bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Peran Perencanaan Pembelajaran dalam Meningkatkan Kualitas Pengajaran
Authors: Nadlir Nadlir , Khoiriyatin Vilda Zahrotul , Fitri Berliana Aulia , Ummah Durroh Nasihatul
Published: July 2024

This study aims to analyze the role of lesson planning in improving teaching quality. Lesson planning is a very important role to improve the quality of teaching, because in it there are many possibilities for teachers to develop learning strategies that are more active and more efficient. This research uses library research methods, methods carried out by searching for data and information through sources available in libraries, such as books, magazines, documents, historical records, or other research relevant to the object of research, which in this study discusses the role of lesson planning in improving teaching quality. In this study we will find out how lesson planning can improve the quality of teaching by improving the teacher's ability to develop material, increase student participation, and improve learning outcomes. The results of this study are expected to contribute to the development of education and improve the quality of teaching.
Penggunaan Teknologi Komunikasi dalam Mempertahankan dan Memperdalam Hubungan Interpersonal pada Era Digital
Authors: Syahputra Dasa Syawal
Published: July 2024

The development of communication technology in this era is something that we must accept with all the consequences that occur behind it all. There are many positive things that Akita buses get by utilizing the presence of this communication technology, in addition to the negative things that are behind it. Many agencies/institutions have utilized this communication technology to facilitate their work, including Salam TV; who always use communication technology to delegate tasks to fellow employees. The benefits obtained due to the use of communication technology are greater than the harms. Among them is being able to cut the distance and time, but the message is still delivered as desired. Regarding the obstacles that occur, of course there are, but solutions to these obstacles can be given.
Missed rifampicin and isoniazid resistance by commercial molecular assays
Authors: Richards L , Ismail F , Nel J , Omar S V
Published: July 2024

Drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) has poor outcomes unless resistance is detected early, ideally by commercially available molecular tests. We present a case of occult multidrug-resistant TB where both rifampicin and isoniazid resistance were missed by molecular testing and were only identified by phenotypic testing.
Prevalence and predictors of severe Crohn’s disease at a tertiary hospital in South Africa
Authors: Gounden C , Naidoo V , Moodley Y
Published: July 2024

Background
Predicting severe Crohn's disease (SCD) can assist in planning risk reduction therapy for SCD, thereby improving disease outcomes.
Objective
To determine the prevalence and predictors of SCD in a sample of South African patients.
Methods
This was a retrospective chart review of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) attending the Gastroenterology Unit at a tertiary hospital in Durban, South Africa. Demographic and clinical variables at diagnosis of CD were collected and analysed for statistical association with development of SCD (defined as the presence of >/= 1 of the following over the course of CD: complex perianal disease, colonic resection >/= 2 small bowel resections, a single small bowel resection > 50cm, or construction of a definitive stoma). The prognostic utility of statistically significant variables was investigated by establishing their sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values for SCD. 
Results
The study consisted of 93 patients. The rate of SCD was 64.5%, with 63.3 % of patients developing SCD within 1 year of CD diagnosis. Ileocolonic location (p = 0.046) and penetrating disease at initial diagnosis of CD (p = 0.021) were statistically associated with SCD. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of ileocolonic location for SCD was 72.7%, 47.4%, 66.7% and 54.6%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of penetrating disease for SCD was 85.7%, 41.7%, 30.0% and 91.0%.
Conclusion
Most patients with CD developed SCD within 1 year of their CD diagnosis. CD with a penetrating phenotype at diagnosis is a good predictor for the devleopment of SCD and should be further investigated.
Identité patrimoniale et vitalité ethnique au sein de la communauté portugaise de Sydney
Authors: Scetti Fabio
Published: July 2024

Cet article vise principalement à décrire la situation de la langue portugaise et sa présence au sein de la communauté portugaise de Sydney (Australie). Cette contribution vise à comparer la situation de Sydney avec deux autres quartiers portugais : Montréal (Canada) et Bridgeport (États-Unis). Nous avons observé la présence de la langue, à la fois dans les paysages linguistiques de ces quartiers ethniques, ainsi qu’à travers les pratiques, langagières et autres, et les discours. Notre recherche s’inscrit dans une étude sociolinguistique comparative plus vaste sur les pratiques langagières en portugais. Des recherches de terrain ont été menées dans les trois villes de 2011 à 2021. Notre approche est à la fois qualitative, ethnographique et cyber-ethnographique depuis quelques années. Des questionnaires et des entretiens semi-directifs ont été collectés auprès de descendants de migrants portugais d’âge, de sexe, de statut socio-économique, de profession et de niveau d’études différents. Grâce aux observations et à la description ethnographique, il nous a également été possible d’analyser le rôle fondamental de la langue portugaise en tant que langue d’origine, et son statut à travers l’analyse d’idéologies et de représentations. De plus, afin de mieux comprendre comment les pratiques langagières sont une manifestation de l’appartenance à un groupe, nous avons observé le rôle des paysages linguistiques en tant que marque de l’identité communautaire.
¿Qué es la maternidad? Gestación y crianza en Esta herida llena de peces
Authors: Alonso Herrero María
Published: July 2024

El presente artículo propone un análisis de las distintas maternidades presentes en Esta herida llena de peces (2021), novela de la autora colombiana Lorena Salazar, a través de contribuciones fundamentales para los estudios de género como las teorías de Rich, Cixous o Kristeva. Ante la extendida presencia de las “malas madres” en la literatura hispanoamericana actual, Salazar propone una visión más optimista respecto a la felicidad que pueden producir las relaciones maternofiliales. Aun así, es crítica con las situaciones de precariedad y soledad a las que están expuestas muchas mujeres, especialmente en contextos de violencia armada como el de Colombia.
Transformation of the artistic form and ideological content of the memorial complex in memory of the Sino-Japanese War in Beijing
Authors: Yuan Xinyu
Published: July 2024

The article is devoted to the problem of transformation of the imagery of the monumental sculpture ensemble created in memory of the Sino-Japanese War in Beijing. The construction of the memorial took place in two stages: the Memorial of the Chinese People's War of Resistance to Japanese Aggression was erected in the late 1980s, and a decade later the Sculpture Garden of the Memorial of the Chinese People against the Japanese War was laid. These elements of a single ensemble represent different options for using figurative-meaningful, compositional-spatial, artistic-stylistic and plastic features of monumental sculpture and interpreting its semantic role in such structures. Using the example of these memorials, it is possible to identify and trace the development strategy of memorials and their sculptural design, especially the dynamics of changes in the creation of an artistic image of sculptural groups. The author uses the method of art criticism to describe the visual and expressive features and the ideological content of the monumental sculpture of the memorial plan on the example of an analysis of the aesthetic qualities of two different elements of the ensemble in Beijing. This requires an analysis of the artistic structure and forms through which the authors express their ideological messages, as well as a comprehensive study of visual and expressive means. The object of attention in the article is the role and place of monumental sculpture in the development of historical memory and culture of China, and the subject is the options for the development of figurative and stylistic features of the art of sculpture in the context of the expansion and transformation of memorial complexes. Sculpture is considered as a reflection of the ideological and creative pursuits of Chinese sculptors of the late XX and early XXI centuries. The research material is a monumental sculpture as the most important artistic element of the memorial ensemble in memory of the Sino–Japanese War in Beijing, which allows for artistic comparisons, including with similar monuments on the territory of modern Russia. The article provides an opportunity to reveal the nuances of artistic, spatial and semantic interaction between the memorial and the sculpture garden.
Designing exhibitions of Chinese art in Soviet Art Museums: from collectible to problematic method
Authors: Wu Meng
Published: July 2024

The object of research is Chinese fine art presented in Soviet museums, museum practice and scientific discourse that has developed around the study of Chinese art in the USSR. The subject of the research is the specifics of designing exhibitions of Chinese art in Soviet art museums and the issues of its historical transformation. The analysis of a number of exhibition events held in Soviet museums and dedicated to Chinese fine art is proposed. During the consideration of the topic, such issues as the factors that influenced the methods of Soviet scientists in planning Chinese expositions, the degree of their effectiveness in relation to communication between the Soviet viewer and works of Chinese fine art are traced. This material is used to reconstruct the process of transformation of Soviet art critics' approaches to presentation and communication in the field of Chinese art. The comparative historical method is used to allow a comparative analysis of the Early Soviet and late Soviet periods in order to comprehend the issues of the evolution of scientific knowledge about Chinese art, approaches to its research, museum presentation and communication in this area. A descriptive method of analyzing exhibitions and collections of Chinese fine art in Soviet museums is used. For the first time, the nature of Soviet museum studies of Chinese fine art is generalized, the approaches of Soviet researchers to presentation and communication in the field of fine art in China are revealed, and their historical transformation is traced. The main conclusions of the study are as follows. The nature of the evolution of Soviet researchers' approaches to presentation and communication in the field of Chinese fine art in USSR museums is determined by the movement towards the development of deep scientific ideas, which in the late Soviet period provide a reliable basis for the effective implementation of certain approaches to exposition planning, the complication of exhibition events, the movement of Soviet museological theory from an ideologized view of exposition material as a means education of a citizen of a new formation, to the perception of an independent artistic idea of exposition works. Since the second half of the 1980s, new principles of artistic communication between the viewer and works of fine art have been formed in the USSR: an independent artistic idea of exposition works is brought to the fore, which provides favorable conditions for the Soviet viewer to perceive traditional Chinese aesthetics as a separate phenomenon of ancient and original Chinese culture.
Socio-cultural risks of multimodal large generative models of "artificial intelligence" (GenAI)
Authors: Bylevskiy Pavel Gennadievich
Published: July 2024

The article is devoted to the study of the conditions for ensuring the information security of Russian citizens when using generative "artificial intelligence" technologies in the socio-cultural sphere. The relevance of the topic is due to the modern high rates of development of computer neural networks that generate multimedia content: texts, images, sounds and videos. The developers classify generative technologies as "artificial intelligence", position them as a "new nuclear project" capable of radically increasing the productivity of socio-cultural creativity, and receive significant government, corporate and investment financing. The object of the study is modern multimedia generative models, the subject of the study is the possibility of their use in the socio-cultural sphere of creativity and the associated risks of information security. The purpose of the study is to determine the conditions for ensuring the information security of Russian citizens when using multimodal generative technologies in the socio-cultural sphere.  The research materials are scientific publications of recent years (2021–2024) in Russian journals of the HAC list (categories K1, K2) and international Scopus publications (quartiles Q1, Q2) devoted to research and critical analysis of the possibilities of multimodal generative models, associated risks and security tools. The philosophical methodology is applied: theoretical and cultural analysis, synthesis. The scientific novelty of the article is due to the application of a philosophical theoretical and cultural methodology for a critical comparison of the declarations of developers and the actual potential of applications of multimodal generative technologies. The result of the study is an assessment of how greatly exaggerated the risks predicted based on the positioning of the technologies in question as "artificial intelligence". The real risks are proposed to include: the incompatibility of development costs with the usefulness of the results; lowering the cultural level of professional and amateur creativity and worsening the tastes of the mass audience; use in "social engineering", fraud, mass disinformation, fake news, manipulation of public consciousness, "cancellation culture", destruction of traditional values and substitution of socio-cultural identity. The means of ensuring the safety of Russian citizens in the development and use of multimedia generative technologies in the socio-cultural sphere are recommended.
Vangl2 suppresses NF-κB signaling and ameliorates sepsis by targeting p65 for NDP52-mediated autophagic degradation
Authors: Lu Jiansen , Zhang Jiahuan , Jiang Huaji , Hu Zhiqiang , Zhang Yufen , He Lian , Yang Jianwu , Xie Yingchao , Wu Dan , Li Hongyu , Zeng Ke , Tan Peng , Xiao Qingyue , Song Zijing , Pan Chenglong , Bai Xiaochun , Yu Xiao
Published: July 2024

Van Gogh-like 2 (Vangl2), a core planar cell polarity (PCP) component, plays an important role in polarized cellular and tissue morphology induction, growth development and cancer. However, its role in regulating inflammatory responses remains elusive. Here, we report that Vangl2 is upregulated in patients with sepsis and identify Vangl2 as a negative regulator of NF-κB signaling by regulating the protein stability and activation of the core transcription component p65. Mice with myeloid-specific deletion of Vangl2 (
Vangl2

Δ
M

) are hypersusceptible to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced septic shock. Vangl2 deficient myeloid cells exhibit enhanced phosphorylation and expression of p65, therefore, promoting the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines after LPS stimulation. Mechanistically, NF-κB signaling-induced-Vangl2 recruits E3 ubiquitin ligase PDLIM2 to catalyze K63-linked ubiquitination on p65, which serves as a recognition signal for cargo receptor NDP52-mediated selective autophagic degradation. Taken together, these findings demonstrate Vangl2 as a suppressor of NF-κB mediated inflammation and provide insights into the crosstalk between autophagy and inflammatory diseases.
Feeding Rates in Sessile versus Motile Ciliates are Hydrodynamically Equivalent
Authors: Liu Jingyi , Man Yi , Costello John H , Kanso Eva
Published: July 2024

Motility endows microorganisms with the ability to swim to nutrient-rich environments, but many species are sessile. Existing hydrodynamic arguments in support of either strategy, to swim or to attach and generate feeding currents, are often built on a limited set of experimental or modeling assumptions. Here, to assess the hydrodynamics of these “swim” or “stay” strategies, we propose a comprehensive methodology that combines mechanistic modeling with a survey of published shape and flow data in ciliates. Model predictions and empirical observations show small variations in feeding rates in favor of either motile or sessile cells. Case-specific variations notwithstanding, our overarching analysis shows that flow physics imposes no constraint on the feeding rates that are achievable by the swimming versus sessile strategies – they can both be equally competitive in transporting nutrients and wastes to and from the cell surface within flow regimes typically experienced by ciliates. Our findings help resolve a long-standing dilemma of which strategy is hydrodynamically optimal and explain patterns occurring in natural communities that alternate between free swimming and temporary attachments. Importantly, our findings indicate that the evolutionary pressures that shaped these strategies acted in concert with, not against, flow physics.
NALA: a Nesterov accelerated look-ahead optimizer for deep learning
Authors: Zuo Xuan , Li Hui-Yan , Gao Shan , Zhang Pu , Du Wan-Ru
Published: July 2024

Adaptive gradient algorithms have been successfully used in deep learning. Previous work reveals that adaptive gradient algorithms mainly borrow the moving average idea of heavy ball acceleration to estimate the first- and second-order moments of the gradient for accelerating convergence. However, Nesterov acceleration which uses the gradient at extrapolation point can achieve a faster convergence speed than heavy ball acceleration in theory. In this article, a new optimization algorithm which combines adaptive gradient algorithm with Nesterov acceleration by using a look-ahead scheme, called NALA, is proposed for deep learning. NALA iteratively updates two sets of weights, i.e., the ‘fast weights’ in its inner loop and the ‘slow weights’ in its outer loop. Concretely, NALA first updates the fast weights k times using Adam optimizer in the inner loop, and then updates the slow weights once in the direction of Nesterov’s Accelerated Gradient (NAG) in the outer loop. We compare NALA with several popular optimization algorithms on a range of image classification tasks on public datasets. The experimental results show that NALA can achieve faster convergence and higher accuracy than other popular optimization algorithms.
Introduction of Off-Site Promotion and Enrolment Transaction in Salay Community College
Authors: Baclayon Louella , Padilla Vincent , Rojoca Lotes
Published: July 2024

The youth is the hope of the nation. Through educating the youth, a society can thrive for generations. Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s natural education theory is where this study is anchored. This research focuses on the introduction of off-site promotion and enrollment implemented at Salay Community College, Salay, Misamis Oriental, Philippines. This study used grounded theory, specifically thematic analysis research. The study underwent a process and used the Institutional Quality Improvement: Scheming, Attaining, Correcting, and Creating (SACC), which is patterned after the Plan, Do, Check, and Act (PDCA) Cycle Framework. The data was thoroughly documented. The information was gathered through three steps: Open coding, Axial coding, and theory formation. The respondents were three (3) students from each of the three programs (Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (BECED), Bachelor of Technology and Livelihood Education (BTLED), and Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship (BS Entrep) who enrolled during the Off-Site Promotion and Enrolment Transaction and the school personnel who conducted and implemented the transaction. The respondents' experiences were taken through individual and focused-group interviews. The result showed that the transaction was instrumental in bringing back the out-of-school youth, school dropouts, and those who stopped because of financial problems. This also resulted in an increased number of enrollees. It is recommended that the transaction be conducted in other municipalities, especially far-flung places, and materials and internet connection should be secured for easy online registration flow.
Sobre la noción de persona como expresión católica en los textos constitucionales y normas supranacionales para conceptualizar la dignidad digital
Authors: Mormontoy Pérez Julio Jesús
Published: July 2024

El limitado o inexistente concepto normativo sobre la dignidad digital, la noción de persona como expresión católica en los textos constitucionales y normas supranacionales son los puntos de partida para conceptualizar la dignidad humana en el contexto de la Inteligencia Artificial para una mejor toma de decisiones a partir del desarrollo jurisprudencial que permita ampliar la doctrina y la literatura jurídica sobre la dignidad de la persona en la era de la tecnología de las informaciones.
Todo lo cual resulta necesario ante la existencia de ciencias informáticas en las que particulares, empresas u Estados con la intención de manipular datos personales podrían terminar afectando derechos de terceros a una escala imperceptible. Por ello, al hablar de dignidad digital como expresión católica en los textos constitucionales y normas supranacionales nos estamos refiriendo al respeto de dichos derechos personalísimos que se recogen y componen la dignidad de cada persona y que debemos merecer en el entorno digital.
Anthropometric Linear Measurements as Surrogate Marker in Low Birth Weight Infants: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Dutta Abhijit , Kashyap Shruti , Ahmed Raihan Uddin , Rawat Mayank
Published: July 2024

Introduction: Low Birth Weight (LBW) is linked to perinatal mortality and morbidity, growth, and cognitive developmental defects, along with a greater tendency to develop non communicable diseases later in life. In many settings, the birth weight of infants is not properly noted; weight is either not measured appropriately or tabulated accurately. This has necessitated the use of alternative indices in lieu of birth weight to reliably identify LBW babies, especially in settings where the availability of weighing scales is very limited. Aim: To determine the reliability of anthropometric measurements as a surrogate marker of weight in LBW infants born in a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Department of Paediatrics and Neonatology, Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh, Assam, India from March 2023 to May 2023. Admitted inborn babies (n=2074) in the postnatal ward and inborn Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) were included. LBW was defined as <2500 grams. Crown-heel Length (CHL), Chest Circumference (CC), Head Circumference (HC), and Mid-upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) were measured. Student’s t-test and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were used to statistically analyse the data. Results: Out of the 2074 included babies, 1123 were male, and 471 were LBW. The mean birth weight of the LBW cohort was 1.98±0.45 kg compared to 2.78±0.33 kg in the NBW cohort (p-value<0.05). CHL, CC, HC, and MUAC were all significantly lower in the LBW cohort compared to the NBW cohort. MUAC seemed to be the best indicator of LBW. The cut-offs for CHL, HC, CC, and MUAC were 48.5cm, 33.5cm, 30.5cm, and 10.5cm, respectively. Conclusion: The MUAC was strongly correlated with birth weight. MUAC is easy to obtain, simple to perform, and does not require sophisticated equipment.
Antimicrobial Susceptibility and Molecular Epidemiology of Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Northeast of Brazil
Authors: Almeida-Alves Stephanie de , Pinheiro Ludimila Gomes , Ponte-Brito Izabelly Linhares , Aragão Paulo de Tarso Teles Dourado de , Prado Guilherme Mendes , Prado Júlio César Sousa , Fontenelle Raquel Oliveira dos Santos , Barbosa Francisco Cesar Barroso
Published: July 2024

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of nosocomial strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from inpatients of a teaching hospital in the City of Sobral, Ceará, in Northeast of Brazil (Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Sobral - SCMS) from March/2019 to March/2020, as well as to assess the occurrence of resistance genes bla-TEM, bla-SHV, bla-CTX-M 1/2, bla-IMP-1, bla-KPC, bla-GES, bla-SPM-1, bla- NDM-1, bla-VIM.
Methodology: Bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility tests (AST) were performed using the automated system Vitek®2. Conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify genes of interest.
Results: Thirty-eight specimens of P. aeruginosa were collected. More than half of the isolates were resistant to imipenem (55.2%), and showed different rates of resistance to the other antimicrobials tested. In addition, intermediate susceptibility was also observed to gentamicin (7.8% of the isolates) and meropenem (10.52% of the isolates). The gene bla-CTX-M 1/2 was the most prevalent (41.9%), while bla-GES was highly identified among the carbapenemase-producing strains (12.9%).
Conclusion: The results demonstrated considerable resistance rates to β-lactam antibiotics, which could be attributable to the indiscriminate use of these antibiotics in the analyzed hospital, whose control relies on the improvement of antimicrobial prescription policies.
Mitigating the Negative Impact of Social and Environmental Factors on Mental Well-being through Community-based Interventions
Authors: Folorunsho Ibrahim L. , Harry Nkechinyere M. , Anugwom Gibson O.
Published: July 2024

Community-based interventions (CBI) effectively address the negative impact of social and environmental factors on mental well-being by leveraging community resources, strengths, and resilience. Successful examples, such as the Friendship Bench in Zimbabwe and the Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) program, demonstrate the importance of community engagement and multi-sector partnerships in creating culturally responsive and sustainable mental health programs.
Exploring Bioactive Compounds in Underutilized Fruit Crops of Arid and Semi-Arid Regions: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Poonia Gargi , Kumar Sandeep
Published: July 2024

Exploring the bioactive compounds in underutilized fruit crops of arid regions reveals a wealth of phytochemicals, including polyphenols, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, amino acids, and carotenoids. These compounds exhibit significant health benefits, evidenced through both in vitro and in vivo studies, demonstrating antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, hypolipidemic and neuroactive properties. This review delves into the bioactive compounds found in fruits of arid and semi-arid regions, highlighting their phytochemical compositions and their potential in preventing chronic diseases, thereby enhancing human health. Underutilized fruit crops, typically grown and consumed locally rather than being commercially cultivated or widely traded, offer several advantages. They are easier to grow, more resilient to climate change, and exceptionally rich in phytochemicals with medicinal properties. These fruits, such as Indian jujube, Indian gooseberry, bael, and tamarind, among others, are valuable for their high nutritional content and potential to meet the dietary needs of rural populations in arid regions. Local knowledge attests to their nutritional and medicinal benefits, necessitating rigorous study for conservation and nutritional characterization to broaden future food options and enhance functional and nutritional values. This review outlines the ethnobotany, medicinal and nutritional values, biodiversity conservation, and utilization strategies for significant underutilized fruit crops from arid and semi-arid regions. These fruits are rich in diverse phytochemical compounds like flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, saponins, glycosides, and alkaloids, which are utilized to treat various health conditions in humans and livestock. Their extracts demonstrate a range of activities, including antipyretic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antimicrobial, antiplasmodial and antinociceptive effects. Highlighting the current research on the nutritional profiling, chemical composition, and potential applications of these fruits, this chapter addresses the knowledge gap concerning the health benefits of consuming arid and semi-arid fruits. This is particularly relevant given the growing interest in "superfoods" and the need for evidence-based public health guidelines to inform consumers about the benefits of polyphenol-rich plant foods in preventing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Deformation‐Free, Microsecond Electro‐Optic Tuning of Liquid Crystals
Authors: Inoue Yo , Yoshida Hiroyuki , Kubo Hitoshi , Ozaki Masanori
Published: February 2013

Fast (∼10 μs) and deformation‐free electro‐optic tuning of a liquid crystal is reported, achieved by macroscopic alignment and switching of nanosized, pseudo‐nematic domains. The tuning mode can be achieved by photopolymerizing a mesogenic monomer–liquid crystal mixture in the liquid crystal phase, and forming nanosized pores in the polymer matrix. This concept is particularly effective in liquid crystals with spontaneous structure‐forming capabilities: here this concept is applied to a cholesteric liquid crystal and demonstrate scatter‐free tuning of the Bragg reflection band. It can also lead to new device applications such as thin‐film optical amplitude modulators and linear polarization rotators.
Characteristics of polyester polymer concrete using spherical aggregates from industrial by‐products
Authors: Hwang Eui‐Hwan , Kim Jin‐Man , Yeon Jung Heum
Published: February 2013

Despite its excellent physical and mechanical properties, polymer concrete has not been widely used owing to its much higher unit price than conventional portland cement concrete. To ensure the economic efficiency of polymer concrete, it is utmost important to reduce the use of polymer binder, which occupies most of the production cost of polymer concrete. Based on the experimental investigations, replacing filler (calcium carbonate) and fine aggregate (river sand) with fly ash and rapid‐cooled steel slag (RCSS), which are spherical materials obtainable from industrial by‐products, was found to be effective for improving the strength characteristics and durability as well as the cost efficiency of polymer concrete. The product developed in this study successfully reduced the demand for polymer binder by 21.3% compared to the conventional product, which in turn saved the total material costs by 18.5%. Although the use of RCSS showed performance degradation at an elevated temperature condition, considering typical temperature ranges that actual concrete infrastructures experience, it is expected that the polymer concrete using fly ash and RCSS will provide high‐level performances as construction and repair materials. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
Preparation of a polymer containing indole groups by RAFT polymerization and one‐phase synthesis of AuNPs‐polymer nanocomposites
Authors: Liu Juan , Gu Pei‐Yang , Li Na‐Jun , Wang Li‐Hua , Zhang Chun‐Yu , Xu Qing‐Feng , Lu Jian‐Mei
Published: February 2013

A one‐phase synthesis of AuNPs‐polymer nanocomposites using HAuCl4 as the precursor is reported in this article. A flexible polymer, poly(2‐(4‐(di(1H‐indol‐3‐yl)methyl)phenoxy) ethyl methacrylate) (PMPEM), containing indole groups on the side chain was utilized as both a reducing reagent and soft template in the system. The PMPEM‐Au nanocomposites with three different sizes of AuNPs (25–50, 2, and 5 nm) were obtained just through choosing different solvents such as toluene, tetrahydrofuran (THF), and N,N‐dimethylformamide, respectively. Nanocomposites including the size of 25–50 and 2 nm AuNPs showed strong NLO absorption and refraction behaviors. The nonlinear refractive index n2 of PMPEM‐Au nanocomposites prepared in toluene and THF were 9.35 × 10−11 and 1.85 × 10−10 m2/W, third‐order susceptibility χ(3) were 2.55 × 10−11 and 4.26 × 10−11 esu, respectively. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
Introduction of selective intersubunit disulfide bonds into self‐assembly protein scaffold to enhance an artificial multienzyme complex's activity
Authors: Hirakawa Hidehiko , Kakitani Ayano , Nagamune Teruyuki
Published: February 2013

In nature, many enzymes participating in multienzyme reactions are often assembled to enhance efficiencies of multiple reactions. Therefore, much attention has been focused on self‐assembly of multiple enzymes fused with a protein/peptide that interacts with a specific protein to enhance artificial multienzyme reactions. Sulfolobus solfataricus proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is a ring‐shaped symmetric heterotrimer consisting of PCNA1, PCNA2 and PCNA3. Multiple enzymes can be co‐localized on the PCNA ring by fusing them to the C‐termini of the three PCNA subunits. However, an advantage of the specific non‐covalent complex formation is inextricably associated with the disadvantage of its concentration‐dependent dissociation. In this study, disulfide bonds were introduced between the PCNA subunits by Cys substitution at the sites neighboring the interface for heterotrimerization. Selective intersubunit disulfide bond formation between PCNA1 and PCNA3 and between PCNA2 and PCNA3 by a natural oxidizing reagent successfully stabilized an artificial multienzyme complex, which is composed of a bacterial cytochrome P450 and its two redox partner proteins. The covalent stabilization of the multienzyme complex enhanced its cytochrome P450 activity because of the absence of inactive dissociated components. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2013; 110: 1858–1864. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Atomic‐Level Alloying and De‐alloying in Doped Gold Nanoparticles
Authors: Gottlieb Eric , Qian Huifeng , Jin Rongchao
Published: February 2013

Atomically precise alloying and de‐alloying processes for the formation of Ag–Au and Cu–Au nanoparticles of 25‐metal‐atom composition (referred to as AgxAu25−x(SR)18 and CuxAu25−x(SR)18, in which R=CH2CH2Ph) are reported. The identities of the particles were determined by matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectroscopy (MALDI‐MS). Their structures were probed by fragmentation analysis in MALDI‐MS and comparison with the icosahedral structure of the homogold Au25(SR)18 nanoparticles (an icosahedral Au13 core protected by a shell of Au12(SR)18). The Cu and Ag atoms were found to preferentially occupy the 13‐atom icosahedral sites, instead of the exterior shell. The number of Ag atoms in AgxAu25−x(SR)18 (x=0–8) was dependent on the molar ratio of AgI/AuIII precursors in the synthesis, whereas the number of Cu atoms in CuxAu25−x(SR)18 (x=0–4) was independent of the molar ratio of CuII/AuIII precursors applied. Interestingly, the CuxAu25−x(SR)18 nanoparticles show a spontaneous de‐alloying process over time, and the initially formed CuxAu25−x(SR)18 nanoparticles were converted to pure Au25(SR)18. This de‐alloying process was not observed in the case of alloyed AgxAu25−x(SR)18 nanoparticles. This contrast can be attributed to the stability difference between CuxAu25−x(SR)18 and AgxAu25−x(SR)18 nanoparticles. These alloyed nanoparticles are promising candidates for applications such as catalysis.
One‐Bit Compressed Sensing by Linear Programming
Authors: Plan Yaniv , Vershynin Roman
Published: February 2013

We give the first computationally tractable and almost optimal solution to the problem of one‐bit compressed sensing, showing how to accurately recover an s‐sparse vector
\input amssym $x \in {\Bbb R}^n$
from the signs of $O(s \log^2(n/s))$
random linear measurements of x. The recovery is achieved by a simple linear program. This result extends to approximately sparse vectors x. Our result is universal in the sense that with high probability, one measurement scheme will successfully recover all sparse vectors simultaneously. The argument is based on solving an equivalent geometric problem on random hyperplane tessellations.
Efficient filter for the generation/correlation of Golay binary sequence pairs
Authors: García Enrique , Ureña Jesús , García Juan J. , Ruiz Daniel , Pérez María C. , García Juan C.
Published: February 2013

In this paper, a digital filter for the generation/correlation of binary Golay pairs of sequences of length 2N · 10M · 26P (N, M and P are non‐negative integers) is proposed. It is carried out by means of a novel Golay kernel 26 decomposition, also introduced in this paper, combined with building blocks of Golay kernels 2 and 10, presented in previous works. The proposed filter has a similar architecture to the digital filter for the generation/correlation of Golay multilevel pairs of sequences, where the parameters at intermediate stages have to be adjusted to obtain Golay binary pairs of sequences in the final stage. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A novel method that improves sensitivity of protein detection in PAGE and Western blot
Authors: Vallejo‐Illarramendi Ainara , Marciano Denise K. , Reichardt Louis F.
Published: February 2013

We have developed a simple and inexpensive method that improves sensitivity of protein and antigen detection in standard PAGE procedures. Our technique uses a sample microloader device with a funnel‐like structure, filled with a 4% stacking gel. When attach to the top of a polyacrylamide slab gel, the proteins in a sample are concentrated by electrophoresis into a small volume as they emerge from the device's narrow outlet. Our microloader has several advantages over previous devices, including simple assembly, high versatility, and absence of cross‐contamination between lanes. Addition of this device to a slab gel results in a fivefold increase in the sensitivity of antigen detection in a Western blot. As a result, less protein is required for loading and signal detection. Our protocol is a straightforward modification of a standard experimental technique, and is especially useful when only limited sample quantities are available.
Development of a novel forensic STR multiplex for ancestry analysis and extended identity testing
Authors: Phillips Chris , Fernandez‐Formoso Luis , Gelabert‐Besada Miguel , Garcia‐Magariños Manuel , Santos Carla , Fondevila Manuel , Carracedo Ángel , Lareu Maria Victoria
Published: February 2013

There is growing interest in developing additional DNA typing techniques to provide better investigative leads in forensic analysis. These include inference of genetic ancestry and prediction of common physical characteristics of DNA donors. To date, forensic ancestry analysis has centered on population‐divergent SNPs but these binary loci cannot reliably detect DNA mixtures, common in forensic samples. Furthermore, STR genotypes, forming the principal DNA profiling system, are not routinely combined with forensic SNPs to strengthen frequency data available for ancestry inference. We report development of a 12‐STR multiplex composed of ancestry informative marker STRs (AIM‐STRs) selected from 434 tetranucleotide repeat loci. We adapted our online Bayesian classifier for AIM‐SNPs: Snipper, to handle multiallele STR data using frequency‐based training sets. We assessed the ability of the 12‐plex AIM‐STRs to differentiate CEPH Human Genome Diversity Panel populations, plus their informativeness combined with established forensic STRs and AIM‐SNPs. We found combining STRs and SNPs improves the success rate of ancestry assignments while providing a reliable mixture detection system lacking from SNP analysis alone. As the 12 STRs generally show a broad range of alleles in all populations, they provide highly informative supplementary STRs for extended relationship testing and identification of missing persons with incomplete reference pedigrees. Lastly, mixed marker approaches (combining STRs with binary loci) for simple ancestry inference tests beyond forensic analysis bring advantages and we discuss the genotyping options available.
High‐resolution 3D numerical modeling of thrust wedges: Influence of décollement strength on transfer zones
Authors: Ruh Jonas B. , Gerya Taras , Burg Jean‐Pierre
Published: February 2013

The mechanics and dynamics of thin‐skinned compressible thrust wedges with prescribed offsets in the backstop, i.e., transfer zones, are investigated using a three‐dimensional finite difference numerical model with a visco‐brittle/plastic rheology. The main questions addressed are as follows: (i) What is the influence of the initial length of the backstop offset and (ii) what is the effect of the frictional strength of the main décollement on the structural evolution of the brittle wedges along such transfer zones? Results show that the shorter the backstop offset, the earlier these two thrust planes connect, forming a curved frontal thrust along the entire width of the model. Younger, in‐sequence thrusts are formed parallel to this curved shape. Long backstop offsets produce strongly curved thrust faults around the indenting corner. Simulations with a weak basal friction evolve toward almost linear frontal thrusts orthogonal to the bulk shortening direction. Increased basal drag in models with a strong décollement favors propagation of the backstop offset into a transfer zone up to the frontal thrust. These simulations revealed that surface tapers of the wedge in front of the backstop promontory are larger than what the critical wedge theory predicts, whereas the tapers on the other side of the transfer zone are smaller than analytical values. This difference is amplified with increasing length of the backstop offset and/or strength of the décollement. Modeled surface elevation schemes reproduce well the topographic patterns of natural orogenic systems such as the topographic low along the Minab‐Zendan transform/transfer fault between the Zagros and Makran.
Wear mechanism and tribological characteristics of porous NiTi shape memory alloy for bone scaffold
Authors: Wu Shuilin , Liu Xiangmei , Wu Guosong , Yeung Kelvin W.K. , Zheng Dong , Chung C. Y. , Xu Z. S. , Chu Paul K.
Published: February 2013

The abraded debris might cause osteocytic osteolysis on the interface between implants and bone tissues, thus inducing the subsequent mobilization of implants gradually and finally resulting in the failure of bone implants, which imposes restrictions on the applications of porous NiTi shape memory alloys (SMAs) scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. In this work, the effects of the annealing temperature, applied load, and porosity on the tribological behavior and wear resistance of three‐dimensional porous NiTi SMA are investigated systematically. The porous structure and phase transformation during the exothermic process affect the tribological properties and wear mechanism significantly. In general, a larger porosity leads to better tribological resistance but sometimes, SMAs with small porosity possess better wear resistance than ones with higher porosity during the initial sliding stage. It can be ascribed to the better superelasticity of the former at the test temperature. The porous NiTi phase during the exothermic reaction also plays an important role in the wear resistance. Generally, porous NiTi has smaller friction coefficients under high loads due to stress‐induced superelasticity. The wear mechanism is discussed based on plastic deformation and microcrack propagation. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 101A: 2586–2601, 2013.
Light‐Switchable Polymer from Cationic to Zwitterionic Form: Synthesis, Characterization, and Interactions with DNA and Bacterial Cells
Authors: Sobolčiak Patrik , Špírek Mário , Katrlík Jaroslav , Gemeiner Peter , Lacík Igor , Kasák Peter
Published: February 2013

A novel cationic polymer poly(N,N‐dimethyl‐N‐[3‐(methacroylamino) propyl]‐N‐[2‐[(2‐nitrophenyl)methoxy]‐2‐oxo‐ethyl]ammonium chloride) is synthesized by free‐radical polymerization of N‐[3‐(dimethylamino)propyl] methacrylamide and subsequent quaternization with o‐nitrobenzyl 2‐chloroacetate. The photolabile o‐nitrobenzyl carboxymethyl pendant moiety is transformed to the zwitterionic carboxybetaine form upon the irradiation at 365 nm. This feature is used to condense and, upon the light irradiation, to release double‐strand DNA tested by gel electrophoresis and surface plasmon resonance experiments as well as to switch the antibacterial activity to non‐toxic character demonstrated for Escherichia coli bacterial cells in solution and at the surface using the self‐assembled monolayers.

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A smoothing least square method for nonlinear complementarity problem
Authors: Qin Yi , Yu Zhensheng
Published: February 2013

By using the smoothing functions and the least square reformulation, in this paper, we present a smoothing least square method for the nonlinear complementarity problem. The method can overcome the difficulty of the non‐smooth method and a major drawback of some existed equation‐based methods. Under the standard assumptions, we obtain the global convergence of the proposed method. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Workplace Innovation in a Nonprofit Organization
Authors: McMurray Adela J. , Islam Md. Mazharul , Sarros James C. , Pirola‐Merlo Andrew
Published: February 2013

We examine the relationships among leadership, organizational climate, and workplace innovation in a nonprofit organization. We used established scales including the Transformational Leadership Scale, Organizational Climate Questionnaire, and Workplace Innovation Scale, and then descriptive statistics, regression models, and regression‐based path analysis to fulfill the objectives of the study. The survey was administered to full‐time and part‐time employees in a religious‐based nonprofit organization in Australia. A major finding is that leadership directly promotes workplace innovation and can foster a healthy climate, while the partial effect of organizational climate on workplace innovation, holding leadership constant, was insignificant. Certain characteristics of transformational leadership, transactional leadership, and organizational climate were predictive of workplace innovation as defined. The benefit of this study resides in its potential to look further into predictive leadership characteristics that would assist with recruitment processes in nonprofit organizations.