bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Energetic Protons Generated in the ShenGuang-II UP Petawatt Laser Interactions with Foil Targets
Authors: Liu Huiya , Lei Anle , Kang Ning , An Honghai , Xie Zhiyong , Zhao Yao , Zhou Shenlei , Sun Mingying , Zhu Baoqiang , Wang Wei , Zhu Jianqiang
Published: August 2021

The characterization of energetic protons generated in the ShenGuang-II UP petawatt laser interactions with foil targets has been systematically studied. The proton energy spectra and angular distributions are measured with a radiochromic film stack. It shows that the proton energy spectra have a Boltzmann distribution with temperature of about 2.8 MeV and cutoff energy of about 20 MeV. The divergence angles of protons vary from 10° to 60°, dependent on the proton energy. The proton source size and location are investigated via the proton point-projection mesh imaging. The proton virtual sources are found to locate tens to hundreds of microns in front of the foil target, depending on the proton energies. A Monte Carlo simulation estimates the diameter of the virtual proton source to be about 12 μm for the protons with energy of 16.8 MeV, which is much smaller than the laser focus size of about 50 μm. The spatial resolution of the 16.8 MeV proton imaging is quantified with the point spread function to be about 15 μm, which is consistent with the proton virtual source size. These results will be important for the users conducting experiments with the protons as a backlighting source on the ShenGuang-II UP petawatt laser.
Micro Expression Recognition via Dual-Stream Spatiotemporal Attention Network
Authors: Wang Yan , Huang Yikun , Liu Can , Gu Xiaoying , Yang Dandan , Wang Shuopeng , Zhang Bo
Published: August 2021

Microexpression can manifest the real mood of humans, which has been widely concerned in clinical diagnosis and depression analysis. To solve the problem of missing discriminative spatiotemporal features in a small data set caused by the short duration and subtle movement changes of microexpression, we present a dual-stream spatiotemporal attention network (DSTAN) that integrates dual-stream spatiotemporal network and attention mechanism to capture the deformation features and spatiotemporal features of microexpression in the case of small samples. The Spatiotemporal networks in DSTAN are based on two lightweight networks, namely, the spatiotemporal appearance network (STAN) learning the appearance features from the microexpression sequences and the spatiotemporal motion network (STMN) learning the motion features from optical flow sequences. To focus on the discriminative motion areas of microexpression, we construct a novel attention mechanism for the spatial model of STAN and STMN, including a multiscale kernel spatial attention mechanism and global dual-pool channel attention mechanism. To obtain the importance of each frame in the microexpression sequence, we design a temporal attention mechanism for the temporal model of STAN and STMN to form spatiotemporal appearance network-attention (STAN-A) and spatiotemporal motion network-attention (STMN-A), which can adaptively perform dynamic feature refinement. Finally, the feature concatenate-SVM method is used to integrate STAN-A and STMN-A to a novel network, DSTAN. The extensive experiments on three small spontaneous microexpression data sets of SMIC, CASME, and CASME II demonstrate the proposed DSTAN can effectively cope with the recognition of microexpressions.
Topological Characteristics of Obstacles and Nonlinear Rheological Fluid Flow in Presence of Insulated Fins: A Fluid Force Reduction Study
Authors: Majeed Afraz Hussain , Jarad Fahd , Mahmood Rashid , Saddique Imran
Published: August 2021

In this work, a comprehensive study of fluid forces and thermal analysis of two-dimensional, laminar, and incompressible complex (power law, Bingham, and Herschel–Bulkley) fluid flow over a topological cross-sectional cylinder (square, hexagon, and circle) in channel have been computationally done by using finite element technique. The characteristics of nonlinear flow for varying ranges of power law index

0.4
≤
n
≤
1.6

,

Bingham number

0
≤
Bn
≤
50

, Prandtl number

0.7
≤
Pr
≤
10

, Reynolds number

10

≤

Re

≤

50

, and Grashof number

1
≤
Gr
≤
10

 

have been examined. Considerable evaluation for thermal flow field in the form of dimensionless velocity profile, isotherms, drag and lift coefficients, and average Nusselt number

Nu

avg

is done. Also, for a range of

Bn

, the drag forces reduction is observed for circular and hexagonal obstacles in comparison with the square cylinder. At

Bn
=
0
 

corresponding to Newtonian fluid, maximum reduction in drag force is reported.
The Investigation of Different Loss Functions with Capsule Networks for Speech Emotion Recognition
Authors: Ng Anfernee Joan B. , Liu Kun-Hong
Published: August 2021

Speech emotion recognition (SER) is an important research topic. Image features like spectrograms are one of the common ways of extracting information from speech. In the area of image recognition, a relatively novel type of network called capsule networks has shown good and promising results. This study aims to use capsule networks to encode spatial information from spectrograms and analyse its performance when paired with different loss functions. Experiments comparing the capsule network with models from previous works show that the capsule network performs better than them.
Protective Role of 4‐Octyl Itaconate in Murine LPS/D‐GalN‐Induced Acute Liver Failure via Inhibiting Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Apoptosis
Authors: Li Ruidong , Yang Wenchang , Yin Yuping , Zhang Peng , Wang Yaxin , Tao Kaixiong
Published: August 2021

Oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis are crucial in the pathogenesis of acute liver failure (ALF). 4‐Octyl itaconate (OI) showed antioxidative and anti‐inflammatory properties in many disease models. However, its role in lipopolysaccharide‐ (LPS‐)/D‐galactosamine‐ (D‐GalN‐) induced ALF is still not investigated. Here, we established an ALF murine model induced by LPS/D‐GalN administration. And we found that OI improved survival rate in the murine ALF model. Our results also showed that OI alleviated LPS/D‐GalN‐induced hepatic histopathological injury and reduced the serum activities of alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase. Moreover, OI reduced serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as monocyte chemotactic protein‐1, tumor necrosis factors‐α, and interlukin‐6. Additionally, OI mitigated oxidative stress and alleviated lipid peroxidation in a murine model of ALF. This was evaluated by a reduction of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in liver tissues. In addition, OI increased the ratio of reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione and the activities of antioxidant enzymes including catalase and superoxide dismutase. Moreover, the apoptosis of hepatocytes in the liver was inhibited by OI. Furthermore, we found that OI inhibited LPS‐induced nuclear translocation and activation of factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB) p65 in macrophages which could be inhibited by OI‐induced activation of nuclear factor erythroid‐2‐related factor (Nrf2) signaling. Additionally, D‐GalN‐induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and apoptosis in hepatocytes were inhibited by OI‐induced activation of Nrf2 signaling. Therefore, the underlying mechanism for OI’s protective effect in LPS/D‐GalN‐induced ALF may be associated with deactivation of NF‐κB signaling in macrophages to reduce inflammation and inhibition of ROS‐related hepatocyte apoptosis by activating Nrf2. In conclusion, OI showed a protective role in LPS/D‐GalN‐induced ALF by reducing inflammation, enhancing antioxidant capacity, and inhibiting cell apoptosis.
DOA Estimation with Spatial Spread Vector‐Sensor Array Based on Biquaternion MUSIC
Authors: Zhu Qinyu , Zheng Guimei , Chen Chen , Guo Qian
Published: August 2021

The mutual coupling among various components of the collocated crossdipole (CCD) vector‐sensor is severe, and its application is greatly limited. The spatial spread dipole (SSD) vector‐sensor can avoid this problem, but the multiple signal classification (MUSIC) algorithm for the SSD array is rarely developed. In view of this situation, this paper proposed a MUSIC‐like algorithm for the SSD array. The biquaternion model was first established, and the biquaternion MUSIC (BQ‐MUSIC) algorithm was developed on the basis of this model, for the two‐dimensional direction‐of‐arrival (2D‐DOA) estimation. Our proposed algorithm requires low computational complexity by adopting the dimensionality reduction method. Numerical simulations verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
A Study on Selection Strategies for Battery Electric Vehicles Based on Sentiments, Analysis, and the MCDM Model
Authors: Ren Xiaosong , Sun Sha , Yuan Rong
Published: August 2021

Under the goal of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, developing battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is an important way to reduce carbon emissions in the transportation sector. To popularize BEVs as soon as possible, it is necessary to study selection strategies for BEVs from the perspective of consumers. Therefore, the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model based on fine-grained sentiment analysis is combined with the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model to assess ten types of BEV alternatives. Fine-grained sentiment analysis is applied to find the vehicle attributes that consumers care about the most based on the word-of-mouth data. The LDA model is suggested to divide topics and construct the indicator system. The MCDM model is used to rank vehicles and put forward the corresponding optimization path to increase consumer purchases of BEVs in China. The results show that (a) via the LDA model based on fine-grained sentiment analysis, attributes that consumers care most about are divided into five topics: dynamics, technology, safety, comfort, and cost; (b) based on the DEMATEL technique, the dimensions in the order of importance are as follows: safety, technology, dynamics, comfort, and cost; (c) the price is the most important criteria that affect customers’ satisfaction by the DANP model; and (d) based on the VIKOR model, the selection strategies present that Aion S is highlighted as the best choice, and the optimization path is discussed to promote the performance of BEVs to increase customers’ satisfaction. The findings can provide a reference for improving the sustainable development of the automobile industry in China. The proposed framework serves as the basis for further discussion of BEVs.
Recurrent Human Papillomavirus–Related Head and Neck Cancer Undergoes Metabolic Reprogramming and Is Driven by Oxidative Phosphorylation
Authors: Vyas Avani , Harbison R. Alex , Faden Daniel L. , Kubik Mark , Palmer Drake , Zhang Qing , Osmanbeyoglu Hatice U. , Kiselyov Kirill , Méndez Eduardo , Duvvuri Umamaheswar
Published: August 2021

Purpose:

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection drives the development of some head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). This disease is rapidly increasing in incidence worldwide. Although these tumors are sensitive to treatment, approximately 10% of patients fail therapy. However, the mechanisms that underlie treatment failure remain unclear.

Experimental Design:

We performed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on tissues from matched primary- (pHNSCC) and metachronous-recurrent cancers (rHNSCC) to identify transcriptional differences to gain mechanistic insight into the evolutionary adaptations of metachronous-recurrent tumors. We used HPV-related HNSCC cells lines to investigate the effect of (i) NRF2 overexpression on growth in vitro and in vivo, (ii) oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) inhibition using IACS-010759 on NRF2-dependent cells, and (iii) combination of cisplatin and OXPHOS inhibition.

Results:

The OXPHOS pathway is enriched in recurrent HPV-associated HNSCC and may contribute to treatment failure. NRF2-enriched HNSCC samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) with enrichment in OXPHOS, fatty-acid metabolism, Myc, Mtor, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and glycolytic signaling networks exhibited worse survival. HPV-positive HNSCC cells demonstrated sensitivity to the OXPHOS inhibitor, in a NRF2-dependent manner. Further, using murine xenograft models, we identified NRF2 as a driver of tumor growth. Mechanistically, NRF2 drives ROS and mitochondrial respiration, and NRF2 is a critical regulator of redox homeostasis that can be crippled by disruption of OXPHOS. NRF2 also mediated cisplatin sensitivity in endogenously overexpressing primary HPV-related HNSCC cells.

Conclusions:

These results unveil a paradigm-shifting translational target harnessing NRF2-mediated metabolic reprogramming in HPV-related HNSCC.
Clonal Hematopoiesis: From Mechanisms to Clinical Intervention
Authors: Köhnke Thomas , Majeti Ravindra
Published: August 2021

Our knowledge of how clonal hematopoiesis relates to diverse health conditions has grown vastly over the past years, touching upon many specialties beyond cancer medicine. Given that clonal hematopoiesis can act as a precursor to overt disease in many settings, the promise of early intervention has garnered much attention. In this review, we discuss the state of clonal hematopoiesis research and outline the challenges in developing clinical trials of early interventions. We anticipate that incidental findings of clonal hematopoiesis will become more common in the near future, but evidence-based efforts of how to manage these findings is currently lacking.

Significance:

Our knowledge regarding the relevance of clonal hematopoiesis has increased drastically over the past years. However, evidence of how to manage these findings is currently lacking. In this review, we summarize the current state of clonal hematopoiesis research and outline the challenges of developing clinical trials in this field. We anticipate that incidental findings of clonal hematopoiesis will become more common in the near future and argue that there is urgency to start designing and conducting prospective trials.
Treatment of Acute Necrotising Pancreatitis and Its Complications: The Surgeon’s Perspective
Authors: Dani Luca , Carbonaro Giulia , Natta Fabrizio , Cavuoti Giuseppe , Vaudano Giacomo Paolo , Boghi Andrea , Festa Federico , Cestino Luca , Soncini Stefania , Quaglino Francesco
Published: August 2021

Acute necrotising pancreatitis (ANP) is associated with high complication and mortality rates. It is still difficult for the surgeon to choose and schedule the most appropriate treatment. Compared to the past, the current minimally invasive “step-up” approach enables better outcomes in terms of morbidity/mortality, notwithstanding long periods of hospitalisation, and above all ensures better levels of residual pancreatic function. We hereby report the case of a patient hospitalised in our division for approximately 4 months with a diagnosis of ANP complicated by infection and late bleeding, handled with a sequential approach.
Urinary Incontinence after Planned Cesarean Hysterectomy for Placenta Accreta
Authors: Crocetto Felice , Saccone Gabriele , Raffone Antonio , Travaglino Antonio , Gragnano Elisabetta , Bada Maida , Barone Biagio , Creta Massimiliano , Zullo Fulvio , Imbimbo Ciro
Published: August 2021

Introduction: Data regarding the risk of incontinence after cesarean hysterectomy are lacking. We aimed to assess the risk of urinary incontinence in women who underwent planned cesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta. Methods: This was a retrospective study of women who underwent planned cesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta. The primary outcome was the incidence of post-cesarean hysterectomy urinary incontinence, defined as involuntary loss of urine between 3 and 12 months after cesarean hysterectomy. Outcomes were compared in a cohort of women who underwent planned cesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta with a control group of women who underwent scheduled cesarean section without hysterectomy. Results: Forty-seven singleton gestations who underwent planned cesarean hysterectomy for placenta accrete were included in the study and were compared with 100 controls. Eight cases of bladder injuries were reported, 7 in the planned cesarean hysterectomy group and one in the planned cesarean delivery group. Overall, urinary incontinence was reported in 10 women of the planned cesarean hysterectomy group and in 8 women of the planned cesarean section group (21.3% vs. 8.0%; p = 0.03). Conclusion: Planned cesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta is a risk factor for urinary incontinence.
Depression und Angst bei Glaukom
Authors: Rohrschneider Klaus
Published: August 2021

Glaucoma is considered a chronic disease that requires lifelong management. Chronic diseases are known to be highly associated with psychological disturbances such as depression and anxiety. There have also been many studies on association between anxiety or depression and glaucoma. The majority of these studies explained that the glaucoma diagnosis causes anxiety or depression. However, It is also necessary to evaluate whether the psychological disturbance itself affect glaucoma. Therefore, we investigated the association of anxiety and depression with glaucoma progression, and elucidate mechanisms underlying that. We included 251 eyes with open angle glaucoma who were followed up for at least 2 years in this retrospective case-control study. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck Depressive Inventory-II (BDI-II) were used to assess anxiety and depression in glaucoma patients. Patients were classified into groups (high-anxiety group; HA-G, low-anxiety group; LA-G, high-depression group; HD-G, low-depression group; LD-G) according to their score on the BAI or BDI-II (separately). In logistic regression analysis, disc hemorrhage, peak intraocular pressure (IOP) and RNFL thickness loss rate were significantly associated with high anxiety (p = 0.017, p = 0.046, p = 0.026). RNFL thinning rate and disc hemorrhage were significant factors associated with anxiety in multivariate models (p = 0.015, p = 0.019). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed a significant positive correlation between the rate of RNFL thickness loss and BAI score (B = 0.058; 95% confidential interval = 0.020–0.097; p = 0.003), and RNFL loss and IOP fluctuation (B = 0.092; 95% confidential interval = 0.030–0.154; p = 0.004). For the depression scale, visual field mean deviation and heart rate variability were significantly associated with high depression in multivariate logistic regression analysis (p = 0.003, p = 0.006). We suggest that anxiety increase the risk of glaucoma progression and they are also associated with IOP profile and disc hemorrhage.
Ripasudil zur antiangiogenen Therapie bei Keratoplastik
Authors: Bachmann Björn
Published: August 2021

Corneal allograft survival is mediated by the variety of immunological reactions and wound healing process. Our aim was to explore the effects of topical administration of ripasudil, a selective Rho-associated coiled-coil protein kinase inhibitor, on corneal allograft survival. Ripasudil was administered to mice thrice a day after allogeneic corneal transplantation. Corneal graft survival, opacity, neovascularization, re-epithelization, immune cell infiltration, and mRNA levels of angiogenic and pro-inflammatory factors in the grafted cornea and draining lymph nodes (dLNs) were evaluated with slit-lamp microscopy, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and polymerase chain reaction. Graft survival was significantly prolonged with lower graft opacity and neovascularization scores in 0.4% and 2.0% ripasudil-treated groups, and mRNA levels of angiogenic and pro-inflammatory factors in ripasudil-treated grafted corneas were reduced. Moreover, 0.4% and 2.0% ripasudil reduced CD45+-infiltrated leukocyte frequency, Cd11b and Cd11c mRNA levels, and the frequencies of mature dendritic cells, IFNγ-, and IL-17- producing CD4+T cells in the dLNs of recipients. Re-epithelization rate of the grafted cornea was significantly higher in the 0.4% and 2.0% ripasudil groups than in the control. Topically applied ripasudil prolonged graft survival by downregulating neovascularization and inflammation factors, while promoting corneal re-epithelization, suggesting that ripasudil may be useful for suppressing immunological rejection in corneal transplantation.
Sex Differences and Estradiol Effects in MAPK and Akt Cell Signaling across Subregions of the Hippocampus
Authors: Sheppard Paul A.S. , Puri Tanvi A. , Galea Liisa A.M.
Published: August 2021

Introduction: Rapid effects of estrogens within the hippocampus of rodents are dependent upon cell-signaling cascades, and activation of these cascades by estrogens varies by sex. Whether these pathways are rapidly activated within the dentate gyrus (DG) and CA1 by estrogens across sex and the anatomical longitudinal axis has been overlooked. Methods: Gonadally intact female and male rats were given either vehicle or physiological systemic low (1.1 µg/kg) or high (37.3 µg/kg) doses of 17β-estradiol 30 min prior to tissue collection. To control for the effects of circulating estrogens, an additional group of female rats was ovariectomized (OVX) and administered 17β-estradiol. Brains were extracted, and tissue punches of the CA1 and DG were taken along the longitudinal hippocampal axis (dorsal and ventral) and analyzed for key mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and protein kinase B (Akt) cascade phosphoproteins. Results: Intact females had higher Akt pathway phosphoproteins (pAkt, pGSK-3β, and pp70S6K) than males in the DG (dorsal and ventral) and lower pERK1/2 in the dorsal DG. Most effects of 17β-estradiol on cell signaling occurred in OVX animals. In OVX animals, 17β-estradiol increased cell signaling of MAPK and Akt phosphoproteins (pERK1/2, pJNK, pAkt, and pGSK-3β) in the CA1 and pERK1/2 and pJNK DG. Discussion/Conclusions: Systemic 17β-estradiol treatment rapidly alters phosphoprotein levels in the hippocampus, dependent on reproductive status, and intact females have greater expression of Akt phosphoproteins than that in intact males in the DG. These findings shed light on underlying mechanisms of sex differences in hippocampal function and response to interventions that affect MAPK or Akt signaling.
Em busca de um espaço: a linguagem gestual no candomblé - À memória de Marlene de Oliveira Cunha
Authors: Cunha João Alipio de Oliveira
Published: August 2021

Neste artigo pretendo analisar a trajetória da antropóloga negra Marlene de Oliveira Cunha que foi uma das primeiras a trabalhar, no campo da Antropologia, a temática referente às gestualidades, compreendendo o corpo, a dança e a ancestralidade africana no Brasil. Na primeira parte do artigo, descrevo sua participação no movimento negro universitário e sua entrada nos estudos afroamericanos. Em seguida, apresento a sua proposta de analisar a gestualidade no candomblé de Angola na década de 1980 e as conexões com os estudos atuais da Antropologia da dança. Na terceira parte, faço uma análise da etnografia fornecida a respeito das posturas: gincado, adobá, barravento e arrebate. Na última seção, faço uma análise da pesquisa sobre a gestualidade e suas contribuições para a linha de pesquisa sobre a religião afro-brasileira e Antropologia da dança. p alavras-chave Candomblé de Angola; gestualidades; Antropologia da dança.
Doença de Alzheimer e vida religiosa consagrada: uma etnografia de afeto e espanto
Authors: Vicentin Letícia
Published: August 2021

Este trabalho buscou compreender como a vida religiosa influencia nos modos pelos quais um grupo de Irmãs católicas percebe e vive a doença de Alzheimer. O objetivo foi acompanhar a ontologia múltipla da doença sendo feita, no cotidiano, através das práticas, afetos e silêncios na Residência em que moram. A valorização do pós-morte e da trajetória religiosa traz interpretações próprias para a enfermidade, dissolvendo alguns temores e acolhendo sintomas, numa relação entre doença, velhice, cuidado, gênero e religião. Ao articular duas vertentes analíticas - corporalidade e selfhood -, busco apreender como esses corpos em processo demencial percebem o mundo e atravessam a experiência com a doença quando inseridos em um contexto religioso, e como o meu próprio corpo se deslocou em campo. Por fim, mostro como as imagens – fotografias e desenhos – foram importantes para entrar no mundo tanto da demência quanto da religião, a fim de ver e ouvir o que os silêncios não me deixaram encontrar, no início.
Lendo Zora Hurston: a obra Mules and Men e sua relação com a teoria e a história da antropologia
Authors: Bemerguy Telma
Published: August 2021

Aproximando-me de iniciativas que têm buscado tensionar os processos excludentes que permeiam a fixidez irrepreensível dos cânones antropológicos, nesse ensaio, proponho um caminho alternativo ao quadro de leituras branco e masculino que usualmente caracteriza os primeiros anos de contato com a teoria antropológica na universidade. Apresento uma leitura sobre a obra Mules and Men de Zora Hurston - intelectual negra estadunidense e aluna pouco lembrada de Franz Boas, “pai” da antropologia cultural norte-americana. Partindo da disputa em torno da classificação do livro ao longo do tempo, busco indicar a forma como a obra dialogou com as teorias em voga no período, recuperando eventos e debates que nos permitirão visualizar como o trabalho de Zora Hurston acabou sendo pouco reconhecido pelos antropólogos da época, resultando em um longo período de apagamento de suas contribuições à disciplina.
Predictors of PCSK9 (Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9) Inhibitor Prescriptions for Secondary Prevention of Clinical Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Blumenthal Daniel M. , Maddox Thomas M. , Aragam Krishna , Sacks Chana A. , Virani Salim S. , Wasfy Jason H.
Published: August 2021

Background:

Little is known about patterns of PCSK9i (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor) use among patients with established clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This study’s objective was to describe PCSK9i prescribing patterns among patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Methods:

We used a national outpatient clinic registry linked to zip-code level on household income from the US Census to assess characteristics of patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and LDL-C (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) <190 mg/dL between September 1, 2015, and September 30, 2019, who did and did not receive PCSK9i prescriptions and practice-level and temporal variation in PCSK9i prescriptions. We assessed predictors of PCSK9i prescription with a multivariable mixed effects regression model which included patient covariates as fixed effects and the cardiology practice as a random effect. Adjusted practice-level variation in PCSK9i prescribing was evaluated with median odds ratio (OR).

Results:

Of 2 148 100 patients meeting study inclusion criteria, 27 249 (1.3%) received PCSK9i prescriptions. Receiving a PCSK9i prescription was associated with White race (versus non-White: OR, 1.78 [95% CI, 1.55–1.83]); high estimated household income (versus low income: OR, 1.18 [95% CI, 1.08–1.29]), and urban or suburban (versus rural) practice location (urban: OR, 1.47 [95% CI, 1.32–1.64]; suburban: OR, 1.25 [95% CI, 1.13–1.39]). Hispanics had lower odds of receiving PCSK9i prescriptions (OR, 0.66 [95% CI, 0.57–0.76]). The adjusted median odds ratio was 2.68 (95% CI, 2.46–2.94), consistent with clinically significant practice-level variation in PCSK9i prescriptions. No differences in quarterly PCSK9i prescription rates were observed before and after price reductions for evolocumab and alirocumab initiated during the fourth quarter of 2018 and first quarter of 2019, respectively.

Conclusions:

This study highlights racial, socioeconomic, geographic, and practice-level variations in early PCSK9i prescriptions which persist despite adjustment for clinical and demographic factors. After adjustment, 2 randomly selected practices would differ in likelihood of PCSK9i prescription by a factor of >2.
Neutrophil Enzyme Myeloperoxidase Modulates Neuronal Response in a Model of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage by Venous Injury
Authors: Coulibaly Aminata P. , Pezuk Pinar , Varghese Paul , Gartman William , Triebwasser Danielle , Kulas Joshua A. , Liu Lei , Syed Mariam , Tvrdik Petr , Ferris Heather , Provencio J. Javier
Published: August 2021

Background and Purpose:

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is associated with the development of delayed cognitive deficits. Neutrophil infiltration into the central nervous system is linked to the development of these deficits after SAH. It is however unclear how neutrophil activity influences central nervous system function in SAH. The present project aims to elucidate which neutrophil factors mediate central nervous system injury and cognitive deficits after SAH.

Methods:

Using a murine model of SAH and mice deficient in neutrophil effector functions, we determined which neutrophil effector function is critical to the development of deficits after SAH. In vivo and in vitro techniques were used to investigate possible pathways of neutrophils effect after SAH.

Results:

Our results show that mice lacking functional MPO (myeloperoxidase), a neutrophil enzyme, lack both the meningeal neutrophil infiltration (wild type, sham 872 cells/meninges versus SAH 3047,
P
=0.023; myeloperoxidase knockout [MPOKO], sham 1677 versus SAH 1636,
P
=NS) and erase the cognitive deficits on Barnes maze associated with SAH (MPOKO sham versus SAH,
P
=NS). The reintroduction of biologically active MPO, and its substrate hydrogen peroxide (H
2
O
2
), to the cerebrospinal fluid of MPOKO mice at the time of hemorrhage restores the spatial memory deficit observed after SAH (time to goal box MPOKO sham versus MPOKO+MPO/H
2
O
2
,
P
=0.001). We find evidence of changes in neurons, astrocytes, and microglia with MPO/H
2
O
2
suggesting the effect of MPO may have complex interactions with many cell types. Neurons exposed to MPO/H
2
O
2
show decreased calcium activity at baseline and after stimulation with potassium chloride. Although astrocytes and microglia are affected, changes seen in astrocytes are most consistent with inflammatory changes that likely affect neurons.

Conclusions:

These results implicate MPO as a mediator of neuronal dysfunction in SAH through its effect on both neurons and glia. These results show that, in SAH, the activity of innate immune cells in the meninges modulates the activity and function of the underlying brain tissue.
Directed functional and structural connectivity in a large-scale model for the mouse cortex
Authors: Nunes Ronaldo V. , Reyes Marcelo B. , Mejias Jorge F. , de Camargo Raphael Y.
Published: August 2021

Inferring the structural connectivity from electrophysiological measurements is a fundamental challenge in systems neuroscience. Directed functional connectivity measures, such as the generalized partial directed coherence (GPDC), provide estimates of the causal influence between areas. However, the relation between causality estimates and structural connectivity is still not clear. We analyzed this problem by evaluating the effectiveness of GPDC to estimate the connectivity of a ground-truth, data-constrained computational model of a large-scale network model of the mouse cortex. The model contains 19 cortical areas composed of spiking neurons, with areas connected by long-range projections with weights obtained from a tract-tracing cortical connectome. We show that GPDC values provide a reasonable estimate of structural connectivity, with an average Pearson correlation over simulations of 0.74. Moreover, even in a typical electrophysiological recording scenario containing five areas, the mean correlation was above 0.6. These results suggest that it may be possible to empirically estimate structural connectivity from functional connectivity even when detailed whole-brain recordings are not achievable.
Independent contributions of structural and functional connectivity: Evidence from a stroke model
Authors: Keator Lynsey M. , Yourganov Grigori , Basilakos Alexandra , Hillis Argye E. , Hickok Gregory , Bonilha Leonardo , Rorden Christopher , Fridriksson Julius
Published: August 2021

Altered functional connectivity is related to severity of language impairment in poststroke aphasia. However, it is not clear whether this finding specifically reflects loss of functional coherence, or more generally, is related to decreased structural connectivity due to cortical necrosis. The aim of the current study was to investigate this issue by factoring out structural connectivity from functional connectivity measures and then relating the residual data to language performance poststroke. Ninety-seven participants with a history of stroke were assessed using language impairment measures (Auditory Verbal Comprehension and Spontaneous Speech scores from the Western Aphasia Battery–Revised) and MRI (structural, diffusion tensor imaging, and resting-state functional connectivity). We analyzed the association between functional connectivity and language and controlled for multiple potential neuroanatomical confounders, namely structural connectivity. We identified functional connections within the left hemisphere ventral stream where decreased functional connectivity, independent of structural connectivity, was associated with speech comprehension impairment. These connections exist in frontotemporal and temporoparietal regions. Our results suggest poor speech comprehension in aphasia is at least partially caused by loss of cortical synchrony in a left hemisphere ventral stream network and is not only reflective of localized necrosis or structural connectivity.
On the taxonomic status of the genus Hypeugoa Leech with description of a new species of Miltochrista Hübner from Thailand (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini)
Authors: VOLYNKIN ANTON V. , ČERNÝ KAREL
Published: August 2021

The genus Hypeugoa Leech, 1899 is synonymized with the nominate subgenus of the genus Stigmatophora Staudinger, 1881: Stigmatophora = Hypeugoa, syn. nov., and a new combination for the type species is established: Stigmatophora flavogrisea (Leech, 1899), comb. nov. Hypeugoa flavogrisea orientalis Daniel, 1951 is upgraded to species level and also assigned with Stigmatophora: Stigmatophora orientalis (Daniel, 1951), stat. & comb. nov. Hypeugoa radaricola Černý, 2009 is transferred to the genus Miltochrista Hübner, [1819]: Miltochrista radaricola (Černý, 2009), comb. nov. A new species similar to M. radaricola, Miltochrista eugoana sp. nov. is described from North Thailand. The original citation of the holotype label of M. radaricola is corrected. Adults together with male and female genitalia of the new and the similar species are illustrated.
Perlidae (Plecoptera) from Bahia State, Brazil: description of the nymphs of Anacroneuria bahiensis Righi-Cavallaro & Lecci, notes on Anacroneuria debilis (Pictet), and updated list of the species
Authors: DE CARVALHO LUANA ARIEL CARDOSO , DE ALMEIDA LUCAS HENRIQUE , BISPO PITÁGORAS DA CONCEIÇÃO
Published: August 2021

In the present study, specimens of Anacroneuria (Plecoptera: Perlidae) from the Mucugê Municipal Park, Bahia State, Brazil were studied. The association between Anacroneuria bahiensis nymph and adult was possible because a specimen, as well as the exuviae, was collected during its emergence. Herein, we present the description of the A. bahiensis nymph, taxonomic notes on A. debilis, and an updated list of Anacroneuria species from Bahia State.
The Principals’ Role in Creating Safe Schools in War Zones: Gaza Strip as a Case Study
Authors: Abusamra Asmaa , Suyanto  , Wibawa Sutrisna
Published: August 2021

This study aims to identify the extent of the Palestinian principals’ role in creating safe schools in the Gaza Strip as a war zone. A mixed-method research design was employed. The study indicates the school principals’ awareness in creating school safety. The study also concludes that there are no statistically significant differences between the average estimates of the principals’ role in creating a safe school in the Gaza Strip from their point of view according to the variables of gender and the educational provinces; however, there are statistically significant differences according to the variable of years of experience.
Growing Black food on sacred land: Using Black liberation theology to imagine an alternative Black agrarian future
Authors: McCutcheon Priscilla
Published: August 2021

This article uses Black liberation theology (BLIBT) as a framework to theorize “the spirit” in the alternative food and sustainable agriculture movement. While BLIBT was formally named by theologian James Cone, it was born of the struggles of Black people in the United States who believed that God called Black people to be free, and God called Black preachers to preach Black liberation. I argue that Black liberation is a grounded vantage point to understand how some Black people might find freedom through food and agriculture. In the first potion of the paper, I make a claim for the importance of studying spirituality in agrarian and food spaces, whether or not a researcher is spiritually inclined. In the second portion of the paper, I delve deeper into Cone’s articulation of BLIBT, and explore how we might begin to theorize it as an agrarian mandate including: a call for an urgent food source, liberation of the individual Black body, community ownership of land, the spirit of Black religious spaces, an emphasis on land reparations, and the freedom to dream. I conclude with a call for why an attention to BLIBT is called for in our present moment.
Exercise therapy for sarcopenia in rheumatoid arthritis: A meta-analysis and meta-regression of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Liao Chun-De , Chen Hung-Chou , Huang Shih-Wei , Liou Tsan-Hon
Published: August 2021

Objective:

Rheumatoid arthritis and age are associated with high sarcopenia risk. Exercise is an effective treatment for preventing muscle mass loss in older adult populations. It remains unclear whether exercise affects muscle mass in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Thus, this meta-analysis investigated the effect of exercise on muscle mass gain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Data sources:

PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), the China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database, and Google Scholar were systematically searched until June 2021.

Methods:

The present study was conducted according to the guidelines recommended by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that reported the effects of exercise on muscle mass for rheumatoid arthritis were identified. The included RCTs were subject to meta-analysis and risk of bias assessment. Subgroup and random-effects meta-regression analyses were performed to identify any heterogeneity ( I2) of treatment effects across studies.

Results:

We included nine RCTs with a median PEDro score of 6/10 (range: 4/10–8/10). The weighted mean effect size for muscle mass was 0.77 (95% CI: 0.30–1.24; P = 0.001; I2 = 77%). Meta-regression analyses indicated that the disease duration significantly explained variance of treatment effects across studies (β = −0.006, R2 = 69.7%, P = 0.005).

Conclusions:

Exercise therapy effectively increased muscle mass in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Treatment effects may be attenuated in those who have had rheumatoid arthritis for a relatively long time.
Manual joint mobilisation techniques, supervised physical activity, psychological treatment, acupuncture and patient education in migraine treatment. A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Beier Dagmar , Callesen Henriette E , Carlsen Louise N , Birkefoss Kirsten , Tómasdóttir Hanna , Wűrtzen Hanne , Christensen Henrik W , Krøll Lotte S , Jensen Mette , Høst Christel V , Hansen Jakob M
Published: August 2021

Background

Many people suffering from migraine combine pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments. The purpose of this systematic review is to provide an updated guideline for some widely used non-pharmacological treatment options for migraine.

Methods

We conducted a systematic literature review of randomized studies of adults with migraine treated with manual joint mobilisation techniques, supervised physical activity, psychological treatment, acupuncture and patient education. The main outcomes measured were days with headache and quality of life. Recommendations were formulated based on the Grade of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach including patient preferences based on expert opinion and questionnaire data.

Results

The overall level of certainty of the evidence was low to very low. Manual therapy techniques and psychological treatment did not change the studied outcomes. Supervised physical activity might have a positive impact on quality of life, acupuncture on headache frequency, intensity, quality of life and the use of attack-medicine. Patient education might improve self-rated health and quality of life and increase the number of well-informed patients.

Conclusion

Based on observed effects, the lack of serious adverse events, and patients’ preferences, we make weak recommendations for considering the investigated interventions as a supplement to standard treatment. Protocol registration: Prospero CRD42020220132.
Factors Associated With Noncontact Injury in Collegiate Soccer: A 12-Team Prospective Study of NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Soccer
Authors: Curtis Ryan M. , Huggins Robert A. , Benjamin Courteney L. , Sekiguchi Yasuki , Lepley Lindsey K. , Huedo-Medina Tania B. , Casa Douglas J.
Published: August 2021

Background:

Multiteam, multi-institution prospective studies of both women’s and men’s sports are essential for collectively investigating injury and primary to the generalization and individualization of injury prevention strategies.

Hypothesis:

Characteristics of workload, sleep, and contextual factors will be associated with injury risk in collegiate soccer athletes.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

Injuries, workload, and sleep characteristics were recorded daily throughout a complete season for 256 athletes from 12 separate National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men’s and women’s soccer teams. Workload and contextual factors were assessed via multilevel Poisson regression to capture differences in injury incidence rate ratio (IRR). Paired t test and multilevel logistic regressions were used to assess the relationship between sleep behavior and injury.

Results:

Collegiate soccer athletes had lower rates of noncontact injury in the in-season (IRR, 0.42) and postseason (IRR, 0.48) compared with preseason, lower rates of injury in training (IRR, 0.64) compared with matches, and higher injury rates with only 1 day of rest in the previous week (IRR, 1.58) compared with >1 day. Injury rates peaked when training occurred 4 days before a match (IRR, 2.24) compared with a match. Injury rate increased exponentially with increases in the number of noncontact injuries incurred throughout the season (IRR, 2.23). Lower chronic loading, higher training monotony, and acute spikes and lulls in workload were associated with higher noncontact injury rates. Alterations in previous week sleep quality were associated with injury, while chronic sleep behavior and acute alterations (<7 days) in sleep behavior were not ( P > .05).

Conclusion:

Athlete and schedule-specific contextual factors, combined with characteristics of workload and weekly sleep behavior, are significantly associated with injury in collegiate soccer. Multiteam prospective cohort studies involving objective and subjective monitoring allow for the identification of multiple injury risk factors in sports, which can be used to guide injury prevention strategies. Maintaining higher chronic workloads, lowering training monotony, minimizing acute spikes or lulls in workloads, managing workloads during preseason and for athletes with previous injury, integrating more rest and recovery during congested periods, and optimizing sleep quality are all practical considerations for reducing injury risk in collegiate soccer.
Priorities for reorienting traditional institutions of higher education toward online teaching and learning: Thinking beyond the COVID-19 experience
Authors: Sharadgah Talha A , Sa’di Rami A
Published: August 2021

The purpose of this study is to suggest priorities for reorienting traditional institutions of higher education (IHE) toward online teaching and learning beyond the COVID-19 experience. This research applied the qualitative research method. Data collection sources included both a systematic literature review relating to how COVID-19 informed online distance learning across the globe and an analysis of circulars germane to the pandemic that were issued by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Saudi Arabia and by Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University (PSAU). Guided by those two types of data, that is, review of the literature in general and the MOE and PSAU circulars in particular, and also illuminated by their own experiences of online teaching during the lockdown, the researchers were able to put forward those priorities. For the systematic review of the literature, five steps were performed: (1) identifying search terms and developing and applying a search strategy; (2) screening the obtained research papers, removing duplicates and papers outside the focal point, and establishing inclusion/exclusion criteria; (3) assessing the research papers against the inclusion/exclusion criteria; (4) data extraction; and (5) data synthesis. Although this article does not suggest traditional IHE should go entirely digital, it highlights the need for IHE to ensure access to online learning content, develop more partnerships with community, develop online self-study skills, get students to shift from passive to active learning, and a need to reconsider current e-assessment. Additionally, the study emphasizes the need to provide additional support for faculty members, how university buildings should be gradually reopened, controlling factors influencing online learning outcomes, and addressing the issue of dropouts in IHE. Finally, the study underlines the need to add further emphasis to the importance of integrating blended learning in the university curriculum and navigating toward developing global distance learning programs.
Older Adults’ Expectations and Experiences With Health care Professionals in Ghana
Authors: Issahaku Paul Alhassan , Sulemana Alhassan
Published: August 2021

By the year 2050, over 6 million of Ghana’s population will be people aged 60 years and above. Because of increased health challenges that accompany aging, older Ghanaians have health needs to address communicable and chronic non-communicable diseases. This suggests that now into the future, older adults in Ghana will have increased contact with health care professionals. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore older adults’ expectations and experiences with health care professionals to generate information that will shape health care policy and service delivery. Interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 23 persons aged 60 years and above from the North and South of Ghana. The transcribed data were imported to NVivo software to aid with analysis of the data. An inductive approach ta data analysis was used, drawing from thematic analyses procedures. Three key findings emerged from the study. These include (a) noncompassionate care—health professionals were neglectful, inattentive, discriminatory, and stigmatizing toward participants; (b) disrespectful attitude—professionals showed disrespect by shouting or yelling, making participants feel invisible, or not distinguishing participants from younger patients; and (c) a better way to treat us—participants called for compassion, patience, respect, honesty, and priority attention from health care professionals. The study contributes to literature on older adults’ experiences with health care professionals and suggests to health policy makers and health care professionals to consider older adults’ care expectations to make health care services elder-friendly.