bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Multicenter Network Analysis Examining the Psychological Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Patients with Eating Disorders versus Their Healthy Siblings
Authors: Meneguzzo Paolo , De Mico Alberto , Gori Pietro , Ajello Alessio , Ceccato Enrico , Consolati Mauro Domenico , Vita Antonio , Sala Alessandra , Santonastaso Paolo
Published: December 2022

(1) Background: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals with eating disorders (EDs) has been recorded all over the world; the traumatic effects of COVID-19 have exacerbated specific and general psychopathologies in those with EDs. Comparing patients’ and their healthy siblings’ responses might help one evaluate whether there are significant differences between healthy individuals and those struggling with EDs in regard to posttraumatic psychological symptoms. (2) Methods: A sample of 141 ED patients and 99 healthy siblings were enrolled in this study in two different centers specializing in ED treatment. All participants completed the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) checklist and an eating and general psychopathological self-report questionnaire. Network analysis was then applied to evaluate the differences between the populations. (3) Results: No significant differences emerged between the network structures despite the significant differences between patients and their healthy siblings in regard to posttraumatic symptoms, eating, and general psychopathology. (4) Conclusion: The complex nature of the interaction between environmental and personal factors should be evaluated further in individuals with EDs due to how they respond to traumatic events, which exacerbate patients’ psychopathology.
Exploring the Importance of Corticalization Occurring in Alveolar Bone Surrounding a Dental Implant
Authors: Kozakiewicz Marcin , Wach Tomasz
Published: December 2022

Several measures describing the transformation of trabecular bone to cortical bone on the basis of analysis of intraoral radiographs are known (including bone index or corticalization index, CI). At the same time, it has been noted that after functional loading of dental implants such transformations occur in the bone directly adjacent to the fixture. Intuitively, it seems that this is a process conducive to the long-term maintenance of dental implants and certainly necessary when immediate loading is applied. The authors examined the relationship of implant design features to marginal bone loss (MBL) and the intensity of corticalization over a 10-year period of functional loading. This study is a general description of the phenomenon of peri-implant bone corticalization and an attempt to interpret this phenomenon to achieve success of implant treatment in the long term. Corticalization significantly increased over the first 5-year functional loading (CI from 200 ± 146 initially to 282 ± 182, p < 0.001) and maintained a high level (CI = 261 ± 168) in the 10-year study relative to the reference bone (149 ± 178). MBL significantly increased throughout the follow-up period—5 years: 0.83 ± 1.26 mm (p < 0.001), 10 years: 1.48 ± 2.01 mm (p < 0.001). MBL and radiographic bone structure (CI) were evaluated in relation to intraosseous implant design features and prosthetic work performed. In the scope of the study, it can be concluded that the phenomenon of peri-implant jawbone corticalization seems an unfavorable condition for the future fate of bone-anchored implants, but it requires further research to fully explain the significance of this phenomenon.
Sex Is Associated with the Success or Failure of Manipulation Alone for Joint Stiffness Associated with Rotator Cuff Repair
Authors: Yamaura Kohei , Mifune Yutaka , Inui Atsuyuki , Nishimoto Hanako , Mukohara Shintaro , Yoshikawa Tomoya , Shinohara Issei , Kato Tatsuo , Furukawa Takahiro , Hoshino Yuichi , Matsushita Takehiko , Kuroda Ryosuke
Published: December 2022

Purpose: One-stage arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with manipulation has been recently performed for rotator cuff tears with shoulder stiffness, whereas some patients require capsular release due to severe stiffness that is difficult to treat with manipulation. The purpose of this study was to analyze patient backgrounds and related factors of success or failure of manipulation alone for the treatment of shoulder stiffness associated with rotator cuff tears. Methods: This study included 64 patients with rotator cuff tears and shoulder stiffness who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with manipulation alone or with manipulation and capsular release of the glenohumeral joint at our institution between January 2015 and September 2019. The patients were divided into two groups: those whose shoulder stiffness could be improved by manipulation alone (Manipulation group) and those whose stiffness could not be improved by manipulation alone and required capsular release (Capsular release addition group). Analysis was performed between the two groups regarding patient backgrounds and related factors, including rotator cuff tear morphology and range of motions pre- and postoperatively. Results: Exactly 45 patients and 19 patients were included in Manipulation group and Capsular release addition group, respectively. A comparison between the two groups showed that patient age (p = 0.0040), sex (p = 0.0005), and injury due to trauma (p = 0.0018) were significantly related to the success or failure of manipulation alone. Multivariate logistic regression analysis on these three factors showed that sex (odds ratio, 5.5; p = 0.048) was significantly associated with the success or failure of manipulation alone. In both groups, the passive ROM of all patients improved at the last postoperative follow-up compared to their pre-operative values (p < 0.001), except for internal rotation in the Capsular release addition group (p = 0.49). Conclusion: Young male patients who have shoulder stiffness associated with rotator cuff tears should be considered for arthroscopic capsular release rather than manipulation.
How the Loss of Second Molars Corresponds with the Presence of Adjacent Third Molars in Chinese Adults: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Sun Li-Juan , Yang Yang , Li Zhi-Bang , Tian Yi , Qu Hong-Lei , An Ying , Tian Bei-Min , Chen Fa-Ming
Published: December 2022

Third molars (M3s) can increase the pathological risks of neighboring second molars (M2s). However, whether the M3 presence affects M2 loss remains unknown. This retrospective study aimed to reveal the reasons for M2 loss and how M2 loss relates to neighboring M3s. The medical records and radiographic images of patients with removed M2(s) were reviewed to analyze why the teeth were extracted and if those reasons were related to adjacent M3s. Ultimately, 800 patients with 908 removed M2s were included. In the included quadrants, 526 quadrants with M3s were termed the M3 (+) group, and the other 382 quadrants without M3s were termed the M3 (−) group. The average age of patients in the M3 (+) group was 52.4 ± 14.8 years and that of the M3 (−) group was 56.7 ± 14.9 years, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Of the 908 M2s, 433 (47.7%) were removed due to caries and sequelae and 300 (33.0%) were removed due to periodontal diseases. Meanwhile, 14.4% of the M2s with adjacent M3s were removed due to distal caries and periodontitis, which were closely related to the neighboring M3s; this percentage was much lower when M3 were absent (1.8%). Additionally, 42.2% of M3s were removed simultaneously with neighboring M2s. The presence of M3s, regardless of impaction status, was associated with an earlier loss of their neighboring M2s.
Preoperative Misdiagnosis in Patients Undergoing Pancreatoduodenectomy
Authors: Panettieri Elena , Coppola Alessandro
Published: December 2022

Distal bile duct cholangiocarcinoma, ampullary adenocarcinoma, duodenal carcinoma, and ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) of the head of the pancreas usually have similar clinical presentation since they arise in the same circumscribed anatomical area, within 2 cm of the major duodenal papilla [...]
Risk of Contrast-Associated Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Undergoing Peripheral Angiography with Carbon Dioxide Compared to Iodine-Containing Contrast Agents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wagner Gernot , Glechner Anna , Persad Emma , Klerings Irma , Gartlehner Gerald , Moertl Deddo , Steiner Sabine
Published: December 2022

The aim of this systematic review was to summarise the comparative evidence on the risk of contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) with CO2 or iodinated contrast medium (ICM) for peripheral vascular interventions. We searched Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Embase, Epistemonikos, PubMed-similar-articles, clinical trial registries, journal websites, and reference lists up to February 2022. We included studies comparing the risk of CA-AKI in patients who received CO2 or ICM for peripheral angiography with or without endovascular intervention. Two reviewers screened the references and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies. We extracted data on study population, interventions and outcomes. For the risk of CA-AKI as our primary outcome of interest, we calculated risk ratios (RRs) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) and performed random-effects meta-analyses. We identified three RCTs and five cohort studies that fully met our eligibility criteria. Based on a random-effects meta-analysis, the risk of CA-AKI was lower with CO2 compared to ICM (8.6% vs. 15.2%; RR, 0.59; 95% CI 0.33–1.04). Only limited results from a few studies were available on procedure and fluoroscopy time, radiation dose and CO2-related adverse events. The evidence suggests that the use of CO2 for peripheral vascular interventions reduces the risk of CA-AKI compared to ICM. However, due to the relevant residual risk of CA-AKI with the use of CO2, other AKI risk factors must be considered in patients undergoing peripheral vascular interventions.
Resistance on the Latest Oral and Intravenous P2Y12 ADP Receptor Blockers in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes: Fact or Myth?
Authors: Blaško Peter , Samoš Matej , Bolek Tomáš , Stančiaková Lucia , Škorňová Ingrid , Péč Martin Jozef , Jurica Jakub , Staško Ján , Mokáň Marián
Published: December 2022

Novel P2Y12 ADP receptor blockers (ADPRB) should be preferred in dual-antiplatelet therapy in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Nevertheless, there are still patients who do not respond optimally to novel ADP receptor blocker therapy, and this nonoptimal response (so-called “high on-treatment platelet reactivity” or “resistance”) could be connected with increased risk of adverse ischemic events, such as myocardial re-infarction, target lesion failure and stent thrombosis. In addition, several risk factors have been proposed as factors associated with the phenomenon of inadequate response on novel ADPRB. These include obesity, multivessel coronary artery disease, high pre-treatment platelet reactivity and impaired metabolic status for prasugrel, as well as elderly, concomitant therapy with beta-blockers, morphine and platelet count for ticagrelor. There is no literature report describing nonoptimal therapeutic response on cangrelor, and cangrelor therapy seems to be a possible approach for overcoming HTPR on prasugrel and ticagrelor. However, the optimal therapeutic management of “resistance” on novel ADPRB is not clear and this issue requires further research. This narrative review article discusses the phenomenon of high on-treatment platelet reactivity on novel ADPRB, its importance in clinical practice and approaches for its therapeutic overcoming.
The Role of the N-Terminal of the Prohormone Brain Natriuretic Peptide in Predicting Postoperative Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome
Authors: Duchnowski Piotr
Published: December 2022

Background: Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) is the progressive and potentially reversible dysfunction of at least two organ systems in the course of an acute and life-threatening disorder of systemic homeostasis. MODS is a serious post-cardiac-surgery complication in valvular heart disease that is associated with a high risk of death. This study assessed the predictive ability of selected preoperative and perioperative parameters for the occurrence of MODS in the early postoperative period in a group of patients with severe valvular heart disease. Methods: Subsequent patients with significant symptomatic valvular heart disease who underwent cardiac surgery were recruited in the study. The main end-point was postoperative MODS, defined as a dysfunction of at least two organs—perioperative stroke, heart failure requiring mechanical circulatory support, respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation, and postoperative acute kidney injury requiring renal replacement therapy. A logistic regression was used to assess relationships between variables. Results: There were 602 patients recruited for this study. The main end-point occurred in 40 patients. Preoperative NT-proBNP (OR 1.026; 95% CI 1.012–1.041; p = 0.001) and hemoglobin (OR 0.653; 95% CI 0.503–0.847; p = 0.003) are independent predictors of the primary end-point in a multivariate regression analysis. The cut-off point for the NT-proBNP value for postoperative MODS was calculated at 1300 pg/mL. Conclusions: A high preoperative level of NTpro-BNP may be associated with the onset of MODS in the early postoperative period. The results of the study may also suggest that earlier cardiac surgery for significant valvular heart disease may be associated with an improved prognosis in this group of patients.
T Cell-Mediated Tumor Killing-Related Classification of the Immune Microenvironment and Prognosis Prediction of Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Ding Peng , Liu Lichao , Bin Yawen , Huang Yu , Chen Lingjuan , Wen Lu , Zhang Ruiguang , Tong Fan , Dong Xiaorong
Published: December 2022

Background: Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are a promising therapeutic strategy for lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), individual subgroups that might benefit from them are yet to be identified. As T cell-mediated tumor killing (TTK) is an underlying mechanism of ICI, we identified subtypes based on genes associated with TTK sensitivity and assessed their predictive significance for LUAD immunotherapies. Methods: Using high-throughput screening techniques, genes regulating the sensitivity of T cell-mediated tumor killing (GSTTK) with differential expression and associations with prognosis were discovered in LUAD. Furthermore, patients with LUAD were divided into subgroups using unsupervised clustering based on GSTTK. Significant differences were observed in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), genetic mutation and immunotherapy response across subgroups. Finally, the prognostic significance of a scoring algorithm based on GSTTK was assessed. Results: A total of 6 out of 641 GSTTK exhibited differential expression in LUAD and were associated with prognosis. Patients were grouped into two categories based on the expression of the six GSTTK, which represented different TTK immune microenvironments in LUAD. Immune cell infiltration, survival difference, somatic mutation, functional enrichment and immunotherapy responses also varied between the two categories. Additionally, a scoring algorithm accurately distinguished overall survival rates across populations. Conclusions: TTK had a crucial influence on the development of the varying TIME. Evaluation of the varied TTK modes of different tumors enhanced our understanding of TIME characteristics, wherein the changes in T cell activity in LUAD are reflected. Thus, this study guides the development of more effective therapeutic methods.
Bisphenol-A and Female Fertility: An Update of Existing Epidemiological Studies
Authors: Stavridis Konstantinos , Triantafyllidou Olga , Pisimisi Maria , Vlahos Nikolaos
Published: December 2022

Humans interfere with a variety of endocrine disruptors on a daily basis, which may result in adverse health effects. Among them, Bisphenol-A (BPA) is the most debated endocrine disruptor, despite being widely studied, regarding its effects on fertility. The aim of this review was to investigate the interrelation of BPA and female fertility. PubMed (Medline) was searched from 2013 until 2022 to identify epidemiological studies that report the association of BPA with fertility parameters, in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis. Regarding general fertility, most studies report an inverse association between BPA and ovarian reserve markers, namely antral follicle count (AFC) and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH). The BPA and estradiol (E2) levels did not correlate significantly in the majority of studies. No definite conclusions can be reached regarding BPA and IVF endpoints or endometriosis. Lastly, most studies report higher prevalence of PCOS in women with higher BPA concentrations, although no casualty has been proven. Although most studies fail to reach definite conclusion regarding the impact of BPA on fertility, there is accumulating evidence suggesting a negative role of BPA in female reproductive health.
Risk of Pacing-Induced Cardiomyopathy in Patients with High-Degree Atrioventricular Block—Impact of Right Ventricular Lead Position Confirmed by Computed Tomography
Authors: Fruelund Patricia Zerlang , Sommer Anders , Frøkjær Jens Brøndum , Lundbye-Christensen Søren , Zaremba Tomas , Søgaard Peter , Graff Claus , Vraa Søren , Mahalingasivam Aksayan Arunanthy , Thøgersen Anna Margrethe , Pedersen Michael Rangel , Riahi Sam
Published: December 2022

Prospective studies applying fluoroscopy for assessment of right ventricular (RV) lead position have failed to show clear benefits from RV septal pacing. We investigated the impact of different RV lead positions verified by computed tomography (CT) on the risk of pacing-induced cardiomyopathy (PICM). We retrospectively included 153 patients who underwent routine fluoroscopy-guided pacemaker implantation between March 2012 and May 2020. All patients had normal pre-implant left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Patients attended a follow-up visit including contrast-enhanced cardiac CT and transthoracic echocardiography. Patients were classified as septal or non-septal based on CT analysis. The primary endpoint was PICM (LVEF < 50% with ≥10% decrease after implantation). Based on CT, 48 (31.4%) leads were septal and 105 (68.6%) were non-septal. Over a median follow-up of 3.1 years, 16 patients (33.3%) in the septal group developed PICM compared to 31 (29.5%) in the non-septal group (p = 0.6). Overall, 13.1% deteriorated to LVEF ≤ 40%, 5.9% were upgraded to cardiac resynchronization therapy device, and 14.4% developed new-onset atrial fibrillation, with no significant differences between the groups. This study demonstrated a high risk of PICM despite normal pre-implant left ventricular systolic function with no significant difference between CT-verified RV septal or non-septal lead position.
Predicting the Effect of Hull Roughness on Ship Resistance Using a Fully Turbulent Flow Channel
Authors: Ravenna Roberto , Ingham Ryan , Song Soonseok , Johnston Clifton , Tezdogan Tahsin , Atlar Mehmet , Demirel Yigit Kemal
Published: December 2022

The consequences of poor hull surface conditions on fuel consumption and emissions are well-known. However, their rationales are yet to be thoroughly understood. The present study investigates the hydrodynamics of fouling control coatings and mimicked biofouling. Novel experimental roughness function data were developed from the “young” fully turbulent flow channel facility of the University of Strathclyde. Different surfaces, including a novel hard foul-release coating, were tested. Finally, the performance of a benchmark full-scale containership was predicted using Granville’s similarity law scaling calculations. Interestingly, the numerical predictions showed that the novel hard foul-release coating tested had better hydrodynamic performance than the smooth case. A maximum 3.79% decrease in the effective power requirements was observed. Eventually, the results confirmed the practicality of flow channel experiments in combination with numerical-based methods to investigate hull roughness effects on ship resistance and powering. The present study can also serve as a valuable guide for future experimental campaigns using the fully turbulent flow channel facility of the University of Strathclyde.
A BEM-Based Model of a Horizontal Axis Tidal Turbine in the 3D Shallow Water Code SHYFEM
Authors: Pucci Micol , Di Garbo Chiara , Bellafiore Debora , Zanforlin Stefania , Umgiesser Georg
Published: December 2022

We present a novel 3D implementation of a horizontal axis tidal turbine (HATT) in the shallow water hydrostatic code SHYFEM. The uniqueness of this work involves the blade element momentum (BEM) approach: the turbine is parameterized by applying momentum sink terms in the x and y momentum equations. In this way, the turbine performance is the result of both the flow conditions and the turbine’s geometric characteristics. For these reasons, the model is suitable for farm-layout studies, since it is able to predict the realistic behavior of every turbine in a farm, considering the surrounding flow field. Moreover, the use of a shallow water code, able to reproduce coastal morphology, bathymetry wind, and tide effects, allows for studying turbine farms in realistic environments.
Influence of Stern Rudder Type on Flow Noise of Underwater Vehicles
Authors: Wang Chunxu , Huang Lei , Zhao Yue , Dai Jinchi , Jiang Yichen
Published: December 2022

The stern rudder of an underwater vehicle has a significant impact on the wake field and the flow noise. Hence, it is important to optimize the design of the stern rudder for reducing the radiated noise. In this work, a numerical model is set up to predict the flow noise of the underwater vehicle, based on the LES turbulence model and FW-H acoustic analogy method. After the verification study, the numerical prediction of the flow noise is compared with the experimental measurements to verify the accuracy of the numerical model. Then, the influence of sails on the flow noise is explored. It is observed that the existence of the sail significantly increases the noise at the low frequency. Furthermore, to examine the influence of the stern rudder type, the sound pressure levels of underwater vehicles with three full appendages having cross-type rudders, X-type rudders, and T-type rudders, are compared. The strong interaction between the sail’s wake and the stern rudder is evident. The underwater vehicle with T-type rudders exhibits the lowest sound pressure. In addition, the influence of the stern rudder type on the directivity of sound pressure levels is also presented.
The Morphology, Genetic Diversity, and Distribution of Ulva meridionalis (Ulvaceae, Chlorophyta) in Chinese Seas
Authors: Hu Meijuan , Zhao Shuang , Liu Jinlin , Tong Yichao , Xia Zhangyi , Xia Jing , Li Shuang , Sun Yuqing , Cao Jiaxing , Zhang Jianheng
Published: December 2022

Green tides originate from the rapid growth of green macroalgae and their large accumulation. In the past few decades, the severity and frequency of green tides have increased and the range of their geographical distribution has widened. In recent years, Ulva meridionalis Horimoto et Shimada has been reported in many countries. This species has stable morphological characteristics, and its length can reach 3 m in indoor cultures. Its cells contain pyrenoids, and the sporangium and gametangium of each cell contain 8 spores and 16 gametes, respectively, which confer a high proliferation potential. The phylogenetic tree constructed in this study showed that the Internal Transcribed Spacer sequence identified U. meridionalis with a high identification reliability, and the genetic relationship between U. meridionalis and Ulva pertusa in the ITS sequence was close. The haplotype network analysis clarified the relationship of the U. meridionalis samples collected from four different sea areas in China and indicated that they were closely related. Five haplotypes were identified: Hap_2 and Hap_1 were the most frequent, and they were also the haplotypes shared among the three groups. The degree of subspecies formation was not reached among these U. meridionalis samples collected from the Chinese seas. Up to 20 years ago, U. meridionalis had only been recorded in Japan. After 2011, it has been found to be widely distributed in the United States, China, French New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and Australia, where it proliferates. It has spread as a new kind of green tide-forming macroalga. The present study found that U. meridionalis is widely distributed in the Chinese seas; specifically, there have been small-scale blooms in the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea, and the South China Sea. Further investigations should focus on establishing whether U. meridionalis will cause large-scale green tide events in the future.
High Throughput Sequencing Reveals Distinct Bacterial Communities and Functional Diversity in Two Typical Coastal Bays
Authors: Ouyang Liao , Chen Xianglan , Zhang Wenxuan , Li Shuangfei , Huang Qiang , Zhang Yi , Yan Chengwei , Li Shaofeng
Published: December 2022

The marine waters in semi-enclosed bays are highly dynamic and strongly influenced by different levels of anthropogenic activity. This study explored the bacterial community composition and diversity in two typical urbanized coastal bay areas (Shenzhen Bay (S) and Dapeng Bay (D)) in Shenzhen, China, based on Illumina NovaSeq sequencing. Seawater analysis showed that coastal area S experienced a higher level of pollution, with higher nutrient concentrations observed. Alpha diversity analysis showed a higher bacterial diversity and richness in coastal area S than D. Taxonomic analysis revealed that the phylum Proteobacteria showed the highest abundance in all samples. Other dominant phyla were Firmicutes, Cyanobacteria, Tenericutes, and Actinobacteria. The bacterial community compositions were significantly different between the two coastal areas. A significant community difference was also found between the sampling sites of coastal area S. However, the difference between sampling sites in coastal area D was not significant. Physicochemical factors showed a more significant effect on bacterial community composition than nutrients. Pearson correlation tests and Network analysis further confirmed that salinity/conductivity, pH, and nitrate were the key factors driving the community difference. PICRUSt analysis revealed a higher degree of functional pathways in coastal area S relating to carbohydrate metabolism, membrane transport, and xenobiotics biodegradation. Our results provide in-depth insights into the bacterial community compositions in typical polluted coastal bays. They may provide information on underlying factors of the assembly process in microbial communities in the coastal zone.
Magnetic Plug Sensor with Bridge Nonlinear Correction Circuit for Oil Condition Monitoring of Marine Machinery
Authors: Zhang Yuwei , Hong Jiaju , Shi Haotian , Xie Yucai , Zhang Hongpeng , Zhang Shuyao , Li Wei , Chen Haiquan
Published: December 2022

Diesel engines in marine power systems often work in extreme environments. Oil monitoring technology can guarantee the operational safety of diesel engines. In this paper, a magnetic plug sensor for oil debris monitoring is proposed to improve sensitivity and accuracy. Through finite element analysis, absolute deviation is reduced by optimizing the sensor structure. A bridge nonlinear correction circuit is designed to make sensitivity consistent over the entire scale range, which can facilitate calibration and data processing. In order to reduce noise and amplify the signal effectively, a signal post-processing circuit is adopted as well, which consists of a first stage filter circuit, a second stage filter, an active filter module, and an instrumentation amplifier. Therefore, this magnetic plug sensor exhibits better sensitivity and accuracy. Furthermore, a void test and a dynamic test are carried out to investigate its performance. There is a linear relationship between the voltage and the particle mass for the sensor with a bridge nonlinear correction circuit. The results illustrate a minimum of 0.033 mg iron debris with a 1.647 signal-to-noise ratio. Additionally, it can capture and detect 47 μm particles with a debris capture rate of over 90%, which allows it to excel in early fault diagnosis as well.
Integrating Shipping Domain Knowledge into Computer Vision Models for Maritime Transportation
Authors: Yang Ying , Yan Ran , Wang Shuaian
Published: December 2022

Maritime transportation plays a significant role in international trade and the global supply chain. To enhance maritime safety and reduce pollution to the marine environment, various regulations and conventions are proposed by international organizations. To ensure that shipping activities comply with the relevant regulations, more and more attention has been paid to maritime surveillance. Specifically, cameras have been widely equipped on the shore and drones to capture the videos of vessels. Then, computer vision (CV) methods are adopted to recognize the specific type of ships in the videos so as to identify illegal shipping activities. However, the complex marine environments may hinder the CV models from making accurate ship recognition. Therefore, this study proposes a novel approach of integrating the domain knowledge, such as the ship features and sailing speed, in CV for ship recognition of maritime transportation, which can better support maritime surveillance. We also give two specific examples to demonstrate the great potential of this method in future research on ship recognition.
A Decision-Support Model for the Generation of Marine Green Tide Disaster Emergency Disposal Plans
Authors: Ai Bo , Zhang Dan , Jia Maoxin , Wang Xiaoliang , Gao Jingxia , Wang Lei , Li Benshuai , Shang Hengshuai
Published: December 2022

Green tide is a harmful marine ecological phenomenon caused by the explosive proliferation or high aggregation of some macroalgae, and can cause significant impacts on ecological environments and economies. An effective emergency disposal plan can significantly improve disposal capacity and reduce total costs. At present, the formulation of emergency disposal plans for green tide disasters usually depends on subjective experience. The primary purpose of this paper is to develop a decision-support model based on intelligent algorithms to optimize the type and number of resources when making emergency disposal plans so as to improve the reliability and efficiency of decision making. In order to simulate the decision-making environment more realistically, the drift motion of green tide is considered in this model. Two intelligent algorithms, the Genetic Algorithm (GA) and the improved Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II (IMNSGA-II), are used to solve the model and find appropriate emergency disposal plans. Finally, a case study on the green tide disaster that occurred in Qingdao (Yellow Sea, China) is conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness and optimization of the proposed model. Through the model proposed in this paper, the overall response time and cost can be reduced in green tide disaster emergency operations.
Assessment of Ship Fuel Consumption for Different Hull Roughness in Realistic Weather Conditions
Authors: Tadros Mina , Vettor Roberto , Ventura Manuel , Guedes Soares C.
Published: December 2022

This paper presents the effect of hull roughness over 10 years of operation on ship performance. The numerical model is developed by coupling NavCad and Matlab to perform the computation and the data processing. On the basis of a given hull, an engine, and an optimized propeller, the performance of the ship is computed for eight cases of hull roughness according to the ITTC recommendations in both calm waters and different weather conditions along the ship route. The effect of both wind and waves is considered for computing the added ship resistance along the route, thus requiring more power than just only the added resistance in waves. This provides a more accurate estimation of the ship’s performance along the different sea states. Lastly, a weighted average of the main ship parameters is estimated to evaluate better the ship’s performance. According to this study, the fuel consumption in calm water can be increased by around 20% after 10 years of ship operation based on the level of hull roughness. However, in the same weather conditions along the ship route, the ship’s fuel consumption can be increased by 10% compared to the same trip with a clean hull.
An Evaluation of Marine Renewable Energy Resources Complementarity in the Portuguese Nearshore
Authors: Onea Florin , Rusu Eugen
Published: December 2022

The Portuguese nearshore represents a suitable environment for the development of marine energy farms, with recent progress being related to the implementation of the first commercial wave farm or a large scale floating wind project. At the same time, there is also high solar power in this area that can be extracted; in the near future, the rapid development of floating solar projects all over the world is expected. In this context, the aim of the present work is to identify the complementarity between solar, wind and wave resources based on 10 years of ERA5 data (from 2012 to 2021). The results are provided mainly in terms of spatial maps. The analysis shows that solar and wind power are more significant in the southern part of this region, indicating for each resource an average value of 223 W/m2 for solar and 660 W/m2 for wind. On the other hand, the wave power gradually decreases from north to south, with an average value of 10 kW/m being expected at a distance of 50 km from the shoreline. In terms of complementarity, two scenarios were considered (mild and restrictive), the difference between them being estimated to be around 10%. Several dimensionless indices were defined in order to highlight the correlation between solar, wind and wave conditions, which may be considered as an element of novelty for the target area. In general, higher values (0.5) were noted in the case of the wind-wave and wave-solar combinations, excepting the southern part of Portugal (Algarve) where particular conditions were noted. Finally, the expected power outputs from some relevant technologies were also estimated, including a new concept of the wave energy generator designed for the WindFloat platform. Compared to the solar and wind systems, the performance of the selected wave generation system was quite low, suggesting that other types of wave energy converters would be more appropriate at this moment in the coastal area targeted. Finally, we need to mention that the idea of using multiple resources from a single marine site is an attractive one, while the methodology dedicated to this topic will continuously improve as new technological solutions emerge.
An Approach to Accurate Ship Image Recognition in a Complex Maritime Transportation Environment
Authors: Yu Meng , Han Shaojie , Wang Tengfei , Wang Haiyan
Published: December 2022

In order to monitor traffic in congested waters, permanent video stations are now commonly used on interior riverbank bases. It is frequently challenging to identify ships properly and effectively in such images because of the intricate backdrop scenery and overlap between ships brought on by the fixed camera location. This work proposes Ship R-CNN(SR-CNN), a Faster R-CNN-based ship target identification algorithm with improved feature fusion and non-maximum suppression (NMS). The SR-CNN approach can produce more accurate target prediction frames for prediction frames with distance intersection over union (DIOU) larger than a specific threshold in the same class weighted by confidence scores, which can enhance the model’s detection ability in ship-dense conditions. The SR-CNN approach in NMS replaces the intersection over union (IOU) filtering criterion, which solely takes into account the overlap of prediction frames, while DIOU, also takes into account the centroid distance. The screening procedure in NMS, which is based on a greedy method, is then improved by the SR-CNN technique by including a confidence decay function. In order to generate more precise target prediction frames and enhance the model’s detection performance in ship-dense scenarios, the proposed SR-CNN technique weights prediction frames in the same class with DIOU greater than a predetermined threshold by the confidence score. Additionally, the SR-CNN methodology uses two feature weighting methods based on the channel domain attention mechanism and regularized weights to provide a more appropriate feature fusion for the issue of a difficult ship from background differentiation in busy waters. By gathering images of ship monitoring, a ship dataset is created to conduct comparative testing. The experimental results demonstrate that, when compared to the three traditional two-stage target detection algorithms Faster R-CNN, Cascade R-CNN, and Libra R-CNN, this paper’s algorithm Ship R-CNN can effectively identify ship targets in the complex background of far-shore scenes where the distinction between the complex background and the ship targets is low. The suggested approach can enhance detection and decrease misses for small ship targets where it is challenging to distinguish between ship targets and complex background objects in a far-shore setting.
Speleothems and Biomineralization Processes in Hot Spring Environment: The Case of Aedipsos (Edipsos), Euboea (Evia) Island, Greece
Authors: Kanellopoulos Christos , Lamprinou Vasiliki , Politi Artemis , Voudouris Panagiotis , Iliopoulos Ioannis , Kokkaliari Maria , Moforis Leonidas , Economou-Amilli Athena
Published: December 2022

Caves with hot springs and speleothem deposits are infrequent environments of high scientific interest due to their unique environmental conditions. The selected site is a small open cave with a hot spring and stalactites in the Aedipsos area (NW Euboea Island, Greece), which was studied through an interdisciplinary approach. The mineralogical composition of the speleothems was determined by optical microscopy, XRD, and SEM-EDS microanalysis, and identification of the Cyanobacteria species was made based on morphological characteristics. The main mineral phase in the studied samples is calcite, with several trace elements (i.e., up to 0.48 wt.% Na2O, up to 0.73 wt.% MgO, up to 4.19 wt.% SO3, up to 0.16 wt.% SrO and up to 2.21 wt.% Yb2O3) in the mineral-chemistry composition. The dominant facies are lamination and shrubs, which are the most common among the facies of the thermogenic travertines of the area. Based on the studied stalactites, twenty-nine different Cyanobacteria species were identified, belonging to the following orders: Synechococcales (28%), Oscillatoriales (27%), Chroococcales (21%) and Nostocales (21%), and Spirulinales (3%). Among them, thermophilic species (Spirulina subtilissima) and limestone substrate species (Chroococcus lithophilus, Leptolyngbya perforans, and Leptolyngbya ercegovicii) were identified. The identified Cyanobacteria were found to participate in biomineralization processes. The most characteristic biomineralization activity is made by the endolithic Cyanobacteria destroying calcite crystals in the outer layer. In a few cases, calcified cyanobacterial sheaths were detected. The presence of filamentous Cyanobacteria, along with extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), creates a dense net resulting in the retention of calcium carbonate crystals.
Tumor Suppressive Role of the PRELP Gene in Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Dozen Ai , Shozu Kanto , Shinkai Norio , Ikawa Noriko , Aoyama Rina , Machino Hidenori , Asada Ken , Yoshida Hiroshi , Kato Tomoyasu , Hamamoto Ryuji , Kaneko Syuzo , Komatsu Masaaki
Published: December 2022

Ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) has a poor prognosis, and its therapeutic strategy has not been established. PRELP is a leucine-rich repeat protein in the extracellular matrix of connective tissues. Although PRELP anchors the basement membrane to the connective tissue and is absent in most epithelial cancers, much remains unknown regarding its function as a regulator of ligand-mediated signaling pathways. Here, we obtained sets of differentially expressed genes by PRELP expression using OCCC cell lines. We found that more than 1000 genes were significantly altered by PRELP expression, particularly affecting the expression of a group of genes involved in the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. Furthermore, we revealed the loss of active histone marks on the loci of the PRELP gene in patients with OCCC and how its forced expression inhibited cell proliferation. These findings suggest that PRELP is not only a molecule anchored in connective tissues but is also a signaling molecule acting in a tumor-suppressive manner. It can serve as the basis for early detection and novel therapeutic approaches for OCCC toward precision medicine.
Admissions to the Emergency Department Due to Atrial Fibrillation/Atrial Flutter Incidents during the Third Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Chourasia Goutam , Zyśko Dorota , Wizowska Joanna , Wróblewski Paweł , Madziarska Katarzyna , Wróbel Kacper , Timler Wojciech , Kozłowski Remigiusz , Marczak Michał , Timler Dariusz
Published: December 2022

(1) Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection increases the risk of atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF/AFL) incident. The study aimed to present the characteristics of admissions to the emergency department (ED) due to AF/AFL incidents during the third COVID-19 pandemic wave. (2) Methods: A retrospective analysis of the medical records of the ED patients: 8399 during 3 months of the second and 11,144 during the 3 months of the third pandemic wave. (3) Results: SARS-CoV-2 positive patients there were 295 (3.5%) during the second wave and 692 (6.2%) during the third wave (p < 0.001). Among patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, there were 44 (14.9%) patients with known AF/AFL during the second wave and 75 (10.8%) during the third wave, respectively (0.07). There were 116 visits with a diagnosis of AF/AFL incident during the third wave (study group) and 76 visits during the second wave (control group). The SARS-CoV-2 test was positive in 11 (9.5%) visits in the study group and in 1 (1.3%) visit in the control group p = 0.047. During the third wave, the patients with AF/AFL incidents with positive tests were older and more often had new-onset AF/AFL than those with negative tests: 76.3 (13.2) years vs. 71.8 (12.6) years; and 4 (36.4%) patients vs. 7 (7.6%) patients, respectively. (5) Conclusions: During the third pandemic wave, the number of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection increased in comparison to the second wave. Additionally, among patients with AF/AFL incidents, the percentage of SARS-CoV-2-positive patients increased. During the third wave, the patients with positive tests and AF/AFL incident were older and more often had new-onset AF/AFL than those with AF/AFL incident and negative test which indicate the arrhythmogenic effect at the onset of the disease, especially in the older population.
IGFBP2 Drives Regulatory T Cell Differentiation through STAT3/IDO Signaling Pathway in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Sun Longhao , Zhang Yang , Yang Tiantian , Chen Junhang , Zhang Xuebin , Liang Xiaoyu
Published: December 2022

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) represents one of the deadliest malignancies. Elevated regulatory T cell (Treg) infiltration has a potent immunosuppressive function in tumor biology, which contributes to low survival in PDAC. Nonetheless, the crosstalk between malignant cells and tumor-infiltrating Tregs in PDAC is not well understood. Here, clinical data demonstrates that the insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGFBP2) is associated with Treg accumulation in the microenvironment of PDAC in humans. Additionally, IGFBP2 increases Treg infiltration in the tumor microenvironment and promotes disease progression in mouse PDAC. Bioinformatic analysis and mechanistic assessment reveals IGFBP2 upregulated indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) by activating signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling in PDAC cells, thus inducing Treg differentiation and an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. These findings provide mechanistic insights into an important molecular pathway that promotes an immunosuppressive microenvironment, which suggests the IGFBP2 axis as a potential target for improved immune response in PDAC.
Landscape of Druggable Molecular Pathways Downstream of Genomic CDH1/Cadherin-1 Alterations in Gastric Cancer
Authors: Malpeli Giorgio , Barbi Stefano , Innamorati Giulio , Alloggio Mariella , Filippini Federica , Decimo Ilaria , Castelli Claudia , Perris Roberto , Bencivenga Maria
Published: December 2022

Loss of CDH1/Cadherin-1 is a common step towards the acquisition of an abnormal epithelial phenotype. In gastric cancer (GC), mutation and/or downregulation of CDH1/Cadherin-1 is recurrent in sporadic and hereditary diffuse GC type. To approach the molecular events downstream of CDH1/Cadherin-1 alterations and their relevance in gastric carcinogenesis, we queried public databases for genetic and DNA methylation data in search of molecular signatures with a still-uncertain role in the pathological mechanism of GC. In all GC subtypes, modulated genes correlating with CDH1/Cadherin-1 aberrations are associated with stem cell and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition pathways. A higher level of genes upregulated in CDH1-mutated GC cases is associated with reduced overall survival. In the diffuse GC (DGC) subtype, genes downregulated in CDH1-mutated compared to cases with wild type CDH1/Cadherin-1 resulted in being strongly intertwined with the DREAM complex. The inverse correlation between hypermethylated CpGs and CDH1/Cadherin-1 transcription in diverse subtypes implies a common epigenetic program. We identified nonredundant protein-encoding isoforms of 22 genes among those differentially expressed in GC compared to normal stomach. These unique proteins represent potential agents involved in cell transformation and candidate therapeutic targets. Meanwhile, drug-induced and CDH1/Cadherin-1 mutation-related gene expression comparison predicts FIT, GR-127935 hydrochloride, amiodarone hydrochloride in GC and BRD-K55722623, BRD-K13169950, and AY 9944 in DGC as the most effective treatments, providing cues for the design of combined pharmacological treatments. By integrating genetic and epigenetic aspects with their expected functional outcome, we unveiled promising targets for combinatorial pharmacological treatments of GC.
Serum Uric Acid but Not Ferritin Level Is Associated with Hepatic Fibrosis in Lean Subjects with Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease: A Community-Based Study
Authors: Xie Cheng-Han , Chen Li-Wei , Lin Chih-Lang , Hu Ching-Chih , Chien Cheng-Hung
Published: December 2022

Elevated serum ferritin and uric acid levels are common in patients with fatty liver disease. This study assessed the association between serum ferritin and uric acid levels and liver fibrosis in subjects with lean metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). This cross-sectional study used data from a community screening examination for metabolic syndrome from December 2018 to September 2019 at Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. Subjects with lean MAFLD were defined as those with a body mass index (BMI) < 23 kg/m2 and hepatic steatosis according to the MAFLD criteria. A total of 182 lean subjects were included and were divided into lean MAFLD and lean healthy groups. Serum ferritin and uric acid concentrations were positively correlated with liver fibrosis, regardless of whether FIB-4, APRI, or NFS were used as references. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that age and uric acid were associated with advanced liver fibrosis. After adjusting for potential confounders, only uric acid level was statistically significant in predicting the advanced liver fibrosis (OR = 6.907 (1.111–42.94), p = 0.038) in the lean MAFLD group. We found that an elevated serum uric acid level is an independent factor associated with advanced liver fibrosis in lean MAFLD subjects by noninvasive fibrosis scores.