bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Beneficial Effect of Statins in COVID-19–Related Outcomes—Brief Report
Authors: Lee Hae-Young , Ahn Juhee , Park Juhong , Kyung Kang Chang , Won Sung-Ho , Wook Kim Dong , Park Jong-Heon , Chung Ki-Hyun , Joh Joon-Sung , Bang Ji Hwan , Hee Kang Cheong , Bum Pyun Wook , Oh Myoung-don ,   the Korean Society of Hypertension, National Committee for Clinical Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases
Published: February 2021

Objective:
Although statins are widely prescribed lipid-lowering drugs, there are concerns about the safety of their use in the context of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), since statins increase the expression of ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2). This study aimed to disclose the association between statins and 60-day COVID-19 mortality.

Approach and Results:

All patients hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 were enrolled in this study from January 19 to April 16, 2020, in Korea. We evaluated the association between the use of statins and COVID-19–related mortality in the overall and the nested 1:2 propensity score–matched study. Furthermore, a comparison of the hazard ratio for death was performed between COVID-19 patients and a retrospective cohort of patients hospitalized with pneumonia between January and June 2019 in Korea. The median age of the 10 448 COVID-19 patients was 45 years. Statins were prescribed in 533 (5.1%) patients. After adjusting for age, sex, and comorbidities, Cox regression showed a significant decrease in hazard ratio associated with the use of statins (hazard ratio, 0.637 [95% CI, 0.425–0.953];
P
=0.0283). Moreover, on comparing the hazard ratio between COVID-19 patients and the retrospective cohort of hospitalized pneumonia patients, the use of statins showed similar benefits.

Conclusions:
The use of statins correlates significantly with lower mortality in patients with COVID-19, consistent with the findings in patients with pneumonia.

Graphic Abstract:
A graphic abstract is available for this article.
De Berberse Identiteit en Het Nieuwe Meerpartijenstelsel in Algerije
Authors: Beke Dirk 
Published: February 2021

Berber Identity and the New Multi-Partyism in Algeria
The article first argues that the present population of Algeria can be designed as Arabo-Berber and Berber. The original inhabitants, collectively identified by most historians as Berbers, formed no physical ethnic unity, but they had a common Berber language and culture. The Islamisation of the population of North Africa proceeded faster and became almost general, this in contrast to the slower and more limited Arabisation. The physical-ethnic process of Arabisation by settlement and fusion was altogether restrained. The Arabisaiton was essentially a cultural process (language, popular culture, customs, politics, science, arts).
About one fourth of the present Algerians resisted to (entire) Arabisation. They are living in, or originated from mountain or desert regions (Kabyles, Shawiya, Mozabites, Touareg). Since independence the official policy of Arabisation, against the strong influence of the French language, referred exclusively to Arabic character of the nation. All expressions of the Berber identity, culture and language were oppressed.
Since 1980, a growing cultural revival, mainly among the Kabyles, reacted to this policy. The movement was rather cultural than political. The Berber speaking Algerians seem involved into malry other regional and national alliances. With the introduction of the multi-partyism, in 1989, two ‘Berber’ political parties became active: the FFS (Front des Forces socialistes) and the RCD (Rassemblernent pour la Culture et la Démocratie). Both parties claim to be national parties and insist on defending, besides the recognition of the Berber identity and culture, general political options (socialism, democracy etc.). Electoral results, however, show that their support comes essentially from different factions of the Berber speaking population.
It is obvious that the Berber ethnicity is used to gain electoral backing. Besides, today the two ‘Berber’ parties represent the strongest opposition to the Islamic (= Arabic) fundamentalist party, the FIS (Front islamique de Salut), because of their resistance to social, cultural and political intolerance. Secessionist ideas based on Berber ethnicity live only among a small – but well-organised – minority. At the end of 1992, the Berber ethnicity is in Algeria primarily an element of cultural and regional recognition and only secondary an element of political coherence. Finally, Berber ethnicity has also invalidated the official political myth of the homogeneous Algerian Arabic ethnicity.
Wood mechanical properties and their correlation with microstructure in Chinese fir clones
Authors: Wang Yurong , Jia Ru , Sun Haiyan , Liu Yamei , Lyu Jianxiong , Zhao Rongjun , Liu Shengquan 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Mechanical testing, microscopic image analysis, and X-ray diffraction were used to study the mechanical properties and their correlation with microstructure in three 20-year-old Chinese fir clones (Kailin 24, Kaihua 13, and Kaihua 3). The Chinese fir clones featured a modulus of rupture (MOR) of 52–59 MPa, a modulus of elasticity (MOE) of 10–11 GPa, and a compressive strength parallel to the grain of 31–34 MPa. Kaihua 13 and Kailin 24 had similar mechanical properties and were superior to Kaihua 3 among the tree clones. Radial variation indicated that their outerwood (rings 9–18) had better mechanical properties than their corewood (rings 3–7). Kaihua 13 with better mechanical properties had a larger ratio of cell wall to lumen than Kaihua 3 and Kailin 24. Outerwood with better mechanical properties also had a larger ratio of cell wall to lumen and a smaller microfibril angle compared to corewood with poor mechanical properties. Linear regression analysis also shows that for various clones and different radial positions in the same clone, anatomical structure parameters such as average cell wall thickness and the ratio of cell wall to lumen were positively correlated to their mechanical properties, while the microfibril angle was negatively correlated to mechanical properties. The two factors synergistically influence the mechanical properties of wood.
PEG infiltration: an alternative method to obtain thin sections of cacti tissues
Authors: Mozzi Giacomo , Romero Eunice , Martínez-Quezada Daniel M. , Hultine Kevin R. , Crivellaro Alan 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Exploring the anatomical variability along the stem of cacti requires obtaining high-quality thin sections from hard and soft tissues. Several embedding, infiltration, and sectioning methods have been applied mainly to investigate the harder stem base of cacti, where thin cross-sections are relatively easy to obtain. However, analyzing the variation of anatomical features along cacti stems remains a challenge. Specifically, at the tip of cacti stems, the soft and water-rich dominant tissues are difficult to infiltrate. Here we show results obtained by adapting polyethylene glycol (PEG) infiltration techniques and present a step-by-step description of a fast and hazardous chemical-free method that allows successful cross-sectioning. This infiltration technique may provide a tool to further explore and quantify xylem anatomical trait variation along stems of a wide range of succulent-stemmed taxa.
Anticipating Deviant Tornado Motion Using a Simple Hodograph Technique
Authors: Nixon Cameron J. , Allen John T. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe paths of tornadoes have long been a subject of fascination since the meticulously drawn damage tracks by Dr. Tetsuya Theodore “Ted” Fujita. Though uncommon, some tornadoes have been noted to take sudden left turns from their previous path. This has the potential to present an extreme challenge to warning lead time, and the spread of timely, accurate information to broadcasters and emergency managers. While a few hypotheses exist as to why tornadoes deviate, none have been tested for their potential use in operational forecasting and nowcasting. As a result, such deviations go largely unanticipated by forecasters. A sample of 102 leftward deviant tornadic low-level mesocyclones was tracked via WSR-88D and assessed for their potential predictability. A simple hodograph technique is presented that shows promising skill in predicting the motion of deviant tornadoes, which, upon “occlusion,” detach from the parent storm’s updraft centroid and advect leftward or rearward by the low-level wind. This metric, a vector average of the parent storm motion and the mean wind in the lowest half-kilometer, proves effective at anticipating deviant tornado motion with a median error of less than 6 kt (1 kt ≈ 0.51 m s−1). With over 25% of analyzed low-level mesocyclones deviating completely out of the tornado warning polygon issued by their respective National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, the adoption of this new technique could improve warning performance. Furthermore, with over 35% of tornadoes becoming “deviant” almost immediately upon formation, the ability to anticipate such events may inspire a new paradigm for tornado warnings that, when covering unpredictable behavior, are proactive instead of reactive.
Clara cell 16 KDa protein mitigates house dust mite-induced airway inflammation and damage via regulating airway epithelial cell apoptosis in a manner dependent on HMGB1-mediated signaling inhibition
Authors: Liu Meixuan , Lu Jingjing , Zhang Qian , Zhang Yunxuan , Guo Zhongliang 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Background
House dust mite (HDM) inhalation can cause airway epithelial damage which is implicated in the process of airway inflammation in asthma. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is critically required for cellular damage and apoptosis as an important endogenous danger signal. Recently, Clara cell 16KDa protein (CC16) has been identified to exert anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory influence in various injury-related diseases model. However, little is known about its ability to protect against airway epithelial injury in allergic asthma. This study was aimed to clarify the protective roles of CC16 on airway epithelia in HDM-induced asthma and the regulation of HMGB1 by CC16.

Methods
Mice were sensitized and challenged by HDM extract and administrated intranasally with CC16 (5 μg/g or 10 μg/g) or saline in the challenged period. The BEAS-2B human airway epithelial cell line were cultured with CC16 or the control vehicle and then exposed to HDM. Knockdown or overexpression of HMGB1 was induced by cell transfection or intratracheal injection of recombinant adenovirus.

Results
CC16 treatment decreased airway inflammation and histological damage of airway epithelium dose-dependently in HDM-induced asthma model. Airway epithelia apoptosis upon HDM stimulation was noticeably abrogated by CC16 in vivo and in vitro. In addition, upregulation of HMGB1 expression and its related signaling were also detected under HDM conditions, while silencing HMGB1 significantly inhibited the apoptosis of BEAS-2B cells. Furthermore, the activity of HMGB1-mediated signaling was restrained after CC16 treatment whereas HMGB1 overexpression abolished the protective effect of CC16 on HDM-induced airway epithelia apoptosis.

Conclusions
Our data confirm that CC16 attenuates HDM-mediated airway inflammation and damage via suppressing airway epithelial cell apoptosis in a HMGB1-dependent manner, suggesting the role of CC16 as a potential protective option for HDM-induced asthma.
ViR: a tool to solve intrasample variability in the prediction of viral integration sites using whole genome sequencing data
Authors: Pischedda Elisa , Crava Cristina , Carlassara Martina , Zucca Susanna , Gasmi Leila , Bonizzoni Mariangela 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Background
Several bioinformatics pipelines have been developed to detect sequences from viruses that integrate into the human genome because of the health relevance of these integrations, such as in the persistence of viral infection and/or in generating genotoxic effects, often progressing into cancer. Recent genomics and metagenomics analyses have shown that viruses also integrate into the genome of non-model organisms (i.e., arthropods, fish, plants, vertebrates). However, rarely studies of endogenous viral elements (EVEs) in non-model organisms have gone beyond their characterization from reference genome assemblies. In non-model organisms, we lack a thorough understanding of the widespread occurrence of EVEs and their biological relevance, apart from sporadic cases which nevertheless point to significant roles of EVEs in immunity and regulation of expression. The concomitance of repetitive DNA, duplications and/or assembly fragmentations in a genome sequence and intrasample variability in whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data could determine misalignments when mapping data to a genome assembly. This phenomenon hinders our ability to properly identify integration sites.

Results
To fill this gap, we developed ViR, a pipeline which solves the dispersion of reads due to intrasample variability in sequencing data from both single and pooled DNA samples thus ameliorating the detection of integration sites. We tested ViR to work with both in silico and real sequencing data from a non-model organism, the arboviral vector Aedes albopictus. Potential viral integrations predicted by ViR were molecularly validated supporting the accuracy of ViR results.

Conclusion
ViR will open new venues to explore the biology of EVEs, especially in non-model organisms. Importantly, while we generated ViR with the identification of EVEs in mind, its application can be extended to detect any lateral transfer event providing an ad-hoc sequence to interrogate.
Anticancer and antimicrobial potential of enterocin 12a from Enterococcus faecium
Authors: Sharma Preeti , Kaur Sumanpreet , Chadha Bhupinder Singh , Kaur Raminderjit , Kaur Manpreet , Kaur Sukhraj 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Background
Increase in the number of infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria in neutropenic cancer patients has prompted the search for novel therapeutic agents having dual anticancer and antimicrobial properties. Bacteriocins are cationic proteins of prokaryotic origin that have emerged as one of the most promising alternative antimicrobial agents with applications as food preservatives and therapeutic agents. Apart from their antimicrobial activities, bacteriocins are also being explored for their anticancer potential.

Results
In this study, a broad-spectrum, cell membrane-permeabilizing enterocin with a molecular weight of 65 kDa was purified and characterized from the culture supernatant of vaginal Enterococcus faecium 12a. Enterocin 12a inhibited multidrug-resistant strains of various Gram-negative pathogens such as Salmonella enterica, Shigella flexneri, Vibrio cholerae, Escherichia coli and Gram-positive, Listeria monocytogenes, but had no activities against different strains of gut lactobacilli. The mass spectrometric analysis showed that the enterocin 12a shared partial homology with 4Fe-4S domain-containing redox protein of E. faecalis R712. Further, enterocin 12a selectively inhibited the proliferation of various human cancer cell lines in a dose-dependent manner but not that of normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Enterocin 12a-treated cancer cells showed apoptosis-like morphological changes.

Conclusion
Enterocin 12a is a novel bacteriocin that has anticancer properties against human cell lines and negligible activity towards non-malignant cells. Therefore, it should be further evaluated for its anticancer potential in animal models.
SiFBA5, a cold-responsive factor from Saussurea involucrata promotes cold resilience and biomass increase in transgenic tomato plants under cold stress
Authors: Mu Jianqiang , Fu Yajuan , Liu Bucang , Zhang Yao , Wang Aiying , Li Yuxia , Zhu Jianbo 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Background
Saussurea involucrata survives in extreme arctic conditions and is very cold-resistant. This species grows in rocky, mountainous areas with elevations of 2400–4100 m, which are snow-covered year-round and are subject to freezing temperatures. S. involucrata’s ability to survive in an extreme low-temperature environment suggests that it has particularly high photosynthetic efficiency, providing a magnificent model, and rich gene pool, for the analysis of plant cold stress response. Fructose-1, 6-bisphosphate aldolase (FBA) is a key enzyme in the photosynthesis process and also mediates the conversion of fructose 1, 6-bisphosphate (FBP) into dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) and glycerol triphosphate (GAP) during glycolysis and gluconeogenesis. The molecular mechanisms underlying S. involucrata’s cold tolerance are still unclear; therefore, our work aims to investigate the role of FBA in plant cold-stress response.

Results
In this study, we identified a cold-responsive gene, SiFBA5, based on a preliminary low-temperature, genome-wide transcriptional profiling of S. involucrata. Expression analysis indicated that cold temperatures rapidly induced transcriptional expression of SiFBA5, suggesting that SiFBA5 participates in the initial stress response. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that SiFBA5 is localized to the chloroplast. Transgenic tomato plants that overexpressed SiFBA5 were generated using a CaMV 35S promoter. Phenotypic observation suggested that the transgenic plants displayed increased cold tolerance and photosynthetic efficiency in comparison with wild-type plants.

Conclusion
Cold stress has a detrimental impact on crop yield. Our results demonstrated that SiFBA5 positively regulates plant response to cold stress, which is of great significance for increasing crop yield under cold stress conditions.
The stress hyperglycaemia ratio is associated with left ventricular remodelling after first acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction
Authors: Meng Shuai , Zhu Yong , Liu Kesen , Jia Ruofei , Nan Jing , Chen Maolin , Lei Xuan , Zou Kaiyuan , Jin Zening 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Background
Left ventricular negative remodelling after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is considered as the major cause for the poor prognosis. But the predisposing factors and potential mechanisms of left ventricular negative remodelling after STEMI remain not fully understood. The present research mainly assessed the association between the stress hyperglycaemia ratio (SHR) and left ventricular negative remodelling.

Methods
We recruited 127 first-time, anterior, and acute STEMI patients in the present study. All enrolled patients were divided into 2 subgroups equally according to the median value of SHR level (1.191). Echocardiography was conducted within 24 h after admission and 6 months post-STEMI to measure left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), and left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD). Changes in echocardiography parameters (δLVEF, δLVEDD, δLVESD) were calculated as LVEF, LVEDD, and LVESD at 6 months after infarction minus baseline LVEF, LVEDD and LVESD, respectively.

Results
In the present study, the mean SHR was 1.22 ± 0.25 and there was significant difference in SHR between the 2 subgroups (1.05 (0.95, 1.11) vs 1.39 (1.28, 1.50), p < 0.0001). The global LVEF at 6 months post-STEMI was significantly higher in the low SHR group than the high SHR group (59.37 ± 7.33 vs 54.03 ± 9.64, p  = 0.001). Additionally, the global LVEDD (49.84 ± 5.10 vs 51.81 ± 5.60, p  = 0.040) and LVESD (33.27 ± 5.03 vs 35.38 ± 6.05, p  = 0.035) at 6 months after STEMI were lower in the low SHR group. Most importantly, after adjusting through multivariable linear regression analysis, SHR remained associated with δLVEF (beta = −9.825, 95% CI −15.168 to −4.481, p  < 0.0001), δLVEDD (beta = 4.879, 95% CI 1.725 to 8.069, p  = 0.003), and δLVESD (beta = 5.079, 95% CI 1.421 to 8.738, p  = 0.007).

Conclusions
In the present research, we demonstrated for the first time that SHR is significantly correlated with left ventricular negative remodelling after STEMI.
Distributive characteristics of the CYP2C9 and AGTR1 genetic polymorphisms in Han Chinese hypertensive patients: a retrospective study
Authors: Chen Keping , Xiao Peng , Li Guochun , Wang Chunling , Yang Chuankun 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackgroundThere is an individual variation in response to antihypertensive effect of the angiotensin II receptor antagonist. This study aimed to determine the allele and genotype frequencies ofCYP2C9andAGTR1genetic polymorphisms and explore the potential role of these polymorphisms in guiding the selection of angiotensinIIreceptor antagonist in Han Chinese hypertensive patients.MethodsTotally 2419 Han Chinese hypertensive patients and 126 normotensive controls were recruited in this study. Venous blood samples were collected from each patient, and the genetic polymorphisms ofCYP2C9andAGTR1were assessed using a gene chip platform. The allele and genotype frequency of each gene and the combined genotypes in this study were analyzed respectively.ResultsThe gene chip analysis identified an allelic frequency of 96.51% forCYP2C9*1and 3.49% forCYP2C9*3in the cohort of Han Chinese hypertensive patients. Statistical analysis showed that the frequency of wild-type homozygous forCYP2C9*1/*1 was 93.30%, while the frequency of heterozygous for *1/*3 or mutant homozygous for *3/*3 was 6.41% or 0.29%. Meanwhile, we detected allelic frequencies of 95.06% and 4.94% for the A and C allele ofAGTR1, respectively. While the genotype frequency of wild-type homozygous for AA was 90.41%, the frequency of heterozygous for AC or mutant homozygous for CC was 9.30% or 0.29%. Notably, we observed that 84.66% (2048/2419) of the subjects exhibited a combined genotype ofCYP2C9andAGTR1as *1/*1 + AA, while the combined genotypes *3/*3 + AC or *3/*3 + CC were not detected in hypertension patients. Besides, no significant association was found between normotensive controls and hypertensive patients, or among the three grades of hypertensive patients.ConclusionsThese data revealed the polymorphisms characteristics ofCYP2C9andAGTR1in Han Chinese hypertensive patients, providing valuable information for genotype-based antihypertension therapy in prospective clinical studies in the future.