Non-trained Personnel Research Articles

A decision support system for acute lymphoblastic leukemia detection based on explainable artificial intelligence

The detection of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) via deep learning (DL) has received great interest because of its high accuracy in detecting lymphoblasts without the need for handcrafted feature extraction. However, current DL models, such as convolutional neural networks and vision Transformers, are extremely complex, making them black boxes that perform classification in an obscure way. To compensate for this and increase the explainability of the decisions made by such methods, in this paper, we propose an innovative decision support system for ALL detection that is based on DL and explainable artificial intelligence (XAI). Our approach first introduces causality into the decision with a metric learning approach, enabling a decision to be made by analyzing the most similar images in the database. Second, our method integrates XAI techniques to allow even non-trained personnel to obtain an informed decision by analyzing which regions of the images are most similar and how the samples are organized in the latent space. The results on publicly available ALL databases confirm the validity of our approach in opening the black box while achieving similar or superior accuracy to that of existing approaches.

Smartphone-based immunochemical sensor exploiting peroxidase-like activity of ligand-capped gold nanostars: A proof-of-concept detection of Mycobacterium bovis

Bacterial pathogens represent a safety concern in the food industry, and this is amplified by the lack of sensing devices that can be applied on-site by non-trained personnel. In this study, peroxidase-mimicking activity of gold nanostars was exploited to develop a user-friendly colourimetric sensor. A smartphone was exploited as an image reader and analyser, empowered with a novel App developed in-house. The mobile App was evaluated and compared with a commercial smartphone App for its capability to quantify generated colourimetric signals. A major obstacle found with sensors relying on gold nanozymes is the fact that modification of the surface of gold nanoparticles with biorecognition elements generally lead to a suppression of their nanozyme activity. This drawback was overcome by introducing an autocatalytic growth step, which successfully restored the peroxidase-mimicking activity through generation of new gold nanoseeds acting as catalytic centres. A proof-of-concept using this sensing mechanism was developed targeting Mycobacterium bovis, a zoonotic pathogen primarily found in cattle but that can be transmitted to humans by consumption of contaminated food and cause tuberculosis disease. The resulting smartphone-based immunological sensor has shown promising results with a linear response between 104 – 106 CFU/mL, enabling detection of M. bovis at concentrations as low as 7.2·103 CFU/mL in buffer conditions. It is anticipated that the concept of the developed approach will have applicability in many fields relying on smartphone-based biosensing.

Portable, In-Situ Determination of Soil Nutrients

The sustainable future of our world depends fundamentally on soil fertility and the fine balance between soil nutrients and the physical soil environment. In order to feed 7 billion people, humans have more than doubled global land-based cycling of nitrogen (N) and greatly influenced cycles of other major nutrients (e.g. carbon (C), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and Sulphur (S)). As a consequence, they are now out of balance, causing major environmental, health and economic problems. Insufficient access to nutrients limits food production and contributes to land degradation, while finite P reserves represent a potential risk for future global food security, requiring prudent use.These issues warrant effective soil management strategies across different spatial and temporal scales. Ultimately, this depends on how accurately we can measure nutrient levels in soils over a large area in real-time with a high spatial and temporal resolution that is economically feasible.In the last several years, we are focusing our efforts on modification and adaptation of Ion Selective Electrodes (ISEs) that hold great promise for in situ analysis of plant nutrients. Unfortunately, relatively poor precision and robustness as well as requirements for pre- and post measurement handling prohibit their reliable use in the field by non-trained personnel (e.g. farmers) which is our ultimate goal.We will herein describe and discuss our efforts on the development of significantly simplified sensor substrates, measuring protocols, and integration with statistical methods aimed at improvement of precision. Moreover, we will demonstrate recent data obtained using our newly developed portable device that allows in situ determination of up to 16 analytes enhanced with the wireless data transmission capability.

Ion sensing pencil: Draw your own sensor

We demonstrate for the first time the concept of ion sensing pencil (ISP). The pencil’s lead carries chemical sensing functionality and is constructed by compression of graphite and zeolite, while the clutch is prepared by 3D printing. The ISP can be used to draw a chemical sensor by simple abrasion onto a hydrophobic surface. The ISP can be stored at home, used immediately off-the-shelf without any handling prior to measurements. It’s simple preparation, handling, and measuring protocols offer the possibility of integration into large scale sensor networks or to be offered to the general public for use at home using readout devices already present at many homes. We demonstrate the chemical functionality of ISP by producing 14 ISPs prepared by compression of graphite and one of 14 different zeolites individually in 60:40 wt%. These ISPs are then used to draw electrodes which were characterized in analogy to ion-selective electrodes. The ISP-drawn electrodes were utilized as a multi-sensor array for the determination of water quality in a model sample, which is a first reported case of using zeolite-based electrodes in multisystem arrays, followed by the demonstration of their potential to be used by non-trained personnel. The implementation ISPs in potentiometric detection holds promise for further development of inexpensive and accessible tools for obtaining chemical information in areas where utilization of chemical sensors is currently limited.

Assessment of the ANDE 6C Rapid DNA system and investigative biochip for the processing of calcified and muscle tissue

The ANDE 6C Rapid DNA system could offer a potential alternative for the processing of calcified and soft tissue samples, often encountered in mass disaster scenarios. While originally designed for single source buccal swabs, interest in the performance of these instruments when using other types of single source samples continues to grow. To enhance the recovery of otherwise lesser quality samples, the manufacturer developed the investigative biochip, an alternative to the NDIS approved Arrestee biochip for reference sample buccal swabs. This study explores the viability of using the ANDE 6C system and the investigative biochip to process soft and calcified tissue, and uses conventional sample processing to contrast the results.Though the success rate obtained using the instrument’s expert system was lower than expected – 0% muscle, 11% ribs, and 50% teeth -, the ANDE 6C offers an advantage over conventional calcified tissue processing in terms of turn-around time and processing complexity. If robust analysis parameters can be established to allow the evaluation of the generated data by a qualified analyst on a third party software platform, the use of the ANDE 6C and investigative biochip could be a suitable alternative for currently employed procedures.However, as is the case with conventional DNA typing, the quantity, age, type of biological material and quality of the exemplars could all play a role in the success of the ANDE 6C typing process. In addition, it appears as if the calcified tissue pre-processing protocol that provides the better opportunity for the ANDE 6C success is not appropriate to be carried out in the field or by non-trained personnel as special equipment as well as a certain level of exe expertise and technique is necessary. Nevertheless, disaster victim and unidentified human remain samples could be processed in a laboratory setting using the Rapid DNA ANDE 6C platform provided sufficient material is available to conduct a second, ‘rescue’ sample processing if necessary.

597 Incidence of cicatricial alopecia among new alopecia patients undergoing platelet rich plasma

Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is an effective treatment for pattern hair loss (PHL). However, there is little evidence for PRP as a treatment of cicatricial alopecia (CA). PRP is expensive and carries inherent procedural risk. A thorough history and exam can exclude inflammatory causes of alopecia and optimize patient outcomes. High patient demand for PRP coupled with lenient procedural regulations open the possibility for inadequately trained personnel to miss a diagnosis of CA in patients presenting for PRP. We examined the incidence of new CA diagnosis among our PRP patients to evaluate this potential risk. A retrospective review of new patients presenting for PRP between August 2019 and December 2020 was performed. A total of 82 patients (45 female) with a mean age of 44.5 were included. 76.8% were undergoing alopecia treatment for presumed pattern hair loss at the time of presentation, most were PRP naïve (92.7%) and had never underwent scalp biopsy (91.5%). On clinical and trichoscopic exam, 12 (14.6%) were noted to have mild to moderate perifollicular scale, erythema, or both, 2 of whom had known biopsy proven CA. A scalp biopsy was recommended to 10 (12.2%) patients due to signs of inflammation and 2 (2.4%) declined biopsy due to personal preference. Of the 8 (9.8%) that underwent scalp biopsy, 5 (62.5%) were diagnosed with CA and the remaining 3 (37.5%) were PHL. We report 6.1% of new patients presenting to our clinic for PRP had undiagnosed CA. CAs can present similarly to PHL and early treatment is critical to limit irreversible hair loss. PRP is not an effective monotherapy for CA, is costly, and carries procedural risk. Trichoscopic and clinical evaluation by a trained dermatologist before PRP therapy can help to optimize treatment outcomes by correctly identifying CA when present. This study highlights the potential risk that non-trained personnel providing PRP may pose to patient safety.

Custom vacuum load-lock for the sputtering vacuum chamber, loading/unloading and locking automatisation mechanisms

This paper presents the continuity of my work presented in previous articles regarding my activity as a PhD student at the University of Oradea, Doctoral School of Industrial Engineering. After installing, cleaning, vacuum testing and developing an experimental system for vacuum measurement, we decided that the next best step would be to develop the system with a load-lock further, as the time required for experiments would drastically improve and the need for refurbishing the old positioning mechanism would be eliminated. The paper describes the steps taken, starting with CAD representing the sputtering vacuum chamber for the manufacturer to start their production process, and finalising with automating the whole start/stop and reload sequence for the load-lock with an experimental setup made from readily available equipment in our laboratory, as the initial sequences were manually only and the risk of misusing for non-trained personnel would be high.

A Zynq-Based Robotic System for Treatment of Contagious Diseases in Hospital Isolated Environment

The rapid evolution of smart assisted living operations in combination with the blooming of commercial robots calls for the use of robotic based systems. Specifically, certain circumstances such as the handling of critical, contagious virus outbreaks like the recent novel Coronavirus epidemic can be benefited by an assisting mobile robot system controlled remotely, complementing measures like the isolation of patients from medical stuff. Within this context, the robotic-based solution to be employed needs to be easy to deploy, able to manufacture with low cost, and able to operate with ease by non-trained personnel. Also, to address the needs of existing hospitals, traditional or smart ones, as well as the temporary risk management facilities in, for example, quarantined cities, ease of integration in terms of size and infrastructure requirements is a must. In this work, the design and implementation of a robotic chassis bearing an arm manipulator is presented, addressing all these needs efficiently. Special attention has been given to the ease of teleoperation with minimal need for equipment and expertise, utilizing a Leap Motion virtual reality sensor which outweighs Microsoft’s Kinect capabilities. Furthermore, a reconfigurable hardware and software integrated system has been used to control the communication, algorithm processing and motion control utilizing a Xilinx Zynq system on chip (SoC).

Versatile Three-Dimensional-Printed Platform for Nitrite Ion Analyses Using a Smartphone with Real-Time Location.

Nitrogen-based chemicals represent one of the most important family of compounds in freshwater and marine ecosystems. The nitrogen cycle is responsible for spreading nitrogen compounds all over the environment in an equilibrium manner. Mankind's industrial activities have harshly contributed to the disruption of the nitrogen cycle and its consequences have severely affected Earth's ecosystems. Tracking the chemicals involved in the nitrogen cycle have become a crucial point in fighting against eutrophication and global water acidification. A smartphone readout-based system has been developed to determine the concentration of nitrite ion (the nitrogen compound that possess higher toxicity) in environmental samples. The device was fabricated by means of three-dimensional printing to allow easy design modification to fit any smartphone. Moreover, the system took advantage of the less explored potential of ambient light sensor contained within the smartphones. Finally, "ALSens" application was developed to be used by nontrained personnel to not only determine nitrite ion concentration but also to automatically send relevant parameters (analyte, day, hour, location, and concentration) of the assay for tracking purposes to an open online database, allowing a worldwide mapping of nitrite ion concentration. Considering the devastating implications of nitrogen cycle disruption, these systems for nitrite ion screening will suddenly become a standard global monitoring approach.

Automatic Inundation Mapping Using Sentinel-2 Data Applicable to Both Camargue and Doñana Biosphere Reserves

Flooding periodicity is crucial for biomass production and ecosystem functions in wetland areas. Local monitoring networks may be enriched by spaceborne derived products with a temporal resolution of a few days. Unsupervised computer vision techniques are preferred, since human interference and the use of training data may be kept to a minimum. Recently, a novel automatic local thresholding unsupervised methodology for separating inundated areas from non-inundated ones led to successful results for the Doñana Biosphere Reserve. This study examines the applicability of this approach to Camarque Biosphere Reserve, and proposes alternatives to the original approach to enhance accuracy and applicability for both Camargue and Doñana wetlands in a scientific quest for methods that may serve accurately biomes at both protected areas. In particular, it examines alternative inputs for automatically estimating thresholds while applying various algorithms for estimating the splitting thresholds. Reference maps for Camargue are provided by local authorities, and generated using Sentinel-2 Band 8A (NIR) and Band 12 (SWIR-2). The alternative approaches examined led to high inundation mapping accuracy. In particular, for the Camargue study area and 39 different dates, the alternative approach with the highest overall Kappa coefficient is 0.84, while, for the Doñana Biosphere Reserve and Doñana marshland (a subset of Doñana Reserve) and 7 different dates, is 0.85 and 0.94, respectively. Moreover, there are alternative approaches with high overall Kappa for all areas, i.e., at 0.79 for Camargue, over 0.91 for Doñana marshland, and over 0.82 for Doñana Reserve. Additionally, this study identifies the alternative approaches that perform better when the study area is extensively covered by temporary flooded and emergent vegetation areas (i.e., Camargue Reserve and Doñana marshland) or when it contains a large percentage of dry areas (i.e., Doñana Reserve). The development of credible automatic thresholding techniques that can be applied to different wetlands could lead to a higher degree of automation for map production, while enhancing service utilization by non-trained personnel.

Development of Koumiss Incorporated with Beet and Oat

The main goal of this study was to develop an innovative product based on food from vegetal origin (beet and oat) incorporated in a dairy product (koumiss). Raw materials were pasteurized milk, bacterial inoculum, beet and oat. Beet and oat were incorporated according to three formulations. The sensorial analysis (5 points hedonic scale) was done by a panel constituted by 30 non-trained personnel who considered the following attributes: aroma, taste, color, texture. The nutritional analysis was estimated considering the information in the Colombian table of food composition (2015 version). As a result, koumiss presented viscous texture similar to commercial koumiss. Additionally, the content of micronutrients was identified (from major to minor): riboflavin (1.7 mg), iron and zinc (both 1.2 mg), niacin (0.9 mg), thiamin (0.2 mg), vitamin A (97.5 UI) and folic acid (41.7 &mug) based on 200 mL. Thus, there was an innovation in the presentation of this food product, which allowed improving their nutritional value. Finally, the developed product achieved a sensorial score of 4, which indicated its acceptation by consumers and commercial potential.

Auxiliary electrode oxidation for naked-eye electrochemical determinations in microfluidics: Towards on-the-spot applications

In this paper, we describe a new microfluidic cell to perform naked-eye electrochemical detection (NEED) through the oxidation of Ag-based auxiliary electrodes (AEs) in the presence of a cathodic current on the working electrode (WE). The chips were fabricated in polydimethylsiloxane by a simple, cost-effective, and cleanroom-free prototyping that allows reuse of each AE up to 60 times. Stainless steel microwires coated with Ag film and in electric contact to each other acted as AEs, whereas single microwires coated with Au and Ag films operated as WE and quasi-reference electrode, respectively. All the electrodes were reversibly introduced into the devices. The high contrast among nonoxidized and oxidized (black Ag2O nanostructures of up to 400 nm) Ag ensures the naked-eye monitoring of the AE oxidation extent. The number of oxidized AEs was taken as the analytical signal for semi-quantitative assays of p-benzoquinone as proof-of-concept. In addition to the low cost, a key advantage within the point-of-use testing philosophy, further contributions from our work include: i) simultaneous semi-quantitative naked-eye tests for the same analyte from a single WE to speed up electroanalytical assays and ii) the use of the time needed to oxidize one AE as the signal, which led to quantitative assays with enhanced sensitivity for hydrogen peroxide. To attain a fully portable and user-friendly NEED method, the sensor was integrated into a handheld platform that consisted of a homemade potentiostat and gravity-assisted pumping, with which on-site tests can be performed by nontrained personnel anywhere. The portable potentiostat has the lowest cost (US$7.72) reported in the literature compared with setups to measure electric current.

Fast and Automatic Data-Driven Thresholding for Inundation Mapping with Sentinel-2 Data

Satellite data offer the opportunity for monitoring the temporal flooding dynamics of seasonal wetlands, a parameter that is essential for the ecosystem services these areas provide. This study introduces an unsupervised approach to estimate the extent of flooded areas in a satellite image relying on the physics of light interaction with water, vegetation and their combination. The approach detects automatically thresholds on the Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) band and on a Modified-Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (MNDVI), derived from radiometrically-corrected Sentinel-2 data. Then, it combines them in a meaningful way based on a knowledge base coming out of an iterative trial and error process. Classes of interest concern water and non-water areas. The water class is comprised of the open-water and water-vegetation subclasses. In parallel, a supervised approach is implemented mainly for performance comparison reasons. The latter approach performs a random forest classification on a set of bands and indices extracted from Sentinel-2 data. The approaches are able to discriminate the water class in different types of wetlands (marshland, rice-paddies and temporary ponds) existing in the Doñana Biosphere Reserve study area, located in southwest Spain. Both unsupervised and supervised approaches are examined against validation data derived from Landsat satellite inundation time series maps, generated by the local administration and offered as an online service since 1983. Accuracy assessment metrics show that both approaches have similarly high classification performance (e.g., the combined kappa coefficient of the unsupervised and the supervised approach is 0.8827 and 0.9477, and the combined overall accuracy is 97.71% and 98.95, respectively). The unsupervised approach can be used by non-trained personnel with a potential for transferability to sites of, at least, similar characteristics.

Are trained delivery assistants better than non-trained personnel in practicing essential newborn care in home deliveries? Evidence from a nationally representative survey in Bangladesh.

In Bangladesh, the neonatal mortality rate has remained relatively high at 23 deaths per 1000 live births. Consistent adoption of essential newborn care (ENC) practices should lower this rate significantly. This study assessed whether the presence of skilled birth attendants (SBAs) in home deliveries improved ENC practices in Bangladesh. Data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2014 on mothers who reported home birth in the previous 3 y was utilized (n=2761 out of 4904 total births). SBAs include all types of healthcare providers who have received formal training in obstetric care. A generalized structural equation model was used to explore factors affecting (1) utilization of antenatal care, (2) choice of birth attendants and (3) adoption of ENC practices. One-quarter (25.7%) of home births were delivered by an SBA. SBAs performed ENC practices more often than traditional birth attendants (thermal care, 15.0% of skilled deliveries vs 10.1% of unskilled; cord care, 71.6% vs 62.9%; early breastfeeding, 63.9% vs 58.6%). The presence of an SBA during delivery resulted in a greater likelihood of receiving ENC practices. Although SBAs performed the recommended activities at a higher rate than the unskilled across all outcomes, the proportion of SBAs performing ENC practices is still low. It is important for policymakers to identify strategies to improve the effectiveness of SBAs in home deliveries.

AN ImageJ-BASED ALGORITHM FOR A SEMI-AUTOMATED METHOD FOR MICROSCOPIC IMAGE ENHANCEMENT AND DNA REPAIR FOCI COUNTING

Proper evaluation of the health risks of low-dose ionizing radiation exposure heavily relies on the ability to accurately measure very low levels of DNA damage in cells. One of the most sensitive methods for measuring DNA damage levels is the quantification of DNA repair foci that consist of macromolecular aggregates of DNA repair proteins, such as γH2AX and 53BP1, forming around individual DNA double-strand breaks. They can be quantified using immunofluorescence microscopy and are widely used as markers of DNA double-strand breaks. However this quantification, if performed manually, may be very tedious and prone to inter-individual bias. Low-dose radiation studies are especially sensitive to this potential bias due to a very low magnitude of the effects anticipated. Therefore, we designed and validated an algorithm for the semi-automated processing of microscopic images and quantification of DNA repair foci. The algorithm uses ImageJ, a freely available image analysis software that is customizable to individual cellular properties or experimental conditions. We validated the algorithm using immunolabeled 53BP1 and γH2AX in normal human fibroblast AG01522 cells under both normal and irradiated conditions. This method is easy to learn, can be used by nontrained personnel, and can help avoiding discrepancies in inter-laboratory comparison studies examining the effects of low-dose radiation.

Task independent identification of sensor location on upper limb from orientation data.

In this paper we describe a novel method for sensor placement identification, and demonstrate the effectiveness of this method on an upper limb neuroprothesis for tremor suppression under a variety of tasks. Our objective is to facilitate long-term tremor monitoring; tremor is the most prevalent movement disorder. Two assumptions are made: 1) movement and tremor demonstrate an additive effect further down the kinematic chain; 2) most applications have chained or fixed sensor locations. These assumptions justify obtaining absolute location through identifying relative location and thus to allow us to simplify the classification algorithm. Seventeen tasks were performed by patients suffering from essential tremor or Parkinson's disease. Ten features were found that resulted in 98.30% average accuracy (min: 92.31%; max: 100%) for the best configuration, irrespective of the task being performed. The method presented here is an important step towards more user-friendly and context-aware neuroprostheses for tremor suppression and monitoring, and facilitates the use of wearable sensors by non-trained personnel.

Evaluación del tubo laringofaríngeo supraglótico como un dispositivo útil para intubación endotraqueal a ciegas, en personal no experimentado, utilizando maniquíes

IntroductionOne of the key objectives in the pre-hospital environment is to control and secure the airway. Supraglottic airway laryngopharyngeal tube (SALT) is a basic device designed to ventilate and guide the blind introduction of the endotracheal tube. It has not yet been approved in our environment. ObjectiveTo determine the blind intubation success rate of non-trained personnel. ResultsA descriptive trial with 90 participants in a simulated environment with dummies. In 96.7% of the cases, the intubation procedure with the device was perceived as easy. In all, 90% had a successful intubation in the first attempt in 16 s, which is a shorter time period as compared to intubation with other devices. ConclusionSALT could be an effective airway management device for non-trained individuals.

Evaluating supraglottic airway laryngopharyngeal tube as a practical device for blind endotracheal intubation by non-experienced personnel in dummies

IntroductionOne of the key objectives in the pre-hospital environment is to control and secure the airway. Supraglottic airway laryngopharyngeal tube (SALT) is a basic device designed to ventilate and guide the blind introduction of the endotracheal tube. It has not yet been approved in our environment. ObjectiveTo determine the blind intubation success rate of non-trained personnel. ResultsA descriptive trial with 90 participants in a simulated environment with dummies. In 96.7% of the cases, the intubation procedure with the device was perceived as easy. In all, 90% had a successful intubation in the first attempt in 16s, which is a shorter time period as compared to intubation with other devices. ConclusionSALT could be an effective airway management device for non-trained individuals.

Effects of art therapy for family caregivers of cancer patients: a systematic review

Review question/objective The objective of this review is to synthesize the best available evidence of the effects of art therapy for family caregivers of cancer patients. Inclusion criteria Types of participants This review will consider studies that include adult family caregivers- 18 years or older, - of a cancer patient. Family caregivers experience with cancer patients could vary among those who are actively receiving potential curative treatment versus those who are dying and near the end of life. Therefore, the scope of this review will focus solely on family caregivers who are providing care and support for cancer patients who are still undergoing active treatment such as surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, biotherapy and haematopoietic stem cell transplant. Family caregiver is defined as the person who is primarily responsible for the care of the patient and is living together with the patient as one family. Types of intervention(s) The intervention of interest will be art therapy in any format as described by the primary researchers. This may include but not be limited to creative-arts interventions and art-making classes that are provided by either trained or non-trained personnel. Types of comparator(s) The comparator will be no therapy or an alternative psychotherapeutic intervention. Types of outcomes This review will consider studies that include the following outcome measures: 1. Anxiety: levels will be measured by Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) 2. Stress: levels will be measured by salivary cortical, surveys or self-reported data 3. Emotional wellbeing: levels will be measured by the Mini Profile of Mood States (Mini-POMS) or the Derogates Affects Balance Scale (DABS).

Capacity of Building Energy Efficiency in Liepaja

Ventilation with recuperation is a means of reducing heat consumption per square meter below 50 (kWh/m2) in Latvia through proper project design and trained personnel. The aim of this research is to show necessity for a ventilation system with recuperation. This research would further permit preparing recommendations for responsible decision-makers. There are no regulatory enactments that would provide ventilations indispensability during the renovation process in Latvia. The recommendation for ventilation with recuperation should be incorporated during the renovation as a mandatory requirement in Latvia. Renovated buildings with European co-financing in Liepaja city have been used as a research basis. Different renovated building groups are compared: those without ventilation, with ventilation, ventilation with recuperation. Each one of these building groups will have more than one object. The obtained data will be heat consumption per square meter (kWh/m2). It is not possible to achieve good results with badly designed projects as well as with non-trained personnel, therefore this system is quite often either not used or ignored. Ventilation with recuperation is to be a mandatory requirement in renovated buildings. During the research it has been realized that the available information is not sufficient to compare renovation processes in other countries of comparable climatic conditions. It would be preferable to meet researchers working on similar themes to be able to share mutual experience and to promote co-operation in this field.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.erem.67.1.5858