Initial Stage Research Articles

Developing and Validating Assessment Tools for Measuring Undergraduate Students’ Academic Engagement and Academic Achievement: Lessons Learned from a Pilot Research Project

In the initial stage of their federally funded research project, the authors detail how they developed and validated a set of assessment tools aimed at measuring undergraduate students’ academic engagement and their own definition of academic success. To ensure the tools were measuring what they were intended to, and that they were reliable, the authors enlisted content experts, including a librarian with academic engagement expertise, three educational psychologists with specialization in college students’ engagement, self-regulation, and related fields, and two psychometricians with knowledge of psychological measurement. The authors also reflect on the lessons they learned from the process of developing and validating the assessment tools.

Experimental Study on the Soil Conditions for Rapeseed Transplanting for Blanket Seedling Combined Transplanter

To address the lack of available information on the soil physical conditions suitable for rapeseed blanket-shaped seedling transplanting, as well as the lack of protocols for the optimisation of soil tillage components in the utilisation of an integrated rapeseed blanket seedling combined transplanter, the physical parameters of different soil conditions and their impact on the growth of rapeseed after transplanting were investigated in this study. The aim was to determine the suitable soil physical parameters for rapeseed blanket-shaped seedling transplanting. First, the changes in soil firmness, soil bulk density, and soil moisture content during the installation of the rapeseed blanket seedling combined transplanter were tested and analysed, providing preliminary data for subsequent research. Using the variables of soil firmness and soil moisture content in the micro-environment around the roots and stems (30–50 mm) after rapeseed seedling transplantation and indicators such as the survival rate, root diameter, seedling height, and dry weight, an experiment on the growth of rapeseed blanket-shaped seedlings was conducted based on the furrow cutting transplanting principle. The results indicated that during the initial stage of rapeseed transplanting, the soil moisture content significantly influenced the vitality of the rapeseed plants. Under a high soil moisture content, the typically lengthy seedling period was shortened, and the effect on vitality was good, with minimal influence from the soil firmness. After seedling establishment, the rapeseed growth was significantly affected by the soil firmness. When the soil moisture content was less than 20%, increasing the soil firmness to 500 kPa was beneficial for moisture retention and rapeseed seedling growth. At a soil moisture content ranging from 20 to 25%, a soil firmness of 400 kPa was most suitable for both rapeseed vitality and late-stage growth. When the soil moisture content exceeded 25%, reducing the soil firmness to 300 kPa was beneficial for rapeseed growth, as an excessively high moisture content may lead to soil compaction, affecting seedling development. This study provides a theoretical basis for optimizing the design of soil tillage components in the application of an integrated rapeseed blanket seedling combined transplanter and for the high-yield management of rapeseed after transplanting.

Boundary-less and care-full: women academics' perception and negotiation of work-life domains during the COVID-19 work from home era at an Australian regional university

ABSTRACT This article examines how women academics at an Australian regional university perceived caring responsibilities as an extension of their paid employment during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. It explores how women academics negotiated boundaries around paid work, caring as a component of paid work, and their private caring responsibilities in the first lockdown and work-from-home period. We surveyed academic staff at our university during the initial work-from-home period. Findings suggest women academics perceived an increase in performing caring tasks for students and colleagues. Our research finds that women academics modified their workday to accommodate increased requirements of their paid work, caring at work, and domestic caring responsibilities. We argue these findings identify biased practices in masculinized neoliberal universities. This has implications for women academics and their employers as the unspoken but expected responsibility for performing care within universities continues to fall on women in the academic workforce.

Nutrigenomics: A new approach to the diagnosis and prevention of diseases

An expanding understanding of the ability to alter meals or dietary to enhance health and lower the probability of nutrition-related conditions is what has sparked interest in nutrigenomics. It is a newly developed field which incorporates the areas of bioinformatics, diet, molecular biology, the study of genomes epidemiology, and molecular medicine to reveal the effects of diet on gene activity. More research in this area requires immediate attention to assist people recognize the connection between nutrition and well-being and to make sure all individuals receive advantages from the genomic change. As people's eating behaviors and daily routines change, they turn more vulnerable to diet-related disorders. The implementation of high quantities genomics technologies in studies on nutrition is known as nutrigenomics. If executed correctly, it will advance knowledge of how nutrition affects the processes of metabolism and homeostatic management, how this restriction is hampered in the initial stages of diet-related disorders, and the point to which specific sensitizing genotypes are responsible for such diseases. Nutrigenomics will eventually enable successful dietary approaches to restore homeostasis and eliminate diet-related illnesses. It is possible to think of nutritional genomics, also known as nutrigenomics, as the intersection of molecular nourishment and genome. The expression of genes profiles (transcriptome), chromatin design (epigenome), expression of proteins patterns, including posttranslational modifications (proteome), and metabolite profiles (metabolome) are only a few of the many tissue- and organ-specific effects of bioactive nutrients.The term "Nutrigenomics" was coined to signify the scientific investigation of this gene-nutrient interplay. Therefore, nutrigenomics refers to the application of the field of biochemistry physiology, dietary intake, genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, and epigenomics to identify and understand the molecular basis of the current reciprocal relationships among genes and nutrients.Nutritional genomics, also known as nutrigenomics, is a research field of gene-nutrient relationships and how they are utilized. By changing the way genes are expressed and/or arrangement of someone's genetic code, ordinary food nutrients might alter the ratio across well-being and illness. This genetic insight can be obtained by nutritional genomics. The study of nutrigenetics looks at the associations between a person's gene makeup and particular nutritional intake. This subfield examines how genetic variability affects dietary guidelines or the relationship between diet and disease. Though they have different short-term goals, dietary research's long-term mission is to enhance people's health and aid in illness prevention. Gene-specific dietary data has provided a wealth of information that has helped doctors develop therapeutic strategies for the medical management of complex chronic diseases. The aforementioned data can be used in the future to a vast community; however, practicality needs to be verified. An understanding of nutrigenomics should soon enable more specialized therapies.

Comparative Assessment Of Body Indicators For Highly Qualified Athletes Specializing In Cyclic Sports

The article discusses a comparative assessment of physique indicators among highly qualified athletes specializing in cyclic sports. Studies have shown that morphological characteristics that have prognostic significance at the initial stages of a long-term training process and retain their information content as the sports skills of athletes competing in cyclic sports increase include: body length and weight, chest circumference, length of the thigh, lower leg, muscle mass of the thigh and lower leg , and the somatotype that most corresponds to the needs of this specialization is the ectomesomorphic somatotype.

The L2/L3 initial state, initial stages and judgement tasks: The role of intercomprehension when judging unknown languages

This study problematizes the second language (L2) / third language (L3) initial state, questioning who the real initial state-learners are and whether it is the initial state that has been explored in some previous L3 studies that claim to do so. We will discuss the notion of initial stages in relation to the initial state. We argue that, depending on prior language knowledge, learners can – thanks to intercomprehension – advance rapidly from the initial state into the initial stages of interlanguage. We base these suggestions on data from a small-scale study in which 20 native speakers of Swedish assessed whether some Dutch, Finnish and Norwegian sentences were grammatical or not. The results from this study led us to a discussion of whether the leap from the initial state to the initial stages can be overcome more quickly, due to the clues from typological similarity on the lexical level that the learners are given .

Biological and phytochemical variation with pre- and post-harvest conditions for the Acanthus mollis L. leaf

This study investigated for the first time the temporal variation of compounds and biological activities in Acanthus mollis leaves harvested during different seasons. Variables like the harvest date, edaphic-climatic conditions, storage, drying process, and extraction methods can potentially affect phytochemicals content, potentially influencing its safety and efficacy. The study was conducted over two consecutive years, and leaves were harvested at three different vegetative stages: early vegetation, pre-flowering, and flowering. The main non-volatile compounds in the harvested leaves' ethanol extracts were quantified using HPLC-PDA (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Photodiode Array Detection). Additionally, the antioxidant capacity of the extracts was evaluated using the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay. Finally, the anti-inflammatory activity of the extracts on RAW 264.7 murine macrophages stimulated with LPS (lipopolysaccharide) was studied. Phytochemical analysis revealed different compounds crucial for identifying the most favorable harvesting season for Acanthus mollis. These compounds included DIBOA (2,4-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one), HBOA (2-hydroxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one), and verbascoside. The concentration of these compounds varied depending on the vegetative state, with lower levels observed during the flowering season. During the initial vegetation stage, DIBOA emerged as the primary compound, gradually diminishing as the plant advanced through its vegetative state. Notably, the concentrations of both DIBOA and verbascoside exhibited a reverse correlation with temperature, rising as temperatures declined. Under elevated temperatures, humidity, and sun exposure, DIBOA is prone to degradation, while verbascoside, a phenylpropanoid, remains relatively stable in these conditions. It was found that the antioxidant activity of the leaves depends mainly on the amount of verbascoside, while the anti-inflammatory potential is primarily attributed to DIBOA. Verbascoside also showed a protective function against the cytotoxicity of the extracts in this study. Tyrosinase activity was affected by the levels of total benzoxazinoids and phenylpropanoids. Overall, this study elucidates the temporal variation of compounds in Acanthus mollis leaves harvested during different seasons, highlighting the importance of the quantification of specific compounds, such as DIBOA, HBOA, and verbascoside, for the selection of the most favorable harvesting season, and providing insights into the effects of temperature and environmental factors on the concentration of these compounds as well as their biological activities.

The Path to Judicial Management in Malaysia is Paved with Obstacles: Lessons from Singapore and the United Kingdom

AbstractIn embracing corporate rescue, Malaysia introduced Judicial Management (JM) into its company law framework on 1 March 2018. The mechanism was modelled on Singapore's Judicial Management, which itself was based on the United Kingdom (UK) Administration Procedure. Despite its laudable objective of facilitating the rescue of financially distressed companies, the path to JM is paved with obstacles. This article identifies some of these obstacles and examines the issues that give rise to them. At the same time, the article proposes legislative reforms, drawing on comparative laws in Singapore and the UK. For the purposes of this article, three obstacles are examined: first, the power of a secured creditor or debenture holder to veto the JM application; second, the stringent and prohibitive burden imposed on an applicant company caused by the judicial interpretation, at times conflicting, of the provisions governing the application of a JM order; and third, the higher threshold imposed by legislative requirements on creditors’ meeting to approve the JM proposal. These obstacles are encountered at three stages of a JM application: first, at the initial stage of the application; second, in considering the merits of the JM; and third, when the creditors vote to approve the application.

Developing a Deep Learning and Reliable Optimization Techniques for Solar Photovoltaic Power Prediction

Due to its significant solar energy generation, solar PV power facilities have recently been utilized. Although PV power stations are highly preferable, the state’s fundamental drawback is that its output current qualities are unpredictable. Consequently, to ensure a balance and complete functioning, it would be crucial to build systems that allow accurate future projections of solar PV production in the short or medium term. Research postulates a strategy for using deep learning to estimate the short-term electricity generated by solar photovoltaic facilities. This study offers a novel method for predicting photovoltaic systems output power utilizing a Hybrid Deep Neural Network framework, making significant advancements in the field of deep learning applications to transmission system prediction issues. CNN and LSTM are combined in the postulated HDNN paradigm. Traditional deep learning techniques are employed in the initial stage. The effectiveness assessments of these techniques are instead presented in greater detail after they have been trained using firefly optimization techniques. The method with the highest reliability is chosen out of all the techniques used in previous research. Deep learning and power efficiency create a combination that appears to have a successful future, predominantlyin improving sustainable management and the digitalization of the electrical sector.

Research on the grinding performance of grinding wheel in the initial grinding stage after electric spark dressing of grinding wheel

Research on the grinding performance of grinding wheel in the initial grinding stage after electric spark dressing of grinding wheel

Daily age, growth rate, and pelagic larval duration of commercially important snapper species in Abrolhos National Marine Park.

The age and daily growth of fish are registered through the deposition of increments in their otoliths, which are concretions formed by the precipitation of substances present in the endolymphatic fluid, mainly calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Faced with the need to fill some of the gaps in the knowledge on the occurrence and duration of the initial stages of snapper species' life cycles in the Abrolhos Bank, this study aimed to describe the growth rates, age, and period of pelagic larval duration (PLD) of three snapper species during the larval pre-settlement phase, in the Abrolhos Bank region. The post-larvae were captured using light traps. Otoliths were removed from 117 samples of snapper species; however, only 69 were viable for age estimation, of which 15 were Lutjanus analis, 25 were Lutjanus jocu, and 29 were Lutjanus synagris. Together, the samples presented individuals with total lengths ranging from 16.14 to 24.76 mm and ages from 21 to 39 days. Settlement marks were found for all three species, and the average PLD was ~25 days. The somatic growth of the snapper species was positively correlated with otolith growth. L. jocu presented the greatest daily growth compared to the other species. The three species use the Abrolhos Bank as a larval settlement site, demonstrating plasticity by using different habitats throughout their lives.

Early events during the aggregation of Aβ16-22-derived switch-peptides tracked using Protein Charge Transfer Spectra

BackgroundUnderstanding Aβ aggregation and inhibiting it at early stages is of utmost importance in treating Alzheimer's and other related amyloidogenic diseases. However, majority of the techniques to study Aβ aggregation mainly target the late stages; while those used to monitor early stages are either expensive, use extrinsic dyes, or do not provide information on molecular level interactions. Here, we investigate the early events of Aβ16-22(KLVFFAE) aggregation using Aβ16-22 derived switch-peptides (SwPs) through a novel label-free approach employing Protein Charge Transfer Spectra (ProCharTS). ResultsWhen pH is increased from 2 to 7.2, the Aβ-derived switch peptides undergo controlled self-assembly, where the initial random coil peptides convert into β-sheet. We leveraged the intrinsic absorbance/luminescence arising from ProCharTS among growing peptide oligomers to observe the aggregation kinetics in real-time. In comparison to monomer, the lysine and glutamate headgroups in the peptide oligomer are expected to come in proximity enhancing ProCharTS intensity due to photoinduced electron transfer. With a combination of Aβ-derived switch-peptides and ProCharTS, we obtained structural insights on the early stages of Aβ-derived SwP aggregation in four unique peptides. Increase in scatter corrected ProCharTS absorbance (250–500 nm) and luminescence (320–720 nm) along with decreased mean luminescence lifetime (2.3–0.8 ns) characterize the initial stages of aggregation monitored for 1–96 h depending on the peptide. We correlated the results with Circular Dichroism (CD), 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid (ANS) and Thioflavin T (ThT) measurements. SignificanceWe demonstrate ProCharTS as an intrinsic analytical probe with following advantages over other conventional methods to track aggregation: it is a label-free probe; it's intensity can be measured using a UV–Vis spectrophotometer; it is more sensitive in detecting the early molecular events in aggregation compared to ANS and ThT; and it can provide information on specific contacts made between charged headgroups of Lysine/Glutamate in the oligomer.

Bacteria undergo significant shifts while archaea maintain stability in Pocillopora damicornis under sustained heat stress

Global warming reportedly poses a critical risk to coral reef ecosystems. Bacteria and archaea are crucial components of the coral holobiont. The response of archaea associated with warming is less well understood than that of the bacterial community in corals. Also, there have been few studies on the dynamics of the microbial community in the coral holobiont under long-term heat stress. In order to track the dynamic alternations in the microbial communities within the heat-stressed coral holobiont, three-week heat-stress monitoring was carried out on the coral Pocillopora damicornis. The findings demonstrate that the corals were stressed at 32 °C, and showed a gradual decrease in Symbiodiniaceae density with increasing duration of heat stress. The archaeal community in the coral holobiont remained relatively unaltered by the increasing temperature, whereas the bacterial community was considerably altered. Sustained heat stress exacerbated the dissimilarities among parallel samples of the bacterial community, confirming the Anna Karenina Principle in animal microbiomes. Heat stress leads to more complex and unstable microbial networks, characterized by an increased average degree and decreased modularity, respectively. With the extension of heat stress duration, the relative abundances of the gene (nifH) and genus (Tistlia) associated with nitrogen fixation increased in coral samples, as well as the potential pathogenic bacteria (Flavobacteriales) and opportunistic bacteria (Bacteroides). Hence, our findings suggest that coral hosts might recruit nitrogen-fixing bacteria during the initial stages of suffering heat stress. An environment that is conducive to the colonization and development of opportunistic and pathogenic bacteria when the coral host becomes more susceptible as heat stress duration increases.

Compact triple band notched UWB MIMO antenna with integrated GSM

SummaryThis paper introduces an innovative four‐element Ultra‐wideband (UWB) MIMO structure featuring an integrated global system for mobile (GSM) antenna with the ability to achieve dual and triple band‐notch capabilities. The antenna's distinctiveness is achieved through the utilization of four directional meandered line shaping decoupling structures (MLSDS), an orthogonal arrangement, and multi‐slot techniques. The incorporation of orthogonal separation alongside four directional MLSDS significantly reduces the mutual interference between radiating elements. By placing MLSDS on both sides of the substrate, effective coverage of the GSM band is achieved. The development of the MIMO structure unfolds through four distinct phases. The initial stage lacks MLSDS, while the second stage incorporates MLSDS. The third and fourth stages respectively introduce MLSDS with dual and triple notch characteristics. The presence of MLSDS enhances the antenna's impedance bandwidth (IBW). The intended notches are tailored to address interference from bands like Band n41, WLAN, and X‐band. Furthermore, the proposed antenna has undergone simulation, measurement, and comparative analysis with existing models, focusing on diversity performance metrics. The results reveal its exceptional diversity performance, positioning it as a potential choice for creating a portable UWB‐MIMO system.

Investigation of water heating efficiency in cavitation mode at initial stage of grain molasses preparation

BACKGROUND: Grain molasses are a valuable source of digestible protein and feed sugar for farm animals. At the initial stage of production of this feed mixture, the existing devices and water heating schemes are not effective enough. In this connection, a new device for accelerated heating of passive-type water has been developed.
 AIMS: evaluation of the effectiveness of the cavitator for heating water in the plant for the production of grain molasses.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: for conducting studies, a cavitator made in the form of a cone with petals, the angle of the solution of which is 168ʹ, is installed in a glass pipe of the injection branch of the water circuit of the plant for the preparation of grain molasses. During the experiments, the petals were installed in the pipe straight or bent 15. Under laboratory conditions, a comparative experiment was carried out to heat water with a volume of 50 liters, starting from its temperature of 20C and through each degree to 30C, both with and without a cavitator. The process efficiency criteria were: time and specific energy consumption of water heating.
 RESULTS: as a result of the conducted studies, the values of the criteria for the efficiency of the water heating process using a cavitatora and without it are established. Linear dependence of water temperature on heating time is obtained. It has been shown that the created cavitation effect behind the base of the cone is not stable, but still more intense behind the cone with straight petals. It is noted that the coefficient of hydraulic resistance for a cavitator with bent by 15 lobes is 10% greater than with straight ones.
 CONCLUSIONS: use of a cavitatora when heating water at the initial stage of preparing grain molasses increases efficiency of the process by 20%.

Mechanical Properties of Rock Specimens Containing Pre-Existing Cracks with Different Dip Angles Based on Energy Theory and Cohesive Element Method

To investigate the influence of the crack dip angle on the strength of rock specimens, uniaxial compression tests were conducted on granite specimens containing pre-existing cracks. The strain energy evolution during the loading process was analyzed, and the loading-induced cracking process was simulated using the cohesive element method. Both the experimental and numerical results indicate that cracks significantly impact the plastic-yielding stage of the stress–strain curve more than the initial and elastic deformation stages. When the crack dip angle is less than 45°, the stress concentration near the crack is significant, which is an important factor affecting the strength and elastic strain energy distribution of rock specimens. When the crack dip angle is greater than 45°, the degree of stress concentration decreases, and the uniformity of the elastic strain energy distribution and the possibility of crack bifurcation increase. Combining the energy theory with the cohesive element method helps comprehensively understand the initiation, propagation, and coalescence of microcracks near pre-existing crack tips. These research results can provide a reference for geotechnical engineering design and structural stability assessment.

Deep dive into the underlying cause of the carbon loss and the associated chemical processes in fatty acid hydrodeoxygenation over Ni@Hβ catalyst

Identification of the underlying cause of carbon loss in fatty acid hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) on the acidic catalyst is very important to understand the reaction mechanism and design high efficiency catalyst for biomass conversion. Herein, HDO reactions of palmitic acid catalyzed by Ni supported on mesoporous Beta (HBeta-M) zeolites with different acidities were investigated. It was found that a significant carbon loss (47.5%) occurred during the entire reaction process on Ni/HBeta-M catalyst with high acid density. This is because the hexadecyl ether intermediate was formed and trapped in the porous structure of the catalyst and interacted with strong acidic sites. On the Ni/HBeta-M-0.5 catalyst with medium acid density, carbon loss occurred in the initial reaction stage because hexadecanol was trapped in the porous catalyst. Investigations further demonstrated that the hexadecyl ether intermediate can also be converted to hexadecanol and hexadecane via hydrogenolysis on Brønsted acid and Ni sites.

PIV measurements of coherent vortices and turbulence production inside acoustic liner cavity with offset slit

This paper reports an experimental investigation into the vortex dynamics purely excited by periodic acoustic waves within a slit–cavity structure, which is a typical unit element of an acoustic liner for aeroengine applications. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) was used to measure the instantaneous, time-averaged and phase-dependent flow dynamics inside the slit–cavity, which is exposed to high-intensity incident acoustic waves. Different with traditional literature mainly focusing on the acoustic characteristics, we primarily analyze the coherent vortex structures and turbulence production mechanism, accompanying with the variable of slit offset ratio being taken into consideration. The results demonstrate that the acoustic waves can excite the hydrodynamic velocities exceeding almost tens of times than the acoustic particle velocity, yielding multi-scale vortex structures appearing within the enclosed volume. Comparatively, in configuration with offset slit, the maximum hydrodynamic velocities were gradually intensified by wall confinement effect. Subsequent proper orthogonal decomposition analysis revealed the coherent vortex structures and demonstrated the offset configuration will increase their energy proportions and enhance their temporal correlations. However, the phase-dependent flow results revealed that the offset slit can oppositely attenuate the kinematics of the coherent vortices, which were represented by the convection trajectories and convection speeds, especially during the initial acceleration stage. Finally, analysis on turbulence production mechanism confirmed the attenuated turbulent kinetic energy by the offset slit, which was attributed to the less generation of shear stresses.

Biocompatibility of mineral trioxide aggregate and biodentine as root-end filling materials: an in vivo study

This study evaluated the biocompatibility of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and Biodentine (BD) as root-end filling materials. Six mongrel dogs were divided into two equal groups according to the evaluation period; group A: one month and group B: three months. Three premolars of the same quadrant in each arch were used, summing up 36 teeth (6 teeth/dog). These teeth were randomly subdivided into three subgroups according to the root-end filling material used: MTA, BD and no root-end filling material (control). Endodontic access cavities were performed for induction of periapical pathosis. After the infection period, root canal instrumentation and obturation were accomplished. One day after root canal procedures, root-end surgery was performed. Surgical access was achieved and the root-end was resected approximately 3 mm above the apex. Root-end cavity was prepared ultrasonically and filled with the tested materials. All samples were evaluated by radiography and histopathology (Inflammation and new hard tissue formation). Data were collected and subjected to statistical analysis. In group A, MTA subgroup exhibited significant higher mean inflammatory score than BD subgroup (P < 0.05) while no significant difference was recorded between MTA and BD subgroups in group B (P > 0.05). Regarding mean mineralization score, there was no significant difference between all subgroups in both groups A and B (P > 0.05). Biodentine exhibited favorable biocompatibility in the initial stage of healing than MTA and comparable biomineralization. Clinical relevance: Biodentine could be considered as an acceptable alternative to MTA in peri-radicular surgeries.

Enhanced flame retardancy and thermal stability in flexible polyurethane foam through synergistic core-shell structured DBDPE@PMA particles

This research presents the synthesis of core–shell structured flame retardant particles, DBDPE@PMA, which combines the flame-retardant and toughening functions. These particles utilize decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) as the core and a copolymer of methyl methacrylate and acrylic acid (MMA-AA) as the shell, which are created via emulsion polymerization. The process involved an initial reaction of DBDPE@PMA with isocyanate, followed by foaming with polyether polyol to fabricate flame retardant, and the flexible polyurethane foam (P/D-FPUF) was thermally insulated. The study examined the influence of DBDPE@PMA on the flame retardancy properties of flexible polyurethane foam. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the encapsulation of DBDPE by the polymer, resulting in a core–shell composite particle. The interaction between the carboxylic groups (–COOH) on the DBDPE@PMA shell and isocyanate enhanced the interfacial bonding, thereby increasing the foam's apparent density and ensuring better integration with the polyurethane matrix. However, DBDPE@PMA had aggregates on the foam matrix bubble holes, resulting in uneven bubble holes. DBDPE@PMA markedly improved the flame retardancy and thermal stability of the foam, compared to both pure polyurethane and foam containing solely DBDPE (10D-FPUF). The oxygen index value of the foam with 20% DBDPE@PMA (20P/D-FPUF) reached 33.6%, with UL-94 horizontal and Vertical burning level tests achieving the highest classifications. The char residue after thermal degradation increased significantly from 1.93% in pure foam to 5.06%. While the smoke density level rose, the duration to peak smoke density was prolonged to 78 s, offering an enhanced margin for evacuation during the initial stages of a fire.