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Today, business organizations, seek to build creative capabilities by adopting advanced management concepts and methods such as employee voice to enable them facing potential challenges. This research investigates the impact of employee's voice on creative performance in a number of industrial companies in Baghdad City. The research's problem is started by the issues with weakness in corporate consciousness and the knowledge of employee voice that restrict firms from developing and innovating, and ignoring those voices except concerning the interest of companies. The main question of the research's problem is (What is the level of impact for employee voice on creative performance?). For the importance of the industrial sector in Iraq, the three companies which are Baghdad Soft Drinks Company, Electronic Industries Company, and the Iraqi Company for Carton Industry have been selected as a research domain. The research sample consists of 168 employees who work at these companies. Regarding to the statistical aspect, this research used the confirmative analysis coefficient, Cronbach's alpha coefficient, the weighted arithmetic, the standard deviation, the mean, the coefficient of relative difference, and relative weight (relative importance). The questionnaire was used as a main instrument for collecting data. Hypotheses were tested through statistical programs (AMOS.V.25, SPSS.V). One of the most important findings is the significant positive impact of employee voice on creative performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the dynamics of the CoVid-19 outbreak in Semarang, Indonesia, using a fractional CoVid-19 model. We first determine the effects of the isolation rate e and infection rate ẞ on the reрго- duction number Ro and infected number V. We find that Ro is directly proportional to ẞ and inversely proportional to e. For V, the effect of physical distancing is not as significant as changing e. As e increases, V decreases, the number of susceptible individuals increases, the number of quarantined individuals decreases sharply, and the number of recovered individuals decreases. Moreover, the effect of vaccination is also considered. The combination of physical distancing, isolation, and vaccination has a significant impact on reducing the number of infected individuals. Analysis of dynamical systems allows us to understand the characteristics of our model, such as its boundedness and non-negativity, the existence of equilibrium points, the existence and uniqueness of solutions, and the local and global stability. To val- idate our fractional CoVid-19 model, we introduce the fractional extended Kalman filter (FracEKF) as a prediction method and compare the results against reported CoVid-19 data. FracEKF is a modified version of the basic extended Kalman filter with a time-fractional memory effect. The prediction results illustrate the accuracy of this model in terms of the root mean square error (RMSE), normalized root mean square еггог (NRMSE), and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) for each fractional-order. Varying e repro- duces the trends observed in the reported data for the number of infected individuals, i.e., when e increases, the infected number decreases. Moreover, a higher fractional-order results in higher model accuracy. Furthermore, higher values of the process noise Q give smaller errors, whereas higher values of the observation noise Ry produce higher errors. Q, and the fractional-order are inversely proportional to RMSE, NRMSE, and MAPE, whereas Ry is directly proportional to RMSE, NRMSE, and MAPE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the problem of controlling cascade systems consisting of two linear dynamic blocks and two saturation elements arranged according to the N-L-N-L series configuration. A cascade controller is considered and its performances are formally analyzed using input-output stability tools. In addition to global boundedness of all signals of the closed-loop system, the controller is formally shown to enjoy a l2 -tracking performance in presence of arbitrary-shape inputs ( i.e. reference signal, disturbance). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the problem of controlling quarter-vehicle semi-active suspension systems. Presently, the suspension system involves a magnetorheological (MR) damper featuring hysteretic behavior captured through the Bouc-Wen model. The control objective is to regulate well the chassis vertical position despite the road irregularities. The difficulty of the control problem lies in the nonlinearity of the system model, the uncertainty of some parameters and the inaccessibility to measurements of the hysteresis internal state variable. The control design is petformed using Lyapunov control design tools; it includes an observer providing online estimates of the hysteresis internal state and an adaptive state-feedback regulator. The adaptive controller, obtained by combining the state observer and the state-feedback regulator, is formally shown to meet the desired control objectives. This theoretical result is confirmed by several simulations. The latter illustrate the performances of the present adaptive controller and compare them with those of earlier control approaches and those of the passive suspension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance control effectiveness and mitigate system oscillations in backstepping sliding mode control, a robust backstepping sliding mode control strategy based on a hysteretic quantizer is proposed for application in magnetorheological (MR) semi-active suspension (SAS) systems. To accurately predict the output current for precise control, a fuzzy neural network (FNN) is used to construct an inverse model for magnetorheological damper (MRD), input the current into the Dahl model and output the actual damping force. Based on the MRD inverse model, the robust term is introduced in the backstepping sliding mode control, and a hysteretic quantizer is used to quantify the controller input signals, avoiding the occurrence of oscillations and forming a complete closed-loop feedback control. Simulation results demonstrate that the FNN inverse model can accurately predict the control current. Compared to backstepping control and passive suspension, the robust backstepping sliding mode control strategy based on a hysteretic quantizer (RBSMC-HQ) reduces the root mean square (RMS) values of vehicle body acceleration by 37.59% and 44.82% respectively under A-Class road conditions, and by 41.93% and 44.84% respectively under B-Class road conditions. This control strategy effectively enhances the ride comfort and handling stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: For several decades, protein drugs (biologics) made in cell cultures have been delivered as sterile injections, decreasing their affordability and patient preference. Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) gum is the first engineered human blood protein expressed in plant cells approved by the FDA without the need for purification and is a cold-chain and noninvasive drug delivery. This biologic is currently being evaluated in human clinical studies to debulk SARS-CoV-2 in the oral cavity to reduce coronavirus infection/transmission (NCT 0543318). Methods: Chemistry, manufacturing, and control (CMC) studies for the ACE2/Ang(1–7) drug substances (DSs) and ACE2 gum drug product (DP) were conducted following USP guidelines. GLP-compliant toxicology studies were conducted on Sprague Dawley rats (n = 120; 15/sex/group) in four groups—placebo, low (1.6/1.0 mg), medium (3.2/2.0 mg), and high (8.3/5.0 mg) doses IP/kg/day. Oral gavage was performed twice daily for 14 days (the dosing phase) followed by the recovery phase (35 days). Plasma samples (n = 216) were analyzed for the product Ang(1–7) by ELISA. Results: The ACE2 protein was stable in the gum for at least up to 78 weeks. The toxicology study revealed the dose-related drug delivery to the plasma and increases in the AUC (56.6%) and Cmax (52.9%) after 28 high-dose gavages (95% C.I.), although this quantitation excludes exogenously delivered membrane-associated ACE2/Ang(1–7). Vital biomarkers and organs were not adversely affected despite the 10-fold higher absorption in the tissues, demonstrating the safety for the first in-human clinical trials of ACE2/Ang(1–7). The NOAEL observed in the rats was 2.5–7.5-fold higher than that of the anticipated efficacious therapeutic dose in humans for the treatment of cardiopulmonary disorders, and it was 314-fold higher than the NOAEL for topical delivery via chewing gum. Conclusions: This report lays the foundation for the regulatory process approval for noninvasive and affordable human biologic drugs bioencapsulated in plant cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

For a two-block splitting iterative scheme to solve the complex linear equations system resulting from the complex Helmholtz equation, the iterative form using descent vector and residual vector is formulated. We propose splitting iterative schemes by considering the perpendicular property of consecutive residual vector. The two-block splitting iterative schemes are proven to have absolute convergence, and the residual is minimized at each iteration step. Single and double parameters in the two-block splitting iterative schemes are derived explicitly utilizing the orthogonality condition or the minimality conditions. Some simulations of complex Helmholtz equations are performed to exhibit the performance of the proposed two-block iterative schemes endowed with optimal values of parameters. The primary novelty and major contribution of this paper lies in using the orthogonality condition of residual vectors to optimize the iterative process. The proposed method might fill a gap in the current literature, where existing iterative methods either lack explicit parameter optimization or struggle with high wave numbers and large damping constants in the complex Helmholtz equation. The two-block splitting iterative scheme provides an efficient and convergent solution, even in challenging cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimization of maintenance intervals is crucial for enhancing efficiency, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness in transport operations. This paper presents a method for optimizing maintenance intervals for vehicles in various modes of transport, focusing on minimizing downtime due to repairs and maintenance. By integrating advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), maintenance intervals are dynamically adjusted using real-time data, resulting in better resource utilization and reduced operational costs. The key findings of this research indicate significant reductions in downtime and maintenance costs, leading to improved efficiency and sustainability across transport modes. Although the case study is based on railway vehicles, the approach is applicable to road, maritime, and air transport as well. By leveraging optimization algorithms, such as machine learning, this solution predicts optimal maintenance timing, thereby reducing resource consumption and improving operational efficiency. The case study on pantograph maintenance demonstrates significant financial savings and reduced waste. This research highlights the benefits of maintenance optimization for sustainability and efficiency across the entire transport sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B Background: b The rapid dissemination of carbapenem resistance in Gram-negative bacteria, particularly in Acinetobacter baumannii, has gained focus on the "old" drug colistin. In this study, we aimed (1) to understand the involvement of the Two-Component system pmrAB and lipid biosynthesis lpx genes in colistin resistance and their corresponding relative expression levels and (2) implement suitable combination therapy options. [Extracted from the article]

Interest in single-atom catalysts (SACs) has surged due to their potential to mitigate greenhouse N2O gas from the environment. In this study, we explore the potential of N2O reduction using porous 3D phosphorus graphdiyne decorated with an Al atom (3D-Al/PGDYN) through density functional theory. Results confirm the energetic stability of Al decorations on 3D-PGDYN and indicate that the Al atom plays an active role in catalysis. The N2O molecule undergoes spontaneous dissociation on the surface of the 3D-Al/PGDYN, initiating from the O-end, with a dissociation energy of −2.93 eV. In parallel, N2O dissociation through the N-end involves chemisorption onto the 3D-Al/PGDYN surface, with an adsorption energy (Ead) of −1.74 eV. The negative Ead values (−2.47 and −2.64 eV) indicate that CO and O2 species chemisorb onto the 3D-Al/PGDYN surface, but these energies are lower than that of N2O, suggesting that CO and O2 molecules do not hinder the N2O reduction process. Furthermore, the reaction CO + O* → CO2, which is vital for catalyst regeneration, proceeds swiftly on the 3D-Al/PGDYN catalyst with a low energy barrier of 0.11 eV, highlighting the catalyst's exceptional reactivity. This work holds significance in the design of catalysts and could be instrumental in developing new and efficient solutions for effectively removing harmful N2O from the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Taste dysfunction is a frequent symptom of acute coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). While the majority of those affected reported recovery over time, emerging data suggest that 20–25% of individuals experience persistent taste dysfunction, constituting a common symptom of long COVID. Gustation is mediated by continuously renewing taste bud cells. A balance between the counteracting processes of cell generation and cell death maintains the homeostatic turnover. Sonic hedgehog (SHH) is a morphogenic protein that promotes taste cell proliferation and differentiation. Enzymatic proteins such as gustin modulate the environment around the taste receptors and influence taste perception. Hence, we hypothesized that increased taste cell turnover and reduced taste-related salivary proteins contribute to the taste dysfunction in long COVID. Methods: Unstimulated whole saliva (UWS) was collected from individuals with long COVID experiencing taste dysfunction after obtaining informed consent. The normal control included archived saliva samples catalogued prior to 2019. Taste perception was objectively determined by the waterless empirical taste test. The SHH, gustin, and inflammatory cytokines in UWS were determined with ELISA. The expressions of epithelial and taste-cell-specific markers in cellular saliva were assessed by immunoflurorescence. Results: Impaired bitter taste was the most common dysfunction in the long-COVID cohort. Salivary gustin was significantly lower in those with long COVID and correlated with lower bitter taste score. Cellular saliva showed keratin-10- and small-proline-rich protein-positive epithelial cells as well as SHH-, occluding- and KCNQ1-positive taste cells. Conclusions: Salivary gustin could be a marker for impaired bitter taste in long COVID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the medical image analysis field, brain tumors (BTs) classification is a complicated process. For effortlessly detecting the tumor devoid of any surgical interference, the radiologists are aided with automated along with computerized technology. Currently, in the field of medical image processing along with analysis, admirable progress has been made by deep learning (DL) methodologies. In medical fields, for resolving several issues, huge attention was paid to DL techniques. For automation of several performed by radiologists like (1) lesion detection, (2) segmentation, (3) classification, (4) monitoring, along with (5) also prediction of treatment response that is not achievable without software, DL might be wielded. Nevertheless, classifying BTs by utilizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has various complications like the difficulty of brain structure along with the intertwining of tissues in it; additionally, the brain's higher density nature also makes the BT Classification (BTC) process quite complex. Therefore, by utilizing novel systems, MRI-centric Automatic segmentation together with classifications of BT and swelling have been proposed to overcome the aforementioned issues. The proposed methodology underwent various operations to detect BTs effectively. Initially, by utilizing the Range-centric Otsu's Thresholding (ROT) algorithm, the skull stripping (SS) is conducted. After that, by performing contrast enhancement (CE) along with noise removal, the skull-stripped images are pre-processed. Next, by employing the Rectilinear Watershed Segmentation (RWS) algorithm, the tumor or swelling areas are segmented. Afterward, to obtain the precise tumor or swelling region, the morphological operations are executed on the segmented areas; subsequently, the desired along with relevant features are extracted. Lastly, the features being extracted are inputted to the classifier termed Uniform Convolution neural network (UCNN). The tumor tissues along with the swelling tissues are classified precisely in the classification phase. Here, the openly accessible BT Image Segmentation Benchmark (BRATS) datasets are utilized. Then, the outcomes obtained are analogized with prevailing methodologies. The experiential outcomes displayed that the BTC is performed by the proposed model with a higher accuracy rate; thus, outshined the other prevailing models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased plasma creatine concentrations are associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes, but whether this alteration is associated with or causal for impairments in metabolism remains unexplored. Because skeletal muscle is the main disposal site of both creatine and glucose, we investigated the role of intramuscular creatine metabolism in the pathophysiology of insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes. In men with type 2 diabetes, plasma creatine concentrations were increased, and intramuscular phosphocreatine content was reduced. These alterations were coupled to reduced expression of sarcomeric mitochondrial creatine kinase 2 (CKMT2). In C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet, neither supplementation with creatine for 2 weeks nor treatment with the creatine analog β-GPA for 1 week induced changes in glucose tolerance, suggesting that increased circulating creatine was associated with insulin resistance rather than causing it. In C2C12 myotubes, silencing Ckmt2 using small interfering RNA reduced mitochondrial respiration, membrane potential, and glucose oxidation. Electroporation-mediated overexpression of Ckmt2 in skeletal muscle of high-fat diet–fed male mice increased mitochondrial respiration, independent of creatine availability. Given that overexpression of Ckmt2 improved mitochondrial function, we explored whether exercise regulates CKMT2 expression. Analysis of public data revealed that CKMT2 content was up-regulated by exercise training in both humans and mice. We reveal a previously underappreciated role of CKMT2 in mitochondrial homeostasis beyond its function for creatine phosphorylation, independent of insulin action. Collectively, our data provide functional evidence for how CKMT2 mediates mitochondrial dysfunction associated with type 2 diabetes. Editor's summary: Increased plasma creatine is associated with type 2 diabetes, but causation has not been established. Rizo-Roca et al. show that men with type 2 diabetes had increased plasma creatine and decreased muscle phosphocreatine, which was associated with poor glucose handling. In myotubes in vitro, silencing the mitochondria-associated sarcomeric mitochondrial creatine kinase 2 (Ckmt2) gene resulted in impaired mitochondrial functions. In mice fed a high-fat diet, creatine supplementation had no effect on glucose handling, but overexpression of Ckmt2 in muscle improved mitochondrial functions. Data from humans and mice showed that exercise increased CKMT2 and metrics of mitochondrial functions. These results suggest that creatine changes are a consequence rather than a cause of insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes. —Brandon Berry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study was performed to identify predictive markers of worse outcomes in patients with severe COVID-19 in an intensive care unit. Methods: Sixty patients with severe COVID-19, hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) between March and July 2021, were stratified into two groups according to the outcome survivors and non-survivors. After admission to the ICU, blood samples were collected directly for biomarker analysis. Routine hematological and biochemical biomarkers, as well as serum levels of cytokines, chemokines, and immunoglobulins, were investigated. Results: Lymphopenia, neutrophilia, and thrombocytopenia were more pronounced in non-surviving patients, while the levels of CRP, AST, creatinine, ferritin, AST, troponin I, urea, magnesium, and potassium were higher in the non-surviving group than the survival group. In addition, serum levels of IL-10, CCL2, CXCL9, and CXCL10 were significantly increased in patients who did not survive. These changes in the biomarkers evaluated were associated with increased mortality in patients with severe COVID-19. Conclusion: The present study confirmed and expanded the validity of laboratory biomarkers as indicators of mortality in severe COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pantograph–catenary system (PCS) is essential for trains to obtain electrical energy. As the train's operating speed increases, the vibration between the pantograph and the catenary intensifies, reducing the quality of the current collection. Active control may significantly reduce the vibration of the PCS, effectively lower the cost of line retrofitting, and enhance the quality of the current collection. This article proposes an improved deep deterministic policy gradient (IDDPG) for the pantograph active control problem, which delays updating the Actor and Target–Actor networks and adopts a reconstructed experience replay mechanism. The deep reinforcement learning (DRL) environment module was first established by creating a PCS coupling model. On this basis, the controller's DRL module is precisely designed using the IDDPG strategy. Ultimately, the control strategy is integrated with the PCS for training, and the controller's performance is validated on the PCS. Simulation experiments show that the improved strategy significantly reduces the training time, enhances the steady-state performance of the agent during later training stages, and effectively reduces the standard deviation of the pantograph–catenary contact force (PCCF) by an average of over 51.44%, effectively improving the quality of current collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transport networks, such as vasculature or river networks, provide key functions in organisms and the environment. They usually contain loops whose significance for the stability and robustness of the network is well documented. However, the dynamics of their formation is usually not considered. Such structures often grow in response to the gradient of an external field. During evolution, extending branches compete for the available flux of the field, which leads to effective repulsion between them and screening of the shorter ones. Yet, in remarkably diverse processes, from unstable fluid flows to the canal system of jellyfish, loops suddenly form near the breakthrough when the longest branch reaches the boundary of the system. We provide a physical explanation for this universal behavior. Using a 1D model, we explain that the appearance of effective attractive forces results from the field drop inside the leading finger as it approaches the outlet. Furthermore, we numerically study the interactions between two fingers, including screening in the system and its disappearance near the breakthrough. Finally, we perform simulations of the temporal evolution of the fingers to show how revival and attraction to the longest finger leads to dynamic loop formation. We compare the simulations to the experiments and find that the dynamics of the shorter finger are well reproduced. Our results demonstrate that reconnection is a prevalent phenomenon in systems driven by diffusive fluxes, occurring both when the ratio of the mobility inside the growing structure to the mobility outside is low and near the breakthrough. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cationic lipids are crucial in medical and biotechnological applications including cellular transfection and gene delivery. Ionizable cationic lipids are critical components of the mRNA‐based COVID vaccines while permanently charged cationic lipids have shown promise in cancer treatment. Despite significant research progress over the past few decades in designing improved, biocompatible cationic lipids, their transfection efficiency remains lower than that of viral vectors. Cationic lipids with additional functionalities like fusogenicity, stimuli‐responsiveness, targeting capabilities, and therapeutic activity have been engineered to improve their performance. This review highlights the importance of molecular hybridization toward the design of biocompatible cationic lipids having fusogenic, stimuli‐responsive, targeting, or therapeutic properties. This review mainly focuses on cationic lipids, having a permanent positive charge in the headgroup region, as these are typically employed to both increase cellular interactions and for improved loading, particularly for anionic nucleic acid‐based therapeutics and vaccines. Structure–activity relationships between the lipid chemical structure (headgroup, spacer, hydrocarbon chain) and, to a lesser extent, the self‐assembled nanostructure and the intrinsic biological activity of the multi‐functional cationic lipids are described. Finally, the challenges involved in developing smart lipids without affecting their inherent capacity to self‐assemble into structured nano‐carriers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DESERT date or Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del is one of the most prevalent, wild plant species in the arid regions of Africa and the Middle East. The desert date tolerates a broad range of soil types and can be found in a variety of habitat types. It has a wide ecological distribution but is mainly found on level alluvial sites with deep sandy loam and free access to water. B.egyptiaca is used in African and Indian traditional medicine. Many underutilized tree species are good sources of food, fodder and possible therapeutic agents. B. aegyptiaca tree is considered drought tolerant and a potential source of many secondary metabolites. This study investigated the adaptive and physiological response to severe aridity and drought stress on the growth of B. aegyptiaca in El-Kharga Oasis, which is the driest region in the Western Desert. Clay soil was found to be dominant in the mechanical soil analysis. Weakly to moderately calcareous soil carbonate was found, and the estimated pH values of the soil solution appeared to be slightly alkaline and exhibited a comparatively high electric conductivity. Total free amino acid concentration was greater than that of soluble protein and sugar. Results indicated that B. aegyptiaca is a drought-tolerant plant in severely arid areas that are subject to drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Kırıkkale University Journal of Social Sciences is the property of Kirikkale University Journal of Social Science (KUJSS) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Semi-active primary suspensions are an effective means of improving ride quality in high-speed railway vehicles in relation to the mitigation of car-body bending vibration. In this paper, prototype magnetorheological (MR) dampers are tested and the results are used to define a mathematical model of the dampers. Then, three control schemes for semi-active primary suspensions are proposed: Skyhook, LQG and Mix-1-Sensor, and their performance is assessed by means of Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) tests considering a simple quarter-vehicle model which is run on a real-time board and set in interaction with one physical MR damper. The results show that all three considered control strategies lead to a reduction of car-body vibration by around 30% and a very good agreement is found between HIL tests and numerical simulations in which the physical damper is replaced by the mathematical damper model. The damper model is finally interfaced with a flexible multi-body model of the complete vehicle to provide further assessment of semi-active control. The results of the latter simulations show that the semi-active suspension could provide an improvement of the $ {N_{mvz}} $ N mvz ride quality index in the order of 40–45% with respect to the passive vehicle for all three control schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous nations have prioritised the inclusion of citizens with disabilities, such as hearing loss, in all aspects of social life. Sign language is used by this population, yet they still have trouble communicating with others. Many sign language apps are being created to help bridge the communication gap as a result of technology advances enabled by the widespread use of smartphones. These apps are widely used because they are accessible and inexpensive. The services and capabilities they offer and the quality of their content, however, differ greatly. Evaluation of the quality of the content provided by these applications is necessary if they are to have any kind of real effect. A thorough evaluation like this will inspire developers to work hard on new apps, which will lead to improved software development and experience overall. This research used a systematic literature review (SLR) method, which is recognised in gaining a broad understanding of the study whilst offering additional information for future investigations. SLR was adopted in this research for smartphone-based sign language apps to understand the area and main discussion aspects utilised in the assessment. These studies were reviewed on the basis of related work analysis, main issues, discussions and methodological aspects. Results revealed that the evaluation of sign language mobile apps is scarce. Thus, we proposed a future direction for the quality assessment of these apps. The findings will benefit normal-hearing and hearing-impaired users and open up a new area where researchers and developers could work together on sign language mobile apps. The results will help hearing and non-hearing users and will pave the way for future collaboration between academicians and app developers in the field of sign language technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to analyze the role of Sharia economics in alleviating poverty in Indonesia. The method used in this research is a literature study, which is a series of activities relating to methods of collecting library data, reading and taking notes, as well as processing reading material into research data. Some of the literature that researchers use as data sources are books, journal articles, and news related to the role of Sharia economics in reducing poverty rates in Indonesia. One of the goals of religion is to encourage people from being left behind economically. Poverty is a serious problem that must be sought immediately for a solution because it can have very dangerous impacts, including disturbing one's faith or it could even disappear and that person becomes a disbeliever. The potential for ziswaf in Indonesia is extraordinary. If it can be managed professionally, it will have an impact on the welfare of society. How to overcome poverty can be done with various steps and strategies. The thing that must be done from the start to overcome the poverty that grips our society is to create an economic order that allows for a fair distribution system to be born, encouraging the birth of concern from people who have (aghniya') toward the needy, poor, dhu'afa' and mustard 'affine. One form of concern for Aghniya' is his willingness to pay zakat and issue sadaqah. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Place naming of a local area is closely related to geographic elements. Local names can also be used as a cultural identity and natural condition of a region. Nglanggeran Ancient Volcano (AV) area has local name elements highly influenced by those conditions. It is an interesting study material where a three-dimensional (3D) model can contribute as a medium to collect the place naming traces (toponym) in this area through participatory mapping. Participatory mapping, usually using 2D models in the form of sketches or maps, will be a separate story in interactive 3D media usage resulting from the photogrammetry process. It is expected that the media be able to show the geographical appearance of the Nglanggeran A. V area more clearly, such as geomorphology, geology, vegetation, hydrology; and even local culture, and contribute unexplored information* The results of participatory mapping in toponym collection are expected to be a medium that organizes the place naming of a local area into a complete database, along with the origin of the place names. It is also proposed that the results of participatory mapping through the 3D model be a means of preserving local culture in the Nglanggeran A.V area, making it more familiar to local residents and tourists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of finite-time robust adaptive stabilisation for a class of input saturated time-delay nonlinear systems with unknown parameters is studied in this article. Firstly, by applying the orthogonal decomposition method, a finite-time adaptive stabilisation controller is designed for the system. Then the finite-time robust adaptive stabilisation result for the system with external disturbance is obtained. Finally, a practical system example is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The RAS is a hormonal system playing a pivotal role in the control of blood pressure and electrolyte homeostasis, the alteration of which is associated with different pathologies, including acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). As such, it is not surprising that a number of studies have attempted to elucidate the role and balance of the renin–angiotensin system (RAS) in COVID-19. In this review article, we will describe the evidence collected regarding the two main enzymes of the RAS (i.e., ACE and ACE2) and their principal molecular products (i.e., AngII and Ang1-7) in SARS-CoV-2 infection, with the overarching goal of drawing conclusions on their possible role as clinical markers in association with disease severity, progression, and outcome. Moreover, we will bring into the picture new experimental data regarding the systemic activity of ACE and ACE2 as well as the concentration of AngII and Ang1-7 in a cohort of 47 COVID-19 patients hospitalized at the IRCCS Sacro Cuore-Don Calabria Hospital (Negrar, Italy) between March and April 2020. Finally, we will discuss the possibility of considering this systemic pathway as a clinical marker for COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles own three‐dimensional center‐radial channels and hierarchical pores, which endows themselves with super‐high specific surface area, extremely large pore volumes, especially accessible internal spaces, and so forth. Dissimilar guest species (such as organic groups or metal nanoparticles) could be readily decorated onto the interfaces of the channels and pores, realizing the functionalization of dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles for targeted applications. As adsorbents and catalysts, dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles‐based materials have experienced nonignorable development in CO2 capture and catalytic conversion. This comprehensive review provides a critical survey on this pregnant subject, summarizing the designed construction of novel dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles‐based materials, the involved chemical reactions (such as CO2 methanation, dry reforming of CH4), the value‐added chemicals from CO2 (such as cyclic carbonates, 2‐oxazolidinones, quinazoline‐2,4(1H,3H)‐diones), and so on. The adsorptive and catalytic performances have been compared with traditional silica mesoporous materials (such as SBA‐15 or MCM‐41), and the corresponding reaction mechanisms have been thoroughly revealed. It is sincerely expected that the in‐depth discussion could give materials scientists certain inspiration to design brand‐new dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles‐based materials with superior capabilities towards CO2 capture, utilization, and storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotional research in film and animation has long been implemented in the West. This is because Elements of emotion are essential in an animated film to generate an affective impression and emotions in the audience. Malaysia's animation industry has increased recently, and Malaysian animators have produced many animation products. However, previous studies stated that the current situation of local animated films needed a more potent storytelling technique. There is a West scholar who argues that good storytelling can evoke the emotions of the audience. Applying emotions in animation through computer technology is complicated compared to live-action films that can control emotions through the actors' acting techniques. Thus, this study identified the elements of emotion in developing the case study of storytelling Agent Ali in the movie. The mixed method was used to identify aspects of emotion in Agent Ali the Movie, such as Freytag's Pyramid model and Hume AI. As a result, this study found that aspects of emotion exist in the story development process in Agent Ali the Movie, such as happiness, sadness, and anger in every three acts of structure (exposition, conflict, and resolution). The existence of emotion has proved that animated films in Malaysia need to be focused to overcome the weak storytelling technique. At the end of the discussion, this study also found that Artificial intelligence (AI) technology like Hume AI could speed up the animation production process, especially in identifying the facial expressions and body language of characters in the process of storytelling development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IoT is a very fast-growing technology. IoT can be defined as interconnected small smart devices linked over the Internet to communicate with each other to perform meaningful action. There are major concerns regarding the security of data being produced from millions of devices in the IoT system. Different security concerns in various IoT system tiers have been covered in this study. IoT security concerns can be reduced by using Blockchain Technology, which is a decentralized distributed ledger with several Blockchain potentials, including persistence, transparency, verifiability, encryption, and operationaly strong The paper reviews whether they make a good fit along with certain challenges of Blockchain that should be examined while integrating it with IoT for resolving various security issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study analyzed the relationship of leadership to knowledge management, leadership to innovation capability, psychological security climate to knowledge management, psychological security climate to innovation capability, self-efficacy to knowledge management, self-efficacy to innovation capability, knowledge management to innovation capability. The unit of analysis was vocational teachers and principals of vocational schools. The number of teachers from the respondents education unit is 3,056 teachers. By using the Slovin formula, the minimum number of sample sizes is 354 people and the sampling technique used was simple random sampling. The data analysis technique in this study uses partial least square (PLS). The results of data processing show that leadership has a significant effect on knowledge management, leadership has a significant effect on innovation capability, psychological security climate has a significant effect on knowledge management, psychological security climate has a significant effect on innovation capability, self-efficacy has a significant effect on knowledge management, self-efficacy has a significant effect on innovation capability, knowledge management has a significant effect on innovation capability. This research contributes to improving the quality of curriculum, teachers, and graduates of vocational schools/polytechnics in the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Utilizing oil palm trunk (OPT) residue as a co-fuel in coal-fired plants offers an environmentally favorable solution to agricultural waste disposal and fossil fuel combustion impacts. This study investigates the potential of hydrochar from OPT (HTC-OPT) as a coal-like solid fuel for co-combustion. The combustion characteristics of coal, HTC-OPT, and their blends (10–50% HTC-OPT) were analyzed via thermogravimetric analysis with heating rates ranging from 10 to 30°C/min. The Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO) and Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS) models were employed to explore co-combustion interactions and kinetic parameters. Results reveal enhanced combustion efficiency with HTC-OPT addition to coal. Higher HTC-OPT ratios correlate with increased maximum combustion rates, ignition and comprehensive combustibility indices, and decreased ignition and burnout temperatures. Additionally, blended fuels exhibit a proportionally synergistic co-combustion interaction. Both KAS and FWO models indicate similar trends in activation energies, with the lowest values (49.94 kJ/mol for KAS and 60.90 kJ/mol for FWO) at a 10% HTC-OPT ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]