Local System Research Articles

The IFMIF-DONES Control Architecture: The State-of-the-Art Design of Central and Local Control Systems and Communication Networks.

The IFMIF-DONES Control Architecture: The State-of-the-Art Design of Central and Local Control Systems and Communication Networks.

Adenotonsillectomy and Health Care Utilization in Children With Snoring and Mild Sleep Apnea: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

The literature indicates that health care utilization (HCU) of children with untreated moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea is greater than that of matched controls before diagnosis, and treatment is associated with a decline in HCU not observed in those who remain untreated. Research on this topic has been limited to retrospective analyses and observational cohort studies; little is known about HCU among the many children with snoring and mild sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). To determine whether adenotonsillectomy in comparison with watchful waiting with supportive care is associated with fewer health care encounters and prescriptions. This randomized clinical trial, Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy Trial for Snoring (PATS), was a 12-month, parallel-arm trial conducted from 2016 to 2022 in tertiary care centers in the United States. Participants were recruited from otolaryngology, sleep, pulmonary, or general pediatric clinics; aged 3 to 13 years; diagnosed with mild SDB; had a tonsillar hypertrophy grade of 2 or more; and had a body mass index z score less than 3. Children referred from a clinician outside of the local electronic medical record system were excluded. Data analysis was conducted from June 2022 to April 2024. Early adenotonsillectomy. Evaluation of HCU was a prespecified secondary aim of PATS. Total encounters and total prescriptions over the 12 months after randomization were analyzed. Among 459 children who were randomized, the analytic sample included 381 children, after excluding those referred from outside the local electronic medical record system. The median (IQR) age was 6 (4-8) years; 192 participants (50%) were female and 189 (50%) male. Adenotonsillectomy was associated with a 32% reduction in total health care encounters (mean difference, -1.25 per participant per year; 95% CI, -1.96 to -0.53) and a 48% reduction in prescriptions (mean difference, -2.53 per participant per year; 95% CI, -4.12 to -0.94). The difference in encounters was primarily driven by fewer office visits and outpatient procedures rather than by reduced hospitalizations or urgent care visits. This study found that adenotonsillectomy was associated with reduced all-cause HCU in children with mild SDB, supporting early intervention for children with mild SDB. Future research focused on the cost effectiveness of adenotonsillectomy for pediatric SDB is warranted. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02562040.

Establishing psychiatry as a field of municipal policy

How did psychiatry develop as a field of municipal politics in Germany? Decisive prerequisites for this can be found in the reform psychiatry of the early 20th century, but above all in the socio-medical reform movement of the Weimar period, when municipal health authorities set up counselling and support services for mentally ill people. These were instrumentalised by National Socialism for its racist extermination programme, and it was not until the psychiatric reform that began in the 1970s that these approaches were taken up again. The far-reaching responsibilities of the municipal authorities, which had already been established in the Weimar period, supported the resurgence of an active organisation of the local psychiatric care system by the municipal health authorities. With its own social psychiatric services, the task of coordinating psychiatry and structures such as psychosocial working groups, health conferences and community psychiatric associations, psychiatry has become a field of active municipal policy with the goal of an inclusive society.

Research on Intelligent Local Energy System and Power Metering Based on Supply-side Demand Based on KNN

Based on the K-Nearest Neighbor algorithm, this paper deeply studies the intelligent local energy system and power metering problems of supply-side demand. Through the analysis of a large amount of energy consumption and supply data, we have built an intelligent system that can accurately predict and meet local energy demand. Specifically, we collected electricity consumption data for the past five years, including multi-dimensional information such as daily consumption, seasonal changes, and weather factors. Through the KNN algorithm, we successfully identified the key factors affecting electricity consumption and established a prediction model. The model can predict the power demand in the future based on historical data and real-time information, providing strong decision support for the supply side. In practical application, the system also plays an important role in power metering. Through the monitoring and analysis of real-time power data, the system can accurately calculate the power consumption of each region, providing data support for energy management and optimization. In the application of our pilot city, we’ve achieved remarkable results. The precision of our power demand prediction system has exceeded 90%, while the margin of error in power measurements remains below 2%. These improvements have had a profound impact on energy utilization efficiency and economic performance. Moreover, through meticulous data analysis, we’ve discovered that optimizing the energy mix and increasing the share of renewable energy are highly effective strategies for cutting energy costs and mitigating environmental pollution. Looking ahead, we intend to delve deeper into how the KNN algorithm and other cutting-edge technologies can be harnessed to further enhance the sustainability of our local energy system. The research in this paper not only provides theoretical support for the development of intelligent local energy system, but also provides a new idea for the innovation of power metering technology.

Sex as modifier of survival in patients with advanced urothelial cancer treated with pembrolizumab

Gender- and sex-based disparities in response to immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) has been reported in a variety of tumor types. Women have different anatomy with recurrent urinary tract infections, a different sex hormonal profile, and intrinsic differences in local and systemic immune systems and urobiome composition. Existing literature data in a pan-cancer context reveal contradictory results, and real-world evidence in urothelial carcinoma (UC) is lacking. This was a real-world, multicenter, international, observational study to determine the sex effects on the clinical outcomes in metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) patients progressing or recurring after platinum-based therapy and treated with pembrolizumab as a part of routine clinical care. A total of 1039 patients, treated from January 1st, 2016 to December 31st, 2023 in 68 cancer centers were included. Our data showed that women with metastatic urothelial carcinoma treated with pembrolizumab had shorter OS than men, with a 13% advantage in the 5-year OS rate for male patients. A deeper understanding of these results may inform sex-stratification in future prospective clinical trials and help develop strategies to reduce the magnitude of the sex disparities observed in urothelial cancer outcomes.

Food System Scenarios in Uncertain Futures: A Case Study on Long-Term Local Food System Planning in Revelstoke, Canada

Food System Scenarios in Uncertain Futures: A Case Study on Long-Term Local Food System Planning in Revelstoke, Canada

Integration of large language models into the clinic : Revolution in analysing and processing patient data to increase efficiency and quality in radiology

Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Llama and Claude are transforming healthcare by interpreting complex text, extracting information, and providing guideline-based support. Radiology, with its high patient volume and digital workflows, is aideal field for LLM integration. Assessment of the potential of LLMs to enhance efficiency, standardization, and decision support in radiology, while addressing ethical and regulatory challenges. Pilot studies at Freiburg and Basel university hospitals evaluated local LLM systems for tasks like prior report summarization and guideline-driven reporting. Integration with Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) and Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems was achieved via Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) and Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) standards. Metrics included time savings, compliance with the European Union (EU) Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act, and user acceptance. LLMs demonstrate significant potential as asupport tool for radiologists in clinical practice by reducing reporting times, automating routine tasks, and ensuring consistent, high-quality results. They also support interdisciplinary workflows (e.g., tumor boards) and meet data protection requirements when locally implemented. Local LLM systems are feasible and beneficial in radiology, enhancing efficiency and diagnostic quality. Future work should refine transparency, expand applications, and ensure LLMs complement medical expertise while adhering to ethical and legal standards.

Development of an abdominal acupoint localization system based on AI deep learning

This study aims to develop an abdominal acupoint localization system based on computer vision and convolutional neural networks (CNNs). To address the challenge of abdominal acupoint localization, a multi-task CNNs architecture was constructed and trained to locate the Shenque (CV8) and human body boundaries. Based on the identified Shenque (CV8), the system further deduces key characteristics of four acupoints: Shangwan (CV13), Qugu (CV2), and bilateral Daheng (SP15). An affine transformation matrix is applied to accurately map image coordinates to an acupoint template space, achieving precise localization of abdominal acupoints. Testing has verified that this system can accurately identify and locate abdominal acupoints in images. The development of this localization system provides technical support for TCM remote education, diagnostic assistance, and advanced TCM equipment, such as intelligent acupuncture robots, facilitating the standardization and intelligent advancement of acupuncture.

Docetaxel-Loaded Electrospun Nanofibrous Mats for Local Chemotherapy Targeting Positive Surgical Margins in Prostate Cancer.

Positive surgical margins following radical prostatectomy significantly contribute to tumor recurrence. While systemic chemotherapy demonstrates limited efficacy in this context, local chemotherapy drug delivery systems based on nanomaterials offer promising strategies to address this issue by modifying drug release kinetics and distribution, thereby enhancing antitumor effects while minimizing the toxicities associated with systemic chemotherapy. In this study, we utilized electrospun nanofibrous mats loaded with docetaxel for sustained drug delivery. In vitro experiments demonstrated that these implantable drug-loaded nanofibrous mats effectively inhibited prostate cancer cell growth, induced cell cycle arrest, and promoted apoptosis. In animal models, these drug-loaded nanofibrous mats exhibited prominent therapeutic effects on positive surgical margins postoperatively. Importantly, docetaxel-loaded nanofibrous mats modulated the tumor immune microenvironment by suppressing M2-like macrophages, increasing the ratio between M1- and M2-like macrophages, and enhancing CD8+ T-cell infiltration. Local administration significantly reduced systemic toxicity compared to systemic chemotherapy. In summary, we developed an implantable electrospun drug-loaded nanofibrous mat for localized docetaxel delivery, which offers a prospective strategy for managing positive surgical margins after surgery.

A cross-sectional survey analysis of patient and family knowledge, confidence, and perceived barriers to reporting patient deterioration.

The knowledge, confidence, and skills of healthcare consumers to identify acute clinical deterioration and appropriately escalate concerns remain largely undetermined. This gap is despite the widespread international introduction of consumer escalation systems intended to provide patients and family an avenue to escalate their concerns if worried about deterioration in their own or relative's condition during a hospital stay. To explore patient and family knowledge of acute clinical deterioration, and their confidence and perceived barriers to escalating their concerns. Cross-sectional, in-person, consumer surveys across an Australian acute adult hospital. The study specific survey tool was developed through a multistage process with healthcare consumer input during creation and testing. Questions explored healthcare consumer knowledge, confidence, and perceived barriers in association with acute clinical deterioration, recognising deterioration, and escalating concerns. Descriptive and inferential analysis was completed, and knowledge, confidence, and barrier scores established. Association between scores and consumer type, gender, age, education level, prior experience with clinical deterioration or rapid response team review, and hospitalisation history in the last 12 months were assessed using multivariable linear regression. 133 surveys were completed. Knowledge scores varied across respondents. Awareness of the local consumer escalation system was low. A positive association was identified between knowledge and confidence that diminished with increasing barrier scores. A strong negative correlation was present between barriers and confidence. No significant difference existed in knowledge, confidence, or barrier scores based on consumer type, gender, education level, previous experience with deterioration or rapid response team review, or hospitalisation history. Limitations in patient and family knowledge may impede consumer escalation system success. Increasing knowledge may enhance patient and family confidence to identify deterioration and escalate concerns. However, barriers to consumer escalation decrease this potential. Interventions to increase consumer knowledge should therefore be accompanied by strategies to minimise barriers.

Ecotourism and Co-Management: Strengthening Socio-Ecological Resilience in Local Food Systems

The general aim of this paper is to analyse theoretical perspectives on ecotourism, co-production, and co-management, seeking to understand how these approaches interact and promote the sustainability of natural food resources and sustainable management practices. The methodology adopts a qualitative approach with exploratory and descriptive objectives, utilising a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) to identify and examine the key studies related to the subject. The main findings indicate that ecotourism fosters biodiversity conservation, which sustains local food practices and provides significant economic benefits for local communities through co-production and co-management between stakeholders. The community emerges as a principal active resource in planning and management processes by creating opportunities for environmental education; integrating local knowledge and experiences to develop a unique, multidimensional adaptive capacity; and promoting system regulation. Moreover, the analysis of the examined works highlights the importance of environmental education programmes, flexible institutions open to dialogue with the community, and the equitable distribution of benefits. Lastly, a framework is presented that depicts the relationship among ecotourism, co-production, co-management, and socio-ecological resilience, based on five premises. This framework proposes a holistic approach to achieving socio-ecological resilience in food practices and the sustainable management of resources.

FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS FOR SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT

The article proposes an approach to improving the financial support for the spatial development of territorial communities through the implementation of adaptive mechanisms that address modern challenges of socio-economic instability and external threats. Effective financial support is identified as a key factor influencing the ability of local self-government bodies (LSGBs) to implement long-term development projects aimed at infrastructure creation, environmental improvement, and enhancing the quality of life for residents. The study emphasizes the importance of key financial instruments, such as public-private partnerships, grant funding, and local borrowing, which contribute to strengthening the financial sustainability of local self-governance systems. At the same time, the main challenges hindering the spatial development of communities are identified, including limited own revenues, heavy dependence on state transfers, and insufficient fiscal autonomy, which complicate the planning and implementation of strategic projects. The research aims to develop theoretical and practical recommendations for implementing effective financial mechanisms to ensure balanced community development, even under conditions of limited financial resources. To achieve this, methods of analysis, synthesis, systems approach, and expert assessments were used, providing a comprehensive review of the issue. The results of the study indicate that the introduction of financial mechanisms such as public-private partnerships, internal and external borrowing, international grants, and state transfers significantly enhances the financial capacity of LSGBs. This, in turn, facilitates infrastructure development, improves the accessibility of services for the population, and ensures sustainable and balanced territorial development. Thus, adopting a comprehensive approach to financial support for spatial development enables local self-government bodies to manage financial resources effectively, implement strategic objectives, and respond to contemporary challenges. The development and implementation of adaptive financial support mechanisms will lay the foundation for sustainable community development and improve the quality of life for their residents.

Surface Nanotube Engineering of Iodine‐125 Seed for Combination of Chemotherapy and Brachytherapy

AbstractIodine‐125 (125I) brachytherapy, in combination with chemotherapy, is extensively utilized for tumor treatment. However, the primary challenge in concurrently implementing brachy‐chemotherapy involves integrating the in situ implantation of 125I seeds with the systematic administration of chemotherapeutic agents. Therefore, a novel 125I seed modified with titanium dioxide nanotubes (125I@TNT) is proposed to establish a localized drug release system. The titanium dioxide nanotubes are fabricated through anodic oxidation, exhibiting a uniform diameter of ≈100 nm and a thickness of 1 µm. These nanotubes effectively loaded doxorubicin (29.16 µg DOX/seed) while meeting the quality standards for subsequent applications, such as outer diameter and leak‐proofness properties (125I@TNT loaded with DOX is named 125I@TNT‐DOX). In vivo distribution studies revealed that 125I@TNT‐DOX delivered significantly more DOX concentrations to tumors compared to free DOX administered intravenously (5 mg kg−1) while delivering less DOX in the heart. Both in vitro and in vivo studies confirmed that apoptosis is the primary mechanism of cell death induced by 125I@TNT‐DOX. Additionally, 125I@TNT‐DOX effectively suppressed the growth of subcutaneous tumors in 4T1 and Hepa1‐6 tumor‐bearing mouse, surpassing other treatments, particularly the combination of 125I seeds and intravenously administered DOX (5 mg kg−1). This system offers a promising strategy for enhancing concurrent brachy‐chemotherapy.

Cloud Computing Architecture Based on Network Security Vulnerabilities and Privacy Protection in the Kinematic Model of Hybrid Robots

Cloud Computing Architecture Based on Network Security Vulnerabilities and Privacy Protection in the Kinematic Model of Hybrid Robots

The Saga of Europeanizing Teacher Education in Kosovo: Looking Back over 20 Years of Reform

This study examines two decades of efforts to Europeanize teacher education in Kosovo, addressing how European frameworks have influenced national policies and practices. Employing a qualitative methodology that integrates historical analysis with semistructured interviews of key stakeholders, the research highlights the tension between external European pressures and entrenched local traditions. Using metaphor-based thematic analysis, the study uncovers patterns of fragmented reforms and offers a nuanced understanding of policy transfer and adaptation within the context of teacher education. The findings provide critical insights into designing sustainable, context-sensitive education reforms, with broader implications for aligning local systems with international standards in diverse educational settings.

Development of an injectable salicylic acid-choline eutectic hydrogel for enhanced treatment of periodontitis.

Periodontitis, a chronic inflammatory disease triggered by dental plaque, often presents challenges in management, particularly in severe cases where mechanical debridement alone may be insufficient. As a result, adjunctive therapies, particularly localized drug delivery systems with both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, are essential to enhance the efficacy of periodontitis management. In this study, we developed a multifunctional hydrogel by incorporating a salicylic acid-choline deep eutectic solvent (DES) into a chitosan/β-glycerol phosphate sodium (CS/GP) hydrogel matrix for the treatment of periodontitis. The DES-CS/GP hydrogel demonstrated favorable physicochemical properties, including gelation and injectability, making it highly suitable for application in the oral cavity. The hydrogel effectively inhibited the growth of key periodontal pathogens, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum, and significantly downregulated the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β in vitro. Cytocompatibility assessments showed over 80% cell viability in human gingival fibroblasts, human gingival epithelial cells, and human oral keratinocytes over 5 days treated with DES-CS/GP, with fluorescence microscopy confirming robust cytoskeletal integrity. Furthermore, the hydrogel enhanced permeability through gingival tissues in vitro. In a rat model of periodontitis, the hydrogel significantly mitigated bone loss, reduced bacterial loads of P. g, and suppressed TNF-α and IL-1β expression in gingival tissues. These findings underscore the hydrogel's potential as a safe and effective adjunctive therapy for periodontitis, offering a combination of antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and tissue-permeating properties with high biosafety and ease of application.

Community‐Level Food Sovereignty and Wellbeing in the Upper Yakima River Basin: Framing Lived Experiences within Multi‐Scalar Food Systems Discourse

Food sovereignty, a framework focused on systemic change in the food system that accounts for food access, food justice, and food security, is an important driver of community wellbeing. However, the complex determinants of food sovereignty are not fully understood. Interdisciplinary assessments of food systems are needed to establish the impact of socioeconomic status, race, gender, and other social identities on food access. Understanding the goals and lived experiences of diverse communities and community members is critically important to advancing research on the sociology of food and agriculture. Drawing from community interviews addressing local food systems in six different communities in Washington's Upper Yakima River Basin, a qualitative assessment of expert perspectives on local and regional food systems illuminates perceived connections between food sovereignty and wellbeing. Findings suggest that food access and dependence on local agriculture varies across and within communities. Additionally, we find that agriculture is undergoing social, economic, and political transitions that may have immense community impacts moving forward. Given the diverse array of both agricultural and recreational economies in the study site, qualitative data informs our understanding of stakeholder perceptions at multiple levels of the food system. The implications of these findings lead to a forward‐looking discussion of linkages between food dimensions and other variables that impact local and regional wellbeing.

Underwater localization system for marine seismic airgun arrays validated through robotics

Abstract Marine seismic surveys rely on the precise localization of seismic airguns to ensure high-quality data acquisition. The current state-of-the-art systems for airgun localization, such as Ultra-Short Baseline (USBL), Long Baseline (LBL), and GPS-aided and hybrid systems, provide reliable positioning but are often costly, operationally complex or limited to surface tracking. To address these limitations, this research presents a novel, cost-effective, and robust underwater localization system designed explicitly for real-time trajectory tracking of seismic airguns. The proposed system integrates a low-cost Inertial Motion Unit (IMU), an open-source, modular, and low-power acoustic modem, and a depth sensor, employing an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) using Robot Operating System (ROS) for the development of the sensor fusion and localization algorithm. The system achieves a position accuracy within 0.3–2 m, meeting the tolerances required for seismic surveys. Compared to USBL + INS and GPS-aided systems, the proposed system provides comparable precision while significantly reducing deployment complexity and operational costs. Unlike LBL systems, it does not rely on pre-installed seabed transponders, enhancing adaptability to different operational environments. Furthermore, its capacity to operate underwater without surface GPS dependency overcomes the limitations of existing systems in deep-sea or complex acoustic environments. The system is expected to enhance marine seismic data quality by enabling real-time positioning tracking, reduce marine seismic exploration times, and mitigate potential environmental impacts on marine ecosystems. This innovation bridges the gap between precision, affordability, and environmental sustainability in marine seismic exploration, making it a promising alternative for integrating trajectory position estimates of airguns into seismic survey workflows, helping to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of marine seismic surveys worldwide.

Wavelet deep unfolding network for iterative stripe noise removal in wideband microwave imaging system for EMS localization

The wideband microwave imaging system is a passive focal-plane imaging system which is used for large-scale, wideband electromagnetic interference source (EMS) imaging. The system is mainly composed of a parabolic reflecting surface and a multi-channel ultra-wideband signal acquisition system. However, due to the influence of manufacturing processes and the varied response characteristics of the sensors to different frequency radiation, the stripe noise exists in the obtained electromagnetic (EM) images, which severely affects the accuracy of localization. To solve this problem, an innovative wavelet deep unfolding network from the perspective of the transform domain is presented in this paper. The network fully considers the inherent characteristics of stripe noise and the complementary information between the coefficients of different wavelet sub-bands to accurately estimate stripe noise while minimizing computational cost. An iterative deep unfolding structure is employed to remove stripe noise by exploiting the correlation between adjacent row signals. It iteratively refines the noise estimation, using the output of each network iteration as input for the subsequent one. A bidirectional gated recurrent unit with a spatial attention mechanism is introduced to enhance the long-time correlation, thus separating the scene details from the stripe noise more thoroughly and restoring the details accurately. Furthermore, a novel stripe noise mathematical model and a wideband dataset are developed. These innovations enable the proposed algorithm to effectively handle dynamically varying noise in wideband. The extensive experiments on simulated and real data demonstrate that our proposed method outperforms several classical de-striping methods on both quantitative and qualitative assessments.

Mechanical Behavior of SLS-Printed Parts and Their Structural Simulation

This study aims to assess the mechanical tensile properties of Polyamide produced via selective laser sintering (SLS). The research focuses on the effects of post-processing, positional dependency, anisotropy, and the repeatability of SLS print jobs on material properties. Understanding this anisotropy is crucial for reliable component simulation. A design-appropriate simulation method is developed. A total of 27 identical specimens were fabricated in various orientations and positions within the build chamber, repeated across three print jobs, alongside standard specimens for different post-processing treatments and tempering durations. The mechanical tensile properties were evaluated through tensile tests and compared with simulation outcomes. A new material modeling concept was formulated in the finite element (FE) program ANSYS, employing an orthotropic approach based on linear elastic initial deformation. The Hill Yield Criterion was utilized to model the transition to the plastic region, characterized by a nonlinear strain hardening curve. The print direction was integrated into the FE simulation mesh via a local material coordinate system. Surface treatment via glass bead blasting resulted in slight increases in mechanical response, while tempering had a minor influence. Significant anisotropy was observed, with only the z-position in the build chamber affecting mechanical properties. Successful mapping of anisotropy in structural simulations was achieved. This research did not address optimization of the printing process, recyclate effects, powder aging, or fatigue. The findings provide a comprehensive analysis of the mechanical behavior of SLS-printed specimens, serving as a foundation for treatment methodologies and simulation strategy development.