Obituary: Alan Raybould

Professor Alan Raybould was born and raised in Wolverhampton, in the West Midlands, United Kingdom. He attained a First Class Degree in Botany from the University of Manchester, followed by his PhD in Population Genetics at the University of Birmingham in 1989, researching population genetics of Spartina anglica. Alan began his scientific career at the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology at Furzebrook, Dorset, which later became part of the United Kingdom Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. During this period (1990–2001), he progressed from a post-doctoral research position to becoming the lead scientist in molecular ecology, studying gene-flows from genetically-modified crops to related wild plant populations

New alien mediterranean biodiversity records (March 2020)

none26siThe current article presents 18 new records from seven Mediterranean countries. These records include one rhodophyte, four nudibranchs, two crustaceans, one stingray and 10 bony fishes. They are grouped by country as follows: Lebanon-first record of the Striped bass Morone saxatilis, the stingray Himantura leoparda, the Areolate grouper Epinephelus areolatus and the Spot-fin porcupinefish Diodon hystrix from various parts of the country; Turkey-first record of the invasive red alga Grateloupia turuturu from the sea of Marmara (region of Bandirma), the sea slug Goniobranchus obsoletus and the crab Arcania brevifrons from the Gulf of Antalya and the cladoceran Pleopis schmackeri from several locations along the Aegean Sea; Cyprus-first record of the alien sea slug Berthellina citrina from the region of Cape Greco and an observation of a butterflyfish Heniochus sp. from the northeastern side of the island; Greece-first record of the alien sea slug Anteaeolidiella lurana from the region of Heraklion in Crete and the record of the Atlantic spadefish Chaetodipterus faber and the Black surgeonfish Acanthurus cfr gahhm from Salamina Island; Slovenia-first record of the alien sea slug Thecacera pennigera from Izola; Italy-first record of the hybrid Striped bass (Morone saxatilis x Morone chrysops) from the northern Tyrrhenian Sea and a first record of the goldfish Carassius auratus from the region of Apulia; Libya-first record of the Red Sea goatfish Parupeneus forsskali and the African surgeonfish Acanthurus monroviae, respectively from the eastern (Al-Tamimi area) and the western shore (Al-Khums area).openBariche M.; Al-Mabruk S.A.A.; Ates M.A.; Buyuk A.; Crocetta F.; Dritsas M.; Edde D.; Fortic A.; Gavriil E.; Gerovasileiou V.; Gokoglu M.; Huseyinoglu M.F.; Karachle P.K.; Kleitou P.; Kurt T.T.; Langeneck J.; Lardicci C.; Lipej L.; Pavloudi C.; Pinna M.; Rizgalla J.; Ozen M.R.; Sedano F.; Taskin E.; Yildiz G.; Zangaro F.Bariche, M.; Al-Mabruk, S. A. A.; Ates, M. A.; Buyuk, A.; Crocetta, F.; Dritsas, M.; Edde, D.; Fortic, A.; Gavriil, E.; Gerovasileiou, V.; Gokoglu, M.; Huseyinoglu, M. F.; Karachle, P. K.; Kleitou, P.; Kurt, T. T.; Langeneck, J.; Lardicci, C.; Lipej, L.; Pavloudi, C.; Pinna, M.; Rizgalla, J.; Ozen, M. R.; Sedano, F.; Taskin, E.; Yildiz, G.; Zangaro, F

New Alien Mediterranean Biodiversity Records (March 2020)

The current article presents 18 new records from seven Mediterranean countries. These records include one rhodophyte, fournudibranchs, two crustaceans, one stingray and 10 bony fishes. They are grouped by country as follows: Lebanon - first record ofthe Striped bass Morone saxatilis, the stingray Himantura leoparda, the Areolate grouper Epinephelus areolatus and the Spot-finporcupinefish Diodon hystrix from various parts of the country; Turkey - first record of the invasive red alga Grateloupia turuturufrom the sea of Marmara (region of Bandırma), the sea slug Goniobranchus obsoletus and the crab Arcania brevifrons from theGulf of Antalya and the cladoceran Pleopis schmackeri from several locations along the Aegean Sea; Cyprus - first record of thealien sea slug Berthellina citrina from the region of Cape Greco and an observation of a butterflyfish Heniochus sp. from the northeasternside of the island; Greece - first record of the alien sea slug Anteaeolidiella lurana from the region of Heraklion in Creteand the record of the Atlantic spadefish Chaetodipterus faber and the Black surgeonfish Acanthurus cfr gahhm from SalaminaIsland; Slovenia - first record of the alien sea slug Thecacera pennigera from Izola; Italy - first record of the hybrid Striped bass(Morone saxatilis × Morone chrysops) from the northern Tyrrhenian Sea and a first record of the goldfish Carassius auratus fromthe region of Apulia; Libya - first record of the Red Sea goatfish Parupeneus forsskali and the African surgeonfish Acanthurusmonroviae, respectively from the eastern (Al-Tamimi area) and the western shore (Al-Khums area)

Survival Prediction in Allogeneic Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients Using Pre‐ and Post‐Transplant Factors and Computational Intelligence

Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) predictive models have emerged as valuable tools for predicting survival outcomes in allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT). These models primarily focus on pre‐transplant factors, while algorithms incorporating changes in patient's status post‐allo‐HSCT are lacking. The aim of this study was to develop a predictive soft computing model assessing survival outcomes in allo‐HSCT recipients. In this study, we assembled a comprehensive database comprising of 564 consecutive adult patients who underwent allo‐HSCT between 2015 and 2024. Our algorithm selectively considers critical parameters from the database, ranking and evaluating them based on their impact on patient outcomes. By utilising the Data Ensemble Refinement Greedy Algorithm, we developed an AI model with 93.26% accuracy in predicting survivorship status in allo‐HSCT recipients. Our model used only seven parameters, including age, disease, disease phase, creatinine levels at day 2 post‐allo‐HSCT, platelet engraftment, acute graft‐versus‐host disease (GvHD) and chronic GvHD. External validation of our AI model is considered essential. Machine learning algorithms have the potential to improve the prediction of long‐term survival outcomes for patients undergoing allo‐HSCT

Correction to: Two years later: Is the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic still having an impact on emergency surgery? An international cross-sectional survey among WSES members

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is still ongoing and a major challenge for health care services worldwide. In the first WSES COVID-19 emergency surgery survey, a strong negative impact on emergency surgery (ES) had been described already early in the pandemic situation. However, the knowledge is limited about current effects of the pandemic on patient flow through emergency rooms, daily routine and decision making in ES as well as their changes over time during the last two pandemic years. This second WSES COVID-19 emergency surgery survey investigates the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on ES during the course of the pandemic. Methods: A web survey had been distributed to medical specialists in ES during a four-week period from January 2022, investigating the impact of the pandemic on patients and septic diseases both requiring ES, structural problems due to the pandemic and time-to-intervention in ES routine. Results: 367 collaborators from 59 countries responded to the survey. The majority indicated that the pandemic still significantly impacts on treatment and outcome of surgical emergency patients (83.1% and 78.5%, respectively). As reasons, the collaborators reported decreased case load in ES (44.7%), but patients presenting with more prolonged and severe diseases, especially concerning perforated appendicitis (62.1%) and diverticulitis (57.5%). Otherwise, approximately 50% of the participants still observe a delay in time-to-intervention in ES compared with the situation before the pandemic. Relevant causes leading to enlarged time-to-intervention in ES during the pandemic are persistent problems with in-hospital logistics, lacks in medical staff as well as operating room and intensive care capacities during the pandemic. This leads not only to the need for triage or transferring of ES patients to other hospitals, reported by 64.0% and 48.8% of the collaborators, respectively, but also to paradigm shifts in treatment modalities to non-operative approaches reported by 67.3% of the participants, especially in uncomplicated appendicitis, cholecystitis and multiple-recurrent diverticulitis. Conclusions: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic still significantly impacts on care and outcome of patients in ES. Well-known problems with in-hospital logistics are not sufficiently resolved by now; however, medical staff shortages and reduced capacities have been dramatically aggravated over last two pandemic years

Research and Design in Shifting from Analog to Digital

In this paper we track the evolution of computational design from its analog origins to its contemporary digital regime. Our long term goal is to qualify and quantify the implications of digital computation on design thinking and its influence on the architectural practice. Meanwhile, we present the results of our past few years of collaborative research in design and computation that illustrate the nature of the intellectual engagement required for appreciating the potential of digital design thinking and making. In a temporal frame, these results are expressed as a constellation of punctuated innovations emerging sporadically during the painstaking process of tackling architectural problems using digital means. In the long run, they hopefully amount to an approach to fleshing out a paradigm shift from analog to digital and building a knowledge foundation of architectural methods.

In Cloud We Trust: Risk-Assessment-as-a-Service

Part 1: Full PapersInternational audienceCloud computing is an emerging paradigm that allows adoption of on-demand services in a cost-effective way. Migrating services to the Cloud also means been exposed to new threats and vulnerabilities, thus, resulting in a modified assessment of risk. Assessing risk in the Cloud remains an open research issue, as it requires a given level of trust of the Cloud service provider for providing assessment data and implementing controls. This paper surveys existing knowledge, regarding risk assessment for the Cloud, and highlights the requirements for the design of a cloud-targeted method that is offered as a service, which is also in compliance with the specific characteristics of the Cloud