High Absorption Levels Research Articles

Bisdemethoxycurcumin and Curcumin Alleviate Inflammatory Bowel Disease by Maintaining Intestinal Epithelial Integrity and Regulating Gut Microbiota in Mice.

Curcuminoids, found in turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), include curcumin (CUR), demethoxycurcumin (DMC), and bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC). Although CUR and DMC are well-studied, the anti-inflammatory effects of BDMC remain less explored. Recent studies highlight BDMC's stronger NF-κB inhibition compared to CUR and DMC in cell models, along with its ability to target pathways associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in DSS-induced colitis mice, reflected by lower disease activity scores and reduced inflammation. This study assessed CUR and BDMC in a DSS-induced colitis mouse model. Dietary administration of CUR or BDMC strengthened tight junction (TJ) proteins, reduced inflammatory cytokine secretion, and attenuated intestinal inflammatory protein expression, thereby alleviating DSS-induced IBD in mice. Furthermore, gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acid analyses revealed that CUR and BDMC effectively regulated gut microbial imbalance and promoted the relative abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria. Furthermore, CUR showed low absorption and was primarily excreted in feces, while BDMC had higher absorption levels. In conclusion, while both BDMC and CUR have potential as adjunct therapies for IBD, BDMC at a concentration of 0.1% showed strong anti-inflammatory effects and enhanced TJ proteins, suggesting that BDMC, even at lower concentrations than CUR, holds promising therapeutic potential and prospects.

A Theoretical Prediction for Shear Capacity of Cellular Solid Shear Walls

Steel plate shear walls (SPSWs) nowadays are accepted as an efficient lateral force-resisting system, especially for high-rise structures, because of their large initial stiffness and high level of energy absorption. There are different types of SPSWs based on their infill plate type. Cellular solid shear walls (CSSWs) are innovative steel shear walls filled with cellular solids. CSSWs can be useful for special architectural designs because of their unique appearance and openings. Whereas many studies have been reported on the SPSWs, there is a shortage of studies about CSSWs. This study presents the results of a detailed, numerical parametric analysis of triangular and quadrilateral CSSWs under monotonic loading in terms of their shear capacity, initial stiffness, and ductility, and also compares them with SPSWs. The investigated parameters are the size of cells, the cellular solid depth, and the cell wall thickness. The study results indicate that at the same capacity, the quadrilateral cellular solids are far lighter than triangular ones, making the quadrilateral CSSWs more suitable for use. In addition, the findings reveal that the performance of CSSWs is good enough to be used as a lateral force-resisting system in buildings. Finally, a practical procedure for the strength capacity of CSSWs based on the theoretical strip model is proposed.

Protein and Oil Contents, Micro- and Macronutrients, and Other Quality Indicators of Soybean Cultivated in Lowland Fields.

The cultivation of soybean is being expanded in traditional areas cultivated with rice, called the lowlands. However, soil characteristics are different from those in the highlands, which influences the exportation of nutrients to the grains. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the physical-chemical and technological characteristics of soybean grains harvested in lowlands in Brazil. Two-year crops (2021/22 and 2022/23) were used with two types of soil preparation (scarified and non-scarified) and six cover crop treatments (oats, clover, ryegrass, fallow, ryegrass + oats, and ryegrass + clover). The influence of these treatments was evaluated in terms of the grain yield, oil and protein contents, oil composition, quality indices (acidity, peroxide, iodine, and saponification), and contents of ash, carbohydrates, and micro- and macronutrients. Grain yield achieved an average of 3829.8 kg ha-1. Soil scarification positively influenced grain yield and contributed to higher protein and oil contents, with maximum values of 32.7 wt% and 27.6 wt%, respectively. The main fatty acids in oil were oleic acid (22.13 ± 1.48-26.32 ± 0.98%) and linoleic acid (36.32 ± 1.57-52.18 ± 1.58%). The macronutrients phosphorus (5.12 ± 0.39-5.79 ± 0.37 kg ton-1), calcium (2.79 ± 0.19-3.05 ± 0.18 kg ton-1), magnesium (2.37 ± 0.14-2.57 ± 0.13 kg ton-1), and sulfur (2.85 ± 0.18-3.19 ± 0.20 kg ton-1), and the micronutrients copper (9.73 ± 1.42-11.68 ± 1.07 g ton-1), iron (111.42 ± 6.86-122.02 ± 5.00 g ton-1), and manganese (43.58 ± 3.34-47.08 ± 2.74 g ton-1) were in agreement with the values reached in the highlands. For potassium (18.87 ± 0.38-29.29 ± 1.44 kg ton-1) and zinc (30.02 ± 2.45-38.00 ± 1.03 g ton-1), soil scarification allows higher levels of absorption. The use of ryegrass as a cover crop allows higher levels of nitrogen absorption, reaching up to 44.93 ± 2.74 kg ton-1. Regarding the acidity (0.19-0.52%), peroxide (9.64-16.39 mEq O2 kg-1), iodine (85.34-91.91 mg KI g-1), and saponification (182.33-203.74 mg KOH g-1) indices of the oil, all values were obtained in accordance with the scientific literature. The conclusions of this study indicate that it is possible to cultivate soybean in lowlands after developing the proper soil preparation. Consequently, the yields are increased, and grains will benefit from higher protein and oil contents, enhancing soybean quality for commercialization.

Polarization insensitive eye-shape enclosed split ring resonator-based multi-band metamaterial absorber/sensor for S, C, X, Ku, and K-band microwave applications

This article proposes an eye-shape enclosed split ring resonator (ESE-SRR) based metamaterial absorber for multi-band microwave applications with high absorption levels. Four-fold rotational symmetric eye-shaped electrical resonators form the structure of the proposed metamaterial absorber (MMA) to achieve polarisation-insensitive characteristics. Eight near-unity absorption peaks between S, C, X, Ku, and K-band are achieved, where peak absorptions are attained at 3.349 GHz, 5.06 GHz, 6.829 GHz, 9.178 GHz, 14.54 GHz, 17.96 GHz, 18.89 GHz, and 20.4 GHz with absorption levels of 99.8%, 99.7%, 92.9%, 99.1%, 96.4%, 93.3%, 91.3%, and 99.35%, respectively. The electrical dimension of the unit cell is 0.112λmin × 0.112λmin × 0.018λmin, making it a subwavelength compact structure for oblique incident angle stable absorption behaviour. The absorption characteristics are also investigated with metamaterial properties, surface current, and electromagnetic field distributions. The designed MMA is validated by prototype fabrication and measurement, which shows good agreement with simulation results. Finally, the proposed MMA shows an electrically compact structure with eight near-unity absorption peaks and polarisation insensitivity, which makes it an attractive candidate for absorption, sensing, radar cross-section reduction, etc.

Innovative use of lipid mesophase dispersions for bisphenol A sequestration in water

HypothesisMesophase dispersions are promising colloids for removing micropollutants from water. We hypothesized that the complex internal nanostructure and tunable lipid/water interface amounts play a crucial role in absorbed quantities. Modifications in interfacial organization within the particles while trapping the micropollutant is assumed. ExperimentsWe formulated stable monolinolein-based dispersions with four types of mesophases (bicontinuous and micellar cubic, hexagonal, and fluid isotropic L2) by varying dodecane contents. The absorption of bisphenol A by these dispersions from water was monitored using molecular spectroscopy. At equilibrium, absorbed quantities by mesophase dispersions were compared to unstructured dodecane/water miniemulsions for two bisphenol concentrations. Structural changes during bisphenol incorporation were identified using small-angle X-ray scattering. FindingsLipid mesophase particles of submicron size showed greater bisphenol incorporation than dodecane/water miniemulsions, with cubosomes being most effective ones, absorbing twice as much as unstructured emulsions. Higher absorption levels are observed for more complex nanostructures with increased lipid/dodecane ratios. The incorporation of bisphenol affected the curvature of internal interfaces, potentially causing phase transitions and indicating that bisphenol settles at interfaces. Similar absorption levels in identical mesophases suggest a strong correlation between nano-structure and absorbed quantities.

Toward New Therapeutics for Visceral Leishmaniasis: Efficacy and Mechanism of Action of Amides Inspired by Gibbilimbol B.

The problems with current strategies to control canine visceral Leishmaniasis (CVL), which include the euthanasia of infected animals, and also the toxicity of the drugs currently used in human treatments for CVL, add urgency to the search for new therapeutic agents. This study aimed to evaluate the activity against Leishmania (L.) infantum of 12 amides that are chemically inspired by gibbilimbol B, a bioactive natural product that was initially obtained from Piper malacophyllum. Three of these compounds-N-(2-ethylhexyl)-4-chlorobenzamide (9), N-(2-ethylhexyl)-4-nitrobenzamide (10), and N-(2-ethylhexyl)-4-(tert-butyl)benzamide (12) -demonstrated activity against the intracellular amastigotes without toxicity to mammalian host cells (CC50 > 200 μM); compounds 9, 10, and 12 resulted in EC50 values of 12.7, 12.2, and 5.1 μM, respectively. In silico drug-likeness studies predicted that these compounds would show high levels of gastrointestinal absorption, would be able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, would show moderate solubility, and would not show unwanted molecular interactions. Due to their promising pharmacological profiles, compounds 9 and 10 were selected for mechanism of action studies (MoA). The MoA studies in L. (L.) infantum revealed that neither of the compounds affected the permeabilization of the plasma membrane. Nevertheless, compound 9 induced strong alkalinization of acidocalcisomes, which resulted in a significant and rapid increase in intracellular Ca2+ levels, thereby causing the depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential and a reduction in the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In contrast, compound 10 induced a gradual increase in intracellular Ca2+ levels and a similarly gradual reduction in ROS levels, but it caused neither acidocalcisome alkalinization nor mitochondrial membrane potential depolarization. Finally, the MALDI-TOF/MS assessment of protein alterations in L. (L.) infantum treated separately with compounds 9 and 10 revealed changes in mass spectral profiles from both treatments. These results highlight the anti-L. (L.) infantum potential of these amides-especially for compounds 9 and 10-and they suggest that these compounds could be promising candidates for future in vivo studies in VL-models.

Health Hazards Associated with Dietary Exposure of Female Rat to Cadmium-Contaminated Cooked Rice: Biochemical, Hormonal, and Histopathological Analysis.

The actual exposure, bioavailability, and body burden of dietary cadmium (Cd) vary with the food matrix. Here, we evaluated the health hazards of 45-day long-term exposure of growing Sprague-Dawley (SD) female rats to a natural and endogenous Cd-contaminated brown and white cooked rice dietary model. Cd was found mainly in the duodenum, kidney, and liver; the cecum and colon also contained substantial amounts of Cd in rats fed Cd-contaminated cooked white rice (cWR-test) but not Cd-contaminated cooked brown rice (cBR-test). Damage due to Cd exposure was reflected in liver dysfunction, altered estradiol levels, and distinctive pathologies in organ systems, although urinary Cd (U-Cd) excretion and blood Cd (B-Cd) were not detectable, suggesting that these are not the most accurate or appropriate biomarkers for evaluating dietary Cd exposure. Brown rice, despite being higher in Cd, can reduce Cd absorption and distribution in organs and increase the volume of Cd-containing feces, even achieving slightly higher excretion and lower apparent absorption rates of Cd than white rice, thereby reducing Cd damage to the body. The beneficial components of brown rice such as more dietary fiber, rice bran oil and polyphenol were speculated therefore to confer a degree of protection or repair. Nevertheless, the high apparent absorption levels observed here (> 5%) and signs of significant physical damage indicate that more stringent Cd intake guidelines and measures are needed to minimize Cd levels in rice.

Biofilm-forming bacteria associated with corals secrete melanin with UV-absorption properties.

Corals are colonized by a plethora of microorganisms, and their diversity plays a significant role in the health and resilience of corals when they face oxidative stress leading to bleaching. In the current study, we examined 238 bacteria isolated from five different coral species (Acropora hyacinthus, Pocillopora damicornis, Podabacea crustacea, Porites lobata, and Pavona venosa) collected from the coral reef ecosystems of Kavaratti, Lakshadweep Islands, India. We found that bacteria such as Psychrobacter sp., Halomonas sp., Kushneria sp., Staphylococcus sp., Bacillus sp., Brachybacterium sp., Citrobacter sp., and Salinicola sp. were commonly present in the corals. On the other hand, Qipengyuania sp., Faucicola sp., Marihabitans sp., Azomonas sp., Atlantibacter sp., Cedecea sp., Krasalinikoviella sp., and Aidingimonas sp. were not previously reported from the corals. Among the bacterial isolates, a significant number showed high levels of biofilm formation (118), UV absorption (119), and melanin production (127). Considering these properties, we have identified a combination of seven bacteria from the genera Halomonas sp., Psychrobacter sp., Krasalinikoviella sp., and Micrococcus sp. as a potential probiotic consortium for protecting corals from oxidative stress. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the coral microbiome and opens up possibilities for microbiome-based interventions to protect these crucial ecosystems in the face of global environmental challenges.

Dual-narrowband terahertz metamaterial absorber based on all-metal vertical ring array for enhanced sensing application

In this paper, a novel design of a dual-narrowband metamaterial absorber (MMA) was proposed for using as a high-performance refractive index (RI) sensor in the terahertz (THz) region. The proposed MMA is based on a vertical-ring-shaped (VRS) structure gold film array. Through numerical simulation, it was found that the MMA can achieve high absorption levels of 99.8% and 94.6% at 1.723 THz and 2.457 THz, respectively, which are consistent with the values obtained using coupling mode theory (CMT). The MMA also exhibits high Q-factor values of about 27.35 and 102.38, respectively, which are close to the CMT values of 29.94 and 98.34. The dual-band strong absorption of the MMA is attributed to the guided modes of the critical coupling resonance, and the absorption properties can be adjusted by changing the geometrical parameters of the unit-cell structure. The proposed MMA has a narrowband and a higher Q-factor, making it suitable for RI sensing, with a sensitivity of about 1.66 and 1.88 THz RIU−1, and a figure-of-merit (FOM) of about 259.4 and 659.7 RIU−1, respectively. These findings open up new opportunities for the development of highly efficient MMAs, which have potential applications in biochemical sensing and detection in the THz region.

The study of engagement at work from the artificial intelligence perspective: A systematic review

AbstractEngagement has been defined as an attitude toward work, as a positive, satisfying, work‐related state of mind characterized by high levels of vigour, dedication, and absorption. Both its definition and its assessment have been controversial; however, new methods for its assessment, including artificial intelligence (AI), have been introduced in recent years. Therefore, this research aims to determine the state of the art of AI in the study of engagement. To this end, we conducted a systematic review in accordance with PRISMA to analyse the publications to date on the use of AI for the analysis of engagement. The search, carried out in six databases, was filtered, and 15 papers were finally analysed. The results show that AI has been used mainly to assess and predict engagement levels, as well as to understand the relationships between engagement and other variables. The most commonly used AI techniques are machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP), and all publications use structured and unstructured data, mainly from self‐report instruments, social networks, and datasets. The accuracy of the models varies from 22% to 87%, and its main benefit has been to help both managers and HR staff understand employee engagement, although it has also contributed to research. Most of the articles have been published since 2015, and the geography has been global, with publications predominantly in India and the US. In conclusion, this study highlights the state of the art in AI for the study of engagement and concludes that the number of publications is increasing, indicating that this is possibly a new field or area of research in which important advances can be made in the study of engagement through new and novel techniques.

Modification of fresh and hardened properties of 3D-printed recycled mortar by superabsorbent polymers

The high water absorption level of recycled sand limits the applicability of 3D-printed recycled mortar. In this study, superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) were adopted to modify the properties of both fresh and hardened 3D-printed recycled mortar. The effects of various SAP dosages, particle sizes, and addition methods were carefully examined. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and computed tomography (CT) were adopted to observe the microstructure. The test results showed that the addition of SAP effectively improved the printability of the mixed mortar. Particularly, with the addition of SAP, the autogenous shrinkage was reduced by more than 50 %, indicating that the polymer had an obvious inhibitory effect on shrinkage. Furthermore, the hydration of cementitious materials was promoted, resulting in an increase in compressive strength by 27%–69 %. Microstructural analysis further confirmed that the addition of SAP optimized the pore structure and enhanced the density of the 3D-printed mortar but did not change the types of hydration products. Generally, for the modification of 3D-printed mortar with recycled sand, it would be recommended to add SAP at a doping level of 0.4 % with a particle size of 60–100 mesh.

Application of 2-Iminoselenazolidin-4-Ones (ISeA) for Beta vulgaris L. and Brassica rapa L. Plants Se-Biofortification

Due to widespread selenium deficiency in food the aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a new Se(II)-containing organic chemical compound 2-iminoselenazolidin-4-ones (ISeA) in the form of a nanoscale associate (1–5 nm) solution for Swiss chard and komatsuna plants biofortification. Application of the chosen substance as a foliar treatment (2 mg·L−1) and as an additive to a hydroponic nutrient solution (10 mg·L−1) was performed. Both cultures had a high level of Se absorption, distribution and accumulation in leaves two or more times greater than in petioles. Se content in chard petioles (15 mg·L−1) when applying ISeA as a component of the nutrient solution exceeded the accumulation of Se during foliar treatment (9.6 mg·L−1) and the same trend in the komatsuna leaves was observed. When applying ISeA to the nutrient solution, an increase in komatsuna and chard biomass was seen at 36 and 68% and for leaf treatment by 21 and 45%, respectively. For komatsuna and chard an increase in the ratio of dry to fresh weight was also observed to be 27 and 26%, and for foliar treatment—0 and 16%, respectively. Treatments led to increase in chard plants height (7–17%), enlargement of leaves (19–42%), a rise in photosynthetic pigments (20–60%) and anthocyanin (2.9 and 2.2 times) concentration, and for komatsuna—the multiplication of leaves number (28%) and their surface area (27–29%) as well as a rise in the concentration of anthocyanin (1.0 and 1.6 times) with foliar treatment and nutrient solution enrichment.

Determination of the type of arched carbon fiber reinforced fastening of the preparatory opening for the conditions of the «Dniprovska» mine in weakly metamorphized rocks

The object of study is an arched carbon fiber-reinforced support of constant cross-section in a layered massif of weakly metamorphosed rocks. The article presents an analysis of the possible use of arched fiber-reinforced support of constant cross-section in a layered massif of weakly metamorphosed rocks for the conditions of the «Dniprovska» mine (Ukraine) around the preparatory opening. An analysis of the stability of mine openings in Western Donbas mines has shown that it is necessary to modernize the support system by introducing carbon fiber. The main reason for the low stability of the opening is the insufficient load-bearing capacity of the support, while its technical characteristics do not take into account the complex mining and geological conditions. The increase in stresses at mining depth is associated with impact safety, which is a serious problem during mining. Metal arch supports are deformable and have high rock loads and require a high level of energy absorption, i. e., to be very strong and flexible to withstand significant loads and avoid large displacements of the opening walls. Carbon fiber-reinforced plastic is able to ensure the stability of the fastening system and eliminate the existing disadvantages of typical metal arch fasteners, namely, high labour intensity, low production speed and high weight of the structure. In this article, the stress-strain state for the specified conditions and the carbon fiber-reinforced plastic arch support of constant cross-section was analyzed using the SolidWorks software product, taking into account the physical and mechanical properties of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic and layered rocks. Taking into account the results of laboratory tests of an equivalent layered array on a press made of PLA and carbon fiber, the dependence of deformations of the equivalent array with increasing load was established. The use of arched carbon fiber supports of various cross-sections can ensure the opening stability by reducing the intensity of stresses around its contour. On the basis of this study, a rational arched composite support of constant cross-section was proposed for the conditions of the «Dniprovska» mine. The obtained results indicate the need for further research, which will be considered in the author's future works.

Mechanical properties and electromagnetic wave absorption characteristics of solid waste low-carbon cementitious materials

A low-carbon multi-functional cement substitute material has been developed to reduce electromagnetic pollution in building spaces and protect human health. The solid waste electromagnetic absorption cementitious material (SWEACM) is produced by combining steel slag (SS), blast furnace slag (BFS), and phosphogypsum (PG). In this study, the properties of SWEACM were analyzed, including flow, electromagnetic wave absorption, strength, and environmental properties. Additionally, the hydration and electromagnetic wave absorption mechanisms were examined. The results indicate that SS, BFS, and PG content significantly affect the strength and electromagnetic wave absorption properties of SWEACM. S-6 exhibits the best overall performance (SS: BFS: PG = 3:6:1), with the highest strength (28 days compressive strength = 33.5 MPa) and fluidity (19.1 cm). Furthermore, it has excellent electromagnetic absorption performance (RLmin = −45.4 dB), with an adequate absorption bandwidth of up to 10 GHz in the 2–18 GHz range. The excellent electromagnetic wave absorption capability of SWEACM is mainly due to the resonance, polarization relaxation loss, and conduction loss of the magnetic and conductive components in the material. The results show that SWEACM can be used as a multi-functional construction engineering material for electromagnetic protection, combining high levels of high electromagnetic wave absorption, strength performance, and environmental benefits.

The small phytomolecule resveratrol: A promising role in boosting tumor cell chemosensitivity

Resveratrol (RES), chemically known as trans-3,5,4′-trihydroxystilbene, is a polyphenolic molecule that occurs naturally and is produced by a variety of plants in response to being stimulated by diverse stimuli. It possesses a wide range of biological activities and provides a multitude of health benefits, including anti-tumor, cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant characteristics. According to the findings of research on the bioavailability of RES, oral administration results in a high level of absorption. However, research has demonstrated that the administration of RES through gavage or intravenous administration produces more favorable results than the administration of RES through oral administration. As a result, more research has been carried out to address the rapid metabolism of RES. This has been accomplished through the utilization of novel formulation methodologies, metabolic regulation, and the analysis of potential interactions with other dietary variables. Through the process of triggering apoptosis, RES has been proposed as a possible agent for reversing drug resistance and improving the therapeutic potential of chemotherapy. Additionally, RES exhibits promising antiproliferative properties when paired with chemotherapeutic medicines, which enhances the overall function of these treatments. It is vital to do additional research to shed light on the beneficial role that RES plays in the context of cancer therapy, even though there have been few clinical trials that combine RES with anticancer medications.

Multi-functional and actively tunable terahertz metamaterial absorber based on graphene and vanadium dioxide composite structure

In this paper, a fabrication friendly terahertz (THz) metamaterial hybrid absorber comprised of square-shaped graphene and U-shaped vanadium dioxide is proposed and numerically analyzed. This device can be tuned dynamically to function as a wide-broadband, reduced-broadband, multi-band, or perfect single-band absorber. Switchable qualities are achieved through simultaneous tuning of the electrical properties of graphene and the phase transition properties of vanadium dioxide. The theory behind the absorption is explored using the distribution of the electric field and the theory of impedance matching. It is clear from the simulation results that the suggested structure can perform as a wide-broadband absorber for the transverse electric (TE) wave during the insulating phase of vanadium dioxide. In this case, graphene’s Fermi energy is configured to 0.7 eV, and it has a 0.1 ps relaxation time. Moreover, only changing the relaxation time to 0.5 ps enables the identical structure to perform as a multi-band absorber. On the contrary, the designed structure exhibits a reduced broadband absorption for the TE wave when the vanadium dioxide is thermally tuned to a metallic state and graphene’s Fermi energy is configured to 0 eV with a 0.1 ps relaxation time. Moreover, by inducing the metallic state in vanadium dioxide and adjusting the Fermi energy of graphene to 0.3 eV with a 0.1 ps relaxation time, the structure performs as a single-band perfect absorber. The main advantage of this work is that the proposed absorber device can be operated as a single-band, multi-band, or broadband absorber with two different bandwidths by applying external voltage and changing temperature. Additionally, for both the TE and transverse magnetic (TM) waves, the structure retains a high level of absorption until 40° of incident angle. Finally, due to its multi-functional property, simple geometric structure, and actively adjustable function, the presented structure has possible real-life applications in the terahertz frequency range.

Sports Engagement and Leadership Competencies Development in College Students

This research explores the evaluation of student involvement in sports and its significant correlation with leadership skills. The investigation focuses on assessing students' level of enthusiasm, commitment, absorption, and energy in sports participation, as well as their proficiency in communication, strategic planning, learning, and reasoning, interpersonal relationships, group dynamics, community involvement, personal conduct, and self-awareness and growth in leadership skills. Findings revealed that students have high levels of enthusiasm, dedication, absorption, and vigor while participating in sports. The high ratings highlight their steadfast dedication and enthusiasm for sports, indicating their active involvement and genuine interest. When analyzing leadership qualities, students exhibit varied levels of proficiency in many domains. Significantly, personal conduct self-awareness and growth stand out as areas of strength, with mean scores of 3.08 and 3.04, respectively. In contrast, strategic planning and community participation have the potential for improvement, as shown by their average ratings of 2.89 and 2.84, respectively. Importantly, the research confirms a strong and convincing correlation between students' participation in athletics and their abilities in leadership. Pearson's correlation coefficients, which range from 0.55 to 0.70, provide strong evidence for this robust relationship since all p-values indicate statistical significance. This highlights the fact that more involvement in athletics is associated with improved leadership abilities in several areas.

The acoustics of absorbers comprising a flexible perforated membrane backed by a stack of granular material

It has been found that when a layer of activated carbon partially fills the space behind a finite, edge-constrained, tensioned impermeable membrane, the absorption peaks due to the modal response of the membrane can be significantly enhanced in the low frequency range. In the present work, the modeling aspects of the latter work have been extended to allow the membrane to be both tensioned and flexurally stiff, and furthermore, to be micro-perforated, thus expanding the treatment design space. Second, the particle layer behind the membrane is modeled by using a two-dimensional finite difference implementation of the Biot poro-elastic theory which then accounts for the interaction of the particle layer and walls that contain it: i.e., the solid phase of the particle stack itself is allowed to exhibit modal behavior in the radial direction. The interaction of the membrane nearfield and the particle stack, which creates a nearfield damping effect, is also fully captured. Finally, the model accounts for the hierarchical porosity of activated carbon. The model has been verified by comparison with measurements and it has been found that strikingly high levels of low frequency absorption can be realized by appropriate optimization of the membrane and particle stack properties and geometry.

Harmonizing terahertz waves: unleashing the versatility of a multi-mode metamaterial absorber

An absorber composed of stacked graphene rings, vanadium dioxide (VO2) patches and metal reflectors separated by dielectric layers is proposed and numerically simulated using the finite element method (FEM). This absorber exhibits a multitude of absorption modes, including ultra-wideband, double-narrow band, and switchable multi-band perfect absorption. The physical mechanism behind perfect absorption is thoroughly investigated through the utilization of impedance matching theory, multiple interference theory (MIT), and coupled mode theory (CMT). Detailed analysis of the electric field further reveals the underlying physical phenomena. Notably, the absorber showcases the ability to dynamically adjust absorption performance by modifying the conductivity of (VO2) and the Fermi level of graphene, while maintaining consistently high absorption levels. The proposed multi-mode absorber maintains good performance within wide incidence angle. Based on the above advantages, this absorber holds promising potential for advancements in energy harvesting and sensor technologies.

СОЦІАЛЬНО-ЕКОНОМІЧНА РЕЗИЛЬЄНТНІСТЬ СУБ’ЄКТІВ ГОСПОДАРЮВАННЯ В УМОВАХ НЕГАТИВНИХ ЕКСТЕРНАЛІЙ

The article identifies the key determinants that determine the socio-economic resilience of economic entities in Ukraine during the war and will determine it in the period of post-war recovery, which will allow forming criteria for its further assessment. Since the beginning of the fullscale war, Ukrainian business entities have generally demonstrated a high level of absorption and adaptive capacity in wartime. In the future, in the context of the 3-D Resilience Concept, it is important that they also have the ability to ensure transformational capacity to ensure resilience. The external determinants include various areas of support for Ukraine: military, economic, sanctions, humanitarian, diplomatic, logistical, informational, psychological, educational and cultural. The internal determinants include: the effectiveness of the internal economic policy of the State, the effectiveness of support from local governments, the commitment of the local population in the areas of active hostilities, the geographical location of economic entities, the industry affiliation of economic entities and the sensitivity of a particular industry to the development of the military economy and ensuring military resistance, the availability of labour, the availability of own working capital and minimal external borrowing, the availability of effective demand. It is proposed to develop methodological approaches, criteria and a system of indicators for assessing the level of resilience of economic entities in the face of negative externalities on the basis of the identified determinants.