bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Elevated anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and IL-6, IL-8, MIP-1β, early predictors of severe COVID-19
Authors: Codina Helena , Vieitez Irene , Gutierrez-Valencia Alicia , Skouridou Vasso , Martínez Cristina , Patiño Lucía , Botero-Gallego Mariluz , Trujillo-Rodríguez María , Serna-Gallego Ana , Muñoz-Muela Esperanza , Bobillo María M. , Pérez Alexandre , Cabrera-Alvar Jorge Julio , Crespo Manuel , O’Sullivan Ciara K. , Ruiz-Mateos Ezequiel , Poveda Eva
Published: April 2021

Background

Viral and host immune kinetics during acute COVID-19 and after remission of acute symptoms need better characterization.

Methods

SARS-CoV-2 RNA, anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA, IgM, and IgG antibodies, and pro-inflammatory cytokines were measured in sequential samples among hospitalized COVID-19 patients during acute infection and 6 months following diagnosis.

Results

24 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients with mild/moderate and severe COVID-19 were included. Most were males 83%, median age of 61 years. 21% were admitted to the ICU and 8 of them (33.3%) met criteria for severe COVID-19 disease. A delay in SARS-CoV-2 levels decline during the first 6 days of follow-up and viral load persistence until month 3 were related with severe COVID-19, but not viral load levels at the diagnosis. Higher levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA, IgM, IgG and the cytokines IL-6, IL-8 and MIP-1β at the diagnosis time were related with severe COVID-19 outcome. Higher levels of MIP-1β, IL-1β, MIP-1αand IFN-γwere observed at month 1/3 during mild/moderate disease compared to severe COVID-19. IgG persisted at low levels after 6 months of diagnosis.

Conclusions

Higher concentrations of IgA, IgM, and IgG, and IL-6, IL-8 and MIP-1β are identified as early predictors of COVID-19 severity, but not SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels at diagnosis.
Mutations affecting the N-terminal domains of SHANK3 point to different pathomechanisms in neurodevelopmental disorders
Authors: Woike Daniel , Wang Emily , Tibbe Debora , Nia Fatemeh Hassani , Kibæk Maria , Larsen Martin J. , Fagerberg Christina R. , Barsukov Igor , Kreienkamp Hans-Jürgen
Published: April 2021

Shank proteins are major scaffolds of the postsynaptic density of excitatory synapses. Mutations inSHANKgenes are associated with autism and intellectual disability. The relevance of missense mutations for these pathologies is unclear. Several missense mutations inSHANK3affect the N-terminal region, consisting of the Shank/ProSAP N-terminal (SPN) domain and a set of Ankyrin (Ank) repeats. Here we identify a novelSHANK3missense mutation (p.L270M) in the Ankyrin repeats in patients with an ADHD-like phenotype. We functionally analysed this and a series of other mutations, using biochemical and biophysical techniques. We observe two major effects: (i) a loss of binding to δ-catenin (e.g. in the p.L270M variant), and (ii) interference with the intramolecular interaction between N-terminal SPN domain and the Ank repeats. This also interferes with binding to the α-subunit of the calcium-/calmodulin dependent kinase II (αCaMKII), and appears to be associated with a more severe neurodevelopmental pathology.
Excel(lence) with Interest
Authors: Walker Russell
Published: April 2021

James, a financial advisor at Bank Private, is advising a high net worth client with $1 million to invest. Bank Private can offer an investment that returns a fixed rate of 5.5% (compounded annually) for twenty years. James needs to prepare financial projections for the client that include annual interest and annual taxes as well as total interest and total taxes.
Closing Time
Authors: Hilario Jan , Meusel Maik , Pohl Walt , Schmedders Karl
Published: April 2021

Jennifer McDougall is considering investing in mutual funds for the first time, and has narrowed her options down to three: one that is domiciled in Germany, and two that are domiciled in Luxembourg. As a cautious and risk-averse investor, Jennifer has done extensive research on the three funds, and has come across a curious fact: the beta of the German fund is surprisingly low. After speaking to her financial planner, she learns there is no legal requirement in Germany for mutual funds to compute net asset values at a particular time of the day. If the German fund is closing its books in the middle of the day and its net asset values reflect its midday holdings, rather than end-of-day holdings, this could explain the low beta. Thus, the German fund might appear less risky, without actually being so. Jennifer needed to get a clearer picture of what was going on before making her decision.

Using the data provided with the case, students will determine the closing time of the three funds and how that affects the beta of each. Then they must make a recommendation about which fund would be the best investment for Jennifer.
Starbucks: Driving Growth Through New Dining Occasions
Authors: Sawhney Mohanbir
Published: April 2021

In 2008, Starbucks was in crisis as a result of undisciplined growth and loss of focus, and its stock declined almost 70%. In August of that year, Howard Schultz, the founder of Starbucks, came out of retirement to take over as the CEO. The company regained its footing by refocusing on its core and driving strong organic growth. By 2014, the stock price had reached $40, an all-time high. To prevent history from repeating itself, Schultz wanted to ensure that Starbucks' growth strategies not only addressed market opportunities, but also were aligned with the company's brand image, assets, and capabilities.

Starbucks announced a five-year growth plan in December 2014 with ambitious goals that included nearly doubling its revenues from $16 billion to $30 billion, doubling operating income, and expanding its footprint to more than 30,000 stores globally by 2019. The growth plan consisted of seven specific growth strategies, one of which was the New Occasions strategy. The objective of New Occasions was to drive growth by diversifying Starbucks' revenues beyond breakfast to the lunch, afternoon, and evening dayparts. Starbucks created specific offerings for each daypart, called the Lunch, Sunset, and Evenings programs. The case focuses on evaluating these three occasions-based growth opportunities and identifying the best path forward.
The Panera Bread LBO
Authors: Stowell David , Katz Alexander
Published: April 2021

This case considers the buyout of Panera Bread from the perspective of a private equity fund. In early 2017, KLG Managing Director Tom Denning is considering a leveraged buyout of Panera Bread, a rapidly growing fast-casual restaurant company. A surprising Bloomberg News story signals that the deal process is broadening and KLG will have to act quickly if it hopes to buy Panera Bread. Students assume the role of Tom Denning as he prepares an investment recommendation for KLG's investment committee. In doing so, students are required to consider a very large and expensive investment. Students are challenged to create an investment recommendation by performing due diligence, determining additional questions to ask, and pricing a buyout bid that incorporates an optimal capital structure and meets KLG's return requirements. The Panera Bread case is designed to give students insight into the private equity investment process.
Motorola India: On Razr Thin Ice
Authors: Walker Russell
Published: April 2021

This case challenges students to solve a riddle: How did Motorola's share in the Indian market fall so dramatically while cell phone adoption in India skyrocketed and Motorola was launching one of its most successful products globally? The case is set in the mid-2000s, when Motorola had just rolled out the Razr phone and the firm was approaching the ten-year anniversary of its entry to the Indian market. Motorola's market share in India had fallen from as high as 31% in 1998 to less than 5% in 2006. This dramatic downturn came at a time of immense growth in the Indian cell phone market.
Redeveloping Newcastle: Public Incentives to Spur Commercial Development
Authors: Furfine Craig
Published: April 2021

Louise Dejan was a successful real estate developer operating throughout northeast England. The city council of her hometown of Newcastle faced a problem common to many areas: how to encourage private investment into less attractive areas. In August 2012, Newcastle's East Pilgrim Street neighborhood remained an eyesore, despite its great location between the city's Central Station and city hall. It was a natural place for Dejan to build a typical urban office building over street-level retail building. On a particularly attractive site sat an asbestos-contaminated building, which was a former home to the Bank of England. The costs of remediation had kept developers like Dejan away for many years. To encourage redevelopment, the Newcastle City Council had recently designated the East Pilgrim Street neighborhood an Accelerated Development Zone (ADZ). This gave Dejan access to Tax Increment Financing (TIF), a method by which public funds could be spent to encourage private sector redevelopment of designated parcels of land. After studying the details of TIF and the financial projections of a potential new development, Dejan had to decide whether she should be the first to redevelop property in this well-located but seemingly forgotten neighborhood.
The Trouble with Lenders: Subtleties in the Debt Financing of Commercial Real Estate
Authors: Furfine Craig
Published: April 2021

With interest rates near all-time lows in late 2015, Stanley Cirano knew it was an opportune time to consider the financing on his portfolio of commercial real estate. Cirano Properties was the general partner on three separate private equity investments of retail shopping centers in suburban Chicago. The first, Brookline Road Shopping Center, had been acquired in 2006 and had been managed through the financial crisis and real estate downturn. The property was performing well and Cirano wondered whether it made sense to refinance or sell. The second property, Columbus Festival Plaza, had been acquired in a 2010 bankruptcy auction. Although the property had needed a good amount of capital improvements, Cirano was proud of the growth in net operating income he had been able to generate. The final property, Deerwood Acres, had been developed by Cirano himself after acquiring the property in 2013 from the previous owner, who had been operating a go-cart track and drive-in theater on the land. Cirano expected great things from the property, though his lease-up had been slower than anticipated.

Although the three properties had different levels of performance and presented different management issues, they all shared the fact that they were all significantly financed, in part, with debt. As the properties were acquired at different times, Cirano had simply selected what seemed like reasonable financing at the time. With his concern that interest rates would soon be rising, Cirano thought it made sense to take a holistic view of his portfolio, consider what debt options were available to him, and make a sound strategic decision on the financing of all his assets at the same time.
Measuring and Managing Risk in Commodities: Corn and the Golden Kernel
Authors: Walker Russell
Published: April 2021

Risk managers have more tools than ever to help protect their companies from risk. Complex financial instruments, intricate mathematical models, and access to massive amounts of data can help the risk manager structure a multifaceted strategy to decrease volatility and protect the company from a catastrophic event. However, these tools have their own risks that can complicate a risk manager's job.

Analyzing corn price volatility helps students understand four best practices for risk managers, regardless of the specific risks they face or the strategies they employ: quantify the company's exposure; understand the nature of the risk; understand how the hedge works in practice; and separate hedging and speculation.
Elevate College Access and Success Program (Board Meeting Role-Play Exercise)
Authors: Shaw Sophia , Miller Melanie , McPherson Wayne
Published: April 2021

This case is a role-play exercise intended to give participants an opportunity to experience board meeting dynamics and logistics, determine how to scale a nonprofit for maximum impact, learn about governance best practices, and become generally familiar with nonprofit financial statements, dashboards, and new board member recruitment strategies. There is no right answer or correct outcome to the exercise; the value lies in participants' analysis of the situation, dialogue with one another, and post-meeting self-reflection.
The Future of Bush Brothers & Company: Developing a Shared Vision for a Complex Family Enterprise
Authors: Lansberg Ivan
Published: April 2021

In early 2014, the family leadership of Bush Brothers & Company, a leading player in canned vegetables (its Bush's Best line dominated the canned-beans market), faced questions about the family's vision for the future in light of an imminent leadership transition: third-generation member, longtime board chair, and, until recently, CEO Jim Ethier planned to leave his role as early as 2015. The family was into its sixth generation, with nearly sixty family shareholders spread across four branches. On the business side, the first non-family CEO was overseeing development of a growth strategy, including ongoing ventures into competitive new markets such as Hispanic foods. Its fourth-generation leaders including Drew Everett (vice president of human resources and shareholder relations, and likely board chair successor), Sarah (chair of the family senate), and Tony (chair of the family's private trust company) faced questions about whom to involve in developing a future vision, how to formulate the vision effectively, and what vision would best serve business and family interests. These questions represented underlying strategic dilemmas, such as whether to have a select group of leaders craft the vision or to solicit input from a wider range of shareholders, and how much to allow the business vision to drive the ‘people’ vision all framed by recent unsuccessful attempts to develop a shared vision. Resolving these dilemmas successfully would help the family frame and advance its established traditions of leadership, governance, and culture within a truly shared vision that boosted unity and long-term commitment. Students working on the case will gain insights into the framework, process, and challenges associated with developing a shared vision for a complex, multigeneration family enterprise.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire: Using Digital and Social Media for Brand Storytelling
Authors: Sawhney Mohanbir , Goodman Pallavi
Published: April 2021

After the successful release of the first Hunger Games film in 2012, the film's distributor, Lionsgate, was preparing to release the next movie in the series, Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Fan expectations had grown after the success of the first film, and Lionsgate faced the challenge of keeping moviegoers interested and engaged in another Hunger Games movie. In an era marked by the rising popularity of digital and social media, Lionsgate knew that attracting fans to a sequel meant pushing the boundaries of traditional marketing tactics.

Digital brand storytelling is about using digital media in a holistic way to tell a brand story and build excitement for an audience. Brand storytelling seeks to make a connection with the audience by giving them an emotional experience that resonates with them. While Lionsgate was aware that traditional marketing would need to be blended with a digital campaign to bring in moviegoers, it also needed to strike a careful balance between the two and choose the appropriate platforms to tell a cohesive story. Should Lionsgate launch a brand storytelling campaign to appeal to fans? Lionsgate's comparatively small marketing team gathered to brainstorm about how to execute such a campaign and position the film for another big success.
Saks Fifth Avenue and Transgender Rights
Authors: Feddersen Timothy
Published: April 2021

In September 2014 Leyth Jamal, a transgender woman, filed suit against her employer, luxury retailer Saks Fifth Avenue. Jamal alleged that she experienced harassment from managers and other employees because of her gender identity while employed by Saks, including verbal abuse and threats of violence. At the time she filed suit, no federal, state, or local laws protected transgender employees from discrimination. However, some federal district courts had recently begun to allow such suits on the premise that discrimination based on gender identity was a form of sex discrimination. Other suits and amicus briefs brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) furthered this trend. The EEOC is the federal agency charged with investigating and supporting claims of discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, so district and appellate courts watched the EEOC's position on the application of Title VII. Socio-culturally, many Americans supported transgender rights, even as they voiced anxiety about transgender men in women's bathrooms.

This case has students assume the role of a trusted member of the executive team of Hudson's Bay Company, which owns Saks Fifth Avenue. One Friday afternoon in late December 2014, the Hudson's Bay CEO sends an email to his executive team notifying them that he has approved corporate counsel's motion to dismiss Jamal's case based on the argument that transgender people are not a protected class according to Title VII. The motion will be filed in federal court on Monday. The CEO shares that he personally believes it is preposterous for anyone to think that Saks Fifth Avenue is anything but a strong advocate for LGBT rights, but he invites executive team members to call him if they have any concerns. Members of the executive team have a responsibility to consider the broader strategic implications for the company, so students must decide if and how to respond to the CEO.
Sondologics: Product Diversion and MAP Violations in Internet Channels
Authors: Coughlan Anne T.
Published: April 2021

Sondologics, a manufacturer of video, audio, and gaming accessories products, was experiencing pricing and distribution problems in its channels. Numerous retailers were complaining about unfair price competition from unauthorized retailers, i.e., gray marketers, on standalone websites or Amazon's Marketplace, offering discounts of up to 30% off list price.

The company estimated that about 10% of its retail volume in the United States was being generated by unauthorized retailers. Compounding the problem, gray marketers and authorized retailers alike were selling at below-list prices, which violated the Sondologics MAP (minimum advertised pricing) policy.

Sondologics was considering numerous initiatives to address the MAP and gray-market problems, including retaining a third-party service to monitor pricing and distribution in the channel. Students are asked to develop recommendations that would promote sales while protecting the name-brand image and price points of Sondologics' products.
What's in a Family Legacy? Balancing Family Emotions and Business Growth at Luse Holdings
Authors: Ward John L. , Luse Ashley E.
Published: April 2021

After decades of continuity, Luse Holdings faced a new challenge in 2015. The company needed to pivot in a changing industry context—specifically, Luse had lost a bid to a non-union competitor for the first time—and CEO and fourth-generation member Steve Luse was considering three primary options: (1) continue as is, while also adding non-union services; (2) sell part of the business to reduce family risk; or (3) sell the entire business to fund other family interests. A fourth possible option was a maximization-of-growth alternative.

This decision involved more than business considerations alone. The family's legacy as an industry champion and community philanthropist also required considering all relevant stakeholders, including immediate and extended family, employees, and community. Complicating the situation was the lack of an immediately identifiable successor in the next generation of the Luse family, though several fifth-generation members had completed internships with the business including Steve's daughter Ashley, a recent MBA graduate. Students will step into Steve's shoes as he considers what recommendations to make to the advisory board six months from now. Students can also take the perspective of Ashley, a rising next-generation member: should she join the family business?
Amgen: Launching Repatha
Authors: Calkins Tim
Published: April 2021

In March 2015, Amgen is preparing for the launch of Repatha, a new molecule that has demonstrated a remarkable ability to treat high cholesterol. Through a series of clinical trials, Amgen has proven that the molecule is both safe and effective for patients with high cholesterol. It also is effective for patients with familial hypercholesterolemia, a difficult-to-treat population that has exceptionally high levels of cholesterol. Amgen expects the FDA to approve the molecule before the end of the year. Now, the Repatha team has to develop a revenue forecast.
Announcing Waiting Time in Emergency Departments
Authors: Lariviere Martin , Deo Sarang
Published: April 2021

First National Healthcare (FNH) runs a large network of hospitals and has worked to systematically reduce waiting times in its emergency departments. One of FNH's regional networks has run a successful marketing campaign promoting its low ED waiting times that other regions want to emulate. The corporate quality manager must now determine whether to allow these campaigns to be rolled out and, if so, which waiting time estimates to use. Are the numbers currently being reported accurate? Is there a more accurate way of estimating patient waiting time that can be easily understood by consumers?
Smart Beta Exchange-Traded Funds and Factor Investing
Authors: Braun Phillip A.
Published: April 2021

It was early 2015 and executives in iShares' Factor Strategies Group were considering the launch of a new class of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) called smart beta funds. Specifically, the group was considering smart beta multifactor ETFs that would provide investors with simultaneous exposure to four fundamental factors that had shown themselves historically to be significant in driving stock returns: the stock market value of a firm, the relative value of a firm's financial position, the quality of a firm's financial position, and the momentum of a firm's stock price. The executives at iShares were unsure whether there would be demand in the marketplace for such multifactor ETFs, since their value added from an investor's portfolio perspective was unknown. Students will act as researchers for iShares' Factor Strategies Group and conduct detailed analysis of Fama and French's five-factor model and the momentum effect, smart beta ETFs including multifactor ETFs, and factor investing with smart beta ETFs to help iShares make its decision.
Leader as Coach: Restoring Employee Motivation and Performance (B)
Authors: Cates Karen L. , Booth Brenda Ellington
Published: April 2021

Kiera, a young, enthusiastic sales rep, was recently promoted to manager of a sales team of five. In her first year on the job, she tackled a major revamp of the company's outdated training materials and organized a regional conference for her area, but neither her boss nor corporate seemed to appreciate the work she had been doing. Without support or guidance from her boss, Kiera was confused. What was she supposed to do? Parts A and B of the case present two different perspectives on coaching. Part A contains a narrative from the point of view of the “coachee,” Kiera, who was learning how to work with her boss, ultimately with the assistance of an executive coach. This case focuses on coaching as a tool to enhance self-management and relationship management and to improve personal performance. Part B describes how Kiera started to learn the “coach approach” to managing her team with the continued guidance of her executive coach. She learned to apply the same skills that her coach used with her in Part A to diagnose her team, share feedback, and communicate expectations. She was learning how to listen and ask thoughtful questions, but she also needed to expand her awareness to “other-management” and build her own coaching skills to enhance her team's performance.
How Venture Capitalists Evaluate Potential Investment Opportunities
Authors: Baker Scott R. , Sapienza Paola , Deekshit Siddharth , Hundet Soumya
Published: April 2021

This case consists of conversations with six prominent venture capital investors in the United States. The topics covered include investment strategies and relationships with entrepreneurs in the United States and around the world.
Stella Artois in South Africa: Cause Marketing and the Building of a Global Brand
Authors: Hennessy Julie
Published: April 2021

Stella Artois, an AB InBev brand, is the world's best-selling Belgian beer. In early 2017, Ricardo Tadeu, AB InBev Zone President for Africa, is planning the brand's entry into its next export market: South Africa. The case explores Stella's introduction strategies into three of its export markets—the UK (1976), the US (2000), and Mexico (2016)—examining the drivers of the brand's success as well as its failures. Students will analyze the brand's previous launches to determine what made it successful in some markets and not in others. They will apply these learnings to develop a strategy for the brand's introduction to the South African market. Beyond the central discussion of growth through international expansion, the case addresses issues of brand positioning for premium products, changing consumer perceptions, the use of cause marketing, category development and maturity, and competitive strategy.
Start A Fire: Creating Value and Growth
Authors: Markovich Sarit , Golan Oded , Snyder Charlotte
Published: April 2021

In March 2017, Oded Golan sat in his technology startup's conference room with his co-founder, pondering the fate of their company, Start A Fire. In just four years, the two entrepreneurs had taken an idea that started in Golan's apartment in Tel Aviv and turned it into a company that had raised $3.5 million in venture capital funding and served more than 3,000 of the world's biggest brands using an innovative content distribution and social media management platform that enabled brands to improve communication and engagement with their followers
Estimation of shear‐wave velocities in unconventional shale reservoirs
Authors: Omovie Sheyore John , Castagna John P.
Published: April 2021

Analysis of compressional and shear‐wave sonic logs in seven organic‐rich shale reservoirs exhibiting a wide range of velocities, total organic content, thermal maturity, fluid compressibility and mineral composition indicates that compressional‐wave velocity is a strong predictor of shear‐wave velocity as is the case for conventional reservoirs. Excluding data with high water saturations, a simple linear relationship is found between the compressional and shear‐wave velocities in shale reservoirs in accordance with laboratory measurements. The relationship can be further refined for prediction purposes by local calibration or with a linear correction for total organic content. Correcting for compositional variation and fluid effects requires more complex treatment. An empirical rock physics model that explicitly incorporates these effects results in high accuracy (0.2% average mean error) in shear‐wave velocity estimation for the entire data set. The model also exhibits good precision with mean absolute error of 2%. This is significantly better than what is achieved by rock physics models that do not explicitly consider fluid properties. These results are obtained without local calibration and without requiring correction for thermal maturity, degree of lithification or the shape or distribution of the solid organic matter. Explicit consideration of mineral composition, fluid substitution effects and amount of solid organic matter was necessary in this formulation to achieve this high average prediction accuracy with near zero bias as well as good precision across all formations and without local calibration. The successful use of Gassmann's equations in this algorithm suggests that errors in shear‐wave velocity prediction in shale reservoirs due to violation of the assumptions underlying these equations are either small or self‐compensating.
A consideration on the interest of a pottery typology adapted to the late Sasanian and early Islamic monastery at al‐Qusur (Kuwait)
Authors: Perrogon Rémi , Bonnéric Julie
Published: April 2021

Since 2011, the French–Kuwaiti Archaeological Mission in Failaka has aimed at defining the function and the chronology of al‐Qusur, located in the middle of Failaka Island (Kuwait). The central part of the site appeared to be a monastery, mainly occupied in early Islamic times. The creation of a site‐specific pottery typology adapted to this settlement was one of the main objectives of the team. This typology is still in progress and the present paper will highlight the variety of questions that it can address. Certain pottery types provide new information about the monastery’s foundation, probably at the end of the Sasanian period, and abandonment, maybe during the ninth century AD. Pottery studies are also crucial for a better understanding of the monastery’s economic life and the eating practices of the monks. The question of the local or regional provenance of the pottery provides an insight into the inclusion of Failaka in exchange networks.
Between Gender and Kinship: Mediating Rights and Relations in North Indian NGOs
Authors: Kowalski Julia
Published: April 2021

Over the past three decades, transnational women's rights discourse has promoted the category gender as a universal tool to evaluate questions of inequality. Building on fieldwork in Jaipur, India, this article argues that the discursive economy of women's rights renders gender global by framing kinship as a local, harmful element of women's social worlds. Mid‐level staff at women's rights organizations, called “family counselors,” demonstrate the complexities of kinship in women's rights institutions. Counselors work with the constraints and possibilities of north Indian kinship systems to support female clients. Yet globally circulating representations of gender inequality as a problem of “Indian patriarchy” present them with a dilemma. Relying upon kin relations marks their work as inexpert, even as such interdependent relations are crucial to both the families they support and the women's rights institutions they serve. By analogizing kinship with local and backwards and gender with global and progressive, women's rights discourse provokes counselors to reimagine the possibilities of kinship, and then erases their efforts. [gender, kinship, women's rights, interdependence, India]
A case of Spigelian hernia after laparoscopic incisional hernia repair
Authors: Tatara Takashi , Monma Hiroyuki , Miyanaga Hiroto , Kawashima Taro , Kobayashi Iwao , Kinugasa Shoichi , Takase Shiro
Published: April 2021

Laparoscopic ventral hernia repair with intraperitoneal onlay mesh reinforcement is often performed in clinical practice. We herein describe a patient who developed a Spigelian hernia at the edge of the mesh due to rupture of the muscular layer in the abdominal wall. A 69‐year‐old woman developed a left‐sided abdominal bulge 15 months after laparoscopic ventral hernia repair. CT showed a 33‐mm defect in the abdominal wall at the lateral edge of the left abdominal rectus muscle with an intestinal prolapse through the defect. She was diagnosed with a Spigelian hernia and underwent operation. The hernia orifice was located at the aponeurosis of the transverse abdominal muscle where the thread had been used to fix the mesh through all layers of the abdominal wall. This report details a case of a Spigelian hernia after laparoscopic ventral hernia repair.
Multivariate survival analysis in big data: A divide‐and‐combine approach
Authors: Wang Wei , Lu Shou‐En , Cheng Jerry Q. , Xie Minge , Kostis John B.
Published: April 2021

Multivariate failure time data are frequently analyzed using the marginal proportional hazards models and the frailty models. When the sample size is extraordinarily large, using either approach could face computational challenges. In this paper, we focus on the marginal model approach and propose a divide‐and‐combine method to analyze large‐scale multivariate failure time data. Our method is motivated by the Myocardial Infarction Data Acquisition System (MIDAS), a New Jersey statewide database that includes 73,725,160 admissions to nonfederal hospitals and emergency rooms (ERs) from 1995 to 2017. We propose to randomly divide the full data into multiple subsets and propose a weighted method to combine these estimators obtained from individual subsets using three weights. Under mild conditions, we show that the combined estimator is asymptotically equivalent to the estimator obtained from the full data as if the data were analyzed all at once. In addition, to screen out risk factors with weak signals, we propose to perform the regularized estimation on the combined estimator using its combined confidence distribution. Theoretical properties, such as consistency, oracle properties, and asymptotic equivalence between the divide‐and‐combine approach and the full data approach are studied. Performance of the proposed method is investigated using simulation studies. Our method is applied to the MIDAS data to identify risk factors related to multivariate cardiovascular‐related health outcomes.
Determinants of protective behaviours during a nationwide lockdown in the wake of the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Scholz Urte , Freund Alexandra M.
Published: April 2021

Objectives

Without pharmaceutical measures available, endorsement of protective behaviours, such as hygiene behaviours, social distancing, and adherence to recommended behaviours in case of symptoms is of key importance to curb the ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic. Based on an extended version of the protection motivation theory, this study examined the role of perceived risks to oneself and to others, self‐efficacy, response efficacy, and perceived social norms for intentions to and the endorsement of several protective behaviours and alternative behaviours known to be ineffective. Further, it was hypothesised that effects of risk perceptions depended on high levels of self‐efficacy.

Design

Data were collected by telephone at the beginning of the lockdown in Switzerland with a large sample (N = 1,009) representative of the adult Swiss population.

Methods

All predictors (self‐efficacy, response efficacy, perceived social norms, intentions) but risk perceptions were assessed for hygiene behaviours, social distancing, adherence to recommended behaviours in case of symptoms, and alternative measures known to be ineffective.

Results

Across all analyses of intentions for and endorsement of protective and alternative behaviours, response efficacy and self‐efficacy emerged as the most important predictors. Social norms were mainly related to intentions, but not to behaviours. The different risk perceptions were rarely and inconsistently related to intentions and behaviours. No consistent pattern of interactions between self‐efficacy and risk perceptions emerged.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that even in the face of a pandemic of an unknown virus, the resources (self‐efficacy, response efficacy) rather than the risk perceptions have the potential to promote protective behaviours.
Robust Bayesian growth curve modelling using conditional medians
Authors: Tong Xin , Zhang Tonghao , Zhou Jianhui
Published: April 2021

Growth curve models have been widely used to analyse longitudinal data in social and behavioural sciences. Although growth curve models with normality assumptions are relatively easy to estimate, practical data are rarely normal. Failing to account for non‐normal data may lead to unreliable model estimation and misleading statistical inference. In this work, we propose a robust approach for growth curve modelling using conditional medians that are less sensitive to outlying observations. Bayesian methods are applied for model estimation and inference. Based on the existing work on Bayesian quantile regression using asymmetric Laplace distributions, we use asymmetric Laplace distributions to convert the problem of estimating a median growth curve model into a problem of obtaining the maximum likelihood estimator for a transformed model. Monte Carlo simulation studies have been conducted to evaluate the numerical performance of the proposed approach with data containing outliers or leverage observations. The results show that the proposed approach yields more accurate and efficient parameter estimates than traditional growth curve modelling. We illustrate the application of our robust approach using conditional medians based on a real data set from the Virginia Cognitive Aging Project.
What is the most accurate method for detecting caries lesions? A systematic review
Authors: Gimenez Thais , Tedesco Tamara K. , Janoian Fernando , Braga Mariana Minatel , Raggio Daniela Prócida , Deery Christopher , Ricketts David N. J. , Ekstrand Kim Rud , Mendes Fausto M.
Published: April 2021

Objective

To perform a systematic review and meta‐analysis of the performance of different methods for detecting carious lesions in permanent and primary teeth, considering all types of tooth surface.

Methods

Two reviewers searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus and other sources up to November 2020 to identify published and nonpublished studies in English. We focused on three caries detection methods: visual inspection (VI), radiographic (RX) and fluorescence‐based (LF). We included studies investigating at least one of these methods which (a) assessed the accuracy of the method in detecting caries lesions; (b) considered occlusal, proximal or free smooth surfaces in primary or permanent teeth; (c) used a reference standard other than one of the three methods; and (d) reported data on sample size and accuracy. Multilevel analyses, meta‐regressions and comparisons of bivariate summary receiver operating characteristics curves were undertaken.

Results

Two hundred and forty manuscripts from 14 129 articles initially identified met the inclusion criteria. VI was better than RX on occlusal surfaces at all caries lesion thresholds and proximal surfaces of permanent teeth only at all lesion thresholds in laboratory setting. LF was slightly better than VI for advanced lesions on occlusal surfaces of permanent teeth in the clinical setting and for all lesions on proximal surfaces of permanent teeth in the laboratory setting. Still, LF was worse than VI for advanced occlusal lesions in permanent teeth in the laboratory setting. Although LF showed slightly better performance than VI with advanced lesions, the latter had significantly higher specificity than other methods in all settings.

Conclusion

Visual caries detection alone is adequate for most patients in daily clinical practice regardless of tooth type or surface.
A truss‐based approach for densest homogeneous subgraph mining in node‐attributed graphs
Authors: Sun Heli , Zhang Yawei , Jia Xiaolin , Wang Pei , Huang Ruodan , Huang Jianbin , He Liang , Sun Zhongbin
Published: April 2021

In a wide range of graph analysis tasks such as community detection and event detection, densest subgraph mining is important and primitive. With the development of social network, densest subgraph mining not only need to consider the structural data but also the attributes information, which descripts the features of nodes or edges. However, there are few researches on densest subgraph mining with attribute description. In this article, we only focus on the node‐attributed graph. According to the properties of structure and attribute in node‐attributed graphs, we define a novel dense subgraph pattern, called hybridized k‐truss in attribute‐augmented graph. A hybridized k‐truss is a subgraph that consists of structural nodes and attribute nodes, of which there are at least (k − 2) common neighbors between any two connected nodes. We introduce the densest hybridized truss problem, and the densest hybridized truss mapping to a densely connected subgraph with homogenous attributes in the original graph. We propose a densest hybridized truss extraction (DHTE) algorithm for node‐attributed graphs, to automatically find the densest subgraph with high density and homogenous attributes at the same time. Extensive experimental results of 21 real world datasets demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of DHTE over state‐of‐the‐art methods, through comparison about structural cohesiveness and attributive homogeneity.
Correlation of echocardiographic probability of pulmonary hypertension with maternal outcomes in pregnant women with elevated right ventricular systolic pressure
Authors: Marshall William H. , Gee Stephen , Lim Woobeen , Rajpal Saurabh
Published: April 2021

Introduction

The use of echocardiography to evaluate the probability for pulmonary hypertension (PH) in pregnant women has not been reported or correlated with outcomes. We hypothesized that in women with elevated right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) on echocardiography first identified during pregnancy, those with low probability for PH would have fewer major adverse cardiac events (MACE).

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study of pregnant women with RVSP >35 mm Hg on echocardiogram first identified during pregnancy. Women were classified as intermediate‐high probability for PH (HP) or low probability for PH (LP) based on simplified European Society of Cardiology echocardiographic criteria. Maternal cardiac, obstetric, and fetal outcomes were assessed.

Results

A total of 77 women met inclusion criteria (mean age 30 ± 5 years), with 45 (58%) classified as HP and 32 (42%) as LP. There were 21 (27%) women who experienced MACE, more commonly in the HP cohort (HP 18 (40%) women vs. LP 3 (9%) women, P = .01). The echocardiographic criteria for intermediate‐high probability of PH identified women at risk for MACE with 85% sensitivity and 52% specificity. The negative predictive value for MACE in women meeting low echocardiographic probability for PH criteria was 91%.

Conclusions

In women with elevated RVSP on echocardiography first identified during pregnancy, those with low echocardiographic PH probability are at significantly lower risk for MACE during pregnancy, though the risk is not eliminated. This may be useful to risk stratify pregnant women with suspected PH, guiding tertiary care referral and invasive catheterization.
Innate lymphoid cells in peripheral blood of patients with American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis
Authors: Rodríguez Orquídea L. , Lugo Dennis A. , Cabrera Maira , Sánchez Martín A. , Zerpa Olga , Tapia Felix J.
Published: April 2021

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are classified by the expression of specific transcription factors: ILC1 depending on T‐bet for IFN‐γ production; ILC2 depending on GATA3 for IL‐5 and IL‐13; and ILC3 depending on ROR‐γτ and AHR for IL‐17 and IL‐22. This study aimed to determine circulating ILCs in 23 patients with localized (LCL) = 7, mucocutaneous (MCL) = 10, intermediate (ICL) = 3 and diffuse (DCL) = 3 cutaneous leishmaniasis and 17 healthy controls from endemic area (EC) = 9 and non‐endemic area (HC) = 8. Results evidenced a higher proportion of ILC1 in LCL than controls and MCL. ILC2 was higher in DCL compared with controls. ILC3 s were abundant in MCL and DCL concerning controls. A prevalence ratio was calculated to approach cell plasticity: in LCL, the ratio showed a prevalence of ILC1/ILC3 (plasticity 1), in contrast to DCL, and controls, where ILC2/ILC3 (plasticity 3) is prevalent. Also, MCL and ICL showed higher ILC1/ILC2 (plasticity 2). These results suggest that ILC1 and ILC3 in LCL are associated with disease control and regulation of inflammation, while MCL and ICL are related to immunopathology and uncontrolled inflammation. In DCL, ILC2 is associated with the tolerogenic state of these patients.
Cross‐Border Issues Associated with the Use of Online Dispute Resolution for International Family Law Matters
Authors: Coffee Michael S.
Published: April 2021

Online dispute resolution procedures provide flexibility that may be needed by many families to solve a variety of matters that cross‐international borders. These matters include, but are not limited to, child custody and child support. When using these procedures, families with cross‐border issues should consider requirements in the countries in which the families find themselves particularly if they want to have any resulting agreement recognized and enforced. These requirements include jurisdictional rules, rules relevant to the recognition and enforcement of agreements as well as, in some instances, formalities associated with the use of electronic records.
ROMANTIC NATIONALISM OR ROMANTIC RETREAT? RE‐EVALUATING THE POLITICS OF ARNIM AND BRENTANO'S DES KNABEN WUNDERHORN (1805/1808)
Authors: Pilsworth Ellen
Published: April 2021

This article argues for a new approach to war and politics in Arnim and Brentano's Romantic poetry anthology Des Knaben Wunderhorn. It departs from previous Wunderhorn scholarship by considering the collection's three volumes individually, and paying attention to the different political circumstances of the two phases of its creation, 1805 and 1808. I show that there is a change of emphasis in the collection between volume I (1805) and volumes II and III (1808), identifying a shift away from political engagement and a withdrawal of the nationalist sentiments that are still, however, often associated with the collection as a whole. Instead, I argue that the later volumes of the collection turn inwards and come to reflect a more spiritual and escapist aspect of Romanticism, with a focus on the figure of the artist rather than any political goal. By exploring the change in emphasis between 1805 and 1808, my reading presents the Wunderhorn as a text torn internally between a tangible engagement with everyday politics on the one hand, and a tendency towards transcendence on the other. In this way, the collection represents two opposing impulses of German Romanticism around 1800.

   

Dieser Artikel erprobt eine neue Herangehensweise an das Thema Krieg und Politik in Arnims und Brentanos romantischer Liedersammlung Des Knaben Wunderhorn. Im Unterschied zu anderen Wunderhorn‐Studien betrachte ich die drei Bände der Sammlung als eigenständige Werke und berücksichtige verstärkt die unterschiedlichen politischen Umstände ihrer Entstehungsphasen 1805 und 1808. Meine These ist, dass innerhalb der Sammlung zwischen Band I (1805) und den Bänden II und III (1808) eine Schwerpunktverlagerung stattfindet. Statt der gängigen Lesart, die politisches Engagement und nationalistischen Überschwang mit der ganzen Sammlung verbindet, konstatiere ich eine wachsende Abkehr vom politischen Denken und ein Erkalten der nationalistischen Gefühle nach 1807. Ich schlage vor, die späteren Bände der Sammlung als Beschäftigung mit anderen Aspekten der Romantik, ihrer Hinwendung zu Innerlichkeit und Geistigkeit zu lesen. Der Schwerpunkt vieler Gedichte liegt daher mehr auf der Figur des Künstlers als auf einem politischen Ziel. Meine Untersuchung dieser Verschiebung zwischen 1805 und 1808 zeigt, dass das Wunderhorn ein Text ist, der zwischen der konkreten Auseinandersetzung mit der Alltagspolitik und einem transzendentalen Streben hin‐ und hergerissen ist. Auf diese Weise vereint die Sammlung zwei gegensätzliche Impulse der deutschen Romantik um 1800.