Search Results (694)

Introduction: Low vision affects more than visual acuity; it substantially disrupts daily functioning and may contribute to long-term cognitive, emotional, and social consequences. When medical or surgical treatment options are no longer effective, structured low-vision rehabilitation becomes essential, providing strategies and tools that support functional adaptation and promote independence. This review aims to map the current outcomes of rehabilitation services, identify gaps in existing research, and highlight opportunities for further study. Methods: An article search was conducted via PubMed, Scopus, PsycInfo, and Google Scholar. Then, title, abstract, and full-text screenings for inclusion were performed by all the authors independently, and disagreements were resolved through discussion. The relevant outcomes from the eligible publications were extracted by four authors and then cross-checked by the other authors. The results are presented via the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis extension for Scoping Reviews checklist. Results: A total of 13 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most were randomized controlled trials (n = 10,77%), with the majority conducted in the United States and the United Kingdom. Study populations consisted of adults aged 18 years and older. Across the included studies, low-vision rehabilitation interventions particularly visual training, magnification-based programs, and multidisciplinary approaches, were associated with significant improvements in visual function, activities of daily living, and vision-related quality of life. Conclusions: Low vision rehabilitation interventions demonstrate clear benefits for visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, reading speed, and functional independence. However, substantial gaps remain, including limited evidence on long-term outcomes, inconsistent assessment of psychosocial influences, and underrepresentation of diverse populations. Standardized outcome measures and long-term, inclusive research designs are needed to better understand the sustained and equitable impact of low-vision rehabilitation. Full article

This study investigates the integration of 3D laser scanning technology in the retrofitting of Ballast Water Treatment Systems (BWTS) on existing commercial vessels, addressing the global challenge of invasive aquatic species. The methodology combines a bibliometric analysis of keywords—indicating recent trends and knowledge gaps, a feasibility study, and detailed engineering design with on-site supervision. A case study is presented on a crude oil tanker, employing a multi-station 3D scanning strategy across the engine and pump rooms—performed using 63 and 45 scan positions, respectively. These data were processed with removal filters and integrated into specialized CAD software for detailed piping design. The implementation of high-fidelity point clouds served as the digital foundation for modeling the vessel’s existing piping infrastructure and retrofitting with the installation of an electrolysis-based BWTS. Results confirm that 3D scanning enables precise spatial analysis, minimizes retrofitting errors, reduces installation time, and ensures regulatory compliance with the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention. By digitally capturing complex onboard environments, the approach enhances accuracy, safety, and cost-effectiveness in maritime engineering projects. This work underscores the transition toward point cloud-based digital twins as a standard for sustainable and efficient ship conversions in the global shipping industry. Full article

Coastal shipping plays a critical role in meeting maritime decarbonization targets under the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) and the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS); however, operators currently lack robust tools to forecast route-specific carbon intensity and evaluate the causal benefits of fuel switching. This study developed a distribution-free causal forecasting framework for voyage-level Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) intensity using an enriched panel of 1440 real-world voyages across four Nigerian coastal routes (2022–2024). We employed a physics-informed monotonic Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM) model trained under a strict leave-one-route-out (LORO) protocol, integrated with split-conformal prediction for uncertainty quantification and Causal Forests for estimating heterogeneous treatment effects. The model predicted emission intensity on completely unseen corridors with a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 40.7 kg CO₂/nm, while 90% conformal prediction intervals achieved 100% empirical coverage. While the global average effect of switching from heavy fuel oil to diesel was negligible (≈−0.07 kg CO₂/nm), Causal Forests revealed significant heterogeneity, with effects ranging from −74 g to +29 g CO₂/nm depending on route conditions. Economically, targeted diesel use becomes viable only when carbon prices exceed ~100 USD/tCO₂. These findings demonstrate that effective coastal decarbonization requires moving beyond static baselines to uncertainty-aware planning and targeted, route-specific fuel strategies rather than uniform fleet-wide policies. Full article

Maritime piracy remains a persistent security challenge across several global regions, with violent incidents posing the greatest threat to crew safety and vessel operations. This study investigates the relationship between violent escalation in piracy incidents and a set of contextual and operational variables using classical categorical data statistics. A dataset comprising reported maritime piracy and armed robbery events from 2015–2024 was compiled from IMB, OBP, and IMO sources and analysed through chi-square tests of independence, followed by Cramér’s V to quantify the strength of association. The results demonstrate that violence is not randomly distributed across incident characteristics. Geographic region exhibits the strongest measurable association with violent outcomes, reflecting the influence of regional security dynamics and the presence of organized criminal networks. Attack type and weapon type show additional, though weaker, associations, indicating that close-range engagement and the presence of firearms increase the likelihood of escalation. Vessel type, flag state, and seasonal timing display only marginal effects. Overall, the findings highlight that the probability of violence during piracy events is primarily shaped by spatial context and tactical execution. The study confirms that chi-square and Cramér’s V offer a transparent, interpretable framework for identifying key risk factors and can serve as a foundation for operational threat assessments and maritime security planning. Full article

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the impact of different marine fuels such as heavy fuel oil (HFO), methane, methanol, ammonia, or hydrogen, on energy efficiency and pollutant emissions in maritime transport, using a combined application of the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), Energy Efficiency Operational Indicator (EEOI), and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII). The results show that methane offers the most balanced alternative, reducing CO₂ by more than 30% and improving energy efficiency, while methanol provides an intermediate performance, eliminating sulfur and partially reducing emissions. Ammonia and hydrogen eliminate CO₂ but generate NO_x (nitrogen oxides) emissions that require mitigation, demonstrating that their environmental impact is not negligible. Unlike previous studies that focus on a single fuel or only on CO₂, this work considers multiple pollutants, including SO_x (sulfur oxides), H₂O, and N₂, and evaluates the economic cost of emissions under the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). Using a representative model ship, the study highlights regulatory gaps and limitations within current standards, emphasizing the need for a global system for monitoring and enforcing emissions rules to ensure a truly sustainable and decarbonized maritime sector. This integrated approach, combining energy efficiency, emissions, and economic evaluation, provides novel insights for the scientific community, regulators, and maritime operators, distinguishing itself from previous multicriteria studies by simultaneously addressing operational performance, environmental impact, and regulatory gaps such as unaccounted NO_x emissions. Full article

Climate-driven sea ice decline is accelerating the commercial use of Arctic routes and raising the need for Green Shipping Corridors that couple decarbonization with safety and ecosystem protection. This study introduces the concept of Arctic Green Maritime Data—environmental, meteorological, operational, and emission datasets generated in polar navigation—and examines how the EU Data Act can serve as a legal–institutional backbone. Using a multilayered integrative analysis, we (i) interpret core provisions on user access, portability, compensation, public-interest requests, cloud switching, and interoperability; (ii) map the Act’s roles of data holder, user, and recipient onto shipping stakeholders; (iii) assess whether polar operational datasets qualify as “data generated through the use of a product”; and (iv) derive a contractual architecture for corridor operations. We propose a three-layer governance model: firm-level instruments (a Standard Arctic Green Maritime Data Transaction Agreement, enterprise data governance architecture, and FRAND (Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory) based contracting), association-level tools (industry model terms, public-purpose data protocols, and a neutral data-trust intermediary), and IMO-level integration aligning EU Data Act principles with Polar Code and MARPOL. The analysis showed that structured rights and obligations reduce vendor lock-in, enable safe public-interest data flows (with emergency access and fair compensation), and improve interoperability across clouds and jurisdictions. The results provide implementable pathways for shipping companies to turn Arctic Green Maritime Data into strategic assets while supporting sustainable and resilient green shipping corridor operations. Full article

Existing research suggests that information asymmetry remains a core barrier to entrepreneurial firms’ external financing. Drawing on signaling theory and a signal cost perspective, this study examines how two key entrepreneurial signals—high-cost patent signals and low-cost international market orientation (IMO) signals—shape the scale of firms’ external financing in Korea. We argue that although both signals are positively associated with financing scale, their effectiveness is differentially conditioned by investment discourse sentiment. Specifically, positive discourse sentiment amplifies the financing effects of both signals, whereas negative discourse sentiment attenuates the effect of IMO but strengthens the impact of patent signals, indicating that in pessimistic contexts investors rely more heavily on high-cost, externally verifiable signals when valuing and allocating capital. Using data from the Korean Venture Business Survey (2021–2023) and investment discourse sentiment measures constructed via LDA topic modeling and dictionary-based sentiment extraction, our empirical analyses support these hypotheses. Full article

An increasing number of different types of dielectric liquids are appearing on the market. This is undoubtedly related to sustainable development goals. This paper presents comparative studies of the lightning impulse breakdown voltage (LIBV) of six dielectric liquids with different chemical compositions: naphthenic uninhibited mineral oil (UMO), naphthenic inhibited mineral oil (IMO), natural ester (NE), synthetic ester (SE), bio-based hydrocarbon (BIO), and an inhibited liquid produced using gas-to-liquids technology (GTL). Tests were conducted in a point-to-sphere electrode configuration with a 5 mm thick pressboard barrier placed between them. This configuration was designed to more closely replicate the actual configuration found in transformers, where the oil channels are separated by pressboard barriers. Tests were performed for two inter-electrode gap distances of 25 mm and 40 mm, and for both lightning impulse voltage polarities. The pressboard barrier was placed so that the distance between point electrode and the barrier was always the same (10 mm). Measurements were performed using the step method. Before measurements began, the pressboard barrier was impregnated with the dielectric liquid being tested. The obtained measurement results were compared with previous studies conducted by the authors, which used a similar electrode system but without the pressboard barrier. The results confirmed that inserting the pressboard barrier between the electrodes effectively inhibits development of discharges and significantly increases the electrical strength of the entire insulation system. Full article

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from maritime transport account for nearly 3% of global totals, making the decarbonisation of this sector a critical priority. In response, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted the GHG Strategy, targeting the full decarbonisation of international shipping by 2050, with interim milestones in 2030 and 2040. This study evaluates the greenhouse gas fuel intensity of three representative vessel types, an oil tanker, a container ship, and a bulk carrier, using one-year operational fuel consumption data in line with the Regulations of the IMO Net-Zero Framework. Both conventional fuels, including conventional marine fuels, and alternative options, encompassing liquefied natural gas (LNG), e-hydrogen, e-ammonia, e-methanol, and biodiesel, are assessed for compliance during 2028–2035. The findings reveal that conventional fuels are unable to meet future targets, resulting in significant compliance deficits and balancing costs of remedial units. LNG provides short-term benefits but is limited by methane slip. In contrast, e-hydrogen and e-ammonia enable long-term compliance and generate surplus units. E-methanol shows a partial potential, while biodiesel delivers only modest improvements. The results underscore the need for a transition toward near-zero-well-to-wake-emission fuels. This study contributes by combining life cycle assessments with regulatory compliance analysis, offering insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders. Full article

Background/Objectives: The imo Vifa^® is reportedly useful for diagnosing functional visual field loss; however, its potential for detecting malingering is unclear. Here, we intentionally simulated monocular visual field defects under bilateral randomized visual field testing conditions using the imo Vifa^® in healthy participants and compared their resulting defect phenotypes. Methods: Twenty participants (mean age, 37.3 ± 12.4 years; 12 orthoptists, 1 physician, and 7 administrative staff members) without ocular disease were enrolled. Four types of monocular visual field defects were simulated: right eye nasal hemianopia, left eye temporal hemianopia, right eye centripetal visual field constriction, and left eye central scotoma. Bilateral randomized visual field testing was performed using the AIZE-rapid mode with the 24-2 and 24plus(1) programs. Results: Accurate simulation of the intended defects was challenging. Orthoptists produced left homonymous hemianopia for right nasal hemianopia and left temporal hemianopia. Regarding right nasal hemianopia, many office workers generated patterns resembling right homonymous hemianopia-like, whereas for left temporal hemianopia, noncertified orthoptists produced patterns similar to those of left homonymous hemianopia-like. Considering the right centripetal constriction, all orthoptists produced the intended centripetal constriction, whereas non-orthoptists generated right homonymous hemianopia-like or patchy patterns. Orthoptists produced central scotomas or patchy patterns for the left central scotoma, whereas non-orthoptists generated left homonymous hemianopia-like patterns. Conclusions: Creating targeted monocular abnormalities during bilateral randomized visual field testing was challenging. Differences in the participants’ understanding of visual field testing influenced the resulting patterns. In future research, having participants create monocular visual field defects under occlusion conditions would be necessary. Full article

Maritime transport accounts for approximately 80–90% of global trade and nearly 3% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In response, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted an ambitious strategy for net-zero emissions by 2050, critically mandating a Well-to-Wake (WtW) life-cycle assessment for fuels. This framework invalidates fuels produced with high carbon intensity, regardless of their emissions at the point of use, thereby compelling the industry to focus on truly clean and sustainable alternatives. This push positions green hydrogen and ammonia as leading solutions, though they present a distinct trade-off. Hydrogen is an ideal fuel with zero-carbon emission in fuel cells but faces significant storage challenges due to its extremely low volumetric energy density and cryogenic requirements. In contrast, ammonia offers superior energy density and easier handling but contends with issues of toxicity and potentially harmful emissions like nitrous oxide. This paper provides a comprehensive review of this complex landscape, analyzing the production, utilization, and associated techno-economic and geopolitical challenges of using hydrogen and ammonia as future marine fuels, with environmental aspects briefly considered. Full article

Ballast water (BW) is a major pathway for the spread of invasive microorganisms and pathogens, posing significant ecological and public health risks. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has established strict discharge standards, yet routine monitoring remains limited, and no reliable onboard test is currently available to assist crews in verifying BW quality before discharge. This study presents the development of a rapid, portable method for onboard microbiological assessment of BW, based on potentiometric detection and biosensors engineered with the Bioelectric Recognition Assay (BERA). Two complementary approaches were evaluated: (i) direct potentiometric measurements of contaminated and non-contaminated samples, which confirmed the feasibility of detecting microbial presence but were restricted by high detection limits, and (ii) development of biosensors specifically engineered for Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. to improve specificity and lower the limit of detection (LOD). Results demonstrated successful detection of both microorganisms, with performance characteristics of 83.3% sensitivity and 81.9% accuracy for Enterococcus spp. (LOD: 10² CFU 100 mL⁻¹), and 89.8% sensitivity and 85.1% accuracy for Escherichia coli (LOD: 250 CFU 100 mL⁻¹). These findings underscore the potential of biosensor-based systems as practical, crew-operated tools for early warning and real-time monitoring of ballast water quality, supporting compliance with IMO standards and contributing to safer, more sustainable maritime operations. Full article

Background/Objectives: Small intestinal microbial overgrowth (SIMO), including both small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and intestinal methanogen overgrowth (IMO), is commonly diagnosed using non-invasive breath tests, whose diagnostic performance and criteria remain inconsistent. This study aimed to assess SIMO prevalence using lactulose (LBT) and glucose breath tests (GBT), compare their diagnostic yields for SIBO and IMO, analyze associated gas profiles, clinical features, risk factors, and evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a simplified fasting methane criterion for IMO. Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted on 564 outpatients (75.7% female) with suspected SIMO. Patients underwent LBT (n = 275), GBT (n = 289), or both (n = 47). Results: SIMO was diagnosed in 26.8% of patients. LBT identified significantly more SIMO than GBT (37.5% vs. 16.6%, p < 0.01), particularly for SIBO (24.4% vs. 4.8%, p < 0.01), while IMO detection was comparable (9.8% vs. 10.7%). Mixed overgrowth (dual SIBO/IMO positivity) showed a borderline trend favoring LBT. Methane peaks occurred significantly earlier than hydrogen in both BTs. Clinical symptoms did not significantly differ between SIMO subtypes or between test-positive and test-negative groups. The simplified fasting methane criterion showed limited diagnostic accuracy for IMO making it inadequate as a standalone diagnostic tool, requiring further validation before clinical implementation. Conclusions: GBT is the more reliable test for SIMO diagnosis due to LBT’s lower specificity. Clinical symptoms alone were not predictive of SIMO subtypes, while the different gas profile suggests a distinct spatial distribution of microbial populations with a higher proximal concentration of methanogenic Archaea. Full article

Polyethylene terephthalate-derived fluorescent carbon quantum dots (PET-CQDs) are promising nanomaterials for sensing and biomedical uses, yet their biological interactions after metal doping require careful evaluation. Here, we report an in silico assessment of pristine and dual-site (via graphitic [G] and carbonyl [O]) metal-doped PET-CQDs (Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn) using molecular docking against eight human proteins: HSA (distribution), CYP3A4 (metabolism), hemoglobin (systemic biocompatibility), transferrin (uptake), GST (detoxification), ERα (endocrine regulation), IL-6 (inflammation), and caspase-3 (cytotoxic signaling) together with ADMET profiling and DFT–docking correlation analysis. Docking affinities were compared with controls and ranged from −7.8 to −10.4 kcal·mol⁻¹ across systems, with binding stabilized by π–π stacking, hydrogen bonding and metal–ligand coordination involving residues such as arginine, tyrosine and serine. Importantly, top-performing CQD variants differed by target: PET-CQDs, MgG_PET-CQDs and FeG_PET-CQDs were best for GST; ERα interacted favorably with all doped variants; IL-6 bound best to CaO_PET-CQDs and FeO_PET-CQDs (≈−7.1 kcal·mol⁻¹); HSA favored CaG_PET-CQDs (−10.0 kcal·mol⁻¹) and FeO_PET-CQDs (−9.9 kcal·mol⁻¹); CYP3A4 bound most strongly to pristine PET-CQDs; hemoglobin favored MgG_PET-CQDs (−9.6 kcal·mol⁻¹) and FeO_PET-CQDs (−9.3 kcal·mol⁻¹); transferrin favored FeG_PET-CQDs; caspase-3 showed favored binding overall (pristine −6.8 kcal·mol⁻¹; doped −7.4 to −7.6 kcal·mol⁻¹). ADMET predictions indicated high GI absorption, improved aqueous solubility for some dopants (~18.6 mg·mL⁻¹ for Ca-O/Mg-O), low skin permeability and no mutagenic/carcinogenic flags. Regression analysis showed frontier orbital descriptors (HOMO/LUMO) partially explain selective affinities for ERα and IL-6. These results support a target-guided selection of PET-CQDs for biomedical applications, and they call for experimental validation of selected dopant–target pairs. Full article

With the trend of internationalization, maritime traffic density has gradually increased. Since 2002, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has required various types of vessels to be equipped with the Automatic Identification System (AIS). Through AIS static and dynamic data, more complete navigational information of vessels can be obtained. As the Port of Kaohsiung is currently transitioning into a smart port, this study focuses on inbound and outbound vessels of the Second Port of Kaohsiung. It considers both the safety monitoring of the smart port and environmental security, integrating a big data database to provide early warnings for abnormal navigation conditions. This study builds an integrated database based on vessel AIS data, conducts AIS big data analysis to extract useful information, and establishes a random forest model to predict whether a vessel’s course and speed during port navigation deviate from normal patterns, thereby achieving the goal of early warning. This study also helps reduce the risk of collisions caused by abnormal vessel operations and thus prevents marine pollution in the port area due to oil spills or hazardous substance leakage. Through real-time monitoring and early warning of navigation behavior, it not only enhances navigation safety but also serves as the first line of defense against marine pollution, contributing significantly to the protection of the port’s ecological environment and the promotion of sustainable development. Full article