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Publikation Microstructures, phase and mechanical characterisation of Al2O3-ZrO2-TiO2 coating produced by atmospheric plasma spraying(Elsevier, 20.12.2024) Chang, Cynthia Sin Ting; Wyss, Marcus; Andrzejewski, Michal; Darut, Geoffrey; Graf, Lukas; Novak, Vladimir; Olbinado, Margie; Erpel, Susanne; Vogel, Alexander; Bode, Simon; de Wild, Michael; Salito, ArmandoThe microstructure, crystallographic phases, and mechanical properties of a newly developed Al2O3 – TiO2 – ZrO2 ternary ceramic coating were characterized. The coatings were produced by atmospheric plasma spraying as a preblended powder on Ti-6Al-4 V substrates using the new generation of the Debye-Larmor cascaded plasma torch. The 400 μm thick as-sprayed ternary ceramic coating is compact and neither delamination nor inter-/trans-granular cracks were found. The coating consists of single phase α-Al2O3, monoclinic m-ZrO2, and a nanocrystalline dual phase structure of α-Al2O3 and m-ZrO2. Ti is either present as ZrTiO4 or as solute in the dual phase. Cracking from the tip of the indent is rare and delamination was not observed after the progressive scratch test. The coating has potential in high wear applications for example in medical devices.01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher ZeitschriftPublikation Phosphorization of α‐Fe2O3 boosts active hydrogen mediated electrochemical nitrate reduction to ammonia(Wiley, 25.09.2024) Hou, Zhiang; Zhang, Yixuan; Chen, Hao; Wang, Jinnan; Li, Aimin; Corvini, PhilippeInexpensive iron-based materials are considered promising electrocatalysts for nitrate (NO3−) reduction, but their catalytic activity and spontaneous corrosion remain challenges. Here, the α-Fe2O3 active surface is reconstructed by gradient phosphorization to obtain FePx with higher electrochemical activity. FeP2.0 optimizes the adsorption energy of NO3− and its reduction intermediates, meanwhile promote the generation of active hydrogen (*H) but inhibit its generation of H2. More importantly, Fe and P can serve as binding sites for NO3− and *H, respectively, which improves the electron utilization of NO3− deoxygenation and the efficiency of the subsequent hydrogenation for the selective synthesis of NH3. 91.7% NO3− conversion rate is achieved for the reduction of 100 mL 200 mg L−1 NO3−−N, 99.3% ammonia (NH3 selectivity (yield of 1.79 mg h−1 cm−2), and 91.4% Faraday efficiency in 3 h. The high-purity solid NH4Cl is finally extracted by gas extraction and vacuum distillation (81.4% recovery). This study provides new insights and strategies for the conversion of NO3− to NH3 products over iron-based electrocatalysts.01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher ZeitschriftPublikation Case report. One-stage craniectomy and cranioplasty digital workflow for three-dimensional printed polyetheretherketone implant for an extensive skull multilobular osteochondosarcoma in a dog(Frontiers Research Foundation, 29.08.2024) Hobert, Marc; Sharma, Neha; Benzimra, Caroline; Hinden, Sandro; Oevermann, Anna; Maintz, Michaela; Beyer, Michel; Thieringer, Florian; Guevar, JulienObjective: To report a digital workflow for use and long-term outcome of cranioplasty with a 3D-printed patient-specific Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) implant in a 12-y-old German Shepherd dog after surgical removal of an extensive occipital bone multilobular osteochondrosarcoma (MLO). Study design: Retrospective case report. Animal: A 12-year-old neutered female German Shepherd dog was presented with facial deformity, blindness, tetraparesis, and ataxia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) identified a large skull-based mass extending extra-and intracranially with severe compression of the cerebellum and occipital lobes of the cerebrum. Methods: One-stage decompressive craniectomy using virtual surgical planned 3D-printed craniotomy cutting guides and the Misonix BoneScalpel® and reconstruction with a patient-specific 3D-printed PEEK cranial implant. Results: 3D-printed craniectomy cutting guides allowed an adequate fit of the cranial implant to the original skull. Misonix BoneScalpel® allowed performing a safe and extensive craniectomy. Postoperative CT (8 weeks after surgery) confirmed the PEEK cranial implant to be in place and without implant rejection. Clinically, the neurological examination identified only a right-hind limb delay in proprioception 8 weeks postoperatively, which remained unchanged at 18 months after surgery. Adjunctive treatment included metronomic chemotherapy. Eighteen months after surgery the dog passed away for reasons unrelated to the MLO, no implant-related complications were reported. Conclusion: 3D-printed craniectomy cutting guides, patient-specific PEEK cranial implant, and metronomic chemotherapy can lead to a successful long-term outcome in dogs with extensive skull MLO. Clinical significance: PEEK is an alternative biomaterial that can be used successfully for skull reconstruction.01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher ZeitschriftPublikation Hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (HDES) as oil phase in lipid-based drug formulations(Elsevier, 15.08.2024) Panbachi, Shaida; Beranek, Josef; Kuentz, MartinThere is increasing pharmaceutical interest in deep eutectic solvents not only as a green alternative to organic solvents in drug manufacturing, but also as liquid formulation for drug delivery. The present work introduces a hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (HDES) to the field of lipid-based formulations (LBF). Phase behavior of a mixture with 2:1 M ratio of decanoic- to dodecanoic acid was studied experimentally and described by thermodynamic modelling. Venetoclax was selected as a hydrophobic model drug and studied by atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of the mixtures. As a result, valuable molecular insights were gained into the interaction networks between the different components. Moreover, experimentally the HDES showed greatly enhanced drug solubilization compared to conventional glyceride-based vehicles, but aqueous dispersion behavior was limited. Hence surfactants were studied for their ability to improve aqueous dispersion and addition of Tween 80 resulted in lowest droplet sizes and high in vitro drug release. In conclusion, the combination of HDES with surfactant(s) provides a novel LBF with high pharmaceutical potential. However, the components must be finely balanced to keep the integrity of the solubilizing HDES, while enabling sufficient dispersion and drug release.01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher ZeitschriftPublikation A study of hydrophobic domain formation of polymeric drug precipitation inhibitors in aqueous solution(Elsevier, 01.07.2024) Zeneli, Egis; Lange, Justus Johann; Holm, René; Kuentz, MartinDespite the widespread use of polymers as precipitation inhibitors in supersaturating drug formulations, the current understanding of their mechanisms of action is still incomplete. Specifically, the role of hydrophobic drug interactions with polymers by considering possible supramolecular conformations in aqueous dispersion is an interesting topic. Accordingly, this study investigated the tendency of polymers to create hydrophobic domains, where lipophilic compounds may nest to support drug solubilisation and supersaturation. Fluorescence spectroscopy with the environment-sensitive probe pyrene was compared with atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of the model drug fenofibrate (FENO). Subsequently, kinetic drug supersaturation and thermodynamic solubility experiments were conducted. As a result, the different polymers showed hydrophobic domain formation to a varying degree and the molecular simulations supported interpretation of fluorescence spectroscopy data. Molecular insights were gained into the conformational structure of how the polymers interacted with FENO in solution phase, which apart from nucleation and crystal growth effects, determined drug concentrations in solution. Notable was that even at the lowest polymer concentration of 0.01 %, w/v, there were polymer-specific solubilisation effects of FENO observed and the resulting reduction in apparent drug supersaturation provided relevant knowledge both from a mechanistic and practical perspective.01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher ZeitschriftPublikation An “Agile” project planning course. Learning by doing in process engineering education(Elsevier, 07/2024) Riedl, Wolfgang; Brown, Andrew; Rausenberger, JuliaProcess engineering education requires a comprehensive foundation and practical application. To bridge the gap between theoretical education and market requirements, a "Project Planning Course” has been offered since 2018 as part of the MSc specialization in Chemical Engineering at the FHNW School of Life Sciences. The course didactics combines the principles of an “agile” teaching mindset and problem-based learning, which optimally support the experience of this module. Students had to work on unresolved real-world problems, make decisions based on incomplete information, and present their work in a board meeting role play with board members from industry. These situations represent typical real-world challenges for future chemical engineers. The results show that most of the students learned to cope with the unconventional teaching methodology. The students’ evaluations of the module have been very positive, especially the fact that the active participation of the students triggers the actual learning process - which means that the essential learning goal has been achieved.01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher ZeitschriftPublikation Scaling down the heat transfer in multipurpose plants(26.06.2024) Zogg, Andreas04B - Beitrag KonferenzschriftPublikation Citizen science-based waste diaries. An exploratory case study of household waste in Switzerland(MDPI, 30.04.2024) Breitenmoser, Lena; Behner, David; Baertsch, Alessia; Mondardini, Maria Rosa; Hugi, ChristophSustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG 12) and national waste reduction goals require frequent waste analyses for monitoring and governance decisions. We developed and tested a citizen science (CS)-based household waste diary for ten consecutive days with 89 volunteer households in Switzerland as a complementary monitoring option to official composition analyses. Discrepancies between the CS-based household diary data and the official composition analyses ranged between 55–65% less reported waste quantities for minerals, compound products, and plastics and 80–90% less for paper, avoidable food waste, and glass. Household waste diaries should be digitalized and prolonged to 21–28 days, and volunteers from different demographic groups are needed to produce stratified, representative results. We conclude that a hybrid CS study design involving waste composition analyses and waste diaries could reduce self-reporting biases while increasing the monitoring frequencies of household waste compositions. CS-based hybrid household waste projects can be a powerful means to complement the measures identified in the 2022 Swiss action plan against food waste and for data reporting for the SDG 12.3 Food Waste Index.01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher ZeitschriftPublikation Kontinuierliche Ethoxylierung(25.04.2024) Zogg, Andreas; Zahnd, This; Brönnimann, BenediktModellbasiertes Sicherheitskonzept für die Entwicklung einer kontinuierlichen Ethoxylierung. Modellvalidierung mittels kontinuierlichem Kalorimeter innerhalb einer Glove-Box.06 - PräsentationPublikation Tracking of a magnetically navigated millirobot with a magnetic-field camera(IEEE, 10.04.2024) Vergne, Céline; Pinto Inácio, José Miguel; Quirin, Thomas; Sargent, David; Madec, Morgan; Pascal, JorisA significant progress has been made in the development of magnetic micromanipulation for minimally invasive surgery. The development of systems to localize millimeter-sized robots during magnetic manipulation without line-of-sight detection remains, however, a challenging task. In this study, we focused on the development of a tracking system aiming to fill this gap. A robot, which consists of a cylindrical magnet of 1-mm diameter, is localized using a 2-D array of 3-D magnetoresistive sensors. The system, also called magnetic-field camera (MFC), provides tracking of the robot with a refresh rate of 2 Hz. The developed tracking algorithm reaches a mean absolute error (MAE) for the position and the orientation of, respectively, 0.56 mm and 5.13° in 2-D. This system can be added to the existing magnetic manipulation systems (MMSs) allowing closed-loop control of the navigation. The performances of the MFC are not affected by an exposure to strong magnetic fields. Exposures up to 3 T have been validated. Increasing the integrability of the MFC into MMSs. The presented tracking system makes it possible to target applications, such as minimally invasive eye surgery or drug delivery. The high spatial and magnetic resolutions allow the tracking of magnetic particles, down to 200- μm diameter, when placed close to the surface. The system could also be suitable for the localization of small objects for 2-D biomanipulation.01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher ZeitschriftPublikation Scattered and transmitted light as surrogates for activated carbon residual in advanced wastewater treatment processes. Investigating the influence of particle size(Elsevier, 04/2024) Kirchen, Franziska; Fundneider, Thomas; Gimmel, Louis; Thomann, Michael; Pulfer, Michael; Lackner, SusanneThe use of powdered activated carbon (PAC) is a common process in advanced wastewater treatment to remove micropollutants. Retention and separation of PAC is essential as PAC loaded with micropollutants should not be released into the environment. Determining the activated carbon (AC) residual in the effluent poses a challenge, as there is currently no on-line measurement method. In this study, the correlation between turbidity, measured by scattered light, and absorption at wavelength of 550 nm (Absorption550 nm), measured by transmitted light, was investigated in relation to the AC residue. Linear correlations for turbidity (R2 = 0.95) and Absorption550 nm (R2 = 1.00) to AC concentrations were observed in both laboratory and full-scale experiments in a pilot plant where superfine PAC was added prior to Pile Cloth Media Filtration (PCMF). Decreasing the particle size (d50) while maintaining the same AC concentration leads to increased turbidity: Therefore, a fourfold reduction in d50 results in a 2- to 3-fold increase in turbidity, whereas a 30-fold reduction in d50 leads to a 6-to 8-fold increase. Furthermore, the original wastewater turbidity led to a parallel shift in the linear correlation between turbidity and AC. Coagulant doses of up to 400 mg Me3+/g AC resulted in a 50% reduction in turbidity. However, higher concentrations from 400 to 1,000 mg Me3+/g AC resulted in increased turbidity with only a 30% reduction compared to the initial turbidity. The study also highlights the significance of AC particle size in optical measurements, impacting result accuracy.01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher ZeitschriftPublikation Development of a novel measurement setup to study and predict electrostatic discharges in agitated glass‐lined vessels(Wiley, 12.02.2024) Brönnimann, Benedikt; Egli‐Tedesco, Daniel; Schwenzfeuer, Klaus; Zogg, AndreasTwo glass lined reactors in a launch platform facility operated by Syngenta have been damaged during the crystallization of an organic compound due to electrostatic discharges. The goal of this work was to design and commission a novel setup to measure charges and currents generated by this slurry in a laboratory‐scale reactor. An improved and more sophisticated setup was then proposed for possible implementation in Syngenta's own laboratories. With this novel setup, the electrostatic charging of stirred suspensions involving nonconductive solvents could be accurately measured in the context of a case study that involved the suspension that led to liner damages in the production facilities of Syngenta.01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher ZeitschriftPublikation Kidins220 regulates the development of B cells bearing the λ light chain(eLife Sciences Publications, 25.01.2024) Schaffer, Anna-Maria; Fiala, Gina Jasmin; Hils, Miriam; Natali, Eriberto; Babrak, Lmar; Herr, Laurenz Alexander; Romero-Mulero, Mari Carmen; Cabezas-Wallscheid, Nina; Rizzi, Marta; Miho, Enkelejda; Schamel, Wolfgang W.A.; Minguet, SusanaThe ratio between κ and λ light chain (LC)-expressing B cells varies considerably between species. We recently identified Kinase D-interacting substrate of 220 kDa (Kidins220) as an interaction partner of the BCR. In vivo ablation of Kidins220 in B cells resulted in a marked reduction of λLC-expressing B cells. Kidins220 knockout B cells fail to open and recombine the genes of the Igl locus, even in genetic scenarios where the Igk genes cannot be rearranged or where the κLC confers autoreactivity. Igk gene recombination and expression in Kidins220-deficient B cells is normal. Kidins220 regulates the development of λLC B cells by enhancing the survival of developing B cells and thereby extending the time-window in which the Igl locus opens and the genes are rearranged and transcribed. Further, our data suggest that Kidins220 guarantees optimal pre-BCR and BCR signaling to induce Igl locus opening and gene recombination during B cell development and receptor editing.01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher ZeitschriftPublikation Author Correction. The dengue-specific immune response and antibody identification with machine learning(Nature, 20.01.2024) Natali, Eriberto Noel; Horst, Alexander; Meier, Patrick; Greiff, Victor; Nuvolone, Mario; Babrak, Lmar Marie; Fink, Katja; Miho, EnkelejdaDengue virus poses a serious threat to global health and there is no specific therapeutic for it. Broadly neutralizing antibodies recognizing all serotypes may be an effective treatment. High-throughput adaptive immune receptor repertoire sequencing (AIRR-seq) and bioinformatic analysis enable in-depth understanding of the B-cell immune response. Here, we investigate the dengue antibody response with these technologies and apply machine learning to identify rare and underrepresented broadly neutralizing antibody sequences. Dengue immunization elicited the following signatures on the antibody repertoire: (i) an increase of CDR3 and germline gene diversity; (ii) a change in the antibody repertoire architecture by eliciting power-law network distributions and CDR3 enrichment in polar amino acids; (iii) an increase in the expression of JNK/Fos transcription factors and ribosomal proteins. Furthermore, we demonstrate the applicability of computational methods and machine learning to AIRR-seq datasets for neutralizing antibody candidate sequence identification. Antibody expression and functional assays have validated the obtained results.01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher ZeitschriftPublikation The dengue-specific immune response and antibody identification with machine learning(Nature, 20.01.2024) Natali, Eriberto Noel; Horst, Alexander; Meier, Patrick; Greiff, Victor; Nuvolone, Mario; Babrak, Lmar Marie; Fink, Katja; Miho, EnkelejdaDengue virus poses a serious threat to global health and there is no specific therapeutic for it. Broadly neutralizing antibodies recognizing all serotypes may be an effective treatment. High-throughput adaptive immune receptor repertoire sequencing (AIRR-seq) and bioinformatic analysis enable in-depth understanding of the B-cell immune response. Here, we investigate the dengue antibody response with these technologies and apply machine learning to identify rare and underrepresented broadly neutralizing antibody sequences. Dengue immunization elicited the following signatures on the antibody repertoire: (i) an increase of CDR3 and germline gene diversity; (ii) a change in the antibody repertoire architecture by eliciting power-law network distributions and CDR3 enrichment in polar amino acids; (iii) an increase in the expression of JNK/Fos transcription factors and ribosomal proteins. Furthermore, we demonstrate the applicability of computational methods and machine learning to AIRR-seq datasets for neutralizing antibody candidate sequence identification. Antibody expression and functional assays have validated the obtained results.01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher ZeitschriftPublikation Atlas-Based Segmentation Algorithm(Hochschule für Life Sciences FHNW, 2024) Kohler, Roger; Vogel, Dorian; Linköpings Universitet11 - Studentische ArbeitPublikation Silber und Indium Recycling aus Perowskit-Photovoltaikzellen mittels «Layer-by-Layer» Membranen(Hochschule für Life Sciences FHNW, 2024) Müller, Tobias; Lenz, Markus11 - Studentische ArbeitPublikation Analysis of Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs)(Hochschule für Life Sciences FHNW, 2024) Schlumpf, Oliver; Kahraman, Abdullah; Luzerner Kantonsspital (LUKS); Swiss Sarcoma Network (SSN)11 - Studentische ArbeitPublikation Development of a tool for the automated visualization of batch recipes(Hochschule für Life Sciences FHNW, 2024) Gentner, Jannick; Zogg, Andreas; Bachem AG11 - Studentische ArbeitPublikation Stimmanalyse zur Evaluierung des Leidens bei Patienten mit Krebs(Hochschule für Life Sciences FHNW, 2024) Dere, Türkmen; Hemm-Ode, Simone; Kantonsspital Baselland, Liestal; Palliativzentrum Hildegard, Basel11 - Studentische Arbeit