bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Human Auditory System
Authors: Kumar N. Sharath
Published: July 2024

Food is evaluated for its nutritional, physicochemical, analytical, microbiological, and sensory attributes. The organoleptic method of analyzing food products lies in careful objective and subjective evaluation of various sensorial properties of the foods produced from the foods in response to certain applied stress factors. In addition to the existing sensory evaluation techniques, emerging multi-sensorial attributes by humans have recently been a matter of great significance. The growing importance of a better understanding of sensory attributes of the food has also brought auditory perception into the limelight. Sensory evaluation identifies and recognizes auditory cues and significantly increases product purchases and market returns. The identification and recognition of novel auditory cues with the help of acoustics and texture analysis helps in understanding the product profile that suits consumer requirements. In this regard, acoustic emission from food plays a significant role in quality control operations, optimizing process efficiency and hedonic ratings based on the properties analyzed. Various techniques are being used to help understand the textural attributes and correlate them with the auditory cues of the food. Increasing competition among the brands for the same product has made way for the food industries to develop newer scientific methods of understanding the requirements of consumers and redesigning the products in a better way that is acceptable to the consumers. In-depth analysis of the foods, starting from biting to complete chewing, has seen tremendous research, and now it is being correlated to understand product perception in detail.
Consumer Food Perception
Authors: Kumar Akash , Yadav Sangeeta , Tomar Devyani , Pramanik Jhilam , Batta Kajol
Published: July 2024

Consumer food perception refers to the complex and subjective way individuals view, understand, and experience food. Consumers' responses to food are not only based on the sensory characteristics of the product and their physiological status but also driven by various factors, including dietary habits, food branding, packaging, emotion, social and cultural norms (e.g., family traditions), ethical considerations, religious beliefs, and health conditions. Understanding these multifaceted factors can help food businesses develop more appealing and sustainable food products (e.g., reducing food waste). Policymakers can use this knowledge to make impactful regulations (e.g., clear labeling), while public health professionals can design effective interventions (e.g., promoting culturally relevant healthy options) to encourage healthier food choices. This chapter delves into the multidimensional connection between perception and consumer choices, exploring its definition, significance, and assessment methods.
Social Welfare Development Through NEP-India-Integrated Higher Educational Institutions
Authors: Bhat Sangeeta , Chandel Payal Kanwar , Kulkarni Aparna , Krishnamoorthy V. , Anandakumar S.
Published: July 2024

The chapter explores India's New Education Policy (NEP)'s impact on higher educational institutions (HEIs) and its implications for social welfare. It emphasizes holistic development, interdisciplinary studies, curriculum flexibility, and HEIs' role in promoting social welfare through education. The chapter also discusses best practices in implementing NEP initiatives, such as skill development programs and community outreach initiatives. It also discusses challenges faced by HEIs in implementing NEP initiatives, offers strategies to overcome them, and provides policy recommendations to enhance social welfare impact. The chapter concludes that NEP can transform higher education in India, contributing to holistic development and a prosperous future.
The Development of Professional Identity and Its Associations With Emotions
Authors: Shi Zhenying , Zhang Yunyan , Yan Rong
Published: July 2024

Although the significance of professional identity to language teachers has been widely acknowledged, much remains unknown about the dynamic process of emotion negotiation and identity development of FL/SL teachers with different ethnical background under the Covid-19 pandemic context. Through a semi-structured interview with 10 EAP teachers from an EMI university in China, this study aimed to explore how their professional identity changed and transformed since the outbreak of the Covid-19, and how it negotiated with emotions during the pandemic. The following results were obtained: (1) Ethnical background was one of the significant factors influencing the development of teacher's professional identity; (2) international teachers were found to be more susceptible to the pandemic and compared with their Chinese counterparts, they generated more negative emotions; (3) teacher-student classroom interactions were found to be one of the significant factors triggering the emotional changes and transformation of professional identities regardless of their ethnical backgrounds.
Teacher Identity, Course-Based Moral Education, and the Lessons for Transnational Higher Education Institutions
Authors: Mo Junhua , Morris Gareth , Tao Li
Published: July 2024

The sociocultural and political context plays a crucial role in influencing and shaping teacher identity, and recent developments in China's higher education have seen moral education become a priority area. This has presented new challenges to Chinese university teachers in terms of their pedagogical delivery and sense of self. This chapter therefore attempts to explore the identity construction of a Chinese EFL teacher who has been incorporating course-based moral education within his teaching and research practices. Through a positioning analysis, it is found that teachers may experience a triple identity and that the identity construction process is tied to the active agency of teachers. The relevance of this chapter for transnational higher education is also interesting, because providers are influenced by the context they are a part of, so understanding how domestic policy is changing is important for anticipating how international and transnational provision might enabling proactive forward thinking leadership.
External Professional Development and Training
Authors: Li Lei
Published: July 2024

Many transnational higher education (TNHE) providers have experimented with appointing department and school leaders who either lack direct institutional insights, being externally recruited, are having to step up, or are crossing fields. In these latter cases the leaders are not being appointed for their discipline specific knowledge, but rather because they have the management skills that their superiors feel will help fulfil a role remit effectively. It is also common to see educators jump between provisional stages. School teachers become university practitioners, and TNHE managers transition into K12 to lead departments. In light of transitions such as these, and their increasing common occurrence in the Chinese educational workplace this chapter draws on experiences in a K12 setting where the writer has served in both management and teaching capacities. These experiences were reflected upon and the lessons learnt presented at a prestigious TNHE provider as part of an educational PDQ course on leadership.
Exploring the Importance of Practice and Leadership on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
Authors: Chai Zhanglin
Published: July 2024

In the fast-paced world, finding time for training and reflection is essential for practice and leadership as it helps one to develop their skills and review their effectiveness. The training that I received is Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE) which focus on teaching & Learning in Higher Education. The process of my reflection is conducted by using Brookfield's Four Lenses of Critical Reflection (Brookfield, 2017), and Gibbs model (Gibbs, 1988). The training and reflection enabled me to plan and teach appropriate learning activities and support students effectively. Furthermore, in this evolving society, reflection practice is the essential and cornerstone of leadership abilities. In order to practice new skills and behaviors in appropriate contexts and to draw connections between new information and concepts and prior knowledge and experience, reflective practice is crucial for both professional and personal growth.
An Investigation Into PSE Tutors' Perception and Practice of Intonation Teaching
Authors: Jeidani Mahmoud
Published: July 2024

This study explores Presessional English (PSE) Course (PSECs) tutors' views of, and experience with, the relevance of intonation to their teaching on these courses. Motivated by the lack of a unified view among teachers in relation to its value with reference to PSECs, this study uses semi-structured interviews and teaching observations to explore these tutors' approaches to the teaching of intonation. The results show the participants' recognition of the relevance of intonation to PSE students aiming to improve their listening and speaking skills, while recognising that teaching requires significant support in terms of training and a focus on its communicative role. The significance of this study is that it rejects the view that teachers do not appreciate intonation, showing that teachers' critical reflection is a promising step towards streamlining PSECs to align with student needs.
Student Leaders' Motivation, Evaluation, and Suggestions in THNE Private Universities
Authors: Ziyang Shi , Siyan Yang , Chenghao Hu
Published: July 2024

In the evolving landscape of Transnational Higher Education (THEN), understanding the perspectives and insights of student leaders becomes paramount for enhancing the student leadership experience. This interview study seeks to delve into the common insights of student leaders operating within the context of THEN. Specifically, the exploration will focus on their satisfaction with leadership experiences and their motivation to gain leadership roles. Furthermore, this inquiry extends beyond mere exploration; it aspires to distill practical wisdom and guidance for aspiring student leaders who are poised to navigate the complexities of THEN.
Exploring the Students' Perception of Online Speaking Classes and Various Functions of Online Learning Platforms
Authors: You Ying , Zou Bin , Wang Chenghao
Published: July 2024

This study explores student perceptions of synchronous online oral English classes, focusing on how the functionalities of digital platforms influence their language anxiety and the development of speaking skills. To gather both quantitative and qualitative insights, the study employs questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, involving 91 higher education students from various majors, all of whom have experienced synchronous online oral classes. Analysis reveals a notable trend: students with lower levels of oral English proficiency tend to perceive greater improvement in their speaking abilities in these classes compared to their more proficient counterparts. Interestingly, the camera feature is identified as the primary source of language anxiety, while tools such as microphones, breakout rooms, text chatboxes, and individual text/voice/video chat functions are deemed most effective for fostering speaking skills. Besides presenting student perspectives on online speaking courses, this paper acknowledges its limitations and suggests avenues for future research.
Immersive Innovations
Authors: Pramanik Sabyasachi
Published: July 2024

This chapter examines the transformative influence of immersive technology, namely Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), on higher education. The chapter illustrates the significant impact of VR and AR on education by tracing their evolutionary trajectory from their conceptual roots in the mid-20th century to their current implementations. Conventional lectures and textbooks are being replaced with immersive learning environments, leading to a transformation of traditional classroom paradigms. VR and AR enable students to immerse themselves in virtual environments, where they may engage with three-dimensional models, historical reenactments, and complex simulations. The chapter also explores the challenges and consequences associated with the integration of new technology, such as the need for specialized instruction and ensuring accessibility for all students.
Applications for Digital Art and Crafting
Authors: Mutlu Demir Duygu , Ulutaş ilkay
Published: July 2024

With the rapidly developing technology, the use of digital art applications in the visual art education process is becoming widespread as a new field of study. When the literature was examined, no study was found that investigated the digital art applications that can be used in early childhood and the views of preschool teachers on these applications and evaluated them as a visual art education tool in early childhood. In this context, this study aims to identify digital art applications and tools that can be used in the early childhood visual arts education process, to examine these applications in terms of scope and content, and to examine the knowledge and opinions of teachers about the digital supported art education applications/tools.
A Socio-Pedagogical Reading From Video Game to Game Learning
Authors: Sozio Alessia , Amendola Alfonso , Carbone Maria , De Giuseppe Tonia
Published: July 2024

The video game, a phenomenon less than a century old, is relatively recent compared to the millennia-long history of “analog” gaming, its natural predecessor. In recent decades, digital play has emerged as a prominent expression of contemporary culture, possessing exceptional social, cultural, and technological value. It stands as the leading global entertainment sector in terms of time spent and budget, surpassing the revenues of the film and record industries. Digital games are not only a central economic force in the entertainment and technology industries but also foster new cultural and social narratives through their participatory and collaborative nature. This chapter will explore the evolution from traditional games to video games and their effectiveness in enhancing knowledge and learning.
The Impact of Aligning Artificial Intelligence Large Language Models With Bloom's Taxonomy in Healthcare Education
Authors: Pears Matthew , Konstantinidis Stathis Th
Published: July 2024

The innovation of large language models (LLMs) has widened possibilities for renovating healthcare education through AI-powered learning resources, such as chatbots. This chapter explores the assimilation of LLMs with Bloom's taxonomy, demonstrating how this foundational framework for designing and assessing learning outcomes can support the development of critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills in healthcare learners. Through case examples and research presentations, this chapter illustrates how LLM chatbots provide interactive, scaffolding, and contextually relevant learning experiences. However, it also highlights the importance of designing these tools with key principles in mind, including learner-centeredness, co-creation with domain experts, and principled responsibility. By embracing a collaborative, interdisciplinary, and future-oriented approach to chatbot design and development, the power of LLMs can be harnessed to revolutionize healthcare education and ultimately improve patient care.
Towards Agile Marketing
Authors: Ozdenizci Kose Busra
Published: July 2024

Agile marketing represents a paradigm shift in strategic marketing, emphasizing the principles of flexibility, speed, and customer-centricity. Originating from software development methodologies that value adaptability and iterative progress, agile practices have been effectively translated into the marketing domain to address the dynamic and fast-paced nature of contemporary markets. This approach focuses on continuous improvement, cross-functional collaboration, and responsiveness to consumer needs and market trends. By integrating diverse methodologies such as Scrum and Kanban, marketing teams enhance their ability to rapidly adapt strategies, execute innovative campaigns, and leverage real-time feedback, thereby ensuring a competitive edge in a constantly evolving business landscape. This chapter aims to explore the transformative potential of Agile Marketing and offers insights into how Agile practices can reshape marketing strategies to be more adaptive, efficient, and aligned with customer expectations, empowering marketers to succeed in today's digital era.
Optimizing Marketing Campaigns With AI-Driven Insights on Mobile User Behavior
Authors: Tas Nurullah , Huseynov Farid , Köse Büşra Özdenizci
Published: July 2024

Technology is crucial in our daily lives, enabling us to communicate, access information, and engage in various activities through devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Social media platforms facilitate global connectivity and information sharing. The internet has revolutionized access to limitless information, online shopping, education, and job opportunities. Artificial intelligence (AI) advancements have brought innovative solutions to sectors like healthcare, automotive, and finance. This study aims to emphasize the significance of technology and AI in analyzing mobile user behavior and optimizing marketing campaigns. It provides insights into comprehending mobile user behavior, factors influencing it, and the role of AI in marketing research. Moreover, it explores AI's utilization in consumer behavior analysis. The study examines the impact of AI algorithms on mobile user data and discusses personalization through AI. Lastly, it delves into AI-supported campaign optimization and real-time marketing.
Client Satisfaction in the Moroccan Banking Sector
Authors: Seghyar Nabil , Amane Meryem , Gouiouez Mounir , Hraoui Said , Bouhtati Abdelfettah
Published: July 2024

This study delves into Moroccan banking's evolving landscape, focusing on client satisfaction through digital tools. Emphasizing digital's pivotal role in service quality, it aims to uncover how emerging tech shapes satisfaction. Employing quantitative methods via tailored questionnaires, it seeks to gauge customer perceptions of digital banking. Examining tech integration, AI-Chatbots, and personalized services, it explores how these enhance satisfaction. Additionally, it probes AI-driven marketing's transformative potential in deepening bank-client connections. By spotlighting digital tool efficacy in client satisfaction, this research offers nuanced insights into Morocco's tech-driven banking paradigm. Its data-driven findings can guide strategic decisions for institutions and policymakers, elevating overall service quality in the digital age.
Exploring Creativity
Authors: Sinha Sayak , Datta Sourajit , Kumar Raghvendra , Bhattacharya Sudipta , Sarkar Arijit , Das Kunal
Published: July 2024

Generative AI, often known as genAI, encompasses several forms of artificial intelligence (AI) that has the ability to create unique text, images, video, or audio content. This particular iteration of artificial intelligence acquires knowledge of patterns and data arrangement from its training data, enabling it to produce novel outputs that possess similar statistical characteristics. Generative AI has a diverse range of applications, and each task requires a specialized deep-learning architecture to effectively capture the unique patterns and traits found in the training data. Generative AI models encompass various types, including generative adversarial networks (GANs), variational autoencoders (VAEs), transformers, diffusion models, normalizing flow models, and hybrid models. The configuration of a generative AI model is contingent upon the particular task and domain, encompassing elements such as the neural network's architecture, training approach, loss function, and evaluation metrics. The primary objective of generative AI is to develop autonomous systems capable of generating content that is indiscernible from information created by humans. This encompasses the production of written content, visual graphics, audio recordings, and interactive visual components. Attaining this objective would facilitate a diverse array of applications, encompassing enhanced human-computer interactions and assisting in the advancement of endeavors such as art and storytelling.
Exploring the Scikit-Learn Package With ChatGPT
Authors: Uludag Kadir
Published: July 2024

The Scikit-learn package is a popular machine-learning library in Python that provides tools for data preprocessing, feature selection, and evaluation of models. However, learning it can be hard for beginners due to its vast documentation. The goal of this chapter is to search for ways to use ChatGPT to learn the Scikit-learn package. ChatGPT's first version was used (2023). Using ChatGPT to learn Scikit-learn can help users to understand the key techniques of machine learning.
Introduction to Hyperautomation
Authors: Darwish Dina
Published: July 2024

Hyperautomation refers to the comprehensive automation of all possible processes within an organization. Organizations that embrace hyperautomation seek to optimize their business operations by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), robotic process automation (RPA), and other technologies to automate tasks without human involvement. Hyperautomation refers to a systematic method of automating business and IT activities throughout a whole organization to achieve more precise and faster workflows. Automation refers to the process of digitizing a repetitive operation without any manual involvement. On the other hand, hyperautomation comprises the integration of several automation techniques and platforms to achieve a high level of error-free efficiency at a larger scale. It encompasses the utilization of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotic process automation (RPA), and machine learning (ML). This chapter discusses concepts related to hyperautomation, as well as its advantages and applications in business and predicts the future of hyperautomation.
Hyperautomation in Financial Services
Authors: Dwivedi Dwijendra Nath , Mahanty Ghanashyama , Dora Tanya
Published: July 2024

The financial services industry is on the verge of a revolutionary period, propelled by the emergence of hyperautomation. This study explores the significant influence of hyperautomation technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, robotic process automation (RPA), and other advanced digital tools, on banking and investment procedures. This analysis explores the ways in which these technologies are changing and improving business operations, enhancing consumer satisfaction, and modifying the competitive environment. The chapter begins by providing an overview of the present condition of financial services, emphasizing conventional approaches and the growing requirement for innovation in order to address changing market demands and rising client expectations. Subsequently, it offers a comprehensive examination of the integration of hyperautomation technologies into many facets of financial operations, encompassing algorithmic trading, personalized banking services, risk assessment, compliance monitoring, and customer service improvement.
Agenda-Setting and Framing Theories
Authors: Al-Obaidi Jabbar A.
Published: July 2024

Recent media literature shows that agenda-setting theory has faced several critical challenges, including information processing, identity and affiliation, cultural connection, and environment. The foundational premise for agenda-setting is that the media play a major role in setting and deciding the issues for consumers. On the other side, the framing theory creates a shape or a frame for issues to be presented to the audience. This research proposes that despite the many changes and challenges in the media environment, both theories are still able to influence the choices the consumers make about gathering and processing media content. As a historical reference, the 1968 study by McCombs and Shaw in 1972 laid the ground for the application of the agenda-setting theory and its effect on media messages. The scope of this chapter sheds light on the “distinguish genuine agenda setting” and the “pseudo agenda setting” in digital and social media fragmentation and convergence environment. An analytical discussion of the main components of media convergence is discussed.
Media and Contemporary African Society
Authors: Okocha Desmond Onyemechi , Chigbo Maureen
Published: July 2024

This research proposes a theory that ameliorates the deficiencies of agenda-setting, two-step flow, and third-person effect theories that are linear in explaining the influence of mass media on their audience. Whereas postmodernism abhors universality because, in reality, different groupings of individuals in different societies receive and respond to media messages differently depending on the influence of both internal and exogenous variables in the society in any communication process. These lacunas in the theories birthed the environment dynamo theory which does not intend to replace but to capture the idea that science, psychology, ethnography, and technology have broadened the understanding of the nuances that determine the relationship between the media and audience, and vice versa. The environment dynamo theory cumulatively created a web to explain media effects in society based on three components that are intricately interwoven - the audience, media, and environment.
Understanding Health Communication in the Era of Media Convergence
Authors: Ravi B. K.
Published: July 2024

Today the media landscape is undergoing rapid transformations, driven by technological advancements. The rapid advancements in technology have led to the convergence of various media platforms, resulting in a paradigm shift in the way health information is communicated. The convergence of media platforms and technologies has transformed the media landscape, bringing about significant changes in the way information is accessed, consumed, and shared. The dynamic interplay between traditional and digital media platforms has created new opportunities and challenges in the realm of health communication, shaping the way individuals receive and engage with health information. In this context of media convergence, it is crucial to understand how the changing media landscape affects the delivery and reception of health messages. The integration of multiple media platforms, such as television, radio, print, online platforms, and social media, has led to an unprecedented availability of health information.
Visual Media in Light of the Challenges of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Egypt
Authors: Elshibiny Hanan Aly
Published: July 2024

The research focuses on the possible changes in the basic foundations of the media message industry in light of the data of artificial intelligence and its applications such as writing the media material, preparing its executive text and presenting it to the recipient from designing clips of images, designing graphics, and sound effects. It also highlights the importance of the tremendous development in aspects of artificial intelligence and its implications for developing the media message, and the performance of visual media in particular, and contributing to the creation of a specialized field in media forms. In light of the tremendous technical developments that have included the media, they are positive that contribute to advancing media progress or negative loses its value.
Exploring the Synergy of Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Analytics in Enhancing Customer Engagement Strategies
Authors: Mitra Archan , Das Sayani
Published: July 2024

This book chapter explores the combined effect of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data Analytics on customer involvement in marketing. The initial phase is a theoretical investigation into the ways in which these technologies have transformed consumer interaction, with a particular focus on the transition towards customized and interactive encounters. The discussion focuses on the utilization of AI and Big Data in hyper-personalization and predictive analytics, emphasizing the enhancements in customer experience and business success. The report also examines nascent technologies such as natural language processing and the Internet of Things, forecasting their forthcoming impact on consumer interaction methods. The ethical ramifications and privacy issues, specifically in relation to legislative frameworks such as GDPR and CCPA, are thoroughly evaluated. An analysis is conducted on the strategic ramifications of AI and Big Data on sales, customer loyalty, brand reputation, and marketing decision-making.
Vengeance Chronicles
Authors: Sung Kyoung-suk
Published: July 2024

This paper seeks to conduct an in-depth analysis of the central theme of revenge within Park Chan-wook's renowned Vengeance Trilogy, consisting of Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002), Old Boy (2003), and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005). Beyond its narrative role, revenge takes on a dynamic and multifaceted persona, intricately shaping characters, settings, motivations, and cinematic language. From the stark realism of Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance to the chaotic descent in Old Boy and the philosophical nuances in Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, Park guides audiences through a spectrum of emotions. Symbolic use of spaces, from confined environments to symbolic realms, enriches storytelling, emphasizing bipolar power dynamics in imprisonment and revenge. The examination of violence as a narrative tool, interwoven with black humor and alienation effects, adds complexity. This study contributes to the broader exploration of revenge in cinema, enhancing understanding of Park Chan-wook's cinematic style and positioning him as a cultural agent in auteur theory.
Face Your Fear
Authors: Serter Sirri Serhat
Published: July 2024

Based on the novel of the same name by author Stephen King and directed by Andy Muschietti, IT: Chapter One (2017) and IT: Chapter Two (2019) tell the story of seven children who are relentlessly pursued by an evil clown. According to Freud's psychoanalytic theory, an individual's fears in adulthood have a relationship with developmental situations that coincide with childhood. These fears contribute to the survival of the individual and also make it possible for the individual to adapt to social and/or environmental stimuli. Freud explained the development of personality and the stages in this development with the concepts of id, ego and superego, and stated that the state of fear, which finds meaning as the ego's way of escaping from danger, can develop differently due to id or superego. The aim of this study is to analyze the fear behaviors of the main characters in the both films within the framework of id, ego and superego through psychoanalytic film criticism.
Meta-Heuristics and Machine Learning Applications in Complex Systems
Authors: A. Ponmalar , K. Vijayakumar , C. Lakshmipriya , M. Karthikeyan , B. Gracelin Sheena , P. J. Beslin Pajila , R. Siva Subramanian
Published: July 2024

In order to understand and optimise complex systems, this work explores the synergy between machine learning (ML) and meta-heuristic techniques. It investigates how problems in a variety of industries, including computer communications, renewable energy, power systems, machining, and cloud computing, may be solved by fusing machine learning (ML) with intelligent algorithms derived from natural processes. Comprehensive discussions include subjects such as improving thermal performance in solar devices, sizing renewable energy systems, and optimising power distribution and machining processes. It also explores on hybrid methods, which combine machine learning (ML) and meta-heuristics for better optimisation, as well as the convergence of ML with the industrial internet of things (IIOT). For scholars, and professionals, the research be insightful information along with a thorough summary and future directions in this multidisciplinary field.
Metaheuristics and Machine Learning Convergence
Authors: Bencheikh Ghita
Published: July 2024

The integration of machine learning techniques with optimization algorithms has garnered increasing interest in recent years. Two primary purposes emerge from the literature: leveraging metaheuristics in machine learning applications such as regression, classification, and clustering, and enhancing metaheuristics using machine learning to improve convergence time, solution quality, and flexibility. Machine learning techniques offer real-time decision-making capabilities, dimension reduction, and dynamic programming, contributing to robust decision-making processes capable of handling substantial data volumes and addressing stochastic events. To our knowledge, this paper represents the first comprehensive review that explicitly classifies and analyzes both fields, emphasizing their commonalities and delineating the area of their intersection. Through this exploration, our objective is to enrich the understanding of both metaheuristics and machine learning, foster interdisciplinary collaborations, and catalyze innovative approaches that harness the synergies between these two domains.
Performance Evaluation of Simulation-Driven Metaheuristic Algorithms
Authors: Kaliappan S.
Published: July 2024

This study investigates the application of simulation-driven metaheuristic algorithms to enhance agricultural operations, specifically focusing on their effectiveness and efficiency in addressing the complexities of modern agricultural systems. This study evaluates the computational efficacy of metaheuristic algorithms in crop planning, resource allocation, and decision-making using a simulation environment specifically tailored for agricultural contexts. Efficiency parameters, such as execution time, convergence rate, and scalability, offer valuable insights into the algorithms' effectiveness in real-world agricultural contexts. Effectiveness evaluation analyze the quality, resilience, and variety of proposed techniques, demonstrating their potential to react to changing environmental circumstances. Statistical analysis is employed to give proof for the observed variances in performance, hence providing a quantitative aspect to the evaluation.
The Problem of Teaching the Science of Climate Change
Authors: Talavera Isidoro
Published: July 2024

This article discusses how to teach the science of climate change as a call for introducing critical thinking in science teacher education programs and professional development. It can be argued that to get a science student to develop his/her critical thinking skills to think outside the box, teachers must work to overcome the student's and their own dogmatic beliefs, hardened biases, and motivated and/or distorted reasoning. The article shows how teacher education programs and professional development providers should change their methods and strategies by providing a framework to overcome the key elements of the problem of teaching the science of climate change, and by providing some high-quality resources to teach this topic with practical ideas made available for teachers at all levels.
Protective Non-neutralizing anti–N-terminal Domain mAb Maintains Fc-mediated Function against SARS-COV-2 Variants up to BA.2.86-JN.1 with Superfluous In Vivo Protection against JN.1 Due to Attenuated Virulence
Authors: Izadi Arman , Godzwon Magdalena , Söderlund Strand Anna , Schmidt Tobias , Kumlien Georén Susanna , Drosten Christian , Ohlin Mats , Nordenfelt Pontus
Published: July 2024

Substantial evidence supports that Fc-mediated effector functions of anti-spike Abs contribute to anti–SARS-Cov-2 protection. We have previously shown that two non-neutralizing but opsonic mAbs targeting the receptor-binding domain and N-terminal domain (NTD), Ab81 and Ab94, respectively, are protective against lethal Wuhan SARS-CoV-2 infection in K18-hACE2 mice. In this article, we investigated whether these protective non-neutralizing Abs maintain Fc-mediated function and Ag binding against mutated SARS-CoV-2 variants. Ab81 and Ab94 retained their nanomolar affinity and Fc-mediated function toward Omicron and its subvariants, such as BA.2, BA.4, BA.5, XBB, XBB1.5, and BQ1.1. However, when encountering the more heavily mutated BA.2.86, Ab81 lost its function, whereas the 10 new mutations in the NTD did not affect Ab94. In vivo experiments with Ab94 in K18-hACE2 mice inoculated with a stringent dose of 100,000 PFU of the JN.1 variant revealed unexpected results. Surprisingly, this variant exhibited low disease manifestation in this animal model with no weight loss or death in the control group. Still, assessment of mice using a clinical scoring system showed better protection for Ab94-treated mice, indicating that Fc-mediated functions are still beneficial. Our work shows that a protective anti–receptor-binding domain non-neutralizing mAb lost reactivity when BA.2.86 emerged, whereas the anti-NTD mAb was still functional. Finally, this work adds new insight into the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus by reporting that JN.1 is substantially less virulent in vivo than previous strains.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis Utilizes Serine/Threonine Kinase PknF to Evade NLRP3 Inflammasome-driven Caspase-1 and RIPK3/Caspase-8 Activation in Murine Dendritic Cells
Authors: Rastogi Shivangi , Ganesh Akshaya , Briken Volker
Published: July 2024

Dendritic cells (DCs) are crucial for initiating the acquired immune response to infectious diseases such as tuberculosis. Mycobacterium tuberculosis has evolved strategies to inhibit activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages via its serine/threonine protein kinase, protein kinase F (PknF). It is not known whether this pathway is conserved in DCs. In this study, we show that the pknF deletion mutant of M. tuberculosis (MtbΔpknF) compared with wild-type M. tuberculosis–infected cells induces increased production of IL-1β and increased pyroptosis in murine bone marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs). As shown for murine macrophages, the enhanced production of IL-1β postinfection of BMDCs with MtbΔpknF is dependent on NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1/11. In contrast to macrophages, we show that MtbΔpknF mediates RIPK3/caspase-8–dependent IL-1β production in BMDCs. Consistently, infection with MtbΔpknF results in increased activation of caspase-1 and caspase-8 in BMDCs. When compared with M. tuberculosis–infected cells, the IL-6 production by MtbΔpknF-infected cells was unchanged, indicating that the mutant does not affect the priming phase of inflammasome activation. In contrast, the activation phase was impacted because the MtbΔpknF-induced inflammasome activation in BMDCs depended on potassium efflux, chloride efflux, reactive oxygen species generation, and calcium influx. In conclusion, PknF is important for M. tuberculosis to evade NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated activation of caspase-1 and RIPK3/caspase-8 pathways in BMDCs.
Monoclonal Antibodies Engineered with Fc Region Mutations to Extend Protection against Fentanyl Toxicity
Authors: Khaimraj Aaron , Baehr Carly A , Hicks Dustin , Raleigh Michael D , Pravetoni Marco
Published: July 2024

Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the leading cause of drug-related deaths in the United States. mAbs that selectively target fentanyl and fentanyl analogues offer a promising strategy for treating both opioid-related overdoses and opioid use disorders. To increase the duration of efficacy of a candidate mAb against fentanyl, we selected three sets of mutations in the Fc region of an IgG1 anti-fentanyl mAb (HY6-F9DF215, HY6-F9DHS, HY6-F9YTE) to increase binding to the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). The mAb mutants were compared against unmodified (wild-type [WT], HY6-F9WT) anti-fentanyl mAb for fentanyl binding, thermal stability, and FcRn affinity in vitro, and for efficacy against fentanyl and mAb half-life in vivo in mice. Biolayer interferometry showed a >10-fold increase in the affinity for recombinant FcRn of the three mutant mAbs compared with HY6-F9WT. During an acute fentanyl challenge in mice, all FcRn-mutated mAbs provided equal protection against fentanyl-induced effects, and all mAbs reduced brain fentanyl levels compared with the saline group. Serum persistence of the mutant mAbs was tested in Tg276 transgenic mice expressing human FcRn. After administration of 40 mg/kg HY6-F9WT, HY6-F9DF215, HY6-F9DHS, and HY6-F9YTE, the mAbs showed half-lives of 6.3, 26.4, 14.7, and 6.9 d, respectively. These data suggest that modification of mAbs against fentanyl to bind to FcRn with higher affinity can increase their half-life relative to WT mAbs while maintaining efficacy against the toxic effects of fentanyl, further supporting their potential role as a therapeutic treatment option for opioid use disorder and overdose.
Intervention with strategic metacognitive training in a population of elders with subjective cognitive decline
Authors: D'Alessio Daniele , Sterpone Rossella , Pepoli Antonio , Maconi Antonio
Published: July 2024

Objectives: this research, conducted at the University Hospital of Alessandria, aimed to assess the impact of strategic metacognitive training on cognitive abilities, well-being, and the reduction of depressive symptoms in an elderly population. Materials and Methods: the study included a sample of 11 subjects, aged 66 to 81 years, exhibiting subjective cognitive decline. They had to learn mnemonic strategies and, through the metacognitive task, reflecting on the learning and application processes. The training included 10 sessions, once a week. Cognitive functioning was assessed using the Repeatable Battery for Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) in pre-test and post-test evaluations. Ad hoc tests were employed to investigate the effects of practice and generalization. Well-being, measured through the Psychological Wellbeing Questionnaire (BEN-SSC), and depressive status, assessed with the 15-item short form Geriatric Depression Scale (sfGDS), were also evaluated before and after the intervention. Results: the cognitive measurements yielded no significant findings, except for a tendency toward significance in the visuospatial and language ability index of the RBANS, indicating a slight improvement. Regarding well-being and mood, also here no results emerged in favor of significance. The only significant data was a reduction in personal satisfaction according to the BEN-SSC. Conclusions: the obtained results may be explained by potential inadequacies in the methodology, specifically in the structure and planning of the training. However, participants expressed interest in this type of intervention, demonstrating adherence in other training program.
A Case of Listeria Monocytogenes Brain Abscess with a Clinical Presentation Mimicking Stroke
Authors: Chu Ya-Chun , Chen Nai-Ching , Chen Chien-Liang
Published: July 2024

Purpose:

Kidney transplant recipients are at a high risk of both stroke and infection. We report this case to inform readers of the possibility of the occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes brain abscess despite treatment with low dose trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX).

Case Report:

A 62-year-old man presented to our hospital with right facial palsy, left arm and leg weakness, and mild fever; he was diagnosed with a stroke in the emergency room. The patient had a history of cadaveric renal transplantation 2 years prior, for which he was prescribed tacrolimus- based immunosuppressive drugs. Multiple myeloma was diagnosed 18 months after renal transplant. He was treated with bortezomib and steroids for the multiple myeloma, and low-dose TMP/SMX for pneumocystis prophylaxis. A listeria brain abscess was diagnosed based on a comprehensive medical history, magnetic resonance images, positive blood culture, and brain biopsy. He underwent ampicillin therapy and achieved full recovery after a 3-month follow-up period.

Conclusion:

Physicians should monitor unusual stroke symptoms and consider Listeria brain abscess as a differential diagnosis. This case suggests that listeria brain abscesses can potentially cause temporary neurological deficits akin to a stroke, despite TMP/SMX prophylaxis, but these symptoms resolve without necessitating surgical intervention.
Methodological and TNM Focus-Based Comparison of EGFR Mutation Status in Non-Small-Cell Lung Carcinomas
Authors: Akca Yasemin , Erkilic Suna
Published: July 2024

Background:

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in non-small-cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC) are a frequent class of driver mutations, and tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy provides considerable clinical benefits. Using the most effective and also easiest method for EGFR analysis is cost-effective and time-saving. In this study, we aimed to determine which method could be more effective by comparing the incidences of EGFR mutations in cytological and histological samples which were obtained by different methods also, whether there was a difference in the incidences of EGFR mutations between the primary foci, mediastinal lymph nodes, and distant metastatic foci.

Materials and Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed 420 cases of cytological materials, small biopsies, and surgical samples reported as NSCLC underwent EGFR analysis in our department between 2016 and 2022. We collected the data and interpreted the results from two different perspectives.

Results:

We identified 36 EGFR mutations in 362 biopsies (9.94%) and 17 in 58 cytology samples (29.31%). There is a significant difference between the two methods (P = 0.01*). We observed 38 EGFR mutations in 320 primary foci (11.87%), 7 EGFR mutations in 36 mediastinal or subcarinal lymph nodes (19.44%), and 8 EGFR mutations in 64 distant metastatic foci (12.50%). A significant difference was also observed in pleural samples (P = 0.005*).

Conclusion:

We observed more successful results with cell blocks obtained from liquid-based cytological specimens than with formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues obtained from resection or otherwise in our clinical routine. Our study results highlight the benefits of cytological specimens in molecular treatments and current therapy modalities.
Utility of Image Morphometry in the Atypical Urothelial Cells and High-Grade Urothelial Carcinoma Categories of the Paris System for Reporting Urinary Cytology
Authors: Sharan K.C. , Rohilla Manish , Dey Pranab , Srinivasan Radhika , Kakkar Nandita , Mavuduru Ravimohan S.
Published: July 2024

Introduction:

Urinary cytology (UrCy) is highly sensitive to diagnosing high-grade urothelial carcinoma (HGUC) but cannot predict muscularis propria invasion. Further, the atypical urothelial cell category (AUC) may have variable outcomes. Image morphometry (IM) may be a valuable adjunct technique in this setting. Hence, we evaluated IM in the AUC and HGUC categories to improve the diagnostic performance.

Materials and Methods:

The following six nuclear parameters were evaluated by IM on 3150 cells: nucleo-cytoplasmic (N:C) ratio, nuclear area, diameter, perimeter, standard deviation of the nuclear area (SDNA; pleomorphism) and integrated density (ID; nuclear chromasia), using the ImageJ software, in three cohorts based on the histopathology outcome: 20 cases of AUC – benign non-neoplastic outcome (AUC-B); 22 cases of HGUC Muscle invasive (HGUC-MI) and 21 cases of HGUC non-muscle invasive (HGUC-MF).

Results:

A retrospective analysis of urine cytology. The patient’s ages ranged from 36 to 85 years, with a mean age of 60.6. The male-to-female ratio was 5.4:1. A total of 20 cases of AUC-B and 43 cases of HGUC were selected for IM analysis. HGUC cases had higher nuclear parameters than AUC-B, and HGUC-MI had higher SDNA, ID, diameter, and area than HGUC-MF. SDNA and ID predict muscularis propria invasion in HGUC.

Conclusions:

Image morphometry successfully differentiates HGUC cases from benign non-neoplastic ones and might help to identify muscularis propria invasion in HGUC using a combination of nuclear parameters.