Perturbation theory for very long-range potentials

Systems with very long-range interactions (that decay at large distances like $U(r)\sim r^{-l}$ with $l\le d$ where $d$ is the space dimensionality) are difficult to study by conventional statistical mechanics perturbation methods. Examples of these systems are gravitational and charged (non-electroneutral). In this work we propose two alternative methodologies to avoid these difficulties and capture some of the properties of the original potential. The first one consists in expressing the original potential in terms of a finite sum of hard-core Yukawa potentials. In the second one, the potential is rewritten as a damped potential, using a damping function with a parameter that controls the range of the interaction. These new potentials, which mimic the original one, can now be treated by conventional statistical mechanics methods.Comment: 25 pages, 11 figure

Social Robots in Public Spaces: A Meta-review

Social robots can prove to be an effective medium of instruction and communication to users in a public setting. However their range of interaction in current research is not known. In this paper, we overview a range of research works that utilized NAO and Pepper robot in the public settings. Our results show that Education scenarios are one of the more popular and most interaction is centered around providing information. In conclusion, we present key design implications that researchers can employ whilst designing social robot interactions in the public space

Proteomic identification of binding targets of isothiocyanates: A perspective on techniques

Intake of cruciferous vegetable is inversely associated with the risk of several cancer types. Isothiocyanates (ITCs) are believed to be important constituents contributing to these cancer-preventive effects. Although several mechanisms, including induction of apoptosis, have been proposed for the anti-carcinogenesis activities of ITCs, detailed upstream triggering events are still not fully understood. Identification of ITC binding targets in cellular proteins is crucial for not only mechanistic studies but also future drug screening and design. In this review, we summarize recent progress in discovery of ITC protein targets from a technical perspective. The advantages and limitations of each method are discussed to facilitate future studies on target discovery of ITCs and perhaps other compounds