Great Problem Research Articles

The Rate of Alveolar Ridge Height Resorption of Maxillary Anterior Arch in Patients Treated with Immediate Partial Denture

Background: In dental prosthetics many advances have been achieved, but the great problem is still having with us: that is the resorption of the residual alveolar ridge and managing or preventing the secondary soft tissue changes brought on by bone loss. Objective: To evaluate the rate of resorption of alveolar ridge height of maxillary anterior arch in patients treated with immediate partial denture. Materials and Methods: This observational comparative study was conducted in the Department of Prosthodontics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University for the duration of one year. On the basis of inclusion criteria patients were initially included in the study. A written informed consent was obtained from every patient. Study sample divided equally into two groups, Group A and Group B. Each group consists of 15 patients. Group A patients were treated with extraction of teeth followed by immediate denture prosthesis and group B patients were treated with extraction of teeth, but not provided by any prosthesis. Data were collected on the basis of alveolar bone resorption in the period of 1 month, 3 months and 6 months of extraction on a predesigned data collection sheet. Results: Mean vertical height at one month follow up was 25.48 (±2.41) mm in group A and 23.43 (±2.85) mm in group B which was statistically significant. Mean vertical height at three month follow up was 23 (±1.33) mm in group A and 22 (±2.99) mm in group B which was statistically significant. Mean vertical height of alveolar bone at six month follow up was 22.5 (±2.71) mm in group A and 21.5 (±3.18) mm in group B which was also statistically significant. Conclusion: Patient treated with immediate partial denture following extraction of teeth shows less alveolar bone resorption than patients treated without immediate partial denture.

The Political Economy Logic Behind the Political Changes in the United States

The neoliberal reforms implemented during Reagan’s administration, while once revitalizing the U.S. economy, also sowed great potential problems for society. The trend of increasing income inequality, accelerating de-industrialization and capital concentration in the financial sector has caused the continuous decline of the “Rust Belt” region, and the gradual marginalization of blue-collar workers in the social status, and the prolonged accumulation of these social contradictions has finally erupted into violent political energy, which has brought about far-reaching impacts on the American society. This paper explains the socio-economic mechanism of the “Rust Belt” dilemma: under the neo-liberal-dominated global division of labor system, the region has lost its comparative advantage in heavy industry, and many industries have migrated to new industrial regions with lower labor costs. At the same time, the weakening of government regulation and the influence of labor unions has led to a prolonged failure to protect the claims of local workers. Economic hardship and unfair income distribution have caused residents to accumulate a great deal of dissatisfaction with the existing system. The Rust Belt’s support for Trump in the 2016 election was a strong rebellion against the neoliberal economic model and the establishment parties. Trump’s victory reflects the dissatisfaction of the region’s residents with the imbalance of economic development and signals a new round of social unrest.

Analysis of Financing Channels of Real Estate Companies in China

With the continuous development of China's economy, the real estate industry plays an important role in it, which witnesses booming growth. However, with its rapid development, it has also brought great problems and challenges, such as blocked funding sources and high financing costs. Therefore, this article will study the financing channels of several listed real estate companies, China Fortune Land Development CO, Poly Development Co., Ltd. since 2014 to 2018, comparing and analyzing the financing channels of private and state-owned enterprises. By extracting information about funding costs and risks from financial and public debt information, the differences in WACC values, cash flow status, and debt structures under different companies' financing plans will be compared. Accordingly, this study investigated possible reasons of choices made by these two enterprises. Enterprise decision-makers still need to make sufficient understanding and weigh the pros and cons before making financing decisions and should not finance blindly. These results of this article have reference significance for the financing of future real estate companies.

The Impact of Violent Pornography on Sexual Coercive Behaviors Among College Men: A Prospective Examination.

Sexual coercion is a widespread public health concern, especially among college students, and is associated with a multitude of negative consequences for survivors. Prior studies document an association between exposure to violent pornography and engagement in sexual coercion among men, although longitudinal examination of this association is largely absent. Using a prospective design, the current study examined how exposure to violent pornography relates to increased engagement in sexually coercive behaviors among college men over time. It was hypothesized that increased exposure to violent pornography would be associated with higher levels of gender inequitable attitudes, higher rape myth acceptance, greater problems with alcohol use, lower recognition of rape scenarios as rape, greater ascription of responsibility to the woman in instances of rape, and lower ascription of responsibility toward the man in instances of rape, all of which in turn would predict greater engagement in sexually coercive behavior over time. Data was collected from 247 college men who completed self-report surveys at baseline, 4-month, and 7-month intervals. Higher gender inequitable attitudes, greater problems with alcohol use, and lower levels of responsibility assigned to men for rape mediated the relation between exposure to violent pornography at baseline and endorsement of sexually coercive behavior at the 7-month. Findings highlight the need to address pornography literacy in sexual assault prevention programs for college men.

Society, Design, Communication: Prolegomenon to a Great Problem

The article “Society, Design, Communication” examines the intersection of contemporary societal challenges and environmental design practices. It contextualizes these challenges within the pressing global environmental crisis, highlighting critical perspectives that caution against unchecked technological and industrial advancement often disregarding natural ecosystems. The study explores how sustainable design, when integrated with innovative communication strategies, can address these concerns and foster awareness and action. The article delves into the role of sustainable design in commercial and public communication, focusing on word-of-mouth strategies and immersive presentations at trade fairs and exhibitions. Using the Milan Design Week as a case study, it highlights the BioWoodesign project led by the Technical University of Zvolen, which exemplifies a biomimicry-inspired approach to design. This initiative underscores the synergy between nature and human creativity in addressing sustainability while fostering meaningful audience engagement. Furthermore, the discussion expands on emerging trends in sustainable communication, such as systemic design and circular economy principles. These approaches enhance both the functional and experiential dimensions of design exhibitions, creating immersive narratives that resonate with modern audiences. The article also critiques the prevalence of “greenwashing”—the practice of overstating environmental credentials—emphasizing the importance of transparent and credible strategies for fostering trust. By examining the intersections of society, design, and communication, the article contributes to the discourse on sustainable practices, demonstrating their potential to influence meaningful behavioral and systemic change in a rapidly evolving world.

Development and Evaluation of a Candidate Inactivated Vaccine Against Bluetongue Virus Serotype 4 (BTV4).

Although bluetongue is not a contagious disease, it is easily transmitted and spread by appropriate insect vectors, causing great economic damage. Climate change has led to the fact that vectors and diseases have spread to the top of Northern Europe, causing great economic losses in livestock production. An even greater problem is controlling the disease, because numerous species of domestic and wild ruminants are susceptible to bluetongue. The most effective tool against bluetongue disease is vaccination. Our goal was to carry out laboratory tests of the starting material and the finished product of the candidate inactivated vaccine against BTV4, and to comment on the obtained laboratory results and the results of previously performed clinical studies. There is no ideal vaccine against the bluetongue virus (BTV) due to the serotype diversity of its strains. Thus, there is a need for a vaccine for at least 24 clinically significant serotypes. Sometimes, it is difficult to obtain the desired amount of vaccine against a defined serotype on the market, and this has led to the need for a new vaccine against bluetongue disease. In this study, we tested an experimental inactivated vaccine against BTV4. The master seed BTV4 was examined and characterized by sequencing. The candidate BTV4 vaccine induced the onset of immunity at the latest at day 21 after the application of the first dose in more than 80% of the vaccinated individuals, while the ELISA test detected specific antibodies against BTV for more than a year. Along with our laboratory results, the preliminary results of safety and efficacy trials are also presented. The side effects of this inactivated BTV4 vaccine are within the limits of permissible local reactions without generalized changes in the health status, while the serology and challenge test leads to the conclusion that this vaccine against BTV4 protects a high percentage of vaccinated individuals against BTV4 or causes a significant reduction in the intensity and duration of the clinical signs in the vaccinated sheep. Based on the trial results, the new vaccine has given encouraging results in terms of quality, safety, and preliminary efficacy tests. Thus, we believe that a new vaccine against BTV is on the horizon.

Protein trans-splicing: optimization of intein-mediated GFP assembly as a model for the development of gene therapy.

Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapy has become one of the key directions of modern translational medicine geared towards treatment of hereditary disorders by means of gene replacement. At the moment, about 5,000 different syndromes are associated with mutations in large genes, which presents a great problem due to the AAV packaging capacity of 5 kilobases. The main strategies for overcoming this obstacle were the creation of truncated gene versions, overloading the viral vector, and separate delivery of partial genetic material to restore the whole gene at the level of DNA, RNA, or protein. At present, genome editing via prime editors, most effectively delivered by AAV, relies on the intein pair used to restore the protein complex. The amazing integration speed of intein-based protein trans splicing technology makes it a versatile tool for a variety of applications, albeit not always successful on the first attempt. This study discusses the key points of working with Ssp, Npu, and Ava inteins of the DnaE group, known as the most effective for assembly of large proteins. Using green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a model, we demonstrate that the successful protein assembly requires not only cysteine at position C+1 but also certain aminoacid residues on either side in its immediate environment. Furthermore, the conformation of extein-intein composition, difficult to predict by computer modeling, has an additional effect, as demonstrated by experimental tests of the three split sites optimal in amino acid composition. The NpuDnaE variant demonstrated the highest kinetics of interaction between the N and C parts in the DnaE group of inteins. Optimization of conditions using NpuDnaE intein led to GFP assembly in 80% of transfected HEK293 cells and in 55% of AAV5-transduced cells, as demonstrated by flow cytometry. The efficiency of GFP assembly post-plasmid DNA transfection or AAV transduction of the HEK293 cell line was 15% higher than that of the ARPE19 cell line. We hope that the obtained data will facilitate the development of gene therapies for the treatment of hereditary disorders caused by mutations in large genes.

Social Media and Cyber-Crime Among Abraka Residents, Delta State, Nigeria

Social media platforms have become a routine for many people. The number of active social media users have more than doubled within a couple of years resulting in current record of over one billion. The lack of control of social media have created room for vices, such as fraud, falsehood, sedition, blackmail, pornography, invasion of privacy, and other unacceptable practices. One of the greatest problems affecting social media is that it promotes superficial connection that can end up causing long term emotional and psychological problems. This study was undertaken to determine social media and cyber-crime among Abraka residents. A sample of three hundred (300) respondents were drawn from seven (7) different locations and zones in Abraka, using the simple random sampling technique. The descriptive survey research design was adopted and data was collected from the three hundred (300) questionnaires administered and in-depth interview conducted. Data from questionnaires were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21 in order to test the extent to which social media users are aware of the use of social media platforms in the perpetuation of cyber-crime. The results revealed that social media platforms such as Whatsapp, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Badoo, Instagram, BBM, etc have been used to perpetuate cyber-crime. On the basis of these findings, the study concluded that social media-aided cyber-crimes have significant effect on its users and that social media, with its positive impact, have brought serious threats to the society. Based on the findings, the study recommends the use of password codes among social media users in order to restrict leakage of vital/relevant information on the internet from social media users to fraudsters.

The Scarf and the Cloak Prestige Garments for Aegean Elites

Abstract When seeking to identify elite personages in the Aegean iconographic record, the researcher faces the great problem that almost everyone seems to dress in the same rich apparel and there are no deciphered contemporary texts which can explain the meaning of the images. Yet the visual record does reveal that Aegean artists showed particular interest in fabric differentiation and this is especially true of the images on the Aegean seals, signet rings and sealings, each a piece of miniature relief art. The detail in these seal images provides a new lens through which to view gender and identity in Minoan Crete and Mycenaean Greece. This paper concentrates on an item that was named by Arthur Evans over a hundred years ago when he saw depictions of what seemed to be rolled-up cloth. He coined the term, “sacral knot” to describe it and so it has remained in the literature. However the seal detail published across the last 50 years establishes that there are actually two items subsumed under Evans’ term, one which we may call the “scarf knot” and the other the “cloak knot” and that the basis for these knots are two very different garments, the scarf and the cloak. When their characteristics are described with regard to the type of raw material used and the patterns observable and when attention is turned to their wearing, it becomes clear that the scarf designates elite females and that the cloak envelopes elite males. The primary use of these two prestige garments, with their underlying distinction of gender roles, is seen to provide the basis for their symbolic use in the knotted form. The scarf and the cloak are primarily Minoan prestige garments and both creations are testament to a sophisticated society that cherished their beautiful fabrics.

The Influence of Leadership Style and Work Environment on Motivation and Its Impact on Employee Performance

The goals to be attained in the research study are to: establish management design, workplace, staff member inspiration plus efficiency; examine the impact of management design plus office straight and also indirectly on staff member inspiration; assess the impact of management design as well as workplace straight along with indirectly on worker efficiency; assess the impact of inspiration on team member efficiency; as well as assessing the impact of management design along with office on staff member efficiency via inspiration. The research study technique made use of is detailed as well as confirmation techniques utilizing main coupled with additional information. The populace in this research study were staff members of the One Stop Integrated Services along with Investment Service (PMPTSP) West Tanjung Jabung Regency Jambi Province, completing 52 individuals. The tasting technique makes use of the demography technique or filled up sample. The evaluation approach utilizes the Path Analysis technique and also theory screening makes use of the F examination plus t examination. Information handling makes use of SPSS V. 22 software program. The research study outcomes program: Leadership design and also office remain in great problem, staff member inspiration as well as efficiency remain in really high problem. Management design and also office have a straight plus indirect result on inspiration. At the same time plus partly, management design and also work environment have a substantial impact on inspiration; Leadership design as well as office have a straight as well as indirect result on staff member efficiency. At the same time together with partly management design plus work environment, have a substantial impact on staff member efficiency; Motivation has a considerable impact on worker efficiency; Leadership style and work environment through motivation have a direct and indirect effect on employee performance.

According to British Documents, the Economic-Financial Situation in Greece during the Turkish War of Independence and the Efforts of the Governments to Finance the War

Starting on 15 May 1919 with the Greek invasion of Smyrna, the occupation movement in Western Anatolia put the Greek finances in difficulty with an increasing sum from year to year. The Greek governments were able to finance the war with the financial aid provided by the Allies to Greece before the invasion. However, in November 1920, Venizelos lost the elections and resigned as prime minister, and in December of the same year, the exiled King Constantine, who had great problems with the Allies, was restored to the throne, which deeply affected the Allied relations with Greece. After this date, the country was unable to receive foreign aid, and in order to finance the war, it introduced many measures, especially tax rates, which were burdensome to the people. Naturally, this situation led to a weakening of the purchasing power of the people who were oppressed under inflationary policies. Despite the large deficit in the balance of income and expenditure during the war years, the country's international trade continued at an increasing rate, albeit with some troubled periods.

Comparative Analysis of the Infrastructure of the City of Astana with a Sociological Survey of the Mental Well-Being of Citizens in the Context of the Sustainable Development of the Urban Agglomeration

Rapid urbanization entails complex problems not only in cities, but also within urban agglomerations. In modern landscape science, the greatest problems are primarily related to the ecological state of urban ecosystems. In this context, the most important task of urbanism is the interdisciplinary study of urban infrastructure in relation to the well-being of inhabitants, with a focus on the sustainable development of urban agglomerations. The aim of this study is to conduct a theoretical analysis of interdisciplinary research on the interactions between humans and the urban environment in the context of intensive urbanization, as well as to be an empirical study of the relationship between the real ecological state of the city of Astana, based on the use of geographical, environmental, cartographic, statistical, sociological, and socio-psychological research methods, aimed at identifying the mental well-being of citizens in correlation with their consumed urban ecosystem services using an associative psychological experiment, socio-psychological survey, and GIS mapping. As a result of this study, the authors have determined that the research hypothesis 1 “Spatial representations of the city’s geoecological state are interrelated with the mental well-being and satisfaction with urban ecosystem services of citizens depending on the area of residence” is confirmed. Additionally, a positive correlation has been noted among the key indicators and criteria of geoecological condition, mental well-being, and satisfaction with urban ecosystem services across different districts of the city.

The Economic Burden of Childhood Ocular Morbidity in Bangladesh.

Childhood eye morbidity is a great public health problem, especially in low-income countries. This study aimed to determine the economic burden of childhood ocular morbidity on attending tertiary hospitals in Bangladesh. This study also assessed the catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) for childhood ocular morbidity in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional mixed method was used for this study from April to October 2023 at two tertiary hospitals in Bangladesh, one government-funded and one private. Face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured quantitative questionnaire with the caregivers/parents and in-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted among the same respondents of these two hospitals, and a workshop was conducted with the stakeholders during the study period. This was the first study in Bangladesh to determine the cost of pediatric ocular morbidity. Among 335 patients, the total median direct cost at a single time was 3740 ± 18,285 BDT (34 ± 166.2 USD) at the government hospital and 7300 ± 40,630 BDT (66.36 ± 369.36 USD) at the private hospital. The disease-specific median overall cost from diagnosis of the disease was 65,000 BDT (591 USD) for squint, 50,000 BDT (454.54 USD) for cataract, and 30,000 BDT (272.72 USD) for eye injury. Almost 90% of the caregivers/parents faced CHE due to different pediatric ocular morbidity. These cost estimates can be used as an initial basis for financial decisions that aim to enhance access to care, management, and follow-up of children with ocular morbidity. These cost estimates also offer helpful information for organizational and financial sustainability initiatives. Policymakers can consider serious immediate interventions for securing ocular health services in Bangladesh and prevent families from CHE.

Recent Development in Detection and Control of Psychrotrophic Bacteria in Dairy Production: Ensuring Milk Quality.

Milk is an ideal environment for the growth of microorganisms, especially psychrotrophic bacteria, which can survive under cold conditions and produce heat-resistant enzymes. Psychrotrophic bacteria create the great problem of spoiling milk quality and safety. Several ways that milk might get contaminated by psychrotrophic bacteria include animal health, cowshed hygiene, water quality, feeding strategy, as well as milk collection, processing, etc. Maintaining the quality of raw milk is critically essential in dairy processing, and the dairy sector is still affected by the premature milk deterioration of market-processed products. This review focused on the recent detection and control strategies of psychrotrophic bacteria and emphasizes the significance of advanced sensing methods for early detection. It highlights the ongoing challenges in the dairy industry caused by these microorganisms and discusses future perspectives in enhancing milk quality through innovative rapid detection methods and stringent processing controls. This review advocates for a shift towards more sophisticated on-farm detection technologies and improved control practices to prevent spoilage and economic losses in the dairy sector.

MANAGEMENT OF CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT THROUGH PANCHAKARMA THERAPY: A CASE STUDY

Cerebrovascular accident (CVA), the third most common cause of death in developing countries, is the term used to describe episodes of focal brain dysfunction due to focal ischemia or haemorrhage. Acute stroke is characterized most commonly by hemiplegia with or without signs of focal higher cerebral dysfunction that has posed a great problem as far as its management is concerned. Ayurveda can help in such conditions. CVA is quite clearly defined along with its symptoms, prognosis and management in Ayurveda in the context of Pakshaghata as a Vatavyadhi, affecting Madhyama Rogamarga, in which Sira (vascular structures) and Snayu (tendons and ligaments) are mainly affected. A 40-year-old male patient diagnosed with non-hemorrhagic infarct presented with left-side hemiplegia and diplopia was admitted to IPD. Panchakarma procedures, including Snehana, Swedana, Shirodhara, Nasya and Basti, were adopted along with other internal medicines. Assessments were done before and after treatment using the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIH-SS). At the end of the treatment, there was considerable improvement in the subjective and objective clinical features. The observations reveal that Panchakarma procedures can play a vital role in managing conditions like Cerebrovascular accidents by combating general debility with extraocular muscle weakness. The recovery was promising and worth detailing.

Effects of the Water Diversion Project from the Three Gorges Reservoir to the Hanjiang River on diatom blooms in Middle and Lower reaches of the Hanjiang River

ABSTRACT The algal blooms in the Middle and Lower reaches of the Hanjiang River (MLHR) have become a great aquatic eco-environmental problem over recent years. The planned implementation of the Water Diversion Project from the Three Gorges Reservoir to the Hanjiang River (WDP-TH) would influence the growth and propagation of diatoms and the development of algal blooms. In this paper, a dynamic model of diatom growth is developed that considers factors such as light exposure, water temperature, total phosphorus, and flow velocity. The effects of the WDP-TH on algal density and blooms in the MLHR were predicted for a typical median year, a typical dry year, and an extremely dry year. The results showed that following the water recharge in a typical median year, the propagation of diatoms in the MLHR was significantly promoted because of an increase in total phosphorus concentration. However, following the water recharge in typical dry and extremely dry years, increased flow rate and improved hydrodynamic conditions significantly inhibited diatom growth and accelerated the transport process. The results of the hypothetical simulation showed that after the initiation of the WDP-TH, inhibition effects of improved hydrodynamic force on algae were more apparent than promotion effects of increased total phosphorus concentration in the MLHR.

Superior Activity of Carbon Felt Coated with PEDOT and Titanium Oxide Double Layers Towards V(II)/(VIII) Reaction in Redox Flow Batteries

Energy consumption has become a great problem in the last few decades due to the dramatic increment in population and solo dependence on fossil fuels to fulfill energy requirements. The intense consumption of these limited non-renewable resources had harmful effects on humanity, making the adoption of renewable energy resources compulsory. High-efficiency storage systems are necessary for the integration of renewable energy sources into the electrical grid and for the provision of that energy when needed. For this application, all-vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) hold great promise because of their high energy storage capacity, extended operational life, and long-life reusable solutions1. The enhancement of RFBs should be taken from many perspectives such as the enhancement of electrodes, membranes, or even the design of the cell. Enhancing the electrode performance is one of the important challenges that attracted the attention of researchers, with a variety of electrode modifications that have been studied such as using carbon, metals, and metal oxide materials2,3. Over a large number of metal oxides, TiO2 possesses interesting catalytic properties as it has been used in sensors, Li-ion batteries, and electrocatalysis, in addition to its ability to suppress the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) which was a stumbling block for the negative side of VRFBs4.The goals of this work are to suppress the parasitic reaction of hydrogen evolution and improve the kinetics of the VRFBs' negative half-cell reaction (V(II)/V(III)). To achieve this goal, coating carbon felt (CF) with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and Titanium Oxide double layers was proposed. The underlayer of PEDOT is expected to enhance the TiOx conductivity, and hence its electrocatalytic activity, but without enhancing the parasitic HER5. The PEDOT layer was formed using chronopotentiometric electropolymerization method, followed by the deposition of a TiOx layer using a solvothermal method. To understand the effect of the PEDOT and TiOx layers on the final electrode activity towards V(II)/V(III) redox reaction, several electrodes (CF\\PEDOT, CF\\G-PEDOT, CF\\TiOx CF\\PEDOT\\TiOx, and CF\\G-PEDOT\\TiOx) were fabricated. The physical and chemical properties of the synthesized electrodes were characterized using XRD, FESEM, EDX, UV-vis DRS, Raman spectroscopy, FTIR, contact angle measurements, and XPS. The performance of the fabricated electrodes towards V(II)/V(III) redox reaction was evaluated in 3-electrode and 2-electrode setups, using cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and charging/discharging methods. The addition of an underlayer of PEDOT is found to generally enhance the TiO2 activity as a negative electrode in VRFB. References R. K. Sankaralingam, S. Seshadri, J. Sunarso, A. I. Bhatt, and A. Kapoor, J. Energy Storage, 41, 102857 (2021).Z. Huang, A. Mu, L. Wu, and H. Wang, J. Energy Storage, 45, 103526 (2022).Y. Lv et al., J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 75, 96–109 (2021).J. Vázquez-Galván et al., ChemSusChem, 10, 2089–2098 (2017).M. Heydari Gharahcheshmeh et al., Adv. Mater. Interfaces, 7, 2000855 (2020).

Response surface methodology-based preparation of sago starch bioplastic film for food packaging

The increase in the use of plastics during the past few decades has caused environmental pollution due to the non-biodegradable and recalcitrance nature of the plastics. This has caused great problems for the solid waste management efforts. The development of biodegradable polymers from natural and renewable ingredients can address the challenges caused by plastic pollution. The present work deals with the optimization of the preparation process of sago starch-based biodegradable bioplastic films. The sago starch, glycerol-sorbitol mixture, and chitosan were used as polysaccharides, plasticizers, and antimicrobial agents, respectively. The factors screening and design optimization were performed using response surface methodology and Box-Behnken Design to investigate the interactions between all components in the film preparation. Furthermore, the developed bioplastic films were characterized through field emission scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The antimicrobial susceptibility assay showed the inhibition of the growth of Bacillus pumilus and Alcaligenes faecalis XF1 by incorporation of cinnamon essential oil into the film. Moreover, the developed films successfully reduced the proliferation of fungal growth on packaged bread samples. The microbial analysis found that the shelf life of the wheat bread was improved from 3 to 15 days. The sago starch bioplastic films developed in this study can potentially meet the requirements for food packaging films.

A Directed Content Analysis for Greatest Problems Among People With and Without Traumatic Brain Injury

ObjectiveTo characterize the greatest problem or need among individuals with a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI), as compared with individuals with a history of other neurologic conditions, mental health conditions, and no history of neurologic or mental health conditions. DesignA directed content analysis of open-text responses to a single online survey question using a framework guided by the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory-4. SettingCommunity. ParticipantsA total of 2861 community-dwelling adults (n=274 with TBI; n=289 with other neurologic conditions besides TBI; n=454 with mental health conditions but no neurologic conditions; and n=1844 controls). InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresOpen-text responses to the survey prompt: “What was your greatest problem or need over the past 2 weeks?” ResultsThe Participation index comprised the greatest proportion of responses across all 4 participant groups. A quarter (25.4%) of controls reported None (no problem/need), whereas only 7.9%-10.7% of participants in all other groups reported None. Among all groups, individuals with TBI reported the greatest proportion of problems in the Adjustment and Ability indices. Among people with TBI, Money Management (19.7%), None (10.6%), and Anxiety (7.7%) were the 3 most frequently reported problems. Compared with individuals with mild TBI (mTBI), individuals with moderate-to-severe TBI (msTBI) reported a higher proportion of problems in the Ability and Adjustment indices. Among individuals with msTBI, the Adjustment index accounted for the greatest proportion of problems. ConclusionsThis study employed a person-centered approach to understanding the greatest needs among individuals with TBI. Qualitative differences were observed between individuals with and without TBI, between people with mTBI and msTBI, and across genders among people with TBI. These findings can help guide research and policy toward addressing challenges perceived as highly important by people living in the community with TBI.

Active Vibration Control of Landing Gear System

The vibration of the aircraft when taxing, landing, and taking off is a great problem. Vibration induced due to the dynamic interaction of aircraft with the ground causes serious problems. Therefore, the vibration should be reduced or completely absorbed if possible by some external means. So, in this study active vibration control of an aircraft LG is investigated. The equation of motion of the aircraft LG system is obtained by Newton’s second law and simulated in MATLAB/Simulink environment. Two different controllers are fitted to the landing gear system. Proportional, integral derivative (PID) and Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) controllers are used in controlling active suspension structure. In the study, vertical displacement and acceleration of the fuselage are set as objective since it has harmful effects on the performance of the pilot’s capability. Simulation is run under B grade road and bump road for passive and active systems simultaneously. The performance of controllers is compared to one another and also with that of a passive system. From the results, it was obtained that under bump road excitation, LQR and PID controllers make 57.32% and 53.34% improvement in fuselage displacement, respectively. Similarly, under B Grade road, compared to passive systems LQR and PID controllers improve the vertical acceleration of the fuselage by 92.86% and 53.55% respectively.