bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of anthocyanin-rich blackberry juice on endoplasmic reticulum stress in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats
Authors: Tony Sallam K. , Hassan Mohamed SH. , Ismail Hamadi A. , El-Naem Gamal F. Abd , Gazwi Hanaa S. S. 
Published: June 2023

AbstractThis study investigates blackberry juice’s effects on glucose metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammation, and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER) in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Fifty Wistar rats were distributed to five groups randomly of ten rats each: Normal control, diabetic control, 9 mL/kg body weight (b.wt) blackberry juice only, blackberry juice plus diabetes, and 500 mg/kg b.wt metformin plus diabetes. A single intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/kg b.wt STZ induced diabetes in the rats. This animal study continued for 56 days after the confirmation of diabetes. The levels of liver function and renal function, as well as insulin, glucose-6-phosphatase, glucokinase, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), were determined. Additionally, interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and activated transcription factor 4 (ATF4) expressions were examined in the liver homogenate of rats. Furthermore, the liver tissues were utilized for histopathological examination. The results showed that blackberry juice prevented drastic loss of body weight and reduced food consumption in diabetic rats. Additionally, the levels of blood glucose, total protein, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), albumin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), uric acid, creatinine, and urea improved after the administration of blackberry juice in diabetic rats. Blackberry juice significantly increased glucose metabolism and antioxidant status while reducing ER stress and inflammation in diabetic rats. Moreover, blackberry juice improved glucose metabolism by increasing insulin levels and improving the dysregulated activities of glucose-metabolizing enzymes. The microstructure of liver tissues in diabetic rats was also improved with blackberry juice treatment. Therefore, blackberry juice has the potential to alleviate diabetes in rats and could be considered as a functional food for people with diabetes.
SARS-CoV-2 airborne infection probability estimated by using indoor carbon dioxide
Authors: Iwamura Narumichi , Tsutsumi Kanako 
Published: June 2023

AbstractAirborne transmission is one of the main routes of SARS-CoV-2 spread. It is important to determine the circumstances under which the risk of airborne transmission is increased as well as the effective strategy to reduce such risk. This study aimed to develop a modified version of the Wells-Riley model with indoor CO2 to estimate the probability of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strains with a CO2 monitor and to evaluate the validity of this model in actual clinical practices. We used the model in three suspected cases of airborne transmission presented to our hospital to confirm its validity. Next, we estimated the required indoor CO2 concentration at which R0 does not exceed 1 based on the model. The estimated R0 (R0, basic reproduction number) based on the model in each case were 3.19 in three out of five infected patients in an outpatient room, 2.00 in two out of three infected patients in the ward, and 0.191 in none of the five infected patients in another outpatient room. This indicated that our model can estimate R0 with an acceptable accuracy. In a typical outpatient setting, the required indoor CO2 concentration at which R0 does not exceed 1 is below 620 ppm with no mask, 1000 ppm with a surgical mask and 16000 ppm with an N95 mask. In a typical inpatient setting, on the other hand, the required indoor CO2 concentration is below 540 ppm with no mask, 770 ppm with a surgical mask, and 8200 ppm with an N95 mask. These findings facilitate the establishment of a strategy for preventing airborne transmission in hospitals. This study is unique in that it suggests the development of an airborne transmission model with indoor CO2 and application of the model to actual clinical practice. Organizations and individuals can efficiently recognize the risk of SARS-CoV-2 airborne transmission in a room and thus take preventive measures such as maintaining good ventilation, wearing masks, or shortening the exposure time to an infected individual by simply using a CO2 monitor.
Interdisciplinary analyses of the remains from three gallery graves at Kinnekulle: tracing Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age societies in inland Southwestern Sweden
Authors: Blank Malou , Tornberg Anna , Sjögren Karl-Göran , Knipper Corina , Frei Karin M , Malmström Helena , Fraser Magdalena , Storå Jan 
Published: June 2023

AbstractIn this paper, we investigate the Scandinavian Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age of Kinnekulle in southwestern Sweden. The above-mentioned periods in the study area are poorly understood and the archaeological record consists of a few stray finds and a concentration of 20 gallery graves. This study focuses on three of the gallery graves where commingled skeletons from successive burials were recovered. The human remains and the artefacts from the graves were used for discussing individual life stories as well as living societies with the aim of gaining new knowledge of the last part of the Neolithic and the beginning of the Early Bronze Age in southwestern Sweden. We focused on questions concerning health and trauma, mobility and exchange networks, and diet and subsistence of the people using the graves. Chronological, bioarchaeological, and biomolecular aspects of the burials were approached through the application of archaeological and osteological studies, as well as stable isotope, strontium isotope, radiocarbon, and mtDNA analyses. The study provides evidence for high mobility and diverse diets, as well as inhumations primarily dated to the transition between the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age. We suggest that the mountain plateau of Kinnekulle was mainly reserved for the dead, while the people lived in agriculture-based groups in the surrounding lower lying regions.
Diagnostic accuracy of the Dutch version of the 4AT for delirium detection in a mixed patient population and setting
Authors: Pouw Maaike A. , Calf Agneta H. , Georg Rita R. , de Rooij Sophia E. , ter Maaten Jan C. , van Munster Barbara C. 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Background
Delirium is an acute disturbance in attention, awareness and cognition. Immediate detection in older adults is recommended because delirium is associated with adverse outcomes. The 4 ‘A’s Test (4AT) is a short screening instrument for delirium. The aim of this study is to evaluate diagnostic accuracy of the Dutch version of the screening tool 4AT for delirium detection in different settings.

Methods
Prospective observational study conducted in two hospitals in patients aged ≥ 65 years in geriatric wards and the Emergency Department (ED). Each participant underwent two assessments; the index test 4AT, followed by the reference standard for delirium performed by a geriatric care specialist. The reference standard delirium is according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) criteria.

Results
A total of 71 geriatric inpatients and 49 older ED patients were included. The prevalence of delirium was 11.6% in the acute geriatric ward and 6.1% in the ED. The sensitivity and specificity of the 4AT in the acute geriatric ward were 0.88 and 0.69, respectively. In the ED, the sensitivity and specificity were 0.67 and 0.83, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.80 for the acute geriatric ward setting and 0.74 for the ED setting.

Conclusion
The Dutch version of the 4AT is a reliable screening tool for delirium detection in both acute geriatric wards and ED. Due to its brevity and practicality (i.e., no special training is required to administer the tool), it is useful in clinical practice.
Association of magnesium and vitamin D status with grip strength and fatigue in older adults: a 4-week observational study of geriatric participants undergoing rehabilitation
Authors: Kettig Eva , Kistler-Fischbacher Melanie , de Godoi Rezende Costa Molino Caroline , Bischoff-Ferrari Heike A. , Frundi Devine Shimbagha 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Background
Low magnesium and vitamin D levels negatively affect individuals’ health.

Aims
We aimed to investigate the association of magnesium status with grip strength and fatigue scores, and evaluate whether this association differs by vitamin D status among older participants undergoing geriatric rehabilitation.

Methods
This is a 4-week observational study of participants aged ≥ 65 years undergoing rehabilitation. The outcomes were baseline grip strength and fatigue scores, and 4-week change from baseline in grip strength and fatigue scores. The exposures were baseline magnesium tertiles and achieved magnesium tertiles at week 4. Pre-defined subgroup analyses by vitamin D status (25[OH]D < 50 nmol/l = deficient) were performed.

Results
At baseline, participants (N = 253, mean age 75.7 years, 49.4% women) in the first magnesium tertile had lower mean grip strength compared to participants in the third tertile (25.99 [95% CI 24.28–27.70] vs. 30.1 [95% CI 28.26–31.69] kg). Similar results were observed among vitamin D sufficient participants (25.54 [95% CI 22.65–28.43] kg in the first magnesium tertile vs. 30.91 [27.97–33.86] kg in the third tertile). This association was not significant among vitamin D deficient participants. At week 4, no significant associations were observed between achieved magnesium tertiles and change in grip strength, overall and by vitamin D status. For fatigue, no significant associations were observed.

Conclusions
Among older participants undergoing rehabilitation, magnesium status may be relevant for grip strength, particularly among vitamin D sufficient individuals. Magnesium status was not associated with fatigue, regardless of vitamin D status.

Study registration
Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03422263; registered February 5, 2018.
Improvement of Low Plasticity Clay with Crushed Glass: A Mechanical and Microstructural Study
Authors: Perera Salpadoru Tholkamudalige Anupiya M. , Saberian Mohammad , Zhu Jiasheng , Roychand Rajeev , Li Jie , Ren Gang , Yamchelou Morteza Tahmasebi 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Low plasticity clays are found in abundance worldwide, exerting undue stresses on civil structures, road pavements and railway infrastructure, owing to the periodic settlement caused by their low bearing capacity and slight swelling potential. They are often encountered as natural soil when constructing road subgrade and have the potential to compromise the integrity of the entire pavement system unless improved appropriately. Furthermore, the accumulation of vast quantities of non-biodegradable glass waste is identified as a challenge in many countries. Considering the above, this paper aims to provide a sustainable solution by studying the effect of crushed glass (CG) at varied inclusions of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% in a clay subgrade. The testing procedure implemented includes three distinct testing phases, namely, material properties, microstructural properties and mechanical strength tests. The material property tests involved particle size distribution, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) testing. Microstructural tests considered include scanning electron microscope (SEM) and micro-CT (CT) testing, which enabled a vital understanding of how the introduction of glass affects the internal structure of the clay matrix, where an increase in the porosity was evident upon adding CG. The mechanical testing phase involved standard compaction, unconfined comprehensive strength (UCS), California bearing ratio (CBR), resilient modulus and swelling–shrinkage tests. It can be concluded that introducing CG improved the clay’s mechanical strength with respect to UCS, CBR and resilient modulus whilst also reducing its swelling potential, where the optimum inclusion of CG at 15% best enhanced the mechanical strength properties of the low plasticity clay.
Generation of rainfall data series by using the Markov Chain model in three selected sites in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq
Authors: Hajani Evan , Sarma Gaheen 
Published: June 2023

AbstractRainfall forecasting can play a significant role in the planning and management of water resource systems. This study employs a Markov chain model to examine the patterns, distributions and forecast of annual maximum rainfall (AMR) data collected at three selected stations in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq using 32 years of 1990 to 2021 rainfall data. A stochastic process is used to formulate three states (i.e., decrease—"d"; stability—"s"; and increase—"i") in a given year for estimating quantitatively the probability of making a transition to any other one of the three states in the following year(s) and in the long run. In addition, the Markov model is also used to forecast the AMR data for the upcoming five years (i.e., 2022–2026). The results indicate that in the upcoming 5 years, the probability of the annual maximum rainfall becoming decreased is 44%, that becoming stable is 16%, and that becoming increased is 40%. Furthermore, it is shown that for the AMR data series, the probabilities will drop slowly from 0.433 to 0.409 in about 11 years, as indicated by the average data of the three stations. This study reveals that the Markov model can be used as an appropriate tool to forecast future rainfalls in such semi-arid areas as the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Measuring the suboptimality of dividend controls in a Brownian risk model
Authors: Eisenberg Julia , Krühner Paul 
Published: June 2023

AbstractWe consider an insurance company modelling its surplus process by a Brownian motion with drift. Our target is to maximise the expected exponential utility of discounted dividend payments, given that the dividend rates are bounded by some constant. The utility function destroys the linearity and the time-homogeneity of the problem considered. The value function depends not only on the surplus, but also on time. Numerical considerations suggest that the optimal strategy, if it exists, is of a barrier type with a nonlinear barrier. In the related article of Grandits et al. (Scand. Actuarial J.2, 2007), it has been observed that standard numerical methods break down in certain parameter cases, and no closed-form solution has been found. For these reasons, we offer a new method allowing one to estimate the distance from an arbitrary smooth-enough function to the value function. Applying this method, we investigate the goodness of the most obvious suboptimal strategies—payout on the maximal rate, and constant barrier strategies—by measuring the distance from their performance functions to the value function.
Drastic Fluctuation in Water Exchange Between the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea Caused by Typhoon Lekima in August 2019: A Numerical Study
Authors: Yan Junjie , Zhai Fangguo , Gu Yanzhen , Liu Xingchuan , Li Peiliang , Liu Zizhou , Wang Yucheng 
Published: June 2023

AbstractConnecting the Bohai Sea (BS) and Yellow Sea (YS), the Bohai Strait is vital in controlling physical‐biogeochemical conditions in the East Asian marginal seas. In August 2019, Typhoon Lekima moved northward inland into eastern China and caused drastic water exchange through the Bohai Strait. The specific variation and underlying dynamics involved were investigated with observations and high‐resolution numerical simulations. Volume transport featured an intense inflow followed by an intense outflow, with a fluctuation magnitude of 1.88 Sv, which was much greater than the seasonal‐interannual variations. The corresponding current patterns presented three phases: strait‐wide inflow, strait‐wide outflow, and outflow in the south and inflow in the north. The strait‐wide inflow was driven by strong east‐northeasterly winds through local Ekman dynamics. The strait‐wide outflow resulted from the dynamic adjustment of ocean currents accompanying the rapid weakening of easterly winds. The third current pattern was part of a large‐scale cyclonic circulation in the BS and North YS and was governed by different factors in the southern and northern straits. Further comparisons indicated that transport caused by winter storms and other typhoons in the year had opposite phase variations to that caused by Lekima. The underlying dynamics mainly involved local Ekman dynamics and/or remote wind forcing via the propagation of coastal trapped waves but could differ greatly from events. Finally, we found that to a large extent, geostrophic transport derived from the sea surface height difference across the Bohai Strait could be used as actual transport during synoptic weather events.
Multiscale Temporal Variability of the Global Air‐Sea CO2 Flux Anomaly
Authors: Gu Yuanyuan , Katul Gabriel G. , Cassar Nicolas 
Published: June 2023

AbstractThe global air‐sea CO2 flux (F) impacts and is impacted by a plethora of climate‐related processes operating at multiple time scales. In bulk mass transfer formulations, F is driven by physico‐ and bio‐chemical factors such as the air‐sea partial pressure difference (∆pCO2), gas transfer velocity, sea surface temperature, and salinity–all varying at multiple time scales. To de‐convolve the impact of these factors on variability in F at different time scales, time‐resolved estimates of F were computed using a global data set assembled between 1988 and 2015. The F anomalies were defined as temporal deviations from the 28‐year time‐averaged value. Spectral analysis revealed four dominant timescales of variability in F–subseasonal, seasonal, interannual, and decadal with relative amplitude differences varying across regions. A second‐order Taylor series expansion was then conducted along these four timescales to separate drivers across differing regions. The analysis showed that on subseasonal timescales, wind speed variability explains some 66% of the global F anomaly and is the dominant driver. On seasonal, interannual, and decadal timescales, the ∆pCO2 effect controlled by the ∆pCO2 anomaly, explained much of the F anomaly. On decadal timescales, the F anomaly was almost entirely governed by the ∆pCO2 effect with large contributions from high latitudes. The main drivers across timescales also dominate the regional F anomaly, particularly in the mid‐high latitude regions. Finally, the driver of the ∆pCO2 effect was closely connected with the relative strength of atmospheric pCO2 and the nonthermal component of oceanic pCO2 anomaly associated with dissolved inorganic carbon and alkalinity.
Seasonal Environmental Controls on Soil CO2 Dynamics at a High CO2 Flux Sites (Piton de la Fournaise and Mayotte Volcanoes)
Authors: Bénard B. , Di Muro A. , Liuzzo M. , Gurrieri S. , Boissier P. , Brunet C. , Desfete N. , Kowalski P. , Lauret F. 
Published: June 2023

AbstractEnvironmental parameters drive seasonal soil CO2 efflux toward the atmosphere. However, their influence is not fully understood in contexts of high CO2 fluxes where CO2 accumulates in the subsurface. A prime example are volcanoes subject to continuous CO2 diffuse degassing rising from deep magmatic reservoirs, through the subsurface and up to the atmosphere. For many of these volcanoes where soil CO2 is monitored, a seasonal influence of the atmosphere and water table is observed but not characterized. Here, we compare variations of air temperature, atmospheric pressure, rainfall and water table level with near‐surface soil CO2 concentration by performing a time‐lagged detrended cross‐correlation analysis on years‐long time series from the volcanoes of Piton de la Fournaise and Mayotte. At Piton de la Fournaise, soil CO2 variations correlate best with air temperature variations (0.81) and water table variations (0.74). In Mayotte, soil CO2 variations correlate best with atmospheric pressure variations (−0.95). We propose that at Piton de la Fournaise, the thick vadose zone and high permeability favor CO2 transfer by thermal convection. Additionally, energy transfer is decoupled from mass transfer. Slow heat transfer from the atmosphere down to the accumulated CO2 layers in the subsurface results in a delayed influence of air temperature and of the water table level on the thermal gradient between the subsurface and the atmosphere, and consequently on the efficiency of the CO2 transfer. In Mayotte, we propose that the thin vadose zone and the presence of a network of large fractures favor CO2 transfer by barometric pumping.
Mold-free self-assembled scalable microlens arrays with ultrasmooth surface and record-high resolution
Authors: Liu Zhihao , Hu Guangwei , Ye Huapeng , Wei Miaoyang , Guo Zhenghao , Chen Kexu , Liu Chen , Tang Biao , Zhou Guofu 
Published: June 2023

AbstractMicrolens arrays (MLAs) based on the selective wetting have opened new avenues for developing compact and miniaturized imaging and display techniques with ultrahigh resolution beyond the traditional bulky and volumetric optics. However, the selective wetting lenses explored so far have been constrained by the lack of precisely defined pattern for highly controllable wettability contrast, thus limiting the available droplet curvature and numerical aperture, which is a major challenge towards the practical high-performance MLAs. Here we report a mold-free and self-assembly approach of mass-production of scalable MLAs, which can also have ultrasmooth surface, ultrahigh resolution, and the large tuning range of the curvatures. The selective surface modification based on tunable oxygen plasma can facilitate the precise pattern with adjusted chemical contrast, thus creating large-scale microdroplets array with controlled curvature. The numerical aperture of the MLAs can be up to 0.26 and precisely tuned by adjusting the modification intensity or the droplet dose. The fabricated MLAs have high-quality surface with subnanometer roughness and allow for record-high resolution imaging up to equivalently 10,328 ppi, as we demonstrated. This study shows a cost-effective roadmap for mass-production of high-performance MLAs, which may find applications in the rapid proliferating integral imaging industry and high-resolution display.