bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of proactive healthcare on pain, physical and activities of daily living functioning in vulnerable older adults with chronic pain: a pragmatic clinical trial with one- and two-year follow-up
Authors: Dong Huan-Ji , Peolsson Anneli , Johansson Maria M. 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Purpose
To investigate the changes in pain, physical and activities of daily living (ADL) functioning in vulnerable older adults with chronic pain after proactive primary care intervention.

Methods
This study was embedded in a prospective, pragmatic, matched-control multicenter trial at 19 primary care practices in Sweden, with proactive medical and social care (Intervention Group, IG, n = 134) in comparison with usual care (Control Group, CG, n = 121). Patients with chronic pain, defined as pain experienced longer than 3 months, were included in this subgroup analysis. Data on pain aspects, physical and ADL functioning were collected in the questionnaires at baseline, one- and two-year follow-up (FU-1 and FU-2). Data on prescribed pain medications was collected by local health authorities.

Results
Mean age was 83.0 ± 4.7 years with almost equal representation of both genders. From baseline until FU-2, there were no significant within-group or between-group changes in pain intensity. Small adjustments of pain medication prescriptions were made in both groups. Compared to FU-1, the functional changes were more measurable at FU-2 as fewer participants had impaired physical functioning in IG (48.4%) in comparison to CG (62.6%, p = 0.027, Effect Size φ = 0.14). Higher scores of ADL-staircase (more dependent) were found in both groups (p < 0.01, Effect Size r = 0.24 in CG and r = 0.16 in IG).

Conclusion
Vulnerable older adults with chronic pain seemed to remain physical and ADL functioning after proactive primary care intervention, but they may need tailored strategies of pain management to improve therapeutic effects.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov 170608, ID: NCT03180606.
Engineering β-catenin-derived peptides for α-catenin binding
Authors: Uddin S. M. Nasir , Rasool Saad , Geethakumari Anupriya M. , Ahmed Wesam S. , Biswas Kabir H. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe complex formed by the β-catenin and α-catenin adaptor proteins acts as a molecular bridge that enables E-cadherin-based cell–cell adhesion assembly and maintenance in the epithelial tissue. This occurs through the interaction between the intracellular domain of E-cadherin and β-catenin on the one hand and between F-actin and α-catenin on the other hand. In addition to its role in cell–cell adhesion formation, it has been reported that E-cadherin mediates breast cancer cell metastasis to distant organs. Therefore, development of biomaterials such as peptides with ability to modulate the interaction between β-catenin and α-catenin presents an opportunity to modulate cell–cell adhesion. Here, we have performed computational and experimental analysis to develop β-catenin-derived peptides with the ability to bind α-catenin. Specifically, we analyzed the available β- and α-catenin complex structure and identified residues on β-catenin having potential to form new interactions upon mutation. We tested the wild-type (WT) and mutant β-catenin-derived peptides for their binding to α-catenin using conventional and steered molecular dynamics simulations, revealing an increased interaction of P128E and M131E mutant peptides. We then designed a Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET)-based assay to monitor binding of the β-catenin-derived peptides with α-catenin, which revealed similar binding affinities of the WT and mutant β-catenin-derived peptides. Further, expression of the WT and the M131E mutant peptide resulted in a change in the aspect ratio of the cells suggestive of their ability to affect cell–cell adhesion. We envisage that the β-catenin-derived peptides engineered here will find application in blocking the interaction between β-catenin and α-catenin and, thus, modulate E-cadherin adhesion, which may lead to potential therapeutic avenue in abrogating E-cadherin-mediated metastasis of invasive breast cancer cells.
Models for Estimating Intrinsic r and the Mean Age of a Population at Stability: Evaluations at the National and Sub-national Level
Authors: Swanson David A. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractUsing Canada’s provinces and territories in conjunction with the “Cohort Change Ratio” approach to generating a stable population, I test the accuracy of two regression models constructed from national-level data designed to estimate two factors of a population at stability from initial conditions at the sub-national levels: (1) its constant rate of change, denoted here by r'; and (2) mean population age. In a test of accuracy at the national level I find that these models provide reasonably accurate estimates. In the tests at the subnational level, the accuracy, as expected, is less, but the results indicate that the national level models provide estimates that are useful. The models are useful because they are tractable and provide information not available from the traditional analytical approaches. Evaluating these models also provides the opportunity to look at Canada’s provinces and territories from a stable population perspective. The findings support the use of: (1) The Cohort Change Ratio approach in examining stable population concepts; and (2) the two regression models for estimating r' and the mean age of a population at stability. They also show that there are connections between initial conditions and stability that have been overlooked. This knowledge gap may be due to the fact that widespread knowledge and acceptance of the ergodic nature of the “age structure factor,” have served to mask the possibility that ergodicity does not always apply to other factors. Further exploration of these potential linkages appears to be in order.
Collision rates of small solid particles with rigid spherical and spheroidal bubbles in laminar flow
Authors: Sommerfeld Martin , Taborda Manuel A. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe interaction and impact of solid particles from a dilute suspension with fixed spherical and deformed bubbles (i.e., oblate spheroids) with rigid interface was analysed numerically, a situation found for example in flotation or three-phase chemical reactors. The flow field about the bubbles was computed for laminar flow and the particles were considered as point masses incorporating all forces as there are drag, added mass, fluid inertia, transverse shear-lift, and gravity/buoyancy. Particle sizes were varied up to about 200 µm allowing for a wide range of interaction Stokes numbers. The impact efficiency was evaluated for a wide range of bubble Reynolds numbers and bubbles having different shape and size, as well as eccentricity and orientation. The volume equivalent diameter of the bubbles was between 2 and 4 mm. The bubble deformation was varied up to an eccentricity of 1.8 and the bubble orientation was modified until 45 degrees. The effect of different forces on the impact efficiency was studied in detail. Added mass, fluid inertia (part of the pressure term), and slip-shear transverse lift force cannot be neglected in liquid environments, especially for larger particles. The obtained results were also compared to the composite model of Schulze (1989), well established in the field of flotation. Finally, also the particle impact statistics (i.e., location and velocity) was evaluated.
Biochar affects compressive strength of Portland cement composites: a meta-analysis
Authors: Zhao Zhihao , El-Naggar Ali , Kau Johnson , Olson Chris , Tomlinson Douglas , Chang Scott X. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractOne strategy to reduce CO2 emissions from cement production is to reduce the amount of Portland cement produced by replacing it with supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). Biochar is a potential SCM that is an eco-friendly and stable porous pyrolytic material. However, the effects of biochar addition on the performances of Portland cement composites are not fully understood. This meta-analysis investigated the impact of biochar addition on the 7- and 28-day compressive strength of Portland cement composites based on 606 paired observations. Biochar feedstock type, pyrolysis conditions, pre-treatments and modifications, biochar dosage, and curing type all influenced the compressive strength of Portland cement composites. Biochars obtained from plant-based feedstocks (except rice and hardwood) improved the 28-day compressive strength of Portland cement composites by 3–13%. Biochars produced at pyrolysis temperatures higher than 450 °C, with a heating rate of around 10 C min-1, increased the 28-day compressive strength more effectively. Furthermore, the addition of biochar with small particle sizes increased the compressive strength of Portland cement composites by 2–7% compared to those without biochar addition. Biochar dosage of < 2.5% of the binder weight enhanced both compressive strengths, and common curing methods maintained the effect of biochar addition. However, when mixing the cement, adding fine and coarse aggregates such as sand and gravel affects the concrete and mortar's compressive strength, diminishing the effect of biochar addition and making the biochar effect nonsignificant. We concluded that appropriate biochar addition could maintain or enhance the mechanical performance of Portland cement composites, and future research should explore the mechanisms of biochar effects on the performance of cement composites.
Graphical Abstract
Monolithic Convex Limiting for Legendre-Gauss-Lobatto Discontinuous Galerkin Spectral-Element Methods
Authors: Rueda-Ramírez Andrés M. , Bolm Benjamin , Kuzmin Dmitri , Gassner Gregor J. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractWe extend the monolithic convex limiting (MCL) methodology to nodal discontinuous Galerkin spectral-element methods (DGSEMS). The use of Legendre-Gauss-Lobatto (LGL) quadrature endows collocated DGSEM space discretizations of nonlinear hyperbolic problems with properties that greatly simplify the design of invariant domain-preserving high-resolution schemes. Compared to many other continuous and discontinuous Galerkin method variants, a particular advantage of the LGL spectral operator is the availability of a natural decomposition into a compatible subcell flux discretization. Representing a high-order spatial semi-discretization in terms of intermediate states, we perform flux limiting in a manner that keeps these states and the results of Runge-Kutta stages in convex invariant domains. In addition, local bounds may be imposed on scalar quantities of interest. In contrast to limiting approaches based on predictor-corrector algorithms, our MCL procedure for LGL-DGSEM yields nonlinear flux approximations that are independent of the time-step size and can be further modified to enforce entropy stability. To demonstrate the robustness of MCL/DGSEM schemes for the compressible Euler equations, we run simulations for challenging setups featuring strong shocks, steep density gradients, and vortex dominated flows.
Geospatial analysis of soil resistivity and hydro-parameters for groundwater assessment
Authors: Javed Umar , Kumar Pradeep , Hussain Sajjad , Nawaz Taufiq , Fahad Shah , Ashraf Shahbaz , Ali Karamat 
Published: March 2024

AbstractGroundwater is a precious resource for irrigating the crops in developing countries. This research was governed in Faisalabad District of Pakistan to assess the groundwater strata using GIS cum geoelectric resistivity method approach. The IX1D computer model was calibrated with root mean square error (up-to 5%), to obtain true soil layers’ resistivities and thicknesses model for each VES point based on apparent resistivity data collected by ABEM SAS 4000 Terrameter using the most common Schlumberger electrode array setting. Knowledge of geo-hydraulic parameters (hydraulic conductivity, transmissivity, and porosity) aids in identifying the quality and potential of groundwater repositories, estimated based on modeling results (soil layers resistivities and thicknesses). Most common interpolation (inverse distance weighted) method in ArcGIS Pro was used for mapping the soil aquifer layers resistivities/thicknesses and geo-hydraulic parameters. Transmissivity, Porosity, and hydraulic conductivity values ranged from 365.46 to 1888.503 m2/day, 31.84 to 39.72% and 4.05 to 15.27 m/day for all surveys, respectively. Based on these results, aquifer layers with thicknesses 30 to 103.5 m, were distinguished as comprised of saline to low marginal quality (fine sand and clay formation), marginal to fresh quality (fine sand and gravel formation) and fresh quality groundwater (coarse sand and gravel formation).
Graphical Abstract
Roles of MAPK and Nrf2 signaling pathways in quercetin alleviating redox imbalance induced by hydrogen peroxide in mammary epithelial cells
Authors: Li Yongxin , Han Ning , Hou Pengfei , Zhao Feng-Qi , Liu Hongyun 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Oxidative stress is a risk factor for mammary health, resulting in decreased milk yield and milk quality. Application of exogenous bioactive compounds has been a research focus of antioxidation of animals in the mammary gland. Quercetin is a flavonoid extracted from vegetables, fruits and tea and has been shown to have a variety of biological activities, but the effect of quercetin on redox imbalance in mammary epithelial cells is unclear. In this study, cells of HC11, a mouse mammary epithelial cell line, were treated with quercetin, and the effects and molecular mechanisms of quercetin protection on hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress were studied. Results showed that 20 μΜ quercetin attenuated hydrogen peroxide-induced lactate dehydrogenase release and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and alleviated the reduction of cell viability and antioxidant capacity. Quercetin significantly restored the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathways induced by hydrogen peroxide. Importantly, the inhibitors of p38 MAPK and extracellular regulated protein pathways affected the activation of Nrf2 pathway. All inhibitors of MAPK and Nrf2 pathways reduced the protective effects of quercetin on cell proliferation, the activity of catalase and the expression of glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier subunit. Meanwhile, the effects of quercetin on the production of ROS and expression of glutamate/cystine reverse transporter light chain were mainly dependent on Nrf2 pathway. In summary, the protective effect of quercetin in mammary epithelial cells was mediated via MAPK and Nrf2 pathways.
Validation of the Passive Surveillance Stroke Severity Score in Three Canadian Provinces
Authors: Yu Amy Y. X. , Austin Peter C. , Park Alison L. , Fang Jiming , Hill Michael D. , Kamal Noreen , Field Thalia S. , Joundi Raed A. , Peterson Sandra , Zhao Yinshan , Kapral Moira K. 
Published: March 2024

ABSTRACT:Background:Stroke outcomes research requires risk-adjustment for stroke severity, but this measure is often unavailable. The Passive Surveillance Stroke SeVerity (PaSSV) score is an administrative data-based stroke severity measure that was developed in Ontario, Canada. We assessed the geographical and temporal external validity of PaSSV in British Columbia (BC), Nova Scotia (NS) and Ontario, Canada.Methods:We used linked administrative data in each province to identify adult patients with ischemic stroke or intracerebral hemorrhage between 2014-2019 and calculated their PaSSV score. We used Cox proportional hazards models to evaluate the association between the PaSSV score and the hazard of death over 30 days and the cause-specific hazard of admission to long-term care over 365 days. We assessed the models’ discriminative values using Uno’s c-statistic, comparing models with versus without PaSSV.Results:We included 86,142 patients (n = 18,387 in BC, n = 65,082 in Ontario, n = 2,673 in NS). The mean and median PaSSV were similar across provinces. A higher PaSSV score, representing lower stroke severity, was associated with a lower hazard of death (hazard ratio and 95% confidence intervals 0.70 [0.68, 0.71] in BC, 0.69 [0.68, 0.69] in Ontario, 0.72 [0.68, 0.75] in NS) and admission to long-term care (0.77 [0.76, 0.79] in BC, 0.84 [0.83, 0.85] in Ontario, 0.86 [0.79, 0.93] in NS). Including PaSSV in the multivariable models increased the c-statistics compared to models without this variable.Conclusion:PaSSV has geographical and temporal validity, making it useful for risk-adjustment in stroke outcomes research, including in multi-jurisdiction analyses.
Organizational Improvisation, Architectural “Piggybacking,” and Masonic Networking in the International Settlement, Shanghai: Building an Anglican Cathedral, 1864–1869
Authors: Ding Ying Yong , McKinstry Sam , Su Peiran 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThis study provides a business history of the construction project to build a large Anglican church in colonial Shanghai in the 1860s. Employing three theoretical lenses, it focusses on the project’s management, setting it in its social, political, economic and architectural contexts. As well as analysing the project’s progress in detail, the paper discloses circumstances that were being faced more generally by resident British and international traders in Shanghai at this unsettled time. It also identifies forces which would in due course influence the long process of change leading to the eventual transformation both of Shanghai and of China itself, enhancing our understanding of the region’s economic history.
Non-integrability of the restricted three-body problem
Authors: YAGASAKI KAZUYUKI 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe problem of non-integrability of the circular restricted three-body problem is very classical and important in the theory of dynamical systems. It was partially solved by Poincaré in the nineteenth century: he showed that there exists no real-analytic first integral which depends analytically on the mass ratio of the second body to the total and is functionally independent of the Hamiltonian. When the mass of the second body becomes zero, the restricted three-body problem reduces to the two-body Kepler problem. We prove the non-integrability of the restricted three-body problem both in the planar and spatial cases for any non-zero mass of the second body. Our basic tool of the proofs is a technique developed here for determining whether perturbations of integrable systems which may be non-Hamiltonian are not meromorphically integrable near resonant periodic orbits such that the first integrals and commutative vector fields also depend meromorphically on the perturbation parameter. The technique is based on generalized versions due to Ayoul and Zung of the Morales–Ramis and Morales–Ramis–Simó theories. We emphasize that our results are not just applications of the theories.
Race and Colonialism in Hegel's Philosophy of Religion
Authors: Goggin W. Ezekiel 
Published: March 2024

AbstractScholars have paid limited attention to the crucial relationship between Hegel's racism, his support for colonialism and his views on religion. This essay offers a critical reconstruction of how race and coloniality shape the question of religion (and vice versa) throughout Hegel's attempts to critique and ultimately vindicate European modernity. Paying special attention to the seminal role of ‘fetishism’ in his works, I argue that Hegel's intellectual concerns are racialized from the inception of his project. I conclude by suggesting an alternative philosophical approach to the concept of the ‘fetish’ and ‘fetishism’ to resist Hegel's racist and pro-colonial tendencies.
Skew Ornstein–Uhlenbeck processes with sticky reflection and their applications to bond pricing
Authors: Song Shiyu , Xu Guangli 
Published: March 2024

AbstractWe study a skew Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process with zero being a sticky reflecting boundary, which is defined as the weak solution to a stochastic differential equation (SDE) system involving local time. The main results obtained include: (i) the existence and uniqueness of solutions to the SDE system, (ii) the scale function and speed measure, and (iii) the distributional properties regarding the transition density and the first hitting times. On the application side, we apply the process to interest rate modeling and obtain the explicit pricing formula for zero-coupon bonds. Numerical examples illustrate the impacts on bond yields of skewness and stickiness parameters.
Credence and Belief: Distance- and Utility-Based Approaches
Authors: Wang Minkyung , Kim Chisu 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThis paper investigates the question of how subjective probability should relate to binary belief. We propose new distance minimization methods, and develop epistemic decision-theoretic accounts. Both approaches can be shown to get “close” to the truth: the first one by getting “close” to a given probability, and the second by getting expectedly “close” to the truth. More specifically, we study distance minimization with a refined notion of Bregman divergence and expected utility maximization with strict proper scores. Our main results reveal that the two ways to get “close” to the truth can coincide.
Mitigating the effects of water-deficit stress on potato growth and photosynthesis using mycorrhizal fungi and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria
Authors: Nemati Ahmad , Aboutalebian Mohammad Ali , Chaichi Mehrdad 
Published: March 2024

AbstractBiofertilizers, such as arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB), have been reported to enhance plant growth under water stress conditions. This study aimed to investigate the effect of different biofertilizers on potato photosynthesis and growth under water deficit stress. The experiment was conducted over two crop years (2019 and 2020) using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Four irrigation intervals (70, 90, 110 and 130 mm of cumulative evaporation) and six biofertilizer treatments (PSB, Funneliformis mosseae [FM], Rhizoglomus fasciculatum [RF], PSB + FM, PSB + RF and no use) were applied. Severe moisture stress (130 mm evaporation) compared to no stress (70 mm evaporation) increased substomatal carbon dioxide concentration. The application of biofertilizers improved tuber yield under severe moisture stress, with FM showing the highest increase (62.9%), followed by RF (59.8%) and PSB (48.4%). The use of PSB along with mycorrhizae led to a significant decrease in mycorrhizal colonization percentage at all irrigation levels. The highest percentage of colonization and net photosynthesis was obtained from the application of both mycorrhizal species under irrigation conditions after 70 mm of evaporation. The application of PSB alone resulted in a 14.6% increase in the transpiration rate, additionally, the use of mycorrhiza led to an 18.7% increase in stomatal conductivity compared to no-biofertilizer. The results suggest that the simultaneous use of PSB and mycorrhizae can be effective in mild moisture stress, but in severe moisture stress, the use of mycorrhizal species alone is more effective.