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Abstract We here introduce the Aquamarine (AQM) dataset, an extensive quantum-mechanical (QM) dataset that contains the structural and electronic information of 59,783 low-and high-energy conformers of 1,653 molecules with a total number of atoms ranging from 2 to 92 (mean: 50.9), and containing up to 54 (mean: 28.2) non-hydrogen atoms. To gain insights into the solvent effects as well as collective dispersion interactions for drug-like molecules, we have performed QM calculations supplemented with a treatment of many-body dispersion (MBD) interactions of structures and properties in the gas phase and implicit water. Thus, AQM contains over 40 global and local physicochemical properties (including ground-state and response properties) per conformer computed at the tightly converged PBE0+MBD level of theory for gas-phase molecules, whereas PBE0+MBD with the modified Poisson-Boltzmann (MPB) model of water was used for solvated molecules. By addressing both molecule-solvent and dispersion interactions, AQM dataset can serve as a challenging benchmark for state-of-the-art machine learning methods for property modeling and de novo generation of large (solvated) molecules with pharmaceutical and biological relevance.

Abstract Background The black soldier fly (BSF, Hermetia illucens L.) is one of the most promising insects for bioconversion of organic waste, which often carry a high microbial load with potential foodborne pathogens. Although horizontal transmission (from rearing substrate to larvae) has been extensively studied, less is known about vertical transmission of microorganisms, and particularly of foodborne pathogens, across different BSF life stages. Results This study investigated the microbial dynamics and vertical transmission of Escherichia coli across different life stages (larvae, prepupae, pupae and adults) of one BSF life cycle and its associated substrate (chicken feed) and frass, based on a combination of general microbial counts (based on culture-dependent techniques) and the bacterial community composition (based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing). Multiple interactions between the microbiota of the substrate, frass and BSF larvae were affirmed. The larvae showed relative consistency among both the microbial counts and bacterial community composition. Diversification of the bacterial communities started during the pupal stage, while most notable changes of the microbial counts and bacterial community compositions occurred during metamorphosis to adults. Furthermore, vertical transmission of E. coli was investigated after substrate inoculation with approximately 7.0 log cfu/g of kanamycin-resistant E. coli, and monitoring E. coli counts from larval to adult stage. Although the frass still contained substantial levels of E. coli (> 4.5 log cfu/g) and E. coli was taken up by the larvae, limited vertical transmission of E. coli was observed with a decreasing trend until the prepupal stage. E. coli counts were below the detection limit (1.0 log cfu/g) for all BSF samples from the end of the pupal stage and the adult stage. Additionally, substrate inoculation of E. coli did not have a substantial impact on the bacterial community composition of the substrate, frass or different BSF life stages. Conclusions The fluctuating microbial counts and bacterial community composition underscored the dynamic character of the microbiota of BSF life stages. Additionally, vertical transmission throughout one BSF life cycle was not observed for E. coli. Hence, these findings paved the way for future case studies on vertical transmission of foodborne pathogens across consecutive BSF life stages or other insect species.

To reach the estimated food demands for 2050 in decreasingly suiting climates, current agricultural techniques have to be complemented by sustainably intensified practices. The current study repurposed wheat crop residues into biochar, and investigated its potential in different plant cultivation systems, including a hydroponic cultivation of wheat. Biochars resulting from varying pyrolysis parameters including feedstock composition (straw and chaff) and temperature (450°C and 600°C), were tested using a fast plant screening method. Biochar WBC450, produced from a combination of chaff and straw at 450°C, was selected for further plant experiments, and used in a static leaching experiment in the Arabidopsis thaliana cultivation medium. Increased pH and EC were observed, together with an increase of most macronutrient (K, Mg, P, S) and a decrease of most micronutrient (Fe, Mn, Zn) concentrations. Considering plant growth, application of biochar resulted in concentration-dependent effects in both tested plant species (A. thaliana and wheat). It improved the vegetative yield across all tested cultivation systems. Increases in K and S, and concentration-dependent decreases in Fe and Na content in wheatgrass were observed. Biochar influenced the reproduction of hydroponically cultivated wheat by increasing the number of spikes and the number of seeds per spike. The antioxidative capacity of wheat grass, and the seed sugar and starch contents remained unaffected by biochar application. This study contributes to innovation in soilless cultivation approaches of staple crops, within the framework of closing waste loops for a circular bioeconomy.

Abstract Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are an important enabler of the nascent hydrogen economy. However, due to the reliance on precious metal catalysts like platinum, reducing the cost and broad penetration of PEMFCs beyond vehicle application remains a challenge. In this respect, alternative non‐precious metal catalysts and other carbon‐based catalysts remain the holy grail toward advanced low‐cost PEMFC. This review summarizes recent progress along the development of non‐precious catalysts and their performance under PEMFC operation. Critical factors such as the activity, stability, and durability of non‐precious metal catalysts and their associated mechanisms including the paths leading to degradation are discussed. Ultimately, the review concludes by highlighting the impressive activity and potential of NPM catalysts and the areas of focus to enable the translation of non‐precious catalysts to commercially viable PEMFC systems.

Silicon photonics faces a persistent challenge in extending photodetection capabilities beyond the 1.6 µm wavelength range, primarily due to the lack of appropriate epitaxial materials. Colloidal quantum dots present a promising solution here, offering distinct advantages, such as infrared wavelength tunability, cost-effectiveness, and facile deposition. Their unique properties position them as a potential candidate for enabling photodetection in silicon photonics beyond the conventional telecom wavelength, thereby expanding the potential applications and capabilities within this domain. In this study, we have successfully integrated lead sulfide (PbS) colloidal quantum dot photodiodes (QDPDs) onto silicon waveguides using standard process techniques. The integrated photodiodes exhibit a remarkable responsivity of 1.3 A/W (with an external quantum efficiency of 74.8%) at a wavelength of 2.1 µm, a low dark current of only 106 nA, and a bandwidth of 1.1 MHz under a −3 V bias. To demonstrate the scalability of our integration approach, we have developed a compact 8-channel spectrometer incorporating an array of QDPDs. This achievement marks a significant step toward realizing a cost-effective photodetector solution for silicon photonics, particularly tailored for a wide range of sensing applications around the 2 µm wavelength range.

Microalgae have rigid, complex cell walls hindering direct lipid extraction. Cell disruption techniques are used to rupture these cellular structures to increase lipid extraction. Researchers investigating the downstream processing of microalgae do not always have access to microalgal cultivation systems to generate large amounts of fresh microalgal biomass. Using resuspended freeze-dried microalgal biomass as a model laboratory system for concentrated fresh biomass during cell disruption experiments offers greater flexibility in experimental planning and omits investment costs of microalgal cultivation equipment. So far, it however remains unclear whether freeze-dried resuspended biomass can be used as a model laboratory system to represent concentrated fresh biomass during cell disruption and lipid extraction experiments. This paper thus evaluated the suitability of resuspended freeze-dried Nannochloropsis as a model laboratory system for concentrated fresh Nannochloropsis during cell disruption. Ultrasound assisted cell disruption was used as example cell disruption technique and lipid extraction efficiency and free fatty acid content were investigated. Tap water and 3% sodium chloride are both suitable resuspension media for the resuspension of freeze-dried Nannochloropsis. Resuspension duration should be limited (< 120 min) to prevent the formation of free fatty acids. The condition of the biomass (concentrated fresh, or resuspended freeze-dried) prior to ultrasound assisted cell disruption did not influence the resulting lipid extraction efficiency. Resuspended freeze-dried Nannochloropsis biomass in tap water or 3% sodium chloride can thus be used as a model laboratory system for fresh microalgal biomass during research on ultrasound assisted lipid extraction. The generalization of the results to other cultivation conditions, cell disruption techniques, components of interest or microalgal species should be carefully assessed.

A commercial activated carbon (AC) was modified through iron oxide incorporation to obtain microwave absorbers (MWAs) for microwave-assisted pyrolysis. The influence of iron oxide content (5 and 20 wt% Fe3O4) and the modification methods were tested as follows: (1) in situ co-precipitation + washing step with Milli-Q; (2) in situ co-precipitation + washing step with Milli-Q/ethanol; and (3) physical iron oxide blending. The resulting MWAs were evaluated on the microwave-assisted pyrolysis of hardwood in a Milestone Flexiwave microwave reactor. The biochar yield varied from 24 wt% to 89 wt% and was influenced by the modification method rather than the iron oxide addition. The MWAs with physically blended iron oxide resulted in biochar yields comparable to conventional biochar (450 °C). Furthermore, the addition of iron oxide-activated carbon composites during the microwave-assisted pyrolysis caused a significant decrease in the biochar’s 16 EPA polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, mainly by reducing the amount of pyrene in the biochar.

We present the current state of the art in micro-transfer printing for heterogeneously integrated silicon photonic integrated circuits. The versatility of the technology is highlighted, as is the way ahead to make this technology a key enabler for next-generation photonic systems-on-chip.

Some insect species have gained attention as efficient bioconverters of low-value organic substrates (i.e., residual streams) into high-value biomass. Black soldier fly (BSF) (Hermetia illucens) larvae are particularly interesting for bioconversion due to their ability to grow on a wide range of substrates, including low-value industrial residual streams. This is in part due to the plasticity of the gut microbiota of polyphagous insects, like BSF. Gut microbiota composition varies depending on rearing substrates, via a mechanism that might support the recruitment of microorganisms that facilitate digestion of a specific substrate. At the same time, specific microbial genera do persist on different substrates via unknown mechanisms. This study aimed to offer insights on this microbial plasticity by investigating how the composition of the bacterial community present in the gut of BSF larvae responds to two industrial residual streams: swill (a mixture of catering and supermarket leftovers) and distiller’s dried grains with solubles. The bacterial biota composition of substrates, whole larvae at the beginning of the rearing period and at harvest, rearing residues, and larval gut regions were investigated through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. It was observed that both substrate and insect development influenced the bacterial composition of the whole larvae. Zooming in on the gut regions, there was a clear shift in community composition from a higher to a lower diversity between the anterior/middle midgut and the posterior midgut/hindgut, indicating a selective pressure occurring in the middle midgut region. Additionally, the abundance of the bacterial biota was always high in the hindgut, while its diversity was relatively low. Even more, the bacterial community in the hindgut was found to be relatively more conserved over the different substrates, harboring members of the BSF core microbiota. We postulate a potential role of the hindgut as a reservoir for insect-associated microbes. This warrants further research on that underexplored region of the intestinal tract. Overall, these findings contribute to our understanding of the bacterial biota structure and dynamics along the intestinal tract, which can aid microbiome engineering efforts to enhance larval performance on (industrial) residual streams.

AbstractBackground Patients experience long-lasting health problems defined as post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) after Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission. Little is known about PICS in primary care.Objectives To investigate whether ICU survivors encounter more new International Classification of Primary Care-2 (ICPC-2) diagnoses and general practitioner (GP) contact compared to patients with similar comorbidity without ICU admission.Methods Prospective multicentre cohort study in three Dutch general practices. Numbers of disease-episodes and GP contacts of ICU survivors ≥ 16 years admitted between 2008 and 2017 were extracted from GPs’ information systems. A non-ICU reference cohort was matched 1:1 for age, sex, follow-up period and comorbidity groups from patients’ medical history. Negative binominal regression analysis was used to compare both cohorts 0–3, 3–6, 6–12 months, 1–2 and 2–5 years after ICU admission and 1 year prior to admission.Results ICU survivors (n = 199) encountered more new disease-episodes 1 year before (mean 3.97 (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.50–4.52]]; reference 2.36 [1.28–3.17]) to 2–5 years after ICU admission (3.65 [3.15–4.26]; reference 2.86 [2.52–3.22]). ICU survivors also had more GP contacts 1 year before (mean 19.61 [17.31–22.17]; reference 10.02 [7.81–12.38]) to 2–5 years after ICU admission (18.53 [15.58–21.85]; reference 12.03 [10.33–13.91]). Patients with prior ICU admission did not encounter patterns in specific ICPC-2 chapters compared to non-ICU patients.Conclusion Patients admitted to the ICU encounter more new primary care disease-episodes and GP contacts. As patients present their symptoms to their GP first, it is therefore up to the GP to recognise these critical illness-related symptoms.

Aligned with the EU Sustainable Development Goals 2030 (EU SDG2030), extensive research is dedicated to enhancing the sustainable use of biomass waste for the extraction of pharmaceutical and nutritional compounds, such as (poly-)phenolic compounds (PC). This study proposes an innovative one-step hydrothermal extraction (HTE) at a high temperature (120 °C), utilizing environmentally friendly acidic natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) to replace conventional harmful pre-treatment chemicals and organic solvents. Brewer’s spent grain (BSG) and novel malt dust (MD) biomass sources, both obtained from beer production, were characterized and studied for their potential as PC sources. HTE, paired with mild acidic malic acid/choline chloride (MA) NADES, was compared against conventional (heated and stirred maceration) and modern (microwave-assisted extraction; MAE) state-of-the-art extraction methods. The quantification of key PC in BSG and MD using liquid chromatography (HPLC) indicated that the combination of elevated temperatures and acidic NADES could provide significant improvements in PC extraction yields ranging from 251% (MD-MAC-MA: 29.3 µg/g; MD-HTE-MA: 103 µg/g) to 381% (BSG-MAC-MA: 78 µg/g; BSG-HTE-MA: 375 µg/g). The superior extraction capacity of MA NADES over non-acidic NADES (glycerol/choline chloride) and a traditional organic solvent mixture (acetone/H2O) could be attributed to in situ acid-catalysed pre-treatment facilitating the release of bound PC from lignin–hemicellulose structures. Qualitative 13C-NMR and pyro-GC-MS analysis was used to verify lignin–hemicellulose breakdown during extraction and the impact of high-temperature MA NADES extraction on the lignin–hemicellulose structure. This in situ acid NADES-catalysed high-temperature pre-treatment during PC extraction offers a potential green pre-treatment for use in cascade valorisation strategies (e.g., lignin valorisation), enabling more intensive usage of available biomass waste stream resources.

Although wireless devices continuously gain communication capabilities, even state-of-the-art Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) architectures, such as Internet Protocol version 6 over the Time-Slotted Channel Hopping (TSCH) mode of IEEE 802.15.4 (6TiSCH), continue to use network-wide, fixed link configurations. This presents a missed opportunity to (1) forego the need for rigorous manual setup of new deployments; and (2) provide full coverage of particularly heterogeneous and/or dynamic industrial sites. As such, we devised the Multi-Modal Minimal Scheduling Function (3MSF) for the TSCH link layer, which, combined with previous work on the routing layer, results in a 6TiSCH architecture able to dynamically exploit modern multi-modal hardware on a per-link basis through variable-duration timeslots, simultaneous transmission, and routing metric normalization. This paper describes, in great detail, its design and discusses the rationale behind every choice made. Finally, we evaluate three basic scenarios through simulations, showcasing both the functionality and flexibility of our 6TiSCH implementation.

Green roofs contribute to more sustainable cities, but current commercial substrates suffer from important limitations. If carefully selected, biochar could serve as a viable option for a more sustainable green roof substrate. We propose a protocol to select an optimal biochar for green roof substrate amendment. Coffee husks, medium-density fiberboard, palm date fronds, and a mixture of waste wood, tree bark, and olive stone kernels are selected as residues for biochar production to develop a selection protocol. The residues are pyrolyzed at 350, 450, 500, and 550 °C in a lab-scale reactor. A pyrolysis temperature of 450 °C is selected for upscaling and is based on biochar yield, pH, salinity, and elemental composition. From evaluating the biochar characteristics after upscaling, it can be concluded that the biochar’s carbonization degree is mainly controlled by pyrolysis temperature, while yield, pH, and salinity are more dependent on the biomass properties. Ultimately, our procedure evaluates the presence of important contaminants, the biochar’s water holding capacity, salinity, pH, and carbonization degree. To validate the developed protocol, plant coverage experiments on green roofs are performed, which are quantified using a novel digital image processing method, demonstrating its efficient use to facilitate future biochar selection in substrates.

Quality of life (QOL) has gained increased interest as a critical pathway to better understanding the lives and circumstances of children and adolescents in both the general population and among specific populations. Yet, QOL assessment among youngsters in youth care services remains a highly under-researched topic. This study examines the suitability and psychometric properties of a new QOL self-report scale for adolescents between 12 and 18 years old in youth care: the Quality of Life in Youth Services Scale (QOLYSS). The provisional version of the QOLYSS was pre-tested in a sample of 28 adolescents in youth care to examine its applicability and feasibility. Next, a comprehensive evaluation of the psychometric properties of the field-test version was conducted in a sample of 271 adolescents in youth care in Flanders, Belgium (M = 15.43, SD = 1.73). Classical item and factor analyses were carried out per subscale, (test-retest) reliability and item-discriminant validity of the subscales were examined, convergent validity was explored, and confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the goodness-of-fit of different measurement models. Reliability measures of the scale are satisfactory, results are indicative of convergent validity, and confirmatory factor analysis provides evidence for the eight correlated factors model. Future lines of research concerning the ongoing development and application of the QOLYSS are discussed.

The authors demonstrate a multi-dimensional communication scheme that combines wavelength- and mode- multiplexing on photonic integrated circuits using foundry-compatible photonic inverse design and spectrally flattened microcombs

We present an elegant and effective approach for the design of adiabatic waveguide couplers tailored for the heterogeneous integration of photonic building blocks. This method empowers users to incorporate the shortest taper(s) in their designs, while upholding optimal coupling efficiency. The technique assesses mode overlap between a minimum of two waveguides within the cross-section of any heterogeneous material stack, determining the necessary waveguide cross-sectional dimension to achieve optimal coupling efficiency. Two illustrative design applications are showcased and compared to a linear, concave, and convex taper for reference: a SiN-to-polymer structure exhibiting a 40% coupling improvement and a Si-to-GeSi structure having a 2.2 up to 5 times shorter length.

Angiogenesis significantly influences the carcinogenesis of thymic epithelial tumors (TET). Both thymomas and thymic carcinoma (TC) overexpress VEGF-A and VEGFR-1 and -2. This review aims to provide an appraisal of the use of anti-angiogenics in the treatment of TET. The literature research identified 16 studies that were deemed eligible for further analysis. Seven studies assessed the clinical efficacy of sunitinib and five studies the use of apatinib and/or anlotinib. The multicenter Japanese phase II REMORA trial investigated the efficacy of lenvatinib, which is a multi-targeted inhibitor of VEGFR, FGFR, RET, c-Kit, and other kinases. The objective response rate was 38% (25.6–52%), which is the highest documented in TET that progressed after first-line chemotherapy. Anti-angiogenic agents may be useful in the treatment of TET, which are not amenable to curative treatment. Their toxicity profile seems to be acceptable. However, angiogenesis inhibitors do not appear to have a major influence on either thymomas or TC, although multikinase inhibitors may have some effect on TC. The current evidence suggests that the most active agent is lenvatinib, whereas sunitinib could be proposed as an acceptable second-line therapy for TC. Further research concerning the combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors with anti-angiogenic drugs is warranted.

Preservation of widely available crop residues as silage could reduce feed shortages in Ethiopia. Four mixtures of banana pseudostem (BPS) and fresh maize stover (FMS) were prepared for fermentation considering the local conditions and available resources: 100% FMS, 80% FMS + 20% BPS, 60% FMS + 40% BPS and 95% BPS + 5% molasses. Each of the four mixtures was fermented in plastic bags as well as in plastic drums. Apart from the effect of the mixture and fermentation package, two fermentation locations were also considered. The fermentation was replicated three times for each combination of mixture, fermentation package and fermentation condition. The pH, microbial counts (total viable count, lactic acid bacteria count, Enterobacteriaceae count, yeast and mold count) and nutritional values of the fresh material and mixed silage were measured. Fermentation was successful for all mixed silages, reaching a pH below four, while the total viable count, Enterobacteriaceae count, yeast and mold count dropped (all p ≤ 0.05) and digestibility and metabolizable energy increased compared to the fresh mixtures. Enterobacteriaceae counts reached values below the detection limit in all mixed silages fermented in drums unlike the bag silages. The plastic bags used as fermentation package were found to be sensitive to damage, resulting in a a higher pH and visible signs of yeast and mold. Although fermentation of BPS with molasses resulted in a significant increase in dry matter digestibility (41.14 to 46.17–49.92%) and organic matter digestibility (50.52 to 55.22–58.75%), they were lower compared to most mixed silages with FMS. Fermentation of 80 and 60% FMS mixtures increased the crude protein content from 44.30 to 71.27–82.20 g/kg DM, and from 43.63 to 63.10–65.83 g/kg DM, respectively. The highest increase (1.77 MJ/kg DM) in metabolizable energy was recorded for 80% FMS fermented in drums. The location of fermentation had no effect on pH, microbial counts and nutritional values. This study demonstrates that crop by-products can be successfully fermented under conditions prevailing in Ethiopia, with drums being preferred over bags. Mixing BPS with FMS is advised to absorb BPS juice losses and obtain silage with more crude protein, neutral and acid detergent fibers and metabolizable energy, as well as a higher digestibility.

Abstract Area selective atomic layer deposition (AS‐ALD) is an interesting bottom‐up approach due to its self‐aligned fabrication potential. Ruthenium dioxide (RuO2) is an important material for several applications, including microelectronics, demanding area selective processing. Herein, it is shown that ALD of RuO2 using methanol and RuO4 as reactants results in uninhibited continuous growth on SiO2, whereas there is no deposition on polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) blanket films even up to 200 ALD cycles, resulting in around 25 nm of selective RuO2 deposition on SiO2. The excellent selectivity of the process is verified with X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X‐ray fluorescence, and scanning transmission electron microscopy. AS‐ALD is possible at deposition temperatures as low as 60 °C, with an area selective window from 60 to 120 °C. The deposition of RuO2 using other coreactants namely ethanol and isopropanol in combination with RuO4 increases the process's growth rate while maintaining selectivity. Testing different polymer thin films such as poly(ethylene terephthalate glycol), (poly(lauryl methacrylate)‐co‐ethylene glycol dimethacrylate), polystyrene, and Kraton reveals an important relationship between polymer structure and the applicability of such polymers as mask layers. Finally, the developed method is demonstrated by selectively depositing RuO2 on patterned SiO2/PMMA samples, followed by PMMA removal, resulting in RuO2 nanopatterns.

The manufacturing of metal parts via powder-bed fusion is often still facing quality issues due to microstructural porosity. Minimizing this porosity remains a priority and requires the optimization of printing process parameters. While the analysis of printed parts using X-ray computed tomography can localize and identify the pore types (e.g. keyhole or lack-of-fusion pores), these pore types can be difficult to identify across printer settings and print materials. Therefore, there is a need for a material and process agnostic approach. This work presents such an approach by considering a set of geometric pore features that do not differ considerably across print scenarios. These features are then leveraged for supervised pore type classification. The distributions of pore features were analyzed in different materials and under varying laser parameters, showing that they behave in a generic way. For classification, it is observed that they outperform other features leveraged in the state-of-the-art for pore classification in a single material, reaching up to 93.0% accuracy. Additionally, accuracies up to 90.2% for cross-material classification were observed by training on pores of one material and validating on another. These results pave the way to a general-purpose pore classification method usable across materials and process conditions.

We report a waveguide-integrated BP/MoTe2 PN heterojunction photodetector. It presents ultralow dark currents and high responsivities, which has potentials to develop high-performance on-chip photodetectors for various photonic integrated circuits.

Research overviews of and historiography on the attitude of the Catholic Church and theologians towards athletes with intellectual and physical disabilities assume that the Church and theologians have only very recently begun to interest themselves in this subject. Starting from John Paul II’s contribution to this field, and above all from his integral anthropological vision, this article assesses his position by comparing it with that of his two successors Benedict XVI and Francis. Especially the latter’s addresses and interviews and the official documents on sport issued by the Holy See during his pontificate are testimony to his special commitment to athletes with disabilities. The article also examines the history of the Holy See and studies its attention to athletes with a disability. The results of this inquiry are that papal interest in this field is not limited to, nor did it start with the pontificate of John Paul II. Instead, it dates from the very beginning of the modern phenomenon of sport, with Pope Pius X at the beginning of the 20th century, continued by Pius XII and John XXIII. The latter’s speech to the participants of the first Paralympic Games in 1960 is the strongest indication of a pre-John Paul II affirmation of disabled sport. This points to the importance of taking a more nuanced position in the current debate, although it is clear that Pope Francis must be considered the champion of the Holy See’s commitment to the inclusion of athletes with a disability.

Abstract Purpose To discuss recent literature on posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) repair and report on the clinical and radiological outcomes. Methods A systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. In August 2022, three databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library) were searched for studies on PCL repair by two independent reviewers. Articles published between January 2000 and August 2022 focussing on the clinical and/or radiological outcomes, following PCL repair, were included. Patient demographic data, clinical evaluations, patient‑reported outcome measures, post‐operative complications and radiological outcomes were extracted. Results Nine studies met the inclusion criteria, covering 226 patients with a mean age ranging from 22.4 to 38.8 years and mean follow‐up periods ranging from 14 to 78.6 months. Seven studies (77.8%) were level IV and two studies (22.2%) were level III. Arthroscopic PCL repair was performed in four studies (44.4%) while the remaining five studies (55.6%) described open PCL repair. In four studies (44.4%) additional suture augmentation was applied. Arthrofibrosis affected a combined total of 24 patients (11.7%; range 0–21.0%) making it the most common complication and the overall failure rate was 5.6%, ranging from 0 to 15.8%. Two studies (22.2%) performed post‐operative MRI and confirmed PCL healing. Conclusion This systematic review indicates that PCL repair can be a safe procedure with an overall failure rate of 5.6%, ranging from 0% to 15.8%. However, more high quality research is necessary before widespread clinical implementation is warranted. Level of Evidence IV.

Introduction Over 70% of the intensive care unit (ICU) survivors suffer from long-lasting physical, mental and cognitive problems after hospital discharge. Post-ICU care is recommended by international guidelines, but evidence for cost-effectiveness lacks. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of structured, multidisciplinary and personalised post-ICU care versus usual care on physical and psychological functioning and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of ICU survivors, 1- and 2-year post-ICU discharge.Methods and analysis The MONITOR-IC post-ICU care study (MiCare study) is a multicentre stepped-wedge randomised controlled trial conducted in five hospitals. Adult patients at high risk for critical illness-associated morbidity post-ICU will be selected and receive post-ICU care, including an invitation to the post-ICU clinic 3 months after ICU discharge. A personalised long-term recovery plan tailored to patients’ reported outcome measures will be made. 770 (intervention) and 1480 (control) patients will be included. Outcomes are 1- and 2-year HRQoL (EuroQol Instrument (EQ-5D-5L)), physical (fatigue and new physical problems), mental (anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder), and cognitive symptoms and cost-effectiveness. Medical data will be retrieved from patient records and cost data from health insurance companies.Ethics and dissemination Due to the lack of evidence, Dutch healthcare insurers do not reimburse post-ICU care. Therefore, evaluation of cost-effectiveness and integration in guidelines supports the evidence. Participation of several societies for physicians, nurses, paramedics, and patients and relatives in the project team increases the support for implementation of the intervention in clinical practice. Patients and relatives will be informed by the patient associations, hospitals and professional associations. Informing healthcare insurers about this project’s results is important for the consideration for inclusion of post-ICU care in Dutch standard health insurance. The study is approved by the Radboud University Medical Centre research ethics committee (2021-13125).Trial registration number NCT05066984.

Abstract 2D materials are considered for applications that require strong light-matter interaction because of the apparently giant oscillator strength of the exciton transitions in the absorbance spectrum. Nevertheless, the effective oscillator strengths of these transitions have been scarcely reported, nor is there a consistent interpretation of the obtained values. Here, we analyse the transition dipole moment and the ensuing oscillator strength of the exciton transition in 2D CdSe nanoplatelets by means of the optically induced Stark effect (OSE). Intriguingly, we find that the exciton absorption line reacts to a high intensity optical field as a transition with an oscillator strength F S t a r k that is 50 times smaller than expected based on the linear absorption coefficient. We propose that the pronounced exciton absorption line should be seen as the sum of multiple, low oscillator strength transitions, rather than a single high oscillator strength one, a feat we assign to strong exciton center-of-mass localization. Within the quantum mechanical description of excitons, this 50-fold difference between both oscillator strengths corresponds to the ratio between the coherence area of the exciton’s center of mass and the total area, which yields a coherence area of a mere 6.1 nm2. Since we find that the coherence area increases with reducing temperature, we conclude that thermal effects, related to lattice vibrations, contribute to exciton localization. In further support of this localization model, we show that F S t a r k is independent of the nanoplatelet area, correctly predicts the radiative lifetime, and lines up for strongly confined quantum dot systems.

Abstract Background Inguinal hernia repair, gallbladder removal, and knee- and hip replacements are the most commonly performed surgical procedures, but all are subject to practice variation and variable patient-reported outcomes. Shared decision-making (SDM) has the potential to reduce surgery rates and increase patient satisfaction. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an SDM strategy with online decision aids for surgical and orthopaedic practice in terms of impact on surgery rates, patient-reported outcomes, and cost-effectiveness. Methods The E-valuAID-study is designed as a multicentre, non-randomized stepped-wedge study in patients with an inguinal hernia, gallstones, knee or hip osteoarthritis in six surgical and six orthopaedic departments. The primary outcome is the surgery rate before and after implementation of the SDM strategy. Secondary outcomes are patient-reported outcomes and cost-effectiveness. Patients in the usual care cluster prior to implementation of the SDM strategy will be treated in accordance with the best available clinical evidence, physician’s knowledge and preference and the patient’s preference. The intervention consists of the implementation of the SDM strategy and provision of disease-specific online decision aids. Decision aids will be provided to the patients before the consultation in which treatment decision is made. During this consultation, treatment preferences are discussed, and the final treatment decision is confirmed. Surgery rates will be extracted from hospital files. Secondary outcomes will be evaluated using questionnaires, at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Discussion The E-valuAID-study will examine the cost-effectiveness of an SDM strategy with online decision aids in patients with an inguinal hernia, gallstones, knee or hip osteoarthritis. This study will show whether decision aids reduce operation rates while improving patient-reported outcomes. We hypothesize that the SDM strategy will lead to lower surgery rates, better patient-reported outcomes, and be cost-effective. Trial registration: The Netherlands Trial Register, Trial NL8318, registered 22 January 2020. URL: https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/8318 .

Here, three-dimensional hafnium oxide and two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride are integrated in the insulating section of double-layer graphene optical modulators, leading to a maximum bandwidth of 39 GHz and enhanced modulation efficiency.

For ultra-reliable high-data-rate communication, the beyond fifth generation (B5G) and the sixth generation (6G) wireless networks will heavily rely on beamforming, with mobile users often located in the radiative near-field of large antenna systems. Therefore, a novel approach to shape both the amplitude and phase of the electric near-field of any general antenna array topology is presented. Leveraging on the active element patterns generated by each antenna port, the beam synthesis capabilities of the array are exploited through Fourier analysis and spherical mode expansions. As a proof-of-concept, two different arrays are synthesized from the same active antenna element. These arrays are used to obtain 2D near-field patterns with sharp edges and a 30 dB difference between the fields’ magnitudes inside and outside the target regions. Various validation and application examples demonstrate the full control of the radiation in every direction, yielding optimal performance for the users in the focal zones, while significantly improving the management of the power density outside of them. Moreover, the advocated algorithm is very efficient, allowing for a fast, real-time modification and shaping of the array’s radiative near-field.

Optical Wireless Communication (OWC) has attracted significant attention from academia and industry as a promising solution to complement traditional radio frequency communication. In Light-Fidelity (LiFi) networks, to enable soft handover and provide robustness against blockage of the line-of-sight links, LiFi receivers are designed to see multiple LiFi transmitters within their field-of-view. To trade-off spatial multiplexing with harmful interference, a proper user scheduling technique is required. In this work, we first derive practical and exact expressions for determining which simultaneous transmissions will create harmful interference and should be scheduled in multiple time-slots. Afterwards, relying on this expression, we propose our semi-distributed Spatially Extended TDMA algorithm, which is based on a time division contention–free access scheme. In contrast to more complex algorithms in the state-of-the-art, our scheduling protocol can reduce the computation time while also achieving a superior minimal user throughput. For a scenario with 9 transmitters and up to 15 receivers, our protocol is at least a factor 120 faster and can improve the minimal user throughput up to 91%, making it suitable for practical roll-out as a promising solution for very dense LiFi networks.

As the world population increases, food demand and agricultural activity will also increase. However, ~30–40% of the food produced today is lost or wasted along the production chain. Increasing food demands would only intensify the existing challenges associated with agri-food waste management. An innovative approach to recover the resources lost along the production chain and convert them into value-added product(s) would be beneficial. An alternative solution is the use of the larvae of the black soldier fly (BSFL), Hermetia illucens L., which can grow and convert a wide range of organic waste materials into insect biomass with use as animal feed, fertilizer and/or bioenergy. However, the main concern when creating an economically viable business is the variability in BSFL bioconversion and processing due to the variability of the substrate. Many factors, such as the nutritional composition of the substrate heavily impact BSFL development. Another concern is that substrates with high lignin and cellulose contents have demonstrated poor digestibility by BSFL. Studies suggest that pretreatment methods may improve the digestibility and biodegradability of the substrate by BSFL. However, a systematic review of existing pretreatment methods that could be used for enhancing the bioconversion of these wastes by BSFL is lacking. This paper provides a state-of-the-art review on the potential pretreatment methods that may improve the digestibility of substrates by BSFL and consequently the production of BSFL. These processes include but are not limited to, physical (e.g., mechanical and thermal), chemical (alkaline treatments), and biological (bacterial and fungal) treatments.

We aim to compare variations in the full-UV dust extinction curve (912–3000 Å), with the H i /H _2 /total H content along diffuse Milky Way sightlines, to investigate possible connections between ISM conditions and dust properties. We combine an existing sample of 75 UV extinction curves based on IUE and FUSE data, with atomic and molecular column densities measured through UV absorption. The H _2 column density data are based on existing Lyman–Werner absorption band models from earlier work on the extinction curves. Literature values for the H i column density were compiled, and improved for 23 stars by fitting a Ly α profile to archived spectra. We discover a strong correlation between the H _2 column and the far-UV extinction, and the underlying cause is a linear relationship between H _2 and the strength of the far-UV rise feature. This extinction does not scale with H i , and the total H column scales best with $A\left(V\right)$ instead. The carrier of the far-UV rise therefore coincides with molecular gas, and further connections are shown by comparing the UV extinction features to the molecular fraction. Variations in the gas-to-extinction ratio $N({\rm{H}})/A\left(V\right)$ correlate with the UV-to-optical extinction ratio, and we speculate this could be due to coagulation or shattering effects. Based on the H _2 temperature, the strongest far-UV rise strengths are found to appear in colder and denser sightlines.

The imbalance between production and clearance of amyloid β (Aβ) peptides and their resulting accumulation in the brain is an early and crucial step in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Therefore, Aβ is strongly positioned as a promising and extensively validated therapeutic target for AD. Investigational disease-modifying approaches aiming at reducing cerebral Aβ concentrations include prevention of de novo production of Aβ through inhibition of β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), and clearance of Aβ deposits via passive Aβ immunotherapy.We have developed a novel, high affinity antibody against Aβ peptides bearing a pyroglutamate residue at amino acid position 3 (3pE), an Aβ species abundantly present in plaque deposits in AD brains. Here, we describe the preclinical characterization of this antibody, and demonstrate a significant reduction in amyloid burden in the absence of microhemorrhages in different mouse models with established plaque deposition. Moreover, we combined antibody treatment with chronic BACE1 inhibitor treatment and demonstrate significant clearance of pre-existing amyloid deposits in transgenic mouse brain, without induction of microhemorrhages and other histopathological findings. Together, these data confirm significant potential for the 3pE-specific antibody to be developed as a passive immunotherapy approach that balances efficacy and safety. Moreover, our studies suggest further enhanced treatment efficacy and favorable safety after combination of the 3pE-specific antibody with BACE1 inhibitor treatment.

A new method for automated sleep stage scoring of polysomnographies is proposed that uses a random forest approach to model feature interactions and temporal effects. The model mostly relies on features based on the rules from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, which allows medical experts to gain insights into the model. A common way to evaluate automated approaches to constructing hypnograms is to compare the one produced by the algorithm to an expert's hypnogram. However, given the same data, two expert annotators will construct (slightly) different hypnograms due to differing interpretations of the data or individual mistakes. A thorough evaluation of our method is performed on a multi-labeled dataset in which both the inter-rater variability as well as the prediction uncertainties are taken into account, leading to a new standard for the evaluation of automated sleep stage scoring algorithms. On all epochs, our model achieves an accuracy of 82.7%, which is only slightly lower than the inter-rater disagreement. When only considering the 63.3% of the epochs where both the experts and algorithm are certain, the model achieves an accuracy of 97.8%. Transition periods between sleep stages are identified and studied for the first time. Scoring guidelines for medical experts are provided to complement the certain predictions by scoring only a few epochs manually. This makes the proposed method highly time-efficient while guaranteeing a highly accurate final hypnogram.

Catharanthus roseus produces a diverse range of specialized metabolites of the monoterpenoid indole alkaloid (MIA) class in a heavily branched pathway. Recent great progress in identification of MIA biosynthesis genes revealed that the different pathway branch genes are expressed in a highly cell type- and organ-specific and stress-dependent manner. This implies a complex control by specific transcription factors (TFs), only partly revealed today. We generated and mined a comprehensive compendium of publicly available C. roseus transcriptome data for MIA pathway branch-specific TFs. Functional analysis was performed through extensive comparative gene expression analysis and profiling of over 40 MIA metabolites in the C. roseus flower petal expression system. We identified additional members of the known BIS and ORCA regulators. Further detailed study of the ORCA TFs suggests subfunctionalization of ORCA paralogs in terms of target gene-specific regulation and synergistic activity with the central jasmonate response regulator MYC2. Moreover, we identified specific amino acid residues within the ORCA DNA-binding domains that contribute to the differential regulation of some MIA pathway branches. Our results advance our understanding of TF paralog specificity for which, despite the common occurrence of closely related paralogs in many species, comparative studies are scarce.

Integration of photonic circuits with single photon emitters provides a promising route towards scalable quantum photonic chips. Here, the authors integrate a WSe2 monolayer onto a SiN chip and demonstrate the coupling of single photon emitters in WSe2 with the guided mode of a SiN waveguide.

Current diamond quantum optics experiments are restricted to single devices and few quantum emitters due to fabrication constraints. Here, the authors utilize inverse design to overcome constraints of diamond nanofabrication methods and fabricate compact and robust diamond devices with unique specifications.

In laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), melt pool instability can lead to the development of pores in printed parts, reducing the part’s structural strength. While camera-based monitoring systems have been introduced to improve melt pool stability, these systems only measure melt pool stability in limited, indirect ways. We propose that melt pool stability can be improved by explicitly encoding stability into LPBF monitoring systems through the use of temporal features and pore density modelling. We introduce the temporal features, in the form of temporal variances of common LPBF monitoring features (e.g., melt pool area, intensity), to explicitly quantify printing stability. Furthermore, we introduce a neural network model trained to link these video features directly to pore densities estimated from the CT scans of previously printed parts. This model aims to reduce the number of online printer interventions to only those that are required to avoid porosity. These contributions are then implemented in a full LPBF monitoring system and tested on prints using 316L stainless steel. Results showed that our explicit stability quantification improved the correlation between our predicted pore densities and true pore densities by up to 42%.

Background and aims – The Arthoniaceae form a species-rich family of lichenized, lichenicolous and saprophytic fungi in the order Arthoniales. As part of taxonomic revisions of the African Arthoniaceae, a number of species assignable to the genus Synarthonia were collected and sequenced. The present study aims at placing the genus in a phylogeny for the first time and at clarifying its circumscription. Methods – Nuclear (RPB2) and mitochondrial (mtSSU) DNA sequences from freshly collected specimens were obtained and analysed with phylogenetic Bayesian and maximum likelihood (ML) methods. Key results – Synarthonia is closely related to the genera Reichlingia and Coniocarpon in the Arthoniaceae. Six Synarthonia species are described as new to science and ten new combinations into this genus are made. A worldwide identification key to the genus Synarthonia is provided. Lectotypes are chosen for Arthonia elegans, A. inconspicua, A. lopingensis, A. ochracea, A. subcaesia and A. translucens. Arthonia thamnocarpa is synonymized with Sclerophyton elegans, and Arthonia elegans with Coniocarpon fallax. Synarthonia ochracea is shown to be a misunderstood species in the past and recent literature, since it was erroneously synonymized with Coniocarpon elegans. Synarthonia ochracea appears to start its life cycle as a non-lichenized lichenicolous fungus on Graphis before developing a lichenized thallus or it might be a facultatively lichenicolous fungus. It belongs to a complex of closely related species whose biology and circumscription are still in need of further studies.Conclusions – Synarthonia forms a monophyletic but somewhat heterogeneous lineage closely related to Coniocarpon and Reichlingia. As delimited here, Synarthonia includes corticolous lichens with a trentepohlioid photobiont as well as non-lichenized lichenicolous fungi. The core group is characterized by white pruinose ascomata, but species producing orange pruinose or non-pruinose ascomata are also included. Ascospores are transversely septate with an enlarged apical cell or are muriform. Future molecular and morphological studies are needed for a better circumscription and definition of the genus.

Aims. Standard of care (SoC) device size selection with transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) and computed tomography (CT) in LAAO can be challenging due to a certain degree of variability at both patient and device levels. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the clinical impact of 3D computational modelling software in the decision-making of left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) with Amplatzer Amulet. Methods and Results. SoC preprocedural assessments as well as CT-based 3D computational simulations (FEops) were performed in 15 consecutive patients scheduled for LAAO with Amulet. Preprocedural device size selection and degree of confidence were determined after SoC and after FEops-based assessments and compared to the implanted device. FEops-based preprocedural assessment correctly selected the implanted device size in 11 out of 15 patients (73.3%), compared to 7 patients (46.7%) for SoC-based assessment. In 4 patients (26.7%), FEops induced a change in device size initially selected by SoC. In the 7 patients (46.7%) in which FEops confirmed the SoC device size selection, the degree of confidence of the size selection increased from 6.4 ± 1.4 for SoC to 8.1 ± 0.7 for FEops. One patient (6.7%) could not be implanted for anatomical reason, as correctly identified by FEops. Conclusions. Preprocedural 3D computational simulation by FEops impacts Amulet size selection in LAAO compared to TOE and CT-based SoC assessment. Operators could consider FEops computational simulation in their preprocedural device size selection.

Background: Family caregivers of former intensive care unit (ICU) patients may suffer from physical and mental problems owing to ICU hospitalisation of their loved ones. These problems can have a major impact on their daily lives. Little is known about experienced consequences of ICU hospitalisation on caregivers in general practice. Aim: To explore health problems in family caregivers of former ICU patients and the consequences in their daily lives. Design & setting: Semi-structured interviews with family caregivers of former critically ill patients treated in a Dutch ICU. Method: Purposively sampled relatives of former ICU patients were interviewed between April and May 2019. Interviews were conducted until data saturation was reached. Interviews were then thematically analysed. Results: In total, 13 family caregivers were interviewed. The interviews took place 3 months to 3 years after ICU discharge. Expressed problems were categorised into six themes: (1) physical functioning (for example, tiredness, headache, and feeling sick more often); (2) mental health (for example, anxiety, more stress and difficulty in expressing emotions); (3) existential dimension and future (for example, uncertainty about the future); (4) quality of life (for example, losing freedom in life); (5) relationship and social participation (for example, experiencing a lack of understanding); and (6) daily functioning (for example, stopping working). Conclusion: Caregivers experience several health problems, even years after their relative's ICU episode. Healthcare providers should be focused not only on former ICU patients’ health, but also on their caregivers’, and need to signal and identify caregivers' health problems earlier in order to give them the appropriate care and support they need.

Condition-based maintenance (CBM) is becoming a necessity in modern manufacturing units. Particular focus is given to predicting bearing conditions as they are known to be the major reason for machine down time. With the open-source availability of different datasets from various sources and certain data-driven models, the research community has achieved good results for diagnosing faults in bearing fault datasets. However, existing data-driven fault diagnosis methods do not focus on the changing conditions of a machine or assume all conditional data are available all the time. In reality, conditions vary over time. This variability can be based on the measurement noise and operating conditions of the monitored machines such as radial load, axial load, rotation speed, etc. Moreover, the availability of the data measured in varying operating conditions is scarce, as it is not always feasible to collect in-process data in every possible condition or setting. Considering such a scenario, it is necessary to develop methodologies that are robust to conditional variability, i.e., methodologies to transfer the learning from one condition to another without prior knowledge of the variability. This paper proposes the usage of latent values of an auto-encoder as robust features for inter-conditional fault classification. The proposed robust classification method MLCAE-KNN is implemented in three steps. First, the time series data are transformed using Fast Fourier Transform. Using the transformed data of any one condition, a Multi-Layer Convolutional Auto-Encoder (MLCAE) is trained. Next, a K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) classifier is trained based on the latent features of MLCAE. The so-trained MLCAE-KNN is then used to predict the fault class of any new observation from a new condition. The results of using the latent features of the Auto-Encoder show superior inter-conditional classification robustness and superior accuracies compared to the state-of-the-art.

Active devices such as modulators made of silicon nitride still lack performance. Here, the authors demonstrate electro-optic modulators based on ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate films on silicon nitride, in both the O- and the C-band with a modulation bandwidth beyond 33 GHz and with data rates of 40 Gbps.

The CORDEX.be project created the foundations for Belgian climate services by producing high-resolution Belgian climate information that (a) incorporates the expertise of the different Belgian climate modeling groups and that (b) is consistent with the outcomes of the international CORDEX (“COordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment”) project. The key practical tasks for the project were the coordination of activities among different Belgian climate groups, fostering the links to specific international initiatives and the creation of a stakeholder dialogue. Scientifically, the CORDEX.be project contributed to the EURO-CORDEX project, created a small ensemble of High-Resolution (H-Res) future projections over Belgium at convection-permitting resolutions and coupled these to seven Local Impact Models. Several impact studies have been carried out. The project also addressed some aspects of climate change uncertainties. The interactions and feedback from the stakeholder dialogue led to different practical applications at the Belgian national level. Keywords: Regional downscaling, Climate impact modeling, Statistical downscaling, Dynamical downscaling, Local Impact Models, Climate change, EURO-CORDEX, Uncertainty estimation, Regional Climate Model, Climate Belgium, Water vapour observations

Silicon photonics (SiPh) enables compact photonic integrated circuits (PICs), showing superior performance for a wide variety of applications. Various optical functions have been demonstrated on this platform that allows for complex and powerful PICs. Nevertheless, laser source integration technologies are not yet as mature, hampering the further cost reduction of the eventual Si photonic systems-on-chip and impeding the expansion of this platform to a broader range of applications. Here, we discuss a promising technology, micro-transfer-printing (μTP), for the realization of III-V-on-Si PICs. By employing a polydimethylsiloxane elastomeric stamp, the integration of III-V devices can be realized in a massively parallel manner on a wafer without substantial modifications to the SiPh process flow, leading to a significant cost reduction of the resulting III-V-on-Si PICs. This paper summarizes some of the recent developments in the use of μTP technology for realizing the integration of III-V photodiodes and lasers on Si PICs.

Since black soldier fly larvae (BSFL, Hermetia illucens) are being produced at substantial volumes, concomitantly large amounts of the resulting by-product, called frass, are generated. This frass can potentially be applied as valuable plant fertilizer or soil improver. Since frass carries high microbial counts, potentially including foodborne pathogens, safety problems for consumers should be prevented. A heat treatment of 70 °C for 60 min is proposed to reduce harmful organisms in insect frass, based on EU regulations ((EU) No. 2021/1925). This study evaluated for the first time the impact of the proposed heat treatment on BSFL frass. This was done by applying the treatment on uninoculated frass as well as on frass inoculated with Salmonella or Clostridium perfringens at 5.0 log cfu/g. The heat treatment resulted in a reduction (maximum one log-cycle) of total viable counts and did not noticeably reduce bacterial endospores. In contrast, Enterobacteriaceae counts were reduced to below the detection limit (10 cfu/g). Heat treatment of inoculated frass resulted in absence of Salmonella in 25 g of frass and reduction of vegetative C. perfringens to below the detection limit (1 cfu/g). The proposed heat treatment appears to be appropriate to meet the microbiological regulations for insect frass.

The similarity of the Big Five personality traits of ex-spouses and new partners was examined post-divorce. The notion that divorcees replicate their partner choice (fixed-type hypothesis) was tested against the hypotheses that they learn to select a new partner with more marriage-stabilizing personality traits than their former spouse (learning hypothesis), or are constrained by marriage market forces to repartner with someone who has less stabilizing personality traits (marriage market hypothesis). Data was derived from a Flemish study that sampled divorcees from the national register. The sample consisted of 700 triads of divorcees, their ex-spouses, and their new partners. The analysis results rejected the fixed-type hypothesis and instead supported both the learning hypothesis and the marriage market hypothesis, with higher order repartnering supporting the latter. Women also seemed to validate both hypotheses, as their partner comparison showed decreases in both stabilizing traits (conscientiousness and agreeableness) and destabilizing traits (neuroticism and extraversion). Overall, the results seem to suggest that divorcees do not repartner with someone of the same personality as their ex-spouse, and they are in some cases constrained by marriage market forces to repartner with less stabilizing personalities, while in other cases they are able to improve their partner selection.

Women without a partner can become single mothers by choice through the use of fertility treatments. In Belgium, the decision to accept a candidate single mother by choice rests with the fertility clinic’s multidisciplinary team of fertility practitioners. As a result, the fertility practitioners fulfil a gatekeeping role. However, this can cause an intra-role conflict as the responsibility to select the best fitting candidates is at odds with the responsibility to help patients. In this explorative study, we examine how fertility practitioners cope with the strain resulting from intra-role conflict in the decision-making process regarding single motherhood by choice in Belgium. The findings showed that practitioners appear to mainly resort to problem-focused coping, by constructing a grassroots criteria list and by shifting their role from screening agent to counsellor. These results are based on ten open in-depth interviews with fertility practitioners employed in the multidisciplinary teams of fertility centers, using a reflexive interview lead.

Black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) are currently reared at an industrial scale, mainly as a feed ingredient. The logistic chain not only involves the production of larvae, but also stabilisation, storage, and transport. The aim of this work was to study fermentation and vacuum packaging of larvae as potential preservation technologies. For fermentation, blanched larvae were pulverised into a paste, and a starter culture, NaCl, and glucose were added. The mixture was fermented for 7 days at 35 °C and then stored for 14 days at 4 °C and pH and microbial counts were monitored. Vacuum packaging was applied to living, blanched and frozen larvae. After packaging, they were stored for 6–10 days at several temperatures and gas composition, survival (living larvae) and microbial counts (killed larvae) were recorded. Fermentation allows storage of pulverised larvae, but points to consider are a rapid pH reduction and the presence of bacterial endospores. Vacuum packaging did not bring added value over cooling alone. This was the case for all types of larvae investigated. Vacuum packaging is not considered as a valuable preservation technology to pursue for storage and transport of black soldier fly larvae.

One of the main drawbacks of Fused Filament Fabrication is the often-inadequate mechanical performance of printed parts due to a lack of sufficient interlayer bonding between successively deposited layers. The phenomenon of interlayer bonding becomes especially complex for semi-crystalline polymers, as, besides the extremely non-isothermal temperature history experienced by the extruded layers, the ongoing crystallization process will greatly complicate its analysis. This work attempts to elucidate a possible relation between the degree of crystallinity attained during printing by mimicking the experienced thermal history with Fast Scanning Chip Calorimetry, the extent of interlayer bonding by performing trouser tear fracture tests on printed specimens, and the resulting crystalline morphology at the weld interface through visualization with polarized light microscopy. Different printing conditions are defined, which all vary in terms of processing parameters or feedstock molecular weight. The concept of an equivalent isothermal weld time is utilized to validate whether an amorphous healing theory is capable of explaining the observed trends in weld strength. Interlayer bond strength was found to be positively impacted by an increased liquefier temperature and reduced feedstock molecular weight as predicted by the weld time. An increase in liquefier temperature of 40 °C brings about a tear energy value that is three to four times higher. The print speed was found to have a negligible effect. An elevated build plate temperature will lead to an increased degree of crystallinity, generally resulting in about a 1.5 times larger crystalline fraction compared to when printing occurs at a lower build plate temperature, as well as larger spherulites attained during printing, as it allows crystallization to occur at higher temperatures. Due to slower crystal growth, a lower tie chain density in the amorphous interlamellar regions is believed to be created, which will negatively impact interlayer bond strength.

While IEEE 802.15.4e Time-Slotted Channel Hopping (TSCH) networks should be equipped to deal with the hard wireless challenges of industrial environments, the sensor networks are often still limited by the characteristics of the used physical (PHY) layer. Therefore, the TSCH community has recently started shifting research efforts to the support of multiple PHY layers, to overcome this limitation. On the one hand, integrating such multi-PHY support implies dealing with the PHY characteristics to fit the resource allocation in the TSCH schedule, and on the other hand, defining policies on how to select the appropriate PHY for each network link. As such, first a heuristic is proposed that is a step towards a distributed PHY and parent selection mechanism for slot bonding multi-PHY TSCH sensor networks. Additionally, a proposal on how this heuristic can be implemented in the IPv6 over the TSCH mode of IEEE 802.15.4e (6TiSCH) protocol stack and its Routing Protocol for Low-power and Lossy network (RPL) layer is also presented. Slot bonding allows the creation of different-sized bonded slots with a duration adapted to the data rate of each chosen PHY. Afterwards, a TSCH slot bonding implementation is proposed in the latest version of the Contiki-NG Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) operating system. Subsequently, via extensive simulation results, and by deploying the slot bonding implementation on a real sensor node testbed, it is shown that the computationally efficient parent and PHY selection mechanism approximates the packet delivery ratio (PDR) results of a near-optimal, but computationally complex, centralized scheduler.