Self-Gelling Solid Lipid Nanoparticle Hydrogel Containing Simvastatin as Suitable Wound Dressing: An Investigative Study

Hydrogels, an advanced interactive system, is finding use as wound dressings, however, they exhibit restricted mechanical properties, macroscopic nature, and may not manage high exudate wounds or incorporate lipophilic actives. In this study, we developed a self-gelling solid lipid nanoparticle (SLNs) dressing to incorporate simvastatin (SIM), a lipophilic, potential wound-healing agent, clinically limited due to poor solubility (0.03 mg/mL) and absorption. The study explores unconventional and novel application of SIM. The idea was to incorporate a significant amount of SIM in a soluble form and release it slowly over a prolonged time. Further, a suitable polymeric surfactant was selected that assigned a self-gelling property to SLNs (SLN-hydrogel) so as to be used as a novel wound dressing. SLNs assign porosity, elasticity, and occlusivity to the dressing to keep the wound area moist. It will also provide better tolerance and sensory properties to the hydrogel. SIM loaded SLN-hydrogel was prepared employing an industry amenable high-pressure homogenization technique. The unique hydrogel dressing was characterized for particle size, zeta potential, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, rheology, and texture. Significant loading of SIM (10% w/w) was achieved in spherical nanoparticule hydrogel (0.3 nm (nanoparticles) to2 µm (gelled-matrix)) that exhibited good spreadability and mechanical properties and slow release up to 72 h. SLN-hydrogel was safe as per the organization for economic co-operation and development (OECD-404) guidelines, with no signs of irritation. Complete healing of excision wound observed in rats within 11 days was 10 times better than marketed povidone-iodine product. The presented work is novel both in terms of classifying a per se SLN-hydrogel and employing SIM. Further, it was established to be a safe, effective, and industry amenable invention.

Application of Web 2.0 Technology to Cooperative Learning Environment System Design of Football Teaching

In general, web 2.0 technology serves as an educational tool for teaching and learning aspects. The study is aimed at exploring the interactive system of football teaching in the information technology era. The coach and players will utilize the mobile learning resources to get effective learning about the fun. Using mobile learning technology, the coach has to implement different modes to make the players learn about the game. The study implemented the convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithm to evaluate the accuracy of using web 2.0 technology to cooperative learning environment system design of football teaching. The results show that the network teaching interactive learning system of football courses based on web 2.0 can achieve the intended function of the college educational administration management system.

Incorporating Affective Computing Into an Interactive System With MakeyMakey

People's motions or behaviors often ensue from these positive or negative emotions. Set off either subconsciously or intentionally, these fragmentary responses also represent people's emotional vacillations at different times, albeit rarely noted or discovered. This system incorporates affective computing into an interactive installation: While a user is performing an operation, the system instantaneously and randomly generates corresponding musical instrument sound effects and special effects. The system is intended to enable users to interact with emotions through the interactive installation to yield a personalized digital artwork as well learning about how emotions affect the causative factors of consciousness and personal behaviors. At the end of the process, this project design renders three questionnaires for users to fill in as a means to enhance the integrity and richness of the system with a survey and to further increase the stability and precision of the system through progressive modifications aligned with user suggestions.

Bouncing dynamics of electrostatically actuated NEM switches

The aim of the present research is to understand the bouncing dynamic behavior of nano electromechanical (NEM) switches in order to improve the switch performance and reliability. It is well known that bouncing can dramatically degrade the switch performance and life; hence, in the present study, the bouncing dynamics of a cantilever-based NEM switch has been studied in detail. To this end, the repulsive van der Waals force is incorporated into a nano-switch model to capture the contact dynamics. Intermolecular forces, surface effects, and gas rarefication effects were also included in the proposed model. The Euler-Bernoulli beam theory and an approximate approach based on Galerkin’s method have been employed to predict transient dynamic responses. In the present study, performance parameters such as initial contact time, permanent contact time, major bounce height, and the number of bounces, were quantified in the presence of interactive system nonlinearities. The performance parameters were used to investigate the influence of surface effects and rarefication effects on the performance of an electrostatically actuated switch. Recommended operating conditions are suggested to avoid excessive bouncing for these types of NEM switches.

Synchronous Display and Whiteboard-Like Freehand Writing App as Teaching Tool for Virtual Classroom amidst the Pandemic

Purpose: The research evaluates if teachers can achieve better teaching outcomes by using a proposed mobile interactive system (MIS) developed for this study as an additional approach to enhancing teachers’ proficiency in Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) in the virtual classroom. Background: According to previous studies, teachers’ self-assessment on TPACK might be affected by their egos because they have autonomy over the students in the classroom. Some studies suggest that utilisation of an interactive whiteboard (IWB) promotes creativity in teaching and learning but that it is unsuitable for a virtual environment due to its large size and the high maintenance costs associated with owning one in a teacher’s residence. Besides, some studies also reveal that allowing the students to assess their teachers through TPACK is able to reduce potential errors which might result from the TPACK self-assessment done by teachers. Methods: Pre- and post- experiments were conducted with the developed MIS integrated into teaching process. Synchronous display (SD) and whiteboard-like freehand writing (WFW) were features of the MIS integrated into the experimental group. Questionnaires were distributed to the students, and a reflective measurement model was formed using SmartPLS and IBM SPSS Statistics. Findings: Based on our findings, teachers’ Technological Content Knowledge had a significant positive effect on TPACK with the inclusion of MIS in online teaching. Predictive relevance was also evaluated through a Q2 value to predict the endogenous construct of the constructed model. The Q2 value was greater than zero, indicating that the model possesses a predictive relevance. Conclusion: The integration of the developed MIS in the virtual classroom has a significant positive impact on the students’ academic performance relating to concept learning and knowledge acquisition of subject matter.

Interactive System for Similarity-Based Inspection and Assessment of the Well-Being of mHealth Users

Recent digitization technologies empower mHealth users to conveniently record their Ecological Momentary Assessments (EMA) through web applications, smartphones, and wearable devices. These recordings can help clinicians understand how the users’ condition changes, but appropriate learning and visualization mechanisms are required for this purpose. We propose a web-based visual analytics tool, which processes clinical data as well as EMAs that were recorded through a mHealth application. The goals we pursue are (1) to predict the condition of the user in the near and the far future, while also identifying the clinical data that mostly contribute to EMA predictions, (2) to identify users with outlier EMA, and (3) to show to what extent the EMAs of a user are in line with or diverge from those users similar to him/her. We report our findings based on a pilot study on patient empowerment, involving tinnitus patients who recorded EMAs with the mHealth app TinnitusTips. To validate our method, we also derived synthetic data from the same pilot study. Based on this setting, results for different use cases are reported.

JARET: A Human Assistive A.I. Agent for Goal Review and Time Management

Many students do not set goals or plan their time weekly (due to lack of ability, perceived difficulty, and other reasons) resulting in procrastination, stress, and lower academic performance. This paper presents the design methodology and considerations for a human assistive AI agent that helps students review and plan for study goals, reducing a large abstract problem into a set of simpler review tasks. J.A.R.E.T. (Just A Recommender Engine for Time) uses key principles from Self-Regulated Learning and Cognitive Load Theory in an interactive system that guides students through focused goal review and planning tasks, then uses a constraint satisfaction AI agent to assemble a proposed calendar schedule designed to help achieve the student’s goals. The AI agent uses hard and soft constraints with a value function designed and searches for a best fit that follows constraints while trying to also fit student preferences. Results show that the design is able to reliably build recommended solutions when constraints and preferences are reasonable and not overly restrictive.

Innovative Dynamic Matrix-Type Learning Environment Based on the Example of the St. Petersburg School of Conference Interpreting and Translation, Herzen University, Russia

The paper examines an innovative cluster-type matrix model for training interpreters and translators, based on recent developments in text and pragmatics theory, as well as on the scenario approach in education. The aim is to create a single, multifaceted space for open interpreter and translator training with an anthropological focus, drawing on the achievements in Russian teaching culture and best world practices, including a system of feedback from employers, to enable a flexible response to the needs of the society. To achieve the aim, an innovative interactive system of intensive interpreter and translator training has been developed based on a cluster principle and continuous education quality monitoring. At the heart of the system are a scenario strategy and a text typology approach. What is unique about the St Petersburg School of Conference Interpreting and Translation (SCIT)’s project is the fact that it is not just an educational programme or a system or an algorithm, but a dynamic matrix-type learning environment.It is a flexible model for professional retraining that presupposes a range of basic skills and can fill any gaps in the general translators’ competence and current performance by applying the professional environment matrix. The cluster approach provides a combination of in-person, distant and independent learning components, as well as increased transparency of the educational and professional spaces, opening up future employment prospects.The ‘diffuse matrix’ version of the innovative matrix principle in education underlies the diversity of methods employed by SCIT: methodological pluralism, dominant in the process of training, implies a combination of diverse techniques developed by different authors for the matrix, making it most flexible and the whole approach – customer tailored. It should be pointed out that the external diversity is strictly regulated and targeted by the project’s creators by means of a monitoring mechanism.The future of the model is seen in its use in Russia and other countries to train highly professional interpreters and translators in other spheres (for example, audiovisual translation). It could also be used at the final stage of higher vocational training; as a standard mechanism for improving professional skills and retraining; as well as a social harmonising element (creating new links among academic, educational, and professional activities).