bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
GPU Preconditioning for Block Linear Systems Using Block Incomplete Sparse Approximate Inverses
Authors: Ma Wenpeng , Hu Yiwen , Yuan Wu , Liu Xiazhen
Published: May 2021

Solving sparse triangular systems is the building block for incomplete LU- (ILU-) based preconditioning, but parallel algorithms, such as the level-scheduling scheme, are sometimes limited by available parallelism extracted from the sparsity pattern. In this study, the block version of the incomplete sparse approximate inverses (ISAI) algorithm is studied, and the block-ISAI is considered for preconditioning by proposing an efficient algorithm and implementation on graphical processing unit (GPU) accelerators. Performance comparisons are carried out between the proposed algorithm and serial and parallel block triangular solvers from PETSc and cuSPARSE libraries. The experimental results show that GMRES (30) with the proposed block-ISAI preconditioning achieves accelerations 1.4 × –6.9 × speedups over that using the cuSPARSE library on NVIDIA Tesla V100 GPU.
FOXO3a Protects against Kidney Injury in Type II Diabetic Nephropathy by Promoting Sirt6 Expression and Inhibiting Smad3 Acetylation
Authors: Wang Xiaowei , Ji Tingting , Li Xiaoying , Qu Xiaolei , Bai Shoujun
Published: May 2021

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the most common cause of end‐stage renal disease. Although numerous reports have demonstrated a correlation between epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) and renal fibrosis, how these processes lead to tubular dysfunction remains unclear. Here, we show that FOXO3a protects kidneys from injury in type II DN by increasing Sirt6 expression, which deacetylates Smad3 and inhibits its transcriptional activity. The results showed that progressive EMT in the kidneys from db/db mice is associated with Sirt6 downregulation and involved in tubular injury and dysfunction. The reduction of Sirt6 levels in db/db mice resulted in progressive kidney injury, indicating the protective role of Sirt6. Furthermore, Sirt6 was shown to directly bind to Smad3, a key downstream mediator of TGF‐β, and could deacetylate it to inhibit its nuclear accumulation and transcriptional activity in HK2 cells. Besides, we demonstrate that FOXO3a activates Sirt6 expression by binding to its promoter. shRNA‐induced FOXO3a knockdown in the kidneys of db/db mice exacerbated tubular injury and renal function loss. Mechanistically, FOXO3a protects against kidney injury in type II DN through the Sirt6/Smad3 axis. Thus, the pharmacological targeting of FOXO3a‐mediated Sirt6/Smad3 signaling pathways may provide a novel strategy for treating type II DN.
A Novel Smart Depression Recognition Method Using Human‐Computer Interaction System
Authors: Xu Lijun , Hou Jianjun , Gao Jun
Published: May 2021

In recent years, depression not only makes patients suffer from psychological pain such as self‐blame but also has a high disability mortality rate. Early detection and diagnosis of depression and timely treatment of patients with different levels can improve the cure rate. Because there are quite a few potential depression patients who are not aware of their illness, some even suspect that they are sick but are unwilling to go to the hospital. In response to this situation, this research designed an intelligent depression recognition human‐computer interaction system. The main contributions of this research are (1) the use of an audio depression regression model (DR AudioNet) based on a convolutional neural network (CNN) and a long‐short‐term memory network (LSTM) to identify the prevalence of depression patients. And it uses a multiscale audio differential normalization (MADN) feature extraction algorithm. The MADN feature describes the characteristics of nonpersonalized speech, and two network models are designed based on the MADN features of two adjacent segments of audio. Comparative experiments show that the method is effective in identifying depression. (2) Based on the research conclusion of the previous step, a human‐computer interaction system is designed. After the user inputs his own voice, the final recognition result is output through the recognition of the network model used in this research. Visual operation is more convenient for users and has a practical application value.
Quality and Safety of Rural Community Drinking Water Sources in Guto Gida District, Oromia, Ethiopia
Authors: Abegaz Motuma Tessema , Midekssa Mulissa Jida
Published: May 2021

The quality of drinking water has always been a major public health concern, especially in developing countries where access to improved water supply and sanitation is very low. This study aimed to assess the bacteriological and physicochemical quality of rural community drinking water sources in the Guto Gida district. A cross-sectional study was conducted in selected rural areas of the district from January to June 2016. Water samples were collected from four types of sources (protected dug well, open dug well, protected spring, and open spring) found in 8 locations of the study area. The membrane filtration technique was employed to determine the total coliform and faecal coliform load of the samples. The physicochemical characteristics such as total dissolved solid (TDS), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), turbidity, temperature, color, iron, manganese, lead, fluoride, zinc, sulphate, nitrate, and phosphate were analyzed following the American Public Health Association and WHO standard protocols. Our results revealed that 90.6% and 87.5% of water samples were positive for total coliform and faecal coliform, respectively. Thus, the majority of the studied water sources could be classified as polluted with respect to coliform load. Our results also have shown that most of the water sources showed marginally tolerable quality with respect to color, EC, TDS, turbidity, nitrate, sulphate, and phosphate. However, the protected sources had poor quality in zinc, lead, iron, manganese, and pH with values above the permissible levels. Thus, the drinking water source quality of the study areas requires appropriate interventions such as improving the existing water source infrastructure and access to sanitation services.
Guillain–Barré Syndrome Likely due to Relapsing Hepatitis A
Authors: Blecker Edgar , Ehtsham Maryam
Published: May 2021

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an immune-mediated disease of the peripheral nervous system that can be caused by various bacterial and virologic agents. The disease is characterized by progressive muscle weakness and paralysis. Rarely, GBS is preceded by an acute infection with hepatitis A. Here, we present the case of a 53-year-old woman who presented with progressively worsening motor weakness in the distal extremities. She reported a preceding gastrointestinal infection with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea two weeks prior to her presentation to the emergency department. She was noted to have elevated serum transaminase levels and hepatitis A IgM and IgG antibodies signifying likely relapsing hepatitis A. She was later diagnosed with GBS on the basis of clinical findings and albuminocytologic dissociation in the cerebrospinal fluid. She was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin with subsequent improvement in her strength.
Real‐Time Object Detection for LiDAR Based on LS‐R‐YOLOv4 Neural Network
Authors: Fan Yu-Cheng , Yelamandala Chitra Meghala , Chen Ting-Wei , Huang Chun-Ju
Published: May 2021

Recently, self‐driving cars became a big challenge in the automobile industry. After the DARPA challenge, which introduced the design of a self‐driving system that can be classified as SAR Level 3 or higher levels, driven to focus on self‐driving cars more. Later on, using these introduced design models, a lot of companies started to design self‐driving cars. Various sensors, such as radar, high‐resolution cameras, and LiDAR are important in self‐driving cars to sense the surroundings. LiDAR acts as an eye of a self‐driving vehicle, by offering 64 scanning channels, 26.9° vertical field view, and a high‐precision 360° horizontal field view in real‐time. The LiDAR sensor can provide 360° environmental depth information with a detection range of up to 120 meters. In addition, the left and right cameras can further assist in obtaining front image information. In this way, the surrounding environment model of the self‐driving car can be accurately obtained, which is convenient for the self‐driving algorithm to perform route planning. It is very important for self‐driving to avoid the collision. LiDAR provides both horizontal and vertical field views and helps in avoiding collision. In an online website, the dataset provides different kinds of data like point cloud data and color images which helps this data to use for object recognition. In this paper, we used two types of publicly available datasets, namely, KITTI and PASCAL VOC. Firstly, the KITTI dataset provides in‐depth data knowledge for the LiDAR segmentation (LS) of objects obtained through LiDAR point clouds. The performance of object segmentation through LiDAR cloud points is used to find the region of interest (ROI) on images. And later on, we trained the network with the PASCAL VOC dataset used for object detection by the YOLOv4 neural network. To evaluate, we used the region of interest image as input to YOLOv4. By using all these technologies, we can segment and detect objects. Our algorithm ultimately constructs a LiDAR point cloud at the same time; it also detects the image in real‐time.
Metabolomic Analysis of the Urine from Rats with Collagen-Induced Arthritis with the Effective Part of Caulophyllum robustum Maxim
Authors: Lü Shaowa , Zhu Mingtao , Guo Qiaoxin , Xu Dan , Guo Yuyan , Li Guoyu , Wang Qiuhong , Kuang Haixue
Published: May 2021

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease with high incidence and high disability and recurrence rates. Caulophyllum robustum Maxim (C. robustum) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with main effective parts (CRME) commonly used for RA treatment. To explore the mechanism of CRME in RA, we used metabolomics to investigate the effect of CRME intervention on urine metabolism in rats with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). CIA rats were randomly divided into normal control, CIA model, and CRME groups. A metabolomics approach, using Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole-Time-of-Flight/Mass Spectrometry, was developed to perform urinary metabolic profiling. Differential metabolites were identified by comparing the CIA model and CRME groups. Preliminarily, 56 significant differential metabolites were identified in urine, and 20 metabolic pathways were disturbed by the CIA. The amount of 16 different metabolites changed in urine after CRME intervention. The production of these metabolites involves tryptophan, tyrosine, energy, cholesterol, and vitamin metabolism. CRME has anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects in CIA model rats. By examining the endogenous metabolite levels, we identified potential CRME targets and pathways involved in the treatment of RA. The results of our metabolic studies indicate that CRME regulates amino acid, vitamin, energy, and lipid metabolism pathways to treat RA and may provide a new explanation for the anti-RA mechanism of CRME.
Investment Decision of New Energy Vehicle Enterprises Using the Interval Basic Probability Assignment-Based Intuitionistic Fuzzy Set
Authors: Kang Xin , Xu Xiangjun , Yuan Fei
Published: May 2021

To evaluate the investment decisions of new energy vehicle enterprises scientifically and reasonably and improve the investment efficiency and accuracy of decision-makers, this paper proposes an investment decision method based on interval intuitionistic fuzzy sets. In the investment decision-making process of new energy vehicle enterprises, first, based on the characteristics of new energy vehicle enterprise investment projects, an index system is constructed to comprehensively cover the influencing factors of investment decisions. Second, we obtain the interval fuzzy number of the decision index through a questionnaire survey, use the structural entropy method to empower decision indicators, and comprehensively evaluate the decision index by the organic combination of the interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy weighted averaging (IIFWA) operator and structural entropy method. Finally, interval BPA is used to express the value of each decision index interval intuitionistic fuzzy number. Based on the conversion relationship between interval evidence and the intuitionistic fuzzy set, the orthogonal sum operation results of the intuitionistic fuzzy set converted from the normalized interval BPA is replaced by the interval evidence combination result, and the final decision is determined by comparing the fusion result. Applying the investment decision method based on interval intuitionistic fuzzy sets to the field of new energy vehicle investment decision-making can provide a reference for investment decision-makers to make efficient and accurate decisions, and it has application value and practical significance to promote the effective development of new energy investment decisions.
Study on Evaluation Method of Water Injection Efficiency in Low-Permeability Reservoir
Authors: Yu Qiang , Wang Xinjie , Wang Yifei , Zhang Xingjiao
Published: May 2021

Low-permeability reservoirs, especially ultralow-permeability reservoirs, usually show a problem of ineffective water injection which leads to low pressure with high injection-production ratio. It is urgent to determine the direction and proportion of ineffective water injection, so as to guide the adjustment of water injection development. Based on the theory of percolation mechanics and combined with the modern well test analysis method, the determination method of effective water injection ratio was established. This method can not only judge the direction of injected water but also determine the proportion of invalid injected water. This method was applied on typical oil reservoirs; the evaluation results showed that extremely low permeability and ultralow permeability usually exist the situation of water holding around the injected well which is almost 20% of the injected water. Some areas existed the water channeling; the evaluation results showed that the water channeling was closely related with sedimentary microfacies rather than microfractures, and the invalid injection accounts are about 45% of the injected water. The method is simple and feasible, which can provide technical reference for the development strategy adjustment of water drive development in low-permeability reservoir.
Effects of Water Extract of Cynanchum paniculatum (Bge.) Kitag. on Different Breast Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Yang Shu-Yu , Li Jen Ying , Huang Guan-Jhong , Sridharan Badrinathan , Wang Jen-Shu , Chang Kai-Ming , Lee Meng-Jen
Published: May 2021

Cynanchum paniculatum (Bge.) Kitag. (CP) is an important medicinal herb used in Chinese herbal medicine, with a variety of biological activities including anticancer property. In this study, we explored the water extract of CP, for its anticancer effects against breast cancer cells with different mutation types. Cells were grouped as untreated (Control); CP direct treatment (dir-CP); Conditioned medium from CP treated (sup-CP), and untreated cells (sup-Control). Effects of dir-CP and sup-CP were compared to corresponding untreated cells on cytotoxicity, cell migration, and protein expression (cleaved caspase-3, caspase-9, and MMP-2 and 9). CP treatment showed time-dependent decrease in cell number of MDA-MB-231 and SK-Br-3 (both ER(−) PR(−)), while the decrease in cell number was not as significant in MCF-7 and ZR-75-1 cells (both ER(+) PR(+)). sup-CP treatment inhibited the cell migration of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 (Her2(−)) in a 24 h scratch assay. Our data suggested that ER(−) PR(−) cells are more sensitive to the CP in terms of direct cytotoxicity, which is not regulated by caspase-3. CP inhibited the migration of the two Her2(−) cells, and this correlated with MMP-2 regulation. The migration of ER(−) PR(−) cells was more sensitive to conditioned medium with CP treatment than to direct CP, and this is not regulated by MMP-2. Our data suggested that CP has anticancer potential on various breast cancer cells through different mechanisms and is specifically effective in inhibiting the migration of the triple negative MDA-MB-231. Our data provide insight into the mechanism of CP against breast cancer progression and would benefit the medical practitioners in better management with CP usage.
Optimum Building Design Variables in a Warm Saharan Mediterranean Climate Zone
Authors: Albatayneh Aiman , Tayara Tarek , Jaradat Mustafa , Al-Omary Murad , Hindiyeh Muna , Alterman Dariusz , Ishbeytah Manal
Published: May 2021

This research contributes to making residential buildings more efficient in the city of Azraq, Jordan, which is located in a warm climate zone in the Saharan Mediterranean region (classified as a hot desert climate according to the Köppen climate classification). It involved the optimisation of several envelope parameters with the aim of reducing the usage of energy within a normal structure occupying an area of 186 m2 without the occupants’ involvement in saving energy in the building to solely measure the building envelope’s thermal performance. The DesignBuilder software was used for the sensitivity analysis using 12 design variables, which enabled their significance for both cooling and heating loads. The selected variables were separated into two categories based on their level of significance: a group with higher importance (window to wall %, local type of shading, ground floor building, natural rate of ventilation, rate of infiltration, kind of glazing, and flat roof structure) as well as a group with lower importance (partition construction, site position, construction of outside walls, kind of window blinds, and window shade control timetable); these variables will save a significant amount of heating and cooling energy.
A Consumer Behavior Prediction Model Based on Multivariate Real-Time Sequence Analysis
Authors: Guo Lin , Zhang Ben , Zhao Xin
Published: May 2021

With the rapid development of online finance and social networks, a large amount of behavioral data is stored on the Internet, which can fully reflect the shopping tendencies and habits of real users. Using big data to analyze consumer behavior is more scientific and accurate than the traditional sampling survey method. Internet consumption behavior data are time series data. Therefore, this paper proposes a method of analyzing behavioral sequence data, which learns personal consumption interests and habits, and finally predicts payment behavior. The experiments compare the execution effect of different algorithms on multiple databases and verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm SeqLearn.
Association between TSH Values and GFR Levels in Euthyroid Cases with Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Keskin H. , Cadirci K. , Gungor K. , Karaaslan T. , Usta T. , Ozkeskin A. , Musayeva A. , Yesildal F. , Isman F. , Zengin H. Y.
Published: May 2021

Background. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with the risk of developing chronic kidney disease. Although the negative effects of high thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) values on glomerular filtration rate (GFR) levels have been known for years, the negative effects of increased TSH on GFR in euthyroid cases have been reported in recent years. This study was aimed at investigating the association between the effect of increased TSH values and estimated-GFR (eGFR) levels in euthyroid cases with MetS. Methods. For this hospital-based descriptive study, 191 MetS cases (123 females, 68 males) were evaluated. Those whose TSH was not within 0.5–4.5 uIU/mL, eGFR was <40 mL/min/1.73 m2, and/or reported any thyroid/kidney disease were excluded. Partial correlation coefficients were calculated to investigate the relationship between the eGFR values and several other numerical variables while controlling for age and BMI in addition to the adjusted gender effect. Thereafter, the multiple linear regression analysis with a stepwise variable selection approach was used to reveal the independent factors that could affect the logarithmically transformed eGFR. Results. The median age was 52 (19–65) years, the median eGFR was 94.3 (41.3–194) mL/min/1.73 m2, and the median TSH was 1.58 (0.50–4.50) uIU/mL in the whole group. Increased TSH even in the normal range was associated with eGFR after adjusting for age and body mass index (BMI), especially in females. The high age (b = −0.160,

p
=
0.005

), high BMI (b = −0.134,

p
=
0.020

), high TSH (b = −0.380,

p
<
0.01

), and high uric acid (b = −0.348,

p
<
0.01

) were found as significant predictors of the eGFR in MetS patients. Conclusion. Independent of age and BMI, elevated TSH even in the euthyroid range showed an association with the eGFR in female MetS cases who had normal kidney functions. This correlation was stronger than the correlations between the eGFR and the MetS diagnostic parameters. These findings need further studies on the issue..
Analysis of Vertical Response of Drilled Pile at the Crest of Rock Slope Based on Shear Behavior
Authors: Jiang Chong , Fang Ju , Sun Bowen
Published: May 2021

This paper proposed a method for analysis of a drilled pile under vertical load at the crest of rock slope. Based on wedge theory, a modified model of normal stiffness of socket wall affected by the slope is obtained. Analyze the shear behaviors of the pile-rock interface, an analytical solution of load transfer of pile at the crest of rock slope is obtained. To evaluate the accuracy of the new method, this method is compared with the results of finite difference analysis. Finally, the method is used to analyze the effect of slope, pile, and rock properties on the unit side resistance and axial force.
Application of Virtual Display Technology of LCD Backlight Spectrum Optimization Algorithm Based on Linear Programming
Authors: Cui Yuan , Chen Zhuyang , Huang Cheng , Gao Qian
Published: May 2021

In order to make the color of image display more realistic, optimize the use of energy, and improve the light efficiency of the module through reasonable spectral distribution, this paper proposes a backlight spectral optimization algorithm based on linear programming. With the goal of maximizing the backlight luminous efficiency, the theoretical maximum of the luminous efficiency of the backlight spectrum can be achieved by constructing a linear programming model. The research process is to obtain the optimal distribution of transmittance spectrum by linear programming method on the premise of ensuring the color gamut standard of display system. The results show that the light efficiency can be increased to 335.5 lm/W, while the original light efficiency of the system is less than 150 lm/W. With the goal of maximizing the light efficiency, light sources with narrow bandwidths such as lasers and quantum dot materials can be used to simulate and reconstruct these characteristic wavelengths. There will be easier to approach the ideal optimization spectrum and achieve the theoretical maximum luminous efficiency of 610.8 lm/W.
Dairy Consumption and Risk of Conventional and Serrated Precursors of Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies
Authors: Guo Li-Liangzi , Li Yu-Ting , Yao Jun , Wang Li-Sheng , Chen Wei-Wei , He Kai-Yin , Xiao Lin , Tang Shao-Hui
Published: May 2021

Objective. The consumption of dairy is associated with decreased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), but few studies have assessed the relationship between dairy consumption and precursors of CRC. Therefore, we performed the first meta-analysis to further evaluate this association. Methods. PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched through July 2020 for observational studies. Study-specific risk estimates for the highest versus lowest category were pooled using the random-effects and fixed-effects model. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed using the ROBINS-I Scale. Results. A total of 12 studies were included (3 cohort studies and 9 case-control studies). Compared with the lowest level consumption, fermented dairy products had a decreased risk of precursors of CRC in both cohort (RR = 0.92 95% CI: 0.87–0.97) and case-control studies (RR = 0.98 95% CI: 0.96–0.99). Total dairy (RR = 0.80 95% CI: 0.68–0.96) and cheese (RR = 0.96 95% CI: 0.93–0.99) consumption was inversely associated with the risk in case-control studies whereas yogurt consumption was inversely associated with the risk in cohort studies (RR = 0.91 95%CI: 0.86–0.96). No significant associations were found for consumption of total milk and non/low-fat milk. For dose-response analyses, evidence of linear association was found in total dairy and yogurt consumption. The risk decreased by 12% for an increment of 200 g/d total dairy consumption (RR = 0.88 95% CI: 0.81–0.95) and decreased by 8% for an increment of 50 g/d yogurt consumption (RR = 0.92 95% CI: 0.85–0.99). Conclusions. Fermented dairy products, specifically yogurt and cheese, were significantly associated with decreased risk of conventional and serrated precursors of colorectal cancer.
In Vitro and In Vivo Comparative Evaluation of a Shellac-Ammonium Paclitaxel-Coated Balloon versus a Benchmark Device
Authors: Xia Congying , Jiang Yunhan , Li Shuangshuang , Xiong Dan , Chen Xiaojie , Chen Yufang
Published: May 2021

Objectives. The present study was designed to compare the characteristics and performance regarding drug delivery of a novel drug-coated balloon (DCB) to a benchmark device (Restore® versus SeQuent® Please) in an in vitro and in vivo model. Background. Although Restore® and SeQuent® are both paclitaxel-coated, they use different coating excipient, shellac-ammonium salt and iopromide, respectively. Preclinical study comparing these two different commercial DCBs regarding their characteristics and effects on early vascular response is sparse. Methods. Restore® and SeQuent® DCBs were scanned with electron microscopy for surface characteristic assessment. Both DCBs were transported in an in vitro vessel model for the evaluation of drug wash-off rate and particulate formation. Eighteen coronary angioplasties with either Restore® or SeQuent® DCBs were conducted in 6 swine (three coronary vessels each). Histopathological images of each vessel were evaluated for vessel injury. Results. The surface of Restore® DCB was smooth and evenly distributed with hardly visible crystal, while SeQuent® DCB showed a rougher surface with relatively larger apparent crystals. Restore® DCB had a lower drug wash-off rate and fewer large visible particles, compared to the SeQuent® DCB. No significant difference in mean injure score was found between Restore® and SeQuent® group. Conclusion. Our results suggest that Restore® is better in preclinical performance regarding less release of particles and lower drug wash-off rate as compared to SeQuent® Please. The Restore® DCB, using stable amorphous coating and shellac-ammonium salt as an excipient, appears to provide an advantage in drug delivery efficacy; however, further clinical studies are warranted.
Bipartite Consensus of Linear Discrete‐Time Multiagent Systems with Exogenous Disturbances under Competitive Networks
Authors: Yuan Yi , Mohd Shamrie Sainin , Zhu Yanhui
Published: May 2021

This paper investigates the bipartite consensus of linear discrete‐time multiagent systems (MASs) with exogenous disturbances. A discrete‐time disturbance‐observer‐ (DTDO‐) based technology is involved for attenuating the exogenous disturbances. And both the state feedback and observer‐based output feedback bipartite consensus protocols are proposed by using the DTDO method. It turned out that bipartite consensus can be realized under the given protocols if the topology is connected and structurally balanced. Finally, numerical simulations are presented to illustrate the theoretical findings.
The relationship between accounting students’ moral development and narcissism on academic fraud
Authors: Laily Nujmatul , Ermayda Ria Zulkha , Azzardina Aulia
Published: May 2021

The stages in an individual's moral development will determine how an individual will behave. Kohlberg divides moral development into three stages, namely pre-conventional, conventional and post-conventional. However, the stages of individual moral development may vary. These different levels of moral development will influence individuals’ behavior when they face ethical dilemmas. This research aimed to determine the correlation between accounting students’ moral development and narcissism on academic fraud. This quantitative research employed a survey method. The research samples were 46 accounting students taken with a random sampling method. The results showed that narcissism affects accounting students’ academic fraud but there is no correlation between the level of moral development and academic fraud.
Learning media for the transliteration of Latin letters into Bima script based on android applications
Authors: Aranta Arik , Wijaya I Gede Pasek Suta , Husodo Ario Yudo , Nugraha Gibran Satya , Dwiyansaputra Ramaditia , Bimantoro Fitri , Putrawan I Putu Teguh
Published: May 2021

Preservation of Indonesian culture is an important thing that must be considered. One of the efforts that have been made in preserving culture is technological development implementation. In cultural preservation, based on data obtained from 45 respondents from the Bima community in Indonesia, 34.9% of the community does not understand the Bima script. It means that only 65.1% of the community can understand Bima script. This condition will continue to grow if there is no effort made to preserve the Bima script. Because people should have a comprehensive knowledge of the Bima script to understand its usage in writing and reading activities, people tend to have less desire to learn the Bima script. Mataram University is trying to develop creative and innovative learning products to learn the Bima script learning model in an interactive application using a smartphone to translate Latin letters into the script. This development aims to facilitate the process of learning Bima characters for the community. The method that has been used is to apply a string replacement algorithm based on the Bima script rules in the reference book containing the ancient Bima script. According to the experiment result, the alpha test value from 31 respondents is 99.36%, and the Beta test value from 45 respondents Bima society is 91.50%. It can be concluded that this application is feasible as a learning medium.
Status of Sumatran Tiger in the Berbak-Sembilang landscape (2020)
Authors: Ariyanto Tomi , Dinata Yoan , Dwiyanto  , Sugito Waluyo , Turyanto Erwan , Kirklin Sophie , Amin Rajan
Published: May 2021

Monitoring the status of the Critically Endangered Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sumatrae is a key component for assessing the effectiveness of conservation interventions, and thus informing and adapting strategic planning for the remaining 600 Sumatran Tigers on the island.  The Berbak-Sembilang National Park is an integral part of the priority Berbak-Sembilang Tiger Conservation Landscape, in a unique habitat of mixed peat and freshwater swamp in eastern Sumatra.  Our camera trap survey covered both the Berbak and Sembilang Tiger Core Areas (BTCA, STCA) over a period of 10 years, with surveys undertaken in 2010, 2015, 2018–2019.  The most recent population density estimates (BTCA 1.33 adults/100 km2, 95% CI 0.82–1.91 with 19 adults; and STCA 0.56 adults/100 km2, 95% CI 0.45–0.89 with five adults) confirmed a small but stable population.  A landscape level management approach is a priority for tiger population recovery, consolidating ground-based protection and establishing a well-maintained fire management system with reforestation of affected areas along with multi-stakeholder engagement and partnerships.  The study also recommends extending the BTCA to include the primary swamp forest in the north of the national park, based on evidence from camera trap surveys.
New distribution records of two little known plant species, Hedychium longipedunculatum A.R.K. Sastry & D.M. Verma (Zingiberaceae) and Mazus dentatus Wall. ex Benth. (Scrophulariaceae), from Meghalaya, India
Authors: Murugesan M.
Published: May 2021

The present paper deals with the two new report of little known species Hedychium longipedunculatum  A.R.K. Sastry & D.M. Verma (Zingiberaceae) and Mazus dentatus Wall. ex Benth. (Scrophulariaceae) in Meghalaya.  Photographic illustration, citation, detailed description along with distribution details and ecology were provided here for easy identification and future reference.
A note on the ecology and distribution of Little Bloodtail Lyriothemis acigastra Brauer, 1868 (Insecta: Odonata: Libellulidae) in Kerala, India
Authors: Jose Jeevan , Sherif Muhamed , Chandran A. Vivek
Published: May 2021

The behaviour and ecology of an elusive dragonfly, Lyriothemis acigastra (Insecta: Odonata: Libellulidae) based on observations from Kadavoor Village, Ernakulam District, Kerala are detailed.  Range extension of the species within Kerala after its first report in 2013 is also discussed.
Legal or unenforceable? Violations of trade regulations and the case of the Philippine Sailfin Lizard Hydrosaurus pustulatus (Reptilia: Squamata: Agamidae)
Authors: Heinrich Sarah , Toomes Adam , Janssen Jordi
Published: May 2021

The Philippine Sailfin Lizard (Agamidae: Hydrosaurus pustulatus) is a nationally protected Philippine endemic species.  It is threatened by habitat destruction, pollution and overexploitation for the domestic pet trade, yet less is known about the international component of the trade.  Here we investigate the international trade in Hydrosaurus spp. (H. weberi, H. amboinensis, and H. pustulatus) with an emphasis on H. pustulatus.  We analysed international seizures combined with international online sales and trade data for the United States of America (USA).  The export of H. pustulatus from the Philippines has been prohibited since 1991, except under special circumstances, yet they continue to be traded internationally, and we found evidence for trade in Asia, Europe, and North America.  Most of these animals, however, were declared to be captive-bred.  While imports to and exports from the US consisted mostly of other species of Hydrosaurus, H. pustulatus was by far the most coveted species online, with prices significantly higher for H. pustulatus than any of the other species.  While not many seizures have occurred outside the Philippines, even wild-caught individuals were found to be ‘legally’ imported to the USA – in apparent violation of the Lacey Act.   We recommend H. pustulatus to be listed in CITES Appendix III, in order for countries other than the USA to have a legal basis to seize wild-caught animals trafficked from the Philippines and to monitor trade in captive-bred specimens.  Further, we suggest the use of automated cross-referencing between imported species and the national protection status of the species’ native range states to ensure that legislation violations are detected at the point of import.
A Question of Composition: Constructing a Just Federal State in Ethiopia and Beyond
Authors: Rowe Colin W.
Published: May 2021

Federalism attempts to create a multilayered government in order to better accommodate the self-determination of regions or groups within its borders. For this reason, federalism is well suited for the diversity in Ethiopia and the many calls for self-determination within it. However, within Ethiopia and federal theory, there is little to no examination of the normative grounds for who should be accommodated in a federal state. This paper, situating itself in the context of Ethiopian federalism, addresses this theoretical and practical omission by producing a normative framework to assess the issues and questions of federal inclusion.
Ethiopia: The Interplay Between Federalism and Dominant Party Rule and the Sidama’s Quest for Statehood
Authors: Aalen Lovise
Published: May 2021

Political parties are particularly important for the operation of federal systems. The way parties are organised might reinforce or corrode the federal division of power. Ethiopian federalism is a case in point: although the Constitution gives wide rights of autonomy for regional states, centralised party rule has undermined the regional states’ ability to determine their own affairs. In this paper, the Sidama’s quest for regional statehood is discussed. This quest has been suppressed until recently, when a split in the ruling party led to political liberalisation and a new party leadership. The change made it possible for the Sidama to conduct a referendum for a separate regional state in 2019, resulting in a new Sidama state in 2020. A new national centre-oriented Prosperity Party may however lead to a recentralisation, showing how federal structures are vulnerable to changes in national political power.
External and Internal Secession in Ethiopia’s Multinational Federation
Authors: Van der Beken Christophe
Published: May 2021

The ethno-territorial nature of Ethiopian federalism finds its constitutional foundation in Article 39 of the Constitution. Article 39 grants a right to self-determination to all of Ethiopia’s ‘nations’, ‘nationalities’ and ‘peoples’. The right to self-determination as conceived by Article 39 is comprehensive and has both so-called internal (such as the right to territorial autonomy) and external dimensions (the right to secession). This article argues that these constitutional provisions display weaknesses and gaps since they affect the achievement of the constitutional objectives and involve serious risks for the rights of (persons belonging to) other ethnic groups. Although the right to self-determination is one of the fundamental constitutional principles, so is the respect for individual and group rights. Furthermore, the unity in diversity objective of the Constitution requires equilibrium between ethnic empowerment and human rights. The article therefore provides a number of legal recommendations to address these gaps and weaknesses.
Use of Radar Quantitative Precipitation Estimates (QPEs) for Improved Hydrological Model Calibration and Flood Forecasting
Authors: Wijayarathne Dayal , Coulibaly Paulin , Boodoo Sudesh , Sills David
Published: May 2021

Flood forecasting is essential to minimize the impacts and costs of floods, especially in urbanized watersheds. Radar rainfall estimates are becoming increasingly popular in flood forecasting because they provide the much-needed real-time spatially distributed precipitation information. The current study evaluates the use of radar Quantitative Precipitation Estimates (QPEs) in hydrological model calibration for streamflow simulation and flood mapping in an urban setting. Firstly, S-band and C-band radar QPEs were integrated into event-based hydrological models to improve the calibration of model parameters. Then, rain gauge and radar precipitation estimates’ performances were compared for hydrological modeling in an urban watershed to assess radar QPE's effects on streamflow simulation accuracy. Finally, flood extent maps were produced using coupled hydrological-hydraulic models integrated within the Hydrologic Engineering Center- Real-Time Simulation (HEC-RTS) framework. It is shown that the bias correction of radar QPEs can enhance the hydrological model calibration. The radar-gauge merging obtained a KGE, MPFC, NSE, and VE improvement of about + 0.42, + 0.12, + 0.78, and − 0.23, respectively for S-band and + 0.64, + 0.36, + 1.12, and − 0.34, respectively for C-band radar QPEs. Merged radar QPEs are also helpful in running hydrological models calibrated using gauge data. The HEC-RTS framework can be used to produce flood forecast maps using the bias-corrected radar QPEs. Therefore, radar rainfall estimates could be efficiently used to forecast floods in urbanized areas for effective flood management and mitigation. Canadian flood forecasting systems could be efficiently updated by integrating bias-corrected radar QPEs to simulate streamflow and produce flood inundation maps.
Refinement of CrIS channel selection for global data assimilation and its impact on the global weather forecast
Authors: Noh Young-Chan , Huang Hung-Lung , Goldberg Mitchell D.
Published: May 2021

To maximize the contribution of the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) measurements to the global weather forecasting, we attempt to choose the CrIS channels to be assimilated in the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Global Forecast System (GFS). From pre-selected 431 CrIS channels, 207 channels are newly selected using a one-dimensional variational (1D-Var) approach where the channel score index (CSI) is used as a figure of merit. Newly selected 207 channels consist of 85 temperature, 49 water vapor, and 73 surface channels, respectively. In addition, to examine how the channels are selected if the forecast error covariance is differently defined depending on the latitudinal regions (i.e., Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and tropics), the same selection process is carried out repeatedly using three regional forecast error covariances. From three regional channel sets, two-channel sets are made for the global data assimilation. One channel set is made with 134 channels overlapped between three regional channel sets. Another channel set consists of 277 channels that is the sum of three regional channel sets. In the global trial experiments, the global CrIS 207 channels have a significant positive forecast impact in terms of the improvement of GFS global forecasting, as compared with the forecasts with the operational 100 channels as well as the overlapped 134 and the union 277 channel sets. The improved forecast is mainly due to the additional temperature/water vapor channels of the global CrIS 207 channels that are selected optimally based on the global forecast error of operational GFS.
A strategy to impute age at onset of a particular condition from external sources
Authors: Alvares Danilo , Paredes Fabio , Vargas Claudio , Ferreccio Catterina
Published: May 2021

A key hypothesis in epidemiological studies is that time to disease exposure provides relevant information to be considered in statistical models. However, the initiation time of a particular condition is usually unknown. Therefore, we developed a multiple imputation methodology for the age at onset of a particular condition, which is supported by incidence data from different sources of information. We introduced and illustrated such a methodology using simulated data in order to examine the performance of our proposal. Then, we analyzed the association of gallstones and fatty liver disease in the Maule Cohort, a Chilean study of chronic diseases, using participants’ risk factors and six sources of information for the imputation of the age-occurrence of gallstones. Simulated studies showed that an increase in the proportion of imputed data does not affect the quality of the estimated coefficients associated with fully observed variables, while the imputed variable slowly reduces its effect. For the Chilean study, the categorized exposure time to gallstones is a significant variable, in which participants who had short and long exposure have, respectively, 26.2% and 29.1% higher chance of getting a fatty liver disease than non-exposed ones. In conclusion, our multiple imputation approach proved to be quite robust both in the linear/logistic regression simulation studies and in the real application, showing the great potential of this methodology.
Transforming by Following Forces: Introducing Chinese Philosophy of SHI and SHUN SHI into Developmental and Educational Psychology
Authors: Wu Aruna , Xu Shuangshuang , Li Xiaowen
Published: May 2021

Educational intervention has been narrated for a long time as a battle between two agentive subjects, educators and students. In this article, we introduce two interrelating concepts of SHI (势 in Chinese) and SHUN SHI (顺势 in Chinese) from Chinese philosophy into psychology to provide an alternative perspective to understand students’ development and educational intervention. The concept of SHI sheds light on the propensity of open system’s becoming process toward the future underlying system’s present configuration derived from system’s historical interaction with its environment. SHUN SHI is to grasp the opportunity of SHI evolving into being prominent and to transform the system by alertly following its unfolding process. Understanding and applying SHI and SHUN SHI in the area of developmental and educational psychology is discussed and clarified based on a comparison with the dynamic system theory and zone of proximal development. An empirical research is also provided to respond to the method challenge posed by the two concepts.
Outcomes of a pilot evaluation of a group urotherapy programme for children with complex elimination disorders: An Australian experience
Authors: Peck Blake , Terry Daniel , Martin Benita , Matthews Belinda , Green Andrea
Published: May 2021

Evidence-based interventions have continued to show positive effects on both reducing symptoms and helping children with elimination disorders achieve continence and manage troubling psychological distress. Despite this, there is a group of children who do not respond to standard treatments and are classified as having a complex elimination disorder. As a means of addressing the broader clinical challenge and implications of complex elimination disorders, a team of clinicians in Germany developed the Urinary and Faecal Incontinence Training Program for Children and Adolescents. A pilot investigation was undertaken to apply the Urinary and Faecal Incontinence Training Program for Children and Adolescents programme to children aged 6–12 years in an Australian context who met the complex elimination disorder diagnostic criteria, to determine if any subsequent change in the measures of life quality and general well-being was achieved. Findings suggest a reduction in the frequency of the child’s symptoms and improvements in family quality of life measures. Qualitatively, children and parents perceived that their child’s ability to now respond to stimuli and in so doing avert severe accidents was a major outcome of the programme and was able to increase a child’s sense of acceptance of incontinence, improve levels of self-efficacy and increase self-awareness.
Diversification Into Non-Inpatient Service Lines Among Community Hospitals in Wisconsin
Authors: Rohrer James E.
Published: May 2021

Community hospitals may be able to increase revenue by diversifying into non-inpatient service lines. A model predicting this kind of diversification has not been developed. Data from community hospitals in Wisconsin was analyzed to explain diversification into non-inpatient service lines. Principal components analysis was applied to the services offered to identify factors. The derived factor scores were analyzed using multiple linear regression. Two distinct noninpatient identities were identified: a vertically integrated acute hospital and a hospital diversified into community-based services. Regression analysis revealed that horizontal integration was related to vertical integration into non-inpatient service lines. Community hospitals belonging to alliances and systems had lower vertical integration scores.