Interruption Of Supply Research Articles

Predicting pharmaceutical supply chain disruptions before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Disruptions to the pharmaceutical supply chain (PSC) have negative implications for patients, motivating their prediction to improve risk mitigation. Although data analytics and machine learning methods have been proposed to support the characterization of probabilities to inform decisions and risk mitigation strategies, their application in the PSC has not been previously described. Further, it is unclear how well these models perform in the presence of emergent events representing deep uncertainty such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This article examines the use of data-driven models to predict PSC disruptions before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data on generic drugs from the pharmacy supply chain division of a Fortune 500 pharmacy benefit management firm, we have developed predictive models based on the naïve Bayes algorithm, where the models predict whether a specific supplier or whether a specific product will experience a supply disruption in the next time period. We find statistically significant changes in the relationships of nearly all variables associated with product supply disruptions during the pandemic, despite pre-pandemic stability. We present results showing how the sensitivity, specificity, and false positive rate of predictive models changed with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and show the beneficial effects of regular model updating. The results show that maintaining model sensitivity is more challenging than maintaining specificity and false positive rates. The results provide unique insight into the pandemic's effect on risk prediction within the PSC and provide insight for risk analysts to better understand how surprise events and deep uncertainty affect predictive models.

Modeling and SOC estimation of on-board energy storage device for trains under emergency traction

The sudden interruption of train power supply in an extreme environment will seriously threaten the safety of passengers and affect the operational efficiency of the railway system. In this case, the focus of attention becomes a method of running the train to the nearest rescue point based on the limited capacity of the on-board emergency energy storage device. Therefore, this paper reports research on the state of charge (SOC) estimation of train energy storage equipment to optimize the emergency traction strategy and energy utilization rate of trains to the maximum extent. First, with the emergency power supply of on-board lithium titanate batteries, the energy flow model of train emergency power supply is constructed for the first time. Second, based on the second-order equivalent circuit model and considering the utilization of regenerative braking energy, the relationship between battery capacity and open circuit voltage (OCV), temperature, current and SOC are constructed through experimental data, which significantly improves the accuracy and robustness of SOC estimation in complex and variable environments. Then, to effectively eliminate the impact of environmental on the estimation especially in the case of extremely low temperature (−20 °C), online model parameter discrimination and SOC estimation of lithium batteries are realized by combining recursive least squares with an optimal forgetting factor (FRLS) algorithm and a new temperature forgetting factor based adaptive extended Kalman filter (TFFAEKF) algorithm. The experimental results show that the proposed method achieves accurate SOC estimation, and the maximum error is less than 1% at different temperatures.

A Blood Supply Pathophysiological Microcirculatory Mechanism for Long COVID.

The term "Long COVID" is commonly used to describe persisting symptoms after acute COVID-19. Until now, proposed mechanisms for the explanation of Long COVID have not related quantitative measurements to basic laws. In this work, a common framework for the Long COVID pathophysiological mechanism is presented, based on the blood supply deprivation and the flow diffusion equation. Case-control studies with statistically significant differences between cases (post-COVID patients) and controls, from multiple tissues and geographical areas, were gathered and tabulated. Microvascular loss (ML) was quantified by vessel density reduction (VDR), foveal avascular zone enlargement (FAZE), capillary density reduction (CDR), and percentage of perfused vessel reduction (PPVR). Both ML and hemodynamic decrease (HD) were incorporated in the tissue blood supply reduction (SR) estimation. ML data were found from 763 post-COVID patients with an average VDR, FAZE, CDR, and PPVR of 16%, 31%, 14%, and 21%, respectively. The average HD from 72 post-COVID patients was 37%. The estimated SR for multiple tissues with data from 634 post-COVID patients reached a sizeable 47%. This large SR creates conditions of lower mass diffusion rates, hypoxia, and undernutrition, which at a multi-tissue level, for a long time, can explain the wide variety of the Long COVID symptoms. Disruption of peripheral tissue blood supply by the contribution of both ML and HD is proposed here to be the principal cause of the mechanism leading to Long COVID symptoms.

ADHESIVE DISEASE OF THE ABDOMINAL CAVITY: ETIOMORPHOPATHOGENESIS, CLINIC, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT AND PREVENTION AT THE PRESENT STAGE

In surgery of the gastrointestinal tract, peritoneal adhesions are detected in 80-90% of cases, including open surgical interventions, abdominal adhesions occur in 70-90% of patients, with laparoscopic – in 24-35% of patients. The number of deaths in adhesive disease ranges from 14 to 52%, and in patients with concomitant pathology, whose age exceeds sixty years, reaches 68%. The main etiological factors of the formation of adhesions are mechanical, chemical, physical and infectious effects. The pathogenesis of the formation of adhesions includes three processes: inhibition of fibrinolytic and extracellular matrix degradation systems; inflammatory reaction with cytokine production, mainly TGF-β1; tissue hypoxia as a result of interruption of blood supply to mesothelial cells and submesothelial fibroblasts. The clinical picture of SBBP, as a rule, is characterized by dyspeptic disorders in the early stages, and is accompanied by symptoms of intestinal obstruction in the advanced ones. The "gold standard". Treatment of adhesive disease can be carried out using conservative therapy or surgical intervention. To date, prevention is the most preferred method to prevent the consequences of the development of adhesive disease. Despite the improvement of surgical techniques, the development of new approaches to treatment and diagnosis, adhesions remain an inevitable consequence of intra-abdominal operations. Understanding the pathogenesis of the formation of the adhesive process and adhesion, the possibility of their transformation, especially at the cellular and molecular level, can help in the further development of more effective methods of treatment and prevention of SBP.

Virtual reality-brain computer interface hand function enhancement rehabilitation system incorporating multi-sensory stimulation

Stroke is an acute cerebrovascular disease in which sudden interruption of blood supply to the brain or rupture of cerebral blood vessels cause damage to brain cells and consequently impair the patient's motor and cognitive abilities. A novel rehabilitation training model integrating brain-computer interface (BCI) and virtual reality (VR) not only promotes the functional activation of brain networks, but also provides immersive and interesting contextual feedback for patients. In this paper, we designed a hand rehabilitation training system integrating multi-sensory stimulation feedback, BCI and VR, which guides patients' motor imaginations through the tasks of the virtual scene, acquires patients' motor intentions, and then carries out human-computer interactions under the virtual scene. At the same time, haptic feedback is incorporated to further increase the patients' proprioceptive sensations, so as to realize the hand function rehabilitation training based on the multi-sensory stimulation feedback of vision, hearing, and haptic senses. In this study, we compared and analyzed the differences in power spectral density of different frequency bands within the EEG signal data before and after the incorporation of haptic feedback, and found that the motor brain area was significantly activated after the incorporation of haptic feedback, and the power spectral density of the motor brain area was significantly increased in the high gamma frequency band. The results of this study indicate that the rehabilitation training of patients with the VR-BCI hand function enhancement rehabilitation system incorporating multi-sensory stimulation can accelerate the two-way facilitation of sensory and motor conduction pathways, thus accelerating the rehabilitation process.

Competing buyers’ investment and ordering strategies under supply disruption

Supply chain disruptions can be costly and disruptive, and reducing supplier uncertainty through investments can be an effective strategy for mitigating these risks. In this study, we explore ordering and investment strategies in a downstream competitive environment, considering supply uncertainty. We consider two buyers ordering from a single supplier and competing in a Cournot market. Buyers must balance investment benefits against costs when making investment decisions. We find that without downstream competition, a relatively low investment proportion can yield a “win-win” outcome. Under downstream competition, an increased number of investors does not necessarily lead to higher supplier reliability. When both buyers invest at a high ratio, the significant decline in order quantities may results in lower supplier reliability. When there is only one investing buyer in the market, even though the competitor may benefit from spillover reliability enhancement — free-riding, the buyer may also be willing to provide an investment subsidy to improve the supplier’s reliability. When both buyers invest at a moderate ratio, downstream competition may benefit all supply chain members. Moreover, increasing wholesale price differentiation and endogenous investment ratios can effectively reduce free-riding behavior of the non-investing buyer. These findings have practical implications for supply chain managers aiming to reduce supply risks and allocate investment resources efficiently.

Capacity management in supply chains under risk of supply disruptions: a mathematical model for establishing capacity reservation contracts

ABSTRACT Capacity management and supply chain disruptions are the most challenging problems faced in high tech industries. This paper focuses on establishing a capacity reservation contract between a single supplier and two heterogeneous retailers in a two-stage supply chain, wherein the retailers purchase a product from the supplier and sell it to the customers. In this study, a mathematical model is built for all parties involved, incorporating numerous essential elements of a real contract. The proposed model aims to assist in determining the best solutions for the retailers’ reserved capacities to the supplier and the supplier’s constructed capacity. Analytical results and sensitivity analyses are presented to demonstrate how various cost elements, price, and uncertainty affect the optimal capacity decisions.

The Glutamine-Glutamate Cycle Contributes to Behavioral Feminization in Female Rats

Plain Language SummaryThe expression of female sexual behaviors in rodents relies on neuronal signaling within the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH). Neurons located in the ventral lateral part of the VMH (vlVMH) release glutamate and use it as a mediator to transmit neuronal signals. These neurons are surrounded by astrocytes and may engage in metabolic interactions with them during the perinatal period. Astrocytes produce glutamine (Gln), which are transported into neurons as a precursor for producing glutamate. The vlVMH neurons that release glutamate depend on astrocytic Gln more heavily in female than in male pups. Perinatal disruption of Gln supply to neurons sex-differentially alters glutamate-mediated neuronal signaling and results in morphological changes in vlVMH neurons that resemble those of the opposite sex in adult animals. The present study reveals that perinatal blockade at various points of this metabolic pathway consistently decreased the expression of sex behavior of female rats, while it may only moderately reduce or left unaffected the sex behavior of male rats. Additionally, perinatal inhibition of Gln supply to neurons led to compensatory increases in a neuronal enzyme responsible for glutamate production in the hypothalamus of adult female rats. The results of the study demonstrate that an intact Gln-glutamate metabolic cycle between astrocytes and neurons during the perinatal period is necessary for the development of neuronal networks for proper sex behavior expression in female rats. The findings also suggest that behavioral defeminization could occur in the absence of high levels of E2 exposure in the brain of perinatal female rats.

Tadalafil for Treatment of Combined Postcapillary and Precapillary Pulmonary Hypertension in Patients With Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Randomized Controlled Phase 3 Study.

We assessed the efficacy and safety of tadalafil, a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor, in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and combined postcapillary and precapillary pulmonary hypertension. In the double-blind PASSION study (Phosphodiesterase-5 Inhibition in Patients With Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction and Combined Post- and Pre-Capillary Pulmonary Hypertension), patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and combined postcapillary and precapillary pulmonary hypertension were randomized 1:1 to receive tadalafil at a target dose of 40 mg or placebo. The primary end point was the time to the first composite event of adjudicated heart failure hospitalization or all-cause death. Secondary end points included all-cause mortality and improvements in New York Heart Association functional class or ≥10% improvement in 6-minute walking distance from baseline. Initially targeting 372 patients, the study was terminated early because of disruption in study medication supply. At that point, 125 patients had been randomized (placebo: 63; tadalafil: 62,). Combined primary end-point events occurred in 20 patients (32%) assigned to placebo and 17 patients (27%) assigned to tadalafil (hazard ratio, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.52-2.01]; P=0.95). There was a possible signal of higher all-cause mortality in the tadalafil group (hazard ratio, 5.10 [95% CI, 1.10-23.69]; P=0.04). No significant between-group differences were observed in other secondary end points. Serious adverse events occurred in 29 participants (48%) in the tadalafil group and 35 (56%) in the placebo group. The PASSION trial, terminated prematurely due to study medication supply disruption, does not support tadalafil use in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and combined postcapillary and precapillary pulmonary hypertension, with potential safety concerns and no observed benefits in primary and secondary end points. URL: https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/; Unique identifier: 2017-003688-37. URL: https://drks.de; Unique identifier: DRKS -DRKS00014595.

A Review of IoT-based Water Monitoring System

Natural resources like water are vital for maintaining life. Water scarcity is a problem in many parts of the world due to leaks and overuse of this precious resource. Technologies for remotely detecting leaks and water consumption, alerting consumers and permitting the disruption of the water supply may be important. Minimize costs contribution to achieving this goal. This study suggests creating, building and validating a clever system for remote water use monitoring, identifying water distribution leaks and disruptions. It has been shown to work for smart buildings and is simple to use in various surroundings that are connected. It was validated, demonstrated, evaluated and is ready for use.

A hybrid SgDT framework for risk analysis of container-handling operations at automated container terminals

With the booming maritime economy and the steady expansion of port production, automated container terminals (ACTs) have rapidly developed worldwide. The safety and stability of container-handling operations at ACTs are crucial for maintaining high efficiency and performance in maritime transportation and global supply chains. However, few studies have focused on the quantitative risk analysis of container-handling operations at ACTs. This study proposes a hybrid SgDT (STPA-grey-DEMATEL-TAISM) approach to analyze risk factors and their coupling interrelationships within ACT handling operations. Initially, 22 factors influencing ACT handling operations were identified based on the system theoretic process analysis (STPA) model and literature. Subsequently, grey theory and decision-making test and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) were fused to visualize the cause-effect relationships of these factors. Finally, the total adversarial interpretive structural model (TAISM) was adopted to extract the hierarchical interrelationships among these factors using an adversarial hierarchical structure. The findings showed that poor supervision, communication network failures, sensor malfunctions, equipment malfunctions, lack of safety awareness, and interruptions of the power supply are the most critical factors influencing ACT handling operations. This study provides theoretical insights and practical implications for managers to enhance ACT handling risk management.

Role of blood flow in intracanal pressure: a novel theory of carpal tunnel syndrome etiology

Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common compressive neuropathy of the upper extremity. It is believed that the cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is an increase in intracanal pressure, which leads to disruption of the blood supply to the median nerve and the occurrence of neurological disorders. The level of interstitial pressure is an indicator that describes the state of the microvasculature of the surrounding tissues. However, the question of the influence of changes in blood flow on the development of carpal tunnel syndrome still remains open. Purpose: to study the role of blood flow in the formation of intracanal pressure and the development of carpal tunnel syndrome. Objectives of the study: 1. To evaluate pressure levels in the carpal tunnel in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and in healthy volunteers; 2. To study changes in pressure in the carpal tunnel in the absence of blood circulation in the limb in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and in healthy volunteers; 3. To assess changes in carpal tunnel pressure before and after median nerve decompression in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. We studied 40 people of both sexes aged from 21 to 82 years (mean age 50.1 years), divided into 2 groups. Group I included 20 patients with an established diagnosis of primary carpal tunnel syndrome. Group II, the control group, included 20 healthy volunteers. All participants had interstitial pressure measured in the carpal tunnel. In group I, the patients with carpal tunnel syndrome, 4 measurements were performed: before the start of surgery before a tourniquet was applied, 5 minutes after the tourniquet was applied (in the absence of blood circulation), then intraoperatively after decompression was performed in the conditions of a tourniquet applied and 5 minutes after its removal and restoration of blood circulation. In group II, 2 measurements were taken: before applying the tourniquet and after removing it. It was revealed that with carpal tunnel syndrome, the pressure inside the tunnel increased from 8 mm Hg normally to 24.5 mm Hg. When decompression is performed in patients with primary compressive neuropathy of the median nerve, a significant decrease in pressure in the carpal tunnel is observed from 24.5 mm Hg to 8 mm Hg. Even a short-term cessation of blood circulation in the upper limb leads to an increase in pressure inside the carpal tunnel.

Internal- and external-sourcing strategy analysis of group manufacturing enterprises under semiconductor supply chain disruption risk

Semiconductor manufacturing enterprises face potential risks of supply disruption owing to economic and political factors. To enhance supply stability and industry sustainability, group manufacturing enterprises can establish internal suppliers to supply components exclusively to internal OEMs. However, under the competition from external suppliers and OEMs, it is unclear how group manufacturing enterprises decide on procurement strategies. We construct a two-echelon supply chain game model consisted of four supply chain stakeholders and analyze the group manufacturing enterprise's decision-makings on developing an internal supplier and procurement strategies. We obtain some remarkable findings. The optimal procurement decisions of group manufacturing enterprise, the internal OEM, and the internal supplier are different. Decision makers should consider which enterprise's profit is more important and choose the procurement strategy preferentially. Group manufacturing enterprise, the external supplier, and the competitive OEM cannot achieve a triple-win situation. Even if the internal supplier's technical level is high, the group manufacturing enterprise and the internal OEM cannot gain competitive advantages in the internal-sourcing scenario. Group manufacturing enterprise needs to pay more attention to the environmental impact. Furthermore, we extend the basic model and analyze the robustness of the conclusions.

Forecasting and stock control for fast-moving humanitarian aid supplies

In Indonesia, effective disaster management is imperative due to the region's susceptibility to a wide array of natural and man-made disasters. The establishment of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) underscores the significance of this issue. This study investigates the improvement of disaster logistics, with a particular emphasis on the challenges associated with fast-moving humanitarian supplies. The primary obstacle in disaster logistics lies in the unpredictability of demand after the disaster occurred, coupled with the potential for supply disruptions stemming from inadequate inventory in warehouses. A critical focus of this research is placed on fast-moving humanitarian aid supplies, which are essential for immediate relief efforts, even when lead times are short. The study's primary objective is the development of a safety stock level policy for BNPB's national warehouse, adjusted through the analysis of demand forecasts and lead times. Notably, the research results for the year 2022 reveal minimal errors in demand forecasts. This outcome highlights the effectiveness of the safety stock policy in proactively addressing spikes in demand and mitigating uncertainties related to supply timelines. The research underscores the critical role of accurate inventory management, particularly in the case of fast-moving humanitarian supplies, within the context of disaster relief efforts. It emphasizes the importance of forward-thinking planning to meet urgent needs, ultimately contributing to more efficient disaster response efforts and ensuring the timely delivery of vital relief items to affected populations.

Separation of Lithium over Magnesium, Sodium, and Calcium By Electrodialysis Using Commercial Membranes

Lithium is considered a critical raw material worldwide due to the growing market for electric vehicles. Due to the risk of supply interruption in the short and medium term, alternative sources of lithium are being explored for battery supply. Among these, salt-lake brines have become a key supply because their abundance represents about 59% of lithium resources 1. A secondary source in the medium term is the recycling of spent Li-ion batteries by hydrometallurgical processes 2,3. Together, recovering lithium from brine and recycling can supply the demand for transport electrification. Conventional lithium extraction techniques from both brine and battery recycling face the challenge of selective separation over contaminants and low extraction efficiencies 4,5.As an alternative, electrodialysis (ED) is an important selective separation technique with high selectivity, productivity, and less consumption of chemical reagents under energy consumption. This electrochemical membrane separation process uses an electric field inducing anion and cation transport across alternating anion and cation exchange membranes. While standard electrodialysis can be used to desalinate water and generate more concentrated brine), selective electrodialysis processes that up-concentrate a specific ion from a mixed salt solution are less developed. Our goal with this work is to evaluate the effect of common ions on lithium separation by ED using three different commercial membranes. The experiments were carried out in a 4-chamber reactor where the feed solutions consisted of equimolar chloride salts of lithium and either nickel (representing battery recycling), magnesium, sodium, or calcium (representing brine). Anolyte, receiving, and catholyte chambers (Figure 1) contained 1.0 M H2SO4.Here, we present the results in terms of cation permselectivity, productivity, and energy consumption using three different commercial membranes for the cation exchange membrane in the ED setup: a standard cation exchange membrane (CXM-200), a monovalent cation exchange membrane (CXP-S) and a nanofiltration membrane (NF-90). The performance of each membrane was tested under varying applied current densities to assess the impact of operating conditions on ion transport. Results have demonstrated monovalent cationic membranes are strongly selective for lithium over magnesium and nickel, achieving selectivity of 43 and 57, respectively. The increase in current density from 2.8mA/cm² to 11.5mA/cm² also increased the fluxes of lithium and co-ions by the monovalent membrane, consequently decreasing the selectivity from 56.7 to 2.4. In addition, nickel precipitates in the feed chamber as the current density increases from 2.8mA/cm² to 5.7mA/cm². We then translate these results into a process model for upscaling the ED reactor, considering the species transport rate through the reactor chambers and selectivity for lithium. Keywords: battery recycling; brine; electrochemical membrane separation; critical raw materials.Figure 1: ED reactor used for lithium selective separation by commercial membranes References (1) Fuentealba, D.; Flores-Fernández, C.; Troncoso, E.; Estay, H. Technological Tendencies for Lithium Production from Salt Lake Brines: Progress and Research Gaps to Move towards More Sustainable Processes. Resources Policy 2023, 83 (January). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2023.103572.(2) Guimarães, L. F.; Botelho Junior, A. B.; Espinosa, D. C. R. Sulfuric Acid Leaching of Metals from Waste Li-Ion Batteries without Using Reducing Agent. Miner Eng 2022, 183 (May), 107597. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2022.107597.(3) Martins, L. S.; Rovani, S.; Botelho Junior, A. B.; Romano Espinosa, D. C. Sustainable Approach for Critical Metals Recovery through Hydrometallurgical Processing of Spent Batteries Using Organic Acids. Ind Eng Chem Res 2023. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.3c03048.(4) Asadi Dalini, E.; Karimi, G.; Zandevakili, S. Treatment of Valuable Metals from Leaching Solution of Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries. Miner Eng 2021, 173 (September), 107226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2021.107226.(5) Xu, S.; Song, J.; Bi, Q.; Chen, Q.; Zhang, W. M.; Qian, Z.; Zhang, L.; Xu, S.; Tang, N.; He, T. Extraction of Lithium from Chinese Salt-Lake Brines by Membranes: Design and Practice. J Memb Sci 2021, 635 (May), 119441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2021.119441. Figure 1

Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) and Root Cause Analysis (RCA) for Urea Fertilizer Production Risk Mitigation

The production of urea fertilizer is one of the most important processes in the agricultural industry, but it cannot be separated from various risks that can interfere with its smooth operation. This research aims to identify and mitigate the risks involved in urea fertilizer production using the Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) and Root Cause Analysis (RCA) methods. The results show that some of the major risks in urea fertilizer production include equipment failure, raw material supply disruption, and operational errors. By applying FMEA and RCA, the company can identify the root causes of the problems and develop effective mitigation strategies. The implementation of these mitigation actions is expected to improve production efficiency and reduce downtime, thus ensuring better production continuity.

Cerebral ischemia biomarkers: Their roles in early diagnosis and prognosis with potential clinical applications

Cerebral ischemia, caused by a disruption in blood supply to the brain, remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Identifying reliable biomarkers for the early diagnosis and prognosis of cerebral ischemia is crucial for timely intervention and improved patient outcomes. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge on cerebral ischemia biomarkers, focusing on their potential role in early detection and prediction of clinical outcomes. Specifically, we discuss the current advances in the field of cerebral ischemia biomarkers, which serve as essential tools for early diagnosis and monitoring of ischemic stroke. We examine several promising biomarkers, including omics data, genetic (FOXF2 and ATP5H), physiological and neuroinflammatory biomarkers, neuroimaging markers, blood-based biomarkers (proteins, microRNAs, and metabolites), and newer modalities such as exosomes, microvesicles, and cell-free deoxyribonucleic acid (cfDNA). In addition, we highlight the challenges and future directions in translating these biomarkers into clinical practice. Standardization and reproducibility, methodological limitations, and cost and accessibility are critical challenges in the translation of biomarkers into clinical practice. Addressing these challenges requires multi-stakeholder collaborations and coordinated efforts to establish standardized protocols, improve analytical methods, and develop cost-effective biomarker assays. The use of point-of-care testing devices or miniaturized lab-on-a-chip technologies can reduce costs and improve accessibility, particularly in low-resource settings. Furthermore, collaborations between academia, industry, and regulatory agencies can facilitate the translation of biomarkers by addressing regulatory and reimbursement hurdles that affect the affordability and availability of these tests.

Malaysian Government's Unified Approach to Address National Food Security

In Malaysia, following the COVID-19 disruption of food supply, the Cabinet Committee of National Food Security Policy was set up in 2020 as a whole-of-government effort to bring together strategies and action plans for food security at the national level. This study looks at how the policies of different ministries and central agencies match up with the progressive direction set by the committee. Even though there are varying focuses on the policies between the government bodies, a collective synergy emerges from their efforts. A document analysis of these key policies shows the government's commitment to ensuring enough food for everyone.

Vulnerabilities of the neoliberal global food system: The Russia–Ukraine War and COVID‐19

AbstractThe coronavirus 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic and the Russia–Ukraine war have demonstrated that the neoliberal system is unstable during global crises. In times of crisis, exporter countries adopt protectionist policies in the form of export restrictions to safeguard their local food supply and curb inflation. Consequently, low‐income countries might find themselves unable to access essential food products. In this regard, the aftermath of the COVID‐19 pandemic and the Russia–Ukraine war has gradually increased export restrictions, causing severe food supply disruptions. In particular, import‐dependent countries cannot access essential food products and face famine. To this point, this study explores the vulnerabilities of neoliberalism when exporter countries turn to protectionism. Moreover, it asks whether food sovereignty and self‐sufficiency could act as a safeguard for import‐dependent states against such vulnerabilities. In doing so, the study aims to contribute to the literature by linking protectionism with export restrictions, diverging from the more common association of protectionism with solely import restrictions.

Causes of accidents in electrical distribution networks (using the example of the branch of PJSC Rossetti Volga – Saratov Distribution Networks)

The article is a continuation of a series of studies dedicated to the analysis of power transmission through distribution electric networks of PJSC ROSSETI. The presented material analyzes the functioning of the electrical networks of the branch of PJSC Rosseti Volga – Saratov Distribution Networks. An analytical assessment of the electric energy transport through distribution electric networks was carried out for the period 2018–2022. The structure of the company is considered, the structural characteristics of the main elements of the studied electrical networks are given, and the number of emergencies that occurred during the study period is estimated. A quantitative assessment of the magnitude of the electric energy undersupply caused by power supply interruptions is given. The classification of failures according to the degree of the intensity of undersupply was carried out and a quantitative assessment of each group of failures according to their intensity was made. The influence of the seasonal component on the number of emergencies during the study period is considered. Based on the data from 2022–2023, the analysis of the main causes of damage to the elements of electrical networks was carried out. The classification of failures by groups of failure causes is made, their main characteristics for this period are considered. The percentage ratio of the number of failures number for the most characteristic reasons to the total number of outages during the study period has been established. The information published in the open press was used as the source data. General scientific methods as well as numerical methods of analysis were used in the research. MATLAB graphics editor technologies were used to visualize the obtained analysis results. The results obtained may be of interest to the managers of power grid companies, as well as researchers and engineers engaged in research in the field of reliability of power supply.