Core Factor Research Articles

Synergistic effect of OMMT and Ni2O3 on the flame retardancy of LLDPE/EVA composites with magnesium hydroxide

AbstractOrganically modified montmorillonite (OMMT) and Ni2O3 were simultaneously introduced into flame‐retardant linear low‐density polyethylene/ethylene‐vinyl acetate/magnesium hydroxide (LEM) composites. Compared with the LEM composite, the thermal stability, and tensile properties of LEM/ remained basically unchanged when 5 wt% of OMMT/Ni2O3 was substituted for MH. The LOI value increased a little from 27.2 to 27.7%. The data from cone calorimeter test showed that the first and second peak heat release rate was reduced by 19% and 67%, respectively. The total heat release and total smoke production showed a significant reduction by 18% and 36% after incorporation of OMMT/Ni2O3, respectively. The mechanism study indicated that the combination of OMMT/Ni2O3 cooperates promote the carbonization of the polymer itself into carbon naotubes, which form a more cohesive char layer with magnesium hydroxide during combustion. This is the core factor responsible for the synergistic effect on reducing the heat release and smoke production in the LEM composite.

Analysis of Thermal Degradation Kinetics of POM under Inert and Oxidizing Atmospheres and Combustion Characteristics with Flame Retardant Effects.

Degradation behavior of combustible fuel is the core factor in determining combustion characteristics. To investigate the effect of ambient atmosphere on the pyrolysis process of polyoxymethylene (POM), the pyrolysis mechanism of POM was studied with thermogravimetric analyzer tests and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy tests. The activation energy, reaction model, and estimated lifetime of POM pyrolysis under different kinds of ambient gases have been estimated in this paper based on different results of the kinetics. The activation energy values, obtained with different methods, were 151.0-156.6 kJ mol-1 in nitrogen and 80.9-127.3 kJ mol-1 in air. Then, based on the Criado analysis, the pyrolysis reaction models of POM in nitrogen were found to be mastered by the "n + m = 2; n = 1.5" model, and by the "A3" model in air. The optimum processing temperature for POM was estimated, with a range from 250 to 300 °C in nitrogen and from 200 to 250 °C in air. IR analysis revealed that the significant difference in POM decomposition between N2 and O2 atmospheres is the formation of isocyanate group or carbon dioxide. Combustion parameters of two POMs (with and without flame retardants) obtained using cone calorimetry revealed that flame retardants can effectively improve the ignition time, smoke release rate, and other parameters of POM. The outcomes of this study will contribute to the design, storage, and transportation of polyoxymethylene.

Construction of an Antithrombotic and Anti-Inflammatory Polyethersulfone Membrane.

In addition to being the core factor in thrombosis, thrombin is involved in various inflammatory disease responses, but few studies have examined whether and how it is involved in membrane-related inflammation. In this study, the thrombin inhibitor dabigatran is used to modify a polyethersulfone dialysis membrane. The modified membrane shows good hydrophilic properties and dialysis performance. It reduces the thrombin level in a targeted manner, thereby significantly inhibiting coagulation factor activation (based on the prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, activated partial thromboplastin time and thrombin time) and reducing the fibrinogen level and platelet adhesion. On thromboelastography, it shows excellent dynamic antithrombotic capacity. The modified membrane inhibited membrane-related inflammation by inhibiting the production of the inflammatory mediators C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) via the thrombin/complement C5a pathway. Moreover, it is found to be safe in an in vivo study. Thus, the dabigatran-modified polyethersulfone membrane may reduce dialysis-related complications through its dual antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory effects.

Penentuan Tenaga Kependidikan Berprestasi Dengan Menggunakan Metode Profile Matching


 
 
 The quality of an educational staff can be seen from the realization of the employee's work targets (SKP) which is supported by the results of the assessment that have been determined by colleagues and the leadership of the education staff itself. The determining factors are work overload which is calculated from (SKP realization value – SKP target value) + attitude behavior value. In this case, after the behavioral assessment at Udayana University is only accumulated in a simple mathematical manner, where colleagues and leaders fill out a satisfaction questionnaire and each question has an assessment, it will be accumulated and taken on average to be accumulated with excess workload. This of course can lead to inappropriate results because the things given are very subjective which results in perfect scores, but not objective, so that it is difficult for HR to determine employees who have the right attitude. Profile Matching is the process of comparing the actual data value of a profile to be assessed with the expected profile value, so that differences in competence (also called GAP) can be known. The smaller the resulting GAP, the greater the weight value. Implementation of Profile Matching on data of outstanding education personnel at Udayana University is carried out by making several aspects such as administration, leadership, and personality as core factors and secondary factors. The results of the implementation at Gambar 8 show that the use of the profile matching method for this case has been successfully implemented, in the implementation of this method it does not assume that the highest value is the best value, but demands that the ideal value used is the maximum value so that expectations do not exceed the ideal value, and changes in the weight of the criteria affect the resulting alternative decisions, so it should be noted that the filling percentage of core factor, secondary factor, and the presentage of aspect needs to be adjusted to the data conditions, to get objective results.
 
 

Which should come first? Examining diversity, equity and inclusion

PurposeThe purpose of this critical review is to address issues with the current school of thought that diversity must come before inclusion in the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) process and propose an alternate solution.Design/methodology/approachThis review takes a critical constructionist lens such that changes in social norms have morphed over time, refining the meaning and implementation of DEI initiatives in research and the workplace. This review is framed within the context of hospitality organizations.FindingsThe conflicting results in DEI research (whether DEI practices are positive or negative) are explained by diversity being the core factor. It is proposed that inclusion is the starting place and determinant of success in creating a diverse workforce. If inclusion comes first and is followed by equitable treatment, then diversity (and diverse representation) naturally follows.Research limitations/implicationsThis review offers a novel perspective on the relationship between diversity, equity and inclusion, which was previously ambiguous. Research rarely includes all three as variables in the past, and does not use diversity as an outcome, but rather as a starting point.Originality/valueThis research suggests that unless an organization begins with an inclusive climate, there will be no benefit to having diverse candidates, nor will there be long-term retention of a diverse staff. It is recommended to begin with inclusion, implement equitable practices and diversity will increase through the enacted and espoused values.

Sistem Pendukung Keputusan Rekrutmen Karyawan Baru Menggunakan Metode Profile Matching Berbasis Web

Recruitment is the main task of the human resources department to find qualified candidates for open positions in a company or organization. The problem that is often faced by companies during recruitment is the difficulty in determining applicants who meet the criteria. A decision support system is defined as a system that helps a manager's work to overcome problems by providing data for selected decisions. The decision support system has a decision support method that is the profile matching method.The results of research that has carried out the profile matching method for recruiting new employees are carried out by comparing the input value with the company's target value so that the difference in GAP can be known. Then weighting is carried out on each aspect of the existing criteria after the GAP value is known. To determine the total value, the core factor and secondary factor are grouped based on the weighting results. With the results of the total value then ranking is carried out to obtain the final result.

Coupling coefficient analysis of composite bar: A new idea for the design of multi-resonant longitudinal transducer

Multi-resonant longitudinal transducers are widely used in sonar technology by exciting multiple resonant modes to extend the operating bandwidth. However, the existing design methods of multi-resonant longitudinal transducers lack unified and effective theoretical guidance, and usually require extensive parameter searches and calculations, so it is not universal and difficult to popularize. Based on the one-dimensional longitudinal vibration theory, the mode analysis and harmonic analysis of the single piezoelectric bar and the composite bar are carried out, and the physical mechanism of the modes not being excited is revealed. Then, starting with the original definition of electromechanical coupling coefficient, the effective coupling coefficients of the composite bar at different resonant modes are given. Finally, a method to adjust the relative strength of resonant modes is proposed based on the relationship between dynamic conductance and effective coupling coefficient. In this paper, electromechanical coupling coefficient is taken as the core factor of transducer design, which holds the key point and provides a new idea for the design of multi-resonant longitudinal broadband transducers.

Research on the Service Quality Improvement of Guilin Homestay Based on Online Bad Reviews

In the era of digital economy, customer online reviews are an important basis for measuring the service quality of homestays and a keyfactor influencingfuture consumer decisions. Taking Guilin homestay as an example, we collected online bad review texts on Ctrip.com, coded the content of online bad reviews in layers by applying the grounded theory method, and sorted out and summarized the model offactors influencing the service quality of Guilin homestay. The results show that among the main factors causing customer dissatisfaction, operation service is the core factor, facilities and equipment is the key factor, transportation location is the basic factor, and safety and hygiene is the guarantee factor. Based on this, countermeasure suggestions such as improving infrastructure, implementing standardized management, and attaching importance to tourism experience are proposed at both government and homestay levels in order to improve the service quality of Guilin homestay and help Guilin build into a world-class tourism city.

Notch and Wnt Signaling Modulation to Enhance DPSC Stemness and Therapeutic Potential.

The Dental Pulp of permanent human teeth is home to stem cells with remarkable multilineage differentiation ability: human Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSCs). These cells display a very notorious expression of pluripotency core factors, and the ability to give rise to mature cell lineages belonging to the three embryonic layers. For these reasons, several researchers in the field have long considered human DPSCs as pluripotent-like cells. Notably, some signaling pathways such as Notch and Wnt contribute to maintaining the stemness of these cells through a complex network involving metabolic and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms. The use of recombinant proteins and selective pharmacological modulators of Notch and Wnt pathways, together with serum-free media and appropriate scaffolds that allow the maintenance of the non-differentiated state of hDPSC cultures could be an interesting approach to optimize the potency of these stem cells, without a need for genetic modification. In this review, we describe and integrate findings that shed light on the mechanisms responsible for stemness maintenance of hDPSCs, and how these are regulated by Notch/Wnt activation, drawing some interesting parallelisms with pluripotent stem cells. We summarize previous work on the stem cell field that includes interactions between epigenetics, metabolic regulations, and pluripotency core factor expression in hDPSCs and other stem cell types.

Constructing models for training, career practice for students in early teacher training between training institutions and kindling schools

Developing professional capacity for students in Early Childhood Education is a core factor contributing to improving the quality of preschool teacher training of pedagogical institutions. Practical activities, professional training to develop professional capacity for preschool teacher students should be carried out according to plans, organized closely and scientifically in pedagogical institutions and well-coordinated with preschools. The article presents measures to build a model of linkage between these two coordinators in the formation and development of professional capacity for students to meet the professional standards of preschool teachers and social needs on reforming early childhood education.

Keloid Core Factor CTRP3 Overexpression Significantly Controlled TGF-β1-Induced Propagation and Migration in Keloid Fibroblasts.

Keloid is a type of benign fibrous proliferative tumor characterized by excessive scarring. C1q/TNF-related protein 3 (CTRP3) has been proven to possess antifibrotic effect. Here, we explored the role of CTRP3 in keloid. In the current research, we examined the influence of CTRP3 on keloid fibroblasts (KFs) and investigated the potential molecular mechanism. KF tissue specimens and adjacent normal fibroblast (NF) tissues were collected cultured from 10 keloid participants. For the TGF-β1 stimulation group, KFs were processed with human recombinant TGF-β1. Cell transfection of pcDNA3.1-CTRP3 or pcDNA3.1 was performed. The siRNA of CTRP3 (si-CTRP3) or negative control siRNA (si-scramble) was transfected into KFs. CTRP3 was downregulated in keloid tissues and KFs. CTRP3 overexpression significantly controlled TGF-β1-induced propagation and migration in KFs. Col I, α-SMA, and fibronectin mRNA and protein levels were enhanced by TGF-β1 stimulation, whereas they were inhibited by CTRP3 overexpression. In contrast, CTRP3 knockdown exhibited the opposite effect. In addition, CTRP3 attenuated TGF-β receptors TRI and TRII in TGF-β1-induced KFs. Furthermore, CTRP3 prevented TGF-β1-stimulated nuclear translocation of smad2 and smad3 and suppressed the expression levels of p-smad2 and p-smad3 in KFs. CTRP3 exerted an antifibrotic role through inhibiting proliferation, migration, and ECM accumulation of KFs via regulating TGF-β1/Smad signal path.

Multi-focus image fusion based on gradient tensor HOSVD

Multi-focus image fusion is the process of fusing images of the same scene with different focus ranges. However, pixel misclassification and artifacts caused by noise have been unavoidable problems in fusion methods. To overcome this problem, we propose gradient tensor high-order singular value decomposition (HOSVD) to fuse multi-focus images. The eight-direction Sobel gradient operator is used to obtain second-order gradients in different directions. Tensor-based information processing can effectively represent high-dimensional information and extract structural information from multi-focus images. Therefore, second-order gradient matrices of different images are formed into tensors. The gradient tensor of the images is transformed by HOSVD to obtain the core tensor and factor matrixes. The images are better represented by multiplying the core tensor with the factor matrix corresponding to the direction of the image. In the core tensor, the larger singular values represent basic information and the small singular values high-frequency information. The noise generally belongs to high-frequency information, so we select the larger singular values in the core tensor as activity level variables of the image to reduce noise. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed fusion method can effectively reduce noise effects and achieve state-of-the-art fusion performance in both objective metrics and visual quality.

Board authority culture, cultural diversity and corporate innovation

ABSTRACT Culture is the core factor of corporate innovation, and board culture is the core embodiment of cultural factors in corporate governance. Board culture will have an important impact on corporate innovation, So what kind of board culture can Chinese boards build to better contribute to corporate innovation? Based on this core issue, this paper empirically explores the relationship between board authority culture, board cultural diversity and corporate innovation from the unique perspective of board culture. The results show that board authority culture is negatively related to corporate innovation; board cultural diversity can negatively regulate the relationship between board authority culture and corporate innovation, that is, the construction of diverse board culture of the Chinese board is more conducive to corporate innovation. The main reason why board authority culture inhibits corporate innovation is that board authority culture has obedience effect and inhibits corporate innovation through the path of increasing agency costs and weakening management risk preferences. Further research finds that the negative moderating effect of board culture diversity on the relationship between board authority culture and corporate innovation is more effective when the chairman has the highest authority directorship and has reputation authority but not political resource authority and organisation authority.

Design and testing of multischeme horizontal joints for prefabricated two-walls-in-one diaphragm wall

There are obvious technical defects and resource wastage related to cast-in-situ diaphragm walls. To overcome these problems, this study presents a novel prefabricated two-walls-in-one diaphragm wall (PTDW) and a horizontal joint design method. First, full-scale experiments on multischeme PTDW horizontal joints and prefabricated walls were conducted. Second, a design method for PTDW horizontal joints was developed. Finally, the key design parameters for the joints were determined through a parametric analysis. The main conclusions are as follows. First, the mechanical properties of the welded joint (WJ) were better than the prefabricated wall. Bolted joints and grouted joints (BJ and GJ) may be damaged before the prefabricated walls. Second, the proposed design method promoted an excellent performance of WJ far superior to that of the BJ and GJ. Third, one compressive interface is the core factor and most efficient for the joints' bending resistance. Small-tenon joints with a maximized compressive interface achieved maximum performance. Finally, fasteners are the core factors of the joints' bearing capacity and stiffness properties. Therefore, WJ are recommended to easily form a rigid joint with a small-tenon scheme. This study provides a parameterized joint design method, which has high application value for green construction.

Intrinsically disordered proteins SAID1/2 condensate on SERRATE for dual inhibition of miRNA biogenesis in Arabidopsis

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) SAID1/2 are hypothetic dentin sialophosphoprotein-like proteins, but their true functions are unknown. Here, we identified SAID1/2 as negative regulators of SERRATE (SE), a core factor in miRNA biogenesis complex (microprocessor). Loss-of-function double mutants of said1; said2 caused pleiotropic developmental defects and thousands of differentially expressed genes that partially overlapped with those in se. said1; said2 also displayed increased assembly of microprocessor and elevated accumulation of microRNAs (miRNAs). Mechanistically, SAID1/2 promote pre-mRNA processing 4 kinase A-mediated phosphorylation of SE, causing its degradation invivo. Unexpectedly, SAID1/2 have strong binding affinity to hairpin-structured pri-miRNAs and can sequester them from SE. Moreover, SAID1/2 directly inhibit pri-miRNA processing by microprocessor invitro. Whereas SAID1/2 did not impact SE subcellular compartmentation, the proteins themselves exhibited liquid-liquid phase condensation that is nucleated on SE. Thus, we propose that SAID1/2 reduce miRNA production through hijacking pri-miRNAs to prevent microprocessor activity while promoting SE phosphorylation and its destabilization in Arabidopsis.

Predicting Risks for Supply Chain Management Networks with Machine Learning Algorithm

Predicting risk in supply chain management networks has been interested by many researchers because supply chain management can be seen as a core factor of businesses activities. Using machine learning algorithm, especially with Bayesian networks, to predict risk in supply chain management network can help to control and monitor the supply chain process in particular in the second step of identification. If the supply chain risk is effectively evaluated, it can support supply chain partners to assess, identify, monitor, and mitigate risks in order to increase robustness and resilience, reduce supply chain vulnerabilities, ensuring continuity and profitability. The Bayesian network have advantage of optimization in explosion dataset based on treating the weights and outputs which find their marginal distributions that best fit the data. The contribution of the paper focuses on summarize the applying of machine learning algorithms in predicting in supply chain management field, proposing supply chain management risk framework in which machine learning algorithms are applied, and demonstrate the case study to show the advantage of using machine learning algorithm in particular of Bayesian networks in risk prediction. The experimental case study shows the good results with the risk model. This implicates the performance of using machine learning in predicting risk in support supply chain management networks.

New insights into the oxidative damage and antioxidant defense mechanism in Manila clams (Ruditapes philippinarum) exposed to 8:2 polyfluoroalkyl phosphate diester stress

8:2 perfluoroalkyl phosphate diester (8:2 diPAP) is the main precursor of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids, and it has been detected in a wide range of environments. In this study, conventional biochemical and histopathological analyses and transcriptome methods were used to investigate the accumulation and oxidative stress of 8:2 diPAP in Manila clams (Ruditapes philippinarum) as well as the clam's defense mechanisms for the first time. The hepatopancreas was the main target organ for 8:2 diPAP accumulation; the concentration reached 484.0 ± 15.5 ng/g after 7 days of exposure to 10 μg/L of 8:2 diPAP, which was 2–100 times higher than that found in other organs. 8:2 diPAP accumulation resulted in significant lipid peroxidation, and the change in malondialdehyde content was highly correlated with 8:2 diPAP accumulation (r > 0.8). The antioxidant enzymes catalase and peroxidase were significantly activated at 7 days of exposure. Although the levels subsequently returned to normal, this restoration was unable to prevent damage. Histopathological analysis showed that 8:2 diPAP exposure resulted in inflammatory damage to the hepatopancreas, which failed to resolve during the recovery period. Transcriptomic analyses showed that the expression of differentially expressed genes had different degrees of positive/negative correlation with antioxidant indicators, and they were significantly enriched in cell death regulatory pathways such as autophagy, apoptosis, and necrosis. The core factor expression results indicated that 8:2 diPAP exposure induced activation of the organismal autophagy factor followed by a shift towards apoptosis. In addition, pathways related to amino acid metabolism and energy metabolism were involved in determining the cell fate of Manila clams. Overall, these results indicated that 8:2 diPAP induced peroxidation of membrane lipids, disturbed physiological processes, and ultimately initiated programmed cell death in Manila clams. The findings of this study provide new insights into the mechanism of toxicity of 8:2 diPAP exposure in marine bivalves.

Laser Radar Data Registration Algorithm Based on DBSCAN Clustering

At present, the core of lidar data registration algorithms depends on search correspondence, which has become the core factor limiting the performance of this kind of algorithm. For point-based algorithms, the data coincidence rate is too low, and for line-based algorithms, the method of searching the correspondence is too complex and unstable. In this paper, a laser radar data registration algorithm based on DBSCAN (Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise) clustering is proposed, which avoids the search and establishment of the corresponding relationship. Firstly, a ring band filter is designed to process the outliers with noise in a point cloud. Then, the adaptive threshold is used to extract the line segment features in the laser radar point cloud. For the point cloud to be registered, a DBSCAN density clustering algorithm is used to obtain the key clusters of the rotation angle and translation matrix. In order to evaluate the similarity of the two frames of the point cloud in the key clusters after data registration, a kernel density estimation method is proposed to describe the registered point cloud, and K-L divergence is used to find the optimal value in the key clusters. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm avoids the direct search of the correspondence between points or lines in complex scenes with many outliers in laser point clouds, which can effectively improve the robustness of the algorithm and suppress the influence of outliers on the algorithm. The relative error between the registration result and the actual value is within 10%, and the accuracy is better than the ICP algorithm.

FOUR LIPS plays a role in meristemoid-to-GMC fate transition during stomatal development in Arabidopsis.

Meristemoids, which are stomatal precursor cells, exhibit self-renewal and differentiation abilities. However, the only known core factor associated with meristemoid division termination and fate transition is the heterodimer formed by the basic helix-loop-helix proteins MUTE and SCREAMs (SCRMs). FOUR LIPS (FLP), a well-known transcription factor that restricts guard mother cell (GMC) division, is a direct target of MUTE. Whether FLP involves in meristemoid differentiation is unknown. Through sensitized genetic screening of flp-1, we identified a mute-like (mutl) mutant with arrested meristemoids. The mutant carried a novel allele of the MUTE locus, i.e., mute-4. Intriguingly, mute-4 is a hypomorphic allele that exhibits wild-type appearance with slightly delayed meristemoid-to-GMC transition, whereas it renders an unexpected mutl epidermis with most meristemoids arrested and very few stomata when combined with flp (flp mute-4), suggesting that FLP is a positive regulator during this transition process. Consistently, the expression of FLP increased during GMC commitment, and the number of cells at this stage was markedly increased in flp. flp scrm double mutants produced arrested meristemoids similar to mute, and FLP was able to interact physically with SCRM. Taken together, our results demonstrate that FLP functions together with MUTE and SCRMs to direct meristemoid-to-GMC fate transition.

Predictors and moderators of COVID-19 pandemic fatigue in Hong Kong

BackgroundAnti-pandemic fatigue has inevitably set in owing to the high intensity and prolonged presence of pandemic preventive measures. Globally, COVID-19 remains severe; however, pandemic fatigue may lead to less efficient viral control. MethodsA total of 803 participants residing in Hong Kong interviewed via telephone using a structured questionnaire. Linear regression was employed to test the corelates of anti-pandemic fatigue and the moderators that could potentially impact the appearance of fatigue. ResultsWhen confounding effects of demographic factors (e.g., age, gender, educational attainment, and economic activity status) were avoided, daily hassles were found to be a core factor associated with anti-pandemic fatigue (B =0.369, SE =0.049, p = 0.000). For people with a higher level of pandemic-related knowledge and fewer obstacles brought about by preventive measures, the impact of daily hassles on pandemic fatigue weakened. Moreover, when pandemic-related knowledge was high, there was no positive association between adherence and fatigue. ConclusionsThis study confirms that daily hassles can lead to anti-pandemic fatigue, which can be mitigated by improving the general public’s understanding of the virus and developing more convenient measures.