bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Routine postaccess‐closure angiography to detect vascular complications following transfemoral TAVR
Authors: Savvoulidis Panagiotis , Nadir Adnan M. , Mechery Anthony , Lawton Ewa , Khan Kumail , Maqableh Ghaith M. , Raja Waseem , Wong Chun Wai , Radhakrishnan Ashwin , Doshi Sagar N. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractBackgroundVascular complications following transfemoral TAVR are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Measures that may mitigate this risk are important.AimTo evaluate the utility of routine, access‐vessel angiography post sheath‐removal in the detection and management of complications in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).MethodsThis was a retrospective study of 512 consecutive patients who underwent transfemoral TAVR with routine post access‐closure angiography from the radial artery. Rates of mild angiographically evident bleeding, bleeding requiring surgery/interventional‐radiology, ischemia, 90‐day access‐site‐related events, and major and minor vascular complications using Valve Academic Research Consortium 3 definitions were recorded.ResultsOf 512 patients, digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was undertaken via the radial artery in 467 patients (91%). In the remaining patients (9%) DSA was either not attempted, due to concerns regarding kidney disease and contrast volume, or failed due to anatomical factors (aortic tortuosity/calcification). Significant chronic kidney disease was present at baseline in 72.4% of this cohort (stages III–IV or dialysis). Ninety‐four percent of cases underwent TAVR using a balloon‐expandable platform. Mild iliofemoral extravasation was observed in 7.7% of the DSA cases. These cases were managed by manual compression with none requiring any vascular intervention subsequently. Valve Academic Research Consortium 3 major and minor access‐site‐related complications were observed in 0.4% and 12.2%, respectively. Access‐site‐related bleeding and ischemic events requiring interventional‐radiology or vascular‐surgery were observed in 0.9% and 1.7% of the DSA cases, respectively. No new renal replacement therapy was needed in any of the DSA cases. Discharge to 90‐day access‐related complications was 0.8%.ConclusionsRoutine post access‐closure angiography is feasible via the radial artery in patients undergoing transfemoral TAVR and appears safe. It facilitates early identification of complications and mitigates risk by enabling prompt action to be taken. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Safety and efficacy of catheter ablation of para‐Hisian accessory pathway via a direct superior vena cava approach: A multicenter study
Authors: Chai Chanjuan , Sun Qi , Guo Xiao‐Gang , Yang Jian‐Du , Xie Hai‐Yang , Ma Jian , Wei Hui‐Qiang , Yu Jie 
Published: October 2023

AbstractBackgroundRadiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation of para‐Hisian accessory pathways (APs) can be challenging due to proximity to the conduction system.MethodsA total of 30 consecutive patients with para‐Hisian AP were enrolled for ablation in three centers, 12 (40%) of whom had previously failed attempted ablation from the inferior vena cava (IVC) approach. Ablation was preferentially performed using a superior approach from the superior vena cava (SVC) in all patients.ResultsThe para‐Hisian AP was eliminated from the SVC approach in 28 of 30 (93.3%) patients. In the remaining two patients, additional ablation from IVC was required to successfully eliminate the AP. There were two patients experienced reversible complete atrial‐ventricular block and PR prolongation during the first RF application. Long‐term freedom from recurrent arrhythmia was achieved in 29 (96.7%) patients over a mean follow‐up duration of 15.6 ± 4.6 months.ConclusionCatheter ablation of para‐Hisian AP from above using a direct SVC approach is both safe and effective, and should be considered especially in patients who have failed conventional ablation attempts from IVC approach.
A machine learning model to predict the need for conversion of operative approach in patients undergoing colectomy for neoplasm
Authors: Guidolin Keegan , Ng Deanna , Zorigtbaatar Anudari , Chadi Sami , Quereshy Fayez 
Published: October 2023

AbstractBackgroundStudies comparing conversion from laparoscopic to open approaches to colectomy have found an association between conversion and morbidity, mortality, and length of stay, suggesting that certain patients may benefit from an open approach “up‐front.”AimThe objective of this study was to use machine learning algorithms to develop a model enabling the prediction of which patients are likely to require conversion.Methods and ResultsWe used ACS NSQIP data to identify patients undergoing colectomy (2014‐2019). We included patients undergoing elective colectomy for colorectal neoplasm via a minimally invasive approach or a converted approach. The outcome of interest was conversion. Variables were included in the model based on their correlation with conversion by logistic regression (p < .05). Two models were used: weighted logistic regression with regularization, and Random Forest classifier. The data was randomly split into training (70%) and test (30%) cohorts, and prediction performance was calculated. 24 327 cases were included (17 028 training, 7299 test). When applied to the test cohort, the models had an accuracy of 0.675 (range 0.65–0.70) in predicting conversion; c‐index ranged from 0.62–0.63. This machine learning model achieved a moderate area under the curve and a high negative predictive value, but a low positive predictive value; therefore, this model can predict (with 95% accuracy) whether a colectomy for neoplasm can be successfully completed using a minimally invasive approach.ConclusionThis model can be used to reassure surgeons of the appropriateness of a minimally invasive approach when planning for an elective colectomy.
Downregulation of Rab23 inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma by repressing SHH signaling pathway
Authors: Liu Si‐Jia , Zang Yu‐Wei , Huang Cui‐Jun , Liu Yun‐Jian 
Published: October 2023

AbstractHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common malignant tumors and the third leading cause of cancer‐related death worldwide. As an oncogene, Rab23 has been shown to be significantly related to the growth and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma in both in vitro and in vivo studies, but its underlying mechanism remains obscure. In the present study, we examined the effect of inhibiting Rab23 expression on the pathological progression of HCC. The correlation between liver Rab23 gene expression and survival probability in human HCC patients was analyzed using the TCGA database and CPTAC database. Rab23 knockdown hepatocellular carcinoma cell line was generated through lentiviral transduction, then we established a nude HCC xenograft model by subcutaneously implanting the transfected cells. The analysis of gene and protein expression was carried out using Western blot or RT‐qPCR, respectively. Flow cytometry analysis was used to detect the level of apoptosis. The expression levels of key proteins involved in the Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway were assessed. The results showed that HCC patients with low levels of hepatic Rab23 mRNA and protein had a better survival tendency than those with higher levels of Rab23. Cell proliferations were reduced and apoptosis levels were increased after Knocking down Rab23 in HCC cell lines. Furthermore, in vivo studies have demonstrated that suppression of the Rab23 gene results in decreased tumor size, proliferation rate, and reduced levels of SHH‐related proteins Smoothened and GLI‐1. The above results suggest that Rab23 is involved in the pathological progression of HCC as an important regulator of the SHH signaling pathway, which also provides an important research basis for new therapeutic strategies for HCC.
Supreme Court decision will impact religious accommodations requests
Authors: Porter Michael 
Published: October 2023

The last few days of the U.S. Supreme Court term usually include headliner cases, and this year was no different with the affirmative action admissions cases and the Court's decision permitting a web‐designer to limit wedding services based on religious beliefs. Relatively speaking, the Court's decision on a different religious accommodations case, Groff v. DeJoy, Postmaster General, S. Ct. Case 22‐174, June 29, 2023, flew under the radar. But the Court's ruling on this case will have a significant impact on the way institutions respond to requests for religious accommodations from employees and may also bring students’ religious accommodations issues to light.
A multisource data‐driven approach for carbon footprint analysis of remanufacturing systems
Authors: Yan Wei , He Xue , Zhang Hua 
Published: October 2023

AbstractThe remanufacturing industry is experiencing significant growth, resulting in a substantial increase in its carbon footprint. Unfortunately, this issue is not receiving adequate attention at present. Moreover, existing methods for analyzing carbon footprints in remanufacturing systems are inefficient and inaccurate due to the complex relationship between carbon emissions and the dynamic nature of the systems. In this paper, we propose a multisource data‐driven approach for carbon footprint analysis of remanufacturing systems. First, we examine the relationship between carbon emissions and the uncertainty surrounding end‐of‐life (EOL) product components, as well as the corresponding resource recovery strategies, such as reuse, recycle, and remanufacture. This analysis allows us to define the carbon footprint boundary of remanufacturing systems. Next, we establish a carbon footprint model for recycling strategies using recycling data. Additionally, we propose a carbon footprint model for remanufacture strategies by utilizing the back propagation neural network based on particle swarm optimization algorithm and data from the materials flow, energy flow, and waste flow of these strategies. By combining these models, we can accurately calculate the carbon footprint of remanufacturing systems. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach, we present a case study on the remanufacturing of an EOL automobile engine. This case study showcases how our methodology can be utilized as a valuable tool for analyzing carbon footprints and identifying strategies to reduce carbon emissions in remanufacturing systems.
Securing AI‐based healthcare systems using blockchain technology: A state‐of‐the‐art systematic literature review and future research directions
Authors: Shinde Rucha , Patil Shruti , Kotecha Ketan , Potdar Vidyasagar , Selvachandran Ganeshsree , Abraham Ajith 
Published: October 2023

AbstractHealthcare institutions are progressively integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into their operations. The extraordinary potential of AI is restricted by insufficient medical data for AI model training and adversarial attacks wherein attackers perturb the dataset by adding some noise to it, which leads to the malfunctioning of the AI models, and a lack of trust caused by the opaque operational approach it employs. This Systematic Literature Review (SLR) is a state‐of‐the‐art survey of the research on blockchain technology for securing AI‐integrated healthcare applications. The most relevant articles from the Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases were identified using the PRISMA model. Most of the existing literature is about protecting the healthcare data used by AI‐based healthcare systems using blockchain technology, but the modality of data (text, images, audio, and sound) was not specifically mentioned. Information on protecting the training phase and model deployment for AI‐based healthcare systems considering the variations in feature extraction based on the modality of data was also not clearly specified. Hence, the three subfields of AI, namely, natural language processing (NLP), computer vision, and acoustic AI are further studied to identify security loopholes in its implementation pipeline. The three phases, namely the dataset, the training phase, and the trained models need to be protected from adversaries to avoid malfunctioning of the deployed AI models. The nature of the data processed by NLP, computer vision, and acoustic AI, underlying deep neural network (DNN) architectures, the complexity of attacks, and the perceivability of attacks by humans are analyzed to identify the need for security. A blockchain solution for AI‐based healthcare systems is synthesized based on the findings that have demonstrated the distinctive technological features of blockchains. It offers a solution for the privacy and security issues encountered by NLP, computer vision, and acoustic AI to boost the widespread adoption of AI applications in healthcare.
Flame‐retardant composite derived from polyurethane/wood‐fiber
Authors: Wang Xuanye , Wang Beibei , Sun Jingmeng , Yu Lei , Yang Guochao , Guo Hongwu 
Published: October 2023

AbstractWood–plastic composites (WPCs) are facing fire hazard when they are used in construction and furniture and need to be treated with fire protection. In this work, polyurethane (PU) was applied to derive simultaneously flame‐retardancy‐improved and mechanically strengthened wood‐polyurethane composites (WPUCs). It was constructed with ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and PU by a simple way. The results showed that a decrease in smoke production in the Cone Calorimeter Test was measured. When the mass of APP is 18% of PU, limiting oxygen index can reach 31.2%. In the combustion test, the peak of heat release rate and total smoke production for WPUCs were, respectively, decreased by 42.1% and 89.7% in the presence of the above ratio of APP and PU. In addition, the results of the functional group test show that PU contains highly reactive ‐NCO which is bonded to the ‐OH and moisture in the wood fiber, resulting in improvement of physical and mechanical properties. The mechanism for the flame retardancy of WPUCs revealed that polyphosphoric acid produced by APP pyrolysis catalyzed PU into the char, and PU was arched by the resulting gases such as NH3 to form the tiny spherical structure, which worked in blocking heat and the exchange of substances. WPUCs with APP prepared by this method are shown to have improved results, and, therefore, it is expected to provide a new strategy for the preparation of flame‐retardant WPCs.
Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of Thiacetazone
Authors: Peloquin Charles A. , Nitta Annette T. , Berning Shaun E. , Iseman Michael D. , James Gordon T. 
Published: October 2023

Study Objective. To investigate the steady‐state pharmacokinetics of thiacetazone (TB‐1), which is active in vitro against Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC).Design. Open‐label phase I study.Setting. Specialized referral hospital.Patients. Twelve healthy men and women.Interventions. Oral TB‐1 150 mg/day was administered for 7 days, followed by blood and urine collection over 48 hours.Measurements and Main Results. The serum concentration versus time curves of TB‐1 showed sustained concentrations, with maximum values of 1.59 ± 0.47 μg/ml, time to maximum 3.30 ± 1.18 hours, and serum half‐life of 15–16 hours. Less than 25% of TB‐1 was recovered unchanged in the urine over 48 hours. Rashes occurred in two subjects at the end of the 7‐day dosing period and resolved without progression or sequelae.Conclusions. Based on these data, we initiated a phase II study of TB‐1 in patients with pulmonary MAC infection who do not have the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
Vancomycin‐Binding Characteristics in Patients with Serious Infections
Authors: Li Li , Miles Michael V. , Lakkis Hassan , Zaritsky Arno L. 
Published: October 2023

Study Objective. To examine the extent, variability, and factors affecting vancomycin protein binding.Design. Prospective, open‐label, cohort study.Setting. A general hospital.Patients. Forty‐four adults [mean (± SD) age 50.9 ± 17.1 yrs, range 16.8–92.0 yrs] with serious infections.Interventions. Unbound (Vu) and total (Vtot) vancomycin concentrations were determined by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. A statistical analysis model used the maximum likelihood method to evaluate the association between several important variables and log Vu while controlling for log Vtot effects.Measurements and Main Results. The mean fraction percentage of unbound vancomycin was 79.5 ± 6.0% (range 53.0–96.3%). While controlling for Vtot the total variability of Vu was 8.3%, suggesting that vancomycin binding is relatively constant in sick adults. We were able to demonstrate a significant statistical interaction effect between gender and globulin protein concentration on Vu (p = 0.022). Globulin protein concentration in men was negatively associated with Vu (p = 0.0009), but there was no association in women (p = 0.645). Age, race, peak‐trough association, serum creatinine, serum albumin, serum prealbumin, and hemodialysis were not significantly associated with log Vu in the statistical model.Conclusion. Compared with earlier studies in healthy adults, vancomycin binding appears to be decreased during acute illness, and intrapatient and interpatient variability are relatively small. Unbound vancomycin concentration appears to be gender dependent.
Pharmacokinetics of Mycophenolate Mofetil and Intravenous Ganciclovir Alone and in Combination in Renal Transplant Recipients
Authors: Wolfe Erika J. , Mathur Vandana , Tomlanovich Stephen , Jung Don , Wong Rodney , Griffy Kay , Aweeka Francesca T. 
Published: October 2023

Study Objectives. To evaluate the pharmacokinetics of mycophenolic acid and its glucuronide metabolite alone and in the presence of ganciclovir, and to determine the pharmacokinetics of ganciclovir alone and in combination with mycophenolate mofetil.Design. Randomized, open‐label, three‐way crossover study.Patients. Twelve kidney transplant recipients.Interventions. Mycophenolate mofetil 1500 mg orally and ganciclovir 5 mg/kg intravenously were each given alone and in combination with at least a 1‐week washout period between treatment arms.Measurements and Main Results. Blood samples were obtained to measure mycophenolic acid and ganciclovir by high‐performance liquid chromatography. Mean (± SD) oral plasma clearance for mycophenolic acid alone and with ganciclovir was 3.11 ± 0.72 and 3.19 ± 0.72 ml/min/kg (p=0.64). The overall disposition of the major metabolite, MPA‐glucuronide, was unchanged, with approximately 70% of the administered dose eliminated as the glucuronide conjugate for both arms of the study. Mean ganciclovir serum clearance was 1.80 ± 0.58 ml/min/kg for ganciclovir and 1.70 ± 0.55 ml/min/kg for ganciclovir plus mycophenolate mofetil (p=0.11; 10 patients). Renal clearance of ganciclovir was decreased when the drugs were administered in combination, 1.43 ± 0.54 (ganciclovir) and 1.26 ± 0.44 (both drugs) ml/min/kg (p=0.02; 10 patients).Conclusion. The single‐dose pharmacokinetics of mycophenolic acid and its glucuronide metabolite were unchanged by the addition of ganciclovir. Total serum clearance of ganciclovir was unchanged by the addition of mycophenolate mofetil, however, renal clearance was slightly decreased.
The Effect of Timing of a Standard Meal on the Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of the Novel Atypical Antipsychotic Agent Ziprasidone
Authors: Hamelin Bettina A. , Allard Sylvie , Laplante Louis , Miceli Jeffrey , Wilner Keith D. , Tremblay J. , LeBel Marc 
Published: October 2023

Study Objective. To evaluate the influence of a high‐fat meal on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the novel atypical antipsychotic drug ziprasidone.Design. Open, randomized, three‐way crossover study.Setting. University‐based research facility.Subjects. Eight healthy male volunteers.Interventions. Ziprasidone 20 mg was administered under fasting conditions (treatment A), and directly after (treatment B) and 2 hours after (treatment C) a standard high‐fat breakfast.Measurements and Main Results. Serial blood samples were obtained over 36 hours. Three objective psychometric tests were employed to evaluate daytime vigilance at baseline and 2 hours after each dose. Ziprasidone had a significant effect on area under the curve (AUC0‐∞), maximum serum concentration, and half‐life (analysis of variance all p<0.05), with the mean AUC0‐∞ being significantly greater (627.2 ± 206.4 vs 371.0 ± 126.5 ng • hr/ml, ANOVA with Bonferroni's criteria p<0.016) and half‐life significantly shorter (4.7 ± 0.8 vs 6.6 ± 1.3 hrs, ANOVA with Bonferroni's criteria p<0.016) after treatment B compared with treatment A. Although similar trends were observed after treatment C compared with treatment A, the differences did not reach statistical significance when Bonferroni's correction criteria were applied (p>0.016).Conclusion. These data suggest an increase in systemic exposure to the highly lipophilic compound ziprasidone when taken after fatty foods, possibly due to improved drug dissolution and solubilization. The drug's longer half‐life under fasting conditions may reflect dissolution‐limited absorption, although this could not be directly assessed. Despite postprandial increases in ziprasidone AUC0‐∞ and maximum concentration, daytime vigilance was not affected.
Analysis of the Effect of Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibition on Mouse Sperm Employing a Modified Staining Method for Assessment of the Acrosome Reaction
Authors: Viggiano J. Marcelo , Herrero M. Belén , Martínez Silvina P. , de Gimeno Martha F. 
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: A commercially available staining kit (Spermac) was combined with swelling in a hypoosmotic medium (HOS) for simultaneous assessment of viability and acrosome reaction in mouse spermatozoa. We compared the results obtained with the combined technique (HOS‐Spermac) with those obtained with currently used techniques: the chlortetracycline fluorescence assay and eosin exclusion. The results obtained with HOS‐Spermac were the same as those obtained with the chlortetracycline fluorescence assay. Viability assessment with HOS‐Spermac showed a good correlation with the percentage of spermatozoa showing eosin dye exclusion.Using this novel technique, we studied the effect of a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor (NG‐nitro‐L‐arginine methyl ester, L‐NAME) on the acrosome reaction. L‐NAME produced a dose‐dependent inhibition of spontaneous acrosome reaction and its inhibitory effect was specifically counteracted by L‐arginine. We conclude that HOS‐Spermac provides a simple and reliable tool for assessment of the acrosome reaction and that nitric oxide synthase participates in this important function of the spermatozoon.
LncRNA BRCAT54 is downregulated and inhibits cancer cell proliferation by downregulating miR‐130b‐3p through methylation in prostate cancer
Authors: Liang Haote , Lu Yongyong , Huang Xixi , Ye Tingyu 
Published: October 2023

AbstractBRCAT54 and miR‐130b‐3p are two recently characterized critical players in cancer biology, while their functions in prostate cancer (PC) are unknown. From preliminary sequencing analysis, we observed altered expression of BRCAT54 and miR‐130b‐3p in PC and an inverse correlation between them. This study was conducted to explore their involvement in PC. A total of 64 PC patients were enrolled to collect paired PC and nontumor tissues. The expression of BRCAT54 and miR‐130b‐3p were determined by RT‐qPCR. Overexpression of BRCAT54 and miR‐130b‐3p was achieved in PC cells to explore their roles in regulating the expression of each other. Methylation‐specific PCR (MSP) was conducted to explore the role of BRCAT54 in regulating promoter methylation of miR‐130b‐3p. BrdU assay was used to evaluate the role of BRCAT54 and miR‐130b‐3p in regulating PC cell proliferation. The results showed that PC tissues exhibited downregulation of BRCAT54 and upreglation of miR‐130b‐3p compared to that in nontumor tissues. They were inversely correlated across PC tissue samples. Overexpression of BRCAT54 decreased RNA accumulation of miR‐130b‐3p in PC cells. In addition, overexpression of BRCAT54 increased promoter methylation of miR‐130b‐3p. Moreover, BRCAT54 suppressed the role of miR‐130b‐3p in promoting PC cell proliferation. In conclusion, BRCAT54 is downregulated in PC and it may inhibit cancer cell proliferation by downregulating miR‐130b‐3p through methylation.