bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Scoping Review of Non-Pharmacological, Non-Surgical Secondary Prevention Strategies in Ischaemic Stroke and TIA in National Stroke Guidelines and Clinical Audit Documents
Authors: Hall Patricia , von Koch Lena , Wang Xu , Lennon Olive
Published: March 2022

The Stroke Action Plan for Europe (2018–2030) calls for national-level secondary prevention plans that address lifestyle, in addition to prevention medications and surgical interventions. This scoping review examines national stroke care guideline and audit documents across WHO regions to identify non-pharmacological, non-surgical stroke secondary prevention recommendations and associated performance indicators. Using a snowballing methodology, 27 guideline documents met the inclusion criteria. Sixteen (59%) detailed, non-pharmacological, non-surgical stroke secondary prevention-addressing known, modifiable population attributable risk factors, of physical inactivity (N = 11), smoking (N = 11), unsafe alcohol consumption (N = 10), diet (N = 8), weight (N = 5), stress (N = 4) and depression (N = 2). Strategies recommended to address these risk factors were: assessment of stroke risk/risk factors (N = 4); provision of advice and information on reducing lifestyle related risk (N = 16); education and counselling for lifestyle behaviour change (N = 8) and onward referral for specialist management of risk (N = 4). Of the nine stroke audits/registries identified, only three (33%) included non-pharmacological, non-surgical quality indicators of documented provision of advice or information on the following: general lifestyle (N = 2); smoking cessation for current smokers (N = 2); reduction in alcohol consumption, where relevant (N = 1), exercise participation (N = 1) and diet (N = 1). Preventive quality indicators addressing the management of weight, stress or depression were absent. This review highlights current gaps in optimal stroke secondary prevention recommendations and their implementation.
Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation on Infectious Diseases
Authors: Sifuentes-Franco Sonia , Sánchez-Macías Dellaneira Carolina , Carrillo-Ibarra Sandra , Rivera-Valdés Juan José , Zuñiga Laura Y. , Sánchez-López Virginia Aleyda
Published: March 2022

With the appearance of new viruses and infectious diseases (ID) such as COVID-19 in 2019, as well as the lack of specific pharmacological tools for the management of patients with severe complications or comorbidities, it is important to search for adjuvant treatments that help improve the prognosis of infectious disease patients. It is also important that these treatments limit the oxidative and hyperinflammatory damage caused as a response to pathogenic agents, since, in some cases, an inflammatory syndrome may develop that worsens the patient’s prognosis. The potential benefits of complementary nutrients and dietary interventions in the treatment of pathological processes in which oxidative stress and inflammation play a fundamental role have been widely evaluated. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a supplement that has been shown to protect cells and be effective in cardiovascular diseases and obesity. Additionally, some studies have proposed it as a possible adjuvant treatment in viral infections. Preclinical and clinical studies have shown that CoQ10 has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, and effects on mitochondrial dysfunction, which have been linked to the inflammatory response.
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Declaration on New Oncology Trial Commencements: An Interrupted Time Series with Segmented Regression Analysis
Authors: Bin Hyeon Uk , Jeong Sohyun , Lee Heeyoung
Published: March 2022

This study aimed to assess the trend in oncology trial commencements registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and to evaluate the contributing factors by comparing the trends in the pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic era. The ClinicalTrials.gov database was searched to identify oncology study trials starting from 1 January 2018 to 28 February 2021. Data on the variables of start/complete date, phase, status, funding source, center, country and study type were extracted. According to the time point of the COVID-19 pandemic declaration by the World Health Organization (WHO), March 2020, we analyzed the extracted data, including interrupted time series (ITS) analysis and multivariable regression analysis. We identified 18,561 new oncology trials during the study period. A total of 5678 oncology trials in the prepandemic period and 6134 in the postpandemic period were included in the comparative analysis. The year 2020 had the most newly launched trials (32.3%), and the majority of trials were planned to be conducted for longer than two years (70.3%). The results of ITS show the trend in the commencement of oncology trials was significantly increased after the pandemic declaration (coefficient = 27.99; 95% CI = 19.27 to 36.71). Drug intervention trials were the largest contributor to the increased trial number compared to different interventions, such as trials of devices or procedures (OR = 1.14; 95% CI = 1.03 to 1.26, OR = 1.09; 95% CI = 0.91 to 1.29, and OR = 1.12; 95% CI = 0.96 to 1.31, respectively), whereas the United Kingdom was the highest contributor to the number of decreased trials (OR = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.51 to 0.89 p = 0.01) in the postpandemic era. The interruption in oncology trial initiation was diminished shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic declaration, which was influenced by several factors, such as interventions or national responses. Based on the current outcomes, appropriate strategies for developing oncology trials can be planned to mitigate the impact of future crises on oncology trials.
The Nine-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (IGDS9-SF): Its Psychometric Properties among Sri Lankan Students and Measurement Invariance across Sri Lanka, Turkey, Australia, and the USA
Authors: Ali Amira Mohammed , Al-Amer Rasmieh , Atout Maha , Ali Tazeen Saeed , Mansour Ayman M. Hamdan , Khatatbeh Haitham , Alkhamees Abdulmajeed A. , Hendawy Amin Omar
Published: March 2022

The prevalence of internet gaming disorders (IGD) is considerably high among youth, especially with the social isolation imposed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. IGD adversely affects mental health, quality of life, and academic performance. The Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (IGDS9-SF) is designed to detect IGD according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. However, inconsistent results are reported on its capacity to diagnose IGD evenly across different cultures. To ensure the suitability of the IGDS9-SF as a global measure of IGD, this study examined the psychometric properties of the IGDS9-SF in a sample of Sri Lankan university students (N = 322, mean age = 17.2 ± 0.6, range = 16–18 years, 56.5% males) and evaluated its measurement invariance across samples from Sri Lanka, Turkey, Australia, and the USA. Among Sri Lankan students, a unidimensional structure expressed good fit, invariance across different groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, and income), adequate criterion validity (strong correlation with motives of internet gaming, daily gaming duration, and sleep quality), and good reliability (alpha = 0.81). Males and online multiplayers expressed higher IGD levels, greater time spent gaming, and more endorsement of gaming motives (e.g., Social and Coping) than females and offline players. Across countries, the IGDS9-SF was invariant at the configural, metric, and scalar levels, although strict invariance was not maintained. The lowest and highest IGD levels were reported among Turkish and American respondents, respectively. In conclusion, the IGDS9-SF can be reliably used to measure IGD among Sri Lankan youth. Because the scale holds scalar invariance across countries, its scores can be used to compare IGD levels in the studied countries.
Comparing Methods for the Analysis of δ13C in Falanghina Grape Must from Different Pedoclimatic Conditions
Authors: Damiano Nicola , Altieri Simona , Battipaglia Giovanna , De Micco Veronica
Published: March 2022

Agroforestry applications in viticulture are considered a promising strategy to improve vine water status by mitigating the threats of increasing drought due to climate change. The analysis of δ¹³C is often used in viticulture to understand vine water use. In this study, the analysis of δ¹³C was performed on the must of Falanghina grapevines growing in different pedoclimatic conditions. The aim was to compare the results obtained by the application of two different methodologies, using the whole must or extracted sugars as the matrix. The results showed that the δ¹³C values obtained by applying the two methodologies were comparable in all analyzed vineyards independently from the pedoclimatic conditions. Indeed, the proposed method of extraction of the δ¹³C on the must as a whole can be both cost- and time-saving for the analysis. This is valuable, considering that the δ¹³C of must is becoming more and more used as indicator of vines’ water use. Therefore, the possibility to utilize a simplified method of extraction would enhance the application of the δ¹³C at a larger scale to evaluate vine adaptation in the context of climate-change-driven increases in drought.
Calcium Ascorbate Coating Improves Postharvest Quality and Storability of Fresh-Cut Slices of Coscia and Abate Fétel Pears (Pyrus communis L.)
Authors: Allegra Alessio , Inglese Paolo , Guccione Eugenia , Farina Vittorio , Sortino Giuseppe
Published: March 2022

Flesh firmness is closely related to fruit ripeness and is typically a reliable indicator of shelf-life potential so it could be considered a crucial quality index for the determination of pear quality. Flesh softening after cutting could considerably affect consumer acceptance of fresh-cut pears (Pyrus communis L.). Indeed, mechanical stress (cutting, peeling, etc.) could lead to ethylene production that results in the hydrolysis of pectic substances in the cell walls. The effectiveness of an edible coating treatment on the physical-chemical, nutraceutical, and sensorial analysis was evaluated on two pear cultivars: the summer-ripening ‘Coscia’ and the late-ripening ‘Abate Fétel’, both harvested at their commercial ripening stage. Pear fruit slices were treated with calcium ascorbate, xanthan gum or HPMC coating and stored at 4 °C for 12 days. Weight loss, flesh firmness, soluble solid content, titratable acidity, ΔE color, browning surface, total polyphenol content, and antioxidant capacity were measured. Sensory analysis was carried out. Results showed that calcium ascorbate treatment applied to fruit slices significantly extended their shelf-life because it considerably inhibited browning and color changes in fresh-cut slices of both pear cultivars over seven days of storage. Furthermore, pear slices treated with calcium ascorbate revealed a higher antioxidant capacity and a lower content of total phenols during cold storage.
Innovation in Propagation and Cultivation of Ornamental Plants
Authors: Cardoso Jean Carlos , Vendrame Wagner Aparecido
Published: March 2022

Ornamental plants are constantly being improved by new technologies and cultivation systems to provide new, high-quality plant material for one of the most demanding markets in the horticulture sector [...]
Examining the Efficacy of Antimicrobial Therapy in Preventing the Development of Postinfectious Glomerulonephritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Bateman Emily , Mansour Sara , Okafor Euchariachristy , Arrington Kedzie , Hong Bo-Young , Cervantes Jorge
Published: March 2022

Postinfectious glomerulonephritis (PIGN) is an immune-mediated acute glomerulonephritis classically seen weeks after infection with Streptococcus pyogenes, although other infectious etiologies have emerged. While it has become increasingly rare in industrialized regions, it continues to affect children in developing countries. There has been debate as to why incidence rates are declining, including the possibility of improved initial treatment of bacterial infections. The ability of antimicrobial therapy in preventing PIGN as infectious sequelae, however, has not been comprehensively assessed. As varying evidence from published studies exists, the objective of this meta-analysis is to determine if antimicrobial therapy utilized to treat an initial infection has an effect in reducing the development of PIGN in humans. EMBASE, MEDLINE, and CENTRAL were searched using a comprehensive terminology strategy. From an initial search that returned 337 publications, 9 articles were included for analysis. Eight studies showed an incidence of PIGN after antimicrobial use ranging from 0.05% to 10% with a mean standardized difference (MSD) of 0.03 (0.01–0.06). Three studies showed an occurrence of PIGN without antibiotic use ranging from 1% to 13% with an MSD of 0.06 (−0.09–0.21). Our findings suggest that antimicrobial treatment for the initial infection may help diminish the development of PIGN. Although Streptococcus pyogenes infections are generally treated aggressively to prevent rheumatic fever, these findings may help further support the early treatment of bacterial infections to prevent postinfectious sequelae, especially as we consider other infectious etiologies of PIGN antimicrobial resistance.
Decision-Making under Risk: Conditions Affecting the Risk Preferences of Politicians in Digitalization
Authors: Roisse Rodrigues Ferreira Jean
Published: March 2022

Public officials are constantly facing decisions under risk, particularly in digitalization policies, the consequences of which are hard to predict given their multiple dimensional nature. Since scholarly research has not yet addressed this phenomenon, we do not know what influences the risk preferences of politicians in digitalization policies. Prospect theory—widely used to explain political decisions—can help us describe politicians’ potential risk references and the conditions affecting their decisions. Accordingly, this paper aims to answer the following question: what are the conditions affecting the risk preferences of politicians in digitalization policies? I address this question by employing two important assumptions of prospect theory: the value function and the probability weighting function. Particularly, I discuss the effects of loss/gain frames and probability weighting on the risk preferences of politicians in digitalization with outcomes in multiple dimensions (e.g., data privacy and economy). I argue that whether an outcome is perceived as a gain or as a loss depends on how the situation is framed and how the probabilities are weighted. I conclude with a brief discussion of how prospect theory can leverage our understanding of political decisions in highly complex policy environments.
Social Media and Social Support: A Framework for Patient Satisfaction in Healthcare
Authors: Khan Md Irfanuzzaman , Rahman Zoeb Ur , Saleh M. Abu , Khan Saeed Uz Zaman
Published: March 2022

Social media has been a powerful source of social support for health consumers. In the healthcare sector, social media has thrived, building on various dynamic platforms supporting the connection between social relationships, health, and wellbeing. While prior research has shown that social support exerts a positive impact on health outcomes, there is scant literature examining the implications of social support for patient satisfaction, which suggests that there is a profound gap in the extant literature. The objective of this study is to develop and test a theoretical model for understanding the relationship between different dimensions of social support and patient empowerment. The study further investigates the debated relationship between patient empowerment and patient satisfaction. The measurement model indicated an acceptable fit (χ2 = 260.226; df, 107, χ2/df = 2.432, RMSEA = 0.07, GFI = 0.90, IFI = 0.95, TLI = 0.94, and CFI = 0.95). Findings indicate that emotional support (p < 0.001), information support (p < 0.05), and network support (p < 0.001) positively influence the notion of patient empowerment. In turn, patient empowerment positively influences patient satisfaction (p < 0.001). The proposed framework contributes to the health communication literature by introducing a novel framework for patient satisfaction in the social media context, which provides important inputs for healthcare service providers in developing patient empowerment strategies.
Idiopathic Ventricular Arrhythmias Originating from Different Portions of the Coronary Venous System: Prevalence, Electrocardiographic Characteristics, Catheter Ablation, and Complications
Authors: Wang Yaoji , Shao Jiameng , Shen Bing , Zheng Cheng , Li Jin , Xu Que , Lin Yifan , Lin Jiafeng
Published: March 2022

(1) Background: To determine the prevalence, electrocardiographic characteristics, mapping, and ablation of IVAs arising from the CVS. (2) Methods: Detailed activation and pace mapping of the CVS IVAs was performed before attempted radiofrequency ablation (RFCA). (3) Results: The IVAs originating from the vicinity of the CVS represented approximately 5.27% (164/3113) of all IVAs; 94.51% (155/164) cases were accessed at the earliest identified site and 83.54% (137/164) IVAs were successfully ablated. The main coronary vein group had a relatively short procedure time, short fluoroscopy time, fewer radiofrequency lesions prior to success, and less Swartz sheath support. IVAs originating from the CVS had distinct ECG characteristics: Rs, RS or rS (with s or S) wave in lead V1 indicate the Vas arising from the proximal portion of the anterior interventricular vein (AIV) and summit-CV; Rs (with s or S) wave in leads V5–V6 indicate the Vas arising from the adjacent regions of the distal great cardiac vein 1 (DGCV1); positive wave (R, Rs or r) In lead I indicate the VAs ori”inat’ng from Summit-CV and posterior wall subgroup (including middle cardiac vein [MCV], posterior lateral vein [PLV], coronary sinus [CS]). Compared with the IVAs originating from the endocardial mitral annulus, a PdW > 45 ms, an IDT > 74 ms, and an MDI > 0.50 indicate a CVS origin of the IVAs. The common peri-procedure complications were CV dissection (6.45%, 10/155), CV rupture (1.29%, 2/155), coronary artery spasm (1.29%, 2/155), coronary artery stenosis (0.65%, 1/155), pericardial effusion (0.65%, 1/155) and tamponade (1.29%, 2/155). Stenosis of coronary arteries was not observed at the adjacent ablation site in the CVS during follow-up. (4) Conclusions: vAs arising from the CVS are not a rare phenomenon. Several ECG and procedure characteristics could help regionalize, map, and ablate the origin of IVAs from different portions of the CVS. RFCA within the CVS was relatively effective and safe.
A Retrospective Study of Postictal Suppression during Electroconvulsive Therapy
Authors: Moulier Virginie , Guehl Julien , Evêque-Mourroux Emilie , Quesada Pierre , Rothärmel Maud
Published: March 2022

Background: electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the most effective treatment in treatment-resistant depression (TRD), but its response remains partial. Identifying useful indicators to guide decision making for treatment and improve clinical response remains a major issue. The objective of the present retrospective study was to determine if clinical response—early (after 5 ECT sessions) or longer-term (after 12 ECT sessions)—was associated with postictal suppression during the first ECT course and/or with postictal suppression frequency during the whole ECT course. Methods: in a retrospective study, the data of 42 patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression and receiving at least 5 ECT sessions were collected. Two sessions per week of bitemporal brief-pulse ECT sessions were administered to patients. Each of the electroencephalography (EEG) recordings were assessed to determine the presence of postictal suppression. Results: the postictal suppression from the first ECT session predicted a better long-term clinical response (after 12 ECT sessions), but not early clinical response (after only 5 ECT sessions). The postictal suppression frequency was associated with neither the short- nor the long-term clinical response. In addition, postictal suppression and short-term cognitive performances were not associated. Conclusions: this EEG indicator is clinically useful if it appears in the first ECT sessions, but it is no longer relevant in the following sessions.
Comparison between Prehospital Mechanical Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Devices and Manual CPR for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Trial Sequential Analysis
Authors: Chiang Cheng-Ying , Lim Ket-Cheong , Lai Pei Chun , Tsai Tou-Yuan , Huang Yen Ta , Tsai Ming-Jen
Published: March 2022

In pre-hospital settings, efficient cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is challenging; therefore, the application of mechanical CPR devices continues to increase. However, the evidence of the benefits of using mechanical CPR devices in pre-hospital settings for adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is controversial. This meta-analysis compared the effects of mechanical and manual CPR applied in the pre-hospital stage on clinical outcomes after OHCA. Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from inception until October 2021. Studies comparing mechanical and manual CPR applied in the pre-hospital stage for survival outcomes of adult OHCA were eligible. Data abstraction, quality assessment, meta-analysis, trial sequential analysis (TSA), and grading of recommendations, assessment, development, and evaluation were conducted. Seven randomized controlled and 15 observational studies were included. Compared to manual CPR, pre-hospital use of mechanical CPR showed a positive effect in achieving return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and survival to admission. No difference was found in survival to discharge and discharge with favorable neurological status, with inconclusive results in TSA. In conclusion, pre-hospital use of mechanical CPR devices may benefit adult OHCA in achieving ROSC and survival to admission. With low certainty of evidence, more well-designed large-scale randomized controlled trials are needed to validate these findings.
Rethinking Weight Decay for Efficient Neural Network Pruning
Authors: Tessier Hugo , Gripon Vincent , Léonardon Mathieu , Arzel Matthieu , Hannagan Thomas , Bertrand David
Published: March 2022

Introduced in the late 1980s for generalization purposes, pruning has now become a staple for compressing deep neural networks. Despite many innovations in recent decades, pruning approaches still face core issues that hinder their performance or scalability. Drawing inspiration from early work in the field, and especially the use of weight decay to achieve sparsity, we introduce Selective Weight Decay (SWD), which carries out efficient, continuous pruning throughout training. Our approach, theoretically grounded on Lagrangian smoothing, is versatile and can be applied to multiple tasks, networks, and pruning structures. We show that SWD compares favorably to state-of-the-art approaches, in terms of performance-to-parameters ratio, on the CIFAR-10, Cora, and ImageNet ILSVRC2012 datasets.
Review of Machine Learning in Lung Ultrasound in COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Wang Jing , Yang Xiaofeng , Zhou Boran , Sohn James J. , Zhou Jun , Jacob Jesse T. , Higgins Kristin A. , Bradley Jeffrey D. , Liu Tian
Published: March 2022

Ultrasound imaging of the lung has played an important role in managing patients with COVID-19–associated pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). During the COVID-19 pandemic, lung ultrasound (LUS) or point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has been a popular diagnostic tool due to its unique imaging capability and logistical advantages over chest X-ray and CT. Pneumonia/ARDS is associated with the sonographic appearances of pleural line irregularities and B-line artefacts, which are caused by interstitial thickening and inflammation, and increase in number with severity. Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly machine learning, is increasingly used as a critical tool that assists clinicians in LUS image reading and COVID-19 decision making. We conducted a systematic review from academic databases (PubMed and Google Scholar) and preprints on arXiv or TechRxiv of the state-of-the-art machine learning technologies for LUS images in COVID-19 diagnosis. Openly accessible LUS datasets are listed. Various machine learning architectures have been employed to evaluate LUS and showed high performance. This paper will summarize the current development of AI for COVID-19 management and the outlook for emerging trends of combining AI-based LUS with robotics, telehealth, and other techniques.
An Empirical Evaluation of Convolutional Networks for Malaria Diagnosis
Authors: Loddo Andrea , Fadda Corrado , Di Ruberto Cecilia
Published: March 2022

Malaria is a globally widespread disease caused by parasitic protozoa transmitted to humans by infected female mosquitoes of Anopheles. It is caused in humans only by the parasite Plasmodium, further classified into four different species. Identifying malaria parasites is possible by analysing digital microscopic blood smears, which is tedious, time-consuming and error prone. So, automation of the process has assumed great importance as it helps the laborious manual process of review and diagnosis. This work focuses on deep learning-based models, by comparing off-the-shelf architectures for classifying healthy and parasite-affected cells, by investigating the four-class classification on the Plasmodium falciparum stages of life and, finally, by evaluating the robustness of the models with cross-dataset experiments on two different datasets. The main contributions to the research in this field can be resumed as follows: (i) comparing off-the-shelf architectures in the task of classifying healthy and parasite-affected cells, (ii) investigating the four-class classification on the P. falciparum stages of life and (iii) evaluating the robustness of the models with cross-dataset experiments. Eleven well-known convolutional neural networks on two public datasets have been exploited. The results show that the networks have great accuracy in binary classification, even though they lack few samples per class. Moreover, the cross-dataset experiments exhibit the need for some further regulations. In particular, ResNet-18 achieved up to 97.68% accuracy in the binary classification, while DenseNet-201 reached 99.40% accuracy on the multiclass classification. The cross-dataset experiments exhibit the limitations of deep learning approaches in such a scenario, even though combining the two datasets permitted DenseNet-201 to reach 97.45% accuracy. Naturally, this needs further investigation to improve the robustness. In general, DenseNet-201 seems to offer the most stable and robust performance, offering as a crucial candidate to further developments and modifications. Moreover, the mobile-oriented architectures showed promising and satisfactory performance in the classification of malaria parasites. The obtained results enable extensive improvements, specifically oriented to the application of object detectors for type and stage of life recognition, even in mobile environments.
Estimation of Stock Status Using the LBB and CMSY Methods for the Indian Salmon Leptomelanosoma indicum (Shaw, 1804) in the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh
Authors: Al-Mamun Md. Abdullah , Shamsuzzaman Md. Mostafa , Schneider Petra , Mozumder Mohammad Mojibul Hoque , Liu Qun
Published: March 2022

As one of the largest and most commercially valuable finfish species, Leptomelanosomaindicum (Indian salmon) significantly contributes to Bangladesh’s marine catches. The length-based Bayesian biomass (LBB) method and catch-based Monte Carlo method (CMSY) are among the most recent and powerful methods for predicting the state of fisheries resources from data-limited fisheries. CMSY requires catch and resilience data, as well as quantitative stock status information. For LBB, only length–frequency (LF) data are required. The stock status of L. indicum was estimated using these two independent methods, utilizing twenty-one years of catch–effort and length–frequency data (978 individuals) from commercial fisheries on the Bangladesh coast. Here, a BSM (Bayesian state-space implementation of the Schaefer surplus production model) was also employed. The current study’s findings showed that the B/B0 ratio of currently exploited biomass to unexploited biomass (0.1) was smaller than BMSY/B0 (0.36) and B/BMSY = 0.28 was smaller than the reference value of 1.0, indicating the grossly overfished and depleted condition of the stock. Similar trends in the results were found for B/BMSY = 0.11 (<1.0) from CMSY. In addition, the exploitation rate (F/FMSY = 5.66), biomass (B < BMSY), and fishing status (F > FMSY) further justify the severely overfished conditions of L. indicum stock in the study area. Furthermore, the Lc_opt (optimal length at first capture) was higher than the Lc (length at first capture), indicating that this species is being overfished, and that mesh sizes should be increased for better management. This study provides information on biological reference points (BRPs), and confirms the severely overfished status of L. indicum in the coastal waters of Bangladesh. More specific and prompt management measures are required to recover and sustainably manage this valuable species, and protect the fish stock from commercial extinction.
Optimal Design and Dynamic Analysis of Hydrofoil Mechanism of Wave Glider
Authors: Sang Hongqiang , Zhang Jin , Sun Xiujun , Li Can , Wang Lei , Wang Liwei
Published: March 2022

A wave glider can convert vertical wave motion into its forward propulsion. There are many factors affecting the propulsion performance of a wave glider. The swing amplitude of hydrofoil can affect the efficiency of hydrofoil to capture wave energy, and the pull direction of an umbilical cable can affect the transmission efficiency of wave energy. In this paper, an optimized hydrofoil mechanism with a self-adjusting lower limit (SALL) was proposed by analyzing the un- synchronized movement between the submerged glider and the surface float. This mechanism was able to transfer the movement of umbilical cable to the hydrofoil swing mechanism through the linkage to control the lower limit of hydrofoil swing (maximum swing angle of hydrofoil in a counterclockwise direction). Firstly, the user-defined function (UDF) was written to control the motion of hydrofoil in the fluid domain. The lower limit swing angle and the heave direction of the hydrofoil were both set in the UDF, and the forward thrust generated by the passive swing of the hydrofoil in the fluid domain was able to be obtained by the simulation. Secondly, the prototype was designed by introducing a parallelogram mechanism on a conventional submerged glider, and a wave simulation test platform was built to verify the propulsive performance of the prototype. The results showed that, in comparison with the conventional submerged glider, the forward thrust of the SALL submerged glider was able to be improved by 1.50%, 17.78%, 7.42%, and 20.70% under the stiffness coefficients of torsion spring set to K = 2, K = 4, K = 6, and K = 8 in the simulation experiment, respectively. The forward thrust of the SALL submerged glider was able to be elevated by 9.99% with torsion spring K = 8 in the tank experiment. The advantage of the SALL mechanism was verified by comparing the results of the simulation and the tank experiment. Finally, the feasibility of the SALL submerged glider was verified in actual sea conditions by a sea trial.
Characteristics and Trends of Ocean Remote Sensing Research from 1990 to 2020: A Bibliometric Network Analysis and Its Implications
Authors: Wang Qiang , Wang Jinping , Xue Mingmei , Zhang Xifeng
Published: March 2022

The ocean is of great significance in the climate system, global resources and strategic decision making. With the continuous improvement in remote sensing technology, ocean remote sensing research has increasingly become an important topic for resource development and environmental protection. This paper uses bibliometric analysis method and VOSviewer visual software to conduct analysis. The analysis focuses on the period from 1990 to 2020. The analysis results show that articles have been steadily increasing over the past two decades. Scholars and researchers form the United States, China and Europe (mainly Western European countries), as well as NASA, Chinese Academy of Sciences and NOAA have bigger influence in this field to some extent. Among them, the United States and NASA holds the core leading position. Moreover, global cooperation in this field presents certain characteristics of geographical distribution. This study also reveals journals that include the most publications and subject categories that are highly relevant to related fields. Cluster analysis shows that remote sensing, ocean color, MODIS (or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer), chlorophy, sea ice and climate change are main research hotspots. In addition, in the context of climate warming, researchers have improved monitoring technology for remote sensing to warn and protect ocean ecosystems in hotspots (the Arctic and Antarctica). The valuable results obtained from this study will help academic professionals keep informed of the latest developments and identify future research directions in the field related to ocean remote sensing.
Ship Structures
Authors: Parunov Joško , Garbatov Yordan
Published: March 2022

This book contains fifteen recent research studies in the broad field of ship structural design, analysis and degradation, where two studies deal with corrosion degradation in ship structures, while the remaining contributions belong to three major steps in the efficient design and analysis of ship structures, i [...]
Determining Role of Human Factors in Maritime Transportation Accidents by Fuzzy Fault Tree Analysis (FFTA)
Authors: Zaib Ali , Yin Jingbo , Khan Rafi Ullah
Published: March 2022

Safety has been a primary concern in every industry. It includes system, personnel, environmental safety, etc. Maritime transportation safety is of the utmost importance because a lot of economic and environmental damage has been caused by ship-related accidents. The majority of these accidents have resulted from human factors. For the analysis of accidents and future safety, various accident models have been created. In this study, human-based errors are analyzed and quantified by using the fuzzy fault tree analysis, which helps calculate the failure probability of the causes. A real-life case of a chemical tanker Key Bora was studied and analyzed, which happened on 28 March 2020, at Kyleakin Pier, Isle of Skye, Scotland. The ship’s hull was seriously damaged and was flooded. According to the analysis, two main human factors that contributed the most to the occurrence of this accident were found. These incidents can be avoided by ensuring proper measures are followed, and the results can be used as guidelines for future marine accident investigations and safety.
Nonlinear Hydrodynamic Analysis of Ships Moored in a VLFS Service Basin in the East Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Gafter Roy , Drimer Nitai
Published: March 2022

Very large floating structure (VLFS) is an environmentally sensitive technology which creates artificial land at sea. Designated for the open sea, the Delta is a new type of VLFS. Formed, inherently, by the innovative geometry, the sheltered basin is a unique feature of the Delta. Its year-round operability as the gateway of the structure directly affects the Delta’s utilization. This study examines the basin in terms of its operability as a service port. Relying on potential flow theory and applying the boundary element method, we conducted a nonlinear hydrodynamic analysis of a moored vessel at the basin. It consists of a time-domain simulation of a tanker, berthed via nonlinear mooring system along the Delta’s side hull under severe wave conditions typical to the East Mediterranean Sea. The system is evaluated in terms of acceptable motion of the ship and permissible load on the mooring system. The favorable results indicate that the basin enables most cargo handling operations under waves conditions of Hmo=2.5 m, and minimal downtime of less than 6% of the year. In this paper we present the analysis procedure, the evaluation criteria, and the mooring system’s design. The study results and their significance are presented and discussed as well.
Fatal Breakthrough Candidemia in an Immunocompromised Patient in Kuwait Due to Candida auris Exhibiting Reduced Susceptibility to Echinocandins and Carrying a Novel Mutation in Hotspot-1 of FKS1
Authors: Al-Obaid Inaam , Asadzadeh Mohammad , Ahmad Suhail , Alobaid Khaled , Alfouzan Wadha , Bafna Ritu , Emara Maha , Joseph Leena
Published: March 2022

Candida auris is an emerging yeast pathogen that has recently caused major outbreaks in healthcare facilities worldwide. Clinical C. auris isolates are usually resistant to fluconazole and readily develop resistance to echinocandins and amphotericin B (AMB) during treatment. We describe here an interesting case of C. auris infection in an immunocompromised patient who had previously received AMB and caspofungin treatment. Subsequently, C. auris was isolated from tracheal (tracheostomy) secretions and twice from urine and all three isolates were susceptible to AMB and micafungin. The patient received a combination therapy with AMB and caspofungin. Although the C. auris was cleared from the urine, the patient subsequently developed breakthrough candidemia and the bloodstream isolate exhibited a reduced susceptibility to micafungin and also showed the presence of a novel (S639T) mutation in hotspot-1 of FKS1. Interestingly, C. auris from the tracheal (tracheostomy) secretions recovered one and four days later exhibited a reduced susceptibility to micafungin and S639Y and S639T mutations in hotspot-1 of FKS1, respectively. Although the treatment was changed to voriconazole, the patient expired. Our case highlights a novel FKS1 mutation and the problems clinicians are facing to treat invasive C. auris infections due to inherent or developing resistance to multiple antifungal drugs and limited antifungal armamentarium.
Vital Role of In-House 3D Lab to Create Unprecedented Solutions for Challenges in Spinal Surgery, Practical Guidelines and Clinical Case Series
Authors: Willemsen Koen , Magré Joëll , Mol Jeroen , Noordmans Herke Jan , Weinans Harrie , Hekman Edsko E. G. , Kruyt Moyo C.
Published: March 2022

For decades, the advantages of rapid prototyping for clinical use have been recognized. However, demonstrations of potential solutions to treat spinal problems that cannot be solved otherwise are scarce. In this paper, we describe the development, regulatory process, and clinical application of two types of patient specific 3D-printed devices that were developed at an in-house 3D point-of-care facility. This 3D lab made it possible to elegantly treat patients with spinal problems that could not have been treated in a conventional manner. The first device, applied in three patients, is a printed nylon drill guide, with such accuracy that it can be used for insertion of cervical pedicle screws in very young children, which has been applied even in semi-acute settings. The other is a 3D-printed titanium spinal column prosthesis that was used to treat progressive and severe deformities due to lysis of the anterior column in three patients. The unique opportunity to control size, shape, and material characteristics allowed a relatively easy solution for these patients, who were developing paraplegia. In this paper, we discuss the pathway toward the design and final application, including technical file creation for dossier building and challenges within a point-of-care lab.
Link between Genotype and Multi-Organ Iron and Complications in Children with Transfusion-Dependent Thalassemia
Authors: Meloni Antonella , Pistoia Laura , Ricchi Paolo , Putti Maria Caterina , Gamberini Maria Rita , Cuccia Liana , Messina Giuseppe , Massei Francesco , Facchini Elena , Righi Riccardo , Renne Stefania , Peritore Giuseppe , Positano Vincenzo , Cademartiri Filippo
Published: March 2022

We evaluated the impact of the genotype on hepatic, pancreatic and myocardial iron content, and on hepatic, cardiac and endocrine complications in children with transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia (β-TDT). We considered 68 β-TDT patients (11.98 ± 3.67 years, 51.5% females) consecutively enrolled in the Extension-Myocardial Iron Overload in Thalassemia network. Iron overload was quantified by T2* technique and biventricular function by cine images. Replacement myocardial fibrosis was evaluated by late gadolinium enhancement technique. Three groups of patients were identified: homozygous β+ (N = 19), compound heterozygous β0β+ (N = 24), and homozygous β0 (N = 25). The homozygous β0 group showed significantly lower global heart and pancreas T2* values than the homozygous β+ group. Compared to patients with homozygous β+ genotype, β0β+ as well as β0β0 patients were more likely to have pancreatic iron overload (odds ratio = 6.53 and 10.08, respectively). No difference was detected in biventricular function parameters and frequency of replacement fibrosis. No patient had cirrhosis/fibrosis, diabetes or heart failure, and the frequency of endocrinopathies was comparable among the groups. In pediatric β-TDT patients, there is an association between genotype and cardiac and pancreatic iron overload. The knowledge of patients’ genotype can be valuable in predicting some patients’ phenotypic features and in helping the clinical management of β-TDT patients.
Precision Nomothetic Medicine in Depression Research: A New Depression Model, and New Endophenotype Classes and Pathway Phenotypes, and A Digital Self
Authors: Maes Michael
Published: March 2022

Machine learning approaches, such as soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA) and pathway analysis, were introduced in depression research in the 1990s (Maes et al.) to construct neuroimmune endophenotype classes. The goal of this paper is to examine the promise of precision psychiatry to use information about a depressed person’s own pan-omics, environmental, and lifestyle data, or to tailor preventative measures and medical treatments to endophenotype subgroups of depressed patients in order to achieve the best clinical outcome for each individual. Three steps are emerging in precision medicine: (1) the optimization and refining of classical models and constructing digital twins; (2) the use of precision medicine to construct endophenotype classes and pathway phenotypes, and (3) constructing a digital self of each patient. The root cause of why precision psychiatry cannot develop into true sciences is that there is no correct (cross-validated and reliable) model of clinical depression as a serious medical disorder discriminating it from a normal emotional distress response including sadness, grief and demoralization. Here, we explain how we used (un)supervised machine learning such as partial least squares path analysis, SIMCA and factor analysis to construct (a) a new precision depression model; (b) a new endophenotype class, namely major dysmood disorder (MDMD), which is a nosological class defined by severe symptoms and neuro-oxidative toxicity; and a new pathway phenotype, namely the reoccurrence of illness (ROI) index, which is a latent vector extracted from staging characteristics (number of depression and manic episodes and suicide attempts), and (c) an ideocratic profile with personalized scores based on all MDMD features.
High Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme and Low Carboxypeptidase N Serum Activity Correlate with Disease Severity in COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Tepasse Phil-Robin , Vollenberg Richard , Steinebrey Nico , König Simone
Published: March 2022

(1) Background: Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a functional receptor of SARS-CoV-2 and counter-balances ACE in the renin–angiotensin system (RAS). An imbalance of the RAS could be associated with severe COVID-19 progression. (2) Methods: Activities of serum proteases angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and carboxypeptidase N (CPN) for 45 hospitalized and 26 convalescent COVID-19 patients were investigated vs. healthy controls using labeled bradykinin (DBK) degradation with and without inhibition by captopril as a read-out. Data were correlated to clinical parameters. (3) Results: DBK degradation and CPN activity were significantly reduced gender-independently in COVID-19 and returned to normal during convalescence. ACE activity was over-active in severe disease progression; product DBK1-5 was significantly increased in critically ill patients and strongly correlated with clinical heart and liver parameters. ACE inhibitors seemed to be protective, as DBK1-5 levels were normal in moderately ill patients in contrast to critically ill patients. (4) Conclusions: CPN and ACE serum activity correlated with disease severity. The RAS is affected in COVID-19, and ACE could be a therapeutic target. Further proof from dedicated studies is needed.
Do Post-Corona European Economic Policies Lift Growth Prospects? Exploring an ML-Methodology
Authors: Herzog Bodo
Published: March 2022

This article explores the determinants of people’s growth prospects in survey data as well as the impact of the European recovery fund to future growth. The focus is on the aftermath of the Corona pandemic, which is a natural limit to the sample size. We use Eurobarometer survey data and macroeconomic variables, such as GDP, unemployment, public deficit, inflation, bond yields, and fiscal spending data. We estimate a variety of panel regression models and develop a new simulation-regression methodology due to limitation of the sample size. We find the major determinant of people’s growth prospect is domestic GDP per capita, while European fiscal aid does not significantly matter. In addition, we exhibit with the simulation-regression method novel scientific insights, significant outcomes, and a policy conclusion alike.
Metatheoretical Issues of the Evolution of the International Political Economy
Authors: Kwilinski Aleksy , Dalevska Nataliya , Dementyev Vyacheslav V.
Published: March 2022

The topicality of the international political economy is determined by the complexity and dynamism of transformation processes in the world economic system, which are developing through information networks and financial technologies. The purpose of the article is to reveal the meta-theory elements of the international political economy in the context of their renewal in the context of the world economic system development in the wave of “information society”. To obtain scientifically sound results, the article uses the historical–logical method, the dialectical method of proceeding from the abstract to the concrete, institutional and evolutionary approaches. The article develops theoretical and methodological foundations for developing the international political economy. It is substantiated that the research agenda of the international political economy is characterized by socio-integrative trends of economic development in the global dimension. The interaction among actors of international relations is analyzed, and the structural components of their functional transformation under the conditions of integration processes advance within the world political and economic space are determined. It is concluded that the international political economy serves as a theoretical foundation, an integral general theoretical basis for establishing adaptive conceptual frameworks for building trust and solidarity among the subjects of the world economic system. Theoretical and methodological principles of the international political economy should be based on analyzing systemic and structural transformations of the world economic system; determining the criteria of social legitimacy of international authorities, based on the norms and values of social and environmental justice; and developing conditions for fulfilling the individual’s creative potential the field of world social capital.