Independent Behaviors Research Articles

Interplay of phoresis and self-phoresis in active particles: Transport properties, phoretic, and self-phoretic coefficients.

Self-propelled synthetic particles have attracted scientific interest due to their potential applications as nanomotors in drug delivery and their insight into bacterial taxis. Research on their dynamics has focused on understanding phoresis and self-phoresis in catalytic Janus particles at both the nano- and microscale. This study explores the combined effects of self-diffusiophoresis and self-thermophoresis induced by exothermic chemical reactions on the surface of active particles moving in non-electrolyte media. We examine how these phoretic phenomena interact, influenced by the coupling between chemical reactions, heat generation, and the concentration and temperature fields at the particle interface. Using a theoretical framework based on the induction of surface tension gradients at the particle interface, we analyze the phoretic dynamics, quantifying parameters such as effective diffusivities, transport coefficients, and, most importantly, phoretic coefficients. Our findings provide insights into the conditions that dictate coupled or independent phoretic behaviors, with implications for drug delivery and nanomotor applications, enabling customized transport processes at the nanoscale.

Nuclear waste glass alteration under the influence of iron, claystone, and cementitious grout: An integral study

To prepare for the future deep geological disposal of high-level waste, the alteration of two inactive nuclear glasses was studied in the presence of claystone, iron, and cementitious grout at 50 °C for a period of 4 years. The materials were immersed together in a synthetic water representative of claystone solution composition. Blank experiments were also carried out to study the independent behaviors of iron and glass in the synthetic water. The evolution of the solutions’ chemistry was monitored. At the end of the experiments, the glass and iron, as well as the neoformed phases, were characterized. Results showed that Si, Ca, Mg, and Fe are key elements. A competition exists between the retention/integration of species into glass gels and clay-like neoformations. Magnesium tends to be leached from glasses and form Mg-silicates. It would only integrate into the gel if it was widely available in the solution. Furthermore, iron could form Fe-silicates. Whether for Mg or Fe, the formation of silicates was detrimental to the glass since it involved the creation of a silicon sink and thus the conservation of a high alteration rate. Concerning calcium, in these experiments it appeared that this species tends to be integrated/retained within the gels. In the pH conditions existing here, it seems that there is no competition with a neoformation. The specific impact of the cementitious grout was also studied, and the results showed that the presence of this material in the system had a beneficial effect on glass alteration due to a significant Si supply in the solution, enabling a reduction in the glass alteration rate.

Pedagogical Conditions for the Formation of Communicative Competence of Students of Higher Education

This article explains the concept of “communicative self-efficacy of university students,” emphasizing its pedagogical significance in fostering effective communication skills. The development and testing of an assessment diagnostic toolkit, incorporating criteria, indicators, and levels of communicative self-efficacy, are discussed. Pedagogical interventions for enhancing communicative self-efficacy are designed, implemented, and empirically evaluated. Communicative self-efficacy is posited as a meta-quality of personality, reflecting mastery of communication strategies, confidence in their implementation, and achievement of constructive outcomes. The process of forming communicative self-efficacy unfolds through distinct phases: “orientation,” facilitating students’ understanding of their communicative characteristics and competence; “enrichment,” consolidating confidence in diverse communicative contexts; and “activation,” fostering independent and flexible communicative behaviors through active participation in communication-oriented practices. This research underscores the importance of nurturing communicative self-efficacy among university students for effective interpersonal interactions across various situations.

E-PROOF: E-intervention for protein intake and resistance training to optimize function: A study protocol.

Accounting for more than 60% of cancer survivors, older (≥65 years) cancer survivors have a 2- to 5-fold risk of physical function impairment, compared to cancer-free peers. One strategy to improve physical function is dietary and resistance training interventions, which improve muscle strength and mass by stimulating muscle protein synthesis. The E-PROOF (E-intervention for Protein Intake and Resistance Training to Optimize Function) study will examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a 12-week randomized controlled trial of an online, tailored nutritional and resistance training education and counseling intervention to improve physical function and associated health outcomes (muscle strength, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), self-efficacy, and weight management). In this study, 70 older cancer survivors will be randomized to one of two groups: experimental (receiving remote behavioral counseling and evidence-based education and resources), and control (general survivorship education). We will examine the intervention effects on physical function, muscle strength, HRQoL, self-efficacy, weight, and waist circumference during a 12-week period between the experimental and control groups. Three months following the end of the intervention, we will conduct a follow-up assessment to measure physical function, muscle strength, and HRQoL. This study is the first synchronous, online protein-focused diet and resistance training intervention among older cancer survivors. This novel study advances science by promoting independent health behaviors among older cancer survivors to improve health outcomes, and provide foundational knowledge to further address this growing problem on a wider scale through online platforms.

An Examination of Preschool Children's Play Skills and Independent Learning Behaviors in Türkiye

Preschool education enables children to develop play skills and independent learning behaviors. This study aims to understand the association between preschool children's play skills and independent learning behaviors. The study was a relational survey model, with 380 children within the 5-year age group attending preschool and kindergarten school in Türkiye. The children were observed for one month. Teachers assessed their play skills and independent learning behaviors using “the Game Skills Scale (GSS)” and “Children's Independent Learning Development Checklist (CHILD 3-5)”. The descriptive result of the study, the children's play skills, and independent learning behaviors were found to be high; there was a significant difference according to gender in favor of girls; and the mean score changed according to the school type (the mean of the children attending kindergarten were higher, but the difference was not significant). A positive and strong relationship was found between children's independent learning behaviors and play skills, indicating that children's play skills had a significant effect on their independent learning behaviors.

Behavior of polar bear (Ursus maritimus) cubs post-den emergence at the Detroit Zoo.

In the wild, female polar bears (Ursus maritimus) with cubs may spend extended periods of time within the den following initial emergence. As a result, studying behavioral development of cubs at the denning site has been difficult and unreliable. Although care staff at zoological institutions have easier access to animals, every effort is made to minimize intrusions to maternal groups, which presents research limitations. Detroit Zoological Society staff used audio-equipped cameras installed in behind-the-scenes spaces to conduct approximately 9 weeks of monitoring on two female polar bear cubs of the same litter, one of whom (Laerke) was hand-reared while the other (Astra) was mother-reared. Monitoring spanned ages 14-24 weeks and consisted of 12, 5-min focal observations per observation day timed to evenly cover the entire 24-h day. Using generalized linear mixed models, we examined relationships between behavior and time of day, hour, and age. We also conducted descriptive analyses and used these to draw comparisons between the two cubs where appropriate. Despite different rearing environments, both cubs had highly comparable patterns of inactive, locomotory, and independent play behaviors. Astra generally decreased time spent nursing and in proximity to Suka as she aged. Data presented here represent a continuation of previous neonatal observations conducted on Astra, adding to the minimal body of knowledge currently available on first year polar bear cub development. We also report successful mitigation of stereotypic behavior in Laerke. Further studies of captive maternal groups can provide insight into this critical developmental stage, supporting both captive-based breeding efforts and in situ conservation efforts.

Proton Turnover Dominated Cascade Route for CO2 Photoreduction

AbstractPhotoreduction carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) into valuable chemicals is a huge potential to mitigate immoderate CO2 emissions and energy crisis. To date, tremendous attention is concentrated on the improvement of independent CO2 reduction or H2O oxidation behaviors. However, the simultaneous control of efficient electron and hole utilization is still a huge challenge due to the complex cascade redox reactions. Here, a proton turnover exists in the whole CO2 photoreduction process is discovered, which is defined as the pivot to concatenate the hole and electron behaviors. As a demonstration of the concept, the efficient activated hydrogen (*H) production centers of copper (Cu) and rapid hydrogenation centers of nickel (Ni) are coupled by an alloying strategy, and the proton turnover behaviors could be directly determined by adjustment of the molar ratios of CuxNiy. Moreover, Cu3Ni1–TiO2 exhibits the highest electron selectivity of 93.7% for methane (CH4) production with a rate of 175.9 µmol g−1 h−1, while Cu1Ni5–TiO2 reaches up to the highest carbon monoxide (CO) electron selectivity and generation rate at 84.4% and 164.6 µmol g−1 h−1, respectively. Consequently, the experimental and theoretical analysis all clarify the predominate proton turnover effect during the overall CO2 photoreduction process, which directly determines the categories and generated efficiency of C‐based products by regulating variable reaction pathways. Therefore, the revelation of the proton turnover pivot could broaden the new sights by bidirectional optimization of dynamics during the overall CO2 photoreduction system, which favors the efficient, selective, and stable photocatalytic CO2 reduction with H2O.

Spatial memory-augmented visual navigation based on hierarchical deep reinforcement learning in unknown environments

Visual navigation in unknown environments poses significant challenges due to the presence of many obstacles and low-texture scenes. These factors may cause frequent collisions and tracking failure of feature-based visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (vSLAM). To avoid these issues, this paper proposes a spatial memory-augmented visual navigation system that combines a vSLAM module, a conventional global planner module, and a Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning (HRL)-based local planner module. Firstly, a real-time vSLAM named Salient-SLAM is proposed to augment the performance of visual navigation. Salient-SLAM creates a navigation mapping thread by combining a saliency prediction model to build a navigation map that categorizes environmental regions as occupied, explored, or noticeable. Spatial memory that contains spatial abstraction and saliency information of the environment can be further formed by encoding navigation maps, which helps the agent determine an optimal path towards its destination. An open-sourced saliency dataset is proposed to train the saliency prediction model by mimicking the visual attention mechanism. Secondly, a HRL method is proposed to automatically decompose local planning into a high-level policy selector and several low-level policies, where the latter produces actions to interact with the environment. We maximize entropy and minimize option correlation in learning low-level policies, aiming at acquiring diverse and independent behaviors. The simulation results show that the proposed HRL method outperforms competitive baselines by 6.29–10.85 % on Success Rate (SR) and 3.87–11.1 % on Success weighted by Path Length (SPL) metrics. By incorporating the spatial memory, SR, and SPL metrics can be augmented by an average of 9.85 % and 10.89 %, respectively.

Going beyond fit (misfit): Enhancing sales performance based on salespeople's self-construal

Though self-construal has attracted researchers' attention in several areas, salesperson self-construal has not been well investigated. In this study, we explore the mediating mechanism and contingent factors that explain how and when salespersons' distinct kinds of self-construal affect their sales performance. Using data from different sources, we find that salespersons' self-construal interacts with various job and organizational features to influence their customer-oriented behaviors and resultant job performance. Furthermore, firms can not only increase (decrease) both interdependent and independent salespersons' customer-oriented behaviors by creating simple forms of person-environment fit (misfit), but also manipulate or change existing P-E fit or misfit with distinct sales controls. We emphasize the importance of these differential effects by empirically verifying that self-construal's impact on customer orientation consequently links to objective sales performance. Together, our findings have theoretical and practical implications for sales management in relation to salesperson self-construal.

Magnetic Lateral Ladder for Unidirectional Transport of Microrobots: Design Principles and Potential Applications of Cells-on-Chip.

Functionalized microrobots, which are directionally manipulated in a controlled and precise manner for specific tasks, face challenges. However, magnetic field-based controls constrain all microrobots to move in a coordinated manner, limiting their functions and independent behaviors. This article presents a design principle for achieving unidirectional microrobot transport using an asymmetric magnetic texture in the shape of a lateral ladder, which the authors call the "railway track." An asymmetric magnetic energy distribution along the axis allows for the continuous movement of microrobots in a fixed direction regardless of the direction of the magnetic field rotation. The authors demonstratedprecise control and simple utilization of this method. Specifically, by placing magnetic textures with different directionalities, an integrated cell/particle collectorcan collect microrobots distributed in a large area and move them along a complex trajectory to a predetermined location. The authors can leverage the versatile capabilities offered by this texture concept, including hierarchical isolation, switchable collection, programmable pairing, selective drug-response test, and local fluid mixing for target objects. The results demonstrate the importance of microrobot directionality in achieving complex individual control. This novel concept represents significant advancement over conventional magnetic field-based control technology and paves the way for further research in biofunctionalized microrobotics.

Fostering Independent Learning in Early Childhood: A Case Study on Montessori Pedagogy at PAUD Montessori Futura Indonesia

The primary objective of this research is to assess the effectiveness of Montessori pedagogy in nurturing independent learning in early childhood education, specifically at PAUD Montessori Futura Indonesia. Utilizing a descriptive case study approach, the study examines daily routines, learning activities, and the role of educators in fostering independence. The findings indicate that children consistently engage in independent behaviors, such as choosing activities autonomously and requiring minimal teacher intervention. Educators are instrumental in crafting activities that bolster independent learning, and the learning facilities are strategically organized to facilitate this objective. The practice of age grouping within the institution further enriches the learning environment by instilling a sense of responsibility among older children. These outcomes have considerable implications for both research and practice in early childhood education, suggesting that Montessori pedagogy can effectively promote independent learning. However, the study is confined to a single educational setting and does not explore the Montessori approach's long-term effects or adaptability in diverse socio-cultural contexts. Future research is recommended to investigate these areas for a more holistic understanding of the efficacy of Montessori pedagogy in promoting independent learning.

CFD-DEM simulation of aggregation and growth behaviors of fluid-flow-driven migrating particle in porous media

Particle migration with liquid flow is a fundamental problem during the highly efficient development of oil and gas. In this study, the aggregation and growth behaviors of fluid-flow-driven fine particles at the pore scale are investigated by considering their successive injection and migration process based on CFD-DEM. The particle aggregation and growth behaviors within porous media are obtained, by which the particle aggregation growth affects hydraulic properties and the risk of pore clogging are explored. Several experiments of particle injection were also conducted to verify the accuracy of the numerical model. Both simulation results and experimental phenomena illustrate that fine particle are prone to aggregate near the inlet and bottom wall with a discontinuous concentration, and the calculated instantaneous velocities of particle are larger at the outlet and near the wall affected by the deviation of pore size and position. The three modes of migration, aggregation and growth of particles due the successive invasion and deposition are captured at pores, and are mainly divided into independent and dependent growth behaviors based on the presence or absence of deposited particles before the arrival of new-injected particles. Results highlight the effect of injected fluid velocity, fluid viscosity and fine particle concentration on the particle migration and aggregation behaviors and its dependency with the risk of pore clogging, so as to provide theoretical guidance to the prevention of pore clogging in engineering applications.

Age of Information in Reservation Multi-Access Networks With Stochastic Arrivals: Analysis and Optimization

This paper analyzes and optimizes the average Age of Information (AAoI) of Frame Slotted ALOHA with Reservation and Data slots (FSA-RD) in a multi-access network, where multiple users transmit their randomly generated status updates to a common access point in a framed manner. Each frame consists of one reservation slot and several data slots. The reservation slot is further split into several mini-slots. In each reservation slot, users that want to transmit a status update will randomly send short reservation packets in one of the mini-slots to contend for data slots of the current frame. The reservation is successful only if one reservation packet is sent in a mini-slot. The data slots are then allocated to those users that succeed in the reservation slot. In the considered FSA-RD scheme, one user with a status update for transmission, termed active user, may need to perform multiple reservation attempts before successfully delivering it. As such, the number of active user(s) in different frames are dependent and thus the probability of making a successful reservation varies from frame to frame, making the AAoI analysis non-trivial. We manage to derive an analytical expression of AAoI for FSA-RD by characterizing the evolution of the number of active user(s) in each frame as a discrete-time Markov chain. We then consider the FSA-RD scheme with one reservation attempt per status update, termed FSA-RD-One. Thanks to the independent frame behaviors of FSA-RD-One, we attain a closed-form expression for its AAoI, which is further used to find the near-optimal reservation probability. Our analysis reveals the impact of key protocol parameters, such as frame size and reservation probability, on the AAoI. Simulation results validate our analysis and show that the optimized FSA-RD outperforms the optimized slotted ALOHA.

Equitable STEM+CS learning experiences for girls of color: nurturing an independent learning approach via a learning ecosystem

PurposeThere is a critical need to understand how to attract Black girls and other girls of color to the science, technology, engineering, math, and computer science (STEM+CS) field. This study aims to look at the design and implementation of a CS learning ecosystem that supports girls of color in acquiring critical CS skills starting in middle school.Design/methodology/approachThis mixed-method case study included 53 girls, between the ages of 11 and 13, in four US middle schools. Study methods included the analysis of a pre-program student survey, longitudinal interviews and focus groups, weekly observations and computing artifacts.FindingsProgram participants were interested in CS, were confident in their ability to learn CS, had prior coding and CS experience and had parents and teachers who encouraged them to learn CS. But some students showed dependent learning behaviors while engaging in CS activities. These included relying on instructors and being reticent to make mistakes–behaviors that limit learning. The CS learning ecosystem supported students as they shifted from applying dependent learning approaches to applying independent learning approaches. Instructors sustained a growth mindset and supported productive struggle as students learned CS skills.Originality/valueA CS learning system supported equitable learning experiences and helped students develop independent learning behaviors that led to deeper engagement in CS.

Automatic tracking method for submarine cables and pipelines of AUV based on side scan sonar

Submarine cables and pipelines laid on the seafloor are critical infrastructures for energy transportation and communication transmission and must be inspected in a timely manner to determine maintenance needs. Autonomous inspection of cables (including pipelines) and their surroundings using underwater vehicles is difficult because of sensor myopia and deviations in cable routing. This study proposes an automatic cable-tracking method (ACTM) based on side-scan sonar (SSS) that endows autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) with autonomous decision-making capabilities to achieve fast localization and stable tracking of submarine cables with large uncertainties. Compared with the traditional predefined waypoint method, the proposed method decomposes the tasks into a series of independent behaviors according to operational objectives; thus, the AUV can perform online dynamic task replanning and realize an autonomous coverage search of the target region. When a cable is detected, the cable-tracking task is constructed as a path-following control problem on the horizontal plane. To reduce uncertainties caused by environmental noise and sensor measurement errors, a uniform motion model based on target tracking theory was used to model the virtual mass abstracted from the cable, and the states of the cable were estimated using the Kalman filter. Subsequently, an adaptive line-of-sight guidance algorithm for the SSS is established to dynamically adjust the look-ahead distance by introducing states such as cable curvature and angular change rate, which somewhat alleviates the tracking loss caused by the SSS short-sightedness. The proposed ACTM effectiveness and robustness were validated through numerical simulations and field tests. The results showed that the proposed method can achieve automatic search and adaptive tracking of cables, further reducing the role of humans in the task.

Sexual and reproductive health knowledges: a study with Pacific young people enrolled in an Aotearoa New Zealand tertiary institution

Pacific young people living in Aotearoa New Zealand experience disparities in their sexual and reproductive health outcomes, thought to stem from cultural differences and educational inequities. Although these barriers have been characterised in literature, their influence on Pacific youth’s understandings of sexual and reproductive health have been relatively unexplored. This study investigated the sexual and reproductive health knowledge of Pacific students enrolled at a university in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2020 and where they gained this knowledge. The study used the theoretical framework of the (revitalised) Fonofale health model and was guided by the Kakala research methodology. Data were collected by means of an online survey comprised of open-ended questions and Likert scales, completed by eighty-one eligible students. Open-ended questions were analysed for general themes and responses to Likert scale items are reported using descriptive statistical analysis. The study found that Pacific youth have strong foundations of health knowledge that is heavily influenced by Polynesian cultural beliefs. Both formal and non-formal learning environments were important in developing participants’ health knowledge of these topics and for encouraging independent help-seeking behaviours. This is the first reported study to investigate the sexual and reproductive health knowledges of a pan-Pacific tertiary cohort of young people.

Automated Long-Term Monitoring of the Heat-Seeking Behavior of Mosquitoes.

Heat is one of the critical cues female mosquitoes use to find vertebrate hosts, particularly in the final step of attraction (touching down on hosts) before the initiation of blood-sucking. To prevent vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever, which are transmitted via mosquito blood-sucking, it is essential to understand the dynamics and mechanisms of the heat-seeking behavior of mosquitoes. An automated device to quantify CO2-activated heat-seeking behavior with continuous monitoring for up to a week was established. The device is based on the infrared beam break method; it can simultaneously monitor three independent mosquito behaviors (touchdown on a heated target, feeding, and locomotion activity) by using several pairs of infrared laser sensors. This protocol describes brief instructions for the device's construction, directions for use, and possible issues and solutions.

Thermal hydraulic characteristics of liquid sodium and supercritical CO2 in a diffusion bonded heat exchanger

Compact heat exchangers are being examined for use in advanced, high-temperature nuclear or concentrated solar power plants to improve thermal efficiencies and reduce capital costs. At the time of this work, no experimental investigation of liquid sodium in the popular diffusion-bonded heat exchanger design had been performed. This paper describes the thermal-hydraulic and overall operations performance observed during testing of a 316/L stainless steel “zig-zag” microchannel heat exchanger operating between a (0.5 kg/s) sodium loop and a (0.3 kg/s) recuperated supercritical CO2 system with outlet conditions up to 550 °C at 16 MPa. Observed pressure drop is presented in the form of an effective friction factor correlation which aligns closely with recent experimental data. The thermal performance of this heat exchanger, measured by its overall conductance under various flow conditions, was decomposed to examine the independent convection behaviors of both the CO2 and sodium streams. These results are presented in the form of Nusselt correlations fitted to the experimental data. The sodium heat transfer correlation aligns closely with the widely accepted Lubarsky-Kaufman correlation, while the CO2 heat transfer correlation lies between previous correlations developed by computational and experimental methods. This was the first long-duration use of sodium in a microchannels (∼ 1.8 mm hydraulic diameter) heat exchanger. The use of an oxide control system enabled trouble-free operation of the heat exchanger for over 150 h of high-temperature operation. This first-of-a-kind demonstration using liquid sodium and supercritical carbon dioxide shows great promise for further application of this technology in advanced nuclear or solar power plants.

Independent User Circular Behaviors and Their Motivators and Barriers: A Review

The promotion, facilitation, and adoption of circular behaviors are extremely vital for the success of the transition toward a Circular Economy. Thus, many studies have been conducted on circular behaviors and designing for them. Nevertheless, most of the previous studies adopted a macro perspective (across different business models and product types) to investigate circular behaviors related to product purchasing, product disposal, or a particular circular strategy, such as repair or recycling. Intending to address a serious gap, this study aimed to identify a specific, important set of circular behaviors: independent user circular behaviors. These are the behaviors that can be solely performed by the same product user, during use or at the end of the product life, in relation to a shopping product owned under a product-oriented or pure product business model. After critically reviewing the key literature, we present a model for independent user circular behaviors (CURA model). It includes four behaviors: care, upgrade, repurpose, and appreciate. The latter is a concept we are introducing in this paper. We also identified and categorized the motivators of, and the barriers to, these behaviors. The study outcomes are hoped to encourage and guide researchers toward an in-depth exploration of independent user circular behaviors. Moreover, they are expected to assist researchers, product designers, and business strategists in conceptualizing and realizing products of higher circularity, and, ultimately, stimulate sustainable consumption patterns.

Caregiver-Implemented Digital Activity Schedules With Virtual Coaching.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many insurance companies approved the funding of telehealth-based behavior analytic services for both training and direct-care purposes. Activity schedules are a simple and effective intervention that can be used in the home environment to improve independence for children with ASD. Recent efforts have shifted the format of activity schedules from paper-based schedules to digital platforms that make the schedules more portable and provide easier access for both the caregiver and the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Google Slides® is a readily available web-based platform that has been used to design and deliver behavior analytic instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. A non-concurrent multiple baseline design across three child-caregiver dyads was used to evaluate the effectiveness of a caregiver-implemented digital activity schedule intervention on the independent play behaviors of children with ASD. The activity schedule was created and shared on the Google Slides® platform and caregivers received bug-in-ear (BIE) coaching from practitioners to implement the intervention. Regardless of some minor treatment implementation difficulties attributed to the remote service delivery and the digital format, the digital platform and coaching intervention were effective in increasing independent schedule following with minimal training on the part of the caregiver. We hope that the results of this study provide BCBAs with additional guidance on effective interventions and procedures for remote service delivery.