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Standardized mortality ratio and long-term stroke incidence after PFO closure
No full textBackground: Closure of a patent foramen ovale (PFO) is frequently recommended in patients with cryptogenic stroke. Long-term outcomes in real-world settings remain unknown. Objectives: This study analyzed standardized mortality ratio (SMR), subsequent stroke, and associated risk factors after PFO closure. Methods: National registers on congenital heart disease and stroke were cross-linked to identify individuals who underwent PFO closure between 2001 and 2018. The ratio of observed to expected deaths was calculated (SMR). Data were analyzed using survival analysis and Cox regression. Results; A total of 827 patients (60.5% males, median age 47.9 years, IQR: 40.0-55.6 at the time of PFO closure) were included and observed for a median duration of 8.0 years (IQR: 4.8-11.0). During follow-up, 23 patients died, SMR was 0.65 (95% CI: 0.41-0.98). A total of 34 ischemic strokes occurred, yielding an incidence rate of 0.51 events per 100 patient-years. Among the 34 patients who experienced a subsequent stroke, 27 were receiving antithrombotic therapy at the time of the event. New-onset atrial fibrillation following PFO closure was associated with an increased risk of subsequent ischemic stroke (HR: 8.2; 95% CI: 2.6-25.8), as was active/previous smoking (HR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.2-5.1). Conclusions: Patients undergoing PFO closure demonstrated a lower all-cause mortality compared to the general population. The observed rate of subsequent ischemic stroke was consistent with findings from previous randomized controlled trials. New-onset atrial fibrillation following PFO closure and active/previous smoking emerged as modifiable risk factors
Enabling dependable flexibility in industrial automation with formal methods integrated to development toolchains
No full textEnabling dependable flexibility in industrial automation requires architectures that can adapt to evolving system requirements without compromising safety, reliability, or performance. One of the major challenges in this context is balancing dependability with flexibility. As systems evolve, rapid revalidation becomes essential. Automatic testing plays a crucial role in addressing this by enabling quick verification after changes. However, in safety-critical systems, automatic testing alone is insufficient. To ensure correctness and reliability, formal verification techniques are required. Closed-loop verification helps mitigate state-space explosion by integrating plant models with the control logic, allowing for more rigorous analysis. Another key challenge lies in obtaining appropriate models of the physical plant for verification. One practical solution is to leverage existing simulation models, discretize them, and inject non-determinism to represent execution uncertainties. Process mining techniques facilitate the construction of plant models by analyzing event logs from digital twins, providing an accurate representation of system behavior. This approach ensures robust validation, verifying system performance under diverse conditions and operational uncertainties. Within this context, IEC 61499 provides a modular and event-driven framework for designing control systems, enabling distributed control through function blocks (FBs). This architecture enhances reusability, interoperability, and scalability, making it well-suited for cyber-physical automation systems and reconfigurable manufacturing. Blockchain based traceability enhances security and ensures verification in flexible production system. AI-driven automation further optimizes industrial control by enabling intelligent decision-making, real-time adjustments, and process adaptation. AI agents, leveraging large language models (LLMs) and knowledge graphs (KGs), enhance human-machine collaboration by analyzing tasks and executing actions via OPC UA. These agents can interpret operator instructions, generate and validate execution sequences, and ensure conformance with specified requirements to support reliable and adaptive industrial automation.
Ageing mitigation of 21700 Li-ion cylindrical batteries for heavy duty BEVs through forced air and immersion cooling strategies in Nordic climate zones
No full textA Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) pack requires an intelligent and integrated arrangement of the thermal management system (TMS). While previous studies have investigated TMSs independently, we here make a comparative analysis between air and immersion TMSs tailored for both sub-zero and peak summer temperatures, mimicking Nordic climate zones. A parametric sweep of flow and thermal design parameters using laminar and turbulent flow regimes is performed. These ambient conditions and loading pattern corresponding to a heavy BEV constitute the basis of the comparison. The analysis is based on various well-defined key performance indicators. Moreover, the air based TMS requires high Re flows to give the best performance, while immersion TMS can perform well in a laminar range. It was deduced that low Re (126) and high Re (>3000) may not give better thermal performance, and it is therefore crucial to design the TMS within the proposed flow and thermal design sets. In contrast to previous work, where the main focus has been on the cooling efficiency or steady-state performances, this work extends the horizon to investigate the effect of these TMSs on ageing behaviour to quantify long-term benefits on battery reliability and safety. The coupled ageing-thermal battery model was simulated for 1000 cycles for different cases, showcasing 3.4 % improvement in SOH for immersion TMS compared to the air based TMS. Thus, the climate resilient TMS aids in heat management, and the coupled model is thereby shown to help estimate the battery SOH
Integrating parental breeding value, genetic gain, and gamete contribution for elite family selection in Platycladus orientalis
No full textPlatycladus orientalis (L.) Franco seed orchards play an important role in sustainable forestry in China but balancing genetic gain and genetic diversity remains a significant challenge. Two key factors influence the success of seed orchards: parental breeding value and gamete contribution, as they determine both the genetic gain and diversity of the seed crops produced. This study aimed to optimize breeding strategies by analyzing parental breeding value, gamete contribution, and genetic gain across two growth periods (89 families in 2008 and 52 families in 2021). We evaluated height, diameter at breast height, and stem volume of progeny in a primary seed orchard, uncovering significant genetic variation among families. Interestingly, no correlation was found between growth traits and gamete contribution, indicating their independence. Using comprehensive scoring and PCA-biplot analysis, we consistently identified several elite families with superior growth performance in both years. We propose an optimal breeding strategy that combines 30% selective harvesting and 50% selective thinning to effectively balance genetic gain and genetic diversity, addressing a critical goal in tree improvement programs. The selected families and optimized strategy provide a scalable framework not only for P. orientalis but also for other conifer species globally, enhancing both productivity and genetic diversity in afforestation efforts
Invasive Eurasian minnow alters the trophic niche and growth of brown trout in high-latitude lakes
No full textInvasive species pose a major threat to aquatic ecosystems, particularly in high-latitude lakes which are characterised by low biodiversity. In northern Europe, the Eurasian minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus) has colonised lakes historically dominated by salmonids, raising concerns about the impacts of invasive cyprinids on native fish populations and food webs. We compared the trophic niche, growth, and maturation of brown trout (Salmo trutta) in lakes with and without minnow and assessed dietary overlap between the two species using stomach content and stable isotope analyses. Stable isotope analysis revealed that in lakes with minnow, trout exhibited more pronounced ontogenetic niche shifts from pelagic to littoral feeding and towards higher trophic positions compared to lakes with only trout. The isotope data also showed that small trout overlapped in trophic niche with minnows. Stomach content analysis revealed a shift in trout prey use, with reduced consumption of Eurycercus lamellatus and Gammarus lacustris, increased use of surface insects and a transition towards partial piscivory (prevalence of piscivory 5.5%). Despite potential resource competition at early life stages and shifts in diet, when coexisting with minnow, trout grew faster and females showed a tendency to mature earlier. Overall, the presence of invasive minnow does not appear to negatively affect native trout. This is likely due to a combination of flexible resource use and the opportunistic piscivory exhibited by trout. Since our study systems were recently invaded, the findings provide new insights into how native salmonids respond to invasive species shortly after their establishment in small high-latitude lakes
Halogen-free deep eutectic solvents as ambient temperature supercapacitor electrolytes
No full textHere, we introduce three new halogen-free salts based on the green, sustainable, and hydrolytically stable saccharinate (Sac) anion, and their deep eutectic solvents (DESs) with ethylene glycol (EG). All the three salts exhibit distinct and well-defined thermal behaviors, ranging from ionic plastic crystals (IPCs) to supercooled liquids and classical ionic liquids (ILs). In contrast, their corresponding DESs display no detectable thermal events, a clear indication of successful DES formation, which is well supported by FTIR spectroscopy and suggests that EG interacts with the −CO and −SO2 groups of the Sac anion. DES with [EMPip][Sac] offers superior ion transport and electrochemical properties, supporting a voltage range up to 5.7 V, and as an electrolyte in a symmetric supercapacitor, a specific capacitance of 46.5 F g−1 at 5 mV s−1, an energy density of 9.9 Wh kg−1, and power density of 1022 W kg−1, at a current density of 0.2 A g−1. The capacitor retained 99 % of its initial capacitance after 20,000 cycles at ambient temperature. Altogether, these halogen-free DES electrolytes offer promising electrochemical properties, making them ideal electrolytes for supercapacitors operating at ambient temperatures over a wide potential range.Validerad;2025;Nivå 2;2025-12-01 (u5);Full text license: CC BY 4.0;Funder: Åbo Akademi University</p
Autonomy for whom? implications of cyber–physical mining systems for operator work and organisation
No full textThis paper examines the implementation of a cyber–physical mining system, the Autonomous Haulage System (AHS), from a work-system perspective. It explores how automation reconfigures the balance between human, technological, and organisational elements, with a focus on operator roles. Drawing on an explorative case study in an open-pit mine, the analysis applies Balance Theory to interpret how work and organisational relations are reshaped as autonomy is redistributed between humans and technology. Findings show that while the AHS contributes to improved safety and predictability, it also introduces greater work-task diversity and responsibility, increased standardisation and bureaucratisation, and reduced social interaction with emerging risks of isolation. Operators remain central to supervision, coordination, and adaptation, but their work becomes more procedural and dependent on organisational structures and formal routines. The study concludes that maintaining balance in cyber–physical mining systems is an ongoing organisational responsibility that relies on social cohesion, mutual trust, and continuous learning. Ultimately, the findings emphasise that the effectiveness of mining automation depends as much on collective engagement and organisational adaptation as on technological performance.Validerad;2025;Nivå 2;2025-12-02 (u4);Fulltext license: CC BY</p
Two-dimensional type-II vdW heterostructure MASnBr3/MoS2 for photovoltaic applications
No full textHerein, we comprehensively investigated the structural, electronic, optical, and photocatalytic properties of van der Waals heterostructure (vdWHs) MASnBr3/MoS2 (MA: CH3NH3). Monolayer MASnBr3 exhibits dynamical stability, as confirmed by phonon spectrum analysis, but suffers from a wide direct bandgap (2.72 eV at the HSE06-SOC (Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof 2006 – Spin Orbit Coupling) level), limiting its photovoltaic efficiency. The formation of heterostructure with MoS2 results in type-II band alignment that facilitates efficient carrier separation, with HSE06-SOC band gaps of 1.89 eV (for AA-configuration) and 1.36 eV (for AB-configuration), aligning optimally with the solar spectrum, while strain engineering further tunes the band gap, extending light absorption into the near-infrared region. The heterostructure exhibits remarkable optoelectronic performance, including a high optical absorption coefficient (8 × 105 cm−1) and a Spectroscopic Limited Maximum Efficiency (SLME) of up to 30 %, exceeding that of conventional lead-based perovskites and monolayer MASnBr3. Favorable valence and conduction band offsets (VBO = 0.48 eV, CBO = 1.6 eV) ensure rapid electron-hole separation, while robust mechanical stability (Young’s modulus ≈ 80 N·m−1) underscores practical viability. These attributes, combined with its potential for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, position the vdWHs MASnBr3/MoS2 as a promising candidate for sustainable photovoltaics and photocatalysis, offering tunable optoelectronic properties with robust structural stability.Validerad;2025;Nivå 2;2025-11-24 (u4);Funder: Wallenberg Initiative Materials Science (WISE); Ningbo Municipal Government, Zhejiang, China (2024A-434-G; 2024A-176-G); Nottingham Ningbo China Beacons of Excellence Research and Innovation Institute;Fulltext license: CC BY-NC</p
Varieties of disagreement in transformative policy missions: A Q study on the decarbonization of Swedish industry
No full textGovernments increasingly launch transformative policy missions to address complex societal challenges such as climate change. While the literature on mission-oriented innovation policy highlights the role of stakeholder contestation and emphasizes the need to promote alignment, it often overlooks the nature of underlying disagreements. This paper distinguishes between factual and normative disagreement across problems, solutions, and interventions, and applies Q methodology to identify and analyze four distinct stakeholder narratives in the mission to decarbonize Swedish industry. The narratives reveal different varieties of disagreement, ranging from factual concerns about technological feasibility and policy effectiveness to normative critiques of directionality and legitimacy. Our findings demonstrate that missions involve not only alignment, but also disjointment – persistent divergences of opinion rooted in fundamentally conflicting values and beliefs. Recognizing disjointment underscores the need for mission-oriented policymaking to balance efforts to foster alignment with strategies that address enduring conflict through mediation, recognition, redistribution, and compensation. Validerad;2025;Nivå 2;2025-11-18 (u8);Full text license: CC BY</p
Effect of amino acids on the compaction behavior and stability of spray-dried trypsin/lactose powder
No full textAmino acids (AAs) have been employed as excipients in spray-dried (SD) protein formulations due to their stabilizing effects and particle engineering abilities. However, the research focusing on the influence of AAs on the tabletability of SD protein powders is still limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of five diverse AAs, arginine hydrochloride (Arg & sdot;HCl), leucine (Leu), glycine (Gly), tryptophan (Trp) and sodium aspartate (Asp & sdot;Na), on the compaction behavior and stability of SD trypsin/lactose powders. The SD powders were characterized in terms of morphology, bulk powder properties, residual moisture content, and solid-state structure. Subsequently, the resulting powder compacts were characterized with respect to compressibility, compactability, and tabletability. Lastly, the conformational stability and enzymatic activity of trypsin in different SD formulations after compaction were assessed. The results showed that the SD trypsin/lactose/ Arg & sdot;HCl powder exhibited the poorest tabletability. Moreover, SD trypsin/lactose/Leu powder showed relatively poor tabletability, while SD trypsin/lactose/Trp powder showed a moderate tabletability. On the other hand, SD trypsin/lactose/Gly powder displayed the best compressibility, and the SD trypsin/lactose/Asp & sdot;Na tablets exhibited the highest tensile strengths at high compaction pressures. However, an altered conformation and reduced enzymatic activity of trypsin were observed in the SD trypsin/lactose/Asp & sdot;Na formulation upon compaction. In conclusion, the addition of five different AAs to the SD trypsin/lactose powder system resulted in distinct compaction behaviors and stabilizing effects, which can be attributed to the intrinsic properties of the original SD particles, such as hygroscopicity, morphology, and potential AAs' surface distribution