bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of understanding the post-operative instructions with respect to extraction of teeth in rural population through verbal, written and audio-visual aids.
Authors: N Akshaya , P Sri Harini , Chandrasekaran Balamanikandasrinivasan
Published: March 2024

Aim: To compare the efficacy between verbal, written & audio-visual modes of communication in relation to post-operative instructions after extraction of teeth.
Materials & Methods: Ninety patients were equally divided into three groups. Group 1 were given verbal instructions, Group 2 in written format and Group 3- Audio visual mode. Their responses were recorded using a standard questionnaire after 24 hours of extraction and subjected to statistical analysis.
Results: Significant differences (p<0.05) was found when the responses were compared between Group 1 and Group 3 and Group 2 and Group 3.
Conclusion: Patients who received post-operative instructions through audio-visual mode (Group 3) had more understanding when compared to other groups. Incorporation of technology in communication has to be encouraged as it helps for better understanding.
Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.23 (Special Issue) 2024 p.S48-S52
Assessment of knowledge and attitude about bio banking amongst the general public and their willingness to donate bio specimens from a hospital in India
Authors: K Arathi , Vaswani Vina , Hegde Vijaya , Karikal Arvind
Published: March 2024

This study aims to know the attitude and perceptions of biobanks among the general public and their willingness to donate bio specimens from a hospital in India. Biobanks collect, store bio specimens for diagnosis, treatment and research purpose. According to modern bio banking, bio specimens needs to have standard operating procedures to do so. The bio specimen should be kept confidential and anonymous. Do they have an awareness of the role of biobanks? Do they know the concept of consent and implications of retaining specimens in biobanks? This paper evaluates these areas. A cross sectional study was conducted among general public above 18 years of age using convenience sampling. The data was obtained through a questionnaire which was distributed via online using Google forms and assessed the ethical perception of the general public regarding their willingness to donate own biological samples for teaching and research purposes and their awareness and attitude on biobanks. A total of 200 participants were included in the study. 71.4% participants did not have any prior knowledge about biobanks. 59.6% of the participants were willing to donate the biospecimens for advancement in medical research, benefit the society and future generation. 43.8% of respondents emphasised the main discouraging factor in participation in biobank research is that they have fear of sample exploitation. 37.9 percent participants responded that they would like to specify the scope for use when granting permission to use their sample for research. Biobank will advance in medical research only when medical institutes and government bodies’ install privacy, consent laws and initiate lot of awareness programmes to improve public perspectives and knowledge about biobanking.
Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.23 (Special Issue) 2024 p.S53-S59
Sentiment Analysis on App Reviews Using Support Vector Machine and Naïve Bayes Classification
Authors: Madjid Marchenda Fayza , Ratnawati Dian Eka , Rahayudi Bayu
Published: March 2024

A review is an assessment given by someone based on certain aspects, such as the delivery of stories, pictures, effects, or visuals. Users can provide reviews which help the company know the quality of the application. However, reviews cannot be used as a reference for rating, because there are still users who provide reviews that are irrelevant to the rating given. This study aims to carry out sentiment analysis in order to classify the application user review data. The sentiment classification process begins with collecting and labeling 700 data. The data then goes through a text preprocessing, word weighting with TF-IDF, and classification using the Support Vector Machine and Naïve Bayes Classifier. The results produce the highest accuracy in the comparison of training and test data of 90%:10%. Support Vector Machine algorithm is capable of providing high accuracy with RBF kernel, γ=1, and C=10. The results obtained using 10-fold cross validation give an accuracy value of 92.86%, a precision value of 92.88%, a recall value of 92.88%, a specificity value of 94.73%, and f-measure of 92.76%. Naïve Bayes Classifier method is able to provide high accuracy by using Multinomial Naïve Bayes Classifier. The results obtained using 10-fold cross validation give an accuracy value of 92.54%, a precision value of 92.55%, a recall value of 92.51%, a specificity value of 93.9%, and f-measure of 92.44%. Based from the result, it can be concluded that the classification using the Support Vector Machine is superior to the Naive Bayes Classification.
Bibliometric Analysis Presenting the Current State of Scientific Research, Evolution and Management of Sustainability
Authors: Cruceru Corina , Dumitrascu Danut Dumitru
Published: March 2024

The concept of sustainability has gained attention in academia, business, and policy, driven by concerns about environmental degradation, social inequities, and economic imbalances. This study analyzes scientific research and the evolution of sustainability, focusing on the automotive industry in management, business, and economics. Conducted from May to August 2023, a bibliometric analysis explores global trends, revealing diverse contributions. It emphasizes the need to enhance industry sustainability, particularly in the automotive sector, a significant contributor to global emissions responsible for ~10% of the greenhouse gas emissions. Regulations for achieving net-zero emissions extend from production to vehicle usage. Despite substantial volume of sustainability-related publications between 1900-2023, a comprehensive understanding of sustainability management practices, especially in specific industries, is underdeveloped indicating a gap between existing research and the practical implementation of sustainable practices, especially within industries such as automotive.
Environmental Risks and Agricultural Commodities
Authors: Dezfouli Kaveh Moradi , Walker Thomas J.
Published: March 2024

As natural disasters are expected to increase both in severity and frequency, their impact on agricultural commodities and the food supply chain is likely to rise in tandem. We use a unique data set of natural disasters that occurred globally between 1970 and 2015 and study their impact on the price and price volatility of eight globally traded agricultural commodities that account for more than 75% of the food supply in the world. Our results show that price and the price volatility of commodities are impacted around the occurrence of a natural disaster in producing countries. In addition, we find that the affected country’s production shares, the total damage caused by a natural disaster relative to the affected country’s GDP, and the demand pressure for the commodity have an impact on the magnitude of price and price volatility changes of a given commodity around the occurrence of a natural disaster.
The Effect of Nano-Encapsulated Orlistat on Prostate Cancer: An In vitro Study
Authors: Armutcu Ferah , Adam Bahattin
Published: March 2024

Background: The targeted inhibition of fatty acid synthase (FASN) by Orlistat, a potent FASN inhibitor, has been shown to block tumor proliferation and induce apoptosis in cultured tumor cells. Since Orlistat is insoluble, its solubility in blood circulation is limited. Cancer nanotherapeutics are rapidly progressing and are being implemented to solve several limitations of conventional drug delivery systems.

Aim: In this in vitro study, we aimed to overcome the limitation of orlistat changes by designing a nanoparticle and investigating its selective cytotoxic effects on cancer cells.

Method: To investigate the effects of encapsulated Orlistat on prostate cancer, we measured apoptosis and the distribution of cells via flow cytometry, confocal microscope, and Western blot.

Results: There is an improvement in the solubility of Orlistat with the effect of nanoparticles; it was observed that Orlistat decreased the expression of FASN and caused dose-dependent cytotoxicity with Caspase-3, Bax, and PARP activation in PC-3 cells, while it did not have a significant effect on normal prostate epithelial cells.

Conclusion: The present results indicate that the limitation of Orlistat can be overcome by assembling a nano-micellar formulation that can induce apoptotic death in the PC-3 cell line but normal prostate epithelial cells.
Enabling Circular Economy: Towards Sustainable Electronic Waste Management Regulation
Authors: Puluhulawa Fenty , Harun Amanda Adelina
Published: March 2024

Electronic waste contains hazardous and toxic materials which could pollute the environment and endanger humans, therefore it requires special management. In Indonesia, Law No. 18 of 2008 concerning Waste Management has not specifically regulated the management of electronic waste.  This article explores how circular economy concept are applied in Indonesia's waste management laws, specifically addressing electronic waste. The results of the study found that the waste management model in Indonesia, which generally accumulates waste in Final Disposal Sites, could not be a long-term solution for electronic waste. Based on circular economy principles, every product must be utilized optimally both as a product and as an ingredient by recycling. Recycle in an economy circular also known in Law No. 18 of 2008. The recycling method needs to be applied to electronic waste, purposed to reduce pollution caused by electronic waste, as well as reduce hazardous content due to the production process. Indonesia is still lacking in terms of electronic waste regulation.
Corteza: 3D Printing Cork-based Bio-Composite Materials for Design Applications
Authors: Demirkiran Gizem , Mayor Luque Ricardo , Cruz Marcos , Verdum Maria , Ventalló Eduard
Published: March 2024

One of the world’s biggest pollution problems is noise, not only outside but also in indoor spaces of buildings. This paper focuses on the potential of using cork stopper waste to create a bio-composite for 3D printed furniture that helps tackling excessive noise levels in confined spaces. The experimentation first focused on creating a natural binder suitable for cork granules and 3D printing. Several different prototype mixtures were fabricated throughout the process with three different cork granule sizes and with the addition of clay to increase the material's strength, flexibility, and noise absorption coefficient. Intensive testing of various biocomposite types demonstrated how different sizes of cork granules react to sound waves when they are printed with different geometries. The resulting chair prototype proved an effective and promising performance of 3D-printed cork bio-composites for furniture inside our homes.
Comparative Study and Validation of Photovoltaic Model Formulations for the IBPSA Modelica Library based on Rooftop Measurement Data
Authors: Maier Laura , Nytsch-Geusen Christoph , Westermann Lucas , Mathur Kushagra , Wetter Michael , Müller Dirk
Published: March 2024

Domain-overarching system models are crucial to investigate sector coupling concepts. Specifically, the coupling of building and electrical energy systems becomes crucial to integrate renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic power systems (PV). For such interdisciplinary simulation models, Modelica is a suitable language. However, most open-source Modelica libraries are either domain-specific or lack simple-to-parameterize PV models. We close this gap by developing a PV model for the IBPSA Modelica library. The model comprises two I-V-characteristic models and three mounting-dependent approaches to calculate the cell temperature. The I-V-characteristic models follow a single- and two-diodes approach. This study uses measurement data from a rooftop PV system in Berlin, Germany, for validation. The focus lies on comparing the implemented single- and two-diodes approach. Results prove that both models accurately calculate the modules’ DC power output and cell temperature. The two-diodes approach slightly outperforms the single-diode one at the expense of a higher parameterization effort.
Understanding and Improving Model Performance at Small Mass Flow Rates in Fluid System Models
Authors: Flesch Robert , Kuhlmann Annika , Brunnemann Johannes , Jörg Eiden
Published: March 2024

This paper provides a detailed analysis of the reasons behind the poor simulation performance observed when mass flow rates become very small, commonly referred to as zero mass flow issues. By using simple example models, we effectively demonstrate the underlying causes of these simulation performance issues. We highlight various contributing factors that play a significant role in exacerbating the problem. Furthermore, we propose and examine countermeasures to mitigate these challenges. These countermeasures include modifications to the model itself, utilization of available settings in simulation tools, and adjustments to the solver. By implementing and evaluating these countermeasures, we illustrate their impact on improving simulation performance in scenarios involving low mass flow rates.
ThermalSystemsControlLibrary: A Modelica Library for Developing Control Strategies of Industrial Energy Systems
Authors: Borst Fabian , Frank Michael Georg , Theisinger Lukas , Weigold Matthias
Published: March 2024

The transformation of energy-intensive industries towards greenhouse gas neutrality leads to increasing complexity of industrial energy supply systems. This affects particularly thermal energy systems due to waste heat utilization measures as well as the integration of renewable energy sources and further storage capacities. This complexity is also reflected in the control strategies of such systems, which makes the development of dynamic simulation models for testing them a research field of growing interest. The ThermalSystemsControlLibrary is a novel Modelica library, which aims at standardized modeling of industrial energy supply systems for control strategy development. Based on a generic data model, all components cover physical as well as control modeling and are particularly suitable for testing supervisory control strategies within external frameworks using the FMI standard. The library is validated for an exemplary use case of an industrial energy supply system comparing two different supervisory control strategies.
Exploiting Modelica and the OpenIPSL for University Campus Microgrid Model Development
Authors: Fachini Fernando , Bhattacharjee Srijita , Aguilera Miguel , Vanfretti Luigi , Laera Giuseppe , Bogodorova Tetiana , Moftakhari Ardeshir , Huylo Michael , Novoselac Atila
Published: March 2024

The need for modeling different aspects of microgrid design and operation has seen the development of various tools over time for different analysis purposes. In this study, Modelica has been adopted as the language of choice to construct a University Campus Microgrid model, utilizing the Modelica Standard Library and the OpenIPSL library. This paper explores the advantages of utilizing Modelica for campus microgrid modeling, emphasizing its benefits and unique features. Modelica features, such as the use of record structures and replaceable templates prove to be particularly advantageous for the modeling task, enabling flexibility and efficiency in the modeling process. Furthermore, comprehensive validation tests are conducted to ensure the accuracy and reliability of sub-systems (e.g. specific power generator systems), before assembling the microgrid network model as a whole. The results demonstrate the efficacy of Modelica in accurately modeling and simulating microgrids, highlighting its potential for advancing microgrid research and development.
Bodylight.js 2.0 - Web components for FMU simulation, visualisation and animation in standard web browser
Authors: Kulhanek Tomas , Mladek Arnost , Kofranek Jiri , Jezek Filip
Published: March 2024

Simulators used in teaching and education comprises a mathematical model of the system under study and user interface that allows to control model inputs and visualize model state and results in an intuitive way. This paper presents web components - that can be used to build in-browser web simulator. The models used for the web simulators must be written in standard Modelica language and compiled as standard FMU (Functional mockup unit). The toolchain version Bodylight.js 2.0 contains tools to compile FMU into WebAssembly language able to be executed directly by web browser. Bodylight.js 2.0 web components can be then used to combine model, interactive animation and charts into rich web document in HTML or Markdown syntax only without any other programming or scripting.
Creating cardiovascular and respiratory models using Physiolibrary 3.0
Authors: Mateják Marek
Published: March 2024

The free open-source library called Physiolibrary (https://github.com/MarekMatejak/Physiolibrary) in version 3.0 recast components from physiological domains such as hydraulic (cardiovascular), thermal, osmotic and chemical into Modelica Standard Library (MSL) concept of Fluid/Media. Components are expanded to include gases transports, acid-base, electrolytes, nutrients delivery and endocrines by simple selecting pre-packaged media. They can be connected directly (the same medium) or across membranes (different media), allowing small physiological models to be easily coupled within more quantitative ones with minimal effort.
Variable Structure System Simulation via Predefined Acausal Components
Authors: Neumayr Andrea , Otter Martin
Published: March 2024

This article outlines a new approach of the experimental open-source modeling and simulation system Modia to simulate systems where the number of variables and equations can be changed after compilation and also during simulation, without having to re-generate and rec-ompile the code. Details are given for heat transfer in an insulated rod, where the discretisation of the rod is completely hidden from the symbolic engine. It is discussed how this approach could also be used in a future version of Modelica and/or FMI. Furthermore, this feature is also used in various variants to speed up collision handling in 3D mechanical systems. For example, by rigidly fixing an object after it has been gripped, with or without calculating the elastic response, and thereby dynamically changing the number of degrees of freedom.
DroneLibrary: Multi-domain Drone Modeling in Modelica
Authors: Podlaski Meaghan , Vanfretti Luigi , Winkler Dietmar
Published: March 2024

In the development of complex, novel electrified aerial systems such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) systems, multi-domain modeling and simulation studies can provide indispensable insight on system design and performance. In this paper, a Modelica library used to model multi-domain drone models is introduced. This library models a drone in the electrical, mechanical, and control domains, with examples for applications such as battery-power analysis, virtual reality simulation and user interaction.
Integration of Heat Flow through Borders between Adjacent Zones in AixLib's Reduced-Order Model
Authors: Groesdonk Philip , Jansen David , Schmiedt Jacob Estevam , Hoffschmidt Bernhard
Published: March 2024

For dynamically simulating the thermal behavior of a building, the reduced-order model (ROM) implemented in the Modelica IBPSA and AixLib libraries provides a time-efficient calculation method based on the standard VDI 6007-1. Additionally, the Python package TEASER features a possilibity to fill the model parameters with automatically generated typical and/or enriched building data. So far, both have not been capable of modelling heat flow through borders between thermal zones. In this contribution, we present the integration of this feature into the open-source software combination. Additional new features include non-constant soil temperatures and a new approach to estimate interior building elements in cases without proper knowledge. Calculation results are presented for an exemplary application and show satisfactory agreement with measured values. The respective code (including the example presented here) is in the process of being published as part of the AixLib and TEASER open-source repositiories.
Electrode boiler model for ancillary service simulation
Authors: Nielsen Rene Just , Pedersen Thomas Egsgaard
Published: March 2024

A generic component-based model of an industrial electrode boiler with internal control systems is presented. A mechanistic modelling approach was taken to include as much process and control information as possible and to generate detailed simulation results. The model is intended for qualitative studies of electrode boiler dynamics in the context of district heating generation and power grid ancillary services in collaboration with other electric power consuming units. An example boiler control scheme is designed and included in the simulation model as this is paramount to the dynamic response of the system. Simulations of standstill, load changes, and startup from hot and cold state show that the strictest ancillary service requirements can be fulfilled when the boiler is kept at operating temperature.
Development of a novel quasi-2D PEM Electrolyzer Model in Modelica
Authors: Reimann Ansgar , Kohlenbach Paul , Röntzsch Lars
Published: March 2024

To increase the efficiency of PEM electrolysis, simulation models are required that accurately describe the system's electrochemical and thermal behavior in a computationally efficient manner and are thus suitable for developing control strategies. Therefore, a pseudo-2D PEM electrolyzer model is presented in this paper, which is a compromise between the previously developed models regarding their model complexity. The electrochemical behavior is described with equations commonly used in the literature and the thermal behavior with correlations for gas-liquid heat transfer. Preliminary validation indicates that the model can describe the electrochemical behavior and thermal dynamics of a PEM electrolysis stack with good accuracy.
SSP in a Modelica Environment
Authors: Brück Dag
Published: March 2024

System Structure and Parameterization (SSP) is a tool independent standard to define complete systems. Dymola now supports import and export of SSP files; this paper describes how the SSP support was implemented and discusses some of the constraints and unavoidable compromises.
PNRG – A Library for Modeling Variable Structure Energy Grids in Modelica using Energetic Petri Nets
Authors: Gutsche Christian , Wang Zizhe , Götz Sebastian , Prokopets Volodymyr , Aßmann Uwe
Published: March 2024

Operating energy grids with a high share of renewable energy sources (RES) requires system reconfiguration as a response to environmental condition changes. To understand them better, simulations are needed and Modelica is an excellent choice for that. Energy grids with event-based reconfigurations are an instance of variable structure systems (VSS). However, the full support of VSS in Modelica is challenging and topic of ongoing research. Petri nets (PNs) offer a formalism for modeling VSS. The capability to simulate PNs in Modelica gives an opportunity to model VSS in Modelica. This paper presents an approach to utilize PNs in Modelica for modeling variable structure energy grids. Therefore, we introduce energetic Petri nets, a special type of PNs and an experimental library called PNRG for PN-based energy system modeling is presented. Furthermore, possibilities and limits of modeling VSS energy grids are discussed and an outlook how to develop this technique is provided.
Modelica Association Standards and Surrogate Modeling to Enable Multi-Fidelity Simulations
Authors: Lindqvist Olle , Hällqvist Robert , Munjulury Raghu Chaitanya
Published: March 2024

System simulations are particularly useful when analyzing complex systems. Simulations are often cheaper and safer than physical tests of the actual system(s) of interest. Models can be additionally created for systems that do not exist to find solutions that are impossible to analyze experimentally in early life-cycle stages. Models used in system simulations require appropriate input data to give results with the required fidelity and, in the end, credibility. Integration is often challenging as each system commonly constitutes contributions from several engineering domains. Relying on relevant open standards for information exchange is seen as a means of mitigation. The results of the presented work encompass a developed methodology that allows Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) results to be integrated into a simulator using system identification and open standards. Reduced Order Models (ROMs) are generated based on results from a CFD analysis. These ROMs are coupled to lumped parameter system simulation models through the mechanisms of the System Structure and Parameterization (SSP) and Functional Mock-up Interface (FMI) standards. In addition, several important factors to consider before using the proposed methodology are presented. These include the intended use of the ROM, knowing the flow inside the system, what resources are available, and any potential licensing issues.
Energy Efficiency Measures for Existing Factory Buildings
Authors: Kirschstein Xenia , Schaffarczyk Anja , Schuster Miriam , Bishara Nadja
Published: March 2024

To contribute to carbon neutrality, energy efficiency measures in existing factories must be evaluated holistically, considering not only production and technical building equipment but also the building itself. In this study, a package is introduced as part of a simulation library which aims to identify integrated energy efficiency measures. The package enables the user to simulate building related efficiency measures independently or combined with machines and technical building equipment. Special focus is placed on the efficiency measure hereafter referred to as enclosure, which designates a thermally activated construction around a number of machines to facilitate the capturing of waste heat emitted to the ambient air. A comparison with measured data shows a good agreement of the return temperature for stationary conditions. Furthermore an application example for the package is given.
Hybrid Power Systems Simulation and Optimization Utilizing SSP and FMI
Authors: Araki Dai , Sandell Magnus
Published: March 2024

Collaborative model-based development of the hybrid power system often requires large-scale co-simulation and system parameter optimization. In this study, we investigate an architecture for parallel processing simulation of SSP (System Structure and Parametrization) and FMI (Functional Mock-up Interface), which enables high-speed computation by multi-core distribution. We combine Bayesian optimization and co-simulation, then we build a collaborative development platform for hybrid power systems design. We report performance experiments using hybrid electric vehicle simulation model published by JAMBE (Japan Automotive Model-Based Engineering center).
Simulation of Vehicle Headlamp Levelling systems
Authors: Cieslar Filip , Düsing Martin
Published: March 2024

Adjustment systems are used in vehicle headlamps to regulate the flare on the street. The kinematic system within the headlamp is driven automatically based on level sensor signals and can additionally be manually set to a start position. In modern cars the automatic vehicle headlamp levelling is legal duty due to the strong cut-off line (COL) between dark and light. This COL can be measured in a workshop but not during operation. Due to the complex kinematics including nonlinear contacts, friction and damping a Modelica model is used to calculate the position of the COL. The results show a characteristic hysteresis of the horizonal position during automatic movement. The simulation results are compared to measurements and show good agreement.
A Penalty Function-based Modelica Library for Multi-body Contact Collision
Authors: Zhu Ziheng , Zhao Hualong , Ma Xueqi , Liu Yuhui , Chen Lu , Zhou Fanli
Published: March 2024

Contact collisions are prevalent in mechanical multi-body systems and have always been a significant limiting factor for engineering technology development. This paper examines the fundamental types of contact in multi-body dynamics systems and explores their inherent topological relationships. Based on the multi-body dynamics theory and penalty function contact algorithm, this paper constructed the multi-body dynamics contact model using Modelica, which is a multi-domain unified modeling language. To enhance the applicability of the contact model library in the modeling of multi-body system, the contact model provides a connection interface compatible with the multi-body library in the Modelica standard library.
A renewable heat plant Modelica library for dynamic optimization with Optimica
Authors: De Verdiere Thomas Colin , Serra Sylvain , Sochard Sabine , Garcia Pierre , Delmas Pierre , Reneaume Jean-Michel
Published: March 2024

Almost half of the energy consumed globally is under the form of heat, produced mainly through fossil fuels. Switching to using renewable energy instead is a real challenge. Combining renewable thermal energy with thermal storage is a complex system to operate. To harness the full potential of thermal plants, advanced control strategies need to be implemented. Dynamic real-time optimization (DRTO) seems promising to fine tune controller setpoints of plants. The goal of our study is to ultimately enable DRTO by using Optimica because of its ease of use and Modelica’s modularity. This paper presents a Modelica library developed to first perform offline dynamic optimization with Optimica, and would ultimately be used in a DRTO strategy. The library enables to model a renewable thermal plant composed of solar thermals, heat pumps and thermal storages. The model of each subcomponent has been validated. Initial dynamic optimizations of plant operation give promising results.
The feed balances sheet: a tool for planning the use of resources and enhancing resilience in tropical grazing livestock
Authors: Mottet Anne , Assouma Mohamed Habibou
Published: March 2024

Similarly to other tropical, arid and semi-arid regions of the World, livestock production in the Sahel is based on extensive grazing in rangelands where managing herd mobility (transhumance and nomadism) is key to productivity and sustainability. However, in this region, government planning, impact assessments and climate change adaptation solutions face several methodological limitations and lack of data availability particularly about the feed and forage resources and how there are used by livestock. Existing feed balances at national or regional level in Sub-Saharan Africa are still largely perfectible. To address these limitations, FAO and CIRAD (French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development) have developed a tool called Feed Balance Sheet (FBS) adapted to the Sahelian livestock systems to help countries carry out improved feed balances. This new FBS tool provides the following improvements to existing feed balances in countries: (i) it considers the seasonality of feed availability and quality as well as the seasonality of animal requirements; (ii) it includes protein and energy in addition to dry matter; (iii) it takes into account a wide range of resources, including browsing of woody biomass. This article describes the methodological development and the assumptions underlying this tool, which has already been piloted in 6 countries in Western and Central Africa. It also presents the results from 2 countries (Mali and Chad) and draws conclusions on the tool’s relevance and guidance for its application. It can be used to improve the resilience of pastoral communities in the Sahel and better plan responses to droughts and other types of crises. Its use requires dedicated training and partnerships between governments and science organizations for accessing the appropriate input data. Based on the tool’s experience in six countries (including 2 for which results are presented in this paper), we have confirmed the key role that CIRAD, FAO and their partners must play during the first few years in coaching the different teams at the country level.
Successful hearing preservation and improved subjective sound quality with the flexible 28-mm electrode array
Authors: Calvino Miryam , Sánchez-Cuadrado Isabel , Muñoz Elena , Gavilán Javier , Lassaletta Luis
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Flexible electrode arrays have shown to be an effective solution to ensure atraumatic insertion. However, flexible full-length electrodes are not suited for patients with smaller cochleae. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate short-term and medium-term hearing preservation (HP) in patients with low-frequency residual hearing (LFRH) who were implanted with a flexible 28-mm electrode array and who did not meet the indication criteria for electric-acoustic stimulation (EAS).

Methods

HP was determined based on the pure-tone audiogram of the implanted ear. A bisyllable sentence test was used to assess speech perception in quiet and in noise. The hearing implant sound quality index (HISQUI19) evaluated self-reported hearing quality. The tests were conducted pre- and post-operatively, at first fitting, and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after first fitting.

Results

At 12 months post first fitting, 2 patients had complete HP; 4 patients had partial HP. Speech perception scores improved in all patients of the study. The mean scores on the bisyllable sentence test in noise significantly increased from 30% pre-operatively to 62% 6 months post first-fitting and to 68% 12 months post first-fitting. The mean score of the HISQUI19 improved from 40.56 (poor) pre-operatively to 72.56 (moderate) 1 month post first-fitting and to 90.29 (good) 12 months post first-fitting.

Conclusion

The 28-mm flexible electrode array facilitates atraumatic surgery and HP and results in improved speech perception and subjective sound quality scores.
Superior performance of biocomposite nanoparticles PLGA-RES in protecting oocytes against vitrification stimuli
Authors: Hai Guiping , Bai Jiachen , Liu Yucheng , Li Jun , Liu Aiju , Wang Jingjing , Liu Qian , Liu Weijun , Wan Pengcheng , Fu Xiangwei
Published: March 2024

Irreversible cryogenic damage caused by oocyte vitrification limits its widespread use in female fertility preservation. In recent years, nanoparticles (NPs) have gained great attention as potential alternatives in protecting oocytes against cryoinjuries. In this paper, a novel composite nanoparticle, poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid)-resveratrol (PLGA-RES) was designed to improve the biocompatibility and sustained release properties by encapsulating natural antioxidant RES into PLGA NPs. Firstly, biotoxicity and oxidation resistance of PLGA-RES were determined, and the results showed that PLGA-RES had nontoxic effect on oocyte survival during in vitro maturation (IVM) (97.08% ± 0.24% vs. 98.89% ± 1.11%, p > 0.05). Notably, PLGA-RES even increased maturation (65.10% ± 4.11% vs. 52.85% ± 2.87%, p < 0.05) and blastocyst rate (56.13% ± 1.36% vs. 40.91% ± 5.85%, p < 0.05). Moreover, the reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) level (13.49 ± 2.30 vs. 34.07 ± 3.30, p < 0.01), increased glutathione (GSH) (44.13 ± 1.57 vs. 37.62 ± 1.79, p < 0.01) and elevated mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) levels (43.10 ± 1.81 vs. 28.52 ± 1.25, p < 0.01) were observed in oocytes treated with PLGA-RES when compared with that of the control group. Subsequently, the role of PLGA-RES played in oocytes during vitrification was systematically evaluated. The results showed that the addition of PLGA-RES during vitrification and thawing significantly improved the survival rate (80.42% ± 1.97% vs. 75.37% ± 1.3%, p < 0.05). Meanwhile, increased GSH (15.09 ± 0.86 vs. 14.51 ± 0.78, p < 0.01) and mitochondrial membrane potential (22.56 ± 3.15 vs. 6.79 ± 0.60, p < 0.01), decreased reactive oxygen species levels (52.11 ± 2.95 vs. 75.41 ± 7.23, p < 0.05) and reduced mitochondrial abnormality distribution rate (25.00% ± 0.29% vs. 33.33% ± 1.15%, p < 0.01) were assessed in vitrified MII oocytes treated with PLGA-RES. Furthermore, transcriptomic analyses demonstrated that PLGA-RES participated in endocytosis and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway regulation, which was verified by the rescued expression of ARRB2 and ULK3 protein after PLGA-RES treatment. In conclusion, PLGA-RES exhibited potent antioxidant activity, and could be used as an efficacious strategy to improve the quality of vitrified oocytes.
The epithelium takes the stage in asthma and inflammatory bowel diseases
Authors: López-Posadas Rocío , Bagley Dustin C. , Pardo-Pastor Carlos , Ortiz-Zapater Elena
Published: March 2024

The epithelium is a dynamic barrier and the damage to this epithelial layer governs a variety of complex mechanisms involving not only epithelial cells but all resident tissue constituents, including immune and stroma cells. Traditionally, diseases characterized by a damaged epithelium have been considered “immunological diseases,” and research efforts aimed at preventing and treating these diseases have primarily focused on immuno-centric therapeutic strategies, that often fail to halt or reverse the natural progression of the disease. In this review, we intend to focus on specific mechanisms driven by the epithelium that ensure barrier function. We will bring asthma and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases into the spotlight, as we believe that these two diseases serve as pertinent examples of epithelium derived pathologies. Finally, we will argue how targeting the epithelium is emerging as a novel therapeutic strategy that holds promise for addressing these chronic diseases.
PAD-mediated citrullination is a novel candidate diagnostic marker and druggable target for HPV-associated cervical cancer
Authors: Albano Camilla , Biolatti Matteo , Mazibrada Jasenka , Pasquero Selina , Gugliesi Francesca , Lo Cigno Irene , Calati Federica , Bajetto Greta , Riva Giuseppe , Griffante Gloria , Landolfo Santo , Gariglio Marisa , De Andrea Marco , Dell’Oste Valentina
Published: March 2024

Citrullination is an emerging post-translational modification catalyzed by peptidyl-arginine deiminases (PADs) that convert peptidyl-arginine into peptidyl-citrulline. In humans, the PAD family consists of five isozymes (PADs 1-4, 6) involved in multiple diseases, including cancer. Given that high-risk (hr) human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the etiological agents of cervical cancer, in this study, we sought to determine whether PAD-mediated protein citrullination would play a functional role in the HPV-driven transformation of epithelial cells. Here we show that both total protein citrullination and PAD4 expression levels are significantly associated with cervical cancer progression. Specifically, epithelial immunostaining for PAD4 revealed an increasingly higher histoscore from low-grade (CIN1) to high-grade (CIN2, CIN3) cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, and invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) lesions, raising the attractive possibility that PAD4 may be used as tumor staging markers. Furthermore, taking advantage of the epidermoid cervical cancer cell line CaSki, which harbors multiple copies of the integrated HPV16 genome, we show that the expression of E6 and E7 HPV oncoproteins is impaired by treatment with the pharmacological pan-PAD inhibitor BB-Cl-amidine. Consistently, p53 and p21, two targets of HPV oncoproteins, are upregulated by the PAD inhibitor, which undergoes cell growth arrest and apoptosis. Altogether, these findings highlight a novel mechanism by which hrHPVs alter host regulatory pathways involved in cell cycle and survival to gain viral fitness, raising the possibility that PADs may represent an attractive target for developing novel host-targeting antivirals effective in preventing cervical cancer progression.
Amplifying weak signals: a method-building approach for inclusive climate resilience strategy making
Authors: Champlin Carissa , Eapen Ann , Vitkutė Rūta , Groot Janne , Forgaci Claudiu
Published: March 2024

Socio-ecological inclusion and the impacts of climate change on the built environment are two shared concerns central to the design and planning of the just transition in cities. The just transition leans heavily on inclusive convergence processes that are grounded in knowledge integration and transdisciplinary practice. However, there is a paucity of effective methods for the inclusion of so-called weak signals from actors situated at the periphery of these convergence processes. Building on the concept of structured flexibility, we introduce a building-blocks approach as a modular architecture for constructing methods for distributed engagement and knowledge integration beyond conventional small-group settings. By engaging in research through design, the Amplifying Weak Signals approach was prototyped with students in the context of dealing with heatwaves in The Hague and tested with expert users from the region who facilitate resilience strategy-making processes. Out of 900 possible building block combinations, 18 methods were created during prototyping. The resulting heatwave strategies that were drafted based on the collected peripheral knowledge showed the integration of new socio-ecological issues rather than a drastic departure from the baseline resilience strategy of the city. We discuss the research findings and their use in the production of guidelines for the construction of methods to integrate peripheral knowledge in convergence processes. Ongoing work to develop the guidelines in the form of an open-access, interactive repository of knowledge elicitation methods for urban resilience spatial planning will also be described. Recommendations for scaling the approach are provided.
Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration thyroglobulin in the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis of differentiated papillary thyroid carcinoma and its influencing factors
Authors: Su Xuejiao , Shang Lei , Yue Can , Ma Buyun
Published: March 2024

Background

Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration thyroglobulin (FNA-Tg) is recommended for the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), but its optimal cutoff value remains controversial, and the effect of potential influencing factors on FNA-Tg levels is unclear.

Method

In this study, a retrospective analysis was conducted on 281 patients diagnosed with DTC, encompassing 333 lymph nodes. We analyze the optimal cutoff value and diagnostic efficacy of FNA-Tg, while also evaluating the potential influence of various factors on FNA-Tg.

Results

For FNA-Tg, the optimal cutoff value was 16.1 ng/mL (area under the curve (AUC)= 0.942). The optimal cutoff value for FNA-Tg/sTg was 1.42 (AUC = 0.933). The AUC for FNA combined with FNA-Tg yielded the highest value compared to other combined diagnostic methods (AUC = 0.955). It has been found that serum thyroglobulin (sTg) is positively correlated with FNA-Tg (Rs = 0.318), while serum thyroglobulin antibodies (sTgAb) is negatively correlated with FNA-Tg (Rs = -0.147). In cases where the TNM stage indicated N1b, the presence of large or high volume lymph node metastasis(HVLNM), lymph node lateralization/suspicion (L/S) ratio ≤ 2, ultrasound findings indicating lymph node liquefaction, calcification, and increased blood flow, patients with coexisting Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT), a tumor size ≥10 mm, and postoperative pathology confirming invasion of the thyroid capsule, higher levels of FNA-Tg were observed. However, the subgroup classification of DTC and the presence or absence of thyroid tissue did not demonstrate any significant impact on the levels of FNA-Tg.

Conclusion

The findings of this study indicate that the utilization of FNA in conjunction with FNA-Tg is a crucial approach for detecting LNM in DTC. TNM stage indicated N1b, the presence of HVLNM, the presence of HT, lymph node L/S ratio, liquefaction, calcification, tumor diameter, sTg and sTgAb are factors that can impact FNA-Tg levels.

In the context of clinical application, it is imperative to individualize the use of FNA-Tg.
Multiple paths of green and low-carbon development in industrial parks: group analysis based on the TOE framework
Authors: Meng Xin , Cheng Yue , Xuan Yuanhua
Published: March 2024

The green and low-carbon development of industrial parks plays an important role in promoting industrial and technological agglomeration, How to optimise their green and low-carbon development pathways is an important management question to be answered, requiring the examination of multiple path based on a histological perspective. Based on the technology–organisation–environment framework, this study selected 29 state-level economic and technological development zones (ETDZs) in China as research objects, and explored multiple sets of paths using fuzzy set qualitative comparison and necessity-contribution analysis. The study found that: 1) four promotion paths can be adopted for green low-carbon development of the zones: endogenous drive, balanced promotion, core support drive and comprehensive drive; 2) single environmental factor does not constitute a bottleneck hindering the green low-carbon development of the zones, which should be combined with the actual situation of the zones, and the balanced enhancement of the effectiveness of green and low-carbon should be realised through measures such as industrial policy, environmental risk prevention, and performance assessment of green policies. Finally, the study proposes the following policy recommendations: industrial parks should focus on the key role of environmental risk prevention, apply a combination of measures in accordance with their own realities, and appropriate external pressure can help promote green and low-carbon development.