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Recent trends in the chemical modification of polysaccharides for food packaging:A review
Get PDFThe environmental impact of petroplastics that do not readily biodegrade has intensified the search for sustainable packaging materials. Polysaccharides derived from plant and marine sources are biodegradable and renewable, but their hydrophilicity and weak mechanical and barrier properties limit their use in high-performance packaging. Chemical modification offers an effective solution by introducing hydrophobic or functional groups that enhance physicochemical performance, making modified polysaccharides strong candidates for sustainable packaging applications. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in the chemical modification and development of plant-based polysaccharides (starch, cellulose and its derivatives, and pectin) and marine-based polysaccharides (agar, carrageenan, alginate, and chitosan) for food packaging applications. Emphasis on how chemical modifications influence key functional properties relevant to sustainable packaging, including barrier performance, biological activities, and freshness-monitoring capabilities. Film fabrication techniques such as solution casting, extrusion, coating, and electrospraying are also discussed regarding their impact on material performance. Overall, the reviewed studies demonstrate that chemical modification can substantially enhance the functional properties of polysaccharides and enable active and intelligent packaging functionalities. While challenges related to food safety, scalable production, environmental impact, and real-world performance remain, chemically modified polysaccharides show strong potential as sustainable and functional materials for the next generation of food packaging
Governing the ‘State of Emergency’: An Analysis of Homelessness-Oriented Policies in Portland, Oregon
No full textNumerical and experimental investigation of silk/carbon hybrid composites:Mechanical properties and progressive damage
Get PDFThe limited toughness, fracture energy, and elongation of carbon fiber-reinforced composites restrict their broader application. In contrast, silk fiber exhibit high toughness and ductility, making them attractive candidate for hybrid reinforcement. In this work, silk/carbon hybrid fiber reinforced composite were fabricated using continuous natural fiber 3D printing followed by vacuum-assisted hot pressing. Mechanical tests combined with scanning electron microscopy was employed to evaluate the effect of silk fiber content on the mechanical properties and damage mechanisms of hybrid fiber reinforced composite. The incorporation of silk fiber enhanced the Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness by 62.32 %. With higher silk fiber fractions, tensile fracture energy and flexural ultimate strain improved by 153 % and 182 %, respectively. A finite element model based on the Hashin failure criterion was developed to accurately predicted the progressive damage, and the numerical simulation showed good agreement with experimental results. These findings demonstrate that hybridizing carbon with silk fibers provides a viable pathway to tailor toughness, ductility and other mechanical properties in composite systems.</p
Anchor entrepreneurs as microfoundational agents of regional industry emergence:the genesis of Scotland’s space industry
Get PDFPhoto- and electro-luminescence studies of a new nine-coordinate ternary Eu(III) complex
Get PDFA new 4′-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine (DmP-TerPy) ligand has been synthesized and utilized as the ancillary ligand in conjunction with the primary antenna ligand 4,4,4-trifluoro-1-phenyl-1,3-butanedione (btfa) to develop a new nine coordinate red emitting ternary Eu(III) complex, [Eu(btfa) 3(DmP-TerPy] (Eu1). Eu1 was characterised by analytical and spectroscopic techniques and its photophysical properties were analysed. The experimental results were complemented by computational methods, namely, density functional theory (DFT), time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT), and the Lanthanide Luminescence Software Package (LUMPAC), to establish the photoluminescence (PL) properties of the sensitised Eu(III) complex and the energy transfer (EnT) processes involved. Finally, to test the application of Eu1 as a narrow band red emitter, the material was used as the emitting layer (EML) in a multi-layered host-guest device to fabricate highly monochromatic red organic light-emitting diodes (R-OLED).</p
Enhanching Assessment as Learning:The Influence of Language Assessment Literacy on Indonesian EFL Students’ Writing
Get PDFThis study examines the impact of enhancing Language Assessment Literacy (LAL) on Indonesian EFL students’ writing development through Assessment as Learning (AaL) practices. Unlike most research that emphasizes teacher-focused LAL, this study shifts attention to learners, exploring how assessment knowledge, particularly through rubrics, can promote metacognitive awareness, autonomy, and improved writing outcomes. A mixed-methods design was employed with 84 senior high school students randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Results showed no significant differences between groups prior to the intervention. However, post-test scores indicated a significant advantage for the experimental group (M = 16.69) compared to the control group (M = 8.91), with a large effect size (η² = .82), confirming the effectiveness of LAL-based pedagogy. Qualitative interview data revealed that students’ attitudes toward LAL strongly shaped its classroom integration. Although learners initially reported limited experience, low confidence, and concerns about the reliability of peer assessment, they ultimately expressed positive perceptions of LAL, highlighting its role in clarifying writing expectations, supporting reflection, and fostering learner autonomy. These findings suggest that embedding LAL in EFL writing instruction can transform assessment into a learner-centered process that enhances both writing performance and self-regulated learning. Pedagogically, the study underscores the importance of scaffolding and supportive implementation of student-centered assessment practices. However, the study is limited by its short intervention period and context-specific sample. Future research should adopt longitudinal designs, involve diverse contexts, and explore digital tools to support sustainable LAL integration
Exploring the relationship between Language Learning Mindsets, Academic Success, and Language Proficiency in English Medium Medical Education
Get PDFLanguage Learning Mindsets (LLMs) encompass learners’ beliefs concerning language learning and how these beliefs can influence their motivation to embrace challenges to learn better. This study investigates the relationship between LLMs and academic success in a fourth-year medical program at a public university utilizing English-medium instruction (EMI). Using the Language Mindsets Inventory (LMI), the study evaluates the growth and fixed mindsets of 133 students towards language learning. Academic success is measured through grades obtained in courses delivered in English, as well as preparatory English courses, specifically English for General Purposes (EGP) and English for Specific Purposes (ESP). Utilizing simple linear regression analysis, the study examined the relationship between the dependent variables, namely growth and fixed Language Learning Mindsets (LLMs), and the predictor variable, academic success in English Medium Instruction (EMI) courses. The findings indicate that both growth and fixed LLMs emerged as statistically significant predictors of EMI academic success. This suggests that students with a growth mindset exhibited enhanced academic achievement in EMI contexts. Conversely, a fixed mindset was inversely related to academic success, and notable gender differences emerged in fixed LLMs. The results underscore the importance that educators should receive training on how to address different language learning mindsets among students. This training can help educators encourage the development of growth mindsets in all learners and support students with fixed mindsets. Policymakers should consider the implications of language learning mindsets when developing educational policies. This may include allocating resources for research on effective mindset interventions and incorporating mindset-oriented approaches into educational policies
Large Data Limits of Laplace Learning for Gaussian Measure Data in Infinite Dimensions
Get PDFLaplace learning is a semi-supervised method, a solution for finding missing labels from a partially labeled dataset utilizing the geometry given by the unlabeled data points. The method minimizes a Dirichlet energy defined on a (discrete) graph constructed from the full dataset. In finite dimensions the asymptotics in the large (unlabeled) data limit are well understood with convergence from the graph setting to a continuum Sobolev semi-norm weighted by the Lebesgue density of the data-generating measure. The lack of the Lebesgue measure on infinite-dimensional spaces requires rethinking the analysis if the data aren't finite-dimensional. In this paper we make a first step in this direction by analyzing the setting when the data are generated by a Gaussian measure on a Hilbert space and proving pointwise convergence of the graph Dirichlet energy
A scoping review of followership literature in compulsory schooling contexts
Get PDFThis scoping review examines 61 peer-reviewed studies (1984–2024) on followership in compulsory schooling to map existing research and highlight future research areas. Findings show a predominance of quantitative studies, with limited attention to relational and co-constructive frameworks. Middle leadership and cross-cultural contexts are underrepresented. The review highlights a lack of focus on building followership capacity and its impact on school culture. While followership is acknowledged as critical to organizational success, its reciprocal role with leadership remains underexplored. The review calls for diverse methodologies and greater attention to sociocultural factors to inform more collaborative and sustainable leadership practices in schools.</p
A Comparative Analysis of FLE Wellness Benefits and Customer Responsiveness:A Social Exchange Theory Perspective
Get PDFGiven the importance of frontline employees (FLEs) for organizations and consumers, it is important to motivate them to achieve optimal performance. One way to motivate FLEs is through employer-provided wellness benefits, which might increase FLEs’ responsiveness to customer needs. Building on social exchange theory, this research simultaneously examines five different wellness benefits to identify factors that can enhance FLEs’ feelings of being valued and an induced sense of indebtedness, which in turn can have downstream effects on customer responsiveness. The results of five studies, including a pilot study, preliminary sales study, field studies, and an internal meta-analysis, demonstrate how food and social benefits exert the strongest effects, with food yielding stronger direct effects on customer responsiveness and both showing indirect effects through value and indebtedness feelings. The next strongest effects are from mindfulness benefits. Physical and health wellness benefits exert the weakest downstream consequences. Importantly, if FLEs are in a supportive work environment, the effects of food and social benefits are enhanced. Conversely, job stressors and motivational constructs do not significantly impact the effects of employer-provided wellness benefits. By adopting the provided recommendations, retailers and service providers can institute effective and optimal wellness programs to enhance their FLEs’ customer-facing behaviors
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