bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cost-Benefit Analysis of Ultrasonography in the Hand Clinic
Authors: Huynh Kristine A. , Yoon Alfred P. , Seyferth Anne V. , Chung Kevin C. 
Published: March 2021

Background:
Despite previous studies demonstrating the benefit of office-based ultrasonography for musculoskeletal evaluation, many hand surgery clinics have yet to adopt this practice. The authors conducted a cost-benefit analysis of establishing an ultrasound machine in a hand clinic.

Methods:
The authors used the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary, and Physician Compare National Downloadable File databases to estimate provider reimbursement and annual frequency of office-based upper extremity–related ultrasound procedures. Ultrasound machine cost, maintenance fees, and consumable supply prices were gleaned from the literature. The primary outcomes were net cost-benefit difference and benefit-cost ratio at 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years after implementation. Sensitivity analyses were performed by varying factors that influence the net cost-benefit difference.

Results:
The estimated total initial expense to establish ultrasonography in the clinic was $53,985. The overall cost-benefit difference was −$49,530 per practice at the end of the first year (benefit-cost ratio, 0.3), −$1049 after 5 years (benefit-cost ratio, 1.0), and $52,022 after 10 years (benefit-cost ratio, 1.4). Benefits primarily accrued because of physician reimbursements. One-way sensitivity analysis revealed machine price, annual procedure volume, and reimbursement rate as the most influential parameters in determining the benefit-cost ratio. Ultrasonography was cost beneficial when the machine price was less than $46,000 or if the billing frequency exceeded six times per week. A societal perspective analysis demonstrated a large net benefit of $218,162 after 5 years.

Conclusions:
Implementation of office-based ultrasound imaging can result in a positive financial return on investment. Ultrasound machine cost and procedural volume were the most critical factors influencing benefit-cost ratio.
Does The Use of Ethyl Chloride Improve Patient-Reported Pain Scores With Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Dressing Changes? A Prospective, Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Tank Jason C. , Georgiadis Gregory M. , Bair Jeffrey M. , Rice Alexi , O’Mara Gardner Kristin , Chen John T. , Redfern Roberta E. 
Published: March 2021

Background
Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is commonly used for surgical incisions and large wounds, particularly in the context of trauma. Research has shown that patients report that the most painful aspect of NPWT is related to foam dressing changes. This study aimed to determine whether topical use of the vapocoolant anesthetic ethyl chloride would impact patient-reported pain during these procedures.

Methods
This study was a single-blinded, placebo-controlled randomized trial in patients who were undergoing NPWT foam dressing change following surgery performed by the orthopedic trauma team. A total of 100 patients were randomized to receive ethyl chloride topical anesthetic spray or placebo (tissue culture grade water) during dressing change. The outcome measure specified prior to enrollment was a mean decrease in patient-reported pain of 1.7 points using a numeric rating scale. Baseline and procedural characteristics were collected to investigate contributions to patient-reported pain. We hypothesized that the use of ethyl chloride would decrease patient reported pain scores.

Results
Significantly more females were randomized to the receive vapocoolant; remaining baseline and procedural characteristics were similar between groups. The median time for NPWT drape removal was 2.0 minutes in both groups (p = 0.66). The postprocedural pain reported by patients was significantly lower in the experimental group compared with placebo (median, 5.0 vs. 7.0; p = 0.03). Multivariate analysis adjusting for potential confounders showed treatment group to be the strongest predictor of postprocedure pain (p = 0.002). Additionally, a generalized linear model suggests that treatment group was the strongest predictor of change in pain score as reported by patients prior to and immediately following dressing change.

Conclusions
Use of vapocoolant spray during NPWT dressing change for orthopedic trauma wounds and surgical incisions was feasible and resulted in significant reduction in patient-reported pain associated with the procedure.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
Therapeutic, Level I
Age-related changes in the upper respiratory microbiome are associated with SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and illness severity
Authors: Hurst Jillian H. , McCumber Alexander W. , Aquino Jhoanna N. , Rodriguez Javier , Heston Sarah M. , Lugo Debra J. , Rotta Alexandre T. , Turner Nicholas A. , Pfeiffer Trevor S. , Gurley Thaddeus C. , Moody M. Anthony , Denny Thomas N. , Rawls John F. , Woods Christopher W. , Kelly Matthew S. 
Published: March 2021

ABSTRACTChildren are less susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 and typically have milder illness courses than adults. We studied the nasopharyngeal microbiomes of 274 children, adolescents, and young adults with SARS-CoV-2 exposure using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We find that higher abundances ofCorynebacteriumspecies are associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and SARS-CoV-2-associated respiratory symptoms, while higher abundances ofDolosigranulum pigrumare present in SARS-CoV-2-infected individualswithoutrespiratory symptoms. We also demonstrate that the abundances of these bacteria are strongly, and independently, associated with age, suggesting that the nasopharyngeal microbiome may be a potentially modifiable mechanism by which age influences SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and severity.SummaryEvaluation of nasopharyngeal microbiome profiles in children, adolescents, and young adults with a SARS-CoV-2-infected close contact identified specific bacterial species that vary in abundance with age and are associated with SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and the presence of SARS-CoV-2-associated respiratory symptoms.
Factors influencing COVID-19 vaccination uptake in an elderly sample in Poland
Authors: Malesza Marta , Bozym Magdalena 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundsThis research represents an investigation into potential predictors for the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccination in Poland, following the instigation of policies to encourage the over-seventies to be vaccinated.MethodsIndividuals participated in cross-sectional structured interviews. 1427 respondents were questioned for determining vaccination uptake, revealing attitudes regarding vaccination, where information was sourced from, health status and behavior, demographics and socio-economic profiles.ResultsSelected predictors for acceptance of the vaccination were: being talked through the importance of the vaccination and potential side-effects by a medical professional; sharing living space with others; having a high ranking occupation; suffering from chronic illnesses; being able to access medical services by driving or walking rather than using public transport or relying on others. Those who opted not to be vaccinated most frequently justify their decision by saying that they were concerned about the efficacy of the vaccine or that they were worried about side-effects.ConclusionsIt appears that the current nationwide campaign has successfully raised awareness regarding the vaccine, but this research indicates that a more information-based campaign, focusing on evidence of the vaccine’s efficacy and the non-serious nature of all side-effects, could lead to improved uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs reduce viral infection by SARS-CoV-2 and fluoxetine show antiviral activity against the novel variants in vitro
Authors: Fred Senem Merve , Kuivanen Suvi , Ugurlu Hasan , Casarotto Plinio Cabrera , Levanov Lev , Saksela Kalle , Vapalahti Olli , Castrén Eero 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackground and PurposeRepurposing of currently available drugs is a valuable strategy to tackle the consequences of COVID-19. Recently, several studies have investigated the effect of psychoactive drugs on SARS-CoV-2 in cell culture models as well as in clinical practice. Our aim was to expand these studies and test some of these compounds against newly emerged variants.Experimental ApproachSeveral antidepressant drugs and antipsychotic drugs with different primary mechanisms of action were tested in ACE2/TMPRSS2-expressing human embryonic kidney cells against the infection by SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-dependent pseudoviruses. Some of these compounds were also tested in human lung epithelial cell line, Calu-1, against the first wave (B.1) lineage of SARS-CoV-2 and the variants of concern, B.1.1.7 and B.1.351.Key ResultsSeveral clinically used antidepressants, including fluoxetine, citalopram, reboxetine, imipramine, as well as antipsychotic compounds chlorpromazine, flupenthixol, and pimozide inhibited the infection by pseudotyped viruses with minimal effects on cell viability. The antiviral action of several of these drugs was verified in Calu-1 cells against the (B.1) lineage of SARS-CoV-2. By contrast, the anticonvulsant carbamazepine, and novel antidepressants ketamine and its derivatives as well as MAO and phosphodiesterase inhibitors phenelzine and rolipram, respectively, showed no activity in the pseudovirus model. Furthermore, fluoxetine remained effective against pseudo viruses with N501Y, K417N, and E484K spike mutations, and the VoC-1 (B.1.1.7) and VoC-2 (B.1.351) variants of SARS-CoV-2.Conclusion and ImplicationsOur study confirms previous data and extends information on the repurposing of these drugs to counteract SARS-CoV-2 infection including different variants of concern.
Biophysical properties governing septin assembly
Authors: Woods Benjamin L. , Seim Ian , Liu Jessica , McLaughlin Grace , Cannon Kevin S. , Gladfelter Amy S. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractSeptin filaments build structures such as rings, lattices and gauzes that serve as platforms for localizing signaling and organizing cell membranes. How cells control the geometry of septin assemblies in poorly understood. We show here that septins are isodesmic polymers, in contrast to cooperative polymerization exhibited by F-actin and microtubules. We constructed a physical model to analyze and interpret how septin assemblies change in the presence of regulators in yeast extracts. Notably filaments differ in length and curvature in yeast extract compared to pure protein indicating cellular regulators modulate intrinsic biophysical features. Combining analysis of extracts from regulatory mutants with simulations, we found increased filament flexibility and reduced filament fragmentation promote assembly of septin rings, whereas reduced flexibility in crowded environments promotes local filament alignment. This work demonstrates how tuning of intrinsic features of septin filament assembly by regulatory proteins yields a diverse array of structures observed in cells.
Model estimates of metazoans’ contributions to the biological carbon pump
Authors: Pinti Jérôme , DeVries Tim , Norin Tommy , Serra-Pompei Camila , Proud Roland , Siegel David A. , Kiørboe Thomas , Petrik Colleen M. , Andersen Ken H. , Brierley Andrew S. , Visser André W. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThe daily vertical migrations of fish and other metazoans actively transport organic carbon from the ocean surface to depth, contributing to the biological carbon pump. We use an oxygen-constrained, game-theoretic food-web model to simulate diel vertical migrations and estimate global carbon fluxes and sequestration by fish and zooplankton due to respiration, fecal pellets, and deadfalls. Our model provides estimates of the carbon export and sequestration potential for a range of pelagic functional groups, despite uncertain biomass estimates of some functional groups. While the export production of metazoans and fish is modest (~20% of global total), we estimate that their contribution to carbon sequestered by the biological pump (~ 800 PgC) is conservatively more than 50% of the estimated global total (~1300 PgC) and have a significantly longer sequestration time scale (~250 years) than previously reported for other components of the biological pump. Fish and multicellular zooplankton contribute about equally to this sequestered carbon pool. This essential ecosystem service could be at risk from both unregulated fishing on the high seas and ocean deoxygenation due to climate change.
Bank of America: Consumers Fight Back
Authors: Walker Russell 
Published: March 2021

On October 6, 2011, President Barack Obama publicly scolded Bank of America for developing a new revenue stream: a $5 monthly fee for all Bank of America debit card holders, which the bank had announced a month earlier. It was a strategy for replacing lost “swipe fee” revenue following the passage of the Dodd-Frank Act and accompanying Durbin Amendment, which capped swipe fees at 21 cents per transaction. This was the culmination of three tumultuous years for the world's largest financial services firm, but would not be the end of its public affairs challenges.
The president's public critique of Bank of America came in response to and helped exacerbate consumer anger about the bank's monthly fee, changes across the banking sector, and general discontent with Wall Street. Bank of America's situation was complicated further by ongoing legal action following acquisitions of Merrill Lynch and Countrywide, which hurt the firm's shareholders and led to large-scale employee layoffs.
In this case study, students will be challenged to analyze how Bank of America could have better managed the competing interests of different stakeholders, including shareholders, employees, regulators, customers, and the public.
Interrelated impacts of climate and land‐use change on a widespread waterbird
Authors: Saunders Sarah P. , Piper Walter , Farr Matthew T. , Bateman Brooke L. , Michel Nicole L. , Westerkam Henrik , Wilsey Chad B. 
Published: March 2021

Abstract

Together climate and land‐use change play a crucial role in determining species distribution and abundance, but measuring the simultaneous impacts of these processes on current and future population trajectories is challenging due to time lags, interactive effects and data limitations. Most approaches that relate multiple global change drivers to population changes have been based on occurrence or count data alone.

We leveraged three long‐term (1995–2019) datasets to develop a coupled integrated population model‐Bayesian population viability analysis (IPM‐BPVA) to project future survival and reproductive success for common loons Gavia immer in northern Wisconsin, USA, by explicitly linking vital rates to changes in climate and land use.

The winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), a broad‐scale climate index, immediately preceding the breeding season and annual changes in developed land cover within breeding areas both had strongly negative influences on adult survival. Local summer rainfall was negatively related to fecundity, though this relationship was mediated by a lagged interaction with the winter NAO, suggesting a compensatory population‐level response to climate variability.

We compared population viability under 12 future scenarios of annual land‐use change, precipitation and NAO conditions. Under all scenarios, the loon population was expected to decline, yet the steepest declines were projected under positive NAO trends, as anticipated with ongoing climate change. Thus, loons breeding in the northern United States are likely to remain affected by climatic processes occurring thousands of miles away in the North Atlantic during the non‐breeding period of the annual cycle.

Our results reveal that climate and land‐use changes are differentially contributing to loon population declines along the southern edge of their breeding range and will continue to do so despite natural compensatory responses. We also demonstrate that concurrent analysis of multiple data types facilitates deeper understanding of the ecological implications of anthropogenic‐induced change occurring at multiple spatial scales. Our modelling approach can be used to project demographic responses of populations to varying environmental conditions while accounting for multiple sources of uncertainty, an increasingly pressing need in the face of unprecedented global change.
Overcoming diverse homologous recombinations and single chimeric guide RNA competitive inhibition enhances Cas9‐based cyclical multiple genes coediting in filamentous fungi
Authors: Miao Youzhi , Xia Yanwei , Kong Yanqiong , Zhu Han , Mei Huiling , Li Pan , Feng Haichao , Xun Weibing , Xu Zhihui , Zhang Nan , Liu Dongyang , Shen Qirong , Zhang Ruifu 
Published: March 2021

SummaryDeciphering the complex cellular behaviours and advancing the biotechnology applications of filamentous fungi increase the requirement for genetically manipulating a large number of target genes. The current strategies cannot cyclically coedit multiple genes simultaneously. In this study, we firstly revealed the existence of diverse homologous recombination (HR) types in marker‐free editing of filamentous fungi, and then, demonstrated that sgRNA efficiency‐mediated competitive inhibition resulted in the low integration of multiple genetic sites during coediting, which are the two major obstacles to limit the efficiency of cyclically coediting of multiple genes. To overcome these obstacles, we developed a biased cutting strategy by Cas9 to greatly enhance the desired HR type and applied a new selection marker labelling strategy for multiple donor DNAs, in which only the donor DNA with the lowest sgRNA efficiency was labelled. Combined with these strategies, we successfully developed a convenient method for cyclically coediting multiple genes in different filamentous fungi. In addition, diverse HRs resulted in a useful and convenient one‐step approach for gene functional study combining both gene disruption and complementation. This research provided both a useful one‐step approach for gene functional study and an efficient strategy for cyclically coediting multiple genes in filamentous fungi.
Safety and immunogenicity of a new glycoengineered vaccine against Acinetobacter baumannii in mice
Authors: Li Xin , Pan Chao , Liu Zhicheng , Sun Peng , Hua Xiaoting , Feng Erling , Yu Yunsong , Wu Jun , Zhu Li , Wang Hengliang 
Published: March 2021

SummaryAcinetobacter baumannii poses a serious threat to human health, mainly because of its widespread distribution and severe drug resistance. However, no licensed vaccines exist for this pathogen. In this study, we created a conjugate vaccine against A. baumannii by introducing an O‐linked glycosylation system into the host strain. After demonstrating the ability of the vaccine to elicit Th1 and Th2 immune responses and observing its good safety in mouse a model, the strong in vitro bactericidal activity and prophylactic effects of the conjugate vaccine against infection were further demonstrated by evaluating post‐infection tissue bacterial loads, observing suppressed serum pro‐inflammatory cytokine levels. Additionally, the broad protection from the vaccine was further proved via lethal challenge with A. baumannii. Overall, these results indicated that the conjugate vaccine could elicit an efficient immune response and provide good protection against A. baumannii infection in murine sepsis models. Thus, the conjugate vaccine can be considered as a promising candidate vaccine for preventing A. baumannii infection.
Abundance and phenology of two pest species, Cacoecimorpha pronubana and Epiphyas postvittana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)
Authors: Zielonka Marcin W. , Harris W. Edwin , Pope Tom W. , Leather Simon R. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractCacoecimorpha pronubana (Hübner, [1799]) and Epiphyas postvittana (Walker, 1863) are economically important polyphagous pest species. The larvae of these moths affect a wide range of horticultural crops. We evaluated the seasonal abundance and population dynamics of these two species, hypothesising that both species of moth exhibit similar patterns in their seasonal abundance and respond to abiotic factors. The study was carried out on a wide range of protected ornamental crops grown on a total area of 1 ha at a commercial nursery. The study was completed over five consecutive years from 2015 to 2019, where both populations were monitored weekly during the months of moth activity, from April to November, using sex pheromone traps to trap the males of both species. The timing and abundance of catches were analysed in relation to local meteorological data. The mean yearly abundance of adult males was 604 ± 23.89 (mean ± SE; C. pronubana) and 1706 ± 167.18 (E. postvittana) also differing significantly between years for both species. There was no influence of any weather measures on the abundance of E. postvittana, but sunshine duration (4.84 ± 0.26 hr) and temperature (13.04 ± 0.57°C) affected the mean seasonal abundance of C. pronubana. There was an overall difference in the seasonal pattern of abundance between the species studied. While we demonstrate a seasonal abundance difference between years for C. pronubana, we found no significant seasonal differences for E. postvittana. Improved understanding of seasonal abundance, phenological patterns and inter‐seasonal variations in population dynamics of these two species may be useful in developing forecasting models that can be used in improving integrated pest management strategies for these two pests.
Phenological development of subterranean clover cultivars under contrasting environments
Authors: Teixeira Carmen , Hampton John , Moot Derrick 
Published: March 2021

AbstractSix subterranean clover cultivars (representing early and late flowering genotypes from three subspecies) were used to describe and quantify their phenological development. The vegetative (V) and reproductive (R) development phases, in response to different environments created by eight sowing dates were quantified. The period from sowing to emergence was constant in thermal time at 110°Cd and the first trifoliate appeared at ~300°Cd. Crops sown in autumn had the longest period from runner initiation until floral bud initiation (R1), which would allow an extended period of grazing, particularly for later flowering cultivars like ‘Denmark’. To maximise seed set (particularly in year 1) a maximum period between R3 and R11 is required (seed set window). This ranged from 319 ± 42.3°Cd for ‘Leura’ to 661 ± 73.1°Cd for ‘Narrikup’. The complete crop life cycle from sowing (V0) to maturity (R11) ranged from 1269 ± 31°Cd (equivalent of 123 ± 6.3 days) for ‘Antas’ sown in July to 2799 ± 47°Cd (300 ± 3.9 days) for ‘Woogenellup’. When sowing occurred in an increasing photoperiod (June–November) the life cycle of all cultivars was 59% shorter than when sown in a decreasing photoperiod. The numeric scale was able to describe all the variation in the phenological phases and could be used to quantify thermal time requirements for specific phenophases. This would allow subterranean clover management to be optimised (husbandry, grazing and seed harvest) at a local level, and provides the basic parameters for inclusion in annual pasture simulation models.