bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparative transcriptome analyses reveal genes related to pigmentation in the petals of a flower color variation cultivar of Rhododendron obtusum
Authors: Sun Xiaobo , He Lisi , Guo Zhenhao , Su Jiale , Liu Xiaoqing , Zhou Huimin , Li Chang , Gao Haidong 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Rhododendron is an important woody ornamental plant and breeding varieties with different colors is vital research goal. In this study, a flower color variation cultivar ‘Yanzhi Mi’ (pink petals) and the wild-type (WT) cultivar ‘Dayuanyangjin’ (white petals with pink stripes) were used as research objects, the pigment and transcriptome of their petals during different flower development (stage S1, S2, S3, S4 and S5) were analyzed and compared. The results showed that the derivatives of cyanidin, peonidin and pelargonidin may be responsible for the pink of mutant petals and S2 stage (buds showing color at the top but with the scales still present) was the key stage of flower color formation of mutant. In total, 412,910 transcripts and 2,780 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in pairwise comparisons of WT and mutant petals. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses of the DEGs showed that the ‘DNA-binding transcription factor activity’, ‘Flavonoid biosynthesis’ and ‘Phenylpropanoid biosynthesis’ were more active in mutant petals. Early anthocyanin pathway candidate DEGs (CHS3-CHS6, CHI, F3Hs and F3’H) were strongly correlated and up-regulated expression in mutant petals than in WT petals at S2 stage. These genes may be the key structural genes for the pink coloration of mutant petals. In the petals of mutant, two R2R3-MYB unigene (TRINITY_DN59015_c3_g2 and TRINITY_DN49281_c1_g6) were identified as repressors involved in anthocyanin regulation and were significantly down-regulated at S2 stage. This study shed light on the biochemistry and genetic mechanisms underlying the flower coloration in two Rhododendron obtusum cultivars.
Bistability and nonequilibrium condensation in a driven-dissipative Josephson array: a c-field model
Authors: Reeves Matthew , Davis Matthew 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Developing theoretical models for nonequilibrium quantum systems poses significant challenges. Here we develop and study a multimode model of a driven-dissipative Josephson junction chain of atomic Bose-Einstein condensates, as realised in the experiment of Labouvie et al.[Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 235302 (2016)]. The model is based on c-field theory, a beyond-mean-field approach to Bose-Einstein condensates that incorporates fluctuations due to finite temperature and dissipation. We find the c-field model is capable of capturing all key features of the nonequilibrium phase diagram, including bistability and a critical slowing down in the lower branch of the bistable region. Our model is closely related to the so-called Lugiato-Lefever equation, and thus establishes new connections between nonequilibrium dynamics of ultracold atoms with nonlinear optics, exciton-polariton superfluids, and driven damped sine-Gordon systems.
Comparing artificial neural network algorithms for prediction of higher heating value for different types of biomass
Authors: Jakšić Olga M. , Jakšić Zoran , Guha Koushik , Silva Ana G. 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
The paper presents the comparative qualitative and quantitative analysis of twelve algorithms for training artificial neural networks (ANN) which predict the higher heating value (HHV) of biomass based on the proximate analysis (fixed carbon, volatile matter, and ash percentage). The twelve networks, with the same structure but different training algorithm, were fed with 318 experimental data triplets from literature for different biomass species and trained with 318 corresponding HHV values used for the supervised learning. Our comparative analysis showed that several algorithms resulted in ANNs generating outputs well correlated with the true measured values of the biomass HHV. Of those, Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm gives the best results in terms of mean squared error calculated on the training set data, while Bayesian regularization gives the best results in terms of regression. When applied to new datasets, unknown to the ANNs trained here, the highest accuracy of the HHV prediction was obtained by Conjugate Gradient, Powell/Beale Restarts training function. It ensured prediction based on the unknown datasets better than Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm. The described approach can be used for predicting the calorific values of different biomass species, including newly proposed ones, as well as for optimizing the HHV for both pure biomass and biomass mixtures.
Molecular characteristics and clinical outcomes of complex ALK rearrangements identified by next-generation sequencing in non-small cell lung cancers
Authors: Xia Peiyi , Zhang Lan , Li Pan , Liu Enjie , Li Wencai , Zhang Jianying , Li Hui , Su Xiaoxing , Jiang Guozhong 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Background
Complex kinase rearrangement, a mutational process involving one or two chromosomes with clustered rearrangement breakpoints, interferes with the accurate detection of kinase fusions by DNA-based next-generation sequencing (NGS). We investigated the characteristics of complex ALK rearrangements in non-small cell lung cancers using multiple molecular tests.
Methods
Samples of non-small cell lung cancer patients were analyzed by targeted-capture DNA-based NGS with probes tilling the selected intronic regions of fusion partner genes, RNA-based NGS, RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).
Results
In a large cohort of 6576 non-small cell lung cancer patients, 343 (5.2%) cases harboring ALK rearrangements were identified. Fourteen cases with complex ALK rearrangements were identified by DNA-based NGS and classified into three types by integrating various genomic features, including intergenic (n = 3), intragenic (n = 5) and “bridge joint” rearrangements (n = 6). All thirteen cases with sufficient samples actually expressed canonical EML4-ALK fusion transcripts confirmed by RNA-based NGS. Besides, positive ALK IHC was detected in 13 of 13 cases, and 9 of 11 cases were positive in FISH testing. Patients with complex ALK rearrangements who received ALK inhibitors treatment (n = 6), showed no difference in progression-free survival (PFS) compared with patients with canonical ALK fusions(n = 36, P = 0.9291).
Conclusions
This study firstly reveals the molecular characteristics and clinical outcomes of complex ALK rearrangements in NSCLC, sensitive to ALK inhibitors treatment, and highlights the importance of utilizing probes tilling the selected intronic regions of fusion partner genes in DNA-based NGS for accurate fusion detection. RNA and protein level assay may be critical in validating the function of complex ALK rearrangements in clinical practice for optimal treatment decision.
A study of the water supply system failure in terms of the seasonality: analysis by statistical approaches
Authors: Młyński Dariusz , Bergel Tomasz , Młyńska Anna , Kudlik Kazimierz 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Among the many factors affecting water supply system failures are the weather conditions that change over the year. Since this is an important research issue, as part of this study, investigation of water supply system failure seasonality by the selected statistical approaches was presented. The basis of the research was monthly number of the pipelines' failures from the multi-year period of 2007–2017 of the municipal water network located in southern Poland. Mann–Kendall test results proved decreasing seasonal trend of the failure rate indexes λ. In turn, the results of the Colwell indexes' calculations allowed it to be stated that seasonal course of the water pipelines' failure events can be relatively easy to predict. As it turned out, it is difficult to determine unambiguously the impact of a given period of the year on the water pipeline failure events' occurrence. However, greater failure-free operation of the water pipelines may be expected in spring and summer months than in autumn and winter months. Because using Colwell indexes for seasonality analysis has no limitations compared to other methods, Colwell indexes may be considered as reliable tools for the assessment of the seasonal course of the water pipelines' failure events.
Investigation of dynamic lake changes in Zhuonai Lake–Salt Lake Basin, Hoh Xil, using remote sensing images in response to climate change (1989–2018)
Authors: Hu Zukang , Tan Debao , Wen Xiongfei , Chen Beiqing , Shen Dingtao 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
The area covered by the four lakes in the Zhuonai Lake–Salt Lake Basin in Hoh Xil (Zhuonai Lake, Kusai Lake, Heidinor Lake, and Salt Lake) has changed significantly over the past 30 years. In this study, remote sensing image data gathered via the Landsat thematic mapper, enhanced thematic mapper plus, and operational land imager from 1989 to 2018 were used to extract the areal parameters of four lakes. The total area of the four lakes had increased by 18% in the past 30 years due to climate change. Interpolated results based on the meteorological data from 28 meteorological stations in the basin were used for trend analysis. A single-layer lake evaporation model was utilized to study the changes in the annual lake evaporation in the basin. The annual lake evaporation slightly increased from 1989 to 1995, followed by a sharp decrease from 1995 to 2018. From 1989 to 2018, the annual evaporation in the basin ranged between 615.37 and 921.66 mm, with a mean of 769.73 mm. A mass balance model was developed to estimate the changes in the lake volumes due to precipitation and evaporation. The increase in precipitation and the decrease in the annual lake evaporation promote the expansion of the four lakes. Lake evaporation is the main factor inducing changes in the lake areas.
Temporal and spatial distributions of precipitation on the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain during 1960–2019, China
Authors: Ling Minhua , Han Hongbao , Wei Xingling , Lv Cuimei 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThe Huang-Huai-Hai Plain is an important commercial grain production base in China. Understanding the temporal and spatial variations in precipitation can help prevent drought and flood disasters and ensure food security. Based on the precipitation data for the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain from 1960 to 2019, this study analysed the spatiotemporal distribution of total precipitation at different time scales using the Mann–Kendall test, the wavelet analysis, the empirical orthogonal function (EOF), and the centre-of-gravity model. The results were as follows: (1) The winter precipitation showed a significant upward trend on the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, while other seasonal trends were not significant. (2) The precipitation on the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain shows a zonal decreasing distribution from southeast to northwest. (3) The application of the EOF method revealed the temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of the precipitation field. The cumulative variance contribution rate of the first two eigenvectors reached 51.5%, revealing two typical distribution fields, namely a ‘global pattern’ and a ‘north-south pattern’. The ‘global pattern’ is the decisive mode, indicating that precipitation on the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain is affected by large-scale weather systems. (4) The annual precipitation barycentres on the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain were located in Jining city and Taian city, Shandong Province, and the spatial distribution pattern was north-south. The annual precipitation barycentres tended to move southwest, but the trend was not obvious. The annual precipitation barycentre is expected to continue to shift to the north in 2020.
Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Human Lens Crystallin Derived Peptide
Authors: Muralidharan Anuraag , Tender Tenzin , Shetty Pallavi K , Mutalik Srinivas , K. Krishna Sharma , Hariharapura Raghu Chandrashekar 
Published: March 2021

Background:
Inflammation has become the culmination point for several chronic diseases
like skin diseases, asthma, neurological disorders, cancer, and cardiovascular disorders. Mini
αA-crystallin peptide, identified from a highly conserved region of human lens protein αA-crystallin,
is known to have a chaperone-like function; hence, it has generated interest in exploring the
anti-inflammatory potential of the peptide.

Objective:
The objective of the study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory potential of mini αA
chaperones using in vitro, ex-vivo, and in vivo models.

Methods:
The peptide was tested for its phosphodiestarase4 B inhibition, anti-inflammatory and
free radical scavenging abilities in HaCaT cells. Carbopol gel formulations with varying concentrations
of mini αA-crystallin peptide and diclofenac sodium were prepared and optimized. Skin
permeation studies of prepared formulations were carried out on excised abdominal skin of Wistar
rat using a vertical type diffusion cell. Carrageenan induced rat paw oedema model was used for determining
the anti-inflammatory potential of the peptide in prepared gel formulation with or without
diclofenac sodium.

Results:
The peptide exhibited appreciable free radical scavenging and weak PDE4B inhibition.
Gel formulation with 1% Tween-80, 1% carbopol, and 10% ethanol showed better permeation compared
to other formulations. The in vitro skin permeation studies revealed good improvement in
permeation characteristics of diclofenac and peptide from the gels. The peptide was retained within
the skin tissue, which is an ideal requirement for the delivery of an anti-inflammatory topical formulation.
In preclinical anti-inflammatory studies, gel formulation containing mini αA-peptide and
diclofenac sodium showed a significant decrease in paw volume compared to other combinations
tested.

Conclusion:
The study revealed the additive effect in anti-inflammatory activity by combining
mini-αA peptide and diclofenac sodium which effectively reduced the inflammation.
Association of Polymorphism in Survivin Gene and the Risk of Liver Cancer Resulting from Hepatitis C Virus Among Egyptian Patients
Authors: Mohamed Amal A. , Yassin Aymen S. , Gomaa Basma S. , Darwish Hossam , Mohamed Rasha S. , Makled Sahar , Ramdan Ahmed , Abd-Elsalam Sherief , Raafat Marwa M. 
Published: March 2021

Background:
This study aims to investigate the relation between Survivin gene polymorphisms
and the risk of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) resulting from hepatitis C infection among
the Egyptian population.

Methods:
This prospective study was conducted on 164 patients, 57 patients were diagnosed with
hepatitis C, where 57 were diagnosed with HCC in addition to 50 healthy volunteers as controls.
Genotyping for Survivin rs1042489 and rs8073069 single nucleotide polymorphisms was carried
out by the allelic discrimination Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms
genotyping technology.

Results:
The results of Survivin rs1042489 polymorphism revealed that the TC and CC genotypes
were significantly different between hepatocellular carcinoma patients (OR=15.5, 95%CI:
3.299-72.825,P<0.001), and controls (OR=44, 95%CI: 8.025-241.254, P<0.001). Furthermore, CC
genotype was significantly different between cirrhotic and hepatocellular carcinoma patients
(OR=19.2, 95%CI: 3.097-119.049, P=0.002). Moreover, the TC genotype shows a significant difference
between controls and cirrhotic patients (OR=5.5, 95%CI: 2.111-14.328, P<0.001). However,
when comparing TT genotypes, CC+TC genotypes results showed a significant association with
increasing the risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (OR=4.812, 95%CI: 1.893-12.233,
P=0.001), (OR=21.607, 95%CI: 4.738-98.532, P<0.01), respectively. On the other hand, there was
no significant difference among all studied groups for all genotypes regarding Survivin rs8073069.
Also, the CC+GC genotype showed no significant association with increased risk of hepatocellular
carcinoma (P=0.999) compared with the GG genotypes.

Conclusion:
The study indicates that functional Survivin rs1042489 polymorphism may contribute
to the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma while Survivin rs8073069 polymorphism has no significant
association with increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma among the studied groups.
The Curcumin Analog EF24 is Highly Active Against Chemotherapy- Resistant Melanoma Cells
Authors: He Yonghan , Li Wen , Zhang Junling , Yang Yang , Qian Yawei , Zhou Daohong 
Published: March 2021

Background:
Malignant melanoma (MM) is an aggressive type of skin cancer with a
poor prognosis, because MM cells are characterized by unresponsiveness to chemotherapy.

Objective:
In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of several curcumin analogs on four MM
cell lines (SK-MEL-28, MeWo, A-375, and CHL-1) and explored their underlying mechanisms of
action.

Methods:
Cell viability was measured by a Tetrazolium-based MTS assay. Cell apoptosis, reactive
oxygen species (ROS), and cell cycle were assayed by flow cytometry. Protein levels were assayed
by western blotting.

Results:
MM cells are quite resistant to the conventional chemotherapeutics cisplatin and dacarbazine,
and the targeted therapy drug vemurafinib. Among the curcumin analogs, EF24 is the most
potent compound against the resistant MM cells. EF24 dose and time-dependently reduced the viability
of MM cells by inducing apoptosis. Although EF24 did not increase the production of reactive
oxygen species (ROS), it upregulated the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress marker BiP, but
downregulated the unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling. Moreover, treatment of MM cells
with EF24 downregulated the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, as well as the inhibitor
of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) XIAP, cIAP1, and Birc7, which are known to protect MM cells
from apoptosis. The downregulation of Bcl-2 and IAP expression by EF24 was associated with the
inhibition of the NF-κB pathway.

Conclusion:
These findings demonstrate that EF24 is a potent anti-MM agent. The anti-MM effect
is likely mediated by the suppression of UPR and the NF-κB pathway.
Evaluation of Early Administration of Insulin Glargine in the Acute Management of Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Authors: Mohamed Adham , Ploetz Jeannette , Hamarshi Majdi S. 
Published: March 2021

Background:
Few studies have evaluated the early use of insulin glargine in the management
of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) patients. Early insulin glargine use in DKA was safe and associated
with a trend towards faster DKA resolution.

Objectives:
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of early insulin glargine administration for acute
management of DKA in critically ill patients.

Methods:
This single-center retrospective cohort study included patients, who were >18 years of
age with DKA, admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for at least 12 h, and received intravenous
insulin infusion for at least 6 h. The primary endpoint was the association between the time to insulin
glargine administration and time to DKA resolution. Linear and logistic regression analyses
were performed.

Results:
Of the 913 patients evaluated, 380 were included in the study. The overall mean age was
45±17 years, 196 (51.6%) were female, and 262 (70%) patients had type 1 diabetes mellitus. The
mean blood glucose level was 584.9±210 mg/dL, pH was 7.16±0.17, anion gap was 28.17±6.9 mEq/
L, and serum bicarbonate level was 11.19±5.72 mEq/L. Every 6-h delay in insulin glargine administration
was associated with a 26-min increase in time to DKA resolution (95% confidence interval
[CI], 14.76-37.44; p<0.0001), 3.2-h increase in insulin infusion duration (95% CI, 28.8-36;
p<0.0001), and 6.5-h increase in ICU LOS (95% CI, 5.04-7.92; p<0.0001).

Conclusion:
Early administration of insulin glargine is potentially safe and may be associated with
a reduction in time to DKA resolution and a shorter duration of insulin infusion.
Some Limits to Arguing Virtuously
Authors: Bowell Tracy 
Published: March 2021

In this paper, I consider whether there are limits to virtuous argumentation in certain situations. I consider three types of cases: 1) arguing against denier discourses, 2) arguing with people who make bigoted claims, and 3) cases in which marginalised people are expected to exercise virtues of argument from a position of limited agency. For each type of case, I look at where limits to arguing responsibly might be drawn. I argue that there are situations in which we might withdraw from engagement for practical reasons and others in which withdrawing or refraining from engagement is a responsible way to deal with a particular position. Finally, I argue that in the third type of case, expecting the marginalised to argue as though on even terms with the positions of the dominant risks perpetrating argumentative harm.
Persepsi Siswa SMA Selama Pembelajaran Daring Saat Pandemi Covid-19
Authors: Sembiring Anastasia Br , Oktavianti Roswita 
Published: March 2021

The Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) pandemic has a huge impact in every aspects of people's lives. One of the aspects is education. Currently, educational institutions are implementing online learning. This research is about the issue of high school students' perception about online learning during the Covid-19 Pandemic. This research uses qualitative research with a case study method. The techniques used for data collection is interview. The subjects of this research are students of SMA Santa Maria Medan based on their grade level. In this research, the researcher conduct an interview. The results showed that students of SMA Santa Maria Medan experienced difficulties during online learning. The difficulties faced is that high school students are required to independently understand the lessons that have been explained by the teacher, besides that unstable network is also considered as one of the factors that creates misunderstanding (miss communication) of the meaning received by students. Students also find it so hard to interact with other students during online learning and students are not feeling motivated because the teacher learning system only provides material and assignments that absolutely makes students tired and bored of learning.Pandemi Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) menyebabkan dampak yang begitu besar bagi seluruh aspek kehidupan masyarakat salah satunya pendidikan. Pemerintah menerapkan aturan pembelajaran jarak jauh secara dalam jaringan (daring) pada seluruh sekolah untuk mencegah penyebaran virus corona. Pembelajaran daring ini membentuk persepsi yang berbeda bagi setiap peserta didik. Persepsi adalah kemampuan otak dalam menerjemahkan stimulus atau proses untuk menerjemahkan stimulus yang masuk ke dalam alat indera manusia. Penelitian ini mengangkat persoalan mengenai persepsi siswa SMA selama pembelajaran daring saat pandemi Covid-19. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan metode studi kasus. Studi kasus penelitian ini dilaksanakan di SMA Santa Maria Medan. Pengumpulan data menggunakan teknik wawancara. Subyek penelitian adalah siswa SMA Santa Maria Medan. Objek penelitian adalah persepsi siswa SMA selama pembelajaran daring saat pandemi Covid-19. Wawancara dilaksanakan melalui konferensi video. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa persepsi siswa SMA selama pembelajaran daring saat Pandemi Covid-19 adalah bahwa pembelajaran daring yang dilaksanakan selama pandemi tidak efektif. Siswa SMA dituntut untuk mandiri memahami pelajaran yang telah dijelaskan oleh guru. Selain itu, masalah jaringan menjadi faktor utama dalam kesalahpahaman makna yang diterima oleh siswa. Siswa juga jarang berinteraksi dengan siswa lainnya selama pembelajaran daring. Siswa merasa tidak memiliki motivasi karena sistem pembelajaran di mana guru hanya memberikan materi dan tugas yang membuat siswa jenuh.