bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Low CD46 expression on activated CD4+ T cells predict improved Th1 cell reactivity to calcitriol in majority of patients with allergic eosinophilic asthma and healthy donors
Authors: Stichova Julie , Slanina Peter , Chovancova Zita , Baros Jan , Litzman Marek , Litzman Jiri , Vlkova Marcela 
Published: September 2024

BackgroundPrevious research showed that the intracellular complement system, with CD46 as its central molecule, regulates the Th1 response associated with IFN-γ production and transition to a type 1 regulatory response (Tr1) characterized by IL-10 production. This transition can be influenced by a vitamin D (calcitriol), favouring a shift towards Tr1 cells and increased IL-10 production, as described in some autoimmune diseases.ObjectiveIt is unknown whether calcitriol modulates CD46-induced Th1 response towards regulatory type 1 T cells (Tr1) in allergic eosinophilic asthma and its value in relation to reducing inflammatory response.MethodsCD4+ T cells from 58 patients with allergic eosinophilic asthma (AEA) and 49 healthy donors (HDs) were stimulated with αCD3/αCD46/IL-2 or αCD3/αCD46/IL-2/Calcitriol in vitro for 60 h and analyzed by flow cytometry. IFN-γ and IL-10 levels in cell culture supernatants were measured using ELISA.ResultsCD4+ T cells from patients with AEA demonstrated elevated CD46 expression in both the non-activated state and under stimulation conditions with αCD3/αCD46/IL-2 or αCD3/αCD46/IL-2/Calcitriol. Moreover, CD46 expression in AEA patients fluctuated with the pollen season, showing a significant increase during period of low pollen exposure. Calcitriol further induced CD4+Tr1 cells from in vitro generated CD4+Th1 cells in both HDs and AEA patients. However, in both cohorts were individuals (HDs: 35/49, AEA: 40/58) who responded to calcitriol with a more pronounced regulatory response. The calcitriol-induced regulatory effect manifested by a stronger surface decrease of CD46 on activated CD4+ T cells (by 40% in HDs and by 26% in AEA), accompanied by a significant inhibition of IFN-γ and increased IL-10 production (by 31% in HDs and by 85% in AEA). These individuals were termed as the CD46D group. Contrary to this, calcitriol induced an increase in CD46 expression at the CD4+ T cell surface in a minor group of HDs (14/49), and AEA patients (18/58), who were termed as the CD46I group. In CD46I group, CD4+ T cells produced less IFN-γ in comparison with CD46D group (by 33% in HDs and by 43% in AEA) and were unable to upregulate IL-10 production following stimulation with αCD3/αCD46/IL-2/Calcitriol.ConclusionOur results suggest the potential existence of a key for stratifying individuals suitable for calcitriol treatment in the context of low serum vitamin D levels. After validation in clinical studies, this key could be used as an adjunctive therapy not only for patients with allergic eosinophilic asthma, but also for other diseases.
Association between thyroid function and prognosis of severe COVID-19 among patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection: a retrospective cohort study in China
Authors: Yang Yaling , Qian Lifang , Wu Chenwei , Xu Xinyue , Qu Duoduo , Zhou Lihua , Liu Jia , Zhu Qin , Wang Chunhong , Zhao Xiaolong 
Published: September 2024

ObjectiveThis study aims to examine the thyroid hormone profile and its association with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients infected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).MethodsThis retrospective cohort study enrolled patients admitted to a tertiary hospital due to SARS-CoV-2 infection between February 18 and May 18, 2022. Clinical data were collected retrospectively from the electronic medical record system. Based on the thyroid function, patients were divided into five groups: normal, non-thyroid illness syndrome (NTIS), hypothyroidism, thyrotoxicosis, and unclassified. The association between thyroid function and severe COVID-19 was detected using multivariable logistic regression and restricted cubic splines analysis.ResultsThis study included 3,161 patients, with 7.7% of them developing severe COVID-19. 44.9% of the patients had normal thyroid function, 36.5% had NTIS, 6.7% had hypothyroidism, and 1.0% had thyrotoxicosis on admission. After adjusting for age, sex, and relevant clinical characteristics, NTIS and hypothyroidism were associated with increased risks of severe COVID-19 (odds ratio [OR] 2.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.59-3.56 and OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.23-4.26, respectively), compared to normal thyroid function group. Among patients with NTIS or hypothyroidism, higher levels of total triiodothyronine (TT3) are associated with lower risks of severe COVID-19 (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.64-0.82, for every 0.1nmol/L increase in TT3 level).ConclusionThyroid hormone profiles of NTIS or hypothyroidism are associated with increased risks of severe COVID-19. The decreased level of TT3 correlated with the increased risk of severe COVID-19 in patients with NTIS or hypothyroidism.
The expected solar performance and ramp rate tool: a decision-making tool for planning prospective photovoltaic systems
Authors: Bunn Patrick T. W. , Boeman Leland J. , Lorenzo Antonio T. , Raub Jenika 
Published: September 2024

The Expected Solar Performance and Ramp Rate tool (ESPRR) is an open-source interactive web-based application that reliably calculates ramp rate (RR) statistics and an expected power generation time series for prospective photovoltaic (PV) systems. Users create PV systems by defining site parameters. ESPRR uses those parameters with irradiance data from the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB) to create a time series of power output from which RR statistics are calculated. This study rigorously evaluates ESPRR’s performance using 5 years of measured power output from a fleet of utility-scale systems and finds that ESPRR calculates stress-case RRs within an error of 0.05 MW/min and 0.42 MW/min for the worst-case RRs. We evaluate the expected AC power output in clear-sky conditions and find an NRMSE of less than 10% and an NMBE of less than 6% for the fleet’s largest system. The NRMSE is 10%–15% of system capacity for non-clear-sky conditions, and the NMBE is about zero. The evaluation shows that ESPRR can estimate PV output and RRs that are representative of operational systems, meaning users can use the results from ESPRR in the decision-making process for designing new systems or when adding systems to an existing fleet. Since only system parameters are required to site a proposed system anywhere on a map, users can site and reposition a fleet of PV systems in a way that reduces significant RRs. As the grid-tied PV capacity continues to increase, the mitigation of significant RRs grows in importance. ESPRR can help developers and utilities create geographically diverse fleets of PV systems that will promote grid reliability and avoid significant RRs. ESPRR source code is available at https://github.com/UARENForecasting/ESPRR.
Pathogen detection by targeted next-generation sequencing test in adult hematological malignancies patients with suspected infections
Authors: Xu Jin-Hui , Cui Ya-Bin , Wang Li-Jie , Nan Hui-Jie , Yang Pei-Yao , Bai Yan-Liang , Shi Ming-Yue 
Published: September 2024

BackgroundInfections in patients with hematological malignancies (HM) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Timely and effective empirical anti-infective treatment can reduce the infection-related mortality rate. Targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) offers a rapid diagnostic approach for identifying diverse pathogens in these patients. However, relevant research is still limited to adult patients with HM.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of adult HM patients admitted to our hospital from March 2023 to September 2023, focusing on their clinical characteristics and the results of both tNGS and conventional microbiological tests (CMTs). We evaluated the performance of tNGS and CMTs in pathogenic diagnosis and described the distribution characteristics of pathogens in adult HM patients with infections.ResultsThe study included 209 samples collected from 137 patients. Results showed that the overall pathogen detection rate differed significantly between tNGS and CMTs (60.3% vs. 24.4%, p &lt; 0.001). The sensitivity (69.7% vs. 35.9%), negative predictive value (NPV) (48.2% vs. 42.4%), and accuracy (66.5% vs. 56.5%) of pathogen detection were notably superior with tNGS compared to CMTs. Among the 142 samples with clinically diagnosed infections, tNGS combined with CMTs identified a definite or probable microbial etiology in 114 samples (80.3%). Of the 36 samples with concordant positive results from both tNGS and CMTs, 72.2% (26/36) exhibited full or partial agreement. Our study further showed the highest detection rate for viral infections (57.0%), predominantly for Epstein–Barr virus (DNA-V, 18.3%). Followed by bacterial infections (46.5%), the detection rate of Gram-negative bacteria (G+, 35.9%) was higher than that of Gram-positive bacteria (G−, 21.8%) in this study. Klebsiella pneumoniae (G−, 12.7%) had the highest detection rate among these emerging bacteria, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (G−, 10.6%) and Enterococcus faecium (G+, 7.7%). Bacterial-viral coinfections were the most common type of mixed infection (35.5%).ConclusionIn conclusion, tNGS outperforms CMTs in both sensitivity and pathogen spectrum. Therefore, it can serve as an adjunct to CMTs to facilitate the precise adjustment of anti-infective regimens for adult HM patients. Our findings establish a basis for formulating empirical anti-infective therapy strategies tailored to the pathogen distribution in this patient population.
The correlation between vitamin D and the occurrence of peripheral neuropathy induced by paclitaxel chemotherapy
Authors: Zhang Jialei , Zhang Xiaoling , Wu Jie 
Published: September 2024

IntroductionPaclitaxel, a widely used chemotherapeutic agent for various cancers, induces peripheral neuropathy (PIPN) in approximately 80% of patients, severely affecting their quality of life. The role of vitamin D in pain perception has gained attention, but its correlation with PIPN remains unclear.MethodsThis study included 129 cancer patients who received adjuvant paclitaxel chemotherapy from January to June 2023. Neuropathic pain was assessed using the Douleur Neuropathique 4 Questions (DN4) questionnaire, and serum levels of vitamin D and glutathione (GSH) were measured to explore the correlation between vitamin D levels and neuropathic pain induced by paclitaxel chemotherapy.ResultsThe results showed a negative correlation between vitamin D deficiency and the occurrence of neuropathic pain (Spearman correlation coefficient of −0.324, P &lt; 0.001). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that the area under the vitamin D curve for neuropathic pain was 0.681. Furthermore, after paclitaxel chemotherapy, there was a significant decrease in GSH levels in the serum of patients, with a more pronounced decline in the vitamin D-deficient group.DiscussionThe findings of this study indicate that higher levels of vitamin D are negatively associated with the occurrence of paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain, suggesting that vitamin D might protect against oxidative stress. This discovery is significant for clinical treatment as it may help physicians better understand the mechanisms of pain during paclitaxel therapy and provide new strategies for the prevention and treatment of such pain. It also suggests that modulating vitamin D levels could reduce the neurotoxicity of paclitaxel, thereby improving patients’ quality of life and treatment compliance.
Molecular epidemiology of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing-Klebsiella species in East Tennessee dairy cattle farms
Authors: Gelalcha Benti D. , Mohamed Ruwaa I. , Gelgie Aga Edema , Kerro Dego Oudessa 
Published: September 2024

IntroductionThe rising prevalence of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL)-producing Klebsiella species (spp.) poses a significant threat to human and animal health and environmental safety. To address this pressing issue, a comprehensive study was undertaken to elucidate the burden and dissemination mechanisms of ESBL-Klebsiella spp. in dairy cattle farms.MethodsFifty-seven Klebsiella species were isolated on CHROMagar™ ESBL plates and confirmed with MADLI-TOF MS and whole genome sequenced from 14 dairy farms.Results and discussionSix families of beta-lactamase (bla) (blaCTX−M, blaSHV, blaTEM, blaOXY, blaOXA, and blaSED) were detected in ESBL-Klebsiella spp. genomes. Most (73%) of isolates had the first three types of beta-lactamase genes, with blaSHV being the most frequent, followed by blaCTX−M. Most (93%) isolates harbored two or more bla genes. The isolates were genotypically MDR, with 26 distinct types of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and point mutations in gyrA, gyrB, and parC genes. The genomes also harbored 22 different plasmid replicon types, including three novel IncFII. The IncFII and Col440I plasmids were the most frequent and were associated with blaCTXM−27 and qnrB19 genes, respectively. Eighteen distinct sequence types (STs), including eight isolates with novel STs of K. pneumoniae, were detected. The most frequently occurring STs were ST353 (n = 8), ST469 (n = 6), and the novel ST7501 (n = 6). Clusters of ESBL-Klebsiella strains with identical STs, plasmids, and ARGs were detected in multiple farms, suggesting possible clonal expansion. The same ESBL variant was linked to identical plasmids in different Klebsiella STs in some farms, suggesting horizontal spread of the resistance gene. The high burden and dual spread mechanism of ESBL genes in Klebsiella species, combined with the emergence of novel sequence types, could swiftly increase the prevalence of ESBL-Klebsiella spp., posing significant risks to human, animal, and environmental health. Immediate action is needed to implement rigorous surveillance and control measures to mitigate this risk.
Swimtrans Net: a multimodal robotic system for swimming action recognition driven via Swin-Transformer
Authors: Chen He , Yue Xiaoyu 
Published: September 2024

IntroductionCurrently, using machine learning methods for precise analysis and improvement of swimming techniques holds significant research value and application prospects. The existing machine learning methods have improved the accuracy of action recognition to some extent. However, they still face several challenges such as insufficient data feature extraction, limited model generalization ability, and poor real-time performance.MethodsTo address these issues, this paper proposes an innovative approach called Swimtrans Net: A multimodal robotic system for swimming action recognition driven via Swin-Transformer. By leveraging the powerful visual data feature extraction capabilities of Swin-Transformer, Swimtrans Net effectively extracts swimming image information. Additionally, to meet the requirements of multimodal tasks, we integrate the CLIP model into the system. Swin-Transformer serves as the image encoder for CLIP, and through fine-tuning the CLIP model, it becomes capable of understanding and interpreting swimming action data, learning relevant features and patterns associated with swimming. Finally, we introduce transfer learning for pre-training to reduce training time and lower computational resources, thereby providing real-time feedback to swimmers.Results and discussionExperimental results show that Swimtrans Net has achieved a 2.94% improvement over the current state-of-the-art methods in swimming motion analysis and prediction, making significant progress. This study introduces an innovative machine learning method that can help coaches and swimmers better understand and improve swimming techniques, ultimately improving swimming performance.
Resveratrol enhances the antiliver cancer effect of cisplatin by targeting the cell membrane protein PLA2
Authors: Gao Yu , Yang Zhanyi , Bajpai Akhilesh Kumar , Wang Wenben , Zhang Liyuan , Xia Zhenhong 
Published: September 2024

BackgroundIn this study, we aimed to explore the mechanism by which resveratrol promotes cisplatin-induced death of HepG2 cells and to provide a potential strategy for resveratrol in the treatment of cancer.MethodsHepG2 cells were exposed to a range of drug concentrations for 24 h: resveratrol (2.5 μg/mL [10.95 μM], 5 μg/mL [21.91 μM], 10 μg/mL [43.81 μM], 20 μg/mL [87.62 μM], 40 μg/mL [175.25 μM], and 80 μg/mL [350.50 μM]), cisplatin (0.625 μg/mL [2.08 μM], 1.25 μg/mL [4.17 μM], 2.5 μg/mL [8.33 μM], 4.5 μg/mL [15.00 μM], and 10 μg/mL [33.33 μM]), 24 μg/mL (105.15 μM) resveratrol + 9 μg/mL (30.00 μM) cisplatin, and 12 μg/mL (52.57 μM) resveratrol + 4.5 μg/mL (15.00 μM) cisplatin. The interaction of two drugs was evaluated by coefficient of drug interaction (CDI), which was based on the Pharmacological Additivity model. The MTT 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was used to detect the effect of different concentrations of drugs on cell viability, while transcriptome sequencing was used to identify pathways associated with higher gene enrichment. Synchrotron radiation FTIR microspectroscopy experiments and data analysis were conducted to obtain detailed spectral information. The second-derivative spectra were calculated using the Savitzky–Golay algorithm. Single-cell infrared spectral absorption matrices were constructed to analyze the spectral characteristics of individual cells. The Euclidean distance between cells was calculated to assess their spectral similarity. The cell-to-cell Euclidean distance was computed to evaluate the spatial relationships between cells. The target protein of resveratrol was verified by performing a Western blot analysis.ResultsAfter 24 h of treatment with resveratrol, HepG2 cell growth was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. Resveratrol promotes cisplatin-induced HepG2 cell death through membrane-related pathways. It also significantly changes the membrane components of HepG2 cells. Additionally, resveratrol changes the morphology of the HepG2 cell membrane by decreasing the expression of PLA2G2.ConclusionResveratrol changes the morphology of the HepG2 cell membrane by decreasing the expression of PLA2G2 and promotes cisplatin-induced HepG2 cell death. The combination of cisplatin and resveratrol can play a synergistic therapeutic effect on HepG2 cells.
Accuracy of four models and update strategies to estimate liver tumor motion from external respiratory motion
Authors: Samadi Miandoab Payam , Worm Esben , Hansen Rune , Weber Britta , Høyer Morten , Saramad Shahyar , Setayeshi Saeed , Poulsen Per Rugaard 
Published: September 2024

BackgroundThis study investigates different strategies for estimating internal liver tumor motion during radiotherapy based on continuous monitoring of external respiratory motion combined with sparse internal imaging.MethodsFifteen patients underwent three-fraction stereotactic liver radiotherapy. The 3D internal tumor motion (INT) was monitored by electromagnetic transponders while a camera monitored the external marker block motion (EXT). The ability of four external-internal correlation models (ECM) to estimate INT as function of EXT was investigated: a simple linear model (ECM1), an augmented linear model (ECM2), an augmented quadratic model (ECM3), and an extended quadratic model (ECM4). Each ECM was constructed by fitting INT and EXT during the first 60s of each fraction. The fit accuracy was calculated as the root-mean-square error (RMSE) between ECM-estimated and actual tumor motion. Next, the RMSE of the ECM-estimated tumor motion throughout the fractions was calculated for four simulated ECM update strategies: (A) no update, 0.33Hz internal sampling with continuous update of either (B) all ECM parameters based on the last 2 minutes samples or (C) only the baseline term based on the last 5 samples, (D) full ECM update every minute using 20s continuous internal sampling.ResultsThe augmented quadratic ECM3 had best fit accuracy with mean (± SD)) RMSEs of 0.32 ± 0.11mm (left-right, LR), 0.79 ± 0.30mm (cranio-caudal, CC) and 0.56 ± 0.31mm (anterior-posterior, AP). However, the simpler augmented linear ECM2 combined with frequent baseline updates (update strategy C) gave best motion estimations with mean RMSEs of 0.41 ± 0.14mm (LR), 1.02 ± 0.33mm (CC) and 0.78 ± 0.48mm (AP). This was significantly better than all other ECM-update strategy combinations for CC motion (Wilcoxon signed rank p&lt;0.05).ConclusionThe augmented linear ECM2 combined with frequent baseline updates provided the best compromise between fit accuracy and robustness towards irregular motion. It allows accurate internal motion monitoring by combining external motioning with sparse 0.33Hz kV imaging, which is available at conventional linacs.
Case Report: Cronkhite-Canada syndrome: presentation of a pediatric case and review of the literature
Authors: Shi Weina , Fu Haiyan , Zhao Shiguang , Cheng Shuhuan , Hou Shaogang , Zhao Ruiqin 
Published: September 2024

BackgroundCronkhite-Canada syndrome (CCS) is extremely rare in children, presenting with complex clinical manifestations often leading to misdiagnosis.Case presentationWe reported a description of a 13-year-old boy with CSS presenting with persistent diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, along with symptoms of weight loss, alopecia, and skin hyperpigmentation. The patient had ectodermal manifestations such as alopecia and skin hyperpigmentation. Laboratory tests revealed hypoalbuminemia, normal inflammatory indicators, positive anti-dsDNA antibodies, anti-centromere antibodies, and anti-nuclear antibodies. Gastrointestinal endoscopy identified polypoid changes in the stomach, duodenum, and colon, with pathology indicating glandular dilation, cryptitis, and crypt abscesses. Treatment with prednisone led to significant improvement in symptoms, including normalization of stool consistency, hair regrowth, and disappearance of skin hyperpigmentation.ConclusionThis study emphasizes the importance of comprehensive assessment, endoscopic examination, histological biopsy, and the effectiveness of steroid therapy in the diagnosis and management of CCS in children. In children presenting with diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss, polyposis, and ectodermal manifestations, CCS should be considered.
MAPK and phenylpropanoid metabolism pathways involved in regulating the resistance of upland cotton plants to Verticillium dahliae
Authors: Zhang Mingli , Ma Yanjun , Wang Yuan , Gao Haifeng , Zhao Sifeng , Yu Yu , Zhang Xuekun , Xi Hui 
Published: September 2024

IntroductionVerticillium dahliae causes a serious decline in cotton yield and quality, posing a serious threat to the cotton industry. However, the mechanism of resistance to V. dahliae in cotton is still unclear, which limits the breeding of resistant cultivars.MethodsTo analyze the defense mechanisms of cotton in response to V. dahliae infection, we compared the defense responses of two upland cotton cultivars from Xinjiang (JK1775, resistant; Z8,susceptible) using transcriptome sequencing at different infection stages.ResultsThe results revealed a significant differential expression of genes in the two cotton cultivars post V. dahliae infection, with the number of DEGs in JK1775 being higher than that in Z8 at different infection stages of V. dahliae. Interestingly, the DEGs of both JK1775 and Z8 were enriched in the MAPK signaling pathway in the early and late stages of infection. Importantly, the upregulated DEGs in both cultivars were significantly enriched in all stages of the phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway. Some of these DEGs were involved in the regulation of lignin and coumarin biosynthesis, which may be one of the key factors contributing to the resistance of upland cotton cultivars to V. dahliae in Xinjiang. Lignin staining experiments further showed that the lignin content increased in both resistant and susceptible varieties after inoculation with V. dahliae.DiscussionThis study not only provides insights into the molecular mechanisms of resistance to Verticillium wilt in Xinjiang upland cotton but also offers important candidate gene resources for molecular breeding of resistance to Verticillium wilt in cotton.