bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT IN TRIBAL HOME VISITING: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Authors: Morales Julie R. , Ferron Cathy , Whitmore Corrie , Reifel Nancy , Geary Erin , Anderson Cyndi , Mcdaniel Judy
Published: May 2018

Over the last several decades, performance measurement has become an increasingly prevalent requirement among human services agencies for demonstrating program progress and achieving outcomes. In the Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (Tribal MIECHV), performance measurement was one of the central components of the Administration for Children and Families’ cooperative agreements to tribes, urban Indian organizations, and tribal organizations. Since the inception of the Tribal MIECHV Program in 2010, the benchmark requirement was intended to be a mechanism to systematically monitor program progress and performance toward improving the quality of home‐visiting programs that serve vulnerable American Indian or Alaska Native families. In this article, we examine performance measurement in the context of Tribal MIECHV, providing an overview of performance measurement, the Tribal MIECHV requirement, and how grantees experienced the requirement; we describe the existing literature on performance measurement challenges and benefits, and the specific challenges and advantages experienced by tribal grantees; and provide recommendations for performance measurement in tribal home‐visiting contexts based on grantees’ own experiences. This article contributes to the literature by examining performance measurement challenges and opportunities in the context of tribal communities, and provides recommendations that may inform future policy on performance measurement design and implementation in tribal communities.
Terahertz vibrational signature of bacterial spores arising from nanostructure decorated endospore surface
Authors: Datta Debopam , Stroscio Michael A. , Dutta Mitra , Zhang Weidong , Brown Elliott R.
Published: May 2018

This theoretical effort is the first to explore the possible hypothesis that terahertz optical activity of Bacillus spores arises from normal vibrational modes of spore coat subcomponents in the terahertz frequency range. Bacterial strains like Bacillus and Clostridium form spores with a hardened coating made of peptidoglycan to protect its genetic material in harsh conditions. In recent years, electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy has revealed that bacterial spore surfaces are decorated with nanocylinders and honeycomb nanostructures. In this article, a simple elastic continuum model is used to describe the vibration of these nanocylinders mainly in Bacillus subtilis, which also leads to the conclusion that the terahertz signature of these spores arises from the vibration of these nanostructures. Three vibrating modes: radial/longitudinal, torsional and flexural, have been identified and discussed for the nanocylinders. The effect of bound water, which shifts the vibration frequency, is also discussed. The peptidoglycan molecule consists of polar and charged amino acids; hence, the sporal surface local vibrations interact strongly with the terahertz radiation.
Design, Synthesis, and in vitro Anti‐mycobacterial Activities of Propylene‐tethered Heteronuclear Bis‐isatin Derivatives
Authors: Hua Xue , Zhang Guifu , Zhang Deqing , Wu Yequn
Published: May 2018

A series of novel propylene‐tethered heteronuclear bis‐isatin derivatives were designed, synthesized, and assessed for their in vitro and anti‐mycobacterial activities. All hybrids exhibited considerable antibacterial and anti‐mycobacterial activities against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and multi‐drug‐resistant tuberculosis (MDR‐TB) with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 16 to 256 μg/mL. In particular, the heteronuclear bis‐isatin 4i (MIC: 25 and 16 μg/mL) was most active against M. tuberculosis H37Rv and MDR‐TB strains, which was fourfold and greater than eightfold more potent than the first‐line anti‐tubercular agents rifampicin (MIC: 64 μg/mL) and isoniazid (MIC: >128 μg/mL) against MDR‐TB, could act as a lead for further optimization.
Post‐disaster Housing Reconstruction: The Impact of Resourcing in Post‐cyclones Sidr and Aila in Bangladesh
Authors: Islam Md Zahidul , Kolade Oluwaseun , Kibreab Gaim
Published: May 2018

This study draws on structured interviews of 285 villagers and semi‐structured interviews of 20 key stakeholders to investigate the effectiveness of resourcing for post‐disaster housing reconstruction in Bangladesh. Through evaluating post‐disaster housing reconstruction theories and approaches, the synthesis of literature and empirical fieldwork, this paper develops a dynamic theoretical framework that moves the trajectory of post‐disaster housing reconstruction towards the construction of more resilient houses. The results of descriptive statistics, multiple regression and thematic analyses indicate that only 6 per cent of reconstructed houses could withstand cyclones, and access to resources played a pivotal role in post‐Sidr and post‐Aila housing reconstruction. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Kinetics of torque teno virus DNA load in saliva and plasma following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Albert Eliseo , Torres Ignacio , Talaya Alberto , Giménez Estela , Piñana José Luis , Hernández‐Boluda Juan Carlos , Focosi Daniele , Macera Lisa , Maggi Fabrizio , Solano Carlos , Navarro David
Published: May 2018

Plasma torque teno virus (TTV) DNA load directly correlates with the degree of T‐cell immune reconstitution early after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT). Here, the kinetics of oral TTV DNA shedding was examined to assess whether quantitation of TTV DNA load in saliva may either replace or complement that in plasma for predicting lymphocyte (ALC) reconstitution after engraftment. This prospective observational study enrolled 38 nonconsecutive allo‐HSCT recipients. Saliva and plasma specimens were collected at baseline (pretransplant) and at around days +30, +50, and +90 after allo‐HSCT. TTV DNA was quantitated in both specimen types by real‐time PCR. ALCs were measured by cytometry. A total of 104 paired saliva and plasma specimens were available for TTV PCR analyses. TTV DNA was detected more frequently in saliva than in plasma specimens at all time points (overall, 94.2% vs 86.5%). Increasing levels of TTV DNA were seen in both specimen types from day +30 to day +90 after transplantation. Overall, TTV DNA loads were significantly higher in saliva than in plasma specimens (P = .0002) and correlated significantly (P ≤ .0001). A direct correlation between TTV DNA loads in saliva and plasma and ALCs was observed after engraftment (P = .034 and P = .002, respectively). Future studies should be aimed at determining whether monitoring of oral TTV DNA shedding may be of any utility for inference of immune reconstitution after allo‐HSCT.
Alcohol intake and periodontitis in adults aged ≥30 years: NHANES 2009–2012
Authors: Gay Isabel C. , Tran Duong T. , Paquette David W.
Published: May 2018

Background

Whether an association between alcohol consumption and periodontitis exists is still unclear. This study aimed to assess the association between alcohol consumption and periodontitis.

Methods

7062 adults 30 years or older who participated in 2009–2010 and 2011–2012 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were included. Alcohol consumption measurement included self‐reported average number of alcoholic drinks per week over the previous 12 months and was categorized into four groups (0, < 1, 1‐ < 8, and ≥8 drinks per week). Participants were categorized using surveillance case definitions for periodontitis that included both clinical attachment level (CAL) and periodontal probing depth (PD) measurements. The association between alcohol consumption and chronic periodontitis was evaluated by multivariable regression analyses adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education level, income‐to‐poverty ratio, smoking, self‐rated overall oral health, and HbA1c.

Results

The odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of having severe periodontitis was 1.9 (1.2‐3) among participants who reported alcohol consumption of ≥8 drinks compared to participants consuming some alcohol but < 1 drink per week on average. Participants who consumed 1‐ < 8, and ≥8 drinks per week, on average, also had higher mean PD, percentage of sites with PD ≥4 mm, mean CAL, and percentage of sites with CAL ≥3 mm compared to participants reporting consumption of < 1 drink per week. Meanwhile, the odds of having periodontitis, mean PD, extent PD ≥4 mm, mean CAL, and extent CAL ≥3 mm were not significantly different for nondrinkers than for participants who consumed some alcohol but < 1 drink per week on average.

Conclusions

Alcohol consumption was associated with an increase in the likelihood of having periodontitis, particularly severe periodontitis. Consumption of some alcohol, < 1 drink per week on average, was associated with similar odds of having periodontitis compared to consumption of no alcohol.
Activation of autophagy in periodontal ligament mesenchymal stem cells promotes angiogenesis in periodontitis
Authors: Wei Wei , An Yulin , An Ying , Fei Dongdong , Wang Qintao
Published: May 2018

Background

Angiogenesis alteration in tooth support tissue plays an essential role in periodontitis. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can affect vessel formation by endothelial cells (ECs) through paracrine function. Autophagy is reported to be closely related to cell secretion. Here we investigated the angiogenesis‐promoting ability of MSCs that reside in the periodontal ligament (known as periodontal ligament stem cells, PDLSCs) under inflammatory conditions in order to explore the mechanism of angiogenesis alteration in periodontitis.

Methods

PDLSCs were isolated from healthy and inflamed human periodontal ligament tissues (HPDLSCs and PPDLSCs, respectively). HPDLSCs were subjected to an inflammatory environment (IPDLSCs) in vitro using inflammatory cytokines. Angiogenesis‐promoting cytokine expression and autophagy were evaluated in PDLSCs by quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction and western‐blot analysis before co‐culturing them with ECs. The angiogenesis ability of ECs in the co‐culture system was examined by a matrigel tube formation test. Rapamycin and pcDNA for Beclin‐1 (cDNA‐Beclin‐1) were used to promote autophagy in PDLSCs and siRNA Beclin‐1 (siBeclin‐1) was used to repress it.

Results

The inflammatory environment increased autophagy and the expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and angiogenin (Ang) in PDLSCs. More tube formation was observed in ECs from the co‐culture system which was pretreated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α and interleukin (IL)‐1β. PDLSCs treated with rapamycin or transfected with cDNA‐Beclin‐1 showed higher expression levels of bFGF and Ang that promoted tube formation by the co‐cultured ECs. PDLSCs transfected with siBeclin‐1 resulted in the opposite results.

Conclusion

Autophagy modulates angiogenesis‐promoting ability of PDLSCs, which could be increased by an inflammatory environment.
The association of periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease risk: Results from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos
Authors: Singer Richard H. , Stoutenberg Mark , Feaster Daniel J. , Cai Jianwen , Hlaing WayWay M. , Metsch Lisa R. , Salazar Christian R. , Beaver Shirley M. , Finlayson Tracy L. , Talavera Gregory , Gellman Marc D. , Schneiderman Neil
Published: May 2018

Background

Current evidence suggests that periodontal disease (PD) is associated with a significant increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) independent of known confounders. PD is a chronic oral disease with significant variation in prevalence demonstrated among Hispanic/Latino subgroups. The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between PD and CVD risk and variations with sex, age, and Hispanic/Latino background.

Methods

The sample included 7379 participants aged 30 to 74 years, from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (2008 to 2011). We assessed CVD risk by the Framingham 10‐year general CVD risk score (FGRS). PD severity classification was based on calibrated measurements of gingival recession and probing depth. Multivariable sequential linear models for complex sample design assessed FGRS by PD severity, Hispanic/Latino background, and covariates.

Results

The prevalence of moderate and severe PD combined was 46%. For women and men with severe PD, the combined prevalence of moderate and high CVD risk was 44% and 85%, respectively. The FGRS observed for women (5.1% [95% CI: 4.1%, 6.0%], p < 0.001) and men 10.8% (95% CI [9.2%, 12.3%], p < 0.001) with severe PD were 56% and 134% greater than those without PD, respectively. Dominican women and men with moderate or severe PD, aged 60 to 69 years, exhibited the greatest CVD risks (FGRS = 15.1%, 95% CI [7.8%, 22.5%]) and (FGRS = 40.2%, 95% CI [30.2%, 50.3%]), respectively.

Conclusions

Moderate and severe PD were associated with significant CVD risk with marked sex disparity and heterogeneity by Hispanic/Latino background.
Food depletion regulates the demography of invasive dreissenid mussels in a stratified lake
Authors: Karatayev Alexander Y. , Karatayev Vadim A. , Burlakova Lyubov E. , Rowe Mark D. , Mehler Knut , Clapsadl Mark D.
Published: May 2018

Lake stratification produces sharp gradients in temperature and pelagic resources which have cascading effects on the traits of aquatic populations, including invasive species and their ecosystem impacts. We study the consequences of such common environmental gradients on the demography of quagga mussels, one of the world's most aggressive invasive species. Coupling a series of in situ experiments with a biophysical model of the pelagic community, we quantify mussel growth and recruitment in littoral vs. profundal benthic habitats of eastern Lake Erie. We found that both severe food depletion and cold temperatures in the hypolimnion during summer stratification cause mussels to grow twice as slowly and currently inhibit recruitment in profundal compared to littoral habitats. Together with the high biomass and large mean mussel size found in long‐term monitoring surveys in the profundal habitats, our results imply that mussels successfully colonizing profundal habitats have relatively long lifespans with low growth rates, and therefore lower productivity, compared to mussels in shallow areas. Consequently, the bulk of dreissenid biomass in Lake Erie and other Great Lakes found in the vast but resource‐poor profundal habitats may have very limited impacts on epilimnetic communities compared to mussels in littoral areas. By contrast, mussels in profundal habitats strongly reduce food availability to hypolimnetic communities throughout the year. Thus, our results explain how the ecosystem impacts of sessile freshwater invaders are likely to vary among habitats and lakes depending on the relative size of profundal populations and the extent of stratification.
Global solutions to isentropic planar magnetohydrodynamic equations with density‐dependent viscosity
Authors: Liu Xin , Qin Yuming
Published: May 2018

In this paper, we study the isentropic compressible planar magnetohydrodynamic equations with viscosity depending on density and with free boundaries. Precisely, when the viscosity coefficient λ(ρ) is proportional to ρθ with θ > 0, where ρ is the density, we establish the existence of global solutions under certain assumptions on the initial data by deriving some new a priori estimates.
Determination of the active volumes of solid‐state photon‐beam dosimetry detectors using the PTB proton microbeam
Authors: Poppinga Daniela , Delfs Bjoern , Meyners Jutta , Langner Frank , Giesen Ulrich , Harder Dietrich , Poppe Bjoern , Looe Hui K.
Published: May 2018

Purpose

This study aims at the experimental determination of the diameters and thicknesses of the active volumes of solid‐state photon‐beam detectors for clinical dosimetry. The 10 MeV proton microbeam of the PTB (Physikalisch‐Technische Bundesanstalt, Braunschweig) was used to examine two synthetic diamond detectors, type microDiamond (PTW Freiburg, Germany), and the silicon detectors Diode E (PTW Freiburg, Germany) and Razor Diode (Iba Dosimetry, Germany). The knowledge of the dimensions of their active volumes is essential for their Monte Carlo simulation and their applications in small‐field photon‐beam dosimetry.

Methods

The diameter of the active detector volume was determined from the detector current profile recorded by radially scanning the proton microbeam across the detector. The thickness of the active detector volume was determined from the detector's electrical current, the number of protons incident per time interval and their mean stopping power in the active volume. The mean energy of the protons entering this volume was assessed by comparing the measured and the simulated influence of the thickness of a stack of aluminum preabsorber foils on the detector signal.

Results

For all detector types investigated, the diameters measured for the active volume closely agreed with the manufacturers’ data. For the silicon Diode E detector, the thickness determined for the active volume agreed with the manufacturer's data, while for the microDiamond detectors and the Razor Diode, the thicknesses measured slightly exceeded those stated by the manufacturers.

Discussion

The PTB microbeam facility was used to analyze the diameters and thicknesses of the active volumes of photon dosimetry detectors for the first time. A new method of determining the thickness values with an uncertainty of ±10% was applied. The results appear useful for further consolidating detailed geometrical knowledge of the solid‐state detectors investigated, which are used in clinical small‐field photon‐beam dosimetry.
Two‐step Newton‐type methods for solving inverse eigenvalue problems
Authors: Chen Xiao Shan , Wen Chao Tao , Sun Hai‐wei
Published: May 2018

In this paper, we apply the two‐step Newton method to solve inverse eigenvalue problems, including exact Newton, Newton‐like, and inexact Newton‐like versions. Our results show that both two‐step Newton and two‐step Newton‐like methods converge cubically, and the two‐step inexact Newton‐like method is super quadratically convergent. Numerical implementations demonstrate the effectiveness of new algorithms.
NSW local government reform: Council amalgamation, antagonism, and resistance
Authors: Farid Uddin Khandakar
Published: May 2018

The New South Wales State Government announced its local government strategic reform programme Fit for the Future in 2014. At the centre of the plan was the desire to reduce the number of local government areas. Opponents mobilised various resistance strategies to challenge amalgamation. However, the initial efforts to resist amalgamation failed but opponents got success in opposing amalgamation via the legal system. As such, the New South Wales State Government was forced to abandon its plans to amalgamate some regional and metropolitan councils in response to community opposition and resistance. Despite a growing body of existing literature, to date, the analyses of local government reform fail to examine the rationale and strategies of community opposition. To examine the public participation, community opposition, and resistance, this paper draws on the research that pertains to the proposed merger of the Ryde, Lane Cove, and Hunters Hill councils.
The Impact of the Earned Income Tax Credit on Household Finances
Authors: Jones Lauren E. , Michelmore Katherine
Published: May 2018

Using a simulated instrument strategy, we analyze how expansions to the federal and state Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC) affected household finances over the past two decades. Using data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation wealth topical modules, we also test whether responses differ over time, as well as whether there are different responses to the federal and state expansions, and how responses vary by educational attainment. A $1,000 policy‐induced increase in the average household EITC leads to a 3 percentage point increase in the likelihood of holding money in a savings or checking account, and approximately $700 more held in savings balances. These results are coupled with large increases in pre‐tax family earnings. We also find some evidence of decreases in unsecured debt holdings. We interpret these results as further evidence that the EITC increases the financial stability of low‐income single mothers.
A Tower Weak Gravity Conjecture from Infrared Consistency
Authors: Andriolo Stefano , Junghans Daniel , Noumi Toshifumi , Shiu Gary
Published: May 2018

We analyze infrared consistency conditions of 3D and 4D effective field theories with massive scalars or fermions charged under multiple U(1) gauge fields. At low energies, one can integrate out the massive particles and thus obtain a one‐loop effective action for the gauge fields. In the regime where charge‐independent contributions to higher‐derivative terms in the action are sufficiently small, it is then possible to derive constraints on the charge‐to‐mass ratios of the massive particles from requiring that photons propagate causally and have an analytic S‐matrix. We thus find that the theories need to contain bifundamentals and satisfy a version of the weak gravity conjecture known as the convex‐hull condition. Demanding self‐consistency of the constraints under Kaluza‐Klein compactification, we furthermore show that, for scalars, they imply a stronger version of the weak gravity conjecture in which the charge‐to‐mass ratios of an infinite tower of particles are bounded from below. We find that the tower must again include bifundamentals but does not necessarily have to occupy a charge (sub‐)lattice.
Indium‐Mediated Domino Allylation‐Lactonisation Approach: Diastereoselective Synthesis of β‐Carboline C‐3 Tethered α‐Methylene γ‐Butyrolactones
Authors: Singh Dharmender , Hazra Chinmoy K. , Malakar Chandi C. , Pandey Satyendra K. , Kaith B. S. , Singh Virender
Published: May 2018

A facile and convenient tandem approach has been devised towards the diastereoselective synthesis of β‐carboline C‐3 tethered α‐methylene γ‐butyrolactones via indium‐promoted Barbier Type allylation reaction followed by in situ intramolecular lactonisation protocol. Interestingly, no additive was required for this transformation and the products were obtained with syn stereochemistry.
Study on the Conformation of Entrapped Protein inside the Reverse Micellar Confinement Based on the Amino Acid Derived Ionic Liquid
Authors: Kundu Kaushik , Singh Akhil Pratap , Panda Somenath , Singh Vikram , Gardas Ramesh L. , Senapati Sanjib
Published: May 2018

Owing to superior surface‐activity and versatility in functionalization compared to conventional surfactants, surface‐active ionic liquids (SAILs) gained immense interest in recent years. Toxicity and biodegradation remain central issues while dealing with the SAILs and thus, the quest for synthesis of greener SAILs is increasing day by day. Keeping in view of the importance of SAIL's performance, we undertook the present study for the formulation of reverse micelles (RMs) using biodegradable L‐proline propyl ester lauryl sulfate ([ProC3][LS]) in cyclohexane (Cy). The formation of RMs was confirmed from the phase behavior and dynamic light scattering (DLS) studies. Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) study revealed the solvation of anionic head group through H‐bonding by added water. An increased micropolarity and reduced microviscosity were evidenced inside the RM droplets as a function of hydration level. Finally, the encapsulation of BSA protein in RMs was investigated through the fluorescence, circular dichroism and DLS studies, which showed conformation with higher degree of secondary structural content than the native state inside the droplet core at higher hydration. Our results signify the importance of the role of hydration in the function of enzyme or protein molecules in molecular crowding environments. These facts certainly prove the versatility of this kind of organized assemblies to alter their inherent properties simply by changing water content.
Strategic human capital management in the context of cross‐industry and within‐industry mobility frictions
Authors: Starr Evan , Ganco Martin , Campbell Benjamin A.
Published: May 2018

Research Summary: We develop and test a theory examining how frictions that restrict mobility across industries and frictions constraining mobility within an industry can co‐occur to effectively isolate individual human capital, ultimately changing the firm's make‐versus‐buy decision for human capital. Empirically, we demonstrate that when cross‐industry frictions in the form of limited skill transferability and within‐industry frictions in the form of noncompete enforceability are both present, employees exhibit longer tenures, firms hire workers with less initial experience, firms change the amount and nature of training provided, and wages marginally increase. These findings suggest that sufficiently strong and complementary mobility frictions shift the emphasis of firms’ human capital management practices toward internal development of human capital relative to acquisition on the external market.

Managerial Summary: In the face of frictions to employee mobility both within and across industries, which we capture empirically using measures of noncompete enforceability and limited skill transferability across industries, firms tend to hire less experienced workers, such workers exhibit longer tenures, and firms invest more in their training, particularly in the development of new skills. Our findings imply that for firms operating under such complementary frictions, better hiring and internal development capabilities are particularly important for performance, while those firms without such capabilities may benefit from considering ways to circumvent the mobility frictions, including moving out of the focal state or lobbying for different noncompete laws.
The contingent effects of political strategies on firm performance: A political network perspective
Authors: Yan Jackie Zheng , Chang Sea‐Jin
Published: May 2018

Research Summary:We examine the performance impact of corporate political strategies by analyzing the relationships among firms and various government institutions. While a firm's political connections to a focal government with decision‐making authority enhance performance, connections to a rival government competing with the focal government harm performance, particularly when the rivalry is intense. Firms can neutralize the negative effect from this political rivalry by using direct or indirect connections to a constraining government with power over the focal government. We find support for our conjectures based on an analysis of interactions among Chinese steel firms and the central and provincial governments in acquisition decisions during the industry's consolidation period of 1999–2010.

Managerial Summary:Firms invest in political capital in order to influence public policies in their favor. However, the government is a not a monolithic entity and the relationships among various government institutions can alter and even reverse the effects of a firm's political strategy. This research shows that a firm's political connections can be both an asset and a liability. That is, although firms benefit from their connections to governments with decision‐making authority, they can be caught in the crossfire when there is a rivalry between governments. Furthermore, our research suggests that firms can cope with the negative impact from political rivalry by taking advantage of the structural relationships within the political system and influencing governments that have constraining power.
Study of DNA Origami Dimerization and Dimer Dissociation Dynamics and of the Factors that Limit Dimerization
Authors: Liber Miran , Tomov Toma E. , Tsukanov Roman , Berger Yaron , Popov Mary , Khara Dinesh C. , Nir Eyal
Published: May 2018

Organizing DNA origami building blocks into higher order structures is essential for fabrication of large structurally and functionally diverse devices and molecular machines. Unfortunately, the yields of origami building block attachment reactions are typically not sufficient to allow programed assembly of DNA devices made from more than a few origami building blocks. To investigate possible reasons for these low yields, a detailed single‐molecule fluorescence study of the dynamics of rectangular origami dimerization and origami dimer dissociation reactions is conducted. Reactions kinetics and yields are investigated at different origami and ion concentrations, for different ion types, for different lengths of bridging strands, and for the “sticky end” and “weaving welding” attachment techniques. Dimerization yields are never higher than 86%, which is typical for such systems. Analysis of the dynamic data shows that the low yield cannot be explained by thermodynamic instability or structural imperfections of the origami constructs. Atomic force microscopy and gel electrophoresis evidence reveal self‐dimerization of the origami monomers, likely via blunt‐end interactions made possible by the presence of bridging strands. It is suggested that this mechanism is the major factor that inhibits correct dimerization and means to overcome it are discussed.
Activity Origins in Nanocarbons for the Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Zhang Longzhou , Jia Yi , Yan Xuecheng , Yao Xiangdong
Published: May 2018

Sustainable hydrogen production is an essential prerequisite for realizing the future hydrogen economy. The electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), as the cornerstone of exploring the mechanism of water electrolysis, has attracted extensive interest in the past decades. Carbon‐based materials with significant merits such as abundance, low cost, high conductivity, and tunable molecular structures, are considered as promising candidates for replacing the commercial noble metal electrocatalysts. To date, activity origins of these carbon‐based electrocatalysts are mainly attributed to the dopants (e.g., N, B, P or S), whereas the contribution of intrinsic/induced carbon defects has recently been a hot research topic. In this Review, besides the development of heteroatoms doping strategies, the latest studies on defective carbon‐based materials for HER electrocatalysis are summarized, especially for various approaches to prepare defective carbons and the detailed introduction regarding the defect catalysis mechanism. Finally, an outlook into the development of future defective carbon‐based HER electrocatalysts is presented.
The mind–body problem
Authors: Chambliss Bryan
Published: May 2018

The mind–body problem is the problem of explaining how the happenings of our mental lives are related to physical states, events and processes. Proposed solutions to the problem vary by whether and how they endorse physicalism, the claim that mental states are ultimately “nothing over and above” physical states, and by how they understand the interactions between mental and physical states. Physicalist solutions to the mind–body problem have been dominant in the last century, with the variety of physicalism endorsed (reductive or nonreductive) depending upon both the outcome of philosophical arguments and methodological developments in the cognitive and neural sciences. After outlining the dominant contemporary approach to the mind–body problem, I examine the prospects for a solution in light of developments in the cognitive sciences, especially the scientific study of consciousness.

This article is categorized under:

Philosophy > Consciousness

Philosophy > Metaphysics

Philosophy > Foundations of Cognitive Science
Data analytics for internet of things: A review
Authors: Tsai Chun‐Wei , Tsai Pang‐Wei , Chiang Ming‐Chao , Yang Chu‐Sing
Published: May 2018

The internet of things (IoT), which provides a way to connect every “thing” via the internet to further develop a convenient environment, has been around for more than a decade. The trend of the development of IoT nowadays is to focus not only on its devices and systems but also on data analysis. The main reason is that data from sensors or systems typically contain valuable information that is very useful for improving the system performance or providing a better service to the user if we come up with a good “data analysis” solution. This paper begins with a brief review of data mining technologies for IoT. Then, a reference data analytics architecture is given to show how data analysis technologies can be applied to an IoT system. Finally, applications, open issues, and possible research directions are addressed.

This article is categorized under:

Application Areas > Internet and Web‐Based Applications

Fundamental Concepts of Data and Knowledge > Key Design Issues in Data Mining

Technologies > Computational Intelligence

Technologies > Machine Learning
Stimuli‐responsive nanotherapeutics for precision drug delivery and cancer therapy
Authors: Qiao Yiting , Wan Jianqin , Zhou Liqian , Ma Wen , Yang Yuanyuan , Luo Weixuan , Yu Zhiqiang , Wang Hangxiang
Published: May 2018

Cancer remains one of the world's leading causes of death. However, most conventional chemotherapeutic drugs only show a narrow therapeutic window in patients because of their inability to discriminate cancer cells from healthy cells. Nanoparticle‐based therapeutics (termed nanotherapeutics) have emerged as potential solutions to mitigate many obstacles posed by these free drugs. Deep insights into knowledge of the tumor microenvironment and materials science make it possible to construct nanotherapeutics that are able to release cargoes in response to a variety of internal stimuli and external triggers. Therefore, such highly sophisticated nanosystems could help impede the premature release of toxic drugs in the blood circulation or healthy tissues, thus enhancing the safety profiles of encapsulated drugs. In this context, this review offers a comprehensive overview of several specific stimuli, including internal stimuli (e.g., pH, temperature, enzyme, redox, and H2O2) and external stimuli (e.g., magnetic, photo, and ultrasound). We envision that applications of these smart nanotherapeutics can benefit cancer patients and provide a good chance for clinical translation of many nanoparticle formulas.

This article is categorized under:

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease

Diagnostic Tools > Diagnostic Nanodevices

Diagnostic Tools > in vitro Nanoparticle‐Based Sensing
Nanoscale platforms for messenger RNA delivery
Authors: Li Bin , Zhang Xinfu , Dong Yizhou
Published: May 2018

Messenger RNA (mRNA) has become a promising class of drugs for diverse therapeutic applications in the past few years. A series of clinical trials are ongoing or will be initiated in the near future for the treatment of a variety of diseases. Currently, mRNA‐based therapeutics mainly focuses on ex vivo transfection and local administration in clinical studies. Efficient and safe delivery of therapeutically relevant mRNAs remains one of the major challenges for their broad applications in humans. Thus, effective delivery systems are urgently needed to overcome this limitation. In recent years, numerous nanoscale biomaterials have been constructed for mRNA delivery in order to protect mRNA from extracellular degradation and facilitate endosomal escape after cellular uptake. Nanoscale platforms have expanded the feasibility of mRNA‐based therapeutics, and enabled its potential applications to protein replacement therapy, cancer immunotherapy, therapeutic vaccines, regenerative medicine, and genome editing. This review focuses on recent advances, challenges, and future directions in nanoscale platforms designed for mRNA delivery, including lipid and lipid‐derived nanoparticles, polymer‐based nanoparticles, protein derivatives mRNA complexes, and other types of nanomaterials.

This article is categorized under:

Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology

Biology‐Inspired Nanomaterials > Lipid‐Based Structures

Biology‐Inspired Nanomaterials > Nucleic Acid‐Based Structures
Gravity from entanglement and RG flow in a top-down approach
Authors: Kwon O-Kab , Jang Dongmin , Kim Yoonbai , Tolla D.D.
Published: May 2018

Abstract

The duality between a d-dimensional conformal field theory with relevant deformation and a gravity theory on an asymptotically AdS
d+1 geometry, has become a suitable tool in the investigation of the emergence of gravity from quantum entanglement in field theory. Recently, we have tested the duality between the mass-deformed ABJM theory and asymptotically AdS4 gravity theory, which is obtained from the KK reduction of the 11-dimensional supergravity on the LLM geometry. In this paper, we extend the KK reduction procedure beyond the linear order and establish non-trivial KK maps between 4-dimensional fields and 11-dimensional fluctuations. We rely on this gauge/gravity duality to calculate the entanglement entropy by using the Ryu-Takayanagi holographic formula and the path integral method developed by Faulkner. We show that the entanglement entropies obtained using these two methods agree when the asymptotically AdS4 metric satisfies the linearized Einstein equation with nonvanishing energy-momentum tensor for two scalar fields. These scalar fields encode the information of the relevant deformation of the ABJM theory. This confirms that the asymptotic limit of LLM geometry is the emergent gravity of the quantum entanglement in the mass-deformed ABJM theory with a small mass parameter. We also comment on the issue of the relative entropy and the Fisher information in our setup.
Charged fermions below 100 GeV
Authors: Egana-Ugrinovic Daniel , Low Matthew , Ruderman Joshua T.
Published: May 2018

Abstract

How light can a fermion be if it has unit electric charge? We revisit the lore that LEP robustly excludes charged fermions lighter than about 100 GeV. We review LEP chargino searches, and find them to exclude charged fermions lighter than 90 GeV, assuming a higgsino-like cross section. However, if the charged fermion couples to a new scalar, destructive interference among production channels can lower the LEP cross section by a factor of 3. In this case, we find that charged fermions as light as 75 GeV can evade LEP bounds, while remaining consistent with constraints from the LHC. As the LHC collects more data, charged fermions in the 75–100 GeV mass range serve as a target for future monojet and disappearing track searches.
Starch-templated bio-synthesis of gold nanoflowers for in vitro antimicrobial and anticancer activities
Authors: Borah D. , Hazarika M. , Tailor P. , Silva A. R. , Chetia B. , Singaravelu G. , Das P.
Published: May 2018

We describe an in situ method of synthesizing highly branched gold nanoflower (AuNFs) using aqueous seed extract ofSyzygium cumini(L.) Skeels as reductant in the presence of 0.3% starch. Surprisingly, when the same reaction was carried out in the absence of starch or with starch at a lower concentration (0.15%), instead of flower-like morphology quasi-spherical or polyhedral nanoparticles (AuNPs) are obtained. The nanomaterials were extensively characterized by HRTEM, FESEM, UV–Vis, FTIR, XRD, XPS and TGA analysis. The biological activities of the materials were investigated for antimicrobial activities against four bacterial strains that include one Gram positive (Staphylococcus aureusMTCC 121), two Gram negative (Escherichia coliMTCC 40 andPseudomonas aeruginosaMTCC 4673) and one fungi (Candida albicansMTCC 227). The nanoparticles functioned as effective antimicrobial and anti-biofilm agents against all the strains under study. Controlled study revealed that, the AuNFs showed improved efficacy over conventional polyhedral AuNPs against all the microbes under study which might be attributed to the larger surface-to-volume ratio of the nanoflowers. The AuNFs also showed effective in vitro anticancer activity against a human liver cancer cell line (HepG2) with no significant cytotoxicity. Our data suggest that the AuNFs can significantly reduce the cancer cell growth with IC50value of 20 µg mL−1.
Commercial Counterhistory: Remapping the Movement in Lee Daniels’ The Butler
Authors: DUCK LEIGH ANNE
Published: May 2018

Lee Daniels’ The Butler (2013) might seem an unlikely candidate for intervening in Hollywood's civil rights genre, given both its nationalistic ending and its recuperation of iconic styles and images. This paper argues, however, that the film's pastiche interrogates past cinematic tropes for race and space; in this sense, it proves counterhistorical, a term indicating not a lack of accuracy but a commitment to illuminating the role of visual media in shaping contemporary understandings of history and to encouraging fresh perspectives on the past. Examining the many forms of constraint produced by iconic images of black and gendered personhood, the film also takes on the spatial icon with which many of these figures are associated – the southern plantation. Both exposing and challenging the ways in which spectacular accounts of southern racism occlude the geographic and political reach of African American movements against oppression, the film inconsistently insists on the importance of thinking across conventional demarcations of space and time. At these moments, it suggests possibilities for how even commercial cinema might contribute to new conceptions of black political history and possibility.
Southern Looks? A History of African American Missionary Photography of Africa, 1890s–1930s
Authors: ENGEL ELISABETH
Published: May 2018

This article traces and analyzes the missionary photography of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), the most important independent black American institution that began to operate in colonial South Africa at the onset of the politics of racial segregation in the 1890s. It argues that AME missionary photography presents a neglected archive, from which a history of black photographic encounters and a subaltern perspective on the dominant visual cultures of European imperialism and Christian missions in Africa can be retrieved. Focussing in particular on how AME missionaries deployed tropes of the culturally refined “New Negro” and the US South in their visual description of South Africa, this article demonstrates that photography was an important tool for black subjects to define their image beyond the representations of black inferiority that established visual traditions constructed.
Up from Slavery and Down with Apartheid! African Americans and Black South Africans against the Global Color Line
Authors: VINSON ROBERT TRENT
Published: May 2018

Across the twentieth century, black South Africans often drew inspiration from African American progress. This transatlantic history informed the global antiapartheid struggle, animated by international human rights norms, of Martin Luther King Jr., his fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner the South African leader Albert Luthuli, and the African American tennis star Arthur Ashe. While tracing the travels of African Americans and Africans “going South,” this article centers Africa and Africans, thereby redressing gaps in black Atlantic and African diaspora scholarship.
A micro-calorimeter for clay mineral studies
Authors: Greene-Kelly R. , Gallavan R. C.
Published: May 2018

The features required in a calorimeter for studying clay mineral systems are discussed and a suitable calorimeter of high sensitivity is described in detail.
Numerical methods for nonlinear equations
Authors: Kelley C. T.
Published: May 2018

This article is about numerical methods for the solution of nonlinear equations. We consider both the fixed-point form $\mathbf{x}=\mathbf{G}(\mathbf{x})$ and the equations form $\mathbf{F}(\mathbf{x})=0$ and explain why both versions are necessary to understand the solvers. We include the classical methods to make the presentation complete and discuss less familiar topics such as Anderson acceleration, semi-smooth Newton’s method, and pseudo-arclength and pseudo-transient continuation methods.
Material Contrast of Scanning Electron and Ion Microscope Images of Metals
Authors: Suzuki T , Kudo M , Sakai Y , Ichinokawa T
Published: May 2018

The rapid technical development of FIM (Focused Ion Beam) technology has spawned an increase in spatial resolution capability in scanning ion microscopy (SIM) technology. Furthermore, FIM has been used for preparation of thin specimens in transmission electron microscopy and micro-fabrication of electronic devices in the semiconductor industry. Recently, a scanning ion microscope with a helium field ion source has been developed. Thus, the contrast formation of emission electron images in scanning ion microscopy has been the object of study for analyzing images of materials specimens, similar to the theory behind scanning electron microscope (SEM) contrast formation. Furthermore, whether the electron emission yield γ induced by ion impact is periodic or non-periodic as a function of Z2 (the atomic number of the target) has not been well studied in the low energy region from several keV to the several tens of keV values used in SIM.
Imaging Carbon Nanoparticles in Cells
Authors: Gass Mhairi , Porter Alexandra
Published: May 2018

The application of nanotechnology in disciplines as varied as medicine and electronics is advancing rapidly with carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) such as fullerenes (C60) and nanotubes at the forefront. However, a lack of understanding of the interaction of such small structures with cellular material has resulted in concerns over their impact on human health and since the individual structures have a diameter of ~1 nm they are potentially small enough to penetrate through ion channels or diffuse through pores in the nuclear membrane. Assessing their toxicity is imperative. In response to these concerns there has been an increase in the number of papers addressing the toxicity of carbon nanoparticles over the last few years but much of this data appears contradictory. It is therefore essential to understand how the human body interacts with CNPs and more specifically to elucidate pathways by which CNPs enter the cell and their distribution within.
Nanoparticle Measurement Through Visualisation
Authors: Carr Bob , Malloy Andrew
Published: May 2018

In this article, we will describe how nanoscale particles may be individually visualised (but not imaged) in liquids and from which higher resolution particle size distribution profiles can be obtained compared to other light scattering techniques. The method is called Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA)

Sample preparation is minimal, requiring only dilution with a suitable solvent to an acceptable concentration range (between 10 and 1010 particles per ml depending on sample type). Accurate and reproducible analyses can be obtained from video images of only a few seconds duration and the results allow particle number concentration to be recovered. Given the close to real-time nature of the technique, particle-particle interactions are accessible as is information about sample aggregation and dissemination. All particle types can be measured and in any solvent type providing that the particles scatter sufficient light to be visible (i.e. are not indexed matched).
Microscopy and Microanalysis of Corona Textures in Eclogitic Greenschists from the Eastern Alps, Austria
Authors: Sturm Robert
Published: May 2018

Metamorphic rocks formed under conditions of high temperature (>600°C) and high lithological pressure (>1 GPa) and being subject to a subsequent tectonic uplift commonly include a remarkable number of fascinating mineral textures. One type of these well known and extensively described high-grade metamorphic textures are the so-called corona structures or reaction rims which, by definition, are primarily based on metamorphic reactions that cause the formation of concentric layers of new mineral phases separating an older and unstable mineral core from a newer and equally unstable mineral matrix. In other words, corona structures in metamorphic rocks preserve evidence of changes in the environmental conditions (temperature, pressure, fugacity of H2O) experienced by the rock during its tectonometamorphic history.