bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Performance of xenogeneic pulmonary visceral pleura as bioprosthetic heart valve cusps in swine
Authors: Lu Xiao , Kelley Greg , Wang Mengjun , Guo Xiaomei , Han Ling , Kassab Ghassan S. 
Published: August 2023

ObjectiveBovine pericardium is common biological material for bioprosthetic heart valve. There remains a significant need, however, to improve bioprosthetic valves for longer-term outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the chronic performance of bovine pulmonary visceral pleura (PVP) as bioprosthetic valve cusps.MethodsThe PVP was extracted from the bovine lung and fixed in 0.625% glutaraldehyde overnight at room temperature. The PVP valve cusps for the bioprosthetic valve were tailored using a laser cutter. Three leaflets were sewn onto a nitinol stent. Six PVP bioprosthetic valves were loaded into the test chamber of the heart valve tester to complete 100 million cycles. Six other PVP bioprosthetic valves were transcardially implanted to replace pulmonary artery valve of six pigs. Fluoroscopy and intracardiac echocardiography were used for in vivo assessments. Thrombosis, calcification, inflammation, and fibrosis were evaluated in the terminal study. Histologic analyses were used for evaluations of any degradation or calcification.ResultsAll PVP bioprosthetic valves completed 100 million cycles without significant damage or tears. In vivo assessments showed bioprosthetic valve cusps open and coaptation at four months post-implant. No calcification and thrombotic deposits, inflammation, and fibrosis were observed in the heart or pulmonary artery. The histologic analyses showed complete and compact elastin and collagen fibers in the PVP valve cusps. Calcification-specific stains showed no calcific deposit in the PVP valve cusps.ConclusionsThe accelerated wear test demonstrates suitable mechanical strength of PVP cusps for heart valve. The swine model demonstrates that the PVP valve cusps are promising for valve replacement.
Sulfur origin and flux variations in fumarolic fluids of Vulcano Island, Italy
Authors: Inguaggiato Salvatore , Liotta Marcello , Rouwet Dmitri , Tassi Franco , Vita Fabio , Schiavo Benedetto , Ono Shuhei , Keller Nicole Simone 
Published: August 2023

A sharp increase in volatiles, especially SO2 fluxes from the solfataric plume and diffuse CO2 from the soils of the La Fossa crater area, started in June 2021, and subsequently from the Levante Bay area, suggests renewed unrest at Vulcano Island, Italy. This event has encouraged monitoring activities and stimulated new research activities aimed at understanding the recent evolution of the volcanic system. In this study, the chemical and isotopic composition of fumaroles, thermal waters, and soil gases from the main degassing areas of Vulcano Island with a special focus on sulfur isotopes, are used to investigate the fluid transfer mechanism inside the volcano. Sulfur is one of the most abundant volatile elements present in magmas and volcanic fluids from the La Fossa crater, where it mostly occurs as SO2 and H2S at variable relative concentrations depending on oxygen fugacity and temperature. The isotope composition and the chemical ratio of sulfur species depict a complex hydrothermal-magmatic system. In addition, we utilize the installed SO2 monitoring network that measures the total outgassing of SO2 with the UV-scanning DOAS technique. The SO2 fluxes from the La Fossa crater fumaroles, coupled with the SO2/CO2 and SO2/H2O ratios, were measured to evaluate the total mass of fluids emitted by the shallow plumbing system and its relationship with the status of volcanic activity. Combining the whole chemical composition of fumaroles analyzed with a discrete, direct sampling of high-temperature fumaroles located on the crater summit, the output of discharged water vapor has been estimated (5,768 t·d−1). On the basis of the water output, we estimated the total thermal energy dissipated by the crater during the last enhanced degassing activity (167 MW). This strong and sharp increase in energy observed during the current crisis confirms the long-growing trend in terms of mass and energy recorded in recent decades, which has brought the surface system of Vulcano Island to a critical level that has never been recorded since the last eruptive event of 1888–91.
AI-based voltage and power quality control of high-penetration grid-connected photovoltaic power plant
Authors: Ebrahim M. A. , Ward Sayed A. , El-Gohary Mohamed F. , Mohamad M. A. , Eid Marwa M. , Alharbi Amal H. , Khafaga Doaa Sami 
Published: August 2023

The importance of using renewable energy systems (RESs) worldwide has been consolidated. Moreover, connecting more RESs to the utility grid will lead to more technical problems. Photovoltaic (PV) and wind turbine (WT) based power plants are the most nonlinear sources of renewable energies contributing to the energy mix Electronic ballast and switching mode power supply in energy conservation of the PV and WT have caused power quality problems and less reliable output voltage. PV power plants are becoming increasingly integrated with the utility grid by onboarding certain superior power quality features. This grid integration drastically reduces the use of fossil fuels and prevents environmental hazards. This article presents the design of a 26 MWp grid-connected PV power plant, which is already tied to the Egyptian electrical network in Fares City, Kom Ombo Center, Aswan Governorate, Egypt The 26 MWp PV power plant consists of (11) blocks and the utility grid, which are simulated using Matlab/Simulink. Every block contains 2,376 kWp PV arrays connected directly to DC-DC boost converters to regulate the output DC power generated by each PV array. This output DC power is fed into a particular type of inverter called a “central inverter”, which converts it to AC power. In some cases, higher harmonic distortion at the grid and a greater negative impact on the power system performance occur when using this type of inverter. To optimize the gains of the proportional-integral (PI) controller for both the voltage and current regulators of this central inverter, meta-heuristic optimization techniques (MOTs) are used. During this article, Gray Wolf Optimization (GWO), Harris Hawks Optimization (HHO), and Arithmetic Optimization Algorithm (AOA) are applied as MOTs to enhance the quality of the power and voltage in addition to limiting the total harmonic distortions (THD) under the effect of different sunlight conditions and partial shading. As a result, the AOA-based controllers are found to show outstanding results and superior performance compared to GWO and HHO regarding solution quality and computational efficiency. Finally, MOTs are the best solution to most electrical problems regarding controlling nonlinear and high-penetration systems, such as PV power plants connected to the utility grid.
C57BL/6J mice exposed to perfluorooctanoic acid demonstrate altered immune responses and increased seizures after Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus infection
Authors: Pérez Gómez Aracely A. , Wang Meichen , Kochan Kelli , Amstalden Katia , Young Colin R. , Welsh C. Jane , Phillips Timothy D. , Brinkmeyer-Langford Candice L. 
Published: August 2023

IntroductionNeurological diseases can stem from environmental influences such as antecedent viral infections or exposure to potential toxicants, some of which can trigger immune responses leading to neurological symptoms. Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) is used to model human neurological conditions associated with prior viral infections, with outcomes partly attributable to improper induction and regulation of the immune response. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) can alter pathologies known to influence neurological disease such as inflammatory responses, cytokine expression, and glial activation. Co-exposure to TMEV and PFOA was used to test the hypothesis that early life exposure to the potential immunotoxicant PFOA would affect immune responses so as to render TMEV-resistant C57BL/6J (B6) mice susceptible to viral-induced neurological disease.MethodsNeonate B6 mice were exposed to different treatments: non-injected, sham-infected with PBS, and TMEV-infected, with the drinking water of each group including either 70 ppt PFOA or filtered water. The effects of PFOA were evaluated by comparing neurological symptoms and changes in immune-related cytokine and chemokine production induced by viral infection. Immune responses of 23 cytokines and chemokines were measured before and after infection to determine the effects of PFOA exposure on immune response.ResultsPrior to infection, an imbalance between Th1, Th2, and Treg cytokines was observed in PFOA-exposed mice, suppressing IL-4 and IL-13 production. However, the balance was restored and characterized by an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines in the non-infected group, and a decrease in IL-10 in the PFOA + TMEV group. Furthermore, the PFOA + TMEV group experienced an increase in seizure frequency and severity.DiscussionOverall, these findings provide insight into the complex roles of immune responses in the pathogenesis of virus-associated neurological diseases influenced by co-exposures to viruses and immunotoxic compounds.
Apoptotic cells for treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with COVID-19
Authors: van Heerden Peter Vernon , Abutbul Avraham , Naama Ahmad , Maayan Shlomo , Makram Nassar , Nachshon Akiva , abu Jabal Kamal , Hershkovitz Oren , Binder Lior , Shabat Yehudit , Reicher Barak , Mevorach Dror 
Published: August 2023

BackgroundHyper-inflammatory immune response, a hallmark of severe COVID-19, is associated with increased mortality. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a common manifestation. We undertook two phase I/II studies in five and then 16 subjects with severe/critical COVID-19 to assess the safety and preliminary efficacy of apoptotic cells (Allocetra™-OTS, Enlivex Therapeutics), a cellular immunomodulatory therapy that reprograms macrophages to reduce hyper-inflammatory response severity.MethodsEligible patients presenting to the Emergency Room with severe COVID-19 and respiratory dysfunction received one intravenous administration of Allocetra™-OTS and were monitored for adverse events (AEs) for 28 days. The primary aim was to determine the safety profile of treatment; secondary aims were recovery from ARDS, intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital length-of-stay, and mortality. Immune modulator markers were measured to elucidate the mechanism of action of Allocetra™-OTS.Results21 patients with severe-critical COVID-19 of Gamma, Alpha and Delta variants, were treated with a single dose of apoptotic cells. 19/21 patients had mild-to-severe ARDS at presentation. Median age was 53 years, 16/21 were males, 16/21 were overweight/obese. No serious related adverse events (SAEs) were reported. All 21 study subjects survived to day 28 (end of study); 19/21 recovered completely. Comparable mortality rates at the hospital were 3.8%−8.9% for age- and gender-matched patients, and 39%−55% for critical patients. Recovering patients exhibited rapid ARDS resolution and parallel resolution of inflammation markers and elevated cytokines/chemokines.ConclusionIn patients with severe/critical COVID-19 associated with ARDS, Allocetra™-OTS was safe, well-tolerated, and showed promising results for resolution of respiratory failure and inflammation.Trial registrationhttps://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT04513470, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT04590053, Identifiers NCT04513470, NCT04590053.
Identifying ureteral stent encrustation using machine learning based on CT radiomics features: a bicentric study
Authors: Qiu Junliang , Yan Minbo , Wang Haojie , Liu Zicheng , Wang Guojie , Wu Xianbo , Gao Qindong , Hu Hongji , Chen Junyong , Dai Yingbo 
Published: August 2023

ObstructiveTo develop and validate radiomics and machine learning models for identifying encrusted stents and compare their recognition performance with multiple metrics.MethodsA total of 354 patients with ureteral stent placement were enrolled from two medical institutions and divided into the training cohort (n = 189), internal validation cohort (n = 81) and external validation cohort (n = 84). Based on features selected by Wilcoxon test, Spearman Correlation Analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression algorithm, six machine learning models based on radiomics features were established with six classifiers (LR, DT, SVM, RF, XGBoost, KNN). After comparison with those models, the most robust model was selected. Considering its feature importance as radscore, the combined model and a nomogram were constructed by incorporating indwelling time. Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, area under the curve (AUC), decision curve analysis (DCA) and calibration curve were used to evaluate the recognition performance of models.Results1,409 radiomics features were extracted from 641 volumes of interest (VOIs) and 20 significant radiomics features were selected. Considering the superior performance (AUC 0.810, 95%CI, 0.722–0.888) in the external validation cohort, feature importance of XGBoost was used as a radscore, constructing a combined model and a nomogram with indwelling time. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and AUC of the combined model were 98, 100, 97.3% and 0.999 for the training cohort, 83.3, 80, 84.5% and 0.867 for the internal cohort and 78.2, 76.3, 78.8% and 0.820 for the external cohort, respectively. DCA indicates the favorable clinical utility of models.ConclusionMachine learning model based on radiomics features enables to identify ureteral stent encrustation with high accuracy.
HDS screening with patient-derived primary cells guided individualized therapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma–in vivo and vitro
Authors: He Xing , Yan Hezhong , Hu Jie , Duan Xiaowei , Zhang Mingjin , Li Haiqing , Wang Jiaoxue , Gao Qian , Yu Senyuan , Hou Xilu , Liao Guobin , Guo Shicun , Li Jin , Ge Yurong , Chen Xiaolan , Wang Wenchao , Tang Jun 
Published: August 2023

ObjectiveTo analyze and evaluate the role of the High-throughput Drug Sensitivity (HDS) screening strategy in identifying highly sensitive drugs against esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).MethodsA total of 80 patients with progressive ESCC were randomly divided into the observation (40 cases) and the control groups (40 cases). In the observation group, primary ESCC cells were isolated from the tumor tissues with a gastroscope, and drug sensitivity screening was performed on cells derived from the 40 ESCC cases using the HDS method, followed by verification in a patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDX) mouse model. Finally, the differences in the therapeutic efficacy (levels of CEA, CYFRA21-1, SCCA after chemotherapy and the rates of overall survival, local progression, and distant metastasis at 12 months and 18 months time points after chemotherapy) were compared between the observation group (Screened drug-treated) and the control group (Paclitaxel combined with cisplatin regimen-treated).ResultsForty ESCC patients were screened for nine different high-sensitive chemotherapeutics, with the majority showing sensitivity to Bortezomib. Experiments on animal models revealed that the tumor tissue mass of PDX mice treated with the HDS-screened drug was significantly lower than that of the Paclitaxel-treated mice (p &lt; 0.05), and the therapeutic efficacy of the observation group was better than the control group (p &lt; 0.05).ConclusionHDS screening technology can be beneficial in screening high-efficacy anticancer drugs for advanced-stage ESCC patients, thereby minimizing adverse drug toxicity in critically ill patients. Moreover, this study provides a new avenue for treating advanced ESCC patients with improved outcomes.
Comparative analysis of gut DNA viromes in wild and captive Himalayan vultures
Authors: Zhai Jundie , Wang You , Tang Boyu , Zheng Sisi , He Shunfu , Zhao Wenxin , Chen Hanxi , Lin Jun , Li Feng , Bao Yuzi , Lancuo Zhuoma , Sharshov Kirill , Liu Chuanfa , Wang Wen 
Published: August 2023

IntroductionHimalayan vultures (Gyps hinalayensis) are widely distributed on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance by feeding on decayed corpses of wild and domestic animals. Large-scale culture and metagenomics studies have broadened our understanding of viral diversity in animals’ gastrointestinal tracts. However, despite the importance of gut viral communities in regulating bacterial diversity and performing symbiotic functions, no gut viral study has been conducted on Himalayan vultures. Furthermore, the impact of captivity on the gut virome of these vultures remains unknown.MethodsIn this study, metagenomic sequencing methods targeting DNA of virus-like particles enriched from feces were used to characterize the gut DNA viromes of wild and captive Himalayan vultures.ResultsIn total, 22,938 unique viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs) were identified and assigned to 140 viral genera in 41 viral families. These families included viruses associated with bacteria, animals, plants, insects, and archaea. Phage communities, including Siphoviridae, Microviridae, Myoviridae, Inoviridae, and Herelleviridae, dominated the gut virome of Himalayan vultures. Wild vultures exhibited higher viral richness and diversity compared with those in captivity. The functional capacity of the gut virome was characterized by identifying 93 KEGG pathways, which were significantly enriched in metabolism and genetic information processing. Abundant auxiliary metabolic genes, such as carbohydrate-active enzyme, and antibiotic resistance genes, were also found in the vultures’ gut virome.DiscussionOur findings reveal the complex and diverse viral community present in the gut virome of Himalayan vultures, which varies between wild, and captive states. The DNA virome dataset establishes a baseline for the vultures’ gut virome and will serve as a reference for future virus isolation and cultivation. Understanding the impact of captivity on the gut virome contributes to our knowledge of vultures’ response to captivity and aids in optimizing their rehabilitation and implementing protective measures.
Conservation tillage practices affect soil microbial diversity and composition in experimental fields
Authors: Khan Muzammil Hassan , Liu Hao , Zhu Anning , Khan Mudassir Hassan , Hussain Sarfraz , Cao Hui 
Published: August 2023

IntroductionConservation tillage is a widely used technique worldwide, but the effects of conservation tillage on bacterial community structure are poorly understood. We explored proportional alterations in the bacterial community under different tillage treatments.MethodologyHence, this study utilized high-throughput sequencing technique to investigate the structure and assembly processes of microbial communities in different tillage treatments.Results and discussionTillage treatments included tillage no-straw retention (CntWt), no-tillage with straw retention (CntWntS), tillage with straw retention (CntWtS), no-tillage and no-straw retention (CntWnt). The influence of tillage practices on soil bacterial communities was investigated using Illumina MiSeq sequencing. Different tillage methods and straw retention systems significantly influenced soil parameters such as total potassium and pH were not affected by tillage practices, while straw retention significantly affected soil parameters including nitrogen content, available phosphorus and available potassium. Straw retention decreased bacterial diversity while increased bacterial richness. The effect of straw retention and tillage on bacterial communities was greater than with no tillage. Phylogenetic β-diversity analysis showed that deterministic homogeneous selection processes were dominated, while stochastic processes were more pronounced in tillage without straw retention. Ecological network analysis showed that microbial community correlation was increased in CntWntS and CntWnt. Straw retention treatment significantly increased the relative abundance of bacterial taxa Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and OD1, while Nitrospirae, Actinobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia significantly decreased.ConclusionThe conservation tillage practices significantly affect soil properties, bacterial composition, and assembly processes; however, further studies are required to investigate the impact of different crops, tillage practices and physiological characteristics on bacterial community structure and functions.
Association between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and risk of hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Xiao Fang , An Ziwen , Lv Junli , Sun Xiaoyi , Sun Heming , Liu Yi , Liu Xuehui , Guo Huicai 
Published: August 2023

BackgroundExisting evidence indicates that exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) may increase the risk of hypertension, but the findings are inconsistent. Therefore, we aimed to explore the relationship between PFASs and hypertension through this systematic review and meta-analysis.MethodsWe searched PubMed, Embase, and the Web of Science databases for articles published in English that examined the relationship between PFASs and hypertension before 13 August 2022. The random effects model was used to aggregate the evaluation using Stata 15.0 for Windows. We also conducted subgroup analyses by region and hypertension definition. In addition, a sensitivity analysis was carried out to determine the robustness of the findings.ResultsThe meta-analysis comprised 15 studies in total with 69,949 individuals. The risk of hypertension was substantially and positively correlated with exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) (OR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.14, 1.51), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) (OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.26), and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) (OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.09). However, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) exposure and hypertension were not significantly associated (OR = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.99, 1.17).ConclusionWe evaluated the link between PFASs exposure and hypertension and discovered that higher levels of PFOS, PFOA, and PFHxS were correlated with an increased risk of hypertension. However, further high-quality population-based and pathophysiological investigations are required to shed light on the possible mechanism and demonstrate causation because of the considerable variability.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/ PROSPERO, registration number: CRD 42022358142.