bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Validity of Perceptual Recovery Status on Monitoring Recovery During a High-Intensity Back-Squat Session
Authors: Buoncristiani Nicholas A. , Malone Grant , Stone Whitley J. , Arnett Scott , Schafer Mark A. , Tolusso Danilo V.
Published: December 2023

Adaptations to resistance training and subsequent performance can be undermined by inadequate interset recovery. Methods typically used to monitor recovery were developed for longitudinal use, making them time-inefficient within singular exercise bouts. If valid, perceptual recovery status (PRS) may be used as an efficient and inexpensive assessment tool to monitor individual recovery. Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the validity of PRS on monitoring recovery during a high-intensity back-squat session. Methods: Ten healthy men participated in the 2-session study (separated by at least 48 h). Session 1 included anthropometrics, PRS familiarization, and a 1-repetition-maximum back squat. Session 2 included a high-intensity protocol (5 sets of 5 repetitions; 5-min interset recovery; 85% of 1-repetition maximum). PRS was obtained before the first set and during the last 30 seconds of each 5-minute recovery; rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was also collected. A linear position transducer collected mean barbell velocity (MBV). Repeated-measures correlations assessed the common intraindividual relationships of PRS scores to intraset MBV and RPE, respectively. Results: A very large, positive correlation appeared between PRS and MBV (r [95% CI] = .778 [.613 to .878]; P < .0001). A large, negative correlation emerged between PRS and RPE (r [95% CI] = −.549 [−.737 to −.282]; P < .001). Conclusions: Results indicate that PRS can be a means for practitioners to monitor individualized recovery. PRS tracked well with RPE, strengthening its utility in a practitioner-based setting. Findings provide insight into the practicality of PRS for recovery monitoring. It could be used alongside other measures (eg, MBV and countermovement jump) to individually program and maintain performance.
Association of Sitting Time With All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality: How Does Frailty Modify This Association?
Authors: Diaz-Toro Felipe , Nazzal Nazal Carolina , Nazar Gabriela , Diaz-Martinez Ximena , Concha-Cisternas Yeny , Celis-Morales Carlos , Petermann-Rocha Fanny
Published: December 2023

To investigate how frailty modifies the association of sitting time with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in Chilean adults. This prospective study included 2,604 participants aged ≥35 from the Chilean National Health Survey 2009–2010. Sitting time was self-reported, while frailty was assessed using a 36-item Frailty Index. Sitting time was categorized as low, medium, and high. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the risk of mortality stratified for the sitting time categories. Over a median follow-up of 8.9 years, 311 participants died, 28% of them due to cardiovascular events. Frail people with prolonged sitting time were at higher risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio 3.13; 95% confidence interval [2.06, 4.71] and hazard ratio 2.41; 95% confidence interval [1.50, 3.64], respectively). The observed risk was higher in women than men. Public health and individual strategies should be implemented to decrease sitting time across the population, with special attention on frail people.
Association Between Typologies of Sedentary Behavior and Muscle Strength, Gait Speed, and Balance in Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Authors: Cândido Letícia Martins , de Avelar Núbia Carelli Pereira , D’Orsi Eleonora , Lacerda Ana Cristina Rodrigues , Mendonça Vanessa Amaral , Tringali Gabriella , Sartorio Alessandro , Danielewicz Ana Lúcia
Published: December 2023

Knowledge of how the different types of sedentary behaviors (SB) are associated with functional limitations can guide professionals who work with older adults on better recommendations about the amount of daily time that should be encouraged in each type of SB. The objective was to estimate the associations between two SB typologies (SB television [TV] and SB computer/internet) and the presence of handgrip strength, lower limb strength, gait speed, and balance limitations in Brazilian community-dwelling older adults. This is a cross-sectional study with 1,298 community-dwelling older adults (≥60 years). SB was assessed by self-reporting daily time spent watching TV or using computer/internet (categorized into <2, 3–4, and ≥5 hr/day). Outcomes were handgrip strength, lower limb strength, gait speed, and balance limitations considering referenced cutoff points. Older adults in SB TV ≥5 hr/day had 1.75 (95% confidence interval [CI] [1.07, 2.86]) and 1.88 (95% CI [1.02, 3.46]) times more chances of handgrip strength and gait speed limitations, respectively. On the other hand, those who spent 3–4 and ≥5 hr/day in SB computer/internet had 0.45 (95% CI [0.20, 0.99]) and 0.37 (95% CI [0.15, 0.93]) had less chances of lower limb strength and balance limitations, respectively. In conclusion, functional limitations would be associated differently depending on the type of SB in the older adults sampled.
Is There a Global Narrative for Kinesiology?
Authors: Macdonald Doune , Jacobs Ira , Tsung-Min Ernest , Fasting Kari
Published: December 2023

At the National Academy of Kinesiology’s annual meeting in 2023, four International Fellows shared their insights into whether there is a global narrative for kinesiology. Panelists comprising Fasting (Norwegian, sport sociology), Jacobs (Canadian, exercise physiologist), Macdonald (Australian, pedagogy), and Tsung-Min Hung (Taiwanese, sport and exercise psychology) spanned both subdisciplines and continents. This paper represents a synthesis of their thinking, complemented with more incidental views from a range of scholars who accepted an invitation from Macdonald to contribute brief perspectives. Framing the paper are the concepts of globalization and its tethered process of neoliberalization, the latter argued to be a dominant ideology in many Western democracies that shapes the priorities of educational institutions. We conclude that the term “kinesiology” is not universally deployed to reference the discipline, although global narratives related to program priorities, knowledge status, metrics, and professionalization in the four continents represented exist.
Motivations and Barriers to Leisure-Time Physical Activity Among Rural Women of Gipuzkoa
Authors: Eizagirre-Sagastibeltza Olaia , Fernandez-Lasa Uxue , Usabiaga Oidui
Published: December 2023

Women do less physical activity than men, and physical inactivity among women is higher during active years (ages 18–65). In addition, women residing in rural areas do less physical activity than those living in urban areas. The aim of this study was to analyze the habits, motivations, and barriers linked to leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) among women of rural areas of Gipuzkoa (Basque Country, Spain), from a socioecological and feminist approach. Two hundred and ninety-six rural women from Gipuzkoa, aged 18–65 (41.1 ± 11.2), answered the Gipuzkoa Women’s Physical Activity Questionnaire. Pearson’s chi-square test and independent samples test were used to compare the responses between the active and inactive groups. 62.8% of the participants were active, while 37.2% were inactive. In terms of intrapersonal factors, being fit was the main motivation for doing LTPA, and lack of time was the main barrier. Among the interpersonal factors, the main motivation was being in contact with friends and people they enjoyed, and the main barrier was not having someone to go with. Motherhood was not an impediment to do LTPA, and the support received from partners, family, and friends made it easier for the subjects to remain active. The influence of the physical environment and sociocultural factors was small, with the COVID-19 confinement being the main reason motivating LTPA, and the weather the main barrier. There are multiple factors that affect LTPA among rural women, and it is important to consider this collective’s diversity in order to promote healthy lifestyle habits.
Chromosome 8p engineering reveals increased metastatic potential targetable by patient-specific synthetic lethality in liver cancer
Authors: Huth Thorben , Dreher Emely C. , Lemke Steffen , Fritzsche Sarah , Sugiyanto Raisatun N. , Castven Darko , Ibberson David , Sticht Carsten , Eiteneuer Eva , Jauch Anna , Pusch Stefan , Albrecht Thomas , Goeppert Benjamin , Candia Julián , Wang Xin Wei , Ji Junfang , Marquardt Jens U. , Nahnsen Sven , Schirmacher Peter , Roessler Stephanie
Published: December 2023

Large-scale chromosomal aberrations are prevalent in human cancer, but their function remains poorly understood. We established chromosome-engineered hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing. A 33–mega–base pair region on chromosome 8p (chr8p) was heterozygously deleted, mimicking a frequently observed chromosomal deletion. Using this isogenic model system, we delineated the functional consequences of chr8p loss and its impact on metastatic behavior and patient survival. We found that metastasis-associated genes on chr8p act in concert to induce an aggressive and invasive phenotype characteristic for chr8p-deleted tumors. Genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 viability screening in isogenic chr8p-deleted cells served as a powerful tool to find previously unidentified synthetic lethal targets and vulnerabilities accompanying patient-specific chromosomal alterations. Using this target identification strategy, we showed that chr8p deletion sensitizes tumor cells to targeting of the reactive oxygen sanitizing enzyme Nudix hydrolase 17. Thus, chromosomal engineering allowed for the identification of novel synthetic lethalities specific to chr8p loss of heterozygosity.
Flow in fetoplacental-like microvessels in vitro enhances perfusion, barrier function, and matrix stability
Authors: Cherubini Marta , Erickson Scott , Padmanaban Prasanna , Haberkant Per , Stein Frank , Beltran-Sastre Violeta , Haase Kristina
Published: December 2023

Proper placental vascularization is vital for pregnancy outcomes, but assessing it with animal models and human explants has limitations. We introduce a 3D in vitro model of human placenta terminal villi including fetal mesenchyme and vascular endothelium. By coculturing HUVEC, placental fibroblasts, and pericytes in a macrofluidic chip with a flow reservoir, we generate fully perfusable fetal microvessels. Pressure-driven flow facilitates microvessel growth and remodeling, resulting in early formation of interconnected and lasting placental-like vascular networks. Computational fluid dynamics simulations predict shear forces, which increase microtissue stiffness, decrease diffusivity, and enhance barrier function as shear stress rises. Mass spectrometry analysis reveals enhanced protein expression with flow, including matrix stability regulators, proteins associated with actin dynamics, and cytoskeleton organization. Our model provides a powerful tool for deducing complex in vivo parameters, such as shear stress on developing vascularized placental tissue, and holds promise for unraveling gestational disorders related to the vasculature.
Exocrine gland–resident memory CD8
+
T cells use mechanosensing for tissue surveillance
Authors: Ruef Nora , Martínez Magdaleno Jose , Ficht Xenia , Purvanov Vladimir , Palayret Matthieu , Wissmann Stefanie , Pfenninger Petra , Stolp Bettina , Thelen Flavian , Barreto de Albuquerque Juliana , Germann Philipp , Sharpe James , Abe Jun , Legler Daniel F. , Stein Jens V.
Published: December 2023

Tissue-resident CD8
+
T cells (T
RM
) continuously scan peptide-MHC (pMHC) complexes in their organ of residence to intercept microbial invaders. Recent data showed that T
RM
lodged in exocrine glands scan tissue in the absence of any chemoattractant or adhesion receptor signaling, thus bypassing the requirement for canonical migration-promoting factors. The signals eliciting this noncanonical motility and its relevance for organ surveillance have remained unknown. Using mouse models of viral infections, we report that exocrine gland T
RM
autonomously generated front-to-back F-actin flow for locomotion, accompanied by high cortical actomyosin contractility, and leading-edge bleb formation. The distinctive mode of exocrine gland T
RM
locomotion was triggered by sensing physical confinement and was closely correlated with nuclear deformation, which acts as a mechanosensor via an arachidonic acid and Ca
2+
signaling pathway. By contrast, naïve CD8
+
T cells or T
RM
surveilling microbe-exposed epithelial barriers did not show mechanosensing capacity. Inhibition of nuclear mechanosensing disrupted exocrine gland T
RM
scanning and impaired their ability to intercept target cells. These findings indicate that confinement is sufficient to elicit autonomous T cell surveillance in glands with restricted chemokine expression and constitutes a scanning strategy that complements chemosensing-dependent migration.
Wheat fungal endophyte communities are inseparable from the host and influence plant development
Authors: Sharon Or , Kagan-Trushina Naomi , Sharon Amir
Published: December 2023

The native microbiome in a given plant must be considered when evaluating the effect of a single taxon or synthetic community. The pre-existing microbiome can interact with artificially added microbial cargo, which affects the final outcome. Such issues can be at least partially solved by the use of endophyte-free plants, which provide a clean background that should be useful in determining the effect of a single taxon, taxa combinations, or the entire microbiome on plant performance. Previous reports regarded plants as endophyte-free or axenic by the lack of fungal growth on culture media or the generation of plants from tissue cultures. We showed here that while fungi could not be isolated from fungicide-treated or tissue culture-regenerated plants, nevertheless, all plants contained rich fungal endophyte communities; namely, it was impossible to create fungi-free wheat plants. Our results call for rethinking fundamental microbiome-related concepts, such as core taxa, transmission mode, and functional species.
U-Pb geochronology and petrography of Neoproterozoic to early Cambrian volcanic rocks in basement crustal terranes beneath the deep-water Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Mallis Jillian D. , Zemlicka George , Antonijevic Sanja Knezevic , Lapen Thomas J. , Costin Gelu , Campbell Tania
Published: December 2023

Though the Gulf of Mexico has been studied for more than a century, the lithology, age, and origin of the basement crustal terranes remain poorly understood. New U-Pb zircon ages of a volcanic sample in the DeSoto Canyon 535 #1 Raptor well were obtained by in situ laser-ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and resulted in a crystallization age of 509 ± 23 Ma, indicating the crustal terrane beneath the northeastern Gulf of Mexico is likely of peri-Gondwanan affinity. This basement may be associated with the felsic volcanism related to Neoproterozoic to Cambrian subduction along the supercontinent’s western margin. This subduction-related volcanism likely represents the last pulses of magmatic activity before the west coast of Gondwana transitioned into a passive margin ca. 500 Ma. The data presented here for the DeSoto Canyon 535 #1 Raptor trachyte represent the oldest radiometrically dated evidence of volcanism in the present-day deep-water Gulf of Mexico.
Interplay of sociodemographic factors and antenatal care attendance with free maternal care policy: a case study of Ghana
Authors: Boadi Caleb , Osei Bonsu Emmanuel , Okeke Sylvester Reuben , Boadu Elijah Frimpong , Addo Isaac Yeboah
Published: December 2023

Introduction

The Free Maternal Care Policy (FMCP) was introduced in Ghana around 2008 as part of the government’s efforts to improve maternal and child health outcomes in the country. The policy was aimed at increasing access to antenatal care (ANC) services and reducing financial barriers to antenatal healthcare utilisation. Despite the expected success of the FMCP, there is limited evidence regarding its impact on the frequency of ANC visits across different sociodemographic groups of women in Ghana. This study examined associations between sociodemographic and health-related factors and the frequency of ANC attendance while considering the implementation period of the FMCP in Ghana as a fundamental reference point.

Methods

This quantitative study used Ghana’s Demographic and Health Survey datasets on pregnant women’s ANC visits for 2003, 2008 and 2014 (N=15 408). Logistic regression and descriptive analyses were conducted using Stata/SE V.14.

Results

Findings showed a slight fluctuation in the level of ANC visits before and after the introduction of the FMCP in Ghana. This fluctuation may indicate that ANC service cost as a barrier to ANC visits may not be the only factor affecting ANC utilisation among pregnant women in Ghana. Our results showed that women’s lack of autonomy to make health-related decisions affected their ANC service utilisation, particularly in 2008. In addition, we found that educational attainment, being wealthy and urban residency were also significantly associated with ANC service utilisation among pregnant women in Ghana, particularly, in 2003. Women’s anaemic levels were significantly associated with their likelihood of attending ANC services in 2003 and 2014.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the FMCP may have had a discernible effect on the utilisation of ANC services in Ghana. However, other significant confounding factors may be influencing the ongoing use of ANC services in this setting.
Dying in a terminal society: a response to Maung
Authors: Hudson Harry
Published: December 2023

Maung argues that an externalist understanding of mental disorder exposes how, if society was more just for the most deprived, patterns of access to assisted dying might be different. I counter that reducing inequality lacks relevance to the immediate permissibility of assisted dying for mental disorder, owing to the need for solutions for those in distress. I suggest that the question of assistance in death for mental disorders is one of pragmatic politics, not for obfuscatory philosophy.
Modelling diameter at breast height distribution of jack pine and black spruce natural stands in eastern Canada
Authors: Rijal Baburam , Sharma Mahadev
Published: December 2023

Individual tree diameter at breast height (DBH) distribution is an important information for forest management planning. Forest managers obtain the DBH data either by field measurements or estimations using predictive models. However, probability distribution models are still lacking or need improvement. Therefore, we aimed to construct and fit diameter distribution models that reflect forest structure and composition change. We evaluated gamma, log-normal, and Weibull probability distribution functions (PDFs) for two commercially important tree species, black spruce ( Picea mariana (Mill) B.S.P.) and jack pine ( Pinus banksiana Lamb), grown in natural stands across Ontario, Canada. We modelled the parameters of the distributions as a function of stand-level variables for these species. We used DBH data from 735 permanent sample plots. Our results showed that all three evaluated PDFs reflected observed DBH distribution. We demonstrated that the moment-based recovered parameters could represent the maximum likelihood-estimated parameters precisely, and parameters of the PDFs can be modelled as a function of stand-level dynamic covariates. The models unbiasedly predicted the PDF parameters DBH means and DBH classes. The R2 of the model fit ranged between 0.35 and 0.98 for the predicted parameters and 0.90 and 0.97 for the predicted DBH.
Exploration history of the igneous reservoirs of the Rio Grande Valley (Mendoza), Neuquén Basin (Argentina)
Authors: Rebori Luis Osvaldo , Barrionuevo Marcelo Fabio , Palma Joaquin Octavio , Medialdea Adrian
Published: December 2023

Oil seeps related to igneous rocks in the Neuquén Basin have been known since pre-Hispanic times (sixteenth century) and have been explored in the southern Mendoza province since the late nineteenth century. In the 1980s, YPF (Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales) began the exploration of igneous rocks as hydrocarbon reservoirs in the Río Grande Valley area. The possible productivity of these ‘unconventional’ reservoirs was recognized by studying outcrops and well data of sills and dykes emplaced in different formations of the fold and thrust belt of the northern Neuquén Basin. Mud-logging control and evaluations with drill stem tests (DST) were decisive to define these reservoirs as prospective. From petrographical reports on samples from outcrops and cores, six lithological types could be distinguished in the igneous units of this region. Recent works confirm that this volcanism belongs to two predominant cycles: from the late Oligocene to the Miocene (‘Molle’) and from the Middle to upper Miocene (‘Huincán’). Although in igneous reservoirs it is difficult to forecast the estimated ultimate recovery (EUR), sills that crosscut the source rocks of the Vaca Muerta and Agrio formations demonstrate surprisingly high production rates, although the number of wells for the complete development is always difficult to establish.
Addressing Heterogeneity in Federated Learning with Client Selection via Submodular Optimization
Authors: Zhang Jinghui , Wang Jiawei , Li Yaning , Xin Fa , Dong Fang , Luo Junzhou , Wu Zhihua
Published: December 2023

Federated learning (FL) has been proposed as a privacy-preserving distributed learning paradigm, which differs from traditional distributed learning in two main aspects: the systems heterogeneity, meaning that clients participating in training have significant differences in systems performance including CPU frequency, dataset size, and transmission power, and the statistical heterogeneity, indicating that the data distribution among clients exhibits Non-Independent Identical Distribution. Therefore, the random selection of clients will significantly reduce the training efficiency of FL. In this article, we propose a client selection mechanism considering both systems and statistical heterogeneity, which aims to improve the time-to-accuracy performance by trading off the impact of systems performance differences and data distribution differences among the clients on training efficiency. First, client selection is formulated as a combinatorial optimization problem that jointly optimizes systems and statistical performance. Then, we generalize it to a submodular maximization problem with knapsack constraint, and propose the Iterative Greedy with Partial Enumeration (IGPE) algorithm to greedily select the suitable clients. Then, the approximation ratio of IGPE is analyzed theoretically. Extensive experiments verify that the time-to-accuracy performance of the IGPE algorithm outperforms other compared algorithms in a variety of heterogeneous environments.
Understanding Developers Well-Being and Productivity: A 2-year Longitudinal Analysis during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Russo Daniel , Hanel Paul H. P. , van Berkel Niels
Published: December 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant and enduring shifts in various aspects of life, including increased flexibility in work arrangements. In a longitudinal study, spanning 24 months with six measurement points from April 2020 to April 2022, we explore changes in well-being, productivity, social contacts, and needs of software engineers during this time. Our findings indicate systematic changes in various variables. For example, well-being and quality of social contacts increased while emotional loneliness decreased as lockdown measures were relaxed. Conversely, people’s boredom and productivity remained stable. Furthermore, a preliminary investigation into the future of work at the end of the pandemic revealed a consensus among developers for a preference of hybrid work arrangements. We also discovered that prior job changes and low job satisfaction were consistently linked to intentions to change jobs if current work conditions do not meet developers’ needs. This highlights the need for software organizations to adapt to various work arrangements to remain competitive employers. Building upon our findings and the existing literature, we introduce the Integrated Job Demands-Resources and Self-Determination (IJARS) Model as a comprehensive framework to explain the well-being and productivity of software engineers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
FairGap: Fairness-Aware Recommendation via Generating Counterfactual Graph
Authors: Chen Wei , Wu Yiqing , Zhang Zhao , Zhuang Fuzhen , He Zhongshi , Xie Ruobing , Xia Feng
Published: December 2023

The emergence of Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) has greatly advanced the development of recommendation systems. Recently, many researchers have leveraged GNN-based models to learn fair representations for users and items. However, current GNN-based models suffer from biased user–item interaction data, which negatively impacts recommendation fairness. Although there have been several studies employing adversarial learning to mitigate this issue in recommendation systems, they mostly focus on modifying the model training approach with fairness regularization and neglect direct intervention of biased interaction. In contrast to these models, this article introduces a novel perspective by directly intervening in observed interactions to generate a counterfactual graph (called FairGap) that is not influenced by sensitive node attributes, enabling us to learn fair representations for users and items easily. We design FairGap to answer the key counterfactual question: “Would interactions with an item remain unchanged if a user’s sensitive attributes were concealed?”. We also provide theoretical proofs to show that our learning strategy via the counterfactual graph is unbiased in expectation. Moreover, we propose a fairness-enhancing mechanism to continuously improve user fairness in the graph-based recommendation. Extensive experimental results against state-of-the-art competitors and base models on three real-world datasets validate the effectiveness of our proposed model.
Graph-based Text Classification by Contrastive Learning with Text-level Graph Augmentation
Authors: Li Ximing , Wang Bing , Wang Yang , Wang Meng
Published: December 2023

Text Classification (TC) is a fundamental task in the information retrieval community. Nowadays, the mainstay TC methods are built on the deep neural networks, which can learn much more discriminative text features than the traditional shallow learning methods. Among existing deep TC methods, the ones based on Graph Neural Network (GNN) have attracted more attention due to the superior performance. Technically, the GNN-based TC methods mainly transform the full training dataset to a graph of texts; however, they often neglect the dependency between words, so as to miss potential semantic information of texts, which may be significant to exactly represent them. To solve the aforementioned problem, we generate graphs of words instead, so as to capture the dependency information of words. Specifically, each text is translated into a graph of words, where neighboring words are linked. We learn the node features of words by a GNN-like procedure and then aggregate them as the graph feature to represent the current text. To further improve the text representations, we suggest a contrastive learning regularization term. Specifically, we generate two augmented text graphs for each original text graph, we constrain the representations of the two augmented graphs from the same text close and the ones from different texts far away. We propose various techniques to generate the augmented graphs. Upon those ideas, we develop a novel deep TC model, namely Text-level Graph Networks with Contrastive Learning (TGN
cl
). We conduct a number of experiments to evaluate the proposed TGN
cl
model. The empirical results demonstrate that TGN
cl
can outperform the existing state-of-the-art TC models.
Comprehensive left atrial flow component analysis reveals abnormal flow patterns in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation
Authors: Bäck Sophia , Lantz Jonas , Skoda Iulia , Henriksson Lilian , Persson Anders , Karlsson Lars O. , Carlhäll Carl-Johan , Ebbers Tino
Published: December 2023

We developed a new comprehensive approach to atrial blood component analysis that includes both conduit flow and residual volume and compared the flow components of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients in sinus rhythm with controls. Conduit and reservoir flow were similar between the groups, whereas components with longer residence time in the left atrium were increased in the AF group. This could add to the pathophysiological understanding of atrial diseases and possibly clinical management.
Effects of Drug Price Changes on Patient Expenditure: Evidence from China’s Zero Markup Drug Policy
Authors: Chu Shuai , Liu Xiangbo , Tang Daisheng
Published: December 2023

Global society is dedicated to lowering healthcare costs. In China, the rapid growth in drug expenditure has been a major factor in the surge in patient expenditure. To alleviate the negative effect of this phenomenon, China launched the zero markup drug policy (ZMDP) in 2009. However, there is limited direct evidence of its effectiveness in reducing patient costs. Using claims data from January 2012 through May 2016 for enrollees in China’s New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (NRCMS) in 25 counties, we investigated the changes in patient expenditure before and after the ZMDP’s implementation. We found that the ZMDP significantly reduced outpatients’ total expenditure (23.66%), reimbursable expenses (24.42%), out-of-pocket (OOP) costs (54.62%), and the OOP costs ratio (14%). Compared with outpatients, the ZMDP’s implementation significantly reduced inpatients’ total expenditure (5.82%) and reimbursable expenses (8.61%) but showed no significant relationship between OOP costs and the OOP costs ratio. Thus, it is important to distinguish outpatients from inpatients, as the ZMDP only significantly reduces outpatients’ OOP costs. We believe that the difference between outpatients and inpatients in the share of drug expenditure (in the total expenditure) when visiting doctors and the shift from drug expenditure to other expenditure categories can explain the ineffectiveness of the policy for inpatients. Therefore, future reforms should focus on reducing inpatient costs.
Population Density of Wild Animals and Their Conflict in Konasa_Pulasa Community Conserved Forest, Omo Valley, Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Matusal Mesfin , Megaze Aberham , Dobamo Taye
Published: December 2023

Human-wildlife conflict presents an increasing challenge to conservation, particularly in densely populated parts of low-income countries. An investigation on wild animal population density and its conflict was carried out from December 2019 to May 2020 in the Konasa_Pulasa Community Conserved Forest, Omo Valley, Southern Ethiopia: implications for wildlife conservation. The distance sampling method was used to estimate the population status of wild animals in an area of 187.57 km2. Human-wild animal conflict was quantified using a questionnaire survey with 290 randomly selected household heads from five villages. In addition, focus group discussions were conducted to obtain additional information. The mean density of the Anubis baboons was 4.51 ± 0.76, that of the grivet monkeys was 3.24 ± 0.51, that of the porcupines was 0.89 ± 0.17, that of the spotted hyenas was 0.58 ± 0.15, and that of the black-backed jackals was 0.65 ± 0.12 individuals/km2. The result shows that crop damage and livestock predation were common problems in the study area. The most damaged cereal crops were maize (26.5%). The Anubis baboon was the most common crop raiding species (34.9%). An estimated average loss of different crop types was US$15.01 per year per household. Regarding livestock, sheep (36.2%) and poultry (44.3%) were the animals most attacked. The predator responsible for livestock depredation reported most frequently was the spotted hyena (35%), followed by the black-backed jackal (24%) and the leopard (16%), and it was responsible for the loss of 271 domestic animals with an estimated economic loss of US $24,395.92 in five villages. Guarding (47.4%) was the main means of mitigation methods. Most farmers’ (47.4%) attitude towards wild animal conservation was positive. The extent of the damage varied between villages and with the distance from the forest boundary. Local people close to the forest boundaries were highly vulnerable to wild animal conflict. Our results show that livestock predation and crop damage were common problems caused by Anubis baboon, verves monkeys, porcupines, spotted hyenas, and black-backed jackals. The increase in the population of wild animals and the proximity to the forest are the causes of HWC. Guarding is the dominant traditional method used to reduce HWC in the study area. Using effective methods to reduce livestock damage and loss to crops, including improved livestock husbandry, cultivating unpalatable crops near the forest and raising local community awareness could make local residents aware of conservation.
Supplementary Data from Metastasis-Associated Protein 2 Represses NF-κB to Reduce Lung Tumor Growth and Inflammation
Authors: El-Nikhely Nefertiti , Karger Annika , Sarode Poonam , Singh Indrabahadur , Weigert Andreas , Wietelmann Astrid , Stiewe Thorsten , Dammann Reinhard , Fink Ludger , Grimminger Friedrich , Barreto Guillermo , Seeger Werner , Pullamsetti Soni S. , Rapp Ulf R. , Savai Rajkumar
Published: December 2023

Supplementary text, tables and figures
Figure S3 from The EZH2–PHACTR2–AS1–Ribosome Axis induces Genomic Instability and Promotes Growth and Metastasis in Breast Cancer
Authors: Chu Wenhui , Zhang Xi , Qi Lihua , Fu Yenan , Wang Peng , Zhao Wei , Du Juan , Zhang Jing , Zhan Jun , Wang Yunling , Zhu Wei-Guo , Yu Yu , Zhang Hongquan
Published: December 2023

Figure S3 shows that PHACTR2-AS1 promotes H3K9 methylation on rDNA
Figure S2 from The EZH2–PHACTR2–AS1–Ribosome Axis induces Genomic Instability and Promotes Growth and Metastasis in Breast Cancer
Authors: Chu Wenhui , Zhang Xi , Qi Lihua , Fu Yenan , Wang Peng , Zhao Wei , Du Juan , Zhang Jing , Zhan Jun , Wang Yunling , Zhu Wei-Guo , Yu Yu , Zhang Hongquan
Published: December 2023

Figure S2 shows that PHACTR2-AS1 inhibits pre-rRNA.
Supplementary Methods and Figure Legend from Cytoplasmic Irradiation Results in Mitochondrial Dysfunction and DRP1-Dependent Mitochondrial Fission
Authors: Zhang Bo , Davidson Mercy M. , Zhou Hongning , Wang Chunxin , Walker Winsome F. , Hei Tom K.
Published: December 2023

PDF file - 77K
Supplementary Figure 3 from Cytoplasmic Irradiation Results in Mitochondrial Dysfunction and DRP1-Dependent Mitochondrial Fission
Authors: Zhang Bo , Davidson Mercy M. , Zhou Hongning , Wang Chunxin , Walker Winsome F. , Hei Tom K.
Published: December 2023

PDF file - 16K, Supplementary Figure S3. Clonogenic survival of SAE cells irradiated with a single or an exact number of α-particles targeted to the cytoplasm. Bars indicate plus-minus SE of means. Resulted are pooled from three individually irradiated microbeam dishes for each dose. Targeted cytoplasmic irradiation of SAE cells with up to 32 alpha particles induces minimal cytotoxicity.
Supplementary Table 2 from Enhanced Lipid Accumulation and Metabolism Are Required for the Differentiation and Activation of Tumor-Associated Macrophages
Authors: Su Pan , Wang Qiang , Bi Enguang , Ma Xingzhe , Liu Lintao , Yang Maojie , Qian Jianfei , Yi Qing
Published: December 2023

Supplementary Table 2. Microarray dataset information
Data from Acute and Fractionated Irradiation Differentially Modulate Glioma Stem Cell Division Kinetics
Authors: Gao Xuefeng , McDonald J. Tyson , Hlatky Lynn , Enderling Heiko
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most aggressive human malignancies with a poor patient prognosis. Ionizing radiation either alone or adjuvant after surgery is part of standard treatment for GBM but remains primarily noncurative. The mechanisms underlying tumor radioresistance are manifold and, in part, accredited to a special subpopulation of tumorigenic cells. The so-called glioma stem cells (GSC) are bestowed with the exclusive ability to self-renew and repopulate the tumor and have been reported to be less sensitive to radiation-induced damage through preferential activation of DNA damage checkpoint responses and increased capacity for DNA damage repair. During each fraction of radiation, non–stem cancer cells (CC) die and GSCs become enriched and potentially increase in number, which may lead to accelerated repopulation. We propose a cellular Potts model that simulates the kinetics of GSCs and CCs in glioblastoma growth and radiation response. We parameterize and validate this model with experimental data of the U87-MG human glioblastoma cell line. Simulations are conducted to estimate GSC symmetric and asymmetric division rates and explore potential mechanisms for increased GSC fractions after irradiation. Simulations reveal that in addition to their higher radioresistance, a shift from asymmetric to symmetric division or a fast cycle of GSCs following fractionated radiation treatment is required to yield results that match experimental observations. We hypothesize a constitutive activation of stem cell division kinetics signaling pathways during fractionated treatment, which contributes to the frequently observed accelerated repopulation after therapeutic irradiation. Cancer Res; 73(5); 1481–90. ©2012 AACR.
Association between the Triglyceride Glucose Index and All-Cause Mortality in Critically Ill Patients with Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Lv Liangjing , Xiong Jiachuan , Huang Yinghui , He Ting , Zhao Jinghong
Published: December 2023

Introduction: The triglyceride glucose (TyG) index is a reliable alternative biomarker of insulin resistance, but the association between the TyG index and acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill patients remains unclear. Methods: The data for the study were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database. Cox regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis were performed to analyze the association between the TyG index and all-cause mortality. Besides, Cox regression was carried out in subgroups of age, gender, BMI, diabetes history, and dialysis status. Results: A total of 7,508 critically ill participants with AKI from the MIMIC-IV database were included in this study, with 3,688 (49.12%) participants failed to survive. In Cox regression, after confounder adjustment, patients with a higher TyG index had a higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 1.845, 95% CI = 1.49–2.285, p < 0.001). In RCS, after confounder adjustment, the risk of death was positively correlated with the increased value of the TyG index when TyG index surpassed 10.014. This relationship was validated in age, gender, BMI, diabetes subgroups but not in the dialysis subgroup. Interestingly, RCS analysis demonstrated that, in patients undertaking dialysis, there is a “U”-shaped curve for the value of TyG index and risk of all-cause mortality. When TyG index is less than 10.460, the risk of all-cause mortality would decrease with the increased value of TyG index, while when TyG index is higher than 11.180, the risk of all-cause mortality would increase firmly with the increased value of TyG index. Conclusion: Overall, a higher TyG index is associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality in critically ill AKI. Interestingly, the relationship in the dialysis subgroup follows a “U”-shaped curve, indicating the importance of proper clinical blood glucose and lipid management in this particular population.
Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease with Increased Alcohol Intake Increase the Risk of Developing Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Incident or Decompensated Cirrhosis: A Korean Nationwide Study
Authors: Kim Gi-Ae , Jeong Seogsong , Jang Heejoon , Lee Dong Hyeon , Joo Sae Kyung , Kim Won
Published: December 2023

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the liver-related outcomes of newly suggested metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and MASLD with increased alcohol intake (MetALD), as well as alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). Methods: From a National Health Insurance Service Health Screening Cohort, we included 369,094 participants who underwent health checkups between 2009 and 2010 in South Korea. Steatotic liver disease (SLD) was defined as a fatty liver index ≥60. The risk of primary liver cancer (PLCa), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), incident cirrhosis, and decompensated cirrhosis was compared with no SLD. The subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR) was calculated using the Fine-Gray model regarding competing risks. Results: A total of 3,232 participants (0.9%) developed PLCa during the median follow-up of 3,227,176 person-years: 0.5% with no SLD, 1.1% with MASLD, 1.3% with MetALD, and 1.9% with ALD. Competing risk analysis revealed that compared with no SLD, MASLD (SHR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.44−1.88), MetALD (SHR: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.52−2.29), and ALD (SHR: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.39−2.49) were associated with an increased risk of PLCa. MASLD (SHR: 1.96; 95% CI: 1.67−2.31), MetALD (SHR: 2.23; 95% CI: 1.75−2.84), and ALD (SHR: 2.34; 95% CI: 1.67−3.29) were associated with a higher risk of HCC. No significant difference was observed in the risk of iCCA. The risk of incident cirrhosis and decompensated cirrhosis increased in the order of no SLD, MASLD, MetALD, and ALD. Conclusion: MASLD, MetALD, and ALD have an increased risk of PLCa, HCC, incident cirrhosis, and decompensated cirrhosis but not iCCA. These findings may serve as a robust ground for the prognostic value of the newly suggested MASLD and MetALD.
Onde está o povo? Comunicação digital e populismo nas eleições de 2018
Authors: Bachini Natasha , Oliveira Lucy , Cará Felipe Amador
Published: December 2023

Neste artigo discutimos se e em que medida as informações que circularam no WhatsApp durante as eleições presidenciais de 2018 poderiam caracterizar uma narrativa populista, e as relações desta com a democracia representativa e a ação conectiva. A partir da análise dos conteúdos veiculados nos grupos públicos do mensageiro, mostramos que estes apresentavam elementos que convergem para a caracterização tanto da narrativa populista, quanto das e-campanhas. Contudo, verificamos uma abordagem antissistêmica e odiosa, de caráter antipluralista, na qual o povo é incorpóreo e o líder é evocado, sobretudo nos conteúdos vinculados a Bolsonaro, o que sugere novas nuances do discurso populista autoritário na contemporaneidade.
Sabina Leonelli. A pesquisa científica na era do big data: cinco maneiras como o big data prejudica a ciência, e como podemos salvá-la.
Authors: Castro Thiago Bicudo
Published: December 2023

Resenha do livro de Sabina Leonelli Sabina. A pesquisa científica na era do big data: cinco maneiras como o big data prejudica a ciência, e como podemos salvá-la, Rio de Janeiro, Editora Fiocruz, 2022.
Marcelo Ridenti. O segredo das senhoras americanas: intelectuais, internacionalização e financiamento na Guerra Fria cultural.
Authors: Rubbo Deni Alfaro
Published: December 2023

Resenha do livro de Marcelo Ridenti, O segredo das senhoras americanas: intelectuais, internacionalização e financiamento na Guerra Fria Cultural, São Paulo, Editora Unesp, 2022.
O Ipiranga na jornada da Independência
Authors: Cintra Jorge Pimentel
Published: December 2023

Determinamos e desenhamos sobre um mapa atual o caminho de d. Pedro no dia 7 de setembro de 1822: de Santos, como que atraído para o Ipiranga, e do Ipiranga impelido a São Paulo. Para isso, valemo-nos dos quatro relatos da Independência que consideramos principais, por serem de pessoas que acompanharam o príncipe regente nesse dia. Constatam-se coincidências e divergências, que procuramos analisar, dirimir e harmonizar quando possível. Foram tidos em conta outros trabalhos posteriores que analisaram com profundidade o assunto, estabeleceram dúvidas e questionamentos e aventaram suas hipóteses, nem sempre acertadas. A principal outra novidade deste trabalho é a espacialização da jornada, que não foi explorada por estudos anteriores, exceto por um trabalho de 1909, repetido em 1972, mas que contém erros e que pode ser melhorado. Servimo-nos também de diversos mapas históricos de 1832, de 1900, de 1930 e de mapas atuais, com ênfase no local do Ipiranga.
Achaemenid court eunuchs in their Near Eastern context: images in the longue durée
Authors: Araujo Matheus Treuk Medeiros de
Published: December 2023

This study aims to compare some images of beardless attendants in monumental reliefs from the Achaemenid (c. 550-330 BCE) and Neo-Assyrian (c. 911-612 BCE) empires, which we consider relevant sources for the study of court eunuchs and cultural conceptions about castrati. We argue that such comparisons are possible since eunuchism was a long-standing institution in the Ancient Near East, as shown by several analogies with the Assyrian evidence. We also argue that scholars have downplayed the importance of court eunuchs due to gender/sex assumptions based on Western and modern perspectives that consider eunuchism incompatible with high-ranking social standing. With these theoretical considerations in mind, we finally sketch some possible analytical proposals to explore the images of beardless attendants in Persia and Assyria.
Idosos visitantes de museus: um estudo de público em instituições brasileiras
Authors: Araujo Olga Susana Costa Coito e , Cachioni Meire
Published: December 2023

O envelhecimento populacional aumentou a procura por atividades para pessoas idosas, e os museus estão bem posicionados para responder a essa demanda. Conhecer os idosos quanto às vivências em museus, interesses e motivações permitirá construir proposições museográficas de relacionamento mais assertivas para o potencial público de pessoas idosas, ou seja, os visitantes e não visitantes. O objetivo deste artigo foi conhecer as pessoas idosas visitantes de museus, quanto a características sociodemográficas, motivacionais, experiências pregressas e atuais nos museus, além de percepções de participação e emoções na experiência museográfica. O questionário foi aplicado em 24 museus brasileiros a 1.387 visitantes. A análise estatística descritiva apurou que a maioria da amostra é composta por mulheres com escolaridade superior ao ensino médio e bastante diversa quanto ao arranjo de moradia e renda. Os entrevistados vão com as famílias ou em grupos de convivência. Os principais interesses e experiências procuradas dentro dos museus são os objetos, além de aprender coisas novas, passear e conviver com outras pessoas. A alegria, satisfação e as curiosidades são as emoções mais sentidas. Mais da metade dos idosos acreditam poder contribuir com os museus, compartilhando memórias e ensinando coisas que sabem fazer. Cerca de 90% da amostra declarou não ser pessoa com deficiência e dizem não sentir falta de nenhum recurso de acessibilidade. Os museus têm o potencial para trabalhar todos os níveis de autonomia das pessoas idosas, desde que se enquadrem como ambientes amigáveis para todas as idades. Os dados são coerentes com a literatura apresentada na revisão de escopo produzida.