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The prevalence of malaria across the globe creates the need for the development of diagnostic devices, as many deaths caused by malaria could be prevented by early diagnosis and treatment. Since typical symptoms of malaria, such as fever and chills, are challenging to distinguish from other diseases, diagnostic tests are crucial for allowing patients to receive the appropriate medical care. While current gold-standard methods such as microscopy are able to identify the presence and species of malaria parasites, the sensitivity achieved with these methods depends on the microscopist’s training, as well as access to resources such as lab equipment and power. Disparities in supplies and training lead to late or incorrect diagnosis in resource-limited areas across the globe. This has led to the development of point-of-care devices, which provide more rapid results without the need for expensive lab equipment or training. One example of such a device is the lateral-flow immunoassay (LFA), which has commonly found use as at-home pregnancy tests and recently as COVID-19 tests. Although the LFA is simple to use and provides easy-to-read results, currently available LFAs for malaria detection suffer from lower sensitivity compared to laboratory tests. In this thesis, I investigate methods for improving the detection of the malaria antigen Plasmodium falciparum lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH). Methods to improve the detection of the LFA include biomarker preconcentration and signal enhancement. Biomarker preconcentration can be achieved using aqueous two-phase systems (ATPSs), which are liquid-liquid extraction systems composed mostly of water. Molecules that are added into an ATPS can be concentrated into the smaller of the two phases. In addition, the sensitivity of the LFA can be improved through the use of signal enhancement, which aims to increase the intensity at the detection zone with the use of additional or modified colorimetric indicators. In Chapter 2, we focus on us

This thesis examines early-twentieth century Certificates of Registration produced in New Zealand to document Chinese migrants. These identification documents were created to track sojourners who were temporarily returning to China, proving upon their return to New Zealand that they were legal residents and had already paid the expensive poll tax that was imposed under Chinese exclusion policies. Through the Certificates of Registration, the state sought to control Chinese immigration and, by extension, New Zealand’s racial and cultural identity as a White settler colony. These documents imposed a scrutinizing and alienating gaze over the individual Chinese body; they registered physical identity through textual descriptions, fingerprints, and studio photographs which the subjects were responsible for providing. These methods of registering the human body, influenced by developments in anthropology and criminology, naturalized a racial hierarchy where Chinese migrants were continuously alienated in New Zealand as unnatural, foreign entities. Because the Chinese were pictured as an inscrutable and identical hoard in the popular imagination, documentation relied upon miniscule “particularities” and still-developing fingerprint technology. However, both the physical descriptions of “particularities” and the often-smudged or irregularly applied fingerprints had very little practical use. Often vague and illegible, these technologies (and the process of documentation as a whole) can be understood as a punitive social ritual. The photographs provided by the migrants create a startling contrast with the state’s construction of Chinese identity. The collected photographs exhibit a stunning amount of variety in composition, poses, and backdrops that contrasts with the highly standardized ID photos used in government documents today. These honorific studio portraits frame the subjects as Westernized, affluent potential citizens—a striking form of self-fashioning that defies t

Over the past decades, corporate volunteering has gained importance as a strategic component of organizations’ social and environmental responsibility. Across three empirical studies (Chapters 2 – 4), I advance the literature on the antecedents and outcomes of volunteering, focusing on employees and their employers. In Chapter 1, I examine behavioral and emotional antecedents of employees’ engagement in corporate volunteering using a field experiment in a large bank. In Chapter 2, I systematize the individual-level literature on employees’ engagement in both corporate and personal volunteering using a meta-analytic approach. In Chapter 3, I switch levels of analysis and examine firm-level consequences of corporate volunteering, such as internal mobility rates and corporate environmental performance. Notably, throughout the three studies, I go beyond the traditionally examined benefits of corporate volunteering for employees, to incorporate the beneficial effects of corporate volunteering for organizations, society, and the natural environment. Thus, this dissertation advances research on both the business case and the sustainability case for corporate social responsibility.

This book constitutes the proceedings of the Third International Conference on Smart Multimedia, ICSM 2022, which was held in Marseille, France, during August 25–27, 2022.

BackgroundPrimary care practices are responding to calls to incorporate patients' social risk factors, such as housing, food, and economic insecurity, into clinical care. Healthcare likely relies on the expertise and resources of community-based organizations to improve patients' social conditions, yet little is known about the referral process.ObjectiveTo characterize referrals to community-based organizations by primary care practices.DesignQualitative study using semi-structured interviews with healthcare administrators responsible for social care efforts in their organization.ParticipantsAdministrators at 50 diverse US healthcare organizations with efforts to address patients' social risks.Main measuresApproaches used in primary care to implement social needs referral to community-based organizations.ResultsInterviewed administrators reported that social needs referrals were an essential element in their social care activities. Administrators described the ideal referral programs as placing limited burden on care teams, providing patients with customized referrals, and facilitating closed-loop referrals. We identified three key challenges organizations experience when trying to implement the ideal referrals program: (1) developing and maintaining resources lists; (2) aligning referrals with patient needs; and (3) measuring the efficacy of referrals. Collectively, these challenges led to organizations relying on staff to manually develop and update resource lists and, in most cases, provide patients with generic referrals. Administrators not only hoped that referral platforms may help overcome some of these barriers, but also reported implementation challenges with platforms including inconsistent buy-in and use across staff; integration with electronic health records; management and prioritization of resources; and alignment with other organizations in their market.Conclusion and relevanceReferrals to community-based organizations were used in primary care to im

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has been widely used to detect many infectious diseases. However, minor inconveniences during the steps of adding reaction ingredients and lack of simple color results hinder point-of-care detection. We therefore invented a fluorometric paper-based LAMP by incorporating LAMP reagents, including a biotinylated primer, onto a cellulose membrane paper, with a simple DNA fluorescent dye incubation that demonstrated rapid and accurate results parallel to quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) methods. This technology allows for instant paper strip detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the laboratory and clinical samples. MRSA represents a major public health problem as it can cause infections in different parts of the human body and yet is resistant to commonly used antibiotics. In this study, we optimized LAMP reaction ingredients and incubation conditions following a central composite design (CCD) that yielded the shortest reaction time with high sensitivity. These CCD components and conditions were used to construct the paper-based LAMP reaction by immobilizing the biotinylated primer and the rest of the LAMP reagents to produce the ready-to-use MRSA diagnostic device. Our paper-based LAMP device could detect as low as 10 ag (equivalent to 1 copy) of the MRSA gene mecA within 36-43 min, was evaluated using both laboratory (individual cultures of MRSA and non-MRSA bacteria) and clinical blood samples to be 100% specific and sensitive compared to qPCR results, and had 35 day stability under 25 °C storage. Furthermore, the color readout allows for quantitation of MRSA copies. Hence, this device is applicable for point-of-care MRSA detection.

The low cost, simplicity, and ease of use of paper microfluidic devices have made them valuable medical diagnostics for applications from pregnancy testing to COVID-19 screening. Meanwhile, the increasing complexity of paper-based microfluidic devices is driving the need to produce new tools and methodologies that enable more robust biological diagnostics and potential therapeutic applications. A new design framework is being used to facilitate both research and fabrication of paper-based microfluidic biological devices to accelerate the investigative process and reduce material utilization and manpower. In this work we present a methodology for this framework to dynamically place and route microfluidic components in a nondiscrete design space where fluid volume usage, surface area utilization, and the timing required to perform specified biological assays are accounted for and optimized while also accelerating the development of potentially lifesaving new devices.

The low cost, simplicity, and ease of use of paper microfluidic devices have made them valuable medical diagnostics for applications from pregnancy testing to COVID-19 screening. Meanwhile, the increasing complexity of paper-based microfluidic devices is driving the need to produce new tools and methodologies that enable more robust biological diagnostics and potential therapeutic applications. A new design framework is being used to facilitate both research and fabrication of paper-based microfluidic biological devices to accelerate the investigative process and reduce material utilization and manpower. In this work we present a methodology for this framework to dynamically place and route microfluidic components in a nondiscrete design space where fluid volume usage, surface area utilization, and the timing required to perform specified biological assays are accounted for and optimized while also accelerating the development of potentially lifesaving new devices.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has been widely used to detect many infectious diseases. However, minor inconveniences during the steps of adding reaction ingredients and lack of simple color results hinder point-of-care detection. We therefore invented a fluorometric paper-based LAMP by incorporating LAMP reagents, including a biotinylated primer, onto a cellulose membrane paper, with a simple DNA fluorescent dye incubation that demonstrated rapid and accurate results parallel to quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) methods. This technology allows for instant paper strip detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the laboratory and clinical samples. MRSA represents a major public health problem as it can cause infections in different parts of the human body and yet is resistant to commonly used antibiotics. In this study, we optimized LAMP reaction ingredients and incubation conditions following a central composite design (CCD) that yielded the shortest reaction time with high sensitivity. These CCD components and conditions were used to construct the paper-based LAMP reaction by immobilizing the biotinylated primer and the rest of the LAMP reagents to produce the ready-to-use MRSA diagnostic device. Our paper-based LAMP device could detect as low as 10 ag (equivalent to 1 copy) of the MRSA gene mecA within 36-43 min, was evaluated using both laboratory (individual cultures of MRSA and non-MRSA bacteria) and clinical blood samples to be 100% specific and sensitive compared to qPCR results, and had 35 day stability under 25 °C storage. Furthermore, the color readout allows for quantitation of MRSA copies. Hence, this device is applicable for point-of-care MRSA detection.

In simple dyadic games such as rock, paper, scissors (RPS), people exhibit peculiar sequential dependencies across repeated interactions with a stable opponent. These regularities seem to arise from a mutually adversarial process of trying to outwit their opponent. What underlies this process, and what are its limits? Here, we offer a novel framework for formally describing and quantifying human adversarial reasoning in the rock, paper, scissors game. We first show that this framework enables a precise characterization of the complexity of patterned behaviors that people exhibit themselves, and appear to exploit in others. This combination allows for a quantitative understanding of human opponent modeling abilities. We apply these tools to an experiment in which people played 300 rounds of RPS in stable dyads. We find that although people exhibit very complex move dependencies, they cannot exploit these dependencies in their opponents, indicating a fundamental limitation in people’s capacity for adversarial reasoning. Taken together, the results presented here show how the rock, paper, scissors game allows for precise formalization of human adaptive reasoning abilities.

The Oakland EcoBlock project (EcoBlock) seeks to develop a microgrid within an existing city block in Oakland California as a demonstration project on the viability of retrofitting an existing block of residential and commercial buildings into a microgrid capable of islanding from the grid. EcoBlock has considered a variety of different potential regulatory frameworks that might accommodate the objectives of the project. Based on an analysis of current law, the working model has been to rely upon existing provisions within the Public Utilities Code that recognize the right of individuals to install and operate electric equipment outside of Commission regulation if the generation, storage and distribution of power is limited to the owners’ “own use.” This white paper examines the “own use” exemption in section 218 of the Public Utilities Code and explores its potential as well as its limitations in the context of microgrids and recent Commission action. In so doing, it touches upon the recently issued Microgrid Proceeding Proposed Decision (Microgrid PD), the Commission Staff paper upon which the PD is premised and issues that arise out of both. This white paper, however, is not intended to be a critique of either and, rather, is intended to prompt questions and reflections on how the policy decisions made in these documents will foster or retard the development of projects like EcoBlock.

The diversity and impact of the human microbiome has catalyzed interest in how microbial communities can be engineered for applications ranging from human health, to bioproduction and bioremediation. An important aspect of such a forward engineering approach is a detailed understanding of how inter-species bacterial competition affects community com-position and stability. In order to study this, I design a three-strain bacterial community that exhibits “rock-paper-scissors” competition dynamics. Using these engineered bacterial strains, I explore genetic stability, evolution in bacterial competition, and ecological stability. In Chapter Two, I discuss the construction and characterization of these “rock-paper-scissors” genetic circuits. I characterize the dynamics of the competition among strain pairs in microfluidic devices. Next, I integrate the “rock-paper-scissors” bacterial strains with the synchronized lysis circuit. When combined, this circuit exhibits both community level “rock-paper-scissors” dynamics, as well as population level synchronized lysis. In Chapter Three, I demonstrate that cyclical population control can be engineered to stabilize the functionality of intracellular gene circuits. The “rock-paper-scissors dynamic demonstrates rapid cycling of strains in microfluidic devices and leads to an increase in the stability of gene circuit functionality in cell culture. In Chapter Four, I use the “rock-paper-scissors” bacteria strains in order to study competition and community stability. I demonstrate that intrinsic differences in three major mechanisms of bacterial warfare lead to an unbalanced community that is dominated by the weakest strain. The engineering of active warfare between microbial species establishes a framework for exploration of the underlying principles that drive com-plex ecological interactions. In Chapter Five, I investigate bacterial competition between a toxin producing and sensitive wild type E. coli strain in a hybrid growth m

Membraneless microfluidic fuel cells (MFCs) have garnered tremendous interest as micropower devices, which exploit the colaminar nature of two aqueous electrolytes to separate the anode and cathode and avoid the membrane usually used in a fuel cell. Our previous research shows that the performance of FeCl3-based MFCs with catalyst-free cathodes is mainly limited by the cathode. To improve the power output of these MFCs, we activated the carbon paper cathode by an electrochemical method in the three solutions (Na2SO4, NaOH, and H2SO4) to improve the electrochemical characteristics of the carbon paper cathode. The surface functionalities and defects, reduction activation of iron ions as the oxidant, cathode resistance, and performance of FeCl3-based MFCs were measured and compared. Our work shows that the electrochemical activation of the carbon paper in different solutions is a simple and effective method to enhance the electrochemical characteristics of the carbon paper cathode and improve the performance of the FeCl3-based MFC. Also, the MFC with the carbon paper cathode activated in the H2SO4 solution reaches the optimum performance: 235.6 mW cm-3 in volumetric power density and 1063.33 mA cm-3 in volumetric limiting current density, which are 1.58 and 1.52 times as much as that of a MFC with an untreated carbon paper cathode, respectively. This best performance can be attributed to the cathode activated in the H2SO4 solution with the largest number of oxygen-containing functional groups, the largest electrochemical active surface area, strongest reduction of iron ions, and least resistance of the cathode.

ObjectiveTo identify and highlight research papers representing noteworthy developments in signals, sensors, and imaging informatics in 2020.MethodA broad literature search was conducted on PubMed and Scopus databases. We combined Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms and keywords to construct particular queries for sensors, signals, and image informatics. We only considered papers that have been published in journals providing at least three articles in the query response. Section editors then independently reviewed the titles and abstracts of preselected papers assessed on a three-point Likert scale. Papers were rated from 1 (do not include) to 3 (should be included) for each topical area (sensors, signals, and imaging informatics) and those with an average score of 2 or above were subsequently read and assessed again by two of the three co-editors. Finally, the top 14 papers with the highest combined scores were considered based on consensus.ResultsThe search for papers was executed in January 2021. After removing duplicates and conference proceedings, the query returned a set of 101, 193, and 529 papers for sensors, signals, and imaging informatics, respectively. We filtered out journals that had less than three papers in the query results, reducing the number of papers to 41, 117, and 333, respectively. From these, the co-editors identified 22 candidate papers with more than 2 Likert points on average, from which 14 candidate best papers were nominated after intensive discussion. At least five external reviewers then rated the remaining papers. The four finalist papers were found using the composite rating of all external reviewers. These best papers were approved by consensus of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) Yearbook editorial board.ConclusionsSensors, signals, and imaging informatics is a dynamic field of intense research. The four best papers represent advanced approaches for combining, processing, modeling, and analyzing heterogene

The Scripps-Rady Ocean Plastic Pollution Challenge was a unique 6-month accelerator program focused on identifying effective, evidence-based approaches to curb the flow of plastic into the ocean, with a specific focus on marine conservation and marine cultural preservation areas along California’s coast. The inaugural program ran January - June, 2021, and participants engaged in a series of virtual short courses, team-based research, and a final two-day challenge to pitch solutions to an expert panel.A key component of the Scripps-Rady Challenge was team-based research from March - May, 2021. Each team was assigned one of the following research topics: changing human behavior, evaluating policy solutions, and data mapping. Working closely with their dedicated mentors, teams researched various aspects of their respective topics such as a review of past efforts and programs, an identification of key stakeholders, and an analysis of major knowledge gaps.This document includes: 1) a synthesis of all the findings of the white papers, including a table that divides them by stakeholder groups, and 2) a summary of each paper’s major findings and recommendations.

ObjectiveTo identify and highlight research papers representing noteworthy developments in signals, sensors, and imaging informatics in 2020.MethodA broad literature search was conducted on PubMed and Scopus databases. We combined Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms and keywords to construct particular queries for sensors, signals, and image informatics. We only considered papers that have been published in journals providing at least three articles in the query response. Section editors then independently reviewed the titles and abstracts of preselected papers assessed on a three-point Likert scale. Papers were rated from 1 (do not include) to 3 (should be included) for each topical area (sensors, signals, and imaging informatics) and those with an average score of 2 or above were subsequently read and assessed again by two of the three co-editors. Finally, the top 14 papers with the highest combined scores were considered based on consensus.ResultsThe search for papers was executed in January 2021. After removing duplicates and conference proceedings, the query returned a set of 101, 193, and 529 papers for sensors, signals, and imaging informatics, respectively. We filtered out journals that had less than three papers in the query results, reducing the number of papers to 41, 117, and 333, respectively. From these, the co-editors identified 22 candidate papers with more than 2 Likert points on average, from which 14 candidate best papers were nominated after intensive discussion. At least five external reviewers then rated the remaining papers. The four finalist papers were found using the composite rating of all external reviewers. These best papers were approved by consensus of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) Yearbook editorial board.ConclusionsSensors, signals, and imaging informatics is a dynamic field of intense research. The four best papers represent advanced approaches for combining, processing, modeling, and analyzing heterogene

The affordable, rapid, sensitive, specific biosensors are critical to prompt disease diagnosis, especially in developing areas with low resources. However, traditional technologies to detect disease biomarkers such as colorimetric lateral flow assays and polymerase chain reaction tests, suffer from low sensing performance, high operation complexity, high cost, and long assay time. Therefore, it is imperative to develop an affordable biosensing platform with high sensing performances and high user-friendliness to meet the ASSURED criteria (affordable, sensitive, specific, user-friendly, rapid and robust, equipment-free, and deliverable to end-users) for diagnostic tools in resource-limited areas. Hence, this research developed the paper-based microfluidic chemiresistive biosensors employing single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and specific bioreceptors for the detection of important biomarkers in various biological samples. By synthesizing the pyrene carboxylic acid (PCA) modified SWCNTs and characterizing PCA/SWCNTs, we successfully fabricate the chemiresistors via facile methods of vacuum filtration and inkjet printing. Both fabrication methods enabled the control of PCA/SWNTs networks density on paper substrate. We optimized the biosensing performance by optimizing the sensitivity, assay time, and balanced material cost. With the final goal of developing the fully assembled devices for biomarker detections, we have also worked on the wax printing-patterned paper-based microfluidics with proper sealing materials to manipulate the microflows of samples and buffers for the controlled sample delivery during the test. We have investigated the paper-based microflows in both vertical and lateral directions and integrated with the chemiresistive biosensor arrays to achieve the fully assembled devices for the rapid and easy electrical measurements. Using the PCA/SWCNTs, specific bioreceptors, and paper-based microfluidics, the developed biosensors were able to detect im

As part of an investment by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support the Government of Bihar to improve reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition (RMNCHN) statewide, BBC Media Action implemented multiple communication tools to support front-line worker (FLW) outreach. We analyse the impacts of a package of mHealth audio messaging and paper-based job aids used by FLWs during government-sponsored village health, sanitation and nutrition days (VHSNDs) on knowledge and practices of childbearing women across the RMNCHN continuum of care. Data from two surveys collected between July and September 2016 were analysed using logistic regression to compare health-related knowledge and behaviours between women who had been exposed at VHSNDs to the mHealth GupShup Potli (GSP) audio recordings or interpersonal communication (IPC) tools versus those who were unexposed. Exposure to GSP recordings (n=2608) was associated with improved knowledge across all continuum-of-care domains, as well as improved health-related behaviours in some domains. The odds of having taken iron-folic acid (IFA) tablets were significantly higher in exposed women (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.2), as was contraceptive use (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.2 to 3.2). There were no differences in birth preparedness or complementary feeding practices between groups. Exposure to IPC paper-based tools (n=2002) was associated with a twofold increased odds of IFA consumption (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.7 to 3.2) and contraceptive use (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.8). Women exposed to both tools were generally at least twice as likely to subsequently discuss the messages with others. BBC Media Action's mHealth audio messaging job aids and paper-based IPC tools were associated with improved knowledge and practices of women who were exposed to them across multiple domains, suggesting their important potential for improving health outcomes for beneficiaries at scale in low-resource settings. NCT02726230.

The Oakland EcoBlock project (EcoBlock) seeks to develop a microgrid within an existing city block in Oakland California as a demonstration project on the viability of retrofitting an existing block of residential and commercial buildings into a microgrid capable of islanding from the grid. EcoBlock has considered a variety of different potential regulatory frameworks that might accommodate the objectives of the project. Based on an analysis of current law, the working model has been to rely upon existing provisions within the Public Utilities Code that recognize the right of individuals to install and operate electric equipment outside of Commission regulation if the generation, storage and distribution of power is limited to the owners’ “own use.” This white paper examines the “own use” exemption in section 218 of the Public Utilities Code and explores its potential as well as its limitations in the context of microgrids and recent Commission action. In so doing, it touches upon the recently issued Microgrid Proceeding Proposed Decision (Microgrid PD), the Commission Staff paper upon which the PD is premised and issues that arise out of both. This white paper, however, is not intended to be a critique of either and, rather, is intended to prompt questions and reflections on how the policy decisions made in these documents will foster or retard the development of projects like EcoBlock.

The diversity and impact of the human microbiome has catalyzed interest in how microbial communities can be engineered for applications ranging from human health, to bioproduction and bioremediation. An important aspect of such a forward engineering approach is a detailed understanding of how inter-species bacterial competition affects community com-position and stability. In order to study this, I design a three-strain bacterial community that exhibits “rock-paper-scissors” competition dynamics. Using these engineered bacterial strains, I explore genetic stability, evolution in bacterial competition, and ecological stability. In Chapter Two, I discuss the construction and characterization of these “rock-paper-scissors” genetic circuits. I characterize the dynamics of the competition among strain pairs in microfluidic devices. Next, I integrate the “rock-paper-scissors” bacterial strains with the synchronized lysis circuit. When combined, this circuit exhibits both community level “rock-paper-scissors” dynamics, as well as population level synchronized lysis. In Chapter Three, I demonstrate that cyclical population control can be engineered to stabilize the functionality of intracellular gene circuits. The “rock-paper-scissors dynamic demonstrates rapid cycling of strains in microfluidic devices and leads to an increase in the stability of gene circuit functionality in cell culture. In Chapter Four, I use the “rock-paper-scissors” bacteria strains in order to study competition and community stability. I demonstrate that intrinsic differences in three major mechanisms of bacterial warfare lead to an unbalanced community that is dominated by the weakest strain. The engineering of active warfare between microbial species establishes a framework for exploration of the underlying principles that drive com-plex ecological interactions. In Chapter Five, I investigate bacterial competition between a toxin producing and sensitive wild type E. coli strain in a hybrid growth m

The Scripps-Rady Ocean Plastic Pollution Challenge was a unique 6-month accelerator program focused on identifying effective, evidence-based approaches to curb the flow of plastic into the ocean, with a specific focus on marine conservation and marine cultural preservation areas along California’s coast. The inaugural program ran January - June, 2021, and participants engaged in a series of virtual short courses, team-based research, and a final two-day challenge to pitch solutions to an expert panel.A key component of the Scripps-Rady Challenge was team-based research from March - May, 2021. Each team was assigned one of the following research topics: changing human behavior, evaluating policy solutions, and data mapping. Working closely with their dedicated mentors, teams researched various aspects of their respective topics such as a review of past efforts and programs, an identification of key stakeholders, and an analysis of major knowledge gaps.This document includes: 1) a synthesis of all the findings of the white papers, including a table that divides them by stakeholder groups, and 2) a summary of each paper’s major findings and recommendations.

The affordable, rapid, sensitive, specific biosensors are critical to prompt disease diagnosis, especially in developing areas with low resources. However, traditional technologies to detect disease biomarkers such as colorimetric lateral flow assays and polymerase chain reaction tests, suffer from low sensing performance, high operation complexity, high cost, and long assay time. Therefore, it is imperative to develop an affordable biosensing platform with high sensing performances and high user-friendliness to meet the ASSURED criteria (affordable, sensitive, specific, user-friendly, rapid and robust, equipment-free, and deliverable to end-users) for diagnostic tools in resource-limited areas. Hence, this research developed the paper-based microfluidic chemiresistive biosensors employing single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and specific bioreceptors for the detection of important biomarkers in various biological samples. By synthesizing the pyrene carboxylic acid (PCA) modified SWCNTs and characterizing PCA/SWCNTs, we successfully fabricate the chemiresistors via facile methods of vacuum filtration and inkjet printing. Both fabrication methods enabled the control of PCA/SWNTs networks density on paper substrate. We optimized the biosensing performance by optimizing the sensitivity, assay time, and balanced material cost. With the final goal of developing the fully assembled devices for biomarker detections, we have also worked on the wax printing-patterned paper-based microfluidics with proper sealing materials to manipulate the microflows of samples and buffers for the controlled sample delivery during the test. We have investigated the paper-based microflows in both vertical and lateral directions and integrated with the chemiresistive biosensor arrays to achieve the fully assembled devices for the rapid and easy electrical measurements. Using the PCA/SWCNTs, specific bioreceptors, and paper-based microfluidics, the developed biosensors were able to detect im

Membraneless microfluidic fuel cells (MFCs) have garnered tremendous interest as micropower devices, which exploit the colaminar nature of two aqueous electrolytes to separate the anode and cathode and avoid the membrane usually used in a fuel cell. Our previous research shows that the performance of FeCl3-based MFCs with catalyst-free cathodes is mainly limited by the cathode. To improve the power output of these MFCs, we activated the carbon paper cathode by an electrochemical method in the three solutions (Na2SO4, NaOH, and H2SO4) to improve the electrochemical characteristics of the carbon paper cathode. The surface functionalities and defects, reduction activation of iron ions as the oxidant, cathode resistance, and performance of FeCl3-based MFCs were measured and compared. Our work shows that the electrochemical activation of the carbon paper in different solutions is a simple and effective method to enhance the electrochemical characteristics of the carbon paper cathode and improve the performance of the FeCl3-based MFC. Also, the MFC with the carbon paper cathode activated in the H2SO4 solution reaches the optimum performance: 235.6 mW cm-3 in volumetric power density and 1063.33 mA cm-3 in volumetric limiting current density, which are 1.58 and 1.52 times as much as that of a MFC with an untreated carbon paper cathode, respectively. This best performance can be attributed to the cathode activated in the H2SO4 solution with the largest number of oxygen-containing functional groups, the largest electrochemical active surface area, strongest reduction of iron ions, and least resistance of the cathode.

ObjectiveTo identify and highlight research papers representing noteworthy developments in signals, sensors, and imaging informatics in 2020.MethodA broad literature search was conducted on PubMed and Scopus databases. We combined Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms and keywords to construct particular queries for sensors, signals, and image informatics. We only considered papers that have been published in journals providing at least three articles in the query response. Section editors then independently reviewed the titles and abstracts of preselected papers assessed on a three-point Likert scale. Papers were rated from 1 (do not include) to 3 (should be included) for each topical area (sensors, signals, and imaging informatics) and those with an average score of 2 or above were subsequently read and assessed again by two of the three co-editors. Finally, the top 14 papers with the highest combined scores were considered based on consensus.ResultsThe search for papers was executed in January 2021. After removing duplicates and conference proceedings, the query returned a set of 101, 193, and 529 papers for sensors, signals, and imaging informatics, respectively. We filtered out journals that had less than three papers in the query results, reducing the number of papers to 41, 117, and 333, respectively. From these, the co-editors identified 22 candidate papers with more than 2 Likert points on average, from which 14 candidate best papers were nominated after intensive discussion. At least five external reviewers then rated the remaining papers. The four finalist papers were found using the composite rating of all external reviewers. These best papers were approved by consensus of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) Yearbook editorial board.ConclusionsSensors, signals, and imaging informatics is a dynamic field of intense research. The four best papers represent advanced approaches for combining, processing, modeling, and analyzing heterogene

As part of an investment by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support the Government of Bihar to improve reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition (RMNCHN) statewide, BBC Media Action implemented multiple communication tools to support front-line worker (FLW) outreach. We analyse the impacts of a package of mHealth audio messaging and paper-based job aids used by FLWs during government-sponsored village health, sanitation and nutrition days (VHSNDs) on knowledge and practices of childbearing women across the RMNCHN continuum of care. Data from two surveys collected between July and September 2016 were analysed using logistic regression to compare health-related knowledge and behaviours between women who had been exposed at VHSNDs to the mHealth GupShup Potli (GSP) audio recordings or interpersonal communication (IPC) tools versus those who were unexposed. Exposure to GSP recordings (n=2608) was associated with improved knowledge across all continuum-of-care domains, as well as improved health-related behaviours in some domains. The odds of having taken iron-folic acid (IFA) tablets were significantly higher in exposed women (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.2), as was contraceptive use (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.2 to 3.2). There were no differences in birth preparedness or complementary feeding practices between groups. Exposure to IPC paper-based tools (n=2002) was associated with a twofold increased odds of IFA consumption (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.7 to 3.2) and contraceptive use (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.8). Women exposed to both tools were generally at least twice as likely to subsequently discuss the messages with others. BBC Media Action's mHealth audio messaging job aids and paper-based IPC tools were associated with improved knowledge and practices of women who were exposed to them across multiple domains, suggesting their important potential for improving health outcomes for beneficiaries at scale in low-resource settings. NCT02726230.

Little research has been conducted to examine the influence of various methods of providing nest materials-such as dispersing them, providing them as single units, or clustering them-on the behavior and welfare of group-housed mice. In this study, 6 wk-old C57BL/6NCrl mice were housed 3 per cage and randomized into 1 of 3 nest-material groups: 1) one facial tissue per cage (control; female mice, 3 cages; male mice, 3 cages); 2) an 8-g 'puck' of compressed nesting material and a facial tissue (females, 3 cages; males, 3 cages); or 3) 8 g of dispersed paper strips and a facial tissue (females, 3 cages; males, 3 cages). Mouse behavior (agonistic, stereotypic, nesting), physical examination data, and nest scores were evaluated over 16 d. The results showed that mice in the puck and control groups spent more time manipulating nest materials after cage changes than did mice in the paper-strip group. Average nest scores were highest in the paper-strip group compared with controls and puck cages. Female cages with pucks showed no barbering, whereas all other female mice cages demonstrated barbering. Overall, nest pucks may provide a time-consuming activity for mice and may help protect female C57BL/6 mice from barbering. However, more research is needed to replicate and expand these study results.

In paper-based microfluidics, the simplest devices are colorimetric, giving qualitative results. However, getting quantitative data can be quite a bit more difficult. Distance-based devices provide a user-friendly means of obtaining quantitative data without the need for any additional equipment, simply by using an included ruler or calibrated markings. This article details the development of a quantitative DNA detection device that utilizes the aggregation of polystyrene microspheres to affect the distance that microspheres wick through filter paper. The microspheres are conjugated to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) oligomers that are partially complementary to a target strand and, in the presence of the target strand, form a three-strand complex, resulting in the formation of aggregates. The higher the concentration of the target strand, the larger the aggregate, and the shorter the distance wicked by the microspheres. This behavior was investigated across a wide range of target concentrations and under different incubation times to understand aggregate formation. The device was then used to successfully detect a target strand spiked in extracted plant DNA.

Paper-based microfluidic devices are an attractive platform for developing low-cost, point-of-care diagnostic tools. As paper-based devices' detection chemistries become more complex, more complicated devices are required, often entailing the sequential delivery of different liquids or reagents to reaction zones. Most research into flow control has been focused on introducing delays. However, delaying the flow can be problematic due to increased evaporation leading to sample loss. We report the use of a CO2 laser to uniformly etch the surface of the paper to modify wicking speeds in paper-based microfluidic devices. This technique can produce both wicking speed increases of up to 1.1× faster and decreases of up to 0.9× slower. Wicking speeds can be further enhanced by etching both sides of the paper, resulting in wicking 1.3× faster than unetched channels. Channels with lengthwise laser-etched grooves were also compared to uniformly etched channels, with the most heavily grooved channels wicking 1.9× faster than the fastest double-sided etched channels. Furthermore, sealing both sides of the channel in packing tape results in the most heavily etched channels, single-sided, double-sided, and grooved, wicking over 13× faster than unetched channels. By selectively etching individual channels, different combinations of sequential fluid delivery can be obtained without altering any channel geometry. Laser etching is a simple process that can be integrated into the patterning of the device and requires no additional materials or chemicals, enabling greater flow control for paper-based microfluidic devices.

Paper-based microfluidic devices are an attractive platform for developing low-cost, point-of-care diagnostic tools. As paper-based devices' detection chemistries become more complex, more complicated devices are required, often entailing the sequential delivery of different liquids or reagents to reaction zones. Most research into flow control has been focused on introducing delays. However, delaying the flow can be problematic due to increased evaporation leading to sample loss. We report the use of a CO2 laser to uniformly etch the surface of the paper to modify wicking speeds in paper-based microfluidic devices. This technique can produce both wicking speed increases of up to 1.1× faster and decreases of up to 0.9× slower. Wicking speeds can be further enhanced by etching both sides of the paper, resulting in wicking 1.3× faster than unetched channels. Channels with lengthwise laser-etched grooves were also compared to uniformly etched channels, with the most heavily grooved channels wicking 1.9× faster than the fastest double-sided etched channels. Furthermore, sealing both sides of the channel in packing tape results in the most heavily etched channels, single-sided, double-sided, and grooved, wicking over 13× faster than unetched channels. By selectively etching individual channels, different combinations of sequential fluid delivery can be obtained without altering any channel geometry. Laser etching is a simple process that can be integrated into the patterning of the device and requires no additional materials or chemicals, enabling greater flow control for paper-based microfluidic devices.

In paper-based microfluidics, the simplest devices are colorimetric, giving qualitative results. However, getting quantitative data can be quite a bit more difficult. Distance-based devices provide a user-friendly means of obtaining quantitative data without the need for any additional equipment, simply by using an included ruler or calibrated markings. This article details the development of a quantitative DNA detection device that utilizes the aggregation of polystyrene microspheres to affect the distance that microspheres wick through filter paper. The microspheres are conjugated to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) oligomers that are partially complementary to a target strand and, in the presence of the target strand, form a three-strand complex, resulting in the formation of aggregates. The higher the concentration of the target strand, the larger the aggregate, and the shorter the distance wicked by the microspheres. This behavior was investigated across a wide range of target concentrations and under different incubation times to understand aggregate formation. The device was then used to successfully detect a target strand spiked in extracted plant DNA.

Paper-based microfluidic devices are an attractive platform for developing low-cost, point-of-care diagnostic tools. As paper-based devices' detection chemistries become more complex, more complicated devices are required, often entailing the sequential delivery of different liquids or reagents to reaction zones. Most research into flow control has been focused on introducing delays. However, delaying the flow can be problematic due to increased evaporation leading to sample loss. We report the use of a CO2 laser to uniformly etch the surface of the paper to modify wicking speeds in paper-based microfluidic devices. This technique can produce both wicking speed increases of up to 1.1× faster and decreases of up to 0.9× slower. Wicking speeds can be further enhanced by etching both sides of the paper, resulting in wicking 1.3× faster than unetched channels. Channels with lengthwise laser-etched grooves were also compared to uniformly etched channels, with the most heavily grooved channels wicking 1.9× faster than the fastest double-sided etched channels. Furthermore, sealing both sides of the channel in packing tape results in the most heavily etched channels, single-sided, double-sided, and grooved, wicking over 13× faster than unetched channels. By selectively etching individual channels, different combinations of sequential fluid delivery can be obtained without altering any channel geometry. Laser etching is a simple process that can be integrated into the patterning of the device and requires no additional materials or chemicals, enabling greater flow control for paper-based microfluidic devices.

In the present article we report a new hybrid microfluidic device (hyFlow) comprising a disposable paper electrode and a three-dimensional (3D) printed plastic chip for the electrochemical detection of a magnetic bead-silver nanoparticle (MB-AgNP) bioconjugate. This hybrid device evolved due to the difficulty of incorporating micron-scale MBs into paper-only fluidic devices. Specifically, paper fluidic devices can entrap MB-containing conjugates within their cellulose or nitrocellulose fiber matrix. The hyFlow system was designed to minimize such issues and transport MB conjugates more efficiently to the electrochemical detection zone of the device. The hyFlow system retains the benefit of fluid transport by pressure-driven flow, however, no pump is required for its operation. The hyFlow device is capable of detecting either pre-formed MB-AgNP conjugates or conjugates formed in situ. The detection limit of AgNPs using this device is 12 pM, which represents just 22 AgNPs per MB.

In Broadborough: Paper City, you play as a mayor trying to manage a city on the verge of ruin. Spend your weeks passing legislation, setting the budget, and listening to your advisors. If you can keep people happy and avoid all the imminent crises for 35 weeks, you win. Good luck!

To inform the vital conversation among the nation’s political leaders, elections administrators, and scholars about how to hold a safe, accessible, and fair election in November, this paper reports how a sample of 5,612 eligible American voters, surveyed April 8-10, want to see the election run during the COVID-19 crisis. We embed a randomized experiment presenting respondents with truthful summaries of the projections of two teams of scientists about the pandemic. Our descriptive findings show that four in ten eligible voters would prefer to cast their ballot by mail rather than in person this November and that a majority of respondents favor policies expanding mail voting. Our experimental findings show that respondents who read the scientific projections were more likely to prefer voting by mail, were more likely to trust that a mail ballot would be counted accurately, and were more likely to favor holding the election entirely by mail.

How do humans adapt when others exploit patterns in their behavior? When can people modify such patterns and when are they simply trapped? The present work explores these questions using the children's game of rock, paper, scissors (RPS). Adult participants played 300 rounds of RPS against one of eight bot opponents. The bots chose a move each round by exploiting unique sequential regularities in participant move choices. In order to avoid losing against their bot opponent, participants needed to recognize the ways in which their own behavior was predictable and disrupt the pattern. We find that for simple biases, participants were able to recognize that they were being exploited and even counter-exploit their opponents. However, for more complex sequential dependencies, participants were unable to change their behavior and lost reliably to the bots. Results provide a quantitative delineation of people's ability to identify and alter patterns in their past decisions.

This white paper reports on the impact of paid internships for MLIS students at community archives.

In this essay, I will focus on prison systems and inmate experiences in Kenya. Prisons and systems of punishment come in different contexts. Generally speaking, prisons are intended to rehabilitate and transform inmates into better people for themselves and society. However, in retrospect from the historiography of African prison systems and prison writing in Kenya, prisons have moved away from their intended purpose of rehabilitation. The structure of this research project is divided in two parts. In Part, I will historicize prisons in Africa and the historical context of the injustice of power and dominance in Kenya. Part II of this essay will uncover the truth of Kenya’s prison system through inmate experiences in the twentieth century. I argue that prison writings, which I call freedom papers, show that there is a continuity between colonial and postcolonial prisons, and that there were various forms of resistance against discriminatory and oppressive institutions. However, these forms of resistance depended on who was elite and non-elite.