A Hierarchical Framework of Challenges for Blockchain Adoption in Public Services. Implications for decision-makers

This study attempts to identify critical challenges for blockchain adoption in government, particularly public-service delivery in India, a developing country context. Through an extensive literature review and focus-group discussions with policymakers and blockchain experts, we have identified 12 adoption challenges for Blockchain in public service delivery. We then collected data and analysed using interpretive structural modeling and Cross-Impact Matrix Multiplication Applied to Classification (MICMAC) Analysis to develop a hierarchical framework of the challenges. Our findings indicate that governments must first ensure legislative support for blockchain-based transactions. This research contributes to information systems strategic planning literature and provides a framework for policymakers to craft a strategic approach to facilitate blockchain adoption

Multilocus sequence typing of Ochrobactrum spp. isolated from gastric niche

SummaryThe human stomach is colonized by diverse bacterial species. The presence of non-Helicobacter pylori bacteria in urease-positive biopsies of individuals has been reported. Bacteria belonging to the Ochrobactrum genus have been documented in the human gastric niche. The co-occurrence of Ochrobactrum spp. with H. pylori was previously reported in an antral biopsy of a non-ulcer dyspeptic (NUD) subject from Northern India. There is no information on the genetic diversity of Ochrobactrum spp. isolated from the gastric niche in the stomach. We aimed to study the species distribution and diversity of Ochrobactrum spp. with and without H. pylori in urease-positive biopsies across three different geographical regions in India. Sixty-two Ochrobactrum isolates recovered from patients with an upper gastric disorder (n=218) were subjected to molecular identification and multilocus sequence typing. H. pylori DNA was found in the majority of biopsies, which had a variable degree of Ochrobactrum spp present. Interestingly, some of the urease-positive biopsies only had Ochrobactrum without any H. pylori DNA. Based on phylogenetic analysis, the Ochrobactrum isolates were distributed into the O. intermedium, O. anthropi and O. oryzae groups. This indicates there are multiple species in the gastric niche irrespective of the presence or absence of H. pylori. Antibiotyping based on colistin and polymyxin B could differentiate between O. intermedium and O. anthropi without revealing the resistance-driven diversity. Considering the prevalence of multiple Ochrobactrum spp. in the human gastric niche, it is important to evaluate the commensal and/or pathogenic nature of non-H. pylori bacteria with respect to their geographical distribution, lifestyle and nutrition needs

Unipolar resistive switching in planar Pt/BiFeO3/Pt structure

This work was supported by the NASA EPSCoR Grant # NNX13AB22A. Financial support to various researchers from IFN-NSF grant # EPS 1002410 (RSK, DB, YS and BRW) is gratefully acknowledged. S. K. is thankful to UGC, India for a Raman fellowship under Indo-US 21st century knowledge initiatives (No:5-53/2013(I.C)).We report unipolar resistive switching suitable for nonvolatile memory applications in polycrystalline BiFeO3 thin films in planar electrode configuration with non-overlapping Set and Reset voltages, On/Off resistance ratio of similar to 10(4) and good data retention (verified for up to 3,000 s). We have also observed photovoltaic response in both high and low resistance states, where the photocurrent density was about three orders of magnitude higher in the low resistance state as compared to the high resistance state at an illumination power density of similar to 100 mW/cm(2). Resistive switching mechanisms in both resistance states of the planar device can be explained by using the conduction filament (thermo-chemical) model. (C) 2015 Author(s).Publisher PDFPeer reviewe