface engineering and proper process optimization, this work demonstrates a promising low-voltage all IJP device platform for low-cost flexible printed electronics.China Scholarship Counci

Natural Product Nitric Oxide Chemistry: New Activity of Old Medicines

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as a therapy and preventative care measure for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) may prove to be beneficial when used in conjunction with or in place of conventional medicine. However, the lack of understanding of a mechanism of action of many CAMs limits their use and acceptance in western medicine. We have recently recognized and characterized specific nitric oxide (NO) activity of select alternative and herbal medicines that may account for many of their reported health benefits. The ability of certain CAM to restore NO homeostasis both through enhancing endothelial production of NO and by providing a system for reducing nitrate and nitrite to NO as a compensatory pathway for repleting NO bioavailability may prove to be a safe and cost-effective strategy for combating CVD. We will review the current state of science behind NO activity of herbal medicines and their effects on CVD

Ultralow phase noise microwave generation with an Er:fiber-based optical frequency divider

We present an optical frequency divider based on a 200 MHz repetition rate Er:fiber mode-locked laser that, when locked to a stable optical frequency reference, generates microwave signals with absolute phase noise that is equal to or better than cryogenic microwave oscillators. At 1 Hz offset from a 10 GHz carrier, the phase noise is below -100 dBc/Hz, limited by the optical reference. For offset frequencies > 10 kHz, the phase noise is shot noise limited at -145 dBc/Hz. An analysis of the contribution of the residual noise from the Er:fiber optical frequency divider is also presented.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Who Gets Vocal about Hyperlocal: Neighborhood Involvement and Socioeconomics in the Sharing of Hyperlocal News

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journalism Practice on January 9. 2018, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/17512786.2017.1419827.This study examined the characteristics of readers who share hyperlocal news in person, over email, and through social media. A reader survey of 10 hyperlocal news websites that operate in a variety of communities in the United States was conducted (n = 2289). More readers indicated sharing hyperlocal news in person than through email or social media. Higher neighborhood involvement and higher education tended to characterize readers who shared hyperlocal news via each of the three channels. Education moderated the association between neighborhood involvement and sharing news in person and via social media. These results suggested that highly involved readers with little education used social media more than their highly educated neighbors to share news from hyperlocal websites. The study extends the precepts of channel complementarity theory into the domain of online news sharing