bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Geometric and Hemodynamic Profiles in Rat Arteriovenous Fistula Following PDE5A Inhibition
Authors: Northrup Hannah , Somarathna Maheshika , Corless Savanna , Falzon Isabelle , Totenhagen John , Lee Timmy , Shiu Yan-Ting 
Published: December 2021

Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is essential for chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on hemodialysis, but treatment for AVF maturation failure remains an unmet clinical need. Successful AVF remodeling occurs through sufficient lumen expansion to increase AVF blood flow and lumen area. Aberrant blood flow is thought to impair AVF remodeling, but previous literature has largely focused on hemodynamics averaged over the entire AVF or at a single location. We hypothesized that hemodynamics is heterogeneous, and thus any treatment’s effect size is heterogeneous in the AVF. To test our hypothesis, we used the PDE5A inhibitor sildenafil to treat AVFs in a rat model and performed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to generate a detailed spatial profile of hemodynamics in AVFs. 90 mg/kg of sildenafil was administered to rats in their drinking water for 14 days. On day 14 femoral AVFs were created in rats and sildenafil treatment continued for another 21 days. 21 days post-AVF creation, rats underwent non-contrast MRI for CFD and geometrical analysis. Lumen cross-sectional area (CSA) and flow rate were used to quantify AVF remodeling. Parameters used to describe aberrant blood flow include velocity magnitude, wall shear stress (WSS), oscillatory shear index (OSI), and vorticity. Geometrical parameters include arterial-venous (A-V) distance, anastomosis angle, tortuosity, and nonplanarity angle magnitude. When averaged across the entire AVF, sildenafil treated rats had significantly higher CSA, flow rate, velocity, WSS, OSI, and vorticity than control rats. To analyze heterogeneity, the vein was separated into zones: 0–5, 5–10, 10–15, and 15–20 mm from the anastomosis. In both groups: 1) CSA increased from the 0–5 to 15–20 zone; 2) velocity, WSS, and vorticity were highest in the 0–5 zone and dropped significantly thereafter; and 3) OSI increased at the 5–10 zone and then decreased gradually. Thus, the effect size of sildenafil on AVF remodeling and the relationship between hemodynamics and AVF remodeling depend on location. There was no significant difference between control and sildenafil groups for the other geometric parameters. Rats tolerated sildenafil treatment well, and our results suggest that sildenafil may be a safe and effective therapy for AVF maturation.
Climate Change Impacts on Wind Waves Generated by Major Tropical Cyclones off the Coast of New Jersey, USA
Authors: Marsooli Reza , Jamous Mohammad , Miller Jon K. 
Published: December 2021

Coastal areas of State of New Jersey in the Northeastern United States are exposed to extreme wind waves generated by tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean. Past studies suggest that the frequency and intensity of major hurricanes in the Atlantic basin would increase under high greenhouse gas emission scenarios. Furthermore, sea level observations have revealed that the local mean sea level along the coast of New Jersey is rising at a rate higher than that of the global sea level rise. The objective of this study is to quantify the combined influence of sea level rise (SLR) and hurricane climatology change on wave heights induced by major hurricanes off the coast of New Jersey. To this end, a coupled hydrodynamic-wave model is utilized to simulate wind waves for synthetic hurricanes generated for the climate conditions in the historical period of 1980–2000 and future period of 2080–2100 under the RCP8.5 high emission scenario. The synthetic storms are generated by a hurricane model for the climate conditions obtained from four different global climate models. The projections of future wave heights show statistically significant increases in the wave heights induced by major hurricanes. Under the combined effects of hurricane climatology change and a SLR of 1.19 m, the increase in the extreme wave heights 15% in back-bays and shallow waters of the nearshore zone and up to 10% in deeper coastal waters. It is found that SLR alone would result in a significant increase in the hurricane-induced wave heights in the present-day surf zone.
Disproportionate Mitral Regurgitation Determines Survival in Acute Heart Failure
Authors: Berrill Max , Beeton Ian , Fluck David , John Isaac , Lazariashvili Otar , Stewart Jack , Ashcroft Eshan , Belsey Jonathan , Sharma Pankaj , Baltabaeva Aigul 
Published: December 2021

Objectives: To assess the prevalence and impact of mitral regurgitation (MR) on survival in patients presenting to hospital in acute heart failure (AHF) using traditional echocardiographic assessment alongside more novel indices of proportionality.Background: It remains unclear if the severity of MR plays a significant role in determining outcomes in AHF. There is also uncertainty as to the clinical relevance of indexing MR to left ventricular volumes. This concept of disproportionality has not been assessed in AHF.Methods: A total of 418 consecutive patients presenting in AHF over 12 months were recruited and followed up for 2 years. MR was quantitatively assessed within 24 h of recruitment. Standard proximal isovelocity surface area (PISA) and a novel proportionality index of effective regurgitant orifice/left ventricular end-diastolic volume (ERO/LVEDV) &gt;0.14 mm2/ml were used to identify severe and disproportionate MR.Results: Every patient had MR. About 331/418 (78.9%) patients were quantifiable by PISA. About 165/418 (39.5%) patients displayed significant MR. A larger cohort displayed disproportionate MR defined by either a proportionality index using ERO/LVEDV &gt; 0.14 mm2/ml or regurgitant volumes/LVEDV &gt; 0.2 [217/331 (65.6%) and 222/345 (64.3%), respectively]. The LVEDV was enlarged in significant MR−129.5 ± 58.95 vs. 100.0 ± 49.91 ml in mild, [p &lt; 0.0001], but remained within the normal range. Significant MR was associated with a greater mortality at 2 years {44.2 vs. 34.8% in mild MR [hazard ratio (HR) 1.39; 95% CI: 1.01–1.92, p = 0.04]}, which persisted with adjustment for comorbid conditions (HR; 1.43; 95% CI: 1.04–1.97, p = 0.03). Disproportionate MR defined by ERO/LVEDV &gt;0.14 mm2/ml was also associated with worse outcome [42.4 vs. 28.3% (HR 1.62; 95% CI 1.12–2.34, p = 0.01)].Conclusions: MR was a universal feature in AHF and determines outcome in significant cases. Furthermore, disproportionate MR, defined either by effective regurgitant orifice (ERO) or volumetrically, is associated with a worse prognosis despite the absence of adverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling. These findings outline the importance of adjusting acute volume overload to LV volumes and call for a review of the current standards of MR assessment.Clinical Trial Registration:https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02728739, identifier NCT02728739.
Use of Anti-angiogenic Drugs Potentially Associated With an Increase on Serum AST, LDH, CK, and CK-MB Activities in Patients With Cancer: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Zheng Qi , Wang Hanzhou , Hou Wei , Zhang Ying 
Published: December 2021

Background: There is a large amount of evidence that anti-angiogenic drugs are effective safe. However, few studies have evaluated the specific effects of anti-angiogenic drugs on myocardial enzyme injury biomarkers: aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK) and creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB). The purpose of our study was to determine whether anti-angiogenic drugs serum AST, LDH, CK, and CK-MB activities of cancer patients treated with anti-angiogenic drugs.Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed 81 cancer patients. Patients who had used anti-angiogenic drugs were selected. Serum AST, LDH, CK, and CK-MB activities were measured before and after treatment with anti-angiogenic drugs for 3 weeks.Results: A total of 16 cancer types were analyzed. The distribution of the cancer types in the patients was mainly concentrated in lung, gastric, and colorectal cancers. The anti-angiogenic treatment markedly increased AST, LDH, CK, and CK-MB activities by 32.51, 7.29, 31.25, and 55.56%, respectively in serum.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that patients, who had used anti-angiogenic drugs were likely to have elevated AST, LDH, and CK, indicators of myocardial muscle injury. Use of anti-angiogenic drugs should not be assumed to be completely safe and without any cardiovascular risks.
Diffusing Capacity for Carbon Monoxide Predicts Response to Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty in Patients With Inoperable Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Li Xin , Zhang Yi , Luo Qin , Zhao Qing , Zeng Qixian , Yang Tao , Jin Qi , Yan Lu , Duan Anqi , Liu Jiaran , An Chenhong , Ma Xiuping , Xiong Changming , Zhao Zhihui , Liu Zhihong 
Published: December 2021

Background: The hemodynamic results of balloon pulmonary angioplasty vary among patients with inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Previous studies revealed that microvasculopathy accounted for residual pulmonary hypertension after pulmonary endarterectomy, which could be reflected by the diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO). We aimed to identify whether the DLCO could predict the BPA response.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 75 consecutive patients with inoperable CTEPH who underwent BPA from May 2018 to January 2021 at Fuwai Hospital. According to the hemodynamics at follow-up after the last BPA, patients were classified as “BPA responders” (defined as a mean pulmonary arterial pressure ≤ 30 mmHg and/or a reduction of pulmonary vascular resistance ≥ 30%) or “BPA nonresponders.”Results: At the baseline, BPA responders had significantly higher DLCO values than nonresponders, although the other variables were comparable. In BPA responders, the DLCO decreased after the first BPA session and then returned to a level similar to the baseline at follow-up. Conversely, the DLCO increased constantly from the baseline to follow-up in nonresponders. Multivariate logistic analysis showed that a baseline DLCO of &lt;70% and a percent change in DLCO between the baseline and the period within 7 days after the first BPA session (ΔDLCO) of &gt; 6% were both independent predictors of an unfavorable response to BPA. Receiver operator characteristic analysis showed that the combination of a baseline DLCO &lt; 70% and ΔDLCO &gt; 6% demonstrated a better area under the curve than either of these two variables used alone.Conclusions: A baseline DLCO &lt; 70% and ΔDLCO &gt; 6% could independently predict unfavorable responses to BPA. Measuring the DLCO dynamically facilitates the identification of patients who might have unsatisfactory hemodynamic results after BPA.
The Increase in Paraoxonase 1 Is Associated With Decrease in Left Ventricular Volume in Kidney Transplant Recipients
Authors: Connelly Philip W. , Yan Andrew T. , Nash Michelle M. , Wald Rachel M. , Lok Charmaine , Gunaratnam Lakshman , Kirpalani Anish , Prasad G. V. Ramesh 
Published: December 2021

Background: Patients on dialysis have impaired cardiac function, in part due to increased fluid volume and ventricular stress. Restored kidney function through transplantation reduces left ventricular volume in both systole and diastole. We previously reported that the decrease in NT-proB-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) was associated with a decrease in adiponectin. Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) has been inversely associated with cardiovascular outcomes. We now report the association of changes in PON1 with changes in left ventricular volume and left ventricular mass after kidney transplantation.Design: Patients on dialysis were assessed at baseline and 12 months after kidney transplantation (n = 38). A comparison group of patients on dialysis who were not expected to receive a transplant in the next 24 months were studied (n = 43) to determine if the change of PON1 with kidney transplantation achieved a significance greater than that due to biologic variation. Left ventricular volume and mass were determined by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. PON1 was measured by arylesterase activity and by mass.Results: PON1 mass and activity were not different between the groups at baseline. Both PON1 mass and activity were increased post-kidney transplantation (p &lt; 0.0001 for change). The change in PON1 mass (p = 0.0062) and PON1 arylesterase activity (p = 0.0254) were inversely correlated with the change in NT-proBNP for patients receiving a kidney transplant. However, only the change in the PON1 mass, and not the change in PON1 arylesterase, was inversely correlated with the change in left ventricular volume (ml/m2.7) (p = 0.0146 and 0.0114 for diastolic and systolic, respectively) and with the change in hemoglobin (p = 0.0042).Conclusion: Both PON1 mass and arylesterase activity are increased by kidney transplantation. The increase in PON1 mass is consistent with a novel relationship to the increase in hemoglobin and decrease in left ventricular volume and NT-proBNP seen when kidney function is restored.
The Impact of Deep Y Descent on Hemodynamics in Patients With Heart Failure and Preserved Left Ventricular Systolic Function
Authors: Harada Daisuke , Asanoi Hidetsugu , Noto Takahisa , Takagawa Junya 
Published: December 2021

Background: Influence of right ventricular diastolic function on the hemodynamics of heart failure (HF). We aimed to clarify the hemodynamic features of deep Y descent in the right atrial pressure waveform in patients with HF and preserved left ventricular systolic function.Methods: In total, 114 consecutive inpatients with HF who had preserved left ventricular systolic function (left ventricular ejection fraction ≥ 50%) and right heart catheterization were retrospectively enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into two groups according to right atrial pressure waveform, and those with Y descent deeper than X descent in the right atrial pressure waveform were assigned to the deep Y descent group. We enrolled another seven patients (two men, five women; mean age, 87 ± 6) with HF and preserved ejection fraction, and implanted a pacemaker to validate the results of this study.Results: The patients with deep Y descent had a higher rate of atrial fibrillation, higher right atrial pressure and mean pulmonary arterial pressure, and lower stroke volume and cardiac index than those with normal Y descent (76 vs. 7% p &lt; 0.001, median 8 vs. 5 mmHg p = 0.001, median 24 vs. 21 mmHg p = 0.036, median 33 vs. 43 ml/m2p &lt; 0.001, median 2.2 vs. 2.7 L/m2, p &lt; 0.001). Multiple linear regression revealed a negative correlation between stroke volume index and pulmonary vascular resistance index (wood unit*m2) only in the patients with deep Y descent (estimated regression coefficient: −1.281, p = 0.022). A positive correlation was also observed between cardiac index and heart rate in this group (r = 0.321, p = 0.038). In the other seven patients, increasing the heart rate (from median 60 to 80/min, p = 0.001) significantly reduced the level of BNP (from median 419 to 335 pg/ml, p = 0.005).Conclusions: The hemodynamics of patients with HF with deep Y descent and preserved left ventricular systolic function resembled right ventricular restrictive physiology. Optimizing the heart rate may improve hemodynamics in these patients.
Deglacial Land-Ocean Linkages at the Alaskan Continental Margin in the Bering Sea
Authors: Wang Rong , Kuhn Gerhard , Gong Xun , Biskaborn Boris K. , Gersonde Rainer , Lembke-Jene Lester , Lohmann Gerrit , Tiedemann Ralf , Diekmann Bernhard 
Published: December 2021

A marine sediment record from the central Bering Sea, spanning the last 20 thousand years (ka), was studied to unravel the depositional history with regard to terrigenous sediment supply and biogenic sedimentation. Methodic approaches comprised the inference of accumulation rates of siliciclastic and biogenic components, grain-size analysis, and (clay) mineralogy, as well as paleoclimatic modelling. Changes in the depositional history provides insight into land-ocean linkages of paleoenvironmental changes. During the finale of the Last Glacial Maximum, the depositional environment was characterized by hemipelagic background sedimentation. A marked change in the terrigenous sediment provenance during the late Heinrich 1 Stadial (15.7–14.5 ka), indicated by increases in kaolinite and a high glaciofluvial influx of clay, gives evidence of the deglaciation of the Brooks Range in the hinterland of Alaska. This meltwater pulse also stimulated the postglacial onset of biological productivity. Glacial melt implies regional climate warming during a time of widespread cooling on the northern hemisphere. Our simulation experiment with a coupled climate model suggests atmospheric teleconnections to the North Atlantic, with impacts on the dynamics of the Aleutian Low system that gave rise to warmer winters and an early onset of spring during that time. The late deglacial period between 14.5 and 11.0 ka was characterized by enhanced fluvial runoff and biological productivity in the course of climate amelioration, sea-level rise, seasonal sea-ice retreat, and permafrost thaw in the hinterland. The latter processes temporarily stalled during the Younger Dryas stadial (12.9-11.7 ka) and commenced again during the Preboreal (earliest Holocene), after 11.7 ka. High river runoff might have fertilized the Bering Sea and contributed to enhanced upper ocean stratification. Since 11.0 ka, advanced transgression has shifted the coast line and fluvial influence of the Yukon River away from the study site. The opening of the Bering Strait strengthened contour currents along the continental slope, leaving behind winnowed sand-rich sediments through the early to mid-Holocene, with non-deposition occurring since about 6.0 ka.
The Role of Time-Series L-Band SAR and GEDI in Mapping Sub-Tropical Above-Ground Biomass
Authors: Khati Unmesh , Lavalle Marco , Singh Gulab 
Published: December 2021

Physics-based algorithms estimating large-scale forest above-ground biomass (AGB) from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data generally use airborne laser scanning (ALS) or grid of national forest inventory (NFI) to reduce uncertainties in the model calibration. This study assesses the potential of multitemporal L-band ALOS-2/PALSAR-2 data to improve forest AGB estimation using the three-parameter water cloud model (WCM) trained with field data from relatively small (0.1 ha) plots. The major objective is to assess the impact of the high uncertainties in field inventory data due to relatively smaller plot size and temporal gap between acquisitions and ground truth on the AGB estimation. This study analyzes a time series of twenty-three ALOS-2 dual-polarized images spanning 5 years acquired under different weather and soil moisture conditions over a subtropical forest test site in India. The WCM model is trained and validated on individual acquisitions to retrieve forest AGB. The accuracy of the generated AGB products is quantified using the root mean square error (RMSE). Further, we use a multitemporal AGB retrieval approach to improve the accuracy of the estimated AGB. Changes in precipitation and soil moisture affect the AGB retrieval accuracy from individual acquisitions; however, using multitemporal data, these effects are mitigated. Using a multitemporal AGB retrieval strategy, the accuracy improves by 15% (55 Mg/ha RMSE) for all field plots and by 21% (39 Mg/ha RMSE) for forests with AGB less than 100 Mg/ha. The analysis shows that any ten multitemporal acquisitions spanning 5 years are sufficient for improving AGB retrieval accuracy over the considered test site. Furthermore, we use allometry from colocated field plots and Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) L2A height metrics to produce GEDI-derived AGB estimates. Despite the limited co-location of GEDI and field data over our study area, within the period of interest, the preliminary analysis shows the potential of jointly using the GEDI-derived AGB and multi-temporal ALOS-2 data for large-scale AGB retrieval.
Construction and Application of Flocculation and Destability System of Biodrill-A Drilling Fluid in Bohai Oilfield
Authors: Ma Yingwen , Zhang Yuchen , Liu Yang , Yue Ming , Wang Dongsen , Zhang Xuemei 
Published: December 2021

To protect the marine ecological environment of Bohai Bay, the waste drilling fluid in Bohai oilfield have to be treated. In the light of the composition characteristics of Biodrill-A drilling fluid, the compounding method of the inorganic–organic flocculants was adopted to assist the flocculation and solid–fluid separation of Biodrill-A drilling fluid. Through the orthogonal test design, the main factors impacting the flocculation effect on Biodrill-A drilling fluid were found to the concentration of inorganic flocculant CaCl2 and the flocculation pH value. The optimal flocculation treatment was further obtained through single-factor optimization. Specifically, when the inorganic flocculant CaCl2 concentration was 0.9 w/v%, the organic flocculant concentration was 0.01 w/v%, the flocculation pH was 8, and the flocculation time was 7 min. Eventually, the final dewatering rate could reach 84.02%. In the optimized compound flocculants, the inorganic flocculant CaCl2 reduced the zeta potential of clay particles by electric neutralization to decrease the repulsion among particles, and the organic one could absorb and wrap the clay particles through bridging curling and electric neutralization after flocculation destabilization. Both inorganic and organic flocculants facilitated the large flocs and particles of clay particles. The field test showed that the inorganic–organic flocculants were suitable for the on-line flocculation treatment process based on centrifugal machine. The waste drilling fluid was reduced by 82%, and the water content of the separated solid phase was as low as 25.7%.
Effect of Tube Expansion on Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop Characteristics During Condensation in Micro-Fin Tubes
Authors: Liu Na , Zhao Qian , Lan Zhixiang 
Published: December 2021

Despite of the large number of research dedicated to condensation heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics in pristine micro-fin tubes, experimental investigation on effects of tube expansion have not been reported in the open literature. The paper reports measured cross-sectional dimensions, condensation heat transfer and pressure drop data of R1234ze(E) in pristine (5.10 mm OD) and expanded (5.26 mm OD) micro-fin tubes with mass fluxes from 100 to 300 kg/(m2·s). Effects of mass flux, vapor quality and tube expansion on the heat transfer coefficients and friction pressure gradients were investigated in the study. When the mass flux is 100 kg/(m2·s), the heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop of R1234ze(E) decrease after tube expansion. However, when the mass fluxes are 200 and 300 kg/(m2·s), tube expansion effects on the heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop are not notable. In addition, the experimental results are analyzed based on the existing condensation heat transfer and pressure drop correlations.