Search Results (38)

Background: The use of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) for control of noncompressible torso hemorrhage remains controversial. We aimed to utilize a novel and transparent/interpretable artificial intelligence (AI) method called Optimal Policy Trees (OPTs) to improve the appropriate use and decrease the misuse of REBOA in hemodynamically unstable blunt trauma patients. Methods: We trained and then validated OPTs that “prescribe” REBOA in a 50:50 split on all hemorrhagic shock blunt trauma patients in the 2010–2019 ACS-TQIP database based on rates of survival. Hemorrhagic shock was defined as a systolic blood pressure ≤90 on arrival or a transfusion requirement of ≥4 units of blood in the first 4 h of presentation. The expected 24 h mortality rate following OPT prescription was compared to the observed 24 h mortality rate in patients who were or were not treated with REBOA. Results: Out of 4.5 million patients, 100,615 were included, and 803 underwent REBOA. REBOA patients had a higher rate of pelvic fracture, femur fracture, hemothorax, pneumothorax, and thoracic aorta injury (p < 0.001). The 24 h mortality rate for the REBOA vs. non-REBOA group was 47% vs. 21%, respectively (p < 0.001). OPTs resulted in an 18% reduction in 24 h mortality for REBOA and a 0.8% reduction in non-REBOA patients. We specifically divert the misuse of REBOA by recommending against REBOA in cases where it leads to worse outcomes. Conclusions: This proof-of-concept study shows that interpretable AI models can improve mortality in unstable blunt trauma patients by optimizing the use and decreasing the misuse of REBOA. To date, these models have been used to predict outcomes, but their groundbreaking use will be in prescribing interventions and changing outcomes. Full article

The relationship between global warming and heatwaves contributes to environmental risks. We investigate lake heatwaves (LHWs) in the Eastern Mediterranean, where dust intrusions are frequently observed. The dust intrusions are characterized by the arrival of warm air masses containing dust pollution from the desert. In saline lakes, LHWs caused by dust intrusions have not been investigated in previous studies. In our study we focus on this point. It was found for the first time that, in the hypersaline Dead Sea, a severe dust intrusion (aerosol optical depth of over 3) caused the formation of LHWs, as appeared in September 2015. At the water surface, the LHWs were represented by abnormally high daily maximal and minimal surface water temperature (SWT) in comparison with their seasonally varied 90th percentile thresholds for 10 consecutive days (7–17 September). The surface LHWs’ intensity was up to 3 °C. Satellite (MODIS-Terra and METEOSAT) SWT did not detect the LHWs. Surface LHWs were accompanied by subsurface LHWs down to a depth of 20 m. The subsurface LHWs lasted longer (16 days) than the surface LHWs (10 days). There was a 4-day delay between the first date of the surface LHWs (7 September) and the start date of the subsurface LHWs (11 September). The maximal intensity of the subsurface LHWs decreased with depth from 1 m (0.6 °C) down to 5 m (0.3 °C), followed by an increase (up to 0.6 °C) at the deeper layers (from 10 m to 20 m). Taking into account that, over the Eastern Mediterranean, desert dust has increased during the past several decades, one can expect frequent occurrence of dust-related intense persistent heatwaves in the Dead Sea in the coming years. This will contribute to additional water heating and further drying up of the Dead Sea. Full article

Enzymic activity, metabolites, and hematological responses for reference intervals (RIs) establish ranges of physiological normality, which are useful for diagnosing diseases and physiological alterations. Within the same species, RIs vary according to age, gender, productive and physiological states, and environmental factors including health management and nutrition. RIs have been extensively studied in dairy calves during a critical stage of life (from birth up to first 90 days of age). A critical stage for feedlot calves is their arrival at the feedlot, but no reports determine RIs for different enzymic activity, metabolites, and hematological responses during their initial period at the feedlot. Consequently, a total of 461 high-risk crossbreed beef calves, received on three different dates, were examined upon arrival at the feedlot. Of these, 320 calves (148.3 ± 1.3 kg body weight) whose “clinical health” was evaluated were included in the study. Blood samples were taken upon arrival and on days 14, 28, 42, and 56 to determine the following parameters: enzymic activity, metabolites, electrolytes, white blood cells, platelets, and red blood cells. Enzymic activity, metabolites, and complete blood count were determined by automated analyzers. The freeware Reference Value Advisor Software was used to calculate the non-parametric values of RIs. This study is the first to establish RIs for different enzymic activity, metabolites, and hematological responses in high-risk newly received calves during their initial period at the feedlot. This information will be useful for veterinary clinical practice and research related to the health and welfare of high-risk newly received calves during their initial period at the feedlot. Full article

Political events play a significant role in exerting their influence on financial markets globally. This paper aims to investigate the long term effect of Brexit on European stock markets using Complex Network methods as a starting point. The media has heavily emphasized the connection between this major political event and its economic and financial impact. To analyse this, we created two samples of companies based on the geographical allocation of their revenues to the UK. The first sample consists of companies that are either British or financially linked to the United Kingdom. The second sample serves as a control group and includes other European companies that are conveniently matched in terms of economic sector and firm size to those in the first sample. Each analysis is repeated over three non-overlapping periods: before the 2016 Referendum, between the Referendum and the 2019 General Elections, and after the 2019 General Elections. After an event study aimed at verifying the short-term response of idiosyncratic daily returns to the referendum result, we analysed the topological evolution of the networks through the MST (Minimum Spanning Trees) of the various samples. Finally, after the computation of the centrality measures pertaining to each network, our attention was directed towards the examination of the persistence of the levels of degree and eigenvector centralities over time. Our target was the investigation on whether the events that determined the evolution of the MST had also brought about structural modifications to the centrality of the most connected companies within the network. The findings demonstrate the unexpected impact of the referendum outcome, which is more noticeable on European equities compared to those of the UK, and the lack of influence from the elections that marked the beginning of the hard Brexit phase in 2019. The modifications in the MST indicate a restructuring of the network of British companies, particularly evident in the third period with a repositioning of the UK nodes. The dynamics of the MSTs around the referendum date is associated with the persistence in the relative rank of the centrality measures (relative to the median). Conversely, the arrival of hard Brexit does alter the relative ranking of the nodes in accord to the the degree centrality. The ranking in accord to the eigenvector centrality keeps the persistence. However, such movements are not statistically significant. An analysis of this kind points out relevant insights for investors, as it equips them to have a comprehensive view of political events, while also assisting policymakers in their endeavour to uphold stability by closely monitoring the ever-changing influence and interconnectedness of global stock markets during similar political events. Full article

To date, empirical investigations of the effects of test accommodations on the actual achievement of multilingual pupils have been inconclusive. In this present study, we investigated whether read-aloud accommodation contributes to better results in terms of science achievement for multilingual pupils. A computer-based science test, conducted with or without read-aloud accommodation, was administered to 1022 5th-grade pupils in 36 Flemish primary schools. We assessed the hypotheses that, first, pupils in a condition with accommodation perform better than their non-accommodated peers, and second, certain background characteristics are related to science achievement for different groups of pupils. The results indicate that read-aloud accommodation in language education does not significantly contribute to making assessments fairer. Overall, parental job status, grade retention, migration status, and self-reported oral proficiency significantly predicted pupils’ science achievement. For pupils taking an accommodated test, their age of arrival and the language they spoke at home did not significantly relate to their science achievement, but their self-rated literacy skills in the language of schooling did. Full article

In this study, we investigate the circulation and chemical processes associated with the deposition of the largest oil spill that reached the northeast coast of Brazil during the second half of 2019. Using the Oil Spill Contingency And Response model (OSCAR), we performed both deterministic and probabilistic simulations of oil spills from tanker ships that were present in the sea in the region at the time. The study used a dataset comprising the latitudinal distribution of oil sightings along the coast between 31 August and 2 December 2019 (box plot analysis) provided by the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA). The total amount of oil that reached the coast during this period (approximately 5000 tons) and the date and location of the first sighting (30 August, in the southern part of the state of Paraíba (PB)) were also used as parameters to assess the results of the 31 simulations conducted for ships en route near the area of interest between July and August 2019. The results indicate that a leak having occurred through a mobile source is the most plausible hypothesis for explaining the observed temporal–spatial arrival of the oil leaks along the Brazilian coastline. We suggest that prevention, monitoring, and international cooperation are essential for reducing the risks of future environmental accidents of the kind analyzed in this study and to protect the environment and communities affected. Full article

African swine fever (ASF) is a devastating infectious disease of domestic pigs and wild boar that is spreading quickly around the world and causing huge economic losses. Although the development of effective vaccines is currently being attempted by several labs, the absence of globally recognized licensed vaccines makes disease prevention and early detection even more crucial. ASF has spread across many countries in Europe and about two years ago affected the Italian susceptible population. In Italy, the first case of ASF genotype II in wild boar dates back to January 2022, while the first outbreak in a domestic pig farm was notified in August 2023. Currently, four clusters of infection are still ongoing in northern (Piedmont-Liguria and Lombardy), central (Lazio), and southern Italy (Calabria and Campania). In early September 2023, the first case of ASFV genotype II was detected in a domestic pig farm in Sardinia, historically affected by genotype I and in the final stage of eradication. Genomic characterization of p72, p54, and I73R/I329L genome regions revealed 100% similarity to those obtained from isolates that have been circulating in mainland Italy since January 2022 and also with international strains. The outbreak was detected and confirmed due to the passive surveillance plan on domestic pig farms put in place to provide evidence on genotype I’s absence. Epidemiological investigations suggest 24 August as the most probable time of ASFV genotype II’s arrival in Sardinia, likely due to human activities. Full article

Tropospheric ducts are an abnormal condition of the atmosphere that affects the propagation of electromagnetic waves, which has a direct impact on the performance of various radio systems, including mobile telephony, which is especially sensitive to these interferences in communications. In Cuba, there is only one investigation to date focused on the formation of tropospheric ducts. Therefore, studying this topic and its relationship with atmospheric weather is novel. Knowing what meteorological situations lead to the formation of these communications interference events allows us to alert the relevant authorities and take appropriate measures in time. In this study, we investigated the use of numerical model outputs for the detection of the occurrence of tropospheric ducts. Based on an ERA5 reanalysis (which was feasible for the development of the research) we determined the characteristic atmospheric parameters enabling the formation of the tropospheric ducts, as well as the conditions of synoptic scale that favor their appearance. The first result revealed that the mean thickest ducts (between 75 m and 80 m) are seen more frequently in the March–May quarter, while in September and October these values are reduced by half, oscillating between 40 m and 45 m. In another analysis, we determined that the presence of stable atmospheric conditions in combination with a humid layer at low levels favors the appearance of this phenomenon. Therefore, days with a predominance of subtropical high pressures in combination with the passage of tropical waves through the seas south of the island of Cuba, or with the arrival of migratory anticyclones, guarantee this stability in addition to surface relative humidity values close to 80%. Full article

The arrival of Islam to the Iberian Peninsula at the beginning of the 8th c. brought important changes to the urbanism of cities which contributed to turn the previous late-antique realities into medieval Islamic settlements. Among all the transformations that took place, the introduction of mosques and the reconfiguration of cities’ religioscapes is one of the most relevant. The processes through which the earliest mosques were first inserted in urban landscapes in al-Andalus are unclear, since so far there are no remains that can be undoubtedly dated before the Umayyad period. From that moment on, and alongside the Umayyad organization of the Andalusi state, the founding of mosques becomes clearer and traceable, and their urban, religious and political roles more evident. This contribution seeks to identify how and why mosques appeared in the Iberian Peninsula, how they (re)configured religious spaces in cities, and how they contributed to consolidate their significance through specific written and architectural narratives. This topic will be explored also seeking for parallels and connections in the Bilād al-Shām region. Full article

The aim of this paper is to analyze the determination of interplanetary trajectories from Earth to Mars to evaluate the cost of the required impulse magnitudes for an areostationary orbiter mission design. Such analysis is first conducted by solving the Lambert orbital boundary value problem and studying the launch and arrival conditions for various date combinations. Then, genetic algorithms are applied to investigate the minimum-energy transfer orbit. Afterwards, an iterative procedure is used to determine the heliocentric elliptic transfer orbit that matches at the entry point of Mars’s sphere of influence with an areocentric hyperbolic orbit imposing specific conditions on inclination and periapsis radius. Finally, the maneuvers needed to obtain an areostationary orbit are numerically computed for different objective condition values at the Mars entry point to evaluate an areostationary preliminary mission cost for further study and characterization. Results show that, for the dates of the minimum-energy Earth–Mars transfer trajectory, a low value for the maneuvers to achieve an areostationary orbit is obtained for an arrival hyperbola with the minimum possible inclination and a capture into an elliptical trajectory with a low periapsis radius and an apoapsis at the stationary orbit. For a 2026 mission with a TOF of 304 for the minimum-energy Earth–Mars transfer trajectory, for a capture with a periapsis of 300 km above the Mars surface the value achieved will be 2.083 km/s. Full article

This study analyzed frost formation data provided by the Harbin Meteorological Bureau and considered geographic factors, temperature, and population density. Various analytical methods, including linear fitting, the Mann–Kendall mutation test, the Pettitt method, and the sliding t-test, were employed to identify the temporal and spatial changes as well as the effects of these factors on frost dates in Harbin. The study shows that the first FSD occurred on 18 August, in both 1966 and 1967, which was the 255th day. The latest FSD was observed on 10 October 2006, which was the 283rd day. The earliest occurrence of an FED was on 24 April 2015, which was the 114th day, and the latest was on 21 April 1974, which was the 141st day. The highest number of frost days occurred in 2012, with 161 days, whereas the shortest year was 1966, with only 123 frost days. Throughout the study period, the FSD increased by 7.8 days at a rate of −1.27d/10a, the FED increased by 10.9 days at a rate of 1.77d/10a, and the FFS increased by 18.9 days at a rate of 3.05d/10a. The propensity rates of the FSD and FFS at each location in Harbin indicate an upward trend, while for the FED, certain locations display an upward trend. In general, the FSD has exhibited a delayed trend, the FED has shown an earlier trend, and the FFS has experienced an extended trend. With one-way linear regression, the FSD exhibited an increasing trend at each site, while the FFS also indicated a similar trend, and the FED showed an overall decreasing trend. Throughout the study period, a change was observed in the FSD in 2000, resulting in an average arrival time of the 265th day, or 22 September, of that year. Subsequently, post mutation, the average arrival time of the FSD in the study area was the 272nd day, or 29 September, of that year. In 2006, the FED also underwent a change, with the average arrival time in the study area being the 128th day, or 4 April, of that year. After the change, the average arrival time of the FED in the study area was the 121st day, i.e., 8 April. In 1 April 2004 of that year saw a change in the FFS. Prior to the change, the FFS in the study area averaged the 137th day, whilst following the change, the FFS in the study area averaged the 150th day. The FSD and FFS within Harbin exhibit a negative correlation with latitude and a positive correlation with temperature. Additionally, the FED displays a positive correlation with latitude and a negative correlation with temperature. As the FSD, FED, and FFS in central Harbin are the earliest, latest, and longest, the Pearson correlation coefficient method and multiple regression cannot adequately reflect the effect of longitude. Full article

Aotearoa/New Zealand was first settled by the Māori people some 800–1000 years ago. Archaeomagnetism provides one of the few means of dating early sites of Māori occupation, particularly when radiocarbon dating is not feasible. This involves dating the thermoremanent magnetization imparted to the heat-retaining stones used in traditional Māori earth ovens, hāngī or umu, at the time of their last cooling. The direction of this magnetization is correlated with the reference curve of the changes in the geomagnetic field direction in New Zealand over the past 1000 years, NZPSV1k.2023. Here, we describe the application of archaeomagnetic dating to indigenous hāngī sampled at two sites in the North Island of New Zealand. The first, in the present-day city of Napier on the east coast, has been studied in detail and is shown to have been occupied, possibly intermittently, over 400–600 years, while the second, in present-day Waikanae on the west coast, is tentatively dated to ca. 1760 AD, just decades before the first European arrival in New Zealand. Full article

The first arrival dates of 31 species of migrant birds in the Tatarstan Republic of Russia were monitored for the 34-year period from 1989–2022. Trends in first arrival date were evaluated using regression against the year value. Patterns in arrival data with respect to species traits (habitat, migration distance, body weight, etc.) were evaluated using redundancy analysis. Relationships between first arrival dates and Tatarstan temperatures were also evaluated using regression methods of first-arrival date on monthly mean temperatures. Almost all (28 of 31) species revealed a significantly earlier migration arrival date; however, associations between arrival patterns and species traits were equivocal. Warmer temperatures were significantly associated with earlier arrival in 26 of the 31 species, but the relationship was insufficient to explain the average 11-day advance in species. For these species and in this location only the timing and location of arrival are well recorded; the exact wintering areas and migration routes, and the timing of these phases are less well understood. When these become better known, an investigation of the influence of environmental conditions (including temperature) on departure timing and passage timing and speed is recommended. Full article

With a sharp decrease in resource utilization of the complex production process, integrated scheduling methods are urgently needed in assembly manufacturing industries. To this end, this paper presents an integrated scheduling with jobs processing and assembly sequence (ISJPAS) problem where jobs and assemblies can be processed simultaneously. As the first contribution to this work, we develop a mixed integer nonlinear programming model (MINLP) that aims at minimizing maximum completion time and determining the earliness and tardiness of jobs and resulting inventory time. The structured property of the optimal scheduling solution is analyzed with regard to job sequencing and assembly sequencing. The NP-hard nature of the problem is proved, which provides upper and lower bounds on the optimal solution. Second, an efficient discrete assembly time and arrival time control (DAATC) method is presented based on continuous time variable control models. From a modified set of benchmark problems, the proposed method is tested by comparing four assembly association levels in real applications. The comparisons indicate the potentiality of our method to satisfy the due date. Lastly, relevance of practical applications are discussed, and several future research avenues are emphasized. Full article

The Mediterranean Sea biodiversity is undergoing a rapid reshaping due to different factors, many of which are directly related to human activities (e.g., pollution, habitat destruction, overfishing and introduction of non-indigenous species). In this context, climate changes, and in particular water warming, are the main factors that favor the arrival and subsequent spread of thermophilic species, regardless of their area of origin (e.g., Red Sea, Atlantic Ocean). In this research, we report the third and eastern-most well-documented record of the thermophilic species Parapristipoma octolineatum (Valenciennes, 1833) in the Mediterranean Sea, providing new morphological, genetic, ecological and biological data on this rare species in the basin. The integrative taxonomical approach was robust and unambiguously identified the species as P. octolineatum. The specimen was a large-sized female in maturation. The first high-quality photographic illustrations of otoliths were provided. Recent direct observations of fishermen in the area suggested a species abundance increase. However, data from the Mediterranean Sea remain scarce and further efforts are needed to better understand the abundance and distribution of this species. Modified keys for a rapid color pattern-based determination of all Haemulidae species recorded in the Mediterranean Sea to date are also provided. Finally, the potential further expansion under the future prediction of climate changes of this Atlantic origin fish in the Mediterranean Sea is discussed. Full article