Free radical induced grafting of acrylonitrile on pre-treated rice straw for enhancing its durability and flame retardancy

The present investigation highlights the feasibility of a polymer grafting process to enhance the durability and flame retardancy of rice straw towards application as a low cost roofing material. The success of this grafting methodology was perceived to depend upon a bi-step pre-treatment process encompassing delignification and inorganic salts dispersion. Subsequently free radical polymer grafting of acrylonitrile onto rice straw was implemented by immersion mechanism initiated by oxalic acid-potassium permanganate initiator. The percentage of grafting, limiting oxygen index (LOI), biodegradability of the grafted rice straw and grafting yield percentage was estimated to be 57%, 27%, 0.02% and 136.67%, respectively. The weight loss of polymer grafted rice straw implied its less biodegradability over raw straw. Thus, the process of grafting contrived in the present analysis can be a promising and reliable technique for the efficient utilization of rice straw as an inexpensive roofing element through the augmentation of its durability and flame retardancy

Cardiac fibroblast-derived microRNA passenger strand-enriched exosomes mediate cardiomyocyte hypertrophy

In response to stress, the heart undergoes extensive cardiac remodeling that results in cardiac fibrosis and pathological growth of cardiomyocytes (hypertrophy), which contribute to heart failure. Alterations in microRNA (miRNA) levels are associated with dysfunctional gene expression profiles associated with many cardiovascular disease conditions; however, miRNAs have emerged recently as paracrine signaling mediators. Thus, we investigated a potential paracrine miRNA crosstalk between cardiac fibroblasts and cardiomyocytes and found that cardiac fibroblasts secrete miRNA-enriched exosomes. Surprisingly, evaluation of the miRNA content of cardiac fibroblast–derived exosomes revealed a relatively high abundance of many miRNA passenger strands (“star” miRNAs), which normally undergo intracellular degradation. Using confocal imaging and coculture assays, we identified fibroblast exosomal–derived miR-21_3p (miR-21*) as a potent paracrine-acting RNA molecule that induces cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Proteome profiling identified sorbin and SH3 domain-containing protein 2 (SORBS2) and PDZ and LIM domain 5 (PDLIM5) as miR-21* targets, and silencing SORBS2 or PDLIM5 in cardiomyocytes induced hypertrophy. Pharmacological inhibition of miR-21* in a mouse model of Ang II–induced cardiac hypertrophy attenuated pathology. These findings demonstrate that cardiac fibroblasts secrete star miRNA–enriched exosomes and identify fibroblast-derived miR-21* as a paracrine signaling mediator of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy that has potential as a therapeutic target

Performance of the Belle II Silicon Vertex Detector

The Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB collider of KEK (Japan) will accumulate 50 ab−1 of e+e− collision data at an unprecedented instantaneous luminosity of 8 ×1035 cm−2s−1, about 40 times larger than its predecessor. The Belle II vertex detector plays a crucial role in the rich Belle II physics program, especially for time-dependent measurements. It consists of two layers of DEPFET-based pixels and four layers of double sided silicon strips detectors(SVD). The vertex detector has been recently completed and installed in Belle II for the physics run started in spring 2019. We report here results on the commissioning of the SVD and its performance measured with the first collision data set

Book of Abstracts of the 2nd International Conference on Applied Mathematics and Computational Sciences (ICAMCS-2022)

It is a great privilege for us to present the abstract book of ICAMCS-2022 to the authors and the delegates of the event. We hope that you will find it useful, valuable, aspiring, and inspiring. This book is a record of abstracts of the keynote talks, invited talks, and papers presented by the participants, which indicates the progress and state of development in research at the time of writing the research article. It is an invaluable asset to all researchers. The book provides a permanent record of this asset. Conference Title: 2nd International Conference on Applied Mathematics and Computational SciencesConference Acronym: ICAMCS-2022Conference Date: 12-14 October 2022Conference Organizers: DIT University, Dehradun, IndiaConference Mode: Online (Virtual

Measurement of branching fractions of Λc+→pKS0KS0\Lambda_c^+\to{}pK_S^0K_S^0 and Λc+→pKS0η\Lambda_c^+\to{}pK_S^0\eta at Belle

We present a study of a singly Cabibbo-suppressed decay $\Lambda_c^+\to{}pK_S^0K_S^0$ and a Cabibbo-favored decay $\Lambda_c^+\to{}pK_S^0\eta$ based on 980 $\rm fb^{-1}$ of data collected by the Belle detector, operating at the KEKB energy-asymmetric $e^+e^-$ collider. We measure their branching fractions relative to $\Lambda_c^+\to{}pK_S^0$: $\mathcal{B}(\Lambda_c^+\to{}pK_S^0K_S^0)/\mathcal{B}(\Lambda_c^+\to{}pK_S^0)={(1.48 \pm 0.08 \pm 0.04)\times 10^{-2}}$ and $\mathcal{B}(\Lambda_c^+\to{}pK_S^0\eta)/\mathcal{B}(\Lambda_c^+\to{}pK_S^0)={(2.73\pm 0.06\pm 0.13)\times 10^{-1}}$. Combining with the world average $\mathcal{B}(\Lambda_c^+\to{}pK_S^0)$, we have the absolute branching fractions: $\mathcal{B}(\Lambda_c^+\to{}pK_S^0K_S^0) = {(2.35\pm 0.12\pm 0.07 \pm 0.12 )\times 10^{-4}}$ and $\mathcal{B}(\Lambda_c^+\to{}pK_S^0\eta) = {(4.35\pm 0.10\pm 0.20 \pm 0.22 )\times 10^{-3}}$. The first and second uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively, while the third ones arise from the uncertainty on $\mathcal{B}(\Lambda_c^+\to{}pK_S^0)$. The mode $\Lambda_c^+\to{}pK_S^0K_S^0$ is observed for the first time and has a statistical significance of $>\!10\sigma$. The branching fraction of $\Lambda_c^+\to{}pK_S^0\eta$ has been measured with a threefold improvement in precision over previous results and is found to be consistent with the world average

Data quality monitors of vertex detectors at the start of the Belle II experiment

The Belle II experiment features a substantial upgrade of the Belle detector and will operate at the SuperKEKB energy-asymmetric e+e− collider at KEK in Tsukuba, Japan. The accelerator completed its first phase of commissioning in 2016, and the Belle II detector saw its first electron-positron collisions in April 2018. Belle II features a newly designed silicon vertex detector based on double-sided strip layers and DEPFET pixel layers. A subset of the vertex detector was operated in 2018 to determine background conditions (Phase 2 operation). The collaboration completed full detector installation in January 2019, and the experiment started full data taking. This paper will report on the final arrangement of the silicon vertex detector part of Belle II with a focus on online monitoring of detector conditions and data quality, on the design and use of diagnostic and reference plots, and on integration with the software framework of Belle II. Data quality monitoring plots will be discussed with a focus on simulation and acquired cosmic and collision data

Alignment for the first precision measurements at Belle II

International audienceOn March 25th 2019, the Belle II detector recorded the first collisions delivered by the SuperKEKB accelerator. This marked the beginning of the physics run with vertex detector.The vertex detector was aligned initially with cosmic ray tracks without magnetic field simultaneously with the drift chamber. The alignment method is based on Millepede II and the General Broken Lines track model and includes also the muon system or primary vertex position alignment. To control weak modes, we employ sensitive validation tools and various track samples can be used as alignment input, from straight cosmic tracks to mass-constrained decays.With increasing luminosity and experience, the alignment is approaching the target performance, crucial for the first physics analyses in the era of Super-BFactories. We will present the software framework for the detector calibration and alignment, the results from the first physics run and the prospects in view of the experience with the first data

Alignment for the first precision measurements at Belle II

On March 25th 2019, the Belle II detector recorded the first collisions delivered by the SuperKEKB accelerator. This marked the beginning of the physics run with vertex detector. The vertex detector was aligned initially with cosmic ray tracks without magnetic field simultaneously with the drift chamber. The alignment method is based on Millepede II and the General Broken Lines track model and includes also the muon system or primary vertex position alignment. To control weak modes, we employ sensitive validation tools and various track samples can be used as alignment input, from straight cosmic tracks to mass-constrained decays. With increasing luminosity and experience, the alignment is approaching the target performance, crucial for the first physics analyses in the era of Super-BFactories. We will present the software framework for the detector calibration and alignment, the results from the first physics run and the prospects in view of the experience with the first data

Data quality monitors of vertex detectors at the start of the Belle II experiment

The Belle II experiment features a substantial upgrade of the Belle detector and will operate at the SuperKEKB energy-asymmetric e+e− collider at KEK in Tsukuba, Japan. The accelerator completed its first phase of commissioning in 2016, and the Belle II detector saw its first electron-positron collisions in April 2018. Belle II features a newly designed silicon vertex detector based on double-sided strip layers and DEPFET pixel layers. A subset of the vertex detector was operated in 2018 to determine background conditions (Phase 2 operation). The collaboration completed full detector installation in January 2019, and the experiment started full data taking. This paper will report on the final arrangement of the silicon vertex detector part of Belle II with a focus on online monitoring of detector conditions and data quality, on the design and use of diagnostic and reference plots, and on integration with the software framework of Belle II. Data quality monitoring plots will be discussed with a focus on simulation and acquired cosmic and collision data