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Abstract Objective The relationship of sagittal spinal shape in the pathogenesis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is recognised. What is not clear is the relationship between the sagittal shape of those without scoliosis and the potential development of AIS, including the greater prevalence in females. The use of a new parameter, the kyphosis–lordosis (KL) difference, was developed to explore this further. Results The KL difference was calculated for 117 males and 79 females over seven years with 831 measures made. For females, the KL difference, between the ages of 9 and 12 ½ years, decreases from 5° to nearly 0° until starting to climb again from the age of 14 years, back to 5° by the age of 16 ½ years. For males, there is a gradual decline from 9° at age 9 years to 5° at age 17 years. Both age and sex were statistically significant in the development of the parameter. When comparing to previously published data around the true, de-rotated, sagittal shape of the scoliotic spine, the KL difference has utility in explaining the female predominance in the prevalence of AIS. This adds to the weight of evidence behind understanding why AIS develops.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is the most prevalent types of scoliosis, affecting up to 3% of children around the world. The progression of AIS can cause alteration in psychological components such as self-perceived body image and self-identity, which negatively affect the teenager quality of life (QoL). The mainly aim of this cross-sectional study is to investigate how mild AIS impacts self-perceived body image in young people. Fifteen participants (mean age = 14.47 ± 2.825) of both sexes (male = 5; female = 10) with a curve magnitude from 10° up to 25° completed the Scoliosis Research Society Patient Questionnaire (SRS-22), the Trunk Appearance Perception Scale (TAPS) and were subject to spinal analysis and photogrammetry. Results display statistical differences between self-perceived body image and other SRS-22 domains (Hotelling t2= 70.29; F(3,12) = 20.08; p < 0.001). Additionally, the regression model, which better explained the self-perceived variability, was fit by function/activity, pain, and mental health domains (F(4,10) = 4.39; p = 0.029; R2 = 0.545). Although AIS was not severe, it negatively affected participants self-perceived body image. More attention in AIS qualify of life is needed, and early treatments could be necessary to prevent psychological impairments self-perception related.

Navigation is a significant part of shipping safety as it directs and delivers the physical mass of commercial assets. In addition to navigation, ship domain is a frequently used navigation safety concept in mariner's terminology. However, the perception of ship domain lacks the terse representation because of multidimensional factors of the sea environment. This study has proposed not only a data-driven ship domain that can be compared with theoretical counterparts to validate navigation safety understanding in open waters but also a unique minimum distance passage representation for ship domain. This study proposes ship domain visualization for ship-ship encounters only in the closest passages rather than all ship trajectories. Results show that ship domain boundaries are consistent with former studies, but such results provide in-depth inference.

Despite success in parts of Southern Africa and Asia, the use of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) has remained low in many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Alongside this, an Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS) framework has been touted as a method to support innovation processes and enable a variety of agricultural innovations to be used by large numbers of farmers. However, very little is known about the linkages/interactions between stakeholders within such AISs and which are deemed important for the AIS to function. This study seeks to understand the perceptions of the agricultural innovation system actors regarding Sustainable Rice Intensification (SRI) usage in Sierra Leone. More specifically, it examines the key actors and their roles, the patterns, and strengths of the linkages among them, as well as the perceptions towards the innovation /potential constraints faced by the actors. The study draws on several workshops and key informant interviews with 49 actors consisting of research and extension professionals from governmental and non-governmental organisations and smallholder farmers involved in the rice innovation system. Using UCINET's NetDraw for social network analysis (SNA) among innovation actors, the study finds a high level of connectedness between key actors – the Ministry of Agriculture, NGOs and farmers. The eigenvector centrality (a measure of influence within a network) was highest among NGOs, the Ministry of Agriculture and farmers respectively, which shows that these actors had the strongest influence within the SRI network. Further exploration of these ties also showed that these actors play a critical role in facilitating knowledge, resources and information flows within the network. Despite a strong level of interaction between actors and positive perceptions of the innovation, SRI usage has been unable to reach scale for a variety of reasons. The key reasons identified include: (i) the lack of interaction across levels (e.g. provincial and local) thereby limiting locally adapted techniques from emerging relevant to all regions; (ii) farmers’ limited technical skills in swamp development; (iii) a lack of funding opportunities (including private sector engagement) and (iv) the perceived labor-intensiveness of SRI techniques. Overall, this research has identified possible entry points for increasing the functioning of the innovation system and a useful methodological approach that can be applied to exploring the effectiveness of agricultural innovation systems. It also highlights the need to engage private sector actors to support the use of agricultural innovations as some services are sometimes beyond the purview of research and extension actors alone. The need for further research is also necessary to deepen the understanding of whether AIS approaches are enhancing farmers’ capacity to innovate or impeding this by encouraging embedded norms related to a transfer of technology model to perpetuate.

Sports are relevant to younger populations in society. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients who undergo surgical correction of the spine are often intensively involved in sports. For that, returning to the sport is often an important concern for the patients and their families. To the best of our knowledge, there is still a lack of scientific data indicating established recommendations about the time of returning to sport activities after surgical spinal correction. The aim of this study was to investigate (1) when AIS patients return to athletic activities after a posterior fusion, and (2) if they change their activities postoperatively. Furthermore, another question was (3) if the length of the performed posterior fusion or (4) fusion to the lower lumbar spine could have an influence on the rates or time of returning to sport activities postoperatively. Data collection was performed using questionnaires assessing patients' contentment and athletic activity. Athletic activities were categorized into three categories: (1) contact, (2) contact/non-contact and (3) non-contact sports. The intensity of exercised sports, the time of returning to the sport and changes in sport habits were documented. Radiographs were evaluated pre- and postoperatively to determine the Cobb angle and the length of the posterior fusion via the identification of the upper (UIV) and lower instrumented vertebra (LIV). Stratification analysis due to the fusion length was performed to answer a hypothetical question. This retrospective survery of 113 AIS patients treated with a posterior fusion revealed that, on average, returning to sport activities required 8 months of postoperative rest. The preoperative to postoperative rate of patients participating in sport activities increased from 88 (78%) to 94 (89%). Furthermore, postoperatively, a relevant shift of exercised activities from contact to non-contact sports was noted. Further subanalysis revealed that only 33 subjects were able to return to exactly the same athletic activities as before surgery (10 months postoperatively). The assessment of radiographs revealed that in this study group, the length of the performed posterior fusion and fusions to the lower lumbar spine had no influence on the time of return to athletic activities. The results of this study might shed some light on postoperative recommendations for sport activities after AIS treatment with a posterior fusion and may be beneficial for surgeons treating patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrocharis laevigata (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Byng & Christenh. [= Limnobium laevigatum (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Heine], Hydrocharitaceae, is a floating-leaf aquatic plant that is native to inland South America. It is an invasive species in several parts of the world. Reports of its presence in Europe have been recently published: naturalised populations occur in three locations on the Iberian Peninsula. The literature also contains records of the species in Hungary and Poland. In addition, it has been observed in Sweden, Belgium, and the Netherlands. H. laevigata is highly adaptable and can profoundly transform habitat conditions in its invasive range, causing major issues for ecosystem conservation and human activities. Until recently, H. laevigata was not to be found in natural environments in Europe. Factors explaining its spread include its use as an ornamental plant, the eutrophication of inland waters, and the effects of global warming. With a focus on Europe, this short communication provides information on the species' distribution, taxonomy, biology, habitat, and negative impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We characterized clinical and imaging phenotypes and their association with clinical outcomes in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) survivors in the understudied region of Costa Rica. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study in AIS patients treated at a tertiary stroke center in Costa Rica from 2011–2015. Participants underwent detailed phenotyping for cardiovascular risk factors and stroke etiology. We assessed the association of ischemic brain lesion features and clinical outcomes using the Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project (OCSP) classification. Results: We included 684 AIS survivors (60.2% males, aged 68.1 ± 13.6 years, mean ± SD). While the cardiovascular risk profiles and mortality rates of our patients were similar to populations in European and North American countries, only 20.2% of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) received anticoagulation. On multivariable analysis, patients with total anterior circulation infarct (TACI) displayed an increased risk of complications (OR: 4.2; 95% CI: 2.2–7.8; p < 0.001), higher mortality (OR: 6.9; 95% CI: 2.9–16.1; p < 0.001) and lower chance of functional independence at discharge (OR: 8.9; 95% CI: 4.1–19; p < 0.001) compared to non-TACI. The comorbidity of bronchopneumonia increased the probability of death by 14.5 times. Conclusions: Our observations in a Costa Rican cohort of AIS survivors might help improve local measures for preventing and managing AIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and its impacts on agriculture have been widely discussed at national and global levels. An important aspect of the discussion has been adaptation/mitigation approaches. Consequently, several strategies have been suggested as measures to ensure agriculture remains productively profitable. However, food security especially in critical times, such as the lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic proved to be a challenge even for regions naturally endowed for agriculture. The study evaluated research recommended strategies, and further examined the innovativeness of the strategies in fostering sustainable agricultural innovation system (AIS) in the Niger Delta. The study relied on both secondary and primary data; analysed 129 previous studies and gathered responses from 282 extension agents. The study introduces a method for assessing the innovativeness of strategies by calculating their rated values on five traits. Findings revealed the issues and implications of adopting most recommended strategies and the place of most strategies in fostering AIS. The study highlights the possible reasons why farmers fail to adopt most strategies as suggested by studies on climate change in the region. Based on the findings, recommendations were made on the way forward. The study adds to the scanty discussion of climate change and AIS at regional levels, particularly in the climate change prone and oil rich Niger Delta region. The study offers a novel approach for scoring innovations in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tenecteplase (TNK) is a promising candidate to replace alteplase as the standard of care for acute ischemic stroke (AIS); however, the optimal dosage is still to be investigated. Therefore, we aim to evaluate the safety and efficacy of TNK versus alteplase and to investigate the optimal TNK dosage. A systematic review, pairwise, and network meta-analysis synthesizing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from WOS, SCOPUS, EMBASE, and PubMed until July 26th, 2022. We used the risk ratio (RR) for dichotomous outcomes presented with the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). We registered our protocol in PROSPERO with ID: CRD42022352038. Nine RCTs with a total of 3,707 patients were included. TNK significantly led to complete recanalization (RR: 1.27 with 95% CI [1.02, 1.57], P = 0.03); however, we found no difference regarding early neurological improvement (RR: 1.07 with 95% CI [0.94, 1.21], P = 0.33) and excellent neurological recovery (RR: 1.03 with 95% CI [0.96, 1.10], P = 0.42). Also, TNK was similar to alteplase regarding mortality (RR: 0.99 with 95% CI [0.82, 1.18], P = 0.88), intracranial haemorrhage (RR: 1.00 with 95% CI [0.85, 1.18], P = 0.99), and parenchymal hematoma (RR: 1.13 with 95% CI [0.83, 1.54], P = 0.44). TNK in the dose of 0.25 mg is a viable candidate to displace alteplase as the standard of care in patients with an AIS within 4.5 h of presentation due to its better rate of early neurological recovery and non-inferiority in terms of safety outcomes. However, the evidence regarding TNK's role in AIS presenting after 4.5 h from symptoms onset, wake-up stroke, and minor stroke/TIA is still lacking, necessitating further double-blinded pragmatic RCTs in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) affects between 0.5% and 5.2% of adolescents and is progressive in two-thirds of cases. Bracing is an effective non-operative treatment for AIS and has been shown to prevent up to 72% of curves from requiring surgery. This paper explores the presentation of AIS in the UK and identifies who would be suitable for bracing, as per guidelines published by the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) and British Scoliosis Society (BSS), through curve severity and skeletal maturity at presentation. There were 526 patients with AIS eligible for inclusion across three tertiary referral centres in the UK. The study period was individualised to each centre, between January 2012 and December 2021. Only 10% were appropriate for bracing via either SRS or BSS criteria. The rest were either too old, skeletally mature or had a curve size too large to benefit. By the end of data collection, 38% had undergone surgery for their scoliosis. In the UK, bracing for AIS is only suitable for a small number at presentation. Future efforts to minimise delays in specialist review and intervention will increase the number of those with AIS suitable for bracing and reduce the number and burden of operative interventions for AIS in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autism spectrum condition or 'autism' is associated with numerous genetic risk factors including the polygenic 16p11.2 microdeletion. The balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the cerebral cortex is hypothesised to be critical for the aetiology of autism making improved understanding of how risk factors impact on the development of these cells an important area of research. In the current study we aim to combine bioinformatics analysis of human foetal cerebral cortex gene expression data with anatomical and electrophysiological analysis of a 16p11.2+/- rat model to investigate how genetic risk factors impact on inhibitory neuron development. Methods: We performed bioinformatics analysis of single cell transcriptomes from gestational week (GW) 8–26 human foetal prefrontal cortex and anatomical and electrophysiological analysis of 16p11.2+/- rat cerebral cortex and hippocampus at post-natal day (P) 21. Results: We identified a subset of human interneurons (INs) first appearing at GW23 with enriched expression of a large fraction of risk factor transcripts including those expressed from the 16p11.2 locus. This suggests the hypothesis that these foetal INs are vulnerable to mutations causing autism. We investigated this in a rat model of the 16p11.2 microdeletion. We found no change in the numbers or position of either excitatory or inhibitory neurons in the somatosensory cortex or CA1 of 16p11.2+/- rats but found that CA1 Sst INs were hyperexcitable with an enlarged axon initial segment, which was not the case for CA1 pyramidal cells. Limitations: The human foetal gene expression data was acquired from cerebral cortex between gestational week (GW) 8 to 26. We cannot draw inferences about potential vulnerabilities to genetic autism risk factors for cells not present in the developing cerebral cortex at these stages. The analysis 16p11.2+/- rat phenotypes reported in the current study was restricted to 3-week old (P21) animals around the time of weaning and to a single interneuron cell-type while in human 16p11.2 microdeletion carriers symptoms likely involve multiple cell types and manifest in the first few years of life and on into adulthood. Conclusions: We have identified developing interneurons in human foetal cerebral cortex as potentially vulnerable to monogenic autism risk factors and the 16p11.2 microdeletion and report interneuron phenotypes in post-natal 16p11.2+/- rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is believed to be caused by genetic, neurological, osseous growth anomalies, histological variables including muscle fiber percentage and core structure changes, metabolic and hormonal dysfunction, vestibular dysfunction, and platelet microarchitecture. The objective of this study was to contribute to the determination of the cause of AIS by analyzing the changes in pineal gland volume in AIS cases. Methods: Study (AIS) and control group were each comprised of 26 patients who met the inclusion requirements. Scoliosis radiograph and MRI of the pineal glands were used for radiological examinations. The distribution of age, gender, Risser grading for skeletal radiological development, and sexual maturation according to Tanner categorization were uniform and statistically insignificant between groups. Results: When the pineal gland volumes of the cases were evaluated according to age, the AIS group was found to have significantly reduced pineal gland volumes in all age groups. The pineal gland volume was found to be 38.1% lower in the AIS group compared to the control group (p˂0.001). In the AIS group, patients aged 13 years had the lowest pineal gland volume (77.2 ± 13.86 mm3), while patients aged 15 years had the highest volume (97.9 ± 16.47 mm3). Conclusion: Changes in pineal gland volume support the role of the pineal gland in the etiopathogenesis of AIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Design.: Retrospective cohort study. Objective.: To assess if initial adherence to prescribed brace wear for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) predicts future adherence and curve improvement. Summary of Background Data.: AIS bracing can be effective if patients adhere to prescribed brace wear. Previous research has associated age, sex, and brace prescription length with future adherence. We hypothesize that a patient's initial adherence to brace wear may be associated with future adherence and outcomes. Materials and Methods.: Consecutive AIS patients who met the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) criteria for bracing from 2015 to 2019 at a single center were reviewed. Patients were stratified into groups based on their adherence during the initial one-month brace wean-in period—adherent patients were defined as wearing the brace >80% of the daily prescribed amount. Brace wear was recorded by a thermosensor and assessed during the wean-in period, six-, 12-, and 24-month postbracing appointments. Statistical testing was conducted to analyze if initial adherence was associated with future adherence, curve change, and bracing success —defined as reaching Risser stage 4 with a Cobb angle <40°. Results.: Sixty patients (mean age=12.5 yr) were included, of which the majority were females (83%) with thoracic curves (70%). Thirty-two patients were considered adherent, and this cohort demonstrated improved adherence relative to the nonadherent group at the six-, 12-, and 24-month appointments (P <0.001). Adherent patients also showed a significant reduction in their scoliosis at the 12-month appointment, unlike nonadherent patients (P <0.001). Ninety-seven percent of adherent patients achieved bracing success compared with 71% of nonadherent (P =0.016). Females were more likely to be adherent than males. Conclusions.: Initial adherence to prescribed AIS brace wear was associated with future adherence, bracing success, and curve improvement. Early recognition of nonadherence may offer an opportunity for supportive intervention to improve brace wear behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the factors influencing the usage of cloud-based accounting information systems (AIS) in the crisis era (i.e. the COVID-19 pandemic) by expanding the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) with new related critical factors. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative research approach based on a cross-sectional online questionnaire was used for collecting empirical data from 438 potential and current users of cloud-based AIS. Structural equation modeling based on analysis of a moment structures 25.0 was applied in the data analysis. Findings: The outcome of the structural path revealed that performance expectancy, social motivation, COVID-19 risk (COV-19 PR) and trust (TR) were significantly influencing users' behavioral intention (BI) toward using cloud-based AIS and explained 71% of its variance. While, contrary to what is expected, the impact of effort expectancy and perceived security risk (SEC) on BI was insignificant. In addition, BI was revealed to influence the actual usage behaviors and explained 74% of its variance. The outcome factors: communication quality (CQ) and decision quality (DQ) were significantly influenced by the usage of cloud-based AIS. Practical implications: The current research would be valuable for small- and medium-sized enterprises officials and policymakers to illustrate the relatively low rates of cloud-based AIS and formulate strategies to boost the acceptance and use of cloud-based AIS by Jordanian users, where cloud-based services are still deemed as an innovation. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, the current study is the first academic paper that extends the UTAUT by integrating additional factors: TR, SEC and COV-19 PR. In addition to two outcome variables: CQ and DQ, to study the cloud-based AIS in the Jordanian setting beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The current research contributes to the academic knowledge on information technology information system adoption by considering cloud accounting acceptance and use and integration into the work practices of users through the BIs and actual use of cloud-based AIS in Jordan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Shipping impacts are a major environmental concern that can affect the behaviour and health of marine mammals and fishes. The potential impacts of shipping within marine parks is rarely considered during the planning process. Aims: We assessed the areal disturbance footprint of shipping around Australia, its overlap with marine parks, and known locations of megafauna, so as to identify areas of concern that warrant further investigation. Methods: Automatic Identification System (AIS) shipping data from 2018 to 2021 were interpreted through a kernel-density distribution and compared with satellite data from ∼200 individuals of megafauna amalgamated from 2003 to 2018, and the locations of marine parks. Key results: Over 18% of marine parks had shipping exposure in excess of 365 vessels per year. Around all of Australia, 39% of satellite-tag reports from whale shark and 36.7% of pygmy blue and humpback whale satellite-tag reports were in moderate shipping-exposure areas (>90 ships per year). Shipping exposure significantly increased from 2018 despite the pandemic, including within marine parks. Conclusions: These results highlight the wide-scale footprint of commercial shipping on marine ecosystems that may be increasing in intensity over time. Implications: Consideration should be made for assessing and potentially limiting shipping impacts along migration routes and within marine parks. We assessed areal extent and frequency of shipping in Australian waters, and how that pattern relates to the distribution of marine parks, and satellite tracked whale sharks and baleen whales. Nearly 30% of marine parks were exposed to daily shipping effects across 100% of their area, and ∼25% of tag records of whales and whale sharks were in exposed areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ships, sailing in favorable wind or obstructed by wind, will operate with different output power of the engines, and the exhaust emissions will be different even though the ships are sailing at the same ground speed. In this study, the influence of wind was taken into consideration; the ship emission inventory (0.025° × 0.025°) in China of a full year (2014) was reassessed. A speed modification model was employed to figure out the actual output speed of ships by integrating AIS data and the hourly wind. The Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model was applied to predict the hourly real‐time wind field. The spatial and temporal changes in emissions between the results calculated by the proposed method and our previous study were presented. Overall, when considering the influence of wind, the total ship emissions for the year would increase. In this study, the total estimated emissions of SO2, NOx, PM10, PM2.5, HC, and CO in the area were 1.286 × 106, 2.583 × 106, 2.135× 105, 1.967 × 105, 1.522 × 105, and 3.053 × 105 t(metric tons) in 2014, respectively. Under the influence of wind, the proportion of the regions' emissions to the total was close to that of the previous study. For SO2 and NOx, emissions presented significant monthly variations. On a monthly timescale, the difference in emissions was more obvious between the results considering and not considering the wind, relative to that on a yearly basis. This study adjusted the method of ship emission estimation, which modified the ship emission inventory over an hourly timescale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vessel motion simulation as well as model-based accurate trajectory prediction of vessels require accurate models with respect to related dynamic properties. The ability to predict vessel's trajectory behaviors will become relevant in the case of future autonomous navigation of vessels to predict the behavior of others. The definition of models or parameters can be realized via first principles or by using experimental modeling methods leading to a time invariant or variant model. Existing hydrodynamical modeling approaches are based on mathematical approaches, which use parameters like mass, hydrodynamic forces, wind velocity, depth under the keel, loading parameters, etc. So, determining a dynamic vessel's model is a complex task, since the model is vessel-specific. For collision avoidance of autonomous or assisted vessels, the trajectory prediction of encountering other vessels is especially required. It is not possible to use complex hydrodynamical models of encountering vessels online due to missing required information/measurements. Even existing deep learning approaches provide better predictions, but are still insufficient for collision avoidance in the case of strong dynamical changes, since the considered input sequences are long. Due to long input sequences, the model does not adapt to strong dynamical changes. In this work, a simple parameter-based approach is developed to predict the intended behavior using the last seconds of the measured position variables. The idea is to globally identify the model parameters of the vessel, which remains constant for the situation, and additionally two parameters for local adaptation, which adapt at every updated input sequence. Typically parameters like rudder angle, wind velocities, and water current affect the behavior of vessels. The introduced approach works with a sliding window approach for which, after identification of the global system, local values are identified based on the last 80 measurements of the vessels. A trajectory prediction (assuming no additional rudder-based maneuvering) is realized for the prediction horizon of 180 s. To confirm the robustness of the new approach, real AIS/GPS-based measurements from a German research inland vessel for different scenarios and sailing conditions including 'loaded' and 'empty' sailing cases are used. Furthermore, additional results are shown for position data information of different sample rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognition and understanding of ship motion patterns have excellent application value for ship navigation and maritime supervision, i.e., route planning and maritime risk assessment. This paper proposes a semantic recognition method for ship motion patterns entering and leavingport based on a probabilistic topic model. The method enables the discovery of ship motion patterns from a large amount of trajectory data in an unsupervised manner and makes the results more interpretable. The method includes three modules: trajectory preprocessing, semantic process, and knowledge discovery. Firstly, based on the activity types and characteristics of ships in the harbor waters, we propose a multi-criteria ship motion state recognition and voyage division algorithm (McSMSRVD), and ship trajectory is divided into three sub-trajectories: hoteling, maneuvering, and normal-speed sailing. Secondly, considering the influence of port traffic rules on ship motion, the semantic transformation and enrichment of port traffic rules and ship location, course, and speed are combined to construct the trajectory text document. Ship motion patterns hidden in the trajectory document set are recognized using the Latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) topic model. Meanwhile, topic coherence and topic correlation metrics are introduced to optimize the number of topics. Thirdly, a visualization platform based on ArcGIS and Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) is designed to analyze the knowledge of ship motion patterns. Finally, the Tianjin port in northern China is used as the experimental object, and the results show that the method is able to identify 17 representative inbound and outbound motion patterns from AIS data and discover the ship motion details in each pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral multimodality monitoring (MMM) is, even with a general lack of Class I evidence, increasingly recognized as a tool to support clinical decision-making in the neuroscience intensive care unit (NICU). However, literature and guidelines have focused on unimodal signals in a specific form of acute brain injury. Integrating unimodal signals in multiple signal monitoring is the next step for clinical studies and patient care. As such, we aimed to investigate the recent application of MMM in studies of adult patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), acute ischemic stroke (AIS), and hypoxic ischemic brain injury following cardiac arrest (HIBI). We identified continuous or daily updated monitoring modalities and summarized the monitoring setting, study setting, and clinical characteristics. In addition, we discussed clinical outcome in intervention studies. We identified 112 MMM studies, including 11 modalities, over the last 7 years (2015-2022). Fifty-eight studies (52%) applied only two modalities. Most frequently combined were ICP monitoring (92 studies (82%)) together with PbtO2 (63 studies (56%). Most studies included patients with TBI (59 studies) or SAH (53 studies). The enrollment period of 34 studies (30%) took more than 5 years, whereas the median sample size was only 36 patients (q1-q3, 20-74). We classified studies as either observational (68 studies) or interventional (44 studies). The interventions were subclassified as systemic (24 studies), cerebral (10 studies), and interventions guided by MMM (11 studies). We identified 20 different systemic or cerebral interventions. Nine (9/11, 82%) of the MMM-guided studies included clinical outcome as an endpoint. In 78% (7/9) of these MMM-guided intervention studies, a significant improvement in outcome was demonstrated in favor of interventions guided by MMM. Clinical outcome may be improved with interventions guided by MMM. This strengthens the belief in this application, but further interdisciplinary collaborations are needed to overcome the heterogeneity, as illustrated in the present review. Future research should focus on increasing sample sizes, improved data collection, refining definitions of secondary injuries, and standardized interventions. Only then can we proceed with complex outcome studies with MMM-guided treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The axon initial segment (AIS) is a highly specialized compartment in neurons that resides in between axonal and somatodendritic domains. The localization of the AIS in the proximal part of the axon is essential for its two major functions: generating and modulating action potentials and maintaining neuron polarity. Recent findings revealed that the incredibly stable AIS is generated from highly dynamic components and can undergo extensive structural and functional changes in response to alterations in activity levels. These activity-dependent alterations of AIS structure and function have profound consequences for neuronal functioning, and AIS plasticity has emerged as a key regulator of network homeostasis. This review highlights the functions of the AIS, its architecture, and how its organization and remodeling are influenced by developmental plasticity and both acute and chronic adaptations. It also discusses the mechanisms underlying these processes and explores how dysregulated AIS plasticity may contribute to brain disorders., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests C.C.H. is an employee of Genentech, Inc., a member of the Roche group., (Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a three-dimensional spine deformity governed of the spine. A child's Risser stage of skeletal maturity must be carefully considered for AIS evaluation and treatment. However, there are intra-observer and inter-observer inaccuracies in the Risser stage manual assessment. A multi-task learning approach is proposed to address the low precision issue of manual assessment. With our developed multi-task learning approach, the iliac area is extracted and forwarded to the improved Swin Transformer for Risser stage assessment. The spatial and channel reconstruction convolutional Swin block is adapted to each stage of the Swin Transformer to achieve better performance. The Risser stage assessment based on iliac region extraction had an overall accuracy of 81.53%. The accuracy increased in comparison to ResNet50, ResNet101, Uni-former, Next-ViT, ConvNeXt, and the original Swin Transformer by 5.85%, 4.6%, 3.6%, 2.7%, 2.25%, and 1.8%, respectively. The Grad-CAM visualization is used to understand the interpretability of our proposed model. The results show that the proposed multi-task learning strategy performs well on the Risser stage assessment. Our proposed automatic Risser stage assessment method benefits the clinical evaluation of AIS. Project address: https://github.com/xyz911015/Risser-stage-assessment., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval: This work has been approved by The Committee on Human Subject Research and Ethics, Yunnan University. The approval number is YNUHM2024001. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering.)

To evaluate and compare the effectiveness of prediction models for Argentine squid Illex argentinus trawling grounds in the Southwest Atlantic high seas based on vessel position and fishing log data, this study used AIS datasets and fishing log datasets from fishing seasons spanning 2019-2024 (December to June each year). Using a spatial resolution of 0.1° × 0.1° and a monthly temporal resolution, we constructed two datasets-one based on vessel positions and the other on fishing logs. Fishing ground levels were defined according to the density of fishing locations, and combined with oceanographic data (sea surface temperature, 50 m water temperature, sea surface salinity, sea surface height, and mixed layer depth). A CNN-Attention deep learning model was applied to each dataset to develop Illex argentinus trawling ground prediction models. Model accuracy was then compared and potential causes for differences were analyzed. Results showed that the vessel position-based model had a higher accuracy (Accuracy = 0.813) and lower loss rate (Loss = 0.407) than the fishing log-based model (Accuracy = 0.727, Loss = 0.513). The vessel-based model achieved a prediction accuracy of 0.763 on the 2024 test set, while the fishing log-based model reached an accuracy of 0.712, slightly lower than the former, indicating the high accuracy and unique advantages of the vessel position-based model in predicting fishing grounds. Using CPUE from fishing logs as a reference, we found that the vessel position-based model performed well from January to April, whereas the CPUE-based model consistently maintained good accuracy across all months. The 2024 fishing season predictions indicated the formation of primary fishing grounds as early as January 2023, initially near the 46° S line of the Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone, with grounds shifting southeastward from March onward and reaching around 42° S by May and June. This study confirms the reliability of vessel position data in identifying fishing ground information and levels, with higher accuracy in some months compared to the fishing log-based model, thereby reducing the data lag associated with fishing logs, which are typically available a year later. Additionally, national-level fishing log data are often confidential, limiting the ability to fully consider fishing activities across the entire fishing ground region, a limitation effectively addressed by AIS vessel position data. While vessel data reflects daily catch volumes across vessels without distinguishing CPUE by species, log data provide a detailed daily CPUE breakdown by species (e.g., Illex argentinus ). This distinction resulted in lower accuracy for vessel-based predictions in December 2023 and May-June 2024, suggesting the need to incorporate fishing log data for more precise assessments of fishing ground levels or resource abundance during those months. Given the near-real-time nature of vessel position data, fishing ground dynamics can be monitored in near real time. The successful development of vessel position-based prediction models aids enterprises in reducing fuel and time costs associated with indiscriminate squid searches, enhancing trawling efficiency. Additionally, such models support quota management in global fisheries by optimizing resource use, reducing fishing time, and consequently lowering carbon emissions and environmental impact, while promoting marine environmental protection in the Southwest Atlantic high seas.

Background: The Prickle2 (Pk2) gene shows promising potential in uncovering the underlying causes of epilepsy, a neurological disorder that is currently not well understood. This paper utilizes the online tool PubMed to gather and condense information on the involvement of PCP channels and the associated roles of PCP pathway molecules in the onset of epilepsy. These findings are significant for advancing epilepsy treatment. Additionally, the paper discusses future directions for clinical trials and outlines potential therapeutic targets., Methods: This review systematically analyzes the biological functions and mechanisms of the Prickle2 gene in epilepsy. Studies were retrieved from PubMed using keywords such as "Prickle2," "epilepsy," and "PCP pathway," focusing on research published between 2000 and 2023 in English. Inclusion criteria included original studies and reviews on Prickle2's role in epilepsy. Studies unrelated to these topics or lacking sufficient data were excluded. Key data on Prickle2's functions and its link to epilepsy were extracted, and findings were summarized after a quality assessment of the literature., Results: Although there are currently conflicting results regarding the possibility that Prickle2 may cause epilepsy in different organisms, we believe that as more cases involving Prickle2 mutations are reported and more related animal experiments are conducted, the findings will become clearer., Conclusion: Due to the biological functions and mechanisms associated with the Prickle2 protein, it may serve as a useful biomarker or potential therapeutic target for epilepsy treatment., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Objectives: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a 3-dimensional spinal deformity involving lateral curvature, sagittal plane imbalance, and vertebral rotation. In China, AIS affects over 3 million individuals, with 300,000 new cases annually. AIS impacts physical and psychological well-being, necessitating tailored treatment plans based on growth risk factors. This study evaluates the consistency of ultrasound and X-ray assessments of the Risser sign in AIS patients and explores correlations between iliac crest distance and pelvic rotation degree., Methods: This prospective study enrolled 80 patients diagnosed with AIS from June to September 2023 at Changzhou Sports Hospital. Eligible participants were aged 10-18 with a Cobb angle >10°. Ultrasonographic examinations were conducted by 3 experienced physicians using the VINNO V10 portable ultrasound system. The primary outcome was the Risser stage determined by X-ray and ultrasound, with secondary outcomes including thoracic and thoracic-lumbar segment rotation angles. Statistical analyses included kappa statistics, correlation analyses, and multiple regression., Results: Among the 77 valid cases, 154 iliac wings were evaluated, with a high concordance rate of 77% between ultrasound and X-ray assessments. kappa values for left and right iliac crests were 0.723 and 0.808, respectively. Grouping Risser grades (0-1, 2-3, and 4-5) into 3 categories yielded kappa values of 0.93, 0.96, and 0.93, indicating high consistency. Significant correlations were found between iliac crest distances and rotation angles (left iliac crest distance and left thoracic rotation angle, r = 0.56, P < .001; right iliac crest distance and right thoracic-lumbar rotation angle, r = 0.69, P < .001; right iliac crest distance and right thoracic rotation angle, r = 0.39, P < .01)., Conclusions: Ultrasound is a reliable, radiation-free alternative to X-ray for assessing the Risser sign in AIS patients. Despite observed inconsistencies in intermediate Risser grades, ultrasound's ability to reduce radiation exposure and provide consistent results makes it a valuable tool in clinical practice. Further research is needed to optimize ultrasound techniques and explore its potential for early detection and intervention in scoliosis management., (© 2024 American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.)

This study aimed to validate the predictive performance of ASTRAL and THRIVE scales when used for patients aged 60 years and older with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT). All enrolled patients received IVT therapy. The enrolled patients were divided into two groups in accordance with the modified Rankin scale(mRS) score at the time of discharge: good-outcome (mRS ≤ 2) and poor-outcome (mRS ≥ 3) groups. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted using MedCalc software, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was calculated. The Delong test was used to compare the predictive performance of ASTRAL and THRIVE scales, with P < 0.05 being considered a statistically significant difference. The AUCs of ASTRAL and THRIVE in predicting poor outcomes after thrombolysis in elderly patients with AIS were 0.771 and 0.701, respectively. The difference in AUC between ASTRAL and THRIVE was 0.070, and a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) was found. ASTRAL's predictive performance was better than that of THRIVE. ASTRAL is a reliable predictive tool for assessing the poor outcome of IVT therapy for elderly patients aged ≥ 60 years with AIS., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: No., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Objectives: Opioids are common medications used following spine surgery. However, few studies have assessed the impact of increased inpatient-opioid consumption on outcomes following posterior spinal fusion (PSF) for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). The aim of this study was to determine the impact of increased inpatient-opioid consumption on hospital length of stay (LOS) following PSF for AIS., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed using the Premier Healthcare Database (2016-2017). Adolescent patients (11-17 years old) who underwent PSF for AIS, identified using ICD-10-CM coding, were stratified by inpatient MME (morphine milligram equivalent) consumption into Low (< 25th percentile for the cohort), Medium (25-75th percentile), and High (> 75th percentile) cohorts. Demographics, comorbidities, intraoperative procedures, perioperative adverse events (AEs), length of hospital stay (LOS), non-routine discharge rates, cost of admission, and 30-day readmission rates were assessed. A logistic multivariate regression analysis was performed to determine the association between inpatient MME consumption and extended LOS., Results: Of the 1042 study patients, 260 (24.9%) had Low-MME consumption, 523 (50.2%) had Medium-MME consumption, and 259 (24.9%) had High-MME consumption. A greater proportion of patients in the High cohort identified as non-Hispanic white (Low: 46.5% vs Medium: 61.4% vs High: 65.3%, p < 0.001), while the proportion of patients reporting any comorbidity did not vary across the cohorts (p = 0.940). The number of post-operative AEs experienced also did not vary across the cohorts (p = 0.629). A greater proportion of patients in the High cohort had an extended LOS (Low: 6.5% vs Medium: 8.6% vs High: 19.7%, p < 0.001), while a greater proportion of patients in the Low cohort had an increased cost of admission (Low: 33.1% vs Medium: 20.3% vs High: 26.6%, p < 0.001). The High cohort had increased 30-day readmission rates relative to the Low and Medium cohorts (Low: 0.8% vs Medium: 0.2% vs High: 1.5%, p = 0.049). Non-routine discharge rates did not vary among the cohorts (p = 0.441). On multivariate analysis, High-MME consumption was significantly associated with extended LOS, while Medium-MME consumption was not [Medium: aOR: 1.48, CI (0.83, 2.74), p = 0.193; High: aOR: 4.43, CI (2.47, 8.31), p < 0.001]., Conclusions: Our study showed that high post-operative-MME consumption was significantly associated with extended LOS in patients undergoing PSF for AIS. In light of these findings, changes to existing protocols that decrease the reliance on opioids for post-operative analgesia are merited to improve patient outcomes and reduce health-care expenditures., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: Dr. Tuason: Depuy, A Johnson & Johnson Company: Paid Consultant, Paid presenter or speaker. OrthoPediatrics: Paid Consultant, Paid presenter or speaker. Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America: Board or Committee member. Scoliosis Research Society: Board committee member. All other authors have no other disclosures. Ethical approval: IRB approval is deemed exempt due to de-identification of study subjects. Informed consent: Consent is deemed exempt due to de-identification of study subjects., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Scoliosis Research Society.)

Activating mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) promote ligand-independent signaling; however, the mechanisms involved are poorly defined, and it is unknown whether this generates specific vulnerabilities. We previously observed robust expression of protein kinase Cα (PKCα) in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) with mutant EGFR (mEGFR), which, unlike the activation of PKCα, is independent of mEGFR activity. Here, we identify a critical role for PKCα in anchorage-independent growth and survival of lung cancer cells with mEGFR. Mechanistically, signaling pathways initiated by mEGFR show a high preference for ligand-independent phosphorylation on Y992, resulting in biased activation and dependence on phospholipase-Cγ and PKCα. Moreover, through bioinformatic approaches, we find that mEGFR LUAD demonstrates a transcriptomic profile most similar to lung basal cells, which exhibit elevated levels of PKCα, suggesting that mEGFR tumors arise in cell types with high intrinsic levels of PKCα. Taken together, these findings explain the dependence of mEGFR on PKCα., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) is an X-linked genetic disorder caused by mutations in the androgen receptor gene ( AR ), leading to impaired androgen signaling and resulting in varying degrees of undermasculinization in individuals with a 46,XY karyotype. This study aimed to expand the molecular landscape of AIS by identifying and characterizing pathogenic variants in the AR gene via next-generation sequencing (NGS). Molecular diagnostics revealed eight distinct variants within the AR gene, two of which had not been previously described. These include the following novel variants: c.3G>A, and c.1344&#95;1345insTA. This study broadens the spectrum of known AR gene mutations associated with AIS and highlights the critical role of molecular diagnostics in the accurate classification of variants. These findings will aid in enhancing the clinical management and genetic counseling of individuals affected by AIS., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2024 Kałużewski et al.)

Objectives The study aimed at estimating the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index in patients with ischemic stroke, exploring the correlation between the TyG index and the prognosis of ischemic stroke, and studying the clinical outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in association with the TyG index. Methods An observational study was conducted on 105 patients with a history of AIS presenting within 24 hours. The TyG index was estimated, and the clinical outcome was studied. The outcome measures were neurological worsening (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) >=2 gain at discharge above admission), poor functional outcomes (assessed by derangement of modified Rankin scale (mRS) at three months), stroke recurrence, and three-month mortality rate. The NIHSS and mRS were assessed at admission, discharge, and three months later. Results The mean TyG index of AIS patients was 9.26±0.2. Compared to patients without neurological worsening (n=8), patients with neurological worsening had a significantly higher TyG index (9.5±0.19 vs. 9.21±0.21, p<.0001). Compared to patients without poor functional outcomes (n=20), patients with poor functional outcomes had a similar TyG index (9.31±0.31 vs. 9.25±0.22, p=0.418). Compared to patients without recurrence, those with recurrence of stroke had a significantly higher TyG index (9.55±0.18 vs. 9.15±0.15, p<.0001). On the follow-up of three months post-stroke, compared to survivors, non-survivors had a similar TyG index (9.12±0.25 vs. 9.27±0.24, p=0.09). Conclusion The TyG index showed a significant association with outcomes of AIS in terms of stroke recurrence and neurological worsening. Overall, it shows that insulin resistance has a significant impact on the neurological outcomes and recurrence of stroke in AIS patients., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent for treatment and open access publication was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Institute Ethical Committee, Maharishi Markandeshwar Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Mullana issued approval IEC- 2530/ Oct 2022. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Garg et al.)

There is a direct and close relationship between ship emissions in port waters and the operational status of the ships. Precisely identifying the operational status of ships in port waters and thoroughly exploring the specific relationship between these activities and ship emissions is crucial for achieving accurate control and scientific reduction of emissions from ships in port areas. With advancements in technology, AIS data can accurately capture the operational status of ships, facilitating a macro-level analysis of ship behavior and emission characteristics. This study proposes a method for extracting ship activity states using AIS data and conducts a detailed examination of ship activities at various container terminals and berths within Shanghai Port. Additionally, it analyzes the correlation between ship activities and their emissions. The research findings indicate that container ships are the most prevalent ships at Shanghai Port, followed by bulk carriers, general cargo ships, and tankers. Notably, bulk carriers and tankers exhibit the longest berthing times, with tankers showing the most significant fluctuations. Mingdong Terminal is identified as the most active, featuring the longest anchorage and berthing time, whereas Jungonglu and Zhanghuabang Terminals have the shortest. The calculation of pollutant emissions reveals that container ships and oil tankers are the primary contributors, particularly for CO 2 and NO x emissions. Mingdong Terminal recorded the highest total CO 2 emissions, followed by Guandong and Shengdong Terminals. These findings emphasize the importance of berth service efficiency, suggesting that increased emissions are associated with heightened ship activity. CO 2 emissions from container ships increase linearly with the number of berthed ships and show a cubic nonlinear relationship with berthing time. The analysis highlights terminals such as Guandong, Zhendong, Shengdong, and Yangshan Phase IV as critical areas for emission reduction strategies. This study not only enhances our understanding of the dynamics of ship emissions in port waters but also provides a theoretical foundation for implementing effective emission control and reduction strategies. Through this detailed research approach, it is possible to more accurately identify emission sources and optimize port operations, thereby offering strong data support and scientific guidance for environmental management and policy-making in port waters., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Xinjia Gao reports financial support was provided by 10.13039/501100014991Shanghai Office of Philosophy and Social Science. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Orthotic treatment is a well-acknowledged conservative treatment for moderate adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). The efficacy of this treatment is significantly determined by the forces applied to the bodies of patients. However, there is uncertainty regarding the optimal force levels that should be applied to the patient's torso by spinal orthosis. This study aims to identify reference values for the controlling forces in AIS management., Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed in five databases (PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and Web of Science). Only studies written in English and covering the force/pressure measurements of spinal orthosis for the treatment of AIS were included, without publication date restrictions. The methodological index for non-randomized studies (MINORS) was employed for the methodological quality assessment, and force measurements were standardized to pressure in kilopascals (kPa) for comparison., Results: From the initial 10,452 records, 10 studies were admitted for the final analysis. All the included studies reported the interface pressure between the thoracic (T) pad and patient's trunk, and seven studies evaluated the pressure from the thoracolumbar/lumbar (TL/L) pad. These studies used different pressure sensors or transducers with the range from 5.6 to 82.5 kPa for the T pads, and 4.8 to 85.1 kPa for the TL/L pads. Four studies reported strap tensions of 26.8 to 60.4 N. Higher strap tension was correlated with increased interface pressure (r = 0.84)., Conclusion: The mean strap tension was 42.5 N, the median interface pressure of the T pads was 8.75 kPa, and the median pressure of TL/L regions was 7.11 kPa without the outliers. The findings provide a baseline value for designing adjustable straps and strategically distributing pressure in orthoses.

Patterns of beach litter accumulation in the European Arctic was investigated by sampling beaches on the Norwegian mainland in the southern Barents Sea, on northern Novaya Zemlya (Russia), and the southern shore of the Svalbard archipelago. The coast of Finnmark county on the Norwegian mainland was considerably more polluted than the other regions. More than half the surveyed beaches there were more polluted than the "very clean" designation from the Clean Coast Index, compared to <20 % in the other regions. The mean litter density was 8 items m -1 , compared to 0.6-1.2 items m -1 in the other regions. Litter from maritime sources was common, and regional patterns in beach litter densities mirror regional patterns in nearshore (<50 km) fishing vessel activities as indicated by analyses of AIS tracks. A review of previously conducted beach litter Deep Dive analyses also indicate prevalent Norwegian and Russian packaging, further supporting a predominance of local litter sources., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) is a tragic complication of acute ischemic stroke (AIS), with spontaneous HT (sHT) occurring even without reperfusion therapies. Despite evidence suggesting that several inflammation biomarkers are closely related to HT, its utility in sHT risk stratification remains unclear. This study aimed to identify and integrate effective inflammatory biomarkers associated with sHT and to develop a novel nomogram model for the early detection of sHT., Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study of AIS patients receiving conventional medical treatment solely from March 2022 to March 2023, using a prospectively maintained database. All patients underwent CT follow-up within 7 days after admission, with sHT occurrence within this period as the outcome. Data on demographics, clinical information, laboratory results, and imaging were collected. The cohort was divided into training and validation sets (7:3). Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression selected inflammatory biomarkers for a novel index. Univariable and multivariable logistic regressions were conducted to identify independent sHT risk factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis determined optimal cut-off values for continuous factors. A nomogram was developed and validated internally and externally. Predictive accuracy was assessed using the area under the ROC curve (AUC) and calibration plots. Decision curve analysis (DCA) evaluated clinical usefulness., Results: Of 803 AIS patients, 325 were included in the final analysis. sHT was found in 9.5% (31 patients). Training (n = 228) and validation (n = 97) cohorts showed no significant demographic or clinical differences. LASSO regression integrated neutrophil-to-albumin ratio (NAR) and triglycerides (TGs) into a novel index-NATG. Independent sHT risk factors included baseline National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) (OR = 1.09, 95% CI (1.02, 1.16), p = 0.0095), NATG (OR = 1534.87, 95% CI (5.02, 469638.44), p = 0.0120), D-dimer (DD) (OR = 1.12, 95% CI (1.01, 1.25), p = 0.0249), and total cholesterol (TC) (OR = 1.01, 95% CI (1.00, 1.01), p = 0.0280), with their respective optimal cut-off values being 13, 0.059, 0.86, and 3.6. These factors were used to develop the nomogram in the training cohort, which achieved an AUC of 0.804 (95% CI, 0.643-0.918) in the training cohort and 0.713 (95% CI, 0.499-0.868) in the validation cohort, demonstrating consistent calibration. DCA confirmed the nomogram's clinical applicability in both cohorts., Conclusions: A novel indicator combining NAR and TG is positively associated with sHT in AIS patients. The constructed nomogram, integrating this novel indicator with other risk factors, provides a valuable tool for identifying sHT risk, aiding in clinical decision-making., (© 2024 The Author(s). CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

To increase situational awareness of maritime vessels and other entities and to enable their exchange of various information, the International Maritime Organization mandated the use of the Automatic Identification System (AIS) in 2004. The AIS is a self-reporting system that uses the VHF radio link. However, any radio-based self-reporting system is prone to forgery, especially in situations where authentication of the message is not designed into the architecture. As AIS was designed in the 1990s when cyberattacks were in their infancy, it does not implement authentication or encryption; thus, it can be seen as fundamentally vulnerable against cyberattacks. This paper demonstrates and evaluates the impact of multiple cyberattacks on AIS via remote radio frequency (RF) links using transmission-enabled software-defined radio (SDR). Overall, we implemented and tested a total of 11 different tests/attacks on 19 AIS setups, using a controlled environment. The tested configurations were derived from heterogeneous platforms such as Windows, Android, generic receivers, and commercial transponders. Our aim is to enhance the early discovery of new vulnerabilities in AIS to effectively address AIS attacks in the nearest future. The results showed that approximately 89% of the setups were affected by Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks at the AIS protocol level. Besides implementing some existing attack ideas (e.g., spoofing, DoS, and flooding), we showed some novel attack concepts in the AIS context such as a coordinated attack, overwhelming alerts, and logical vulnerabilities, all of which have the potential to cause software/system crashes in the worst-case scenarios. Moreover, an implementation/specification flaw related to the AIS preamble was identified during the experiments, which may affect the interoperability of different AIS devices. The error-handling system in AIS was also investigated. Unlike the aviation sector’s Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), the maritime sector’s AIS does not effectively support any error correction method, which may contribute to RF pollution and less effective use of the overall system. The consistency of our results for a comprehensive range of hardware-software configurations indicated the reliability of our approach, test system, and evaluation results.

True Random Number Generator (TRNG) is used in many applications, generally for generating random cryptography keys. In this way, the trust of the cryptography system depends on the quality of the random numbers generated. However, the entropy fluctuations produced by external perturbations generate some false positives in the random sequence. These false positives can generate a disastrous scenario, depending on the application. This work presents the results of different tests to demonstrate the robustness and health of the TRNG based on frequency collapse. The TRNG passed all entropy tests provided for NIST SP800-90B and AIS31. The entropy test denotes a 0.9789 minimum normalized entropy and 7.998 Shannon entropy. In addition, the TRNG passes the health tests provided for NIST SP800-90B. The health test shows a number of identical values $I_{v}=0\%$ , $I_{v-1} < 0.004\%$ and a maximum cutoff value $MC_{v}=10$ with $LMC_{v}=13$ in the repetition count and adaptive proportion tests, respectively. The implementation passed all the statistical tests provided for NIST SP800-22 and AIS20. Besides, the implementation passes the different tests with Process, Voltage, and Temperature (PVT) variations. The TRNG is implemented in a $0.18~\mu m$ General Purpose (GP) CMOS technology, occupying $25600~\mu m^{2}$ with four entropy sources. Finally, the implementation presents a 7.3 until 9.2-Mb/s of bit rate, 0.56 until 1.88-mW of power consumption, and 77.2 until 204.3-pJ/bit of energy per bit using an entropy source with 16 and 2 delay stages, respectively.

Introduction: COVID-19 is an infection caused by the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The disease most commonly presents with respiratory symptoms but can cause serious complications including acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Objective: to present the complexity of risk factor interactions in developing AIM after COVID-19. Case report: A 28-year-old man developed an AIS two and a half months after being sick with COVID-19. He had been taking anticoagulant therapy to treat high D-dimer values, which was later replaced with antiplatelet therapy. Physical examination showed left-side paralysis. After recanalization therapy, the neurologic deficit was no longer present. Computerized tomography (CT) revealed a fresh ischemic lesion in the frontal region. Further investigation revealed a patent foramen ovale (PFO) and congenital thrombophilia in this patient. Conclusion: As the role of individual risk factors in the development of AIS is unclear, this case should be investigated further. There is a risk of developing AIS even after mild cases of COVID-19.