bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
High yields of hybrid rice do not require more nitrogen fertilizer than inbred rice: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Xu Le , Yuan Shen , Wang Xinyu , Yu Xing , Peng Shaobing 
Published: February 2021

AbstractHybrid rice has been planted throughout China to ensure food security owing to its higher yield potential than inbred rice. Meanwhile, substantial nitrogen (N) fertilizer has been applied to feed hybrid varieties for maximizing grain yield. However, to what extent the higher yield of hybrid than inbred rice depends on N fertilizer input remains unclear. A meta‐analysis was conducted in this study to (1) quantify the difference in N uptake and utilization between hybrid and inbred rice; (2) determine whether hybrid rice requires more N than inbred rice for producing per unit grain yield; and (3) evaluate the impact of the difference in crop growth duration between hybrid and inbred rice on their yield performance. The results showed that, overall, hybrid rice achieved a 10.1% higher grain yield, and 9.7% higher daily grain yield than inbred rice. This grain yield advantage increased from 6.1% to 11.9% depending on whether hybrids have longer crop growth duration than inbred rice. The yield advantage of hybrid rice was explained by higher total N uptake and internal N use efficiency, but not explained by N fertilizer input. Moreover, the yield advantage of hybrid rice with N fertilizer was driven by higher yield without N fertilizer instead of yield response to N fertilizer. These results suggest that hybrid rice does not necessarily require more N fertilizer to achieve higher yield than inbred rice. Therefore, hybrid rice could be planted with fewer external N to ensure food security and reduce environmental costs.
The information content of uncertainty indices for natural gas futures volatility forecasting
Authors: Liang Chao , Ma Feng , Wang Lu , Zeng Qing 
Published: February 2021

AbstractWe investigate the information content of five uncertainty indices for the US natural gas futures volatility forecasting. Our investigation is based on the GARCH‐MIDAS framework. The in‐sample outcomes suggest that most of uncertainty indices have a crucial effect on natural gas futures volatility. And the out‐of‐sample prediction results indicate that the geopolitical risk (GPR) and equity market volatility (EMV) indices contain more useful information for natural gas futures volatility. Moreover, according to the empirical results of special periods, we observe that the EMV index exhibits superior predictive ability under the periods of postcrisis, expansions, and low volatility. Our results are confirmed by several robustness checks.
Camel milk as an alternative treatment regimen for diabetes therapy
Authors: Hussain Humaira , Wattoo Feroza Hamid , Wattoo Muhammad Hamid Sarwar , Gulfraz Muhammad , Masud Tariq , Shah Imam , Ali Sakhawat , Alavi Seyed Ebrahim 
Published: February 2021

AbstractCamel milk is a valuable source of nutrition with a wide range of therapeutic effects. Its unique composition helps to regulate the blood glucose level. The current study is aimed to evaluate the antidiabetic and hepatoprotective effects, as well as lipid profile restoration of camel milk in the diabetic mouse model. This innovative study evaluates the therapeutic effects of camel milk in diabetic mice by simultaneous measurement of blood glucose, HbA1c, ALT, AST, TG, cholesterol, and histopathological studies. The results showed that camel milk has significantly reduced blood glucose, HbA1c (p < .001), aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) (p < .01), triglyceride (TG), and cholesterol (p < .01), compared to that in the diabetic control group. Also, the therapeutic effects of camel milk were completely comparable with the antidiabetic drug glibenclamide. The results of this study suggest that camel milk could be used as a proper alternative treatment regimen for diabetes therapy.
Genetic scores for adult subcortical volumes associate with subcortical volumes during infancy and childhood
Authors: Lamballais Sander , Jansen Philip R. , Labrecque Jeremy A. , Ikram M. Arfan , White Tonya 
Published: February 2021

AbstractIndividual differences in subcortical brain volumes are highly heritable. Previous studies have identified genetic variants that underlie variation in subcortical volumes in adults. We tested whether those previously identified variants also affect subcortical regions during infancy and early childhood. The study was performed within the Generation R study, a prospective birth cohort. We calculated polygenic scores based on reported GWAS for volumes of the accumbens, amygdala, brainstem, caudate nucleus, globus pallidus, putamen, and thalamus. Participants underwent cranial ultrasound around 7 weeks of age (range: 3–20), and we obtained metrics for the gangliothalamic ovoid, a predecessor of the basal ganglia. Furthermore, the children participated in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study around the age of 10 years (range: 9–12). A total of 340 children had complete data at both examinations. Polygenic scores primarily associated with their corresponding volumes at 10 years of age. The scores also moderately related to the diameter of the gangliothalamic ovoid on cranial ultrasound. Mediation analysis showed that the genetic influence on subcortical volumes at 10 years was only mediated for 16.5–17.6% of the total effect through the gangliothalamic ovoid diameter at 7 weeks of age. Combined, these findings suggest that previously identified genetic variants in adults are relevant for subcortical volumes during early life, and that they affect both prenatal and postnatal development of the subcortical regions.
Evaluation of denoising strategies for task‐based functional connectivity: Equalizing residual motion artifacts between rest and cognitively demanding tasks
Authors: Mascali Daniele , Moraschi Marta , DiNuzzo Mauro , Tommasin Silvia , Fratini Michela , Gili Tommaso , Wise Richard G. , Mangia Silvia , Macaluso Emiliano , Giove Federico 
Published: February 2021

AbstractIn‐scanner head motion represents a major confounding factor in functional connectivity studies and it raises particular concerns when motion correlates with the effect of interest. One such instance regards research focused on functional connectivity modulations induced by sustained cognitively demanding tasks. Indeed, cognitive engagement is generally associated with substantially lower in‐scanner movement compared with unconstrained, or minimally constrained, conditions. Consequently, the reliability of condition‐dependent changes in functional connectivity relies on effective denoising strategies. In this study, we evaluated the ability of common denoising pipelines to minimize and balance residual motion‐related artifacts between resting‐state and task conditions. Denoising pipelines—including realignment/tissue‐based regression, PCA/ICA‐based methods (aCompCor and ICA‐AROMA, respectively), global signal regression, and censoring of motion‐contaminated volumes—were evaluated according to a set of benchmarks designed to assess either residual artifacts or network identifiability. We found a marked heterogeneity in pipeline performance, with many approaches showing a differential efficacy between rest and task conditions. The most effective approaches included aCompCor, optimized to increase the noise prediction power of the extracted confounding signals, and global signal regression, although both strategies performed poorly in mitigating the spurious distance‐dependent association between motion and connectivity. Censoring was the only approach that substantially reduced distance‐dependent artifacts, yet this came at the great cost of reduced network identifiability. The implications of these findings for best practice in denoising task‐based functional connectivity data, and more generally for resting‐state data, are discussed.
Age differences in functional network reconfiguration with working memory training
Authors: Iordan Alexandru D. , Moored Kyle D. , Katz Benjamin , Cooke Katherine A. , Buschkuehl Martin , Jaeggi Susanne M. , Polk Thad A. , Peltier Scott J. , Jonides John , Reuter‐Lorenz Patricia A. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractDemanding cognitive functions like working memory (WM) depend on functional brain networks being able to communicate efficiently while also maintaining some degree of modularity. Evidence suggests that aging can disrupt this balance between integration and modularity. In this study, we examined how cognitive training affects the integration and modularity of functional networks in older and younger adults. Twenty three younger and 23 older adults participated in 10 days of verbal WM training, leading to performance gains in both age groups. Older adults exhibited lower modularity overall and a greater decrement when switching from rest to task, compared to younger adults. Interestingly, younger but not older adults showed increased task‐related modularity with training. Furthermore, whereas training increased efficiency within, and decreased participation of, the default‐mode network for younger adults, it enhanced efficiency within a task‐specific salience/sensorimotor network for older adults. Finally, training increased segregation of the default‐mode from frontoparietal/salience and visual networks in younger adults, while it diffusely increased between‐network connectivity in older adults. Thus, while younger adults increase network segregation with training, suggesting more automated processing, older adults persist in, and potentially amplify, a more integrated and costly global workspace, suggesting different age‐related trajectories in functional network reorganization with WM training.
Atypical spatiotemporal activation of cerebellar lobules during emotional face processing in adolescents with autism
Authors: Styliadis Charis , Leung Rachel , Özcan Selin , Moulton Eric A. , Pang Elizabeth , Taylor Margot J. , Papadelis Christos 
Published: February 2021

AbstractAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by social deficits and atypical facial processing of emotional expressions. The underlying neuropathology of these abnormalities is still unclear. Recent studies implicate cerebellum in emotional processing; other studies show cerebellar abnormalities in ASD. Here, we elucidate the spatiotemporal activation of cerebellar lobules in ASD during emotional processing of happy and angry faces in adolescents with ASD and typically developing (TD) controls. Using magnetoencephalography, we calculated dynamic statistical parametric maps across a period of 500 ms after emotional stimuli onset and determined differences between group activity to happy and angry emotions. Following happy face presentation, adolescents with ASD exhibited only left‐hemispheric cerebellar activation in a cluster extending from lobule VI to lobule V (compared to TD controls). Following angry face presentation, adolescents with ASD exhibited only midline cerebellar activation (posterior IX vermis). Our findings indicate an early (125–175 ms) overactivation in cerebellar activity only for happy faces and a later overactivation for both happy (250–450 ms) and angry (250–350 ms) faces in adolescents with ASD. The prioritized hemispheric activity (happy faces) could reflect the promotion of a more flexible and adaptive social behavior, while the latter midline activity (angry faces) may guide conforming behavior.
The need for sleep and circadian education in Australian high schools: incidental results from a survey of university students
Authors: Semsarian Caitlin R. , Woodforde Alisha , Cheung Janet M. Y. , Rigney Gabrielle , Blunden Sarah , Cistulli Peter A. , Bin Yu Sun 
Published: February 2021

AbstractIssue addressedTo describe the need for high school sleep education from the perspective of undergraduate university students.MethodsUndergraduate students who completed an online course on sleep and circadian health were surveyed 6 months after course completion. Students were asked whether a similar course would have benefited them as high school students, and about the need for sleep education in high schools. Thematic analysis of this qualitative data was carried out.ResultsEighty‐nine students who had attended 71 unique high schools provided responses. Eight‐one per cent thought they would have benefitted from a similar course during high school and identified domains of sleep knowledge particularly relevant to high school students. They cited environmental barriers to healthy sleep present during high school and believed that sleep education could improve students’ lifestyle, sleep and performance. Nineteen per cent of students said they would not have benefited, because they perceived sleeping patterns during high school to be nonmodifiable or believed that previous sleep education was sufficient. Of the respondents who did not think students would benefit, 53% would still tell their high school principal that there was a need for sleep education.ConclusionsThe findings support the need for engaging sleep education for high school students. Future studies should examine the perspectives of students in high school directly, rather than undergraduate students who have already shown an interest in sleep health.So what?Sleep health is missing from the Australian school curriculum. Online courses may be an engaging method of promoting sleep and circadian health to high school students.
Contextual factors and theCOVID‐19 outbreak rate across U.S. counties in its initial phase
Authors: Messner Wolfgang , Payson Sarah E. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackgroundThis study examines the association of contextual factors with the COVID‐19 outbreak rate across U.S. counties in its initial phase.MethodsContextual factors are simultaneously tested at the county‐ and state‐level with a multilevel linear model using full maximum likelihood.ResultsThe variation between states is substantial and significant (ICC = 0.532,u0= 8.20E−04,P < .001). At the state level, the cultural value of collectivism and the contextual factor of government spending are positively associated with the outbreak rate. At the county level, the racial and ethnic composition contributes to outbreak differences, disproportionally affecting black/African, native, Asian, and Hispanic Americans as well as native Hawaiians. Counties with a higher median age and a higher household income have a stronger outbreak. Better education and personal health are generally associated with a lower outbreak. Obesity and smoking are negatively related to the outbreak, in agreement with the value expectancy concepts of the health belief model. Air pollution is another significant contributor to the outbreak.ConclusionsBecause of a high variation in contextual factors, policy makers need to target pandemic responses to the smallest subdivision possible, so that countermeasures can be implemented effectively.
Study the influence of concavity shapes on augmentation of heat‐transfer performance, pressure field, and fluid pattern in three‐dimensional pipe
Authors: Al‐Obaidi Ahmed Ramadhan 
Published: February 2021

AbstractIn this current study, the heat‐transfer augmentation mechanism and pressure drop with flow field structures over different dimple arrays in turbulent flow of three‐dimensional circular tube are investigated based on computational fluid dynamics numerical methods using the standard k − e turbulent model. The water is the working fluid over the range of Reynolds numbers from 1500 to 24,000, with three different tubes dimpling arrangements are analyzed. The numerical simulation results are validated through available experimental data, and they show good agreement results between them. The numerical analysis results showed that the flow fields are symmetric within the middle cross‐sectional direction in the pipe with and without dimples. Also, the flow near or close to the dimples is chaotic and including small vortexes and eddies. The results found that the temperature difference in the dimple tube with 2 mm diameter at low flow range 0.56 L/min was higher than that of smooth pipe, dimple tube 0.75 and 1.5 mm by 26.8%, 10.57%, and 3.68%, respectively. It can be concluded that using dimples in heat‐exchanger tubes can provide rates of heat transfer that is higher than that without dimpled tubes at the same operating conditions. Hence, this is an important enhancement in process industries for the energy conversion applications.
Effect of earth–air breathing on evaporation of deeply buried phreatic water in extremely arid regions
Authors: Li Hongshou , Zhan Hongtao , Wang Xiaowei , Guo Qinglin , Liu Wenjun , Li Yanfei , Gong Yipu 
Published: February 2021

AbstractIn extremely arid regions, deeply buried phreatic water evaporates during the daytime from March to November in the northern hemisphere. It has been found that the earth–air undergoes ‘autonomous breathing’ and ‘passive breathing’, respectively caused by the changes of temperature and atmospheric pressure. In this paper, the effects of these breathing modes on phreatic evaporation (PhE) were investigated as well as the responsible mechanisms. Quantitative estimates suggest that the direct contribution from autonomous breathing is only 0.55 g·m−2·yr−1. Passive breathing pumps water vapour upwards from the deeply buried phreatic water table. Film water on the soil continuously migrates in pulsation from deep layers to the upper layer. Na2SO4 in the shallow soil absorbs moisture from the earth–air at night and decomposes during the day, forming water vapour, which is critical to the occurrence of PhE. The diurnal PhE process can be elucidated in detail by the bimodal variation in the atmospheric pressure. PhE occurs mainly from 10:00 to 17:00 during daytime from March to November, which correlates with passive breathing of the earth–air. The amplitude of atmospheric fluctuation determines the amount of earth–air that outflows, while temperature determines the water vapour concentration. In calculation, PhE is equal to the net absolute humidity (AH) times the amount of earth–air. There is 1.55 mm·year−1 of PhE caused by daily peak→valley differences, and about 2.97 mm·year−1 in estimation caused by numerous atmospheric fluctuations smaller than 2.84 hPa. The results coincide with the actual amount of PhE monitored of 4.52 mm·year−1. Therefore, the amount of PhE is proportional to the range and frequency of fluctuation in external atmospheric pressure, and is also positively related to soil temperature, salt content, water content, porosity, and vadose zone thickness.
Genetic alterations in squamous cell lung cancer associated with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Hata Atsushi , Nakajima Takahiro , Matsusaka Keisuke , Fukuyo Masaki , Nakayama Manabu , Morimoto Junichi , Ito Yuki , Yamamoto Takayoshi , Sakairi Yuichi , Rahmutulla Bahityar , Ota Satoshi , Wada Hironobu , Suzuki Hidemi , Iwata Takekazu , Matsubara Hisahiro , Ohara Osamu , Yoshino Ichiro , Kaneda Atsushi 
Published: February 2021

AbstractPatients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are at higher risk of developing lung cancers including squamous cell lung carcinoma (SCC), which typically carries a poor prognosis. Although the molecular basis of cancer development subsequent to IPF has not been fully investigated, we recently reported two epigenetic phenotypes characterized by frequent and infrequent DNA hypermethylation in SCC, and an association of the infrequent hypermethylation phenotype with IPF‐associated SCCs. Here, we conducted targeted exon sequencing in SCCs with and without IPF using the Human Lung Cancer Panel to investigate the genetic basis of IPF‐associated SCC. SCCs with and without IPF displayed comparable numbers of total mutations (137 ± 22 vs 131 ± 27, P = .5), nonsynonymous mutations (72 ± 14 vs 69 ± 16, P = .5), indels (3.0 ± 3.5 vs 3.0 ± 3.9, P = 1) and synonymous mutations (62 ± 9.1 vs 60 ± 12, P = .5). Signature 1 was the predominant signature in SCCs with and without IPF. SETD2 and NFE2L2 mutations were significantly associated with IPF (44% vs 13%, P = .03 for SETD2; 38% vs 10%, P = .04 for NFE2L2). MYC amplification, assessed by copy number variant analysis, was also significantly associated with IPF (18.8% vs 0%, P = .04). Mutations in TP53 and CDKN2A were observed relatively frequently in SCCs with frequent hypermethylation (P = .02 for TP53 and P = .06 for CDKN2A). Survival analysis revealed that the SETD2 mutation was significantly associated with worse prognosis (P = .04). Collectively, we found frequent involvement of SETD2 and NFE2L2 mutations and MYC amplification in SCCs with IPF, and an association of a SETD2 mutation with poorer prognosis.
Solving problems is smart, preventing them is wise: Lessons learned from the 2nd International DKFZ Conference on Cancer Prevention
Authors: Gillmann Clarissa , Pajor Gabor , Ramadori Pierluigi , Albers Peter , Mons Ute , Steindorf Karen , Kentner Susan , Baumann Michael 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe 2nd International DKFZ Conference on Cancer Prevention (CCP2020) organized by the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) was held as a virtual event on 17‐18 September 2020. The event gathered experts on cancer prevention from around the world with the aim of generating a stimulating interchange of opinions between clinicians and basic researchers working in the field. The talks and posters of the conference fueled exciting discussions and debates about the state of the art of cancer prevention and provided a comprehensive outlook on the many aspects of the field. The program was divided into three main sessions, illustrating the most recent methodological approaches and interventions in primary, secondary and tertiary prevention, enriched by introductory lectures depicting the most relevant aspects of each session. The key concepts covered in this meeting were risk factors, early detection, improving life after cancer, cancer prevention in Europe and personalized prevention. The importance of the latter was expressly highlighted, many presentations emphasizing that in the era of personalized medicine, prevention also needs to be based on the unique genetic, epigenetic, social and behavioral characteristics of the individual to achieve maximal efficacy. In this article, we summarize the key messages emerging from each section, with particular attention on the most important challenges yet to be met in the field of cancer prevention.
Bioelectrochemistry and the Singularity Point “I Robot”?**
Authors: Alfonta Lital 
Published: February 2021

AbstractIn his book “The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology” Ray Kurtzweil described the concept of artificial intelligence in an unorthodox way. It describes how humans will interface with machines and eventually will become one with machines. Hence, we can define a time point, which is a theoretical point when humans and machines will become one. In order to reach this point, a successful interface between the biological/organic to the inorganic matter is needed. In order for these pieces of “machinery” to communicate between one another, an exchange of matter and energy should be achieved. Electron transfer between the inorganic and organic has been the mission of bioelectrochemical systems in the past few decades. Enzymes, antibodies and nucleic acids attachment to electrodes has been achieved more than three decades ago. In the following assay I am reviewing the different advances that were made towards an integration between biological entities to inorganic ones.