bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Taiwan — A Potential Economic Partner of South Asia
Authors: RAHMAN MOHAMMAD MASUDUR
Published: March 2021

Taiwan is a major hub of the global supply chains and one of the leading investors not only in China but also in other Southeast Asian markets. Although high trade complementary, bilateral trade between South Asia and Taiwan is only about US$ 9 billion, investment has only picked up recently. The computable general equilibrium (CGE) analysis indicates a substantial economic benefit of bilateral tariffs elimination between Taiwan and its South Asian partners. Taiwan has a substantial comparative advantage in producing high tech manufacturing goods while in South Asian’s main strength is in the resource-based agricultural and light manufacturing sector. Taiwan has been maintained a liberalized trade regime with minimal import tariffs and non-tariff measures (NTM) over the decades. As South Asia is booming, and Taiwan is seeking alternative markets and investments opportunities, it is time to deepen a bilateral economic relationship. South Asia is a market of 1.5 billion people with an emerging middle class along with substantial cheaper labor forces, made an ideal place for investment. A comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) with a preferential trade and investment agreement would be useful to attract Taiwanese multinationals and seamless trade between South Asia and Taiwan.
Improvement of the Battery Performance of Vanadium Flow Battery by Enhancing the Specific Surface Area of the Carbon Felt Electrodes: II. Digging Effect
Authors: Jing Minghua , Xu Zeyu , Fang Dawei , Fan Xinzhuang , Liu Jianguo , Yan Chuanwei
Published: March 2021

Aiming at the shortcoming of low specific surface area of the most commonly used carbon felt (CF) electrodes in vanadium flow battery (VFB), there are mainly two approaches to enhancing its specific surface area: anchoring effect and digging effect. Based on the digging effect, the CO2-etched CF has been fabricated by a simple heat treatment under the CO2atmosphere. As expected, lots of etch pits are formed and evenly distribute on the fiber surface, indicating a greatly enhanced surface area. Meanwhile, the content of O in the CO2-etched CF increases obviously, meaning the formation of more oxygen-containing groups, which are conducive to the improvement of hydrophilicity and electrochemical surface area. Furthermore, the oxygen-containing groups newly generated during the CO2etching process not only improve the hydrophilicity, but also enhance the electrocatalytic activity toward to the V3+/V2+redox couples. Consequently, VFB with CO2-etched CF as its electrodes presents significantly improved energy conversion efficiencies, discharge capacity and cycling stability. This work supplies a convenient and efficient way to improve the VFB performance by enhancing the specific surface area of CF electrodes through digging effect.
Testosterone and exercise: effects on fitness, body composition, and strength in middle-to-older aged men with low-normal serum testosterone levels
Authors: Chasland Lauren C. , Yeap Bu B. , Maiorana Andrew J. , Chan Yi X. , Maslen Barbara A. , Cooke Brian R. , Dembo Lawrence , Naylor Louise H. , Green Daniel J.
Published: March 2021

We illustrate that exercise training generates superior outcomes to testosterone treatment for improving aerobic fitness, muscular strength, and total and visceral fat mass in men 50–70 yr with low-normal serum testosterone concentrations. Adding testosterone treatment to exercise did not provide any additive benefit for these variables. Testosterone treatment alone and exercise alone had similar impacts on lean mass. Therefore, men unable to exercise may obtain benefit from testosterone treatment alone to improve lean mass.
A Case of De Novo Antiglomerular Basement Membrane Disease Presenting during Pregnancy
Authors: Lodhi F. A. K. , Akcan T. , Mojarrab J. N. , Sajjad S. , Blonsky R.
Published: March 2021

Background. Acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring dialysis during pregnancy is uncommon. We present a case of a young female diagnosed with antiglomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) disease during pregnancy. Case Presentation. A 23-year-old woman approximately 15 weeks pregnant experienced weakness, nausea, vomiting, and anorexia for one week and anuria for 48 hours. No known drug allergies and no significant social or family history for kidney or genitourinary disease were reported. Laboratory analysis revealed anemia, life-threatening hyperkalemia, AKI, and elevated antiglomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibodies. Renal biopsy revealed 100% cellular crescents, confirming the diagnosis. The patient was treated using plasmapheresis and methylprednisolone followed by oral steroids, azathioprine, and tacrolimus. At 24 weeks and 4 days of gestation, the patient had hypoxic respiratory failure as well as preterm premature rupture of membranes. Due to the development of infection and lack of renal recovery, immunosuppression was discontinued. At 28 weeks and 0 days of gestation, the patient developed uncontrollable hypertension requiring emergent delivery. Postpartum, her hypertension improved without signs of preeclampsia though still requires dialysis. Discussion. Pregnancy presents a unique challenge for providers treating patients with anti-GBM disease. Fetal safety should be considered and risks thoroughly discussed with the patient when choosing an immunosuppressive regimen for this condition.
Esophageal Pemphigus Vulgaris: A Rare Etiology of Upper Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage
Authors: Del Castillo Jennifer Rose F. , Yousaf Muhammad Nadeem , Chaudhary Fizah S. , Saleh Nahar , Mills Lawrence
Published: March 2021

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an autoimmune blistering disorder of the skin and mucosal surfaces characterized by acantholysis (loss of adhesion between epidermal cells). Esophageal involvement of PV is an underdiagnosed entity as routine diagnostic endoscopy is not recommended in asymptomatic patients. Dysphagia and odynophagia are common presenting symptoms; however, upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) associated with esophageal involvement of PV without a history of mucosal blistering is extremely uncommon. We present a case of esophageal involvement of PV associated with active UGIB that was diagnosed on endoscopic evaluation. This case illustrated the importance of early endoscopy to identify the esophageal involvement of PV especially in patients with preexisting disease who present with gastrointestinal symptoms such as dysphagia, odynophagia, and hematemesis. Early recognition of esophageal involvement of PV and initiation of corticosteroid and/or immunosuppressant therapy may improve the outcome of the disease.
Experimental Study on Gas Transport in Shale Matrix with Real Gas and Klinkenberg Effects
Authors: Wu Xiaojun , Wang Qing , Lyu Fangtao , Ning Zhengfu , Ren Zongxiao
Published: March 2021

Gas transport in shale matrix is complex due to multiple mechanisms and is difficult to be investigated by macroscopic experiment. For Gas Research Institute (GRI) method, which is the most accepted one for gas transport investigation in shale matrix, the apparatus was modified by adding an automatic gas supplement and pressurization (AGSP) system, and a numerical model considering the variation of real gas property and the Klinkenberg effect was established for data interpretation. Then, the intrinsic permeability and Klinkenberg coefficient were effectively obtained by maintaining high expanding speed of gas in apparatus and eliminating the negative effect of low filling degree of sample. By analysis, the ideal gas transports faster than real gas due to the viscosity difference at low pressure and the deviation factor difference at high pressure. For Wufeng-Longmaxi shale matrix, the positive influence of Klinkenberg effect on gas transport would attenuate with increasing pressure and is more powerful than bulk shale sample with fractures. Therefore, the gas transport in real shale matrix could be well known, which is meaningful to production forecast and evaluation in oil and gas fields.
The Effect of Irisin as a Metabolic Regulator and Its Therapeutic Potential for Obesity
Authors: Li Hui , Wang Fang , Yang Mu , Sun Jiao , Zhao Yi , Tang Dongqi
Published: March 2021

Obesity is a worldwide health problem due to the imbalance of energy intake and energy expenditure. Irisin, a newly identified exercise-responsive myokine, which is produced by the proteolytic cleavage of fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FNDC5), has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy to combat obesity and obesity-related complications. Various studies in mice have shown that irisin could respond to systematic exercise training and promote white-to-brown fat transdifferentiation, but the role and function of irisin in humans are controversial. In this review, we systematically introduced and analyzed the factors that may contribute to these inconsistent results. Furthermore, we also described the potential anti-inflammatory properties of irisin under a variety of inflammatory conditions. Finally, the review discussed the existing unresolved issues and controversies about irisin, including the transcription of the irisin precursor FNDC5 gene in humans, the cleavage site of the yet unknown proteolytic enzyme that cleaves irisin from FNDC5, and the reliability of irisin levels measured with available detection methods.
Analysis of the Response of Urban Water Consumption to Climatic Variables: Case Study of Khorramabad City in Iran
Authors: Hamidi Omid , Abbasi Hamed , Mirhashemi Hamid
Published: March 2021

Iran is located in a dry climate belt. Such conditions have made the supply of urban water resources one of the most fundamental management challenges. The amount of water consumed in a city is affected by the weather conditions greatly such that as the weather changes, the amount of water consumed changes as well. In this study, several models including zero-order Pearson’s correlation coefficient, first-order Pearson’s correlation, generalized additive model (GAM), generalized linear model (GLM), support vector machine (SVM-Nu), and simplex optimization algorithm were used in order to identify linear/nonlinear reactions of monthly water consumption to the individual and combined associations of meteorological variables (temperature, air pressure, and relative humidity) in Khorramabad city. Zero-order and first-order correlations showed that, by controlling the air temperature, the effect of pressure and relative humidity on changes in water consumption increase. On the other hand, both individual and combined GAM models showed the same result in the nonlinear response of water consumption to the changes in relative humidity and air pressure. The spline method also revealed that, by eliminating the effect of air temperature, the nonlinear reaction of water consumption to changes in pressure and relative humidity was increasing, and by eliminating the effects of the relative humidity and air pressure, the nonlinear reaction of water consumption to the air temperature was intensified. In general, by decreasing the air pressure and temperature, the amount of urban household water consumption decreases drastically. These conditions are generally provided by entering low-pressure systems.
L Antigen Family Member 3 Serves as a Prognostic Biomarker for the Clinical Outcome and Immune Infiltration in Skin Cutaneous Melanoma
Authors: Song Jingjing , Jin Cong , Chen Endong , Dong Xubin , Zhu Libin
Published: March 2021

L Antigen Family Member 3 (LAGE3) is an important RNA modification‐related protein. Whereas few studies have interrogated the LAGE3 protein, there is limited data on its role in tumors. Here, we analyzed and profiled the LAGE3 protein in skin cutaneous melanoma (CM) using TCGA, GTEx, or GEO databases. Our data showed an upregulation of LAGE3 in melanoma cell lines compared to normal skin cell lines. Besides, the Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard model revealed that LAGE3 was an independent survival indicator for CM, especially in metastatic CM. Moreover, LAGE3 was negatively associated with multiple immune cell infiltration levels in CM, especially CD8+ T cells in metastatic CM. Taken together, our study suggests that LAGE3 could be a potential prognostic biomarker and might be a potential target for the development of novel CM treatment strategies.
Several Different Types of Convergence for ND Random Variables under Sublinear Expectations
Authors: Liang Ziwei , Wu Qunying
Published: March 2021

The goal of this paper is to build average convergence and almost sure convergence for ND (negatively dependent) sequences of random variables under sublinear expectation space. By using the basic definition of sublinear expectation space, Markov inequality, and

C

r

inequality, we extend average convergence and almost sure convergence theorems for ND sequences of random variables under sublinear expectation space, and we provide a way to learn this subject.
Landslide Accumulation Ice‐Snow Melting for Thermo‐Hydromechanical Coupling and Numerical Simulation
Authors: Xiong Tongqiang , Li Jianlin , Wang Lehua , Deng Huafeng , Xu Xiaoliang
Published: March 2021

In this paper, we discussed the phase change coupling algorithm of accumulation bank slope under the action of ice‐snow melting. We described the effect of temperature gradient on the water migration of soil. We simplified the stress balance, continuity, and energy equation in the coupled model. We discussed the variation law of temperature, seepage, and stress (deformation) field under different conditions of ice‐snow melting on the bank slope of the accumulation body. Based on the three‐field coupling energy balance equation of ice‐snow melting with phase change, the simplified algorithm of three‐field coupling is obtained. The simplified algorithm is applied to the coupling model of ice‐snow thawing on indoor accumulation bank slope. We established a practical numerical model for the coupling analysis of temperature, seepage, and stress field. We established the coupled control differential equation of three fields. We investigated the three‐dimensional numerical simulation of stress, displacement, plastic deformation, and other indicators. The results show that the numerical simulation results are in good agreement with the monitoring results. It is expected that the research results can more truly simulate the actual characteristics of ice and snow melting water on the bank slope of the Three Gorges Reservoir and provide reference for the prevention and prediction of extreme snow and ice disasters in the Three Gorges Reservoir area.
Utilization of Buildings’ Foundations for a Seasonal Thermal Energy Storage Medium to Meet Space and Water Heat Demands
Authors: Alkhalidi Ammar , Al Khatba Hamzah , Khawaja Mohamad K.
Published: March 2021

Seasonal thermal energy storage (STES) can be utilized to cover a portion or meet the whole space and water heat demands in residential and commercial buildings. With the scarcity of fuel resources, scientists have become aware of the importance of the utilization of thermal energy. An STES system can be charged using solar collectors to heat a storage medium when solar radiation is available. Solar irradiance is seasonal so this type of system can compensate for the shortage of energy in the winter by storing surplus solar energy in the summer. This study offers an innovative design of an STES system that takes advantage of the backfill space in a building’s underground foundation to install the thermal storage medium on the excavated surface among the support pillars’ base. To study the feasibility and the feasibility of such STES system, the design was simulated using the TRNSYS® tool where the STES medium was charged by a solar thermal system. The chosen building type was a four-story hotel located in three cities each with its unique climate: Potsdam (Germany), Zarqa (Jordan), and Doha (Qatar). The results showed the coverage rate of the building’s annual heat demand was 56%, 82%, and 84%, and the payback periods were 3.4, 4.4, and 29 years for Potsdam, Zarqa, and Doha, respectively. Zarqa is the most efficient and feasible for STES compared to the other two cities.
Person Reidentification Model Based on Multiattention Modules and Multiscale Residuals
Authors: Li Yongyi , Wang Shiqi , Dong Shuang , Lv Xueling , Lv Changzhi , Fan Di
Published: March 2021

At present, person reidentification based on attention mechanism has attracted many scholars’ interests. Although attention module can improve the representation ability and reidentification accuracy of Re‐ID model to a certain extent, it depends on the coupling of attention module and original network. In this paper, a person reidentification model that combines multiple attentions and multiscale residuals is proposed. The model introduces combined attention fusion module and multiscale residual fusion module in the backbone network ResNet 50 to enhance the feature flow between residual blocks and better fuse multiscale features. Furthermore, a global branch and a local branch are designed and applied to enhance the channel aggregation and position perception ability of the network by utilizing the dual ensemble attention module, as along as the fine‐grained feature expression is obtained by using multiproportion block and reorganization. Thus, the global and local features are enhanced. The experimental results on Market‐1501 dataset and DukeMTMC‐reID dataset show that the indexes of the presented model, especially Rank‐1 accuracy, reach 96.20% and 89.59%, respectively, which can be considered as a progress in Re‐ID.
A Fast Spatial Pool Learning Algorithm of Hierarchical Temporal Memory Based on Minicolumn’s Self‐Nomination
Authors: Li Lei , Zou Tingting , Cai Tao , Niu Dejiao , Zhu Yuquan
Published: March 2021

As a new type of artificial neural network model, HTM has become the focus of current research and application. The sparse distributed representation is the basis of the HTM model, but the existing spatial pool learning algorithms have high training time overhead and may cause the spatial pool to become unstable. To overcome these disadvantages, we propose a fast spatial pool learning algorithm of HTM based on minicolumn’s nomination, where the minicolumns are selected according to the load‐carrying capacity and the synapses are adjusted using compressed encoding. We have implemented the prototype of the algorithm and carried out experiments on three datasets. It is verified that the training time overhead of the proposed algorithm is almost unaffected by the encoding length, and the spatial pool becomes stable after fewer iterations of training. Moreover, the training of the new input does not affect the already trained results.
Saussureae Radix Attenuates Neuroinflammation in LPS-Stimulated Mouse BV2 Microglia via HO-1/Nrf-2 Induction and Inflammatory Pathway Inhibition
Authors: Oh You-Chang , Li Wei , Choi Jang-Gi
Published: March 2021

The activation of microglial cells and their subsequent neuroinflammatory reactions are related to various degenerative brain diseases. Therefore, the regulation of microglial cell activation is an important point for the research of therapeutic agents for treating or preventing neurodegenerative disorders. Saussureae Radix (SR) is the root of Saussurea lappa Clarke, and it has been used for a long time as an herbal medicine in East Asia to treat indigestion and inflammation of the digestive system. In previous studies, however, the effect of SR ethanolic extract on microglial cell-mediated neuroinflammation was not fully explained. In this study, we explored the antineuroinflammatory activities and molecular mechanisms of SR in microglial cells stimulated with LPS (lipopolysaccharide). Our results illustrated that SR does not cause cytotoxicity and significantly weakens the production of nitric oxide (NO) and inflammatory cytokines. SR treatment also inhibited the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase- (COX-) 2, induced heme oxygenase- (HO-) 1, and activated the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2) pathway. In addition, SR significantly repressed the transcriptional activities of the nuclear factor- (NF-) κB and activator protein- (AP-) 1. Furthermore, SR effectively inhibited the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT). Isolation and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis indicated two major sesquiterpenoids (costunolide and dehydrocostuslactone). These compounds significantly inhibited the production of neuroinflammatory mediators and induced HO-1 expression. These findings show that SR could be a potential candidate for the treatment of inflammation-related degenerative brain diseases.
Total Knee Arthroplasty with Intra‐Articular Resection of Bone for Knee Arthritis Secondary to Malunion of a Tibial Shaft Fracture: A Radiological Evaluation of Correction of the Tibial Deformity
Authors: Wang Jun-Wen , Chen Guan-Fang , Shih Hsin-Nung , Yen Shih-Hsiang , Lin Po-Chun
Published: March 2021

This retrospective study was aimed to evaluate the clinical outcome and the extent of correction of the tibial deformity by a radiological evaluation following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) combined with intra‐articular bone resection, in patients with knee arthritis and ipsilateral malunited tibial fractures. Fifteen patients (15 knees) with severe arthritis of the knee and extra‐articular malunion of the tibia were treated using TKA with intra‐articular bone resection. The extra‐articular deformities in the coronal plane were 10 tibia vara (mean 15°, range 9°‐30°), 4 tibia valgum (mean 12°, range 6°‐20°), and one double deformity in the tibial shaft. The follow‐up duration was 84 months (24–240). At the last follow‐up, the mean Knee Society knee and function scores had improved, respectively (p = 0.001). The mean arc of knee motion improved from 97° preoperatively to 118.3° at the last follow‐up (p < 0.001). The mean mechanical axis improved from a preoperative 15.5° to 1.5° of varus (p = 0.013). Excluding the patient with a double tibial malunion, in the 10 patients with varus tibial angulations, the tibia vara had improved from 15° preoperatively to 2.6° (p = 0.005). There were no observed complications except for one with a postoperative deep infection. In conclusion, our results indicated that TKA with intra‐articular resection of the bone is an effective procedure for the treatment of severe arthritis of the knee with extra‐articular malunion of the tibia in the coronal plane (≤30° of varus; ≤20° of valgus).
Effects of Second-Order Slip Flow and Variable Viscosity on Natural Convection Flow of

CNTs
−
Fe

3

O

4

/Water Hybrid Nanofluids due to Stretching Surface
Authors: Tulu Ayele , Ibrahim Wubshet
Published: March 2021

This study deals with natural convection unsteady flow of

CNTs
−

Fe

3

O

4

/water hybrid nanofluids due to stretching surface embedded in a porous medium. Both hybrid nanoparticles of

SWCNTs
−

Fe

3

O

4

and

MWCNTs
−

Fe

3

O

4

are used with water as base fluid. Effects of hybrid nanoparticles volume friction, second-order velocity slip condition, and temperature-dependent viscosity are investigated. The governing problem of flow is solved numerically employing spectral quasilinearization method (SQLM). The results are presented and discussed via embedded parameters using graphs and tables. The results disclose that the thermal conductivity of

CNTs
−

Fe

3

O

4

/

H

2

O

hybrid nanofluids is higher than that of

CNTs
−

H

2

O

nanofluids with higher value of hybrid nanoparticle volume fraction. Also, the results show that momentum boundary layer reduces while the thermal boundary layer gros with higher values of temperature-dependent viscosity and second-order velocity slip parameters. The skin friction coefficient improves, and the local heat transfer rate decreases with higher values of nanoparticle volume fraction, temperature-dependent viscosity, and second-order velocity slip parameters. Furthermore, more skin friction coefficients and lower local heat transfer rate are reported in the

CNTs
−

Fe

3

O

4

/

H

2

O

hybrid nanofluid than in the

CNTs
−

H

2

O

nanofluid. Thus, the obtained results are promising for the application of hybrid nanofluids in the nanotechnology and biomedicine sectors.
Evacuation Experiment Study in Up and Down Escape Staircase of Underground Road
Authors: Yuan Da-jun , Jin Hui , Chen Zhi-cong , Liu Sheng-nan
Published: March 2021

To measure evacuation basic parameters, reveal evacuation performance, and study reasonable staircase spacing of up and down escape staircase in case of fire, an evacuation experiment, which was based on the most unfavorable evacuation scenario, was conducted. The experiment took personnel and vehicles of actual underground road traffic into account, and evacuation process image data were extracted and analyzed by artificial statistics. Experimental results indicate that the personnel plane evacuation speed is between 1.43 and 1.95 m/s, and the upstairs evacuation speed that is less affected by gender and age is mainly between 0.5 and 1.1 m/s; under the escape stairs width of 0.8 m, the average capacity of escape staircase is 0.7 P/s, and the entrance of the staircase is evacuation bottleneck and queuing phenomenon occurs. Based on the experiment, a calculation model of three‐phase personnel net evacuation time was established. By simplifying the evacuation model, a calculation formula of the reasonable escape stair spacing considering the influence of multiple factors was proposed. And the proposed theoretical model was verified by project cases of up and down escape staircase. With 2 min emergency broadcasting time and 6 min Available Safety Evacuation Time of medium‐sized fire as the Personnel Safety Evacuation Rule’s reference, the recommended value of escape staircase spacing of single pipe double‐deck two‐way four‐lane (double pipes double‐deck two‐way eight‐lane) underground roads is 64.3 m.
Pathological Discrepancy: Simple Mesenteric Cyst vs. Mesenteric Lymphangioma
Authors: Aliukonis Vygintas , Lasinskas Marius , Pilvelis Algirdas , Gradauskas Audrius
Published: March 2021

Introduction. Both mesenteric cysts and cystic lymphangiomas are scarce and clinically and radiologically almost identical derivatives, but their histological structure is fundamentally different. Case Presentation. A 52-year-old woman was consulted by a surgeon for a derivative felt in her abdomen. The patient said she felt a growing derivative in the abdomen about a month ago. After consulting and testing, a sigmoid colon mesenteric cyst (

13
 
cm
×
11
 
cm
×
10
 
cm

) was found. Complete excision of the cyst within healthy tissues was performed through laparotomy. The surgery had no complications. The initial pathological answer was a simple mesothelial cyst (a rare histological finding). However, immunohistochemical tests were performed that showed that diagnosis was mesenteric cystic lymphangioma (ML). Cystic lymphangiomas that have a link to the mesentery have been described less than 200 times. Conclusions. Final differential diagnosis between different cystic derivatives is possible only based on histopathological examinations. Mesenteric lymphangioma is most common at a very young age, but in rare cases, it also occurs in adults. All clinicians should increase their awareness of the disease.
Economic Interplay Forecasting Business Success
Authors: Amoroso Nicola , Bellantuono Loredana , Monaco Alfonso , De Nicolò Francesco , Somma Ernesto , Bellotti Roberto
Published: March 2021

A startup ecosystem is a dynamic environment in which several actors, such as investors, venture capitalists, angels, and facilitators, are the protagonists of a complex interplay. Most of these interactions involve the flow of capital whose size and direction help to map the intricate system of relationships. This quantity is also considered a good proxy of economic success. Given the complexity of such systems, it would be more desirable to supplement this information with other informative features, and a natural choice is to adopt mathematical measures. In this work, we will specifically consider network centrality measures, borrowed by network theory. In particular, using the largest publicly available dataset for startups, the Crunchbase dataset, we show how centrality measures highlight the importance of particular players, such as angels and accelerators, whose role could be underestimated by focusing on collected funds only. We also provide a quantitative criterion to establish which firms should be considered strategic and rank them. Finally, as funding is a widespread measure for success in economic settings, we investigate to which extent this measure is in agreement with network metrics; the model accurately forecasts which firms will receive the highest funding in future years.
Protective effect of Luteolin on atopic dermatitis murine model via IgE mediated immune response
Authors: Wang Jian , Li Gang , Zhang Haixiu , Xie Ying
Published: March 2021

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a serious inflammatory condition associated with severe itching and persistent eczematous lesion. Therefore, the present study was intended to scrutinize the beneficial effect of Luteolin (LT) on the atopic dermatitis murine model. The effect of LT was investigated on the various parameters, such as oxidative stress and inflammation after induction of AD. The serum level of IgE, and cells of the WBC family (neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, and total WBC) and histopathological analysis of skin tissue were also examined to confirm the effect of LT. Results of the study suggested that LT significantly inhibited the elevated IgE level together with improvement in injured skin tissue architecture. It also reduces oxidative stress (MDA, SOD, and GSH) and inflammation (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-17A) as evidenced by ELISA analysis. The level of examined WBC family cells was found reduced significantly as compared to the AD model group. In western blot analysis, LT showed significant down-regulation of NF-ĸB and TLR-4. Collectively, our results suggest that LT can effectively reverse the effect of atopic dermatitis via improving immunological response.
Colletotrichum dracaenigenum, a new species on Dracaena fragrans
Authors: CHAIWAN NAPALAI , TIBPROMMA SAOWALUCK , JAYAWARDENA RUVISHIKA S. , MAPOOK AUSANA , WANASINGHE DHANUSHKA N. , MORTIMER PETER E. , LUMYONG SAISAMORN , HYDE KEVIN D.
Published: March 2021

During an investigation into the microfungi on Dracaena fragrans in Thailand, a saprobic taxon belonging to Glomerellaceae was collected. Based on morphological characterization and combined phylogenetic analyses of ITS, GAPDH, CHS-1, ACT and TUB2 sequence data from the sexual and asexual morphs our taxon was identified as a new species of Colletotrichum. Colletotrichum dracaenigenum sp. nov. is introduced here with a full description, colour photographs of morphological characteristics and a phylogenetic tree to show the placement of the new taxon in the gloeosporioides species complex.
A new species of Sciodaphyllum (Araliaceae) from the Chocó Biogeographical region in Colombia

Authors: JIMÉNEZ-MONTOYA JÁIDER , PIZANO CAMILA , IDÁRRAGA-PIEDRAHÍTA ÁLVARO
Published: March 2021

A new species of Sciodaphyllum (Araliaceae), S. pygmaeum, is described and illustrated from the basin of the Anchicayá River in the Chocó Biogeographical region of Colombia. This new species differs from other members of the genus by being a small monocaulous shrub, with hollow branches, tubular stipular ligules, and fewer secondary branches in the inflorescence. The conservation status of S. pygmaeum is accessed to be Least Concern (LC) according to IUCN categories and criteria.
Impact of Global Warming on Snow in Ski Areas: A Case Study Using a Regional Climate Simulation over the Interior Western United States
Authors: Lackner Christian Philipp , Geerts Bart , Wang Yonggang
Published: March 2021

A high-resolution (4 km) regional climate simulation conducted with the Weather Research and Forecasting Model is used to investigate potential impacts of global warming on skiing conditions in the interior western United States (IWUS). Recent-past and near-future climate conditions are compared. The past climate period is from November 1981 to October 2011. The future climate applies to a 30-yr period centered on 2050. A pseudo–global warming approach is used, with the driver reanalysis dataset perturbed by the CMIP5 ensemble mean model guidance. Using the 30-yr retrospective simulation, a vertical adjustment technique is used to determine meteorological parameters in the complex terrain where ski areas are located. For snow water equivalent (SWE), Snowpack Telemetry sites close to ski areas are used to validate the technique and apply a correction to SWE in ski areas. The vulnerability to climate change is assessed for 71 ski areas in the IWUS considering SWE, artificially produced snow, temperature, and rain; 20 of the ski areas will tend to have fewer than 100 days per season with sufficient natural and artificial snow for skiing. These ski areas are located at either low elevations or low latitudes, making these areas the most vulnerable to climate change. Throughout the snow season, natural SWE decreases significantly at the low elevations and low latitudes. At higher elevations, changes in SWE are predicted to not be significant in the midseason. In mid-February, SWE decreases by 11.8% at the top elevations of ski areas and decreases by 25.8% at the base elevations.
Temporal Duration of the East Asian Summer Monsoon Substantially Affects Surface Energy Exchange over the Summer Monsoon Transition Zone of China
Authors: Li Hongyu , Zhang Qiang , Yue Ping , Zhang Liang , Niu Xiaochen , Zhang Hongli , Xing Kaicheng , Jing Yuanyuan , Shang Guofei
Published: March 2021

Investigating the response of land surface energy exchange to key climatic signals such as the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) is essential for understanding the intensive interactions in the Earth system. This study focuses on the summer monsoon transition zone (SMTZ) in China, which has a climate rather sensitive to the EASM activity, and examined the response of land surface energy exchange over the SMTZ to summer monsoon activity. A flux evaluation of five reanalysis/modeling data sets indicates that JRA-55(the Japane 55-year Reanalysis) reasonably represents interannual variations of surface heat fluxes over the SMTZ. The EASM activity is accurately identified in the SMTZ by introducing a monsoon temporal duration index (MTDI), which presents climate variations of summer rainfall and EASM activity better than commonly used summer monsoon indexes. Based on MTDI and long-term flux data sets, it was found that the interannual fluctuation of the EASM intensively controls surface energy partitioning and turbulent heat exchange but has a weak impact on radiative processes over the SMTZ. Furthermore, surface sensible and latent heat fluxes significantly responded to the influential period of the summer monsoon, exhibiting approximately quadratic/logarithmic relationships with the MTDI. More prominent interannual variabilities of turbulent heat fluxes were observed in weak summer monsoon years, during which an active interaction between surface energy exchange and a warming and drying climate occurred. An ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) analysis confirms that EASM activity dominates the quasi-biennial and multidecadal variations of turbulent heat fluxes over the SMTZ, which may be achieved by the transport of tropical quasi-biennial and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) signals to the mid-latitudes of East Asia. The expected intensification of summer monsoon activity in the future may induce acceleration of energy and hydrological cycle and exert a substantial impact on the availability of water and the ecosystem stability over the SMTZ.
Turbulence within Rain-Formed Fresh Lenses during the SPURS-2 Experiment
Authors: Iyer Suneil , Drushka Kyla
Published: March 2021

Observations of salinity, temperature, and turbulent dissipation rate were made in the top meter of the ocean using the ship-towed Surface Salinity Profiler as part of the second Salinity Processes in the Upper Ocean Regional Study (SPURS-2) to assess the relationships between wind, rain, near-surface stratification, and turbulence. A wide range of wind and rain conditions were observed in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean near 10°N, 125°W in summer–autumn 2016 and 2017. Wind was the primary driver of near-surface turbulence and the mixing of rain-formed fresh lenses, with lenses generally persisting for hours when wind speeds were under 5 m s−1 and mixing away immediately at higher wind speeds. Rain influenced near-surface turbulence primarily through stratification. Near-surface stratification caused by rainfall or diurnal warming suppressed deeper turbulent dissipation rates when wind speeds were under 3 m s−1. In one case with 4–5 m s−1 winds, rain-induced stratification enhanced dissipation rates within the stratified layer. At wind speeds above 7–8 m s−1, strong stratification was not observed in the upper meter during rain, indicating that rain lenses do not form at wind speeds above 8 m s−1. Raindrop impacts enhanced turbulent dissipation rates at these high wind speeds in the absence of near-surface stratification. Measurements of air–sea buoyancy flux, wind speed, and near-surface turbulence can be used to predict the presence of stratified layers. These findings could be used to improve model parameterizations of air–sea interactions and, ultimately, our understanding of the global water cycle.
Quality of media reporting of suicide in Iraq
Authors: Arafat S M Yasir , Ahmad Araz Ramazan , Saeed Ayoob Kareem , Menon Vikas , Shoib Sheikh , Kar Sujita Kumar
Published: March 2021

Background:

Mass media has an important role in influencing the suicidal behavior of the general population. However, the quality of news reporting of suicide has not been assessed in Iraq.

Aim:

We aimed to assess the quality of news reports in Iraq while reporting the suicidal behaviors.

Methods:

The search was done on Google in November and December 2020 with the search term ‘suicide news in Iraq’ and accessible news reports distributed in Kurdish, Arabic, and English languages were taken out. We scrutinized the news reports to identify the reporting characteristics and compared them with the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

Results:

A total of 130 news reports were analyzed; among them 23.8% were Kurdish, 63.8% were Arabic, and 12.3% were in the English language. About 31.5% of the reports mentioned the name and 40.8% mentioned the occupation. The name of method was mentioned in 88.5%, mono-causality was found in about 34.6%, the term ‘suicide’ was mentioned in the headline in 94.6%, and method of suicide was mentioned in the headline of about 27.7% of the reports. Only 5.4% of the reports traced mental illness, 6.9% mentioned expert opinion, and none of the reports mentioned prevention program, and educative information.

Conclusion:

The study revealed that news reports of suicidal behavior in Iraq are poorly adherent to the WHO reporting guidelines. Further studies are warranted to identify the responsible factors and culture-specific prevention strategies.
Polarity adverbs facilitate predictive processing in L2 Japanese
Authors: Mitsugi Sanako
Published: March 2021

This study examines whether second language (L2) learners predict upcoming language prior to the verb in Japanese. Taking the dependency involving negative polarity adverbs – zenzen ‘at all’ and amari ‘(not) very’ – as a test case, this study examined whether Japanese native speakers and L2 learners of Japanese, aided by these adverbs, generate predictions of the polarity of the sentence-final verb. The visual-world paradigm experiment revealed that both native-speaker and L2-learner groups looked progressively more at the target picture before the negated verb when the information from adverbs was available than when it was not. The pattern of results underscores the usefulness of adverbial polarity items as predictive cues and indicates that they expedite the processing of negation in Japanese. Learners successfully exploited this information to generate nativelike predictions on sentence meaning.
Isolated distal ulnar bone metastasis from lung squamous cell carcinoma: an extremely rare case report
Authors: Yeh Kuei-Lin , Wu Szu-Hsien , Wu Shing-Sheng
Published: March 2021

Bone metastases commonly occur in patients with lung cancer. However, metastasis from primary lung carcinoma to the bone below the knee and elbow is rarely encountered. We herein describe a man who developed an isolated distal ulnar bone metastasis originating from lung squamous cell carcinoma. A 68-year-old man presented to our orthopedic outpatient clinic for evaluation of a rapidly progressing tumor over his right wrist area. Tenderness with increased local temperature was noted, and the tumor was firm in consistency, oval-shaped, and 7 × 5 cm in size. Magnetic resonance imaging and radiographic imaging revealed an osteolytic tumor in his distal ulnar shaft. A 99m Tc-phosphate bone scan showed that this tumor was isolated and newly observed compared with the previous bone scan findings during initial diagnosis. Bone tumor biopsy confirmed metastatic squamous cell carcinoma. Segmental tumor resection with cementation was subsequently performed. This rare case report of an isolated ulnar metastasis includes detailed descriptions of the clinical, radiographic, and pathological features of the tumor.
Online and Proactive Vehicle Rerouting with Uppaal Stratego
Authors: Bilgram Alexander , Ernstsen Emil , Greve Peter , Lahrmann Harry , Larsen Kim G. , Muñiz Marco , Taankvist Peter , Pedersen Thomas
Published: March 2021

Modern navigation systems warn the user of traffic jams ahead and suggest alternative routes. However, a lemming effect can cause the alternative routes also to become congested, as the system suggests the same route to all users. As such, in an attempt to optimize for the individual driver, the welfare of the traffic network is punished. In this paper we introduce an online and proactive method for collective rerouting recommendations based on real-time data and stochastic optimization. Our system periodically monitors the status of the network to identify potentially congested roads together with vehicles affected by them. The system then uses Uppaal Stratego to perform machine learning and approximate the best rerouting scenarios. As a proof of concept, we build a SUMO model of a representative traffic network. We perform exhaustive experiments considering different traffic loads and different traffic light controllers. Our results are promising, showing considerable improvement in travel times, queue lengths, and CO2 emissions.
Transport Networking Companies Demand and Flow Estimation in New York City
Authors: Dey Bibhas Kumar , Tirtha Sudipta Dey , Eluru Naveen
Published: March 2021

Given the burgeoning growth in transport networking companies (TNC)-based ride hailing systems and their growing adoption for trip making, it is important to develop modeling frameworks to understand TNC ride hailing demand flows at the system level. Two choice dimensions are identified: (1) a demand component that estimates origin level TNC demand at the taxi zone level and (2) a distribution component that analyzes how these trips from an origin are distributed across the region. The origin level demand is analyzed using linear mixed models while flows from origin to multiple destinations is analyzed using a multiple discrete-continuous extreme value (MDCEV) model. The data for the analysis is drawn from New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission for 12 months from January through December 2018. For this analysis, weekday morning peak hour demand and distribution patterns are examined. The model components are developed using a comprehensive set of independent variables. The model estimation results offer very intuitive results for origin demand and distribution of flows across destinations. The model was validated by predicting trips to destination taxi zones and it was found that predicted model performs well in identifying high preference destination zones. In addition, elasticity effects are computed by evaluating the percentage change in baseline marginal utility in response to increasing the value of exogenous variables by 10%, 25% and 50%, respectively.
Role of Community Health Workers in Addressing Dementia: A Scoping Review and Global Perspective
Authors: Alam Rifat B. , Ashrafi Sadia Anjum , Pionke J. J. , Schwingel Andiara
Published: March 2021

The current increase in global dementia prevalence deserves public health intervention. While limited access to health care and a shortage of health care workers are significant shortcomings, utilizing community health workers (CHWs) could be a promising way to improve dementia care through cost-effective approaches. This scoping review synthesizes existing research on roles of CHWs in dementia-related services. PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, CABI Global Health, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to October 2, 2019, and yielded 1,594 articles. Five broad areas emerged as potential roles of CHWs from 10 eligible articles: educational and community awareness, screening for dementia, screening for HIV-associated dementia, utilization of health care systems and other dementia-related resources by patients, and services to dementia caregivers. This scoping review sheds light on important contributions of CHWs in addressing dementia among vulnerable communities/groups around the world.
In vitro cytocompatibility testing of oxidative degradation products
Authors: Herting Scott M , Monroe Mary Beth B , Weems Andrew C , Briggs Sam T , Fletcher Grace K , Blair Samuel E , Hatch Christopher J , Maitland Duncan J
Published: March 2021

Implantable medical devices must undergo thorough evaluation to ensure safety and efficacy before use in humans. If a device is designed to degrade, it is critical to understand the rate of degradation and the degradation products that will be released. Oxidative degradation is typically modeled in vitro by immersing materials or devices in hydrogen peroxide, which can limit further analysis of degradation products in many cases. Here we demonstrate a novel approach for testing the cytocompatibility of degradation products for oxidatively-degradable biomaterials where the materials are exposed to hydrogen peroxide, and then catalase enzyme is used to convert the hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen so that the resulting aqueous solution can be added to cell culture media. To validate our results, expected degradation products are also synthesized then added to cell culture media. We used these methods to evaluate the cytocompatibility of degradation products from an oxidatively-degradable shape memory polyurethane designed in our lab and found that the degradation of these polymers is unlikely to cause a cytotoxic response in vivo based on the guidance provided by ISO 10993-5. These methods may also be applicable to other biocompatibility tests such as tests for mutagenicity or systemic toxicity, and evaluations of cell proliferation, migration, or gene and protein expression.