Desirable Characteristics Research Articles

Recent Advances in Biomedical Nanotechnology Related to Natural Products.

Natural product processing via nanotechnology has opened the door to innovative and significant applications in medical fields. On one hand, plants-derived bioactive ingredients such as phenols, pentacyclic triterpenes and flavonoids exhibit significant pharmacological activities, on another hand, most of them are hydrophobic in nature, posing challenges to their use. To overcome this issue, nanoencapsulation technology is employed to encapsulate these lipophilic compounds and enhance their bioavailability. In this regard, various nano-sized vehicles, including degradable functional polymer organic compounds, mesoporous silicon or carbon materials, offer superior stability and retention for bioactive ingredients against decomposition and loss during delivery as well as sustained release. On the other hand, some naturally occurring polymers, lipids and even microorganisms, which constitute a significant portion of Earth's biomass, show promising potential for biomedical applications as well. Through nano-processing, these natural products can be developed into nano-delivery systems with desirable characteristics for encapsulation a wide range of bioactive components and therapeutic agents, facilitating in vivo drug transport. Beyond the presentation of the most recent nanoencapsulation and nano-processing advancements with formulations mainly based on natural products, this review emphasizes the importance of their physicochemical properties at the nanoscale and their potential in disease therapy.

Review Article] How to Improve the Human Mindset

Modern societies are challenged by a range of problems; most, if not all, are aggravated by the way people behave. Our minds are shaped by the combined effect of genes and environment. Of these two, the only practical option for modifying behavior is to adjust the impact of the environment. All communities try to mold their members; thus, the question is not _whether_ we should attempt to form the brains of future generations, but _how_ to optimize the outcome. In this review, I discuss desirable features, brain plasticity, and strategies for enhancing society by tweaking the mindset, and thus the behavioral propensities, of the population.

Sensory–Motor Loop Adaptation in Boolean Network Robots

Recent technological advances have made it possible to produce tiny robots equipped with simple sensors and effectors. Micro-robots are particularly suitable for scenarios such as exploration of hostile environments, and emergency intervention, e.g., in areas subject to earthquakes or fires. A crucial desirable feature of such a robot is the capability of adapting to the specific environment in which it has to operate. Given the limited computational capabilities of a micro-robot, this property cannot be achieved by complicated software but it rather should come from the flexibility of simple control mechanisms, such as the sensory–motor loop. In this work, we explore the possibility of equipping simple robots controlled by Boolean networks with the capability of modulating their sensory–motor loop such that their behavior adapts to the incumbent environmental conditions. This study builds upon the cybernetic concept of homeostasis, which is the property of maintaining essential parameters inside vital ranges, and analyzes the performance of adaptive mechanisms intervening in the sensory–motor loop. In particular, we focus on the possibility of maneuvering the robot’s effectors such that both their connections to network nodes and environmental features can be adapted. As the actions the robot takes have a feedback effect to its sensors mediated by the environment, this mechanism makes it possible to tune the sensory–motor loop, which, in turn, determines the robot’s behavior. We study this general setting in simulation and assess to what extent this mechanism can sustain the homeostasis of the robot. Our results show that controllers made of random Boolean networks in critical and chaotic regimes can be tuned such that their homeostasis in different environments is kept. This outcome is a step towards the design and deployment of controllers for micro-robots able to adapt to different environments.

A Five-Step Framework for Creating Forests for the Future

Changing environmental conditions, disturbances, and escalating demands for forest ecosystem services require foresters to restore present forestlands with new forest generations that will exhibit ecological integrity, diversity, high adaptive capacity, and the ability to provide essential ecosystem services. Establishing such forests requires careful consideration of the forest landscape and site dynamics. In pursuit of these requirements, we developed a novel framework that enables the restoration of forest sites and promotes the desired features of the forest complex at the same time. This framework was designed with the methods of system engineering and was organized in the same way as the forest planning process. It was tested in the habitat type of Illyrian Fagus sylvatica forests belonging to the Natura 2000 network. The environmental, vegetation, and site conditions were investigated via field inspections, available forest management plans, and simple GIS analyses. Additionally, we established a seminatural stand composed of European beech, sessile oak, sycamore maple, silver fir, and some wild fruit tree species. The survival of planted species was assessed using census and simple random sampling, the performance of provenances by the Student’s test, while microhabitat factors were explored by a one-way ANOVA. The survival rate of key species was estimated to be 55.6%, while that of fruit species was estimated to be 94.5%. Our framework demonstrated satisfactory performance and contained sufficient benchmarks to facilitate consistent decision-making. In the discussion, we elucidate the framework’s primary features and attributes of the mixed stand, where we also expose some open issues to be addressed in the future.

Multispectral metal-based electro-optical metadevices with infrared reversible tunability and microwave scattering reduction

Abstract The demand for advanced camouflage technology is increasing in modern military warfare. Multispectral compatibility and adaptive capabilities are increasingly desired features in camouflage materials. However, due to the strong wavelength dependence and limited tunability of electromagnetic wave responses, achieving simultaneous multispectral compatibility and adaptive capability in a single structure or device remains a challenge. By integrating coding metamaterials with infrared (IR) electrochromic devices, we demonstrate a highly integrated multispectral metal-based electro-optical metadevice. The fabricated metadevices enable the reversible tunability of IR emissivity (0.58 at 3–5 µm, 0.50 at 7.5–13 µm) and wideband microwave scattering reduction (>10 dB at 10–20 GHz). The excellent integration performance is attributed to the remarkable electromagnetic control capabilities of the coding metamaterials in a chessboard-like configuration and the IR electrochromic devices based on metal reversible electrodeposition. Furthermore, the monolithic integrated design with shared barium fluoride substrate and electrodes allows the metadevices to have a simple architecture, and the careful design avoids coupling between functions. Our approach is general enough for the design of various electrochromic devices and metamaterials for multispectral camouflage, offering valuable insights for the development of advanced adaptive multispectral camouflage systems.

Evaluation of usability and user feedback to guide telepharmacy application development in Indonesia: a mixed-methods study

BackgroundIn Indonesia, the adoption of telepharmacy was propelled by the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting the need for a user-friendly application to support both the general population and pharmacists in accessing healthcare services. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate usability and user feedback of a pioneering telepharmacy application known as Tanya Obat (translating to “Ask about Medications”) in Indonesia, from the perspectives of the general population and pharmacists.MethodsA mixed-methods sequential study was conducted with the early-stage Tanya Obat application in Bandung City. Participants, including the general population and pharmacists, were instructed to use the application for a week. Questionnaires for the general population and pharmacists were distributed from March to May and February to June 2023, respectively. The System Usability Scale questionnaire was adopted to describe usability of the developed application. Further exploration of the quantitative results required collecting open-ended feedback to assess the impressions of the participants, difficulties encountered, and desired features for enhanced user-friendliness. The collected statements were summarized and clustered using thematic analysis. Subsequently, the association between the characteristics of participants and perceived usability was determined with the Chi-square test.ResultA total of 176 participants, comprising 100 individuals from the general population and 76 pharmacists, engaged in this study. In terms of usability, the questionnaire showed that Tanya Obat application was on the borderline of acceptability, with mean scores of 63.4 and 64.1 from the general population and pharmacists, respectively. Additionally, open-ended feedback targeted at achieving a more compelling user experience was categorized into two themes, including concerns regarding the functionality of certain features and recommendations for improved visual aesthetics and bug fixes. No significant associations were observed between the characteristics of participants and perceived usability (p-value > 0.05).ConclusionThe results showed that the perceived usability of Tanya Obat developed for telepharmacy was below average. Therefore, feature optimizations should be performed to facilitate usability of this application in Indonesia.

On the use of elliptic PDEs for the parameterisation of planar multipatch domains

AbstractThis paper presents a parameterisation framework based on (inverted) elliptic PDEs for addressing the planar parameterisation problem of finding a valid description of the domain’s interior given no more than a spline-based description of its boundary contours. The framework is geared towards isogeometric analysis (IGA) applications wherein the physical domain is comprised of more than four sides, hence requiring more than one patch. We adopt the concept of harmonic maps and propose several PDE-based problem formulations capable of finding a valid map between a convex parametric multipatch domain and the piecewise-smooth physical domain with an equal number of sides. In line with the isoparametric paradigm of IGA, we treat the parameterisation problem using techniques that are characteristic for the analysis step. As such, this study proposes several IGA-based numerical algorithms for the problem’s governing equations that can be effortlessly integrated into a well-developed IGA software suite. We augment the framework with mechanisms that enable controlling the parametric properties of the outcome. Parametric control is accomplished by, among other techniques, the introduction of a curvilinear coordinate system in the convex parametric domain, for which more general elliptic PDEs are adopted. Depending on the application, parametric control allows for building desired features into the computed map, such as homogeneous cell sizes or boundary layers.

UX Design for an E-commerce Application: A Design Thinking Perspective

The development of e-commerce applications has revolutionized the way people conduct business, but challenges still exist in designing applications that align with user needs and expectations. This study aims to document the design-thinking (DT) approach used in the development of a customized e-commerce application based on the user's perspective, with the goal of extracting the user experience of traditional commerce processes to identify its features. In this study, we focused on the first four phases of DT, which include empathize, define, ideate, and prototype, to gather insights and understand the experiences, needs, pain points, and solutions of the local producers. The data gathered from interviews and observations was subjected to content analysis to identify patterns and themes related to desired features. After analysis, the researchers identified key app features, including integrating data analytics for product performance and demand forecasting, introducing a peer-vendor marketplace, a vendor-managed inventory management system, and a product verification system for authenticity. A mockup prototype design was created and presented to users for feedback. The study highlights the importance of user perspectives in e-commerce app design and the value of design thinking in creating a customized user experience that aligns with user needs.

Understanding Media Consumption Habits of Gen Z in Metaverse and Virtual Reality Project

Generation Z, born amidst the digital revolution, navigates a media landscape vastly different from previous generations. Their unique habits, characterized by mobile-first content, community-driven engagement, and a preference for short-form, interactive experiences, present both challenges and opportunities for emerging technologies like the Metaverse and Virtual Reality (VR). This research embarks on an exploratory journey, delving into the nexus between Gen Z's media consumption patterns and their potential adoption of these immersive realities. Through a mixed-methods approach, the research will analyze how Gen Z's digital media preferences, ranging from short-form video platforms to online communities, influence their perception and potential engagement with the Metaverse and VR. In-depth interviews and focus groups will uncover their desired features and functionalities within these virtual environments, ensuring alignment with their existing media consumption habits. Additionally, content analysis of online forums and social media discussions will provide valuable insights into their concerns and expectations surrounding these new frontiers. By understanding the interplay between Gen Z's media consumption and their potential engagement with the Metaverse and VR, this research aims to achieve several key objectives. Firstly, it seeks to identify the potential influence of their media habits on their willingness to adopt these technologies. Secondly, it aims to explore their desired functionalities and the types of content they envision within these virtual spaces. Furthermore, the research strives to investigate the role of online communities and influencers in shaping their attitudes and decisions regarding the Metaverse and VR. Finally, it seeks to address the potential risks and ethical considerations associated with Gen Z's participation in these immersive realities, aiming to pave the way for a more inclusive and responsible digital future.

Metal-organic framework/MXene nanohybrid composites as an emerging electrochemical sensing platform for food safety and biomedical monitoring: From synthesis to application

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are created through the self-assembly process of metal ions or clusters with organic linkers. These materials have attracted important interest owing to their advantageous features, comprising abundant pore structures, ultrahigh porosity, and well-exposed active sites. However, some traditional MOFs have limitations in terms of low stability and conductivity. Despite significant endeavors to enhance the stability of MOF materials, limited advancement has prompted researchers to concentrate on the development of hybrid materials. MXenes, a group of 2D transition-metal compounds comprising nitrides, carbides, and carbonitrides, are recognized for their diverse composition and their ability to form various buildings with rich surface chemistry. The hybridization of MOFs with functional MXene layered could be advantageous if the host structure offers suitable interactions to enhance and stabilize the desired features. Current research has concentrated on incorporating MXenes and MOFs to generate nanohybrid materials with boosted electrochemical features, thus broadening the scope for new applications. This review explores potential design approaches for MXene@MOF nanohybrids, the tunable characteristics of the resulting hybrids, and their use in electrochemical sensing platforms for food safety and biomedical monitoring. Finally, the authors discuss the challenges and future opportunities of MOF@MXene-derived nanocomposites.

Learning about labor markets

We study a general equilibrium model of the labor market in which agents slowly learn about their suitability for jobs. Our model reproduces desirable features of the data, many of which standard models fail to replicate. We explore how, in such an environment, asymmetric information can lead to substantial misallocation. We calibrate our model to US data and quantify the welfare loss arising from misallocation due to informational frictions. The tractability of the model allows us to explore the responsiveness of wages and employment to an aggregate shock. We find that wage rigidity arises endogenously because of protracted learning, and in line with the data, the model is able to generate a larger and more persistent employment response.

Integrating regular expressions into neural networks for relation extraction

Relation extraction aims to identify semantic relationships between entities from the given sentences. The development of deep learning prompts a variety of neural-based relation extraction models. These models can learn features from sentences automatically, but controlling their learned patterns is equally difficult. Therefore, it is hard to take steps to improve their performance further. A possible way to modify the models is by utilizing human-defined rules to introduce rule-based knowledge and guiding the models to capture the desired features based on human intent. As an efficient human knowledge, regular expression (RE) is helpful in extracting particular targets from text, which is also logical and interpretable. A novel embedding method is proposed to transform REs into learnable representations available to neural networks (NNs). Then, the rule-based representations are investigated to be integrated into different levels of NNs. Three representative relation extraction models based on recurrent neural network (RNN), convolutional neural network (CNN), and Transformer encoder, respectively, are selected as baselines to incorporate our rule-based representations. The experimental results show that the models with rule-based information outperform their original ones on the F1-score by 3.75%, 4.06%, and 2.57%, and the identification accuracy of complex samples is also significantly improved, verifying the effectiveness of our approaches. Our work is easy to reproduce and can be generally applied to various neural networks, proving that data-driven relation extraction methods can take advantage of the rule-based knowledge provided by Res

Sonocatalysis: Eco-design strategy for developing novel inorganic sonogels for the conservation of stone heritage

Products designed to form continuous inorganic networks from alkoxysilanes frequently include organic solvents because of the necessity to turning the precursors miscible with water and because dilution is required for certain applications. Thus, there is a demand for efficient mixtures employing eco-design strategies. This study explores the feasibility of sonocatalysis to prepare homogeneous mixtures with water to initiate sol-gel reactions and as the dilution agent. The approach allowed to design and prepare viable mixtures with unique tetraethoxysilane(TEOS):H2O ratios (1:4 to 1:32). By managing the ultrasonic irradiation parameters, it was possible to formulate mixtures with high degree of hydrolysis, appropriate condensation ratios, and capable to create sonogel materials containing other desired features for stone conservation. The water content manages the gelling times and gel deposition rates through a dilution effect, which might be useful to minimize undesirable side effects of conservation treatments, such as excessive pore occlusion. For instance, a TEOS:H2O ratio of 1:32 results in a very low gel deposition rate.Furthermore, the applicability and efficacy of successful mixtures was preliminary assessed, and it was demonstrated that the resulting inorganic networks, primarily composed of SiOSi bonds, can enhance the hardness and surface resistance of soft stones. This potential strengthening effect improves gradually with increasing TEOS:H2O ratios. The mixtures deserve further studies aimed at enhancing understanding of their consolidation characteristics.The advances achieved also opens the door for producing innovative dual-role hybrid inorganic-organic sonogels that can be used for materials protection and surface consolidation.

An Improved Algebraic Structure of Nonlinear Dynamical Systems

A substitution box is regarded as an eminent source of nonlinearity and perplexity in most of the block ciphers. In this work, we propose that the involvement of a local ring has a favorable influence on the highly desirable features of this nonlinear cryptographic system. We deploy the unit group of a local ring by considering its correspondence with the Galois field and design an algorithm that utilizes the algebraic properties of the local ring [Formula: see text], to synthesize a highly efficient S-box.

A Neuroinclusive School Model: Focus on the School, Not on the Child

ABSTRACT Inclusive education involves adapting schools upfront to the needs of students with diverse profiles to enable them to fulfill their potential and develop a sense of belonging to their schools. This study aimed to design a model that clarifies the features of school occupations and environments that support the participation and well-being of autistic students and their peers. A research-design approach was used to develop the model. Through the iterative and collaborative process, it came out as necessary for the model to target a larger diversity of students, especially those who are neurodivergent. The model includes nine desirable features of school environments and occupations that support the meaningful participation and the well-being of neurodivergent students. The importance for people in the social environment to celebrate neurodiversity, and to provide safe and caring spaces, came out as particularly critical. The model also provides indications relating to the physical environment (e.g. being free from excessive stimuli) and to the desired features of activities (e.g. harnessing passions and strengths, offering various options). It invites collaboration between stakeholders to create more welcoming schools for neurodivergent students and their peers.

Multifunctional platform for future applications in cell and tissue engineering based on silicate phosphate hydroxyapatite co-doped with Li+, Eu3+ and Gd3+ ions

Although hydroxyapatite has established itself as a promising biomaterial for the simultaneous diagnosis and treatment of bone defects, several physicochemical properties can be further refined to achieve a specialized theranostic platform for cell and tissue engineering. In this context, we synthesized silicate-substituted hydroxyapatites co-doped with Li+, Eu3+, and Gd3+ ions (abbr. as Si-HAp-LEG) using a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. The aim was to create a combination of dopants to stimulate bone regeneration (Li+ ion) while enabling bioimaging (Eu3+ and Gd3+ ions). Structural and morphological assessments included, e.g., XRPD (X-ray Powder Diffraction), HR-TEM (High-resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy) imaging, and BET (Brauner-Emmet-Teller) analysis. Unit-cell parameters were estimated via Rietveld refinement. The luminescence properties (emission, excitation spectra, and emission kinetics) were recorded depending on the varying Li+-ion concentration. The cytocompatibility of biomaterials was tested using hBMSCs (multipotent human bone-marrow mesenchymal stromal cells). In vitro assays evaluated biomaterials’ effects on morphology, metabolic activity (Alamar blue assay), and transcriptomic activity (RT-qPCR). The results indicate that co-doping with Li+, Eu3+, and Gd3+ ions introduces distortions while preserving the crystal structure of hydroxyapatite. Additionally, the cells maintained proper morphology and ultrastructure, internalizing biomaterials without significant cytotoxicity. The biomaterials also triggered the expression of key transcriptional factors. Si-HAp-LEG biomaterials, particularly LEG-222 and LEG-221, exhibit desired physicochemical and biological features, rendering them highly bioactive and promising for cell and tissue engineering applications.

Spin-Coating Fabrication Method of PDMS/NdFeB Composites Using Chitosan/PCL Coating.

This paper verified the possibility of applying chitosan and/or ferulic acid or polycaprolactone (PCL)-based coatings to polydimethylsiloxane/neodymium-iron-boron (PDMS/NdFeB) composites using the spin-coating method. The surface modification of magnetic composites by biofunctional layers allows for the preparation of materials for biomedical applications. Biofunctional layered magnetic composites were obtained in three steps. The spin-coating method with various parameters (time and spin speed) was used to apply different substances to the surface of the composites. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) were used to analyze the thickness and surface topography. The contact angle of the obtained surfaces was tested. Increasing spin speed and increasing process time for the same speed resulted in decreasing the composite's thickness. The linear and surface roughness for the prepared coatings were approximately 0.2 μm and 0.01 μm, respectively, which are desirable values in the context of biocompatibility. The contact angle test results showed that both the addition of chitosan and PCL to PDMS have reduced the contact angle θ from 105° for non-coated composite to θ~59-88° depending on the coating. The performed modifications gave promising results mainly due to making the surface hydrophilic, which is a desirable feature of projected biomaterials.

Manganese-Catalyzed 5-Endo-trig Oxygenative Cyclization of α,β-Unsaturated Oximes under Air and Ambient Conditions for the Synthesis of 4,5-Dihydroisoxazoles.

The stereoselective 5-endo-trig oxygenative cyclization of α,β-unsaturated oximes was achieved using molecular oxygen (O2) and a manganese catalyst. Several 4-hydroxy-4,5-dihydroisoxazoles were obtained in high yields by directly incorporating O2 from the atmosphere (eliminating the necessity for a pure oxygen environment) and using an unprecedentedly low loading of Mn(acac)3 (as little as 0.020 mol %) without additional additives. Because of its desirable features, such as operational simplicity, inexpensive catalyst, mild reaction conditions (open flask conditions at room temperature), and broad substrate compatibility, this novel reaction provides an attractive synthetic approach to producing 4-hydroxy-4,5-dihydroisoxazoles.

Wide bandgap polymer donors with an acceptor1-π-acceptor2-π configuration for efficient polymer solar cells

To maximize the photovoltaic performance of polymer solar cells (PSCs), polymer donors and nonfullerene acceptors (NFAs) should be designed with complementarily optical and electronic properties as well as desirable morphological features. Currently, high-performance polymer donors are mainly constructed by alternating copolymerization of electron-rich (D) and electron-deficient (A) units. Here, we demonstrate that acceptor1-π-acceptor2-π (A1-π-A2-π)-type polymer donors constructed by copolymerization of two different A units can achieve comparable photovoltaic properties with those of D-π-A-π-type counterparts. By using the ladder-type 4,10-bis(2-hexyldecyl)-thieno[2ˊ,3ˊ:5,6]pyrido[3,4-g]thieno-[3,2-c]isoquinoline-5,11-dione as A1 unit, difluorobenzotriazole or benzodithiophene-4,8-dione as A2 unit, and thiophene unit as the π bridge, two A1-π-A2-π-type copolymers, P03 and P07, are successfully synthesized. Due to the weakened intramolecular charge-transfer effect, P03 and P07 exhibit wide bandgaps of 1.88 and 1.74 eV, respectively. In combination with the NFA of L8-BO, the P03:L8-BO-based blend shows superior crystallinity and uniform phase-separated morphology thereby leading to a higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 15.03 % in comparison with the P07:L8-BO-based blend which shows a PCE of 9.84 %. Notably, the 15.03 % efficiency is by far the highest value for PSCs based on A1-π-A2-π-type polymer donors. These results provide useful guidance for the future design of high-performance donor copolymers for PSCs.

Crystallization-Induced Chirality Transfer in Conformationally Flexible Azahelicene Au(I) Complexes with Circularly Polarized Luminescence Activation.

Flexible and twisted annulated π-systems exhibit numerous unique and desirable features, owing to their ability to display chirality. However, preventing their racemization due to the dynamic nature of their chirality remains a challenge. One promising approach to stabilize homochirality in such systems is chirality transfer from a chiral auxiliary to a moiety displaying dynamic chirality. Herein, we introduce a new approach for dynamic chirality stabilization in conformationally flexible azahelicene species via crystallization-induced intermolecular chirality transfer in Au(I) complexes featuring azahelicene (dibenzo[c,g]carbazole and benzo[c]carbazole) and enantio-pure chiral N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands with a complementary tailored shape. Crystallization of these azahelicene Au(I) complexes not only suppresses the dynamic chirality of the dibenzocarbazole species but also stabilizes their homochirality through the intermolecular conjunction between the chiral NHC and dibenzocarbazole ligands. In the Au(I) benzocarbazole complexes, the intermolecular conjunction and chirality transfer in the crystals induce chirality in the initially achiral benzocarbazole ligand. Furthermore, the crystallization of the studied complexes activates their circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) properties, which were suppressed in solution. Importantly, chirality transfer leads to significant CPL enhancement; the complexes that feature chirality transfer within the crystal structure exhibit luminescence dissymmetry factors 5 to 10 times higher than those of the complexes without chirality transfer.