The Emergence of eSport During Covid-19: How Sim Racing Replaced Live Motorsport in 2020

In the wake of global shutdown due to Covid-19, the world was put on hold. The initial effect of the cancellations halted what could have been a potentially fortuitus season; however, the 2020 motorsports season still persevered in the absence of physical contact via home-based sim racing. While there has been previous research into how the world of eSport and sim racing fit into sport, there has never existed a greater opportunity to look at how true motorsport fans would react to such a shift to the virtual racing world. This research seeks to answer the question of whether eSports is an accepted replacement for live motorsport as defined by fan consumption practices. To answer this question fully, a data analysis of how fans have responded to motorsport turning to virtual sim racing was conducted by recording the fan engagements on social media platforms and the total number of views for each virtual grand prix throughout the 2020 virtual racing season. The data collected will be used to track the rate of increase or decline in viewership over the course of the Formula 1 and IndyCar Virtual Grand Prix (VGP) season and will focus specifically on how well received the races were in terms of social platform interactions and how those interactions correlated to actual views

The Emergence of eSport During Covid-19: How Sim Racing Replaced Live Motorsport in 2020

In the wake of global shutdown due to Covid-19, the world was put on hold. The initial effect of the cancellations halted what could have been a potentially fortuitus season; however, the 2020 motorsports season still persevered in the absence of physical contact via home-based sim racing. While there has been previous research into how the world of eSport and sim racing fit into sport, there has never existed a greater opportunity to look at how true motorsport fans would react to such a shift to the virtual racing world. This research seeks to answer the question of whether eSports is an accepted replacement for live motorsport as defined by fan consumption practices. To answer this question fully, a data analysis of how fans have responded to motorsport turning to virtual sim racing was conducted by recording the fan engagements on social media platforms and the total number of views for each virtual grand prix throughout the 2020 virtual racing season. The data collected will be used to track the rate of increase or decline in viewership over the course of the Formula 1 and IndyCar Virtual Grand Prix (VGP) season and will focus specifically on how well received the races were in terms of social platform interactions and how those interactions correlated to actual views

Endothelial dysfunction is associated with carotid plaque: a cross-sectional study from the population based Northern Manhattan Study

BACKGROUND: Impaired vascular function occurs early in atherogenesis. Brachial flow mediated dilatation (FMD) is a non-invasive measure of vascular function and may be an important marker of preclinical atherosclerosis. Data on the association between FMD and carotid plaque in multi-ethnic populations are limited. The objective of this study was to determine whether endothelial dysfunction is independently associated with carotid plaque in a community of northern Manhattan. METHODS: In the population-based Northern Manhattan Study (NOMAS), high-resolution B-mode ultrasound images of the brachial and carotid arteries were obtained in 643 stroke-free subjects (mean age 66 years; 55% women; 65% Caribbean-Hispanic, 17% African-American, 16% Caucasian). Brachial FMD was measured during reactive hyperemia. Maximum carotid plaque thickness (MCPT) was measured at the peak plaque prominence. RESULTS: The mean brachial FMD was 5.78 ± 3.83 %. Carotid plaque was present in 339 (53%) subjects. The mean MCPT was 1.68 ± 0.82 mm, and the 75(th )percentile was 2.0 mm. Reduced FMD was significantly associated with increased MCPT. After adjusting for demographics, vascular risk factors, and education, each percent of FMD decrease was associated with a significant 0.02 mm increase in MCPT (p = 0.028). In a dichotomous adjusted model, blunted FMD was associated with an increased risk of MCPT ≥ 2.0 mm (OR, 1.11 for every 1% decrease in FMD; 95% CI, 1.03–1.19). CONCLUSION: Decreased brachial FMD is independently associated with carotid plaque. Non-invasive evaluation of endothelial dysfunction may be a useful marker of preclinical atherosclerosis and help to individualize cardiovascular risk assessment beyond traditional risk factors

Mechanistic understanding of speciated oxide growth in high entropy alloys

Complex multi-element alloys are gaining prominence for structural applications, supplementing steels, and superalloys. Understanding the impact of each element on alloy surfaces due to oxidation is vital in maintaining material integrity. This study investigates oxidation mechanisms in these alloys using a model five-element equiatomic CoCrFeNiMn alloy, in a controlled oxygen environment. The oxidation-induced surface changes correlate with each element's interactive tendencies with the environment, guided by thermodynamics. Initial oxidation stages follow atomic size and redox potential, with the latter becoming dominant over time, causing composition inversion. The study employs in-situ atom probe tomography, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray absorption near-edge structure techniques to elucidate the oxidation process and surface oxide structure evolution. Our findings deconvolute the mechanism for compositional and structural changes in the oxide film and will pave the way for a predictive design of complex alloys with improved resistance to oxidation under extreme conditions

Impaired vascular function and repair in patients with premature coronary artery disease

Background Endothelial dysfunction is central to the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease, but the role of local and circulating endothelial progenitor cells in maintaining vascular health is poorly understood. We hypothesised that impaired local and circulating vascular repair mechanisms predispose to endothelial dysfunction and the premature onset of coronary artery disease. Methods and results Patients with premature coronary artery disease (n = 16) and healthy age- and sex-matched controls (n = 16) underwent venous occlusion plethysmography with intra-arterial infusion of acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside. Numbers of circulating endothelial progenitor cells were directly quantified in whole blood by flow cytometry. Endothelial cells were isolated from the blood vessel wall and from peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and expanded in vitro for phenotypic and functional characterisation and analysis of microRNA expression levels. A dose-dependent increase in forearm blood flow (p < 0.001) was attenuated in response to the endothelial-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine in patients compared with controls (p = 0.03). No differences in the number of circulating endothelial progenitor cells or in the phenotype, function or microRNA expression levels of endothelial outgrowth cells isolated from blood were observed in patients and controls. Conversely, local vessel wall endothelial cells from patients had significant impairments in proliferation, adhesion and migration, and significantly reduced expression levels of microRNAs known to regulate endothelial function (miRs −10 a, −let7b, −126 and −181 b) (p < 0.05 for all). Conclusion Local vessel wall derived endothelial cells, rather than circulating endothelial progenitor cells and their progeny, are impaired in patients with vascular dysfunction and premature coronary artery disease

Stable reference genes for the measurement of transcript abundance during larval caste development in the honeybee

Many genes are differentially regulated by caste development in the honeybee. Identifying and understanding these differences is key to discovering the mechanisms underlying this process. To identify these gene expression differences requires robust methods to measure transcript abundance. RT-qPCR is currently the gold standard to measure gene expression, but requires stable reference genes to compare gene expression changes. Such reference genes have not been established for honeybee caste development. Here, we identify and test potential reference genes that have stable expression throughout larval development between the two female castes. In this study, 15 candidate reference genes were examined to identify the most stable reference genes. Three algorithms (GeNorm, Bestkeeper and NormFinder) were used to rank the candidate reference genes based on their stability between the castes throughout larval development. Of these genes Ndufa8 (the orthologue of a component of complex one of the mitochondrial electron transport chain) and Pros54 (orthologous to a component of the 26S proteasome) were identified as being the most stable. When these two genes were used to normalise expression of two target genes (previously found to be differentially expressed between queen and worker larvae by microarray analysis) they were able to more accurately detect differential expression than two previously used reference genes (awd and RpL12). The identification of these novel reference genes will be of benefit to future studies of caste development in the honeybee

The Effect of Rural-to-Urban Migration on Obesity and Diabetes in India: A Cross-Sectional Study

Shah Ebrahim and colleagues examine the distribution of obesity, diabetes, and other cardiovascular risk factors among urban migrant factory workers in India, together with their rural siblings. The investigators identify patterns of change of cardiovascular risk factors associated with urban migration

Barriers and facilitators to recruitment of physicians and practices for primary care health services research at one centre

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>While some research has been conducted examining recruitment methods to engage physicians and practices in primary care research, further research is needed on recruitment methodology as it remains a recurrent challenge and plays a crucial role in primary care research. This paper reviews recruitment strategies, common challenges, and innovative practices from five recent primary care health services research studies in Ontario, Canada.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We used mixed qualitative and quantitative methods to gather data from investigators and/or project staff from five research teams. Team members were interviewed and asked to fill out a brief survey on recruitment methods, results, and challenges encountered during a recent or ongoing project involving primary care practices or physicians. Data analysis included qualitative analysis of interview notes and descriptive statistics generated for each study.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Recruitment rates varied markedly across the projects despite similar initial strategies. Common challenges and creative solutions were reported by many of the research teams, including building a sampling frame, developing front-office rapport, adapting recruitment strategies, promoting buy-in and interest in the research question, and training a staff recruiter.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Investigators must continue to find effective ways of reaching and involving diverse and representative samples of primary care providers and practices by building personal connections with, and buy-in from, potential participants. Flexible recruitment strategies and an understanding of the needs and interests of potential participants may also facilitate recruitment.</p

Proton pump inhibitors and the risk of pneumonia: A comparison of cohort and self-controlled case series designs

Background: To compare the results of a new-user cohort study design and the self-controlled case series (SCCS) design using the risk of hospitalisation for pneumonia in those dispensed proton pump inhibitors compared to those unexposed as a case study. Methods: The Australian Government Department of Veterans’ Affairs administrative claims database was used. Exposure to proton pump inhibitors and hospitalisations for pneumonia were identified over a 4 year study period 01 Jul 2007 -30 Jun 2011. The same inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to both studies, however, the SCCS study included subjects with a least one hospitalisation for pneumonia. Results: There were 105,467 subjects included in the cohort study and 6775 in the SCCS. Both studies showed an increased risk of hospitalisations for pneumonia in the three defined risk periods following initiation of proton pump inhibitors compared to baseline. With the highest risk in the first 1 to 7 days (Cohort RR, 3.24; 95% CI (2.50, 4.19): SCCS: RR, 3.07; 95% CI (2.69, 3.50)). Conclusions: This study has shown that the self-controlled case series method produces similar risk estimates to a new-users cohort study design when applied to the association of proton pump inhibitors and pneumonia. Exposure to a proton pump inhibitor increases the likelihood of being admitted to hospital for pneumonia, with the risk highest in the first week of treatment.Emmae N Ramsay, Nicole L Pratt, Philip Ryan and Elizabeth E Roughea