| 1. |
- Levitis, E, et al.
(author)
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Centering inclusivity in the design of online conferences-An OHBM-Open Science perspective
- 2021
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In: GigaScience. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 2047-217X. ; 10:8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- As the global health crisis unfolded, many academic conferences moved online in 2020. This move has been hailed as a positive step towards inclusivity in its attenuation of economic, physical, and legal barriers and effectively enabled many individuals from groups that have traditionally been underrepresented to join and participate. A number of studies have outlined how moving online made it possible to gather a more global community and has increased opportunities for individuals with various constraints, e.g., caregiving responsibilities.Yet, the mere existence of online conferences is no guarantee that everyone can attend and participate meaningfully. In fact, many elements of an online conference are still significant barriers to truly diverse participation: the tools used can be inaccessible for some individuals; the scheduling choices can favour some geographical locations; the set-up of the conference can provide more visibility to well-established researchers and reduce opportunities for early-career researchers. While acknowledging the benefits of an online setting, especially for individuals who have traditionally been underrepresented or excluded, we recognize that fostering social justice requires inclusivity to actively be centered in every aspect of online conference design.Here, we draw from the literature and from our own experiences to identify practices that purposefully encourage a diverse community to attend, participate in, and lead online conferences. Reflecting on how to design more inclusive online events is especially important as multiple scientific organizations have announced that they will continue offering an online version of their event when in-person conferences can resume.
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| 2. |
- Kurth, F, et al.
(author)
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Large-scale analysis of structural brain asymmetries during neurodevelopment : Associations with age and sex in 4265 children and adolescents.
- 2024
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In: Human Brain Mapping. - 1065-9471 .- 1097-0193. ; 45:11, s. e26754-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Only a small number of studies have assessed structural differences between the two hemispheres during childhood and adolescence. However, the existing findings lack consistency or are restricted to a particular brain region, a specific brain feature, or a relatively narrow age range. Here, we investigated associations between brain asymmetry and age as well as sex in one of the largest pediatric samples to date (n = 4265), aged 1-18 years, scanned at 69 sites participating in the ENIGMA (Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis) consortium. Our study revealed that significant brain asymmetries already exist in childhood, but their magnitude and direction depend on the brain region examined and the morphometric measurement used (cortical volume or thickness, regional surface area, or subcortical volume). With respect to effects of age, some asymmetries became weaker over time while others became stronger; sometimes they even reversed direction. With respect to sex differences, the total number of regions exhibiting significant asymmetries was larger in females than in males, while the total number of measurements indicating significant asymmetries was larger in males (as we obtained more than one measurement per cortical region). The magnitude of the significant asymmetries was also greater in males. However, effect sizes for both age effects and sex differences were small. Taken together, these findings suggest that cerebral asymmetries are an inherent organizational pattern of the brain that manifests early in life. Overall, brain asymmetry appears to be relatively stable throughout childhood and adolescence, with some differential effects in males and females.
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| 3. |
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| 5. |
- Husser, D, et al.
(author)
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Determinants and prognostic significance of immediate atrial fibrillation recurrence following cardioversion in patients undergoing pulmonary vein isolation
- 2005
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In: PACE. - : Wiley. - 1540-8159. ; 28:2, s. 119-125
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Immediate recurrence of atrial fibrillation (IRAF) occurs frequently after electrical cardioversion, its electrophysiological determinants and prognostic significance hove, however, not been studied in detail. This Study aimed to explore (1) the association of IRAF with clinical characteristics, pulmonary vein (PV) arrhythmogenicity as well as atrial electrophysiologic properties and (2) the prognostic significance of IRAF for outcome of PV isolation for atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods and Results: The subjects of this study were 41 consecutive patients (30 males, 11 females) who underwent PV isolation for drug-refroctory AF. Following successful initial cordioversion, 19 patients (46%) had IRAF within 2 minutes. Coupling intervals of AF reinitiating beats arising from PVs were shorter (386 +/- 39 vs 490 +/- 136 ms, P=0.008) and prematurity indices (0.38 +/- 0.06 vs 0.51 +/- 0.12, P=0.01) smaller than those of premature beats not initiating AF Patients with IRAF had more frequently AF duration <1 month, a longer P-wave duration, and a longer mid coronary sinus AF cycle length. Multivariate regression analysis revealed coronary sinus AF cycle length ( beta = 0.186, P=0.049), which was closely correlated with conduction time along the coronary sinus (R = 0.716, P = 0.003) to be independently associated with IRAF While early AF recurrence rate (within the first 5 days) following the procedure was higher in the IRAF group (53 vs 18%, P = 0.02), outcome was not different between the two groups thereafter. Conclusions: (1) IRAF is common in patients undergoing PV isolotion for AF, (2) is initiated by premature atrial beats with short coupling intervals, and (3) seems to be associated with conduction disturbances along the coronary sinus. It reflects susceptibility of arrhythmia recurrence within the first 5 days after the procedure, but not thereafter.
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| 6. |
- Husser, Daniela, et al.
(author)
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Electrocardiographic characteristics of fibrillatory waves in new-onset atrial fibrillation
- 2007
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In: Europace. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1532-2092. ; 9:8, s. 638-642
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims In atrial. fibrillation (AF), fibrillatory waves of surface electrocardiograms (ECG) vary among patients with respect to waveform and repetition rate. The purpose of this study was to (i) explore clinical determinants of new-onset AF and (ii) determine prognostic significance to predict initial treatment outcome of electrocardiographic fibrillatory wave characteristics in new-onset AF Methods and results Twenty-five patients (15 mate, mean age 69 +/- 16 years) with new-onset AF (median AF duration 8 days) were studied. Fibrillatory rate and exponential decay defined as decay of the curve that connects power maxima of dominant and harmonic frequency components were obtained by spatiotemporal. QRST cancellation and time-frequency analysis of the index ECG (before treatment initiation). Baseline AF rate was 380 +/- 50 fibrillations per minute (fpm) (range 222-494); patients' age (beta = - 1.747, P = 0.003) and AF duration (beta = 0.726, P = 0.036) were independently related with fibrillatory rate. AF terminated within 24 h in seven patients, while it was persistent in the other 18 patients. Terminating AF had lower atrial. rate (333 +/- 66 vs. 398 +/- 40 fpm, P = 0.005) and exponential decay (1.03 +/- 0.36 vs. 1.40 +/- 0.37, P = 0.041) than persisting AF Multivariate analysis revealed fibrillatory rate to be the only independent predictor of AF termination or persistence (p = 0.031, P = 0.031). Sensitivity and specificity for predicting AF termination were strongly related to fibrillatory rate (area under the curve = 0.817). Sensitivity and specificity were 89% and 71% for a fibrillatory rate of 355 fpm. Conclusions Fibrillatory rates vary substantially among patients to new-onset AF and are related to patients' age and AF duration. Lower fibrillatory rates indicate higher chances of spontaneous AF termination within 24 h.
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| 7. |
- Haas, Brian J., et al.
(author)
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Genome sequence and analysis of the Irish potato famine pathogen Phytophthora infestans
- 2009
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 461:7262, s. 393-398
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Phytophthora infestans is the most destructive pathogen of potato and a model organism for the oomycetes, a distinct lineage of fungus-like eukaryotes that are related to organisms such as brown algae and diatoms. As the agent of the Irish potato famine in the mid-nineteenth century, P. infestans has had a tremendous effect on human history, resulting in famine and population displacement(1). To this day, it affects world agriculture by causing the most destructive disease of potato, the fourth largest food crop and a critical alternative to the major cereal crops for feeding the world's population(1). Current annual worldwide potato crop losses due to late blight are conservatively estimated at $6.7 billion(2). Management of this devastating pathogen is challenged by its remarkable speed of adaptation to control strategies such as genetically resistant cultivars(3,4). Here we report the sequence of the P. infestans genome, which at similar to 240 megabases (Mb) is by far the largest and most complex genome sequenced so far in the chromalveolates. Its expansion results from a proliferation of repetitive DNA accounting for similar to 74% of the genome. Comparison with two other Phytophthora genomes showed rapid turnover and extensive expansion of specific families of secreted disease effector proteins, including many genes that are induced during infection or are predicted to have activities that alter host physiology. These fast-evolving effector genes are localized to highly dynamic and expanded regions of the P. infestans genome. This probably plays a crucial part in the rapid adaptability of the pathogen to host plants and underpins its evolutionary potential.
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| 8. |
- Husser, Daniela, et al.
(author)
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Validation and clinical application of time-frequency analysis of atrial fibrillation electrocardiograms
- 2007
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In: Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology. - : Wiley. - 1540-8167 .- 1045-3873. ; 18:1, s. 41-46
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction: Fibrillatory rates can reliably be obtained from surface ECGs during atrial fibrillation (AF) and correspond with right atrial (RA) and coronary sinus (CS) rates, while both the relation with pulmonary venous (PV) rates and determinants of fibrillatory waveform are unknown. Class III antiarrhythmic drugs prolong atrial refractoriness and decrease its dispersion, effects that may be reflected in ECG parameters. Consequently, this study sought (1) to investigate the relation between ECG fibrillatory rate and waveform characteristics with intraatrial/PV fibrillatory activity and (2) to noninvasively monitor class III antiarrhythmic drug effects in patients with AF. Methods and Results: Thirty-six patients with drug-refractory AF who underwent catheter-based pulmonary vein isolation and had AF at the beginning of the procedure were studied. A positive correlation between V1 rates obtained by time-frequency analysis and RA (R = 0.97, P < 0.001), CS (R = .71, P < 0.001), and PV rates (R = 0.65, P = 0.001) was found. Exponential decay defined as decay of the curve that connects power maxima of dominant and harmonic frequency components correlated with RA rate dispersion (R = 0.53, P = 0.004). In amiodarone-treated patients (n = 7), V1 rate (286 +/- 64 vs. 371 +/- 40 fpm, P < 0.001) and exponential decay (1.06 +/- 0.29 vs. 1.38 +/- 0.38, P = 0.034) were lower than in patients without amiodarone (n = 29). In 19 additional patients with persistent AF, oral dofetilide treatment decreased mean fibrillatory rate from 377 +/- 57 to 294 +/- 50 fpm (P < 0.001) and exponential decay from 1.24 +/- 0.43 to 0.85 +/- 0.22 (P = 0.002). Conclusions: Fibrillatory waves of surface ECG lead V1 closely reflect right atrial, and, to a lesser degree, left atrial activity. Time-frequency analysis allows noninvasive monitoring of antiarrhythmic drug effects on fibrillatory rate and waveform.
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| 9. |
- Richter, Ulrike, et al.
(author)
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Wavefront detection from intra-atrial recordings
- 2007
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In: Computers in Cardiology. - 0276-6574. - 9781424425334 ; 34, s. 97-100
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The present study deals with detection of intra-atrial wavefronts from atrial activation times in adjacent bipolar electrograms. A statistic of the delays within each wave-front was calculated and served as a basis for quantifying the wavefront consistency as well as the propagation of the electrical activity along the catheter. The database consisted of 19 patients for which five electrograms were recorded simultaneously during 10 s. The analysis resulted in 38plusmn2 complete wavefronts per patient, i.e., wavefronts consisting of one activation from each recording site. Two parameters were evaluated for quantifying wavefront consistency, which together with the propagation profile well reflect the overall wavefront timing. In most cases, electrical activity was observed first in the high septal right atrium, and then spread along the catheter.
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| 10. |
- Rosano, Giuseppe M. C., et al.
(author)
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Impact analysis of heart failure across European countries : an ESC-HFA position paper
- 2022
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In: ESC Heart Failure. - : Wiley Periodicals Inc. - 2055-5822. ; 9:5, s. 2767-2778
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Heart failure (HF) is a long-term clinical syndrome, with increasing prevalence and considerable healthcare costs that are further expected to increase dramatically. Despite significant advances in therapy and prevention, mortality and morbidity remain high and quality of life poor. Epidemiological data, that is, prevalence, incidence, mortality, and morbidity, show geographical variations across the European countries, depending on differences in aetiology, clinical characteristics, and treatment. However, data on the prevalence of the disease are scarce, as are those on quality of life. For these reasons, the ESC-HFA has developed a position paper to comprehensively assess our understanding of the burden of HF in Europe, in order to guide future policies for this syndrome. This manuscript will discuss the available epidemiological data on HF prevalence, outcomes, and human costs-in terms of quality of life-in European countries.
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| 11. |
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