Multi-criteria decision-making for coronavirus disease 2019 applications: a theoretical analysis review.

The influence of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that is being felt in all spheres of our lives and has a remarkable effect on global health care delivery occurs amongst the ongoing global health crisis of patients and the required services. From the time of the first detection of infection amongst the public, researchers investigated various applications in the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak and outlined the crucial roles of different research areas in this unprecedented battle. In the context of existing studies in the literature surrounding COVID-19, related to medical treatment decisions, the dimensions of context addressed in previous multidisciplinary studies reveal the lack of appropriate decision mechanisms during the COVID-19 outbreak. Multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) has been applied widely in our daily lives in various ways with numerous successful stories to help analyse complex decisions and provide an accurate decision process. The rise of MCDM in combating COVID-19 from a theoretical perspective view needs further investigation to meet the important characteristic points that match integrating MCDM and COVID-19. To this end, a comprehensive review and an analysis of these multidisciplinary fields, carried out by different MCDM theories concerning COVID19 in complex case studies, are provided. Research directions on exploring the potentials of MCDM and enhancing its capabilities and power through two directions (i.e. development and evaluation) in COVID-19 are thoroughly discussed. In addition, Bibliometrics has been analysed, visualization and interpretation based on the evaluation and development category using R-tool involves; annual scientific production, country scientific production, Wordcloud, factor analysis in bibliographic, and country collaboration map. Furthermore, 8 characteristic points that go through the analysis based on new tables of information are highlighted and discussed to cover several important facts and percentages associated with standardising the evaluation criteria, MCDM theory in ranking alternatives and weighting criteria, operators used with the MCDM methods, normalisation types for the data used, MCDM theory contexts, selected experts ways, validation scheme for effective MCDM theory and the challenges of MCDM theory used in COVID-19 studies. Accordingly, a recommended MCDM theory solution is presented through three distinct phases as a future direction in COVID19 studies. Key phases of this methodology include the Fuzzy Delphi method for unifying criteria and establishing importance level, Fuzzy weighted Zero Inconsistency for weighting to mitigate the shortcomings of the previous weighting techniques and the MCDM approach by the name Fuzzy Decision by Opinion Score method for prioritising alternatives and providing a unique ranking solution. This study will provide MCDM researchers and the wider community an overview of the current status of MCDM evaluation and development methods and motivate researchers in harnessing MCDM potentials in tackling an accurate decision for different fields against COVID-19.

Helping doctors hasten COVID-19 treatment: Towards a rescue framework for the transfusion of best convalescent plasma to the most critical patients based on biological requirements via ml and novel MCDM methods.

CONTEXT: People who have recently recovered from the threat of deteriorating coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) have antibodies to the coronavirus circulating in their blood. Thus, the transfusion of these antibodies to deteriorating patients could theoretically help boost their immune system. Biologically, two challenges need to be surmounted to allow convalescent plasma (CP) transfusion to rescue the most severe COVID-19 patients. First, convalescent subjects must meet donor selection plasma criteria and comply with national health requirements and known standard routine procedures. Second, multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problems should be considered in the selection of the most suitable CP and the prioritisation of patients with COVID-19. OBJECTIVE: This paper presents a rescue framework for the transfusion of the best CP to the most critical patients with COVID-19 on the basis of biological requirements by using machine learning and novel MCDM methods. METHOD: The proposed framework is illustrated on the basis of two distinct and consecutive phases (i.e. testing and development). In testing, ABO compatibility is assessed after classifying donors into the four blood types, namely, A, B, AB and O, to indicate the suitability and safety of plasma for administration in order to refine the CP tested list repository. The development phase includes patient and donor sides. In the patient side, prioritisation is performed using a contracted patient decision matrix constructed between 'serological/protein biomarkers and the ratio of the partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood to fractional inspired oxygen criteria' and 'patient list based on novel MCDM method known as subjective and objective decision by opinion score method'. Then, the patients with the most urgent need are classified into the four blood types and matched with a tested CP list from the test phase in the donor side. Thereafter, the prioritisation of CP tested list is performed using the contracted CP decision matrix. RESULT: An intelligence-integrated concept is proposed to identify the most appropriate CP for corresponding prioritised patients with COVID-19 to help doctors hasten treatments. DISCUSSION: The proposed framework implies the benefits of providing effective care and prevention of the extremely rapidly spreading COVID-19 from affecting patients and the medical sector.

Antagonism of medetomidine-induced ataxia in rats by yohimbine, aminophylline and caffeine.

The actions of the alpha 2-antagonist yohimbine and methylxanthines aminophylline and caffeine were evaluated in reversing ataxia, increase in landing foot splay (LFS), produced by the alpha 2-agonist medetomidine in male rats. Medetomidine at 0.1 and 0.15 mg/kg, i.p. increased LFS by 42.9 and 69.6%, respectively. The peripherally acting alpha 2-agonist ST91 (0.125 to 0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) did not significantly affect the LFS. Intraperitoneal injection of yohimbine at 0.5 and 1 mg/kg, aminophylline at 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg, and caffeine at 25 and 50 mg/kg significantly antagonized medetomidine (0.15 mg/kg, i.p.)-induced ataxia. Yohimbine was more effective (100 and 111%) than the methylxanthines (28 to 72%) in reversing medetomidine ataxia. Aminophylline and caffeine, but not yohimbine, significantly reduced LFS in non-medetomidine treated rats. The data suggested that medetomidine ataxia in rats could be specifically antagonized by yohimbine and to a lesser extent by aminophylline and caffeine.

Regulation of haematopoietic stem cell proliferation by stimulatory factors produced by murine fetal and adult liver.

Haematopoietic stem cells in murine fetal liver are in a proliferative state unlike those in normal bone marrow which are quiescent. A regulatory activity is produced by cells in the fetal liver which will switch quiescent normal bone marrow haematopoietic stem cells into cell cycle in vitro. This regulator from Day 15 fetal liver cells is produced by adherent cells and by cells fractionated on a Percoll gradient in the 1.064 and 1.076 g per cm3 density bands but not in the 1.123 g per cm3 band. Colony-stimulating factor cannot be detected in the supernatants containing the stem cell regulatory activity. The stimulator can be detected in supernatants produced from cell suspensions of liver cells at Day 15 and Day 17 of gestation and 24 hours and 72 hours after birth. However by 1 week after birth the production of the stimulator decreases and is undetectable 3 and 10 weeks after birth. The total numbers of haematopoietic stem cells (CFU-S) in fetal liver decrease from Day 15 of gestation and only small numbers are present 1 week after birth. Thus the decline in the production of haematopoietic stem cell proliferation stimulator correlates with the decrease in haematopoietic stem cell numbers in the liver through gestation and after birth.