bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of yeast-based additives, as an alternative to ionophores, on rumen fermentation of ruminant diets using an in vitro gas production system
Authors: Cagliari Amanda Regina , Magnani Elaine , Rigon Fernanda , Loregian Kalista Eloisa , Casagrande Ana Claudia , Amâncio Bruna Roberta , Bueno da Silva Juliana , Lisboa Santos Veronica , Marcondes Marcos Inácio , Paula Eduardo Marostegan , Del Bianco Benedeti Pedro , Branco Renata Helena 
Published: September 2023

IntroductionThe study aimed to assess yeast-based additives' effects, as monensin alternatives, on rumen fermentation parameters, greenhouse gas emissions, and ruminal kinetics of ruminant diets using an in vitro system. Three experiments were conducted, each individually evaluating escalating levels of three yeast-based additives.MethodsThree experiments were designed: Experiment 1 evaluated prebiotic blend 1—yeast culture [Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Scer)], beta-glucans, fructooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, and mannanoligosaccharides; Experiment 2 investigated prebiotic blend 2—beta-glucan fractions and mannanoligosaccharides from Scer; Experiment 3 examined yeast cells—hydrolyzed, inactivated, and spray-dried yeast (Scer) cells. Uniform experimental design and procedures were employed across the three experiments. Each experiment had six treatments: monensin (Rumensin®, 25 mg/kg DM) as positive control, and yeast additive levels (0, 533, 1,067, 1,600, and 2,133 mg/kg on DM basis) added to ruminant diets (60% corn silage and 40% concentrate). An in vitro gas production (GP) system with 50 AnkomRF bottles assessed total GP (at 24 and 48 hours), kinetics, fermentation profiles, methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations. Comparison with monensin utilized Dunnett’s test (5%). Yeast additive levels were analyzed for linear and quadratic responses.ResultsIn Experiment 1, the 1,600 mg/kg yeast additive had lower concentrations of propionate, isobutyrate, valerate, and branched-chain volatile fatty acids (BCVFAs), and a higher acetate concentration and acetate-to-propionate ratio than monensin. In Experiment 2, the 1,600 mg/kg yeast additive led to lower total VFA and isovalerate concentrations than monensin. Additionally, compared to the 1,067 mg/kg yeast additive, monensin showed lower isovalerate concentration and higher NH3-N concentration. In Experiment 3, the 533 mg/kg yeast additive resulted in lower valerate and BCVFA concentrations, and higher CH4 and CO2 concentrations than monensin. Monensin had lower total VFA, butyrate, and acetate-to-propionate ratio, and higher propionate concentration compared to the 2,133 mg/kg yeast additive.DiscussionCollectively, these findings suggest yeast-based additives could be monensin alternatives, enhancing animal nutrient utilization efficiency and contributing to improved livestock sustainability.
Segmental and transmural motion of the rat myocardium estimated using quantitative ultrasound with new strategies for infarct detection
Authors: Wang Yinong , Chen Wufan , Wang Qing 
Published: September 2023

Introduction: The estimation of myocardial motion abnormalities has great potential for the early diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI). This study aims to quantitatively analyze the segmental and transmural myocardial motion in MI rats by incorporating two novel strategies of algorithm parameter optimization and transmural motion index (TMI) calculation.Methods: Twenty-one rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 7 per group): sham, MI, and ischemia–reperfusion (IR) groups. Ultrasound radio-frequency (RF) signals were acquired from each rat heart at 1 day and 28 days after animal model establishment; thus, a total of six datasets were represented as Sham1, Sham28, MI1, MI28, IR1, and IR28. The systolic cumulative displacement was calculated using our previously proposed vectorized normalized cross-correlation (VNCC) method. A semiautomatic regional and layer-specific myocardium segmentation framework was proposed for transmural and segmental myocardial motion estimation. Two novel strategies were proposed: the displacement-compensated cross-correlation coefficient (DCCCC) for algorithm parameter optimization and the transmural motion index (TMI) for quantitative estimation of the cross-wall transmural motion gradient.Results: The results showed that an overlap value of 80% used in VNCC guaranteed a more accurate displacement calculation. Compared to the Sham1 group, the systolic myocardial motion reductions were significantly detected (p &lt; 0.05) in the middle anteroseptal (M-ANT-SEP), basal anteroseptal (B-ANT-SEP), apical lateral (A-LAT), middle inferolateral (M-INF-LAT), and basal inferolateral (B-INF-LAT) walls as well as a significant TMI drop (p &lt; 0.05) in the M-ANT-SEP wall in the MI1 rats; significant motion reductions (p &lt; 0.05) were also detected in the B-ANT-SEP and A-LAT walls in the IR1 group. The motion improvements (p &lt; 0.05) were detected in the M-INF-LAT wall in the MI28 group and the apical septal (A-SEP) wall in the IR28 group compared to the MI1 and IR1 groups, respectively.Discussion: Our results show that the MI-induced reductions and reperfusion-induced recovery in systolic myocardial contractility could be successfully evaluated using our method, and most post-MI myocardial segments could recover systolic function to various extents in the remodeling phase. In conclusion, the ultrasound-based quantitative estimation framework for estimating segmental and transmural motion of the myocardium proposed in our study has great potential for non-invasive, novel, and early MI detection.
Genetic characteristics, antimicrobial susceptibility, and virulence genes distribution of Campylobacter isolated from local dual-purpose chickens in central China
Authors: Xiao Jia , Cheng Yiluo , Zhang Wenting , Lu Qin , Guo Yunqing , Hu Qiao , Wen Guoyuan , Shao Huabin , Luo Qingping , Zhang Tengfei 
Published: September 2023

Food-borne antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter poses a serious threat to public health. To understand the prevalence and genetic characteristics of Campylobacter in Chinese local dual-purpose (meat and eggs) chickens, the genomes of 30 Campylobacter isolates, including 13 C. jejuni and 17 C. coli from Jianghan-chickens in central China, were sequenced and tested for antibiotic susceptibility. The results showed that CC-354 and CC-828 were the dominant clonal complexes of C. jejuni and C. coli, respectively, and a phylogenetic analysis showed that three unclassified multilocus sequence types of C. coli were more closely genetically related to C. jejuni than to other C. coli in this study. Of the six antibiotics tested, the highest resistance rates were to ciprofloxacin and tetracycline (100%), followed by lincomycin (63.3%), erythromycin (30.0%), amikacin (26.7%), and cefotaxime (20.0%). The antibiotic resistance rate of C. coli was higher than that of C. jejuni. The GyrA T86I mutation and 15 acquired resistance genes were detected with whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Among those, the GyrA T86I mutation and tet(O) were most prevalent (both 96.7%), followed by the blaOXA-type gene (90.0%), ant(6)-Ia (26.7%), aac(6’)-aph(3’’) (23.3%), erm(B) (13.3%), and other genes (3.3%). The ciprofloxacin and tetracycline resistance phenotypes correlated strongly with the GyrA T86I mutation and tet(O)/tet(L), respectively, but for other antibiotics, the correlation between genes and resistance phenotypes were weak, indicating that there may be resistance mechanisms other than the resistance genes detected in this study. Virulence gene analysis showed that several genes related to adhesion, colonization, and invasion (including cadF, porA, ciaB, and jlpA) and cytolethal distending toxin (cdtABC) were only present in C. jejuni. Overall, this study extends our knowledge of the epidemiology and antibiotic resistance of Campylobacter in local Chinese dual-purpose chickens.
EfficientNet family U-Net models for deep learning semantic segmentation of kidney tumors on CT images
Authors: Abdelrahman Abubaker , Viriri Serestina 
Published: September 2023

IntroductionKidney tumors are common cancer in advanced age, and providing early detection is crucial. Medical imaging and deep learning methods are increasingly attractive for identifying and segmenting kidney tumors. Convolutional neural networks have successfully classified and segmented images, enabling clinicians to recognize and segment tumors effectively. CT scans of kidneys aid in tumor assessment and morphology study, using semantic segmentation techniques for pixel-level identification of kidney and surrounding anatomy. Accurate diagnostic procedures are crucial for early detection of kidney cancer.MethodsThis paper proposes an EfficientNet model for complex segmentation by linking the encoder stage EfficientNet with U-Net. This model represents a more successful system with improved encoder and decoder features. The Intersection over Union (IoU) metric quantifies model performance.Results and DiscussionThe EfficientNet models showed high IoU_Scores for background, kidney, and tumor segmentation, with mean IoU_Scores ranging from 0.976 for B0 to 0.980 for B4. B7 received the highest IoU_Score for segmenting kidneys, while B4 received the highest for segmenting tumors. The study utilizes the KiTS19 dataset for contrast-enhanced CT images. Using Semantic segmentation for EfficientNet Family U-Net Models, our method proved even more reliable and will aid doctors in accurate tumor detection and image classification for early diagnosis.
Elevated serum albumin-to-creatinine ratio as a protective factor on outcomes after heart transplantation
Authors: Shen Qiang , Yao Dingyi , Zhao Yang , Qian Xingyu , Zheng Yidan , Xu Li , Jiang Chen , Zheng Qiang , Chen Si , Shi Jiawei , Dong Nianguo 
Published: September 2023

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of serum albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) in patients receiving heart transplantation of end-stage heart failure.MethodsFrom January 2015 to December 2020, a total of 460 patients who underwent heart transplantation were included in this retrospective analysis. According to the maximum Youden index, the optimal cut-off value was identified. Kaplan-Meier methods were used to describe survival rates, and multivariable analyses were conducted with Cox proportional hazard models. Meanwhile, logistic regression analysis was applied to evaluate predictors for postoperative complications. The accuracy of risk prediction was evaluated by using the concordance index (C-index) and calibration plots.ResultsThe optimal cut-off value was 37.54 for ACR. Univariable analysis indicated that recipient age, IABP, RAAS, BB, Hb, urea nitrogen, D-dimer, troponin, TG, and ACR were significant prognostic factors of overall survival (OS). Multivariate analysis showed that preoperative ACR (HR: 0.504, 95% = 0.352–0.722, P &lt; 0.001) was still an independent prognostic factor of OS. The nomogram for predicting 1-year and 5-year OS in patients who underwent heart transplantation without ACR (C-index = 0.631) and with ACR (C-index = 0.671). Besides, preoperative ACR level was a significant independent predictor of postoperative respiratory complications, renal complications, liver injury, infection and in-hospital death. Moreover, the calibration plot showed good consistency between the predictions by the nomogram for OS and the actual outcomes.ConclusionOur research showed that ACR is a favorable prognostic indicator in patients of heart transplantation.
Systemic and local vascular inflammation and arterial reactive oxygen species generation in patients with advanced cardiovascular diseases
Authors: Sulicka-Grodzicka Joanna , Szczepaniak Piotr , Jozefczuk Ewelina , Urbanski Karol , Siedlinski Mateusz , Niewiara Łukasz , Guzik Bartłomiej , Filip Grzegorz , Kapelak Bogusław , Wierzbicki Karol , Korkosz Mariusz , Guzik Tomasz J. , Mikolajczyk Tomasz P. 
Published: September 2023

BackgroundSystemic inflammation may cause endothelial activation, mediate local inflammation, and accelerate progression of atherosclerosis. We examined whether the levels of circulating inflammatory cytokines reflect local vascular inflammation and oxidative stress in two types of human arteries.MethodsHuman internal mammary artery (IMA) was obtained in 69 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery and left anterior descending (LAD) artery was obtained in 17 patients undergoing heart transplantation (HTx). Plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were measured using ELISA, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) was measured using Luminex, and mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines in the vascular tissues was assessed. Furthermore, formation of superoxide anion was measured in segments of IMA using 5 uM lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence. Vascular reactivity was measured using tissue organ bath system.ResultsTNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β mRNAs were expressed in all studied IMA and LAD segments. Plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines did not correlate with vascular cytokine mRNA expression neither in IMA nor in LAD. Plasma TNF-α and IL-6 correlated with hs-CRP level in CABG group. Hs-CRP also correlated with TNF-α in HTx group. Neither vascular TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β mRNA expression, nor systemic levels of either TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β were correlated with superoxide generation in IMAs. Interestingly, circulating IL-1β negatively correlated with maximal relaxation of the internal mammary artery (r = −0.37, p = 0.004). At the same time the mRNA expression of studied inflammatory cytokines were positively associated with each other in both IMA and LAD. The positive correlations were observed between circulating levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in CABG cohort and IL-6 and IL-1β in HTx cohort.ConclusionsThis study shows that peripheral inflammatory cytokine measurements may not reflect local vascular inflammation or oxidative stress in patients with advanced cardiovascular disease (CVD). Circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines generally correlated positively with each other, similarly their mRNA correlated in the arterial wall, however, these levels were not correlated between the studied compartments.
Experimental study on shear mechanical properties of improved loess based on rubber particle incorporation and EICP technology
Authors: Chen Yong , Chai Shaoqiang , Cai Dongbo , Wang Wei , Li Xianpeng , Liu Jinhao 
Published: September 2023

Loess is often not suitable for direct use as a roadbed or building foundation due to its collapsibility, and it needs to be improved by adding curing agents. Taking the loess in Xi’an area as the research object, the reinforcement of loess was carried out using waste tire rubber particles and Enzyme Induced Carbonate Precipitation (EICP) technology. The change of shear strength and shear strength index of improved soil with rubber content and rubber particle size under different strengthening conditions was analyzed, and the strengthening mechanism was also expounded. The results show that rubber powder can improve the shear strength of loess to a certain extent, and the combination of EICP technology can increase the strength of improved loess by nearly 50%. In addition, rubber particles have a certain inhibitory effect on EICP, and the shear strength growth rate decreases with the increase of rubber content. When the rubber particle size is 1–2 mm, the shear strength growth rate is the highest. It is suggested that when adding rubber particles or adding rubber particles combined with EICP technology is used to improve loess, the rubber particle size should be selected as 1–2 mm, and the content is about 10%. The test results can provide a scientific basis for the reduction of geologic disasters in loess areas, and at the same time can provide a non-polluting way for the disposal of waste tires.
Fostering future music teachers' professional skills: developing a signature pedagogy using e-learning
Authors: Karkina Svetlana , Mena Juanjo , Valeeva Roza , Yarmakeev Iskander , Dyganova Elena , Bhullar Mandeep 
Published: September 2023

IntroductionThe emergency crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic caused noticeable changes that stimulated the transition to the new normal based on the digitalization of our systems. In this regard, the revision of learning tools in higher education exposes new challenges and requires the development and implementation of digital technologies. Fostering future music teachers' professional skills needs designing of online resources that provide close student–teacher interaction, as well as the engagement of students and regulation of their professional music practice. Based on the theory of Shulman, the signature pedagogy in music education was developed and implemented in an e-learning environment by a small private online course. The aim of the research was stated: How and which students' music teacher professional skills are affected in the process of e-learning based on the signature approach? The research was conducted at Kazan Federal University. During the educational process students studied the professional practicum.MethodsTotally, 124 students from 1st to 4th academic level had taken part in the experimental work in the academic year 2021–2022. All of them studied bachelor programs for future music teacher as full- or part-time regime and studied the online course in MOODLE during the experiment. A combination of online tasks which cover all the types of the music teacher‘ professional activities was suggested. Considering the aim of the research, the multi-case study research methodology was chosen, using a mixed method approach, resourcing mainly to questionnaire, interview, documental analysis, and observation as data gathering methods, and descriptive statistical analysis, as data analysis techniques.ResultsThe main results demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed online course that allowed to significantly foster students' music teacher professional skills.DiscussionThe investigation of the efficiency of using e-learning for training future music teachers' professional skills was carried out in this study. To improve future music teachers' skills according to the features of the professional field, a signature pedagogy approach was suggested. The contribution of the paper brings the detail characteristic of the signature pedagogy in music education, and the way of its implementation by the means of online tools.
Survival outcomes of low-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma at different risk levels: a corollary for active surveillance
Authors: Ding Wu , Ruan Guodong , Lin Yingli , Zhu Jianming , Li Zhian , Ye Dengfeng 
Published: September 2023

BackgroundThis study aims to compare the outcomes of active surveillance (AS) in low-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients with different tumor sizes and lymph node metastasis status, in order to establish appropriate management strategies. By analyzing these results, this study provides valuable insights for the effective management of such patients, addressing the issues and challenges associated with AS in practical clinical practice.MethodsThe study utilized the SEER database supported by the National Cancer Institute of the United States, extracting data of PTC diagnosed between 2000 and 2015. Statistical analyses were conducted using inverse probability weighting (IPTW) and propensity score matching (PSM), including Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox regression models, to evaluate the impact of different tumor sizes and lymph node metastasis status on thyroid cancer-specific survival (TCSS).ResultsA total of 57,000 PTC patients were included, with most covariates having standardized mean differences below 10% after IPTW and PSM adjustments. The TCSS of PTC with a diameter smaller than 13mm is significantly better than that of tumors with a diameter larger than 13mm, regardless of the presence of lymph node metastasis. Among PTC cases with a diameter smaller than 13mm, the TCSS of patients is similar, regardless of the presence of lymph node metastasis. However, in PTC cases with a diameter larger than 13mm, the presence of lateral neck lymph node metastasis (N1b stage) significantly impacts the TCSS, although the absolute impact on TCSS rate is minimal.ConclusionThe treatment strategy of AS is safe for patients with T1a stage papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). However, for patients with T1b stage, if the tumor diameter exceeds 13mm or there is lymph node metastasis in the lateral neck region, the TCSS will be significantly affected. Nevertheless, the absolute impact on survival is relatively small.
Non-syndromic enlarged vestibular aqueduct caused by novel compound mutations of the SLC26A4 gene: a case report and literature review
Authors: Huang Yunhua , Li Linlin , Pan Liqiu , Ling Xiaoting , Wang Chenghan , Huang Chaoyu , Huang Yifang 
Published: September 2023

Enlarged vestibular aqueduct is an autosomal genetic disease mainly caused by mutations in the SLC26A4 gene and includes non-syndromic and syndromic types. This study aimed to identify genetic defects in a Chinese patient with non-syndromic enlarged vestibular aqueduct (NSEVA) and to investigate the impact of variants on the severity of non-syndromic enlarged vestibular aqueduct. A male patient with NSEVA, aged approximately 6 years, was recruited for this study. The clinical characteristics and results of auxiliary examinations, including laboratory and imaging examinations, were collected, and 127 common hereditary deafness genes were detected by chip capture high-throughput sequencing. Protein structure predictions, the potential impact of mutations, and multiple sequence alignments were analyzed in silico. Compound heterozygote mutations c.1523_1528delinsAC (p.Thr508Asnfs*3) and c.422T&gt;C (p.Phe141Ser) in the SLC26A4 gene were identified. The novel frameshift mutation c.1523_1528delinsAC produces a severely truncated pendrin protein, and c.422T&gt;C has been suggested to be a disease-causing mutation. Therefore, this study demonstrates that the novel mutation c.1523_1528delinsAC in compound heterozygosity with c.422T&gt;C in the SLC26A4 gene is likely to be the cause of NSEVA. Cochlear implants are the preferred treatment modality for patients with NSEVA and severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss Genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis are essential for early diagnosis. These findings expand the mutational spectrum of SLC26A4 and improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying NSEVA.