bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Recent advances in immunotherapies against infectious diseases
Authors: Ramamurthy Dharanidharan , Nundalall Trishana , Cingo Sanele , Mungra Neelakshi , Karaan Maryam , Naran Krupa , Barth Stefan 
Published: November 2020

SummaryImmunotherapies are disease management strategies that target or manipulate components of the immune system. Infectious diseases pose a significant threat to human health as evidenced by countries continuing to grapple with several emerging and re-emerging diseases, the most recent global health threat being the SARS-CoV2 pandemic. As such, various immunotherapeutic approaches are increasingly being investigated as alternative therapies for infectious diseases, resulting in significant advances towards the uncovering of pathogen–host immunity interactions. Novel and innovative therapeutic strategies are necessary to overcome the challenges typically faced by existing infectious disease prevention and control methods such as lack of adequate efficacy, drug toxicity, and the emergence of drug resistance. As evidenced by recent developments and success of pharmaceuticals such as monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), immunotherapies already show abundant promise to overcome such limitations while also advancing the frontiers of medicine. In this review, we summarize some of the most notable inroads made to combat infectious disease, over mainly the last 5 years, through the use of immunotherapies such as vaccines, mAb-based therapies, T-cell-based therapies, manipulation of cytokine levels, and checkpoint inhibition. While its most general applications are founded in cancer treatment, advances made towards the curative treatment of human immunodeficiency virus, tuberculosis, malaria, zika virus and, most recently COVID-19, reinforce the role of immunotherapeutic strategies in the broader field of disease control. Ultimately, the comprehensive specificity, safety, and cost of immunotherapeutics will impact its widespread implementation.
Vitamin D3 replacement enhances antigen-specific immunity in older adults
Authors: Chambers Emma S , Vukmanovic-Stejic Milica , Turner Carolin T , Shih Barbara B , Trahair Hugh , Pollara Gabriele , Tsaliki Evdokia , Rustin Malcolm , Freeman Tom C , Mabbott Neil A , Noursadeghi Mahdad , Martineau Adrian R , Akbar Arne N 
Published: November 2020

Summary

Introduction
Ageing is associated with increased number of infections, decreased vaccine efficacy and increased systemic inflammation termed inflammageing. These changes are reflected by reduced recall responses to varicella zoster virus (VZV) challenge in the skin of older adults. Vitamin D deficiency is more common in the old and has been associated with frailty and increased inflammation. In addition, vitamin D increases immunoregulatory mechanisms and therefore has the potential to inhibit inflammageing.

Objectives
We investigated the use of vitamin D3 replacement to enhance cutaneous antigen-specific immunity in older adults (≥65 years).

Methods
Vitamin D insufficient older adults (n = 18) were administered 6400IU of vitamin D3/day orally for 14 weeks. Antigen-specific immunity to VZV was assessed by clinical score assessment of the injection site and transcriptional analysis of skin biopsies collected from challenged injection sites pre- and post-vitamin D3 replacement.

Results
We showed that older adults had reduced VZV-specific cutaneous immune response and increased non-specific inflammation as compared to young. Increased non-specific inflammation observed in the skin of older adults negatively correlated with vitamin D sufficiency. We showed that vitamin D3 supplementation significantly increased the response to cutaneous VZV antigen challenge in older adults. This enhancement was associated with a reduction in inflammatory monocyte infiltration with a concomitant enhancement of T cell recruitment to the site of antigen challenge in the skin.

Conclusion
Vitamin D3 replacement can boost antigen-specific immunity in older adults with sub-optimal vitamin D status.
Do high MICs predict the outcome in invasive fusariosis?
Authors: Nucci Marcio , Jenks Jeffrey , Thompson George R , Hoenigl Martin , dos Santos Marielle Camargo , Forghieri Fabio , Rico Juan Carlos , Bonuomo Valentina , López-Soria Leyre , Lass-Flörl Cornelia , Candoni Anna , Garcia-Vidal Carolina , Cattaneo Chiara , Buil Jochem , Rabagliati Ricardo , Roiz Maria Pia , Gudiol Carlota , Fracchiolla Nicola , Campos-Herrero Maria Isolina , Delia Mario , Farina Francesca , Fortun Jesus , Nadali Gianpaolo , Sastre Enric , Colombo Arnaldo L , Pérez Nadales Elena , Alastruey-Izquierdo Ana , Pagano Livio 
Published: November 2020

Abstract

Background
Invasive fusariosis (IF) affects mostly severely immunocompromised hosts and is associated with poor outcome. Since Fusarium species exhibit high MICs for most antifungal agents, this could explain the poor prognosis. However, a clear-cut correlation between MIC and outcome has not been established.

Objective
To evaluate the correlation between MIC and outcome (6 week death rate) in patients with IF.

Methods
We performed a multicentre retrospective study of patients with IF who received treatment and had MIC levels determined by EUCAST or CLSI for the drug(s) used during treatment. We compared the MIC50 and MIC distribution among survivors and patients who died within 6 weeks from the diagnosis of IF.

Results
Among 88 patients with IF, 74 had haematological diseases. Primary treatment was monotherapy in 52 patients (voriconazole in 27) and combination therapy in 36 patients (liposomal amphotericin B + voriconazole in 23). The MIC50 and range for the five most frequent agents tested were: voriconazole 8 mg/L (range 0.5–64), amphotericin B 2 mg/L (range 0.25–64), posaconazole 16 mg/L (range 0.5–64), itraconazole 32 mg/L (range 4–64), and isavuconazole 32 mg/L (range 8–64). There was no difference in MIC50 and MIC distribution among survivors and patients who died. By contrast, persistent neutropenia and receipt of corticosteroids were strong predictors of 6 week mortality.

Conclusions
Our study did not show any correlation between MIC and mortality at 6 weeks in patients with IF.
A biobjective home health care logistics considering the working time and route balancing: a self-adaptive social engineering optimizer
Authors: Goodarzian Fariba , Abraham Ajith , Fathollahi-Fard Amir Mohammad 
Published: November 2020

AbstractHome health care (HHC) logistics have become a hot research topic in recent years due to the importance of HHC services for the care of ageing population. The logistics of HHC services as a routing and scheduling problem can be defined as the HHC problem (HHCP) academically including a set of service centers and a large number of patients distributed in a specific geographic environment to provide various HHC services. The main challenge is to provide a valid plan for the caregivers, who include nurses, therapists, and doctors, with regard to different difficulties, such as the time windows of availability for patients, scheduling of the caregivers, working time balancing, the time and cost of the services, routing of the caregivers, and route balancing for their routes. This study establishes a biobjective optimization model that minimizes (i) the total service time and (ii) the total costs of HHC services to meet the aforementioned limitations for the first time. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is the first of its kind to optimize the time and cost of HHC services by considering the route balancing. Since the model of the developed HHCP is complex and classified as NP-hard, efficient metaheuristic algorithms are applied to solve the problem. Another innovation is the development of a new self-adaptive metaheuristic as an improvement to the social engineering optimizer (SEO), so-called ISEO. An extensive analysis is done to show the high performance of ISEO in comparison with itself and two well-known metaheuristics, i.e. FireFly algorithm and Artificial Bee Colony algorithm. Finally, the results confirm the applicability of new suppositions of the model and further development and investigation of the ISEO more broadly.
The Role of Local Influential Users in Spread of Situational Crisis Information
Authors: Fan Chao , Jiang Yucheng , Mostafavi , & Ali 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Extensive spread of situational information is important for communities in response to crises/disasters. Among various mechanisms affecting the spread of information on social media, influential users play a critical role in enhancing information spread. This study examines the attributes and activities of local influential users as well as their interactions with ordinary users on Twitter during 2017’s Hurricane Harvey. The results show that the influence across local influential users has a scale-free power law distribution and also indicates a major limitation in spreading information caused by insufficient interaction among influential users themselves. The findings suggest that influential users should play a boundary-spanning and brokerage role in addition to their information hub role in order to be more effective in enhancing the spread of situational information.
Estimating the Economic Impact of Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Other Acute Respiratory Infections Among Infants Receiving Care at a Referral Hospital in Malawi
Authors: Baral Ranju , Mambule Ivan , Vodicka Elisabeth , French Neil , Everett Dean , Pecenka Clint , Bar-Zeev Naor 
Published: November 2020

Abstract

Background
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of respiratory illness among infants globally, yet economic burden data are scant, especially in low-income countries.

Methods
We collected data from 426 infants enrolled in the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital respiratory disease surveillance platform to estimate the household and health system costs of managing RSV and other respiratory pathogens in Malawian infants. Total household cost per illness episode, including direct and indirect costs and lost income, was reported by parents/guardians at the initial visit and 6 weeks post discharge. The total cost to the health system was based on patient charts and hospital expenditures. All-cause acute respiratory infections (ARIs) and RSV costs for inpatient and outpatients are presented separately. All costs are in the 2018 US Dollar.

Results
The mean costs per RSV episode were $62.26 (95% confidence interval [CI]: $50.87-$73.66) and $12.51 (95% CI: $8.24-$16.79) for inpatient and outpatient cases, respectively. The mean cost per episode for all-cause ARIs was slightly higher among inpatients at $69.93 (95% CI: $63.06-$76.81) but slightly lower for outpatients at $10.17 (95% CI: $8.78-$11.57). Household costs accounted for roughly 20% of the total cost per episode. For the lowest-income families, household cost per inpatient RSV episode was about 32% of total monthly household income.

Conclusions
Among infants receiving care at a referral hospital in Malawi, the cost per episode in which RSV was detected is comparable to that of other episodes of respiratory illnesses where RSV was not detected. Estimates generated in this study can be used to evaluate the economic and financial impact of RSV and acute respiratory illness preventive interventions in Malawi.
New insights into the use of Ultra Long Period Cepheids as cosmological standard candles
Authors: Musella Ilaria , Marconi Marcella , Molinaro Roberto , Fiorentino Giuliana , Ripepi Vincenzo , De Somma Giulia , Moretti Maria Ida 
Published: November 2020

ABSTRACT
Ultra Long Period Cepheids (ULPs) are pulsating variable stars with a period longer than 80 d and have been hypothesized to be the extension of the Classical Cepheids (CCs) at higher masses and luminosities. If confirmed as standard candles, their intrinsic luminosities, ∼1 to ∼3 mag brighter than typical CCs, would allow to reach the Hubble flow and, in turn, to determine the Hubble constant, H0, in one step, avoiding the uncertainties associated with the calibration of primary and secondary indicators. To investigate the accuracy of ULPs as cosmological standard candles, we first collect all the ULPs known in the literature. The resulting sample includes 63 objects with a very large metallicity spread with 12 + log ([O/H]) ranging from 7.2 to 9.2 dex. The analysis of their properties in the VI period–Wesenheit plane and in the colour–magnitude diagram (CMD) supports the hypothesis that the ULPs are the extension of CCs at longer periods, higher masses and luminosities, even if, additional accurate and homogeneous data and a devoted theoretical scenario are needed to get firm conclusions. Finally, the three M31 ULPs, 8-0326, 8-1498, and H42, are investigated in more detail. For 8-1498 and H42, we cannot confirm their nature as ULPs, due to the inconsistency between their position in the CMD and the measured periods. For 8-0326, the light curve model fitting technique applied to the available time-series data allows us to constrain its intrinsic stellar parameters, distance, and reddening.
Is diffuse intracluster light a good tracer of the galaxy cluster matter distribution?
Authors: Sampaio-Santos H , Zhang Y , Ogando R L C , Shin T , Golden-Marx Jesse B , Yanny B , Herner K , Hilton M , Choi A , Gatti M , Gruen D , Hoyle B , Rau M M , De Vicente J , Zuntz J , Abbott T M C , Aguena M , Allam S , Annis J , Avila S , Bertin E , Brooks D , Burke D L , Carrasco Kind M , Carretero J , Chang C , Costanzi M , da Costa L N , Diehl H T , Doel P , Everett S , Evrard A E , Flaugher B , Fosalba P , Frieman J , García-Bellido J , Gaztanaga E , Gerdes D W , Gruendl R A , Gschwend J , Gutierrez G , Hinton S R , Hollowood D L , Honscheid K , James D J , Jarvis M , Jeltema T , Kuehn K , Kuropatkin N , Lahav O , Maia M A G , March M , Marshall J L , Miquel R , Palmese A , Paz-Chinchón F , Plazas A A , Sanchez E , Santiago B , Scarpine V , Schubnell M , Smith M , Suchyta E , Tarle G , Tucker D L , Varga T N , Wechsler R H ,   (DES Collaboration), Amanda Pagul , Joe Mohr , Chihway Chang 
Published: November 2020

ABSTRACT
We explore the relation between diffuse intracluster light (central galaxy included) and the galaxy cluster (baryonic and dark) matter distribution using a sample of 528 clusters at 0.2 ≤ z ≤ 0.35 found in the Dark Energy Survey (DES) Year 1 data. The surface brightness of the diffuse light shows an increasing dependence on cluster total mass at larger radius, and appears to be self-similar with a universal radial dependence after scaling by cluster radius. We also compare the diffuse light radial profiles to the cluster (baryonic and dark) matter distribution measured through weak lensing and find them to be comparable. The IllustrisTNG galaxy formation simulation, TNG300, offers further insight into the connection between diffuse stellar mass and cluster matter distributions – the simulation radial profile of the diffuse stellar component does not have a similar slope with the total cluster matter content, although that of the cluster satellite galaxies does. Regardless of the radial trends, the amount of diffuse stellar mass has a low-scatter scaling relation with cluster’s total mass in the simulation, out-performing the total stellar mass of cluster satellite galaxies. We conclude that there is no consistent evidence yet on whether or not diffuse light is a faithful radial tracer of the cluster matter distribution. Nevertheless, both observational and simulation results reveal that diffuse light is an excellent indicator of the cluster’s total mass.
Grain growth for astrophysics with discontinuous Galerkin schemes
Authors: Lombart Maxime , Laibe Guillaume 
Published: November 2020

ABSTRACTDepending on their sizes, dust grains store more or less charges, catalyse more or less chemical reactions, intercept more or less photons and stick more or less efficiently to form embryos of planets. Hence, the need for an accurate treatment of dust coagulation and fragmentation in numerical modelling. However, existing algorithms for solving the coagulation equation are overdiffusive in the conditions of 3D simulations. We address this challenge by developing a high-order solver based on the discontinuous Galerkin method. This algorithm conserves mass to machine precision and allows to compute accurately the growth of dust grains over several orders of magnitude in size with a very limited number of dust bins.
Chemical modelling of dust–gas chemistry within AGB outflows – III. Photoprocessing of the ice and return to the ISM
Authors: Van de Sande M , Walsh C , Millar T J 
Published: November 2020

ABSTRACT
To explain the properties of dust in the interstellar medium (ISM), the presence of a refractory organic mantle is necessary. The outflows of AGB stars are among the main contributors of stellar dust to the ISM. We present the first study of the refractory organic contribution of AGB stars to the ISM. Based on laboratory experiments, we included a new reaction in our extended chemical kinetics model: the photoprocessing of volatile complex ices into inert refractory organic material. The refractory organic feedback of AGB outflows to the ISM is estimated using observationally motivated parent species and grids of models of C-rich and O-rich outflows. Refractory organic material is mainly inherited from the gas phase through accretion on to the dust and subsequent photoprocessing. Grain-surface chemistry, initiated by photodissociation of ices, produces only a minor part and takes place in a sub-monolayer regime in almost all outflows. The formation of refractory organic material increases with outflow density and depends on the initial gas-phase composition. While O-rich dust is negligibly covered by refractory organics, C-rich dust has an average coverage of $3\!-\!9{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$, but can be as high as $8\!-\!22{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$. Although C-rich dust does not enter the ISM bare, its average coverage is too low to influence its evolution in the ISM or significantly contribute to the coverage of interstellar dust. This study opens up questions on the coverage of other dust-producing environments. It highlights the need for an improved understanding of dust formation and for models specific to density structures within the outflow.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Atypical (World Health Organization II) and Anaplastic (World Health Organization III) Meningiomas: Results From a Multicenter, International Cohort Study
Authors: Shepard Matthew J , Xu Zhiyuan , Kearns Kathryn , Li Chelsea , Chatrath Ajay , Sheehan Kimball , Sheehan Darrah , Faramand Andrew , Niranjan Ajay , Kano Hideyuki , Gurewitz Jason , Bernstein Kenneth , Liscak Roman , Guseynova Khumar , Grills Inga S , Parzen Jacob S , Cifarelli Christopher P , Rehman Azeem A , Atik Ahmet , Bakhsheshian Joshua , Zada Gabriel , Chang Eric , Giannotta Steven , Speckter Herwin , Wu Hsiu-mei , Kondziolka Douglas , Golfinos John G , Mathieu David , Lee Cheng-chia , Warnick Ronald E , Lunsford L Dade , Sheehan Jason P 
Published: November 2020

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Atypical and anaplastic meningiomas have reduced progression-free/overall survival (PFS/OS) compared to benign meningiomas. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for atypical meningiomas (AMs) and anaplastic meningiomas (malignant meningiomas, MMs) has not been adequately described.

OBJECTIVE
To define clinical/radiographic outcomes for patients undergoing SRS for AM/MMs.

METHODS
An international, multicenter, retrospective cohort study was performed to define clinical/imaging outcomes for patients receiving SRS for AM/MMs. Tumor progression was assessed with response assessment in neuro-oncology (RANO) criteria. Factors associated with PFS/OS were assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and a Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS
A total of 271 patients received SRS for AMs (n = 233, 85.9%) or MMs (n = 38, 14.0%). Single-fraction SRS was most commonly employed (n = 264, 97.4%) with a mean target dose of 14.8 Gy. SRS was used as adjuvant treatment (n = 85, 31.4%), salvage therapy (n = 182, 67.2%), or primary therapy (1.5%). The 5-yr PFS/OS rate was 33.6% and 77.0%, respectively. Increasing age (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.01, P < .05) and a Ki-67 index > 15% (HR = 1.66, P < .03) negatively correlated with PFS. MMs (HR = 3.21, P < .05), increased age (HR = 1.04, P = .04), and reduced KPS (HR = 0.95, P = .04) were associated with shortened OS. Adjuvant versus salvage SRS did not impact PFS/OS. A shortened interval between surgery and SRS improved PFS for AMs (HR = 0.99, P = .02) on subgroup analysis. Radiation necrosis occurred in 34 (12.5%) patients. Five-year rates of repeat surgery/radiation were 33.8% and 60.4%, respectively.

CONCLUSION
AM/MMs remain challenging tumors to treat. Elevated proliferative indices are associated with tumor recurrence, while MMs have worse survival. SRS can control AM/MMs in the short term, but the 5-yr PFS rates are low, underscoring the need for improved treatment options for these patients.
The influence of nutrigenetics on biomarkers of selenium nutritional status
Authors: Donadio Janaina L S , Duarte Graziela B S , Borel Patrick , Cozzolino Silvia M F , Rogero Marcelo M 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient for human biology that executes its functions as the amino acid selenocysteine via selenoproteins, which have important functions in, for example, antioxidation, immunomodulation, thyroid metabolism, and human fertility. Se nutritional status is assessed using the quantification of blood Se biomarkers, which are influenced by several factors, including diet, age, gender, smoking status, alcohol consumption, health condition, and the genetic characteristics of individuals. Nutrigenetic studies have identified single nucleotide polymorphisms in selenoproteins that might clarify the high variability in values reported for biomarkers of Se nutritional status in different populations, and the response of these biomarkers to Se supplementation with either organic or inorganic forms of Se. This review aims to (1) define the basic aspects of Se biology, (2) describe the current most commonly used biomarkers of Se nutritional status, and (3) provide a summary of associations between functional single nucleotide polymorphisms in selenoproteins and biomarkers of Se status in healthy populations.
An interesting case of temporal arteritis that manifested as ptosis and diplopia
Authors: Martis Anoka , Hassan Romesa Sajjad , Alburquerque Ana Goico , Kotte Manasa , Martis Anshu , Ahmed Hassan 
Published: November 2020

ABSTRACT
Giant cell arteritis (GCA) or temporal arteritis is a granulomatous vasculitis that affects medium-to-large vessels seen primarily in older Caucasian populations. Here, we describe a 67-year-old male who presented with atypical symptoms of worsening headaches associated with left-sided pupil-sparing, isolated third nerve palsy, blurry vision, diplopia and myalgias in bilateral extremities. He was immediately started on intravenous Methylprednisolone for suspected GCA. Subsequent biopsy of the temporal arteries showed panarteritis without giant cells and disruption of the internal elastic lamina. His symptoms improved in a day following treatment and he was discharged on a Prednisone taper. At the time of writing this case, there are only two cases in the literature of ptosis as a presenting symptom in GCA, thus highlighting the importance of recognizing rare red flag symptoms such as ptosis and diplopia. More study is needed in the prognostic significance of these unusual clinical features.