Australian National University

About: Australian National University is a education organization based out in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Galaxy. The organization has 34419 authors who have published 109261 publications receiving 4315448 citations. The organization is also known as: The Australian National University & ANU.

A short form of the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE): development and cross-validation.

Abstract: Data from four studies were used to assess the psychometric properties of the 26 IQCODE items. The items were assessed in terms of item-total correlations, test-retest reliabilities, correlations with indicators of current cognitive functioning and correlations with indicators of premorbid cognitive functioning. These data were used to develop a 16-item short form. The short form was cross-validated in a new sample using dementia/delirium diagnosis as the validity standard. It was found to perform as well as the long form.

Improving power output for vibration-based energy scavengers

Abstract: Pervasive networks of wireless sensor and communication nodes have the potential to significantly impact society and create large market opportunities. For such networks to achieve their full potential, however, we must develop practical solutions for self-powering these autonomous electronic devices. We've modeled, designed, and built small cantilever-based devices using piezoelectric materials that can scavenge power from low-level ambient vibration sources. Given appropriate power conditioning and capacitive storage, the resulting power source is sufficient to support networks of ultra-low-power, peer-to-peer wireless nodes. These devices have a fixed geometry and - to maximize power output - we've individually designed them to operate as close as possible to the frequency of the driving surface on which they're mounted. In this paper, we describe these devices and present some new designs that can be tuned to the frequency of the host surface, thereby expanding the method's flexibility. We also discuss piezoelectric designs that use new geometries, some of which are microscale (approximately hundreds of microns).

Influenza neuraminidase inhibitors possessing a novel hydrophobic interaction in the enzyme active site: design, synthesis, and structural analysis of carbocyclic sialic acid analogues with potent anti-influenza activity.

Abstract: The design, synthesis, and in vitro evaluation of the novel carbocycles as transition-state-based inhibitors of influenza neuraminidase (NA) are described. The double bond position in the carbocyclic analogues plays an important role in NA inhibition as demonstrated by the antiviral activity of 8 (IC50 = 6.3 μM) vs 9 (IC50 > 200 μM). Structure−activity studies of a series of carbocyclic analogues 6a−i identified the 3-pentyloxy moiety as an apparent optimal group at the C3 position with an IC50 value of 1 nM for NA inhibition. The X-ray crystallographic structure of 6h bound to NA revealed the presence of a large hydrophobic pocket in the region corresponding to the glycerol subsite of sialic acid. The high antiviral potency observed for 6h appears to be attributed to a highly favorable hydrophobic interaction in this pocket. The practical synthesis of 6 starting from (−)-quinic acid is also described.

Zircon U-Pb ages for the Early Cambrian time-scale

Abstract: Single zircons from two Early Cambrian volcanic horizons have been analysed using the SHRIMP ion microprobe. Full details of the analytical procedures and data reduction are given. Zircons from tuff within the Lie de Vin Formation, near Tiout, Morocco, show little spread in U-Pb age and have a mean value of 521 ± 7 Ma (2σ). Those from a bentonite within unit 5 of the Meishucun section near Kunming, southern China, show relatively dispersed U-Pb ages, revealing the presence of both detrital or xenocrystic grains as well as areas within grains that have lost radiogenic Pb. The main population has a mean age of 525 ± 7 Ma, but a mean 207 Pb/ 206 Pb age of 539 ± 34 Ma which is a maximum estimate for the bentonite age. These results conflict with previous Rb-Sr whole rock ages of c. 580 Ma for overlying Cambrian shales at Meishucun, and c. 570 Ma for Atdabanian shales from the E. Yangtse Gorges area.