Bioprocessing strategies for cost-effective large-scale biogenic synthesis of nano-MgO from endophytic Streptomyces coelicolor strain E72 as an anti-multidrug-resistant pathogens agent

Background: Multidrug resistant pathogens are a large-scale healthcare issue. In particular, children with life-limiting conditions have a significantly increased risk of multidrug resistant pathogen colonization. Official hygiene requirements recommend children, who are colonized with multidrug resistant pathogens, to be isolated. In the context of pediatric palliative care, such isolation adversely affects the aim of social participation. To overcome this challenge of conflicting interests on a pediatric palliative care inpatient unit, a hygiene concept for patients colonized with multidrug resistant pathogens, called PALLINI, was implemented. Aim: The aim of this study was to identify the nurses’ attitudes and opinions toward PALLINI. Methods: Nurses ( N = 14) from the pediatric palliative care unit were queried in guideline-oriented interviews. Interviews were analyzed qualitatively by means of content analysis. Results: The following four categories were identified: (1) safety, (2) effort, (3) quality of care, and (4) participation. All categories demonstrated ambivalence by nursing staff regarding PALLINI. Ambivalence arose from guaranteeing infection control versus noncompliance by the families, additional workload for patients with multidrug resistant pathogens versus lack of resources, impaired relationship with the parents versus enabling better care for the child, as well as enabling some limited contact versus the larger goal of genuine social participation. Despite this, nurses reported the importance of arranging everyday-life for the patients so that they experience as much social participation as possible. Conclusion: The implementation of a new hygiene concept is challenging. Despite positive reception of PALLINI from the nurses, ambivalence remained. Addressing these ambivalences may be critical to best implement the new hygiene concept.

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Efficient Schedule of Energy-Constrained UAV Using Crowdsourced Buses in Last-Mile Parcel Delivery

Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive Mobile Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies ◽

10.1145/3448079 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 1-23

Author(s):

Yan Pan ◽

Shining Li ◽

Qianwu Chen ◽

Nan Zhang ◽

Tao Cheng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Traffic Congestion ◽

Large Scale ◽

Load Capacity ◽

Scheduling Algorithm ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Promising Alternative ◽

Logistics Industry ◽

Last Mile ◽

Delivery Scheduling ◽

Schedule Approach

Stimulated by the dramatical service demand in the logistics industry, logistics trucks employed in last-mile parcel delivery bring critical public concerns, such as heavy cost burden, traffic congestion and air pollution. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are a promising alternative tool in last-mile delivery, which is however limited by insufficient flight range and load capacity. This paper presents an innovative energy-limited logistics UAV schedule approach using crowdsourced buses. Specifically, when one UAV delivers a parcel, it first lands on a crowdsourced social bus to parcel destination, gets recharged by the wireless recharger deployed on the bus, and then flies from the bus to the parcel destination. This novel approach not only increases the delivery range and load capacity of battery-limited UAVs, but is also much more cost-effective and environment-friendly than traditional methods. New challenges therefore emerge as the buses with spatiotemporal mobility become the bottleneck during delivery. By landing on buses, an Energy-Neutral Flight Principle and a delivery scheduling algorithm are proposed for the UAVs. Using the Energy-Neutral Flight Principle, each UAV can plan a flying path without depleting energy given buses with uncertain velocities. Besides, the delivery scheduling algorithm optimizes the delivery time and number of delivered parcels given warehouse location, logistics UAVs, parcel locations and buses. Comprehensive evaluations using a large-scale bus dataset demonstrate the superiority of the innovative logistics UAV schedule approach.

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The epidemiologic impact and cost-effectiveness of new tuberculosis vaccines on multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in India and China

BMC Medicine ◽

10.1186/s12916-021-01932-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Chathika K Weerasuriya ◽

Rebecca C Harris ◽

C Finn McQuaid ◽

Fiammetta Bozzani ◽

Yunzhou Ruan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cost Effectiveness ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Second Line ◽

Second Line Therapy ◽

China And India ◽

Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Line Therapy ◽

Mdr Tb

Abstract Background Despite recent advances through the development pipeline, how novel tuberculosis (TB) vaccines might affect rifampicin-resistant and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (RR/MDR-TB) is unknown. We investigated the epidemiologic impact, cost-effectiveness, and budget impact of hypothetical novel prophylactic prevention of disease TB vaccines on RR/MDR-TB in China and India. Methods We constructed a deterministic, compartmental, age-, drug-resistance- and treatment history-stratified dynamic transmission model of tuberculosis. We introduced novel vaccines from 2027, with post- (PSI) or both pre- and post-infection (P&PI) efficacy, conferring 10 years of protection, with 50% efficacy. We measured vaccine cost-effectiveness over 2027–2050 as USD/DALY averted-against 1-times GDP/capita, and two healthcare opportunity cost-based (HCOC), thresholds. We carried out scenario analyses. Results By 2050, the P&PI vaccine reduced RR/MDR-TB incidence rate by 71% (UI: 69–72) and 72% (UI: 70–74), and the PSI vaccine by 31% (UI: 30–32) and 44% (UI: 42–47) in China and India, respectively. In India, we found both USD 10 P&PI and PSI vaccines cost-effective at the 1-times GDP and upper HCOC thresholds and P&PI vaccines cost-effective at the lower HCOC threshold. In China, both vaccines were cost-effective at the 1-times GDP threshold. P&PI vaccine remained cost-effective at the lower HCOC threshold with 49% probability and PSI vaccines at the upper HCOC threshold with 21% probability. The P&PI vaccine was predicted to avert 0.9 million (UI: 0.8–1.1) and 1.1 million (UI: 0.9–1.4) second-line therapy regimens in China and India between 2027 and 2050, respectively. Conclusions Novel TB vaccination is likely to substantially reduce the future burden of RR/MDR-TB, while averting the need for second-line therapy. Vaccination may be cost-effective depending on vaccine characteristics and setting.

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Multi-Country Scale Assessment of Available Energy Recovery Potential Using Micro-Hydropower in Drinking, Pressurised Irrigation and Wastewater Networks, Covering Part of the EU

Water ◽

10.3390/w13070899 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 899

Author(s):

Djordje Mitrovic ◽

Miguel Crespo Chacón ◽

Aida Mérida García ◽

Jorge García Morillo ◽

Juan Antonio Rodríguez Diaz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drinking Water ◽

Northern Ireland ◽

Energy Recovery ◽

Large Scale ◽

Significant Proportion ◽

Value Added ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Net Energy ◽

Water Networks ◽

Scale Assessment

Studies have shown micro-hydropower (MHP) opportunities for energy recovery and CO2 reductions in the water sector. This paper conducts a large-scale assessment of this potential using a dataset amassed across six EU countries (Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Spain, and Portugal) for the drinking water, irrigation, and wastewater sectors. Extrapolating the collected data, the total annual MHP potential was estimated between 482.3 and 821.6 GWh, depending on the assumptions, divided among Ireland (15.5–32.2 GWh), Scotland (17.8–139.7 GWh), Northern Ireland (5.9–8.2 GWh), Wales (10.2–8.1 GWh), Spain (375.3–539.9 GWh), and Portugal (57.6–93.5 GWh) and distributed across the drinking water (43–67%), irrigation (51–30%), and wastewater (6–3%) sectors. The findings demonstrated reductions in energy consumption in water networks between 1.7 and 13.0%. Forty-five percent of the energy estimated from the analysed sites was associated with just 3% of their number, having a power output capacity >15 kW. This demonstrated that a significant proportion of energy could be exploited at a small number of sites, with a valuable contribution to net energy efficiency gains and CO2 emission reductions. This also demonstrates cost-effective, value-added, multi-country benefits to policy makers, establishing the case to incentivise MHP in water networks to help achieve the desired CO2 emissions reductions targets.

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Modeling Fused Filament Fabrication using Artificial Neural Networks

Production Engineering ◽

10.1007/s11740-021-01020-y ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Paul Oehlmann ◽

Paul Osswald ◽

Juan Camilo Blanco ◽

Martin Friedrich ◽

Dominik Rietzel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Real Time ◽

Large Scale ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Print Quality ◽

Ann Model ◽

Production Environment ◽

Fused Filament Fabrication ◽

Artificial Neural ◽

Using Data ◽

Artificial Neural Network Ann

AbstractWith industries pushing towards digitalized production, adaption to expectations and increasing requirements for modern applications, has brought additive manufacturing (AM) to the forefront of Industry 4.0. In fact, AM is a main accelerator for digital production with its possibilities in structural design, such as topology optimization, production flexibility, customization, product development, to name a few. Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) is a widespread and practical tool for rapid prototyping that also demonstrates the importance of AM technologies through its accessibility to the general public by creating cost effective desktop solutions. An increasing integration of systems in an intelligent production environment also enables the generation of large-scale data to be used for process monitoring and process control. Deep learning as a form of artificial intelligence (AI) and more specifically, a method of machine learning (ML) is ideal for handling big data. This study uses a trained artificial neural network (ANN) model as a digital shadow to predict the force within the nozzle of an FFF printer using filament speed and nozzle temperatures as input data. After the ANN model was tested using data from a theoretical model it was implemented to predict the behavior using real-time printer data. For this purpose, an FFF printer was equipped with sensors that collect real time printer data during the printing process. The ANN model reflected the kinematics of melting and flow predicted by models currently available for various speeds of printing. The model allows for a deeper understanding of the influencing process parameters which ultimately results in the determination of the optimum combination of process speed and print quality.

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Anti-meningococcal B vaccination in Italian adolescents: a cost-effective health opportunity

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa166.586 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

D Panatto ◽

P Landa ◽

D Amicizia ◽

P L Lai ◽

E Lecini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Public Health Problem ◽

Vaccination Strategy ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Dose Schedule ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Invasive Disease ◽

International Setting ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Invasive disease due to Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) is a serious public health problem even in developed countries, owing to its high lethality rate (8-15%) and the invalidating sequelae suffered by many (up to 60%) survivors. As the microorganism is transmitted via the airborne route, the only available weapon in the fight against Nm invasive disease is vaccination. Our aim was to carry out an HTA to evaluate the costs and benefits of anti-meningococcal B (MenB) vaccination with Trumenba® in adolescents in Italy, while also considering the impact of this new vaccination strategy on organizational and ethics aspects. Methods A lifetime Markov model was developed. MenB vaccination with the two-dose schedule of Trumenba® in adolescents was compared with 'non-vaccination'. Two perspectives were considered: the National Health Service (NHS) and society. Three disease phases were defined: acute, post-acute and long-term. Epidemiological, economic and health utilities data were taken from Italian and international literature. The analysis was conducted by means of Microsoft Excel 2010®. Results Our study indicated that vaccinating adolescents (11th year of life) with Trumenba® was cost-effective with an ICER = € 7,912/QALY from the NHS perspective and € 7,758/QALY from the perspective of society. Vaccinating adolescents reduces the number of cases of disease due to meningococcus B in one of the periods of highest incidence of the disease, resulting in significant economic and health savings. Conclusions This is the first study to evaluate the overall impact of free MenB vaccination in adolescents both in Italy and in the international setting. Although cases of invasive disease due to meningococcus B are few, if the overall impact of the disease is adequately considered, it becomes clear that including anti-meningococcal B vaccination into the immunization program for adolescents is strongly recommended from the health and economic standpoints. Key messages Free, large-scale MenB vaccination is key to strengthening the global fight against invasive meningococcal disease. Anti-meningococcal B vaccination in adolescents is a cost-effective health opportunity.

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Environmental Engineering Techniques to Restore Degraded Posidonia oceanica Meadows

Water ◽

10.3390/w13050661 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 661

Author(s):

Luigi Piazzi ◽

Stefano Acunto ◽

Francesca Frau ◽

Fabrizio Atzori ◽

Maria Francesca Cinti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Natural Habitat ◽

Cost Benefit ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Posidonia Oceanica ◽

Environmental Engineering ◽

Bottom Surface ◽

Sessile Invertebrates ◽

Set Up ◽

Short Time

Seagrass planting techniques have shown to be an effective tool for restoring degraded meadows and ecosystem function. In the Mediterranean Sea, most restoration efforts have been addressed to the endemic seagrass Posidonia oceanica, but cost-benefit analyses have shown unpromising results. This study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of environmental engineering techniques generally employed in terrestrial systems to restore the P. oceanica meadows: two different restoration efforts were considered, either exploring non-degradable mats or, for the first time, degradable mats. Both of them provided encouraging results, as the loss of transplanting plots was null or very low and the survival of cuttings stabilized to about 50%. Data collected are to be considered positive as the survived cuttings are enough to allow the future spread of the patches. The utilized techniques provided a cost-effective restoration tool likely affordable for large-scale projects, as the methods allowed to set up a wide bottom surface to restore in a relatively short time without any particular expensive device. Moreover, the mats, comparing with other anchoring methods, enhanced the colonization of other organisms such as macroalgae and sessile invertebrates, contributing to generate a natural habitat.

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Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Novel Pyrimido[4,5-b]indole Derivatives Against Gram-Negative Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens

Journal of Medicinal Chemistry ◽

10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00621 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Qidi Kong ◽

Wei Pan ◽

Heng Xu ◽

Yaru Xue ◽

Bin Guo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Biological Evaluation ◽

Indole Derivatives ◽

Design Synthesis ◽

Gram Negative ◽

Multidrug Resistant Pathogens ◽

Synthesis And Biological Evaluation

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Green synthesis of silk sericin-embedded silver nanoparticles and their antibacterial application against multidrug-resistant pathogens

Journal of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology ◽

10.1186/s43141-021-00176-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Md. Abdullah Al Masud ◽

Hamid Shaikh ◽

Md. Shamsul Alam ◽

M. Minnatul Karim ◽

M. Abdul Momin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Silver Nanoparticles ◽

Green Synthesis ◽

Bombyx Mori ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Visible Spectroscopy ◽

Silk Sericin ◽

X Ray ◽

Synthesis Strategy ◽

Uv Visible ◽

Multidrug Resistant Pathogens

Abstract Background The green synthesis strategy of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) has become popular due to being environmentally friendly. Stable silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been synthesized by natural products such as starch, soy protein, various extract of leaves, barks, and roots functioning both as reducing and stabilizing agents. Likewise, silk sericin (SS) is a globular protein discarded in the silk factory might be used for NP synthesis. In this research, we focus on the green synthesis and stabilization of AgNPs by SS as well as assessment of their antibacterial activities against some drug-resistant pathogen. Results SS was extracted from Bombyx mori silkworm cocoons in an aqueous medium. 17 w/w% of dry sericin powder with respect to the cocoon’s weight was obtained by freeze-drying. Furthermore, AgNPs conjugated to sericin, i.e., SS-capped silver nanoparticles (SS-AgNPs) were synthesized by easy, cost-effective, and environment-friendly methods. The synthesized SS-AgNPs were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared-attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction measurement. It has been found from the absorbance of UV-visible spectroscopy that a higher percent of SS-AgNPs was obtained at a higher concentration of silver nitrate solution. FTIR-ATR spectra showed that the carboxylate groups obtained from silk sericin act as a reducing agent for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles, while NH2+ and COO− act as a stabilizer of AgNPs. The X-ray diffractogram of SS-AgNPs was quite different from AgNO3 and sericin due to a change in the crystal structure. The diameter of AgNPs was around 20–70 nm observed using TEM. The synthesized SS-AgNPs exhibited strong antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant pathogens, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Minimal inhibitory/bactericidal concentrations against E. coli and P. aeruginosa were 20μg/mL. Conclusions This study encourages the use of Bombyx mori for the ecofriendly synthesis of SS-AgNPs to control multidrug-resistant microorganisms.

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