Substantial Benefits Research Articles

The Synergy of Islam and Local Tradition: A Study of Social Sufism Values Within the Sambelien Tradition in Malangsari, Banyuwangi, Indonesia

This study delves into the synergy of Islam and local culture, particularly the "sambelien" tradition observed by the Malangsari community. This tradition serves as a poignant expression of welcome for Eid al-Fitr, encapsulating profound social Sufism values. Rooted in the community's collective aspiration for forgiveness and joy during this significant Islamic celebration, sambelien yields substantial social benefits. Employing a qualitative approach with a phenomenological orientation, the researcher conducted a thorough investigation, gathering primary and secondary data. The study draws upon Berger & Luckman's social construction theory, encompassing subjective reality, symbolic reality, and objective reality, as well as the processes of externalization, objectification, and internalization. The article aims to unravel the core values embedded within the sambelien tradition through descriptive exploratory analysis. The findings illuminate the tradition as a cherished practice among rural communities in the Malangsari region, where joint prayers in mosques or langgar symbolize communal celebration. The act of seeking forgiveness from Allah SWT, following the fasting period of Ramadan, underscores the spiritual significance of this tradition. The local community acknowledges the presence of Sufism and social values, viewing the tradition as a reflection of maintaining habl min Allah (connection with God) and habl min al-Nass (connection with others). The values inherent in this tradition align with the realms of insaniyah (humanitarian) and Ilahiyah (divine). By shedding light on the intricate interplay between Islam and local customs, particularly within the context of the sambelien tradition, this study enriches our understanding of the cultural tapestry that defines communities in the Malangsari area and beyond.

COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF AGILE METHODOLOGIES IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT

This comprehensive review paper delves into the application and impact of Agile methodologies in the realm of project management. Agile methodologies, initially rooted in software development, have gained widespread acceptance across various industries due to their flexibility, adaptability, and customer-centric approach. The primary objective of this review is to synthesize the current body of knowledge on Agile methodologies, highlighting their evolution, principles, and diverse applications in project management. The methodology of this review involves a systematic analysis of existing literature, encompassing peer-reviewed journals, industry reports, and case studies. This approach ensures a holistic understanding of Agile methodologies, encompassing both theoretical frameworks and practical implementations. The review categorizes Agile methodologies, such as Scrum, Kanban, and Lean, and examines their unique features and contexts of application. Key findings indicate that agile methodologies significantly enhance project performance, particularly in dynamic and uncertain environments. They foster greater collaboration, continuous improvement, and customer satisfaction. However, challenges such as resistance to change, lack of skilled personnel, and difficulties in scaling Agile practices are also identified. The review concludes that while Agile methodologies offer substantial benefits in project management, their successful implementation requires a cultural shift within organizations, adequate training, and a nuanced understanding of when and how to apply these methodologies. Future research directions include exploring the integration of Agile with traditional project management approaches and its impact on organizational performance in various sectors.
 Keywords: Agile Methodologies, Project Management, Industry Adaptation, Scalability, Technological Advancements, Global Economic Shifts, Artificial Intelligence (AI).

WIRELESS COMMUNICATION IN ELECTRO-MECHANICAL SYSTEMS: INVESTIGATING THE RISE AND IMPLICATIONS OF CORDLESS INTERFACES FOR SYSTEM ENHANCEMENT

This study systematically investigates the rise and implications of wireless communication interfaces in electro-mechanical systems, focusing on their technological advancements, economic impacts, and environmental considerations. The primary aim is to explore the transition from wired to wireless technologies and assess their influence on system enhancement across various sectors. Methodologically, the study employs a systematic literature review, sourcing data from key academic databases like IEEE Xplore, PubMed, and ScienceDirect. The search strategy involves keywords related to wireless communication and electro-mechanical systems, adhering to strict inclusion and exclusion criteria to ensure the relevance and quality of the literature. The selection process involves a multi-stage screening, and data analysis is conducted through thematic synthesis. Key findings reveal that the integration of wireless interfaces significantly enhances system performance, efficiency, and scalability. Technological advancements, particularly in wireless communication protocols and miniaturization, have been pivotal. Economically, wireless interfaces introduce cost-effectiveness and new business models, while environmentally, they contribute to sustainable practices through energy efficiency. However, challenges such as security risks and the need for robust regulatory frameworks are identified. The study concludes that wireless technologies have transformed electro-mechanical systems, offering substantial benefits but also presenting new challenges. Future research directions include exploring the integration of emerging technologies like AI and IoT, addressing security concerns, and assessing the socio-economic impacts of wireless technology adoption. This study provides valuable insights for researchers, industry practitioners, and policymakers in the field of wireless communication technologies.
 Keywords: Wireless Communication, Electro-Mechanical Systems, System Enhancement, Cordless Interfaces.

The cost–utility analysis of antifungal prophylaxis for invasive fungal infections in acute myeloid leukaemia patients receiving chemotherapy: a study from a middle-income country

Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) contribute to morbidity and mortality during acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) treatment. Without prophylaxis, IFI rate during AML treatment in Thailand is high and results in a high mortality rate and a prolonged hospital stay. To evaluate the cost-utility of antifungal therapy (AFT) prophylaxis during AML treatment. We assessed the cost-utility of AFT available in Thailand, including posaconazole (solution), itraconazole (solution and capsule), and voriconazole. A hybrid model consisting of a decision tree and the Markov model was established. The costs to prevent overall IFI using any AFT were all lower than the treatment cost of a non-prophylaxis group, resulting in a saving of 808-1507 USD per patient. Prevention with voriconazole prophylaxis showed the highest quality-adjusted life years (QALYs=3.51, incremental QALYs=0.23), followed by posaconazole (QALYs=3.46, incremental QALY=0.18) and itraconazole solution (QALYs=3.45, incremental QALYs=0.17). Itraconazole capsule reduced QALY in the model. For invasive aspergillosis prevention, posaconazole and voriconazole both resulted in better QALYs and life year savings compared with no prophylaxis. However, posaconazole prophylaxis was the only cost-saving option (976 USD per patient). Posaconazole, itraconazole solution and voriconazole were all cost saving compared with no prophylaxis for overall IFI prophylaxis, with voriconazole being the most cost-effective option. Posaconazole and voriconazole were both cost effective for invasive aspergillosis prevention but only posaconazole was cost saving. A change in reimbursement policy for the use of AFT prophylaxis during intensive AML treatment could provide both clinical benefits to patients and substantial economic benefits to healthcare systems.

Towards High Performance: Solution-Processed Perovskite Solar Cells with Cu-Doped CH3NH3PbI3.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have demonstrated remarkable photovoltaic performance, positioning themselves as promising devices in the field. Theoretical calculations suggest that copper (Cu) can serve as an effective dopant, potentially occupying interstitial sites in the perovskite structure, thereby reducing the energy barrier and enhancing carrier extraction. Subsequent experimental investigations confirm that adding CuI as an additive to MAPbI3-based perovskite cells improves optoelectronic properties and overall device performance. Optimizing the amount of Cu (0.01 M) has been found to significantly enhance crystalline quality and grain size, leading to improved light absorption and suppressed carrier recombination. Consequently, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of Cu-doped PSCs increased from 16.3% to 18.2%. However, excessive Cu doping (0.1 M) negatively impacts morphology, resulting in inferior optical properties and diminished device performance. Furthermore, Cu-doped PSCs exhibit higher stabilized power output (SPO) compared to pristine cells. This study underscores the substantial benefits of Cu doping for advancing the development of highly efficient PSCs.

Enhancing Wave Energy Conversion Efficiency through Supervised Regression Machine Learning Models

The incorporation of machine learning (ML) has yielded substantial benefits in detecting nonlinear patterns across a wide range of applications, including offshore engineering. Existing ML works, specifically supervised regression models, have not undergone exhaustive scrutiny, and there are no potential or concurrent models for improving the performance of wave energy converter (WEC) devices. This study employs supervised regression ML models, including multi-layer perceptron, support vector regression, and XGBoost, to optimize the geometric aspects of an asymmetric WEC inspired by Salter’s duck, based on key parameters. These important parameters, the ballast weight and its position, vary along a guided line within the available geometric resilience of the asymmetric WEC. Each supervised regression ML model was fine-tuned through hyperparameter optimization using Grid cross-validation. When evaluating the performance of each ML model, it became evident that the tuned hyperparameters of XGBoost led to predictions that strongly aligned with the actual values compared to other models. Furthermore, the study extended to assess the performance of the optimized WEC at the designated deployment test site location.

Potent synergistic efficacy of 2-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone derived from quinones against drug-resistant bacteria

The emergence and worldwide dissemination of mobile tigecycline resistance genes tet(X3)/tet(X4) posed an enormous threat to the public health. Urgently, feasible strategies must be implemented to restore the clinical efficacy of tetracyclines and prolong the lifespan of existing drugs to address the emerging global antimicrobial resistance threat. Herein, versatile structural scaffolds of quinones for antibiotic adjuvants discovery enlightened a promising and underappreciated reservoir to circumvent the antibiotic resistance. 2-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (MNQ) exhibited the potent potentiation (4 to 32-fold) with tetracyclines, along with effective inhibition on biofilm formation. Mechanistic studies revealed that MNQ synergistically operates with tetracyclines by inhibiting the enzymatic activity of Tet(X3)/Tet(X4) proteins through interaction with their active residues. Furthermore, exposure to MNQ significantly dissipate the proton motive force, leading to a cascade of membrane structural damage and metabolic homeostasis imbalance. Encouragingly, the MNQ-tetracyclines combination showcased substantial therapeutic benefits in two in vivo infection models, as evidenced by the reduced bacterial burden and mitigated pathological injury. Our findings propose a potential therapeutic option and a novel tetracyclines' adjuvant against drug-resistant pathogens carrying Tet(X3)/Tet(X4).

ROCK2 regulates microglia proliferation and neuronal survival after traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in prolonged and non-resolving activation of microglia. Forced turnover of these cells during the acute phase of TBI aids recovery, but the cell-intrinsic pathways that underpin the pro-repair phenotype of these repopulating microglia remain unclear. Here, we show that selective targeting of ROCK2 with the small molecule inhibitor KD025 impairs the proliferative response of microglia after TBI as well as during genetically induced turnover of microglia. KD025 treatment abolished the substantial neuroprotective and cognitive benefits conferred by repopulating microglia, preventing these cells from replenishing the depleted niche during the early critical time window post-injury. Delaying KD025 treatment to the subacute phase of TBI allowed microglial repopulation to occur, but this did not enhance the benefits conferred by repopulating microglia. Taken together, our data indicate that ROCK2 mediates neuronal survival and microglial population dynamics after TBI, including the emergence of repopulating microglia with a pro-repair phenotype.

A learning and evolution-based intelligence algorithm for multi-objective heterogeneous cloud scheduling optimization

The multi-objective directed acyclic graph scheduling problem (MDAGSP) is prevalent in cloud scheduling systems, involving the selection, assignment, and execution of multiple tasks/jobs with complex coupling interdependencies. High-quality solutions can yield substantial economic benefits. However, prevailing methods face challenges in obtaining a set of superior solutions for MDAGSP, due to the multifaceted nature of its variables, objectives, constraints, and heterogeneity. Firstly, this paper formulates a three-objective MDAGSP that includes makespan, energy costs and revenue, to model cloud scheduling systems. Subsequently, we propose a composite algorithm consisting of a selection phase and an assignment phase to automatically generate an efficient scheduling policy for this model. During the selection phase, a graph convolutional neural network learns high-level features to extract complex dependencies between tasks. During the assignment phase, an adaptive evolutionary algorithm assigns tasks to the appropriate executors. Finally, a series of experiments are conducted to validate the model’s accuracy and assess the algorithm’s efficiency. Compared to heuristic approaches, the algorithm achieves at least a 20.1% makespan reduction and 3.17% revenue increase. Remarkably, the algorithm obtains at least an 8.86% reduction in energy costs over the eleven baselines. In conclusion, the proposed algorithm provides decision-makers with a global view of scheduling plan.

Investigation on the flow behavior and mechanisms of water flooding and CO2 immiscible / miscible flooding in shale oil reservoirs

Shale reservoirs represent a significant untapped source of recoverable oil, and even a slight increase in recovery can yield substantial benefits. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the development of shale reservoirs due to their vast potential. Shale reservoirs are characterized by their intricate pore structures, ultra-low porosity, and extremely low permeability. Consequently, fluid flow within shale formations is highly complex, and the distribution of shale oil is diverse. There is an urgent need to conduct research into the flow behavior of shale reservoirs and the modes of crude oil occurrence within them, in order to support effective shale oil extraction in the field. In this work, we established a MCMP-MRT-LBM model considering nano-scale confinement effects such as slip and adsorption. The model is employed to simulate single pore channels and blind-end pores to investigate the distinct mechanisms involved in water flooding, CO2 immiscible flooding, and CO2 miscible flooding. Subsequently, the research explores the fluid flow characteristics associated with these three development methods within porous media, as well as the distribution of remaining oil. Then we compared the oil displacement efficiency, swept volume, actual liquid injection volume and displacement front position of the three fluids in porous media. The results reveal that water flooding exhibits superior displacement performance in single pore channels, while CO2 miscible flooding proves to be the most effective method for exploiting oil in blind-end pores. In porous media, CO2 miscible flooding successfully mitigates fingering phenomena and efficiently recovers crude oil located at blind-end and corner regions of the pores. The recovery efficiency achieved through CO2 miscible flooding is approximately 30% higher than that of water flooding and about 10% greater than CO2 immiscible flooding.

Taming Frankenstein’s monster: Ethical considerations relating to generative artificial intelligence in education

ABSTRACT The emergence of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) in the past two years is exerting profound effects throughout society. However, while this new technology undoubtedly promises substantial benefits, its disruptive nature also means that it poses a variety of challenges. The field of education is no exception. This position paper intends to deepen our current understanding of GAI in education from the perspective of ethics. We begin by discussing the definition and unique features of GAI, highlighting its advanced cognitive abilities and how they present challenges to academic ethics. The paper then reviews examples of existing university regulations related to the use of GAI in teaching and learning, and identifies areas in need of further attention. Using a tripartite model that comprises the different stakeholders of students, educators and school administrators, the paper outlines the pertinent principles that promote responsible and ethical GAI utilization in the field of education.

Applying task supported language learning via instagram: the effects on EFL learners' self-esteem, academic buoyancy, academic engagement, and language achievement

Researchers have firm reason to unlock the potential of social networking technologies today because of the rapid development of these platforms, which may be used to enhance educational outcomes. Despite the widespread recognition of social media's influence on the second/foreign language learning process, few empirical research has attempted to find out how Instagram feed-based tasks impact learning and supported self-esteem, academic buoyancy (AB), academic engagement (AE), and language achievement (LA). In order to address this knowledge gap, the present study investigated how Instagram feed-based assignments may be used to improve self-esteem, AB, AE, and LA for EFL students. This was accomplished by randomly assigning participants into two groups (experimental and control) from a pool of 93 intermediate EFL students. Students in the control group (CG) participated in online webinars on a consistent basis. Students in the experimental group (EG) took part online webinars. Moreover, they were given assignments based on Instagram feeds. The Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) of the data showed that the EG fared better than the CG. The findings underlined the substantial benefits of Instagram feed-based activities in promoting self-esteem, AB, AE, and LA. Possibilities for future use of Instagram task supported language learning and teaching may arise as a result of this study's implications for students, educators, and policymakers.

Prognostic factors and benefit populations of ovarian function suppression in premenopausal HR+/HER2+ early-stage breast cancer patients who received trastuzumab: Evidence from a real-world study with long-term follow-up.

Hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer exhibits considerable heterogeneity, and it is of great interest whether patients with premenopausal HR+/HER2+ breast cancer treated with trastuzumab can benefit from ovarian function suppression (OFS) therapy similarly to HR+/HER2- breast cancer. Here, we conducted a real-world study in this population to identify both who would derive substantial benefits from the addition of OFS and clinicopathological factors with potential prognostic value. Multicenter data from 253 premenopausal patients with HR+/HER2+ early-stage breast cancer who received trastuzumab from October 2009 to October 2018 were retrospectively included. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis, while the log-rank test was used to compare the survival rates. Univariate and multifactor Cox regression analyses were performed to analyze the independent risk factors affecting invasive disease-free survival (IDFS). After a median follow-up of 98.50 months, compared with tamoxifen/toremifene alone, tamoxifen/toremifene/aromatase inhibitors plus OFS demonstrated significant benefits in the overall study population (HR = 0.289, 95% CI: 0.100-0.835, p = 0.022, 8-year IDFS rate: 90.78% vs. 95.54%), especially in the lymph node-positive subgroup and age ≤40 years subgroup. Age ≤40 years, histological grade >2, lymph node involvement, PR ≤50%, and tamoxifen alone were independent prognostic factors. For premenopausal HR+ breast cancer patients, HER2 positivity alone is an indication for the addition of OFS in adjuvant endocrine therapy. Age, histological grade, lymph node status, the expression of PR, and OFS treatment were independent prognostic factors in this population.

Evaluation of Changes in Prices and Purchases Following Implementation of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxes Across the US

Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes are promoted as key policies to reduce cardiometabolic diseases and other conditions, but comprehensive analyses of SSB taxes in the US have been difficult because of the absence of sufficiently large data samples and methods limitations. To estimate changes in SSB prices and purchases following SSB taxes in 5 large US cities. In this cross-sectional study with an augmented synthetic control analysis, changes in prices and purchases of SSBs were estimated following SSB tax implementation in Boulder, Colorado; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Oakland, California; Seattle, Washington; and San Francisco, California. Changes in SSB prices (in US dollars) and purchases (volume in ounces) in these cities in the 2 years following tax implementation were estimated and compared with control groups constructed from other cities. Changes in adjacent, untaxed areas were assessed to detect any increase in cross-border purchases. Data used for this analysis spanned from January 1, 2012, to February 29, 2020, and were analyzed between June 1, 2022, and September 29, 2023. The main outcomes were the changes in SSB prices and volume purchased. Using nutritional information, 5500 unique universal product codes were classified as SSBs, according to tax designations. The sample included 26 338 stores-496 located in treated localities, 1340 in bordering localities, and 24 502 in the donor pool. Prices of SSBs increased by an average of 33.1% (95% CI, 14.0% to 52.2%; P < .001) during the 2 years following tax implementation, corresponding to an average price increase of 1.3¢ per oz and a 92% tax pass-through rate from distributors to consumers. SSB purchases declined in total volume by an average of 33.0% (95% CI, -2.2% to -63.8%; P = .04) following tax implementation, corresponding to a -1.00 price elasticity of demand. The observed price increase and corresponding volume decrease immediately followed tax implementation, and both outcomes were sustained in the months thereafter. No evidence of increased cross-border purchases following tax implementation was found. In this cross-sectional study, SSB taxes led to substantial, consistent declines in SSB purchases across 5 taxed cities following price increases associated with those taxes. Scaling SSB taxes nationally could yield substantial public health benefits.

Machine embroidery of light-emitting textiles with multicolor electroluminescent threads.

Advances in electroluminescent threads, suitable for weaving or knitting, have opened doors for the development of light-emitting textiles, driving growth in the market for flexible and wearable displays. Although direct embroidery of these textiles with custom designs and patterns could offer substantial benefits, the rigorous demands of machine embroidery challenge the integrity of these threads. Here, we present embroiderable multicolor electroluminescent threads-in blue, green, and yellow-that are compatible with standard embroidery machines. These threads can be used to stitch decorative designs onto various consumer fabrics without compromising their wear resistance or light-emitting capabilities. Demonstrations include illuminating specific messages or designs on consumer products and delivering emergency alerts on helmet liners for physical hazards. Our research delivers a comprehensive toolkit for integrating light-emitting textiles into trendy, customized crafts tailored to the unique requirements of diverse flexible and wearable displays.

Cultivating educational adaptability through collaborative transdisciplinary learning spaces

Empowering students and scholars to effectively address complex societal challenges frequently entails embracing unconventional pathways to foster transdisciplinary (TD) education. This empowerment is further facilitated by collaborative efforts supported by the TD experience. This paper examines one such initiative: a student-centered, experimental design of a TD doctoral pilot program for environmental sustainability at the University of British Columbia, a large, research-intensive public university in Canada. In this study, we documented shifts in participants’ development and assessed the impact of TD collaboration conditions on the educational design process. The findings indicate that engaging in collaborative TD experiences yields substantial pedagogical benefits, introducing novel opportunities for design and experimentation. This TD space appears to offer conducive conditions for students and faculty to more effectively navigate adaptive and innovative contexts within higher education. Pedagogical experimentation of this nature provides insights that are challenging to derive from theoretical speculation alone, offering potential pathways for today’s learners and educators as they confront complex societal challenges.

A century of studying plant secondary metabolism-From "what?" to "where, how, and why?"

Over the past century, early advances in understanding the identity of the chemicals that collectively form a living plant have led scientists to deeper investigations exploring where these molecules localize, how they are made, and why they are synthesized in the first place. Many small molecules are specific to the plant kingdom and have been termed plant secondary metabolites, despite the fact that they can play primary and essential roles in plant structure, development, and response to the environment. The past 100 yr have witnessed elucidation of the structure, function, localization, and biosynthesis of selected plant secondary metabolites. Nevertheless, many mysteries remain about the vast diversity of chemicals produced by plants and their roles in plant biology. From early work characterizing unpurified plant extracts, to modern integration of 'omics technology to discover genes in metabolite biosynthesis and perception, research in plant (bio)chemistry has produced knowledge with substantial benefits for society, including human medicine and agricultural biotechnology. Here, we review the history of this work and offer suggestions for future areas of exploration. We also highlight some of the recently developed technologies that are leading to ongoing research advances.

Establishing the Minimal Clinically Important Difference, Substantial Clinical Benefit, and Patient Acceptable Symptomatic State After Arthroscopic Posterior Labral Repair for Posterior Glenohumeral Instability

Background: Posterior glenohumeral instability is an increasingly recognized cause of shoulder pain and dysfunction among young, active populations. Outcomes after posterior stabilization procedures are commonly assessed using patient-reported outcome measures including the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE), the Rowe instability score, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, and the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain. The clinical significance thresholds for these measures after arthroscopic posterior labral repair (aPLR), however, remain undefined. Purpose: We aimed to define the minimal clinically important difference (MCID), substantial clinical benefit (SCB), and patient acceptable symptomatic state (PASS) for the SANE, Rowe score, and ASES score as well as the VAS pain after aPLR. Additionally, we sought to determine preoperative factors predictive of reaching, as well as failing to reach, clinical significance. Study Design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of patient-reported outcome scores collected from patients who underwent aPLR between January 2011 and December 2018. To determine the clinically significant threshold that corresponded to achieving a meaningful outcome, the MCID, SCB, and PASS were calculated for the SANE, Rowe score, ASES score, and VAS pain utilizing either an anchor- or distribution-based method. Additionally, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the factors associated with achieving, or not achieving, the MCID, SCB, and PASS. Results: A total of 73 patients with a mean follow-up of 82.55 ± 24.20 months were available for final analysis. MCID, SCB, and PASS values for the VAS pain were 1.10, 6, and 3, respectively; for the ASES score were 7.8, 34, and 80, respectively; for the SANE were 10.15, 33, and 85, respectively; and for the Rowe score were 11.3, 60, and 90, respectively. To meet the MCID, male sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.1639; P = .0293) was found to be a positive predictor for the VAS pain, and a lower preoperative SANE score (OR, 0.9939; P = .0003) was found to be a negative predictor for the SANE. Dominant arm involvement was associated with lower odds of achieving the PASS for the ASES score (OR, 0.7834; P = .0259) and VAS pain (OR, 0.7887; P = .0436). Patients who reported a history of shoulder trauma were more likely to reach the PASS for the SANE (OR, 1.3501; P = .0089), Rowe score (OR, 1.3938; P = .0052), and VAS pain (OR, 1.3507; P = .0104) as well as the SCB for the ASES score (OR, 1.2642; P = .0469) and SANE (OR, 1.2554; P = .0444). A higher preoperative VAS pain score was associated with higher odds of achieving the SCB for both the VAS pain (OR, 1.1653; P = .0110) and Rowe score (OR, 1.1282; P = .0175). Lastly, concomitant biceps tenodesis was associated with greater odds of achieving the SCB for the ASES score (OR, 1.3490; P = .0130) and reaching the PASS for the SANE (OR, 1.3825; P = .0038) and Rowe score (OR, 1.4040; P = .0035). Conclusion: To our knowledge, this study is the first to define the MCID, SCB, and PASS for the ASES score, Rowe score, SANE, and VAS pain in patients undergoing aPLR. Furthermore, we found that patients who reported a history of shoulder trauma and those who underwent concomitant biceps tenodesis demonstrated a greater likelihood of achieving clinical significance. Dominant arm involvement was associated with lower odds of achieving clinical significance.

New perspectives on carbon reinforced concrete structures—Why new composites need new design strategies

AbstractIn civil engineering, carbon is typically regarded as a modern material to serve as reinforcement in concrete structures. Compared to steel reinforcement, it features two substantial benefits: It is not sensitive to corrosion, and has an enormously increased tensile strength. In contrast, carbon reinforcement is sensitive to lateral pressure and lacks the property of strain hardening. As a first step of establishing carbon reinforced concrete as a new building composite material, carbon reinforcement has basically served to replace the state‐of‐the‐art steel reinforcement. This target led to pioneering findings with respect to determining the material properties of the composite and developing advanced individual components. However, barely substituting steel by carbon does not allow to fully utilize the carbon's benefits while its disadvantageous properties reveal the limits of this approach. Instead, novel design principles are required to meet the material's nature aiming at appropriately using its beneficial properties. Currently, new construction principles are being researched for high‐performance building material combinations such as textile and carbon reinforced concrete. This paper provides an overview of baselines in the preliminary stages of this research. The overview includes history, inspiration, concrete matrices, non‐metallic reinforcement, structural elements, modeling, production, tomography, and sustainability. The objective of the study is to provide a baseline for the envisaged development of principles for future construction: radically new concepts for the design, modeling, construction, manufacturing, and use of sustainable, resource‐efficient building elements made of mineral building materials with the aim of entirely benefiting from the materials' potential.

Towards sustainable food crop production: Drivers of shift from crop production to mining activities in Ghana's Arable Lands

This study contributes to the observed reduction of arable lands discourse by examining the shift in land use patterns as well as factors influencing farmers' shift from crop production to mining activities. To achieve this, we employed a combination of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology and Cragg's Double Hurdle Econometric Model as analytical tools. Our approach integrates an econometric model of land use with GIS simulations that predict the spatial pattern of land-use change. The results revealed that crop production lands have been converted into artisanal small-scale mining (galamsey) sites, a development which has implications on food security, life on land and effective utilizations of land and water resources. The results also showed that membership in Farmer-Based Organizations (FBOs), access to credit, and low yield of food crops influenced farmers to shift from crop production to participate in mining activities. In addition, the extent of participation in mining was influenced by family size, membership in FBOs, and low crop yield. While mining operations offer substantial economic benefits, it is crucial to strike a balance between land use for mining activities and food crop production. This is because it has the potential to worsen recent hikes in food prices and subsequently leading to rising inflation rates in Ghana. Our findings have implications on achieving multiple SDGs, viz. SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG 15 (Life on Land) as minimizing illegal mining helps increase food production as well as protect water bodies and land. We therefore suggest that government should take steps to make credit accessible to farmers by collaborating with financial institutions and also collaborate with Crops Research Institutes to develop high-yielding crop varieties. Future research could focus on exploring the impact of participating in mining activities on the profitability of food crop production in Ghana.