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From static to adaptive: A virtual testing framework for continuous commissioning and performance optimization of ground source heat pump systems
No full textTraditional commissioning, conducted at system handover, often fails to identify and address operational inefficiencies in ground-source heat pump (GSHP) systems over time. This study proposes a model-based adaptive commissioning framework that combines physics-based modeling and simulation with continuous performance monitoring to detect and address system deficiencies. This method is applied to a GSHP system that is not performing well: the system had an annual average coefficient of performance (COP) of only 2.37, with 74% of its operating time below 50% load capacity. A high-fidelity Modelica- based model is developed to enable virtual testing of operational strategies, allowing assessment of possible improvements in system performance without disrupting building operations. Results show that changing from the original dual-unit operation to a single-unit operation with timely preheating can reduce energy use by 16% while keeping indoor thermal comfort. The heat pump COP can also rise to 4.39. The proposed model-based approach transforms commissioning from a one-time verification into an adaptive process, achieving £965.9 in cost savings over 14 days through control optimization without hardware modifications
Validation and Test–Retest Reliability of the Cervicogenic Headache Severity Questionnaire (CeH-SeQ): A Patient-Reported Assessment Tool
No full textCervicogenic headache (CGH) represents a secondary headache disorder arising from cervical spine dysfunction, characterized by neck pain radiating to the head. Despite its prevalence, standardized and validated tools for assessing CGH severity remain limited. Objectives: To validate and assess the test-retest reliability of the Cervicogenic Headache Severity Questionnaire (CeH-SeQ), a patient-reported outcome measure designed to evaluate CGH severity. Methods: The CeH-SeQ was developed based on diagnostic criteria and clinical features of CGH. It includes two sections a diagnostic screening component and a severity measurement component. Content validity was evaluated using the Delphi method with 10 domain experts, and test-retest reliability was assessed in 30 participants with CGH. Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel. Results: The Scale-Content Validity Index (Average) was 0.82, while the Universal Agreement was 0.50. Among 32 items, 16 achieved universal agreement. Test-retest analysis revealed high reliability (Pearson's r = 0.91, ICC = 0.85, Kappa = 0.98, SEM = 5.37). The mean CeH-SeQ score improved from 76.48 (T1) to 81.32 (T2). The sample comprised 9 males and 17 females with a mean age of 35.57 years. Conclusions: The CeH-SeQ demonstrates strong reliability and satisfactory content validity, confirming its usefulness as a comprehensive and patient-centred tool for assessing CGH severity
Hotspots of Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria: Sewage, Soil, and Cow Dung as Underestimated Drivers of Community AMR in Saurashtra region of Western India
No full textAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a major public health threat, with environmental compartments increasingly recognized as important reservoirs and dissemination routes for resistant bacteria and resistance genes. This study investigated the occurrence, enumeration, and antibiotic resistance profiles of bacteria isolated from three highly contaminated environmental matrices in Rajkot, Gujarat, India: sewage water, sewage-contaminated soil, and fresh cow dung. Samples were processed in triplicate using standard spread-plate technique on Nutrient Agar. A total of 78 pure isolates were obtained and subjected to Gram staining, biochemical tests (IMViC, catalase, starch hydrolysis, nitrate reduction, urease, and gelatin hydrolysis), and antibiotic susceptibility testing against 18 clinically important antibiotics using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method (CLSI M100, 2023 guidelines). Experiments were performed in biological triplicates and results expressed as mean ± SD. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates were frequently encountered, particularly among Enterobacterales and Staphylococcus spp. The highest bacterial load was recorded in cow dung (7.8 ± 0.9 × 106 CFU/g), followed by sewage soil and sewage water. Resistance to third-generation cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, and aminoglycosides was widespread. Identified genera included Escherichia coli, Enterobacter spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus spp. This work provides the first comprehensive dataset on environmental AMR in Rajkot region and highlights the role of untreated sewage and animal manure as critical hotspots driving community-level AMR dissemination in India
Advancing cost-effective phytochemical cytotoxicity research in cervical cancer through cellular and embryonic studies
No full textCervical carcinoma remains a major contributor to cancer-related morbidity and mortality among women worldwide, with persistent infection by high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) identified as the principal etiological factor. The present study investigated the anticancer efficacy of six phytoconstituents—quercetin, scopoletin, sulforaphane, icarrin, InUa, and Standard—through combined in vitro and ex vivo approaches. HeLa and SiHa cervical cancer cell lines were treated with graded concentrations (30-100 ug/mL) of each compound, using methotrexate as a pharmacological reference. Cytotoxicity was assessed via viability staining, metabolic assays, and clonogenic survival, all of which demonstrated significant antiproliferative activity and reduced colony formation (p<0.05). Complementary chicken embryo assays substantiated these findings, revealing dose-dependent embryotoxicity. At submaximal doses, quercetin and InUa induced medium turbidity, protein denaturation, necrotic foci, and impaired vascularisation, while higher doses precipitated tissue disintegration, coagulative necrosis, vascular obliteration, and complete embryonic lethality. Sulforaphane, scopoletin, and InUa further caused absolute developmental arrest. Collectively, these results confirm the robust, dose-responsive anticancer and embryotoxic properties of the tested phytocompounds. The findings underscore their translational promise in cervical cancer therapeutics, while highlighting the necessity of precise dose calibration to balance efficacy with biosafety. Future in vivo studies are essential to validate these preliminary observations and refine dosing regimens for clinical application
Evaluation of Psychiatric Patient Health-Related Quality of Life and Drug Prescribing Assessment
No full textThis study explores how psychiatric medicines are being used and how they relate to the day-to-day wellbeing of patients attending the psychiatry department of a civil hospital. To understand this, various patient-related factors were considered, including age, gender, body weight, addiction history, level of education, occupation, and socioeconomic background. In addition, the type of psychiatric diagnosis and the pattern of prescribed medications were carefully reviewed. The core purpose of the study was to assess both the health-related quality of life of psychiatric patients and the appropriateness of the drug prescribing practices used in their treatment. This investigation was carried out over a span of 18 months in the Department of Psychiatry at Civil Hospital, Rajkot. Patients meeting the predefined inclusion criteria were systematically enrolled into the study. Each participant was then categorized according to their clinical diagnosis, age, body weight, gender, educational background, and socioeconomic status. Alongside this classification, their health-related quality of life was carefully evaluated to understand how these factors influenced their overall wellbeing. Information was gathered from a total of three hundred patients. Among them, one hundred eighty-five (61.62%) were women and one hundred fifteen (38.38%) were men. In terms of clinical diagnosis, schizophrenia emerged as the most common condition, affecting 45.48% of the study population, followed by anxiety disorders at 19.25%. Reflecting these patterns, antipsychotic medications were the most frequently prescribed (60%), with anxiolytic drugs also widely used, accounting for 40% of the prescriptions. This study provides a polaroid of how medicines are used in psychiatric care and how these treatments relate to patients' day-to-day wellbeing. To build this picture, a range of patient characteristics were examined, including age, gender, body weight, history of addiction, level of education, occupation, and socioeconomic background. In addition, the specific psychiatric diagnoses and the details of the prescribed drug regimens were carefully reviewed, allowing an integrated assessment of both drug utilization patterns and health-related quality of life in this population
Comparative Decision-Making Analysis of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Candidacy Based on a Survey of Pediatric Critical Care Fellow and Attending Physicians
No full textBackground: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) candidacy decisions for children with respiratory failure can be variable among pediatric critical care attending physicians, and prior studies showed that baseline functional status and underlying neurological conditions influence this decision. However, there are limited data regarding factors influencing pediatric critical care fellows' ECMO candidacy decisions and their alignment with attending physicians. This study aimed to identify patient characteristics influencing fellows' ECMO candidacy decisions and measure concordance with attending decisions.
Methods: This study was a planned secondary analysis of a prospective, single-center, cross-sectional study at a quaternary pediatric ECMO referral center. Pediatric critical care fellows and attending physicians caring for children admitted with acute respiratory failure were surveyed within 72 hours of initiation or escalation of respiratory support. The primary exposure was patient functional status at admission, measured by the functional status score (FSS), and was categorized as Normal/Mild Dysfunction (FSS 6-9) or Moderate/Severe Dysfunction (FSS >10). Multivariate logistic regression clustered by fellow evaluated factors influencing ECMO candidacy assessments. Cohen’s kappa measured concordance between fellow and attending decisions.
Results: Eighty surveys were completed by 21 pediatric critical care fellows. Fellows identified 19% of patients as ECMO non-candidates. After adjustment for age, moderate/severe admission dysfunction significantly reduced the odds of ECMO candidacy (aOR 0.11, 95% CI 0.03-0.51, p=0.005). Overall, concordance between fellows and attendings was moderate (κ=0.56) with junior fellows having minimal agreement (κ=-0.12). Fellows focused primarily on baseline functional status and comorbidities while attendings considered additional factors, including long-term prognosis, organ failure irreversibility, and ECMO-related risks in candidacy assessments.
Conclusion: Admission functional status influences pediatric critical care fellows' ECMO candidacy decisions, with moderate concordance observed between fellows and attending physicians. The identified discrepancies emphasize the importance of structured education and targeted mentorship programs to enhance consistency in ECMO candidacy assessments, especially among junior trainees
Development of a biomass supply chain ecosystem to support co-firing in Indonesian CFPPs for energy transition success
No full textBiomass, as a renewable energy resource, plays a strategic role in Indonesia’s energy transition, particularly in achieving the Enhanced Nationally Determined Contribution (ENDC) 2030 and the Net Zero Emissions (NZE) 2060 targets. One of the key strategies is the co-firing program in coal-fired power plants (CFPPs), which allows partial substitution of coal with biomass without requiring large investment costs or long implementation times. However, the success of this program depends on the establishment of a biomass supply chain ecosystem, a collaborative, multi-actor network involving suppliers, processors, end-users, regulators, and supporting institutions that interact with each other to create sustainable value. Unlike traditional linear supply chains, this ecosystem requires interdependence, co-creation, and value-based coordination among heterogeneous actors. In the Indonesian context, this approach is critical to address the complexities of governance, logistics, and sustainability while aligning cross-sectoral interests. Current regulatory frameworks remain insufficient compared to more established energy sectors, leading to gaps in coordination, pricing mechanisms, and long-term supply security. Developing a biomass supply chain ecosystem supported by effective regulatory policies could generate significant multiplier effects, particularly for smallholders and micro-enterprises, and is essential for the success of Indonesia’s energy transition
Assessment of Current Waste Management Technology at Padang Karet Integrated Waste Processing Facility, Pagar Alam City: A Baseline Study for Sustainable Waste Management Transition
No full textIndonesia is committed to achieving the Net Zero Emission (NZE) target by 2060, especially in the waste sector, through innovative waste management techniques. This study seeks to evaluate the existing waste management and processing technology at the Padang Karet Integrated Waste Processing Facility in Pagar Alam City, South Sumatra. This study uses observation methods, interviews with all parties related to waste, and analysis of waste composition data in 2024 through waste sampling. This research evaluates that 60.75% of waste is managed without any processing, and 39.25% of waste isn’t managed due to various obstacles, such as inadequate infrastructure, and is influenced by the socio-cultural conditions of the community. The waste management and processing system in Pagar Alam City without a sorting and recycling system, with organic waste reaching 45.6%, which poses a significant risk of CH₄, a greenhouse gas. This study suggests a phased approach based on circular economy principles, combining organic waste treatment technology with anaerobic digesters and mechanical recycling of plastic waste
Agricultural water in economic literature
No full textDans un contexte mondial marqué par la rareté croissante de l’eau, les tensions entre développement agricole et durabilité environnementale se font de plus en plus pressantes. l’eau est désormais reconnue non seulement comme un bien naturel, mais aussi comme un bien économique dont la gestion conditionne la soutenabilité des systèmes agricoles. Cette revue, s’inscrit dans une démarche analytique et critique visant à explorer les fondements conceptuels, théoriques et empiriques de l’eau agricole dans la littérature économique. Elle s’appuie sur une sélection d’articles issus de bases scientifiques internationales (Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar) et de la littérature grise. Les résultats de cette revue montrent que la recherche internationale reste dominée par des approches quantitatives et hydrologiques, centrées sur l’empreinte hydrique (1), mais peu attentives aux réalités institutionnelles et socio-économiques locales. Les travaux théoriques issus de l’économie du développement (2,3) confirment le rôle central de l’agriculture dans la croissance, mais ignorent largement la contrainte hydrique. De plus, la valeur de l’eau verte, non marchande et difficile à quantifier, demeure absente des analyses économiques, alors même qu’elle représente une part essentielle de la productivité agricole dans les zones semi arides
Time delay embeddings to characterize the timbre of musical instruments using Topological Data Analysis: a study on synthetic and real data
No full textTimbre allows us to distinguish between sounds even when they share the same pitch and loudness, playing an important role in music, instrument recognition, and speech. Traditional approaches, such as frequency analysis or machine learning, often overlook subtle characteristics of sound. Topological Data Analysis (TDA) can capture complex patterns, but its application to timbre has been limited, partly because it is unclear how to represent sound effectively for TDA. In this study, we investigate how different time delay embeddings affect TDA results. Using both synthetic and real audio signals, we identify time delays that enhance the detection of harmonic structures. Our findings show that specific delays, related to fractions of the fundamental period, allow TDA to reveal key harmonic features and distinguish between integer and non-integer harmonics. The method is effective for synthetic and real musical instrument sounds and opens the way for future works, which could extend it to more complex sounds using higher-dimensional embeddings and additional persistence statistics