Tind Technologies (Norway)
Hes-so: ArODES Open Archive (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland / Haute école spécialisée de Suisse occidentale / FH Westschweiz)Not a member yet
15764 research outputs found
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Tissue engineering in vitro leaflet and 3-dimensional printing-based implant prototypes for infant mitral valve
No full textObjective: This study engineers leaflet- and 3-dimensional (3D) printing-based implant prototypes for infant mitral valve repair via in vitro cultured mesoangioblasts isolated from the human fetal aorta (AoMAB). Impact Statement: Ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) coatings, as well as 3D-printed gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) hydrogels for implants, represent new possibilities for devices used in mitral valve repair. Introduction: Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) repair in pediatric patients is challenging due to somatic growth, patient-prosthesis mismatch, reinterventions, infections, and thromboembolism. Tissue-engineered heart valves (TEHVs) offer potential solutions through conventional and 3D printing biofabrication. Methods: Four materials are evaluated: UHMWPE, UHMWPE coated with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), UHMWPE coated with PVA and collagen, and 3D-printed (GelMA) hydrogels. The prototypes are characterized for micro/nanostructural, physicochemical (degradation, contact angle, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), and mechanical properties (simple strength tests, dynamic mechanical analysis) and assessed for cytocompatibility using AoMAB cells. A 3D printing mitral valve prototype is analyzed via immunostaining. Results: Results highlight UHMWPE coated with PVA and collagen as the most promising, with degradation (7.30 ± 18.71%), a hydrophilic contact angle (26.13 ± 1.45°), and biocompatibility (177.04 ± 68.92% viability). GelMA prototypes show superior viability (216.77 ± 77.69%) and scalability for 3D printing. Conclusion: UHMWPE coated with PVA and collagen and GelMA demonstrate strong potential for TEHVs, with AoMAB cells facilitating 3D culture and future personalized pediatric applications. Further in vitro validation and thrombogenicity assessments are needed
Digital media use in 0-5 year-old children in Switzerland
No full textThis study aimed to characterize digital media (DM) use in Swiss children aged 0 to 5 years, focusing on child access to different types of digital devices, duration of use, as well as the content and context of screen use. A sample of 4’173 parents living in Switzerland with at least one child aged 0 to 5 years (M = 38.4 months, SD = 17.2 months) completed a cross-sectional online survey between February 2023 and May 2024. To reach a socio-economically diverse sample, we also collaborated with family support organizations and a panel platform. The survey encompassed demographics, accessibility of DM devices, duration of DM activities, content characteristics, and contextual circumstances of DM use. Results suggest that on average, children aged 0 to 5 spent 71.5 (SD = 75.7) minutes daily with DM, with higher use reported as the child gets older. Approximately half of the duration of DM use consisted of non-screen-based activities, such as listening to audio. Regarding the type of devices, handheld devices such as smartphones and tablets were most dominant, while TV use was comparably limited. Parents reported prioritizing age-appropriate and entertaining content, with common motivations for child screen use including educational purposes, having time for oneself or other tasks, and calming the child. Findings allow to compare DM use of young children in Switzerland relative to results from other countries, highlighting that DM use by young children in Switzerland generally follows official recommendations
Audience behavior, customer journey and the omnichannel strategy
No full textDigital technology has infiltrated the majority of human activities, profoundly changing most of our private and professional endeavors. The New Public Management liberal school extends the marketing of products and services approach to the public services, assimilating customer relations to users and citizens. In the non-commercial context in which most libraries operate, sustainability and development are generally conditioned by the use of the services proposed by the audiences, a use that marketing seeks to encourage. Marketing maps the customer relationship more broadly, focusing on the interactions between the organization and its targets over the long term. In order to cope with the availability of multiple channels, customers must make choices and organizations must ensure that channels offer consistent information and services. A library that offers an online lending service in addition to its usual service will tend towards being omnichannel
Design of a modular resonant converter for 25kV-8A DC power supply of RF cavities
No full textThis paper describes the design of an LCC resonant tank that is to be used in a 300kW modular power converter for an application in particle accelerators. The aim of the power supply is to provide a so-called RF cavity with 25kV DC and a current up to 8A. Modular approach is chosen for redundancy and availability. Each module is composed of a resonant tank with a step-up Medium Frequency Transformer with its secondary windings put is series. Full gain is ensured in the full operation frequency range considering component value inaccuracies and ageing of capacitors. The paper focusses on the design of the resonant tank and its implementation in a 100kW power module prototype
Optimal automatic tuning of PID controllers applied to grid converters
No full textA systematic automatic tuning method for PID-type controllers in SISO systems is proposed. The method is inspired from the Magnitude Optimum design criterion and considers 1) the existence of a poor process model and 2) access to the output of the process and not to its states, as it frequently happens in many industry applications. For applying the method, an open-loop experiment of the process is carried out which serves for initializing the algorithm. The method proceeds by identifying on line the dominant time constants of the plant and the `parasitic' one of the closed-loop system. The potential of the proposed method is justified on the vector control loop of a grid power converter via simulation results
Advantages of spray drying over freeze drying ::a comparative analysis of lonicera caerulea L. juice powders—matrix diversity and bioactive response
No full textThe study investigated the impact of Lonicera caerulea L. juice matrix modification and drying techniques on powder characteristics. The evaluation encompassed phenolics (514.7–4388.7 mg/100 g dry matter), iridoids (up to 337.5 mg/100 g dry matter), antioxidant and antiglycation capacity, as well as anti-ageing properties of powders produced using maltodextrin, inulin, trehalose, and palatinose with a pioneering role as a carrier. Spray drying proved to be competitive with freeze drying for powder quality. Carrier application influenced the fruit powder properties. Trehalose protected the phenolics in the juice extract products, whereas maltodextrin showed protective effect in the juice powders. The concentrations of iridoids were influenced by the matrix type and drying technique. Antiglycation capacity was more affected by the carrier type in juice powders than in extract products. However, with carrier addition, the latter showed approximately 12-fold higher selectivity for acetylcholinesterase than other samples. Understanding the interplay between matrix composition, drying techniques, and powder properties provides insights for the development of plant-based products with tailored attributes, including potential health-linked properties
Polydopamine-coated photoautotrophic bacteria for improving extracellular electron transfer in living photovoltaics
No full textLiving photovoltaics are microbial electrochemical devices that use whole cell–electrode interactions to convert solar energy to electricity. The bottleneck in these technologies is the limited electron transfer between the microbe and the electrode surface. This study focuses on enhancing this transfer by engineering a polydopamine (PDA) coating on the outer membrane of the photosynthetic microbe Synechocystis sp. PCC6803. This coating provides a conductive nanoparticle shell to increase electrode adhesion and improve microbial charge extraction. A combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV–Vis absorption, and Raman spectroscopy measurements were used to characterize the nanoparticle shell under various synthesis conditions. The cell viability and activity were further assessed through oxygen evolution, growth curve, and confocal fluorescence microscopy measurements. The results show sustained cell growth and detectable PDA surface coverage under slightly alkaline conditions (pH 7.5) and at low initial dopamine (DA) concentrations (1 mM). The exoelectrogenicity of the cells prepared under these conditions was also characterized through cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA). The measurements show a three-fold enhancement in the photocurrent at an applied bias of 0.3 V (vs. Ag/AgCl [3 M KCl]) compared to non-coated cells. This study thus lays the framework for engineering the next generation of living photovoltaics with improved performances using biosynthetic electrodes
Réemploi dans l'enseignement de l'architecture ::une transition encore en chantier
No full textDans cet article, Lionel Rinquet et Benoît Séraphin (HEPIA) interrogent l’intégration du réemploi dans l’enseignement de l’architecture en Suisse romande. Les auteurs appellent à inscrire cette pièce maîtresse de l'économie circulaire au cœur de la formation des architectes sans pour autant sacrifier les fondamentaux disciplinaires
Controlled resonant circuit with commutated capacitors using self-switching power devices
No full textThis paper presents a preliminary work on a resonant circuit, also called AC-dipole. The resonance frequency of the circuit is changed by the mean of a variable capacitor connecting an inductor. For this purpose, a bank of switched capacitors of different values are connected to the main circuit through bidirectional switches. An experimental validation of the principle is performed on a resonant circuit containing two precharged capacitors. The switches are implemented with close-control driver circuits, allowing zero-voltage and zero-current switching by the mean of both current and voltage polarity measurement. In order to maintain the magnitude of oscillations in the circuit, a regulating system is proposed with its simulation
Ni maison, ni répit ::une analyse féministe de l'urgence à partir de l'expérience de femmes sans-abri en Suisse
No full textCet article explore les temporalités de l’urgence pour les
femmes sans-abri dans les dispositifs d’hébergement d’urgence en Suisse, à partir des premiers résultats d’une recherche exploratoire menée en 2024 dans les cantons de Vaud et Fribourg. Il analyse comment les femmes rencontrées perçoivent et vivent les structures existantes, en montrant les tensions entre la recherche d’un lieu stable et les solutions temporaires proposées. L’article souligne la nécessité d’une approche féministe et intersectionnelle pour repenser les politiques publiques, en tenant compte des spécificités liées au genre, aux violences subies et aux parcours migratoires. Il critique la définition androcentrée de l’urgence, qui ne répond pas aux besoins des femmes et perpétue leur exclusion. Finalement, l’article cherche à questionner la notion d’urgence, telle qu’elle est conçue actuellement, car elle renforce la précarité des femmes sans-abri plutôt que de les aider à retrouver une stabilité durable.This article explores the temporalities of urgency for homeless women in emergency shelters in Switzerland. Based on preliminary results from an exploratory study conducted in 2024 in the cantons of Vaud and Fribourg, it analyzes how the women interviewed perceive and experience the existing structures, highlighting the tensions between the search for a stable place and the temporary solutions offered. The article emphasizes the need for a feminist and intersectional approach to rethink public policies, considering the specificities related to gender, violence experienced, and migratory trajectories. It critiques the androcentric definition of urgency, which does not meet the needs of women and perpetuates their exclusion. Ultimately, the article seeks to question the concept of urgency as it is currently understood, as it reinforces the precariousness of homeless women rather than helping them regain long-term stability