Opportunities For Use Research Articles

Mammalian cell-based production of glycans, glycopeptides and glycomodules

Access to defined glycans and glycoconjugates is pivotal for discovery, dissection, and harnessing of a range of biological functions orchestrated by cellular glycosylation processes and the glycome. We previously employed genetic glycoengineering by nuclease-based gene editing to develop sustainable production of designer glycoprotein therapeutics and cell-based glycan arrays that display glycans in their natural context at the cell surface. However, access to human glycans in formats and quantities that allow structural studies of molecular interactions and use of glycans in biomedical applications currently rely on chemical and chemoenzymatic syntheses associated with considerable labor, waste, and costs. Here, we develop a sustainable and scalable method for production of glycans in glycoengineered mammalian cells by employing secreted Glycocarriers with repeat glycosylation acceptor sequence motifs for different glycans. The Glycocarrier technology provides a flexible production platform for glycans in different formats, including oligosaccharides, glycopeptides, and multimeric glycomodules, and offers wide opportunities for use in bioassays and biomedical applications.

A critical systematic review of extracellular vesicle clinical trials.

This systematic review examines the landscape of extracellular vesicle (EV)-related clinical trials to elucidate the field's trends in clinical applications and EV-related methodologies, with an additional focus on the acknowledgement of EV subpopulations. By analysing data from public reporting repositories, we catalogued 471 EV-related clinical trials to date, with indications for over 200 diseases. Diagnostics and companion diagnostics represented the bulk of EV-related clinical trials with cancer being the most frequent application. EV-related therapeutics trials mainly utilized mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) EVs and were most frequently used for treatment of respiratory illnesses. Ultracentrifugation and RNA-sequencing were the most common isolation and characterization techniques; however, methodology for each was not frequently reported in study records. Most of the reported characterization relied on bulk characterization of EV isolates, with only 11% utilizing EV subpopulations in their experimental design. While this may be connected to a lack of available techniques suitable for clinical implementation, it also highlights the opportunity for use of EV subpopulations to improve translational efforts. As academic research identifies more chemically distinct subpopulations and technologies for their enrichment, we forecast to more refined EV trials in the near future. This review emphasizes the need for meticulous methodological reporting and consideration of EV subpopulations to enhance the translational success of EV-based interventions, pointing towards a paradigm shift in personalized medicine.

Missed Opportunities for use of Advanced Care Planning and Palliative Care in Open Aortic Surgery

Major vascular surgery, including open aortic procedures, is associated with having a 30-day mortality rate greater than 6% and a perioperative complication rate greater than 50%. Published literature suggests that patients undergoing high-risk procedures benefit from having a care plan in place to not only maximize quality of life but also to ensure medical interventions align with care goals. Currently, there is a paucity of published data on the prevalence of goals of care conversations, advance care planning documentation, and palliative care evaluations in patients undergoing high-risk vascular operations. A retrospective chart review of all patients who underwent open aortic surgery at a tertiary care academic medical center from July 2014 to March 2023 was performed. Patient demographics, comorbidities, type and timing of advanced care planning (ACP), palliative care evaluations, and clinical outcomes during the periprocedural period were recorded. For patients who died during the study period, the use of palliative care prior to death were noted. Patients who received ACP or palliative care were compared with those who did not. The cohort consisted of 192 patients who underwent major open aortic surgery. The mean age was 63 years (SD 12.3) and the majority of patients were male (73.4%) and white (64.1%). Thirty-nine (20.6%) operations were classified as emergent. At the time of their operation, 16.7% (n=32) of patients had an ACP document on file. Of the 38 documents on file, most were durable power of attorney (DPOA) (86.8%) documents while a smaller percentage were physician orders for life-sustaining treatment (POLST) (13.2%). There were no patients with Do Not Resuscitate and/or Intubate (DNR/DNI), living will, or organ/tissue donation orders noted in their chart prior to surgery. One percent (n=2) of patients had a palliative evaluation prior to their operation. During the perioperative period, an additional 2 (1%) of patients had advanced care planning documentation and 7 (3.7%) of patients underwent palliative care evaluation. Fifteen percent of patients (n=28) died during the perioperative period and an additional 21 patients died by the end of the study period for a total mortality of 25.2% in the study population. Among patients that died during the perioperative period, 28.6% (n=8 out of 28) received palliative care. Overall, 28.6% of all study patients that died (n=14 out of 49) received a palliative care evaluation prior to or during their terminal hospitalization. Patients who had ACP documents or who received palliative care consultations prior to surgery were older (p=0.01), more likely to be on Medicare or Medicaid (p=0.004), and more likely to have a history of solid organ malignancy (p=0.03). The median interval between surgery and receiving palliative care was 20 (IQR 3-71) days. The median interval between palliative care and death was 5 (IQR 2-13) days. Patients who utilized ACP or PC were more likely to die at home (p=0.05). Despite a high mortality and morbidity rate, ACP documentation is poor for patients undergoing major open aortic surgery. Palliative care interventions tend to be performed closer to the end of life, suggesting a missed opportunity to define goals of care.

Позитивні та негативні аспекти медіації і примирення сторін в адміністративному судочинстві: розмежування та проблеми застосування

The article addresses the issue of distinguishing mediation and reconciliation in administrative proceedings as two key mechanisms of alternative dispute resolution. With the development of legal systems and judicial practice in Ukraine and worldwide, alternative dispute resolution methods have gained special significance. This issue is particularly relevant in administrative proceedings, which focus on conflicts between citizens and the state or its bodies. Since administrative disputes often involve important issues of public interest, alternative methods of resolving such disputes, including mediation and reconciliation, play an important role in achieving a fair balance between private and public interests. However, in practice, questions arise regarding the differences between mediation and reconciliation of the parties. These procedures are often confused, as both involve reaching an agreement between the conflicting parties without resolving the case by a court ruling on the merits. However, each of these methods has its unique characteristics, legal frameworks, and opportunities for use. The purpose of this article is to investigate and provide a detailed analysis of the main differences between mediation and reconciliation in administrative proceedings in Ukraine, as well as assess their legal status and practical effectiveness. It examines the legal foundations of mediation and reconciliation, identifies their key differences and common features, and explores the practical aspects of their application in resolving administrative disputes. The focus is on analyzing the legal regulation of mediation in Ukraine, the role of the judge in reconciliation, and the appropriateness of using these mechanisms to improve the efficiency of administrative justice. An important aspect is the study of foreign experience and the possibility of adapting it to the Ukrainian legal system. Mediation is viewed as a process in which a neutral mediator helps the parties reach a mutually acceptable decision, whereas reconciliation involves the active participation of the court in resolving the conflict. The article also highlights the main problems and prospects for introducing mediation in administrative disputes, including issues of accessibility to mediation for citizens, legal culture, and the need to develop appropriate institutional mechanisms to ensure the effectiveness of this process.

Dlk1 is a novel adrenocortical stem/progenitor cell marker that predicts malignancy in adrenocortical carcinoma.

Disruption of processes involved in tissue development and homeostatic self-renewal is increasingly implicated in cancer initiation, progression, and recurrence. The adrenal cortex is a dynamic tissue that undergoes life-long turnover. Here, using genetic fate mapping and murine adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) models, we have identified a population of adrenocortical stem cells that express delta-like non-canonical Notch ligand 1 (DLK1). These cells are active during development, near dormant postnatally but are re-expressed in ACC. In a study of over 200 human ACC samples, we have shown DLK1 expression is ubiquitous and is an independent prognostic marker of recurrence-free survival. Paradoxically, despite its progenitor role, spatial transcriptomic analysis has identified DLK1 expressing cell populations to have increased steroidogenic potential in human ACC, a finding also observed in four human and one murine ACC cell lines. Finally, the cleavable DLK1 ectodomain is measurable in patients' serum and can discriminate between ACC and other adrenal pathologies with high sensitivity and specificity to aid in diagnosis and follow-up of ACC patients. These data demonstrate a prognostic role for DLK1 in ACC, detail its hierarchical expression in homeostasis and oncogenic transformation and propose a role for its use as a biomarker in this malignancy.

Optimization of the refined used lubricating oil/diesel mixture to incorporate it into drilling fluids

The use of refined used lubricating oils (RULO) is an opportunity for use for the industrial sector, improving the environment. The objective of the research was to evaluate different RULO/diesel mixtures from the AT80 and AT40C1 treatments. The experiment consisted of applying different proportions of RULO, forming five different mixtures between ALUR/diesel. The mixes were 85/15, 70/30, 55/45, 40/60 and 30/70. The results showed that the best mixtures were M4 and M5 of the AT80 treatment, with average density of 0.80 g/cm3, viscosity of 5.83 cP, electrical stability of 1694.33 V, flash point of 95°C and 96.67% oil. With these results, a new alternative and use is created, reducing diesel and economic costs for the oil industry that prepares oil-based drilling fluids.

Effects of high-level dietary distillers dried grains with solubles supplemented with multienzymes on growth performance, nutrient utilization, intestinal morphology, and pellet quality in broiler chickens.

With the increasing cost of bulk raw materials and advancements in the feed enzyme industry, corn distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) have shown more opportunities for use in broiler diets. Supplementation with multiple enzymes could mitigate anti-nutritional factors in DDGS, enhance nutrient digestibility, and thereby increase its utilization in broiler diets, leading to reduced feed costs. This study evaluated the effects of multienzyme supplementation on growth performance, nutrient utilization, intestinal morphology, and pellet quality in broiler chickens fed diets containing conventional levels of DDGS (C-DDGS) and higher levels of DDGS (H-DDGS). A total of 800 1-day-old Cobb 500 chicks was assigned to four dietary treatments with eight replicates of 25 birds each: C-DDGS (5% DDGS in Starter and 10% in Grower), C-DDGS + Enzyme (C-DDGS diet supplemented with multienzyme), H-DDGS (10% and 20%) + Enzyme (H-DDGS diet supplemented with multienzyme, 10% DDGS in Starter and 20% in Grower), and H-DDGS (15% and 30%) + Enzyme. The C-DDGS + enzyme diet increased (p < 0.05) body weight gain (BWG), reduced the feed conversion ratio, enhanced (p < 0.05) digestibility of dry matter (DM), crude protein, and hemicellulose (HC), and improved (p < 0.05) intestinal villus height and villus: crypt ratio of broilers. The H-DDGS (10% and 20%) + enzyme diet exhibited no difference in (p > 0.05) growth performance, nutrient digestibility (except HC), and intestinal morphological parameters, whereas the H-DDGS (15% and 30%) + enzyme diet decreased (p < 0.05) feed intake and BWG and reduced (p < 0.05) energy and DM digestibility by impact (p < 0.05) intestinal morphology compared with the C-DDGS enzyme-free diet. The H-DDGS diet had lower (p < 0.05) pellet hardness and poorer durability than the C-DDGS diet. Supplementing multienzyme in the C-DDGS (5% and 10%) diet improved growth performance from day 0 to 28 and diminished growth performance in the H-DDGS (15% and 30%) diet by influencing intestinal morphology and feed pellet quality in broiler chickens. In addition, when supplemented with multienzyme, the dietary DDGS level can be safely included at levels of 10% in 0-7 days and 20% in 8-28 days of age.

Potential Of Using Abai's Poetic Corpara for Research, Educational and Methodical Purposes

The article describes the goals and objectives of creating national language corpora and their educational potential. The creation of Abai’s poetic corpora, the potential of the poetic corpora in solving research, educational and methodological problems is described as part of the research carried out by the authors.The article contains a demonstration of the capabilities of national language corpora, including poetic sub-corpora. The latter, from the authors’ point of view, can become a tool for studying both the theory and history of literature, the author’s style, the system of artistic images, means of expression and poetic syntax, rhythm, meter, rhyme, etc.As a potential for using the national corpora in general and the poetic corpus in particular, the authors name a conceptual analysis of the author’s poetic text, determining the “attraction” or “repulsion” of a lexeme to a metrical structure, identifying moments of intertextuality, searching and analyzing moments of homonymy, synonymy, antonymy, polysemy and etc.The article highlights different points of view on the possibilities of using the resources of national language corpora, including polar ones. The authors offer specific tasks for practicing various skills in teaching language and literature.The authors conclude that the poetic corpus of Abai as part of the National Corpora of the Kazakh language in the future opens up wide opportunities for linguistic and literary studies, preservation of the cultural and linguistic fund, as well as opportunities for use in the process of teaching language and literature by both native speakers and foreigners.

Phosphorous speciation in EPS extracted from Aerobic Granular Sludge

Wastewater treatment technologies opened the door for recovery of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), presenting novel opportunities for use across diverse industrial sectors. Earlier studies showed that a significant amount of phosphorus (P) is recovered within extracted EPS. P recovered within the extracted EPS is an intrinsic part of the recovered material that potentially influences its properties. Understanding the P speciation in extracted EPS lays the foundation for leveraging the incorporated P in EPS to manipulate its properties and industrial applications. This study evaluated P speciation in EPS extracted from aerobic granular sludge (AGS). A fractionation lab protocol was established to consistently distinguish P species in extracted EPS liquid phase and polymer chains. 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used as a complementary technique to provide additional information on P speciation and track changes in P species during the EPS extraction process. Findings showed the dominance of organic phosphorus and orthophosphates within EPS, besides other minor fractions. On average, 25% orthophosphates in the polymer liquid phase, 52% organic phosphorus (equal ratio of mono and diesters) covalently bound to the polymer chains, 16% non-apatite inorganic phosphorus (NAIP) precipitates mainly FeP and AlP, and 7% pyrophosphates (6% in the liquid phase and 1% attached to the polymer chains) were identified. Polyphosphates were detected in initial AGS but hydrolyzed to orthophosphates, pyrophosphates, and possibly organic P (forming new esters) during the EPS extraction process. The knowledge created in this study is a step towards the goal of EPS engineering, manipulating P chemistry along the extraction process and enriching certain P species in EPS based on target properties and industrial applications.

Functionalizing the Electrical Properties of Kombucha Zoogleal Mats for Biosensing Applications.

Kombucha is a type of tea that is fermented using yeast and bacteria. During this process, a film made of cellulose is produced. This film has unique properties such as biodegradability, flexibility, shape conformability, and ability to self-grow as well as be produced across customized scales. In our previous studies, we demonstrated that Kombucha mats exhibit electrical activity represented by spikes of the electrical potential. We propose using microbial fermentation as a method for in situ functionalization to modulate the electroactive nature of Kombucha cellulose mats, where graphene and zeolite were used for the functionalization. We subjected the pure and functionalized Kombucha mats to mechanical stimulation by applying different weights and geometries. Our experiments demonstrated that Kombucha mats functionalized with graphene and zeolite exhibit memfractive properties and respond to load by producing distinctive spiking patterns. Our findings present incredible opportunities for the in situ development of functionalized hybrid materials with sensing, computing, and memory capabilities. These materials can self-assemble and self-grow after they fuse their living and synthetic components. This study contributes to an emergent area of research on bioelectronic sensing and hybrid living materials, opening up exciting opportunities for use in smart wearables, diagnostics, health monitoring, and energy harvesting applications.

When perception is reality: examining perceived accessibility of recreational public spaces through social space production

ABSTRACT Social space production theorizes space as a socially constructed phenomenon, comprising of the expectations of society, technical design decisions, and the physical features that result. This theorization of space is especially relevant to recreational public spaces (e.g. parks, playgrounds, community centres) in low-income settings. This is because, the power linkages between technical decisions and neo-capitalist influence, have in some instances, translated to physical features for recreation that do not meet societal expectations or ideals on use. However, recognized opportunities of use (i.e. perceived accessibility) are yet to be examined through the physical, technical, and social facets that collectively guide considerations, as theorized in social space production. Our study hence adopts social space production as a lens to examine perceived accessibility to public recreational spaces in low-income residential contexts. Participatory mapping interviews with resident leads in a low-income residential context in the United States, revealed three thematic considerations. The themes were namely: physical ease of use, planning and design experiences, and social interactions with and within space. Our findings demonstrate that multifaceted considerations, which are pertinent to physical, technical, and social aspects of social space production, are informative to perceived accessibility.

Efficacy and Safety of GLP-1 Medicines for Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity.

The development of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) for type 2 diabetes and obesity was followed by data establishing the cardiorenal benefits of GLP-1RA in select patient populations. In ongoing trials investigators are interrogating the efficacy of these agents for new indications, including metabolic liver disease, peripheral artery disease, Parkinson disease, and Alzheimer disease. The success of GLP-1-based medicines has spurred the development of new molecular entities and combinations with unique pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles, exemplified by tirzepatide, a GIP-GLP-1 receptor coagonist. Simultaneously, investigational molecules such as maritide block the GIP and activate the GLP-1 receptor, whereas retatrutide and survodutide enable simultaneous activation of the glucagon and GLP-1 receptors. Here I highlight evidence establishing the efficacy of GLP-1-based medicines, while discussing data that inform safety, focusing on muscle strength, bone density and fractures, exercise capacity, gastrointestinal motility, retained gastric contents and anesthesia, pancreatic and biliary tract disorders, and the risk of cancer. Rapid progress in development of highly efficacious GLP-1 medicines, and anticipated differentiation of newer agents in subsets of metabolic disorders, will provide greater opportunities for use of personalized medicine approaches to improve the health of people living with cardiometabolic disorders.

Morphological 3D Analysis of PLGA/Chitosan Blend Polymer Scaffolds and Their Impregnation with Olive Pruning Residues via Supercritical CO2.

Natural extracts, such as those from the residues of the Olea europaea industry, offer an opportunity for use due to their richness in antioxidant compounds. These compounds can be incorporated into porous polymeric devices with huge potential for tissue engineering such as bone, cardiovascular, osteogenesis, or neural applications using supercritical CO2. For this purpose, polymeric scaffolds of biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and chitosan, generated in situ by foaming, were employed for the supercritical impregnation of ethanolic olive leaf extract (OLE). The influence of the presence of chitosan on porosity and interconnectivity in the scaffolds, both with and without impregnated extract, was studied. The scaffolds have been characterized by X-ray computed microtomography, scanning electron microscope, measurements of impregnated load, and antioxidant capacity. The expansion factor decreased as the chitosan content rose, which also occurred when OLE was used. Pore diameters varied, reducing from 0.19 mm in pure PLGA to 0.11 mm in the two experiments with the highest chitosan levels. The connectivity was analyzed, showing that in most instances, adding chitosan doubled the average number of connections, increasing it by a factor of 2.5. An experiment was also conducted to investigate the influence of key factors in the impregnation of the extract, such as pressure (10-30 MPa), temperature (308-328 K), and polymer ratio (1:1-9:1 PLGA/chitosan). Increased pressure facilitated increased OLE loading. The scaffolds were evaluated for antioxidant activity and demonstrated substantial oxidation inhibition (up to 82.5% under optimal conditions) and remarkable potential to combat oxidative stress-induced pathologies.

Extracellular vesicles in disorders of hemostasis following traumatic brain injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a global health priority. In addition to being the leading cause of trauma related death, TBI can result in long-term disability and loss of health. Disorders of haemostasis are common despite the absence of some of the traditional risk factors for coagulopathy following trauma. Similar to trauma induced coagulopathy, this manifests with a biphasic response consisting of an early hypocoagulable phase and delayed hypercoagulable state. This coagulopathy is clinically significant and associated with increased rates of haemorrhagic expansion, disability and death. The pathophysiology of TBI-induced coagulopathy is complex but there is biologic plausibility and emerging evidence to suggest that extracellular vesicles (EVs) have a role to play. TBI and damage to the blood brain barrier result in release of brain-derived EVs that contain tissue factor and phosphatidylserine on their surface. This provides a platform on which coagulation can occur. Preclinical animal models have shown that an early rapid release of EVs results in overwhelming activation of coagulation resulting in a consumptive coagulopathy. This phenomenon can be attenuated with administration of substances to promote EV clearance and block their effects. Small clinical studies have demonstrated elevated levels of procoagulant EVs in patients with TBI correlating with clinical outcome. EVs represent a promising opportunity for use as minimally invasive biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for TBI patients. However, additional research is necessary to bridge the gap between their potential and practical application in clinical settings.

A validated in-house assay for HIV drug resistance mutation surveillance from dried blood spot specimens

Despite increasing scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage, challenges related to adherence and HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) remain. The high cost of HIVDR surveillance is a persistent challenge with implementation in resource-constrained settings. Dried blood spot (DBS) specimens have been demonstrated to be a feasible alternative to plasma or serum for HIVDR genotyping and are more suitable for lower resource settings. There is a need for affordable HIVDR genotyping assays which can amplify HIV-1 sequences from DBS specimens, particularly those with low viral loads, at a low cost. Here, we present an in-house assay capable of reliably amplifying HIV-1 protease and partial reverse transcriptase genes from DBS specimens, which covers the complete World Health Organization 2009 list of drug resistance mutations under surveillance. DBS specimens were prepared using whole blood spiked with HIV-1 at concentrations of 10,000, 5000, 1000, and 500 copies/mL (n=30 for each concentration). Specimens were tested in triplicate. A two-step approach was used consisting of cDNA synthesis followed by nested PCR. The limit of detection of the assay was calculated to be approximately 5000 (95% CI: 3200–10,700) copies/mL for the protease gene and 3600 (95% CI: 2200–10,000) copies/mL for reverse transcriptase. The assay was observed to be most sensitive with higher viral load specimens (97.8% [95% CI: 92.2–99.7]) for both protease and reverse transcriptase at 10,000 copies/mL with performance decreasing with the use of specimens with lower viral loads (46.7% [36.1–57.5] and 60.0% [49.1–70.2] at 500 copies/mL for protease and reverse transcriptase, respectively). Ultimately, this assay presents a promising opportunity for use in resource-constrained settings. Future work should involve validation under field conditions including sub-optimal storage conditions and preparation of DBS with fingerprick blood in order to accurately reflect real-world collection scenarios.

Knowledge, Awareness and Practice of Artificial Intelligence and Types of Realities Among Healthcare Professionals: A Nationwide Survey From Pakistan.

Background Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, enabling them to perform tasks. The advancements in AI have also improved virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) experience allowing a greater opportunity for use in the field of medicine. Objective To evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice of AI and types of realities among Pakistani healthcare professionals (HCPs). Materials and methods This was a prospective, nationwide study designed at the Department of Neurosurgery at Punjab Institute of Neurosciences (PINS), Lahore, was conducted between January 2024 to February 2024. More than 500 HCPswere approached, out of which 176 participated in this survey consensually. A pre-formed general questionnaire based on knowledge, attitude and practices of AI and types of realities was modified according to local conditions. Google Forms (Google Inc., USA) was used to conduct the one-time sign up response. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 24, USA) was used to analyze submitted responses. Results About 69.9% respondents were male HCPs. Most of the respondents were from the fields of neurosurgery, medicine and general surgery, i.e., 10.80%, 10.20% and 4%, respectively. More than 90% HCPs used Internet and electronic devices daily. A majority of 62.50% respondents agreed that AI brings benefits for the patients, while at the same time, 45.50% agreed that they would not trust the assessment of AI more than that of HCPs. 61% HCPs feared that AI-based systems could be manipulated from the outside sources, like terrorists and hackers. Although 90% respondents knew the definition of AR and VR,a strikingly low 40% respondents could only identify the practical applications of these realities when asked in a mini-quiz. About 61.40% HCPs never used any AI-based application throughout their clinical practice, but Google Health was used by 29.50% respondents, followedby Remote Patient Monitoring AI application used by 3.4% individuals. Conclusion There is an evident under-utilization of AI and types of realities in clinical practice in Pakistan. Lack of awareness, paucity of resources and conventional clinical practices are the key reasons identified. Pakistan is on the path towards the point where the developed world is currently. There is a potential to move past the initial stages of AI implementation and into more advanced modes of adopting AI and types of realities.

Examining perceptions and outcomes of AI versus human course assistant discussions in the online classroom

ABSTRACT As technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and other forms of machine communication become more popular and readily available, the opportunities for use in an online class increase. This replication and extension sought to understand and test the use of AI versus human communication in an online learning space—specifically the learning management system (LMS) discussion board. More specifically, the differences in student perceptions and outcomes between those with a human course assistant and those assigned to an AI course assistant were examined. These perceptions were studied through the presence and absence of the identity heuristic and helper heuristic as outlined in previous literature. The study employed a four-condition randomized quasiexperimental design. Outcomes of interest included credibility, task attraction, social attraction, computer-mediated competence, student communication satisfaction, affect toward instructor, and affect toward taking classes with the instructor. Findings supported previous work regarding importance of helper heuristics and highlighted the preference for a human over AI/machine educational agent.

Experience of Leading European Global Cities in Attracting Foreign Direct Investments and Labor Migrants: Opportunities for Use in Russia

This research examines how Russian cities can learn from leading European global cities in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) and foreign labor migrants. It emphasizes the link between migration and investment flows in global cities specialized in specific services. Global cities play a crucial role in attracting transnational factors of economic growth, with migration being a significant factor. The study analyzes the potential benefits of migration to global cities, including increased trade and capital flows. This benefits both the countries of origin through remittances and the global cities themselves through FDI. European global cities, including London, Paris, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Madrid, Frankfurt, Vienna, Zurich, Dublin, and Berlin, are major centers attracting FDI and labor migrants. Each city has its own specialization and competitive advantages, contributing to the global division of labor. Building on previous research, the study analyzes the attracting factors identified by the City of London for FDI and foreign-born skilled personnel. It aims to identify applicable opportunities for Moscow and St. Petersburg, the leading Russian global cities. While Moscow and St. Petersburg are well-ranked, other Russian cities have limited recognition. The research plans to expand to other Russian global cities, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of global city development. The research explores how Russian cities can leverage the experiences of leading European global cities to attract FDI and foreign labor migrants. By doing so, Russian cities can foster economic growth and enhance their global standing.

Earthquake behavior of flat slab structures, particularities and opportunities for use in the building stock of the Chisinau municipality

The Republic of Moldova is characteristic for active seismic phenomena and there is always a direct danger of strong earthquakes. The building stock of the country has a complex character, this aspect is manifested in the municipality of Chisinau, where we have different buildings in terms of materials used, structural systems and height regime. New trends in construction are focused on buildings with a load-bearing frame structural system and a frame with a flat slab structure. The usual design practice is characteristic for the implementation of beam-column systems, where the plates are supported by the beams and the beams are supported by the columns. Nowadays, for the residential buildings design, a more elegant and ergonomic floor system is used - the flat slab system. Therefore, the slabs are subjected to increased loads, which requires special attention in the design and implementation of these types of structures.

Valorization of purified agricultural brown eggshell by-product as filler in bio-epoxy composites

This study presents tensile, flexural and water absorption properties of composites made from bio-epoxy resin containing brown eggshell (with membrane), purified brown eggshell (without membrane) and mineral limestone at three filler levels of 5, 10 and 20 wt%. Composites were made by an open silicone mold casting method. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to demonstrate removal of the membrane. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) indicated brown eggshells without membrane had a higher calcium carbonate content suggesting the purification technique worked well. Although composite tensile strengths and flexural strengths were lower than the pure bio-epoxy, the composites containing brown eggshells (with membrane) had slightly better strengths than composites containing purified brown eggshells (without membrane) and mineral limestone for the same particle size of 32 µm. The organic membrane contains proteins on the surface of the eggshells which may be beneficial for chemical bonding to occur with the bio-epoxy resin. Filler contents of 5–10 wt% were acceptable for tensile and flexural strengths. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) provided visual observations of the fractured surfaces where an increase in surface roughness was related to an increase in filler loading, implying changes occurred within the composite materials. Brown eggshells can be exploited as a waste management opportunity for use as a filler in bio-epoxy composites.