bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Surgical Planning and Optimization of Patient-Specific Fontan Grafts With Uncertain Post-Operative Boundary Conditions and Anastomosis Displacement
Authors: Liu Xiaolong , Hibino Narutoshi , Loke Yue-Hin , Kim Byeol , Mass Paige , Fuge Mark D. , Olivieri Laura , Krieger Axel 
Published: December 2021

AbstractObjectiveFontan surgical planning involves designing grafts to perform optimized hemodynamic performance for the patient’s long-term health benefit. The uncertainty of post-operative boundary conditions (BC) and graft anastomisis displacements may significantly affect the optimized graft designs and lead to undesired outcomes, especially for hepatic flow distribution (HFD). We aim to develop a computation framework to automatically optimize patient-specific Fontan grafts with the maximized possibility of keeping the post-operative results within clinical acceptable thresholds.MethodsThe uncertainties of BC and anastomosis displacements were modeled by using Gaussian distributions according to prior research studies. By parameterizing the Fontan grafts, we built surrogate models of hemodynamic parameters by taking the design parameters and BC as inputs. A two-phased reliability-based robust optimization (RBRO) strategy was developed by combining deterministic optimization (DO) and optimization under uncertainty (OUU) to reduce the computation cost.ResultsWe evaluated the performance of the RBRO framework by comparing it with the DO method on four Fontan patient cases. The results showed that the surgical plans computed from the proposed method yield up to 79.2% improvement on the reliability of HFD than those from the DO method (p <0.0001). The mean values of iPL and %WSS satisfied the clinically acceptable thresholds.ConclusionThis study demonstrated the effectiveness of our RBRO framework to address uncertainties of BC and anastomosis displacements for Fontan surgical planning.SignificanceThe technique developed in this paper demonstrates a significant improvement in the reliability of predicted post-operative outcomes for Fontan surgical planning. This planning technique is immediately applicable as a building block to enable technology for optimal long-term outcomes for pediatric Fontan patients and can also be used to other pediatric and adult cardiac surgeries.
Effects of racial/ethnic disparities in healthcare utilization on antibiotic use, United States, 2016/2018
Authors: Olesen Scott W. , Kanjilal Sanjat , Kissler Stephen M. , Sun Daphne S. , Grad Yonatan H. 
Published: December 2021

ABSTRACTWhite Americans make more office-based and emergency department visits per capita than other races/ethnicities, but the proportion of visits during which antibiotics are administered or prescribed is similar across races/ethnicities. Racial/ethnic disparities in antibiotic use may be due more to disparities in healthcare access and utilization than to prescriber behavior.
Burden of influenza hospitalization among high-risk groups in the United States
Authors: Near Aimee , Tse Jenny , Young-Xu Yinong , Hong David K. , Reyes Carolina M. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundSeasonal influenza poses a substantial clinical and economic burden in the United States and vulnerable populations, including the elderly and those with comorbidities, are at elevated risk for influenza-related medical complications.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study using the IQVIA PharMetrics® Plus claims database in two stages. In Stage 1, we identified patients with evidence of medically-attended influenza during influenza seasons from October 1, 2014 to May 31, 2018 (latest available data for Stage 1) and used a multivariable logistic regression model to identify patient characteristics that predicted 30-day influenza-related hospitalization. Findings from Stage 1 informed high-risk subgroups of interest for Stage 2, where we selected cohorts of influenza patients during influenza seasons from October 1, 2014 to March 1, 2019 and used 1:1 propensity score matching to patient without influenza with similar high-risk characteristics to compare influenza-attributable rates of all-cause hospital and emergency department visits during follow-up (30-day and in index influenza season).ResultsIn Stage 1, more than 1.6 million influenza cases were identified, of which 18,509 (1.2%) had a hospitalization. Elderly age was associated with 9 times the odds of hospitalization (≥65 years vs. 5-17 years; OR=9.4, 95% CI 8.8-10.1) and select comorbidities were associated with 2-3 times the odds of hospitalization. In Stage 2, elderly influenza patients with comorbidities had 3 to 7 times higher 30-day hospitalization rates compared to matched patients without influenza, including patients with congestive heart failure (41.0% vs.7.9%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (34.6% vs. 6.1%), coronary artery disease (22.8% vs. 3.8%), and late-stage chronic kidney disease (44.1% vs. 13.1%; all p<0.05).ConclusionsThe risk of influenza-related complications is elevated in the elderly, especially those with certain underlying comorbidities, leading to excess healthcare resource utilization. Continued efforts, beyond currently available vaccines, are needed to reduce influenza burden in high-risk populations.
Molecular architecture of 40S initiation complexes on the Hepatitis C virus IRES: from ribosomal attachment to eIF5B-mediated reorientation of initiator tRNA
Authors: Brown Zuben P. , Abaeva Irina S. , De Swastik , Hellen Christopher U.T. , Pestova Tatyana V. , Frank Joachim 
Published: December 2021

SUMMARYHepatitis C virus mRNA contains an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) that mediates end-independent translation initiation, requiring a subset of eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs). Direct binding of the IRES to the 40S subunit places the initiation codon into the P site, where it base-pairs with eIF2-bound Met-tRNAiMet forming a 48S initiation complex. Then, eIF5 and eIF5B mediate subunit joining. Initiation can also proceed without eIF2, in which case Met-tRNAiMet is recruited directly by eIF5B. Here, we present cryo-EM structures of IRES initiation complexes at resolutions up to 3.5 Å that cover all major stages from initial ribosomal association, through eIF2-containing 48S initiation complexes, to eIF5B-containing complexes immediately prior to subunit joining. These structures provide insights into the dynamic network of 40S/IRES contacts, highlight the role for IRES domain II, and reveal conformational changes that occur during the transition from eIF2- to eIF5B-containing 48S complexes that prepare them for subunit joining.
Microbial associations with Microscopic Colitis
Authors: Sun Shan , Blakley Ivory C. , Fodor Anthony A. , Keku Temitope O. , Woosley John T. , Peery Anne F. , Sandler Robert S. 
Published: December 2021

ABSTRACTBACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVEMicroscopic colitis is a relatively common cause of chronic diarrhea and may be linked to luminal factors. Given the essential role of the microbiome in human gut health, analysis of microbiome changes associated with microscopic colitis could provide insights into the development of the disease.METHODSWe enrolled patients who underwent colonoscopy for diarrhea. An experienced pathologist classified patients as having microscopic colitis (n=52) or controls (n=153). Research biopsies were taken from the ascending and descending colon, and the microbiome was characterized with Illumina sequencing. We analyzed the associations between microscopic colitis and microbiome with a series of increasingly complex models adjusted for a range of demographic and health factors.RESULTSWe found that alpha-diversity was significantly lower in microscopic colitis cases compared to controls in the descending colon microbiome. In the descending colon, a series of models that adjusted for an increasing number of co-variates found taxa significantly associated with microscopic colitis, including Proteobacteria that was enriched in cases and Collinsella enriched in controls. While the alpha-diversity and taxa were not significantly associated with microscopic colitis in the ascending colon microbiome, the inference p-values based on ascending and descending microbiomes were highly correlated.CONCLUSIONOur study demonstrates an altered microbiome in microscopic colitis cases compared to controls. Because both the cases and controls had diarrhea, we have identified candidate taxa that could be mechanistically responsible for the development of microscopic colitis independent of changes to the microbial community caused by diarrhea.Significance of this studyWhat is already known about this subject?Microscopic colitis is a common cause of chronic diarrhea. The exact etiology of microscopic colitis is unknown, but the gut microbiome is considered to play an important role.Prior studies have reported microbial changes associated with microscopic colitis, but the results are not consistent. Prior studies have generally involved small numbers of patients, fecal samples, and comparison to healthy controls.What are the new findings?The microbiome was altered in microscopic colitis patients.Microscopic colitis was associated with lower alpha-diversity, increase of inflammation related taxa and decrease of Collinsella in the descending colon microbiome independent of diarrhea status.The changes of microbial features were consistent between ascending and descending colon microbiomes, but with smaller changes in the ascending colon microbiome.How might it impact on clinical practice in the foreseeable future?The altered microbial communities in patients with microscopic colitis suggest that the patients might benefit from prevention or treatment with live biotherapeutic products.
Flexibility in the social structure of male chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in the Budongo Forest, Uganda
Authors: Badihi Gal , Bodden Kelsey , Zuberbühler Klaus , Samuni Liran , Hobaiter Catherine 
Published: December 2021

ABSTRACTIndividuals of social species face a trade-off between the competitive costs and social benefits of group living. Species show a range of social strategies to deal with this trade-off, for example atomistic fission-fusion dynamics in which temporary social groups of varying size and membership form and re-form; or molecular fission-fusion dynamics which contain stable sets of multilevel nested subgroups. Chimpanzees are considered an archetypical atomistic fission-fusion species, using dynamic changes in day-to-day association to moderate the costs of within-group competition. It has been argued that humans’ highly flexible social organisation allows us to live in extremely large groups. Using four years of association data from two neighbouring communities of East African chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii), we describe new levels of flexibility in chimpanzee social organisation and confirm the presence of subgrouping in a second, large community of chimpanzees. We show that males from the larger Waibira community (N males 24-31) exhibited additional levels of semi-stable subgrouping, while males from the smaller Sonso community (N males 10-13) did not. Subgroup membership showed stability across some years, but flexibility across others. Our data support the hypothesis that chimpanzees can incorporate strategies other than fission-fusion to overcome costs of social living, and that their social organisation may be closer to that of modern humans than previously described.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTSocial living offers benefits and costs; groups can more easily locate and defend resources, but experience increased individual competition. Many species, or individuals, flexibly adjust their social organization when faced with different competitive pressures. It is argued that humans are unique among primates in combining multigroup social organisation with fission-fusion dynamics flexibly within and across groups, and that doing so allows us to live in extremely large groups. Using four-years of association data we show new levels of flexibility in chimpanzee social organization. Males from a typically-sized community employed atomistic fission-fusion dynamics, but males in an unusually large community incorporated additional semi-stable levels of subgrouping. Our data support the hypothesis that chimpanzee males combine social organization strategies, and that doing so may allow them, like humans, to mitigate individual costs at larger community sizes.
CD90 is not constitutively expressed in functional innate lymphoid cells
Authors: Schroeder J-H , Beattie G , Lo JW , Zabinski T , Jenner RG , Powell N , Neves J F , Lord GM 
Published: December 2021

ABSTRACTHuge progress has been made in understanding the biology of innate lymphoid cells (ILC) by adopting several well-known concepts in T cell biology. As such, flow cytometry gating strategies and markers, such as CD90, to identify ILC have been applied. Here, we report that most non-NK intestinal ILC have a high expression of CD90 as expected, but surprisingly a sub-population of cells exhibit low or even no expression of this marker. CD90-negative and CD90-low CD127+ILC were present amongst all ILC subsets in the gut. The frequency of CD90-negative and CD90-low CD127+ILC was dependent on stimulatory cuesin vitroand enhanced due to dysbiosisin vivo. CD90-negative and CD90-low CD127+ILC played a functional role as a source of IL-13, IFNγ and IL-17A at steady state and upon dysbiosis- and dextran sulphate sodium-elicited colitis. Hence, this study reveals that, contrary to expectations, CD90 is not constitutively expressed by functional ILC in the gut.
Broad antiviral effects of Echinacea purpurea against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and potential mechanism of action
Authors: Vimalanathan Selvarani , Shehata Mahmoud , Sadasivam Kannan , Delbue Serena , Dolci Maria , Pariani Elena , D’Alessandro Sarah , Pleschka Stephan 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundSARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) represent an alarming threat as they show altered biological behavior and may escape vaccination effectiveness. Some exhibit increased pathogenicity and transmissibility compared to the original wild type WUHAN (Hu-1). Broad-spectrum antivirals could complement and further enhance preventive benefits achieved through SARS-CoV-2 vaccination campaignsMethodsThe anti-coronavirus activity of Echinacea purpurea (Echinaforce® extract, EF) against (i) VOCs B1.1.7 (alpha), B.1.351.1 (beta), P.1 (gamma), B1.617.2 (delta), AV.1 (Scottish) and B1.525 (eta), (ii) SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein-pseudotyped viral particles and reference strain OC43 as well as (iii) wild-type SARS-CoV-2 (Hu-1) were analyzed. Molecular dynamics (MD) were applied to study interaction of Echinacea’s phytochemical markers with known pharmacological viral and host cell targets.ResultsEF extract broadly inhibited propagation of all investigated SARS-CoV-2 VOCs as well as entry of SARS-CoV-2 pseudoparticles at EC50’s ranging from 3.62 to 12.03 µg/ml. Preventive addition of 20 µg/ml EF to epithelial cells significantly reduced sequential infection with SARS-CoV-2 (Hu-1) as well as with the common human strain OC43. MD analyses showed constant binding affinities to Hu-1, B1.1.7, B.1.351, P.1 and B1.617.2-typic S protein variants for alkylamides, caftaric acidand feruoyl-tartaric acid in EF extract. They further indicated that the EF extract could possibly interact with TMPRSS-2, a serine protease required for virus endocytosis.ConclusionsEF extract demonstrated stable antiviral activity across 6 tested VOCs, which is likely due to the constant affinity of the contained phytochemical marker substances to all spike variants. A possible interaction of EF with TMPRSS-2 partially would explain cell protective benefits of the extract by inhibition of endocytosis. EF may therefore offer a supportive addition to vaccination endeavors in the control of existing and future SARS-CoV-2 virus mutations.
SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant escapes neutralization by vaccinated and convalescent sera and therapeutic monoclonal antibodies
Authors: Ikemura Nariko , Hoshino Atsushi , Higuchi Yusuke , Taminishi Shunta , Inaba Tohru , Matoba Satoaki 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe novel SARS-CoV-2 variant, Omicron (B.1.1.529) contains about 30 mutations in the spike protein and the numerous mutations raise the concern of escape from vaccine, convalescent sera and therapeutic drugs. Here we analyze the alteration of their neutralizing titer with Omicron pseudovirus. Sera of 3 months after double BNT162b2 vaccination exhibite ∼27-fold lower neutralization titers against Omicron than D614G mutation. Neutralization titer is also reduced in convalescent sera from Alpha and Delta patients. However, some Delta patients have relatively preserved neutralization activity up to the level of 3-month double BNT162b2 vaccination. Omicron escapes from the cocktail of imdevimab and casirivimab, whereas sotrovimab that targets the conserved region to prevent viral escape is effective to Omicron similarly to the original SARS-CoV-2. The ACE2 decoy is another modality that neutralize the virus independently of mutational escape and Omicron is also sensitive to the engineered ACE2.
The road towards industry 4.0: a comparative study of the state-of-the-art in the Italian manufacturing industry
Authors: Zheng Ting , Ardolino Marco , Bacchetti Andrea , Perona Marco 
Published: December 2021

PurposeThis paper has two objectives: first, to investigate the state-of-the-art of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) adoption in Italian manufacturing firms and, second, to understand variations in technologies implemented and business functions involved, benefits perceived, and obstacles encountered in I4.0 implementation over a three-year period.Design/methodology/approachThe approach adopted in this research is descriptive, nesting longitudinal features. The paper presents a descriptive survey of 102 Italian manufacturing companies. The authors also evaluated non-response biases. The longitudinal approach was achieved by comparing the responses of the 40 sub-samples in common with a second similar survey launched three years prior, which aimed to identify patterns of evolution in the adoption of the I4.0 paradigm.FindingsSurvey findings demonstrate that Italian manufacturing companies still have limited awareness of I4.0 technologies, and the adoption of I4.0 technologies differs per technology. Company size and information system coverage level are the two factors that impact the company's technology adoption level. The comparative study shows that knowledge and adoption increase in a three-year interval with an unbalanced involvement of business functions regarding the I4.0 transformation. Indeed, companies are still seeking I4.0 solutions to reduce costs and lead times primarily, and the benefits perceived by companies are shown to be related to the number of I4.0 technologies in use. Finally, when companies put the I4.0 technologies into practice, competence is constantly considered the most significant barrier.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper aims at conducting a thorough investigation into the development of I4.0 adoption in manufacturing companies. The main limitation of this study concerns the limited number of subjects involved in the longitudinal study (40) and the focus on a limited geographical area (Italy). In addition, more I4.0 technologies could also be incorporated into the survey protocol to gain further insight into I4.0 development.Originality/valueThe authors provide one of the first attempts to assess the variations of I4.0 implementation concerning technology adoption, business function involvement, and the alteration of benefits and obstacles. Several studies presented in the literature highlight the lack of longitudinal studies investigating the development of the I4.0 paradigm in a specific manufacturing context: this paper is the attempt at filling this gap.
Entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, need for achievement and entrepreneurial intention among commerce students in Pakistan
Authors: Soomro Bahadur Ali , Shah Naimatullah 
Published: December 2021

PurposeThe present study undertook an empirical investigation of entrepreneurship education, self-efficacy, need for achievement and entrepreneurial intention among Pakistan's commerce students.Design/methodology/approachThe authors applied quantitative methods based on cross-sectional data. The commerce students of the different public sector universities are targeted through a random sampling technique. The authors used a survey questionnaire to attain the responses from respondents. Finally, 184 usable cases are utilized to assume the hypothesized paths.FindingsBy applying the structural equation modeling (SEM), the findings of the study demonstrate a significant positive effect of constructs of entrepreneurship education (EE), that is, opportunity recognition (OR) and entrepreneurship knowledge acquisition (EKA) on entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE), entrepreneurial intention (EI) and need for achievement (NFA). Besides, ESE and NFA are found to be the robust predictors of EI.Practical implicationsThe findings provide significant guidelines to policy-makers and university authorities for developing useful EE courses to uplift and boost students' skills to face today's considerable business and entrepreneurship challenges. The study also helps to generate eagerness among students in selecting entrepreneurship as a career option.Originality/valueThis study suggests the confirmation of EE's significant role in developing ESE, NFA and EI among commerce students.
Numerical analysis for wake flow field of Ahmed model based on a nonlinear-LRN/DES turbulence model
Authors: Zheng Le Dian , Yang Yi , Qiang Guang Lin , Gu Zhengqi 
Published: December 2021

Purpose
This paper aims to propose a precise turbulence model for automobile aerodynamics simulation, which can predict flow separation and reattachment phenomena more accurately.

Design/methodology/approach
As the results of wake flow simulation with commonly used turbulence models are unsatisfactory, by introducing a nonlinear Reynolds stress term and combining the detached Eddy simulation (DES) model, this paper proposes a nonlinear-low-Reynolds number (LRN)/DES turbulence model. The turbulence model is verified in a backward-facing step case and applied in the flow field analysis of the Ahmed model. Several widely applied turbulence models are compared with the nonlinear-LRN/DES model and the experimental data of the above cases.

Findings
Compared with the experimental data and several turbulence models, the nonlinear-LRN/DES model gives better agreement with the experiment and can predict the automobile wake flow structures and aerodynamic characteristics more accurately.

Research limitations/implications
The nonlinear-LRN/DES model proposed in this paper suffers from separation delays when simulating the separation flows above the rear slant of the Ahmed body. Therefore, more factors need to be considered to further improve the accuracy of the model.

Practical implications
This paper proposes a turbulence model that can more accurately simulate the wake flow field structure of automobiles, which is valuable for improving the calculation accuracy of the aerodynamic characteristics of automobiles.

Originality/value
Based on the nonlinear eddy viscosity method and the scale resolved simulation, a nonlinear-LRN/DES turbulence model including the nonlinear Reynolds stress terms for separation and reattachment prediction, as well as the wake vortex structure prediction is first proposed.