bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of the Adjunct Use of Povidone-Iodine or Sodium Hypochlorite with Non-Surgical Management of Periodontitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: El Mobadder Marwan , Nammour Samir , Grzech-Leśniak Zuzanna , Grzech-Leśniak Kinga
Published: November 2022

This systematic review sought to assess the efficacy of combining either sodium hypochlorite or povidone-iodine as disinfection solutions with non-surgical treatment of periodontitis. An electronic search was conducted through PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CENTRAL, and Google Scholar from inception until 10 September 2022. Outcomes included clinical outcomes (probing pocket depth, plaque index, clinical attachment level, relative-horizontal attachment level, bleeding on probing, gingival recession, the position of gingival margin) and biochemical (BAPNA level) properties. A subgroup analysis was conducted according to the assessment timepoint. Ten studies reporting the use of povidone-iodine and five studies reporting the use of sodium hypochlorite were included in this review. Overall, in the meta-analysis of povidone-iodine, no significant changes were noted in any of the assessed outcomes; however, minor changes were noted in probing pocket depth and clinical attachment level at a specific timepoint. Regarding sodium hypochlorite, a significant reduction in all clinical outcomes, except for bleeding on probing, was noted. In conclusion, the use of povidone-iodine does not result in an improvement in clinical outcomes, whereas sodium hypochlorite has promising properties that result in significant improvement in probing pocket depth and clinical attachment level. However, more studies are needed to confirm these observations.
Enlarged Abdominal Lymph Node as a Cause of Polyhydramnios in the Course of Congenital Neonatal Leukaemia: A Case Report and Review of the Literature on Foetal Abdominal Tumours with Coexisting Polyhydramnios
Authors: Salloum Daria , Stanirowski Paweł Jan , Symonides Aleksandra , Krajewski Paweł , Bomba-Opoń Dorota , Wielgoś Mirosław
Published: November 2022

Polyhydramnios represents a complication found in 0.2–2% of pregnancies, and it is usually diagnosed between 31 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. Although most cases of polyhydramnios are idiopathic, maternal diabetes or foetal malformations constitute frequent causes of the excessive accumulation of the amniotic fluid. Considering the latter, polyhydramnios may rarely be caused by foetal abdominal tumours, with the incidence rate of 2–14 cases per 100,000 live births. Congenital neonatal leukaemia (CNL) is a rare disease with a reported incidence rate of 5–8.6 cases per million live births. In the prenatal period, the ultrasound abnormalities associated with CNL include hepatomegaly and splenomegaly. In this paper, we presented a case of polyhydramnios caused by mechanical pressure on the foetal gastrointestinal tract by an enlarged lymph node in the course of CNL, as well as reviewing the available literature on foetal abdominal tumours with concurrent polyhydramnios.
Surgical and Medical Aspects of the Initial Treatment of Biliary Atresia: Position Paper
Authors: Davenport Mark , Madadi-Sanjani Omid , Chardot Christophe , Verkade Henkjan J. , Karpen Saul J. , Petersen Claus
Published: November 2022

Biliary atresia, a fibro-obliterative disease of the newborn, is usually initially treated by Kasai portoenterostomy, although there are many variations in technique and different options for post-operative adjuvant medical therapy. A questionnaire on such topics (e.g., open vs. laparoscopic; the need for liver mobilisation; use of post-operative steroids; use of post-operative anti-viral therapy, etc.) was circulated to delegates (n = 43) of an international webinar (Biliary Atresia and Related Diseases—BARD) held in June 2021. Respondents were mostly European, but included some from North America, and represented 18 different countries overall. The results of this survey are presented here, together with a commentary and review from an expert panel convened for the meeting on current trends in practice.
Extended Pharmacist Assessment of Medication Safety for Nursing Home Residents—A Cross-Sectional and Prospective Study
Authors: Führling Christian , Maas Renke
Published: November 2022

In the routine pharmacist’s medication review in ambulatory care and nursing homes in Germany, clinical diagnoses are often insufficiently considered as they are frequently not accessible to pharmacists and their electronic support tools. This may leave a significant proportion of medication-related problems (MRP) undetected and unresolved. Moreover, limited and incomplete data may promote spurious alerts of low clinical relevance. In order to assess the impact of improved data availability, we conducted a study (German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00025346) to evaluate the impact of an extended pharmacist’s medication review, made possible by diagnosis data being routinely available to the pharmacist. At six nursing homes in the Nuremberg metropolitan area, 338 patients treated by 32 physicians were enrolled. A pharmacist’s medication review, considering only the medication data, identified 114 potential MRPs, and additional consideration of diagnoses further identified 69 potential MRPs. The physicians adapted the therapy in response to 69.9% of alerts. The observed gain in MRP identified indicates that efforts should be intensified to facilitate and improve consideration of drug–diagnosis-related MRP by improving data sharing and communication between pharmacists and physicians caring for nursing home residents.
Optimal Timing of Cholecystectomy for Patients with Concurrent Acute Cholecystitis and Acute Cholangitis after Successful Biliary Drainage by Interventional Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography
Authors: Chang Yau-Ren , Wu Chi-Huan , Chen Huan-Wu , Hung Yu-Liang , Hu Chia-Hsiang , Huang Ruo-Yi , Wu Min-Jung , Kou Hao-Wei , Chen Ming-Yang , Tsai Chun-Yi , Wang Shang-Yu , Liu Keng-Hao , Hsu Jun-Te , Yeh Chun-Nan , Liu Nai-Jen , Jan Yi-Yin
Published: November 2022

Background: Concurrent acute cholecystitis and acute cholangitis is a unique clinical situation. We tried to investigate the optimal timing of cholecystectomy after adequate biliary drainage under this condition. Methods: From January 2012 to November 2017, we retrospectively screened all in-hospitalized patients undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and then identified patients with concurrent acute cholecystitis and acute cholangitis from the cohort. The selected patients were stratified into two groups: one-stage intervention (OSI) group (intended laparoscopic cholecystectomy at the same hospitalization) vs. two-stage intervention (TSI) group (interval intended laparoscopic cholecystectomy). Interrogated outcomes included recurrent biliary events, length of hospitalization, and surgical outcomes. Results: There were 147 patients ultimately enrolled for analysis (OSI vs. TSI, 96 vs. 51). Regarding surgical outcomes, there was no significant difference between the OSI group and TSI group, including intraoperative blood transfusion (1.0% vs. 2.0%, p = 1.000), conversion to open procedure (3.1% vs. 7.8%, p = 0.236), postoperative complication (6.3% vs. 11.8%, p = 0.342), operation time (118.0 min vs. 125.8 min, p = 0.869), and postoperative days until discharge (3.37 days vs. 4.02 days, p = 0.643). In the RBE analysis, the OSI group presented a significantly lower incidence of overall RBE (5.2% vs. 41.2%, p < 0.001) than the TSI group. Conclusions: Patients with an initial diagnosis of concurrent acute cholecystitis and cholangitis undergoing cholecystectomy after ERCP drainage during the same hospitalization period may receive some benefit in terms of clinical outcomes.
Comparison of Three Common Intervertebral Disc Discectomies in the Treatment of Lumbar Disc Herniation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Based on Multiple Data
Authors: Zhao Xiao-ming , Chen An-fa , Lou Xiao-xiao , Zhang Yin-gang
Published: November 2022

Objective: Due to recent developments and the wide application of percutaneous transforaminal discectomy (PTED), we herein compare it with microendoscopic discectomy (MED) and traditional open surgery (OD) through surgical indicators and postoperative outcomes to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of minimally invasive surgery PTED. Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in line with PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO2018: CRD42018094890). We searched four English and two Chinese databases from the date of their establishment to May 2022. Randomized controlled trials and case–control studies of PTED versus MED or PTED versus OD in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation were retrieved. Results: A total of 33 studies with 6467 cases were included. When comparing MED with PTED, the latter had less intraoperative blood loss, smaller incision, shorter postoperative bed times, shorter hospitalization times, better postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) for low back pain, and postoperative dysfunction index (Oswestry Disability Index, ODI) and higher recurrence rates and revision rates. However, operation times, postoperative VAS leg scores and complications, and successful operation rates were similar in both groups. Comparison of PTED with OD revealed in the former less intraoperative blood loss and smaller incision, shorter postoperative bed times, shorter hospitalization times, shorter operation times, and higher recurrence rates and revision rates. Nonetheless, comprehensive postoperative VAS scores, VAS leg pain scores, VAS low back pain, ODI and incidence of complications, and successful operation rates were similar between the two groups. Conclusions: The therapeutic effect and safety of PTED, MED and OD in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation were comparable. PTED had obvious advantages in that it is minimally invasive, with rapid recovery after surgery, but its recurrence rates and revision rates were higher than MED and OD. Therefore, it is not possible to blindly consider replacing MED and OD with PTED.
Suicidal Ideation in Major Depressed Individuals: Role of Type D Personality
Authors: Laoufi Mokhtar Abdelhakim , Wacquier Benjamin , Lartigolle Tristan , Loas Gwenolé , Hein Matthieu
Published: November 2022

Major depressed individuals are a subpopulation at high-risk of suicide. However, despite the evidence for a particular relationship between suicidal ideation (SI) and type D personality, few studies have investigated the role played by this personality structure in the occurrence of SI in major depressed individuals. Data from 318 major depressed individuals recruited from the clinical database of the Sleep Laboratory were analysed. Suicidal ideation was considered present if the score in item 9 of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) was ≥1 and/or if they were highlighted during the systematic psychiatric assessment conducted on admission to the Sleep Laboratory. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine the risk of SI associated with type D personality in major depressed individuals. The prevalence of suicidal ideation was 38.4% in our sample of major depressed individuals. After adjusting for major confounding factors, multivariate logistic regression analyses demonstrated that type D personality was a risk factor for SI in major depressed individuals. Thus, given the potential role played by type D personality in the occurrence of SI in major depressed individuals, it seems necessary to more systematically research and adequately manage this personality structure to allow for a better prevention of suicidal behaviours in this subpopulation.
Application of Biocomposite Films of Chitosan/Natural Active Compounds for Shelf Life Extension of Fresh Poultry Meat
Authors: Pires João Ricardo Afonso , Almeida Karen Miranda , Augusto Ana Sofia , Vieira Érica Torrido , Fernando Ana Luísa , Souza Victor Gomes Lauriano
Published: November 2022

Active packaging based on chitosan (Ch) incorporated with six different natural hydro-alcoholic extracts (HAE) (rosemary, green tea, black tea, ginger, kenaf, and sage) were developed and tested to extend the shelf life of fresh poultry meat. The quality of the meat packaged was assessed through physical-chemical and microbiological characterization over 15 days of refrigerated storage. In vitro antimicrobial activity of pure extracts and films against Gram-positive (B. cereus) and Gram-negative (S. enterica) foodborne bacteria was also addressed. Pure extracts and the films developed showed antimicrobial activity by the diffusion agar method only against the Gram-positive bacteria. Microbial analysis of the meat wrapped with films incorporated with HAE showed a reduction of 3.1–4.5 log CFU/g and 2.5–4.0 log CFU/g on the total viable microorganisms and total coliforms, respectively. Ch + Kenaf and Ch + Sage films presented the highest antimicrobial activity. Regarding the oxidation degradation, as expected, TBARS values increased for all samples over time. However, the meat wrapped in the biocomposites, except for CH + Sage, presented lower secondary oxidation metabolites (reduction of 75–93%) in the content of malonaldehyde. This protection was superior for the meat wrapped with Ch + Rosemary. Active film also showed promising results by retarding the discoloration process and the increase of pH over time. Thus, the biocomposites produced can pose as an alternative technology to enhance the shelf life of fresh poultry meat and maintain its quality.
A Better Understanding of the SBA-15 Pores Filling through Textural Changes in CMK-3 Carbon Synthesis and Its CO2:CH4 Adsorption Selectivity
Authors: Quiroz-Estrada Karla , Esparza-Schulz Marcos , Felipe Carlos
Published: November 2022

This text reports the morphological and textural behavior of the synthesis stages of a CMK-3 carbon type using a silicon matrix of the SBA-15 type calcined at 823 K as a template. During the synthesis, three intermediate materials were obtained because of (i) the addition of sucrose to the SBA-15 template (CCMK3-1st), (ii) the addition of sucrose to the CCMK3-1st material (CCMK3-2nd), and (iii) the carbonization by pyrolysis of the by-product CCMK3-2nd (CCMK3-F). The texture of the above materials was found by analyzing the N2 adsorption isotherms, applying the classical adsorption theories to obtain the BET-specific surface and the meso- and micropore distributions by the BJH and Dubinin–Astakhov (DA) methods, respectively, in addition to the non-localized density functional theory (NLDFT). Similarly, with high resolution, the samples were analyzed morphologically by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Finally, the adsorption isotherms of CO2 and CH4 of the CMK-3 sample were obtained at six different temperatures in the interval of 243 to 303 K to evaluate the behavior of the isosteric enthalpy of adsorption (qst) and its CO2:CH4 ideal selectivity. The final CMK-3 carbon presented two families of micro- and mesopores of 1.5 and 3.2 nm, nanopipe diameters of 3.5 nm, and a specific surface area of 1350 m2/g. It also presented values of 6.0 and 2.4 mmol/g adsorbed CO2 and CH4 at 243 K, respectively, and strong intermolecular interactions, with qst values higher than 22 kJ/mol reflected in high selectivity values for an ideal mixture of CO2:CH4 (30:70%).
Effect on Cellular Vitality In Vitro of Novel APRF-Chlorhexidine Treated Membranes
Authors: Gavrailov Tasho , Chenchev Ivan , Gevezova Maria , Draganova Milena , Sarafian Victoria
Published: November 2022

Introduction: Chlorhexidine (CHX) has been used for some time in clinical practice as a local antiseptic agent with excellent efficacy. The combination of CHX with APRF (Advanced-platelet rich fibrin) membrane has the potential to stimulate tissue regeneration and to provide a bactericidal effect. We hypothesize that this may reduce the rate of infections development and protect cell viability. Aim: The aim of this study was two-fold—to create a stable APRF membrane treated with different concentrations of CHX (0.01% and 0.02%) and to monitor its effect on the viability of PDL cells in vitro. This benefits the introduction of a new protocol for APRF membrane production -CHX-PRF and enriches the available evidence on the effect of this antiseptic agent on PDL (Periodontal ligament) cells. Materials and methods: APRF membranes were prepared by the addition of two concentrations (0.01% and 0.02%) of CHX. Membranes without the antiseptic were also prepared and used as control samples. PDL cells were cultivated on the membranes for 72 h. Cell number and vitality were examined by fluorescent cell viability assays. Results: Our results demonstrated that a concentration of 0.01% CHX allowed the production of a stable APRF membrane. This concentration slightly reduced the viability of PDL cells to 96.7%, but significantly decreased the average number of cells attached to the membrane—149 ± 16.5 cells/field compared to controls −336 ± 26.9 cells/field. APRF-CHX 0.02% membranes were unstable, indicating a dose-dependent cytotoxic effect of CHX. Conclusions: The introduced novel protocol leads to the production of a new type of APRF membrane—CHX-PRF. The incorporation of an antiseptic into the APRF membrane can improve its bactericidal activity and might serve as an important step for the prevention of postoperative infections.
Z2-γ: An Application of Zienkiewicz-Zhu Error Estimator to Brain Tumor Detection in MR Images
Authors: Falini Antonella
Published: November 2022

Brain tumors are abnormal cell growth in the brain tissues that can be cancerous or not. In any case, they could be a very aggressive disease that should be detected as early as possible. Usually, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the main tool commonly adopted by neurologists and radiologists to identify and classify any possible anomalies present in the brain anatomy. In the present work, an automatic unsupervised method called Z2-γ, based on the use of adaptive finite-elements and suitable pre-processing and post-processing techniques, is introduced. The adaptive process, driven by a Zienkiewicz-Zhu type error estimator (Z2), is carried out on isotropic triangulations, while the given input images are pre-processed via nonlinear transformations (γ corrections) to enhance the ability of the error estimator to detect any relevant anomaly. The proposed methodology is able to automatically classify whether a given MR image represents a healthy or a diseased brain and, in this latter case, is able to locate the tumor area, which can be easily delineated by removing any redundancy with post-processing techniques based on morphological transformations. The method is tested on a freely available dataset achieving 0.846 of accuracy and F1 score equal to 0.88.
Critical Barriers to Industry 4.0 Adoption in Manufacturing Organizations and Their Mitigation Strategies
Authors: Sayem Ahmed , Biswas Pronob Kumar , Khan Mohammad Muhshin Aziz , Romoli Luca , Dalle Mura Michela
Published: November 2022

The fourth industrial revolution, fueled by automation and digital technology advancements, enables us to manage manufacturing systems effectively. Its deployment in enterprises has now become increasingly important in developed and emerging economies. Many experts believe that barriers associated with Industry 4.0 implementation are critical to its success. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the major hurdles to Industry 4.0 adoption and reveal their interrelationships. Initially, the literature was thoroughly studied to determine the sixteen barriers impeding I4.0 adoption. Then, based on experts’ opinions, an integrated fuzzy-DEMATEL approach was utilized to examine the most significant challenges to I4.0 deployment. The results demonstrated the distribution of barriers in which the economic dimension played a decisive role, affecting technological, regulatory, and organizational dimensions. As observed in the barrier mapping, the lack of qualified workforce was a typical adoption barrier. Finally, the mitigation strategies developed would help managers to overcome the identified critical obstacles.
Comprehensive Review of Metastatic Breast Carcinoma in Cytology Specimens
Authors: Baskota Swikrity U. , Qazi Daniel , Chandra Ashish , Vohra Poonam
Published: November 2022

Breast carcinomas are known to metastasize to various organs of the human body. Fine needle aspiration cytology or exfoliative cytology often are the standard method for diagnosis at these metastatic sites due to ease of procurement of diagnostic material, accessibility, less complications, high sensitivity, and specificity of diagnosis and evaluation of biomarker status needed to guide future management. This comprehensive review article discusses in detail metastatic patterns, cytomorphology of metastatic breast cancer at different body sites, immunohistochemistry needed for diagnosis of breast carcinoma, sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis and breast biomarker assays in the cytology material.
Fire Risk Assessment of a Ship’s Power System under the Conditions of an Engine Room Fire
Authors: Li Chenfeng , Zhang Houyao , Zhang Yifan , Kang Jichuan
Published: November 2022

This paper presents a risk assessment method for a ship’s power system under the conditions of an engine room fire based on the expert comprehensive evaluation (ECE) method combined with the fuzzy fault tree analysis (FFTA) method. The composition of the main engine system in the engine room and the failure logic of each subsystem were analyzed, and the fuzzy fault tree of a ship engine room fire was constructed. The probability of system failure and the importance of basic events were calculated. The fire safety risk assessment model was established using the safety risk matrix. The risk assessment of a ship engine room fire was implemented. The results demonstrated that the fire frequency of the ship engine room was 5.232 × 10−6 h−1. The fire risk of the main engine fuel system was the highest. Fuel leakages from diesel supply tanks and heavy fuel oil tanks are the main cause of accidents. The proposed method eliminated the influence of incomplete statistics in the risk assessment process and improved the accuracy and credibility of the reassessment results.
Salinity Tolerance and the Effect of Salinity and Algal Feed on the Demographics of Cultured Harpacticoid Copepods Tisbe holothuriae and Tigriopus sp. from the Messolonghi Lagoon (W. Greece)
Authors: Hotos George N. , Kourelea Evi , Fotodimas Ioannis
Published: November 2022

The locally isolated harpacticoid copepods Tigriopus sp. and Tisbe holothuriae were subjected to salinity tolerance experimentation at salinities under and above of 40 ppt, and presented high halotolerances in Tigriopus LC50 (24 h) of 1 ± 4.43 ppt and 132 ± 5.35 ppt, respectively, and in Tisbe of 15 ± 2.41 ppt and 93 ± 3.23 ppt, respectively. Tetraselmis suecica, among other microalgal feeds (Asteromonas gracilis, Rhodomonas salina, Dunaliella salina and Isochrysis galbana), resulted in the higher production of nauplii in Tigriopus and R. salina and D. salina in Tisbe (also close to T. suecica in Tigriopus). The demographics (number of nauplii, egg sacs, completion of hatching) of both copepods, using combinations of salinities in the range of 22–60 ppt and D. salina and R. salina as feeds, exhibited almost the same preference for microalgae but were negatively affected by the salinity of 60 ppt. The present experiments showed that these local copepods that have extreme salinity tolerance and a wide preference for easily cultured microalgae can be used in ecological studies and for mass production as live feed in marine fish hatcheries.
Trophic and Microbial Patterns in the Ross Sea Area (Antarctica): Spatial Variability during the Summer Season
Authors: Azzaro Maurizio , Specchiulli Antonietta , Maimone Giovanna , Azzaro Filippo , Lo Giudice Angelina , Papale Maria , La Ferla Rosabruna , Paranhos Rodolfo , Souza Cabral Anderson , Rappazzo Alessandro Ciro , Renzi Monia , Castagno Pasquale , Falco Pierpaolo , Rivaro Paola , Caruso Gabriella
Published: November 2022

In open regions of the Ross Sea, the role of the microbial community in the turnover of organic matter has scarcely been investigated; indeed, very little is known on how microbial distribution and functional diversity respond to environmental conditions and hydrographic structures. During the austral summer of 2017, two pelagic areas of the Ross Sea [the Drygalski Ice Tongue and the nearby Terra Nova Bay polynya (A area), and the continental Shelf Break area near Cape Adare (C area)] were studied at selected depths [surface, Deep Chlorophyll Maximum (DCM), Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW), deep waters]. Trophic properties [nutrient concentrations, particulate (POC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and its optically significant fraction (CDOM) were measured, together with the main hydrological variables. Microbial community abundance [total prokaryotes, living, dead, and actively respiring fraction, high- and low nucleic acid cells (HNA and LNA), pico- and nano-eukaryotes, culturable heterotrophic bacteria], composition, and metabolism (as whole community and as isolated bacteria) were also assessed. Through a multidisciplinary dataset, this study highlighted the variable response of microbial abundance, diversity, and metabolism of the microbial community to the changing local environmental conditions of the Ross Sea. Different forces, such as organic matter inputs (mostly of detrital nature) released from the Drygalski glacier in the A area, and a coastal-to-offshore gradient in the C area, coexisted within this extreme ecosystem. This resulted in a significant spatial segregation of the edaphic parameters, and of the microbial community distribution and metabolic activity patterns.
The Roles of Off-Equatorial Subsurface Cold-Water Incursions in Triggering the Second-Year Cooling of the La Niña Event in 2021
Authors: Song Chunyang , Zhang Xuefeng , Zheng Fei , Chen Xingrong , Jiang Hua
Published: November 2022

During 2020–2022, a consecutive two-year La Niña event occurred in the tropical Pacific. This work analyzes the evolution of atmospheric and oceanic anomalies in the equatorial Pacific between 2020 and 2022 to describe and illustrate the processes that led to the second-year cooling of the La Niña event in 2021/22. After the first year of the La Niña event in 2020/21, neutral SST conditions resumed in the eastern equatorial Pacific prior to June 2021. However, in the first half of 2021, significant cold water persisted at the surface and thermocline depth in the off-equatorial areas, which were more noticeable in the tropical South Pacific. The turning point of the second-year cooling event occurred in June 2021 when the subsurface cold water from the off-equatorial regions intruded into the equatorial regions between approximately 115°–125° W. This interrupted the eastward propagation of warm water along the thermocline. Negative SST anomalies and positive SLP anomalies occupied the tropical southeast Pacific, which strengthened southeasterly wind stress anomalies from the tropical South Pacific, driving them northward across the equator. Subsequently, the subsurface ocean current that originated from the tropical southeast Pacific began to prominently propagate to the northwest. This transported cold water across the equator, which then mixed with the cold subsurface waters in the tropical north Pacific. Finally, negative ocean temperature anomalies gradually intensified from the subsurface to the surface throughout the tropical central-eastern Pacific, which initiated a local air–sea coupling process that led to the second-year cooling of the La Niña event through autumn 2021.
The Effects of Biofouling and Corrosion Products on Impressed Current Cathodic Protection System Design for Offshore Monopile Foundations
Authors: Erdogan Caglar , Swain Geoffrey
Published: November 2022

The robustness of the cathodic protection systems utilized for offshore wind monopile foundations depends on the surface condition of the steel as well as the environmental conditions. This study investigated how preexisting biofouling and corrosion products on vertical uncoated steel surfaces extending from the intertidal zone to the buried zone affected the cathodic protection requirements when impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) was applied under tidal conditions. The comparative results between initially clean and previously fouled and corroded panel sets showed that the fouling and corrosion products increased both the initial and mean current densities. They also altered the composition, slowed the formation, and reduced the protective properties of cathodic chalks during nine weeks of deployment in seawater at Port Canaveral, Florida.
Application and Validation of Flood Damage Curves for Wastewater Treatment Facilities (WWTF), Case Examples in Rhode Island
Authors: Donahue Tyler , Krekorian Peter , Swift Luke , Spaulding Malcolm L. , Baxter Chris , Swanson Craig
Published: November 2022

The STORMTOOLS Coastal Environmental Risk Index (CERI) has historically been used to assess the damage to residential and commercial structures from coastal flooding, including the effects of sea level rise (SLR) in RI. In the present study, CERI was extended to address the impact of flooding for 100 yr storm, including the effects of SLR, to the newly renovated Warren, RI wastewater treatment facilities (WWTF), located on the tidal Warren River, using FEMA HAZUS damage curves. The analysis shows that the average damage for 100 yr flooding, across all components of the facility, increases with sea level from 16% (0 ft SLR), 23% (2 ft SLR), 26% (3 ft SLR), to 28% (5 ft SLR). The primary settling and chlorination tanks are at most risk and the aeration and reaction tanks at least risk. In an effort to validate the FEMA HAZUS WWTF damage curves, CERI was applied to predict flood damage during the 3 day, March/April 2010 flooding event (500 yr) to the Cranston, Warwick, and West Warwick WWTF located on the Pawtuxet River, RI. The predictions of the damage to each WWTF from this event were compared to observations of the damage made by the plant operators. The percent damage was estimated by comparing the cost of the damage to the assessed value of the facility. Using the FEMA HAZUS damage curves for the observed level of inundation (7 to 8 ft) predicted that the Warwick and West Warwick facility damage ranged from 15 to 45% with an average value of about 30%. The Cranston WWTF damage was very low (<1%) because of the elevation of the facility. The observed damage for the 2010 flood event was approximately 21% for the Warwick facility and 18% for the West Warwick facility, between the FEMA HAZUS lower and average values. Damage to the Cranston facility was consistent between FEMA HAZUS and observed values at <1%.
Numerical Simulation of the Maneuvering Motion Wake of an Underwater Vehicle in Stratified Fluid
Authors: Shi Chang , Cheng Xide , Liu Zuyuan , Han Kunyu , Liu Penghui , Jiang Long
Published: November 2022

When a vehicle moves underwater, disturbance is generated and a wake remains that destroys the original free surface and produces a new wake. In order to study the mechanism and characteristics of the wave-making wake generated by the maneuvering motion of an underwater vehicle in density-stratified fluid, the k-ε model and the VOF method that is based on the RANS equation were used in this paper to analyze the SUBOFF model in stratified fluid at different drift angles. Numerical simulation of the maneuvering motion was carried out under these angles, and the corresponding changes in flow field caused by this motion were analyzed. The results from the comparison and analysis of the surface wave wakes under different drift angles in stratified fluid show that with the increasing drift angle, the motion wake of the vehicle still exhibits obvious Kelvin wave system characteristics. However, there are significant changes in hydrodynamic performance. The asymmetry of the surrounding flow field will increase with the increase in the drift angle. The pressure of the underwater vehicle is inversely proportional to the velocity of the surrounding flow field, and the amplitude of the peak and trough of the free surface wave is linearly related to the change in the drift angle. The numerical simulation can serve as a reference for the non-acoustic detection of the motion heading of an underwater vehicle and the motion trajectory of anti-reconnaissance underwater vehicles under actual sea conditions.
The Effect of Dynamic Fracture Strain on the Structural Response of Ships in Collisions
Authors: Kim Sang Jin , Sohn Jung Min
Published: November 2022

As ship collisions and grounding accidents lead to human injury and damage to the environment and property, more accurate predictions of structural damage to ships under impact loads are needed. Currently, to determine structural behaviors, finite element analysis (FEA) is frequently adopted. However, it is recommended to pay attention to material properties in FEA because structural damage is sensitive to material properties such as yield strength, fracture strain, etc. While the strain rate (impact speed) is automatically considered for dynamic yield stress using the Cowper–Symonds equation or other methods, the pre-defined fracture strain is generally used as the dynamic fracture strain (DFS), which is not dependent on strain rate during the simulation. This assigned value of fracture strain may affect the extent of damage and structural response. In this study, the effect of the DFS on the structural damage from collisions was investigated to determine the relationship between the DFS and damage. Empirical formulas based on predictions of damage by various events were developed as a function of the DFS and initial impact speed. The results of this study explained the effect of the DFS on the structural damage and determined the upper and lower bounds of damage by collisions.
Ship Power Plant Decarbonisation Using Hybrid Systems and Ammonia Fuel—A Techno-Economic–Environmental Analysis
Authors: Karvounis Panagiotis , Dantas João L. D. , Tsoumpris Charalampos , Theotokatos Gerasimos
Published: November 2022

The shipping sector decarbonisation has attracted great attention due to the sector contribution to worldwide carbon emissions. This study aims at investigating the techno-economic–environmental performance of different ship power plants to identify sustainable solutions for a case study cargo ship. Four scenarios, considering conventional and hybrid power plants, the latter with installed batteries, both using marine gas oil and ammonia fuels, are analysed to estimate the pertinent lifetime key performance indicators characterising their economic and environmental performance. Additionally, taxation schemes of varying extent are considered, and a sensitivity analysis is carried out on the most uncertain input parameters, namely, fuel prices and capital cost. This study results demonstrate that the hybrid plant using ammonia exhibits the lowest environmental footprint associated with 66% carbon emission reduction, whilst increasing the lifetime cost by 40%. Taxation schemes close to 340 EUR per CO2 tonne are required to render it economically viable whilst meeting the IMO targets for 2050 on CO2 emissions reduction. The sensitivity analysis reveals that the economic parameters is highly sensitive to fuel price and the capital expenditure.
Coupling Relationship of Geomorphic Evolution and Marine Hydrodynamics in the Stage-Specific Development of Urban Bays: A Modelling Case Study in Quanzhou Bay (1954–2017), China
Authors: Xiao Xianbiao , Li Yunhai , Tang Junjian , Luo Fusheng , Shu Fangfang , Wang Liang , He Jia , Zou Xiaochun , Chi Wenqi , Lin Yuting , Zheng Binxin
Published: November 2022

With the development of social economy and human activities, the geomorphology and hydrodynamic conditions of coasts have been dramatically changed, causing serious environmental pollution and resource depletion. Taking Quanzhou Bay as an example, this study combined geomorphologic change with a hydrodynamic model to simulate the change in tidal currents in different periods. The results show a change in the coastline was the main cause of hydrodynamic change during the industrialization reform. During the past 70 years, the tidal prism decreased year by year, and the average velocity of the tidal current in the channel decreased by 33.7% and 30.8% at flood and ebb tide, respectively. In the early stages of industrialization, reclamation land was used in a single way. The tidal prism decreased by 22.2% and 29.8% in the spring and neap tide, respectively. In the middle and later stages, the tidal current velocity increased, and reclamation land was used in a variety of ways. In modern society, the reclamation land-use type was unitary. Based on this research, we show the influence of human activities on the evolution of the bay’s geomorphology and provide suggestions for the management of the bay.
Microbial Diseases of Marine Organisms
Authors: Zrnčić Snježana
Published: November 2022

Healthy oceans and marine environments provide critical life support functions upon which human health and well-being depend [...]
Fire Risk Assessment in Engine Rooms Considering the Fire-Induced Domino Effects
Authors: Zhang Houyao , Li Chenfeng , Zhao Nan , Chen Bai-Qiao , Ren Huilong , Kang Jichuan
Published: November 2022

This paper proposes a dynamic evolutionary model to quantify the domino effect of ship engine room fires. Based on the spatial and temporal characteristics of fire accidents, the dynamic probability of the domino effect of multiple accident units is calculated using matrix calculation and Monte Carlo simulation. The uncertainties of shipboard personnel, automatic detection systems, sprinkler systems, and the synergistic effects of multiple escalation vectors from different units are addressed. The dynamic probability of the domino effect of multiple accident units is calculated, and a risk assessment of complex fire scenarios in ship engine rooms is implemented. This study also presents the model feasibility in terms of fire risk assessment in cabins with numerous pieces of equipment. The results indicate that 2 min and 4 min are vital time nodes for the development and spread of fires. The extinguishing work on key equipment in the path of the fire's spread can effectively restrain its further expansion. The results can provide critical references for ship fire prevention, fire suppression, and fire protection design.
Predicting the Tropical Sea Surface Temperature Diurnal Cycle Amplitude Using an Improved XGBoost Algorithm
Authors: Feng Yueling , Gao Zhen , Xiao Heng , Yang Xiaodan , Song Zhenya
Published: November 2022

As a critical physical parameter in the sea–air interface, sea surface temperature (SST) plays a crucial role in the sea–air interaction process. The SST diurnal cycle is one of the most critical changes that occur in the various time scales of SST. Currently, accurate simulation and prediction of SST diurnal cycle amplitude remain challenging. The application of machine learning in marine environment research, simulation, and prediction has received increasing attention. In this study, a regression prediction model for SST diurnal cycle amplitude was constructed based on TOGA/COARE buoy-observed data and an extreme gradient boosting algorithm (XGBoost). The XGBoost algorithm was also optimized using label distribution smoothing (LDS) to respond to the problem of uneven cycle amplitude size distribution. The results showed that the LDS-XGB model outperformed various empirical models and other machine learning models in terms of prediction error and prediction accuracy while effectively improving the data imbalance problem without losing model accuracy and achieving accurate and efficient predictions of the SST diurnal cycle amplitude. This work is a good demonstration of the integration of marine science and machine learning, which indicates that machine learning plays an important role in the model parametrizations and understanding the mechanisms.
Rostral Geometric Morphometrics in a Hippolytid Shrimp: Are There Elements That Reflect the Homozygous/Heterozygous State of Its Morphotypes?
Authors: Anastasiadou Chryssa , Liasko Roman , Kallianiotis Athanasios A. , Leonardos Ioannis
Published: November 2022

Geometric morphometry has been widely used in decapods’ studies for taxonomic needs, and for eco-morphological adaptation and intraspecific variations recordings. Among the 40 species of the genus Hippolyte, the Mediterranean endemic Hippolyte sapphica is the only one with two distinct conspecific morphotypes, without intermediate forms: morph-A with a long, dentate and morph-B with a very short, toothless rostrum. Previous studies have shown that the “rostral loss” in morph-B seems to be controlled by a single pair of alleles, with a complete dominance of allele b, expressed in morph-B. We aim to elucidate morphotypes’ rostral pattern in relation to size, sex, and season. Shrimps were collected during two different (dry/wet) seasons from two sites: s.1 with a mixed (morph-A and B) and s.2 with a pure, unmixed (morph-A) species populations. After morph and sex identification, individuals were photographed and geometric morphometric analysis of rostrum was carried out on a set of landmarks. The data suggest that only morph-A rostral shape seems to be influenced by shrimp’s size, sex, and time of the year. Interestingly, two distinct morph-B clusters appear, which probably correspond to the homozygous and heterozygous state (BB and BA) of the gene site that controls the species morphotypes’ phenology.
COLREGS-Complied Automatic Collision Avoidance for the Encounter Situations of Multiple Vessels
Authors: Sun Ting , Liu Cheng , Xu Shuang , Hu Qizhi , Li Cheng
Published: November 2022

In crowded waters, the incidence of collision accidents of multiple vessels has increased significantly, most of which can be ascribed to human factors, particularly, human decision-making failures and inobservance with International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS). On this basis, an automatic collision avoidance strategy for the encounter situations of multiple vessels is proposed herein. First of all, a COLREGS-complied evasive action decision-making mechanism is established, which can determine the evasive action from the give-way vessel and stand-on vessel separately. It is worth emphasizing that the situation of vessels against COLREGS is taken into consideration herein. Furthermore, a novel automatic collision avoidance controller of multiple vessels on account of model predictive control (MPC) is devised, which can carry out control action ahead of time and handle the problem of rudder saturation. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed automatic collision avoidance strategy of multiple vessels is illustrated via extensive simulations.
Effect of Operating Parameters on the Coalescence and Breakup of Bubbles in a Multiphase Pump Based on a CFD-PBM Coupled Model
Authors: Tao Sijia , Shi Guangtai , Xiao Yexiang , Huang Zongliu , Wen Haigang
Published: November 2022

When the multiphase pump is running, the internal medium often exists as bubble flow. In order to investigate the bubble occurrence characteristics in the pressurization unit of the multiphase pump more accurately, this paper couples computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with a population balance model (PBM) to investigate the bubble size distribution law of the multiphase pump under different operating conditions, taking into account the bubble coalescence and breakup. The research shows that the mean bubble size in the impeller domain gradually decreases from 1.7013 mm at the inlet to 0.6179 mm at the outlet along the axis direction; the average bubble diameter in the diffuser domain fluctuates around 0.60 mm. The bubbles in the impeller region gradually change from the trend of coalescence to the trend of breakup along the axial and radial directions, and the bubbles in the diffuser tend to be broken by the vortex entrainment. The bubble size development law is influenced by the inlet gas volume fraction (IGVF) and the rotational speed, showing a more obvious rule, where the gas phase aggregation phenomenon enhanced by the increase in IGVF promotes the trend of bubble coalescence and makes the bubble size gradually increase. The increased blade shearing effect with the increase in rotational speed promotes the trend of bubble breakup, which gradually reduces the size of the bubbles. In addition, increasing the bubble coalescence probability is a key factor leading to changes in bubble size; the bubble size development law is not very sensitive to changes in flow, and the bubble size is at its maximum under design conditions. The research results can accurately predict the performance change of the multiphase pump and provide technical guidance for its safe operation and optimal design.
Path Planning of Multi-Objective Underwater Robot Based on Improved Sparrow Search Algorithm in Complex Marine Environment
Authors: Li Bin , Mao Jianlin , Yin Shuyi , Fu Lixia , Wang Yan
Published: November 2022

Autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) path planning in complex marine environments meets many chanllenges, such as many influencing factors, complex models and the performance of the optimization algorithm to be improved. To find a path with minimum cost of the actual environmental threats, navigation height changes and the minimum energy consumption of the AUV, an improved sparrow search algorithm is designed under the impact of the time-varying characteristics of the current in the complex marine environment on the AUV and the physical constraints of the AUV movement. In the proposed algorithm, an adaptive weight factor balance strategy is introduced into the position update of the discoverer to improve the convergence speed and search ability. In the follower position, the variable spiral search strategy is improved based on the position update formula to enhance the local jumping ability of the algorithm. After the position update, Levy flying strategy is added, and Cauchy–Gaussian mutation is performed on the optimal individual to increase the population diversity, which improves the anti-stagnation ability of the algorithm. Finally, the AUV global path with minimum cost in the sense of multi-objective weighting is obtained. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can plan a path with less cost and quickly converge to an optimized point, and finally it can meet the global path planning requirements of AUV when navigating in complex sea areas.
Deletion of the col-26 Transcription Factor Gene and a Point Mutation in the exo-1 F-Box Protein Gene Confer Sorbose Resistance in Neurospora crassa
Authors: Hirai Kenshi , Idemoto Takuya , Kato Shiho , Ichiishi Akihiko , Fukumori Fumiyasu , Fujimura Makoto
Published: November 2022

L-Sorbose induces hyperbranching of hyphae, which results in colonial growth in Neurospora crassa. The sor-4 gene, which encodes a glucose sensor that acts in carbon catabolite repression (CCR), has been identified as a sorbose resistance gene. In this study, we found that the deletion mutant of col-26, which encodes an AmyR-like transcription factor that acts in CCR, displayed sorbose resistance. In contrast, the deletion mutants of other CCR genes, such as a hexokinase (hxk-2), an AMP-activated S/T protein kinase (prk-10), and a transcription factor (cre-1), showed no sorbose resistance. Double mutant analysis revealed that the deletion of hxk-2, prk-10, and cre-1 did not affect the sorbose resistance of the col-26 mutant. Genes for a glucoamylase (gla-1), an invertase (inv), and glucose transporters (glt-1 and hgt-1) were highly expressed in the cre-1 mutant, even in glucose-rich conditions, but this upregulation was suppressed in the Δcre-1; Δcol-26a double-deletion mutant. Furthermore, we found that a dgr-2(L1)a mutant with a single amino-acid substitution, S11L, in the F-box protein exo-1 displayed sorbose resistance, unlike the deletion mutants of exo-1, suggesting that the function of exo-1 is crucial for the resistance. Our data strongly suggest that CCR directly participates in sorbose resistance, and that col-26 and exo-1 play important roles in regulating the amylase and glucose transporter genes during CCR.