bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Outpatient screening of health status and lifestyle among post-bariatric patients during the Covid-19 pandemic in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Authors: Goessler Karla Fabiana , Nicoletti Carolina Ferreira , Rezende Diego Augusto Nunes , Sieczkowska Sofia Mendes , Esteves Gabriel Perri , Genario Rafael , de Oliveira Júnior Gersiel Nascimento , Meireles Kamila , Jéssica Pinto Ana , Nakahara-Melo Michele , Cleva Roberto de , Aurélio Santo Marco , Kirwan John , Roschel Hamilton , Gualano Bruno 
Published: August 2020

ABSTRACTBackground/ObjectivesThis was an out-of-hospital screening of health status and lifestyle during the Covid-19 pandemic in post-operative bariatric patients from Sao Paulo, Brazil, prevented from face-to-face health care.Subjects/MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 66 patients were remotely (via phone call) and in-person (by home visit) assessed for health status and lifestyle habits. Results: Mean age was 47.4 years. Patients were obese grade I (30.0%), II (22.0%), and III (30.0%), and 94.2% had above reference waist circumference values. Sixty-four percent displayed high blood pressure, whereas 24% showed CRP levels above normal range. Nineteen percent of patients reported irregular use of nutritional supplementation and 6.0% reported binge eating habits. Thirty-three exhibited symptoms of depression. Mild-to-moderate and moderate-to-severe anxiety symptoms were reported by 27.4% and 11.3% of the patients; 4.5% exhibited suicidal ideation and were referred to a specialist for healthcare. Of relevance, inactive patients (59.6%) had poorer global mental and physical health scores as compared to active peers (both p<0.05). Conclusion: This out-of-hospital screening revealed that the absence of face-to-face health care due to the Covid-19 pandemic is associated with suboptimal status of physical and mental health as well as lifestyle inadequacies among patients who have recently undergone bariatric surgery.Key pointsWe performed an out-of-hospital screening in post-operative bariatric patients prevented from face-to-face health care during the Covid-19 pandemic.Sixty-five percent displayed high blood pressure, whereas 24% showed C-reactive protein levels above normal range.About one third showed mild to severe symptoms of depression, whereas ∼40% showed mild to severe anxiety symptoms.Inactive patients (59.6%) had poorer global mental and physical health scores as compared to active peers.Three patients exhibited suicidal ideation and were referred to a specialist for healthcare.During the Covid-19 pandemic, there are a considerable number of post-bariatric patients in need of direct health care.
Improving COVID-19 critical care mortality over time in England: A national cohort study, March to June 2020
Authors: Dennis John M. , McGovern Andrew P. , Vollmer Sebastian J. , Mateen Bilal A. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractObjectivesTo determine the trend in mortality risk over time in people with severe COVID-19 requiring critical care (high intensive unit [HDU] or intensive care unit [ICU]) management.MethodsWe accessed national English data on all adult COVID-19 specific critical care admissions from the COVID-19 Hospitalisation in England Surveillance System (CHESS), up to the 29th June 2020 (n=14,958). The study period was 1st March until 30th May, meaning every patient had 30 days of potential follow-up available. The primary outcome was in-hospital 30-day all-cause mortality. Hazard ratios for mortality were estimated for those admitted each week using a Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for age (non-linear restricted cubic spline), sex, ethnicity, comorbidities, and geographical region.Results30-day mortality peaked for people admitted to critical care in early April (peak 29.1% for HDU, 41.5% for ICU). There was subsequently a sustained decrease in mortality risk until the end of the study period. As a linear trend from the first week of April, adjusted mortality risk decreased by 11.2% (adjusted HR 0.89 [95% CI 0.87 - 0.91]) per week in HDU, and 9.0% (adjusted HR 0.91 [95% CI 0.88 - 0.94]) in ICU.ConclusionsThere has been a substantial mortality improvement in people admitted to critical care with COVID-19 in England, with markedly lower mortality in people admitted in mid-April and May compared to earlier in the pandemic. This trend remains after adjustment for patient demographics and comorbidities suggesting this improvement is not due to changing patient characteristics. Possible causes include the introduction of effective treatments as part of clinical trials and a falling critical care burden.
Five approaches to the suppression of SARS-CoV-2 without intensive social distancing
Authors: Drake John M. , Rohani Pej , Dahlin Kyle , Handel Andreas 
Published: August 2020

AbstractInitial efforts to mitigate transmission of SARS-CoV-2 relied on intensive social distancing measures such as school and workplace closures, shelter-in-place orders, and prohibitions on the gathering of people. Other non-pharmaceutical interventions for suppressing transmission include active case finding, contact tracing, quarantine, immunity or health certification, and a wide range of personal protective measures. Here we investigate the potential effectiveness of these alternative approaches to suppression. We introduce a conceptual framework represented by two mathematical models that differ in strategy. We find both strategies may be effective, although both require extensive testing and work within a relatively narrow range of conditions. Generalized protective measures such as wearing face masks, improved hygiene, and local reductions in density are found to significantly increase the effectiveness of targeted interventions.
Sustained Cellular Immune Dysregulation in Individuals Recovering from SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Authors: Files Jacob K. , Boppana Sushma , Perez Mildred D. , Sarkar Sanghita , Lowman Kelsey E. , Qin Kai , Sterrett Sarah , Carlin Eric , Bansal Anju , Sabbaj Steffanie , Long Dustin M. , Kutsch Olaf , Kobie James , Goepfert Paul A. , Erdmann Nathan 
Published: August 2020

ABSTRACTSARS-CoV-2 causes a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations and significant mortality. Studies investigating underlying immune characteristics are needed to understand disease pathogenesis and inform vaccine design. In this study, we examined immune cell subsets in hospitalized and non-hospitalized individuals. In hospitalized patients, many adaptive and innate immune cells were decreased in frequency compared to healthy and convalescent individuals, with the exception of B lymphocytes which increased. Our findings show increased frequencies of T-cell activation markers (CD69, Ox40, HLA-DR and CD154) in hospitalized patients, with other T-cell activation/exhaustion markers (CD25, PD-L1 and TIGIT) remaining elevated in hospitalized and non-hospitalized individuals. B cells had a similar pattern of activation/exhaustion, with increased frequency of CD69 and CD95 during hospitalization, followed by an increase in PD1 frequencies in non-hospitalized individuals. Interestingly, many of these changes were found to increase over time in non-hospitalized longitudinal samples, suggesting a prolonged period of immune dysregulation following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Changes in T-cell activation/exhaustion in non-hospitalized patients were found to positively correlate with age. Severely infected individuals had increased expression of activation and exhaustion markers. These data suggest a prolonged period of immune dysregulation following SARS-CoV-2 infection highlighting the need for additional studies investigating immune dysregulation in convalescent individuals.
Data-driven method to infer the seizure propagation patterns in an epileptic brain from intracranial electroencephalography
Authors: Sip Viktor , Hashemi Meysam , Vattikonda Anirudh N. , Woodman Marmaduke M. , Wang Huifang , Scholly Julia , Villalon Samuel Medina , Guye Maxime , Bartolomei Fabrice , Jirsa Viktor K. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractSurgical interventions in epileptic patients aimed at the removal of the epileptogenic zone have success rates at only 60-70%. This failure can be partly attributed to the insufficient spatial sampling by the implanted intracranial electrodes during the clinical evaluation, leading to an incomplete picture of spatio-temporal seizure organization in the regions that are not directly observed. Utilizing the partial observations of the seizure spreading through the brain network, complemented by the assumption that the epileptic seizures spread along the structural connections, we infer if and when are the unobserved regions recruited in the seizure. To this end we introduce a data-driven model of seizure recruitment and propagation across a weighted network, which we invert using the Bayesian inference framework. Using a leave-one-out cross-validation scheme on a cohort of fifty patients we demonstrate that the method can improve the predictions of the states of the unobserved regions compared to an empirical estimate. Furthermore, a comparison with the performed surgical resection and the surgery outcome indicates a link between the inferred excitable regions and the actual epileptogenic zone. The results emphasize the importance of the structural connectome in the large-scale spatio-temporal organization of epileptic seizures and introduce a novel way to integrate the patient-specific connectome and intracranial seizure recordings in a whole-brain computational model of seizure spread.
Mathematical modeling of the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 – Evaluating the impact of isolation in São Paulo State (Brazil) and lockdown in Spain associated with protective measures on the epidemic of covid-19
Authors: Yang Hyun Mo , Lombardi Junior Luis Pedro , Morato Castro Fabio Fernandes , Yang Ariana Campos 
Published: August 2020

AbstractCoronavirus disease 2019 (covid-19), with the fatality rate in elder (60 years old or more) being much higher than young (60 years old or less) patients, was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. Taking into account this age-dependent fatality rate, a mathematical model considering young and elder subpopulations was formulated based on the natural history of covid-19 to study the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2. This model can be applied to study the epidemiological scenario resulting from the adoption of isolation or lockdown in many countries to control the rapid propagation of covid-19. We chose as examples the isolation adopted in São Paulo State (Brazil) in the early phase but not at the beginning of the epidemic, and the lockdown implemented in Spain when the number of severe covid-19 cases was increasing rapidly. Based on the data collected from São Paulo State and Spain, the model parameters were evaluated and we obtained higher estimation for the basic reproduction number R0 (9.24 for São Paulo State, and 8 for Spain) compared to the currently accepted estimation of R0 around 3. The model allowed to explain the flattening of the epidemic curves by isolation in São Paulo State and lockdown in Spain when associated with the protective measures (face mask and social distancing) adopted by the population. However, a simplified mathematical model providing lower estimation for R0 did not explain the flattening of the epidemic curves. The implementation of the isolation in São Paulo State before the rapidly increasing phase of the epidemic enlarged the period of the first wave of the epidemic and delayed its peak, which are the desirable results of isolation to avoid the overloading in the health care system.
The association between plasma metabolites and sleep quality in the Southall and Brent Revisited Study (SABRE): A cross-sectional analysis
Authors: Topriceanu Constantin-Cristian , Tillin Therese , Chaturvedi Nishi , Joshi Roshni , Garfield Victoria 
Published: August 2020

ABSTRACTBackgroundDisordered metabolic processes have been associated with abnormal sleep patterns. However, the biological triggers and pathways are yet to be elucidated.MethodsParticipants were from the Southall and Brent REvisited (SABRE) cohort. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy provided 146 circulating plasma metabolites. Sleep questionnaires identified the presence or absence of: difficulty falling asleep (DFA), early morning waking (EMW), waking up tired (WUT) and snoring. Metabolites were compared between the sleep quality categories using the t-test, then filtered using a false discovery rate of 0.05. Generalized linear models with logit-link assessed the associations between filtered metabolites and sleep phenotypes. Adjustment was made for important demographic and health-related covariates.Results2718 SABRE participants were included. After correcting for multiple testing, 3 metabolites remained for DFA, 59 for snoring and none for EMW and WUT. In fully-adjusted models, 1 standard deviation increase in serum histidine, leucine and valine associated with lower odds of DFA by 0.84-0.89 (95% confidence intervals [CIs]: 0.75-0.99). Branched chain amino acids (ORs 1.11-1.15, 95%CIs 1.01-1.26) were positively associated with snoring. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.82-0.96) and total cholesterol in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.82-0.96) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (ORs 0.90, 95% CIs 0.83-0.99) associated with lower odds of snoring.ConclusionHistidine, leucine and valine associated with lower odds of difficulty falling asleep, while docosahexaenoic acid and cholesterol LDL and HDL subfractions associated with lower odds of snoring. Identified metabolites could provide guidance on the metabolic pathways behind the adverse sleep quality.Key messagesHigher histidine, leucine and valine associate with lower odds of difficulty falling asleep.Branched amino acids (isoleucine, leucine and valine) were higher in participants experiencing snoring.Total cholesterol in LDL and HDL appeared to be beneficial in terms of snoring.
Temporal and Spatial Heterogeneity of Host Response to SARS-CoV-2 Pulmonary Infection
Authors: Desai Niyati , Neyaz Azfar , Szabolcs Annamaria , Shih Angela R. , Chen Jonathan H. , Thapar Vishal , Nieman Linda T. , Solovyov Alexander , Mehta Arnav , Lieb David J. , Kulkarni Anupriya S. , Jaicks Christopher , Pinto Christopher J. , Juric Dejan , Chebib Ivan , Colvin Robert B. , Kim Arthur Y. , Monroe Robert , Warren Sarah E , Danaher Patrick , Reeves Jason W , Gong Jingjing , Rueckert Erroll H , Greenbaum Benjamin D. , Hacohen Nir , Lagana Stephen M. , Rivera Miguel N. , Sholl Lynette M. , Stone James R. , Ting David T. , Deshpande Vikram 
Published: August 2020

ABSTRACTThe relationship of SARS-CoV-2 lung infection and severity of pulmonary disease is not fully understood. We analyzed autopsy specimens from 24 patients who succumbed to SARS-CoV-2 infection using a combination of different RNA and protein analytical platforms to characterize inter- and intra-patient heterogeneity of pulmonary virus infection. There was a spectrum of high and low virus cases that was associated with duration of disease and activation of interferon pathway genes. Using a digital spatial profiling platform, the virus corresponded to distinct spatial expression of interferon response genes and immune checkpoint genes demonstrating the intra-pulmonary heterogeneity of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
A Compartmental Epidemic Model Incorporating Probable Cases to Model COVID-19 Outbreak in Regions with Limited Testing Capacity
Authors: Hasan A. , Nasution Y. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractWe propose a new compartmental epidemic model taking into account people who has symptoms with no confirmatory laboratory testing (probable cases). We prove well-posedness of the model and provide an explicit expression for the basic reproduction number (ℛ0). We use the model together with an extended Kalman filter (EKF) to estimate the time-varying effective reproduction number (ℛt) of COVID-19 in West Java province, Indonesia, where laboratory testing capacity is limited. Based on our estimation, the value of ℛt is higher when the probable cases are taken into account. This correction can be used by decision and policy makers when considering re-opening policy and evaluation of measures.
COVID-19 Pandemic Severity, Lockdown Regimes, and People’s Mobility: Evidence from 88 Countries
Authors: Rahman Md. Mokhlesur , Thill Jean-Claude , Paul Kamal Chandra 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThis study empirically investigates the complex interplay between the severity of the coronavirus pandemic, mobility changes in retail and recreation, transit stations, workplaces, and residential areas, and lockdown measures in 88 countries of the word. To conduct the study, data on mobility patterns, socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of people, lockdown measures, and coronavirus pandemic were collected from multiple sources (e.g., Google, UNDP, UN, BBC, Oxford University, Worldometer). A Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) technique is used to investigate the direct and indirect effects of independent variables on dependent variables considering the intervening effects of mediators. Results show that lockdown measures have significant effects to encourage people to maintain social distancing. However, pandemic severity and socioeconomic and institutional factors have limited effects to sustain social distancing practice. The results also explain that socioeconomic and institutional factors of urbanity and modernity have significant effects on pandemic severity. Countries with a higher number of elderly people, employment in the service sector, and higher globalization trend are the worst victims of the coronavirus pandemic (e.g., USA, UK, Italy, and Spain). Social distancing measures are reasonably effective at tempering the severity of the pandemic.
EVALUATION OF THE DURABILITY OF LONG-LASTING INSECTICIDAL NETS IN GUATEMALA
Authors: Castellanos María Eugenia , Rodas Soledad , Juarez Jose Guillermo , Lol Juan Carlos , Chanquin Sayra , Morales Zoraida , Vizcaino Lucrecia , Smith Stephen C. , Eng Jodi Vanden , Woldu Henok G. , Lenhart Audrey , Padilla Norma 
Published: August 2020

ABSTRACTBackgroundInsecticide-treated bednets (ITNs) are widely used for the prevention and control of malaria. In Guatemala, since 2006, ITNs have been distributed free of charge in the highest risk malaria-endemic areas and constitute one of the primary vector control measures in the country. Despite relying on ITNs for almost 15 years, there is a lack of data to inform the timely replacement of ITNs whose effectiveness becomes diminished by routine use.MethodsWe assessed the survivorship, physical integrity, insecticide content and bio-efficacy of ITNs through cross-sectional surveys conducted at 18, 24 and 32 months after a 2012 distribution of PermaNet® 2.0 in a malaria focus in Guatemala. A total of 988 ITNs were analyzed (290 at 18 months, 349 at 24 months and 349 at 32 months).ResultsThe functional survivorship of bednets decreased over time, from 92% at 18 months, to 81% at 24 months and 69% at 32 months. Independent of the time of the survey, less than 80% of the bednets that were still present in the household were reported to have been used the night before. Most of the bednets had been washed at least once (88% at 18 months, 92% at 24 months and 96% at 32 months). The proportion of bednets categorized as “in good condition” per WHO guidelines of the total hole surface area, diminished from 77% at 18 months to 58% at 32 months. The portion of ITNs with deltamethrin concentration less than 10mg/m2 increased over time (14% at 18 months, 23% at 24 months, and 35% at 32 months). Among the bednets for which bioassays were conducted, the percentage that met WHO criteria for efficacy dropped from 90% at 18 months to 52% at 32 months.ConclusionWhile our assessment demonstrated that nets were in relatively good physical condition over time, the combination of declining bio-efficacy over time and low use rates limited the overall effectiveness of the LLINs. Efforts to encourage the community to retain, use, and properly care for the LLINs may improve their impact. Durability assessments should be included in future campaigns.
Central nervous system immune response in postinfectious hydrocephalus
Authors: Isaacs Albert M. , Morton Sarah U. , Movassagh Mercedeh , Zhang Qiang , Hehnly Christine , Zhang Lijun , Morales Diego M. , Sinnar Shamim A. , Ericson Jessica E , Kabachelor Edith , Ssenyonga Peter , Onen Justin , Mulondo Ronnie , Hornig Mady , Warf Benjamin C. , Broach James R. , Townsend R Reid , Limbrick David D. , Paulson Joseph N. , Schiff Steven J. 
Published: August 2020

ABSTRACTInflammation following neonatal infection is a dominant cause of childhood hydrocephalus in the developing world. Understanding this complex inflammatory response is critical for the development of preventive therapies. In 100 African hydrocephalic infants ≤3 months of age, with and without a history of infection, we elucidated the biological pathways that account for this inflammatory response. We integrated proteomics and RNA sequencing in cerebrospinal fluid, identifying gene pathways involving neutrophil, interleukin (4, 12, and 13) and interferon activity associated with this condition. These findings are required to develop strategies to reduce the risk of hydrocephalus during treatment of infection.
Comparison of sixteen serological SARS-CoV-2 immunoassays in sixteen clinical laboratories
Authors: Harritshøj Lene H. , Gybel-Brask Mikkel , Afzal Shoaib , Kamstrup Pia R. , Jørgensen Charlotte S. , Thomsen Marianne Kragh , Hilsted Linda , Friis-Hansen Lennart , Szecsi Pal B. , Pedersen Lise , Nielsen Lene , Hansen Cecilie B. , Garred Peter , Korsholm Trine-Line , Mikkelsen Susan , Nielsen Kirstine O. , Møller Bjarne K. , Hansen Anne T. , Iversen Kasper K. , Nielsen Pernille B. , Hasselbalch Rasmus B. , Fogh Kamille , Norsk Jakob B. , Kristensen Jonas Henrik , Schønning Kristian , Kirkby Nikolai S. , Nielsen Alex C. Y. , Landsy Lone H. , Loftager Mette , Holm Dorte K. , Nilsson Anna C. , Sækmose Susanne G. , Grum-Schwensen Birgitte , Aagaard Bitten , Jensen Thøger G. , Nielsen Dorte M. , Ullum Henrik , Dessau Ram B.C. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractSerological SARS-CoV-2 assays are needed to support clinical diagnosis and epidemiological investigations. Recently, assays for the large-volume detection of total antibodies (Ab) and immunoglobulin (Ig) G and M against SARS-CoV-2 antigens have been developed, but there are limited data on the diagnostic accuracy of these assays. This study was organized as a Danish national collaboration and included fifteencommercial and one in-house anti-SARS-CoV-2 assays in sixteen laboratories. Sensitivity was evaluated using 150 serum samples from individuals diagnosed with asymptomatic,mild or moderate nonhospitalized (n=129) or hospitalized (n=31) COVID-19, confirmed bynucleic acid amplification tests, collected 13-73 days from symptom onset. Specificity and cross-reactivity were evaluated in samples collected prior to the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic from > 586 blood donors and patients with autoimmune diseases or CMV or EBV infections. Predefined specificity criteria of ≥ 99% were met by all total-Ab and IgG assays except one (Diasorin/LiaisonXL-IgG 97.2%). The sensitivities in descending order were: Wantai/ELISA total-Ab (96.7%), CUH/NOVO in-house ELISA total-Ab (96.0%), Ortho/Vitros total-Ab (95.3%), YHLO/iFlash-IgG (94.0%), Ortho/Vitros-IgG (93.3%), Siemens/Atellica total-Ab (93.2%), Roche-Elecsys total-Ab (92.7%), Abbott-Architect-IgG (90.0%), Abbott/Alinity-IgG (median 88.0%), Diasorin/LiaisonXL-IgG (84.6%),Siemens/Vista total-Ab (81.0%), Euroimmun/ELISA-IgG (78.0%), and Snibe/Maglumi-IgG (median 78.0%). The IgM results were variable, but one assay (Wantai/ELISA-IgM) hadboth high sensitivity (82.7%) and specificity (99%). The rate of seropositivity increased with time from symptom onset and symptom severity. In conclusion, predefined sensitivity and specificity acceptance criteria of 90%/99%, respectively, for diagnostic use were met in five of six total-Ab and three of seven IgG assays.