Browse publications by year: 2021

  1. Efficient classification of COVID-19 CT scans by using q-transform model for feature extraction
    Al-Azawi RJ, Al-Saidi NMG, Jalab HA, Kahtan H, Ibrahim RW
    PeerJ Comput Sci, 2021;7:e553.
    PMID: 39545145 DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.553
    The exponential growth in computer technology throughout the past two decades has facilitated the development of advanced image analysis techniques which aid the field of medical imaging. CT is a widely used medical screening method used to obtain high resolution images of the human body. CT has been proven useful in the screening of the virus that is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic by allowing physicians to rule out suspected infections based on the appearance of the lungs from the CT scan. Based on this, we hereby propose an intelligent yet efficient CT scan-based COVID-19 classification algorithm that is able to discriminate negative from positive cases by evaluating the appearance of lungs. The algorithm is comprised of four main steps: preprocessing, features extraction, features reduction, and classification. In preprocessing, we employ the contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization (CLAHE) to adjust the contrast of the image to enhance the details of the input image. We then apply the q-transform method to extract features from the CT scan. This method measures the grey level intensity of the pixels which reflects the features of the image. In the feature reduction step, we measure the mean, skewness and standard deviation to reduce overhead and improve the efficiency of the algorithm. Finally, "k-nearest neighbor", "decision tree", and "support vector machine" are used as classifiers to classify the cases. The experimental results show accuracy rates of 98%, 98%, and 98.25% for each of the classifiers, respectively. It is therefore concluded that the proposed method is efficient, accurate, and flexible. Overall, we are confident that the proposed algorithm is capable of achieving a high classification accuracy under different scenarios, which makes it suitable for implementation in real-world applications.
  2. Fulltext Deep supervised hashing for gait retrieval
    Sayeed S, Min PP, Ong TS
    F1000Res, 2021;10:1038.
    PMID: 35814625 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.51368.2
    Background: Gait recognition is perceived as the most promising biometric approach for future decades especially because of its efficient applicability in surveillance systems. Due to recent growth in the use of gait biometrics across surveillance systems, the ability to rapidly search for the required data has become an emerging need. Therefore, we addressed the gait retrieval problem, which retrieves people with gaits similar to a query subject from a large-scale dataset. Methods: This paper presents the deep gait retrieval hashing (DGRH) model to address the gait retrieval problem for large-scale datasets. Our proposed method is based on a supervised hashing method with a deep convolutional network. We use the ability of the convolutional neural network (CNN) to capture the semantic gait features for feature representation and learn the compact hash codes with the compatible hash function. Therefore, our DGRH model combines gait feature learning with binary hash codes. In addition, the learning loss is designed with a classification loss function that learns to preserve similarity and a quantization loss function that controls the quality of the hash codes Results: The proposed method was evaluated against the CASIA-B, OUISIR-LP, and OUISIR-MVLP benchmark datasets and received the promising result for gait retrieval tasks. Conclusions: The end-to-end deep supervised hashing model is able to learn discriminative gait features and is efficient in terms of the storage memory and speed for gait retrieval.
    MeSH terms: Algorithms*; Gait; Humans; Neural Networks (Computer); Benchmarking
  3. Fulltext The improved photocatalytic activity of highly expanded MoS2 under visible light emitting diodes
    Lai MTL, Lee KM, Yang TCK, Pan GT, Lai CW, Chen CY, et al.
    Nanoscale Adv, 2021 Feb 23;3(4):1106-1120.
    PMID: 36133295 DOI: 10.1039/d0na00936a
    Photocatalytic degradation is a promising method to remove organic pollutants from water. Photocatalysts based on two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) such as MoS2 nanomaterials have gained tremendous popularity. This is due to their narrow band gap and high visible light absorption. Herein, a MoS2 photocatalyst with highly expanded interlayer spaces of 1.51 nm was synthesized in the presence of Pluronic F-127 as a template by a facile one-pot hydrothermal method. This expanded MoS2 (MF-1) managed to photodegrade 98% (2.62 × 10-2 min-1) of methylene blue (MB) dye under irradiation of 1 W visible light-emitting diode (LED) white light. The dominant performance of MF-1 is attributed to the highly expanded interlayer spacing, which exposed more active edge sites. Moreover, the formation of surface defects such as surface cracks and sulfur vacancies (Sv) facilitates the adsorption capacity and in situ generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The dominant ROS responsible for the photodegradation of MB is superoxide radical (˙O2 -). The photocatalyst shows good recyclability without deterioration even after five consecutive cycles.
  4. Fulltext High shear in situ exfoliation of 2D gallium oxide sheets from centrifugally derived thin films of liquid gallium
    Vimalanathan K, Palmer T, Gardner Z, Ling I, Rahpeima S, Elmas S, et al.
    Nanoscale Adv, 2021 Oct 12;3(20):5785-5792.
    PMID: 36132680 DOI: 10.1039/d1na00598g
    A diversity of two-dimensional nanomaterials has recently emerged with recent attention turning to the post-transition metal elements, in particular material derived from liquid metals and eutectic melts below 330 °C where processing is more flexible and in the temperature regime suitable for industry. This has been explored for liquid gallium using an angled vortex fluidic device (VFD) to fabricate ultrathin gallium oxide (Ga2O3) sheets under continuous flow conditions. We have established the nanosheets to form highly insulating material and have electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution, with a Tafel slope of 39 mV dec-1 revealing promoting effects of the surface oxidation (passivation layer).
  5. Fulltext Characterisation of Plant Growth-Promoting Endophytic Bacteria from Sugarcane and Their Antagonistic Activity against Fusarium moniliforme
    Pitiwittayakul N, Wongsorn D, Tanasupawat S
    Trop Life Sci Res, 2021 Sep;32(3):97-118.
    PMID: 35656370 DOI: 10.21315/tlsr2021.32.3.6
    The use of endophytic bacteria in agriculture provides an effective way of improving crop yield and significantly reducing chemical usage, such as fungicides. This research was conducted to explore endophytic bacteria with plant growth promotion (PGP) and antifungal activities against Fusarium moniliforme AIT01. In this study, we obtained 52 isolates of endophytic bacteria associated with the roots and stems of sugarcane from Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand. In vitro antagonistic activity test showed that 14 out of 52 isolates had antagonistic activity against the fungal pathogen F. moniliforme AIT01. These antagonistic endophytic bacteria were identified as belonging to six different species as follows: Nguyenibacter vanlangensis, Acidomonas methanolica, Asaia bogorensis, Tanticharoenia aidae, Burkholderia gladioli and Bacillus altitudinis based on phenotypic characteristics, along with phylogenetic analysis of their 16S rRNA gene sequences. Seven isolates effectively inhibited F. moniliforme AIT01 mycelial growth by up to 40%. The volatile compounds of six isolates reduced the growth of F. moniliforme AIT01 by over 23%. Moreover, riceberry rice seedlings previously treated with B. gladioli CP28 were found to strongly reduce infection with phytopathogen by 80% in comparison to the non-treated control. Furthermore, the isolates also showed relevant PGP features, including ammonia production, zinc and phosphate solubilisation, auxin and siderophore biosynthesis. These results demonstrated that the tested endophytic bacteria could be successfully utilised as a source of PGP and biocontrol agent to manage diseases caused by F. moniliforme.
  6. Fulltext Clinical characteristics, outcomes, and management of COVID-19 in kidney transplant recipients across Asia: an ASTREGO report
    Kee T, Jeong JC, Ur-Rashid H, Begum NAS, Arakama MH, Danguilan R, et al.
    Korean J Transplant, 2021 Dec 31;35(4):218-229.
    PMID: 35769859 DOI: 10.4285/kjt.21.0024
    BACKGROUND: Asia is the global epicenter of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic; however, COVID-19-related mortality in Asia remains lower than in other parts of the world. It is uncertain whether the mortality of COVID-19-infected kidney transplant recipients (KTXs) from Asia follows the lower mortality trends of the younger Asian population.

    METHODS: Specific transplant centers from countries in the Asian Society of Transplantation were invited to participate in a study to examine the epidemiology, clinical features, natural history, and outcomes of COVID-19 infections in KTXs. Data were analyzed and compared with those of large cohort studies from other countries.

    RESULTS: The study population was 87 KTXs from nine hospitals in seven Asian countries. Within the study population, 9% were aged 60 years and older, and 79% had at least one comorbidity. The majority of patients (69%) presented with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 severity. Disease progression was more frequently encountered among those with moderate or severe infection (23%) and non-survivors (55%). The mortality rate was 23% (n=20) and differed according to the level of care 12% (n=1/8), 15% (n=10/67), and 100% (n=9/9) of patients managed as outpatients, in the general ward, and in the intensive care unit, respectively. Disease severity at the time of presentation was an independent predictor of mortality. Compared with the mortality rates in other studies worldwide, mortality rates in the current study were comparable.

    CONCLUSIONS: Mortality in Asian KTXs who were infected with COVID-19 remains high and could be related to comorbidity burden and the constraints of the general healthcare system when the COVID-19 caseload is high.

  7. Fulltext Alkaline earth atom doping-induced changes in the electronic and magnetic properties of graphene: a density functional theory study
    Serraon ACF, Del Rosario JAD, Abel Chuang PY, Chong MN, Morikawa Y, Padama AAB, et al.
    RSC Adv, 2021 Feb 02;11(11):6268-6283.
    PMID: 35423162 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra08115a
    Density functional theory was used to investigate the effects of doping alkaline earth metal atoms (beryllium, magnesium, calcium and strontium) on graphene. Electron transfer from the dopant atom to the graphene substrate was observed and was further probed by a combined electron localization function/non-covalent interaction (ELF/NCI) approach. This approach demonstrates that predominantly ionic bonding occurs between the alkaline earth dopants and the substrate, with beryllium doping having a variant characteristic as a consequence of electronegativity equalization attributed to its lower atomic number relative to carbon. The ionic bonding induces spin-polarized electronic structures and lower workfunctions for Mg-, Ca-, and Sr-doped graphene systems as compared to the pristine graphene. However, due to its variant bonding characteristic, Be-doped graphene exhibits non-spin-polarized p-type semiconductor behavior, which is consistent with previous works, and an increase in workfunction relative to pristine graphene. Dirac half-metal-like behavior was predicted for magnesium doped graphene while calcium doped and strontium doped graphene were predicted to have bipolar magnetic semiconductor behavior. These changes in the electronic and magnetic properties of alkaline earth doped graphene may be of importance for spintronic and other electronic device applications.
  8. Fulltext Disseminated Tuberculosis With Myocarditis and Intracardiac Thrombus in a Previously Young Healthy Woman
    Raffali MA, Muhammad SF, Tiau Wei Jyung P, Farouk D, Zohdi A, Che Hassan HH
    JACC Case Rep, 2021 Nov 03;3(15):1661-1666.
    PMID: 34766014 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaccas.2021.08.020
    A 33-year-old woman with newly diagnosed disseminated tuberculosis presented with acute heart failure and incidental findings of intracardiac thrombus, demonstrating possible tuberculous myocarditis. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.).
  9. Fulltext Building a resilient and sustainable food system in a changing world - A case for climate-smart and nutrient dense crops
    Mustafa MA, Mabhaudhi T, Massawe F
    Glob Food Sec, 2021 Mar;28.
    PMID: 39036390 DOI: 10.1016/j.gfs.2020.100477
    Current food production and consumption practices have had negative impacts on the environment and are central to global health concerns. Using a mixed-methods review, we examined the nutritional and environmental impacts of our global food systems and addressed the apparent decrease in food sources and crop diversity, and its implication on sustainable and healthy diets. Moreover, we explored the merits of weighing the use of natural capital and agricultural inputs against the output generated in terms of nutrient density. Transforming our food systems to safeguard planetary health will require a shift towards sufficient production of nutrient dense crops that are environmentally sustainable. Such a transformation largely depends on valuing crops for their natural nutrient density and matching them to suitable environments.
  10. Fulltext The Burden of Dementia due to Down Syndrome, Parkinson's Disease, Stroke, and Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
    GBD 2019 Dementia Collaborators
    Neuroepidemiology, 2021;55(4):286-296.
    PMID: 34182555 DOI: 10.1159/000515393
    BACKGROUND: In light of the increasing trend in the global number of individuals affected by dementia and the lack of any available disease-modifying therapies, it is necessary to fully understand and quantify the global burden of dementia. This work aimed to estimate the proportion of dementia due to Down syndrome, Parkinson's disease, clinical stroke, and traumatic brain injury (TBI), globally and by world region, in order to better understand the contribution of clinical diseases to dementia prevalence.

    METHODS: Through literature review, we obtained data on the relative risk of dementia with each condition and estimated relative risks by age using a Bayesian meta-regression tool. We then calculated population attributable fractions (PAFs), or the proportion of dementia attributable to each condition, using the estimates of relative risk and prevalence estimates for each condition from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Finally, we multiplied these estimates by dementia prevalence to calculate the number of dementia cases attributable to each condition.

    FINDINGS: For each clinical condition, the relative risk of dementia decreased with age. Relative risks were highest for Down syndrome, followed by Parkinson's disease, stroke, and TBI. However, due to the high prevalence of stroke, the PAF for dementia due to stroke was highest. Together, Down syndrome, Parkinson's disease, stroke, and TBI explained 10.0% (95% UI: 6.0-16.5) of the global prevalence of dementia.

    INTERPRETATION: Ten percent of dementia prevalence globally could be explained by Down syndrome, Parkinson's disease, stroke, and TBI. The quantification of the proportion of dementia attributable to these 4 conditions constitutes a small contribution to our overall understanding of what causes dementia. However, epidemiological research into modifiable risk factors as well as basic science research focused on elucidating intervention approaches to prevent or delay the neuropathological changes that commonly characterize dementia will be critically important in future efforts to prevent and treat disease.

    MeSH terms: Bayes Theorem; Humans; Risk Factors; Global Health; Prevalence; Quality-Adjusted Life Years; Global Burden of Disease
  11. Fulltext Implementing Flexible Systems in Doctoral Viva Defense Through Virtual Mechanism
    Raju V
    Glob J Flex Syst Manag, 2021;22(2):127-139.
    PMID: 38624609 DOI: 10.1007/s40171-021-00264-y
    Year 2020 has cultivated new arena in education. Covid-19 has not only reformed the world but also revived the process of operations. One among them is academics. Never in history of education was a lecture delivered without the physical presence of lecturers, in an academic environment. Even in present wildest innovative decade, the idea of eliminating the academia was not an option. However, after the pandemic encounter, it happened. These are not mere changes, but it is a transformation. While this phenomenon is getting acceptable gradually by takers, the mammoth turnaround is happening in Ph.D. final viva voce defenses too. Practice of online defense is approved by leading Universities so as to avoid stagnation of researchers in final stage. Question is, will it be appropriate to accept final defenses in online stream? and has the institutions developed rubrics to assess the researches which are presented online? Finally, if this is the only choice then how best we can use the technology to generalize it as a system? This research was executed through Delphi technique method from academia, research aspirants and policy-makers. Partial least square is used to quantify the data after interpreting qualitative data. Thirteen homogeneous University's respondents were used as sample. Focus of this paper remains to substantiate the benefits of emerging technology and developing a scheme for virtual streaming, rather identifying reasons to avoid them.
  12. Special Issue Focus: Selected Papers from the 5th Symposium on Damage Mechanism in Materials and Structures
    Abdullah S, Singh SSK
    J Fail Anal Prev, 2021;21(6):1923-1924.
    PMID: 38624765 DOI: 10.1007/s11668-021-01284-7
  13. Fulltext Technology and Entrepreneurial Marketing Decisions During COVID-19
    Polas MRH, Raju V
    Glob J Flex Syst Manag, 2021;22(2):95-112.
    PMID: 38624863 DOI: 10.1007/s40171-021-00262-0
    The prime concern of this study is to explore how technology influences entrepreneurial marketing decisions during the world pandemic (COVID-19). The study uses a sample of 127 SMEs from Bangladesh. Data were collected by sending out questionnaires electronically and by mail. Smart PLS (SEM) 3.0 was used to analyse the data following the quantitative method. The study reveals positive and significant relationships between entrepreneurial opportunity recognition, opportunity development and opportunity exploitation with their entrepreneurial marketing decisions. It also claims that entrepreneurial passion mediates the relationship between entrepreneurial opportunity recognition and opportunity development with their entrepreneurial marketing decisions. However, entrepreneurial passion does not mediate the relationship between entrepreneurial opportunity exploitation and entrepreneurial marketing decisions. The study offers researchers a broader and more wide-ranging view of the importance of artificial intelligence in small firms. Researchers, educators and practitioners will benefit from the findings. The analyses are more complex and varied than the methodologies used in most of the limited previous research.
  14. Simulating the Optimization of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer as a Wrapping Structure on Piping System Using SolidWorks
    Letchumanan SM, Tajul Arifin AM, Taib I, Rahim MZ, Nor Salim NA
    J Fail Anal Prev, 2021;21(6):2038-2063.
    PMID: 38624883 DOI: 10.1007/s11668-021-01287-4
    Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) was designed, simulated, and evaluated as a wrapping material on defected pipe using computational approach. This composite material was considered as a unique wrapping material as it may have the combined characteristics of the constituents or have substantially different properties than the individual constituents. Specifically, this research evaluates the capability of CFRP as a wrapper through SolidWorks Simulation using the static analysis, computational fluid dynamics analysis, and data analysis. This approach gives a preliminary consideration and justification on choosing the optimized lamination orientation of CFRP in real cases based on the simulated data. Various orientations were simulated and analyzed throughout this research. Based on all the simulation analysis, the CFRP wrapper with quasi-isotropic lamination with the 8 plies 45∘/90∘/0∘/45∘s orientation was seen most effective in reducing the stress and possess highest minimum safety factor at the fully defected region (100 × 100 × 7.11 mm thru) after the repair. Eventually, this optimized CFRP lamination orientation, proved that it was able to withstand pressures ranging between 0.86 to 19.6 MPa with a layer thickness in between 0.16 up to 3.76 mm. Based on the static analysis, this optimized laminated orientation of CFRP indeed showed that it was able to reduce the stress on an average of 94.10% after the repair was done. Relatively, CFRP was 0.2% higher in reducing the maximum stress at the defected region at the pipe, than the Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer with the same orientation. Additionally, the flow simulation analysis in SolidWorks showed that fluid flow was undisrupted after the repair was done, and the wrapped region was resistant to any fluid leakages.
  15. Fulltext Glycerol waste to value added products and its potential applications
    Chilakamarry CR, Sakinah AMM, Zularisam AW, Pandey A
    Syst Microbiol Biomanuf, 2021;1(4):378-396.
    PMID: 38624889 DOI: 10.1007/s43393-021-00036-w
    The rapid industrial and economic development runs on fossil fuel and other energy sources. Limited oil reserves, environmental issues, and high transportation costs lead towards carbon unbiased renewable and sustainable fuel. Compared to other carbon-based fuels, biodiesel is attracted worldwide as a biofuel for the reduction of global dependence on fossil fuels and the greenhouse effect. During biodiesel production, approximately 10% of glycerol is formed in the transesterification process in a biodiesel plant. The ditching of crude glycerol is important as it contains salt, free fatty acids, and methanol that cause contamination of soil and creates environmental challenges for researchers. However, the excessive cost of crude glycerol refining and market capacity encourage the biodiesel industries for developing a new idea for utilising and produced extra sources of income and treat biodiesel waste. This review focuses on the significance of crude glycerol in the value-added utilisation and conversion to bioethanol by a fermentation process and describes the opportunities of glycerol in various applications.
  16. Fulltext Model-based Patient Matching for in-parallel Multiplexing Mechanical Ventilation Support
    Wong JW, Chiew YS, Desaive T, Chase JG
    IFAC Pap OnLine, 2021;54(15):121-126.
    PMID: 38620762 DOI: 10.1016/j.ifacol.2021.10.242
    Surges of COVID-19 infections could lead to insufficient supply of mechanical ventilators, and rationing of needed care. Multiplexing mechanical ventilators (co-MV) to serve multiple patients is a potential temporary solution. However, if patients are ventilated in parallel ventilation, there is currently no means to match ventilation requirements or patients, with no guidelines to date for co-MV. This research uses patient-specific clinically validated respiratory mechanics models to propose a method for patient matching and mechanical ventilator settings for two-patient co-MV under pressure control mode. The proposed method can simulate and estimate the resultant tidal volume of different combinations of co-ventilated patients. With both patients fulfilling the specified constraint under similar ventilation settings, the actual mechanical ventilator settings for co-MV are determined. This method allows clinicians to analyze in silico co-MV before clinical implementation.
  17. Fulltext A dynamic forensic medicine approach: Management of the dead during COVID-19 outbreak in Malaysia
    Khoo LS, Hasmi AH, Mahmood MS, Ibrahim MA
    Forensic Sci Int Rep, 2021 Nov;4:100245.
    PMID: 38620858 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsir.2021.100245
    It has been a difficult year ahead since the announcement of COVID-19 as a pandemic by the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO). Many countries including Malaysia have struggled to take urgent and aggressive measures to advise, detect, screen, test, isolate and treat their citizens in order to fight against the virus. All countries must strike a balance between protecting health, minimizing economic and social disruption and at the same time, preserving human rights which includes managing the dead with dignity and respect. The National Institute of Forensic Medicine (IPFN) Malaysia has been proactively engaging the various agencies involved in a concerted effort to ensure smooth flow in the management of the dead for all COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the outbreak in February 2020. This is in accordance with all existing guidelines and regulations vis-a-vis infection prevention and control in the country. However, new situations that arise during the pandemic are always challenging and dynamic. The COVID-19 crisis has uncovered a plethora of issues surrounding the margin of the Forensic Medicine fraternity. Therefore, this article highlights various emerging issues encountered by the IPFN and how they are resolved through good leadership to guide and direct operations and activities during the exponential rise of COVID-19 infection in Malaysia. In the provision of the management of the dead, it is of utmost importance to note that the humanitarian aspect needs to be emphasized even in times of an outbreak to give closure to the family and the opportunity to mourn their loved ones.
  18. Fulltext One- and Five-Ringgit Malaysia banknotes reader with counterfeit detection for visually impaired person using backlight mechanism and image processing techniques
    Salem TK, Wong WK, Min TS, Wong EK
    F1000Res, 2021;10:1098.
    PMID: 38618192 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.58446.2
    Visually impaired persons face challenges in running business activities, especially in handling banknotes. Malaysia researchers had proposed some Ringgit banknotes recognition systems to aid visually impaired persons recognize and classify Ringgit banknotes. However, these electronic banknote readers can only recognize Malaysian Banknotes' Ringgit value, they have no counterfeit detection features. The purpose of this study is to develop a banknote reader that not only can help visually impaired persons recognize the banknote value, but also to detect the counterfeit of the banknote, safeguarding their losses. This paper proposed a Malaysian banknote reader using backlight mechanism and image processing techniques to read and detect counterfeit for one Ringgit and five Ringgit Malaysian banknotes. The developed handheld banknote reader used visual type sensor to capture banknote image, passed to raspberry pi controller to perform image processing on banknote value and the extracted watermarks features. The developed image processing algorithm will trace out the region of interests: 1)see-thru windows, 2)Crescent and Star, 3)Perfect see though register and detect the watermarks features accordingly. The processed result will be passed back to the handheld banknote reader and broadcast on an attached mini speaker to aid the visually impaired understand the holding banknote, whether it is a real one Ringgit, real five Ringgit or none of them. The experimental result shown by this approach able to accomplish numerous round of banknote reading attempts with successful outcomes. Confusion matrix is further employed to study the performance of the banknote reader, in terms of true positive, true negative, false positive and false negative. Details analysis had been focused on the critical false positive cases (predicted real banknote and actually is fake banknote) and false negative cases (predicted fake banknote and it is actually real banknote).
  19. Toward an agency and reactance theory of crowding: Insights from COVID-19 and the tourism industry
    Lim WM
    J Consum Behav, 2021;20(6):1690-1694.
    PMID: 38607794 DOI: 10.1002/cb.1948
    In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, this article endeavors to offer expeditious insights into the impact of the global humanitarian crisis on the tourism industry from a consumer behavior perspective. To do so, this article employs the theory of crowding as an overarching theoretical lens, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a context to represent a global humanitarian crisis, and the rapid review approach as a method to source maiden evidence. In doing so, this article sheds light on instances of undercrowding (undertourism) and overcrowding (overtourism) in tourism as a result of COVID-19, with interpretations enriched by agency theory and reactance theory-thereby resulting in the emergence of a new theory called the agency and reactance theory of crowding. The article concludes with pragmatic implications in light of the global humanitarian crisis.
  20. Fulltext Challenges of implementing the Paediatric Surviving Sepsis Campaign International Guidelines 2020 in resource-limited settings: A real-world view beyond the academia
    Wooldridge G, O'Brien N, Muttalib F, Abbas Q, Adabie Appiah J, Baker T, et al.
    Andes Pediatr, 2021 Dec;92(6):954-962.
    PMID: 35506809 DOI: 10.32641/andespediatr.v92i6.4030
    The Surviving Sepsis Campaign International Guidelines for the Management of Septic Shock and Sepsis-associated Organ Dysfunction in Children was released in 2020 and is intended for use in all global settings that care for children with sepsis. However, practitioners managing children with sep sis in resource-limited settings (RLS) face several challenges and disease patterns not experienced by those in resource-rich settings. Based upon our collective experience from RLS, we aimed to reflect on the difficulties of implementing the international guidelines. We believe there is an urgent need for more evidence from RLS on feasible, efficacious approaches to the management of sepsis and septic shock that could be included in future context-specific guidelines.
    MeSH terms: Child; Critical Care; Head; Humans; Organizations
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