Tuning the energy gap of graphene quantum dots functionalized by [sbnd]OH and [sbnd] COOH radicals: First principle study

In this work, we performed theoretical calculations based on density functional theory for graphene quantum dots considering three different sizes. We consider graphene quantum dots formed by 7, 19, and 37 rings of C atoms in a hexagonal arrangement. The electronic band structure of graphite and graphene were calculated to evaluate the methodology and parameters used during calculations. The modeled graphene quantum dots structures were initially passivated by H atoms, then the H atoms were gradually replaced by [sbnd]OH or [sbnd]COOH radicals to investigate the influence of oxygen on the chemical stability and the energy gap. Based on the electric dipole moment, the replacement positions were selected. The results demonstrate that all the structures are chemically stable and that the energy gap depends on the number of [sbnd]OH or [sbnd]COOH radicals at the edge of the GQDs. H passivation results in energy gaps of 2.83 eV, 1.87 eV and 1.33 eV, decreasing with increasing [sbnd]OH or [sbnd]COOH radical amount. It was found that the energy gap varies non-monotonically as the [sbnd]OH or [sbnd]COOH radicals increase. To better understand the origin of the energy gap and its changes by [sbnd]OH or [sbnd]COOH radicals, we calculated the DOS and evaluated the HOMO and LUMO by Fermi surfaces

The Transformative Impact of Industrial Design on the Adaptation of Migrant Older Adults: A Gerontological Approach

The migration of older adults is a growing phenomenon with implications for the quality of life and well-being of this population. Migrant older adults often face challenges in adapting to new environments due to physical, social, and cultural constraints. Industrial design has the potential to address these challenges by incorporating gerontological principles into creating environments and products that fit the needs of this population. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to explore how gerontological design can facilitate adaptation and improve the quality of life of older adults who have migrated to new contexts. It seeks to identify specific design strategies that can mitigate the challenges of migration and promote social inclusion and functionality. METHODOLOGY: Qualitative research was conducted that included surveys and interviews with migrant older adults in various settings. Data collection focused on understanding the barriers they face in areas such as accessibility, social interaction, and comfort. Gerontological design principles were applied to develop adaptive solutions through collaboration with industrial designers and gerontologists. RESULTS The results highlight common challenges faced by migrant older adults, including mobility difficulties, language barriers, and social isolation. The proposed design solutions, such as accessible spaces and ergonomic products, demonstrated a positive impact on the adaptation and well-being of this population. CONCLUSIONS The application of gerontological design in migration contexts is essential to improve the quality of life of older adults. The results support the idea that adaptive design can address migration-specific challenges and foster social inclusion. Greater collaboration between industrial designers, gerontologists and migration professionals is recommended to develop more comprehensive solutions. Training designers in gerontological principles and considering cultural diversity in design are key steps for the future. FUTURE WORK: Future research should focus on the implementation and long-term evaluation of gerontological design solutions in diverse migration contexts. In addition, the expansion of this approach at the level of public policies and urban planning is urged to ensure a sustainable impact on the quality of life of migrant older adults

The Progression and Shift from Sustainable to Regenerative Architecture Design Concept

The buildings’ development and construction have contributed negatively over the years to the increase of the environmental footprint and have also affected the biosphere and society’s quality of life. For several decades the architectural discipline has studied various concepts and methods to mitigate and reduce these effects through sustainability until the concept of regenerative development. This process has been categorized by analyzing each era’s different paradigms, attributes, methodologies, and challenges through a timeline that allows us to know the causes of the evolution of sustainability in architecture. The literature review shows that another vision of how to understand sustainable architecture has emerged, making the concept serve as a relative means of raising awareness for the solution of environmental problems, where it is not the building regenerated as such, but rather the habitat processes that collectively focus on improving people’s lives through resilient ecological systems

Why Do We Buy Things that We Don’t Need: Reflections from Neuropsychology

The process that human mind follows to buy any article involves a series of steps. This work reflects from a neuropsychological point of view, the implication that executive functions have in this process. Inhibitory control, emotional regulation, decision making, planning, cognitive flexibility, error correction, and internal language regulating behavior are the executive functions that are analyzed on the possibility of generating an automatic or conscious behavior to make a purchase, for example, when an article is acquired because there is the need versus when a purchase is made only because of impulsive. As conclusion, evidence of the complex dynamics when buying a thing is left, where it is possible to consider executive functions for future marketing campaigns, thus, increase the sales of a specific product

Virtual Tours of Museums to Promote Tourism

Museums represent a collection of ancient and modern knowledge which must be protected, disseminated, and transmitted in the best viable way. Digital development and technology in recent years have made it possible to transform the way of interacting with museums through virtual tours (Palmieri et al in Springer Series in Design and Innovation, pp 71–82, 2023 [1]), which gained strength in times of pandemic, the products generated for virtual tours range from physical reproductions/faithful virtual images of historical artifacts to digital libraries that can be used by experts and others, in addition to 360º technology which allows a 360° viewing angle to be covered in two axes. That is, we can see everything around the point where it was made the photo or video. In this article, the virtual tours offered by some museums are analyzed, as well as the use of these tours as a tourism marketing strategy, giving the user the opportunity to interact with the place they plan to visit in a new way (Cóndor-Herrera and Ramos-Galarza in Marketing and smart technologies. Smart innovation, systems and technologies, pp 443–449, 2022 [2]

Virtual Reality as a Learning Mechanism: Experiences in Marketing

Virtual reality or VR is the simulation of a real or imaginary environment, which can be experienced as an abstraction of the real environment, which in turn allows the user to interact through a technological device within that simulation. Likewise, the user has the ability to modify the surrounding system by means of motion sensors, which will allow him/her to feel, and perceive as he or she is immersed in virtuality. Thanks to VR, sensorial perception is amplified, allowing to enhance our experiences of the real world, so that VR provides us with safe space of learning. Because of it, there has been seen necessary to review the scope of VR in marketing education, addressing that technology advances present excellent tools useful for the training of better professionals, as well as being support into rehabilitation processes, such as in learning difficulties at all marketing educational levels

Mobile Educational Resources in the Teaching–Learning Process of Inorganic Chemistry Nomenclature

The starting point of the present research work is the lack of interest shown by students of high school in learning inorganic chemical nomenclature, mainly due to the rote learning of the contents. From this scenario, the main objective is to analyze how mobile learning application can help students in the learning of inorganic chemical nomenclature, supporting the idea that mobile educational resources effectively influence students’ learning. The research assumes a qualitative-quantitative approach applying objective tests to the study population composed of 27 students in the experimental group and 24 in the control group. The results of the pretest objective tests compared with those of the posttests show a positive change in the academic performance of the students after the application of a set of didactic strategies that integrate active methodologies with mobile applications. Additionally, students are interviewed to know the level of academic satisfaction achieved after the use of mobile applications for their learning. The research concludes that students are more motivated to learn, they strengthen cooperative learning because they learn socially, they begin to make better use of mobile devices especially at home to improve their autonomous learning, they find a practical sense to the knowledge they acquire in each class, in short they are the essence of the teaching–learning process

Development of a Model for the Construction of Corporate Manuals with QR Codes

The creation of a brand manual that includes QR triggers makes it possible to unify and update the traditional editorial design with new technologies. The present study exposes a construction model of these corporate identity manuals and all the processes that must be carried out to obtain positive results in their application. The unit of analysis of this research was developed with three brand manuals from companies in the city of Quito, to which augmented reality QR triggers were included, which allowed access to complementary audiovisual material that helps the suppliers of these companies to use and apply the mark appropriately

Gamified Proposal to Stimulate Reading in Primary School Students

The lack of motivation and interest in reading in students is a fundamental problem since the minimum levels of reading competence for their age and educational level are not being reached. This research was developed with the aim of identifying motivation problems and using gamification as a pedagogical strategy to encourage reading in students. The study had a quantitative and descriptive approach that involved 30 students. Data were collected through the survey technique. The results of the research showed that reading demotivation is due to the lack of support at home, boredom and low reading comprehension that results from the use of traditional resources such as books that fail to capture and maintain the attention and interest of students. In addition, it was identified that the students present as main reading difficulties: problems of recognition of compound phonemes, lack of reading habit and motivation, as well as the deficit of reading comprehension, so it was necessary to implement a virtual strategy based on gamification through the digital tools Genially and Classflow. With the development of the research, it is concluded that the use of gamification as a pedagogical tool allows to motivate the reading of children, since its interactive elements and rewards create a stimulating and pleasant atmosphere that generates a positive impact on the performance of the student body

Study of the manufacturing process of rubber carpets in the company Calzamatriz Multimoquetas in the city of Ambato.

Los desechos de neumáticos sólidos son materiales no biodegradables que plantean grandes problemas ambientales y de salud pública, los gobiernos y las organizaciones ambientales a nivel mundial han introducido regulaciones para la recuperación y eliminación de neumáticos de desecho para adoptar un reciclaje más ecológico. Por tanto, este proyecto técnico tiene como objetivo estudiar el proceso de fabricación de moquetas de caucho en la empresa Calzamatriz Multimoquetas de la ciudad de Ambato