Core Unit Research Articles

Introduction of methoxy and trifluoromethyl groups into zinc porphyrin sensitizers applications in self-assembled dye-sensitized solar cells

In this study, we have successfully constructed two novel self-assembled composites, the ZnPx-ZnPAc (x = 1,2), which based on zinc porphyrin derivatives, and applied them to the development of dye-sensitized solar cells. The upper dye of these self-assembly’s features zinc porphyrin (ZnPx) as the core unit, while two different electron donors, methoxy (P1) and trifluoromethyl (P2), are introduced to enhance their photovoltaic properties. Photoelectrochemical studies showed that the power conversion efficiency of ZnP1-ZnPAc was superior to that of ZnP2-ZnPAc because ZnP1-ZnPAc had larger Jsc and Voc, which could be attributed to the stronger electron-donating ability of methoxy than trifluoromethyl. To further validate the photoelectrochemical results, we also characterized the assembly mode by spectroscopy, theoretical calculations and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. And the measurements were consistent with the conclusions.

Embedding Cultural Knowledge in Social Work Education: Reflections from Master of Social Work Students at a Regional Australian University

Abstract Social work students (SWS) are increasingly demanding diverse curriculums and training in skills that will help them decentre whiteness as their default position of professional practice. This article reports on findings from a qualitative study exploring how Masters of SWS at a regional Australian university engaged with content delivered in a core unit with a strong focus on anti-racist, anti-oppressive practices. The unit’s structure and delivery facilitated a dialogue that compelled students, especially those from dominant cultural groups, to ‘think of and reflect on themselves as ‘raced’ rather than the invisible ‘norm’ to which all other cultural groups are compared’ (Walter et al., 2011, p. 8).The unit raised complex questions about how social services and policies unwittingly reproduce discourses of rescue and saviourism towards racially and culturally marginalised communities and how students could challenge such practices. The article’s emphasis on supporting SWS towards a triangulated trajectory reports on how experiences of cultural knowledge in the classroom are facilitated by (i) the experience (or lived expertise) of the educator, (ii) the willingness of the student to interrogate their intersectional social positioning in society and (iii) a practice framework that focuses on curiosity and humility rather than competence.

Implementation of the optometry Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health curriculum framework.

There is now an Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand (OCANZ) accreditation requirement for Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand optometry programs to ensure students can provide culturally safe care for First Nations Peoples. To assist programs, OCANZ developed the Optometry Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Curriculum Framework (Optometry Framework). The objective of this study was to evaluate early progress towards the implementation. All seven Australian optometry programs were invited to complete a modified version of the OCANZ curriculum mapping tool. Where available, online unit outlines were reviewed to verify and supplement the data. Curriculum maps were synthesised using qualitative content analysis. None of the five participating programs had a standalone Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health unit; instead, programs were integrating content into core units. Only 25% of the units with relevant content had a directly related learning outcome. All programs had at least some content that was either directly or indirectly related to each of the Optometry Framework themes, and included some content related to novice and intermediate levels of learning. Four programs had content related to entry to practice levels of learning. The average total duration of directly related content in programs (excluding clinical placements) was 18 hours. Not all programs offered an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health setting clinical placement opportunity. Directly related assessment was minimal in most programs, where the format was predominantly reflective journals or questions within written examinations. Progress has been made in implementing the Optometry Framework; however, further efforts are required. Programs need to integrate additional directly related learning outcomes, content (particularly entry to practice level learning), and assessment. Further curriculum enhancements will improve the likelihood of optometry students acquiring the necessary capabilities for providing culturally safe care.

Engineered Protein-G variants for plug-and-play applications.

We have developed a portfolio of antibody-based modules that can be prefabricated as standalone units and snapped together in plug-and-play fashion to create uniquely powerful multifunctional assemblies. The basic building blocks are derived from multiple pairs of native and modified Fab scaffolds and protein G (PG) variants engineered by phage display to introduce high pair-wise specificity. The variety of possible Fab-PG pairings provides a highly orthogonal system that can be exploited to perform challenging cell biology operations in a straightforward manner. The simplest manifestation allows multiplexed antigen detection using PG variants fused to fluorescently labeled SNAP-tags. Moreover, Fabs can be readily attached to a PG-Fc dimer module which acts as the core unit to produce plug-and-play IgG-like assemblies, and the utility can be further expanded to produce bispecific analogs using the "knobs into holes" strategy. These core PG-Fc dimer modules can be made and stored in bulk to produce off-the-shelf customized IgG entities in minutes, not days or weeks by just adding a Fab with the desired antigen specificity. In another application, the bispecific modalities form the building block for fabricating potent Bispecific T-cell Engagers (BiTEs), demonstrating their efficacy in cancer cell-killing assays. Additionally, the system can be adapted to include commercial antibodies as building blocks, greatly increasing the target space. Crystal structure analysis reveals that a few strategically positioned interactions engender the specificity between the Fab-PG variant pairs, requiring minimal changes to match the scaffolds for different possible combinations. This plug-and-play platform offers a user-friendly and versatile approach to enhance the functionality of antibody-based reagents in cell biology research.

Synthesis, molecular docking simulation, and antimicrobial activities of novel bis-heterocycles linked to piperazine and vanillin units as novel hybrid molecules via Hantzsch, Biginelli, and Michael’s reactions

Bacterial infections are a global issue, causing sickness and death, mainly in developing nations. Resistance to current medicines is a significant issue in healthcare. Overcoming the resistance problem will necessitate the development of molecules with novel modes of action that do not cross-react with existing medicines. Synthesis of new bis-heterocycles linked to the piperazine core and vanillin unit is disclosed in this regard. The target compounds were produced via the reaction of 4,4′-((piperazine-1,4-diylbis(2-oxoethane-2,1-diyl))bis(oxy))bis(3-methoxybenzaldehyde) with various reagents using the Hantzsch, Biginelli, and Michael’s reactions. All the generated compounds were tested for their antibacterial activity against a variety of bacterial strains. The antibacterial activity evaluations revealed that compound 32 has the most promising activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (19.5 ± 0.7 mm) compared to Ofloxacin (17 mm) with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) equaled to 625 µg/mL. A molecular docking investigation revealed that compound 32 had the greatest binding affinity for bacterial enoyl reductase (−36.13 ± 0.2 Kcal/mole) when compared to the co-crystallized ligand (−16.8 ± 0 Kcal/mole).

Chiral Inversion of Au40(SR)24 Nanocluster Driven by Rotation of Gold Tetrahedra in the Kekulé-like Core.

Studying the chiral characteristics and chiral inversion mechanisms of gold nanoclusters is important to promote their applications in the field of chiral catalysis and chiral recognition. Herein, we investigated the chiral inversion process of the Au40(SR)24 nanocluster and its derivatives using density functional theory calculations. The results showed that the chiral inversion process can be achieved by rotation of tetrahedra units in the gold core without breaking the Au-S bond. This work found that Au40 nanoclusters protected by different ligands have different chiral inversion mechanisms, and the difference is mainly attributable to the steric effects of the ligands. Moreover, the chiral inversion of the derivative clusters (Au34, Au28, and Au22) of the Au40 nanocluster can also be accomplished by the rotation of the Au4 tetrahedra units in the gold core. The energy barrier in the chiral inversion process of gold nanoclusters increases with the decrease of Au4 tetrahedra units in the gold core. This work identifies a chiral inversion mechanism with lower reaction energy barriers and provided a theoretical basis for the study of gold nanocluster chirality.

Experimental study on composite spherical-roof contoured-core (SRCC) sandwich panels under the V-shaped quasi-static indentation loading

The paper investigated the experimental study of composite spherical-roof contoured-core (SRCC) sandwich panels under a V-shaped quasi-static indentation (QSI) test. The carbon fiber, glass fiber, aramid fiber, hybrid carbon/aramid, and glass fiber chopped strand mat sheets were used to manufacture the composite cores, which used the hand layup and hot compression techniques. The polylactide (PLA) core was fabricated using fused deposition modelling (FDM). The V-shaped indenter had a 65° angle and was set at 1 mm/min as indentation speed in the experimental test. It was found that the maximum indentation deflection was 35.49 mm on the SRCC sandwich panel with a hybrid carbon/aramid core compared to other composite cores. Furthermore, it was localized fiber fracture, matrix damage, delamination, inwards fronds, and debonding damage mode on composite SRCC sandwich panels, which was visually shown at the central SRCC core unit cell. It is highlighted that aramid fiber and hybrid carbon/aramid materials can provide outstanding impact characteristics, which have great potential to be used as impact-resistant sandwich structures.

CORE UNITS OF COMPUTER LEXIS

This paper analyzes the core vocabulary of English computer lexis, examining the criteria for identifying central terms and describing their structure and characteristics. The core units represent the most relevant concepts in computer terminology, characterized by high frequency, ambiguity, stylistic neutrality and significant word-formation potential. The study distinguishes “first-level core units” like “user”, “computer” and “internet” that denote the most important notions; “second-level core units” like “smart” and “digital” that originated as synonyms but became independent; and “core elements” like cyber, tele and e- that started as abbreviations. Core units generate numerous morphological and syntactic innovations, often expanding or narrowing in meaning. The core lexeme “electronic” is especially productive, forming phrases representing computer trends and systems. Core elements undergo lexicalization into independent prefixes and word-forming components. While artificial intelligence is currently popular, related linguistic innovation remains limited. The core vocabulary has a complex structure with central concepts spawning many new terms through derivation and compounding. The paper examines the phenomena of synonymous attraction, functional homonymy in core elements, and the dualistic nature of computer lexis development. It provides a systematic analysis of the core English computer terminology and its word-formation capabilities.

Position control of a soft pneumatic actuator based on the pressure parameter feedback model (PPFM)

Abstract. Soft pneumatic actuators have been one of the cores of soft robotics research and play a key role in driving the development of soft robots. Due to its high degree of internal nonlinearity and unpredictable deformation caused by environmental influences, the control model established for soft robots is still a difficult problem in terms of improving accuracy. This paper proposes a new positional control method for soft pneumatic actuators that are suitable for independent 3D deformation at any position and are the core units of continuous robots. The pressure parameter feedback model (PPFM) of the airbag is obtained by adjusting the pressure input through a proportional valve, collecting the air pressure inside the airbag and obtaining the airbag expansion height. The pressure input signal is changed according to the PPFM of the airbag to control the position of the soft pneumatic actuator. A modular experimental platform is built to validate the PPFM-based control strategy, which is able to adjust the position of the end center point of the soft pneumatic actuator in space with the discussed characteristics. It is demonstrated that the theoretical model can significantly improve the stability and accuracy of the soft pneumatic actuator motion.

Band engineering in two-dimensional porphyrin- and phthalocyanine-based covalent organic frameworks: insight from molecular design

Two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (2D COFs) represent an emerging class of crystalline polymeric networks, characterized by their tunable architectures and porosity, synthetic adaptability, and interesting optical, magnetic, and electrical properties. The incorporation of porphyrin (Por) or phthalocyanine (Pc) core units into 2D COFs provides an ideal platform for exploring the relationship between the COF geometric structure and its electronic properties in the case of tetragonal symmetry. In this work, on the basis of tight-binding models and density functional theory calculations, we describe the generic types of electronic band structures that can arise in tetragonal COFs. Three tetragonal lattice symmetries are examined: the basic square lattice, the Lieb lattice, and the checkerboard lattice. The potential topological characteristics of each lattice are explored. The Por-/Pc-based COFs exhibit characteristic band dispersions that are directly linked to their lattice symmetries and the nature of the frontier molecular orbitals of their building units. We show that the band dispersions in these COFs can be tailored by choosing specific symmetries of the molecular building units and/or by modulating the relative energies of the core and linker units. These strategies can be extended to a wide array of COFs, offering an effective approach to engineering their electronic properties.

Conceptual Evolution and Paradigm Reconstruction: An Integrated Framework for International Communication

The tracing of historical origins and disciplinary trajectories enables us to reveal that international communication, as a specific manifestation of global information flow and media evolution, is primarily influenced by the interplay of three societal factors: the roots of political conflicts, the catalytic role of economic and technological developments, and the reshaping of values into distinct blocs. These factors intertwine with the awareness of external exploration across different historical periods. Traditional knowledge production in international communication has evolved along two main lines: political economy and cultural studies. These paths have given rise to three major paradigms—propaganda, global communication, and intercultural communication—each stemming from differing core units of analysis. Together, they have constructed a multifaceted interpretive framework for understanding self-identity and the relationship between self and the external world in the information age since the beginning of the 20th century. This paper argues that on the new journey in the new era, efforts should be made to weaken the attributes of hierarchical control and power conflict derived from the practices of Western industrial societies and the Cold War. In the context of an era marked by the fusion of “new subjects, new networks, new media, and new values,” there is a need to return to the original purpose of communication: the sharing of information and the collective responsibility it entails. This will enable the construction of a new paradigm driven by Chinese modernization for the exchange and mutual learning of civilizations. Such a paradigm aims to unify humanity around shared values, foster the building of a human community with a shared future, and create new forms of human advancement.

Comparative evaluation of fracture resistance and push-out bond strength of glass fiber post with composite core and single-unit post and core system luted with two different resin cements: An in vitro study

ABSTRACT Aim: The aim of the study was to compare the fracture resistance and push-out bond strength of glass fiber post (GFP) with composite core and single unit post and core system luted with two different resin cements. Methods: Sixty-four mandibular premolars were chosen as the sample for the study. Sample preparation was done, and specimens were randomly divided into two groups (n = 32) each according to the type of post used: Group I – RelyX GFP, Group II – Edelweiss post and core. They were further subdivided in two subgroups based on luting cements: subgroup A: RelyX U200 Adhesive Resin cement and subgroup B: SoloCem resin cement. Fracture resistance was measured in half of the prepared specimens by subjecting a load of 1 mm/min. The load was subjected along the long axis of the tooth at an angle of 45° until failure occurred using the universal testing machine. Half of the samples were divided into three horizontal thirds, i.e., coronal, middle, and apical, and push-out bond strength was evaluated at a rate of 0.5 mm/min. The scores were subjected to statistical analysis using independent t-test and SPSS Version 22.0. Results: Group I showed nonsignificantly better fracture resistance than Group II irrespective of type of luting agent used. Subgroup B showed nonsignificantly higher fracture resistance than subgroup A irrespective of the post used. Subgroup B was nonsignificant better push-out bond strength than Subgroup A (P < 0.05). Push-out bond strength of Group II was significantly better than Group I irrespective of the luting agent. Conclusion: Fiber post showed nonsignificantly better fracture resistance than Edelweiss post and core system. SoloCem showed nonsignificantly better fracture resistance and push-out bond strength with Edelweiss than RelyX U200.

Isomerization Engineering of Solid Additives Enables Highly Efficient Organic Solar Cells via Manipulating Molecular Stacking and Aggregation of Active Layer.

Morphology control is crucial in achieving high-performance organic solar cells (OSCs) and remains a major challenge in the field of OSC. Solid additive is an effective strategy to fine-tune morphology, however, the mechanism underlying isomeric solid additives on blend morphology and OSC performance is still vague and urgently requires further investigation. Herein, two solid additives based on pyridazine or pyrimidine as core units, M1 and M2, are designed and synthesized to explore working mechanism of the isomeric solid additives in OSCs. The smaller steric hindrance and larger dipole moment facilitate better π-π stacking and aggregation in M1-based active layer. The M1-treated all-small-molecule OSCs (ASM OSCs) obtain an impressive efficiency of 17.57%, ranking among the highest values for binary ASM OSCs, with 16.70% for M2-treated counterparts. Moreover, it is imperative to investigate whether the isomerization engineering of solid additives works in state-of-the-art polymer OSCs. M1-treated D18-Cl:PM6:L8-BO-based devices achieve an exceptional efficiency of 19.70% (certified as 19.34%), among the highest values for OSCs. The work provides deep insights into the design of solid additives and clarifies the potential working mechanism for optimizing the morphology and device performance through isomerization engineering of solid additives.

Investigation on a heat-driven thermoacoustic refrigerator with minimal complexity

Heat-driven thermoacoustic refrigerator (HDTR) emerges as a pivotal solution to global energy challenges and carbon emissions. This study introduces a simplified single-unit HDTR as a new supplement to the heat-driven thermoacoustic refrigeration process. Featuring only one simple, direct-coupled thermoacoustic energy conversion core unit, it is designed to reduce overall system complexity. Initially, the simulation model of the single-unit system is established in Sage and compared with a two-unit HDTR, indicating that reducing the number of thermoacoustic core units decreases system complexity without compromising system performance. The onset characteristics and steady-state operational characteristics of the proposed single-unit HDTR are then experimentally tested, revealing a cooling power of 895 W with a coefficient of performance (COP) of 0.43 when the ambient and cooling temperature is 25 °C and 0 °C, respectively. Notably, a minimal onset temperature difference of 61.6 °C is obtained for the single-unit HDTR. These results showcase the possible application potential for low-grade heat recovery. A comparative analysis against existing loop HDTR systems establishes its superior performance, offering a valuable reference for contemporary HDTR assessments. This study significantly advances HDTR development, emphasizing efficiency and sustainable cooling applications.

Synthesis of Unsymmetrically Condensed Benzo- and Thienotriazologermoles.

Germoles and siloles unsymmetrically condensed with heteroaromatic units are attracting much interest. In this study, compounds containing a triazologermole core unit condensed with a benzene or thiophene ring were prepared. Thienotriazologermole was subjected to bromination to obtain the bromide, which underwent transformation via the palladium-catalyzed Stille coupling reaction to form triphenylamine-substituted thienotriazolegermole, with an effective extension of conjugation. The electronic states and properties of these triazologermole derivatives are discussed on the basis of optical and electrochemical measurements and density functional theory calculations. Triphenylamine-substituted thienotriazolegermole showed clear solvatochromic properties in photoluminescence measurements, suggesting that intramolecular charge transfer occurs at the photo-excited state. This clearly indicates that the triazologermole unit is useful as an acceptor of donor-acceptor compounds. The potential application of triphenylamine-substituted thienotriazolegermole as a sensing material was also explored.

Efficiency enhancement in a heat-driven single-unit thermoacoustic refrigeration system

Heat-driven thermoacoustic cooling technology provides promising alternatives for eco-friendly refrigeration systems due to its high reliability and minimal environmental impact, meanwhile facing limited efficiency compared to current prevailing cooling technologies. The present work introduces an innovative bypass configuration in heat-driven thermoacoustic refrigeration systems aimed at enhancing the energy coupling between the engine and refrigerator, thereby enhancing system efficiency, particularly when the sources temperature is high. The acoustic power diversion mechanism of the bypass tube is firstly explored in an ideal thermoacoustic core unit through theoretical analysis. This core unit is subsequently studied in Sage platform and integrated into an actual single-stage looped traveling-wave thermoacoustic refrigeration system, respectively, and the effects of the bypass tube dimensions and operating conditions on the system are investigated. Furthermore, a comparative analysis is conducted between the proposed bypass tube-based system and the conventional bypass tube-free system, considering aspects such as system performance, key parameter distribution, and exergy loss analysis. The results demonstrate a significant efficiency enhancement, with a 68.8% increase in Coefficient of Performance (COP) and a 6.2 percentage point boost in relative Carnot efficiency compared to the system without a bypass tube. Additionally, the impact of the bypass dimensions and the DC flow introduced by the bypass tube on the system performance is further discussed at a numerical level. These findings offer valuable insights and serve as a reference for the future development of more efficient thermoacoustic refrigeration systems.

Association Between Preoperative Osteopenia and Prognosis in Breast Cancer Patients.

Osteopenia, the loss of bone mineral density (BMD), was recently reported as a prognostic factor in various cancers. However, the prognostic significance of preoperative osteopenia in breast cancer remains unclear. This study aimed to clarify the clinical significance of preoperative osteopenia in breast cancer. We retrospectively analyzed the relationship between osteopenia and clinical factors and prognosis in 532 patients with pathological Stage I-III primary breast cancer between 2009 and 2017. Osteopenia was assessed by measuring the average pixel density (Hounsfield unit) in the midvertebral core of the 11th thoracic vertebra on enhanced preoperative computed tomography. Osteopenia was diagnosed in 186 (35.0%) patients. The recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate was significantly worse in the osteopenia group than in the non-osteopenia group (p=0.0275), but there was no significant difference in overall survival (OS) between the two groups. When evaluated by menopausal status, RFS and OS were significantly worse in the osteopenia group than in the non-osteopenia group (p=0.0094 and p=0.0264, respectively) in premenopausal patients. However, there were no significant differences in RFS and OS between the two groups among postmenopausal patients. In premenopausal patients, osteopenia was an independent prognostic factor for RFS in a multivariate analysis (p=0.0266). Preoperative osteopenia was independently associated with recurrence of breast cancer.

Local Council Oversight and Executives Accountability in Amhara Region

Abstract Local councils are the core units of decentralised governments. They represent the people, and make the executive accountable. Effective council enhances the government’s legitimacy by increasing its responsiveness, inclusiveness, and representativeness. This study assessed the effectiveness of the council’s oversight over the executive in Amhara region. Three Zones, five Worerdas, and ten Kebeles were selected. Data was collected from the Woreda and Kebele council members, members of the executive, council speakers, and council standing committee members. A total of 405 council members were used to collect the survey data. Data was also collected using key-informant interviews and focus group discussions. The findings of the study revealed that the local council both at Kebele and Woreda levels less influencing the executive. Low literacy levels and party affiliation in the councils’ are the critical challenges of council oversight. Due to this, the needs and interests of the community are less represented.

Between the Hammer of Tradition and the Anvil of Occupation: Men and Masculinity in the Palestinian Occupied Territories

The current study focuses on the notion of masculinity in Palestinian culture and the challenges Palestinian civilian men face while attempting to fulfill their traditional gender-based roles within the context of occupation. The core elements of Palestinian manhood and masculinity are established through an in-depth examination of a body of proverbs that are still in circulation in Palestinian society today. Drawing on recent discussions related to masculinity, this study is the first of its kind to illustrate how proverbs contribute to the sociocultural construction of ideas on manhood and promote patriarchal views and sexist ideologies, which are harmful to men, women, and the family as the core unit of the social fabric. Through exploring the current living situation of civilian men in the occupied Palestinian territories, we aim to highlight the fact that the entrapment between the anvil of rigid traditions and the hammer of the oppressive practices of a military occupation negatively affects the wellbeing of men and often leads to displaced aggression and violence.

Synapse device based neuromorphic system for biomedical applications.

Despite holding valuable information, unstructured data pose challenges for efficient recognition due to the difficulties in feature extraction using traditional Von-Neumann architecture systems, which are limited by power and time bottlenecks. Although biological neural signals offer crucial insights, they require more effective recognition solutions due to inherent noise and the vast volumes of data. Inspired by the human brain, neuromorphic systems have emerged as promising alternatives because of their parallelism, low power consumption, and error tolerance. By leveraging deep neural networks (DNNs), these systems can recognize imprecise data through two key processes: learning (feature extraction) and testing (feature matching and recognition). During the learning phase, DNNs extract and store unique features such as weight changes in synapse units. In the testing phase, new data are compared with the stored features for recognition. The parallelization of the neuromorphic system enables the efficient processing of large, imprecise datasets with minimal energy consumption. Nevertheless, the hardware implementation is essential for determining the full potential of DNNs. This paper focuses on synapse devices, which are the core units for hardware DNN implementations, and presents a biomedical application example: a rat neural signal recognition system implemented using a synapse device-based neuromorphic system.