Present Approach Research Articles

Play-responsive teaching as an alternative way of perceiving the relations between play, teaching and learning

Play, teaching and learning are notions that can be understood in many different ways. In this article which builds on many years of empirical studies in preschool we have developed an approach to early years education, labelled play-responsive ECE (Pramling et al., 2019). Together with preschool teachers we have tried out what happens when teachers enter into, or invite children to play. These situations are video-recorded, and analysed jointly between the teachers and researchers. In this process we discovered that it could be of help for the teachers to get input about intersubjectivity and alterity, metacommunication and narrative, which we gave them and they and they had to practise in every-day life in preschool. We also realised that the notions of as if, focusing on imagination, how something can become play and as is, culturally established knowledge – fact, both jointly become the way forward for the development of the present approach for teaching and children's learning.

Kikuchi lymphadenitis, a rare case: an overview of its clinical presentation, diagnostic challenges, and therapeutic approaches

Kikuchi-Fujimoto Disease (KFD), also known as histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis, is a rare, self-limiting condition typically presenting with lymphadenopathy and fever. The etiology remains unclear, but it is thought to be associated with viral infections and autoimmune processes. We report a case of a female who presented with cervical lymphadenopathy. An excisional biopsy of the lymph node was performed, showing characteristic histopathological features of KFD. Based on the clinical presentation and histopathological findings, a diagnosis of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease was made. The patient was managed with supportive care, including antipyretics and Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs). No antibiotics or corticosteroids were administered. The patient's symptoms gradually resolved over a period. Follow-up at three months revealed the resolution of symptoms with no recurrence. The patient remained asymptomatic at subsequent visits. KFD should be considered in young patients presenting with fever and lymphadenopathy. Diagnosis is confirmed through lymph node biopsy demonstrating characteristic histopathological features. The disease typically follows a benign course with spontaneous resolution, and management is primarily supportive.

Surface Blocking-Based Potentiometric Biosensor for Detection of E. coli ATCC 15597 Using Phage MS2 as a Receptor.

Nowadays, using a potentiometric ion sensor to achieve detection of biological analytes is still a big challenge, since these analytes usually do not yield a measurable ion signal. To address this challenge, a simple and robust potentiometric sensing protocol based on a delayed Nernstian response is proposed for the label-free detection of biological analytes. The proposed sensor platform is composed of two layers: the surface recognition layer and the indicator-ion-selective electrode (ISE) membrane layer. It is based on a surface blocking mechanism in which the surface recognition interactions between the surface recognition element and the target can impede the diffusion of the indicator ion from the aqueous phase to the sensing membrane phase to reach the final Nernstian-response equilibrium, thus resulting in a delayed potential change. Such a potential change could be used to measure the concentration of a biological target in the sample. Thus, a sensing system was designed by using phage MS2, its host bacterium Escherichia coli ATCC 15597(abbreviated as E. coli H), and a solid-contact butyrylcholine ISE as a surface recognition element, a target, and an indicator electrode, respectively. This new concept offers a simple, sensitive, and extremely selective potentiometric method for detection of E. coli H with a detection limit of 100 CFU mL-1. It can be expected that the present approach may pave the way to using ISEs to detect various important nonionic biological targets in clinical and environmental applications.

Accelerating quantum information transfer in a three-level system via a specified intermediate Hamiltonian

Abstract We propose a general approach to speed up quantum adiabatic processes for fast quantum information transfer in a three-level system. In the approach, by using an intermediate Hamiltonian which is assumed to be formed by the original Hamiltonian H 0 ( t ) and its counterdiabatic driving Hamiltonian H cd ( t ) with a simple linear relationship, we design exact dynamics following the eigenstates of the intermediate Hamiltonian to speed up the desired population processes. We apply the present approach to a three-level system to show that by suitably choosing the parameters, not only the population processes could be sped up, but also the existence of the undesired off-diagonal terms, the populations of the intermediate states, and even the shapes of the pulses would be controllable in the speeding up scheme.

Bioinformatics design of peptide binding to the human cardiac troponin I (cTnI) in biosensor development for myocardial infarction diagnosis.

Cardiovascular disease has reached a mortality rate of 470,000 patients each year. Myocardial infarction accounts for 49.2% of these deaths, and the cTnI protein is a crucial target in diagnosing myocardial infarction. A peptide-based bioreceptor design using a computational approach is a good candidate to be developed for a rapid, effective, and selective detection method for cTnI although it is still lacking in study. Hence, to address the scientific gap, we develop a new candidate peptide for the cTnI biosensor by bioinformatics method and present new computational approaches. The sequential point mutations were made to the selected peptide to increase its stability and affinity for cTnI. Next, molecular docking was performed to select the mutated peptide, and one of the best results was subjected to the molecular dynamics simulation. Finally, the results showed that the best peptide showed the lowest affinity and good stability among other mutated peptide designs for interacting with the cTnI protein. In addition, the peptide has been tested to have a higher specificity towards cTnI than its major isomer, sTnI, through molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation. Therefore, the peptide is considered a good potential bioreceptor for diagnosing myocardial infarction diseases.

Adaptive Event-Triggered Consensus Control of Nonlinear Multi-Agent Systems via Output Feedback Methodology: An Application to Energy Efficient Consensus of AUVs

For dealing with the energy consumption in multi-agent systems (MASs), an event-triggered (ET) methodology is promising, which relies on the activation of communication devices only when communication of data is needed. This paper explores the leaderless consensus for nonlinear MASs using an adaptive ET approach via an output feedback methodology. This adaptive ET scheme is preferred as it can adapt to the environment through setting a communication threshold. The proposed approach renders the observed states of agents by use of nonlinear observers in an output feedback control dilemma, making it more practical. Simple Luenberger observers are developed to avoid the problem of always measuring agents’ states. The strategy of adaptive ET-based control is employed to minimize resource use and information transmission. Design conditions for the observer-based adaptive ET consensus control of nonlinear MASs have been derived via a Lyapunov function, containing state estimation error, consensus error, adaptation term, and nonlinearity bounds. In contrast to the existing methods, the present approach applies a more practical output feedback schema, uses adaptive ET proficiency, and deals with nonlinear agents. An example of a formation of autonomous underwater vehicles achieving the basic consensus realization between displacement and velocity is included to illustrate the viability of the resultant approach.

MultiRegionFoam: A Unified Multiphysics Framework for Multi-Region Coupled Continuum-Physical Problems

Abstract This paper presents a unified framework, called multiRegionFoam, for solving multiphysics problems of the multi-region coupling type within OpenFOAM (FOAM-extend). It is intended to supersede the existing solver with the same name. The design of the new framework is modular, allowing users to assemble a multiphysics problem region-by-region and coupling conditions interface-by-interface. The present approach allows users to choose between deploying either monolithic or partitioned interface coupling for each individual transport equation. The formulation of boundary conditions is generalised in the sense that their implementation is based on the mathematical jump/transmission conditions in the most general form for tensors of any rank. The present contribution focuses on the underlying mathematical model for interface coupled multiphysics problems, as well as on the software design and resulting code structure that enable a flexible and modular approach. Finally, deployment for different multi-region coupling cases is demonstrated, including conjugate heat, multiphase flows and fuel-cells. Source code: multiRegionFoam v1.1 [1], repository https://bitbucket.org/hmarschall/multiregionfoam/. Article highlights A novel multiphysics framework, called multiRegionFoam, has been developed for solving multi-region coupled problems in OpenFOAM. The design of the framework allows for a modular multiphysics setup with freedom of choice on the coupling strategy (partitioned vs. monolithic). Extension of the general transport equation by interface conditions enables a unified coupling approach.

Midline Cervical Cleft: Case Report and Current Understanding.

Congenital midline cervical cleft (CMCC) is an extraordinarily rare midline lesion that is present at birth. The lesion can cause micrognathia and cervical contracture via underlying traction on the mandible. It is essential to recognize the condition and excise the lesion within 1 year of diagnosis to mitigate long term cosmetic and functional problems. We report a 10-month-old male infant with CMCC diagnosed immediately after birth. Ultrasound with color doppler imaging confirmed the anatomic characteristics of the lesion. The lesion was surgically excised and closed in layers, with no postoperative complications and good functional and cosmetic results. The pathognomonic presentation, etiology, differential diagnosis, and optimal surgical approach are also discussed.

How to understand ‘nonsense’: do not ask what nonsense is, but rather how we show that something is nonsense!

ABSTRACT This article considers the problem of how to elucidate the concept of nonsense. Viewed from a general philosophical standpoint this matters because the concept is used by certain philosophers in their criticism of philosophical questions and theses. I start with a presentation of examples of utterances considered nonsense, along with Baier's classification of kinds of nonsense. I then present various approaches, pointing out that none of them are completely satisfactory. I subsequently propose an approach that is a modification of the austere conception: while consistent with the latter in that it treats nonsense as a lack of something, it differs by holding that a determination of the nature of various instances of nonsense can only be accomplished by examining how we show that some given utterance is nonsense. This approach places the emphasis on distinguishing the question of the meaninglessness of an utterance from the question of the incorrectness of linguistic expressions. The advantage of my conception is that on the one hand, it does not deny that there is an important non-psychological difference between philosophical nonsense and gibberish, while on the other it avoids the absurdity that philosophical utterances are nonsense because what they say is nonsensical.

Enchanting optical, electronic, and mechanical properties of the sodium based Na2MgSiZ6 (Z = I, Br, Cl) halides have been explored through DFT

Materials. with perovskite structures have been extensively studied due to their remarkable properties, which are important in various aspects of daily life. In the present approach, Na2MgSiZ6 (Z = I, Br, Cl) halides were extensively studied, and it was realized from the band structure results that all these halides display semiconducting natures with indirect band gaps. The semiconducting natures of Na2MgSiZ6 (Z = I, Br, Cl) halides were further confirmed by their TDOS results. The optimized values of the lattice constants were found to be 11.70 Å, 10.4 Å, and 10.22 Å for Na2MgSiI6, Na2MgSiBr6, and Na2MgSiCl6, respectively. Moreover, the largest volume was observed for the Na2MgSiI6 compound, while the smallest volume was recorded for the Na2MgSiCl6 compound. Na2MgSiCl6 compound exhibited brittle nature, whereas Na2MgSiBr6 and Na2MgSiI6 were found to be ductile. All three materials demonstrated attractive values of optical conductivities, making them befitting candidates for solar cells, LEDs, detectors, and various other optoelectronic devices. From the achieved negative values of formation energy for all the Na2MgSiZ6 (Z = I, Br, Cl) halides, it was comprehended that these compounds could be synthesized practically.

Navigating the Complexity of Thalamic Abscess: A Systematic Review of Case Studies and Evidence-Based Management.

Thalamic abscesses are rare, life-threatening conditions and represent only a few percent of the total cases of brain abscesses. Due to their deep location and critical involvement of sensory and motor pathways, they remain one of the most challenging entities to diagnose and manage. Despite advances in neuro-imaging and neurosurgical techniques, thalamic abscess continues to be a challenge or question in clinical practice regarding optimum treatment modality. Given the nature of the description, a systematic review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Case reports were retrieved after extensive searches in PubMed and Scopus with specified inclusion criteria: isolated thalamic abscesses that needed surgical interventions. The reporting quality was assessed according to CARE (CAse REports) guidelines, while data on clinical presentation and diagnostic approach were extracted. Thirty-three cases with the diagnosis of thalamic abscess were reviewed. The most common presentations included headache, hemiparesis, and altered sensorium. CT and MRI were the common diagnostic tools for these patients; stereotactic aspiration was the most common surgical intervention performed. Streptococcus species were the most common causative organisms. At follow-up, the majority of patients had a good outcome with complete or near-complete recovery. There were rare complications, such as hydrocephalus and recurrence, and mortality was low. Thalamic abscesses are infrequent but have a good prognosis in case of appropriate diagnosis and treatment with stereotactic aspiration and appropriate antibiotic therapy. The present systematic review points out the need for adopting an individual approach to treatment and for further studies that could provide better information on diagnostic and therapeutic strategies regarding this severe disease.

Comparative Evaluation of Conventional and Emerging Maceration Techniques for Enhancing Bioactive Compounds in Aronia Juice.

Ultrasound and microwave maceration techniques have been utilised to lower production costs and reduce processing time, while also preventing the degradation of nutrients like phenolics and vitamin C and preserving physical properties such as colour and viscosity. In this study, the effects of several traditional (cold, enzymatic, and thermal) and innovative (ultrasonic and microwave) maceration methods on some quality parameters of aronia juice were investigated. Microwave maceration significantly impacted the soluble solids content of the analysed juices and resulted in noticeably darker juice samples compared to the controls, with lower L*/lightness (20.1) and b*/blue-yellowness (-3.2) values and an increased a*/redness value (1.7). Different maceration methods also significantly impacted the rheological properties of the treated juices, among which MW treatment consistently showed a higher viscosity. Sorbitol and fructose were the main sugars identified, while malic acid and quinic acid accounted for 85% of the total acid content. Significant increases in the total sugar and acid concentrations were obtained in the juice samples from ultrasonic, microwave, and enzymatic maceration, while thermomaceration had no significant effect. The concentration of total phenolics ranged from 6.45 g/L in the thermomaceration samples to 9.86 and 14.07 g/L in the ultrasonic and microwave samples, respectively. The obtained results suggest that ultrasonic and microwave technologies were superior in terms of colour improvement and the extraction of sugars, acids, and phenolic compounds compared to traditional maceration methods. Ultrasound and microwave technologies present possible approaches to the improvement of aronia juice production in comparison to traditional methods.

Torsion-Induced Traumatic Optic Neuropathy (TITON): A Physiologically Relevant Animal Model of Traumatic Optic Neuropathy.

Traumatic optic neuropathy (TON) is a common cause of irreversible blindness following head injury. TON is characterized by axon damage in the optic nerve followed by retinal ganglion cell death in the days and weeks following injury. At present, no therapeutic or surgical approach has been found to offer any benefit beyond observation alone. This is due in part to the lack of translational animal models suitable for understanding mechanisms and evaluating candidate treatments. In this study, we developed a rat model of TON in which the eye is rapidly rotated, inflicting mechanical stress on the optic nerve and leading to significant visual deficits. These functional deficits were thoroughly characterized up to one week after injury using electrophysiology and immunohistochemistry. The photopic negative response (PhNR) of the light adapted full field electroretinogram (LA ffERG) was significantly altered following injury. This correlated with increased biomarkers of retinal stress, axon disruption, and ganglion cell death. Together, this evidence suggests the utility of our model for mimicking clinically relevant TON and that the PhNR may be an early diagnostic for TON. We also found indirect evidence that ketamine, which was used for anesthesia, may ameliorate TON. Future studies will utilize this animal model for evaluation of candidate treatments.

Thermodynamic properties of binary, ternary and quaternary mixtures: N‑butyl acetate- n-hexanol - n,n-dimethylacetamide-water. Modeling using regression algorithms and optimization using socially-inspired evolutionary algorithms

BackgroundThe design of chemical plants requires knowledge of the thermodynamic properties of the fluids involved. MethodsIn our research, we performed experimental measurements of the refractive index and density of binary, ternary and quaternary systems containing n‑butyl acetate, n-hexanol, n,n-dimethylacetamide and water, at atmospheric pressure and the following temperatures: 293.15 K, 303.15 K, 313.15 K and 323.15 K. They were used to determine the excess molar volume, which was correlated with mole fractions, normalized temperature and refractive index, using artificial neural networks and other models obtained with regression algorithms, optimized with different socially-inspired evolutionary algorithms. Significant FindingsThe best results were achieved with decision tree regression and the queuing search optimization algorithm. The present approach is based on the fact that there are few similar studies in the literature; in addition, the models obtained can complement/supplement the experimental data through predictions.

A Vision-based Robotic Navigation Method Using an Evolutionary and Fuzzy Q-Learning Approach

The paper presents a Fuzzy Q-Learning (FQL) and optical flow based autonomous navigation approach. The FQL method takes decisions in an unknown environment and without mapping, using motion information and through a reinforcement signal into an evolutionary algorithm. The reinforcement signal is calculated by estimating the optical flow densities in areas of the camera to determine whether they are “dense” or “thin” which has a relationship with the proximity of objects. The results obtained show that the present approach improves the rate of learning compared with a method with a simple reward system and without the evolutionary component. The proposed system was implemented in a virtual robotics system using the CoppeliaSim software and in communication with Python.

Power-law fluid flow in the entrance region between two parallel plates

Flow of non-Newtonian fluids between parallel plates has many uses including heat transfer applications. Many non-Newtonian fluids can be categorized as pseudoplastic fluids. A broader category, power-law fluids, covers in addition dilatant and Newtonian fluids. Models for developing power-law fluid flow between parallel plates include computational and integral boundary layer methods. Most published studies include partial results and apply to one of the three categories. The present work addresses the three cases and exclusively shows the transition from developing to fully developed flow. In the inlet region, viscous effects are restricted to the boundary layer. The present approach is based on the inlet-filled region concept, and includes an additional zone, called filled region in which viscous effects are present in the whole region, with the flow asymptotically reaching the fully developed solution. The integral boundary layer method is used in both regions to solve for the flow. The results are found to be in good agreement with published Newtonian, pseudoplastic and dilatant fluid results for boundary layer thickness, centerline velocity, local friction factor, pressure drop profiles, and entrance region size. The present model is fundamentally analytical with minor computational work required.

Reintroduction of excluded food triggers as a crucial step in managing patients with food allergies

Introduction. Despite active research into the mechanisms of food allergies (FA), the main approach to managing patients with this condition remains the complete exclusion of causative allergens from the diet for a certain period. At the same time, the question of timely reintroduction of excluded food triggers into the diet is frequently raised, which is important both for maintaining oral tolerance and reducing the negative effects of long-term elimination diets, such as nutritional and eating behavior disorders, as well as financial burdens on families. However, clear recommendations on the reintroduction of previously excluded foods have not existed until recently. Regarding cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA), such recommendations were provided in 2023 in the consensus document of the World Allergy Organization (WAO) — DRACMA.Aim. The aim of this review is to present current approaches to the reintroduction of food allergens into the diets of patients with food allergies and to evaluate various reintroduction protocols, including those used for cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA).Material and methods. This review provides a concise summary of current approaches to reintroducing food allergens into the diet, covering both IgE-mediated and non-IgE-mediated forms of food allergy. The advantages of different patient management protocols are discussed, with special attention given to CMPA as one of the most common manifestations of FA in children.Results. An analysis of modern approaches has demonstrated that modern recommendations regarding the reintroduction of allergens, including those presented in the document of the World Allergological Organization — DRACMA for allergy to cow’s milk proteins, allow for a more personalized and safe approach to the reintroduction of allergens, which helps reduce risks and maintain food tolerance.Conclusions. The introduction of new guidelines for the reintroduction of food allergens is an important step in managing patients with food allergies. These recommendations provide a more personalized approach to treating food-allergic patients, including those with cow’s milk protein allergy, reducing the risks associated with reintroducing allergens into the diet. They also help to mitigate the negative effects of elimination diets and maintain oral tolerance in patients, which is particularly important for children with FA.

Numerical simulation of an effective transform mechanism with convergence analysis of the fractional diffusion-wave equations

In the current study, we solve two very important mathematical models, such as the time fractional-order space-fractional telegraph and diffusion-wave equations using a reliable technique called the Adomian decomposition natural method (ADNM), which combines Adomian decomposition and natural transform. The diffusion wave equation describes the flood wave propagation, which is used in solving overland and open channel flow problems. For this reason, it is critical to fully understand and effectively solve the diffusion wave equations. Because telegraph equations are crucial for modeling and developing voltage or frequency transmission, they are widely used in physics and engineering. Furthermore, the designing process is greatly impacted by the uncertainty in the system parameters. For nonlinear ordinary differential equations based on the theorem of Banach fixed point, we provide existence and uniqueness theorem proofs. The present approach has been successfully used to explore exact solutions for time fractional-order and space fractional-order applications. The results show how effective and valuable the ADNM. This paper presents a methodology that will be used in future work to address similar nonlinear problems related to fractional calculus.

Reinforcement topology optimization considering the dynamic instability

AbstractThe present study develops a new topology optimization scheme considering the dynamic instability caused by the unsymmetrical properties of system. From a mathematical point of view, the left and right eigenvectors of asymmetric system are observed with the complex eigenvalues. With the dynamic instability, the magnitudes of structural responses are increasing with respect to time and this phenomenon causes many engineering issues. As the dynamic instability is one of the serious problems, the suppression is desired from an engineering point of view. To systematically reduce this dynamic instability, the present study develops a new topology optimization scheme for the reinforcement design. To overcome the numerical difficulties of the mode conversion and the highly nonlinear behavior, this research proposes the summation of the first several complex eigenvalues. To show the issues of the dynamic instability and the validity of the present approach, several topological reinforcement problems are solved.

Achieving ultra-high energy storage performance in simple systems through minimal element substitution

Dielectric capacitors are essential components of modern advanced electronic devices and power systems based on their ultra-fast charging and discharging speeds and supreme power densities. Nevertheless, how to comprehensively boost their energy storage density and storage efficiency is still an insurmountable challenge. Here, we report a simple micro-chemical polarizability modulation strategy that enables SrTiO3-based dielectric materials to achieve excellent energy storage properties. The energy density and energy efficiency are increased to as high as 76 J∙cm−3 and 72 % from 0.4 J∙cm−3 and 46.7 % of pure STO, respectively, which is the largest value in micro-substitution (less than 3 %). Our results show that the introduction of trace amounts of elements with high ionic polarizabilities (Mn, V) facilitates the increase of chemical disorder and the formation of stable and highly dynamic polar nanoregions (PNRs), which reduces the hysteresis of the polarization switching and improves the polarization at the breakdown field strength, synergistically fostering the energy storage performance. The results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy reveal that the micro-substitution of Mn and V promote the reduction of oxygen vacancies and grain size, improving the breakdown resistance and stability of the capacitor. This present approach is expected to be widely used in the development of high-performance dielectrics.