bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modern Passenger-Car Ride Characteristics
Authors: Schilling R. , Fuchs H. O.
Published: March 2021

The paper presents the main ride problems found in passenger-car suspensions and numerical data illustrating present practice. Analyses of transient conditions are shown: (a) for a single sprung mass, (b) for the car as a system with two degrees of freedom, (c) for the effect of the seat cushion. The motions of the unsprung masses between road surface and chassis are defined as shake motions. Data are given for the vertical motion “wheelhop.” As an example of secondary shakes, the sideshake of an axle is described from test data.
High-Speed Tension Tests at Elevated Temperatures—Parts II and III
Authors: Nadai A. , Manjoine M. J.
Published: March 2021

The authors discuss the results of an investigation on the resistance to plastic forming of several metals over a wide range of rates of deformation at various temperatures. To carry out the tests, two machines were built: One, a high-speed testing machine, was described in Part I of this report; the other, a constant-strain-rate machine, is dealt with in this presentation. The general trend of the test results for aluminum and copper indicates a continuous increase of the yield stresses with the strain rate. The speed relation for pure iron and the iron alloys seems to be much more complicated. The resistance to deformation at a given speed of straining exhibits a minimum and a maximum at certain temperatures. This maximum, known as “blue brittleness,” shifts to higher temperatures with increasing speeds of straining; it appears at 200 C for short-time tension speeds and shifts to 550 C for the high speeds. In the high-speed tests a local temperature rise of 50 C, due to the conversion of the work of deformation into heat, was observed in a specimen of pure iron. At very rapid rates of deformation remarkably high ultimate stresses were found for aluminum and copper when tested at temperatures approaching their melting points. A theory for the necking of a bar, based on the speed law, predicts the observed shapes of broken bars which were drawn down to a point. Observation data are furnished for an evaluation of the forces required for very rapid plastic forming of the metals at high temperatures, particularly through rolling.
The Mechanism of Cavitation Erosion
Authors: Poulter T. C.
Published: March 2021

After pointing out the interrelation between corrosion resistance, caustic embrittlement, fatigue, creep, and other phenomena of metals, the author cites the results of experiments on glass and quartz rods, subjected to high liquid pressures, as indicative of the action which probably occurs in cavitation erosion. To demonstrate the mechanism of cavitation on this basis, an investigation was conducted, in which tests were made on gray-cast-iron specimens in water, alcohol, glycerin, and paraffin oil, using a magnetostriction oscillator as the source of energy. The results of the tests which are reported bear out the theory. Materials and protective coatings which reduce cavitation erosion greatly, and the effect of the presence of hydrogen in the liquid are discussed.
Plastic Flow as an Unstable Process
Authors: Donnell L. H.
Published: March 2021

Instead of occurring simultaneously over regions which are apparently uniformly stressed, plastic flow frequently proceeds in a discontinuous manner, as in the formation of wedge-shaped plastic regions around the periphery of torsion specimens. It is contended in this paper that this phenomenon can be explained as an instability, brought about by stress concentrations which are caused, not by discontinuities in the shape of the specimen, but by the discontinuous behavior of the material around the yield point.

According to this explanation, yielding first occurs at some region of local weakness. The lagging of the stress in this yielded region causes a stress redistribution around the region, somewhat as if it were a hole, which retards stresses and therefore yielding in certain directions while accelerating them in other directions, thus leading to the spontaneous growth of characteristically shaped plastic regions.
Gas Turbine Blade Heat Transfer and Internal Swirl Cooling Flow Experimental Study Using Liquid Crystals and Three-Dimensional Stereo-Particle Imaging Velocimetry
Authors: Galeana Daisy , Beyene Asfaw
Published: March 2021

The challenging engineering intricacies related to improving efficiency of a gas turbine engine come with the need to maximize the internal cooling of the turbine blade to withstand the high turbine inlet temperature. Understanding the fluid mechanics and heat transfer of internal blade cooling is, therefore, of paramount importance. This paper presents the impact of swirl cooling flow on the heat transfer of a gas turbine chamber to understand the mechanics of internal blade cooling. The focus is the continuous swirl flow that must be maintained via nonstop injection of tangential flow, whereby swirl flow is generated. The impact of swirl flow considers the velocity fields measured using stereo particle image velocimetry, the wall temperature and the convective heat transfer coefficient measured by liquid crystals. Flow behavior and heat transfer at three Reynolds numbers ranging from 7000 to 21,000 and the average profiles of axial and radial, magnitudes of velocity, and Nusselt numbers are given to research the direct effects of the circular chamber shape. Heat transfer results are measured in a second circular chamber and collected continuously after the system is heat soaked to the required temperature. As part of the results relatively low heat transfer rates were observed near the upstream end of the circular chamber, resulting from a low momentum swirl flow as well as crossflow effects. The thermochromic liquid crystal heat transfer results exemplify how the Nu measured favorably at the midstream of the chamber and values decline downstream.
Tribological Behavior of Surface Textured Short Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Nylon Composites Fabricated by Three-Dimensional Printing Techniques
Authors: Luo Ming , He Qinghao , Wang Hongjian , Chang Li
Published: March 2021

In this paper, short carbon fiber-reinforced nylon (SCFRN) composites were fabricated using the fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology. In particular, different surface textures, namely convex squares and triangles, were created by using the printing method. It was found that fiber reinforcements could effectively enhance the load-carry capacity of the printed polymeric materials. Moreover, the tribological performance of SCFRN can be further improved with the surface textures. Microscopy observations revealed that the surface textures are particularly beneficial for the wear reduction by collecting hard wear debris such as broken fibers. The work has demonstrated that 3D printing technology has great potential for developing new wear-resistant engineering materials by controlling and creating desirable compositions and geometric structures/textures simultaneously.
CVA AND VULNERABLE OPTIONS IN STOCHASTIC VOLATILITY MODELS
Authors: ALÒS E. , ANTONELLI F. , RAMPONI A. , SCARLATTI S.
Published: March 2021

This work aims to provide an efficient method to evaluate the Credit Value Adjustment (CVA) for a vulnerable European option, which is an option subject to some default event concerning the issuer solvability. Financial options traded in OTC markets are of this type. In particular, we compute the CVA in some popular stochastic volatility models such as SABR, Hull et al., which have proven to fit quite well market derivatives prices, admitting correlation with the default event. This choice covers the relevant case of Wrong Way Risk (WWR) when a credit deterioration determines an increase in the claim value. Contrary to the structural modeling adopted in [G. Wang, X. Wang & K. Zhu (2017) Pricing vulnerable options with stochastic volatility, Physica A 485, 91–103; C. Ma, S. Yue & Y. Ma (2020) Pricing vulnerable options with Stochastic volatility and Stochastic interest rate, Computational Economics 56, 391–429], we use the reduced-form intensity-based approach to provide an explicit representation formula for the vulnerable option price and related CVA. Later, we specialize the evaluation formula and construct its approximation for the three models mentioned above. Assuming a CIR model for the default intensity process, we run a numerical study to test our approximation, comparing it with Monte Carlo simulations. The results show that for moderate values of the correlation and maturities not exceeding one year, the approximation is very satisfactory as of accuracy and computational time.
Effect of Elevated Temperature on Concrete Structures by Discontinuous Boundary Element Method
Authors: Prochazka Petr P.
Published: March 2021

Changes in the thermomechanical properties of fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) exposed to fire are fundamentally affected by the type and volume fraction of fibers. Because the loss of FRC load-bearing capacity is mainly caused by structural damage, a new numerical procedure based on a modified method of discontinuous boundary elements (DBEM) is proposed, which is modified to include thermomechanical processes in concrete together with the effect of fibers. DBEM allows the reader to visually track the location and extent of material damage.
On LM-Fuzzy Topological Spaces
Authors: Varghese Ginu , Mathew Sunil C
Published: March 2021

This paper introduces the [Formula: see text]-fuzzy topology induced by a descending family of [Formula: see text]-topologies on a given set and derives many of its properties.
Synthesis of Petroleum Pitch-Based Graphene Oxide/Tungsten Trioxide Nanorod and Study On Photocatalytic Reduction of CO2
Authors: Wang Shixin , Maimaiti Halidan , Guo Yuan , Xu Bo , Zhang Haizheng , Zhai Peishuai
Published: March 2021

Petroleum pitch-based graphene oxide (GO) was prepared by using petroleum pitch as carbon source, and GO/WO3 composite catalyst was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis. At the same time, the performance of GO/WO3 photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to produce renewable hydrocarbon fuel was studied. The results showed that the introduction of GO promoted the absorption of visible light, enhanced the adsorption performance of CO2 in the catalyst surface, improved the separation efficiency of photogenerated electron hole pairs and made the protons produced by water decomposition more involved in the reduction reaction of CO2, thus greatly enhancing the efficiency of CO produced by Photocatalytic reduction of CO2. The yields of CO and H2 were 151.8[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]mol[Formula: see text]g[Formula: see text] cat[Formula: see text] h[Formula: see text] and 46.3[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]mol[Formula: see text]g[Formula: see text] cat[Formula: see text] h[Formula: see text], which were about three times and two times of pure WO3 under the same conditions.
Sustainable computing
Authors: Scott Art , Lewis Ted G.
Published: March 2021

Energy consumption by computers is expanding exponentially along with big data and AI processing. The trend can be broken by adopting alternate approaches to CPU and GPU design. Specifically, Adiabatic Reversible Logic (ARL) has been proposed as the solution. This essay surveys the technology of ARL and gives early examples of actual reversible machines.
Drivers of dynamic intratumor heterogeneity and phenotypic plasticity
Authors: Biswas Antara , De Subhajyoti
Published: March 2021

Cancer is a clonal disease, i.e., all tumor cells within a malignant lesion trace their lineage back to a precursor somatic cell that acquired oncogenic mutations during development and aging. And yet, those tumor cells tend to have genetic and nongenetic variations among themselves—which is denoted as intratumor heterogeneity. Although some of these variations are inconsequential, others tend to contribute to cell state transition and phenotypic heterogeneity, providing a substrate for somatic evolution. Tumor cell phenotypes can dynamically change under the influence of genetic mutations, epigenetic modifications, and microenvironmental contexts. Although epigenetic and microenvironmental changes are adaptive, genetic mutations are usually considered permanent. Emerging reports suggest that certain classes of genetic alterations show extensive reversibility in tumors in clinically relevant timescales, contributing as major drivers of dynamic intratumor heterogeneity and phenotypic plasticity. Dynamic heterogeneity and phenotypic plasticity can confer resistance to treatment, promote metastasis, and enhance evolvability in cancer. Here, we first highlight recent efforts to characterize intratumor heterogeneity at genetic, epigenetic, and microenvironmental levels. We then discuss phenotypic plasticity and cell state transition by tumor cells, under the influence of genetic and nongenetic determinants and their clinical significance in classification of tumors and therapeutic decision-making.
Right ventricular pressure-volume loop shape and systolic pressure change in pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Richter Manuel J. , Hsu Steven , Yogeswaran Athiththan , Husain-Syed Faeq , Vadász István , Ghofrani Hossein A. , Naeije Robert , Harth Sebastian , Grimminger Friedrich , Seeger Werner , Gall Henning , Tedford Ryan J. , Tello Khodr
Published: March 2021

Right ventricular (RV) function determines outcome in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). RV pressure-volume loops, the gold standard for measuring RV function, are difficult to analyze. Our aim was to investigate whether simple assessments of RV pressure-volume loop morphology and RV systolic pressure differential reflect PAH severity and RV function. We analyzed multibeat RV pressure-volume loops (obtained by conductance catheterization with preload reduction) in 77 patients with PAH and 15 patients without pulmonary hypertension in two centers. Patients were categorized according to their pressure-volume loop shape (triangular, quadratic, trapezoid, or notched). RV systolic pressure differential was defined as end-systolic minus beginning-systolic pressure (ESP − BSP), augmentation index as ESP − BSP/pulse pressure, pulmonary arterial capacitance (PAC) as stroke volume/pulse pressure, and RV-arterial coupling as end-systolic/arterial elastance (Ees/Ea). Trapezoid and notched pressure-volume loops were associated with the highest afterload (Ea), augmentation index, pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), mean pulmonary arterial pressure, stroke work, B-type natriuretic peptide, and the lowest Ees/Ea and PAC. Multivariate linear regression identified Ea, PVR, and stroke work as the main determinants of ESP − BSP. ESP − BSP also significantly correlated with multibeat Ees/Ea (Spearman’s ρ: −0.518, P < 0.001). A separate retrospective analysis of 113 patients with PAH showed that ESP − BSP obtained by routine right heart catheterization significantly correlated with a noninvasive surrogate of RV-arterial coupling (tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion/pulmonary arterial systolic pressure ratio; ρ: −0.376, P < 0.001). In conclusion, pressure-volume loop shape and RV systolic pressure differential predominately depend on afterload and PAH severity and reflect RV-arterial coupling in PAH.
Envelope following responses predict speech-in-noise performance in normal-hearing listeners
Authors: Mepani Anita M. , Verhulst Sarah , Hancock Kenneth E. , Garrett Markus , Vasilkov Viacheslav , Bennett Kara , de Gruttola Victor , Liberman M. Charles , Maison Stéphane F.
Published: March 2021

Recent studies suggest that millions of people may be at risk of permanent impairment from cochlear synaptopathy, the age-related and noise-induced degeneration of neural connections in the inner ear. This study examines electrophysiological responses to stimuli designed to improve detection of neural damage in subjects with normal hearing sensitivity. The resultant correlations with word recognition performance are consistent with a contribution of cochlear neural damage to deficits in hearing in noise abilities.
MiR-203 Targets to the 3′-UTR of SLUG to Suppress Cerebral Infarction-Induced Endothelial Cell Growth and Motility
Authors: Li Yunsong , Bi Wei , Han Bing , Yuan Tao , Shi Long , Liu Yang , Sun Huanhuan , Li Xueyan , Gao Xiang
Published: March 2021

Cerebral infarction is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, in which angiogenesis plays a critical role. On the other hand, accumulating evidence has demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) function as key modulators in the formation and progression of cerebral infarction. However, the molecular mechanisms of miRNAs underlying cerebral infarction-associated angiogenesis remain unclear. In the present study, we indicated that the expression of miR-203 was significantly downregulated in serum samples derived from patients with cerebral infarction and in mice brain samples following middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) compared with healthy controls. In vitro, the expression of miR-203 was obviously downregulated in hypoxia-induced human umbilical vein vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). Functionally, ectopic expression of miR-203 drastically suppressed HUVEC proliferation, invasion, and migration. In addition, SLUG, a zinc finger transcriptional repressor, was identified as a direct target of miR-203 and was negatively correlated with miR-203 expression in MCAO mice and in hypoxia-induced HUVECs. Furthermore, overexpression of SLUG reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-203 on proliferation, invasion, and migration abilities of HUVECs. Taken together, our research provides a novel insight of the miR-203-SLUG axis into cerebral infarction-associated endothelial behaviors and may offer a powerful therapeutic target of cerebral ischemia.
Urban Green Development towards Sustainability in Northwest China: Efficiency Assessment, Spatial‐Temporal Differentiation Characters, and Influencing Factors
Authors: Si LiJuan , Wang JiaLu , Yang ShuRan , Yang Ye , Zhang Jing
Published: March 2021

For achieving the sustainable development goals, green development has been raised to a high position for cities in China. The economic development in Northwest China is slow, the ecological environment is fragile, and the mineral resources are rich. Only through green development can we realize the comprehensive income of regional production development, rich life, and good ecology. This paper measures the green development efficiency of 30 prefecture‐level cities in Northwest China by using DEA‐SBM model of unexpected output, explores the differences and causes of green development efficiency from the perspective of time and space through convergence coefficient, coordination matrix, GIS, and other methods, and empirically tests the impact of industrial structure, technological progress, and other driving factors on green development efficiency by using panel Tobit model. The results show that, on the whole, the efficiency of green development in Northwest China is low, path dependence is serious and unbalanced, the coordinated development effect of different regions is weak, and the spillover effect of core urban agglomerations has not been effectively exerted; from the perspective of driving factors, economic development, population density, traffic situation, and education investment can significantly improve the efficiency of urban green development, and the second is that the proportion of industries significantly hinders the improvement of green development efficiency, while the impact of scientific and technological innovation is not significant. Based on the empirical results, this paper believes that the harmonious development of natural environment and economic society can be realized only by improving the coordinated development effect among cities, implementing the optimization and upgrading of industrial structure, introducing excellent talents, and promoting the technological upgrading.
BFLP: An Adaptive Federated Learning Framework for Internet of Vehicles
Authors: Peng Yongqiang , Chen Zongyao , Chen Zexuan , Ou Wei , Han Wenbao , Ma Jianqiang
Published: March 2021

Applications of Internet of Vehicles (IoV) make the life of human beings more intelligent and convenient. However, in the present, there are some problems in IoV, such as data silos and poor privacy preservation. To address the challenges in IoV, we propose a blockchain-based federated learning pool (BFLP) framework. BFLP allows the models to be trained without sharing raw data, and it can choose the most suitable federated learning method according to actual application scenarios. Considering the poor computing power of vehicle systems, we construct a lightweight encryption algorithm called CPC to protect privacy. To verify the proposed framework, we conducted experiments in obstacle-avoiding and traffic forecast scenarios. The results show that the proposed framework can effectively protect the user's privacy, and it is more stable and efficient compared with traditional machine learning technique. Also, we compare the CPC algorithm with other encryption algorithms. And the results show that its calculation cost is much lower compared to other symmetric encryption algorithms.
Renal Vascular Response to Angiotensin II Administration in Two Kidneys-One Clip Hypertensive Rats Treated with High Dose of Estradiol: The Role of Mas Receptor
Authors: Choopani Samira , Nematbakhsh Mehdi
Published: March 2021

Backgrounds. High blood pressure is one of the most important causes of death around the world. The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and estradiol are two important items that regulate arterial blood pressure in women. However, hypertension, RAS, and sex hormone estradiol may influence renal vascular responses. This study was designed to determine the role of Mas receptor (MasR) on renal vascular response to angiotensin II (Ang II) administration in two kidneys-one clip (2K1C) hypertensive rats treated with estradiol. Method. The ovariectomized rats were subjected to 2K1C or non-2K1C and simultaneously treated with estradiol (500 μg/kg/weekly) or placebo for a period of 4 weeks. Subsequently, under anesthesia, renal vascular responses to graded doses of Ang II administration with MasR blockade (A779) or its vehicle were determined. Results. A779 or its vehicle did not alter mean arterial pressure (MAP), renal perfusion pressure (RPP), and renal blood flow (RBF). However, in non-2K1C rats, Ang II infusion decreased RBF and increased renal vascular resistance (RVR) responses in a dose-related manner (

P
treat
<
0.0001

). The greatest responses were found in ovariectomized estradiol-treated rats that received A779 (

P
group
<
0.05

) in non-2K1C rats. Such findings were not detected in 2K1C hypertensive rats. For example, in estradiol-treated rats that received A779, at 1000 ng/kg/min of Ang II infusion, RBF reduced from

1.6
±
0.2

to

0.89
±
0.19

 ml/min in non-2K1C rats, and it reduced from

1.6
±
0.2

to

1.2
±
0.2

 ml/min in 2K1C rats. Conclusion. Hypertension induced by 2K1C may attenuate the role of A779 and estradiol in renal vascular responses to Ang II infusion. Perhaps, this response can be explained by the reduction of Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R) expression in the 2K1C hypertensive rats.
Emerging Clues of Regulatory Roles of Circular RNAs through Modulating Oxidative Stress: Focus on Neurological and Vascular Diseases
Authors: Li Lingfei , Ni Zhumei , Si Xiaoli , Jiang Lin , Sang Hongfei , Xia Wenqing , Chen Zhenzhen , Huang Jinyu , Jin Jingfen , Shao Anwen , Yin Congguo
Published: March 2021

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are novel noncoding RNAs that play regulatory roles in gene expression. Dysregulation of circRNAs is associated with the development and progression of several diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, nervous system diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. CircRNAs functionally participate in cell physiological activities through various molecular mechanisms. However, these molecular mechanisms are unclear. Oxidative stress is an essential factor in the pathogenesis of various diseases, including neurological diseases. Emerging roles of circRNAs have been identified in different systems in response to oxidative stress. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of circRNA biogenesis, properties, expression profiles, and the clues indicating the regulatory roles of circRNAs through oxidative stress in various systems, especially the nervous system.
Gastrointestinal Bleeding Secondary to Metastatic Duodenal Choriocarcinoma in a Patient with Concomitant Peptic Ulcer Disease
Authors: Elfiky Ahmed , Mokhtar Asmaa , Alsheikh Mira , Almoussawi Hassan , Mulrooney Stephen
Published: March 2021

Testicular tumors are one of the most common solid tumors in young males. Choriocarcinoma usually presents as metastatic disease. Gastrointestinal tract involvement is rare. We report a case of a 40-year-old male presenting to our hospital with a three-day history of dyspnea on exertion and black stool after recent diagnosis of testicular choriocarcinoma. Urgent EGD performed revealed small clean-based fundal ulcer and an antral ulcer without the stigma of recent bleeding. Capsule endoscopy was performed and revealed a bleeding ill-defined mass in the proximal duodenum. A subsequent push enteroscopy showed an ulcerated bleeding mass in the third part of the duodenum that was treated with a hemospray with adequate hemostasis. Pathology was consistent with pure choriocarcinoma. The patient received a cisplatin-based chemotherapy regimen. The patient tolerated the chemotherapy regimen well and was discharged for outpatient follow-up. At the three-month follow-up, the patient did not show evidence of recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding.
Astragaloside IV Synergizing with Ferulic Acid Ameliorates Pulmonary Fibrosis by TGF-β1/Smad3 Signaling
Authors: Tong Jiahuan , Wu Zhisong , Wang Yuchen , Hao Qingxun , Liu Haoge , Cao Fang , Jiao Yang
Published: March 2021

Objective. The study aims to research the interventional effect and mechanism of astragaloside IV (Ast) synergizing with ferulic acid (FA) on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) induced by bleomycin in mice. Methods. The mice were randomly divided into seven groups with 10 mice in each group, namely, a sham operation group, a model group, a miRNA-29b (miR-29) group, a miR-29b negative control group (NC group), a FA group, an Ast group, and a combination group. A mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis was established by intratracheal instillation of bleomycin. Samples were collected after 28 days of continuous administration. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Masson staining were used to observe pathological changes in the lung tissue, and the degree of fibrosis was evaluated using the hydroxyproline content. Changes in transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and Smad3 in the lung were observed using immunohistochemistry. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the serum. PCR was used to detect the expression of the miR-29b, TGF-β1, Smad3, and nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) genes. Western blotting was used to detect the content of the TGF-β/Smad3 protein. Results. Ferulic acid combined with astragaloside IV reduced the degree of pulmonary fibrosis and the synthesis of hydroxyproline in lung tissue. The combination of the two also regulated the oxidative stress response ， TGF-β1/Smad3 pathway and miR-29b in lung tissue. Conclusion. Astragaloside IV combined with ferulic acid regulated the oxidative stress of lung tissues and TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling through miR-29b, thereby reducing the degree of pulmonary fibrosis. This provides a reference direction for the clinical treatment of IPF patients.
Transcriptome Sequencing of Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Reveals Novel Splice-Altering Variants in
MYBPC3
Authors: Holliday Mira , Singer Emma S. , Ross Samantha B. , Lim Seakcheng , Lal Sean , Ingles Jodie , Semsarian Christopher , Bagnall Richard D.
Published: March 2021

Background:

Transcriptome sequencing can improve genetic diagnosis of Mendelian diseases but requires access to tissue expressing disease-relevant transcripts. We explored genetic testing of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy using transcriptome sequencing of patient-specific human induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs). We also explored whether antisense oligonucleotides (AOs) could inhibit aberrant mRNA splicing in hiPSC-CMs.

Methods:

We derived hiPSC-CMs from patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy due to
MYBPC3
splice-gain variants, or an unresolved genetic cause. We used transcriptome sequencing of hiPSC-CM RNA to identify pathogenic splicing and used AOs to inhibit this splicing.

Results:

Transcriptome sequencing of hiPSC-CMs confirmed aberrant splicing in 2 people with previously identified
MYBPC3
splice-gain variants (c.1090+453C>T and c.1224-52G>A). In a patient with an unresolved genetic cause of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy following genome sequencing, transcriptome sequencing of hiPSC-CMs revealed diverse cryptic exon splicing due to an
MYBPC3
c.1928-569G>T variant, and this was confirmed in cardiac tissue from an affected sibling. Antisense oligonucleotide treatment demonstrated almost complete inhibition of cryptic exon splicing in one patient-specific hiPSC-CM line.

Conclusions:

Transcriptome sequencing of patient specific hiPSC-CMs solved a previously undiagnosed genetic cause of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and may be a useful adjunct approach to genetic testing. Antisense oligonucleotide inhibition of cryptic exon splicing is a potential future personalized therapeutic option.
Recursive Non-Autoregressive Graph-to-Graph Transformer for Dependency Parsing with Iterative Refinement
Authors: Mohammadshahi Alireza , Henderson James
Published: March 2021

We propose the Recursive Non-autoregressive Graph-to-Graph Transformer architecture (RNGTr) for the iterative refinement of arbitrary graphs through the recursive application of a non-autoregressive Graph-to-Graph Transformer and apply it to syntactic dependency parsing. We demonstrate the power and effectiveness of RNGTr on several dependency corpora, using a refinement model pre-trained with BERT. We also introduce Syntactic Transformer (SynTr), a non-recursive parser similar to our refinement model. RNGTr can improve the accuracy of a variety of initial parsers on 13 languages from the Universal Dependencies Treebanks, English and Chinese Penn Treebanks, and the German CoNLL2009 corpus, even improving over the new state-of-the-art results achieved by SynTr, significantly improving the state-of-the-art for all corpora tested.
Cultural struggles in the lusofonia arena: Portuguese-speaking migrant musicians in Lisbon
Authors: Vanspauwen Bart P.
Published: March 2021

Approaching music as a point of social connection in the post-colonial city of Lisbon, where cultural entrepreneurs deploy the political concept of lusofonia, this study examines the ways in which local migrant musicians from Portuguese-speaking African countries (PALOPJ, as well as Brazil and East Timor, position themselves in this context. In general, the study shows that there is a lack of recognition of the contribution they make to the expressive culture of the Portuguese capital, and this is related to national preconceptions. Surprisingly, despite several existing counter- discourses regarding lusofonia, all interviewed musicians do see some future relevance in this concept. They appeal to both supranational institutions and national governments, asking for structural support in order to promote and disseminate all the expressive culture of Portuguese-speaking African countries, indicating that the contribution of migrant musicians from these countries should be considered as an integral part of Portugal's cultural expression and heritage.
Teacher and learner beliefs and expectations about English language teaching and learning at a Mozambican university
Authors: Nhapulo Marcos Abilio
Published: March 2021

Recent studies have suggested that teacher and learner beliefs about second language instruction have a significant influence on language teaching and learning process and, consequently, on students’ achievements. However, in the Mozambican context, we still do not have studies focusing on learner and teacher beliefs about students and language proficiency, about teaching materials, about individual and cultural variations and beliefs about the learning process itself. Using questionnaires and a focus group report, we look at the Mozambican linguistic profile, the learner and teacher beliefs and their influence in tertiary English Language Teaching (ELT) and learning. The results show that there is a need for creating an environment in which teachers’ and learners’ cultural background, beliefs and needs are considered so as to enable teachers to teach effectively, as well as enabling learners to achieve positive learning outcomes.
Gum arabic collection in northern Kenya: unexploited resources, underdeveloped markets
Authors: Vellema Wytse , Mujawamariya Gaudiose , D'Haese Marijke
Published: March 2021

Gum arabic is a resin collected from several types of Acacia tree growing most densely in arid and semi-arid lands in East Africa and the Sahel. Kenya is particularly well endowed with gum-yielding trees but exports only small amounts of gum.

Methodology: A combination of descriptive livelihood and value chain analysis was used to gain insight into the socio-economic characteristics of collectors and the role of gum arabic in their livelihood.

Results: The degree of poverty encountered is considerable with most collectors barely able to maintain a subsistence level. Marketed quantities of gum arabic are low, collection practices are rudimentary, and the market is severely underdeveloped.

Conclusion: Thin markets, evidenced by a lack of specialised traders and the infrequency of their visits, removes incentives for increasing the quantity and quality of marketed gum arabic. Only when this situation changes will collectors be motivated to improve their current collecting and marketing practices, for which there is ample scope.
Trace element nutrition in the tropical zebu cattle type. Lessons from the Gilgel Gibe catchment, Ethiopia
Authors: Dermauw Veronique
Published: March 2021

In the tropics, cattle are majorly dependent on natural pastures growing on poor soils and as a result prone to trace element deficiencies. This work investigated several aspects of trace element nutri¬tion in zebu (Bos indicus) cattle, the most widely used cattle type in the tropics. Through several trials conducted at the Gilgel Gibe catchment, Ethiopia, we aimed to study factors influencing the flow of trace elements from soil to plant and grazing zebu cattle, and to investigate the impact of trace element status on health, production and trace elements in animal products. Overall, trace element, e.g., Cu, deficiencies were widely prevalent. Environment and certain grazing strategies were inti-mately related and affected trace element supply whereas cattle type affected trace element status. The effect of trace element status on trace elements in animal products was obvious, whereas the impact on health and production was less clear-cut.
Analysis of relations between “equality of life chances” and “early childhood care and education”, as foundations for social justice and human development: a case study of Mauritius
Authors: Morabito Christian
Published: March 2021

In this research, we have analysed the relations between equality of life chances and early childhood care and education (ECCE). During the last decades we have seen a constant growth in socio-economic inequalities world-wide. Yet, in the same period, we have acknowledged an increasing attention, among scholars and policy makers, to early childhood education as a prominent (and consensual) equalizing policy. We critically reviewed this claim, by using a mixed method research, including a theoretical analysis through a critical literature review, quantitative analyses of a longitudinal database, and qualitative focus groups with parents in Mauritius. Findings suggest ECCE can only be an equaliser if accompanied by a change in the educational and social structures. Conclusions highlight the need of focusing further research on detecting complex mechanisms of accumulation of disadvantage in specific groups, and assessing the equalising effects of diverse interventions during early years, including income redistribution.
Morphology and morphometry support a single species in the Leucheria cerberoana species complex (Asteraceae, Nassauvieae)

Authors: APODACA MARÍA JOSÉ , PALACIO FACUNDO X. , KATINAS LILIANA
Published: March 2021

Leucheria (Asteraceae, Mutisioideae, Nassauvieae) has been traditionally defined as a South American genus with 49 species. In the context of an ongoing revision of the genus, we observed that 10 Chilean species (Leucheria cerberoana, L. cumingii, L. glabriuscula, L. glandulosa, L. menana, L. multiflora, L. oligocephala, L. senecioides, L. tenuis, L. tomentosa) were morphologically difficult to distinguish from each other. This group of species, called here the Leucheria cerberoana complex, shares the following features that differ from the other species of Leucheria: marginal florets and fruits of the capitulum tightly enclosed by the outer and the inner phyllaries, synaptospermy and a dimorphic pappus. Here, we test the current morphological circumscription of these 10 species on the basis of the analysis of 171 specimens. We carried out multivariate analyses (Principal Coordinate Analysis and K-means) based on 16 external morphological characters. We also examined anatomically the underground organs because these species were distinguished from each other by their annual or perennial life cycle. We found that all the specimens analyzed have underground organs with secondary growth and thus there are not annual species in this group. Our results showed that there are no morphological gaps among specimens supporting the hypothesis of a single species. It is proposed here to synonymize these species under the name Leucheria tomentosa (Lessing) Crisci. With this change, the number of species of Leucheria is reduced from 49 to 40.
Sorbus doshonglaensis (Rosaceae), a new species from southeastern Xizang, China
Authors: TANG CHEN-QIAN , ZHANG XIAO-CHEN , CHEN XIN
Published: March 2021

Sorbus doshonglaensis (Rosaceae), a new species from southeastern Xizang (Tibet) in China, is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to S. kiukiangensis, but differs in having (4–)5–7 pairs of leaflets, ovate to semi-orbicular stipule, and yellowish white fruits.
Titanium Dioxide Inhibits Hippocampal Neuronal Synapse Growth Through the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor-Tyrosine Kinase Receptor B Signaling Pathway
Authors: Hong Fashui , Ze Xiao , Mu Xu , Ze Yuguan
Published: March 2021

Nanoparticulate titanium dioxide (nano-TiO2) is a commonly used nanoparticle material and has been widely used in the fields of medicine, cosmetics, construction, and environmental protection. Numerous studies have demonstrated that nano-TiO2 has toxic effects
on neuronal development, which lead to defects in learning and memory functions. However, it is still unclear whether nano-TiO2 inhibits the development of synapse and the underlying molecular mechanism is still unknown. In this study, nano-TiO2 was administered to rat
primary hippocampal neurons for 24 h to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms behind the inhibition of neuronal synaptic development by nano-TiO2. We used hippocampal neurons as a model to study the effect of nano-TiO2 on synaptic development. Our results demonstrated
that dendritic development that represented synaptic plasticity in hippocampal neurons was significantly inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner after exposure to nano-TiO2 for 24 h. Experiments with varying concentrations of nano-TiO2 (5, 15, and 30 g/mL) indicated
that the apoptotic rate of hippocampal neurons increased, development of neuronal synapses were inhibited, and synaptic densities decreased by 24.29%, 54.29%, and 72.86%, respectively, in post-treatment with nano-TiO2. Furthermore, the results indicated that the expressions of Synapsin
I (SYN I) and postsynaptic density 95 (PSD95) in neuron synapse were also significantly inhibited, particularly SYN I decreased by 18.43%, 37.2%, and 51.6%, and PSD95 decreased by 16.02%, 24.06%, and 38.74% after treatment with varying concentrations of nano-TiO2, respectively.
In addition, experiments to assess the BDNF-TrkB signaling pathway indicated that nano-TiO2 inhibited the expressions of key proteins in the downstream MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways by inhibiting the expression of BDNF. With concentrations of nano-TiO2 at 5,
15, and 30 μg/mL, the expression of BDNF decreased by 22.64%, 33.3%, and 53.58% compared with the control group. Further, the expression ratios of downstream key proteins p-CREB/CREB decreased by 3.03%, 18.11%, and 30.57%; p-ERK1/2/ERK1/2 ratios decreased by 19.11%, 28.82%, and 58.09%,
and p-Akt1/Akt1 ratios decreased by 1.92%, 27.79%, and 41.33%, respectively. These results demonstrated that nano-TiO2 inhibited the normal function of the BDNF-TrkB signaling pathway, which is closely related to neuronal synapse. Thus, it can be hypothesized that the inhibition
of neuronal synaptic growth by nano-TiO2 may be related to the inhibition of BDNF-TrkB signaling pathway.
Sudden Unavailability of Water in Water Tank May Invite COVID-19 Improved Implementation of Low-Cost Internet of Things Solution
Authors: Kiran Pasam Prudvi , Lydia E. Laxmi
Published: March 2021

The way the COVID-19 circumstance has been advancing is very disturbing over the globe and apparently this battle will be a prolonged one. At least, till the mission for vaccination succeeds, we should figure out how to live safely alongside the infection. Along with all the safety
measures we have recently incorporated into our daily lives, the provision of continuous availability of water in a water tank at households, schools, marketplaces, health care facilities, and all other public gathering places is essential for right time self-sanitation and for maintaining
hygienic surroundings, which ensures protection from this pandemic. In this work, at first, we explore the important role of continuous water availability in this pandemic lifestyle. Secondly, we provide a brief survey of existing works which are closely related to proposed problem and thirdly,
we have prepared an improved model overcoming the maximum limitations of surveyed models and also adding new feature of thought provoking GUI and applied it to a practical case study to demonstrate its need and effectiveness. Proposed model can be adopted immediately in a cost-effective manner,
with applicability ranging from 1000 Litre plastic water tank serving a normal house hold to 1000000 Litre overhead water tank serving a small village or a big industry, promoting the continuous availability of water.
Pneumonia Detection Using Deep Learning Architectures
Authors: Hemantkumar Purohit Om , Lodha Rakshit , Bajoria Meghna , Sujatha R.
Published: March 2021

Pneumonia is an infection caused by bacteria and viruses. It can shift from mellow to serious cases. This disease causes severe damages to the lungs since they fill with fluids. This situation causes difficulty in breathing. It further prevents oxygen to reach the blood. Pneumonia is
diagnosed with the help of a chest X-rays, which can also use in the diagnosis of diseases like emphysema, lung cancer, and tuberculosis. According to WHO (World Health Organization (WHO). 2001. Standardization of Interpretation of Chest Radiographs for the Diagnosis of Pneumonia in Children.
p.4.), Chest X-rays, at present, is the best available method for detecting pneumonia. Feature extraction methods like DiscreteWavelet Transform (DWT),Wavelet Frame Transform (WFT), andWavelet Packet Transform (WPT) can be used followed by any classification algorithm. In this paper, models
like Squeezenet, DenseNet, and Resnet34 have been used for image recognition. In our system, the medical images were taken from Kaggle database and were recorded using a suitable imaging system. The images retrieved were then considered for input for the system where the images go through
the various phases of image processing like pre-processing, edge detection and feature extraction. Later, a variety of training models are applied to know which model offers the highest accuracy.
Hybrid Feature Extraction and Classification for Alzheimer’s Disease Detection
Authors: Sharmila P. , Rekha C. , Devi D. Muruga Radha , Revathi K. P. , Sornalatha K.
Published: March 2021

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a serious neurological brain disease. It terminates brain cells, causing loss of memory, mental function and the capability to continue their daily actions. AD is incurable, but early detection can greatly improve symptoms. Machine learning can greatly develop the accurate analysis of AD. In this paper, we have implemented the two different hybrid algorithms for feature extraction and classification. Hybrid feature extraction algorithm is based on Empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and Gray-Level Co-Occurrence Matrix (GLCM), which is named as EMDGLCM. For classification purpose Support vector machine (SVM) and Convolution neural network (CNN) which is named as SVM-CNN. The proposed hybrid algorithm feature extraction and classification Improves the proposed system performance the proposed system has analysis with the help of OASIS dataset. The proposed results and comparative results shows that the proposed system provides the better results.
A Novel Blockchain Approach for Improve the Performance of Network Security Using Polynomial Ephemeral Blockchain-Based Secure Routing in Wireless Sensor Network
Authors: Bharanidharan R.
Published: March 2021

Wireless sensor networks are networks that include hundreds to thousands of autonomous distributed devices. These sensors are used to monitor physical and environmental conditions. Reliable routing protocols are designed to build a reliable and secure network with power management and
control overhead and congestion. The wireless medium allows malicious user?s wireless sensor networks (WSN) to take part in actions to get a damaging attack on network control nodes. Due to the proprietary nature of such networks, they are more complex and lack tamper-resistant hardware. Security
mechanisms are more wit due to the wireless and transient computing or communication complexity of communication relationships between nodes in a network. The existing method doesn?t provide security in inconvenient network performance, and the attackers modify the data and damage it. The
proposed blockchain method is fixed at the same level of security, such as Polynomial Ephemeral Blockchain-based Secure Routing (PEBSR) encryption, to create a secure network. In this method, first, to authenticate the neighbor node validate using a Polynomial Ephemeral key-based Neighbor
node authentication method. It evaluates the node location trust node and distributes the Ephemeral key in this key established between the nodes to communicate securely. The second method provides a cryptography chain network, and it maintains each node information in the sink database in
this process if any attacker or anyone modifies the data is stored on each individual database. Finally, to find the route between each sink and participate nodes in the network. In this proposed PEBSR method, simulation results in providing efficient security, throughput, and less response
time; they are compared to the existing method.