Development Process Research Articles

PICKAPEP: An application for parameter calculation and visualization of cyclized and modified peptidomimetics.

The interest in peptides and especially in peptidomimetic structures has risen enormously in the past few years. Novel modification strategies including nonnatural amino acids, sophisticated cyclization strategies, and side chain modifications to improve the pharmacokinetic properties of peptides are continuously arising. However, a calculator tool accompanying the current development in peptide sciences towards modified peptides is missing. Herein, we present the application PICKAPEP, enabling the virtual construction and visualization of peptidomimetics ranging from well-known cyclized and modified peptides such as ciclosporin A up to fully self-designed peptide-based structures with custom amino acids. Calculated parameters include the molecular weight, the water-octanol partition coefficient, the topological polar surface area, the number of rotatable bonds, and the peptide SMILES code. To our knowledge, PICKAPEP is the first tool allowing users to add custom amino acids as building blocks and also the only tool giving the possibility to process large peptide libraries and calculate parameters for multiple peptides at once. We believe that PICKAPEP will support peptide researchers in their work and will find wide application in current as well as future peptide drug development processes. PICKAPEP is available open source for Windows and Mac operating systems (https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.research-collection.ethz.ch/handle/20.500.11850/681174__;!!N11eV2iwtfs!qt5f_2lNd6IZUDH1HVSVwg0zYzS8-nFazQ8c61jS5GaD5vkVS5C3igyfh3haJRnaX8ugW7o9VWUiCihPqcptmaWoqwYf9LvZTQ$).

Enhancing Community Participation in Local Development Projects: The Bangladesh Context

This paper focuses on developing an approach for effective community participation in local development projects. Researchers conducted a field study in Sunamganj district, one of the most vulnerable areas in Bangladesh, and collected information from 54 respondents, including Union Parishads (UP) chairpersons and members, secretaries, committee members, and local beneficiaries through interviews and FGDs using purposive sampling. Researchers also collected relevant documents from the Union Parishad (project plan, evaluation report, and annual progress report) to compare the information obtained from the participants in the field and analyzed them using the thematic analysis method. Study findings revealed that although UP is considered a close-knit community-based organization due to the nature of its development work and geographic location, inclusive decentralization and a democratic environment have not been established at the local level institutions to enhance meaningful community participation in development projects. This deficiency is attributed to outsider interferences, nepotism, lack of knowledge and information, top-down bureaucratic decisions, gender discrimination, and corruption. It is believed that the model of a meaningful decentralized participation system would help mobilize the comprehensive local development process.

Comparison of Automation Testing On Card Printer Project Using Playwright And Selenium Tools

The quality of the software is greatly determined by the testing phase, which involves various test cases that can be conducted through manual testing and automation testing. Manual testing is performed manually without using automation scripts, whereas automation testing is conducted using automation scripts. ABC is a company that operates globally in the field of access control, with the Card Printer being one of the menus used in access control. In the development process of this software, both manual and automation testing phases are carried out. The automation testing process employs the Selenium tool, which has proven to be time-consuming and poses challenges when running numerous test cases. This research aims to develop automation testing using Playwright to address the long execution time issue encountered with Selenium. The research utilizes the Card Printer project in the development of automation testing and adopts the Agile methodology. The result of developing automation testing using Playwright was successfully applied to 12 test cases. Additionally, the time analysis between Playwright and Selenium showed that Playwright has a total execution time of 4.9 minutes, which is faster compared to Selenium's total execution time of 8.3 minutes. With faster execution times, Playwright can be considered a tool in the development of automation testing.

Salmonella Typhimurium alters galactitol metabolism under ciprofloxacin treatment to balance resistance and virulence.

Treatment of antibiotic resistance can significantly benefit from a deeper understanding of the interactions between drugs and genetics. The physiological responses and genetic mechanisms in antibiotic-exposed bacteria are not well understood. Traditional resistance studies, often retrospective, fail to capture the entire resistance development process and typically exhibit unpredictable dynamics. To explore how clinical isolates of S. Typhimurium respond to ciprofloxacin, we analyzed their adaptive responses. We found that S. Typhimurium RamA-mediated regulation disrupts microbial metabolism under ciprofloxacin exposure, affecting genes in the galactitol metabolic pathways. This disruption facilitates adaptive responses to drug therapy and enhances the efficiency of intracellular survival. A more comprehensive and integrated understanding of these physiological and genetic changes is crucial for improving treatment outcomes.

Cross-disciplinary mathematical modelling to benefit healthcare - could clinical pharmacology play an enabling role?

Clinical pharmacology is often the nexus in any cross-disciplinary team that is seeking solutions for human healthcare issues. The use and application of real-world data and artificial intelligence to better understand our ecosystem has influenced our view at the world and how we do things. This has resulted in remarkable advancements in the healthcare space and development of personalized medicines with great attributes from the application of models and simulations, contributing to a more efficient healthcare development process. A cross-disciplinary symposium was held in December 2023, whereby experts from different scientific disciplines engaged in a high-level discussion on the opportunities and challenges of mathematical models in different fields, possible future developments and decision making. A strong interlink amongst the disciplines represented was apparent, with clinical pharmacology identified as the one which integrates various scientific disciplines. Deliberate and strategic cross-disciplinary dialogues are required to break out of the silos and implement integration for efficiency and cost-effectiveness of novel interventions.

A Review of Concept-based Language Instruction and Its Application in Foreign Language Teaching-learning Process

Concept-based language instruction (C-BLI) is an emerging foreign language teaching method of this century, which is based on the sociocultural theory proposed by Vygotsky and developed by a team led by Lantolf based on the systemic-theoretical instruction proposed by Gal'perin from Vygotsky school. C-BLI has abundant international research, but it is still in its early stages of development in China, and both theoretical and empirical research are relatively scarce. Based on the research results on C-BLI in the past fifteen years, both domestically and internationally, this paper interprets the development process and theoretical connotation of C-BLI. It reviews the existing empirical research from two aspects: teaching form design and effectiveness testing. Through reflection and summary, this paper points out the directions that need to be explored and deepened in the international research and application of C-BLI. At the same time, this paper hopes to provide theoretical and practical guidance for developing C-BLI research in China and explore the feasibility and future development direction of C-BLI application in foreign language teaching in China.

Impact of the expansion ratio on the properties of hydrogen recirculation ejectors

Exploring the development characteristics and influencing factors of the mixing layer (ML) inside the hydrogen recirculation ejector is of great importance for enhancing the recirculation properties of the ejector and promoting green and sustainable energy development. However, the evolution of ML in the ejector and the transport and diffusion characteristics of the fluid are problematic, in particular, the influence of the expansion ratio on the properties of the ejector is unclear. Therefore, in this study, a CFD numerical model of an ejector was established to simulate the flow of fluids in the ejector. The evolution of ML was elucidated, and the interaction mechanism between the mixing and the recirculation performance of the ejector was revealed. The findings showed that the velocity difference is a significant driving force for the development of ML, and the formation of an adverse pressure gradient contributes to the diffusion of hydrogen and the rapid development of ML. The development process of ML in the ejector can be divided into three stages under the interaction of the velocity difference and the convective Mach number: the rapid growth stage, the slow growth stage, and the exponential growth stage. By studying the evolution of ML at different expansion ratios, it was found that there exists a critical expansion ratio for the ejector, which results in the largest of the non-mixing length ratio and the effective mixing thickness, the strongest relative mass transfer capability of the entrained flow, the fullest development of ML, and the optimal hydrogen recirculation performance.

Intelligent Immersion: The current landscape of AI tools in the Mixed Reality development pipeline for creative experiences

Among the technologies that hold immense potential to revolutionize how we interact with information and digital content, Mixed Reality (MR) offers unique immersive experiences that seamlessly integrate virtual objects into the user's physical environment. This groundbreaking fusion of the physical and digital worlds has a complex development process which is a fertile ground for applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of AI tools and their applications, in all stages of the development of MR experiences for the creative sector. It also discusses the challenges and opportunities of incorporating them in the development pipeline and offer some use guidelines as a compass to navigate this rapidly changing landscape.

The Dark Triad of brand personality: Scale development and validation

AbstractDespite the considerable magnitude of negative brand personalities in the marketplace, prior research has disproportionately focused on positive personality traits. To address this research gap, the authors present a conceptual and empirical approach that draws from the Dark Triad of psychology and applies it to the branding domain. They conceptualize and validate the Dark Triad of brand personality which comprises brand narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy dimensions. Through a multiphase scale development process, a reliable and valid 12‐item brief version of the Dark Triad of brand personality is created, enabling its assessment in both research and management contexts. Examining the Dark Triad in branding is crucial as it provides a unique lens to understand the rise of negative, dark brand personalities. It accounts for brand personality aspects not yet captured by existing scales, including manipulation, exploitation, grandiosity, and lack of empathy. This introduction of the Dark Triad brand personality opens new avenues for research into brand transgressions and ethics in brand management. In terms of managerial implications, insights from this research can inform strategic brand management, enabling companies to better manage their brand's image.

고교학점제 선도지구 지역특화 공동 교육과정 운영 실행 연구

This study is an implementation one that analyzed the development and operation of the 2022 high school credit system Suncheon leading district region-specific joint curriculum, ‘Ecology and Environment,’ by the Ministry of Education’s high school credit system leading district joint curriculum promotion task. We analyzed and presented the characteristics of the overall curriculum operation, including the function of the regional cooperative body for the operation of the region-specific joint curriculum in Suncheon leading district, the development process of the region-specific curriculum, establishment of achievement standards and composition of detailed contents, and class and evaluation methods. The region-specific curriculum ‘Ecology and Environment’ focuses on climate change, a global environmental issue, and is primarily operated based on a problem- or project-based learning that utilizes the Suncheon Bay Wetland, the region’s most significant ecological resource. We found that students’ overall satisfaction after class was very high at 4.67 points out of 5. As a result of detailed analysis using the Likert scale, changes in students’ environmental awareness, environmental knowledge, environmental attitude, and environmental interest increased from 4.08, 3.17, 4.07, and 3.85 points before class to 4.81, 4.50, 4.61, and 4.68 after class, respectively, suggesting that the educational effect was very high. This study also presents the qualitative improvements for the operation of the region-specific joint curriculum in the high school credit system leading district through content analysis of FGI (Focus Group Interview) of four experts, including teachers, school inspectors at the Office of Education, and an educational researcher, who participated in the overall curriculum operation from the curriculum development stage to completion of its operation.

Analyzing, Designing and Developing Arabic Conversation Material Based on Communicative Approach for Undergraduate AFL Learners

The landscape of Arabic language education has evolved significantly, with a growing emphasis on enhancing students' oral communication skills. This study focuses on developing supplementary conversational Arabic materials to support undergraduate students enrolled in the B.A. The Arabic program at New College, Chennai, is affiliated with the University of Madras, India. The aim is to address the gap in existing materials by adopting a communicative approach, emphasizing practical language use in everyday contexts. This research aims to produce and evaluate conversational Arabic materials that facilitate an enjoyable and effective learning experience for undergraduate Arabic language learners. Specifically, the objectives include developing thematic conversations aligned with student needs, enhancing oral proficiency through interactive exercises, and validating the suitability of the materials in a classroom setting. Following the Dick and Carey instructional design model, the development process involved several iterative stages: identifying learning objectives, conducting instructional and learner analyses, formulating content, designing interactive exercises, and evaluating the materials through expert reviews and field testing. Data collection methods included expert evaluations, student feedback, and quantitative assessments to ensure the effectiveness and appropriateness of the developed materials. The developed conversational Arabic materials were positively evaluated across multiple dimensions. Content and instructional design experts rated the materials highly for clarity, relevance, and engagement. Student feedback indicated significant improvement in oral communication skills, with a majority expressing satisfaction and increased confidence in using Arabic in everyday interactions.

Synthesis of Lenacapavir Sodium: Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Process Development and Scale-up

Synthesis of Lenacapavir Sodium: Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Process Development and Scale-up

Early-Stage Flow Process Development of a Key Intermediate toward PF-07265807, an AXL-MER Inhibitor Oncology Candidate

Early-Stage Flow Process Development of a Key Intermediate toward PF-07265807, an AXL-MER Inhibitor Oncology Candidate

OPTIMIZATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS OF MONOLITHIC MULTI-MODULE PROJECTS IN JAVA

In recent years, there has been an increase in the complexity of Java software development and a change in the scope of projects, including an increase in the number of modules in projects. The multi-modularity of projects, although it improves manageability to a certain extent, but often creates a number of problems that can complicate development and, a problem that will appear in the future, require more resources to support. This article will analyze the main problems of monolithic multi-module Java projects and will try to consider a number of possible solutions to overcome the above problems. The article discusses the peculiarities of working with multi-module monolithic projects using Java as the main programming language. The purpose of this article is to identify features and obstacles using the above architectural approach of the software, analysis of the main possible issues of working with the monolithic multi-module Java projects, as well as providing recommendations for eliminating these obstacles or describing the features of the process that could help engineers in supporting this kind of projects. In other word the main goal of this work is to create recommendations, provide modern best practices for working with monolithic multi-modular software architecture and the most popular modern technological solutions used in corporate development. The proposed recommendations allow the team, primarily developers and the engineering side, to avoid possible obstacles that lead to the loss of efficiency of the monolithic software development process. The most important advantage, from the recommendations given in the article, is the optimization of resource costs (time, money and labor) for the development process. As a result of the article, a general list of recommendations was obtained, which allows the developer to better analyze what changes in the project should (if necessary) be made to optimize the development, assembly and deployment processes of a monolithic Java project, as well as advice before designing new software to avoid the main obstacles of monolithic architecture in the future.

Gender Mainstreaming in Women-Friendly Village Development Policies in Siak Regency, Riau Province - Indonesia

Even though Indonesia has adopted a Gender Mainstreaming policy through Presidential Instruction No. 9 of 2000, gender inequality remains a significant issue in Indonesia’s development process. Inequality in Indonesia is largely due to a lack of commitment from the Government and Regional Governments to implementing Gender Mainstreaming (PUG), especially in Siak Regency. Women’s participation is necessary at every stage of development, so gender mainstreaming needs to be supported and implemented. If the policy is implemented in a village it will be more pronounced because it is implemented directly by the community. However, this policy is not yet women-friendly because women’s involvement in the policy formulation process is still low. Women are still used as policy objects, not subjects so women’s interests have not been accommodated much in village development policies. Gender Mainstreaming (PUG) also aims to provide protection to women so that women’s rights are guaranteed and fulfilled to grow, develop and participate optimally in accordance with human dignity, as well as receiving protection from economic and sexual exploitation. This research was designed using a justice theory approach and a public policy theory approach. In these two quite different approaches, various data and in-depth information regarding gender mainstreaming in development policy in the village were obtained. In the previous research, which was related to “Gender Mainstreaming in the Green Siak Policy: Design of a Women-Friendly Ecology-Based Regency Budget Transfer (TAKE) Policy in Siak Regency, Riau Province - Indonesia”, it was also not seen how this policy was only intended for the public interest, not especially the participation of women. Women in the development process are expected to participate where BPS data shows that in 2022 there will be 12.72% of female heads of households, a decrease compared to the previous year, namely 14.38%. Women have the same potential human resources as men, although in general, in Indonesia, the participation of men is more dominant than that of women. The birth of the Green Siak policy gave rise to the TAKE policy (ecology-based budget transfer) with the aim of realizing environmentally sound development only and not creating women-friendly villages. Gender mainstreaming in various government programs at the local level is still only a discourse (narrative policy). Gender issues have not yet become a central issue in local policy discussions, so gender issues are drowned out in the midst of other issues such as environmental issues, employment issues, poverty issues and infrastructure issues. Policies that should accommodate women’s interests amidst demands for achieving the SDGs have, in fact, not become mainstream in regional policies. The findings of this research indicate that village development policies are not yet fully inclusive of women or women-friendly. The policies issued still dominate the general interest and are not specific to women, such as women’s empowerment programs, women’s protection, and strengthening the capacity of women heads of households. Efforts to empower women are preventive of the occurrence of domestic violence. This effort is not solely through a juridical approach but can be accompanied by sociological, economic, psychological, criminological and cultural approaches that prevails in Siak Malay society. Keywords: Gender Mainstreaming, Policies, Women Friendly

Assessment of knowledge and utilization of antenatal care services among tribal women of Palakkad district, Kerala: a cross-sectional study

Background: Nearly 800 women die out of preventable causes associated with pregnancy and childbirth worldwide every day, with low and middle-income countries contributing approximately 90% of the mortality. The majority of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable with the provisioning of cost-effective services like antenatal care (ANC). Despite Kerala having a good human development index compared to other states in India, marginalized groups like Dalit, Adivasi, and fisher folks are still behind the development process, including the utilization of ANC services. This study assessed the knowledge and utilization of ANC services among tribals in Kerala, India. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 45 tribal women of Palakkad district, Kerala, who registered for ANC and delivered child. Convenient sampling was used to select study participants. Descriptive statistics were used to obtain frequency and percentage. The chi-square test was carried out to see the association between identified variables. Results: Among 45 participants, 28.89% fell under the adequate ANC utilization. 64.46% did early ANC registration, 73.3% visited ANC more than four times, 75.56% completed the 2 tetanus toxoid (TT) injections, and 66.67% consumed more than 100 iron-folic acid tablets. About 73.3% of participants knew the importance of immunizing children against vaccine-preventable diseases. Conclusions: Even in an egalitarian state like Kerala with high literacy, ANC service utilization among tribal communities is still below 70%. The issue is multifaceted and requires a more nuanced approach. The health system must adopt comprehensive, context-specific, and community-based approaches.

Analysis of the spatial variations in the adoption of solar energy technologies among households in rural and urban areas of Konoin sub-County, Kenya

Globally, the overall demand and cost of energy and particularly, for fossil fuels is on the rise due to increasing population and overall development process. The increasing use of fossil fuels has significant ramifications to the environment, such as increase in carbon emissions. There is need, therefore, to adopt the use of green energy technologies like solar energy so as to minimize the negative effects of fossil fuels on the environment. Despite these, there is paucity of information on factors influencing the spatial variations in the adoption of solar energy technologies among households in the study area, which this study sought to investigate. The study was informed by the Diffusion of Innovation theory and Technology Adoption Model. A a descriptive survey research design was employed. A stratified random sample of 387 households was surveyed and data collected analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression. The findings reveal significant spatial variations in solar energy adoption rates. Proximity to renewable energy sources and fluctuations in energy costs positively influenced adoption levels. Also, social factors, including: household size; and community support had a positive influence in adoption of solar energy. Further, economic considerations, such as perceived installation costs and anticipated long-term savings, played a significant role in influencing adoption levels. Moreover, geographic variables, particularly access to areas with abundant sunshine, significantly influenced adoption levels.

A Study of Components of a Development of Emerging New Businesses Along with Start-up Ecosystem & Different Challenges Faced by Startup during the Development Process

Abstract India has gained global attention as a leading country that has seen significant development in the establishment of new businesses, positioning itself as a prominent center for start-ups. The birth and growth of a new businesses are impacted by several components, such as the demand for a new firm, the fundamental concept, location & events, finance sources, education & skills, employees & others. The Indian economy is widely recognized as the fifth biggest in the world when measured by gross domestic product, or the third largest when measured by purchasing power parity. The significance of start-ups in fostering this economy cannot be neglected since they contribute to the upward path of the nation’s economy. This study paper explores the various components involved in the creation of new businesses & their requirement in the process of the development of a start-up ecosystem. It also focus on the many obstacles & challenges that start-ups encounter throughout the development phase.

MULTICR: Predicting Merged and Abandoned Code Changes in Modern Code Review Using Multi-Objective Search

Modern Code Review (MCR) is an essential process in software development to ensure high-quality code. However, developers often spend considerable time reviewing code changes before being merged into the main code base. Previous studies attempted to predict whether a code change was going to be merged or abandoned soon after it was submitted to improve the code review process. However, these approaches require complex cost-sensitive learning, which makes their adoption challenging since it is difficult for developers to understand the main factors behind the models’ predictions. To address this issue, we introduce in this paper, MULTICR, a multi-objective search-based approach that uses Multi-Objective Genetic Programming (MOGP) to learn early code review prediction models as IF-THEN rules. MULTICR evolves predictive models while maximizing the accuracy of both merged and abandoned classes, eliminating the need for misclassification cost estimation. To evaluate MULTICR, we conducted an empirical study on 146,612 code reviews from Eclipse, LibreOffice, and Gerrithub. The obtained results show that MULTICR outperforms existing baselines in terms of Mathew correlation coefficient (MCC) and F1 scores while learning less complex models compared to decision trees. Our experiments showed also how MULTICR allows identifying the main factors related to abandoned code reviews as well as their associated thresholds, making it a promising approach for early code review prediction with notable performance and interoperability. Additionally, we qualitatively evaluate MULTICR by conducting a user study through semi-structured interviews involving 10 practitioners from different organizations. The obtained results indicate that 90% of the participants find that MULTICR is useful and can help them to improve the code review process. Additionally, the learned IF-THEN rules of MULTICR are transparent.

The Role of Immunological Factors in Recurrent Miscarriage and Advances in Immunotherapy

Recurrent miscarriage is a complex reproductive health problem when a woman suffers spontaneous miscarriage during two or more consecutive pregnancies. Recurrent miscarriage is a distressing condition in which immune factors play an important role. The immune system has an impact on the processes of embryo implantation, growth and development, and immune abnormalities may lead to rejection of the foetus or difficulties in implantation, thus triggering recurrent miscarriage. Therefore, the role of immune factors in recurrent miscarriages and advances in immunotherapy will open up more possibilities and hopefully bring new reproductive hopes and possibilities to couples who suffer from recurrent miscarriages.