Technical Functionality Research Articles

IgE immunoadsorption: technical background, functionality, and first clinical experience

Summary Background The prevalence of allergic diseases has risen in the 21st century, drawing attention to specific therapeutic and preventive strategies. Due to the key role of immunoglobulin E (IgE) in the development of allergic reactions, IgE represents a key target treatment. In this scenario, IgE immunoadsorption (IgE-IA) has been investigated as a procedure that selectively removes circulating IgE antibodies from the bloodstream of patients with atopy. Methods This narrative review aims to critically summarize the current insights regarding IgE-IA in the context of the management of allergic diseases, ranging from the rationale to the technical aspects, as well as the benefits and unmet needs. Results IgE-IA might be a treatment strategy in well-selected patients with allergic diseases. IgE depletion through sessions of IgE-IA results in immediate clinical improvement and might be useful in acute situations when a rapid clinical response is required or when classic approaches are contraindicated or ineffective. Due to the reduced effectiveness over time, IgE-IA could be a valid first approach before starting another IgE depletion therapy, such as omalizumab, when its commencement would otherwise be contraindicated by too-high serum IgE levels. Conclusion Overall, IgE-IA is safe and well tolerated; however, this procedure is currently difficult to implement in routine clinical practice because of costs, time demands, need for hospitalization, and the invasiveness of the procedure, with the associated risks related to the necessity of venous catheterization.

Proof-of-concept study of a small language model chatbot for breast cancer decision support – a transparent, source-controlled, explainable and data-secure approach

PurposeLarge language models (LLM) show potential for decision support in breast cancer care. Their use in clinical care is currently prohibited by lack of control over sources used for decision-making, explainability of the decision-making process and health data security issues. Recent development of Small Language Models (SLM) is discussed to address these challenges. This preclinical proof-of-concept study tailors an open-source SLM to the German breast cancer guideline (BC-SLM) to evaluate initial clinical accuracy and technical functionality in a preclinical simulation.MethodsA multidisciplinary tumor board (MTB) is used as the gold-standard to assess the initial clinical accuracy in terms of concordance of the BC-SLM with MTB and comparing it to two publicly available LLM, ChatGPT3.5 and 4. The study includes 20 fictional patient profiles and recommendations for 5 treatment modalities, resulting in 100 binary treatment recommendations (recommended or not recommended). Statistical evaluation includes concordance with MTB in % including Cohen’s Kappa statistic (κ). Technical functionality is assessed qualitatively in terms of local hosting, adherence to the guideline and information retrieval.ResultsThe overall concordance amounts to 86% for BC-SLM (κ = 0.721, p < 0.001), 90% for ChatGPT4 (κ = 0.820, p < 0.001) and 83% for ChatGPT3.5 (κ = 0.661, p < 0.001). Specific concordance for each treatment modality ranges from 65 to 100% for BC-SLM, 85–100% for ChatGPT4, and 55–95% for ChatGPT3.5. The BC-SLM is locally functional, adheres to the standards of the German breast cancer guideline and provides referenced sections for its decision-making.ConclusionThe tailored BC-SLM shows initial clinical accuracy and technical functionality, with concordance to the MTB that is comparable to publicly-available LLMs like ChatGPT4 and 3.5. This serves as a proof-of-concept for adapting a SLM to an oncological disease and its guideline to address prevailing issues with LLM by ensuring decision transparency, explainability, source control, and data security, which represents a necessary step towards clinical validation and safe use of language models in clinical oncology.

Creating a City for All of Us: The Possible Role of the Fediverse in Archiving Civic Urban Memory

This paper attempts to build a case for adopting the model of the Fediverse to archive digital citizen-generated urban memory. Examining literature from several relevant fields of debate acts as a pragmatic foundation for reasoning to then outline potential core technical functionality for provision of such an archive, using the Mastodon app as an example. This ‘civic urban memory’ archive is considered as open, curated by citizens themselves and owned by them through civic public ownership in a context of technological sovereignty. Reflecting on issues of citizen self curated and moderated memory collection archives, and the potential for opt-in or anonymous archive posting may offer some mechanisms for fair and open curation, moderation and privacy protection in such archives. Conceptual backdrop for a civic urban memory archive is placed in current debates concerning civic technological platforms acting as a digital public good in a context of a techno-social contract for learning, with a co-constructed shared civic urban memory forming part of open incidental lifelong learning in a future learning city.

Exploring vacuum foam drying as an alternative to freeze-drying and spray drying for a human lipase

This article compares and explores vacuum foam-drying as an alternative drying technology to freeze-drying and spray drying for a recombinant human lipase as the model protein. Materials characteristics such as structure, surface composition and the solid-state properties of the dry materials were compared and investigated. Moreover, the technical functionality in terms of reconstitution characteristics and the lipase stability were also investigated. The stability of the lipase was evaluated through activity measurements. Sucrose and dextran D40 (40 kDa) were used as matrix former and the surfactant α-dodecyl maltoside was used as surface active additive. The study demonstrated that the drying technique greatly influenced the material structure and composition which in turn affected the reconstitution characteristics. The lipase was overrepresented at the material surface in declining order spray-dried > vacuum foam-dried > freeze-dried. The lipase activity was retained up to 10 % lipase content in solids, but at 20 % lipase a loss of activity was observed for all drying techniques. Phase separation in the solid material may be an explanation. Vacuum foam-drying shows promise as an alternative drying technique for the lipase, and potentially other proteins.

Navigating user discontent in wearable tech: an in-depth study of Fitbit reviews

ABSTRACT In the burgeoning field of wearable technology, Fitbit has emerged as an influential entity. Even the most influential companies, however, need to understand user dissatisfaction, particularly extracted from critical reviews, in order to enhance the user experience. This study analyzes a subset of 28,664 Fitbit consumer reviews from the Google Store, all giving it a rating of 1 out of 5 points, in order to identify the reasons for user dissatisfaction. Employing thematic analysis, sentiment analysis, and topic modelling, our research reveals prominent issues impacting user perception. Key findings include significant challenges with device syncing, app functionality, and customer service, alongside a spectrum of sentiments ranging from neutral to negative. Topic modelling further distinguishes various categories of user feedback, underscoring the diversity in user experiences and expectations. These insights suggest a pressing need for improvements in technical functionality, user interface design, and customer support. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of consumer experiences in wearable technology, offering valuable guidance for enhancing product design and customer engagement strategies in this dynamic market.

Models and P4R asset description for digital twin-based advanced planning and scheduling using cyber-physical integration for resilient production operation

Advanced planning and scheduling (APS) addresses the complex and uncertain nature of production control. A digital twin (DT), which incorporates simulations through cyber-physical integration, provides an advanced functionality for APS. To facilitate efficient design and implementation, a DT-based APS must satisfy three requirements: technical functionalities for resilience, robust models for diverse operational constraints, and efficient interoperability through cyber-physical integration. Although several studies have proposed the use of DT as a primary technology for APS, proposals that address the process, functionality, integration, and information models are lacking. Additionally, the existing asset descriptions cannot adequately capture the sophisticated characteristics of DT and necessary informational elements for APS. Thus, this study designed a process model, functionalities, and integration models for the DT-based APS and asset descriptions for snapshot synchronization. Crucial service-compositions and functionalities were defined using work-center-level lifecycles. Consequently, a process model was developed, which focused on core activities for resilience. Moreover, horizontal integration between DT and control functionalities and vertical integration between DT and standards, were proposed to enhance the DT-based APS. The proposed method effectively managed the product, process, plan, plant, and resource classes by ensuring adherence to asset administration shell principles. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed methods, two work centers with distinctly different characteristics were employed and demonstrated dominant preventive measures compared to static functionality-based methods. The primary contributions encompass the facilitation of integration and interoperability within a DT-based APS. The proposed methods support the advanced characteristics of DT, ensuring robustness and neutrality across heterogeneous operational contexts.

Misalignments in prepaid water technology: findings from urban poor settings of Kampala, Uganda

ABSTRACT Progressive urban water utilities in developing countries have, since the mid-2000s deployed prepaid dispensers (PPDs) to provide reliable and equitably priced water services to slum residents. This paper reports on a study that evaluates the performance of the PPDs first deployed in the slums of Kampala in 2006 by the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), Uganda's main urban water utility. By February 2020, over 1,400 PPDs were installed in 20 slums, serving residents through over 33,000 access tokens. Data were collected in 2019/2020 through 275 household questionnaires, 17 key informant interviews, and 8 focus group discussions. The main finding was that although the PPD technology has achieved a relatively high diffusion rate, water drawn therefrom was an average of a paltry 7 litres per capita per day, meaning that many slum residents still rely on other water sources of doubtful quality. Key misalignments include misappropriation by local middlemen, who inflate the prices; high levels of technical malfunctions; and the utility's overreliance on international development financing for asset maintenance and expansion. NWSC should mainstream the pro-poor service department and build the necessary capabilities to ensure better technical functionality of the PPDs, including setting up smart partnerships where necessary.

Physicians' Experiences of EHR Technical Quality: Results from Four Large Cross-Sectional Surveys in 2010-2021.

Unexpected downtime and long response times of electronic health record (EHR) systems not only impact user satisfaction and clinicians' work efficiency but also bring about potential harm for patients. Despite improvements in the performance of EHR systems' architecture, hardware, and networks, technical challenges continue to cause problems. We explored the end-user experiences of EHR technical functionality and quality from four large national cross-sectional surveys conducted among Finnish physicians in 2010-21. The results were analyzed by healthcare sector/specialty groups. In most groups, the experiences of stability and reaction speed became worse in 2010-17, which is readily explained by the implementation of the national patient data repository services, but improvements were seen in 2021, suggesting that EHR vendors have solved at least some of the slowness problems. The proportion of physicians reporting having experienced faulty system function with potential or actualized harm for the patient had decreased in operative and medical specialties and in the private sector but remained stable in other groups. Our findings underline the importance of continuing to develop technical qualities - including the implementations of national integrations.

Chat messenger use in the care of patients with Parkinson's disease

The demand for chat messaging apps for communication between physicians, therapists and patients is increasing. The expectations for this form of communication and uncertainties regarding introduction and use are heterogeneous. The implementation of chat messengers in the care of patients with Parkinson's disease should be facilitated by recommendations regarding introduction and usage. Semi-structured interviews with neurologists and physiotherapists were conducted to capture the expectations and needs regarding the use of chat messengers. From the data analysis, recommendations were derived. The expectations for technical functionality exceeded the chat messenger functions. This concerns, e.g., the connection of the chat messenger to the electronic patient file. There is agreat deal of uncertainty, particularly when it comes to the applicable General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). The recommendations relating to the use of chat messengers, data protection aspects, the design of such tools and methodological considerations can help to implement the tool as an additional communication channel. Practical recommendations regarding functionality, the use of chat messengers in everyday life and in relation to data protection are derived from the results. By improving knowledge, physicians and therapists can contribute to the successful establishment of chat messengers as an additional communication tool.

Locational marginal price based scheduling strategy for effective utilization of battery energy storage in PV integrated distribution system

Integration of renewable energy resources (RERs) and complexities associated with varying load patterns urge the demand for energy storage systems (ESS) to ensure real power balancing of distribution system. Among various ESS, battery energy storage system (BESS) guarantees the reliable operation of microgrids in terms of economic and technical functionalities. The scheduling of microgrids becomes essential for the economic and optimal performance of both generating sources and loads. In this work, the load-shifting capability of BESS is utilized for the optimal scheduling of grid-connected microgrids. BESS has a significant role in the effective utilization of power from RERs during grid balancing. This paper discusses the scheduling of grid-connected microgrid with two scheduling strategies, which differ in the charging behaviour of BESS. Scheduling decisions are based on the value of locational marginal price (LMP) of distribution system. In scheduling strategy-I, BESS charges at off-peak hours, either from the PV system or from the grid. Meanwhile, in scheduling strategy- II, BESS charges from the PV system at peak or off-peak hours. These two scheduling methods are also compared with the scheduling of the distribution system without integrating the microgrid. The cost of power generation, power from the main grid, and active power losses of the distribution system are calculated by performing optimal power flow (OPF). The effectiveness of the proposed scheduling strategies are validated on the IEEE-69 bus system for 24 h time duration by using MATPOWER simulation tool. The results obtained after OPF establishes the requirement of effective utilization of BESS in PV integrated distribution system.

Effect of Soil Texture on Agricultural Machine Performance in Sylhet, Bangladesh.

Soil texture is one of the primary soil physical properties that largely affects agricultural machine performance. Before implementing an agricultural machine at the farm level, it is important to test the machine to gain an understanding of its technical functionality and economic viability to get the best output from it. The research was carried out to assess how soil texture influences the performance of machinery, aiming to determine the effectiveness of agricultural equipment on a particular type of land. Soil samples were collected from nine different fields, and their textures were determined using hydrometer analysis. To correlate soil textural classes with machine performance, machinery data—effective field capacity, forward speed, and field efficiency—were calculated by operating a combine harvester on the study areas during the harvesting season of Boro rice. Two types of soil were identified: loamy sand and sandy loam. The findings of the study showed that machine efficiency has a positive correlation with sand proportion and a negative correlation with clay and silt fractions. It was observed that soil with loamy sand-type textural classes demonstrated better field efficiency, higher effective field capacity, and higher forward speed compared to sandy loam soil. Small and irregularly shaped fields also caused variation in performance. The study identified significant variation in speed between these two types of soils but no significant effect on effective field capacity or field efficiency at the 5% level of significance. The outcomes of this research will help farmers make informed decisions when selecting appropriate equipment for their agricultural operations.

MEDICAL DATA EXTRACTION

The proposed system is a user-friendly and efficient Data Extraction software for Medical Documents and Images, integrating advanced technologies such as PHP, Android, database, ML-Kit, retrofit, recycler views. The application facilitates efficient user registration, user login, insurance claims, and management of claimed users. The system aims to enhance the accessibility and accuracy of medical data extraction, thereby optimizing insurance procedures for agents, Also This paper outlines the technical architecture, functionalities, and implementation details of the application, highlighting its potential to revolutionize insurance operations within the healthcare industry. Keywords: - Machine Learning Kit(ML-Kit)

The Bayu-Undan liquid CO2 import facilities – finding an effective solution

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is widely considered to be one of the key enablers to decarbonising the economy. It is currently being implemented in a number of projects in gas, power, chemicals, cement, steel, and other industries. In the Asia–Pacific region, shipping of liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2) is widely seen as a key component of the CCS value chain. Shipping allows the emitters located in the industrial centres of Japan, Korea, and Singapore to access distant CO2 storage locations. The repurposing of the Bayu-Undan (BU) platforms and pipeline from gas production to CO2 injection presents a regional opportunity for the disposal of shipped CO2. Multiple LCO2 development concepts were assessed for unloading and storing the imported LCO2. Unloading can be carrier-to-shore, carrier-to-ship/barge, or carrier-to-platform; storage can be onshore, nearshore, offshore or no buffer storage at all with direct injection from carriers. These concepts required evaluation for technical functionality, maturity, complexity, operability, and availability. Imported LCO2 is too cold and low pressure to be transported or injected at the carrier transport conditions. The pressure needs to be boosted and temperature increased to meet the requirements of the injection system. This requires sources of power and heat. An evaluation of existing facilities, their condition, available space and spare capacity, and their constructability considerations revealed important opportunities and constraints. A study was carried out, which evaluated options for the BU LCO2 import using key evaluation criteria to select the most appropriate concept. This paper explores addressing the challenges involved.

Reconstruction of the Cinema Named After Lenin in the Youth House of the City of Karaganda

The main goal of the research work is to determine the necessary measures for the modernization and reconstruction of the cinema named after Lenin in the city of Karaganda, to change its structure and functionality, to turn it into a modern House of Science, Architecture and Art for students. The tasks are: development of an effective planning solution, based on the study of various aspects of the building, including its technical condition, architectural features and functionality. In the course of the analysis, specific work and activities necessary to achieve the goal were identified. As a result of modernization and reconstruction, the building of the cinema should undergo significant changes in order to meet modern requirements and become a place where science and creativity coexist.

Estimating and reducing dissipative losses in thermal spray: A parametrized material flow analysis approach

Thermal spray is a family of surface engineering technologies necessary to meet technical functionalities of components under harsh environmental conditions. Those technologies come at the expense of dissipative losses of coating materials throughout the life cycle of components. Measuring these material losses has so far retained little attention in the field. This research provides a framework to estimate material dissipative losses in surface engineering applications based on specific parameters, mainly deposition efficiencies. We applied material flow analysis to quantify dissipative losses for the main metals used in thermal spray (Cr, Co, Mo, Ni, Si, W, Y and Zr). Results show that the coating process is the most contributing life cycle stage (up to 39% of the losses). Improving the deposition efficiency, recovering the unadhered and stripping the components at their end-of-life are key material efficiency strategies to reduce the material losses (up to 50%).

Effect of pre-treatment on physicochemical, microstructural and pasting properties of pearl millet and cowpea

The effects of soaking, germination and fermentation on physicochemical, microstructural and pasting properties of improved and drought-tolerant Mozambican varieties of pearl millet and cowpea were investigated.Total starch content in both germinated pearl millet (GPM, 67.2 % of DM) and germinated cowpea (GCP, 47.4 % of DM) was found to be affected by germination, which consequently affected the amylose content of GPM and GCP. Morphological and pasting properties of pearl millet starch granules were altered by germination, with numerous holes and broken starch granules developing, leading to a drastic reduction in final viscosity (4 mPa.s). Cowpea starch granule structure was not markedly affected by pre-treatment, but peak (310 mPa.s) and final viscosity (196 mPa.s) were decreased by germination. Cowpea flour had smaller particle size distribution than pearl millet, but no significant differences in the flour were observed after pre-treatment (soaking, germination, fermentation). Therefore, these simple, low-cost and culturally acceptable treatments can be used to alter technical functionality and improve the nutritional benefits of flour, e.g. different pre-treatments of pearl millet and cowpea could be used to develop food products with high energy density and acceptable sensory profile such as porridge for undernourished children in low and middle-income countries.

A multi-perspective view on visibility in EU design law

Abstract In EU design law, the parameter of visibility must multitask. This article aims to discuss its meaning and legal consequences against the current and amended legal provisions for designs. As the legal notion of a design is the ‘appearance of a product’, visibility has been woven into design features’ requirement of perceptibility to the eye. Visibility also aids in the identification of the object of protection for a registered design through the registration documentation and, analogically, the identification of an unregistered design through proofs of disclosure. By this token, design features visibly displayed by the representation/disclosure of a design determine the comparison between the overall impression of a design and another design/product for the purposes of invalidity or enforcement. The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has also recently framed visibility in the perspective of evidentiary issues of technical functionality. Visibility represents a prerequisite for the assessment of novelty and/or individual character of a design of a component part of a complex product. This article looks into the CJEU’s guidance concerning the protection of parts of products, including the interpretation of the criterion of visibility during normal use that applies to component parts.

Web-based applications in higher education: revolutionising language learning in the digital age

This research article aimed to examine the utilisation of web applications in higher education, specifically focusing on their presentation and usage. Methodology: a mixed approach was used in the study. The results showed that by analysing how these applications are used and discussing user perspectives, the study shed light on the interplay between technical functionality and social engagement in information and communication technologies. Students in higher education view educational web applications as supplementary resources, utilising them for tasks such as translation and pronunciation practice. It can be concluded that the active and productive use of educational mobile applications by students in Ukraine has notably increased, particularly in the context of war. The key benefits reported by students included the accessibility and convenience of web-based educational tools. These applications serve as both learning aids and motivational tools, addressing challenges such as remote learning and limited English-language materials. The widespread use of web applications during times of war has proven instrumental in maintaining educational access and quality in Ukraine.

Larger-scale feasibility trial of the families moving forward (FMF) connect mobile health intervention for caregivers raising children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

Caregivers raising children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) have limited access to evidence-based supports. This single-arm feasibility trial assesses the Families Moving Forward (FMF) Connect app to determine readiness for a larger randomized controlled trial (RCT). Eligibility for this online trial included caregivers of children (ages 3-12) with FASD residing in the United States. Caregivers received FMF Connect for 12 weeks on their personal smartphones (iOS or Android). Pre- and post-assessments included child behavior, parenting and family functioning, and app quality; user experience interviews were conducted post-intervention. Usage and crashes were monitored. Study objectives assessed feasibility of the trial (recruitment, attrition, measure sensitivity), intervention (technical functionality, acceptability), and implementation (caregiver usage). Recruitment strategies proved sufficient with 171 caregivers screened and 105 deemed eligible. Analyses identified a few predictive demographic and outcome variables related to attrition. Several study measures were sensitive to change. Additional trial and measurement improvements were identified. From a technological perspective, the FMF Connect app was functional; the Android prototype required more.

FORTALITIES AND FORTIFIED MANORS OF THE LUBELSKIE VOIVODESHIP: ANALYSIS ON THE EXAMPLE OF SELECTED

Analysing fortalities and fortified manors in the region of the Lublin Voivodeship, the article focuses on their architectural functions, cultural significance and position in the background of spatial planning. The study analyses the condition of the selected three monuments, taking into account their technical and visual condition and functionality. On the basis of the research, it can be concluded that selected monuments from the Lublin region, which show signs of defensive features, currently perform functions that are not consistent with their historical purpose. These neglects not only affect the aesthetics and functionality monuments, but also their durability and survival for future generations. Such a condition without proper consideration of their architectural and historical specificity can lead to irreversible changes and damage. It may be necessary to develop sustainable adaptation plans that take into account both contemporary needs and the protection of cultural heritage. The aim of the article is to deepen knowledge about regional monuments, promote cultural and historical value and propose a concept of a tourist route that can contribute to the increase in the attractiveness of the region. The essence of the study is the recipient's understanding of the potential of the historical buildings by presenting the current state of preservation. The way to meet the current problems and use the potential of monuments is to try to take integrated actions. The concept of a thematic tourist path, adapted to the architectural features of the monuments, could attract tourists and raise public awareness of their value. Cooperation with educational institutions and non-governmental organizations is crucial for the implementation of educational programs and scientific research on cultural heritage. Creating social awareness through the organization of cultural events and regular monitoring of the condition of monuments is necessary for the effective protection and management of cultural heritage, which is to serve present and future generations. The conclusions of the study are intended to initiate a broader discussion on the role and future of architectural heritage in the Lublin region.