bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multilevel Approach for Management of Existing Bridges: Critical Analysis and Application of the Italian Guidelines with the New Operating Instructions
Authors: Natali Agnese , Cosentino Antonella , Morelli Francesco , Salvatore Walter
Published: March 2023

This paper provides a discussion and thoughtful application on a large sample of the procedures for the classification of existing bridges recently adopted in Italy and defined within the Italian Guidelines for the classification, risk management, safety evaluation and monitoring of existing bridges and the early published Operating Instructions. Focusing on the classification at the territorial level, first the logic flows to the classification on the base of the structural risk are shown, resulting in the definition of the “structural warning class”, providing the motivations that support the criteria for the definition of such procedures. Then, a statistical analysis of the results obtained from the classification of 661 existing Italian bridges is performed, focusing on the vulnerability classification and on the influence of each parameter on its evaluation.
Photoelectrochemical Performance of a CuBi2O4 Photocathode with H2O2 as a Scavenger
Authors: Masoumi Zohreh , Tayebi Mahdi , Lari S. Ahmad Masoumi , Seo Bongkuk , Lim Choong-Sun , Kim Hyeon-Gook , Kyung Daeseung , Tayebi Meysam
Published: March 2023

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is an eco-friendly method for producing clean and sustainable hydrogen fuels. Compared with the fabrication of solar hydrogen using n-type metal oxide semiconductor photoanodes, that of solar hydrogen using p-type metal oxide semiconductor photocathodes has not been researched as thoroughly. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of drop casting time on the PEC performance of a prepared CuBi2O4 photocathode. XPS, HRTEM, UV-DRS, Raman spectroscopy, XRD, and SEM analyses were used to characterize the prepared CuBi2O4 photocathode. Owing to the high charge separation and transfer, the photocurrent density of the CuBi2O4 photocathode was ~0.6 mA cm−2 at 0.3 V vs. RHE. The nanoporous CuBi2O4 photocathode exhibited a high photocurrent density of up to 1.2 mA cm−2 at 0.3 V vs. RHE with H2O2 as a sacrificial agent. Mott–Schottky and impedance measurements were also performed on the CuBi2O4 photocathode to estimate its acceptor density and charge-transfer resistance.
Metal Chelation Enables High-Performance Tea Polyphenol Electrodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Guo Yan , Guo Junpo , Li Bo , Zheng Yun , Lei Wen , Jiang Jiangmin , Xu Jincheng , Shen Jingjun , Li Jielei , Shao Huaiyu
Published: March 2023

The application of organic electrode materials can make the whole cycle of the lithium battery operation effective for green sustainability. However, poor electronic conductivity and strong solubility in nonprotonic electrolytes limit the application of organic anodes. Here, a novel organic anode material, TP-Ni, was fabricated through the simple chelation of tea polyphenols with nickel ions. Benefiting from coordination bonds that alter the intrinsic microstructure of TPs and contribute to pseudocapacitive charging, the TP-Ni anode exhibits remarkable electrochemical properties, including a high specific capacity (1163 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1), superb rate capability, and extraordinary cycling stability (5.0 A g−1 over 4000 cycles with a capacity retention of 87.8%). This work can provide guidance for the design and synthesis of new high-performance organic electrode materials in the future and help accelerate the process of organic electrode material applications.
Acoustic Comparisons of Red Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) Mortality in Naturally Infested Date Palms after Injection with Entomopathogenic Fungi or Nematodes, Aluminum Phosphide Fumigation, or Insecticidal Spray Treatments
Authors: Sutanto Koko D. , Husain Mureed , Rasool Khawaja G. , Mankin Richard W. , Omer Abdalsalam O. , Aldawood Abdulrahman S.
Published: March 2023

Red palm weevil (RPW) management is important to the economic success of date palm agriculture. Monitoring with acoustic sensors was conducted in naturally infested trees in date palm orchards for six months after treatments with entomopathogenic fungi (Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae), entomopathogenic nematodes (Steinernema carpocapsae), aluminum phosphide, emamectin benzoate, or fipronil to evaluate their efficacy in an integrated pest management treatment vs. a distilled water injection. Reductions in the mean rates of RPW sound impulse bursts over time after treatment were used as indicators of RPW mortality. Entomopathogenic fungi and nematodes, aluminum phosphide, and emamectin benzoate were the most effective treatments, reducing RPW impulse burst rates within 2–3-months to levels indicating absence of infestation. However, when applied as a spray, fipronil had only a minor effect. The results indicate that treatments utilizing entomopathogenic fungi or nematodes can beneficially manage RPW in palm orchards and can help to limit treatments that may induce insecticide resistance or cause human and environmental harm. Furthermore, the use of an acoustic sensor can be beneficial in monitoring the activities of insect borers inside the tree trunk.
Improved Quality Management of the Indian Meal Moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) for Enhanced Efficacy of the Sterile Insect Technique
Authors: Hasan Md. Mahbub , Hossain Md. Akhtar , Athanassiou Christos G.
Published: March 2023

The sterile insect technique (SIT) is considered an environmentally friendly, autocidal control tactic to manage insect pests. This work dealt with the improvement of quality management of the Indian meal moth Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) for enhanced efficacy of the SIT. The results indicated that egg hatching of irradiated mature eggs of P. interpunctella was higher than that of younger eggs, indicating that mature eggs were significantly more tolerant than younger eggs. Moreover, our data revealed that a dose of 500 Gy completely prevented pupal formation in irradiated young and mature larvae. Crosses between irradiated and non-irradiated adults resulted in considerable variations in fecundity. The mating competitiveness index (CI) value was higher for a ratio of 5:1:1 (sterile male, fertile male, and fertile female, respectively) as compared with the ratio 1:1:1 for the irradiated individuals of all life stages. Low temperature (5 °C) maintenance of irradiated pupae significantly affected adult emergence. Using cylinders to assess flight ability, we found that the flight performance of adults that were developed from cold treated irradiated pupae was influenced by cylinder diameter, cylinder height and the number of hours the insects were in the cylinders. The percentage of DNA damage of the reproductive organs of adults developed from cold treated pupae that were irradiated with 100 and 150 Gy varied significantly. The results of this study should be used to implement pilot-scale field tests aiming at a sterile- to-fertile male ratio of 5 to 1.
Echocardiography vs. CMR in the Quantification of Chronic Mitral Regurgitation: A Happy Marriage or Stormy Divorce?
Authors: Baessato Francesca , Fusini Laura , Muratori Manuela , Tamborini Gloria , Ghulam Ali Sarah , Mantegazza Valentina , Baggiano Andrea , Mushtaq Saima , Pepi Mauro , Patti Giuseppe , Pontone Gianluca
Published: March 2023

Quantification of chronic mitral regurgitation (MR) is essential to guide patients’ clinical management and define the need and appropriate timing for mitral valve surgery. Echocardiography represents the first-line imaging modality to assess MR and requires an integrative approach based on qualitative, semiquantitative, and quantitative parameters. Of note, quantitative parameters, such as the echocardiographic effective regurgitant orifice area, regurgitant volume (RegV), and regurgitant fraction (RegF), are considered the most reliable indicators of MR severity. In contrast, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) has demonstrated high accuracy and good reproducibility in quantifying MR, especially in cases with secondary MR; nonholosystolic, eccentric, and multiple jets; or noncircular regurgitant orifices, where quantification with echocardiography is an issue. No gold standard for MR quantification by noninvasive cardiac imaging has been defined so far. Only a moderate agreement has been shown between echocardiography, either with transthoracic or transesophageal approaches, and CMR in MR quantification, as supported by numerous comparative studies. A higher agreement is evidenced when echocardiographic 3D techniques are used. CMR is superior to echocardiography in the calculation of the RegV, RegF, and ventricular volumes and can provide myocardial tissue characterization. However, echocardiography remains fundamental in the pre-operative anatomical evaluation of the mitral valve and of the subvalvular apparatus. The aim of this review is to explore the accuracy of MR quantification provided by echocardiography and CMR in a head-to-head comparison between the two techniques, with insight into the technical aspects of each imaging modality.
Let’s Get Physical! A Comprehensive Review of Pre- and Post-Surgical Interventions Targeting Physical Activity to Improve Pain and Functional Outcomes in Spine Surgery Patients
Authors: Pester Bethany D. , Yoon Jihee , Yamin Jolin B. , Papianou Lauren , Edwards Robert R. , Meints Samantha M.
Published: March 2023

The goal of this comprehensive review was to synthesize the recent literature on the efficacy of perioperative interventions targeting physical activity to improve pain and functional outcomes in spine surgery patients. Overall, research in this area does not yet permit definitive conclusions. Some evidence suggests that post-surgical interventions may yield more robust long-term outcomes than preoperative interventions, including large effect sizes for disability reduction, although there are no studies directly comparing these surgical approaches. Integrated treatment approaches that include psychosocial intervention components may supplement exercise programs by addressing fear avoidance behaviors that interfere with engagement in activity, thereby maximizing the short- and long-term benefits of exercise. Efforts should be made to test brief, efficient programs that maximize accessibility for surgical patients. Future work in this area should include both subjective and objective indices of physical activity as well as investigating both acute postoperative outcomes and long-term outcomes.
Chronic Heart Failure in Children: State of the Art and New Perspectives
Authors: Castaldi Biagio , Cuppini Elena , Fumanelli Jennifer , Di Candia Angela , Sabatino Jolanda , Sirico Domenico , Vida Vladimiro , Padalino Massimo , Di Salvo Giovanni
Published: March 2023

Pediatric heart failure (HF) is an important clinical condition with high morbidity and mortality. Compared to adults, pediatric HF shows different etiologies characterized by different physiology, a different clinical course, and deeply different therapeutic approaches. In the last few years, new drugs have been developed and new therapeutic strategies have been proposed with the goal of identifying an individualized treatment regimen. The aim of this article is to review the new potential drugs and non-pharmacological therapies for pediatric heart failure in children.
Long-COVID-19 in Asymptomatic, Non-Hospitalized, and Hospitalized Populations: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Bostanci Aysegul , Gazi Umut , Tosun Ozgur , Suer Kaya , Unal Evren Emine , Evren Hakan , Sanlidag Tamer
Published: March 2023

A substantial proportion of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) survivors continue to suffer from long-COVID-19 (LC) symptoms. Our study aimed to determine the risk factors for LC by using a patient population from Northern Cyprus. Subjects who were diagnosed with severe acute respiratory syndrome-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in our university hospital were invited and asked to fill in an online questionnaire. Data from 296 survivors who had recovered from COVID-19 infection at least 28 days prior the study was used in the statistical analysis. For determination of risk factors for “ongoing symptomatic COVID-19 (OSC)” and “Post-COVID-19 (PSC)” syndromes, the patient population was further divided into group 1 (Gr1) and group 2 (Gr2), that included survivors who were diagnosed with COVID-19 within 4-12 weeks and at least three months prior the study, respectively. The number of people with post-vaccination SARS-CoV-2 infection was 266 (89.9%). B.1.617.2 (Delta) (41.9%) was the most common SARS-CoV-2 variant responsible for the infections, followed by BA.1 (Omicron) (34.8%), B.1.1.7 (Alpha) (15.5%), and wild-type SARS-CoV-2 (7.8%). One-hundred-and-nineteen volunteers (40.2%) stated an increased frequency of COVID-19-related symptoms and experienced the symptoms in the week prior to the study. Of those, 81 (38.8%) and 38 (43.7%) were from Gr1 and Gr2 groups, respectively. Female gender, chronic illness, and symptomatic status at PCR testing were identified as risk factors for developing OSC syndrome, while only the latter showed a similar association with PSC symptoms. Our results also suggested that ongoing and persistent COVID-19-related symptoms are not influenced by the initial viral cycle threshold (Ct) values of the SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-2 variant as well as vaccination status and type prior to COVID-19. Therefore, strategies other than vaccination are needed to combat the long-term effect of COVID-19, especially after symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, and their possible economic burden on healthcare settings.
Reproductive and Obstetric Outcomes after Fertility-Sparing Treatments for Cervical Cancer: Current Approach and Future Directions
Authors: Terzic Milan , Makhadiyeva Dinara , Bila Jovan , Andjic Mladen , Dotlic Jelena , Aimagambetova Gulzhanat , Sarria-Santamera Antonio , Laganà Antonio Simone , Chiantera Vito , Vukovic Ivana , Kocijancic Belovic Dusica , Aksam Slavica , Bapayeva Gauri , Terzic Sanja
Published: March 2023

Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in women of reproductive age. The established fertility-sparing approaches for the management of early-stage cervical cancer for women who plan pregnancy are associated with a decline in fecundity and an increased risk of pregnancy complications. This article aims to offer an overview of fertility-sparing approaches and the management of potential subfertility and pregnancy complications after these treatments. An extensive search for the available data about infertility and cervical cancer, fertility-sparing techniques in patients with cervical cancer, fertility treatment, obstetrical complications, and pregnancy outcomes in cervical cancer patients was completed. Fertility-preserving procedures such as loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP), cold-knife conization, and trachelectomy in women diagnosed with cervical cancer can be considered as safe and effective treatments that preserve reproductive potential. Current fertility-preserving procedures, based on the balance of the oncological characteristics of patients as well as their desire for reproduction, allow one to obtain acceptable reproductive and obstetric outcomes in women treated for cervical cancer. Nevertheless, careful monitoring of pregnancies obtained after fertility-preserving procedures is recommended, since this cohort of patients should be considered at higher risk compared with a healthy population.
Relationship of Glycated Hemoglobin A1c with All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality among Patients with Hypertension
Authors: Zeng Ruixiang , Zhang Yuzhuo , Xu Junpeng , Kong Yongjie , Tan Jiawei , Guo Liheng , Zhang Minzhou
Published: March 2023

Both low and high glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels are well-established causal risk factors for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in the general population and diabetic patients. However, the relationship between HbA1c with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among patients with hypertension is unclear. We used NHANES data from 1999 to 2014 as the basis for this population-based cohort study. Based on HbA1c levels (HbA1c > 5, HbA1c > 5.5, HbA1c > 6, HbA1c > 6.5, HbA1c > 7%), hypertensive patients were divided into five groups. An analysis of multivariable Cox proportional hazards was conducted based on hazard ratios (HRs) and respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The relationship between HbA1c and mortality was further explored using Kaplan–Meier survival curves, restricted cubic spline curves, and subgroup analyses. In addition, 13,508 patients with hypertension (average age 58.55 ± 15.56 years) were included in the present analysis, with 3760 (27.84%) all-cause deaths during a follow-up of 127.69 ± 57.9 months. A U-shaped relationship was found between HbA1c and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality (all p for likelihood ratio tests were 0.0001). The threshold value of HbA1c related to the lowest risk for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality was 5.3% and 5.7%, respectively. Below the threshold value, increased HbA1c levels reduced the risk of all-cause mortality (HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.51–0.90, p = 0.0078) and cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.77, 95% CI 0.57–1.05, p = 0.0969). Inversely, above the threshold value, increased HbA1c levels accelerated the risk of all-cause mortality (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.11–1.18, p < 0.0001) and cardiovascular mortality (HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.16–1.29, p < 0.0001). In conclusion, A U-shape relationship was observed between HbA1c and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among hypertensive patients.
Caregiving for Dementia Patients during the Coronavirus Pandemic
Authors: Damian Ana Claudia , Ciobanu Adela Magdalena , Anghele Cristina , Papacocea Ioana Raluca , Manea Mihnea Costin , Iliuță Floris Petru , Ciobanu Constantin Alexandru , Papacocea Șerban
Published: March 2023

The coronavirus pandemic has had a global impact on both mental and physical health. Caregiving has become more difficult during this time due to the quick spread of this respiratory disease, dread of the unknown, congested hospitals, and many restrictions, particularly for people with multiple comorbidities. We aimed to assess the impact of this pandemic on a group of caregivers of patients with dementia and their needs during this time. The study’s findings indicate that females assumed the role of the caregiver more often than men (88.5% of the participants) and scored lower on the life quality scale. The most often issue encountered during the pandemic was difficulty in accessing health care facilities (36%). Participants with a higher education level scored better in the physical (24.67, p = 0.01 and 24.48, p = 0.01) and mental health (20.67, p = 0.002; 19,82, p = 0.008) domains of the life quality test. The fear of COVID questionnaire showed a low level of concern in the category of participants with a high education level. Overall, this pandemic emphasizes the importance of social interaction and the possibilities to improve health care services through telemedicine. Caregivers could benefit from socialization and support programs as well as the early detection of affective disorders.
Endovascular Treatment for Acute Basilar Artery Occlusion: A Fragility Index Meta-Analysis
Authors: Palaiodimou Lina , Eleftheriou Andreas , Katsanos Aristeidis H. , Safouris Apostolos , Magoufis Georgios , Spiliopoulos Stavros , Velonakis Georgios , Vassilopoulou Sofia , de Sousa Diana Aguiar , Turc Guillaume , Strbian Daniel , Tsivgoulis Georgios
Published: March 2023

Introduction: High-quality evidence regarding the use of endovascular treatment (EVT) in patients with acute basilar artery occlusion (BAO) has been provided by recently completed randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs). Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis including all available RCTs that investigated efficacy and safety of EVT in addition to best medical treatment (BMT) versus BMT alone for BAO. The random-effects model was used, while the fragility index (FI) was calculated for dichotomous outcomes of interest. Results: Four RCTs were included comprising a total of 988 patients with acute BAO (mean age: 65.6 years, 70% men, median NIHSS: 24, 39% pretreatment with intravenous thrombolysis). EVT was related to higher likelihood of good functional outcome (RR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.16–2.05; I2 = 60%), functional independence (RR: 1.83; 95% CI: 1.08–3.08; I2 = 79%) and reduced disability at 3 months (adjusted common OR: 1.96; 95% CI: 1.26–3.05; I2 = 59%) compared to BMT alone. Despite that EVT was associated with a higher risk for symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (RR: 7.78; 95% CI: 2.36–25.61; I2 = 0%) and any intracranial hemorrhage (RR: 2.85; 95% CI: 1.50–5.44; I2 = 16%), mortality at 3 months was lower among patients that received EVT plus BMT versus BMT alone (RR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.65–0.89; I2 = 0%). However, sufficient robustness was not evident in any of the reported associations (FI < 10) including the overall effect regarding the primary outcome. The former associations were predominantly driven by RCTs with recruitment limited in China. Conclusions: EVT combined with BMT is associated with a higher likelihood of achieving good functional outcomes and a lower risk of death at 3 months compared to BMT alone, despite the higher risk of sICH. An individual-patient data meta-analysis is warranted to uncover and adjust for potential sources of heterogeneity and to provide further insight.
Can We Completely Trust in Automated Software for Preoperative Planning of Shoulder Arthroplasty? Software Update May Modify Glenoid Version, Glenoid Inclination and Humeral Head Subluxation Values
Authors: Garofalo Raffaele , Fontanarosa Alberto , Castagna Alessandro , Lassandro Nunzio , Del Buono Angelo , De Crescenzo Angelo
Published: March 2023

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of software updating on measurements of the glenoid inclination and version, along with humeral head subluxation performed by an automated 3D planning program. The hypothesis was that the software update could significantly modify the values of the glenoid inclination and version, as well as of the humeral head subluxation. Methods: A comprehensive pool of 76 shoulder computed tomography (CT) scans of patients who underwent total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) or reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) were analyzed with the automated program Blueprint in 2018 and again in 2020 after a software update. Results: A statistically significant difference of 8.1 ± 8.2 and 5.4 ± 7.8 (mean difference of −2.8 ± 5.0, p < 0.001) was indeed reached when comparing the mean glenoid inclination achieved with Blueprint 2018 and Blueprint 2020, respectively. The glenoid version, as well as the humeral head subluxation evaluations, were not significantly different between the two software versions, with mean values being −9.4 ± 8.9 and −9.0 ± 7.4 and 60.1 ± 12.6 and 61.8 ± 12.0, respectively (p = 0.708 and p = 0.115, respectively). In 22% of CT scans, the software update determined a variation of the glenoid inclination of more than 5° or 10°. Conclusion: The present study shows the software update of an automated preoperative planning program may significantly modify the values of glenoid inclination. Even though without a significant difference, variations were also found for the glenoid version and humeral head subluxation. Accordingly, these results should further advise surgeons to carefully and critically evaluate data acquired with automated software.
Nutrients Associated with Sleep Bruxism
Authors: Toyama Naoki , Ekuni Daisuke , Fukuhara Daiki , Sawada Nanami , Yamashita Miho , Komiyama Momoe , Nagahama Takahiko , Morita Manabu
Published: March 2023

Background: The purpose of the present research was to identify nutrients related to sleep bruxism and to establish a hypothesis regarding the relationship between sleep bruxism and nutrients. Methods: We recruited 143 Japanese university students in 2021 and assigned them to sleep bruxism (n = 58) and non-sleep bruxism groups (n = 85), using an identical single-channel wearable electromyography device. To investigate nutrient intakes, participants answered a food frequency questionnaire based on food groups. We assessed differences in nutrient intakes between the sleep bruxism and non-sleep bruxism groups. Results: Logistic regression modeling showed that sleep bruxism tended to be associated with dietary fiber (odds ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.83–1.00; p = 0.059). In addition, a subgroup analysis selecting students in the top and bottom quartiles of dietary fiber intake showed that students with sleep bruxism had a significantly lower dietary fiber intake (10.4 ± 4.6 g) than those without sleep bruxism (13.4 ± 6.1 g; p = 0.022). Conclusion: The present research showed that dietary fiber intake may be related to sleep bruxism. Therefore, we hypothesized that dietary fiber would improve sleep bruxism in young adults.
Factors Associated with Esthetic Outcomes of Flapless Immediate Placed and Loaded Implants in the Maxillary Incisor Region—Three-Year Results of a Prospective Case Series
Authors: Groenendijk Edith , Staas Tristan Ariaan , Bronkhorst Ewald Maria , Raghoebar Gerry Max , Meijer Gert Jacobus
Published: March 2023

Flapless immediate implant placement and provisionalization (FIIPP) is often associated with an increased risk of buccal soft-tissue recession. This study aims to assess the 3-year esthetic outcome. In 100 consecutive patients, one maxillary incisor, with or without a pre-extraction buccal bone defect (≤5 mm), was replaced by an implant installed in a maximal palatal position (buccal gap ≥2 mm). The created gaps were filled with bovine bone substitute. Patient satisfaction (PS), pink esthetic scores (PES/modPES), and white esthetic score (WES) were calculated at different time points. A multilevel regression analysis (MRA) was performed to analyze which factors may be associated with the esthetics. After three years, PS scored 8.9 ± 0.84 on a scale of 10 (n = 83), and the soft-tissue esthetics were high (PES = 12.2; modPES = 8.5), as was the WES (8.2), showing no decrease from one year. Buccal bone defect size and smoking could not be associated with the soft-tissue outcome; however, implant location, gap size, and emergence profiles could. Performing FIIPP, the final crown (WES) scored highest when it was cemented, the soft tissue (PES/modPES) in central-incisor positions, and all (WES/PES/modPES) with concave emergence profiles.
Haematological Trends and Transfusion during Adult Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Single Centre Study
Authors: Worku Elliott T. , Win April M. , Parmar Dinesh , Anstey Chris , Shekar Kiran
Published: March 2023

The temporal trends in haematological parameters and their associations with blood product transfusion requirements in patients supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are poorly understood. We performed a retrospective data analysis to better understand the behaviour of haematological and coagulation parameters and their associations with transfusion requirements during ECMO. Methods: Patient demographics, haematological and coagulation parameters, plasma haemoglobin and fibrinogen concentrations, platelet count, the international normalised ratio (INR), the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and blood product transfusion data from 138 patients who received ECMO in a single high-volume centre were analysed. Results: Ninety-two patients received venoarterial (VA) ECMO and 46 patients received venovenous (VV) ECMO. The median (IQR) duration of VA, and VV ECMO was 8 (5–13) days and 13 (8–23) days, respectively. There were significant reductions in haemoglobin, the platelet count, and the fibrinogen concentration upon initiation of ECMO. On average, over time, patients on VV ECMO had platelet counts 44 × 109/L higher than those on VA ECMO (p ≤ 0.001). Fibrinogen and APTT did not vary significantly based on the mode of ECMO (p = 0.55 and p = 0.072, respectively). A platelet count < 50 × 109/L or a fibrinogen level < 1.8 g/L was associated with 50% chance of PRBC transfusion, regardless of the ECMO type, and packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusion was more common with VA ECMO. APTT was predictive of the transfusion requirement, and the decrement in APTT was discriminatory between VVECMO survivors and nonsurvivors. Conclusion: ECMO support is associated with reductions in haemoglobin, platelet count, and fibrinogen. Patients supported with VA ECMO are more likely to receive a PRBC transfusion compared to those on VV ECMO. Thrombocytopaenia, hypofibrinogenaemia, and anticoagulation effect the likelihood of requiring PRBC transfusion. Further research is needed to define optimal blood management during ECMO, including appropriate transfusion triggers and the anticoagulation intensity.
Machine Learning for Onset Prediction of Patients with Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Authors: Rusche Thilo , Wasserthal Jakob , Breit Hanns-Christian , Fischer Urs , Guzman Raphael , Fiehler Jens , Psychogios Marios-Nikos , Sporns Peter B.
Published: March 2023

Objective: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) has a high mortality and long-term morbidity and thus has a significant overall health–economic impact. Outcomes are especially poor if the exact onset is unknown, but reliable imaging-based methods for onset estimation have not been established. We hypothesized that onset prediction of patients with ICH using artificial intelligence (AI) may be more accurate than human readers. Material and Methods: A total of 7421 computed tomography (CT) datasets between January 2007–July 2021 from the University Hospital Basel with confirmed ICH were extracted and an ICH-segmentation algorithm as well as two classifiers (one with radiomics, one with convolutional neural networks) for onset estimation were trained. The classifiers were trained based on the gold standard of 644 datasets with a known onset of >1 and <48 h. The results of the classifiers were compared to the ratings of two radiologists. Results: Both the AI-based classifiers and the radiologists had poor discrimination of the known onsets, with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 9.77 h (95% CI (confidence interval) = 8.52–11.03) for the convolutional neural network (CNN), 9.96 h (8.68–11.32) for the radiomics model, 13.38 h (11.21–15.74) for rater 1 and 11.21 h (9.61–12.90) for rater 2, respectively. The results of the CNN and radiomics model were both not significantly different to the mean of the known onsets (p = 0.705 and p = 0.423). Conclusions: In our study, the discriminatory power of AI-based classifiers and human readers for onset estimation of patients with ICH was poor. This indicates that accurate AI-based onset estimation of patients with ICH based only on CT-data may be unlikely to change clinical decision making in the near future. Perhaps multimodal AI-based approaches could improve ICH onset prediction and should be considered in future studies.
Effect of Tip Rake Distribution on the Hydrodynamic Performance of Non-Planar Kappel Propeller
Authors: Chen Chen-Wei , Chen Xu-Peng , Zhou Zhao-Ye , Chen Li-Wan , Zhang Chi , Zheng Tian-Jiang , Li Hua-Min
Published: March 2023

Taking advantage of end-plate effects to enhance propeller efficiency is engaging. This paper applied a 4-order B-spline curve to design the rake distribution of Kappel propellers using five types of Kappel propellers that each possesses different tip rakes, and one type has no constructed end-plate. The RANS method coupled with the γ transition model was utilized to analyze the open-water performance of the six propellers, considering cavitating flow. It was found that the tip rake is conducive to the thrust capacity of the Kappel propellers, mostly improving the propulsion efficiency by 2.5% at a designed advance speed with the appropriate tip rake. The increase in the tip rake will magnify the low-pressure value and area on the suction side blade surface, together with the phenomenon of the stretching tip vortex and the inhibition of wake vortex contraction, which are both beneficial to the elevation of propulsion efficiency. However, the sheet cavitation behavior of the six propellers aggravates as the tip rake rises. Accordingly, the reasonable range of a tip rake for the design of a Kappel propeller in favor of the propulsion performance is suggested in this paper, exhibiting the promising potential of energy savings for the application to marine vehicles.
Posidonia oceanica Balls (Egagropili) from Kefalonia Island Evaluated as Alternative Biomass Source for Green Energy
Authors: Petrounias Petros , Giannakopoulou Panagiota P. , Rogkala Aikaterini , Antoniou Nikolaos , Koutsovitis Petros , Zygouri Evangelia , Krassakis Pavlos , Islam Ihtisham , Koukouzas Nikolaos
Published: March 2023

Research attempts on biomass use constitute a response to the growing demand for sustainable and low-cost energy from renewable sources. Hence, the sustainable use of Posidonia oceanica (PO) waste as a material for biomass to produce green energy is being considered in many countries in the Mediterranean region. PO meadows are considered as the main type of sea flora in the Greek coasts. PO can extract biomass from nearby ecosystems of the coastal zone, either directly through the transportation of disposed non-living leaves or indirectly via benthic organisms. The aim of this study is to investigate the use of PO waste derived from Kefalonia Island (Greece) as a biomass source. PO samples were collected around the island, and they were mineralogically and microstructurally analyzed. In addition, physicochemical, chemical, and thermogenic tests were performed in order to obtain the optimum and most completed characterization of the material. Based on the results, cellulose seems to be the main structural component of PO, which also seems to determine their behavior. PO presents microscopic similarities to other lignocellulosic materials which composition is made of carbonates, lignin, extractives, and minerals. Ash and moisture content constitute the two critical parameters that are responsible for the energy differences of each biomass. The outcome of this study shows the potential use of PO wastes as an interesting source for energy production.
A Serial Fault-Tolerant Topology Based on Sustainable Reconfiguration for Grid-Connected Inverter
Authors: Zhang Zhonglin , Wang Tianzhen , Chen Guodong , Amirat Yassine
Published: March 2023

Grid-connected inverters are widely used to integrate energy into the grid in renewable energy applications. However, the inverter usually has a high probability of failure due to a large number of semiconductor devices. In addition, especially in the field of marine renewable energy, the humid environment in offshore and coastal areas may make the inverter more prone to failure, which reduces system reliability. Therefore, a serial fault-tolerant topology based on a sustainable reconfiguration is proposed. The proposed topology can be reconfigured continuously by making full use of healthy devices, which can ensure the output voltage capability and improve the possibility of uninterrupted performance as much as possible. In addition, the cooperative modulation signal is selected for the recombined topology to output the desired voltage, which ensures the quality of the power generated by marine renewable energy. Principles of topology reconfiguration and modulation signal selection is described in detail. Simulation and experimental results verify the validation of the proposed method on the seven-level grid-connected inverter.
Multifractal Analysis of the Structure of Organic and Inorganic Shale Pores Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Measurement
Authors: Yang Rui , Liu Weiqun , Meng Lingren
Published: March 2023

The multifractal structure of shale pores significantly affects the occurrence of fluids and the permeability of shale reservoirs. However, there are few studies on the multifractal characteristics of shale pores that distinguish between organic and inorganic pores. In this study, we obtained the pore size distribution (PSD) of organic and inorganic shale pores separately by using a new NMR-based method and conducted a multifractal analysis of the structure of organic and inorganic shale pores based on PSD. We then investigated the geological significance of the multifractal characteristics of organic and inorganic shale pores using two multifractal characteristic parameters. The results showed that the structures of both organic and inorganic pores have multifractal characteristics. Inorganic pores have stronger heterogeneity and poorer connectivity compared to organic pores. The multifractal characteristics of inorganic pores significantly affect shale permeability and irreducible water saturation. Greater heterogeneity in the inorganic pore structure results in lower shale permeability and higher irreducible water saturation. Meanwhile, better connectivity leads to higher shale permeability and lower irreducible water saturation. The multifractal characteristics of organic pores significantly affect the shale adsorption capacity and have a weak impact on irreducible water saturation. Greater heterogeneity in the organic pore structure results in the shale having stronger adsorption capacity and higher irreducible water saturation The results also indicate that the multifractal characteristic parameters of inorganic pores can be regarded as an index for estimating the irreducible water saturation and flowback rate of fracturing fluid, and the multifractal characteristic parameters of organic pores can be regarded as an index for evaluating the quality of shale reservoirs.
Local Scour Depth Prediction of Offshore Wind Power Monopile Foundation Based on GMDH Method
Authors: Li Zhiyue , Dai Guoliang , Du Shuo , Ouyang Haoran , Hu Tao , Liu Hongbo , Li Zhongwei
Published: March 2023

In recent years, Chinese offshore wind farms have experienced varying degrees of foundation scour since their completion. The maximum scour depth of pile foundations has far exceeded the design scour depth, which seriously threatens the safety of wind turbines. Among the current scour depth prediction formulas, the values calculated by the Chinese specification 65-1, 65-2 formula are small and the prediction results are on the dangerous side. The calculated value of the American Hec-18 formula is safe but conservative. The prediction formula of other specifications has a large deviation from the actual situation. Based on the available test data, the main factors influencing the local scour depth of pile foundations, the gauge analysis method, and the group method of data handling (GMDH), this paper proposes a prediction formula for the local scour depth of monopile foundation under the action of wave–current. In addition, monopile scour flume experiments were conducted. Combining the experimental data of the flume test and the scour monitoring data of the Rudong wind farm in Jiangsu, the calculated values of the depth prediction equation in this paper and the Chinese code equation, DNV code equation, HEC-18 equation, Rudolph equation, and Raaijmakers equation were compared and analyzed. The results show that the relative error, mean relative error, variance, and normalized variance between the predicted and measured values of this paper’s formula are smaller than those of other prediction formulas. The formula in this paper has a high calculation accuracy and practical application value.
Bending Deformation and Ultimate Moment Calculation of Screen Pipes in Offshore Sand Control Completion
Authors: Peng Yudan , Fu Guangming , Sun Baojiang , Sun Xiaohui , Chen Jiying , Estefen Segen F.
Published: March 2023

Horizontal wells, extended-reach wells, and multi-branch wells were often used to exploit subsea oil and gas efficiently. However, during the sand control screen completion of those wells, the sand control screen pipe was easily deformed. Failure occurred when passing through the bending section due to the large bending section in the wellbore trajectory. A parametric analysis model of the screen pipe was established based on ABAQUS and Python software under pure bending load first. Then, deformation patterns and mechanisms were identified and discussed. The effects of parameters on the screen pipe bending deformation patterns and the ultimate moment were analyzed. Finally, an empirical formula for calculating the ultimate moment of the screen pipe was established. The results showed that the deformation of the screen pipe was complex, and three deformation patterns were related to the hole parameters. Due to an increase in the diameter and number of circumferential and axial holes, the ultimate moment of the screen pipe gradually decreased, and the circumferential holes had a more significant effect on the ultimate moment than the axial holes. The established empirical formula could accurately calculate the ultimate moment of the screen pipe, and the average difference between the formula and numerical simulation results was 3.25%.
Fuzzy Evaluation of Inland Ship Lock Service Condition Based on Combination Weighting and Matter-Element Extension Cloud Model
Authors: Zhang Nini , Xu Sudong , Mao Liuyan , Guo Meiting , Tang Shuang , Yin Kai
Published: March 2023

Ship lock as a typical hydraulic structure has become an important node in waterway transportation. Due to the long operating life and high demand of throughput, many locks are under the overloaded operation situation. However, the service condition assessment of ship locks has rarely been directly studied, and there is a lack of an efficient and standardized method owing to the complex structure of the ship lock system. In this paper, a multi-level hierarchical system including 36 indexes was constructed based on the engineering breakdown structure theory. The synthetic weights of indexes were determined by the order relation method and entropy weight method combining subjectivity and objectivity. The extension cloud model combining the extension theory and cloud model was put forward, aiming to deal with the uncertainty of fuzziness and randomness in the evaluation process. Then, two typical locks were investigated, and the numerical scores indicated that their states belong to Level III and Level IV, respectively. The proposed method reveals the structural condition and provides theoretical reference for the maintenance of ship locks, which can be applied with generalizability and operability.
Hybrid Path Planning Using a Bionic-Inspired Optimization Algorithm for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles
Authors: Sahoo Sarada Prasanna , Das Bikramaditya , Pati Bibhuti Bhusan , Garcia Marquez Fausto Pedro , Segovia Ramirez Isaac
Published: March 2023

This research presents a hybrid approach for path planning of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). During path planning, static obstacles affect the desired path and path distance which result in collision penalties. In this study, the merits of grey wolf optimization (GWO) and genetic algorithm (GA) of bionic-inspired algorithms are integrated to implement a hybrid grey wolf optimization (HGWO) algorithm which allows AUVs to reach their destination safely in an obstacle rich environment. The proposed hybrid path planner is employed for path planning of a single AUV based on collision avoidance. It uses the GA as an initialization generator to overcome the random initialization problem of GWO. In this research, the total cost is considered to be a function of path distance and collision penalties. Further, the application of the proposed hybrid path planner is extended for cooperative path planning of AUVs while avoiding collision using communication consensus. Simulation results are obtained for both a single AUV and multiple AUV path planning in a 3D obstacle rich environment using a proportional-derivative controller. The Kruskal–Wallis test is employed for a non-parametric statistical analysis, where the independence of the results given by the algorithms is demonstrated.
Ship Anomalous Behavior Detection Using Clustering and Deep Recurrent Neural Network
Authors: Zhang Bohan , Hirayama Katsutoshi , Ren Hongxiang , Wang Delong , Li Haijiang
Published: March 2023

In this study, we propose a real-time ship anomaly detection method driven by Automatic Identification System (AIS) data. The method uses ship trajectory clustering classes as a normal model and a deep learning algorithm as an anomaly detection tool. The method is divided into three main steps: (1) quality maintenance of the original AIS data, (2) extraction of normal ship trajectory clusters using Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN), in which a segmented improved Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) algorithm is used to measure the degree of trajectory similarity, (3) the clustering results are used as a normative model to train a Bi-directional Gated Recurrent Unit (BiGRU) recurrent neural network, which is used as a trajectory predictor to achieve real-time ship anomaly detection. Experiments were conducted using real AIS data from the port of Tianjin, China. The experimental results are manifold. Firstly, the data pre-processing process effectively improves the quality of raw AIS data. Secondly, the ship trajectory clustering model can accurately classify the traffic flow of different modes in the sea area. Moreover, the trajectory prediction result of the BiGRU model has the smallest error with the actual ship trajectory and has a better trajectory prediction performance compared with the Long Short-Term Memory Network model (LSTM) and Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU). In the final anomaly detection experiment, the detection accuracy and timeliness of the BiGRU model are also higher than LSTM and GRU. Therefore, the proposed method can achieve effective and timely detection of ship anomalous behaviors in terms of position, heading and speed during ship navigation, which provides insight to enhance the intelligence of marine traffic supervision and improve the safety of marine navigation.
An On-Demand Scheduling-Based MAC Protocol for UW-WiFi Networks
Authors: Pan Xiaohe , Zhu Jifeng , Liu Mengzhuo , Wang Xiaoyu , Peng Zheng , Liu Jun , Cui Junhong
Published: March 2023

Underwater Internet-of-Things (UIoT) is an extension of Internet-of-Things technology in underwater. The underwater acoustic network with WiFi architecture (UW-WiFi), as a specific deployment of UIoT, has been proved to be a promising technique for wide-ranging marine applications. However, due to the unique features of underwater acoustic channel, such as long and variable propagation delay, low available bandwidth and high bit error rate, conventional medium access control (MAC) protocols designed for terrestrial WiFi networks need an overhaul to work efficiently for UW-WiFi networks. In consideration of the aforementioned channel features, different demands of nodes to occupy channel resources and the reliability of data transmission, a time sequence-based dynamic on-demand assignment (SDDA) MAC protocol for UW-WiFi networks is proposed in this paper. In SDDA, the collision-free scheduling is integrated with the reservation mechanism, aiming to address the issue of various access requirements of diverse task nodes on channel resources in the UW-WiFi network system. The designed protocol employs propagation delays and the amount of data to be sent by terminal nodes to achieve non-conflict transmissions of control packets and on-demand scheduling of data packets. Additionally, the scheme does not require extra overhead for time synchronization. Comparison simulations demonstrate that SDDA provides considerable benefits in terms of channel utilization, end-to-end delay and packet delivery ratio. At last, the SDDA protocol is implemented and a UW-WiFi network system is set up in the marine environment. The ocean field experiment results agree well with the simulated ones and also verify that the proposed protocol achieve conflict-free on-demand scheduling, fairness among terminal nodes at different ranges and the practicability in actual environments.