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There is a great need for innovative, efficient processes to remove hazardous chemical substances from wastewater, as wastewater treatment plants can be relieved by applying decentralized water treatment processes in the industrial or medical sector.
This study is dedicated to achieve a deeper comprehension for a new developed hybrid membrane process combined with an enzymatic reaction for the reduction of micropollutants in waste water. In the experiments the micropollutant Remazol® Brilliant Blue R (RBBR) was used and reduced by the enzyme laccase F by ∼49 %. The enzymatic reduction of the dye takes place in a reaction chamber which is the main component of a special designed test cell.
By combination of the enzymatic reduction with a two-stage membrane filtration process (ultrafiltration and nanofiltration), the RBBR concentration was reduced by ∼69 %, compared to the RBBR concentration in the raw water stream. In this study we present the principle of proof for the developed process. The results of pretests for the enzymatic reactions will be shown as well as the results of three experiments in the test cell.
Fs-Erbium-ring fiber laser as a simple training tool for enhancing laser engineering education
(2025)
Objective: Rural–urban disparities in cancer care are well documented. However, research on rural–urban disparities regarding patient‐reported outcomes (PROs) is still developing. This study analyzed rural–urban disparities in patients with cancer with respect to anxiety, depression, fatigue, pain interference, and physical function.
Methods: This study was conducted at the University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute. We integrated data from electronic health records, Cancer Registry, and PRO questionnaires. We assessed the association between rurality status (rural vs. urban) in patients with cancer and PRO scores using multiple linear regression models and t‐tests.
Results: The cohort included 7271 patients. The mean age was 59.1 years at cancer diagnosis and 48.2% (n = 3505) were female. Across all cancer types, significant differences (Rural vs. Urban) were found for fatigue (53.6 vs. 54.1; p < 0.05) and physical function (45.5 vs. 45.1; p < 0.05). With respect to specific cancer types, there were differences in patients with oral cavity and pharynx cancer for depression (47.9 vs. 50.6; p < 0.01), fatigue (51.6 vs. 54.8; p < 0.05), pain interference (52.8 vs. 55.4; p < 0.05), and physical function (48.0 vs. 44.6; p < 0.01), colorectal cancer for fatigue (56.8 vs. 54.7; p < 0.05), pain interference (56.0 vs. 53.7; p < 0.05), and physical function (42.2 vs. 44.4; p < 0.05), uterus cancer for depression (47.5 vs. 50.5; p < 0.05) and fatigue (51.6 vs. 54.7; p < 0.05), and lung cancer for physical function (37.6 vs. 39.3; p < 0.05).
Conclusions: Across all cancer types, as well as specific cancers, this study found mostly limited rural–urban differences regarding PROs. Except for colorectal and lung/bronchus cancer, patients living in rural areas reported similar or better PRO scores for all cancer types. Results support the hypothesis that improving access can help to level rural–urban disparities regarding cancer care outcomes, because all patients were treated in the same comprehensive cancer center, had similar access to care, and had similar PRO scores.
The introduction of fundamental hygiene protocols within the healthcare sector during the nineteenth century led to a significant reduction in mortality rates. Contemporary advancements, such as alcohol‑based sanitizers, have further enhanced hand hygiene practices. However, these measures are often overlooked in nursing facilities, resulting in low staff compliance rates and increased cross‑infection rates. Novel approaches, such as cold plasma hand disinfection, present promising alternatives due to their minimal skin damage and economic benefits. This study aims to compare the disinfectant efficacy of cold plasma aerosol under practical application conditions with an alcoholic hand disinfectant listed by the Association for Applied Hygiene. The microbial count on participants’ hands was measured, with particular attention paid to the spontaneous occurrence of fecal indicators and the presence of potentially infectious bacteria. A t‑test for independent samples was conducted to determine whether there was a significant difference between the two cohorts regarding the research question. Statistical analysis revealed that the mean log colony‑forming unit (CFU) values were significantly lower in the test cohort using only the cold plasma method for hand disinfection compared to the cohort using conventional alcohol‑based hand disinfection. Moreover, it was demonstrated that, unlike alcohol‑based hand disinfection, cold plasma application ensures the effective elimination of Staphylococcus aureus. The findings indicate that staff utilizing plasma disinfection have an average bacterial count that is 0.65 log units lower than those who regularly use alcohol‑based hand disinfection. In addition to the efficacy of cold plasma disinfection, its superiority over alcohol‑based hand disinfection was also established. Beyond offering economic and logistical advantages, cold plasma disinfection provides additional health benefits as it does not induce skin damage, unlike alcohol‑based hand disinfection.
Bridging the Gap Between Business Process Modellers and Domain Experts by Variability Patterns
(2025)
Introduction: The Apple Watch valuably records event-based electrocardiograms (iECG) in children, as shown in recent studies by Paech et al. In contrast to adults, though, the automatic heart rhythm classification of the Apple Watch did not provide satisfactory results in children. Therefore, ECG analysis is limited to interpretation by a pediatric cardiologist. To surmount this difficulty, an artificial intelligence (AI) based algorithm for the automatic interpretation of pediatric Apple Watch iECGs was developed in this study.
Methods: A first AI-based algorithm was designed and trained based on prerecorded and manually classified i.e., labeled iECGs. Afterward the algorithm was evaluated in a prospectively recruited cohort of children at the Leipzig Heart Center. iECG evaluation by the algorithm was compared to the 12-lead-ECG evaluation by a pediatric cardiologist (gold standard). The outcomes were then used to calculate the sensitivity and specificity of the Apple Software and the self-developed AI.
Results: The main features of the newly developed AI algorithm and the rapid development cycle are presented. Forty-eight pediatric patients were enrolled in this study. The AI reached a specificity of 96.7% and a sensitivity of 66.7% for classifying a normal sinus rhythm.
Conclusion: The current study presents a first AI-based algorithm for the automatic heart rhythm classification of pediatric iECGs, and therefore provides the basis for further development of the AI-based iECG analysis in children as soon as more training data are available. More training in the AI algorithm is inevitable to enable the AI-based iECG analysis to work as a medical tool in complex patients.
When faced with a large number of reviews, customers can easily be overwhelmed by information overload. To address this problem, review systems have introduced design features aimed at improving the scanning, reading, and processing of online reviews. Though previous research has examined the effect of selected design features on information overload, a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of these features remains outstanding. We therefore develop and evaluate a taxonomy for information search and processing in online review systems. Based on a sample of 65 review systems, drawn from a variety of online platform environments, our taxonomy presents 50 distinct characteristics alongside the knowledge status quo of the features currently implemented. Our study enables both scholars and practitioners to better understand, compare and further analyze the (potential) effects that specific design features, and their combinations, have on information overload, and to use these features accordingly to improve online review systems for consumers.
