Designing and development of agricultural robot is always a challenging issue, because of robot intends to work an unstructured environment and at the same time, it should be safe for the surrounded plants. Therefore, traditional robots cannot meet the high demands of modern challenges, such as working in confined and unstructured workspaces. Based on current issues, we developed a new tomato harvesting wire-driven discrete continuum robot arm with a flexible backbone structure for working in confined and extremely constrained spaces. Moreover, we optimized a tomato detaching process by using newly designed gripper with passive stem cutting function. Moreover, by designing the robot we also developed ripe tomato recognition by using machine learning. This paper explains the proposed continuum robot structure, gripper design, and development of tomato recognition system.

3D-printing with foam concrete, which is known for its distinct physical and mechanical properties, has not yet been purposefully investigated. The article at hand presents a methodological approach for the mixture design of 3D-printable foam concretes and a systematic investigation of the potential application of this type of material in digital construction. Three different foam concrete compositions with water-to-binder ratios between 0.33 and 0.36 and having densities of 1100 to 1580 kg/m³ in the fresh state were produced with a pre-foaming technique using a protein-based foaming agent. Based on the fresh-state tests, including 3D-printing as such, an optimum composition was identified and its compressive and flexural strengths were characterised. The printable foam concrete showed compressive strength above 10 MPa and low thermal conductivity, which make it suitable for 3D-printing applications, while fulfilling both load-carrying and insulating functions.

Background. To improve maternal and child health, it is essential to adhere to health-promoting and preventive measures. However, reliable information as well as effective tools are not easy to identify in this field. Our cross-sectional study investigated the needs and expectations of expectant and new mothers and fathers -primary users of an app supporting the first 1000 days of life. Methods. Between May and August 2022, we recruited expectant and new parents by administering a 71-item 5-point Likert scale questionnaire related to content, functionalities, and technical features of a hypothetical app. We stratified responses by sociodemographic characteristics and then performed ward hierarchical clustering. Results. The 94 women and 69 men involved in our study generally agreed with the proposed content, but expressed low interest in certain app functionalities, especially those related to interaction mechanism and interactivity. Women were generally more demanding than men, and family income declined as the needs and expectations increased. Conclusions. Our findings, resulting from the engagement of end-users, may be useful for designers and technology providers to implement mHealth solutions that, in addition to conveying reliable information, are tailored to the needs and preferences of end-users in the first 1000 days of life.

This paper describes the early-stage prototyping process developed to probe into the socio-cultural dimensions of the Co-Drive project, which is a new service concept for traveling and socializing by car between a real driver on a semi-automated car and a remote passenger connected via virtual reality from home. By focusing on the intertwining journeys of the two actors of the experience, the driver and the remote passenger, three key interactions have been isolated and addressed as separate prototyping interventions in the wild. Such a seamful prototyping strategy enabled the users to experiment the whole service although the technology was not yet completely developed, and more specifically it allowed them to accommodate and appropriate each part of the experience into their everyday activities, revealing initial evidences of the potential social impact drawn by a future deployment of the service.

This paper outlines the evolution of a learning technology interface from a Beta version to launch with educators and its alignment to pedagogical theory, designed to maximise collaboration between teacher and student. It explores how the “co-creation” of curricula via textual sources that underpin teaching and learning can be enhanced through interactive e-books and outlines the challenges involved in this praxis. With a number of stakeholders involved in the live use of the platform (including teachers, students, HE educators, course instructors, curriculum designers and software developers), iterative feedback loops informed real-time design improvements to both the interface and the-ory. This collaboration utilised a design-based research (DBR) approach (Wang and Hannafin, 2005), which is outlined here as explanation of how the tool developed and how iterative feedback helped to reconsider the challenges educators face in implementing pedagogical innovation across differing contexts. We propose how speculative design (Lukens and DiSalvo, 2012) and Activity Theory (Engeström, 1987) workshops can methodologically enhance the planning and evaluation phases inherent to DBR approaches, which involve students to prepare for educators’ innovation. Finally, we conclude with how educators can utilise these design principles using stratified approaches to help prepare organisational approaches for innovation.

With this article we would like to clarify the often-disregarded fact by virtue of which the European Missionaries in Asia acted as catalysts of a kind of nuanced acculturation named Accommodatio (adaptation). To a great extent they became harbingers of Culture and Science more than Faith itself to the dismay of many, including the Roman Church. Such cultural and scientific transference was actually two-pronged, for simultaneously they presented in Europe unique findings related to Language, e.g. the Chinese Characters (considered to be the sole natural language), Geography, Cosmology and even Governance. We would try to prove that such procedure contributed positively to the modern scientific notions of sustainability and to provide the kind of accoutrements that model the modern world as we know it.

The rise of multi-sided digital platforms has transformed the global economy, enabling individuals and companies to create, deliver, and capture value through innovative connections and network effects. While scholars have studied the core strategy concepts and proposed platform architectures, less attention has been paid to the long-term sustainability of these platforms. This paper addresses this gap by examining the relationship between sustainability and platform architecture. Specifically, it asks what mechanisms characterize digital platforms for sustainability, and whether there are design choices that optimize the business model for sustainability. Using a mixed-methods approach that draws on platform literature, business models, and sustainable innovation, the paper develops an integrative framework to identify elements and design choices in platform businesses which support sustainability outcomes. The framework is then used to classify the business models of the identified platforms, revealing specific design choices for platform architecture that can optimize their business models for sustainability. This contribution to existing literature provides an artifact that allocates key decisions on value creation, delivery, and capture that are key to platforms and includes an additional layer to optimize them for long-term sustainability. As digital platforms continue to drive the economy, this research is relevant not only to platform practitioners, but also to policy makers and society at large.

Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) in architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry is attracting the attention of designers, practitioners, and construction project stakeholders. Digital fabrication (Dfab) and design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) practices are found in current needs for further research and development. The DfMA's conceptual function is to maximize the process efficiency of Dfab and AM building projects. This work reviewed 171 relevant research articles over the past few decades. The concept of DfMA and the fundamentals of DfMA in building and construction were explored. In addition, DfMA procedures associated with Dfab and DfAM, as well as its AM assembly process, were discussed. Lastly, the current machine learning research on DfMA in construction was also highlighted. Large research gaps in the DfMA for Dfab and DfAM can be filled to increase operational efficiency and sustainable practices.

Satisfactory weatherproofing of buildings is vital to maximise their design life and performance which requires the careful design of external sealing technologies. Systems commonly available have served well in conventional construction however with many prefabricated systems emerging in the building industry new and novel means of weatherproofing between panels and modules need to be developed purpose specific to this application. This paper presents a holistic and fundamental methodological approach to Design and Development of waterproof seals and has been applied specific for prefabricated panelised and modular systems. Two purpose specific weatherproof seals are finally presented. Flow charts of the overview of the suggested methodological approach and the processes within which include DfMA that have been incorporated into understanding and developing seals for this practical application. These strategies have enabled a resourceful and holistic set of processes that can be adapted and used for similar forms of product research in new and developing areas of construction such as prefabrication. The design and development process is thoroughly explored and has resulted in an exploration of the technical challenges and potential solutions which take into consideration factors from installation limitations to building tolerances.

In order to meet the diversified rehabilitation needs of people, it is necessary to design a product for active rehabilitation of patients. Existing rehabilitation chairs use intelligent massage, which can cause problems such as large massage area, inability to local massage, large chair size, and inability to meet the continuous use of the damaged parts. In this paper, modular design method and multi-layer evaluation method are used to solve the problems related to rehabilitation chairs. The authors use the questionnaire survey method and the functional technology matrix method to determine the functional requirements of the rehabilitation chair, and then use the multilevel evaluation methods, including the AHP method, entropy weight method main and grey correlation analysis, to optimize the functional solutions of the rehabilitation chair, and finally obtain a chair for the rehabilitation of patients with upper and lower limb disorders. Problems such as generalisation of rehabilitation scope and non-durable use of components were solved, and the purpose of active exercise was achieved. This study verifies that the use of multilevel decision evaluation method can effectively improve the efficiency of programme decision-making, and provides theoretical and practical basis for the design of similar products.

In this work antiparasitic peptidomimetics inhibitors (PEP) of falcipain-3 (FP3) of Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) have been proposed using structure-based and computer-aided molecular design. Beginning with the crystal structure of PfFP3-K11017 complex (PDB ID: 3BWK), three-dimensional (3D) models of FP3-PEPx complexes with known activities (IC50exp) were prepared by in situ modification, based on molecular mechanics and implicit solvation to compute Gibbs free energies (GFE) of inhibitor-FP3 complex formation. This resulted in a quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) model based on a linear correlation between computed GFE (ΔΔGcomp) and the experimentally measured IC50exp: (pIC50exp=-(IC50exp/109) =-0.4517×∆∆Gcomp+4.0865 ; R2 = 0.89). Apart from the structure-based relationship, a ligand-based quantitative pharmacophore model (PH4) of novel PEP analogs where substitutions were directed by comparative analysis of the active site interactions was derived using the proposed bound conformations of the PEPx. This provided structural information useful for the design of virtual combinatorial libraries (VL), which was virtually screened based on the 3D-QSAR PH4. The end results were predictory inhibitory activities falling within the low nanomolar concentration range.

Some evidence supports the influence of the implant macro-design and primary stability. Additionally, tactile perception can be used to assess implant stability when placing the implant. This research aimed to quantify the primary and secondary stability of three implant systems with two different macro geometries (cylindrical and conical) determined through the insertion torque and the implant stability quotient (ISQ) at the moment of implant placement as a function of implant-related factors (length, width, dental arch, and implant location in the arch), intraoperative factors (bone density determined subjectively by the clinician's tactile perception), and patient-related factors (age, gender and bone density determined objectively in the cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Methods: 102 implants of three implant systems with two different macro geometries (conical and cylindrical) were placed in 53 patients. The insertion torque, the ISQ at the implant placement (ISQ0), and bone quality according to the clinician's tactile sensation were recorded on the day of the surgery. After a three-month healing period, the ISQ was re-evaluated (ISQ3). Results: Cylindrical implants exhibited significantly higher insertion torque and ISQ at the moment of the surgery and after three months than conical implants. Cylindrical implants also showed significantly lower indices of tactile evaluation of bone quality during the implant placement surgery. However, no differences were demonstrated in the bone density measured objectively in the CBCT. (4) Conclusions: The cylindrical implants achieved the highest values for primary stability (Ncm and ISQ) and secondary stability (ISQ after three months). Insertion torque was the variable that most influenced ISQ on the day of the surgery. Implant location (incisors-canines, bicuspids-molars) and the implant macro geometry were the variables that most influenced the secondary stability (ISQ at three months).

User experience-related challenges play a significant part in user-technology interactions. However, design processes have not always kept up with the evolving needs of users in terms of technology interactions. This paper aims to present the design, structure and evaluation of an integrated mental health intervention platform (AMGR-I), emphasizing the importance of user-centred design and engagement in addressing the evolving needs of users in technology interactions, specifically focusing on individuals with mental health disorders. The AMGR-I pilot platform integrates community, e-learning, and care sub-platforms to provide a holistic approach to mental health intervention. The study utilizes participatory design research with targeted users to gather insights into user preferences and expectations. By involving the targeted audience in the design process, the platform’s user-centered design can be improved effectively. The platform recognizes the changing view of users, who now seek products that deliver pleasure, enjoyment, engagement, and embodiment. This research contributes to the field by highlighting the importance of user-centered design in the development of a comprehensive platform for mental health support.

Nonwoven fabrics have been widely used in textile manufacturing industry as a sheet or web structure because of soft, water-repellent, recycle, ecological and resilient functions. Ultrasonic welding method has been applied for bonding nonwoven fabrics due to clean, fast and reliable approach. In this work, the ultrasonic stepped horn is designed to generate uniform amplitudes on the working surface by using finite element analysis (FEA) simulation. Chromium carbon steels are utilized to produce ultrasonic horns due to high wear resistant and hardness. Isotactic polypropylene nonwoven fabrics fabricated by spunbond process were bonded by continuous ultrasonic sewing machine. Ultrasonic horn with 70 mm in diameter working at 20 kHz, polypropylene (PP) nonwoven density of 80 gsm and various design of welding joints were applied. A typical image in the case of number one was investigated by the scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of inter-facial micro-structure. However, welding joints of totally eight roller patterns was test the tensile strength of the ultrasonic welding joints on PP nonwoven fabrics. The tensile strength of the welding joints is proportional to the area ratio between the welding area and cycling area. The results showed that the melted zone without welding defects such as crack or blowhole can be seen. Furthermore, the tensile strength of welding joints in eight cases of roller patterns (No.1-No.8) was described in details. The ultrasonic welding joints with brick structures give higher tensile strength while the solid line in the pattern gave less strength.

In the last years, various changes and enhancements have been made to the technical structure of the substituted boreholes in comparison to the old boreholes. Increasing production capabilities from an individual borehole and/or a borehole field has engineering significant and economic value. Unfortunately, we are unable to change the composition of the aquifer lithology and its hydraulic properties and therefore, increasing the extraction capabilities from an individual borehole is possible by using technical improvements in drilling methods, in borehole design and in its final structure. This is illustrated through examples from two different aquifer basins, where substituted boreholes were drilled adjusted to the old borehole and in the same yard. The substituted boreholes were drilled to similar depth and to the same lithology as those in the old boreholes. That is, any discrepancies in hydraulic parameters attributable to changes and improvements in the borehole design and structure.

The experimental verification for the computational method sometimes varies due to numerous factors such as the manufacturing process and the materials' property change due to environmental aspects. In this work, we performed verification of experimental and computational evaluation of a hybrid composite moderate thick plate. The experiment was performed with simplistic approaches and without the advanced tools of preparing composite materials. This is due to the fact that most of the students in many developing countries around the world cannot have access to such equipment. As such, in this research, we are presenting cheap and easy preparation methods, with some details, for even equipment calibration and some tricks to attain a reliable composite structure for educational purposes. Moreover, the software and solvers used in this study are freely provided by the supplier for educational purposes. This study examined two methods for producing carbon and glass/polyester composite plates and discussed which one was best based on mechanical properties for different volume fractions, random stacking sequences, and ply angles (using OCTAVE's random estimation program). It also determined the three natural frequencies experimentally and with the aid of ANSYS. Less than 6% separated the experimentally determined natural frequencies from the calculated results.

The efficacy of time-restricted feeding for weight loss has not been established as prior studies were limited by lack of controlled isocaloric designs. This study describes the design and implementation of a controlled feeding study evaluating time-restricted feeding. We designed a randomized, controlled, parallel-arm, feeding study comparing time restricted feeding (TRF) to a usual feeding pattern (UFP) for the primary outcome of weight change. Participants were aged 18-69 years with prediabetes and obesity. TRF consumed 80% of calories by 1300, and UFP consumed ≥50% of calories after 1700. Both arms consumed identical macro- and micro-nutrients, based on a healthy palatable diet. We calculated individual calorie requirements which were maintained throughout the intervention. We randomized 41 participants who all completed the study. The desired distribution of calories across feeding windows in both arms was achieved, as were weekly averages for macronutrients and micronutrients. All randomized participants completed the study. We actively monitored participants and adapted diets to facilitate adherence. We provide the first report, to our knowledge, on the design and implementation of a feeding study that isolated the effect of meal timing on weight, while maintaining constant caloric intake and identical diets during the study period.

In this work, we studies the principle of ground electrode current field through ground communication technology, signal design, and optimal working mode of excitation source, so as to adapt the working mode, working frequency, and transmission medium condition of signal transmission. Through waveform design, energy is concentrated in the main conduction direction, which is beneficial for signal filtering at the receiving end and achieving high reliability data transmission; On this basis, on-site environmental testing was conducted to verify the detection and recognition technology of weak signals. Signal design and detection recognition are a very important part of the grounding electrode current field through ground communication technology. The grounding electrode current field through ground communication technology is mainly applied to solve the problem of communication between rescue personnel and trapped personnel before and during tunnel engineering collapse and rescue.

SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) is a novel virus of the family Coronaviridae. The virus causes the infectious disease COVID-19. The biology of coronaviruses has been studied for many years. However, bioinformatics tools designed explicitly for SARS-CoV-2 have only recently been developed as a rapid reaction to the need for fast detection, understanding, and treatment of COVID-19. To control the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is of utmost importance to get insight into the evolution and pathogenesis of the virus. In this review, we cover bioinformatics workflows and tools for the routine detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the reliable analysis of sequencing data, the tracking of the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluation of containment measures, the study of coronavirus evolution, the discovery of potential drug targets and development of therapeutic strategies. For each tool, we briefly describe its use case and how it advances research specifically for SARS-CoV-2. All tools are freely available online, either through web applications or public code repositories.

This work focuses on the design improvement of a tri-axial piezoresistive accelerometer specifically designed for head injuries monitoring where medium-G impacts are common, for example in sports such as racing cars or American Football. The device requires the highest sensitivity achievable with a single proof mass approach, and a very low error (<1%) as the accuracy for these types of applications is paramount. The optimization method differs from previous work as it is based on the progressive increment of the sensor mass moment of inertia (MMI) in all three axes. The work numerically demonstrates that an increment of MMI determines an increment of device sensitivity with a simultaneous reduction of cross-talk in the particular axis under study. The final device shows a sensitivity increase of about 80% in the Z-axis and a reduction of cross-talk of 18% respect to state-of-art sensors available in the literature. Sensor design, modelling and optimization are presented, concluding the work with results, discussion and conclusion.

L-asparaginase (ASNase) is an aminohydrolase currently used in the pharmaceutical and food industries. Enzyme immobilization is an exciting option for both applications, allowing a more straightforward recovery and increased stability. High surface area and customizable porosity make carbon xerogels (CXs) promising materials for ASNase immobilization. This work describes the influence of contact time, pH, and ASNase concentration on the immobilization yield (IY) and relative recovered activity (RRA) using Central Composite Design methodology. The most promising results were obtained using CX with an average pore size of 4 nm (CX-4), reaching IY and RRA of 100%. At the optimal conditions, the ASNase-CXs biocomposite was characterized and evaluated in terms of kinetic properties and operational, thermal and pH stabilities. The immobilized ASNase onto CX-4 retained 71% of its original activity after six continuous reaction cycles, showed a good thermal stability at 37 °C (RRA of 91% after 90 min) and was able to adapt to both acidic and alkaline environments. Finally, the results indicated a 3.9-fold increase in the immobilized ASNase affinity for the substrate, confirming the potential of CXs as a support for ASNase and as a cost-effective tool for subsequent use in the therapeutic and food sectors.

The human serotonin transporter (hSERT) terminates neurotransmission by removing serotonin from the synaptic cleft, which is an essential process plays an important role in depression. In addition to substrate serotonin, hSERT is also the target of drugs of abuse like cocaine and clinically used antidepressants such as escitalopram and paroxetine. To date, few studies attempt to investigate the unbinding mechanism underlying the orthosteric and allosteric modulation of hSERT. The high-resolution X-ray structure of hSERT resolved recently enables us to theoretically study the unbinding of the above four ligands against the S1 or S2 site of hSERT, by means of molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) and potential of mean force (PMF) simulations. We proved that for either the S1 or S2 site, the other three ligands (cocaine, escitalopram and paroxetine) are much more favorable than the original substrate serotonin, whether in kinetics along the unbinding pathways or in thermodynamics at the equilibrium states. Furthermore, the S1 site is much more favorable than the S2 site, for each ligand. Interestingly, inspection revealed that there are ~ 3Å lengths between the allosteric site of serotonin and cocaine, and an unseen un-binding pathway for escitalopram at the S1 site except for verification of the broadest trail.

Student-centered teaching practices such as active learning continue to gain momentum in college science education. Many instructors committed to these innovative practices transform their classroom beyond the standard lecture. Nevertheless, widespread implementation of these practices is limited because the learning benefits for students are often attained through increased instructional complexity to which many instructors cannot commit. When co-instructors are teaching the course, the level of commitment to building a student-centered classroom may be even more profound. For these reasons, new tools are needed to help instructors and co-instructors plan, organize, evaluate, and communicate their classroom innovations. Pathway modeling is a tool with potential to fill this gap. Unlike curriculum mapping -- which identifies academic content gaps, redundancies, and misalignments by examining a series of courses within a plan of study – course pathway modeling creates a visual map of a single course and reveals how teaching practices influence short-, mid-, and long-term student learning outcomes. This essay demonstrates how course pathway modeling can help co-instructors better represent the complexity of student-centered teaching practices. We include guides for creating course pathway models and discuss how this approach offers the potential to improve curricular design, course evaluation, student assessment, and communication between co-instructors.

This paper investigates the effects of air void topology on hydraulic conductivity in asphalt mixtures with porosity in the range 14%-31%. Virtual asphalt pore networks were generated using the Intersected Stacked Air voids (ISA) method, with its parameters being automatically adjusted by the means of a differential evolution optimisation algorithm, and then 3D printed using transparent resin. Permeability tests were conducted on the resin samples to understand the effects of pore topology on hydraulic conductivity. Moreover, the pore networks generated virtually were compared to real asphalt pore networks captured via X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) scans. The optimised ISA method was able to generate realistic 3D pore networks corresponding to those seen in asphalt mixtures in term of visual, topological, statistical and air void shape properties. It was found that, in the range of porous asphalt materials investigated in this research, the high dispersion in hydraulic conductivity at constant air void content is a function of the average air void diameter. Finally, the relationship between average void diameter and the maximum aggregate size and gradation in porous asphalt materials was investigated.

This study sought to improve the nutritional, functional and biochemical properties of pearl millet through malting and fermentation. Moringa oleifera leaf powder (MLP) was used as a fortificant. Mixture design was used to find optimal proportions for each of the components that yield a high protein and or low saturated fat content. Twelve mixtures with varying ratios of fermented, and malted pearl millet flour ranging between 30–65%, and MLP between 5–15% were generated through I-Optimal mixture design. The mixtures were wet-cooked, freeze-dried and analyzed for protein and fat content. The data obtained were fitted to a linear mixture model and the search for the optimum was done using Numerical Optimization for maximising protein and minimising saturated fat. The linear model was suitable for explaining variation for total protein and saturated fat with r2 of 0.50 and 0.51, respectively. Increasing MLP increased protein content. Two final formulations were generated through the optimization process. Pearl millet’s protein content increased by up to 22% while saturated fat decreased by up to 13%. Ash content increased by 75%. Polyphenol content and oxygen radical absorbance capacity increased by 80% and 25%, respectively. Final and peak viscosity were reduced by 90% and 95%, respectively.

According to a recent estimate by UN Habitat, approximately 3 billion individuals will require suitable housing by the year 2030. This staggering demand translates to the need for around 96,000 affordable housing units to be constructed each day. However, the conventional construction methods that rely on cement-based concrete and masonry are outdated, lacking innovation, efficiency, and sustainability. In light of these challenges, cold-formed steel emerges as an appealing alternative to traditional construction materials like masonry and concrete. It offers numerous advantages, including easy fabrication, lightweight properties, energy efficiency, the ability to reuse the material at the end of its service life, and a higher level of recyclability. Cold-formed steel buildings are also recognized for their superior insulation and lower energy consumption during operation. Cold-formed steel (CFS) members are created by rolling structurally sound steel sheets into the required shapes using a forming machine, without the need for heat as in the case of hot-rolled steel. While the thickness of these members can range from 0.01 mm to 7 mm, commercial construction of load-bearing walls, roof trusses, and floor joists typically utilizes steel thicknesses of 0.7 mm to 1.2 mm. This paper tries to illustrate the materials and methods employed in the construction of cold-formed steel modular buildings in Sri Lanka[1]. It delves into the material and durability characteristics of cold-formed steel, the design philosophy behind these structures, the development of the building envelope, and the energy efficiency features of the building elements. The findings of this study demonstrate that cold-formed steel buildings can be a highly sought-after alternative for residential construction, offering faster construction timelines, cost-effectiveness, and energy-efficient practices.

Waste management is an unavoidable technological operation in the process of raw material extraction. The main characteristic of this technological operation is the handling of large quantities of waste material, which can amount to several hundred million cubic metres. Working with this amount of material usually requires high-capacity systems for excavation and loading, a large fleet of trucks for haulage, construction, and maintenance of a complex roads network, use of a significant area of land in order to achieve the required capacities, etc. At the same time, this operation must comply with all administrative and environmental standards. Therefore, optimising waste rock management (particularly haulage and dumping) has the potential to significantly improve the overall value of the project. This paper presents a hybrid model for the optimisation of waste dump design and site selection. The model is based on different mathematical methods (genetic algorithm, analytic hierarchy process and heuristic methods) adapted to different aspects of the problem. The main objective of the model is to provide a solution (in analytical and graphical form) for the draft waste dump design, on the basis of which the final waste dump design can be defined.

Wild artisanal cultures, such as SCOBY-based membranes (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeasts) and water kefir grains (WKG), are complex consortia of microorganisms comprising yeasts, lactic and acetic acid bacteria, with a large strains’ diversity and abundance. The fermented products (FPs) obtained by the microbiome’s contribution can be included into functional products due to their metabiotics (pre-, pro-, post-, and paraprobiotics) as a result of the complex and synergistic association as well as due to the metabolic functionality. In this study, both consortia of SCOBY and WKG were involved in the co-fermentation of a new formulated substrate, that was further analysed aiming at increasing of the postbiotic composition of the FPs. Plackett-Burman (PB) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) techniques were used for the experimental designs to select and optimize the most important parameters that influence the freeze-dried starter cultures of SCOBY and WKG activity as a multiple inoculum. The tea concentration (1-3%), sugar concentration (5-10%), raisins concentration (3-6%), SCOBY lyophilized culture concentration (0.2-0.5%), WKG lyophilized culture concentration (0.2-0.5%), and fermentation time (5-7 days), were considered the independent variables for mathematical analysis and fermentation conditions’ optimization. The pH, total acidity (TA), antioxidant activity (DPPH), and antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Bacillus subtilis MIUG B1, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, and Aspergillus niger MIUG M5 were evaluated as responses. The rich postbiotic bioactive composition of the FP obtained in optimized biotechnological conditions highlighted the usefulness of the artisanal co-cultures, through their symbiotic metabolic interactions for the improvement of bioactive potential.

The delivery of therapeutical molecules through the skin, particularly to its deeper layers is impaired due to the stratum corneum layer, which acts as barrier to foreign substances. Thus, for the past years, scientists have focused on the development of more efficient methods to deliver molecules to skin distinct layers. Microneedles, as a new class of biomedical devices, consists on an array of microscale needles. This particular biomedical device had been drawing attention due to their ability to breach the stratum corneum, forming micro-conduits to facilitate the passage of therapeutical molecules. The microneedle device has several advantages over conventional methods, such as better medication adherence, easiness and painless self-administration. Moreover, it is possible to deliver the molecules swiftly or over time. Microneedles can vary in shape, size and composition. The design process of a microneedle device must take in account several factors, like the location delivery, the material and manufacturing process. Microneedles have been used in a large number of fields from drug and vaccine application, cosmetics, therapy, diagnosis, tissue engineering, sample extraction, cancer research, wound healing, among others.

Insulation systems for the floor, roof and external walls play a prominent role in providing a thermal barrier for the building envelope. Design decisions made for the insulation material type and thickness can alleviate potential impacts on the embodied energy and improve the building thermal performance. This design problem is often addressed using a BIM-integrated optimisation approach. However, one major weakness lies in the current studies is that BIM is merely used as the source for design parameters input. This study proposes a BIM-based envelope insulation optimisation design framework using a common software Revit to find the trade-off between the total embodied energy of the insulation system and the thermal performance of the envelope by considering the material type and thickness. In addition, the framework also permits data visualisation in a BIM environment, and subsequent material library mapping together with instantiating the optimal insulation designs. The framework is tested on a case study based in Sydney, Australia. By analysing sample designs from the Pareto front, it is found that slight improvement in the thermal performance (1.3399 to 1.2112 GJ/m2) would cause the embodied energy to increase by more than 50 times.

Abstract— Flight Control System is an integrated avionics system equipped with the minimum required components for an autonomous flight. This paper focuses on the Hardware Design of the Flight Control System and presents specific details of the components and its interface. The system architecture is based on Field Programmable Gate Array and Digital Signal Processor. Employing these two processors in the flight control system would improve the Flight Control System performance in terms of fast sequential processing of high-level control algorithms. In addition to Field Programmable Gate Array and Digital Signal Processor, the flight control computer system will also make use of Global Positioning System and Micro Electro Mechanical System sensors. The project will be implemented using Altera’s System On Programmable Chip builder, currently known as Qsys – Platform Designer implemented in Quartus-II. The system employs Nios-II processor which is 32-bit soft-core embedded-processor architecture designed especially for the Altera’s family of Field Programmable Gate Array. From conceptualization to final design, this paper presents the functionality of the different modulus and complex interfaces employed in this Flight Control System.

Background: Complex bone defects are challenging to treat. Autografting is the gold standard for regenerating bone defects, however limitations include donor site morbidity and increased surgical complexity. Advancements in 3D bioprinting (3DBP) offer a promising alternative for viable bone grafts. Methods: Design of Experiments (DoE) was used to design 12 hydrogel bioinks of various Gelatin meth-acrylate/hydroxyapatite (GelMA/HA) concentrations. These bioinks were assessed for pipettability and equilibrium modulus. An optimal bioink was designed using the DoE data to produce the greatest stiffness while still being pipettable. Two bioinks, the DoE designed maximal stiff-ness and the experimentally defined maximal stiffness vs. a literature based control were then printed using a 3D bioprinter and assessed for print fidelity. The resulting hydrogels were combined with human bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) and evaluated for cell viability. Results: DoE ANOVA analysis indicated that the augmented 3 level factorial design model used was a good fit (p < 0.0001). Using the model, DoE correctly predicted that a composite hydrogel consisting of 12.3% GelMA, 15.7% HA, and 2% Gelatin would produce the maximum equilibrium modulus while still being pipettable. The hydrogel with the most optimal print fidelity was 10% GelMA, 2% HA, and 5% Gelatin. There were no significant differences in cell viability within hydrogels from day 2 to day 7 (p > 0.05). There was however a significantly lower cell viability in the gel composed of 12.3% GelMA, 15.7% HA, and 2% gelatin compared to the other gels with lower HA concentration (p < 0.05), showing that higher HA or print pressure may be cytotoxic within hydrogels. Conclusions: Extrusion-based 3DBP offers significant advantages for bone-tissue implants due to its high customizability. This study demonstrates it is possible to create printable bone-like grafts from GelMA and HA with increased HA levels, favorable mechanical properties (145kPa) and >80% cell viability.

Aiming for the problems emerging in the PWM drive system with long cables, accurate modeling of power cables is the premise to predict and analyze the relevant phenomenon, and a proper filter design is the key solution to these problems. This paper proposes high-frequency cable models to represent the frequency-dependent characteristics, especially for the high-frequency resistance of the cable that is an easily overlooked factor but determines the damping of overvoltage. The proposed models can be used for accurately representing the cable parameters in a wide frequency range, and correctly simulating the differential mode (DM) overvoltage and common mode (CM) current, including the peak value, oscillation frequency and damping of the transient waveform. In addition, improved filter networks are proposed to suppress the DM voltage and CM current, with the merit of low losses, small volume and an excellent ability of suppressing overvoltage. The proposed cable models and the filter design have been validated in a 750W PWM drive system with 200m power cables.

Olive picking is one of the most common social agricultural activities in many regions of Andalusia where the predominant crop is the traditional olive grove. The machinery used includes shakers, blowers and an essential low-cost type: hand-rake sweepers. The latter are generally used by the women of the squads to sweep the olives that fall from the trees. This article is focused on the design and optimisation of a hand-rake sweeper, in terms of durability and cost, for the picking of olives and other fruits, such as almonds, which are currently the main alternative to non-perennial crops in Andalusia. A parametric design of a hand-rake sweeper was created for this application using the design software CATIA, and its most vulnerable points were analysed in terms of effectiveness with varying design parameters, conducting usage simulations with ANSYS for a light material such as polypropylene. The maximum von Mises stress of the whole structure was 155.81 MPa. Using ANSYS, the dimension parameters of the hand-rake sweeper structure were optimised. The modified design was analysed again, showing a reduction of maximum tensions of 10.06%, as well as a decrease in its maximum elongations (0.0181 mm).

Several design methods and principles have been presented so far, in order to guide the design of autonomous operations. Putting the required efforts into learning and using the methods for designing autonomous operations is a daunting task. Experiences so far have shown that the use of methods meant to the help the design process are often ignored. One reason could be that the design guidelines are too complex and contain much information often not relevant for the project at hand, and therefore there is no easy way to distinguish what is important from what is not. This is an issue that needs to be solved with our approach. In this article, the Autonomous Job Analysis (AJA) method is presented. The proposed methodology is created in order to guide the design of autonomous operations in maritime systems by breaking them down in to sub-operations in order to reveal challenges, needs and limitations regarding autonomous behavior. The canvas contains the categories of the AJA method on a single page format -the canvas- and each category is supported with questions to be asked during the design procedure, as well as example answers. We will describe the AJA method and the AJA canvas in detail, and present a use case scenario of an autonomous operation in order to show how they can be applied. The particular use-case is the design of an autonomous operation for the detection, inspection and tracking of a waste water plume.

The chemistry and electrochemistry basic fields have been active since the last two decades of the past century studying how surface modification of electrodes by coating with conductive films enhances their activity and performance. In the light of the development of alternative sustainable ways of energy storage and carbon dioxide conversion by electrochemical processes, these research studies have jumped in the 21st century to more applied fields such as chemical engineering, energy and environmental science and engineering. The huge amount of literature on experimental works dealing with the development of CO2 electroreduction processes addresses electrocatalyst development. Membranes can help understanding and controlling the mass transport limitations of current electrodes and reactors designs. The present bibliometric review addresses the papers published in the 21st century regarding membrane coated electrodes and electrocatalysts to enhance electrochemical reactor performance and viability with a special focus on the urgent issue of carbon dioxide capture and utilization.

In the process of construction and operation of the pumping station, a large number of axial flow pumps pose a threat to the survival of fish in the natural environment. Through experiments, the survival conditions of many kinds of fish in extreme positive and negative pressure environment are explored, and -40 kPa is established as the low pressure damage threshold, which is used as a reference to analyze the probability of fish damage caused by pumps. The immersion boundary-lattice Boltzmann numerical method (LES-IB-LBM) based on large eddy simulation is used to optimize the parameters of the prototype runner of axial flow pump. A new type of runner with leading edge thickness of 11.4mm and blade cutting angle of 18 ° is optimized. This kind of runner has both hydraulic performance and fish-passing ability. The runner of the fish-friendly axial flow pump effectively guides the fish into the low risk area and reduces the risk of friction, shear and impact damage to the fish. the total impact mortality ratio of the runner of the axial flow pump before and after optimization is close to 7:1. The pressure damage analysis shows that the lowest negative pressure of the fish is -59.2 kPa, which is higher than -64.5 kPa of the prototype pump, and the highest positive pressure of the body surface is 11.8 kPa, which is lower than the 43.8 kPa of the prototype pump. Shear damage analysis shows that the fish will not be damaged by shear in the prototype pump and fish-friendly pump.

Ferulic acid has numerous beneficial effects for human health, which are frequently attributed to its antioxidant behavior. In this report many of them are reviewed and 185 new ferulic acid derivatives are computationally designed, using the CADMA-Chem protocol. For the later, the chemical space was sampled and evaluated. To that purpose selection and elimination scores were used, which are built from a set of descriptors accounting for ADME properties, toxicity, and synthetic accessibility. After the first screening, 12 derivatives were selected and further investigated. Their potential role as antioxidants was predicted from reactivity indexes, directed related with the formal hydrogen atom transfer and the single electron transfer mechanisms. The best performing molecules were identified by comparisons with the parent molecule and two references: Trolox and alpha-tocopherol. Their potential as polygenic neuroprotectors was investigated through the interactions with enzymes directed related with the etiologies of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. They are acetylcholinesterase, catechol-O-methyltransferase, and monoamine oxidase B. Based on the obtained results, the most promising candidates (FA-26, FA-118, and FA-138) are proposed as multifunctional antioxidants with potential neuroprotective effects. The findings derived from this investigation are encouraging and might promote further investigations on these molecules.

Interleaved power factor correction (PFC) is widely used circuit topology due to good efficiency and power density for single-switch boost PFC. As the differential mode (DM) electromagnetic interference (EMI) noise magnitude depends upon the input current ripple, this research details a comprehensive study of DM EMI filter design for interleaved boost PFC with the aim of minimizing the component size. It is also demonstrated that the different numbers of interleaved stages and switching frequency influence the filter attenuation requirement and, thus, the EMI filter size. First, an analytical model is derived on the basis of the Norton equivalent circuit model for the differential mode noises of interleaved boost PFC within the frequency range of 9-500 kHz. The derived model can help identify the optimal phase shifting among the interleaved boost converters in order to minimize the considered differential mode noises at the filter design frequency. So, a novel phase-shift method is developed to get a minimized attenuation required by a filter in Band B. Further, a volume optimization of the required DM filter was introduced based on the calculated filter attenuation and volumetric component parameters. Based on the obtained results, unconventional and conventional phase shifts have demonstrated a good performance in decreasing the EMI filter volume in Band B and Band A, respectively. A 2-kW interleaved PFC case study is presented to verify the theoretical analyses and the impact of phase-shifting on EMI filter size.

Research into improving the functionality and capacities of wearable technology has surged as a result of its fast progress. The functioning of wearable technology is largely dependent on antenna design, which provides wireless connectivity and communication. This study of the literature searches many online sources for pertinent research on the various antenna designs for wearable technology. The findings verified that the materials vary based on the design being employed. An analysis was conducted on the gain, frequency, materials, and sizes. The review excels at synthesizing research and literature despite its restricted resources.

The paradigm shift has revealed a need among industrial designers to have entrepreneurial capabilities. Being the most effective modality to exercise discipline today. The implementation of this approach requires reviewing the discursive scaffolding that the design has been using to set immovable high standards of complexity and quality, reducing the field of professional action and limiting the intervention alternatives. This article considers the dynamics and trends in people's lifestyles, explores possible strategies and specific content for the entrepreneurial training required by design.

Langya Henipavirus (LayV) is a new zoonotic Henipavirus reported in 2022. Patients infected by LayV show common cold symptoms, such as fever, fatigue, and cough. Non-fatal cases associated with this virus have been reported in Henan and Shandong provinces in China. Should human-to-human transmission occur, it has the potential to be a pandemic like SARS-CoV-2. LayV is an enveloped negative-sense RNA virus. Its polymerase (encoded by the L gene) is considered a conserved target shared within Henipavirus viruses, allowing for qPCR detection, in which primers play a pivotal role. For the development of a diagnostic kit, we designed three primer sets targeting the L gene and evaluated their detection of plasmids carrying part of the L gene. Primer sets 1 and 2 were found to be suitable for further sensitivity, specificity, and efficiency testing. Both primer sets were able to amplify PCR products in the presence of human saliva, and both the melt curve analysis and gel electrophoresis showed distinct peaks and bands, supporting the specificity of the qPCR primers. Based on standard curve analysis, both primers detected as low as approximately 1000 copies of the L gene. Given the specificity and robustness to work in the presence of saliva, the primers can be used for pandemic-preparedness in LayV detection.

The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the crucial role of ventilation systems in mitigating cross-infections, especially in infectious disease hospitals. This study introduces a dual-design operation ventilation system that can operate under two sets of ventilation conditions for normal and epidemic times. A challenge is optimizing duct diameters for required airflow while maintaining hydraulic balance. We design a genetic algorithm with adaptive penalty factor, the velocity constraint and the improved crossover and mutation probability. The improved genetic algorithm is suitable for ventilation system networks, which can find a better air duct diameters combination to improve the hydraulic balance rate, and reduce the usage of air valves, resulting in efficient hydraulic balancing commissioning. Compared with the traditional genetic algorithm, it has a faster search speed and a better global search ability, which is effective for the optimal design of ventilation system networks.

The emergence of multi-drug resistant bacteria has severely increased the burden on the global health system, and such pathogen infections are considered a great threat to human well-being. Antimicrobial peptides, due to their potent antimicrobial activity and low possibility of inducing resistance, are increasingly becoming the focus of much interest. Herein, a novel dermaseptin peptide, named Dermaseptin-SS1 (SS1), was identified from a skin secretion-derived cDNA library of the South/Central American tarsier leaf frog, Phyllomedusa tarsius, using a ‘shotgun’ cloning strategy. Chemically-synthesised peptide SS1 was found to be broadly effective against Gram-negative bacteria with low haemolytic activity in vitro. A designed synthetic analogue of SS1, named peptide 14V5K, showed a lower salt sensitivity with more rapid bacteria-killing compared to SS1. Both peptides employed the membrane-targeting mechanism to kill Escherichia coli. The antiproliferative activity of SS1 and its analogues, against lung cancer cell lines, was found to be significant.

Lipases have tremendous potential for industrial use, particularly, those mostly active against water-insoluble substrates, such as triglycerides composed of long-chain fatty acids. However, in most cases, mutants often need to be constructed to achieve optimal performance for such substrates. Protein engineering techniques have been reported as strategies for improving lipase characteristics by introducing specific mutations in the cap domain of esterases or in the lid domain of lipases, or through lid domain swapping. Here, we have improved the lipase character of a lipase, retrieved from the Marine Metagenomics MarRef Database and assigned to the Actinoalloteichus genus (WP_075743487.1), through site-directed mutagenesis and by substituting its lid domain (FRGTEITQIKDWLTDA) by the one of Rhizopus delemar (previously Rhizopus oryzae) lipase (FRGTNSFRSAITDIVF). Results demonstrated that the redesigned mutants gain activity against bulkier triglycerides such as glyceryl tridecanoate and tridodecanoate, olive oil, coconut oil, and palm oil. The absence of a residue in the new lid, present in the original lid, appears to be a key aspect to the increase in lipase character, although full activity recovery is only obtained with lid swapping.

This study rolls out a robust framework relevant for simulation studies through the Generalised Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH) model using the rugarch package. The package is thoroughly investigated, and novel findings are identified for improved and effective simulations. The focus of the study is to provide necessary simulation steps for volatility estimation that involve "background (optional), defining the aim, research questions, method of implementation, and summarised conclusion". The method of implementation is a workflow that includes writing the code, setting the seed, setting the true parameters a priori, data generation process and performance assessment through meta-statistics. This novel, easy-to-understand steps are demonstrated on financial returns using illustrative Monte Carlo simulation with empirical verification. Among the findings, the study shows that regardless of the arrangement of the seed values, the efficiency and consistency of an estimator generally remain the same as the sample size increases. The study also derived a new and flexible true-parameter-recovery measure which can be used by researchers to determine the level of recovery of the true parameter by the MCS estimator. It is anticipated that the outcomes of this study will be broadly applicable in finance, with intuitive appeal in other areas, for volatility estimation.

Organic Coatings have potential applications in the prevention of metal corrosion in an aqueous solution. The protective effect of SEBS coated copper corrosion in NaCl 3% solution was investigated by using electrochemical methods. The main objective of this work is to find the optimal conditions of the protocol immersion to evaluate the effects of SEBS ratio and two-immersion time on the anticorrosive behaviour of copper in 3 wt % NaCl solution in order to determine the best conditions to produce a protective SEBS film on the copper surface. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) is used as an optimization method. The study’s findings show the combination of three environmental factors that minimize corrosion rate. The Box-Behnken Design (BBD) is working perfectly for the statistical significance of the model (ANOVA test). This analysis calculates the contribution value of each parameter in changing the value of the corrosion rate (CR) in not only individual but also synergistic cases. The optimized parameters were found to be a 2.17% of SEBS ratio, 20 min of immersion 1, and 21 min of immersion 2. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests confirmed the results.

Design has often been interpreted as a practice of creating novel objects. However, the relationships between objects analysed upstream the process of creation have been under-studied. Here it is presented a model for enhancing the design practice by fostering a deep work on the relationships of mundane objects. The Three-dimensional Narratives (TdN) model comprises a stepwise five phases work package that facilitates a varied range of analyses to improve the creativity and innovation of any project led by any type of participants. One particular feature of the TdN model is the appropriation of concepts coming from non-design fields such physics and biology to both developing the work of the model and to improve the comprehension and outcomes of the enrolled participants. During three Case Studies with children, youngsters, and older participants the TdN model was validated, and its usability was successfully assessed. The TdN model shows that there is a need for a deeper design practice and that it is relevant to improve the lexicon of designers in order to facilitate a broader and design practice, irrespectively of the aim of the proposed project and nuances of the audience.

The optimization of the pile driver frame is very important to the overall performance of the pile driver. This paper takes the large body structure of a model of hydraulic static pile driver as the research object. ANSYS APDL finite element software is used to perform static analysis and sensitivity analysis on the large body structure of the pile driver. On the premise of meeting the design requirements, according to the most dangerous working conditions of the pile driver, the size optimization of the frame structure of the pile driver is carried out based on sensitivity analysis. The mathematical model is established with the plate thickness as the design variable, the strength and stiffness of the body structure as the constraints, and the minimum mass of the body structure as the objective function. The optimization results show that the optimization design model based on sensitivity analysis not only meets the strength and stiffness conditions of the large structure, but also reduces the structural quality by 22.1% and greatly saves the production cost.

Questionnaires are useful instruments for gathering responses to specific factual questions. However, the problems of questionnaire responses impede the effective use of the questionnaire. Some of these problems including non-responses, non-completion, issues of judgement, and social desirability such as information that the respondent is not willing to disclose need to be dealt with. The situation is more compounded in a scenario where an information security practice study in a typical hospital consists of broad categories of respondents and the survey findings are to be relied on to actually address information security compliance issues. This study, therefore, shares "pitfalls" to watch when preparing a questionnaire to measure the information security practice level in a hospital which is characterized by different respondents with varying domain knowledge such as knowledge in information security, information communication technology, and that of the domain knowledge of healthcare. A synergy of a conventional pretesting method and behaviour coding were therefore used to pretest the questionnaire. Questionnaire problems including a lack of understanding of the healthcare information systems’ structure of all hospitals, unclear questions, the insignificant difference between questions, problematic questions, inadequate questions, and complex terms were among the identified pitfalls to watch. Out of a total of 118 questionnaire items that were used in the pretesting, a total of 50 questionnaire items (representing 42%) were identified to have problems after the pretesting was conducted with a total of 36 respondents in behavior coding and 21 respondents in conventional pretesting.

Hippotherapy is a popular rehabilitation method for children with cerebral palsy (CP), which is done by riding an actual horse or a horse riding simulator (HRS) device. Riding a real horse is more expensive than using an HRS device due to its high maintenance cost. However, most HRS devices commonly sold in the market are designed as exercise devices, not rehabilitation devices. Most of them are designed to simulate a horse's walk, trot, canter, or gallop gait at various speeds. Hippotherapy aims to improve the walking ability of CP patients. Therefore, the device should aim to replicate the walking gait of a healthy human, the end goal of hippotherapy. This problem motivates us to design and build a specialized HRS device replicating the walking gait of a healthy human that is suitable for hippotherapy, which is achievable by simulating a horse walking gait with several adjustments. We first studied and observed the walking gait cycle of a horse, then analyzed and derived a formulation of it. We then continue by designing an HRS device using a single electrical rotational motor and mechanical means to replicate the walking gait of a horse, then tune it to an extent to replicate a human walking gait. To measure the performance of our design, we compare the gait of the user when riding our device versus walking.

Recent reports have it that over 85\% of data breaches are still caused by the human element, of which healthcare is one of the suitable organizations mostly targeted by cybercriminals. The work of healthcare staff is often associated with high workloads, high emergency cases, and a broad range of psychological, social, and cultural factors. The significance of these factors could undermine conscious care information security (IS) practice leading to serious violations. This study comprehensively examined the correlation between the psycho-social-cultural factors, work factors with IS and privacy behaviour in a hospital that has fully adopted electronic health records (EHR) management system. The findings are to facilitate the decision-making process towards improving the cyber-security practice in healthcare. A quantitative approach was adopted where we collected responses from 212 healthcare staff through an online questionnaire survey. A broad range of constructs was selected from psychological, social, cultural perception and work factors based on earlier review work. These were therefore related to some security practices, to assess the IS knowledge, attitude and behaviour gaps among healthcare staff in a comprehensive way. From the study, IS self-reported conscious care behaviour (ISCCB) risk was relatively higher as compared to information security knowledge (ISK) risks and information security attitude (ISA) risk. Furthermore, the study revealed that work emergency has a positive correlation with ISCCB (r=1.95, p-value =0.001) risk. Conscientiousness also had positive correlation with ISCCB risk (r=0.157, p-value=0.05) however agreeableness negatively correlated with ISK risk (r=-0.166, p-value =0.05), and ISA risk (r=-0.140, p-value =0.05). Based on these findings, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation methods combined with cutting-edge technologies can be explored to discourage IS risks behaviours while enhancing conscious care security practice.

Of the manifold concepts in drug discovery and design, covalent drugs have re-emerged as one of the most promising over the past 20-or so years. All such drugs harness the ability of a covalent bond to drive an interaction between a target biomolecule, typically a protein, and a small molecule. Formation of a covalent bond necessarily prolongs target engagement, opening avenues to targeting shallower binding sites, protein complexes, and other difficult to drug manifolds, amongst other virtues. This opinion piece discusses frameworks around which to develop covalent drugs. Our argument, based on results from our research program on natural electrophile signaling, is that targeting specific residues innately involved in native signaling programs are ideally poised to be targeted by covalent drugs. We outline ways to identify electrophile-sensing residues, and discuss how studying ramifications of innate signaling by endogenous molecules can provide a means to predict drug mechanism and function and assess on- versus off-target behaviors.

In the design of educational robots, it seems undecided whether robots should show social behaviors and look human-like or that such cues are indifferent to learning. We conducted an experiment with different designs of social robots, rehearsing the multiplication tables with primary school children in Hong Kong. Results show that affective bonding tendencies may occur but did not significantly contribute to the learning progress of these children, perhaps due to the short interaction period. Nonetheless, 5 minutes of robot tutoring improved their scores with about 30% and only for a few challenged children, performance dropped. We discuss that topics such as teaching language skills may be fostered by human likeness in appearance and behaviors but that for STEM-related subjects, the social aspects of robots hardly matter.

The masonry building Heritage is appreciated for its aesthetic and historical value all around the world. The widespread presence of curved elements, such as arch, vault and dome express the relevant constructive abilities in the different historical epochs. These curved elements are characterized by architectural beauty, structural strength (especially against the gravity loads), thermal comfort and fire resistance. On the other hand, curved structures required scaffolding in order to be erected. The design, the construction and the dismantling of the scaffolds is typically time-consuming and expensive. In addition, the on-site working risk is related to time-interferences (e.g. in manpower working, at the same time, over and under scaffold). This technology dates back to the Era of the Roman Empire and it is currently still used, despite its limitations and disadvantages. In the present paper, an innovative technique (recently patented), aiming for the construction of a curved structural member without scaffolds, is proposed and illustrated. It consists in a Hinged Lifting Arch (HLA), using FRP (Fiber Reinforced Polymer) bonded strips. In details, a series of blocks are cut following an arch geometry and then aligned on the ground-floor in order to bond a composite on their top surface. Moreover, the impregnation of the polymeric adhesive is not allowed at the extremities of each block. The fiber sheet is applied continuously along the entire extrados. In this sense, hinges are introduced, in fact, the FRP-connected blocks are able to easily rotate, in the opposite direction, around the contact ends (i.e. hinge). Finally, the middle block is lifted-up and the arch takes the desiderated shape. In the first experimental demonstration, the natural calcareous stone was used, even if the proposed technique is totally material-independent. Moreover, an analytical model is proposed and discussed for designing the proper aspect ratio of the blocks in order to ensure the full mutual contact when the HLA is totally lifted up. The advantages of the proposed technique are related to the absence of scaffolds and improved seismic strength against horizontal loads thanks to the presence of the FRP, which limits the occurrence of hinges at the extrados.

Critical Infrastructures and associated real time Informational systems need some security protection mechanisms that will be able to detect and respond to possible attacks. For this reason, Anomaly Detection Systems (ADS), as part of a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system, are needed for constantly monitoring and identifying potential threats inside an Information Technology (IT) System. Typically, ADS collect information from various sources within a CI system using security sensors or agents and correlate those information so as to identify anomaly events. Such sensors though in a CI setting (factories, power plants, remote locations) may be placed in open areas and left unattended thus becoming targets themselves of security attacks. They can be tampering and malicious manipulated so that they provide false data that may lead an ADS or SIEM system to falsely comprehend the CI current security status. In this paper, we describe existing approaches on security monitoring in critical infrastructures and focus on how to collect security sensor - agent information in a secure and trusted way. We then introduce the concept of hardware assisted security sensor information collection that improve the level if trust (by hardware means) and also increase the responsiveness of the sensor. Thus, we propose a Hardware Security Token (HST) that when connected to a CI Host, it acts as a secure anchor for security agent information collection. We describe the HST functionality, its association with a host device, its expected role and its log monitoring mechanism. We also provide information on how security can be established between the Host device and the HST.Then, we introduce and describe the necessary Host components that need to be established in order to guarantee a high security level and correct HST functionality. We, also provide a realization-implementation of the HST overall concept in a FPGA SoC evaluation board and describe how the HST implementation can controlled. Finally, we provide indicative use case scenarios of how the HST can be used in practice to provide a variety of different security services beyond acting as a secure ADS sensor.

This paper outlines our effort on optimizing Pulsed Magneto-Oscillation (PMO) design in order to improve the efficiency of ingot manufacturing under PMO. Our calculation and experiment provided optimized PMO coil design and special configuration. Our optimized PMO design offered us a device that enabled the operator to examine and operate the melt without losing the efficiency. In one of the designs, the equipment even refined the grain sizes. Our work also showed an optimized distance range between the coil and the melt surface that maximized the refinement effects.

Drying food involves complex physical atmospheric mechanisms with non-linear relations from the air-food interactions and those relations are strongly dependent on the moisture contents and the type of food. Such dependence makes it complex to design suitable dryers dedicated to a single drying process. To streamline the design of a novel compact food-drying machine, a heat pump dryer component design optimization algorithm was developed as a subprogram of a Computer Aided Engineering tool. The algorithm requires inputting food and air properties, the volume of the drying container and the technical specifications of the heat-pump off-the shelf components. The heat required to dehumidify the food supplied by the heat exchange process from condenser to evaporator, and the compressor’s requirements (refrigerant mass flow rate and operating pressures) are then calculated. Compressors can then be selected based in the volume and type of food to be dried. The algorithm is shown via a flow chart to guide the user through 3 different stages: Changes in drying air properties, Heat flow within dryer and Product moisture content. Example results of how different compressors are selected for different type of produces and quantities (Agaricus Blazei mushroom with 3 different moisture contents or fish from Thunnini tribe) conclude this article.

This paper introduces a new rotor design for the easy insertion and removal of the rotor windings. The shape of the rotor is optimized based on surrogate method in order to achieve the lowest power loss under the maximum power output. The performance of the new rotor is examined in 2-D finite element software and validated by experiments. This rotor shows good potentials for reducing the maintenance and repair costs of synchronous machines, making it suitable for manufacturers within the mass production markets such as gen-sets, steam turbines, wind power generators and hybrid electric vehicles.

Dump design and scheduling are critical elements to effective mine planning, especially if several of them are required in large-scale open pit mines. Infrastructure capital and transportation costs are considerable from an early stage in the mining project, and through the life-of-mine as these dumps gradually become immense structures. Delivered mining rates, as well as certain spatial and physical constraints, provide a set of parameters of mathematical and economic relationship that creates opportunities for modelling and thus facilitates the measuring and optimization of ultimate dump design by using programming and empirical techniques while achieving economic objectives. This paper presents a methodology to model and optimize the design of a mine dump by minimizing the total haulage costs. The proposed methodology consists on: (i) Formulation of a dump model based on a system of equations relying on multiple relevant parameters; (ii) Solves by minimizing the total cost using linear programming and determines a ‘preliminary’ dump design; (iii) Through a series of iterations, modifies the ‘preliminary’ footprint by projecting it to the topography and creates the ultimate dump design. Finally, an example application for a waste rock dump illustrates this methodology.

The current research work illustrates an economic and rapid approach towards biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles using aqueous Punica granatum leaves extract (PGL-AgNPs). The optimization of major parameters involved in the biosynthesis process was done using Box-Behnken Design (BBD). The effects of different independent variables (parameters) namely concentration of AgNO3, temperature and ratio of extract to AgNO3on response viz. particle size and polydispersity index were analyzed. As a result of experiment designing, 17 reactions were generated which were further validated experimentally. The statistical and mathematical approaches were employed on these reactions in order to interpret the relationship between the factors and responses. The biosynthesized nanoparticles were initially characterized by UV-vis spectrophotometry followed by physicochemical analysis for determination of particle size, polydispersity index and zeta potential via dynamic light scattering (DLS), SEM and EDX studies. Moreover, the determination of functional group present in the leaves extract and PGL-AgNPs was done by FTIR. Antibacterial and antibiofilm efficacies of PGL-AgNPs against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were further determined. The physicochemical studies suggested that PGL-AgNPs were round in shape and of ~ 37.5 nm in size with uniform distribution. Our studies suggested that PGL-AgNPs exhibit potent antibacterial, and antibiofilm properties.

In this manuscript, an automated framework dedicated to design space exploration and design optimization studies is presented. The framework integrates a set of numerical simulation, computer-aided design, numerical optimization, and data analytics tools using scripting capabilities. The tools used are open-source and freeware, and can be deployed on any platform. The main feature of the proposed methodology is the use of a cloud-based parametrical computer-aided design application, which allows the user to change any parametric variable defined in the solid model. We demonstrate the capabilities and flexibility of the framework using computational fluid dynamics applications; however, the same workflow can be used with any numerical simulation tool (e.g., a structural solver or a spread-sheet) that is able to interact via a command line interface or using scripting languages. We conduct design space exploration and design optimization studies using quantitative and qualitative metrics, and to reduce the high computing times and computational resources intrinsic to these kinds of studies, concurrent simulations and surrogate-based optimization are used.

Buildings use 30-40 % of all energy resources and are thus their main consumers in modern society. Moreover, buildings require a vast amount of different raw materials. During the last two decades, several green building certifications have been created in order to consider social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainability of buildings. One of the most famous and widely used of these certifications is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). So far, the use of LEED has concentrated in the US and other developed countries. One reason that restricts the use of this point-based system certification in developing countries is the limited data about its costs. In this study, the extra cost of the certification process will be evaluated besides the changes needed in the design of the building to reach the points required by LEED. At the first stage, the number of points the case study earns in its current format (Scenario 1) were found out, then the cost difference of getting either the Certified (Scenario 2) or Silver (Scenario 3) level LEED certification for the building was studied. It was found that besides some technical considerations, filling the criteria of the Certified and Silver level increases the total costs of construction by 3.4% and 5.9%. Further improvement of the building’s energy efficiency would enable the attainment of a higher-level certification. The results of the study could help to promote the use of green building certifications in Western Asia.

This study evaluates eight-year ownership costs for battery electric vehicles (BEV) versus non-plugin hybrid vehicles using forecasting to estimate future electricity and conventional gasoline prices and incorporating these in a multiple design of experiments simulation. Results suggest that while electric vehicles are statistically dominant in terms of variable costs over an 8-year life-span, high-performance hybrid non-plugins achieve variable fuel costs nearly as good as low-performing electric vehicles (those attaining only 3 miles per kilowatt hour) and that these hybrid acquisition costs are (on average) lower yet the vehicles retain higher residual values. In general, the six smallest ownership costs are split evenly between hybrid and electric vehicles; however, inflation for conventional regular gasoline is estimated to outstrip inflation per kilowatt hour. Thus, non-plugin hybrid cars are likely to require considerably more advanced engineering to keep pace.

Mental healthcare conditions in India are severely deficient, particularly concerning the living conditions of patients. Post-treatment, numerous individuals with mental illness are abandoned by their families, who may lack the willingness or financial means to care for them. These recovered patients often experience setbacks due to the absence of facilities aimed at developing the skills necessary for reintegrating into society. The lack of separate accommodations for recovered individuals forces them to reside with other patients, worsening their condition. The government is struggling to accommodate and finance the care of recovered patients, affecting those in need of treatment as hospital bed space becomes overwhelmed by the increasing number of cured individuals. Therefore, there is an urgent need for halfway homes. These facilities offer a range of services, including social, medical, psychological, and educational support, alongside housing. The term "halfway houses" reflects their position between fully independent living and highly regulated in-patient or correctional facilities. Following treatment, many patients experience abandonment by their families or encounter difficulties returning home due to memory loss. Recovered patients often live in confined spaces, lacking essential social skills. Therefore, establishing a workspace focused on teaching social and other necessary skills before reintegrating them into society would be a beneficial approach. This would provide a structured environment for individuals who have spent significant time in seclusion, assisting them in developing the skills needed to navigate societal challenges effectively. Recent reports indicate that over 2,000 cured patients are still housed in mental hospitals across the country, according to the NHRC. The NHRC has raised concerns about the situation, noting that all 46 Government Mental Healthcare Institutions in India display very poor and inhumane treatment of patients, leading to the issuance of notices. NHRC visits have revealed deplorable conditions in all 46 mental institutes across the country.

Critically the paper argues that a truly people-centered technology supported chronic care system can only be designed by understanding and responding to the needs, attributes and capabilities of the most vulnerable in society. The paper suggests innovative ways of supporting interactions with these ‘end-users’ and highlights how reflection on these approaches can contribute to emancipating both the health system to move towards more socially inclusive e-health solutions.

The creation of nano-zero-valent iron (nZVI) by implementing plant extracts is an environmentally friendly process. High antioxidant capacity and phenol content indicated the possibility of oak-nZVI synthesis using oak leaf extract as a stable material with minimal agglomeration. Simultaneously removal of Cd and phosphates and Ni and phosphates was optimized by a statistically designed experiment with a definitive screening design. In terms of significance, 4 input parameters on process productivity were monitored: initial metal concentration (1 - 9 mgL-1), initial ion concentration (1- 9 mgL-1), pH value (2 - 10) and oak-nZVI dosage (2 - 16 ml). Phosphate removal efficiency, in the presence of cadmium, was the most influenced by oak-nZVI dose and cadmium concentration, while pH gave three statistically significant interactions with oak-nZVI dosage, cadmium concentration, and phosphate concentration. Phosphate removal efficiency, in the presence of Ni, is the most influenced by nickel concentration, phosphate concentration, pH, two-factor interaction between nZVI dose and Ni concentration, and quadratic phosphate interaction. The process optimization yielded the highest simultaneous removal efficiency of 98.99% and 87.30% for cadmium and phosphate ions, respectively. Also, the highest simultaneous removal efficiency of nickel and phosphates ion was 93.44% for 96.75%, respectively. The optimization process fits into the confidence intervals, confirming the assumption that the adopted regression model describes the process well. This work demonstrated an enormous potential and prosperous application for the Cd(II), Ni(II), and phosphate removal from water matrices.

In this study, an optimization of the first blade in new test rig presented. Blade tuning is conducted using 3D geometrical parameters. Sweep and dihedral play an essential role in this study. Compressor characteristics and blades vibrational behavior are the main objective of the evaluation. Here, the attachments are designed to isolate blade dynamics from Disk. So, the Vibrational behaviors of the one's blade are tuned based on the self-excited and forced vibration phenomenon. Using a semi analytical MATLAB code instability conditions are satisfied. The code takes advantages of whitehead and force response theory to predict classically and stall flutter speeds. Beside, Forced vibrations instability is controlled using a theory presented by Campbell. Aerodynamics of new blade geometry determined using multistage simulations Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software. Numerical results show increasing performance near the surge line and working interval along with increasing mass flow.

Artificial reefs have been deployed in multiple regions of the world for different purposes including habitat restoration and protection, biodiversity and fish stock enhancement, fisheries management and recreation. Artificial reefs can be a valuable tool for ecosystem protection and rehabilitation, helping mitigate the effects of anthropogenic impacts that we face today. However, knowledge on artificial reefs is unevenly distributed worldwide, with some regions having much more quality information available and published (e.g. European Mediterranean Sea area), while others, for instance the North-East Atlantic area, do not. Here, we provide a characterization of purposely built artificial reefs in North-East Atlantic area based on all available literature (i.e. research papers and reports), highlighting the needs and gaps that are vital for establishing future perspectives for artificial reef deployment and research. In the North-East Atlantic area, sixty-one purposely built artificial reefs have been deployed since 1970, mostly between the years 1990-2009, with Spain being the country with the highest number of artificial reefs. The most reported purpose for their deployment is fisheries productivity and habitat/species protection, although, most artificial reefs are multipurpose in order to maximise the benefits of a given financial investment. The majority of artificial reefs were submerged at < 50 m, mainly between 10-20 m of depth. The most used designs were cubic blocks and complex designs made by an array of combined shapes, which mostly consist of concrete (79%). From all the analysed data on artificial reefs, 67% of the cases reported surveys to assess biodiversity after the deployment. However, in 26% of those cases, data was not available. When data was available, only 31% of cases reported long-term biomonitoring surveys (3 years or more). Based upon these findings, we noticed a general lack of scientifically robust data, including records of species and abundance of both fish and invertebrates, as well as macroalgae. Preventing an adequate determination of the best balance between shape, construction material and bio-colonization. Critiques and suggestions are discussed in the light of current available data in order to perform more efficient research, evaluation and functioning of future artificial reefs.

This paper aims to introduce an overview of several aspects of the so-called Artificial Intelligence, their potential impacts on economic and social dimen- sions, and suggestions for possible approaches of investiment based upon effective and mature techniques. In this fashion, it is important to address from educational and academic issues to industrial densities and profiles, rel- atively to a given region, country or continent. Even etymological adequacy and psychological consequences of the denomination ”Artificial Intelligence” need some reflection, and suggestions for a lucid replacement are presented. In addition, suggestions about how can specific firms choose the right type of technique in order to improve profit and organizational efficiency. After all, what are the main transformations needed to amplify gains and structural improvements from the use of higher level technological mecha- nisms? Which connections can be established between the pillars of evolu- tionary economics and this field of knowledge? Which institutional contexts are able to benefit from AI tools, inducing constructive externalities to firms in terms of education, technical and scientific skills upgrading, so as to reach higher levels of employment in the long term and limit unemployment in the short one? Which branches of the so-called Artificial Intelligence are best suited to which types of activities? This work aims to contribute in the search for answers to these questions.

Graph coloring is a manifestation of graph partitioning, wherein, a graph is partitioned based on the adjacency of its elements. Partitioning serves potentially as a compartmentalization for any structural problem. Vertex coloring is the heart of the problem which is to find the chromatic number of a graph. The fact that there is no general efficient solution to this problem that may work unequivocally for all graphs opens up the realistic scope for combinatorial optimization algorithms to be invoked. The algorithmic complexity of graph coloring is non-deterministic in polynomial time (NP) and hard. To the best of our knowledge, there is no algorithm as yet that procures an exact solution of the chromatic number comprehensively for any and all graphs within the polynomial (P) time domain. However, several heuristics as well as some approximation algorithms have been attempted to obtain an approximate solution for the same. Here, we present a novel heuristic, namely, the 'trailing path', which returns an approximate solution of the chromatic number within polynomial time, and, with a better accuracy than most existing algorithms. The ‘trailing path’ algorithm is effectively a subtle combination of the search patterns of two existing heuristics (DSATUR and Largest First), and, operates along a trailing path of consecutively connected nodes (and thereby effectively maps to the problem of finding spanning tree(s) of the graph) during the entire course of coloring, where essentially lies both the novelty and the apt of the current approach. The study also suggests that the judicious implementation of randomness is one of the keys towards rendering an improved accuracy in such combinatorial optimization algorithms. Apart from the algorithmic attributes, essential properties of graph partitioning in random and different structured networks have also been surveyed, followed by a comparative study. The study reveals the remarkable stability and absorptive property of chromatic number across a wide array of graphs. Finally, a case study is presented to demonstrate the potential use of graph coloring in protein design – yet another hard problem in structural and evolutionary biology.

Psychotherapy is one of the evidence-based clinical interventions for the treatment of depression in older adults with dementia. Randomized Controlled Trials are often the first methodological choice to gain evidence, yet they are not applicable to a wide range of humanistic psychotherapies. Amongst all, the efficacy of the Gestalt therapy (GT) is under-investigated. The purpose of this paper is to present a research protocol aiming to assess the effects of a GT-based intervention on people with dementia (PWD) and the indirect influence on their family carers. The study implements the Single-Case Experimental Design with Time-Series Analysis that will be carried out in Italy and Mexico. Ten people in each country, who received a diagnosis of dementia and present depressive symptoms, will be recruited. Eight or more GT sessions will be provided whose fidelity will be assessed by the GT Fidelity Scale. Quantitative outcome measures are foreseen for monitoring participants’ depression, anxiety, quality of life, carers’ burden, and the caregiving dyad mutuality, at baseline and follow-up. The advantages and limitations of the research design are considered. If GT will result effective in the treatment of depression in PWD, it could enrich the range of evidence-based interventions provided by healthcare services.

The last decade has witnessed rapid development of immersive virtual reality (IVR) and its application in various contexts. However, its application in supporting real-time virtual collaboration has been quite rare due to technical barriers and the lack of validated design principles. To address this research gap, this study designed and developed an IVR space to enable multi-user synchronous co-located collaboration. An evaluation study (N = 95) was conducted to explore its useful design considerations and the influencing factors for collaboration experience. The IVR space was enabled by the simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM)-based inside-out tracking technique and was informed by four essential design considerations for promoting effective collaboration in IVR, namely, the role script, learning task, collaboration mechanism, and communication design. The study results revealed that students in general were satisfied with their collaboration experience in IVR, with social presence and collaboration competency as significant predictors of collective efficacy and social experience. Based on both quantitative and qualitative results, this study proposes four validated principles for designing effective IVR spaces to support synchronous co-located collaboration.

Grounded on urban morphology studies, the research tries to overcome the analysis of the permanents elements of the city seeking for a transitional paradigm in urban morphology, aiming at grasping the dynamics in urban evolution and providing operative tools for urban regeneration design in an adaptive approach. A combination of four actions of urban analysis is here suggested to highlight urban dynamics: a. Sorting the transitional steps of urban morphologies (within rapid market processes), b. Underlining rules and Processes characterizing urban coding in transition, c. Mapping urban assemblages in the adaptive city and d. Reading and representing urban permutation phenomenon. The results of this multifaced and multidimensional set of analytical tools allow to outline a new design thinking paradigm moving towards a parametric approach to urban design of cities in transition broadening the extent of urban regeneration process and supporting urban policies in the framework community based approach.

Many parameters and complex boundaries are involved in the spatial arrangement of an under-ground powerhouse for a hydropower station, which requires reference to many relevant cases and specifications. However, in practical applications, retrieving relevant cases or specifications is difficult, and there is a lack of knowledge of cascading logic among design parameters. For this question, a targeted knowledge graph based on knowledge graph management technology is established to support subsequent applications. This paper proposes a new concept of con-structing a knowledge graph for building information modeling (BIM) underground power-houses of hydropower stations. Firstly, the ontology skeleton of hydropower station spatial ar-rangement design, which represents the knowledge organization structure of the knowledge graph, is reconstructed by carefully analyzing the requirements for intelligent modeling of un-derground powerhouses. A large amount of unstructured data is identified based on optical character recognition (OCR) technology and is divided into words to extract correlation knowledge based on THULAC. In the next step, the knowledge triad of the spatial arrangement of the underground powerhouse is extracted based on ChatGPT and stored in a Neo4j knowledge base to build a knowledge graph. Finally, the knowledge graph is serviced to realize the query of knowledge and parameter recommendation to assist the digital intelligent design of spatial arrangement of an underground powerhouse of pumped storage hydropower stations.

This paper presents the results of aerodynamical performance research focused on maintaining the thermal comfort and increasing the energy efficiency of a typical social housing unit located in a high-density urban area. Bioclimatic design strategies are used to develop a sustainable and economic technology in existing housing clusters in Mexico City. A full-scale prototype, built on campus facilities, was used to study the flow conditions around the design. All scaled prototypes implement similar criterion. Furthermore, a scaled prototype is evaluated within a low speed wind tunnel installation. Additionally, numerical simulations were performed at transient state based on previous physical measurements and historical local climatic conditions to determine preferable modifications.

In the study, a lipid mixture was developed and optimized using a broad range of excipients of different po-larities. Initially, the excipients were classified according to their behavior in water. Then binary mixtures were prepared using cetyl palmitate (Crodamol™ CP pharma) as the solid lipid. The miscibility between the excipients was evaluated using Raman chemical images obtained by classical least squares (CLS). Based on the results, the excipients Crodamol™ CP pharma (cetyl palmitate, hydrophobic), Super Refined™ DMI (di-methyl isosorbide; hydrophilic) and Super Refined™ Lauryl Lactate (medium polarity) were chosen to com-pose the lipid core. The ideal proportion of these excipients was determined using a Mixture Design and the standard deviation of image histograms as responses. The main goal was to develop a versatile lipid core for ‘brick-dust type of drugs’. After statistical evaluation of the DOE results, the final composition was deter-mined and drugs with different logP (0 to 10) and physiochemical characteristics were evaluated in the opti-mized mixture. The drugs butamben, tacrolimus, atorvastatin calcium and resveratrol presented a homoge-neous distribution in the optimized lipid core, indicating that the core has indeed the capability to be used in NLC formulations of such type of drugs.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and 3D printing (3DP) play critical roles in what is known as the 4th Industrial Revolution by developing data- and machine-intelligence-based integrated production technologies. This shift has led to increasingly complex design requirements and fabrication methods, posing several challenges for implementing design, fabrication process, and architectural quality standardization. This paper systematically reviews AI techniques applied in diverse stages of 3DP production in architecture. The research goals are to (1) offer a comprehensive critical analysis of the body of literature; (2) identify and categorize approaches to integrating AI in the production of 3D-printed structures; (3) identify and discuss challenges and opportunities of AI integration in architectural production of 3DP structures; and (4) identify gap and provide recommendations for future research. The findings indicate that topics related to AI applications are current and trending, receiving increasing attention from researchers in general and particularly those working in machine and deep learning, artificial neural networks, and pattern recognition. However, the potential of the application of AI in architectural production using additive manufacturing still needs to be explored. Considering this, the paper emphasizes the necessity of redefining traditional field boundaries and opening new opportunities in the sector.

Background and Objectives: Mechanical and biological complications can lead to system fracture or screw loss on dental implants. Narrow and regular platforms have been used without a consensus about the effect of distance the abutment from the prosthetic platform margin. The aim of this study is to evaluate different insertion torques in the deformation of tri-channel platform connections through two- and three-dimensional measurements with micro-CT. Materials and Methods: 164 implants were divided into groups (platform diameter and type): 3.5, 3.75, and 4.3 mm NP (Narrow Platform), and 4.3 mm RP (Regular Platform). Each implant-platform group was then divided into four subgroups (n = 10) with different torques: T45 (45 Ncm), T80 (80 Ncm), T120 (120 Ncm) and T150 (150 Ncm). The implant-abutment-screw assemblies were scanned and the images obtained were analyzed. Results: A significant difference was observed for the linear and volume measures between the different platforms (p &lt;0.01) and the different implant insertion torques (p &lt;0.01). Qualitative analysis suggested higher deformation resistance for the 3.75 NP compared to the 3.5 NP, and RP was more resistant compared to the NP. Conclusions: The 0.25-mm increment in the implant platform did not increase the resistance to the applied insertion torques; the 4.3-mm implant was significantly stronger compared to the 3.5-mm implant and the proposed micro-CT analysis was considered valid for both 2D and 3D analyses of micro gaps, qualitatively and quantitatively.

Additive manufactured interlocking structures often face challenges in achieving suitable joinability due to thermal deformation. This issue becomes particularly interesting when fabricating structures that require high density but not fully connected layers, such as soft-magnetic materials. This study focuses on systematical investigation of the deformation as a function of finger thickness and building direction in model interlocking structure. In the perpendicular direction to the build plate, the distortions of joint part were significantly reduced due to lower thermal stress. In addition, the effect of laser power and scan speed on interlocking structure are systematically discussed. Additionally, through stress and thermal simulations of additive manufacturing process, it was confirmed that the compensated model can enhance the joinability of interlocking structures. These findings contribute to the development of optimal design for additive manufactured parts of soft magnetic materials such as stators in electric motor components, which needs insulations and density.

This paper aims to establish lighting as a key facilitator in the placemaking processes for World Heritage Sites. Placemaking is a process of designing, managing, planning and programming the development of shared public spaces within the urban fabric. Research methods inspired from ethnography such as interviews, observations and questionnaires are used to gather data from three main groups of people related to the lighting of World Heritage Sites namely: heritage experts, lighting designers, and locals and visitors. Two UNESCO designated World Heritage Sites are investigated as case studies: Saint-Avit-Sénieur in Dordogne, France and Naghshe-Jahan-Square in Isfahan, Iran. Thematic analysis of the data collected from these investigations reveal key lighting characteristics and lighting design considerations that can facilitate the placemaking process for World Heritage Sites. The lighting characteristics include: avoiding over-lighting, overly theatrical lighting and homogeneous lighting; balancing floodlighting; preventing glare; providing flexible and harmonious lighting. The lighting design considerations include: accounting meanings and values; amplifying narratives; balancing genders; building attraction and excitement; creating layers; enhancing atmospheres; ensuring safety; improving functionality; offering interpretations; and supporting activities.

Sustainable urban design or planning is not a LEGO-like assembly of prefabricated elements, but an embryo-like growth with persistent differentiation and adaptation towards a coherent whole. The coherent whole has a striking character – called living structure – that consists of far more small substructures than large ones. To detect the living structure, natural streets or axial lines have been previously adopted to be topologically represent an urban environment as a coherent whole. This paper develops a new approach to detecting the underlying living structure of urban environments. The approach takes an urban environment as a whole and recursively decomposes it into meaningful subwholes at different levels of hierarchy or scale ranging from the largest to the smallest. We compared the new approach to natural street and axial line approaches and demonstrated, through four case studies, that the new approach is better and more powerful. Based on the study, we further discuss how the new approach can be used not only for understanding, but also for effectively designing or planning the living structure of an urban environment to be more living or more livable.

Can ‘restoration and therapy in design’ signify something more than the places like hospitals and healing gardens? Can those restorative environments be brought inside the working and living environments to mitigate the psychological problem at the source? The main objective of this paper is to look at the strategies and developments of Biophilic design with respect to therapy and restoration in order to achieve sustainability in terms of quality of life within the immediate built-environment. The paper explores the mental health issues under the domains of built-environment and indoor environment with respect to their connection with nature. Biophilic design has gained a favourable momentum within the last four decades and is now visualised as a medium that bridges the gap between humans and the nature. Out of a variety of measures of sustainable environmental design, biophilic design focuses on the end-results of naturally nurtured or inspired habitats and workplaces. It embodies strategies of Green and Intelligent buildings, works as a mitigation strategy for foul indoor environment and establishes the vision that veristic sustainability can only be achieved if there is qualitative control over human physiological prosperity and psychological health. In context of work efficiency, preference and productivity within the indoor environment, it is seen as a promoter of constructive thoughts and enhancer of creativity. The paper aims to enlist biophilic design and retrofitting strategies, which can improve cognitive function, reduce stress and provide mental peace within the built environment.

This article discusses the use of game design as a method for interdisciplinary project-based teaching in secondary school education to convey informatics and society topics. There is a lot of knowledge about learning games but little background on project-based teaching using game design as a method. We present the results of an analysis of student-created games and an evaluation of a student-authored database on learning contents found in commercial off-the-shelf games. We further contextualise these findings using a group discussion with teachers. Results underline the effectiveness of project-based teaching to raise awareness for informatics and society topics. We further outline informatics and society topics that are particularly interesting to students, genre preferences and potentially engaging game mechanics stemming from our analyses.

This research explores the transformation of learning methodologies from traditional to modern approaches, focusing on the development of a gamified educational application with an Artificial Intelligence (AI) mentor for secondary school graduates preparing for Croatian state graduation exams. Traditionally, education has been marked by a passive student role and teacher-centric transmission of knowledge. In contrast, modern learning tools, such as gamified applications, introduce interactive and engaging elements. The purpose of this study is to identify user-centric learning approaches through a comprehensive survey of graduating students, assessing their readiness for exams, learning styles, and preferences. The research explores issues such as financial burdens on parents for preparatory courses and copyright concerns with external educational materials. In summary, the learning application should prioritise sustained knowledge retention, motivation, and stress reduction, offering an alternative to external preparatory courses. Conclusions underscore the importance of fostering an engaging learning environment, incorporating teacher-like elements, and aligning with user expectations. As digital technology positively impacts the learning experience, understanding user preferences is crucial in designing educational apps that cater to learners' needs. The study provides insights for developing a gamified learning application that not only prepares students for exams but also enhances long-term knowledge acquisition and engagement.

The A.C.Q.U.A. (Advisable Conscious Quality Use from Assisi) project, promoted by the Climate and Energy and Heritage Design courses of the Planet Life Design Master Program, addresses the theme of the recovery and regeneration of ancient wash-houses in the context of energy, environmental sustainability and innovation, a way of understanding cultural heritage in the wider sense of heritage community through the active participation of all the actors involved: universities, institutions, businesses, students and citizens. The proposal, tested in the municipalities of Assisi and Ruviano (ITALY), involves the creation of a "Community Wash House", a new way of carrying out the usual domestic act of washing clothes in the open air, next to the places where this rite was traditionally performed, in technologically innovative constructions that use renewable energy sources and encourage a reduction in household consumption of water and energy. This project is part of the training of professionals in the new inter-university course that combines knowledge of the tools of technical and scientific design with historical and cultural perspectives in a perspective of sustainable redevelopment of existing structures in the area and the use of alternative energy sources with low climate impact, calculated using the statistics of the Copernicus CDS.

Artificial intelligence (AI)-based models hold the potential to transform higher education if adopted properly and ethically. A prime example is ChatGPT with earlier studies indicating its widespread adoption in academia and by university students. The current study aimed to identify the factors influencing the attitude towards ChatGPT and its usage among university students in Arab countries. A previous survey instrument termed Technology Acceptance Model Edited to Assess ChatGPT Adoption (TAME-ChatGPT) was administered online using a convenience-based approach among the contacts of the authors. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for the survey constructs was done using root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), standardized root mean square residual (SRMR), comparative fit index (CFI), and Tucker-Lewis index (TLI). The final study sample comprised a total of 2240 participant divided as follows: Iraq (n=736, 32.9%), Kuwait (n=582, 26.0%), Egypt (n=417, 18.6%), Lebanon (n=263, 11.7%), and Jordan (n=242, 10.8%). A total of 1048 respondents heard of ChatGPT before the study (46.8%), of which 551 used ChatGPT (52.6%). The mean scores of TAME-ChatGPT constructs showed that the ease of ChatGPT use, positive attitude towards technology and social influence, higher perceived usefulness, the influence of behavioral/cognitive factors, low perceived risks and low anxiety were the determinants of positive attitude to ChatGPT and its use. For both the attitude and usage scales of TAME-ChatGPT, CFA collectively yielded satisfactory fit indices as indicated by low RMSEA and SRMR together with high CFI and TLI. Multivariate analysis showed that attitude to ChatGPT use was significantly influenced by country of residence, age, university type, and the latest grade point average of the students. The current study confirmed the validity of TAME-ChatGPT as a survey instrument to assess the possible determinants of ChatGPT use among university students in Arab countries. The study findings highlighted that successful adoption of ChatGPT in higher education could be dependent on perceived ease of use, usefulness, positive attitudes to technology, social influence, behavioral/cognitive factors, lower anxiety, and minimal perceived risks. The utility of ChatGPT in higher education requires policies that should be tailored for various settings, considering the differences observed in attitude towards ChatGPT among participating students in this study.

In this study, the effect of extraction conditions on the total phenolic content of clove buds was investigated. Clove buds were extracted using a deep eutectic solvents like mixtures choline chloride: lactic acid in the 1:2 molar ratio. Additionally, the HPLC-DAD method was used to determine the main components of the clove extracts, including eugenol, eugenol acetate, and β-caryophyllene. The conditions used in the extraction with choline chloride: lactic acid (molar ratio 1:2) included extraction temperature (t = 40 – 80°C), water addition (5.6 – 40%), and extraction time (30 – 90 min). Determination of the phenolic compounds was done by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The optimum operating conditions for the total phenolic content were identified at 77°C, 30 min, and a water addition of 40%. Based on the results, the highest amount of eugenol (307.26 ± 8,44 mg/g dry raw material) was determined in clove extracts which were extracted under condition of 60°C, 22.8%, and 30 min.

Machining titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) used in orthopedic implants by conventional metal cutting processes is challenging due to excessive cutting forces, low surface integrity and tool wear. To overcome these difficulties and for ensuring high-quality products, various industries employ wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) for precise machining of intricate shapes in titanium alloy. The objective is to make WEDM machining parameters as efficient as possible for machining the bio-compatible alloy Ti6Al4V using box-behnken design (BBD) and Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA II). A quadratic mathematical model is created to represent the productivity and the quality factor (MRR and surface roughness) in terms of varying input parameters, such as pulse active (Ton) time, pulse inactive (Toff) time, peak amplitude (A) current and applied servo (V) voltage. The established regression models and related prediction plots provide a reliable approach for predicting how the process variables affect the two responses viz MRR and SR. The effects of four process variables on both the responses were examined, and the findings revealed that the pulse duration and voltage has a major influence on the rate at which material is removed (MRR) whereas pulse duration influence quality (SR).  The trade-off between MRR and SR, when significant process factors are included emphasizes the need for a reliable multi-objective optimization method. The intelligent metaheuristic optimization method named non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA II) is utilized to provide pareto optimum solutions in order to achieve high material removal rate (MRR) and low surface roughness (SR).

Proteins are the main active molecules of Life. While natural proteins play many roles, as enzymes or antibodies for example, there is a need to go beyond the repertoire of natural proteins to produce engineered proteins that precisely meet application requirements, in terms of function, stability, activity or other protein capacities. Computational Protein Design aims at designing new proteins from first principles, using full-atom molecular models. However, the size and complexity of proteins require approximations to make them amenable to energetic optimization queries. These approximations make the design process less reliable and a provable optimal solution may fail. In practice, expensive libraries of solutions are therefore generated and tested. In this paper, we explore the idea of generating libraries of provably diverse low energy solutions by extending Cost Function Network algorithms with dedicated automaton-based diversity constraints on a large set of realistic full protein redesign problems. We observe that it is possible to generate provably diverse libraries in reasonable time and that the produced libraries do enhance the Native Sequence Recovery, a traditional measure of design methods reliability.

Scaffolds for tissue engineering are expected to respond to a challenging combination of physical and mechanical requirements, guiding the research towards the development of novel hybrid materials. This study introduces innovative three-dimensional bioresorbable scaffolds, in which a stiff poly(lactic acid) lattice structure is meant to ensure temporary mechanical support, while a bioactive gelatin-chitosan hydrogel is incorporated to provide a better environment for cell adhesion and proliferation. The scaffolds present a core-shell structure, in which the lattice core is realized by additive manufacturing, while the shell is nested throughout the core by grafting and crosslinking a hydrogel forming solution. After subsequent freeze-drying, the hydrogel network forms a highly interconnected porous structure that completely envelops the poly(lactic acid) core. Thanks to this strategy, it is easy to tailor the scaffold properties for a specific target application, by properly designing the lattice geometry and the core/shell ratio, which are found to significantly affect the scaffold mechanical performance and its bioresorption. Compression stiffness and strength provided by poly(lactic acid) lattices are overall within the range of values displayed by human bone tissue and remain stable after prolonged immersion in water at body temperature for several weeks. On the other hand, the hydrogel undergoes gradual and homogeneous degradation over time, but the core-shell integrity and structural stability are nevertheless maintained during at least 7-week hydrolytic degradation tests. In vitro experiments with human mesenchymal stromal cells reveal that the core-shell scaffolds are biocompatible and their physical-mechanical properties and architecture are suitable to support cell growth and osteogenic differentiation, as demonstrated by hydroxyapatite formation. These results suggest that the bioresorbable core-shell scaffolds can be considered, and further studied, in view of clinically relevant endpoints in bone regenerative medicine.

Digital Image Correlation (DIC) is an optical technique used to measure surface displacements and strains in materials and structures. This technique has demonstrated significant utility in structural examination and monitoring. This manuscript offers a comprehensive review of contemporary research and applications that have leveraged the DIC technique in laboratory-based structural tests. The reviewed works encompass a broad spectrum of structural components, such as concrete beams, columns, pillars, masonry walls, infills, composite materials, structural joints, steel beams, slabs, and other structural elements. These investigations have underscored the efficacy of DIC as a metrological instrument for precise quantification of surface deformation and strain in these structural components. Moreover, the constraints of the DIC technique have been highlighted, especially in scenarios involving extensive or complex test configurations. Notwithstanding these constraints, the DIC methodology has validated its effectiveness as a strain measurement instrument, offering numerous benefits such as non-invasive operation, full-field measurement capability, high precision, real-time surveillance, and compatibility with integration into other measurement instruments and methodologies.

Hardaliye, a traditional non-alcoholic beverage, made from red grape pomace from wine production and produced by lactic acid fermentation with addition of different concentrations of whole/ground or heat-treated mustard seeds and of sour cherry leaves. Short shelf life of hardaliye limits its consumption and search in trend to process hardaliye to extend its shelf life. Thus, high hydrostatic pressure treatment of hardaliye drink with determination of changes in physicochemical and sensory properties in addition to microbial inactivation were studied according to Box-Behnken design. Maximum 5.10±0.00, 4.21±0.00, 5.38±0.59 and 5.05±0.22 log reductions were obtained in total mesophilic aerobic bacteria, total mold and yeast, Brettanomyces bruxellensis and Lactobacillus brevis by HHP. Shelf-life studies of the hardaliye samples were conducted with optimum processing parameters of 490 MPa, 29 oC for 15 min with the response variables of OD520 and inactivation of L. brevis. Both control and HHP treated samples were stored at 4 and 22 C for shelf-life studies. While control samples at 4 and 22 °C were spoiled at the 15th and 3rd days, HHP treated samples were spoiled after 108th and 228th days, respectively.

As the necessity for safety and aesthetic of nightscape have arisen, the importance of nightscapes (i.e., nighttime landscape) planning has garnered the attention of mainstream consciousness. Therefore, this study is to suggest the guideline for nightscape planning using electroencephalography (EEG) technology and survey for recognizing the characteristics of a nightscape. Furthermore, we verified the EEG method as a tool for landscape evaluation. This study analyzed the change of relative alpha power and relative beta power and self-reporting of participants in order to investigate the correlation between EEG and fear according to twelve nightscape settings. Our findings indicated the corresponding measures of fear vary accordance with whether there was people or not, and the environmental settings (Built Nightscape Images; BNI vs Natural Nightscape Images; NNI). Based on our physiological EEG experiment, we provided a new analytic view of the nightscape. The approach we utilized enables a deeper understanding of emotional perception and fear among human subjects by identifying the physical environment which impacts how they experience nightscapes.

Using the techniques of computer-aided drug design, the docking of Survivin and known active small molecules was simulated and then the key amino acid residue fragment of the target protein was analyzed. It led to the discovery of active groups capable of binding to the critical sites. Through the use of the natural product, Oleanolic Acid, as a lead compound, the introduction of the active groups onto the A-ring, and the modification of the carboxyl group at the C-28 position using esterification or amidation, twenty new Oleanolic acid derivatives had been designed and synthesized.A549 and SGC-7901 cells were used to screen the antitumor activity in vitro through the standard MTT method. The compounds, II₃, III₅ and Ⅳ_4, exhibited more potent cytotoxicity than positive drugs.

This paper explores the concept of feminist architecture and its potential to challenge gender norms and stereotypes in urban design. Women face specific challenges in urban spaces, including safety concerns, lack of accessibility, and discrimination. Feminist architecture offers a potential solution to these challenges by providing a framework that prioritizes the needs and experiences of marginalized groups, including women. The study employs a mixed-methods approach to conduct a review of relevant literature, case studies, and examples of feminist architecture from around the world to address research questions related to barriers and benefits of implementing feminist architecture in mainstream design practices. After identifying obstacles, this paper offers concrete strategies to overcome these barriers and the findings suggest that by prioritizing inclusivity, accessibility, sustainability, and democracy, feminist architecture principles offer a framework for designing urban environments that are just, equitable, and empowering for all individuals. However, despite the potential gains of incorporating feminist architecture into the design process, there are several barriers and limitations that designers may face. Therefore, to overcome these barriers and limitations, implementing feminist architecture principles require a commitment to understanding how gender operates in society, financial support, policy advocacy, and collaborative approaches among designers. By creating inclusive, gender-neutral, and supportive spaces and promoting diversity and inclusion within learning and practice, feminist architecture has the capacity to transform the built environment and make it more inclusive, equitable, and just for everyone.

This study presents the manufacturing process driven development of an interlocking metasurface mechanism (ILM) for Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) with a focus on open-source accessibility. The presented ILM is designed to enable strong contact between to planar surfaces. The mechanism consists of spring elements and locking pins which snap together when forced into contact. The mechanism is designed to optimize mechanical properties, functionality and printability with common FFF printers. The mechanisms is printed from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) filament which was selected for its flexibility, crucial for spring element performance and tolerances of the fabrication method. To characterize the designed mechanism a tensile test is carried out to assess the holding force of the ILM. The force-displacement profiles are analyzed and categorized into distinct phases, highlighting the interplay between spring deformation, sliding, and disengagement. The results show variations in holding forces attributed to geometric and material-related factors. The testing results are compared and discussed to a numerical simulation carried out with a frictionless approach with a nonlinear Neo–Hookean material law. The study underscores the importance of meticulous parameter control in 3D printing for consistent and reliable performance of interlocking metasurface mechanisms. The investigation leads to a scalable model of a ILM element pair with a distinct three-phase snapping characteristics ensuring reliable holding capabilities.

The dynamic development of electromobility poses challenges to designers regarding not only the efficiency of energy transformation but also the battery life, which is influenced by the stability of its operating temperature. Designing cooling systems is connected not only with the optimization of energy management but also with other environmental parameters, such as noise emission. The paper presents the numerical optimization of an innovative radiator for use in electric buses in terms of energy consumption and noise emission. The results of the numerical studies were verified in laboratory and field conditions, showing a very good convergence of the model with the results of the experiments.

Certain configurations of liquefied natural gas refueling stations exhibit a deficiency in managing boil-off gas. Furthermore, the ill-conceived linkage between the submersible pump and the gas storage tank pipeline leads to impeded natural gas transmission. This study employs Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methodology to scrutinize the hydrodynamic attributes of T-type tee and dovetail tee configurations implemented in the pipeline design connecting the submersible pump and storage tank in an LNG filling station across diverse operational scenarios. The T-type tee induces detachment of the primary flow from the inner wall due to inertial forces, resulting in vortex formation and heightened resistance, accompanied by increased energy dissipation. Conversely, the dovetail tee, with its circular wall transition, mitigates vortex generation, reducing the separation zone and consequently minimizing resistance and energy loss. The maximum static differential pressure between the inlet and outlet of the dovetail tee is diminished by 52.52% when compared to that of the T-type tee. In the most noteworthy scenarios, the local resistance coefficient of the dovetail tee is even less than 1/10 of that of the T-type tee. In practical engineering applications, the incorporation of dovetail tees leads to a 17.58% reduction in the required elevation difference. This results in a more uniform flow field and enhanced stability in both flow rate and pressure. Such improvements contribute to heightened engineering efficiency and environmental sustainability, particularly evident in the design of LNG filling stations.

This paper aims to explore the development of the field of Intangible Cultural Heritage Design. It seeks to understand the global trends in this field and provide insights for its growth and development. The objectives are achieved through a mixed-methods approach that combines bibliometric methods and content analysis. This approach allows for a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the scientific literature related to Intangible Cultural Heritage Design. The findings of the work include an analysis of the most productive countries/regions, institutions, journals, and authors in the field of Intangible Cultural Heritage Design. It also includes citation and co-citation analysis, which helps identify influential scholars and popular journals in the field, as well as patterns of col-laboration within the field. The outcomes and implications for practice include a better understanding of the global trends in Intangible Cultural Heritage Design and insights for its growth and development. The research find-ings have important theoretical and practical implications for the field, and future research directions are pro-posed. The value of the paper lies in its contribution to a better understanding of the global trends in Intangible Cultural Heritage Design. It provides insights and assistance for its growth and development, mak-ing it valuable to researchers and practitioners in the field.