Immersive Intelligent Tutoring System for Remedial Learning Using Virtual Learning Environment

Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) has been widely used in supporting personal learning. However, there is an aspects that have not become focus in ITS, namely immersive. This research proposes an Immersive Intelligent Tutoring (IIT) model based on Bayesian Knowledge Tracing (BKT) for determining the learner’s characteristics and learning content delivery strategies using genetic algorithms. The model uses remedial learning with a faded worked-out example. This study uses a 3-Dimensional Virtual Learning Environment (3DMUVLE) that implements immersive features to increase intrinsic motivation. This model was built using a client / server architecture. The server side component uses the MOODLE, the client side component uses OpenSim and its viewers, and the middleware component uses the Simulation Linked Object Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (SLOODLE). Model testing is performed on user acceptance using a combination of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Hedonic-Motivation System Adoption Model (HMSAM) and the impact of the model in learning using statistical test. The results showed 83% of the learners felt happy with the learning. Meanwhile, the evaluation of the impact on learning outcomes shows that the use of this model is significantly different from traditional learning.

Demand-side or supply-side stabilisation policies in a small euro area economy: a case study for Slovenia

In this paper we analyse the effectiveness of demand- and supply-side fiscal policies in the small open economy of Slovenia. Simulating the SLOPOL10 model, an econometric model of the Slovenian economy, we analyse the effectiveness of various categories of public spending and taxes during the period 2020 to 2030, assuming that no crisis occurs. Our simulations show that those public spending measures that entail both demand- and supply-side effects are more effective at stimulating real GDP and increasing employment than pure demand-side measures. This is due to the fact that supply-side measures also increase potential and not only actual GDP. Measures which foster research and development and those which improve the education level of the labour force are particularly effective in this respect. Employment can also be stimulated effectively by cutting the income tax rate and the social security contribution rate, i.e. by reducing the tax wedge on labour income, which positively affects Slovenia’s international competitiveness. Successful stabilisation policies should thus contain a supply-side component in addition to a demand-side component. We also provide a first simulation of potential effects of the Covid-19 crisis on the Slovenian economy, which is modelled as a combined demand and supply shock.

PAT for Continuous Chromatography Integrated into Continuous Manufacturing of Biologics towards Autonomous Operation

This study proposes a reliable inline PAT concept for the simultaneous monitoring of different product components after chromatography. The feed for purification consisted of four main components, IgG monomer, dimer, and two lower molecular weight components of 4.4 kDa and 1 kDa molecular weight. The proposed measurement setup consists of a UV–VIS diode-array detector and a fluorescence detector. Applying this system, a R2 of 0.93 for the target component, a R2 of 0.67 for the dimer, a R2 of 0.91 for the first side component and a R2 of 0.93 for the second side component is achieved. Root mean square error for IgG monomer was 0.027 g/L, for dimer 0.0047 g/L, for side component 1 0.016 g/L and for the side component 2 0.014 g/L. The proposed measurement concept tracked component concentration reliably down to 0.05 g/L. Zero-point fluctuations were kept within a standard deviation of 0.018 g/L for samples with no IgG concentration but with side components present, allowing a reliable detection of the target component. The main reason inline concentration measurements have not been established yet, is the false-positive measurement of target components when side components are present. This problem was eliminated using the combination of fluorescence and UV–VIS data for the test system. The use of this measurement system is simulated for the test system, allowing an automatic fraction cut at 0.05 g/L. In this simulation a consistent yield of >99% was achieved. Process disturbances for processed feed volume, feed purity and feed IgG concentration can be compensated with this setup. Compared to a timed process control, yield can be increased by up to 12.5%, if unexpected process disturbances occur.

Managing a Secure Refresh Token Implementation with JSON Web Token in REST API

JSON Web Token (JWT) is a compact and self-contained mechanism, digitally authenticated and trusted, for transmitting data between various parties. They are mainly used for implementing stateless authentication mechanisms. The Open Authorization (OAuth 2.0) implementations are using JWTs for their access tokens. OAuth 2.0 and JWT are used token frameworks or standards for authorizing access to REST APIs because of their statelessness and signature implementation and JWT tokens are based on JSON and used in new authentication and authorization protocols in OAuth 2.0 because of their small size. When refresh tokens are stored in cookies, the size limit of a cookie or URL may be quickly exceeded. There may be refresh tokens for accessing users and getting the refresh token is a bit more complicated and refresh tokens in the browser require additional security measures and the attacker steals a refresh token and attempts to use it after the application has already used it. This implies that the attacker was able to steal a refresh token from the application. If the refresh token can be stolen, then so can the access token, even short token lifetimes can still lead to major abuse scenarios. In this article, we discuss the security properties of refresh tokens in the browser and the pattern to secure JWT tokens in the web front-end better. We propose a Backend for Frontend (BFF) pattern, where the token handling is deferred to the server-side component to a secure token that provides a lot of flexibility to the client-side.

Phototherapy and its effect on some physiological functions in newborns

Phototherapy represents the most common therapeutic intervention at neonatology departments in the first days of life. The beneficial effects of light on the decrease of the serum bilirubin level were first described by Cremer et al. in 1950’s (1). Since then phototherapy has been successfully used to treat severe hyperbilirubinaemia and has almost completely replaced exchange transfusion. Phototherapy is a relatively non-invasive method. However, along with decreasing bilirubin level, it can also influence some other functions: perfusion of organs, predominantly skin; peripheral vascular resistance; distribution of blood flow; heart activity and, thus, also systemic blood pressure along with breathing. A side component of applied light is a certain amount of heat which warms the body surface up and, therefore, the risk of exogenous overheating and increased water loss through the skin arise. Maternal-infant separation, modification of calcium homeostasis, disturbed circadian rhythm, or changes of the hemodynamics of various organ systems are only a few of the undesired effects which prove phototherapy not to be a treatment without any side effects. Careful indication of phototherapy is essential, particularly in premature infants.

COULOMB-MODIFIED EIKONAL MODEL ANALYSIS OF REFRACTIVE12C+12CELASTIC SCATTERING AT Elab= 240 AND 360MeV

We present the Coulomb-modified eikonal model by using a tangential velocity at the distance of closest approach. The Fraunhöfer oscillations observed in the elastic angular distributions of the12C +12C system at Elab= 240 and 360 MeV can be explained due to the strong interference between the near- and far-side scattering amplitudes. We have found that the strongly real and weakly imaginary potentials are required to describe the refractive12C +12C elastic scatterings at Elab= 240 and 360 MeV. The refractive pattern, dominated by the far-side component of the scattering amplitude, can be shown to be sensitive to the real part of optical potential at small radius. Introducing the tangential velocity, it is shown that the Coulomb-modified eikonal model satisfactorily reproduces experimental data concerning the refractive pattern in the angular distributions of the12C +12C system at Elab= 240 and 360 MeV.