Hybrid Class Research Articles

35Cl NMR of Metal‐Organic Frameworks: What Can We Learn?

AbstractMetal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) are a diverse class of hybrid organic‐inorganic materials with a wide range of applications. Chlorine often plays a crucial role in MOF structures; the local environment about Cl significantly affects material properties and applications. It is shown that direct characterization of Cl local environments within MOFs using 35Cl wideline solid‐state NMR (SSNMR) provides unique insights into the local electronic and chemical structure, including the Cl bonding mode. 35Cl SSNMR provides clear information regarding hydrogen bonding within MOFs and also yields direct evidence of phase transitions. There is a strong correlation linking 35Cl quadrupolar interaction parameters to local bond lengths and angles. It is also shown that 35Cl SSNMR of MOFs can be effective when paramagnetic centers are directly bound to Cl, greatly expanding the applicability of this approach. Density functional theory calculations of quadrupolar interaction parameters are in good agreement with experimental values, particularly when dispersion corrections are used for geometry optimization. This work highlights the broad potential of 35Cl SSNMR for investigating MOFs and invites further applications in the field.

Effectiveness of professional-identity-formation and clinical communication-skills programs on medical students’ empathy in the COVID-19 context: comparison between pre-pandemic in-person classes and during-pandemic online classes

BackgroundEnhancing students’ empathy is critical in medical school education. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift from in-person to online classes. However, the effectiveness of online classes for enhancing medical students’ empathy has not been investigated sufficiently and the evidence is limited. This study compared the effectiveness of enhancing empathy between pre-pandemic in-person classes and during-pandemic online classes among medical students in Japan using pre-pandemic and during-pandemic data.MethodsThis is a retrospective observational study. This study measured students’ empathy using the Japanese translation of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Student Version (JSE-S) before and after the special programs for professional identity formation and clinical communication among first- and second-year students who matriculated from 2015–2021. This study categorized the matriculation year groups as “pre-pandemic” and “during-pandemic” groups for the first- and second-year students. This study estimated the adjusted mean score differences of the JSE-S and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) from the pre- to post-program between the pre-pandemic and during-pandemic groups in the first and second years using linear regression analysis.ResultsThis study’s participants included 653 first-year students and 562 second-year students. In the first year, the during-pandemic group had a significantly higher mean score difference from the pre- to post-program compared to the pre-pandemic group. The adjusted regression coefficient (95% CI) was 7.6 (5.7 – 9.5), with the pre-pandemic group as the reference. In the second year, there were no significant differences between the two groups.ConclusionsThe results suggest that online classes are not inferior to in-person classes or even slightly better in enhancing medical students’ empathy, which should be clarified by further studies. This study’s findings have important implications for medical education and implementing hybrid class formats to enhance students’ empathy.

Implications of non-native metal substitution in carbonic anhydrase - engineered enzymes and models.

The enzyme carbonic anhydrase has been intensely studied over decades as a means to understand the role of zinc in hydrating CO2. The naturally occurring enzyme has also been immobilized on distinct heterogeneous platforms, which results in a different hybrid class of catalysts that are useful for the adsorption and hydration of CO2. However, the reusability and robustness of such natural and immobilized systems are substantially affected when tested under industrial conditions, such as high temperature and high flow rate. This led to the generation of model systems in the form of metal-coordination complexes, metal-organic frameworks, metallo-peptide self-assembled supramolecules and nanomaterials that mimic the primary, and, to some extent, secondary coordination sphere of the active site of the natural carbonic anhydrase enzymes. Furthermore, the effects of zinc-substitution by other relevant transition metals in both the naturally occurring enzymes and model systems has been reported. It has been observed that some other transition metal ions in the active site of carbonic anhydrase and its models can also accomplish similar activity, established by various reaction probes and ideas. Herein, we present a comprehensive highlight about substituting zinc in the active site of the modified enzymes and its biomimetic model systems with non-native metal ions and review how they affect the structural orientation and reactivity towards CO2 hydration. In addition, the utility of artificially engineered carbonic anhydrases towards a number of non-natural reactions is also discussed.

DEPLOYING TELEWELLNESS PROGRAMS IN THE COMMUNITY: BARRIERS, FACILITATORS, AND POTENTIAL

Abstract ‘Telewellness’ programs use technology (e.g., video conferencing software) to facilitate remote participation in exercise classes. These programs hold great potential to expand access to physical and mental health benefits of group exercise classes for older adults, especially those with mobility disabilities. We translated the Tai Chi for Health Institute’s in-person, evidence-based tai chi program, Tai Chi for Arthritis, to be a virtual experience (via Zoom) that is both socially engaging and inclusive of people with a mobility disabilities. The ‘Tele Tai Chi’ clinical trial (NCT04696887) explored to what extent this program may increase social interaction and positive health behaviors among older adults with long-term mobility disabilities; data analysis is in progress. The next phase of this project is focused on delivering our Tele Tai Chi program in real world, community-based settings (e.g., senior centers, senior living communities). This session will present findings from interviews with subject matter experts (e.g., senior center coordinators, administrators from Area Agencies on Aging, tai chi instructors) on perceived barriers to delivering Telewellness classes (e.g., safety, staffing, demands, technical support), as well as potential facilitators to address them. We will also discuss the need for different models of Telewellness (e.g., hybrid classes with attendees both in-person and online) that align with the community’s unique characteristics, preferences, and support needs.

Novel Class of Ambipolar Columnar Liquid Crystals Based on Cyclic Dipeptide and Isatin Hybrids.

A new class of cyclic dipeptide-isatin hybrids was synthesized using 2,5-diketopiperazine and various isatin derivatives bearing flexible chains and extended aromatic rings in a double Knoevenagel condensation process. These new series demonstrate high solubility and good thermal stability with decomposition temperatures exceeding 370 °C, especially the molecular design with efficient space-filling (CI5 and CI6) stabilized columnar liquid crystalline phase. The hole and electron carrier mobility of the CI5 compound, measured using the space charge limited current (SCLC) technique, were found to be 9.46×10-4 cm2/V.s and 7.88×10-4 cm2/V.s respectively. The stabilization of columnar self-assembly and observation of ambipolar charge carrier mobility in cyclic dipeptide-isatin hybrids make them a promising class of self-assembling organic semiconductors.

Strategies used in blended and learning and virtual laboratories for STEAM education

This paper explores the development of online learning practices in engineering education at “Gh. Asachi” Technical University in Iaşi (TUIaşi) from 1994 to present, including the Covid-19 pandemic period. It highlights ways in which blended teaching and learning (BTL), including virtual laboratories, gradually replaced the traditional face-to face teaching style. By 2020 advances in Internet technology and the latter’s widespread use had already enabled the emergence of hybrid classes. The author present his contribution to the development of online learning practices at the above public higher education institution, which boasts being the oldest in engineering education in Romania. At present, this university uses Moodle to manage its online learning programme. The paper looks into the following topics: use of the Internet and of educational platforms at the Departments of Teacher Training at Al. I. Cuza University (UAIC, Iaşi) and TUIaşi; implementation of innovative teaching practices, such as e-pedagogy; transition to blended learning as the dominant student-centred teaching style; contribution of digital technology to greater learner engagement and satisfaction; collaboration with universities from Romania, the Republic of Moldova, Egypt, and other European countries.

Influence of Hybrid Class and Ensiling Duration on Deoxynivalenol Accumulation and Its Derivative Deoxynivalenol-3-Glucoside While Ensiling Corn for Silage.

In silage corn (Zea mays L.), Fusarium graminearum causes diseases and produces the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON). The work presented here investigated DON accumulation and its fate during the ensiling of ground, whole-plant material obtained from dual-purpose (DP) and brown midrib (BMR) corn hybrids. Multiyear field trials arranged in a randomized complete block design were conducted in Wisconsin to evaluate BMR and DP corn hybrids in response to fungicide treatment. At harvest, the samples were chopped and vacuum sealed for a mini-silo time series assessment with silos opened following anaerobic fermentation for 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 days. Repeated measures analysis of ensiled corn showed that hybrid (P < 0.01) and ensiling duration (P < 0.01) significantly impacted DON concentration through ensiling, whereas fungicide treatment had no significant effect (P > 0.05). Across hybrids and treatments, DON concentrations detected at harvest were the lowest with DON-3-glucoside at harvest significantly (P < 0.01) and highly correlated (r = 0.74) with DON concentration 30-days after ensiling. These findings suggest that mycotoxin testing in corn should include not only DON but also conjugates of DON that can be metabolized back to DON and increase the final DON concentration during ensiling.

Preparing for a new paradigm: A mixed-methods study of student experience in on-site, hybrid, and online writing courses

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly all students have had some kind of experience with modalities beyond traditional, on-site teaching. We wanted to study how first-year writing students experienced different modalities (i.e., on-site, hybrid, and online) to learn more about how best to support students and faculty in the future. This paper presents results of a mixed-methods study investigating differences in first-year writing student levels of confusion, satisfaction with social interaction, and preferences for modality in learning about writing. We found significant differences (with mostly small effects and some medium and large effects) in lower levels of confusion and higher satisfaction with social interaction in on-site classes relative to hybrid and online classes. We also found that students preferred a modality for a writing class for different and sophisticated reasons. On the basis of these results, we recommend more support for teaching in all modalities, more investigation of strengths/weaknesses of synchronous and asynchronous approaches, and more support offered to students before and during their writing classes for how best to learn how to learn in a given modality.

Influence of Telepresence Robot on Discussion in Hybrid Classes

Influence of Telepresence Robot on Discussion in Hybrid Classes

Needs Analysis for the Development of Intelligent Wheelchair Assistant Technology to be Integrated into Hybrid Classes for Students with Disabilities

This study aims to analyze students' needs for the development of intelligent wheelchair assistant technology to be integrated into hybrid classes for students with disabilities. This research is motivated by the importance of creating a foundation for developing more inclusive and effective technology in the world of education. The use of intelligent wheelchair assistant technology is expected to improve the learning experience of students with disabilities and enable more equitable and inclusive education. The research is part of quantitative research conducted in March 2024. The population in this study consisted of 124 students from several universities. The instrument used in this study was a needs analysis questionnaire sheet consisting of 19 statements with answer choices following the Likert scale guidelines. The results of the needs questionnaire analysis showed that students needed the development of intelligent wheelchair assistant technology to be integrated into hybrid classes for students with disabilities as evidenced by the results of the needs analysis questionnaire of 81.39% in the strongly agree category.

The effect of hybrid classes on extrinsically motivated students

Emerging from the Covid19 pandemic, many higher education institutions rapidly improvised teaching students in a hybrid mode that concurrently combined online and in-person instruction. The varied engagement results from students and staff prompted many institutions to reconsider this hybrid approach (Raes et al., 2020), with opinions of both students and teachers divided on the merits of returning to an in-person classroom. While some studies (Peng &amp; Wei, 2021) noted success at the ‘juggling act’ of supporting both an in-person class and an online class simultaneously, more studies found the emerging technology, split focus, resourcing and unfamiliar instructions to be a disengaging classroom experience (Aagaard et al, 2023). A lack of clear and quantitative evidence has been noted as a key issue with many of the studies of hybrid learning (Raes et al, 2020). The improvised nature of many pandemic teaching responses and the many variables that may confound engagement results, prompts a more considered and deliberate re-examination of hybrid learning which takes into account the motivational needs of students. If a student is motivated to attend a hybrid classroom, their subsequent evaluations of the experience seem likely to be related to their initial motives, expectations and reasons for attending. The lens of Self Determination Theory (SDT) offers a range of insights into the type of motivation felt by students and enables the disambiguation of whether a student is motivated intrinsically or extrinsically (Ryan &amp; Deci, 2017). Intrinsic motivation being characterised by an internal locus of control –arising spontaneously from within. Extrinsic motivation conversely is characterised by an external locus of control – motivation is controlled by outside factors and compulsions that a student feels they ought to follow. Deci and Ryan’s Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) offers us additional insights into three descriptive sub-types of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation – autonomy, relatedness and mastery. The idea that an unfulfilled need for personal relatedness in some students might relate to levels of student engagement online and in-person was hoped might explain some of variable engagement responses from students. This presentation tells the story of how hundreds of students responded to a synchronous concurrent hybrid classroom intervention across four weeks of an otherwise online subject. Utilising high-quality hybrid learning technology available at the time, the advanced Class.com interface and a well-adapted pedagogy the journey of students with differing motivational needs was explored using the lens of Deci and Ryan’s (2017) IMI. Through regression modelling, network analysis and a broad analysis of associated demographic factors it was found in particular that low ATAR students with extrinsic motivation were more disengaged by the hybrid classroom environment, in comparison to other motivational subgroups. Contrary to expectation, students with a motivational need for relatedness were not found to respond differently to hybrid learning compared with other motivational subgroups. Recommendations for future iterations of synchronous concurrent hybrid classrooms and research are offered.

On a Hybrid Class of $p$-Laplacian Initial Value Problems with Modified Mittag-Leffler Kernel

In this work, we establish key results on the existence theory for a category of initial value problems (IVPs) involving hybrid fractional integro-differential equations (HFIDEs) with a $p$-Laplacian operator, utilizing the modified Mittag-Leffler kernel. By employing Krasnoselskii and Banach fixed point theorems (FPTs), we determine the conditions required for the existence of solutions. Additionally, we examine the Hyers-Ulam (H-U) stability of the problem. Lastly, we present an example to confirm our theoretical results.

Creation of true interspecies hybrids: Rescue of hybrid class with hybrid cytoplasm affecting growth and metabolism.

Interspecies hybrids have nuclear contributions from two species but oocyte cytoplasm from only one. Species discordance may lead to altered nuclear reprogramming of the foreign paternal genome. We reasoned that initial reprogramming in same species cytoplasm plus creation of hybrids with zygote cytoplasm from both species, which we describe here, might enhance nuclear reprogramming and promote hybrid development. We report in Mus species that (i) mammalian nuclear/cytoplasmic hybrids can be created, (ii) they allow development and viability of a previously missing and uncharacterized hybrid class, (iii) different oocyte cytoplasm environments lead to different phenotypes of same nuclear hybrid genotype, and (iv) the novel hybrids exhibit sex ratio distortion with the absence of female progeny and represent a mammalian exception to Haldane's rule. Our results emphasize that interspecies hybrid phenotypes are not only the result of nuclear gene epistatic interactions but also cytonuclear interactions and that the latter have major impacts on fetal and placental growth and development.

Pi Class – A Revolutionary Step Forward in Hybrid Class Management System

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused widespread disruptions globally, resulting in a state of health emergency with numerous deaths reported and an overall implementation of quarantine and isolation. Strict lockdowns have been implemented to curb the spread of the virus, requiring social distancing and limiting physical interactions. These measures had far-reaching impacts on all aspects of life, including education. Education was one of the most affected sectors, with difficulty delivering quality education in schools, colleges, and universities. It was hard to provide quality education, a basic need of humanity. In this research paper, we propose an adequate solution to overcome the difficulties of maintaining educational quality during and after the COVID-19 pandemic and its multiple variants. The proposed solution is a hybrid model for an autonomous lecture recording system that facilitates students to attend physical classes and attend lectures virtually. The solution proposed is a cost-effective and convenient way for students to access lectures. The application involves hardware and software components that record and preserve lectures' audio and visual aspects. The system will allow lectures to be delivered directly to the students' devices. The major modules of the project include Python scripting, model training, UI/UX design, and app development.

Equity in hybrid microeconomics classes: Effects on diverse student groups

The Covid-19 pandemic created a sudden increased uptake of online teaching, and though the end of the pandemic signaled a shift back to more in-person learning, many schools have used the existing infrastructure to expand their offerings of online and hybrid courses. While previous studies have identified the impact of online teaching on student score, little work has been done on the heterogenous impact that online and hybrid teaching can have, particularly for underrepresented groups of students. I utilize a randomized control trial in an introductory microeconomics course to test whether there are any differences in quiz score with a lecture delivered online as compared to in-person, mimicking a hybrid class environment. I find that when students watch a lecture online, they score 5 percentage points lower on average than attending a lecture in-person. This estimate is based on an intent-to-treat study design and estimates within-individual effects. I also assess heterogeneous effects across various demographic variables, including gender, race, and First-Generation status, and find that this result is particularly salient for non-White and first-generation students, highlighting the equity implications of moving to online teaching.

The impact of global and regional challenges on the decrease in tourist flows

The article presents a comprehensive analysis of the impact of global and regional events on the dynamics of tourist flows. The primary reasons for the decrease in inbound tourist flows have been identified and categorized into three main groups: military-political class, economic class, and natural-technological class. Additionally, a hybrid class was identified, to which COVID-19 was assigned. The article is based on causal and comparative analysis, utilizing statistical data on tourist flows provided by the World Bank and UNWTO, as well as an assessment of similar patterns among countries worldwide. The main characteristics of tourist flows from 1995 to 2022 have been identified, pinpointing leaders among countries in increasing and decreasing the number of tourists per year. During the study, countries with similar patterns of tourist flow dynamics were identified. It was concluded that relying solely on quantitative analysis has limited applicability in identifying these patterns. Therefore, it is recommended that quantitative analysis be complemented with expert assessments for a more comprehensive understanding. The basic strategies for responding to the identified classes of causes were outlined. The research will benefit tourism professionals, governmental authorities, and researchers in socio-economic and political disciplines.

Hybrid Class Balancing Approach for Chemical Compound Toxicity Prediction.

Computational methods are crucial for efficient and cost-effective drug toxicity prediction. Unfortunately, the data used for prediction is often imbalanced, resulting in biased models that favor the majority class. This paper proposes an approach to apply a hybrid class balancing technique and evaluate its performance on computational models for toxicity prediction in Tox21 datasets. The process begins by converting chemical compound data structures (SMILES strings) from various bioassay datasets into molecular descriptors that can be processed by algorithms. Subsequently, Undersampling and Oversampling techniques are applied in two different schemes on the training data. In the first scheme (Individual), only one balancing technique (Oversampling or Undersampling) is used. In the second scheme (Hybrid), the training data is divided according to a ratio (e.g., 90-10), applying a different balancing technique to each proportion. We considered eight resampling techniques (four Oversampling and four Undersampling), six molecular descriptors (based on MACCS, ECFP, and Mordred), and five classification models (KNN, MLP, RF, XGB and SVM) over 10 bioassay datasets to determine the configurations that yield the best performance. We defined three testing scenarios: without balancing techniques (baseline), Individual, and Hybrid. We found that using the ENN technique in the MACCS-MLP combination resulted in a 10.01% improvement in performance. The increase for ECFP6-2048 was 16.47% after incorporating a combination of the SMOTE (10%) and RUS (90%) techniques. Meanwhile, using the same combination of techniques, MORDRED-XGB showed the most significant increase in performance, achieving a 22.62% improvement. Integrating any of the class balancing schemes resulted in a minimum of 10.01% improvement in prediction performance compared to the best baseline configuration. In this study, Undersampling techniques were more appropriate due to the significant overlap among samples. By eliminating specific samples from the predominant class that are close to the minority class, this overlap is greatly reduced.

ON THE WAY WITH FRAMEWORK CURRICULA TOWARDS FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING AT NON-PHILOLOGICAL FACULTIES FROM TOMORROW

The aim of our contribution is to show how the framework curricula for the teaching of German and foreign languages which were developed in ten countries during a project for cross-curricular university language education in the period 1998-2014 can support teachers, even under difficult circumstances such as during the pandemic. The holistic approach of these curricula leads teachers to create teaching materials which allow their students to enjoy learning and to develop not only their linguistic, but also methodological, social and personal competences relevant to their future careers. Teaching examples from online classes at Bocconi University (Italy) and hybrid classes at the University in Novi Sad, (Serbia) are presented, which prove that the motivation and creativity of learners, who often perceive professional and technical language as something dry and overly factual, can be stimulated by appropriate working methods and targeted teaching materials. Appropriate teaching materials can be created for German classes as well as for any other foreign language classes, since the indications of principles, objectives, contents and procedures contained in the framework curricula are cross-linguistic and are not bound to the teaching of a single language, although they have been written in German by German lecturers.

A global argument-based algorithm for finding complex zeros and poles to investigate plasma kinetic instabilities

Root-finding is a common problem in various fields of physics and mathematics. The basic version of this problem can be formulated as an equation f(z)=0 where z∈ℂ and f is a meromorphic function on a complex plane ℂ. In some cases, a conjugated problem has to be solved as well to investigate the properties of the inspected system: f(z)−1=0. Iterative Householder-like methods show high convergence rate, however, the convergence itself is strongly dependent on the input parameters such as an initial guess. If the function f is complicated enough, there can be no prior information about its zeros and poles, and thus, no way to correctly pick the initial guess. The aim of the algorithm proposed in this article is to find all zeros and poles inside a selected region without any information about the local behavior of the function f. Additionally, the method is generalized to a parametric problem with continuous solutions: f(z)→f(z;p) where p∈Rd, d∈N∪{0}. The basis of the algorithm consists of a triangulation process and an implementation of the Cauchy’s argument principle to inspect the constructed subregions. The refinement process is accompanied by an absolute value gradient ∇ln|f| analysis that significantly decreases the number of points needed to correctly identify the locations of all zeros and poles. The algorithm is presented as a hybrid class for d∈{0,1} that can be directly used to solve corresponding problems.

Guaranteed cost control for a class of composite hybrid aerial/terrestrial precise manipulator with stochastic switching payloads

AbstractThis article investigates the modeling and attitude control of a class of composite hybrid aerial/terrestrial precise manipulator (Chat‐PM) with stochastic switching payloads when attaching to a vertical surface. The dynamics of the Chat‐PM for aerial locomotion are modeled by transferring the force and moment of the end‐effector to the body based on the recursive Newton–Euler equations. Furthermore, the attitude dynamics of the Chat‐PM under the wall‐attachment condition is obtained by limiting the attitude angle/angular velocity and introducing the friction torque acting on the passive wheels for the first time. Taking into consideration the complexity of the task and the stochastic nature of environmental changes, the payload attached to the end‐effector is modeled as a continuous‐time Markov process with mode‐dependent fixed sojourn time in this study. The proposed guaranteed cost controller results in the Chat‐PM capable of stably attaching to a wall under random switching loads, while guaranteeing the quadratic performance cost with an attainable upper bound. Additionally, a convex‐optimization‐based guaranteed cost controller is proposed to optimize the performance cost in the random switching part. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed guaranteed cost controllers is demonstrated by illustrative examples.