bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Automatic landslide mapping from satellite imagery with a topography-driven thresholding algorithm
Authors: Alvioli Massimiliano , Mondini Alessandro C , Fiorucci Federica , Cardinali Mauro , Marchesini Ivan
Published: November 2018

We present an improvement of image classification for landslide mapping by “thresholding”, using topographic information to determine multiple thresholds. We devised a two-steps procedure for automatic classification into landslide or no landslide categories of a change-detection map obtained from satellite imagery. Requirements of the proposed procedure are knowledge of the occurrence of a landslide event, availability of a pre- and postevent pseudo-stereo image pair and a digital elevation model. The novel feature of the approach is represented by the use of slope units as topographic-aware subsets of the scene within which we apply a multiple thresholding method to classify a landslide class membership tuned on the sole landslide spectral response. The method is fully automatic after site-dependent operations, required only once, are performed, and exhibits improved classification performance with limited training requirements. Our automatic procedure is a step forward towards systematic acquisition of landslide events and real-time landslide mapping from satellite imagery.
No budget mitogenomics: Assembling 14 new mitogenomes for the ant subfamily Pseudomyrmecinae from public data
Authors: Vieira Gabriel A , Prosdocimi Francisco
Published: November 2018

The advent of Next Generation Sequencing has reduced sequencing costs and increased genomic projects from a huge amount of organismal taxa, generating an unprecedented amount of genomic datasets publicly available. Often, only a tiny fraction of outstanding relevance of the genome data produced by researchers is used in their works. This fact allows the data generated to be recycled in further projects worldwide. The assembly of complete mitogenomes is frequently overlooked though it is useful to understand evolutionary relationships among taxa, especially those presenting poor mtDNA sampling at the level of genera and families. This is exactly the case for ants (Hymenoptera:Formicidae) and more specifically for the subfamily Pseudomyrmecinae, a group of arboreal ants with several cases of convergent coevolution without any complete mitochondrial sequence available. In this work, we assembled, annotated and performed comparative genomics analyses of 14 new complete mitochondria from Pseudomyrmecinae species relying solely on public datasets available from the Sequence Read Archive (SRA). We used all complete mitogenomes available for ants to study the gene order conservation and also to generate two phylogenetic trees using both (i) concatenated set of 13 mitochondrial genes and (ii) the whole mitochondrial sequences. Even though the tree topologies diverged subtly from each other (and from previous studies), our results confirm several known relationships and generate new evidences for sister clade classification inside Pseudomyrmecinae clade. We also performed a synteny analysis for Formcidae and identified possible sites in which nucleotidic insertions happened in mitogenomes of pseudomyrmecine ants. Using a data mining/bioinformatics approach, the current work increased the number of complete mitochondrial genomes available for ants from 15 to 29, demonstrating the unique potential of public databases for mitogenomics studies. The wide applications of mitogenomes in research and presence of mitochondrial data in different public dataset types makes the “no budget mitogenomics” approach ideal for comprehensive molecular studies, especially for subsampled taxa.
UPAYA PENINGKATAN PARTISIPASI DALAM PROGRAM PENGEMBANGAN MASYARAKAT (STUDI DESKRIPTIF UPAYA PUSAT KEGIATAN BELAJAR MENGAJAR KAMPUNG CERDAS INDONESIA DALAM MENINGKATKAN PARTISIPASI MASYARAKAT DI KELURAHAN CURUG, CIMANGGIS, DEPOK)
Authors: Saputra Fariz Adlan , Hati Getar
Published: November 2018

The focus of this study is the effort of PKBM Kampung Cerdas Indonesia within increasing participation of Kelurahan Curug’s community within community development program. This research is qualitative descriptive interpretive and the data were collected by means of depth interview. PKBM Kampung Cerdas Indonesia is a social community which concern in children education. Although PKBM Kampung Cerdas Indonesia not through all the stages within an effort to increase participation in community development program, at least PKBM Kampung Cerdas Indonesia has been through strategic efforts in community development program. The efforts that have been made by PKBM Kampung Cerdas Indonesia is a community outreach with field preparation, managing intervention programs with community, and evaluating with community. These results indicate that these efforts are effective in increasing the participation of various stakeholders such as community leaders, citizens, and target community. In addition, participation also appeared in every stages through as in the planning, implementation, and evaluation.
IDENTIFIKASI POTENSI, KEBUTUHAN, DAN PERMASALAHAN BERDASARKAN HUBUNGAN INTERAKSI MASYARAKAT DENGAN LINGKUNGANNYA YANG RENTAN TERHADAP BENCANA LONGSOR
Authors: Wibowo Faisal Grahadi , Aini Qonita Hasna'ul , Sunardi Antonius Eko , Layyinah Naiva Urfi , Machdum Sari Viciawati
Published: November 2018

Bojongkoneng village in Bogor Regency is an area that is vulnerable to landslide disaster. Previous research has shown that Bojongkoneng village has local wisdom that can be used to reduce damage risk from landslide disaster. This article discusses about the form of local wisdom in disaster mitigation by analyzing from the public relations in Bojongkoneng village with environment. This research was conducted with qualitative descriptive approach, using primary data technique through observation, interview, and documentation, and secondary data through literature study. The results reveal that Bojongkoneng people has some form of local wisdom that has been used as an effort to mitigate landslide disaster that can be described through the identity of Bojongkoneng people related to relation of theyself with environment, relation of the people with environment on affection aspect, and relation of the people with its environment in fulfilling their life necessities.
DINAMIKA KETERLIBATAN STAKEHOLDERS PADA PERENCANAAN STRATEGI PEMASARAN SOSIAL DI SMILE TRAIN INDONESIA
Authors: Zunivar Anggara Yudha , Ishak Fitriyah
Published: November 2018

This research discusses the dynamics, obstacles, and challenges that occur in the stage of social marketing strategy planning process undertaken by the management of Smile Train Indonesia with the organizational stakeholders as well as the efforts made by the organization management to overcome those. This research is a qualitative research with descriptive design. The results conclude that there is rarely conflicts between organizations and stakeholders in the organization’s social marketing planning process because of good conflict management and collaboration. But acknowledged by the stakeholders, there are several obstacles and challenges that are faced during the planning process. This research suggests that organizational management should improve the social market marketing research effort to prevent and overcome the dynamics, obstacles, and challenges that occur in the social marketing planning process.
Insulin mutations impair beta-cell development in a patient-derived iPSC model of neonatal diabetes
Authors: Balboa Diego , Saarimäki-Vire Jonna , Borshagovski Daniel , Survila Mantas , Lindholm Päivi , Galli Emilia , Eurola Solja , Ustinov Jarkko , Grym Heli , Huopio Hanna , Partanen Juha , Wartiovaara Kirmo , Otonkoski Timo
Published: November 2018

Insulin gene mutations are a leading cause of neonatal diabetes. They can lead to proinsulin misfolding and its retention in endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This results in increased ER-stress suggested to trigger beta-cell apoptosis. In humans, the mechanisms underlying beta-cell failure remain unclear. Here we show that misfolded proinsulin impairs developing beta-cell proliferation without increasing apoptosis. We generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from people carrying insulin (INS) mutations, engineered isogenic CRISPR-Cas9 mutation-corrected lines and differentiated them to beta-like cells. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis showed increased ER-stress and reduced proliferation in INS-mutant beta-like cells compared with corrected controls. Upon transplantation into mice, INS-mutant grafts presented reduced insulin secretion and aggravated ER-stress. Cell size, mTORC1 signaling, and respiratory chain subunits expression were all reduced in INS-mutant beta-like cells, yet apoptosis was not increased at any stage. Our results demonstrate that neonatal diabetes-associated INS-mutations lead to defective beta-cell mass expansion, contributing to diabetes development.
O perfil do profissional arquivista formado pela Universidade Federal de Santa Maria
Authors: Lima Eliseu Dos Santos , Pedrazzi Fernanda Kieling
Published: November 2018

O artigo apresenta a investigação que teve como objetivo identificar o perfil dos arquivistas formados pelo Curso de Arquivologia da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria no ano de 2001 e sua atual ocupação. A pesquisa classifica-se como descritiva de abordagem qualitativa/quantitativa, sendo que para a coleta de dados foi realizada uma entrevista estruturada com as duas últimas coordenações do Curso de Arquivologia da UFSM, bem como aplicado um questionário à turma de arquivistas da UFSM formados tanto em cerimônia de “colação de grau” ou “gabinete” no ano de 2001. Frente a atual realidade que circunda o mundo profissional, o tema da pesquisa surgiu do interesse em analisar como se deu a inserção dos arquivistas graduados pela Universidade Federal de Santa Maria no ano de 2001 ao mercado de trabalho, e como foram suas trajetórias profissionais, bem como procurar informações sobre os aspectos relacionados à capacitação profissional, relações com as instituições empregadoras, relações interpessoais de trabalho e legalização e reconhecimento profissional. Os resultados desse estudo são apresentados a seguir.
ANÁLISE DAS POLÍTICAS DE FUNCIONAMENTO DE REPOSITÓRIOS INSTITUCIONAIS BRASILEIROS
Authors: Souza Gomes Anilza Rita de , Rosa Flávia Goullart Mota Garcia
Published: November 2018

Os Repositórios Institucionais (RI de Acesso Aberto surgiram como forma de minimizar a pouca visibilidade da produção científica das universidades e instituições de pesquisas. Neste contexto, objetivamos neste artigo analisar o Repositório Institucional da Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), sua política de autoarquivamento, assim como identificar e selecionar políticas de Acesso Aberto de instituições similares brasileiras cujo modelo possa contribuir para a melhoria das políticas atuais adotadas pela UFBA, justificada pela baixa adesão ao autoarquivamento. Para alcançar os objetivos propostos, utilizou-se a metodologia de amostra por conveniência, escolhendo cinco Repositórios Institucionais, um por região geográfica, acessados através do site do Instituto Brasileiro de Informação em Ciência e Tecnologia (Ibict) e do portal Oasisbr. Os resultados encontrados indicam que a maioria dos RI analisados ainda não se tem uma política de autoarquivamento, mas sim uma política de informação e, em um caso, há uma política de mandato. Os RI têm-se mostrado uma ferramenta importante para ampliar a visibilidade da produção científica, entretanto, será preciso criar meios de massificação, divulgação acerca da importância do autoarquivamento por parte dos pesquisadores e/ou seus pares, assim como uma política de incentivo que estimule esses pesquisadores a fazerem o depósito das suas produções científicas, acadêmicas e artísticas.
RECURSOS DE INFORMAÇÃO NUMA IES: O REPOSITÓRIO INSTITUCIONAL
Authors: Segurado Teresa , Amante Maria João , Lopes Susana , Marçal Bruno
Published: November 2018

Em Portugal, tal como noutros países, o Movimento de Acesso Livre ao Conhecimento materializou-se no aparecimento e consolidação de Repositórios Institucionais, Temáticos ou Híbridos e na publicação de revistas em Acesso Aberto. Em particular, os Repositórios constituíram-se como instrumentos destinados à preservação da memória científica das instituições, como ferramentas de apoio à visibilidade do trabalho desenvolvido pelos investigadores e das próprias instituições e, mais recentemente, como meios de monitorização e avaliação do desempenho de docentes e investigadores. O facto de crescentemente os Repositórios guardarem e facilitarem o acesso a volumes de informação consideráveis, cuja proveniência atesta, em grande medida, a sua qualidade, permite que encaremos os Repositórios como recursos de informação que devem ser utilizados nas Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES) e não só, a par de outros recursos de informação, nomeadamente os eletrónicos (caso das bases de dados comerciais). Com o objetivo de apurar o nível de conhecimento e de utilização do Repositório ISCTE-IUL enquanto recurso de informação, a par de outros recursos de informação existentes na Biblioteca, foi aplicado um inquérito por questionário a docentes, investigadores e estudantes dos vários ciclos de ensino.
A MOTIVAÇÃO PARA O TRABALHO NA PERSPE$CTIVA DO BIBLIOTECÁRIO: um estudo de caso na região Bahia e Sergipe
Authors: Rosa Adriana Dos Santos
Published: November 2018

O presente trabalho aborda as teorias sobre motivação para o trabalho e tem como objetivo geral: Avaliar a motivação para o trabalho na perspectiva dos bibliotecários inscritos no Conselho Regional de Biblioteconomia da 5º Região (Bahia/Sergipe); e como objetivos específicos: Mensurar a motivação para o trabalho do bibliotecário; Identificar os elementos motivadores para o trabalho do bibliotecário; e Identificar os elementos desmotivadores destes profissionais para o trabalho. A Metodologia utilizada para o alcance dos objetivos destaca o tipo da pesquisa, a justificativa, o universo e amostra e adota o Inventário de Motivação e Satisfação para o Trabalho como o instrumento de coleta de dados. O universo foi constituído por 1941 bibliotecários registrados no CRB/5ª região, dos quais 910 estão ativos. Os inscritos no Conselho no período entre 2013 a 2014 que atuam nos estados de Bahia e Sergipe totalizam 435 bibliotecários. A amostra foi constituída pelos respondentes, ou seja, foram 45 questionários respondidos dentro da população de inscritos no CRB/5º região no período estipulado pela presente investigação. O baixo índice de retorno dos respondentes comparado ao número total de credenciados no período escolhido (45/435= 10,3%) pode ter ocorrido devido a uma possível desatualização de cadastro, pouca acessibilidade destes profissionais ao e-mail ou falta de interesse em responder a um questionário longo.Salienta-se que o recorte temporal, apontado pela investigação justifica-se pela necessidade de desvelar a realidade de profissionais experientes, mas que não tenham muito tempo de formação inicial que possivelmente estão atentos para as tendências e desafios do mercado atual. Conclui-se, dentre outras considerações finais, que os bibliotecários credenciados no CRB/5ª Região no período de 2004 a 2013, apresentam-se motivados por variáveis que perpassam diversos contextos, desde os de ordem econômica, os de características sociais, até as mais elevadas percepções cognitivas individuais.
Refining the nuclear localization signal within the Egr transcriptional coregulator NAB2
Authors: LaVallee Jacquelyn , Grant Terrain , D'Angelo‐Early Stephanie , Kletsov Sergey , Berry Nicole A. , Abt Kimberly M. , Bloch Christopher P. , Muscedere Mario L. , Adams Kenneth W.
Published: November 2018

NAB1 and 2 are coregulators for early growth response (Egr) transcription factors. The NAB1 nuclear localization signal (NLS) was previously described as a bipartite NLS of sequence R(X2)K(X11)KRXK. The sequence is conserved in NAB2 as K(X2)R(X11)KKXK; however, whether it functions as the NAB2 NLS has not been tested. We show that the KKXK motif in NAB2 is necessary and sufficient to mediate nuclear localization. Mutation of the KKXK motif to AAXA causes cytoplasmic localization of NAB2, while Lys/Arg‐to‐Ala mutations of the upstream K(X2)R motif have no effect. Fusion of the KKXK motif to cytoplasmic protein eIF2Bε causes nuclear localization. Altogether, this study refines our knowledge of the NAB2 NLS, demonstrating that KKXK343‐346 is necessary and sufficient for nuclear localization.
The traffic ATPase PilF interacts with the inner membrane platform of the DNA translocator and type IV pili from Thermus thermophilus
Authors: Kruse Kerstin , Salzer Ralf , Averhoff Beate
Published: November 2018

A major driving force for the adaptation of bacteria to changing environments is the uptake of naked DNA from the environment by natural transformation, which allows the acquisition of new capabilities. Uptake of the high molecular weight DNA is mediated by a complex transport machinery that spans the entire cell periphery. This DNA translocator catalyzes the binding and splitting of double‐stranded DNA and translocation of single‐stranded DNA into the cytoplasm, where it is recombined with the chromosome. The thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus exhibits the highest transformation frequencies reported and is a model system to analyze the structure and function of this macromolecular transport machinery. Transport activity is powered by the traffic ATPase PilF, a soluble protein that forms hexameric complexes. Here, we demonstrate that PilF physically binds to an inner membrane assembly platform of the DNA translocator, comprising PilMNO, via the ATP‐binding protein PilM. Binding to PilMNO or PilMN stimulates the ATPase activity of PilF ~ 2‐fold, whereas there is no stimulation when binding to PilM or PilN alone. A PilMK26A variant defective in ATP binding still binds PilF and, together with PilN, stimulates PilF‐mediated ATPase activity. PilF is unique in having three conserved GSPII (general secretory pathway II) domains (A–C) at its N terminus. Deletion analyses revealed that none of the GSPII domains is essential for binding PilMN, but GSPIIC is essential for PilMN‐mediated stimulation of ATP hydrolysis by PilF. Our data suggest that PilM is a coupling protein that physically and functionally connects the soluble motor ATPase PilF to the DNA translocator via the PilMNO assembly platform.
The “Three Cs” of Novel Antibiotic Discovery and Production through Synthetic Biology: Biosynthetic Gene Clusters, Heterologous Chassis, and Synthetic Microbial Consortia
Authors: Baker Katherine V. , Takano Eriko , Breitling Rainer
Published: November 2018

Antimicrobial resistance is a rapidly growing problem worldwide, with bacteria showing resistance to last‐resort antibiotic treatments such as carbapenems and colistin becoming more abundant. Synthetic biology may be able to contribute to solving this growing antimicrobial resistance crisis by facilitating the engineering of diversified collections of novel antibiotics, targeting multidrug resistant bacteria in new ways. This review discusses recent advances in the use of synthetic biology methodologies to discover and produce novel antimicrobials; in particular, the work being carried out on biosynthetic gene clusters, heterologous chassis, and synthetic microbial consortia, the “three Cs” of the title.
Conductive and Stretchable Adhesive Electronics with Miniaturized Octopus‐Like Suckers against Dry/Wet Skin for Biosignal Monitoring
Authors: Chun Sungwoo , Kim Da Wan , Baik Sangyul , Lee Heon Joon , Lee Jung Heon , Bhang Suk Ho , Pang Changhyun
Published: November 2018

High adhesion and water resistance on skin surfaces are highly demanded properties for wearable and skin‐attachable electronics in various medical applications. Here, stretchable electronics with octopus‐like patterns (OPs) imprinted on a carbon‐based conductive polymer composite (CPC) film are presented. The bioinspired conductive suckers with dome‐like architectures are successfully exploited to sustain weight (500 g) in underwater, wherein this performance is known to be challenging. In addition, the artificial patch allows highly adhesive capabilities under both dry and wet conditions on various surfaces such as silicon (max. 5.24 N cm−2) and skin replica (max. 1.89 N cm−2) without contamination after detachment with an effortless peel‐off technique. The resulting device with low volumetric ratio of conductive carbon black presents sensitive and reliable piezoresistive responses to lateral strain and vertical pressure. By controlling the ratio of the carbon nanoplatelets in the polymeric matrix, electronic patch demonstrates both detection of electrocardiogram (ECG) and bending motions of wrist in dry and wet environments. Based on the characteristics shown in this work, the proposed electronic patch is a promising approach to realize wearable and skin‐attachable sensor devices for in vitro and in vivo monitoring of various biosignals.
Lowering the Schottky Barrier Height by Graphene/Ag Electrodes for High‐Mobility MoS2 Field‐Effect Transistors
Authors: Chee Sang‐Soo , Seo Dongpyo , Kim Hanggyu , Jang Hanbyeol , Lee Seungmin , Moon Seung Pil , Lee Kyu Hyoung , Kim Sung Wng , Choi Hyunyong , Ham Moon‐Ho
Published: November 2018

2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have emerged as promising candidates for post‐silicon nanoelectronics owing to their unique and outstanding semiconducting properties. However, contact engineering for these materials to create high‐performance devices while adapting for large‐area fabrication is still in its nascent stages. In this study, graphene/Ag contacts are introduced into MoS2 devices, for which a graphene film synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is inserted between a CVD‐grown MoS2 film and a Ag electrode as an interfacial layer. The MoS2 field‐effect transistors with graphene/Ag contacts show improved electrical and photoelectrical properties, achieving a field‐effect mobility of 35 cm2 V−1 s−1, an on/off current ratio of 4 × 108, and a photoresponsivity of 2160 A W−1, compared to those of devices with conventional Ti/Au contacts. These improvements are attributed to the low work function of Ag and the tunability of graphene Fermi level; the n‐doping of Ag in graphene decreases its Fermi level, thereby reducing the Schottky barrier height and contact resistance between the MoS2 and electrodes. This demonstration of contact interface engineering with CVD‐grown MoS2 and graphene is a key step toward the practical application of atomically thin TMDC‐based devices with low‐resistance contacts for high‐performance large‐area electronics and optoelectronics.
Spin–Orbit Torque Switching in a Nearly Compensated Heusler Ferrimagnet
Authors: Finley Joseph , Lee Chia‐Hao , Huang Pinshane Y. , Liu Luqiao
Published: November 2018

Ferrimagnetic materials combine the advantages of the low magnetic moment of an antiferromagnet and the ease of realizing magnetic reading of a ferromagnet. Recently, it was demonstrated that compensated ferrimagnetic half metals can be realized in Heusler alloys, where high spin polarization, zero magnetic moment, and low magnetic damping can be achieved at the same time. In this work, by studying the spin–orbit torque induced switching in the Heusler alloy Mn2Ru1−

x
Ga, it is found that efficient current‐induced magnetic switching can be realized in a nearly compensated sample with strong perpendicular anisotropy and large film thickness. This work demonstrates the possibility of employing compensated Heusler alloys for fast, energy‐efficient spintronic devices.
Coupling Cortical Neurons through Electronic Memristive Synapse
Authors: Juzekaeva Elvira , Nasretdinov Azat , Battistoni Silvia , Berzina Tatiana , Iannotta Salvatore , Khazipov Rustem , Erokhin Victor , Mukhtarov Marat
Published: November 2018

Functional coupling live neurons through artificial synapses is the primary requirement for their implementation as prosthetic devices or in building hybrid networks. Here, the first evidence of unidirectional, activity dependent, coupling of two live neurons in brain slices via organic memristive devices (OMD) is demonstrated. ODM is a polymeric electrochemical element, which has two terminals for the connection in electrical circuits and which displays hysteresis and rectifying features. OMD coupling is characterized by nonlinear relationships determined by the instantaneous values of OMD resistance that can be controlled by the neuronal activity, and the excitation threshold in the postsynaptic neuron. OMD coupling also has the spike‐timing features similar to that of the natural excitatory synapses. Also, OMD‐synapses support synchronized delta‐oscillations in the two‐neuron network. It is proposed that OMD‐synapses may enable realization of prosthetic synapses and building hybrid neuronal networks endowed with a capacity of learning, memory, and computation.
Atroposelective Synthesis of PINAP via Dynamic Kinetic Asymmetric Transformation
Authors: Han Seo‐Jung , Bhat Vikram , Stoltz Brian M. , Virgil Scott C.
Published: November 2018

The atroposelective synthesis of PINAP ligands has been accomplished via a palladium‐catalyzed C−P coupling process through dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation. These catalytic conditions allow access to a wide variety of alkoxy‐ and benzyloxy‐substituted PINAP ligands in high enantiomeric excess. The methods described in this communication afford valuable P,N ligands in good yields and high enantioselectivity using low catalyst loading.

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Robust Macroscopic Polarization of Block Copolymer–Templated Mesoporous Perovskite‐Type Thin‐Film Ferroelectrics
Authors: Androš Dubraja Lidija , Kruk Robert , Brezesinski Torsten
Published: November 2018

Ferroelectrics play an important role in various applications, from electronics to mechanics, optics, and biomedicine. Here, the preparation of a series of block copolymer–templated mesostructured (lead‐free) oxide ferroelectrics is described. Distorted perovskite LiNbO3, LiTaO3, and solid solution LiNbO3–LiTaO3 are produced as single‐phase thin films of good quality by the dip‐coating method using an evaporation‐induced self‐assembly process. They are investigated by a combination of electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction and scattering, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. Thermal treatment at ≥600 °C is required to initiate crystallization. Both the pore ordering and thermal stability increase with increasing tantalum content. Ferroelectric testing through dynamic and remanent polarization experiments at ambient conditions confirm the uniformity and purity of the LiNbO3 thin‐film system. Results from positive‐up and negative‐down test measurements reveal a stable switching polarization of 2 µC cm−2, with a coercive field of 50 kV cm−1. Taken together, the lithium niobium and tantalum oxides prepared in the work are rare examples of sol–gel derived perovskite‐type materials with an ordered mesoporous morphology. Because of the spontaneous electrical polarization observed for LiNbO3, such block copolymer–templated thin films might pave the way for the development of a new class of 3D nanocomposite ferroics.
A (CH3NH3)3Bi2I9 Perovskite Based on a Two‐Step Deposition Method: Lead‐Free, Highly Stable, and with Enhanced Photovoltaic Performance
Authors: Ahmad Khursheed , Ansari Shagufi Naz , Natarajan Kaushik , Mobin Shaikh M.
Published: November 2018

Despite achieving a higher efficiency, lead‐based perovskite solar cells (PSCs) suffer from leakage of highly toxic Pb into the atmosphere. On the contrary, methyl ammonium bismuth halide (MBI) has gained enormous attention as a light absorber because of its low toxicity and air stability. Herein, we developed high‐performance, lead‐free PSCs by employing a modified two‐step deposition method with FTO/CL‐TiO2/m‐TiO2/MBI/Spiro‐MEOTAD/Au device architecture [where FTO: fluorine doped tin oxide; MBI: (MA)3Bi2I9; MEOTAD: 2,2′,7,7′‐tetrakis‐(N,N‐di‐4‐methoxyphenylamino)‐9,9′‐spirobifluorene]. The PSCs fabricated by the two‐step deposition method showed a good power‐conversion efficiency of 0.41 %, along with a high open circuit voltage of 870 mV, and were found to be highly stable up to 60 days under atmospheric conditions (humidity ∼40–50 %). The film quality of the MBI was found to be superior by introducing modified two‐step deposition method over one‐step deposition.
A qualitative study of the costs experienced by caregivers of children being treated for cancer in New Delhi, India
Authors: Mardakis Stephanie , Arora Ramandeep S. , Bakhshi Sameer , Arora Ashima , Anis Huma , Tsimicalis Argerie
Published: November 2018

Background

The allocation of time and other resources is essential to enable the treatment of children with cancer. Evidence derived from high‐income countries showcases the significant costs families may incur impacting their finances and lifestyle. However, there is a paucity of research examining the costs of childhood cancer in India, which may impact families' decision to abandon their child's treatment.

Aim

The aim of this study was to explore the costs experiences by caregivers of children undergoing pediatric cancer treatment in New Delhi, India.

Methods

A qualitative descriptive study was conducted in three cancer institutions in New Delhi. Semistructured interviews were conducted with caregivers of children with cancer in English or Hindi. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, translated into English, and analyzed using a thematic approach.

Results

In total, 25 caregivers of 24 children diagnosed with cancer participated in the study. Caregivers described direct, indirect, and psychosocial costs associated with their child's treatment. The primary sources of direct costs were hospital admissions, medications, food, and travel expenses. Indirect costs involved managing their child's treatment, affecting caregivers' sleep, work hours, and time spent with other family members. Psychosocial costs included coping with the uncertainty caused by a cancer diagnosis, feelings of guilt, and sadness as well as having to watch their children suffer. Caregivers accessed a network of support to cope with their child's treatment. No families abandoned treatment or indicated that they intended to do so.

Conclusions

The results of this study provide avenues for health care professionals and institutions to develop interventions aimed at reducing the costs associated with cancer treatment. Further research into the relationship between various costs and treatment abandonment is needed.
Green resource allocation method for intelligent medical treatment‐oriented service in a 5G mobile network
Authors: Wang Yupeng , Liu Tianlong , Choi Chang , Wang Haoxiang
Published: November 2018

Due to the development of mobile transmission techniques, more exciting services can be launched that may change our daily lives in more easy and comfortable ways. The introduction of device‐to‐device (D2D) service in future 5G communication systems can extend the service coverage of intelligent medical treatment from hospitals to anywhere inside the network coverage area, which can save precious time and medical resources. As one of the key techniques in a 5G system, D2D technology has attracted extensive attention from academia and industry due to its system performance improvement, user experience enhancement and service extension. However, the introduction of D2D service will tremendously pollute the system transmission environment due to the induced interference, especially in the downlink direction where the interferer is very strong. This situation brings new challenges for effective and green resource utilization. To solve this problem, a green spectrum resource allocation strategy based on the Hungarian method is proposed in this paper to optimize system spectrum efficiency while considering the fairness among users under the assumption that all resources are fully shared by traditional cellular and newly introduced D2D users. To validate the performance of the proposed algorithm, a system‐level Monte Carlo simulation is also conducted, which shows the favorable performance of the proposed algorithm over the traditional greedy algorithm.
Recipes and Tools for Culture of Escherichia coli
Authors: Elbing Karen L. , Brent Roger
Published: November 2018

In this article, we provide information about culture media, including minimal liquid media, rich liquid media, solid media, top agar, and stab agar. We also provide descriptions and useful information about tools used with growth media such as inoculating loops, sterile toothpicks, and spreaders. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
No support for cryptic choice by ovarian fluid in an external fertilizer
Authors: Kleppe Snøfrid April , Nordeide Jarle T. , Rudolfsen Geir , Figenschou Lars , Larsen Berner , Reiss Katrin , Folstad Ivar
Published: November 2018

Whether the ovarian fluid (OF) represents a selective environment influencing cryptic female choice was tested using an external fertilizer experiencing intense sperm competition and large effects of OF on sperm swimming behavior—the Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). We physically separated the OF from the eggs of reproductively active females and reintroduced either their own OF or fluid from another female to the eggs. The eggs were then fertilized in vitro in a replicated split‐brood design with sperm from two males under synchronized sperm competition trials, while also measuring sperm velocity of the individual males in the individual OFs. We found large effects of males, but no effect of females (i.e., eggs) on paternity, determined from microsatellites. More important, we found no effect of OF treatments on the relative paternity of the two competing males in each pair. This experimental setup does not provide support for the hypothesis that OF plays an important role as medium for cryptic female choice in charr. Power analyses revealed that our sample size is large enough to detect medium‐sized changes in relative paternity (medium‐sized effect sizes), but not large enough to detect small changes in relative paternity. More studies are needed before a conclusion can be drawn about OF's potential influence on paternity under sperm competition—even in charr.
Frequency of virus‐resistant hosts determines experimental community dynamics
Authors: Coloma Sebastián , Gaedke Ursula , Sivonen Kaarina , Hiltunen Teppo
Published: November 2018

Parasites, such as bacterial viruses (phages), can have large effects on host populations both at the ecological and evolutionary levels. In the case of cyanobacteria, phages can reduce primary production and infected hosts release intracellular nutrients influencing planktonic food web structure, community dynamics, and biogeochemical cycles. Cyanophages may be of great importance in aquatic food webs during large cyanobacterial blooms unless the host population becomes resistant to phage infection. The consequences on plankton community dynamics of the evolution of phage resistance in bloom forming cyanobacterial populations are still poorly studied. Here, we examined the effect of different frequencies of a phage‐resistant genotype within a filamentous nitrogen‐fixing Nodularia spumigena population on an experimental plankton community. Three Nodularia populations with different initial frequencies (0%, 5%, and 50%) of phage‐resistant genotypes were inoculated in separate treatments with the phage 2AV2, the green alga Chlorella vulgaris, and the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis, which formed the experimental plankton community subjected to either nitrogen‐limited or nitrogen‐rich conditions. We found that the frequency of the phage‐resistant Nodularia genotype determined experimental community dynamics. Cyanobacterial populations with a high frequency (50%) of the phage‐resistant genotype dominated the cultures despite the presence of phages, retaining most of the intracellular nitrogen in the plankton community. In contrast, populations with low frequencies (0% and 5%) of the phage‐resistant genotype were lysed and reduced to extinction by the phage, transferring the intracellular nitrogen held by Nodularia to Chlorella and rotifers, and allowing Chlorella to dominate the communities and rotifers to survive. This study shows that even though phages represent minuscule biomass, they can have key effects on community composition and eco‐evolutionary feedbacks in plankton communities.
Asymmetric interactions and their consequences for vital rates and dynamics: the smaller tea tortrix as a model system
Authors: Nelson W. A. , Joncour B. , Pak D. , Bjørnstad O. N.
Published: November 2018

Asymmetric interactions among conspecifics can have diverse effects on population dynamics including stabilization, generation of cycles, and induction of chaotic fluctuations. A difficult challenge, however, is establishing the link between the impact of asymmetric interactions on life history and the consequences for population dynamics. The smaller tea tortrix, Adoxophyes honmai, is a good example. Larval instars differ dramatically in size and have a tendency for cannibalism, which suggests the potential for strong asymmetric interactions among instars. Yet whether these asymmetries have any role in generating the distinct single‐generation cycles observed in the field and laboratory is unclear. Here we report on the development of a new experimental approach to characterize the impact of asymmetric interactions on life history that can be directly embedded into stage‐structured population models. The experiments use donor‐replacement protocols in which focal individuals are challenged to complete their life cycles in competitive environments where the instar and density of the competitors are held constant. The experimentally derived interaction surface contains all the information about stage‐specific interactions and provides a straightforward framework for evaluating alternative ways of abstracting the interactions into traditional models of asymmetric competition. Working with the smaller tea tortrix, we found strong evidence of asymmetric interactions and identified critical “tipping points” in the competitive environment that strongly affected survival but not development. We incorporated the experimentally derived interaction surface into a stage‐structured population model and found that despite the strong impact that asymmetric interactions have on tea tortrix life history, they do not scale‐up to impact the predicted asymptotic population dynamics. Comparing these dynamics with two abstracted models of stage‐structured interactions revealed that while the quantitative details of the emergent dynamics depends on the shape of the interaction surface, the qualitative features, such as the emergence of single‐generation cycles and rapid synchronization of development among individuals, are pleasingly robust.
High‐resolution optical dating of Late Holocene storm surge deposits – a showcase from Schokland (Noordoostpolder, the Netherlands)
Authors: van den Biggelaar D.F.A.M. , Wallinga J. , van Balen R.T. , Kasse C. , Troelstra S. , Kluiving S.J.
Published: November 2018

Storm surges have a major impact on land use and human habitation in coastal regions. Our knowledge of this impact can be improved by correlating long‐term historical storm records with sedimentary evidence of storm surges, but so far few studies have applied such an approach. Here we apply, for the first time, state‐of‐the‐art optically stimulating luminescence (OSL) methods to obtain high‐resolution age information on a sequence of Late Holocene storm surge deposits. By combining this chronological framework of storm surges with other reconstruction methods, we investigate the storm surge impact on the former island Schokland, located in a former inlet of the North Sea (central Netherlands).During the Late Holocene, Schokland transformed from a peat area that gradually inundated (~800 CE) via an island in a marginal marine environment (~1600 CE) to a land‐locked island in the reclaimed Province of Flevoland (1942 CE). These transitions are recorded in the sediment archive of the island, consisting of silty clay with sandy intervals deposited during storm surges. A series of ten quartz OSL ages, obtained using best‐practice methods to deal with incomplete resetting of the OSL signal and dose rate heterogeneity, reveal two periods of storm surge deposition, around 1600 CE and between 1742 and 1822 CE. Historical sources indicate that major storm surges hit Schokland during these periods. Laboratory analyses (thermogravimetry, grain‐size, foraminifera, bivalves and ostracods) corroborates the existence of the two sets of storm surge deposits within the clay sequence. Our study sets a benchmark for obtaining robust depositional age constraints from storm surge sediments, and demonstrates the great potential of modern OSL methods to contribute to improved assessment of storm surge risk. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Factors controlling landslide frequency–area distributions
Authors: Tanyaş Hakan , van Westen Cees J. , Allstadt Kate E. , Jibson Randall W.
Published: November 2018

A power‐law relation for the frequency–area distribution (FAD) of medium and large landslides (e.g. tens to millions of square meters) has been observed by numerous authors. But the FAD of small landslides diverges from the power‐law distribution, with a rollover point below which frequencies decrease for smaller landslides. Some studies conclude that this divergence is an artifact of unmapped small landslides due to lack of spatial or temporal resolution; others posit that it is caused by the change in the underlying failure process. An explanation for this dilemma is essential both to evaluate the factors controlling FADs of landslides and power‐law scaling, which is a crucial factor regarding both landscape evolution and landslide hazard assessment. This study examines the FADs of 45 earthquake‐induced landslide inventories from around the world in the context of the proposed explanations. We show that each inventory probably involves some combination of the proposed explanations, though not all explanations contribute to each case. We propose an alternative explanation to understand the reason for the divergence from a power‐law. We suggest that the geometry of a landslide at the time of mapping reflects not just one single movement but many, including the propagation of numerous smaller landslides before and after the main failure. Because only the resulting combination of these landslides can be observed due to a lack of temporal resolution, many smaller landslides are not taken into account in the inventory. This reveals that the divergence from the power‐law is not necessarily attributed to the incompleteness of an inventory. This conceptual model will need to be validated by ongoing observation and analysis. Also, we show that because of the subjectivity of mapping procedures, the total number of landslides and total landslide areas in inventories differ significantly, and therefore the shapes of FADs also differ considerably. © 2018 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
On fair power optimization in nonorthogonal multiple access multiuser networks
Authors: Ali Zain , Sidhu Guftaar Ahmad Sardar , Waqas Muhammad , Gao Feifei
Published: November 2018

Nonorthogonal multiple access (NOMA) has been recognized as a key solution to fulfill the demands of 5G wireless communication. In this paper, our aim is to maximize the fairness in the data rates of different users in a multiuser NOMA system. We optimize the downlink transmission subject to minimum rate requirement of each user, limited power budget at the transmitter, and the successive interference cancelation constraint. First, we solve the problem for two‐user scenario where the nonconvex problem is transformed into a standard convex minimization problem and the duality theory is exploited to find the solution. The optimal power allocation is obtained from the Karush‐Kuhn‐Tucker (KKT) conditions, whereas the dual problem is solved via subgradient algorithm. As a next step, we consider the general multiuser optimization problem where more than two users can share the same channel under NOMA transmission. We design efficient solution techniques to solve the nonconvex optimization problem with sequential quadratic programming (SQP). Furthermore, two suboptimal low complexity solutions are also presented. We found that, under the proposed schemes, the fairness increases with increasing the available transmit power and decreases with the increasing the number of users. We show a complexity comparison of the dual‐based solution and the SQP algorithm. It is observed that power optimization through KKT conditions exhibits much lower computational complexity as compared to the SQP‐based solution.
The FRA14B common fragile site maps to a region prone to somatic and germline rearrangements within the large GPHN gene
Authors: Zheglo Diana , Brueckner Lena M. , Sepman Olga , Wecht Elisa M. , Kuligina Ekaterina , Suspitsin Evgenij , Imyanitov Evgenij , Savelyeva Larissa
Published: November 2018

Common fragile sites (cFSs) represent parts of the normal chromosome structure susceptible to breakage under replication stress. Although only a small number of cFSs have been molecularly characterized, genomic damage of cFS genes appears to be critical for the development of various human diseases. In this study, we fine mapped the location of FRA14B and showed that the fragile region spans 765 kb at 14q23.3, containing the large gephyrin (GPHN) gene. The FRA14B sequence is enriched in perfect A/T>24 stretches and R‐loop forming sequences (RLFS), and harbors a large palindromic motif in the core region. FRA14B instability is not only limited to lymphocytes, but also occurs in neuroblastoma and breast epithelial cells. Using array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), we examined copy number alteration patterns within FRA14B in a panel of 180 cancer cell lines and primary tumors. Our CGH data and a survey of 1046 Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia profiles demonstrate that focal deletions cluster within FRA14B and disrupt the genomic integrity of GPHN in approximately 5% of cancer cells. Moreover, germline CNVs (copy number variants) profiles provided by the Database of Genomic Variants and available literature suggest that germline CNVs and rare pathogenic deletions associated with neurodevelopmental disorders cluster within the core fragile region of GPHN. Overall, our data provide insight into the molecular structure of FRA14B, and identify GPHN, as a large cFS gene in the human genome, whose disruption appears to trigger various neurodevelopmental diseases.