bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
How patients with mild dementia living in a nursing home benefit from dementia cafés: a case‐control study focusing on psychological and behavioural symptoms and caregiver burden
Authors: De Luca Rosaria , De Cola Maria C. , Leonardi Simona , Portaro Simona , Naro Antonino , Torrisi Michele , Marra Angela , Bramanti Alessia , Calabrò Rocco S. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractBackgroundDementia is a syndrome, mainly due to neurodegeneration, affecting cognition, behaviour, feelings and relationships. Pharmacological treatment is still challenging and thus different ways to improve/slow down the disease are necessary.MethodsTwenty‐five subjects with mild dementia, living in a nursing home, and their relatives were invited to attend a dementia cafe, a community group which provides support for families affected by dementia. Each patient was evaluated by a neuropsychologist, through the administration of a specific neuropsychological battery, before and at the end of the study. Their outcomes were compared to a matched group of patients with dementia receiving psycho‐counselling.ResultsAfter the dementia cafe meetings, patients showed higher significant changes in mood (P < 0.01), behavioural symptoms (P < 0.001), quality of life (P < 0.001), and caregiver burden (P < 0.001). The control group significantly improved only in quality of life with a reduction of caregiver burden.ConclusionsOur findings confirm that patients with dementia may benefit from the dementia cafe, especially concerning behavioural symptoms. Moreover, caregivers find these cafés to be welcoming, relaxed places to socialise and access support and information. Future dementia cafés should create programs and comfortable environments answering to the different needs of the patients.
Is carbon dioxide removal ‘mitigation of climate change’?
Authors: Honegger Matthias , Burns Wil , Morrow David R. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractCarbon dioxide removal (CDR) is often characterized as separate from climate change mitigation. Discussion of CDR governance – despite enjoying growing interest – tends to overlook how key provisions on mitigation apply. Similarly, many climate policy processes have ignored CDR. CDR may have been discursively held separate from ‘mitigation’ due to a partial conceptual overlap with ‘geoengineering’. We unpack how the ‘mitigation of climate change’ – as defined in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement – includes CDR as defined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. We point to important implications and opportunities for strengthening governance by enhanced clarity regarding parties’ obligations, principled equitable distribution of removal efforts, prioritization of rapid emissions reductions and careful paths to long‐term removals, and a need for considering sustainability and human rights issues in the pursuit of CDR.
Estimation of Causal Effects with Small Data in the Presence of Trapdoor Variables
Authors: Helske Jouni , Tikka Santtu , Karvanen Juha 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
We consider the problem of estimating causal effects of interventions from observational data when well-known back-door and front-door adjustments are not applicable. We show that when an identifiable causal effect is subject to an implicit functional constraint that is not deducible from conditional independence relations, the estimator of the causal effect can exhibit bias in small samples. This bias is related to variables that we call trapdoor variables. We use simulated data to study different strategies to account for trapdoor variables and suggest how the related trapdoor bias might be minimized. The importance of trapdoor variables in causal effect estimation is illustrated with real data from the Life Course 1971–2002 study. Using this data set, we estimate the causal effect of education on income in the Finnish context. Bayesian modelling allows us to take the parameter uncertainty into account and to present the estimated causal effects as posterior distributions.
Multilevel Time Series Modelling of Mobility Trends in the Netherlands for Small Domains
Authors: Boonstra Harm Jan , van den Brakel Jan , Das Sumonkanti 
Published: May 2021

AbstractThe purpose of the Dutch Travel Survey is to produce reliable estimates on mobility of the Dutch population. In this paper mobility trends are estimated at several aggregation levels, using multilevel time series models. The models account for discontinuities induced by two survey redesigns and outliers due to less reliable outcomes in one particular year. The input for the model is direct annual estimates with their standard errors for the period 1999–2017 for a detailed cross-classification in 504 domains. Appropriate transformations for the direct estimates and generalized variance functions to smooth the standard errors of the direct estimates are proposed. The models are fitted in an hierarchical Bayesian framework using MCMC simulations. From the model outputs smooth trend estimates are computed at the most detailed domain level. Predictions at higher aggregation levels obtained by aggregation of the most detailed domain predictions result in a numerically consistent set of trend estimates for all target variables.
Sparse Reduced-Rank Regression for Exploratory Visualisation of Paired Multivariate Data
Authors: Kobak Dmitry , Bernaerts Yves , Weis Marissa A. , Scala Federico , Tolias Andreas S. , Berens Philipp 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
In genomics, transcriptomics, and related biological fields (collectively known as omics), combinations of experimental techniques can yield multiple sets of features for the same set of biological replicates. One example is Patch-seq, a method combining single-cell RNA sequencing with electrophysiological recordings from the same cells. Here we present a framework based on sparse reduced-rank regression (RRR) for obtaining an interpretable visualisation of the relationship between the transcriptomic and the electrophysiological data. We use elastic net regularisation that yields sparse solutions and allows for an efficient computational implementation. Using several Patch-seq datasets, we show that sparse RRR outperforms both sparse full-rank regression and non-sparse RRR, as well as previous sparse RRR approaches, in terms of predictive performance. We introduce a bibiplot visualisation in order to display the dominant factors determining the relationship between transcriptomic and electrophysiological properties of neurons. We believe that sparse RRR can provide a valuable tool for the exploration and visualisation of paired multivariate datasets.
A kelch‐repeat superfamily gene, ZmNL4, controls leaf width in maize (Zea mays L.)
Authors: Gao Lulu , Yang Guanghui , Li Yufeng , Sun Ying , Xu Ruibin , Chen Yongming , Wang Zihao , Xing Jiewen , Zhang Yirong 
Published: May 2021

SummaryLeaf width (LW) is an important component of plant architecture that extensively affects both light capture during photosynthesis and grain yield, particularly under dense planting conditions. However, the genetic and molecular mechanisms regulating LW remain largely elusive in maize (Zea mays L.). In this study, qLW4a, a major quantitative trait locus controlling LW, was identified in a population constructed with maize inbred lines PH6WC, with wide leaves, and Lin387, with narrow leaves. Map‐based cloning revealed that ZmNL4, a kelch‐repeat superfamily gene, emerged to be the candidate for qLW4a, and a single‐base deletion in the conserved SMC_prok_B domain of ZmNL4 in Lin387 caused a frame shift, leading to premature termination. Consistently, the knockout of ZmNL4 by CRISPR/Cas9 editing significantly reduced the LW, which was attributed to a reduction in the cell number instead of cell size, indicating a role of ZmNL4 in regulating cell division. Transcriptomic comparison of ZmNL4 knockout lines with the wild type B73‐329 revealed that ZmNL4 might participate in cell wall biogenesis, asymmetric cell division, metabolic processes, transmembrane transport and response to external stimulus, etc. These results provide insights into the genetic and molecular mechanisms of ZmNL4 in controlling LW and could potentially contribute to optimizing plant architecture for maize breeding.
Political economy of aid allocation: The case of Arab donors
Authors: Kibria Ahsan , Oladi Reza , Bosworth Ryan 
Published: May 2021

AbstractBy exploiting a unique data set on aid allocation by major Arab donors, this paper explores the relationship between aid allocation and the strategic alignment of donors with recipients as well as the developmental need of recipients. To motivate our empirical work, we first develop a new theory of aid allocation, wherein a representative donor country's payoff depends on both the well‐being of the representative recipient country as well as its strategic alignment with the donor. Our theoretical model suggests that there exists a positive relationship between donor's aid allocation and the geopolitical and cultural alignment of the recipient country. Our model also predicts that donors allocate more aid to recipient countries with higher levels of country capacity. To test the prediction of our theory empirically, we construct a new measure of geopolitical and cultural alignment for recipient countries by using principal component analysis. We employ this measure and a set of control variables to show that the geopolitical and cultural alignment of a recipient country and its capacity to implement development projects are the key determinants of aid allocation from the Arab donors.
Intra‐regional spillovers from Nigeria and South Africa to the rest of Africa: New evidence from a FAVAR model
Authors: Omoshoro‐Jones Oyenyinka Sunday , Bonga‐Bonga Lumengo 
Published: May 2021

AbstractThe dominance of large resource‐rich hegemonic economies, most notably Nigeria and South Africa, with extensive trade and possible financial linkages, exposes other Africa countries to intra‐regional spillovers. However, this strand of empirical analysis remains largely unstudied, as extant studies are mostly devoted to investigating the implications of external (global) shocks. This paper contributes to the existing literature by investigating the extent to which shocks to economic growth in Nigeria and South Africa spillover to three regional bodies, namely Central African Economic and Monetary Union (CEMAC), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The paper distinguishes between trade and financial channels to identify these growth spillovers by using a two‐step FAVAR model. The results of the empirical analysis show that the trade channel is effective for growth spillovers from Nigeria and South Africa to the three regional blocs. However, we find no evidence of growth spillover from the financial channel, except between South Africa and the SADC region. The paper postulates that although the total intra‐African trade remains low, it remains an important channel for growth spillover in the continent. Thus, any initiative, such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) should be encouraged, to expand trade in the continent.
Cutaneous microRNA expression in healthy Labrador and Golden retrievers and retrievers with allergic and inflammatory skin diseases
Authors: Morlang Marie Isabel , Weber Karin , von Bomhard Wolf , Mueller Ralf S. 
Published: May 2021

BackgroundMicroRNAs (miRNA) are short, single‐stranded RNA molecules that regulate gene expression in a post‐transcriptional manner. Their expression is proposed to be tissue‐specific and alterations in miRNA expression have been detected in many diseases.ObjectiveTo compare miRNA expression in the skin of healthy Labrador and golden retrievers, and those with allergic and nonallergic dermatitis.Methods and materialsFormalin‐fixed and paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) skin specimens from seven healthy Labrador and golden retrievers, and seven dogs with allergic skin disease were collected. A further mixed nonallergic inflammation group consisted of samples from five dogs with fungal infection, demodicosis and mast cell tumours. Total RNA was extracted and miRNA primer assays for 18 target miRNAs (miR‐142, miR‐363, miR‐18b, miR‐451, miR‐146a, miR‐124, miR‐409, miR‐193b, miR‐223, miR‐215, miR‐155, miR‐423a, miR‐143, miR‐1839, miR‐21, miR‐34b, miR‐146b and miR‐202) were performed, with RNU6‐2 and SNORD95 as miRNAs for normalisation. The selection of miRNAs for investigation was based on reported data and a pilot study evaluating miRNA extraction from FFPE tissue specimens.ResultsIn the two dogs with mast cell tumours, miRNA expression was undetermined for most miRNAs, so both were excluded from analysis. Although there were differences in the miRNA expression between healthy and inflamed skin, allergic and nonallergic inflammation showed similar expression patterns.Conclusion and clinical relevanceAlthough the number of included dogs was small, based on this study, none of the evaluated miRNAs allowed differentiation of allergic dermatitis from other inflammatory skin diseases in retriever dogs.
Influence of hospital size on antimicrobial resistance and advantages of restricting antimicrobial use based on cumulative antibiograms in dogs withStaphylococcuspseudintermediusinfections in Japan
Authors: Iyori Keita , Shishikura Taku , Shimoike Kenta , Minoshima Kenichi , Imanishi Ichiro , Toyoda Yoichi 
Published: May 2021

BackgroundAntimicrobial resistance inStaphylococcuspseudintermedius(SP) and the prevalence of meticillin‐resistant SP (MRSP) is increasing in dogs worldwide.ObjectivesTo evaluate the influence of hospital size on antimicrobial resistance of SP and whether restricted use of antimicrobials based on antibiograms could reduce the identification of antimicrobial resistance in SP from infected dogs.Methods and materialsIn Study 1, a total of 2,294 SP isolates from dogs with pyoderma (n = 1,858, 52 hospitals) or otitis externa (OE; n = 436, 44 hospitals) taken between 2017 and 2019 were analysed. Clinics were categorised into small, medium and large based on numbers of practicing veterinary surgeons. In Study 2, a cumulative antibiogram was constructed for 12 antimicrobials from one large veterinary clinic from 2017 to 2018. Referring to this antibiogram, the clinic introduced strict antimicrobial selection criteria to treat dogs with pyoderma and OE, starting in 2018.ResultsMRSP was identified in 981 dogs (42.8%). In large clinics, the isolation rate of MRSP was 51.1% (404 of 791), which was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than in small clinics with less than two veterinary practitioners (34.0%, 154 of 453). In the antibiogram study, the susceptibility rates of oxacillin (MPIPC, 61.5%), cefpodoxime (CPDX, 55.8%) and minocycline (MINO, 55.8%) were significantly higher in 2019 (n = 52) than in 2017 to 2018 (n = 54; MPIPC, 37.0%; CPDX, 33.3%; MINO, 20.4%;P < 0.05).Conclusions and clinical relevanceHospital size could affect the isolation rate of MRSP in dogs. Restricted use of antimicrobials for over a year based on cumulative antibiograms could reduce the resistance rate of multiple antimicrobials in SP isolated from dogs with pyoderma and OE.
Wall Effects on the Flow Dynamics of a Rigid Sphere in Motion
Authors: Feng Zhi-Gang , Gatewood Jason , Michaelides Efstathios E. 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
The presence of a wall near a rigid sphere in motion is known to disturb the particle fore and aft flow-field symmetry and to affect the hydrodynamic force. An immersed boundary direct numerical simulation (IB-DNS) is used in this study to determine the wall effects on the dynamics of a free-falling sphere and the drag of a sphere moving at a constant velocity. The numerical results are validated by comparison to the published experimental, numerical, and analytical data. The pressure and velocity fields are numerically computed when the particle is in the vicinity of the wall; the transverse (lift) and longitudinal (drag) parts of the hydrodynamic force are calculated; its rotational velocity is investigated in the case of a free-falling sphere. The flow asymmetry also causes the particle to rotate. The wall effect is shown to be significant when the dimensionless ratio of the wall distance to the particle diameter, L/D, is less than 3. The wall effects are more pronounced and when the particle Reynolds number, Re, is less than 10. Based on the computational results, a useful correlation for the wall effects on the drag coefficients of spheres is derived in the range 0.75 &lt; L/D &lt; 3 and 0.18 &lt; Re &lt; 10.
Early Fault Diagnostic System for Rolling Bearing Faults in Wind Turbines
Authors: Xu Libowen , Wang Qing , Ivrissimtzis Ioannis , Li Shisong 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
The operation and maintenance costs of wind farms are always high due to high labor costs and the high replacement cost of parts. Thus, it is of great importance to have real-time monitoring and an early fault diagnostic system to prevent major events, reduce time-based maintenance, and minimize the cost. In this paper, such a two-step system for early stage rolling bearing failures in offshore wind turbines is introduced. First, empirical mode decomposition is applied to minimize the effect of ambient noise. Next, correlation coefficients between a reference signal and test signals are obtained and incipient fault detection is achieved by comparing the results with a threshold value. Through further analysis of the envelope spectrum, sample entropy for selected intrinsic mode functions is obtained, which is further used to train a support vector machine classifier to achieve fault classification and degradation state recognition. The proposed diagnostic approach is verified by experimental tests, and an accuracy of 98% in identifying and classifying rolling bearing failures under various loading conditions is obtained.
Design and Mechanical Evaluation of Sutureless Implants for the Surgery Treatment of Rotator Cuff Tears
Authors: Guimarães Marcília Valéria , Bonifácio Elton Diêgo , Carmo Thiago Côrrea do , Araújo Cleudmar Amaral de 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Rotator cuff (RC) tears cause pain and functional disability of the shoulder. Despite advances in suture anchors, there are still reports about the incidence of surgical-related injuries to RC mainly associated with sutures. The purpose of this study was to design and evaluate the mechanical behavior of sutureless implants to repair RC tears. We hypothesized that the implants present mechanical characteristics suitable for the surgical treatment of RC tears as suture anchors. Three different implants (T1, T2, T3) were designed and fabricated with titanium: T1 has two rods and rectangular head; T2 has two rods with a small opening and enlarged rectangular head; and T3 has three rods and a circular head. The implants were fixed in rigid polyurethane foam blocks by a series of blows, and the applied mechanical loads along with the number of blows were quantified. Pullout tests using tapes fixed between the implant head and testing machine grip were conducted until implant failure. The maximum pullout strength and displacement of the implant relative to the rigid foam block were computed. Statistical significance was set at p &lt; 0.05. Owing to its geometric configuration, implant T2 presented the best characteristics related to stability, strength, and ease of insertion. Implant T2 confirms our hypothesis that its mechanical behavior is compatible with that of suture anchors, which could lead to the reduction of RC repair failures and simplify the arthroscopic procedure.
Analytical Cutting Force Modeling of Micro-Slot Grinding Considering Tool–Workpiece Interactions on Both Primary and Secondary Tool Surfaces
Authors: Pratap Ashwani , Patra Karali 
Published: May 2021

AbstractThis work presents an analytical cutting force modeling for micro-slot grinding. Contribution of the work lies in the consideration of both primary and secondary tool surface interactions with the work surface as compared to the previous works where only primary tool surface interaction was considered during cutting force modeling. Tool secondary surface interaction with workpiece is divided into two parts: cutting/plowing by abrasive grits present in exterior margin of the secondary tool surface and sliding/adhesion by abrasive grits in the inner margins of the secondary tool surface. Orthogonal cutting force model and indentation based-fracture model are considered for cutting by both the abrasives of primary tool surface and the abrasives of exterior margin on the secondary surface. Asperity level sliding and adhesion model are adopted to solve the interaction between the workpiece and the interior margin abrasives of secondary tool surface. Experimental measurement of polycrystalline diamond tool surface topography is carried out and surface data are processed with image processing tools to determine the tool surface statistics, namely, cutting edge density, grit height distribution, and abrasive grit geometrical measures. Micro-slot grinding experiments are carried out on BK7 glass at varying feed rate and axial depths of cut to validate the simulated cutting forces. Simulated cutting forces considering both primary and secondary tool surface interactions are found to be much closer to the experimental cutting forces as compared to the simulated cutting forces considering only primary tool surface interaction.
A Microstructure-Based Mechanistic Model for Bone Sawing: Part 1—Cutting Force Predictions
Authors: Conward Michael , Samuel Johnson 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
This two-part paper is aimed at developing a microstructure-based mechanistic modeling framework to predict the cutting forces and acoustic emissions (AEs) generated during bone sawing. The modeling framework is aimed at the sub-radius cutting condition that dominates chip-formation mechanics during the bone sawing process. Part 1 of this paper deals specifically with the sawing experiments and modeling of the cutting/thrust forces. The model explicitly accounts for key microstructural constituents of the bovine bone (viz., osteon, interstitial matrix, lamellar bone, and woven bone). The cutting and thrust forces are decomposed into their shearing and ploughing components. Microstructure-specific shear stress values critical to the model calculations are estimated using micro-scale orthogonal cutting tests. This approach of estimating the microstructure-specific shear stress overcomes a critical shortcoming in the literature related to high-strain rate characterization of natural composites, where the separation of the individual constituents is difficult. The six model coefficients are calibrated over a range of clinically relevant depth-of-cuts (DOCs) using pure haversian regions (comprising of osteon and interstitial matrix), and pure plexiform regions (comprising of lamellar bone and woven bone). The calibrated model is then used to make predictions in the transition region between the Haversian and plexiform bone, which is characterized by gradient structures involving varying percentages of osteon, interstitial matrix, lamellar bone, and woven bone. The mean absolute percentage error in the force predictions is under 10% for both the cutting and thrust forces. The reality of spatially varied properties in the cortical bone limits the universal use of microstructure-specific shear stress values reported here. Fundamental advancements in the literature associated with both high-strain rate bone mechanics and machining are needed to address this critical limitation.