bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Multimodality cardiac evaluation in children and young adults with multisystem inflammation associated with COVID-19
Authors: Theocharis Paraskevi , Wong James , Pushparajah Kuberan , Mathur Sujeev K , Simpson John M , Pascall Emma , Cleary Aoife , Stewart Kirsty , Adhvaryu Kaitav , Savis Alex , Kabir Saleha R , Uy Mirasol Pernia , Heard Hannah , Peacock Kelly , Miller Owen 
Published: July 2020

Abstract

Aims
Following the peak of the UK COVID-19 epidemic, a new multisystem inflammatory condition with significant cardiovascular effects emerged in young people. We utilized multimodality imaging to provide a detailed sequential description of the cardiac involvement.

Methods and Results
Twenty consecutive patients (mean age 10.6 ± 3.8 years) presenting to our institution underwent serial echocardiographic evaluation on admission (median day 5 of illness), the day coinciding with worst cardiac function (median day 7), and the day of discharge (median day 15). We performed cardiac computed tomography (CT) to assess coronary anatomy (median day 15) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) to assess dysfunction (median day 20). On admission, almost all patients displayed abnormal strain and tissue Doppler indices. Three-dimensional (3D) echocardiographic ejection fraction (EF) was &lt;55% in half of the patients. Valvular regurgitation (75%) and small pericardial effusions (10%) were detected. Serial echocardiography demonstrated that the mean 3D EF deteriorated (54.7 ± 8.3% vs. 46.4 ± 8.6%, P = 0.017) before improving at discharge (P = 0.008). Left main coronary artery (LMCA) dimensions were significantly larger at discharge than at admission (Z score –0.11 ± 0.87 vs. 0.78 ± 1.23, P = 0.007). CT showed uniform coronary artery dilatation commonly affecting the LMCA (9/12). CMR detected abnormal strain in all patients with global dysfunction (EF &lt;55%) in 35%, myocardial oedema in 50%, and subendocardial infarct in 5% (1/20) patients.

Conclusions
Pancarditis with cardiac dysfunction is common and associated with myocardial oedema. Patients require close monitoring due to coronary artery dilatation and the risk of thrombotic myocardial infarction.
Ventricular tachycardia storm management in a COVID-19 patient: a case report
Authors: Mitacchione Gianfranco , Schiavone Marco , Gasperetti Alessio , Forleo Giovanni B 
Published: July 2020

Abstract

Background
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with myocardial involvement. Among cardiovascular manifestations, cardiac arrhythmias seem to be fairly common, although no specifics are reported in the literature. An increased risk of malignant ventricular arrhythmias and electrical storm (ES) has to be considered.

Case summary
We describe a 68-year-old patient with a previous history of coronary artery disease and severe left ventricular systolic disfunction, who presented to our emergency department describing cough, dizziness, fever, and shortness of breath. She was diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia, confirmed after three nasopharyngeal swabs. Ventricular tachycardia (VT) storm with multiple implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) shocks was the presenting manifestation of cardiac involvement during the COVID-19 clinical course. A substrate-based VT catheter ablation procedure was successfully accomplished using a remote navigation system. The patient recovered from COVID-19 and did not experience further ICD interventions.

Discussion
To date, COVID-19 pneumonia associated with a VT storm as the main manifestation of cardiac involvement has never been reported. This case highlights the role of COVID-19 in precipitating ventricular arrhythmias in patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy who were previously stable.
Self-reported treatment burden in patients with atrial fibrillation: quantification, major determinants, and implications for integrated holistic management of the arrhythmia
Authors: Potpara Tatjana S , Mihajlovic Miroslav , Zec Nevena , Marinkovic Milan , Kovacevic Vladan , Simic Jelena , Kocijancic Aleksandar , Vajagic Leona , Jotic Aleksandra , Mujovic Nebojsa , Stankovic Goran R 
Published: July 2020

Abstract

Aims
Treatment burden (TB) refers to self-perceived cumulative work patients do to manage their health. Using validated tools, TB has been documented in several chronic conditions, but not atrial fibrillation (AF). We measured TB and analysed its determinants and impact on quality of life (QoL) in an AF cohort.

Methods and results
A single-centre study prospectively included consecutive adult AF patients and non-AF controls managed from 1 April to 21 June 2019, who voluntarily and anonymously answered the TB questionnaire (TBQ) and 5-item EQ-5D QoL questionnaire; TB was calculated as a sum of TBQ points (maximum 170) and expressed as proportion of the maximum value. Of 514 participants, 331 (64.4%) had AF. The mean self-reported TB was 27.6% among AF patients and 24.3% among controls, P = 0.011. The mean TB was significantly higher in patients taking vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) vs. those taking non-VKA antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOAC; 29.5% vs. 24.7%, P = 0.006). The highest item-specific TB was reported for healthcare system organization-related items (e.g. visit appointment), diet, and physical activity modifications. On multivariable analyses, female sex, younger age, and permanent AF were associated with a higher TB, whereas NOACs and electrical AF cardioversion exhibited an inverse association; TB was an independent predictor of decreased QoL (all P &lt; 0.05).

Conclusion
Our study provided clinically relevant insights into self-perceived TB among AF patients. Approximately one in four patients with AF have a high TB. Specific AF treatments and optimization of healthcare system-required patient activities may reduce the self-perceived TB in AF patients.
Scattering of SH waves around circular canyon in inhomogeneous wedge space
Authors: Yang Zailin , Li Xinzhu , Song Yunqiu , Jiang Guanxixi , Sun Menghan , Fang Xueqian 
Published: July 2020

SUMMARYScattering of SH waves around a circular canyon in radial inhomogeneous wedge space is investigated in this paper. Based on the complex function method, the governing equation with variable coefficients is transformed into a standard Helmholtz equation and the corresponding analytical solution to this problem is derived. The unknown coefficients in the wavefield is obtained by enforcing the stress-free condition in the circular canyon, then the incident, reflected and scattering waves in the total wavefield are all acquired. Through the calculation and analysis of the parameters that affect the ground motion, the influence of the circular canyon on the ground motion in the radial inhomogeneous wedge space is obtained. Moreover, combined with graphical results, the effects by inhomogeneous parameter on ground motion with circular canyon in wedge space are conspicuous.
Patterns of CAG repeat instability in the central nervous system and periphery in Huntington’s disease and in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1
Authors: Mouro Pinto Ricardo , Arning Larissa , Giordano James V , Razghandi Pedram , Andrew Marissa A , Gillis Tammy , Correia Kevin , Mysore Jayalakshmi S , Grote Urtubey Debora-M , Parwez Constanze R , von Hein Sarah M , Clark H Brent , Nguyen Huu Phuc , Förster Eckart , Beller Allison , Jayadaev Suman , Keene C Dirk , Bird Thomas D , Lucente Diane , Vonsattel Jean-Paul , Orr Harry , Saft Carsten , Petrasch-Parwez Elisabeth , Wheeler Vanessa C 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThe expanded HTT CAG repeat causing Huntington’s disease (HD) exhibits somatic expansion proposed to drive the rate of disease onset by eliciting a pathological process that ultimately claims vulnerable cells. To gain insight into somatic expansion in humans, we performed comprehensive quantitative analyses of CAG expansion in ~50 central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral postmortem tissues from seven adult-onset and one juvenile-onset HD individual. We also assessed ATXN1 CAG repeat expansion in brain regions of an individual with a neurologically and pathologically distinct repeat expansion disorder, spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1). Our findings reveal similar profiles of tissue instability in all HD individuals, which, notably, were also apparent in the SCA1 individual. CAG expansion was observed in all tissues, but to different degrees, with multiple cortical regions and neostriatum tending to have the greatest instability in the CNS, and liver in the periphery. These patterns indicate different propensities for CAG expansion contributed by disease locus-independent trans-factors and demonstrate that expansion per se is not sufficient to cause cell type or disease-specific pathology. Rather, pathology may reflect distinct toxic processes triggered by different repeat lengths across cell types and diseases. We also find that the HTT CAG length-dependent expansion propensity of an individual is reflected in all tissues and in cerebrospinal fluid. Our data indicate that peripheral cells may be a useful source to measure CAG expansion in biomarker assays for therapeutic efforts, prompting efforts to dissect underlying mechanisms of expansion that may differ between the brain and periphery.
Elevated Blood Mitochondrial DNA in Early Life Among Uninfected Children Exposed to Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Combination Antiretroviral Therapy in utero
Authors: Ajaykumar Abhinav , Zhu Mayanne , Kakkar Fatima , Brophy Jason , Bitnun Ari , Alimenti Ariane , Soudeyns Hugo , Saberi Sara , Albert Arianne Y K , Money Deborah M , Côté Hélène C F ,   CIHR Team in Cellular Aging and HIV Comorbidities in Women and Children (Children and Women: AntiRetrovirals and Markers of Aging [CARMA]), Pick Neora , Murray Melanie , Janssen Patricia , Singer Joel , Lapointe Normand , Prior Jerilynn , Silverman Michael , Lou Smith Mary 
Published: July 2020

AbstractBackgroundCombination antiretroviral therapy (cART) during pregnancy prevents vertical transmission, but many antiretrovirals cross the placenta and several can affect mitochondria. Exposure to maternal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and/or cART could have long-term effects on children who are HIV exposed and uninfected (CHEU). Our objective was to compare blood mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content in CHEU and children who are HIV unexposed and uninfected (CHUU), at birth and in early life.MethodsWhole-blood mtDNA content at birth and in early life (age 0–3 years) was compared cross-sectionally between CHEU and CHUU. Longitudinal changes in mtDNA content among CHEU was also evaluated.ResultsAt birth, CHEU status and younger gestational age were associated with higher mtDNA content. These remained independently associated with mtDNA content in multivariable analyses, whether considering all infants, or only those born at term. Longitudinally, CHEU mtDNA levels remained unchanged during the first 6 months of life, and gradually declined thereafter. A separate age- and sex-matched cross-sectional analysis (in 214 CHEU and 214 CHUU) illustrates that the difference in mtDNA between the groups remains detectable throughout the first 3 years of life.ConclusionThe persistently elevated blood mtDNA content observed among CHEU represents a long-term effect, possibly resulting from in utero stresses related to maternal HIV and/or cART. The clinical impact of altered mtDNA levels is unclear.
COVID-19 calls for virtue ethics
Authors: Bellazzi Francesca , Boyneburgk Konrad v 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
The global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has led to the imposition of severely restrictive measures by governments in the Western hemisphere. We feel a contrast between these measures and our freedom. This contrast, we argue, is a false perception. It only appears to us because we look at the issue through our contemporary moral philosophy of utilitarianism and an understanding of freedom as absence of constraints. Both these views can be substituted with more sophisticated alternatives, namely an ethics of virtue and a notion of freedom of the will. These offer a fuller picture of morality and enable us to cooperate with the current restrictions by consciously choosing to adhere to them instead of perceiving them as draconian and immoral. We ask whether we should collaborate with the restrictions and argue that considerations of virtue will lead to an affirmative answer. More broadly, virtue ethics permits to deal with the practical concerns about how an individual should behave during this pandemic, given the current lockdown measures or lack thereof.
In section 1, we present how utilitarianism and a notion of freedom as negative liberty support the opposition to restrictive measures. In section 2, we outline an alternative based on an ethics of virtue and a more elaborated notion of free will. In the concluding section 3, we argue that considerations of virtue should guide the individual and public response to the emergency.
Examining the Functionality of the MATADOC With the CRS-R: A Pilot Study
Authors: Bodine Caitlyn E , Seu Alika , Roth Edward A , Wegener Erin E , Magee Wendy L 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Prolonged disorders of consciousness (PDOC) following acquired brain injury affect a person’s awareness of self and the environment. Motor, communication, sensory, and cognitive deficits challenge assessment. Rigorously tested behavioral assessments, sensitive to detecting awareness, are critical for discerning a prognosis for recovery and access to treatment. The Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) is considered the gold standard in PDOC diagnostic assessments. This study explored preliminary concurrent validity of the Music Therapy Assessment Tool for Awareness in Disorders of Consciousness (MATADOC) with the CRS-R. The MATADOC and CRS-R were administered concurrently to 8 participants utilizing a repeated measures design. Correlations for diagnosis and item functionality were explored between and within the 2 measures. There was an adequate level of agreement between the 2 measures for overall diagnosis. Significant positive correlations were found between measures for all domains utilizing the MATADOC repeated administrations design. Within-measure relationships were significant for each of the auditory and communication domains with diagnosis for both measures, and additionally for each of the visual and arousal domains with diagnosis on the MATADOC. Both measures yielded significant inter-item relationships for auditory–visual domains, communication–visual domains, arousal–auditory domains, and arousal–visual domains. The MATADOC yielded an additional significant correlation for the auditory-communication domains. The findings have positive implications for the MATADOC as a diagnostic measure and companion assessment in cases of questionable diagnosis. Research with a larger sample is warranted. Generally, higher arousal scores on the MATADOC support music as effective in eliciting arousal, giving patients the opportunity to perform at their optimal level of function.
Changes in the home range sizes of terrestrial vertebrates in response to urban disturbance: a meta-analysis
Authors: O’Donnell Kate , delBarco-Trillo Javier 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
The unprecedented growth rate in human population and the increasing movement of people to urban areas is causing a rapid increase in urbanisation globally. Urban environments may restrict or affect the behaviour of many animal species. Importantly, urban populations may change their spatial movement, particularly decreasing their home ranges in response to habitat fragmentation, the presence of landscape barriers and the availability and density of resources. Several species-specific studies suggest that urban animals decrease their home ranges compared with their non-urban counterparts; however, it remained unclear whether this pattern is widespread across taxa or is instead restricted to specific taxonomic groups. Consequently, we conducted a meta-analysis, collecting 41 sets of data comparing home ranges in both natural and urban environments in 32 species of reptiles, birds and mammals. We calculated effect sizes as the difference in animal home range sizes between natural and urban environments. We found that the home ranges were smaller in urban environments compared with natural environments (mean effect size = −0.844), and we observed a similar result when considering birds and mammals separately. We also found that home range sizes were not significantly affected when disturbance in urban areas was minimal, which suggests that many species may be able to tolerate low levels of disturbance without changing their movement patterns. Our study thus indicates that increasing levels of urbanisation restrict the spatial movement of species across taxa; this information is relevant for ecological studies of further urban species as well as for the development of management strategies for urban populations.
Initial results from a real-time FRB search with the GBT
Authors: Agarwal Devansh , Lorimer D R , Surnis M P , Pei X , Karastergiou A , Golpayegani G , Werthimer D , Cobb J , McLaughlin M A , White S , Armour W , MacMahon D H E , Siemion A P V , Foster G 
Published: July 2020

ABSTRACT
We present the data analysis pipeline, commissioning observations, and initial results from the greenburst fast radio burst (FRB) detection system on the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT) previously described by Surnis et al., which uses the 21-cm receiver observing commensally with other projects. The pipeline makes use of a state-of-the-art deep learning classifier to winnow down the very large number of false-positive single-pulse candidates that mostly result from radio frequency interference. In our observations, totalling 156.5 d so far, we have detected individual pulses from 20 known radio pulsars that provide an excellent verification of the system performance. We also demonstrate, through blind injection analyses, that our pipeline is complete down to a signal-to-noise threshold of 12. Depending on the observing mode, this translates into peak flux sensitivities in the range 0.14–0.89 Jy. Although no FRBs have been detected to date, we have used our results to update the analysis of Lawrence et al. to constrain the FRB all-sky rate to be $1150^{+200}_{-180}$ per day above a peak flux density of 1 Jy. We also constrain the source count index α = 0.84 ± 0.06, which indicates that the source count distribution is substantially flatter than expected from a Euclidean distribution of standard candles (where α = 1.5). We discuss this result in the context of the FRB redshift and luminosity distributions. Finally, we make predictions for detection rates with greenburst, as well as other ongoing and planned FRB experiments.
Conceptual Truth, Necessity, and Negation
Authors: Narboux Jean-Philippe 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThroughout his philosophical career, Hilary Putnam was preoccupied with the question of what survives of the traditional notion of a priori truth in light of the recurring historical phenomenon, made prominent by the scientific revolutions of the early decades of the twentieth century, through which “something that was literally inconceivable has turned out to be true” (1962b). Impugning the analytic-synthetic dichotomy, Putnam’s redefinition of “conceptual truth” in terms of “quasi-necessity relative to a conceptual scheme” is meant to accommodate the possibility of transitions of just this sort. In this essay, I trace the origins and development of Putnam’s account of “quasi-necessity.” I try to defend it against some objections naturally arising in connection with the interplay of modality and negation. My main contention is that the main tenets of Putnam’s semantic externalism inform his reconception of conceptual truth, and that they must be recognized to hold of such basic logical notions as those of judgment and negation.
Multiomics profiling of paired primary and recurrent glioblastoma patient tissues
Authors: Dekker Lennard J M , Kannegieter Nynke M , Haerkens Femke , Toth Emma , Kros Johan M , Steenhoff Hov Dag Are , Fillebeen Julien , Verschuren Lars , Leenstra Sieger , Ressa Anna , Luider Theo M 
Published: July 2020

Abstract

Background
Despite maximal therapy with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, glioblastoma (GBM) patients have a median survival of only 15 months. Almost all patients inevitably experience symptomatic tumor recurrence. A hallmark of this tumor type is the large heterogeneity between patients and within tumors itself which relates to the failure of standardized tumor treatment. In this study, tissue samples of paired primary and recurrent GBM tumors were investigated to identify individual factors related to tumor progression.

Methods
Paired primary and recurrent GBM tumor tissues from 8 patients were investigated with a multiomics approach using transcriptomics, proteomics, and phosphoproteomics.

Results
In the studied patient cohort, large variations between and within patients are observed for all omics analyses. A few pathways affected at the different omics levels partly overlapped if patients are analyzed at the individual level, such as synaptogenesis (containing the SNARE complex) and cholesterol metabolism. Phosphoproteomics revealed increased STMN1(S38) phosphorylation as part of ERBB4 signaling. A pathway tool has been developed to visualize and compare different omics datasets per patient and showed potential therapeutic drugs, such as abobotulinumtoxinA (synaptogenesis) and afatinib (ERBB4 signaling). Afatinib is currently in clinical trials for GBM.

Conclusions
A large variation on all omics levels exists between and within GBM patients. Therefore, it will be rather unlikely to find a drug treatment that would fit all patients. Instead, a multiomics approach offers the potential to identify affected pathways on the individual patient level and select treatment options.
Towards understanding residual and dilated dense neural networks via convolutional sparse coding
Authors: Zhang Zhiyang , Zhang Shihua 
Published: July 2020

AbstractConvolutional neural network (CNN) and its variants have led to many state-of-the-art results in various fields. However, a clear theoretical understanding of such networks is still lacking. Recently, a multilayer convolutional sparse coding (ML-CSC) model has been proposed and proved to equal such simply stacked networks (plain networks). Here, we consider the initialization, the dictionary design and the number of iterations to be factors in each layer that greatly affect the performance of the ML-CSC model. Inspired by these considerations, we propose two novel multilayer models: the residual convolutional sparse coding (Res-CSC) model and the mixed-scale dense convolutional sparse coding (MSD-CSC) model. They are closely related to the residual neural network (ResNet) and the mixed-scale (dilated) dense neural network (MSDNet), respectively. Mathematically, we derive the skip connection in the ResNet as a special case of a new forward propagation rule for the ML-CSC model. We also find a theoretical interpretation of dilated convolution and dense connection in the MSDNet by analyzing the MSD-CSC model, which gives a clear mathematical understanding of each. We implement the iterative soft thresholding algorithm and its fast version to solve the Res-CSC and MSD-CSC models. The unfolding operation can be employed for further improvement. Finally, extensive numerical experiments and comparison with competing methods demonstrate their effectiveness.